(un)Familiar: stories

sid sibo

Winter Woods Publishing

In (un)Familiar: stories, sid sibo's collection ranges across Wyoming wilderness to urban Dusseldorf, northern Minnesota's frozen lake country to southern Arizona's drought-stricken desert, and to Ireland's stormy west coast. Each piece brings to readers a keen awareness of and sensitivity toward the other-than-human creatures sharing the planet. Throughout dramatic or humorous moments of human yearning, animals as common as crows and cows or as little known as pikas and glass eels appear in scientifically reasonable ways. For those open to more mystical experiences, however, other interpretations can also be found.

Dark Harbor

Bruce Robert Coffin

Severn River Publishing

Detective Brock Justice never imagined the glittering coastal town of Bar Harbor would be his next battleground. When multimillionaire Granville Warren and an unidentifiable burglar turn up dead in a mansion break-in gone awry, the evidence points straight to Granville’s much younger wife, Lily. Her self-defense claim raises more suspicion than sympathy, and Brock must untangle a crime scene awash in contradictions. Justice’s instincts scream there's more beneath the polished surface of Bar Harbor’s elite, but the last thing he needs is interference from inside his own ranks. Enter Samantha Osborn, a detective just back from a task force assignment—too polished, too eager, and watching his every move. Brock doesn’t believe in coincidences, and Osborn smells like trouble from a mile away. Justice must walk a razor’s edge to solve this twisted case—or risk losing his career, his reputation, and possibly his life.

The Ghosts of Riddell House

Kevin St. Jarre

Encircle Publications

Tanya Libby can hear the dead—and she wants nothing more to do with them. Burch Kinney can't see or hear a thing, but he makes his living pretending he can. When the two are hired to investigate a remote Maine house notorious for its restless spirits, their uneasy partnership collides. The house is crowded. The dead are disturbed. And something inside has been waiting a long time to be heard. As rage builds and secrets surface, Tanya and Burch must decide who is lying, who is listening, and how much the living are willing to sacrifice to quiet the dead—before the house decides for them. "The Ghosts of Riddell House is a wonderfully creepy thriller packed with complex characters and ghostly twist you won't see coming. Highly entertaining!" —Jonathan Maberry, NYT bestselling author and 6-time Bram Stoker Award winner.

From Spark to Song: A Lyric Writing Guide to Ignite Your Creativity

April Keezing

Maine Authors Publishing

Songwriting educator April Keezing has seen it all. Throughout her career, she has helped hundreds of songwriters through even the toughest songwriting dilemmas. If lyric writing is giving you grief, start here. This comprehensive guide to the craft of lyric writing walks you through the trickiest parts of the process while helping you discover your voice as a songwriter. Blending humor, heart, and practical advice, April takes you on a journey through her own life stories and daydreams while teaching you everything you’ll need to know to write great lyrics. Covering everything from tackling writer’s block to mastering clever wordplay, this book is a must-read for aspiring and experienced songwriters alike.

Henry Knox: Forgotten Hero of the American Revolution

Linda B Palmer

CK Books Publishing

This book is, at its heart, a story of an American hero—the "Father of American Artillery—" who stood as a member of the Sons of Liberty, witnessed the Boston Massacre, and fought at Bunker Hill. He is famous for his "Noble Train of Artillery," a 300-mile winter trek to Fort Ticonderoga to retrieve 59 cannons. This forced the British to evacuate Boston without a shot fired. Knox engineered the perilous Christmas Eve crossing of the icy Delaware River, securing George Washington's victories at Trenton and Princeton. He was the "Father of West Point," the founder and first Secretary General of the Society of the Cincinnati, and our first Secretary of War. He established the United States Army and cofounded the Navy. He served as acting President of the United States for several days during the 1793 Yellow Fever Epidemic in Philadelphia. He was George Washington's general.

Between: Ray and Eva 1938-1939

Carolyn Locke

Independently Published

Between: Ray and Eva 1938-39 was inspired by ten months of daily letters exchanged between Carolyn Locke’s parents, beginning in April of 1938. Just six months after they were married, Ray contracted tuberculosis and was admitted to a sanatorium where he underwent pneumothorax treatments until February of 1939. Weaving a variety of forms and styles, this collection offers intimate glimpses into the lives of two young people confronted with this deadly disease that killed an estimated five million people in the first half of the twentieth century. It is a testament to the love, humor, and generosity that carried them through their separation during the time of the Great Depression and the years leading up to the Second World War.

Everything At Once

Kristie Billings

North Country Press

Everything At Once is Kristie Billings's collection of poems exploring dementia, loss, caregiving, love, and being human. "Kristie's big-hearted poems take us on an unflinching journey through grief. Billings is a daughter, a caregiver, a mourner, and a woman confronting her own aging. She lives each of these roles deeply. She's talking to herself and to us at the same time, with language that is direct, full of raw emotions, and grounded in the details of her struggles. 'Turn yourself inside out and you'll find fortune and grace,' writes Billings in 'Goddamn Weight' —Stuart Kestenbaum, Maine Poet Laureate 2016-2020.

If Only

Weslea Sidon

Deerbrook Editions

A ride through the changing seasons of the human heart in sync or at odds with the seasons of life in rural Maine—sometimes bumpy, sometimes smooth, sometimes funny and sometimes unbearably sad.

Alex and the Squid

Meghan Wilson Duff

Illustrated by Nathalie Dieterlé

Barefoot Books

Every year when the book fair comes to school, Alex struggles. He loves books so much, yet never has money to spend at the book fair. But when he sees a new book about his favorite animals, cephalopods like squids and octopuses, he slips it into his backpack and takes it home. After falling asleep studying all the wonderful creatures, Alex dreams of meeting and befriending the giant golden squid. This book features a cephalopod-loving child resolving a private emotional dilemma with the gentle, unobtrusive support of a school librarian and the use of an amnesty box.

The Day Of Stolen Bicycles

Maria Testa

Illustrated by Warren Bonett

Amicus Ink

Sam usually rides his bike to school, but today it is raining. During silent reading, Sam watches a parade of construction trucks out the classroom window. When Sam realizes his home in the park is being bulldozed, his teacher, Ms. Lee, goes with him to the park to save what they can. A powerful, moving story of a young homeless boy that highlights the personal impact of being unhoused and the effects of poverty.