Best Independent Books December 12
We are delighted to recommend the following books from the independent publishing sector.
FICTION
The Golden Manuscripts (Book Six of the Between Two Worlds series)
by Evy Journey
Clarissa has roamed through seven countries, yearning for a place she can call home. Her journey takes an unexpected turn when an unusual sale of rare medieval manuscripts leads her and Nathan — a doctor who moonlights as an art journalist — into the shadowy world of stolen art. These manuscripts, reminiscent of the picture books her mother once read to her, ignite her passion for art.
Inspired by the true story of an American soldier who stole illuminated manuscripts during World War II, this literary tale weaves together elements of self-discovery, art mystery, travel and love. As they delve deeper into their quest, they uncover clues that whisper of ancient thieves and unravel secrets that prompt more questions than answers about the esoteric and sometimes unscrupulous art world. For Clarissa, each discovery is a step closer to understanding where she belongs.
Clarissa's quest is not just about recovering lost art; it's about finding a sense of belonging and home. Will this journey grant her the peace she longs for, or will it lead to more questions and mysteries?
Expertly blends well-crafted romance and high-stakes adventure... — Self-Publishing ReviewHonors: Silver Medal, Historical Fiction-Medieval, Global Book Awards; Finalist, Cross-Genre Fiction, International Book Awards
Recognition for Author: Gold Medal, Contemporary Fiction, Global Book Awards, 2021
Category: Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 978-0996247498
Laughing Is Forever
by Jason Stocks
This book is a powerful and raw collection of poems. The author’s writing is characterized by its immediacy and unflinching honesty, blending profanity and pop-culture references.
Living in south Florida, the author brings a wealth of life experience to his writing, having worked various jobs before becoming a teacher. He has created a unique voice that is both tender and brutal.
This is a brave and unflinching exploration of the human experience, delivering a punch to the gut while also offering moments of tenderness and insight.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Recognition for Author: Finalist, Contemporary Poetry, American Legacy Book Awards, 2024
Category: Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 978-1962987103
NON-FICTION
The Revenue Catalyst: Mastering the Art of Sales
by Geoffrey M. Reid
This book is a compelling exploration of the often-neglected art of sales, positioning it as the crucial fifth dimension of business. The author delves into the evolution of sales strategies and their critical role in business success.
This comprehensive guide covers everything from the psychology of sales and effective team development to leveraging data and KPIs for predictable outcomes. It challenges conventional wisdom and fills the gaps left by traditional business education. The author unpacks the science of sales, helping readers understand the psychology behind decision-making and persuasion. He provides strategies for selecting and nurturing top sales talent to build high-performance teams, utilizing KPIs to enhance predictability and efficiency and leveraging practical insights through real-world applications, case studies and hands-on techniques.
This is more than a book; it’s a strategic tool for anyone looking to excel in modern sales, including proactive business students, inquisitive sales professionals, budding entrepreneurs and seasoned executives.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637352793
The Strategy Handbook: The Secret Sauce to Daily Business Success
by Jeroen Kraaijenbrink
This practical handbook provides daily benefits that far exceed the initial strategy and its application. In this granular guide, people are empowered to generate and execute business strategies through user-friendly charts, tools, case studies and a step-by-step process.
Although strategy can be complex, it isn’t reserved merely for the boardroom or academic elite. On the contrary, strategy, if done right, is for everyone and from everyone. The time has come to demystify the stigmas that have traditionally plagued institutionalized strategy.
In this book, the author unpacks the value-added learnings from MBA programs and scholarly textbooks to achieve obtainable results that actually matter, all in a down-to-earth way.
Highly accessible and understandable — GoodreadsHonors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637352083
Business As UnUsual
by Rick Yvanovich
This book outlines the mindsets, daily habits and skills required to break free from any ruts and get back in the business game. Action today determines success tomorrow.
In this book, the author shows how to organize for long-lasting success. He affirms coaching as a sought-after skill for the 21st century, and outlines its evolving landscape and its opportunities. He teaches the need to align internal purpose with external goals through mindset and habits. He describes unique assessments, tools and exercises to create a game plan. The objective is to establish critical skills for the next decade.
This book offers invaluable insights, practical strategies and actionable steps to adapt, overcome, and succeed in the new normal.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637352335
In case you missed the books featured in the last newsletter, here they are again:
NON-FICTION
Beyond the Dream: From the King of Pipeline to a Life of Serving and Inspiring Others
by Joey Buran
This compelling memoir captures the remarkable journey of a surfing legend. On December 17, 1984, Joey Buran achieved his ultimate dream by winning the Pipeline Masters, the most prestigious surf contest.
What happens when a 23-year-old reaches the pinnacle of his career? This story takes readers from his triumphant victory at Banzai Pipeline to the creation of the United States’ first professional surfing tour. The journey wasn’t without its challenges — he faced a dark period that nearly cost him his life. Emerging from those struggles, he found a new purpose as a respected minister, dedicating his life to serving others. His passion for surfing never waned. He won the World Masters Championship in 1998 and was inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame in 2009. His coaching led Team USA to a World Surfing Championships title in 2017.
Written with the same intensity and honesty that characterized his surfing style, this memoir is a testament to faith, hard work and resilience. His reflections on his roles as a husband, parent, grandparent, minister and coach offer profound insights into the transformative power of serving others.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Biographies & Memoirs
ISBN: 978-1956897449
I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf: A Young Woman’s Journey with Liver Cancer
by E. Adrienne Wilson
The book invites readers into the world of Adrienne Wilson, a brilliant teenage artist, poet, and sister who chronicled her thoughts and emotions while battling liver cancer.
This journal reveals her innermost reflections on life, love and friendship and the delicate dance of being young, gifted and terminally ill. Her words shine with a rare combination of humor, wit and raw honesty as she navigates her relationships and captures the beautiful, gritty essence of Los Angeles, her adopted hometown. Within these pages, readers will find her award-winning artwork in full-color reproductions, each piece illustrating her unique perspective and showcasing her talent. Her voice is infused with the vibrant spirit of the late 90s, offering a deeply nostalgic glimpse into the music, culture and language of the era.
Adrienne's story is not one of sadness alone, but of a life lived fully and passionately. She reflects on the meaning of existence, expressing an infectious humor and wisdom that belie her years.
In this quietly powerful and touching text, a young artist and poet, details her moving life account battling liver cancer.
— Pacific Book ReviewHonors: Honorable Mention, Young Adult Non-Fiction, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards
Category: Biographies & Memoirs
ISBN: 979-8989552405
Leadership DNA: Shaping A Thriving Business Culture
by Alinka Rutkowska, Deepak Bhootra, Brandon C. Blewett et al.
This book showcases the real stories, insights and strategies of successful leaders across industries. This compelling anthology explores whether great leaders are born or made and provides practical examples of how they overcome adversity to inspire change.
It features contributions from entrepreneurs, corporate executives and industry visionaries. Insights include how an entrepreneur revived her business by focusing on mental health and fostering resilience within her team, illustrating the importance of well-being in leadership. Another contribution tells how a co-founder scaled his startup from zero to $1 million in just six months by leading with adaptability and purpose, offering key lessons in rapid growth. One of the leaders describes how she broke through barriers in male-dominated industries, transforming challenges into opportunities with inclusive leadership, offering invaluable insight into overcoming adversity. The book also explains how corporate leaders turned disengaged teams into high performers, using empathy and values-driven leadership to create positive cultures that boost engagement and success.
This anthology brings together a diverse range of leadership experiences and real-world examples, offering readers actionable insights and tools for fostering innovation, navigating complex challenges and creating thriving business cultures.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637353493
Lead and Grow Rich: The Way to Forge Success Through Your Future Self
by Jon Nicholson
This book is a transformative guide that redefines the concept of richness and success in today’s world. Building on the foundations laid by Napoleon Hill in Think and Grow Rich, this book takes a fresh look at personal development in the context of our evolving society.
The author shares his journey and insights on not just how to think and grow rich but also why it’s important to lead and grow rich. For him, being rich means having the freedom and flexibility to spend time with his family. This impactful read offers insights on a lifetime’s worth of problems and solutions. It explores the author’s journey and how it shaped his ability to be a leader in his life. It emphasizes the importance of defining success for ourselves, it describes the difference between becoming a leader and being a leader, and it explains how to set goals. The book also provides guidance on how to navigate defeat and obstacles, like ‘letting your spaceships blow up’.
It explains how to take the next steps in a career. Whether people want to start a company, make a career change, or write a best-seller, this book will inspire them to take action and be leaders in life.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637351284
Awakening
by Areva Martin
This book goes beyond the idea that women should ask for a seat at the table. The author makes the case for women to tear down the building, build anew, and choose tables that make room for everyone.
In this book, the author provides statistics and stories on how the current system works to keep women as the inferior sex and why it needs a complete overhaul. Case studies from real women at work demonstrate the barriers that hold women back and the conflicts that they face if they choose to start a family. The author explains the background to the system and the movements, milestones and men who have shaped where women stand in the workplace today. She zooms out to describe how expectations, norms and culture need to change before equity can be achieved.
The past decade has been a whirlwind of fighting for equity, seeing the consequences of small-scale strategies and being pushed back by the COVID-19 pandemic. The author lays all of this out on the table and provides a map for pushing forward in the corporate jungle, nonprofit world and society at large.
The author is a strong writer and storyteller, and she does an excellent job of capturing the essences of the women she features here. — KirkusHonors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637351253
We trust that your readers will enjoy our hand-picked selection.
For more bestselling and award-winning books from the independent publishing sector, please go here.
Warm regards,
Alinka Rutkowska
CEO, LibraryBub
