‘Red Deception’ by Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman. Photo: amazon
Masters of international intrigue Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman are back with their latest, timely geopolitical thriller, “Red Deception.” When terrorists bomb bridges across the country and threaten the Hoover Dam, the vulnerability of America’s infrastructure becomes a matter of national security. But Dan Reilly, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, predicted the attacks in a secret State Department report written years earlier – a virtual blueprint for disaster, that was somehow leaked and is now in the hands of foreign operatives. (Gary Grossman, Ed Fuller, 2021)
With Washington distracted by domestic crises, Russian President Nicolai Gorshkov sends troops to the borders of Ukraine and Latvia, ready to reclaim what he feels is Russia’s rightful territory. Tensions in Europe threaten to boil over as a besieged American president balances multiple crises that threaten to upend the geopolitical order. With the U.S. at the mercy of an egomaniacal leader, and reporters and covert agents on his tail, Reilly may be the one man who can connect the dots before an even bigger catastrophe unfolds. Blending career insight with first-hand knowledge of global politics, Fuller and Grossman draw a chilling portrait of the fragile fault lines in Europe and the players poised to seize power.
Ed Fuller is CEO of Laguna Strategic Advisors, a global consortium providing business consulting services worldwide. He has served on business and charitable boards during his 40-year career with Marriott International where he was chief marketing officer followed by 22 years as president and managing director of Marriott International. His book, “You Can’t Lead with Your Feet on the Desk,” has been printed in English, Japanese and Chinese. Fuller served as captain in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany and Vietnam and received the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation medals. He and Gary Grossman are co-authors of the Red Hotel series, including the 2018 thriller “Red Hotel,” “Red Deception,” and soon to be followed by “Red Chaos.”
Gary Grossman is a journalist, newspaper columnist, documentary television producer, reporter, media historian and the author of “Executive Actions,” “Executive Treason,” “Executive Command,” and “Executive Force.” In addition to the bestselling Executive series, Grossman wrote the international award-winning “Old Earth,” a geological thriller. With Ed Fuller, Grossman has collaborated on the globe-hopping Red Hotel series. He served as chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors, and is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association and Military Writers Society of America. Grossman has taught at Emerson College, Boston University, USC, and currently teaches at Loyola Marymount University.
“An in-depth and realistic ground-level view of the type of asymmetric Nation-state sponsored threats faced by the Agencies tasked with protecting the United States both domestically and abroad.”
Edward Bradstreet, Special Agent, Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
‘Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?’ by Bella Mahaya Carter. Photo: amazon
Bella Mahaya Carter is a creative writing teacher, empowerment coach, speaker, and author of an award-winning memoir, “Raw: My Journey from Anxiety to Joy,” and “Secrets of My Sex,” a collection of narrative poems. She has worked with hundreds of writers over the past eleven years and has degrees in literature, film production, and spiritual psychology. Her poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, articles, and interviews have appeared in Mind, Body, Green; The Sun; Lilith; Fearless Soul; Writer’s Bone; Women Writers, Women’s Books; Chic Vegan; Bad Yogi Magazine; Jane Friedman’s Blog; Pick The Brain; Spiritual Medial Blog; Literary Mama; several anthologies, and elsewhere. In her new book “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?: Finding Peace of Mind While You Write, Publish, and Promote Your Book” she shows writers how to use their present circumstances as stepping-stones to a successful and meaningful writing life.
“Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” begins with an Introduction where the author shares her personal experience about how a hammock she received from her husband and daughter for Mother’s Day helped her conclude that peace and happiness come from within. She thought she had placed it in the perfect spot in her backyard but when the neighbor cut down a tree that gave her shade, she was furious about it for a month. It was not until she gave in, relocated it and found another ‘perfect spot,’ that she found that the bliss was not in the hammock itself, but in the permission she “gave myself to let go and be completely present and alive there.” Her goal is that this book will “encourage readers to lean in to their work and their lives with greater freedom, curiosity, and celebration.” It is divided into five parts: Dream (Universal Doubt, Stories That Create Suffering), Nourish (Small Adjustments, Body Breaks), Write (Journal Writing Is Good For Your Writing, The Time It Takes), Publish (Why We Write, The Dream), and Promote (Author Expectations, Hiring a Publicist). Each part stands alone and some chapters end with writing prompts to help readers dig deeper into the subject as it pertains to their lives. Throughout, she also shares her seven major crossroads moments on her path to publication, known as MYHM (move your hammock moment). This must-read resource is meant to give writers inspiration and help authors overwhelmed by the publishing process.
Writing and getting published can be intimidating and there are more than enough books out there dealing with the subject. “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” is not only a how-to book, it is also meant to help readers be mentally prepared for the entire process by dealing with fears and feelings of inadequacies and giving them coping skills. The book is brilliantly divided into different stages so that readers can choose what to focus on depending on their needs or just read all the way through. The chapters are short and to the point, without unnecessary ramblings, and the language is easy to understand, true attributes of an educator. Highlights include chapter 38. Craft: Six Ways to Improve Your Writing where the author gives writing tips such as avoiding general terms and writing using your natural speaking voice; chapter 69. Marketing Versus Publicity (marketing is an ongoing process while publicity is a targeted media campaign), and chapter 81. How to Plan a Successful Book Tour. An interesting concept she shares is that “readers want to see their own lives reflected in what they read;” this is why we read and why we write, to connect with others, so we should not be afraid to write about our experiences. It is updated for the modern age with the inclusion of using social media, Facebook and Zoom. “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” by Bella Mahaya Carter is an extremely useful and inspiring guide designed to bring out an individual’s creativity. It is recommended for readers looking for ways to improve their writing and tips for how to handle what comes after a book is published.
“Perhaps one of the greatest skills I know in service to dreams is the understanding that growth takes place at the edges of one’s comfort zone.”
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘The Shadow’ is the new thriller by James Patterson and Brian Sitts. 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. 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 and has been the most borrowed author of adult fiction in UK libraries for the past eleven years in a row. In his new book with co-author Brian Sitts, “The Shadow,” he reimagines one of America’s iconic thriller heroes. Released today, it is now available everywhere books are sold. (amazon, 2021)
“The Shadow” – Only two people know that 1930s society man Lamont Cranston has a secret identity as the Shadow, a crusader for justice. One is his greatest love, Margo Lane, and the other is fiercest enemy, Shiwan Khan. When Khan ambushes the couple, they must risk everything for the slimmest chance of survival, in the future. A century and a half later, Lamont awakens in a world both unknown and disturbingly familiar. The first person he meets is Maddy Gomes, a teenager with her own mysterious secrets, including a knowledge of the legend of the Shadow. Most disturbing, Khan’s power continues to be felt over the city and its people. No one in this new world understands the dangers of stopping him better than Lamont Cranston. And only the Shadow knows that he is the one person who might succeed before more innocent lives are lost.
‘Steel Fear’ by Brandon Webb and John David Mann will be released on July 13, 2021. Photo: amazon
Brandon Webb is a combat-decorated Navy SEAL sniper turned entrepreneur who has built two brands into an eight-figure business. As a U.S. Navy chief he was head instructor at the Navy SEAL sniper school, which produced some of America’s most legendary snipers. John David Mann is co-author of more than thirty books, including four The New York Times bestsellers and five national bestsellers. His writing has won multiple awards, including the Living Now Book Awards Evergreen Medal for its “contributions to positive global change.” Webb and Mann have been writing together for a decade, starting with their bestselling memoir “The Red Circle.” Their debut novel “Steel Fear,” is their seventh book together and the first thriller of many to come. It is the story of an aircraft carrier adrift with a crew the size of a small town, a killer in their midst, and the disgraced Navy SEAL who must track him down. Release date is Tuesday July 13, 2021. (amazon, 2021)
“Steel Fear” – The moment Navy SEAL sniper Finn sets foot on the USS Abraham Lincoln to hitch a ride home from the Persian Gulf, it is clear something is deeply wrong. Leadership is weak. Morale is low. And when crew members start disappearing one by one, what at first seems like a random string of suicides soon reveals something far more sinister: There is a serial killer on board. Suspicion falls on Finn, the newcomer to the ship. After all, he is being sent home in disgrace, recalled from the field under the dark cloud of a mission gone horribly wrong. He is also a lone wolf, haunted by gaps in his memory and the elusive sense that something he missed may have contributed to civilian deaths on his last assignment. Finding the killer offers a chance at redemption, if he can stay alive long enough to prove it is not him.
A new month means new books on the horizon. These are some notable new releases for the month of June in my favorite categories: Mystery and Thriller, Science Fiction, Fiction, Nonfiction, Historical Fiction, Memoir and autobiography, and Fantasy. If I could pick just one this month, it would be “Falling” by T.J. Newman (amazon, Goodreads, 2021)
Mystery and Thriller “Falling” by T.J. Newman Release date: July 6, 2021
You just boarded a flight to New York. There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard. What you do not know is that thirty minutes before the flight, your pilot’s family was kidnapped. For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die. The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane. Enjoy the flight.
Ven was once a holy man, a keeper of ancient archives. It was his duty to interpret archaic texts, sorting useful knowledge from the heretical ideas of the Burning Age—a time of excess and climate disaster. For in Ven’s world, such material must be closely guarded so that the ills that led to that cataclysmic era can never be repeated. But when the revolutionary Brotherhood approaches Ven, pressuring him to translate stolen writings that threaten everything he once held dear, his life will be turned upside down. Torn between friendship and faith, Ven must decide how far he is willing to go to save this new world—and how much he is willing to lose.
Lexa Thomas has never quite fit in. Having grown up in a family of blondes while more closely resembling Constance Wu, she is neither white enough nor Asian enough. Visiting her father in Taiwan as a child, Lexa thought she had finally found a place where she belonged. But that was years ago, and even there, some never truly considered her to be a part of the family. When her estranged father dies unexpectedly leaving the fate of his Taiwanese family in Lexa’s hands, she is faced with the choice to return to Taiwan and claim her place in her heritage or leave her Taiwanese family to lose their home for good. Armed with the advice of two half-sisters (one American and the other Taiwanese, who cannot stand each other), a mother who has reevaluated her sexuality, a man whose kisses make her walk into walls, and her self-deprecating humor, Lexa finds the courage to leave the comfort of New York City to finally confront the person who drove her away all those decades ago.
No matter how smart we believe ourselves to be, we are all susceptible to bullshit―and we all engage in it. While we may brush it off as harmless marketing sales speak or as humorous, embellished claims, it is actually much more dangerous and insidious. It is how Bernie Madoff successfully swindled billions of dollars from even the most experienced financial experts with his Ponzi scheme. It is how the protocols of Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward resulted in the deaths of 36 million people from starvation. Presented as truths by authority figures and credentialed experts, bullshit appears legitimate, and we accept their words as gospel. If we do not question the information we receive from bullshit artists to prove their thoughts and theories, we allow these falsehoods to take root in our memories and beliefs. With real world examples from people versed in bullshit who work in the used car, real estate, wine, and diamond industries, Petrocelli exposes the red-flag warning signs found in the anecdotal stories, emotional language, and buzzwords used by bullshitters that persuade our decisions. By using his critical thinking defensive tactics against those motivated by profit, we will also learn how to stop the toxic misinformation spread from the social media influencers, fake news, and op-eds that permeate our culture and call out bullshit whenever we see it.
After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what is happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything. Inspired by incredible true stories of survival against staggering odds, and immersed with the journey-from-the-wilderness elements that made “Where the Crawdads Sing” a worldwide phenomenon, “The Forest of Vanishing Stars” is a heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author.
Richard Marx is one of the most accomplished singer-songwriters in the history of popular music. His self-titled 1987 album went triple platinum and made him the first male solo artist (and second solo artist overall after Whitney Houston) to have four singles from their debut crack the top three on the Billboard Hot 100. In Stories to Tell, Marx looks back on his life and career. He writes of how Kenny Rogers changed a single line of a song he had written for him then asked for a 50% cut—which inspired Marx to write one of his biggest hits. Yet amid these entertaining celebrity encounters, Marx offers a more sobering assessment of the music business as he has experienced it over four decades—the challenges of navigating greedy executives and grueling tour schedules, and the rewards of connecting with thousands of fans at sold-out shows that make all the drama worthwhile. He also provides an illuminating look at his songwriting process and talks honestly about how his personal life has inspired his work, including finding love with wife Daisy Fuentes and the mystery illness that recently struck him—and that doctors have not been able to solve.
Everyone knows the legend. Of Arthur, destined to be a king. Of the beautiful Guinevere, who will betray him with his most loyal knight, Lancelot. Of the bitter sorceress, Morgana, who will turn against them all. But Elaine alone carries the burden of knowing what is to come–for Elaine of Shalott is cursed to see the future. On the mystical isle of Avalon, Elaine runs free and learns of the ancient prophecies surrounding her and her friends–countless possibilities, almost all of them tragic. When their future comes to claim them, Elaine, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Morgana accompany Arthur to take his throne in stifling Camelot, where magic is outlawed, the rules of society chain them, and enemies are everywhere. Yet the most dangerous threats may come from within their own circle. As visions are fulfilled and an inevitable fate closes in, Elaine must decide how far she will go to change destiny–and what she is willing to sacrifice along the way.
‘Great American Road Trips’ by Reader’s Digest. Photo: amazon
Now that summer is here, most people will be taking vacations, including road trips. Reader’s Digest has put together a new book, the first in the Great American Road Trips series, that covers Scenic Drives. Hoping to inspire readers to travel and explore the wide-opens spaces and breathtaking views of our country, “Great American Road Trips – Scenic Drives: Discover Insider Tips, Must-See Stops, Nearby Attractions and More” is a complete guide to making road trips easier.
“Great American Road Trips” begins with a foreword by the editors that explains the purpose of this book “These trips will take you on an odyssey in your car, van or RV.” These drives range from the ones that lead to beaches to the more adventurous, like a trip along North America’s highest paved road, the Mount Evans Scenic Byway in Colorado. Each one is a firsthand experience from travelers and photographers themselves and comes with helpful added tips like length of trip, fun facts, nearby attractions, and “not to be missed” points of interest. All this is highlighted by over 140 gorgeous photos. The information is divided into five parts: West (Seward Highway in Alaska, Big Sur Coast in California), Southwest (Apache Trail in Arizona, Texas Hill Country in Texas), Midwest (Illinois River Road in Illinois, North Shore Scenic Drive in Minnesota), Southeast (Bayou Country in Louisiana, Cherokee Foothills Byway in South Carolina), and Northeast (Cape Cod’s Route 6 in Massachusetts, Vermont Route 108 in Vermont).
Whether taking a cross country trip or planning a staycation, “Great American Road Trips” is the ultimate guide to scenic drives. Even if you are not planning a road trip anytime soon, it still contains exceptional pictures and information about each scenic drive. The first person descriptions make them more realistic. Highlight: each section ends with a quote and being from Texas and having lived near Fredericksburg, I am partial to the one after ‘Southwest,’ “Where flowers bloom, so does hope” by Lady Bird Johnson because it accompanies the picture of a field of bluebonnets near Fredericksburg. Seeing all these flowers along side the road every spring is awe-inspiring. All the pictures are colorful and they make each destination look more inviting. “Great American Road Trips” is an extremely helpful resource for anyone planning a scenic drive or two and might just inspire a bucket list altogether.
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘The Hollows’ by Mark Edwards will be out July 8, 2021. Photo: amazon
Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people. He has sold 3 million books since his first novel, “The Magpies,” was published in 2013, and has topped the bestseller lists several times. His other novels include “Follow You Home,” “The Retreat,” “In Her Shadow,” “Because She Loves Me,” “The House Guest,” and “Here To Stay.” He has also co-authored six books with Louise Voss. His new book “The Hollows,” a chilling story set deep in the woods, will be out Thursday July 8, 2021 and is available for pre-order on amazon. (amazon, 2021)
“The Hollows” – With his marriage over and his career in freefall, journalist Tom decides to reconnect with his fourteen-year-old daughter, Frankie. Desperate to spend precious time together now that they live an ocean apart, he brings her to Hollow Falls, a cabin resort deep in the woods of Maine. From the outset there is something a little eerie about the place―strange whispers in the trees, windchimes echoing through the forest―but when Tom meets true-crime podcasters David and Connie, he receives a chilling warning. Hollow Falls has a gruesome history: twenty years ago this week, a double slaying shut down the resort. The crime was never solved, and now the woods are overrun with murder-obsessed tourists looking to mark the grim anniversary. It is clear that there is something deeply disturbing going on at Hollow Falls. And as Tom’s dream trip turns into a nightmare, he and Frankie are faced with a choice: uncover the truth, or get out while they still can.
‘We Have Always Been Here’ by Lena Nguyen will be out on July 6, 2021. Photo: amazon
Lena Nguyen is a writer of speculative fiction and fantasy. She received her MFA in fiction from Cornell University, where she also taught courses in English, writing, and zombies. Her science fiction and fantasy have won several accolades, and she was a Writers of the Future finalist. “We Have Always Been Here,” a psychological sci-fi thriller that follows one doctor who must discover the source of her crew’s madness or risk succumbing to it herself, is her debut novel. It will be released on Tuesday July 6, 2021 and is available for pre-order on amazon. (amazon, 2021)
“We Have Always Been Here” – Misanthropic psychologist Dr. Grace Park is placed on the Deucalion, a survey ship headed to an icy planet in an unexplored galaxy. Her purpose is to observe the thirteen human crew members aboard the ship—all specialists in their own fields—as they assess the colonization potential of the planet, Eos. But frictions develop as Park befriends the androids of the ship, preferring their company over the baffling complexity of humans, while the rest of the crew treats them with suspicion and even outright hostility. Shortly after landing, the crew finds themselves trapped on the ship by a radiation storm, with no means of communication or escape until it passes—and that is when things begin to fall apart. Park’s patients are falling prey to waking nightmares of helpless, tongueless insanity. The androids are behaving strangely. There are no windows aboard the ship. Paranoia is closing in, and soon Park is forced to confront the fact that nothing—neither her crew, nor their mission, nor the mysterious Eos itself—is as it seems.
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‘The Killing Hills’ is the new thriller by Chris Offutt. Photo: amazon
Chris Offutt is the author of the short-story collections “Kentucky Straight” and “Out of the Woods,” the novel “The Good Brother,” and three memoirs: “The Same River Twice,” “No Heroes,” and “My Father, the Pornographer.” His work has appeared in Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays, among many other places. He has written screenplays for Weeds, True Blood, and Treme, and has received fellowships from the Lannan and Guggenheim foundations. His new book “The Killing Hills” is a compelling, propulsive thriller in which a suspicious death exposes the loyalties and rivalries of a deep-rooted and fiercely private community in the Kentucky backwoods. (amazon, 2021)
Mick Hardin, a combat veteran now working as an Army CID agent, is home on a leave that is almost done. His wife is about to give birth, but they are not getting along. His sister, newly risen to sheriff, has just landed her first murder case, and local politicians are pushing for city police or the FBI to take the case. Are they convinced she cannot handle it, or is there something else at work? She calls on Mick who, with his homicide investigation experience and familiarity with the terrain, is well-suited to staying under the radar. As he delves into the investigation, he dodges his commanding officer’s increasingly urgent calls while attempting to head off further murders. And he needs to talk to his wife. “The Killing Hills” is a novel of betrayal―sexual, personal, within and between the clans that populate the hollers―and the way it so often shades into violence. Chris Offutt has delivered a dark, witty, and absolutely compelling novel of murder and honor, with an investigator-hero unlike any in fiction.
‘My Heart Is a Chainsaw’ by Stephen Graham Jones will be out August 31, 2021. Photo: amazon
Stephen Graham Jones is The New York Times bestselling author of “The Only Good Indians.” He has been an NEA fellowship recipient, has won the Jesse Jones Award for Best Work of Fiction from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, a Bram Stoker Award, four This is Horror Awards; and has been a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the World Fantasy Award. He is the Ivena Baldwin Professor of English at the University of Colorado Boulder. His new book “My Heart Is a Chainsaw” is due out August 31 and available for pre-order now on amazon. On the surface it is a story of murder in small-town America, but beneath is its beating heart: a biting critique of American colonialism, Indigenous displacement and gentrification, and a heartbreaking portrait of a broken young girl who uses horror movies to cope with the horror of her own life. (amazon, 2021)
“My Heart Is a Chainsaw” – Jade Daniels is an angry, half-Indian outcast with an abusive father, an absent mother, and an entire town that wants nothing to do with her. She lives in her own world, a world in which protection comes from an unusual source: horror movies…especially the ones where a masked killer seeks revenge on a world that wronged them. And Jade narrates the quirky history of Proofrock as if it is one of those movies. But when blood actually starts to spill into the waters of Indian Lake, she pulls us into her dizzying, encyclopedic mind of blood and masked murderers, and predicts exactly how the plot will unfold.
Yet, even as Jade drags us into her dark fever dream, a surprising and intimate portrait emerges…a portrait of the scared and traumatized little girl beneath the Jason Voorhees mask: angry, yes, but also a girl who easily cries, fiercely loves, and desperately wants a home. A girl whose feelings are too big for her body. “My Heart Is a Chainsaw” is her story, her homage to horror and revenge and triumph.
SA Examiner 