New Book Release: Enduring Grief: For the widow and widower club - by Afton Zapata-Scow

Find it on Amazon HERE

Enduring Grief: For the widow and widower club - a club no one cares to join. Membership is by default.

When the death of my husband left me stoic and numb, it felt like I was drowning in my small corner of the world. In 2010, I suddenly belonged to the widow club, a club no one chooses to join. This new identity created a shock to my heart, body and mind. After losing my husband to an eight-year illness, I faced the daunting reality of keeping my head above water, while navigating the emotional waves of widowhood, single parenthood and loneliness. Enduring grief is my journey through sorrow and heartache and provide support to women who find themselves in similar circumstances. Leaning on the counsel of friends and family, I was blessed with the rescue efforts of my community, a deeper faith in God and a steadfast hope for life beyond the grave. I hope to share insights of the widow fog, lessons I've learned, the type of strength to carry on, the healing hand of Jesus Christ, renewed purpose and a quiet joy in the simple treasures of life.

About the author:

Afton Zapata-Scow lives in Mesa, Arizona with her husband, Shaun. She is a teacher who loves writing children’s books for her students and grandchildren. Afton enjoys traveling with her husband to historical sites, especially U.S. capitol buildings and National Parks, drawing inspiration for her writing. Her memoirs include Enduring Miracles, Enduring the End, and Enduring Grief, which explore illness, loss, and healing. As a wife, mother, grandmother, and educator, Afton encourages others to persevere through faith, family, and hope, and to endure whatever challenges life brings.

New Book Release: Breaking the Chain: Cutting Toxic Family Ties & Reclaiming Your Life - by Stacie Webb

 

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Breaking free from toxic family relationships isn’t easy — especially when love, guilt, obligation, and fear are deeply intertwined.

Breaking the Chain is a compassionate, empowering guide for anyone who feels trapped in painful family dynamics and is ready to choose peace, clarity, and self-trust.

This book is not about blame.

It’s about understanding patterns, honoring your experience, and learning how to protect your well-being — even when doing so feels overwhelming or late in life.

Inside, you’ll explore:

• How toxic family patterns form and how they quietly shape your choices
• Why guilt, fear, and self-doubt keep you stuck — and how to loosen their grip
• Practical ways to set boundaries without losing yourself
• Tools for navigating grief, confusion, and emotional fallout
• Healing practices to reclaim your identity, voice, and sense of safety

Written with warmth, honesty, and lived experience, Breaking the Chain offers reassurance for readers who have tried everything — therapy, self-help, silence — and still feel unsure where to begin.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• Why does choosing myself feel so wrong?
• Why do I still feel responsible for their emotions?
• Is it too late to change?

This book was written for you.

You are not broken.

You are not heartless.

And you are not alone.

About the author:

Stacie Webb is the author of Breaking the Chain: Cutting Toxic Family Ties and Reclaiming Your Life, a compassionate guide for those healing from dysfunctional family dynamics. Drawing from lived experience, faith, and deep emotional insight, Webb writes to empower readers to set boundaries, reclaim their voice, and choose peace without guilt. Her work centers on emotional recovery, generational healing, and personal freedom, offering hope to those who have long felt unseen or silenced. Through honest storytelling and practical tools, she encourages others to break cycles of pain and step boldly into wholeness, resilience, and self-worth.

New Book Release: The Sounds of Unspoken Breaths - by Jenna Tulonen

 

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What if the loudest truths were the ones that we never said out loud?

In this deeply moving collection of 100 poems, poet Jenna gives voice to the quiet struggles that we carry - unspoken grief, invisible strength, the weight of feeling everything and nothing at once. Her words unravel the silence that we wear like armor, and speak gently to the soft places that we often hide.

With lyrical precision and emotional honesty, The Sound of Unspoken Breaths is for anyone who has ever felt like too much or not enough, for those navigating the in-between moments of becoming.

This is poetry for the quiet-hearted -

for the ones still standing,

even when it feels like falling.

About the author:

Jenna Tulonen (J. M. T.) is a poet with a retro soul and a deep love for rhetoric, crafting work that sits in the quiet spaces where grief, resilience, and vulnerability meet. Drawn to what lingers between words, she writes to honor the soft truths we often carry in silence. Her poems explore invisible wounds, unspoken love, and the emotional echoes tucked inside everyday moments, offering readers a sense of companionship and recognition. When she isn’t writing, Jenna can be found scrapbooking, learning new languages, or singing along to ’70s and ’80s classics. She creates with heart, honesty, and just the right amount of weird.

Book signing in Glendale during the Chocolate Affaire - by Vijaya Schartz

 

The shirt says: I write books, what's your superpower?
Glendale, February 14-15 2026 - Chocolate Affaire
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I forgot how much fun it is to do an impromptu book signing.

Glendale AZ is always sponsoring special events. One of the most popular is the CHOCOLATE AFFAIRE, a long tradition which started with the local Cerretta Candy Factory, and taking place around Valentine’s Day.

2013 - old covers tell the story. Chocolate on the table, of course.
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Before the pandemic, this event was held in Murphy Park, on the lawn around the old library, with vendors, food trucks, climbing towers, chocolate of course, live music, dancing, late night activities with glittering lights, and local romance writers signing their books for the duration.

2014 Chocolate Affaire Glendale, AZ
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As a member of a local authors group, I had been signing at this event since my first book was published, and I did it for many years. Then the pandemic changed everything. It became a small indoors event, geared for children, with none of the hoopla that attracted so many people, no night activities… and no authors signing their books.

2018 Chocolate Affaire, Glendale AZ
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This year, although it was still indoors and small, a well-known Antiques store (2 Share a unique boutique) decided to take advantage of the special event’s traffic and organize an author signing during these two days, in front of its entrance. The owner happened to be with us when we met with Jude in Arizona in late January, and she asked Dani Petrone and me to be the signing authors. We enthusiastically accepted.

2017 Chocolate Affaire - Glendale AZ
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After rushing to order the new titles, and Jude being wonderful as usual, making sure they would arrive on time, Dani and I filled our long table with our books. Only my latest books, to be sure (I have too many to display them all – It would take more than one table).

January 2026 Meeting with Jude (BWL Publishing), Dani Petrone, and John Hovey and his wife

On Saturday, we had a big draw and a little competition, as the window behind us was filled with lovely doggies for adoption (part of the 2 Share rescue program for working K9). Five were adopted that day. Yay!

Saturday, February 14, 2026, ready to go, with chocolate on the table.
The puppies have not arrived yet.
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We stood there, outside, from 10-11am to 5pm both days, talking to people about our books, selling a few, handing out postcards, bookmarks, and answering questions about where the Chocolate Affaire was happening, which was a few blocks away.

My latest book, CHI WARRIOR, was available there.
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Some friends came to visit and chat and buy my latest book. Dani and I were so excited, we totally forgot about lunch and survived the whole day on a single can of Coke. These two days were exhausting, but we were happy with the experience.

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The good news is, it looks like next year the Chocolate Affaire will be back in Murphy Park in all its splendor. Looking forward to the outdoors fun.

Happy Reading

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Kick-butt Sci-fi Heroines, cats, romantic elements

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New Book Release: Saving Her Prairie - by Heidi M. Thomas

 

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Battle for the Soul of the Prairie

In this modern “David vs Goliath” story, Dede Hume is thrust into the decades-old battle for grasslands in the wide-open spaces of Montana.

When her dad is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and her parents take early retirement, Dede and her younger brother are left in charge of their ranch. She’s plunged into a dilemma beyond her wildest imagination—a struggle to save the family legacy.

Managing a financially viable ranch is hard enough without having to battle the huge wildlife preserve organization buying up the land around her. Their agenda: reintroduce species to the prairie that will end the way of life for ranchers. Joining forces with her neighbors, she helps fight to maintain the family-owned businesses that have fed the nation for generations.

But will a new friendship expose her plans to the organization and set her on a course to lose everything her parents built? How can one young woman make a difference before the ranch is wrenched from her forever?

About the author:

Heidi M. Thomas grew up on a working ranch in eastern Montana, riding and gathering cattle for branding and shipping. Her parents taught her a love of books, and her grandmother rode bucking stock in rodeos. She followed her dream of writing, with a journalism degree from the University of Montana. Heidi is the author of the award-winning “Cowgirl Dreams” novel series and Cowgirl Up: A History of Rodeo Women plus Seeking the American Dream, Finding True Home, Rescuing Samantha, Rescuing Hope, and Rescue Ranch Rising, Goth-girl to Cowgirl and Saving Her Prairie.

New Book Release: Let Him Go Wild - by Robert Ronning

 

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In Let Him Go Wild, the sequel to Wild Call to Boulder Field, park ranger Wade Conrad searches for black-market wildlife traders in Arizona’s White Mountains, while Jesse Hayduke, paroled from jail, labors uneasily at a golf course along the Coronado Trail. Until he meets the course cart-girl, Ruby Martinez, a young woman of Apache-Mexican heritage, who takes a liking to Jesse and shares with him the healing powers of the wilderness and a respect for wildlife—especially for Perrito, a curious coyote pup that friends Jesse after a trapper takes away his family. When the human-coyote connection has its tender moment, Jesse strays over the natural divide between people and wild creatures. He has to learn to “do no harm” and allow Perrito to go his own way in the wild. But it is through Perrito that destiny calls Jesse and Ruby to face the malicious animal trapper and his illegal wildlife captures at his remote encampment. Wade, tracking Jesse, reaches the appalling camp and confronts the trapper for a reckoning over his cruelty and killing.

About the author:

Robert Ronning had an early career in theatre, earning a Ph.D. in communication arts. He directed two plays Off Broadway: a comedy about George Bernard Shaw and a concert docudrama on Albert Einstein at Lincoln Center. He taught performance literature at City University of New York. His writing has appeared in local, regional, and national publications. He pivoted to write about wildlife and conservation, including his adventure novel, Wild Call to Boulder Field, and its sequel, Let Him Go Wild. He lives in Tucson and summers in Arizona's White Mountains, just a few minutes daily dog walk from National Forest and wildlife.

New Book Release: Reunion in the Desert - by Leslie Rager

 

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Quinn Goode, returns to her family’s ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona, seeking refuge after a broken heart derails the life she thought she wanted. Back on the ranch, Quinn hopes the familiar rhythms of hard work, wide skies, and her grandmother’s steady presence will help her mend. What she doesn’t expect is to come face-to-face with the boy who once held her heart—and now threatens to claim it again in ways she never imagined.

Colton Carson was once a world champion rodeo rider, a man whose life revolved around grit, glory, and the roar of the crowd. One reckless decision, however, cost him everything—his career, his confidence, his family, and his sense of self. Left physically and emotionally scarred, and working to overcome an addiction, Colton retreats from the spotlight and lands at the Goode ranch, carrying his regrets as heavily as his injuries.

As Quinn and Colton reconnect, their shared history ignites a powerful attraction neither can ignore. But desire alone isn’t enough. Both must confront their pasts—Quinn’s lingering heartbreak and insecurities, and Colton’s shame and self doubt—if they hope to build something lasting. Set amid dusty corrals, open pastures, and quiet desert nights, the novel captures the intimacy of small-town life and the fast-burning intensity of love earned, not given.

About the author:

Leslie Rager draws on her restaurant industry background and sharp sense of humor to create engaging cozy mysteries. Her Jayne Stanford series, Menu for Murder, Cocktails at Sunset, and No Reservations, has earned five-star reviews from Readers’ Favorites, Amazon, and Goodreads. The series follows an imperfect restaurant server who stumbles into murder investigations. Reunion in the Desert marks Leslie’s first romance novel. Set in historic Wickenburg, Arizona, it tells the story of two childhood friends reunited on a struggling family ranch. Leslie is active in her community, volunteering with nonprofits like EBeauty Community and teaching free writing courses.

New Book Release: King Cotton III: Jack & the Ripper - by Richard A. Noble

 

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King Cotton III: Jack & the Ripper is the third entry in the series of historical fiction novels involving the exploits of Jack Bailey, the irresistible scoundrel that charmed his way through the Civil War, helped himself to a share of the Confederate Treasury, distilled bourbon with John Beam (Jim's uncle), helped establish the Old Chisolm Trail, and witnessed some of the earliest gunfights and train robberies in the Old West. A friend to Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Allan Pinkerton, George Armstrong Custer, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill Cody, and other famous figures of the era, Bailey is back and as is so often the case, he becomes embroiled in some of the most notable events of the late 1800's.

Jack & the Ripper begins as Bailey reunites with Wild Bill Hickok, now a marshal in Kansas. He later finds himself an unwilling participant in Cuba's Ten Years War for independence, involved in the circus business, consulting on the Treaty of Washington, hosting Queen Victoria and the future King Edward VII at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, and patrolling the squalid streets of Whitechapel in 1888, hot on the trail of Jack the Ripper. Predictably, our hero never lacks for female companionship along the way, or for the occasional (and inadvertent) confrontation with deadly characters like Frank and Jesse James and John Wesley Hardin.

As it was in the first two books, people, timelines, and events in Jack & the Ripper are depicted accurately, and corroborated with footnotes, photographs, and newspaper accounts. Bailey's role is fictional. Those first two books in the trilogy have been awarded 5 stars by Reader Views and Readers' Favorite(R) and more than 90% of the reviews on Amazon are also 5 star.

About the author:

Richard A. Noble enjoyed a long career in publishing before retiring in 2022. He became interested in the Civil War while living in Kentucky. His oldest daughter was born there, and her first restaurant meal was at The Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown. Bardstown plays important roles in King Cotton II: Kentucky Gold. Rick's wife was born in Kansas, where a lot of the action in King Cotton II: Kentucky Gold and King Cotton III: Jack & the Ripper takes place, in part in tribute to her. The King Cotton series overall is a tribute to the history of America and the American West.

Authors should qualify for all the Oscars categories - by Vijaya Schartz

 

Find it at BWL 
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As I watched the announcements of the 2026 Oscar nominees recently, I realized how many categories are now rewarded. Each year they add new categories. The latest one this year recognizes casting directors.

When writing a novel, the author has to be an expert in all the categories. Whether we write fiction or true events, we are responsible, not only for the overall story, the script (dialogue), but also for creating (casting) our characters (defining who they are, what makes them tick, and what they look like). We have to decide what they wear (especially for period pieces), the setting (movie set design), the special effects (I have many in my sci-fi books), action scenes, the actors’ direction, the secondary characters, the subplots, the narrative…

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Authors are not required to write music, of course, but we do create an atmosphere by describing the sounds, the smells, the touch, and the feelings, as well as the thoughts surrounding the novel.

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Maybe authors should also get awards for Historical Accuracy. Nowadays most period films are accurate, as movie makers and authors conduct intensive research before filming or writing. But I remember a time when Hollywood was taking big liberties with history, and was later criticized for it. I still cringe when I watch old films of ancient Egypt.

Research is a must, something green authors do not always understand. The wrong detail can spoil the entire novel and ruin the author’s credibility for the reader. Personally, I love doing research. Many unexpected plot ideas often come from researching settings and local lore, legends, and little-known history.

I’ve often been told that reading my books was like watching a movie. Thank you. I take it as a compliment. Please, go ahead and suggest my books to Hollywood!

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Actually, there is a good reason for that. As I write, I see the movie unfolding in my head on a big screen. I love movies. It’s not unusual for me to memorize the lines of my favorite films as I watch them over and over. It’s also why my books are fast reads. Like in movies, I believe in telling a story as succinctly as possible. Why write a paragraph when one word says it all?

I hope you enjoy my books. And if you do, please leave a review on the book page. Thank you in advance.

Happy Reading!

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Kick-butt Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats, romance

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New Book Release: Styled by Scripture: A Faith-Fueled Guide to Building a Bankable Presence - by DeAnna Dupree

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You don’t need another confidence quote — you need a divine reminder of who you are.

In Styled by Scripture, Visibility, and Success Coach The Fabulous DeAnna DuPree takes you beyond surface-level style and into a Spirit-led journey of identity, influence, and impact. This is where faith meets finesse — and where your reflection becomes revelation.

Through powerful storytelling, biblical truth, and actionable strategy, you’ll learn how to:

Stop hiding behind shame, comparison, and saboteurs.

Show up with purpose, polish, and presence — in life, business, and leadership.

Build a bankable presence that attracts opportunity and honors God.

Activate your influence with confidence, charisma, and conviction.

Every chapter closes with “Styled by Scripture” devotionals and “Now Walk It Out” activations — so you’re not just inspired, you’re ignited.

Styled by Scripture isn’t just a read — it’s a revelation. A blueprint for women of faith who are ready to be seen, shine boldly, and walk in divine alignment with their assignment.

If you’re ready to stop shrinking and start shining — your moment is here.

About the author:

DeAnna DuPree, affectionately known as The Fabulous DeAnna DuPree, is an Author, Business Coach, Image Consultant, and Marketing Director for NAWBO Phoenix. With a career rooted in branding, presence, and influence, she helps women entrepreneurs elevate their visibility, messaging, and leadership. As Founder of Impeccable Style LLC, DeAnna blends image strategy with business acumen, teaching that how you show up impacts trust and income. She is the author of Styled by Scripture and creator of Confidently Unleashed and YOU Are the Brand™, empowering women to lead with clarity, confidence, and values aligned purpose.

New Book Release: Dream of a Murder - by VC Williams

 

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Kris and Rob Lawter are excited to be traveling the world on a small luxury ship, their dream vacation. Retired from a high-stress career in government, Kris and her husband, a recently retired airline pilot, hope their good marriage will catch fire without alarm clocks in the way. But when Rob sees their neighbor tossed overboard in the dead of night, they have no choice but to get involved. Then their friend gets beaten up in Cádiz, and only the Lawters see the deadly connection. Unless Kris finds the key to a cipher she found in the dead man's cabin, the Lawters might be next.

About the author:

VC Williams has a strong background in technical writing and is delighted to devote her life now to writing fiction. She previously worked in administrative and accounting roles in retail, government, manufacturing, and non-profits. She also served twelve years as a business administrator/minister for a large church in El Paso. Texas. VC is a second-generation Arizonan and a history enthusiast. She is married with two sons and two grandchildren. She has been blessed with opportunities to travel and has visited many beautiful places here and around the world. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Arizona Authors Association, and the Arizona Territorial Society.

New Book Release: Dog Soldier - by Roland Rick Church

 

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A young native American man is trained to assassinate political targets in major U.S. cities and is financially supported through a network of shell companies. Ironically his false identity is that of an attorney for the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs. His only problem is that he is the nephew of Noel Two Horses, a native American ex-cop, private Investigator who is digging deep to find out what this young guy is up to. Dog Soldier is the seventh story in the Noel Two Horses series of stories about this private investigator who runs his investigative agency out of a mystery book shop in Prescott, Arizona in the heart of Yavapai Apache territory.

About the author:

Roland Rick Church is an enrolled member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation and is a former Tribal Council member as well as a Director of Public Safety for his tribe. After retiring he was appointed as a Tribal Police and Fire Commissioner. He is a decorated Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran and had a 26-yearlaw enforcement career as a State Trooper, Police Patrol Sergeant, Special Investigator and a Fraud Unit Supervisor. He is a graduate of the FBI Academy Command College Quantico. His private investigative work included criminal defense work in both Wisconsin and Arizona as well as the Federal court system. Rick has a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology and has taught Criminal justice courses for both undergraduate and graduate level students

New Book Release: Bird's Eye View of Baseball - by Rodo Sofranac

 

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Robin Finch, nicknamed Bird, is learning all about baseball from his sister Maria. As she uses expressions to describe baseball actions, he visualizes what they mean--literally.

This book is a great aid for language acquisition. It is also useful for understanding the game of baseball, especially idioms and other expressions.

About the author:

Rodo Sofranac spent the first few years of his life in a small village called Rijeka Crnojevića,  in Montenegro (former lya part of Yugoslavia). The next few years he lived in Salzburg, Austria. His family then immigrated to the United States. This diversity of cultures and languages has inspired Rodo to read, write, and have fun with words, especially telling stories. Currently, Rodo lives the larger village of Phoenix, Arizona with his loving wife, Susan, and some of the kids—who all constantly help him with his English.

Cat-whipped - My cat believes I have superpowers - by Vijaya Schartz

 

Find it at BWL HERE
Find it at your favorite online store HERE

Each holiday season, setting up the tree becomes more challenging. My cat, Pasha, is obsessed with it. After the tree is up, each day, he finds new ways to defeat my safeguards around the table where the tree stands. But I’m not worried about the ornaments I find on the carpet in the morning. No. I’m worried about the fact that he likes to chew on the branches.

Mind you, my tree is small, white, and made of recycled plastic. So, why is he so obsessed with chewing the branches? A while back, I had to get rid of fake spiky plants on my balcony… for the same reason. He liked to chew on them.

Before you judge me about the fake plants, I should mention that I live in Arizona, that all the natural plants on my balcony die each year in the heat, except for one Aloe Vera.

This is how the battle usually starts.

The cat stares at the tree, ready to jump.

I say “No!”

He glances at me then leaps anyway.

But due to my martial arts training, I happen to have quick reflexes. So, I catch the cat in midair and deposit him gently on the couch. The first time I did it, the shocked expression on his little furry face and in his rounded blue eyes was priceless. As if he’d landed in a different time zone, or through a portal to a parallel universe.

I repeated the maneuver a few times, when he wasn’t aware of my close proximity. So now, my cat thinks I have superpowers.

But this practice created a monster. Quickly, it turned into a game. Whenever Pasha wants attention… and he requires lots of it, he dares me, ready to jump on the tree table. When I catch him, he purrs loudly and gives me head bumps, and revels in my embrace.

How am I supposed to resist that? This cat is my weakness. So, he gets kisses and cuddles. Just what he wanted. I am officially cat-whipped.

If you like novels with cats and/or martial arts, with kick-butt heroines and a little romance, check out my novels at your favorite online store.

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HAPPY READING!

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Kick-butt Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats, romance

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