One for the Road

This month has been full of amazing new releases for us. From such established authors as Michael Blake, to newcomers like Clive London, our catalog is growing nearly every day. One of our favorite new releases has come from debut novelist Edgar J. Rossi. His brand new novel, One for the Road, is a staple of crime fiction, the epitome of noir.

When Johnny Flamingo comes to town, 1940s Las Vegas is turned upside-down and inside-out. Stumbling into a casino days away from a spectacular grand re-opening, he finds the joint in a stalemate as two rival gangsters claim control of the place. The last thing any stranger wants to do is get caught between these two gun-slinging factions . . . unless, of course, that stranger is Johnny Flamingo.

Flamingo makes money off of other people's trouble, so he makes as much trouble as he can the moment he walks through the doors. Between whiskey and women, this world-weary gun-for-hire may have at last met his match in this classic, gritty noir. A must-read for any fan of the genre, One for the Road will keep you turning pages and dodging bullets till the final showdown.

Author Focus: Michele Scott

We've had the pleasure of working with Michele Scott for a while now. Her most recent novel, Happy Hour, has been our go-to selection for summer reading - not only because it came out just as people were planning their summer activities, but because it embodies so much of what the season is about - rest and relaxation among friends and family despite the hectic and often overwhelming circumstances of daily life. We can't talk about the book enough, as it's four-storied narrative, recipes and wine pairings, and book club questions make it an ideal subject for any friendly summer get-together.

It's no surprise that such a multi-layered novel was the brain child of Michele Scott. She has been writing since she was nine years old, drafting short stories on her father's notepads. After attending the University of Southern California, Michele began her writing career while starting a family. Her Wine Lovers Mystery Series, released through Berkeley Publishing Group (Penguin/Putnam), quickly became a bestseller in its genre, helping to establish the popularity of the cozy mystery subgenre both here in the United States and around the world.

Michele currently lives with her husband and three children outside of San Diego, where she pursues her other passion - raising horses - while writing multiple novels every year. Many of those books have been released under her penname, A.K. Alexander, and several have become Kindle bestsellers across the pond. Michele seems comfortable writing mysteries, thrillers, children's fantasy, or traditional fiction. And therein lies her true appeal. Because regardless of the genre, Michele knows a good story when she sees it.

If you want to find out more about Michele's writing and life, be sure to visit her website. And pick up a copy of Happy Hour while you're at it!

Prince Albert and the Doomsday Device

Have you ever been browsing in a yard sale or a flea market and come across some incredible, priceless item with a sticker labeling it only ninety-nine cents? You pick up the item gingerly, glance about furtively wondering if anyone else has noticed the outrageous, wonderful find. You were not planning on buying anything; you only came to browse. But you have a dollar in your pocket and the most precious object in your hands.

Naturally you make the purchase, and immediately afterwards you go and tell everyone you know about the brilliance of your day.

This is a little bit how we feel about our two new ebooks for July. We'll just start with one here, as we wouldn't want to overwhelm you with so much goodness. July 1st saw the release of our newest children's masterpiece, Prince Albert and the Doomsday Device, by the enigmatic Clive London. In the same way that the Harry Potter books and the Percy Jackson series found wide appeal across age groups, Prince Albert is a book for everyone.

Set in a steampunk version of the Victorian age, the book follows young Jack White (not the rockstar) across the countryside and into the city of London for the first time. Determined to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance, his search takes him to the newly opened Great Exhibition in the center of the city. There, he meets a clever engineer (who is more than he appears to be) and discovers the mysterious doomsday device set to be unveiled during the following day. Recognizing the device as an invention of his father's, Jack has to figure out where it came from and what it does if he has any chance of tracing it back to his missing parent.

And this is only the beginning. Double-decker steam trains, sword fights on rooftops, jail breaks, gun fights, and some very sketchy tea, all come together to make one rollicking ride. The first in a series, we're so excited to be able to offer this book at only $0.99, to whet your appetite and give you just one more reason to curl up with your Kindle (or iPad or . . .). Let us know what you think when you're done reading!