Themes on s trategy, intention, and a willingness to work hard and smart run throughout both of these very different books.  [cover art for "The Creative Entrepreneur, Starting and Thriving in Your Own Small Business" by Gladys Stocks showing the silhouette of a person in profile who's holding a paint brush over a paint palette; colorful brush strokes and a zig-zagged arrow pointing up in the background]  The Creative Entrepreneur: Starting and Thriving in Your Own Small Business by Gladys Stocks  contemporary non-fiction  Book Butler Publishing Company, 2026  Ten chapters that blend aspirational theory with practical strategies and end with a "Creative Reflection" exercise that prompts deep contemplation of a person's interests, motives, concerns, vulnerabilities, and strengths, in addition to options. They move from the general to the specific, then conclude with a focus on the personalized.  from chapter 1:  But the truth is, your creativity is your...

In real life the harsh truths of war compete with the majestic images and inspiring words of the successful Artemis II mission. The following fiction reads examine the complicated nature of humans on Earth.  [3 books from left to right: The Charmed Library, Hearts on the Fly, Husband of the Year]  The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman wasn't available for renewal due to being requested by a whole lot of other patrons (yay for this author!) so I'll try again. The speculative supernatural premise is very intriguing.  Hearts on the Fly by Toni Shiloh  Christian contemporary romance  Bethany House Publishers, February 2026  Val and Jabari struggle with unexpected circumstances that challenge them to reconsider the purpose of their lives. Personal and professional connections make things messy.   Husband of the Year (Teachers in Love #4) by M.A. Wardell  contemporary romance  Forever, 2025  Olan and Marvin each believe they've found their f...

This photo cover art on the original mass market paperback edition is my personal favorite, at least until/if they release a Heated Rivalry show cast Hollanov version. (Respect to the talented artist who's crafted the illustrated covers.)  ["Rachel Reid, The Long Game" mass market paperback edition with two shirtless, muscular men in jeans, standing at an angle one in front of the other; the man in back embracing the man in front]   Recent public comments from people who've read (in any and all formats) The Long Game by Rachel Reid and feel annoyed, disappointed, frustrated with Shane inspired this post.  ****(mostly vague) SPOILERS**** Until the death of his father and breaking free of his brother, Ilya has been in a constant mindset of fight, flight or freeze for most of the nearly three decades of his life. Once he's disconnected from his toxic family dynamic, firmly established in his loving relationship with Shane, welcomed and embraced by Yuna and David, and...

Sometimes people enjoy poking at each other until they start kissing.    [trade paperback books Restore Me and And Now, Back to You to left of a bookstack from top to bottom of Husband of the Year, Hearts on the Fly atop 5 books with only the bottom page edges showing; a white heart-shaped mug decorated with small red hearts next to a small pot of leafy green plants]  Restore Me (New Haven #1) by J.L. Seegars  contemporary romance  Bloom Books, January 2026  Sloane and Dominic have history and secrets that cause friction. Biting remarks and resentment eventually lead to confrontation and consequences.  It's a poignant don't-stop-until-the-end read rooted in family, friendship, and community.  And Now, Back to You (Heartstrings #2) by B.K. Borison  contemporary romance  Berkley, February 2026  Delilah and Jackson have a lot of issues. Annoying each other helps them work through some of them while they stumble into love. Their B'more ...

As a lifelong user of the Oxford comma, adverbs, and other syntactic queues that often generate suspicion of undisclosed, unethical usage of Artificial Intelligence resources, recent events involving indie authors who are being accused of such behavior has me feeling a lot of different emotions at once.  The verified issue regarding uncredited and unpaid for imagery for cover art has me thinking, "Conduct your due diligence and pay artists for their creative labor!"  Then there are the murkier contradictory issues of who gets penalized and cancelled for using Artificial Intelligence and who doesn't. Last year an all-non-human publishing venture was celebrated when it received an initial investment of multiple millions of dollars. As a published indie and traditional author my email inbox is filled with offers for ways to use technology to "streamline" my writing process and "accelerate" my productivity.  If I were a traditionally published author under...

Baking Ice Cubes (Hank Hart #1) by Alexi Venice  contemporary legal suspense thriller  2025  What happens when a potential love connection ends up being a professional conflict of interest? Star-crossed legal eagles attorney Helen "Hank" Hart and Judge Olivia "Livvy" Marshall find out in this courtroom whodunit. A sliding timeline filled with an assortment of dramatic shady characters and justice seekers makes this mystery thriller a fast-paced, entertaining read. Established fans of this author's Monica Spade series will likely experience a bonus enjoyment boost as that one launches this one.   Alexi Venice is one of 9 authors of sapphic romantic suspense contributing to The Sapphic Suspense Collection.  [front cover art of trade paperback Baking Ice Cubes, A Legal Thriller by Alexi Venice; a woman dressed in a hooded jacket, sweat pants and running shoes is running away from a Greek structure that's in flames]  As much joy as reading books adds to my...