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Introducing Launch Pad – A #1 Amazon New Release – Part 2 – March 22, 2023

Please join us for an exciting Part 2 episode of “Launch Pad: The Countdown To Writing Your Book” with authors and contributors Susanne Dunlap, Stacy Juba, and Meredith Stoddard.

“Launch Pad: The Countdown To Writing Your Book” by authors Emma Dhesi and Grace SammonLooking for just the right balance of inspiration, skill building, and a toolbox of writing craft tips? Join us here for LAUNCH PAD: The Countdown to Writing Your Book!  From the inspiring words of The Story Summit’s Amy Ferris to the practical suggestions of award-winning authors, this book, the first in a series of three on writing, publishing, and marketing your book, will help you get it right!  If you’re intimidated by the thought of outlining your novel or creating rich and complex characters, LAUNCH PAD has you covered. If you want to learn the secret to writing a great scene, not only does LAUNCH PAD show you how to structure it like a pro, but it explains how to add the right amount of conflict or suspense, so your readers keep reading. Each focused chapter brings authors and would-be-authors closer to the creation of a story well told and ready for publication. The brainchild of entrepreneur, author, and speaker, Grace Sammon, this book series builds on the wildly popular radio show LAUNCH PAD – celebrating book releases and the authors who create them. With countdown tips, ways to connect directly to the authors, and bonus downloadable planning sheets, LAUNCH PAD delivers a craft book that speaks right to you. Led by Emma Dhesi, the internationally recognized author, book coach, and podcaster with a lifetime of experience in helping writers like you improve their craft, and Grace Sammon, LAUNCH PAD helps you navigate through the emotional rollercoaster of finishing your novel.

Susanne Dunlap, author of “The Courtesan’s Daughter”Susanne Dunlap is a historical novelist and Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach. Her love of history began in academia with a Ph.D. in music history from Yale. She soon decided it was much more fun to spin stories based on the remarkable figures and times she discovered than to write peer-reviewed articles, and published her first historical novel with Touchstone Books of Simon and Schuster in 2005. She made the move into young adult fiction in 2010 and published four YA historical novels with Bloomsbury Children’s. In 2019, Susanne stumbled into the orbit of Jennie Nash, CEO of Author Accelerator, took both the fiction and the nonfiction courses and became certified in both. It turned out that helping writers write the best books they’re capable of and realize their cherished dream of becoming an author was a role made for Susanne, as the many testimonials from her clients in both fiction and nonfiction attest.  Today, Susanne continues to write and has a thriving business as a book coach in Biddeford, Maine, and considers herself the most fortunate of people to have a life completely immersed in books and writing.

Susanne-Dunlap.com

Stacy Juba, author of “Fooling Around With Cinderella” – Stacy Juba, the founder of Shortcuts for Writers, helps fiction and creative nonfiction writers of all levels who want to simplify the writing and editing process so they can save time and money. She published her first novel at age eighteen, and over the years has written sweet and sassy chick lit novels, mysteries about determined women sleuths, and entertaining books for young adults and children. Her novels have been ranked as #5 and #11 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. Stacy is also a freelance developmental editor and line editor, a creator of online courses for writers, and an award-winning journalist who has published more than 3,000 articles.

StacyJuba.com

ShortcutsForWriters.com

Meredith Stoddard, author of “The River Maiden: Once & Future Book 1 – Meredith R. Stoddard writes folklore-inspired fiction from her writing shed in Virginia. She studied literature and folklore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before working as a corporate trainer and instructional designer. Her love of storytelling is inspired by years spent listening to stories at her grandmother’s kitchen table. She also helps authors create repeatable processes for productive writing.

MeredithStoddard.com

 

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Introducing Launch Pad – A #1 Amazon New Release – Part 1 – March 15, 2023

Please join us for an exciting Part 1 episode of “Launch Pad: The Countdown To Writing Your Book” with authors and contributors Carol Van Den Hende and Janyre Tromp.

“Launch Pad: The Countdown To Writing Your Book” by authors Emma Dhesi and Grace SammonLooking for just the right balance of inspiration, skill building, and a toolbox of writing craft tips? Join us here for LAUNCH PAD: The Countdown to Writing Your Book!  From the inspiring words of The Story Summit’s Amy Ferris to the practical suggestions of award-winning authors, this book, the first in a series of three on writing, publishing, and marketing your book, will help you get it right!  If you’re intimidated by the thought of outlining your novel or creating rich and complex characters, LAUNCH PAD has you covered. If you want to learn the secret to writing a great scene, not only does LAUNCH PAD show you how to structure it like a pro, but it explains how to add the right amount of conflict or suspense, so your readers keep reading. Each focused chapter brings authors and would-be-authors closer to the creation of a story well told and ready for publication. The brainchild of entrepreneur, author, and speaker, Grace Sammon, this book series builds on the wildly popular radio show LAUNCH PAD – celebrating book releases and the authors who create them. With countdown tips, ways to connect directly to the authors, and bonus downloadable planning sheets, LAUNCH PAD delivers a craft book that speaks right to you. Led by Emma Dhesi, the internationally recognized author, book coach, and podcaster with a lifetime of experience in helping writers like you improve their craft, and Grace Sammon, LAUNCH PAD helps you navigate through the emotional rollercoaster of finishing your novel.

Carol Van Den Hende, author of “Orchid Blooming”Carol Van Den Hende is the award-winning author of the Goodbye, Orchid series, a public speaker, and MBA with 20+ years’ experience in marketing, strategy, and insights. Carol has keynoted and presented at conferences like Writer’s Digest, IBPA, International Women’s Writing Guild, Rutgers Writers’ Conference, Novelists Inc., and Women Who Write. She’s also the founder and president of Azine Press, one of the first B Corps publishers in the Northeast United States. Carol’s novels Orchid Blooming and Goodbye, Orchid are inspired by wounded veterans and have won 30+ literary and design awards, including the American Fiction Award, IAN Outstanding Fiction First Novel Award, and Royal Dragonfly Awards for Cultural Diversity and Disability Awareness. Buzzfeed, Parade, and Travel+Leisure named Carol’s books a most anticipated read. Glamour Magazine recommended her “modern, important take on the power of love.” The International Pulpwood Queens selected Goodbye, Orchid as a 2022 Bonus Book-of-the-Month and Orchid Blooming as a 2023 International Book-of-the-Month. One secret to her good fortune? Her humorous husband and twins, who prove that love really does conquer all.

CarolVenDenHende.com

Janyre Tromp, author of “Shadows in the Mind’s Eye” – Janyre Tromp is an in-house book editor by day and writer of historical novels with a healthy dose of lyrical intrigue at night. She’s the best-selling author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye and co-author of both O Little Town and It’s a Wonderful Christmas. And that all happens from her unfinished basement when she’s not hanging out with her family, two troublesome cats, and slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog.

JanyreTromp.com

 

 

 

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Happy Valentine’s Day! – February 15, 2023

Please join us with authors Michael Vecchione, C.M. Alongi, and J.W. Webb.

Michael Vecchione, author of “Fallen Angel”When a priest in the Vatican’s Office of Exorcisms in New York noticed the upheaval that was occurring in American cities after perpetrators of particularly heinous and insidious crimes had been acquitted after trial, something struck him about the dates of those crimes. His research revealed that the crimes all preceded satanic exorcisms he had witnessed or performed and struck at the very fabric of society. After additional research revealed eerily similar instances had occurred around the world, being an exorcist with a thorough knowledge of the Devil and his works, the priest concluded that Satan was directly responsible for the crimes and the chaos. In America, the Devil had been winning because crimes like those studied by the priest, resulting in criminal trials, were being lost by the prosecution. The reasons for the losses varied from Jurisdiction to jurisdiction. But a closer examination revealed that the Devil had used his wiles to affect the investigations and trials, thus ensuring the desired outcome would be achieved. Once Brooklyn became ground zero for the Evil One, a local prosecutor with the skill, personality, strength, and tenacity to take on Satan, to withstand his counterattacks and beat him, was recruited. Michael Gioca, Chief of the Rackets Division in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, was handpicked by a secret government agency to be that warrior. With crimes that had actually taken place in Brooklyn and investigated and prosecuted by the author as the backdrop, Fallen Angel, A True Crime Fantasy, is the story of Gioca’s war with Satan.

 

C.M. Alongi, author of “To Kill a Necromancer” – In a world of greed, gods, and monsters, paladins are chosen to do what no mortal human can. Granted divine attributes of their chosen deity, they protect the broken fragments of human civilization from any and all threats, often from necromancers, those born with the ability to speak with and raise the dead. Such a power inevitably corrupts and turns each and every necromancer evil. Right? Jinua has just received her first assignment as a paladin: to execute a necromancer terrorizing a small town with an undead army. But what should be a straightforward mission turns complicated when another necromancer reveals himself as an ally, flying in the face of everything Jinua’s ever heard about his kind. Can she trust him to help her on her quest, or is he an even greater threat?

CMAlongi.com

 

J.W. Webb, author of “Dreamslayers: A Legends of Ansu Fantasy”Arraleen Caze’s rage knows no bounds. Quick to feed enemies to her pet panthers, the wealthy spymaster’s daughter is appalled when fools call for the destruction of her missing father’s land and the deaths of their people. So when her parent reappears, the arrogant assassin whisks him away from the impending carnage to plan their bloody revenge. Gujun the Slayer’s options are rapidly shrinking. On the run after offing the vile emperor that hired him, the killers on his trail leave little room for rest. And with his hopes of an easy retirement now well out of reach, he has no qualms about accepting a bounty for the infamous spymaster’s decapitation. Escaping into neutral territory with her father in tow, Arraleen is incensed when they are double-crossed and given up to a powerful sorcerer. And the closer Gujun draws to his quarry, the more he wonders if he’s on the side of good or evil. As fate dooms the two to fight blade-to-blade, will either emerge unscathed? Dreamslayers is the action-packed first book in the Slayer epic fantasy series. If you like sharp-tongued characters, gritty landscapes, and pure vengeance, you’ll love J.W. Webb’s whirlwind grimdark tale.

JWWebbAuthor.com

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New Year – New Book! – January 11, 2023

https://youtu.be/P7q0UTNZaJc

William J. Rostron, author of “The Other Side of the Wind” – In 1968 she went in search of America … America didn’t want to be found. After personal disaster ends all her hopes and dreams in New York, Maria Romano sets out alone in search of a new life. Her quest for meaning takes her through numerous adventures and misadventures that create a lifetime of both beautiful and haunting memories. It is a journey that takes her from the blues clubs and political turmoil of 1968 Chicago to the music scene of San Francisco, and the madness of Las Vegas. Now in her later years, she must reconcile what it all meant in order to move on. Her past has finally caught up with her…with a vengeance. By the best-selling author of the Band in the Wind trilogy. (Band in the WindSound of Redemption, and Brotherhood of Forever). Written as a stand-alone novel, The Other Side of the Wind may be read enjoyably either before or after that series of novels.

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Happy Holidays! – December 21, 2022

Please join us with authors J.R. Konkol, Rick Bobrick, and Amanda Montoni.

J.R. Konkol, author of “Citadel of the Fallen”Deep within the rainforest, a group of teenage students barely survive an encounter with an ancient boar. In doing so, they stumble upon a series of events that threaten to destroy their entire civilization. The Black Tide, the annual rampage of millions of giant ants through the rainforest, has been coerced by the Demon Queen to take a path that will send it tearing through the farmlands that support the Citadel, their home. While the adults frantically race to prepare for the coming disaster, one survivor, Malcolm, experiences violent visions of the past. He learns that he’s no longer alone in his own body. His revelations lead his friends to discover that many of the leaders within the Citadel are similarly possessed. Citadel of the Fallen is the exciting start of the much larger story told across the Rebirth of the Fallen series. Vivid and terrifying, but with an emotional depth that will keep readers yearning for more, JR Konkol weaves a complex tale, with a delicate balance of cinematic action, and political intrigue.

JRKonkol.com

Rick Bobrick, author of “Bears Don’t Share!”Bears Don’t Share is a fun-filled, action-packed, outdoor adventure story that features a compelling competition between an iconic mountain man and his furry frenemy. Their boisterous and bruising battle for blueberries culminates in a clever and unexpected plot twist. Children will be left wondering who really won and who lost while taking special delight in the vicarious thrill of outsmarting a grizzly bear!

 

 

Amanda Montoni, author of “Bella The Buck-Toothed Ballerina”Bella is a 6-year-old with a dream, but others think her dream will never come true because of one flaw – her buck teeth. The resident bully in class, Maddie, makes it her mission to point out Bella’s buck teeth, and discourages her from being a ballerina. In this story with the encouragement of her teacher, Miss. Annie, Bella quickly learns that what makes her different makes her beautiful, and better yet, is her superpower!

AmandaMontoni.com

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Join us for an Enlightening Episode – December 7, 2022

Meet Hannah-Louise Smith, author of “Awakening: Mythics and Mortals Book 1” and Linda Trott-Dickman, author of “Catching the Light.”

Hannah-Louise Smith, author of “Awakening: Mythics and Mortals Book 1” – Christina Jones had always thought that she was normal, just your typical unlucky woman. But this all changes on her twenty-first birthday when she falls, quite literally, headfirst into a world that was thought only to exist in Ancient Greek mythology. With her new friends, Sophie Romain and Lucas Teravin, by her side, Christina has to fight, not only to control her developing powers and remember who she is, but also to fight the demon that hunts her for a mysterious figure called The Master.

 

 

 

 

Linda Trott-Dickman, author of “Catching the Light”Catching the Light is for all of you would be, could be, already are poets. Whether in the classroom, community center, or home school community, this little book will guide you through some of poetry’s basic forms.   This fun volume not only provides poetry prompts, but a helpful resource area in the back that will guide the leader through many unanswered questions that they might have. Come on, catch the light!

 

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Happy Thanksgiving! November 23, 2022

Meet Steve Heiman, author of “Greetings, Planet Earth!” and Wayne Turmel, author of “Johnny Lycan & The Vegas Berserker.”

Steve Heiman, author of “Greetings, Planet Earth!”Book One of the Jack Gripper Series. Aliens are here, and they want our chocolate. It’s up to Jack to save the planet and stop a galactic war! Jack Gripper loves playing pranks and eating pizza. But when he’s tasked with selecting an alien species to mentor Earth for the next one hundred years, he’d better make the right call, or the Earth is doomed. Can he overcome obstacles and diabolical plots to pick the right alien? And, just as important…can chocolate and pizza survive the alien encounter?

SteveHeimanAuthor.com

 

Wayne Turmel, author of “Johnny Lycan & The Vegas Berserker” – America’s favorite werewolf P.I. is off to Las Vegas. What could go wrong? Life’s good for Johnny Lupul. He has a steady gig and a growing reputation as a guy who gets things done. He’s even learning to keep his Lycan side under control—most. But when he’s sent to Sin City on a simple retrieval job, things go sideways. He bumps up against a coven of unconventional witches, a psychic pawn broker, and a mysterious enemy with a secret darker and more violent than his own. Take a bite out of the exciting second book in this gritty urban fantasy noir series.

 

WayneTurmel.com

 

 

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Happy Fall! – October 26, 2022

Please join us with authors Matthew Bonvento and Alex Grass.

Matthew Bonvento, author of “From the Galley: Stories and Recipes from American Mariners”One of the greatest pleasures in traveling the world is sampling dishes of exotic flavor. This book contains recipes that sailors have enjoyed at sea and ashore, home in New York, or in port in Singapore. This book highlights some of the best parts of going to sea. The views, the memories, and most of all, the food. Recipes, both easy and difficult, are contained herein for the cook of all skill levels. “From the Galley” includes recipes ranging from Grand Mariner French Toast to Hot Crab Dip, Italian Fisherman’s Soup to Country Fried Steak. From ship galleys ranging from enormous cargo ships to food fit for a rowboat, enjoy these victuals from mariners far and wide.

 

 

 

Alex Grass, author of “A Boy’s Hammer” – 20 years ago, Alan and his mother disappeared in a plane crash off the coast of Helsinki. 20 years later, a giant man with his whole body covered in tattoos appears amidst the rubble of an explosion at a Philadelphia oil refinery. He says that he’s Alan coming back from the dead. Alan’s genius billionaire Aunt Mimi agrees. And the first thing the reappeared giant has to do? Return to Helsinki, Finland. All the while, strange happenings are underway in Philly: A resurrected serial killer. Hidden (oc)cult conspiracies. Bizarre murders that defy the laws of space and time. Aunt Mimi in a miraculous trance state that grants her unseen visions of prophecy, and telekinetic powers. The only person capable of unraveling this mystery? Detective Jefferson O’Brady, a dissolute alcoholic with a photographic memory…and absolutely no friends on the force. Something’s going down in the City of Brotherly Love.

 

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Join us for an Inspiring Episode – October 12, 2022

Please join us with authors Felice Zaslow and Dr. Christopher Salute.

Felice Zaslow, author of “From Here: Lessons in Love and Loss from 9/11” – Felice and Ira Zaslow’s love story spanned almost four decades, from the beaches of Far Rockaway to a comfortable suburban existence on the south shore of Long Island. She taught sixth grade at the local middle school while he commuted daily to Lehman Brothers in the World Trade Center. As their sons grew up, they appreciated each day, looking forward to more time as a couple. Then came the morning of September 11, 2001. Through the days, weeks and months that followed, Felice had to find her way through unfathomable trauma, on a path she had to forge herself, seeking guidance and role models along the way. This remarkable and inspiring memoir puts a very personal face on a national tragedy, facing down the darkness by looking for the light that is always present.

FeliceZaslow.com

 

Dr. Christopher Salute, author of “The College Admission: Life Hacks for the Process from Application to Graduation”Thinking about going to college? Think again… Think more… Now, think one more time. College isn’t just four years of work and fun. It’s four years to mold the next 40. *Eye Roll* I know I know… I sound like one of those “boomers.” But, check this out… You’ll wake up one day and BOOM… you’ll be 50, wondering if you made the best choices about… partners, kids, work, and yes… even the college you chose. Is a four-year traditional higher education even right for you? If it is… what else should you consider? From finances to first internships… I’ll walk you through success stories and failures (mostly from my own life) of students, colleagues, and mentors. This book is meant to guide you from application to graduation and beyond. It’s one of many you should read as you transition into adulthood and begin a long journey of growth, failure, and fun. This is… the beginning of your journey. It’s the beginning of your path to “getting your shoes dirty.” This is a book to make you rethink what you know about going to school for another four years. This is… The College Admission.

ChristopherSalute.com

 

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The Gift of Acceptance – September 14, 2022

Please join me with authors Anthony Cephas, Margaret “Ms. Sam” Sansom, and Eva Zimmerman.

Anthony Cephas, author of “Jupiter’s Adventures: My New Glasses” – Anthony Cephas’s Jupiter’s Adventures: My New Glasses wants to show you all the big feelings that 4-year-old Jupiter experiences in this funny and heartwarming book. Whether he’s worried, nervous, happy, or anxious, both parents and children alike will relate to this beloved story. A perfect way to teach children about differences and the fear of the unknown.

AnthonyCephasPublishing.com

 

Margaret “Ms. Sam” Sansom, author of “George the Alligator Finds a Home”What is a family of pets to do when a new – and seemingly frightening – pet is introduced to the group? Meet George the Alligator – an ice cream-loving, tailless alligator who is excited to meet his new family … but will his appearance scare them off? Margaret “Ms. Sam” Sansom’s debut book “George the Alligator” promises the young reader a beautiful journey with a unique new pet and a new friend to last a lifetime.

 

Eva Zimmerman, author of “Little Critters: Beyond the Pond”Little Critters: Beyond the Pond, provides parents, teachers, and counselors an opportunity to initiate and continue valuable conversations. Five little critters, a fish, an ant, a bird, a snail, and a butterfly reflect dilemmas, challenges, and feelings that, at one time or another, all children experience. Through the “Think About” pages and the invitation to draw, this book encourages children to express their own thoughts and feelings.