Tag Archives: spotlight

October 29, 2021 · 7:00 am

Peel Back and See by Mike Thorn (Book Review)

In spaces both familiar and strange, unknowable horrors lurk.

From the recesses of the Internet, where cosmic terror shows its face on an endless live feed, to a museum celebrating the sordid legacy of an occultist painter, this chilling collection of sixteen short stories will plunge you into the eerie, pessimistic imagination of Mike Thorn. Peel Back and See urges its readers to look closer, to push past surface-level appearances and face the things that stir below.

 

Amazon Purchase Link
Journalstone.com

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Peel Back and See is a collection of sixteen (16) short stories that are heavy on unforgettable encounters with hungry creatures, blood and gore, fear, Satan, and (weirdly enough) sexual arousal. 

Some stories stuck with me more than others. Below are my top five (5). 

1.) Mr. Mucata’s Final Requests: Everyone knows you don’t try to double-cross Satan. I mean, come on, don’t even try. Deals with him are also a bad idea. Seriously, the worst possible choice a person can make. If you believe in the devil, demons, and hell, say NO to anything offered. Period!

2.) @GorgoYama2013: We’re raised to know you NEVER go into a stranger’s car. Horror movies have ingrained in us to NEVER go into a strange basement, especially alone. Victor broke all the rules. What he met could best be described as a horrific version of Krang (the brain) from TMNT. If you don’t know who I am talking about, look him up! 

3.) Vomitus Bacchanalius: Okay, people are vomiting. Aliens are eating the regurgitated food. There are goo-faced men. Ugh, this story was gross, BUT good! I loved the nod to Gordon Ramsay too. 🙂

4.) The Furnace Room Mutant: This story stood out more because you’d think an unnatural being would be the monster in the story. I like it when authors step out from the paranormal norm. 🙂

5.) Havoc: This was the first story in the collection, and it made me close my laptop and take one giant step back from it. Read the story, and you’ll understand why. There was only one part I wasn’t too keen on — a flashback scene between student and teacher. I don’t want to divulge too much, but it made my score drop from a five to a four. (for this story only, not the overall score of the anthology)

 

 In Peel Back and See, thirteen of the sixteen stories scored three and above. That’s impressive! I encourage others to read the collection and see which story has you cowering under the covers. 


Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link
Journalstone.com

 

 

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Mike Thorn is the author of the short story collection Darkest Hours. His fiction has appeared in numerous magazines, anthologies and podcasts, including Vastarien, Dark Moon Digest, The NoSleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, and Prairie Gothic. His film criticism has been published in MUBI Notebook, The Film Stage, and Vague Visages. He completed his M.A. with a major in English literature at the University of Calgary, where he wrote a thesis on epistemophobia in John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness.

Connect with him on Twitter (@MikeThornWrites) or visit his website for more information: mikethornwrites.com.

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October 28, 2021 · 7:00 am

Measure, Mix & Marinate: Embracing the Key Ingredients to a More Fulfilling Life by Cheryl Schuberth (Book Spotlight / Author Interview)

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Every inch of kitchen counter space was in use. All five of us were busy measuring, stirring, rolling, sautéing, and baking. There was flour and oil everywhere. And most of us were wearing some of it. No one was thinking about clean-up, as we were simply trying to get the meal done so we could finally sit down and eat.
 
​​As a wife, mom and former corporate go-getter, Cheryl knows firsthand the frustration of trying to do it all and feeling that none of it is good enough. As the world slowed down for a global pandemic, Cheryl inspected her own life and who she wanted to become—who she needed to become—to serve at her highest level. Much of this discovery occurred in the kitchen during playful evenings side-by-side with her sons, husband, and mother. Their time together led Cheryl to realize that how you measure your priorities, mix them in with your life experiences, and marinate on and adjust to the results determines the direction of your life.
 
 
 
 
Buy the Book
Amazon
add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
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Cheryl Schuberth is a graduate of the University of California San Diego and a respected corporate leader.

As a wife, mom, and former corporate go-getter, Cheryl knows firsthand the frustration of trying to do it all and feeling that none of it is good enough. After twenty-five years leading and coaching teams in the male-dominated technology space, she stepped away from that world and embarked on a mission to enhance her relationships with her teenage sons and, at the same time, empower other working women to become more curious about their options and reevaluate their priorities.

She now coaches women to help them feel their best, increase their confidence, and put themselves at the top of the list. Cheryl lives outside Boulder, CO, where she enjoys hiking, skiing, and all things outdoors.
 

 

1.. How do you balance out time spent focused on writing?

(Cheryl)  I love the outdoors and picked up hiking again about a year before I started writing my book.  Hiking is not only great exercise, but there’s something about being in nature that calms me and brings perspective to everything else going on in my life. It’s definitely a great change of scenery from the four walls in my office and increases my focus while I am writing.

 

2. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?

(Cheryl)  I’ve moved to a new city across the country or world three times without having a job when I got there. The last and most significant was when my husband and I quit perfectly good jobs in Chicago and moved to Colorado without income lined up. This time was different because we had our two month old son on our adventure with us. It took a few weeks for my husband to find a sales position and then I chimed in with some consulting opportunities that led to a full time job.

 

3. What’s your favorite meal to make?

(Cheryl)  I love tackling the big meals – Thanksgiving, Christmas and other gatherings. I enjoy the planning aspect of it and ensuring that everything works together. If you’ve read my book, you’ll understand why that’s important in my house.

 

4.) What’s your favorite meal to eat?

(Cheryl)  I could eat Mexican food everyday. Especially tacos. Growing up in San Diego, good Mexican food was always around so I never got sick of it.

 

5.) What’s your favorite holiday or other celebration?

(Cheryl)  I love Thanksgiving. Not only because there’s no judgment for how much you eat, but because it’s just about being together. There’s no scrambling to find the perfect gift or stressing about how much you should spend. No one in particular is at the center of the day. You’re just there to be together and celebrate your relationships. We should do more of that throughout the year.

 

6.) If you could cure any disease, what would it be?

(Cheryl)  My dad was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease so I would definitely focus on that. It’s horrible to watch the people you love lose their memories and themselves, and be aware that they can’t do anything about it. It’s horrible for the person with the disease and incredibly painful for those who love them.

 

connect with the author: 
website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
 
 
 
 
Disclaimer: All questions and answers were constructed by the author and/or their representative. 

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October 20, 2021 · 7:00 am

The Keepers by Joy Lynn Goddard with Daniel Pike (Book Spotlight)

 

Author’s Note: Children’s mental health is a growing concern in today’s schools. Often kids suffer in silence because of the stigma attached to their mental health needs. Mental health organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association work hard to change this mindset. It can’t come soon enough. As a teacher, I worked with troubled teens and saw firsthand the devastating effects of their silence. With this in mind, I began writing The Keepers, for if I could help just one “Alexandre” find his voice, my efforts would be well worth it.There are a few mature scenes and some bad language here and there, reflective of a character coming-of-age.  

 
 
 
Book Description:

Despite struggling to raise a troubled teenage son on her own, Beth Marshall has no intention of selling her beloved vineyard and moving to the city where her ex-boyfriend awaits with open arms. She has strong ties to the land, where she is happy living with her granddad and aunt in the old farmhouse, so when she gets an offer to sell her property, she turns it down. Meanwhile, a writer recovering from a shattering past moves into the guest house, tugging at her heart. She’s not going anywhere.

But after her granddad discovers a dead body in their shed, Beth fights jail time. She can’t imagine a worse nightmare until she gets a call in the middle of the night with shocking news about her son!

 
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to goodreads
 
 
 
 
Meet the Authors:
AUTHOR JOY LYNN GODDARD

 
Joy Lynn Goddard teamed up with husband Daniel Pike to write contemporary adult fiction. Their first and second novels, Moonshadow and The Keepers, have global appeal and won Canada Book Awards. Besides novels, they wrote Buyers, Liars, Sellers and Yellers, a collection of humorous short stories about the real estate industry. Although she is well known for her young adult and junior fiction—starting with the award-winning Daredevils and including Hello, my name is Emily, Charlie’s Song, Jazz, When Pigs Fly, and Mrs. Maloney’s Garden—her adult novels are quickly attracting attention. Each book involves romance, mystery, and suspense genres.

Joy and Dan divide their time between Guelph and Belleville, Ontario, where they spend time with family when not working on their next book.

 
 

connect with the authors: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ goodreads

 
 

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October 18, 2021 · 7:00 am

Behind Closed Doors by Catherine Alliott (Book Spotlight)

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Get ready to escape with the page-turning new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Cornish Summer
‘Leaves you with a smile on your face and hope in your heart’ MILLY JOHNSON

‘Catherine Alliott at her very best’ 5***** READER REVIEW

‘Packed with fantastic characters, uncomfortable truths, and flashes of pure comedy. Who could ask for more?’ JILL MANSELL

 
 
 
Book Description:
​
From the outside, anyone would think that Lucy Palmer has it all: loving children, a dashing husband and a gorgeous home.

But when her marriage to Michael comes to an abrupt and unexpected end, her life is turned upside down in a flash.

As the truth of her marriage threatens to surface, Lucy seizes the opportunity to swap her house in London – and the stories it hides – for a rural escape to her parents’ farmhouse in the Chilterns.

But Lucy gets more than she bargained for when she moves back to her childhood home, especially when it throws her into the path of an old flame.

Coming face-to-face with her mistakes, Lucy is forced to confront the secrets she’s been keeping from herself and those she loves.

​Is she ready to let someone in? Or will she leave the door to her past firmly closed . . .

 
 
Buy the Book
Amazon ~ Book Depository
​add to goodreads
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
 
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Catherine has sold over 3 million bestselling novels worldwide.

The first of these novels Catherine started under the desk when she worked as an advertising copywriter. She was duly fired. With time on her hands, she persevered with the novels, which happily flourished.

In the early days she produced a baby with each book – but after three – stuck to the writing as it was less painful.

She writes with her favorite pen in notebooks, either in the garden or on a sofa.

Home is a rural spot on the Hertfordshire border, which she shares with her family and a menagerie of horses, cows, chickens, and dogs, which at the last count totaled eighty-seven beating hearts, including her husband. Some of her household have walk-on parts in her novels, but only the chickens would probably recognize themselves.

​All her novels are published by Penguin Random House internationally, and by No Shooz Publishing in America.

 

Connect with the Author:  website ~ facebook

 
 

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October 15, 2021 · 7:00 am

Culture Ignited: 5 Disciplines for Adaptive Leadership by Jason Richmond with Jeanne Kerr and Malcolm J. Nicholl (Book Spotlight)

CULTURE IGNITED by Jason Richmond
 
The 5 Disciplines for Adaptive Leadership Every Executive Must Know

Corporate leaders need to be prepared for any crisis and have a plan in place to act quickly, decisively, and empathetically. In Culture Ignited: 5 Disciplines for Adaptive Leadership, culture change strategist Jason Richmond and coauthors Jeanne Kerr and Malcolm J. Nicholl reveal how companies whose leaders ignite their culture are able to weather any storm and get ahead of the competition.

Based on hands-on experience helping senior corporate executives navigate the turbulence of the 2020-2021 pandemic, the authors distill their findings into five key disciplines.

They share how to:

  • Inspire and communicate a shared purpose
  • Build trust and authenticity
  • Hone your performance management skills
  • Develop your talent
  • Create belonging through diversity and inclusion.

The authors also explore how a crisis can be turned into opportunity and how to lead an organization in overcoming challenges never taught in business school.

 
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N ~ Kobo
add to goodreads
 
 
 
 
 
 

Author Jason RichmondJason Richmond is an authoritative culture change strategist whose work over the past twenty-plus years has helped companies build strong, sustained revenue growth by empowering their employees and developing energizing office cultures. As President/CEO and Chief Culture Officer for Ideal Outcomes, Inc., he has worked closely with established Fortune 100 companies to create Leadership Development Journeys, and he has guided numerous start-ups on the path to become noted industry leaders. He has also provided thought leadership and innovative consulting services to a wide range of midsize companies.

 

 

 

Author Jeanne Kerr

Jeanne Kerr is the Director of Organizational Development and Culture Consulting for Ideal Outcomes, Inc. She also has been a Senior Faculty Partner with the Human Capital Institute since 2012. With over twenty years of organizational development and talent management strategy in a variety of industries, her expertise includes culture strategy, strategic workforce planning, leadership development, team building, and assessment solutions.

 

 

 

Author Malcolm J. Nicholl

Malcolm J. Nicholl is a former award-winning international journalist whose career includes a two-year stint as Belfast Bureau Chief for London’s Daily Mirror. He has authored or coauthored seven books published in nine languages by international giants such as Random House, Bantam Doubleday Dell, Ballantine Books, and St. Martin’s Press and ghostwritten more than thirty books.

 
 
 
connect with the authors: 
website ~ twitter ~ goodreads
 
 

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