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Welcome to the Late-July edition of MWPA's Ex Libris Maine.
This edition offers new books by Maine authors in the categories of Fiction, Crime Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Children's, and Young Adult/Young Readers.
For more information on any title below, simply click on the book's cover.
They meet by chance in a small hotel in the mountains of Japan. He, a Korean war jet pilot who rose from deep poverty while suppressing a deep secret. She, a wealthy woman who secretly hates her diplomat husband. He is on an R&R break from the stresses of combat; she seeks seclusion to plot an end to her marriage. Their brief romance yields to his return to duty, but they vow to reunite in five months, once his combat tour ends. When they do reunite, five years later, it's over a son he never knew they had. His return and rise to military success conflicts with her success as a pioneering educator, and stardom tears them apart. . .until his deep secret is revealed, bringing his career to a plummet. But those who admired his combat heroics from afar rally to defend him. As does she.
A gifted undergraduate majoring in computer science and an archaeology professor unwittingly team up with an international arms dealer to find lost Inca gold worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Over the last five hundred years, many have searched for the gold. A few have perished, but none have found it. Now, this unlikely team can leverage cutting-edge technology, combining artificial intelligence with state-of-the-art satellite imagery to search for ancient treasure hidden in the remote mountains of The Llanganatis in Ecuador. But as the young programmer prepares to enter the mountains, COVID hits the team, and technology takes a back seat to the harsh realities of The Llanganatis. Will he be able to follow up on the clues he has uncovered to find the lost gold? Remember, those on the cutting-edge bleed.
Veridian Sterling is ready to hang her art in any New York gallery sure to give her a show. The problem is none of them are interested in her art so much as her personal assistant skills. There's no glitz, no glam, and definitely none of the money she needs to help her struggling mother. So when she overhears her new boss discussing the finder’s fee for a lost Van Gogh, Veri takes matters into her own hands. Maybe her own artwork isn't celebrated, but she knows how to copy what is. It isn't until an art dealer takes her under his wing (and his charming driver takes her interest), that Veri realizes she’s in deeper than she thought. Now, Veri will have to pull out every trick she has to wipe her canvas clean before she goes down for someone else’s crimes.
An international fantasy thriller opens in Maine. Lauren Cortez is the miraculous lone survivor of a military maneuver which wiped out her entire squad in Afghanistan. After arriving in Maine, things get stranger still when Lauren is approached by an enigmatic Frenchman named Henri who seems to know what she's going through. But what Henri tells her is even more unbelievable than her survival story—Lauren is becoming an actual vampire. Before she can process what's happening, she is drawn into a shadowy world of mythical creatures hidden among us since the end of the Ice Age. Within the covert power systems of this underground society, a radical faction seeks control, searching for their Eve—an ancient vampire thought to be at least 20,000 years old. They want her blood to increase their own longevity and power. And if they can’t find her, then Lauren’s potent blood will have to do.
Mushroom Mania
Hilary E. Bartlett
North Country Press
Mushrooms are fruit bodies of fungi that support plant and human health, as well as Maine's economy. Consumption of fresh mushrooms has boomed in recent years, and sales of medicinal mushroom supplements have soared. Enthusiasts are scouring the woods to forage undomesticated varieties. Within this volume, watercolors portray some of Maine's wild species, tasty recipes spice up the pages, and tips are provided on how to grow mushrooms at home.
Learning the Fine Art of Flying Solo: A Counselor's Step-By-Step Survival Guide
Most of us would not choose to be alone, right? Still, there may be times in our lives when we find ourselves managing life on our own. We may find challenges and situations we haven’t had to face before and wonder where we can find what we need. This book offers a step-by-step guide to recreating life alone—until and unless something better comes along! In its pages, you'll find insight from a licensed Maine counselor with over two decades of specialized experience in coaching people through the unique dilemmas faced by singles and those who find themselves un-coupled. Learn new, down-to-earth strategies and develop a renewed sense of confidence in yourself and your ability to move forward. Fresh perspectives, support, and affirmations from the pages of the Flying Solo Newsletter offer more food for thought. Why not make the most of this "time on your own," and use it to become your best self?
A picture isn’t always worth a thousand words, but most are definitely worth at least a few. That's the main premise of John Manderino’s new book, From a Box in the Closet, a charming collection of photos with accompanying vignettes. For instance, why is Dad peering sideways at Mike like that? Or why is four-year-old Cheryl looking so deeply troubled? And what is Linda the bride pondering as she bunny-hops behind Uncle Allen? Other pictures take less guesswork. For example, Mom in her hat and white gloves is unmistakably excited to be going on her first date with Dad, who many years later is clearly enjoying placing a paper bag over her head. And Nancy’s panda obviously overdid it last night. By the end of this collection of words and pictures, Manderino manages to acquaint us with his family—a little bit anyway.
When her family keeps saying "No" to pets, Tabitha takes matters into her own hands. She prepares the barn, buys all the supplies, and eagerly awaits the arrival of her dream pony. But when she opens the barn door the next morning, she doesn't find a pony. . . she finds a moose!
When Sheri shakes a mysterious-looking snow globe she discovers in a charity shop, her whole world is turned upside down. Suddenly, she finds herself inside the orb, along with her best friend, Shawn. Once in this strange new realm, she embarks on a dangerous journey to rescue a spellbound land and its weird and wonderful creatures from destruction. Luckily, a majestic, mischievous, sandwich-loving magical cat comes to her aid. A Cat Called Q and the Magic Globe is an enchanting fantasy highlighting the importance of believing in ourselves, being brave, caring for the natural world, and embracing our connection to it. It also serves as a reminder that magic does exist in nature and that love can heal and restore everything.
This is the story of a star child, Lila, who wants desperately to come to Earth. She has watched many star children come and go, and now she wants to try her hand at helping and healing those in need. She seeks out her guardians and guides to ask permission. They are supportive but warn her that this experience on Earth may not be all it appears. In order that she may have a chance at finding her way home, her guardians and guides plant a golden seed deep within her heart. But she will have to work hard to find it. Will she discover the power of the golden seed before it's too late? Find out in this story about self-awareness and remembering from whence you came.
SUBMISSIONS If you are a current Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance member, and you would like to announce your new book in ExLibris Maine, click HERE. If you are not a member, click HERE to learn more about our member benefits.
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