Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy Fiction

Release Date: July 23rd, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

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If you make a deal with the Devil, don’t forget to read the fine print. 

Three operatives find themselves on the run after a corporate sabotage job goes awry. Now, their predatory employer, a heavyweight weapons-tech firm, wants its elite A-team dead at all costs.  Jon is a smooth-talking charmer. Friedrich is a hacker prodigy. And Guion is the ice-cold tactician who keeps them all in line.

Backs against the wall, the men strike separate infernal pacts to stay alive. They vanish into the urban badlands of New York’s Five Hives, vowing to lie low and figure out why they’ve become targets. Meanwhile, Jon suspects there’s an insidious evil possessing his friends, and he wonders if they all got more than they bargained for. 

Amid an escalating war between local gangs and the firm’s private shock troops, the fugitives uncover a conspiracy that threatens to destroy everyone they know and love. But can they stop the destruction before their inner demons seize control?

About the Author

At the age of four, Russell Anders started telling stories, often interrupting his mother during bedtime reading to ask, “Then what happened?” She always answered, “You tell me,” and his imagination conjured fantastical tales of dragons and dinosaurs.

He gravitated toward a career as a technical writer and writing coach for software companies. He also briefly served as a columnist for Dragon Magazine. One of his favorite hobbies includes tabletop role playing, especially as the game master. And yes, he's as cruel to the characters in his games as he is to the characters in his books; his players love him for it. 

Russel lives with the constant canine companionship of whip-smart but goofy Sigurd, an English Mastiff (the best breed ever).    

Daemones ex Machina is his debut novel.

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Today, I have a children's book to share in our book spotlight! Learn about Grandma's Bucket of Mercy and author Robin Carole! 

Children's Book

Date Published: May 28, 2025

Publisher: ‎MindStir Media

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About the Book

 

You are never too old or too young to learn life’s lessons.

 

From multiple award-winning author Robin Carole comes a heartwarming true story that celebrates the power of love, forgiveness, and generational wisdom. Grandma’s Bucket of Mercy is a touching tale of one young girl’s summer with her grandmother in 1960s California—and the quiet but profound lesson that would change two lives forever.

 

Ten-year-old Carole is sent on a mysterious errand involving her grandmother’s elderly neighbor, not knowing her grandmother is teaching her about the gift of mercy. Years later, Carole finally understands the full impact of that experience when a stranger shares how her small, anonymous acts of kindness transformed a life.

 

Beautifully written and deeply personal, this story is a tribute to the grit and grace of the women who survived the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression and to the enduring strength of intergenerational bonds. Grandma’s Bucket of Mercy is perfect for readers aged 9–12—and for the childlike spirit in every adult who believes in the quiet power of compassion.

 

✅ True story based on real-life events

✅ Uplifting themes of family, kindness, and legacy

✅ Ideal for ages 9–12 and meaningful for all ages

 

🪣 Sometimes the smallest gesture can change everything.

 

 

About the Author

 

Robin Carole is a multiple award-winning author and lifelong storyteller dedicated to preserving the legacy of the strong women in her family. A native Californian who grew up in the scenic wine country, Robin spent over 40 years in Deaf Education as a Certified Sign Language Interpreter, working with students from kindergarten through adult education. 

 

Now retired and living in Spokane, Washington, Robin draws from real-life experiences and the stories passed down from her grandmother, mother, and aunts to write books that speak to the hearts of readers young and old. Her passion for storytelling began as a child, sitting at the feet of her family matriarchs, listening to tales of resilience, faith, and enduring love. 

 

Her latest book, Grandma’s Bucket of Mercy, is a heartfelt tribute to the power of quiet acts of compassion—and a reminder that even children can change the world through kindness. Through her writing, Robin invites readers to revisit a time when life was simple, values were taught through action, and lessons of mercy could last a lifetime. 

“My education, my work, my goals, and accomplishments are here for only a moment, but my family is a lifetime.” —Robin Carole 

Fun Facts About Robin: 

• Her favorite meal is a classic Southern tomato sandwich 
• She loves gardening, even if it mostly means pulling weeds 
• Oldies music, storytelling, and pets bring her the most joy 
• She still believes in the power of sitting together and sharing stories 

 📚 Explore Robin’s books and discover stories that stay with you—because the lessons we learn from our grandmothers are often the ones we never forget. 

 

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B-A-M

This morning, I have a nonfiction Christian book in our book spotlight! Learn about For our Friends the Animals - Cultivating a Reverence for Life and author Robert Echols. 

Cultivating a Reverence for Life

Date Published: July 31, 2024

Publisher: BookBaby

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In For Our Friends the Animals, Robert Echols delivers a stirring spiritual call to action for Christians and all people of conscience to embrace a reverence for life in its fullest form.

Blending biblical truth, compassionate prayers, and the life-affirming philosophy of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, this powerful work urges readers to see animals not as commodities—but as beloved creations of God. In Part One, Echols explores the deep moral and spiritual responsibility we hold toward all creatures. In Part Two, he presents practical steps to confront today's most pressing animal welfare issues—from factory farming to environmental degradation.

Whether you're a lifelong advocate or someone opening your heart to new possibilities, For Our Friends the Animals invites you into a faith-driven movement of empathy and transformation. Through spiritual insight and practical guidance, the book empowers readers to become stewards of compassion, protecting both creation and Creator's intention.

“This book is not just a read—it’s a spiritual pledge. A call to embody Christ’s love by caring for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Join the movement. Embrace the message. Be the change.

About the Author

  Robert Echols is a spiritual author, thought leader, and passionate advocate for animals and all of God’s creation. As the author of For Our Friends the Animals: Cultivating a Reverence for Life, Echols blends Christian spirituality, biblical wisdom, and the moral philosophy of Dr. Albert Schweitzer to offer a powerful message: we are called to protect and uplift all living beings.

A cancer survivor and U.S. Army veteran, Robert's life journey has been guided by service—to his country, his faith, and now, to the voiceless creatures that share our planet. He is the founder and former president of the For Our Friends the Animals Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to financially supporting animal shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries. Under his leadership, the foundation funded the construction of animal shelters in Florida, putting faith into action and making his life his argument, as Schweitzer once wrote.

Robert frequently shares his message of compassion on LinkedIn, in podcasts, and as a guest speaker throughout the Mobile Bay, Alabama area. With academic credentials from Phillips Exeter Academy, New York University, and Emory University (J.D./M.B.A.), and a past career as an ethics officer and Army JAG attorney, Robert’s voice is both seasoned and deeply principled.

His current writing project is a four-volume spiritual treatise titled For Our Friends the Animals, empowering others to embrace a universal love rooted in Christ’s teachings and a reverence for all life.

“Let my words inspire you to become a steward of the earth and a champion for animals—because the love of Jesus is not just for humanity, but for all creation.”

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