This morning, I have a memoir to share in our featured book spotlight! Take a few minutes and learn about Grit & Grace and author Deborah Rudell! Read a quick excerpt from the book & be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

 

The Transformation of a Ship & a Soul

Memoir

Date Published: February 27th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 

 

 

Deborah Rudell’s world unravels when the leaders of her spiritual commune are exposed, arrested, and imprisoned for bioterrorism and attempted murder. Crushed and adrift, she moves her family off the commune to create a sense of normalcy. But when her husband seeks an opportunity to dismantle and rebuild a derelict fifty-foot schooner, Deborah uproots their children once again and joins him in Kauai. For the next five years, she dedicates her life to restoring a boat.

 

Pouring herself into the work at hand can only distract her so much as disillusionment about the cult’s lies and manipulation slowly rises to the surface. While she grapples with emotional turmoil and contemplates a new life path, Deborah sets out to accomplish something she never thought possible: sailing across the Pacific to the Olympic Peninsula. Will the dangers that come with navigating the ocean be too much to bear, or will she find resolution and fortitude in the turbulent adventure?

Grit & Grace: The Transformation of a Ship & a Soul is one woman’s account of conquering overwhelming challenges with tenacity and ingenuity and ultimately discovering her inner strength.

Read an Excerpt

 

“You really are new, aren’t you?” The red-clad, pony-tailed sannyasin laughed kindly
when I asked her what ‘drive-by’ was. I was eating lunch with two thousand other
devotees in the cafeteria on my first day at the communal Ranch in the fall of 1982.

     “Bhagwan drives by on the road every day after lunch, and we line up along the edge
and sing and dance and wave to Him. It’s a daily celebration,” she explained.

I followed the crowd out the door and back onto and off a bus, jostled and nudged into a
line along the well-maintained gravel road. People stood quietly, some talking softly. My
mind and heart were in turmoil. I had just left my home, family, and career to follow a
spiritual path with a living master. While I had read His books, listened to His
audiotapes, and watched His videos, I had never seen Him in person. What would it be
like?

     Eventually I saw a car in the distance and then the line of disciples came alive,
clapping, singing and swaying to the songs from a group of musicians half a block
away. Bhagwan drove slowly, one hand moved up and down, as He celebrated with us.
His dark eyes scanned the thousands of happy faces lined up to greet Him.

     Standing amongst strangers, my eyes wet with tears and shining with emotion, I
watched the car Bhagwan was driving follow the road lined with disciples, getting closer
and closer. The last vestiges of angst, the self-doubt, the wondering what I had done by
giving up my life as I knew it, all disappeared as I looked in His eyes. I felt my body
dance, and my hands clapped. 

     It was as if we were all One. Unity at last, all consumed by our love for the Master,
the Enlightened One. The One who had gone before us in realizing the true nature of
this world. The One who could give us glimpses of our own promise, our own abilities to
transcend the density and illusion of material existence to bring peace, joy, and love
from heaven above down to the Earth.

 

 

Buy the Book

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Meet the Author

 

A college professor in San Diego, California, Deborah Rudell participates in her city’s vibrant writing community. She is a graduate of Hay House Writer’s Workshop and the Certificate in Memoir Writing program at San Diego Writers, Ink. Her work has been published in the International Memoir Writers Association’s anthology, Shaking the Tree: I Didn't See That One Coming.

Deborah lives with her black cat in a tiny house built in 1906 by a retired sea captain, who carved a sailing ship into the front door. This is her first book.

Connect with the Author

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 Enter the Giveaway

Today, I am joining the book tour for nonfiction history novel The Landmark Achilles! Check out the book, learn about author James George Brianas & read a quick excerpt from the book!

In Search of His Palace, His Family, Homer, the War, and the Bronze Age Mediterranean

 

Nonfiction

Date Published: October 30, 2024

Publisher: Mindstir Media

 

 

The Bronze Age Mediterranean, 3200 1200 BC, was a period of high movement, intrigue, and warfare. In this book, the author, through extensive research with "Boots on the Ground," provides a new, cohesive, and comprehensive view of that age, the evolution of the Greeks into the Mediterranean, the kings and commander with their fortresses and palaces, and capped in the final years with Homer's war, "The Greatest War Story Ever Told." He describes not only how the Greek hero Achilles and events of that war leave a lasting legacy but also weaves in five generations of the family of Achilles, the truth about Homer and his war, and solves the mystery of the palace site of Achilles and his father Peleus. Excavations of Troy from 1871 to the present are revealed as are the discovered clay tablets of the Hittites identifying numerous wars at Troy and along the Aegean Sea in western Anatolia. The ultimate collapse of the Bronze Age and its kingdoms brings this author's epic saga to its final conclusion, the devastation of that end period harboring ominous signs for our own world today.

 

 Read an Excerpt

 

His tomb lies on the plains of Troy, a mound of earth some 30 feet (9 m.) in height

and crowned by large white stones. Today it is an isolated spot along the far northeastern

Aegean coast, far from his homeland on mainland Greece, visited by no one, some 7 miles

(11 km.) southwest of the citadel, the fortress of Troy, whose once massive walls repelled

the Greek armada of over 1000 ships and the thousands of battle-tested Greek warriors.

Yes, he was the fiercest and the most courageous amongst them—the great Achilles. No

tourist visits the tomb. It is now a desolate area surrounded by farmland and rolling terrain

with the Aegean Sea a stone’s throw to the west. It was here along the coast that the armada

landed and set up camp, a rather secluded coast protected from the winds streaming out of

Thrace to the north and the Hellespont, today’s modern Dardanelles strait. It was here that

the war began between the Greeks and the Trojans, Homer’s Trojan War, that 10-year long

struggle in which it was prophesized Achilles would die. But in his death, he rises above

all other Greek warriors. He is the hero. His immortality is secured and the legend begins.

 

 

Early Reviews

 

A general reader, Jason Breyer, Palm Harbor, FL, working with the UPS, said of the book, "I couldn't put the book down. I was absorbed in fact versus myth and I had to keep on reading."

A Publishing Director, Danielle Allan, Boston, MA, with Mindstir Media, stated, "Your manuscript is fascinating. The book captures powerful storytelling while leading the reader through your adventures and combining them with legendary stories."

Another reader, Alexander Lardis, Annapolis, MD, a Senior Scientist (retired) with the U. S. Government, said, "The research is phenomenal, well-documented, and with a wealth of information. It was fascinating. I left feeling I had read a great story."

 

Buy the Book

 

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About the Author

Contact Link

Website

 

This morning, I have another nonfiction business management book for entrepreneurs!  Check out Man... F@#K! by Rod F. Marchand, learn about the author and read an excerpt!

The Honest Reality of Entrepreneurship

 

Nonfiction / Entrepreneurship / Business Management

Date Published: ‎August 11, 2020

Publisher: ‎Mindstir Media

 

Many of our posts contain affiliate links.
Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner.  

 

 

Man...F@#K! shares the honest and often unspoken reality of entrepreneurship while serving up a large dose of much-needed hope and inspiration to all business owners and entrepreneurs trying to take their companies to the next level. Unlike most other books on business, this book clearly defines the difficulties of life and the challenges of managing and building a brand from virtually nothing into a potential global company. It also accurately illustrates the struggles of working with a family business and the expectations of starting in a small market and what it takes to overcome those challenges and achieve personal and professional goals on a larger scale.

It's a fun, yet realistic story of what it takes to keep your head up in times of trial - when all you can think is Man...F@#K! out of frustration - in order to ultimately make your dreams a reality.

 

I love to read, though you might think I never have time! I think it’s important to get as many different perspectives on business as possible, especially from those who have had failures as well as success. If I have found the most consistent theme among men and women who have experienced success, it is that
they have always had multiple failures along the way. This changes the mindset of “win or lose” to “win or learn.” A recent book I read entitled Good to Great sparked one of the newest cultural shifts in my company. I felt that this was exactly where we were, or actually, I would have ranked us as “really good,” but somehow, we still couldn’t cross the final hurdle to “great.” The challenge is tough for any team. If I were to rank us in terms of performance percentage, I would say we run at around ninety-six percent. If you were a student, you wouldn’t sneeze at that metric! But I believe we could achieve the goal of operating at one hundred percent of our capacity. Now remember, I’m not talking about being perfect, but being excellent.

There is a tremendous difference. I have been driving a culture of personal/professional excellence by being remarkable every day. This doesn’t mean life won’t happen, remember the title of this book is Man...F@#k! It means that if you approach everything you do with the mindset of giving the best of your ability, you will be excellent and remarkable. Success breeds success and has a ripple effect
throughout the whole company.

About the Author

Rod F. Marchand is the president and CEO of Marchand Retail Group, Inc. operating multiple businesses including retail, wholesale, and manufacturing.

As a second generation, family-owned business operation, he is excited to welcome his sons into the transition of a third-generation ownership group.

Rod is a proud husband and father of seven children and currently three grandchildren, dedicated to inspiring other entrepreneurs to seek out achieving their dreams and goals!

 

Connect with the Author

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Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest 

Instagram 

LinkedIn

Buy the Book

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IndieBound

Today, we are sharing a quick book teaser spotlight for Christian fiction novel Holy Terror by John Dougherty!  Check out the book, read an excerpt & learn about the author!

 

Christian Fiction

Date Published: 10-01-2022

Publisher: Bookbaby

 

Detective Jelani is a tough, veteran cop, who earned his stripes in the rough-and-tumble streets of St. Louis before relocating to Miami. His younger partner, Detective Madigan, is brash and confident. But they were never prepared for what awaits them as they try to solve these latest crimes. They are about to become embroiled in a series of cosmic events which they could have never dreamt of, even in their wildest imaginations. In a world where the angels of heaven and the angels of hell bring their ageless battle to Earth, how will these men, and their families, overcome such insurmountable challenges? As has been the case since the beginning of time, God and His heavenly host are facing off with Satan and his hellish host. Caught in the middle is Thumos, possibly the most powerful angel ever created. He is a warrior angel, "quickened" by God for one thing: battle. And he has seen plenty of that down through the centuries. No one can match his prowess; not even the Archangels. But Thumos has become a disgruntled warrior of God, and after standing by for long enough, he can take it no more. The earthly world of these two Miami detectives will collide with the heavenly world of Thumos. None of them know what is coming, and none of them will ever be the same again.

 

  Read an Excerpt

 

Still looking down at the implausible situation presented to him by this overnight homicide, Ian wagged his head in utter disbelief. What kind of force did it take to actually nail someone’s head into a concrete sidewalk? With his bewilderment under control, his experience and training took over as he contemplated the crime scene. Aside from the obvious, he also noted a large rock lying on the ground near the dead man’s body. Puzzled, he thought to himself that the sticky wet red stains on it would not clear up this mystery any sooner.

Ian, long-having refused to give into all the electronic gadgetry of the day, scribbled on his old-fashioned notepad. He glanced up from it to see Lane walk up beside him. “Not another one,” Lane muttered quietly so only they could hear. Ian saw the younger detective looking for answers in his eyes. Ian was sure the only thing Lane saw there was the very same frustration and shock.

Ian maneuvered carefully around the victim’s body to get a closer view of the head. He turned on his penlight to get a better view in the still dimly lit morning hour. He let out a slow whistle. That is one big spike, driven right through this poor guy’s temple. Could the perp have used that softball sized rock nearby to drive the spike in? Get a grip, Jelani, he told himself. It was no wonder forensics had not yet been able to extract the spike. Not only would the extraction process further damage the victim’s head, conventional human strength had simply failed to budge it. He leaned in a little closer to inspect below the head as it lay in a large pool of congealing blood on the sidewalk. The spike went at least several inches down into the concrete, best as could be seen.

About the Author

John has spent his professional career working in information technology by day and dabbling in a variety of other diversions by nights and weekends, including a few decades of serving in lay ministry. While serving in this capacity he preached hundreds of sermons, taught countless Bible study classes, and wrote dozens of inspirational articles.

He enjoys golf, guitars, grandchildren, and all things Kansas City – the Chiefs, the Royals, Sporting KC, KC Current, KC Symphony, and KC Broadway, to name a few.  He thinks (if not for his long-lost metabolism of youth) he could eat the famous Kansas City barbecue every day…maybe not for breakfast, but lunch and dinner for sure!

Now he is enjoying bringing to life his angelic hero, Thumos, and a host of other characters that he hopes you will find both entertaining as well as either inspiring or repulsive (after all, there are both good guys and bad guys in this story).  This is the first book of a series, featuring detectives Lane Madigan and Ian Jelani, whose experience with Thumos will yield life changing results.  And if you happen to be interested in such things, happy Bible Easter Egg hunting while you read, since many are planted throughout the book.

Connect with the Author

Today, I have a young adult fantasy novel in our book spotlight!  Check out North Star Rising, read an excerpt and learn about author Darielle Mac!

Teen and Young Adult Fantasy

Date Published: August 10, 2022

Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.

Amber Emrys is coming of age. She lives on the mystical isle of T’ir Na Nor in the North Sea.   Preparations for her Nest Naming Celebration are in the works. Pavarotti, a Puffin who has been  “Guardian of the air” on the island for centuries, has watched over Amber as she’s grown from chick to fledgling.

On her adventures, Amber braves trolls, befriends fantastical beasts, beguiles hooligans, outwits  malevolent creatures of the earth and sea, and discovers buried secrets about herself and her Ma’s family.

This is a tale filled with fun, whimsy, twists, tears, magic, music, and heart for YA readers and friends and family of all ages.

 

 Read an Excerpt

 

C H A P T E R O N E
 

The Nest Keeper
Pavarotti
PLUMMETING…
SOARING…
SPINNING…
FALLING…

I burst through the clouds. Fun. Grand. Delicious. I love this free-fall feeling. Glorious. I’m
the luckiest of beings. Truly, I feel sorry for those who can’t do what I do. I fly. I swim. I
hunt.
“Gumph, that was a delicious sardine. Pardon me. Where was I?
Ahem. I eat mostly fish. I do have a tooth or two for seeds and nuts as well, but plump
sardines, one juicy bite, is a favorite delicacy.”

Sea spray stings my eyes. I shake off, gliding above the jade-shimmering surface of the sea.
There! What is that gangly long-legged auburn-crested female chick doing? She’s closing in
on our nesting place. Sound the alarms! Danger! Danger alert! 

 

Buy the Book

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About the Author

Darielle Mac has collaborated with numerous notable figures in the industry and has written largely for theater and movies.