Robert Scott Leyse (Shattercolors Press)
In Adoration and Affliction by Robert Scott Leyse, love and obsession walk a thin line. Each story explores how desire can quickly turn dark, from unwanted attention at a glamorous party to office flirtations gone wrong. Sixteen-year-old Nicoletta refuses to be a victim when her parents’ friend crosses the line, choosing her own path to justice. In another tale, Penelope’s body draws unwanted attention, leading to misunderstandings with dire consequences. Tales explore the unsettling side of infatuation, offering the possibility of romance, onl...
Anne Allen (Sarnia Press)
Anne Allen’s The Ghost of Seagull Cottage is the ninth book in The Guernsey series, and it tells the story of Annabel Easton, a recently widowed artist, and her ten-year-old daughter Emilia, as they relocate from Manchester to Annabel’s native Guernsey in search of a fresh start. They move into Seagull Cottage—a charming seaside home with a storied past and a resident ghost, Captain Daniel Gallienne, the original owner, who died 70 years ago in 1946. Initially unnerved, Annabel finds herself negotiating a truce with the salty but charismatic Da...
MP Summers (MP Summers)
Sketches from the Periphery by MP Summers is a novel set against the backdrop of the Darfur conflict in 2005-2006. Alexander Barr is a young American contractor supporting the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Sudan, and Cassandra is a Belgian journalist navigating war-torn Darfur. Through episodic encounters and multiple perspectives—including those of local rebels like Tariq and everyday Sudanese—the novel explores the intricate relationship between foreign intervention, local resistance, and personal awakenings. As Alex becomes immerse...
Andrew Charles Lark and Donald Levin (Whistlebox Press/Poison Toe Press)
The Devil’s Quill: A Quartet of Halloween Stories delivers a unique experience with four unnerving tales perfect for the haunted season. Within these pages, a reclusive genius unleashes a chilling experiment with deadly consequences; a grieving teen discovers that the line between sorrow and the supernatural is dangerously thin; a hardboiled detective is drawn into a web of ancient curses and secrets; and the arrival of a mysterious new kid at school turns childhood cruelty into something truly sinister. Written by Andrew Charles Lark and Donal...
Griz Calderon (Calliopezen Publishing LLC)
Chronicles of the Grim Reaper, Volume I is a compelling mosaic of stories that explore life, death, and the tenuous threads between them. Griz Calderon crafts a collection of vignettes: from “The Ending” and “The Beginning,” which frame the collection as explorations of transition, to mesmerizing tales such as “The First Harvest,” “The Quilt,” and “The Gift,” which meditate on memory, legacy, and the small acts that define a life. The scope of this collection is vast—the Presence in the Shadows” and “The Visit” offer intimate, spectral encounte...
Daniel Babka (Blue Squirrel Press)
Daniel Babka’s Lightning Bugs and Aliens is a nostalgic coming-of-age novella set in the small town of Twinsburg, Ohio, during the summer of 1959. The story follows thirteen-year-old Ben and his eclectic group of friends—Chip, Bobby, Mark, and Isiah—who experience the joys and anxieties of adolescence against the backdrop of Cold War paranoia, racial divides, and local intrigue. The boys’ adventures range from catching lightning bugs and exploring the woods to grappling with real-world dangers, such as a Mafia car bombing at Ben’s family tavern...
Brad Dude (Brad Dude & Associates)
Finding Eden: A Perilous Quest for a Safe Migrant Homeland by Brad Dude is a sweeping, multi-perspective novel that chronicles the perilous journey of migrants and asylum seekers as they flee war, persecution, and poverty in search of safety and a new home. The story unfolds in three acts: first, the shipwreck of the MV Ralik-Ratak, where desperate migrants overthrow their abusive smugglers; second, the humanitarian missions led by Captain Anna Kruger and her crew aboard the rescue ship MV Militobi as they attempt to deliver refugees to Europe,...
Florence Lea Dombey (Independently Published via KDP)
Consummate Confidences by Florence Dombey is the sixth book in The Willow Chronicle and a sweeping saga that examines crime, deception, and secrets in a seemingly idyllic town in 1957. The story follows Brittany Alistair Macey, who returns to her small hometown of Port Townsend after a daring escape to French Polynesia with Willow Benton, Carl Meyers’ daughter. While Bambi tries to rebuild her life with her infant daughter in her father’s vacant house, the town is shaken by the long-overdue return of Willow, who vanished from Honolulu months ea...
Steve J. Wagner (Steve J. Wagner)
Celestial Currents: The Unscripted Soul by Steve J. Wagner is an inspiring spiritual odyssey that follows Alice, a luminous soul who consciously chooses to experience life as a dynamic curriculum rather than a fixed destiny. Guided by her benevolent Spirit Guides—the wise Lyra, irreverent Kael, and insightful Elara—Alice ventures into the human realm, experiencing its joys, challenges, and inherent contradictions. Through her incarnations, she struggles with childhood innocence, social conditioning, romantic love, loss, and spiritual awakening....
Charlotte Stuart (Quartermaster Publishing)
Forget or Forgive? Never! by Charlotte Stuart is a dark and intense story about Callista, a woman with mismatched features who has endured a lifetime of bullying, rejection, and emotional pain. The story follows her journey from feeling powerless and invisible to plotting calculated acts of revenge against those who wronged her, including her boss, Dane Weaver, and colleagues who dismissed her contributions. As her desire for retaliation grows, she carefully plans and executes minor acts of sabotage and harassment while struggling with her mora...
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