TopShelf - Spring 2019

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

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FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

An Interview with Megan Collins We Follow-up with New York Times Bestselling Author, Tosca Lee PLUS Reviews, Spotlights, and more!

Pages 9

Page 13

February & March 2019

TopShelf Reviews THE WINTER SISTER on Page 29

“An exquisite exercise in psychological suspense... cut from the cloth woven by the likes of Lisa Gardner and Harlan Coben.” ~Jon Land, USA Today bestselling author of the Murder, She Wrote series

“Chilled me to the bone.” ~Julie Gray, Just Effing Entertain Me

“Amazingly well written.” ~Dr. Olivia Dsouza, Readers’ Favorite

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On Australia’s island state, more than one species of Tasmanian Devil exists...

Beneath the surface of Nina Holt’s perfect marriage lurks a life of terror inflicted upon her by her politically powerful husband Michael and his brother Greg, a sadistic detective. For over a decade they have managed to keep Nina imprisoned, using her to satisfy their every whim.

Worse still, the only light in her life—her 9-year-old son, Sam—considers Michael a hero. When Sam imitates Michael’s violence by lashing out at her, Nina knows it is time for both of them to escape before Sam truly turns into the monster Michael is grooming him to become. After crashing her car in her haste to escape, kind motorist Case Herder offers her help.

Unaware that he has his own plans for her, Nina accepts, igniting a deadly game of cat and mouse as they flee across Tasmania with Sam. As Michael and Greg relentlessly hunt them down to Cradle Mountain, Nina finds herself with nowhere left to run. Cornered, she has no choice but to face evil head-on.

Thriller & Suspense 978-0992400408 Available Now!

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A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

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table of contents interviews

9 Megan Collins 13 Tosca Lee

columns 15 THE INSIDE SCOOP: What in the Book-World was I Thinking?

17 TOPSHELF MARKETING: Store Decor and Selection

23 27 27 27

Purgus Saving Washington Silent Voices Something Secret This Way Comes 29 The Devils’ Cradle 29 The Line Between 29 The Winter Sister

masthead CEO & Publisher Keith A. Katsikas Jr. keith@topshelfmagazine.net

reviews 21 21 21 23 23

American History Chasing the Dragon Girl of Fire Mineral Influence No Pit So Deep

EVP & Director of Marketing Rebecca Katsikas becky@topshelfmagazine.net

Editor Kyle Magnus editor@topshelfmagazine.net

Assistant Editor Rosemary Fifield

editor@topshelfmagazine.net

Assistant Editor Sharon Isbell editor@topshelfmagazine.net

Contributors & Reviewers Patrice Benard J. H. Bográn Mark Cheverton Rosemary Fifield Paul Hollis Sharon Isbell Keith Katsikas Rebecca Katsikas Jon Land Sarah Noffke Tim Sunderland

editorial policy TopShelf Magazine is a bookseller-focused buyers’ guide packed with the crème de la crème in indie and traditionally published authors and books. There’s no junk here!

subscriptions TopShelf Magazine is offered to bookstores and public libraries across the United States free of charge, and to any bookseller and library in the English speaking world for a nominal fee to cover the cost of shipping.

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FEB&MARCH2019 3

featuredspotlights

...books worth a closer look!

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE UP FOR IMMORTALITY? More seductive than sex.

More addictive than any drug.

More precious than gold.

And one man is willing to sacrifice it all to get it.

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TOPShelf magazine Craven Falls, OH, is a small town––a town where everyone knows almost everyone else and where nothing ever happens, until one day two children disappear. Ashley is a single mom to Lily. Ashley receives a call from her best friend, Carla, that takes her out of town. Upon her return, Ashley learns that her Lilly was abducted. A family pulls together in a time of need, but what happens when those close to you are hiding behind twisted secrets?

Genre Thriller, Suspense Price $14.99 ISBN 978-1641368117

Genre Thriller, Suspense Price $12.99 ISBN 978-1541108097

You are the greatest warrior the world has ever known, then a horrific act of treachery leaves you maimed and unable to fight just as the world teeters on the brink of annihilation.

What would you sacrifice to regain your prowess? Your dignity, the lives of your companions, your very soul?

“Sherry Crandell is a great storyteller and she knows what it takes to build strong conflict with human emotions. A very delightful read, indeed!”

Genre Horror, Science Fiction Price $19.99 ISBN 978-1491091753

Genre Teen, Romance Price $18.99 ISBN 978-1545619209

An American soldier (Richie) and a Vietnamese woman (Linh) fall in love and have a baby during the war in Vietnam. He attempts to marry Linh but fails to get permission from the Army and is then pulled out of Vietnam. They meet again in Hong Kong two decades later and achieve their ultimate destiny.

Born to Hustle follows the lives of identical twin brothers as they learn to survive their abusive upbringing by identifying with fictional conmen, imitating behaviors of gangsters and secret agents, to become the bad-ass boys in black. With no one to protect them, the twins grow up fearful of attachments to anyone else but each other. When one brother becomes involved with a female grifter, their differences become apparent, and threatens their relationship.

Genre Romance Price $16.95 ISBN 978-1634987004

Genre General Fiction Price $16.95 ISBN 978-0692192436

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A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

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...books worth a closer look!

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When modern-day twists with the old texts from the creation of time, you find a story that leads a group of friends on a journey… The love of Alexander’s life was dying. And he’d do anything to save her.

Even if that included treason.

Even if it included defying the God he’d sworn to obey. In a race against time, Alexander scours the multiverse for the three gatekeepers who blocked the way to the only cure.

Billy Battles is definitely not in Kansas anymore.

Genre Romance Price $12.75 ISBN 978-0999606513

Genre Action & Adventure Price $16.99 ISBN 978-1535189538

As Book 2 of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy opens, Billy is far from his Kansas roots–– and his improbably journeys are just beginning. He is aboard an ocean liner sailing to the Mysterious East (Hong Kong, French Indochina, and the Philippines), among other places.

Beneath the surface of Nina Holt’s perfect marriage lurks a life of terror inflicted upon her by her politically powerful husband Michael and his brother Greg, a sadistic detective. For over a decade they have managed to keep Nina imprisoned. After crashing her car in her haste to escape, kind motorist Case offers her help. Unaware that he has his own plans for her, Nina accepts, igniting a deadly game of cat and mouse as they flee across Tasmania.

Gwen Adams faced a tough decision. On one side there was Alexander, the rich, powerful, devastatingly sexy man who intoxicated her with his very presence. One the other, the poor, hardworking, and gorgeous Ky, who’d earned her friendship and stolen her heart. Torn between love and lust, how would she choose between them?

Genre Thriller, Suspense Price $10.98 ISBN 978-0992400408

Genre Romance, Fantasy Price $12.48 ISBN 978-0999606506

A Blazing Gilded Age is the epic story of a volatile nation burning with ambition, yet bleeding with injustice. It was a time of profound change; boldly transforming from an agrarian backwater into an industrial powerhouse.

In this spellbinding and suspenseful debut, a young woman haunted by the past returns home to care for her ailing mother and begins to dig deeper into her sister’s unsolved murder.

Genre Action & Adventure Price $34.95 ISBN 978-0981762562

Genre Women’s Fiction Price $26.00 (Hardcover) ISBN 978-1982100148

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

Every person with that little voice in their head―the one that tells them to write everyday―must own this book. ~ STEVE BERRY New York Times and #1 Internationally bestselling author of The Patriot Threat

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interviews

It’s surely a cliché, but my journey has been one long, emotional, exhilarating roller coaster, with more highs and lows than I ever expected. The Winter Sister is my first published novel, but it’s actually the third that I’ve written. While I did not receive a book deal on either of my two other novels, I learned so much from each one about pacing, character development, voice, etc. It was extremely difficult having to move on from those projects and accept that it wasn’t the right time for either of them, but now that I do have a debut novel, it’s been incredible to start hearing from people who connect with my characters and the story I created. Something that was once just words on a computer screen is now a tangible story that readers can hold in their hands and see play out in their minds—and that is an incredible gift for which I’m grateful every day.

You’ve written short stories, reviews, and poems before; in fact, one of your poems, “Ars Poetica” (published in the New Verse News in 2016), was nominated for a Pushcart Prize! How is writing poetry different from writing a novel? When you started writing The Winter Sister, did you have to change your creative process?

While poetry requires an attention to rhythm

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Persephone’s story isn’t inspired by a particular case in real life, but I am fairly obsessed with true crime (shout-out to the My Favorite Murder podcast!).

Where Persephone’s story really originated for me was in thinking about the Greek myth of Persephone, in which Demeter, Persephone’s mother, becomes so consumed by grief when Persephone goes missing that she neglects her job of making crops grow on earth. I wondered what would have happened if Persephone had had a sister, left to navigate the rest of her childhood in the wake of her mother’s neglect, as well as her own grief over her sister’s absence.

Your debut novel tackles many themes, but one of the main topics is the complicated nature of relationships between women: mothers and daughters, aunts and nieces, sisters and friends. What drew you to this theme? Are any of the relationships in the novel inspired by some of your own?

The bonds between mothers and daughters, as well as those between sisters, are so inherently rich and nuanced that it leaves a lot to explore. What I’m most interested in is relationships at crossroads, like Sylvie and Annie’s. They’ve spent years being estranged, and now they have the opportunity to begin to understand each other—as long as they can break old patterns. It’s the breaking of patterns, though, that’s so difficult to do, especially when there

Annie named Persephone after a goddess she learned about in a Classics course when she got pregnant—but of course, Persephone is a name loaded with significance within the context of the novel. Could you tell us why you chose to give her the name you did? Do any of the other characters’ names have meaningful—but perhaps less obvious—significance?

I named Persephone to anchor The Winter Sister within its mythological context. If you know the myth, it’s difficult to read about a character named Persephone without automatically thinking of all the themes of that ancient story—grief, loss of innocence, maternal and filial bonds, etc. As for the other characters, they seemed to decide for themselves what they wanted to be called! I don’t remember selecting anyone else’s name. Sylvie was always Sylvie, Annie was always Annie, Ben was always Ben. I often find, when writing fiction, that my characters tell me what their names are, rather than the other way around.

FEB&MARCH2019

This is your debut novel—congratulations!

What was the journey to getting your first novel published like? What was the most challenging part of the process? The most rewarding?

The Winter Sister starts with a terrible crime—the murder of a teenage girl. Did any real-life cases inspire your work? If so, what kind of research did you do in order to bring Persephone’s story to life on the page? And if not, what first gave you the idea for The Winter Sister

are years of hurt and tension involved. I wanted to explore how hurt and love can be intermingled, sometimes even inseparable, and how that often keeps us from letting go of a painful relationship for one that is healthier.

magazine

AN INTERVIEW WITH MEGAN COLLINS

and form in a way that fiction usually doesn’t, I think the two processes are more linked than a lot of people realize. No matter what your poem is about, your job as the poet is to tell a story, and that demands an understanding of voice and pacing. Similarly, a book could have the most compelling premise in the world, but if the sentences don’t sing, if the phrasing doesn’t feel well-chosen and precise, then a reader might not be entranced enough to continue. To me, poetry and fiction are both about casting spells with language in order to tell a powerful and memorable story. In writing The Winter Sister, I paid attention to how the cadence of my sentences could highlight and heighten the characters’ emotions—and my inclination to do so came entirely from my training in poetry.

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INTERVIEWS

Wuthering Heights is another famous story that makes its way into The Winter Sister.

As an author, how do you draw parallels between your own work and those of other writers? Do you draw these connections on purpose, or are they more organic, popping up during the writing process and their meaning revealed after the fact?

In the case of Wuthering Heights, the connection there was serendipitous. It wasn’t until I’d written the first scene in which that book appears that I realized it wasn’t just a random choice; there were several parallels between that story and the one I was writing. It’s amazing to me what our brains can do on a subconscious level—especially when we think we’re only focused on writing smooth and engaging sentences! The Winter Sister’s connections to the Persephone myth were much more purposeful, of course. One way in which I tried to build those parallels was by using a lot of plant imagery when describing Annie, in order…

Read more of this and other interviews at

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FEB&MARCH2019 9

featuredspotlights

...books worth a closer look!

The robots were good.

The Russian thugs were evil.

But then…

It’s 2050, and self-learning, neurotrophic “Helper” androids have become invaluable aids to humans, efficiently making their lives easier. Built and trained by such companies as Helpers, Inc., the Domestic Helper robots manage their owners’ homes, run their errands…

Trapped in a wintry setting and followed by two men determined to kill her, Victoria Anderson searches for someone who doesn’t want to be found. The drug lord has other plans. She unflaggingly defends Danny and refuses to believe he’d harm her, despite several attempts on her life. Tori’s devotion is tested at every turn, not knowing who she can trust, or the consequences of her ultimate decision.

Genre Science Fiction Price $16.95 ISBN 978-1939118240

Genre Mystery Price $19.95 ISBN 978-1684331963

"Atmospheric and tense, with plenty of treachery and a heavy dose of history. What more could you ask for in a thriller?

Take a walk on the perilous side and check this one out."

“A rewarding and eloquent ending to an epic adventure and well-lived life. This final account of Billy Battles does not disappoint”. ~Carrie Meehan- Chanticleer Reviews

~Steve Berry, New York Times, USA Today and Internationally bestselling author

Genre Thriller, Suspense Price $15.99 ISBN 978-0999117309

From award-winning author, LJ Evans, comes the music inspired conclusion to the MY LIFE AS AN ALBUM SERIES about hope and new beginnings.

Genre Women’s Fiction Price $14.99 ISBN 978-1723958847

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Finding Billy Battles is the sweeping story of a man whose deeds and misdeeds propel him on an extraordinary and perilous journey from the untamed American West to the inscrutable Far East.

Genre Historical, Fiction Price $14.99 ISBN 978-1494854447

Meet Martin Little — Little by name, little by fortune, and with the luck to match those two. Martin's life is not going too well. The world is against him, everything that can go wrong does… and that's all before he dies.

Genre Children’s Price $19.99 ISBN 978-1544272191

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

America’s game…

A spectacle of triumph and anguish.

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A pageant of violence and drama.

And with its first female superstar…a grand experiment that may change the world!

"A perfect, conspiracyladen read. Blending organized crime, corrupt head honchos, and even a touch of sci-fi and fantasy, this futuristic thriller will appeal to a wide range of readers!" ~ Amazon Self-Publishing Review

Star Born Publishing LTD Science Fiction Available Now! 978-1643160153 newsspellcom.org

“Anyone that enjoys both sports and the struggles of athletes to always be on the top of their game, and the bloody and violent world of organized crime, this book is a must-read!" ~ International Review of Books

Experience What Easily Could Be the Thriller of the Year... Awesome In Every Conceivable Way! ~Patrice Benard, TopShelf Magazine

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interviews

Yes! The CW network bought The Progeny! CBS is producing. It’s been super exciting to watch the process unfold, and to watch our showrunner/writer go from writing the summary, to the longer outline of the pilot, to the pilot script itself. Crazy how fast he’s able to turn everything around, and with so many people talking in his ear at once. It’s been so fun and educational, too. I’ve never seen this process unfold, and I’ve learned so much.

Your 10 th novel, The Line Between, has just been released from Simon & Schuster. Tell us about this story.

The Line Between is the story of Wynter Roth, a 22 year-old woman who’s been turned out of a self-contained doomsday cult on the American prairie. She emerges into a world poised on the brink of madness as a mysterious outbreak of rapid early onset dementia spreads across the nation. For Wynter, it seems like the apocalypse she’s been taught to fear all her life—until the night her sister shows up at her doorstep with a set of medical samples and Wynter learns

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A cult escapee’s journey back to the outer world and a pandemic story seem like they would never work together, and yet they strangely do! How in the world did you end up with such a combination?

What are you doing to celebrate the release of The Line Between?

In 2017, soon after Firstborn released, I met with my publisher in New York to talk about what was next. I had a short list of favorite story concepts—the idea of a cult escapee starting over and a pandemic rising from the permafrost among six or seven others. My publisher said, “I like both of those. I think you should put them together!” It worked out strangely well! I wish I could take credit for the combination, but it was my publisher’s idea.

Early reviewers—including NYT bestseller Jonathan Maberry and many more on Goodreads—have called the book frighteningly realistic. Why is that?

The book was inspired by actual headlines about diseases, bacteria, and microbes—even “zombie worms”—lying dormant in permafrost that is melting around the world today. Scientists are concerned about what it might mean for these organisms to re-enter the world. Just three years ago, a reindeer carcass infected with anthrax thawed from the Siberian permafrost, infecting a nearby village and killing a little boy. Meanwhile, the U.S. government has already published reports of attempted cyberattacks on the electrical grid.

That part isn’t fiction. Ted Koppel wrote a compelling and frightening book called Lights Out about the catastrophic consequences to our nation, should the grid ever succumb for more than a few days. Readers call the story frightening because these things are happening now, on some level, already. And it is scary.

Deadline Hollywood just ran a story on The Line Between—can you tell us about it?

Yes! Radar Pictures (Jumanji) and Ed

Edits on the sequel. LOL I did just finish a few pre-release stops in my home state at two independent bookstores (The Bookworm in Omaha, Nebraska, and Francie & Finch in Lincoln), at Nebraska Public Radio to record for the All About Books podcast, and a signing at my local Barnes & Noble —all with my author friends Nicole Baart and Kimberly Stuart. I love these ladies.

We had far too much fun. I’ll be at the famous Poisoned Pen bookstore in Scottsdale February 21 and plan a few more stops yet to be announced. And then it’ll be time to gear up for the release of the sequel!

FEB&MARCH2019

You’ve had some exciting things happen since Top Shelf interviewed you just four months ago in September last year. Tell us the news!

Burns’ Marlboro Road Gang Productions (the same team as T he Progeny) are developing it for TV. (Yay!)

magazine

WE FOLLOW-UP WITH NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, TOSCA LEE

there’s something far more sinister at play.

It’s a novel of action, conspiracy, a touch of romance, and questions of whom—and what —to believe.

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS Tell us a little about the sequel, A Single Light.

A Single Light starts up right where The Line Between ends. It’s hard to say much more than that without giving away spoilers, but I will tell you that A Single Light has a new character who is one of my favorite—if not the new favorite—characters I’ve ever written. It comes out September 17, and will be up for pre-order in February!

What’s next for Tosca Lee? I’ve just turned in a concept to my agent for a new thriller. I’m very excited, and hope I get to tell you about it very soon. Until then, I’m cheering on the TV production teams and celebrating their successes as they move forward, and just savoring some time with readers.

Because that’s what writing these books is about —readers, and our shared love of story. And that’s what story is for—connecting with others.

Read more of this and other interviews at

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FEB&MARCH2019 13

columns

What if Hitler had offspring?

On his thirtieth birthday Oscar Brown discovers that he's the grandson of Adolf Hitler. With a Neo Nazi radical group looking up to him as a symbol, the Full Page Ad   dead, Mossad wanting him and the CIA turning a deaf ear to his plead, Oscar must now run for his life and discover the true origin of his heritage.

"The ultimate high concept thriller. A classic tale that checks all the boxes from historical speculation, to a deadly secret, to a sinister international conspiracy. Reminiscent of Robert Ludlum, Steve Berry, and Brad Meltzer, HEIR OF EVIL is storytelling at its level best." ~Jon Land, USA Today bestselling author of the Caitlin Strong series

International Intrigue & Suspense ISBN - 978-1731582331 Available January 1, 2019

www.jhbogran.com

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TopShelf Magazine – www.TopShelfIndie.com

columns

by Sarah Noffke (TopShelf Columnist)

Twitter @RealSarahNoffke | SarahNoffke.com

This is my world, and I’m making it just the way I like. That statement would accurately describe my mindset when I created my book world for my first series. That world then spread through four more series. As authors, we know that creating worlds that readers can escape into, with laws and rich details is essential. I’m going to admit something. I was very attached and protective of the book world I had built originally, known as the Dream Travelers (was that a shameless plug…). However, there’s a growing trend that is taking a stronghold for readers and authors, and I’m going to confess, I resisted it wholeheartedly.

What is this hot new trend? World sharing.

Amazon has even created Kindle Worlds where chosen authors have other writers produce books in the worlds they’ve created. Everyone gets a split and Kindle manages the process.

This world sharing idea is picking up more tractions since readers can marathon multiple series that all share the same laws and ideas.

We tend to like things that are connected. I know many authors who write inside of shared universes and love that there are so many opportunities for weaving together stories, characters, and the world itself.

At first, when I thought about writing outside my book world and in someone else’s, I picked up my Tonka truck and stomped off the proverbial playground. Firstly, I didn’t want to abandon the world of the Dream Travelers, and also I was daunted by the potential of being overwhelmed by learning a new book world. I thought that I was better off on my own. I thought that I wouldn’t enjoy the opportunity to craft stories in a preconceived universe.

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“Everything is better when we share.”

Now that I’ve been writing for LMBPN Publishing I have a team of authors who encourage me, help me craft ideas and offer insights. There’s a team of cover designers, administrators and marketers all to lend a helping hand. I thought before that writing in a new/different universe than my own, would be daunting and yet I’ve found the opposite to be true.

Of course, there are moments where I want to build a giant sandcastle in the community sandbox and realize that I can’t. With everything there are challenges, and we must work together to all be successful.

I don’t just write in the Oriceran universe, but also in the Age of Expansion inside of Kurtherian Gambit. Since September 2017,

my tail off writing the books, finding the audience and then marketing the heck out of my series, I could pull on a more collective effort. If a group of authors are writing in a book world, then it would make sense that the readers naturally crossover. If readers really love the elements of the built-in universe, then they will traverse across the many different series created by multiple authors.

And here’s the best part: We’re all doing it together. I thought I didn’t want to share my Tonka truck, but just as I tell my six-year-old,

I’ve published eight novels with LMBPN. That’s way more than I was producing on my own.

Much of the reason for this is that working for a publisher like LMBPN can make an author’s jobs much more manageable. I used to do it all, and now I have a team. But I think there’s something to be said for sharing worlds. It’s definitely a way for authors to find a new audience and network with others. I guess I should have realized that when we share the world, we all do better.

FEB&MARCH2019

WHAT IN THE BOOKWORLD WAS I THINKING?

This is when I make a single declaration: I was wrong.

I started my indie publishing career in late 2014. Since then, on my own, I’ve published eighteen books in five different Dream Traveler series. In the spring of 2017, Michael Anderle, the founder of LMBPN, gave me the opportunity to write in one of his brand-new worlds. It’s an urban fantasy world called Oriceran. What Michael Anderle is most wellknown for is the creation of the Kurtherian Gambit universe. He was looking for a few authors to write with him in Oriceran and I was given a fantastic chance to be one of them.

Why, you ask? Why would I, who was against the idea of playing in other people’s sandboxes, entertain such an idea?

Because it’s smart.

I finally had to admit that instead of working

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THE INSIDE SCOOP

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COLUMNS

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JAW -DROPPING...

EVERYTHING I LOVE IN A BOOK.”

“

~ JAMES

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RIDE FEATURING LOVE, FAITH, MYSTERY, AND REDEMPTION. OPEN UP TO PAGE ONE AND HANG ON FOR DEAR LIFE.” ~ ALLAN LEVERONE NY Times & USA TODAY Bestselling Author of over a dozen novels, including the acclaimed MR. MIDNIGHT

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THE MARKETING GURU STORE DECOR & SELECTION

by Keith Katsikas (CEO & Publisher, TopShelf)

Twitter/Facebook @TopShelfPub | TopShelfMagazine.net

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SPACE Whether it's a big or small space, try to make your store memorable. First impressions matter. Don’t bombard your guests with too much, too soon.

You want them to browse the entire store. A simple display––three to seven books of a similar subject, displayed in a triangle or pyramid, keeping the biggest books in the middle and then “pyramid” out with the smaller books––on the end-caps and small tables can be very effective.

Make sure the titles are visible from many angles to ensure that your patrons can see the title while approaching from a variety of angles. This space is also perfect for DVDs, children’s books, audiobooks, and so much more. Keep a few permanent displays, like “Staff Picks” or “New This Week,” near the checkout counter. Smaller patrons are attracted to bright colors so put those books on the lower shelves. Always make it so that patrons can shop from the stacks. You don’t want a customer to feel guilty for purchasing a book from the pyramid.

THE RIGHT SHELVING Sure, five-foot tall bookshelves may make your space look bigger; however, taller bookshelves will allow for more books in the same footprint. Many bookstores are designed for short people. If you are using fivefoot tall bookshelves, the actual top shelve is around four feet, forcing your patrons to look down for books constantly. Taller bookshelves will bring books to eye-level, making it easier for customers to find what they are looking for.

THE POWER OF LIGHTING Store lighting is strategically important, more than you know.

Different styles of lighting create a unique shopping experience for your customers. The correct lighting will increase your bottom line.

Lighting creates the ultimate atmosphere or mood that will encourage customers to examine books that they wouldn’t have usually considered before. When you consider increasing sales, your

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DYNAMIC SELECTION Customers should see something new on a regular basis. Who wants to keep coming back to a store that always has the same stock? For this reason, I think it’s ok to discount books that aren’t selling. Just be careful not to discount the best sellers too soon.

You don’t want to give your customers the

FEB&MARCH2019

Do you want to change the look and feel of your store and don’t know where to start? Don’t fret–– TopShelf Magazine is here to help with some useful store decor advice.

AMBIANCE People come to your establishment to explore and purchase new books. It is your responsibility to the customer to make an environment that supports this experience. Many bookstores are becoming creative on how they cater to customers. For example, many bookstores are adding coffee shops within their store so customers can have a cup of coffee or tea while perusing the shelves. Any bookworm will tell you that coffee or tea is the perfect accompaniment to a great book. Comfortable seating and perfect lighting add to the customer’s experience. How about adding a reading corner?

For example, a fireplace, attractive wall furnishings, rugs, and giant floor cushions would make a perfect reading area. You could also use this space for books clubs and gatherings.

highlighting the book’s cover! BOOM! No question it will sell like hotcakes on a cold winter morning! If you chose to use shelftalkers, then it’s essential that you have the selected books in stock. It would be terrible if you ran out of stock and left the shelf barren. Get staff picks ahead of time, and make sure you add a few extra to your weekly/monthly order. Always use the staff member’s name on the shelf-talker. This will allow the customer to learn employee names as well as who they can trust. The customer will most likely purchase the next book that employee recommends.

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first thought is typically towards marketing, promotions, discounts, and advertising. These will be effective for the short term; however, having the proper lighting can have an incredible influence on your sales by showcasing your books and novelties to the best of their advantage.

TOPShelf

COLUMNS BARGAIN BOOKS It’s highly recommended that you put bargain books somewhere other than the front of the store.

While customers appreciate bargain books, they don’t want to see them the moment they enter the store.

CHILDREN’S SECTION Don’t discount the children’s area. It’s probably one of the most important sections in your store. Parents want to read real books to their children, not books on a device. They want to create those memories with their children. Put the children’s section on the back of your store.

This will make it so that parents have to walk through your store to get to that section. Along the way, put novelties and books that will interest parents. Self-help, parenting, cooking, and craft books are usually big hits with parents.

Decorate the children’s area in bright colors.

Have beanbags or creative seating for reading books. Have a coloring station where kids can decorate a bookmark to go with their new book.

SHELF-TALKERS If you’re like me then you enjoy recommendations for your next read. You look at reviews, the book jacket, etc. I also enjoy it when there are self-talkers with recommendations from the staff or a loyal customer. A well-written shelf talker could and has inspired me to purchase a book that I wouldn’t have considered previously. Imagine the sales that could be generated with just a great shelf-talker and simple LED light

impression that if they wait a few weeks, they’ll be able to purchase the book at a cheaper rate.

You could also return the books that aren’t selling. Most traditionally published books should be returnable.

IN CLOSING Marketing is in my blood. There’s not a day that goes by where I’m not thinking about how to improve commercialization of the companies I work with or patronize on a daily basis. I guess that’s just the curse of a marketing professional. Look, if anyone ever tries to sell you a magic marketing bullet for your problems, run away... fast! Truth be told, no single marketing idea will ever work for everyone. Everything we do carries with it risk. However, there is one thing I can assure you––something I can and will promise. The worst thing you can do in this life is nothing at all. Remember, do what you love, and love what you do, and the world will eventually follow.

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FEB&MARCH2019 17

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...books worth a closer look!

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When Trish is dragged along to mingle with Tabitha’s new boss and his family, she is introduced to a strangely familiar man with rogue good looks. Diego holds all of Dallas in his hands. It will take all the faith, prayer, and patience Trish can muster as she straddles the line between the Michelli family and everyone else. Will Trish overcome her fears and learn to trust Diego? Or will Diego’s past prove too strong of a pull for him to leave behind?

Sara Lee Jacobs has been overweight her entire lonely life. Peggy Jenkins-Hall sacrificed her hard-earned figure to her third and final child. Both women are obsessed with their weight and enroll in an exclusive diet program called Sunrise, which touts an incredible success rate. They soon understand why. Instead of the usual starvation and aerobic exercise, they are coupled with gorgeous men in a Paradise-like setting where they receive undivided attention and plenty of TLC.

Genre Christian Romance Price $16.49 ISBN 978-1498451796

Genre Humor & Satire Price $10.89 ISBN 978-1521179581

A multiple award-winning book that describes a unique investment strategy that teaches investors how to consistently and safely generate a substantial passive income stream in all market conditions. It is important to note that although there are numerous investment strategies in the arsenal of every investor, adding private mortgages to the investment mix can reduce volatility by adding a non-correlated component to the investor's overall investment portfolio.

This book of personal essays documents the relationship Fiza Pathan has had with the many libraries, secondhand bookshops, boutique bookstores, and writing haunts that have made her into the writer, publisher, and teacher she is today.

Genre Business & Money Price $24.95 ISBN 978-1612443447

Genre Non-Fiction

In ONE WAY STREET, the sequel, Herron reprises key "Reichold Street" characters in a tense thriller set during the turbulent 1960s Vietnam era.

The story follows them through the war, PTSD on their return, love, despondency and a murderous stalker.

What links the two largest Texas Universities to the disappearance of Laredo ATF agent, Stuart Dyson? When the investigation stalls, FBI Tracker Adrian Dillard is sent to Texas to find out why. Plagued by the resentment from local agents, his uncanny intuition kicks into high gear when every lead ends with a dead body. Who knows more than they are telling? Is the missing agent an unwitting victim, or a deadly mastermind? And who is staying ahead of him?

Genre Historical Thriller Price $15.99 ISBN 978-1499279450

Genre Thriller, Suspense Price $12.99 ISBN 978-0996838566

Price $20.99 ISBN 978-8193820131

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

Learn to #CHILL with this inspirational meditation guidebook and achieve the healthy work/life balance you deserve.

“Bryan Robinson saved my life.

He is a leading-edge voice in the world of work addiction recovery.

The meditations are chock full of warm and powerful wisdom, guidance, and empathy. On a personal level, I am grateful for how they have helped me on my own journey of recovery.” ~Alanis

Morissette singer/songwriter

Good health and happiness depend on the proper balance of private and professional life. In today’s hectic environment we must do more in less time and with fewer resources.

Goals can feel impossible to attain.

We spend all our time at the office rather than being with our families.

We work well into the night and even on weekends, perfecting that presentation or just trying to catch up. Under the constant pressure to over-perform, work quickly becomes the dominant force in our lives.

Stopping this cycle is difficult. But there is a solution. Licensed psychotherapist and professor Bryan Robinson explains how ending the cycle of work addiction can be achieved. Filled with wise advice, inspiring quotes, and gentle guidance, #CHILL provides the tools needed to quiet our anxiety, break our addiction to work, and bring compassion, calm, confidence, and creativity to our daily lives.

Self-Help, Motivational 978-0062896018 Available January 2019

www.BryanRobinsonBooks.com

BEST FICTION - Western Pacific Region ~Independent Publishers Medal - 2015

5-STAR REVIEW & SILVER MEDAL ~Readers’ Favorites - 2017 & 2018

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Young Joey’s father used ridicule, humiliation and finally, cruelty, to keep his son from becoming a musician. Joey endured his father’s wrath to finally achieve his musical ambition, winding up performing in the symphony and backing up many musical greats such as Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys and Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. While his focus on music…

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—Readers’ Favorites

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Crime

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A MASTERPIECE IN ITS OWN RIGHT!

Crime

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ONE MAN'S MISSION TO END THE WAR ON DRUGS

A skillfully-crafted historical crime novel following two Sicilian families in bitter conflict for over a century, who independently journey to America at the dawn of the twentieth century to start a new life in a promised land, only to end up woven deeper together in a life of crime, hatred, and misery. A masterpiece in its own right, AMERICAN HISTORY showcases one author’s clear devotion to detail and masterful skill in crafting and writing an epic tale that genuinely deserves to survive the ages. Highly recommended for all historical crime buffs!

Inspired by the death of his son to an opiate overdose, former DEA agent, Dan Addario presents Chasing the Dragon, a compelling personal tale of one man’s mission to end the War on Drugs. After experiencing the devastation of opioid use first hand, as members of his unit zombie’d out on opiates while stationed in Korea, Addario returned home and began his fight against drugs by becoming an undercover narcotics agent in Philadelphia. From the streets of Philly to the dark alleys of Bangkok the trail of drug importation runs deep––but none more rooted than that of Big Pharma and the drive of a greedy government to rake in profits regardless of the casualties of addiction, the pain of despair, or the countless fatalities along the way.

The War on Drugs will never end with mere lip service, or the embarrassing disorganization of the DEA, FBI, or CIA. In this thought-provoking book, Chasing the Dragon, Dan Addario outlines his plan to end the War on Drugs, and despite his losses, he refuses to give up.

~Kyle Magnus, TopShelf Reviews

~Sharon Isbell, TopShelf Reviews

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GREAT MIX OF DYSTOPIA AND ACTION WITH A DUSTING OF HARD SCIENCE-FICTION “Girl of Fire is fantastic. It grabbed me in the first chapter, and ramped up the tension as Trattora found who she was and how she fit into the universe. This book is a great mix of dystopia and action/adventure with a dusting of hard science fiction. I loved it!” ~Mark Cheverton, NY Times bestselling author of the Minecraft Adventure Series

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AWARD-WINNING TRILOGY “Yates is a master of historical fiction.” ~Scott Skipper, Bestselling Author of the Star Trails Tetralogy Series

“Exclamations all OVER the place about this wonderful Full trilogy!”

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When a young man inherits two aging trunks and a stack of meticulously detailed journals penned by his great-grandfather, he sets out to fulfill his distant relative’s last request: to tell the story of an incredible life replete with adventure, violence, and tragedy.

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A FANTASTIC READ Mineran Influence by PN Burrows combines several genres in one. It starts like suspense mystery, then dives into hard science fiction, then shifts into a high-gear thriller at the end. Imaginatively crafted, with great detail in both the characters and the science. A fantastic read. ~Mark Cheverton, NY Times bestselling author of the Minecraft Adventure Series

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FAITH, LOVE, GHOSTS OF AN UPLIFTING JOURNEY THE PAST, AND THE POWER Purgus, by Angie Gallion, is an uplifting journey experienced through the main OF TRUE FORGIVENESS Inspired by real people and actual events, the fictional tale of Cody Musket is one readers won't be able to put down. Cody is a hero, both in war and in life. He bears demons, horrors from his past, never understanding God's grace until he’s forced to confront the nightmares that torment him. A chance encounter starts him down the path of healing. Packed with deep, likable characters, a well-developed plot, and a first-hand view of the terrors of war and the struggles of post-traumatic stress disorder, No Pit So Deep delivers a clean, thought-provoking love story. TopShelf Magazine looks forward to the second book in the series and begs the question... why is this book not available in print?

character, Alison Hayes, who I instantly felt for as she watched her relatively dysfunctional life fell apart. It was easy to root for her as she tried to rise above the expectations and obstacles thrown at her throughout the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. ~Mark Cheverton, NY Times bestselling author of the Minecraft Adventure Series 

~Julie Gerber, TopShelf Reviews

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A Blazing Gilded Age is the epic story of a volatile nation burning with ambition, yet bleeding with injustice. It was a time of profound change; boldly transforming from an agrarian backwater into an industrial powerhouse.

An American soldier (Richie) and a Vietnamese woman (Linh) fall in love and have a baby during the war in Vietnam. He attempts to marry Linh but fails to get permission from the Army and is then pulled out of Vietnam. They meet again in Hong Kong two decades later and achieve their ultimate destiny.

Genre Action & Adventure Price $34.95 ISBN 978-0981762562

Genre Romance Price $16.95 ISBN 978-1634987004

The objective of this awardwinning book is to educate the consuming public about the effectiveness of the many available hair-loss treatment and restoration modalities. It is an important, comprehensive, and valuable tool for both men and women who are afflicted with hair-loss problems.

Why are you crying, Tio Luis?

When Angel learned how to take his pulse in gym class, he never imagined the effect that his newfound knowledge would have on his Uncle Luis… or the conversations that it would start. My Tio’s Pulse explains what happened at Pulse on June 12, 2016 in a clear and simple way that will give children the tools to talk about difficult topics and empower them to feel safe.

Genre Sociology Price $34.95 ISBN 978-1612445410

Genre Education & Teaching Price $9.95 ISBN 978-1945493119

Ian Troy is haunted by the day he defied the queen and lost everything. Living as a bounty hunter in self-imposed exile, Ian curbs his deepest desires with wine and regret. But a fateful encounter with a pretty assassin brings his past crashing into the present, and his addiction is awakened. The land he gave up everything to protect is in jeopardy. Denial is no longer an option. To save the realms, Ian must embrace the one thing he fears most: his own power.

This is a coming-of-age story, a love story, replete with milestones, tangled emotions, and adventures that are the embodiments of first love. Not just for the young, but for the young at heart.

Genre Fantasy Price $15.99 ISBN 978-1492829065

Genre Coming of Age Price $15.99 ISBN 978-1941251898

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

“A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE OF EPIC PROPORTIONS, PACKED WITH STAGGERING TWISTS AND TURNS, ROCKETING TOWARD A CATACLYSMIC CLIMAX THAT WILL SHOCK YOU!” -TopShelf Reviews

DARK LIGHT: DAWN “A fantastic, incredible, can’t-putit-down book... A terrific read!” ~Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Has everything––mystery, action, sex, violence, widescreen apocalypse and close-up chills, along with the creepiest little girl you'll never want to meet. 'I couldn't put it down' has become such a cliche but... I couldn't put it down.” ~Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author

"Combining the supernatural conspiracies of The X-Files with the pandemic panic of Contagion and World War Z, Dark Light Dawn is an addicting, intense, nail-biting big budget summer movie brought to the page by creator Fabrizio Boccardi and author Jon Land. Hopefully, we’ll see the return of Max Younger sooner than later." ~Forces of Geek Magazine

~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

Copyright@2017 J.C. Brennan - TopShelf Indie - ISBN: 978-1946865137

www.eternalbloodlines.com

ISBN: 978-0765328724

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...books worth a closer look!

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In the latest entry in this USA Today bestselling series, Jessica loses a loved one to unnatural causes and sets her sights on the mysterious local hospital before more people wind up dead on arrival...

Ten years ago, Daisy left her husband, Bernard, to create a new life for herself. But now as their divorce proceedings continue to drag on and Bernard battles terminal cancer, Daisy determines she would rather be his widow than his ex-wife and decides to play with fate. In this contemporary thriller, a woman intent on ending her husband's life is propelled on a journey through her memories that leads her to an unexpected truth.

Genre Mystery Price $26.00 (May 28, 2019) ISBN 978-0451489333

Genre Thriller, Fantasy Price $13.99 ISBN 978-1532013195

Seth Jacobs has it all…health, wealth, a beautiful wife and three children, a great career, a mansion in greater Boston… and in a series of reversals of fortune beyond his control, Seth loses it all. His friends, who suggest God has a reason for inflicting so much loss and pain upon him, challenge Seth’s faith. Suffering, he asks God, as we all do, “Why is this happening to me?” and receives an unexpected answer. A modern-day story based on the Bible’s Book of Job, The Faithful One inspires us all to have a little faith no matter what.

Jackson, an ambitious college instructor and writer, saves nineyear-old twin girls from drowning in the Gulf of Mexico. He receives critical acclaim and a wide readership. The twins mature into beautiful but troubled young women. Jackson's success leads to a professorship at an esteemed university where his ascendant star quickly falls. Hadley marries a womanizer. Haley has an unfulfilling affair with her supervisor. Their recklessness in sex, love, and life produces wild and horrific results.

Genre Religious Fiction Price $38.99 (Hardcover) ISBN 978-1683502913

Genre Fiction Price $16.99 ISBN 978-1946920386

In this frighteningly believable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee, an extinct disease re-emerges from the melting Alaskan permafrost to cause madness in its victims. For recent apocalyptic cult escapee Wynter Roth, it’s the end she’d always been told was coming.

A Dystopian Urban Fantasy Desperate times have come to Emma Maya Ando’s country. A totalitarian regime with no tolerance for deviation has marginalized thousands.

Neither physical exceptionality nor freedom of thought has a place. All is conformity. But Maya doesn’t conform, and time is running out on her ability to conceal her condition. Can Maya find a cure before she is swept up in a purge… or will she take her secret to the grave?

Genre Thriller & Suspense Price $26.00 (Hardcover) ISBN 978-1476798622

Genre Science Fiction Price $13.00 ISBN 978-1724958648

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

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AN EXCELLENT SEGUE FOR TEENS WHO HAVE OUTGROWN “LIBERTY’S KIDS.” Saving Washington, by Chris Formant, is an excellent segue for teens who have outgrown “Liberty’s Kids” and desire to learn more about the Revolutionary War––particularly the little-known battle of Brooklyn. Formant describes the sights, sounds, and smells of Baltimore, and the battlefield and swamps of Brooklyn with poise, and his dialog is superb! Military tactics, colonial training, and strategy played a vital role in the war, and all three were critical in the battle of Brooklyn. Raising the social issues of the time, Formant reminds readers that some ideas have always been contentious. Saving Washington will compliment the collections of readers who’ve enjoyed Johnny Tremain, or My Brother Sam is Dead.

Crime

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READ THIS BOOK! A son’s descent into darkness sends the young man into a rage that shakes his family and their entire community to its core. Silent Voices is a true story ripe with tragedy, love, and forgiveness, engulfing readers in the emotional world of one family’s painstaking fight to save their son and endure the ultimate betrayal. Author Debbie Nau Redmond’s voice is defiantly NOT silent in this superbly written book. If ever there were a book worthy of being read by literally everyone, this is the book. Whether we chose to admit it or not, we all know someone–– likely someone close to us––who could benefit mentally and or emotionally from having their voice heard. No one should be allowed to fester in the darkness to the point of no return. READ THIS BOOK!

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FAST, WELL-WRITTEN, EXPERTLY CRAFTED NOVEL Something Secret This Way Comes… WOW! I’m not much of a vampire/werewolf fan, yet I could NOT put this book down! It had me on the edge of my seat, reading late into the night, and even late for work because I was reading it with breakfast. Something Secret This Way Comes is a fast, well-written, expertly crafted novel that will take you on a fantastic, energized adventure! ~Mark Cheverton, NY Times bestselling author of the Minecraft Adventure Series

~Kyle Magnus, TopShelf Reviews

~Patrice Benard, TopShelf Reviews

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AWESOME IN EVERY KEPT ME READING LONG INTO THE NIGHT CONCEIVABLE WAY! Darcy Daniel’s award-winning thriller THE DEVILS' CRADLE reminded me of the first time I read Sandra Brown.

From the opening page to the last, the novel is fraught with tension, suspense, and pathos and kept me reading long into the night. Here is a writer destined for great things. ~James Rollins, NY Times bestselling author

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

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INTENSE PAGE-TURNER

Tosca Lee has a winner here! The Line Between may be fiction today, but could easily become reality in the very near future. Every time we turn on a computer or open a social media app, we’re likely to see ads promoting for the latest and greatest diet ‘guaranteed’ to cure your ills.

Vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo… there is always some trendy new way to eat. But what happens if our food supply were to become infected? What if everything that is supposed to be good for us suddenly becomes tainted? What if people start losing their mind because of something they ate, and the medical professionals can’t pin down the cause? Tosca Lee explores the panic and fear that we imagine could happen if everything and everyone we trusted suddenly was called into question. Experience the heart-pounding thrillride of the year.

Megan Collins’s spellbinding debut novel The Winter Sister captures the souls lost in an unsolved tragedy in a sleepy New England town. Desperate to escape the albatross of her sister’s unsolved murder and her alcoholic mother, Sylvie can’t wait to leave town and never look back. A single call from her aunt brings Sylvie’s world to a halt and, despite her protests, is thrust back into her childhood home to take care of her mother, who has terminal cancer likely caused by alcoholism following the murder of Sylvie’s sister. Eager to do anything other than spend time with her emotionless mother, Sylvie digs deeper into her sister’s death, only to find that the secrets she kept were not the only secrets buried in the past. This intense page-turner will leave you breathless as you dig into Sylvie’s mysterious life. Collins writes as though she experienced the events first-hand, yanking readers into the lives of Sylvie and each of the people in this incredible, standout debut novel. Bravo!

~Patrice Benard, TopShelf Reviews

~Sharon Isbell, TopShelf Reviews

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TOPShelf magazine

This is a rare and epic poem on the emotion of love and deep affection. In a world conflicted with heartbreaks, lies, cheating, jilting, and backstabbing, the poem goes a long way in healing unseen wounds and patching up stored invisible heart injuries.

In a time where history and the future collide. Horse sized Scorpions and the living dead roam the earth and the only hope for survival is The Rise Of The Black Horse Rider

Genre Poetry Price $12.99 ISBN 978-1644560181

Genre Fiction Price $19.49 ISBN 978-1365825699

"Every person with that little

"Atmospheric and tense, with plenty of treachery and a heavy dose of history. What more could you ask for in a thriller?

Take a walk on the perilous side and check this one out."

voice in their head―the one that tells them to write everyday––must own this book. Every page is full of hope and reality, just what we all need to keep us going.”

~Steve Berry, New York Times, USA Today and Internationally bestselling author

~Steve Berry, New York Times, USA Today and Internationally bestselling author

Genre Reference, Self-Help Price $19.99 ISBN 978-0738753430

Genre Thriller, Suspense Price $15.99 ISBN 978-0999117309

Stop stressing and learn to chill with this mindfulness and meditation guidebook that can help workaholics and others let go of anxiety and achieve and maintain the healthy work/life balance they need.

As Book Three of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy begins it is 1914 and Billy is in Chicago with his wife, the former Baroness Katharina von Schreiber living a sedate and comfortable life after years of adventure and tragedy. That changes with a single telephone call that yanks Billy and Katharina back into a life of havoc and peril.

Genre Self-Help, Motivational Price $22.99 ISBN 978-0062896018

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Genre Action & Adventure Price $18.99 ISBN 978-1545632819

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books

“A thrilling adventure that spans decades.

STRONG TO THE BONE combines compelling history and cutting-edge technology, creating a death-grip read that refuses to let go.”

~TopShelf Reviews

~TopShelf Reviews

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