Author: Marissa DeCuir

“One is unlikely to find a funnier guide to surviving divorce.” — Publishers Weekly

SACRAMENTO – Divorce is no joke, but renowned author Dawn Dais leans into the chaos in the vulnerable fifth installment to her series, “The Sh!t No One Tells You About Divorce” (Hachette Books, Jan. 10, 2023).

After 12 years together, two children, 10 pets, and five properties, Dawn and her partner decided to call it quits. In the newest installment of her bestselling Sh!t No One Tells You series, Dawn tries to figure out what happened … and what happens next.

Dawn takes you on her own bumpy, meandering — and often absurd — journey through the destruction of a life exploded by divorce. She dodges legal hurdles, irrational decisions, alarmed therapists, random hobbies and a concerning number of dating app profiles that look like the beginning of a true crime podcast. But somehow, she found herself stronger — and happier — on the other side. Leaning into the mess, Dawn helps you learn the art of embracing Netflix and cry, the healing power of profanity, the importance of assembling the right support squad, how to survive the sh!tshow of co-parenting, and much more.

Joined by an insightful chorus of divorced friends, Dawn delivers a true-to-life and funnier-than-it-should-be guide to discovering the unexpected value in the wreckage. What if divorce isn’t just a loss — but an opportunity?

“The Sh!t No One Tells You About Divorce: A Guide to Breaking Up, Falling Apart, and Putting Yourself Back Together”
Dawn Dais | Jan. 10, 2023
Hachette Books | Nonfiction/Self-Help Paperback | 9780306828546 | $18.99

About the author

DAWN DAIS is a freelance writer and designer. Her previous books, including “The Sh!t No One Tells You,” “The Sh!t No One Tells You About Pregnancy,” “The Sh!t No One Tells You About Toddlers,” “The Sh!t No One Tells You About Baby #2” and “The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women” were published by Seal Press, have topped Amazon.com bestseller lists, and have been featured by countless TV and print media sources. Her uniquely sarcastic yet inspiring tone has entertained and guided an enthusiastic core of readers toward their various ridiculous parenting and athletic goals. Dawn’s most recent book, “The Sh!t No One Tells You About Divorce” will be released in 2023.

Dawn lives in Roseville, California, with her two kids, one dog, four chickens (unfortunate quarantine decision), two cats and the occasional mouse brought into the home by said cats. You can find out more about Dawn and her books on her website.

Follow Dawn on Social Media:
Etsy: @quotesbydawn | Facebook: @dawn.dais
Twitter: @bydawndais | Instagram: @dawndais

In an interview, Dawn Dais can discuss:

• Why she deviated from her initial theme of parenting to discuss her divorce
• How writing about divorce differs from writing about parenting — as well as how the two are connected
• The different dynamics of parenting, relationships, and divorce with LGBTQ+ couples
• Why, post-pandemic, divorce is becoming more common
• The dichotomy of grief and renewal that divorce provides
• The nonstop fun of navigating dating in middle age
• How divorce has big time mid-life crisis vibes, and why that is a good thing
• The biggest challenges, as well as the joys, of co-parenting

Praise for Dais and her acclaimed parenting series

“Dais offers a commonsense yet comical view of the toddler years, which she wryly sums up as a “confusing cluster-f of a time.” ​– Publishers Weekly

“Humorous revelations offer insight into a natural process that can and often does completely overwhelm the mother … An amusing and accurate examination of life with an infant.” — Kirkus Reviews

“From poop to post-partum depression, she presents a no-holds-barred look at all of the changes and challenges that new moms and dads can face, along with the three little words every infant-toting parent wants to hear: It gets better.” – Parade Magazine

“Pregnant women who want an honest peek inside what’s to come will be convinced to nap while they still can, and moms with kids will laugh out loud at Dais’ quirky insights and strong opinions.” — Parents Magazine

An interview with Dawn Dais

What compelled you to write a book about your divorce?

Shortly after my divorce, when everything had gone ass over teakettle, a couple of my divorced friends reassured me that everything would be OK. They were a few years ahead of me on their divorce timelines and they knew from experience that things would eventually calm down. They’d tell me, “Just give it time, everything will be fine, you guys will be fine. Just give it time.” I’d respond with, “Yeah, that’s great. But what the hell am I supposed to do in the meantime?”

The “meantime” of divorce is brutal. It’s the time between the end of your marriage and the beginning of feeling normal in the new version of your life. I really wanted to write a book for people who are still going through their meantime. I wanted them to feel less alone during a really isolating time. I wanted to give them a place to come rage and laugh and cry with someone who understands that sometimes all of those emotions happen within a 20-minute span of time during divorce.

How was writing this book different from your other Sh!t No One Tells You books?

My other Sh!t books were about parenting. It turns out divorce is decidedly less entertaining than parenthood. This was by far the most difficult book I’ve ever written. I’ve never written, rewritten and cut, cut, cut as much as I did for this book. I wanted to be as honest as possible while still being conscious of the fact that I was writing in permanent ink about quite a few other people whose lives were exploded along with mine. It was a delicate dance that I hope I pulled off.

How did you find humor is such a traditionally serious subject?

This book is all over the map when it comes to emotions. Some chapters are really serious and others are completely ridiculous. Initially, I didn’t know if this range of emotions was a good idea, but then I realized it actually aligns perfectly with the overall shitshow that is divorce. Some days you are eating take-out while embracing the Netflix, and Cry and other days you are acting like a giddy teenager while on your first date in 15 years. The experience has range, is my point.

A lot of the humor of divorce can be found in the absurdity of life after it has been exploded by the ending of a marriage. How do you figure out dating apps when you haven’t dated since dial-up? How do you fix the blasted sprinkler system in your backyard when that used to be your ex’s job? And what do you do when it’s time for dinner and you just realized your ex got the can opener in the split?

I like to lean into the absurdity and shake out the funny wherever I can. I balanced the book out with deep thoughts and introspections as well, but taking time to laugh is a really important part of making the meantime bearable.

What are some of the biggest challenges of co-parenting?

Establishing a co-parenting relationship with your ex is by far the most difficult part of navigating divorce with children. All the rest of the divorce stuff sorta fades away in time (and therapy), but if you have kids together, the two of you are going to have to figure out some way to do this project together for the long haul.

This can be mind-bogglingly frustrating in the early days of divorce because didn’t you just blow up your whole life to get away from this person? And now, lucky you, you get to deal with them every 48 hours at kid exchanges. It is simply the most fun.

What would you say are some good tips and tricks for parents navigating the new dynamic of co-parenting?

Divorce, to me, is a giving up of sorts. A standing up from the partnership table and announcing you are all done with any and all efforts to make this thing work. But then it turns out you still have to collaborate with this person on the most important group project: raising tiny humans. So you have to get back to the table. And the two of you have to figure out a way to do this project well for your kids, because they deserve a solid team effort.

My biggest piece of advice for successfully pulling off co-parenting after divorce is this: Start from today. Your old way of communicating and collaborating didn’t work out so well, so it’s time to change it up. And the only way you can successfully redefine how you are going to work together moving forward is if you mutually agree to leave the past in the past. Every interaction can’t be a contest to see who can pull the most of the past into the present day, or this project is going to go off the rails every 13 minutes. Start from today, over and over and over again. It won’t be easy, but it is the only way this project is going to work.

What do you hope that readers will take away from this book?

I hope this book can simply act as a soft place for people to land during a really shitty time. I hope the book can help them realize that there are better things waiting for them on the other side of their meantime.

It can be really hard to imagine better days when the bad days fill up most of the calendar. So, I just want to provide a little glimmer of, “Keep going, you are going to be absolutely dazzled by the version of yourself that is waiting for you just up the road a bit.”

What are you working on next?

Right now, I’m working on my first fiction book, a middle grade novel. I’m writing it with a lot of help from my kids, and it is the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book. It has been really great to go from writing the emotionally taxing divorce book to tackling a fun fiction book about alien robots.

So many parts of me came back to life in the years after my divorce, and my creativity has been one of the most rewarding lights that has been turned back on. I’ve always wanted to tackle fiction, and my kids and I are having a blast collaborating on a story together.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

“A taut globe-trotting thriller .. told with eloquence and ruthless efficiency.”
– George Nolfi, screenwriter, “The Bourne Ultimatum”

LONDON – Debut author Gary Born erupts into the literary scene with a nail-biting thriller centered on international espionage in “The File” (Histria Books, March 28, 2023). Leaning into his experience as a preeminent international lawyer, Born weaves an exciting tale that spans Africa, the Middle East and Europe in a relentless pursuit of WWII Nazi intel that will enthrall the reader from the first page.

Enter Sara West, a tenacious botany graduate student on a scientific expedition in the heart of the African jungle. During her research, she stumbles upon a cache of WWII Nazi files in the wreck of a German bomber hidden deep within the jungle. Those hidden files reveal the location of a multibillion-dollar war chest, secretly deposited by the Nazis in numbered Swiss bank accounts at the end of WWII.

But Sara isn’t the only one interested in the war chest. Former KGB agent Ivan Petronov and Franklin Kerrington III, deputy director of the CIA, both have deeply personal reasons for acquiring the files Sara has found.

With two dangerous men — and their teams of hit men — on her trail, will Sara be able to escape the jungle alive?

“The File”
Gary Born | March 28, 2023 | Histria Books | Spy Thriller
Hardcover | 9781592112050 | $29.99

About the Author

Gary Born is widely regarded as the world’s preeminent authority on international commercial arbitration and international litigation. He has been ranked for more than 20 years as one of the world’s leading international arbitration advocates and authors. “The File” is his debut novel.

Connect with Gary Born on LinkedIn

In an interview, Gary Born can discuss:

• His background in international law and how his experiences in the industry inspired the book’s premise
• Why he decided to set the book primarily in the African jungle
• His experience travelling and working around the world and the research he conducted to accurately write the novel’s setting
• Why the relationship between heroine Sara and Jeb is crucial to the story’s narrative
• What makes the main character Sara intriguing and what he hopes she exemplifies to readers
• Future projects he’s working on

Praise for Gary Born and “The File”

“A thoroughly enjoyable, engrossing thriller with a captivating young, beautiful American botanist at the center of the fast paced action. Rooting for Sara West as she evades a Russian assassination team through the dense jungles of central Africa – her expedition experience and wits her only weapons in a race to safety – will keep you up past your bedtime. Can Sara trust CIA operative Jeb Fisher or will the likable, attractive American also betray her trust? This well written adventure will take Sara from the rainforests of central Africa to the shores of north Africa and on to the cobbled streets of Europe as she struggles to identify friend from foe. Is it all a trap? The suspense will keep you guessing and eagerly awaiting a sequel…..” – Gina Haspel, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

“I loved ‘The File,’ a debut thriller that’s so good it’s impossible to believe it’s Gary Born’s first. An international lawyer par excellence, he writes with an insider’s expertise that shows on every page of this lightning-fast read, which races through the Rwenzori Mountains, the halls of the CIA, and the banks of Zurich with aplomb and authenticity. The novel opens when botanist Sara West finds a secret file in a plane that crashed in the Congolese jungle, and the action never lets up, twisting and turning its way around the world. West is one of the strongest and smartest heroines I’ve read in recent years, and I cheered for her every step of the way. Welcome, Gary Born!” — Lisa Scottoline, No. 1 bestselling author

“A taut globe-trotting thriller, as American and Russian intelligence operatives race to hunt down the discoverer of a long-buried secret, told with eloquence and ruthless efficiency.” – George Nolfi, screenwriter, “The Bourne Ultimatum”

“ ‘The File’ is everything you want in a globetrotting, Nazi-hunting, desert-traversing survival epic and pressure cooker spycraft thriller!” – Joshuah Bearman, author, Wired

An interview with Gary Born

How did having a background in international law shape the planning and execution of this novel?

One of the central themes of the novel involves secret Swiss bank accounts, holding Nazi deposits from World War II. My practice in international law has involved both Swiss bank accounts and WWII assets, which provided vital background for this aspect of the thriller.

You tackle a lot of settings throughout the book, how do you do research to write about different settings and countries? Do you pull from your own personal travel experiences?

I have travelled almost everywhere in the world, for both work and pleasure. I drew on hikes in Uganda and Congo, on road trips in the Sahara, travels in Italy and many weeks in Zurich for the settings in the book. It is never easy to capture the heart and soul of a place in a few sentences, but these travels helped me along the way.

Sara is a 28 year old graduate student, why did you decide to write a main character with significantly different life experiences then your own?

Sara’s experience isn’t that different from mine, in some important ways. I spent time in the Ruwenzori mountains — without killers on my trail, to be sure — when I was Sara’s age. And I have a daughter who is also from Sara’s generation. I think the character has some of both my daughter and myself in her.

Did you conduct any kind of research to help write the book?

I spent time researching Nazi warplanes and Tempelhof; walked the streets of Zurich, imagining chase scenes; spent a few days in Lucca and the surrounding area, developing Jeb and Sara’s time there. I also researched what FSS and FSB operatives would and wouldn’t have been good at — thoughts that I passed along to Sara for her use.

What do you hope the readers take away from your book?

Many things, but especially Sara’s determination and resilience, even when nothing seemed possible. Her objectivity and resourcefulness. The complexity of Sara and Jeb’s relationship, as it unfolds. Sara’s reactions to her father’s death and fiance’s betrayal. The different forms of malice and evil that Petronov and Kerrington personified, and Sara’s responses to that.

What projects are you working on next?

Another thriller — “The Priest” — a former Mafia enforcer is posted abroad after giving up his life of mayhem and becoming a priest; by chance, he befriends a former high-ranking general, whose deathbed confession and will sends the priest in search of documents that would reshape the map of Asia, while chased by intelligence services intent on stopping the priest in his tracks

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Fans of author Taylor Jenkins Reid will enjoy story of self-made women gambling with love, sex and careers

BOYNTON BEACH, FL – Three-time-Emmy nominee and former editor-in-chief of “Seventeen Magazine” and “Soap Opera Digest” Meredith Berlin is releasing her debut women’s fiction, Friends With Issues (January 24, 2023, Warren Publishing), which follows three glamorous, self-made women in their 40s who gamble with love, sex and their careers in NYC and L.A., as one charismatic man captivates them all.

Friends With Issues follows Brooke, Elizabeth, and Susan, three friends who have made their mark on Manhattan but who now struggle with the daily balancing act of career, friendship, and intimacy. Brooke thought she married the man of her dreams, but now she’s questioning her marriage as she embarks on a new venture to Hollywood. Elizabeth’s sex life is incredible, but only on her husband’s terms–and after a shattering diagnosis, she attempts to remake herself in order to recover some semblance of her identity. Susan should be ecstatic when her media mogul husband catapults them into financial security, but as her uncertainty about their relationship grows, she opens a Pandora’s box of new passion by finally admitting that her sexual and romantic preferences do not lie exclusively with men.

In Meredith Berlin’s provocative debut, these women discover that their relationships to sex, love, friends, and personal identity can transform at any age–and money doesn’t protect you from the unimaginable. Fans of Big Little Lies, The Manhattan Girls, Valley of the Dolls, and novels by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Jessica Anya Blau will devour this absorbing drama to its powerful end.

Friends with Issues
Meredith Berlin | January 24, 2023 | Warren Publishing | Women’s Fiction
Hardcover | 978-1-957723-72-3 | $32.95
Paperback | 978-1-957723-73-0 | $18.95

MEREDITH BERLIN: Meredith Berlin was the editor-in-chief of several magazines, including Soap Opera Digest and Seventeen. Her freelance articles and profiles have appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines. Meredith is a three-time Emmy-nominated executive producer and has been a regular on-air contributor to television news and entertainment shows. Like a few of her characters, she worked as a jeweler and lived in the northern suburbs of New York City. Meredith has been married for over thirty years and has three adult children and one perfect granddaughter. Like many former New Yorkers, she currently lives in Florida. This is her first novel.

Follow Meredith Berlin on social media:
Twitter: @meredithberlin | Instagram: @meredith_berlin

In an interview, Meredith Berlin can discuss:

• How her life as editor-in-chief for Seventeen Magazine in NYC and her diagnosis of MS inspired her writing
• What her Emmy-award-nominated work in the world of soap operas taught her about crafting unputdownable drama and characters
• Why it’s important to understand that life can transform even after you think you’ve “settled” or “made it”–or if you worry you haven’t done either (yet!)
• The importance of portraying vibrant, dynamic women at any age
• How she created her characters: writing three glamorous, successful women who are simultaneously aspirational and realistic in their triumphs and struggles
• How vital sex is for relationships – the lust and intimacy – and how all of her characters’ sex-life changes affect them over the course of the novel, despite the common misconception that women don’t want sex as much as men do

An Interview with Meredith Berlin

How has your professional life, working as editor-in-chief for Seventeen Magazine and Soap Opera Digest, influenced your writing?

Soap Opera Digest not only taught me about that particular community of actors and actresses. More importantly, it taught me about the art of storytelling. Daily soap scripts are the length of most movies. No reruns. Soaps are where writers learned about arcs and long form storytelling. They’ve been around since the early days of radio. Seventeen, is considered a national treasure. A girl’s first real magazine. It taught me about fashion, respect for teens, what is current and on the minds of girls. It taught me how to capture a reader and not let go.

How has your MS diagnosis impacted you and your writing?

MS taught me that I have to respect my body. It’s a disease that doesn’t allow you to “push through” When you need to rest, you must rest. Because I look fine, with no outward symptoms, it’s also called on me to be more of an advocate for myself. My disability is not seen but I must communicate that I have one, IF the situation calls for it. It’s taught me about self advocacy in general. I have learned to accept what my body tells me and listen to it. I would LOVE to expand on this.

What made you decide to return to writing, and how has your life changed since you have?

I saw a movie on TV 20 years after I wrote the book and said, “That’s my book!” Of course it wasn’t, but the relationship between the women, the fact that they were wealthy but also self made, had strengths, weaknesses, love problems, children problems and relied on each other, made me realize that my book’s themes were evergreen. I was enthused to return to it. And finishing the book became a fever goal. My family pushed me on.

Let’s talk about your characters. You mention that people are not just “one thing”. How does this show up in your characters?

I can expand more fully! If you see a well dressed, wealthy woman, you can come up with an idea of what kind of life that person lives. If you talk to someone who’s confrontational, and rude, you want to stay away. If you meet someone with a wrenching disease, you imagine that their life is a struggle. But you don’t know their backstory. It’s only by listening and investing the time in someone else that you might learn, ie, that the confrontational person, ie, has been severely emotionally crippled in their past and it colors what they say and do. Listening, giving people second chances and believing that everyone has a story is, for me, a more connected way to live. Doesn’t mean you have to like them. It’s just interesting to remember that most of us have layers and reasons for what we do.

How does this book show the truth of life – that we all struggle and have to adapt?

Yes, it’s a good subject to expand on. Well, the most recent example of that is that my entire family has come down with CoVid and I’m on deadline. I’m here in Massachusetts, meant to take care of my granddaughter, while being slayed with the disease. Didn’t plan on it. I’m exhausted, anxious, worried. I want to push through but I can’t. So what to do? Ask for help, lower my expectations, believe that I will still show the world the best book I can write and rely on family and friends to support me when I tell myself a million times a day, “Oh God, what if I can’t?”

As somebody who has interviewed a lot of celebrities – who was your most interesting interview?

The first interview I ever conducted was with the most famous man in the world — Muhammad Ali. It was also the easiest because he did all the talking. I was 20 years old and scared to death! I was also paid the “ridiculously high fee” of $25 for for writing the story for my local newspaper. How I got the interview and why Ali said yes is a story of persistence, fear, and the generosity of an incredible boxer.

What do you want readers to take away from your book?

I want them to relate to my characters. I want them to see themselves or someone they know in them. I want them to know that we–as humans–have inner strength to get us through the worst. I hope they see that humor, love and support can help us through the good times and bad.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jackie. One name was all you needed. A paragon of femininity, fashion, American wifeliness and motherhood, she was also fiercely independent, the first modern First Lady.

Traumatized and exposed after her husband’s murder, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy nonetheless built a new life for herself in an America similarly haunted by upheaval. She traveled relentlessly and dated widely before her marriage to a shipping magnate scandalized the world in 1968. There were so many stories, so many pictures: Jackie living abroad, Jackie climbing ruins, Jackie cruising the oceans, Jackie wandering Europe braless and with bare feet. But, in the decades since, that Jackie has been almost entirely erased.

Treated like a national soap opera and transmitted through newspapers, magazines, images, and TV during the 1960s and 1970s, Jackie’s story became wired into America’s emotional grid. In “Finding Jackie,” author Oline Eaton pieces the story back together, rediscovering Jackie as an adventurer, a wanderer, a woman and an idea in whom many Americans and people around the globe deeply, fiercely wanted to believe.

Touching down everywhere from Athens, Paris, Cairo, and 1040 Fifth Avenue, “Finding Jackie” returns Jackie’s story to its original context as a serialized drama unfurling alongside the Civil Rights movement, women’s liberation, and the Vietnam War. In “Finding Jackie,” Oline Eaton reveals the kaleidoscopic Jackie we need now: the most celebrated, exposed, beloved, reviled, written about, and followed “star of life.”

“Finding Jackie: A Life Reinvented”
Oline Eaton | Jan. 31, 2023 | Diversion Books | Biography
Hardcover | 978-1635767933 | $28.99
Ebook | $28.99
Audiobook | $22.64

About the Author

A scholar of biographical writing and a writer of creative nonfiction, in her work, Oline Eaton examines the intersections of celebrity, feelings, feminism, language, and trauma. She holds degrees from Mississippi State University, the University of Chicago, and King’s College London, and teaches first year writing as a non-tenure track lecturer at Howard University. She lives in Washington, DC with her cats, Claude and Marcel. Find out more about her at www.findingjackie.com.

Follow Oline Eaton on social media:
Facebook: @finding.jackie.onassis | Twitter: @oline_eaton | Instagram: @oline.eaton

In an interview, Oline Eaton can discuss:

The stark juxtaposition between Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ poise and elegance in the public eye, and her private struggles with insecurities, trauma and gossip as she yearned for independence and adventure — “Finding Jackie” establishes the impact those stories and the public’s interest had on how Jackie lived her life, while also deepening our understanding of how and why she became so wired into the nation’s emotional grid. In doing so, it also provides further evidence of how her story, in particular, contributed to the expansion of celebrity beyond Hollywood film stars, such that celebrity ultimately came to encompass, in the words of one movie magazine, “the stars of life.”

Taking Jackie’s life into context beyond the typical domestic drama — which is the approach of many biographies of women — and putting it into historical context. Jackie’s is a story that largely unfolded around major social progress in the 1960s and 70s (the Civil Rights movement, the movements for gay rights and women’s liberation), cultural change (a rise in divorce rates, changing attitudes towards privacy and public figures), historical events (the Vietnam War, Watergate), and technological advancements (the American space program, the intrusions of telephoto lenses, the acceleration of the news cycle). In fact, her story often intersected with these developments.

How she became interested in the enigmatic life of Jackie O — Being a bit of a pre-teen news junkie, Oline had been following the Clinton administration closely and was well aware of the hatred directed at Hillary. Upon her death, Jackie was the first American first lady that Oline saw who was beloved by the American people. And yet, there were major gaps in the story being told at the time.

What she learned from sifting through old letters and having conversations with the people who knew Jackie best, including her friends, family, and acquaintances, including feminist icon Gloria Steinem.

Visiting iconic places where Jackie spent important moments of her life, including her childhood home in Newport, Rhode Island, and Aristotle Onassis’s private yacht, Christina.

New insights into Jackie’s marriages to JFK and to Aristotle Onassis.

Colorful tidbits and stories that peppered Jackie’s life – the time hundreds of fans chased her through a potato field at a funeral in Poland; selling her old couture clothing to make quick cash (á la Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads, but high-end); her office’s strategic leaks to the press in an effort manage her coverage, etc.

How Jackie’s legacy has been celebrated for style rather than substance, and why her story is relevant in today’s world.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Politics, revolutions and sisterhood in European-inspired historical debut

NASHVILLE – The battle for the throne of Karkov commences in this epic feminist fantasy from debut author Dale Griffin. “The Last Lion of Karkov” (March 14, 2023, Books Fluent) dives deeply into the worlds of its characters, creating an epic fantasy debut that amplifies the hardships of politics, the sacrifice of love and the enduring bond between two sisters.

Using his experiences traveling across Europe and his passion for developing complex and endearing characters, Griffin’s epic features twin sisters who must fight for their rightful place in a male-dominated world. And in honor of the sisters within the story, he also plans to donate a portion of sales of his book to Girls, Inc., an organization that believes in empowering young girls to be independent and bold.

For royal twin sisters, Jillian and Natalia, there’s nothing that can come between them. Natalia is set for marriage to another kingdom and Jillian prepares to take up the throne as the first Lioness of Karkov. Raised to be warlords and rulers, Jillian’s path to the throne is met with opposition when the old warriors bring forth a male rival. Jillian must fight for her rightful position on the throne, but things change when she starts to develop feelings for her challenger. As destinies are altered and nations are spun into turmoil, Jillian and Natalia must reckon with the consequences of love and war.

For fans of Guy Gavriel Kay and Tamora Pierece’s Lioness series, “The Last Lion of Karkov” will give readers two new feminist icons to root for and suprising twists to linger in the mind well after reading.

“The Last Lion of Karkov”
Dale Griffin | March 2023 | Books Fluent | Epic fantasy
Paperback, 9781953865601, $22.99/$16.99
Ebook, 978-1-953865-61-8

About the author

DALE GRIFFIN is a historical fantasy writer releasing his debut novel “The Last Lion of Karkov” in March 2023. Griffin considers himself a traveler and a writer as a result. Married to his best friend and travel partner, the two explore Europe as frequently as possible. Inspired by those journeys, Griffin uses his experiences to influence his imagined worlds and the memorable characters who dwell in them.

In an interview, Dale Griffin can discuss:

• Why he’s motivated to donate sales of the book to Girls, Inc.
• His passion for writing characters and developing them throughout a story
• The process of creating Jillian and Natalia to be a dynamic and evolving duo
• The inspiration to write a fantasy story featuring two female lead characters in a male-dominated world
• His knowledge of horses and bull-training from experience as a bull rider and rodeo champion
• The book’s hidden messages and love letters to his wife
• How the book’s setting was inspired from his travels throughout Europe

An interview with Dale Griffin

Jillian and Natalia are deeply developed characters in this story. Could you go into what it was like to create these characters and the work it took to evolve them throughout the story?

I wanted to create twin sisters who were subjected to the same cruel upbringing yet emerged from their circumstances with completely different personalities. Natalia’s character evolved more over the revisions than Jillian’s.

Despite some readers finding Jillian too quick-tempered and unfair, my thoughts are that she is the direct result of her childhood. Natalia, being a person who puts others before herself, should be considered the enigma. Early drafts did not portray her as spoiled during her youth, but I preferred to show her evolve into a proper heroine, with her love of Jillian being the reason.

The story is set in a European setting despite being an epic fantasy world. What went into creating the world Jillian and Natalia live in?

Europe — its people, its landscapes, its cities, and its history — inspires me to write. I set out on writing the Euro-inspired story without knowing what the reader would think about my imaginary places obviously being taken from real places. Luckily, early readers found that it helped them picture the setting, so I fully embraced the method and ran with it.

As a male author, what was your motivation to write a fantasy story focusing on two women fighting in a patriarchal society?

My favorite characters are feisty female protagonists who refuse to conform to what is expected of them. With Jillian in particular, I created a near-insurmountable obstacle to overcome and unleashed a ferocious lioness to attack it.

You must have also drawn a bit from real life. Can you tell us a bit about what parts inspired your real life?

It’s easier to write about what you know. I was riding horses by the age of 4, which helped to write a book set in this period. My engineering degree was part of the inspiration for Lorenzo. Most importantly, my wife provided many influences throughout the book.

You also plan to donate sales of your book to Girls, Inc. What is your motivation there and how do you believe this connects to the story?

It’s what Jillian and Natalia would want — to support girls in becoming bold and independent women.

What do you hope readers gain from the story?

I hope that I created characters who will linger in the thoughts of readers between readings and well after completing the book.

Are you working on any additional projects?

Yes, I have outlined a new book in a similar style where the lands are inspired by Scotland and Northern England, including their rivalry. A druidess is taken from her Highlands homeland to serve a Scottish-like ruler trying to preserve his title of king. But also, the continued “Last Lion of Karkov” story with the threat from the Desert Lion is never far from my thoughts.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

NORTHFIELD, MN – A two-time Foreword Indie Book Award finalist returns with a thrilling addition to the Twin Cities mystery series, “When the House Burns” (Coffeetown Press, February 14th, 2023). Priscilla Paton submerges the reader in a fast-paced mystery that tackles the societal implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the housing market.

When death comes home, is nowhere safe?
The quest for love and home becomes deadly when Detectives Erik Jansson and Deb Metzger search for the killer of an adulterous real estate agent.

A volatile real estate market, unrest in a homeless encampment, jealousies among would-be lovers, a case of arson—these circumstances thwart G-Met detectives Erik Jansson and Deb Metzger as they investigate the murder of an adulterous woman. The victim’s estranged husband has holes in his alibi. A property developer grieves too much over the victim’s death, while his wife shuts him out. The developer’s assistant resents his boss, and suspects that the developer was not only involved with the victim, but is being scammed by the arsonist. A sexy young widow, friend of the victim, has past traumas triggered by the case and turns to the developer for protection. A homeless man stalked the dead woman, and now stalks the young widow. And all of them hold secrets about the past burning of an apartment complex and the man who died there.

Before the clues come together, Erik Jansson is trapped in an abandoned house as Deb Metzger hunts for a sharpshooter at a remote construction site. The case will burn down around them unless they can scheme their way out of lethal surroundings.

“When the House Burns”
Priscilla Paton | February 14th, 2023 Coffeetown | Mystery
Paperback | 978-1-68492-081-5 | $16.95
eBook | 978-1-68492-082-2 | $6.99

Priscilla Paton grew up on a dairy farm in Maine, a state of woods, lakes, and rivers. She now lives in Minnesota, another state of woods, lakes, and rivers, not far from urban Minneapolis and St. Paul. She received a B.A. from Bowdoin College, a Ph.D. in English Literature from Boston College, and was a college professor. She has previously published a children’s book, Howard and the Sitter Surprise, and a book on Robert Frost and Andrew Wyeth, Abandoned New England. She is active in programs that support literacy, affordable housing, and the prevention of domestic violence and abuse. For fun, she enjoys her husband’s cooking and photographing birds. The first in the Twin Cities Mystery series, Where Privacy Dies, was a finalist for a 2018 Foreword Indies Book Award, and the second, Should Grace Fail, was a finalist for a 2020 Foreword Indies Book Award. You can find more about Priscilla on her website.

Follow Priscilla Paton on social media:
Twitter: @priscilla_paton | Instagram: @priscillapaton
Facebook: @priscillapatonmystery | Goodreads: Priscilla_Paton

Advance Praise for When The House Burns

“Detectives Metzger and Jansson sizzle in this smart page turner. Paton’s gift for sharp prose cuts to the bone of her well-drawn characters who drive a plot that propels the reader toward the end of this satisfying mystery.” –Matt Goldman, NYT Best Selling Author

“Clever and intriguing, Priscilla Paton’s latest Twin Cities Mystery, When the House Burns, does not disappoint. Full of rich details evoking the Twin Cities culture and ambience, this well-crafted mystery offers nuanced characters and an unexpected plot. Once again featuring Detectives Metzger and Jansson, the unlikely duo bring heart and personality to their investigation and pursuit of the truth.” –Susanna Calkins, award-winning author of the Lucy Campion historical mysteries and the Speakeasy Mysteries

Praise for the Twin Cities Mysteries

“Should Grace Fail is a lively police procedural featuring an unusual and highly enjoyable pair of investigators. Snappy dialogue, sharp plotting, and a colorful cast of characters kept me entertained and guessing until the last page!” -Mindy Mejia, critically acclaimed author of Strike Me Down

“Priscilla Paton delivers another exciting Twin Cities Mystery as she reunites detectives Deb Metzger and Eric Jansson. The partners find themselves facing a complex investigation in a novel that touches on murder, racism, and police brutality. Should Grace Fail is a timely addition to the crime fiction genre.” -Elena Taylor, award-winning author of All We Buried

“Priscilla Paton adds a fresh voice to the mystery scene with Where Privacy Dies. Paton delivers lively descriptions, and has an ear for dialogue that works well defining her characters. I loved the interactions, and verbal volleyball, between the unlikely G-Met partners, Detectives Erik Jansson and Deb Metzger. From the discovery of a well-dressed man’s body in a wetland, to the unsavory dealings of people in high places, she kept me reading, trying to figure out who was really in the bad guys’ corner.” -Christine Husom, National Best-selling Author of the Snow Globe Shop Mysteries. and the Winnebago County Mysteries.

“Fans of SJ Rozan and Deborah Crombie are going to love the mismatched crime fighters at the center of this masterful and timely debut novel; Priscilla Paton tells their story with confidence, style and cunning.” -David Housewright, Edgar Award-winning author of Like to Die

In an interview, Priscilla Paton can discuss:

• How personal housing experiences amid the pandemic informed her writing
• Why she weaves commentary on social issues into her mysteries
• Her process when researching new settings for a book
• How her writing process changed and evolved during the pandemic
• How writing from multiple perspectives helps shape the plot of a mystery

An Interview with Priscilla Paton

This is your third installment in the Twin Cities Mysteries, what are some of the challenges in writing a series? What are some of the joys?

The joys include letting loose Erik Jansson and Deb Metzger with their prickly rapport, mischief, and unusual take on their jobs. I also have to keep them and plot devices from becoming repetitious. I develop the new characters first, all their kinks and problems, to give the detectives fresh challenges and a distinct context. I also like that I need to continue “researching” the Twin Cities area—parks, restaurants, neighborhoods, lakes. That’s scenic and fun.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your research and writing process?

This is a big one. While accustomed to working at home, I was not used to sharing Zoom bandwidth with my “spousal unit.” I did feel cut off from my sources—I wasn’t doing site visits, hanging out in coffee shops to eavesdrop, or doing in-person interviews. Like many people, I experienced anxiety. Writing was sometimes agonizing, and I wouldn’t have made it without Google as a distraction and research assistant. I saw amazing houses online to fictionalize and use as backdrops—one featured a Wonder Woman mural. I also had to move during the shutdown!

Why was it important to weave in commentary about the housing crisis in this novel?

I didn’t intend to write about the housing crisis—I had another topic in mind. Then a real estate agent was murdered in the Twin Cities (a case unlike the fictional one in the book), I had to move during the crisis, and relatives were also searching for housing. Also, I’m on nonprofit boards and a chronic issue is finding safe housing for people in crisis. In general, I don’t set out to “prove” a point; rather, I’m exposed to the issues so including them is natural.

Your novels return to the same characters throughout the series. As a writer how do you push yourself to explore these characters in new and dynamic ways for your audience?

It’s a challenge, especially after the pandemic shutdowns when everyone seemed to stand in place and not advance. Erik Jansson and Deb Metzger will keep their idiosyncrasies, but they also must adapt to an ever-changing social scene and higher expectations. As they “mature,” they take on more responsibilities, but they too must avoid feeling in a rut. The news, unfortunately, provides new crimes and dangers for a fiction writer and her characters to contemplate. These characters have frisky imaginations, and I work to keep up with them!

Your villains aren’t necessarily all bad. Can you comment on this?

Some characters are simply bad because such people exist and commit horrific crimes without regret. More often, I’m interested in the tangle of circumstances that drives someone to do their worst and the impact such acts have on them, from empowering them to destroying them. Also, it makes the detectives’ job harder to have suspects apparently within normal range, even likable.

Your writing goes to some dark places, but there’s also humor. How do you balance the somber and the comic?

For me, writing about crime and topics like domestic violence is a way to engage the real world and to escape it. The news can drown you, and you may, to paraphrase poet Emily Dickinson, face the truth slant. In writing, I can satirize foibles and awkward encounters, the office rivalries and the committee work Erik and Deb endure. My characters also have to face painful realities: racism, police brutality, the impact of murder on individuals and families. The stress sometimes comes out in their repartee.

What are you working on next?

I’ve started a standalone novel, but my detectives Jansson and Metzger keep butting in. I deserve that because I’ve left their sex lives and love lives unresolved. So I’m not sure what form the next book(s) will take, but I’m fascinated by family estrangement, betrayal, and recovery or restoration after betrayals. One potential character is back-to-nature and works in prairie restoration while another lives in a modern mansion and works on tech projects; that means I can check out very different settings. I’m also researching dyslexia and how that shapes a young person’s life.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

A debut perfect for fans of Ross MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett, Dennis Lehane & James Lee Burke

LOS ANGELES, CA – Private investigator and author Patrick H. Moore is releasing his heart pounding political thriller debut “27 Days” (Feb 6, 2023, Down & Out Books), which follows private investigator Nick Crane as he races against the clock to save his best friend from the powerful alt-right terrorist group that will spare no one to “Make America Safe Again.”

27 Days is a taut, topical political thriller that blends noir with a dash of contemporary Western as it introduces us to veteran LA PI Nick Crane, “a throwback to the old-school, rough-and-tumble, tough-talking, quick-thinking, take-no-prisoners, PI,” (author Charles Salzberg). In the spring of 2019, Nick is on the run in the Pacific Northwest, pursued by a cabal of wealthy alt-right power brokers and domestic terrorists claiming to “Make America Safe Again”–at any cost. The terrorist group, “The Principles,” is led by Nick’s old enemy Marguerite Ferguson, who is out for his blood. When The Principles kidnap Nick’s friend and business partner Bobby Moore, Nick is informed that he has 27 days to surrender to Marguerite, and if he doesn’t, Bobby will be tortured and murdered. Help appears in the form of a young, idealistic female FBI agent named Carrie North who wants to arrest Marguerite for conspiring to commit domestic terrorist operations against the U.S.. Nick and Carrie join forces and the race against time to rescue Bobby Moore begins. And what a race it is!

“A blisteringly taut page turner with loads of engaging attitude plus blindside twists that Moore delivers with the authority of a pro investigator (he is) and the panache of a rock’n’roller (he is that too) who has spent years crawling through the brains of our top noirists from Hammett to Lehane and distilled the best they have to offer.”
– Michael D. Sellers, Award winning Director of Eye of the Dolphin

“27 Days”
Patrick Moore | February 6, 2023 | Down & Out Books | Political Thriller
Paperback | 978-1-64396-298-6 | Ebook

Advance Praise for “27 Days”

“Locked in a life and death struggle with evil, Patrick H. Moore’s PI Nick Crane is a throwback to the old-school, rough-and-tumble, tough-talking, quick-thinking, take-no-prisoners, PI. In Moore’s new thriller “27 Days”, evil comes in the form of a well-organized gang of domestic terrorists called The Principals, whose slogan is Make America Safe Again, and who think that putting Nick six-feet under will do the job. Moore skillfully delivers in the rat-a-tat, take-no-prisoner style of Spillane and Hammett, daring you to turn the page and see what happens next.” – Charles Salzberg, 2-time Shamus Award nominee for Swann’s Last Song and Second Story Man

“Haven’t enjoyed a detective novel this much in a long, long time.” – Max Myers, Award winning author of Boysie Blake: Problem Solver

“Patrick H. Moore delivers a dark masterpiece here, a brawling, gunfire symphony dripping with ominous overtones. A contemporary western, a compelling and intricate mystery, a social allegory of the oldest sins of humankind–this book has it all. Take note: Patrick H. Moore has entered the big leagues.” – John Nardizzi, Shamus Award finalist for The Burden of Innocence

“In “27 Days”, L.A. Private Investigator Nick Crane goes mano a mano against a highly ambitious, ultra-violent network of domestic terrorists intent on eliminating their enemies–Nick chief among them… Readers looking for unrelenting suspense and fascinating well-developed characters will find it all here, as the bodies pile up and the action cascades in unanticipated twists that will keep you riveted until the final page.” – John Brown, Los Angeles Private Investigator

More about Patrick H. Moore

PATRICK H. MOORE is a Los Angeles based private investigator and sentencing mitigation specialist. Since 2003, he has worked on over 500 drug trafficking, sex crime, violent crime and white collar fraud cases. Patrick started the All Things Crime Blog in 2013. For several years it was one of the most popular crime blogs in America and currently has over 3 million views. Patrick studied English Literature and Creative Writing at San Francisco State University. While in college, Patrick published numerous short stories and novel excerpts. More recently, in 2014, he indie-published his first thriller, “Cicero’s Dead”, which sold well and was a finalist in the thriller category in the Beverly Hills Book Award Contest. “27 Days” is Patrick’s first traditionally published novel.

Follow Patrick H. Moore on social media:
Facebook: @allthingscrimeblog and @patrick.moore.921230 | Instagram: @patrickhmoore1/ | Twitter: @PatrickHMoore1  | Blog – All Things Crime: https://allthingscrimeblog.com/

In an interview, Patrick H. Moore can discuss:

• His career as a Los Angeles private investigator, and his knowledge of criminal defense and the court system
• How his political thriller differs from the genre standard of modern-day thrillers, and why thrillers can and should be topical
• The real-life political events that influenced his writing, and the importance of the reality behind his fictional story
• The creation of his characters, how they were inspired by real life, and why he decided to create them how he did
• His past writing experiences as the owner of All Things Crime Blog
• His plans to continue PI Nick Crane’s story

An Interview with Patrick Moore

How does the social and political content in your book differ from the content of other modern-day thrillers?

I think the big difference between 27 Days and most modern-day thrillers is fairly clear. Although there are exceptions, most contemporary thrillers do not address the social and political issues that have divided America into warring camps and that threaten to destroy our democracy. While 27 Days is undoubtedly a page turner, and is entirely fictitious, it tries to take on the alt-right domestic terrorists as directly as possible, within the context of a heart-pounding, fast-paced thriller.

Your protagonist and his friends seem to be somewhat skeptical of law enforcement, even though one of them is a cop. Why, then, did you create the character Carrie North, who is an FBI agent?

Nick Crane and his friends are somewhat skeptical of cops because they know that far too many of them are brutal and vindictive. Despite this, I created Carrie North, the FBI agent, because I suddenly thought, ‘What if some young idealistic FBI agents do exist, and what if one of them, Ms. Carrie North, wants to go after Nick’s nemesis, the villainous Marguerite Ferguson, and what if she finds out that Nick has substantial evidence that Marguerite has been conspiring to commit acts of domestic terrorism? I then realized that they would be a natural fit because they need each other. I also wanted to create a strong female character to add interest and diversity to the story. And then I fell in love with Carrie, something Nick Crane for the most part resists.

Do you view Nick Crane as a reflection of yourself?

Nick Crane is not so much a reflection of myself, as he is my alter-ego. He is what I might be like if I was quite fearless and willing to risk my life on a regular basis for what I believe is right. As a young man “on the streets” and during my decades of work in criminal defense, I have rubbed elbows with a great many violent individuals/criminals and am fairly comfortable around them. Yet, personally, I have always been non-violent. Although Nick Crane would never hurt anyone unnecessarily (he does have a heart!), he was raised on the wrong side of the tracks and learned out of necessity to “throw down” at an early age.

What are some real-life political moments that inspired the writing of your novel?

During the time I was writing 27 Days and its prequel, Rogues and Patriots, I was furious over the burgeoning private prison industry and its nefarious relationship to mass incarceration in the United States. I was also thoroughly disgusted by the manner in which elements on the far right were making careers out of invoking the grim specter of racism, both subtly and overtly. I was also disgusted by the manner in which the legions of desperate immigrants trying to get into the United States, especially the families, were treated by our Border Patrol. Those of us who are comfortably secure here in the US need to walk in the other guy’s shoes and learn to empathize with the disadvantaged and the abandoned of this world. I was as shocked as everyone else by the January 6th Insurrection, but viewed retrospectively, 27 Days, which was completed before that dark day, seems eerily prophetic.

What is next for you and Nick Crane?

At the end of 27 Days, Nick Crane and his friends, although having reached temporary “safe harbor,” are hardly “out of the woods.” Nick’s enemy Marguerite Ferguson and “the Principals” will never give up their vendetta against him, and soon, he will once again be living the life of a fugitive. My challenge is to find a way for Nick to neutralize Marguerite and company once and for all so that he can go to other challenges/adventures where his life will hopefully not be in constant danger. I am a slow writer, and each Nick Crane story presents me with unique challenges.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/