This morning, I have a nonfiction book in our book blitz spotlight! Learn about The Archaic Thesaurus by author Nina Spinello! 

Rediscover the Poetry of Forgotten Words

Date Published: July 18, 2025

Publisher: ‎MindStir Media

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From “abstruse” to “zealous,” each entry is meticulously presented with: 

● The word’s pronunciation

This A-to-Z compendium invites readers to embrace words like anathema, bellicose, laconic, and quixotic—expressions steeped in literary tradition and capable of transforming any piece of writing into something timeless. 

Whether you’re an author in search of the perfect word, a language enthusiast craving the eloquence of yesteryear, or a student eager to expand your vocabulary, The Archaic Thesaurus opens the door to a more expressive, poetic, and nuanced way of communicating. 

Bring history into your vocabulary. Let these powerful words rekindle your imagination and elevate your expression. 

 Rediscover the art of language—one magnificent word at a time.

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This morning, I have a coming-of-age novel in our literary fiction book blitz spotlight! Learn about The Smallest of Miracles and author Douglas Carpenter. 

Literary Fiction

Date Published: March 6, 2025

Publisher: Seacoast Press

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In The Smallest of Miracles, Douglas Carpenter crafts a masterful literary debut that merges gripping storytelling with profound life lessons. The novel follows Ted Carrington, a wealthy, brilliant, and emotionally distant man on the autism spectrum, who returns to the private elementary school that shaped him—for better and worse. He intends to make a large donation, but what begins as a business transaction slowly becomes a reckoning with his past. 

As the story transitions between Ted’s present and his childhood, readers meet the deeply flawed, often cruel boy he once was—especially to a vulnerable new classmate named Anna. But life, in its quiet way, begins to turn his world upside down. 

What emerges is not only Ted’s transformation, but an invitation to the reader: to reflect, to slow down, and to reconsider how the smallest decisions—the ones we barely notice—can lead to the greatest changes. 

This is not just a novel. It’s a call to awareness. A self-improvement guide disguised as a coming-of-age story. 

Read it once for the story. Read it again for the insight.

His debut novel, The Smallest of Miracles, took ten years to write—a deeply personal and intricately crafted journey of self-discovery and transformation. Drawing on his keen eye for detail and analysis, Douglas poured over every word, shaping a literary fiction novel that functions as both an engaging story and a guide to personal growth. 

The book explores how tiny, seemingly insignificant choices shape our lives far more than major events. Readers are invited to slow down, reflect, and discover truths hidden in the smallest details—just as Douglas has done through his writing. 

Douglas hopes his novel will find a place in high school curricula and on the bookshelves of thoughtful readers young and old. His message is clear: "The truth is always hidden behind things that are out of place." 

Connect with Douglas Carpenter to discover a new perspective on life, character, and the miraculous power of small decisions.

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This morning, I have a historical fiction novel in our book teaser spotlight! Check out The Well-Tempered Violinist and learn about author Barbara T. Carlton. 

Book 1 of The Gift 

Historical Fiction

Date to be Published: November 5, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

But the violin Marthe’s father left her is a constant reminder of the profound bond between them, and it gives her the strength to begin healing. When the Köln Conservatory offers her an unexpected scholarship, she seizes her chance to reach for excellence. 

Under the rigorous tutelage of Professorin Wolff, and subjected to predatory harassment by a fellow student determined to destroy both her self-worth and her chances of success, Marthe quickly learns she will need more than motivation and talent to rise to the top. 

Filled with heart, wit, and music, The Well-Tempered Violinist is an enduring coming-of-age tale about an artist striving for greatness against enormous odds.

FEBRUARY 1949, HEIDELBERG

In the very beginning was the sound, bright and rich, with an edge of darkness. 

I knew it before birth, my mother said, for whenever my father played, I became still in her womb, as if I were mesmerized. 

In the sitting room of our house in Eberlinstrasse, I became the audience, propped with pillows before I could sit up, listening to my father and his friends play string quartets on Saturday nights—for love, he said, not money, for he was a banker, though as a young man he had studied with the famous Schradieck in Hamburg. Later, he told me I never fussed, never had to be removed, but remained transfixed, no matter how rough the music nor how often they repeated it. So perhaps my mother was right. 

***

The second beginning was my fourth birthday, when my baby sister Anni stuck her fist into my birthday cake when no one was looking and my grandparents gave me a music box that played “Papageno’s Magic Bells” from The Magic Flute, which I listened to until everyone but me was sick of it. Best of all, my father gave me my own small violin and began to teach me its mysteries. First, the names of the strings and their personalities: A, sensible and even-tempered; D, cheerful and impetuous; down to G, serious and thoughtful; up to E, nervous and temperamental, with a tendency to squeak. How to tune them, how to find the notes and make them pure instead of scratchy. He turned exercises and drills into games and improvised harmony to my children’s songs, something different every time. Alle Meine Entchen, All My Ducklings. Bruder Jakob, a round. Kleines Mädchen, Little Girl—my favorite, because it was about me. 

I practiced every afternoon for my evening lesson. Occasionally, with nerves like caterpillars in my stomach, I played for the applause and praise of my father’s friends. I might have thought all children were as docile as myself, if not for Anni. Anni’s temper tantrums, Anni thundering up and down the stairs, Anni meddling with my toys and often breaking them. I couldn’t imagine where my parents had found her, or why. Someday, I thought—preferably soon—she would run off to become a pirate and leave us in peace. 

The pirate would surely come to no good. But I dreamed I would become a famous violinist and lead an exotic and sophisticated life on the concert stages of the world.

***

When I outgrew my first violin, Anni inherited it and my father began to teach her—at least, he tried. Anni never practiced and she hated lessons of all kinds. The experiment was short-lived and a spectacular failure. 

I felt horribly smug for weeks.

My father and I shared a secret language, a world full of treasures where Anni couldn’t stick in her fat little fist and grab anything and where my mother didn’t care to go. A bond grew between us as between two fibers of the same tree, pure and deep. . . 

***

MARCH 1906, KÖLN

Both of these beginnings came before the real one, like the prologue in fiction. 

The third beginning, the real one, is now: a cold March morning a month past my eighteenth birthday, before the grand front door of one of the grandest houses in Köln. Herr Dietrich keeps a firm grip on my elbow, probably to keep me from running away. In my other hand, I carry my violin in its case. This house, on Leopoldstrasse in the heart of the Lindenthal district, belongs to Herr Ferdinand Kurtz, president of the Bank of Köln. My father’s bank. 

Yes. It begins here.

The violin I carry is my father’s, because he is dead.

*** 

The Well-Tempered Violinist, Book 1 of The Gift series, is her first novel.

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Facebook: Barbara Thornburgh Carlton, Writer

Instagram: @btcarlton_writer

Today, I have a women's fiction novel in our book release blitz spotlight! Learn about Love's Harvest and author Judith Keim,  

Women's Fiction with Romantic Elements

Date Published: August 18, 2025

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Aaron Collister was Sarah’s high school boyfriend. They connected with their sensitivity to nature and poetry, which might have seemed strange unless you knew that big, tough, Aaron was part Abenake Indian and had been given many life lessons by his mother. They renew their friendship, but neither is ready to commit to more until a crisis leads them to their answer. 

About the Author 

She enjoyed her childhood and young-adult years in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Boise, Idaho, with her husband and their adorable dachshunds, Wally and Kacy, and other members of her family. 

 While growing up, she loved the idea of writing stories from a young age. Books were always present, being read, ready to go back to the library, or about to be discovered. All in her family shared information from the books in general conversation, giving them a wealth of knowledge and vivid imaginations. 

 Ms. Keim loves to hear from her readers and appreciates their enthusiasm for her stories.

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This morning, I am joining the cover reveal for contemporary romance novel Kennedy Sloane Gets Scooped by Caila Klaiss! Check out the cover, learn about the book and connect with the author!  

Date Published: November 6th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

On a rainy Manhattan afternoon, career-obsessed writer and news producer Kennedy loses the interview that was guaranteed to catapult her to senior producer status. Hours later, revered and feared book editor Muffin Evans, aka the Manuscript Eater, shelves the publication of her promising debut novel. 

Over a night of tears and too many glasses of wine, Kennedy responds to an internet ad for a villa on the picturesque island of Hilton Head. She books a five-week “hiatus from life,” to focus on herself, free from distractions. 

However, soon after arriving on the island, J.P. Long catches Kennedy’s hesitant eye. Despite a series of serendipitous encounters around the romantic oasis, Kennedy knows there’s no room in her life for a charming professional golfer turned businessman who is battling his own personal and professional insecurities. 

But maybe he’s worth the trouble.

If there’s one thing Kennedy’s learned, it’s that life rarely happens as expected, and sometimes, the best stories unfold when you stop chasing the perfect headline.

About the Author

 A graduate of Fordham University, Caila Klaiss is an award-winning network news producer who spent seventeen years crisscrossing the country to cover breaking and developing stories for platforms across ABC News. The bulk of her career was spent producing true crime documentaries for 20/20. 

Since making the difficult decision to leave a career she loved, Caila has pursued her other life-long dream of becoming a writer. When she is not reading, writing, or researching, Caila recharges by practicing yoga.

Born, raised, and currently living in northeastern Pennsylvania, Caila is a New Yorker at heart whose happy place is a warm sandy beach, under a palm tree.

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This morning, I have a nonfiction, personal finance self help book to share in our preorder blitz spotlight! Learn about Never Stay Broke and author Joseph Rutakangwa! 

Nonfiction, Self-Help, Personal Finance

Date Published: September 9, 2025

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This book is for the person who’s done everything they were told—study hard, work harder, stay positive—and is still asking: Why does it feel like I’m always starting from zero?

Never Stay Broke is a clear, honest guide for figuring out what actually works when things aren’t working. It won’t promise millions or magic. It gives you a way forward—whether you need to make it to the next day, next week, next month, or the rest of your life without looking back. 

It’s not about motivation. It’s not about mindset. It’s about movement—small, smart, stacked decisions that build into something you can stand on.

Inside, you’ll find:

• What to do when you have no time, no credit, and no help

• How to stretch what you have without shrinking your future 

• How to turn one move into momentum, then turn that momentum into freedom

• How to stop feeling like you’re catching up, and start acting like you’re in control

No fluff. No pity. Just the truth about what it takes to move from survival to security—and beyond.

If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t keep living like this,” but didn’t know what to do next, start here.

In 2021, Joseph founded Rwazi, a company that specializes in providing cutting-edge technology solutions to businesses. 

Joseph is known for his visionary leadership style and his ability to inspire and motivate his team. He is deeply committed to the success of his company and the growth of the technology industry in Rwanda. He is also passionate about giving back to his community, and is involved in a number of charitable organizations that work to improve the lives of people in need.

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Today, I have a historical fiction novel in our book spotlight. Learn about The Ballad of Midnight and McRae by author Jess Lederman. Be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post. 

Literary Historical Fiction / LGBT Friendly

Date Published: 07-16-2025

Thomas Anderson of Literary Titan calls The Ballad of Midnight and McRae "wildly entertaining" and recommends it "to lovers of literary fiction, fans of Cormac McCarthy or Marilynne Robinson, and anyone who believes that stories still have the power to save." 

Poet Malcolm Guite writes, "In the story of Midnight and McRae we are enabled to hear the long conversation between Pagan and Christian, and within Christianity between protestant and catholic. and on a personal level between father and son, between lover and beloved, and deep within ourselves, the conversation between the person we are pretending to be and the person we really are. And all these vital conversations are enfolded in and arise from a compelling story set on the frontiers, the badlands, and the formative days of America itself, the place where so many of these conversations need to take place." 

—Thomas Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Literary Titan

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