☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ with M.C.V. EGAN

Thursday, April 9, 2026

Flight of the Valkyrie

Science Fiction, Techno-thriller

Date Published: 03/01/2026

Book 1 of the Asatru Saga

Onboard the International Space Station, Naval Astronaut Claire McFadden is enjoying another routine mission in space when an unexpected explosion cripples the station. With one of her crewmates dead and the station quickly losing altitude, she struggles to bring it under control and buy the crew time until rescue hopefully can come. Unfortunately, NASA does not have a manned spacecraft to reach them, and the other international space agencies cannot or will not help, leaving the crew stranded.

With the station coming dangerously close to a fiery reentry, her old love and fellow former Navy pilot, Steve Paige, offers a radical and risky solution. The company he works for as a test pilot is developing a next-generation spacecraft, the Valkyrie. However, Steve is conflicted about his motive for volunteering for the mission. Is it duty to fellow astronauts or lingering emotions for Claire?

As NASA and the U.S. State Department scramble for a solution, Claire investigates what caused the improbable accident. She learns of a sinister plot to use the ISS as a retaliatory weapon aimed at Washington, D.C. This compels her to try to piece together who and how the station was sabotaged before it is too late.

The people behind the attack will stop at nothing to keep the identity of the culprit a secret. Even if someone can save her and the crew, Claire is the only one who knows what really happened, making her the target of an international assassin. The stakes are high as all parties understand that the incident could spark World War III.

About the Author

Curtis Smith blends his expertise in physics, engineering, and robotics to craft science fiction novels grounded in reality, inviting readers into a world where technology meets imagination. This hub fosters vibrant discussions among readers and writers alike, celebrating the art of storytelling rooted in true science.

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Amazon

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines

Trauma Memoir

Date Published: February 10, 2026

Publisher: Unbroken

“Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines” plunges you into Adriene Caldwell’s childhood—a world of grinding poverty, mental illness, and violence—then lifts you back out on a fierce up‑draft of resilience. Page after page, she peels back the polite veneer of society to reveal the systemic betrayals that let children like her slip through every safety net, yet she never relinquishes the fragile ember of hope that keeps her alive. Her voice is unflinchingly honest—at turns raw, lyrical, and darkly humorous—as she chronicles the horrors she endured and the instinct that urged her to fight for her little brother, and for herself, when no one else would. By the final chapter, you will understand why she can say, without irony, “We are not defined by our damage… We are Unbroken,” and you will close the book convinced that survival, in her hands, is its own quietly triumphant art form.

About the Author

Adriene Caldwell is an author and advocate from Houston, Texas. Her memoir, Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines, traces the quiet aftermath of childhood trauma and the long arc of healing. Through writing, talks, and UnbrokenCaldwell.com, she champions hope, resilience, and storytelling as tools for recovery.

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Tuesday, April 7, 2026

A Cowboy’s Dilemma

Western Historical Fiction

Date Published: 08-19-2025

Publisher: Artemesia Publishing, LLC

As the Kelly Can Saga continues, Charlie and his wife, Susan, must deal with continued conflict as they attempt to grow their fledgling Kelly Oil Company. Like many other oilmen, Charlie and his partner, Hank Thomas, want to acquire oil and mineral rights to the Osage Nation’s land in northern Oklahoma. This leads them to confrontations with an adversary from their recent past. Susan’s life is imperiled by those evil characters. How will her cowboy come to her rescue and deal with dangerous direct threats on their lives? Charlie rapidly steps up to the challenge as any past Top Hand at the world-famous Miller’s 101 Ranch would.

About the Author

E. Joe Brown is an award-winning author of novels, short stories, and memoirs. His current projects include a series of historical fiction novels set in his native Oklahoma. Publication of the first book in the series is scheduled for August 2022. His memoir ‘Mickey and Me’ about meeting his hero, Mickey Mantle, is now featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Joe currently serves as President of New Mexico Westerners, an Advisor to the SWW Board of Directors, and is a member of Western Writers of America and Military Writers Society of America.

He supports his love of music and performance through active membership in the International Western Music Association. He served on the organization’s board of directors for three years. In 2013, Governor Susanna Martinez appointed him a New Mexico Music Commissioner.

Veterans Portrait Project, Military, USAF

Photo Courtesy of
Stacy Pearsall's
Veterans Portrait Project

Joe concluded his lifetime military and civil service careers upon retirement on June 30, 2010. An exciting multi-faceted career of firsts included leading the USAF Range Instrumentation Team to aid the original NASA Space Shuttle program. His team helped create the Shuttle Worldwide Network and supported the first six missions of Space Shuttle Columbia. As the Air Force Flight Test Center Project Manager, he guided the design, construction, and implementation of the Benefield Anechoic Facility on Edwards AFB. The facility tests state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems in a secure environment. His final assignment was in direct support of the two-star Major General at Edwards AFB where he advised on strategic planning to assure future readiness to test USAF and Department of Defense weapons systems.

An alumnus of the Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Joe continued his engineering education during both his military and civil service careers. He completed coursework at the University of Colorado, Georgia Institute of Technology, George Washington University, University of Tennessee, Chapman University, and the University of California at Los Angeles. He later completed a BS in Business Management at Phoenix University and the Executive MBA program with a Strategic Planning emphasis from Webster University.

Joe has been married to his wife Linda for over fifty years, and their sons have given them five beautiful grandchildren.

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Tilly and the Wisdom Trials

Children’s Fantasy Adventure, Educational Fiction / Learning Adventure,

Date Published: February 27, 2026

In this imaginative and heartwarming picture book, Tilly and the Wisdom Trials introduces young readers to a world hidden beneath the prairie - a place where learning is a magical adventure and knowledge is the key to unlocking ancient secrets.

Tilly, a clever and kind-hearted young badger, discovers a mossy wooden gate hidden among vines and roots, setting her on an unexpected path: the legendary Wisdom Trials. With her loyal companions, the Brainy Bunch, she journeys through a series of challenges that test more than just book smarts. From riddle gates and logic tunnels to kindness puzzles and courage quests, each trial demands wit, empathy, and commitment.

Written in lyrical rhyme and brimming with wonder, Tilly and the Wisdom Trials is the first book in the Critter Quest Academy Collection - a series that blends adventure, problem-solving, and joyful learning in an underground world of whimsical crifters. Ideal for fans of The Questioneers and The Tale of Despereaux, this story celebrates curiosity, resilience, and the magic of a mind set on discovery.

About the Author

David Tra is a computer scientist, educational game developer, and children’s author who creates story-driven learning experiences that blend games, books, and curiosity. He is the creator of Critter Quest Academy, an interactive educational platform and book series that turns problem-solving into adventure.

David previously developed the educational math games El Mathador and Treasure Math, helping students build confidence through play. He is also the author of The Star of Shanraz, a novel for teen readers. His latest work focuses on the Prairie City Adventures and Critter Quest Academy books, beginning with Tilly and the Wisdom Trials, the featured launch title that introduces young readers to a whimsical underground world where questions, puzzles, and curiosity guide the journey.

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Saturday, April 4, 2026

Lance Loving a Lancaster Book 4 by Stacy Eaton Genre: Contemporary Small-Town Romance

When her world loses its color, he’s the only one who can help her find the brush again.

Lance

Loving a Lancaster Book 4

by Stacy Eaton

Genre: Contemporary Small-Town Romance

As a Forensic Accountant, Lance Lancaster lives on facts and the small details that get overlooked. When his firm takes on a new client, and Aurora Moonshadow enters the room, the facts he lived by and relied on quickly begin to vanish, leaving him in the unknown territory of protective gemstones and Navajo folklore.

Aurora Moonshadow believes in signs and living every minute to the fullest. After her father passes and she takes over the family business, she finds herself unable to understand the dire situation her father left behind. That is until Lance arrives to help her. The creativity that has been hidden by grief quickly emerges after meeting him, and Aurora is on top of the world until her protective bracelet breaks.

When Aurora goes missing, Lance returns to Sedona and will do just about anything to help find her. Learning that she started painting again after their one night together makes Lance even more determined to locate her and bring her home safe.

Will they be able to find Aurora before everything she loves is destroyed, including herself? Or will Lance be left with only her final painting?

Lance is the fourth book in the Loving a Lancaster Series. This series spin-off of the Loving a Winston Series, which spins off the Loving a Young Series.

**NEW RELEASE!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

**Don’t miss the rest of the Loving a Lancaster series!**

Leo, Book 1
Luna, Book 2
Levi, Book 3
Lance, Book 4

Find them on Amazon!

Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Bestselling author and began her writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took early retirement from law enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016 due to a second serious concussion. Her last three years on the job were in investigations and crime scene investigation. She now writes full-time.

Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, who works in law enforcement. She has a daughter in college and a son who is currently serving in the United States Navy.

Stacy writes a variety of genres, but mostly romance. She enjoys writing real-life stories that people can relate to with real-life problems, emotions, and solutions.

Her favorites: Classic cars, photography, Disney, music, coffee, and her favorite sweatshirt that says, You are dangerously close to getting killed in my next novel.

Website * Facebook * FB Group * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Lance Giveaway Here

Friday, April 3, 2026

Circus Bim Bom

A Cold War Adventure

Historical Fiction/Cold War Fiction w/romance subplots

Date Published: 03-01-2026

Publisher: Bim Bom Books

There are no accidents in life, only opportunities wearing different clothes."

When the first privately owned Soviet circus arrived in 1990 America as the Soviet Empire unraveled, its elite performers expected to build cultural bridges through spectacular shows. Instead, this prestigious troupe faced a perilous journey through Cold War America.

Circus director Yuri had to navigate treacherous waters where American mobsters, Soviet agents, and political forces circled like predators. Young aerialist Anton dreamed of becoming a clown against his family's wishes, while forbidden romances and unexpected connections bloomed between Soviet performers and Americans who saw past the ideological divide. As high-stakes conspiracies threatened to tear the circus family apart, they had to choose between the authoritarian chains of home and the uncertain promise of freedom.

As The Ringmaster reminds us, "The best Soviet stories are like vodka—they burn with suffering, intoxicate with conflict, keep you stewing in reflection, and yearning for your heart's desire." This genre-bending tale explores whether human connection can transcend ideology—and whether storytelling can bridge the divides that separate us.

About the Author

Cliff Lovette is a father, storyteller, and dog lover living in Sandy Springs, Georgia. For over 40 years, he practiced entertainment law, serving as Senior Vice President at LaFace Records and representing artists including Usher and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. His passion for bridging historical divides led him to co-produce a groundbreaking reconciliation event between descendants of Buffalo Soldiers and Lakota Native Americans. In 1990, when Bobby Liberman—road manager for the first privately owned Soviet circus touring America—became his client, Cliff discovered the true story that inspired this debut duology.

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Goodreads

TikTok: @ringmaster606

YouTube: @TheRingmaster-n7y

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Author's Edition

books.by/bim-bom-books

The Author's Edition comes with:

• Signed bookplate

• Digital circus poster