Coming of Age

The Emerald Scepter (A Matinicus “Matt” Hawkins Adventure Book 1)by Paul Kemprecos

” ‘The Emerald Scepter’ just might be the perfect speculative thriller, offering up a seasoned blend of legend and folklore mixed brilliantly with actual historical fact. James Rollins and Clive Cussler have nothing on Paul Kemprecos who has been and continues to be a master of the form and then some. This is everything a great read should be, a riveting, tried-and true tale of quests and daring-do, of great heroes and equally contemptuous villains. There’s a reason why Kemprecos is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and it’s all on display here.”
–Jon Land, bestselling author of “Pandora’s Temple”

“A brilliant mystery that combines suspense with exciting adventure. Intriguing plot twists from beginning to end shrouded under genuine history.”
–Clive Cussler, New York Times bestselling author of “Zero Hour”

Something bad happened to Matinicus “Matt” Hawkins in Afghanistan.

The ex-SEAL was grievously wounded in an ambush that killed men under his command and almost ended his life. When he pushed for an investigation, he was kicked out of the Navy with a psychiatric discharge. The doctors put his shattered leg back together, but the bitterness destroyed his marriage.

Five years later, Hawkins is jerked out of his tranquil life as a designer of undersea robots. A super-secret government group wants him to go back to Afghanistan on a strange and dangerous mission.

A Georgetown University historian has unearthed evidence that could lead to the fabulous treasure of Prester John, a legendary Christian ruler of an eastern empire.

The historian has disappeared, and the government wants Hawkins to track down the treasure as a matter of national security. The centerpiece of the trove, an emerald-encrusted gold scepter, is the linchpin in the Prophet’s Necklace, code-name for a plot that is intended to kill more people than the attack on the Twin Towers and rally others to the terrorist cause.

Hawkins sees his mission to foil the plot as an opportunity to search for answers. He pulls together an eclectic team that includes his ex-wife, a former comrade-in-arms and a mentally unstable computer whiz.

Backed by his unlikely team, Hawkins will travel thousands of miles and hundreds of years on an amazing time-space odyssey. He’ll face off against a cold-blooded killer. Probe the underwater secrets of an ancient tomb. Navigate the treacherous stands of an unimaginable conspiracy. And in the process, will discover that there are treasures even more valuable than gold.

I Hear You: The Surprisingly Simple Skill Behind Extraordinary Relationshipsby Michael S. Sorensen

+ 2018 IPA Book Award Winner

+ 2018 Readers’ Favorite Award Winner

What if making one tweak to your day-to-day conversations could immediately improve every relationship in your life?

In this 3-hour, conversational read, you’ll discover the whats, whys, and hows of one of the most valuable (yet surprisingly little-known) communication skills–validation.

Whether you’re looking to improve your relationship with your spouse, navigate difficult conversations at work, or connect on a deeper level with friends and family, this book delivers simple, practical, proven techniques for improving any relationship in your life.

Mastery of this simple skill will enable you to:

• Calm (and sometimes even eliminate) the concerns, fears, and uncertainties of others
• Increase feelings of love, respect, and appreciation in your romantic relationships
• Quickly resolve, or even prevent, arguments
• Help others become open to your point of view
• Give advice and feedback that sticks
• Provide support and encouragement to others, even when you don’t know how to “fix” the problem
• And much more

In short: this skill is powerful. Give the principles and practices in this book a chance and you’ll be amazed at the difference they can make.

Secretariat Reborn (A Christian Roberts Thriller)by Susan Klaus

Christian Roberts, lanky, blond, and twenty-five-years-old, rents out small sailboats on Sarasota Bay. His peaceful life is shattered when he accepts a Thoroughbred colt from his estranged, dying father, an Ocala horse trainer.
When Christian promises his father that he’ll race the colt, he’s plunged into the underworld of horse racing. To navigate his way he naively hires Ed Price, a heartless Miami trainer. And when his colt shows potential — a surprising resemblance to Secretariat — a dubious wealthy sheik wants to buy him, but Christian vows to keep his promise to his father. With a sizable debt still owed on the horse, Christian is forced to take out a loan, his only recourse, Vince, a New York mobster. If the money is not repaid on time, Christian’s life and that of Allie, his colt’s trainer, are threatened. To add to his rollercoaster of troubles, he faces fraud charges since his father illegally registered the colt, and he is being stalked by a psychotic ex-girlfriend.

Council of Consorts: Prequelby Jade Lewis

The Nightwalkers have been forced underground by humanity’s treachery. The Oasis, their haven beneath the city of Chicago, has become infected with a fatal fever that is wiping out the last remaining species of Nightwalkers. The dream of a future is crumbling.

Someone must find the Drayada Stone and bring it back to restore life to the dying underground community. It is a perilous journey, and those who take it will be forced to go where no Nightwalker has been in ages: Topside.

The Underground Council appoints this task to a young witch, Zora, who will be accompanied by three unlikely companions she has grown up with in The Oasis. An angel, a vampire, and a werewolf.

There is an ancient evil that stands between the Drayada Stone and the four companions. Zora must look deep within herself to find the power to destroy the biggest enemy of the Nightwalkers, and in so doing, she might just destroy herself.

Will four young Nightwalkers be enough to save a dying species, or will they be buried beneath the rock and rubble of history and forgotten by humanity?

Rhysby Ali Parker

From USA Today Best Selling Author, Ali Parker…

I’ve been running too damn long.

Eight months of lonely nights and wasted days, looking, trying to find my place.

And I thought it boiled down to hooking up with a new MC. But it was so much more.

And now, the only girl I’ve ever loved shows up and needs my help.

She’s asking too much.

Her brother’s death years before was my fault, and that loss haunts us both.

Just being around her breaks me.

No f*cking way I can tell her no, but once it’s done, I’m walking away.

She deserves better, and this world I live in is too dangerous for her.

I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her, and my happiness ain’t worth all that.

And yet, I can’t let her go.

No matter how right it is to do it.

Rambling Across Americaby Tommy Ray

Inspired by the readings of Paulo Coelho along with Rolf Potts about following your dreams, listening to your heart, as well as going with the flow. Rambling Across America contains valuable insights, interesting quotes, and a lot of practical information to act as an example to take a chance while never giving up on your dreams. We all have one shot at life. “Rambling Across America:..” was the true adventure of chasing dreams. The story described the creation of a self-guided music tour, “Confessions of a Dreamer,” based on a dream occurring from the middle of the night.

From the dream, Tommy’s inner voice became louder than the external world. He took a leap of faith to listen to his heart. He resigned his safe, secure position to trust his inner instincts to share Tommy Ray Music to the West Coast.

Through personal experience, inspirational quotes, as well as photographs, Tommy invites you to come along the “Confessions of a Dreamer Tour,” to spark your own inner voice to dream big, listen to your heart, along with trusting your instincts. As the last page closes from your reading, you will learn through unwavering faith “today is going to be ridiculously amazing!” Are you ready to leave your mark?

Bay of Fearby Kathryn Le Veque

A classic Medieval-Gothic love story complete with ghostly wanderings, a spooky castle, and a damsel in distress. Baiadepaura Castle on the storm-swept cliffs of Cornwall is a place where scary things go bump in the knight!

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In the Dark Ages on a remote coast of Cornwall, there was a legend of a wicked lord who was burned to death for his deeds. Everyone in Cornwall knows to avoid Baiadepaura Castle because of the ghostly happenings, said to be the spirit of Lord de Rais, who has returned to seek revenge for his grisly death.

But these are local legends, barely reaching the ears of the lord who now owns the property. The Earl of Avon has acquired the old castle and intends to use it as a base against the pirate raids his coastal properties are suffering. He sends his best knight to command the derelict old castle and make it a powerful outpost, a knight who gives no credence to the tales of ghosts and revenge.

No-nonsense, seasoned knight Tenner de Velt is a grandson of the great Ajax de Velt (THE DARK LORD) and Christopher de Lohr (RISE OF THE DEFENDER). On his father’s side, Tenner comes from a family with its own horrific horror stories of the past, so tales of roasted lords and ghosts don’t bother him in the least. He’s thrilled to have his first real command and he intends to do himself proud by ridding the Avon properties of the pirates that plague them.

Accompanying Tenner is his new wife, Annalyla St. Lo. Unlike her husband, Annalyla believes the tales and she has more than one ghostly encounter but is reluctant to tell her doubting husband, fearful that the man she is falling in love with will believe her to be silly, or worse – believe she is mad. In keeping this information to herself, Annalyla unknowingly makes it easy for the marauding pirates to take advantage of the legend of Baiadepaura Castle – and make Tenner a target.

Join Tenner and Annalyla on the spooky, windswept shores of Cornwall as they battle ghosts, pirates, and at times, each other. But the passion between them is undeniable, and the love that blossoms is strong enough to fight off the darkness that threatens them both.

Light your candle, grab your good luck charm, and make way to Baiadepaura Castle for this unforgettable romance!

Teaching Frankenstein: A Cautionary Taleby Viktor James

Every student has a story…

But you won’t find it here.

Dark, profane, and absurd, this comedy follows the journey of a young teacher on a misguided adventure to resurrect dead dreams. After being let go from his first school, the nameless narrator finds himself at a tough urban high school ready to quit. He decides that the only way to rekindle his passion for teaching is through his favorite novel. It’s a decision that leads him on an unsuspecting journey where he discovers that teaching a book about monsters means dealing with his own first.

The story exposes the importance of friendship and the truth behind what it means to be a teacher. Based on real events, the novel parallels Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic, Frankenstein, and shows that 200 years later, humanity still struggles to identify the real monsters.

It’s a must-read for aspiring educators, teachers, and those struggling with what it means to be a modern-day professional.

Destiny Awaitsby Jaidis Shaw

She wants a normal life. They want her dead. Destiny has other plans.

Twenty-year-old Alayna Scott receives visions around water, but even her foresight couldn’t prepare her for the tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents. With everything she loves gone, Alayna packs up and moves to the small town of Juniper Grove in hopes of starting over.

Jayden McKnight can’t explain the attraction that he feels whenever Alayna is near, but he does know that he will do whatever it takes to win her heart. When a vampire selects Alayna as his next victim, Jayden will stop at nothing to ensure her safety – even if that means bringing Alayna into a world that she never knew existed.

Love blossoms, challenges are made, and Alayna will find herself fighting not only to survive, but to understand what she has become.