Chosen

In a gripping thriller that delves into the complexities of identity, murder, and the enduring question of nature versus nurture, Chosen follows Ted, a man whose quest to find his birth mother leads him to a chilling discovery: Chosen, his identical twin, separated at birth and raised in a starkly different world.

When a moment of uncontrollable rage leaves Chosen dead at Ted’s hands, Ted must make a life-altering decision: turn himself in or flee, erasing his ties to the fateful deed. As Ted navigates a dizzying maze of moral dilemmas, weaving himself into a new narrative, the authorities begin to unravel the mystery behind Chosen’s disappearance, unearthing a tale of twins divided by circumstance and a mother’s secretive past.

Through vivid and immersive prose, Chosen explores the divergent paths of two brothers, one raised in privilege and the other in poverty, casting a spotlight on the influence of upbringing on their individual fates. As the investigation deepens, readers become voyeurs into the tumultuous psyches of characters grappling with the weight of their choices, the elasticity of truth, and the undying question of what shapes us.

Christina's War

Growing up on a poor farm in Missouri and learning how to sing opera from her war-scarred father, young Christina Cross has no idea the powerful forces of good and evil, of music and war, will one day pull her into the maelstrom of the Second World War, compelling her to make life-or-death-decisions about who she is fighting for and the price she is willing to pay.

Like a masterful opera, Christina’s War deftly transports the reader to early 1940s Paris where Christina and her sister, Nicollet, are sent by their father to live a better life with their Grandfather, Philippe Pétain. Philippe, eager to please the Nazi regime, envisions Christina’s exquisite voice as a means to entertain Hitler and his officers. Yet, unbeknownst to him, Christina’s heart belongs not just to music but to Laurent Gauvion Saint-Cyr, the charismatic leader of the French Underground who had recruited her into the resistance.

When she defiantly refuses to sing, setting Hitler’s fury aflame, Nicollet becomes a pawn in a dangerous game of power and retribution. Now, Laurent must not only fight for their country’s freedom but race against time to save the two sisters from the clutches of a malevolent Nazi officer who revels in torture.

Christmas Celebration

Is Christmas something that has to be predictable, aimed only at kids, limited to one calendar day, and more trouble than it's worth? Not according to holiday specialist, Lynn MacKaben Brown. In her expansively creative book, Christmas Celebration, Lynn provides theology with flair, custom with uniqueness, and family unity with jubilation. Everything needed for a fresh, invigorating approach to Christmas is found within these pages-stories, music, devotions, prayers, activities, even decorating and organization tips. Whatever you need to revitalize your Christmas spirit can be found here, shared in simple language. Dig into a treasure trove of ideas you'll revisit year after year! 

Circadian

Bruce Garner hasn't slept since surgeons removed a piece of glass embedded in the back of his brain. Some say he's reacting to trauma as, after all, a vicious assault leaves psychological scars. But his girlfriend, Elizabeth, thinks differently. Elizabeth sees what others miss. Bruce is changing with the passing of each sleepless night. Whenever she's around him, she feels uneasy. His vibe has altered, and even medical intelligence cannot explain his increasingly erratic behavior. A mysterious doctor is his only hope. Bruce continues to deteriorate, becoming more sinister and seeming to embrace his new dangerous persona. At least, that's what Elizabeth thinks is happening.Is Bruce descending into madness, or is he actually falling victim to an outside force?

Circle of Stone

In Depression-era Arkansas, a group of Black individuals, weary of enduring relentless brutality and disrespect from white communities, form a covert alliance known as ‘The Circle.’ United by a vow to clandestinely resist racist oppression, they employ ingenious tactics to combat the injustices inflicted upon their town. As they skillfully orchestrate retribution, ‘The Circle’ begins to shift the power dynamics, much to the chagrin of their white oppressors. This stirring tale reveals the resilience and ingenuity of a community determined to fight back in the face of adversity.

Clarity Through Chaos

This all-American family is about to go up in flames. In Stella’s life, everything is going along pretty well. She has a great new house, a good-looking husband, and a baseball-loving teenage son. Life is busy, but whose isn’t? She is thinking maybe her marriage is feeling a bit stale. Stella’s life is about to get exciting and not in the way she had hoped for.

Climbing the Stairs of the City & Other Short Stories

H. Lloyd Weston worked assiduously to create a compilation of short stories, some from real-life experiences, the others from the divine gift of the imagination. Each story is crafted with the author’s emphasis on originality and fluidity of thought and expression, keeping in mind the reader who will embark upon the same journey by finding enjoyment in reading these engaging stories. The author wants the reader to experience the same palpable joy and reward he received in the task of creating them.

His obsession with executing a quality batch of stories came from his love of literature and the coterie of exceptional short story writers whose works he read along the way. Among these are writers such as Anton Chekhov, Katherine Mansfield, D. H. Lawrence, James Baldwin, Eudora Welty, Katherine Ann Porter, Ernest Hemingway, and Leo Tolstoy. The reader is swept away by the gripping power of these stories-tales that are original, imaginative, and adventurous.

It is hoped that the average reader will find things pertinent to their own life experiences within these poignant and suspenseful tales; stories that afford them the chance to escape the humdrum of daily life and the headlines of today’s depressing 24-hour news cycle. It is hoped that these stories will take each reader to a place of wonder and escape to the three different geographic locations within these stories.

Close Enough

Nicole’s life in the sunshine state of Florida was once warm and comfortable, having escaped an abusive marriage over a decade and a half ago. Her fulfilling career in the medical field provided stability, but the arrival of a new doctor named Mark would soon ignite a passion she had only fantasized about. As their paths intertwined at the prominent rehabilitation center where they worked, Nicole’s sexual desires transformed into breathtaking realities, surpassing her wildest dreams. Under the guidance of Anita, the managing director who had taken her under her wing, Nicole embarked on a journey of sexual exploration that revealed an unexpected array of colorful and edifying encounters.

Amidst the corridors of the rehabilitation center, the tantalizing encounters between Nicole and Mark fueled her imagination, igniting a creativity that soared beyond the confines of their working relationship. Their world became a wonderland of lust and love, each rendezvous fueling their insatiable appetites. However, their passionate escapades were abruptly halted when an angry patient intentionally struck Mark from behind with a chair, shattering their idyllic existence and plunging them into uncertainty.

In this sensually charged tale, Nicole’s pursuit of sexual enlightenment takes center stage, illuminating the depths of desire and the transformative power of intimate experiences. As they navigate the aftermath of the devastating blow that threatens to extinguish their flame, Nicole and Mark must confront the complexities of their connection and redefine their relationship in ways they never anticipated.

Coconut Cookies

To say Edgar Humbert is timid is to say the ocean is wet. Since early childhood, Edgar had been conditioned to be non-confrontational and completely subservient by his older sister, Cynthia. Though he hasn’t seen his sister in years, her lessons have remained. Well into his adult years, his fainthearted personality has been a constant bane to his health, his marriage, and his livelihood; leading to the eventual destruction of all three.

Now, an apathetic Edgar Humbert awaits his execution in a prison cell; but when the day of his scheduled execution finally arrives, Edgar’s emotions awaken, forcing him to relive the terrible series of events that led the mild-mannered man to death row in the first place. His only relief is that, in a few hours, his suffering would end. However, a storm causes an unexpected delay, leaving Edgar to wallow in his past.

Edgar, growing determined for what feels like the first time in his life, decides to face those memories, utilizing the only weapons available to him: pen and paper. Edgar spends his remaining days struggling to write the story of his more recent history, involving his sister’s return to his life as she attempts to atone for her past while struggling with drug addiction as a single mother. Despite his determination to face his past, Edgar is assaulted by deeper and more distant memories in his sleep, those of his childhood and his failed marriage.

Cold-Blooded Waters

On the frigid coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, two families find themselves in the cold water of turbulent times. One, a human family, is immersed in a sea of misdirected emotions and the other, a killer whale family, is faced with the consequence of human interference. Both families are split apart on the rocks of life and heading straight for a collision course.

Young Charlie Newhook and his clan were struggling fishermen, who lived under a continual cloud of brooding storms brought on by blinded emotions. The immaturity of a son to understand his family’s situation and the inability by the father to express his feelings, introduces a perfect storm of discontent.

Cultis, the renegade killer whale, is the product of humanity’s quest for greed. Taken from the freedom of the sea, he becomes an uncontrollable force of terror, hell-bent on destroying everything in its path.

Blinded by the thirst for revenge, blood is freely spilled on the path of reconciliation, in hopes of shedding the weight of antiquated ways. In a sea of uncertainty, the Newhook clan and the pod of killer whales finally collide, to find unexpected redemption upon the cold-blooded waters of Newfoundland.

Collections of a Filthy Heart

I have a filthy heart.

It’s been bruised,

and broken,

and houses secrets best left in the dark.

These are its collections.

Courtney Jones lives in downtown Toronto, working in content creation and digital strategy. An avid lover of the written word, she prefers to pass her free time reading a good book while enjoying a glass of even better red wine.

Columbus, Slave Trader

Columbus, Slave Trader delves into an eye-opening exploration of history as it uncovers a seldom-told truth: the initial transatlantic slave ships did not traverse from Africa to America with captive Africans. Instead, the journey took a different, darker turn. The very first slave ships embarked from the New World to Europe, carrying a harrowing cargo of 500 captured Native Americans. Their enslaver? Christopher Columbus himself.

As the narrative unfolds, we confront the chilling reality of this early chapter in the slave trade, where these Native Americans, originally destined for Seville’s slave auction, endured unimaginable hardships. Only 80 would emerge as survivors, highlighting the heart-wrenching toll of this historic voyage.

Columbus, Slave Trader is a stark, essential and accurate historical fiction account that challenges prevailing narratives, shedding light on a pivotal moment in history and reevaluating our understanding of Columbus as not just an explorer but also a slave trader.