New Book Releases for 2014

New Book Releases by your favorite Independent authors. A wide range of genres to choose from including Mystery, Supense, Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Romantic Supense, and many other genres. This page is brought to you by Digital Book Today.com. We help readers find authors in a digital world.

All of the books on this list are listed as eBooks but most of them are also available in paper version. Either way this is a great selection of New Book Releases from some of the best Independent authors.

Our guest blogger is Charlotte Henley Babb author of Maven Fairy Godmother: Through the Veil (4.2 stars, 34 reviews).

Why Fractured Fairy Tales?

As a child, I loved cartoons, and my favorite was the Fractured Fairy Tales on the Rocky and Bullwinkle back in the early 60s. The stories were very silly, but with a cleverness that cut the sugary fluff of many stories aimed at children. It was like the grown-ups were slipping us a wink that they knew we children were paying attention.

One of my favorite parts of Fractured Fairy Tales was that the book would not stay open and would smash the fairy. Her magic was not as strong as the book–a telling theme. None of the characters in any of the stories was supremely powerful–no superheroes here, just everyday folks who had their magical problems.

Some of the stories were carried out to their more logical ends. In the three little pigs, the wolf continued to go after them, killing them all, and in the end, the wolf and everyone else died. Edward Everett Horton said, in his narrator voice, “Nobody lived happily ever after.” as the wolf rose into the sky with his angel wings and harp. I thought it was funny that the bad guy got to go to heaven after all.

I even remember wondering if the government realized what ideas of subversive thinking were being promoted by the spy-vs-moose stories of international intrigue and the twists on history. I learned it was possible to fly under the radar if the right kind of humor was used. Since these were just cartoons for kids, it didn’t matter.

But it mattered to me. I learned that there was much to be said by way of absurdity, and even a stupid moose might occasionally do something right by mistake. I could see that people who thought they knew the answers were often wrong. They weren’t looking at what was right there in plain sight–congress, anyone?

As the show went along, however, there was more moose and less squirrel, more of other stories and fewer fractured fairy tales. I liked Mr. Peabody and Sherman for their history of the world in pieces, as well as Aesop and Son. After all, there’s only so many of Perrault’s stories that are familiar enough for writers to parody. I’m finding that to be true in my own research.

But I still like to twist the tales, and keep looking at more and more resources to find themes to work with, even if I have to go back to the moose and squirrel to find them.

Our guest blogger is Scott Barlett the author of Royal Flush (4.2 stars, 18 reviews).

Six Hundred Word Short Story Contest Submission

This is a short story I wrote for a contest with a six-hundred word limit. It’s called “Six Hundred”.

One day Bob invested in a spaceship and spacesuit, making this a science fiction story.

He had lots of zany, exciting adventures, but unfortunately I can’t relate them here because of this contest’s extremely inhibiting six-hundred-word limit.

On a related note, how do you people expect a self-respecting writer to create characters the reader cares about, or a plot worth following, in such a short space? One hardly considers six-hundred words a story.

Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. After Bob had all those well-worth-reading-about adventures, he settled down on Planet Cabbage and met a girl he really cared about. A week later they had a candle-lit dinner, where lots of character development went on.

Turns out Bob is a little nervous around new people, especially of the female persuasion, but once you get him talking about his favorite subject—stupid contest restrictions—he’s on fire. We the readers have learned to love Bob. We can really relate to him, and we are eager to see what happens next.

Suddenly a plot convenience walked into the restaurant, and informed Bob and the female love interest that Planet Cabbage needed them. The Planet was under attack by the Polly Wogs, an alien race with a really neat history and culture, who of course you will learn nothing about here.

Bob, of necessity a man of few words, didn’t ask why Planet Cabbage needed them specifically, and during their first date no less. Instead he saw this as an opportunity to impress the female love interest, and so he strapped on his Mega Laser Flinger 2000 (overcompensation) and hopped in his spaceship.

Once they’d attained orbit and saw the overwhelming swarm of Polly Wogs, and had finally stopped giggling at the aliens’ silly name, Bob and the female love interest began to get a little worried. Not only did the Polly Wogs outnumber them a gazillion to one, but the word limit was fast approaching.

Thinking quickly, Bob fearlessly jettisoned the female love interest into space, which served to distract the Polly Wogs as he high-tailed it back to Planet Cabbage.

Cowering under his space-age bed in his futuristic bedroom, Bob realized something: in only 363 words, he’d fallen in love with the female love interest, and he didn’t want her to die. Luckily for him, as any disciple of Douglas Adams knows, with a lungful of air it’s possible to fend off asphyxiation for thirty seconds. Unluckily for him, the female love interest had been picked up by a Polly Wog flyboy in that half-minute, and she’d immediately fallen for the rugged extraterrestrial. Their marriage was already well underway.

Of course, Bob didn’t know this. He soared back into orbit, donned his spacesuit, and jumped in his spaceship, not necessarily in that order.

He rammed into the first Polly Wog ship he saw, mashing the two vessels into one. Predictably he had chosen correctly, and deeper inside the alien craft, those gathered in the small chapel—installed for those unexpected interracial marriages—felt the tremors of the impact.

Bob leaped from the wreckage of his spaceship and charged into the bowels of the Polly Wog craft, dodging bullets, fleeing guards and generally being a nuisance. Finally he reached the chapel, barreled up the center aisle and stuck his Mega Laser Flinger 2000 right in the groom’s ear.

The female love interest swooned at Bob’s bravery, and the Polly Wog minister recoiled in disgruntlement. “Should I stop?” he asked mid-ceremony.

The groom remained cool. “Don’t worry about him,” he said, meaning Bob. “He only has four words left.”

Bob frowned in confusion.

Our interview is with Sarka-Jonae Miller author of Between Boyfriends (4.1 stars on 54 reviews). Before we get to the interview a brief book description: At first glance, twenty-one-year-old Jan Weston has it all: a gorgeous boyfriend, fun friends, and wealthy parents who take care of all those pesky credit card bills. Then her boyfriend dumps her, her friendships fall apart, and her parents cut her off. Suddenly without money, without a man, and without a plan, it’s time for Jan to grow up. Determined to get her life back on track, Jan decides it’s time to make it on her own. Can she find her way as a single lady in San Diego? Can she fix her friendships, her job prospects, and her hair? And can she keep her vow that she’ll never date again, even after she meets a guy who just might be perfect for her? BETWEEN BOYFRIENDS is a sexy, hilarious story of living life, finding love, and growing up… but not necessarily in that order.

Author Interview with Sarka-Jonae Miller

1. How did you choose the setting of your story?

Between Boyfriends is set in San Diego where I grew up. I first came up with the idea at Syracuse University in New York, but when I was imaging it in my head I saw it in San Diego. I really enjoyed the opportunity to show San Diego as more than a tourist destination. Some readers from San Diego said the same.

2. What specific themes did you emphasize throughout the novel?

Underneath the jokes and attitude, Between Boyfriends is a coming of age story about a woman who has deep insecurities. I wanted to show that people who have a hard time being vulnerable and expressing who they truly are can get there if they make changes. The main character, Jan, never received love as a child. Her parents role modeled very undesirable behaviors and kept Jan around people like them, so she never got a chance to learn how to relate to people in an open, caring way. She searches for that missing love and acceptance through a romantic relationship with a string of boyfriends. Between Boyfriends is about her realizing her unhealthy behaviors and evolving past them.

3. Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?

Jan is a composite of women I knew in high school and mainly college. She is very real. I had friends who seemed to care about their boyfriends more than their classes, their families, and certainly their friends. Every woman has at least one friend like this, someone who will ditch them at the last minute for a guy or who cannot handle being single so she jumps from relationship to relationship. I did use many of my own experiences from massage therapy school and working as a therapist to describe Jan’s education. Also, after Jan loses her financial support she has to work several thankless jobs and worries a lot about bills. I based much of that on my own life.

4. How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?

Jan changes a lot during the novel though some of the other characters change too. Jan’s timid, brainy friend Lisa gains confidence throughout the book. We don’t get into Lisa’s life too much apart from Jan, but in the beginning of the book she is getting over the loss of her sisters and has moved away from her parents who were holding back her grieving by refusing to talk about the accident. Lisa latched onto Jan because she lived across the hall, but when she meets the uber sweet and innocent Becki, Lisa finds someone who not only makes her feel good about herself but gives her someone to take care of and be mature for. Becki loses some of her naivte during the book. Jan loses her defensive attitude and sense of entitlement. The only person who doesn’t change is Jan’s childhood friend Nichole, a bitchy, Queen Bee type who Jan realizes she no longer relates to, and the girls drift apart.

5. In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of your world view?

I don’t think I’ve considered this before, but I don’t think there is too much about my personal world view in Between Boyfriends. However, there will definitely be some of this in the sequel. Jan goes to Thailand to study abroad and will be exposed to a lot of new ideas.

6. Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way?

The only part I had difficultly writing was a scene where Jan is accosted by a man in a parking lot. What actually happens is fairly tame, but she is very scared at the time and feels violated afterward. I think most women, even those fortunate enough to grow up in a country like the US where women have legal protections not enjoyed by women in other countries, have still felt intimidated or threatened at one time, and not necessarily by a man. I think many of us can relate.

7. What research did you have to perform to back up your story? Any research which really opened your eyes or gave you new respect for a topic or profession?

I actually sat down and read a lot of relationship, psychology, and personal development books to try and understand why some women are so obsessed with relationships and think that they need them to be happy. I appreciate a healthy relationship and how it adds to one’s life as much as the next person, but I was curious why for some people it is hard to be single, so much so that they will do almost anything to get into a new one and keep it going even when it’s obvious it isn’t working. I also talked to a lot of women and a few therapists to get a deeper understanding of this issue and how people can overcome it. I’m no expert, but I think I accurately represented at least one reason why someone may adopt this false belief and a way to work on it.

8. What is your method for writing a book? A certain amount of hours every day? A certain routine? Are you character/story builder or an outliner or some other method?

I cannot force myself to stick to any routine. I write when I feel like it, and if for some reason I haven’t felt like writing in a couple of days I may make myself sit down and read over what I’ve written, and usually I very quickly get sucked in and start writing without even realizing it.

9. How do you get past writers block or distractions like the internet?

I struggle with distractions sometimes, but usually I get so into what I’m writing that I don’t notice anything else. If I do find myself getting distracted, it is usually because I need a break and if I take one and recharge, I almost always want to get back to work.

10. Favorite book from childhood.

That would be a tie between My Teacher is an Alien, Charlotte’s Web, and The Secret Garden. I actually brought my copy of My Teacher is an Alien to college with me and randomly walked into a bookstore where Bruce Coville was doing a book signing, ran back to my apartment to get my book, and was able to get it signed. He was very touched that I’d kept the book that long and brought it from California to New York with me.

11. What’s on your desk? Can you see your desk? Describe what you see when you look around.

What desk? I actually don’t have a desk, but when I did have one it was covered with bills and Post-its. I do most of my writing at Starbucks.

Visit Sarka’s Author Website

Connect with Sarka on Facebook

Follow Sarka on Twitter @BoyfriendsNovel or @SarkaJonae

Get the latest news on the Boyfriends series on Sarka’s blog

Buy Between Boyfriends on Amazon

Read more from Sarka on Wattpad

Our guest blogger is Leah Carson who writes parodies of books including Fifty Shades of BenGay: A Parody.

The Accidental Book Parody

As a reader, you probably imagine that writers begin each new book with a grand vision plus a twenty-item list for a killer marketing campaign.

As a writer, I’d have to say: Ha! I wish!

I write parodies. Sometimes they’re on mainstream topics like pets, weddings, or home improvement, and I know exactly where the book is going. But recently I stumbled upon a spoof topic purely by accident.

An email popped up for the Amazon account my husband and I share: “Thank you for your purchase of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’ ”

Hmmm…I didn’t download that book. I phoned Hubby at his office. “Did you buy ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’?”

“Yeah.”

An instant of relief: Our Amazon account wasn’t hacked after all. Then a new worry: Is Hubby secretly hooked on overheated S&M? “Um, hon, do you know what it’s about?”

“No, but it’s been on the bestseller list for a year, so I figured I should check it out.”

A moment of silence. Then: “Ohh-kaaayy. Let me know how you like it.”

As it turned out, Hubby never got beyond chapter 2 of “Fifty Shades.” But guess who started reading it on her Kindle? Yup. And when I reached the part about a contract (“The Submissive will walk five paces behind the Dominant, bow when he faces her, and respond ‘Yes, Anjin-san’ to his commands”) it hit me: This book begs to be spoofed.

And so I did. Spoof it, I mean, in Fifty Shades of BenGay. Which just goes to show you that accidents sometimes have happy endings.

"Ahhh, another Vinnie adventure and it lived up to its hype! Vinnie is so strong, yet vulnerable. So smart, yet so empty-headed. She's a sleuth in need of man to rein her in. Luckily she has no shortage of men in her life who want to protect her and love her." ~ B. Marriott, Amazon Reviews

Hello Digital Book Today readers. The Book Buzz segment today features Dead Wrong by J.M. Griffin which is "a fast-moving, funny, and exciting murder mystery". Dead Wrong is book #3 in the Esposito mystery series. "As with the other books in this series, this book is a quick, light read. The characters make you laugh and the main character (the lovable female sleuth Vinnie) makes you wonder what on earth she is thinking." Dead Wrong can be read as a standalone book but if you love mystery series then check out the entire Vinnie Esposito series including For Love of Livvy (Bk #1) and Dirty Trouble (Bk #2). "This series keeps getting better and better. Move over Stephanie Plum! Lavinia, Marcus, Aaron, the Esposito Family are so much fun!"

"If you are looking for a fun read this is the series for you. Great characters with enough depth to keep you interested but not too much detail to bog you down." ~ Lisa H. Sallings, Amazon Reviews

"The fun is reading how she gets out of sticky situations. The way her family and friends try to discourage her natural ability to get into the pickle continues with flair. I love the characters and the series." ~ F.M. Haynes, Amazon Reviews

Book Description: The race is on to save Lavinia "Vinnie" Esposito in the third book in the Esposito series.

After finding a dead man, Vinnie realizes she has become embroiled in yet another crazy situation involving stolen art, proving her twin brother's innocence, and saving her own neck. State trooper Marcus Richmond and FBI agent Aaron Grant are back to help Vinnie find the culprit while keeping her out of harm's way. That's a task to try the most patient of men, because Vinnie isn't about to let a lead go stale because she's waiting for back up.

A sleuth with attitude, Vinnie Esposito is back!.… Read more on Amazon.

About the Author: J. M. Griffin is a student of the human condition, wielding the written craft to stimulate the imagination much like she wields her paint brush. The pages are a blank canvas on which JM draws vivid characters. Dead Wrong is the one in a series of novels featuring Lavinia Vinnie Esposito. J. M. lives in rural Rhode Island, a state she considers colorful and interesting.

Get your copy of Dead Wrong on Amazon

Follow on Twitter: @lachesispub

"Excellent - always kept you thinking! You almost thought you had the plot figured out only to have another twist pop up." ~ Jan Griffin, Amazon Reviews

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