The transformation of Penelope Brigid Goode begins after a near-death experience while skiing in Maine on her 30th birthday. Strange visions creep up on her like a dream—the spirits of her recently deceased dog and the mother she hardly knew. Ghost owls cast shadows of premonition. When the number three occurs and reoccurs, Pennie fears for her sanity, especially while she and her uncle survey a graveyard near the former Home for the Feeble-Minded. Here, she senses her first vibrations—spirits of the Malaga Island settlement buried after a forced exile over a century ago. And despite warning signs and against her best instincts, she rushes headlong into a relationship with the developer who is excavating near the graves. Through a slow unearthing, Pennie uncovers the past and discovers the power of her dreams, the haunting history of Malaga Island, and her fight for justice and the truth.
Award-winning author Matt Cost brings us back to Brooklyn in the Roaring '20s and back to Hungarian private eye, 8 Ballo. In this latest saga, Ballo is hired by Theda Lazar Vogel to prove her husband was murdered, and his colorful cast of friends returns, accompanied by legendary figures such as Dorothy Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Bugsy Siegel, and Lucky Luciano. Soon, 8 discovers a priceless artifact was stolen from Karl Vogel when he was murdered—an Aquila, an ancient eagle Roman standards carried into battle 2,000 years ago. This provides ties to a secret German organization known as the Batavi. But Vogel was also involved in the eugenics movement centered in Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island as well as the Ku Klux Klan. Now, 8 must race against time to uncover the truth and put a stop to the most chilling triumvirate ever conceived.
Nature Magic on the Appalachian Trail: New Hampshire Vermont
Joseph Barnett
Independently Published
Subway Gramps started his thru hike of the Appalachian Trail with the goal of documenting its plants and wildlife. This second book in a series describes not only the backpacking adventures, but also provides visual details through photos of the incredible Nature Magic along the trail. As Benton MacKaye, the founder of the Appalachian Trail, has said, "The purpose of the Appalachian Trail is to walk, to see, and to see what you see." This book does that!
Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History with Eels
Ellen Ruppel Shell
Abrams
Depending on who you ask, eels are a fascination, a threat, a pot of gold. Once among the world's most abundant freshwater fish, in recent decades their numbers have plummeted. Ellen Ruppel Shell travels the world of "eel people," pursuing a enigmatic creature which celebrated thinkers from Aristotle to Freud have failed to fully understand. We do know infant eels are worth a fortune—their poaching the world's most lucrative wildlife crime. In this unique investigation, Ruppel Shell follows the elusive eel from the coast of Maine to Norway, Paris, and the Sargasso Sea, stalking rivers, laboratories, sacred tribal lands, and America's first ever eel "family farm," which just might help revive the nation's most rural state. Through "legal intrigue, a vision of untapped riches, and still-unsolved scientific mysteries, the author fashions a curious history that brims with wonderment. An unsuspectingly thrilling account of one of marine life’s most enigmatic creatures" —Kirkus Reviews.
The Friendly Maine Lobstermen: A Voyage of the Kieran Scott
Melissa Jones-Bayley
Illustrated by Rosalie & Gavin Bayley
Penobscot Books
One fine day, a lobster boat captain sets out aboard the Kieran Scott with his sternmen (who happen to be a deer and a turtle) to haul their traps. Along the way, they encounter a lost cat and assist it in getting home to its island. When they can’t find their buoys, they discover a giant sea turtle is harvesting their catch for its family. Through negotiation and cooperation, a solution is found to benefit all before the crew heads home to safe harbor. In this charming picture book, Author Melissa Jones-Bayley tells a story set in her home town of Stonington, Maine, highlighting the importance of cooperation and sharing among the lobstermen and women of Penobscot Bay. She infuses the tale with values from the fishing family of her childhood and explores life lessons like working hard, being kind, and respecting nature. The Friendly Maine Lobsterman is beautifully illustrated by Melissa's children, Rosalie (15) and Gavin (13).
Time and Propinquity: An Anthology of Fiction and Philosophy
Edited by Mike Sauve &
David Mathew
ghosTTruth
Time and Propinquity is a unique, cross-genre anthology circling the broad subject of time. Within its pages, fiction and theory intertwine to create a third category. In his short story, "Time is Up," and his accompanying essay, "Omnitemporal Psyche," for example, author James Wright uses the entangled perspectives of fiction and essay to explore the concept of time in psychotherapy, specifically critiquing Freud’s notion that the therapist is in control, or should be. Wright is also a member of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and won the 2022 Maine Literary Award for Speculative Fiction.
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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