I love finding new memoirs to share! I think memoirs compete equally with mysteries as my favorite book genre. Today, I have a memoir from author Deborah Rudell. Check out Grit & Grace, learn about the author & 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.

 

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About 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.

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This morning, I have a young adult fantasy novel in our book release spotlight spot! Check out Selena Flowers and the Phantom Tides, learn about author Ella English and The Merblood Saga--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post. 

The Merblood Saga, Book 2

 

YA Fantasy

Date Published: 02-25-2025

Publisher: Spider Web Press

 

 

 

Something strange is going down in the sleepy seaside village of Madderly Bay. Best friends Selena and Chloe are stuck in the most boring summer ever—until food starts coming to life and running wild in the streets.

 

But that’s just the beginning. Earthquakes start shaking the village, and creepy claw marks show up, hinting at something dark stirring beneath the waves. Only Selena and Chloe know the real story about the zombie mermaids they faced before—and now they’re worried the threat they thought was gone might be back.

 

As the tremors get worse and the water turns a scary green, the girls have to figure out what’s awakening in the depths before it’s too late. With their friend Zelda and her magical squid, Glowella, by their side, they’ll risk everything to save both the human and magical worlds from a danger that could destroy them all.

 

In this thrilling adventure, Selena and her friends have to face their fears and dig up some serious secrets between the human and magical worlds. With their village and the ocean in danger, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Can they figure out what’s messing with the sea before it’s too late? Or will they realize that saving their town—and both worlds—might be way harder than they thought?

 

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About the Author

Ella English grew up in the heart of London, where the hustle and bustle of city life met summer adventures at her grandma’s house on the Kent coast. Exploring tide pools and collecting seashells, she developed a love for the ocean and a knack for creating imaginative worlds that she now brings to life through her writing.

Now living in Baltimore, Maryland, Ella is the author of The Merblood Saga, a dark fantasy YA series that plunges readers into a haunting underwater realm filled with cursed mermaids, ancient magic, and buried secrets. The first book, Selena Flowers and the Cursed Ruby, has been a hit with young readers, drawing them into its mysterious and dangerous world.

Ella also writes and illustrates Kitty in the City, a whimsical series about a singing cat named Katy who takes New York City by storm. The latest installment, Katy in Central Park, will be released in June 2025.

When she’s not weaving dark magic or drawing cats, Ella is kept busy by her two mischievous felines who make sure she stays entertained and grounded. 

 

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This morning, I have a historical romance novel in our book blitz spotlight!  Check out Wronged and Respected from the Love's Second Chance Series:  Highland Tales, learn about author Bree Wolf

Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Highland Romance, Scottish Romance

Date Published: September 8, 2022

 

In this Regency romance by USA Today bestselling and HOLT Medallion winning author BREE WOLF, a bitter Scotsman and a French lass find themselves running from a painful past and toward a shared future…if only they knew.

 

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Ian MacDrummond is no more. He died three years ago off the Scottish Coast. In his stead, IAN STEWART now stands upon the deck of the Chevalier Noire, a French privateer. Tasked with a most urgent mission, Ian comes to realize that his past may not be as dead as he had thought—or hoped!—when his path crosses that of a young woman.

NOELLE CLEMENT had been happy once. Happy and in love. Now, all is lost—even her precious child. Unwilling to give up, Noelle accepts aid from the Duret family, who place a rather taciturn Scotsman at her side. Still, before long, Noelle comes to see that they have more in common than she thought.

As they rush to unearth the whereabouts of Noelle’s daughter, an old enemy closes in on them, threatening not only their tentative bond but also those they hold dear. In the end, it all comes down to one question: how far are we willing to go for those we love?

 

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 USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of the LOVE'S SECOND CHANCE SERIES. Bree Wolf has always been a language enthusiast (though not a grammarian!) and is rarely found without a book in her hand or her fingers glued to a keyboard. Trying to find her way, she has taught English as a second language, traveled abroad and worked at a translation agency as well as a law firm in Ireland. She also spent loooong years obtaining a BA in English and Education and a MA in Specialized Translation while wishing she could simply be a writer. Although there is nothing simple about being a writer, her dreams have finally come true.

"A big thanks to my fairy godmother!"

Currently, Bree has found her new home in the historical romance genre, writing Regency novels and novellas. Enjoying the mix of fact and fiction, she occasionally feels like a puppet master, forcing her characters into ever-new situations that will put their strength, their beliefs, their love to the test, hoping that in the end they will triumph and get the happily-ever-after we are all looking for.

If you're an avid reader, sign up for Bree's newsletter at www.breewolf.com as she has the tendency to simply give books away. As a welcome gift, you also receive a book for FREE. Find out about freebies, giveaways as well as occasional advance reader copies and read before the book is even on the shelves!

 

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Today, I have a science fiction novel in our book release blitz spotlight.  Check out Erinath-5 :  The Dancer Nebula, learn about the series and author D.B. Sayers and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

 

Knolan Cycle, Book II

Science Fiction

Date Published 11-01-2021

Publisher: PhoenixPhyre Publishing

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After returning from a successful mission with the Knolan Shock Forces, Hāthar needs a break. With Arra his mate pregnant and he still recovering from his last mission, Hāthar has compelling reasons for sticking close to home. But newly developed stealth technology has enabled Knola’s enemies the Valdrōsians to ambush one of Knola’s Deep Space Fleets, inflicting heavy losses. 

 

Intelligence has identified the facility from which the new technology originated. Developing countermeasures, however, will require a raid to steal the technology and abduct the stealth project managers. Having recently defeated just such a raid, Hāthar is asked to evaluate the feasability of the Knolan plan. 

 

The plan is insanely risky, but Hāthar senses he is the best choice to lead it. With the fate of his adoptive home hinging on the success of the mission, he sets aside his personal preferences in favor of duty. Eryinath-5, The Dancer Nebula continues the chronicle of Knola’s thousand-year war with the Valdrōsians—and the coming climactic clash that will determine the fate of Earth and our corner of the galaxy. 

 

 

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About the Author

 

 

Dirk’s path to authorship wasn’t quite an accident, but almost. It’s not that he didn’t write. He did. Still, through two previous careers, first as a Marine officer and subsequently as a corporate trainer, Dirk started way more stories than he finished. But in the backwash of the 2008 financial meltdown, his employer filed for Chapter 11. Cordially invited to leave and not return, Dirk found himself out of work and excuses.

Since then, Dirk has published West of Tomorrow, Best-Case Scenario, Act I of Nyra’s Journey, a collection of short fiction entitled, Through the Windshield and Tier Zero, Vol I of the Knolan Cycle. All are available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle. His latest work in progress is The Year of Maybe, Act II of Nyra’s Journey, due out in 2022.

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Do you enjoy memoirs?  Today, I have a newly released memoir to share!  Check out The Last Stop, learn about author Patricia Street--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Date Published: October 19, 2021

 

The true story of a son’s battle with addiction and a mother’s struggle with loss.

David is only fifteen years old when he first feels morphine flow through his veins after his foot is crushed in the hydraulics of a Bobcat. From that moment on he chases the feeling for the rest of his life. Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine – he goes through drugs like candy, but it isn’t until he finds heroin that he is satisfied.

Through his personal correspondence and essays, David’s story unfolds as he goes from being an average American kid who loves sports, racing around on his skateboard, and writing stories, to being a heroin addict. His heartbreaking journey deepens as he takes his family with him down the dark and dangerous road of heroin addiction.

In 2014, David loses the battle, leaving his mother, Pat, to cope. Grieving a death from addiction is two-fold. After already losing her son to addiction, Pat has to find a way to grieve his death.

The Last Stop reveals intimate and detailed scenes of living the life of an addict and explores the mistakes and ways for families who love the addict to cope. David’s story gives hope for families immersed in the life-altering aspects of active addiction and empathy for those left behind when recovery stops being a choice.

 

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In late 1999, Pat learned that her son, David, who was 25, had become addicted to heroin. Her life was changed forever. For the next fifteen years, David rotated in and out of active addiction, recovery, and relapse. In August of 2013, David was diagnosed with vertebrae osteomyelitis caused by his drug use, and at the age of 39, he lost his battle with addiction.

Wanting to help other moms who are living the nightmare of addiction with a loved one, Pat gathered the emotional courage to compile her son’s story, The Last Stop, with his short stories, poetry, and essays.

Addiction changes the addict and those who love the addict. Pat is a different person today, but she still enjoys a good book, a lively tennis match, the clicking of Mah Jongg tiles, weaving baby blankets, and long walks with her little terrier mix who rescued her two years ago.

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This morning, I have a unique book in our book blitz feature spot!  While the title leads the mind in a direction--the collection of stories actually do not really have much in common with the short story collection's cover or title!   Check out the book and learn about author Sheldon Charles!

A Collection of Short Stories That Has Absolutely Nothing to Do with the Title or Cover Art

Short Stories

Published: December 2020

Publisher: Valkyrie Spirit Publishing

 

An anthology of short stories selected to provide you with a brief escape from where you find yourself right now. Each will allow you to leave this reality and take a quick trip into a different one. Have no fear. It’s a nice place. Even better, they know you there.

Words Ever Unspoken

Years have passed since Carson and Melissa broke up. Even though time has passed, both still dwell on the last time the two were together. Was that night a way of marking the end of their relationship, or was it a desperate attempt on both their parts to prevent their breakup from being permanent? Neither of them said a word during that last time together. Will either of them be able to find the words to express what is going on inside their minds and hearts today?

It's a Surreal Thing

He was deep into that summer between being a kid and being a teenager. She was the kind of woman that was the building block of a young man’s fantasies. As he sat there alone, she walked up behind him unnoticed and for a brief moment became the center of his universe when she made a simple request… a swig of his Coke.

Just Down from Rimpy’s Bait Shop

Peter’s grandfather brought him to live on his farm during his most turbulent years. As the man he loves succumbs to the deterioration of age, Peter is increasingly frustrated as he is forced to deal with the aging man’s belligerent and sometimes dangerous behavior. Fertilizing a section of the lawn should be a simple chore, especially when there are explicit directions. But then again, maybe not.

A Scents of the Virus

A sleepless night filled with the boredom of the COVID19 lockdown, a distracting ad on the Internet, and a credit card leads to the purchase of a Hollywood star’s latest vanity project: A candle with a unique scent. The first time Munro smells it, he begins to recover a memory. It is a memory he suppressed for years of a woman and relationship his heart and body cherished. Now, whenever the aroma surrounds him, he is immersed in a world where she and the relationship still exist.

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About the Author

Sheldon Charles is a decorated Air Force veteran, whose career has taken him around the globe, and given his writing a unique international flair. He is the author of the Evan Davis tales, which currently includes Three Paperclips & a Grey Scarf, Blood Upon the Sands, and From Within the Firebird’s Nest. His last two books earned Amazon bestseller badges after being ranked Number One for War Fiction and Middle East fiction, respectively. His latest novel is Ferdinand’s Gold. Sheldon currently resides in Michigan and can be contacted at shel@valkyriespirit.com.

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