Kelly Lydick is here to tell us about Everything That's Left Behind, fiction-science fiction.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Fiction/Science Fiction
Date Published: June 28, 2026
Publisher: Sapphire Stories
When Nichola Rodale stumbles upon information suggesting her father—a
renowned scientist and brilliant puzzle maker—may not have died during
The Great Drought, she embarks on a perilous journey across the desolate
American Southwest to discover the truth.
About the Author
Kelly Lydick’s writing has appeared in Natural Awakenings, Co Yoga +
Life, True Blue Spirit, American Art Collector, Western Art Collector, and
many others. She has been featured on NPR’s The Writers’ Block and
the Word podcast, and on iHeart radio. She is the author of the experimental
Mastering the Dream, a contributing author to the anthology Dreams That Change
Our Lives, and the author of Dream Incubation for Greater Self-Awareness: A
Handbook. Everything That’s Left Behind is her first novel.
David Swanson is here to tell us about The Vote, a story of political peril, fiction.
Read on for details...
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A Story of Political Peril
Fiction
Date Published: 09-10-2026
Publisher: Mission Point Press
A cautionary political tale that shines a light on the danger to our
country when the wrong people have too much money and power.
The Vote is a political thriller built around a conspiracy among powerful
political actors, billionaires, and party operatives who seek to manipulate
the constitutional amendment process in order to permanently reshape the
structure of American government. The mechanics of American politics,
particularly the Article V constitutional amendment process, is the framework
that informs the central premise of the novel. The current political landscape
of the country lends credibility to the story and gives the narrative an
interesting and timely foundation.
The manuscript opens with a series of interconnected storylines involving
political figures, wealthy conspirators, and emerging state-level candidates.
These threads gradually reveal a coordinated effort to gain control of state
legislatures and Congress as part of a broader plan to fundamentally alter the
country’s political system. The concept itself is ambitious and grounded
in recognizable political realities.
Excerpt
Rudolph Conover fumed as the jet he’d sent to convey Aldon Powers
to the Conover compound in Southern Illinois sat idling somewhere in Texas. No
sign of Powers. No explanation. No apology. The plane should have left hours
ago.
For Conover, meetings such as today’s were a carefully choreographed
dance, designed to shape an opponent’s mental disposition and ultimately
their amenability to whatever it was he wanted from them. Everyone was an
opponent in Conover’s world and everything was meant to intimidate, from
the jet’s amenities to the obsessive focus on secrecy to the quirkiness
of his compound. When dealing with men like Powers, it was his way of
reminding them of his preeminence in the hierarchy of billionaires. On rare
occasions when someone dared to play by their own rules, he did not take it
well. Today was one of those occasions.
Conover’s wife, Marcia, slipped into the war room where he sat. The
meeting was scheduled to begin shortly. “Any communication from
Powers?” he asked, irritated.
She shook her head.
“How can he be so disrespectful?”
She put her hand on his shoulder, “You have every right to be upset.
I’ll go see if there is any news.”
Conover knew Powers was difficult and unpredictable but it was impossible not
to respect him. A modern-day Edison, he was a daring visionary and the most
technologically disruptive man in a century. His companies had mastered space,
the Earth’s outer crust, and the ocean’s depths. The man had
become so indispensable that some feared him as a veritable government unto
himself, unfettered by borders and the normal rules of behavior. Everybody
needed something from him that only he could give. Conover wanted to be a
warlord. Powers wanted to be God.
About the Author
David Swanson was raised on a dairy farm in central Michigan. He
received a degree in political science from the University of Puget Sound and
an advanced degree in foreign trade from the Thunderbird Graduate School of
International Management. Between degrees, he served a stint in the United
States Navy.
In 1981, he founded Daavlin, a medical technology company that eventually grew
into a prominent player in the field of dermatology. As part of his career, he
stepped foot on every continent and dipped his toes in every ocean on earth.
Reading, writing, traveling, acting, and directing live theater are his
favored pastimes.
He’s also a lifetime political junkie. As this book goes to press,
Swanson is a candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives.
Kelly Lydick is here to tell us about Everything That's Left Behind, fiction - science fiction.
There's also a great giveaway.
____________________
Fiction/Science Fiction
Date Published: June 28, 2026
Publisher: Sapphire Stories
When Nichola Rodale stumbles upon information suggesting her father—a
renowned scientist and brilliant puzzle maker—may not have died during
The Great Drought, she embarks on a perilous journey across the desolate
American Southwest to discover the truth.
About the Author
Kelly Lydick’s writing has appeared in Natural Awakenings, Co Yoga +
Life, True Blue Spirit, American Art Collector, Western Art Collector, and
many others. She has been featured on NPR’s The Writers’ Block and
the Word podcast, and on iHeart radio. She is the author of the experimental
Mastering the Dream, a contributing author to the anthology Dreams That Change
Our Lives, and the author of Dream Incubation for Greater Self-Awareness: A
Handbook. Everything That’s Left Behind is her first novel.
V. Ajinkya is here to tell us about Rakshasa's Wrath, The Clawed Chronicles book 1.
Read on for details...
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The Clawed Chronicles, Book 1
Fantasy
Date Published: February 1, 2026
Shipwrecked on her way to an arranged marriage, Lyliana McKenzie
discovers that her rescuers are not the saviours she thought them to be.
Amidst the dangers of a pirate coup, she must find a way to keep herself safe
with the help of only a pixie and one pirate captain. After a failed escape
attempt leads her to discover what she thinks are gems, she begins to realise
that the stories she heard as a child might not be all just fantasy.
As Lyliana collects more allies, dark forces rise around her creating yet more
enemies, both at home and in the pirate camp. Despite these hardships, her
desire to escape becomes marred by newfound power and her mirky path grows
complicated. Will she honour her family and friends, or will she accept this
new life of hardship and adversity?
About the Author
I was born and grew up in Leicestershire, UK where I have lived my whole
life before joining the Merchant Navy at 18. I achieved my dream of becoming a
Master Mariner and held the post of captain for more than ten years, working
mostly on the West coast of Africa and the North Sea. Since before my sea
career I have loved writing. It gives me great pleasure to share my
creativeness with the world, but that is just gravy on top of meeting another
life goal. During my off hours I write, read and, occasionally do the odd
degree by distance learning. To date, I have master's degrees in Creative
Writing and Environment, Health and Safety from the Open University and
Sunderland University respectively. My other main interest is tropical
fishkeeping though I have yet to write a story about them.
Nicholas Deitch is here to tell us about Death and Life in the City of Dreams, literary fiction.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Literary Fiction
Date Published: April 16th
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
Jaded city planner Townsend Meadows looks out across Evermore Valley
with the ghost of his dead friend by his side. “Do you ever
wonder,” Fen asks, “what this city will look like five hundred
years from now?”
Their city is teetering on the brink of collapse, and the mayor’s answer
is a gleaming new auto mall at the valley’s edge. For Townsend,
it’s the death of everything a city should be. Struggling to regain his
passion and forced to choose between compliance and conviction, he must risk
his career to fight for a more hopeful and verdant future.
From an
architect’s vision at the dawn of the twentieth century, to a
rancher’s dynasty scarred by violence and greed, to a city
founder’s hidden message of hope, this story about the rise, fall, and
reawakening of an American city reaches far beyond the present. A timely,
sweeping novel of memory, corruption, and resilience, Death and Life in the
City of Dreams asks, “What legacy will we choose to leave for our
children?”
About the Author
Nicholas Deitch is a writer, architect, and advocate for social justice whose
fiction explores the intersection of cities, history, and human resilience.
His passion for storytelling began when a colleague recognized the emotional
depth of his nonfiction work. Since then, he has honed his craft, publishing
short stories in Litro Magazine, Club Plum, and Santa Barbara Literary
Journal. His short story “Grace Eternal” won Best Fiction at the
Santa Barbara Writers Conference (2019).
Death and Life in the City of Dreams, his debut novel, is deeply influenced by
his experiences in nonprofit leadership and the design of inclusive
communities and urban places.
Originally from Los Angeles, he now lives in Ventura, California, with his
wife and creative partner Diana.
Ashley E. Sweeney is here to tell us about Eliza Waite, historical fiction.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Historical Fiction
Date Published: 05-16-2016
Publisher: She Writes
Press
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary
After the tragic death of her husband and son on a remote island in
Washington’s San Juan Islands, Eliza Waite joins the throng of miners,
fortune hunters, business owners, con men, and prostitutes traveling north to
the Klondike in the spring of 1898. When Eliza arrives in Skagway, Alaska, she
has less than fifty dollars to her name and not a friend in the
world—but with some savvy, and with the help of some unsavory
characters, Eliza opens a successful bakery on Skagway’s main street and
befriends a madam at a neighboring bordello. Occupying this space—a
place somewhere between traditional and nontraditional feminine
roles—Eliza awakens emotionally and sexually. But when an unprincipled
man from her past turns up in Skagway, Eliza is fearful that she will be
unable to conceal her identity and move forward with her new life. Using Gold
Rush history, diary entries, and authentic pioneer recipes, Eliza Waite
transports readers to the sights sounds, smells, and tastes of a raucous and
fleeting era of American history.
Excerpt
September 1, 1896
Cloudy, first fall chill. Deer in garden again. Need to
mend fences.
“Good fences make good neighbors,”
her aunt used to say.
Eliza examines her muddied property and stifles a
snort. There are no neighbors, no cheery hellos or help at harvest time, no
shared secrets or meals offered at the door when grief steals joy clean away.
No, her neighbors are all gone from this windswept island plagued with
relentless autumn rains that close in on the coming darkness.
Eliza
removes her nightclothes and rushes into her undergarments, woolen skirt,
muslin blouse, and thick socks. She gathers up her skirt, and pushes out
through the cabin’s rickety door, inhaling wood smoke and counting her
memories, both blessings and curses.
I do not know if I can endure
another winter here, especially after what happened last year.
Before the
epidemic there had been a store, and a post office, and a cannery, and a
school. And—of course—a church. On those long ago Sundays, Eliza
had squirmed each time Jacob mounted the stairs to the simple wooden pulpit at
First Methodist on tiny Cypress Island, his pompousness preceding him. Eliza
sat stiffly in the front pew with Jonathan close beside her. Jonathan’s
delicate hands held hers and his small brown leather boots dangled over the
front lip of the wooden bench. If she tries hard enough, Eliza can still hear
Jonathan’s warbling voice stumbling over the words of the ancient
hymns.
After Sunday services, Eliza and Ida
Lawson had poured weak coffee into china cups at opposite ends of the
cloth-covered table in the basement of the church. They adjusted the china
cups, filling in spaces when others were served. They checked the sugar bowls.
They rearranged the teaspoons, and placed them symmetrically. They exchanged
glances and shared private conversations in between parishioners.
Did you
hear the foreman killed a Chinaman over at Atlas Cannery?
Another
parishioner would interrupt. Pleasantries. Then another interruption. More
pleasantries.
Did you see Sly Chapman walking Adelaide Winters home from
school on Wednesday?
There was always scuttlebutt about the townsfolk, or
the trappers, or the fishermen, or the loggers. And always about the Chinamen.
In the kitchen, Eliza and Ida would mimic the Chinamen, taking small steps and
bowing to each other. They stifled their laughter. Only once had they had an
awkward and guarded conversation about the intimacies of marriage.
IDA’S
COFFEE CAKE
This is one of the best of plain cakes, and is very easily
made.
Take one teacup of strong coffee infusion, one teacup molasses, one
teacup sugar, one-half teacup butter, one egg, and one teaspoonful saleratus.
Add pinch of salt.
Add spice and raisins to suit the taste, and enough
flour to make a reasonably thick batter.
Bake rather slowly in tin pans
lined with buttered paper. Tops with cinnamon sugar and serve warm.
But
those days are long past. Now all Eliza has is a heap of gravestones to
visit.
About the Author
Multi award-winning author Ashley E. Sweeney’s fourth novel, The Irish
Girl, released December 2024. Her previous novels, Eliza Waite, Answer Creek,
and Hardland, have won a total of 20 awards, including the Nancy Pearl Book
Award, Independent Press Award, WILLA Literary Award, and New Mexico-Arizona
Book Award. Sweeney, a native New Yorker and graduate of Wheaton College in
Norton, Massachusetts, spends winters in Tucson and summers in the Pacific
Northwest.
Gene Altman is here to tell us about The Road Home and Other Stories, a short fiction collection.
Read on for details...
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Short fiction collection
Date Published: March 4, 2026
Publisher:
Manhattan Book Group
The Road Home is a powerful and emotionally rich literary fiction short story
collection that explores the universal search for identity, belonging, and
meaning in life.
From a chance encounter that propels a young mother into
the glamorous world of high fashion… to an elderly widower
rediscovering hope through an unexpected bond… to a troubled young man
battling inner demons—these stories highlight the resilience of the
human spirit.
Set across diverse locations and cultures, these compelling
stories examine:
● Self-discovery, emotional healing
and personal transformation
● Connection, friendship and Love.
●
Written by retired psychiatrist Gene Altman, this collection offers readers
authentic, insightful, and psychologically rich storytelling.
At the
heart of the collection is the title story, The Road Home, a moving
exploration of what “home” truly means—not a physical place
with walls and a roof, but a deeply personal destination where one is fully
accepted and finds belonging, comfort and safety.
Perfect for fans of
literary fiction, psychological fiction, and character-driven stories, The
Road Home invites readers to reflect on their own lives and discover the
strength to overcome obstacles by discovering unexpected inner resources
within themselves.
About the Author
Gene Altman is an award-worthy literary
fiction author, retired psychiatrist, and former professional photographer
whose work explores the depth of human emotion, identity, and personal
transformation. A graduate of Harvard College and Stanford Medical School,
Altman brings a rare blend of psychological rigor and creative insight to his
writing.
Before dedicating four decades to clinical psychiatry in Hawaii,
Altman worked as a professional photographer in New York City. His candid
photography and prose collection, Cityscapes: Intimate Strangers, earned
praise for its evocative storytelling and emotional impact.
After
retiring from psychiatry, Altman turned his focus to writing literary short
fiction inspired by his lifelong passion for helping individuals better
understand themselves. His stories explore themes of self-discovery,
friendship and love—making his work resonate with readers seeking
thoughtful, character-driven narratives.
With a unique perspective shaped
by both psychology and art, Gene Altman crafts compelling stories that
illuminate the complexities of the human experience.
Ann Ormsby is here to tell us about Secrets of the Midwife, women's fiction.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Secrets of the Midwife
Ann Ormsby
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 18th 2026
Genres: Women’s Fiction
Anabel Leigh has spent years pouring herself into her career, polishing her image, and protecting her fragile heart after too many losses. But everything changes when a stranger presses a baby into her arms in a crowded New York park and vanishes. The child’s golden hair and trusting eyes stir a deeply personal longing Anabel thought she’d buried forever.
What begins as a surreal moment unravels into a storm of headlines and police questions.
Savannah Maas knows the truth. She’s hiding on a farm in Georgia, living by a different code—one forged from secrets, desperation, and choices that blur the line between compassion and crime.
As the world closes in, each woman struggles to keep her dreams from crumbling. For one, receiving the baby is a miracle. For the other, the handoff is a devastating mistake.
Heart-stirring and suspenseful, Secrets of the Midwife is a story of hope, resilience, and the unexpected ways love finds us.
I am sitting in the little park situated between the town clerk’s office where happy couples come rushing down the steps, laughing and kissing after tying the knot, and the family court where some of them will end up, when things go badly. As I eat my lunch, I chuckle to myself at the irony of these two tall, brick buildings facing each other like powerful gods who already know our fate, providing what we need when we need it.
The thick scent of the candied hazelnuts cooking in a nearby vendor cart wafts over me in the cool April breeze. I pull the collar of my trench coat up around my neck and tighten the knot in my silk scarf. Collecting the wrapper from my sandwich, I put it back in the brown paper bag as my eyes catch a stooped old woman pushing a double stroller with two girls in it.
The one closest to me is a baby with golden blonde hair. Maybe a little more than a year old. I can’t take my eyes off her. The other girl has thick brown hair and looks to be about four years old. They make their way down the path to me, and then, without warning, the older girl unbuckles herself, jumps out of the stroller, and runs into the crowd.
The woman yells at her to stop, but the girl keeps running, weaving between the people walking through the park. After unbuckling the smaller child, the woman picks her up and thrusts her into my lap.
“Hold her,” is all she says before she runs after the other girl, leaving the stroller behind.
I look down at the small face staring up at me. The child does not seem afraid, relaxed even. She explores my face as a growing tension rises in my chest. Groaning in frustration, I stand up, holding the baby in my arms, shifting her weight to my hip, and desperately search the crowd for the woman or the other little girl. They’re gone. My first inclination is to go after them, but after a few steps I stop. What am I doing? I’m holding a child who isn’t mine in the middle of a public New York City park. My armpits grow wet with sweat, and I loosen the scarf around my neck.
Wondering what to do, I go back to the bench and sit down. Without thinking, I smooth the girl’s wavy blonde hair, tucking a piece behind her tiny ear. Time passes and the woman does not return. Panicking, I’m afraid to leave the bench because I want the woman to know where to find me. Assuming she’s coming back. The baby rests her head on my shoulder, and her beautiful blue eyes study me. Without disturbing her, I raise my arm, pull up the sleeve of my coat, and look at my watch. It’s getting late. I have to go back to work.
Twenty minutes pass. Without hope, I stand up again and look for the woman. The lunchtime crowd is starting to grow thin, and I am beginning to feel desperate. After pulling my cell phone out of my bag, I call 911 and the operator says she will send a patrol car.
The minutes tick by slowly. The wait is agonizing. Finally, a squad car pulls up, and I watch as two officers get out, walk to the gate, and scour the park. A man and a woman. They look so young, fresh-faced with heavy equipment hanging off their belts. They see me, and I stand up with the girl who is starting to feel heavy in my arms.
When they reach me, the male officer asks, “Did you call 911?”
“Yes. I was just sitting here, and a woman wearing a scarf and a long skirt gave me this baby.” I stammer knowing how incredulous it sounds.
The officers stare at me, then at the baby.
Finally, the female officer takes a pad out of a box on her belt. “What’s your name?”
“Anabel Leigh.”
“Where do you work?”
I tip my chin in the direction of my building. “Right there.”
“No. What’s the name of your employer?” she asks with annoyance.
“Oh, sorry. C&W Communications.”
“Okay. So, what did the woman look like? Where did she go?” She continues to question me.
“Yes, I need to go back to work. Will you take her?” I try to peel the baby away from my shoulder.
Author Bio:
"Ormsby has a wonderful eye for character and detail, as she fleshes out a keenly observed portrayal of small-town life." ~ Kirkus Review
"The Recovery Room" was a winner at the 2014 Paris Book Festival.
Ann Ormsby is a freelance writer with a master's degree in journalism from New York University. Her writings on reproductive freedom and other public policy issues have appeared in The Newark Star-Ledger, The Huffington Post, njspotlight.com The Westfield Leader and The Alternative Press. Her short stories have appeared in The Greenwich Village Literary Review, Every Day Fiction and hackwriters.com.
Dan Hardez is here to tell us about his epic fantasy Eternal Dominion, The Eden Fault book one.
Read on for details...
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The Eden Vault, Book One
Epic Fantasy
Date Published: September 12, 2025
Publisher: MindStir Media
In a continent shaped by ancient secrets and forgotten science, power is
measured not only in armies—but in monsters.
For centuries, the Kingdom of Valkalor has ruled through terror, harnessing
prehistoric creatures to crush rivals and expand its dominion. Bound beneath
the reign of the ruthless King Gadrion, the realm teeters on the edge of total
war. When a new external threat emerges—one powerful enough to destroy
the fragile balance restraining Gadrion’s ambition—the king seizes
his moment.
But his plans begin to unravel when his daughters, Kendra and Cerelia, uncover
the horrifying truth behind their father’s designs.
Forced into exile and hunted across savage lands, the sisters must navigate a
brutal world of political intrigue, assassins, mercenaries, and carnivorous
saurians. Their only hope lies in the Eden Vault—a legendary and ancient
chamber rumored to wield power over creation itself.
As rival kingdoms march toward genocide and war threatens to consume the known
world, impossible choices loom:
● Will uniting their father’s enemies ignite an even greater
catastrophe?
● Can the Vault stop the coming war—or unleash a force far worse?
● And who is truly manipulating events from the shadows of Valkalor’s
rise?
Blending epic fantasy, science fantasy, and high-stakes thriller pacing,
Eternal Dominion launches The Eden Vault Series—a sweeping saga of
dynastic power struggles, dinosaur-driven warfare, dark magic-adjacent
mythologies, and deeply personal journeys of love, loyalty, and rebellion.
Perfect for readers who love:
● Epic fantasy with political intrigue
● Dark fantasy with moral complexity
● Monster and dinosaur-driven worlds
● Strong heroine-led narratives
● High-action, cinematic storytelling
⚠️ Content Warning: Written for mature adult readers. Includes graphic
violence, trauma, war, strong language, an intimate scene, and occasional drug
use.
The war is coming.
The Vault is real.
And time is running out.
About the Author
Dan Hardez is an epic fantasy and science-fantasy author, lifelong
learner, and storyteller whose work blends cinematic action, political
intrigue, and speculative science into immersive secondary worlds.
An avid reader from childhood, Dan’s imagination was ignited early by
novels that fused science, history, and suspense—sparking a lifelong
fascination with worldbuilding and high-stakes storytelling. He completed his
first novel-length story at age eleven and dreamed of crafting sweeping epics
that explored power, discovery, and the cost of ambition.
Life eventually pulled him away from writing as he pursued a career and raised
a family, but during the COVID pandemic—amid isolation and personal
transition—Dan returned to the page after nearly two decades away. What
began as an experiment quickly reignited his creative drive, evolving into The
Eden Vault Series, a sprawling saga shaped by years of lived experience and
deep research.
Dan is the author of Eternal Dominion, the flagship novel of the series, along
with three prequel anthologies—Spectra, Cinderr, and Azemar—with
the sequel, Fallen Crescents, currently in progress. His stories draw heavily
from history, politics, paleontology, anthropology, and emerging scientific
concepts, woven into dark, character-driven fantasy worlds.
A self-described “pantser,” Dan writes without rigid outlines,
allowing characters to steer the narrative in unexpected directions. He often
says he knows how the saga will end—but not always how the characters
will get there.
By day, Dan balances a full-time career and raising two incredible kids. By
night, he continues building the world of Valkalor, driven by a passion for
storytelling and a deep appreciation for the readers who step into his worlds.
When he’s not writing, Dan enjoys traveling, following professional
sports, and escaping into Colorado’s outdoors.
Readers can explore more about The Eden Vault Series, upcoming releases, and
exclusive content at danielhardez.com, and connect with him on Facebook,
TikTok, Instagram, and beyond.
