New Book Release: The Roses of Carterhaugh - by Melissa Widmaier

 

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Illustrated

Love is immortal.

In a quiet souters village in Scotland, an earl’s rebellious daughter stirs up trouble with the fabled faeries known as the Daoine Sìth. Can she lift the veil on a darkened past and rescue her knight from the seelie queen’s clutches?

Based on a beloved Child Ballad, this fairytale retelling mixes magic with devotion, leading our heroine and her loved ones on an adventure worth recounting in an enchanted glade or a royal hall.

About the author: 

Melissa is an award-winning author on the spectrum who likes to mix a little ink with her magic. Her books focus on the familial bond and exploring the natural world. When not manipulating words, she can be found camping with a camera in hand, getting lost among things green and growing. She lives in Arizona with her husband, three boys, a dapper old cat, and a rambunctious corgi.

New Book Release: The Door in the Carnegie Library - by VC Williams

 

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Shy Julie Johnson of 1967 dreams of a different life. The seventeen-year-old wants popularity, a clique of friends, and boys calling for dates. When she finds a secret door in the old Carnegie Library, she exits into the rustic world of 1907, where she must learn to trust strangers for the first time in her life. With nothing to lose, she ventures out, one step at a time, from her tightly guarded existence. She finds that making good friends like Debby is easier than she thought, and a handsome boy, Ren, wants to hold her hand and take her to a dance. 

But when a notorious outlaw, the Apache Kid, learns about the Yavape' Apache magic that transported Julie, a native woman warns that her life may be in danger. The Kid has been on the run for years, and this seems like the perfect way for him to escape. Knowing she must learn the reason for her presence here, Julie tries new things, takes risks, and finds life with her guardians, Rilla and Charles Keeler, can be fun and rewarding, even without makeup, running water, or electricity. 

But when the Apache Kid kidnaps her and drags her into a remote area in the surrounding mountains, Julie faces her biggest test. Enduring pain and hardship, only her faith and a message from the Apache Maiden's spirit sustain her. Sharing the Maiden's message for the Kid only enrages him, leaving Julie afraid for her life, but the Kid leaves her to be rescued. Her trials are not over as he continues to stalk her, and when the right storm rolls in, Julie and Charles find him waiting for them. Attacking Charles, the Kid drags Julie into the portal, releasing her at the last minute. A few weeks later, Julie leaves her friends and arrives back in 1967, a changed young woman with a new perspective and confidence. She soon has a visit from a person out of the past who provides the answers to her questions about those she left behind. In their honor, she intends to live the life of her dreams.

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: Jade's Broken Bridge - by Michele Lee Sefton

 

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Jade’s Broken Bridge, by Michele Lee Sefton, is a raw and poignant story of survival, self-destruction, and hope. The narrative follows Jade, a young woman navigating a tumultuous life shaped by family fractures, isolation, and the pursuit of financial stability in the shadows of the adult entertainment industry. The story unfolds as she reflects on her past, particularly her experiences as an Arizona native, working as a topless dancer in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the personal struggles that led her there. Jade’s journey is a deeply introspective exploration of self-worth, desperation, and the relentless search for escape—whether through drugs, relationships, or a false sense of empowerment gained in strip clubs.

Inspired by true events, the book delves into Jade’s complex family dynamics, particularly the impact of her parents’ divorce, and the financial hardships that drove her to make life-altering choices. Through vivid and unfiltered poetic prose set in the late 1980s, Sefton paints a picture of a woman torn between who she was meant to be and who she has become. As she battles addiction and shame, Jade ultimately confronts the truth about her past and her desire to reclaim her life.

In her debut novel, Sefton offers a sobering account of self-destructive life choices and the painful consequences that follow. The story does not romanticize the struggles of survival but instead offers an honest portrayal of resilience and the possibility of change.

About the author: 

A writer of poetry and poetic prose, Michele Lee Sefton is a veteran English teacher who left the classroom in 2019 to develop her writing voice. She has since been published in various anthologies and platforms, including Piper Poetry Month Anthology through the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University.Collaborating with her artist daughter during the pandemic, she published a series of illustrated poetry chapbooks, Being a Woman: Overcoming, Being a Woman: Becoming, and Being a Woman: Forthcoming. In 2020, she published a collection of poems to celebrate her one-year blog anniversary, My Inspired Life: A Poetic Journey. Her titles, Her Coastal Cottage: Where Truth & Love Rise and Honeysuckle Heat, offer readers the author's vivid poetic prose in novella length.Jade's Broken Bridge (2025) is her debut novel. She continues to publish creative projects under her imprint, Tumbleweed Spirit Press. Michele Lee enjoys sharing and connecting on her writing and photography blog, dancing with other expressive women, and working with Sandra Marinella, the author of The Story You Need to Tell, co-facilitating narrative therapy workshops. Michele Lee's undergrad is in English with a secondary endorsement, and she holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, and a Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies from Indiana University.

New Book Release: How Do I Become an Unstoppable Musician? Vol 2 - by Eileen Sauer

 

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Readers of Unstoppable Musician, Volume 1 will inevitably wonder, "Surely there is more to this?"

Yes, there is.

Volume 2 gathers the topics that would have diluted Volume 1's tight focus on the French School method as it was actually taught. Volume 1 shows how, with the smallest possible set of skills and concepts even a three-year-old could begin using, we built a foundation strong enough to do anything we wanted: learn an instrument, join a choir with confidence, compose, or walk into any music school or conservatory ready to thrive.

In Volume 2, you will find the conversations around the method, including its background, theory, memory techniques, practice philosophies, the broader context of musicianship, and the supporting frameworks that made this "musical kindergarten" curriculum unexpectedly complete.

If Volume 1 shows what we did and why it worked, Volume 2 continues the story by rounding out how to become an unstoppable musician.

About the author: Eileen Sauer

Non-fiction: How Do I Become An Unstoppable Musician? Vol. 1 and 2 (of 3). Fiction: "The Tailor", a short story accepted to the 2025 Phoenix anthology titled "The Weight of Almost Knowing". Creator of the Unstoppable Musicianship Bootcamp, pianist, composer, former technologist (software development, technical training, engineering management). Grew up in NJ, lived in Tampa FL, Birmingham AL, Jersey City NJ. Currently live in Phoenix AZ. My website is my name.

New Book Release: Native American Style Flute - by Ami Sarasvati, CMP

 

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Learn to Play for Ceremonies on the Native American Style Flute

Create Your Musical Ministry

Do you feel called to play the Native American style flute for ceremonies, healing work, or spiritual gatherings?

This book offers a clear, grounded, and reverent pathway for musicians who wish to bring live Native American style flute music into ceremonial, meditative, and sacred spaces. Through step-by-step instruction, simple illustrations, QR codes leading to audio and video examples, charts, stories, and practical guidance, you’ll learn how to play the Native American style flute not just with technique—but with presence, intention, and service.

This is not a performance-based flute method. It is a contemplative approach to ceremonial flute playing.

Inside, you’ll explore essential foundations, including:

• Instrument fluency and musical artistry on the Native American style flute
• The role of silence in ceremonial and meditative music
• Performance versus service in sacred music settings
• Listening deeply to those you serve
• Musical modes simplified for intuitive flute playing
• Four foundational rhythms for ceremonial music
• Breath awareness and the phenomenal breath
• Simple melodic phrases for prayerful flute playing
• Mileage and Commitment

Whether you are new to the Native American style flute or seeking to deepen your ceremonial flute practice, this method provides an immediate on-ramp to a reverent, intentional way of playing. It is well suited for musicians interested in healing music, meditation music, spiritual music, and ceremonial flute playing.

Written for those who feel called to support ceremonies with live music—rather than to perform—this book emphasizes simplicity, attentiveness, and musical improvisation. It is ideal for spiritual practitioners, retreat leaders, music ministers, and anyone drawn to the sound of the Native American style flute.

Author Ami Sarasvati, CMP, is a teacher, musician, author, and retreat leader devoted to bringing light and harmony into the world. She approaches the Native American style flute as a healing journey rooted in listening, reverence, and service, and she joyfully shares this work with students near and far.

Create your musical ministry on the Native American style flute.

About the author:

Ami Sarasvati is the author of books and courses Learn to Play the Native American Style Flute: Discover Your Heartsong, Discover the Musical Modes on the Native American Style Flute, Learn to Play for Ceremonies on the Native American Style Flute: Create Your Musical Ministry, Musician’s Heart Journey, and Musician's Practice Journal. She is an active teacher, retreat leader, Certified Music Practitioner (CMP) and ceremonial musician. She has witnessed, again and again, the healing power of music for both the individual and the community.

Ami grew up in Manchester, NH, went to high school at St. Paul’s School in Concord NH, and got her BS in Journalism at Boston University in Boston MA in 1987. She lives in Arizona.

Credentials include:

Certified Music Practitioner since 2016 through Music For Healing and Transition Program

Graduate of Music for People's Musicianship and Leadership Program

Actively teaching Native American Style Flute on Lessonface, Teacher of the Year in 2020-2025 teaching private lessons and groups

Faculty teacher of Module 3 for Music For Healing and Transition Program

Retreat Leader and/or Retreat Contributor

Accredited T’ai Chi Chih Instructor

Poetic Medicine Facilitator

Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator (Veriditas)

HealthRhythms Facilitator

Her life’s purpose is to bring more light and harmony to the planet through live music, art, labyrinth walks, and poetry.

New Book Release: To Finish a Feud - by M. Redding

 

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If you are a fan of the X-Files, you will love this new agent, Trace Newater. He brings levity to the world of the supernatural, so check out book number 1 in this new ongoing FBI series.

There’s something about a feud... real or imagined, that burrows deep into the bones of a story. It doesn’t end when the last shot is fired or the last body is buried. Feuds linger. They echo. They learn how to wait. What begins as blood and pride often becomes something stranger over time, twisting justice, memory, and truth into shapes that no longer obey the rules of history.

To Finish a Feud is not just the first installment in the Trace Newater series... it is a time-fractured, mystery-layered descent into a conflict that refuses to stay in the past. What starts as an old Kentucky blood feud soon reveals itself as something far more unsettling... a legacy that moves through generations, leaving behind unanswered questions, impossible coincidences, and traces of events that shouldn’t be able to touch one another at all.

Set against the violent origins of 1882 and propelled forward by a modern-day FBI agent with a talent for asking the wrong questions or perhaps the right ones at exactly the wrong moment... the story weaves history, suspense, and quiet techno-conspiracy with forces that defy easy explanation. From a single gunshot near a courthouse to unexplained anomalies buried in forgotten records, from vanished men to artifacts that seem out of place in their own time, the past begins to press back.

At the center of it all is Trace Newater, a man driven less by answers than by patterns. As he digs into a cold case that should have stayed buried, Trace uncovers more than grudges and missing persons. He encounters distortions of time, of causality, of legacy, that suggest some stories don’t simply survive history… they bleed through it. What has been dismissed as coincidence, superstition, or legend may instead be evidence of something unfinished.

So, whether you’re here for the slow burn of history, the momentum of a present-day investigation, or the unsettling sense that time itself may be an unreliable witness... welcome. The feud isn’t finished yet.

About the author:

M. Redding is a writer who lives in the Phoenix area with his wife, Lee. He is a proud Arizona transplant, and originally grew up in the Detroit area but headed west to attend Arizona State University, where he studied Communication and became a lifelong Sun Devil fan. He’s called Arizona home for over 30 years and has no plans of trading the desert sunsets for snow shovels anytime soon.

A lifelong reader, Redding developed a love for writing somewhere between raising kids, working full-time, and wondering if there would ever be a quiet moment. Now that his children are grown, he finally has time to pursue the passion he's carried all along—telling stories. He writes with the hope that readers will laugh a little, think a bit, and maybe even stay up past their bedtime to finish just one more chapter.

Why I prefer standalone novels in my sci-fi series - by Vijaya Schartz

 

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Sometimes, you discover a novel and you like it, but you feel you are missing something, as it is part of a series, and you didn’t read the previous books. As a reader I found that frustrating.

I don’t want my readers to miss anything.

Another reason for writing standalones in series is that in each story there is a romantic element, and once the happy couple unites at the end, they may reappear later as secondary characters, but I need a fresh romance for the next story… and I like to write about a variety of different protagonists.

Consider my new series, The Protectors. In Book 1, Chi Warrior, my strong, disciplined, warrior heroine meets a handsome barbarian who shatters her preconceived ideas about the real world.

In Book 2, Chi Rebel, coming out in November 2026, the heroine is strong but flawed, making serious mistakes that could cost her life and cause planetary chaos… while the hero is a warrior monk in training.

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In the Chronicles of Kassouk, the alien planet with a human population evolves over the centuries, as each story features different characters, humans, aliens, and felines. From the prequel, Noah’s Ark, the story of how humans ended on the planet, to the conclusion, Snow Cheetah, when the planet is rediscovered by humans centuries later. Each book features a different couple in their struggle for survival, for human rights, freedom, and belonging.

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In all my series, the common thread is the setting, the world I created for each series. Whether it’s a Space Station like in the Byzantium series, or an alien planet, like in the Azura Chronicles and The Protectors, or a spaceship, like in the Blue Phantom series.

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Only for the Curse of the Lost Isle, a fantasy series following a family of gifted immortal ladies throughout the centuries, do the same main characters reappear in different books… as they did in history, according to Celtic legends.

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Happy reading!

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author
Kick-butt Sci-fi Heroines, cats, romantic elements
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New Book Release: Gold Storm Rising - by M. Redding

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Some stories begin with discovery.

This one begins with a scream that no one can hear.

Gold Storm Rising is a science-fiction thriller forged in grief and driven by vengeance. Beyond the warships, secret technologies, and alien threats lies a far more dangerous force... what happens when a human being survives something they were never meant to survive.

The first contact with the enemy does not bring wonder. It brings annihilation. Ships vanish. Families are ripped apart in moments. Those left behind are forced to live with memories that never soften and questions that will never be answered. Survival becomes a curse... a reminder that the universe did not care who it destroyed.

This is not a story about hope saving the day. It is about obsession taking hold. About grief that refuses to heal and instead sharpens into purpose. The characters in these pages are not chasing glory or peace. They are chasing accountability... no matter the cost.

Revenge is not clean. It corrodes judgment, twists morality, and demands sacrifice from everyone it touches. As humanity races to understand an enemy that hides in the shadows of space, the line between defense and retaliation dissolves. Advanced stealth systems, covert missions, and brutal confrontations collide with raw human fury.

The darkness of space mirrors the darkness within those who choose to fight back. Every step forward pulls them further from who they once were. But turning back is no longer an option.

Gold Storm Rising delivers:

• Unflinching first-contact warfare
• A protagonist driven by loss, not heroism
• High-stakes space combat and covert technology
• A relentless descent into vengeance

This is science fiction without comfort ... where survival is only the beginning, and justice is written in fire.

If you’re drawn to darker military sci-fi, morally fractured heroes, and stories that ask how far humanity will go once everything worth protecting is already gone, this book is waiting for you.

Open it.

The Gold Storm does not forgive.

About the author:

M. Redding is a writer who lives in the Phoenix area with his wife, Lee. He is a proud Arizona transplant, and originally grew up in the Detroit area but headed west to attend Arizona State University, where he studied Communication and became a lifelong Sun Devil fan. He’s called Arizona home for over 30 years and has no plans of trading the desert sunsets for snow shovels anytime soon.

A lifelong reader, Redding developed a love for writing somewhere between raising kids, working full-time, and wondering if there would ever be a quiet moment. Now that his children are grown, he finally has time to pursue the passion he's carried all along—telling stories. He writes with the hope that readers will laugh a little, think a bit, and maybe even stay up past their bedtime to finish just one more chapter

New Book Release: Dollartorium - by Ron Pullins

 

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Called “a boisterous and thoughtful journey through the absurdities of modern capitalism” by Kirkus Reviews, DOLLARTORIUM follows Ralph, a man who makes world-class corndogs in a struggling Kansas shop. The work is honest, repetitive, and increasingly untenable as bills pile up and the economic gap widens.

With wit, compassion, and razor-sharp observation, Ron Pullins explores what it means to take pride in labor that society no longer values. At once funny and devastating, DOLLARTORIUM is a novel about work, survival, and the stubborn hope of people who refuse to disappear.

About the author:

RON PULLINS is a writer working in Tucson AZ. His works have been published in numerous journals including Typishly (Editor's Choice), Southwest Review, Shenandoah, Sunspot, etc., and been nominated for Pushcart. Pullins won the 2022 Malcolm Lowry award for Dollartorium, a satirical novel, forthcoming from Unsolicited Press, Feb 2026. His novella, Ice Dancing, 2019, has been published in Sunspot Literary Journal and Fracture will be published in the fall of 2025. Fracture was a finalist and published Sunspot 2023 First Chapter and the novella will be published in Sunspot Fall 2025. His plays, long and short, have won awards and been produced from coast to coast. A piece of his novel in progress, The Loin, was featured in a radio podcast by Mauhaus Productions, 2025.

New Book Release: Four Corners Voices - Stories - Essays - Volume 2 -

 

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Four Corners Voices: Stories, Poetry, Essays - Volume 2 is a collection of writing published by Four Corners Writers based in Cortez, Colorado. The pieces included (13 short stories, 25 poems, and 13 essays) were gathered through a submission process in the summer of 2025.

Gail Binkly (Editor), Sarah Carr (Editor), Chuck Greaves (Editor)

About the authors:

Jamie Nielsen is an ecologist and a returned U.S. Peace Corps volunteer, based in Flagstaff, AZ, with her husband, two teenagers, a puppy named Osa, and an ever-patient rescue dog, Rainy. Jamie’s writing appears in the Arizona Daily Sun, The Sunlight Press, Cleaver Magazine, Empty House Press, and she is a past contributor to the Arizona Authors’ Association Literary Magazine. She’s currently putting the finishing touches on her first memoir and next month’s Substack! She is honored to be one of more than 40 writers to be featured in the 2025 Four Corners Writers Anthology, Four Corners Voices, Vol 2.

New Book Release: Six Who Stopped the Steal - by Nancy Hick Marshall

 

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What Really Stopped the Steal in the 2020 Elections?

Explore behind the scenes of six men with strength, courage, and integrity who played a pivotal role in stopping the steal of the 2020 elections. This revealing account provides a basic primer for anyone seeking to understand these elections, what integrity looks like in action, and what it can mean for future elections.

Readers will learn:

• Who were the six?
• What monsters faced all Americans in 2020?
• What factors make a valid, canvassed, certified, audited election?
• What was the real story of the steal?
• What the six did, and why it mattered then—and now.

Nancy Hicks Marshall, an advocate for fairness and respect, draws upon her legal experience and familiarity with a county board of supervisors. By shining a light on these six men who courageously upheld their oath of office and their integrity, she offers this essential account of the 2020 elections and what we need to know going forward.

About the author:

Nancy Hicks Marshall was born and educated in the east and moved to Phoenix in 1975. She has always had a concern for fairness and strong dislike of the abuse of power. She writes in a conversational tone when possible, not overly academic, even when tackling a topic such as the nature of the voting process. A retired attorney, Marshall has written several books, usually fiction, for both adults and children.

New Book Release: Hula Girl - by Rob Lezcano

 

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Eighteen-year-old Tommy Tanner never expected his grandfather’s old yellow Corvette to carry him into a world of ancient gods, living legends, and dangerous magic.

But when Tommy discovers that a tiny hula doll on his dashboard is actually La’Ka, a sacred spirit tied to the goddess Pele, his life changes forever.

Suddenly, he is no longer just a kid trying to find his place.

He is the chosen guardian of a powerful legacy.

Guided by a mysterious journal, protected by talking great white sharks, and armed with a magical Makau necklace, Tommy is pulled into a hidden war for the soul of Hawaii. A dark force is rising, poisoning the land and threatening to extinguish Pele’s fire forever.

To stop it, Tommy must cross the ocean, face monsters born of corruption, and discover what Aloha truly means, not just as a word, but as a way of life.

Along the way, he will learn that courage isn’t about being fearless. It’s about standing anyway.

Hula Girl is a heartfelt, fast-paced coming-of-age fantasy that blends Hawaiian mythology, family legacy, humor, and adventure into an unforgettable journey.

About the author:

Rob Lezcano writes across genres, blending memoir, speculative fiction, magical realism, and myth into stories that explore memory, legacy, and the thin space between the ordinary and the impossible. His work circles questions of identity, love, faith, and the things we carry that refuse to release us. Rob mixes nostalgia with futurism, humor with heartbreak, and emotional honesty with bold invention. Influenced by writers like Ernest Hemingway, Ray Bradbury, Gabriel García Márquez, and Kurt Vonnegut, he treats tradition as conversation rather than rulebook, building both interconnected worlds and stand-alone stories meant to surprise and unsettle.

New Book Release: Uncaged Birds - by Mel Goldberg

 

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216 haiku written over several years, many published.

About the author:

Mel Goldberg spent decades teaching literature and writing to high school and college students across California, Illinois, Arizona, and as a Fulbright Exchange Teacher at Stanground College in Cambridgeshire, England. He taught people to read closely, to sit with a line until it opened up, and to trust what a few carefully chosen words could carry.

He sold most of what he owned and spent seven years traveling through the United States, Canada, and Mexico in a small motor home - following roads without fixed destinations, writing along the way.

He now lives in Ajijic, a village in Jalisco, Mexico, where the pace of life still allows a person to notice things. His stories and poems have appeared in print and online publications across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Mexico.

New Book Release: A Search for Connection - 30 Flash Fiction Stories - by Mel Goldberg

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A Search for Connection is a vivid and emotionally resonant collection of flash fiction stories each under 1,500 words that explores what it means to reach outward, inward, and across time in pursuit of understanding, belonging, and meaning. Ranging from stark realism to speculative science fiction, these stories offer quick but powerful glimpses into the human condition. Though brief, each piece lingers long after the final line, revealing how connection can be both fragile and transcendent.

The collection opens with A Bowl of Stew, a haunting post-apocalyptic snapshot that takes place in the smoldering aftermath of an atomic explosion. Through the simplest of details a lone survivor, a makeshift meal, a moment of reflection the story captures the ache of loss and the ember of hope even in devastation. It is an intimate portrait of survival, where the small act of preparing food becomes a gesture of defiance against annihilation.

 

About the author:

Mel Goldberg spent decades teaching literature and writing to high school and college students across California, Illinois, Arizona, and as a Fulbright Exchange Teacher at Stanground College in Cambridgeshire, England. He taught people to read closely, to sit with a line until it opened up, and to trust what a few carefully chosen words could carry.

He sold most of what he owned and spent seven years traveling through the United States, Canada, and Mexico in a small motor home - following roads without fixed destinations, writing along the way.

He now lives in Ajijic, a village in Jalisco, Mexico, where the pace of life still allows a person to notice things. His stories and poems have appeared in print and online publications across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Mexico.