‘Hidden Pictures’ will be released on May 10, 2022. Photo: amazon
Jason Rekulakis the author of “Hidden Pictures” and “The Impossible Fortress,” a finalist for an Edgar Award. For many years he was the publisher at Quirk Books, an indie press headquartered in Philadelphia, where he ghost-wrote many odd books that may or may not surface on this page, depending on the metadata. Today, Jason is an active member of Writer’s Guild East and Mystery Writers of America. “Hidden Pictures” is a supernatural thriller about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets. It will be released on Tuesday May 9, 2022. (amazon, 2022)
“Hidden Pictures”– Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy. Mallory immediately loves it. She has her own living space, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. She sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. One day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.
Then, Teddy’s artwork becomes increasingly sinister, and his stick figures quickly evolve into lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to wonder if these are glimpses of a long-unsolved murder, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force. Knowing just how crazy it all sounds, Mallory nevertheless sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy before it is too late.
‘The Memory Librarian’ is a collection of stories featuring Yohanca Delgado, Eve L. Ewing, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Danny Lore, and Sheree Renee Thomas. Photo: amazon
Janelle Monáeis widely celebrated as an American singer/songwriter, actress, producer, fashion icon, and futurist whose globally successful career spans over a decade. With her highly theatrical and stylized concept albums, she has garnered eight Grammy nominations and has developed her own label imprint, Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has also earned great success as an actor, starring in critically acclaimed films including Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Harriet, The Glorias, and the 2020 horror film Antebellum. She will star in the highly anticipated sequel Knives Out 2. “The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer,” her debut book, brings to the written page the Afrofuturistic world of one of her critically acclaimed albums, exploring how different threads of liberation – queerness, race, gender plurality, and love- become tangled with future possibilities of memory and time in a totalitarian landscape and what the costs might be when trying to unravel and weave them into freedoms. (amazon, 2022)
“The Memory Librarian”– Whoever controls our memories controls the future. Janelle Monáe and an incredible array of talented collaborating creators have written a collection of tales comprising the bold vision and powerful themes that have made Monáe such a compelling and celebrated storyteller. Dirty Computer introduced a world in which thoughts—as a means of self-conception—could be controlled or erased by a select few. Whether human, A.I., or other, your life and sentience was dictated by those who had convinced themselves they had the right to decide your fate. That was until Jane 57821 decided to remember and break free.
Expanding from that mythos, these stories fully explore what it is like to live in such a totalitarian existence and what it takes to get out of it. Building off the traditions of speculative writers such as Octavia Butler, Ted Chiang, Becky Chambers, and Nnedi Okorafor—and filled with the artistic genius and powerful themes that have made Monáe a worldwide icon in the first place—”The Memory Librarian” serves readers tales grounded in the human trials of identity expression, technology, and love, but also reaching through to the worlds of memory and time within, and the stakes and power that exists there.
‘Sidhe’ by Aria Storm is on sale now on paperback and e-book. Photo: Aria Storm, used with permission.
Aria Storm is influenced by major authors from a wide range of genres and time periods. The earliest influences come in the form of Lord Dunsany, William Shakespeare, and H.P. Lovecraft. Modern influences include Gary S. Kadet, Chloe Neill, McKenzie Hunter, Laurell K. Hamilton, Timothy Zahn, and K. F. Brenee. She avidly believes in representing LGBTQIA+ people with valid heroes/ heroines and plots which can be sizzling at times but also contain other aspects outside the queer sex. This author’s entire adult life has been devoted to becoming a better storyteller and to bringing LGBTQIA+ characters to everyone. Most of Aria Storm’s works have been Lesfic, but the author also publishes various other genres and is about to expand even further in the near future. In her new book ‘Sidhe,’ a woman discovers she is a rare breed of fairy. (Aria Storm, 2022)
‘Sidhe’– A college freshman discovers she is a rare breed of fairy as she is brought to the world of Fairey. Her life is threatened instantly when human assassins discover her in the forest of Fairey. Now, she will be forced to unravel a deeper plot with the help of a sexy female protector called The Hawthorn Knight. Sexual discovery and awakening of her true attractions manifest. Ella is made aware of who she is, not just as a being, but also as a maturing woman.
‘Be Your Own Medical Intuitive: Healing Your Body and Soul’ by Tina M. Zion. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Tina Zion is the globally acclaimed award-winning author of three medical intuitive books. “Become a Medical Intuitive” won 1st Place Gold from the Body Mind Spirit Book Awards in 2019 and “Advanced Medical Intuition” won the 2020 COVR Visionary Award along with 5 star ratings on Amazon. She is also the author of two Reiki books, “The Reiki Teacher’s Manual” and “Reiki and Your Intuition.” Tina’s books sell in over 40 countries and have been #1 in Canada and Australia. She teaches in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and throughout the USA. She is also a contributing author in Michael Newton’s book, “Memories of the Afterlife.” Tina has taught self-development courses for 30 years and specifically has specialized in medical intuition for over 10 years, always with 100% stunning reviews by her students. Her new book, “Be You Own Medical Intuitive: Healing Your Body and Soul (Medical Intuition)” guides readers forward into their own personal healing.
After the Foreword by Shelly Frome, Professor of Dramatic Arts Emeritus, “Be Your Own Medical Intuitive: Healing Your Body and Soul” begins with Introducing This Book to You where Tina Zion explains the purpose of the book: “for your healing and transformation into a healthier body, healthier mind, and a cutting-edge intuitive awareness of the world around you.” It is meant to guide readers in their own journey towards personal healing through methods that have improved people’s lives for decades. A medical intuitive is a practitioner of alternative medicine who uses his/her intuitive abilities to find the cause of a physical or emotional condition through insight instead of modern medicine. According to the author, people are already wired to be intuitive but it is a learned skill and this book helps readers understand it in an effort to learn, heal, and master their life in exciting new levels. The book is divided into four parts: Part One: Become Powerfully Intuitive for Yourself, Part Two: Get In Charge of the Intuitive You, Part Three: Confidently Healing Yourself, and Part Four: Eight Primary Causes & Your Action Steps to Heal. The Appendix includes worksheets to print for self scans, suggested reading and resources list, and other books in the Medical Intuitive series.
Physical pain often has an underlying emotional tie. Where there is emotional trauma, there is bound to be our body’s physical reaction to it. Tina Zion’s “Be Your Own Medical Intuitive” is a practical guide to help people understand and deal with the signals that their bodies are sending in an effort to heal what is ailing them. Using examples from clients’ experiences and exercises meant to clear the mind and body of past trauma, she makes the entire process easy. The language is simple, down to earth and geared towards the everyday person. Each chapter covers a topic and at the end, there is a summary or recap of the essential points discussed. Highlights include Chapter 13: Twelve Keys to Constantly Do for Yourself (Save Yourself First, Do Not Absorb the Energy of Others) and Part Four – Eight Primary Causes & Your Action Steps to Heal which highlights main causes of physical discomfort and how to rise above them. With topics such as meditation, auras, energy fields, clairvoyance, and non-physical entities, “Be Your Own Medical Intuitive” is certainly not for everyone but readers interested in self-healing and self-awareness will find it resourceful and informative.
‘Dream Town’ is David Baldacci’s new novel in the Archer series. Photo: amazon
David Baldacci is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world’s favorite storytellers. His books are published in over forty-five languages and in more than eighty countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. In his new book “Dream Town: An Archer Novel,” the third in the Archer series, private investigator and World War II veteran Aloysius Archer heads to Los Angeles, the city where dreams are made and shattered, and is ensnared in a lethal case. (amazon, 2022)
“Dream Town”– It is the eve of 1953, and Aloysius Archer is in Los Angeles to ring in the New Year with an old friend, aspiring actress Liberty Callahan, when their evening is interrupted by an acquaintance of Callahan’s: Eleanor Lamb, a screenwriter in dire straits. After a series of increasingly chilling events—mysterious phone calls, the same blue car loitering outside her house, and a bloody knife left in her sink—Eleanor fears that her life is in danger, and she wants to hire Archer to look into the matter. Archer suspects that Eleanor knows more than she is saying, but before he can officially take on her case, a dead body turns up inside of Eleanor’s home and Eleanor herself disappears.
Missing client or not, Archer is dead set on finding both the murderer and Eleanor. With the help of Callahan and his partner Willie Dash, he launches an investigation that will take him from mob-ridden Las Vegas to the glamorous world of Hollywood to the darkest corners of Los Angeles—a city in which beautiful faces are attached to cutthroat schemers, where the cops can be more corrupt than the criminals and where the powerful people responsible for his client’s disappearance will kill without a moment’s hesitation if they catch Archer on their trail.
‘Battlefield Earth’ by L. Ron Hubbard. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Science fiction classics are timeless stories that continue to captivate readers over the generations. I love books of all genres (at least most genres), both new and classics, especially science fiction. Books like “The Expanse” and “Expeditionary Forces” are very entertaining, but anyone who loves sci-fi will agree that there are several sci-fi classics that stand the test of time and are must-reads. (Galaxy Press, 2022)
Take for example “Battlefield Earth” by L. Ron Hubbard It is right up there with “Dune,” The Foundation Trilogy, and “Ender’s Game” and it is similar to Star Wars in terms of epic space opera adventure. Because this year marks the 40th Anniversary, I want to give it a shout-out.
Like many other classics, it was made into a major motion picture; it stars John Travolta and Forrest Whittaker and is directed by Roger Christian. While movies may not measure up to the novels that inspire them, this one has an average of over 3.8 stars on Amazon (not bad!). Also, the unabridged audio is outstanding with thousands of 5-star reviews on Audible. The story is non-stop, and a real page-turner.
Here is the Amazon description:
Sadistic Aliens……Man is an endangered species. Is it the end of the world or the rebirth of a new one? In the year A.D. 3000, Earth is a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Cities stand crumbling as a brutal reminder of what we once were. When the aliens invaded, all the world’s armies mustered little resistance against their advanced weapons. Now, all that stands between mankind and total extinction is Jonnie Goodboy Tyler—the courageous young warrior determined to rally the scattered tribes of humanity in an all-out battle for freedom. The fate of the Galaxy lies on the Battlefield of Earth. Get it now.
Notable authors LOVE this book. Here is what a few of them have to say:
“Pulse-pounding mile-a-minute sci-fi action-adventure that does not stop. It is a masterpiece of popular adventure science fiction.” —Brandon Sanderson (Way of Kings)
“Over 1,000 pages of thrills, spills, vicious aliens and noble humans. Un-put-downable.” —Neil Gaiman (Good Omens)
“Battlefield Earth is a terrific story! A masterpiece.” —Robert A. Heinlein (Starship Troopers)
“Wonderful … adventure … great characters … a master piece.” —A. E. Van Vogt
“Non-stop and fast-paced. Every chapter has a big bang-up adventure.” —Kevin J. Anderson (co-author of the Dune Sagas)
“With great heroes, battles, wonders, and interstellar intrigue, this is a book that you won’t put down.” —David Farland (Star Wars novels)
‘The Adventure of Reese Rabbit’ features a fun-loving, energized, life-size bunny named Reese Rabbit. Photo: Hunter Reese, used with permission.
My name is Hunter Reese. I am a young writer who grew up in Southern California loving comic books; my favorites were the ones about superheroes. I am also a big fan of cartoons so I thought I would make some cartoony comics as well. Over the years I have written so many stories and characters and I thought it was time to finally bring them to life. This is the start of many issues of Reese Rabbit comics I plan to write as well as other comic books from multiple genres. “The Adventure of Reese Rabbit” is the first in the series. Read all about the adventures of a fun-loving, energized, life-sized bunny named Reese Rabbit as he travels through his animal-filled world. It is illustrated by Inggit Awalliyah. (Hunter Reese, 2022)
“The Adventure of Reese Rabbit” – This comic book is about an anthropomorphic bunny rabbit named Reese who lives in a carrot-shaped house within a city filled with other anthropomorphic animals. This particular issue focuses on Reese Rabbit and his best friend, Jack Houndsberg, trying to get rid of a rat that has made itself at home in Reese’s house.
Available now through CWS Book Store in paperback form or digital download.
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo stars in The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix. Photo: Netflix
Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. J. Michael “Mickey” Haller, Junior first appeared in the novel “The Lincoln Lawyer.” Haller, a Los Angeles-based defense attorney, is the paternal half-brother of Connelly’s best-known character, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch. A film adaptation of “The Lincoln Lawyer” was released in 2011 with Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller and now a new series is coming out on Netflix on May 13. (Michael Connelly, 2022)
The Lincoln Lawyerseries explores the character’s Latino heritage and will be streaming on Netflix on May 13, 2022. It stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller, Neve Campbell as Maggie McPherson, Becki Newton as Lorna, Jazz Raycole as Izzy (Mickey’s driver), Angus Sampson as Cisco, and Christopher Gorham as Mickey’s client. The first season has ten episodes and is based on “The Brass Verdict.”
‘L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 38’ will be released June 28, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
The Writers of the Futureanthology of award-winning science fiction and fantasy short stories just released volume 38 at a major Hollywood event. L. Ron Hubbard, the author of the sci-fi classic “Battlefield Earth,” started the contest as “a means for new and budding writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged.” Bringing on board a panel of blue-ribbon authors to select the stories, it continues to make publishing history year after year. There is not publication or program like this for new authors. “L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 38”will be released June 28, 2022. It is available now on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited for a limited time. (Writers of the Future, 2022)
The judges include fantastic authors like Brandon Sanderson, Nnedi Okorafor, Orson Scott Card, Kevin J. Anderson, Jody Lynn Nye, Tim Powers, Larry Niven, Katherine Kurtz, and many more. A literal who’s-who of fantasy and science fiction masters.
The writing contest is free to enterand the stories are judged blind to ensure authors and illustrators of every ethnic background, gender or age compete on equal footing. Very cool. (If you are an aspiring writing, you need to check this out).
Volume 38 also has bonus content from several great authors: Frank Herbert (yes, THE author of “Dune,” who was also a judge!), L. Ron Hubbard, and David Farland as well as writing tips for new writers.
Featured authors: L. Ron Hubbard; Frank Herbert; David Farland; Brian Herbert; Kevin J. Anderson; Diane Dillon; Azure Arther; Desmond Astaire; J. A. Becker; Lazarus Black; Z. T. Bright; John Coming; Em Dupre; N. V. Haskell; Michael Panter; Brittany Rainsdon; Mike Jack Stoumbos; M. Elizabeth Ticknor; Rebecca E. Treasure
The International Review of Books calls it a “literary smorgasbord where each new story comes with a feeling of excitement and mystery. It’s a binge read. Just one more, you think, and the next thing you know the entire book is gone!”
“L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 38” – In the world of science fiction, this Anthology stands out for three reasons: The stories. The art. The extras. Which will you love most? Standing on the shoulders of giants, these writers of the future have earned their place in the hallowed pages of volume 38. With 25-award winning authors and illustrators, this collection is a master work. These diverse stories will fill you with wonder and new ideas. And a few just might break your heart.
Just imagine…
It is game on, the fate of the universe is on the line—and you are about to go all in.
Saving the mammoths is in your hands—can you conjure the magic to make it happen?
You have got a monster BFF—whom you are hiding from your own monster-hunting family.
You are part of a sting, out to catch some bar hoppers who are not only bending their elbows, but bending time as well.
And much more!
Would you like to know the “Single Most Important Piece of Advice” from the author of “Dune?” The beautiful art and writing tips by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson, Frank Herbert, L. Ron Hubbard, and Diane Dillon are just as wonderful as the collection of stories.
Volume 38 is a treasure. You will love this collection from past and future science fiction masters because these stories will keep you turning the page.
Diane Dreher, Ph.D., is a bestselling author, researcher, and positive psychology coach. Her books, “The Tao of Inner Peace,” “The Tao of Personal Leadership,” “The Tao of Womanhood,” “Inner Gardening,” and “Your Personal Renaissance,” have been translated into ten languages. Her work has been featured in media outlets including USA Today, Entrepreneur, Redbook, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Science of Mind, radio and TV talk shows, and websites on leadership and personal growth. “The Tao of Inner Peace”shows how the Tao can be a powerful and calming source of growth, inspiration, and well-being in times of conflict and anxiety.
Translated more often than any other book except the Bible, the Tao Te Ching has been a spiritual guide for centuries, helping millions find peace within themselves, with each other, and with the natural world around them. Written in workbook style, complete with exercises, questionnaires, journal-keeping techniques, and affirmations, “The Tao of Inner Peace” translates the ancient Eastern philosophy into a plan for contemporary Western living. The book is divided into five sections: I The Way: Then And Now, II The Inner Way, III The Way of Nature, IV The Way of Life, and V The Way of Peace. In the Introduction, the author writes that in this book, the Tao lessons are explained with parallels and real life examples to make them more relatable to modern times. The chapters are short for a reason, to allow readers to read as many portions as time allows and then apply the lessons to his/her life. Each chapter opens with a quote from the Tao Te Ching which can be used as a meditation theme and closes with an affirmation to reinforce the lesson just covered in that chapter. The Notes and Resources section at the end has been updated as needed. Diane Dreher, Ph.D., shows the way to bring greater joy, fulfillment, and creativity to daily life, heal the body and spirit, build self-acceptance and self-esteem, resolve conflict, reverse negative cycles of emotion, and understand life as a process of changes and challenges.
“The Tao of Inner Peace” is a resourceful handbook that encourages mental wellness. It modernizes the principles of Tao and shows how to apply its lessons to everyday life to create balance and harmony. It covers every aspect of daily life, from defining peace within ourselves to becoming a citizen of the world by getting to know people of other cultures and being aware of how our actions affect the planet (nature). Diane Dreher does an admirable job of making Tao principles easy to understand by using simple and down to earth language. Readers can incorporate them into their lives by following the personal exercises listed at the end of each chapter. Highlights include Section II The Inner Way, Chapter 11: Creating Greater Joy In Life “With laughter comes the realization that all things come to pass, that life evolves through cycles of change” and Section III The Way of Nature Chapter 16: Transcending Hostiles Cycles where it stresses that “Violence begets further violence, negativity begets negativity” and the importance of not becoming hostile, fearful, or angry when faced with negativity. The most important lesson to be learned is that we are all part of a larger whole and by thinking globally while acting locally, we can “bring greater harmony to our world.” “The Tao of Inner Peace” by Diane Dreher is a practical guide as it offers advice and solutions to improve not only our personal lives but the local and global community as well. It is worth re-reading several times and is recommended for readers who appreciate books on meditation, mindfulness, self-improvement, and Taoist Philosophy.
“As the waters of a pure mountain spring slowly cleanses a stagnant pond, so by circulating loving energies we can gradually heal our world.”
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
SA Examiner 