PW Select October 2016

e
i
d
In rror
Ho
October 2016
Your Guide to
Self-Publishing
Indie Authors Take
a Stab at Horror
DIY Book
Design Options
Reviews Roundup
81 New Titles Listed
Horror Authors Take a Stab at S

How self-publishing is helping revitalize a genre
By Nicole Audrey Spector
very literary genre has its

subgenres, but there is
perhaps no genre so
packed with niches as
horror fiction. Youve got
your supernatural horror, postapocalyptic horror, fantasy horror, sci-fi
horror, comedy horror, and then all the
vampire, werewolf, and zombie horror.
Its a long list of genres for the long list
of authors who self-publish in this
increasingly fractured and versatile
category.
Some horror writers are making a
killing at self-publishing, but thats far
from the norm. More likely, self-published horror writers are seizing independence to get out work that isnt finding
a home with traditional pressesand
many of them are passionate enough to
keep going despite making little profit.
[Horror] is a genre with rabid, but
small, fan bases and obsessive authors;
its a hard genre to sell, says Martin
Kee, who has self-published several
feel scared or anxious. They just dont

want that stuff in their head. I respect
that, but theres such a broad spectrum
of horror out there, I think people
would be surprised what they end up
liking. Ive even been told by readers of
Bloom that they didnt even know it was
the book they wanted to read until they
read it.
J.E. Mayer, author of a number of
horror novels, including An Anger at
Birth, based on the true story of a teen
serial killer, links many readers reflexive
disinterest in horror fiction to their dislike of slasher stories and movies, and
insists that slasher fiction isnt representative of the horror genreat least not
anymore. Horror is just coming back as
a strong genre in general, Mayer says.
Slasher stories dominated the public
attention for some time, and traditional
horror tales became associated with
[them], and thus horror received a bad
name in publishing. [Unless] you were
Stephen King, if you wrote horror, you
were seen as writing gore.
To be clear, no one is claiming that
gore is dead, but rather that the playing
field has opened tremendously, and thats
thanks in part to self-publishing. Many
indie horror writers find that, had it not
been for self-publishing, theyd never
have been able to get their hard to sell
ideas out into the world.
Martin Kee
horror works that also tie in elements of

sci-fi and fantasy, including A Latent
Dark, The Umbral Wake, and Bloom: Or,
The Unwritten Memoir of Tennyson
Middlebrook, all exclusively on Amazon.
Horror isnt for everyone, and I think
a lot of people who might enjoy horror
steer clear because they think its just
gore. Other people just dont want to
J.E. Mayer
38 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
Saved by
Self-Publishing
I chose to self-publish simply to be

read, says Joe Schwartz, whose eighth
book, the horror novel Stabco: You Need
Nothing Else, is now available on Amazon.
The odds of getting someone substantial to publish your work when youre
basically just getting started are less than
awful.
Joe Schwartz
That traditional publishers simply

dont have the time or resources for your
work is a sentiment that all too many
horror authors can relate to. Trent St.
Germain, who published the horror
novel The Incubus and the Others with
Kindle Direct in the summer of 2015,
estimates that he received between 30
and 40 rejections from agents before venturing out on his own.
I lost track of how many agents I queried, says St. Germain, who recently
signed a book deal with the small publisher Black Rose Writing. I thought Id
have more credibility and grow my audience if I found a publisher. But now that
I look at things, and the more reading I
do online, it feels like the lines are more
blurred between self- and traditional
publishing, though with self-publishing
you keep most of the money.
Tam Francis published the short
story collection Ghostoria: Vintage
HORROR BOOKS
elf-Publishing
Tam Francis
R o m a n t i c Ta l e s o f F r i g h t u s i n g
CreateSpace, Nook Press, and
Smashwords because she didnt think a
short story collection would be of
interest to a traditional publisher. I
feel that publishers dont publish short
story collections unless [the author] is
famous or has won a big contest, so I
thought I would publish Ghostoria to
try out self-publishing and see if I liked
it, says Francis, who has since launched
a hybrid small press, Plum Creek
Publishing, with several other writers.
Right now Im happy with selfpublishing.
Francis notes that she put about $300
into her book and has made $400, a
number shes content with, given that
her initial goal was simply to break even.
Unless someone wants to turn my book
into a movie, Im not sure I see a point in
having a traditional publisher.
John D. Conroe, author of 11 self-
John Conroe
published books, 10 of which are in the

series the Demon Accords, also doesnt
see the point of having a traditional
publisher, and notes that if he could give
one piece of advice to his younger self, it
would be to not even bother with traditional houses. My advice would be to
skip the traditional query process and go
straight to Kindle Direct Publishing,
says Conroe, who still works a day job
but thinks he could get by on his books
alone. Focus on writing good books,
invest in editing and cover art, and dont
look back.
Susan Goggins, who writes as Raven
Hart, is in the process of making the
leap to self-publishing, in part because
she doesnt like how slowly traditional
publishing houses operate. By the
time [Ballantine] released the first of
our vampire seriestwo years after we
submitted the [manuscripts]my
writing partner and I missed out on the
booming subgenre of vampire books
and paranormal romance, she says.
Even more tragically, my writing
partner Virginia Ellis died before the
first book came out. That control over
timing is so important. Now that
Goggins has fulfilled her five-book
contract with Ballantine, shes decided
to continue her vampire series on her
own, though she hasnt decided which
route to go, finding the amount of
choices dizzying to the point of being
stressful.
Then there are authors such as Jason S.
Ridler, who self-published the dystopian
vampire thriller A Triumph for Sakura
because he was advised by agents that a
book featuring a Japanese female lead
and an African-American man wasnt
marketable. None of the major houses
at that time, in 2011, were regularly
publishing books with multicultural
casts, Ridler says. I thought I could

dodge all those bullets by not dealing
with publishers at all. My understanding
is that its starting to change, but back
then the culture was reacting negatively
against that stuff.
Ridler notes that A Triumph for Sakura
has been his most successful work, and
has done well particularly among women.
But success doesnt mean bundles of
money. At best I make $20 a month,
he says. Ridler blames himself for the
paltry profits:Im not aggressively promoting, and I dont care about being a
rock star bestselling author. The time I
have left on this planet has to be spent
Jason Ridler
doing things I care about. Relentless promotion and book tours arent bad things,
but Id rather spend time being better as
a writer.
Such are the sentiments of Ania
Ahlborn, who self-published the horror
novel Seed in 2012, after being courted
for months by a big-name agent who
ultimately decided not to take her on. I
was so crushed and angry because Id
been so close, she says. So I threw
everything aside and wrote Seed and did
it with no expectation and nothing to
lose. Thats when I discovered Kindle
Direct and, because I was bitter, I said,
Forget it, Im not going to write another
query ever again.
Ahlborn didnt have to. Seed took off,
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M
39
HORROR BOOKS
and within six months of its publication,

Amazon Studios asked to buy the movie
rights. At that point I was overwhelmed, so I hired an agent, Ahlborn
says. We negotiated two book deals
with Amazon, and then a second contract with Simon & Schusters Gallery
imprint.
Though shes happy with her publisher, Ahlborn feels strongly about the
merits of self-publishingafter all, if
she hadnt done it, she wouldnt have
gotten the book deal in the first place.
The Challenge of
Discoverabilityand
Endless Promotion
Like self-published authors in every
genre, indie horror writers are tasked
with managing all aspects of their
books, from cover design to publicity.
Writers success is often determined by
the amount of work they put in, and
many horror authors insist on spending
the extra money to get a quality cover
and professional editing. After that, it
really comes down to reaching readers,
and that can be tricky because theres
just so much work with which to
compete.
The key issue nowadays is discoverability, says Jana Oliver, the author of
a number of self-published horror
Jana Oliver
novels, including the Demon Trappers

series (which she continued on her own
when St. Martins Griffin stopped pub-
lishing it after book four), and the nonfiction book Socially Engaged: The
Authors Guide to Social Media, coauthored with Tyra Burton. There are
thousands of books out there, and you
have to find a way to stand out so readers
can find you in that vast sea of stories.
It is not an easy task. A top quality website is vital, some sort of social media
presence certainly helps (Facebook,
Twitter, perhaps Pinterest or Instagram),
along with having the patience of Job.
I find consistent social media interaction helps, as well as lots of networking.
Treating your readers with respect
should be a given. I allocate about 30
minutes per day, sometimes longer, for
marketing and promotion. Truth is, it
probably should be more.
Oliver says that until this year she was
self-supporting, and after changing some
directions in her writing, hopes to be so
next year, too. Frequent publications are
the key, and I only put out one book last
year, so that affected my income level,
she notes. Some writers publish four or
more books a year. It all depends on their
personal commitments, how fast they
write, and the length of their books.
From what I can see, a regular and robust
publication schedule certainly helps
feed your readers desire for scary
stories.
Willow Rose, who has self-published
39 books since 2011, is constantly
feeding her readersand marketing her
books is literally her husbands fulltime job. My husband used to take
care of everything else, too, like covers,
the interior design of the e-book and
paperbacks, but now we have hired
someone to deal with all that so he can
focus on the promotion part, said Rose.
We use the Web pages [that have] loads
of subscribers, like BookBub and Robin
Reads. Through them we get out to
thousands, sometimes millions, of
readers all at once. We also have our own
newsletter that we send out whenever we
Willow Rose
have a bargain or a new release. This

means a new release quickly generates
sales and ends on a bestselling list the
day after it is released. And soon after it
has plenty of reviews, which gives the
book life. Some of my readers read a new
book in 1012 hours and then post a
review afterwards. Furthermore, we use
Facebook ads that target horror readers.
I use my Facebook profile as my way of
keeping in close contact with my readers
to tell them of new releases, bargains,
etc.
Rose notes that she makes six figures
a year. Certainly its not just the heavy
marketing that helps push her work
its the style and accessibility of her
books. She focuses on making likable
characters and building suspense, and
steers away from gore. She also aims to
make even the most far-fetched nightmares seem completely realistic, and
like they could happen to you.
Horror is a tickling sensation in your
stomach; its not supposed to make you
want to throw up, Rose says. I build up
suspense, make people like the characters, and then let horrible things happen
to them, but no more than what I think
the reader can take. I think often horror
writers are too focused on the bloody and
scary stuff that they forget you have to
really care about the characters for it to
be suspenseful.
Nicole Audrey Spector is a Los Angeles writer

whose work has appeared in the Atlantic, the
New Yorker, and Vice.
INDIE SUCCESS
The Game Changer

A sports-themed queer YA series is an indie hit
By Jennifer McCartney
ora Sakavics sportsthemed All for the

Game series has
become an unlikely hit
for an author who does
zero self-promotion. The self-published
books have been #1 bestsellers on
Smashwords and top-10 bestsellers in
Amazons sports fiction category. Theyve
also racked up more than 13,000 ratings
and 2,000 reviews on Goodreads. There
are hundreds, possibly thousands, of
posts on Tumblr about the series and its
characters. There is fan art in almost
every mediumhomemade team logo
T-shirts, graphic novel interpretations,
and photo collages. The series, which
comprises The Foxhole Court, The Raven
King, and The Kings Men, features a setup
that would be hard to come by in traditional publishing: the adventures of several gay male characters who play on a
fictional college sports team together.
The website Gay Book Reviews sums the
work up nicely: Rough, raw and violent.... Completely unsuitable for teens.
You should totally read it.
Coming to terms with your sexuality
can be really difficulteven dangerousand being able to see yourself in
the books you read is comforting and
empowering, Sakavic says of the importance of LGBTQ representation in the
media. Its a Hey, I see you, you are
valid, were in this together. She notes
that its the prospect of the M/M relationships that has attracted readers to her
books. In other words, they come for the
romance rather t han the sports.
Although, Sakavic says, romance is a
lighter and kinder word for what Neil,
her main character, gets involved in. The
series is heavy on violence and includes
scenes of physical abuse, drug use, and
plenty of swearing.
Sakavic says traditional romance readers
were initially wary of
reading something
sportscentricand she
admits she isnt a huge
sports fan herself. Shes
played both soccer and
lacrosse, but notes that,
because her series features the fictional sport
of exy, there was little
s p o r t s r e s e a r c h Sakavic
involved. One-third
research and two-thirds fudging anything I could get away with, she says. In
the series, exy is a type of lacrosse played
on a court the size of a soccer field, with
all the physical violence of ice hockey.
So, how did a nonsports fan end up
writing something like All for the
Game? Sakavic isnt quite sure. It started
as an interest in fan-fics and anime.
Sakavic was immersed in the world of
shippinga fan-fic staple that involves
pairing up real or fictional characters for
romantic relationships that are unlikely
or nonexistent in their respective worlds.
(This is where youll find things getting
hot and heavy between Harry Potter and
Draco Malfoy, Margaery Tyrell and Sansa
Stark, or Jack Frost and Elsa.) Sakavic
decided to try her hand at writing her
own M/M stories. The three books
remain atop the Smashwords bestseller
lists and are among Amazons top digital
sellers in their category. To have so
many people take a chance on such a
strange story is so far beyond what Id
hoped for that sometimes I dont even
know how to handle it, she says.
In a world where indie authors spend
hours a day promoting their work across
social media platforms, Sakavic is an outlier. There is no contact form on her blog
for readers to reach her easily. Her Twitter
is set to private. Ive done almost squat
to promote the books, she says. Part of
this reluctance was initially motivated by
a fear of how the books would be received.
(While shes proud of the series, she also
refers to the books as a self-indulgent
angry mess that wasnt intended for
public consumption.) When she finally
self-published the series, she didnt tell
any of her friends. Many of her friends
still dont know shes a writer. It was
Tumblr users who found and championed the books. Tumblrs community is
really enthusiastic and creative, and the
books would be nothing without the legwork [my fans] put into talking about
them, she says.
Sakavic says traditional publishing is
still a dream of hers. The thought of
walking into Powells and finding something of mine nestled on the shelf is just
so exciting, she says. As for her next
projects? Ones about an ace teenage
witch in San Francisco, and the other,
well, if I ever figure out how to summa
rize it, Ill let you know.
41
BOOK DESIGN
Design Options for Self-Publishers

Four ways indie authors can create professional-looking books
By Joel Friedlander
ook design may be the most self-effacing form

of design anywhere. After all, its mission is to
so perfectly smooth the interaction between
author and reader that the designer disappears
from the equation. If a book is readable, enjoyable, easy to interact with, and seamlessly communicates the
ideas of the author, I would say the design is a success because
nobody notices it.
Although books are simply words on paper, there are many
decisions youll make when you create books, especially print
books. Some of these decisions come from your marketing
plan, some from the constraints of the book manufacturing
process, and some from longstanding conventions that readers,
perhaps unconsciously, are familiar with and that they look for
to assure themselves that the book in question is properly put
together.
There are four distinct paths that self-published authors can
travel to get their books ready for the readers who are eagerly
awaiting them. Ill get to those in a moment, but first a word
about book covers. Your book cover is the most important
design element of your book from the point of view of sales,
author branding, and visibility in the marketplace.
Among book publishing professionals, theres no argument
about cover design: if you are not a book cover designer or
someone with a lot of graphic design experience, hire a professional to design your book cover.
Book Interior Requirements

What exactly are we looking for from a book interior? Ive identified seven distinct goals that your design should aim for.
Although some of these items pertain more to nonfiction books
than fiction, they are all important. Your book should:
1. Be easy to read;
2. Conform to accepted industry standards;
3. Employ user-friendly navigation such as page numbers,
running heads, and subheads;
4. Demonstrate the hierarchy of knowledge within the book,
showing clearly how different sections relate to each other;
5. Provide easy access to resources such as chapter summaries,
bibliographies, and glossaries;
6. Accommodate elements such as sidebars, pull quotes, charts,
and extracts;
7. Meet the production requirements of your vendor.
Getting a Book Design to Meet Your Needs

How can self-published authors meet those requirements? Lets
look at those four paths that I mentioned:
1. Do it yourself: Many writers come into self-publishing
thinking that they need to do every part of the process, but
of course thats not accurate, and its not an efficient way to
produce books. On the other hand, many authors today are
using Microsoft Word and other programs to lay their books
out. Youll need fonts, reference books, and some good models
to follow. Youll also need a fair amount of time for research.
This approach works best if your book is fairly simple from
a formatting perspective, like a novel or a memoir.
2. Hire a professional book designer: Hiring a book designer
is a great solution for many authors because many designers
will also help with your e-books, your website, other marketing materials, and dealing with printers. In some cases,
youll really need the help of a designer. For coffee table books
that will be printed overseas, highly complex formatting
challenges, or working with short-run book printers, youll
be glad to have a designer on your team.
3. Hire a formatter: Recently weve seen a lot of people calling
themselves formatters and offering their services to authors,
and thats a good thing. However, formatters dont actually
design anything: they work from an established layout and
simply lay out all the pages. As long as you dont expect to
get design services from a formatter, it can be an economical
method of getting a simple book produced.
4. Use a template: Some print and print-on-demand vendors
will supply you with a template that shows how your book
pages should be constructed. The problem with the templates
that Ive seen is that they are simply wireframes that give you
guidelines, but they contain no page design. In the last
couple of years, several book designers have started selling
completely predesigned, preformatted templates for books.
These files, available for Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign,
have become very popular because they solve most of the
design problems of self-published authors at a fraction of the
cost of hiring a professional.
The aim of book design is to turn your manuscript into an
industry-standard book that your readers will love. Whichever
path you take, keep that aim in mind and youll have the guidance you need to chose the right path for your own books.
New Titles
from Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 81 self-published titles below, with descriptions provided by their authors. Some of these writers
are waiting to be discovered; others have a track record and a following and are doing it
on their own. If you are a self-published author interested in listing titles in this section,
please visit publishersweekly.com/pw-select for more information.
FICTION
Da Nang Postscripts
B.F. Gaulman. AuthorHouse. $19.95
paper (264p), ISBN 978-1-4817-1587-4;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4817-1588-1
Amazon
A young Marine serving
in Vietnam struggles to stay
alive and keep his sanity in
the face of the brutality of
war.
The Dash of Dr. Todd
Howard E. Adkins. Xlibris. $19.99 paper
(391p), ISBN 978-1-4415-3352-4;
$9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4500-6963-2
Amazon
This novel examines the challenges,
frustrations, and limited
personal fulfillment Daniel
Locke Todd, M.D., encounters as he tries to heal his
patients amid various
obstacles.
Grandson of a Ghost
Scott Depalma. Gago Press. $13.99 paper
(264p), ISBN 978-0-9979449-0-7
Amazon, BN.com, Kobo
Scott grows up hiding
himself and in a fog, but
fails to connect how abuse
from his mother clouded
his perception of the world
and fueled his self-destructive behavior as
an adult.
In the Name of the Father

Allyson Olivia. Penvision Ink. $14.95
paper (218p), ISBN 978-0-9850217-1-9;
$2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9850217-2-6
Amazon, Apple iBooks,
BN.com
An inspirational novel
about faith, family, and the
power of forgiveness. As a
man of God, husband, and
father, Lester was supposed to be his
daughters hero.
The Irish Tempest
Elizabeth J. Sparrow. The Waxing
Gibbous Press. $9.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-0-9976851-0-7
Amazon, BN.com, Google
Play, Kobo
There is a tempest rising,
threatening to sweep away
all that is precious to the
privileged ORourke and de la Roche
families.
Kaffir Deified
David Colin. David Colin. $12.95 paper
(138p), ISBN 978-0-578-18212-4
Davidcolinauthor.com
An anointed Liberian
intellectual existing at a
markedly heightened state
searches Africa for potential
causes and sources of
humankinds many flaws.
The Lines of Union

K.C. Bryce Fitzgerald. C4 Books. $29.99
hardcover (366p),
ISBN 978-0-9977763-0-0
In a corrupt, near-future
United States, inspirational
reformist John Herald
attempts to lead a movement to fix the
broken government while trying to prevent a second Civil War.
Marcea of the Dust: The Lost Girls
Jules Cooper. Price Creek Press. $14.99
paper (232p), ISBN 978-1-5370-8372-8
Amazon
Marcea walks a moral line
between the emotional
trauma of her childhood
sexual abuse at the hands of
her father and her response
to women she stumbles across in the
Mexican sex trade.
Napoleons History of Australia
D.Y. Gilbert. Xlibris. $24.19 paper
(178p), ISBN 978-1-5144-4683-6;
$4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5144-4682-9
Amazon
A story of rags to riches
and back again, convict
Tasmania, gold, squattocracy, Melbourne socialites,
two world wars, death and
poverty in Port Pirie, and scandalous
unwed motherhood in Adelaide.
43
NEW SELFPUBLISHED TITLES

A Soldiers Son
Jack Estes. Jack Estes.
$14.95 paper (310p), ISBN 978-09973990-0-4
Amazon, BN.com, Ingram
Mike Kelly is a successful
Vietnam veteran, still
haunted by the war. He
travels to Iraq as an
embedded reporter in a desperate attempt
to save his son.
Titanics Resurrected SecretH.E.W.
J. Robert DiFulgo. iUniverse. $13.95
paper (230p), ISBN 978-1-4917-2270-1;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 9781-4917-2268-8
Amazon
After the Titanic sank,
one lost souls identity was
forfeited because of the theft
of a valuable object that was in his
possession.
Wallflower Blooming
Amy Rivers. Wooden Pants Publishing.
$9.99 paper (186p), ISBN 978-09973535-6-3
Amazon, BN.com, Ingram,
Kobo
Vals quiet life is disrupted when she decides to
help her cousin Gwen win a
contentious election. The stress leaves Val
shaken, and as an added complication,
shes falling in love.
We Hold These Truths
David S. Mitchell. Project Z Books.
$19.99 paper (350p), ISBN 978-0-69272013-4
Amazon, BN.com
This debut novel explores
the curious world of codeswitching AfricanAmerican Ivy Leaguers and
the dark underbelly of
Southern race politics in the aftermath of
Obamas 2008 election.
Wetzel
Richard Fleming. Tate Publishing.
$34.99 paper (946p), ISBN 978-1-
68164-217-8
Tatepublishing.com, Amazon, BN.com
A balanced portrait of the war between
the woodland Indians in
Ohio and the settlers of the
upper Ohio River valley,
featuring events in the life
of Lewis Wetzel.
POETRY
From My Heart to Your Heart
Alicia G. Smith-Mackall. AuthorHouse.
$14.95 paper (122p), ISBN 978-1-49187422-6; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-4918-7421-9
Amazon
Poignant and inspirational poetic pieces evoke a
fateful and faithful journey
that begins on the inside, with the key
that unlocks what the heart has to say.
Poetry to Challenge the Senses
Donald Elix. iUniverse. $9.95 paper
(58p), ISBN 978-1-4917-8935-3; $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-4917-8936-0
Amazon
Elixs verses explore his
memories and imagination
as he examines the meaning
of lifes experiences from a
variety of perspectives.
MYSTERY/THRILLER
Big: Beginnings
Greyson Bryan. Magneto Books. $15.95
paper (434p), ISBN 978-1-5306-8077-1
Amazon
High-priced lawyer
Duncan Luke is forced to
take one last job when his
family implodesa nonstop
mission that takes him
around the globe at the risk of losing his
sons love.
Bleedback:
Terror, Blood Money, Compassion
G. Griffith-Dickson. Ismo Books. $11.99
paper (522p), ISBN 978-0-9576046-2-9;
$2.99 e-book, ASIN B01LFF6L06
Amazon
Written by an insider, this thriller
explores the conflicts of the

war on terror and the rise of
ISIS. But it is also lit by
compassion, forgiveness,
and redemption.
BlindSight Adams Thriller Complete
Susan Wisnewski. SPW Writes. $2.99
e-book, ASIN B00W3NPFNO
Amazon
I have a secret. I see
things. When I touch
another persons hand I can
see their past, their future,
and their secrets, and it
scares the hell out of me.
Humphrey Bogart, Private Dick
Howard Decker. Even Horizon Press.
$14.95 e-book,
ASIN B01M5875YT
Amazon
Humphrey Bogart wants
out of Hollywood but finds
even bigger trouble with
his brand-new detectives badge in real
life.
The Judge
Farin Powell. iUniverse. $18.99 paper
(332p), ISBN 978-14917-9684-9
Amazon
A judge is kidnapped and
thrust into a twisted web
that intertwines him with
three ex-convicts and the mystery surrounding his missing daughter.
King Daniel:
Gasparilla King of the Pirates
Susan Wolf Johnson. Balboa Press.
$21.99 paper (344p),
ISBN 978-1-5043-5987-0;
$6.99 e-book, ISBN 978-15043-5985-6
Balboapress.com, Amazon,
BN.com
Mystery abounds as the search for
Tampas missing pirate king, Daniel
Westcott, unfolds and dark family secrets
are revealed.

No Pit So Deep, Book 1:
The Cody Musket Story
James Nathaniel Miller II. Lions Tail
Books. $2.99 e-book,
ASIN B01FGHI69S
Amazon
Cody, all-star baseball
player and former Marine,
rescues Brandi from traffickers, but now can she save him from
himself? She risks her life to protect the
only man she has ever loved.
The Rhyme of Sailors Cove
Lee and Sheila Berkes. Wintertree Press.
$11.95 paper (304p),
ISBN 978-0-9843330-1-1
Wintertreepress.com,
Amazon
Too old for the job, smalltown police chief Sailor
Warren and his rich playful sidekick, Tess
Withers, become involved in a murder
chase across Europemostly for the fun
of it.
Shades of Blue
Kenny Ferguson. iUniverse. $30.95 paper
(620p), ISBN 978-1-49175552-5; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-4917-5550-1
Amazon
An NYPD Internal
Affairs sergeant works on a
tough case that involves a drug-dealing
ring within police ranks.
Speculator
Doug Casey and John Hunt.
HighGround Books. $18.99
paper (442p), ISBN 978-09859332-5-8
Amazon
The greatest gold discovery in history unearths
deception, violence, and romance.
Trojan:
The Enemy Within
David L. Wallace. David L.
Wallace. $12.95 paper
(312p), ISBN 978-09972257-0-9; $3.99
e-book, ASIN B01C3LWO20

Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
On the heels of a high-profile assassination, Americas defense arsenal unexplainably crashes. Cyber expert Victor Walker
uncovers a friendly who doesnt want the
crisis resolved.
SF/FANTASY/HORROR
Crossing Xavier
Hugh Dudley. Bearly Designed. $8.99
paper (308p), ISBN 978-0-9976570-0-5;
$2.99 e-book, ASIN B01LR60CEE
Amazon, Smashwords
Devon has qualms about
playing with the DNA of
native life on Xavier. He is
warned he is in danger.
Crossing Xavier becomes
Devons only option.
Dark Nights of the Soul:
A Nathen Turner Thriller
Andrew Langley. LPS Creative Media.
$34.50 hardcover (282p), ISBN 978-09554137-8-0; $12.99 paper (268p),
ISBN 978-0-9554137-5-9
Amazon, BN.com,
Blackwells, Waterstones
Wilderness, witchcraft,
and a wildcatthe remote
Scottish Highlands hold a
deadly secret for psychic
Nathen Turner in this second novel in the
supernatural thriller series.
Dragons Ark
D. Scott Johnson. Silver Spider
Publishing. $1.99 e-book,
ASIN B01LD5BYV4
Amazon
Behind the Great Firewall
of China, there are secrets
people will kill to keep.
Drop-Dead Gorgeous:
An Engaging Novel
Navy Topaz. Cube Tech.
$2.99 e-book, ISBN 9780-919719-12-5
Amazon
After a magical makeover,
Celeste lives in glamour and
luxury. She is a fairy with a

special power. She improves
her relationships. She struggles for justice
and animal rights.
The Early Scrolls:
Compendium to Sands of Time;
Fate of the True Vampires, Book 2
Christine Church. Grey
Horse Press. $2.99 e-book,
ASIN B01IB86KFG
Amazon
Even vampires have a history, discovered by archeologists. From ancient Egypt come the translated scrolls of Kesi of Giza, a hybrid
blood drinker, and her unique coming-ofage story.
Fluency
Jennifer Foehner Wells. Blue Bedlam
Science Fiction. $4.99 e-book,
ASIN B00L3U9OCG; $24.95 audio
(10.5 hrs), ASIN B00OPAK5BA
Audible
When an expedition to a
derelict alien ship spirals
into chaos, linguist Jane
Holloway must decide if she
can trust an aliens help to survive.
Game Over (A Series of Ends, Book 1)
Derek Edgington. Derek Edgington
Productions. $3.99 e-book, ASIN
B01KNJ8WB6
Amazon
A reluctant hero is thrust
into the do-or-die game No
Life. His first priority is
saving his own skinnot
saving the universe. How would you play
the role dealt to you by fate?
Keystone Chronicles
Edited by Juliana Rew,. Third Flatiron
Anthologies. $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B01IM9H49K
Amazon
Nineteen new, original
speculative fiction stories on
the theme of keystone
events or people.
45

The Magic Pouch
Hank Angus. Outskirts
Press. $16.95 paper (245p), ISBN 9781-4787-5794-8
Outskirtspress.com,
Amazon, BN.com
The enemy is brought on
by an evil witch by the name
of Cancer. The solution lies
in a small group of individuals who will
not accept defeat.
Three Days Breathing
Mike Maguire. Fort Totten Press. $10.99
paper (288p), ISBN 978-1-5353-1339-1;
$3.99 e-book, ASIN B01AXGNQLK
Amazon, BN.com
In a far-off future, a mans
life is destroyed by the strict
rules of a cruel and sterile
system.
A Wizards Forge
(The Woern Saga, Book 1)
A.M. Justice. Wise Ink Creative
Publishing. $15.95 paper (440p),
ISBN 978-1-945769-07-8;
$4.99 e-book, ISBN 9781-63489-923-9
Seattlebookcompany.com,
Wizards are forged, not
born. Victoria wades through a fiery hot
mess to find the power she needs to wreak
vengeance, but with it she may also
destroy the man she loves.
ROMANCE/EROTICA
Barstowe: A Life with Aaron
M.H. Sebastian. Lulu. $21.95 paper
(296p), ISBN 978-1-329-58392-4
Mhsebastian.com
Two men who meet at a
gym then go on a date. They
marry after two months.
Doug discovers a family
secret after one year. Can he
accept it and stay married?
Enjoy the Dance (Dancing, Book 2)
Heidi Cullinan. Heidi Cullinan. $4.99
e-book, ASIN B01KVVFRM8
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
Against the marriage

equality battle of 2012, two
men fall in love while
helping a troubled youth,
but the spotlight threatens
their relationship, careers,
and families.
Girl in the Water
Dana Marton. Dana Marton. $4.99
e-book, ASIN B01LW3QXT4
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google
Play, Kobo
Ian Slaney doesnt mind
breaking rules, just never
his own. Rule #1: You dont
seduce the woman you
protect.
Lilly & Ian: Mouse & Dragon
Ian T. Walker. PartridgeSingapore.
ISBN 978-1-4828-3221-1
Amazon
Filled with insights on
contemporary Chinese polities as well as slices of culture and cuisine, this book depicts a love
that defies the odds of differences.
Whatever You Call Me
Leigh Fleming. Envisage Press. $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9977351-1-6
Amazon, BN.com
When Annie Cooper
changes her identity to
escape the legacy of her
fathers political career, she
soon finds her new boss is
someone she cant keep secrets fromor
resist.
NONFICTION
But One Husband:
The Truth About Mormon History
by a Woman Who Lived It
Luella Pool Saxby.
iUniverse. $23.95 paper
(364p), ISBN 978-1-47596774-6; $4.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-4759-6775-3
Amazon
A detailed account of what pioneers

went through in the 1800s, moving to
America from England, and the true history of Mormons, whose leader was
Brigham Young.
The Campfire Chronicles:
A Life on the Road
Carl Fisher. iUniverse. $17.95 paper
(202p), ISBN 978-1-4917-8416-7;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4917-8415-0
Amazon
Fisher takes you into the
world of a dedicated longdistance rider with all the
perils, predicaments,
humor, and revelations of
life lived under the skyon two wheels.
Diet Slave No More!
Svetlana Kogan. Amazon. $19.99 paper
(248p), ISBN 978-0-692-75307-1
Amazon
Are you a slave of diets
that dont work? Kogan says
you can create a lasting
change by uncovering your
inner tools to help you
achieve what seemed impossible.
The Early Years
Rachel G. Carrington. iUniverse. $18.95
paper (240p), ISBN 978-1-4917-6567-8;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4917-6568-5
Amazon
Carrington recounts her
journey as a young girl who
forgoes college when she
falls in love with a WWII
veteran. This memoir
details the couples struggles and
triumphs.
Equine Do: The Way of the Horse
Dino Fretterd. AuthorHouse. $24.99
paper (56p), ISBN 978-1-4969-5033-8;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4969-5034-5
Amazon
Fretterd shares factbased information about
horses so those who care for
them understand not only
how to see postural faults

but also have the desire to make the necessary changes to better them.
Hardbarned!
One Mans Quest for Meaningful
Work in the American South
Christopher J. Driver, illus. by Tarri N.
Driver. Mill City Press. $15.95 paper
(310p), ISBN 978-1-63505-034-9;
$9.99 e-book, ASIN B01KII575Q
Amazon, BN.com,
Books-A-Million
A darkly comic, brutally
honest, and introspective
memoir about working for
a livingwithout being
able to shake the feeling that there has to
be more to it than that.
How to Gain Nothing from Buddhist
Practice: A Practitioners Guide to
End Suffering
Darren Littlejohn. Rainbow Light Media.
$9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9895260-2-9
Amazon, Bookbaby.com
Littlejohn offers guidance
on how to apply what the
Buddha taught. Learn how
to be a compassionate, wise
practitioner on a planet
filled with suffering and craziness.
Midlife Happy Hour: Our Reward for
Surviving Careers, Kids, and Chaos
Elaine Ambrose. Brown Books
Publishing Group. $16.95 paper (222p),
ISBN 978-1-61254-921-7
BN.com, Google Play
Ambrose presents her
latest kiss-my-attitude collection of humorous essays
to encourage middle-aged
women to remain relevant and celebrate
at Midlife Happy Hour.
Navigating Indieworld:
A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing
and Marketing Your Book
Julie A. Gerber and Carole P. Roman.
CreateSpace. $12.99 paper (146p),
ISBN 978-1-5372-2806-8
Amazon
Gerber and Roman

intend this to be the ultimate travel guide for writers
on their journey to
becoming published
authors.
On Becoming Gods Servant:
Spiritual Maturity
Audrey Dorsett. Outskirts Press. $13.95
paper (66p), ISBN 978-1-4787-4999-8
Amazon, BN.com
This book is written with
the sole purpose of sharing
Gods word and love with
others. As Dorsett sought
direction and guidance from
Gods word, this book was born.
Operation Cure Boredom
Dan Martin. Rascal Press. $16 paper
(333p), ISBN 978-0-692-69395-7
Amazon, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Skylight
Books
The coming-of-age story
in camouflage about a young
man who made the decision
to travel and meet girlsby
joining the military.
A Pilgrim for Freedom
Michael Novakovic. Michael Novakovic.
$24.99 hardcover (260p), ISBN 978-09979938-0-6; $9.99 paper (260p),
ISBN 978-0-692-77010-8
Amazon, BN.com
An account of a boy
fleeing a war-torn nation
during WWII and eventually flourishing in America.
Shock Horror: A Wifes True Story
Mary Oxley. PartridgeSingapore. $11.15
paper (48p), ISBN 978-1-4828-5521-0;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4828-5522-7
Amazon
Take your wedding vows feeling confident your relationship will
succeed in sickness and
health, never fearing your
promise binds you in total,
devastating misery. Oxley
helps others avoid this
bizarre situation.
Stop the Bus:
Education Reform in 31 Days
Nathaniel A. Turner. Two Crabs and a
Lion. $19.95 paper (88p), ISBN 9780-9895879-4-5
BN.com, Kobo
A collection of essays
written to encourage
America to stop and think
about what we are doing to
our children under the guise of education.
Strong at the Broken Places
J.T. James. Xlibris. $23.99 paper (454p),
ISBN 978-1-5144-7047-3; $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-5144-7045-9
Amazon
A tour of life on the
streets to the continued
misery and pain of combat
in Vietnam allows readers to
learn how to be strong at the
broken places.
Trauma, Shame, and the Power of Love:
The Fall and Rise of a Physician Who
Heals Himself
Christopher E. Pelloski. CreateSpace.
ASIN B00TMIMMHA
Amazon
A dark and brutally
honest personal account of
discovery, healing, and
redemption during the devastating and
humiliating downfall of a once-prominent cancer physician and scientist.
When Sex Was Religion
Larry Falls. iUniverse. $21.95 paper
(292p), ISBN 978-1-4401-5163-7;
$9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4401-5165-1
Amazon
A clinical sexologist
explores the history of
ancient phallic worship and
proves his theory as to why
it was considered a religion.
47

Why Not? Conquering the
Road Less Traveled
John Brown, with Donna Brown.
Outskirts Press. $19.95 paper (177p),
ISBN 978-1-4787-4226-5
Outskirtspress.com,
Amazon, BN.com
Born with a type of
spastic cerebral palsy that
affects his gait and balance
but leaves his speech intact,
John Brown was determined to leave his
mark on the world.
CHILDRENS/YA
The Adventures of Lollipop in
Balloon Land
Brenda Kirkevold. Xlibris. $21.99 paper
(36p), ISBN 978-1-51442886-3; $9.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-5144-2885-6
Amazon
Readers will meet new
friends and discover their
inner strengths and goodness as they
trudge along the books illustrated pages.
Benjamin Beans Unbelievable Dream
Christopher DePietro. Evergreen
Publishing. $16.99 hardcover (34p),
ISBN 978-0-9973726-1-8; $9.99 paper
(34p), ISBN 978-0-9973726-0-1
AbeBooks, Amazon,
BN.com, Indiebound
One night, after being
tucked into bed, Benjamin
hears laughter from outside his bedroom window.
What he finds is that his parents and their
friends arent really as they seem.
Blowback 07:
When the Only Way Forward Is Back
Brian Meehl. Mill City Press. $17.95
hardcover (352p), ISBN 978-1-63505186-5; $12.95 paper (352p), ISBN 9781-63505-185-8
blowbacktrilogy.com,
BN.com
When teenage twins, as
different as their genders,
discover an ancient family
secret, it triggers a battle that sucks in

their friends and spreads across three
centuries.
Dancing with Tex:
The Remarkable Friendship to Save
the Whooping Cranes
Lynn Sanders, illus. by Sergio
Drummond. Difference Makers Media.
$18.99 hardcover (48p),
ISBN 978-0-99759212-2; $9.99 paper (48p),
ISBN 978-0-9975921-1-5
Amazon, Thebookies.com,
Thebookstall.com
The true story of friendship between a
man who loved birds and a rare bird who
preferred people, which helped the
whooping cranes survive extinction. It
took six years of dancing.
What would your

garage be like if it had a
personality? No matter
how many times in the day
Gary the garage door opens
and closes, there is nothing
else he would rather be doing than going
up and down for the Brown family.
The Growing Sweater
Jason J. Marchi, illus. by Ben Quesnel.
Omicron World Entertainment. $16
hardcover (32p),
ISBN 978-0-9830945-2-4
Omicronworld.com,
Amazon, Baker & Taylor,
BN.com
Ashley and Morgan search
for a home for a sweater their grandmother knitted that grows in size every
time it is washed.
Don the Fly Wants a Friend

Venita Yvonne Vance, illus. by Toby
Mikle. CreateSpace. $15.99 paper (39p),
ISBN 978-1-5368-7919-3; $4.99
e-book, ASIN B01L0TWYRQ
Amazon
Don is a good fly
who goes on an adventure to find a friend.
He has plenty of
unfriendly encounters,
until he meets his perfect match.
How to Eat Your ABCs

Theresa A. McKeown, illus. by Arisbet
Sandoval. The ABCs of Everything.
$17.95 hardcover (30p),
ISBN 978-0-692-74408-6
Theabcsofeverything.com,
Amazon
This book encourages
children to get excited
about healthy eating and develop a genuine love for reading.
Dreamcatcher
Ann Curtin. Zumaya Publications. $12.08
paper (216p), ISBN 978-161271-246-8; $6.99
e-book, ASIN B015QLPJ4E
BN.com, Kobo
Thirteen-year old Jesse is
experienced at making new starts. This
time, he is befriended by Aaron Little
Elk, who has a penchant for stealing
string and making dream catchers.
Ice Dreams Wish

Nasrin Mottahedeh. Nasrin Mottahedeh.
$10 paper (30p), ISBN 978-0-98888290-4
Amazon
When three children
make a snowman, they
each give him a unique
gift that brings him to
life. After he is granted
a wish, he walks to the childrens school
and everything changes.
Gary the Garage Door

Morning Gloria, illus. by Sylvia Medley.
AuthorHouse. $17.99 paper (26p),
ISBN 978-1-4969-7294-1; $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-4969-7295-8
Amazon
Josef, the Indy Car Driver

Chris Workman, with Josef Newgarden.
Apex Legends. $19.99 hardcover (56p),
ISBN 978-0-9962869-3-0
Apexlegends.com, Amazon, BN.com,
Books-A-Million, Cardinal Publishing
NEW SELF-PUBLISHED TITLES

Group
IndyCar star Josef
Newgarden features in a
racing-themed story that
inspires kids to dream
big through a mix of
education and entertaining on-track
action.
Mossy:
A Whimsical Tale for Children of All
Ages; Whsst Tsu Whsst Whsst Tsu
BetteLou Tobin. AuthorHouse. $28 paper
(84p), ISBN 978-1-4343-6927-7; $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-4969-0200-9
Amazon
Mossy is a tree that pulls
his red roots out of the
ground and scampers
about, gets into all kinds
of predicaments with the
children, and becomes a hero.
Pepito
Katharine Laura. Xlibris. $21.99 paper
(32p), ISBN 978-1-5144-5663-7; $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-5144-5662-0
Amazon
This book will
introduce young
readers to new words
to enrich their vocabulary and encourage
them to read well and
observe intently. Life is magical, and so is
beauty.
Peter and Lisa: A Mental Illness
Childrens Story
Charles Katz and Linda Baron Katz.
Outskirts Press. $14.95 paper (32p),
ISBN 978-1-47877512-6
Outskirtspress.com,
Amazon, BN.com
This book about two
different mental illnesses, depression and
mania, makes it easier for children to
understand these conditions.
Salamis Fire: A Piggys Trial by Fire
James V. Shubert, illus. by Beth Brainard
Milot. AuthorHouse.
$12.95 paper (148p),
ISBN 978-1-4670-4487-5;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-14670-4489-9
Amazon
A potbellied pig, his dog friend, and
the pine squirrel face realistic and lifethreatening challenges of fire and ice.
Squeaky: A Black Cats Tale
Stephanie R. Aivaz. iUniverse. $13.95
paper (186p), ISBN 978-1-4917-9397-8;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-14917-9398-5
Amazon
When Squeaky makes
friends with a little girl, his
mother is furious. She tries
convincing Squeaky to stop making
friends with humans in this whimsical
tale told from a cats perspective.
Storm of Arranon
R.E. Sheahan. Rule of Three Press.
$14.99 paper (300p),
ISBN 978-1-4662-3497-0;
$2.99 e-book,
ASIN B00BMX8JA2
Amazon
A forbidden birth. A
remarkable young woman. A marauding
alien society. The battle begins.
The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy
Three-Book Set
Claire Youmans. American I. $5.98
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9903234-6-4
BN.com, Kobo,
Smashwords
In tumultuous Meiji-era
Japan, Azuki, the Toki-Girl,
and Shota, the Sparrow-Boy,
join with others to form an unlikely
group that might just change the
worldone adventure at a time.
Treasures of the Forgotten City
(Ultimate Ending, Book 1)
Danny McAleese and David Kristoph.
Ultimate Ending Books. $2.99 e-book,
ASIN B01DT83SWG
Amazon, BN.com
Three priceless star jewels.
A century-old cryptic
journal. Using only the
resources left by your granduncle, its up to you to find
Atraharsis, the lost city
beneath the sands.
Zealys Very First Swim:
The Adventures of Zealy and
Whubba, Book 2, Series 1
Roe DePinto. Outskirts Press. $25.95
hardcover (40p), ISBN 978-1-47877114-2
Outskirtspress.com,
Amazon, BN.com
Splishing and splashing is
not all, when Zealy learns to
swim with Whubbas help.
The most important experience for a seal is to swim to survive in the
ocean.
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Reviews Roundup
In the past month, weve reviewed 27 self-published titles submitted via BookLife, Publishers
Weeklys website dedicated to indie authors. Among the latest highlights is 100 Years from
Now Our Bones Will Be Different by Lawrence McWilliams and Anand Vedawala, which
received a starred review.
Fiction
All My Love, Detrick
Roberta Kagan. CreateSpace, $19.99 trade paper (434p) ISBN 978-15025-7148-9
Bridge Daughter
Jim Nelson. CreateSpace, $9.99 trade paper (218p) ISBN 978-1-5330-0659-2
Catalyst: Decay Chains, Vol. 1

Kate Wars. Staten & Cross, $14.99 trade paper (336p) ISBN 978-09975055-0-4
Death Is the Cool Night and Lost to the World

Libby Sternberg. CreateSpace, $14.99 trade paper (384p) ISBN 978-15304-0035-5
The Gate to Everything
Barbara Newhall Follett: A Life in Letters

Edited by Stefan Cooke. Farksolia, $29.95 paper (638p) ISBN 978-09962431-1-7
Breakfast for Alligators:

Quests, Showdowns, and Revelations in the Americas
Darrin DuFord. Tilted Hat, $15.95 trade paper (294p) ISBN 978-0-69266443-8
Free to Be:
Ruth Bader Ginsburg; The Story of Women and Law
Teri Kanefield. Armon, $14.99 trade paper (334p) ISBN 978-0-692-72321-0
From the Errors of Others: How to Avoid Embarrassing

Mistakes in Writing and Speaking
Ava Miles. Ava Miles, $4.99 mass market (326p) ISBN 978-1-940565-47-7
Rebecca M. Lyles. Archway, $42.95 hardcover (380p) ISBN 978-1-48082847-6
Hidden Star
How to Bake More Bread: Modern Breads, Wild Yeast
Corinne Joy Brown. Friesen, $18.99 paper (288p) ISBN 978-1-4602-7578-8
Michael Kalanty. Red Seal, $24 trade paper (292p) ISBN 978-0-69254602-4
The Hour of Parade

Alan Bray. CreateSpace, $15 trade paper (312p) ISBN 978-1-4904-6322-3
Leakage
Karen Harley. Karen Harley, $3.99 e-book (304p) ASIN B01BJ3YI86
Perception of Power
Bruce Thomason. Batjak Publishing, $14.95 trade paper (374p)
ISBN 978-0-9832203-3-6
Satin Cinnabar
Barbara Gaskell Denvil. CreateSpace, $16.99 trade paper (468p)
ISBN 978-1-5174-5439-5
Sea of Secrets
The Inner Connection: A Spiritual Journey of SelfDiscovery and Emotional Freedom, One Day at a Time
Darlene Dawn. Balboa, $17.99 trade paper (268p) ISBN 978-1-50433799-1
Operation Crossroads: Lest We Forget! An Eyewitness

Account, Bikini Atomic Bomb Tests 1946
William L. McGee, with Sandra V. McGee. BMC Publications, $19.95
trade paper (132p) ISBN 978-0-9701678-5-9
Multiples Illuminated: A Collection of Stories and

Advice from Parents of Twins, Triplets, and More
Amanda DeWees. Amanda DeWees $3.99 e-book (304p) ASIN B00747GA0G
Edited by Megan Woolsey and Alison Lee. Megan Woolsey and Alison Lee,
$15.95 trade paper (210p) ISBN 978-0-9968335-0-9
Spira Mirabilis
Sammy Davis Jr.: The Writer Who Saved His Estate
Ralph Sevush. TaQLut, $7.99 trade paper (176p) ISBN 978-0-692-73851-1
Stone Angels
Michael Hartigan. Merrimack Media, $17.95 trade paper (340p)
ISBN 978-1-939166-79-1
Terminal: A Lomax and Biggs Mystery

Marshall Karp. CreateSpace, $9.99 paper (260p) ISBN 978-1-523821-00-6
Nonfiction
Pamela A. Sherrod. RisingStar31 Productions, $27 paper (224p)

ISBN 978-0-6925-8786-7
Childrens & YA
100 Years from Now Our Bones Will Be Different
Lawrence McWilliams and Anand Vedawala. 540 Collab, $14.99 paper
(81p) ISBN 978-0-692-51743-7
Little Miss Chaos
Anointed to Sing the Gospel:

The Levitical Legacy of Thomas A. Dorsey
Paula R. Hilton. CreateSpace, $14.95 paper (276p) ISBN 978-1-5237-0153-7
Kathryn Kemp. Joyful Noise, $20 trade paper (254p) ISBN 978-0-9833630-4-0
Dean Ammerman. Kabloona, $12 paper (162p) ISBN 978-0-9846822-3-2
Waiting for the Voo
Reviews
Fiction
All My Love, Detrick
Roberta Kagan. CreateSpace, $19.99 trade
paper (434p) ISBN 978-1-5025-7148-9
This saga of two young, star-crossed

lovers in Nazi Germany is insightful but
disappointing. Even as a child in 1923
Berlin, Detrick Haswell was estranged
from his father, an alcoholic. After a bike
accident, seven-year-old Christian
Detrick meets Jacob Abdenstern, a Jewish
bicycle merchant, who becomes a mentor
and father figure to him. Years later,
Jacobs daughter, Leah, and Detrick, who
grows up to be handsome, strong, and
principled, fall in love. When Hitler
comes to
power, and the
persecution
and deportation of Jews
begin, Detrick
finds a willing
family to hide
Jacob and
Leah in their
attic. Under
suspicion
because of his relationship with Jacob and
Leah, Detrick joins the Nazi party to provide a cover for his true beliefs, and to
help protect his parents and pay for Jacob
and Leahs quarters; later, he converts to
Judaism. Although coverage of the entire
World War II years and the travails of
minor characters is ambitious, the timeline and narrative often feel shuffled.
Marred by sentimentality and a too-brisk
rhythm, the novel nonetheless has likable,
engaging characters in Detrick and Leah.
Bridge Daughter
Jim Nelson. CreateSpace, $9.99 trade paper
(218p) ISBN 978-1-5330-0659-2
Nelson (Edward Teller Dreams of

Barbecuing People) smoothly realizes a provocative alternate present seen through
the eyes of naive adolescent Hanna
Driscoll. Her eagerly awaited 13th

birthday turns horrifying when Hanna
learns she is a bridge daughter: she was
born pregnant with her parents real
child and will give birth to her this year,
dying when the umbilicus is severed.
Hanna has not lived the traditional existence of other bridge daughters in her
California suburb, who are forced to serve
as household drudges and deprived of
education and affection, and the discovery
shocks her. After she tries to run away, her
mother starts treating her more harshly.
Hanna has a quick, educated mind and a
sense of herself as a worthy individual, and
she becomes determined to fight her
biology, but time is running out as the
child grows within her. The concept of
bridge daughters strains logic at first, but
Nelson makes it plausible by having
Hanna (and readers) learn the details
slowly and weaving in a variant
Christianity in
which the stories
of biblical bridge
daughters
(including Mary)
shape cultural
norms. Hanna is
an engaging protagonist, and her
thought-provoking story
blends action,
introspection, and social commentary in a
stark but indirect critique of efforts to
control female bodies and restrict reproductive rights.
Catalyst: Decay Chains, Vol. 1

Kate Wars. Staten & Cross, $14.99 paper
(336p) ISBN 978-0-9975055-0-4
Wars makes an uneven debut with this

energetic modern zombie novel. Stormy
accompanies her boyfriend, Matt, to the
hospital, where hes undergoing an emergency appendectomy when terrorist organization Cold World attacks the building
with a zombifying biological agent. Matt
partially turns into a zombie, and he
hounds Stormy as she collects a ragtag

group of survivors and forms them into a
counterterrorist
cell based out of
an isolated rural
house. The
group gathers
intelligence and
resources even as
Cold World escalates its attacks,
bringing on a
global epidemic
that portends
apocalypse. Warss dedicated focus on
action and frenetic pacing ultimately
cripples the narrative, leaving the continuity and transitions too sketchy to follow
easily. The story also suffers from awkward, uneven characterization and the
conspicuous use of pseudoscience. Readers
are left with the impression of a book that
could have been stronger but instead
relies too hard on the readers dedicated
fondness for the genres most time-worn
tropes.
Death Is the Cool Night and Lost

to the World
Libby Sternberg. CreateSpace, $14.99 trade
paper (384p) ISBN 978-1-5304-0035-5
This volume collects two well-crafted

novels by Sternberg (Sloane Hall). In
Death Is the Cool Night, which is set in
1941, troubled concert pianist Gregory
Silensky is one of several suspects following the murder of Ivan Roustakoff, a
pompous and cruel opera conductor, at his
home in
Baltimore, Md.
Gregory, his
brain addled by
heavy alcohol
consumption,
fears that he
might have
strangled his
nemesis. Other
suspects include
Gregorys love
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interest, Laura, a beautiful,
aristocratic opera singer,
who had her own reasons to
hate Ivan. Lost to the World, set in 1954
and likewise in Baltimore, centers on the
murder of a researcher pioneering a polio
vaccine. Blending operatic drama, sumptuous description, and noir, Sternberg
gracefully puzzles out her tormented
characters actions and motivations in
each book. The author is an Edgar Award
nominee.
The Gate to Everything

Ava Miles. Ava Miles, $4.99 mass market
(326p) ISBN 978-1-940565-47-7
Media attention complicates life for

two lovers in this inviting contemporary
romance. Chef Grace Kincaid and NFL
star Jordan Dean broke up due to Jordans
hectic schedule and excessive media pressure. But the separation is short-lived
when Grace discovers shes pregnant.
Jordan offers to move her into a replica of
her dream house, which he built as a surprise for her; after she left him, he started
building another home for himself right
next door. Will their love for each other
and the baby
make them a
family, or are
they destined to
be amicable
neighbors, separated by the
garden gate?
The prologue
neatly summarizes Jordan and
Graces backstory and sets up the conflicts that led to
their breakup. Naturally flowing dialogue
captures the closeness between the two
protagonists. Their interactions with
Graces mother showcase their history and
emotional turmoil, as well as Graces love
for Jordan and dislike of the social expectations and media attention around his
personal life. Jordans and Graces alternating perspectives give the story
momentum and effectively reveal Jordans
past as well as his fears when he realizes he
will be a father. The constant love, and the
tasteful sexual interludes, bring a sensual,
dynamic tension to this appealing story.
Hidden Star
Corinne Joy Brown. Friesen, $18.99 paper
(288p) ISBN 978-1-4602-7578-8
Browns (Sanctuary Ranch) slightly

muddled examination of the hidden Jews
of the American Southwest blends the
past and the present into a curiously fascinating whole. Set primarily in Estrella,
N.Mex., and
grounded in
strong
research,
Browns tale
follows the
tribulations of
present-day
Rachel Ortega
and 18th- century Rebeca
Morales, who
is outed as a Sephardic Jew during her
wedding ceremony. Through frequent
perspective shifts, the experiences of the
two women separated by hundreds of
years prove to be very similar, as both feel
a sense of dislocation due to misinformation about their cultural heritage.
Rachels crumbling marriage, the loss of
her ancestral home, and the sudden disappearance of her two sons set her on a
journey of discovery that leads her to the
Hispanic Jewish heritage of early settlers
escaping the Inquisition. The historical
factual elements never fail to intrigue, but
Rachels spiritual journey often feels like a
discordant counterpoint to the richly
embroidered tapestry of the original
Jewish settlers that Brown depicts who
were forced to hide their faith, even in the
New World. Fans of historical fiction and
those looking to learn more about the
Sephardic diaspora will find much to
enjoy here.
The Hour of Parade

Alan Bray. CreateSpace, $15 trade paper
(312p) ISBN 978-1-4904-6322-3
Brays novel is an engaging historical

about the unusual relationships formed
during war. In 1806 Munich, during the
Napoleonic Wars, Russian officer premier
major Alexi Ruzhensky searches for the
French officer who killed his younger
brother in a duel. On finally encountering
Lieutenant Valsin, though, Ruzhensky
strikes up a friendship with him through
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their shared military experiences; his perspective on his

brothers death
begins to change
after speaking
with other
French soldiers
who witnessed
it. A thoughtful
man, Ruzhensky
must come to grips with these altered feelings and decide whether to rejoin his regiment, return to his fathers estate in Russia,
or forge a new life in Munich. He must also
figure out what to do with his mistress,
Marianne, a young widow forced into prostitution. She loves Ruzhensky but fears
what will happen if he must leave. She
urges him to take his revenge. Valsin faces
a similar situation with his lover, AnneMarie, who followed Valsin onto the battlefield and actually engaged in combat.
When Ruzhensky and Anne-Marie meet,
the relationship among all four main characters becomes much more complicated.
This is a rich and compelling look at four
people seeking purpose.
Leakage
Karen Harley. Karen Harley, $3.99 e-book
(304p) ASIN B01BJ3YI86
Set in Seattle, this implausible romance

is inundated with bizarre sex scenes, unrelatable characters, and vapid dialogue. Sara
Brogan has always fancied Harrison
Thomasson, a handsome, rigid professor
who has trouble understanding women
but no problem
getting laid.
Matt Berne
(Harrisons
roommate)
desires Jasmine
Frazier (Saras
roommate), but
shes too
haughty to look
past his supposedly slutty
ways. After all four confess their unhappiness with their lives, Sara and Matt decide
to use sex to teach Jasmine and Harrison to
lighten up, while the latter teach the
former to be more serious. Outside of the
REVIEWS
designated times for the lessons (only
four hours a week), the friendships carry on
as normal. Theyre supposed to switch
partners, but once they get a taste of the
ones they want, it becomes impossible to
swap around. They all learn lessons about
balanced judgment and acceptance as their
thin layers are peeled away. Its predictable
that these odd couples will develop emotional connections, and the reader feels
distanced from their accomplishments.
The writing is bland and amateurish, and
theres an overflow of information.
Perception of Power
Bruce Thomason. Batjak Publishing, $14.95
Thomasons heroic Florida cop, Clay

Randall, gets into major trouble in his
dramatic third outing (after 2010s The Six
OClock Rule) after a bizarre chain of events
leads to tragedy. Clay, a commander with
the Jacksonville Beach PD, happens to be
in a convenience store when an elderly
man in a wheelchair shoplifts some snacks.
When Clay intervenes, the would-be thief
flees the store into the street, only to be
fatally struck by a concrete truck, which,
in turn, slams into the SUV carrying Gina
Starks, a close friend of Clays wife. Gina is
killed instantly, and her young daughter is
seriously injured. Clays inadvertent role
incurs the wrath of Ginas father, U.S.
Senator Thomas
Barclay, a
leading contender for the
White House,
and places him
in Barclays
crosshairs.
Barclays
unscrupulous
chief of staff,
Lou Dunlop,
eventually devises a fiendish scheme to
ruin Clay, and the plot follows up the
action-packed opening with even more
surprising developments. The authors
four-plus decades in law enforcement lend
the story verisimilitude.
Satin Cinnabar
Barbara Gaskell Denvil. CreateSpace, $16.99
This medieval thriller has some of the
earmarks of Denvils The Flame Eatera

complicated romance, the darkly comical
portrayal of family, and a murder mystery
to keep the suspense going. The hero is Sir
Alexander Quyrril, Baron Mornington,
who survives the same battle in 1485 that
takes King Richards life, ushers in the
new Tudor monarchy, and brings about
his familys political downfall. Staggering
from the battlefield, he tousles in a barn
with Katherine Ashingham, who is in a
boyish disguise and betrothed to the Earl
of Sheffield. They part ways, but both end
up in London in the grand Sheffield
House with Alex in disguise as a servant
and Katherine married to the Earl. To
avoid consummating her marriage, each
night Katherine enlists Alex, the spice
clerk, to spike her husbands wine. As
Alex becomes the prime suspect in three
murders and a kidnapping, much entertaining mayhem
followslightly
farcical at times
and darkly sinister at others
and an unhinged
cleric becomes
obsessed with
Alexs alleged
sins. Poisoning,
false accusations,
and the plague
all play a hand. Marring the story are
Katherines prudishness and her tortured
romantic naivet; however, the revelatory
characters and medieval history will give
readers much to enjoy.
Sea of Secrets
Amanda DeWees. Amanda DeWees $3.99 ebook (304p) ASIN B00747GA0G
Gothic romance meets Shakespeare in

DeWeess rather muddled Victorian tale
of a haunted man and the naive young
woman who loves him. When Oriel
Pembrokes father disowns her, she seeks
help from distant relatives of her deceased
mother. To her surprise, they take her in,
comforting their long-lost cousin with all
the pleasures of their medieval home.
Theres gothic intrigue aplenty when she
learns of the sudden, purportedly accidental death of Ambrose, Duke of
Ellsmere, and the rather hasty wedding of
his widow, Gwendolyn, to Ambroses
younger brother, Lord

Claude. Ambroses handsome, morose son, Herron,
whos now the duke, clearly suspects foul
play. In true Shakespearean tradition, he
drapes a melodramatic pall over every
scene he
inhabits, especially the ones in
which he takes
Oriel into his
confidence. As
she falls more
deeply in love
with Herron, she
worries about his
mental stability,
taking her concerns to either Claude or his eldest son,
Charles. Tension too frequently flags as
DeWees indulges in overlong narrative
passages that fail to inform the complex
plot of secrets, lies, murder, and love.
Spira Mirabilis: Fantastic Tales

from the Marvelous Spiral
Ralph Sevush. TaQLut, $7.99 trade paper
(176p) ISBN 978-0-692-73851-1
Eight stories loosely arranged around

themes of timeless yet changing myths
with a connecting thread of a rabbi and
his golem, who are introduced in the first
story, Emmett, Joey, and the Beelz
make up this underwhelming collection
from entertainment lawyer Sevush.
Several of the stories are experiments of
mashing genre
with myth, but
they are too busy
being clever.
Pieces are based
on conceits such
as the myths of
Egyptian gods
told through
robots on a distant planet in A
Love of Mine,
or retelling Supermans origin story as a
Bavarian folktale starring Hitler in The
Firebird: A Fairy Tale. Gilgameshs
legend becomes a Weird West tall tale in
Mad Gilly and the Were-Bear, and
Gods out of Time changes Arthurian
legends into a creepy Lovecraft-inspired
piece. Several of the stories feel like setups
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for a joke that is never quite
sprung, and some, including
the first story, end in selfconscious punch lines that disappointingly distance the reader from the emotional core of the story. The collection
manages to be both interesting and flat.
Stone Angels
Michael Hartigan. Merrimack Media, $17.95
Hartigans psychological thriller is not

for the faint of heart. College senior
Augustine Shaw takes a vacation to Key
West with three friends during his final
spring break to clear his mind of his
former misdeeds, but on the way back to
Providence, R.I., he can no longer contain
his guilt at the lives hes destroyed and
continues to affect with his lies. Shaw is a
murderer, and it doesnt take him very
long in the story to confess. However,
even then, he still has explaining to do.
How did he come to be involved in this
crime? What inspired him to kill the
young woman he loved and his abusive
best friend? To answer these questions,
Shaw takes us back to his sophomore year
of college, when he first met Lily, and then
back even further to high school, where he
met his future
college roommate, Duncan.
Their story is
not a love triangle, nor is it
your average
boy-meets-girl
saga. Instead, it
is a stirring
page-turner
that follows a
group of friends and the events that bring
them togetherand eventually tear them
apart forever. Hartigans well-crafted
novel moves quickly and hits hard with
shocking twists that will keep readers
engaged until the end.
Terminal:
A Lomax and Biggs Mystery
Marshall Karp. CreateSpace, $9.99 paper
(260p) ISBN 978-1-523821-00-6
Bestseller Karps fifth mystery featuring an endearing pair of unconventional LAPD detectives (after 2010s Cut,
Paste, Kill), though not up to the level of

his best work, still cleverly incorporates
humor into a serious story line. Det. Mike
Lomax, of the
Hollywood
Divisions
homicide unit,
is about to get a
prostate exam
when he hears
gunshots from a
nearby room,
where he soon
discovers the
bloody corpse of
Kristian Kraus, the most beloved fertility doctor in all of Los Angeles. Krauss
killer, Calvin Bernstein, defies Mikes
pleas and takes his own life before the horrified cops eyes. Theres no apparent connection between the murderer and his
victim, though Mike and his late wife,
Joanie, were once patients of Kraus before
Joanie died of cancer. The case takes
another twist after Mike and his acerbic
partner, Terry Biggs, who aspires to be a
stand-up comic after retirement, are
alerted to a vehicular death labeled accidental that the reader already knows from
a prologue was murder. The charm of
Karps leads more than warrants a sequel.
Agent: Mel Berger, WME.
Nonfiction
Anointed to Sing the Gospel:
The Levitical Legacy of
Thomas A. Dorsey
Kathryn Kemp. Joyful Noise, $20 trade paper
(254p) ISBN 978-0-9833630-4-0
In this biography of Thomas A. Dorsey,

Kemp (Make a Joyful Noise) provides a nofrills run-down of the legendary gospel
singers career
before turning
outward in a
rousing postscript. The final
chapter,
Twenty-FirstCentury Church
Worship and
Sacred Music,
reveals Kemps
stance on gospel
50d P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
musicsacred versus secular, commercial

versus clericaland will leave readers
with much to ponder. In the biographical
sections, Kemps voice is utilitarian and
old-fashioned. She repeats stories about
Dorsey (18991993), who played barrelhouse piano in Chicago before returning
to church to write his gospel songs that
fed the souls of those who sang them.
She defines Dorsey as a prophet, shepherd,
and spiritual warrior as she spells out his
strict musical practices. She covers his
compositions, including the popular
Precious Lord, as well as his work with
the National Convention of Gospel Choirs
and Choruses. Within Dorseys story,
Kemp often digresses into the lives of his
fellow musicians, such as Sallie Martin,
Tampa Red Wooldridge, and Willie Mae
Ford Smith, and, oddly, she dedicates the
middle section to a dozen interviews with
Dorseys admirers and contemporaries.
Kemps fractured book, more a compendium than a strict biography, will be a
pleasure to fans of gospel music.
Barbara Newhall Follett:

A Life in Letters
Edited by Stefan Cooke. Farksolia, $29.95
paper (638p) ISBN 978-0-9962431-1-7
The writer Barbara Follett, as revealed

in this compilation of letters, diary entries,
and reviews edited by her half-nephew
Cooke, lived a
life that would
be unbelievable
if it were presented in a work
of fiction. Born
in 1914, Barbara
began writing at
age four and
published her
first novel, The
House Without
Windows, at 13. She was home-schooled
and had little contact with other children;
most of her early letters are to grown-up
friends. She was enthralled by nature and
invented her own world, Farksolia. This
idyllic life was shattered when Barbaras
adored father left the family for another
woman. His letters at this time are bitterly
cruel. In an effort to establish Barbara as a
travel writer, her mother, Helen, took her
on a long odyssey to the South Pacific.
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Cookes narrative emphasizes that Barbara
shared her fathers tendency to escape
problems rather than confronting them. In
Samoa, Barbara suffered a smashemotional and nervous. Back in the U.S., she
ran away and was found by the police, a
widely reported incident. In 1939, shortly
after her husband of five years asked for a
divorce, she left her house and was never
seen again. Many of the letters repeatedly
cover the same ground, but anyone
intrigued by this real-life mystery will
want to read them all. Her fantastical life
and the enigma of her disappearance are
equally compelling.
Breakfast for Alligators:

Quests, Showdowns, and
Revelations in the Americas
Darrin DuFord. Tilted Hat, $15.95 trade paper
(294p) ISBN 978-0-692-66443-8
Offering vignettes from across the

American hemisphere, omnivorous travel
writer DuFord (Is There a Hole in the Boat?
Tales of Travel in Panama Without a Car)
weaves a lattice of narratives into a semicohesive picture
of the Americas
from various
locales between
Cape Columbia
and Cape Horn.
Moving deftly
across the hemispheretasting
cassareep syrup
in Guyana, getting his haircut
in Panama City, submarining off the coast
of Honduras, and taking agrotourist
bicycle trips in Quebec, among other
adventuresDuFord offers impressions
of South, Central, and North America in
all their stunning diversity, contradictions, and complexity. Chronicling his
gastronomic and geographic adventures,
DuFords playful and pop-culture peppered prose (describing Nicaraguas
Caballito as the countrys White Castle
of hooch) makes for succulent travel
writing. His amiable introduction of the
various wayfarers and residents he
encounters along the way add palatable
texture to the locales he chronicles. He
also finds space to develop his and his wife
Melanies own budding romance, which
offers an opportunity to spin together

tales of travel in both love and life.
DuFord is not afraid to take the reader to
places previously unknown.
Free to Be: Ruth Bader Ginsburg;

The Story of Women and Law
Teri Kanefield. Armon, $14.99 trade paper
(334p) ISBN 978-0-692-72321-0
Kanefield (The Girl from the Tar Paper

School), who writes largely for young adults,
derives from mixed sources an informative,
simply written account of the impressive
arc of Ginsburgs life. She begins with
Ginsburgs humble beginnings as the
daughter of a
Russian Jewish
immigrant who
struggled to
make a go in
New York Citys
garment business. From an
early age, she
demonstrated
the intelligence
and diligence
that became her hallmark as the second
woman ever on the Supreme Court.
Kanefield makes accessible to laypersons
the legal arguments at the heart of many of
Ginsburgs cases, including the gender discrimination Ginsburg attacked when she
was a practicing attorney. The justices personal life gets appropriate attention, especially her warm and mutually supportive
relationship with her late husband, Marty.
Despite the books positive tone, this is not
a hagiography; Kanefield does include
quotes from those critical of Ginsburg.
Those who have followed Ginsburgs career
and jurisprudence will not find anything
new here, but most readers will emerge
with a great deal of respect for a fiercely
independent woman who battled sexism to
reach the pinnacle of her profession.
From the Errors of Others:

How to Avoid Embarrassing
Mistakes in Writing and Speaking
Rebecca M. Lyles. Archway, $42.95 hardcover
(380p) ISBN 978-1-4808-2847-6
If composition class made you squirm

and grammar lessons caused an uneasy
feeling in the pit of your stomach, relax,
readers! Lyles shares a friendly, chatty
guide to written and spoken

communication. Drawing on
her 30 years of experience as a
writer, editor, and manager for technology
companies, her guide covers grammar but
also includes practical advice, such as how
to create an effective online profile, and
taking simple steps to ensure youre saying
what you mean
to. To keep
things light,
Lyles provides
plenty of entertaining bloopers.
Her material
cuts a wide
swath:
PowerPoint
slides, credit
card statements,
even customer-service rep scripts.
Writing, language, tone: as one chapter
title states, its All in the Delivery. As
the author reminds us, mistakes can make
you look stupid, language can be used as
an important litmus test, and pronunciation matters. Organized into 11 sections,
the book is made up of concise, two- and
three-page essays with titles such as
Borrowing from Other Languages and
Me, Myself, and I. Readers of all ages
and grammar levels will find this an easy
and entertaining reference, and a valuable
reminder that spellcheck and autocorrect
arent always your best friend.
How to Bake More Bread:

Modern Breads, Wild Yeast
Michael Kalanty. Red Seal, $24 trade paper
(292p) ISBN 978-0-692-54602-4
Kalantys follow-up to 2011s How to

Bake Bread expands on the theme,
focusing on wild yeast and how it can
impart unique flavors into artisan breads.
It all begins with a starter, a living culture
of flour, water, and yeast that deepens in
flavor complexity over time. The wild
yeast found in the whitish bloom on fruits
such as grapes and plums is employed in
lieu of commercial yeast to create the
starter. Kalanty walks readers through the
entire process, from creating the starter
and daily feedings to tips on keeping that
culture alive and thriving so it can be used
for future loaves. Once readers have their
starters, Kalanty gives detailed instrucW W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 50e
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tions on baking classics such
as pain au levain and sourdough, as well as an applewalnut farmhouse bread studded with
caramelized fruits and a grits and goat
cheese porridge bread. The books textbook approach and abundance of charts,
figures, precise
measurements,
and detailed
steps are probably best suited
for professionals and
culinary students. That
said, novices
are sure to
come away
with a much greater understanding of
bread fundamentals (there are lots of
photos and asides on techniques such as
rotating breads in the oven and ornamental scoring), and amateur bakers
obsessed with making perfect bread will
have a hard time finding a better guide.
The Inner Connection:

A Spiritual Journey of SelfDiscovery and Emotional
Freedom, One Day at a Time
Darlene Dawn. Balboa, $17.99 trade paper
(268p) ISBN 978-1-5043-3799-1
In her debut, Dawn lays out a singular

plan for readers wishing to stimulate spiritual growth. We are one with God is the
message she often repeats while explaining
how her spiritual journey began with her
desire to become sober. Inspired by the
teachings in Helen Schucmans bestselling
A Course in Miracles, Dawn sets out to
divulge everything she has learned on her
path to spiritual enrichment. Divided into
13 chapters composed of lectures primarily focused
on befriending
the ego or practicing blind
faith, the book
provides readers
with an exorbitant amount of
material that can
be unwieldy and
overwhelming at
times. While
much of what is written will seem rudimentary to seasoned readers of New Age
and more esoteric interpretations of spirituality, Dawns teachings on common sayings such as all events are neutral,
everything happens for a reason, and all
experiences can be valuable feel fresh in
her hands. Believing that spirituality is
something that should be practiced as well
as studied, she lays out lists of tools to help
readers: meditation, yoga, writing, and
music. Written from a place of deep
humility, Kemps book, though not
groundbreaking, will benefit those
searching for a path to spiritual
betterment.
Operation Crossroads: Lest We

Forget! An Eyewitness Account,
Bikini Atomic Bomb Tests 1946
William L. McGee, with Sandra V. McGee.
BMC Publications, $19.95 trade paper (132p)
ISBN 978-0-9701678-5-9
In this brief firsthand account, McGee

revisits the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests, the
first such tests administered after WWII.
McGee served on the USS Fall River, a
U.S. Navy cruiser that was present as the
flagship of the supporting task force
during the detonation of two atomic
bombs in July 1946. Using his own and
his shipmates recollections, supplemented by
ships logs, he
recreates his
day-to-day
experiences as
one of over
40,000 U.S.
military personnel who
lived and
worked for
months within a
15-mile radius of the Able and Baker detonations, both of which were bigger than
those that leveled Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. The most startling revelation
that McGee relates is the absolute ignorance of the military and civilian leaders of
the dangers of nuclear radiation poisoning.
After the blasts, sailors and scientist went
about routine duties for weeks in a highly
contaminated environment with virtually
no extra precautions. McGee points out
that this tragedy was largely the result of
50f P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
ignorance, compounded by the more egregious actions of the Veterans

Administration, which in subsequent
years denied veterans the health care necessary to treat their radiation-related illnesses. Though slight, McGees work
offers a good introduction to the subject.
Multiples Illuminated:
A Collection of Stories and Advice
from Parents of Twins, Triplets,
and More
Edited by Megan Woolsey and Alison Lee.
Megan Woolsey and Alison Lee, $15.95 trade
paper (210p) ISBN 978-0-9968335-0-9
According to Woolsey and Lees introduction to this helpful guide, when

Woolsey was pregnant with triplets, she
found herself filled with questions that the
usual parenting resources couldnt answer.
Woolsey and Lee have compiled what they
learned on their own as parents of multiples (in Lees case, twins) alongside stories
from other
women in a
collection
arranged into
chronological
sections: trying
to conceive,
pregnancy,
labor, postpregnancy, and
the first few
years of parenting. Woolsey kicks off the discussion
by opening up about her own difficulty
with fertility treatments and giving
readers practical tips on surviving fertility. In the pregnancy section, Lee shares
important best practices for health and
safety. To prepare for labor, Woolsey lists
what to pack for the hospital, and readers
learn the importance of an outplan. In
the post-pregnancy section, Lee prepares
readers for the possibility of ill or premature babies being placed in a neonatal
intensive care unit (NICU), and the parenting section covers breastfeeding and
handling stress. Each story is short and
sweet, replete with helpful information
and examples of the ways in which parents
have coped, and will appeal primarily to
women, since every story (with one exception) was contributed by a mother.
REVIEWS
Sammy Davis Jr.:
The Writer Who Saved His Estate
Pamela A. Sherrod. RisingStar31 Productions,
$27 paper (224p) ISBN 978-0-6925-8786-7
The title of this uneven book is misleading, as it really concerns Sherrod, a

screenwriter, and her brief relationship
with Altovise Davis, Daviss widow.
Sherrod and Altovise met in 2005, with
an agreement that Sherrod would ghostwrite her autobiography; but soon
Sherrod finds that Altovise has been
mired in a financial mess of tax debt,
managerial fraud, and domestic squabbling. There are no new revelations about
Sammy Davis Jr., or of their marriage,
except scant details about excessive
spending, orgies, heavy drug and alcohol
use, and Sammy Daviss publicized hug of
Nixon. Although Sherrod views Altovise
(who died in 2009) as survivor, she
quickly learns the ailing woman doesnt
want to revisit her past but rather focus on
a project of a
musician about
children. The
writing is passable, only
catching aflame
with Altovises
larger-than-life
persona, her
battle with
alcohol, and the
authors personal woes as an embattled single mother.
Sherrod also devotes a short segment on
the Davis estate.
Childrens & YA
100 Years from Now Our
Bones Will Be Different
Lawrence McWilliams and Anand Vedawala,

illus. by McWilliams. 540 Collab, $14.99
paper (81p) ISBN 978-0-692-51743-7
Inspired by Edgar Lee Masters Spoon

River Anthology, this illustrated collection
of first-person epitaphs follows 40 members of a fictional African-American
family from 1915 to 2015. The epitaphs
provide brief but powerful glimpses into
the family members lives and personalities, social changes, and a web of secrets
and traumas. Opposite the first-person
epitaphs,
McWilliamss
expressive
sepia portraits
freeze glimmers of hope,
pain, uncertainty, and
weariness on
each face.
Throughout,
McWilliams
and Vedawala achieve a haunting beauty
through the voices of the dead: within the
first few pages, readers witness the deaths
of Sarah Williams (18781915) and her
newborn son in childbirth (his epitaph is
left blank) and husband Elijahs grief over
those losses, as well as that of son Arthur
after tipsily stumbling in front of a car.
Albert Williams (19111931) was killed
by the Klan at age 20 (Take my advice,
dont ever go to Portland, he laments),
and Alice, who is trans, is killed at almost
the same age in 2008. Alternately melancholy, raw, and hopeful, its a striking
account of a familys perseverance in the
face of recurring injustices, violence, and
tragedy. Ages 12up.
Little Miss Chaos

Paula R. Hilton. CreateSpace, $14.95 paper
(276p) ISBN 978-1-5237-0153-7
Hiltons debut introduces 17-year-old

Princeton hopeful Vivian Ellis and
19-year-old armed robber Jake Donnely,
who meet when Jake holds up the New
Jersey Dunkin Donuts where Vivian
works. Despite these unlikely circumstances, a tentative friendship blossoms
into love as the teens embark on an
increasingly reckless path. Meanwhile
Vivians mother, Ivy, is deeply grieving for
her husband, who died the previous year,
and her response
is to cling
tighter to
Vivian. Jakes
father, Sonny, is
also struggling
with the evergrowing rift
between him
and his son that
began when
Jakes alcoholic
mother, Wendy, left. When

Jake and Vivian go too far, it
threatens to destroy their
futures and their families. Hilton puts an
equal emphasis on her adult and teenage
characters, creating a well-developed landscape of the interconnected repercussions
of their decisions. The third-person omniscient perspective favors dense swathes of
exposition and description over actual dialogue, and while this can be jarring at first,
it allows for rich characterizations. The
pace drags a bit, but Hiltons story remains
an intriguing look at the ripples caused by
lives spiraling out of control. Ages 12up.
Waiting for the Voo

Dean Ammerman. Kabloona, $12 paper
(162p) ISBN 978-0-9846822-3-2
In this offbeat SF adventure, first in the

Warrensberg trilogy, 13-year-old Wilkin
Delgado isnt pleased when his mother
invites a friend and her daughter to move
in with them. Alice Jane Zelinskia
14-year-old with tattoos, gray hair, and an
anger management problemdoesnt
want to be there either. Then Wilkins
mother takes in yet another eccentric
tenant. Cardamon Webb, who is a bit like
a cross between
Willy Wonka
and The Dude
from The Big
Lebowski, calls
himself a
plumber, but
hes actually on a
quest to fill a
dangerous
galactic hole,
and he needs
Wilkin and Alice Janes help to prevent
their world from being infiltrated by otherworldly riffraff. Ammerman builds
chemistry between the two central characters through their alternating first-person
points of view, but the many outlandish
creatures they encounterdemonic birds,
porcelain killer dolls, and lots of ferretsfeel more like diversionary instruments of chaos than key plot elements.
Still, its good fun watching Alice Jane
and Wilkin romp through the muck of
the universe. Books two and three, Escape
from Dorkville and The Last Ma-Loo, are
also available. Ages 812.
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 50g
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