Synopsis:

What if everything you believed about yourself was totally wrong?

For David Byrdsong, life is a series of daily obligations. An attorney, he lacks both ambition and the ability to commit to a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Gayle. Abandoned by his family at an airport when he was eleven, he learned to blunt his feelings, despite his subsequent adoption by a loving couple.

Until one day, when David discovers his own face in a missing child ad. Suddenly driven to uncover the truth about his past, he is forced to tap into his inner strength as he encounters corporate conspiracies, murdered bystanders, and distressing suspicions about the only family he’s ever really trusted. David enlists Gayle’s help—and the help of an unlikely stranger with secrets of his own—as he attempts to find his true family, whoever they are.

Have You Seen Him is a story of lost identity, dangerous secrets, and a deeply personal pursuit of the truth.

Praise for Have You Seen Him:

Next Gen Indie Gold Award winner and IBPA Silver Award winner, Have You Seen Him has earned praise from readers and reviewers alike.

“Lee debuts with a dazzling maze of courtrooms, kidnappers, and unsolved mysteries in this substantive thriller, boasting a rich ensemble cast.…Have You Seen Him is consistently sincere, never losing sight of its spirit, and always ensuring readers are both challenged and charmed right up to the final page.”
~ BookLife

“…a slow-burning, emotional thriller that explores identity, trust, and the ripple effects of secrets long buried….This is a debut worth reading!”
~ Natasha Reed

“I loved the numerous reveals, and some made me gasp out loud! I won’t give any spoilers, so I won’t ruin it for you. If you love to be kept guessing until the end…give this book a try.”
~ Julie Kodama

“…delivers enough action to trigger a fight-or-flight response. The sparse touch heightens suspicion, palpable dread, and tension, fueling the overall pace….[E]veryone will stay engaged.”
~ C. Elyse, A Sip, A Shout Out, and a Sentence

“Cleverly written and thoughtfully crafted, Lee’s debut is action-packed and entertaining with enough emotion and depth to hook you. Gayle was my favorite character—she kicks ass.”
~ Mystery Manon, The Cluesletter

“…an impressively engaging, cleverly scripted, and simply riveting read from start to finish. Especially recommended for fans of unique suspense thrillers….”
~ Midwest Review

“The plot contains action, mystery, murder, secrets, and lies. There’s potential here for a sequel, and I’ll be one of the first in line to read it.”
~ Stephen Christopher, Readers’ Favorite

“The action and the mystery kept me reading. I had to know why he was missing.”
~ Briana Fitzpatrick

“This book was one that definitely pulled me in as twists and turns unravelled. Overall it was a twisty search for truth, tangled in corporate secrets, buried trauma, and family drama.”
~ A.D.

“I really enjoyed the author’s style of writing, the chapters were short and to the point and even though the storyline was intricate and multi-dimensional, it all came together.”
~ Jameelah Deleon​​​​​​​

​

HAVE YOU SEEN HIM Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery
Published by: Butterfly Effect Press
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Number of Pages: 270
ISBN: 9798991867214
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Powells

Read an excerpt from HAVE YOU SEEN HIM:

 

 

Author Bio:

Kimberly Lee, JD, is a versatile writer, workshop facilitator, and editor with a passion for nurturing the imaginative spirit and helping others reveal their creative gifts. Kimberly holds degrees from Stanford University and UC Davis School of Law, along with certifications from Amherst Writers & Artists, SoulCollage®, Guided Autobiography, and the Center for Journal Therapy. Recent collaborations include Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, Hollyhock Retreat Center, and The Huntington. Kimberly’s stories and essays have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, and she has served on the staffs of Literary Mama, F(r)iction, and Carve magazines. She lives in Southern California with her husband and three children.

Catch Up Kimberly Lee:

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BookBub – @kimberlyylee
Instagram – @klcreatrix

 

Q&A with KIMBERLY LEE

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Although I practiced law for a decade, writing always called to me, like a giant cane from those old-time theaters, wrapping around me and pulling me back to the page. I remember creating a neighborhood newspaper when I was nine, with stories about which family had gotten a new puppy, who was selling Girl Scout cookies, who’d just returned from a trip to Disneyland. I remember trying to teach my dolls and stuffed animals how to write when I was in kindergarten and was just learning to write myself. In high school I had a teen column in the local newspaper. Stephen King said “books are a uniquely portable magic,” and I think I’ve always believed in that power. I worked as a public defender and later in private practice, all the while dreaming of writing a novel. I took many writing classes and workshops and eventually had several short pieces published, then began writing a novel. In addition to my own writing, I now lead creative and writing and arts workshops, helping others find their voice and express the stories they hold.

What was the inspiration for this book?
Soon after we meet the book’s main character, David, he’s sifting through his mail and sees a missing child ad with his own face. The inspiration for the book is a scenario kind of similar to that—I was sorting my mail and saw an ad for a child who went missing when he was 10. The computer-progressed image showed him at 40-something years old. I thought about how this boy’s family had been searching for over three decades, never giving up hope. The faces haunted me, especially the eyes. I tore the ad out and carried it around in my bag for a while, then sat down to write a story.

Excluding the main character, who is your favorite character from the book, and why?
Definitely Gayle, David’s girlfriend. She’s brave, no-nonsense, and full of integrity. She somehow pulls out the best in everyone who crosses her path, and she refuses to give up on David, despite his flaws. She puts her hair in an up-do to feel confident and powerful. Gayle was inspired by my mother and my aunt, who were both teachers.

What’s an interesting or fun fact about the book that readers might not know?
Much of Have You Seen Him was written while I was sitting behind the wheel of my car, waiting for my kids at extracurricular activities. I’d grab whatever free moments I had and write, usually by hand. Although I have a home office all decked out for writing, being in the car seemed to lower the stakes and silence the inner critic. I’d write for 10-15 minutes, and over time, it evolved into the full manuscript.

What’s next for you—what can readers look forward to?
Have You Seen Him is the first in a trilogy, so it’s back to my notebook to work on the second installment. Pen to page. I’m headed to a writing residency this summer for a couple of weeks to get some momentum on it. A few people have asked me what’s going to happen with the characters. Gayle and her friend Violet are nosy and will take the lead in a new adventure. David will be coming to terms with his past and figuring out his future, while still on the run. But I’m not sure how it will all unfold. Robert Frost said, “No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader.” We’ll all be surprised with the next developments–stay tuned!

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Have You Seen Him… And This Giveaway?

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Synopsis:

Becoming a grandfather opens the door to one of life’s most meaningful family relationships. In Grandpa Day, Perry Solomon shares a heartfelt and practical guide to building strong bonds with grandchildren through love, wisdom, and intentional time together.

Through true stories and simple ideas, this book shows grandfathers and grandparents how one-on-one Grandpa Days help nurture confidence, curiosity, grit, and emotional security. From everyday adventures to shared meals and conversations, Grandpa Day offers clear guidance on mentoring grandchildren, supporting parents, honoring boundaries, and creating memories that last a lifetime. It is a warm invitation to slow down, connect deeply, and leave a lasting legacy of love across generations.

Praise for Grandpa Day:

“Perry unlocks a magic world to grandparents by demystifying building deep connections with grandchildren and fostering their confidence and curiosity”
~ Anne van Leynseele, Esq. founder and farmer of Pa’ani Farms and author of Savor Your Chocolate

“Drawing from over twenty years of personal experience with his six grandchildren, Solomon provides a wealth of wisdom, stories, and advice to help grandfathers embrace their special role as mentors, cheerleaders, and steady presences in their families…His stories, such as mentoring his granddaughter Serena in her journey to becoming a craft chocolatier, illustrate how small moments of encouragement can spark lifelong passions.”
~ Carol Thompson for Readers’ Favorite, 5-Stars

“Grandpa Day reminds readers that the role of being a grandfather has evolved from being a distant patriarch to becoming actively involved and providing guidance and empathy…The writing style is enchanting, reflecting the love, joy, and pride of being a grandfather, and it is filled with practical wisdom and ideas on how to build the relationship between grandfather and grandchild.”
~ Leonard Smuts for Readers’ Favorite

“Perry Solomon’s approach to grandfatherhood is inspiring… The result? A close relationship… plus a profound sense of meaning for you.”
~ Merideth Mehlberg, author of Your Finest Work

“I can’t wait to be a grandmother… Perry’s book makes me even more excited about that milestone… His enthusiasm balanced with very practical tips makes the journey more meaningful… Thank you for this gift, Perry.”
~ Antonia Bowring, executive coach and author

Book Details:

Genre: Grandparenting, Biography/Autobiography, Non-Fiction, Self-Help
Published by: Lighthouse Family Press
Publication Date: February 6, 2026
Number of Pages: 196
ISBN: 9798994166703
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

 

Author Bio:

Perry Solomon is a proud grandfather whose greatest joy comes from the close, loving relationships he shares with his six grandchildren. From the day each was born, he has focused on building strong family relationships through time, attention, and support. Perry believes that love, communication, and shared memories are the foundation of lasting intergenerational relationships.

Perry lives in Santa Monica, California. Family is the heart of his life and legacy.

A successful serial entrepreneur, Perry has built and advised companies across multiple industries and completed four business exits. Today, he devotes his energy to grandparenting, mentoring, and helping grandparents create meaningful bonds, joyful activities, and a legacy of love and wisdom across generations.

Catch Up With Perry Solomon:

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BookBub – @perryGPD
LinkedIn
Facebook – @Grandpa_Day

 

Q&A with PERRY SOLOMON

What inspired you to write GRANDPA DAY, and was there a specific moment with your grandchildren that made you realize this book needed to be written?
Several grandfathers, including my own brother, told me they had difficulty relating to their grandchildren and asked me for guidance. They could clearly see the joy that being a grandfather brought to both my grandchildren and me. That is what inspired me to write Grandpa Day.

You emphasize “intentional time” through one-on-one Grandpa Days. Can you share a favorite real-life example that captures the impact these moments can have?
One of my favorite examples is my granddaughter Serena’s chocolate journey. When she was about three years old, I took her to a buffet brunch where a chocolate fountain was part of the dessert buffet. I picked her up by the waist so she could skewer a strawberry and dip it into the flowing chocolate. The look on her face made it clear this was a very special moment for her.
Over time, Serena became increasingly curious about chocolate, its flavors and textures, and how it was made.
On our Grandpa Days, we began visiting local craft chocolate shops together. As the years passed, we met chocolatiers, toured kitchens, and attended chocolate festivals. What started as simple curiosity gradually developed into a genuine passion.
When a grandchild sees that you notice what they love, and that you are willing to join them in that world, it builds confidence, trust, and connection. That is one of the most powerful gifts a grandparent can give.

GRANDPA DAY highlights the evolving role of grandparents. What do you think today’s grandfathers sometimes overlook, and how can they become more intentional in their role?
I think some grandfathers may not realize how powerful their presence can be. Many of us grew up with grandfathers who were more distant or quiet. They may have loved us deeply, but they did not always show it in ways we could easily feel or understand.
Today’s grandfathers have a different opportunity.
We can be mentors, listeners, and steady sources of love. Parents make the rules and raise the children. A grandfather’s role is to support the parents. Within that role lies a tremendous opportunity to make a lasting difference in a grandchild’s life through time, attention, and unconditional love.

What do you hope readers take away from GRANDPA DAY, not just as grandparents, but as family members looking to build lasting connections?
I hope readers understand that strong family connections are built through small moments repeated over time. A meal together, a walk, a shared book, a simple conversation, or a visit to a favorite place can become part of a child’s emotional foundation.
Grandpa Day is about building trust through presence. It is about helping children feel seen, heard, valued, and loved. Those are gifts any family member can give.
I also hope readers come away with a deeper appreciation for the power of active listening. When we listen carefully, we often discover what a child is really thinking and feeling. We learn what excites them, what worries them, and where they may need support. Some of the most meaningful conversations begin simply by taking the time to listen.

What’s one simple “Grandpa Day” idea that any grandparent could start with right away?
Start with breakfast or lunch, just the two of you.
It does not need to be fancy. Let your grandchild help choose the place. During the meal, put your phone away and ask a few simple, open-ended questions such as, “What was the best part of your week?” or “What are you excited about right now?”
Then listen. Do not rush to respond or turn the conversation into a lecture. Be curious, supportive, and fully present.
That is a Grandpa Day anyone can begin.

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We’re Honoring the Love, Wisdom, and Joy of Grandparents With a Giveaway

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Synopsis:

Howard Gimple, master of the comedy thriller, takes on the world of advertising in his funniest, snarkiest, most entertainingly irreverent book yet.

Stew Gribnitz is a brilliant advertising copywriter with impulse control issues, an utter disdain for authority, and an unresolved demi-Oedipal complex (he’d like to murder his father but has no sexual designs on his mother). When the first act of his new creative director is to dump our hero’s best work into a garbage bin, Stew’s immediate impulse (which, of course, he can’t control) is to do unspeakable things to his new boss’s necktie while he’s still wearing it.

The next day, when the necktie guy is found brutally murdered, Stew is brought in for questioning by the NYPD. He’s released thanks to an air-tight alibi, but not before his face is emblazoned on the cover of the New York tabloids, declaring him to be a cross between Son of Sam and Jack the Ripper. Stew becomes a Madison Avenue untouchable and a New York City pariah, except to his father who declares that seeing his son on the front page of his favorite paper is the first time that Stew has ever done anything to make him proud.

Stew gets a gig as a part-time advertising consultant to a billionaire publisher running for Governor of Connecticut who’s twenty points behind in the polls. When the publisher’s private plane does a nosedive into Long Island Sound, Stew is the only one who knows that his deceased client had been receiving death threats from his opponent, a former FBI agent whose brother is a mob enforcer.

Stew is convinced he’ll be the next victim and the authorities are convinced he’s a multiple murderer. The only way to clear his name is to find the real killer or killers, a task, well beyond his skill set, made even more difficult because the FBI, the NYPD, several suburban police jurisdictions and a homicidal hitwoman are all out to GET GRIBNITZ.

Praise for Get Gribnitz:

“…the perfect mystery novel”
~ Readers’ Favorite

“…a deliciously entertaining, fun, and exciting read from cover to cover.”
~ The Mystery Review Crew

Book Details:

Genre: Mystromedy
Published by: Mystromedy Books
Publication Date: July 1, 2024
Number of Pages: 348
ISBN: 9798990761575
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

I’ve been writing for my supper for most of my adult life. First as a copywriter and creative director for several ad agencies. After I aged out of the advertising business (you’re a dinosaur at 35), I wrote English dialogue for the American releases of Japanese anime cartoons, reviewed movies for a pay-per-view television network, and was the editor of a newsletter for the New York Giants football team. I wrote the lyrics for a song used in the soundtrack of the horror film THE REJUVENATOR as well as the fight song for Stony Brook University, where I was a writer and sports editor for their alumni magazine and taught two classes, Rock and Relevance, about the influence of classic rock on politics and Filthy Shakespeare about the sexy bits of the Bard’s plays and poems that they don’t usually teach. Several of my stories have been featured in Akashic Books’ Mondays are Murder online noir series. I recently finished work on The Garbageman, a documentary about a trash hauler who saved the lives of 50,000 children in underprivileged countries with congenital heart disease. And if you’ve gotten this far on the website, you know about my novels.

After living in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island, I headed west to Glendora, California, with my wife and Goldendoodle.

Catch Up With Howard Gimple:

HowardGimple.com
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GUEST POST by HOWARD GIMPLE

MYSTROMEDY…WAIT, WHAT??

Simply, a mystromedy is a comedy-mystery. It’s a genre that has been wildly popular on screens large and small. Shows like Columbo and Monk ran for many years atop the ratings. And funny mysteries have been dominating the silver screen forever. From William Powell’s Thin Man to Peter Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau to Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, moviegoers can’t get enough daffy detectives. Why is it then, when it comes to the printed page or the pixilated ebook screen, mixing jokes and thrills is unkosher, undignified and unacceptable. A few outliers like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books and Carl Hiassen’s quirky Florida capers are the exceptions that prove the rule that comedic mysteries are the Rodney Dangerfields of the mystery-thriller genre.

Even Donald E. Westlake, the dean of whodunit humor, said that his Dortmunder series, one of the all-time comedic mystery masterworks, was created by accident. He began writing another book in his Parker series, featuring a tough-as-nails criminal whose exploits wouldn’t come close to engendering a smirk, let alone a smile or, heaven forbid, a guffaw. Parker’s demeanor was so fierce and foreboding that the mere sight of him entering a room would give its occupants shivers.

Westlake said that when he started writing the book, no matter how hard he tried to stick to the usual ominous Parkeresque atmospherics, the story kept veering wackily off course. He decided to temporarily put Parker on the shelf and continue the comedic arc of the story with a new main character. And so John Dortmunder was born. After The Hot Rock, the first Dortmunder book, was finished Westlake considered it to be a one-off and intended to return to writing hard boiled mysteries. But the tremendous critical and commercial acclaim it received persuaded him to write another and another and another— fourteen novels and more than a dozen short stories in all.

So why is it that out of Amazon’s 60-odd categories for the Mystery, Thriller and Suspense genre, from amateur sleuths to witches and wizards, there isn’t a single category for comedy? Do they think that mystery readers have no sense of humor? Is there no room for both gasps and giggles in a 300 page novel? Of course there is. But it may take time for mysteries and comedies to cohabitate on amazon.

I encountered the same sort of anti-comedy bias when I was a young copywriter at an ad agency. I was assigned to write ads for an insurance company. Every time I submitted a humorous one it was summarily rejected. ‘Insurance is serious business, it’s not a laughing matter,’ I was sternly told. And for years, insurance ads were at best dry and at worse morose. Then Met Life started airing ads featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang. Not only was no one put off by this, their sales took off. And the trend continued. Geico uses a wise-cracking gecko with an Australian accent as its spokeslizard, Flo and her gang are doing shtick for Progressive and a kooky emu is the face of Liberty Mutual.

Let’s do the same for laugh-out-loud mysteries. C’mon amazon, give us a category. Maybe even two. It could be the start of the mystromedy revolution. Or at least get us mystromedians a little respect.

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Synopsis:

National Treasure meets Jack Ryan in THE MIDAS TOUCH

July 19, 1799. Napoleon’s armies advance into Egypt. In the steaming desert sands, his explorers unearth an astounding discovery: The Rosetta Stone. The tablet, cracked and incomplete, will eventually answer mysteries about ancient Egyptian history, culture, and science. But in the years since its partial excavation, world leaders, historians, scientists, and adventurers have speculated that the missing fragments could answer another age-old mystery.

THE MIDAS TOUCH is a globe-trotting adventure that follows CIA cryptologist/puzzle solver/savant Brady Donovan as he investigates the murder of his beloved mentor Dr. Hastings Kaufman, only to find that it leads to a search for the missing pieces of the famed Rosetta Stone and the secret it holds: The Alchemist Gold Theory – how to turn ordinary metals into gold.

Protagonist Brady Donovan partners with British archeologist Teppy Flynn and conspiracy theorist Avery Prophet. Only a heartbeat away is a diabolical Silicon Valley tech giant, D’Arcy Lauren Granier, and her henchmen.

The quest takes them through Napoleonic history and into a contemporary race through the streets of London, America’s backroads, the Caribbean, New Orleans’ French Quarter, Napoleon’s last island prison in the Atlantic, the Louisiana Bayou, and a massive, abandoned salt mine where pirate Jean Lafitte hid his treasures.

History, told in vivid flashbacks, jumps back to 1799 Egypt, and forward through the hundreds of years since, with pirates and presidents on the search for better or worse. Now Brady Donovan fights against the fast- ticking clock, relentless bad guys, and a Category 5 hurricane to where past meets present and greed and betrayal become deadly partners.

THE MIDAS TOUCH is written by international award-winning thriller writer Gary Grossman with Charles Segars and Oren Aviv, the creators of the billion-dollar National Treasure movie franchise.

Praise for THE MIDAS TOUCH:

“A perfect piece of entertainment with characters and a story that never disappoints. Poignant in places, nail-biting in others, the plot is accentuated by a take-no-prisoners attitude, similar to speeding down a slalom course with all its twists and turns. It’s quite a ride!”
~ Steve Berry New York Times best-selling author

“The Midas Touch is a thrilling ride through history and modern-day, tantalizing the reader with intrigue, action, and adventure across a labyrinth of archaeological secrets and danger.”
~ Raymond Benson, New York Times best-selling James Bond novelist

“Fans of The DaVinci Code will love The Midas Touch. Grossman, Segars, and Aviv have created an iconic character in Brady Donovan, a CIA cryptologist who trades in his pen for tradecraft to protect the world from a devastating economic weapon. Gripping prose, unforgettable settings, and non-stop excitement. A real page turner!”
~ K.J. Howe, international bestselling author of Skyjack writes

THE MIDAS TOUCH Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense, Mystery, History Fiction, Globe-Hopping Intrigue
Published by: Fayetteville Mafia Press
Publication Date: June 2, 2026
Number of Pages: 334
ISBN: 9781949024999 (ISBN10: 1949024997)
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | BookBub

 

Gary Grossman:

THE MIDAS TOUCH is written by international award-winning thriller writer Gary Grossman (OLD EARTH, the EXECUTIVE ACTIONS and RED HOTEL series) with Charles Segars and Oren Aviv, the creators and executive producers of the exciting and popular Nicholas Cage NATIONAL TREASURE movie franchise.

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X – @garygrossman1
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Charles Segars:

CHARLES SEGARS has served as a senior executive at Viacom, CBS, The Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation. Segars is also known as Creator and Executive Producer of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures hit movie franchise, National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
Currently, Segars enjoys a dual role as CEO of Ovation TV, the only multi-platform program service dedicated to the Arts and as President of Segars Media.
Segars is a respected global safety and security analyst. He advises a number of national security-related technology startups and is actively involved in governmental affairs.He has served as a White House Associate as an Advance Team leader for the Office of the President and Vice President of the United States of America, leading a number of secretive domestic and international trips.

 

Oren Aviv:

OREN AVIV ran Disney Studios from 2006-2010, after heading Disney Marketing for eight years. He became Disney’s first Chief Content Officer, and after leaving Disney he became CMO for 20th Century Fox Studios. In addition to executive producing a dozen films, he also co-created and was Executive Producer of Disney’s National Treasure film franchise.
Aviv was named “Marketer of the Year” three separate times by Advertising Age Magazine. He created breakthrough campaigns for the studio’s NARNIA, STEP UP, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the National Treasure franchises, and launched memorable campaigns for many of Pixar’s animated hits, including Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles and Cars. He also launched blockbusters such as The Sixth Sense; Pearl Harbor; Ransom; The Rock; Signs; The Waterboy; Armageddon; Unbreakable; 101 Dalmatians; Con Air; Crimson Tide; Freaky Friday; and Father of the Bride, as well as hundreds of other films under the Disney, Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures banners. As CMO at 20th Century Fox, Aviv created the campaigns for Rise of the Planet of the Apes; X-Men: First Class; Ridley Scott’s Prometheus; The Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman; and Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning Life of Pi.
As head of production at Disney, Aviv was responsible for greenlighting such hits as THE PROPOSAL starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds; Tim Burton’s billion-dollar-grossing Alice in Wonderland; Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End; National Treasure: Book of Secrets; and the Amy Adams musical-comedy Enchanted.

 

Q&A with GARY GROSSMAN

Can you tell us a little about yourselves and your backgrounds?
I guess I’m a book with many chapters. Like Brady Donovan, our lead character in THE MIDAS TOUCH, I grew up in Hudson, New York. Unlike Brady, I have no amazing cognitive skills that would lead me to the CIA and a treasure hunt around the world. However, the world was out there for me. The first way, as a 12-year-old ham radio operator, tapping out Morse Code and communicating with other shortwave radio operators across the globe.
The second way I reached beyond my one-square mile small town borders was as a local rock radio DJ. I started at 15 and at that point, I thought my career was set. Radio. Forever radio and rock and roll. Then came Boston and Emerson College where television and documentary film production lured me to expand my experience. Both mediums extended my reach and I became a story teller. The next leaps were into journalism, local and network news, documentary production, and books – both fiction and non-fiction. All as a storyteller, in one medium or another.
That’s who I am now—through writing international mysteries and thrillers, memoirs, books on TV history, and yes, I’m still producing some TV and happily getting on live radio and podcasts to promote my books.
It’s full circle experience, and word for word, it’s my story. I can even still spell it out in Morse Code!

Can you give us a glimpse into the research that went into writing this story?
Collaborating with Charles Segars and Oren Aviv has been truly creative and fulfilling. Together, we recognized that history was going to be a character in THE MIDAS TOUCH. That meant we’d have to hunker down and do thorough research on names, places, and dates. We had to create interlocking links between the real and the imagined, and have our cryptologist, Brady Donovan, and his cohorts, Egyptologist Teppy Flynn and conspiracy research Avery Prophet, figure them out.
That meant there’s hardly a page that didn’t require research. Hopefully, our research will be the transportation for readers to follow the clues from 1799 Egypt with the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, to the British Museum, and onto America, while deep diving through centuries of history.
The challenge and the goal was to cultivate the facts without getting too deep in the weeds. That gets back to my collaboration with the creators and executive producers of National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Charles Segars and Oren Aviv know how to strike the balance between authenticity and entertainment. They’ve done that in their movies and we feel we’ve succeeded in our wild, globe-hopping treasure hunt, THE MIDAS TOUCH.

Tweaking this question to get to except I had working with Charles and Oren, who reinvented the treasure hunt genre. How did the three of you collaborate on THE MIDAS TOUCH? What did that process look like day to day?
Collaboration can work many ways: Talking through the manuscript with one writer hitting the keys. Alternating chapters and passing them around. Or a combination of both. For the creation of THE MIDAS TOUCH, everyone contributed with story, characters, location, dialogue, through the five drafts, then the polish. In other words, we each brought our own best game to the process—as writers, film and television storytellers, and fans of the genre.
Most of all, it’s really exciting when everyone has something important to contribute. A good idea gets better with help. Imagery becomes richer. Characters, more real. And for us, history jumps off the page.
I got to work with real pros. It doesn’t get any better than that.

What does your typical writing routine look like? Any idiosyncrasies or rituals?
Process, process, process. Routine, routine, routine. I don’t believe in writer’s block. I have to lay something down every day, no matter how much I may rework it later. My goal is three pages a day. Sometimes more. Just do the math. If I keep it up, and I try to, that’s ninety pages a month, Less with a day or a weekend off every so often.
Then there’s rewriting. Sometimes that’s even harder. Well, if not harder, certainly more tedious because that’s where I discover what needs to be strengthened, improved, eliminated, or reimagined. However, with something on the page, and the establishment of a creative direction, rewriting takes me one step closer to bringing the story together.
And . . . then come the next drafts.
As screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill<, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and so many more wonderful movies) says, “Being a writer is like having homework every night of your life for the rest of your life.”
Totally true. And with that, I have another two pages to write today!

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THE MIDAS TOUCH by Gary Grossman, Oren Aviv, & Charles Segars

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Synopsis:

A McCusker Mystery

 

Thomas Barry, Lefty Kelly, and Brendy McCusker were all teenage boys who were roaming the streets of Portrush, County Antrim, in Northern Ireland in 1976 when Thomas Barry quite literally bumped into Isabella Scott, and he uttered the words of the title. In July 2019, the same Thomas Barry’s remains were discovered at the foot of the Pilgrim’s Steps in the Portrush Harbour. There were an extra 200,000 people visiting Portrush that week as The Royal Golf Club played host to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and the UK Open Tournament.

McCusker and DI Lily O’Carroll are conscripted from the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) in Belfast to help the already stretched local police force work on the case. They discover McCusker’s childhood friends Barry and Isabella Scott had married and then…well then, everything became very complicated relationship-wise involving Isabella’s sister, Colette, lawyers, accountants, and showband singers. Thomas had become an ultra-successful property developer, sometimes in partnership with the Buckley Brothers, at least one of whom doesn’t mind the cowboy approach to work. Meanwhile, McCusker is pining over a recent relationship he had started back in Belfast with O’Carroll’s sister, Grace.

Set against the backdrop of the (actual) UK Golf Open taking place in a small seaside town, where absolutely everyone has an opinion, and their opinions they are keen to share.

Praise for Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove:

“Paul Charles’ Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove is a page turner par excellence. Written written with Charles’ customary verve. Another brilliantly compelling atmospheric effort from a master crime writer.”

“A welcome return for Brendy McCusker… Charles crafts with such a careful eye on the sparks that can fly—some of them charming, some witty, some downright menacing—between characters who don’t happen to see eye to eye, or sometimes even to be operating in the same galaxy. Once again, it’s hard to resist a hero who realizes, ‘He just had a habit of opening his mouth and not knowing what was going to come out.”
~ Kirkus Reviews

“Charles’s skillful depiction of the many sides of love and its strange bypaths lifts this clever novel well above the genre average.”
~ Publishers Weekly

“Paul Charles is an outstanding author of crime fiction novels. They are models of character development and powerful observations of people the detectives meet. I enjoy reading his books.”
~ Irish American News

“Charles’s skilful depiction of the many sides of love and its strange bypaths lifts this clever novel well above the genre average.”
~ Publishers Weekly

“Charles has a wealth of experience in the crime genre from his past Kennedy and Starrett novels and the McCusker series delivers the same blend of mystery and engaging protagonists. The characters have an authenticity that Charles has fine-tuned throughout his writing career. Charles ability to weave real-like details helps bring the story full to life. A Day in The Life of Louis Bloom is both a love letter to Belfast and a gripping thriller.”
~ Aoife Bradshaw, Hot Press

“Charles In Full Bloom With Novel… a thrilling page-turner.”
~ Sunday World

“Amusing light-hearted entertainment from Paul Charles.”
~ The Irish Independent

HI LOVE, YOU JUST DROPPED YOUR GLOVE Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural, Crime Fiction
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: March 31, 2026
Number of Pages: 382
ISBN: 9798898201050
Series: A McCusker Mystery, Book 3 | Stand Alone
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Level Best Books

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

Paul Charles began his career in music at fifteen years old, managing his first band, The Blues by Five, in his hometown of Magherafelt in Northern Ireland. He moved to London in 1967 intending to study civil engineering but was quickly drawn back into the music world. In the 1970s he worked in multiple roles for the Belfast prog rock band FRUUPP, who signed to Dawn Records and toured widely across the UK and Europe. Charles lyrics for Sheba’s Song were later sampled and used as Soon The New Day by Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones on the album Ear Drum which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in 2007. After FRUUPP disbanded Charles co funded the Asgard Agency and has represented major artists including Crosby Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Robert Plant, Ani DiFranco, Gordon Lightfoot, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Loudon Wainwright III, John Lee Hooker, and Ry Cooder. He has programmed the Acoustic Stage at the Glastonbury Festival for the last 38 years. A life long writer he published his first Christy Kennedy mystery in 1997 Level Best Book have just published his 22nd mystery – Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove.

Catch Up With Paul Charles:

PaulCharlesBooks.com
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Q&A with PAUL CHARLES

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
My name is Paul Charles. I was born and raised in Northern Ireland. I’ve always been a fan of both music and books. I’ve been so lucky to be allowed to follow both those passions in my career as an agent in the music business and author of some 26 books. Mostly murder mysteries but also some non-fiction about the Beatles and the music business.

How did you come up with the title?
In 1968 Van Morrison released Astral Weeks, one of the best albums ever released. The album included the classic track Madam George. Part of the lyrics went along the lines of: He jumps up and shouts, hey love you forgot your glove. I remember like it was yesterday being stopped in my tracks by the imagery. I imagined this young Ulster exile in London at a party but longing for home. He spots a young lady and is immediately overcome by her natural beauty and aura. He silently chastises himself for being so painfully shy he is unable to approach her. She even gifts him an opening by leaving her glove on the seat she’d just vacated. He jumps up and shouts, “hey love you forgot your glove.” and she walks out of the party and his life. In my attempts to keep the books real I used my interpretation of Van lyrics as the way for the two main characters in Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove, Thomas Barry and Isabella Scott, to meet each other. I changed the location from a party in 1968 to them bumping into each other on the late-night streets of Portrush in 1970s.

Excluding the main character, who is your favorite character from the book, and why?
My favorite character in Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove would have to be DI Lily O’Carroll, McCusker’s side kick. This is the third in this series and over the course of the three books O’Carroll has developed from a walk-on part in the first to the point she really has become McCusker’s equal. I also love the way their relationship has developed to the extent it has become the foundation of the series.

Tell us why readers should pick up your book—what makes it stand out?
Although it is clearly the work of fiction, I always endeavor to make the books read as a true crime book would read. I was inspired by The Executioners Song by Norman Mailer and In Cold Blood by Normal Mailer, where both authors who very successfully took a true crime story and wrote them as though they were novels. I reversed their process.

What does your typical writing routine look like? Any idiosyncrasies or rituals?
While writing the first draft I work religiously from 6.00 am to 09.30 am every day. When I start the story, I do not know who committed the crime. I endeavor for the detective, the writer and the author to discover the relevant facts simultaneously.

Are you currently working on your next novel? If so, can you share a little about it?
Yes, it’s called The Return of The James Gang, the 12th DI Christy Kennedy Mystery. The James Gang, if we are to believe their own publicity, were the 2nd biggest band in Liverpool to the Beatles. As a power trio they were ahead of their time. They split up back in the day due to the drummer, who was also their manager, triple dipping. They reformed in modern day Camden Town to play at the drummer’s daughter’s wedding. Come the time for their big comeback performance the drummer is found in his dressing room with a drumstick through his heart…

Do you have a message or anything specific you’d like to say to your readers?
I’ve always felt that a big part of the success of a book is the reader’s imagination.

 

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Synopsis:

Kyndall Family Suspense Series

 

In this chilling romantic suspense, U.S. Marshals investigator Heather York stumbles into danger at a Maine lakeside lodge, with Jordan Kyndall’s protective instincts as her only hope.

A woman hunted by corruption.

Heather York thought her life was ordinary—until a sudden threat pulls her into a deadly game. In Shadow of Betrayal, she’s forced to question whether she’s a target—or collateral damage.

A man who won’t walk away.

Jordan Kyndall planned a weekend celebrating his college roommate’s wedding. Instead, he finds a grisly scene in the woods—a woman’s lifeless body—and a surge of protective instinct binds him to Heather in ways he never expected.

A danger that could destroy them both.

As threats multiply and secrets surface, Heather and Jordan must navigate corruption, desire, and deadly stakes—trusting each other may be the only way to survive.

Book Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Blaire Morgan Books
Publication Date: June 8, 2026
Series: Kyndall Family Suspense Series, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | KindleUnlimited | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Blaire Morgan, Author Bio:

Blaire Morgan is a pseudonymous American author blending danger, emotion, and high-stakes storytelling into gripping romantic suspense. She lives wherever the next adventure takes her—usually somewhere with a lot of trees, or a place that exists only in her imagination.

Catch Up With Blaire Morgan:

www.blairemorgan.com
Amazon Author Profile
BookBub – @blairemorganbooks1
YouTube – @blairemorganbooks

 

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Don’t be left in the dark… celebrate SHADOW OF BETRAYAL

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Synopsis:

Everything he knows about his life is. . . a lie.

Blindsided by the sudden death of his mother, 21-year-old Will Lockhart can no longer afford the rent or bear the haunting memories of their shared Massachusetts apartment. While packing up his mother’s belongings, he discovers his long-dead father’s deed to a house in upstate New York. With nowhere else to go, he settles there, intent on making a fresh start. But odd things happen as soon as Will moves in. He’s unnerved by evidence of fire damage in the cottage, and alarmed by the seizure his elderly next-door neighbor suffers upon meeting him. Most shocking of all are the rumors of a long-ago murder in his house. Now, trapped in a town full of strangers, unsure of whether local murmurings are true or simply small-town gossip, he’s determined to discover what really happened all those years ago, and how he’s connected to the chaos. The truth will set him free. Or get him killed.

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Suspense, Domestic Suspense
Published by: Creative James Media
Publication Date: September 22, 2026
Number of Pages: 344
ISBN: 9781965648919 (ISBN10: 1965648916)
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

 

Author Bio:

Jennifer Sadera first worked in the publishing industry as a junior copywriter for NAL/Penguin. She has written and edited for newspapers and magazines as a freelancer and on the staffs of major women’s publications, Woman’s World and Redbook.

Catch Up With Jennifer Sadera:

JenniferSadera.com
Amazon Author Profile
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BookBub – @jennifersadera
Instagram – @jensaderaauthor
X – @jennifersadera
Facebook – @jennifer.sadera
LinkedIn
YouTube – @AuthorJenniferSadera

 

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The Truth Might Be Deadly… This Giveaway Isn’t

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Synopsis:

An eerie suspense novel, in which a grieving woman takes a job at an isolated mansion only to become wrapped up in the curse that seems to have befallen its eccentric owner.

Emily Grace has endured the worst loss imaginable. But can she survive a remote manor haunted by more than just memories . . .?

Drowning in grief, Emily Grace has lost everything: her home, her friends, her career. Only one lifeline remains—a job working for an eccentric millionaire. Along with his wife, he’s been building a mansion on a secluded island surrounded by a harsh and unforgiving sea. But when she disappears under mysterious circumstances, Emily Grace is hired to finish the project.

Locals believe the house is cursed, but their warnings go unheeded as Emily Grace works to rebuild her life. After what she’s been through, nothing can scare her—except perhaps the attention of a handsome man offering more than friendship. And yet, there’s something strange about this solitary fortress. Accidents. Mishaps. Ghostly whispers through the surrounding forest, footsteps when she’s completely alone . . .

Is there truly a curse or is the ethereal specter in the window an omen of something more sinister?

This spooky standalone from phenomenal crime author Elena Taylor will have readers sleeping with the light on for weeks! With vibes of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, fans of Riley Sager and thrillers with light horror elements will love The Haunting of Emily Grace!

NOW IN PAPERBACK!

Praise for The Haunting of Emily Grace:

“Taylor doesn’t just conjure suspense—she dissects it, peeling back the fragile layers of identity, memory, and trust until nothing feels safe. The Haunting of Emily Grace is deeply unsettling in all the best ways.”
~ Carter Wilson, bestselling author of Tell Me What You Did

“Beautifully evocative and atmospheric, The Haunting of Emily Grace is a one-sitting read. I couldn’t put it down.”
~ Lisa Hall, bestselling author of suspense

“gut-tightening suspense”
~ Edward J Leahy, author of the Dan Brady and Kim Brady mysteries

The Haunting of Emily Grace Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense with a touch of light paranormal/horror
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: May 21, 2026
Number of Pages: 288 pages
ISBN: 9781448318889 (ISBN10: 1448318882), Paperback
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Severn House

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

Elena Taylor spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to novels. Her first series, the Eddie Shoes Mysteries, written under Elena Hartwell, introduced a quirky mother/daughter crime fighting duo.

With the Sheriff Bet Rivers Mysteries, Elena returned to her dramatic roots to bring readers more serious and atmospheric novels. Located in her beloved Washington State, Elena uses her connection to the environment to produce tense and suspenseful investigations for a lone sheriff in an isolated community. The third in the series, Kill to Keep, launches summer 2026.

The Haunting of Emily Grace is Elena’s first standalone suspense novel.

Her favorite place to be is at Paradise, the property she lives on south of Spokane, Washington, with her equines, dogs, cats, and hubby.

Catch Up With Elena Taylor:

www.ElenaTaylorAuthor.com
TheMysteryOfWriting.com
Amazon Author Profile
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Instagram – @ElenaTaylorAuthor
X – @Elena_TaylorAut
Facebook – @ElenaTaylorAuthor

Q&A with ELENA TAYLOR

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I worked in theatre for the better part of twenty years. During that time, I was a playwright, director, designer, occasional actor, and technician. I also taught theatre at the college/university level and have a PhD in Dramatic Theory and Criticism, so a lot of my storytelling skills were created out of those experiences. I started writing my first novel in 2007 and got my first publishing deal in 2015.
I miss theater sometimes, but then I remember the long hours for little pay and I don’t miss it quite so much!

How did you come up with the title?
My agent, editor, and I spent so much time on this title! We went around and around and nothing really landed. Originally, I only thought of this as a suspense novel. But my editor wisely pointed out that it has supernatural elements. Once I realized that it was going out as suspense with light paranormal/horror elements, The Haunting of Emily Grace just popped into my head. I love it because she is haunted by so many things.

What’s next for you—what can readers look forward to?
The third book in my Sheriff Bet Rivers mysteries comes out July 7. It’s called Kill to Keep, and it’s a cross between the slow burn of book one, All We Buried, and the more thriller-esque ending of the second book, A Cold, Cold World. While it does focus on some of the relationships that have developed over the series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. Then, I hope to be announcing my next project soon! Readers who would like to be the first to hear should follow me on social media or sign up for my newsletter. I’m very excited about the next one.

What are some of your favorite leisure activities or hobbies when you’re not writing?
As some of you know, I’m an equine girl. I used to say horse girl, but I now own two horses and a giant mule named Boone. My equines live on my property, so a lot of my “riding time” is actually care time. They get fed, turned out to pasture, brought in, fed again … in between there is clean up (the average equine poops about 20 pounds a day!). Then there is property care, fixing fence, moving sprinklers, cleaning water troughs, mowing & fertilizing … there’s always something to do, but I love it all. I love to groom and hang out with my horse, ride, and do groundwork, but I also love just seeing them out the window.
Noble is an almost five-year-old three-quarter draft, one-quarter Morgan, Jasper is a seventeen-year-old American Paint Horse (Palomino in color, overo markings), and Boone is a nine-year-old mule who stands 5’9” at the shoulder. I can stand upright under his head. I also have dogs and cats, so my animals keep me very, very busy.

 

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Enter Where Secrets Whisper and Shadows Linger…

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