New Book Release: Charlotte, a Holocaust Story of Strength, Courage, and Hope - by Charlotte Adelman and Mala Bloomquist

 

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Charlotte: A Holocaust Story of Strength, Courage, and Hope is a captivating true story of survival during the Nazi occupation of France.

Charlotte Rozencwajg had a picturesque childhood in Paris, but at the age of ten she is faced with the unimaginable terror of being separated from her family. Pursued relentlessly across France by the Nazis, she must rely on her own intuition and the kindness of others to evade capture.

For nine harrowing months, Charlotte hid in the darkness of a cellar, dreaming of the day she would reunite with her family and finally find freedom. But before she could, she had to survive.

About the author:

A native of Arizona, Mala Blomquist grew up in Scottsdale, where she gained an appreciation for the desert and a love of its breathtaking sunsets. As a young wife and mother, she began freelance writing, which spanned into a career as a writer and editor for niche publications in Arizona for more than 25 years. She is currently the managing editor of the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix.

New book release: Her Cabin on Conger Creek - by Sally Harper Bates

 

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The hard truth about the twists and turns of life. A true story, but not about one person. About several women and men, and what happens when life comes barreling at you, forcing decisions that don't always have a good turnout. But life seems to bring redemption, when we are looking for the right answers.

About the author:

Born in Prescott, Arizona, Sally rarely lived outside of Yavapai County. She grew up in the company of working cowboys and their families, cherishing the lifestyle, culture, heritage and experiences. Her family tree is rooted on both sides deep into the sod of Arizona and New Mexico. Seven generations on maternal and paternal side of the “tree” have lived, worked, and grown up in the granite and manzanita of Yavapai County.

After nearly six decades of being in the midst of “cowboy country” it makes perfect sense that what she writes would be full to overflowing with “cowboy”. She is a singer, songwriter, novelist and best known as a poet.

For several years she was an invited poet/singer to cowboy poetry gatherings in Nevada, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Utah and of course, Arizona. She was nominated female cowboy poet of the year through WMA three times in the early 1990’s.

An integral part of the production of the Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering in Prescott for over 30 years, a 4-H leader, and secretary to the Arizona Cowpuncher’s Association three times. She’s also an active member of a local church where she leads Bible studies and shares her life experiences as a growing Christian.

A grandmother, and great-grandmother, she enjoys semi-retirement in Chino Valley.

New Book Release: The Route List - by Richard Baron

 

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A business novel that teaches continuous improvement in the office.

The story is set at the North Pole in December, where the elves are furiously making toys. Unfortunately, the route list, which gives Santa directions to each child’s house and what presents to bring, is in danger of not being ready by December 24th. Without the route list, Santa would be unable to leave the North Pole, and Christmas would be delayed or canceled. The novel follows the hero’s journey of the lead elf character, Martin, who must rise to the occasion. Martin has never performed Lean in an office and hesitates to become involved. However, over time, Martin applies his knowledge of Lean manufacturing techniques to the office.

About the author:

Richard Baron is a Senior Manager, Operational Effectiveness for Avnet Integrated Solutions in Chandler, Arizona. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, a Master of International Management, and a Master of Business Administration degree. Richard is also the author of Streamline: Your Path to Government Efficiency Starts Here and the accompanying Streamline Instruction Manual.

New Book Release: The Vengeance Squad - by Bart Ambrose

 

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Some wars never end. Some wounds never heal.

In 1946, after years in internment camps during World War II, Japanese American families return to rebuild their lives near Phoenix, Arizona, believing the worst is behind them. They're wrong.

In the shadow of WWII's aftermath, a merciless group emerges—four men bound by grief and hatred over personal losses in the war. They call themselves The Vengeance Squad. Their mission: to drive every Japanese American from Arizona soil, by any means necessary.

In this unflinching thriller, as homes explode in flames at night and families and businesses are ambushed in broad daylight, Maricopa County Deputy Sheriff Sean O'Conner finds himself pursuing monsters who consider themselves heroes. With his own combat ghosts haunting him, O'Conner races to stop the bloodshed before an entire community is erased.

But the Squad's leader—a decorated ex-marine who believes he's still serving his country—proves as lethal as any enemy O'Conner faced in battle. A desperate kidnapping forces them into a final, shocking confrontation.

The Vengeance Squad is historical fiction that uncovers a little-known chapter of American history. A few men’s patriotism is twisted into something unrecognizable, and justice hangs in the balance between revenge and redemption.

About the author:

Bart Ambrose has always been a storyteller at heart, but his path to becoming an author was anything but ordinary. Born and raised on a cotton farm in the heart of Arizona, he spent his childhood nights immersed in the pages of literary masterpieces like Moby Dick, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Old Man and the Sea. Along the way, he taught himself to play guitar and became an accomplished musician as a teenager.

He pursued a degree at Arizona State University and then worked as a natural resource conservationist across the western U.S. and the far-flung Pacific Basin. His work deepened his appreciation for the land, history, and diverse cultures of the regions he explored.

Along the way, Bart performed as a musician and vocalist with various groups in Arizona and California between his travels. He sharpened his writing skills as a songwriter, and after retiring from his conservation work, he set his sights on Nashville, "Music City," where he spent years honing his songwriting skills, teaching guitar, and coaching other aspiring wordsmiths.

Today, he resides in the picturesque desert foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona. He has taken his writing skills and love of a good story to a new level, producing historical novels set in Arizona. He has also published a memoir of his experiences as a musician and songwriter. When he's not writing, you might find him practicing the art of southwestern-themed haiku, pursuing the perfect chili relleno, or planning his next adventure.

New Book Release: Elektra Fairy Meets Shamed the Wizard - by Elizabeth Ajamie-Boyer

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A young fairy princess, Elektra, explores her home with her friend, Nasif, a hummingbird! One day, Elektra meets a wizard named Shaméd, who offers to take her on an adventure far from home. Elektra sees so many new sights! But danger awaits. Does Elektra escape? What new friends does she make?

About the authors:

Author team TJ Boyer and Elizabeth Ajamie-Boyer write across genres, including science fiction/fantasy, murder mystery, romance, literary fiction, and historical Christian fiction. TJ has been writing and telling stories since his teens. Best known for The Mirror Gate Chronicles, he has authored several books in the sci-fantasy genre. Elizabeth writes her own novels and also co-writes with her husband, TJ. As a Christian, she feels called to write gentle romance and historical fiction.

Picking images for a future release can be pure agony for an author - by Vijaya Schartz

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An unruly Valkyrie on a flying tiger, a stern angel in love with the rules, and evil pounding at the gate… What could go wrong?

Riddled with survivor’s guilt after Ragnarök, Valka wanders the universe as a bounty hunter. But when hired by angels to recruit warriors for the final battle against evil, she welcomes a chance at redemption.

General Konrad Lagarde, First Mate of the angel ship Blue Phantom, strongly rejects Valka’s methods. A stickler for discipline, he also considers this fascinating woman hazardous to his sanity, as she could make him forget all the rules.

Evil from another universe has infiltrated a secret society of former dictators hungry for power. Having massacred all the angels in his former world, the evil one wants to do the same here. The angels of this universe face their greatest challenge yet… destroy the evil one and avenge their fallen brethren… or the bringer of darkness will enslave us all.

Picking the elements of this cover was easy as the sci-fi background was the same for the entire series, and I only had to choose a big cat fitting that story. But my current project CHI WARRIOR presents bigger challenges.

We authors have images in our heads when we write, and the book cover should reflect these images. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to make suggestions to my publisher’s (BWL Publishing) art department, as I’m the only one who knows the world I created. I fancy myself as an artist, but I’m not a professional cover designer. I understand my suggestions might be rejected if they do not fit the current trends or the marketing needs.

Sometimes, the cover artist will take inspiration from the image I suggested and find something similar but better suited to the project.

What are the colors of the created world? What is the mood? How does it make you feel? The challenge is to create an image to make the reader feel, “I want to discover this world, these characters, I want to spend time in this atmosphere, I want to read this story.”

But it also has to reflect the actual setting, story, and characters. You cannot manufacture a tantalizing cover image and not deliver the same flavor inside the pages.

As an added challenge, except for specific historical period novels with costumes, the BWL Publishing covers no longer portray the main characters. Actually, this is a good thing. It’s almost impossible for a writer to find the perfect picture of their hero or heroine in stock photos. And if by miracle you find it, you might soon find another book out there with the exact same picture on the cover. It happened to me once, and I found it frustrating. It also must be confusing for the readers who saw your cover once in passing and are looking for your book.

Looking for these images can also be time consuming, even with the fancy search words and filters. I spent many hours looking at thousands of images… and I am still not happy with what I found.

But I was reminded of deadlines. The art department needs my suggestions now, so I sent what caught my attention so far. I also suggested bright red Asian letters for the main title. I hope the talented Michelle Lee who supervises the cover art, will make something wonderful with it... she always does.

The book, CHI WARRIOR, Protectors series Book One, is scheduled to be released November 1st. Now, back to the finishing, editing, and rewrites… if my kitty cat lets me see the pages.

Happy Reading.

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author
Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats
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New book release: A Handbook On Being A Local Tour Guide And Concierge: Including Personal Experiences - by Dorothy N. Yanez

 

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This book is written to provide a brief overview of the requirements for a career in the hospitality industry focusing on specifics for a local Tour Guide and Concierge.

To help with those experiences I have included personal stories, some of the situations that one may encounter, and the attributes on what it takes to be a successful local Tour Guide and Concierge.

Those attributes include: research, being well informed, endurance, problem solving, being a team player, computer literacy, creativity, diplomacy, possesses good oral communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, attention to detail, customer service orientation, the ability to lift heavy luggage, and flexibility because you need to be open to various shifts, including nights and weekends.

About the author:

Dorothy N. Yanez was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, she retired from the City of Tucson in 2004 after 34 years of service across various departments. Following her retirement, she worked in the hospitality industry and continued to pursue her deep passion for Tucson’s rich history. She is a professional tour guide with a focus on the city's vibrant downtown, offering two mural and public art walking tours, a Turquoise Trail tour, and two related PowerPoint presentations. A dedicated supporter of the San Agustín del Tucson Museum, she is also an author of several books, including Presidio San Agustin del Tucson: A View of Tucson’s Birthplace, which reflects her commitment to preserving and sharing the history of Tucson.

New book release: Awaken - by Shelley Watters

 

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Escape to a world where fairytales are twisted and happily ever after is just the beginning of the nightmare.

Tori wakes in a realm of breathtaking beauty, only to discover it’s a gilded cage ruled by a malevolent Queen.

This isn’t the fairytale she dreamed of. It’s a fight for survival. Torn between two captivating men, she must navigate treacherous magic, slay a dragon, and unlock the secrets to her destiny. Will she break the curse or become another victim in the Queen's twisted game?

If you love twisted fairytales with strong heroines and scorching romance, Awaken is the book you’ve been waiting for.

A dark, romantic reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, Awaken is perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, Uprooted by Naomi Novik and Graceling by Kristin Cashore

About the author:

Shelley Watters is an Arizona native. She graduated from Arizona State University with degrees in Sociology and Public Health Epidemiology, and added a MBA just for fun. After spending all day in the corporate world, her evenings are spent driving her equestrian to the stables. She fills every other spare moment creating fantasy worlds, and her novels sizzle with the heat and passion that only growing up in the southwest can bring.

New book release: Mirror in the Sand: Coming of age of a Chinese girl in 1970s Jordan - by Fawzia Tung

 

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Amman, Jordan in the 1970s and early 1980s was mushrooming from a laid-back sleepy city into a modern metropolis. In Fawzia's eleven years in the City of the Seven Hills, she too evolved from an accidental Chinese teenage immigrant into a journalist and a psychiatrist, mesmerized by its rose gold dust at sundown, its archaeological treasures littering the landscape, the generous hospitality of its people, yet also some of its harsher cultural baggage: male chauvinism, honor killings, and attitude toward psychiatric patients. Fired with youthful ardor for reform, Fawzia threw myself wholeheartedly into her work, only to find herself burned once too many times.

About the author:

Fawzia Mai Tung grew up internationally in a Chinese diplomatic family and pursued careers in journalism, psychiatry, and education before turning to full-time writing. A mother of seven and grandmother of ten, she is the author of The Wonderful Tale of Donkey Skin and Mirror in the Sand. She’s a member of several literary organizations, including SCBWI (AZ), where she led the Equity & Inclusion Team from 2019–2023. Fawzia is currently developing translations and an audiobook for Mirror in the Sand and working on multiple upcoming projects, including fairy tale retellings, cultural histories, and her memoirs.

New book release: Burn Me - by Shelley Watters

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After her twin brother dies in a house fire, Katrina Hale is determined to prove she’s stronger than the flames. She doesn’t need a hero. She is one. And she’s determined to work harder than any firefighter on the job to show she deserves to be there. But while her focus on her career leaves little room in her life for romance and her current relationship fizzles, she soon discovers fighting fires is nothing compared to the scorching desire she feels in fellow firefighter Greyson Neal's arms. Problem is, he’s her boyfriend’s brother.

Firefighter Greyson Neal is ruggedly handsome but a boy scout at heart. He’s the type of guy girls dream about when they want their knight in shining armor to wear bunker gear. But he’s not interested in fulfilling every girl’s fantasies. Until Kat signed on to his shift, he’d all but given up on ever finding the right woman. Now he wants the one woman he can never have, and she seems hell-bent on getting herself killed to prove that she’s worthy of her job.

After a near-miss with an arsonist, Kat and Greyson finally succumb to temptation. But before they have a chance to explore their feelings, their secret affair is found out. Now Kat must choose between her career and her heart and fight to keep them both when an arsonist threatens to take it all away.

About the author:

Shelley Watters is an Arizona native. She graduated from Arizona State University with degrees in Sociology and Public Health Epidemiology, and added a MBA just for fun. After spending all day in the corporate world, her evenings are spent driving her equestrian to the stables. She fills every other spare moment creating fantasy worlds, and her novels sizzle with the heat and passion that only growing up in the southwest can bring.

New Book Release: Retreat from the Precipice - by Duke Southard

 

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On Sunday morning, October 14, 1962, two United States Air Force majors flew their U-2 spy planes over western Cuba and the San Cristobal area on a scheduled surveillance mission where previous intelligence gathering indicated suspicious activity. The results of that mission set in motion two weeks of events which are now commonly called the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In Retreat from the Precipice, Duke Southard's eighth novel, the familiarity of the dramatic, tension-filled story of President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev engaged in nuclear war one-up-man-ship serves as a backdrop for three families living in the Philadelphia suburb of Endicott City, New Jersey.

Two weeks of living with the threat of nuclear annihilation places varying levels of tension on families already dealing with personal stress in the regular family dynamics of the early sixties era.

Retreat from the Precipice captures the increased pressures the Johnsons, the Dodges, and the Greenwalts, a cross-section of the societal strata coexisting in one town, endure as their world threatens to blow apart. Their struggles to keep their families together and functioning while facing new threats and fears every day are unique and personal yet present universal human truths.

The dangerous history of the period and the life of ordinary people suffering the anxiety of existing under the cloud of Armageddon blend to build this story into a mesmerizing narrative of what some have termed the most terrifying two weeks in modern history.

About the author:

Retreat from the Precipice is Duke Southard's eighth novel and eleventh book. All seven of his previous novels have been finalists in prestigious book awards such as the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the International Book Awards, the American Fiction Book Awards, and the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards.

His short works have earned numerous awards with “The Fallacy of Closure” placing first in the personal essay division of the Writer's Digest Literary Awards Competition.

Professionally, he has received the New Hampshire Excellence in Education Award for his outstanding contributions to the state's school library/media profession. His educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science in English Education from Villanova University, a Master of English Education from Rowan University, and a CAGS from Boston University.

He is married with three children and lives in southern Arizona.

New book release: Dear Grandma and Grandpa / Queridos abuelos - by Vicki Riske

 

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Dear Grandpa and Grandma / Queridos abuelos is a dual language book. Vicki Riske and Sonia Elizabeth Urrutia de Soto co-authored the book. The story is about Jackie Rabbit who lives in the southwest desert. Jackie's friends are too busy to play with her, so she asks her Mother if she can play. Mother Rabbit is too busy writing a letter to her sister and suggests that Jackie write a letter to her grandparents. Jackie doesn't know how to write letters, so Mother is happy to provide guidance. Jackie learns how to write letters. And experiences the joy sending and receiving letters.

About the author:

Vicki has been interested in puppetry and storytelling for many years. She writes and illustrates children's books, designs and builds custom puppets. She has written five books and illustrated four of them. Sonia Elizabeth Urrutia de Soto has translated two of the books into Spanish.The New Polka Dot Tea Party, is about finding shapes in nature and the importance of friendship. Local Phoenix artist Laura Best illustrated Vicki's second book, Grandma Bibi, which tackles the difficulties of memory loss in older loved ones from the perspective of children. La Abuela Bibi is the Spanish translation of Grandma Bibi by Sonia Elizabeth Urrutia de Soto. My Teeth Are Too Big, is about self-confidence, presented with fun thoughtful measure. Her award winning book, Fishy Tales, has also been translated into Spanish by Sonia Elizabeth Urrutia de Soto, Los pececitos aventureros. These two books are about fish who love to swim, and play in the ocean, and encounter a large trash island. This book is a great conversation starter for discussions on climate change and our responsibility to care for planet earth. Dear Grandma and Grandpa /Queridos abuelos her first dual language book, co-authored with Sonia Elizabeth Urrutia de Soto.

Sonia Elizabeth Soto is a Bilingual Family Childcare Specialist for the Family, Friend, and Neighbor program of United Way of Pinal County. She has worked in family and child services for more than 20 years, including owning her own in-home preschool. Originally from Ciudad Juárez, México, Sonia earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Centro Teresiano de Estudios Superiores before moving to Arizona and obtaining her Early Childhood Education certificate from Central Arizona College.Sonia has two beautiful children and a very supportive and fun husband. In her spare time, she enjoys going to concerts, cooking, spending time with her family and rollerblading.

New Book Release: Ancient Voices: Poems About Ancient Egypt - by Dawn Pisturino

 

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The Ancient Egyptians loved life and celebrated it with joy. Their deepest desire was to live an honorable life and achieve immortality in the afterlife, where they could exist in perfect harmony with the cosmic order and never experience pain, suffering, and hardship again. These original poems by Dawn Pisturino reflect the hopes and dreams of people who were not much different from us. They worked, loved, raised families, worshipped their gods, honored the dead, enjoyed festivals and celebrations, imbibed beer and wine, danced, sang, and played, aspired to better themselves, and appreciated the beauty and wonder of nature. Take a journey back in time to explore the minds and hearts of the Ancient Egyptians.

About the author:

Dawn Pisturino’s international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. Her debut poetry book, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023, earned five-star reviews and ranked #60 on the Amazon Best Seller list for Haiku & Japanese Poetry. Her short chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku, became a #1 Amazon New Release in six categories. Haiku for the Midnight Hour, her third book, achieved #1 Amazon New Release status in three categories. Her fourth book, Sun Haiku: 365 Days of Sunshine, climbed to #1 Amazon New Release in Japanese Poetry & Haiku. She is a member of several author organizations.

New book release: A Cowboy in Pune - by AnnElise Makin

 

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Cowboy Romance of an average Mexican-American cowboy, former Marine, living through the troubles of setting up a fashion import business in India and being played by three Indian women. He almost doesn't survive it.

Cowboy Carlos Sandoval, “Shlimazel” or Slim, is out of luck with rodeos and women. He blames that on the loss of his his lucky lizard bandana and searches for it in Pune, India. There, three strong women get the better of Slim—matron Niharika, her sassy daughter Sunita, and little Rani. Soon Slim learns that India plays by different rules and also ends up roping a mad cow. Yet he returns home with a coffer of import fashions and makes good money as Bombay Slim at the rodeos. When the merchandise deteriorates, he flies back to India to check on things. The three women are broken up, why? Sunita, the wannabe Bollywood actress and designer has vanished. When Slim sleuthes her out, she puts him under her spell. Is she in with the mob? Things escalate when Slim gets beaten and robbed. A former Marine, he will reclaim his possessions. Or else he might also lose his precious fiancée, Catalina.

About the author:

AnnElise Makin, native of Munich, Germany, writes from Mesa, Arizona. She honed her skills early on with local reporting, took a stint with Harcourt Brace College Publishers after college (MA Anthropology, MA Photojournalism from UT Austin), and publishes her novels under the trade name iMAKINations. She is a "pantster" with a passion for digging deep.

AnnElise's newest, A Cowboy in Pune, is a multicultural, rom-com, dry humor adventure story. Cowboy Slim goes to India to set up a rodeo fashion import business. He gets taken for the ride of his life by the four women he stays with. No surprise, AnnElise's experience of living with a Sikh husband, Inder, will have infused Slim's perspective.

AnnElise's debut novel, Der Keltenschimmel (The Celtic Stallion Rendezvous), narrates a village girl's coming-of-age story filled with love & ghost adventures, "that Bavarian 70ies show." Rebellious Katrina writes all the wrong stuff about the village. In the course of turbulent events, including bullying by the locals, the truth about the Celtic Stallion comes out. Semi-autobiographical with the paranormal touch of real ghosts.

Kreuzfeuer in Texas is a historic Civil War novel based on actual events. At the time (1864), the German immigrants in Fredericksburg were declared "vogelfrei" (ready to be shot) because they had voted against secession. Eberhard Kohlkrug, the gunmaker of the town, wants to ride out the conflict. But when one more gets hung, he must fight back to protect his family. This gruesome historic background was excavated in AnnElise's thesis research.

Random Accident in Sector Noah 135/56 is a storybook for all ages, illustrated by her daughter Priyanka. Here, a girl brings nature back to the well-controlled planet. AnnElise likes hikes in the Superstitions and roses in the garden,

After two Bandana Book anthologies, a third volume is in the works. The next story collection will shine the light on likely and unlikely heroes. Collaborations bring the best out in all of us.

New Book Release: Sojourn to War - by Bill Lynam

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Sojourn to War is Edouard Lynn’s adventures in the Deep South. A French Irish Canadian, devastated by the death of his wife, he must give up his infant daughter. He rejects an invitation from his brothers to join them in the Colony of British Columbia. After learning there are many millionaires in Natchez, Mississippi, Lynn starts his journey.

Undeterred by Southern slavery, he travels down the Mississippi River enduring dangers and setbacks. Arriving, he searches for opportunities, but finds others bring their riches with them.

Introduced to a wealthy widow, they marry and prosper. The election of anti-slavery President Abraham Lincoln sets off the secession of the Southern states and a declaration of war.

Called to arms, Edouard leaves his family who face threats of pillaging and destruction by both Confederate and Union soldiers. Wounded, he returns home and faces a ruined economy, Northern occupation, and the slaves’ desertion.

Follow an intrepid Canadian’s odyssey to antebellum Natchez, Mississippi and his struggles in peace and war.

About the author:

Bill Lynam taught in New York. He is the author of Central Arizona histories for a local newspaper, and fiction and non-fiction stories and articles for various magazines. He co-authored Footloose Pilgrims, a coming-of-age travelogue about hitch-hiking, bicycling, and mopeding in Europe with further travels in North Africa, South and Central Americas. His children's stories are, Bernie, the Flying Squirrel with a dual language vision in Spanish and English—Bernie, Ardillita Voladora; editor and publisher of Lucky Foxes by Eleanor Maroney; a young adult book; Steampunk Mashup, a short story anthology with Victorian themes; contributor to Best Short Stories by AZ Writers; and Shorty, Alien Dog, a chapter book. All available on Amazon and Kindle.

War and Preservation: The Texian Trilogy - Book 2 of 3 - by Karen Lynne Klink

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A riveting journey through sacrifice, resilience, and love in the heart of the Civil War, readers follow Adrien Villere as he fights for love and honor with Terry’s Texas Rangers, while his family copes with hardship and tragedy at home. An epic tale of forbidden love and courage that transcends societal boundaries.

Book 2 in the series continues to hook fans of Southern literature or Civil War history—while also having, as the Historical Novel Society North America says, “the potential to be an important part of the canon of LGBTQ+ literature.”

About the author:

Karen began reading before entering first grade and began her career drawing imaginative adventures in the margins of schoolwork which, unfortunately, few teachers appreciated. 

After completing her formal education at Kent State University and San Diego State, her love of nature sent Karen to wandering the U.S. west and parts of Mexico and Central America hiking and backpacking before settling in Tucson, Arizona, with her cat buddy Dickens. Although she enjoyed minor success as a watercolor painter, she discovered her true passion when she began writing fiction at the age of sixty. Her interest and experience in psychology and therapy inform her writing about individuals who persevere through difficulty and crisis in order to become stronger and accept themselves for who they truly are. Karen is a child abuse survivor, and humbly hopes her stories give readers pleasure and confidence to face their own difficulties, knowing they are not alone. 

Karen believes in taking risks, for this is how we grow. With over fifty years of overcoming her own fears and challenges she hopes to help others find their own true selves, to not only survive, but to thrive.

New book release: Everything We Thought We Knew - by Carolyn Niethammer

 

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In 1970, Christie left behind the comforts of L.A. and joined a New Age commune in rural Arizona. With the Vietnam War raging and the counterculture movement in full swing, she hoped to find her place in the world and create a better society. But building a new social order is no easy task, especially when free love, psychedelics, and a war protest gone horribly wrong are thrown into the mix.

While dancing under the moon in an Indian ruin, Christie reconnects with a lover from a past life, setting in motion events that reverberate through their futures. The end of the commune is not the end of the story. Thirty years later, a child born there forces long-held secrets to be revealed, and everyone's lives are changed forever.

If you're a fan of the Woodstock generation, or simply curious about the counterculture of the 1960s, this book will transport you back to this tumultuous era.

Put on your tie-dyed shirt and come to Bella Vida as the friends try to change the rules of modern society, then face the repercussions when middle age sets in.

If you enjoyed books like "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" by Tom Wolfe or "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac, you'll love this one.

About the author:

I grew up in the little mountain town of Prescott, Arizona, studied journalism at the University of Arizona, and began my writing life working for a local paper. The subjects of my books all relate to the Southwest-five on the foods of the region, including edible wild plants, three on Native American women, one travelogue on Southeastern Arizona, and two western novels. For my first book, I traveled through Arizona and New Mexico in an old rattletrap car in the early 1970s talking to Native American women on how they used the wild plants around them. I get an enormous amount of pleasure picking and eating wild plants or plants from my garden, whether it is just one berry popped into my mouth on a hike or an elaborate dessert made in my kitchen.

To share my passion for Southwest plant foods, I share a blog with three other women and we post about whatever plant is in season and give a recipe or two at Savor the Southwest. Please follow us.

I currently live in Tucson, Arizona, with my husband, Ford Burkhart.

Holding the Line: Women in the Great Arizona Mine Strike - by Barbara Kingsolver

 

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It was the summer of 1983. Barbara Kingsolver had a day job as a scientific writer spending weekends cutting her teeth as a freelance journalist when she landed an assignment. Her mission: was to cover the Phelps Dodge mine strike.

Over the year that followed Kingsolver stood with those miners and their families, increasingly engaged and heartbroken. She recorded stories of striking miners and their stunningly courageous wives, sisters and daughters. She saw rights she'd taken for granted denied to people she had learned to care about, as they cried out to a wide world that either refused to believe what was happening to them, or didn't care, or simply could not know.

This book is the true story of the families who held the line, and of Kingsolver's commitment to tell the story of the women and girls who discovered themselves in their fight to keep their families from destitution.

It is a story about the sparks that fly when the flint of force strikes against human mettle.

About the author:

Barbara Kingsolver, born in 1955 in rural Kentucky, is an award-winning author and biologist known for her rich storytelling and deep engagement with social and environmental themes. With degrees in biology from DePauw University and the University of Arizona, she has lived and worked across the globe and spent two decades in Tucson before settling on a farm in southern Appalachia with her husband. Her acclaimed body of work includes The Poisonwood Bible, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Flight Behavior, and Demon Copperhead, which earned her the Pulitzer Prize and made her the first two-time winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Kingsolver’s books, translated into over thirty languages, have become staples in classrooms and literary circles, earning numerous accolades, including the National Humanities Medal and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.

New Book Release: Flight Behaviour - by Barbara Kingsolver

 

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Dellarobia Turnbow is a restless farm wife who gave up her own plans when she accidentally became pregnant at seventeen. Now, after a decade of domestic disharmony on a failing farm, she encounters a shocking sight: a silent, forested valley filled with what looks like a lake of fire. She can only understand it as a cautionary miracle, but it sparks a raft of other explanations from scientists, religious leaders, and the media. As the community lines up to judge the woman and her miracle, Dellarobia confronts her family, her church, her town, and a larger world, in a flight toward truth that could undo all she has ever believed.

Flight Behavior takes on one of the most contentious subjects of our time: climate change. With a deft and versatile empathy Kingsolver dissects the motives that drive denial and belief in a precarious world.

About the Author

Barbara Kingsolver, born in 1955 in rural Kentucky, is an award-winning author and biologist known for her rich storytelling and deep engagement with social and environmental themes. With degrees in biology from DePauw University and the University of Arizona, she has lived and worked across the globe and spent two decades in Tucson before settling on a farm in southern Appalachia with her husband. Her acclaimed body of work includes The Poisonwood Bible, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Flight Behavior, and Demon Copperhead, which earned her the Pulitzer Prize and made her the first two-time winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Kingsolver’s books, translated into over thirty languages, have become staples in classrooms and literary circles, earning numerous accolades, including the National Humanities Medal and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.

New Book Release: The Last Pass in El Paso - by J. Michael King

 

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When the mother of 22-year-old Mike Holmes passes away after a long bout of breast cancer, Holmes’ cousin Jimmy convinces him to leave his lifelong home in Cheyenne, Wyoming, move to El Paso, Texas, and enroll in college to earn his bachelor’s degree.

Holmes drives to El Paso, on the USA–Mexico border. He shares a house with Manny, Jimmy’s Mexican friend, thus being thrown directly into Mexican border culture.Holmes enrolls in the Fall semester of the Business program at the Hispanic-majority University of Texas–El Paso (UTEP), where he also takes Spanish classes.

On a Friday night in the fall, Manny and Holmes go to a nearby store to purchase beer and snacks. They encounter a Mexican family from Ciudad Juárez needing help with their pickup truck. Holmes repairs their vehicle and immediately becomes enchanted with Carmen, the pickup owner’s attractive niece, who speaks little English.

During the Spring semester, Holmes gets the unlikely and unexpected coveted opportunity to try out for the UTEP Miners football team with no previous playing experience. Will he make the 100-man roster and be teammates with star quarterback Samuel “Sammy” Sánchez from Juárez, the only true Mexican player in US college football? Will Holmes develop a relationship with Carmen, bridging the international border? Will he earn good grades and graduate? Then what?

About the author: 

The author earned Engineering degrees from North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He was employed by a large US manufacturer of diesel engines, holding various positions. He worked and lived in Spain for eight years, traveling throughout western Europe. He also worked in numerous Latin American Spanish-speaking countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Chile, Peru, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic.

The author resides in southern Arizona, USA, and enjoys traveling, learning, hiking, practicing Spanish, wine tasting, and attending concerts.

Writing the book blurb - Every author's nightmare - by Vijaya Schartz

The Blue Phantom glows like a beacon in black space, appears and vanishes,
and never registers on scanners. Rumors say it will save the righteous, the oppressed,
and the downtrodden… and slay the unworthy without mercy.
The space pirates fear it. Their victims pray for it… but its help comes at a price…

The art of the cover blurb is to give a taste without revealing too much.

When I am half-way through writing a novel and I know my story and my characters better, I like to take the first stab at the cover blurb, a short paragraph of about 100+ words, to let the reader know what the novel is about.

First, I need to set the stage. What kind of world is it? In the case of my current WIP the feudal planet was almost destroyed two decades ago and is starting to reorganize itself. Many nobles covet the throne.

Writing the blurb also helps me refocus on the main themes, motivations, and conflicts of the characters in the story. It forces me to reconsider, and to pinpoint the larger scope of the novel beyond the step-by-step sequence of events. Is it about revenge? Thwarting evil? The challenges of doing the right thing? Resisting temptation? Never trusting appearances? Overcoming unsurmountable obstacles? Finding your true self? Coming of age? Seeking salvation for past mistakes? Is it about greed and corruption? Ambition? Intrigue?

Usually in my novels, it’s several of these, but I have to determine which theme dominates this particular story. Then, I can reinforce that theme throughout the book.

It's also time to define my characters in a few words for the reader. In my current project, I define my heroine as a “spiritual warrior woman.” I often have warrior women in my stories, Samurai, soldier, bodyguard, Avenging Angel, Valkyrie, bounty hunter… but this one is different. She adheres to a pure code of conduct, lives in a monastery, and practices meditation and Tai-Chi as well as lethal weapons. She respects all life, loves animals, never took a sip of a fermented drink, and is a strict vegetarian.

Avenging Angel

Bounty hunter

 

Samurai heroine

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The other side of that pure heroine is that she lacks life experience. Believing everyone is basically good and worthy is dangerous for a warrior confronting pure evil. That naivety can be her undoing… or her salvation.

But there are other constraints in writing the blurb. Usually, online shoppers on a retail site like Amazon can only see the first one or two lines of the blurb. So, the challenge is to hook the reader with the first words, hoping that he or she will want to click on “more” and read the full book description.

Here is my first try at the blurb for CHI WARRIOR, book 1 of the Protectors series. Look for it releasing from BWL Publishing in November 2025.

Blurb for the entire series, called: The Protectors

A few decades ago, a cataclysm devastated the feudal planet. Today, as simple life returns, an elite of mighty warriors protect the Celestial Gate, expecting benevolent Immortals to return from the stars. But they struggle against alien races with advanced technology, who covet their natural resources, and plan to enslave the defenseless population.

Chi Warrior – Book 1 

A spiritual warrior woman faces a fearsome barbarian with a wolf, a double-edged prophecy, and a black cloud with wings.

Anila trained all her life in the monastery of the Celestial Gate, ready to take the vows of the mighty Protectors. That’s all she’s ever known, all she ever wanted.

When a barbarian horde descends from the north, Bayar Khan, their leader, seems unstoppable, determined to destroy everything in his path. Rumors of his cruelty make the most powerful princes tremble in their stone fortresses.

But in the inevitable clash, nothing is as it seems… blurring the lines between good and evil, an ancient enemy rises in the shadows, and the falling darkness threatens Anila and everyone she loves.

In the meantime, you can find all my available novels with strong heroines and brave heroes on my author page at:

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"Phenomenal world building, characters the readers care about, and an intriguing mystery... all the elements one expects from a Vijaya Schartz story! Easily recommended!" Debbie - CK2sKwipsandKritique
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Happy Reading!

Vijaya Schartz, author

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