‘The Starless Crown’ by James Rollins is book one of the Moon Fall series. Photo: amazon
James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers including, among others, the Sigma Force series, six individual thrillers, the Tucker Wayne Series, the Jake Ransom middle school grade series. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than 20 million books. Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets matched with stunning suspense. As a veterinarian, he had a practice in Sacramento for over a decade and still volunteers at local shelters. In his new book “The Starless Crown,” which will be released January 4, 2022, an alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the distant past and save their world. It is book one of the Moon Fall series. (amazon, 2021)
“The Starless Crown” – A gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of death. Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts: A broken soldier, who once again takes up the weapons he is forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home. A drunken prince, who steps out from his beloved brother’s shadow and claims a purpose of his own. An imprisoned thief, who escapes the crushing dark and discovers a gleaming artifact – one that will ignite a power struggle across the globe. On the run, hunted by enemies old and new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient secrets that hold the key to their salvation. But with each passing moment, doom draws closer.
‘Contrast Brings Clarity’ is the new book on homeschooling by Teressa Kennedy. Photo: Teressa Kennedy, used with permission.
My name is Teressa and I am a proud homeschool mom, entrepreneur, and author with a passion for education. At this point on our homeschooling journey, I feel it is necessary to share our story with the goal of helping parents, and educators like yourself, work towards building stronger partnerships between schools and families in our mission to educate our children. From my personal experience, children learn best when parents, educators, other family members, and community members work together to encourage and support them along their journey. (Teressa Kennedy, 2021)
As parents, we want the best for our children, but sometimes we stand in our own way by solely relying on our experiences to help educate them. My son gave me gentle reminders to show me that he and I have two different learning styles. As much as I tried to teach him the way I was taught, it was not effective. Also, I came to the realization that I had limitations, and needed others to help support my son and me along our educational journey.
We have an amazing village of fellow parent educators, family members, teachers, and clients who all share the same vision about supporting our children’s unique educational journey. I hope our story will encourage you.
Does one size really fit all? As lovely as that might sound, people come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. It is therefore virtually impossible to design a clothing item that can truly fit all people. In reality, the ‘one size fits all’ ideal is actually designed to fit sizes within a specific range.
Much like clothing items, traditional education centers around a ‘one size fits all’ methodology. As a result, a single-core teaching model is used for all students, regardless of their individual learning style. And this applies to teaching styles as well as to student evaluations. So, as a parent, what do you do when your child does not fit into that one core teaching model?
In “Contrast Brings Clarity,” Teressa answers that very question. Her courageous response completely changed the course of her life — and that of her son. While she struggled to build a suitable educational experience for him, Teressa overcame countless obstacles and, in due course, answered the homeschooling call. Eventually, side by side, mother and son embarked on the adventure of a lifetime.
Along her incredible journey, Teressa learned numerous strategies that helped her son succeed academically — and she would like to share those strategies with you.
‘Lineage: Life and Love and Six Generations in California Wine’ by Steven Kent Mirassou. Photo: amazon
Steven Kent Mirassou is an acclaimed winemaker and a descendant of one of the oldest and most respected wine families in California. He received his BA in American Literature from the George Washington University and his MA in Literature from NYU. He started his wine career in sales but found his true passion after moving into the production side of the business in 1996. Steven has made the highest rated wines from the Livermore Valley, and he is a co-founder of the Mount Diablo Highlands Wine Quality Alliance and the President of the Livermore Valley Wine Growers Association. With his decades of winemaking expertise, and with his extraordinary gift for haunting writing, Steven takes readers straight into the heart of his calling in his first book “Lineage: Life, Love and Six Generations in California Wine.” (amazon, 2021)
Steven Kent Mirassou starts “Lineage” with a description of the critical hour at the vineyard before the harvest starts. It is a cold night and it is “wondrously lonely out now” before the workers arrive. He is alone with his thoughts as they wander to the past and he reflects on the path that brought him to the wine making business. As the narrative moves along, he takes readers deep into the art of his craft, through the six generations that the Mirassou family has been growing grapes and crafting wines in California, the last thirty years in the Livermore Valley. As with every story, there is family drama, including the highs and lows of running a business. But through it all, he loves what he does and he learns that every loss brings on new beginnings. The book is divided into two parts: Part One consists of chapters like The Deep and Simple Immensity, Making Wine is Morning Work, and Thanks You Can Never Repay and Part Two has chapters like The True North of Civilization, Imprisoned in These Barrels, and Each Dusty Sunset Observed. It is an inside look deep into the art, the craft, the passion, and the 8,000 years of history that lie inside the finest of wines. As he puts it, “I work to take care of people, to add richness and joy to their lives, to make the people who drink my wine a little happier after than than they were before, each day.”
Images of beautiful Italian vineyards often accompany thoughts of wine and the wine making business. What the general public does not see is what happens behind the scenes: the long cold nights with the only illumination coming from the lights around the perimeter which are powered by generators, the tired workers who show up to work the vineyards, and the winemakers with arms deep in crushed grapes. Told in the first person point of view, it is a deeply personal look into the history of winemaking and his family business. This is a book like no other. It is a combination of autobiography and beautiful poetic prose: “This sweaty ferment that is the wine production business is like the snake attracted to its own tail, making eternal circles.” Accentuated with hauntingly beautiful pictures that tell their own story, it is more than just a book about the history of winemaking, it an impressive work of literature. “Lineage” brings the art of winemaking to the general masses and is recommended for readers interested in books about winemaking with a genuinely personal touch as well as poetry fans.
“To taste a wine with one’s heart is to come to know the dirt between the farmer’s fingers, the exhalations of the vineyard as it sleeps in the black night.”
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
“The Sweetest Ladybug” by Isabel Cintra is a fantasy-based tale about kindness and inclusion. Photo: amazon
Isabel Cintra grew up in the small town of Sao Joaquim de Barra, Brazil. At an early age, she entered the magical world of writing and literature. Her book “Corvo-Correio” was a winner of Brazil’s 2017 Off Flip Literature Prize. (Black Château, 2021)
Isabel Cintra brings a message of representation and diversity to children around the world. She grew up wondering why the characters in her favorite fairy tales did not look like her and now she is changing that. Through her vibrant picture books, illustrated by her brother Zeka Cintra, Isabel strives to introduce kids to a world where diversity is valuable and beautiful. Her stories feature black and brown heroes and sheroes.
Award-winning author Isabel Cintra introduces children to the magical world of small insects in her new illustrated book, “The Sweetest Ladybug.” This fantasy-based delightful tale brings a message of representation and diversity, as well as the importance of kindness and inclusion.
Imagine if everything happening in your imagination also happened in real life. This is exactly what happens one day in the life of a curious, sweet, and intelligent girl named Johana. Guided by a beautiful ladybug, Johana discovers all the mysteries and beauties hiding in her own garden.
“When I was a child, I imagined being inside a hole where little ants were going. Playing with that imagination and wondering how the small insects in the garden live was the thought process behind this story.” – Isabel Cintra
“The Sweetest Ladybug” is a modern version of Alice in Wonderland for children aged 7-12. Johana becomes small, makes odd friends, and goes through some fantastic adventures full of kindness and challenges. It is available in paperback on Amazon and other major retailers. Paperback price: $15.99
The unfamiliar red Mustang pulled up alongside Lily Reyes, matching her pace as she walked on the sidewalk. Lily didn’t like the feeling of being stalked. She began walking faster, and looked around to see if anyone was outside. The Tallahassee heat and humidity had the neighborhood looking like a ghost town; everyone was at work or had retreated inside their air-conditioned homes. The Mustang continued to creep along and pace her. Its windows were tinted, only offering her a general outline of the male driver wearing a baseball cap.
Maybe I should run up to a house and ring the doorbell, Lily thought. But what if no one was home, and her stalker took that opportunity to come after her?
The car came to a hard stop right next to her. As the passenger window inched downward, Lily took a breath to scream.
“You getting in?”
“Oh, god,” she said, blowing out pent-up air. “I thought you were like some disgusting creep. Where’d you get the car?”
“Borrowed it from a friend.”
Lily opened the passenger door, tossed her backpack inside, and got comfortable in her seat. The cooling AC blew over her. “Nice ride. Must be a good friend to let you borrow it.”
“It’s a business thing.”
Lily decided not to press him for answers. Carlos never liked it when she asked too many questions, and she didn’t want him getting uptight. He seemed distracted about something. Why, he’d barely looked at her.
Lily was kind of hoping he would have noticed how she’d dressed up for him.
“I thought you were going to pick me up at Subway,” Lily said. “Decided to spare you the walk.”
Lily’s mom, Sylvia, didn’t know about Carlos. No one knew about him, except for Lily’s best friend, Madison, and even she wasn’t supposed to know anything. Carlos was paranoid about being busted. When Lily had first started dating him, she’d lied about her age, telling him she was eighteen. It was only after they’d been going together for a month that Lily admitted she was only fifteen. Of course, she hadn’t been the only one stretching the truth. When they’d first hooked up, Carlos had said he was nineteen, not the twenty-one he really was.
“Did you bring some change of clothes?” Carlos asked.
“In the backpack, even though you never explained why I needed them.”
“Always nice to have options.” “Where we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Lily tried to play it cool, and hid her smile. Madison seemed to think that Carlos was just using her, but she didn’t know him like Lily did.
“Stopped and got you a wild cherry Slurpee,” he said. “Better drink it before it melts.”
He had remembered her favorite drink. She would certainly mention that to Madison. Lily reached for the Slurpee, and took a long sip.
“Want some?” she asked.
“Not without adding some rum.” “I’m okay with that.”
“Maybe later.”
Carlos liked to party, and liked it even more when Lily joined in with him. She had to be careful, though. Her mom was always in her business.
As if reading her mind, Carlos said, “How long did your mom let you off the leash?”
“I told her I’d probably be eating dinner at Madison’s.”
“That gives us a little time.” “Sure does,” she said.
Lily reached out her hand, and ran it along his leg. Carlos needed to see she was grown-up, and not some kid, but instead of positioning her hand on him like he usually did, Carlos acted preoccupied. Maybe he was just in one of his moods.
She withdrew her hand and began drinking her Slurpee. “Sure you don’t want some?”
He shook his head, and she continued to sip. Halfway through the cup, Lily’s skin began tingling.
“I feel weird,” she said.
“We can get some fresh air at Cascades Park.” “Is that where we’re going?”
Carlos nodded. He still wasn’t looking at her, and seemed unusu ally attentive to his driving, continually checking the rearview and side mirrors.
“It feels like we’re floating,” she said.
Lily flapped the hand not holding her drink. “I’m flying. Whoa.”
Something wasn’t right. Why was she feeling out of it? Her gaze fell to the Slurpee. One look, and the pieces came together. Lily’s accusation was shrill: “You put something in my drink!”
“Relax. I just made you a Molly and benzo cocktail to help loosen you up.”
Lily tried to process her panic, along with Carlos’s explanation. She wanted to feel reassured, but didn’t. One by one, words emerged from her mouth. Each syllable felt as if it were weighted down on her tongue. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted you to be calm while I explained a few things.” “Oh, shit.” This was bad. “You’re breaking up with me.” “No, baby, never.”
Lily struggled to find the words, and speak them. “We’re. Still.
Together?”
“Forever, baby. It’s just that things didn’t work out with my big plan.
Remember we talked about that?” “Big score.”
“That’s right. And it would have been, but my luck went bad, really bad.”
Lily managed to say, “That’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay. Everything went to shit. It put me in the hole for almost five thousand bucks.”
“I can help you . . .”
Lily had earned almost two hundred dollars babysitting. She’d give it to him. But Carlos interrupted before she could finish.
“Thank you, baby. I knew I could count on you. They were going to mess me up bad, maybe even kill me. You were my only hope.”
Lily tried to follow what he was saying, but her brain couldn’t find its balance. Everything was hazy.
“After you work off my marker, baby, we’ll get back together. I promise.”
“Don’t understand.”
“A guy I know fronted the money I owed, but he needed collateral.” “What?”
“I had to put up something of value. And nothing’s more valuable to me than you. I love you.”
Lily had been waiting for a long time to hear those words. But now they sounded wrong. Felt wrong. Love?
Carlos said, “You’re a lifesaver. It will just be for a few months. And when you come back to me, things will be better than ever between us.”
Too dizzy to support her chin, Lily’s face dropped down to her chest.
Talking was beyond her. She didn’t know how long they drove, and was barely aware when they came to a stop. She heard two men talking, but it was like listening in to a dream.
“Is she good to go?”
Lily had never heard that voice before. She would have remembered it if she had. There was something scary about it, a rasp with a serrated edge.
“She agreed to work off what I owe.”
“You explain what would happen to you if she didn’t?” “I told her.”
“Okay, then. I’ll find you if there’s a problem. Count on it. Give me the keys.”
Lily heard retreating footsteps. Carlos didn’t say goodbye. There was a part of her that was still listening for his voice, that wanted him to declare his love for her once more.
She couldn’t lift her head to acknowledge the new occupant of the driver’s seat, but heard the ugly voice.
‘Paid to Be Perfect,’ by Heather Mathes will be out January 4, 2022. Photo: amazon
Fit model Heather Mathes began modeling in 1988. She continued modeling professionally after graduating from Ohio State University with a B.S. in Marketing in 1993 before signing her first contract fit modeling with a major national retailer in 1996. After a ten-consecutive-year fit modeling contract, as well as modeling for other companies outside of her contract, she retired to become a mom in 2008. She then came out of retirement in 2016 at the age of 46 to continue fit modeling for the same company at the exact measurements she was in her 20s, not because she was under contract, but because she had developed health and wellness methods that kept her weight from fluctuating. She did this unconsciously as these methods had become her norm. She shares these methods and more in her first book “Paid to Be Perfect: Paid to Be Perfect,” which will be out January 4, 2022. (Heather Mathes, 2021)
Published by Gatekeeper Press, “Paid to Be Perfect” is part nutrition, part self-help, part glimpse into the world of fashion through the eyes of a 30+ year career model. This book is a practical guide to eating, looking and feeling your best while maintaining your body’s natural size. It encompasses all her healthy lifestyle habits around nutrition, fitness, skin care and wellness, and includes insider secrets into the fashion world where she was paid to be “perfect.” Heather Mathes shares in an informal, uninhibited voice how she focuses on how she feels, enabling her to eat whatever she wants, whenever she wants, while maintaining her body’s natural size. Her practical tips and will help readers, regardless of their size or age, to find and maintain their perfect.
“My stories are based on these experiences working in the fashion industry as a model, and specializing as a standard size six, contemporary fit model—a niche in the world of fashion modeling—to show you exactly how, other than pregnancy and shortly thereafter, I have kept my body within a quarter inch of the same measurements for years while eating whatever I want, without stress or guilt. Whether you’re a size two or a size 22, know that what I share can be applied to all sizes, shapes and ages. The ultimate message, beyond the fit model statistics provided throughout for context, is body positivity for everybody and everybody.” – Heather Mathes
“Paid to Be Perfect: The Secret to Finding Your Perfect” will be available on amazon and other major retailers.
All four books in the series are now available as a digital box set and holiday gift. Photo: David Konrad
David Konrad is an adventurous dad who shares his love of storytelling with middle grade children around the world. While traveling internationally and raising his young family, he found inspiration to write his books and fulfill his mission: making a difference in the lives of children. The Project Adventure Children’s Book Series is action-packed, fun-filled and driven by characters who will be cherished by young readers seeking their next favorite mystery. (David Konrad, 2021)
International author David Konrad releases the US version of his popular children’s books series, Project Adventure, this December 14, as a digital box set. Perfect for individual reading, or for caregivers and teachers to read a chapter or two at a time to create more suspense and engage young readers, Konrad’s box set will inspire children to find pleasure in reading, and delight them as a holiday gift.
Preteens Ethan and Matt are best friends and founders of the Project Adventure kid-detective agency. They are always looking for adventures, solving a good mystery, and making new friends. Together, they embark on exhilarating journeys that strengthen their friendship, courage, and social skills.
The digital box set contains the first four mysteries in the Project Adventure children’s books series:
“Heart of the Island”– Ethan and Matt head into their first great adventure to find a lost diamond, called The Heart of the Island. They must overcome their fears, escape the bullies chasing them, and face spooky bat-filled caves as they take on the quest to find the treasure.
“Rumble at the Zoo” – Ethan and Matt receive a call for help from Lisa, their first client of their newly set up detective agency Project Adventure. Recently, the animals at the Skywalk Zoo have been taking turns behaving weirdly and aggressively, scaring visitors away. Will they find out why the animals behave so strangely? Can the boys find out who is behind all this? And can they protect the animals and stay safe? Could Lisa become more than just a first client, and join the boys on their adventures?
“The Courtside Mystery” – Ethan and Matt are looking forward to spending time at basketball camp, just playing. But as they arrive, they find out about a weird incident at a basketball game at their camp the week before. The police think it is just an accident, but when Ethan becomes the victim of one of these accidents, they are left with no choice but to investigate. They need Lisa, the third member of their detective agency Project Adventure to help with background checks that might lead to solving the mystery.
“The Scrapyard Shakedown” – Ethan, Matt, and Lisa face freezing winter weather and sinister villains as they trace the shadowy figures lurking around the local scrapyard at the edge of town. The stakes are high, involving the rescue of their new friend Kalea’s dad.
The digital box set is currently available for pre-order on Amazon. Price: $4.99 Publish Date: December 14, 2021
Project Adventure series of books for children. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
‘Fear No Evil’ by James Patterson is novel #27 in the Alex Cross series. Photo: amazon
James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett, and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers. James is passionate about encouraging children to read. Inspired by his own son who was a reluctant reader, he also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries, and Max Einstein series. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops. His new book “Fear No Evil: An Alex Cross Thriller” is the newest novel and #27 in the Alex Cross series. (amazon, 2021)
“Fear No Evil” – Alex Cross enters the final battle with the all-knowing genius who has stalked him and his family for years. Dr. Alex Cross and Detective John Sampson venture into the rugged Montana wilderness—where they will be the prey. They are not on the job, but on a personal mission. Until they are attacked by two rival teams of assassins, controlled by the same mastermind who has stalked Alex and his family for years. Darkness falls. The river churns into rapids. Shots ring out through the forest. No backup. No way out. Fear no evil.
‘Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old?’ by Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro. Photo: FSB Associates
Richard J. Leider is the founder of Inventure—The Purpose Company, whose mission is to help people unlock the power of purpose. Widely viewed as a pioneer of the global purpose movement, Leider has written or co-written eleven books, including three bestsellers, which have sold over one million copies. David A. Shapiro is a philosopher, educator, and writer whose work consistently explores matters of meaning, purpose, and equity in the lives of young people and adults. He is a tenured philosophy professor at Cascadia College, a community college in the Seattle area. Their new book, “Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old?: The Path of Purposeful Aging” invites readers to navigate a purposeful path from adulthood to elderhood with choice, curiosity, and courage.
It is inevitable. Everyone is getting old, but not everyone grows whole while they are aging. A life well-lived contains purpose and fulfillment and while the authors do not profess to know everything, they are continuously learning and are sharing what they have learned along the way. In the Preface, they explain that this book is about “growing” old and their focus is on how to go about doing this. The topic came about when these two friends, who have known each other for years and have backgrounds in psychology and philosophy, started a conversation at a rained-out baseball game. Using inspiring stories, real-life practices, and thought provoking questions, they offer advice on how to live a purposeful life which leads to aging well. “Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old?” is divided into nine chapters that addresses a question most people have had at one point or another. These chapters are One: Old, Who, Me? Two: If We All End Up Dying, What’s the Purpose of Living? Three: Aren’t I Somebody? Four: Am I Living the Good Life My Whole Life? Five: How Do I Stop Living a Default Life? Six: Am I Having a Late-Life Crisis? Seven: Will I Earn a Passing Grade in Life? Eight: How Can I Grow Whole as I Grow Old? Nine: How Will My Music Play On? It ends with an Afterword: Staying on the Path that encourages readers, once they finish the book, to re-read and study the chapters that had the most impact to them.
Everyone’s life is unique and we each have a different definition of what a purposeful life means. Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro share their views on “growing” old with the hopes of inspiring others to look within and find their own fulfillment to become an authentic person. It is an easy book to read and the chapters are divided so as to encourage readers to concentrate on whatever topic draws their attention. The language is down to earth and the tone is non-judgmental and supportive. Highlights include chapter Nine, which emphasizes the importance of having a reason to get out of bed because otherwise “we may as well just pull the covers over our head and stay there” and chapter Five that shares that the secret to ending default living is by “choosing to be your own person, on purpose, not by default.” All this advice may seem like common sense to most, but in the midst of life’s hectic pace, sometimes we need reminders along the way. This is what “Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old?” accomplishes perfectly. It may not be for everyone, but for readers who are genuinely searching for a deeper meaning to life and appreciate advice from others who have been there, this is a highly recommended must-read book.
“We invite you to explore this path of purposeful aging, keeping in mind that for each of us, the path will be unique. Each of us is an experiment of one.”
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘The Ghost Tracks’ is Celso Hurtado’s debut novel. Photo: amazon
Celso Hurtado was born and raised in San Antonio, TX. He has been a punk guitarist, worked in the political arena, and has played entirely too many hours of The Legend of Zelda. In his writing, he strives to surprise his readers, and make them think twice before investigating that creak in the hallway. In “The Ghost Tracks,” his first novel, a seventeen-year-old Texan from the wrong side of the tracks starts a supernatural detective agency―this is Fear Street for a diverse America. (amazon, 2021)
“The Ghost Tracks” – Erasmo Cruz is from the wrong side of the tracks. His dad was a junkie who overdosed. His mom chose to run off rather than raise him. His only passion is the supernatural, and his only family is his grandmother, whose aches and pains, he soon learns, are not just from old age but from cancer. Desperate to help his grandmother pay for treatment, Erasmo sets up shop as a paranormal investigator. After witnessing a series of inexplicable events, he must uncover the truth behind his clients’ seemingly impossible claims. From hauntings to exorcisms, Erasmo soon finds that San Antonio is a much scarier place than even he knew.
SA Examiner 