Category: Authors

The Visitor by Barbara Raffin, A Supernatural Romance

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“Intriguing, surprising, amazing. Well worth the read.” —S. C. Mitchell, Author of The Blarmling Dilemma

 

 

Copyright (c) 2017 by Written Dreams Publishing

Nine months after he’s been cremated, Rebecca Tierney’s husband shows up in her living room…naked.

Rebecca Tierney, now a widow, returns to the family home situated on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula bluffs nine months after her husband’s death to scatter his ashes on the largest, coldest, and most unforgiving of the Great Lakes—Lake Superior, one that never gives up its dead. Unable to handle the grief of missing her husband and the romance they shared, Rebecca becomes a recluse.

She soon finds out that there’s more than just memories in the old Victorian house than of a love ended too soon. A Visitor from afar has appeared and searches the house for the key that will stop his alien race from dying on his home planet. Rebecca can either help the clone reach his goal of finding a shipwreck, or let him die. When a young girl goes missing and someone from the clone’s past surfaces, hard choices must be made.

Only the long-forgotten secrets of the old house can free Rebecca from her grief and teach a man of logic that love is worth more than eternal life. Will she open her mind, and he, his heart to the unlimited possibilities?

 

 

 

Award-winning author Barbara Raffin lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  When Barbara’s not writing, reading, or daydreaming, she hangs out with her Keeshonden dogs, Katie and Slippers.

 

 

 

 

News from Lake Boobbegone: A Breast Cancer Memoir from the Heart by Carolyn Redman

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Self-Help/Women’s Memoir

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Question: Does the world really need another breast cancer memoir?

Answer: Probably not.

But writing is the only way Carolyn Redman knew how to process a heartbreaking breast cancer diagnosis and the year-long treatments that ensued.  These honest, heartfelt, and sometimes humorous e-mails and essays, written solely to keep family and friends informed of her medical condition morphed into the definitive exercise in self-compassion and healing. In the end, no one was more surprised or more grateful than she was to find purpose and meaning masquerading as cancer.

 

 

 

 

About the Author:  

Carolyn Redman has been writing poetry and short stories since junior high school, where she was erroneously labeled by her guidance counselor as having the wrong kind of imagination. She persevered, earning a BA (cum laude) from Mount Mary University in English / Professional Writing, while working full time as an editorial assistant at an academic medical institution. She is a Wisconsin state licensed massage therapist who believes strongly in integrative medicine and the mind body connection. She was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she lives with her artist husband Tom and their cat, Sophie. This is her first published work.

Parts Unknown: An Alaskan Mystery by Toni Niesen

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Mystery

Toni Niesen makes her debut into the mystery field with Parts Unknown.

 

Somewhere over the Alaskan wilderness a plane has disappeared.

As winter approaches Anchorage, flight instructor Beri Quinn races to find a student who took off in one of her planes, and hasn’t been seen since. She’s convinced he’s still alive despite the Civil Air Patrol calling off their search. She strives to locate the missing pilot, save her reputation as a flight instructor and keep her business. But both in the air and on land, she must overcome gathering forces conspiring against her.

A single mother, Quinn fears losing custody of her son. She draws on her knowledge of aviation and musters the emotional strength necessary to overcome unseen adversaries and protect her family. With missing gold, sabotaged aircraft and unsolved murder, the stakes are high for Quinn and for her enemies.

To resolve her dilemma, Beri must answer one underlying question: did her student misjudge the weather and make a fatal mistake, or was he the victim of an elaborate murder plot? In her quest for an answer, she discovers unexpected betrayal and a massive criminal conspiracy. Told with suspense, humor, and a fighting spirit, this is a mystery for anyone who has ever dreamed of adventure in Alaska.

 

About the Author:

Toni Niesen lived in Alaska for twenty-four years. She worked in public health in Anchorage, and lived the life of a pilot vicariously through the exploits of her husband and friends. She is the author of short stories, three of which were published in Desert Sleuth anthologies. Parts Unknown is her debut novel. She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband, grandson, and Boston Terrier, Sushi. To learn more about Toni Niesen and her books, visit writtendreams.com.

 

Poetry and Ponderings: A Journey of Abuse and Healing Through Poetry by Diamante Lavendar

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 From Award-winning author of Breaking the Silence, Diamante Lavendar!

A raw collection of religious poetry and prose based on one Christian woman’s experiences of being abused, and how she healed herself with God’s love in order to move past the assaults.

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In this rare collection of nonfiction Christian poetry and prose based on real life experiences, Diamante Lavendar, a victim of abuse, shows the reader the raw emotions of pain, hate, and denial that occur before a victim of abuse can find a way to heal from the pains of assault. Knowing herself the very difficult journey of being a victim, Diamante was abused as a child, and turned to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain. Many years later, she started to heal under God’s watchful eyes and was able to find love in her life again. She shares these truly inspiring, religious poems in the hopes that it may help other victims heal their hurts, as she did while writing the poetry collection.

About the Author: Diamante Lavendar has been in love with reading since she was a child. Diamante believes that everyone should try to leave their own positive mark on the world, and to make it a better place for all. Writing is her way of leaving her mark—one story at a time. She began writing in college and has published poetry in anthologies over the years. Most of her writing is very personal and stems from her own experiences, and those of her family and friends. She writes to encourage hope and possibility to those who read her stories. To learn more about Diamante Lavendar and her books, please visit her website at: www.diamantelavendar.com.

 

Freewheel: #HonoluluLaw, #FamousTriathlete, & a #Charity by Katharine M. Nohr

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Legal Mystery

Book 2 in the Tri-Angles Triathlete Mystery Series

Freewheel takes readers for a spin in the real world of personal injury litigation, where the drama takes place outside the courtroom.

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Olympic gold medalist, Ryan Peterson can’t seem to get a break. He was ousted from professional cycling for doping. After he switched sports to triathlon, he was blasted by the tabloid press for allegedly causing an accident that wiped out his competitors. In an effort to redeem himself, Ryan starts the Freewheel Movement to help homeless and isolated people financially and emotionally. Although Freewheel is an instant success and Ryan becomes a television talk show regular, his bad luck continues. He’s sued for allegedly causing the death of a competitor in a Hawaii triathlon, and no matter what he does, he can’t convince the beautiful claims adjuster, Alexia Moore, to go out with him.

Young and ambitious new attorney Zana West is hired to represent Ryan and provide him a defense in the lawsuit, but by doing so, her relationship with Jerry Hirano, T.V. star of “Fighting in Paradise,” is threatened. Will Zana be able to help Ryan get his life back, and keep her relationship together?

 

 

 

Katharine M. Nohr Photo Copyright by Katharine M. Nohr.
Katharine M. Nohr
Photo Copyright by Katharine M. Nohr.

Katharine M. Nohr is the author of Managing Risk in Sport and Recreation: The Essential Guide for Loss Prevention (Human Kinetics, 2009) and Land Sharks (Written Dreams Publishing, 2016), and is a frequent international speaker on Olympic Games, professional athlete and triathlon risk management. She is a principal in Nohr Sports Risk Management, LLC, which offers career longevity/reputation risk management coaching for professional athletes. A former District Court (per diem) Judge, she continues her work as an insurance defense attorney, practicing law in Hawaii. During her free time, Katharine swims, travels and writes. Freewheel is her second novel in the Tri-Angles series. To learn more about Katharine or her books, visit her website at katharinenohr.com, or find her on Facebook at KatharineMNohr, on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

 

 

Death Nosh: A Noshes Up North Culinary Mystery by Mary Grace Murphy

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Cozy Culinary Mystery

Someone is sneaking into houses, committing murders, and escaping without a trace. How can Nell convince the police chief to take her theory seriously?

 

People are dying in the pleasant community of Bayshore, Wisconsin. The police think it’s the normal passing of senior citizens. But Nell Bailey, food blogger and restaurant reviewer, has a different opinion.

Surrounded by mouthwatering meals, Nell struggles with her weight as she visits restaurants, and blogs about their delectable dishes. She strives to conquer her stress-eating as the death count rises.

To further complicate her life, Sam, her gentleman friend, isn’t acting very gentlemanly. His plans for the two of them don’t include Nell investigating any more murders. Can she hold her own against two men, Sam Ryan and Chief Vance, who are so accustomed to doing things their way?

 

 

Mary Grace Murphy mystery author

Author Bio: Mary Grace Murphy’s penchant for reading has been a delight, both personally and professionally. She not only devoured books on her own, but encouraged her students to find their own joy of reading during her thirty-four years as a middle school teacher. Another thread running through Mary Grace’s life has been her quest for intriguing eating establishments and interesting recipes. Solving mysteries and discovering scrumptious food set Mary Grace on the path to create her culinary mystery series, Noshes Up North.

Mary Grace resides in Oconto, Wisconsin, a community not unlike her fictional town of Bayshore, where she appreciates the varied food and events which symbolize Northeast Wisconsin.

Sorceress Resurrected: A Clio Boru Novel by Evan Michael Martin

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Horror/Dark Fantasy Fiction

With their only hope in a coma, John and Roger must save the town from an evil force, but can they stop it without the assistance of Clio’s natural gifts?

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In the small, quiet town of Lake Melts, Wisconsin, three friends suffer a tragedy when Clio Boru is hospitalized and is comatose after a terrible accident.

As Clio lies powerless in a hospital bed, her mind in another realm, Old Native American superstitions arise in Lake Melts. Deputy John Slocum, beside himself with worry over Clio’s condition, has to find a murderer when two boys turn up dead. But, his inner fears surface—John’s depression and being heartbroken, hoping for a miracle for Clio makes it difficult to cope.

That leaves Roger Marquette as Lake Melts’ only hope of finding the truth. While Roger Marquette researches and attempts to fill the void created by Clio’s absence, he is limited by what he can do.

Meanwhile, Ancient Rites, complete with an influential family history of heroes from another time, force Clio to travel to different places far beyond her unconscious imagination.

Clio lingers far away, as Roger tries to figure out exactly what this unseen otherworldly danger is and how to keep it from the town. But lurking in the dark, a more horrific, sinister evil waits its chance to finally destroy Clio and all she and her friends hold dear. Will Clio be strong enough to resurrect herself before all is lost?

About the Author:

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Evan Michael Martin has lived a life on the fringes of the occult and supernatural.  Stories of ghosts, shadow people and gypsy curses fill the maternal side of his family, from Northeast Wisconsin to France, Poland, and Ireland. His travels have taken him to many sites where he experienced firsthand ghosts and the unexplained.

Sorceress Resurrected is the third book in the Clio Boru Series. He currently lives in Northeast Wisconsin. Visit his website at EvanMMartin.com.

Detours: A Memoir of a Railroad Man by Gail F. Meintzer

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Men’s Memoir

Learn about Gail F. Meintzer’s philosophies from lessons learned the hard way, as he took the long road less traveled on the iron highway.

 

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Travel with Gail F. Meintzer as he journeys with the railroad system from Deerfield, Illinois to Milwaukee, Wisconsin across the plains to Seattle, Washington before he heads to Des Moines, Minneapolis, and the Windy City. Then one more destination, as he finally settles in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

As a clerk-typist, he made a name for himself in the Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, placing second in the Oklahoma City Times Bowling tournament, and then leading his regiments’ bowling team in winning the Fort Sill Bowling Championship. Drafted in 1944 into the U.S. Army during World War II, he was one of the lucky ones and didn’t see battle.

In 1947, he married the love of his life, Neva, and they had five children together. To care for his family, Gail F. Meintzer worked for the railroad for 42 years, retiring as Director, Intermodal Sales for the Milwaukee Road in 1985.

His adventures weren’t over as he and his wife traveled to visit their children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. A U.S. Army Veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Gail F. Meintzer shares his story as a die-hard railroader for the first time in Detours: A Memoir of a Railroad Man.

 

Author Bio: Gail F. Meintzer started working for the railroad system before he was drafted into the U.S. Army for World War II, and he served again during the Korean War. Married to Neva Jewell in 1947, they had five children together. He retired as Director, Intermodal Sales from Milwaukee Road in 1985. Today they have 13 grandchildren and 9 great grandchild. They celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on June 21st, 2016. To contact Mr. Meintzer, please visit www.writtendreams.com and send an email through our Contact Us page.

LUMBERJACK JESUS: How to Develop Faith Despite Pitfalls, Roadblocks, Stupidity, and Prejudice by Bruce Kirkpatrick

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Christian Men’s Memoir

 Insightful and uplifting, Lumberjack Jesus reminds us all that we need and deserve unconditional love.

In a series of essays written in memoir form, Bruce Kirkpatrick shows us a God who is loving, a good conversationalist, and often looks like a lumberjack. God comes alive in these pages in everyday life—in stories about Vietnam heroes, cowboy movies, wrestling matches and chemistry sets.

Bruce Kirkpatrick discovered that as he was consumed by anger, shame and guilt—quite literally dying on the inside—Jesus came to him, looking like a lumberjack, in a red plaid shirt and a short-cropped beard. Even as he pushed Jesus far away and with such belligerence that reconciliation seemed impossible, Jesus was always there.

Bruce learned the love of Jesus is not just for caring Christians who never falter or fail at life. If Jesus can love and accept an uncaring, self-centered, lustful dope like Bruce, he can do the same for you. Nobody is beyond his reach or his hand.

In a unique and introspective style, these stories will help you see faith in almost every circumstance in your life.

 

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Bruce Kirkpatrick spent over 30 years in Silicon Valley as an executive and entrepreneur. Since his move to Southern California, he now divides his time between writing and serving on nonprofit boards of directors, including Christian Education Development Company and Extollo International. His nonprofit work includes helping to train Haitian men and women in employable skills, so that they can find jobs, feed their families and have hope for the future. His first novel, Hard Left, was published in 2007. He is currently working on his next novel. To learn more, visit Bruce’s website at: BKirkpatrick.com.

LAND SHARKS: #Honolulu Law, #Triathletes, & a #TVStar by Katharine M. Nohr

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Legal Mystery

 

“Katharine Nohr’s brilliant debut has it all: smart characters, crisp dialogue, a breathtaking setting, and an ingenious plot that will keep you turning the pages until sunrise.”
-Doug Corleone, Author of Robert Ludlum’s The Janson Equation
 
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Land Sharks, a May 2016 Release from Written Dreams Publishing

LAND SHARKS takes readers on a swim through the murky waters of Honolulu law, a spin through the competitive world of triathlon, and a sprint through the set of a Hawaii TV show.

Young attorney, Zana West, is assigned the perfect case for a triathlete—a lawsuit filed by Brad Jordan, a man who claims he was paralyzed during the Honolulu Olympic triathlon trials. As an added bonus, Zana’s television crush, Jerry Hirano, the star of “Fighting in Paradise” by night and attorney-by-day playboy, represents another defendant in the case. Jerry insists upon date-like evenings with her to discuss the investigation.

Clues mount up, but Jordan’s attorney, Rip Mansfield, a shark in an attorney’s suit, takes every opportunity to harass Zana. To make matters worse, she’s always one mistake away from being fired and she’s stuck working with her boss’s mini-me, Lucas Rossi, who would rather play video games than help with pre-trial discovery. Will Zana be able to figure out the truth before the case goes to trial?

 

 

 

To listen to an interview with Katharine M. Nohr, click here:

 

Katharine M. Nohr Photo Copyright by Katharine M. Nohr.
Katharine M. Nohr
Photo Copyright by Katharine M. Nohr.

 

Katharine M. Nohr is the author of Managing Risk in Sport and Recreation: The Essential Guide for Loss Prevention (Human Kinetics, 2009) and is a frequent international speaker on Olympic Games, professional athlete and triathlon risk management. She is a principal in Nohr Sports Risk Management, LLC, which offers career longevity/reputation risk management coaching for professional athletes. A former District Court (per diem) Judge, she continues her work as an insurance defense attorney, practicing law in Hawaii. During her free time, Katharine swims, travels and writes. Visit her website at: katharinenohr.com