Crime Thriller / Suspense
Date Published: 09-07-2026
Publisher: Mission Point Press
Author Interview
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
RM: I was born in Ferndale, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit. I was attracted to classical music at an early age, playing violin in grade school orchestras and moving to the French horn in high school. I went to the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) where I became 1st horn in their orchestras.
I was a virtuoso horn player in two major east coast symphonies before age 22. Because piano was easy for me, I was always playing piano gigs during the orchestra nights off. Finally, so many piano gigs were offered to me that I quit the horn and became the busiest piano player in Detroit in 1964. (My mother was horrified, saying "You went from concert hall horn player to barroom piano player in only two months!") Eventually this led to a 30-year solo piano concert career that took me around the world. Now retired, I stay in my woodland home near Lapeer, MI, and look for fun things to do. Like writing books.
What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
RM: I've composed all kinds of music, everything from country songs and piano concertos to a full scale grand opera. I never studied the composing styles of the most famous composers because I already knew how to write music simply by listening to it. Similarly, I have never studied the writing style of any author. As in both music and literature, the final judge is the audience. In music, as both a performer and composer, the goal is to "avoid boring the audience: know when to start and when to quit." The same principle applies to writing books.
Favorite sports.
RM: I was a semi-professional pool player my entire life. Since I couldn't sacrifice my concert appearances to go play in pool tournaments, I was never classified as "professional." Furthermore, in pool when you make a great shot and win the game everyone hates you because they lost. In piano, when you play either a simple, beautiful melody or a thundering boogie-woogie, everyone stands up cheering and loves you. I chose wisely.
Favorite thing about your state you live in.
RM: Michigan has four equal seasons. Three of them are for everyone. One is only for those with true grit.
How long have you been writing?
RM: I've been writing all my life. Started off writing articles for music publications, then dissertations on music, then a book about my "saloon playing days" around Detroit (The Journeyman Piano Player: Adventures in Gracious Dining), a historical account of America's first mass murderer, and finally a few novels that interested me.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
RM: I know the entire plot of the book before ever starting to write it.
How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
RM: My ideas come from true life experiences.
How do you celebrate finishing a book?
RM: I celebrate with a bowl of popcorn, a treat I don't allow very often.
What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice?
RM: My software is Microsoft Word. I would suggest trying to think the entire book through before ever starting.
How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?
RM: You don't "find time" to write. You simply stop doing everything else, including turning off your phone, and begin.
As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal?
RM: Cats. Cats are decisive. They also biff things they don't like. Everyone should be like cats.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
RM: My wife Linda, our two daughters, and my fans.
How do you name your characters?
RM: Most of the names I've used are actual names of people I know.
Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
RM: There's no such thing as a "typical" day. I write things. Then I ask myself, "Is this the best you can do?" Then I rewrite. This continues until someone takes it away from me.
About the Author
Bob’s extraordinary musical abilities were the subject of numerous brain studies, which have inspired a popular RadioLab podcast.
Little did they know that Bob was also a talented writer.
For years he wrote articles about his saloon-playing days for music publications. Many of these stories were compiled into a book called The Journeyman Piano Player: Adventures in Gracious Dining. Bob has written reams of poetry, some of which became lyrics to songs that he composed. The longest piece of poetry he ever wrote was the lyric book for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a grand opera he composed and orchestrated.
Mr. Milne has been fascinated by nature his entire life. At a young age he realized that instincts are present in all species of birds, mammals (including humans), and literally every living thing in nature. He has used this information countless times over his lifetime to predict what the human species will do in future situations.
Bob is now retired from the long piano tours and is enjoying his woodland home. Today he spends his time studying nature in the woods. Signed copies of his book may be purchased through his website.
How to Stop Scrolling Through Your Life and Start Living It
You’re not broken. You’re overstimulated.
How to Stop Scrolling Through Your Life and Start Living It
You’re not broken. You’re overstimulated.
Excerpt
These days, our lives feel more like a game of mental Tetris, one that can never be won. Clear one email, three pop up. No matter how hard we try, the notifications keep stacking.
Right now, I have 33 tabs open on my laptop. Thirty-three. And that's not a metaphor, it's my actual browser. But it might as well be my brain.
Our minds jump from thought to thought, mentally everywhere and yet emotionally nowhere. We're so sucked into our phones that we can't remember the last time we looked up. Let alone what we just scrolled past. Perhaps you're like me; I tried turning off notifications, but I ended up checking my phone more often. A feeling reminiscent of the yo-yo diet culture of the early 2000s, where Special K was sold as the "answer" but only left us hungrier. This isn't distraction, it's deeper. We're fragmented, overstimulated, and always somewhere else.
It's what I call open-tab mind. The mental default of the digital age. But it isn't just a metaphor. It's how technology is impacting our brains and everyday lives. This became impossible to ignore when I learned how the people who built these systems live with them.
Jack Dorsey — the co-founder of Twitter, a platform designed around constant updates and real-time attention — now practices some of the most extreme digital boundaries I've ever heard of.
When I first heard this, I had two immediate reactions: That's insane. And — of course. That makes total sense. Because why would someone need monk-level discipline unless they'd built something so compelling it required monk-level discipline to resist? That isn't hypocrisy. It's evidence.
At the airport, you refresh your gate info, check texts, and scroll on repeat. You were supposed to journal, but you got distracted by the buzz of a notification. Instead, I got lost in the scroll, only half hearing my boarding call. Twenty minutes later, I still hadn't pulled out my notebook, and my phone hadn't left my palm.
Here's the thing: it wasn't just me. And it isn't just airports. Digital distraction has seeped into every aspect of our lives. It’s in classrooms, boardrooms, even the conference rooms of the most innovative companies in the world.
Date Published: 09-15-2026
Publisher: Oculus Print
ZOMBIE ZOO is Book 1 in a five-book middle grade adventure series for readers ages 8-13, blending paranormal mystery, zombies, unlikely friendship, and STEAM-powered problem-solving.
To find a cure, Felix must team up with Ninja, a shadow-dwelling orphan who trusts her instincts and never backs down. Intense and razor-sharp, she notices what others overlook and lives up to her name as the island's most mysterious sleuth. With their eccentric mentor Doc Brunne compromised and the town's water supply contaminated by a glowing bioluminescent substance, the two mismatched investigators must combine scientific observation with sharp intuition to stop the outbreak before their island home is devoured.
Featuring diverse protagonists, quirky humor, spooky-but-fun scares, and strong female and male leads. ZOMBIE ZOO is ideal for reluctant readers and fans of Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth, B.B. Alston's Amari and the Night Brothers, and Goosebumps. Comprehensive educator resources-including discussion guides, vocabulary lists, STEAM extension activities, and printable maps-support classroom use, library programming, book clubs, and make this title ideal for cross-curricular lessons bridging ELA, STEAM, and SEL.
About the Author
Instagram: @byMelanieAbed
Purchase Links
Date Published: 08-04-2020
Publisher: RWG Publishing
Perfect for fans of theme parks, musicals, and happily-ever-after's. 🎢💛✨
It’s been a week, and I haven’t seen Martin around at work.
Maybe he realized I am just a nobody...a dead-end loser.
Maybe he is just trying to give me space since our date didn’t exactly end well.
And I'm remaining distant from Travis.
He came over with a box of bagels this morning, and I pretended I had to work early and left.
I need to figure out my life.
I feel so…lost.
“Brittany, are you okay?” Cheese Crusader Pierre Cartagena suddenly approaches me in the break room. My notebook is out, but I haven't been writing, just staring off into space.
“Oh. Yeah. I’m fine," I lie.
“No. I don’t think you are fine. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on with you,” Pierre calls my bluff, pulling up a chair beside me.
I smile at Pierre's interest. He’s a young man with delicate yet wise eyes and a friendly smile.
“It’s just…have you ever liked someone…I mean, I tried to choose between…I mean, I guess I don’t know what I mean…” I shake my head in frustration.
“Let me guess." Pierre places his whimsical milk jug water cooler on the table. "You are torn between two men, and your heart is saying one thing, and your head is saying another.”
“Something like that…” I respond.
“Let me help you out. Who do you feel most comfortable around? Who do you have inside jokes with? Who makes you laugh? Who is real and who is imaginary?”
“Imaginary?” I question. “What do you mean? These men are not imaginary?”
“Ah. Yes. They can be. Sometimes, especially when it comes to love, we get this fantasy in our head about a person. But it’s not real. It’s just that….a fantasy. Who is real? And who is just in your imagination?”
I close my notebook.
Maybe I need to focus on reality more than fantasy.
“Thanks, Pierre. That’s a big help.”
Sunshine Rodgers, a prolific author, has penned 15 books that have achieved remarkable success. Her literary works have graced Amazon’s International Best Seller lists across 26 different categories, including #1 in the United Kingdom, #2 in the United States, and #25 in Canada. These books have been translated into several languages, including Spanish and Portuguese. Her entrepreneurial spirit shines through with 90,000 social media followers who appreciate her engaging content.
When she’s not weaving tales, Sunshine shares her insights through 124 interviews on radio, podcasts, and online magazines. Her creative team of 48 professionals, including artists, audiobook narrators, and photographers contribute to her literary endeavors. She has participated in 15 book tours and dozens of book signings. She’s not only an author but also a brand ambassador, representing 33 domestic and international companies in fashion, health, food, and skincare. Sunshine is married to the love of her life, Travis, and they reside in sunny Florida.
Sunshine Rodgers’ books are like rays of literary sunshine—bright, warm, and impossible to ignore!
Date Published: September 2026
Publisher: Serapis Bey Publishing
TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH THE WAY YOU SPEAK
As human beings, we have a deep need for social connection, yet our primitive fight-or-flight response can be a major barrier to achieving it, leading to misunderstanding, conflict and disconnection.
Fortunately, there is a solution.
The Human Language delivers a compelling message. By replacing our habitual, learned patterns of communication we can experience greater understanding, empathy and connection in our relationships, transforming our lives.
Through easy-to-follow chapters, this book introduces The MECAnism, to calm your instinctive reactions, gain emotional clarity and develop psychological safety. It gives you the practical tools and techniques to listen, speak and act in your daily life with compassion, for yourself and others, enabling you to meet your needs with confidence.
Pam Bryant, Oxford, UK
"Penny uses just enough science to help the reader understand why they behave the way they do while focusing on simple techniques to get to the heart of change.
The Human Language should be required reading for anybody who has to work or live with other people, which is most of us."
Diana D'Ascoli, Philadelphia, US
Excerpt
The four sections consist of:
1. Identify our ‘learnt’ human communication patterns—sets the
scene, identifies how we currently speak, and how our learnt
language dominates our lives and leads to disconnection,
disharmony and disengagement. You will no doubt recognise in
this your own mind chatter and typical conversations with others.
2. Reflect for self-understanding and prepare for learning—
provides groundwork exercises to help you get to know yourself
better, discover your values and core beliefs, and set your goals,
in preparation for learning a new language.
3. Framework to improve your self-awareness, relationships and
life situations—
The MECAnism for self-reflection and managing
feelings, for empathising with others, and for holding more
compassionate, productive conversations with anyone, from your
partner and children to your manager and work colleagues.
4. Case Studies examining ways to address specific situations—a
wide range of everyday scenarios from home, family and work
life, mapping out how conversations typically pan out in our learnt
language, and how they can be translated into The Human
Language.
My intention is for The MECAnism to bring the principles of
emotional intelligence, psychological safety and nonviolent
communication easily to anyone who wants to transform their lives
through the way they speak and listen. The MECAnism provides a
framework for communicating, as well as an ebb and flow between
your mind and your body, and between yourself and other people.
These two motions are like the blood that runs through your arteries
away from and back to the heart, with the heart always at the centre
of whatever you are saying and doing.
About the Author
Penny Newton-Hurley is the founder of CommPassion Ltd. She has worked with large private organisations in the UK and globally, and in the public sector across the areas of government, military, healthcare and education for more than 30 years. CommPassion provides training in interpersonal communication skills, resolving conflict between individuals and building psychological safety within teams for higher workplace and relationship performance.
In 2025, her company launched their first four online courses, taking their expertise and experience from the world of business directly to individuals in all areas of their lives. This book reveals the details behind her courses and supports the learning of improved communications skills.
Communication has been a fascination for Penny since childhood, when she spoke with her father in Morse Code! After a few exciting years spent working in International Marketing, Penny had an opportunity to be involved in the nascent field of Internal Communication where she began to understand the importance of humanto-human connection in the workplace. In 2005, she was introduced to the teachings of nonviolent communication. From that moment on, it became her purpose to spread this message as far as possible, a mission to change the way we talk and listen and communicate with each other; to change the way the world speaks.
Today, she is a trainer of compassionate communication techniques, Workplace Mediator, Certified Psychological Safety Facilitator with the Fearless Organisation; as well as a UK Samaritans Listening Volunteer. Penny holds a BA (Combined Honours) in Modern Languages (French/Spanish) with Politics, Economics and Linguistics.
Contact Links
Instagram: @pennynewtonhurley
Facebook: Penny Newton-Hurley
LinkedIn: Penny Newton-Hurley
TikTok: @pennynewtonhurley
YouTube: Penny Newton-Hurley
Date Published: 09-10-2026
It would be the last moment of my life I’d ever feel safe again.
The trauma of what happened that night will never leave me—and it was only the beginning. For the last nineteen years, I’ve been trapped in a nightmare of blocked numbers, violated restraining orders, and the compulsion to scan every face in every crowd, waiting for the day when his will be among them.
But I've also spent the time preparing. My home has become a fortress, with reinforced doors, perimeter cameras, and a safe room in the cellar. I've even taught my seven-year-old daughter how to call for help. When I finally have to face Peter Harlow again, I’ll be ready.
Or so I thought.
Because on the night of a furious snowstorm, a terrified stranger arrives at my gate. Emily is barefoot, bruised, and desperate for help—claiming her husband just tried to kill her.
To let her in from the storm would mean breaking every rule I've made to protect myself and my daughter—but could I live with myself if I didn’t?
But what follows is everything I've lived in fear of for all these years. First, the lights go out. Then, the internet dies. Next, the phone line goes dead—and finally, I find myself trapped inside my own safe room, watching through a camera feed as the man who stole my life for two decades walks the halls of my home, playing happy families with my little girl.
I built this fortress to keep him out. Now, it’s the only thing keeping me from protecting my child.
The Safe Room is a heart-stopping psychological thriller by bestselling author Sarah A. Denzil, the "mistress of twists." Essential reading for fans of Alice Feeney, Freida McFadden, and Caroline Kepnes.
Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her husband and cats, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather. She loves to write moody, psychological fiction with plenty of twists and turns.
A Story of Political Peril
Date Published: 09-10-2026
Publisher: Mission Point Press
The Vote is a political thriller built around a conspiracy among powerful political actors, billionaires, and party operatives who seek to manipulate the constitutional amendment process in order to permanently reshape the structure of American government. The mechanics of American politics, particularly the Article V constitutional amendment process, is the framework that informs the central premise of the novel. The current political landscape of the country lends credibility to the story and gives the narrative an interesting and timely foundation.
The manuscript opens with a series of interconnected storylines involving political figures, wealthy conspirators, and emerging state-level candidates. These threads gradually reveal a coordinated effort to gain control of state legislatures and Congress as part of a broader plan to fundamentally alter the country’s political system. The concept itself is ambitious and grounded in recognizable political realities.
About the Author
In 1981, he founded Daavlin, a medical technology company that eventually grew into a prominent player in the field of dermatology. As part of his career, he stepped foot on every continent and dipped his toes in every ocean on earth. Reading, writing, traveling, acting, and directing live theater are his favored pastimes.
He’s also a lifetime political junkie. As this book goes to press, Swanson is a candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives.
Crime Thriller / Suspense
Date Published: 09-07-2026
Publisher: Mission Point Press
About the Author
Bob’s extraordinary musical abilities were the subject of numerous brain studies, which have inspired a popular RadioLab podcast.
Little did they know that Bob was also a talented writer.
For years he wrote articles about his saloon-playing days for music publications. Many of these stories were compiled into a book called The Journeyman Piano Player: Adventures in Gracious Dining. Bob has written reams of poetry, some of which became lyrics to songs that he composed. The longest piece of poetry he ever wrote was the lyric book for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a grand opera he composed and orchestrated.
Mr. Milne has been fascinated by nature his entire life. At a young age he realized that instincts are present in all species of birds, mammals (including humans), and literally every living thing in nature. He has used this information countless times over his lifetime to predict what the human species will do in future situations.
Bob is now retired from the long piano tours and is enjoying his woodland home. Today he spends his time studying nature in the woods. Signed copies of his book may be purchased through his website.