Tag: Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Page 5 of 11

Spreading the Self-Pub Love with DB Rook

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On July 25, 2024

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner
In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” this year for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love (while also indulging in a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love with DB Rook

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for Renia by Karl Forshaw

Renia by Karl Forshaw

A unique fantasy noir with vibrant and relatable characters that choose their own path through mystery, hardship and the intriguing world of Luna Ruinam.

My Elevator Pitch by DB Rook
Cover of Callus & Crow by DB Rook
A western flavoured odyssey of revenge and redemption played out across a wayward, post-apocalyptic, world.

About this Author
DB Rook can be found wandering the UK, rambling about his next book or the nutritional value of Star Wars for greater society. An avid reader of SFF and a keen gamer, he is one quarter of the Four Beardsmen of the Bookpocalypse and occasionally scribbles out reviews for http://Fanfiaddict.com.

Website ~ Book ~ Twitter ~ Linktree

Be sure to check out Callus & Crow and Renia, let’s show them both some love!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

Image by Monika from Pixabay
The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Paul Regnier

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On July 25, 2024

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner
In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” this year for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love (while also indulging in a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Paul Regnier

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Covers for Beaumont and Beasley books

Kyle Robert Shultz

[The works of] Kyle Robert Shultz. He’s a fellow Idahoan who lives in Twin Falls. His website is: https://www.aftermythos.com/.

Kyle’s stories are filled with adventure, camaraderie, and humor. The type of books you dive into and discover the best type of characters to share an adventure with!

(sorry for the image, his website was down when I was compiling this post…best I could grab–it’s his first series)

My Elevator Pitch by Paul Regnier

Cover of Bard Tidings by Paul Regnier
The spirit of a warrior lies deep inside a bard. Deep down. Way, way down.

Jonas wakes up each day regretting his position as the king’s bard. He dreams of escaping the kingdom and returning to life as a traveling musician with his best friend Elrick. But when his love Bree is taken prisoner in the castle, he and Elrick must act. Their attempts at rescue go horribly wrong, and the king marks them for death. Now they must flee the kingdom with a hefty reward on their heads.

Meanwhile, the king’s soldiers march to war, placing Bree’s hometown in their path of destruction. Jonas must go from lute player to monster slayer as they travel through dangerous lands on a desperate quest to stop an army.

Their adventures throw them in league with fearsome lycans, stabby assassins, and a cursed warrior. With their help they must survive a pursuing dragon, slay a sorcerer, defeat an army, and of course, compose the perfect song along the way.

Can Jonas and his friends survive the journey and save an innocent town before it’s too late?

About this Author
Paul Regnier is a speculative fiction author. He believes one of the closest things to magic on this earth is imagination. His favorite type of story is filled with adventure, humor, and heartfelt moments between characters. He likes to dream up worlds of fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and the supernatural. Sometimes they end up in a book.

Paul is the writer of Bard Tidings, the Luke and Bandit cozy mystery series, the Paranormia series, and the Space Drifters series.

Paul lives in Treasure Valley, Idaho, with his wife and two children.

Website ~ BookBub ~ Instagram

Be sure to check out Bard Tidings and Kyle Robert Shultz, let’s show them both some love!

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Image by Monika from Pixabay
The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Nathan Ogloff

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On July 25, 2024

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner
In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” this year for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love (while also indulging in a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Nathan Ogloff

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons

The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons

With all the Dune hype, I’d like to expose people to Dan Simmons’ Hyperion series. It’s only 4 books, and some short stories, but it’s not as dry as Dune and in my opinion, it’s better.

Covers for Silo series by Hugh Howey

Silo Series by Hugh Howey

As for someone else’s self-published work? All I can think of is Hugh Howey’s Silo series. It’s like THX1138 meets Metro 2033.

My Elevator Pitch by Nathan Ogloff
Cover of The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff
The Sapien Empire is a post-apocalyptic epic where civilization is making a comeback.

About this Author
Nathan was born in New Westminster, British Columbia and has had a fascination with story ever since he wrote a couple of pages to a time-travel book when he was in third-grade.

He believes we live in an interesting time that seems to be on the knife’s edge between a spectacular future or an abysmal landscape of decay. Through his stories that force us to take a deeper look at ourselves, he aims to foster a world of mutual understanding.

Although not the most qualified guy to fix the world’s problems, his writing just might give those-that-are an idea of how to do it. When he’s not writing, Nathan spends his time adding to his ever increasing heavy-metal Spotify playlist and creating spaceships in Lego Studio.

All his social media and other links can be found via my website. www.nathanogloff.com

Be sure to check out The Silo Series and The Sapien Empire, let’s show them both some love!

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Image by Monika from Pixabay
The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love with H.C. Newell

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On July 25, 2024

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner
In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” this year for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love (while also indulging in a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love with H.C. Newell

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for An Ocean of Others by Joshua Scott Edwards

An Ocean of Others by Joshua Scott Edwards

Remember what’s real or your head will be theirs

H.C. also mentioned:
Cover for The Theif's Relic by Joshua Scott Edwards

The Theif’s Relic by Angela Knotts Morse

and

Cover for The Crew

The Crew by Sadir S. Samir

My Elevator Pitch by H.C. Newell

Cover of Shadows of Nyn’Dir by HC Newell
Lost in the elven forests of Nyn’Dira, Nerana must find her way to those she’s lost. Regarded as a catalyst of the impending war, she is quickly sought after by the natives, who are as eager for her blood as the Order of Saro.

Struggling to survive in a land forbidden to humans, Nerana soon learns the mother of all Trees, Galdir, is dying, leaving the world to face an encroaching darkness. The only hope of its survival rests in the hands of Drimil’Rothar, but as the madness grows, her energy weakens, and soon, the Light holding all in balance will fade.

Cast into a war as the humans invade elvish borders, Nerana is faced with an impossible task, one that will decide the fate of the world. But while the madness diminishes Aélla’s strength, Nerana finds herself growing stronger, and her only chance lies in overcoming the darkness gripping her soul, or giving in to the power the world seeks to destroy.

About this Author
H.C. Newell is an American author of epic fantasy. She is best known for the Fallen Light fictional universe, in which her fantasy novel Curse of the Fallen, is set.

In 2014, Newell started her first novel series, Forthwind, which was a young adult trilogy. As she grew as an author, she found her niche in adult fantasy, and created the Fallen Light universe. This six-part novel series took Newell over seven years to create. She published her debut novel “Curse of the Fallen” in April 2021.

Newell’s works have been compared by readers to authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Brandon Sanderson, Andrzej Sapkowski, and Robert Jordan among others. Newell lives in Nashville, TN with her husband.

Website ~ Linktree

Be sure to check out Shadows of Nyn’Dir, An Ocean of Others, The Theif’s Relic, and The Crew—let’s show them all some love!

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Image by Monika from Pixabay
The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Fantasy

By

On July 24, 2024

In Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/24/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Fantasy. These are some of the most imaginative, creative, and enjoyable Fantasy novels I’ve read since I started blogging. These authors approach this beloved genre in ways that surprise and inspire me. Check out these books, hopefully, you’ll find something good.

bullet Healed by Carrie Alani—A tired and beleaguered nurse gains the ability to heal (my post about it)
bullet Partial Function by JCM Berne—a fun-as-all-get-out wuxia-inspired novel where a former lengendary warrior has to try to rescue her kidnapped daughters, and who knows what wake of destruction she’ll leave along the way (my post about it)
bullet Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn—Chorn’s Western/Fantasy about…I don’t have room here. It’s beautiful prose, heartbreaking stories, and a stellar example of writing. (my post about it)
bullet Oh, That Shotgun Sky by Sarah Chorn—the follow-up to the above. A handful of people trying to come to grips with the new world they find themselves in. (my post about it)
bullet Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn—A planet is dying, political upheaval, and the dawn of a new reality. One of the most brutal reads in recent memory (and one of the most disturbing covers!). I absolutely loved it and would be literally counting down the days until the sequel if I knew the date. (my post about it)
bullet One Man by Harry Connolly—A man hiding from his past, becomes a one-man army trying to save a kidnapped mother and daughter. (my post about it)
bullet Toby and the Silver Blood Witches by Sally Doherty—A young boy who takes care of his seriously ill mother, gets the suprise of a lifetime when a witch crashes into his attic and asks for his help! It’s a fun MG adventure. (my post about it)
bullet Haven by Ceril N Domac—a family in a slightly grimmer (and future) version of the U.S. has to go on the run to a safe settlement when they start to display signs of being more than human. (my post about it)
bullet The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington—A Loremaster conducts a series of interviews with Fantasy heroes, and others, to find and describe the essence of heroism. A thoughtful look at the idea is buried under jokes that will appeal to Fantasy Readers and RPG Players in particular-but many others, too. I had a great time with this. (my post about it)
bullet The Story of Lucius Cane: Book One by Vanya Ferreira—a mildly atypical vampire goes up against a lycanthrope-ish rogue in 1794. (my post about it)
bullet The Blackwood Saga by Layton Green—three brothers from New Orleans travel to a fantasy version of Earth and have to fight their way back home. (I haven’t finished this series yet, and it’s driving me crazy)
bullet The Brothers Three (my post about it)
bullet The Last Cleric (my post about it)
bullet The Spirit Mage (my post about it)
bullet The White Room by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—There’s a lot going on (visibly and invisibly) in this Pennsylvanian small town. (my post about it)
bullet The Knight Revenant by Adam Holcombe—this short story introduces Gam Gam the Necromancer in a fantastic way. (my post about it)
bullet A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe—a newly orphaned child finds refuge with a knitting Necromancer in a fun adventure, that isn’t afraid to explore other emotional environments. (my post about it)
bullet Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson—In the late 1800s, as the Gold Rush in the Northwest starts to die off, a Korean warrior, with particular magical abilities, tries to track down his missing sister.(my post about it)
bullet Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani—a street thief/revolutionary finds herself over her head after her latest mission. A fast and fascinating read. (my post about it)
bullet A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher—A 14-year-old young woman whose magic controls baked goods is the only thing standing between her city and an invading army. You know, that old yarn. It’s delightfully charming. (my post about it)
bullet Grave Cold by Shannon Knight—a mix of creepy fantasy and creepier SF in a dystopian future. (my post about it)
bullet The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A group of magic users summons a dragon into 21st Century U.S. and immediately lose control over it. Heroics and hilarity ensue. It’s part corporate-satire, part fantasy-trope satire, part celebration of those same tropes, and all very funny. (my post about it)
bullet Mrs. Covington’s by K.R.R. Lockhaven—This book about friendship and nachos describes a young man looking to get out from his weathly father’s shadow who ends up buying a capybara-themed pub and running it with his new friends. There’s also a treasure hunt. Warm fuzzies, kindness, and good times ensue. (my post about it)
bullet Zoth-Avarex’s Escape Plan: A Pick-Your-Own-Path Experience by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A short Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style sequel about what happens to the dragon after the novel. (my post about it)
bullet The Culling by M. T. Miller—a bleak fantasy world is beset by monsters, and The Culling is a committed group of warriors wandering the countryside to fight them. These are dark books, but so fun to read.
bullet Apex Predator (my post about it)
bullet Brotherhood of the Worm (my post about it)
bullet The City of Scales (I accidentally deleted my post when it was almost done, and I’m having a hard time replicating it. But it’ll be here soon)
bullet The Nameless Chronicle by M. T. Miller—humanity struggles in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world. One man rises to fight the despots ruling them. He suffers, he bleeds, he dies. He just can’t seem to stay dead.
bullet Ascent (my post about it)
bullet Bedlam (my post about it)
bullet Risen (my post about it)
bullet A Strange Chemistry (my post about it)
bullet Strife (my post about it)
bullet The Complete Nameless Chronicle—the series is now published in one “boxed set” eBook
bullet Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin—a wholesome and comedic Arthurian tale about knights not quite good enough for the Round Table (my post about it)
bullet Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward—a temporary teaching job becomes so much more. (my post about it)
bullet An Unexpected Afterlife by Dan Sofer—wide-scale resurrection of the dead causes more than a few problems for everyone in modern Israel. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

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The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Rebecca Carey Lyles

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On July 24, 2024

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner
In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” this year for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love (while also indulging in a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Rebecca Carey Lyles

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for The Ghost of Gold Creek by Lisa Michelle Hess

The Ghost of Gold Creek by Lisa Michelle Hess

Beautiful book by my friend, Lisa Hess. A young girl who’s just lost her mom struggles to connect with her dad and find her footing again—with the help of a renegade wild horse.

My Elevator Pitch by Rebecca Carey Lyles
Cover of Crimson Arches by Rebecca Carey Lyles

Website ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Facebook Author Page ~ Twitter

About this Author
Rebecca Carey Lyles lives with her husband, Steve, in Boise, Idaho, where she serves as an editor and as a mentor for aspiring authors. In addition to the Children of the Light Series, she’s written the Kate Neilson Series and the Prisoners of Hope Series plus a short story collection and a couple nonfiction books. Her tagline for her fiction is “Contemporary Christian romance set in the West and salted with suspense,” although some might describe her stories as “suspense salted with romance.” She also hosts a podcast with Steve called “Let Me Tell You a Story.” Learn about Becky, her books and the podcast at beckylyles.com.

Website ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Facebook Author Page ~ Twitter

Be sure to check out Crimson Arches and The Ghost of Gold Creek, let’s show them both some love!

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Image by Monika from Pixabay
The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love with David T List

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On July 24, 2024

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner
In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” this year for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love (while also indulging in a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love with David T List

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for Callus & Crow by DB Rook

Callus & Crow by DB Rook

Callus & Crow by DB Rook is a truly unique mashup of Weird West and Grimdark that will surprise you at every turn. There is no predicting where this story goes and it does not shy away from the darkness.

My Elevator Pitch by David T List
Cover of Violence & Vigilance by David T List
Violence & Vigilance: Turesia Untamed book 1 is a dark fantasy story that pits marauding viking types against monks, but balances the scales by giving the monks battle magic.

About this Author
David hails from the humid subtropics of the southeastern US, where he writes fantasy fiction, plays bass guitar, explores the wilderness, and kicks it with his family. He’s adept at trouble-shooting, thanks largely to his proficiency at trouble-making, and puts both to use creatively to bring to life unlikely creatures, unique settings and situations, and villainous heroes.

Violence & Vigilance ~ Twitter/X ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Be sure to check out Violence & Vigilance and Callus & Crow, let’s show them both some love!

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Image by Monika from Pixabay
The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Shannon Knight

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On July 24, 2024

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner
In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” this year for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love (while also indulging in a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love with Shannon Knight

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for Dyer Street Punk Witches by Phil Williams

Dyer Street Punk Witches by Phil Williams

Check out Dyer Street Punk Witches by Phil Williams. Take a look at that cover. Does it warm your aging punk heart? Then this one’s for you! Kit Fadulous is decades past her punk witch days, but she’s still true to the punk life. Each chapter begins with a few pages set in the ‘90s before bumping up to the present. The setting is a gritty part of an English city overrun by gangs. Urban fantasy thriller. No romance!

Phil has a punk rock playlist for that book.

My Elevator Pitch by Shannon Knight

Cover of Grave Cold by Shannon Knight
Put on your Evanescence and fall into the near future where genetic modifications gone wild have altered the world as we know it. Grave Cold mixes science and magic, as a medieval reaper and a beautician necromancer work together to save the dead from being used as an energy source.

About this Author
Shannon Knight is a fantasy, science fiction, and horror author living in the Pacific Northwest.

Website ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads Author Page

Be sure to check out Grave Cold and Dyer Street Punk Witches, let’s show them both some love!

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Image by Monika from Pixabay
The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Grammar Sex and Other Stuff: A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays by Robert Germaux: A Collection That (mostly) Amused Me

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On July 23, 2024

In Humor, Non-Fiction, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Cover of Grammar Sex and Other Stuff by Robert GermauxGrammar Sex and Other Stuff:
A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays

by Robert Germaux

DETAILS:
Series: Grammar Sex Collection, #1
Publication Date: February 19, 2017
Format: eBook
Length: 82 pg.
Read Date: June 22-25, 2024

Research shows, and here I’m talking my made- up research, but I’m sure actual research would back me up on this . . . anyway, research, real or otherwise, indicates that once you’ve grabbed your readers’ attention (by, for example, throwing the word sex into your title), the best way to keep them turning those pages is to present them with prose so superbly written, so free of errors in spelling and punctuation and syntax, that they simply lose themselves in your wonderful narrative.

What’s Grammar Sex and Other Stuff About?

Well, that’s in the subtitle—it’s A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays. The word “brief” is the only thing missing from the title—there are 32 of them and the book is 82 pages long, so none of them are all that long.

The title itself comes from the sixth essay, “Grammar Sex (How Dangling Your Participle Can Hurt Your Book Sales),” a fun list of tips for authors—aspiring or otherwise—when it comes to learning how to use language. That’s not all he has to say about grammar, either, a little later we’re treated to a series called “The Grammar Snobs Trilogy”—a combination of useful tips and some silliness (neither of which interfere with the other).

We also get essays about the brief experience he and his wife had as being an Arbitron family, Jury Duty, baseball (and the money behind it), a dog he bought in college, some semi-random observations, and more.

If You’d Like a Sample

Germaux has provided a few guest posts here over the years, in case you’d like to take a quick look at his work. One of those happens to be an essay from this book, so you can get an actual sample of this book—”Literally? Really?” popped up on this site back in 2016(!). It’s a good way to catch a little flavor of this collection—and just a decent read in general. You might as well read the others, while you’re at it (if you haven’t already—and/or could use a refresher)

So, what did I think about Grammar Sex and Other Stuff?

The non-humorous essays weren’t my favorite—they were a little too generic, a little too…something. They were heartfelt for sure, and I don’t want to take away from that. But they didn’t do much for me, it seemed like Germaux was restraining himself in one way or another so he could make a point, and I don’t think the price was worth the result.

The rest were well worth the (short) time it took to read—and probably worth more than the time. I’m not going to promise you that you’re going to laugh out loud on every page—or even in every humorous essay. But you’ll find enough amusing to keep going.

A couple of months ago, I described the humor of a Patrick McManus book as “gentle.” That’s a good word to describe this humor, too. However, there’s a little oomph to Germaux’s humor that McManus doesn’t really have—I attribute that to the clear influence of Dave Barry on Germaux. He doesn’t rip off Barry’s style or anything (and I should know, I used to do that a lot), but even beyond mentioning Barry a time or three, you can tell that Germaux has read his share of the Floridian humorist.

I had a good time with this collection, and am more than ready to try the next in the series (and not just because I accidentally purchased it when I tried to get this one). I do recommend this for some pleasant and mostly humorous reading time.

3 Stars

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The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Non-Fiction

By

On July 23, 2024

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/23/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Non-Fiction—which are primarily memoirs at their core, it’s what the authors do with the memoirs that makes these really stand out. But there are a few other things, too.

bullet Life and Death Behind the Brick and Razor: Code Red Diamond by Isaac Alexis, MD—A prison doctor uses his experiences to give suggestions for a healthy/healthier life. (my post about it)
bullet How Not to Be an *SS: Essays on Becoming a Good & Safe Man by Andrew J. Bauman—Bauman calls men to an authentic, Biblical masculinity—one built on humility, kindness, and service. While offering concrete ways to set aside patterns of abuse and neglect. (my post about it)
bullet Kneading Journalism: Essays on baking bread and breaking down the news by Tony Ganzer—This is a collection of essays about the state of journalism, how people relate to and view the media we consume, and what the future may hold. Oh, and bread recipes, of course. It makes sense in context (and is a really great idea). (my post about it)
bullet Grammar Sex and Other Stuff by Robert Germaux — quick essays with humor and heart (my post about it)
bullet No Problem, Mr. Walt: Building a Boat, Rebuilding a Life, & Discovering China by Walt Hackman—Hackman was one of the first self-published authors to reach out to me, and I’m so glad he did. A fascinating read about a man deciding to have an authentic Chinese junk built for him to use as a houseboat in California. (my post about it)
bullet Finding Hope in Hard Things: A Positive Take on Suffering by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—The central premise is that God uses the “hard things” in life to shape us into the people he wants us to be, and uses some of the hard things in his life as case studies to demonstrate how they were used so the reader is equipped to look at their own lives and see the purpose in their suffering. (my post about it)
bullet The Great Lie: What All of Hell Wants You to Keep Believing by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—Paired with Hibbs’ characteristic clear prose and gift with language and illustrations, Hibbs reminds the reader that God is always speaking to us, through both the Creation and His Word. (my post about it)
bullet In Divine Company by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—Pierce’s treatment of prayer focuses on the communicative nature of God and His image bearers and then nurturing that in our lives to improve our prayer. (my post about it)
bullet Struck Down but Not Destroyed: Living Faithfully with Anxiety by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—Drawing on what he’s learned from over 12 years of anxiety, Hibbs talks about learning to see what God’s purpose in the suffering is (anxiety disorders specifically, but easily transferable to other types), understanding that His hand is guiding all things—including our problems—so how do we in faith (without denying the suffering) rest in faith. (my post about it)
bullet And Drink I Did: One Man’s Story of Growing Through Recovery by Jay Keefe—It’s all there in the subtitle, Keefe tells about his OCD, his alcoholic days, his getting sober, and how he’s trying to help others since then. Powerful stuff. (my post about it)
bullet If You Give A Mouse Metformin by Nikhil Krishnan, i Cenizal (Illustrator) — 1 part picture book parody, 1 part satire, 1 part good look at the pharmecutical process (the good and the bad) (my post about it)
bullet How to Take Over the World: Practical Schemes and Scientific Solutions for the Aspiring Supervillain by Ryan North—A tongue-in-cheek way to talk about some of the most advanced science around and how it can (and in some ways is) be used to destroy the world. (my post about it)
bullet The Genius’ Guide to Bad Writing by R.T. Slaywood, R.C. Martinez—A guide for the writer who is tired of success and wants to reclaim their lives from answering the siren call of fortune and fame that comes to every author. Slaywood and Martinez have a 10-Step program guaranteed to ruin a novel or two and stop a career dead in its spot. (my post about it)
bullet Uber Diva by Charles St. Anthony—a humorist writes a memoir of a Lyft/Uber driver mixed with a guide to starting/surviving/thriving as one in a tough market. St. Anthony also has a few other books out now that are probably worth a read. (my post about it)
bullet Flying Alone: A Memoir by Beth Ruggiero York—A female pilot’s memoir of her path from flight school to flying for TWA (now that I have a son learning to fly, some of her more harrowing experiences keep flashing through the back of my mind). (my post about it)

 

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

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