Publishing

Success In the Press

Hello, and welcome to Yellow Bird’s new ongoing series, Success In the Press. In each post, we will shine a spotlight on three of our published clients.

Moonshine by Justin Benton

From the publisher: Set in the Great Depression, a boy begins to question his and his father's illicit lifestyle brewing moonshine in the Tennessee wilderness and finds himself facing not only vengeful gangsters and a corrupt sheriff, but also the possibility of losing his Pa. 

Our take: This middle grade novel is a thoughtful look at themes of family and obligation as the main character struggles to decide how much he can support his father’s dangerous decisions. With a vivid historical setting, suspenseful crime plot, and memorable characters, it’s a great pick for mature middle-grade reader.

From Booklist: “The smooth writing and... distinct narrative voice make this debut novel compelling from the start. Benton’s spot-on description of the sparse mountain setting with its social isolation and desperate poverty draw readers into the corrupt, complex times of the Great Depression. Though these elements are grim, they are balanced by strong themes of family and trust. When combined with the tense, realistic plot, a gripping piece of historical fiction emerges.”


Amazon | Goodreads

Far Away Bird by Douglas Burton      

From the publisher: Inspired by true events, "Far Away Bird" delves into the complex mind of Byzantine Empress Theodora. This intimate account deftly follows her rise from actress-prostitute in Constantinople's red-light district to the throne of the Byzantine Empire. 


From a reader: “A powerful, evocative narrative, that draws you into the human rather than mythical aspect of the "notorious" Theodora from her early childhood to her return to Constantinople. It is as though Burton is channeling his subject as her life dances across the pages before you, the reader. You are drawn into her life as if walking side by side, her contemporary, her ethereal other self - her far away bird.”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author site

Nightmare Detective: The Skeleton King by Monk Inyang

From the author: Uko Hill is a twelve year old black boy in Newark suffering from the same nightmare every night - an army of terrifying skeletons breaking into his home and destroying everything. He's given up hope of ever having normal sleep until one night, in the middle of his nightmare, he meets Toni. She's part of a group called the Nightmare Detectives - a trained squad of middle schoolers that can jump into the nightmares of other kids and help stop them for good.

Our take: This illustrated middle-grade fantasy is about literally facing your fears when the protagonist becomes a Nightmare Detective. In the struggle to deal with his own nightmares as well as helping other kids with their own, he learns the power of courage. With an exciting plot and a wholesome message, it’s a great YA choice.

From a reader: “Overall, I enjoyed the book because the plot was intriguing and kept me captivated on every page. I was able to picture myself as Uko Hill and what he was going through with his nightmares but also by joining the detective group. The story was fast paced and flowed in a way that made you have nostalgia and feel like a kid again.”

Amazon | Goodreads

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We hope you enjoyed this look at some of the Yellow Bird family’s success stories! Check back soon for more. If you are a former Yellow Bird client and would like us to consider featuring your published work, email info@yellowbirdeditors.com.

Success In the Press

Hello, and welcome to Yellow Bird’s new ongoing series, Success In the Press. In each post, we will shine a spotlight on three of our published clients.

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To Squeeze A Prairie Dog by Scott Semegran

From the author: This is the story of J. D. Wiswall, a sincere young man from a small town, who joins a state government agency in a data entry department comprised of quirky clerks. Quickly endearing himself to the diverse group in Unit 3, J. D. learns his coworkers have a pact to share the $10,000 prize if they win a cost-savings program for a suggestion that could save the government money, in turn helping them rise above their own personal struggles. 

Our take: This award-winning literary novel ties together data entry clerks, one blustering governor, and an intrepid reporter in a story of friendship and intrigue. With the relationships and struggles of the protagonist and his new co-workers forming the heart of the novel, this satire has bite, but an ultimately optimistic message about forming connections and the changes those connections are capable of bringing.

From a reader: “If Semegran has one overriding talent, it’s in his ability to take the most seemingly ordinary bunch of characters and show us that their lives are, in fact, extraordinary. That the author is able to take the interplay of those lives and craft it into sucan entertaining novel is a credit to his mastery as a storyteller.”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author site

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Time Next (The Time Zero Trilogy Book 2) by Carolyn Cohagan

From the author: Mina's adventure continues in this sequel to the award-winning Time Zero. In book one, Mina and her friends narrowly escaped fundamentalist-ruled Manhattan. Now, they've been taken in by the Unbound, a modern community that wants to shelter and care for them. Mina, however, becomes increasingly nervous as she and her friends are forced apart, and she's asked to alter her clothing, behavior, and even her faith. As she struggles to hold onto her identity, she also grapples with her secrets, even as the Unbound endeavor to discover each and every one.

Our take: Called ‘exciting’ and ‘thought-provoking’ by The Things They Carried author Tim O’Brien, this sequel to a previous novel is a YA dystopia with elements of The Handmaid’s Tale. Forced to flee a patriarchal society and a forced marriage in the first novel, the protagonist faces a new system of oppression in what was thought to be a place of refuge. Taking a mature look at some dark topics, this compelling thriller is an impressive addition to the genre.

From a reader: “It’s rare that a sequel lives up to its predecessor, but this one did, and then some. I zipped through it in two days. Yet again, Carolyn Cohagan has created a new world out of whole cloth, one every bit as vivid, credible, and terrifying as the one Mina left behind. I ended every chapter breathless, and wondered time and time again how the characters would get out of their impossible situation.”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author site

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Bombshell (What Doesn’t Kill You #9) by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

From the author: Ava dreams of building a better life for her daughter through her island pop songs. Her new temp job leads to a once-in-a-lifetime shot at a record deal, but before she can pack her bags for New York, she discovers a dead body outside her office building. Horrified, Ava recognizes the murdered sex worker as her childhood friend. [...] Before Ava can move on to a bright future in music, she must confront the truth behind her dark past to catch the murderer or she'll be next on his kill list.

Our take: The first book in a new trilogy within an ongoing series, this timely romantic thriller from a long-time Yellow Bird client is packed with conflicts and drama, from the protagonist’s hunt for a killer to financial corruption to childhood trauma. However, the funny and likeable main character keeps it from being too heavy of a read. Set in the Virgin Islands, you can’t ask for much more from a beach read than what this book delivers.

From a reader: You will love this action-packed adventure with a spirited lead character who will have you rooting for her in no time. Funny, smart, self-deprecating, she's a complicated character with lots going for her but plenty of trouble holding her back. [...] The murder of an old friend is only one of the plot twists that keep this story moving in interesting, suspenseful, and unexpected directions.”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author site

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We hope you enjoyed this look at some of the Yellow Bird family’s success stories! Check back soon for more. If you are a former Yellow Bird client and would like us to consider featuring your published work, email info@yellowbirdeditors.com.

Success In The Press

Hello, and welcome to Yellow Bird’s new ongoing series, Success In the Press. In each post, we will shine a spotlight on three of our published clients.

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Shut It Down: Stories from a Fierce, Loving Resistance by Lisa Fithian

From the publisher: Described by Mother Jones as “the nation’s best-known protest consultant,” [Lisa] Fithian has supported countless movements including the Battle of Seattle in 1999, rebuilding and defending communities following Hurricane Katrina, Occupy Wall Street, and the uprisings at Standing Rock and in Ferguson. For anyone who wants to become more active in resistance or is just feeling overwhelmed or hopeless, Shut It Down offers strategies and actions you can take right now to promote justice and incite change in your own community.

Our take: Described by prominent author Naomi Klein as ‘warm and wise’, this thorough guide to community organization and activism also contains personal stories from the history of many activist movements, including Occupy Wall Street and Standing Rock. These behind-the-scenes looks serve not only to explore ideas of resistance, but also serve as examples for many of the strategies the book presents. Richer than a straight-forward guidebook, this book should be a fascinating read for those both inside and outside the activist community.


From a reader: “As a guide to using the tools of nonviolence in social movements, one could hardly do better than to pick up Lisa Fithian’s new book, Shut It Down. This book includes guides to planning campaigns and to staging all variety of actions in great detail, from how to plaster posters everywhere to how to relate to the police. This is a powerful resource because of the rules it lays out but also because of the examples it includes. The book is as much a personal memoir as a theory of social change, but the latter is its mission throughout.”

Amazon | Goodreads

Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff

From the publisher: Cerulean.A distant world of Great Trees floating on an ocean surrounding a star.The flotilla forests cycle light and water through their boughs into their lush canopies. But the once vibrant treescape has grown dark, slowly, subtly over many generations. The civilization of creatures living among the boughs believe the darkness is normal. That is, until one willful young girl named Barra discovers the hidden journal of her late father.Poring over her father’s writing, Barra learns of a mysterious plague, a creeping vine choking the flow of light and water into the canopy. [...]Together with her two best friends, [...] Barra will explore every bark, wood, and leaf of the Great Forest to relight her world and complete her father’s story, even if it leads her beneath the Fall.                                                  

Our take: This YA fantasy epic comes with 40 pages of illustrations! Centering on a dying planet, once replete with greenery, and the young hero who must decipher cryptic clues from a past generation to save her world. This story will likely appeal to fans of Veronica Roth’s Divergent series.

From a reader: “Aaron Safronoff’s unique vision of an alien world formed from a ring of trees growing around the sun that sits at the world’s center and teeming with a myriad of intelligent (and often somewhat cuddly) life forms all springs into gloriously vivid life within the pages of this masterfully presented novel. This is as much due to the numerous illustrations spread throughout the book as it is to Safronoff’s meticulous world-building and excellent writing skills.”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author site

Alyssa McCarthy's Magical Missions: Book 2: Wizardry Goes Wild by Sunayna Prasad

From the author: After months of living a normal life, thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy faces magic again. Only this time, though, she is cursed with it, thanks to an old depressed skeleton named Errol. Alyssa's time with her godfather, Alex, will never be the same again, as she can perform sorcery, but never control it. [...]she can only get rid of her powers if she can boost her confidence levels and improve her bravery. [..] Will she be able to get rid of her unwanted wizardry? 

Our take: This YA fantasy is the second book in a series about a young girl with magical powers she doesn’t want and constantly struggles to control, allowing the story to explore issues of isolation and self-acceptance. With a cast of characters supporting her journey, this book can teach great lessons to its target audience about self-acceptance and self-direction.

From a reader: “The story was fascinating, especially this unique world where technology and magic exist side by side. Alyssa is a normal girl who is cursed by uncontrollable magical mishaps that completely turn her life upside down. I loved the characters, especially Alyssa's three best friends who stuck by her no matter what. Alex, Alyssa's guardian, was wonderful and very understanding of his goddaughter's inability to contain or master her powers. The book taught teens a great lesson about bravery and self-confidence, not to mention trusting in yourself.”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author's site

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We hope you enjoyed this look at some of the Yellow Bird family’s success stories! Check back soon for more. If you are a former Yellow Bird client and would like us to consider featuring your published work, email info@yellowbirdeditors.com.

Success in the Press

Hello, and welcome to Yellow Bird’s new ongoing series, Success In the Press. In each post, we will shine a spotlight on three of our published clients.

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Sydney Shag & THE SIRENS: Heavy on the Vodka and a Little Bit Dirty (A Novel) by Cyndi Gryte

From the author: This is rock bottom. Sydney Shag is sure of it. Fresh on the heels of her high school boyfriend’s wedding [...] she receives an ominous letter from her ambitious eleven-year-old self causing her head to spin. [...]Cue the Sirens—Sydney's fabulous drink-slinging friends. Sassy, full of moxie, and always up for another round, they help her realize that living up to her childhood dreams means facing some of her biggest fears. 

Our take: This fun comic novel with a fiery and impressive protagonist and a cast of colorful friends and family will appeal to fans of Nora Ephron films! Full of unexpected adventures, a vibrant setting, and tender moments of sisterhood, it’s a perfect light-hearted vacation read.

From a reader: “This book was super fun, and the tone of voice was absolutely adorable. I could just imagine my best girl friends getting into all this trouble, LOL. It was a fun read, I highly recommend it. Binged through the whole thing, perfect for a beach weekend read!”

Amazon | Goodreads

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The Vines We Planted by Joanell Serra

From the publisher: In the heart of the California wine country, secrets seem to grow on the vines that Uriel Macon’s family have tended for generations. Uriel, the winery’s young widower, steers clear of complicated relationships. He prefers the lonely comfort of his vineyard and his horses, until he is reminded of his love affair with Amanda Scanlon; a relationship that ended when she abruptly left the country years ago under a cloud of mystery.

Our take: This sweeping family epic was a finalist for the Best Book Awards in multicultural fiction! Set in the author’s hometown of Sonoma, the setting is vividly drawn. The wide cast of vibrant characters are tied together by a story full of secrets, from addiction to divorce. This novel will appeal to fans of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels series.

From a Readers’ Favorite reviewer: “The Vines We Planted..the story of a family facing struggles and their individual crises. . . delicately and expertly woven together in a family saga set in California around Uriel's family vineyards...The reader is kept turning the pages to the end as the intricate family history is revealed through the plot. Great characters, well developed and believable, and lovely descriptions which transport the reader to the Californian countryside. ... Very visual writing and descriptions take the reader into the protagonists' world... the plot is credible and surprising at the same time ... it all blends together well and combines to make an exciting and believable novel. Five Stars!”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author site

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Girl Squad by Kim Hoover

From the publisher: A lazy small town summer in 1970s Texas turns treacherous when Cal Long’s mother goes missing. Cal and her best friend Rachel, along with sophisticated new friend Jane, use every trick in their teenage arsenal to get to the bottom of the mystery. Along the way, Cal is drawn to Jane in ways she’s never felt before while Rachel struggles to understand her best friend’s new attraction. From Amarillo to Palo Duro Canyon to Ft. Worth and back, the girls puzzle through the connections surrounding the mystery of Cal’s mother’s disappearance. 

Our take: This YA mystery mixes a crime drama with a coming-of-age story about a young girl discovering her sexuality in the challenging environment of 70s rural Texas. The atmosphere is patiently built from the beginning of the story. As the protagonist searches for her mother, her views of herself and the world are challenged as the novel tackles issues of race and class as well as LGBT issues. 

From a reader: “This is a delightful window into girlhood in the 1970s and a sweeping look at the perspectives shaping young rural lesbians growing up in a world completely against the whole idea. The first half is especially idyllic but the second half picks up quickly as events unfold surrounding Cal and the seemingly uncontrollable forces around her mother and the small Texas community in which both women live. Anyone trying to familiarize themselves with female agency and girl power should absolutely read Girl Squad!”

Amazon | Goodreads

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We hope you enjoyed this look at some of the Yellow Bird family’s success stories! Check back soon for more. If you are a former Yellow Bird client and would like us to consider featuring your published work, email info@yellowbirdeditors.com.

Success In the Press - Awards Spotlight

To Squeeze A Prairie Dog by Scott Semegran

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Synopsis: This is the story of J. D. Wiswall, a sincere young man from a small town, who joins a state government agency in a data entry department comprised of quirky clerks. Quickly endearing himself to the diverse group in Unit 3, J. D. learns his coworkers have a pact to share the $10,000 prize if they win a cost-savings program for a suggestion that could save the government money, in turn helping them rise above their own personal struggles.

Author bio: Scott Semegran is an award-winning writer of humorous fiction with a dose of heart. BlueInk Review described him best as “a gifted writer, with a wry sense of humor.” His latest book is a comic sendup of state government—an entertaining slice-of-life story that’s humorous yet uplifting at the same time—titled To Squeeze a Prairie Dog: An American Novel. […] His previous novel, Sammie & Budgie, was the first place winner for Fiction in the 2018 Texas Authors Book Awards. […] He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, four kids, two cats, and a dog. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English.

Awards: Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Winner: Silver Medal for Fiction (Humor/Comedy); 2019 Texas Author Project Winner for Adult Fiction

On February 6th, Scott Semegran will be honored by the library and publishing communities for his accomplishments at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin.

Available On Amazon