Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 55 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

After Olympus: A Work of Quasi-fiction

Santiago Xaman. Lone Think Press. $14.99 paper (349p), ISBN 978-1-73380-170-6

Amazon

A spacecraft falls to Earth in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Three men face a central question of modernity: when ancient sources of narrative lose their credibility, who owns the truth?

Kahana: The Untold Stories

Ann Kennedy. Kahana and Kennedy Productions. $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-463-53270-6

BN.com, Kobo, Scribd, Smashwords

A dramatic re-creation of Kahana’s adventurous, heartfelt, and death-defying journeys arranged by fate and directed by lively characters.

The Last Merry Go Round

C.L. Charlesworth. Mirador Publishing. $14.99 paper (250p), ISBN 978-1-913264-23-9; $4.95 e-book, ASIN B07ZXBX4WX

Amazon

Diane is a devoted mother and wife, fearing an abusive husband. A psychiatrist, alcohol, and sedatives are coping mechanisms. When Diane discovers Richard’s darkest secrets, she must make a choice.

Man Shark

Gerald R. Knight. Iguana Books. $21.99 paper (298p), ISBN 978-1-77180-228-4

Amazon, BN.com

This work of historical fiction contains a love story that takes place on prehistoric Lae Atoll, an outlying coral atoll in what is now the Marshall Islands.

Not-Quite-Supermodel

Kathy Tong. SWP. $12.99 paper (386p), ISBN 978-1-73407-360-7; $7.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-73407-361-4

Amazon

Meet Alex Emmerson. She’s awkward, she’s neurotic, she’s slicing fish at Safeway. But when she’s discovered by a modeling agency, Alex may have the chance to reinvent herself.

Penitentiary Tales: A Love Story

E.A. Luetkemeyer. Laughing Buddha Books. $19.95 paper (367p), ISBN 978-0-578-58122-4

Amazon, BN.com, IngramSpark

A young, privileged, straight white male from an affluent community in California is sent to a prison filled with fearsome, ethnically diverse inmates from the mean streets of Chicago.

Poetry

The Silver Pen: Sound and Silence

Jan Voth Dubbs. AuthorHouse. $13.99 paper (108p), ISBN 978-1-5462-5130-9; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5462-5129-3

Amazon

This book of poetry displays unique ways of expressing the power and beauty of language.

Mystery/Thriller

Beware of the Banker

Barry Somes. Newman Springs Publishing. $18.75 paper (254p), ISBN 978-1-64531-235-2

Amazon

A Maine-based crime fiction story inspired by the true tale of Bonnie and Clyde, who, next to Jesse James, were the most famous outlaws in U.S. history.

Breaking Ava Lake

K.P. Ambroziak. K.P. Ambroziak. $15.50 paper (366p), ISBN 978-1-69787-832-5

Amazon, BN.com

Nolon killed a man when he was a child. Now a shrewd lawyer, he’s willing to go to deadly lengths to silence the only witness to his crime.

The Crown Agent

Phillippa de Vescey. Toad Hall Press. $16.80 paper (352p), ISBN 978-0-9931590-8-4

Phillippadevescey.com, Amazon, Toadhallpress.com

Tom, an agent with the CIA, is assigned to babysit Harper and Kate in this investigative story of murder and political intrigue.

The Ghosts of Notchey Creek

Liz S. Andrews. Liz S. Andrews. $4.99 e-book, ASIN B07XQ62VVX

Amazon, Apple iBooks, Baker & Taylor, Bibliotheca, BN.com, Kobo, OverDrive, Scribd

It’s the holiday season in Notchey Creek, Tenn., and whiskey distiller Harley Henrickson senses something eerie in the air. And it all leads to murder.

Good Evil

Dave Crawford. David Crawford. $12 paper (306p), ISBN 978-0-578-60775-7; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-578-60776-4

Amazon

Byron Jones, teacher and industrial chemist, has been recently widowed, but after having taken time off to look after his dying wife, he’s trying to get back into the workforce.

Inherent Truth

Alicia Anthony. Drury Lane Books. $15.99 paper (376p), ISBN 978-1-73336-241-2; $4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-73336-240-5

Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo

Even the dead keep secrets. When a reluctant psychic and the agent sent to protect her unearth a gruesome discovery, the truth becomes clear. Some family secrets are best left buried.

Kuskovo: A Spy Novel

Rick Marshall. BookStream. $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-88-341-3394-1

Amazon

An international spy thriller set during the 1970s Cold War.

Payback: Tales of Love, Hate, and Revenge

Steve Bassett. Steve Bassett. $14.99 paper (376p), ISBN 978-1-08-780033-2

Amazon, BN.com, Ingram

Two homicide cops quickly realize they are in over their heads as they grapple with ambition, greed, racial tension, international intrigue, and a powerful church on the take.

Requiem for the Dead

Victor M. Alvarez. Black Rose Writing. $21.95 paper (396p), ISBN 978-1-68433-437-7

Amazon, Blackrosewriting.com, BN.com

A B-2 stealth bomber, two stolen nuclear smart bombs, a rogue U.S. Army general, his mercenaries, and his plan to nuke North Korea are all featured in this thriller.

Suicide Package: Silent Awakening of a Merciless Killer (The Keys of Hades #1)

Jack Hummey. Hubward Publishing Services. $2.99 e-book,
ASIN B07Y6CC9NC

Amazon

Maggie March is a beautiful, kind, and honest woman. They should have known better than to kill John, her husband. She craves revenge, and she feels that God is on her side.

Waking Dead

Jay Glendall. iUniverse. $13.99 paper (190p), ISBN 978-1-5320-5376-4

Amazon, BN.com, Ingram

A serial killer surgeon suspected of Nazi war crimes evades justice using his innocent twin’s identity. A doctor and FBI agent join forces to reveal the surgeon’s true identity and crimes.

Where’s... Eli? Another Brooklyn Tale of the Al and Mick Forte Crime Fiction Series

Alex S. Avitabile. Alex S. Avitabile. $14.95 paper (224p), ISBN 978-1-73230-632-5

Amazon

Al Forte faces criminal prosecution and disbarment unless he can prove he’s not behind the disappearance of almost $2 million from his attorney escrow accounts.

SF/Fantasy/Horror

The Adustum Diaries: A Faithful Record of the Quest of Rhed Viridis

Angela Tempest. Kentstead Media. $7.55 paper (145p), ISBN 978-1-08-785337-6

Amazon, Kobo

Rhed Viridis binds people to the afterlife. In a quest, he discovers new powers and enters an existence between the worlds of light and dark that will change him forever.

Freefall (The Amalie Noether Chronicles #1)

Jana Williams. Jana Williams. $13.95 paper (380p), ISBN 978-1-9994086-1-9; $4.53 e-book, ISBN 978-1-9994086-0-2

Amazon

Elle and a group of young scientists are in transit to a new planet. They soon suspect the sleeping drug they take might be poison. Elle is now in a race against time for answers.

Magnum’s Electric, Book II

Christopher J. Barnes. Christopher J. Barnes. $10.82 paper (214p), ISBN 978-1-07-951869-6

Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com

Daniel Magnum mysteriously gained supernatural powers that led to the capture of many criminals around the world.

Narican: The Cloaked Deception

D.M. Robbins. KDP. $4.99 e-book, ASIN B07X9NYNP4

Amazon

He is the last of the Sun Clan. Now that he’s 18, the Toxic Whisperers are coming for him and all sentient beings.

Taboo Tech

Joy V. Smith. Fire & Ice Young Adult books. $16.95 paper (327p), ISBN 978-0-359-51657-5

Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google Play, Kobo, Smashwords

When her family disappears, Lacie Leigh Collier searches for them with her AI, Embers, looking for answers. Along the way, she meets new friends, aliens, robots, smart ships, and trouble.

Romance/Erotica

Magdalena’s Shadow

E.E. Orme. The Wow House. $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9985953-0-6

Amazon, BN.com, Google Play, Kobo

A coming-of-age romance about a supermodel’s daughter thrust into a world of drugs, celebrity, and high fashion.

What About Barnum? (Binary Bounty #1)

Joss Landry. Book Beatles. $15.99 paper (374p), ISBN 978-0-99595680-3

Amazon, BN.com

After Barnum saves Millicent Brewer’s five-year-old son from drowning, they share a passionate kiss. While the man provides for all their needs with charm and kindness, Millie considers Barnum might not be human.

Nonfiction

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty for Love

T.J. Allen. Xlibris. $15.99 paper (97p), ISBN 978-1-4797-6900-1; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4797-6901-8

Amazon

Allen finds herself torn between love and loyalty to her spouse, who is attached to the military, or leaving him.

Bern, Baby, Bern! Why Bernie Sanders’ Policies Would Incinerate the U.S. Economy

J. Kyle deVries. East Hill Publishing. $9.95 e-book, ASIN B081BDG1LY

Amazon

This book was written to encourage readers to think for themselves and view the entire picture (both the “seen” and the “unseen”) before deciding which policies and economic systems are prudent.

A Closer Look at Islam

Syed B. Ali. Xlibris. $13.79 paper (302p), ISBN 978-1-5245-1698-7

Amazon, BN.com, Xlibris

This book evaluates common arguments against lslam, and discusses its poorly understood teachings and the high
ideals of its exemplary figures.

Cybersecurity Is Everybody’s Business: Solve the Security Puzzle for Your Small Business and Home

Scott N. Schober, with Craig W. Schober. ScottSchober Publishing. $19.95 paper (338p), ISBN 978-0-9969022-6-7

Scottschober.com, Amazon, BN.com

Thirty million small businesses in the U.S. alone are trying to stay safe from phishing attacks, malware spying, ransomware, identity theft, and hackers. Schober examines a multitude of cybersecurity issues.

Discover the Secrets and Power of Business Credit

Victor Allen. Christian Faith Publishing. $18.95 paper (126p), ISBN 978-1-64515-705-2

Amazon, BN.com

Allen attempts to give readers knowledge and understanding of the process of building credit and obtaining funds for any business.

El duro trato: La música, la medicina y mi padre (Richard Tucker, leyenda de la ópera) (The Hard Deal: Music, Medicine, and My Father [Richard Tucker, Opera Legend])

David Tucker and Burton Spivak. Xlibris. $19.99 paper (326p), ISBN 978-1-984570-84-0; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-984570-83-3

Amazon

In this Spanish-language book, Tucker and Spivak describe in detail the clash of wills between legendary American tenor Richard Tucker and his ambitious middle son, David.

Every Drop of Water and Every Grain of Salt on the Way to Authentic Happiness

Armando S. Garcia. Visbal Publications. $14.95 paper (160p), ISBN 978-1-73426-350-3

Amazon

Garcia expounds on his beliefs that the personal universe is fundamentally moral and that to be truly happy, you must be a good person.

The Formation and Development of the Angolan Armed Forces

Miguel Junior. AuthorHouse. $14.35 paper (140p), ISBN 978-1-72838-750-5; $4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-72838-752-9

Amazon

Junior describes the structuring grounds of Angola’s national army and its historical background, reflects on its state of organization, and identifies aspects for further development.

From Stroke to Recovery: My Walk with God; A Guide to Recovery

Kim Blackwell. Xlibris. $12.99 paper (94p), ISBN 978-1-5434-4448-3; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5434-4447-6

Amazon

Blackwell shares her miraculous recovery from a stroke, and her faith and trust in God in the face of life’s many challenges.

How He Robbed Me of My Three Baby Daughters

Maggie Colombe. Austin Macauley. $16.95 paper (303p), ISBN 978-1-78693-887-9

Amazon, Smashwords, Waterstones

Colombe tells how she lost her three daughters after they were taken away by their father, and how they reunited 17 years later.

Immediacy: Our Ways of Coping in Everyday Life

Fred Emil Katz. AuthorHouse. $19.24 paper (210p), ISBN 978-1-5049-7910-8

Amazon

From birth to last breath, people must cope with the immediate world around them. Survival and happiness depend on it. This book shows how readers can be better at coping in their everyday lives.

Lessons for Life Based on the Lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph

Peter Elwood. Xlibris. $14.40 paper (100p), ISBN 978-1-5434-9499-0; $4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5434-9498-3

Amazon

This volume is based on a series of talks that Elwood has given in the church.

Lighten Your Day: Fast, Easy, and Effective Stress Relief for When Sh*t Happens

Pete Alexander. Best Seller Publishing. $19.95 paper (259p), ISBN 978-1-07-270499-7; $9.95 e-book, ASIN B07RTZJM76

Amazon

The author provides over 100 fast, easy, and effective stress relief tips that can be implemented quickly and just when readers need it most.

Living the Dream? The Problem with Escapist, Exhibitionist, Empire-Building Christianity

Tristan Sherwin. Black Coney Press. $14.95 paper (427p), ISBN 978-1-916267-20-6; $7.46 e-book, ASIN B07Z89LN5C

Amazon, BN.com, Book Depository, Waterstones

Sherwin examines the tribal and self-saturated culture that Christianity has become.

My Epidemic: An AIDS Memoir of One Man’s Struggle as Doctor, Patient, and Survivor

Andrew M. Faulk. Culbertson Publishing. $16.95 paper (240p), ISBN 978-1-73342-911-5

Amazon

After a long silence, Faulk recounts his own story as doctor, patient, and survivor.

The Prison Planet Handbook

Denis Goodwin. Xlibris. $34.45 paper (98p), ISBN 978-1-5434-9516-4; $4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5434-9515-7

Amazon

Sometimes the reality prescribed doesn’t explain everything. Life on Mars? UFOs? Afterlife? In this reference book, Goodwin seeks to uncover clues about the universe that remain top secret.

Pursuing a Better Tomorrow

Blanca De La Rosa. Angels Fortune Editions. $20.35 paper (306p), ISBN 978-84-120617-4-1

Amazon, BN.com, Google Play

En busca de un mañana mejor: De Nocedo del Valle a Estados Unidos (Pursuing a Better Tomorrow, Spanish ed.)

Blanca De La Rosa. Angels Fortune Editions. $19.85 paper (304p), ISBN 978-84-1206172-7

De La Rosa candidly shares her coming-of-age story of self-discovery as she transitioned from New York City’s projects to corporate America.

Red Road Across the Great Plains

Chandra Lahiri. Dawn Voyager. $16.99 paper (242p), ISBN 978-93-5391-234-5

Amazon, Ingram

A life-changing solo voyage of discovery across the blood-soaked Great Plains. An odyssey through momentous sites of Native American heritage and the western frontier.

Reimagining Christmas: Discoveries of a Christmas Self

Laura Keller-Wolff. Reflect Cre8/DBA Eight One 818 Pub. $18.99 hardcover (136p), ISBN 978-1-73394-122-8; $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-73394-120-4

Amazon

This exploration of Christmas, rekindled by the qualities of imagination, exchanges a consumerist approach for soulful and mindful practices in creating new or sustaining older traditions.

The Tree of Life & the Origin of the Species

Philip Bruce Heywood. Stampa Global. $17 paper (314p), ISBN 978-1-951585-03-7; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-951585-04-4

Amazon, BN.com

Heywood examines the existing explanations of the origin of the universe against a backdrop of the first chapters of the Bible.

Under My Bubbe’s Wings: How Grandma’s Spirit Got Me Through Nazi Captivity

Iser Flaum. Flaum Press. $13.95 paper (139p), ISBN 978-1-63492-825-0

Amazon, BN.com, BookLocker

A true-life saga of the massive life disruption, harsh treatment, total loss of family, near-death escapes, and years of Nazi enslavement of Flaum’s parents.

Why Is This Happening to Me? A Guide for Learning Emotional Intelligence

Kathleen Kelly. Toplink Publishing. $11.99 paper (228p), ISBN 978-1-950540-13-6

Amazon, BN.com

Kelly provides lessons for readers about aspects of society that influence emotions, as well as tools for readers’ emotional intelligence and how to implement them.

Children’s/YA

Beyond the Silence (The Renegade #1)

Dave Crawford. David Crawford. $12 paper (308p), ISBN 978-0-578-60348-3; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-578-60349-0

Amazon

Zan Kovac’s introduction to space travel starts at 12 when he’s abducted by his estranged father. But some years later, Zan embarks on a future wild adventure resulting from his father’s activities.

Low Hanging Branches

Cee McAdams, illus. by Ayanna Freeman. Gatekeeper Press. $16.99 hardcover (260p), ISBN 978-1-64237-313-4; $11.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-64237-312-7

Amazon, Better World Books, BN.com, Books-a-Million

This is a collection of short stories for children.

Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal

Ryan Cowan. KDP. $6.99 paper (176p),
ISBN 978-1-09-795277-9; 99¢ e-book, ASIN B07QNMGTVQ

Amazon

Elliott and his third-grade teacher, Mr. Moonbeam, travel to a magical world called Moonstone to stop the evil witch Noir from invading the nonmagical world on Halloween night.

One of Seventeen

Catherine Nagle. Balboa Press. $28.95 hardcover (158p), ISBN 978-1-982232-97-9; $11.99 paper, ISBN 978-9822-3295-5

Amazon, Balboa Press, BN.com

A young girl is adopted as one of 17 children. Caitlin is timid and naive, challenged by heartbreak. She grows up to be a compassionate adult and finds her dream.

Possessed (Pagan Light #1)

JoAnne Keltner. Amazon Digital Services. $13.99 paper (333p), ISBN 978-1-79165-741-3; $3.99 e-book, ASIN B07N4DKG29

Amazon

Guilt-ridden for lying to her church about being psychic, Jackie denies her gifts. But when a friend summons a demon, Jackie must accept who she is before the demon claims her soul.

A Witch’s Aura: The Sorenya Chronicles

Devon Volkel. iUniverse. $20.99 paper (298p), ISBN 978-1-5320-5075-6; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5320-5076-3

Amazon

When Shayde Gamic reaches her 16th birthday, a family secret is revealed to her that both explains and complicates her life.