Topshelf Magazine - August 2017

2016 Sales Catalog - 1

AUGUST2017 ™

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to

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TopShelf Authors & Books!

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS Brad Thor Joseph Finder John Gilstrap Steve Snyder Page 17

Page 21

Page 23 Page 25

THE INSIDE LOOK: Covers that Sell Page 9

NEW! TOPSHELF AMERICA: We Travel to Powell’s Books

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FORGOTTEN TOMES: Literarily Meeting Bond

Page 7

Plus Marketing Tips, Book Reviews, and so much more!

TopShelf Reviews the Latest HeartPounding Adventure by #1 NY Times Bestselling Author BRAD THOR. Page 35

“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

ISBN: 978-0765328724

TOPShelf

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A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to

TopShelf Authors & Books!

table of contents

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CEO, President, & Publisher

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11 13 15

FORGOTTEN TOMES: Literarily Meeting Bond THE INSIDE LOOK: Covers That Sell NAVIGATING INDIEWORLD: Books on Trial TOPSHELF AMERICA: Powell’s Bookstore TOPSHELF MARKETING: Let’s Talk Shelf-Talkers

interviews 17 21 23 25

Brad Thor Joseph Finder John Gilstrap Steve Snyder

reviews 27 27 29 29 31 31 33 33 35 35

Keith A. Katsikas Jr.

keith@topshelfmagazine.net

E.V.P. & Director of Marketing Rebecca Katsikas

becky@topshelfmagazine.net

Lead Editor Rosemary Fifield

editor@topshelfmagazine.net

Assistant Editor Kris Miller

editor@topshelfmagazine.net

Creative Director Keith Katsikas

Dark Light: Dawn Final Target Hello Sunshine The Lying Game No Surrender Shot Down The Switch Thirty Days Has September Use of Force The Veritas Deception

creative@topshelfmagazine.net

Contributors & Reviewers J. H. Bográn Rosemary Fifield Keith Katsikas Rebecca Katsikas Jon Land Sarah Noffke Kris Miller 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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Our overall reach is currently in the millions and we always strive to go well above and beyond in promoting our valued clients.

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AUGUST2017 3

spotlights

Kev Heritage Blue didn’t want to be in the future... they didn’t want him there either!

CreateSpace $12.99 - 344 Pages Science Fiction ISBN: 978-1507620526

A rip in the fabric of time, a farflung globally warmed future, the only remaining civilization on Earth––a militaristic organization living beneath “Desert Amazon.”

The more Blue learns about this flooded, futuristic wasteland and about himself––who or what he is––the more he realizes getting back home is the only solution.

www.kevheritage.com

by Carol Marrs Phipps CreateSpace $12.99 - 434 Pages Science Fiction, Dystopian ISBN: 978-1533026408

by Patrick Bisher & Jon Land Post Hill Press $27.00 - 208 Pages - Hardcover Self-Help/Motivational ISBN: 978-1682613009

by Shellie Blum Shellie Blum, LLC $16.79 - Hardcover - 238 Pages Biographies, Memoirs ISBN: 978-0996366908

by Patrick Miskella WaveCloud Corporation $18.99 - 500 Pages Literary Fiction ISBN: 978-1535602365

by Lynne Constantine Sailor Dance Publishing $13.95 - 330 Pages Political Thriller ISBN: 978-0997694215

by Anthony Franze Minotaur Books $27.99 - 320 Pages - Hardcover Political Thriller ISBN: 978-1250071668

by Kathi Daley CreateSpace $10.99 - 208 Pages Thriller/Suspense, Amateur Sleuths ISBN: 978-1542944663

by Richard Bard CreateSpace $16.99 - 418 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1533257604

by James Strauss CreateSpace $18.99 - 344 Pages Genre Fiction, War ISBN: 978-1544050225

by Sarah Noffke CreateSpace $11.99 - 248 Pages YA Paranormal Fantasy ISBN: 978-1548801373

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

THIRTY DAYS HAS SEPTEMBER ISBN: 978-1544050225

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His only fear was not knowing if he had Award what it took to be a Winners Marine officer––that is, until the day they sent him to Nam. An entitled second lieutenant, fresh out of training, lands in Vietnam full of wonder–– an all consuming awe that quickly descends into dread at the deplorable conditions he, as an officer, has to endure.

Speaking his mind to a superior officer only makes matters worse as he is ordered to take command of a company of misfit Marines––men who have no respect for their newest untested commander, and whom they unaffectionately nickname, Junior. He quickly realizes they’re not only fighting the external North Vietnamese Army but the internal racial divide amongst them. But there's no going to the rear and there's certainly no going home. The only choice they have is to go deeper into the valley of death, known as the A Shau. One thing is certain, death will come, but will it come from the enemy or within?

Each month, the editors of TopShelf Magazine nominate up to six books from our current Book Spotlights to be considered for our coveted Editor’s Choice Award. A panel of judges (typically consisting of our CEO & Publisher, Keith A. Katsikas Jr., the EVP, Rebecca Katsikas, and our Assistant Editor, Kris Miller), carefully deliberate over the nominees and ultimately award the winning book the title of TopShelf Editor’s Choice.

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

"Once you start reading, you’ll be hooked.” - Suspense Magazine “Mandatory reading for any thriller aficionado.”

- Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The 14th Colony

“Fans of Brad Meltzer and James Rollins will love THE VERITAS DECEPTION.” - Anthony Franze, Author of The Advocate’s Daughter & The Outsider

“A delicious blend of desperation and intrigue.”

- Sandra Brannan, Author of The Liv Bergen Mystery Series

WHAT IF THE MEDIA, THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD, AND KEY PLAYERS IN

WASHINGTON WERE CONSPIRING TO DECEIVE YOU?

THE VERITAS DECEPTION - Imagine if the media, the entertainment world, and key players in Washington were conspiring to deceive you––if nothing could be taken at face value; if those you trusted most were a part of the deception.

Days after US Senator Malcolm Phillips changes his vote on a bill he sponsored, he is murdered and his death disguised as an accident. He contacted one man before he died: investigative journalist, Jack Logan. He left Jack a single clue to help him uncover the truth and keep Phillips's widow, Taylor, safe. But safe from whom?

Jack and Taylor's desperate hunt leads them to a vast network of corrupt authority, controlling everything from social media and television programming to law enforcement and US legislation. The key to unraveling a complex web of lies is a set of ancient relics, dating back to the time of Christ. But what do these relics have to do with a senator's death?

Allies turn to foes when Jack and Taylor discover that those closest to them are part of the conspiracy and that they too have been manipulated. How long has a puppet master been pulling their strings––and will Jack and Taylor trust the right people long enough to win what becomes a colossal battle for souls?

www.LynneConstantine.com 2017 © Sailor Dance Publishing

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by J. H. Bográn (TopShelf Columnist) Twitter @JHBogran | jhbogran@gmail.com

It’s dark times for fans of the most enduring movie franchise of all time.

Much like 2016 was the “Year without the Doctor” for fans of Doctor Who, the James Bond fans have seen nothing since 2015´s Spectre. Plans for a new movie are in pre-production limbo, a most fearsome place to be, and one that has claimed Bond for up to six years—from License to Kill (1987) to Goldeneye (1995).

This has left fans with not much choice but dusting off the old DVD or newer Blue-Ray copies of the previous 24 movies. I’m here to offer another lifeline, one that perhaps has already occurred to some, but not to all fans: Get to meet James Bond, literarily, by reading the books. You can start with Ian Fleming’s, then carry on to recent authors like Raymond Benson and Jeffery Deaver.

Once decided to visit the origins of the character, the next question is where to begin. For this I’d suggest two options: Follow the publication order and start with Casino Royale, or use the movies as a reference. I won’t go into Casino Royale because chances are many people read the commemorative edition published when the first Daniel Craig movie came out in 2006. The latter option would mean to start with Doctor No. Among the iconic scenes from the movie that were not present in the novel are two that stand out the most: the whole scene in the mountain retreat with one Ms. Taro, a Chinese spy for Dr. No. The other one, and perhaps one that marks the www.TopShelfMagazine.net

disregard the Beretta and armed him with not only the Walter PPK, but also a Smith & Wesson revolver! Yes, I know the movie doesn’t even mention the .38 Special.

The novel is not without its faults and it’s a byproduct of the period in which it was written. Fleming as a proper Englishman, one who probably saw his home country as the Ruler of the World that they were for a long time, has some disparate remarks towards other races.

For instance, one of the character pegs

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LITERARILY MEETING BOND

Jamaicans as lazy, or Syrians as astute businessmen who when overstocked of products lit their stores with the unstated goal of claiming the insurance.

This column may feel like I’m offering books as a consolation prize. That is not the case. I’m just seizing the opportunity to earn more readers to a classic spy franchise that for so long has been judged by its cinematic merits alone.

It’s time you met the real James Bond as Ian Fleming intended.

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difference for the movie is the use of quips that became a staple of the franchise. In the book you won’t find the line, “I think they were on their way to a funeral.”

Doctor No is the sixth book in the series, originally published in 1958. The movie follows the plot considerably well, except for the last third. Thus, even if you know the movie by heart, you’ll still be surprised by the ending. The novel is quite good, very fast paced, and filled with more exquisite details than the movie. In this book Ian Fleming followed the advice of one of his fans and had the character of M order Bond to switch handguns,

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J. H. Bográn, born and raised in Honduras, is the son of a journalist; however, he ironically prefers to write fiction. José’s genre of choice is thrillers, but he enjoys to throw in a twist of romance on occasion. He has published three acclaimed novels and is a member of The Crime Writers Association, the Short Fiction Writers Guild, and the International Thriller Writers where he also serves as the Thriller Roundtable Coordinator and contributor editor for their official e-zine The Big Thrill.

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Thea Paris—she’ll do whatever it takes to get you home alive.

“The Freedom Broker combines terrific thriller writing and fascinating research aboutFull hostage Page Ad rescues. This is fact and fiction at its best.”

—James Patterson, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Move over Jason Bourne, action has a new name as international kidnapping expert Thea Paris pulls out all the stops to rescue her own father in this clever and gritty debut.”

—Lisa Gardner, # 1 New York Times bestselling author “Breathless action, great characters and convincing details make Howe’s The Freedom Broker a surefire rocket to the top of the lists.”

— Linwood Barclay, #1 Internationally Bestselling Author Available everywhere books are sold.

Read the first chapter at kjhowe.com.

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COVERS THAT SELL Twitter @RealSarahNoffke | SarahNoffke.com

Whether setting up a display to entice readers or creating a cover from scratch, there are a few things booksellers should know about book covers. We are all aware that readers judge books by their covers, but that doesn’t mean just any ole book cover will sell. When I created my covers for my first series I’ll admit, I had no idea what I was doing. I wanted something eye-catching, that branded my series and evoked the feels. That’s all good, and I might have accidentally followed some rules for cover designing by genre, but it’s much better if we know what sells from the beginning. I’ve learned now that readers are attracted to particular types of covers, and it depends on what they like to read.

There are three necessary things for any cover, no matter the genre. The first is the title. Now, before you think I’m babbling the obvious, please give me your listening ears. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve seen where the title takes a backstage to the graphics on the cover. It needs to be bold, jumping out to entice readers. It’s important as booksellers for us to remember that most readers see books as thumbnails on a screen or from a far distance through the store or library. Titles are lost if they aren’t the overwhelming focus of the book. Readers shouldn’t have to squint or try to decipher a title lost in a beautiful graphic. Secondly, the same idea goes for an author’s name.

Prominent placement, in bold is favorable for books that want to sell based on author branding, which I can’t stress enough. And therefore, that leads me to the third point which is that successful covers, in any genre, benefit and sell when proper attention is given to branding. Covers that span a series www.TopShelfMagazine.net

dresses sell historical romance, whereas shirtless men seemed to sell better in the contemporary genre. And those writing romantic suspense were sporting covers that were edgier overall, with a slight dark component to the total feel.

Fantasy/ Science Fiction How does a reader passing through shelf after shelf discern books in a display as either fantasy or a mystery? Well, I picked the brains of experts in the field and found there are a few distinctions between genre covers.

And most importantly, a book that tells its would-be reader what genre it belongs to without even leaving the shelf is going to sell better over time. Bright colors and a broad array of them are one way that fantasy/ science fiction novels can flag down a hardcore fantasy reader. For each of the subgenres within this category there are specific rules, but one seemed to stay consistent and that is a figure or object needs to be central on the cover. For space operas, a ship needs to be right in the middle and it will no doubt grab the attention of every fan in that genre before they are through the door. A figure poised for action, was something consistently reported as a winner for fantasy books. The key here is the reader needs to know right away that this book isn’t about this world. It’s fantasy.

Mystery/Thriller Although this isn’t a genre that I read or write, browsing through the top-sellers on Amazon gave me a clear idea of what covers attract this audience’s eye most. It’s relatively simple, actually.

One to three colors seems to be what makes these covers instantly stand out as mystery thrillers. Secondly, a single central figure, immersed in an action scene is important. The minimal environment around the character provides just enough context to grab reader’s attention.

Romance Covers that are keeping voracious romance readers coming back are evoking two emotions: love and sex. More times than not, the top ranked romance books have a central figure and a preponderance of skin showing. But in all cases, I found the covers were cute. They made me feel pretty looking at them. They reminded me that we are humans and our desires for attraction and companionship are real. Women in big

AUGUST2017

by Sarah Noffke (TopShelf Columnist)

which are represented by a color scheme and share distinctive text have been shown to have higher read-through rates. Now all these points apply well for any genre, but fortunately for those of us who enjoy niche books, there are specifics that apply to those covers.

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THE INSIDE LOOK:

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Conclusion Are these guidelines hard and fast for cover designing? No, there are always exceptions.

I’m sure I’ll get a billion emails from readers who have examples of covers that broke the rules and made a zillion dollars. However, I did the homework for you. I found that the covers, which in most cases, tell a reader what genre the book belongs to, and more importantly, follow guidelines that have helped sell books for many best-sellers. It’s important to consider these ideas because when we know how readers think, we can better serve them, and that benefits everyone.

More Articles at: TopShelfMagazine.net

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by Julie Gerber & Carole P. Roman (authors of the award-winning self-help eBook, Navigating Indieworld)

www.NavigatingIndieworld.com

Let’s face it. People are judgmental.

They are going to judge every aspect of your book starting with the title and the cover. If the title doesn’t stand out, the readers will pass on by without a second glance. Tease and tempt potential buyers with your wording, drive them mad with curiosity, then go in for the kill with an irresistible cover. Your cover is your first ad and if you don’t nail it, you are going to miss out on sales.

Covers should be clutter free and look professional. Some authors and designers use colors to elicit feelings from the reader.

They may use warm colors to evoke reactions of passion or anger. Cool colors may be used to relax or soothe. Your cover is your chance to express your book and characters so there aren’t any rules except one: your colors should compliment each other, and the wording should stand out. If you are not professionally trained to create graphics, take the time to learn or you can shop for pre-made covers or work with a designer for a one-of-a-kind creation. If you are making your own, create several mockups and ask for opinions. You’ll be surprised www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Our Pick of the Month for August and the latest interview on the Navigating Indieworld Radio Show is SENTINELS OF THE NIGHT by Anita Dickason.

AUGUST2017

BOOKS ON TRIAL

it's no coincidence her nickname is Witchy Woman. Cat Morgan sees dead people. When two horned owls appear, messages from the dead are not far behind. On her way to start a new job in a special unit, Cat finds herself caught in a cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer. She is aided by a hunky police chief, Kevin Hunter, who knows something is not quite right about her investigation skills.

Fast-paced with an interesting twist on a crime drama, this is a series that should entertain. Anita Dickason, a former law enforcement officer, brings realism to the story, giving the reader an insider’s look at police work.

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NAVIGATING INDIEWORLD:

by much impact subtle changes will have on the finished graphic. Altering the position of the author’s name or title or changing the font or text may seem like small changes but the results can be dramatic. Your title and cover should hint at what’s to come once the reader turns the page. Find out more by reading Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner’s Guide To Self-Publishing And Marketing Your Book. It’s available on Amazon!

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COLUMNS BIOGRAPHIES:

Julie Gerber is the founder of Away We Go Media, a social media management and consulting firm for authors, Forbes featured coauthor of the award-winning best-seller, Navigating Indieworld and co-author of the best-selling book, Tortured Souls: The House On Wellfleet Bluffs.

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children's books. She hosts two blog radio programs and is one of the founders of the magazine, Indie Author's Monthly. Carole coauthored the Forbes featured self-help book, Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing.

Navigating Indieworld rating: 5 STARS Review by Carole P. Roman

After creating two successful groups on Goodreads, Julie and Carole developed a magazine and radio show with fellow author RL Jackson. You can find them here:

Cat Morgan has a secret. She's a crack FBI agent with an uncanny reputation of being able to find bodies. The truth is so bizarre. Cat finds lame excuses for how she discovered murder victims. However,

Indieauthorsmonthly.com Awaywegomedia.com Caroleproman.com Authorrljackson.com Podfireradio.com/navigating-indieworld

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“Packed with action, suspense, and a surprise double twist that will keep you guessing until the very end, America’s #1 bestselling author has truly brought out the in this latest installment!”

– TopShelf Reviews

R.L. Stine brings back his most beloved characters since the original series––the cheerleaders of Shadyside High––in this, the sixth installment in the relaunch of the runaway bestselling Fear Street series, which has sold more than 80 million copies around the world.

www.rlstine.com ISBN: 978-1250058966

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by Timothy Sunderland (TopShelf Columnist) Twitter @timthewriter | tim@rulesforgiving.com

San Francisco used to be the catch-all for everything edgy on the west coast. No longer so. Now the City by the Bay is the home to pricey hipster restaurants, the financial center of Silicon Valley, and real estate values so high that residents get nosebleeds when they pay the mortgage.

All that’s edgy has migrated 600 miles north to Portland, Oregon. Any visit to Bridgetown includes a visit to Voodoo Doughnuts, home of the maple iced doughnut with two strips of bacon on it (and racier delicacies whose shapes and colors we can’t mention on these pages, but you get the point).

Once you get through the 45-minute line to get your sin food, you can eat them within view of the sign on the side of Music Millennium that reads “Keep Portland Weird.”

From Voodoo, it is an eight-minute walk to the corner of Burnside and 10th Avenue. Make sure your last will and testament is updated, however, because once you enter Powell’s City of Books, with its almost one million volumes, your loved ones may never see you again.

Since its beginnings in 1971, Powell’s has grown to occupy the four buildings on its corner, filling an entire city block. Two of the buildings are one-story, another is three stories, and a fourth rises four floors. There are seven color-coded rooms, 75,000 square feet of retail space, and 35 different sections.

Powell’s has four locations and more than 500 employees in the Portland area, but the Burnside store is by far the largest. In 2014, this location was voted one of the Ten Coolest Book Stores in the World by CNN. Powell’s started in 1971 in the most improbable of ways—as a second-hand www.TopShelfMagazine.net

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POWELL’S BOOKSTORE

was followed by son Michael, and then granddaughter Emily. The Powell family stepped aside in 2013 to focus on longterm planning, and Sontz was brought on.

She has a good handle on the retail book business, including the specter of e-books.

“Screens are good for lots of things,” she said, ‘but they are not the death knell of the printed book. A lot of people, at the end of their work day, do not want to look at a screen anymore. They want the tactile experience of a printed book.”

But some customers will sacrifice community for the sake of convenience, and sometimes you have to go where your competition is. Twenty-five percent of Powell’s revenue comes from online sales. But even then, the online experience at Powell’s focuses on books.

“We are passionate about books,” said Sontz. “That’s what we sell. I don’t know what

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TOPSHELF AMERICA:

book store. A year earlier, founder Walter Powell loaned his son $3,000 to buy a usedbook store in Chicago. After spending a summer working with his son, who paid back the loan in six months, Walter saw the potential and returned to Portland. Within a decade, Powell’s was offering new books side-by-side with the used ones.

What has turned out to be true,” says Powell’s CEO Miriam Sontz, “is that used books spur the sale of new books. New books spur the sales of used books. The two do not seem to have a negative impact on each other.”

So how do they do it. How, did Powell’s expand to legendary status, with a weird mix of new and old, and how have they stayed relevant in what has been a tumultuous time in the retail book industry, in the face of internet retailers, and in the wake of megastores like Barnes & Noble and Borders (remember those guys?)?

“Online retailers have not figured out a logarithm that creates the experience of a real store,” says Sontz.

“That’s what we sell.”

Next to the classics at Powell’s, you’ll find a selection of manga and graphic novels. And guess what? Readers like to touch and handle these genres before they decide on a purchase.

Powell’s capitalizes on the realization that not every reader knows what their next book will be. Powell’s allows them to kick the tires. Rather than going to the large retailers, where the book table gets smaller every day, today’s reader wants a wider selection.

Powell’s reportedly takes in 3,000 used books a day, guaranteeing an inventory that’s as diverse as the city it calls home. Taking in all four stores and the mail-order business, Powell’s reportedly controls an inventory of 4 million volumes. Powell’s also seeks out the smaller, independent presses, knowing that readers want more than what the New York publishers are dictating we should read.

Programming is part of the mix, too. As many as 500 authors each year give readings, answer questions, and spend time with readers.

Before Sontz became the CEO, the Powell family was into its third generation of family members running the store. Founder Walter

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Amazon is passionate about. They sell things, but not necessarily books.”

Powell’s also realizes that with books comes community. People want to talk about what they are reading and get referrals from other people. That’s why 4,000 square feet of the first floor at Powell’s is set aside as a coffee shop called World Cup. It’s part of what keeps folks in Powell’s for hours, and the longer they are in the store, the more they are likely to buy.

So, the next time you are in Portland, take any one of eleven bridges across the Willamette River (that’s why they call it Bridgetown). Stop and get your Voodoo doughnuts, then take the quick stroll to Powell’s. We hope you have three or four hours set aside. It will take at least that long, and you’ll wish you had more time.

And … don’t forget to update the last will and testament before you walk in.

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spotlights

Jack Mayer

Long Trail Press $19.95 - 530 Pages Historical, Holocaust ISBN: 978-0984111343

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Before the Court of Heaven, though fiction, is populated by historical figures and accurately depicts events as they unfolded in Germany and beyond. Animated as historical fiction, Before the Court of Heaven is an immunization against recurrence.

www.JackMayer.net

by Chris Patchell CreateSpace $18.00 - 478 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1514790069

by Michael Phillip Cash CreateSpace $9.99 - 212 Pages Sci-fi, Paranormal ISBN: 978-1500600365

by Paul Hollis Dog Ear Publishing $16.95 - 302 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1457520419

by Jon Land Forge Books $26.99 - Hardcover - 352 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-0765335135

by David Morrell Mulholland Books $27.00 - Hardcover - 352 Pages Historical, Thriller ISBN: 978-0316307901

by Linda Cadose CreateSpace $9.99 - 170 Pages Paranormal Horror ISBN: 978-1533428745

by Timothy Sunderland CreateSpace $11.99 - 322 Pages Family Life ISBN: 978-1534678309

by Rafael Amadeus Hines Rafael Hines $15.99 - 452 Pages Thriller, Suspense, Military ISBN: 978-0997091915

by Robert Bidinotto Avenger Books $16.70 - 478 Pages Political, Suspense, Thriller ISBN: 978-0615507712

by Kev Heritage CreateSpace $9.99 - 256 Pages Science Fiction ISBN: 978-1518659148

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

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COLUMNS 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

Who writes the review on the shelf-talker?

Anyone. Both employees and customers should be encouraged to create them. Have a contest and use the most creative designs and messaging.

Who decides which books get a shelf-talker? I personally feel that any book that someone (employee or customer) is passionate about is worthy of a shelftalker. You could have a small table with blank shelf-talkers; there are several templates available online, and pens and markers. You could create a Committee of Shelf-Talkers (employees and customers) that gets together once a month to write them. If you currently hold a Book Club, you could ask them to write shelf-talkers.

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.

TOPSHELF MARKETING: LET’S TALK SHELF-TALKERS

by Keith Katsikas (CEO & Publisher, TopShelf)

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so customers can read them quickly,. They are creative and informative. It’s important that shelf-talkers are kept neat. The last thing you want is for a shelf-talker to look like it’s been hanging since the dawn of time. They typically have a 50 word or less review of the book they are located under.

Twitter/Facebook @TopShelfPub | TopShelfMagazine.net

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

AUGUST2017

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. What makes you want to buy something? Did you decide to watch a movie because you liked the title? Or buy a car because the color enticed you? Most likely, not. Customers make purchases based on research, need, and recommendations. Sometimes if I can’t choose between two items, I’ll choose the one that was personally recommended to me or that has the most noted recommendations. The same goes for books.

A well-written shelftalker inspires customers to investigate a book closer and greatly increases the odds that the book will sell.

If you’re not using shelf-talkers then you could be making a very big mistake. It is a fact that many people will go to a bookstore just to wander or spend a lazy afternoon. These people are looking for something to jump out at them. They want to see which books are recommended by the staff or other customers. These people want the shelves to talk to them!

You may be thinking, what the heck is a shelf-talker? Well, simply put, a shelf-talker is a small sign that attaches to a retail shelf or display. Aside from actually talking with your customers (which you absolutely should do) this is the best way to communicate with potential buyers.

Effective shelf-talkers have big clear fonts

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 15

USE OF FORCE

interviews

and host of the critically acclaimed national public television series, Traveling Lite.

Now, onto our discussion with Brad Thor:

Brad Thor is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Foreign Agent, Code of Conduct, Act of War, Hidden Order, Black List, Full Black, The Athena Project, Foreign Influence, The Apostle, The Last Patriot (nominated best thriller of the year by the International Thriller Writers Association and banned in Saudi Arabia), The First Commandment, Takedown, Blowback (recognized as one of the “Top 100 Killer Thrillers of All Time”

by NPR), State of the Union, Path of the Assassin, and The Lions of Lucerne.

Brad has hosted the Glenn Beck TV and radio programs and has appeared on FOX News Channel, CNN, CNN Headline News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS to discuss terrorism, as well as how closely his novels of international intrigue parallel the real threats facing the world today.

Brad has served as a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Analytic Red Cell Unit and has lectured to law enforcement organizations on over-thehorizon/future threats. He has been a keynote speaker for the National Tactical Officers Association annual conference, the Young America’s Foundation, and the Ronald Reagan 100 celebration. A supporter of The Heritage Foundation, Brad has spoken at their national headquarters on the need for robust missile defense.

In 2008, Brad shadowed a Black Ops team in Afghanistan to research his thriller, The Apostle.

Brad graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California where he studied creative writing, film, and television production. Before becoming a novelist, Brad was the award-winning creator, producer, writer www.TopShelfMagazine.net

How much research went into learning about ISIS, how they're organized, and how they might plan attacks, to make this book so believable?

The whole idea of fundamentalist Islam–– which is what ISIS is at its core and to a great degree what Al Qaeda is (the ideology is the same)––I've been following for over fifteen years, way longer actually as I was even interested back in college. How can 90% of a population read the same holy book and have an entirely different view than the 10% who want to go out and perform extreme acts in the name of Islam?

So, I always think it's important to stress that when we talk about terrorists who are using Islam as a form of justification, these are fundamentalists. These are people who believe in the Islam as it was practiced by the prophet Muhammad way back in the 7th century. So, I spent a lot of time researching it. One of the fascinating things about it for me is that Christianity has undergone a reformation. Judaism has, but Islam has not. There's no tradition of selfexamination, self-criticism in Islam. That makes it very difficult for modern Muslims to combat this ideology when it pops up in their midst. Because the fundamentalist Muslims will point to chapter and verse from the Quran and say you can’t argue with this, this is our holy book, and we accept this. It's a complex ideology that’s

AUGUST2017

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRAD THOR, #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF USE OF FORCE

That's probably one of the biggest challenges for an author who has a recurring character–– to reveal a little bit more about the character each time you write them. People talk about character development a lot––particularly those who review on Amazon and places like that. I read somewhere once about characters––especially protagonists––in thrillers, that you want James Bond or Indiana Jones to be the same at the end of the adventure that they were at the beginning.

You don't necessarily need them to change who they are or what they believe in, but you do want to know a little bit more about them.

So, that’s what I try to do, particularly in my last three books. My wife is my first reader, and she said about three books ago that I can tell you're doing something different because we always knew what Harvath thinks, now we get to see how he feels. So now, I am trying to throw real human elements at him because that’s what unites all of us. We can all relate to the human condition.

fascinating to me. I'm always reading articles and books on both sides regarding ISIS. It's a never ending process to stay up on what motivates the bad guys out there. That’s what I’m putting into a book. If there are Muslim characters who happen to be bad guys, I try to balance it out with good Muslim characters as well. I want to know what motivates them, the same way I would do for any bad guy I put in a book. I want to know what makes them tick. The more human you can make them, the more compelling they are as the character.

That's true even for the bad guy. You want to make them human to a certain degree, not necessarily humanize barbarism, but make it so you understand how they got to the point where they felt they should go out and do what they are doing.

magazine

This is your seventeenth book featuring your character Scot Harvath. Please let us know, how do you keep him fresh and evolving?

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INTERVIEWS

For those not familiar with Burning Man at Black Rock City in Nevada, describe what it is and why you chose that as the first attack.

I was looking for something that I hadn’t seen done in books or movies. Burning Man is this amazing festival that happens in the desert a couple of hours outside Reno, Nevada. People set up a tent city for seven days, people bring in RVs, there are no hotels, everything you bring in you have to bring back out with you, and it has a modern hippy vibe. Some people run around wearing nothing more than body paint. From an artist standpoint, the imagery is very rush, very real, very bright, very colorful and exciting. For somebody who studies terrorism, it's interesting because people at this temporary city called, Black Rock City, are packed tighter than they are in London. It's denser than London is. The security is probably not as much as you should have. It seems like a natural place to have an attack because you could have a significant impact. So I watched a lot of videos online and things like this, and I think maybe if I was single, not married with kids, it might be fun to go to Burning Man to “do some research” but that wasn't in the cards for me last year.

What are some common traps that aspiring authors can fall into?

Well, I’ll tell ya, I think authors can be too hard on themselves. I’ve always been. I came from the television world. Being an author was something I've wanted to do since I was a little boy, but I had that voice in the back of my head. I think we all have that process, you know, why should I even try to do this? You could embarrass yourself. What

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 17

“A CRISPLY PLOTTED LABYRINTH OF INTRIGUE, ACTION, AND ADVENTURE.” ~STEVE BERRY, New York Times and #1 Internationally Bestselling Author

What if God's most closely guarded secret found itself in the wrong hands?

“A ROLLER COASTER RIDE FILLED WITH UNEXPECTED TWISTS AND A SHOCKING CONCLUSION. NO DOUBT, WE WILL THE EFFECTSOLVING SEELIAHONA MICHAEL DIBIANCO RELIGIOUS MYSTERIES AGAIN.” ~CAROLE P. ROMAN, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of over 50 books, including the award-winning NAVIGATING INDIEWORLD

“NOT TO BE MISSED. THE BEST BOOK OF ITS KIND SINCE THE DA VINCI CODE.”

Copyright © 2017 - TopShelf Publishing

~JON LAND, USA TODAY Bestselling Author of over 38 Novels, including THE RISING and the acclaimed CAITLIN STRONG Series

“AN ADRENALINE-FUELED THRILL 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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TopShelf Publishing Manchester, NH United States www.TopShelfPub.com ISBN: 978-1946865007

interviews

Is there a marketing technique you’ve used that’s had an immediate impact?

That’s a great question. So, I’ll tell you, from a writing standpoint, I’m always trying to get better. That's my goal. I'm a small business person, and I want the product to evolve and get better continually. Two years ago I found a cool app. It’s www.TopShelfMagazine.net

If you could walk into any bookstore with the ability to merchandise your book the way you want, how would you

AUGUST2017

would have ever taken that plunge.

called the Hemingway App. It's a couple of bucks. You can drop in sentences, paragraphs of work, and it will go through and tell you what writing level you are writing at, if you're using too many adverbs, or if your sentences are too hard to understand. It’s a fun kind of thing, but you could drive yourself crazy with it.

From a marketing standpoint, it’s tough because I don't think the publishers understand where all the readers are these days. I believe they are fragmented. The Internet has people all over the place.

They’ve got a lot of stuff distracting them and taking away from time that at one point would have been spent reading. For me, the biggest thing I do is to pledge to the people who I work for––my readers, I wouldn’t have a career of writing if it weren't for the readers––that if they pick up a Brad Thor book, they are going to get a wonderful value. We can all go out and work harder and make more money, but the time you invest reading a novel you can never get that time back again. That’s time you could be spending at work or with your friends or family or in a pursuit of a hobby that you love. So, it's incumbent upon me, as an author, to make sure people are getting an absolute, fantastic, white knuckle, thrill ride every single time.

You can’t hone it in. I’ll never do that to my fans.

They’ve allowed me to enjoy such a wonderful dream and career that it would be disloyal to not put all my heart and soul into writing a book.

magazine

if the book's no good? What if you never get it sold? Why waste your time doing that? I think that which we’re most destined to do in life, we’re most afraid of. This was my case. I took a laptop overseas after graduating college. I saved money so I could live and write my first novel. About three chapters in I talked myself out of it and shipped the laptop back home. I then traveled the world and came up with the idea for a travel show called Traveling Light in the 90’s. I pitched my idea to public television and got on the air. It was a lot of work, but it was the most bizarre form of avoidance behavior because I was afraid of what might happen if I tried to become an author. It wasn’t until my honeymoon, when, I was sitting in the piazza in Italy with my wife having a glass of wine, and she asked me, what would you regret on your deathbed never having done?

And I said, never having written a novel and getting it published.

She said, fine when we get home you need to start spending two hours a day, protected time, making that dream come true. If it wasn’t for her, I don't know if I

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS ensure that your book is in the spotlight?

First of all, we’d reverse alphabetical order, so I’d be at the top of the shelf instead of down at ankle level. People used to ask me if Brad Thor was a pen name? I’d say, come on, if I were going to pick a pen name I’d pick something between Clancy and Coulter so I would be racked at eye level. Joking aside, we do a lot of this with the publisher.

There is a co-op fund that gets spent at bookstores. Everything important is to be on the front new releases table or the New York Times bestseller shelf, once your book hits the list. That's all important stuff. You want to stand out, and I think it's probably more important now than ever. It's important to be in any part of the store where your book can face out. In fact, one thing I have asked my publisher to start doing is to place a band on the spine that says #1 New York Times Best Seller. So if you get racked, you can still see the spine and say, Oh wow ok!

This guy a #1 New York Times bestselling author.

It's important. I'm reminded of a great thriller author, Vince Flynn, who passed away several years ago, worked for Kraft Foods setting up end caps at grocery stores and places like that. He used to talk about the importance of having your product some place that catches people's eye and so end caps are another place.

Read more of our interview with Brad Thor at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 19

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JOSEPH FINDER

ONE OF THE BEST THRILLER WRITERS IN THE BUSINESS .”

“

Finder is “a master at making the reader feel

SHOT DOWN

every emotion , jump at every shock, and squirm with every twist .”

— A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S *

A simple mix-up throws one innocent man into the crosshairs of sinister government secrets.

ON SALE JUNE 13

AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK

AUDIO AVAILABLE

*

interviews

How did you celebrate the publication of your first book?

Joseph Finder is the New York Times-bestselling author of fourteen suspense novels, including The Switch, Guilty Minds, and Suspicion; Buried Secrets, co-winner of the Strand Magazine Critics Award for Best Novel; Company Man, winner of the Barry Award for Best Thriller; The Moscow Club, named one of the ten best spy novels of all time by Publishers Weekly; and Killer Instinct, winner of the Thriller Award for Best Novel. His novel High Crimes became a hit movie starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman, and the film version of Paranoia was released in August 2013. A founding member of the International Thriller Writers, Finder is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers.

A graduate of Yale College and the Harvard Research Center, he lives in Boston. Now onto our conversation:

How did you get into the business of writing?

I’ve wanted to write books since I was a kid, and in fact I started writing professionally at a relatively young age: I was twenty-four when I published my first book, a nonfiction account of the most powerful American businessmen and their personal connections to the Kremlin. But what I wanted to do all along was to try my hand at a novel, a thriller. I was inspired by some of the greats in the business: Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth, Robert Ludlum, and Nelson DeMille. And other great writers like John le Carré, Eric Ambler, and Graham Greene. www.TopShelfMagazine.net

How long did it take before you could make writing your full-time endeavor?

I was a very lucky guy—I made enough money on the sale of my first novel, between U.S. and foreign markets, to keep me going for a few years, assuming I didn’t buy a Maserati. So I quit the Harvard faculty, where I’d been teaching writing to freshmen in order to support my writing habit, and became a full-time writer. I’ve been writing full time since 1989!

Do you have a strict writing schedule?

I do. I get into my office every day by eight and leave around five. I devote the morning time, when I’m at my sharpest, to writing, and I leave the business stuff for the afternoon hours. Sometimes I take weekends off, but usually not.

How much time and money do you––even a successful New York Times bestselling author––spend marketing your books?

Less than I used to. When I was starting out I frankly think I spent too much time on the marketing piece, which is why my books were spaced apart by several years. I now have a top-notch publisher that knows how to market and do publicity far better than I do, so I leave them to it. But despite all that, I still spend time deciding what to Tweet or what to post on Facebook and what should go on the front page of my website, stuff like that. So maybe a third of my office time is spent on the marketing. Most of my time I spend writing the books. That’s the best marketing tool you can come up with: a good book.

Often, but not always. I’ve tried writing with no idea of what happens after the opening incident, and I found that I’d wasted three months on ideas that didn’t fit in the final story. On the other hand, I’ve tried creating a long, detailed outline (like Robert Ludlum did, for instance), and I found that the writing was boring and the end result suffered. So I create what TV and movie writers call a “beat sheet,” with the major dramatic moments set out in order—it’s sort of a high-level outline, but I always leave myself open to ignoring the outline if I come up with a better idea.

What’s your opinion of the ebook revolution?

AUGUST2017

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, JOSEPH FINDER

I didn’t. What’s the way the hero of Stephen King’s Misery celebrates finishing a book—a bottle of Dom Perignon and a single cigarette? I mostly felt relieved.

The reward was having done it.

Do you write and work from an outline?

magazine

When I was in my late twenties I gave myself a three-year deadline to write a novel that made enough money to support myself. So in that period I gave myself a crash course in crime fiction, reading the best books (and some bad ones, too—bad books teach a lot) and taking notes on index cards. Within 3 years I managed to write the book that came to be called The Moscow Club, get an agent, and sell it in the U.S. and 30 countries around the world.

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS

I think it’s cool. I’m all in favor of increasing the number of ways a “reader” can be told a story. If the convenience (and price) of an ebook brings me one more reader, I’m all in favor of it. I think if you glance at the numbers, you’ll see that ebooks haven’t increased the number of readers in total. But I would argue that in the larger context, they probably have, because every year we lose readers to the immediate feedback loops of the internet. And to TV (which has gotten better and better). Yet the number of readers has remained roughly the same. So I suspect the Kindle revolution has been good for business.

What’s the most important thing a bookstore can do, in your opinion and experience, to promote book sales?

Word of mouth. By far the most important thing a bookstore can do is to have an employee or two actually read the book—and tell people about it. Word of mouth is the most powerful bookselling tool there is, hands down.

Do you have any advice for independent bookstores on how they might effectively organize and promote events in their store?

Maintain a robust newsletter, whether it’s print or (far more often) e-mail. I think that’s the best way to keep your customers informed and motivated enough to come into the store, despite all there is to keep us away—family, work, TV—and meet the author.

Read more of our interview with Joseph Finder at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 21

H

MEET A REAL AMERICAN HERO H A RESCUE GONE WRONG.

A DEADLY DOUBLE CROSS.

Special agent Jonathan Grave faces his fiercest challenge yet in the

explosive new thriller as he tries to thwart a deadly plot that could bring America to her knees.

“Fast-paced, well plotted action.”

—BOOKLIST Available Everywhere Books Are Sold E N S I N G T O N B O O K S . C O M • J O H N G I L S T R A P. C O M

The Jonathan Grave Thriller Series

A DESPERATE RACE TO FREEDOM.

interviews

How did the quick sale of your first book change your process of writing, if at all?

John Gilstrap is the New York Times bestselling and Thriller Award-winning author of Final Target, Friendly Fire, Nick of Time, Against All Enemies, End Game, Soft Targets, High Treason, Damage Control, Threat Warning, Hostage Zero, No Mercy, Nathan's Run, At All Costs, Even Steven, Scott Free and Six Minutes to Freedom. In addition, John has written four screenplays for Hollywood, adapting the works of Nelson DeMille, Norman McLean and Thomas Harris. He will write and co-produce the film adaptation of his book, Six Minutes to Freedom. A frequent speaker at literary events, John also teaches seminars on suspense writing techniques at a wide variety of venues, from local libraries to The Smithsonian Institution. Outside of his writing life, John is a renowned safety expert with extensive knowledge of explosives, hazardous materials, and fire behavior. John lives in Fairfax, VA. Now, let’s dive into my conversation with John Gilstrap:

Please tell us a little about your latest thriller, Final Target.

I love this book. What should be a routine rescue mission for Jonathan Grave and Boxers turns into a nightmare when it becomes apparent that nothing about the mission is what it was purported to be. By the end of the first chapter, we learn that the team they are working with are in fact their enemies.

Jonathan can forgive a lot of transgressions, but www.TopShelfMagazine.net

How did you celebrate the publishing of your first book?

Actually, that’s a funny story. I learned of the six-figure sale of North American rights while I was at my office, working late. Our son was only eight years old at the time, and it was 7:30 or so—too late to go out anywhere and celebrate. Plus, there wasn’t much food in the house. So, Joy and I celebrated with peanut butter crackers and champagne.

Please, tell us a little bit about the Jonathan Grave Challenge Coin.

Challenge coins are a part of the military and emergency response worlds. They are tokens of friendship and respect. I originally developed the coin for Jonathan Grave as a

AUGUST2017

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, JOHN GILSTRAP

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but my “first” book, Nathan’s Run, was actually the fourth book I’d written. It was, however, the first book I thought was good enough to be publishable. Twenty-seven rejections later, I found an agent who was willing to take me on, and from there, a lot happened very, very quickly. Within three months, Nathan’s Run had been purchased by publishers in over 20 countries, and I’d sold the movie rights. That sale didn’t change my process so much as it made me suddenly conscious of my writing.

On the heels of that kind of stunning success, you begin to wonder what was it about the book that people liked so much. Was it the characters? Was it the twists in the plot?

Once you start thinking too hard about that stuff, the result can be stifling. We’ve all heard about “sophomore syndrome” and I think that’s where its roots lie—in thinking too much about a process that defies definition. My wife, Joy, was the one who put it in perspective when she pointed out that the success of my storytelling might lie in the fact that I simply wrote a story and had fun doing it. So, in the end, I guess the sale didn’t change much about my process. But it took a long time to get there in my head.

marketing plan, a form of swag, but after I received the first shipment, I realized that that was a bad idea. It ran counter to the principle of a coin. So, I changed my plans to use those coins for their original purpose, as tokens of gratitude and respect. Thus, when members of the military or emergency communities lend me assistance, I offer them a coin as a token of thanks. Via my website, I will trade coins with just about anyone who has a similar token to trade. After it became apparent that many of my fans who have no involvement with groups of the sort that trade coins, I wanted to create an avenue for them to get a coin. I worked with the SEAL Legacy Foundation, a wonderful charity that supports the needs of families of fallen and wounded Navy SEALs, to develop a program whereby anyone can make a $20 contribution to the foundation, and in return, I will send them a coin on my own dime. Please visit my website, www.johngilstrap.com, for details.

magazine

betrayal is the step from which there is no forgiveness. As they try to find their way out of trouble, they inadvertently endanger the residents of a nearby orphanage, and now they need to make their way hundreds of miles to the coast with a bunch of kids in tow, all while a brutal cartel leader is trying to kill them all.

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS

How has being a firefighter/EMT as well as being expert in explosive safety and hazardous waste influenced your writing?

My years in the fire and rescue service inform everything I do, including my writing. I don’t think you can deliver babies into the world, or hold a person’s hands as they die, or nearly die yourself in a burning building without the experience changing you at a fundamental level. I believe there’s a humanity in my books that is rare among thrillers, and I trace that humanity to all those very human interactions in my youth.

The explosives and hazmat backgrounds lend themselves very nicely to some of the technical sides of what I write.

If there’s one thing you believe all aspiring authors need to know, it is...

Aspiring writers need to know that writing a good story is more difficult than it appears.

They need to own the fact that their early works are probably not going to be very good, and that that’s the way it is supposed to be. “Writing a book” should not be the goal.

The goal should be to tell a good story well and take the reader on an entertaining ride.

Read more of our interview with John Gilstrap at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 23

“Wartime courage at its best!�

-TopShelf Reviews

For most, 70 years is a long time ago.

World War II fades in importance as each year goes by. Shot Down moves history out of the footnotes into reality, keeping the stories of real people alive as they experience being shot down. You are there, almost holding your breath as Lt. Snyder gets his crew out of his B-17 when bailing out over Nazi occupied Europe.

SHOT DOWN

ISBN: 978-0986076008

interviews

Born in Pasadena, California, Steve Snyder was raised in the neighboring community of San Marino. He graduated from UCLA and during the Vietnam War years served six years in the California Army National Guard. In 1972, he moved to Seal Beach, California, where he lives today. In 2009, he retired from Vision Service Plan (VSP) after a 36 year career working in sales and sales management. Soon after retirement, Steve began his quest to learn more about the World War II experiences of his father, pilot Howard Snyder, and his crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth. It became his passion, and after 4½ years of dedicated research, resulted in book Shot Down, which has won 20 national book awards. One result of his new career as a World War II historian is that he is a member of numerous World War II organizations and is President of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association.

What inspired you to write your father’s story?

When I started my quest to learn more about my father’s war experiences, I began by going through all the material my parents had kept from the war years. Two items were most significant. The first was a diary that my father wrote while he was missing in action and being hidden by members of the Belgian underground. The other was all the letters my father had written to my mother while he was stationed in England before being shot down. Reading those was absolutely fascinating, and I became www.TopShelfMagazine.net

It was 4½ years from the time I started my research to the time the book was released. I read book after book about the air war over Europe. I spent countless hours on the internet doing research and downloading declassified military documents. I joined several World War II organizations and went to their reunions where I listened to veterans tell their stories. I traveled to Belgium twice prior to writing the manuscript. I even found and interviewed the German Luftwaffe pilot who shot down my father’s plane. He gave me some wonderful insight about what it was like to go up against the 8th Air Force which is included in the book.

Writing this book must have been emotional.

Please tell us a little bit about that journey.

Initially, I thought the book was going to be about my father, but soon I realized that it was about his entire crew (five of which made it back home and five did not), and to a greater extent, about all the men who served in the 8th Air Force. During World War II, more men in the 8th Air Force were killed than in the entire Marine Corps fighting in the Pacific. It is also about the courageous Belgian people who risked their lives and those of their families to help downed airmen evade capture. While doing my research, it was so exciting whenever I came across a new piece of information, or I found someone who had a connection to the story. I could hardly believe it when I found the German Luftwaffe pilot, Hans Berger, who shot down my father’s plane. Gunners on the B-17 Susan Ruth shot him down too.

They shot each other down. However, Hans was able to bail out and made it through the war. Fortunately for me, he became a translator after the war and speaks English. We have become friends, and last May I traveled to

Is it true that the plane your father piloted was named after your sister?

Yes, after my oldest sister, Susan Ruth (Snyder), who was one year old at the time my father went overseas. My mother’s name was Ruth. My father was the first pilot and as such was commander of the plane and its crew.

Therefore, he had the final say in what the plane was named. Only three of the ten-man crew were married, and my father was the only one who had a child. My other sister, Nancy, was born while my father was missing in action.

Please tell us a little bit about the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association where you currently serve as President.

AUGUST2017

INTERVIEW WITH AWARD WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR, STEVE SNYDER

How much research did you do for this book?

Munich, Germany, to meet him in person and filmed an interview with him.

magazine

fascinated with the story of my father and his crew. However, I might not have written the book if it were not for two Belgian gentlemen, Dr. Paul Delahaye and Jacques Lalot, who were young boys during the war and the Nazi occupation of Belgium. Later in life they became local historians and interviewed Belgian citizens and members of the underground, recording their testimony about events that took place involving my father and members of his crew. I owe them a great debt for all the information they provided to me about events that would have been lost forever without their detailed research.

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS

The Association was formed by Russell Strong who was a navigator in the 306th Bomb Group and became its historian after the war. Originally, it was strictly a veterans group, but with the passing of time and of the veterans, is now predominately made up of 2nd generation relatives like myself. Our mission is to Remember what happened during the air war over Europe, Honor the men of the 306th Bomb Group who fought it, and Educate the public about it. We hold annual reunions which this year will be in Indianapolis.

What does “It is our duty to remember” mean?

No event in history affected more people than World War II. It changed the course of the United States and the world forever. The brave young men who fought and died for freedom must never be forgotten. “It is our duty to remember.” The expression also ties into a Belgian organization founded in 1984 by Dr. Paul Delahaye. Originally named the Belgian American Foundation to remember and honor the American troops who liberated Belgium from Nazi oppression, the organization was renamed the Association du Devoir de Mémoire de Momignies – Belgique or Duty to Remember Association in honor of all the Allied Armies. I have now visited Belgium four times and have made many dear, life-long friends. Sadly, Dr. Delahaye died in 2013, but his eldest daughter, Christel, now heads...

Read more of our interview with Steve Snyder at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 25

spotlights

Steve Snyder

Sea Breeze Publishing $27.95 - 376 Pages Nonfiction, Military ISBN: 978-0986076008

26

For the first time, the full and complete story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Susan Ruth is shared in unbelievable detail. Author Steve Snyder’s story of his father, Lieutenant Howard Snyder, and the Susan Ruth crew, provides in-depth details about many aspects of World War II few understand or know about.

stevesnyderauthor.com

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by J. H. Bográn Rebel ePublishers $12.99 - 242 Pages Suspense Thriller ISBN: 978-1944077198

by Jennifer Froelich CreateSpace $12.99 - 310 Pages Mystery, Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1493615070

by Armand Rosamilia CreateSpace $12.99 - 206 Pages Crime Thriller ISBN: 978-1523692149

by L. B. Johnson Xulon Press $14.99 - 145 Pages Religion, Spirituality ISBN: 978-1498490719

by Heather Graham & Jon Land TOR Books $25.99 - Hardcover - 400 Pages Thriller, Suspense, Romance ISBN: 978-0765337917

by Regina Puckett CreateSpace $12.99 - 290 Pages Contemporary Romance ISBN: 978-1491232118

by Paige Dearth CreateSpace $19.95 - 504 Pages Horror ISBN: 978-1544212654

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

dark light: dawn

reviews

With orphans––now marked for death––in tow and Alejandro's jungle

“DARK LIGHT: DAWN A STYLISTIC DEPARTURE FOR JON LAND THAT WAS WELL WORTH THE RISK!”

final target

HOLD ON FOR A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE OF A SUPERBLY CRAFTED THRILLER THAT’LL LEAVE EPIC PROPORTIONS! YOU CRAVING MORE! It's the end of days. Death spreads across the land, coming from the Middle East––an epidemic of biblical proportions––crossing science and superstition, and only one man has the power to save the world… or destroy it. Max Younger, a Navy SEAL with the nickname 'Pope' for his ability to survive anything, Jon Land finds himself face to face with his tragic past––a mystery that goes far deeper than his father's death and the scandal surrounding it. Trapped by a sinister plot, a biblical apocalypse upon the world, Max must choose.

Save the world, or embrace the dark light. Dark Light: Dawn is a masterfully www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Alejandro Azul, the leader of a drug cartel, innovates unthinkable ways to torture and execute those who cross him and Jonathan and his partner Boxers have just become his next targets. During a conventional hostage extraction of a DEA agent in the Mexican jungle, things go south. Someone from their own team sabotages Jonathan and Boxers, causing them to seek refuge in a nearby orphanage in an attempt to protect their precious cargo, the DEA John Gilstrap agent, Harry Dawkins. But when the orphanage comes under attack their only option is to fight––killing the brother of Alejandro Azul in the process.

tigers closing in, the team must cross over a hundred miles of dangerous jungle to safety. Fueled by heartpounding combat, unthinkable torture, political corruption, and suspense that will twist your insides, Final Target is a non-stop, actionpacked thrill ride. The witty and sometimes sarcastic banter between the characters gives a balanced levity to this superbly crafted thriller that will leave you craving more.

AUGUST2017

~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

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plotted labyrinth of mystery and suspense, packed with staggering twists and turns, rocketing toward a cataclysmic climax that will shock you.

Hold on for a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions!

TOPShelf

REVIEWS

~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 27

“THRILLER WRITING OF THE HIGHEST ORDER!” –TopShelf Reviews

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www.MatthewBetley.com ISBN: 978-1476799254

hello, sunshine

reviews

A SWIFT-MOVING STORY the lying game WITH CHARACTERS THAT RISE UP OFF THE PAGE! A SUSPENSE-PACKED PAGE-TURNER. I QUICKLY LEARNED TO CARE ABOUT Sunshine Mackenzie is a social media lifestyle guru whose fabricated life is coming THESE CHARACTERS! apart. She has achieved and maintained her celebrity status by pulling the wool over the eyes of her adoring fans, and she is about to lose everything at the hands of an unknown truth-teller.

Laura Dave The directness with which Sunshine tells this very enjoyable story is ironic, considering the lies that have brought her to this point, and I quickly became her biggest fan, not for who she claimed to be but for who she must become — herself. What I appreciated most about this telling is how real it felt. No one is transformed overnight, and wronged friends and estranged family members don’t leap to forgive. We don’t know who has outed her, and there are lots of possibilities. And we don’t know who she will become next, because neither she nor the people around her are clichés. The story www.TopShelfMagazine.net

This suspenseful novel was a page-turner, not only for the questions to be answered, but because I quickly learned to care about the characters, especially the narrator and her six-month-old daughter, a baby I could picture so vividly, I actually dreaded the possibility that I might have to read about her being endangered somehow. The narrator, Isa, and her three best friends spent one year together as students at a second-rate British boarding school where telling lies became their chosen pastime.

Ruth Ware Eventually the four girls lost all credibility with peers and faculty and left the school in disgrace. Now, seventeen years later, past behaviors come back to haunt

AUGUST2017

~Rosemary Fifield, TopShelf Reviews

them after the discovery of human bones in a shallow grave near the school, and all of their futures are at risk. Ruth Ware, author of In a Dark, Dark Wood and The Woman in Cabin 10, has created complex characters with believable relationships. Through backstory, we see how two relatively innocent fifteen-yearolds—Isa and Fatima—could be sucked into participating in what might have seemed like an okay game at the time.

True to their natures, the two have gone on in adulthood to become professional women with families of their own. Kate and Thea, the originators of the “game,” have darker pasts and appear to be less successful as adults. All four value their mutual friendship, even though they have rarely seen one another in the past seventeen years. But once reunited in their old haunt, they find they are simultaneously reassured by each other’s presence but also less trusting of one another as individuals. The end result for me was less concern about who did what and more about how each of them would fare. That meant late nights up reading and, afterwards, an ending that I still think about.

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moves right along, and the characters rise up off the page. I knew and understood her sister, I loved her niece, and I wanted to meet Chef Z for myself. I recognized the fair-weather friends, the co-workers who were quick to distance themselves, and the wronged individuals from her past who were reticent to trust her again. And I came to understand how someone could get so caught up in her own lies that she no longer knew who she was. Sunshine is the biggest victim of her own lies, and Laura Dave made me want to make sure that Sunshine would be okay.

TOPShelf

REVIEWS

~Rosemary Fifield, TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 29

A SECRET SOCIET Y FR OM THE CIVIL WAR. A M AP HIDDEN IN THE SMITHSONIAN. BILLIONS IN LOST CONFEDER ATE GOLD.

THIS WAR WILL BE ANYTHING BUT CIVIL. The electrifying new novel from New York Times bestselling author

STEVE BERRY “BERRY RAISES THIS GENRE’S STAKES.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Knights of the Golden Circle were the most dangerous clandestine organization in American history—amassing billions in stolen gold and hiding it in caches across the United States.

Now, one hundred and sixty years later, someone is uncovering the lost clues, threatening to ignite a modern-day rebellion.

STE VEBERRY.OR G

no surrender

reviews

~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

WARTIME COURAGE AT ITS BEST! EXTRAORDINARILY INSPIRATIONAL! "You'll never be able to walk again,” were the words Patrick Bisher’s doctor spoke when he was only nine years old.

A degenerative hip condition had caused him to go from an active, go-lucky boy, to being bound to leg braces and crutches. The ridicule that Jon Land followed–– whispers that would have broken most children–– only made Patrick stronger. It was this strength and determination that propelled him to defy the doctors.

Finding courage within himself, he not only regained his ability to walk, but he also became one of the most elite men in the US military––a Navy SEAL. www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Using first-hand accounts from various sources, Shot Down tells the true story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Susan Ruth.

Author Steve Snyder relays the remarkable tale of his father, Lieutenant Howard Snyder, and the crew of the Susan Ruth on that fateful day in 1944. As war became imminent, American Howard Snyder voluntarily joined the Army and was called to serve. Newly married and wanting to provide more financial support, Howard chose to train as a pilot.

As a B-17 pilot, he was soon Steve Snyder flying dangerous daylight missions over a war-torn Nazi-occupied Europe.

But on February 8, 1944, the Susan Ruth was shot down, forcing Howard

AUGUST2017

shot down

and his crew to jump from a burning plane over Germanoccupied Belgium. Snagged in a tree, 25 feet above the ground, Howard dangled, vulnerable to the enemy. Written with immense detail, Steve Snyder has procured a fantastic piece of historical literature. No detail is left out as it follows the timeline both before the start of the war and after. The book is further brought to life by the plethora of pictures, documents, letters, and illustrations. The stories of ordinary citizens going to extraordinary measures, risking their lives to save others, are a beautiful testament to human nature. This book is a must read for anyone who loves books on history or WWII.

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Then a parachuting accident threatens to end his career and any chance of walking yet again. Through it all, Patrick perseveres. Based on the true story of one man's journey of strength and courage, No Surrender is extraordinarily inspirational.

TOPShelf

REVIEWS

~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 31

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An overzealous journalist and his cameraman find themselves at an explosive crossroads while capturing the “perfect shot.� Months later the journalist is stalked by his dead cameraman.

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TopShelf Publishing Manchester, NH United States www.TopShelfPub.com ISBN: 978-1946865021

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TopShelf Magazine – www.TopShelfIndie.com

the switch

~Rosemary Fifield, TopShelf Reviews

thirsty days has september

SUPERBLY VIVID, ULTRA-REALISTIC, AND STUNNINGLY AUTHENTIC! His only fear was not knowing if he had what it took to be a Marine officer––that is, until the day they sent him to Nam. An entitled second lieutenant, fresh out of training, lands in Vietnam full of wonder––an all consuming awe that quickly James Strauss descends into dread at the deplorable conditions he, as an officer, has to endure. Speaking his mind to a superior

officer only makes matters worse as he is ordered to take command of a company of misfit Marines––men who have no respect for their newest untested commander, and whom they unaffectionately nickname, Junior. He quickly realizes they’re not only fighting the external North Vietnamese Army but the internal racial divide amongst them. But there's no going to the rear and there's certainly no going home. The only choice they have is to go deeper into the valley of death, known as the A Shau. One thing is certain, death will come, but will it come from the enemy or within? Superbly vivid scenes and ultra-realistic portrayals give this book stunning authenticity and depth. Thirty Days Has September is a riveting tale of impossible choices that flawlessly captures you in the moment and refuses to let go, even long after the final page is turned.

AUGUST2017

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

suddenly at risk simply because he knows too much. Abbott is an ambitious player behind the Congressional scene willing to take desperate measures to retrieve the laptop but he’s also an amateur at this sort of thing. The two become embroiled in a mess neither one can fully control. When a national security agency becomes involved, everyone’s future is at risk, and the price to be paid goes up. This is not a predictable tale, and the fact that Tanner is just your average nice guy plunged into a life and death situation through no fault of his own makes this timely novel even more intriguing. Considering recent revelations about mishandling of sensitive information, the situation may not be all that far-fetched.

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This political thriller puts an everyday citizen in harm’s way after a simple mix-up at the airport. Michael Tanner mistakenly picks up the wrong laptop after going through airport security and finds himself in possession of a senator’s computer full of top-secret documents.

Meanwhile, Joseph Finder powerful Senator Susan Robbins’ right-hand-man, Will Abbott, is frantically seeking the lost laptop, knowing that his boss’s career—and his—will be destroyed if this egregious breach of security is discovered. I found this to be a refreshingly different take on political intrigue. Tanner is not your usual highly trained special ops agent or guilt-ridden former cop seeking redemption through one last dangerous mission. He’s a regular guy whose life is

REVIEWS

TOPShelf

AN UNPREDICTABLE TALE STRAIGHT OUT OF TODAY’S HEADLINES!

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~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 33

“A terrific book! The good, the bad, and the ugly woven into a tale that leaves the reader breathless. Great fun!”

~TopShelf Reviews

~Sandra Brown

“A speeding freight train hurtling toward a destination that will change their world.” ~TopShelf Reviews

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ISBN: 978-0765335135

Other Books in the Caitlin Strong Series

Learn more at:

JonLandBooks.com

use of force

reviews

envelope with a single clue for Jack and Taylor to follow. One clue begets another as a series of lies,

“NOT MERELY THE BEST THRILLER OF THE SUMMER, USE OF FORCE IS THE BEST THRILLER OF THE YEAR!”

~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

the veritas deception Scot Harvath––a Navy SEAL turned covert counterterrorism operative––is assigned a mission so dangerous that the government must deny any and all involvement.

During a massive storm, the Italian Coast Guard receives a distress call that a smuggler's ship carrying 150 men, Brad Thor women and children is sinking.

Days later the body of a chemist who had expertly evaded authorities for three years washes up. His name is so deadly in the world of terrorism that it has everyone on high alert. The government fears that his reemergence may be the first step in the rumored deadliest terrorist attack in history. In a race against time, Harvath must travel the world in search of clues to figure out www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TAUT WITH MYSTERY AND AN ELECTRICALLY CHARGED FINALE GUARANTEED TO LEAVE YOU MYSTIFIED! Just days prior, Senator Malcolm Philips goes to Jack Logan foretelling of his imminent accidental death.

Philips has but one request: to protect his wife Taylor–– Lynne Constantine Jack's ex-girlfriend ––from potential harm. He leaves behind a sealed

corruption and conspiracies are uncovered. A fascinating cross between political thriller and religious mystery, The Veritas Deception dives into a not too distant future that is utterly terrifying in its possible reality. With near brilliance the author lays down the puzzle pieces, one by one, until a wellcrafted thriller is born. Taut with mystery and suspense, The Veritas Deception takes multiple characters and storylines and converges them into an exquisite and an electrically charged finale guaranteed to leave you mystified!

AUGUST2017

A PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER OF EPIC PROPORTIONS!

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what this man was planning, and try to prevent it––no matter the cost. Ripped straight from current headlines, Thor’s latest masterpiece takes an intimate look at the war on terror from the mind of a dedicated fundamentalist. Each riveting scene is described in delicious detail. Not relying on his past successes, the author writes as if his livelihood depends on this book––resulting in a pulse-pounding thriller of epic proportions, proving once again that Brad Thor is the ultimate master of thrills. Not merely the best thriller of the summer, Use of Force is the best thriller of the year!

TOPShelf

REVIEWS

~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

AUGUST2017 35

"Brilliantly conceived… wondrously realized.”

- Jon Land, USA Today bestselling author of Strong Light of Day

“It’s slick, slippery, and deadly.”

- Barry Lancet, award-winning author of Japantown and Pacific Burn

“Delivers a slow burn. Stay with it, and you might end up with blisters.”

- Raymond Benson, author of The Black Stiletto series

“A first class roller-coaster ride…

I highly recommend this book!”

- Douglas Preston, #1 bestselling co-author of the Pendergast series

Full Page Ad The Rising POISONED TEARS - Retired Dallas private investigator Alan Knox dislikes New Orleans so much he won’t even drink Abita––the local beer. It goes back to the day he wrecked his knee, along with a promising NFL career, in a Superdome game with the Saints. But when his estranged son calls asking for help finding his missing fiancé, the guilt-ridden Texan heads for the Big Easy where he quickly steps in a load of trouble as high as his snakeskin boots. What starts as a simple missing persons case, turns into a hunt for a serial killer who uses exotic animals to poison his victims. Painfully aware that he cannot go it alone, Knox joins forces with a defunct journalist and a surly police detective before exploring the dark streets and seedy bars of New Orleans in search of a ruthless killer dubbed The Exotic Killer.

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BY J.H. BOGRAN

www.jhbogran.com www.rebelepublishers.com 2017 © Rebel ePublishers, 14344 Dacosta, Detroit, MI 48223, USA