Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Give a Book!

                                    (Ornament purloined from Sally Cronin’s tree!)

Stymied figuring out gifts for everyone? Here’s my suggestion: get them a book or two. I have several fellow bloggers with new books, so here’s some recommendations in no particular order.

Hugh Roberts of Hugh’s News and Views has a new book called Glimpses.

Book description: After publishing some of his short stories on his blog, Hugh W. Roberts, who suffers from dyslexia, received numerous requests to publish his short stories in a book. Here, at last, are 28 short stories that will take your mind on a rollercoaster of a ride into worlds that conceal unexpected twists and turns. ‘Glimpses’ allows the reader a peek into the lives of everyday people who are about to have life lead them on an unpredicted path. From a mysterious deadly iPad app, to a hole in the fence that is not all it seems, to a strange lipstick that appears to have a life of its own, you will encounter terror, laughter, sadness, shock and many other emotions on journeys which promise a thrilling and gripping climax. If you are a lover of shows such as ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Tales Of The Unexpected’, then you’re in for a real treat with this first collection of short stories from Hugh. Here’s what one reader has already said about the book. “If you’re looking for a thoroughly entertaining read, Glimpses is the book for you. Each story has been cleverly crafted; through Hugh’s wonderful imagination, he has the ability to whisk you away to many different worlds, past, present and future. Every story makes a compelling read and just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, Hugh masterfully reveals a brilliant twist.

With bite-size and longer stories, this is a perfect read for the busy holiday season!

Olga Nunez of  https://olganm.wordpress.com/  has a new book called The Case of the Swapped Bodies, number 2 in the Escaping Psychiatry series. Olga is a book reviewer herself as well as a writer and blogger.

Book Description: woman shot dead. No enemies, no motive, only a story about how she swapped bodies with another woman found on her computer. The other woman in the story, the owner of the swapped body, goes into labour and won’t talk.
When FBI Agent Dave Dean asks psychiatrist/writer Mary Miller for her assistance, she doesn’t know that The Case of the Swapped Bodies is not the only mystery in Port Haven. A hit and run, an armed robbery gone wrong and questions about family traditions, priorities and legacies come into play and complicate matters. The line between fact and fiction is more tenuous than anybody realised and suspense is on the menu.
This is the third book in the Escaping Psychiatry series and it poses new challenges for Mary Miller. And not all the challenges are professional ones. How do you carry on when you’ve survived the unthinkable?

I am deep into the first in her series, Escaping Psychiatry. Can’t wait to dig into number 2!

Christoph Fischer at  https://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com  has recently tried his hand at mystery and this book – The Body in the Snow – is a winner. See my 5 star review: https://saylingaway.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=3012&action=edit

Book Description: Fading celebrity Bebe Bollinger is on the wrong side of fifty and dreaming of a return to the limelight. When a TV show offers the chance of a comeback, Bebe grabs it with both hands – not even a lazy agent, her embarrassing daughter, irritating neighbours or a catastrophic snowfall will derail her moment of glory. But when a body is found in her sleepy Welsh hamlet, scandal threatens.
Detective Sergeant Beth Cooper has a string of unsolved cases to her name. Her girlfriend left her and she’s a fish out of water in rural West Wales. Things couldn’t get much worse – until the case of the Body in The Snow lands in her lap.

Can Beth solve the case and save her career and can Bebe make her comeback? All will be revealed in this light-hearted, cosy murder mystery by best-selling and award winning historical and crime fiction novelist Christoph Fischer.

Debbie Gies, aka D.G. Kaye at http://dgkayewriter.com/  has a new book: P.S. I Forgive You, about her turbulent relationship with her mother that echoed down the years even after her death.

Book description:Confronted with resurfacing feelings of guilt, D.G. Kaye is tormented by her decision to remain estranged from her dying emotionally abusive mother after resolving to banish her years ago, an event she has shared in her book Conflicted Hearts. In P.S. I Forgive You, Kaye takes us on a compelling heartfelt journey as she seeks to understand the roots of her mother’s narcissism, let go of past hurts, and find forgiveness for both her mother and herself.

After struggling for decades to break free, Kaye has severed the unhealthy ties that bound her to her dominating mother—but now Kaye battles new confliction, as the guilt she harbors over her decision only increases as the end of her mother’s life draws near. Kaye once again struggles with her conscience and her feelings of being obligated to return to a painful past she thought she left behind.

In her books, Debbie writes about issues that face all women with compassion, insight, and humor.

Teagan Genevieve at https://teagansbooks.com  has a new book: Three Things Serial A Llittle 1920’s Story. This is a really unique novella!

Book description: The Three Things Serial was a spontaneously written (“pantser”) story. Everything in it — characters, setting, plot, was driven by “things” left by readers of the blog Teagan’s Books, episode by episode.

It quickly became a 1920s Mystery with armature sleuth, Pip, telling the story. Pip is determined to be a modern woman, a flapper. Everything about this story was determined by the random “things” readers sent. Absolutely nothing was pre-planned. First came the narrator, Pip, aka Paisley Idelle Peabody.  The voice was Lucille Ball as Pip, telling a story of her youth. Then came the 1920s setting, inspired by an oscillating fan. Next the “things” brought characters, particularly Andy who came back for another serial. Eventually a thing got Teagan to a Florida setting.

Pip, a modern woman — a flapper, begins the first of several adventures. In this story a mysterious white-haired woman is kidnapped. Pip finds a bent key, a scrap from a special quilt, strange tattoos and other “things.” Later, Pip and her friends find themselves on a luxurious yacht where they encounter figures from history and celebrities of the era. The mystery comes to the forefront when they reach the destination, the gilded mansion, Ca d’Zan.

This was a fun ride for the author! Many readers asked her to provide the serial as a book, and that’s what she’s done with this novella. So sit back and enjoy the Three Things Serial.

So there you have it – a great selection of five, very different new books by authors I know and can recommend. Happy presenting! And don’t forget to present yourself!