Imogen Hearne series, Book 2
by Vanessa Furse Jackson
Print ISBN: 978-1-941295-13-7
eBook ISBN: 978-1-941295-14-4
How do you help someone who is grieving, when you are grieving yourself?
After the death of her mother, ten-year-old Imogen Hearne moves from London with her older sister, Rosalind, and her father to Farleigh, a rural village in North Devon where her father’s family has deep roots. Her father hides his grief by burying himself in his work at the university, while Rosalind vents her anguish by acting up and running off with friends — leaving Immy to fend for herself.
To pass the time, Immy decides to take after her father and become an anthropologist, studying the different ways that people manage grief. As she wanders through the village and the countryside to study the locals, she watches, listens, and makes notes, looking for clues she can use to bring her fractured family back together again.
This moving prequel to The Revolving Year is a welcome reunion with familiar and much-loved characters and places.
“Vanessa Furse Jackson has written a story that is genuine, nostalgic, funny and poignant. As Immy walks the line between childhood and adulthood, we see village life unfold through her eyes. The patchwork quilt of Immy’s collected observations becomes a source of entertainment, wisdom, and comfort. I felt like I was there, spending the summer in the English countryside with her.” — Val Muller, author, The Scarred Letter and The Girl Who Flew Away
“An achingly poignant glimpse into a young girl’s search for her place in the world, whose anthropological study of the people around her becomes an unexpected excavation of her own motherless family. Vanessa Furse Jackson vividly and deftly pits the adolescent yearnings for self-assurance and independence against the strength of enduring love that binds families together.” — Jennifer Leeper, author, Padre: The Narrowing Path
Preview the first four chapters for free at
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Dr. Offig’s Lessons from the Dark Side
by P.S. Gifford
Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-26-8
eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-27-5
Some people are optimists and some people are pessimists, but Dr. Offig is a “gruesome-ist!” Visit him in his cluttered and curious office and he will surely tell you one of the wonderfully creepy stories he is famous for—the kind that makes your eyes bug out in disbelief, your skin shiver and crawl, and once in a while they might—just might I say—even make you laugh out loud.
But be forewarned that these stories can also become very, very addictive. Once you finish with one of Dr. Offig’s stories, you will most certainly want to read another, then another, and then another still. Which sometimes makes it hard to go to sleep with the lights out…
“P.S. Gifford is a writer of great wit and talent. He remembers that most treasured of all storytelling purposes: entertainment! Keep an eye on this writer, because he’s going places and he’s delivering a lot of joy along the way.” — Scott Nicholson, Author, The Red Church and Liquid Fear
“P.S. Gifford’s stories are like being on the last seat of an out-of-control roller coaster—and the first carriage has just jumped the tracks.” — Paul Mannering, BrokenSea Audio Productions
“P.S. Gifford’s combination of horror and wit make his stories the ‘potato chips’ of the genre: betcha can’t read just one!” — Billy Tackett, Dark Artist, Resurrection Studios
Preview the first four chapters for free at
www.barkingrainpress.org
The Girl Who Flew Away
by Val Muller
Print ISBN: 978-1-941295-35-9
eBook ISBN: 978-1-941295-36-6
No good deed goes unpunished when freshman Steffie Brenner offers to give her awkward new neighbor a ride home after her first day at school. When her older sister Ali stops at a local park to apply for a job, Steffie and Madison slip out of the car to explore the park—and Madison vanishes.
Already in trouble for a speeding ticket, Ali insists that Steffie say nothing about Madison’s disappearance. Even when Madison’s mother comes looking for her. Even when the police question them.
Some secrets are hard to hide, though—especially with Madison’s life on the line. As she struggles between coming clean or going along with her manipulative sister’s plan, Steffie begins to question if she or anyone else is really who she thought they were. After all, the Steffie she used to know would never lie about being the last person to see Madison alive—nor would she abandon a friend in the woods: alone, cold, injured, or even worse.
But when Steffie learns an even deeper secret about her own past, a missing person seems like the least of her worries…
“From the beginning, this story takes a swift turn and brings in many facets of being a teen. The title covers the entire plot—but you must read to the end to the end to discover what happens with peer pressure, family jealousy, and secrets. Reading YA helps teens discover their own identity and this story highlights the many conflicts teens face everyday. Val Muller writes a wonderful story.” — Sheri S. Levy, author, Trina Ryan series
“Talented author Val Muller has written a riveting coming-of-age story that will connect with teens present and past.Steffie knows all too well that being a freshman in high school is not easy – especially when you have an older sister who is pretty, popular and not very nice to you. On top of that, Steffie’s mom has decided that she should befriend the strange new girl who just moved in next door. What happens next takes Steffie and everyone around her on a journey that no one could ever have imagined.” — Chip Littleon, Amazon Verified Review
Preview the first four chapters for free at
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The Last Stand of Daronwy
by Clint Talbert
Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-56-5
eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-57-2
Twin Hills is a dying forest in an abandoned Texas oil field, now skirted by a residential neighborhood. Its protector is an ancient oak tree called Daronwy, who has turned the forest’s pain into a dark magic that it hopes can keep the remaining trees safe from further harm.
The spell was working, too—until a young boy from the nearby neighborhood, Jeremy Trahan, is drawn to the woods in search of the magic he senses instinctively. By finding the magic, Jeremy hopes it will help him escape the boredom and bullies that plague his life—just like in all the books he’s read.
But as he gets closer to discovering the gateway to the other world that the spell hides, land developers descend on the fragile forest with bulldozers and chainsaws. Will Jeremy seize the chance to leave his mundane world behind, or will he stand and fight for his haven?
“For a debut novel, The Last Stand Of Daronwy by Clint Talbert must be considered an impressive success. A deftly woven, complex, original fantasy story that engages the reader’s total attention from beginning to end, The Last Stand Of Daronwy is highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library YA fiction collections.” — Jack Mason, The Midwest Book Review
“There have been hundreds of stories that glibly tell of young people plunged into fantastic settings, but very few of them make you really FEEL what it’s like to struggle in two worlds, to bring the experience so vividly to life that the tale swallows you. Clint Talbert manages just that in this beautifully written gem of a tale. Get this book!” — Ed Greenwood, author & creator, the Forgotten Realms series
“Clint Talbert has crafted an intelligent fable about friendship, courage, and standing up for one’s beliefs. Jeremy’s quest to save the last remnants of a once proud forest pits the dogged idealism of youth against an adult world that has given up all hope for a happy ending.” — Sean Mulcahy, author, Slip Sliding Away
Preview the first four chapters for free at
www.barkingrainpress.org
The Scarr
ed Letter
by Val Muller
Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-97-8
eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-98-5
Heather Primm never anticipated that a single blog post could ruin her life.
Heather’s scoop about steroid use by key players on the school football team sets off an investigation that strips the Orchard Valley Thunderbolts of their state title—and earns Heather a coveted journalism prize. Hated by those involved in the scandal, despised by jealous members of the newspaper staff, ignored by her newly-popular ex-boyfriend, and even berated by her mother, Heather is attacked and a chilling “T” is carved into her face.
Now stigmatized as a traitor, she becomes the object of scorn for nearly all of Orchard Valley High. But when the school offers to send her to a private academy to hush up the matter, Heather is forced to make a decision. Should she refuse to allow fear to control her life by holding to the truth, or accept the chance to escape and build a new life?
Written by a veteran English teacher, The Scarred Letter weaves themes from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter into an accessible, intelligent tale of modern isolation and a young woman’s quest for truth and acceptance.
“Authentic reboot of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter for today’s readers. Heather Primm publishes the truth on her blog and pays an appalling price. It’s up to Heather’s younger sister to remind her what’s true and what’s not—and help her find a way forward. A powerful book.” — Adele Abott, author, Of Machines & Magics and Postponing Armageddon
“High school becomes the perfect substitute for Hawthorne’s Puritan society in this accessible take on The Scarlet Letter. Surrounded by ruthless cliques and wannabe outsiders, Heather finds out just how hard standing up for yourself and your beliefs can be. A powerful message for readers of all ages.” — Sheri S. Levy, author, Seven Days to Goodbye
Preview the first four chapters for free at
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Sounds of Silence
by Phillip Tomasso
Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-41-1
eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-37-4
Twelve-year-old Marco Lippa is the star pitcher for his Little League baseball team and does his best to lead his team to victory against their cross-town rivals, reveling in the cheering and applause. After one particular game, he becomes sick and is rushed to the hospital. Treated for meningococcal disease, Marco wakes up to discover that he is deaf—and all of his dreams seem to crumble.
Now Marco must come to terms with living in a silent world—and the grief, anger, and loss that seem to go with it. He is enrolled at the state boarding school for the deaf, leaving behind his comfortable home and his family and friends while he re-learns how to communicate and function without his hearing.
As if that wasn’t hard enough, he quickly discovers that being deaf does not exempt him from the “normal” anxieties he faced at home—bullies, girls, and fitting in. Will he ever find his way back to his dreams?
“This heartwarming coming-of-age story will resonate with many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, as well as their hearing families and friends. It is both a realistic and an upbeat account of how one young man confronts his sudden deafness and in doing so, realizes that it need not keep him from attaining his dreams.”—I. King Jordan, President, Gallaudet University
“This inspirational novel beautifully represents how family support, the resilience of youth, and the universal languages of love and friendship can help overcome any obstacle. Mr. Tomasso does a superb job of illustrating the beauty of two cultures and how we are all better by embracing diversity.”—Harold Mowl, Jr. PhD, Superintendent, Rochester School for the Deaf
“A positive story about meeting a special life challenge.”—Jeanne Griffin, Deaf Friends International
“Tomasso has a likeable rhythm/pace in his writing style. Where you are in your own deaf experience will shade the meaning of the book for you. Some might say that Marco only ‘lost his hearing,’ he didn’t become deaf. Their experience with hearing loss will invite different interpretations of Marco’s journey. Marco does appear to easily join ‘deafness’ but Tomasso introduces enough ambiguity about this new chosen identity to keep us wanting to learn more of Marco’s journey after the book ends.”—Max Wilhite, American Society for Deaf Children
Preview the first four chapters for free at
www.barkingrainpress.org
The Unremarkable Squire
by Nick Hayden
Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-54-1
eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-55-8
A squire’s oath is to be of service… but to whom?
In the kingdom of Basileon, an unremarkable and emotionally detached young man named Obed Kainos is about to stumble into adventure—quite against his will. When the knights of the realm gather in a quest to search for the lost Armor of Arkelon, Obed is chosen at random to replace the recently deceased squire of Sir Lance Valentino. While trying to perform his menial tasks faithfully, the young squire becomes entangled in the plots of mages, thieves, and kings.
And that’s just his first week on the job.
Unfortunately for Obed, his indifference cannot save him from his new oath. For despite his enigmatic personality (or perhaps because of it), he manages to attract a band of misfits to his cause—the ugly, the arrogant, the clumsy, and the cowardly—putting the legendary armor within the grasp of one who never wanted anything at all.
“A remarkable tour de force set in a medieval world where magic is as common as muck, misunderstandings are ten a penny, and everyone but the hero has a remarkably good opinion of themselves. Nick Hayden mixes humor with fantasy to delight the inner eye and ear of the reader.” — Adele Abbot, author, Of Machines & Magics and Postponing Armageddon
“Dazzling damsels in distress, a magical suit of armor, mayhem and danger at every turn, a host of unique characters and plenty of laughs make this novel worth reading. Mr. Hayden tells a worthy tale well!” — Phillip Tomasso, author, Sounds of Silence
“An engrossing and adventurous novel with echoes of the Arthurian Romances by De Troyes. The unlikely rise of Obed Kainos from contented obscurity to fame and fortune will provide entertainment for readers of all ages.” — Sean Mulcahy, author, Slip Sliding Away
Preview the first four chapters for free at
www.barkingrainpress.org
Winner Take None
by Greg Comer
Print ISBN: 978-1-941295-52-6
eBook ISBN: 978-1-941295-00-7
Can a 14-year-old orphan out-con a heartless bunch of rustlers, hustlers and railroad thugs?
When Deuter Seebea loses his family and only friend on the way to Oregon in 1879, he has no place to go, and nobody to turn to. He flees his friend’s murderer and ends up in Railstop, a shantytown in Montana Territory that’s populated by ne’er-do-wells, shady ladies—and a maniacal cat named MaryBelle.
Deuter quickly learns the hard way that if he wants something done, he’ll have to do it himself—and watch his own back. He soon discovers that the conniving residents built Railstop directly in the path of the approaching FI&R Railroad line for the sole purpose of extorting a windfall settlement. When the payoff finally comes, however, it’s every man, woman, and cat for themselves in a ruthless—and hilarious—quest for wealth, glory, and hootch whiskey.
Winner take all, or winner take none, Deuter is willing to fight and scheme for his unfair share of the spoils.
“Solidly written and a first class entertainment from beginning to end, Greg Comer’s Winner Take None is a deftly crafted novel that showcases the author’s impressive talents as an original and skilled storyteller. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections, in print or eBook.” — Able Greenspan, Midwest Book Review
“A hilarious retelling of the settlement of the West, Winner Take None
is both a light-hearted adventure novel and a treatise on the ugly roots of American capitalism. Comer tells this story with the humorous style and cutting social commentary of Mark Twain and Charles Dickens, along with the occasional absurdity of Monty Python.” — Montana Quarterly
“A vividly rendered debut novel by Greg Comer set in the frontier country of 19th-century Montana. Evocative descriptions and crisp, salty dialogue liven up the proceedings, often with a dash of humor. What emerges in the end is an entertaining peek at an important moment in American history, when the glamour of gold was still glittering bright and the West was being won one small outpost at a time. A richly satisfying slice of Americana.” — Kirkus Review
“An in-your-face, authentic take on the wild, Wild West! Comer’s sensuous writing drew me in as if the story was a movie. The Queen’s English is mixed with pioneer vernacular to create hilarious metaphors that lighten this tale of greed, corruption, and survival mentality. As the railroad plows over the land, imposing ‘Intimate Domain’ for the cause of‘Man’s Infest Destiny,’ the story becomes a fun, fast-paced read.” — Sheri S. Levy, author, Seven Days to Goodbye
“Greg Comer slices up a Montana-sized claim for the reader’s pleasure, with hardscrabble, larger-than-life characters who are perfectly captured in all their unscrupulous glory. The gritty dialog propels Deuter, Hogbottom, and the rest of the Railstop gang on a one-way track to ill-gotten gains by crash-landing into a railroad that’s scheduled to run through the black-humored heart of this colorful pioneer town.” — Jennifer Leeper, author, Padre: The Narrowing Path
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