Biographies & Memoirs

Motherhoodwinked – An Infertility Memoir by Anne-Marie Scully

Born in 1981, shortly after the first IVF baby, Anne-Marie Scully grew up in a world where infertility is a problem everyone assumes can be fixed.

Named for the frustration Anne-Marie felt when realizing that becoming a mother was not a given and that IVF was not a guaranteed ‘Plan B’, Motherhoodwinked documents the pain and the shame of life as an infertile woman.

But Motherhoodwinked is more than just another trying to conceive memoir, it is an important social commentary on the impact infertility has on the lives of those going through it and how the modern digital age has both helped and hindered the journey.

With heartbreaking honesty Anne-Marie takes us on a journey from her initial optimism and excitement at finally trying for a baby and fulfilling her lifelong dream to become a mother, through to her increasingly complex pregnancy plan, her experiments with holistic therapies, the NaPro program and finally her experience with ICSI and IVF.

Sometimes sad, sometimes laugh out loud funny Motherhoodwinked offers both couples going through infertility and their support networks coping skills for how to survive this lonely journey, that actually affects one in six couples.

A Shower of Summer Days: A Novel by May Sarton

National Book Award Finalist: A couple returns to an Irish village after years away in this novel by the New York Times–bestselling author of As We Are Now.

The Irish estate home Dene’s Court has been empty for years–its icy visage, shuttered windows, and overgrown tennis court are a burden for its caretakers and a curiosity for the nearby townspeople. And so the announcement that Violet Dene Gordon and her husband, Charles, are on their way back from British Burma to settle in the long-dormant estate sends a ripple of excitement through the sleepy village.

For Violet, Dene’s Court stands as a monument to her childhood, but lingering doubts remain about whether she and Charles will be happy there. Adding complexity to the arrangement is the arrival of Violet’s American niece, a college student named Sally who has been sent by her mother in an effort to put an ocean between the impetuous young woman and the object of her affection, an actor.

Anxiety, tempers, and long-buried emotions flare as the estate’s new residents search for a sense of belonging and peace between its hallowed and serene walls.

The God’s Eye View by Barry Eisler

Knowledge is power…and they know everything.

NSA director Theodore Anders has a simple goal: collect every phone call, email, and keystroke tapped on the Internet. He knows unlimited surveillance is the only way to keep America safe.

Evelyn Gallagher doesn’t care much about any of that. She just wants to keep her head down and manage the NSA’s camera network and facial recognition program so she can afford private school for her deaf son, Dash.

But when Evelyn discovers the existence of an NSA program code-named God’s Eye, and connects it with the mysterious deaths of a string of journalists and whistle-blowers, her doubts put her and Dash in the crosshairs of a pair of government assassins: Delgado, a sadistic bomb maker and hacker; and Manus, a damaged giant of a man who until now has cared for nothing beyond protecting the director.

Within an elaborate game of political blackmail, terrorist provocations, and White House scheming, a global war is being fought–a war between those desperate to keep the state’s darkest secrets and those intent on revealing them. A war that Evelyn will need all her espionage training and savvy to survive. A war in which the director has the ultimate informational advantage: The God’s Eye View.

Vestige: Rise of the Purebloodby Antonio Roberts

Fangs, scales and a tail never looked good on anyone.

Another home gone. Another parent dead. And now Sinopa’s on the run for her life and must prove her innocence alone in a strange place.

But appearances are deceiving, and the police are the least of her worries. Because with every step she takes, someone else is watching. Something unnatural is after her…maybe even lurking beneath her skin.

And the deeper Sinopa investigates, the higher the stakes rise. More sorcerers disappear. Tensions escalate, and with every day, her humanity crumbles.

As an ancient evil resurfaces, how much will she risk saving those she loves? 

Vestige: Rise of the pureblood is a young adult fantasy novel. If you like fast-paced page-turners with a hint of horror and romance then you will love this book.

Life after Lifeby Beatrice Brunner

In this book 12 deceased human beings describe their initial experiences and encounters in the beyond. These personal accounts, transmitted through the Swiss deep trance medium Beatrice Brunner, are impressive testimonies of the continuation of life after death and provide revealing insights into the world that awaits us. Each of these accounts gives us information which goes far beyond what has been ascertained by classical thanatology.

“My name is Mathys … When I arrived here in the beyond, I was astonished at the reception I was given. My parents, who had returned to the spirit world a long time before, came to greet me and were overjoyed to see me. ‘Now you need never worry again about your daily bread!’ they told me.”

“My name is Peter. I died when I was seventeen. During my short life on earth I never gave any particular thought to the world beyond. When I entered this world where everything was quite new to me, I was met by my grandmother, clearly overjoyed that I had come home.”

“My name is Theresia. … During my life on earth I, too, made many, many mistakes. I was told this immediately I arrived here in the spiritual world. But I was also told the following: ‘Theresia, you have earned yourself considerable merit on account of your many children.'”

“My name is Jakob. … During my life on earth I could not believe in God – I could not find him. I had little sense of responsibility and could see no purpose in life. My lack of belief led me to make many mistakes in my life.”

“My name is Maximilian. … I did not suffer much before my death, and when I opened my eyes in the next world I was astonished to discover that death was not the end of everything.”

“My name is Amalia. … I was ill for a while and I had to be nursed. … When I opened my eyes I found myself in a very different setting: everything was bright, and there was light all around me.”

The Relatively Seriesby Whitney Dineen

Three Laugh-out-loud romcoms set in a small town in Illinois.

Relatively Normal : Award Winner at the 2109 International Readers Favorite Awards!

“I laughed, I cried, and I laughed some more–this is one you don’t want to miss!” -Loretta Nyhan, bestselling author of Digging In

“The perfect blend of laugh-out-loud humor and sweet sexiness!” – Amazon Reader

Catriona Masterton’s fiancé, Ethan, is Normal.

He plans trips six months in advance and arrives at the airport a minimum of three hours early. He purchases life insurance, luggage insurance, and always opts for the extended warranty. He’s responsible, reliable, and would make any woman a wonderful life partner.

In other words, he’s the exact opposite of the Masterton clan.

Cat’s mother has a kitchen gadget fetish, a father whose best friends are taxidermied field mice, and a super stoner man-child brother who lives–where else?–in the basement. Then there’s Nan, her proud Scottish grandmother with a proclivity for profanity and mischief.

What on earth will Catriona’s Normal fiancé think when he comes home with her to meet her parents? What will he think when he discovers his soon-to-be in-laws invited Cat’s ex to join them for a holiday dinner?

Find out in a laugh-out-loud journey of self-discovery, familial pandemonium, and love. A must read for fans of a true romantic comedy!

Relatively Sane: Silver Medal Winner at the 2109 International Readers Favorite Awards!

“Dineen pulls readersback into the absurd world of the Masterson family in this side-splitting sequel to Relatively Normal.” -Publishers Weekly

Catriona Masterton’s family is not normal.

Her father has a passion for taxidermized animals that he dresses in the family plaid. Her mother has a penchant for hoarding kitchen gadgets and other oddities that leave her sanity in question. Her grandmother, Nan, has never met a swearword she doesn’t like.

Despite all this, party-planner Cat leaves the hustle and bustle of New York City to move back to her tiny hometown outside of Chicago. She even buys her parents’ farm with plans to turn the barn into a stylish wedding venue.

Enter House to Home Television’s Renovation Brothers. Cat gets accepted as one of the show’s projects, bringing two gorgeous brothers to her doorstep. Unbeknownst to Cat, the TV hosts are behind a secret her newfound boyfriend will go to great lengths to keep hidden.

With all the upheaval–her parents’ chaotic move, her grandmother joyfully causing trouble wherever she goes, a film crew documenting her home being torn apart, and her boyfriend’s odd behavior–Cat’s starting to wonder if signing up for a reality TV show was a big mistake.

Will the renovation be a success? Or will secrecy and jealousy make Cat regret the day she packed her bags and left New York?

Find out in this hysterical tale packed with small-town charm, family drama, and true love.

Relatively Happy

“… a thoughtful, big-hearted novel that will leave a smile on your face.” –Camille Pagán, bestselling author of This Isn’t Going to End Well

Sarah Hastings’ life is chaotic. Between running her organic farm, her yurt-style holistic B&B, and her vegan café Eat Me!, she barely has time for an aura cleanse. What’s more, her spirit guide just announced the universe is sending her a man.

Suddenly, a sexy pro-football player, a hipster photojournalist, and fellow organic farmer practically fall from the sky onto her doorstep. But which one is her cosmic soulmate?

While Sarah meditates on the answer, her parents show up unexpectedly throwing the mother of all monkey wrenches into her carefully laid plans.

With only morning yoga and her erotic book club to keep her sane, no wonder she’s chucked her vegan diet in search of bacon. Will the stars of love align, or will the universe let her down in the biggest way possible?