"Little and Often"--by Trent Preszler--an unflinching account of bereavement and a stirring reflection on the complexities of inheritance--between his past and his present, and between America’s heartland and its coasts, Preszler shows how one can achieve reconciliation through the healing power of creativity

  

Little and Often: A Memoir

Trent Preszler thought he was living the life he always wanted, with a job at a winery and a seaside Long Island home, when he was called back to the life he left behind. After years of estrangement, his cancer-stricken father had invited him to South Dakota for Thanksgiving. It would be the last time he saw his father alive.

Preszler’s only inheritance was a beat-up wooden toolbox that had belonged to his father, who was a cattle rancher, rodeo champion, and Vietnam War Bronze Star Medal recipient. This family heirloom befuddled Preszler. He did not work with his hands—but maybe that was the point. In his grief, he wondered if there was still a way to understand his father, and with that came an epiphany: he would make something with his inheritance. Having no experience or training in woodcraft, driven only by blind will, he decided to build a wooden canoe, and he would aim to paddle it on the first anniversary of his father’s death.

While Preszler taught himself how to use his father’s tools, he confronted unexpected revelations about his father’s secret history and his own struggle for self-respect. The grueling challenges of boatbuilding tested his limits, but the canoe became his sole consolation. Gradually, Preszler learned what working with his hands offered: a different per­spective on life, and the means to change it.

Little and Often is an unflinching account of bereavement and a stirring reflection on the complexities of inheritance. Between his past and his present, and between America’s heartland and its coasts, Preszler shows how one can achieve reconciliation through the healing power of creativity.

Reviews

 

“Trent Preszler’s beautiful, compelling memoir tells of his struggle that spans a divided country and family alike. The writing is simple and elegant, harkening back to great American writers such as John Williams and Willa Cather. The expanse between South Dakota, New York City, and finally the North Fork of Long Island is enormous for a young gay man struggling with his father’s legacy. It’s a tenderly wrought tale of coming to terms with our past that will resonate no matter who you are.” -- Isaac Mizrahi, fashion designer and host of Project Runway

"Masterful. With Little and Often, Trent Preszler gives us not only a memoir of sons and fathers, acceptance and reconciliation, but also a stirring meditation on objects, their memories, and the complexities of inheritance. The prose is crystalline, and Preszler's voice is as sure as the steadiest canoe." -- Grant Ginder, author of The People We Hate at the Wedding and Honestly, We Meant Well  

“Little and Often is a beautiful memoir of grief, love, the shattered bond between a father and son, and the resurrection of a broken heart. Trent Preszler tells his story with the same level of art and craftsmanship that he brings to his boat making, and he reminds us of creativity’s power to transform and heal our lives. This is a powerful and deeply moving book. I won’t soon forget it.” -- Elizabeth Gilbert

"Woodworking meets bridge-building, and sorrow meets understanding in this impeccably written, loving memoir." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Little and Often is a meditation on spiritual growth, nature’s magic, the love for family, regret, and the redemptive power of craftsmanship. I have the highest regard for Trent’s courage in writing this big and beautiful memoir. It’s a soulful and sometimes gut-wrenching story of the difficult relationships between fathers and sons. This gem couldn’t be more relevant to the times we live in today.” -- Kevin O’Connor, host of ‘This Old House’ on PBS 

“An impressive memoir, and a richly rendered tale. I thought (with relish) that I was getting a book about wood and tools, but the canoe built herein is merely the vessel carrying the buoyant narrative about a father and son, a mother and sister, love, hard work, wine, boats and a dog. I may have grown misty at one point.” -- Nick Offerman, actor and New York Times bestselling author

“The woodworking is rich and beyond impressive, but Preszler’s humble soul work is utterly transcendent. Courageous. Genuine. Cathartic. Will restore your faith in forgiveness. Will make you believe in grace.”  -- Matthew Quick, New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook and The Reason You’re Alive

"Sometimes a writer goes on a journey in order to write a book. More rarely, a writer writes a book in order to go on a journey. Little and Often belongs to that latter category of memoir, built from the inside out. In Trent Preszler's hands, we are smoothed, soothed, and made anew as he peels back layer after layer of his grief and loss until there is only love and forgiveness. This is an unforgettable story of a father's final, life-altering gift to his son." -- Dani Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of Inheritance

 

  

Trent Preszler

 

 

 

Trent Preszler is CEO of Bedell Cellars and former Chairman of WineAmerica. His merlot was the official red wine of Barack Obama's 2013 Inaugural Luncheon, the first time a New York-grown wine was served at a U.S. presidential inauguration. After the death of his father in 2014, Preszler built a wooden canoe using his father's tools. Newsday produced a short documentary film about Preszler's boatbuilding inspiration that won the 2018 New York Emmy Award for Best Lifestyle Program. His eponymous Preszler Woodshop has been featured in The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Esquire, The New York Times Robb Report, Financial Times and OUT Magazine. In 2020, the William Morrow imprint of HarperCollins will publish Preszler's memoir, Little and Often, the story of how the inheritance of his rancher father's tool box helped him wrestle with the grief of his father's and sister's deaths by building wooden boats, leading to self-discovery and forgiveness. A South Dakota native, Preszler was educated at a one-room schoolhouse near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation before graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Iowa State University and earning an MS in Agricultural Economics and PhD in Horticulture, both from Cornell University.

 

http://www.preszlerwoodshop.com/

"THE PLOT"--hailed as breathtakingly suspenseful, author Jean Hanff Korelitz's "The Plot" is a propulsive read about a story too good not to steal, and the writer who steals it

 

The Plot

Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Today, he's teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what's left of his self-respect; he hasn't written--let alone published--anything decent in years. When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn't need Jake's help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then . . . he hears the plot.

Jake returns to the downward trajectory of his own career and braces himself for the supernova publication of Evan Parker's first novel: but it never comes. When he discovers that his former student has died, presumably without ever completing his book, Jake does what any self-respecting writer would do with a story like that--a story that absolutely needs to be told.

In a few short years, all of Evan Parker's predictions have come true, but Jake is the author enjoying the wave. He is wealthy, famous, praised and read all over the world. But at the height of his glorious new life, an e-mail arrives, the first salvo in a terrifying, anonymous campaign: You are a thief, it says.

As Jake struggles to understand his antagonist and hide the truth from his readers and his publishers, he begins to learn more about his late student, and what he discovers both amazes and terrifies him. Who was Evan Parker, and how did he get the idea for his "sure thing" of a novel? What is the real story behind the plot, and who stole it from whom?

"From its first pages, Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot ensnares you in a rich tangle of literary vanities, treachery and fraud. Psychologically acute and breathtakingly suspenseful, you’ll find yourself rushing towards a finale both astonishing and utterly earned." ―Megan Abbott, Bestselling author of Give Me Your Hand

"Gripping and thoroughly unsettling: This one will be flying off the shelves."―Kirkus Reviews

 

Jean Hanff Korelitz

 

Jean Hanff Korelitz was born and raised in New York City and educated at Dartmouth College and Clare College, Cambridge. She is the author of the novels: You Should Have Known (Adapted for HBO as “The Undoing” by David E. Kelley, directed by Susanne Bier and starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant and Donald Sutherland), Admission (adapted as the 2013 film of the same name, starring Tina Fey, Lily Tomlin and Paul Rudd), The Devil and Webster, The White Rose, The Sabbathday River and A Jury of Her Peers, as well as a middle-grade reader, Interference Powder, and a collection of poetry, The Properties of Breath. Two new novels, The Plot and The Latecomer, will be published by Celadon Books in 2021 and 2022.

With Paul Muldoon she adapted James Joyce’s “The Dead” as an immersive theatrical event, THE DEAD, 1904. The play was produced by Dot Dot Productions, LLC, for the Irish Repertory Theatre and performed at New York's American Irish Historical Society for seven week runs in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Korelitz is the founder of BOOKTHEWRITER, a New York City based service that offers "Pop-Up Book Groups" where readers can discuss books with their authors. Events are being held online for the duration of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

She and her husband, Irish poet Paul Muldoon, are the parents of two children and live in New York City.

http://www.jeanhanffkorelitz.com

"Vera: A Novel'--New York Times bestselling author Carol Edgarian delivers an astonishing feat of imagination, a grand adventure set in 1906 San Francisco—a city leveled by quake and fire—featuring an indomitable heroine coming of age in the aftermath of catastrophe and her quest for love and reinvention

 

Vera

Meet Vera Johnson, the uncommonly resourceful fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello and ally to the city’s corrupt politicians. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds—the madam’s alluring sphere, replete with tickets to the opera, surly henchmen, and scant morality, and the violent, debt ridden domestic life of the family paid to raise her.

On the morning of the great quake, Vera’s worlds collide. As the shattered city burns and looters vie with the injured, orphaned, and starving, Vera and her guileless sister, Pie, are cast adrift. Vera disregards societal norms and prejudices and begins to imagine a new kind of life. She collaborates with Tan, her former rival, and forges an unlikely family of survivors. Together they navigate their way beyond disaster.

In Vera, Carol Edgarian creates a cinematic, deeply entertaining world, in which honor and fates are tested; notions of sex, class, and justice are turned upside down; and love is hard-won. A ravishing, heartbreaking, and profound affirmation of youth and tenacity, Vera’s story brings to life legendary characters—tenor Enrico Caruso, indicted mayor Eugene Schmitz and boss Abe Ruef, tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels—as well as an unforgettable cast that includes Vera’s young lover, Bobby, protector of the city’s tribe of orphans, and three generations of a Chinese family competing and conspiring with Vera.

This richly imagined, timely tale of improbable outcomes and alliances takes hold from the first page, gifting readers with remarkable scenes of devastation, renewal, and joy. Told with unflinching candor and wit, Vera celebrates the audacious fortitude of its young heroine and marks a stunning achievement by an inventive and generous writer.

Praise for VERA

 
“Set in San Francisco during the great quake and fire of 1906, this wonderfully compelling novel takes us deeply into the heart and mind of an unforgettable fifteen year old girl, one who must find her way alone through a mother’s neglect, through bordellos and corrupt politicians, through the debris and ashes of what was once 'The Paris of the West.' Vera is that rare novel that you’ll want to buy for loved ones just as soon as you reach its shimmeringly beautiful ending. And its streetwise, resilient protagonist will stay with you for a very long time indeed.”—Andre Dubus III

“In addition to being an all-encompassing and enthralling historical novel, Vera parallels with the current era, and all of its accompanying losses.”—O, The Oprah Magazine 

“Vera has always had to be scrappy and resourceful, even as a child. But the great earthquake of 1906 shakes even Vera, who is forced to imagine a new world for herself among an unlikely band of survivors.”—BuzzFeed

"The author paints a vivid portrait of a metropolis teeming with sex workers, immigrants, corrupt politicians, and artists... The result makes for a stirring testament to a resilient city that never knew the meaning of the word quit."—Publishers Weekly

"Though it has a panoramic sweep, Carol Edgarian’s Vera is a novel of great immediacy and heart. From the early scene at the opera, to its shocking real-world correlative, this novel exists in the zone – let’s call it the world. In so many ways, it sings.”   —Ann Beattie

"Sisters, mothers, heroines, charlatans, buffoons, scam artists, prostitutes, and the uncontrollable, passionate brawn of a young nation: in Vera we see, taste, smell the marrow of a country intoxicated on hope—all evidence to the contrary. Amazingly, Edgarian has captured a rolling, earnest, perpetual ruin so complex it could just be called life. She’s conjured another wonderful novel out of dust, history, love.”  —Rick Bass 

“In Vera, the past is as alive as you are, the brilliantly illuminated characters loving and surviving, breaking and building, destroying and redeeming, in rich detail and true color. Vera’s 1906 is a world we see and live in.”—Amy Bloom

"A novel of resilience in the face of disaster, just what we need right now.  Carol Edgarian's tale couldn't have come at a better time." —T.C. Boyle 

“Brilliantly conceived and beautifully realized.”—Booklist, STARRED review

"Vera is a triumph—a story of disaster and healing, power and humility, grit and grace set against the lush, lascivious backdrop of San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake. This book is as whip smart as its heroine and as electric as her city and will haunt me—in the best way—for a long time to come.—Anna Solomon, author of The Book of V

  “Reading about the sudden destruction of a world right in the middle of our own 21st century crisis helped me understand that the question we’re asking now is one we’ve asked before: where do we go from here?  Vera brings to vivid life a historical moment that defined a city, an era. It’s an extraordinary glimpse into the American DNA."  —Mary Beth Keane, author of Ask Again, Yes 

“The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 extinguishes all sense of normalcy for 15-year-old Vera Johnson, who must survive by sheer pluck and intelligence in the newly rattled landscape... . The novel shines in painting a vivid picture of early-20th-century San Francisco, including its rowdy politics.—Kirkus Reviews

 

Carol Edgarian 

 

Carol Edgarian's novels include the forthcoming VERA (March 2021), the New York Times bestseller Three Stages of Amazement and the international bestseller Rise the Euphrates, winner of the ANC Freedom Prize and hailed by the Washington Post as "a book whose generosity of spirit, intelligence, humanity, and finally ambition are what literature ought to be and rarely is today."

Her articles and essays have appeared in many national magazines, and she co-edited the popular collection drawn from writers' diaries, The Writer's Life: Intimate Thoughts on Work, Love, Inspiration, and Fame.

Carol is co-founder of the non-profit Narrative (www.NarrativeMagazine.com), a leading digital publisher of fiction, poetry, ideas, and art, and of Narrative in the Schools, programs that provide free reading and resources to teachers and students around the world.

Carol is the proud mother of three daughters. She lives in California with her family. Join Carol's mailing list at www.caroledgarian.com or follow Carol's weekly live Instagram show called A Word, Please @cedgarian.

"Better Luck Next Time"--by Julia Claiborne Johnson--the eagerly anticipated second novel from the bestselling author of "Be Frank with Me", a charming story of endings, new beginnings, and the complexities and complications of friendship and love, set in late 1930s Reno

 

Better Luck Next Time

It’s 1938 and women seeking a quick, no-questions split from their husbands head to the “divorce capital of the world,” Reno, Nevada. There’s one catch: they have to wait six-weeks to become “residents.” Many of these wealthy, soon-to-be divorcees flock to the Flying Leap, a dude ranch that caters to their every need. 

Twenty-four-year-old Ward spent one year at Yale before his family lost everything in the Great Depression; now he’s earning an honest living as a ranch hand at the Flying Leap. Admired for his dashing good looks—“Cary Grant in cowboy boots”—Ward thinks he’s got the Flying Leap’s clients all figured out. But two new guests are about to upend everything he thinks he knows: Nina, a St Louis heiress and amateur pilot back for her third divorce, and Emily, whose bravest moment in life was leaving her cheating husband back in San Francisco and driving herself to Reno.

A novel about divorce, marriage, and everything that comes in between (money, class, ambition, and opportunity), Better Luck Next Time is a hilarious yet poignant examination of the ways friendship can save us, love can destroy us, and the family we create can be stronger than the family we come from.

Reviews

"Johnson’s rollicking comedy sizzles, thanks to the immensely appealing voice of its aging narrator...brims with the clever banter and farcical situations of a classic Capra film." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

 

“Julia Claiborne Johnson captures the ambivalence and uncertainty of wealthy women on a dusty Nevadan 'divorce ranch' during the Depression, poised between husbands and between worlds, ripe for sisterhood and frightening yet exhilarating opportunities for adventure. This lively and surprisingly tender tale captures the wit of the South and the grit of the West, while asking age-old questions about the drawbacks and benefits of freedom and independence. Better Luck Next Time is a page-turner, and a treasure.” -- Christina Clancy, author of The Second Home

"Do you want to read something funny?  Let’s say, a novel set at a divorce ranch in Reno in the 1930s?  A book with memorably eccentric characters, sparkling dialogue, a satisfying plot twist, and some romance and sex?  A feel-good literary comedy/western?  Here it is, then, the book you've been looking for: Julia Claiborne Johnson’s Better Luck Next Time." -- Julie Schumacher, author of  Dear Committee Members and The Shakespeare Requirement

“Better Luck Next Time crackles with wit and wisdom. This delightful novel of love and loss on a divorce ranch in Nevada during the Great Depression is poignant, hilarious, and, at times, achingly sad. I love this glorious book!” -- Mary Pauline Lowry, author of The Roxy Letters

“Hilarious and clever.”  -- New York Post

"Channels Frank Capra’s screwball comedies...There is a delightful sense of closure in the way Johnson wraps up this shiny package, which arrives just after New Year’s like a late holiday gift." -- Christian Science Monitor

"An engrossing portrait of 1930s Reno...witty and charming." -- Booklist

"Rollicking, nostalgic, wistful and wise, Better Luck Next Time is another gem from Julia Claiborne Johnson. Like a modern-day Anita Loos (but with more heart), Johnson spins an irresistible yarn that captures Depression-era disappointments, hopes, and determination, and paints a touching story of how even a life gone wrong can be a life well lived." -- Karen Dukess, author of The Last Book Party

“Charming, captivating and big-hearted, Better Luck Next Time pulls you into a fascinating and hilarious world—a Depression-era divorce ranch outside of Reno—where love in all its complexities will have you laughing and crying until the last page.” -- Lydia Fitzpatrick, author of Lights All Night Long

"Funny, charming…. makes you laugh while playing your heartstrings like a cowboy’s guitar around a campfire. Better Luck Next Time is a perfect antidote to our stressful times.” -- Bookreporter.com 

 

 

Julia Claiborne Johnson

 

 

 

Julia Claiborne Johnson is the author of the bestselling Be Frank with Me, a finalist for the American Bookseller’s Association Best Debut Novel Award. She grew up on a farm in Tennessee before moving to New York City, where she worked at Mademoiselle and Glamour magazines. She now lives in Los Angeles with her comedy-writer husband and their two children.

https://www.facebook.com/juliaclaibornej/ 

"WHEN TWILIGHT BREAKS"--this electric standalone novel from fan-favorite author SARAH SUNDIN puts you right at the intersection of pulse-pounding suspense and heart-stopping romance in Munich at the cusp of WWII (see my review)

  

When Twilight Breaks

Munich, 1938. Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent as determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession as she is to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she fails to truthfully report on major stories, she'll never be able to give a voice to the oppressed--and wake up the folks back home.

In another part of the city, American graduate student Peter Lang is working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.

NY REVIEW: Author Sarah Sundin's marvelous storytelling skills make for an enthralling read in the pre-WWII Era romantic suspense tale "When Twilight Breaks". In Munich, Germany of the late 1930's, the increasing dominance and brutality of the Nazi regime spreads its cruel grasp throughout the city and beyond. Evelyn Brand, an American working as a foreign correspondent, is treading carefully in the tension-filled city. While longing to bring to light the injustices being wrought by the governing powers against innocent citizens, and wanting to prove her journalistic worth, she is well aware of the high personal cost she might face if she incurs the vengeful Nazi wrath. Peter Lang, an American graduate student, is there in Munich to complete his doctorate in German. At first, Peter is impressed with the seeming order and prosperity compared to rest of the world suffering through the Great Depression. Sparks fly when Evelyn and Peter meet, and they learn much about themselves as they learn about each other. As the attraction grows between them, so does a mutual awareness that they must work together to defeat a burgeoning evil. Will faith, love, and a sense of true moral purpose guide them through the darkness to a brighter future "when twilight breaks"? Highly recommended for lovers of inspirational romantic suspense.

Book Copy Gratis Revell Books

REVIEWS

"Sundin (The Sky Above Us) is a must-buy for any Christian fiction collection, and her latest World War II tale positively crackles with tension. The characters struggle with changing sympathies while wrestling with the balance between freedom and order. Attentive readers may see parallels between the circumstances depicted in the book and the world today."--LIBRARY JOURNAL

"Once again Sarah Sundin takes readers straight into the heart of the conflict surrounding WW II. I loved the passionate characters in When Twilight Breaks, the unexpected turns, and the courage and love in the midst of a seemingly impossible situation."--Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of Catching the Wind and Memories of Glass

"Genuine. Gripping. Gorgeous. With pitch-perfect details and her signature depth of historical accuracy, Sundin explores the overlapping boundaries of faith, truth, consequence, and love in a world drawn to the brink of WWII. Readers will be left spellbound!"--Kristy Cambron, bestselling author of The Paris Dressmaker and The Hidden Masterpiece series 

 

Sarah Sundin

 

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks (February 2021),The Land Beneath Us (2020), The Sky Above Us (2019) and The Sea Before Us (2018), as well as the Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale series, and Wings of Glory series. Her novel The Land Beneath Us was a 2020 Christy Award finalist, The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award, The Sea Before Us received the 2019 Reader's Choice Award from Faith, Hope, and Love. Both Through Waters Deep and When Tides Turn were named to Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years."

A mother of three, Sundin lives in northern California and teaches Sunday school and women's Bible studies. She enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

http://www.sarahsundin.com

"Rescuing Harmony Ranch: A feel-good romance from Hallmark Publishing"--by author Jennie Marts--Even as the past and present collide, can Jocelyn and Mack put aside their own shared history to work together to save Harmony Ranch? (see my review)

  

Rescuing Harmony Ranch

A bearded blacksmith
and a marketing exec
join forces…and sparks fly.  

When Jocelyn’s grandmother calls her asking for help, she drops everything and heads back home to Harmony Creek, Colorado. Her grandmother runs a living history museum: a ranch and homestead where volunteers wear clothing from the early 1900s and demonstrate how things were done in the old West, from making soap to shearing sheep. The place is in financial trouble, and it needs the revenue from the annual festival to survive.

There’s just one thing that makes this a little awkward: Mack, who’s divorced, and who’s now the caretaker and blacksmith at the homestead. Jocelyn and Mack have their own shared history, which includes both stolen kisses and teenage rivalry.

Even as the past and present collide, they have to save Harmony Ranch. Matchmaking grannies, a meddling mutt, and a flood of fun festival activities might just be enough to overcome their differences and forge two broken hearts back together.

This heartwarming romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Turkey Sliders with Mac and Cheese

 

MY REVIEW:  The past and the present converge for two yearning hearts in "Rescuing Harmony Ranch: A feel-good romance from Hallmark Publishing". Author Jennie Marts infuses this sweet second-chance contemporary romance with interesting glimpses of life in the Old West at the transition from the 19th century to the 20th century. Years ago, after a disagreement between Jocelyn Stone's mother and grandmother, her mother had left Colorado with Jocelyn in tow and moved to New York. Jocelyn had eventually successfully pursued a marketing career, but now she was being called back home to help out her grandmother, Molly, who had been injured in a car accident. Putting her promotion goals on hold for a two-week leave, she reruns home to Harmony Ranch, a living history museum and working ranch. Visitors to the ranch saw staff dressed in period costumes demonstrating what life was like for homesteaders in the early 1900's. The first person Jocelyn runs into at the ranch is Mack Talbot, her childhood friend who had become her young sweetheart and, later, the boy who broke her heart. Mack was now living on the ranch as the blacksmith and caretaker. Seeing each other again is a shock to the system for them both, bringing a rush of feelings and memories both bitter and sweet. Jocelyn learns that Harmony Ranch is in financial trouble, and Molly needs the upcoming Spring Festival to be the biggest one yet in order to keep the property in the family. Using her marketing skills, and with the the help of Mack and others, Jocelyn works to help her grandmother hold on to her dream. Jocelyn wasn't the only one whose heart had been battered years ago when she and Mack went their separate ways--he still cared deeply for her and hoped she would remain in Colorado. When the festival is over, will Jocelyn return to New York, or can he convince her to stay with him and share a future together? Jocelyn's feelings for Mack have never stopped, but can she take a big leap of faith and follow her heart? "Rescuing Harmony Ranch" is a touching and heartwarming reunion romance that will make you smile--and make you crave peanut butter pie.

Book Copy Gratis Hallmark Publishing

Jennie Marts

 

Jennie Marts is the USA Today bestselling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Addicted to Diet Coke and Cheetos, she believes that you can't have too many books, shoes, or friends. She is currently living her own happily ever after with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet in the mountains of Colorado. For more information, visit jenniemarts.com.

"Make Their Day: 101 Simple, Powerful Ways to Love Others Well"--in this practical and deeply touching guide, New York Times bestselling author Karen Ehman gives you 101 doable ideas you can implement today to truly make a difference--"Make Their Day" is filled with creative ideas to connect with your family and friends on a deeper level throughout the year--see also "Reach Out, Gather in: 40 Days to Opening Your Heart and Home"--both books include recipes (see my reviews)

 

Make Their Day: 101 Simple, Powerful Ways to Love Others Well

You dream of making your presence really count in the lives of others, but you don't know where--or how--to start. You want to be remembered as a woman who scattered kindness to everyone she knew, but you feel like your busy schedule constantly gets in the way.

In this practical and deeply touching guide--inspired by her book Reach Out, Gather In--popular author Karen Ehman gives you 101 actionable ideas you can implement today to truly make a difference in the lives of other people. Make Their Day is filled with creative ideas to connect with your family and friends on a deeper level throughout the year. This book will help you develop habits of kindness, reconnect with friends and family, and make encouraging people a priority. You'll be able to put these ideas into action in real time with everyone in your life--even if hospitality doesn't come naturally to you or you don't think you have time.

This book will help you
· develop daily habits of thoughtfulness
· celebrate others with unique ideas
· reconnect with friends and family
· make the encouragement of others a priority
· sprinkle kindness in a culture of cruel

You'll be able to put these ideas into action in real time with everyone in your life--even if hospitality doesn't come naturally to you or you don't think you have time. 

MY REVIEW:  New York Times bestselling author Karen Ehman advises how to "Make Their Day: 101 Simple, Powerful Ways to Love Others Well" in a positive little volume designed to "spark some love and spur on some good deeds". Simple acts of kindness and support may be just what your family, friends, and coworkers--even strangers--are needing just at the moment that you reach out to them. Everyone needs a spiritual boost and a physical pick-me-up now and then. Acknowledging someone with a fresh cup of coffee, a sweet treat, freshly-baked bread, or a hearty pot of homemade soup provides sustenance for body and soul. Sharing the load by helping with chores, reading and discussing the Bible together, and being a good listener will help to ease someone's burden and provide a spiritual uplift. Elaborate gifts pale in comparison to the ultimate gift of your time, your consideration, and your recognition of the needs of another, especially in times of hardship. Author Karen Ehman offers 101 ways to show care and awareness for others. She also includes delicious recipes for "Homemade Pretzels", "Six Twos" (homemade ice cream), "Sourdough Bread", "Fresh Garden Salsa", "Very Veggie Alphabet Soup", and "Senate Bean Soup".

Book Copy Gratis Bethany House Books

Reach Out, Gather in: 40 Days to Opening Your Heart and Home

Like most women, you want to open up your home and connect with others. But you don't think you have the time or ability. Along comes Reach Out. Gather In.

Through devotionals and practical tips, New York Times bestselling author Karen Ehman will inspire you to put love into action in this 40-day journey of hospitality. Karen will help you with the how to and why of reaching out to others in meaningful ways. This book--part devotional, part practical handbook--will help you find loving ways to feed both the bodies and souls of the people whom God has placed in your life. In Reach Out. Gather In., Karen will share:

· some of her favorite recipes and hospitality traditions
· ideas for menu planning and themed gatherings
· sorta-from-scratch shortcuts for busy days when you need something delicious in a snap
· motivating stories and biblical inspiration
· space for answering reflective questions so you can journal your own 40-day excursion
· sidebars on decluttering and cleaning strategies

This beautiful book highlights the why of hospitality, so that your home and life will grow to be a place where the gospel is displayed, drawing others closer to Christ and making a difference for eternity.

 MY REVIEW: Hospitality can be defined as "treating strangers and friends alike--welcoming one another into our homes and lives". In "Reach Out, Gather in: 40 Days to Opening Your Heart and Home", bestselling author Karen Ehman has created a spiritually encouraging devotional journal to help readers learn how to reach out to others with confidence, compassion, and care. While including inspirational Biblical references, the author writes in a warm, personable manner that truly makes you feel welcome. Her tips for feeding body and soul also include wonderful recipes like these: "Wild Rice Chicken"; "Oatmeal Dinner Rolls"; "Farmers Market Muffins"; "Italian Stuffed Shells"; "Seven Layer Salad"; "Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars"; "Apple Crumble Pie"; "Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread"; "Vintage Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake"; and much more. The author definitely offers "food for thought", and this book will make a lovely gift to yourself and to others as well.

Book Copy Gratis Bethany House Books

REVIEWS

“Karen Ehman’s books are always delightfully full—helpful, useful, playful, meaningful. Every chapter is brimming with personal experiences, practical tips, and deliciously simple recipes. Reach Out, Gather In is an ideal source of encouragement for those of us who might not have the spiritual gift of hospitality but really want to make others welcome. Friends, this is the book we’ve been waiting for.”—Liz Curtis Higgs, bestselling author of Ruth

“Karen is masterful at inspiring us to open our homes for heartfelt hospitality as well as beautifully showing us how to do this simply and with a generous heart. This book is soul-filling and heartwarming.”—Sally Clarkson, host of the At Home With Sally podcast, author of Desperate, Own Your Life, and Awaking Wonder

“As someone who’s intimidated by hospitality, I need a guide, someone inspirational as well as practical. Karen Ehman will give you the confidence and courage you need to open your door and your heart in ways you’ve longed to but never knew how—until now.”—Holley Gerth, bestselling author of You’re Already Amazing and life coach

“We all want to make a difference in others’ lives, but so often we miss the opportunity right in front of us. Reach Out, Gather In is a compelling invitation to engage with the people who are a part of our every day and watch how God can use our simple acts of kindness to change a life! The best part? Karen Ehman has lived this way of life for years, and now she is showing us how we can too.”—Ruth Schwenk, cohost of the Rootlike Faith podcast, author of The Better Mom Devotional, and co-author of In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake

Karen Ehman

Karen Ehman is a New York Times bestselling author with Proverbs 31 Ministries as well as a writer for Encouragement for Today, an online devotional that reaches more than four million women daily. She has authored fifteen books, including Keep It Shut and Settle My Soul. You can connect with Karen at www.karenehman.com, where she helps women live their priorities and love their lives.

 

 

"THE COLD HARBOR SERIES"--from best-selling inspirational romantic suspense author SUSAN SLEEMAN--the Blackwell Tactical law enforcement training facility and protection services agency--former military and law enforcement heroes whose injuries keep them from the line of duty--when trouble strikes, there’s no better team to have on your side--they would give everything, even their own lives, to protect the innocent

 

Cold Terror

Forensic artist, Hannah Perry’s skills made her a valuable asset to the police…But it also makes her the next target... 

 

 

Cold Truth

Want to play a game…Solve the puzzle and save your brother… 

 

 

Cold Fury

Five years ago tragedy tore them apart…Will it now bring them back together? 

 

 

Cold Case

When the one thing strikes that she never saw coming…Can she let the one man who can protect her get close enough to do so? 

 

 

Cold Fear

Will a shared past...lead to a new beginning?

 

  

Cold Pursuit

She’s on the run…But he’s in pursuit...

 

 

Cold Dawn

An inferno meant to destroy…Or an act of revenge…

 

Praise for Susan Sleeman's Books:

Minutes to Die - "Sleeman's enjoyable second installment to her Homeland Heroes seriesfeatures another tense relationship between federal agents. . . .Inspirational fans who enjoy action should check out this blisteringtale."― Publishers Weekly

Fatal Mistake -
"Sleeman's gritty, high-octane plot will keep the pages flying until the heart-stopping finale. A terrific choice for readers who like their romantic suspense fast paced and terrifying." ― Library Journal starred review

Fatal Mistake -
"Serial killers, romance and bombs, oh my! Fatal Mistake is a thrill ride from page one. Hop on, strap in, and prepare to be entertained!" ― Lynette Eason, bestselling, award-winning author of the Elite Guardians series

Kill Shot -
"Sleeman(Fatal Mistake) concentrates on trust and forgiveness in this exciting romantic crime novel." ― Publishers Weekly

Cold Terror -
"Cold Terror starts off exciting and doesn't stop until the very last page! ― My Favorite Pastime Book Review Blog."

Thread of Suspicion -
"The reader will have a hard time putting this down until they discover the hacker's surprising identity and motive." ― Romantic Times 2014 Reviewers Choice Book of the Year - 4 1/2 Stars! Fantastic - A keeper. 

 

SUSAN SLEEMAN

 

SUSAN SLEEMAN is the bestselling author of over thirty-five novels with more than one million books sold. She writes romantic suspense novels that are clean with inspiring messages of faith. Readers love her series for the well-drawn characters and edge-of-your-seat action. She graduated from the FBI and local police citizen academies, so her research is spot-on and her characters are real. In addition to writing, Susan also hosts TheSuspenseZone.com. She has lived in nine states but now calls Oregon home. Her husband is a retired church music director, and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law, and an adorable grandson.

To learn more about Susan’s books sign up for her monthly email that includes exclusive excerpts, giveaways, and other goodies. http://www.susansleeman.com/susans-ne...

Or stop by any of these locations on the web.
Website - http://www.susansleeman.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SusanSleemanB...
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/susansleeman
Review Site - http://www.TheSuspenseZone.com  

"Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories"--a delightful vintage cookbook memoir from a timeless screen legend--100 recipes, fabulous photos, personal life and film career (see my review)

Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories

In 'Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories", one of our most beloved actresses presents 100 favorite Italian family recipes. Sophia has dedicated this book to her grandmother Luisa, with whom she lived in Pozzuoli, the small city near Naples, during World War II. Watching her grandmother turn their humble wartime rations into succulent dishes left a lasting impression on Sophia, and it is this spirit of improvisation that marks the recipes in her new cookbook.Along with Nonna Luisa's specialties, Sophia's recipes come from all over Italy: a wonderful bean soup from Tuscany, Neapolitan pizzas, a risotto from Venice, fish from Sicily and, vegetable preparations from the South. Many of the recipes are variations on the classics, such as Vermicelli alia Sophia (which features her own interpretation of pesto sauce) and Luisa's Minestrone (based on her grandmother's version of the essential vegetable soup). Sophia's love of pasta is well-known, and the book includes a wonderful selection of pasta recipes, as well as dishes of risotto and polenta. Simple antipasti and recipes for meat, poultry, and fish round out this collection. Among the homey desserts are a flourless apple cake and an irresistible ricotta pie.

In addition to the recipes, Sophia shares poignant anecdotes about her Neapolitan childhood and her illustrious film-making career. She takes us behind the scenes of some of the many movies she made in Italy with such stars and dear friends as Marcello Mastroianni and Cary Grant and shares the recipes that she discovered on location for various movies. While making Two Women, in the mountains near Rome, she learned to make Spaghetti alla Carbonara from charcoal workers.

The world-famous actress dishes up one hundred of her favorite Italian family recipes, from Venetian risotto to Neapolitan pizza to Sicilian fish, complemented by memories of her home life and family photographs.

MY REVIEW: "Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories" is truly a beautiful book--not just for the legendary beauty of the author, but for the real love of nurturing family and providing comfort and care in the home that it conveys. Filled with gorgeous photos of Sophia Loren, the book also offers scrumptious pictures of the prepared recipes and captivating images from the author's life and film career. Sophia's love of cooking came from observing her grandmother, Nonni Luisa, a naturally intuitive cook who could take a little and make it into a lot--a must during wartime hardship. The 100 recipes include "Antipasti and Small Dishes"; "Soup"; "Pasta"; "Rice & Polenta"; "Meat"; "Fish"; "Vegetables"; and "Desserts". Featured recipes include such delicious dishes as: "Classic Neapolitan Pizza"; "Torta di Asparagi" (Savory Asparagus Pie); "Insalata Ricca" (A Luxurious Salad); "Il Minestrone" (Minestrone Soup); "Pasta e Fagioli" (Pasta & Beans); "Spaghetti al Limone" (Spaghetti with Lemon); 'Risotto con Piselli" (Risotto with Peas"; "Tonne Fresca con Funghi" (Fresh Tuna with Mushrooms); "Spigola de Natale" (Christmas Bass); "Melanzane alla Parmigiana" (Eggplant Parmesan); and "Torta di Patate" (Potato Pie). Delectable desserts include: "Pan di Spagna" (Sponge Cake); "Torta di Ricotta" (Ricotta Pie); and "Zabaione" (Sweet Marsala Custard). Comfort food, traditional Italian dishes, a fascinating trip through memory lane, and much more are all to be found in "Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories".

 

Sophia Loren

Sophia Loren is an Academy Award winning Italian film actress, born Sofia Villani Scicolone. She is widely considered to be the most popular Italian actress of her time and is also famous for being a major international sex symbol.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/290913.Sophia_Loren 

"The Union of the Rakes Series"--from author Eva Leigh--entertaining Regency Romance with a twist--characters and story lines inspired by "The Breakfast Club" and and other classic 80s films

  

My Fake Rake

In the first book in Eva Leigh's "Union of the Rakes" series, a bluestocking hires a faux suitor to help her land an ideal husband only to be blindsided by real desire…

Lady Grace Wyatt is content as a wallflower, focusing on scientific pursuits rather than the complications of society matches. But when a handsome, celebrated naturalist returns from abroad, Grace wishes, for once, to be noticed. Her solution: to "build" the perfect man, who will court her publicly and help her catch his eye. Grace's colleague, anthropologist Sebastian Holloway, is just the blank slate she requires.

In exchange for funding his passage on an expedition leaving London in a few months, Sebastian allows Grace to transform him from a bespectacled, bookish academic into a dashing—albeit fake—rake. Between secret lessons on how to be a rogue and exaggerated public flirtations, Grace's feelings for Sebastian grow from friendship into undeniable, inconvenient, real attraction. If only she hadn't hired him to help her marry someone else...

Sebastian is in love with brilliant, beautiful Grace, but their bargain is complete, and she desires another. Yet when he's faced with losing her forever, Sebastian will do whatever it takes to tell her the truth, even if it means risking his own future—and his heart.

 

   

Would I Lie to the Duke

When an ambitious entrepreneur pretends to be a lady of means, she catches the eye—and heart—of a duke...

Jessica McGale's family business desperately needs investors, and she's determined to succeed at any cost. But she knows London's elite will never look twice at a humble farm girl like herself. Posing as “Lady Whitfield,” however, places her in the orbit of wealthy, powerful people—most notably the Duke of Rotherby. His influence and support could save her company, but Jess never expected the effect he'd have on her.

Society thinks Noel is a notorious, carefree duke who dabbles in investments, but there's a side to him that only his closest friends see. When he crosses paths with Lady Whitfield at a business bazaar, his world tilts on its axis. She's brilliant and compelling, and brings him to his knees like no woman has before. Trust is difficult for Noel, but Jess makes him believe anything is possible...

As time ticks down on her Cinderella scheme, the thought of achieving her goal at Noel's expense breaks Jess' heart. He doesn't just want her now, he wants her forever. But will her secret end their future before it begins?

 

Waiting for a Scot Like You

For a merry widow and a stoic major, it’s a bumpy road to love…

Adjusting to life in peacetime isn’t easy for Major Duncan McCameron. Escorting a lady on her journey north seems like the perfect chance to give him some much-needed purpose. That is, until he learns the woman in question is the beautiful, bold, reckless Lady Farris. She makes his head spin and being alone together will surely end in disaster.

Beatrice, the Dowager Countess of Farris, is finally free of a stifling marriage and she has no plans to shackle herself to any other man. Ready to live life to the fullest, she’s headed to a week-long bacchanal and the journey should be half the fun. Except she’s confined to a carriage with a young, rule-abiding, irritatingly handsome Scottish soldier who wouldn’t know a good time if it landed in his lap. But maybe a madcap escapade will loosen him up...

Between carriage crashes, secret barn dances, robbers, and an inn with only one bed, their initial tension dissolves into a passion that neither expected. But is there a future for an adventure-loving lady and a duty-bound soldier, or will their differences tear them apart?

 

Eva Leigh

 

Eva Leigh is a romance author who has always loved the Regency era. She writes novels chock-full of determined women and sexy men. She enjoys baking, spending too much time on the Internet, and listening to music from the ’80s. Eva and her husband live in Central California.

Eva also writes in multiple romance genres as RITA-award nominated Zoë Archer. 

http://evaleighauthor.com 

"THE HEIRESS HUNT"--from award-winning author Joanna Shupe--Book One in the "Fifth Avenue Rebels Series"--High society reprobate. An unconventional heiress. Childhood friends. Is it too late for true love?

The Heiress Hunt

High society reprobate.
An unconventional heiress.
Childhood friends.

Is it too late...

Knickerbocker scoundrel Harrison Archer returns to New York to discover that his deceased father has bankrupted his estranged family. To save them from ruin, he’s forced to quickly find and marry an heiress. For a matchmaker, Harrison turns to the one woman he wishes he could marry: his childhood friend and true love, Maddie, who once broke his heart and is now engaged to a duke.

For true love? 

When her best friend Harrison left for Paris without a word, Maddie Webster took refuge in her infatuation with tennis. Now Harrison is back and needs her help in finding a bride. Begrudgingly, Maddie arranges a house party in Newport with a guest list of eligible heiresses. But watching Harrison flirt with potential brides is more than she can bear.

When Harrison and Maddie reunite, the passion between them ignites. But with their marriages to others looming, time is running out. Is their fate inescapable . . .or can love set them free?

Reviews

 

"Nothing makes me happier than a new book from Joanna Shupe!" - NY Times Bestselling Author Sarah MacLean

“This is friends-to-lovers romance at its finest, with an endearing Gilded Age couple who are clearly made for each other.”—Library Journal (Starred Review)

“Their sexual chemistry and dynamic banter, especially during intimate moments, convey an alluring blend of love and playfulness.”—Publishers Weekly

“Shupe launches her new Fifth Avenue Rebels series with great panache, once again showcasing her flair for creating compelling characters, a vividly realized setting that expertly incorporates fascinating period details, and the kind of electric sexual chemistry that can only lead to red-hot love scenes.”—Booklist

 

JOANNA SHUPE

 

Award-winning author JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. Since 2015, her books have appeared on numerous yearly “best of” lists, including Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Kobo, and BookPage.

She currently lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and dashing husband.

When she’s not writing or doing laundry, she can be found on Facebook or Instagram.

Joanna is represented by Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency.

http://www.joannashupe.com/

"HIS GIRL NEXT DOOR" and "ANNE EVER AFTER"--by Lynne Marshall--"Return to Whispering Oaks Series"--sweet contemporary romance (see my reviews)

 

His Girl Next Door

Lucas Grady never planned to return to Whispering Oaks. But when family duty called, the prodigal son arrived like the good soldier he’d been for years. And with him came the unfulfilled expectations of the past—expectations his neighbor, Jocelyn Howard, knew all too well.

Jocelyn had been in love with the guy next door since she was a little girl. But she couldn’t shake those old insecurities that she’d never be good enough, for Lucas or for anyone else. Still, the newly discharged army medic had scars that could never be truly healed—or so he thought. Maybe together, they could mend their wounds…and make each other whole again….

MY REVIEW: Author Lynne Marshall continues her sweet contemporary romance "Return to Whispering Oaks Series" with Book Two, "His Girl Next Door". Coming home to help out a family situation means coming full circle--right back to the past Lucas Grady thought he had left behind. A recently discharged army medic, Lucas felt compelled to return home after his parents were injured in an accident. At a crossroads in his life, and suffering from PTSD, Lucas is in need pf a friend. Jocelyn Howard had grown up next door to the Grady family, and she had long loved Lucas from afar. He had never shown her more than a friendly interest, and she had her own self-doubts. As Lucas and Jocelyn get to know each other again, they learn to confide in one another, and friendship grows into attraction. Can they each conquer their inner demons and overcome the troubles of the past to find a happy future together? "His Girl Next Door" is a heartfelt romantic tale with appealingly imperfect characters dealing with real-life issues and finding that friendship is a wonderful beginning to a lifetime of love.

Book Copy Gratis Author  

 

Anne Ever After

The runaway returns...  

Love is complicated, at least that was Anne Grady’s conclusion after a high school love triangle went terribly, and unpredictably wrong. Shortly after the tragic events, she left Whispering Oaks and heartbreak behind. Now twelve years later, she returns home to take care of her injured parents, and almost immediately runs into her first love, Jack Lightfoot.

Jack hasn’t forgotten his feelings for Anne, long after dating and losing Anne’s best friend. Now faced with her in his life again, even though only temporarily, he can’t deny the spark still shimmering between them. Neither can she, but her job in Portland is waiting and her plan is to leave town a soon as possible.

Now, with love even more complicated, and those tragic memories threatening to pull them apart, Jack refuses to let history repeat itself. He must prove they are meant to be more than high school best buddies who once shared an amazing secret kiss. This time, no matter what it takes, Jack is determined to convince Anne the only place they belong is together.

MY REVIEW:  Sometimes you run from the past--sometimes you run toward it. Can you really go home again?  "Anne Ever After"--by Lynne Marshall--is a sweet contemporary romance from a favorite storyteller. Anne Grady had left her small home town of Whispering Oaks, California years ago and settled into life as a registered nurse in Portland, Oregon. When her parents are injured in an accident, oldest child Anne reruns to help her parents while her her younger sister is in med school and her brother is in military service. Having tried to avoid the past for over a decade, Anne soon comes face-to-face with Jack Lightfoot, the high school friend with whom she had fallen in love--the friend who had broken her heart. Anne's best friend had been Brianna, whom Jack had dated. However, Jack had confessed to Anne that she was the one he really cared about--confused and guilty feelings of young hearts made tragic when Brianna had become ill and died. Like Anne, Jack had left the area after graduation, but he had returned and found a career in teaching. Now that Anne was home for a while to help her parents, he wanted to show her that his feelings for her were still there, and he hoped that she would stay in Whispering Oaks. His campaign to win her over included a soaring hot-air balloon ride, sailing over the beautiful California countryside. Anne was not immune to Jack and his attentions--far from it. Could they come to terms with long-held guilt and forgive themselves and each other? Can they find a way to merge two different lives and locations and join together two hearts who have waited so long for happiness? Author Lynne Marshall infuses her stories with warm, very human characters who face everyday situations and also deal with the unexpected twists and turns life always has to offer.  If you love small-town, second-chance romance, then you will greatly enjoy "Anne Ever After".

Book Copy Gratis Author

 

LYNNE MARSHALL



USA Today Bestselling author, Lynne Marshall, used to worry she had a serious problem with daydreaming. Then she discovered she was supposed to write the stories in her head. A late bloomer, Lynne came to fiction writing after her children were nearly grown. Now she battles the empty nest by writing stories which always include a romance, sometimes medicine, a dose of mirth, or both, but always stories from her heart. She is a Southern California native, married to a New Englander for a long, long time, has two adult children she loves dearly, and three amazing grandchildren she adores. She is also a dog lover, a cat admirer, a meandering walker, and an optimistic traveler on this wild journey called life!

She believes it's never too late to fall in love, and enjoys writing not only about young romance, but more mature romance as well. Lynne heartily believes in Life, Love, and the Pursuit...

https://www.amazon.com/Lynne-Marshall/e/B0034P4WT8/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

"Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids"--edited by award-winning and bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of intersecting stories by both new and veteran Native writers bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride

 

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

Native families from Nations across the continent gather at the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In a high school gym full of color and song, people dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. Young protagonists will meet relatives from faraway, mysterious strangers, and sometimes one another (plus one scrappy rez dog).

They are the heroes of their own stories.

Featuring stories and poems by:
Joseph Bruchac
Art Coulson
Christine Day
Eric Gansworth
Carole Lindstrom
Dawn Quigley
Rebecca Roanhorse
David A. Robertson
Andrea L. Rogers
Kim Rogers
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Monique Gray Smith
Traci Sorell,
Tim Tingle
Erika T. Wurth
Brian Young

In partnership with We Need Diverse Books

Reviews

 

"A wonderful introduction to the included authors’ work and a persuasive encouragement to seek out more Indigenous stories." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This uplifting assembly affirms the vitality of Indigenous life today and offers accessible situations and characters to all young readers." -- Shelf Awareness

"With exceptionally strong writing throughout, and appended with glossary, author notes, and acknowledgements, this makes an appealing choice for those just learning about contemporary Indigenous life as well as readers well versed with the powwow circuit." -- Booklist (starred review)

"The entries tell of the personal struggles, family joy, belief systems, and stunning regalia of various nations, including the Cree, Ojibwe, Choctaw, Cherokee, Navajo, Abenaki, and Haudenosaunee, through the eyes of the young protagonists. Enrollment issues, Indian wannabes, and veterans’ histories are just a few of the serious themes addressed in these entertaining stories written by familiar and lesser-known writers alike. Senses of goodwill and humor pervade the book as well as the spirit of community, intersection, resilience, and a desire to remember the past... A joyful invitation to celebrate the circle of ancestors together." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This anthology offers readers a variety of images of Native children while also introducing them to vocabulary from several different Indigenous languages, compiled in an appended glossary. According to Rogers’s poem: “A powwow is / friends and family / …a way to remember those / who’ve passed on / …a place for belly-laughing / …healing / and soul-soothing,” and this volume reflects all of those elements and more." -- Horn Book Magazine

"A thoughtful and sometimes funny celebration of a celebration, and whether kids are veteran powwow-goers or new to the experience, they’ll long for the convivial warmth of the festivities." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 

 

 

Cynthia Leitich Smith

 

Cynthia Leitich Smith (born 1967) is a New York Times best-selling author of fiction for children and young adults. A member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, she writes fiction for children centered on the lives of modern-day American Indians. She also writes picture books and YA gothic fantasies. She hosts a website for Children's Literature Resources.

Smith, a graduate of the University of Kansas and The University of Michigan Law School, lives in Austin, Texas. She is a faculty member at Vermont College of Fine Arts, teaching in the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program. She was named the inaugural Katherine Paterson Chair in 2020. In addition, she was the winner of the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature.

Her debut, Jingle Dancer , illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, runner-up for the Western Writers Association Storyteller Award, and Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.

Rain is Not My Indian Name also was an Oklahoma Book Award finalist and earned Cynthia the title of 2001 Writer of the Year from Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.

Indian Shoes has been named a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, a finalist for the Texas Institute of Letters Award, to the 2003 Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education; and to Choices 2003, Cooperative Children's Book Center. It also was named to the NEA Native American Book List and the 2004-2005 Crown List.

Smith's first upper YA novel, Tantalize , was named a Borders Original Voices Nominee in March 2007.

Hearts Unbroken was named winner of the American Indian Youth Literature Award (Best Young Adult Book) by the American Indian Library Association.

http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/

 

"The Sea in Winter"--by Christine Day--in this evocative and heartwarming novel for readers who loved "The Thing About Jellyfish", the author of "I Can Make This Promise" tells the story of a Native American girl struggling to find her joy again

  

The Sea in Winter

It’s been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt her leg and could not keep up with her ballet training and auditions.

Her blended family is loving and supportive, but Maisie knows that they just can’t understand how hopeless she feels. With everything she’s dealing with, Maisie is not excited for their family midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up.

But soon, Maisie’s anxieties and dark moods start to hurt as much as the pain in her knee. How can she keep pretending to be strong when on the inside she feels as roiling and cold as the ocean?

Reviews

 

"The story takes place primarily over the course of four days, during which we get to know Maisie’s family uncommonly well through quotidian details and worldview-encompassing conversations; secondary characters, too, are nuanced and vividly drawn. Maisie’s pain is specific to her experience while being relatable to many readers going through big life changes. Her alienation, denial, and despair make her eventual opening up feel cathartic and narratively earned. The Pacific Northwest setting is atmospherically described and indicative of this Native blended family’s formative experiences." -- Horn Book Magazine

"This thoughtful, honest sophomore novel invites readers to reckon with life's messy complexities while reassuring them that every ending brings the seeds of new beginnings." -- Shelf Awareness

This meditative story about a middle school girl’s courageous journey toward healing follows a family as they navigate the complexities of supporting a tween’s life-changing injury. In her second novel, Day offers a heartening glimpse into the immense patience and love required to endure limitations, build strength, and repair damage. An insightful, stirring read about healing and resilience.  -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A contemplative and emotional story of resilience and reinvention whose dedication sums it up well: 'To anyone who needs a reminder that pain is temporary.'" -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Most of Maisie’s tale is compressed into a period of several days over winter break, and as readers share her inner monologue, they’re keenly aware that failure to follow professional advice and accept the support of teachers, family, and friends (who have demonstrably not deserted her) is turning her into her own worst enemy. Day lifts the narrative beyond the tribulations of another angsty tween heroine by offering an eminently reasonable path forward, paved with physical healing, emotional therapy, and reconnection with friends." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Day’s contemplative #OwnVoices novel adeptly explores Maisie’s grief and identity, both as a dancer and as a Native American, with the latter organically highlighting variations within Native cultures. An inaugural title of the Native-centered imprint Heartdrum, this finds strength and beauty in life’s quiet moments and opportunity in the unexpected." -- Booklist

 

 

Christine Day

 

  

 

Christine Day (Upper Skagit) is the author of The Sea in Winter and I Can Make This Promise, which was a best book of the year from Kirkus, School Library Journal, NPR, and the Chicago Public Library as well as an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book and a Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book.You can visit her online at www.bychristineday.com

"Almost There and Almost Not"--from acclaimed author Linda Urban comes the funny, bittersweet story of a girl and her ghosts—and the welcoming home they find where they least expect it

 

Almost There and Almost Not

California Poppy has been dropped off, yet again, with an unsuspecting relative. This time it’s her eccentric Great-Aunt Monica, a woman she’s never even met. Aunt Monica has no idea what to do with an eleven-year-old, so she puts California to work researching their ancestor, the once-famous etiquette expert Eleanor Fontaine.

California soon discovers that Great-Great-Great Aunt Eleanor is...not exactly alive and well, but a ghost—and a super sensitive one at that. The grand dame bursts into clouds of dust whenever she loses her composure, which happens quite often. Still, an unexpected four-legged friend and some old-fashioned letter writing make this decidedly strange situation one that California can handle.

Just as California’s starting to feel like she’s found a place for herself, life turns upside-down yet again. Thankfully, this time she has some friends almost by her side...

"Urban deftly tackles loss, longing, loneliness, and neglect...Skillfully written with well-drawn characters."  -- Kirkus Reviews 

 

Linda Urban

 

Linda Urban has written many award-winning books for young readers, including the novels Almost There and Almost Not, A Crooked Kind of Perfect, Hound Dog True, and The Center of Everything. For ten years, she served as marketing director at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, California. Currently, she teaches in the Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has been visited by only one ghost, and he was not at all snooty. Visit her at LindaUrbanBooks.com.