Spotlight: Mr Howard the Rescued Cat by Erin Hayburn

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An abandoned young cat must fend for himself and avoid the nasty bully cats patrolling the streets, until he is rescued by new people, given the name 'Mr Howard,' and brought into a home with good food, soft beds, and a very old dog! But to pass the test in the new home, Mr Howard must follow The Rules. After an unexpected escape, he is faced with a choice: Will he choose No Rules and a life on the streets? Or The Rules and a new family? What will Mr Howard choose?

Author Bio (courtesy of Mr. Howard):

My human, the Author Erin Hayburn, is a bit shy (and not as interesting as me), so I'll take over from here - My name is Mr. Howard McGregor, thank you. Mr Howard The Rescued Cat is based on my true rescue story as a young, and ever so handsome kitty cat.

I may be black and white on the outside, but I'm most certainly colorful on the inside! 

After a spell of homelessness and trying to survive on my own (not too successfully, I might add), a new family rescued me and welcomed me into their home - which already had an old dog living in it! I won't bore you with the details of my hilarious antics in said new home (you'll have to read my book for that!), let's just say there were a lot of new Rules I wasn't necessarily keen to follow...

With my dashing good looks, charming personality, and riveting origin story, I always believed someone should write a book about me. Although I look far more dapper in real-life than the illustrations depict, the narrative is indeed accurate of my early escapades.

Website: https://www.mrhowardtherescuedcat.com.au/

Facebook: @mrhowardtherescuedcat

Instagram: @mr_howard_the_rescued_cat

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Spotlight: Jacob's Melody by Jacqueline Diaz

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Harmony in Autism

Children's Book 

Date Published: May 7, 2024

Publisher: MindStir Media

Meet Jacob, an autistic friend who sees the world in his own way. Struggling to make friends, he discovers the power of music- and music therapy- with the help of a caring teacher. In the rhythm of challenges and quiet moments, Jacob finds his unique voice, proving that being different is extraordinary. Join Jacob's musical journey, where every note tells a story of belonging and strength.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Hardcover | Paperback | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Jacqueline Diaz is a thought leader championing to make workplaces more inclusive and accepting of neurodiversity. As the co-owner of a recruiting agency and the founder of a The Steven Spectrum Career Project, a nonprofit dedicated to placing the neurodiverse into the workforce, she dedicates herself to empowering individuals of all backgrounds to thrive in their careers. 

Driven by a strong commitment to mental health, Jacqueline sees the important link between wellness and professional success. She fearlessly challenges the status quo and says work cultures need to make mental health a priority, it’s not just ideal, it’s essential. 

Jacqueline aims to create real change, one idea at a time. Through her work, she raises up diverse voices and promotes environments where everyone can succeed using their unique talents. Her mission extends far beyond mere inspiration; she aims to spark meaningful change.

Spotlight: The Neighbors’ Secret by Diana Sussman

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A Maddie Mystery series, Book 1

Middle Grade Mystery, Children’s Mystery.

Date Published: 05/21/2024

Publisher: EverImagine Books (an imprint of Harbor Lane Books, LLC.)

Maddie’s life is a mess. Along with the usual hassles of eighth grade, her best friend Rachel has gone boy-crazy and seems drawn to a new crowd. To make matters worse, everyone’s teasing Maddie for impulsively breaking into her neighbor’s home when her imagination went wild thinking that she saw a mythical creature called a Yeti inside.

Then, the new neighbors pull into their driveway and Maddie thinks she sees a human hand push out the taillight of their car. Other strange events follow. Are they kidnappers? Spies? Maddie convinces Rachel to help investigate, hoping that working together will bolster their friendship. But that looks unlikely after both of them crush on the new neighbors’ son Alex.

Maddie is in a no-win situation. If she proves the new neighbors are spies, Alex will hate her. If she finds out they’re not spies and dates Alex, Rachel will hate her. But Maddie can’t resist solving a mystery and soon finds herself on a collision course with her best friend, her first crush, and the dangerous world of espionage. Her entire world – and her life – is at risk.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Hardcover | Paperback | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Since discovering Nancy Drew books as a child, Diana has been a lifelong mystery fan. She wrote this story to share her passion with tweens and early teens, to glorify girl power, and to pay tribute to female spies from the American Revolution. Recent FBI counterintelligence investigation of Russian spies, who portrayed themselves as typical Americans, known as Operation Ghost Stories and an American scientist who was arrested for providing intelligence to China inspired her to write this story. As a former litigator, she also drew from her experiences defending FBI prosecutorial targets and witnesses and handling a case involving someone who had led a double life. She also did research on Agent 355 of the Culper Spy Ring. She grew up near Cranbury, New Jersey, where her sister now lives. The Neighbors’ Secret is a finalist in the Connecticut Tessa Awards.

Follow the Publisher on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook - @harborlanebooks  

Spotlight: Willis Watson Is a Wannabe by Carmen Bogan and Illustrated by Cheryl Thuesday

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A young boy discovers there are real, everyday heroes all around him and decides he wants to be one, too, in this sweet and empowering picture book.

Gramps says, “When you grow up, Willis Watson, you can be whatever you want to be, if you wanna be. A real somebody!” But the cool guys in third grade tell Willis there are no superheroes in their neighborhood and hoping to be more than what you see is just “wannabe wack.”

But when Willis’s gramps falls ill and he visits him at the hospital, Willis sees real superheroes all around him: Dr. Collins, who helps Gramps get better; the lady who serves hot lunches to kids; and even a courageous navy officer just like Gramps. Seeing so many of his neighbors take care of one another helps Willis finally believe he can be whatever he wants to be, a real somebody.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Hardcover | Bookshop.org

Spotlight: Oakley, Mostly Good by Kristen Grainger and Illustrated by Sophie Barlow

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Date Published: December 14, 2023

Publisher: MindStir Media

Nothing's been the same ever since Oakley came to live at Mavis' house. Change can be hard, but change can bring good things too.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Kristen Grainger is a poet, author and performing songwriter who loves books. She lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest not far from their grown children who also love books.

About the Illustrator

Sophie Barlow is an Illustrator and designer born and raised in Oregon and the Pacific North West.

Sophie earned her degree from the University of Oregon in Art and Technology but has enjoyed working in a range of mediums from digital to physical in her artist practice. In addition to creating art, Sophie loves to hike, bake, and travel whenever she can.

Connect: http://www.oakleymostlygoodbook.com

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Secret of Sweet Treats Kingdom by Kim Davis

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(The Board Game Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: January 30th 2024
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Middle-Grade

Synopsis:

Book includes a fun recipe for kids!

Amber Addison is fed up with her kindergartener sister. It’s Ava’s fault she’s missing her best friend’s birthday party, the most anticipated event in their sixth-grade class. To make matters worse, Ava has coerced her into playing Sweet Treats board game and she keeps losing to a five-year-old. When Amber’s irritation gets the best of her, she throws the game, destroying it.

As the board disintegrates, the two girls are swept into a swirling vortex and they find themselves in the middle of Sweet Treats kingdom. Ava is kidnapped by an evil queen, and Amber finds herself relying on a mint-green rabbit to help her find her way to Bonbon Castle with the hope of finding her sister. Along the way, she encounters more sweets than she could ever eat along with fantastical beings. Some will become her friend and others create danger that she must survive in order to save her sister and find their way home.

Excerpt

A rumbling sound filled my ears and the ground started tilting and rolling. The light hanging over the dining room table began swaying and the wood mini-blinds rubbing against the windows sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard. 

“Amber?” Ava grabbed my hand and held on tight. 

“Don’t worry. It’s just an earthquake.” Growing up in Southern California you got used to this kind of thing. “Remember what they taught you at school? Drop, cover, and hold on?” 

I pulled her toward the dining room table to hide beneath it, although I was positive by the time we got into position the quake would be over. 

We were ten steps away from the table when Ava stopped walking. She yanked my arm and started pulling me backward, toward the family room. I heard the crash of glass breaking on the kitchen tile and was glad I had flip-flops on. Our family portrait fell from the dining room wall, the glass splintering from the black frame sent shards of glass flying across the room. A small piece caught my ankle, sending a sting up my leg. 

“Knock it off, shrimp. We need to get under the table right now!” While I had been in several earthquakes, this felt different. It wasn’t slowing or stopping, like I thought it would. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was scared. Could this be the “big one” grownups talked about? 

Instead of letting me lead her toward the dining table, Ava began pulling me harder toward the family room. With my feet sliding on the slick tile, I couldn’t stop. 

“What’s that?” I had never heard my sister screech like that before, so I turned around to see what she was talking about. 

The small fragments of the Sweet Treats board game were hovering in midair, swirling in a circle, going faster and faster. The floor tilted us toward the flying pieces, and we were slipping toward the growing whirlwind. The edge of the vortex was expanding outward at a rapid rate, while the center was a dark, black hole. It looked like a giant vacuum hose, and it was sucking us toward it. 

My terrified sister started screaming, clinging to my legs. “Do something, Amber!” 

I started shrieking as I tripped over Ava, and we were pulled head first into the middle of the vortex.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Kim Davis lives in Southern California with her husband and mini Goldendoodle puppy, Missy. When she's not spending time with her granddaughters or chasing the puppy around, she can be found either writing on her next book, or working on her blog, Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder, or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats to share.

She also writes the Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series, the Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery series, The Board Game Chronicles middle grade series, and a suspense novel, A Game of Deceit, written under K. A. Davis, along with several children’s nature articles in a variety of magazines.

Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. 

Connect:

https://kimdavisauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KimDavisAuthor

https://twitter.com/Kookiesandbooks

https://www.instagram.com/kimdavishb/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-davis-899e51b0-5661-401c-98b1-ec4c2973d58a

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20202599.Kim_Davis