New Release: Fifteen Keys by Peter J Barbour
June 3, 2025 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Spotlight tagged as action-adventure, adventure, becoming an adult, coming of age, ethics, family values, fantasy, Fifteen Keys, journey, Life Lessons, middle grade, Mussar, new release, odyssey, Peter J Barbour, quest, right of passage, self-reliance, survival, Travel, virtues
Fifteen Keys
Written and Illustrated
by
Peter J Barbour
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-954675-06-3
Print ISBN: 978-1-954675-05-6
Blub
In the year 1890, from a remote village in the Pacific Northwest, three teen-aged boys undertake a challenge, a rite of passage, to find fifteen “keys” that will help them grow into responsible adults and enable them to return home to become leaders in their community. They face challenging terrain, untamed wilderness, hostile weather, and a host of odd characters, any of which might delay or defeat them in their quest. But each experience has a lesson to teach the boys—a key to their development as young men.
Meanwhile, their cousins, too young to join them on their journey, wait at home, caring for their livestock, learning lessons of their own, and hoping they will see their kindred again. Will the boys be able to surmount their obstacles and return home, or will the dangers they face get the better of them, forever separating them from their families and the community they hoped to serve?
Fifteen Keys is an action-adventure fantasy for middle grade and young teens.
Amazon listed Fifteen Keys as the #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult 19th Century Historical Fiction eBooks.
More Praise for Fifteen Keys
Set in the Northwest at an earlier time than today, the book, so well written, presents a totally original story, and it is filled with life lessons, well told and well taught.
It is a book to be read by each of us, and more importantly it will be a wondrous read for our children and grandchildren, at just the age when they begin to face these ethical concerns in their own lives.
Fifteen Keys, even more than a great read, helps kids grow up more comfortably with their ethics sharpened.
~ Rabbi BergMiddle school students and young adults will immediately be hooked on this page-turner. This spiritual discovery reminiscent of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, teaches patience, faith, humbleness, and maintaining equanimity, just to name a few. It is a must read for young people facing the challenges of daily life today.
~Stephanie Szilagyi, MEd Reading SpecialistFifteen Keys is an exciting, engaging adventure story about three teenage boys in the Pacific Northwest in the late 19th century. As the reader anxiously follows their experiences, the author seamlessly weaves valuable life lessons into the tale.
~Carol Marin, BA, MA History, high school teacher
The author’s skill in describing the beauty of the mountains, forests, plains, and waterways as well as the challenging weather conditions of the Pacific Northwest, puts the reader directly into the action. Highly recommended.
~John P. Linehan, retired high school teacher
About the author
Neurologist Peter J Barbour, M.D., retired his reflex hammer to become a full-time writer and illustrator. His works include a memoir, Loose Ends, three illustrated children’s books: Gus at Work, Oscar and Gus, and Tanya and the Baby Elephant, and over forty short stories that have appeared in e-journals and magazines. One of them, “The Fate of Dicky Paponovitch,” earned him “Raconteur of the Month” from Susan Carol Publishing Company. He belongs to the Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). He lives in Oregon with his photographer wife. They enjoy traveling and the outdoors. He is actively involved in Mussar, an ancient study of Jewish ethics, virtues, and mindfulness leading to character development. He participates in the process as a group facilitator and brings Mussar’s timeless wisdom to the writing of FIFTEEN KEYS.
To L.A. With Love
June 1, 2025 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month, Spotlight tagged as Charity Anthology, Pre-order, to L.A. with love
❤️❤️ Pre-Order ❤️❤️
To L.A. With Love is coming June 10, 2025! I can’t wait for you to read The Widow Next Door, Ellie Raynes’ and Neill Yates’ meet cute. The Widow Next Door is one of about 100 short stories in this charity anthology raising money for the Los Angeles and Altadena Public Libraries.
❤️❤️Buy Buttons ❤️❤️
_____________________________________
B L U R B
When wildfires destroyed two beloved Los Angeles public libraries in January 2025, the romance community answered with heart.
In To L.A. With Love, 100+ local and international authors and poets weave tales filled with sexy contemporary passion, dreamy historical romance, and spellbinding magical encounters. From the sweetest kiss to steam between the sheets, these tales remind us why we fall in love with books—because like libraries, they offer refuge, inspire dreams, and bring people together.
This anthology celebrates the power of romance, and all proceeds from To L.A. With Love support the restoration of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades libraries, proving that love stories can heal more than fictional broken hearts—they can rebuild community.
Thank you to Kate Farlow for designing AND donating our gorgeous cover!
❤️❤️ Pick up your copy today, and join us in writing a new chapter for Los Angeles. ❤️❤️
❤️❤️Buy Buttons ❤️❤️
Featuring stories by:
Aarti V Raman, USA Today Bestselling Author
Alexa Santi
Alexis Roark, USA Today Bestselling Author
Alice Duncan
Aliza Mann
Allie Lasky
Amanda Richardson
Amy Award, USA Today Bestselling Author
Amy J. Hawthorn
Andrea Johnston
Anna Quinn
Anne Barwell
Arell Rivers, USA Today Bestselling Author
Aria R. Blue
Arianna Quinn
Ashley Erin
Ashley Olivier
B. Ryan
C.B. Noy
C.G. Burnette
Caitlin Loggins
Cecilia Rene
Christina Alexandra
Christine Ashworth, USA Today Bestselling Author
CJ Warrant
Claire Davon, USA Today Bestselling Author
Claire Marti, USA Today Bestselling Author
Crystal Perkins
Cynthia Diamond
Dee Lagasse
Jennifer Worrell
DL Gallie
Ella Braeme
Ellena Espejo
Gemma Snow
Gwen Galloway
Heather C. Myers
Heather Scarlett
HL Miller
J. M. Zuniga
J.C. Hannigan
J.l. Perry
JCC Downing
Jeannie Choe
Jeannine Colette
Jodi Chow
Juliet Gauvin
Karen Grey
Katherine Moore, USA Today Bestselling Author
Katrina Marie
Kelly A. Varner
Kelly Violet
Kennedy L. Mitchell
Khushi T. Saha
KL Hill
Kristen Elizabeth
Leesa Bow
Lena Cove
Libby Waterford
Lisa Rayne
Lyra Parish
M. Solis
Marianne H Donley
Marilyn Throne
Michelle Mars
Milly Gray
Monica Ross
Monique Stokes
N.J. Ember
Nanxi We
Natalie Tay
Nicole Sanchez
Nikki Prince, International Bestselling Author
Olivia Huxley
Pamela DuMond, USA Today Bestselling Author
R. Snow
R.L. Merrill
Rae Shawn
Ren Alexander
Rhian Cahill
Rose Bak, USA Today Bestselling Author
Roxie Noir
Samantha Shaye
Shana Gray
Shannon Myers
Shelley Kassian
Simran
SL Hannah
Sorcha Mowbray
Stephanie J. Scott
Stephanie Marie Whitson
Susannah Erwin
Tessa McFionn
Theresa Lambe
Tiffany Carby
Tori Mitchell
Tracy Reed
V. Walker
Vi Summers, International Bestselling Author
Victoria Ellis
❤️❤️Release Date: June 10, 2025❤️❤️
Down to Earth
May 30, 2025 by Dianna Sinovic in category Quill and Moss by Dianna Sinovic, Writing tagged as climate fiction, short fiction, writing
Lily pressed her flowered handkerchief to her forehead and wondered for the fifth time that day why she had signed up for the Festival of the Earth event. The May sun beating on the roof of her canopy turned it into a DIY heat lamp. Stacks of her ecological thriller sat ignored on her table. The crowd was more interested in the pastry shop’s tent next door, the line for lunch turnovers stretching down the mown pathway from the parking lot.
She’d hoped to sell at least several copies of her book Unplugged, a fictional tale about a full-off-the-grid society; after all, its theme aligned nicely with the festival’s. In fact, the vendor on the other side of her was hawking solar panels, and she considered flagging everyone who passed her up to let them know her book was relevant—her main character had four panels on the roof of her cottage.
It didn’t help that the cumin-and-coriander aroma of the turnovers made her stomach grumble. Her packed lunch of peanut butter and jelly had lost all appeal in comparison.
Another hour in, and one book sold, to the mother of a family of three littles ready, she said, for something “more mature than Sesame Street.” Lily tucked away the cash in her pouch and watched the family stream toward the kids’ crafts tent—a place where youngsters could launch gigantic bubbles to float elongated and short-lived across the nearby park field.
She sighed. Even with the sunny weather, the day was a bust so far. Not ready to give up yet, though, she left her booth long enough to introduce herself to the solar vendor. Networking was important at sales events. Busy in the full sun, the vendor was bent over the electrical hookup for the largest of his panels, muttering under his breath. He didn’t seem bothered by the heat, even as Lily fanned herself with an event program.
“Just wanted to mention that the novel I’m selling today is about folks who embrace solar.” Lily stuck out a hand, but withdrew it when the vendor ignored her. “That’s a nice fit with what you’re selling. You know, about being unplugged.” When he finally looked up, he squinted at her with a frown. “Nobody reads books any more.”
The hell they don’t. She stomped back to her table, threading her way through another wave of potential tire-kickers for the solar cells. “Stop by my booth next,” she called to them, with a friendly wave. “I’ve got free snacks!”
But her mini-bags of pretzels were no match for the tasty turnover tent, and eventually Lily succumbed, taking a spot at the end of the long queue. She hoped the turnover supply would last until she arrived at the front of the line.
“You’re Lily Spruce, right?” The young woman at the turnover counter wrapped up a chicken turnover for her, but waved away the bills Lily offered. Her name tag read Rachael in precise hand-lettering. “I read your book on a friend’s recommendation. Really, really good. This is my contribution toward your authorial efforts.”
“Wow,” Lily managed to say. “Thanks.” Back at her booth, she savored the unexpected treat—from an unexpected fan. The day was worth it for that, if nothing else, she decided. And a breeze picked up, carrying away some of the tent’s stifling warmth and bringing with it the faint rumble of thunder.
It was then that she noticed the advancing cloud bank. Checking her phone, she skimmed the severe weather warning. As though one of the next-door solar panels had activated, the energy of the crowd changed to one of urgency. Already the wind increased, making the canopy tents pop and threatening to send them aloft. The line dwindled to nothing for Rachael, the turnover vendor. The kids’ craft tent emptied, and people hurried toward the parking area.
Lily packed away her books, wrapping them in plastic against the approaching rain, and pulled out her rain slicker. The smell of rain mixed with the lingering aroma of cumin and coffee.
In the next booth, Rachael struggled against the wind to take down her canopy. Lily sprang into action. “Let me help. And then maybe you can help me with mine.”
Rachael looked up, surprised. “Sure thing.”
Together they collapsed the canopy, working in a light mist. Then they tackled Lily’s, and slipped the tent into its sleeve just as the mist turned to rain.
The park stretched out beyond them, now empty. Only a few vendors remained; the rest had fled.
Rachael pulled her wheeled cart onto the pathway, heading for the parking area. “So much for a festival for the Earth,” she said. “A pity it’s rained out.”
Wasn’t that the definition of unplugged? Lily pictured her novel’s protagonist, facing whatever Mother Nature threw at her: storm, drought, flood, heavy snow. You were thankful for sunny skies when you got them, but the changing weather kept things interesting.
“It’s all part of life,” Lily said with a shrug. “But hey, we can make the most of it. Let’s go grab a beer and commiserate.”
Dianna Sinovic’s Books
MIRROR, MIRROR: A WRITER’S REFLECTION BY VERONICA JORGE
May 22, 2025 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as art, reflection, revelation, words, writing
The painter stares at the canvas waiting for an image to appear. Patiently, he waits until a faint imprint of a landscape or a face emerges. He then grabs a brush and dabs it into the paint on his palette, making haste to reach the canvas with his brush to capture the image. The artist contrasts shade and light. He tightens or increases space. His brush moves rhythmically or scratches across the linen to make the colors and texture warm or cool. The work he renders leaves the viewer feeling airy or heavy.
That’s how I feel when I write. I stare at a blank page as though something secret lay hidden deep within the fibers and emptiness, that by patiently waiting will reveal itself to me. So I wait…until a word, a phrase, or a picture appears.
Could it be that the blank screen or journal page is a powerful mirror able to enlighten my own ideas and though
ts? Is it I who write on the paper; or does the paper draw out what is inside of me?
My words pour out and my hand races across the page. My mind tries to keep up with both for they seem to move of their own volition depicting moments dark and light. Paragraphs heavy laden with emotion yield and give way to joy and humor, while spacing slows or hurries the reader along.
Finished, I sit back exhausted and, ignoring my headache, I read what I wrote. Awestruck, I ask, “Where did this come from?”
My trembling fingers turn the leaf to uncover a new blank page and my sweaty palm smooths the journal sheet flat. Pen in hand, I sit ready to capture another treasure. My eyes dilate seeking and waiting for new wonders to behold.
See you next time on June 22nd.
Veronica Jorge
Books Review by Veronica
Tari Lynn Jewett: Featured Author
May 14, 2025 by Tari Jewett in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett, Featured Author of the Month tagged as #Charmed Writers, #FireworksintheFog, #HeromsaForTheHolidays, #PleaseSayYes, Love and Mud Puddles, romantic comedy, Tari Lynn Jewett
Tari Lynn Jewett lives with her husband of nearly thirty years (also known as Hunky Hubby). They have three amazing sons, a board game designer, a sound engineer and a musician, all who live nearby. For over fifteen years she wrote freelance for magazines and newspapers, wrote television commercials, radio spots, numerous press releases, and many, MANY PTA newsletters. As much as she loved writing those things, she always wanted to write fiction . . . and now she is.
She also believes in happily ever after . . . because she’s living hers.
Tari’s newest title is Love and Mud Puddles, available now.
Hannah loves her accounting job, the condo that she purchased herself, and her best friend Melinda. What she doesn’t love is baking. To be fair, she’s never tried. But when her cousin shames her into bringing homemade cookies to the family Christmas Eve celebration, she begins a quest to make the perfect holiday cookie.
Paramedic Josh also occasionally teaches kids’ cookie baking classes at his family’s bakery. When a beautiful accountant mistakenly signs up for a children’s holiday baking class, he realizes immediately that she’s in the right place.
Can this local hero help to save Hannah’s Christmas? Or will it all go up in smoke?
Tari’s other Books
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