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Paradise of the Wolf by Benjamin J. Burton

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In this gripping psychological thriller, Benjamin J. Burton presents a modern horror classic that takes readers deep into the dark recesses of the human psyche.

Set in Miami, Paradise of the Wolf follows Chelsi Villanueva as she struggles to find herself after the tragic death of her mother. But when she starts to have disturbing visions, strange occurrences begin to happen around her, and her life turns upside down. Unable to trust anyone, she soon finds herself consumed by a mysterious and deadly entity known as “The Beast” that seems to have taken over her dreams.

When Chelsi finally discovers what “The Beast” truly is, she must learn to find the courage to fight it and come to terms with her past before it destroys her future.

Paradise of The Wolf is a haunting journey through the mind of a young woman as she deals with grief, loss, abandonment, and ultimately acceptance.

Benjamin J. Burton is the author of Paradise of Wolf, his debut paranormal crime thriller. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Benjamin received his Bachelor of Computer Science from Morgan State University. After University, Benjamin enlisted in the US Army, where he served as a paratrooper and at various assignments around the world. Benjamin was awarded numerous medals and commendations during his time in the military, including the Meritorious Service Medal and Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. After leaving the military, he worked for the Department of Defense and the private sector before retiring to become a full-time writer. Benjamin resides in Miami, Florida, where he writes about his favorite subject: murder!

The Island of the Mighty by Ben Hall

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Prince Royce was banished after standing up for his father’s honor. Upon meeting the cursed princess, their separate paths became one as they worked to bring justice for the Zuzax Tribe and to unite their fractured societies.

Ben Hall is a writer by day and reader by night. He has authored the St. Noir comic book series that cover the adventures of Captain Cobalt, the Sonic Sleuth and the Mysteries of the Muze.

After serving 8 years with the Marine Corps infantry, Ben continues to utilize those skills and serve his community by volunteering in Search and Rescue. When he isn’t out in the Rocky Mountains, Ben enjoys entertaining friends and family with cooking that draws upon his past career as a chef.

You can follow all of his writing adventures at:

​​​​​​​www.worldofnom.com

Footsteps of a Soldier by Joseph Small

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“Heartbreaking and heartwarming – a story of struggle and triumph, victory, and losses.”

New York Times Bestselling Author Tosca Lee, co-author of The Long March Home

Footsteps of a Soldier is a story of faith, hope, and perseverance for all who have served, all who have loved, and all who have lost a love. 

Based on actual events, Footsteps of a Soldier dares you to imagine being nineteen years old and carrying a weapon. Feel what it’s like to walk in Private Homer’s boots. Laugh, cry, and feel your emotions come alive as you traverse the foreign landscape of war, of lost friends and family, and unforgettable farewells. 

January 1945. As one of the thousands of reinforcements arriving at World War II’s front lines in France, nineteen-year-old Private Homer copes with the strain by dreaming of his rural Nebraska home and clinging to a simple object in his pocket. He finds some buddies among the weary, anxious soldiers from every corner of the United States. Their orders come from General Patton, and they have one final night of rest before they will fight for keeps.

Author Joseph Small was born in Columbus, Nebraska, and grew up on a farm near Fullerton, Nebraska. After high school, he became part of his family’s farming business and still works the land and raises cattle today with his four grown children. Since discovering a robin’s nest with four beautiful blue eggs as a young boy, Joseph dreamed of writing a novel. That moment sparked his creativity and changed the way he expressed his surroundings.

​​​​​​​A unique friendship with a neighboring farmer who served under General Patton in World War II gave him this opportunity. This combat veteran and his wife shared bits and pieces of their story until flashbacks of war became too much. Footsteps of a Soldier is based on actual places and events experienced by this young GI far from home and Joseph’s childhood memories.

DETOURS: A Novel about the Resiliency of the Human Spirit by Carol Fricke

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Everybody has a story. Everyone is on a journey. 
A love story that will touch your heart.

Haley Duncan is a high school English teacher. At thirty-nine-years old, she has already experienced more than enough tragedies in her life after facing the death of her husband and her own infertility. In an attempt to jump-start her life and fill her empty spaces of time, she starts volunteering at the local Service Dog Association. After much persuasion, she reluctantly agrees to finish raising one of their puppies when its puppy raiser becomes ill. This has heartbreak written all over it, keeps running through her mind as she embarks on this journey. But knowing that this puppy could change someone’s life for the better, Haley embraces the challenge ahead of her.

Mark Lancer is a forty-five-year-old divorced father and state policeman whose life certainly has not gone as planned. Within five months, his son left for college, his wife filed for divorce, and his accident happened. All three life-changing events left him bitter and angry. The worst one being the head trauma from the accident that left him with seizures. As he faced an unknown future, his son MJ urged him to apply for a service dog.
“I’ll be advertising to the world that I’m disabled,” he argued. But finding it hard to say no, he reluctantly agreed to fill out the application.

When Jed, a service dog, brings together Haley and Mark, both are surprised by their instant attraction for each other. But can these two tragedy-riddled people overcome their pasts and open their hearts to a new beginning? Can giving love a second chance mend two broken hearts and change the path of their lives?

What happens when tragedy strikes . . . and changes everything?

* * *

Carol Fricke is a retired teacher and coach from Derry Township School District in Hershey, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Fryburg, a small town. After high school, she attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she competed on their gymnastics team. Following graduation, she moved to Hershey where she spent the next thirty-five years teaching Health and Physical Education at Hershey High School and coaching gymnastics for thirty of those years.

Being an animal lover her entire life, Carol knew her retirement had to involve her passion for dogs. She started volunteering with the Susquehanna Service Dogs in Grantville, Pennsylvania after reading about the organization in a local paper. The trainers, volunteers, puppy raisers and dogs that she met there inspired her to write.

Carol shares her life with her husband, a daughter, a granddaughter, and two Newfoundland dogs. She spends her time playing music, tennis, and as vice-chair for the South Hanover Township Parks & Recreation Board.


Book details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Centaur Books (August 15, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1956823417
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1956823417
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.48 x 9 inches

Their Path to Happiness by Jennifer Deutsch

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A once tight family is not the same after an unexpected tragedy. The curveball life has thrown at them brings a weight of sadness to the family. Siblings find themselves with a new set of expectations, responsibilities, and a drastic change in their lives. The relationship between them is pushed to new boundaries. Envy, jealousy, rivalry, and fear work together, slowly trying to destroy what was once a happy nuclear family.

What happens when the patriarch of the family goes through a life-changing illness, putting even more stress on the siblings? Those left behind find themselves losing touch, growing apart, each processing the loss in their own way. Expectations change, misunderstandings accrue, and one sibling turns to deceit as the answer. 

After each setback and adversity, Kaleigh finds herself leaning on an old friend. Trying to stay positive through it all, she finds herself needing him more, but jealousy has turned him away. Feeling trapped in her sorrow, will Kaleigh be able to pick up the pieces and find the strength to move on? Will the siblings be able to forgive each other? Will they have the chance to rebuild their relationship? Will they each find, their path to happiness?

Jennifer Deutsch is Reading Intervention Teacher who lives in upstate New York. 

Jennifer Deutsch

“I have a hard-working husband who supports all of my endeavors, and two beautiful children who are growing bigger by the day.  I work to balance this thing we call life, and it is not always easy.  I am constantly looking for easier ways to do things, ways to save time, and stay organized. I work with inner-city students who have so much resting on their shoulders but who deserve the same chance at becoming great readers and having amazing teachers as any other child in America. I work to show my students how many doors will open for them when they learn how to be great readers. I try to teach my students and my own children that good things come with time, dedication, and hard work.”


Book details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Centaur Books (August 15, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 186 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1956823395
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1956823394
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.47 x 9 inches

So, you want to be a writer!

So, you want to be a writer! Many of us have this dream, and some of us make it an actual goal. Getting your dream turned into a goal—and becoming the writer you want to be—can be filled with obstacles that you might need help navigating 

With this weekly blog, I’ll be sharing advice, tips, and suggestions that hopefully will assist you in your writing process.

Each of us has inspiration to become a writer, woven from the events, situations, and the passage of time in our lives.

You might have a significant event that completely changed the trajectory of your life that you wish to share with others. Perhaps to explain how you dealt with something and offer advice to others in similar situations, an easier way, or better way, to resolve whatever the issue(s) are.

That might become a self-help book, or a guidebook. Or it could be something written in a diary type form, or journal. 

Maybe you did well in English or writing classes in school, and you were told you had potential as a writer. And you’ve thought about it for a long time but have no real idea of how to begin.

With these things being said, I am going tell a bit of my story of becoming a writer.

All my life, I can recall my mother’s friends telling me I should be a writer. I would write letters to some of these family friends, and they would respond, telling me that it sounded like a story—and it made them laugh, cry, or whatever emotion I expressed in my letters.

In high school, I took a creative writing class and while I enjoyed it and did well in the class, I didn’t pursue it beyond high school.

Over the course of many years, many jobs, growth, and changes in my personal life, I still didn’t take any classes, or try to write an actual story about anything. The thought to do it was always in the back of my mind, but I had no idea where to start.

Then, once my kids were grown and I found myself with some time on my hands, I found an online school that offered several different courses. I started with Personal Style. It was exciting. I learned a lot, did projects, and earned a certificate. Then I tried the Event Planning course they offered. I learned that I did NOT want to be an event planner very quickly! Once I earned that certificate, the school then offered a Creative Writing course. I couldn’t wait to sign up!

Most all of what I was taught, I already seemed to know, on one level or another. I did learn some things I didn’t know, and I was encouraged by my professor to seek a publisher for a particular story I’d written that happened to be a true story.

Finding a publisher can be daunting! I was told that I could send out twenty inquiries and get twenty rejects! It can be a humbling experience. You’re at an advantage, as you’ve found Centaur Books already! As the adage goes: You’ll never know if you don’t try.

Through a published writer, I made a few phone calls and connected with John Paul Owles, the publisher at Joshua Tree Publishing. He liked the story I had written and from there, he published my first book and another three since then over the last three years. The way it happened for me was not in any way, shape or form, the way I ever fantasized that my writing career would happen! I encourage you to not give up and be open to diversity. 

I say to you, as a burgeoning author, write your story, whatever it is. You know you’ve wanted to for however long it’s been in your mind. Get it on paper, online, and submit it. You don’t know unless you try. 

For all the years I’d thought about writing and never did, I was astounded that my dream became a reality, and my goal to write more books has taken me even further. 

Please join me next time when I’ll write more about the process, inspiration, and motivation. 

Connection Terminated by Tanay Pant

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Author Tanay Pant

“There were twelve people, alive and breathing, 
on this submarine yesterday. Today, there are ten.”

When Elijah Smith, an acclaimed Navy recruit, was given the opportunity to board a real submarine with nine other recruits to test their mental, physical, and tactical prowess, he was ecstatic. Even better, his best friends, Rohan and Laila, had been selected as well! After months of dedication, it seemed like things were finally going his way. Hours later, however, as he and his friends go to investigate a disturbance, they begin to realize that they are trapped with a murderer . . . ten-thousand feet underwater.

As events continue to unfold rapidly, alliances and rivalries are made and torn as crewmates discover clues, attempt to fix sabotaged hardware, and figure out a way to communicate with the surface. Relationships between siblings, friends, and past mentors are put under tremendous strain. Questions and accusations are thrown around for the killer’s identity. Losing faith in those around him, Elijah struggles with his own personal questions of sanity and insomnia. What can he do if he can’t even trust himself?

Only one thing is clear. As the death toll increases, the survivors must find a way to work together. Otherwise, the beautiful vessel they were so excited to board may soon become their coffin.

Tanay Pant is a student who lives with his family and dog in Illinois. He has been writing for as long as he can remember, starting out with scrappy comic books made out of notebook paper before completing Connection Terminated, his second published novel. In his spare time, he enjoys writing for the school newspaper, playing sports with his friends, or listening to music a bit louder than he should.


Book Details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Centaur Books (May 19, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 174 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1956823336
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1956823332
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.44 x 9 inches
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