MISTER LULLABY by Acclaimed Horror Master R.H. Markert is now available. This 5 Star read is literally unputdownable and is a Must Read for each and every horror fan ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Title: MISTER LULLABY

Author: J.H. MARKERT

Narrators: DAVID BENDENA and LAUREN EZZO  

Release Date: NOVEMBER 11, 2023

Genre: FICTION, HORROR

Length: 12 HOURS and 8 MINUTES

Publisher: DREAMSCAPE MEDIA

Received From: NETGALLEY

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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DESCRIPTION:

The small town of Harrod’s Reach has seen its fair share of the macabre, especially inside the decrepit old train tunnel around which the town was built. After a young boy, Sully Dupree, is injured in the abandoned tunnel and left in a coma, the townspeople are determined to wall it up. Deputy sheriff Beth Gardner is reluctant to buy into the superstitions until she finds two corpses at the tunnel’s entrance, each left with strange calling cards inscribed with old lullabies. Soon after, Sully Dupree briefly awakens from his coma.

Before falling back into his slumber, Sully manages to give his older brother a message. Sully’s mind, since the accident, has been imprisoned on the other side of the tunnel in Lalaland, a grotesque and unfamiliar world inhabited by evil mythical creatures of sleep. Sully is trapped there with hundreds of other coma patients, all desperately fighting to keep the evils of the dream world from escaping into the waking world. 

Elsewhere, a man troubled by his painful youth has for years been hearing a voice in his head he calls Mr. Lullaby, and he has finally started to act on what that voice is telling him—to kill any coma patient he can find, quickly. Something is waking up in the tunnel—something is trying to get through. And Mr. Lullaby is coming.  

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BARNES AND NOBLE IS PUBLISHING AN EXCLUSIVE PAPERBACK EDITION OF MISTER LULLABY – Click to see it here …

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MY REVIEW:

J.H. MARKERT is one twisted Son of a Gun. Don’t mistake that as criticism, instead, it is actually 100% a compliment.

This is the second horror novel from this author I’ve read and I am quickly becoming a huge fan. In December of 2022 I posted a 5 Star review of THE NIGHTMARE MAN and MISTER LULLABY is just as amazing as that first book.

LINK TO MY REVIEW OF THE NIGHTMARE MAN…..  

One of the best things about this book is the character-building. J.H. Markert has an uncanny knack for creating believable characters.

Although this is a horror story, the author doesn’t rely on cheap tactics such as bloody gore to keep the readers attention, instead, he carefully crafts the entire world his characters inhabit. This world-building is one of the reasons his stories are so terrifying… they come across to the reader as entirely possible. That is absolutely terrifying.

With so many books on the market, and so many authors writing ‘horror’ novels, it takes a truly talented and exceptional author to create more than one book that warrants a rating of 5+ out of 5 Stars, J.H. Markert is that one in a million author and I will buy every book he writes.

I rate MISTER LULLABY with the highest rating possible. If I could give this book a rating of more than 5 out of 5 Stars, I would definitely do so.

DAVID BENDENA and LAUREN EZZO were the perfect choices to narrate the audiobook version of MR. LULLABY. Their voices compliment each other and both have an incredible sense of pacing. Not only that, but it seems to me they were invested in creating not just narration, but an experience for the listener.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to anyone and everyone who enjoys the genres of horror and/or thrillers, need to buy not only MISTER LULLABY, but also THE NIGHTMARE MAN. I guarantee that you will become as big of a fan as I am.

5+ out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*** Thank you to #NetGalley #Dreamscape and #JHMarkert for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook. ***

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J.H. Markert is the pen name for writer James Markert, an award-winning novelist, produced screenwriter, husband, and father of two from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was also a tennis pro for 25 years, before hanging up the racquets for good in 2020.

He graduated with a degree in History from the University of Louisville in 1997 and has been writing ever since.

James Markert:
(Copied from his website)
James was raised in a household where creativity thrived, paintings and stained-glass windows beautified the walls, and the arts were as regular as the seasons.  This upbringing will forever be his muse.  James has a history degree from the University of Louisville, where, in his senior year, he was awarded a scholarship as the school’s most outstanding history major.  He won an IPPY Award for The Requiem Rose, which was later published by Sourcebooks as A White Wind Blew.  

James has ideas for future novels that run the gamut of history from time periods and topics like Charles Dickens, Jekyll and Hyde, Prohibition, the Dust Bowl, the Sixties, both World Wars, the Golden Age of Magicians, and a series on Medieval Cathedral building.

James is the writer and co-producer of the feature film/tennis comedy 2nd Serve, starring several actors from popular television shows like Scandal, The Big Bang Theory, Gotham, Cougar Town, Shameless, and Ray Donovan. 

James is also a USPTA tennis pro, and has coached dozens of kids who’ve gone on to play college tennis in top conferences like the Big 10, the Big East, and the ACC. He lives with his wife and two children in Louisville, KY.

Favorite Authors: Stephen King, John Irving, Ken Follett, Pat Conroy, Wally Lamb, George R.R. Martin, Elizabeth Strout, Dennis Lehane, Greg Iles, Anne Rice, Hillary Mantel, Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Favorite Books: The Stand, The Cider House Rules, The Alienist, Pillars of the Earth, Beach Music, I know This Much is True, The Burgess Boys, The Shadow of the Wind, A Song of Ice and Fire Series.

Favorite Music: U2, Pearl Jam, Cold Play, REM, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Killers, Mozart, Muse, Dave Matthews.

Favorite Shows: Game of Thrones, Justified, Deadwood, Rome, Peaky Blinders, Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Band of Brothers, The Tudors.

Favorite Movies: Shawshank Redemption, Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Signs, A Very Long Engagement, Amadeus, Gangs of New York, Sleepers, Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Seven

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
https://jamesmarkert.com

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ABOUT THE NARRATORS:

ABOUT DAVID BENDENA: 

To learn more about this Narrator visit the following links:

OVERDRIVE   

TWITTER 

AMAZON  

AUDIBLE

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ABOUT LAUREN EZZO:

Voice Range: Teen, 20s-30s, Senior

Accents: American English, British English, Australian/ So. African English, American South, Canadian, Cockney, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Indian, Irish, Italian, Middle Eastern, Midwest, Russian, Scandinavian, Scottish, Yorkshire

Genres: Children’s, Comedy, Nonfiction, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction

Awards: AudioFile Earphones, ALA, SOVAS

Equipment: Home Studio, ISDN

Post Production Services: Home Studio, Editing

To learn more about this narrator visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
https://www.laurenezzo.com

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SOUNDCLOUD

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FACEBOOK  

AUDIOBOOKSTORE

TWITTER 

ACX

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Dreamscape Media has published hundreds of bestselling audiobooks that range from motivational self-help to suspenseful mysteries – swoon worthy romance to captivating non-fiction, Dreamscape has something for every listener!

To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:

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NARRATOR DAVID BENDENA:
https://youtu.be/Ind3s36SliI?si=7CHV0KtM7Q5VfO5b

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KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS: Hunting Serial Killers Operating Under The Cloak of America’s Opiod Epidemic by BILLY JENSEN is now available to buy and is a Must Read for True Crime Afficianados

Title: KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS

Subtitle: HUNTING SERIAL KILLERS OPERATING UNDER THE CLOAK OF AMERICA’S OPIOD EPIDEMIC

Author: BILLY JENSEN

Release Date: DECEMBER 5, 2023

Genre: NON-FICTION, TRUE CRIME, OPIOD EPIDEMIC

Number Of Pages: 256 Pages

Publisher: POST HILL PRESS

ISBN: 979-8-88845-354-4

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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DESCRIPTION:

Bestselling author, co-host of the hit podcast The Murder Squad, and true-crime investigative journalist Billy Jensen goes to Columbus, Ohio, where he examines the unsolved cases of eighteen dead and missing women, whom he suspects were the victims of serial killers on the loose and operating under cover of the opioid epidemic in America’s heartland.

In Chase Darkness with Me, readers and listeners learned Billy Jensen’s journalist origin story, his struggles, his call to adventure, and his first successes in solving murders.

In Killers Amidst Killers, readers will ride shotgun with Jensen as he takes on serial killers who are walking among us and planning their next moves in real time. The facts are not in old police reports and faded photos. They unfold before our eyes on the page.

Our story begins in 2017, when two young women, best friends Danielle and Lindsey go missing in Columbus, Ohio, within weeks of each other, and their bodies are found soon thereafter.

As Jensen investigates Danielle and Lindsey’s cases, he comes across other missing and murdered women, and before long, he uncovers eighteen of them. All unsolved. And no one was talking about it.

These are not women who were raised in the street. They got hooked on pills. The pills were taken away. They get hooked on heroin. And when the money is gone, they have to sell themselves. It happens very quick.

Through his investigations and the help of experts, Jensen identifies serial killers in Cleveland and Columbus. Why there? Because it’s easy. Sharks go where the swimmers are. Serial killers go where the easy prey are: Ground zero of the opioid epidemic. The heart of America.

That is what happened to Danielle and Lindsey. But serial killers murdering sex workers in the 21st century will get 45 seconds on the local news, and page 3 in the local paper, and then can disappear in the wind.

Jensen hunts these predators to bring peace to the victims’ suffering families while putting a spotlight on a system that is leaving hundreds of thousands of bodies in its wake.

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SHORT REVIEW:

Billy Jensen’s new book KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS: Hunting Serial Killers Operating Under The Cloak of America’s Opiod Epidemic is truly eye-opening. Every law enforcement officer, and every politician should be required to read this book.

“All these women, missing and murdered within a span of a handful of years and a few highways between them, with the state capital of Columbus at its center. Why was this not a national story? You hear ‘serial killer,’ the public’s ears prick up. You hear ‘heroin’ and ‘sex work,’ they come back down.”

This is inexcusable.

Billy Jensen’s dedication to finding out what happened to: Danielle Greene and Lindsey Maccabee is laudable. At the beginning of his search for the killer of the two women he had absolutely no idea that he would come to learn about so many missing and murdered women in such a small area and that he would discover multiple serial killers all “working” in the same state and during the same time period. Even worse is the fact that no law enforcement agency seemed to notice or care. “… with their inaction, police were ringing the dinner bell for these predators.“

Written in the first person, although this is a true crime book, it is also a memoir. I love the way Billy thinks and the fact that he says exactly what he feels. For example, he writes:

“The men who are murdering these women? … For the most part, they are morons. They are fucked-up little narcissistic men-children.”

Well said Billy. Well said.

KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS is not just a typical “True Crime” book. It is an eye-opening, must read.

I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Billy Jensen is a journalist and author at the top of his game and I am 100 percent a fan of his work.

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MY FULL LENGTH REVIEW:

Duh! I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of the correlation between missing and murdered women and the opioid crisis. Of course I knew that people, especially women, who were addicted to drugs often turned to sex work to survive, which in turn put them at a greater risk of being abducted and/or murdered. But, I hadn’t thought it through to the, now obvious, conclusion that serial killers were able to hide their crimes easier because police were more apt to write off these women due to their addictions. What a horrifying revelation!

Billy Jensen’s new book KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS: Hunting Serial Killers Operating Under The Cloak of America’s Opiod Epidemic is truly eye-opening. Every law enforcement officer, and every politician should be required to read this book.

“All these women, missing and murdered within a span of a handful of years and a few highways between them, with the state capital of Columbus at its center. Why was this not a national story? You hear ‘serial killer,’ the public’s ears prick up. You hear ‘heroin’ and ‘sex work,’ they come back down.”

It is inexcusable that the disappearances of the women highlighted in this book have received barely any publicity. This needs to change.

Billy Jensen’s dedication to finding out what happened to: Danielle Greene and Lindsey Maccabee is laudable. At the beginning of his search for the killer of the two women he had absolutely no idea that he would come to learn about so many missing and murdered women in such a small area and that he would discover multiple serial killers all “working” in the same state and during the same time period. What a terrifying truth. And, even worse, is the fact that no law enforcement agency seemed to notice or care.

“I was not looking for one serial killer stalking the streets of Columbus and Middletown and Dayton. No. But it was three or four or five. Getting the urge every now and then. It was systemic. And with their inaction, police were ringing the dinner bell for these predators.“

Written in the first person, although this is a True Crime book, it is also a memoir. I love the way Billy thinks. I am impressed that he makes sure readers know not to romanticize the killers. He writes:

“The men who are murdering these women? … For the most part, they are morons. They are fucked-up little narcissistic men-children.”

KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS is not just a typical “True Crime” book. It is an eye-opening, must read. The fact is that even though this is a book about serial killers who are currently operating in Ohio, it could just as easily have been about the exact same thing happening in any other state. That is not only terrifying, it is unacceptable.

I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Billy Jensen is a journalist and author at the top of his game.

What comes through quite clearly in his writing is the fact he actually cares about missing and murdered women. He doesn’t see the victims as being worth any more or any less due to their addictions or their occupation of survival sex work. More people, especially law enforcement and journalists need to follow in Billy Jensen’s footsteps. They need to care, and they need to do everything in their power to identify the perpetrators and arrest them as soon as possible.

I truly hope this book opens people’s eyes to the horrific epidemic of missing and murdered women. I hope Billy keeps reporting and working on solving these cases. Now, if we could just clone him and put a clone in every major city, maybe we could get through to the police and force them to care and to do their jobs.

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MAP by NICK SPRINGER of SPRINGER CARTOGRAPHICS LLC
https://springercartographics.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Billy Jensen has solved or helped solve more than a ten homicides.

His true crime memoir, Chase Darkness with Me: How One True Crime Writer Started Solving Murders, was a New York Times bestseller, and he has written crime stories for Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Magazine, Boston Magazine, and Miami New Times, and was a crime stringer for the New York Times.

After his friend Michelle McNamara suddenly passed away, he, her husband, and her researcher helped finish her book, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, about the hunt for the Golden State Killer, which became a New York Times #1 bestseller, and he was co-executive producer of the subsequent HBO docuseries.

He produced and costarred in the Investigation Discovery series Unraveled, the first season of which focused on the investigation into the Long Island Serial Killer.

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
http://billyjensen.com

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Founded in 2013 by a team of seasoned entrepreneurs and book industry professionals, Post Hill Press has successfully published a wide spectrum of books, with a focus on the categories of pop culture, business, self-help, health, current events, memoirs, and political books. Our entrepreneurial spirit makes Post Hill Press a nimble publisher, willing and able to move quickly and take advantage of opportunities in the marketplace.

Our books have appeared on The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. A number of our authors have appeared on national media such as CNN, Fox News, Good Morning America, CBS Saturday Morning, notable podcasts including The Joe Rogan Experience, and many others as well as national radio and print outlets.

We publish across all formats and platforms, including eBooks, audiobooks, and print books, which are distributed by Simon and Schuster and available worldwide. We have ongoing collaborative relationships with national television networks as well as a strategic alliance with an innovative global literary agency.

Post Hill Press prides itself on partnering with authors. Publishing with us is a collaborative experience, where an author is included in decision-making throughout the process. We believe this is a key component to their ongoing success.

To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
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QUOTES:

“The victims are taking drugs to survive. The killers are hunting them as part of their own addictions.”

OUR GEORGIA – The Devastating Murder of My Daughter By A Killer Who Should Have Been Stopped – by Lynnette Williams with Robin Eveleigh – This is a heart-wrenching memoir written by Georgia’s mother – A 5 Star True Crime story that is an absolute MUST READ

Title: OUR GEORGIA

Subtitle: The Devastating Murder of My Daughter By A Killer Who Should Have Been Stopped

Author: LYNNETTE WILLIAMS with ROBIN EVELEIGH
http://www.thegeorgiawilliamstrust.co.uk

Release Date: MAY 25, 2023

Genre: NON-FICTION, BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS, TRUE CRIME

Number Of Pages: 256 Pages

Publisher: MARDLE BOOKS

Received From: NETGALLEY

ISBN: 9781914451607

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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DESCRIPTION:

Georgia Williams’ murder at the hands of college pal Jamie Reynolds was a crime that shocked the nation: chillingly executed and horrific in its sexual depravity.

But when Georgia’s devastated mother, Lynnette, and father, Steve, questioned the events leading to their daughter’s death, they discovered it was also entirely preventable.

At the time of Georgia’s disappearance, Steve was – ironically – a highly-commended murder squad detective serving with West Mercia Police. 

The same force, Steve and Lynnette discovered, had had Reynolds in its sights for years before Georgia’s murder, but let him slip their net.

Drawing on Steve’s inside police knowledge, the couple exposed the litany of failures that let Reynolds infiltrate their daughter’s life, and allowed him to kill.

Now, in her powerful and moving memoir, Lynnette tries to get beyond the platitudes of ‘mistakes made and lessons learned’ to effect real change, and also details the heartbreaking aftermath of a crime that should never have happened. 

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MY REVIEW:

This heart-wrenching memoir written by her mother begins like this:

“In memory of Georgia Lynette Williams, a beautiful human being, loving, caring, full of life, who would help anyone in need. She deserved a long, happy life, but was let down by the careless.”

That is the most succinct, and truthful description of this book that I could hope to provide.

Georgia was born in 1995 – the same year my oldest child was born. I cannot help but think of the milestones her parents and older sister have been deprived of when a POS (Piece of Shit) cut her life tragically, and horrifically short.

OUR GEORGIA is part true-crime story, part biography, part memoir, and part enumeration of the litany of ways the police and other government officials screwed up.

These were NOT small, harmless screw-ups.

If the police had done their jobs in the days, weeks, months, and years leading up to the night Georgia was murdered, it is an almost certitude that she would be alive today.

I am not just saying that. Once you read this book, I am convinced that you will agree with my assessment.  The fact that Georgia’s father is a police detective makes this all the more poignant and inexcusable.

Having Georgia’s mother as the author, imbues this book with a special gravitas. Those of us who are mothers and fathers can only imagine how devastating losing a child is, and losing a child to murder is unimaginable. To have that loss compounded by the realization that her death could have, and should have, been avoided.

If you have any interest in True Crime and/or any interest in police and policing, this book must be added to your library.

5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

*** Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Georgia with her parents in an undated photograph

Lynnette Williams is chair of the Georgia Williams Trust, a charity established in Georgia’s memory which enables young people to access adventure and the outdoors.

She also speaks in schools about violence and extreme pornography.

To learn more about the GEORGIA WILLIAMS TRUST, click on the following links and read more information below this book review.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
http://www.thegeorgiawilliamstrust.co.uk  

FACEBOOK 
https://www.facebook.com/TheGeorgiaWilliamsTrust  

TWITTER  
https://www.twitter.com/RememberGeorgia

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THIS BOOK WAS GHOST WRITTEN BY AUTHOR ROBIN EVELEIGH.

To learn more about Robin, click on the link below:

https://twitter.com/Robin_Eveleigh

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

A fresh, independent, non-fiction publishing imprint.

Their mission is to publish stories that talk to everyone and create books that make everyone talk.

To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:

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GOING TO TRINIDAD has absolutely nothing to do with the country of Trinidad. Instead, this superbly researched and written book with the subtitle: A DOCTOR, A COLORADO TOWN, and STORIES FROM AN UNLIKELY GENDER CROSSROADS informs readers of the town of Trinidad, Colorado and it’s unlikely history as THE hub for gender reassignment surgery.

Title: GOING TO TRINIDAD

Subtitle: A DOCTOR, A COLORADO TOWN, and STORIES FROM AN UNLIKELY GENDER CROSSROADS

Author: MARTIN J. SMITH

Genre: NON-FICTION, LGBTQIA2S, SOCIAL ISSUES

Length:  248 PAGES

Publisher: BOWER HOUSE

Received From: NETGALLEY 

Release Date: APRIL 15, 2021

ISBN: 9781917895101 (Hardcover)

Price: $27.99 USD (Hardcover)

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Hollywood style sign above Trinidad, Colorado.
Photo By: Matt Lemmon

DESCRIPTION:

For more than four decades, between 1969 and 2010, the remote former mining town of Trinidad, Colorado was the unlikely crossroads for approximately six thousand medical pilgrims who came looking for relief from the pain of gender dysphoria. The surgical skill and nonjudgmental compassion of surgeons Stanley Biber and his transgender protege Marci Bowers not only made the phrase “GOING TO TRINIDAD” a euphemism for gender confirmation surgery in the worldwide transgender community, but also turned the small outpost near the New Mexico border into what The New York Times once called “the sex-change capital of the world.”

Publisher: New Orleans Times-Picayune 
Date Issued: Jan. 27, 1985                                      These articles are no longer available on the newspaper’s websites. They would probably have been lost to time if not for the amazing work of the ‘Digital Transgender Archive’ website. Click on the above article to be taken to the archive site.

Publisher: Mobile Register
         Date Issued: Jan. 27, 1985                                               These articles are no longer available on the newspaper’s websites. They would probably have been lost to time if not for the amazing work of the ‘Digital Transgender Archive’ website. Click on the above article to be taken to the archive site.

The full story of that nearly forgotten chapter in gender and medical history has never been told―until now.

Award-winning writer Martin J. Smith spent two years researching not only the stories of Trinidad, Biber, and Bowers, but also tracking the lives of many transgender men and women who sought their services. The result is “Going to Trinidad,” which focuses on the complicated pre- and post-surgery lives of two Biber patients―Claudine Griggs and Walt Heyer―who experienced very different outcomes. Through them, Smith takes readers deep into the often-mystifying world of gender, genitalia, and sexuality, and chronicles a fascinating segment of the human species that’s often misunderstood by those for whom gender remains a mostly binary male-or-female equation.

The stories of Trinidad’s surgeons and transgender pilgrims provide an important opportunity to better understand the millions of complex individuals whose personal struggle is complicated by today’s quicksand of cultural pressures and prejudices. More than six thousand transgender men and women left Trinidad hoping that hormone therapy and surgical relief was the right prescription for their pain. For most it was, but not for all, and their experiences offer important and timely insights for those struggling to understand this sometimes confounding human condition.

Trinidad Brick Collage – Photograph by Sarah Page

MY REVIEW:

“For generations of transgender people, ‘Trinidad, Colorado’ was code for ‘sex-change capital of the world.’ Martin J. Smith brings this somewhat secret history to a wider audience, in an expansive, entertaining narrative chock full of interesting people and previously untold stories.”
— Susan Stryker, author of Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution

GOING TO TRINIDAD is an intricately researched history of gender reassignment surgery and the surgical pioneers who, despite the opinions of others, cared deeply about the suffering of those who had to live in the body that felt alien to them. This empathy drove Dr. Stanley Biber to become the go-to, preeminent surgeon for gender reassignment surgery.

Dr. Stanley Biber, right, with one of his patients, Marsha Botzer, as seen in a 2020 Legacy Project interview. YouTube

Instead of opening his clinic in an urban city, Dr. Biber established his clinic in an unlikely location – a small town in Colorado close to New Mexico that had previously been a hub for the mining industry; that town was named Trinidad.

This book tells the story of two patients who underwent gender reassignment surgery in Trinidad, Colorado. Both had very different experiences. One was thrilled to finally have the inside match the outside whereas the other patient ended up with very different results.

This book is not a “how to guide,” nor is it advocating either for or against the surgery. Instead, it is a work of nonfiction of a snapshot in time. I think this book is important. I have to say that I learned quite a bit about the details of the procedure itself, as well as about the prevailing attitudes at the time.

I found the empathy and compassion of Dr. Biber for his patients inspiring. Dr. Marci Bowers was his transgender protege who has since taken over his medical practice and has moved its location.

Anyone who is interested in, an ally of, or a member themselves of the LGBTQIA2S+ community should read this book.

I am rating it as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  because once I started reading, I was unable to put it down.

You can watch an interview with Dr. Marci Bowers here: 

https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/index.php/extwidget/preview/partner_id/1369852/uiconf_id/42156071/entry_id/1_eip5ucc7/embed/dynamic

*** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

Click HERE to read a FREE PREVIEW of the book!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Martin J. Smith, a veteran journalist and former senior editor of the Los Angeles Times Magazine, is the author of five crime novels and four previous nonfiction books.

He has won more than fifty newspaper and magazine writing awards, and his novels have been nominated for three of the publishing industry’s most prestigious honors, including the Edgar Award, the Anthony Award, and the Barry Award.

To learn more about this author, visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
https://martinjsmith.com

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CHAPTERS  

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LISTEN TO THE AUTHOR SPEAK ON THE PODCAST:

LOST HIGHWAYS: DISPATCHES FROM THE SHADOWS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS:

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

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ALL HALLOWS – Audiobook – Written by Christopher Golden is a masterpiece of horror fiction. If you think blood and guts are necessary for horror novels, this book will prove you wrong. 5+ out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Title: ALL HALLOWS

Author: CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN
http://www.christophergolden.com

Narrator: RONNIE BUTLER and JANUARY LaVOY   

Release Date: JANUARY 24, 2023

Genre: FICTION, HORROR

Length: XXX Hours and XXX Minutes

ISBN: 978-1-667076034  

Publisher: ORANGE SKY AUDIO

Received From: NETGALLEY

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Click above to register for the Free ALL HALLOWS RELEASE PARTY on January 24th, 2023

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DESCRIPTION:

New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author Christopher Golden is best known for his supernatural thrillers set in deadly, distant locales…but in this suburban Halloween drama, Golden brings the horror home.

It’s Halloween night, 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, and two families are unraveling. Up and down the street, secrets are being revealed, and all the while, mixed in with the trick-or-treaters of all ages, four children who do not belong are walking door to door, merging with the kids of Parmenter Road. Children in vintage costumes with faded, eerie makeup. They seem terrified, and beg the neighborhood kids to hide them away, to keep them safe from The Cunning Man.

There’s a small clearing in the woods now that was never there before, and a blackthorn tree that doesn’t belong at all. These odd children claim that The Cunning Man is coming for them…and they want the local kids to protect them. But with families falling apart and the neighborhood splintered by bitterness, who will save the children of Parmenter Road?

All Hallows. The one night when everything is a mask.

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MY REVIEW:

ALL HALLOWS is centered around a single suburban street (Parmenter Road) in the year 1984 and the families who live there. The entire tale takes place over a single day – that of Halloween, also known as All Hallows Eve.

Not only is ALL HALLOWS a horror story, it is also a drama, as well as a commentary on American life in the mid 1980s.

Set in 1984, this horror novel will have readers of a certain age remembering their own lives during the time period in question. Considering the fact that I was in Grade 7 in 1984, the pop culture references were especially nostalgic for me. For example, I remember watching ‘The A Team’ starring Mr. T on television.

Author Christopher Golden seamlessly alternates between several families. He also alternates between each family member’s point of view. This could easily have become confusing to the reader, but Christopher Golden’s writing is perfection.

In fact, it was only upon reflection and the writing of this review that I realized how difficult this type of narrative would be to create. The ability to craft complex plots so seamlessly that the reader does not realize how complicated they truly are is quite simply the mark of a master storyteller. CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN IS THAT MASTER!

People who have little experience with modern horror writers may think of this genre as being all about blood, guts and shock value. This could not be further from the truth and ALL HALLOWS is the perfect example of that fact. 

ALL HALLOWS contains several twists and turns in the storyline, as well as converging plots. In addition, the characters are so beautifully rendered that I could easily picture them as being real people rather than just literary characters. In fact, several of them reminded me of people who lived in my neighborhood while I was growing up. Each character is exquisitely developed and has their own secrets, motivations, views on right and wrong, and ties (some secret, some not) to the other characters in the book. This makes for a story with depth and believability, and one that I very much enjoyed.

I was given an advance review copy of the audiobook version of ALL HALLOWS which I thoroughly enjoyed. The use of two narrators; one male, one female, was a great idea. Having two very different actors voice the various characters added authenticity, which in turn increased my enjoyment of the experience.

I will be highly recommending this book to my followers, family, and friends.

I rate ALL HALLOWS by Christopher Golden as 5+ out of 5 Stars.   ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*** Thank you to #NetGalley and to #OrangeSkyAudio for providing me with a free #advance #review #copy of this #audiobook ***

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ADD THIS BOOK TO YOUR “WANT TO READ ” LIST ON GOODREADS!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784620-all-hallows

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands.

With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore.  

As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot.

Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene.

In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival.

He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family.

His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards.

For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories.

His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world.   

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
http://www.christophergolden.com/

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AUDIBLE

CHAPTERS

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ABOUT THE NARRATORS:

ABOUT RONNIE BUTLER:

Originally from the Bahamas, Ron Butler (aka Ronnie Butler Jr.) began his acting career in Washington D.C. at the Arena Stage.  
After studying with the Atlantic Theater Company (William H. Macy,  Felicity Huffman,  Scott Zigler), he moved to New York to become a company member.  He has appeared in plays and musicals in New York and in regional theaters across the U.S.  

In 2002 he moved to Los Angeles, and since has accumulated over a hundred film and television credits, most notably as a series regular on True Jackson VP.  

In addition to acting, he’s directed and produced short films, new media projects, an independent feature film, commercial PSAs, and television shows in development.

To learn more about this Narrator visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
http://www.ronniebutler.com

TIKTOK

FACEBOOK 

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AUDIBLE

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ABOUT JANUARY LaVOY:

January LaVoy is an Atlanta-based actor, voice artist, and director.

January made her Broadway debut in Lucy Prebble’s ENRON in 2010, and has appeared Off-Broadway in Wings (Second Stage), Coraline (MCC), Measure for Measure (TFANA), Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie (Ars Nova, Lucille Lortel Nomination) Two Trains Running, Home,Funnyhouse of a Negro, and Wakey, Wakey  (Signature Theatre).

For her work in Funnyhouse, she was deemed one of two “Actresses to Watch” by Hilton Als in The New Yorker magazine. Selected regional theatre credits include: Mattie Campbell in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Mark Taper Forum, directed byPhylicia Rashad), Kate in Good People (Pittsburgh Public Theatre), Isabella in Measure for Measure (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, Dawn in Lobby Hero, and Portia in The Merchant of Venice (Denver Center Theatre Company) and the world premiere of Native Guard by United States Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Natasha Trethewey (Alliance Theatre), which was also recorded by LA Theatreworks in 2018. She is a 2010 alumna of the Sundance Theatre Lab.

She has been seen on television in “Blue Bloods”, “N0S4A2”, “Elementary”, and “Law & Order” (classic, CI and SVU), and in 2007 she created the role of Noelle Ortiz-Stubbs on “One Life to Live”, which she played until 2011.

Her voiceover work includes many national commercial campaigns, promos, documentaries, and hundreds of audiobooks. In 2013, she was named Audiobook Narrator of the Year by Publishers’ Weekly. She has been nominated for 18 Audie Awards, receiving 7, and has garnered over three dozen Audiofile Magazine Earphones Awards. In the spring of 2019, she was honored with Audiofile’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Golden Voice. She shares a 2020 GRAMMY nomination with Meryl Streep and the cast of the Charlotte’s Web audiobook, in which she plays the title role of Charlotte.

She received her MFA from Denver’s National Theatre Conservatory, and has taught audition preparation, scene study, and on-camera technique at Emory University.  

To learn more about this Narrator visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE  
https://www.januarylavoy.com

GOODREADS

IMDb

WIKIPEDIA

TWITTER  

INSTAGRAM 

AUDIOPHILE MAGAZINE

AUDIBLE

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

OrangeSky Audio is an audiobook publisher raising the volume on new ideas, favorite voices, and words that may have otherwise gone unspoken.

Our published works are an exploration of new ideas and hidden gems in popular genres, speaking to adults and children alike.

With the widest retail and library distribution network in the world, we connect listeners of all ages with the stories and narrators they love — and encourage discovery of a next new favorite.  

To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:

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OCME – Life in America’s Top Forensic Medical Center by BRUCE GOLDFARB is Exquisitely readable and surprisingly relatable

Title: OCME 

Subtitle: Life in America’s Top Forensic Medical Center 

Author: BRUCE GOLDFARB 

Release Date: FEBRUARY 21, 2023

Genre: NON-FICTION, TRUE CRIME, BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS, FORENSICS

Number Of Pages: 240 Pages

Publisher: STEERFORTH PRESS 

Received From: NETGALLEY & EDELWEISS 

ISBN: 9781586423582 

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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DESCRIPTION:

Go behind the scenes inside the nation’s preeminent Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where good people fight the good fight amid the tragedies and absurdities of our age.

Perfect for fans of Michael Lewis and David Simon (Homicide, The Corner, The Wire, We Own This City)

Real life is different from what gets depicted on procedural crime dramas. 

Equipped with a journalist’s eye, a paramedic’s experience and a sardonic wit, Bruce Goldfarb spent ten years with Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where every sudden or unattended death in the state is scrutinized.

Touching on numerous scandals, including Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd and the tragic killing in police custody of Freddie Gray, Goldfarb pulls back the curtain on a pioneer institution in crisis.

Medical examiners and the investigators and technicians who support them play vital roles in the justice and public health systems of every American community. During Goldfarb’s time with the Maryland OCME, opioid-related deaths contributed to a significant increase in their workload. Faced with a chronic shortage of qualified experts and inadequate funding, their important and fascinating work has become more challenging than most people could ever imagine.

The public gets a skewed view of the relationship between police and medical examiners from procedural crime dramas, Bruce Goldfarb writes of his work inside one of America’s most storied forensic centers. We aren’t on the same team . . . We aren’t on any team. The medical examiner’s sole duty is to the deceased person. We speak for the dead.

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MY REVIEW: 

Exquisitely readable and surprisingly relatable, OCME Life in America’s Top Forensic Medical Center is a book I read in a single sitting. Despite needing sleep, I was unable to put this book down.

Author Bruce Goldfarb brings readers along with him for a detailed look at what life is really like in the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Think this book would be too macabre to read? You would be massively wrong. OCME does NOT rely on the glorification of blood and guts to sell books. It is so interesting that it simply doesn’t need to.

Full of eye-opening facts and fascinating details, OCME will open the eyes of its readers to the ridiculousness of red tape in any and every bureaucracy; even the bureaucracy of death itself.

Although this might not have been the author’s goal, he has nevertheless succeeded in bringing to light the horrific statistics surrounding many of the most concerning ways in which people have died over the past decade. Granted, the statistics used in this book only represent the state of Maryland, however, these are the same issues faced by most other states and cities in North America. For example, the author highlights the alarming number of people who have died due to the Opiod Epidemic. 

This book will open people’s eyes to the importance of having skilled and highly trained medical examiners. The result of this will hopefully be that both taxpayers and politicians will allocate more money in their budgets to the OCME in their respective jurisdictions.

Some of the most shocking, and frankly disturbing, information contained within the pages of this book are the following facts:

[  ]  “About half of the US population is under the jurisdiction of coroners and lacks access to qualified forensic pathologists…”

[  ] “In states including Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, New York, Idaho, Georgia, Colorado, and Nevada, elected coroners aren’t required to have ANY medical or legal training before they can certify the cause and manner of death.”

[  ] In Missouri, to serve as a coroner, the requirements are minimal. You only have to be 21 or older, and have to get more votes than anyone else. There is absolutely NO MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY. That is ridiculous. “If a person is elected coroner, they can crack open a beer and start signing death certificates.”

I rate OCME as 5 out of 5 Stars
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I recommend this book not only to fans of True Crime, but also to everyone who wants to be more informed about Public Health, Politics, and/or general nonfiction enthusiasts.

Reading this book and spreading the word about it could be the difference between a murderer being caught or going free. It just might be the reason a killer is caught and the lives of future potential victims are saved.

*** Thank you to #NetGalley and #Edelweiss for providing me with a free advance review copy of this book. ***

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Photo by Jennifer Bishop

Bruce Goldfarb was the executive assistant to the Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Maryland, US, where the ‘Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death’ are housed.

He was the public information officer for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and trained as a forensic investigator.

Bruce began his career as a paramedic before becoming an award-winning journalist reporting on medicine, science and health. Through his work with the Nutshell Studies, Bruce earned the trust of Frances Glessner Lee’s family and caretakers of her estate, and was designated Lee’s official biographer.

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
https://brucegoldfarb.com 

GOODREADS 

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Since 1994, Steerforth Press has sought to publish books that are written well, intended to engage the full attention of the reader, and have something new or important to say. Our active backlist features timeless works of fiction and poetry, but our current program focuses exclusively on works of narrative nonfiction.

To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
http://www.steerforth.com   

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https://www.c-span.org/video/?508985-2/nutshell-studies-unexplained-death

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ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE by Shane Mutlow is A Canadian Soldier’s Personal Account of Rwandan Genocide and its aftermath. Gritty and raw … This book doesn’t pull any punches and is not for the faint-of-heart.

Title: ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE
https://shanemutlowauthor.com

Subtitle: A CANADIAN SOLDIER’S PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE

Author: SHANE MUTLOW

Release Date: AUGUST 5, 2021

Genre: NON-FICTION, BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS, MILITARIA, MENTAL HEALTH, PTSD

Number Of Pages: 133

Publisher: TELLWELL PUBLISHING

Received From: THE AUTHOR

ISBN: 978-0-2288-5987-1

Rating: 4 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

DESCRIPTION:

“The scars we show become lighthouses for those about to hit the same rock.”
– ANONYMOUS.

The above is a quote from the screenplay written by Katelyn Wells, adapted from the book ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE.

A true story of a young Canadian Soldier returning home from a war-torn Rwanda, after witnessing the most horrific genocide since WWII.

Corporal Shane Mutlow was held at gunpoint for two days by local forces, not knowing whether or not he would live to see another day. Labelled “whereabouts unknown” twice and held against his will while on a major operation by Rwandan government officials, Corporal Mutlow was sent off-road every day into unknown territories deep within the Rwandan jungle.

The genocide in Rwanda left Canadian troops completely unprepared for the tragedies they would be subjected to, from the suicide of a brother-in-arms on Christmas Day to returning home from his deployment to a wife and children who would never know the horrors he had endured.

Just six months spent in the midst of the Rwanda genocide would change this young soldier’s life forever.

Shane Mutlow bore witness to what the world wanted to ignore.

This is his story.

Portions of each sale of this book will be donated to Fortitude Farms, a facility which provides equine therapy for those who suffer with mental illness.

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MY REVIEW:

With the Russian invasion into the Ukraine, people are talking about war for the first time in a long time.

As such, it is perhaps the perfect time for people to read Shane Mutlow’s memoir titled; “ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE – A CANADIAN SOLDIER’S PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE.”

I believe that most Canadians take our military for granted or are unaware of the extent of their involvement in armed conflicts around the world.

One of the worst atrocities in world history was the Genocide in Rwanda. 

Canadian soldiers were sent to assist the United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda (UNAMIR), author Shane Mutlow was one of those soldiers.

While most of the Canadian soldiers who were sent to Rwanda spent their time in a single area of the capital city and saw little action, this was not the case for Shane Mutlow.

Unfortunately, Shane saw first hand the brutality and horror that has come to be synonymous with the Rwandan “Civil War.”

Written by a member of the military, this book offers civilians a glimpse into the fact that Canadian soldiers put not only their physical well-being on the line, they put their mental health on the line as well.

Historically, members of the military who admit weakness of any kind have been viewed as weak. This type of thinking needs to change.

It is much easier to pretend that their experiences had little or no effect than to admit to needing help. It is for this reason that it is essential that veterans write and speak honestly about their experiences. ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE does exactly that.

The author has included several photographs which allow the reader to feel more connected to his story.

As a self-published book, it would benefit from a professional editor and proofreader, but these flaws do not take away from the impact of the story. Normally these typographical errors would be enough to drop a couple stars off of the rating I give to a book, but in this case they just add to its authenticity. It is for this reason that I chose to rate “ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE” as 4 out of 5 Stars.      ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

**** Thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy or book. ****

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Shane Mutlow is a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, where he spent time at 1 CDHSR as a radio operator, and at 3 RCR, where he served with a parachute company.

Shane has been to many different countries while serving in the military.

He was deployed on an UN tour, UNAMIR, in Rwanda, Africa, from 1994–1995, and witnessed the aftermath of the genocide caused by the civil war between the Hutu and Tutsi clans.

He has had a successful career working at an engineering firm prior to his retirement in 2014.

His story is twenty years in the making and is one that needs to be told.  

This is Shane’s first book, but it will surely give the readers an insight into the horrors and setbacks that our Canadian soldiers and veterans struggle with when they arrive home after being in a theatre of operation.

Shane continues to reside in Pembroke, ON, with his wife Justine and daughter Madison.

His two boys, Nicolas and  his daughter Addison, Zachary and his fiancée Avery live out west and frequently come to Pembroke for visits.

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

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TELLWELL PUBLISHING BLOG

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LOOKOUT NAVY NEWS ARTICLE

SMASHWORDS

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Why Self-Publish with Tellwell?

• A full-service team approach: experienced editors, designers and other experts to ensure great quality

• The highest royalties and smartest distribution model in the industry

• Step-by-step guidance so you don’t get confused or stuck

• International reach, with distribution in North America, Europe and beyond

• A caring, small company feel in contrast to a large “factory approach” to publishing

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For more information about Canadian veterans and PTSD go to the following websites.

WOUNDED WARRIORS CANADA
https://woundedwarriors.ca

HEROES MENDING ON THE FLY CANADA
https://heroesmendingontheflycanada.ca/home

TRUE PATRIOT LOVE
https://truepatriotlove.com

SOLDIER ON
https://www.soldieron.ca

RWANDA VETERANS OF CANADA
https://www.facebook.com/RwandaVeteranCanada

CATCH THE SPARROW- A Search for a Sister and the Truth of Her Murder by Author, Poet, and Artist RACHEL REAR – RELEASED TODAY – Buy your copy today of this 5 Star Read NOW 📚

Title: CATCH THE SPARROW

Subtitle: A Search for a Sister and the Truth of Her Murder

Author: RACHEL REAR

Release Date: TODAY

Genre: NON-FICTION, TRUE CRIME, BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS

Number Of Pages: 256

Publisher: BLOOMSBURY USA

Received From: NETGALLEY

ISBN: 978-1635577235

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DESCRIPTION:

The gripping story of a young woman’s murder, unsolved for over two decades, brilliantly investigated and reconstructed by her stepsister.

The photo of Stephanie that her dad
gave police in 1991.
COURTESY OF RACHEL REAR

Growing up, Rachel Rear knew the story of Stephanie Kupchynsky’s disappearance. The beautiful violinist and teacher had fled an abusive relationship on Martha’s Vineyard and made a new start for herself near Rochester, NY. She was at the height of her life-in a relationship with a man she hoped to marry and close to her students and her family. And then, one morning, she was gone.

Rachel Rear with her step-father in 2008

Around Rochester-a region which has spawned such serial killers as Arthur Shawcross and the “Double Initial” killer-Stephanie’s disappearance was just a familiar sort of news item. But Rachel had more reason than most to be haunted by this particular story of a missing woman: Rachel’s mother had married Stephanie’s father after the crime, and Rachel grew up in the shadow of her stepsister’s legacy.

A photo of Stephanie’s beloved cockatiel, Chubie.

In Catch the Sparrow, Rachel Rear writes a compulsively readable and unerringly poignant reconstruction of the case’s dark and serpentine path across more than two decades. Obsessively cataloging the crime and its costs, drawing intimately closer to the details than any journalist could, she reveals how a dysfunctional justice system laid the groundwork for Stephanie’s murder and stymied the investigation for more than twenty years, and what those hard years meant for the lives of Stephanie’s family and loved ones. Startling, unputdownable, and deeply moving.

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MY REVIEW:

CATCH THE SPARROW by author, teacher, and artist Rachel Rear is a True Crime book that is truly unique. 
I have read literally hundreds of true crime books and stories. They all follow a prescribed pattern and almost all are written by journalists. The best true crime books contain interviews and photos provided by the victim’s family. However, this book rises above the rest.

In it, Rachel Rear writes the story of the disappearance and ultimately the murder of Stephanie Kupchynsky. So, what makes this book so unique you ask. Well, Rachel Rear happens to be Stephanie Kupchynsky’s stepsister. That in itself is interesting and offers an inside look into the story. To make this book even more compelling is the fact that Rachel and Stephanie did not become stepsisters until after Stephanie had gone missing. 

In no other book have I been so enthralled. It is difficult to believe that this is Rachel Rear’s first book. CATCH THE SPARROW is researched with the meticulousness of a seasoned journalist. This research makes the book a true deep dive into the disappearance and murder. Rachel’s familial connection offers readers a view into what happens to a family who go years, and even decades without answers as to what happened to their loved one.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Whether or not you are a fan of true crime, you need to read this book.

The detail with which Rachel delves into her stepsister’s life cannot help but have readers invested in finding Stephanie’s body and in determining exactly who was responsible for taking this vibrant young woman’s life and in seeing that justice prevails.

The feeling and love that Rachel feels for her deceased stepsister comes through loud and clear in her writing.

I recommend this book with the highest possible rating. I am 100% convinced this book will be on the NY Times Best Seller List for many, many weeks.

I rate CATCH THE SPARROW as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

*** Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Photo by Elena Mudd

Rachel Rear, a New York City public school teacher and actor, holds an MA from Columbia University and an MFA from the New School.

She has been published in the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and numerous other publications, however, this is her first book.

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
http://www.rachelrear.com/

GOODREADS

SHOP LOCAL CANADA

FACEBOOK  

TWITTER 

INSTAGRAM 

LINKEDIN

AMAZON  

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Bloomsbury has a tradition of publishing literary fiction from all over the world, and a wide range of distinguished non-fiction from memoir, biography, and history to politics, science, food, and sport.

To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:

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CATCH THE SPARROW – A Search For A Sister and the Truth of Her Murder by RACHEL REAR releases in 8 days – A True Crime Tale Like No Other

Title: CATCH THE SPARROW

Subtitle: A Search for a Sister and the Truth of Her Murder

Author: RACHEL REAR

Release Date: FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Genre: NON-FICTION, TRUE CRIME, BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS

Number Of Pages: 256

Publisher: BLOOMSBURY USA

Received From: NETGALLEY

ISBN: 978-1635577235

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DESCRIPTION:

The gripping story of a young woman’s murder, unsolved for over two decades, brilliantly investigated and reconstructed by her stepsister.

The photo of Stephanie that her dad
gave police in 1991.
COURTESY OF RACHEL REAR

Growing up, Rachel Rear knew the story of Stephanie Kupchynsky’s disappearance. The beautiful violinist and teacher had fled an abusive relationship on Martha’s Vineyard and made a new start for herself near Rochester, NY. She was at the height of her life-in a relationship with a man she hoped to marry and close to her students and her family. And then, one morning, she was gone.

Rachel Rear with her step-father in 2008

Around Rochester-a region which has spawned such serial killers as Arthur Shawcross and the “Double Initial” killer-Stephanie’s disappearance was just a familiar sort of news item. But Rachel had more reason than most to be haunted by this particular story of a missing woman: Rachel’s mother had married Stephanie’s father after the crime, and Rachel grew up in the shadow of her stepsister’s legacy.

A photo of Stephanie’s beloved cockatiel, Chubie.

In Catch the Sparrow, Rachel Rear writes a compulsively readable and unerringly poignant reconstruction of the case’s dark and serpentine path across more than two decades. Obsessively cataloging the crime and its costs, drawing intimately closer to the details than any journalist could, she reveals how a dysfunctional justice system laid the groundwork for Stephanie’s murder and stymied the investigation for more than twenty years, and what those hard years meant for the lives of Stephanie’s family and loved ones. Startling, unputdownable, and deeply moving.

*************************************

MY REVIEW:

CATCH THE SPARROW by author, teacher, and artist Rachel Rear is a True Crime book that is truly unique. 
I have read literally hundreds of true crime books and stories. They all follow a prescribed pattern and almost all are written by journalists. The best true crime books contain interviews and photos provided by the victim’s family. However, this book rises above the rest.

In it, Rachel Rear writes the story of the disappearance and ultimately the murder of Stephanie Kupchynsky. So, what makes this book so unique you ask. Well, Rachel Rear happens to be Stephanie Kupchynsky’s stepsister. That in itself is interesting and offers an inside look into the story. To make this book even more compelling is the fact that Rachel and Stephanie did not become stepsisters until after Stephanie had gone missing. 

In no other book have I been so enthralled. It is difficult to believe that this is Rachel Rear’s first book. CATCH THE SPARROW is researched with the meticulousness of a seasoned journalist. This research makes the book a true deep dive into the disappearance and murder. Rachel’s familial connection offers readers a view into what happens to a family who go years, and even decades without answers as to what happened to their loved one.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Whether or not you are a fan of true crime, you need to read this book.

The detail with which Rachel delves into her stepsister’s life cannot help but have readers invested in finding Stephanie’s body and in determining exactly who was responsible for taking this vibrant young woman’s life and in seeing that justice prevails.

The feeling and love that Rachel feels for her deceased stepsister comes through loud and clear in her writing.

I recommend this book with the highest possible rating. I am 100% convinced this book will be on the NY Times Best Seller List for many, many weeks.

I rate CATCH THE SPARROW as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

*** Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Photo by Elena Mudd

Rachel Rear, a New York City public school teacher and actor, holds an MA from Columbia University and an MFA from the New School.

She has been published in the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and numerous other publications, however, this is her first book.

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

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http://www.rachelrear.com/

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Bloomsbury has a tradition of publishing literary fiction from all over the world, and a wide range of distinguished non-fiction from memoir, biography, and history to politics, science, food, and sport.

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LOSING IT AT 40 by Canadian East Coast Author SARAH BUTLAND is the perfect read for a snowy weekend.

Title: LOSING IT AT 40

Author: SARAH BUTLAND

Release Date: JULY 2021

Genre: FICTION, WOMEN’S FICTION, ROMANCE

Number Of Pages: 282

Publisher: BOOKS TO GO

Received From: THE AUTHOR

ISBN: 979-8533839921

Rating: 4 OUT OF 5 STARS  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

DESCRIPTION:

Being alone, a virgin and comfortable in her own skin, Annie, like a lot of us, dreads turning forty. Turning forty tends to mean more challenges physically, in the bedroom and beyond. Losing It At Forty is Anne’s story and while she has, so far, lived a mundane life her world is about to change. Sitting at a bar, Annabelle comes to the decision to loosen up and lose her virginity. Starting with no longer using her nickname and wanting to be referred to as her full name, Annabelle.

Annabelle knows she doesn’t need a man but her desire for one is turned up after having a few drink and men flirting with her.

What she knew she wanted was sex and even at forty years old she worried about pregnancy so took time off work to check with a doctor about the pill. He thought it was redundant but prescribed it anyway.

With many humorous incidents, including a time at an esthetician’s parlor and almost being arrested, to buying cream and being caught looking at condoms as well as the dreaded video chat while getting undressed, Annabelle is enjoying life despite the comedic moments her romantic endeavors provide.

MY REVIEW:

Let me tell you all about the book I just finished reading. It is called  LOSING IT AT 40 by Sarah Butland. And yes, the “it” in “LOSING IT…” is the protagonist’s virginity.

I know, I know, in today’s society it is exceptionally rare that anyone makes it to age 40 with their virginity intact. But Annie has never been what you would call a ‘social butterfly.’

Written in the first person, Annie speaks directly to the reader which I thought was a terrific way to tell this specific story. Because of this, readers begin to feel like they are either a friend of Annie, or, they are voyeurs reading her innermost thoughts as written in her personal diary. Either way, readers will want to know more.

Annie’s story is at times hilarious, at others it is touching, and at all times fascinating.

“It was obvious to me that I wouldn’t be outstanding on my first go-around and I really didn’t know much about the act itself … Maybe there was a Netflix type service just for porn.”

When I read the above paragraph I burst out laughing and when asked why I read it to my husband who also chuckled.

Annie is a delightful mix of bold and sassy, yet shy and quiet. She is like every other woman – a mixture of many traits and contradictions.

Annie ends up meeting two very different men. She knows she has to choose just one, but will she choose Travis, or Mike? You need to buy a copy of LOSING IT AT 40 to find out.

Although Sarah is an amateur writer, you wouldn’t know it. She has an affinity for creating believable and realistic characters.

I rate this book as 4 out of 5 Stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*** Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

*************************************

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Sarah Butland was born in Ontario, the year was 1982. She was moved to New Brunswick for over 15 years and now resides at home in Nova Scotia, Canada. Butland has been married to her high school sweetheart and has a superstar son named William.

Butland started creating while still learning to walk and in years to follow was able to put a writing utensil to paper to document her creations before they were completely lost. Of course, her first manuscripts were in dire need of editing but she didn’t seem to mind nor did her readers.

The first “big break” for Butland came when she was still a teenager feeling like she was unlike every other teenager she knew. She heard from a poetry contest that her poem “Wrong Shell” would be published in their anthology; would she kindly send them thousands of dollars to continue on in the finals. Butland’s parents refused. So began the struggle of discovering which awards were actually earned not bought.

Limiting herself to contest submissions from then on, Sarah Butland realized her career of writing would be a difficult struggle no matter the talent she held inside or was forced out.

Many stories, attempts at novels and thousands of ideas later, Butland created BananaBoy and the Adventures of Sammy was born with Sending You Sammy, her first published children’s book.

To learn more about this author visit the following links:

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