(NewsUSA) - I’ll Have a Double by Juliana Hastings

It might be shocking to learn that a nice glass of Pinot Noir at the end of a stressful day can be related to breast cancer. Here’s a brave and eye-opening journey from a survivor of self-assessment that acknowledges the degree to which women are creating a hospitable environment in their bodies for the disease to recur. The book is bracing, instructive, and inspiring.

In simple, relatable language, the book distills decades of research papers from universities and medical research centers in a way that will convince even those most reluctant to recognize the links between lifestyle choices, alcohol and breast cancer. The fight is never over, so survivor women must fight the fight for the rest of their lives. Fight the probability of recurrence, fight the cancer catalysts over which they have control and fight to stay alive. It feels good to do so! Purchase at https://bit.ly/3TcMbzS.

Something Better by Diane Parrish

It arose not from desire or even interest, but from curiosity: what would happen . . . if she just let it?

The bubble in which Ruth and David live their tidy suburban lives is about to burst. A tragic automobile accident shatters their insular world and sends David into an emotional tailspin. An unexpected job opportunity sends Ruth to the West Coast, waylaying her desire to become a mother and making her increasingly unavailable for David's needs.

Thrown off balance, David develops a fixation on Annabeth Brady, the daughter of the friends lost that fateful night. As he and Ruth drift further apart, each must decide if they will remain true to their vows, or search for something better.

Told in gorgeous, descriptive prose with flashes of humor and insight, this debut novel quietly questions our notions of forgiveness and faith. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3Y5rQiT.

Soul Masters: The Hunting Grounds by K.R. Gastreich

On a hike through the forest, Mayela stumbles into a terrifying world where immortals hunt souls. To survive, she secures protection from a Soul Master. When he demands payment, Mayela fights back. But how can she fight the desire consuming her heart?

Every soul Nathan claims expands the power of his realm. In Mayela, he finds a rare gift that could guarantee his place among the Soul Masters. All he must do is secure her allegiance without losing his heart. And Nathan has no heart to lose. Or does he?

With eternity at stake, Mayela and Nathan ignite a transcendent passion that breaks all the rules. Among the Soul Masters, a malevolent force awakens. The final hunt is on… Purchase at https://bit.ly/3A2vWi7.

Restaurant Excellence by Marvin Alballi

Whether you're establishing your first restaurant, launching another franchise, welcoming guests to a luxury hotel dining experience, or sitting comfortably in the city's F&B concept, this book provides expert advice to take your business to the next level and better serve your new and loyal customers. No matter your skill level, this book will offer something to appeal, enlighten, and encourage.

Author Marvin Alballi has worked his way through the ranks to become an award-winning food-and-beverage executive managing franchise chains, celebrity-chef restaurants, independent establishments, and global hotel F&B operations. He has overseen everything from mom-and-pop diners to fine dining.

This book presents valuable and practical advice with contributions from 28 respected food-service industry professionals, including several Michelin-starred chefs. These suggestions cover every essential topic: kitchen management, service and hospitality, training and development, design, marketing, cost management, operations, menus and interviews with top chefs and CEOs. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3WycUZW

(NewsUSA) - Again and Again Back to You by Andrea Ezerins

If you had the chance to revisit your past to change your present, what moment would you choose? In this enchanting novel, an encounter with a mystical channeler allows two soulmates to experience the road not taken and explores the profound impact first love can have on one’s life.

Marta and Kevin discover each other while coming of age in the ’70s only to be separated when they are about to realize the power of their young love. As Marta moves on to college and career, she remains haunted by what might have been if she had been brave enough to seize it.

A chance encounter with a channeler who can transport people back to a juncture in their lives to reveal their road not taken has Marta jumping at the opportunity. But will she be brave enough to channel back to Kevin? Purchase at https://amzn.to/3W1G8QB.

Legends of Astraea by Sophia Alessandrini

Can the power of love save the world?

Ailie, a gutsy girl who possesses a sharp wit and a playful, irreverent voice, seeks revenge with the help of her psychotic, warmongering, and good-hearted legal guardian. She alone can open the gates of hell just like Pandora did when she opened the jar that contained all evils. And evil wants those doors open.

Fallen Angels conspire to help her with Cupid’s Golden Arrow.

She finds herself in a whimsical world of myths, legends, glittering gowns, priceless jewels, life-threatening enemies, and eccentric immortals that call themselves Strzyga. However, there are side effects to the arrow. What’s not to like about a gorgeous, 200-year-old Strzyga prince who is completely head over heels for her? But things never go as planned. Will Ailie manage to save the world, or will she accidentally open the gates of hell?  Purchase at https://bit.ly/3JXK5Pg.

Our Life, Our Work, Our Humanness by Vincent Dodd

It seems we are more divided than ever in many aspects of life, and we too often still feel empty while pushing ourselves to keep up. This book explores many facets of our relationships with ourselves and others and provides tools to help ease this division and bring a clearer level of understanding and grace.

When you consider what makes up our life -- emotions, relationships, concerns, expectations, harsh realities, and even politics -- how can there not be some suffering? Though these subjects are wide and deep, the author breaks them down and shares from his 34 years of front-line public service experiences and his personal life observations. He then follows with solution-based concepts and easy daily applicable tools to tame these daily life stressors. Purchase at https://bit.ly/4dCJT5i.

Touch Time by R.E. Mason

A million years ago, Verdan’s moon is struck by an immense asteroid, forcing the planet to exist in two dimensions.

A handful of pilgrims, scientists and technicians, come out from Adrian for work and adventure and choose to remain on Verdan, despite the difficulties imposed by that planet’s challenging environment.

But a new danger threatens those colonists. Adrian suddenly reverses a prior decision to shut down the base there. Instead, they intend to take control of that world and prepare it to receive the influx of migrants soon to come there. Adrian sends a military unit to secure the base and quell any resistance from the original colonists.

The pilgrims know they’d be no match for the number of invaders. Unless they have someplace to go, they’d have no future. But there might be such a place -- if they have the courage to get there.  Purchase at https://bit.ly/3TpeyLh.

(NewsUSA) - You Are More Than: A Primer for Finding the Light in Your Heart by Amy L. Stark, Ph.D.

Award-winning and inspirational for the whole family. You are More Than: A Primer for Finding Light in Your Heart explains with clear examples “who you are is more than what you see on the outside.” The book gives children and teens an opportunity to explore how they are part of the world around them. It helps them find the connection by breathing, and connecting with the energy of the planet, and learning that when they do this, they will feel attached to everything around them.

You are More Than explores the idea that this life-affirming connection gives a person purpose and a chance to be of service. The prestigious Nautilus Book Awards presented You are More Than with a 2024 Silver Award in the Children's Picture Book category. Purchase at https://bit.ly/4f3Bt7W.

Marvelous Jackson by Laura Anne Bird

After losing his mom, a struggling thirteen-year-old boy in northern Wisconsin rediscovers the love of baking he once shared with her and decides to audition for the world-famous Marvelous Midwest Kids Baking Championship television show in Chicago. Jack is sure that his new sense of purpose will help him stay out of trouble, so he throws himself into learning the finer points of sprinkles and scones—and hopefully even mending his broken relationship with his dad.

Marvelous Jackson is about taking risks and making mistakes, and it celebrates the power of humor, friendship, and sweet treats to make any situation better, even a broken heart. It's the perfect story for 8-to-12-year-olds who love to bake, who feel like they don't fit in, or who are trying to figure out what ignites their interest and passion. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3WncW6N.

Recalibrating Gravity by Mary Keating

Welcome to the world of Mary Keating, a quick-witted, fun-loving paraplegic. (Note, however, that she cringes at being labeled.) Fifty years ago, Mary's wide-open world instantly contracted at age fifteen when a teenager drove her into an oak tree at maximum speed. With a wheelchair as a permanent accessory, she was no longer seen as "hot" or one of the "in" crowd. She found herself transported into an alternate reality— defined now by her disability.

When life becomes overwhelming, Mary jokingly pretends she's trapped in a bad B movie waiting for a new director. Her poetry collection reminds us that no matter how hard life may seem, grace, love, and humor will save us from despair and allow us to live our best life under any circumstances. Purchase at https://bit.ly/49hw3SR.

Between Islands by Robert Coburn

Detective Joe Cheo comes from a family with a history of crime and corruption. Though he has never taken part in any criminal activity, the reputation has been a burden to carry throughout his life. And never heavier than now as a member of the Honolulu Police Department, where he is forced to walk a fine line.

But events conspire to present a crossroads of right and wrong. And the decision of which one to take becomes even more difficult for him. Set in Hawaii during the 1980s, join Detective Joe Cheo on a journey through his past and the present as he searches for the answer, only to be surprised at its conclusion. Says one reviewer, "Terrific characters and a riveting storyline...couldn't put it down." Purchase at https://bit.ly/3VXb3wY.

(NewsUSA) - The Poisoned Fruit by Julie Colacchio

For centuries, Mages have been imprisoned by America. Now, America Needs Magic.

When Topaz Tenkiller is finally released, the Cold War is escalating, Prince is singing "When Doves Cry," and addiction is destroying her brother. The gifted Mage is assigned to a UN security detail. Topaz flourishes with freedom, food, and friends. She enjoys security work and sends money home to help her brother. Topaz finds a secret lab with mutilated Mage corpses and discovers that scientists are harvesting magic. Will she stay silent and save her brother or expose America's brutality to save her people?

Says author Alison Levy, "Colacchio’s book is a rich, emotional journey...alternately gut-wrenching and empowering. Once you take a step into this story, you’ll feel compelled to finish it in one sitting!” Purchase at https://bit.ly/3VPltiV.

Anela’s Club by D.K. Yamashiro

A coming-of-age story about rising above tragedy and learning to view life through a lens of hope and love.

When Anela Lee's brother, Jake, dies on the football field, her family is shattered. Her parents never wanted her, and without her biggest cheerleader, she withdraws into her pain and insecurities. Even school, once a refuge, means nothing anymore. Only one teacher refuses to give up on her, pushing her to enter an essay contest that gives her a shot at Harvard. Still, self-doubt holds Anela back.

Then a senator teaches her about the many world leaders who have used their childhood trauma to do great things. The hope that Anela can turn her pain into something beautiful gives her back her spark and encourages her to enter the contest. But does she have the confidence to share her essay in front of an audience? Purchase at https://bit.ly/44YATUc.

The Last Tale of Norah Bow by J.P. White

In 1926, during Prohibition, Vital Bow is abducted at gunpoint during dinner at the family cottage in Rye Beach, Ohio. His intrepid fourteen-year-old daughter, Norah Bow, discovers her father’ s involvement in a rum-running gang operating on Lake Erie and determines to sail north to rescue him. En route, Norah rescues Ruby Francoeur, an enigmatic woman of easy virtue who conceals secrets of her own.

With Ruby as crew, Norah enters an island-and-city world of eccentric and monstrous characters who test her resolve, strength, and knowledge as both a young woman and a skipper. Norah Bow is a coming-of-age story told by an elder Norah, a tale filled with characters steeped in betrayal, remorse, and a fierce desire for more lives. Norah Bow is a story about family secrets, self-reliance, and the complicated nature of memory itself. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3VG2SEc.

Midnight Rider by Quinn Miller

Rikki is generally content with his life and the world in which he lives. That is until the day a mysterious big cat emerges from living underground and reveals the hideous truth about Rikki’s society.

While Rikki trains his fire-breathing horse for a community event, the confused teenager must navigate a dark path of twisting and evolving morals. When the previously helpful cat suddenly becomes a violent predator, Rikki must either act in line with his own morals or witness his town succumb to the wrath of the beast.

Midnight Rider is the debut novel from a new YA fantasy writer. The author is an all-around intellectual who loves philosophy, drawing, and playing musical instruments in addition to writing--and hardly has time for the hobbies, there are so many of them! Purchase at https://bit.ly/4exgUAF.

(NewsUSA) - Have you ever played a game where you see a person, couple, or group and begin to make a story around them? It’s a great way to meet spies, murderers, vagabonds, lovers, and thieves. The running dialogue of this game is best imagined with your date or significant other. What you learn about your accomplice is always surprising as the plot thickens.

In Seeing—In A Small-Town, poet Pasquale Trozzolo takes this game to a new level. He explores life’s daily routine through the eyes of a visiting explorer, and each vignette is written based on the story game.

Trozzolo writes conversationally as if the reader is accompanying the explorer on the journey. Each vignette is a story the explorer imagines based on the person’s appearance, behavior, and interactions with others. Through these stories, the reader is given a glimpse into the lives of small-town Americans and the daily routines that make up their lives. The stories are engaging, thought-provoking, and often surprising. Each poem is introduced by a short reflection from the explorer, commenting on what they learned from the experience.

“I hope the reader recognizes that every person’s life carries joys, burdens, and secrets,” Trozzolo says. “We should judge slowly and carefully, if at all. While passing through, we often make assumptions based on our predisposed expectations, quickly judging each person by their cover and not allowing the story to develop. And, just like judging books, it’s almost always a mistake –even if we are playing the story game.”

The poems explore judgment, assumptions, and the importance of seeing beyond the surface. The stories remind us that every person has a story and that we should be slow to judge and quick to listen. We never know what burdens someone carries or what joys they celebrate. Everyone is more than just their appearance; we should take the time to get to know them before forming opinions.

Poet Catherine Abbey Hodges, author of In a Rind of Light, says, “At a polarized moment in our culture, these poems suggest an alternative to knee-jerk judgment and condemnation of ‘the other.’ What might happen if we brought curiosity, imagination, and deference to our regard for those outside our circle? Vignette by vignette, these poems—generous, poignant, humorous, and slyly wise—do just that.”

Kirkus Reviews says: “The form and style of the work are as quaint as the small-town bars, diners, parks, and Main Streets the collection inhabits. It’s tempting to board a Greyhound bus to nowhere in particular after luxuriating in these verses.”

The book celebrates the diversity and complexity of human life and reminds us that there is always more to see if we are willing to look beyond the surface. To learn more, visit pasqualetrozzolo.com. Finishing Line Press will release the book on November 15, 2024, and it is now available for pre-sale orders at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/seeing-in-a-small-town-by-pasquale-trozzolo/

(NewsUSA) - For Donald Denihan, it was supposed to be the fishing trip of a lifetime. Instead, it ended up nearly costing him his life in a hard bargain he made with the sea.

Denihan’s story is documented in riveting detail in his new book HARD BARGAIN (Stillwater River Publications). The book is best described as part gripping true adventure story and part self-reflection on how being on the doorstep of death helped him get a better grasp on what is really important in life.

According to Reader’s Digest, “The dominant waterlogged parts strike the same salt-drenched chords as ‘The Perfect Storm’ and ‘In the Heart of the Sea,’ as harrowingly visual as they are shatteringly visceral. A stunning tale of survival at sea, HARD BARGAIN is a riveting and relentless read of rare depth and pathos that is not to be missed.”

Near-death experiences were nothing new to this successful entrepreneur, who has held leadership positions in the real estate and hospitality industries for more than 30 years. At the age of sixteen, a hunting accident had nearly cost him his foot. A lengthy hospital stay, followed by an equally lengthy rehabilitation, filled Donald with resilience and made him think he could overcome anything.

That is, until he was struck by the same aggressive form of prostate cancer at the age of only thirty-five that had killed his father. Once again, Donald prevailed and even overcame the side effects of surgery which he celebrated by learning how to fly fish.

A decade later, that new avocation brought him to the Bahamas with his closest friends and college student son, specifically to waters rich with the schools of bonefish fly fishermen long for. The one ill-fated boat trip confronted him with his own mortality yet again, when a violent storm capsized his ill-prepared boat and left him clinging to life.

“A helpless feeling comes over you when you’re on the water getting battered by a storm. You start to grasp the awesome power of the sea…I felt the first twinges of despair creep into my heart…With no other options, I began to pray quietly.”

Through a long night of pounding rain and storm-swept winds, Donald faced off against everything the sea could throw at him. With the odds of survival dimming by the moment, his own desperate efforts at sea are mirrored on land by the resourcefulness of friends and family who will stop at nothing to save him before it’s too late.

But even that might not be enough, because some bargains are better off never made.

Later on, the traumatic incident prompted Denihan to want to help others in dire straits, in situations and conditions that might have been out of their control. So he created The God Is Good Charitable Fund (https://www.thegodisgoodcharitablefund.com/) to help people in need.

The entire experience helped Denihan put things in their proper perspective.

“Too many people want to put a dollar sign on everything, perceiving  everything as transactional instead of placing the greatest value in the relationships and interactions that define us as people. You can’t put a dollar sign on love, or happiness, or family, or friendship, or loyalty, but they are worth more than anything that comes with a price tag attached.”

Learn more about HARD BARGAIN at https://bit.ly/3UeYw7t.

(NewsUSA) - When I Stop Fighting by Daryl Dittmer

“Just like water seeks its own level, so does everything else, including idiots. I was one of those at that point in my life.”

Here’s an eye-opening, honest, unapologetic take on life -- about overcoming obstacles, overcoming addictions, and taking risks. The author is a regular guy with a regular upbringing. He was not living anything close to a productive, happy, fulfilling life. He was digging himself deeper into the quagmire of dysfunction, addiction to drugs and alcohol, hiding, fears, and dishonesty.

A moment of honesty and clarity shone a flicker of hope and opened his eyes to the potential for a different way of approaching life. This is a must-read if you or someone you know is struggling, stuck, scared, unsure, or in need of a brand-new way of perceiving themselves, their world, and this journey we call life.  Purchase at https://bit.ly/3Y4DMBG.

Peach Tea Smash by Laura Childs

Murder at an Alice in Wonderland–themed event threatens to send Theodosia Browning through the looking glass in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series.

During the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera on the grounds of the old Pendleton Grist Mill, Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is killed. He’s been hit in the head with a croquet mallet, and his body hung on the chains and paddles of the grist mill.

Nobody can figure out why since Harlan was much beloved by everyone. It’s only after Cricket and Delaine beg Theodosia to investigate that she realizes the killer might have mistaken Harlan for his crazy son, Duke. After all, Duke is a slum landlord and recently injured a woman in a boating accident. Includes delicious recipes and tea time tips! Purchase at https://bit.ly/3VathuV.

Vermilion Harvest by Reenita M. Hora

“A stunning love story amidst one of the darkest moments in modern Indian history.”

In a politically tense Amritsar in 1919, an Anglo-Indian schoolteacher and a feisty Muslim student activist fall in love, but find that courting openly is easier said than done. Not only are they from different communities but his political activism comes at the cost of their romance.

Against the deadline of a ticking timebomb, the schoolteacher must find her lover to warn him about General Dyer’s impending attack on Jallianwallah Bagh. But will she succeed in getting to the venue on time? “Playtime at the Bagh” during Baisakhi is a metaphor for General Dyer’s game of bullets in Jallianwallah Bagh on April 13, 1919.

Love, hate, denial and betrayal are wrapped inside a single love story capturing today’s hope with yesterday’s despair. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3W0P5bd.

500 Ways to Eat Like a Local by Jon Douglas

Hungry readers will delight in the intriguing stories behind the Philly cheesesteak, the Chicago-style hot dog, Nashville hot chicken and hundreds more of the best regional foods in the United States. Explore dishes that are only found in certain parts of the country or are connected to a particular place where they originated – including 16 different styles of pizza, 17 kinds of pie and 18 types of burgers.

Buy a copy for yourself (or a friend) if you’re fascinated by culinary history, planning a trip to an unfamiliar part of the U.S. or a fan of Roadfood. Includes more than 1,000 restaurant suggestions, and available in both paperback and ebook formats. Readers say: “A must for your next cross-country sojourn … thoughtful and well-researched … hugely detailed and entertainingly well-written.” A #1 Amazon bestseller! Purchase at bit.ly/eatlikealocalus.

(NewsUSA) - Map of My Escape by Cheryl L. Reed

The shooting of a homicide detective is captured on film by a mysterious figure from a second-floor window, implicating Riley Keane, an anti-gun activist and a school shooting survivor. Riley flees Chicago for a frozen island in Lake Superior. A race to find her ensues between her secret lover—Chicago politician Finn O’Farrell—a corrupt police lieutenant, and the mysterious cameraman who extorts Riley’s family and Finn. Finn’s involvement threatens his political career.

On the island, when Riley witnesses both an islander’s murder and another death in a suspicious boating accident, the local sheriff’s questions start unraveling her true identity. Meanwhile, Finn faces media pressure to reveal his mysterious role in that long-ago school shooting. If the facts come out, Finn may go to prison and also forever sever his relationship with Riley. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3QiY0Db.

Army Brat by Laura Gutman

The lives of Army children have been scarcely described until now, filling a major gap in history.

The author lived deeply embedded in the Army from the country’s earliest entry into World War II through the Vietnam era. From her birth at West Point’s hospital, to her cobbled-together education, and witnessing her father’s many military honors, Laura’s childhood was one of intense awareness of the danger her father faced and the courage her mother displayed.

Chronicling the experiences of a strong military family as they witness and participate in the unfolding of history in a dangerous and challenging world, Army Brat identifies consequential insights into the critical importance of a strong religious foundation; an educational system dedicated to core concepts of nation and loyalty; and leadership that prioritizes sovereignty, national defense, and military support. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3VKCYzc.

Lucianity by John Byer

Lucianity reports the results of a criminal investigation into a 2000-year-old “Cold Case” where it is revealed that Lucius, the Bishop of Cyrene and keeper of early church records, forged and/or corrupted about 75 percent of the New Testament, which includes the four gospels; Revelation; Acts, and at least 16 of the Epistles.

Lucius fabricated his scripture under each of the deceased Apostle’s names, except for the gospel of Luke and Acts, since Lucius was Luke. As such, the detective identifies only the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ as true, and almost everything else as the fiction of Lucius: e.g. the physical ascension and Rapture. Lucius even used books by Flavius Josephus and ancient Egyptians to write scripture for Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 and Revelation wherein he attributes false dialog to Jesus. Purchase at https://amzn.to/4aD0R0O.

Childless Mother by Tracy Mayo

1970, pre-Choice America. After their eighth move in her 13 short years, the lonely only child of a high-ranking naval officer and a socially ambitious mother, Tracy Mayo longed for a normal adolescence -- to have friends, to feel rooted. What she got was a pregnancy at 14 and exile to a maternity home. There, she bore not only a child but also the weight of the culture's shame. She was required to surrender her baby boy at birth and pretend it never happened.

Twenty-two years later, Tracy set out to find him -- and perhaps, through her search, to reclaim herself. Are we moving back to a world where women have no agency, stripped of control of their bodies and their futures? More than 50 years after one frightened, grief-stricken young mother was ordered to forget, Tracy's story is even more important to remember.  Purchase at https://bit.ly/4e6YdUf.

(NewsUSA) - May Day by Jess Lourey

A waitress turned librarian just wants a new life. What she ends up with is a killer change of pace in a funny, snappy, and suspenseful mystery by Edgar Award–nominated author Jess Lourey.

With a cheating boyfriend, a thankless career in waitressing, and her BA in English going to waste, Mira James jumps at the chance for a fresh start in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota.

She lands a job as a librarian, another as an on-call reporter, and is swept off her feet by Jeff Wilson, a handsome archaeologist unearthing the town’s storied history. All is coming together — until she finds Jeff’s body between the library’s reference stacks. It seems Mira didn’t really know her new lover at all. But someone surely did.

Behind this quirky town’s polite exterior are decades-old grudges and murderous secrets best kept hidden. Now it’s Mira’s turn to start digging. Purchase at https://bit.ly/4dySIxh.

The Bucharest Legacy by William Maz

In this second of the multi-award-winning spy thriller series, CIA agent Bill Hefflin is back in Bucharest — immersed in a cauldron of spies and crooked politicians.

The CIA is rocked when a KGB defector reveals there is a KGB mole inside the Agency. They learn the mole’s handler is a KGB agent called Boris. Hefflin recognizes that name — Boris is the code name of Hefflin’s longtime KGB asset.

If the defector is correct, Hefflin realizes Boris must be a triple agent, and his supposed mole has been passing false intel to Hefflin and the CIA. This makes Hefflin the prime suspect as the KGB mole inside the Agency.

Hefflin returns to Bucharest to find Boris and expose the mole. He finds spies, crooked politicians, and a country controlled by the new oligarchs, all of whom want to find Boris. But Hefflin knows a secret: Boris is dead. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3xzmQrU.

A Grain of Hope by Melissa Cole

Thirteen-year-old Oksana Kovalenko leads a simple life with her family in the rolling fields and rustic charm of her small farming village in the Ukraine. That is, until the Soviet Union takes power and her world is turned upside down.

As increasing authoritarianism and threats of land and food confiscation loom, Oksana fights to protect her loved ones from hunger and the loss of everything they hold dear. Threatened with being labeled an Enemy of the State, her family and friends endure persecution. She watches in horror as her village is reduced to starvation and despair. She then joins an underground movement that plans covert operations to feed starving villagers.

Oksana grows from a hopeful schoolgirl into someone determined to protect her heritage. A Grain of Hope reminds us of the human toll of war and oppression and celebrates the human spirit. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3JskIEN.

On Being Human by Ghazala Alam

A compilation of original poems, written in modern Urdu and English, with each poem introduced by an English preamble detailing the author’s  inspirations and insights. Accompanied by English transliteration, Alam’s poetry is informed by her experiences as an immigrant, woman, and a person of color. This distinct lens on life's challenges also reaffirms her faith in the human capacity to empathize, overcome, and seek justice.

With a sensitive, sometimes satirical style, her poems touch upon social issues pertinent to modern, everyday life. Each poem uses simple but elegant language to comment insightfully on fundamental aspects of the human struggle for meaning in the face of adversity and turmoil. Tackling issues such as ego, PTSD, and rejection, as well as true love and generosity, Ghazala's poems include a rallying cry for racial justice, a depiction of inner struggles of the mind, and much more. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3wCKtzB.

(NewsUSA) - “After many years working on intelligence and war issues, I now believe we’re about to have a worldwide nuclear war. We and nearly all life will probably soon be incinerated in a superheated radioactive dust that chokes the atmosphere for decades and turns most of the Earth to ice. Billions of us will die instantly, the rest in slow agony from radiation, burns and hunger.”

“Our rulers have this power and may use it. Unless we stop them.”

That’s the setup for CRUDE, the latest innovative thriller from Mike Bond, author of 12 bestselling novels set in the world’s most dangerous places. He has been called by the BBC “the master of the existential thriller.”

Bond is a former war journalist, intelligence expert, U.S. Senate candidate, diplomat, investment banker, and international energy company CEO. He is also considered an expert on world crude supply and oil refining.

In CRUDE, late one night on a huge oil and gas platform in the South China Sea, a young geologist, Liz Chaplin, stands on a high deck watching the Southern Cross. Below her, under the vast unrolling waves, a diver is clamping explosives to the tower’s underwater struts.

In New York, the platform’s owner, Rawhide Energy CEO Ross Bullock, tells journalists the president’s actions are leading irrevocably to nuclear war.

The platform explodes in a tower of flame. Because she is outside, Liz is the only survivor. Meanwhile the White House, intelligence agencies, the media and financial world attack Rawhide for raising the specter of nuclear war and thus threatening the president’s reelection.

Days later, Rawhide’s Wyoming refinery is damaged by a bomb, then its UK electric company is hacked.

Bullock enlists an old friend, former Navy Seal Turk Holman, to investigate the platform sabotage, while Bullock and his team start to hunt down the refinery attackers, aided by a cranky, brilliant Wyoming sheriff, Lyle Brant.

The search leads to further dangers in Mongolia, Indonesia, Washington D.C., and Ukraine. The true perpetrator of these crimes becomes known – it is impossible, unbelievable, but true. Is the White House behind it?

The president threatens nuclear war with Russia to distract voters from his fraudulent Ukraine and China deals and worsening polls. The Russians respond by increasing their nuclear readiness. But the president alone can decide to launch a nuclear war as he clings to the nuclear button.

Mike Bond has received the highest praises for his riveting, authentic novels:

“One of America’s best thriller writers.” – CULTURE BUZZ

“A master of the storytelling craft.” – MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

“One of the 21st Century’s most exciting authors.” – WASHINGTON TIMES

“Bond’s deft thriller will reinforce your worst fears.” –PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“An exhilarating spy novel.” – KIRKUS

“Mike Bond is a masterful storyteller.” – SACRAMENTO BEE

CRUDE is available at https://amzn.to/3VuN2gF.