Success In the Press: For the Minds and Wills of Men by Jeff Lanier

2023 Finalist in Historical Fiction

★

First Novel for the Next Generation Indie Book

★

2023 Finalist in Historical Fiction ★ First Novel for the Next Generation Indie Book ★

From the Author: MANHATTAN, 1953. Fear of communist subversion and espionage are tearing America apart. Abstract expressionism is on the verge of exploding, making New York the cultural epicenter of the world. While recovering a stolen Jackson Pollock for a wealthy client, art insurer Will Oxley falls for the client's daughter, Liz Bower, who leads him deep into the rebellious and seductive world of the abstract expressionist painters, their Village bar haunts and East Hampton binges. But when Will learns the painting-and Liz-may be hiding communist secrets better left hidden, he finds himself torn between exposing the girl he loves or risking his life by trusting her instead. Realizing nothing is as it seems, Will is caught between communist espionage, secret government programs, and the grip of cold war fear, suspicion, and betrayal where trust is all he has left...

With post-World War II New York, 1950s avant-garde art world, and the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings as background, the novel tells the story of abstract expressionism and mid-century American politics- through the thrilling search for a stolen Jackson Pollock.

Bragging Rights:

★ 2023 1st Place Winner in Fiction for the IndieReader Discovery

★ 2022 1st Place Winner in Historical Fiction and New Author Fiction for the Dragonfly

★ 2023 Finalist in Historical Fiction and First Novel for the Next Generation Indie Book

★ 2023 PenCraft Award A Best Book Winner

★ 2023 Readers Favorite Book Award Winner

★ 2023 Readers Favorite Five Star Book

Our Take: Set against the charged backdrop of Cold War paranoia and the birth of abstract expressionism, The Minds and Wills of Men is part noir thriller, part love story, and part art world history. Jeff Lanier skillfully blends espionage, political intrigue, and cultural revolution into a suspenseful and intellectual narrative. A compelling pick for readers drawn to atmospheric historical fiction—especially those curious about the collision of art, power, and trust in a world where nothing is quite what it seems.

From a Reader: “[..] an historical art fiction and cold war thriller that will both entertain and electrify the imagination. With a fair bit of noir, significant intrigue, and plenty of fact and fiction expertly intertwined, this story will rank high on the to-read meter and then even higher on the recommend-to-friends-and-family meter. In short, it’s fabulous.”

Get your copy today at the links below!

Amazon | Goodreads | Author Site

Success in the Press: Blood Throne of Caria by Roy Casagranda

"A gripping, fast-paced adventure." -Kirkus Reviews

✹

"A gripping, fast-paced adventure." -Kirkus Reviews ✹

From the Author: In the early fifth century BC, Artemisia is trained in medicine, the sword, and statecraft--and no one cares. Her marriage will cement an alliance for her father and make a prince heir to his throne. However, this Amazonian spitfire will not be reduced to a traded commodity.

When the Persian Emperor demands a hostage, Artemisia's father sends his thirteen-year-old daughter in her brother's place. Refusing to succumb to loneliness, Artemisia charms the Imperial Court and converts her exile into her own private tutelage.

Three years later, she returns to Caria as the heir to her father's throne. Princes fight to marry her. Artemisia delays the wedding, only to discover that her suitors are willing to kill for her hand. Brutally forced into wedlock, she outmaneuvers the kings of Caria in the palace and on the field of battle, cleaving the ramparts of patriarchy to become one of history's fiercest heroines.

““A gripping, fast-paced adventure that delivers passionate writing””

— Kirkus Reviews

Our Take: A fierce and cinematic reimagining of a real-life ruler, Blood Throne of Caria brings ancient history to life through the eyes of a girl who refuses to be ruled. Roy Casagranda charts Artemisia’s transformation from political pawn to sovereign force with vivid detail and steady pacing. This one’s for fans of historical fiction with teeth—especially readers drawn to untold stories of bold women who shaped the world against all odds.

From a Reader: "A true historical thriller - The Blood Throne of Caria is a brilliantly researched, riveting read about Artemisia, whose struggle to direct her own destiny in a brutally patriarchal world is as relevant today as it was more than two thousand years ago."

Amazon | Goodreads | Author Site

Success In the Press: Some Mistakes Are Great Kissers: A Dating Memoir by Stephanie Kleine

Fifty 5-Star Reviews on Amazon & Goodreads

★

Fifty 5-Star Reviews on Amazon & Goodreads ★

From the Author: Stefanie Kleine seemingly has it all…a highly successful career, an excessive number of degrees, loving parents, devoted friends, and great legs. The only thing she has not been able to accomplish is finding the right person to share her life with.

In this no-holds-barred memoir, Stefanie takes us on her brutally honest, hilarious, heartbreaking, and at-times utterly bizarre quest to find true love. Some Mistakes Are Great Kissers is the story of a modern woman who has bravely refused to settle. Stefanie is raw, relatable, unapologetic, and utterly hysterical as she recounts her experiences in the dating world. From freezing her eggs to flying home in the middle of the night in a sexy cat costume to calling an ambulance for an emergency sex injury, Stefanie shares the inspiring tale of how she has boldly stared her pain and insecurities in the eye, and somehow managed to summon the strength to forge ahead.

For anyone deep in the trenches of dating, this book serves as a reminder to search for the lesson in every relationship and find the humor in a life that doesn’t always go as planned.

Our Take: This dating memoir is equal parts outrageous, honest, and deeply human. With laugh-out-loud moments and sharp emotional insight, Kleine takes readers on a wild ride through the highs and humiliations of modern dating. Stefanie Kleine’s storytelling is fearless and funny, never shying away from the messier parts of seeking love. For readers who enjoy personal narratives that balance vulnerability with sharp wit, this one delivers heart, humor, and a refreshing dose of real.

From a Reader:

“This book is amazing. I laughed out loud many times but it also reminded me to recognize my value. The dating world is kinda scary so it helps to know even stunning funny athletic actress/doctors have to date a lot of frogs before finding a prince.”

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Success In the Press: Follow the Dragon by John Daniel

"Well paced and skillfully plotted." -Kirkus Reviews

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"Well paced and skillfully plotted." -Kirkus Reviews ✹

From the Author: In 1980 Jake Salter returns to Hong Kong for his father's funeral and vows to unearth a problem cryptically hinted at in their last phone call. Jake finds secret WWII journals with his dad's personal wartime history: the British SOE's Operation Remorse and the British Army Aid Group ― the BAAG. The enlightening entries include saving the life of Commander M.T. Kwan.

Kwan, now an elderly billionaire called the Dragon, convinces Jake to step in for his deceased father to help confront an existential threat, resulting in Jake risking his life on an outlying island during a typhoon and facing a dogged Royal Hong Kong Police Inspector's related investigation. Jake and Kwan realize their family names and fortunes may encounter monumental disaster as his dad's cryptic problem is revealed.

““Daniel delivers a first-rate adventure and mystery that’s well paced and skillfully plotted.””

— Kirkus Reviews

Our Take: Part historical mystery, part family reckoning, Follow the Dragon moves between the shadows of World War II and the shifting political landscape of 1980s Hong Kong. Through secret journals, buried alliances, and a powerful figure known as the Dragon, the novel weaves real wartime operations into a suspenseful search for truth and legacy. With a strong sense of place and rising tension, this is a great pick for readers who love historical fiction grounded in espionage, intrigue, and the complicated ties between past and present.

From a Reader: “A well-written and engaging story providing a glimpse of the tangled web of intrigue, loyalty and tradition in the Hong Kong culture.”

Amazon | Goodreads

Success In the Press: What Awaits by Ernie Gammage

American BookFest 2022 Book of the Year Finalist

★

American BookFest 2022 Book of the Year Finalist ★

From the Author: Relationships are tough. Present or future, crazed or loving, they’re tough. Full of the “what ifs” that define speculative short fiction, some stories are an easy read, heartwarming even; others…not so much. In some there’s peace, love, and epiphany, in others revenge, horror, and death. From Mexico to Titan, Memphis to the foothills of the Himalayas, the unpredictable and the unexpected await in this exploration of the predicament that is the human condition.

• This Room of Gold – Across time and space, Myla stumbles into what might be her best future. Is it?

• Tattooed – Laird gladly loses himself in Nita’s tattoo, but how is he going to find his way back? And if he doesn’t…?

• In The Black Wood – Efram wades into the Black Wood and finds more than he anticipated. Have he and his friends unleashed the End Times?

• The Reader – Channeling gifts from a long family line, Lysette becomes a clairvoyant. When the role becomes too much for her, can she find a way to escape its grip?

• Stockyards – Angie has the perfect marriage until the old woman gives her a frightening gift, one that will change her life forever. Now what?

For fans of Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Kurt Vonnegut, Haruki Murakami, and George Saunders. For Adult and New Adult readers. Not appropriate for children.

Our Take: A bold, cerebral collection that moves through genres, geographies, and timelines—but always lands on the messy complexity of being human. Each literary tale is surprising and deeply varied: some intimate and unsettling, others cosmic and tender, all with twists that linger long after the last page. From the eerie to the uplifting, this collection invites you to consider the paths we take—and the strange, beautiful, or terrifying possibilities that lie just beyond them. A smart, genre-crossing read for fans of literary weirdness and emotional depth, What Awaits is great for readers seeking contemplative fiction.

From a Reader: “[…] a collection of short stories that will leave you bewildered and intrigued. Each story has a twist, an understood assumption, or at times the author lets you fill in the ending with your own imagination.”

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