New Book Release: A Wizard's Guide to Family Recovery - by Lance S. Wilson

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Merlynn has lived as a queen in a chess set for several centuries and is on a quest to fix a mistake that left her student, a little pawn named QP, feeling insecure and worthless.

Arnie is also on a mission. He is determined to help his friend, Michael, learn to cope with the trauma of having a bipolar son who has gone missing and an alcoholic daughter still living at home wreaking havoc. Their conversations take place over games of chess after attending family recovery support meetings. Unbeknownst to Arnie and Michael, Merlynn and QP listen intently to their discussions and process what they hear when returned to their worn velvet chess bag.

If you are struggling with codependency or other forms of family trauma, this book can help. Please join Merlynn, QP, Arnie, and Michael on this moving, yet lighthearted, journey from restlessness to calm, from uncertainty to confidence, and from sleepless nights to pleasant dreams. Along the way, surprising insights are revealed by an ancient owl, historical figures, brilliant chess grand masters, and attendees at a Dead & Company concert.

About the author:

Lance Wilson is a husband, father, artist, cyclist, dog lover, and author of two books. Prior to retiring a few years ago to have more time to pursue his passions, Lance worked in leadership positions for various court systems for 35 years. He has a Master's Degree in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver College of Law, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Fine Arts from Alvernia College. He was born and raised in the beautiful farmland of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Lance spent most of his adult life in the Southwest and currently resides in Tucson, Arizona with his spouse of 34 years, Joy Wilson, and their fox red lab, Mango.

A Writers' Tip from Karen Odden - GETTING THE MOST OUT OF WRITING CONFERENCES

Karen Odden

Next Month, I will be attending my fourth Bouchercon, this time in New Orleans. It's a monster of a mystery conference ... five full days, with hundreds and hundreds of editors, agents, reviewers, readers, bloggers, and writers of novels, short stories, plays, TV shows and more. The first time I attended, in 2019, I had two books out. In retrospect, I probably should have started attending conferences earlier than I did. Why didn't I? Partly because no one suggested it (I was probably supposed to know about them, but I didn't); and partly because even with two books out, I was still unsure that I belonged at a national gathering of “real” writers. However, had I gone, I would have discovered an important truth: there are infinite ways to participate in the mystery writing community. 

There is no one "right" path, and no single measure of success. More important, at conferences, you meet people who are a bit farther along the road and willing to offer advice, share their stories, and lend a hand. 

 As a side note, one of the smaller conferences might have been less overwhelming for a first-timer, e.g., Left Coast Crime, Thriller fest, New England Crime bake, and Malice Domestic, to name a few. I truly believe it is impossible to foresee what good things will happen, if you talk to people, ask questions and listen well. At Bouchercon 2019, I attended a panel on secondary characters, with Juliet Grames, along with several other writers. That night, at the Harper Collins party, I told her I appreciated what she shared about spending months in Italy researching the characters for The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna. Not until months later did I learn she was an editor at Soho Crime. We stayed in touch. Five years later, she acquired my book. It's just one anecdote, but still. When I teach my workshop on building a community of practice as a writer, I spend a good chunk of the 90 minutes talking about how to attend conferences. It's more than just going to panels and checking out the bookstore. 

So... what are some specific tips for getting the most out of conferences? 

First off, leave your shy hat at home. Meet as many new people as you can. Yes, we writers tend to be introverted, but at a conference, everyone in the room is up for connecting. That's usually why they're there. 

Second, prepare for connecting. Usually, conferences will list the participants on the website in advance. If there is an agent or editor you want to meet, find out if they'll be on a particular panel or will be taking meetings with attendees. If there's an author you admire, plan to find them in the book room after their panel; that's when they sign books. 

Third, immerse yourself without drowning. That first conference, I attended as many panels as I could, and when I met people, I asked for their bookmark or card. I volunteered to be a panel timer (a very easy job) and checked attendees in at registration. I attended the dinners and joined the group at the bar afterward. I also took breaks in my room, just to chill. Fourth, follow up. The first few days after I returned home, I decompressed. But after that, I went online and looked people up. I found their books at the library or bought them. I followed their blogs and read their reviews. If there were people I genuinely connected with, I wrote them an email to say I'd like to stay in touch. 

As you build your community of practice, think of every interaction as a thread of a web you are building, in both your web and theirs. Having some of that web in place before you have a book published can be very valuable. And it's always good to stretch ourselves a wee bit.

About the author:

Karen Odden is a USA Today bestselling author; her latest book is Under A Veiled Moon, an Inspector Corravan mystery. For more writer’s tips and other news, subscribe to Karen’s newsletter or visit her website. You may also visit her Arizona Authors Association page.

New Book Release: Arrow Through the Heart of Time - by Raymond White

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Arrow Through the Heart of Time is a blend of contemporary romance, time travel, and metaphysical fiction shrouded in a forbidden love affair. It’s a story that follows a fallen psychiatrist and his mysterious patient as they race against time to confront and come to terms with an eternal bond neither of them understands—one that spans several lifetimes, is plagued by multiple failed attempts to find true love, and defies logic.

Dr. Romeo Carrington, a highly regarded Manhattan psychiatrist, has lost everything: his daughter, his marriage, and his identity. Entering alcohol rehab more broken than alive, Rome stumbles upon hypnotherapy as both a lifeline and a revelation where his own recovery is concerned. It's there he encounters a fellow patient, Emily Best—a former elite New York City escort with whom he's had a brief, failed, intimate encounter years ago, but who likely has no recollection of him.

Although they never speak at rehab, their connection reignites, as before long, and seemingly by coincidence, when Rome's colleague is unavailable to treat Emily on an emergency mental health visit, she becomes his patient, presenting with suicidal ideations thought to be brought on by a traumatic life now wrapped in substance withdrawal.

Traditional medicine can't help her, though. Any medication Rome tries is ineffective, pushing her closer to her breaking point as Rome incurs her rage for failing her. As a last resort he uses hypnosis to help ease her severe depression and anxiety, which is not only successful but shockingly gives rise to a series of spontaneous past life regressions, opening a strange portal to multiple shattered relationships between the two of them over time.

Arrow Through the Heart of Time has been described as:

“Ray White opened a human soul, not merely a story.”

“Portraying grief, remorse, and the frantic need for atonement with such unadulterated emotion from the first time we saw Dr. Romeo Carrington”.

“Every moment seemed intimate because of the writing.”

“The way the author examined forgiveness—not only from others but also from oneself—was what most impressed me.”

“The characters have depth and emotion, and (the) work is poetic without ever losing its sense of reality.”

“I'm grateful for this amazing journey. This is more than just a book; it’s a lifeline, and I'm so happy I got to experience it."

"I just couldn’t put it down."

About the author:

Ray White is a novelist, lawyer, and lifelong student of mystical phenomena, now living in Richmond, VA.

As an attorney in New York, Ray focused on trial work related to entertainment, criminal, and family law matters. He eventually advanced to an executive role with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy when it was headquartered at the Notre Dame Law School, where he was also a part of the institute's trial skills faculty. In fact, he has taught trial skills throughout the US, as he and his family have lived in all four mainland time zones - from Charlottesville and Earlysville, VA; to Tucson, AZ; to South Bend, IN; to New York City and upstate to Albany; and now to Richmond where he promises to settle down and do nothing but write novels and stay out of trouble.

Ray describes his greatest non-writing professional achievement as trying a national precedent setting murder case, and his greatest professional disappointment occurred when he learned Johnny Cash already helped make 'I've Been Everywhere Man' popular before Ray had a chance to write it.

New Book Release: Chi Warrior, The Protectors Book 1 - by Vijaya Schartz

 

 

Find it on Amazon HERE Everywhere else HERE
For my other books: 
amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo

Yay! Chi Warrior is now available on Amazon and everywhere else, in print and eBook.

This is the beginning of a new science fiction fantasy series with romantic elements, THE PROTECTORS. It is set on a post-apocalyptic feudal planet devastated by a natural cataclysm. There will be three novels in this series, all standalones, with different protagonists for each book, and a few returning secondary characters.

Here is the blurb for CHI WARRIOR:

Anila, peaceful warrior woman, trained all her life in the desert, at the monastery of the Celestial Gate, to take the vows of the mighty Protectors. That’s all she’s ever known, all she ever wanted. But a cloud of black wings haunts her nightmares.

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

Anila is pulled into the inevitable clash as a prophecy unfolds, blurring the lines between good and evil, testing her resolve. Nothing is as it seems… An ancient enemy rises in the shadows, and the falling darkness threatens to engulf Anila and everyone she loves.

REVIEW by Victoria Chatham

If you like strong female characters, then you will not be disappointed with Anila, the protagonist in Vijaya Schartz's latest book. Anila is in training at a monastery under the watchful gaze of Master Wang. She diligently practices her Tai-Chi routines and perfects her weapons training as her dearest wish is to join the ranks of the mysterious Protectors. However, she cannot escape the promise and prophecy of her destiny and is drawn into conflicts not of her making. In discovering how she overcomes those who would use rather than celebrate her, we see her grow into a formidable but fair potential leader.

Schartz has splendidly blended fact, fiction, and fantasy into an enthralling, fast-paced story that I could not put down. Fans of this genre and Schartz in particular will not be disappointed.

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, Romance with a Kick

Find all my other books on my author pages at:

amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo - FB

New Book Release: Eight's Enough - by Gary Walden

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Witty! Encouraging! Controversial! Heartfelt! Spiritual! Thought-provoking! is how everyone who reads this book will react, once they dive into "Eight's Enough." This is the eighth installment in my series of books of the underrated art of song poems, or, as most people would call them...song lyrics. I cover a wide range of topics from stories based on real life, to science-fiction, to Christianity, to social issues, to ideas that will spark the imagination. "Forever Came Too Soon" will bring tears to your eyes..."Cloud Of Dust" will energize..."The Class of '71" will take you back to high school days..."Cereal Killers" will make you chuckle. My lyrics/song poems have been influenced by The Moody Blues, Bernie Taupin...lyricist for Elton John, Neil Diamond, Carly Simon, and, Jim Steinman, of Meatloaf fame, among other hall of fame songwriters. You will notice their style throughout "Eight's Enough." Drop me a line via email in the "About The Author" page to let me know what lyrics have touched your life and brought back memories. Thank you for purchasing this latest offering, for your enjoyment.

About the author:

Gary Walden was born in November 1953, in Greenville, South Carolina. He grew up in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, before moving to Arizona in 1973.

He received a Bachelor Of Science degree in Journalism/Pubic Relations in 1977 from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. As John Lennon stated in one of his lyrics: "Life is what happens to you, when you're busy making other plans", he ended up following a career in the retail business. He used his education to write many popular radio and television commercials for businesses he's managed.

He is a long-standing member of BMI and owns Walden Pond Music. "Two Hands" and "Just In Case" are two of his many songs placed with publishers and producers, over the years. He also had one of his songs, "The Golden Ticket" reviewed by the producers of the American Idol television show, in their competition for songwriters.

In addition to songwriting, he has had many feature stories and editorials published in local newspapers as well as having articles written about his prolific lyric writing skills (app. 15,200 as of February 2023, since 1969). Additionally, he has also written a television screenplay for the television series "Star Trek: Voyager". He published his first book, "Lyrical Life" in 2016. "Second Thoughts" was published in 2018, another sequel, "Life Happens In Threes" was published in 2020, "Before Time Catches Up" was published in 2021 and "5 O'Clock Shadows" was published in 2022.

New Book Release: Blank Checks - by Genevieve Marshall

 

find it on Amazon HERE

The rules are simple: Join the app, Dream BIG, Then wait.

Once a month, the world holds its breath as the global phenomenon Blank Checks selects one random contestant. The prize? A blank check. No strings attached. They write a number. Any number. Whatever they believe their dream is worth.

No one knows who funds the app. No one knows how they choose. But every winner is real, and every story becomes a legend. From some of the globe’s most exotic locales come the amazing tales that fuel the hunger - and the hunger that fuels the game!

What amount would you write on a blank check?

About the author:

Genevieve Marshall was born with a wanderlust for adventure and the unknown. As a single female traveler, she found that her lack of fear and deep desire to explore has kept her on the move most of her life.

When the world came to a standstill at the beginning of 2020, she found herself still traveling, but in a whole different way. VIRTUALLY. Every day, she would explore new cities, villages, towns and countries on the internet. Even after 60 years of travel, she became fascinated with many places that she had never heard of before. She was hooked.

“I should write about my stories and publish a book for my family and friends to read”, she thought. With time on her hands, she wrote and published her first book in 2022. To her amazement, everyone was thrilled with her collection of "Unexpected Adventures". They asked for more. With that, "MORE Unexpected Adventures" was born in 2024.

A novel began to brew in her head in 2023. She spent months asking friends, family and strangers how much they would make a Blank Check out for. To her surprise, the idea sparked conversations, intrigue and continued fascination. She soon found herself writing endlessly, spending countless hours on telling the story. By 2025, her very first novel was completed.

A collection of Lined Journals was also created in 2024 to allow creative juices, thoughts and more to be poured onto their delightful pages.

She lives with her husband in Arizona.