This regional story collection is set in the hills of southern Kentucky. The distasteful and repentant are seen in glimpses living alongside one another in modern-day Appalachia. Their actions showcase the good, the bad, and the ugly inside 12 unique stories. It would be best compared to Pinckney Benedict’s “Townsmokes” collection in West Virginia. Free on Kindle.

Moments after Lisbeth is born, she’s taken from her mother and handed over to an enslaved wet nurse, Mattie, a young mother separated from her own infant son in order to care for her tiny charge. Thus begins an intense relationship that will shape both of their lives for decades to come. Though Lisbeth leads a life of privilege, she finds nothing but loneliness in the company of her overwhelmed mother and her distant, slave-owning father. As she grows older, Mattie becomes more like family to Lisbeth than her own kin and the girl’s visits to the slaves’ quarters—and their lively and loving community—bring them closer together than ever. But can two women in such disparate circumstances form a bond like theirs without consequence? This deeply moving tale of unlikely love traces the journey of these very different women as each searches for freedom and dignity.

54 years after Harper Lee released “To Kill a Mockingbird” she is now set to publish “Go Set a Watchman” which is a sequel of sorts. She published her first book at age 34 and her second will be published at age 88. Will this sequel sell 40 million copies, as the first book did? Time will tell.

Mekhi’s dream was to manage rock and roll bands.  Real bands that wrote and performed actual music.  But Boston hasn’t had a band break out into fame for over a decade.  When the chance of a lifetime appears for Mekhi to launch his favorite band onto the national stage, the only thing between Mekhi and his dream are the Tygers, the highest profile gangsters in the city.  The Tygers have their eyes on the same national prize, and they figure Mekhi is in hock to them, anyway.

Now finding himself in a fight for his life, and holding on to the dream he has had since a kid, Mekhi’s entire life is about to come undone. Free on Kindle.

Matt Gardner’s poetry is a little untamed, sometimes a little unorthodox and absolutely always packed to overflowing with meaning and story. Then again coming away from those intense and often dangerous years on the frontline of trauma work, rehabilitation, and aboriginal empowerment it’s impossible to not look at things at least a little differently.

Inspired by his experiences Matt’s work is a mixture of uplifting moment, deep appreciation for those small things in our everyday, and crystal clear reflection. His work is highly emotive much like the man himself and his ability to capture a complex feeling in words is second to none. $0.99 on Kindle.

The Last Stoic is a story about Marcus, a young man who leaves his home in the northern hinterland for opportunity in the heart of an empire. It takes place both in the time and place of Ancient Rome and modern America, with the chapters alternating from setting to setting. Marcus is mistakenly jailed for the crime of treason and is interrogated. Only the words of the stoic, philosopher-king Marcus Aurelius give him the strength to survive his ordeal. Free on Kindle.