Can she rise to power, or will the forces against her prevail?
“Every legend begins with the small footsteps of ordinary
Innatraeans.” -Tavid the Traveler
Rosalie Sharone, one of the strongest magic wielders ever born, has been
waiting and training for this moment all her life. Orphaned as a baby, the
child prodigy was raised in the small farm town of Aliselle Falls, away from
suspecting eyes. Now she is a young woman ready to fulfill her destiny by
traveling across Innatraea to become an initiate of The Weavers, an ancient
and powerful order on the island kingdom of Sceotan. In doing so, she must
leave her adoptive mother, her first love, and her friends behind. Yet
emotional trials are not the only challenge awaiting Rosalie and those
closest to her. Weavers especially attract danger, and Rosalie will face her
share as she makes her way to her destiny. This is only the beginning of her
story however. Once on Sceotan, her magic and intellect along with The
Weavers’ influence across all of Innatraea will either make her the
most powerful woman in history or completely destroy her.
Power, sacrifice, and destiny collide—get your copy today and dare to
walk the path with Rosalie as she begins the journey to her ultimate
fate.
__________________
Innatraea Novella Two: Am’ayim
Coming July 26, 2025
“Ele o aiga uma e toto. O nisi e fananau mai i Di Asin.
Not all families a blood. Som a dem born inna Di Saalt.
Not all families are blood. Some of them are born in the Salt.”
-Am’ayim Saying
Rosalie has finally left the dangers of Aedonia behind in her quest to
reach Sceotan and the Weavers. She now embarks upon another leg of that long
journey aboard an Am’ayim vessel known as Di Ariela. Here, she will meet new
friends amongst the ship’s crew and face new threats and challenges, all
while still grappling with the loss of her mother and parting ways with her
childhood friends. Rosalie must now find the strength to go on alone and
become the woman she’s meant to be. But the twisting tides of destiny and
fate are tricky and may yet claim them all or unite them as her journey
across Innatraea continues. Destiny is no easy thing, though; fate may have
more in store for her than she ever imagined.
E.R. Zaugg has published several articles on being the parent of a
vulnerable child, won poetry contests, and been an avid reader and world
traveler for decades. His work is inspired by seeing the world and
encountering different religions, spiritual beliefs, and cultures in both
literature and actual journeys. These experiences have led to a body of
deeply poetic work that explores what it means to be human. The Innatraea
novella series highlights the value of vulnerable cultures, children, and
strong women, with the goal of imparting to its readers a greater
understanding and love of humanity.
Waters of Destruction (An Orchid Isle Mystery) by Leslie Karst
Waters of Destruction (An Orchid Isle Mystery) Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series Setting – Hawaii Publisher : Severn House; Main edition (April 1, 2025) Hardcover : 224 pages ISBN-10 : 1448312183 ISBN-13 : 978-1448312184 Digital ASIN : B0DKXTRTX5
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Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious drowning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i
After a vacation of a lifetime in Hilo, Hawai‘i, retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have decided to move permanently to the beautiful – if storm-prone – Big Island. The couple are having fun furnishing their new house, exploring their new neighborhood and playing with their new little dog, Pua. But while they’ve made good friends with local restaurant manager Sachiko and her partner Isaac, they can’t help but feel a little lonely.
So when Sachiko begs Val to fill in for a member of her bar team who’s gone AWOL, Val dusts off her cocktail shaker and happily agrees. It’s a great chance to meet more people – and learn the local gossip.
Such as about Hank, the missing bartender, who vanished after a team-building retreat at a local beauty spot a week ago, and hasn’t been seen since. Until, that is, his body turns up at the bottom of the waterfall, and the police seem very interested in where Sachiko was at the time of his death.
Sachiko couldn’t have killed him . . . could she? Val dives into the murky waters of the case, determined to find out.
This mouth-watering cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Ellen Byron, Jennifer J Chow, Lucy Burdette and Raquel V Reyes, and includes a selection of delicious Hawaiian recipes to cook at home.
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About Author Leslie Karst
Leslie Karst is the author of the Orchid Isle mysteries Waters of Destruction and Molten Death, of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari mystery series, and of the IBPA Ben Franklin and IPPY award silver medal-winning memoir, Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG. After years waiting tables and singing in a new wave rock band, she decided she was ready for a “real” job and ended up at Stanford Law School, then returned to school to study the culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie splits her time between Hilo, Hawai‘i and Santa Cruz, California, spending her days writing, cooking, cycling, gardening, and observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock.
Publication date: March 25th 2025
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction
Prejudice. Legacy. Redemption.
Erys carries a secret that could shatter his world. The telepathic Elegrian has spent his life atoning for his dead father’s role in humanity’s disastrous first contact. Now, as a tech specialist for the Earth-led alliance, he serves in silence—until sabotage threatens the lives of dozens of human children. And the traitor is one of his own.
Forced to work with a brilliant but hostile human engineer, Erys must dismantle not only the deadly conspiracy but also the deep-seated mistrust between their peoples. With time running out, he faces an impossible choice: break the fragile Elegrian-Human treaty and invite the death penalty to forge a forbidden mind link with a human… or let innocent lives be lost.
Two worlds on the brink. A single act of defiance. Can compassion rewrite a doomed future?
The Elegrian Legacy begins here—a gripping sci-fi adventure rich in high-stakes dilemmas, deep character bonds, and first-contact intrigue.
Erys stood in the hospital room’s doorway, every muscle rigid. He’d arrived early, expecting to slip in quietly to take the system readings while the child slept. But, silent and alone, the sick little girl watched him from the bed with shimmering eyes. Purple bruises mottled her face. A red line ran a jagged path from her delicate nose to her dry lips. The stark-white sheet quivered as her small body trembled.
His throat tightened. Maybe he should come back later. It’d be much better for the child to remain unaware of his presence. It’d be better for him too. Not having to deal with the staring or the questions about who he was. Or the judgment.
But no. His job here—this job—should be routine. Easy. At least as easy as anything could be that brought an Elegrian to the foundation colony of the human Alliance on Loridan. Regardless, there was nothing ordinary about the suffering before him. He straightened his uniform jacket and crossed the threshold.
“Zhaaaaa…” He crooned words of comfort in the ancient language of his own people. It didn’t matter that the child was human and he was not—the melody of solace was universal. Besides, he should look human enough to the youngster. The one protein distinguishing his physiology from human was not outwardly visible. The only alien race either Elegrians or humans had encountered was each other, and in appearance they could be next-door neighbors.
The child’s shaking calmed. Her warm response encouraged him.
Brisk steps brought him to the girl’s bedside. Hidden under the covers, the bio-bed’s myriad sensors recorded enough infinitesimal measurements to enable Loridan’s treatment system to cure nearly any affliction. Or would have, if the complex network had not been broken. Loridan’s human techs could not figure out how to regenerate the Intelligent Data which gave the system its power. That was why he was here. Convoluted data issues—living data issues—were his specialty.
He crouched, pulled a sterile wipe from the dispenser, and gently cleaned the blood from the child’s face. “There. Better?” He pronounced the words carefully. The harder he tried, the more the liquid trill of his accent became exaggerated. He hoped she understood him.
Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice. “Are you a doctor?”
She spoke in a whisper, but her plea pinged loud and clear on his psychic senses. “No, shimwa.” He searched his memory for the translation. “Little one.” Deliberately, he relaxed his expression. “I’m here to help your doctors. To repair their equipment, so they can help you get better.” He reached out a finger to dab the wetness from her cheeks.
Her eyes followed his hand, and she stared at his uniform sleeve. At the insignia displayed prominently along with those of rank and division. He recognized the shadow of understanding that darkened her expression. He’d seen it before.
She recoiled, and a sob shook her frail form.
He had no words in any language to relieve this fear.
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About Author Cheryl A. Arko:
CHERYL ARKO is a science fiction author and an accomplished senior data scientist with a long career in IT and medical data analysis. She has loved reading science fiction ever since she could connect letters into words, devouring everything from Andre Norton to E.E. “Doc” Smith to more and more authors through the years who have shared their thought-provoking ideas of imagined places and alternate realities.
TOUCH OF THE ELEGRIAN is Cheryl’s debut novel and was a Killer Nashville Claymore Award Finalist for best Science Fiction/Fantasy. She writes stories that take her to the stars, imagining who we might find out there, inviting readers to come along for the ride to visit new worlds and their people. To explore what makes us different—and what makes us the same. And to discover the inherent good that exists in the universe to balance against darkness, no matter how far we travel.
A seasoned dog trainer, Cheryl lives with her beloved Airedales in a tiny house nestled within thirty acres of serene Minnesota pine trees.
Chilling murders terrorize a town and bring together two detectives to face the hardest task of their lives. Jack Ludlum, who relies on his brawn to get things done, is now paired with Jill Jarred,a brilliant investigator with keen intuition. As they delve into the secret world of incels and white supremacists, and conflict between local authorities and the FBI rages, a media frenzy further complicates the mission. Is there a serial killer on the loose? Or something entirely different? Will their clashing personalities be their undoing, or can they unite to stop the killer before they kill each other? What Goes Around is a dynamic thriller that examines the intricacies of love, loss, and the unbreakable bonds that transcend time. With its pulse-pounding pace, captivating characters, and a revelatory twist that challenges the boundaries of life and death, this novel will keep you hooked from the first page to the last, and thinking long afterwards.
Praise for What Goes Around:
“Relentless and gritty, Wendroff expertly weaves a narrative that begs, ‘just one more page…'” ~ J.D. Barker, NY Times bestselling author “What Goes Around starts off at a breakneck pace and doesn’t let up until it reaches its unexpected conclusion.” ~ Lisa Black, NY Times bestselling author “An adrenaline-fueled novel, the action breathlessly driven by two detectives-Jill Jarred and Jack Ludlum–relentlessly pursuing the bloody trails left by a serial killer with a dark sense of justice, deadly groups of white supremacists, and one lonely, alienated boy caught up in the violence.” ~ Kathleen Kent, NY Times bestselling Author “What a twist! This book grabs you from the first chapter, and doesn’t ever let you go. A brilliant debut!” ~ L.M. Chilton, Author and Journalist “Gripping and chilling…relentless…includes very up to date issues…with an original revelatory twist.” ~ Crime Fiction Magazine
I’ll remember the day I died for the rest of my life.
Prologue
The sign at the gate read, “Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.” It was before dawn, the night sky still dark and the compound silent as a cemetery. The cabin loomed in the distance: a den of crime, a place where the armed drug dealers spent much of their time. The police team approached as quietly as they could, the crunch of twigs beneath their boots the only sound to break the eerie silence. Fear tiptoed through their souls, its icy fingers tracing the contours of their restless thoughts. They took a collective inhalation of breath, not knowing if they were walking toward their death. They knew the property owner, the leader of the group, wasn’t kidding with his sign. What they didn’t know was that a baby was crawling on the floor of the cabin they were about to storm. *** Jon Eddie considered himself a champion. Now he understood he was in for the fight of his life. Forty-two years old, with bulging eyes, a bushy beard and Fu Manchu mustache, he’d covered himself in self-righteousness, the way his tattoos covered almost every inch of his bulky body. He was proud of the group he’d brought together. Eddie liked to believe he was simply an entrepreneur, as his annual white power music festival, Nordic Fest, attracted skinheads from across the country. Full of music from “hatecore” bands such as Angry Aryans and No Alibi, supported by shouting speakers spewing their idiotic ideology, it provided a nice source of income—in addition to the dues Eddie charged, and the contributions he asked for. His major source of cash, however, was a raging drug-dealing business, his biggest sellers being meth, molly, and of course opioids. His girlfriend, Krystal, was yelling at their baby to stop crying. Krystal, no mother of the year, picked the baby girl up and was about to shake her when Eddie noticed movement at the front of his property. ** * Outside, the thundering silence was deafening. Two police officers accompanying the core team were selected to check the dense tree line that surrounded the compound’s fence. They knew there were often guards stationed behind the evergreens—if so, they needed to take them out as quietly and quickly as possible before the main assault could begin. Everyone was on high alert. Though it was cool, sweat darkened their uniforms. Up ahead, closer to the cabin, they spied a truck with monster-size tires. Through binoculars, a sticker affixed to a large dent on the rear bumper was evident. It was a monstrosity, with a silhouette of crossed AR-15s next to the slogan, “Yours for White Victory.” One cop, Jack—built like a sequoia tree—towered over the policewoman beside him, even though she was above average in height. He pointed his head toward the tree line and looked down with a smug expression. “You ready for this, Jill?” he asked, his voice full of confidence. She rolled her eyes. Her uniform was pristine. “Shh. You know I can take care of myself,” she whispered. He laughed silently. “Sure you can, Jill.” Then, under his breath, said, “Just don’t get in my way.” Jill gritted her teeth and ignored his taunts. She’d always been competitive with him, ever since they were in the police academy together; they were like two racehorses heading neck and neck toward the finish line. Jill was determined to prove she was just as good as he was. No, better. They looked at the team leader, who nodded. The two of them slowly moved forward, their breathing becoming more rapid. As they approached the fence, they heard rustling in the trees. *** Krystal had never wanted to be a mother. She’d really had no ambition to be anything at all. Stuck in a rut of life, like a sailboat without wind, she’d been tending bar when she met Jon Eddie. It wasn’t much of a bar; as you pushed open its dilapidated door, you were immediately hit with the pungent smells of bitter beer, cigarette smoke, and salty sweat. A long, sticky bar dominated the dimly lit interior, lined with shaky stools and chipped coasters. The walls were covered in peeling, nicotine-stained wallpaper, and the floor was littered with discarded peanut shells and spilt spirits. Normally, the regulars, their lives littered as well, would sit hunched over their drinks, staring blankly into the distance. Unless Jon Eddie was around. Eddie often drew a crowd, a mix of people in awe of him and people in fear of him. His mannerless mouth and domineering demeanor attracted Krystal. He clearly thought he was the shit, and just as clearly was a mean son of a bitch. But Krystal thought he was someone who could protect her. At first, she would shrivel from his drivel. Later, not knowing any better, she began believing him, impressed by his purported big ideas that the men around him enthusiastically nodded their heads up and down to. When the bar closed one night, he was in the parking lot, hovering, waiting for her, wanting her. She went out the back door and saw him. With an almost imperceptible shrug, she got into his truck. She stayed the night with him, which then became a month of muddling. Once she was pregnant, she was there for good. Or so she thought. *** “Grab the guns!” Eddie yelled over the baby’s wails. Krystal looked at him, frozen, as she held the baby. “Leave the damn kid on the floor. Just grab the guns!” ** * They could see two guards ahead. The guards were behind a large oak tree, chatting quietly while looking at a cell phone. One laughed. Jack motioned to Jill to wait a moment as he silently made his way to the larger of the two guards. Before anything even registered on the guard’s face, Jack started in on him. Jack got him down, using a headlock and fireman’s carry maneuver that landed the guy on his head. He was knocked out and would have a concussion, but he’d live. Jack allowed himself a quick smile, then turned to the other man, who was backing away, suddenly preferring flight to fight. Jill had watched momentarily in admiration of Jack’s fighting skills but couldn’t admire for too long; the other guard was her job, and she had to be just as capable with him. He’d turned to run but had a gun in hand. Jill moved catlike toward her prey. A tree root tripped her. The guard stopped. His gun hand was shaking. Fast and agile, Jill quickly recovered, jumped, and landed a swift kick to his shaved head. Her steel-toed boot landed right in the center of his swastika tattoo; blood immediately gushed onto the soil. All those years of martial-arts training paid off. The gun fell out of the man’s hand, and Jill kicked it away before kicking him in the stomach to make sure he stayed down. The man’s eyes were wide, and it looked like he’d had enough, so she stopped, not wanting to overdo it. Jack watched her, ready to act, and looked similarly impressed, though he didn’t say a word to her after they’d cuffed and muzzled the guards. Other cops quickly came over and dragged them away. “Well, that was the easy part,” Jack said. Jill, panting, just stared at him, knowing those words to be true. For a second, she thought of her dad, a former cop, and hoped his fate wouldn’t befall her. The core team warily walked forward, heading into the unknown. Jack followed closely behind. Jill wiped the blood off her boot with some leaves and joined them. Her heart pounding, but with a lot of backbone, she put her best foot forward. ** * The team leader, Nic, was as determined as a bulldog with a bone. He knew he had to stop the drug dealing, and he hated the group’s ideology. But even more, he was given this mission because an informant had told of a plan this group had to blow up a government building. Tomorrow. As they came closer to the cabin, he scanned the area for any signs of activity. He saw movement within the cabin. He could feel the sweat dripping down his face, the adrenaline pumping through his veins. While his officers were highly trained, he could see the fear in their eyes. It wasn’t a surprise. It was too easy for things to go bad. He motioned for the team to spread out and be ready, with two officers heading around to the back. He knew they were dealing with very dangerous people but hoped to take them in without bloodshed. Especially their own. *** The smoke bomb exploded on the floor. Chaos. His vision clouded, an officer yelled, “Police, come out with your hands up!” There was more movement inside; Eddie was fuming. But no one emerged from the thick fog of smoke. The cops moved in, like a tidal wave crashing onto shore. One of the team members was hit immediately; he was dead before his body hit the floor. More gunshots rang out. As the men frantically searched the rooms, the team leader headed straight for the source of the gunfire, bullets whizzing by at a dizzying pace. Amidst the mist, Jill saw a woman on the floor, bloodied and unmoving. She then heard a cry, and looking down, saw a baby. Holy shit, she thought, and tried to yell to the others, but in the mayhem, she knew no one would hear or understand. A hail of bullets came their way, and Jill got down, covering the baby with her body, like an embryo in the womb. Another gunshot rang out, and Jill saw blood. *** Excerpt from What Goes Around by Michael Wendroff . Copyright 2024 by Michael Wendroff . Reproduced with permission from Michael Wendroff . All rights reserved.
About Author Michael Wendroff:
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Michael Wendroff has an MBA in marketing from NYU, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame. His MBA thesis was on “Marketing in the publishing industry,” and it was excerpted in the industry trade journal, “Publisher’s Weekly,” so he actually got paid to write his thesis. While interviewing publishing executives for the thesis, he met Truman Capote. He has spent many years since as a global marketing consultant. It was the Covid pandemic that finally got his to write his novel, as he was cooped up at home. The impetus for the novel was something his mother said the moment he was born: “Oh! So nice to see you, Again.” He grew up in a publishing/author milieu, as his mother was an editor at NYC publishing houses (watching his mother scribbling in red ink on manuscript pages at home on weekends prepared him for his own editor’s comments!). Plus she remarried a literary agent, Henry Morrison, so Michael was friendly with many authors (Dean Koontz, Lawrence Block, Joseph Finder, Eric Van Lustbader, etc), and even spent a vacation with Robert Ludlum. Watching Ludlum hand-write his 450 page novels on yellow legal pads didn’t dissuade Michael from trying to write a novel (though he’s thankful for his PC). Michael’s debut thriller novel, What Goes Around, was launched in the USA, UK, and Australia, and foreign language rights have thus far been sold in Italian, Japanese, and Hungarian. Fun fact: Michael’s great-grandfather was brought over by Thomas Edison from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) to work with him in his New Jersey labs. He holds a number of patents, including for plastic buttons (he became known, and rich, around town as “The Button King”). Michael proudly wears button-down shirts whenever he can.
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway! Click here to view the Tour Schedule
Win Big! Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Michael Wendroff. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Life In Rotations organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author Farid Yaghini will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!
And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
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Life In Rotations
by Farid Yaghini
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Genre: Memoir
Synopsis
Farid Yaghini’s unforgettable memoir takes you on a journey from escaping persecution in Iran to rebuilding a life in Canada and serving on the frontlines with the Canadian military. Filled with humour, heart, and unflinching honesty, his story of resilience, redemption, and the founding of Camp Aftermath will inspire you to believe in the power of hope and human connection.
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Enjoy this peek inside:
Sitting on the floor of my two-bedroom apartment, surrounded by half-assembled IKEA furniture and that damn Allen key, I wondered, What the hell have I done?
Callie, my three-year-old daughter, sat happily among the chaos, blissfully unaware of the weight of the decisions that had led us here. Cindy and I had split, and although it was amicable, I knew that simply clocking in for a nine-to-five job and coasting through life wasn’t going to cut it—not for me, not for her. I needed to be better. I needed to be someone she could look up to. But how?
As I wrestled with my own demons, I kept seeing news about veterans taking their own lives—men and women who had faced the same wars, same losses, same struggles as me. What if I could do something? What if I could take all my lessons, my pain, and turn it into something meaningful?
That idea turned into an obsession. My bedroom became an ops room, plastered with notes, ideas connected by strings like a tactical plan. Then it hit me—Camp Aftermath. A way to help veterans and first responders heal through volunteerism, to find purpose, to rewrite their stories.
I had no funding. No roadmap. Just a promise to my daughter that I would become the kind of man she could be proud of.
And once I made that promise, failure wasn’t an option.
About Author Farid Yaghini:
Farid Yaghini was born in Iran and fled to Pakistan with his family to escape religious persecution following the Islamic Revolution of 1979. At the age of nine, he immigrated to Canada as a refugee, navigating the confusion and frustration of adapting to a new way of life. Through it all, he carried a deep sense of resilience, hope, and an irrepressible knack for finding humour, even in the most challenging moments.
Romance is in the air with this amazing new series by
best-selling author Libby Kay.
Pinegrove has it all, sexy firemen, town busybodies, and tons of charm!
When
these sparks fly, a happily ever after is in the cards!
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When Sparks Fly
A Pinegrove FD Novel Book 1
by Libby Kay
Genre: Contemporary Small-Town Romance
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Two broken hearts,
one charming small town, and a few sparks may be the recipe for love…
Whitney Kerr is at a crossroads—literally. After jumping
behind the wheel to flee Savannah, and a bad breakup, this Southern Belle is in
search of a fresh start. Stopping in a charming smalltown seems like the
perfect place to catch her breath and find herself. It’s too bad a certain
fireman with a crooked grin and kind eyes could have her plans of
self-discovery going up in a puff of smoke.
Trevor Mays is at a crossroads—figuratively. Still grieving
the loss of his father, he was unceremoniously dumped by his fiancée, who
quickly rebounded with his work rival. Just as he thinks things can’t get
worse, he loses the captain’s promotion—to the man who stole his ex. He’s about
to give up on ever smiling again when a curly-haired beauty with curves for
days stumbles into his hometown.
With some help from the residents of Pinegrove, this pair
will discover that much like the perfect fireworks show, love only needs a
spark.
Fans of Sherryl Woods’ Sweet Magnolias series
and Sarah Adams’s When in Rome series will fall in love with
Libby Kay’s sweet fireman romance. Ms. Kay’s engaging stories fill your heart
and head with possibilities and will quickly become your new favorite!
Libby Kay lives in the city in the heart of the Midwest with
her husband. When she’s not writing, Libby loves reading romance novels of any
kind. Stories of people falling in love nourish her soul. Contemporary or
Regency, sweet or hot, as long as there is a happily ever after—she’s in love!
When not surrounded by books, Libby can be found baking in
her kitchen, binging true crime shows, or on the road with her husband,
traveling as far as their bank account will allow.
Libby cohosts the Romance Roundup podcast with Liz Donatelli
where they recommend romance books and interview authors, influencers, and
publishers. Check it out for your weekly dose of romance!
I’ve loved my brother’s best friend for as long as I can remember. Newsflash, he doesn’t see me that way. But now that Luke Phillips is coming to town and needs a place to stay… could this be my big chance?
It’s not like I’ve sat around for the last twenty-eight years waiting for Luke. Not really. But ever since I moved back to Elk Lake, I can’t help but hope I’ll run into him. Enter my big brother calling and asking if his bestie can bunk with me. My younger self is doing backflips at the possibilities.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Luke is looking for a long-term situation. He’s made it clear he’s got some business to take care of and then he’s on the first train back to Chicago.
But then he kisses me. And everything changes.
At least, I hope it has…
Pity Play is a brother’s best friend, close proximity, small town rom-com that takes place in the resort town of Elk Lake, Wisconsin. This is the sixth book in a series that read as standalones.
After climbing the stairs, I open the door to my room, and I’m immediately filled with the comforting familiarity of my early years. I’ve thought about redecorating now that I’m an adult but being that I spend as much time living in my parents’ room—when they’re in Florida—as I do here, I haven’t quite pulled the trigger. Also, I’m twenty-eight, and even though I tell Noah there’s nothing wrong with me still living at home, I have started to wonder how much longer I’ll be here.
Once again, I let my feather duster take flight and when it gets to the posters, I perform a ritual from my teenage years. I swipe it across Mel B’s face and sing, “I tell you what I want, Luke Phillips. I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna go out on a date with you!”
I’m so busy jamming around my room that I jump when the doorbell rings. It can’t even be eight o’clock so I have no idea who it is. I know it’s not Luke because he won’t be here until ten. That leaves old Mrs. Bing from next door.
My bluish-haired neighbor isn’t generally a bother, but ever since her husband went into the nursing home, she regularly stops by when she needs a jar opened or a spider killed. One time she told me that our weeds were growing out of control and kindly offered to send her gardener over. I let her do that once but then she hit me with a bill for a hundred and fifty dollars. Now we all just live with the weeds.
I run down the stairs with the Spice Girls still ringing in my head, and apparently out of my mouth because as I swing open the door, I practically shout, “If you wannabe my lover …” And that’s when I realize Mrs. Bing isn’t my guest.
All six-foot two inches of Luke Phillips is standing in front of me, and man, does he look good. It’s March in Wisconsin so he’s dressed for winter in a bomber jacket and wool scarf. Nicely fitted jeans showcase every gorgeous inch of his long legs.
I know I should say something to him, but my mouth pools with so much saliva that if I don’t swallow it soon, I’m liable to drool on the man. Swallow your spit, girl.
Once I manage that monumental, and embarrassingly audible, task, I blurt out, “Hey … Hello … Hi there!” Oh yeah, I’m a real orator.
“Hi.” Luke’s beanie-covered head tips to the side. His gorgeous brown eyes narrow like he’s inspecting a moldy piece of cheese. “I’m looking for Lorelai Riley.”
This is my chance to tell him she’s not here and that he should come back at ten when he was supposed to arrive, but my synapses aren’t firing. That must be why I throw my arms into the air and practically shout at him, “I’m Lorelai!”
Luke takes a step backward like he’s going to make a run for it. Instead of fleeing, he moves his gaze from the top of my purple bandana all the way to my bare feet. This of course means he’s aware I’m wearing a pink flowered flannel nightgown from Lanz of Salsburg. A favorite with grannies everywhere.
“Hi,” he repeats. Yet he makes no move toward the door. In fact, there’s no movement at all. It’s like he’s turned into a marble statue. He even stays put after I step back and gesture for him to come in.
Well, this is awkward. I start stammering, “I didn’t expect you until ten. I mean, that’s when Noah said you were coming so that’s why I’m not dressed.” He looks borderline terrified, so I hurry to add, “I was cleaning. Getting ready for you.”
He lifts his foot like he’s going to take a step forward, but the action is so slow it’s like he’s trying to push his way through a wall of frozen molasses. “I can find a hotel or something …”
“What? No! Come on in! You’re staying here!” The image of Kathy Bates from that old movie Misery pops into my mind. From the look on Luke’s face, he’s thinking something similar. I want to assure him that I won’t hobble him, chain him to the bed, and keep him as a hostage, but I think that might scare him more.
.
.
About Author Whitney Dineen:
Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.
Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.
She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.
Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.
Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.
“Love before Covid – A raw, philosophical dive into love’s
messy reality—unflinching, dark, and unapologetically human. Unlike
typical romance novels, LOVE BEFORE COVID is a dialogue-driven exploration
of human flaws and ideologies, blending fiction with metaphysical inquiry.
It’s not about comfort; it’s about confrontation and
insight.”
Laced with dark humour, it is best described as traumatic (sur)realism.
Love Before Covid takes the reader on a journey through the mind of Joe
Pastorius – jazz fan, poet, and victim of horrendous sexual and emotional
abuse at the hands of his mother.
The real-time dialogues between the characters that emerge from Joe’s
unconscious come via arguably corrupted memories and dystopian dreams. They
tell us more about Joe than he could ever know, and perhaps more about our
world than you could ever imagine.
Dialogues entail an exploration of clashing perspectives and opinions, that
cause reflection. Today though, our world has been infiltrated by online
dialogues that tend to feel like wild unfiltered streams of human thought,
raw, chaotic and often polarising and devoid of much reflection. Arguably
that attitude, and lack of reflection is mirrored by the characters you will
encounter. The reflection comes from the reader as the situations unfold.
Your moral boundaries will without doubt be pushed to the limit.
You will meet an altruist who can’t stand up for himself, a charming
but violent public intellectual, a beautiful dancer who hates fat people, a
flirty and gregarious bartender who will do anything to get pregnant, a
traumatised art historian who never wants to be a mother, a successful
intellectual Mexican writer who is secretly disapproving of her childhood
friend’s career as a pornstar, the teenage genius son of that pornstar
who has sexual fantasises about his mother, a woman who is pressured into
cutting off her penis and a successful therapist who has a habit of ruining
people’s lives.
And yes, before you ask, some of the characters in this book eventually
catch Covid 19. However, there is always hope. For Joe Pastorious, that
comes in the form of the psychopath named Janet Waverley.
Enjoy this peek inside:
INTRODUCTION
Dear Reader,
This book is both a novel and a collection of dialogues.
The dialogues in this book are moving thought experiments. They portray
elaborate, unfolding situations which, at every turn, force the reader to
examine his or her philosophical intuitions about a range of topics,
situations and people.
These dialogues are not merely fiction told in dialogue form. Fiction is
drama that may (incidentally) comment upon or examine philosophical issues.
Drama normally involves scenes in which dialogue is used to set up and
advance a plot. In this book, plots are used to set up and advance the
dialogues of the characters.
The dialogues in this book are something like philosophy, because the
dramatic elements are merely a pretext to examine the philosophical issues
raised by the situations in which the characters talk to each other. The
dialogues happen in real time and are often deeply frustrating, as dialogues
are in real life. Reading this book, you may feel as though you are
listening in on a series of intensely private conversations.
If you heard any of these conversations in real life, you might feel as
though you were being privy to a rather juicy bit of gossip. Or you might
call the police. You might shed a tear. You might even masturbate (and then
read some more traditional philosophy).
Like any piece of philosophy, the writing in this book is sometimes
laborious. However, unlike traditional philosophy, the aim of this book is
to explore, rather than resolve, a set of philosophical concerns. There are
even issues raised in this book that many well-regarded philosophers find
quite silly – too silly to take seriously as philosophy.
Love Before Covid is thus an attempt to invoke the gadfly spirit of
Socrates in the 21st century, largely by abandoning the academic tradition
he inspired. This book is expected to irritate both lovers of philosophy, as
well as lovers of fiction. It may even irritate people from both sides of
the 21st century’s culture wars.
The plot concerns the love life of a man called Joe Pastorious. However,
this book does not tell you what to think of Joe, nor does it sing his
praises by showing how much he conforms to the most cherished values of our
time. Like many non-fictional people, Joe Pastorious is a complex human
being. You may love him or hate him. To call him imperfect would be an
understatement, but the degree to which he is likeable or loathsome is
thoroughly up to you.
There are other fictional people in this book who also dialogue, but they
only make appearances because of our protagonist. In some ways, they explain
Joe, much more than Joe explains himself.
Joe Pastorious met his wife Janet Waverley in the autumn of 1999. Joe and
Janet fell in love in a place called Leicester, which is a small city in the
middle of England. Many things have been said of Leicester, but one thing
that is not said enough is it is a fantastic place to fall in love. It was
the perfect place for Joe and Janet to fall in love. This is true, despite
the fact that Joe and Janet’s love is anything but perfect.
To truly understand the imperfect nature of this love, we must go back, not
to the beginning, but to an imaginary autumn of 2002. It’s not enough
to merely remember this autumn, from the vantage point of an imaginary
present. We instead must adopt this moment’s perspective, seeing its
events as though they were happening now.
When in the present, one can’t predict the future. Hence, the present
is the best place to understand imperfect people. When people are dead and
we know absolutely everything they have ever done, this creates an illusion
of certainty the present thankfully wipes away. You can’t trust a
corpse, because there is nothing about a corpse’s decisions that may
hurt or disappoint you.
A living, breathing person is not like this. They are only capable of being
truly understood, when they can be trusted. They can only be fully trusted
when their future is uncertain.
Love’s power resides in the romance of this uncertainty.
About Author Greg Scorzo
During the pandemic Dr Greg Scorzo completed his first novel ‘LOVE
BEFORE COVID’ as well as producing an innovative radio play based on 6
chapters from that book, also called – LOVE BEFORE COVID. available on
our YouTube Channel. and via Audioboom with links to all major podcast
platforms.
Greg says, “I was interested in the challenge of writing a novel that
was formally experimental, while still being easy for a mass audience to
read and understand. I love the idea of a piece of philosophy that is
simultaneously a work of fiction, and a philosophical thought experiment
which can function like a great, twisty roller coaster of a story that asks
the reader many questions. Unlike traditional philosophy and many
fashionable works of literature, this book purposefully asks questions
without giving answers, encouraging readers to think (and emote) for
themselves.”
Since gaining his PhD in Philosophy in 2011, Greg Scorzo has aimed to find
creative and original ways to take philosophical thinking outside of
academia. By using modern accessible philosophical dialogue inpublic talks,
podcasts and his novel Love Before Covid, Greg explores clashing
perspectives and opinions that cause reflection. Based in Leicester, he was
a founding member of Culture on the Offensive and runs the podcast The
‘Art of Thinking’.
Dialogues entail an exploration of clashing perspectives and opinions that
cause reflection. Statements and declarations can close minds.
The ‘Art of Thinking’ with Greg Scorzo podcast is available on
YouTube where he does friendly philosophical interrogation of ideas
with many interesting thinkers. Also available via Audioboom linking to all
major podcast platforms.
His extended essays on Arts and Culture as well as Cultural Issues are
available on this platform www.gregscorzo.com
He has a passion and extensive knowledge of film and music.
From 2017 – 2020 Greg Scorzo was active in running over 60 engaging
voluntary community sessions, centred around ‘The Art of
Thinking’ The focussed on universal philosophical themes,
arts and culture and cultural issues. The ethos behind these events was to
encourage the use of EMPATHY, CLARITY and COURAGE in ensuing dialogues with
the audience. These were organised by COTO.
He also took up invitations to partner and run sessions at other events,
including the Battle of Ideas Festival at the Barbican London, the
Philosophy Now conference, Leicester Comedy Festival and DeMontfort
University’s Cultural Exchanges festival. He is always interested to
partner up with other like minded people.
The Niagara Falls Power Grid is down and a snow storm is
coming.
.
The Cold Winter
The Cold Winter Series Book 1
by Chris Underwood
Genre: Disaster, Survival Fiction
.
The Niagara Falls grid is down. A snowstorm traps the unprepared. A cold winter lies ahead.
The Northeast corner of the US goes dark. The rest of the country has power,
and desperate travelers jam the roads to get there. They can’t make it.
Millions of people are displaced as a massive snowstorm descends.
The Vesper family lives in a small town in central Ohio. They’ve prepped, but
not enough. They vow to do the right thing for any person in need. The radio
promises that everything will be back to normal soon. Instead, it’s a cold,
brutal winter.
The power is still out.
Help isn’t coming.
The fight for America begins.
As central Ohio families struggle to survive through a snowy blackout, an
organized effort to take over the country unfolds around them. A coup plays out
against a backdrop of systemic failure, and village residents must band
together to stay true to their values while strengthening borders against
attackers.
An in-the-know ham radio operator aids the villagers in their defense
preparations, and in doing so, uncovers a secret advantage—one that gives them
a chance to stop loving in reaction mode. As a call to arms goes out, Ohioans
fight back against the attempted takedown of everything they love.
The Grid is Down.
A VIP upriver needs to be rescued.
Modern Engines can’t be trusted.
To win, the battle must turn unconventional….
And a little Historical.
A modern minuteman militia is operating out of Steubenville Ohio with a VIP to
deliver. Their Huey helicopter is grounded so travel is the old-fashioned way
on the Ohio River. Then it gets even more old-fashioned. Another militia in
Evansville Indiana has the World War 2 LST-325 in their command. Seven hundred
miles of river is between them, but the historic battleship is pushing upstream
to help. The battles along the Ohio River come to a conclusion in an epic
battle on Wheeling Island!
The Official Release date of this book was June 6, 2024, the 80th Anniversary
of D-Day. Chris Underwood was on the actual LST-325, docked on the Ohio River,
signing books for this official opening date. He has volunteered on this
historical ship and proud to include it in this book.
CHRIS UNDERWOOD lives in central Ohio with his wonderful
wife and three children who are one by one being pushed out the door for
college. His passions have included woodworking and the completion of a 10 year
historical home restoration, in addition to his Computer Consulting career.
More recently his passions for sailing and writing have been given more
attention in his life. Chris openly pines for the day that writing and sailing
completely consumes it. Creative Writing was always an interest, even decades
ago when in college at Ohio State. Business Writing courses were pushed to the
side in favor of Short Story and Sci-Fi. In the end, a Computer Science and
Accounting degree seemed more promising in today’s world and writing was put on
the back burner. Until a few years ago. A subject matter and storyline were
generated that created enough passion to put pen to paper. Now writing is a
daily event, with two more stories in process!
(The Hollow, #3)
Publication date: March 20th 2025
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
One mistake.
A tragic accident.
A life-altering event.
Something I can never take back.
What do you do when you meet the girl of your dreams but you’re now a shadow of who you used to be.
Gemma Ackerman, my girlfriend, was my everything. Her quiet, nerdy aura drew me in and I never wanted to let go. Life on my Harley with her by my side was perfect.
Until it wasn’t—until I lost myself.
Because a part of me died that night and it was never coming back.
I welcomed anger instead.
I greeted loneliness like an old friend.
I allowed guilt and sorrow to nestle inside my head.
That’s when I met Claire Edwards—the epitome of joie de vivre. She showed me a new colorful way to see the world. She turned numbness into eagerness for a taste of life.
And now I’m torn between a girlfriend that never gave up on me and a woman I picture as my wife.
I had no other choice.
I let myself die, so that I may live.
And it’s all thanks to her. . .
*Follow the same standalone storyline as Silent Screams and Grieving Graves through Harvey and Claire’s eyes.
I close my eyes, swarming out of the anger, until I reach for numbness and bask in it like my life depends on it.
Because it does.
Some of us don’t get to live outside our depression.
Some of us only remain alive because of it.
.
About Author M.H.B. :
M . H . B . graduated law from a Canadian University. She loves spending time with her partner and her dog. She has a passion for animals and loves the simple things in life: chocolate, music, books, sunny days, and overall wellness. When she is not writing, her mind is in another world with a book in hand.
