Among the offerings here: novels about bioterrorism, California in the 1980s, a messy divorce, a woman who receives a face transplant, and a murder set in the world of classical music. In nonfiction: books about golden retrievers, flying horses, and a (Playboy) bunny. In children’s: a picture book about a chipmunk family, a garden of verses, and a wartime romance about an older brother lost in Iraq.

Antiques & Collectibles

Flying Horses: The Golden Age of American Carousel Art.
Peter J. Malia. The Connecticut Press. $75 hardcover (200p), ISBN 978-0-9825468-2-6
www.connecticutpress.com
A signed, numbered, and limited collector’s edition of this critically acclaimed, fully documented, and lavishly illustrated history of American carousel figures and their artisans during the art’s golden age, 1870–1930.

Art

Denise Logan’s Amazing Art Projects for Children.
Denise M Logan. Dynamic Art Projects. $26.95 paper (120p), ISBN 978-0-9836662-3-3
(480) 497-9176
An art instructional book of unusual economical projects for children, teachers, and parents includes more than 500 full-color step-by-step illustrations, patterns, and student work.

Autobiography & Biography

Beauty in Bent Grass: A Memoir.
Ruth Ada Clark. Vantage Press. $14.95 paper (118p), ISBN 978-0-533-16384-7
Amazon
A compelling biography of the author’s deceased son who was a classic hemophiliac, this book is also instructive as it offers readers valuable information about inheritable diseases and retroviruses.

How to Improve Your Goose Hunting.
Matt Walsh. Vantage Press. $12.95 paper (100p), ISBN 978-0-533-16378-6
Amazon
This work combines elements of autobiography, land management, ethics, natural history, and meteorology with a cogent analysis of what it means to stalk the wild goose.

Gang Member: Another Side of Democracy.
P.J. Brown. Vantage Press. $13.95 paper (162p), ISBN 978-0-533-16240-6
Amazon
In this riveting account of the author’s life, P.J. Brown reveals how he agreed to work for a local gang at a time of desperation, until the day he realized “a clear conscience is the only way” and turned his focus to martial arts as a career.

Brooklyn’s Two-Story Mountain.
Albert S. Marcantonio Sr. Vantage Press. $24.95 hardcover (792p), ISBN 978-0-533-16391-5
Amazon
This true-life story begins with a Brooklyn neighborhood account of two exceedingly close hometown friends, the author and Greg Scarpa, who was the most notable informant in the history of the FBI.

Eden Was on a Hollywood Hill.
Earl Barret. CreateSpace. $14.80 paper (442p), ISBN 978-1-4505-7616-1
Amazon
A Romanian chauffeur and a Hungarian-American waitress pursue the American dream, ending up in Hollywood, where their tap-dancing, violin-playing son finally becomes a TV comedy writer, and author of this family tale.

Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber: One of the FBI’s Most Elusive Criminals.
Dane Batty. Nish Publishing Co. $15.95 paper (218p), ISBN 978-0-615-26845-3
www.lesrogge.com, Ingram
Leslie Ibsen Rogge, number seven on the FBI’s most wanted list, robbed more than 30 banks without firing a shot. His nephew recounts his story based on interviews and letters.

A Rose for My Mother.
Nancy Lee Canfield. iUniverse. $21.95 paper (286p), ISBN 978-1-4502-3123-7
Amazon
Canfield chronicles her difficult childhood, which included going in and out of an orphanage and five foster homes, all before the age of 13.

Norma Jean’s Sun.
Kris Courtney. Kris Courtney. $17.95 paper (290p), ISBN 978-0-578-02059-4
Amazon
This “touching story, full of hope” tells of a young man who believes he was mistakenly born as a man and of his journeys through drug and alcohol addiction as well as years of surgical interventions.

The Sixties: An American Family in Europe
Ada Feyerick. Academia Books. $25 hardcover (152p), ISBN 978-0-9653159-9-9
Bookmasters/Atlas
America as seen from Zurich and Paris during the tumultuous 1960s, as the author’s family adapts to foreign cultures and views American events through the eyes of the countries where she and her family lived. International political cartoons contribute to the living history.

No Longer Silent.
Tammy Gagnon. Tammy Gagnon. $14.95 paper (223p), ISBN 978-0-578-06895-4
Tammygagnon.com
It only takes one step to change your future. The author recounts her horrific childhood, fleeing home at 14 and forced to survive on her own as she comes to terms with the truths of her violent history and betrayal.

Survivor’s Game.
David Karmi. D.K. Montague. $20 paper (280p), ISBN 978-0-615-41295-5
Amazon
“Some people have a knack for survival, for getting out of jams.” Karmi is one of those, and he faces the ultimate test as a young teen in Nazi-occupied Europe as he and his family are deported to Auschwitz.

The Angel on My Shoulder: My Life with an American Pit Bull Terrier.
Jolene Mercadante. iUniverse. $19.99 paper (216p), ISBN 978-1-4620-2761-3
Amazon
A librarian and her pit bull, a truly beautiful soul, rescue each other.

Rabbit Trail: How a Former Playboy Bunny Found Her Way.
Tricia Pimental. CreateSpace. $9.95 paper (180p), ISBN 978-0-615-37570-0
Amazon
A young woman seeking sexual freedom and spiritual enlightenment enters the world of Playboy, drugs, mysticism, and Hollywood before finding ultimate peace.

Passage.
Sandy Powers. Authorhouse. $21.95 hardcover (140p), ISBN 978-1-4567-2956-1
Amazon; Barnes & Noble
One woman’s involvement with the clashing ideologies of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s is the centerpiece of this narrative set against the backdrop of a steel town in Ohio.

I’ve Always Loved You: A Story of WWII in the Pacific.
Ann Seymour. Firefall Media. $25 hardcover (260p), ISBN 978-0-915090-68-6
Amazon; Barnes & Noble
“Ann has written a poignant tribute to her father, a WWII hero, taking us from Pearl Harbor to VJ Day with emotion and historical accuracy.” —Adm. Robert Foley, former commander-in-chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet

I’m Not Crazy, Just Bipolar.
Wendy K. Williamson. AuthorHouse. $16.95 paper (300p), ISBN 978-1-4520-6851-0
www.authorhouse.com
Buckle in for the roller-coaster ride of bipolar disorder. Laugh, cry, and everything in between, but walk away with hope and tips for wellness.

Body, Mind & Spirit

Working on Purpose.
Kent Holland. Ardent Publication. $14.95 paper (145p), ISBN 978-0-9723158-6-9
www.workonpurpose.com
Succinctly discusses the importance of taking a deeper look at what is meaningful to us, and setting written goals and managing time wisely for success and satisfaction. Written exercises make this book a practical and powerful life tool.

Paranormal Pooch: A True Story of the Dog Who Healed One Family
Olga Horvat. $14.99 paper (192p), ISBN 978-0-9834993-1-2
Amazon; BN.com;
An eye-opening story about one family’s four-month sojourn into the dark and unknown side of the canine world. It’s like something out of the Twilight Zone or a Stephen King thriller, only this is real.

Snowflake from the Hand of God: A Book of Uncommon Prayer.
Cathy Cash Spellman. The Wild Harp & Co. $18.99 paper (162p), ISBN 978-1-4635-5263-3
Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Baker & Taylor
Reaches into the hearts of those who are suffering the many assaults of life’s journey, with the honesty, compassion and wisdom of shared experience.

Fabulous in Flats: Putting My Best Foot Forward!
Mary T. Wagner. iUniverse. $14.95 paper (172p), ISBN 978-1-4620-1531-3
In the third in her series of collections of essays from the heart, the author finally admits that high heels just aren’t the footwear for every occasion...especially when power tools are involved.

Life Is Good, All Is Well: Everything Is Vibration.
Wendy Ann Zellea. HappyAwareness. $14.95 paper (164p), ISBN 978-1-60910-559-4
booklocker.com
Letting go of the denser energies of lower vibrations and holding more light, allowing us to evolve in the process of conscious human evolution.

Business & Economics
Your Customized Budget: A Manual.
Patricia F. Charney. $7.99 paper (54p), ISBN 1-893652-03-3
Amazon
With this unique plan, average Americans, claims the author, can find the peace of financial security that they think is only possible by winning the lottery.

What to Charge: Pricing Strategies for Freelancers and Consultants.
Laurie Lewis. Outskirts Press. $23.95 paper (175p), ISBN 978-1-4327-6764-8
outskirtspress.com; Amazon
A how-to guide on freelance pricing, including types of rates, record keeping, negotiations, contracts, post-job assessment, and the only two rules of pricing for freelancers.

The Sleeping Giant: The Awakening of the Self-Employed Entrepreneur.
Ken McElroy. Kylekade Press. $24.95 hardcover (192p), ISBN 978-0-9829108-0-1
Amazon
Twenty entrepreneurs share their inspiring stories of how they found success through self-employment; their stories show the reader how to live a life of freedom and passion.

Children

Little One.
Brenda Davis-Worrles. Vantage Press. $7.95 paper (24p), ISBN 978-0-533-15793-8
Amazon
A colt wanders away from his barn, and disobeying his mother’s rules leads him into danger. Yet like Daniel in the lion’s den, he finds safety in God.

Oliver and the Spinning Cats.
Tanya Kasim. Vantage Press. $8.95 paper (34p), ISBN 978-0-533-16381-6
Amazon
A charming tale that celebrates the joy and good fun a new friendship can offer, and how such alliances can bloom between the most unlikely pals.

Science Boy and Luke the Lab Dog: Meet Jimmy Junk.
Chassidy F. Lucas, Ph.D. Vantage Press. $14.95 paper (42p), ISBN 978-0-533-15747-1
Amazon
An imaginative tale full of important life lessons, this phantasmagorical adventure teaches readers about clean water, the benefits of taking vitamins, and the importance of being kind to others.

Blooming Buddies, in the Garden: A Blooming Book of Verse.
Wendy Peterson. Pixie Land. $16.95 hardcover (16p), ISBN 978-0-9825819-0-2
www.bloomingbuddies.com
Portraying a garden filled with colorful flower friends, vibrant watercolors are paired with charming short verses speaking to love, friendship, and kindness.

Henry! You’re Late Again!
Mary Evanson Bleckwehl. Beaver’s Pond Press. $16.95 hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-1-59298-357-5
www.beaverspondbooks.com; Amazon
The big bad wolf of a school secretary awaits Henry’s late school arrival—again. Will he be eaten alive? Hilarious and edgy illustrations mirror Henry’s daily dilemma.

Chippy Chipmunk: Babies in the
Garden.
Kathy M. Miller. Celtic Sunrise. $19.95 hardcover (40p), ISBN 978-0-9840893-1-4
chippychipmunk.com; local bookstores
The second in a series relates fun-filled facts as well as an entertaining story along with more than 80 photographs of squirrels exploring a garden.

I’m 5.
Alva Sachs. Three Wishes Publishing. $12.95 hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-0-9796380-2-2
Barnes & Noble; Amazon
Julie is turning five, celebrating with all her friends and getting ready for school. But school is not ready for her. What could this be?

Cooking

Food Allergy and Gluten-Free Weight Loss: Control Your Body Chemistry, Reduce Inflammation and Improve Your Health.
Nicolette M. Dumke. Adapt Books. $23.95 paper (302p), ISBN 978-1-887624-19-0
www.foodallergyandglutenfreeweightloss
.com
Those with food allergies and on gluten-free diets often gain weight. This approach to weight loss is based on how our bodies control fat.

Education

Me, Myself, and I.
Virginia Johnson. Trafford Publishing. $14 paper (24p), ISBN 1-4120-9201-9
www.trafford.com
A pleasantly plump little girl is made fun of at school yet grows to accept herself.

The Best Little Grammar Book Ever!: 101 Ways to Impress with Your Writing and Speaking.
Arlene Miller. bigwords101. $11.95 paper (132p), ISBN 978-0-9843316-0-4
bigwords101.com
An easy-to-use grammar reference highlights the most common grammar and writing mistakes. This user-friendly guide includes a grammar refresher, quizzes, and many examples. Intended for ages 12–adult.

Multiply & Divide with Sticks & Steps: Teach This Easy Method in Just 5 Minutes.
Maureen Stearns. Enrichment Books. $14.95 paper (96p), ISBN 978-0-9726908-5-0
Quality-Books.com; Amazon; BN.com
Step-by-step instructions show what multiplication is, instead of just having students memorize the times tables. A valuable resource for parents and educators.

So You Want to Go to College.
Richard LaDoyt Pinkerton, Ph.D. Vantage Press. $15.95 paper (108p), ISBN 978-0-533-16346-5
Amazon
In this authoritative yet accessible guidebook for high school students, parents, and guidance counselors, Dr. Pinkerton addresses the seminal question: “Are you ready, able, and willing to go to college?”

Family & Relationships

Talking Time: Language Enrichment Activities: Birth to Three.
Jeanette W. Stickel. CreateSpace. $12.99 (94p), ISBN 978-1-4635-5819-2
A speech therapist for 30 years creates activities to engage and encourage learning in children from birth to three years of age.

Fiction

Out of Tune Piano Blues.
James Boyk. Performance Recordings. $19.95 trade paper (224p), ISBN 978-0-615-41841-4
A mystery novel that explores a concert musician's inner and outer life. Set at a rural university, a pianist encounters humorous characters, tragedy, passion--and a crime only a musician could solve.

Theater, Stories and Scenes of a Forgotten People.
Mariano Morillo. Vantage Press. $11.95 paper (80p), ISBN 978-0-533-15930-7
Amazon
An anthology of five short stories, two plays, and a monologue for the theater features a diverse array of thought-provoking work focusing on the human condition and those the author regards as “forgotten.”

An Uprising of Angels.
Marc D. Baldwin. Baldwin Book Publishing. $13.95 paper (314p), ISBN 978-1-4609-7078-2
www.anuprisingofangels.com
Examines race relations, crime, and a middle-class neighborhood during the Rodney King riots in 1992 Los Angeles.

Shadow Cay.
Leona Bodie. WRB Books. $19.95 paper (480p), ISBN 978-0-9844198-1-4
Amazon; B&N; www.leonabodie.com
Rico Salazar sets up a transnational crime headquarters in the Bahamas, but then he runs afoul of Madeleine Nesbit as a sea of deception and lies engulfs the characters.

Before the First Snow: Stories from the Revolution.
Walter M. Brasch. Greeley & Stone. $29.95 hardcover (320p), ISBN 978-0-942991-19-2
www.greeleyandstone.com
A story of the counterculture and America from 1964 to the first Gulf War, as seen by a “flower child” and the reporter who covers her story for three decades.

A Song in My Heart.
Roma Calatayud-Stocks. Beaver’s Pond Press. $34.95 hardcover (376p), ISBN 978-1-59298-395-7
www.RomaStocks.com
Alejandra Stanford is born in 1902 in Minneapolis. As a young pianist and budding composer, she resolves to become an orchestral conductor despite society’s obstacles, in this first of a trilogy. Includes CD with original songs and music.

Amanuensis.
Jack Cohen. Elders of Zion Press. $16.25 paper (259p), ISBN 978-1-4495-6824-5
Amazon
An autobiographical novel of a poor Jewish boy from the East End of London; he attends Cambridge University, faces anti-Semitism, and confronts a terrible family secret that underlies his striving to succeed.

Mack Dunstan’s Inferno.
Paul Collins. iUuniverse. $12.95 paper (148p), ISBN 978-1-4620-3276-1
Amazon; Barnes & Noble
Inspired by Michael Moore’s challenge to Charlton Heston in Bowling for Columbine, this story tells of a movie star who supports gun owner rights, who dies and meets many victims of his pro-gun policy. The Heston estate forbade the use of Heston’s name and image.

The Ghosts of Watt O’Hugh.
Steven S. Drachman. Chickadee Prince Books. $14 paper (214p), ISBN 978-0-578-08590-6
www.Watt-OHugh.com
This western fantasy relates the adventures of Watt O’Hugh III—Civil War vet, orphan of New York’s slums, dime novel hero of the Old West, and time traveler.

Rose Petals and Gun Powder.
Jean E. Dugas. Crimson Works Publishing. $9 hardcover (607p), ISBN 978-0-9836287-0-5
www.crimsonworks.org
A series of novels brings together Edison Thomas and Sampson Baker to solve crimes in the 1920s, ’40s, and ’50s.

Ghosts of Coronado Bay: A Maya Blair Mystery.
JG Faherty. JournalStone. $9.99 paper (162p), ISBN 978-1-936564-09-5
journalstone.com
Maya is a young woman who can see ghosts, but what happens when she falls in love with one?

White Sleeper.
Stephen Langford and David Fett, M.D. Synergy Books. $18.95 paper (259p), ISBN 978-0-9845040-2-2
Amazon
Dave Richards, a Centers for Disease Control physician, is investigating how three families in Arkansas have come down with bubonic plague, rabies, and botulism. He uncovers a domestic plot against the U.S. via a bioterrorism attack on our medical delivery system.

The Nordion Within.
Roberto Guerra. CreateSpace. $10.99 paper (250p), ISBN 978-1-4611-1624-0
Amazon
A group of diverse individuals from different corners of the world experience the same extraterrestrial phenomenon that changes their lives. Eventually they all meet and discover the truth about themselves and their own realities.

Speaking Truths.
Dayna Hester. iUniverse. $28.95 hardcover (312p), ISBN 978-1-4502-1437-7
Amazon
Relates the multilayered trauma of child abduction, and the tough road back to normalcy when the child is recovered.

Chicago Shiver.
Terry Holland. Holland Publishing. $18 paper (224p), ISBN 978-0-615-39630-9
Amazon
A murder appears open and shut until Harry Pines finds a trail of blunders and omissions that lead to the pinnacle of political power in Illinois.

Bella Coola: The Rainforest Brought Them Home.
Earl D. James. Black Moon Press. $16.95 paper (322p), ISBN 978-0-615-50194-9
Amazon
From the British Columbia rainforest to the power centers of New York, Washington, and Rome, Bella Coola probes the spiritual fault lines of a civilization in crisis.

Yellow Bird.
Linda Johnson. Garden Gate Farm. $12 paper (151p), ISBN 978-0-578-06973-9
Barnes & Noble
Amanda Abernathy moves to a dilapidated farm in Appalachian coal country, where her increasingly mystical encounters ignite her faith and steel her against catastrophic events.

There Is a Road.
Terry Kettig. Vantage Press. $11.95 paper (192p), ISBN 978-0-533-16371-7
Amazon
A son searches for his biological father in the Florida Keys amid tall tales of fishing and the sea. Reunited, father and son precipitate a tragic finale in Cuban waters.

Diary of a Short Life.
Michael R. Krozer. CreateSpace. $10.95 paper (243p), ISBN 978-1-4609-5948-0
Amazon
Facing a new life filled with the promise of love, Angela hopes her violent past is behind her until it emerges and may destroy the person she has become.

Vaporized: A Rock ’n Roll Mystery.
Victor Levine. ForceField Studios. $24.95 paper (508p), ISBN 978-0-9833608-0-3
Amazon
New York, 1982: a musician’s quest for greatness is threatened by a 2,500-year-old secret that ups the ante in the war on drugs.

Demise of the Horse Fairy: Firehouse Family, Book Four.
Laurie Loveman. CreateSpace. $16.99 paper (694p), ISBN 978-1-4505-8538-5
Amazon
Fire Chief Jake McCann teams up with a gangster’s top man to stop the gangster from carrying out his plans for vengeance against Laura Darvey.

Dantalion of the Goetia.
Tina M.E. CreateSpace. $14.99 paper (314p), ISBN 978-1-4609-8377-5
www.fantasyromanceoccult.com
Dantalion, a condemned Incubus demon, is summoned to his true form by a mortal college girl, creating an unexplainable relationship of love, obsession, and redemption.

Goodbye Milky Way: An Earth in Jeopardy Adventure.
Dan Makaon. eFfusion Publishing. $27.95 hardcover (436p), ISBN 978-0-9833785-9-4
atlasbooksdistribution.com/booksellers
When apocalypse threatens the Earth in 2012, governments are powerless. An eclectic team of scientists, a sentient computer, and an extraterrestrial develop a survival plan.

Bittersweet Summer: Paula’s Story.
Patricia McLaine. CreateSpace. $14.30 paper (396p), ISBN 978-1-4537-5105-3
Amazon
The 1967 Summer of Love brings more than its share for artist Paula, as she reignites the flame with Jamie and meets Beau, a handsome, wealthy Texas rancher.

The Devil and Preston Black.
Jason Jack Miller. Union City Publishing. $14.99 paper (412p), ISBN 978-0-615-47290-4
Amazon
This new take on the “deal with the devil” leads readers into Appalachia to find the song that may save Preston Black’s life.

One Down, One to Go.
Robert B Mills. Vantage Press. $11.95 paper (112p), ISBN 978-0-533-16307-6
Amazon
In Spokane, Wash., Mills introduces readers to Steve Nicholls, a 16-year-old high school student whose father has died of cancer; based on a true story.

Waldensong Saturnalia: A Tribute to the Mythic Years.
A.D. Morvaye. Prince Chameleon Press. $20 paper (486p), ISBN 978-1-894967-33-4
www.princechameleon.com
The novel fuses memory and imagination as a young girl, abandoned by her vast chaotic family, recreates them into legend.

Until Brazil.
Bethe Lee Moulton. The Glide Press. $14.95 paper (256p), ISBN 978-0-9836365-6-4
www.untilbrazil.com
M.B.A. Beth Bartlett travels between Boston and Brazil, where her cultural assumptions are challenged. She deals with business intrigue as well as an unexpected love story in this intimate portrait of personal transformation.

Transplant: A Young Woman’s Full-face Transplant.
Gerald Neufeld. Novel Voices Press. $20.95 hardcover (340p), ISBN 978-0-9868773-0-8
Amazon
Following a severe auto accident, a young woman struggles to identify with the transplanted face she receives.

The Chance Confession (of a Fellow Passenger).
Vlad K. Once. CreateSpace. $11.99 paper (154p), ISBN 978-1-4609-1674-2
Amazon
The upward path to success is hard and exhausting and not everyone can stand its dizzying height when they get there. But how painful it is to fall headlong from such a height. A psychological thriller exercises the intellect.

The Dead: And Other Tales of Terror.
Michael Pendragon. Malleus Maleficarium Press. $19.95 paper (272p), ISBN 978-1-4515-0140-7
Amazon
Seventeen ghostly tales explore the many faces of death in an eerie, soul-chilling phantasmagoria where the worlds of the living and the dead eternally collide.

Bridge of the Single Hair.
Candida Pugh. Langdon Street Press. $15.95 paper (239p), ISBN 978-1-936782-28-4
Amazon
Hot-tempered and 17, Jeri Turner puts herself and others in danger when in 1961 she joins nonviolent demonstrators challenging racial segregation in the deep South.

Gone to Graveyards: An Epic Novel of the Korean War.
Brewster Milton Robertson. Quail Hollow Books (CreateSpace). $25 paper (735p), ISBN 978-0-615-44535-9
Amazon; Ingram
Describing the effect of war on an ill-starred young married couple, the narrative extends five months beyond the Korean truce in July 1953.

Tragic Miracles.
S.M. Rolfe. Vantage Press. $11.95 paper (108p), ISBN 978-0-533-16122-5
Amazon
A gripping work of fiction inspired by the author’s belief in guardian angels.

The Privateer Clause: Cruising Has Never Been So Dangerous.
Ken Rossignol. CreateSpace. $14.50 paper (374p), ISBN 978-1-4536-4147-7
Amazon
Are cruise passengers bored to tears? Not on the Sea Empress. All manner of mayhem strikes as soon as Marsha and Danny Jones hire on as security.

The Labbitt Halsey Protocol.
Andrew M. Ryan. Gadfly. $17.95 paper (358p), ISBN 978-0-9802088-0-1
Gadflyllc.com
A single mother struggles to save her son from the consequences of being genetically engineered with overwhelming intelligence.

Reggae Jihad.
Caleb H. Smith. CreateSpace. $12.95 paper (462p), ISBN 978-1-4563-7241-5
Amazon
A dying Saudi billionaire is on a personal jihad to destroy the U.S. gasoline supply, and a former Navy SEAL works to thwart his plan.

Lark’s Labyrinth.
Cathy Cash Spellman. The Wild Harp & Co. $23.99 paper (674p), ISBN 978-1-4611-7736-4
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor
Kings, emperors, and Adolf Hitler believed that the spear that pierced Christ’s side gave them the power to rule the world. What if they were right?

Past Oz.
Peter Jacob Streitz. Past Oz Unlimited. $19.99 paper (482p), ISBN 978-0-615-46215-8
Amazon
Amid hi-tech tumult, an executive teeters on the edge of enormous success, yet only the muteness of murder or suicide makes a sound.

Permanent Damage.
D.M. Thompson. Vantage Press. $12.95 paper (94p), ISBN 978-0-533-16360-1
Amazon
Allison Whitmark’s relationship with Mark is built on lies, which undermine their love. The protagonists grapple with the implications of revelations from beyond the grave.

Trained to Kill: A Detective Oliver Rousseau Novel.
Cynthia Townley. Smashwords. $2.99 (250p), BN ID 2940011340703
BN.com
Women are murdered in New Orleans on rainy nights during hurricane season. Detective Rousseau discovers the killer through his wife’s psychic power, but he must find evidence that will stand up in court.

The Abominable Gayman.
Johnny Townsend. Booklocker. $19.95 paper (420p), ISBN 978-1-60910-118-3
booklocker.com/books/4546.html
Robert Anderson is a tormented gay Mormon missionary in Italy, but one day he meets another missionary who loves him, and his world changes.

Zombies for Jesus.
Johnny Townsend. Booklocker. $16.95 paper (296p), ISBN 978-1-60910-100-8
booklocker.com/books/4511.html
Among the stories in this collection, a girl is haunted by Joseph Smith’s wife; a plastic surgeon accidentally discovers a new life form; and God’s wives fight for supremacy among themselves.

Wedlocked.
Bonnie Trachtenberg. iUniverse. $27.95 hardcover (262p), ISBN 978-1-4620-2268-7
Amazon
In this poignant romantic comedy, a hopeful aspiring actress lets years of disappointment catapult her into a disastrous marriage.

Hard Water Blues: Stories.
Robert Wangard. Ampersand. $16.95 paper (226p), ISBN 978-1-4507-0624-7
www.ampersandworks.com; Ingram; Amazon
Passion, greed, revenge, twisted love, murder are woven through Wangard’s latest collection. Pete Thorsen takes center stage, making you laugh, cry, and double-lock your doors.

The Takers: Ahna.
Taille Weaver. Studio on a Hill. $15 paper (344p), ISBN 978-0-615-43720-0
CreateSpace
Ahna, a nomad in prehistoric Greece, seeks balance and purpose in her life. She joins the secret women’s society, pledges to the Goddess, then faces the violence endemic in her culture, finds love, and finally helps save her people from themselves.

Karmafornia.
N.C. Weil. Fool Court Press. $16.95 paper (278p), ISBN 978-0-9834893-0-6
FoolCourtPress.net
In the love triangle of Laura, boyfriend Walt, and rival Cob in late ’70s Berkeley, intention meets karma and loses—again. Hitch a ride through tumultuous times.

The Spy Book.
John Westin. McNeil and Richards. $13.95 paper (196p), ISBN 978-0-9825602-0-4
Amazon
An American professor and the beguiling co-ed he’s having an affair with put the last nail in the coffin of the Soviet Union.

Getting Oriented: A Novel About Japan.
Wally Wood. CreateSpace. $12.95 paper (240p), ISBN 978-1-4635-2528-6
Amazon
Private dramas provoke crises and life-changing decisions when middle-aged Phil Fletcher guides 10 Americans through Japan, from Kyoto’s ancient temples to Tokyo’s modern skyscrapers.

The Mystery of the Mounds: The Exploits of Beal Wrightwood, Book One.
Robert L. Wyricki. iUniverse. $25.95 hardcover (224p), ISBN 978-1-4620-1880-2
Amazon; BN.com
Beal Wrightwood discovers he has special abilities and his destiny is to re-establish an ancient order of conservators thought to be long extinct.

G-Spot 2: The Seven Deadly Sins:
Pride: The 1st Deadly Sin.
Noire. Little Black Books by Noire. $4.99 paper (120p), ISBN 978-0-9830936-1-9
www.noirestore.com
A sequel to G-Spot: An Urban Erotic Tale, G-Spot 2: The Seven Deadly Sins is a serial novel told in seven parts: Pride, Betrayal, Greed, Envy, Lust, Trickery, and Revenge.

Health & Fitness
Music and Human Health.
Jin H. Wang. iUniverse. $12.95 paper (94p), ISBN 978-1-4502-2845-9
sjmedmusic.com
This cutting-edge work discusses the influence of music on human health.

History
West Jupiter Quick Takes: Reminiscences of the African American and the Seminole in a Hideout.
Samuel A. Hay. Vantage Press. $14.95 paper (171p), ISBN 978-0-533-16338-0
Amazon
In this fascinating history of West Jupiter, Fla., the author offers readers many short takes on the wide variety of the region’s past, from the ancient Seminoles to a famous lighthouse and many colorful characters.

History of Humanity: Engraved in Granite, Vol. I.
Jacques-Andre Istel. Bluebird Press of the Museum of History in Granite. $19.90 paper (126p), ISBN 978-0-934003-06-3
Amazon
Photographs of more than 100 granite panels commemorate human history in text and engraving, in a museum created by Istel, a noted French parachutist. “Worthy of the Pharaohs.” —Former French Prime Minister Pierre Messmer.

Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project.
Jack Mayer. Long Trail Press. $17.95 paper (382p), ISBN 978-0-9841113-1-2
Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Ingram; Baker & Taylor
Irena Sendler rescued 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto. Her story was lost until three Kansas teens discovered it 60 years later and told the world, as part of a National History Day project.

Juvenile Fiction
The Computer’s Nerd.
W. Royce Adams. Rairarubia Books. $22.99 hardcover (150p), ISBN 978-0-9712206-9-0
www.rairarubiabooks.com
Bullied and mistreated by three schoolmates, Arthur discovers a program on his computer he thinks can help him secretly get even, but trouble follows.

Dot to Dot.
Kit Bakke. CreateSpace. $8.95 paper (194p), ISBN 978-1-4563-6804-3
www.kitbakke.com; Amazon
The tale of a plucky young teen’s passage through grief, after the death of her mother, with an oddball aunt and a trip to England—where she learns the stories of the women writers she’s been named after and the power of books and travel to heal us.

The Battle for Tomorrow: A Fable.
Dr. Stuart Jeanne Bramhall. Strategic Book Group. $18.95 paper (310p), ISBN 978-1-61204-219-0
Amazon; Barnes and Noble
A 16-year-old girl is arrested for participating in the blockade and occupation of the Capitol to protest political and environmental issues, and fights for the right to live independently.

Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy: poems & drawings for kids & the kid @ heart.
Aleza Freeman. Big Doodle Head. $12.95 paper (36p), ISBN 978-0-615-39362-9
Amazon; BN.com
A fish with a feline-sized appetite; a poker-swindling bear; a land where all letters of the alphabet spell together; and (of course) a candy store in space: launch your mind into orbit with this quirky collection of edgy poems and drawings.

Mimi’s Dream and the Central Park Zoo.
Maureen Mihailescu. Windsurf Publishing. $15.95 paper (60p), ISBN 978-1-936509-14-0
Amazon; BN.com
Mimi dreams about the animals in Manhattan’s Central Park Zoo. The animals delight her with their music, dance, and unusual ways.

Quests of Shadowind: Sky Shifter.
L.A. Miller. Millhouse Press. $10.95 paper (298p), ISBN 978-0-615-43925-9
www.QuestsofShadowind.com; Amazon
Abducted to a scary alien world, two teens must unlock the mystery of their captivity and try to escape back home as they battle real and virtual monsters and elude their kidnappers.

The Unearthing: Pond Punkies, Book 2.
Lisa Riebe. Ravine Publishing. $15.95 hardcover (167p), ISBN 978-0-9819493-4-5
Amazon; BN.com
In this middle grade sci-fi series, Blaze has nightmares about monsters after his sister is abducted and sets out to rescue her. Meanwhile, his allies discover a plot against a planet very far from Earth.

Music in My Soul: A Tribute to the Unique Sounds of New Orleans.
Marian Schmitt. Ampersand. $17.95 hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-1-4507-0622-3
www.ampersandworks.com; Ingram; Amazon
A seagull’s call, tourists conversing, the laughter of children, and music on nearly every New Orleans corner: these are the sounds of the city, bringing music to your soul, if you just listen.

Heaven Is for Heroes.
PJ Sharon. CreateSpace. $11.99 paper (290p), ISBN 978-1-4635-6954-9
www.pjsharon.com
Seventeen-year-old Jordie Dunn loses her brother in Iraq. When his best friend Alex comes back wounded and blaming himself for her brother’s death, Jordie is determined to find the truth. What she doesn’t expect to find is love.

Kyla & Carlos: Talk on the Phone/ Hablan Por Teléfono.
Trey Holder & Sandy Trevizo. The Gateway Network. $3.99 paper (22p), ISBN 978-0-9834541-5-1
KylaAndCarlos.com
Kyla and Carlos are cousins who live in different countries, but keep in touch over the telephone. In this volume, readers learn the names of household objects in Spanish and English.

The Adventures of Anna and Andy Hummingbird: Book 1 Stories 1–5; Book 2 Stories 6–10.
Linda P. Young. Xlibris. $21.99 paper each (44p), ISBN 978-1-4568-9568-6 (Book 1); ISBN 978-1-4568-8849-7 (Book 2)
Amazon; BN.com
Anna and Andy Hummingbird have many adventures to share with young readers ages 9–12.

Memoir

Champagne and Roses: A Story of Love and Cancer.
Arthur J. Benson. Vantage Press. $22.95 hardcover (130p), ISBN 978-0-533-16417-2
Amazon
Benson shares with readers his wife’s heroic 21-month struggle with cancer in this tribute to her. His love for his spouse and compassion for her suffering, as well as his sense of humor, humanize the serious subject.

The Long, Hot Walk.
Deb McCarroll. Studio Pacific. $12 paper (255p), ISBN 978-0-578-07315-6
debmccarroll.com
“When I was eight years old I walked across the New Mexico desert with my crazy mother”: so says artist McCarroll in this off-kilter memoir with a tender heart.

Pure Gold: Adventures with Six Rescued Golden Retrievers.
Holli Pfau. Glad Dog Press. $24.95 hardcover (272p), ISBN 978-0-9836451-0-8
www.puregoldbook.com
Pure Gold chronicles the author’s personal journey with six rescued golden retrievers, as she trained the dogs in new behaviors and they led her to a new career in animal-assisted therapy.

Nonfiction

The Mysterious Lindsey Lights: One Family’s True Encounters with Strange Lights in the Sky Near Lindsey, Wisconsin.
Betty May Ockerl. Vantage Press. $11.95 paper (86p), ISBN 978-0-533-163-99-1
Amazon
A true story of one family’s experiences with enigmatic phenomenon, this account of unidentified, mysterious lights in the Wisconsin sky will intrigue readers curious about worlds beyond this one.

Stupid Me? Stupid You!
Jerry Rajkumar. Vantage Press. $14.95 paper (236p), ISBN 978-0-533-16411-0
Amazon
At times fiery, at times humorous, the author castigates cheats yet also censures the victims in an attempt to illuminate the need for everyone to be aware of just how easy it is to be deceived.

The Legacy of Ida Lillbroända: Finnish Emigrant to America 1893.
Arlene Sundquist Empie. Boulder House Publishers. $24 hardcover (288p), ISBN 978-1-931025-05-8
www.boulderhousepublishers.com
Young Ida’s journey from Finland to America in the 1890s intertwines cultural and historical research with a compelling story of courage, pioneer spirit, and family tradition. Winner of the 2011 Multicultural Nonfiction, Next Generation Indie Book Award.

Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists.
Valaida Fullwood, photos by Charles W. Thomas Jr. John F. Blair Publishers. $36.50 hardcover (392p), ISBN 978-0-89587-564-8
www.blairpub.com
A tradition of giving permeates African-American culture. Photography and narratives highlight this tradition rooted in faith, mutuality, and responsibility.

Your Guide to Earth’s Pivotal Years: A Direct Path to Enlightened Living.
Selacia. iUniverse. $22.95 paper (320p), ISBN 978-1-4502-9707-3
Amazon
A writer and spiritual guide, Selacia answers universal questions about the future, helping readers understand their role as a divine changemaker during Earth’s pivotal years and to discover the truth about the paradigm shift, our future, and a more enlightened way to live.

Performing
A Complete Guide to Ventriloquism: Principles, Practics and Performance.
Naveen Sridhar. CreateSpace. $25.90 paper (260p), ISBN 978-1-4636-8437-2
Amazon
Deals with all aspects of performance, from developing an original ventriloquist’s voice and act to acquiring stage presence and beyond. Preface by Siegfried and Roy.

Poetry

Songs of My Soul: Vol. 1, Upon the Horizon.
D.K. Bridges. Vantage Press. $8.95 paper (60p), ISBN 978-0-533-15976-5
Amazon
A soul-searching collection that engages readers with a variety of themes, D.K. Bridges’s candid work is also a fitting tribute to his recently deceased mother as well as an expression of his respect for the written word.

Teenie and Bobbie and Bobbie’s Poems: A Childhood in New Hampshire—True Children’s Stories for Adults.
Millicent Evans Clapp. Vantage Press. $10.95 paper (54p), ISBN 978-0-533-16063-1
Amazon
An endearing and nostalgic collection of prose and poetry offers a variety of true stories about smalltown kids during the Great Depression.

Ramblings of My Mind: A Poetic
Experience.
Thelma Louise Jefferson. Vantage Press. $10 paper (72p), ISBN 978-0-533-16306-9
Amazon
A thoughtful collection of poems, lush with musings that explore the author’s own experiences, from her thoughts and reminiscences to the everyday aspects of life. Jefferson’s poetry reflects the emotions of her soul.

With Warm Breast... and Bright Wings: Collected Poetry & Prose.
Rev. Augustine John Moore, Ph.D. Vantage Press. $14.95 paper (235p), ISBN 978-0-533-16364-9
Amazon
The poet awards readers a renewed sense of personal value, celebrating the fundamental dignity of every human being.

Into the Night: Collected Poetry of Michael Pendragon.
Michael Pendragon. Malleus Maleficarium Press. $19.95 paper (264p), ISBN 978-1-4528-4316-2
Amazon
They’re all here: rhymed and metered; free verse; love poems; horror poems; the sacred, the humorous, and the profane: the definitive collection of Michael Pendragon’s works to date.

A Day to Remember.
Steve S. Singh. Vantage Press. $9.95 paper (24p), ISBN 978-0-533-16498-1
Amazon
A moving work strives to convey the wide range of memories, thoughts, and emotions that the author (and much of the world) has felt and considered since September 11, 2001.

Religion

An Ordinary Person, an Extraordinary Gift.
Deanna Danielle. Westbow Press. $13.95 paper (173p), ISBN 978-1-4497-0540-4
www.westbowpress.com
The author encourages a deeper, personal growth in our relationship with God, taking the reader to the heart of the Christian faith.

Backwards Beliefs: Revealing Eternal Truths Hidden in Religion.
Nanci L. Danison. A.P. Lee. $19.95 hardcover (198p), ISBN 978-1-934482-10-0
Amazon
Following a near-death experience, the author presents the history of human religion, the role of religious messengers, the origins of Christian churches, renowned Bible scholars’ research, and how eternal truths became hidden in human beliefs.

Unlocking the Zohar.
Michael Laitman. Laitman Kabbalah Publishers. $30 hardcover (432p), ISBN 978-1-897448-59-5
www.KabbalahBooks.info; NBN
The Book of Zohar (Book of Radiance) collects commentaries on the Torah for those of advanced spiritual attainment. Laitman unfolds the mysterious and often misconstrued wisdom within the book, showing humanity a new and bright future.

A Prayer Journey Through Deployment: The Prayers of a Mom.
Donna J. Mull. WinePress Publishers. $14.99 paper (113p), ISBN 978-1-4141-1563-4
www.WinePressBooks.com
A military mom shares meditations that flow into powerful conversations with God on behalf of soldiers and families. A source of hope, comfort, and encouragement with insights relevant to all life “battles.”

Self-Help
Turning the Tide: The Top Ten Principles of a Successful Mindset.
Rebekah Harkness. Vantage Press. $10.95 paper (65p), ISBN 978-0-533-16180-5
Amazon
An accessible primer outlines what the author believes to be the top 10 principles of a successful mindset that will allow readers to rise above mediocrity and achieve the level of success that they desire.

DNA—The Healing Therapy: Create Your Life New Every Day, by Choice.
Kathy P. Reddick, Psy.D. Vantage Press. $8.95 paper (48p), ISBN 978-0-533-16266-6
Amazon
A systematic life-changing process incorporates hypnosis, transcendental meditation, essential oils, and remedies derived from natural plants, a combination that together promotes better physical and mental health on a cellular level.

Gifts from Shane: A True Story of Love and Loss.
Marie Bartlett. ASJA Press. $4.99 paper (275p), ISBN 978-0-595-40515-2
Nook; Kindle; Amazon; Barnes & Noble
The author’s son was a young man with special needs who displayed amazing courage in the face of terminal illness. His story includes the gifts he left behind. Foreword by Winston Groom.

Beyond the Myth: How to Live the Life You Desire.
Maria T. Holmes. Get Published. $24.95 hardcover (60p), ISBN 978-0-9830946-0-9
www.Beyondthemythbook.com; Amazon
With beautiful imagery and inspiring quotes, Holmes shows you how to live the life you desire, using the Law of Attraction.

The 4-1-1 on Life Skills.
Michele Sfakianos, R.N., B.S.N. Open Pages Publishing. $14.95 paper (160p), ISBN 978-0-9836646-0-4
Amazon
These are the basic life skills young people need when they head out on their own: how to balance a checkbook; how to do the laundry; how to cook a meal; and many more tasks of everyday living.

Make Light Work: 10 Tools for Inner Knowing.
Kate Sutherland. Incite Press. $12.95 paper (99p), ISBN 978-0-9866127-0-1
www.makelightwork
.org; Amazon; Ingram
This step-by-step guide introduces 10 tools, like an internal GPS, for greater clarity, effectiveness, and joy, along with pitfalls to avoid and inspiring stories.

Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right.
Sophia Yin, D.V.M., M.S. CattleDog Publishing. $19.95 paper (176p), ISBN 978-0-9641518-7-1
Amazon
With 400 photos and a step-by-step plan, this puppy book visually guides you through socialization, house training, and life skills while making the process fun.