I seem very fascinated with this pencil.
Monday, August 17, 2026
Crows Calling Teaser #rabtbooktours
An Inspiring Journey into our Better Natures
Literary/Eco-Fiction
Date Published: 10-01-2025
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press
Earth’s animals are fed up with humanity’s mindless damage
to our common home. Will a young girl and her family heed their call?
Ten-year-old Luz sets out on an overnight camping trip, accompanied by her spiritual mentor. Peering through a canopy of California redwoods, Luz witnesses a council of animals confronting the menace of climate change. Led by a lustrous—and talkative—American Crow named Koro, the animals weigh their options. Some, like Koro, want to collaborate with humans. Others doubt humanity’s good intentions. The conversation compels young Luz, innately in tune with the natural world, to fight passionately in its defense.
At once a work of fact-based activism and a moving coming-of-age, Crows Calling immerses the reader in a richly-drawn family and community who, despite their differences, decide to dedicate their lives to the care of Grandmother Earth. They are not alone. Rather, they are accompanied by a colorful cast of savvy planimals—bears, coyotes, trees, and even chickens—with long memories and ancient ways of healing. However, some damage cannot be undone. Natural disasters, public apathy, and greed threaten everything that Luz and her friends are working for. Can the cross-species alliance find unity and resolve the climate crisis?
Excerpt
Chapter 1
Before we go any further, I really should introduce myself. I am Koro—a lustrous female American Crow. Surely, when strolling in woods or along an urban lane, you have admired my family’s elegant, iridescent plumage and thrilled to our melodious song. You know of our prodigious memory, of our cleverness spearing hapless grubs from sodden logs with a favored twig.
The glint you see in my ebony eye is a tear shining for my grandmother—the earthly incarnation of generosity, whose bounteous lands and waters make room for every new arrival. Of late, however, one family—relative newcomers—has been pushing her limits, leaving their garbage everywhere and abusing the other guests. They run their noisy engines at all hours. Noxious smoke belches from their cooking fires. Every day, more and more of them come, crowding into other families’ spaces, destroying the homes of many of my friends.
Recognizing our Crow persistence, Grandmother Earth called us to help her get those inconsiderate tenants to clean up their act. Peering into the chasm of the coming Meltdown, I am proud to be on precious Grandmother’s team. My cawcus is responsible for majestic Northern California. The land we cover is a patchwork sprawl of asphalt and forest, garlic and strawberries, oranges and avocados, cattle and sheep raised sustainably and otherwise, bears guttering in their occult tongue, sweet jasmine brandishing her shameless perfume, and sixteen million busy humans.
Through wildfires, drought, floods, extreme heat, even earthquakes, Grandmother is pleading directly with humans. Some hear her message. Take Makah Andrews, professor of International Environmental Policy at Monterey University. Makah’s one of the good ones, trying to use the system to turn itself around. That’s the aim of “Team Grandmother”—a successful turnaround.
What’s that I hear? Ah, please allow me to introduce my most trusted teammate, Ursula, a beautiful California Black Bear who lives around here. Ursula, tell the folks what we’ve been hearing from other nonhuman parts of the natural world, from other planimals, as we call ourselves. Our fellow creatures are getting nervous. Some are angry. That’s why we’re organizing a Congress. …
About the Author
Bruce McConnell is an agile and accomplished shapeshifter, having
flourished as a poet, roofer, artist-blacksmith, mechanical engineer, tenor,
business consultant, national security official, non-profit executive, and
peacemaker. A collection of his poems, Living from Here, was published by
Anvil Press (US). He recently moved to Ashland Oregon to feel closer to his
relatives in the natural world. Crows Calling is his first novel. He is
working on a second novel set in Southern Oregon.
A leading player on global peace and security issues at the intersection of governments, business and civil society for over thirty years, McConnell is the former President and CEO of the EastWest Institute. He serves on the board of The Stimson Center, in support of peace, security, justice, and prosperity for all living beings.
From 2009 to 2013, McConnell served in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he was Deputy Under Secretary for Cybersecurity. He was a member of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team. From 2000-2008, he created, built and sold two consultancies that provided strategic advice to clients in the technology, business and government sectors. In 1999-2000, McConnell led the International Y2K Cooperation Center, which was sponsored by the United Nations and the World Bank.
McConnell holds a Master of Public Administration from the Evans School for Public Policy at the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Sciences from Stanford University. He serves as a business advisor to various technology companies.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
https://mybook.to/CrowsCalling
Horsfall Teaser #rabtbooktours
Gay Paranormal Romance
Date Published: August 21, 2026
What started out as a regular job assignment quickly escalated into
something more for Oliver Philip when he meets twin Shire horse shapeshifters
Bayard and Marshall Stoddard.
Hired to perform a safety audit on Horsfall Ranch, Oliver never expected his life to be turned upside down, but he’s game for anything. Happily throwing himself into a relationship with both Bayard and Marshall, Oliver quickly discovers a world of intense pleasure, laughter and comfort.
Unfortunately, storm clouds are gathering on the horizon and Oliver must find the strength to fight for the two men he can’t live without.
EXCERPT
Excerpt from Tail of Two Brothers
Oliver Philip inhaled deeply, turning his head from side to side to
capture as much of the scenery as he could. He couldn't imagine living out
here. It was so crisp, so clean. And it was only about twenty minutes outside
the city limits too. Hell, it took him longer than that to drive from one end
of the city to the other.
He slowed his car, counting the kilometers as they clicked by. "Ten point five, ten point six, ten point seven, and there's the turn off. Exactly where he said it'd be."
Turning into the narrow paved lane, he left the gravel road behind. His client had given him exact directions to the ranch, directions Oliver had needed. It was a little too easy to get lost on the township roads out here. It didn't help that the damn signs were so small. He was used to driving out in the country, but still, this wasn't like trying to find some gas plant. It was kinda hard to miss those.
Horsfall Ranch might be close to the city, but it wasn't exactly easy to get to. Thick brush lined the lane he was practically crawling down, set at the base of tall trees that were obscuring his view to either side. At least the lane was in excellent condition, although he couldn't see anything in front of him but more trees.
He drove around a curve in the road, and suddenly the whole thing opened up. He had to stop the car just to take it all in.
Horsfall sat smack dab in front of him, down a slight incline. The rolling foothills were a picturesque backdrop, with the Rocky Mountains as a steady line marching across the back end in the distance. He could make out the white tops on the mountains; there were only a few wisps of cloud breaking up the blue sky. Great day to be out of the office.
"Damn, I love my job."
Pressing his foot down on the gas pedal, Oliver pulled up to the black wrought iron gate barring his path. Pressing the intercom beside his window, he waited, nervously tapping his fingers on the wheel.
"Hello?" a male voice responded.
"Hi. This is Oliver Philip. I'm here to meet with Bayard Stoddard."
"Sure thing. He's down at the main complex. I'll let him know you're here. Just keep on the road, and you can't miss him."
"Thanks."
The gate opened up slowly, and he made his way through. A small farmhouse sat to the left of the gate, with a big black dog lying on the front porch. He sleepily raised his head, watching Oliver drive past. Oliver chuckled, seriously tempted to stop the car and get out. He absolutely loved animals.
A second house sat back further from the road, a little bigger than the first. He wondered how many people actually lived here. Truth be told, he didn't know much about ranching life. He'd done a bit of research on the company before coming down here, like he always did before accepting a new job, but a website didn't give you much information about the day-to-day workings of a place. Besides, the Horsfall website talked more about their horses than anything else, and most of that information had gone right over his head.
Speaking of which, who knew there would be so many buildings? A large rectangular building stood in front of him, with several smaller ones set around. An empty paddock sat to the right, and he could make out an open barn with machinery just behind the main building. Several gas tanks stood beside the open barn. At least he knew what those were. He felt a little out of his element coming here.
A man stepped out of the large building in front of him. Spying the trucks parked to the right, Oliver pulled his little blue car between two dusty pickups. He opened the door, grabbing his briefcase from the passenger seat. The man had come around to meet him and was now standing at Oliver's back bumper.
Jesus, he'd like to have this man do more than just stand at his back bumper. He was tall, towering over Oliver by at least half a foot. Tanned and devastatingly handsome. Oliver just about swallowed his tongue looking at him. This was what Oliver fantasized about late at night when he was all alone. Fuck, the man was fulfilling almost every one of his dreams physically.
He had a black cowboy hat slanted low on his forehead, and his muscular frame was encased in dusty blue jeans and a worn blue plaid shirt. For a minute Oliver was certain the big man was going to pop the seams on that shirt. It strained across a colossal chest that just begged to be explored.
The cowboy held out one tanned hand. "Mr. Philip, I'm Bayard Stoddard. We spoke on the phone. Thanks for coming out here."
About the Author
Jade's writing is as eclectic as her reading tastes. She's also been known to accept writing challenges from friends and family just to see their reactions. She's a firm believer that love and romance are universal concepts, no matter a person's gender identity or sexual orientation.
Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Natural Healing Handbook Book Blitz #rabtbooktours
The Simple Remedies for Sleep, Gut Health, Detox, Skin, Immunity, and
Stress Using Everyday Herbs and Easy Step-by-Step Methods
Health, Alternative & Natural Medicine, Herbal Remedies
Date Published: May 14, 2026
Heal Naturally with Simple, Everyday Remedies
Are you looking for practical ways to support your health using herbs and natural ingredients you already have at home?
The Natural Healing Handbook is a beginner-friendly guide that helps you discover safe, practical, and time-tested natural remedies for everyday wellness. Designed in a beautiful full-color edition, this book makes learning about herbal remedies simple, enjoyable, and easy to follow.
Whether you want to build a natural home remedy collection, support your immune system, improve sleep, reduce stress, or simply explore holistic wellness, this handbook gives you practical solutions you can start using today.
Inside You'll Discover:
✔ 100+ natural remedies using herbs and everyday kitchen ingredients
✔ Beautiful full-color edition with illustrations and easy-to-follow layouts
✔ Step-by-step instructions suitable for beginners
✔ Herbal teas, infusions, compresses, oils, and other traditional preparations
✔ Natural approaches to support sleep, digestion, immunity, stress relief, joint comfort, and everyday wellness
✔ Easy-to-understand explanations with no previous experience required
Unlike complicated herbal reference books, this guide focuses on practical remedies that fit naturally into everyday life. Each section is written in clear language to help you confidently begin your natural wellness journey.
Whether you're just getting started with herbal remedies or looking for an easy-to-use reference for your home, The Natural Healing Handbook provides practical knowledge you can return to again and again.
Start your journey toward natural wellness today.
About the Author
Cliff Adkins is passionate about natural health, herbal remedies, and practical wellness. His mission is to make natural healing simple, accessible, and easy to apply in everyday life. Through clear, step-by-step guidance and beginner-friendly explanations, he helps readers confidently explore natural approaches to everyday wellness.
Contact Link
Purchase Link
Friday, August 14, 2026
The Terrible Old Woman's New Moon Reading 14 August 2026
That thumbnail is terrible but it was the best of the bad batch, so I'm using it.
If you're looking for unfiltered, sometimes wacky wisdom, my videos are for you!
Zombie Zoo Reveal #rabtbooktours
Adventures in Tub (Felix & Ninja, Book 1)
Upper Middle Grade
Date Published: 09-15-2026
Publisher: Oculus Print
Two orphan loners. One supernatural plague. When wood-eating zombies
threaten their island, mismatched investigators Felix and Ninja must combine
science and instinct to save Spinachi-before they're next.
ZOMBIE ZOO is Book 1 in a five-book middle grade adventure series for readers ages 8-13, blending paranormal mystery, zombies, unlikely friendship, and STEAM-powered problem-solving.
When 13-year-old aspiring naturalist Felix Fizzystyxx discovers that
orphans at Wayward Amok Orphanage are transforming into wood-eating zombies,
his quiet tree-fort observations are no longer enough. Someone has
deliberately unleashed a strange plague on Tub's island town of Spinachi-and
they're still out there.
To find a cure, Felix must team up with Ninja, a shadow-dwelling orphan who trusts her instincts and never backs down. Intense and razor-sharp, she notices what others overlook and lives up to her name as the island's most mysterious sleuth. With their eccentric mentor Doc Brunne compromised and the town's water supply contaminated by a glowing bioluminescent substance, the two mismatched investigators must combine scientific observation with sharp intuition to stop the outbreak before their island home is devoured.
Set on the fictional island of Tub, this fast-paced, humorous adventure
naturally weaves in STEAM concepts-biology, chemistry, bioluminescence, water
systems, pattern recognition, and the scientific method-within an
age-appropriate supernatural mystery. Themes include unlikely friendship,
identity, trust across differences, courage, and finding your voice when
adults won't listen.
Featuring diverse protagonists, quirky humor, spooky-but-fun scares, and strong female and male leads. ZOMBIE ZOO is ideal for reluctant readers and fans of Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth, B.B. Alston's Amari and the Night Brothers, and Goosebumps. Comprehensive educator resources-including discussion guides, vocabulary lists, STEAM extension activities, and printable maps-support classroom use, library programming, book clubs, and make this title ideal for cross-curricular lessons bridging ELA, STEAM, and SEL.
About the Author
Melanie Abed is a behavioral expert turned story weaver. She believes
dragons are real but hiding, and finds thunderstorms equally delightful and
terrifying. A tea-loving bookworm, she champions young minds and writes to
help kids discover their superpowers are real.
Contact Links
Instagram: @byMelanieAbed
Thursday, August 13, 2026
The Human Language Teaser #rabtbooktours
Develop psychological safety, improve your relationships, transform your
life. Launching The MECAnism, a practical framework
Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Business, Parenting, Mind/Body/Soul,
Inspirational
Date Published: September 2026
Publisher: Serapis Bey Publishing
TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH THE WAY YOU SPEAK
As human beings, we have a deep need for social connection, yet our primitive fight-or-flight response can be a major barrier to achieving it, leading to misunderstanding, conflict and disconnection.
Fortunately, there is a solution.
The Human Language delivers a compelling message. By replacing our habitual, learned patterns of communication we can experience greater understanding, empathy and connection in our relationships, transforming our lives.
Through easy-to-follow chapters, this book introduces The MECAnism, to calm your instinctive reactions, gain emotional clarity and develop psychological safety. It gives you the practical tools and techniques to listen, speak and act in your daily life with compassion, for yourself and others, enabling you to meet your needs with confidence.
"I will recommend using The Human Language 1000 times. It helps me
verbalise my feelings and work through moments of overwhelm. There are
applications across all areas of life.It can, and will be, a transformative
book."
Pam Bryant, Oxford, UK
"Penny uses just enough science to help the reader understand why they behave the way they do while focusing on simple techniques to get to the heart of change.
The Human Language should be required reading for anybody who has to work or live with other people, which is most of us."
Diana D'Ascoli, Philadelphia, US
Excerpt
We all have the ability to re-engineer our relationships, and trade self-defence, blame and inauthenticity for understanding, compassion and trust, leading us to a greater sense of inner peace. We just need to find the right way to communicate.
The Human Language provides just the solution. Through practical tools and techniques, its MECAnism framework empowers you to foster a healthier mindset, to listen empathically, speak authentically and ask for what you truly need, turning conflict into understanding and connection.
In doing so, we not only bring about personal improvements in productivity, relationships and self-worth but also create a world where seeking understanding becomes the default approach.
About the Author
Penny Newton-Hurley is the founder of CommPassion Ltd. She has worked with large private organisations in the UK and globally, and in the public sector across the areas of government, military, healthcare and education for more than 30 years. CommPassion provides training in interpersonal communication skills, resolving conflict between individuals and building psychological safety within teams for higher workplace and relationship performance.
In 2025, her company launched their first four online courses, taking their expertise and experience from the world of business directly to individuals in all areas of their lives. This book reveals the details behind her courses and supports the learning of improved communications skills.
Communication has been a fascination for Penny since childhood, when she spoke with her father in Morse Code! After a few exciting years spent working in International Marketing, Penny had an opportunity to be involved in the nascent field of Internal Communication where she began to understand the importance of humanto-human connection in the workplace. In 2005, she was introduced to the teachings of nonviolent communication. From that moment on, it became her purpose to spread this message as far as possible, a mission to change the way we talk and listen and communicate with each other; to change the way the world speaks.
Today, she is a trainer of compassionate communication techniques, Workplace Mediator, Certified Psychological Safety Facilitator with the Fearless Organisation; as well as a UK Samaritans Listening Volunteer. Penny holds a BA (Combined Honours) in Modern Languages (French/Spanish) with Politics, Economics and Linguistics.
Contact Links
Instagram: @pennynewtonhurley
Facebook: Penny Newton-Hurley
LinkedIn: Penny Newton-Hurley
TikTok: @pennynewtonhurley
YouTube: Penny Newton-Hurley
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