ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE OF LITERATURE OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 (Vol IV, Issue XXIV) | Article Published on: 22ND DEC 2022 | www.demodemagazine.com
Those We Trust by Marie Jones
The Last Sketch by Gosia Nealon
Who Was Killed by Cher Bonfis
The Outcast by K.T. Luca
The House of Faith & Fashion by Tobi Rubinstein
How to Hire And Keep Great People by Mitch Gray
If You're Gonna Be There by Loni Hoots
Dirge Of The Dead by Reed Logan Westgate
First Second Coming by Jeff Pollak
The Society Of Eight by Dominic Danvers
1. 'THOSE WE TRUST' - BY AUTHOR MARIE JONES
Broken and humiliated by her husband of ten years leaving her unexpectedly, Sophia Meadows muddles through her daily routine—writing computer programs and rarely leaving the house. That is until an old friend from the university shows up on her door with an offer she can’t refuse: a chance to get away and heal in the Scottish Highlands of Inverness by flat-sitting. Yet once she arrives, she soon discovers the offer is not what she bargained for: A police surveillance team is watching her every move and a mysterious man is after the contents of a safe hidden in a wall. After a break-in at the apartment, her path collides with DI Marcus Armstrong, the man in charge of the apartment surveillance. Sophia is swept into an investigation of fraud involving her university friend and into a sudden attraction with the handsome DI who finds himself drawn to her even though she’s a suspect in his case. With evidence piling up against her and her friend and the attraction between her and Marcus growing stronger, Sophia is forced to confront her broken heart and find a way to clear her name. In a tangled web of secrets and clues, can she and the DI work through their attraction and learn to trust each other in time to stop a criminal and possibly save a life?
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THOSE WE TRUST' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THOSE WE TRUST' IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
BOOK REVIEWS
Just finished this book and I would highly recommend it if you like well-written and easy-to-read books. It’s a lovely mix of romance, mystery, and suspense. Great characters and the storyline keeps you guessing. I read at least 30 books every year and this has been one of the best so far. - Pam Parker (Reviewed in Australia)
Mystery & romance in beautiful Scotland - I really enjoyed this book. Had to force me to put it down from time to time as I didn’t want to finish it too quickly. As it’s an easy read it’s easily done otherwise. If you are looking for some romance mixed up with suspense and mystery then this is the book! Can’t wait for book number two. - Hedvig (Reviewed in Sweden)
An engaging page-turner - This twisty plot kept me turning the pages but what always engages me in a book is believable, interesting characters which this book really nailed. I also loved the evocative descriptions of the Scottish landscape. - Kate Brushwood (Reviewed in the UK)
Well written and easy to follow but still mysterious - This was a great read. I like detective-type stories anyway and so it’s a genre that I would buy. I’m a Scot so relate to the places. Definitely worth getting. I hope there will be follow-up books so the story can continue. Definitely 10/10 for this book - Kim Fitzwater (Reviewed in the UK)
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR MARIE JONES
Marie is a British writer, based in the southeast of England. Her book, Those We Trust, was released with GenZ Publishing in May 2021 and has recently been awarded the top 5-star award from Readers Favorite and numerous 5-star reviews. Her previously published book also was awarded a 5-star award.
She has loved writing with a passion from a very young age and loved nothing more than writing stories in her notebook. Since then, she has achieved a diploma in creative writing. In between having the fun and joy of writing stories, Marie is one of those crazy fitness girls and has raised money for charities through runs and climbing mountains. She is also mum to two loud but lovely children.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR MARIE JONES - www.mariejonesbritishwriter.com
Read Author MARIE JONES's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
2. 'THE LAST SKETCH' - BY AUTHOR GOSIA NEALON
Poland, 1944. Wanda Odwaga will never stop resisting. As the Nazis occupy her beloved homeland, the twenty-three-year-old artist vows to do whatever it takes to help the underground movement mobilize against Hitler’s forces. But she’s devastated when the Gestapo storms her house in search of rebel leaders, killing her heroic father and leaving the face of his murderer forever etched in her mind.
New York. Finn Keller longs to balance the scales. Having escaped Germany with his mother as a teen, he’s disgusted his estranged twin brother has become a ruthless Nazi henchman with a vicious reputation. So when a covert government agency approaches him with a dangerous undercover mission, Finn willingly risks his life to play his part in turning the tide of war.
Still grieving her unforgivable loss, Wanda’s thirst for revenge takes an unexpected leap forward when she once again encounters her father’s killer. And as Finn dives deeply into the role of impersonating his cold-hearted sibling, he’s captivated by the beautiful Polish woman frozen in front of him… her eyes blazing with the promise of murder.
Can these two players in a deadly game survive the ravages of a sadistic conflict?
The Last Sketch is a breathtaking World War II historical fiction novel. If you like engaging characters, exhilarating espionage, and a dash of enemy-to-lovers romance, then you’ll enjoy Gosia Nealon’s powerful drama.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE LAST SKETCH' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE LAST SKETCH' IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
BOOK REVIEWS
Gosia Nealon writes from the heart in The Last Sketch, an incredibly moving piece of historical fiction picked up near the end of World War II. The Last Sketch is an action-packed story that dots all the i's and crosses all the t's." - Indies Today
The Last Sketch is a spectacular debut novel, full of brilliant details, profound characters, and a unique plot infused with intrigue. The heartfelt depiction of life during trying times of love, loss, and war brought me to the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this captivating novel to all fans of Historical Fiction. - Shari J. Ryan, USA Today Bestselling Author of Last Words
"The Last Sketch is a powerful yet beautifully written novel recounting one of the worst periods in human history. —Steven Moore, Amazon Bestselling Author
The author did a wonderful job of vividly painting Poland in 1944. She also breathed life into her characters. Their fears and struggles turned into mine.
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR GOSIA NEALON
While Gosia Nealon is a proud New Yorker, she was born and raised in Poland. Her journey to the Big Apple revealed a wealth of cultural differences, but also the values that connect us all. Like the fierce desire to protect family, find love, and ultimately, discover who we are and why we're here.
Gosia's award-winning short stories have always delved into life's biggest questions, but it was the drama, sacrifice, and tragedy of WWII that led her to pen her debut novel, The Last Sketch.
Growing up in Poland, Gosia heard many firsthand accounts of the war, told from a perspective rarely captured in mainstream literature. She was compelled to breathe life into Wanda and Finn, two young people falling in love amid a terrifying conflict that would change the world forever.
When Gosia isn't tapping away at her laptop she's often walking the streets of New York. With her husband and two young sons in tow, they search for the most succulent pierogi, transporting them back to the cobbled streets of Gosia's childhood.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR GOSIA NEALON - www.gosianealon.com
FOLLOW THE AUTHOR ON INSTAGRAM.
Read Author GOSIA NEALON's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
3. 'WHO WAS KILLED' - BY AUTHOR CHER BONFIS
Who Was Killed?’ is a murder mystery that requires the reader to put their powers of deduction to good use. The author also ensures its modernity by introducing feminist themes and highlighting potential dangers and desires, which, even in liberated western societies, can still shackle women to outdated cultural norms.
The book begins with a murder. The reader does not know if the murderer is male or female, nor do they know who has been murdered. Throughout the book, several characters could be
candidates for the murderer and the murdered. The reader will not know the answer until the end of the book. Ultimately there are several deaths, and although one character remains physically alive at the end of the story, the life, they had lived is no longer available to them, and in effect that life is dead. So, who really killed who?
The book describes the new freedoms that women have acquired over the last half-century, from being the possession of their fathers or husband. and how some, in the modern era, have taken the 'Me Too' movement and turned it into a weapon to harm innocent men. Currently, the mere idea that a person has been involved, in any way, with some sexual impropriety, is enough to wreck their life. The story explores the evolution of humankind and the evolution of relationships. It speaks to the confusion of many men, who have yet to come to terms with the speed of change.
The book describes the new freedoms that women have acquired over the last half-century, from being the possession of their fathers or husband. and how some, in the modern era, have taken the 'Me Too' movement and turned it into a weapon to harm innocent men. Currently, the mere idea that a person has been involved, in any way, with some sexual impropriety, is enough to wreck their life. The story explores the evolution of humankind and the evolution of relationships. It speaks to the confusion of many men, who have yet to come to terms with the speed of change.
A corrupt policeman and a disloyal, adulterous, spouse conspire to ruin the life of a loyal and loving man. This is a recipe for a roller coaster ride through the lives of these people. The timeline of the story begins in 1973 and continues until around 2016. Forty-three years. The story takes the reader on a journey from Cheltenham, to London, to Yorkshire, to The West Country in England, and then into Wales and Snowdonia. Across Europe and around the Mediterranean. Then as far as Hong Kong, and Louisiana in The United States of America. The main protagonists are Arwyn, a school teacher, and Douglas a successful Jazz musician. They fall in love at college, and they conduct, what is a secret affair, unknown to their college friends. Later they go their separate ways. They live their lives and produce families. Thirty and more years pass and, by chance, they come back together, as adults, who have been disappointed by the lives they have led. Arwyn is still searching for what she wants, she does not find it in Douglas. She thinks she finds it a policeman, Raymond. His involvement plunges the whole story into the darkest, and most evil of depths, and everything falls into a disaster of
catastrophic proportions.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE WHO WAS KILLED?' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE WHO WAS KILLED?' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
BOOK REVIEW
One reviewer said: I always love books that can tug me in and hold me there. Read this please and then tell me when you do, because I'm dying to talk to someone about this! For those looking for something more from a murder mystery reading choice, ‘Who Was Killed?’ is guaranteed to hit the mark.
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR CHER BONFIS
Born into a rich elegant world where copious amounts of money
cushioned every breath...No, sorry, that was a lie. Let us begin again... Born into absolute poverty in a cheap, ugly, bed and breakfast, which was on the backside of Blackpool, during the off-season, to a single-parent mother, who was on benefits... Sorry that was another lie... Is it worth beginning again? Probably not, for the words written here, or in some newspaper, would not
allow you to access the mind of this author. If you want to know about this person best you read the things this person writes. Trivia over details of this life is irrelevant. What you should know is that there is much gratitude for your interest and there is hope that you have found something rewarding. If you believe in love and kindness. If you believe everyone deserves a chance to live a happy life then you and Cher Bonfis have a lot in common. Word by word we will strive to make things better. So thank you for stopping by, and may all good things be yours.
I have written, and I have published for others, for many years.
Now I am so much older that I have decided to write like me, for the first time. Experiences I have seen as an outsider, and experiences where I have been the insider, of an enormous number of events, I now find give me reams of tales to tell. I have been putting off this part of my life, I have been waiting until I had some experience of life. Then the pandemic was upon us, and my world stopped, and for the first time, I paused, looked over my shoulder, and realized I have done many things, and have many stories which may entertain, and possibly inform others. In that eighteen months of lockdown, I became a pensioner. I went to the funeral of my neighbour and looking around the cemetery I realized that there were many folks there who were much younger than me when they died, so I thought ‘I better get my skates on, and get these on paper before it is too late’.
Read Author CHER BONFIS's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
4. 'THE OUTCAST' - BY AUTHOR K. T. LUCA
It was said, in all the Fairy history books, that they had once lived alongside humans as elves until the first massacre for their wings. The stories told of a night when witches seeking higher magic had raided the elven homes and ripped their wings from their backs. They didn’t know what the reason was for this sudden betrayal, but back then, the fairies hadn’t evolved any offensive magic to help them under such an attack. Their only choice had been to run, as quickly as they could, and escape to the safety of the woods where they stayed protected for the centuries to come. Since then, they had dispersed further into smaller woodland settlements while the original tree city became the metropolis of their kingdom.
The magic surrounding the kingdom prevented those that lived inside from being detected by the outside world, the power only waning a little once every hundred years. This has allowed the war that the massacre created to cease in those periods of magical protection, only repeating once a century. This still costs both witches and fairies a great deal.
Lily Rosales, a fairy born without wings and outcast from her people because of it, is selected to expose herself to great danger and disguise herself as a witch to discover their plans for the next saga of the war which is due to occur in five years. Sent into the settlement of witches closest to their woodland home, Lily is left to discover as much as she can without being detected.
The Outcast is a discovery of self while also addressing discrimination, the twists of history telling, and preconceptions between people. It follows Lily Rosales and her two cat companions through insecurity, self-discovery, and friendship while she fights to find the truth so she can finally be of some use and help her loved ones live through the upcoming war.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE OUTCAST' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE OUTCAST' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR K. T. LUCA
K.T. Luca is an upcoming author with their new book, The Outcast, receiving 5-star reviews regularly since its publication date. While this isn’t their first book, which was a 4-5 star book Silence of the Apocalypse: Journey Home, it is the one which they have put considerable imagination and world-building into. Having always been an avid reader of fantasy genres, K.T. Luca’s imagination led them down the fantasy route with their writing. They have spent the last fifteen years honing their writing skills through online writing communities where they have increased their skills in creating characters, backstories, and plots.
Before publishing their first books, K.T. Luca obtained a graduate degree in Animal Management and Science, which they have incorporated into their designs of new and mystical creatures within the world of Ryvalia where The Outcast is set. Ryvalia is an ever-growing world alternative to our own; instead of our industrial revolutions, Ryvalia saw magical ones leading to the evolution of multiple magic races, some of which are featured in The outcast, others planning to be featured in future books.
K.T. is a proud gender-fluid person who goes by pronouns of they/them or she/her, though is still exploring their relationship with gender. When they are not writing and losing themselves in Ryvalia, K.T. spends most of their time discovering new aspects of Japanese culture via their media, practicing Aikido and kickboxing with their partner, and creating yet more enrichment and entertainment for their cat, Pixie.
Read Author K. T. LUCA's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
5. 'THE HOUSE OF FAITH AND FASHION' - BY AUTHOR TOBI RUBINSTEIN
Tobi Rubinstein‘s newest book explores two ordinarily unrelated paths, Faith and Fashion, emerging them to create something uniquely her own within the collection of essays that will charm and intrigue the reader.
The cover was designed by acclaimed artist, Elizabeth Sutton, as an artistic visualization of the clothing candy store that awaits the reader inside. Through The House of Faith and Fashion, obi works to reveal G-d's presence in fashion, jewellery, art, beauty, and style through the Unique lens of Jewish teachings.
Through her cancer diagnosis and the challenges of treatment, Tobi created an extraordinary chronicle of faith and fashion that elevates the creative process to divine proportions. Her collection of thoughtful, profound, and sometimes poignant essays illustrates to readers how the creation of fashion and art can become a channel through which to express one’s faith and connection with their spirituality.
“Tobi Rubinstein is an extraordinary New York woman with a fabulous style. She connects to the spirit of the ensemble as well as how it will look on the body... That’s a magic combination! “ - Claude Sabbah, former head designer for TATI stores, in Paris.
Tobi's work with top international designers, fashion editors, jewellers, artists, and influencers like Manolo Blahnik, Carolina Herrera, Iris Apfel, CFDA, David Datuna, Chanel, and Miss Universe. Tobi also weaves spiritual awareness into mega-events like The Met Ball and NYFW to create an opus that takes a fresh new look at style and spirituality.
“When I think of fashion there are dozens of people that cross my mind. But when I think of Faith & Fashion together there’s only one name that stand-alone, Tobi Rubinstein! She is a true pioneer and one whose Manolo Blahnik‘s will be very hard to fill “ - Nolé Marin - celebrity agent, a judge on America’s Next Top Model, and Miss USA.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE HOUSE OF FAITH AND FASHION' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE HOUSE OF FAITH AND FASHION' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES -CLICK HERE
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR TOBI RUBINSTEIN
Tobi began her esteemed career in fashion by being recruited by an exclusive manufacturer for Victoria's Secret and JC Penney. She then moved on to partnering with Nicole Miller for Childrenswear and developing Crunch Gym's activewear line. In 2001 TR and her partners created "Chedda", an innovative men's urban hip-hop brand specifically designed for mass-market giant K-Mart and the first women-owned urban brand of its kind. In 2009, The House of Faith and Fashion was her step into reality TV series for NBC and a successful lecture and radio series. Lifestyle, fashion, and faith commentator with multiple appearances on WABC, WNBC, Lifetime, I24, Huffington Post, Page Six, and other national and international media outlets.
The goal is consistently fusing spirituality with fashion and other creative outlets, interviewing industry personalities such as Patricia Fields, Badgley Mishka, Jonathan Adler, and others about their faith in their craft. In 2014, The Tahor Group was founded upon the idea that fashion needs to step off the traditional runway onto the more creative ground. Closing Central Park South for a moving fashion show with horses and carriages during NYFW was the start of many "out of the box" collaborations. Stitched along this path, as an Orthodox Jewish woman, after becoming a Rebbitzen, she stepped out of the box and was ordained, finding deeper meaning through an in-depth study of Jewish thought and teaching. It led to the combination of both her loves into one solid purpose.
Becoming an author began as a weekly column for a local newspaper and flourished into a book that will become a series as her quest to elevate the creative process to divine heights continues to be explored. Tobi is a lifelong leader in philanthropy and charities. She has done fundraising and board service for various organizations such as Steven Spielberg's Children at Heart, United Nation's Montessori School, Tel Hashomer Hospital, Sharre Tzedek Hospital, and OR Movement. She is also the director of the public relations team for Gedale Fenster, Breslov Miami.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF TOBI RUBINSTEIN - https://thehouseoffaithandfashion.com
Read Author TOBI RUBINSTEIN's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
6. 'HOW TO HIRE AND KEEP GREAT PEOPLE' - BY AUTHOR MITCH GRAY
People take a job for money. They stay because of purpose. The very people you need the most are often the ones walking out the door faster than you can hire. In 'How to Hire and Keep Great People', Mitch Gray teaches you how to lay the foundation of culture within your organization that will empower your team and ignites growth.
'How to Hire and Keep Great People' is your new guidebook for:
Designing great culture
Finding great people
Building an all-star team
Understanding the real reason people work
Your #1 priority as a leader is to empower your people. When people feel empowered, they feel motivated. When they feel motivated, they become inspired. When they become inspired, they perform at incredibly high levels. 'We just can't find good people!' I’ve heard it a million times.
From business owners, managers, and leaders in companies of all sizes. I often ask them, “what is the greatest challenge you face?” Their response is almost always the same - We can’t find good people. I remember what it was like to wake up each morning knowing I need- ed to make changes to my team. I remember the feeling of excitement when I knew I had hired someone who was going to succeed at the job. You could feel it. It’s a palpable energy that exists when you know you have hired someone as perfect a match as possible. But finding these people is a learned skill. It doesn’t just happen overnight. Recruiting, hiring, and developing are not talents we are born with. Learning where to find these “good people,” crafting a conversation that makes them become intrigued with your organization, then having the courage to offer them a position takes practice, time, and focus. The great thing? You can learn how to find these great people. The even better thing? You are in control of who is part of your team. Even better than these two? You not only get to choose who is on your team, but you are also in absolute control of their development and success. Believing you can’t find good people is like saying you can’t grow your business - and no successful business leader would ever make that statement.
You can find good people; you just need to learn how. There is a process and skill to seeking out employees who will change your business for the good and increase your bottom line. There is an art to finding the ones who will care about your business, lead your business, and become the type of employees you can trust to run your company. But it’s up to you. At the end of the day, you are the only person responsible for finding these great people. You may have an HR team or manager who you’ve put in charge of hiring, but ultimately, it is you who is responsible for who becomes part of your team. If you’ve found yourself frustrated with hiring, firing, developing, and keeping people. If you’ve found yourself complaining about anyone on your team... If you’ve heard your leaders giving excuses as to why business isn’t growing or employees aren’t dependable or only a few are carrying the load...This book was written for you. Now it’s time to learn how to hire and keep great people!
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'HOW TO HIRE AND KEEP GREAT PEOPLE' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'HOW TO HIRE AND KEEP GREAT PEOPLE' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES -CLICK HERE
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR MITCH GRAY
Mitch Gray has combined over two decades of experience as a former pastor, life coach, entrepreneur, community developer, and creator to develop a brand of leadership that is at its deepest level- human.
Mitch believes fully in the power of the human spirit and that each person should be taking part in work that brings them life and creates good in the world. Teaching leaders how to create alignment within their teams, design positive, strengths-based culture, and develop systems that empower team members to thrive is Mitch’s spiritual work. And he believes every single organization has the potential to create such a place of hope.
Over the years and through a variety of paths and experiences, Mitch took his love of spiritual growth and began to identify the connection of spirituality and the impact it has in the workplace. With a perspective of humanity that is larger than simple day-in and day-out tasks and mundane jobs, Mitch began preaching a new message. A message that helps businesses grow by changing the way leaders recruit, hire, and develop their teams. A way that is hopeful and breathes life into everyday work.
Taking his heart for inspiring others and his passion for empowering leaders, Mitch creates the space needed to consider a new way of leading.
When Mitch isn’t creating or bringing his next idea to life- you might find him fishing the streams and rivers of New Mexico or sipping a nice cup of coffee at a local shop or driving down the highway jamming to the latest Dave Matthews Band track.
Mitch is the creator and host of The Mitch Gray Show podcast, the author of multiple inspirational books, and a highly regarded speaker.
Read Author MITCH GRAY's interview with DE MODE & about his upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
7. 'IF YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE' - BY AUTHOR LONI HOOTS
The world of love is hard to navigate; from toxic relationships to falling in love too quickly, to lose yourself in a whirlwind mess where one finds themselves questioning everything but not wanting to make an actual decision for themselves. This is where Mirella Drouet, the lead character of If You’re Gonna Be There deals with as she navigates her own life, while constantly picking her battles over love interests, as she deals with her own mental well-being. The novella starts off with Mirella making the biggest decision that she has ever had to face, leaving the place she called home her entire life and packing up to move to a foreign country just to get away from the one person she hopes to never see again.
After landing in Canada, Mirella barely has the time to really get settled into her new life, due to many circumstances that are thrown her way, which seem to be curveballs that wish to redirect her to a different path than what she wants. She establishes a relationship of sorts with a stranger that she met during an accident; she lives with intrusive thoughts that seem to isolate her from not only the outside world but also from herself, thus giving her very little time to face what is truly going on inside her mind and heart that seem to have a disconnect. The question that seems to face Mirella the most is, does she care for herself, the way she attempts to care for others, or is she numbing herself from the reality that is at hand? There are many things in life that are certain, there is a beginning and there is an end, that’s it; everything else in life is uncertain. No one knows how a child is going to be as a grown-up, instead, they are going to assume the most mundane things about them, forgetting that there are other factors that can steer the direction of one’s path completely, one of those factors happens to be mental health. If You’re Gonna Be There putting mental health on display right from the beginning, shows the reader that Mirella has always had the unfortunate reality of choosing unsavoury characters based on her own mental health and self-care.
The novella is fictional, and the scenarios and characters are so real that it feels as though it could be nonfiction or even a memoir; indicating to the reader that the author has their agenda when it comes to this piece of work, luring you to read it more than once to find the author’s message between the lines on the pages. If You’re Gonna Be There crosses many lines of fiction and nonfiction, due to many instances where the author is adamant about letting the reader into the mind of the author themselves, showing that even the stranger that you have never met endures psychological issues daily, as they attempt to connect with the world outside.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'IF YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'IF YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR LONI HOOTS
Loni Hoots is known as the author behind the two bestselling indie novellas, Petals and Nails and If You’re Gonna Be There. She is an educator, artist, mental health writer, and poet. Her work across multiple disciplines broadly addresses narratives of mental health and how it affects every aspect of one’s life. As a writer, Loni has had her pieces shown in the likes of The Odyssey, Pursuit of Mindfulness, and four steps. As an educator, she has taught poetry courses for elementary school students in Albuquerque; and currently works as an educator specializing in special education in Kansas.
She does her best writing while listening to ambient music, which transports her to an alternate reality that gives her a world of inspiration to help her bring the characters to life. Loni loves to dive into the world of the human mind, being the archaeologist, she has always wanted to be, to make sense of everything that occurs every second of the day. The women she writes about are perfectly flawed, making them as realistic as those who read her books. Creating such characters has become one of the traits that Loni possesses because she is driven to write characters that she wished she had read growing up; also knowing that there are many readers out there that wish to have a character that they connect to on different levels.
The world of mental health and the possibility of alternate realities are brought together by Loni, who attempts to make sense of everything that has plagued not only her mind but the mind of others. How mental health affects everyday life still has a stigma attached to it, this has driven her to become outspoken about how it has affected her for most of her life, giving it a platform to let others know that they are not alone in their quest of figuring things out amid the chaos.
For most of her life, Loni has been driven to educate the future generations of students that walk into the classroom; while she is able to do so in a physical setting, she felt drawn to the possibility of teaching young children about imagination, manners, and morals through the medium she has known for much of her life: writing. With this came The Little Bird Series which has become a beloved series that both children and parents have come to adore. Inspired by her own nephews, Loni drew upon their excitement for life and turned them into the titular character Little Bird. With its early humble beginnings of being just a poem, Loni turned the series into something that she knew every little kid would enjoy for bedtime, to engage their imagination before they are sent off into the dream world.
Read Author LONI HOOTS's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
8. 'DIRGE OF THE DEAD' - BY AUTHOR REED LOGAN WESTGATE
Dirge of the Dead is an Urban Fantasy adventure set in modern-day Portland Maine. Follow the Baku warrior Xlina, whose magic is fueled by the nightmares she consumes. With the aid of the mysterious death eater, Oxivius and his dark necromantic magic Xlina will once again challenge the forces of the infernal planes. Dirge of the dead picks up immediately after the events of The Infernal Games and focuses on the aftermath of Xlina’s epic battle in the Counsel of Magic chambers with the Arch Demon Ertigan.
As Xlina Dar’Karrow struggles to come to terms with killing her best friend Amber, the wily Necromancer Oxivius hatches a plan to set things right. The magical duo will march straight through the gates of Hell and reclaim what the vile Arch Demon Ertigan has stolen from them. But stealing Amber’s soul back from Hell is not without perils.
Xlina finds herself facing the judgment of the Counsel of Magic while the forces of both Heaven and Hell align to stop her from performing the resurrection. It will take all her nightmare-fueled magic to keep Amber’s soul from being swept back into the fiery abyss of hell. With new allies and old friends alike vying to reclaim the stolen soul Xlina is thrust into a whirlwind of deceit and betrayal.
Is it all just another clever scheme by Oxivius to further his secret agenda? Who are the mysterious druids sent to preserve the natural order? With the world at her back, Xlina must overcome her isolation and deepest fears if she has any hope of freeing Amber from an eternity of torment at the hands of Ertigan.
BOOK REVIEW
A dazzling, solid tale... Genuine page-turner...Finely constructed and exceptionally well thought out, the taut plot is steeped in betrayal, lies, sinister conspiracies, and intrigue. There are healthy doses of action, dark magic, and emotional epiphany. Loyalties shift, with the deep, dark river of ambition and greed ruining lives. Tensions between the old allies and the new enemies supply plenty of drama. The vivid narrative moves briskly and features a superb climax that resolves all the main issues while leaving enough to raise readers’ fervour for the next installment. This mesmerizing tale makes for a winner.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'DIRGE OF THE DEAD' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'DIRGE OF THE DEAD' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR REED LOGAN WESTGATE
Reed Logan Westgate is a lifelong resident of the scenic state of Maine, nestled in the northeast corner of the USA. His longtime friend Bryan has been both supporter and advocate for his writing since they first met in second grade. Reed’s support team also consists of his wife Amanda, who doubles as his trusted alpha reader and harshest critic. His two daughters, Emma and Lyriel, are his greatest achievement in life and provide him with all the joy and wonder a person could ask for. Reed spends his days working as a Financial Controller for a non-profit social service agency in Maine helping the people in the local communities he grew up.
His journey as an author began early in school when his love of reading transformed into a passion for storytelling. Reed’s love of reading is the result of his grandmother’s efforts early in his life. A Polish migrant to the United States, she lacked the privilege of good educational opportunities as a youth. Having that experience, she began emphasizing the importance of reading at a very early age. As an adult Reed attributes his love of reading to the efforts of his grandmother during his developmental years.
On graduating high school Reed moved on to College in Dover New Hampshire. While the desire to pursue his writing lingered, he instead chased financial stability for his family. He obtained his degree in accounting rather than focusing on his elusive dreams of being an author. In 2020, nearly twenty years later, he leapt faith and published The Infernal Games, the first book in the Baku series.
Reed spends his free time enjoying the world of tabletop games with friends and family. He attributes many of his characters' personality quirks to his years of guiding his local gaming group through dungeons and the host of reoccurring characters that have graced his adventures over the years.
Read Author REED LOGAN WESTGATE's interview with DE MODE & about his upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
9. 'FIRST SECOND COMING' - BY AUTHOR JEFF POLLAK
When Earth’s variously named God retires in 2027 after 2,000+ years of service, he is replaced by a new Supreme Being – a planetary turnaround specialist who must decide whether to include mankind in his plan to restore the world’s luster. This deity introduces himself to Earthlings through an unscheduled appearance on the Ram Forrester Hour talk show, which he beams worldwide.
Ram and co-host Brendali Santamaria, an atheist and devout Catholic respectively, are shocked. God informs them and their viewers that a 60-day conference will take place in Los Angeles to determine humanity’s fate. Those attending must prove that homo-sapiens can help God implement his plan by eliminating religious violence forever before the conference ends. Failure will mean extinction.
Ram and Bren’s romance ignites soon after God designates them as the conference’s only authorized, media reporters. The married couple must attend the conference by day, do their show at night, and outwit a fanatical group hell-bent on killing them for promoting a false god. Their love blooms as conflicts within the conference intensify, dimming the prospect of mankind’s survival. Because only Ram and Bren can communicate with this God, the burden of saving humanity rests in their hands.
BOOK REVIEWS
Jeff Pollak does a fantastic job of creating characters that are both unique and relatable. This combination gives us a relationship that is engrossing and believable... It takes a talented writer to create characters you care about in a plot that makes sense while going at breakneck speed. First Second Coming is a captivating adventure novel that touches on some deep themes while never forgetting to entertain readers with a bit of romance and a touch of humour along the way. - Literary Titan Magazine.
Religion turns into politics while the fate of mankind rests in the hands of a couple of journalists. Innovative, irreverent and ultimately thought-provoking, First Second Coming is a slightly futuristic romance/fantasy imbued with a sense of wit and wonder. - IndiesToday.com
First Second Coming captivates from the start, with a fascinating premise that never lets go. It packs a powerful punch for a debut novel and sets the stage for an exciting new series. - InD’Tale Magazine.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'FIRST SECOND COMING' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'FIRST SECOND COMING' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR JEFF POLLAK
Award-winning novelist Jeff Pollak never pictured himself as a
fiction writer because he was always too busy writing in his law practice to write at home. That changed in 2015 when Jeff’s son graduated from college with a job waiting for him at a well-known tech company. Jeff began thinking that when he retires from his career as a trial attorney, he would need something to do. Being an avid reader, he resolved to write a novel and fill his retirement time creatively.
The choice seems to have worked. A mere three months after his debut novel, First Second Coming, was published, the book received a Gold Award in writing excellence from Literary Titan magazine. In April, the book was nominated for the 2021 RONE Award in fantasy. And now the book is just beginning development in the entertainment world, most likely as a TV series akin to the Good Omens series from 2020.
Jeff’s favorite authors range in genre and time period. James Clavell writes historical fiction; Frank Herbert, science fiction; Haruki Murakami, Magical Realism; David Mitchell and Iain Pears, various genres. Jeff himself writes novels that combine fantasy, romance, and suspense. The authors that have most influenced his writing style are Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett.
A self-described music fiend, Jeff writes while listening to whatever music fits the chapter he’s writing. He plays golf regularly, has a terrific spontaneous sense of humor (which is evident in his writing), loves to travel to new places, and a few he knows well and loves. Jeff resides with his wife and 96-year-old mother-in-law in the suburbs of Los Angeles, but grew up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, in New York City. He moved west to attend law school in L.A., where winter could be seen in the mountains but not felt at home, after graduating with a degree in Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF JEFF POLLAK - www.jeffpollak.com
Read Author JEFF POLLAK's interview with DE MODE & about his upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
10. 'THE SOCIETY OF EIGHT' - BY AUTHOR DOMINIC DANVERS
The first volume in a series about the supernatural adventures of a group of children and Young adults who are thrown into their predestined roles as the new generation of Emissaries within the Order of the Society to do battle against the Wiccan and her armies of the Unremembered, the Wretched, the Infernal and the Cimmerian.
The Society of Eight: Volume 1 - The Compendium of Alchemists Abstruse Contrivances is the first novella in a series. It is a fantasy adventure for all ages. The Wiccan has been plotting an attack against the Society for hundreds of years and has finally discovered the secret location of their home - the Sanctuary.
Tom, Zoe, Charlie, Stephen and Alexander are torn from their ordinary lives and thrown into their predestined roles as the new generation of Emissaries within the Order of the Society, guardians who protect the world from dark supernatural forces.
These young heroes rally to survive with the help of the old generation, their Custodians and the Great Cats to save humanity from the malevolence of the Wiccan.
Crossing the globe in the present, past and future, they must find the last three to truly harness the power of the Society of Eight and do battle against the Wiccan and her armies of the Unremembered, the Wretched, the Infernal and the Cimmerian.
BOOK REVIEWS
This is an adventure story about a secret society that exists to protect humankind. My 10yo found it exciting with an interesting plot. ‘A bit scary, but in a good way.’
If you like fantasy literature, don't hesitate to read Dominic Danvers' book: The Society of Eight. Dominic, I can't wait for the release of Part 2!!! —Alexis (Reviewed in Spain)
Couldn’t put it down... —Belinda W (Reviewed in the United Kingdom)
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE SOCIETY OF EIGHT' BOOK IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'THE SOCIETY OF EIGHT' BOOK IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR DOMINIC DANVERS
Dominic Danvers was born in London, UK but spent much of his childhood by the sea on the Dorset coast. This has influenced his storytelling and coastal locations and the sea often feature. He grew up reading Enid Blyton’s adventures of The Famous Five and The Secret Seven but his favorite book remains Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum. Dominic was a school governor and chair of its well-being committee for several years. He is a lawyer and francophone and lives with his wife, Anne-Sophie and daughter, Juliette.
Read Author DOMINIC DANVERS's interview with DE MODE & about his upcoming books in the OCT-NOV-DEC 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (LITERATURE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
[ Want more? Check out our list of MUST-READ BOOKS FOR YOUR KIDS IN THIS WINTER]