March 2021

The Most Trusted Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

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INTERVIEWS JENNIFER ANNE GORDON

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JP MCLEAN Page 10

ARTICLES CHARACTER MICRO-GROWTH IN A SERIES Page 15 March 2021

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TOPShelf

The Most Trusted Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

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interviews 6 10

Jennifer Anne Gordon JP McLean

Character Micro-Growth in a Series

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Rebecca Katsikas

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Lead Editor

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Crazy Love Water Sight Rude Awakenings Gold Fever

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Contributors & Reviewers

Mickey Mikkelson, Creative Edge Media Grady Harp Serena Soape Jenn Taylor Phyllis Pisanellie Linda Keenan Michael Rowland Bobby jo Calder Kris Miller Kyle Magnus Kathrin Hutson Miranda Oh Jenna Greene

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TOPShelf Spotlights Teddy is a dog in need of a new home after living at the animal shelter for so long. Lisa is on a quest to find a home for Teddy. When her plans to invite some friends over to meet the dog fail, she lets him stay at her house temporarily. but not forever. Poor Teddy! Will he ever find a family that will love him and make him their own?

The Alaska Territory, 1925.

When Yura Noongwook’s husband abandons her and her thirteen-year-old son, she vows to win him back and destroy the woman who stole his heart. They embark on an epic cross-country quest that leads them to the Nevada desert, where they meet a man who has turned into the last thing anyone expected him to become …

Genre: Children’s Price: $19.95

Genre: Christian Fiction Price: $12.95

This crime/mystery from award winning author Peter S. Rush is the riveting story of Tommy Logan, a small time pot dealer, who is swept into the international smuggling scene by the cunning con man Harry Burr. Trying to extricate himself and his girl friend Sandy, he finds himself confronted by the dilemma of saving Sandy or himself.

Genre: Crime Thriller Price: $15.96

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Skyla Overland is proud to work for Overland Insurance, the company founded by her grandfather. Besides one nervewracking insurance fraud case in the past, her sheltered life is uneventful and just the way she likes it. Until one day, everything changes... Skyla and Troy, the manager at Overland Insurance, are the last ones to leave the office. In the empty parking lot, Troy takes her in his arms. Why would he ruin their easy-going friendship by kissing her, especially since he knows she’s dating Edmond? …

Genre: Thriller Price: $14.99

From a stranded alien comedian to the darkest depths of the human psyche; from a mindblowing galactic adventure to clandestine extraterrestrial behavior on Earth. They’re all here in this spell-binding collection of short stories to keep you guessing at every turn.

With tales of alien invasion, deep space mystery, time travel, and dystopian future Earths, this is a collection which takes inspiration from the much respected ‘old masters’ of Science Fiction. Here be new realms to explore—can you cross the void and challenge your dreams?

Twenty-one years after fleeing Earth due to a genetic plague that decimated the population, the Galileo Colony Ship Kutanga arrives at Gaia, an Earth-like world in the Alpha Centauri system. The ship carries the memories and DNA of 4,492 human survivors and Aneni, the ship’s AI commander, is on a mission to save them. But she has a problem—instead of finding an uninhabited world, devoid of intelligent life and ready to receive her precious cargo, she finds a planet populated by ten’s of millions of people…

Genre: Science Fiction Price: $19.95

Genre: Science Fiction Price: $15.99

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"..a deeply personal memoir of abuse written from the inside out by someone who's now fighting for fellow victims both past, present and future."

JON LAND, USA BESTSELLING AUTHOR

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH GOTHIC HORROR NOVELIST, JENNIFER ANNE GORDON You are known as a gothic horror novelist. What is your definition of gothic?

I am always torn between two definitions of Gothic, but I feel like they really go together in my work. The first being, that the past is still alive in the present. I just love that because it can mean so many things. The past being alive can come in the form of memory, of trauma, lost love, an old home that has been passed down trough generations, it can also mean ghosts, vampires, or a family curse. I tend to write more in line with memory, trauma, and ghosts instead of vampires, but there is room for all of it under the umbrella of Gothic. The other definition I love, is that Gothic Horror is pleasurable terror, and I hope my work can be all of those things.

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There are also Gothic techniques, and tropes that I just adore! I love using doubling and mirroring in my stories, creating a cast of characters that are separated by time and space, but because of similar things happening, their fates are inevitably drawn together, for better or for worse.

What appeals to you about the horror genre?

I love the scope of it, the fact that it can vary from literary horror to slasher. It’s been my go-to genre for reading, watching, and writing for years. Though to be fair I read almost anything except romance and most Syfy.

I think with horror I have always been drawn to the darker side of life, the surreal, and the sinister. I love the feeling of reading horror, to me it is like walking into a beautiful old house and realizing that the wallpaper does not quite line up, which everything is how it should be except it is not. THAT is what appeals to me about horror. The aching terror of the everyday world somehow gone bad.

How has your background of studying art history and English improved or influenced your writing?

I think it has helped with my descriptions of setting, and of light especially. I can imagine what I am writing as an Edward Hopper painting, or the bloody scene as being textured like Jackson Pollack. I believe everything we chose to study helps us as writers. I find my degree in theatre/acting to be the most useful in how to create and explore a character, their emotions, what makes them tick.

What inspired the book "Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent"?

This book in some way has existed in my head since I was in my 20’s (a long time ago).

I remember chatting with a friend who was also a writer, and he mentioned that his Uncle (or Grandfather, or someone) was a police officer, and that a member of the police force murdered his fiancé and the rest of the cops had worked to cover it up. The man, the murderer was allowed to live a life, and never got caught. Now, if you have read Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent, you will know that is NOT the plot of the book.

There is though the element of “getting away with murder” and what that really means.

What would it mean to kill someone you loved, for “no reason” but then be haunted by it, by her…for the rest of your life, well into your elderly years? That was the basis of my antagonist for that book, and for the inspiration of the ghost at the heart of the story. Neither character is my main character, and in a way, it ended up not even being their www.TopShelfMagazine.net

story to tell, but that was where it started.

With guilt, fear, revenge, and time.

Can you explain the meaning of the title?

A lot of the book is written in free verse poetry. Especially the portions of the book that are from the ghost’s point of view. The title originally came from a poem I had written that was loosely about her. Later in the writing of the novel the poem was scrapped, but there were lines that stayed in there, and eventually my character Adam finally sees the ghost for himself, and that is his description of her.

What does this book have to say about grief, longing, loss, and guilt?

Well, a lot of those things go together, especially in this story. The guilt and the grief, the longing, those things are all plaited together so tightly that they end up defining the main character. It is the thread that ties who he was to who he wishes he could be, if only he knew how to let it go, and heal. I think the book treats grief, especially as not just an emotional feeling but as a physical thing that lives beside you, holding your hand sometimes, and holding you down other times. I think the book deals with not only how painful grief is, but also how beautiful and ephemeral memories are, the relationship people have with grief and memory is so tricky and confusing.

Sometimes you feel that letting go of grief is a betrayal. The book explores all of those things from the points of view of three very different characters.

You are the co-host of Vox Vomitus podcast. How did that creation begin?

I am lucky to have some close friends in the writing community, two of them being my fellow co-hosts, Allison Martne, and Trisha Ridinger McKee. We have shared a lot in the past year, and all had our first novels published within a few months of each other. So that being said, we were all working on new projects at the same time too. One

TOPShelf Interviews day one of them asked how my current work in progress was going at the time, and I ended up saying it was “Word Vomit”. They both understood exactly what I meant by that. I think all writers do. Sure, I could say it more eloquently (and I have…) that the first draft is just me telling the story to myself, the drafts after that are when I start to tell the story to the reader. But at the end of the day all writers have had those “word vomit” moments. Our show is a fun and lighthearted romp through the art of writing. We get to talk to some of the biggest names that are publishing today (James Rollins, VC Andrews, Matt Ruff, Mary Burton, Wendy Webb, Carole Goodman, Tosca Lee, Paul Tremblay…and so many more). The fun part of the show is that we don’t always talk about the success, we talk about the mistakes, the times we doubt ourselves, the times that others doubt us. It is a very humbling, and funny, and great experience.

Every week has been like taking a master class.

What have you loved/ learned through hosting your podcast?

Ha-ha I think I may have answered that above…I know that I have found out that I really do love to interview people, and I think I along with my hosts have a flair for it. I also have found out how quicky many authors can whip up a cocktail when we tell them during the 5-minute pre chat “If you want a cocktail, go for it.”

Interview

provided by: Award-winning Canadian authors, Jenna Greene (YA Fantasy) and Miranda Oh (Contemporary Chick lit) pair up to provide you with engaging interviews with authors from all genres to give you a sneak peak into their lives and writing styles.

Read our interview with Jennifer Anne Gordon at:

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March 2021 7

TOPShelf Spotlights Against an international landscape of power, affluence, and fear Truth Gives Strength to Wings, the creative memoir by child sex abuse prevention advocate, Katy Sudano, breathes life into the tormented soul of a young woman who defied the odds and defined what it means to dig deep for strength, passion, and love of life. Katy's refusal to allow the abuse of her past interfere with an insatiable desire to find happiness, and break the vicious cycle of abandonment that had destroyed nearly her entire world…

What if you could time-travel back into the past to meet the man of your dreams for a steamy, fantasy romance at a time when it would be possible for him to fall in love with you? Susan does just that when she meets two ladies from Haiti while on a cruise with her childhood friend, Lynn. Mika, the elderly of the two ladies claims she can see into Susan’s soul, and that if she sends her back in time to meet James, the man who Susan has dreamed of for fifty years…

Genre: Memoir Price: $16.99

Genre: Time Travel Romance Price: $8.99

Emma's life changes the day Ruben Templeton walks in and asks her out on a date. Over dinner, Ruben's undivided attention flatters her and she's a little disappointed when his best friend, Jesse Kimball, joins them. Jesse is a senator's son who just announced his candidacy for mayor. Accustomed to a quiet life, insecure 27-year-old Emma is hesitant but excited when Jesse calls the next day, to invite her to his birthday party.

It doesn't take long for Jesse to sweep her off her feet, and when Emma receives devastating news…

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: Romance Price: $14.99

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Genre: Motherhood Price: $9.99

Black Ops Lieutenant Maddox Larsen is missing. Not only is he missing, his entire team is missing. Their reality has been yanked from beneath them, replaced with a sadistic, twisted doctor eager to find just what the limitations of a soldier’s body and mind are. Unfortunately, Maddox and his men are not alone, there are others like them locked in this nightmarish facility. They barely survive torture, abuse, and drug induced changes of their DNA…

While Forrest goes to college, quick witted Annet works at the Keizer Manor, the museum where the oils from 19th century master painter Alexander Keizer are exhibited.After a fight, the couple strolls through the dunes to make up. When dark clouds roll in, the beautiful sunny weather turns into a thunderstorm so violent that they get separated. The next morning, Forrest finds himself alone. So does Annet.Regaining consciousness in a monastery, Annet is convinced the nuns are playing a prank on her. It can't be the 1800’s!

Genre: Science Fiction Price: $13.99

Genre: Time Travel Romance Price: $14.99

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OCTOBER2017 9

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH URBAN FANTASY AND SUPERNATURAL THRILLER AUTHOR, JP MCLEAN Why do you think readers call your writing, "addictive, smart, and fun”?

I think it’s because the stories I tell are unexpected. Many of my early readers weren’t familiar with the urban fantasy or supernatural genres—they picked up the books based on word-of-mouth recommendations and were pleasantly surprised when they enjoyed the escapism of the stories.

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You are a supernatural thriller author. Did the genre choose you or did you choose that genre? If so, what is its appeal?

The supernatural is my favorite genre to read, so it was natural that it’s also what I chose to write. The appeal of the genre is in the possibility that in some form, supernatural powers exist.

What are the challenges of framing a novel that is a part of a series?

The biggest challenge is writing an installment that is fresh, tells a complete story, and brings about character growth.

The second biggest challenge is keeping track of the details, which expand with each new book. It’s not only the physical traits of the characters (hair length, tattoos, eye color), it’s their unique tics, their body language, and word choices. It’s keeping track of setting (house floor plans, park layouts), the primary locations (how far is it from point A to point B?), keeping track of time (is it still summer?), and keeping track of the interconnectedness of the characters (did they reconcile after their last fight?).

What is the premise and inspiration for "Secret Sky" The premise is: A haunted young woman’s failed attempt to gain control of her supernatural gift brings her to the attention of a secret society and their powerful enemies, who now know her name and what she is, even if she doesn’t.

The inspiration came from a recurring dream I’ve had since childhood. In these vivid dreams, I can fly. Sometimes I hover upright or fly prone. Sometimes I speed toward a destination, but other times it feels like I’m playing, sweeping upward, swan diving, or following the contours of my dream landscape. I might be indoors, but often I’m outside. Flying is a wonderful sensation, and when I wake, I’m disappointed that the dream is over. I www.TopShelfMagazine.net

wanted to capture, in words, the magical feeling of flying.

What does this novel have to say about the themes of guilt and longing?

Guilt and longing are strong emotional themes which play out in Secret Sky as a force of change on the main protagonist, Emelynn Taylor. The themes also highlight the differences in how males and females react to these emotions.

Guilt manifests in shame, humiliation, and low self-esteem.

Women, in particular, are susceptible to guilt and Emelynn is no exception. But she is also strong, and through the course of the novel, she learns to move past the shame and humiliation that result from her mistakes and moral choices. And more importantly, she learns to forgive herself. As a counterpoint, Emelynn’s male lover in the novel, who makes different mistakes and moral choices, doesn’t suffer the effects of guilt, and is not moved to change.

The theme of longing is more evenly played out between the genders. When the object of longing is unattainable, frustration, depression and despair can manifest. For Emelynn, the longing to gain control of the gift and fit in, is attainable, it fuels Emelynn’s fight to learn how to fly. The longing for the comfort of her dead father is not attainable and highlights her vulnerability and her humanity.

Similarly, the longing Emelynn’s lover experiences to locate his missing family friend, fuels his drive to find her. His longing to control how others view him, is unattainable and causes him to act out in ways that ultimately hurt him.

You are known as a voracious reader.

What types of books do you enjoy reading?

TOPShelf Interviews favorites. My most recent reads are the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Some of my favorite authors include Deborah Harkness, Terry Pratchett, Diana Gabaldon, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, JR Ward, Charlaine Harris, and Kelley Armstrong.

I also enjoy thrillers and some of my favorite thriller authors are Stephen King, Lee Child, Chelsea Cain, and Terry Hayes

You did not begin your life with a career in writing. Why did you change paths? Was it easy to do so?

I worked in human resources before I began writing full time. The change of career came about through an opportunity–my husband was offered a position that meant we’d have to travel. He could have said no (he live’s all over the world) but I found the prospect exciting, and so we took it. We lived in Alberta for a winter, then moved to a remote town in Mexico for a year and followed that up with a stint in the Mexican Baja and then three years in Arizona. It was during this time that I fell hard for fantasy novels, and when we settled back into our home, it felt natural to take up writing. And though I enjoy writing, I wouldn’t say it’s easy. It’s a craft that takes time and dedication to learn.

Do your interests, hobbies, and talents influence your writing?

My interest in the supernatural definitely influences my writing. News stories about hidden treasure, missing relics, or the unexplained draw my attention. And I’m quick to go down paranormal rabbit holes searching for story ideas.

My hobbies (gardening, cooking) provide a quiet reprieve and down time, during which I often resolve plot holes. And my natural talent for observation lends itself well to creating the details that make the stories come alive.

Interview

provided by: Award-winning Canadian authors, Jenna Greene (YA Fantasy) and Miranda Oh (Contemporary Chick lit) pair up to provide you with engaging interviews with authors from all genres to give you a sneak peak into their lives and writing styles.

Read our interview with JP McLean at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Supernatural and fantasy books are my

TOPShelf

March 2021

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TOPShelf Discoveries

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Award Winning Historical TimeTravel Romance "...engaging novel, Storm at Keizer Manor will sweep you up in the storm of Annet's and Forrest's lives and command your emotions. It's a jewel for romantics to treasure. Like a fabulous meal lingers on your tongue, this story remains with you to mull over and savor in quiet moments."

Romantic Thriller

Award Winning Romantic Suspense

"Dark, haunting, and heartbreaking, and I simply couldn't put it down. 5 darks stars from me."

"...learning to trust your heart after a painful betrayal."

~ Laura D. Child, Tirza's Bookstore

~ Laura Taylor - 6-Time Romantic Times Award Winner

~ Fiction Ebook Review

www.ramcydiek.com www.TopShelfMagazine.net

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OCTOBER2017 13

"...perfect for fans of Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven" ~Pacific Book Review

"An imaginative tale of redemption after death." ~Kirkus

"This simple, sweet tale about trust and transformation will touch the hearts of those who believe in angels on Earth and in heaven." ~Booklife

ISBN: 978-1462412136 $11.99

CHARACTER MICROGROWTH IN A SERIES

I VISUALIZE MY MYSTERY series as one TV season.

Recently, I completed the third book in my Cassandra Sato academic mystery series and gained a better understanding of how each book fits into the whole.

While the main character will be very different at the end of the series than she was on page one, in each book Cassandra experiences microscopic moments of character growth. These slight changes may seem minor during each episode but play a key role in her overall transformation within the series.

As an example, in Dead of Winter Break, Cassandra Sato is learning American Sign Language (ASL). Growing up in Oahu, Hawai’i, among her Japanese American family, she already knows phrases from several languages and has been exposed to the multicultural cornucopia of island life. It’s common for people there to switch between several languages during one conversation, fitting the best phrases to the context.

Learning a second (or third) language is an enormous challenge for adults.

Cassandra’s co-worker friend Meg, an ASL interpreter at Morton College, had already taught Cassandra a few ASL phrases in Death by Dissertation www.TopShelfMagazine.net

and Dead Week, the first two books in the series. But whenever she has a long conversation with a Deaf student or faculty member, Cassandra relies on Meg’s expertise to interpret the complete message.

Cassandra often says she knows enough signs to match an average toddler’s vocabulary level. She has a long way to go!

This time, Cassandra is more motivated to learn. She’s working on a grant proposal with Dr. Bryant, a Deaf Studies professor, and community activist.

Meg is at home on vacation and Cassandra plans to meet with him alone over winter break. Although Cassandra binge-studies YouTube videos and practices with another student, she feels frustrated by the difficulty of learning a new language.

As an ASL Interpreter for over thirty years, I spend my workdays switching between two languages and cultures simultaneously. I interpret in university classrooms where I convey the lectures and class discussions between the Deaf students and teachers in English and ASL. Including my experiences and feelings is one of my favorite parts of writing and brings authenticity to the college setting for the readers.

Becoming fluent in a second language took me years of study and practice.

Before going on vacations abroad, I like to study enough foreign language phrases to use in basic everyday communication.

Interpreting requires a much higher level of understanding of both languages than chatting with a taxi driver or ordering food in a restaurant. Luckily, on vacation, I can get away with very limited awareness.

In this story, Cassandra is highly motivated to learn ASL and she has found readily available practice partners. If you ever have tried learning a second language, immersing yourself in a place with native users of the language is much faster and easier than studying a book or video.

Years ago, while I was learning ASL and improving my proficiency, I worked at an agency that served Deaf senior citizens in Hawai’i. One of my job duties was to chat or play games with the folks who attended the community center. They taught me some of their indigenous Hawaiian Sign Language (HSL) signs

by Kelly Brakenhoff Twitter @inBrakenVille | kellybrakenhoff.com

which were different than ASL, and I was an eager student.

One day particularly stands out. I had joined a table of elderly Deaf ladies playing Mahjong. They gossiped and chatted in a mix of ASL and HSL about their families and current events. Months earlier, I would have struggled to keep up with their friendly, rapid conversation.

But after months of daily immersion, it felt like a light switch magically flipped inside my brain, and I understood them!

In that no-pressure environment, I was laughing along with their jokes. I was even able to answer a question posed to me without asking the woman to repeat it! At that moment, I finally felt comfortable and fluent in ASL. In Cassandra and Dr. Bryant’s storyline, there’s a scene in Dead of Winter Break where Cassandra feels the thrill of understanding his signing without an interpreter or extra help. What might appear insignificant becomes a pivotal detail in her growing awareness of Deaf Culture and cementing a friendship with a colleague who initially intimidated her.

In each novel or episode in my series, many micro-growth moments combine to move Cassandra and the other characters down the overall path of the story. I think that pattern imitates real life where we all experience those aha reactions that lead to greater awareness.

Kelly is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. She also writes a popular children’s picture book series featuring Duke the Deaf Dog.

Read more articles like this one at www.TopShelfMagazine.net

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TOPShelf Spotlights

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With his career on thin ice and fresh ink on his divorce papers, Sacramento PD Detective Connor Parks goes searching for solace at the bottom of a bottle…and winds up in the arms of a beautiful woman. By morning she’s gone, and the one clue she left behind sends Connor on a desperate mission to unravel a decade-old mystery —her abduction. Presumed dead for the last ten years, Claire Fletcher has been living her life as “Lynn,” a woman in the terrifying grip of her captor…

Somebody has to do something.

For Victor Sykes, business is good. His illegal diamond importing business is thriving, and circumstances require that he bring more people to his team. His niece and nephew, Rubi Lee and Zeke, are as dangerous as they are desperate, and they follow orders to make sure everything goes right. But when the shipment of diamonds-sewn into the inner lining of a sweatshirt-is mistakenly confiscated, the entire operation is put at risk…

Genre: Thriller Price: $15.95

Genre: Suspense, Thriller Price: $14.95

Th e H u z i e n E m p i r e h a s existed for 80 millennia and a powerful invisible force known as the enesmic permeates every aspect of the Twin Galaxy.

Neven is an engineer working for the pinnacle of scientific achievement known as the MinSci on the Huzien homeworld of Thae. His genius draws the attention of one of the immortal Founders and he finds himself drafted into the military as part of an elite group of special forces known as the Founder’s Elites…

Love is in the air, and Snowman Paul is eager to get into the lovefilled Valentine's Day spirit. "But what is love" he wants to know, "...for one like me just made of snow?” How will Dan describe the meaning of love to his best friend who happens to be a Snowman?

With stunning watercolor illustrations and delightful rhymes, this holiday-themed picture book explores the meaning of Valentine's Day and show just how much fun it can be with beloved family and good friends.

Genre: Science Fiction Price: $19.99

Genre: Children’s Price: $0.99 (KINDLE)

A childhood promise! A lost boy! The Orphan Train! A life on hold! Obsessed By A Promise, a work of historical fiction, offers a fascinating glimpse into a little known event in American history; the Orphan Train movement. JT Saunders grew up homeless on the streets of New York City at the onset of the Great Depression. Through perseverance and hard work he gained money and prestige, married and had a son, yet it all meant little to him because, as an eleven-year old, he had promised his father he’d keep his little brother safe. He failed…

The year is 2075. Former scientific visionary, Dr. Evan Feldman has just been restored to life after fifty-two years of nonexistence—and the world is nothing like he imagined it. The technology advancements he’d dreamt about are real, but they've resulted in global famine, a third world war, and the deaths of billions. Worse yet, a mysterious plague has affected those that remain, and humanity is on the verge of extinction…

Genre: Historical Fiction Price: $16.99

Genre: Science Fiction Price: $15.99

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Quill and Ink is a podcast for book lovers where hosts Miranda Oh and Jenna Greene take you behind the scenes to see how stories are created.

LISTEN ON:

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Thriller

Paperback

$15.99

ONE SOLID THRILLER ROMANCE WITH STRANGE & TERRIFYING VARIATIONS!

Grady Harp is an Amazon Top 50 Reviewer and has collaborated with Creative Edge Media to provide quality book reviews. Creative Edge is a publicity firm specializing in arranging events such as book signings, library or school presentations, online and print media opportunities, and many other related events.

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Rachel Tamayo understands mental illness as well as any writer today, and the manner in which she writes the perceptions and responses of each of the three primary characters - Emily, her love Isaiah, and the deranged mind of Noah - opens windows onto how the world perceives mental illness from both the afflicted and the periphery. Allowing us to read the insights of each character makes this a thrilling and insightful novel. CRAZY LOVE, as the title suggests, deals with a deluded, obsessive man convinced of his love for a woman who not only does not reciprocate his delusion but is committed to a love affair that serves as her safety net in dealing with the ‘stranger’s delusion.’ Powerfully written, this novel is a splendid view of love – real and imagined – and a wise discussion of the effects mental illness has on all participants. ~Grady Harp

YA

Paperback

$15.99

FANTASY AND MYTHOLOGY AND HISTORY - ANOTHER TRIUMPH! Having established her cast of characters in Book 1, Marie recaps the important players in a Character Guide, defining the cast as well as providing a very useful pronunciation guide for the Welsh names, offering the sense of the author’s respect for her young adult reading audience. The author’s choice to explore the history of Wales is also an added benefit to the library of medieval history. Continuing her established eloquent writing style, weaving history with romance and fantasy, this volume opens in North Wales, April 1283. Designating the novel as a Young Adult book most assuredly should not deter readers beyond that range of age: this is a solid novel worthy of the attention of a very broad audience. Marie Powell once again proves she is a new voice worthy of note.

Highly recommended.

~Grady Harp

Memoir

Paperback

$18.99

ASK THEIR NAME. REMIND THEM THEY ARE A HUMAN BEING. TASK ASK THEIR NAME. The author’s real-life personally experienced living as an ‘unhoused’ or ‘homeless’ person of the streets. It is a call to action and a a diatribe against the ‘charitable institutions’ that fail to alter the cycle of poverty around the world.

Peter opens this jarring but eloquently written ‘memoir’ with a Preface depicting insight into the dire life our unhoused people face. In this dramatically intriguing book Peter presents his origins and childhood and university time in Canada and his move to London to explore writing a book about Sir John Kirk’s drive for revealing the truths about the failures of organizations to address the real needs of the victims of poverty. His life hit a snag when proof of citizenship uncovered errors that eventually forced Peter out of employment and income and placed him on the streets, penniless. In his writing, Peter makes the life of the homeless vivid. It should be imperative that everyone read this book.

It is a call to action to truly address the plight of the indigent, the homeless, the disadvantaged, the disenfranchised – whatever moniker we have assigned – and having fully addressed the tragedy, correct it. Read this book for the pleasure of exceptional writing, but take away the message, the plea, for change. Very highly recommended.

Romance

Paperback

$13.99

A MAP - ACROSS THE TOP IT SAID “DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE” - THE MYSTERY ROMANCE BEGINS Establishing a history for the story in the form of a Prologue allows the reader to enter this rewarding journey, and how better to provide that than as a journal entry from one Charlie Avery has written in 1897 initiating the quest for gold! Having opened that gate of information, Lawna proceeds with her colorful and well scribed prose in a telling incident.

The plot flows so smoothly that reading the book non-stop to the end becomes near mandatory. This is a terrific blend of hot romance rising from a background of mystery – just the sort of entertaining escape that makes solace in books valid! ~Grady Harp

~Grady Harp

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf

March 2021

19

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