On a lovely summer day in sunny Florida, little Joseph spends his time outdoors, unaware that his fluffy dog, Coco, has decided to go exploring. As Joseph worries about his missing pet, Coco embarks on a new adventure, finding a friend and journeying through the big city. The story revolves around whether Coco will find his way back home or remain lost amidst the urban hustle.
Coco Lost in Miami, authored by Mr. Luna and Mrs. Ani, is a delightful picture book for children. The illustrations by TranDang are both charming and vibrant, bringing the story to life with colorful depictions. Coco, the adorable dog, is sure to capture the hearts of young readers. Despite Coco getting lost, the story avoids any distressing scenarios, ensuring that young readers remain entertained and engaged. Coco’s adventure is filled with fun and excitement as he explores the city. While Coco’s new friend might have read his collar sooner, and Joseph’s worry is palpable, the story concludes on a positive note, highlighting the kindness and helpfulness of a true friend. This heartwarming resolution makes Coco Lost in Miami an ideal book to share at any time of the day.
For dog lovers, this book is a perfect companion for a warm summer day, as readers follow Coco’s spontaneous city escapade. Suitable for all ages, this whimsical tale earns four out of five stars for its enchanting story, delightful artwork, and soothing summer ambiance. Coco Lost in Miami is a wonderful choice for unwinding while sipping a glass of ice-cold lemonade.
Love in the Shadows follows a woman determined to escape the cycle of abuse who sets out to exact justice on the men who perpetrate it. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
During research for my Emmy-winning CBS documentary, The Abused Woman, it became apparent that marital, physical, verbal and psychological abuse had no class, race, religion or age boundaries. The powerful have preyed on the weak and helpless throughout history. This global problem was either ignored or dismissed just so long as you’re not among those being brutalized. My research for the documentary revealed a world of hidden habitats in which mostly unpaid volunteer women and men provided safe havens for victims on the run from their abusers.
It seemed like you took your time in building the characters and the story to great emotional effect. How did you manage the pacing of the story while keeping readers engaged?
The pacing was provided by the characters, all of whom were fictional representations of those I had interviewed for my book, “The Battered Rich,” published by Ashley Books and unfortunately out of print. If I couldn’t hold the interest of my readers by telling the victims’ stories truthfully along with the incisive comments from psychiatrists, therapists and police, I was the wrong author for this book.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
I learned there was a cottage industry of cosmetologists who padded their income by teaching rich abused women how to disguise their bruises from friends and the public. A bigger surprise was to hear for the first time from a psychiatrist the term, “messiah complex,” which applied to surgeons who were non-verbal, god-like figures in the operating room but couldn’t handle highly educated wives who were socially and verbally their superiors. Physical violence often became their only recourse.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
It is another noir, historically based crime thriller. Although Newark remains the launching pad for the novel, I am creating a fictional city in the upper Midwest that like Newark, profited greatly during WW2 but in the late-1940s was socially and economically adrift with the closure of the massive war-time industries, and as a result became easy prey for the mob-controlled labor unions whose original instructions were provided by the legendary Jimmy Hoffa. With any luck and remaining in good health, I hope to have the final completed in 2026.
“LOVE In the Shadows,” the final book of the Passaic River Trilogy, takes the reader from 1947 Newark through the dark shadows where mindless brutes of all classes preyed on the helpless. Women were fighting back and for the first-time muscular feminism was changing the world with Rosie the Riveter pumping her biceps on posters from coast-to-coast. One woman used her fists to fight back, driving her abusive husband from their home. Four physically abused women enlist a mafia gangster in a crazy scheme to payback powerful men who escaped punishment despite years of brutal behavior. Newark’s Police Homicide Chief is astonished to discover there is no difference in the battery and mayhem affecting the rich and poor. A rich and beautiful woman, physically and mentally abused, goes on a three-continent search after her wealthy German aristocrat husband fatally beat a household member she had loved since childhood. Also tracking the husband are two anonymous international killers hired by the mafia because for years he had been embezzling millions of gangster money earned by investing in Nazi companies. Throughout the book it becomes obvious that evil works in the shadows.
Dr. Theodore Schwartz has been treating neurological illnesses for nearly 30 years. He says being a brain surgeon requires steady hands — and a strong bladder. His new book is
Summer is a time when many Americans are taking off from work and setting their sights on far-off vacation destinations: tropical beaches, fairy-tale cities, sun-drenched countrysides. But in her book
the reluctant travel writer Shahnaz Habib warns of recklessly embracing what she calls “passport privilege,” — and how that can skew peoples’ images of what the world is and who it belongs to.
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