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Silent Voices

A true story of one family's tragedy and journey toward acceptance, grace and forgiveness
Debbie Nau Redmond

2016 Silver Medal
240 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2016 Silver Medal
"It was Thursday, September 29th, and I woke up completely exhausted. The sun was shining but if felt gloomy to me. I hadn't had much sleep the last week. My family was experiencing a tsunami of turmoil and confusion, and we were so drained from facing the threat of violence. I felt sick to my stomach, not like the flu, but like you know in your heart that something is terribly wrong…" What was terribly wrong would be an average American family struck with a blow so fierce that it would change them forever. An illness gone untreated, desperate pleas for help that would never come, and a devastating consequences that would leave everyone involved grief-stricken and stunned. Silent Voices is a suspenseful and heartfelt saga about a family faced with tragic consequences. Desperate for answers, they would be left to lie in wait for the inevitable. A son’s decent into darkness and delusional rage would send him into a rampage that would shake a family and community to its core. Silent Voices will pull you into an emotionally gripping story of one family’s plight to save their son and endure the ultimate betrayal. It’s a story of love, forgiveness and commitment to family that must be told to give “voice” to those silenced that terrible day.

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Bullet Riddled

The First S.W.A.T. Officer Inside Columbine...and Beyond
Grant Whitus,Thom Vines

2016 Bronze Medal
257 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2016 Bronze Medal
More than just a retelling, Bullet-Riddled is an in-depth look at the day-to-day of S.W.A.T and focuses on the men and women who inherit so much pain to keep us safe.Nowhere is this more apparent than in the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy. The following days saw major changes within S.W.A.T. Men cracked, leaders folded and the entire country demanded changes. But these changes, like all reforms, met with stiff resistance from the old guard. Friendships turned into rivals and the infrastructure of S.W.A.T began to unravel. As resignations piled up, Grant rebuilt the entire team from hand-selected recruits. He finally had his elite team, one that would face new demons and disorders.

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Buccaneer

The Provocative Odyssey of Jack Reed, Adventurer, Drug Smuggler and Pilot Extraordinaire
MayCay Beeler

2016 Honorable Mention
220 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2016 Honorable Mention
Book Award WINNER 2018 Los Angeles Book Festival Awards Biography category;
Book Award WINNER 2016 Hollywood Book Festival Awards Wild Card category;
Book Award RUNNER-UP 2017 San Francisco Book Festival Awards Wild Card category;  
Book Award National SILVER MEDALIST 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards for True Crime IPPY Awards; 
Book Award Finalist 2017 Book Excellence Awards- True Crime;
Book Award Honorable Mention 2016 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards Non-Fiction Drama; 
Book Award Finalist 2015 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards Biography: Non-Fiction.
Book Award Finalist 2014 USA Best Book Awards: True Crime Non-Fiction.    
          
Not your typical cocaine cowboy! Buccaneer is the stimulating true account of the life and times of Jack Reed, an All-American boy turned drug smuggler; turned Robinson Crusoe, then prison inmate. For the first time, Jack Reed discloses his extraordinary, tabooed journey as a high flying international cocaine smuggler and personal pilot for Carlos Lehder, partner to Pablo Escobar of the Medellin Cartel. Reed flew drug runs for Lehder who handled transportation, while Colombian drug lord Escobar handled production and supply. Lehder's cocaine transport empire was based at Norman's Cay, an out island in the Bahamas. Having gained notoriety in the late 70s as a staging point for drug smuggling, Norman's Cay was immortalized in Blow, a 2001 motion picture starring Johnny Depp.

Reed lands in court as Lehder's co-defendant in the longest running drug trial in U.S. history. A non-violent offender, Reed becomes the victim of a tragic judicial sentencing mistake. Tired of being hounded by media, Reed denied all interviews until pilot/journalist MayCay Beeler contacted him in prison. At that time, she had no idea she would become his coauthor and a character in his infamous life story and twist of fate ending.
 
"He refused to talk to cops and press- until me.  In our book, which was a collaborative work at the end of Reed's life, Reed breaks his silence about his alleged role in Pablo Escobar's Medellin Drug Cartel, and his stunning punishment for refusing to snitch on  best friend Lehder in the courtroom. This biography features shocking judicial misconduct; a historic drug trial; and the first drug lord extradited to the United States. Reed's controversial story will stun you. It has never been given to any other journalist."- MayCay Beeler

Find out why Reed gave it up to Beeler in this gripping multi
Award-Winning best-selling true crime book:  "Buccaneer-
The Provocative Odyssey of Jack Reed- Adventurer, Drug Smuggler and Pilot
Extraordinaire" from publisher Strategic Media Books. Get out your
hankies- the surprise ending will make you weep and smile. You will believe in
destiny.                                                             

Fans of Netflix Narcos, Cocaine Cowboys and American Made movies may be surprised by this raw, bold and honest personal true account. Not what media led us to believe.  "Buccaneer" is a true story that does not blur fact with fiction.                            

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Affairytale

A Memoir
C.J. English

2016 Finalist
363 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2016 Finalist

I had an affair. The most forbidden and seductive affair, and I fell in Love.

He was a rare gentleman, intelligent and gorgeous; a man every woman desired. Every cell in my body was telling me that he was my happily ever after.

I was stuck in a marriage of mediocrity, I ached for red silk romance and carry me away passion, but not with my husband.

I craved Him. Living without him was cruel and unusual punishment, even for my wandering heart.

Affairytale is a tantalizing memoir of sultry encounters, hidden grottos and secret hillside cabins. From the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes to the Southern shores of Maui you ll fall in love with this tell-all memoir that pulls back the veil on infidelity and gives you rare look into hearts and bedroom of a real life extramarital affair. Woven with original love letters and scandalous text messages, this engrossing true love story is sure to break then win your heart. True Love always finds a way. Sometimes...it starts with an affair.

Readers are raving about Affairytale.

Brilliantly written with heartbreaking honesty....

An extraordinary love story about hidden desires and following your heart...

An irresistible memoir filled with sultry encounters and secret rendezvous...

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Chiseled

A Memoir of Identity, Duplicity, and Divine Wine
Danuta Pfeiffer

2015 Gold Medal
426 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2015 Gold Medal
Through betrayals and loss and her search for redemption an idealistic journalist becomes the unlikely co-host to a television evangelist bent on becoming the president of the United States. When her past catches up to her, she is caught in the cross hairs of politics and religion.

In this gripping memoir, Danuta Pfeiffer grew up with parents as extraordinary as they were flawed.John and Patricia Rylko and their three children lived a nomadic life, following the seasons to accommodate John's work, as a gifted sculptor during the summers, and a philandering ski instructor in the winters. They lived in a circus tent, built their first cabin, and lost it for a dollar. John Rylko flaunted his charm as a story teller, entrancing all who listened of his wartime glories as a Polish soldier, and his Silver medals in the 1936 Winter Olympics, while Patricia, a nurse, pulled double shifts at hospitals, hitchhiking to work, and feeding her family off the land with roadkill deer and blackberry pies. Those times of resiliency would have to sustain Danuta when she was raped and secretly gave birth to a baby, escaping her enraged father on a daring journey to Alaska during the storm of the century. Through betrayals and loss and her search for redemption she becomes the unlikely co-host to a television evangelist bent on becoming the president of the United States. When her past catches up to her, she is caught in the cross hairs of politics and religion. In a gutsy move, she abandons Christianity during a bicycle ride from Canada to Mexico and unravels her father's hidden life in the Carpathian Mountains of Poland, only to discover her own life hidden in the folds of resiliency,tenacity and grit. Danuta Pfeiffer now lives in a vineyard in Oregon, making fine wine with her husband Robin Pfeiffer

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Keeping Mother's Secrets

Surviving Terror and Betrayal Through Courage and Hope
Tracy May

2015 Silver Medal
372 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2015 Silver Medal
• "Riveting account of actual events and their startling twists and turns." • "Haunting psychological cliffhanger of terrifying abuse, unrelenting brainwashing attempts, and one child's determination to survive and thrive." Arthur M. Bodin, Ph.D., ABPP Former President, Division of Family Psychology, American Psychological Association "A gripping account of the effects of a child's continual trauma and her struggles for physical and emotional safety. Tracy May balances the horror of relentless threat and fear with acts of kindness from others. A courageous and inspirational story filled with huge characters and major legal precedents. Once I started reading the book, I could not put it down. As a psychologist, I recommend this exceptional addition to the understanding of trauma and recovery." Joseph Keenan, Ph.D. "A child's terrifying journey through severe and pervasive family dysfunction and many forms of child abuse, including parental alienation. The story reflects a keen understanding of coping with adversity. A powerful and moving testimonial to the strength of the human spirit and a must read for anyone moving on from a stormy past." Andrew Newman, M.D., FCCP Keeping Mother's Secrets is a gripping memoir of a child's courage to survive terrifying physical, emotional and sexual abuse. It has many unpredictable twists and turns as the child, Tracy, clings to hope and finds a way to thrive. This brave, honest and graphic account is enhanced by legal documents and the memories of others who were involved. Keeping Mother's Secrets is an inspirational read that will engage, enlighten and fascinate the public. It also offers hope to those who have suffered abuse and trauma.

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Promising Forecast

A Miracle Rescue at Sea
Daniel David Jones,Arthur J. Higbee

2015 Bronze Medal
254 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2015 Bronze Medal
Promising Forecast is the true story of five men who start out on a well-planned and exciting deep-sea fishing trip that quickly turns into a harrowing experience. Without any warning, their boat suddenly sinks thirty miles offshore. Shocked and disoriented, they find themselves stranded and helpless in the water for almost nineteen hours with only lifejackets and a strong will to live. Each man reacts as the realities of danger and death confront them. They share their fears, thoughts and feelings while facing challenge after challenge as they struggle to survive this seemingly hopeless situation. Against overwhelming odds, all five men are miraculously rescued and the authors live to tell the tale of their physical, mental and spiritual experiences ... and how it has affected their perspectives on life today. A good read for men, women and young adults alike.

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Crossing Swords

Mary Baker Eddy vs. Victoria Claflin Woodhull and the Battle for the Soul of Marriage
Cindy Peyser Safronoff

2015 Honorable Mention
291 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2015 Honorable Mention
A woman is running for US President! Socialism is gaining ground in America, and a campaign is underway to redefine marriage, causing a culture war between Christian leaders and feminists. It is 1872, and Victoria Woodhull is leading the radical faction of the women's rights movement with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. On the other end of the spectrum, more philosophically aligned with Lucy Stone and Mary Livermore, a movement that would put women into the pulpit worldwide is being launched by Mary Baker Eddy, who staunchly defends the Christian view of the sanctity of marriage. In the decade after the American Civil War, reformers wanted to fulfill the promise of the American Revolution by giving both blacks and women the right to vote. Legal changes needed for woman suffrage seemed to shake the foundation of the male-female relationship. Disagreement over the implications of women's rights for sexuality triggered a political, legal, and religious battle for the soul of marriage. CROSSING SWORDS explores the contentious free-love movement through the love lives, careers, and public statements of Mary Baker Eddy and Victoria Woodhull, who came from completely different backgrounds and had polar opposite views on marriage and sexuality. This thought-provoking story is a surprisingly relevant prequel to the similarly divisive social issues of our own era.

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Blood on the Stage, 480 B.C. to 1600 A.D.

Milestone Plays of Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem, An Annotated Repertoire
Amnon Kabatchnik

2015 Finalist
402 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2015 Finalist
In four volumes of Blood on the Stage, Amnon Kabatchnik examined more than 400 crime-themed plays produced in the 20th century. As any theater lover knows, however, depicting acts of wrong-doing is not a recent phenomenon. The stark, violent plays of Seneca in ancient Rome were followed by liturgical dramas of the Dark Ages that drew on both the Old and New Testaments. The golden age of Elizabethan drama boasted masterful plays drenched with treachery, bloodshed, and horror.

In Blood on the Stage, 480 B.C. to 1600 A.D.: Milestone Plays of Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem: An Annotated Repertoire, Kabatchnik analyzes more than fifty blood-splattered plays that have withstood the test of time. Beginning with masterpieces like Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus, Oedipus theKing by Sophocles, and Medea by Euripides, this volume spans centuries of equally compelling dramas such as The Haunted House (200 B.C.), Phaedra (c. 60 A.D.), and The Killing of Abel (mid-15th century). Later works include Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy, as well as several plays by Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare, notably The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and Hamlet.

The plays in this book—a “prequel” to the other four volumes of Blood on the Stage—represent ancient Greece, ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, and Elizabethan England. The entries are arranged in chronological order and include plot synopses, biographical sketches of playwrights and actors, details about productions, and critical reception, if available. From the killing of Abel by his brother Cain to Hamlet’s revenge of his father’s murder, Blood on the Stage, 480 B.C. to 1600 A.D. provides a critical overview of some of the most significant dramatizations of criminal behavior.

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Optimism for Autism

The Inspirational Journey of a Mother and Her Autistic Son
Susan King, with Patrick King

2014 Silver Medal
313 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Drama

2014 Silver Medal
This book is an Amazon Best Seller

How does a boy the doctors say is “mentally retarded” graduate high school with honors and earn academic scholarships to attend college?

How does a boy who doctors say may never speak become a powerful vocalist
and gifted public speaker who brings audiences to tears?

How does a boy who cannot tie his shoes until he is 13 years old emerge as a swimming champion who receives an athletic scholarship to swim in college?

Only by the grace and power of God.

Learn from this inspirational story how you, too, can:

•Not just survive but actually thrive in the midst of life’s ongoing challenges

•Break the cycle of discouragement and depression and learn how to find peace and strength in your struggles

•Stop agonizing over what could have been and embrace God’s plan for you and those you love

•Replace the fear of failure with the truth that you can live in victory in the midst of adversity

Patrick offers powerful insights into the autistic mind, and he
and Susan hold out hope to anyone facing severe challenges.
—Beth, certified special needs teacher

...tears were shed while reading this book. I loved it!
....this book has given me lots of hope.
-Kelly, mother of an autistic child