A CLOSER LOOK AT JANUARY’S
THE RHYTHM OF GRACE ON STANDALONE MOUNTAIN
By Jeffery L. Deal
Two girls, centuries apart, fight for love and survival.
THE BOOK
Centuries apart, two girls living beneath the shadow of Currahee Mountain fight to save their families from ruin. A young Native American warrior battles to protect her loved ones, while half a millennium later, another girl faces betrayal and violence at the hands of fanatics. Their lives, bound by the mountain’s enduring presence, converge during a devastating flood in Toccoa, Georgia.
The Rhythm of Grace on Standalone Mountain weaves historical events with pre-Columbian life in a gripping tale of fierce love, redemption, and resilience against unimaginable evil.
THE AUTHOR
Jeffery Deal, a physician, anthropologist, and inventor, has worked as a tropical medicine specialist in South Sudan during its wars, Liberia during the Ebola pandemic, and numerous other developing countries. He holds advanced degrees from the University of South Carolina, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the London School of Tropical Medicine. A former US naval officer and Walter Reed Medical Center resident, he is a fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine. Dr. Deal has published extensively, including two novels, Toccoa: Dark Secrets of a Small Georgia Town and The Mark, and an ethnography on South Sudan’s Dinka people.
THE MEMORY DRESS
By Jade Beer
A missing husband and a dress once owned by Princess Diana unite two women in a life-changing journey.
THE BOOK
England, 2018: Jayne lives quietly, avoiding connection, until she meets her elderly neighbor, Meredith. Meredith’s home is chaotic, her memory fading, and she can’t recall where her husband, William, is. Determined to help, Jayne uncovers a mysterious clue: a couture gown gifted to Meredith by Princess Diana.
England, 1988: Meredith, calm and steady, stitches gowns for Princess Diana. But her world shifts when she falls for someone in the workshop, forcing her to choose between stability and the chance to chase her dreams. Across decades, two women’s lives entwine in a story of love, loss, and courage.
THE AUTHOR
Jade is the author of four published novels, including The Last Dress from Paris and The Palace Dressmaker (titled The Memory Dress in the USA). Her books are typically set in the glamorous worlds of couture and royal fashion with a strong focus on emotional female relationships and family mysteries.
When she isn’t writing novels, Jade works as a journalist for the national press and has written for Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Tatler, Red, Good Housekeeping, The Sunday Times Style and most British national newspapers.
BUY THE BOOK
FACE THE STORM
By C.D. Kreger
A call to break silence, confront trauma, and find strength.
THE BOOK
Face the Storm is C.D. Kreger’s raw and powerful account of surviving childhood sexual abuse, navigating trauma, and finding healing. Raised in a strict, abusive household, Kreger was forced into silence, protecting her abuser instead of receiving protection herself. Her story sheds light on the devastating impact of predators and the culture of secrecy that allows them to thrive. Now a passionate advocate, Kreger empowers survivors to break the silence, share their stories, and find strength in their voices. This memoir is a call to action for survivors and allies alike: stand up, be seen, and face the storm.
THE AUTHOR
C.D. Kreger survived a childhood of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, learning that social isolation and shame often harm survivors more than the abuse itself. She believes breaking the silence around sexual violence is key to stopping it. Unlike physical diseases, sexual violence requires our care, attention, and vigilance—listening, sharing, and standing together to protect survivors.
A proponent of educational equity, Kreger earned a master’s degree in Sociology after surviving on minimum-wage jobs. Now a civil servant, she lives in Maryland with her husband and is the proud matriarch of a diverse, ever-growing “Patchwork Family.”
BUY THE BOOK
I SEE YOU’VE CALLED IN DEAD
By John Kenney
The Office meets Six Feet Under meets About a Boy in this coming-of-middle-age tale.
THE BOOK
Bud Stanley, an obituary writer afraid to live, accidentally publishes his own obituary after a disastrous blind date and a night of too much Scotch. The newspaper can’t fire a dead person, leaving Bud in limbo. As he faces the fallout, his life begins to take a new direction. With the help of his best friend, Tim, a former art dealer confined to a wheelchair, Bud starts attending strangers’ funerals to learn how to embrace life. Award-winning author John Kenney delivers a funny, touching story about life, death, and finding meaning in the unexpected.
THE AUTHOR
John Kenney is the author of two novels and four books of poetry, including Love Poems For Married People. His first novel, Truth In Advertising, won the Thurber Prize for American humor. The book was optioned and Kenney wrote the screenplay. Ryan Reynolds was attached to the film as was Notting Hill director Roger Michell. He is also the author of Talk to Me, also a starred Kirkus review. He is a long-time contributor to The New Yorker magazine’s Shouts & Murmurs.
He lives in Larchmont, NY, with his wife, Lissa, and two children. His book, I See You’ve Called In Dead, will be published April 1, 2025 by Zibby Books.
