Running Stop Signs

Los Angeles super sleuth Natalie North is fed up with catching cheating husbands red-handed and reporting back to their wives, complete with incriminating photos. Quick-witted and sharp, Natalie yearns to use her investigative skills to solve real crimes, the grittier the better. When a dead body is discovered in the Brockstone Tire parking lot in San Pedro, Natalie puts her life on the line to find the killer, determined to outdo the LAPD.

While also investigating the tangled marriage of Melvin and Ramona Evanski, hoping to catch Ramona in a compromising position, Natalie’s resolve to crack the Brockstone Tire murder case overrides her common sense. Add in Natalie’s tumultuous love life, torn between prosecuting attorney Darren McAllister, LAPD Officer Vincent Sherburne, and the enigmatic taxi driver Alfonso Di Paolo, and discover what happens when betrayal, greed, passion, and murder collide.

Rushing to Red Lights

Never stop looking at the beauty in ordinary places! How often do you allow yourself to really look at the divine in the world around you? Take some time to connect with your soul, with your loved ones, with the trees and water.

Poetry helps us find our place in the world. It lives in our bodies and desires to be expressed. We are all poets once we learn the diverse ways in which we can express ourselves. Today more than ever I believe we need to find our creative outlets to deal with feelings of isolation, disconnection, and rising fears of unrest in our world.

This morning, I had to take a little time for self-reflection. This morning my heart was too heavy to hold back my tears. I knew my heart needed grace and balancing in a time that felt overly troublesome. There are times when the information coming in from every place outside my head feels unsafe as a response to social media, TV, the continual stream of angry sad hurting people pointing fingers with no grace in their hearts.

Sacred Life and Demons

Is life sacred, and to whom? If our lives are sacred to each of us, should we be in control of how we are to die? Or should questions of life and death be answered only by those who believe and interpret the Bible as the will of a supernatural creator god? Does the Bible confirm the existence of a god who loves, and would never harm, an innocent child? Did this god create our reproductive processes such that the most unique human DNA ends in abortion? Or, are spontaneous abortions just the result of sin? How do we define a person, and when does a unique human DNA become a person? Is elective abortion murder? Do demons really exist? This nation is in serious conflict over the answers to these questions.

Dr. Tom Tanner, an oncologist in a Mississippi town, becomes entangled in all these questions and in the mystery of a boy thought by some to be of supernatural birth. Perhaps the boy is a demon.

Saint Margaret & Wagener

Embark on a captivating journey through this collection of short stories that unveil one of the Southeast’s hidden gems: Charleston. Immerse yourself in the essence and spirit of this Palmetto State jewel and its surroundings, as you learn the vitals and jargon unique to the area. Follow the imperturbable heroines and heroes as they lead you on diverse ventures, offering a glimpse into the distinctive ways of life in this charming corner of the world.

Each easy-to-read account within these pages features a melting pot of people and places, showcasing the local features and deep-rooted traditions of this historic city on the peninsula. Here, affability and sarcasm intertwine, underpinned by an unwavering foundation of respite and respect, all interlaced with a rebel mentality of continency that spans generations.

This book is a breath of fresh air, a celebration of non-conformity that is both salty and sweet, offering an interjective contrast to the routine of our daily lives.

Scam Seduction

Scam Seduction is an intriguing story about deception. We see how money in the world of big government and business is especially seductive. This novel masterfully shows the dark side of humanity contrasted by exceptional human spirit and fortitude. Simon Benjamin’s powerful literary work is touching and unpredictable. Although there are times when the reader will laugh out loud, the nefarious acts of sinful people will keep you fascinated.

Compassionate, deft, and deeply moving, Benjamin’s debut will have you rooting for good against evil. What a compelling and absolutely gripping story based on true events.

Secrets of the Past Revealed

When Amber and Maree Stokes inherit a house from an estranged aunt, they uncover more than just dusty memories. Lurking within its walls is the restless spirit of their cousin, Alice. As they delve into the mysteries of the past, the sisters are drawn into a chilling quest: to solve a murder and help Alice find peace. But with danger at every corner, will they live to claim their inheritance?

SEEDs of the Inside Straight

In the year 2140, on the red planet Mars, a bold project is underway. The Tyson Research and Space Corporation has assembled teams to embark on a groundbreaking mission: launching spacecraft towards our solar system’s nearest stars. Their flagship vessel, the Inside Straight, is set to venture towards nearby Gliese, with the hope of establishing first contact with extraterrestrial life.

But the journey is far from ordinary. Onboard the Inside Straight are two Sentient Exoplanetary Exploration Devises, or SEEDs, named Luna Splendida and Sol Lucet. These androids possess functioning human brains, harvested from the International Cryobiosis Laboratories on Earth. As they hurtle through the vast expanses of space, they recall the memories of their past lives, slowly realizing the true essence of humanity.

Join Luna and Sol on their epic voyage, as they grapple with existential questions and unravel the mysteries of the universe. Will they achieve their mission and make history, or will their quest for knowledge lead them down an uncertain path? Find out in this gripping sci-fi adventure that explores what it means to be alive, and what it takes to reach for the stars.

Serenity

Can we find within ourselves the ability to achieve serenity?

Serenity, I’m told, is the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. But how do we accept the things we cannot change, muster the courage to change the things we can, and gain the wisdom to know the difference?

Join Melanie on her tumultuous journey from chaos and destruction, navigating the highs and lows, hitting rock bottom, and striving to find that elusive state of serenity. Some will stay by her side, while others will leave, each playing a role in the boundaries set and the solutions, if any, discovered. Who will offer help, and who will bring pain and sadness as Melanie traverses these challenging times, places, and seasons?

Will she learn to accept and let go? Will she find the courage needed? Will she be wise enough to make the right choices? Ultimately, who really wins – the person holding on or the one letting go?

Sheikh Al Jin

The fantasy of exploring a different, enchanting cosmetic world is a dream many humans long to experience. Imagine acknowledging the existence of different species that share some human values yet are unique in their nature. It’s not every day we have the thrill of diving into other worlds, but the mysterious and unknown realm of the Jinn is something many seek to explore. This book offers a glimpse into a world beyond our wildest imaginations. Throughout history, stories of such worlds have captivated the minds of people, whether believed to be true or mere myth. Readers are encouraged to open their minds before opening their eyes and let their imaginations soar beyond all boundaries.

Shells on the Sand

Shells on the Sand chronicles a family’s escape from Kuwait during the First Gulf War. Based on a true story that is fictionalized for dramatic effect, the novel takes its readers on a journey through a perilous region that maintains deep roots to our civilization. Readers will learn about the history of the Muslim Caliphate, Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, the Ottomans, Mongols, and Ancient Baghdad as the family journeys through the region in search for solace and refuge. Tales and events that significantly shaped our history and reverberate to this day will be told about a region many Westerners regard as tumultuous, but that maintains unparalleled diversity in history, science, and culture. Similar published works include True Kuwait Stories by AMA Smith, and Minarets in the Mountains by Tharik Hussain.

Shining Star

Quirky writer Elena Jimenez begins an unlikely secret friendship over email with ultra-famous actor Ben Jones after a serendipitous first meeting. Over several years, the two forge an enduring bond centered around the joys and challenges of parenting. During this time, Elena painfully endures a failed marriage, which takes her years to recover from.

From day one, Elena and Ben share a palpable attraction, readily apparent to those around them. Elena finds herself longing for those exhilarating moments when she gets to see or hear from him again. Ben seems to inhabit an entirely different world defined by fame, fortune, and a jet-setting lifestyle. By comparison, Elena’s life appears mundane – a single mom navigating her writing career.

When Elena finally gathers the courage to explore her feelings, she’s catapulted into Ben’s dazzling world of celebrity. Will she adapt to the glaring spotlight, or will the trauma of her past undermine her shot at happiness?

Shouts

It is 1915. A great war is coming to America. You are in The Bronx, a borough of New York City, a bastion of ethnic German enterprise and culture, and struggling Irish laborers. German spies and saboteurs roam the city. Firebrand Irish soapbox orators inflame crowds with anti-war speeches. Paranoia, hatred, and politics rage in the streets. The social and economic fabric of the city begins to unravel.

Enraged by the sinking of the Lusitania, pro-war thugs severely injure a German junk dealer and his grandson, young Tommy Muldoon. The boy’s Irish nationalist father collaborates with German terrorists with disastrous consequences for himself and his family. Under this tumultuous backdrop, young Muldoon takes over the junk business and sets out to save his family, by day in the junkyard, by night taking boxing instruction from a Catholic priest.

A sumptuous tapestry, interwoven with meticulously researched details, SHOUTS tells of the last days of the pre-World War I golden age. The richly detailed narrative orchestrates the profuse voices of its characters--priests and bartenders, boxers and violinists, politicians and brew masters. The book resounds with the symphony of those tempestuous days full tone and tint. And at the end, Tommy Muldoon stands alone in the ring facing his destiny. And the reader, by knowing better those particular times past, now better understands the times today.