February 2020

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On her latest book in the Chin Up, Tits Out Series! Page. 5 Pages 10 - 23

Pages 37 - 61

Our Latest Reviews Page 9

Your Chance to Discover the Latest Authors & Books Holiday Edition, 2019

FEBRUARY

TopShelf Review of STORM AT KEIZER MANOR on Page 53

FROM THE PUBLISHER

SBN: 978-0999066546

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TOPShelf

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

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table of contents

masthead

interviews

CEO & Publisher

5 7

Keith A. Katsikas Jr.

Miranda Oh

keith@topshelfmagazine.net

Sarah Noffke

E.V.P. & Director of Marketing Rebecca Katsikas

reviews 11 11 11 13 13 13 17 17 17 19 19 19

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30 Minutes to Memphis

Lead Editor

A Crowded Heart

kris@topshelfmagazine.net

Becoming Okay

Assistant Editor

Cover Me Boys I’m Going In Destiny Awaits Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou

Kyle Magnus

Rosemary Fifield

editor@topshelfmagazine.net

Assistant Editor Sharon Isbell

One of Us

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Snowman Paul at the Winter Olympics

Contributors

Strong From the Heart The Fog Seller The Frog’s Golden Water Wrongful Deaths

editorial policy TopShelf Magazine is a bookseller-focused trade journal packed with the crème de la crème in indie and traditionally published authors and books. There’s no junk here!

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SUMMER2019

3

“ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS WE'VE READ THIS YEAR. A MASTERFULLY WRITTEN TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE… TREMENDOUSLY SATISFYING!” ~TopShelf Reviews

Grand Prize Winner Full Page Ad

ISBN: 978-0998309804

While her boyfriend Forrest searches for a job, quick-witted Annet works at the Keizer Manor, where the oils from 19th-century master painter Alexander Keizer are exhibited. After a fight, a very pregnant Annet and Forrest figure they'll take a stroll through the ocean dunes, but they become separated when dark clouds roll in, bringing with them a violent thunderstorm. Regaining consciousness in a monastery, Forrest nowhere to be found, Annet is convinced the nuns are playing a prank. The 1800's. Impossible! She must find her way home. But how will she ever get back to her own time?

www.ramcydiek.com

First, congratulations on your new release, Just Breathe, Book 3 in the Chin Up, Tits Out series! Is this the final book of Hadley’s story, or will there be more?

Thank you! I am thrilled to finally share the final episode of Hadley’s story with the world. The last five years, I have grown as a person, a writer, and a woman, and so has Hadley. Together, we are here to spread the love. There will be more, always! I am conjuring up my second series now and will be starting the research shortly.

Describe the journey from starting Book 1 in the Chin Up, Tits Out series to launching Book 3. What were the best moments? What were some of the challenges?

The best moments are when I stand up in front of my family and friends and get to read part of my story to them. To evoke emotion and to see it come through in my readers’ faces and live in the public eye has been and will always be my highlight. Being an author and a business owner in this industry is hard! There is a ton to learn, and everyone’s journey along the way has been vastly different. I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced is always staying true to who I am and what I am striving for by sharing my stories. There is a lot of outside influence that makes the insecurities spike.

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What do you hope readers take away from this series as a whole?

That chin up, tits out is an attitude to hold in life. Take it in everything you do. Each of my titles have meaning to them: Remember, No Matter What; When All Else Fails; and Just Breathe–Chin Up, Tits Out. It is a small, physical change that has the ability to affect so much more if we dedicate that movement to ourselves. Get knocked down seven times, get up eight. Fake it ‘till you make it.

Whatever the motto or mantra may be, use it and be consistent with it.

Describe your writing process. Are there any required “must haves” before you sit down to write? Do you have a writing routine with word-count goals, or do you prefer writing what you can, when you can, and building from there?

I have discovered I am a mapper. I don’t think that is officially a term, but I feel like it suits my process. I map out chronologically what I want to happen and who will be part of that. So in essence, I map out my novel and my research as much as I can. Then, when I start to write, I write. When it comes out, it won’t stop until I am done physically, mentally, or actually done-done. I like to set myself tight goals. I feel more confident under pressure, especially if that pressure is from me and not someone else.

FEBRUARY2020

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, MIRANDA OH

Because this is our February issue at TopShelf Magazine and you are, in fact, a romantic comedy author, what are your thoughts (if any) on Valentine’s Day? How about Galentine’s Day? I think you should take any opportunity to celebrate love in all capacities. If you don’t have a spouse or significant other, grab a pal. If you don’t have that, then put your finest clothing on and take your sexy behind out for a little selflove. We are alive, and we should be grateful for every moment and every act of kindness. With that said, I think V-Day is wonderfully fun and very pink!

I’ve never had a negative celebration on Feb 14th, but so you know, I have never actually had a traditional Valentine’s Day with a significant other, either. Ever. No flowers, chocolate, fancy dinners, or hot, steamy make-out sessions. Yet I always still try to find love during that day.

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What made you want to write a romantic comedy series like Chin Up, Tits Out, which has been previously compared to Sex in the City?

Real. Life. Experience. Although, I am not and will never be as put-together, chic, or as smooth in high heels as Carrie Bradshaw. I fall up stairs, choke on air, and successfully trip on flat ground. I had a story, and people kept telling me it was wild and didn’t sound true, so I asked myself, ‘Why the heck not?’ Side note: writing your story is also healing as well. It is a wonderful way to process tough scenarios you’ve experienced.

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS

Finally, for all of our readers doubling as new writers and/ or aspiring authors, what is the single most important piece of advice would you like to offer on writing, getting published, and/or being an author?

If you have a goal, strive for it. It will evolve and change and grow (just like us). Keep that goal in mind, and be open to it molding and changing it into whatever it’s meant to become. Once it is completed, you will feel absolutely fulfilled.

Read more of our full interview with Miranda Oh at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

FEBRUARY2020 5

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What would you like our readers to know about yourself?

My name is Sarah Noffke and I’m the author of five YA and NA series. I write sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal and dystopian. I was born and raised in Texas, but I currently live in Southern California. I’m kind of a nomad and move to wherever the wind blows me.

That kind of living really helps me as a writer to become acquainted with many locations, which invariably become settings in my books. When I’m not writing then I’m teaching college business courses. It really makes no sense to most that I teach business since I’m a fantasy writer, but before I was a full-time author I was a business professional.

Shh…don’t tell anyone. I have a masters in management and an unhealthy obsession with characters who have superpowers. Go figure. I currently have fifteen books publish.

They are available in ebook, paperback and on audio. One series is available in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

What inspired you to become a writer and what finally pushed you to follow that dream?

I’ve been writing my entire life, so I think the urge was always in me. However, I used to have a real job. A professional one. One of those jobs where people go to meeting and do reports and things are very business-like. I loved it, but I totally felt like something was missing from my life. My brother died suddenly in his sleep one day and after that I www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Were you at all nervous about how the new books would be received?

Nervous isn’t the right word for it. Overlyworried-with-an-edgeof-panic is the right word(s). Paranormal isn’t my typical genre as a writer and more importantly, as a reader. I think any time we venture into something new, there’s going to be anxiety about how it’s received. However, so far the early reviews have been extremely positive. This is a huge relief which I will soon celebrate with a bottle of champagne and a fancy cheese tray. However, I think the nervousness was important because it kept me grounded and continuously pushing myself to create a werewolf series that delivered the action paranormal fans wanted, with a spin that is unique to my book world.

Would you be willing to share how you’ve been able to become an Amazon Bestseller?

I wished there was an easy three-step checklist. There are definitely things that every author can do: write a great book, use a professional editor, have an incredible cover.

However, I’ll admit that this is only the beginning and much of my success has relied

FEBRUARY2020

OUR INTERVIEW WITH AMAZON BEST SELLER, SARAH NOFFKE

What is the appeal for you in writing to a young adult audience versus an adult audience?

More potentials. Young adults aren’t settled yet. They don’t know who they are, what they want or who they are ending up with. They are in a mode of discovery and that makes their stories so much fun and rich. Their immaturity and naivety is also a huge component. Now, don’t get me wrong, writing for the adult audience is also amazing for different reasons.

There are potentials there that can be even more fun.

on marketing and networking. I built a strong newsletter following a year ago and that’s been one of the most valuable tools for me. I send out regular correspondents and when I have a sale this list is the first to hear about it. For my money, this kind of marketing has been the most effective. I also regularly have free sales and use promotional services, but they are always changing with their effectiveness so it’s important to constantly be on the lookout for the ones that will work. Yes, I’d give my car away for a Book Bub, because that giant is still the best one in this industry. It’s a foolproof way to hit the bestseller list.

However, until Book Bub caves due to my incessant nagging, then I’ll be relying on Amazon, Twitter and Facebook ads. These are really some of the best marketing tools and I’ve known many authors that have had outrageous success with the right ad.

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remember thinking, “What if I die before really doing what I want with my life?” And after that I knew I needed to start checking some stuff off my list and one of them was to write a book, which turned into books and now is an obsession.

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS

What do you think are the biggest lessons you've learned along your career as a writer and what would you share with those contemplating this career?

That if you like sleep, keep the career search going. Okay, I’m kidding.

I know many authors who sleep just fine.

Honestly, I learned when you do what you truly love that it fuels you in ways you never dreamed about. I work a lot of twelve to sixteen hour days and weekends are just regular days for me. However, I never resent it, not like I might working for someone else. I used to think that I was a bad salesperson, but now I realize that I just wasn’t selling the right product. Mine. My advice for those contemplating this career is only do it if it’s your absolute passion. The hours are long and the benefits take a while to kick in.

Dennis Palmubo, the author of Writing from the Inside Out, said, “Love the craft…and the peaks will come.”

Read more of our full interview with Sarah Noffke at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAYEDITION2019 7

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P Soce $2.99

SBN: B07VZW8Z7M .R bBa e . e Genre Romance Price $14.99 ISBN 978-0998309804

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Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the protest era of the early 1970s, a gripping novel of a power, corruption, injustice, courage, and hope—and one tenacious young man whose determination to overturn the system holds unexpected consequences for his own life.

' e 1940 . WW . A Ne E a d a b d a e. T a ' a Home Front: A Memoir from WWII a ab e b acGenre Coming , e ofaAge , e Price ea ,$16.95 e a a dISBNe 978-0999066515 e e e e .A e e a ,D a , a a a b ed a .

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Art historian Angela Renatus knows she’s different. She can see into the past—into the lives of the greatest artists of all time —but are her visions a gift or a curse? Angela and her fiancé, Alex Caine—a former Navy Seal turned private detective— recover precious works of art for private collectors, museums, and galleries. Enlisted by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Angela and Alex investigate one of the greatest art heists in history— the theft of Caravaggio’s NATIVITY. Genre Romance, Thriller Price $14.95 ISBN 978-1732207134

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The time is the early 60’s. The place is the Starlight Club in Queens, Amidst the nightly gaiety was the back room, where business deals were made, hits were ordered, and territories were divided. Red is the underboss of the family, but when the Don is killed he is made boss of the Queens mob. Trenchie is released from a ten-year prison sentence. A new life is waiting for him…

Genre Thriller Price $17.95 ISBN 978-1974127566

Tequila Rose may have met the man of her dreams.

Unfortunately, she wakes up suffering from alcoholic amnesia and doesn’t remember anything about the night before. Tall, dark, and Jack may be the cure her jaded heart desperately needs, but Tequila’s wary as friends warn her that Jack hangs out with the local drug dealer. Thrust together at a Speed Dating event, their chemistry sizzles, but is Jack after a different kind of fix?

Genre Romance Price $9.99 ISBN 978-0473237028

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REVIEWS

FEBRUARY2020

Mystery

Paperback

$10.49

Historical

Paperback

$16.95

ABSOLUTELY, NOT TO BE MISSED! BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN! 30 Minutes in Memphis by Paul Ferrante is made all the more special due to the 100% accurate attention to Beatle history as well as the general socio-political atmosphere of the nation back in 1966. When ultimate Beatles fan, Marnie––daughter of the Memphis police sergeant and a typical example of teenage innocence in the '60s, is told that the Fab Four are scheduled to perform and that her best friend has secured tickets for her birthday, she is over the moon! That is, until a disastrous yet misrepresented quote by John Lennon, on Christianity's declining popularity, is released in a popular teen publication, which ignites a firestorm in an already racially charged atmosphere. Forbidden from going to the concert, Marnie is paralyzed with fear when she discovers that the local KKK chapter, led by her father's boss, Lieutenant Joe Bob Sutter, is planning to make this Beatles concert their last. They plan to assassinate John Lennon, perhaps all four of them on stage. With the show just days away, Marnie and Myles must prevent this tragedy from occurring. 30 Minutes in Memphis is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. Absolutely, not to be missed!

Willis Hancocks is a bright, ambitious young man who wants to break out of his small-town existence and make a difference in the world.

When WWII breaks out, he rushes to enlist, despite his parents' disapproval. As the world falls apart, Willis finds a way to forge through. He finds solace in an incomparable friendship and a surprising, brief encounter with a love that takes hold and eventually threatens to jeopardize the life he strives to build while battling his post-war demons. While Willis is set on building a new world for himself with a single-minded goal for personal success-a lucrative, purposeful, easy lifestyle-obstacles are continuously thrown in his path, and he must embrace, overcome, or dodge them entirely. In the course of the choices he makes, and the destiny that is chosen for him, he unwittingly drags the people who are closest to him down into the darkness. A Crowded Heart by Andrea McKenzie Raine is a brilliantly written piece of historical fiction, sure to please fans of wartime stories and touch the lives of all who flip through these impassioned pages.

~Donald Richard, TopShelf Review

~Kyle Magnus, TopShelf Review

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Self-Help

Paperback

$11.95

A WELL-WRITTEN SELF-HELP BOOK THAT PROVES ANYONE CAN REBUILD THEIR LIFE Is there a difference between pain and suffering?

Acceptance of this profound knowledge is the key to Becoming Okay (When You're Not Okay).

Psychologist Bryan Bushman showcases tremendous passion as he provides a step-by-step roadmap for learning how to rise above both emotional or physical pain. Combining the best of eastern and western influences and insights with the latest neuropsychological research, Dr. Bushman presents several easy-to-remember steps that can help people live more productive and balanced lives. Whether you experience depression, anxiety, chronic illness, emotional trauma, relationship problems, or addictive behaviors, pain doesn't have to define you.

Through playful humor and compelling case examples, Becoming Okay (When You're Not Okay) is a well-written self-help book that proves anyone can rebuild their lives, even while experiencing some of life's most significant trials — highly recommended! ~ TopShelf Reviews

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FEBRUARY2020 11

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REVIEWS

FEBRUARY2020

Memoir

Paperback

$19.99

Romance

Paperback

$12.99

A TRULY MEMORABLE BOOK HAD ME FLIPPING PAGES FOR THE GOLF ENTHUSIAST… WELL INTO THE NIGHT I never had any inclination toward golf. To quote my father, "There are golf people, and then there are people like us, you know, regular people." It's not something I was around or anything I ever wanted to watch, and that's just how it was. That is until I read Cover Me Boys, I'm Going In by Emmy Award-winning sports television producer Keith Hirshland. I feel different about golf now–– especially televised golf. I sympathize with much of Keith's story, empathize with others, and even found myself belly-laughing at times. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at ESPN when Craig Kilborn was there, or when Dan Patrick and Keith Oberman were the kings of Sportscenter.

Cover Me Boys, I'm Going In is a truly memorable book that gave me the scene of being a lucky dinner party guest, listening to the life of a man who knows many things that I have little to no interaction with. It's good to know that the Golf Channel, long ago, had such a good man behind the lens to help it along. Pick this one up for your golf enthusiasts, autobiography fans, and anyone who loves excellent television stories. Trust me, you're going to make them very happy!

Twenty-year-old Alayna Scott receives visions around water, but even her foresight couldn't prepare her for the tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents. With everything she loves gone, Alayna packs up and moves to the small town of Juniper Grove in hopes of starting over.

Jayden McKnight can't explain the attraction that he feels whenever Alayna is near, but he does know that he will do whatever it takes to win her heart. When a vampire selects Alayna as his next victim, Jayden will stop at nothing to ensure her safety – even if that means bringing Alayna into a world that she never knew existed. Love blossoms, challenges are made, and Alayna will find herself fighting not only to survive but to understand what she has become. Awardwinning author, Jaidis Shaw, paints an intriguing fantasy world and tells a familiar tale in a way that feels fresh and unexpected. This is one of Shaw's earlier novels, and it reads as such.

However, the book had me flipping pages well into the night and held my attention throughout.

Historical

Paperback

$14.95

TAKES READERS BACK IN TIME A German dies in a New Orleans whorehouse. He is carrying a notebook filled with hand-drawn maps, surveillance notes, and cryptic codes. Now, Nazi Waffen SS conspirators ruthlessly search for that notebook, killing anyone who gets in their way. Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou is a brilliantly written historical thriller that intertwines historical persons, events, and locales of World War II with a fictional Nazi plot to disrupt the manufacture of Higgins boats, the Allied landing craft which won the war.

Steven Burgauer’s writing style truly takes readers back in time, with superbly written dialogue and true-to-life settings that span a world once stricken with the unimaginable pains of WWII. Can anyone stop this sabotage? The victory of Allied Forces hangs in the balance. ~Kyle Magnus, TopShelf Review

~Kyle Magnus, TopShelf Review

~Mrs. Y, TopShelf Reviews

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FEBRUARY2020 13

Narrated b Jeff Lemucchi

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Center Spread Dick Snyder

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Dick Sn der provides an e pressive, almost l rical, narrative to the stal art Jonas Kirk, and the intricate details of murder and crime-solving are arguabl some of the best out there.

Kri Miller, TopShelf Revie s for Jona Ki k M

Center Spread Dick Snyder

featuredspotlights

...books worth a closer look!

Continuing the saga of Hadley, recently divorced and wending her way down the path of life in anticipation of her rapidly approaching 30th birthday as a single woman. A humorous, oft times sexy, look at life from a young woman's standpoint, readers will laugh out loud at some scenarios, cry at others and knowingly shake their heads at still others.

Mackenzie Flohr believes in order to call yourself a true Whovian, you must follow the Doctor’s message. The Binge Watcher’s Guide to Doctor Who will take you on a journey through time and space, showing you how Doctor Who became the longest running show on television by weaving through its history, starting with our current incarnation of the Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker.

Genre Romance Price $13.95 ISBN 978-1733510387

Genre Non-Fiction Price $16.99 ISBN 978-1626015241

Step into the mysterious mists of the beyond, where fascinating occurrences, unexpected twists, space adventures, time travel, bizarre happenings, and even humor are coupled with thought-provoking undertones that edify and entertain.

A heartwarming and humorous book which breaks the Motherhood Code of Silence with A Tell ALL series of essays on Motherhood, Childhood and EVERYTHING in between. It brings humor and love together while honestly sharing the often UNSPOKEN experiences in raising children and the CrAzY balancing act and understanding heart it requires!

It’s guaranteed to make you laugh and shed a few tears!

Genre Science Fiction Price $11.99 ISBN 978-1950052004

One mistake doesn't make you a failure.

Lonnie came to Tennessee to help his best friend and bandmate. Wynn came home because her life had disintegrated. The last thing they’re looking for is a forever after. But when their mixed up lives collide, they find themselves writing a brandnew ending song that neither of them expected.

Genre Women’s Fiction Price $12.99 ISBN 978-1723958847

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Genre Non-Fiction Price $9.99 ISBN 978-0692412459

This is a coming-of-age story, a love story, replete with milestones, tangled emotions, and adventures that are the embodiments of first love. Not just for the young, but for the young at heart.

Genre Coming of Age Price $15.99 ISBN 978-1941251898

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REVIEWS

FEBRUARY2020

Thriller

Paperback

$18.99

DISTURBING, DARK VISION In a fictional dystopian 1984, there are two types of people: "normals," ordinary human beings just like us, and; "the plague generation," the result of a genetic mutation passed on in the act of sexual intercourse by a pathogen much like a bizarre form of HIV. Children of the plague generation are born partly human, partly something else. Some––like Enoch (Dog) Davis Bryant––are gentle teenage souls dreaming of a normal human existence––possible only after being granted life beyond the "homes," facilities set up by the American government to house and teach the plague generation. Others, like Dog's friend George, a.k.a. Brain, are planning a revolution in secret, hiding their secret abilities until the time is right to unleash their hidden talents upon an unsuspecting human population.

And then, a bizarre murder occurs, shedding suspicion upon the creepers at the local home.

After Dog's newly developing friendship with a human female, ends in her death, both crimes get pinned on him, leading to the very conditions that will start a bloody, violent revolution that may see the extermination of all humankind. A disturbing and often times shattering read, DiLouie's dark vision of an America that never existed will haunt and perhaps even anger you. ~Donald Richard, TopShelf Review

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Children’s

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$9.99

Mystery

Hardcover

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A GOLD MEDAL-WINNING BOOK TAKES MYSTERY TO AN EARTH Snowman Paul is a snowman who plans on taking home the gold at the Winter Olympics.

Snowman Paul, by Yossi Lapid, is a beautifully illustrated children's book that teaches lessons about honesty, and the importance of good sportsmanship. The lyrical quality of the writing makes this book extra fun to read, while the adorably adorn illustrations of Paul competing in the winter sports bring this splendid children's story to life. A gold medalwinning book for children into sports, the Olympics, and those who may need a reminder that it's never okay to cheat. ~Michael Rowland, TopShelf Review

SHATTERING NEW LEVEL!

Stereotypes aren't the only thing Caitlin Strong is breaking as a female Texas Ranger. In her whirlwind to solve crime and take out the trash, she comes in like a hurricane and leaves a trail of dust and debris in her wake. Jon Land never fails to bring the action as he takes mystery to an earthshattering new level in Strong from the Heart. As a Texas Ranger, everything is personal to Caitlin Strong. But her current case, Camino Pass, where nearly all the residents have died overnight, becomes deeply personal when the closest thing she has to a family almost dies. She finds herself facing down the signs of drug addiction every time she reaches for the prescription bottle in her own pocket. Hooked on pain pills, she can't bring herself to lecture Luke––the boy she's practically raised–– when he overdoes on opiates. Cort Wesley, Luke's father, Caitlin's lover, will stop at nothing to find those responsible for his son's near-death experience. The gracefully woven story of her great-grandfather's past interaction with Pancho Villa leaves clues for Caitlin that could ultimately bring down the untouchable powers controlling the drug trade, and solve the mystery of Camino Pass. ~Sharon Isbell, TopShelf Review

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FEBRUARY2020 17

featuredspotlights

...books worth a closer look!

Sixteen-year-old Leocadia arrives home from school to find her mom’s bloody body.

Unaware that the killer still lingers, she rushes to her mother’s side, only to be grabbed from behind and then everything fades to black. After a year of retrograde amnesia and battling personal demons, Leo’s dreams are getting worse —she’s starting to remember.

More bodies are discovered and they seem to be oddly linked to her mom’s unsolved homicide…

Genre Young New Adult Price $11.99 ISBN 978-1507884737

DASHING & CLEVER, private eye Armand Arnolfini confronts a dazzling array of wily thieves, brilliant forgers, and ruthless murderers in this riveting series of art crimes.

Each case is a stand-alone episode, yet are arranged chronologically, thereby creating a harmonious and sweeping narrative from Armand’s first intriguing case to his last.

With an evenly-divided United States Senate, the stakes are high for the nation's political power brokers. The leader of oneparty decides to change the numbers by arranging the elimination of one of the other party's senators. As the death sends shock waves through the nation's capital, federal prosecutor Jeff Trask and a team of FBI agents and police officers must solve not only the senator's homicide, but the murder of one witness and the attempted murder of another…

Genre Thriller Price $13.49 ISBN 978-1619848498

The stories told around the campfire taught us of legends— tales of demons and heroes. I thought they were only stories, but I was wrong. They were warnings.My name is Pamoon and until recently I lived a normal life.

Well, as normal as it could be growing up on a Cree reservation.

My birth mom left me on the steps of the reservation medical center when I was just an infant. Being Cree is all I’ve ever known and all I ever wanted to be.My life changed the night my friends disappeared.

They vanished while reciting a ritual they didn’t understand…

Genre Mystery Anthology Price $11.99 ISBN 978-1950052042

Genre Fantasy Price $12.99 ISBN 978-1704622828

A chick lit romantic comedy 18 year old Hadley has led a charmed life, always knowing exactly what she wanted from it. She’d had her life distinctly mapped out in her head for as long as she remembered, but a chance meeting sends her into a tailspin. As she travels halfway across the world to fight for what’s hers, she stumbles time after time. It's a journey of love, tears and learning; as she fights and attempts to overcome multiple hurdles standing in her way.

Can love heal a wounded army officer who doesn’t believe it exists?

Genre Romance Price $12.97 ISBN 978-0994863713

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Lady Rachel St. Clair has witnessed how powerful love can be, thanks to the example her brother and wife set, and she won’t settle for anything less. At a house party, Rachel meets an officer returning from the Peninsular War and believes she may have found love, thanks to their clandestine midnight lessons in kissing…

Genre Romance Price $11.99 ISBN 978-1093255515

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REVIEWS

FEBRUARY2020

Sleuth

Paperback

$14.99

Children’s

Hardcover

$15.95

Thriller

Paperback

$11.95

DAGLOW IS A TRUE WORDSMITH A FABULOUS AND WHOLESOME ONE OF THE BEST SURPRISE AND A MASTER STORYTELLER! ROMANTIC MYSTERY! ENDINGS EVER! When teacher-turned-deckhand Steve Ondelle is framed for the killing of a San Francisco Supervisor, he tumbles into a world of billion-dollar deals and bizarre sexual adventures, a world where hard evidence depicts him as a misfit who turns to murder. To expose these freshly-minted lies, Steve must first make peace with a lifetime of painful truths. He travels from the piers of Sausalito to the penthouses of San Francisco, with unlikely allies like Leonard the Human Statue, Eli of the Coral Reef, The Prophet of Market Street. And Liam the Fog Seller. Winner of the 2019 TopShelf Book Awards in the category of Mystery, Don Daglow's The Fog Seller is an absolute MUST READ! Daglow is a true wordsmith and a master storyteller. TopShelf gives The Fog Seller a firm 5 STARS and our highest recommendation. Read this book! ~Rebecca Katsikas, TopShelf Review

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

The Frog’s Golden Water by Adam Altman is an adorable children’s book with cute illustrations that really bring the story of Skippy the frog to life.

Skippy has enjoyed swimming in the pond's golden water his entire life. But now the golden sparkle has disappeared, and Skippy and his friends must discover what happened and return the pond to its former splendor. The Frogs Golden Water is an easy read for youngsters at a beginner reading level. I imagine once read a few times, most children will understand what comes next. I appreciate that the words are large enough to read without straining––a real problem with children’s books these days. Highly recommended! ~Kyle Magnus, TopShelf Review

If your fingers aren't on fire from burning through pages of Wrongful Deaths the latest medical thriller by award-winning author, Tom Combs, you'd better make sure you're still alive!

For Dr. Drake Cody, an ER physician who almost lost everything––including his wife and children nearly murdered in a bizarre kidnapping, further victimized by the leadership of his hospital–– nothing could make him happier than completing his residency and obtaining that dream home for his family, far away from the city and the trauma they've been through. But when a series of unexpected deaths at the hospital results in medical malpractice suits, Cody is assigned to investigate. But, he never could have imagined that he'd be named in such a lawsuit.

Or that he'd end up thrown in the middle of an opioid crisis that would kill hundreds. It's a race against time, and now Cody is confronted by the most daunting challenge of his life. His career and the lives of his family are under threat by greed and corruption, all leading to a heartstopping climax and one of the BEST surprise endings ever penned! ~Donald Richard, TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

FEBRUARY2020 19

featuredspotlights

...books worth a closer look!

What if you were born with an addiction to magic? What if your pleasure meant their pain? Ian Troy is one of the Shinree, a fallen race born with an addiction to magic.

Enslaved and drugged to suppress their deadly desires, the Shinree live to serve their masters. After years of forced combat in Rella’s long, brutal war, Ian is desperate for peace.

With defeat imminent, he defies the queen’s orders and wields the Crown of Stones…

Genre Fantasy Price $15.99 ISBN 978-1492829065

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Follow Jake from a sixteenyear-old learning about literature and women, to frenetic rock journalist, to struggling literary novelist, to world-famous author.

Journeying through LA’s rock a worlds, a it isdea and literary also an a e to bac ? Dtracking its homage the city, internal external e eandee e changing landscape and its cultural a e? D shape shifting…

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TOPShelf magazine Without expecting praise from the man who trained him to survive this centuries-old, malignant war against the inhuman followers of an invincible lord.

Genre Science Fiction Price $16.95 ISBN 978-0994495600

Fifteen-year-old Matt Mitchell was having the worst summer imaginable. His misery started when his mother died in a senseless car accident. Matt’s grieving father, unable to remain in the family’s seaside cottage, moved Matt and his twin sister as far as possible from the ocean they loved… The Secrets of Hawthorne House is the story of an unlikely friendship, the clash of two radically different cultures, hidden magic, and a search for the lost Hawthorne treasure.

Genre Fantasy Price $14.99 ISBN 978-1726283151

As enforcer of the Desert Rebels Cole's job is to protect his MC. As a favor to a friend they take in a young woman who they think is trying to escape a crazy ex. But she's lying. When the truth comes out, so does trouble to the club. Cole wants Raven, but will their explosive attraction to one another be enough to overcome the deception, and give them both a chance at happiness?

Genre Romantic Suspense Price $16.99 ISBN 978-1096105725

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...books worth a closer look!

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A Dystopian Urban Fantasy Desperate times have come to Emma Maya Ando’s country. A totalitarian regime with no tolerance for deviation has marginalized thousands.

Neither physical exceptionality nor freedom of thought has a place. All is conformity. But Maya doesn’t conform, and time is running out on her ability to conceal her condition. Can Maya find a cure before she is swept up in a purge… or will she take her secret to the grave?

A step-by-step roadmap for anyone interested in learning how to rise above emotional or physical pain. Combining the best of both eastern- and western-insights with the latest neuropsychological research, Dr. Bushman provides several, easy-to-remember steps that summarize information so people can live richer, morebalanced lives. Whether you experience depression, anxiety, chronic illness, emotional trauma, relationship problems, or addictive behaviors, pain doesn’t have to define you.

Genre Fantasy Price $13.00 ISBN 978-1393156543

Genre Non-Fiction Price $11.95 ISBN 978-0692078259

An American soldier and a Vietnamese woman fall in love and have a baby during the war in Vietnam. He attempts to marry Linh but fails to get permission from the Army and is then pulled out of Vietnam.

Linh and her son make an incredible journey to potential safety and security in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Richie builds his career and raises a family in the United States.

They meet again in Hong Kong two decades later and achieve their ultimate destiny.

Fifty years ago this year, six friends and I were determined to get away from the predictable, miserable summer weather in Great Britain.

We wanted to venture further afield for our holidays, traveling to a country where we were guaranteed blue sky, endless sunny days, warm nights, golden sand, Azure crystal waters, bikini clad bronze bodies, and ice-cold beers…

Genre Romance Price $16.95 ISBN 978-1634987004

Genre Memoir Price $7.80 ISBN 978-1094665757

Jackson Levee, a professor and writer, plucks two drowning twin girls from the Gulf of Mexico. Their attractive single mother has her own ideas about how to thank the hero.

Jackson and their family go from being complete strangers one day to intimate friends the next. Jackson soars to literary fame after writing about his rescue of the twins…

In a time where history and the future collide. Horse sized Scorpions and the living dead roam the earth and the only hope for survival is The Rise Of The Black Horse Rider.

Genre Fiction Price $16.99 ISBN 978-1946920386

Genre Fiction Price $19.49 ISBN 978-1365825699

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The 2020 Sea

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We use the powerful brand we ve built to raise awareness of the best authors and books not only to readers but to our growing list of booksellers and librarians from around the globe. Every single book that is promoted in TopShelf Maga ine and on our website is likely to be seen by booksellers, librarians, authors, agents, publicists, reviewers, readers, and more thousands of some of the most influential, most important people who could ever get ahold of your book. Booksellers and many big names in the literary industry, pay attention to the results of this contest.

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Genre Regency Romance Price $11.99 ISBN 978-1092602433

Me ' e 1940 . WW . A Ne E a d a b d a e. T a ' a Home Front: A Memoir from WWII a ab e b ac , e a , e ea , e a a d e e e e e .A e e a ,D a , a a a b ed a .

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TOPShelf magazine Emily thought her college scholarship was a step forward...

But it turned out to be a step backward... IN TIME Follow Emily's unexpected journey, where journal entries to her deceased aunt and the powerful secrets they contain, become her only link to the life she once knew and the future she must choose to follow

Genre Romance Price $14.99 ISBN 978-1543024968

If James Patterson and Janet Evanovich had a love child... Meet Jessica James!

Donors to the new world class Chicago museum of Russian art are dropping like flies, and Jessica is at the center of the carnage. Can she track down the killer before she falls into his trap?

Genre Suspense Thriller Price $19.99 ISBN 978-0997583687

Conflicted SS officer, Wilhelm Falk, who risks everything to escape the Wehrmacht and get out the message about the death camps. Izaak is a young Jewish boy whose positive outlook is challenged daily as each new perilous situation comes along. American citizens, Herbert Müller and his family, are sent back to the hellish landscape of Germany because of the DNA coursing through their veins. In the panorama of World War II, these are the high-stakes plots and endearing characters whose braided fates we pray will work out in the end.

In book 2 of the “Chin Up Tits Out” series, Hadley is elated that her husband is finally coming home after years of fighting with immigration.

Assuming that her “happily ever after” is about to begin, she dives in head first at being the best wife ever. An unexpected diagnosis sends her into a downward spiral. No amount of wine can help prepare her for this new journey.

Genre Historical Fiction Price $15.00 ISBN 978-0578477077

Genre Romance Price $22.97 ISBN 978-1988497013

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...books worth a closer look!

TOPShelf magazine

Continuing the saga of Hadley, recently divorced and wending her way down the path of life in anticipation of her rapidly approaching 30th birthday as a single woman. A humorous, oft times sexy, look at life from a young woman's standpoint, readers will laugh out loud at some scenarios, cry at others and knowingly shake their heads at still others.

Mackenzie Flohr believes in order to call yourself a true Whovian, you must follow the Doctor’s message. The Binge Watcher’s Guide to Doctor Who will take you on a journey through time and space, showing you how Doctor Who became the longest running show on television by weaving through its history, starting with our current incarnation of the Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker.

Genre Romance Price $13.95 ISBN 978-1733510387

Genre Non-Fiction Price $16.99 ISBN 978-1626015241

Trapped in a wintry setting and followed by two men determined to kill her, Victoria Anderson searches for someone who doesn’t want to be found.

She drove the length of the east coast in a quest to find Danny Wilcox, intending to convince him to return to Florida with her.

The drug lord, the most wanted criminal in the Province of Quebec, has other plans…

According to the Wall Street Journal, teachers are leaving their positions in greater numbers than ever before.

Truth: educators do not commit their passion to teach believing untold wealth awaits them. The purposely concealed story: national teacher shortage is due to a dominating hostile work environment, created by the people educators serve…

Genre Thriller Price $19.95 ISBN 978-1684331963

Genre Non-Fiction Price $19.99 ISBN 978-0578480442

Abandoned and left at a local shelter, a Maine Coon kitten awaits an uncertain fate. During his stay, Khan befriends a wise old tomcat, who speaks about his experiences of life on the streets, bringing comfort to the frightened kitten. Four days later, to Khan's horror, the shelter workers take his friend away to the Big Sleep, as the tomcat called it, leaving Khan scared and alone. Just before Khan's time is up, a man enters the shelter and adopts Khan, bringing him to a new home…

This is a coming-of-age story, a love story, replete with milestones, tangled emotions, and adventures that are the embodiments of first love. Not just for the young, but for the young at heart.

Genre Pet & Animal Price $10.99 ISBN 978-1502582515

Genre Coming of Age Price $15.99 ISBN 978-1941251898

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

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