Jamie Lee Curtis to Publish Children’s Book in 2024

26 July 2023

Jamie Lee Curtis to Publish Children’s Book with Penguin Young Readers in 2024

Last week, Jamie Lee Curtis, Academy Award winning actress and New York Times bestselling author will reunite with illustrator Laura Cornell on new children’s book JUST ONE MORE SLEEP (Philomel Books), coming January 2024. The children’s picture book is a celebration of delayed gratification and it serves as new self-help book for kids that explains why waiting can be wonderful—and can give you a reason to cheer all year round, from New Year’s Day to Kwanzaa, and all the holidays in between.

“The passage of time, how children relate to waiting, and patience are the themes at play in my newest book for children,” Curtis explains. “The seed for this book was planted when I saw my 4-year-old neighbor, Betty, on Christmas Eve 2020 and I said ‘Santa is on his way!’ She scolded me and said, ‘No Jamie, one more sleep, then Santa.’ That moment of her literal truth gave birth to this lovely book, which I hope will resonate with all families with young children.”

About Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is an author, actor, activist, sister, friend, wife, and mother. She is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous picture books, including TELL ME AGAIN ABOUT THE NIGHT I WAS BORN, TODAY I FEEL SILLY, I’M GONNA LIKE ME, and MY BRAVE YEAR OF FIRSTS.

About Laura Cornell
Laura Cornell is an illustrator, mom, handyman, gardener, swimmer, and bicyclist. She has illustrated many picture books, with this being her thirteenth title with Jamie Lee Curtis. She divides her time between New York City and Southern California.

SDCC 2023: ENJOY FAST CARS, HOT MUSIC AND HELL ON EARTH IN “DRIVE LIKE HELL”

Jocie McKade

26 July 2023

THIS CAR HAS MORE THAN HORSEPOWER UNDER THE HOOD!

The hit creative team of Rich Douek and Alex Cormack (Sea of Sorrows, Breath of Shadows, Road of Bones) along with letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou join up with Dark Horse Comics to present Drive Like Hell, a fast-paced action-adventure that goes full throttle into hellscape horror.

“When I started writing Drive Like Hell, I had one rule,” says author Rich Douek. “If I had an idea that seemed too crazy, too extreme, or too outrageous, I had to go ahead and do it. The result is a story that I hope is as fun to read as it was to write.”

Bobby Ray and Dahlia planned the perfect heist, and even stole the perfect getaway car. The big problem? That car happens to belong to the devil himself, and he wants it back. When the job goes wrong, and Dahlia ends up with a bullet in her head, Bobby Ray finds himself plunged into a supernatural road war with demonic cops, satanic biker gangs, and a whole host of madcap characters, all of whom are after the prize in the car’s trunk. If he wants to stay one step ahead of the chaos, he’s gonna have to Drive Like Hell.

“Drawing a car chase, something that depends so much on movement was something I always wanted to try out in comics.” says artist Alex Cormack. “Growing up watching the Blues Brothers and French Connection, hell I even made an animation in college that was a smash em up car chase called Burnout, I’ve always loved car chases. So when Rich mentioned the idea for DRIVE LIKE HELL I was immediately on board. I can’t wait for people to see this!”

Keep your skin and your soul: Drive Like Hell #1 (of 4) will be available in comic shops on October 25, 2023. Pre-order this 32 page, full throttle thriller from your local comic shop today for $3.99.

**PRAISE FOR RICH DOUEK AND ALEX CORMACK’S SEA OF SORROWS, BREATH OF SHADOWS AND ROAD OF BONES:**

“Sea of Sorrows works like a pot of water on a stove in terms of its scares. It starts off slow with a few bubbles here and there and then before you know it, it’s boiling over.”—Horror DNA

“The comic [Breath of Shadows] has all of the setup to really create an intriguing story that might be nightmare inducing for some and have a bit of depth to it as well. An entertaining start that teases what’s to come.”—Graphic Policy

“Survival horror, chilling thriller, superbly tense writing, artwork from one of the best comic book illustrators working at the moment hell, you can pick your own reason for buying this book so long as you make sure you get out there and buy it!”—Big Comic Page

Book Review: “The Switch” by Joseph Finder

Jocie McKade

26 July 2023

Book Review: “The Switch” by Joseph Finder

Michael Tanner, owner of Tanner Roast, was in LA to try to land a deal with a famous Food Network star (and Iron Chef) to provide premium coffee for his 6 restaurants.

Things did not go as well as he hoped.

At LAX, Michael found that his normal TSA Pass through the lines was not in effect, so he had to take his shoes off, his belt, put his Apple laptop in a grey container, and…….well, you know the drill.

On top of that, he was called aside for a wand inspection. Arrrghhh.

Rushing to make his flight Michael stuffed his Apple laptop in his bag and ran off to make the plane (which he did….but he was the last to board).

Whew.

Will Abbott is Senator Susan Robbins’s (who had just returned from a trip to LA) chief of staff.

Will loves his job, and will do anything for Senator Robbins (who he thinks is headed to the White House one day).

This is a job Will will do anything to keep.

Anything.

When Michael arrived home in Boston, he was dead tired and ready to go to sleep when he noticed his laptop was powered off….he never powers it off.

Opening it up and turning it on he was greeted with the screen “S. Robbins”.

WTF?

Under the laptop, on a sticky note, was written: 342Hart342.

A password!

Looking in the laptop Michael found a folder TOP SECRET and files inside detailing a project that provided the NSA access to any camera on any platform (computer, cell phone, etc).

Holy shit!

Michael and Will’s lives will change forever as……..

Oh, to find out what happens you can read this book. 🙂

“The Switch” is a book you dream about after you put it down and you can’t wait to wake up to see what happens next.

Enthralling, scary as hell, exhausting, and…..well, read it! 🙂

NEW HORROR SERIES FROM THE CREATORS OF “THE SIXTH GUN”

Jocie McKade

25 July 2023

Supernatural horror fans can scream with glee as Dark Horse Comics presents an entirely new taste of terror in The Midnite Show. The four-issue series reunites the creators of The Sixth Gun, Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt, and Bill Crabtree. Joined by letterer Jim Campbell (The Great British Bump-Off), they tell the tale of a cursed movie production and the horror fans caught in the creepy creature crossover dead set on bringing their nightmares to life.

Basil Saxon is a legend among horror fans. Over fifty years ago, he vanished during a freak accident on the set of the film that would have been his masterpiece. The cursed film–God of Monsters–was never completed and has never been seen. But when a film festival shows footage from the long-lost movie, classic horror monsters manifest to wreak havoc and terror on the unsuspecting populace. A ragtag group of misfits must band together to stop the most famous creatures of all time and send them back to the realm of celluloid nightmares.

“I’ve been calling this book ‘popcorn horror.’ It’s a book that’s full of chills and thrills. Our heroes are in terrible danger,” said series writer, Cullen Bunn. “The monsters they are facing are terrifying. But this story is also a lot of fun! A horror romp with action, humor, heart, and a lot of bloodshed. These monsters mean bloody business!”

Readers get a front row seat to the kind of grindhouse gothic horror that you’d hope would stay firmly in the imagination, as the would-be victims struggle to survive in a world where the dangerous, infamous monsters of the silver screen have found their way into real life. Fans of The Sixth Gun, Harrow County, and Manor Black will enjoy a story that’s the most fun you can have while terrified.

“Brian and I didn’t just throw a group of random monsters together for this book. We created a detailed history for them, a detailed history of Midnite Studios. In many ways, we’ve created a new horror universe within a horror universe!” said Bunn.

The Midnite Show #1 (of 4) with cover (and interior) artist Brian Hurtt will be in comic shops October 4, 2023 The issue also features variant covers by Dan Brereton and Francesco Francavilla. It is available for pre-order now at your local comic shop for $3.99. Popcorn not included.

Praise for The Sixth Gun and Manor Black:

“This may sound like simple stuff on paper, but choreographing the scenes together like this takes a lot of work. It pays off in spades though. With very few pauses for establishing shots to show spatial relationships between characters, the energy remains high from scene to scene. The pacing is fantastic.”—Multiversity Comics

“If you are looking to jump into the world of The Sixth Gun or are looking for a supernatural Western, look no further: this book is fun, mysterious, and dangerous.”—AIPT

“As a horror nerd who eats, sleeps, and breathes the genre, the subtlety of building dread while infusing it with magic is right up my alley and an example of how strong the series starts. In Manor Black #1, we get broad brushstrokes of the characters to come, and I want to know so much more. Since this issue is a number one, it does its job. Manor Black #1 has laid the building blocks for a dark world that I’m excited to fall into.”—But Why Tho ?

Dark Horse Comics

Capturing Skunk Alpha A Barrio Sailor’s Journey in Vietnam By Raúl Herrera

Jocie McKade

25 July 2023

Capturing Skunk Alpha A Barrio Sailor’s Journey in Vietnam
The newest riveting memoir by Vietnam veteran and critically acclaimed author, Raúl Herrera

On the evening of July 11, 1967, a Navy surveillance aircraft spotted a suspicious trawler in international waters heading toward the Quang Ngai coast of South Vietnam. While the ship tried to appear innocuous on its deck, Saigon quickly identified it as an enemy gunrunner, codenamed Skunk Alpha.

A four-seaborne intercept task force was established and formed a barrier inside South Vietnam’s twelve-mile territorial boundary. As the enemy ship ignored all orders to surrender and neared the Sa Ky River at the tip of the Batangan Peninsula, Swift Boat PCF-79 was ordered to take the trawler under fire.

What followed was ship-to-ship combat action not seen since World War II. Capturing Skunk Alpha relates that breathtaking military encounter to readers for the first time. But Capturing Skunk Alpha is also the tale of one sailor’s journey to the deck of PCF-79. Two years earlier, Raúl Herrera was growing up on the west side of San Antonio, Texas, when he answered the call to duty and joined the US Navy. Raúl was assigned to PCF Crew Training and joined a ragtag six-man Swift Boat crew with a mission to prevent the infiltration of resupply ships from North Vietnam.

The brave sailors who steered into harm’s way in war-torn Vietnam would keep more than ninety tons of ammunition and supplies from the Viet Cong and NVA forces. The Viet Cong would post a bounty on PCF-79; Premier Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and Chief of State Nguyễn Văn
Thiệu would congratulate and decorate them for their heroism. Capturing Skunk Alpha provides an eyewitness account of a pivotal moment in Navy operations while also chronicling one sailor’s unlikely journey from barrio adolescence to perilous combat action on the high seas.

Capturing Skunk Alpha: A Barrio Sailor’s Journey in Vietnam (Peace and Conflict) eBook : Herrera, Raúl, O’Neill, John E.: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

“Capturing Skunk Alpha is quite significant in that it tells of the
courage, enthusiasm, and professionalism of those fortunate enough to be known
as SWIFT Boat sailors, and the very important role they played in successful
operations by the Navy’s Brown Water forces during the Vietnam War.”

—William L. Schachte Jr. (Rear Admiral, JAGC, USN Ret.)

“This is a true story of what Swift Boats and their gallant
crews accomplished during that underappreciated war in South Vietnam. Capturing
Skunk Alpha will secure our honorable place in US military history.”–Captain
Edward J. Bergin (USNR, Ret.)

Talking With Author Liz Johnson

Jocie McKade

25 July 2023

Today, we welcome Liz Johnson to Reader’s Entertainment. She be sharing an inside look at her latest release Summer In The Spotlight.

Liz, give our reader’s a quick look at Summer In The Spotlight.

When a hurricane strikes Prince Edward Island, Kelsey Ahern’s beloved community theater is nearly destroyed—putting her job as the high school drama teacher on the line too. She asks her shy coworker Levi Ross to help her put on a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. But interest in the show from the island’s most popular weatherman brings about unexpected changes, leaving the fate of the theater up in the air—and plenty of hearts at risk too.

Give us some background information on your female protagonist, Kelsey Ahern.

Since she was seven, Kelsey has been performing on the stage, an art form she loved sharing with her late grandmother. With her parents mostly absent during her childhood, Kelsey relied on Grandma Coletta for nearly everything. Although she left the island shortly after high school, Kelsey eventually returned to take the job as the high school drama teacher, and now she’s trying to honor her grandma’s legacy by training up the next generation of young actors.

What is special about Levi Ross, one of the main characters in Summer in the Spotlight?

Levi is a great guy. He’s thoughtful and compassionate, smart and funny. He’s also terribly shy and rarely speaks. Since his father abandoned their family when he was fifteen, Levi has preferred to spend his time with a book rather than with anyone else. But he also reads people well and quickly takes a student under his wing, teaching him how to use tools and rebuild old hay wagons. His superpower is remembering just about everything he reads— including the script of the play they’re putting on.

How are Kelsey and Levi connected?

Kelsey and Levi were in the same grade growing up, and he’s always admired her from afar—too shy to tell her how he feels. But when he rescues her from serious injury during the hurricane, their acquaintance blossoms into a true friendship. As they work on the benefit show together, Levi realizes he’ll have to learn to speak up if he doesn’t want to miss the chance to win her heart.

Summer in the Spotlight highlights the theme of rebuilding. How does this theme impact the characters’ lives?

As Levi and Kelsey work together, he begins to see himself through her eyes, to see that he’s capable of anything he sets his mind to. Slowly, he begins to find the confidence that he’d lost as a child, rebuilding it with her encouragement.

After her grandmother’s death, Kelsey built a wall around her heart, finding it easier to keep people out than risk losing someone else she loved. While she’s always believed Levi can do anything, she doesn’t expect that he can tear down that wall. But with every interaction, he becomes more and more important to her. When the show begins to fall apart, she panics and tries to rebuild the safety wall that will keep her from a broken heart.

What other themes or lessons are found in Summer in the Spotlight?

One of my favorite themes in the book is that we do hard things for the people we love. Society often suggests that love should be easy or without cost, but true love requires true sacrifice. I loved watching these characters come to terms with what that sacrifice truly means in their relationship.

This is the second series that you have set on Prince Edward Island. Why did you choose this location for both the Prince Edward Island Dreams series and the Prince Edward Island Shores series?

I could keep writing stories set on PEI forever. I love it so much. The island is tiny—about 125,000 residents—and it’s cold and snowy during the winter. But I’m constantly learning new and interesting things about it that make me fall in love a little more. The first time I visited, I thought I could see the whole island in five days. I barely scratched the surface. And every time I try something new (lobster fishing) or discover a hidden gem (the island’s theater community), I’m inspired to write.

PEI is called the Gentle Island, and it’s earned that name. It’s one of the quietest, most peaceful places I’ve ever been. On my first visit, I realized that it was a place to find healing. And what is a romance novel but two broken people searching for a way to be put back together? Where better than PEI?

What was the connecting element for all of the books in the Prince Edward Island Shores series?

This series is about the Ross family—three brothers whose dad left them more than a decade ago. Each brother chose to deal with that loss in his own way—lashing out in anger, running away, and turning inward. Now, years later, they’re facing the consequences of those decisions. As they meet women who challenge and inspire them, they discover that God has plans for them beyond their father’s legacy.

What do you love most about writing romance novels?

The kissing scenes. If I get stuck, my solution is usually to throw in a kiss. Okay, honestly? I love that romance novels are filled with hope for the could be. And I want each of my stories to be a reflection of the greatest love of all—the love of God.

Do you incorporate any parts of your own life into your writing?

Of course. There are parts of me in every book I write. Not exact representations—every character is their own and not based on anyone I know. But I enjoy adding elements of my family history, stories from my childhood, and my loves to my stories. I also love to have my characters struggle with and find answers to spiritual lessons that I’m learning in life too.

Summer in the Spotlight features a hero who loves to read, much like I do. He just has a better memory than I do. Maybe the biggest piece of me in the book is my love of Prince Edward Island. I have found PEI to be the most peaceful, gentle place, and I love that my characters have found serenity and healing there too.

How can readers connect with you?
I love connecting with readers via my newsletter at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com and on Instagram and Facebook @lizjohnsonbooks.

Summer in the Spotlight is available for pre-order:

A hurricane may have destroyed her livelihood on Prince Edward Island, but she’s determined to save her community

Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island every summer since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys the building, it’s not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future as a teacher and drama coach are too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the facilities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. He has a reputation for being able to fix anything, and Kelsey is sure there’s more to the quiet man than meets the eye.

For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can’t seem to find the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover the aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show, Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up–or lose the heart of the woman he longs for.

Picture Perfect Autumn by Shelley Noble

Jocie McKade

24 July 2023

Picture Perfect Autumn by Shelley Noble

A Manhattan photographer finds inspiration and new possibilities in a Gothic Rhode Island beach house in this uplifting fall-set read from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble.

Dani Campbell is the latest darling of the Manhattan art scene. As a self-taught photographer, Dani is loving every minute of her sudden popularity, but has no idea how she got there, or a clue as to how to stay. On a shoot at an antiques barn, she discovers an envelope of old photos and sees in them what her photos are missing. Her search for their source leads Dani to a small Rhode Island town, a dilapidated American Gothic beach house—and Lawrence Sinclair.

Reclusive and bitter, the last thing eighty-year-old Lawrence wants to think about is photography—the thing that inadvertently led to his son’s death and tore his family apart. But Dani is determined and persuasive, and Lawrence can’t help but be intrigued by the girl with spiky hair who wants to learn from him, when almost everyone else just wants to relieve him of his substantial fortune.

Dani and Lawrence’s mentorship blossoms unexpectedly, but everything is put in jeopardy by the appearance of Lawrence’s estranged grandson, Peter. Peter is determined to spend some time reconnecting with his grandfather and to get rid of the supposed fortune hunter after Lawrence’s money. But Dani is not what he was expecting, and he soon discovers that they have more things in common than not.

Brought together by fortune, fate, and the ties that bind, all three embark on journeys of discovery and love.

Digital Public Library of America Launches The Banned Book Club to Ensure Access to Banned Books

Jocie McKade

24 July 2023

The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) has launched The Banned Book Club to ensure that readers in communities affected by book bans can now access banned books for free via the Palace e-reader app. The Banned Book Club makes e-book versions of banned books available to readers in locations across the United States where titles have been banned. The e-books will be available to readers for free via the Palace e-reader app.

“At DPLA, our mission is to ensure access to knowledge for all and we believe in the power of technology to further that access,” said John S. Bracken, executive director of Digital Public Library of America. “Today book bans are one of the greatest threats to our freedom, and we have created The Banned Book Club to leverage the dual powers of libraries and digital technology to ensure that every American can access the books they want to read.”

Utilizing GPS-based geo-targeting, DPLA has established virtual libraries in communities across the United States where books have been banned. When a reader is within a community served by a library that has been forced to ban a book, they can visit TheBannedBookClub.info to see the exact books that have been banned in their area. Then, they can download those books for free on any handheld device via the Palace e-reader app.

To access The Banned Book Club now, download the Palace app, and choose “Banned Book Club” as your library, then follow the prompts to sign up for a free virtual library card. For more specific instructions, click here. For more information on The Banned Book Club, readers can visit TheBannedBookClub.info.

DPLA’s The Banned Book Club is supported by FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) Chicago and Current Global.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) amplifies the value of libraries and cultural organizations as trusted sources of shared knowledge. DPLA fulfills its mission by collaborating with partners to accelerate the adoption of innovative tools and ideas to empower and equip libraries in making public information more accessible. DPLA’s e-book work is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. To learn more, visit www.dp.la.

The Palace Project is a suite of content, services, and tools for the delivery of e-books, audiobooks, and other digital media to benefit public libraries and their patrons. Funded by a multi-year, multimillion-dollar investment from the Knight Foundation, The Palace Project is a division of Lyrasis, working in strategic partnership with Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). To learn more, visit thepalaceproject.org.

Sneak Peek: A Shimmer of Red By Valerie Wilson Wesley

Jocie McKade

24 July 2023

A Shimmer of Red By Valerie Wilson Wesley

From the award-winning creator of Newark private eye Tamara Hayle, the third installment in a spell-binding cozy mystery series featuring a multicultural cast and starring Odessa Jones, a recent widow with a brand new catering business, a full-time real estate gig, and the gift of second sight. When a young realtor is suddenly killed in a hit-and-run, Odessa must wade through a legion of lies to find the hidden killer…with a little help from her spirited aunt, loyal co-workers, mischievous cat Juniper and her own psychic skills.

With pandemic-fearing city dwellers fleeing to the New Jersey suburbs, Risko Realty—and Odessa Jones—are having their best year ever. Finally on solid financial footing, Odessa is debt-free and looking forward to the future. But she doesn’t need second sight to sense her new young co-worker, Anna Lee, is on edge–and straight-up terrified–in spite of her hot sales record and sunny, outgoing attitude. And when Anna is killed in a hit-and-run, Odessa sees immediately that it was no accident . . .

It’s soon clear that Anna was being stalked. But even with the help of family, friends—and Odessa’s feisty cat, Juniper—Odessa is coming up with more questions than clues. Why was Anna avoiding influential real-estate mogul Emily Delbarton? Why is Delbarton’s decidedly creepy brother so fixated on Anna? Did Anna make enemies through her previous job at the town’s exclusive gentlemen’s club? And can Odessa rule out her own ex-fiancé—who’s back in her life with an astounding connection to Anna—and wanting a second chance? Finding the answers will come at an increasingly deadly cost—one Odessa’s talents must somehow trap a killer to repay . . .

“There’s also something oddly comforting about a Black woman in fiction who isn’t weighed down by societal pathology and who can appreciate a good glass of Merlot and reruns of “Downton Abbey” as much as the next woman. In between heavier mystery fare, this unicorn of a Black cozy is a welcome palate cleanser.” —The Los Angeles Times on A Glimmer of Death

Oppenheimer/Manhattan Project Set the Stage for Kevin Schewe’s “Bad Love” Series

Jocie McKade

23 July 2023

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer highlights the Manhattan Project and J. Robert Oppenheimer’s role in the development of the atomic bomb. With the first reviews rolling in, using phrases like “spectacular achievement,” “audacious,” and “a total knockout,” it is clear that history will be the forefront of upcoming media. Kevin Schewe contributes to this interest with his historical fiction premises, and his work will captivate the Oppenheimer audience.

n the first installment of the Bad Love series, Bad Love Strikes, Schewe reasserts that President Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) was concerned Hitler’s Nazi Germany could win the race to become the first nation with an atomic bomb. FDR commissions Albert Einstein to build a functional time-travel machine called the White Hole Project as a back-up plan to the Manhattan Project – only to be used for the extreme case to foil Hitler’s plans in the event Germany wins the race.

The most recent part of his series, Bad Love Tigers is an action-adventure about a misfit group of young adventurers, known as the Bad Love Gang, who come of age as they use a time-travel machine called the White Hole Project to travel back to the World War II era, meet with President Roosevelt and embark on a perilous secret mission to protect an alien spaceship and defeat the Japanese in combat. Keeping America’s most important and deepest national secret safe at Area-51 hinges on the success of their quest. The Bad Love Tigers screenplay is an international success, winning over 350 awards and finding acclaim at film festivals in dozens of countries, including Cannes World Film Festival, Madrid Arthouse Film Festival, Rome International Movie Awards, New York International Film Awards, The Los Angeles Movie Awards, Vegas Movie Awards, and many more.

About: Kevin L. Schewe, MD, FACRO, is a board-certified cancer specialist who has been in the private practice of radiation oncology for nearly 35 years. Visit Schewe on Instagram @realkevinschewe and KevinSchewe.com and watch the book trailer here. Bad Love Tigers is available on Amazon.

Media Contact: Scott Lorenz of Westwind Book Marketing

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