Spotlight: The Betrayal: The Lies We Fear by Heather Ogden

Pub Date: October 7, 2025

Genre: YA Fiction/Magical Realism

Publisher: Morgan James YA

Angelette Arabella has spent her life in the shadow of the man the nation calls a hero—her father, Valerius, the revered leader of Libertis. To the world, he’s a savior. To her, he’s simply “Dad.” But when a staged kidnapping spirals into something far more dangerous, Angelette is forced to face the truth: her life, her family, and the world she’s always known are carefully crafted illusions. And the man who built them is hiding more than secrets—he’s hiding control.

As betrayal bleeds from every corner of her life—her brothers vanished, her mother silenced, and her only friend not who she seems—Angelette must decide: remain the obedient daughter, or become the threat her father fears most.

Because the truth isn’t just dangerous in Libertis, it’s treason.

The Betrayal, book 1 in the Lies We Fear series, is a gripping dystopian fantasy about power, loyalty, and what happens when love is weaponized.

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About the Author

Heather Ogden is a novelist with a passion for fantasy and magical realism. Her debut novel, The Betrayal, combines her fascination with mysterious magic and her love of storytelling.

A lifelong reader and storyteller, Heather spent years crafting this book to take readers on a journey through twists, secrets, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Heather resides in Tennessee, where she can often be found exploring local bookstores, gathering inspiration for her next story.

Spotlight: The Bridge by Shanna Hatfield

On a bridge suspended above the Willamette River, five lives collide for a journey through hope and hardship in a suspenseful, heartwarming tale of courage, connection, and the magic of second chances.

Sergeant Archer Raines has worked every holiday all year for one reason: to finally spend Christmas with his wife. But when a desperate man threatens to jump from Portland’s St. Johns Bridge, Archer's expert negotiation skills are required to defuse the situation.

Rosalee, a high-powered accountant and mom-to-be, only meant to swing by home for a forgotten phone and client file. But when her car is caught in the chaos on the bridge, she unexpectedly goes into labor and her carefully planned world begins to unravel amidst the drama on the bridge.

Exhausted nurse Nova just wants to make it home for Christmas after too many night shifts. When the pileup halts traffic and Rosalee's baby is on the way, Nova puts her own plans on hold to help a stranger in need.

Carter, the owner of a busy tow truck business, regrets taking the call to clear the multi-car collision off the bridge. He’d intended to spend the day tackling last-minute holiday errands. Instead, he’s praying the lunatic pointing a gun at him doesn’t pull the trigger.

Fresh out of college and anxious to kick-start his career, Ian's running late when his car won't start the morning of his big interview. When his rideshare driver turns out to be a captivating girl with a penchant for aggressive driving that narrowly saves them from being part of the wreck on the bridge, he's set on an unexpected path of his own. 

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About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her contemporary fiction has been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way” and her historal westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanaza and The Virginian.”

Shanna grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever and an ongoing supply of learning experience. Now based in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller, the award-winning author spends her time writing and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.  

Explore All of Shanna’s Titles and Join Her Hopeless Romantics Group!

Connect:
Official Website: ShannaHatfield.com
Facebook: /AuthorShannaHatfield
Pinterest: /shannahatfield
Instagram: @shannahatfield
Goodreads: ShannaHatfield

Spotlight: Victim #8 by Traci Hunter Abramson

Genre: Political Thriller

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing

Military aide Luke Steele and FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner go undercover to unravel a string of murders that may be tied to a nuclear threat capable of igniting a war.

After a tragic loss during his last mission, Luke Steele grapples with self-doubt. But when a trusted American journalist is killed in Istanbul, Luke must push past his grief to prepare for a new assignment.

The Turkish police report the journalist as the 8th victim of a serial killer. But US intelligence considers the suspicious death a murder at the hands of an international threat and fear that the journalist could have had top-secret information that is now in the hands of an enemy of the United States. The president tasks Luke to join with FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner to investigate. 

As the two delve into the cause of the journalist’s death, they unravel a conspiracy that reveals a chilling plan for the assassination of the president and a potential nuclear strike on the United States. Going undercover as a couple, Luke and Amberlyn travel to Istanbul to connect with a Russian source who holds key information to the case—if they can find him in time.

In this crucible of danger, Luke must rediscover his confidence and trust the bond he has forged with Amberlyn as they fight to save the president of the United States and stop a perilous nuclear plot poised to kill millions.

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About the Author

Traci Hunter Abramson, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, was born in Arizona and later studied abroad in Venezuela. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the CIA for six years before leaving to raise her family. She credits the agency with providing her with a wealth of ideas for her thriller novels and the skills needed to navigate her children’s teenage years. 

Traci has written more than 45 bestselling novels and has received multiple awards, including the 2025 Silver Falchion Judges’ Top Pick – Thriller, the 2024 Whitney Award – Outstanding Achievement Winner, 2022 Rone award finalist, 2021 Swoony Award for Best Mystery/Suspense Romance, and is a ten-time Whitney Award winner, including Best Novel of the Year in 2017 and 2019. Recently retired from coaching high school swimming for twenty-six years, she enjoys traveling and spending her time as a popular writing instructor, keynote speaker, panelist, and attendee at conferences, including Bouchercon, Killer Nashville, Thrillerfest, and ALA.

Connect:

Website: http://www.traciabramson.com/

Twitter: http://x.com/traciabramson

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tracihabramson

Instagram: http://instagram.com/traciabramson

Spotlight: Where Birds Land by Mary Ruth Barnes

Genre: Native American Women’s Fiction

An inspiring story of determination and grit . . .

Ella McSwain is a Chickasaw woman raising her family amidst evolving turmoil within the budding state of Oklahoma. After Ella is left with an unusable plot of land, she finds herself fighting for her family’s rightful allotment. Faced with crooked businessmen, land grifters, and grueling court battles, can she summon the strength to persevere against all odds?

In this stand-alone companion to Little Bird, Mary Ruth Barnes crafts an engaging family saga that spans from Indian Territory to Oklahoma statehood against the backdrop of the state’s changing landscape.

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About the Author

Mary Ruth Barnes graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from North Carolina State with high honors and a Master’s Degree from Montana State. After college, Barnes taught high school and college English, Art and Computer Science for 14 years. Barnes has received numerous awards for her art and writing on the state and national level from 2011-2022. Barnes recently published her first novel “Little Bird” with the Chickasaw Press about her great-great-Grandmother’s journey in Indian Territory. “Little Bird” won two 2022 Ippy awards, receiving gold for the cover design and silver for best Midwest regional fiction. Barnes is extremely active in her community through Rotary (a member since 1996), P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), and Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni Association. She is also a current member of the National Watercolor Society. 

In 2022, Barnes was inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame and Capitol Hill High School Hall of Fame for leadership in her community. She also won the 2022 “55 Over 55 Inspiring Oklahomans” award for making a difference in the lives of others. In 2019, Barnes won the Women in the Arts Recognition award from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. And in 2015, Barnes was selected as the Chickasaw Dynamic Woman of the year.

Barnes has had many short stories and watercolors featured in several issues of the journal of Chickasaw History and Culture, Ishtunowa. She was also honored as a Chickasaw Artist in the July 2015 issue of the Distinctly Oklahoma magazine. Her story of inspiration leading to painting and drawing was featured in a book by Allison Fields, Chickasaw Artisans. In 2017, Barnes was selected for the registry of Native American Artists located at the Heard Museum in Scottsdale, AZ. While traveling and vacationing in South Texas with her art, Barnes was interviewed and featured in the RV Wheel Life Magazine for the 2017 issue. Barnes retired from a career as the Director of Planned Giving for American Cancer Society in 2017, where she raised over 35 million dollars for cancer research. Her artwork “Fight of Hope” is currently featured in the Cancer Journal of Native American Research and is on display in the surgery waiting room of the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center. Her watercolors can also be found at several locations across the State of Oklahoma, including the Artesian and the Welcome Center located in Davis.  

She has been a long-time equestrian, Barnes and her husband, Mike live on a ranch in south central Oklahoma. They have two sons, Wiley and Selby Barnes, and six grandchildren. Both sons work for the Chickasaw Nation. Mrs. Barnes enjoys traveling with her husband in retirement. 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Amazon 

Where Birds Land

Spotlight: Fairplay by Kat Mizera

Release Date: October 6

My hockey career's final chapter is writing itself. I'm thirty-five now, and with retirement looming, I'm desperate to make this season count—even if it means playing in L.A., the last city I ever wanted to call home.

Then Billie crashes into my life.

She's sunshine personified—more than ten years younger and my teammate's little sister.

Every instinct screams she's forbidden territory.

But one taste of her changes everything.

The chemistry between us is undeniable, explosive.

I know I should walk away, but I can't.

If her brother discovers us, I stand to lose more than just her—my career could end before I'm ready to hang up my skates.

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Meet Kat Mizera

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Kat Mizera was born in Miami Beach with a healthy dose of Wanderlust. She's lived from coast to coast, and everywhere in between, but home is wherever her family is. A devoted mom and wife to her wonderful and supportive husband (Kevin) and two amazing boys (Nick and Max), Kat loves to travel the globe with her adventurous, hockey loving family. Greece is at the top of that list. She hopes to one day retire there, spending her days writing books on the beach.

Kat is former freelance sports writer who now writes steamy hockey romance about her favorite fictional teams, the Las Vegas Sidewinders and the Lauderdale Knights. The library of novels she's penned also include sexy contemporary stories about baseball stars, alpha sex club owners, bodyguards, rock stars, and royalty. Regardless of genre, her books about bad boys with hearts of gold will steal your breath, rock your world and melt your heart.

To find out about Kat Mizera’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on Kat Mizera and her books visit: https://katmizera.com/

Connect with Kat Mizera: https://katmizera.com/pages/contact-kat

Spotlight: Iris by Brooke Harper

Genre: Modern Regency, Omegaverse

Cover Designer: Angela Haddon

Publication Date: Sept. 3, 2025

I’ve never belonged in high society.

Born into privilege and groomed to be the perfect Omega, I am expected to be quiet, obedient, and focused only on securing a mate. But that’s not me. I’m too opinionated, too restless, too defiant.

That’s how I find myself at the Black Briar, a bar that reeks of smoke, whiskey, and danger—about as far from my world as I can get. It’s owned by two Alphas who rule the fringes of society with sharp smiles and bloodstained hands.

Killian is reckless and smooth-talking, all charm and mischief. Xavier is cold, calculated, and impossible to rattle. They are everything I’ve been warned to avoid.

And now, they’re my only hope.

It’s my Season now, and the Monarch and the infamous gossiper, Queen Bee, have set their sights on me. One scandal, one well-placed whisper, and my reputation—and my family’s—is at risk. That means I’m going to need protection from men who don’t follow the rules.

I swore I’d never take a mate, but now I want two. But being with them means crossing a line I can never uncross. Because in their world, power is taken, not given, and once an Omega belongs to an Alpha—or in my case, two—there’s no going back.

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About the Author

Brooke Harper creates dark and sexy worlds for her characters to play. A lover of strong coffee and old tombstones, she spins dark tales of sex and sin, pain and passion, and misery and madness that’ll have you flipping the pages and begging for more.

Dark Contemporary pen name of Harper A. Brooks.

Connect:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Cpr7NU

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebrookeharper

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19716045.Brooke_Harper

Website: https://authorbrookeharper.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorbrookeharper/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBrookeHarper

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brooke-harper

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brookesbadassbookbishes