A Life Through Books

Speculative Fiction

Date Published: May 21, 2026

Continuing from THE SIMPLER, Senga Munro’s disappearance prompts discussion as to -what- she may be. Her herbal notebook has been discovered in an old man’s medicine bundle from the 1800s, wherein Senga details her captivity in an underground cave. One morning, she awakes in a Cheyenne camp, believing she is part of a living history project. Upon her extraordinary return, she discovers a world altered and transformed by “The Phenomenon,” an evolutionary leap in consciousness that has reshaped global values and circumstances.

Through its rich tapestry of characters, historical elements, and philosophical musings, the series explores the complexities of human experience, the sacredness of the Earth, and the transformative power of compassion and understanding. It is a meditation on the struggles and triumphs that define both individual lives and collective humanity.

Renée Carrier and her husband, a retired school superintendent, tend a small apple orchard, two gardens, and raise garlic and herbs—medicinal and culinary. Renée is a past recipient of the Frank Neilson Doubleday Writing Award by the Wyoming Arts Council. She continues to sing and play the odd musical performance and practice family herbalism, which wends its way into her writing "like a possessed vine." She enjoys knitting, walking, reading, viewing good films, and traveling.

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And Other Mostly True Stories

Date Published: June 12, 2026

Publisher: MindStir Media

The Hero of Pamplona and Other Mostly True Stories is a memoir told through twenty-two vividly rendered short stories drawn from the extraordinary life of Len Wechsler. Spanning decades and continents, these deeply personal reflections move effortlessly from New York to Los Angeles, Paris to Pamplona, Lisbon to Tangiers—each place leaving its mark, each moment carrying emotional weight.

With the voice of a philosopher, the instincts of a filmmaker, and the honesty of someone who has lived fully, Wechsler explores friendship and betrayal, risk and reinvention, longing and belonging. These are stories shaped by youthful bravado, artistic pursuit, cultural collision, and the quiet reckonings that come with time.

Sometimes humorous, sometimes haunting, and always human, this memoir invites readers into a life lived on the edge of experience—where truth and memory blur, and where the author believes one simple thing: if a story touches him, it may touch you too.

Whether you read it as travel memoir, coming-of-age reflection, or a meditation on identity and chance, The Hero of Pamplona and Other Mostly True Stories is a journey worth taking.

About the Author

Len Wechsler is a writer, filmmaker, and lifelong storyteller whose work spans continents, cultures, and creative disciplines. Raised in New York City and educated in the Midwest, Wechsler studied philosophy at the Sorbonne in Paris before earning a master’s degree from New York University. His early adult years were marked by adventure and movement—from playing professional basketball in France and Italy to traveling across Europe and around the Mediterranean.

In the United States, Wechsler taught in both New York and California before launching a filmmaking career in the mid-1970s. He was among the earliest filmmakers to capture the raw beauty, risk, and exhilaration of surfing and skateboarding on film, later transitioning into screenwriting for feature films. His creative life continued overseas when he lived and worked in Portugal for thirteen years as a teacher and theater director.

More recently, Wechsler co-wrote a stage play exploring the underbelly of Los Angeles, which debuted in New York City. A member of the Writers Guild of America West, he now lives in California, where he continues to write—and still plays basketball when he can, even if the three-pointer no longer falls as easily.

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Children's Book

Date Published: August 26, 2026

Is your little one feeling a mix of big excitement and nervous tummy butterflies about starting school? You are not alone. Turning the page to a new school year is a massive step, but a smooth transition is completely possible.

Amaya’s Welcome to Kindergarten is a warm, beautifully illustrated children's picture book designed to transform back-to-school anxiety into pure joy and confidence.

Making New Friends: Easing social anxieties and learning how to share.

Meeting the Teacher: Realizing that the classroom is a safe, loving, and supportive place.

Classroom Rules Made Easy: Learning what to expect from routines down the hall.

Why Parents and Educators Love This Book:

Perfect Read-Aloud: Ideal for cozy bedtime reading before the big day or as an early childhood classroom read-aloud.

Diverse & Inclusive: Features multicultural characters that celebrate early childhood representation and emotional readiness.

The Ultimate Milestone Gift: A wonderful pre-K graduation keepsake or summer bridge book to prepare children emotionally for the transition.

Help your child step onto the school bus with a brave smile and an excited heart.

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Historical Fiction

Date Published: 09-23-2026

Publisher: Echoes Publishing

At the turn of the century, twenty-three-year-old Paul Tietjens is a gifted classical pianist with dreams of greatness and a non-refundable ticket to Europe to study with the master composers of his time.

But when the bank calls in the debt on his family’s Missouri farm, Paul forgoes his dream to save them from financial ruin. Desperate to find a new road to success, he moves to up-and-coming Chicago, where he persuades author L. Frank Baum to collaborate on a comic opera of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, setting the stage for the defining cultural touchstone that we know today.

Paul embarks on his opera with high hopes, but scandal threatens his soaring ambition when he falls in love with his best friend’s beautiful but married sister, and his fears grow as the Wizard of Oz demands not only his talent but his soul.

Inspired by Paul’s 1901 diary, The Lark follows Paul as he journeys from the theaters of Chicago to the streets of Manhattan, from his family’s Missouri farm to the beaches of Michigan, fighting to hang onto the chance of a lifetime, his integrity, and the woman he loves.

From Chapter 27 of The Lark by Laura C. Rader

After lunch, I sat at the parlor piano and ran through some of the songs for The Wizard of Oz, replaying each moment with Katherine in my mind as my fingers played the keys. She sat nearby, silently reading Persuasion, our glances meeting now and again as Daisy played with Lina and Vita in between sorting through the boarding house accounts. I mulled over the sanctity of marriage, the frailties of the heart, and the ominous predictions of the palm reader. My fate was surely sealed, and I only prayed I hadn’t somehow thrown Katherine’s completely off course.

In addition to The Lark, Laura C. Rader is the award-winning author of the historical novel Hatfield 1677, based on the lives of her ancestors in Hatfield, Massachusetts, in the seventeenth century.

When she isn’t writing, you can find her researching history for her books and her family tree and spending time with family, friends, and pets.

A native of southern California, she now lives north of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Please go to www.lcrwriter.com for more info on her books or to subscribe to her newsletter.

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Date Published: September 25, 2026

Publisher: Changeling Press

Javen and Gara were bred to be the perfect soldiers, protecting New Earth from the scourge from above. As lovers, they were created to resonate in perfect harmony with each other, their lives the stuff of legends. But they proved to be evolution's darlings, developing beyond anything the scientists had ever dreamed of, their advancement eclipsing that of their creators.

Now their only hope is a planet of their own, where they can live free -- free to construct a new society based on the ideals of justice and honor. But with dangerous factions at work, a mysterious prophesy, and an old enemy amassing, this stunning melody may ring out with the perfect notes to save the worthy and unworthy alike.

Freedom demands an awful price.

Copyright ©2026 Stephanie Burke

"Bonded, let down my braid?" The silver-haired man asked the question politely as he gracefully dropped to his knees beside his beloved.

Javen looked up at his tora through silver lashes, his purple eyes gleaming in anticipation as he licked full, pouty lips. His lithe body was covered in an odd type of silk wrap, the weave plainly visible, but the material soft as air. Several colorful strands of blue and purple, strands of hair from fallen comrades, made up a pattern in the cloth. His long, pale fingers rested on his slim thighs, his poise perfect as he awaited the response.

"Shall I unbind you, my mate?" The question was asked in a low, gravelly voice, the desire and intent clear. Gara the Red, High Lord Chancellor of this particular space station far above New Earth Sphere, observed his mate, his cock swelling, his blood running hot. "Shall I release you to take what pleasures I can off that pale body of yours?"

Javen seemed to shiver, though his body remained perfectly still. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of his bonded, trilling a soft, vibrating song of desire as he felt his own erection grow. "Unbind me, bonded, if you dare… if you have a need of the pleasures this pale flesh can bring you."

Javen tilted his head to the side, shifted his shoulders, and allowed his robe to slide from one shoulder, exposing a chest decorated with what appeared to be elaborate, pale purple tattoos.

Javen's scales were beautiful, strong, soft and iridescent against his pale skin. They outlined his hairline at his forehead, trailed down along his neck to the backs of each arm. They overran the backs of his hands, giving him the look of an exotic jeweled statue. They continued around his chest, across his lower abdomen, and down his outer thighs.

Naked, he was a thing of grace and style, of beauty that no human being could dare possess. But… he was not human. He wiggled his talon-tipped toes in excitement, his eyes burning with desire.

"Oh, I have a need," Gara chuckled, reaching down and cupping his cock, running the flat of his hand along its hardness. Javen could almost feel the heat wafting off his beloved's body, and thrummed louder.

Gara threw back his head and moaned, his own touch stoking his desires higher as he observed the signs of need in his usually reserved mate. Javen was one of the most polite, perfectly poised ryuujin who had ever been created. To see him react so wildly to his own heat cycle… Magnificent.

Gara ripped his tunic from his body, ruffling his wild mane of red hair and exposing his broad, scarred chest in the process, tossing the shreds of material aside.

"Come," he purred, reaching out with both hands, tangling his fingers in his mate's hair. "Come ease my need."

He gripped the bands of ribbons that liberally twined through his mate's braid, a braid he himself had placed in Javen's hair earlier that morning. Javen tossed his head back, his trill growing deeper in his throat as he exposed his neck, his most vulnerable point, to his beloved.

Gara wasted no time in bending over and running his clawed fingers over Javen's neck, caressing the soft, firm skin and the raised scales that he so loved to touch, to lick, to nibble and suck.

Javen nestled into his mate's palm, his trill softening as Gara's hands -- his strong, scarred hands -- pushed the robe from his body, allowing it to fall around his waist.

"Do you have any idea how hard you make me?" Gara growled. He moved closer, closing his eyes and pulling in the spicy scent of his mate's neck, the heat of his desire so at odds with his cool skin.

"I can --" Javen reached up, pressing his hands to the heat between his bonded's thighs, feeling the rigid column of flesh that throbbed at his caress. "-- feel." His other hand joined the first, tugging at the tie at the waist, wanting the material gone that separated him from what he wanted.

He lifted his head again, leaning forward to nuzzle into his bonded's groin, bathing the head of his mate's cock with his cool breath. Throwing back his head, Gara purred and gripped his beloved's head, pushing him deeper against his crotch.

"That is what you want?" Gara demanded.

"Yes," Javen snarled, his eyes near glowing as he rose up to his full height, towering over his lover by more than a few inches.

"Then come and take it."

About the Author

Stephanie is a USA Today Best Selling, multi published, multi award-winning author, Master Costumer, handicapped, wife and mother of two.

From sex-shifting, shape-shifting dragons to undersea worlds, sexually confused elemental Fey and homo-erotic mysteries, all the way to pastel-challenged urban sprites, Stephanie has done it all, and hopes to do more.

Stephanie is an orator on her favorite subjects of writing and world-building, a sometime teacher when you feed her enough tea and donuts, an anime nut, a costumer, and a frequent guest of various sci-fi and writing cons where she can be found leading panel discussions or researching varied legends and theories to improve her writing skills.

Stephanie is known for her love of the outrageous, strong female characters, believable worlds, male characters filled with depth, and multi-cultural stories that make the reader sit up and take notice.

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Date Published: September 2026

Publisher: Serapis Bey Publishing

TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH THE WAY YOU SPEAK

As human beings, we have a deep need for social connection, yet our primitive fight-or-flight response can be a major barrier to achieving it, leading to misunderstanding, conflict and disconnection.

Fortunately, there is a solution.

The Human Language delivers a compelling message. By replacing our habitual, learned patterns of communication we can experience greater understanding, empathy and connection in our relationships, transforming our lives.

Through easy-to-follow chapters, this book introduces The MECAnism, to calm your instinctive reactions, gain emotional clarity and develop psychological safety. It gives you the practical tools and techniques to listen, speak and act in your daily life with compassion, for yourself and others, enabling you to meet your needs with confidence.

Pam Bryant, Oxford, UK

"Penny uses just enough science to help the reader understand why they behave the way they do while focusing on simple techniques to get to the heart of change.

The Human Language should be required reading for anybody who has to work or live with other people, which is most of us."

Diana D'Ascoli, Philadelphia, US

About the Author

 Penny Newton-Hurley is the founder of CommPassion Ltd. She has worked with large private organisations in the UK and globally, and in the public sector across the areas of government, military, healthcare and education for more than 30 years. CommPassion provides training in interpersonal communication skills, resolving conflict between individuals and building psychological safety within teams for higher workplace and relationship performance.

In 2025, her company launched their first four online courses, taking their expertise and experience from the world of business directly to individuals in all areas of their lives. This book reveals the details behind her courses and supports the learning of improved communications skills.

Communication has been a fascination for Penny since childhood, when she spoke with her father in Morse Code! After a few exciting years spent working in International Marketing, Penny had an opportunity to be involved in the nascent field of Internal Communication where she began to understand the importance of humanto-human connection in the workplace. In 2005, she was introduced to the teachings of nonviolent communication. From that moment on, it became her purpose to spread this message as far as possible, a mission to change the way we talk and listen and communicate with each other; to change the way the world speaks.

Today, she is a trainer of compassionate communication techniques, Workplace Mediator, Certified Psychological Safety Facilitator with the Fearless Organisation; as well as a UK Samaritans Listening Volunteer. Penny holds a BA (Combined Honours) in Modern Languages (French/Spanish) with Politics, Economics and Linguistics.

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Spiritual, Meditation

Date Published: September 22, 2026

Publisher: Serapis Bey Publishing

Experience a transformative journey of resonance. Pairing 99 activation cards with eight hours of unique vocal soundscapes, this book guides you to remember your innate truth. Discover the power of sound to restore balance, align with the Earth’s natural frequency, and return to a state of wholeness, truth, and love. Immerse yourself in these galactic keys and awaken the voice within your soul.

 

About the Author

Carmen Belle White is a visionary composer and artist who crafts unique, otherworldly soundscapes designed to transport listeners to realms of awakening. By weaving her voice with over eight hours of original, recorded vocal sound activations—each approximately four-and-a-half minutes in length—she guides her audience into spaces of deep remembrance. Her work serves as a bridge, translating the vast, timeless frequencies of the universe into healing resonances for the human soul.

A Book of Cosmic Frequencies: The Galactic Sound Keys is the culmination of this transformative project. Designed to be experienced alongside a set of 99 cosmic activation cards, this book provides a profound way to articulate the sense that when we become "nothing," we become everything. Each of the 99 cards is paired with a specific vocal sound activation, exploring a vast spectrum of cosmic themes—from anchoring grounding Earth-based frequencies to traversing ethereal, celestial realms. Through this journey, Carmen integrates the interplay of voice and sound within each frequency, inviting you to engage with these powerful keys to discover your own unique resonance and inner potential.

Carmen’s unique relationship with sound stems from childhood experiences that heightened her sensitivity to high-pitched frequencies. This allowed her to "tune in" to the Earth’s natural hum—a constant, grounding surround sound that defines her music. This deep connection to resonance has taken her across the globe, from the sacred waters of Southern France to the recording of her debut album, forever seeking locations that hold ancient, sacred memories.

Today, Carmen offers this extensive body of work as a practical tool for your own journey. She invites you to explore these sound activations, starting with the card corresponding to your date of birth, to uncover your innate truth. Her mission is to help us remember our own voices, restore balance with the Earth, and return to a state of wholeness, truth, and love.

We are all waking up to a resonance that requires no words—only the willingness to listen. To explore the full collection of sound activations and resources, please visit the author's website.

 

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