Historical Fiction

Date Published: 05-19-2024

Publisher: Mustard Seed Press

She kept up a brisk pace through the wooded path as the sun peaked in and out
of the clouds, shifting the shadows of the trees. Some of the trees had shed
their leaves, but the mighty oaks still clung to theirs, and they rattled in
the breeze. She kept her arms under her cloak for warmth but slowed
momentarily when the sound of the rattling changed. She did a quick turnaround
but saw nothing. “Must have been some critter scampering about,”
she said, and picked up her pace again.

It happened so fast it scarcely registered.

Large hands overpowered her and grabbed her from behind, one covered her
mouth, the other circled her waist. A surge of adrenaline triggered a painful
heartbeat in her chest. She screamed through the clamped hand, but the sound
was choked off. Lila struggled to free her arms from inside her cloak while
she wildly kicked backwards. The harder she fought, the fiercer the grip. Lila
raised her leg and shot it backwards again, this time hitting a shin. A rough
voice cursed in her ear.

She was lifted off her feet and shoved against a tree, snapping the side of
her head against the trunk. Pain shot through her head. Dazed, she made a
feeble attempt to grab the arms. A hand slapped hard against her face. Spots
danced before her eyes with the disappearing daylight, then nothing.

When Lila came out of the fog of unconsciousness, she found herself in
darkness. She was blindfolded. She was on a horse with someone sitting behind
her, someone with unspeakable body odor whose breath reeked of whiskey. What
was happening? Who has done this? She had a throbbing headache, made worse
with each step of the horse over the uneven ground.

Reaching for her head, she realized her hands were bound together. Why am I
tied up? This makes no sense. She was a captive and there was nothing she
could do to give herself any advantage. The realization sent her into a frenzy
of fear, and tears swelled under her blindfold. Dear God, what am I to do?

Now fully awake, her heart pounded as she tried to clear her head. She had no
idea how long she’d been unconscious, no idea where she was, no idea who
sat behind her in the saddle. She shuddered to think who her captor was and
what he had in mind.

About the Author

When she’s not writing, Jane is singing in a choir, exercising in some
fashion, or soaking up nature from a shady spot in the yard with a good book.
She and her husband live in Kansas and have two children and six
grandchildren. She treasures time spent with their far-flung family and still
entertains the fantasy of appearing on Dancing with the Stars for Grandmas,
although the clock is ticking. . .

Jane is a member of Women Writing the West, Western Writers of America, and
Wyoming Writers, Inc.

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Date Published: 11/18/2025

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Narrator: Nathan Westhoff

Run Time: ‘6:37

Determined to get his prototypes back, he enlists the help of a professional
hurricane surfer, an Alaskan oil worker, and a French salt farmer. But he’s no
criminal mastermind, and they soon find themselves caught between a growing
hurricane and a surprise algae field.

Will Moro succeed? Will they beat the hurricane surfing world record? And how
exactly does one farm salt?

It’s a hopeful climate heist—a solarpunk blend of Ocean’s Eleven, The
Martian and Michael Crichton.

Todd studied Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Design at Carnegie Mellon
University. He worked on self-driving cars and board games before discovering
a passion for clean energy. He spent four years working on grid-scale battery
storage and now offers Product Management consulting to clean energy
companies.

Todd spends his free time playing games, climbing rocks, and gleefully riding
his electric bike everywhere. He is currently working on expanding the
Hurricane universe.

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Book 1 of the Asatru Saga

Science Fiction, Techno-thriller

Date Published: 03/01/2026

With the station coming dangerously close to a fiery reentry, her old love and
fellow former Navy pilot, Steve Paige, offers a radical and risky solution.
The company he works for as a test pilot is developing a next-generation
spacecraft, the Valkyrie. However, Steve is conflicted about his motive for
volunteering for the mission. Is it duty to fellow astronauts or lingering
emotions for Claire?

As NASA and the U.S. State Department scramble for a solution, Claire
investigates what caused the improbable accident. She learns of a sinister
plot to use the ISS as a retaliatory weapon aimed at Washington, D.C. This
compels her to try to piece together who and how the station was sabotaged
before it is too late.

The people behind the attack will stop at nothing to keep the identity of the
culprit a secret. Even if someone can save her and the crew, Claire is the
only one who knows what really happened, making her the target of an
international assassin. The stakes are high as all parties understand that the
incident could spark World War III.

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LGBTQ+ Dark Romantasy

Date Published: April 10, 2026

Devil’s Man: Roman vows to have Carter, a reclusive professor, one way or
another. Roman’s devilish scheme to seduce Carter succeeds, to the great
pleasure of all involved, but their tryst ends with dire consequences. To stay
alive, Roman and Carter will have to face their deepest fears.

Between the Covers: Leah has to discover why Loveland College students are
obsessed with having sex in her section of the college library. Leah turns to
Sam, a Campus Security Detective, for expert advice. Together they seek the
truth… Between the Covers.

Mayan Destiny: Professor Patrice Valez dreams of Mayan ruins and gods of old.
When she wins a grant to study an obscure Mayan temple, she’s stunned, and not
entirely happy, to discover her Mayan obsession has a purpose — and a price.

Bump in the Night — “Department of Paranormal Research.” Wade’s colleagues
laugh at the title on his office door. But if he can debunk the ghosts of the
famed Hoag Mansion, he’ll finally start getting the recognition he deserves.
What he finds instead are things that go bump in the night…

“Over here.”

There was an impatient huff before a woman said, “I thought you said you
knew where it was.”

Leah Spencer paused in the act of replacing a book into its proper Dewey
decimal order on the shelf. She looked around but didn’t see anyone. Still,
the sounds of heavy breathing were coming from a nearby location.

“I do. It’s right here.” Teeth of a zipper were parted.

“That is not what I’m looking for.” This time instead of sounding
aggrieved, the female’s voice dripped with amusement.

Oh, crap. Not again. Her section of the library had to be the hottest
make out spot on campus lately.

“Suck me,” a male voice hissed.

“Like this?”

“Oh, yeah. That’s it.”

He started to moan. Wet sounds slipped between the logically ordered
tomes to reach Leah’s ears. Her face heated, and so did her feminine core.

“Lick it.”

Apparently his lover complied because inarticulate encouragement ensued.
Leah considered peeking around the spines to catch a glimpse of their faces so
she could give a description to campus security, but as soon as she moved, the
book in her hands rasped against the ones on the shelf at her waist.

“What was that?” the woman asked, suspicious.

Leah froze, her heart beating frantically at the thought of being
discovered. It would certainly get her fired if the administration learned
she’d been listening to, rather than interrupting, the copulating couple.
Assuming, of course, that she survived the humiliation of being labeled a
sexual voyeur.

“It’s nothing. Ignore it,” her partner replied.

“I really think –”

He cut her off. “No one ever comes up here. No one except people like
us. Might get crowded, but we’re not going to get in trouble.”

His partner seemed reassured by his explanation. “Yeah, I guess you’re
right.”

Safe for the moment, Leah carefully stepped out of her shoes so her feet
wouldn’t make a sound as she dashed down the main corridor, away from the
action. Once she’d reached her miniscule office, she picked up the phone and
dialed a number she knew by heart.

“It’s happening again,” Leah said as soon as Campus Security Detective
Samuel Zheng answered.

“Damn. That makes the fourth time today.”

The husky tenor of his voice jumpstarted the lust already simmering in
her veins. Leah wished she were brave enough to intimately touch herself
during one of these conversations. So far, she hadn’t dared. But to come to
the sound of his voice, to be that close to him whether he knew it or not,
would be… would be… pathetic.

“Leah?”

She sighed, dismissing the fantasy and zeroing in on reality. “Yeah, I’m
here.”

“I’m on my way. Don’t let them leave.”

Right, she thought as the dial tone echoed in her ear. Even if Sam ran
the whole way, it would take him ten minutes to arrive. She was a
five-foot-nothing couch potato. How was she supposed to restrain two healthy
adults if they were determined to go? Keep them riveted with a discourse on
the finer points of fellatio?

Assuming they hadn’t already left, she’d have to stay where she could
monitor them. Listening to their passionate directives. Picturing them…

Enough!

As quietly as she could, Leah tiptoed back to her hiding place. Again,
somehow she betrayed her presence. Damn Sam for asking her to do his job!

“There’s another noise,” the woman hissed. “Someone’s coming.”

“No one is coming but me, baby. Suck me a little harder, would ya?”

The woman chuckled softly. “Mmm, you’re such a big boy. Gonna have to
find something special to do for you.” In the quiet, close quarters, Leah
detected the rustle of fabric, followed by the snick of a bra being undone.
“How about this, stud? Does it do anything for you?”

“That… is so… hot.”

Images of what they might be doing flickered through Leah’s mind. She
closed her eyes. Their out-of-sync heavy breathing fueled the white-hot lust
pulsing between her legs. She envisioned a pair of plump breasts surrounding a
hard shaft, the rosy head peeking up from the deep, lily-white valley.

“Gonna let me fuck you?” the guy panted out.

“No, I want you to come like this. All over my breasts.”

“Oh, yeah.”

The smell of sex permeated the air. Leah’s clit throbbed. She didn’t
want to risk moving around too much for fear of scaring them off, but she had
to do something to soothe the ache in her swollen clit. Using the only option
that came to mind, Leah placed a heavy tome between her legs. As quietly as
possible, she ground against it so the rigid spine rode over her pussy,
sending ripples of pleasure through her body.

People often teased her about getting off on books, but this was the
first time she’d actually attempted it. The thought almost made her giggle,
but she choked it off.

“That’s it. Fuck my tits, stud.”

“Gonna come,” he announced.

“Do it for me. Do it now.”

Leah was near the edge herself. As he grunted through his climax, Leah
rubbed the book between her legs. Given the volume’s size, it took both hands
although she badly wished one were free to pluck at her pebbled nipples.

She’d never felt so wanton in her life. She imagined semen coating the
woman’s breasts, his hands...]]> Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:00:32 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/b_NPwv2xBJ69s5ptvkTiqcxtJOF8qlMF https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/b_NPwv2xBJ6EZxFxWaCRSoQJaVzJofTn

Trauma Memoir

Date Published: February 10, 2026

Publisher: Unbroken

 Adriene Caldwell is an author and advocate from Houston, Texas. Her memoir,
Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines, traces the quiet aftermath of childhood
trauma and the long arc of healing. Through writing, talks, and
UnbrokenCaldwell.com, she champions hope, resilience, and storytelling as
tools for recovery.

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Western Historical Fiction

Date Published: 08-19-2025

Publisher:
Artemesia Publishing, LLC

As the Kelly Can Saga continues, Charlie and his wife, Susan, must deal with
continued conflict as they attempt to grow their fledgling Kelly Oil Company.
Like many other oilmen, Charlie and his partner, Hank Thomas, want to acquire
oil and mineral rights to the Osage Nation’s land in northern Oklahoma.
This leads them to confrontations with an adversary from their recent past.
Susan’s life is imperiled by those evil characters. How will her cowboy
come to her rescue and deal with dangerous direct threats on their lives?
Charlie rapidly steps up to the challenge as any past Top Hand at the
world-famous Miller’s 101 Ranch would.

About the Author

E. Joe Brown is an award-winning author of
novels, short stories, and memoirs. His current projects include a series of
historical fiction novels set in his native Oklahoma. Publication of the first
book in the series is scheduled for August 2022. His memoir ‘Mickey and
Me’ about meeting his hero, Mickey Mantle, is now featured in the
National Baseball Hall of Fame. Joe currently serves as President of New
Mexico Westerners, an Advisor to the SWW Board of Directors, and is a member
of Western Writers of America and Military Writers Society of
America.

He supports his love of music and performance through
active membership in the International Western Music Association. He served on
the organization’s board of directors for three years. In 2013, Governor
Susanna Martinez appointed him a New Mexico Music Commissioner.

 Veterans
Portrait Project, Military, USAF

Photo Courtesy of

Stacy
Pearsall’s

Veterans Portrait Project

 

Joe concluded his lifetime
military and civil service careers upon retirement on June 30, 2010. An
exciting multi-faceted career of firsts included leading the USAF Range
Instrumentation Team to aid the original NASA Space Shuttle program. His team
helped create the Shuttle Worldwide Network and supported the first six
missions of Space Shuttle Columbia. As the Air Force Flight Test Center
Project Manager, he guided the design, construction, and implementation of the
Benefield Anechoic Facility on Edwards AFB. The facility tests
state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems in a secure environment. His final
assignment was in direct support of the two-star Major General at Edwards AFB
where he advised on strategic planning to assure future readiness to test USAF
and Department of Defense weapons systems.

An alumnus of the
Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Joe continued his
engineering education during both his military and civil service careers. He
completed coursework at the University of Colorado, Georgia Institute of
Technology, George Washington University, University of Tennessee, Chapman
University, and the University of California at Los Angeles. He later
completed a BS in Business Management at Phoenix University and the Executive
MBA program with a Strategic Planning emphasis from Webster University.

Joe
has been married to his wife Linda for over fifty years, and their sons have
given them five beautiful grandchildren.

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Children’s Fantasy Adventure, Educational Fiction / Learning
Adventure,

Date Published: February 27, 2026

Tilly, a clever and kind-hearted young badger, discovers a mossy wooden gate
hidden among vines and roots, setting her on an unexpected path: the legendary
Wisdom Trials. With her loyal companions, the Brainy Bunch, she journeys
through a series of challenges that test more than just book smarts. From
riddle gates and logic tunnels to kindness puzzles and courage quests, each
trial demands wit, empathy, and commitment.

Written in lyrical rhyme and brimming with wonder, Tilly and the Wisdom Trials
is the first book in the Critter Quest Academy Collection – a series that
blends adventure, problem-solving, and joyful learning in an underground world
of whimsical crifters. Ideal for fans of The Questioneers and The Tale of
Despereaux, this story celebrates curiosity, resilience, and the magic of a
mind set on discovery.

About the Author

David previously developed the educational math games El Mathador and Treasure
Math, helping students build confidence through play. He is also the author of
The Star of Shanraz, a novel for teen readers. His latest work focuses on the
Prairie City Adventures and Critter Quest Academy books, beginning with Tilly
and the Wisdom Trials, the featured launch title that introduces young readers
to a whimsical underground world where questions, puzzles, and curiosity guide
the journey.

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Steampunk Romantic Suspense

Date Published: April 10, 2026

 Clara looks for love in an alien city of lust. Can Cressida’s passion
save the love of her life?

Automaton engineers Clara Wheeler and Edmund Blake travel to the moon with
spiritualist Cordelia and her automaton lover, Adam, along with Home Office
Agent Harry Kincaid. Clara has a suspicion their chaperones, the lusty
Lunarians Pamela and Burton, are not the beautiful technologically advanced
benefactors they seem. Clara fears the pair are hideous monsters, killing
humans to possess their bodies.

Cressida Troy, now the Empress of Space, Nil Ilson, has sacrificed her
humanity to marry the Lunarian emperor, Mon Ilson — perhaps the most powerful
witch of them all. As their visit to the lusty city progresses, both in and
out of bed, Clara learns more than she wanted. She fears the experiment to
open a portal to the other side risks not only the destruction of the
Lunarians, but of humanity as well.

I am very old, sometimes new, and my changes are looked forward to.

I am mostly silver, and occasionally wear a ruddy hue, but I am hardly ever
blue.

I am brightest at night, and control the oceans with all my might.

And bless toiling farmers with my pearly light.

What am I?

Embarrassingly childish doggerel I know, but I enjoy composing riddles. They
also afford a distraction from troubling thoughts. The puzzles can be complex
and obtuse which I relish, or simple and obvious. The former irritates Edmund,
my fellow Lovelace Protocol engineer exceedingly. He accuses me of showing
off.

In the circumstances this one was far too easy to solve, and Burton Sobel, my
Lunarian guide who’d become my lover, didn’t even bother saying
the solution. He condescended to give me a reassuring smile as he tightened
the buckle of my seat belt.

In desperate need for a more substantial diversion, I looked up into his
handsome face with an obvious invitation. Taking the hint his lips quickly
claimed mine with a passionate kiss. I returned it with enthusiasm, and felt
instantly guilty, for I was simply using him. I needed him on my side if I was
to solve the Lunarian riddle.

“Don’t be concerned,” he said after a long moment. He had
mint green eyes, and his unwavering regard was disconcerting. Did he know what
I was up to, I wondered. “I will look after you. I promise.”

“Thank you,” I told him, and snatched another kiss. I had to be
sure I’d won him back after my beastly accusations. Though I believed
them to be true, for the moment I must deny them. “You’ve been
very kind. I’m quite recovered. I apologise for my wild
imaginings.”

“Don’t dwell on it,” he said, and kissed me again.
“It’s been a difficult few days.” He gave my hand a squeeze
before pushing himself away to check on my fellow passengers.

Difficult indeed. The two automatons, Jack and Jill, my colleague Edmund Blake
had been ordered to take to the Moon had broken their Lovelace Protocols and
tried to kill Miss Cordelia Warrington, one of our fellow passengers.

I watched Burton glide gracefully toward the others. Like all Lunarians he was
preternaturally beautiful, and that observation made me rehash my fears about
them. Why did they look like us? If, as the rumours went, they came from the
planet Mars, how was it they resembled humans in every respect? If Mr. Darwin
was correct, that species evolved over time by accidental mutation, and the
successful alteration selected by nature, how could two species separated by
the gulf of space be so alike?

Not only that. Why were they so good-looking? Every Lunarian I had met, and
granted that was precious few, were striking in their attractiveness. The
observation was not mine alone. Even The Times declared them “diamonds
of the first water — exquisite, flawless, and as radiant as the Koh-i-Noor
that graces our Sovereign’s crown.”

What aspect of impartial nature could select so handsome a race? Was that
selection natural at all? I thought not.

That was not the only aspect that caused me discomfort. It was their
character. Noted again by newspaper columnists who had the opportunity to meet
them, the people from the moon were always polite to extremis in private,
their behaviour in public impeccable. To me they were just too perfect.

That they had first come to the attention of the general public with a
dazzling display of raw power — destroying hundreds of airships and navy
vessels in an instant. That dramatic appearance had saved the empire from a
sneak attack by our European foes. The Queen’s wholehearted embrace of
them, natural enough I suppose as they had come to us in our hour of need,
worried me. The officious manner in which Her Majesty’s agents had
press-ganged Edmund and me into our current situation further deepened my
suspicions.

If that wasn’t enough, what I had surmised in the last few days
terrified me. It seemed their leader, Mon Ilson, was a powerful witch who had
mastery over life and death. Apparently, Mon Ilson was immortal. Our mission
was to bring automatons to the moon so he could experiment on transferring the
soul of a dead man into a machine. This was impossible, I was certain, however
it seemed he could harness his magical powers to make the transfer possible.

The dark conclusion of my fears and surmising was that I suspected that Mon
Ilson was transferring the souls of Lunarians into the bodies of humans he had
killed. Not that he should choose only ill-featured victims, but he selected
only attractive people to kill. It seemed to make his crime more perverse, if
that were possible. My thread of reasoning was absurdly simple, like my silly
riddles. No wonder Edmund scoffed and thought me eligible for a darkened cell
in Bedlam or Coney Hatch. He had pulled at each strand, and my surmises had
unravelled — at least in his estimation — into a messy pile of yarn. He
seemed unaware that his infatuation with his Lunarian lover may have biased
his criticism.

Nevertheless, I had entertained the notion that I was the victim of a crazed
delusion, but Mr. Frasier — Cordelia’s contact in the spirit world —
had given me some hope. Discovering that there really was a spirit world was
yet another assault on my scientific creed. That I now relied upon a dead man
to seek out the souls of those foully murdered by Mon Ilson to prove my claim,
made me further doubt my sanity.

Madness aside, my assertion that the Lunarians intended to subjugate all of
humanity, employing the military and industrial might of our Empire to
accomplish it, was as clear to me as water. What galled me most was the
betrayal of our sovereign, Queen Victoria. Willing or unwilling, weak or
wilful, it seemed to me she had become a partner in this most diabolical
crime, and it saddened me deeply to think it.

So, what was I to do about this?

I looked about the cabin. We were a strange collection: three women, two men,
and one automa...]]> Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:00:41 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/b_NPwv2xBJ6Wctk75DCZtFeLDVpfHbpF https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/b_NPwv2xBJ6Wctk75DCZtNyVu7n0dbzF

A Nick Drake Novel, Book 10

Date Published: 04-30-2026

Publisher: Jackdaw Press

New Badge. Old Blood.

Nick Drake traded his past for the Sheriff’s star, but Harney County
doesn’t do election honeymoons. His tenure kicks off with a double
homicide staged as a murder-suicide—a lie Nick isn’t buying. As he digs
into the crime’s rotting core, the rookie Sheriff finds himself fighting
a war on two fronts: a lethal learning curve with unproven deputies and a
political recall designed to bury him. In the high lonesome where secrets
kill, Nick must strike first and strike hard. Because in this office, the only
thing shorter than his term is his life expectancy.

Excerpt

 

Chapter 1

Potholes on a road I’d never traveled before grabbed at the wheels like
a bad conscience seeking redemption. It led to a ranch east of Burns
surrounded by withered hayfields scratched out of a dead sea of sage scrub.
Tumbleweeds hung on rusty strands of sagging barbed wire. The wind-scoured
house and barn looked ready to give up the ghost. If the call that brought me
out proved true, the owners already had.

A brand new 1980 Cadillac Sedan de Ville was parked out front. The color made
me think of the old saw about red skies in the morning. The driver’s
door opened and released a cloud of cigar smoke followed by a big man wearing
a pearl snap-button shirt and stockman boots. He set a summertime Stetson atop
his crew cut and eyed the seven-point gold star on the door of my rig.

“I take it you’re the new sheriff,” he said. “I heard
Harney County had a special election to fill the boots of the old one who got
hisself killed.”

“Nick Drake,” I said. “And you are?”

“Red Caldera.” He chuckled. “Yup, I know, heckuva moniker.
My folks idea at being clever. Pleased to make your acquaintance, though the
situation inside is none too pleasing. Couple been dead a week, be my
guess.”

When I didn’t make a move toward the house, he clicked his cheek.
“I woulda thought you’d charge right in, but maybe you don’t
know you’re s’posed to on account you’re new to
sheriffing.”

“If they’re dead like you say, what I need to know first is why
you went inside uninvited.”

The straw cowboy hat reared back as he aimed his double chin at me.
“Now, hold it right there. I didn’t do nothing wrong. I’m
the one called it in and I’m the one been cooling my heels on a hotter
than a firecracker morning waiting for you to show up.”

About the Author

Dwight Holing is the award-winning author of twenty books, including the
bestselling Nick Drake Mysteries and the popular Jack McCoul Capers. He is a
member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Western Writers of
America. He lives beside a coastal river in California with his wife and two
dogs who’d rather swim than walk.

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Fiction / Short Stories

Date Published: February 24, 2026

About the Author

Norris’s writing is characterized by its warmth, wit, and ability to
capture the complexities of human relationships, drawing from her own
experiences and family traditions. Through her work, she invites readers to
reflect on the importance of resilience, hope, and unconditional love, weaving
together narratives that resonate across generations.

She and her husband, Quincy, reside in the picturesque city of Hartford,
Connecticut, where they continue to inspire others through their commitment to
storytelling and community engagement.

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Leadership, Business

Date Published: March 13, 2026

Why do confident people keep getting promoted over competent ones?

Why does modern leadership often look like meetings, buzzwords, and no real
decisions?

M.B.A. is a sharp, satirical business book that examines the uncomfortable
realities of modern education, leadership, and corporate culture. With dry
humor and analytical clarity, it challenges the myths surrounding higher
education, management, teamwork, and “hard work,” revealing why so
many smart, capable professionals feel stuck despite doing everything they
were told would lead to success.

This book explores why credentials don’t equal competence, why
confidence is often mistaken for leadership, and why organizations reward
appearance over results. It breaks down how flawed systems—not a lack of
talent—create inefficiency, burnout, and poor leadership across
companies, institutions, and workplaces. Rather than offering motivational
clichés or productivity hacks, it provides a clear-eyed explanation of
how professional life actually functions in today’s economy.

Written for professionals, managers, MBA candidates, and anyone questioning
the value of modern business culture, M.B.A. exposes the gap between titles
and ability, education and outcomes, and leadership language versus leadership
behavior. It explains why teams frequently slow down high performers, why
clarity feels threatening in organizations, and why real competence often goes
unnoticed.

This is not a self-help book. It’s not a business manifesto. And
it’s not another guide filled with inspirational quoquoteI

It’s a calm, unsentimental critique of the systems that shape education,
leadership, and work—and a guide to understanding them without buying
into the illusions they sell.

If you’re tired of corporate buzzwords, skeptical of MBA hype,
frustrated by ineffective leadership, or curious why the modern workplace
rewards the wrong behaviors, this book will give you the language and clarity
to finally make sense of it.

About the Author

Drew Christensen is an entrepreneur and corporate leader who has spent years
inside large organizations observing how confidence, credentials, and
presentation often outperform competence. His writing blends satire with
clear-eyed analysis, exploring the quiet absurdities of modern business,
leadership, and professional life.

Influenced by the idea to “give rise to mind while abiding
nowhere,” his work resists rigid frameworks, fashionable doctrines, and
credential-driven certainty in favor of independent thinking and practical
judgment.

He lives in the United States with his wife and a total of fifteen animals,
depending on how generously one defines the term. This includes three dogs,
two cats, two in-laws, one dog-in-law, and four cats-in-law. The remaining
three animals reject the premise outright and insist on being classified as
“children.”

Masters of the Bullshitting Arts is his second

Amazon

Historical Fiction

Date Published: 10-07-2025

Publisher: NorthStar Press

About the Author

 Candace Simar likes to imagine how things might have been. She combines her
love of history with her Scandinavian heritage in historical novels that
examine the early days of Minnesota and North Dakota. “I write
historical novels to share painless history lessons about the fascinating and
unique history of our region.”

Her historical novels include: Sister Lumberjack, book five in the Abercrombie
Trail Series (North Star Press, March 2024) Follow Whiskey Creek (Sweet Honey
Press 2023) Escape to Fort Abercrombie (Five Star Cengage 2018) Shelterbelts
(North Star Press 2015), Blooming Prairie (North Star Press 2012) Birdie
(North Star Press2011) Pomme de Terre (North Star Press 2010), and Abercrombie
Trail (North Star Press 2009). Her short story collections: Dear Homefolks
(River Place Press 2017) and The Glory of Ordinary Time (Wolfpack Press 2018).
Farm Girls (River Place Press 2013) is a book of poetry co-written with her
sister, Angela Foster. Candace’s short stories have been published in
the anthologies: Spoilt Quilt (Five Star Cengage 2020), Librarians of the West
(Five Star Cengage 2021); and Why Cows Need Cowboys (Two Dot Press 2021).

Simar is a Spur Award winner and Spur finalist from the Western Writers of
America for her Abercrombie Trail series. Shelterbelts was a finalist in both
the Willa Literary Awards in Historical Fiction and the Midwest Book Awards.
Escape to Fort Abercrombie holds a Will Rogers Gold Medallion and a Peacemaker
Award from Western Fictioneers.

Her short stories and poetry have received awards from the Bob Dylan Creative
Writing Contest, Lake Region Review, League of Minnesota Poets, National
Federation of State Poetry Societies, Dust and Fire, and the Laura Awards for
Short Fiction.

Candace enjoys sharing her research and writing with groups and book clubs
across the nation.

Website

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https://mybook.to/MontanaMatrimonialNews 

Amazon

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Bookshop

Date Published: April 3, 2026

Dacre Jennings has been given the job of protecting Carley while she’s
off at college. The same classmates who make light of her silence also make
fun of him, too. He doesn’t care that they think she lives with the old
man. He’d rather she lived with him than alone. He sees the real woman,
and he’s been in love with her for as long as he’s worked for the
family.

With threats on her life, Dacre refuses to let Carley be used or abused.
He’ll put his life on the line for her, as long as he knows he’s
got her heart as well.

Carley Mathers closed her notebook and put her pen back in the front pocket of
her backpack. She wasn’t a fan of taking notes, but the only way
she’d keep the dates for all the paintings straight was to write them
down.

“Going home to Grandpa?” Selena, one of the girls Carley thought
she might become friends with, asked. “Hang around people your own age.
Do some gambling. Party or something else that’s normal?”

“Would it kill you to go to the frat party?” Missy snapped.
“You like to drink. Guys like you. Might get us some action and we could
win some money, since you’ve got tons. You can spare some. Any of that
ring a bell?”

Carley rolled her eyes and zipped her backpack. She’d had enough of
those vices. It was time to grow up and settle down — or at least take her
education seriously. Growing up the daughter of a politician and influencer
was bad enough, but she’d exploited her position for years.

She grabbed her backpack and turned on her heel, ignoring the women. She
hadn’t come to the University of Nevada to be sucked into a gambling
situation. She’d wanted to further her education.

“God, she’s such a fucking snob,” Missy said.
“Won’t talk to anyone.”

“That old man is her boyfriend,” Selena said. “Probably
won’t let her go out. Has to keep her on a leash.”

If they only knew… Carley left the lecture hall and met Dacre in the
lobby. “Hiya, Grandpa.”

“Grandpa?” Dacre left his post by the doorway and fell in step
with her. “That’s a new one.”

“Not all that new.”

“Who said it?”

She stopped near the entrance doors to the art building and nodded over her
shoulder. “The two brunettes over there. They wanted me to go to a frat
party and make a damn fool of myself. I’ve had it with those
days.”

He held the door for her as she stepped into the early October sunshine.
“It’s warmer than I thought it would be.”

“I don’t mind. I like the warmth.” She elbowed him as they
walked together. “They said I’m a snob.”

“You are.”

She jabbed him again. “Take that back.”

“Sorry, but no.” He kept walking. “You don’t talk to
anyone, don’t mix with your peers, and keep to yourself.”

“That doesn’t make me a snob.”

“No,” he said. “But you come to class wearing expensive
stuff and not talking much. It allows people to make up their own stories
about you. They know what you’ve done and expect you’ll keep doing
it.”

She sighed. She’d been such a bad girl in her younger days. Younger
days… who was she kidding? She was only nineteen. But in her short
years, she’d drunk most everyone under the table. She’d partied
more than anyone her age should’ve been doing and tried too many things
that should’ve been forbidden for someone underage. Being the child of
wealth meant no one kept her in line — certainly not her parents. As far as
she was concerned, her parents used her bad behavior to further their own
causes.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to touch a
nerve.”

“It’s okay.” She shrugged. “It’s not like I can
hide my past. I can’t hide my name, either. Everyone thinks they know
who I am, but no one takes the time to get to know the real me.”

“You don’t exactly open yourself up to it.” He joined her at
the truck. “You’re a wonderful person and cute as a button, but no
one sees it. All they see is you keeping tight-lipped and away from
everyone.”

“Wouldn’t you?” She fell onto the passenger seat. She waited
for him to do a quick search of the vehicle before he joined her in the cab.
“All clear?”

“Clear.” He closed the driver’s side door. “I
don’t blame you for being guarded. I told you, it’s perfectly
fine. You’ve had a lot of attention, and I get why you don’t want
it.”

She clicked her belt into place. “But?”

“But you’re not going to escape it. Unless you change your name or
completely change your face, you’re going to have to put up with the
attention.” He put the truck into gear. “The girls said
you’re a snob?”

“And wanted me to go to a party to act the fool and get them
guys.” She arranged her backpack between her feet, then withdrew her
phone. The device buzzed, drawing her attention. “Sorry. I won’t
be your circus animal.”

“I’d like to think that’s not the case, but I’m sure
it is.” He drove across the student lot. “It doesn’t help
that I’m following you around and trying to keep you safe. They see me
around and think I’m some kind of old pervert.”

“My grandfather.” She swiped through the screens to her texts.
“You don’t look that old.”

“Grandfather?” he asked. “I’m only twenty years older
than you. Yes, I could be your father, but grandfather? I’m hurt.”

“You don’t look thirty-nine.”

“Forty, but who’s counting?”

“When did you turn forty?” She put her phone down and stared at
him. “Why didn’t I know when you had your birthday?”
She’d been oblivious for years, but this was inexcusable.

“Two months ago.” He shrugged and flexed his hands on the wheel.
“It’s okay. I try not to remember it.”

“That’s not right. We should’ve had a party.”

“You were moving into school. I had better things to do and you
didn’t need to be concerned with me.” He kept driving through
campus to the condominiums.

“I don’t care. I would’ve liked to have known so we
could’ve had a party, even if it was just you and me.” She
would’ve done something nice for him and even bought a present.

“Your father told me to keep it quiet.”

“He’s a jackass.” She wasn’t the biggest fan of her
famous father. “I hate that he said that.”

“It’s okay.”

“Stop saying that.” She picked her phone up again. “This
stupid thing won’t stop buzzing. I don’t have anything due or
reminders set.” She’d been careful to note when she had to turn in
projects and if she had tests so she didn’t blow her grade point
average. She refused to keep riding her parents’ coattails.

“What’s up?” He parked in the garage of the condo they
shared. “Another test?”

“Nope.” She scrolled through the message, then swiped to her email
where she read the rest of the information. “Fucking hell.”

“Watch your mouth.” He put...]]> Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:47 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/b_NPwv2xBJ7ICsfDenYzY2JsIeHWW_qR https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/b_NPwv2xBJ5_W0v8tWTWIHiqiiu3Ckk3

Historical Fiction

Date Published: April 1, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Intrigued by his grave past, Father Nelson brings him into the church as an
altar boy under the mentorship of Harry, an older acolyte. The priest quickly
gains control over Jamie, using the boy’s complicated history and his
own undisputed authority to initiate a dark turn in their relationship. Jamie
falls deeper into the world of religion, and his blooming friendship with
Harry becomes a needed distraction from the somber realities of the church.

Shaped by major cultural events, from the Manson murders to the moon landing,
to Woodstock and the Civil Rights Movement, Jamie’s life unfolds as he
navigates religion, power, and loss of innocence. A haunting coming of age
story, Boy Altared explores a seismic shift into adulthood during one of the
most turbulent decades in history.

 J.S. Pavoggi was born in 1957 and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, the sixth of
eight children in a devout Catholic family. He attended parochial school,
served as an altar boy, and came of age during the turbulence of the Vietnam
War era and the cultural upheaval that followed.

After a 40-year career in public service with the United States Postal
Service—where he also served as a union representative—Pavoggi
experienced a life-altering heart procedure that changed the way he saw the
world. What began as an impulse to write a better streaming series evolved
into a powerful, fictionalized account of survival and healing.

His debut novel, Boy Altared, is a deeply personal work of historical fiction
rooted in memory, silence, and resilience. Pavoggi lives in Arizona with his
wife of 38 years. They have three children and four grandchildren.

Contact Links

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The Tale of Ol’ Split Toe

Science & Nature/Environment Science Fiction/Time Travel Literature &
Fiction/Action & Adventure

Date Published: 03-31-2026

Publisher: Mission Point Press

Split Toe witnesses two hundred years of conflict building between modern
humans — who fight to control the natural world — and Mother Nature, who
repeatedly reaches for balance. He wonders whether human ways will ultimately
overpower Mother Nature, until he meets a boy who changes everything.

 Dan Ellens is an outdoor enthusiast who is passionate about connecting people
with nature. He spends nearly half of each year in an isolated,
electricity-free treehouse on Winterfield Pines Nature Sanctuary with
woodstove heat, handpump water, and oil lamp lighting.

Dan has written four nonfiction books intended to inspire adventure, promote
self-sufficient lifestyles, and connect people with nature.

While not in the wilds, Dan and his wife live in the small community of Salem,
Michigan.

Website

Facebook

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LinkedIn: Daniel S. Ellens

https://mybook.to/ForestLegend

Amazon Paperback

Amazon eBook

Christian Devotional, Inspirational Personal Testimonies

Date Published: 11-15-2025

Publisher: Acorn Book Services

EXCERPT

The Hardest Climb

The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail…. 

Isaiah 32:2

Growing up, my family had the opportunity to visit Israel a few times. On my first trip, we had heard about a waterfall at En Gedi, the desert oasis where King David hid from Saul. Our trusted tour guide started our group on the right path and then left us to find our own way. It was summer, and the sun was intense. After barely five minutes, I was already feeling desperate for some ice water; the lukewarm bottle I carried wasn’t cutting it.

Shortly into the hike, we encountered a man coming down the trail toward us. His face flushed, he looked hot and worn out. As he passed he said, “Don’t waste your time, it’s not worth it.” We paused, discouraged. We’d heard that the waterfall was beautiful, but this new account made us doubt. Was it worth further misery? The unanimous decision was to keep going. We resumed our arduous and uncertain trek.

Somewhere along the trail, the trees that initially served as a canopy for us disappeared. The sky was pure blue and gave the sun’s rays a clear shot. The heat became more extreme and the “path” soon turned to dusty, stone “steps”. Occasionally, we got off track and had to retrace our steps to find where we had gone wrong. I felt somewhat lost in the desert and wondered how long until we reached the end and if I’d have enough strength.

Finally, exhausted, we found the oasis. It was located in a protective rock cove and covered in vegetation. As I descended the path down into the cove, just seeing the water splashing off the green foliage made me feel cooler…or maybe the mist drifting through the air helped. We took off our shoes and waded into the pool. The hot desert we had just endured was a stark contrast to the cold, refreshing relief which now surrounded us. 

Had we turned around any sooner, our efforts would have felt pointless. Had it been a cool day and an easy climb, we may not have appreciated God’s beauty as much as we did. We could have missed what became one of my favorite experiences of the trip. There are several small waterfalls along the way up, and our conclusion was that the stranger must have given up before having reached the waterfall. 

 

As we headed back, we passed others in search of the oasis. They looked hot and weary. We simply advised, “Keep going, it’s absolutely worth it!”

Father, there are times in life when discouragement weighs us down, slowing or even stopping our progress. Help us encourage one another and build each other up. In whatever difficult trials and challenges we are experiencing, help us to not give up but instead remember that the best view comes after the hardest climb. Amen.

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Children’s Picture Books

Date Published: March 10, 2026

Meet Rhea! She is a big, fluffy German Shepherd with a wiggly tail. She
is brave and strong, but she has a tiny secret: loud thunder makes her want to
hide.

Meet Crowley! He is a clever crow with shiny feathers. But he has a big worry
for a bird: looking down from the sky makes him feel dizzy!

One day, on a camping trip, Rhea follows a yummy smell deep into the woods.
But as she wanders further and further away from her tent, she gets lost just
as big storm clouds begin to gather above her. But she isn’t alone in the dark
woods. She stumbles upon Crowley, a bird who would rather hop than fly.

Now, this dog and bird must become a team. Can they help each other be brave
enough to find Rhea’s way back to the campsite?

A story they won’t outgrow

A Story That Grows With Your Child! This book features two versions of Rhea
and Crowley’s adventure:

Read 1 – The Read-Aloud: Short, rhythmic, and full of fun sounds for toddlers
(Ages 1-5)

Read 2 -The Early Reader: An expanded story with more details and dialogue for
independent readers (Ages 6-9)

About the Author

 G.D’s storytelling spark was ignited in the hallowed land of Wales, where his
childhood was spent exploring the sea until the legendary midnight summer
twilight. His journey led him through academia, earning degrees in Computer
Science and Operations Management, culminating in a PhD focused on Virtual
Reality.

​While pursuing his studies in Nottingham, he met his wife. Together, their
spirit of adventure took them first to New Zealand, where G.D worked in the
video game industry and taught Scuba Diving. A seemingly simple job inquiry
brought them to California, a place they planned to “try for one year,” and
where they still reside almost fourteen years later in Redondo Beach.

The family, which welcomed their son in 2012, is completed by Rhea, their
quirky German Shepherd. Rhea became the key inspiration for G.D’s first book,
ABC’s With Rhea, A doggy journey through the alphabet. Having observed that
children learn best through stories, G.D wrote this book to craft a specific,
relatable world for each letter, encouraging children to connect deeply with
the subject.

He has recently published his second book, Olly’s Journey, and is already hard
at work weaving new tales and adventures for his readers.

G.D’s mission is to empower children to pursue their own creative writing
journey.

Contact Links

Author Website

BookBuzz

Purchase Link

Amazon

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A Collection Inspired by True Stories of the Jewish Immigrant Experience

 

Historical Fiction

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Almost There offers an intimate, emotionally resonant portrait of the
Jewish immigrant experience in early twentieth-century America. This
collection of linked short stories follows individuals who faced the
uncertainty of a new land, summoned the courage to navigate unfamiliar
cultures, and endured the antisemitism that shaped their world.

While fictionalized, these narratives were inspired by interviews with
Americans who shared memories of their immigrant ancestors. Their stories
unfold against the backdrop of sweeping historical events, such as the Great
Depression, World War II, the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of
Israel.

Poignant and powerful, Almost There illuminates a pivotal chapter in American
history and speaks to the timeless search for belonging, identity, and home.

About the Author

 Award-winning writer Jean Seager graduated from the University of California,
Berkeley, and received two graduate degrees from San Diego State University.
Her writing has appeared in the

literary publications Mikrokosmos and The Long Story. In 2018, her story
“The Award” won second place in the San Diego Public
Library’s short story contest.

A granddaughter of Jewish immigrants who came to America from eastern Europe
in the early twentieth century, Jean was fascinated by her mother’s
stories of growing up as a second-generation immigrant in Tennessee’s
tobacco country. The Jewish immigrant experience continued to intrigue her and
became the catalyst for her writing.

Jean is a native Californian and long-time resident of Coronado, a suburb of
San Diego, where she lives with her husband Bill.

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Children’s Book

This is a story for Elephant Lovers!

 Emma the Elephant is a tale about a young elephant who lives in the Kalahari
Desert with her wonderful herd. Emma the Elephant longs to be a strong, wise,
and big-hearted elephant like her mother Norma and her many aunties. After
learning to make good choices and experiencing hard-won life lessons, Emma the
Elephant eventually becomes the elephant she has always wanted to be.

About the Author

Ms. Alana is a publish school teach and has been spreading a love learning and
reading for decades. She two wonderful adult children who love to read!

Ms. Alana has always adored elephants; in fact, they are her favorite land
animal.

Ms. Alana and her “was-band” lived on a farm in Hawaii where she owned a
successful volcano tour company for seven years. She moved from Maui in 2023
and now continues to teach “on the mainland.”

Purchase Link

Amazon

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Mystery

Date Published: February 25, 2026

Publisher: Seacoast Press

The Guilt of Others opens with the sound of a gunshot in an overcrowded
office. But who was shot—and who pulled the trigger—remains a
mystery. Told through the intertwined perspectives of multiple characters,
each harboring secrets and scars from past and present, the story slowly
unravels the emotional and psychological web of trauma, secrets, and buried
motives binding them together. With nine suspects, three possible weapons, and
a detective whose instincts are starting to betray her, the search for the
truth unearths secrets no one was prepared to face.

About the Author

 Sara Burrell grew up in Mableton, Georgia. She is a graduate of Young Harris
College and The University of Georgia. Sara is in her twentieth year of
teaching, and is currently a teacher at an elementary school in Georgia where
she is the gifted program coordinator for third, fourth, and fifth grade
students. Her husband of 18 years, 2 children, 2 hound dogs, and 2 cats
provide plenty of adventure and excitement to her already-busy days. Through
all that, she also writes books. The Guilt of Others is her second novel. Her
first, Newsworthy, released in 2023, was praised for its suspenseful plot and
surprising twists.

Contact Links

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Amazon

B&N

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