Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Chris Waddington for his latest release, Christmas in Flanders Fields.
Book:Christmas In Flanders Fields Author: Chris Waddington Publication Date: 19 October 2025 Publisher: Coffee Shop Publishing (Self-Published) Page Count: 288 Genres: Historical Fiction, WW1 For Readers Who Enjoyed Reading: Sebastian Faulks, Christmas Truce – Malcolm Brown & Shirley Seaton, Christmas Truce by the Men Who Took Part – Mike Hill & Silent Night – Stanley Weintraub.
About the Book
I don’t know if I’m living longer or dying slower…
Armed with dreams of heroic victory and Lord Kitchener’s rally cry ringing in his ears, Jack Crosby proudly made his way to the front line. Once there, he quickly realised that there was no glory to be had on the blood-soaked fields of Flanders. On the back of unrelenting German fury, December delivers a brutal Belgian winter…
Water pours in, swirling around Jack’s ankles, it meanders effortlessly through the trench, bringing with it the pungent stench of death. Body parts intermingle with rats and slushy mud, facilitating the inevitable spread of disease. Cutting a forlorn figure, Jack’s hardening heart aches for home, his beloved Rose and the idyllic life he now mourns. But then, on Christmas Eve, dulcet German tones carried on the wings of angels float serenely through the gloriously placid night air…
Christmas in Flanders Fields is a poignant and moving depiction of the ungodly struggles encountered by decent men, too young to die. Set against the backdrop of the remarkable Christmas truce in 1914, It’s a story that encompasses love, hope, fear, bravery and the most unlikely friendships forged on the rugged plains of No-Mans-Land.
You can find Christmas In Flanders Fieldshere: Amazon | Goodreads
About The Author
Chris Waddington
The Christmas Truce of 1914 has always been a source of great fascination and the idea of writing a fictional story set during this remarkable and historic event has danced around my head for more than 2 decades. The thought that opposing groups of men thrown together and made to endure the most atrocious conditions can lay down the weapons and come together in the name of Christmas showcases the very best of humanity. I toured around Belgian battlefields and war cemeteries in the Flanders region conducting research for this book and found the whole experience emotional and humbling. I’m very excited to produce a story that pays homage to this momentous occasion and the brave souls, regardless of nationality, who risked and gave their lives.
This is my second novel following the release of Coffee Shop Girl in 2020. Prior to that I have wrote children’s books, poetry and even lyrics to the odd song. I’m a proud Grandfather to Nirvana & Neveah, a staunch Liverpool supporter and a self-confessed Elvis fanatic! It’s a passion I share with my beloved daughter, Chantelle. I’ve enjoyed visits to Graceland, Tupelo and my favourite city, Nashville.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author J. J. N. Whitley for his latest release, The Orichalcum Crown.
Book:The Orichalcum Crown Author: J. J. N. Whitley Publication Date: November 1, 2025 Genres: High Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Coming of Age Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback (in progress)
About the Book
Makoto lost her mother to a battle she can’t remember before being adopted into the Kauneus Empire’s royal family. Upon her eighteenth birthday, she receives her mother’s necklace from the emperor. Makoto’s memories slowly return, haunting her with visions of her lost sister and her mother’s murder.
She is torn between the family and answers awaiting her across the sea and the relationships with her family, best friend, and his handsome brother. Makoto fears returning home will cast doubt upon her loyalty to the emperor and sever her from the family. After all, Kauneus has no need for a disloyal princess.
Makoto’s eldest adoptive sister, Athena, remains banished from Zenith Palace for uncovering the emperor’s secret bastard. She is visited by her former dragon uncle, who shares a rumor that the emperor will be assassinated during the annual ball. Athena has no choice but to break her exile to save her father. Returning home risks death, but she’ll pay any price for her family’s safety.
As night falls upon the ball, lurking shadows and hidden agendas threaten the empire’s fragile peace. Makoto and Athena must navigate the delicate lines between loyalty and betrayal and learn what they are willing to sacrifice for freedom, truth, and family.
“A cleverly plotted fantasy with a cast of memorable characters. Highly recommended!”
– The Wishing Shelf
“The Orichalcum Crown is a lush and wonderfully imagined work of fantasy that centers on a princess who, after recovering lost memories of her former life, seeks out the truth about her past. Whitley slowly develops the narrative tension, enticing readers through atmospheric worldbuilding and stirring writing.”
–TheBookLifePrize
“In a land populated with deadly monsters, reluctant immortals, vicious secrets, and persistent whispers from a hidden past, a young woman finds her voice in The Orichalcum Crown… a family-first novel steeped with mythology and shrouded in mystery.”
J. J. N. Whitley is a licensed attorney and proud cat-dad. His time in Okinawa sparked a love for anime and JRPGs, and living in Australia did the same for sports.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Alison Bellringer for her latest release, Whisper: Book One.
About The Author
Alison Bellringer
Alison has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper, so she is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of writing with others through the art of publishing. Alison loves spending time with her pet dog, a Labrador x Huntaway called Smoky, teaching her tricks and taking her for walks. She lives in a small town in New Zealand near many beautiful parks and beaches. Alison has been playing trombone since about 2010, euphonium from mid-2019, and always likes getting together with a few friends to ‘make a joyful noise’ sharing music. She also enjoys a bit of freelance photography when she gets the chance, especially if it involves taking pictures of sunsets.One of her books, The Bronson Escapades, is a Silver Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards® honorary seal of excellence, and The Wolf Cub is a 2nd Place winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Competition of 2024 in both the ‘Education’ and ‘Coffee Table & Gift Books’ categories, in addition to obtaining Honorary Mention in several others: Best Cover Design, Children’s Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, and Animals/Pets (a complete list of results can be found on the Story Monsters Book Awards website). More recently, The Wolf Cub received the Bronze Medal for the ‘EBook Pre-Teen Fiction’ category in the 2025 Moonbeam Book Awards. Alison’s 2024 trilogy titled Whisper, Lucas, and Escape have also been presented with the NAPPA Award winning seal.
Britney is a young, extremely malnourished child, who comes from a poor family with an abusive father. Her mother does everything she can to protect her daughter from her husband, receiving the brunt of the aggressive beatings herself. The girl barely speaks, afraid of being overheard by the wrong person, and the only words she knows are the few repeated words her mother uses to calm her after a fight. A total of three words in all, namely – Whisper, Britney, and Ma. There is a very private, sheltered spot in the nearby forest which Britney uses as a place to hide away if ever her mother has to spend the day walking into the nearest town to purchase supplies or to trade goods. They have discreet, non-verbal signals which they use to keep the area hidden and make sure that Britney is secure (far away from Pa’s prying eyes). On one such day, Britney hears unusual sounds and is terrified that her father has found out about their system, but the surprise turns out to be just a lonesome little puppy. The girl quickly becomes friends with the stray, instantly joining forces in their solitude, only ever meeting in the secret place where they share such a deeply silent, unspoken bond. This continues until Ma helps her only child run away for good, tearfully leaving Britney to fend for herself in the best way she knows how. The adoring puppy (promptly being referred to as Whisper) unexpectedly follows the girl, and together they set off on a journey that will forever change their lives…
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring the excerpt from author S.A. Sterling‘s latest release,AWAKE – Notes from the Quiet Hours.
About the Book
2:47 a.m. Again. For two years, she woke in the quiet hours—when the house slept, when the world felt suspended between night and morning. In that stillness, she began to write. AWAKE is a collection of sixty nights lived in real time: the hum of insomnia, the weight of perimenopause, the questions that surface at 3 a.m. when defenses are down. These pages don’t offer solutions. They offer presence. For anyone who’s ever felt alone in the dark hours, this book is company.
You can find AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hourshere: Ebook| Paperback
Book Excerpt
Before
I don’t sleep through the night anymore.
Started sometime in my late forties. 2:30 a.m. felt like a normal time to wake up. Sometimes 3:00. Sometimes 4:00.
I tried the rules. Magnesium. No screens. Worked sometimes. Mostly didn’t.
This isn’t a book about fixing it. I don’t know how to fix it. Maybe you do. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you’re reading this at 3 a.m. because you can’t sleep either.
I wrote these over two years. In real time. When I was awake and everyone else was asleep.
If you’re awake too—you’re not alone.
How to read this book
Read one entry or ten.
Start anywhere.
Stop when you feel less alone.
Night 1 — The Buzz
2:47 a.m.
That hum again. Not a sound, a feeling. Low and steady under my skin.
My legs feel electric, like they want to walk somewhere.
Slippers. Bathroom. Back to bed.
Five minutes. Ten. Nothing.
Check the time. Shit.
I’m up.
Lemon. Ginger. Salt. Steam fogging the mug.
Desk lamp on. Laptop glow.
Bedroom door closed behind me. Lino probably heard me leave.
But he’ll stay in bed until morning. Unlike me.
Anthony’s face flashes in my mind. Him holding the baby.
I should be happy. I am happy. I’m just tired.
Still awake.
Night 6 — Both Languages
2:53 a.m.
My thoughts switch languages mid-sentence.
English. Then Italian. Then back.
I don’t choose. It just happens.
Sometimes worry speaks Italian.
Sometimes English.
Comfort doesn’t have a language. Or has both.
I dream in both too.
My brain can’t pick a side.
Neither can I.
Night 8
3:39 a.m.
My chest is hot. My feet are freezing.
I’m both sweating and shivering.
Perimenopause, probably.
I hate that word. Too clinical for what it feels like.
Like someone else is driving my body and won’t tell me where we’re going.
Lino still in bed.
He’ll say I look tired in the morning. I’ll nod.
We won’t talk about the rest. Both of us knowing I’m lying.
I sip ginger water. Bitter.
Hope it burns the hormones out of me.
It doesn’t.
Night 20 — Resi’s Awake Too
3:14 a.m.
My phone lights up.
Resi. My sister.
You awake?
I type back. Yep.
Three dots. Then: This is ridiculous.
I almost laugh.
She’s five minutes away in her village. Bruno and Gabriel asleep in their beds.
Both of us awake in the dark.
It helps. Knowing I’m not the only one.
Go back to bed I type.
You first she sends back.
Neither of us will.
Night 47
3:42 a.m.
I’m so tired of this.
Two years of waking up at 3 a.m. and I’m still here. Still awake. Still typing at this desk.
When does it get better? Does it get better?
Everyone talks about acceptance like it’s this peaceful thing you arrive at.
I don’t feel peaceful. I feel exhausted.
Tomorrow the alarm at 6:30. The coffee that doesn’t help. The fog.
My eyes burn. My back hurts. I just want to sleep like a normal person.
The lemon water’s gone cold. Again. I drink it anyway.
Maybe tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow I’ll sleep through the night.
Probably not.
Night 57 — So Quiet
3:59 a.m.
The quiet’s different tonight.
Not lonely. Just… full.
I can hear my pulse. My breathing.
I’m not trying to fix anything. Just sitting here. Breathing.
Usually that feels too loud. Tonight it’s okay.
Maybe peace looks boring.
I’ll take it.
You’ve Read 6 Nights.
There are 54 more.
More raw nights. More honest moments. More company in the dark hours.
“This is definitely a great read, especially as we get older—it gets harder. It feels good to know there’s others that go through the same things.” — Tina, Amazon Reader
Thank you for being awake with me. — S.A. Sterling
About The Author
S.A. Sterling
S.A. Sterling writes about real life: the quiet struggles, late-night thoughts, and moments that push us to grow. She’s lived across oceans, taught languages for years, and met women from all walks of life who share one thing in common: the desire to keep showing up, even when life gets messy.
Her latest book, AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours, was born from sleepless nights and honest reflection. Before that, she wrote Ride On!—the story of Dame Sarah Storey’s extraordinary journey of resilience—and several books designed to help women navigate everyday life with more clarity and courage, including Executive Functioning Skills for Women with ADHD, The 369 Manifestation Journal, and The Women Rising Strong 2024 Workbook.
She lives in northern Italy with her husband, where she teaches, writes, and keeps a pot of lemon water on her desk for the early hours that refuse to sleep.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author KZK for her latest release, Filaments.
Book: Filaments Author: KZK Publication Date: Sept 23, 2025 Genres: Psychological Thriller, Murder Mystery, Quiet Horror Page Count: 215 Formats Available: Kindle & Paperback For Readers Who Loved Reading: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon
About the Book
Drawn back to her Minnesota small town, Thea begins to unravel the mystery behind her mother’s erratic behavior and two men’s disappearances. She unknowingly awakens a force that has patiently waited in the shadows for her return. With each new revelation, Thea’s accosted by her small town’s prejudice and simmering bitterness of former friends. What started out as a trip to save her mother becomes a fight for her own survival and sanity.
As a debut author, KZK infuses thrillers with a touch of creepy and a bit of scientific flair. KZK enjoys incorporating quiet horror through the natural world to plant readers in her setting.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author S.A. Sterling for her latest release, AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours.
Book:AWAKE – Notes from the Quiet Hours Author: S.A. Sterling Publication Date: 25 October 2025 Genres: Creative Nonfiction, Memoir/Personal Essays, Women’s Personal Growth/Midlife Reflection, Mindfulness & Self-Reflection, Contemporary Journal, Midlife Diaries Page Count: 75 Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback For Readers Who Loved Reading: The Year of Magical Thinking — Joan Didion, I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death — Maggie O’Farrell, Tiny Beautiful Things — Cheryl Strayed, Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace — Anne Lamott and Untamed — Glennon Doyle
About the Book
2:47 a.m. Again.
For two years, she woke in the quiet hours—when the house slept, when the world felt suspended between night and morning. In that stillness, she began to write.
AWAKE is a collection of sixty nights lived in real time: the hum of insomnia, the weight of perimenopause, the questions that surface at 3 a.m. when defenses are down.
These pages don’t offer solutions. They offer presence.
For anyone who’s ever felt alone in the dark hours, this book is company.
You can find AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hourshere: Ebook| Paperback
About The Author
S.A. Sterling
S.A. Sterling writes about real life: the quiet struggles, late-night thoughts, and moments that push us to grow. She’s lived across oceans, taught languages for years, and met women from all walks of life who share one thing in common: the desire to keep showing up, even when life gets messy.
Her latest book, AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours, was born from sleepless nights and honest reflection. Before that, she wrote Ride On!—the story of Dame Sarah Storey’s extraordinary journey of resilience—and several books designed to help women navigate everyday life with more clarity and courage, including Executive Functioning Skills for Women with ADHD, The 369 Manifestation Journal, and The Women Rising Strong 2024 Workbook.
She lives in northern Italy with her husband, where she teaches, writes, and keeps a pot of lemon water on her desk for the early hours that refuse to sleep.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Alison Bellringer for her latest release, Whisper: Book One.
Book: Whisper: Book One Author: Alison Bellringer Publication Date: April 26, 2024 Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers Genres: Middle Grade Page Count: 78 Formats Available: Ebook & Paperback For Readers Who Loved Reading: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, Lassie Come-Home by Erick Knight, and of course, the rest of the trilogy by Alison Bellringer, Lucas (Book Two) and Escape (Book Three)
About the Book
Britney is a young, extremely malnourished child, who comes from a poor family with an abusive father. Her mother does everything she can to protect her daughter from her husband, receiving the brunt of the aggressive beatings herself. The girl barely speaks, afraid of being overheard by the wrong person, and the only words she knows are the few repeated words her mother uses to calm her after a fight. A total of three words in all, namely – Whisper, Britney, and Ma. There is a very private, sheltered spot in the nearby forest which Britney uses as a place to hide away if ever her mother has to spend the day walking into the nearest town to purchase supplies or to trade goods. They have discreet, non-verbal signals which they use to keep the area hidden and make sure that Britney is secure (far away from Pa’s prying eyes). On one such day, Britney hears unusual sounds and is terrified that her father has found out about their system, but the surprise turns out to be just a lonesome little puppy. The girl quickly becomes friends with the stray, instantly joining forces in their solitude, only ever meeting in the secret place where they share such a deeply silent, unspoken bond. This continues until Ma helps her only child run away for good, tearfully leaving Britney to fend for herself in the best way she knows how. The adoring puppy (promptly being referred to as Whisper) unexpectedly follows the girl, and together they set off on a journey that will forever change their lives…
Alison has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper, so she is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of writing with others through the art of publishing. Alison loves spending time with her pet dog, a Labrador x Huntaway called Smoky, teaching her tricks and taking her for walks. She lives in a small town in New Zealand near many beautiful parks and beaches. Alison has been playing trombone since about 2010, euphonium from mid-2019, and always likes getting together with a few friends to ‘make a joyful noise’ sharing music. She also enjoys a bit of freelance photography when she gets the chance, especially if it involves taking pictures of sunsets.One of her books, The Bronson Escapades, is a Silver Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards® honorary seal of excellence, and The Wolf Cub is a 2nd Place winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Competition of 2024 in both the ‘Education’ and ‘Coffee Table & Gift Books’ categories, in addition to obtaining Honorary Mention in several others: Best Cover Design, Children’s Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, and Animals/Pets (a complete list of results can be found on the Story Monsters Book Awards website). More recently, The Wolf Cub received the Bronze Medal for the ‘EBook Pre-Teen Fiction’ category in the 2025 Moonbeam Book Awards. Alison’s 2024 trilogy titled Whisper, Lucas, and Escape have also been presented with the NAPPA Award winning seal.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
This novel continues where the Night of the Fishermanleft off and is packed with suspense, fantasy, and romance as well as elements of science fiction with shrouded references to quantum physics. The characters are instantly transported between different realms in the cosmos using wormholes where the entry and exit ports are defined by clocks composed of mysterious substances. Each clock is the mirror image of the other, with each working backwards from the other.
We follow the exploits of the intriguing dark character known as the Old Clock Peddler, who sells paired clocks to unsuspecting consumers in different worlds causing interesting and unexpected interactions between diverse populations of beings. All the while, the Peddler has mysterious interactions with the characters caught up in his intergalactic web of intrigue, which include Lexicon, the principality of Yore and the land of the Druids.
Intrigue continues to follow two of the main characters from Night of the Fisherman, Fish (a.k.a. the Fisherman) and Kara in the 1950’s-1960’s suburban town of Lexicon. They along with other neighbors now have to contend with the power-hungry Surf, the surviving son of Poppa, who previously terrorized the local neighborhood and beyond. All the while, the character known as the dark Entity lurks about ready to do Surf’s bidding.
A secret society in Lexicon known as the City Fathers anoints Surf as their new Boss in their quest to amass more power and wealth, after the death of Poppa. A shady slimy lawyer named McAlister Bilge aids Surf in his quest for more power and wealth. Other neighbors such as little Elmo get caught up in the intrigue as well as the old man Mr. Ages, now reunited with his long lost son after several decades, Tommy, who once served as King of Yore under the name of Twede.
A host of new characters are introduced, including three college students, one of which believes he understands the physics of instantaneous intergalactic transport, while another desires Kara, the Fisherman’s girlfriend, to be his own. Frank Knightlite, a heroic figure in the small town of Lexicon, is known to shed light within the bowels of darkness. Aisling is a young Irish lass whose family got marooned in the strange world of mutated descendants of the Druids, courtesy of one of the Peddler’s wormholes. She gets rescued by the Fisherman and Frank Knightlite, who use a recently reestablished porthole to bring her back to Lexicon and eventually to that big green island across the sea to be united with her surviving relatives. Frank Knightlite has a clandestine encounter with Leena, the terrified and neglected young wife of Surf, in order to extract needed information from her.
In the Kingdom of Yore, an ensuing power struggle is in the works as Renigade a wayward Elder had escaped the palace dungeon and seeks to solidify a power sharing pact with Surf. The small gnomish person Georgos contributes to the drama as he again is put into service by his dethroned king Twede, now known as Tommy Ages. Twede reunites with his love Tarala when the porthole between Lexicon and Yore is reestablished by the Peddler.
It is later disclosed that Surf has an estranged brother who covets what Surf has and is determined to claim all that Surf inherited from Poppa as his birthright. Finally, the novel climaxes at the scene of the lake of fire, a huge cauldron-like depression in the planetary surface of Yore. Here, Surf plans to send his prisoners to their demise in the same way his Poppa attempted in the Night of the Fisherman. However, Surf does not count on having to contend with his brother as they confront each other near the precipice of the fiery lake, as the prisoners look on while the drama unfolds in unexpected and suspenseful ways.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author David Morabito for his latest release, The Old Clock Peddler.
Book: The Old Clock Peddler Author: David Morabito Publication Date: September 30, 2025 Genres: Dark Fantasy, Suspense, Romance, Science-Fiction Page Count: 270 Formats Available: Kindle & Paperback For Readers Who Loved Reading: Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Frank Baum), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Caroll), Crazy Hawk: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (R. J. Stewart)
About the Book
This novel continues where the Night of the Fisherman left off and is packed with suspense, fantasy, and romance as well as elements of science fiction with shrouded references to quantum physics. The characters are instantly transported between different realms in the cosmos using wormholes where the entry and exit ports are defined by clocks composed of mysterious substances. Each clock is the mirror image of the other, with each working backwards from the other.
We follow the exploits of the intriguing dark character known as the Old Clock Peddler, who sells paired clocks to unsuspecting consumers in different worlds causing interesting and unexpected interactions between diverse populations of beings. All the while, the Peddler has mysterious interactions with the characters caught up in his intergalactic web of intrigue, which include Lexicon, the principality of Yore and the land of the Druids.
Intrigue continues to follow two of the main characters from Night of the Fisherman, Fish (a.k.a. the Fisherman) and Kara in the 1950’s-1960’s suburban town of Lexicon. They along with other neighbors now have to contend with the power-hungry Surf, the surviving son of Poppa, who previously terrorized the local neighborhood and beyond. All the while, the character known as the dark Entity lurks about ready to do Surf’s bidding.
A secret society in Lexicon known as the City Fathers anoints Surf as their new Boss in their quest to amass more power and wealth, after the death of Poppa. A shady slimy lawyer named McAlister Bilge aids Surf in his quest for more power and wealth. Other neighbors such as little Elmo get caught up in the intrigue as well as the old man Mr. Ages, now reunited with his long lost son after several decades, Tommy, who once served as King of Yore under the name of Twede.
A host of new characters are introduced, including three college students, one of which believes he understands the physics of instantaneous intergalactic transport, while another desires Kara, the Fisherman’s girlfriend, to be his own. Frank Knightlite, a heroic figure in the small town of Lexicon, is known to shed light within the bowels of darkness. Aisling is a young Irish lass whose family got marooned in the strange world of mutated descendants of the Druids, courtesy of one of the Peddler’s wormholes. She gets rescued by the Fisherman and Frank Knightlite, who use a recently reestablished porthole to bring her back to Lexicon and eventually to that big green island across the sea to be united with her surviving relatives. Frank Knightlite has a clandestine encounter with Leena, the terrified and neglected young wife of Surf, in order to extract needed information from her.
In the Kingdom of Yore, an ensuing power struggle is in the works as Renigade a wayward Elder had escaped the palace dungeon and seeks to solidify a power sharing pact with Surf. The small gnomish person Georgos contributes to the drama as he again is put into service by his dethroned king Twede, now known as Tommy Ages. Twede reunites with his love Tarala when the porthole between Lexicon and Yore is reestablished by the Peddler.
It is later disclosed that Surf has an estranged brother who covets what Surf has and is determined to claim all that Surf inherited from Poppa as his birthright. Finally, the novel climaxes at the scene of the lake of fire, a huge cauldron-like depression in the planetary surface of Yore. Here, Surf plans to send his prisoners to their demise in the same way his Poppa attempted in the Night of the Fisherman. However, Surf does not count on having to contend with his brother as they confront each other near the precipice of the fiery lake, as the prisoners look on while the drama unfolds in unexpected and suspenseful ways.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Sloane Mercer for her latest release, Catalyst.
Book: Catalyst Author: Sloane Mercer Publication Date: October 2, 2025 Publisher: AMEE Publishing Genres: Psychological Thriller, Political Thriller, Terrorism/Espionage Thriller, Literary Suspense, International Intrigue Page Count: 193 Formats Available: Kindle & Paperback For Readers Who Loved Reading: I Am Pilgrim (Terry Hayes), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson), American Assassin (Vince Flynn), The Night Manager (John le Carré), and Our Kind of Traitor (John le Carré)
About the Book
Everyone’s the hero in their story. Even the monsters.
Jake Rossi, a Capitol crewman trying to rebuild his life, isn’t looking for meaning — just a paycheck, a place to belong, maybe someone to talk to. Then he meets Emily, a reserved Belgian chocolatier with a scar on her collarbone and eyes that never blink. Her silence is magnetic. Her past, untouchable.
But the closer Jake gets, the more off-kilter things begin to feel. Curiosity twists into obsession. Obsession curdles into fear. Is Emily a survivor haunted by shadows, or the shadow itself? Every answer Jake uncovers only deepens the riddle, and every step closer drags him toward a truth too dangerous to name.
By the time the city gathers under banners and floodlights, it may already be too late.
For readers of dark, atmospheric, slow-burning psychological thrillers with flawed heroes and razor-wire tension, Catalyst will keep you turning pages deep into the night.
Sloane Mercer is a storyteller of blurred lines, crafting fiction from fragments of truth. The portrait on this page is no different from the story itself – part fact, part invention, and deliberately incomplete. What matters is not who the author is, but the worlds they leave behind – the shadows you carry after closing the book, and the questions that follow you into the quiet.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author MJ Walker for her latest release, Italian By Default.
Book: Italian By Default Author: MJ Walker Publication Date: July 25th, 2025 Genres: Women’s Literature, Memoir, Humour Page Count: 283 For Readers Who Loved Reading: Bill Bryson’s works Formats Available: e-Ebook ($3.99 USD)
About the Book
AN ADOPTION REUNION – based on a true story – Meet Polly, her Italian husband Joe and his identical twin brother Cicero. Polly is adopted and wants to find her heritage, but the twins’ passion for Italy dominates her life. She gets more style than Gucci, more opera than Verdi and more pasta than she can eat. If this isn’t bad enough, Polly’s friends insist that she belongs where she is loved – safe and secure in her wealthy Sydney suburb. What should Polly do? She has met her birth mother, but not only will that lady refuse to discuss the past, she has barred Polly from ever meeting her siblings. Then one day Polly reads in the newspaper that her mother has been murdered. Or has she? Polly’s longed-for adoption reunion finally happens but not in the way she expects.
Margaret Walker is a teacher. She lives in Sydney, Australia with her family. Her first two novels His Most Italian City and Through Forests and Mountains were published by Penmore Press in the USA.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author E.F. Nordmed for his latest release, Market of the Never Setting Sun.
Book: Market of the Never Setting Sun Author: EF Nordmed Publication Date: July 14th, 2025 Genres: Sci-fi Cozy Mystery, Private Eye, Amateur Detective, Tech Noir Page Count: 184 For Readers Who Loved Reading: Malka Ann Older, “The Mimicking of Known Successes”; Mur Lafferty, “Station Eternity”; Samit Basu, “The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport”; Annalee Newitz, “Automatic Noodle”
About the Book
Stout works as a tech by day, saving up money to achieve his dream of leaving the planet. His plans are thrown in disarray when he’s asked to look for a missing college student, Andrew, and he quickly finds himself over his head while looking for answers. He reaches out to his old flame, Yasmeen, who works on the police force for help.
Yasmeen is unhappy with the corruption she sees in her job, but is trying to change the force from the inside. When Stout asks her for aid, she’s hesitant to assist his amateur investigation, but when he’s falsely framed for murder and kidnapping knows she has to get involved.
Can they navigate Corporate Security agents, industrial spies, and the criminal underground to rescue the student and clear Stout’s name before it’s too late? Will they be able to stay true to their values in a world that rewards corruption? And will they let their feelings for each other reignite, or will the world get in their way?
You can find Market of the Never Setting Sun here: Amazon
About The Author
E.F. Nordmed
After a childhood spent devouring any science fiction he could get his hands on, he went to college as an English Major and was “fired” from the English Department at the University of Houston because he liked math too much. He spent a tour in the US Marine Corps and finally completed a bachelors and a masters degree in computer science, but never lost his love of the written language or adventure. He has traveled extensively outside of the military, to include visiting all seven continents. This is his second foray into the realm of writing, the first being a technical manual while working for IBM.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Ever had the exact same nightmare every night. Miles was beginning junior high and trying out for the basketball team. While trying to fit in and excel on the court, he started to have nightmares he couldn’t get rid of. In Dreamland, the court he once loved twists into a living nightmare. Monsters whisper his name. Shadows chase his every move. And at the center of it all stands Selim—a sinister, red-eyed creature that seems to know Miles’s deepest regrets. Miles must navigate a haunting dream world that mirrors his own mistakes. With the help of friends—both real and imagined—he sets out to uncover the truth behind the dreams. A fantasy about the monsters we create when we forget who we are.
Robb Watson is a family man and lifelong sports enthusiast whose love for the game shines through in everything he creates. Inspired by his own experiences with family and sports, Robb brings heart and authenticity to every page, aiming to spark young imaginations and bring families closer together.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author David Finley for his latest release, Billy 9F.
Book: Billy 9F Author: David Finley Publication Date: 2021, 2nd Edition 2025 Available Formats: ebook and paperback. Publisher: Genres: YA Dystopian Satire, YA Humor, YA Adventure, YA Science Fiction Page Count: 212 Contact:billy9f@gmail.com
About the Book
Like Orwell’s 1984 — but even funnier!
In a grim School-centred dystopia where humour is outlawed and laughter triggers ruthless punishment, 15-year-old Billy 9F is the ultimate threat: a Class Clown. When he’s labeled a menace for his extremely convincing and sublimely funny fake snot, barf and turd pranks, Billy joins a underground comedic resistance movement with a mysterious new student, Jamie 9F, her mysterious grandfather, the Major, an ultra-mysterious revolutionary leader named Poopoo the Clown, and Billy’s not-at-all mysterious but highly malfunctioning android mentor, Uncle Mike. Inevitably, the regime cracks down and the stakes rise. To free his imprisoned parents, save his little sister’s life and liberate the joyless populace, Billy must fully realize his own natural-born gifts — and harness the awesome power of laughter.
Darkly funny, fast, and surprisingly hopeful, BILLY 9F blends dystopian stakes with sharp satire and heart. Perfect for readers 12 years of age to infinity who love page-turners with big ideas.
David Finley is an award-winning Screenwriter, Filmmaker, Playwright and published Author, living in Toronto. Much of his work has been in family and children’s entertainment. He has had a long career as a writer and story editor, mostly in TV. He has also written, produced and directed his own film and theatre projects and had several short stories published in various literary magazines. “Billy 9F” is his first novel, aimed at readers 12 and above.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Veronica Preston for her latest release, Book of the Devil: Genesis.
Book:Book of the Devil: Genesis Author: Veronica Preston Publication Date: August 27, 2025 Available Formats: Paperback, eBook, Audiobook (coming soon) Publisher: Independently Published Genres: Spiritual Fantasy, Mythic Fiction, Speculative Fiction Page Count: 201
About the Book
This isn’t a tale of horns and pitchforks. It’s a tale of questions, echoes, and exile. Book of the Devil: Genesis reimagines the Devil as Iblis—a being of fire, loyalty, and impossible choices. Born into a world of smokeless flame, Iblis is chosen to serve God, but he begins to question the nature of obedience, justice, and divine will. His rebellion is not out of vanity, but love, sorrow, and a desire to understand. As he rises through the celestial order, Iblis walks the line between sacred and profane, setting the stage for a fall that may be more holy than it seems.
Veronica Preston is an author of spiritual fantasy fiction whose debut novel, Book of the Devil: Genesis, reimagines the myth of Iblis through a deeply philosophical and emotional lens. A lifelong lover of books, Veronica draws inspiration from sacred texts, spiritual philosophy, and her own reflections on morality, free will, and destiny.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Eva Barber for her latest release, Unborn (Dark World).
Book: Unborn Author: Eva Barber Publication Date: December 18, 2024 Publisher: Independently Published Genres: Science Fiction Page Count: 366
About the Book
Olesya was not born like other people but was found in the Siberian Forest by a couple unable to have children. Plagued by mysterious visions and dreams, she struggles to fit into a society both as a socially inept but brilliant child and as she becomes part of a research team to discover the nature of dark matter. The findings of this discovery never make it to the scientific community as the project leader goes missing and the physics lab blows up, destroyed by a powerful foe with seemingly noble intentions. Seattle detectives question Olesya in connection with the explosion and the disappearance of her boss. She becomes a person of interest until she goes missing. From her kidnappers, she learns that her parents, knowing she lacked a belly button, suspected she was created by the Russian government as part of a scientific experiment, and emigrated to the USA to hide and protect her. She also learns she possesses powers related to dark matter and of the existence of a brother held captive since his discovery by the Russian government. Even though she suspects her kidnappers’ interest in her and their motivations aren’t so noble, she joins them in rescuing her brother. Catastrophic world events following the successful rescue force her to continue working with her foes to save the world from destruction. While working to save the world, Olesya experiences a moral dilemma and becomes someone she never thought she’d be—a mother. Olesya learns of mysterious chambers scattered around the world, and her visions return to haunt her, until she opens the chambers and learns their secrets, wishing she hadn’t. Now she faces the heart-wrenching realization that she must travel into a dark dimension to save the world from self-destruction. Worse yet, her daughter, Emery, is the key to humanity’s salvation and must follow her mother once she becomes an adult because she is the only being who can travel where no one else can to restore balance to the universe and return with an extraordinary gift for humanity. But powerful entities have reasons to keep the gift away from humanity and will do anything to stop her.
Eva currently lives in Washington State. She is a biologist and artist and is passionate about books and storytelling. Eva’s firsthand experience growing up in the Soviet-era Eastern Block adds a unique perspective and a distinct dimension to her stories. When she is not painting or writing, she spoils her two mutts and her husband, Mike, with treats and attention (not necessarily in that order). Her debut novel, Misunderstanding, won a Literary Titan Silver Book Award given to an outstanding author who has captivated her audience with skillful prose, engaging narratives, and compelling real and imagined characters. The award recognized it as a book that stands out for its innovative storytelling and insightful exploration of truth and fiction.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Josh Martin for his debut supernatural thriller series release, B&G Mystery: We Can’t Tell You: Parts 1, 2, and 3.
Book: B&G Mystery: We Can’t Tell You Author: Josh Martin Publication Date: July 20, 2024 Publisher: Independently Published Genres: Mystery, Supernatural Thriller, Horror Page Count: 100
About the Book
From Book 1: Have you ever awoken from a deep sleep and still feel like you’re dreaming? A few minutes of confusion is certainly common….. But what about several months? Not so common, unfortunately. One day, not quite a year ago, it happened to me. I couldn’t shake the feeling. I could remember, and not remember, all at the same time. Confused? Yeah, I was too…. Still am, as a matter of fact. That one morning changed everything. I mean everything. Nothing could have prepared me for the events that followed. Prepare yourself….
You’re about to see why.
You can find B&G Mystery: We Can’t Tell You here: Amazon
About The Author
Josh Martin
Bio – Josh is happily married and a father to two awesome boys. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2007 with a major in Sociology. The B&G Mystery series is his first published work.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Amanda White for her latest release, The Fortune Telling Wizard and Other Stories from The Kingdom of Dar.
Book: The Fortunetelling Wizard And Other Stories From the Kingdom of Dar Author: Amanda White Publication Date: January 27, 2025 Publisher: Amanda White Genres: Fantasy Page Count: 192
About the Book
Legends and common knowledge don’t always agree, but when it comes to wizards the facts are not so far from the stories. Both say that tunics are made from wild magic. Both say that a len who catches, tames, and puts on a tunic is a wizard. And both say that a wizard is named and known by his deeds. Take Duin the Fearless or Bjarne the Vengeful as examples. My name is Hol and I am a wizard of the kingdom of Dar. Though this is true, what name will come from my deeds is yet unknown. From the time I was young, my mother said I would be known as Hol the Proud. The Queen once called me Hol the Loyal. The other wizards of Dar call me Hol the Upstart. Most times, I fear I will be remembered as Hol the Failed. My tunic has its own opinions about what I should be called. In fact, my tunic has opinions about everything. If it has its way, I will be known as Hol the Fortunetelling Wizard. But there hasn’t been a fortunetelling wizard in Dar in over eight hundred years and because I didn’t actually catch or tame my tunic, I fear even more that I might not even be a wizard at all. I want to prove my mother wrong. I want to prove the other wizards wrong. And most of all, even if my tunic ends up being right, I hope I prove myself wrong as well.
Amanda White is a fantasy and literary fiction writer. With a firmness of heart, she believes as Toni Morrison said, “If you find a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” More and more, she sees the need for books with valiantly good characters, worlds that can be fixed, and hopeful and optimistic endings. This is not to say that her characters don’t have flaws (doesn’t everyone?), make the wrong choices, or have the occasional (or frequent) fit of temper. This is not to say that the worlds represented aren’t already broken or quite imperfect. This is not to say there isn’t plot, plotting, loss, pain, or growth. But rather that, overall, as the stories unfold, optimism wins out over pessimism and the hope that is served up both hot and cold is flavorful enough to taste.
She currently lives in Dallas, Texas where she dreams of mountains and high-altitude, low-humidity air and (barely) survives city living by being close enough to her young nephew and niece to play whatever it is they want to play (usually and often something to do with Pokemon or unicorns).
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Allen Wyler for his latest release, Deadly Odds 8.0.
Book: Deadly Odds 8.0 Author: Allen Wyler Publication Date: July 8, 2025 Publisher: Stairway Press Genres: Medical Thriller, thriller Page Count: 281 For Readers Of: John Sanford, Don Winslow
About the Book
On a Sunday morning, an unsuspecting parishioner collapses on the steps of a church.
Moments later the CEO of a cardiac pacemaker company receives a phone call from an electronically distorted voice demanding that they shutter their business by the end of the week, or he will continue to kill implanted patients.
Arnold Gold’s team of cyber detectives must now race the clock to track down the hacker’s identity and stop him before he can kill other innocent victims.
Arnold Gold and his team of techie geniuses break their vow—no new clients—when a hacker launches a deadly game targeting AI-driven pacemakers. Another heart-stopping read from Allen Wyler.
“Deadly Odds 7.0 is one of the year’s best thrillers.”
—BestThrillers.com
“Arnold Gold and the team are back at it in this techno-thriller, the focus on detail to real world technology threats brings a level of realistic danger.”
—JT Gaietto, Digital Silence, LTD.
“The crime at the heart of Allen Wyler’s latest techno-thriller will give you chills when you realize how entangled we all are with our technology.”
—Steve Goble, author of the Shamus Award-nominated Go Find Daddy
About The Author
Allen Wyler
Allen Wyler is a retired neurosurgeon who lives in Seattle. Allen’s thrillers have twice been nominated for the prestigious Thriller Award. He has served on the Board of Directors of the International Thriller Writers and is also an active member of the North American Crime Writers and Mystery Writers of America.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Rudy Ridolfo for his latest release, Job Junky.
Book: Job Junky Author: Rudy Ridolfo Publication Date: May 2, 2025 Genres: Memoir, Humor, Work & Society Page Count: 168 pages
About the Book
50 jobs. One dream. All true.
Job Junky is a fast, funny memoir of a life built on side gigs and survival work—from moving trucks and martial arts dojos to cold-call centers and indie film sets. Rudy Ridolfo takes you through decades of unpredictable jobs, where the real drama came from the coworkers, bosses, and sometimes downright bizarre encounters along the way.
Over the course of dozens of jobs, Ridolfo crossed paths with people you don’t forget—bizarre coworkers, explosive bosses, and the occasional icon like Al Pacino and Robert Redford, whose presence left lasting impressions. While navigating the unpredictable world of indie film, he honed his craft as a director and acting coach, drawing lessons from both the chaos and the characters around him.
Told in quick-hit chapters with zero fluff, Job Junky is perfect for anyone who’s ever clocked in, burned out, or just wondered if they’re the only one still figuring things out.
“A funny, delightful, and incisive tour of working odd jobs.”
—Kirkus
“Wild… Reading this book is a ride.”
—Independent Book Review
“Fast, matter-of-fact, and full of memorable moments.”
—San Francisco Book Review
“Insightful, humorous, and engaging.”
—The US Review of Books
Quotes from the Book
“Most people don’t really talk about it, but everyone has a story.”
“There is no reasoning, only compromise”
“… when you feel that the universe is about to give it all to you in a magic bubble of joyous gifts that usually lasts about as long as an actual soap bubble.”
“The workers who believed they were too important to get fired always got fired.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m doing the same thing in another dimension right now.”
About The Author
Rudy Ridolfo
Rudy Ridolfo is the pen name of an indie filmmaker and master of side jobs. After working some 100 jobs to fund his creative pursuits, he wrote Job Junky — a gritty, darkly funny memoir chronicling a life lived between film sets, sewer trucks, and survival gigs.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author P.S. Bartlett for her latest release,HIRO-J: Energy.
About The Author
P.S. Bartlett
P.S. Bartlett (pen name), an award-winning author, was born on Valentine’s Day in Baltimore, Maryland, near the historic sites of Fort McHenry and Federal Hill. As the youngest of eleven siblings, she was surrounded by history and enjoyed cycling to explore these national landmarks with her friends during her childhood. She released her debut novel, Fireflies, in 2013 and has since self-published twelve books. During the pandemic, Peggy used her writing skills to freelance in copywriting, editing, and beta-reading, which helped her regain lost income and grow her freelance business. Collaborating with authors has become a fulfilling passion, as she enjoys helping others achieve their writing goals. She has also added publishing and social media management to her list of offerings to her clients. Alongside her literary endeavors, she loves reading, painting, drawing, and learning anything new. While writing and coaching other authors takes up much of her leisure time by choice, she treasures the moments spent with friends and family. Currently serving as a full-time marketing director, Peggy hopes to transition into a full-time writing career upon her retirement in 2026 and continue her work supporting other authors. “Always remember to go for what you want, no matter your age, because whatever makes you happy and fulfilled is always worth your time.”
Her motto: I’m taking a fantastic voyage. Won’t you join me?
They told her she’d be studying human behavior. They never said the subject wasn’t human. Lana Delaney isn’t the kind of girl who chases adventure. A champion swimmer and psychology major, she keeps her world small—school, training, and staying invisible. But when her bold, unpredictable new roommate Willie bursts into her life, Lana starts to believe maybe she doesn’t have to hide forever. Everything changes when she accepts a summer internship at a classified research facility. Her assignment? To observe an unusual subject known only as Project J. His name is Hiro. He isn’t human. And he’s been waiting for her. Trapped in a saltwater pool and fading fast, Hiro speaks through thoughts, memories, and something deeper Lana can feel. With the help of Logan—a conflicted but charming tech specialist—Lana begins to unravel a web of secrets, cover-ups, and buried truths. Now, caught between two powerful connections and a dangerous conspiracy, Lana must decide how far she is willing to go to save the only being who has ever truly seen her. Perfect for fans of Starman, Arrival, and The Host, Hiro-J: Energy is a romantic sci-fi thriller about memory, trust, and the invisible energy that binds us all.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author P.S. Bartlett for her latest release, HIRO-J: Energy.
Book: HIRO-J: Energy Author: P.S. Bartlett Publication Date: September 16, 2025 Genres: Sci-Fi Romance, Fantasy Romance, Magical Realism Page Count: 285 pages Publisher: P.S. Bartlett
About the Book
They told her she’d be studying human behavior. They never said the subject wasn’t human. Lana Delaney isn’t the kind of girl who chases adventure. A champion swimmer and psychology major, she keeps her world small—school, training, and staying invisible. But when her bold, unpredictable new roommate Willie bursts into her life, Lana starts to believe maybe she doesn’t have to hide forever. Everything changes when she accepts a summer internship at a classified research facility. Her assignment? To observe an unusual subject known only as Project J. His name is Hiro. He isn’t human. And he’s been waiting for her. Trapped in a saltwater pool and fading fast, Hiro speaks through thoughts, memories, and something deeper Lana can feel. With the help of Logan—a conflicted but charming tech specialist—Lana begins to unravel a web of secrets, cover-ups, and buried truths. Now, caught between two powerful connections and a dangerous conspiracy, Lana must decide how far she is willing to go to save the only being who has ever truly seen her. Perfect for fans of Starman, Arrival, and The Host, Hiro-J: Energy is a romantic sci-fi thriller about memory, trust, and the invisible energy that binds us all.
P.S. Bartlett (pen name), an award-winning author, was born on Valentine’s Day in Baltimore, Maryland, near the historic sites of Fort McHenry and Federal Hill. As the youngest of eleven siblings, she was surrounded by history and enjoyed cycling to explore these national landmarks with her friends during her childhood. She released her debut novel, Fireflies, in 2013 and has since self-published twelve books. During the pandemic, Peggy used her writing skills to freelance in copywriting, editing, and beta-reading, which helped her regain lost income and grow her freelance business. Collaborating with authors has become a fulfilling passion, as she enjoys helping others achieve their writing goals. She has also added publishing and social media management to her list of offerings to her clients. Alongside her literary endeavors, she loves reading, painting, drawing, and learning anything new. While writing and coaching other authors takes up much of her leisure time by choice, she treasures the moments spent with friends and family. Currently serving as a full-time marketing director, Peggy hopes to transition into a full-time writing career upon her retirement in 2026 and continue her work supporting other authors. “Always remember to go for what you want, no matter your age, because whatever makes you happy and fulfilled is always worth your time.”
Her motto: I’m taking a fantastic voyage. Won’t you join me?
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Elizabeth Jaeger for their latest release, Stolen: Love and Loss in the Time of COVID-19.
Book: Stolen: Love and Loss in the Time of COVID-19 Author: Elizabeth Jaeger Publication Date: September 16, 2025 Genres: Non-Fiction, Memoir Page Count: 275pages Publisher: Unsolicited Press
About the Book
When the world first went into lockdown, on a lark, Jaeger started a blog. Then, on Day 12, the unimaginable happened. Her dad got sick and she rushed him to the hospital. What followed was a close look at what it was like to watch a loved one suffer from COVID. After a nineteen day battle, her father died and the family was stricken with grief. But grieving during the pandemic was drastically different than in a time of normalcy. There were no funerals. No religious services. No ability to mingle with friends. Just the heavy feeling of loss, which at times was suffocating. Stolen: Love and Loss in the Time of COVID-19 captures life in New York City – the constant sound of sirens, the new graves dug daily, the eerie silence and desolation of local playgrounds – the epicenter of the virus. In flashbacks throughout the narrative, vignettes illustrate her dad in happier times-a doting father, an adoring grandfather, a man who always put family first. It depicts encountering COVID up close and places it in a political and personal context. While the story is about one family, it is not unique. COVID touched everyone’s lives and many endured a similar experience.
You can find Stolen: Love and Loss in the Time of COVID-19 here: Amazon | Goodreads
About The Author
Elizabeth Jaeger
Stolen: Love and Loss in the Time of COVID-19 is Elizabeth Jaeger’s first book. Her essays, short stories, book reviews, and poetry have been published in various print and online journals, including Margate Bookie,Caustic Frolic,The Blue Nib, Capsule Stories, Watchung Review, Ovunque Siamo, and Italian Americana. Newtown Literary published “The Treehouse,” which is a chapter from her novel in progress. Jaeger earned an MFA in creative writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an MA in history from William Paterson University.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Today, we are rolling out the red carpet for our very own Heena Rathore-Pardeshi, the founder of The Reading Bud, to unveil the gorgeous cover of her new gothic-horror novella, The Manor.
Are you ready?
Presenting…
About the Book
Two siblings. One manor. One entity. Who will survive?
When Leela Jamwal returns to her ancestral home tucked along the monsoon-drenched Konkan coast, she believes she’s coming back to grieve, to regroup, and to protect her younger brother. But the Manor—sprawling, decaying, and watchful—has been waiting far longer than that. Unspoken tragedies haunt every corridor. Mirrors move. Walls hum. And Leela begins to dream of a girl no one remembers—except the house. What begins as mourning quickly becomes unravelling as Leela uncovers the dark legacy of her bloodline: a lineage bound to an ancient force known only as the Widow. A force that demands obedience, sacrifice, and silence. And Leela is the next in line. As time fractures and the Manor tightens its grip, she must confront a choice older than herself: her brother, her unborn child, or herself. Because in this house, you don’t inherit the curse. You are the curse.
Find out in this gripping new story by the award-winning author of Deceived.
Heena Rathore-Pardeshi is an award-winning Indian author, literary editor, and writing mentor with over a decade of experience in the publishing industry. Known for her psychologically rich narratives and mastery of suspense, Heena’s work explores the intersections of trauma, womanhood, and the quietly monstrous.
Her debut novel, Deceived (2017), was lauded for its gripping plot and emotional depth, earning her a devoted readership. With The Manor, Heena returns to fiction with a haunting tale rooted in Indian folklore, generational silence, and cosmic horror—cementing her reputation as a rising voice in dark literary fiction.
As the founder of Verbatik Media, Heena has edited more than 50 books across genres, mentored hundreds of aspiring writers, and taught workshops on storytelling, developmental editing, and self-publishing. She has also studied World Literature at Harvard and Psychology at Yale, bringing academic depth to her craft.
When she’s not writing or editing, Heena creates content for her Instagram platform @ofwhiskersandwords, where she shares insights into writing, books, and the writer’s life.
She lives in Pune with her husband, an ever-growing collection of books, and her beloved feline editors.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author James Dunlop for his latest release, Half Made Up, the first book in the Misjudgements of Andy MacKay thriller series.
About The Author
James Dunlop
Although he was born in London, at the age of 6 weeks James decided to emigrate to Canada with his parents. He grew up in Vancouver, eventually determining that he wanted to experience inhospitable weather. So, he headed for points east. Unable to monetize his philosophy degree, he found his way into the world of advertising and became a copywriter in Toronto, where he currently lives. He has written hundreds of advertising campaigns, and now teaches the craft at local colleges. Half Made Up is his first book.
How far would you go for a friend? Andrew MacKay, the sort who’d sooner bet his last penny on a losing horse than lift a finger for anything resembling responsibility, is about to find out. An incurable gambler, chain-smoker, and binge drinker, Andy’s only real talent lies in outliving his own poor choices. But when his mate is shot dead and robbed of a classified secret, Andy finds himself bound to retrieve it, purely out of loyalty and an alarming lack of common sense.
Andy learns the stolen secret is a new nerve agent deadly enough to make any terrorist giddy with joy. Wanting nothing more than to ignore the whole thing, he finds himself drawn into a web of corporate espionage, government corruption, and terrorists with excellent taste in chemical warfare. He’ll have to rely on his wits to stay one step ahead of MI-5, who want him behind bars, if he hopes to recover the secret, and stop the zealots from killing thousands. Time is running out.
Andy’s got only one chance to make things right. Can he do it?
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author James Dunlop for their latest release, Half Made Up.
Book: Half Made Up Author: James Dunlop Series: The Misjudgements of Andy MacKay (Book #1) Publication Date: February 23, 2025 Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Conspiracy Page Count: 312 pages
About the Book
How far would you go for a friend? Andrew MacKay, the sort who’d sooner bet his last penny on a losing horse than lift a finger for anything resembling responsibility, is about to find out. An incurable gambler, chain-smoker, and binge drinker, Andy’s only real talent lies in outliving his own poor choices. But when his mate is shot dead and robbed of a classified secret, Andy finds himself bound to retrieve it, purely out of loyalty and an alarming lack of common sense.
Andy learns the stolen secret is a new nerve agent deadly enough to make any terrorist giddy with joy. Wanting nothing more than to ignore the whole thing, he finds himself drawn into a web of corporate espionage, government corruption, and terrorists with excellent taste in chemical warfare. He’ll have to rely on his wits to stay one step ahead of MI-5, who want him behind bars, if he hopes to recover the secret, and stop the zealots from killing thousands. Time is running out.
Andy’s got only one chance to make things right. Can he do it?
Although he was born in London, at the age of 6 weeks James decided to emigrate to Canada with his parents. He grew up in Vancouver, eventually determining that he wanted to experience inhospitable weather. So, he headed for points east. Unable to monetize his philosophy degree, he found his way into the world of advertising and became a copywriter in Toronto, where he currently lives. He has written hundreds of advertising campaigns, and now teaches the craft at local colleges. Half Made Up is his first book.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to TRB Lounge! We’re thrilled to host author Suzie Leonie today, who will be unveiling an exciting excerpt from her book, Ivan, Boris and Me. Dive in and get an exclusive sneak peek into this amazing read!
About the Book
Ivan, Boris and Me
Illustrator Elodie Ginsburg and her spendthrift best friend, Boris, are inseparable. Taking care of an audacious yellow-haired clown in a red-and-white-striped onesie and oversized black shoes can be a challenge. However, Boris means the world to Elodie. He is a handful, but he’s her handful. Their symbiosis is disrupted when Ivan Lennard, a former professional cyclist with a closely guarded secret, moves into the house next door and becomes a regular occurrence in their lives. Each encounter is a catalyst for Boris to spiral more out of control and increase his outrageous demands, until Elodie finds herself at a crossroads and has to make the most difficult decision she’s ever made.
Boris: When we call in on our new neighbor, we have to bring dessert.
Elodie: I need to finish my work. I don’t have time to make anything extravagant.
Boris: It’s impolite to arrive somewhere without dessert.
Elodie: We aren’t even sure our new neighbor likes dessert.
Boris: You can’t bring the worst part of the meal and not the best.
Elodie: What do you mean?
Boris: You have to get through the savory to be rewarded with the sweet.
Elodie: That is not my experience.
Boris: But it is how it is.
Elodie: We have to agree to disagree on that.
Boris: No, we don’t.
Elodie: What if the neighbor agrees with me and isn’t a fan of dessert?
Boris: That isn’t going to be a problem. If he doesn’t like it, I will eat it all.
Elodie: Aren’t you planning to leave any for me at least?
Boris: Not necessarily.
Elodie: So, the dessert is actually for you then, not for our new neighbor?
Boris: You didn’t hear me say that.
Elodie: No, of course not.
Boris: It’s settled then. What are you going to make?
Elodie: I’m never going to win with you, am I? Why do I even try?
I find enough ingredients in my pantry and fridge to make a three-cheese lasagna and a two-tiered mango coconut cake for dessert. I spread them out, so everything is waiting for me on the counter while I add the last few details to my current illustration. I put down my pencils and admire the work. These pictures are turning out beautifully. My celebrity client came up with his own candy-based family a gift to his kids and, as an added bonus, an easy way to pad his bank account. The Lollipoppets hop around on one foot. Their bodies are rectangular-shaped with two bear ears at the top and cutout circles for their faces. Their eyes consist of a simple white rim with a black dot inside, and their mouths are made of small pieces of stringed licorice. I like their names: Molli Lolli, the indigo, grape-flavored one; Dolli Lolli, the pink, raspberry-flavored one; Polli Lolli, the tangerine, orange-flavored one; and Rolli Lolli, the brown, cola-flavored one. The project isn’t a chore. After all, the Lollipoppets are exactly what they’re supposed to be—cute, whimsical, and delightful. Boris likes them as well. Every time I finish a picture, he looks at it for at least half an hour, cautiously studying the details.
Before I can put my supplies away, Boris skips over to the table. I hurry to cover everything up and keep my work out of harm’s way, careful to prevent any smears from ending up on it. Boris isn’t the most prudent when there’s food around. He might even see staining my drawings as a contribution with intrinsic artistic value, and there would be no time to start over.
“My Melody Elodie, please read your story to me from the beginning. I like the Lollipoppets.”
“Boris, sweetie, we don’t have time. I need to prepare dinner.”
“Ten extra minutes won’t make a difference. I like the story. Please, please, please.”
“Exactly, and that is why they started a search. First, they looked under the couch, then under the table, then upstairs under the bed. Unfortunately, there were no other Lollipoppets to be found anywhere. That is why they had to take their first steps into the wide world outside of Chocolate Cottage, which is where they lived. What do you think happened next?”
“I don’t even have to read it to you anymore. You already know the story by heart.”
“My Melody Elodie, I like it. Can we keep the drawings?”
“Unfortunately not, but as soon as the book comes out, the publisher will send us a copy.”
“But I love the Lollipoppets. I don’t want you to give them away.”
“I’ll throw together a booklet with some of my sample drawings for you, so we can keep reading once I’m done with the project.”
“Okay. Can I eat a piece of cake now?”
“After dinner. Why don’t you tell me who your favorite Lollipoppet is while I’m cooking?”
“I like Tolli the most because he is red, and I have red-and-white-striped clothes. Can you hang a picture of him above my bed? Will you draw one for me?”
“Sure, why not.”
Boris does cartwheels in the kitchen as a response. The space is small, and he barrels right into me, knocking the chopping board and knife I used to cut the vegetables from the counter. Fortunately, I’d already put the lasagna into the oven and only spill leftover vegetable juices on the floor. I set the timer before mopping up the mess. Then I open the back door and give Boris a little shove into the garden. There’s a big porch swing we like to sit on together. Boris loves it. “My Melody Elodie, can you push as hard as you can?”
“Of course.” The swing creaks precariously, but it’s sturdy and strong enough to hold us both. Boris pulls his nose away from his face as far as the elastic will stretch, and when I stick out my tongue in response, he howls with laughter. We are making a lot of noise, and apparently that is something our new neighbor doesn’t appreciate. I can see the top half of his face over the fence, and his grimace is even more prominent than it was earlier in the day. Boris says hello and smiles, but my new neighbor doesn’t acknowledge him, and the captivatingly gleeful expression on Boris’s face turns sour instead. I better take my clown inside and give him some fudge. I normally don’t allow him to eat sweets before a meal, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I hope I’m doing the right thing by bringing my neighbor dinner after this brief but telling display of displeasure. I don’t have long to think about it, though, because the timer on the oven pings, and I want the food to be hot when I deliver it. I grab a towel to protect my hands from the heat and put the clear glass dish onto the counter. “Boris, it’s time for us to go.”
“My Melody Elodie, do I have to come? I don’t like our new neighbor very much. He looks mean.”
“I’m sure there’s a good reason for him to be grumpy. Let’s give the man the benefit of the doubt, and if he’s distant to us again, we can always leave. It’s possible that he needs to warm up to us because he’s an introvert.” Boris shrugs, which means he’s heard the message but isn’t buying it. I’m not sure if I am either. Our new neighbor frightens me a little. He’s kind of strange and stand-offish. I like a challenge and appreciate a good enigma, but I prefer for them to not be too far out of my comfort zone.
There’s a path that connects the gardens in our cul-de-sac, and since it’s easier to reach my neighbor’s house with my hands full and a clown by my side that way, I decide to risk going around the back. I have to balance both the lasagna and the cake, while simultaneously needing to pay attention not to trip over Boris’s feet when we both squeeze through the narrow entrance of my neighbor’s property at the same time.
Fortunately for us, the man is still outside. He’s sitting on an expensive wooden lounge set covered in thick, luxurious pillows with his legs stretched out in front of him. The construction looks sturdy. It is made of teak and it probably cost more than I make in three months. It’s way too big for the relatively small-sized patio though and covers the entire width and more than half of the length.
“Hello again. I hope we aren’t interrupting, but we thought we’d welcome you to the neighborhood. As moving takes a lot of energy and you probably still have plenty to do, we brought you dinner.”
My neighbor’s scowl turns into a wistful gaze for a moment, which disappears almost as quickly as it appears. The change happens so fast I don’t even know if it’s actually real or solely a figment of my imagination.
“My Melody Elodie, the neighbor still isn’t nice. I don’t want to stay.” My clown is already fretting. I hope he’ll be patient enough to at least give the man a chance.
Boris turns around, ready to walk out. However, that’s when the new neighbor finally holds out his hand. I put my offerings on the outdoor coffee table and shake it. While his fingers are warm and dry, his grip isn’t as firm as I expected it to be. I quickly withdraw when I experience a jolt of electricity. It’s zinging through me like the shock I received when I was thirteen and hurt myself switching on a broken blender with a faulty wire. I check my palm and see the skin is undamaged. I must have been the only one who felt it, because my neighbor looks unperturbed.
“Please excuse my bad manners. I’m Ivan, and I’m not used to unannounced visitors. My house is still a mess, so I have nothing to offer you yet. Although I do appreciate your kind gesture.” He’s pointing at the food. “Thank you very much.” Ivan picks up the dishes and walks away with them. I stand there on his porch, flabbergasted, not sure what to do with myself.
“That man is weird. He didn’t even ask us to come in. I was hoping he’d give me a glass of lemonade.” Boris is clearly disappointed.
I’m about to leave when Ivan steps outside once more. “I’m sorry I’m not more hospitable, but I am grateful and shall return the kitchenware to you tomorrow.” With another one of his curt nods, he walks back into the house and leaves me and Boris standing, gaping like two unsightly river pikes. Boris is right, Ivan is odd. At least he’s accepted my food. I don’t want to judge my new neighbor based on two brief impressions; maybe the man has a good reason for his sullenness. However, Boris isn’t as forgiving.
“This garden is ugly. It only has boring gray tiles, and there is nothing for me to play with. Can we go now?” Boris grabs my elbow and pulls me along with him. He starts to run, and despite his huge feet, he’s gathering too much speed for me to keep up. This time I trip over a loose tree root close to the gate. I have to hold on to the recently replaced woodwork to stay upright, and even though the hinges manage to hold my weight, they bend out of shape. Great, the first time we’ve been to my new neighbor’s house, Boris and I were snubbed, and I’ve already wrecked something. Why can’t I be the epitome of grace, the sophisticated elegant lady who wows everyone around her with her timeless beauty and poise? My sister-in-law Andrea has all these qualities, but my mother is right, I don’t possess any of them.
I’ll somehow have to find the cash to replace that fence, which means accepting even more commissions. It’s going to be a struggle to add to my already overflowing schedule, but I have done it before. Sleep is overrated anyway. I wipe the moisture from my eyes and soldier on.
“My Melody Elodie, are you mad at me?” Boris has done nothing wrong. He shouldn’t be the victim of my overdramatic tendencies.
“Of course not, sweetheart, accidents can happen.” It’s too bad that they always happen to me and Boris though.
About The Author
Suze Leonie
Suze Leonie is a literary fiction and children’s fiction author and illustrator from a Dutch coastal town. She has a passion for literature and philosophy and when she isn’t writing or drawing, she’s usually found with a book in her hand. In the spring of 2024 Suze Leonie made her debut with the novel Ivan, Boris and Me, which is the first book in a collection of literary works that heavily focus on human psychology. When Suze Leonie is able to let go of her precious books she enjoys going to museums, good food, board games and long walks on the beach.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author H. Meadow Hopewell for their latest release, Rage Against the Machine.
Book: Rage Against the Machine Author: H. Meadow Hopewell Series: The Given Path Trilogy (Book #1) Publication Date: November 22, 2024 Genres: Science fiction, Speculative fiction, Spiritual Science fiction Page Count: 345 pages Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing
About the Book
Award-winning director, Roare Murdock, is approached by a private group of investigative journalists who invite her to spearhead a documentary. She agrees to join the project to expose the dark side of transhumanism. With the assignment comes grave danger to herself and those around her. And someone in her close circle of trusted associates is not what he seems. She wonders why God would choose a wayward follower like her to warn the masses of an imminent threat to humanity.
Amid the challenges and dangers of research and filming, Hunter Barraclough, Roare’s biological father, enters her life for the first time. When Roare reaches her breaking point, help comes from an unlikely source, Sloane McInerney, Roare’s bodyguard. Sloane has his own reasons to join forces with Roare to unmask a malevolent AI lab whose CEO plots to destroy human souls through AI and other-worldly technology. As she battles demonic forces, Roare uses fear and anger to her advantage. But how long will she last before she questions her own survival?
You can find Rage Against the Machine here: Amazon | Goodreads
About The Author
H. Meadow Hopewell
H. Meadow Hopewell discovered a love for creative writing in college. A move to New Zealand reignited the flame. Between her love for science, pursuing God, and writing, her first novel An Emerging Star was born. When not writing, she maintains a photography blog. She lives on the North Island with her husband, two spoiled cats, and a farm dog who wants to be a house pet.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to TRB Lounge! We’re thrilled to host author Harrison F. Kraustoday, who will be unveiling an exciting excerpt from his latest release, Of Gods and Men Book 1: Men. Dive in and get an exclusive sneak peek into this superb book!
About the Book
Of Gods and Men Book 1: Men
The war to end all wars has already been fought—and darkness has won. In the realm of Aezigar, gods clashed, dragons roamed, and mortals fought for survival. But when the war between light and shadow reached its end, the god of darkness, Umbra, emerged victorious. His dominion is unchallenged, his hunger insatiable. Now, even as the land of Aezigar suffers beneath Umbra’s shadow, the god of darkness turns to a new world to conquer: Earth. But Umbra’s conquest is far from assured. On Earth, unexpected powers awaken in the unlikeliest of Earth’s inhabitants: an uncertain younger brother, a fiery older brother, an ignored son, an aspirant student, and a hardened military captain. Soon these heroes begin to discover their extraordinary connections to their parallel selves in Aezigar.
Meanwhile, in his arrogance, Umbra has left embers of rebellion still smoldering in Aezigar. In that alternate universe, the heroes begin to stand against a world dominated by the forces Umbra left to rule in his absence: a hunter in service to the darkness, two brothers fleeing for their lives, a coward hiding in enemy lands, a leader of a shattered people, and a reaver seeking plunder in the chaos. Now, the fate of two worlds hangs in the balance. Will the heroes of two worlds be able to stop the darkness that the heroes of Aezigar alone could not? Or will the light of both worlds be extinguished forever? … Of Gods and Men is a sweeping blend of fantasy and superhero genres, crafted for those who crave epic tales of courage, sacrifice, and hope. Spanning two worlds—modern Earth and the fantastical realm of Aezigar—it weaves multiple interconnected storylines into a grand narrative of rebellion, redemption, and resilience. With heroes shaped by their struggles and choices that echo across realities, this is a story where every action carries weight, every bond is tested, every sacrifice matters, and the fate of entire worlds hangs in the balance. Prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey of parallel worlds, godlike battles, and the enduring fight against darkness.
You can find Of Gods and Men Book 1: Men here: Amazon | Goodreads
Excerpt
Prologue: The Man
Before the turn of the millennium, there was a man. He was tall, about 6’4”, with a skinny enough build that he nearly gave off the impression of being malnourished. However, if he wasn’t eating enough, his clothing gave enough indication to assume that it wasn’t due to a lack of financial means. He sat at a desk in an office overlooking New York City while wearing a three-piece suit. His pants, socks, shoes, jacket, vest, and tie were all black, as had been most of his clothing since he was a teenager. At the moment, he had his feet propped up on his desk. He held in his hand an audio recording device that he had purchased the evening before.
He spoke. “Today, I have resolved to stop.” The audio device had been recording for hours, but he hadn’t said a word. He wondered if it was even storing anything anymore.
He erased the recording and started again. “Today, I’ve made up my mind to put an end to the madness. Certain practices have been going on here, in the very company I founded, that can only be described as shameful, cruel, and downright evil. I’ve tried to stop this many times, but I failed. For the past three months, I’ve lain awake every night thinking about what’s been happening here, and every night, I’ve promised myself I’d put a stop to it. But every day, I’ve failed. It always pulls me back in. So today, I’ve decided to end it tonight. The truth is, I’m the one responsible for every crime, every cruel act, and every wrong done. I’ve given the orders, and I’ve pulled the trigger. I’ve dragged others into this life, and I’ve brought them down to the point where they’ve begged for mercy. I have to admit, I enjoyed the power and control. I’ve ruined lives and hurt people I claimed to love. To be honest, I don’t know if I’m capable of that… love. I never thought I was, but I thought that if I said the words, maybe they’d become true. Maybe if I pretended to be a trustworthy person, I’d become one. But I haven’t. To those who followed my lead, I lied. This life is destructive. But it might not be too late for you. It’s certainly too late for me. I have one honorable option left. I’ve tried to quit, but I can’t. As long as I’m alive, this will never end. I’ve lost control. So, I’ve decided to end the madness, stop the injustices, and kill the villain.”
About The Author
Harrison F. Kraus
Harrison F. Kraus has always been drawn to complex, multi-character narratives. Though he holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering, storytelling remains his greatest passion. He spent many weekends in college library study cubbies crafting his novel, balancing scientific rigor with creative worldbuilding. His stories often begin with a hand-drawn map, a habit that extends to his Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. Exploring themes of internal struggle, unity, and consequence, his work is subtly shaped by his Christian faith. Now residing in Greenbelt, Maryland, with his wife, Nisha, and their cat, Mika, he continues to write stories that reflect his lifelong love of epic storytelling.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Welcome to TRB Lounge! We’re thrilled to host author Miles Joyner today, who will be unveiling an insightful excerpt from his latest book, Bazaar, an action-packed techno-thriller with a heart. Dive in and get an exclusive sneak peek into this superb book!
About the Book
Bazaar
A high-profile homicide of a former ambassador’s son in the nightlife district of the nation’s capital gets connected to an assassination market on the dark web, turning the DC area into a battlefield over a new generation of class warfare. When the ex-diplomat, Chiedu Attah, hires an elite executive protection team headed by siblings Yemi and Karen Uzunma to guarantee his safety, the security firm realizes they are going up against a young inventive contract killer who is determined to finish off the political VIP by any means necessary.
Bazaar is the first book in a series that follows the security contractor Raptor as it deals with the ramifications the prediction market has on the political celebrities of the capital region.
The only lighting inside the dark room was a couple of red LED lamps. They didn’t bother the eyesight of eighteen-year-old Aaron Williams, who was wide-eyed in fascination at his Ultramaker XT 3D printer going to work. The last of the white filament flew out the extruder onto the print bed, and he couldn’t have felt any more like a father watching his wife through the glass, holding their newborn baby.
He reached onto the platform and gripped his new plastic handgun that shot real, metal bullets. Like its predecessors, the Mini Talon had been banned from all sites hosting 3-D printing design files. However, Aaron was able to obtain it through torrents online, and now he had the opportunity to add it to his family of firearms that lay around the room, including an assault rifle with a lower receiver printed with the same material. But unlike the rest of its siblings, the MT wouldn’t be another one of Aaron’s toys to fire off rounds at tree targets deep in the woods. Some of the former models exploded on tests from the videos Aaron watched online, but he was confident the new version would not fail to take out his intended target in a few days with its untraceable ballistics.
Danny would be his escape. The son of a local pho restaurant owner was Aaron’s only friend outside the digital realm. Danny Phat took very little in life seriously, but for all the flaws, he knew every back road of the entire DC, Maryland, Virginia area. He could whip his raggedy-ass decade-old Nissan Altima pretty well. Either way, Aaron had no driver’s license and he wouldn’t risk getting pulled over or traced to a rideshare app. The young 21st-century gunsmith couldn’t take his eyes off his latest creation. He loaded a magazine, cocked the weapon, and listened satisfyingly to the crisp click. It blew Aaron’s mind to think the ammunition clip had fit perfectly into a gun made from the same material as his storage cabinet.
He was ready to test the gun. Would it fire smoothly? He had two days to test it and find out before he had to execute his assigned job.
August 20th, 2024. 1:30 AM. Washington, D.C.
Liquor-induced shrieks and screams of laughter carried over the bass thumps throughout a bumping Adams Morgan, the corridor of D.C. that served as one of the city’s nightlife hot spots. Neon lights shined on the designer-brand, clean-cut, modern-day yuppies who strut out of the nightclubs and the plaid-shirt bearded hipsters who stumbled out of the brewing taverns. A lot were on their nights off from studying, but the cost of drinks was far higher than college town prices so the professional class of everyone from policy aides to software engineers got just as wasted. Regardless of education or socioeconomic background, many women looked for their best friend whom they lost in the partying, and many male counterparts hoped to be that lucky dude they might have run off with.
Isaiah knew that’s what his best friend Adamu Attah wanted to be at that moment. But it was past Last Call, and Isaiah had put pressure on him for them to start heading back to their university dorms. He could tell Adamu didn’t get it. The youngest patriarch of the politically rich Attah family from Nigeria had no issues getting cheeks back home, butAmerican girls apparently weren’t as impressed with his super-forward approach. Isaiah tried to explain this to Adamu outside the Astro Lounge on 18th Street with neither a female around his arm nor a single new contact in his phone, but before he could bother to listen, a tipsy trio of curvy young women strolled out after him and caught his eye. Long braids, luscious shapes formed from their Lycra dresses, flawless different shades of ebony skin. Isaiah just knew Adamu would try again.
“AY!” The belles reluctantly turned toward the source of the attempt at a mating call. “Where we goin’ tonight?”
“Nowhere that involves ugly!” The tallest out of the three formed a smirk under her glasses, her two graduate degrees having only enhanced a life’s worth of sharp rebuttals to catcalling in her neighborhood. She laughed, and the pack began to leave the scene. No different than a kid eyeing the milk chocolate bar right before checkout, Isaiah knew Adamu just couldn’t take no for an answer. The shorter one with the most voluptuous figure became the unlucky winner to have her hand grabbed without permission.
“C’mon mami, ditch these bitches—” Adamu was snatched mid-sentence by a bouncer whose neck rolls formed a poop emoji and got tossed like a rag doll into the hands of Isaiah a few feet away.
“Dumbass!” screamed the short one as the three marched off down the street.
“I’m royalty, hoes! Some other BITCH will get blessed with this big dick tonight!”
“HEY!” The head of Astro Lounge security had enough. So had Isaiah.
“I’m so sorry, sir, he’s drunk.”
“Get him the fuck outta here before I break his jaw.”
“Yes, sir. Again, I’m sorry!”
The situation was all too familiar to Isaiah. Except now, instead of guiding a destroyed Adamu down the Terrapin-flagged residential streets of College Park, Maryland, from one frat house to another, they had graduated to bar hopping in D.C., where the young bachelor had been able to finally drink legally for the past ninety minutes.
“Sometimes you’re a freaking embarrassment, Adamu.”
“Shut the hell up and get an Uber. We’re going to Starline.”
“Starline?”
“Strip club.” Adamu gulped down a wad of vomit from coming out. Isaiah looked away in disgust, but something else caught his eye as they turned the corner.
A Metrobus stop bench rested thirty yards from their position. He figured that was where they could gather themselves after such a night. He used the remainder of his stamina to finally reach the bench and slap the back of Adamu to the hard rubber as if to try to wake him up. Isaiah checked his phone. 2% battery.
“Dammit…Adamu!”
His eyes opened, barely able to comprehend where he was even at, let alone being able to give Isaiah a response.
“Your phone. Mine’s about to die.” Body in total slow motion, Adamu managed to tap his pockets.
“Sh-Sh-Sh-Shit” eeked out of Adamu’s mouth.
“WHAT?!” Isaiah tapped his friend’s pockets. “Where is it?! Or your wallet?” Another tap. Wow. Alcohol and a night of partying caused his buddy to lose track of his valuables. Unbelievable.
“The hell is wrong with you? This isn’t Saint Catherines anymore!” Isaiah yelled at him, referencing their boarding school back in Victoria Island.
Vomit rose through his esophagus, except Isaiah could tell from the lump in Adamu’s throat that this batch was going full projectile. Isaiah jumped out of the way right in time for only a chunk to get on his shoes. The rest of Adamu’s day’s intake became a red-yellow puddle at the side of the bench. The gross site, as well as the realization that their options were fading, prompted Isaiah to throw his fist and scream a few “fucks” to himself. He looked up at the bus stop sign and saw that the 92 bus had a destination of SHAW-Howard, a Metro station. Maybe the route was their best bet if the bus got there within fifteen minutes and they made the last train, figured Isaiah as he composed himself.
He looked away, and something else caught his eye. Several blocks down Marion Street walked a hooded figure. Not too brisk, but certainly with purpose right toward their position. Isaiah squinted, and the street lamps revealed a teenager in a dark blue hoodie with jeans. The getup, time of night, and even the location were enough for Isaiah’s nerves to merge into his skin. Yeah, they were in the “nice part” of D.C., but Isaiah’s classmates had been robbed on campus, so it could happen anywhere. The young male got closer. When he was thirty feet away, Isaiah was still unsure of how to react or whether to react at all. The feeling might have been what his student counselor emphasized as overthinking.
“Com’on now.” Shifting from foot to foot, Isaiah sunk his hands deep into his pockets, a reflex move he made whenever he was nervous. At the same time, he heard his parents’ judgmental biases about inner-city youth, fighting to stave off his own similar thoughts.
“Hey, bro,” the figure said once he reached the bus stop. They traded ‘sup’ nods. Isaiah’s was way more reserved. “My phone’s dead. You got the time?”
“Mine’s dead, too. Sorry.”
“Hate when that happens out of nowhere.” Isaiah started to ease up to the source of the voice that seemed extra friendly with a hint of anxiety. The jitters he noticed from the kid were probably from him panicking over his phone being dead, figured Isaiah. Something he clearly could relate to, given his own situation. The original image shaped in his head was starting to look too judgemental. The teenager looked at Adamu who hung over the bench, motionless and barely conscious. “I’d ask him, but he looks done.”
“Yeah, he lost his at the club. Long night.” Isaiah gandered at his friend draped over the bench, now sharing sympathy with his comrade.
“Ah, so THAT’S why the phone is dead. Had it out the whole time booking them females. Can’t even be mad at him.”
“Not even,” laughed Isaiah, trying to shake off whatever anxiety he had left. “Word, y’all heading to Howard?”
“Nah. We go to Maryland. Trying to figure out a way back, actually.”
“Shit, I’m in the same position. Know where the closest metro is? Wonder if we can make the last train…”
The sign, Isaiah remembered. They had to just keep walking down Marion.”Yeah, I think—” POP POP. The friend of the target was not getting up from the two .380 caliber bullets that were just blasted through his skull with the utmost precision and professionalism. Aaron didn’t waste a beat as he tactically shifted the open sights of his plastic 3-D printed pistol to a groggy Adamu struggling to get his words out. “Please,” he cried. “I-I don’t have my wallet, but I can give you anything. I’m rich as fuck I swear— ” POP. Three total gunshots.The first one might have caught attention, but the second one was supposed to send any potential eyewitnesses running. At least, that’s what he learned from observing the few shootings he witnessed around his way. Aaron stowed the pistol away in his waistband holster. He checked the surroundings for the fifth time that night. There was no sign of anybody. He picked the right spot and predicted Adamu’s every move since the club perfectly. But where the hell was Danny? His Altima was supposed to be turning that corner before the first shot. VROOM. SCREECH. There it was. Revved and making too much damn noise as it peeled from an alleyway to scoop Aaron. The passenger door flew open, and Aaron jumped in. They took off before any sirens could be heard.
“Woo!” yelled Danny as he whipped around another corner. The two dressed pretty similar but everything Danny did was exaggerated in an attempt to blend into the projects they were heading back to. Everything from the Commander’s fitted hat to his Foamposite pressed against the gas pedal contrasted the plainer attire of Aaron, who didn’t care at all about the brands his former classmates worshipped on a daily basis.
“Fool you a BEAST!”
Aaron needed a moment to gather himself. Despite his success so far, taking someone’s life for the first time was a difficult realization to settle into. Let alone two lives. His parents never intended to raise a killer. His dyslexia limited the options the school offered. Danny’s advice about selling drugs or sketchy affiliate marketing plans wasn’t a solution either. He knew what would end up to him down that familiar path. He also took note of how naive Danny’s hype was in the latest additions to the district’s homicide rate.
“You were late” was the first thing out of Aaron’s mouth.
“Chill, fam. Traffic around the corner was O-C. Stop acting like I ain’t do my job.” Aaron’s eyes just rolled in response. Maybe if it was another debate at Danny’s spot about Harden Vs. Curry over some french fries drenched in mambo sauce, he’d entertain the bickering. But not after carrying out his first homicide. He wanted silence.
“But yeah, slim, you did the damn thing. How much did those lames have anyways? Real live starving in this bitch.” Aaron’s eyes widened. Unbeknownst to Danny, Aaron was just supposed to make it only look like a robbery.
“Shit, I forgot to run through their pockets.”
“The fuck you mean forgot? Nigga what was the whole point of tonight?”
“I still got you…and I told you not to use that word around me.”
“Imma call you a whole lot of other things if you don’t get my bread, muh fucka. Fuck type shit you think this is—”
“DANNY! SHUT THE HELL UP! Please.” Aaron didn’t yell often, but the authentic rage in his voice shut down whatever gangsta persona Danny was going for. By then, Aaron knew Danny finally realized it wasn’t another discussion about the NBA playoffs.
“Just get us to P-G,” Aaron said. P-G was the county of their home right outside the nation’s capital, Prince George’s. “Stop somewhere, and I’ll cover, but I can’t talk right now.” Nothing but the sound of road bumps and night traffic until Danny began to piece together a hint as to what the real motivation for that night had been.
“Aaron.” Danny had to pause for a moment. “Are you saying this was a hit?” Aaron didn’t care to answer Danny’s curiosity. He stared at the night-lit city outside the car window. He had just clocked out, and there was no desire to talk about work. The murder of Adamu happened two hours after midnight, meaning his death landed on the date Aaronhad bet on the assassination market called the Bazaar.
About The Author
Miles Joyner
Miles shifted to novels after years of filmmaking and editing television in the Washington, DC area. He particularly loves the technothriller genre at the moment and is an active member of International Thriller Writers where his first novel, Bazaar, was selected for their Debut Authors program. He also attends monthly meetings for the writer’s group, Novels in Progress DC.
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