New Book Release: Critters Aren't for Cuddles - by Meaghan Cavanaugh

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Critters Aren’t for Cuddles is a playful yet powerful children’s book that uses catchy rhymes and vivid illustrations to remind readers—young and old—that wild animals deserve space, respect, and a little peace and quiet. With each page, readers meet a new critter in its natural habitat and learn why even the cutest creatures aren’t meant for hugs. Lighthearted in tone but grounded in an important message, this book encourages a love for wildlife that honors boundaries.

About the author:

 Meaghan Cavanaugh is an author and illustrator who rediscovered her love of storytelling after a long hiatus. Her debut children’s book, Critters Aren’t for Cuddles, blends humor, heart, and a deep respect for wildlife. With more books on the way—ranging from playful to poignant—her work explores themes of belonging, passion, and the importance of treating the natural world with care. A devoted dog lover and foster, Meaghan founded Smudge Mark Publishing in honor of her beloved rescue pup, Smudge. Originally from New Mexico and now based in Arizona, she draws inspiration from the desert landscape and the joyful chaos of life with animals. Her goal: to create stories that are fun, thoughtful, and just wild enough to stay with readers long after the last page.

New Book Release: In the Face of Fear (Hidden Appearances) - by Michelle D. Bates

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Marie thought she had finally found a sense of stability, but secrets have a way of unraveling when least expected. Just as she begins to feel safe, new threats emerge that could expose her carefully guarded past. She gains an unexpected ally when she confides in her supervisor, Sara, about the nightmare she escaped. Yet even the best-kept secrets have a way of slipping through the cracks.

As close calls and unexpected encounters put her at risk, Marie must navigate a delicate balance between keeping her life intact and staying hidden from the one person she fears most. As the past threatens to collide with her present, Marie must decide whether to keep running or stand her ground and fight for the life she’s built.

About the author: 

Michelle D. Bates is a freelance writer, fiction e-book author, and member of the Arizona Authors Association. The knowledge she has gained from the creative and fiction writing classes taken at Rio Salado College has helped her complete her first fiction novel. Her fiction e-book, Hidden Appearances, is published by On-Demand Publishing LLC (CreateSpace). Her second novel, In the Line of Fire, the second installment to Hidden Appearances, was published in 2015 and is now available on Amazon. Her latest project is in the works and will be released in Spring 2025.

Michelle is a native Chicagoan but currently resides in Arizona. She is a driven and motivated writer with a vivid imagination who believes in taking her readers on a journey through the characters of her book. She firmly believes that reading is a way of escaping the things around you and succumbing to the fantasy or other world that a story can create. Michelle has always turned to her dreams to escape times of sadness, frustration, and even boredom. She would always tell her friends and family that she has more fun and excitement in her dreams than in her actual life. It was that very sentiment that led her to writing her first fiction novel.

Michelle is an author that writes with passion and has the ability to paint a vivid picture with her words that draws the readers into her stories. The characters in her stories are ones that everyone can relate to in some form or fashion. Being able to write stories that not only thoroughly entertain readers but cause readers to totally immerse themselves in her stories is an on-going goal that she plans to continually accomplish.

New Book Release: Aria: A poetry chapbook of free form verse on life, death, loss, love, and the mundane absurdities of the human condition - by Michael Ballard

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Welcome to Michael Ballard’s Aria, a chapbook of 26 poems that mixes humor, honesty, and keen insight to reflect on the moments that define our lives.

Highlights of Aria:

• Everyday Life with a Twist: From quirky musings on aging (“Geezer Wednesday”, “Zero to Sixty in Six Seconds”) to bittersweet reflections on love and death (“Search Party”, “How to Say Farewell”), Ballard captures life’s absurdities and tender truths.
• Sharp and Poignant: Find beauty in unexpected places (“Bungee Jumping”), face the specter of mortality (“Dead Coyote by the Roadside”), and pause to reflect on the mundane (“Airline Food”, “The Dental Hygienist Cleans While the Agnostic Dreams”).
• Humor Meets Angst: Enjoy the delicate balance between humor and serious ruminations on mortality in “Whenever I Go to the Grocery Store” and “Thank You, Neptune Society”.
• A Celebration of Life: From the sentimental relationship with his dog (“Jayme”) to the profound connection we share as a human race (“Aria”), Michael Ballard’s collection runs the gamut of emotion as it strives to illuminate what it means to be alive.

Available now—Step into the world of Aria. Experience poetry that lifts the heart while navigating the struggles of everyday life.

About the author:

Once an inhabitant along the sandy shores of Long Beach, California, Michael Ballard now spends whatever remains of his hour upon this stage ensconced on the desert sands of Tucson, Arizona. Much of his strutting and fretting will be dedicated to writing, reading, watching classic films, and the pursuit of affordable golf lessons.

New book release: Finding a Sport for Hector - by David ZM Allison

 

Buy it on Amazon HERE

Hector has tried every sport—basketball, soccer, baseball, even swimming—and let’s just say… he’s still looking.

But when he stumbles onto the track, something finally clicks.

A story of persistence, awkwardness, and finding your “thing,” Finding a Sport for Hector celebrates the kids who take the long way around… and still end up exactly where they belong.

About the author:

David ZM Allison is a writer, coach, and founder of Clumsy Courage™ — a creative brand built to inspire honesty, momentum, and heart-led growth.

A former English major at the University of Pennsylvania, David has spent years writing poetry, collecting stories, and coaching hundreds of runners — from first-timers to professional triathletes. In 2007–08, he even chased his own dream of qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon.

But it wasn’t until 2025, approaching the age of 55, that he made a commitment to share the creative work he’d quietly carried for decades. He had filled files and notebooks with poems, stories, unfinished novels, songs, and one-liners — never fully believing they’d find a home. Now, he’s ripped off the bandage.

All Kinds of Families was his debut children’s book — a joyful celebration of how love shapes the families we build. (It even forgot the title page at first. Oops. That got fixed.) Since then, he’s published Finding a Sport for Hector and is currently building a library of honest, heart-forward stories — all offered in the spirit of permission: to start where you are, mess up, and keep going anyway.

David lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his amazing wife Zoraida (happily married since 1998), their two awesome kids, and their quirky tripod dog Ripley — who barks way too much but is loved all the same. When he’s not writing, running, or reading, he’s cheering on his kids and searching for joy, abundance, and the freedom to live fully — one honest word at a time.

New Book Release: Lurlene Hurlbutt and the Goo Goo Cluster - by Dan Baldwin

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Lurlene Hurlbutt, the aging owner of the Winslow, Arizona weekly newspaper, sends her only reporter east along Route 66 to find big stories in small towns. Her unstated goal is for him to locate a long-forgotten and missing country-western singer/songwriter with a distinct presentation and style – “Whisperin’ Peter Pitiful.” The reporter discovers comic situations, tragic events, psychic investigators, oddly interesting people and places only found on “the Mother Road.” Eventually, he also discovers the story behind the singer’s disappearance, Hurlbutt’s startling connection to him and a surprising example of redemption.

About the author:

Dan Baldwin is a ghostwriter with more than 50 business books to his credit. He is also a novelist who has six published Westerns, three mysteries, a political/crime-thriller, and two short story collections, and four non-fiction works on the paranormal. Awards for his novels include:

Finalist - National Indie Excellence Award for Caldera III-A Man of Blood and Trapp Canyon.

Finalist - New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards for Sparky and the King and Bock's Canyon

Winner - New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards for They Are Not Yet Lots - a non-fiction work about psychic detecting.

The paranormal investigative book (with Dwight and Rhonda Hull) Speaking with the Spirits of the Old Southwest -Conversations with Miners, Outlaws, and Pioneers Who Still Roam Ghost Towns will be published by Lewellyn Worldwide in May, 2018

He is an avid hiker, especially in Arizona's Superstition Mountains and the Mogollon Rim country. He "plays at" the Native American flute and the kalimba. Check out Dan's work on his fiction web page www.fourknightspress.com and his non-fiction site www.danbaldwin.com.

New Book Release: ALL KINDS OF FAMILIES - by David ZM Allison

 

Purchase it on Amazon HERE

Spaghetti tacos. Hallway broomstick rock concerts. Snort-laughs at the airport.

All Kinds of Families is a warm, tender celebration of everyday life in families of all shapes and stories — adoptive, foster, blended, chosen, and everything in between.

Through meaningful moments and real-life details, this picture book gently reminds us that a loving family comes in endless combinations.

Each one is unique — and all are rooted in the same joy. Perfect for classrooms, bedtime, or simply reading together, this is a book for every kind of home — and every kind of heart.

About the author:

David ZM Allison is a writer, coach, and founder of Clumsy Courage™ — a creative brand built to inspire honesty, momentum, and heart-led growth.

A former English major at the University of Pennsylvania, David has spent years writing poetry, collecting stories, and coaching hundreds of runners — from first-timers to professional triathletes. In 2007–08, he even chased his own dream of qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon.

But it wasn’t until 2025, approaching the age of 55, that he made a commitment to share the creative work he’d quietly carried for decades. He had filled files and notebooks with poems, stories, unfinished novels, songs, and one-liners — never fully believing they’d find a home. Now, he’s ripped off the bandage.

All Kinds of Families was his debut children’s book — a joyful celebration of how love shapes the families we build. (It even forgot the title page at first. Oops. That got fixed.) Since then, he’s published Finding a Sport for Hector and is currently building a library of honest, heart-forward stories — all offered in the spirit of permission: to start where you are, mess up, and keep going anyway.

David lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his amazing wife Zoraida (happily married since 1998), their two awesome kids, and their quirky tripod dog Ripley — who barks way too much but is loved all the same. When he’s not writing, running, or reading, he’s cheering on his kids and searching for joy, abundance, and the freedom to live fully — one honest word at a time.

Did time travelers reset our timeline? by Vijaya Schartz

 

Recently a new theory emerged to explain the slew of discoveries of ancient ruins from civilizations we never knew existed. We are all familiar with the stories of the Great Flood that erased ancient civilizations, and with the extinction of the dinosaurs, but there is another theory.

The new theory, based on the principle that time is not linear and all timelines exist at the same time, is that time travelers from the future are constantly monitoring our progress and resetting the timeline when we go off-course.

The recent discovery of Gobekli tepe baffled scientists
Who built it? and who buried it?

When we cross the line, go overboard, threaten to destroy the planet, these time travelers have the technology to take us back to the point where things were still on-track, or erase us all together and start from scratch. No memories of the erased civilizations remain, except their engineering achievements in stones. Although buried under millennia of dirt, thanks to lidar technology and drones, they eventually resurface and leave the scientists scratching their heads.

Intriguing subject for a science-fiction author.

Puma Punku in Bolivia defies everything we know about our past.
These perfect blocks interlock like a puzzle with a precision and smoothness
we would find challenging today, especially in such hard stone.
They also wear traces of machinery (drill holes)

On one hand, it’s reassuring to think that we will not be allowed to destroy ourselves or our planet… and on the other, it’s frightening to realize we do not know anything about these future humans or their agenda. If they wanted to destroy us, they would have the technology to do so… and maybe they did in the faraway past.

In the meantime, you can read my award-winning Epic Science Fiction Fantasy novels. There you will find strong heroines, brave heroes, a few intelligent cats, a little romance, and a lot of action, on alien planets and in space.

Here are a few for your perusing. Enjoy!

Azura Chronicles
amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo 

The Byzantium series is set on a space station and includes telepathic cats
amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo.

Blue Phantom trilogy
amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo 

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author
Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats
amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo - FB 

New Book Release: If Only - by Clay P. Hurtubise

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Who hasn't thought, if only? If only I played my original lottery numbers, if only I had approached the hottie at the bar, if only I didn't have that ' one for the road'.

Follow Clay through s myriad of if only moments in this collection of short stories.

At the end of this book are instructions on how to have your if only story published in If Only; reader's edition.

About the author:

Born from an accident (condom broke) and having survived many since then, I like to write to share my stories.

Raised in Maine, I ventured out to Wyoming for school when I was 18. The West won my heart, though I did leave some blood and skin there. Meander through my memoir, Drug Trip, for a fun adventure.

My second book, a young adult fiction, is due out in the fall of 2010. It is called Shaman: Devil's Deal. More of my writing may be found on the web site Triond, or simply Google my name.

To publish my book and others, I created Raven House Publishing, a unique publishing site where authors and readers come together: feel free to check it out.

Hope you have a CAW-rific day!

New Book Release: A New York Lady in Helldorado - by V.C. Williams

 

Find it on Amazon Here

There are many books and movies about the OK Corral and the men and women made famous because of those deadly thirty seconds. But there is another whose life was deeply impacted by that event. A NEW YORK LADY IN HELLDORADO, this story with true crime appeal tells about the first woman to win a case in the US Supreme Court without a man's help. Sarah Herring, now forgotten, didn't get there overnight. It took hard work and guts.

Wild and politically divided, Tombstone is the last place a New York schoolteacher expects to find her purpose. Despite her mother's schemes, it's not marriage. When smart, intuitive Sarah is enlisted by her attorney father to help Wyatt Earp develop his defense testimony, her eyes open to new possibilities. While the sensational reports of Thomas Sorin of the Tombstone Epitaph make nationwide headlines, Sarah faces danger and threats from outlaws and Wyatt's jealous mistress. Revealing his truth, Wyatt helps Sarah find hers. Love for the law convinces her to become a lawyer. But Thomas is a surprise. She loves him, too.

Conflicting passions force a bitter choice. Choosing the law, Sarah feels lost when Thomas leaves to chase his mining dreams. Her father's cold refusal to tutor her in favor of her brother adds to her despair. And when Wyatt, the man she thought she knew, runs to escape the law he swore to uphold, she wonders who to trust. With few options for women, her hope of passing the bar seems impossible. Yet, when tragedy strikes, Sarah proves she is as ruthless and strong-willed as the men who expect her to fail.

About the author:

V.C. Williams is a native Arizonan who makes her home high in the pines. She loves history and coming from a long line of pioneer women, writes Historical Fiction about strong, hardworking women who face the same demands women face today; juggling a desire for independence with marriage and motherhood. V.C. Williams has completed her next Historical Fiction about a strong woman who succeeds in a man's world without sacrificing those she loves. VC Williams is working on a cozy mystery and developing a Young Adult Historical Time Travel.

New book release: CAW: English/Spanish - by Clay Hurtubise

Find it on Amazon HERE

 

CAW is two books in one. On one hand it is a bi-lingual book meant to help folks strengthen their reading skills; one page is in English, while the opposite page has the same context but in Spanish.

On the other hand it is a captivating story. An evil farmer takes over an organic farm in Maine, then uses chemicals and poisons. This results in the death of a congress of ravens, except for the deformed CAW. Shunned by others, he ventures out into the world and learns not only life lessons, but also the true meaning of family.

About the author:

Born from an accident (condom broke) and having survived many since then, I like to write to share my stories.

Raised in Maine, I ventured out to Wyoming for school when I was 18. The West won my heart, though I did leave some blood and skin there. Meander through my memoir, Drug Trip, for a fun adventure.

My second book, a young adult fiction, is due out in the fall of 2010. It is called Shaman: Devil's Deal. More of my writing may be found on the web site Triond, or simply Google my name.

To publish my book and others, I created Raven House Publishing, a unique publishing site where authors and readers come together: feel free to check it out.

Hope you have a CAW-rific day!

New Book Release: Bigfoot Buddy - by David Anderson Swift

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

A young boy named Jake lives near Klamath Lake, Oregon, and is determined to discover whether Bigfoot is real and as dangerous as everyone claims. He embarks on an adventure to find this elusive creature, and along the way, Jake and Bigfoot become best friends. He can hardly believe the wonderful, whimsical realm where Bigfoot resides. In this delightful book, children learn about the power and importance of imagination.

About the author:

 David Anderson Swift has been writing and self-publishing books for over 25 years. In 2021, he moved to Tucson, AZ, from Panama City Beach, FL, to be closer to his daughter in Phoenix. In 2022, he began helping other authors publish their books, officially launching his publishing journey at the 2023 Tucson Festival of Books. He founded Transformational Publishing, later expanding to Arizona Book Publishing and Wee People Press Publishing to accommodate children's books. Since then, he has helped numerous authors bring their stories to life, and as more people discover his work, his publishing business continues to grow rapidly.

New Book Release: Spider's Wyrd by Adrienne Miles

 

Find it on Brick Cave Media HERE

The Fates have other plans. 

 

Thrown into an unfamiliar culture, Ulla struggles to control her newly emergent psi powers and come to terms with the secrets that fuel her recurring nightmares. Not to mention fitting into her new-found community.

 

One that thinks she is their greatest hope.

 

Ulla begs to differ.

About the author:

 Adrienne Bengtson, who writes science fantasy as Adrienne Miles, picked back up her lifelong interest in writing after retiring from the U.S. Air Force and a 25-year career as a librarian. She has published her debut novel, Spider’s Wyrd, with Brick Cave Media. In addition to reading and writing, she enjoys travel, hiking, fiber arts, and doting on her daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. She plays Celtic traditional music on the penny whistle and keyless flute and has been known to play the great Highland bagpipes in public. She lives in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband and their cats. 

New Book Release: House of Cards by C.S. Kading and Tony Fuentes

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Try telling that to the quarreling Fairy King and Queen tearing holes in reality.

As the city's ShardKeeper, Tamara Lyn Hunter knows the rules: don't take sides, don't play favorites, and definitely don't fall in love with the heir to a Fae-Kin Court. But when a centuries-old feud between Oberon and Tatiyana explodes over a stolen child, Tam's world turns upside down.

Caught between duty and her growing feelings for their son, she must navigate immortal vendettas and deadly supernatural politics before Vegas pays the price.

Shakespeare never had to deal with this level of drama.

---

Perfect for readers who love the magical politics of Ilona Andrews and the irresistible romance of Patricia Briggs.

About the authors:

A poet, playwright, and lover of the fantastical. Charm has been telling stories since the 3rd grade when she won an award in a District contest. She adores studying myths and legends from around the world and has a special love for legends from non-European origins. One of her favorite memories was learning the historical legend of Mulan from her translator while in China. She is also an educator, specializing in storytelling for educators, as well as a Corporate Storyteller.

Tony Fuentes is a California-born Mexican American writer now living in Arizona. Considered a Renaissance Man in Geek's clothing; he is not only an author with a weird imagination, but also a painter, gamer, and part-time occultist. With his writing, he tries to spin both Mexican folklore and sardonic humor into his work. At the same, he tries to inspire the audience to look into the stars and dream further beyond. In short, he strives to give the weird and the wondrous things a place in the world for all to enjoy.

New Book Release: Talking White Owl - by Valerie Hagenbush

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

When fifteen-year-old Viktor Talking White Owl wins a prestigious academic scholarship from Ohio State University, it draws the attention of an alliance of multi-tribal leaders known as the Council of First Nations. The young Lakota student, born on a poor South Dakota reservation, has the potential for influencing a new generation of Native activists. Viktor's achievements have not gone unnoticed by another group. Quietly observing the boy along with the Council's activities from their home deep beneath the sacred Black Hills is a tribe long believed to have disbanded, the Rawakota. For decades they have been sending scouts around the globe to infiltrate top-secret boardrooms and government agencies. Their mission: to secretly help the Council of First Nations eventually achieve its overarching goal of reclaiming tribal lands lost to broken treaties, a lofty enterprise they anticipate will not go unchallenged. Rawakota scientists have subsequently built a formidable defense capable of technologically blindsiding any superpower. For now, Viktor is important to them because he is the son of one of their best operatives, U.S. Air Force pilot Constance Howling Wind. And although Viktor's roots are Rawakota, the fact seems immaterial to him in today's world until he receives a cryptic vision. The same Rawakota influences that have inadvertently shaped his life thus far will ultimately alter the American landscape.

About the author: Valerie Hagenbush explored various fields before pursuing writing. She studied filmmaking at Ohio State University and later veterinary technology at the University of Cincinnati. After raising two daughters in Ohio and Illinois, she relocated to Arizona, where she taught before retiring and writing Talking White Owl. Her first novel, Good-bye and Good Riddance (2005), was inspired by her 1970s hitchhiking experiences. Talking White Owl, however, took a different path. Though she had never met Lakota people, the story remained in her imagination for years. While working on another book, Viktor Talking White Owl, a Lakota boy, suddenly emerged, recounting his story to her, leading to the novel’s creation. 

New Book Release: 100 Western Women: The Bold, Brave, Gutsy Women of Arizona's Past - by Jan Cleere

Find it on Amazon HERE

History books record scant contributions women made in settling and developing the new territory of Arizona. Yet women were an integral part of civilizing the rough, rowdy, often dangerous land. For more than ten years, Jan Cleere has written about the women who influenced the growth and development of Arizona in her column "Western Women" that appears monthly in the Arizona Daily Star newspaper. The famous, infamous and those not so well known are featured, each with a compelling story of surviving and thriving under less-than-ideal circumstances. Warriors, basket weavers, ranchers, artists, innkeepers, schoolteachers, politicians and entrepreneurs from a remarkable variety of backgrounds and cultures influenced the growth of Arizona.

Read about Larcena Pennington who had to crawl down a mountain to escape her Indian captors. Hopi artist Nampeyo continued to make exquisite pots even after she started losing her eyesight. Carmen Vasquez built a theater and brought in shows from as far away as Spain. Elizabeth Hudson Smith ran a successful hotel until the color of her skin turned a town against her. And Sarah Gorby allowed injured animals to live in her home until they could return to their desert habitats.

The 100 Western women featured between these pages are just a handful of those who came before and after them as the territory emerged and flourished into an amazing and diverse state unlike any other in the nation.

About the Author

Jan Cleere has been researching and writing about early Western women for over twenty-five years. Her work, including over a half-dozen books, has earned accolades from the writing industry including the Will Rogers Medallion awards, New Mexico/Arizona Book awards, Women Writing the West WILLA awards, Military Writers Society of America, National Federation of Press Women, Feathered Quill and Arizona Authors Association. The Arizona Newspapers Association recognized Jan for a series of historical profiles she wrote for Phoenix Woman Magazine, and the Nevada Women's History Project named her to its Roll of Honor for her significant contribution in the preservation of Nevada women's history. She is featured in several anthologies and her freelance work appears in national and regional publications.

New Book Release: Operation Tollbooth - by Kip Cassino

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

There were plans for using nuclear weapons in Vietnam, and soldiers were actually trained for the mission. “Operation Tollbooth” depicts a nuclear strike on the Ho Chi Minh Trail that might have taken place, through the eyes of a young Army lieutenant caught up in the event.

About the author:

 Kip Cassino has worked construction, been a soldier, written for newspapers, performed market research, and accurately forecasted the future of several industries. His articles have appeared in publications as diverse as The New Times, Smithsonian Air & Space, Entrepreneur, and Ad Week. He has been interviewed by Meet the Press, BBC, and VICE. He has written science fiction for Analog and numerous marketing and political spending analyses. He was awarded the Research Award of Merit by the Newspaper Association of America in 2008. 

New Book Release: In The Line of Fire - by Michelle D. Bates

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Life in Chicago is turning out to be fantastic for Marie. She has a great job, a new close friend, and an exciting new relationship with David. As she enjoys her new life, all her past problems seem to disappear. Everything is going smoothly until a visiting attorney turns out to be her abusive ex-fiancé. Marie's world could be turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Will she manage to avoid him, or will she finally come face to face with her past?

About the author:

Michelle D. Bates is a freelance writer, fiction e-book author, and member of the Arizona Authors Association. The knowledge she has gained from the creative and fiction writing classes taken at Rio Salado College has helped her complete her first fiction novel. Her fiction e-book, Hidden Appearances, is published by On-Demand Publishing LLC (CreateSpace). Her second novel, In the Line of Fire, the second installment to Hidden Appearances, was published in 2015 and is now available on Amazon. Her latest project is in the works and will be released in Spring 2025.

Michelle is a native Chicagoan but currently resides in Arizona. She is a driven and motivated writer with a vivid imagination who believes in taking her readers on a journey through the characters of her book. She firmly believes that reading is a way of escaping the things around you and succumbing to the fantasy or other world that a story can create. Michelle has always turned to her dreams to escape times of sadness, frustration, and even boredom. She would always tell her friends and family that she has more fun and excitement in her dreams than in her actual life. It was that very sentiment that led her to writing her first fiction novel.

Michelle is an author that writes with passion and has the ability to paint a vivid picture with her words that draws the readers into her stories. The characters in her stories are ones that everyone can relate to in some form or fashion. Being able to write stories that not only thoroughly entertain readers but cause readers to totally immerse themselves in her stories is an on-going goal that she plans to continually accomplish.

New Book Release: Hidden Appearances - by Michelle Bates

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

After years of dealing with a bad situation, Marie Mason has finally found a way out. New to the Chicagoland area, she seeks to find peace of mind and maybe even love. The job she has landed at the prestigious law firm of Phillips Winston & Gavens has given her a new lease on life. Marie is enjoying living in Chicago and has even made a good friend. For once, she is finally happy, but how long will her happiness last before her past comes back to haunt her?

About the author:

Michelle D. Bates is a freelance writer, fiction e-book author, and member of the Arizona Authors Association. The knowledge she has gained from the creative and fiction writing classes taken at Rio Salado College has helped her complete her first fiction novel. Her fiction e-book, Hidden Appearances, is published by On-Demand Publishing LLC (CreateSpace). Her second novel, In the Line of Fire, the second installment to Hidden Appearances, was published in 2015 and is now available on Amazon. Her latest project is in the works and will be released in Spring 2025.

Michelle is a native Chicagoan but currently resides in Arizona. She is a driven and motivated writer with a vivid imagination who believes in taking her readers on a journey through the characters of her book. She firmly believes that reading is a way of escaping the things around you and succumbing to the fantasy or other world that a story can create. Michelle has always turned to her dreams to escape times of sadness, frustration, and even boredom. She would always tell her friends and family that she has more fun and excitement in her dreams than in her actual life. It was that very sentiment that led her to writing her first fiction novel.

Michelle is an author that writes with passion and has the ability to paint a vivid picture with her words that draws the readers into her stories. The characters in her stories are ones that everyone can relate to in some form or fashion. Being able to write stories that not only thoroughly entertain readers but cause readers to totally immerse themselves in her stories is an on-going goal that she plans to continually accomplish.

AI - Where is the intelligence? by Vijaya Schartz

  

This award-winning novel deals with an AI character.
Find it on my author page on
amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo 

I recently noticed a slew of posts in my Facebook feed that are obviously AI-generated. Although I am not opposed to giving life to old portraits of historical figures, I draw the line at computer generated images of the Sphynx and other famous archeological treasures, that are inaccurate at best, if not completely made up and wrong. Other times, the picture has no connection whatsoever with the title, the text, or the information in the post. Why not use a real photograph relevant to the post?

As for the monotonous AI voice, completely devoid of emotion, I have come to hate it. How can anyone relate to information delivered in such a boring manner? I remember the passion in the voice of my teachers when I was in school. They were the ones who communicated to me their love for literature, history, science. All because they cared, and it showed in their voice, their body language, and on their faces. I could feel the energy coming from them and touching me deeply. They made me want to learn more.

AI-generated royalty-free image

Nowadays, we are witnessing the takeover of the machines. Not only the voice is devoid of emotion, but it also misreads the words because it doesn’t understand the meaning of the sentence, only the structure. It pauses in the wrong places, sometimes expressing the opposite of the intended meaning. In a recent post, the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet became a “segment” in the narrative. Worse, AI is also turning the voice into text for subtitles, and the subtitles also said “segment.”

And I don't need an AI detector to spot AI generated comments. Probably an attempt to start a debate, they are all similar in structure. Coming from different accounts, they start with an introduction, three bullet points, and a conclusion, as if directly copied from an online textbook. Who on Facebook comments like that? Who is AI trying to fool?

Now that AI will become the center of learning for many students, I shudder at the idea that future generations of intellectuals, philosophers, scientists, writers, explorers, and rulers will be groomed by non-emotional entities in the cold, detached style of what we call AI.

Royalty-free AI generated image

Isn’t intelligence supposed to be self-aware, with the ability to comprehend and relate emotionally? To me this new invasion is not AI, but dumb computers relying on search engines and limited logic. As we used to say in my days, “Erring is human, but to really mess things up, it takes a computer.”

So, here we are. We didn’t react when autocorrect changed the meaning of our texts, laughing because it was “cute.” And now we are letting the same computers take over control of our lives, influencing our ideas, thwarting our knowledge, trying to replace free thinking and real intelligence.

As a science-fiction author, I am appalled. There is no AI intervention whatsoever in my novels. They are pure passion, pure imagination and human intelligence, and I hope you’ll enjoy them.

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Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

https://www.vijayaschartz.com

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