“Full of heart and impassioned insight . . . Creatrix Rising empowers and inspires midlife women with the author’s hard-earned wisdom, providing a framework for readers to come into their own revolutionary power as a Creatrix.”
—BookLife

“The disparity between the cultural perception of midlife women and how women actually see themselves has opened the door for a new archetype, the Creatrix. In her new book on the theme of positive aging, Creatrix Rising, Stephanie Raffelock offers a reimagining of midlife as the most powerful and creative time in a woman’s life, celebrating her strengths and redefining her beauty. This is a book that shifts the paradigm of what’s possible as women age and ushers in a much-needed cultural transformation that benefits everyone.”
—Joan Borysenko, PhD, New York Times best-selling author and founding partner of Mind/Body Health Sciences, LLC

“The perfect topic at the perfect time, Stephanie Raffelock’s self-help memoir, Creatrix Rising, identifies a new archetype, the Creatrix, that transcends the old archetype of Crone. Her stories and insights about how far women have come is nothing short of inspirational. A must-read for any woman who wants to embrace the strength and creativity of midlife.”
—Marci Shimoff, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Happy for No Reason and Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul

“Poetic and philosophical, Creatrix Rising will inspire readers to claim the courage and confidence that already lives inside of them. An intimate story of transformation, of journeying through life on your own terms without apology.”
—Richard Blanco, 2013 Presidential Inaugural Poet and author of How to Love a Country

“The new archetype Stephanie Raffelock assigns to midlife women underscores the assets and wisdom older women bring to our culture and to the greater good. Creatrix Rising is an affirmation and celebration of the feminine story taking place in leadership and creativity throughout our country.”
—Gabby Reese, volleyball legend, Nike’s first female spokeswoman, and New York Times best-selling author

“Prompts for reflection, journaling, and action-taking are amply provided in Stephanie Raffelock’s Creatrix Rising—an eclectic, personable, encouraging, deep-pondering, and potentially life-changing ode to ladies coming into their own.”
—IndieReader

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“In Adele Holmes’s debut novel, a white herbalist and her Black best friend challenge a slick conman and the KKK in 1917 rural America. The strong characters and vivid sense of place lingered in my mind long after the last page. That’s my measure of a darned good book.”

—Marcia Preston, Mary Higgins Clark Award Winner and author of The Spiderling and The Butterfly House

“Adele Holmes’s Winter’s Reckoning is a beautifully written story that reminds America of our unresolved sins against humanity and our struggles to place value where it’s due. Protagonist Madeline Fairbanks and her protégée Ren Morgan represent our hopes of resolving our fears of the other and erasing old hates.”

—Janis F. Kearney, author, publisher, and personal diarist for President Bill Clinton in the White House   

“A spellbinding narrative that brilliantly captures both the price of standing against segregation and how bold action paves the way to unexpected healing. Holmes’s beautifully developed characters allude to our inevitable connection to the past in a story that resonates to the bone. Simply unputdownable.”

—Cara Brookins, author of Rise: How a House Built a Family

“Set in the brooding rural South, and for a good portion of the novel in the challenging and crystalline world of a deep snowstorm, Winter’s Reckoning is rich in storyline and character with plenty of mystery woven throughout. Simply put, here’s a story that takes on issues whose harm remains with us today. With a climactic pulpit scene that’s not to be missed – and one novel we can highly recommend!”

 —Chanticleer Reviews   

“Brimming with all the feels—friendship, passion, hatred, prejudice. A remarkable debut.”

—Julia Daily, author of No Names to Be Given   

“Tear out a page of Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, add in a mix of Deliverance and The Apostle, along with a dash of Nell… and you have yourself a die-hard Appalachian story set so far back in the woods and so backwards in their thinking, that Madeline Fairbanks, the local healer, must find an inner strength to fight the racial and misogynistic prejudice permeating the town.”

—Historical Fiction Company Review

“A timeless story of kinships, friendships, and secret legacies born of good and evil. With a keen eye for detail and an intricate plot leading to a satisfying conclusion, this tale is sure to enchant readers.”

—Donna Everhart, author of The Road to Bittersweet and The Saints of Swallow Hill

“Holmes’ satisfying conclusion offers a twist to the tale. . . . [and] the novel’s explorations of the horrors of misogyny and racism have powerful contemporary resonance. Along the way, Holmes constructs a vivid and believable historical setting and populates her novel with well-developed characters who are flawed and relatable as they seek to triumph over evil. A notable tale that offers the hope that even small actions can lead toward greater good.”

—Kirkus Reviews

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“. . . darkly comic. A fun crime tale with creepy cult elements.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Mixing multiple genres of science fiction, fantasy, romance, and crime, author Susan Ritz creates the perfect adventure that may keep the reader awake at night. Perfect for fans of intrigue, suspense, and murder stories!”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5 star review

“Susan Ritz has crafted an original and compelling murder mystery that will keep you up late turning pages as you’re sucked into a world of dreams and dreamers, mystics and bartenders, artists and cops. With a wonderfully intriguing cast of characters and a richly atmospheric small-town setting complete with its own cult, A Dream to Die For is a tangled web of a book you won’t want to tear yourself away from.”
—Jennifer McMahon, New York Times Bestselling author of Burntown and The Invited

“A perplexing crime, a rural setting, a cast of quirky characters, and a reluctant amateur sleuth are staples of the cozy mystery genre, and everything comes alive at the tip of Ritz’s pen. Ritz keeps the tone light and amusing—there are powerful messages that ring through the story.”
—OnlineBookClub.org

“What if the small town where you live turns out not to be the sweet place you thought it was? What if the people you thought were your friends aren’t? Worse yet, what if your dreams are not your own? These are the questions that come to haunt Celeste (or Miss) Fortune, the reluctant yet dauntless heroine of Susan Ritz’s spellbinding debut novel.”
—Kathryn Davis, author of Duplex and The Thin Place

“With intrigue and humor, Susan Ritz has created an arresting novel that strikes at a core fear: what if your dreams were not safe? This psychologically compelling mystery about the murder of a therapist-cum-cult leader proves Ritz a natural storyteller. . . . Ritz is masterful at leading readers through a small city’s best and worst instincts with finesse and wit. Hold your own dreams close, but be sure to share A Dream to Die For, a most tangible tale of virtual reality that stays with you long after every secret is revealed.”
—Shelagh Shapiro, Vermont author and host of Write the Book podcast

“A small-town crime caper with plenty of action and a cast of quirky, unforgettable characters. Ritz’s comic timing is flawless, and her rollicking plot is expertly balanced against a sobering premise: That last bastion of personal privacy—our own dreams—may no longer be secure. The idea has an alarming ring of plausibility, adding a shivery edge to this entertaining mystery.”
—Kathryn Guare, award-winning author of The Conor McBride suspense series

“Susan Ritz’s A Dream to Die For is a deft debut mystery that will appeal to anyone who loves a good puzzle with a feminist twist. The heroine, Celeste, is torn between her male therapist and the man she has begun to love. When the therapist is murdered, many suspects emerge from the cult of his patients—as well as a technological twist that will surprise you.”
—Mary Fillmore, author of An Address in Amsterdam

“Susan Ritz’s A Dream to Die For exposes our universal human need to identify ‘us’ and ‘them,’ and the confusion that can come when group dogma no longer lines up with experience. Her dialogue rings true, and her lively small-town characters make sore subjects fun. Her mystery embodies crises we all face in a new world of techno fake news and resulting divisions. What’s real? What truly matters? Who can you trust? There’s nothing like a murder or two to clarify purpose, community, and one’s deepest identity as a blood-pounding, passionate woman with a brain.”
—Rickey Gard Diamond, author of Screwnomics

“Ritz does a brilliant job of making us care about what happens to her characters and is a master of detail. Impossible to put down!”
—Michelle Cox, author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series

“A gripping Gothic whodunit featuring obscure clues muttered by a dying man, strange encounters in foggy cemeteries, car chases on lonely roads, and clairvoyant dreams.”
—Bernie Lambek, author of Uncivil Liberties

“Oh, what a wonderful book! It’s everything I want in a mystery! A wild imagination that made me believe every word.”
—Abigail Thomas, author of A Three Dog Life

“A Dream to Die For stays true to the hallmarks of a classic murder mystery, yet offers a unique story that seamlessly blends in fantasy and science fiction. This merging of what’s real and what isn’t quite real turns the narrative into an immersive experience. . . . a wild psychological mystery brimming with intrigue, humor, and female empowerment.”
—IndieReader

The post A Dream to Die For appeared first on She Writes Press.

“. . . riveting and absorbing . . .”
—Phillip Lopate, author of A Mother’s Tale

“A riveting book that builds ominously.”
—Jerry S. Walden, MD, founder of Physicians for Prevention of Gun Violence

“Fairley scores a bull’s-eye with her rich and complex memoir, Shooting Out the Lights. Fairley’s gift of mesmerizing storytelling and intimately crafted characters make the reader feel as if they are sitting at her kitchen table. Shooting Out the Lights is a compelling memoir that will have the reader thinking about it long after turning the last page.”
—Renee Hodges, author of Saving Bobby

“At its best, the author’s writing is evocative, and her story is both unique and intriguing. . . . this is a book that many readers will find difficult to put down. A captivating family account that delivers compelling, acutely observant writing.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Shooting Out the Lights is an exquisite memoir that analyzes what brought a couple together to face loss and their shattered hopes with enduring love.”
—Foreword Reviews

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“… a touching memoir … showcases some of the many complexities of loss … a skillfully written work.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A wise and thoughtful addition to our understanding of the long-term effects of trauma and its transmission from parent to child.”—NewPages.com

The post Always There, Always Gone appeared first on She Writes Press.

“Grant’s book is a call to action for compassionate advocates, and a stunning tale of how deeds triumph over platitudes. No Woman Left Behind is a powerful plea to be our sister’s keeper and a guidebook to change the world, one woman at a time.” —DR. DENIS MUKWEGE, founder of Panzi Hospital and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize

“If you are passionate about maternal health and care about creating a world where women can thrive in motherhood like I do, this book is for you!” —CHRISTY TURLINGTON BURNS, founder and president of Every Mother Counts

“No Woman Left Behind is part bildungsroman, expedition diary, and call for action against a terrible affliction. . . . It’s a bracing tale in these uneasy times of redemption, for both the afflicted and those committed to their cure, about how to live a life with meaning.” —BROOKE GLADSTONE, host of NPR’s On the Media

“No Woman Left Behind is a stirring story of how a talented social entrepreneur found her true purpose and defied the odds to build an organization that has changed women’s lives worldwide. This book will fill you with hope.”—DAVID CALLAHAN, founder and publisher of Inside Philanthropy

The post No Woman Left Behind appeared first on She Writes Press.