Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 66 self-published titles below. Each appears with a list of retailers that are selling the book and a description provided by its author. Some of these writers are waiting to be discovered; others have track records and followings and are doing it on their own. If you are a self-published author interested in listing titles in this section, please visit publishersweekly.com/pw-select for more information.
Fiction
Attempts
Issa. Issa. $11 paper (312p), ISBN 979-89-88067-51-1
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Ingram
This story of magical realism is set in a fictitious country but a contemporary world. It deals with everyday reality and cultural criticism, such as poverty, theft, and punishment.
The Bequest: The Enhanced Edition
Nicolette Linden. William Linden. $29.99 (390p), ISBN 978-7341618-2-3
Amazon
An ordinary young woman is transformed through an intense love affair into an accomplished writer.
Beside the Still Waters
Jacqueline T. Lynch. Jacqueline T. Lynch. $14.99 paper (243p), ISBN 978-1-4783-8265-2; $5.99 e-book, ASIN B004SY9NRK
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com
Four towns are destroyed to construct a reservoir. A courageous girl becomes the guardian of her family’s heritage and ultimately, the one to determine what happens to them next.
The Brill Pill
Akemi C. Brodsky. She Writes Press. $17.95 paper (384p), ISBN 978-1-64742-523-4; $9.49 e-book, ASIN B0BQBPBPV9
Amazon, Bookshop.org
In a world where organs can be regrown from a handful of stem cells, scientist William Dalal realizes that every success has a consequence and the monsters he created are taking over.
Byrd’s Luck & Other Western Stories
Jeffrey J. Mariotte. Silverado Press/Crazy 8 Press. $14.99 paper (240p), ISBN 979-89-87838-10-5; $2.99 e-book, ASIN B0C1MDY6ZW
Amazon, BN.com, Bookshop.org, IndieBound
This collection showcases 10 tales of the Wild West and the Weird West.
David: Reign (The David Trilogy #2)
Mark Buchanan. Mark Buchanan. $12.99 paper (288p), ISBN 978-1-7771278-2-4; $5.89 e-book, ASIN B0BXM52P5J
Amazon
In Book 2, David steps into his role as king of Israel. But trouble abounds, as factions and enemies threaten his kingdom, and as his growing power comes with dire consequences.
The Fall Will Probably Kill You! (A Love Story)
Brian McMahon. Some Other Time Books. $16.99 paper (384p), ISBN 979-89-87918-10-4; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-87918-11-1
Amazon, BN.com, IndieBound
Teddy has always loved Charlotte. When both get into Georgetown, he believes the fates have aligned. Charlotte’s father, eyeing the White House, devises a scheme. Love is leverage.
The Girl Who Tried to Change History
Melissa Kaplan. Bold Story Press. $17.99 paper (242p), ISBN 978-1-954805-42-2; $9.99 e-book, ASIN B0BZLKJC9L
Amazon
A time-traveling heroine’s quest to right the wrongs of the Second World War puts her on a collision course that imperils her life and the lives of those she loves, in the future.
A Knock in the Attic: True Ghost Stories & Other Spine-Chilling Paranormal Adventures
John Russell. Outskirts Press. $15.95 paper (172p), ISBN 978-1-977239-37-2; $9.99 e-book, ASIN B08WM2MZHW
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Books-a-Million
This book explores fantastical psychic powers—how characters may accurately predict the future and interact with unseen realms.
Let Us Begin
Julia Amante. Wise Writer Publishing. $15.99 paper (395p), ISBN 978-1-931627-10-8; $9.99 e-book, ASIN B0C2BWCF13
Amazon, BN.com
An ambitious young immigrant arrives in New York City in the 1960s looking for success, but his character and love for his family are tested, leaving him to question the American dream.
Levinson of Harvard
L.M. Vincent. Lawrence Marc Vincent. $21.95 (274p), ISBN 978-0-646-87611-5; $15.95 paper, ISBN 978-0-646-87387-9
Amazon, BN.com, Ingram
A young man investigates the mysteries of his long-dead grandfather’s past and learns more than he bargains for.
Mad Druggist
Frank Hozeska. Frank Hozeska Books. $12.99 paper (338p), ISBN 978-108813060-5; $2.99 e-book, ASIN B0793QMDQT
Amazon, BN.com
Louie is a good man who works in a pharmacy, but some do not like his radical ways of counseling and make it very difficult for him to hold on to his livelihood.
The Man in the Dark Suit
Janet G. Sims. Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency. $15.95 paper (256p), ISBN 978-1-62857-782-2
Amazon
A young woman wakes up with amnesia. Her mind keeps trying to regain her memory, but are her dreams real or just her imagination?
The Map Colorist
Rebecca D’Harlingue. She Writes Press. $17.95 paper (312p), ISBN 978-1-64742-547-0; $9.95 e-book, ASIN B0BQBPJYVH
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Bookshop.org
In 1660 Amsterdam, Anneke longs to create a new map, but cartography is the domain of men. Her goal is in sight, but family secrets, infidelity, and murder threaten her dream.
The Melancholy Strumpet Master
Zeb Beck. Broadly Reviled Books. $11.99 paper (257p), ASIN B0BW2GGCNZ; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B0BW825D2M
Amazon
Every weekend, Gilmore Crowell crosses the border into Tijuana’s red-light district. He’s not there for sex; he’s there to save his failing academic career.
My Year at the Good Bean Café
E.A. Luetkemeyer. Laughing Buddha Books. $19.95 paper (214p), ISBN 979-82-18-18661-6
Amazon, BN.com
This work of metafiction explores the nature of identity, the process of becoming, the imponderable intelligence of the universe, and the magic of art in all its manifestations.
One Friday in Napa
Jennifer Hamm. She Writes Press. $17.95 paper (248p), ISBN 978-1-64742-529-6
Amazon, BN.com, Bookshop.org
After returning to Napa on news of her mother’s imminent death, Vene discovers an old cookbook that unveils Olivia’s story and the opportunity for reconciliation before it’s too late.
Scar Songs: Stories
W. Royce Adams. RJK Books. $17.95 paper (136p), ISBN 979-89-86488-52-3; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-86488-53-0
Amazon, BN.com, Bookshop.org, Ingram
This collection of nine stories deals with male protagonists at various stages in life who experience events that leave either a psychological or physical memory scar.
The Stockwell Letters
Jacqueline Friedland. SparkPress. $17.95 paper (328p), ISBN 978-1-68463-214-5; $9.49 e-book, ASIN B0BQDRNRQN
Amazon, BN.com, Bookshop.org
Nothing keeps abolitionist Ann Phillips from helping fugitive slave Anthony Burns, even as she falls sick with a mysterious illness and is forbidden from joining antislavery outings.
Voyage of the Pleiades
Amy Marie Turner. Fauve Press. $14.99 paper (352p), ISBN 979-82-18-16806-3; $12.99 e-book, ISBN 979-82-18-16808-7
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Bookshop.org, Kobo
Botanist Linnea Wren journeys across the world to the island of Chiloé. Will she realize her dreams of botanical discovery, or will she become the next murder victim?
Poetry
Behind Her City Eyes
Sarah Erin. 21 Chieftans Press. $15 paper (112p), ISBN 979-82-18-17061-5
Saraherinauthor.com, Amazon, BN.com
This collection includes New York City–themed poems that address the what-ifs of unrequited love. The LGBTQ+ collection focuses on self-perception, fantasy, and the layers and realities of heartbreak.
May We Learn from the Earth: Nature Poems and Reflections on the Environment
Robert Tiess. Robert J. Tiess. $14.99 paper (280p), ISBN 979-89-86179-54-4; $8.99 e-book, ASIN B0C2K3K73W
Amazon, BN.com, Kobo
This is a calm, contemplative, compassionate book motivated by a love of Earth and a hope readers may learn from nature. It includes a glossary of environmental terms and much more.
Mystery/Thriller
The Community
Kristin Holm. Kristin Holm. $21.99 (220p), ISBN 979-89-85102-01-7; $1.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-85102-02-4
Amazon, BN.com, Kobo
In a world corrupted by greed, one woman fights to free her loved ones from debt so that they can have normal lives free from servitude. But one man’s obsession stands in her way.
Death at Dawn: LGBTQ Meets Main Street
Arthur Day. Arthur Day. $13.99 paper (314p), ISBN 978-1-955205-06-1
Amazon
This book conveys the charming character and loveliness of sleepy northern New England towns and then rips everything apart with a shocking story.
HMP BlackRock
G.S. Burroughs. Poison Pen. $10.67 paper (328p), ISBN 978-1-399-94061-0; $3.99 e-book, ASIN B0BMZBSC53
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
An island prison 30 miles off the coast of Scotland provides the backdrop for a classic murder mystery with a devilish twist.
Killer Double: A Sam Casey and Chase Dagger Mystery
S.D. Tooley. Full Moon Publishing. $27 (260p), ISBN 978-0-9976707-2-1; $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-9976707-3-8
Amazon, BN.com
A trail of bodies reveals the m.o. of a serial killer. It can only be the work of a copycat. After all, the real killer died years ago.
Salt Island (E&A Investigations Thriller Series #2)
Lisa Towles. Indies United Publishing House. $26.99 (252p), ISBN 978-1-64456-587-2; $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-64456-588-9
Amazon, BN.com
Two PIs race to find the connection between corporate espionage and ecoterrorism in this international thriller spanning Southern California to the Caribbean.
SEL: Sexy Erotic Lingerie; A Will Chisholm Mystery
B.C. Howard. Lighthouse Creative Content. $20 paper (347p), ISBN 979-89-87815-81-6; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-87815-80-9
Amazon
Will Chisholm, half Cherokee and a former war hero and undercover cop, is a struggling private investigator who takes the case of a murdered stripper that he soon realizes is a setup.
Silence Says the Most: An Olivia Penn Mystery
Kathleen Bailey. Rhino Publishing. $15.99 paper (304p), ISBN 978-1-956270-05-1; $7.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-956270-04-4
Amazon, BN.com, Books-a-Million, Bookshop.org
Fall turns frightful in Olivia Penn’s hometown when a child’s drawing implicates her as the key to solving a murder tied to a mysterious algae bloom at a park lake.
Treachery on the Nile: A New Michael Vaux Novel
Roger Croft. Archway Publishing. $21 paper (206p), ISBN 978-1-66573-937-5; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-66573-935-1
Amazon
MI6 agent and former newsman Vaux is ordered to thwart a planned military coup against Egyptian president el-Sisi.
SF/Fantasy/Horror
Acheron Ride (Chaos #1)
Millie Leigh. MayhemNovels. $9.99 paper (317p), ISBN 978-1-961382-01-5; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-961382-00-8
Amazon, BN.com, Google Play, Kobo
A deadly motorcycle race is the last story Elle wants to cover. It turns riders into murderers for a chance to escape their prison. The only thing in her way is the captain of Team Evolution.
The Beginning (Amansun the Dragon Prince #1)
Vincent Robinson. Gatekeeper Press. $35.99 (664p), ISBN 978-1-66292-977-9; $20.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-66292-978-6
Amazon, BN.com
Amansun, a young dragon, is sent on a perilous quest after putting his family at odds with their colony. On his epic journey he encounters magical creatures in faraway lands.
By a Silver Thread (DFZ Changeling #1)
Rachel Aaron. Aaron Bach. $19.99 paper (380p), ISBN 978-1-952367-21-2; $4.89 e-book, ASIN B0BYB6MX9F
Amazon, BN.com
This urban fantasy features cunning fae, a kind heroine, and a magic so destructive that using it even once stains the soul forever.
Coyote
Ashley Brandt. Blossom Spring Publishing. $11.72 paper (261p), ISBN 978-1-73915616-9
Amazon, Kobo
When tragedy strikes the pack, Raven hunts for justice, forging her own path between duty and desire, honor and love.
The Dawn of AI (Paper War #1)
Ryan LeKodak. RandallVision. $16.97 paper (496p), ISBN 979-89-87974-28-5; $8.97 e-book, ASIN B0C37YBCQP
Amazon
After one malfunction, millions are dead. Will the rise of AI be the fall of civilization? In 2040, all transportation dominated by AI collapses, resulting in disasters and loss of lives.
Farlands (Antlands #3)
Genevieve Morrissey. Genevieve Morrissey. $13.99 paper (224p), ISBN 978-1-73510-966-4; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-73510-967-1
Amazon
The third book in the Antlands series is an adventure novel that explores themes of trust, self-awareness, and coming of age in a postapocalyptic setting.
The Man Behind the Light: Beginnings End
3 Mind Blight. 3 Mind Blight. $1.99 e-book, ASIN B0C55PHKDD
Amazon, BN.com
As a young boy sets out to explore his newfound powers, he discovers an endless world of spirits, ethereal planes, and infinite dimensions that he shapes with his dreams.
The Red Rebel Extravaganza
Angela Kay. Angela Kay. $22.99 (386p), ISBN 979-82-18-19556-4; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B0BSKLV9WY
Amazon
Copper James is a smuggler of magical items who gets caught, and her only chance at freedom is to play in the lethal Red Game put on by the Red Rebel Extravaganza.
Runners
Justin Hale. Indie Roots Media. $29.99 (259p), ISBN 979-89-87286-50-0; $7.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-87286-52-4
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
On the planet Nera, a world of towering metropolises, Mr. Zan and his misfit crew run guns to survive, while racing to stay one step ahead of the living shadows that hunt them.
The Thirteenth Order: Guardians of the Crystal Skulls
Linda Marie Arena. Authors’ Tranquility Press. $16.99 paper (506p), ISBN 978-1-958179-61-1
Amazon
Rachael, a naive farm woman who has led a sheltered life, partners with the alien beings that live in Mt. Shasta. Her mission is one of life and death for humanity.
Romance/Erotica
A Journey Must Be Taken: Playlist
H.L. Howard. Melvilleverse Publishing. $17.99 paper (410p), ISBN 979-89-87097-63-2; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-87097-60-1
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com
Fate and destiny conspire in this first-in-series quest toward happily ever after, featuring a would-be couple. Are their destinies truly interwoven, or is fate forcing a romance?
Sanctum
Arabella Ashley. Gatekeepers Press. $7.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-66293-215-1
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google Play, Kobo, OverDrive, Scribd
After she was viciously attacked in her bookstore, Isabella ran. She hoped only to evade her hunter; she never believed the cabin would lead her back to life in more ways than one.
Torn
Estralia Russelle. D2D. $10.99 paper (240p), ISBN 979-82-2375313-1; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 979-82-230-2514-6
Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
Heartbroken, Anora searches for a new beginning with her long-lost biological family in Australia.
Nonfiction
The Bastard of Beverly Hills
Rafael Moscatel. JIA Publishing. $27.95 (176p), ISBN 979-89-87906-16-3; $17.95 paper, ISBN 979-89-87906-13-2
Amazon, BN.com
A boy abandoned by his famous family risks everything to learn the truth about his sordid past, but discovers the secret to his future instead.
Behind the Green Apron: It’s Just Coffee, Right?
R.L. Farrar. R.L. Farrar. $9 paper (188p), ISBN 979-83-64514-45-5
Amazon
Who would’ve thought one simple question—what can we get started for you?—would lead to an explosion of crazy experiences over one simple beverage millions of people enjoy.
The Blossoming of Women: A Workbook on Growing from Older to Elder
Karen Roberts, with Dana Jaffe. Gaia & Friends. $25 paper (184p), ISBN 978-0-9746449-0-5; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9746449-3-6
Amazon, BN.com, Ingram
With stories and questions designed to nurture self-awareness, compassion, and acceptance of late-life changes, this is a supportive self-help guide.
Climbing Out of Depression
Jacklyn K. Brown. Authors’ Tranquility Press. $10.99 paper (176p), ISBN 978-1-960675-50-7
Amazon
This book is intended to provide motivation, hope, and guidance for overcoming the roadblocks, detours, and dead ends that occur.
Design for Identity: How to Design Authentically for a Diverse World
Jessica Bantom. Publish Your Purpose. $25.95 paper (150p), ISBN 979-88-87970-13-4
Amazon, BN.com, Bookshop.org
Bantom explores the intersection of design and DEI, focusing on the importance of identity: how people live, what’s important to them, and what informs their perspectives and experiences.
Out of Place
W.J. Lacey. Kobo. $13.20 paper (124p), ISBN 979-83-905611-3-3; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B0C2KX44NJ
Amazon, Kobo
The stories in this book are about the paranormal, supernatural, and things that can’t be immediately explained. They’re things that happened to the author throughout his life.
Reparations!
Earl Ofari Hutchinson. Middle Passage Press. $9.95 paper (84p), ISBN 979-88-907494-5-1
Amazon
Hutchinson examines the many facets of the raging debate over reparations. He explores the history of reparations proposals and the fury over it.
Share the Road: The Journey to Autistry
Janet Lawson and Dan Swearingen. Autistry Press. $34.95 (188p), ISBN 979-89-87650-80-6
Amazon, Bookshop.org
This is the journey of two parents making a future for their son and building a pioneering vocational training program that empowers neurodivergent individuals.
Summons to Berlin: Nazi Theft and a Daughter’s Quest for Justice
Joanne Intrator. She Writes Press. $17.95 paper (272p), ISBN 978-1-64742-513-5; $8.99 e-book, ASIN B0BQBQKG37
Amazon
After her father poses two unsettling questions on his deathbed related to their family’s history in Berlin, the author embarks on a quest for justice while facing her fears.
Thinking on the Other Side of Zero: An Intuitive Philosophy of Mind, Memory and Reality
Alan Joseph Oliver. Xlibris. $10.96 paper (190p), ISBN 978-1-66988-803-1; $4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-66988-802-4
Amazon
How does science measure a mind? The author presents an alternative view of mind and memory, and of consciousness itself.
Thinking on the Other Side of Zero, Part 2
Alan Joseph Oliver. Xlibris. $14.99 paper (224p), ISBN 978-1-66988-854-3; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-66988-853-6
Amazon
In this sequel, the author answers the questions arising from his first book about the yoga sutras of Patanjali and Bohm’s concept of wholeness and the implicate order.
Unfinished Business: 8 Steps to Heal Your Trauma, Transcend Your Past, and Transform Your Life
Melanie Smith. She Writes Press. $17.95 paper (288p), ISBN 978-1-64742-515-9; $8.49 e-book, ASIN B0BQDS5JP7
Bookshop.org
Through her experience with grief and trauma, the author developed an eight-step process to help readers overcome their unfinished business and create the life always meant for them.
Children’s/YA
Angel Kisses
Leilani Faber, illus. by Matthew Thornton. Brilliant Books Literary. $10.99 paper (20p), ISBN 979-88-89450-80-1
Amazon
The author wrote this children’s book as a college class assignment in 1982. It is written especially for red-haired, freckle-faced beauties.
Bash and Lucy Say, “Love, Love, Bark!”
Lisa and Michael Cohn, illus. by Heather Nichols. Canines and Kids Publishing. $12.99 paper (138p), 978-0-692-29566-3; $2.99 e-book, ASIN B0BXQKLD4Z
Amazon, BN.com
Someone has been stealing Bash’s favorite dog books from the library. He enlists Grandma Vera, the town’s assistant mayor, and Mayor Ally, his sister, to solve the mystery.
Introducing Dot
Theresa Stephens. CCH Publishing House. $21.95 (20p), ISBN 978-1-73678-600-0; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-73678-602-4
Amazon, BN.com, Bookshop.org, Google Play, Indigo, Kobo, Powell’s
An early learning book that teaches children about preschool and gives them confidence to be successful in the activities that they'll engage in during the day.
Let’s Play Together
Jolo Books. Jolo Books. $8.99 (12p), ASIN B0C2QS4LHV
Jolonyc.com, Amazon
Mia and Jack, siblings with similar interests, learn the importance of sharing after a quarrel over a coloring book leads to a mended bond and a newfound commitment to sharing.
Life Lessons of Lucy Lu: Lucy Lu Gets Adopted
Gwen Kelly, illus. by Leo Brown. Every Animal Counts Publishing. $12.99 paper (32p), ASIN B0C1J3HN93; $2.99 e-book, ASIN B0C3XXY557
gwenkellyauthor.com, Amazon, BN.com
A dog gets adopted after three years of living at the animal shelter, while teaching readers all sorts of wonderful lessons.
Penny the Penguin’s Colorful Adventure
Ankita Sinha. Ingram. $14.99 (30p), ISBN 979-89-87906-28-6
Amazon, BN.com
Penny feels like she’s meant for something more than the monotony of her colony. She sets out on an adventure to find the source of color, only to discover that being unique is a gift.
The Secrets of the Shallows (Lucy Morgan Adventure Series)
Gloria Barnett, illus. by Katrin Lamb. Footprint to the Future. $11.20 paper (158p), 978-1-8380643-2-7; $4.97 e-book,
ASIN B08JKP56TR
barnettauthor.co.uk, Amazon
Lucy dives with friends Jack and Solomon in the Caribbean, overcoming challenges to save the lives of amazing sea creatures. This book includes science in an adventure story.
Sport It!
Pria Dee, illus. by David Lock. Boomi. $12.99 paper (28p), ISBN 979-89-85583-45-8; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B0C5MY42Y5
Amazon
A read-out-loud book about all the sports a child can play to stay fit and healthy.
The Unusual Penguin
Madeleine MacRae, illus. by Anna Fernandez. Weeva. $22.95 (40p), ISBN 979-89-87393-50-5; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-87393-52-9
Amazon
This is a narrative meant for children who have ever felt different or strange or simply not like the people around them.
Wildfire! Kameika and Joey Prepare
Misty Knightly, illus. by Ira Baykovska. Misty Knightly. $35 (70p), ISBN 979-89-85054-30-9; $18 paper, ISBN 979-89-85054-32-3
Amazon, Ingram
Kameika and Joey prepare for wildfire, pack a go bag, evacuate, and return home. Fact boxes are inset throughout the story, providing information and terms.
