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Book Title:ÌýStolen Dream

Author: Oliver Takely

Publisher: MM Romance Press

Cover Artist: Emily’s World of Design

Release Date:Ìý March 5, 2025

Tense/POV: Third person, dual POV

Genres: ContemporaryÌýMM Romance

Tropes: Forbidden love, first times, demisexual rep, found family

Themes: Second chance romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 60 000 wordsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

It is book three of the Soho Knights Series. Books four and five are scheduled in 2025.

TheÌýbook ends on a cliffhanger for the series, but not for the couple.

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Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

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In a world that tried to change them, love becomes their greatest rebellion.

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At just eighteen, Paolo and Max meet at a conversion therapy camp. Abandoned by their families. left to endure literal hell on earth, their love is forbidden. Their secret romance grows and as they make plans to escape, they are brutally torn apart.

They both spend the next twelve years building lives in different worlds. Paolo in the vibrant heart of Soho, London, surrounded by his found family, and Max thriving as a successful criminal lawyer in the bustling streets of New York. Both of them believing they’ve lost the love of their life forever.

Max finds himself in London after defending a mobster, which leads to an offer he literally can’t refuse. Needing thinking time before his fate is sealed, he unexpectedly crosses paths with Paolo again. The spark between them reignites, yet their reunion is fraught with challenges, and even the magical backdrop of the holidays may not be enough for them to get their second chance at love. With Paolo's sister at risk of suffering the same fate they endured, the stakes are even higher.

Stolen DreamÌýis a tale of resilience, forbidden love, and the fight for a future that embraces who they truly are. Will they save Paolo's sister in time, and can they find a way to be together, against all odds? Join them on this emotional journey of hope and redemption, whereÌýstolen dreamsÌýmay just lead to a love worth fighting for.

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KC greeted Paolo with a big hug when he arrived. She was such a wonderful woman, who had been through more than all his brothers put together. The bravery it took for her to transition in the nineties had Paolo in awe of her.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “What are you doing here on a Saturday?â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “I’m meeting anÌý.Ìý.Ìý. an old friend.â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Old boyfriend?â€� She smiled.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Paolo felt his face heating. She leant forward and whispered to him.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Well, if it’s the guy who just walked in who looks like he wants to eat you, then I think I’ve got my answer.â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Paolo spun around and there was Max. He hadn’t gotten a proper look last night with the shock. Max had always had a broad build, but now he was built like a rugby player, with wide shoulders and a tapered waist. His hazel eyes were as captivating as they had been twelve years ago. Max smiled at him, showing those perfect dimples in his pinchable cheeks. He was clean-shaven, unlike Paolo who’d had a short beard for the last five years. His face was too babyish when he was clean-shaven.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Can I give you a hug?â€� asked Max.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Paolo was too choked up, so he just nodded, and Max wrapped his big, muscular arms around him. They were the same height, but even though Paolo had packed on the muscle over the last few years, Max almost smothered him â€� albeit in a good way. He was wearing a citrusy aftershave, and he could happily stay like this in Max’s arms forever.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý When the hug was bordering on being far too long for a public setting, they pulled apart and both smiled. Paolo gestured to a nearby table he’d claimed when he arrived. He made eye contact with KC, who gave him a warm smile and touched her heart. Paolo rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Thank you for seeing me,â€� said Max.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Was he nervous? This wasn’t how he remembered him. Max had been the strong one when they’d been in the camp. It wasn’t just Paolo who looked up to him; it was everyone. Paolo wasn’t sure what to say. He felt tongue tied, so he grabbed a menu, passing one to Max. He knew the menu by heart, but Max didn’t need to know that.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Did you want to get something to eat?â€� asked Paolo. That was a safe conversation starter.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “I am always hungry.â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý He smiled, and then a dark shadow appeared in his eyes. It was clear a memory had hit him. One they shared. Paolo needed to get things back on track. Today was not a day to go down memory lane.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Everything’s amazing here. KC is the best cook in the world.â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “That’s a bold claim. I’ll have to let Mason know.â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Mason?â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “He’s a Michelin starred chef in New York.â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “How do you know him?â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Max took hold of Paolo’s hand. It felt strange, yet familiar.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “Mason’s just a friend. I’m not with anyone.â€�

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý “That’s not .Ìý.Ìý. I didn’t meanÌý.Ìý.Ìý.â€� Ugh, why couldn’t he get his words out?

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Perhaps sensing his struggle, Max suggested they order. He let go of Paolo’s hand and Paolo missed the touch instantly. How could this be happening? He’d not had butterflies or any of these feelings for twelve years.

About the AuthorÌýÌý

Oliver Takely is a passionate MM romance author who revels in dark, edgy stories featuring complex, flawed characters. With years of writing experience and a creative day job, Oliver Takely is also an avid reader of MM romance, consuming 300 books in both 2023 and 2024. His favourite trope is enemies to lovers, but is also a sucker for a feel-good Christmas romance.

Originally from the north, Oliver now resides in the south of England with his husband and their beloved fur baby, who is treated like a princess, living their own happily-ever-after straight out of a romance novel. When not writing or reading, he enjoys holidays and indulging in lots of good food, because who doesn’t love a delicious combination?

Author Links

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Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to winÌý

one of three eBook copies of Stolen Dream

Ornery Owl's Review
Rating: Four out of Five Stars
This is an intense story that discusses conversion therapy, an abusive practice intended to make a homosexual person heterosexual. The protagonists, Max and Paolo, meet in a conversion therapy camp run by the creepy, sadistic Father Moretti. I quickly clocked Father Moretti as a self-righteous, closeted homosexual. As the story progresses, he's revealed to be even worse than I initially thought.
The concept is compelling, the storytelling is engaging, and the author creates characters the reader cares about. The story contains several wonderful "Oh, my heart!" moments and intense surprises.Ìý
My reasons for giving the story four stars rather than five are subjective rather than objective. I would have liked more non-sexual interaction between Max and Paolo. While the author made it clear that there was a strong emotional bond between them rather than a strictly sexual attraction, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the non-steamy side of their relationship.
While I understand Paolo's obsession with his physique, his discussions about diet and exercise were a little overwhelming for someone who struggles with body image and an eating disorder.
I recommend Stolen Dream for readers who like an intense contemporary romance that tackles real-world issues and don't mind when things get dark. Because of adult themes and explicit sexual content, the book is not suitable for readers younger than eighteen.

Title:Ìý At Her Service

Author: K.S. Trenten

Publisher:Ìý NineStar Press

Release Date: 03/25/2025

Heat Level: 1 - No Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 23500

Genre: Fantasy, Cinderella, F/F fairy tales, nonbinary characters, romance, magic, royalty, humor, glass shoes

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DescriptionThere are one too many Ariellas in our family chateau, when my stepmother becomes its mistress. She’s the rightful Ariella, and Ariella is a name she’ll only share with her daughter. Fortunately, the lady doesn’t realize I’m more than happy to give her daughter anything, including my name. I’ve come to live for the moments when I tickle her feet into her glass slippers. Why would I wish for anything more?
Magic, however, is going to whisk me away from my pallet in the cinders for a night of lights, dancing, and mystery. Mischief will try to sweep me off my feet, but I’m not so easy to sway. For princes are not what they seem, and a servant’s loyalty can be as strong as any spell.ExcerptAt Her ServiceK.S. Trenten © 2025All Rights Reserved
One Ariella Too Many
I’ll never forget the first time my mistress offered me her hand.
“Every woman should dance once.� She hadn’t been my mistress yet. She was my stepsister, a bewitching girl with sapphire-blue eyes and a husky voice.
No, the other Ariella’s voice was more than husky. I could feel every syllable caressing the inside of my ear. Nor did the sensation stop there. The sound glided down my spine, raising the hairs of my neck, awakening my entire body.
“Shall I show you how, Ariella?� She kept her strong fingers steady, ready to catch and claim me.
Shy, uncertain, I dared to raise my hand to touch hers.
“Ariella, stay away from that girl!� Harsh as the caw of a crow, those words stopped us where we stood.
Ariella stiffened, turning to face its owner at the same moment as I did.
The lady of the chateau wasn’t a tall woman, but her presence loomed within the room, ready to quell anyone who dared to irritate her.
I could already tell I more than irritated her.
“Ariella was only showing me how to dance…� I began, trailing off when I saw the expression in my stepmother’s eyes. How could she look so much like Ariella herself, yet be so different?
“You will address my daughter as the Lady Ariella.� The lady of the chateau spoke in a tone as cold and flat as her eyes. “This is not your home, not anymore. You may no longer dance around as if you owned it.�
“Mother…� Ariella began, but her mother cut her off.
“This is our ancestral estate, the Lady Ariella’s and mine.� She advanced upon me, raising one hand in a claw. It reminded me of a chicken who’d once challenged a hound dog for dominion over a pile of sand. The chicken had won.
“Even if your ancestor managed to steal this chateau from ours, we have taken it back.� She kept her hand raised, a ring flashing upon it. It may have once belonged to my mother, but she hadn’t worn it very often.
“Isn’t it my father’s estate?� Frightened as I was, I hadn’t learned yet not to contradict the lady. “Aren’t you only here because my father married you?�
She struck me, a sharp, glancing blow which might have been no more than a slap to a sturdier woman.
I had never been particularly sturdy. I was tiny, overimaginative, and lacking in a sense of balance.
The lady’s strike knocked me off my feet. I hit the ground in an ungraceful pile at the lady’s own.
“How dare you!�
I’ll never forget the angry snarl that distorted her face. What she’d constrained within her eyes and pinched lips had finally been set free.
I crawled to my knees, not getting up. It seemed better to stay down. One glance at the lady’s twisted, quivering mouth was enough to convince me. I covered my head with my hands.
No, I’ve never been particularly brave. I try to avoid conflict. I suppose I’m like my father in this.
Submitting didn’t appease my stepmother. She raised her hand. Perhaps she meant to hit me again once she’d grabbed my hair, pulling me up to the level of her fist.
“Mother, stop.� Ariella’s husky voice rose with a firm authority I’d never heard her use.
I opened my eyes to glimpse her ankles peeking out from under the hem of a dark-blue skirt.
They were pale, bony, but there was a strength to them. They were planted on the floor between the lady and myself, drawing energy from beneath her heels. I could feel it, traveling up her legs to her torso, heart, and head. The shape of the bone protruding from her ankles reminded me of a rock jutting out from the coastline, standing in proud defiance of the coming waves.
I wanted to grab her ankles, kiss her feet, to give her whatever I could to help her withstand her mother’s rage. Or anything else that might crash against her.
Not that I could do any of those things while huddled on the floor.Purchase | Meet the AuthorI’m a California Bay Area author, exploring the borders of reality and gender to create new worlds and populate them with compelling characters. I live with my husband and our two four footed children, i.e. cats. | | | ÌýGiveawayOne lucky winner will receive a $50.00 NineStar Press Gift Code!Ìý

Book 1, The Dan Alsop Series

Murder Mystery

Date Published: March 28, 2025

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A cowboy lies dead on the trail, shot through the heart with no one around. Detective Dan Alsop must find his killer through a maze of squabbling relatives, disgruntled friends and Hollywood mobsters. Was it a single event or will the killer strike again?

Book 2, The Dan Alsop Series

Murder Mystery

Date Published: March 28, 2025

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His mentor lies dead at his feet. Detective Dan Alsop is stretched thin with only the notion of an ancient casino robbery to guide him. His search for the elusive killer takes him to cemeteries and silver mines until he strikes again.

About the Author

ÌýSJ SLAGLE started her career as a language arts teacher. When she began writing, her initial interest was children’s stories, but then she moved on to Western Romance, Mysteries and Historical Fiction. She has published over 30 novels and her website is .

SJ has written several Western Romance series including the THESE NEVADA BOYS, RANCHER, and THE WESTERNERS, as well as Mystery series: FLOYD SISTERS MYSTERIES and SHERLOCK AND ME. All her books are distributed in digital, paper and audiobook formats.

Her first historical fiction novel, LONDON SPIES, was awarded a B.R.A.G. Medallion in 2018. She was given the Silver Award with the International Independent Film Awards for her screenplay called REDEMPTION. She conducts writing/publishing symposiums in her local area.

S.J. Slagle lives and works in Reno, Nevada.

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Contact Links

Twitter: @SindaSlagle

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RECENT RELEASE

Book Title:ÌýÌýSpecimenÌý

Author: C. QuinceÌý

Publisher: Ninestar PressÌý

Cover Artist: HolBatÌý

Release Date: March 11, 2024

Tense/POV: third person/past tense/alternating POV

Genre: ÌýMM paranormal/alien/sci-fi romance

Themes: Enemies to lovers, mystery, thriller, action adventure, spies, frenemies, forced proximity, colleagues

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length:Ìý 105 000 words/ 300 pagesÌý

It is the first book of a series.Ìý

The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger as the mysteries are ongoing,Ìý

but the couple are solidly together.

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A former US Marine and a British M16 Intelligence agent find more in common than attraction.Ìý

Blurb

David Cortez, a decorated US Marine, is now on the run from his own government after escaping a top-secret CIA lab when an experimental medical procedure turned sour.

While lying low in Mexico, an assassin sent from British Intelligence tracks him down. However, Sonny from MI6, a British-Iranian with a cockney accent, offers David a choice: join his team, or be killed.

David chooses to work with Sonny, not only because he wants his life back, but because he feels a kinship with the man.

They’re also both in the unique position of being the only living test subjects with alien DNA in their blood. Could that explain the strong attraction between them?

Excerpt

Sonny opened the brief. Inside, the first page was stamped TOP SECRET in big letters, which always made him want to laugh, along with the usual disclaimers typed out manually from a typewriter. Sonny breezed past all that and looked at the mission itself. What he saw was a collected file on one man: former US Marine, last known employment in private security. The collected photos were from past ID’s like Marine Corps and the DMV, and included some candids and hospital patient logs.

Handsome guy, Sonny thought idly. Tan skin, short brown hair, a strong jawline. Sonny was unsure of the guy’s ethnicity until he clocked the name.

“The file is Sergeant David Luis Cortez,� Shepherd said. “US Marines scout sniper.� She sat down at the opposite end of the table to Guv. “Peak physical health while on duty,� she went on. “Loyal. Follows orders. Impressive stats. Fifty-two confirmed kills, one of which being a one-and-a-half-mile sniper shot from a thirty-storey window.�

Sonny felt equally annoyed and impressed to hear that. He was the trick shot in this division, and he didn’t need another hotshot coming for his wig.

“Served in Afghanistan, Sudan, and South America, as well as several black ops missions. Honourable discharge, moved onto private security and diplomatic detail,� Shepherd went on. “Assigned to US diplomat Philip Sherman, thwarted an assassination attempt, but fell victim to poisoning from thallium sulphate.�

Sonny leafed through the hospital files. These medical records were official, along with a copy of the death certificate.

Sonny guessed what had happened before Shepherd confirmed it: they had another resurrected government experiment on their hands. Sonny should know; he was one himself.

“His condition in civilian hospital deteriorated,� Shepherd explained. “Through an Army connection, Cortez was recommended for special medical trials, codenamed Trial X. His first round of tests proved successful, when not many subjects pass that stage…� She glanced up pointedly. “As we well know.�

Sonny kept quiet and lifted his cup to take a sip. The slurp was noisy in the quiet room.

Guv gave Sonny a warning look. Sonny stopped slurping and smirked. He’d made his point. He was a special case who’d survived testing and was worth his weight in gold. He got away with murder on a daily basis.

“So,� Shepherd continued, “the CIA faked Cortez’s death, and moved him to one of their black sites for further testing. Cortez was renamed Specimen X.�

Sonny turned the page and saw copies of top secret CIA medical files, including a colour photo of the poor bastard inside a tank filled with bubbly blue liquid. He was naked except for an oxygen mask over his face and various cables attached to his limbs. The photo cut off below the waist. Sonny, being a thirsty bitch, immediately zeroed in on the man’s toned abs and pecs, and biceps to die for.

Was it uncouth to lust over him in that condition? Probably. Did Sonny care? Not really.

In the photo the man’s eyes were closed. His hair had grown longer than the short army cut, and he also had a beard now. He’d be hot shit, if not for the fact he was stuck inside a human-sized test tube.

“Was it Wallace’s team?� Guv asked Shepherd, referencing a top CIA operative.

“We don’t know for sure,� Shepherd replied. “My mole was tight lipped about the department. But we do know they were working with their own version of Sample A-X, which is why I’ve brought this to the front of our queue. It’s amazing we got as much intel as is, considering their operation was all shut down and relocated after his escape.�

Escape? Sonny perked up at that. Excellent! He loved drama.Ìý

He flicked through more of the file, speed-reading reports detailing the subject’s general disorientation after the procedure, then his violent outbursts toward medical staff� But Sonny never trusted a doctor’s word on patients. Who wouldn’t get pissed off after being poked and prodded then shoved in a tank? Sonny could sympathise.

There were some printouts of shots taken from a black-and-white security feed showing the naked (and ripped) subject overpowering several doctors and guards in the lab in order to break down the door and escape.

Sonny felt vicariously proud of the guy.Ìý

He probably shouldn’t have smirked over it, because Guv and Shepherd noticed. “I’m glad you think this is amusing, Sonny,� Shepherd said haughtily, “because you’re the one who’s going to track him down.�

About the AuthorÌý

Quince is a MENA-British author who lives in England, enjoys sci-fi and fantasy, history, and Halloween.

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Small Footsteps

Fantasy

Date Published: January 16, 2025

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Magic is in her blood...

The destiny of Innatraea is in her hands�

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Can she rise to power, or will the forces against her prevail?

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"Every legend begins with the small footsteps of ordinary Innatraeans." -Tavid the Traveler

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Rosalie Sharone, one of the strongest magic wielders ever born, has been waiting and training for this moment all her life. Orphaned as a baby, the child prodigy was raised in the small farm town of Aliselle Falls, away from suspecting eyes. Now she is a young woman ready to fulfill her destiny by traveling across Innatraea to become an initiate of The Weavers, an ancient and powerful order on the island kingdom of Sceotan. In doing so, she must leave her adoptive mother, her first love, and her friends behind. Yet emotional trials are not the only challenge awaiting Rosalie and those closest to her. Weavers especially attract danger, and Rosalie will face her share as she makes her way to her destiny. This is only the beginning of her story however. Once on Sceotan, her magic and intellect along with The Weavers� influence across all of Innatraea will either make her the most powerful woman in history or completely destroy her.

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Power, sacrifice, and destiny collide—get your copy today and dare to walk the path with Rosalie as she begins the journey to her ultimate fate.

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Innatraea Novella Two: Am'ayim

Coming July 26, 2025

"Ele o aiga uma e toto. O nisi e fananau mai i Di Asin.

Not all families a blood. Som a dem born inna Di Saalt.

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Not all families are blood. Some of them are born in the Salt."

-Am'ayim Saying

Rosalie has finally left the dangers of Aedonia behind in her quest to reach Sceotan and the Weavers. She now embarks upon another leg of that long journey aboard an Am'ayim vessel known as Di Ariela. Here, she will meet new friends amongst the ship's crew and face new threats and challenges, all while still grappling with the loss of her mother and parting ways with her childhood friends. Rosalie must now find the strength to go on alone and become the woman she's meant to be. But the twisting tides of destiny and fate are tricky and may yet claim them all or unite them as her journey across Innatraea continues. Destiny is no easy thing, though; fate may have more in store for her than she ever imagined.

About the Author

E.R. Zaugg has published several articles on being the parent of a vulnerable child, won poetry contests, and been an avid reader and world traveler for decades. His work is inspired by seeing the world and encountering different religions, spiritual beliefs, and cultures in both literature and actual journeys. These experiences have led to a body of deeply poetic work that explores what it means to be human. The Innatraea novella series highlights the value of vulnerable cultures, children, and strong women, with the goal of imparting to its readers a greater understanding and love of humanity.

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Strategies for Becoming Smarter in Managing Stress

Nonfiction / Self-Help

Date Published: February 12, 2025

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A Practical Guide for Learning Ways to Better Manage Stress

How do you experience more joy each day and remain productive and focused on what is most important to you despite sometimes being surrounded by the dark clouds of stress circling overhead or looming on the horizon? Lessen the Stressin� effectively answers this challenging question by providing a comprehensive review of practical strategies and information essential to managing stress. Conceived and written with the goal of offering an enlightening training opportunity, this book also includes self-assessments and anecdotes to enhance learning. In addition, there are chapters focused on ways for handling stress generated in three areas often found to be particularly problematic � conflict, change, and communication, including digital communication. Dr. German’s insights and thorough coverage of easy to implement strategies help contribute to the optimistic feeling that with some effort, it is possible to successfully manage stress in an increasingly complex world.

About the Author

Dr. Steven German is a licensed psychologist and nationally certified counselor who has sought throughout his professional career to help others deal with the potentially negative impact of stress. This goal has been achieved while serving as a guidance counselor, school psychologist, and special education director in the public schools, as a trainer and consultant in the outplacement field, as a psychologist with the Medical Service Corps of the U.S. Army Reserves, and in his private practice of almost three decades. In addition to his published works, he has delivered training for organizations on topics related to stress. In his spare time, Dr. German enjoys hiking, traveling, singing, working on small building projects, and spending quality time with family and friends.

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A Memoir of Unraveling, Navigating, and Empowering the Bipolar Mind

Personal Memoirs, Mental Health, Non Fiction

Date Published: March 25, 2025

Publisher: Elite Online Publishing

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The Bipolar Code is a captivating memoir that invites readers to journey through the highs and lows of living with bipolar disorder. With unflinching authenticity, author Bob Stavnitski shares his triumphs and challenges, offering a powerful exploration of resilience, family bonds, and personal growth. Through his story, readers will find inspiration to embrace their own vulnerabilities, navigate relationships, and discover the transformative beauty within adversity. Join this expedition and uncover the strength of the human spirit in the face of life's complexities.

This book is dedicated to all of Bob’s family, loved ones, friends, and caregivers, all the people whose lives time and again have been interrupted by the calamities resulting from our bipolar disorder. Witnesses to events they find hard to fathom happening right before their eyes in their own homes. Those who find themselves repeatedly heartbroken, losing sleep, and lost in a quandary over what to do and how to help their very sick child, partner, sister, brother, or friend find their way through the self-destructive and complicated web woven in their bipolar brains.

Buy the book today, experience the journey, and learn all about Bipolar Bob.

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About the Author

Bob Stavnitski experienced a seemingly idyllic childhood and enjoyed a successful, frequently stand-out high school experience, anticipating a career in government or diplomacy. Then suddenly, his string of successes ended abruptly, and for a very long time. Unbeknownst to Bob, he would experience major unchecked deepening bipolar depression for fifteen years. He expressed his immediate reaction, “I’m not going to allow mental illness to take the rest of my life away from me.�

Bob spares a little, candidly sharing the story. He is convinced there is beauty, even brilliance, in the bipolar brain and soul that can enhance our understanding of the world around us and allows bipolar individuals to experience truth and beauty in the human condition that others with “normal� brains miss out on. Bob believes that it is possible to accomplish a sustainable comeback and make left-behind dreams become new realities.

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(Kiss of Death MC)

Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap

Date Published: March 28, 2025

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Pippa is the unexpected twist in my life, a complication I never saw coming.

Pippa -- My life has been shaped by some kind of underworld scheming I don’t really understand. Or maybe I don’t want to know. But now I’m living in darkness and violence, unable to break free but unwilling to succumb to the drug induced stupor my captives force on me. Then Gunnar, a fierce man with a dark relentlessness, charges to my rescue like a black knight, taking vengeance on those who have hurt me. Our first meeting isn’t a rescue out of a fairy tale -- it’s pure chaos. Gunnar may be an ex-con, but he protects me with a ferocity I never knew existed.

Gunnar � Pippa’s quiet resilience clashes with the violent life I know. With just a look, the woman claims my heart and life takes on a brand new meaning. I’ve done time -- fifteen long years behind bars, to protect my sister. Now I’ll protect Pippa with a ruthlessness she can’t even imagine.

My past is dark, my future uncertain, and every moment with Pippa makes me realize the lengths I’ll go to keep her. Fate has brought me to the one woman I know I can’t live without.

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WARNING: Gunnar includes scenes of graphic violence and adult situations including potential triggers for some readers. There’s also a protective hero, an intelligent, insightful heroine, and eventual happy ending. No cheating, as always.

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EXCERPT

“This the day?�

I glanced at my cellmate and now a close friend. I was packing up my personals in our cell, getting ready to leave prison after serving fifteen years of a twenty-year sentence. “Yep.�

“Thought you had a few more years left.�

I shrugged. “I did.�

“Interesting.� Knuckles leaned against the end of the bunk. I paused in my packing to find him watching me intently.

“Yeah,� I drawled slowly. “Thought so myself.�

“You think it was your old man?� Knuckles knew about Cain and ExFil and Bones. He knew my dad had some pull and was likely thinking I’d held out on him.

“If you’re implyin� I’ve been down-playin� people I know, I haven’t been. This is as much a surprise for me as it is you.�

“I know.�

OK, now I stopped what I was doing altogether and took a step toward Knuckles. “What’s goin� on?� Clearly, I’d missed something important.

“You’re a solid guy, Gunnar. I had an� opportunity.�

“What kind of opportunity?� I was preparing myself for a fight, but I had no idea who’d I’d be fighting. Knuckles didn’t usually play politics inside, but one thing I’d learned while in USP Terre Haute was that there wasn’t much men wouldn’t do for a few amenities.

“The kind where I had to make a choice.�

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are we gettin� ready to try to kill each other, Knuckles?�

“Depends on your answer.�

I held my arms out from my side slightly so he could see I wasn’t armed. “Gotta know the question first, man.�

“I was told there was a one-time opportunity for me to get myself or one person of my choosing out early. Call it a favor from someone in the position to make this happen.�

“What’s that got to do with me?�

“If you agree to do something for me, you get to go back to your life a couple years early.�

“I suppose it depends on what it is you want. There are things I won’t do. Even for my freedom. I take it me getting this early parole wasn’t my father’s doing.�

“Even for the man who kept you alive when you first got to the real prison outta Camp Hilton?�

There was nothing easy about the camp and the bastard knew it. He also knew I’d agree with him I was alive now because of him. “Yeah, Knuckles. Even for you. But I hope you know I’d never deny you something without a fuckin� good reason.�

Knuckles studied me for several seconds before nodding his head slowly. “Yeah. I do know. It’s why I went ahead and pushed the order through. You’re a good man, Gunnar. Of all the people here, I believe you are the one man who has never been a danger to society. Anyone who fucks with your family isn’t considered society and is asking for whatever you dish out.� He snorted out a laugh. “You’re leaving whether you agree to help me or not.�

“What’s the ask, Knuckles?�

“My daughter,� he said. “She’s been taken. One of my enemies found out who she was and used her to get revenge on me.� Knuckles handed me a few photos of a young woman bound and gagged with an expression of abject terror on her face. The thing striking me most about her were her bright green eyes. They shimmered with tears, but there was something about them. A quiet acceptance of what was about to happen, maybe? Not in a sense she’d given up, but like she’d accepted the experience wasn’t going to be pleasant, but was determined to make it through so the task was complete.

“Pippa?� Knuckles had told me of her often enough. He was so proud of his baby girl. He’d managed a fling with one of the nurses in the prison before I got here and the woman had kept in touch over the years, even going so far as to let the girl meet Knuckles. The visit had gone well, but Knuckles had come back to the cell angry and agitated, afraid his enemies might use her to get revenge. That had been about five years ago. I knew there was nothing in the Goddamned world Knuckles wouldn’t do for Pippa, whether it be killing or dying for her.

“Yeah. I’ve had some stuff sent to the Bones MC clubhouse for you. I can’t rescue Pippa on my own and I have no idea if my own club would back me after what happened. The fallout of killin� those bastards put Kiss of Death in a pretty bad position.�

OK, the name of his club got my attention. “Kiss of Death? Motorcycle Club in Nashville?�

Knuckles nodded. “You know of us, then?�

“Yeah. You could say that.� I had to be careful here. I had no idea how I had managed to form a strong friendship with this man over the course of fifteen years and not realized he’d had ties to Kiss of Death.

“I was vice president before I got put in here. After I went away, things went to shit. Ain’t even sure at this point if they’ll still accept my patch. Damned sure ain’t vice president anymore. So my chances of gettin� her back on my own are pretty Goddamned slim.�

“You think I have a better shot?�

“Know you do. The new prez of Kiss of Death came from Bones. Vice president too. I can tell by the look on your face you know this.�

“Yeah. What I don’t know is why you kept your ties to them a secret from me.�

“There’s a reason I hadn’t called in that favor before now, Gunnar. I set this in motion the day I found out Torpedo had taken over Kiss of Death. It took a few months for my guy to pull it off so I used that time to gather as much information on the fuckers who took her.�

“I assume the information is in the package you sent back to Bones?�

“Yeah. Let whoever you need see it. Do whatever you have to. But get Pippa away from those bastards.�

I didn’t hesitate but stuck out my hand to Knuckles and he took it. “On my life, brother. I’ll bring Pippa home.�

“No,� he snapped. “You take her back to Bones or Kiss of Death if Torpedo and Bohannon are men you trust. But get her behind locked doors and do not let her out of your sight. If that means you take her as your old lady, then you do it. That’s the ask, Gunnar.�

It took a moment to comprehend what I’d just heard. “Me? You want me to make your daughter my old lady?�

About the Author

Marteeka Karland is an international bestselling author who leads a double life as an erotic romance author by evening and a semi-domesticated housewife by day. Known for her down and dirty MC romances, Marteeka takes pleasure in spinning tales of tenacious, protective heroes and spirited, vulnerable heroines. She staunchly advocates that every character deserves a blissful ending, even, sometimes, the villains in her narratives. Her writings are speckled with intense, raw elements resulting in page-turning delight entwined with seductive escapades leading up to gratifying conclusions that elicit a sigh from her readers.

Away from the pen, Marteeka finds joy in baking and supporting her husband with their gardening activities. The late summer season is set aside for preserving the delightful harvest that springs from their combined efforts (which is mostly his efforts, but you can count it). To stay updated with Marteeka's latest adventures and forthcoming books, make sure to visit her website. Don't forget to register for her newsletter which will pepper you with a potpourri of Teeka's beloved recipes, book suggestions, autograph events, and a plethora of interesting tidbits.

Author Contact Links

Author on Instagram & TikTok: @marteekakarland

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

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The Sadie Sabatini Mystery Series

Cozy Mystery

Date Published: March 25, 2025

Publisher: Harbor Lane Books, LLC.

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Sadie Sabatini is settling into her new life in Wilson, Texas. She's making friends and her business, Tesoro, is starting to thrive. But the past is never far behind. When two of her former team members come for a visit, they bring trouble in the form of a mutual enemy set on revenge threatening to disrupt Sadie's fresh start.

She can't turn her back on her team, though. They've been through too much together. The more Sadie tries to help, the more she suspects she might be the target of the con this time. With forces conspiring against her, the outcome of her decisions, both past and present, weigh heavily and make her question the choices she made leading to this point.

When their mutual enemy is found dead, alliances are tested, and wits are matched as the race to the truth reveals who can be trusted and who is running their final con.

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VENGEFUL CONSPIRACIES is book 2 in the Sadie Sabatini Mystery series by USA Today Bestselling author, Nicole Leiren!

About the Author

Described by those who know her best as perky, quirky and effervescent, USA Today Best-Selling author Nicole Leiren likes to have fun -- in life, with her characters and, of course, her readers. She admits to being sassy (just ask her mother!) and inspiration for her characters are drawn from the real-world heroes and heroines she meets while traversing the country.

Nicole enjoys sharing the love, laughter, mystery, and occasionally a touch of the mayhem she forces her characters to endure—all for the reader’s pleasure! Her real-world heroes and heroines will keep you turning the pages until you reach the whodunit or happily ever after (usually both!)

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Contact Links

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Dark / Drama / Thriller

Date Published: July 28, 2023

Publisher: Troubadour Books

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“Love before Covid - A raw, philosophical dive into love’s messy reality—unflinching, dark, and unapologetically human. Unlike typical romance novels, LOVE BEFORE COVID is a dialogue-driven exploration of human flaws and ideologies, blending fiction with metaphysical inquiry. It’s not about comfort; it’s about confrontation and insight.�

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Laced with dark humour, it is best described as traumatic (sur)realism. Love Before Covid takes the reader on a journey through the mind of Joe Pastorius - jazz fan, poet, and victim of horrendous sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of his mother.

The real-time dialogues between the characters that emerge from Joe’s unconscious come via arguably corrupted memories and dystopian dreams. They tell us more about Joe than he could ever know, and perhaps more about our world than you could ever imagine.

Dialogues entail an exploration of clashing perspectives and opinions, that cause reflection. Today though, our world has been infiltrated by online dialogues that tend to feel like wild unfiltered streams of human thought, raw, chaotic and often polarising and devoid of much reflection. Arguably that attitude, and lack of reflection is mirrored by the characters you will encounter. The reflection comes from the reader as the situations unfold. Your moral boundaries will without doubt be pushed to the limit.

You will meet an altruist who can’t stand up for himself, a charming but violent public intellectual, a beautiful dancer who hates fat people, a flirty and gregarious bartender who will do anything to get pregnant, a traumatised art historian who never wants to be a mother, a successful intellectual Mexican writer who is secretly disapproving of her childhood friend’s career as a pornstar, the teenage genius son of that pornstar who has sexual fantasises about his mother, a woman who is pressured into cutting off her penis and a successful therapist who has a habit of ruining people’s lives.

And yes, before you ask, some of the characters in this book eventually catch Covid 19. However, there is always hope. For Joe Pastorious, that comes in the form of the psychopath named Janet Waverley.

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Excerpt

INTRODUCTION

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Dear Reader,

This book is both a novel and a collection of dialogues.

The dialogues in this book are moving thought experiments. They portray elaborate, unfolding situations which, at every turn, force the reader to examine his or her philosophical intuitions about a range of topics, situations and people.

These dialogues are not merely fiction told in dialogue form. Fiction is drama that may (incidentally) comment upon or examine philosophical issues. Drama normally involves scenes in which dialogue is used to set up and advance a plot. In this book, plots are used to set up and advance the dialogues of the characters.

The dialogues in this book are something like philosophy, because the dramatic elements are merely a pretext to examine the philosophical issues raised by the situations in which the characters talk to each other. The dialogues happen in real time and are often deeply frustrating, as dialogues are in real life. Reading this book, you may feel as though you are listening in on a series of intensely private conversations.

If you heard any of these conversations in real life, you might feel as though you were being privy to a rather juicy bit of gossip. Or you might call the police. You might shed a tear. You might even masturbate (and then read some more traditional philosophy).

Like any piece of philosophy, the writing in this book is sometimes laborious. However, unlike traditional philosophy, the aim of this book is to explore, rather than resolve, a set of philosophical concerns. There are even issues raised in this book that many well-regarded philosophers find quite silly � too silly to take seriously as philosophy.

Love Before Covid is thus an attempt to invoke the gadfly spirit of Socrates in the 21st century, largely by abandoning the academic tradition he inspired. This book is expected to irritate both lovers of philosophy, as well as lovers of fiction. It may even irritate people from both sides of the 21st century’s culture wars.

The plot concerns the love life of a man called Joe Pastorious. However, this book does not tell you what to think of Joe, nor does it sing his praises by showing how much he conforms to the most cherished values of our time. Like many non-fictional people, Joe Pastorious is a complex human being. You may love him or hate him. To call him imperfect would be an understatement, but the degree to which he is likeable or loathsome is thoroughly up to you.

There are other fictional people in this book who also dialogue, but they only make appearances because of our protagonist. In some ways, they explain Joe, much more than Joe explains himself.

Joe Pastorious met his wife Janet Waverley in the autumn of 1999. Joe and Janet fell in love in a place called Leicester, which is a small city in the middle of England. Many things have been said of Leicester, but one thing that is not said enough is it is a fantastic place to fall in love. It was the perfect place for Joe and Janet to fall in love. This is true, despite the fact that Joe and Janet’s love is anything but perfect.

To truly understand the imperfect nature of this love, we must go back, not to the beginning, but to an imaginary autumn of 2002. It’s not enough to merely remember this autumn, from the vantage point of an imaginary present. We instead must adopt this moment’s perspective, seeing its events as though they were happening now.

When in the present, one can’t predict the future. Hence, the present is the best place to understand imperfect people. When people are dead and we know absolutely everything they have ever done, this creates an illusion of certainty the present thankfully wipes away. You can’t trust a corpse, because there is nothing about a corpse’s decisions that may hurt or disappoint you.

A living, breathing person is not like this. They are only capable of being truly understood, when they can be trusted. They can only be fully trusted when their future is uncertain.

Love’s power resides in the romance of this uncertainty.

About the Author

During the pandemic Dr Greg Scorzo completed his first novel ‘LOVE BEFORE COVIDâ€� as well as producing an innovative radio play based on 6 chapters from that book, also called â€� LOVE BEFORE COVID. available on our YouTube Channel.Ìý and via Audioboom with links to all major podcast platforms.

Greg says, “I was interested in the challenge of writing a novel that was formally experimental, while still being easy for a mass audience to read and understand. I love the idea of a piece of philosophy that is simultaneously a work of fiction, and a philosophical thought experiment which can function like a great, twisty roller coaster of a story that asks the reader many questions. Unlike traditional philosophy and many fashionable works of literature, this book purposefully asks questions without giving answers, encouraging readers to think (and emote) for themselves.�

Since gaining his PhD in Philosophy in 2011, Greg Scorzo has aimed to find creative and original ways to take philosophical thinking outside of academia. By using modern accessible philosophical dialogue inpublic talks, podcasts and his novel Love Before Covid, Greg explores clashing perspectives and opinions that cause reflection. Based in Leicester, he was a founding member of Culture on the Offensive and runs the podcast The ‘Art of Thinking�.

Dialogues entail an exploration of clashing perspectives and opinions that cause reflection. Statements and declarations can close minds.

The ‘Art of Thinkingâ€� with Greg Scorzo podcast is available on YouTube where he does friendly philosophical interrogation of ideasÌý with many interesting thinkers. Also available via Audioboom linking to all major podcast platforms.

His extended essays on Arts and Culture as well as Cultural Issues are available on this platform

He has a passion and extensive knowledge of film and music.

From 2017 â€� 2020 Greg Scorzo was active in running over 60 engaging voluntary community sessions, centred around ‘The Art of Thinking’Ì� The focussed onÌý universal philosophical themes, arts and culture and cultural issues. The ethos behind these events was to encourage the use of EMPATHY, CLARITY and COURAGE in ensuing dialogues with the audience. These were organised by COTO.

He also took up invitations to partner and run sessions at other events, including the Battle of Ideas Festival at the Barbican London, the Philosophy Now conference, Leicester Comedy Festival andÌý DeMontfort University’s Cultural Exchanges festival. He is always interested to partner up with other like minded people.

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