2018 Holiday Book Buying Guide

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Thank You Patti! Thank you Patti Lavell for reading at our November 10th event. We were so excited to hear you read from your latest book, Island Chains.   Holiday Gift Guide Looking for a good book to gift a friend or loved one this season? Take a look at this list of books published in 2018 by Words on the Verge alumni.  Island Chains by Patti Lavell "Island Chains is a thrilling, gritty, and often funny exposé of the chains of pleasure and addiction in the Florida Keys—drugs, sex, alcohol, pills—and the evils that fuel them: pain, poverty, greed, rape, and sex trafficking. Best enjoyed with an adult beverage." Before There Was Yonder byKaren Faris & Katherine Weston "A beautifully written book for all ages describing a world in crisis and of a gentle bunny who takes it upon himself to learn more about what can be done to help heal the planet." The Hunters Way by Craig Raleigh "The Hunter’s Way is a meditative and philosophical journey into the soul of a hunter. Divided into four parts that mirror the hunting experience—the background, the preparation, the hunt, and the harvest—it addresses the paradox of hunting as conservationism, ruminates on the failures and successes of hunting as sport and as a way of life, and reveals how hunting influences our society." Love like Sky by Leslie C. Youngblood "Love ain't like that." "How is it then?" Peaches asked, turning on her stomach to face me. "It's like sky. If you keep driving and driving, gas will run out, right?" "That's why we gotta go to the gas station." "Yep. But have you ever seen the sky run out? No matter how far we go?" "No, when we look up, there it is." "Well that's the kind of love Daddy and Mama got for us, Peaches--love like sky." "It never ends?" "Never." "A young girl copes with her new 'blended-up' family and her little sister’s sudden illness in this heartfelt, emotionally-driven middle grade debut." Dreams on Fire by Annette Daniels Taylor "With an incarcerated father and an estranged drug-addicted mother, Shanequa’s dreams of higher education feel like a fantasy. When Shanequa gets the chance to attend a prestigious private prep school, she feels like her dreams might become reality. Shanequa finds it easier to lie to her new friends than tell them the truth about her family. When her lies are found out, and Shanequa strikes back in blind rage, her path changes forever." Twilight Venus by Kitty Jospe "Jospé’s book is a lyrical tribute to the sacred spaces, objects, and moments of everyday life. Whether contemplating the thick skin of a winter squash or the squares of a woman's quilt, Jospé doesn’t fail to delight in her latest poetry book." Mystery Gifts by Denise Thompson-Slaughter "A cozy mystery set on the beautiful shores of Nova Scotia, Mystery Gifts draws on the colorful culture and people of the southwestern coast of that Canadian province. The cast of characters includes people from different cultures and religions who work together to solve a mystery uncovered by bored U.S. visitors when five days of their vacation are rained out. The backgrounds of the characters contribute to their unique methods, as do the surprising and unusual 'gifts' that three wish they didn't have." Surviving Madmen by Jerri Lynn Sparks "Jerri Lynn Sparks was nearly killed by her Ivy League-educated husband in a vicious assault. Instead of retreating in fear, she fought back and is now fighting to change the system that contributed to her attack by becoming a volunteer firefighter, political advocate and educational speaker."

Holiday Hiatus   Words on the Verge is taking a short break during the holiday season. Check our website and Facebook page for updates about our return in 2019.  Support Words on the Verge   Words on the Verge now has a Patreon page! It is easier than ever to support the work we do. Our initial goal is $500 by August 31st.  Every little bit helps, so make a pledge today.