Daily Archives: June 2, 2022

Rust on the Allegheny: A Novel by Corey McCullough

A multi-generation family saga set in a Pennsylvania town that changed the world.

In 2019, a man takes a copyediting job at his local newspaper. In 1939, a boy stands outside a theater and hatches a plan to sneak in. And on a cold, rainy night in 1982, a college student gives a bloodied hitchhiker a ride. Not one of these individuals is aware of how these seemingly isolated events will change their lives forever, or the inexorable connections between them.

Rust on the Allegheny is a historical fiction novel told through the shifting perspectives of multiple generations of the MacCulloch family, a bloodline said to be cursed by perennial misfortune. It is the story of one family’s messy and at times dysfunctional relationship with their hometown of Latonia City, Pennsylvania — where moldering Victorian manors and empty art deco theaters tell of the rich heritage and industrial downturn of America’s Rust Belt, with glimpses of hope for the future.

Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick by Wendy Wood

A landmark book about how we form habits, and what we can do with this knowledge to make positive change

We spend a shocking 43 percent of our day doing things without thinking about them. That means that almost half of our actions aren’t conscious choices but the result of our non-conscious mind nudging our body to act along learned behaviors. How we respond to the people around us; the way we conduct ourselves in a meeting; what we buy; when and how we exercise, eat, and drink—a truly remarkable number of things we do every day, regardless of their complexity, operate outside of our awareness. We do them automatically. We do them by habit. And yet, whenever we want to change something about ourselves, we rely on willpower. We keep turning to our conscious selves, hoping that our determination and intention will be enough to effect positive change. And that is why almost all of us fail. But what if you could harness the extraordinary power of your unconscious mind, which already determines so much of what you do, to truly reach your goals?

Wendy Wood draws on three decades of original research to explain the fascinating science of how we form habits, and offers the key to unlocking our habitual mind in order to make the changes we seek. A potent mix of neuroscience, case studies, and experiments conducted in her lab, Good Habits, Bad Habits is a comprehensive, accessible, and above all deeply practical book that will change the way you think about almost every aspect of your life. By explaining how our brains are wired to respond to rewards, receive cues from our surroundings, and shut down when faced with too much friction, Wood skillfully dissects habit formation, demonstrating how we can take advantage of this knowledge to form better habits. Her clear and incisive work shows why willpower alone is woefully inadequate when we’re working toward building the life we truly want, and offers real hope for those who want to make positive change.

Enticing the Earlby Kathleen Ayers

Time is running out for Oleana Honeywell.

She’s found safety as a housekeeper in the Earl of Montieth’s household, but she can’t stay hidden forever. The earl’s butler is determined to have her fired. Oleana doesn’t know the first thing about managing a household. She can’t even find the linen closet. And Carrot, her overly large, very spoiled cat has taken a liking to Lord Montieth.

Carrot’s affections are not returned.

But it is the attraction growing between Oleana and Montieth that worries her the most. No housekeeper, not even a fake one, should engage in trysts with their employer. Or worse, fall in love.

What will happen when Montieth finds out everything Oleana has told him is a lie?

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade’s Flame line, so this is a sexy, steamy, and scorching-hot read with multiple sex scenes. Be advised.

The Arrogant Earls
Forgetting the Earl
Chasing the Earl
Enticing the Earl

Killing Simon Webb by AJ Blake

A BRAND NEW RELEASE

*** By the author of DUST ON THE NETTLES***

“…a Tom Wolfe with gravitas…

___________________

It’s 2016. The Kremlin is quietly celebrating the election of Donald Trump. Britain has voted to leave the European Union.

When his marriage unravels, Simon Webb leaves his high-flying City job and moves from London to Berlin to set up a fund managing the wealth of mega-rich Russians. His fascination with the old Berlin of Cold War espionage leads him to a story that threatens to entangle him.

He meets a beautiful woman with “a body to die for”, a complex past and a mysterious present. Among her circle of friends are computer hackers, individuals with far-right agendas and one loner who shares Simon’s interest in Cold War spies.

On the surface Simon’s new life in Germany is good.

But… all is not as it seems. Danger lurks around every bend.

Before long he is on the run, fleeing for his life.