A CLOSER LOOK AT FEBRUARY’S
NAD OF NADIDE
By Wagih Abu-Rish
Love in a maze of social, religious, and political obstacles.
THE BOOK
This book has been called by Literary Titan “as enticing as the Shakespearian classic Romeo and Juliet, maybe more.” Labeled “an engrossing drama” by The Prairies Book Review, this is a story about love in a maze of social, religious, and political obstacles.
After his love affair with the stunning Lebanese Dania takes a turn for the worse, Fareed Shaheen transfers to university in Istanbul, where he meets the lovely Nad. He falls in love once again, but Nad’s father, General Ali Hikmet, is an intimidating man who has no intention to let his daughter marry a man of mixed origin. Will the lovers prevail?
THE AUTHOR
WAGIH ABU-RISH is a Palestinian-American author and activist. He spent much of his career as a businessman, specializing in acquisitions. During a long and varied professional career, he was a foreign journalist in Beirut, Lebanon, and an ad executive on Madison Avenue in New York.
He has been active in promoting progressive causes such as democratic practices and equal rights. Among those causes, he feels strongly about the need for the liberation of women in the Middle East, which he considers to be the most overlooked and abridged human right of all.
LOBSTER WARS
By Mark E. Greene
Reality TV show celebrates lobster fishing in this social satire
THE BOOK
A tight, fast-paced social satire about what happens when reality TV comes to a small fishing village in Maine. The locals think they’re going to get famous and rich. But it’s never that easy — especially when Connor Nichols, a telegenic outsider, a guy from “away,” gets a lobster fishing license and horns in on their good fortune.
The TV show airs to great ratings, only increasing the pressure, prompting a few unsavory characters to do anything they can to get in on the action. With filming about to begin, everything now hinges on season two. But it’s reality TV—what could go wrong?
THE AUTHOR
MARK E GREENE is an award-winning author with an off-beat sense of humor and a sharp eye for the absurd. He writes high-energy satire with the pace of a thriller, plus a little off-beat romance thrown in for good measure. When Mark is not writing, he and his family pursue all manner of self-propelled outdoor sports which provide content for the podcast hosted by his alter ego; Mark in the Wild.
THIS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO READ
By Dr. Claire N. Rubman
It’s time to reinvent reading!
THE BOOK
More than 42 million Americans are functionally illiterate; they can’t follow the directions on a can of soup. Millions of students leave grade school with insufficient reading skills to adequately do their work and learn. How and why did this happen? And what does this say about the way we are educating our children?
Parents don’t necessarily see these reading comprehension inadequacies until their children begin to fail. But there is so much that we can do to help parents to prevent this failure chain. Dr. Claire N. Rubman, a cognitive development psychologist and college professor, attempts to address those issues and provide solutions in this new book.
THE AUTHOR
DR. CLAIRE N. RUBMAN earned her PhD in cognitive, developmental psychology and has taught for the last 30 years. As a professor and a parent, she is passionate about applying the research that she teaches in the classroom to make a real difference in the world. She has given numerous lectures and workshops across the country.
In her free time, she loves to laugh, play chess, discuss books at her neighborhood book club, kayak, walk her dog and complete puzzles.
THE ISLAND MOTHER
By John Cohn
Midsommar meets White Lotus in this supernatural thriller.
THE BOOK
This next great horror book, a 2022 finalist for the BookLife Prize, blends danger, supernatural creatures, and the unknown into an unforgettable read. It is centered around an emotionally co-dependent woman on the run from her own life. She finds paradise, but it may come at a cost that she’s unable to pay…
Leigh Ramos, a woman on the run from her ex-boyfriend and the dangerous life she left behind, is starting over in Hawaii with a new name and hopes to leave her past behind her. She’s doing okay. A new job. Great friends. And a love interest in her new boss. But something seems off. The itch to run is back and the island seems to be rejecting her at every turn.
There’s a darkness looming on the island and it seems that the only thing that will save them is a sacrifice that will cost a little bit of something from everyone. Will this new life be all that she’s ever wished for or is the island going to claim her too?
THE AUTHOR
JON COHN has been a member of the games community since 2016, designing narrative-focused horror experiences like Grind House, and having the absolute joy of contributing to his favorite franchises like Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While Jon currently has several short stories published, his first horror novel The Island Mother will be debuting early 2022. He lives in San Diego with his incredibly supporting wife Delaney, and two little monsters named Gizmo and Luna.
IS HE MR. RIGHT … OR MR. RIGHT NOW?
By Heather Leah
Re-imagine love relationships in this journey of self-discovery
THE BOOK
Whether you are single and searching, dating and discouraged, married and mismatched, or divorced and doubtful, you will be inspired to discover practical ways to go from attracting Mr. Right Now, to consciously creating a fulfilling lifetime with your Mr. Right.
In this entertaining and practical book, the author shares decades of dating wisdom and reveals the influences, both seen and unseen, that shape our love lives. Full of real-life examples, she identifies unconscious habits that block the relationships we long for and includes powerful, deep questions designed to reveal our own inner wisdom, clarity, and confidence.
THE AUTHOR
HEATHER LEAH brings her leadership skills in organizational change, personal and professional development, and executive coaching to her work with women around the world. She has been featured in major media outlets, including radio, newspapers, and television.
Heather lives in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland, with her husband, Michael. Together they own Celebration Cellars Winery, where they host events and create a relaxed yet elegant environment for their customers and guests.
FAILED STATES
By Justin O’Donnell
A fast-paced speculative thriller in the vein of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
THE BOOK
In an America on the edge of extinction, Thomas La Stella serves as a Deportation Force officer.
Tom is old enough to remember America before Dayton Day, the attack that finally brought the country to its knees and the earth toward its death. Still fighting for hope, Tom clings to his pregnant wife, Riley, and begrudgingly serves a government on the brink of revolution. When the president of the country goes missing, a new radical force rises from within and threatens every hope Tom has for a better future.
Failed States deals with political, religious, and violent themes ranging from cannibalism to abortion, while calling into question the fundamental clash between security and liberty.
THE AUTHOR
JUSTIN O’DONNELL holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Connecticut State University. He spent his childhood immersed in online roleplay, playing football, and reading history. When not reading or writing, Justin competes as a bodybuilder and dreams up ways to spin speculative tales about ancient empires, mythological horrors, and apocalyptic hellscapes. Justin currently lives in Port Saint Lucie, Florida with his wife, daughter, and mischievous Siberian husky.
