Spotlight: The Burn List by Julie Cruse

The Burn List follows Julie Cruse from an abusive childhood into two decades of escalating academic exploitation, where her vulnerability made her a target.

Across seven universities, male faculty groomed, harassed, and ultimately retaliated against her, beginning in undergrad and ending with her forced exit from a PhD program-and her career.

Based on documented communications, The Burn List reveals how unchecked power in academia can enable abuse and create conditions that resemble human trafficking.

The Burn List is not just one story. It's a lightning rod, and it arrives at a pivotal cultural moment, as Title VII and Title IX failures dominate headlines. In a time when survivors demand accountability, The Burn List sets fire to silence-and hands readers the match.

Visit AcademicAbuse.com, where Cruse extends this survivor-led movement and tracks misconduct in higher education.

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About the Author

Hailed as “pioneer of computational choreography” by Dance Magazine, Julie Cruse is a writer, inventor, instructional designer, content strategist, and former academic with an MFA and MA. Spanning two decades, her educational innovations have served four Ivy League, four public, and two community colleges.

Spotlight: Mob Justice by Chad Boudreaux

Pub Date: March 17, 2026
Genre: Fiction/Thriller
Publisher: Capitol House Publishing

IN CHICAGO, JUSTICE HAS A PRICE—AND THE MOB ALWAYS COLLECTS

After surviving a terrorist nightmare, Justice Department lawyer Blake Hudson takes on a new enemy: the Chicago mafia. Assigned to the Organized Crime Strike Force, he dives into a world that’s nothing like the movies. The Chicago Outfit may still live in Al Capone’s shadow, but its power has evolved—slicker, smarter, and more dangerous than ever.

At its center is Enzo Renzi—a polished consigliere with an Ivy League mind and a conscience buried beneath layers of loyalty. To Blake, he’s the key to bringing the Outfit down. To others, he’s a marked man. Ruthless killers close in, and neither Enzo nor Blake knows who’s behind the crosshairs.

When a secret meeting between rival gangs threatens to ignite a citywide war, Blake races to stop it—only to uncover something far darker than mob violence: a hidden network whose reach extends deep into America’s institutions.

In this explosive sequel to Scavenger Hunt, loyalties blur, alliances shift, and the real power may not belong to the men who hold the guns—but to those pulling the strings.

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About the Author

Chad Boudreaux, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, is a Washington insider hired by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) the night before the September 11, 2001, attacks—launching him immediately into counterterrorism work that earned him high accolades at an early age. His success at the DOJ carried him to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where his role as deputy chief of staff allowed him to work directly with the head of DHS, advising on significant policy, operational, and legal issues facing the department. He is currently the chief legal officer of a publicly traded, Fortune 300 company and America’s largest military shipbuilder.

Boudreaux leverages his unique, high-level experience in global security matters and his extensive legal expertise to craft breathtaking, insider stories of mystery and intrigue that are ripped from today’s headlines and sure to shock his readers. This is his third novel following, Scavenger Hunt and Homecoming Queen. He lives in Virginia.

Spotlight: Drummer Girl by Sally Dukes

Sally Dukes’ literary memoir, “drummer girl” (Koehler, March 17, 2026) takes readers on a difficult yet compelling pursuit: the unfolding of life into death and back again. As a young girl, Sally received surgery to treat a congenital heart disorder (CHD). The surgery changed her forever: it gave her life, but only after bringing her to death’s door. Sally’s memoir encompasses her long search for meaning following her near-death experience.

Sally carries her brush with death with her always, yet “Drummer Girl” is no tragedy. Sally’s ruminations awaken the soul and spirit, reminding us that death is nothing to fear, because death and life are one. Readers at any stage of life will find comfort in knowing what lies beyond the veil.

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About the Author

Sally Dukes is published in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy (volumes II, III, IX) and has spoken nationally as an educator and psychotherapist. True healing does not come in a pill or a prescription. It comes when our stories are heard, and our humanity recognized and honored. Sally Dukes believes in the power of narrative as medicine. Her memoir, “drummer girl,” is her narrative, her truth. Learn more about Sally and her work at:www.sallydukes.com

Spotlight: Seeing Joy A Story of Life, Death, and What Comes Next by Alexandra Grabbe

A deeply personal memoir revealing how caregiving, memory, and mystery intertwine in a daughter’s final days with her fierce, unforgettable mother.

Beatrice, one of America’s first career women, is still feisty at ninety-six. She lives with her daughter Alexandra, who has moved to Cape Cod to care for Bea while running a bed-and-breakfast out of their beloved old house. Like so many adult children caring for elderly parents, Alexandra must balance her new job as a caregiver with her role as daughter — and it isn’t easy.

Bea is demanding and very verbal. Her mind is like a fireworks display on a drizzly Fourth of July — some shots fizzle out, but there are still bits of brilliance. After a knee ailment confines Bea to bed, it becomes clear her life will soon end. Convinced nothing comes next, Bea declares she doesn’t want to die. When deceased friends and family start “visiting” Bea’s bedroom, Alexandra wonders if her mom is hallucinating. Or could these visits have deeper meaning? Bea entertains her “guests” by hosting tea parties and reliving treasured memories. She reveals an unexpected kind of joy to Alexandra — a joy that brings peace and chases away the fear of death as they experience their final days together.

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About the Author

Alexandra Grabbe began her career in Paris, greeting listeners each evening with her signature line, “Good Evening, Paris!”. As one of the most popular FM hosts in the city, she connected French audiences to the latest American music while honing her lifelong love of writing. Even as a child, Alexandra wrote and staged skits with her brother – an early sign of the creative spirit that would define her life. That same storytelling passion shines through in her memoir Seeing Joy (March 17, 2026).

After marrying a Frenchman, Alexandra’s career path shifted from broadcasting to writing. When she was passed over for a management position at the radio station because she was “a woman, and American”, she turned to the written word as an outlet, becoming editor of the newsletter for the American Section of the International Lycée while raising three bilingual children.

Over the next 25 years, Alexandra built a thriving freelance career. A regular contributor to France Today, she also published work in US Airways Attaché and American Profile, to name a few. Once her children were grown – two attending Ivy League universities, and one working as a chief sound engineer for Babyface – Alexandra returned to the United States to begin a new chapter.

In 2004, she founded and managed Chez Sven, an eco-friendly bed-and-breakfast in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, which received praise from guests and was featured in The Guardian and The Boston Globe. For twelve years, she also wrote Wellfleet Today, a blog about sustainable living on Cape Cod.

A graduate of Vassar College, Alexandra continues to blend creativity, insight and a deep appreciation for both French and American culture in her work.

Connect:
Official Website: AlexandraGrabbe.com
Facebook: /alexandra.grabbe

Spotlight: Five Unless by Angie Day

(Legends & Shadows Saga, #4)

Publication date: March 24th 2026

Genres: Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy

In this gripping finale, a clean romantasy where the last safe place falls under siege and love has to survive it all.

Welcome to the final round.

Mara and Kylan can’t be happy. Alec won’t let them. Hunting for energy is getting harder for every Legend. The Shadow mansion feels the hunger. Then Alec returns, not with threats but with force. He seizes the mansion, rips their home away, and everything Mara built with Kylan and their found family fractures instantly. He leaves her one challenge: find the safest place you can.

Driven into hiding, they reach for the one place that might be out of Alec’s reach. Secrets surface. Loyalties bend. Alec will not relent. Mara must decide who to fight and who to save when not everyone can survive.

Expect a fade to black fantasy romance in crisis, finale-level stakes, and a relentless villain in full command. This urban fantasy pushes found-family bonds to the breaking point and intensifies a slow-burn love that refuses to die. Dark, vivid, and built to leave you crying, breathless, and satisfied.

Excerpt

“Ready?” I muttered.  

“Nope.” 

It stung, but we needed their energy. I was hungry. We both were, and unfortunately, these  two should’ve listened to their parents. Kylan and I exchanged glances as we quieted our steps. The  teenagers turned down the street, now blocked from the other houses by the large trees. I didn’t  waste another second before I dropped Kylan’s hand and sprinted toward them.  

Kylan followed my lead almost exactly as I clamped a hand down on one of their arms,  carefully staying out of their sight as I pulled one of the teens away. Kylan pulled at the other one.  Both of them tripped and were losing energy fast. Before they could straighten and get a good look  at either one of us, they stumbled. The teenager I held fluttered his eyes, reaching for the ground like  he knew he was falling.  

His energy poured into my body like warm liquid. The aches that had been a constant  reminder of how hungry I was, were finally dissipating. I almost forgot about the boy as his knees  buckled. I lowered him gently to the ground, holding on as long as I could. I didn’t know when I’d  get another chance like this. Neither of us did.  

We left them unconscious under a shade tree. Hopefully, they would wake up with a  headache and no recollection of the people who had attacked them. I mentally marked this town off  in my mind. They would talk. People might believe them. And I wasn’t about to waste the precious energy I now had to change their memories. We couldn’t afford luxuries like that anymore.  Not since Alec had launched his crusade of overwhelming the world with Legends. If no  one stopped him, walking around freely might become a luxury too. 

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About the Author

Angie Day found her love of writing while in college where she studied psychology and eventually went on to a master’s degree. She noticed the need for romantic and fantastic adult stories that were still wholesome and clean. So, she took matters into her own hands. LEGEND UNDONE is her debut novel. When she’s not devouring the next book, she is spending time outdoors with her husband.

To follow along with her journey, find her on Twitter or check out her website.

Connect:

https://angiedayauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/angiedayauthor/

https://x.com/angiedayauthor

Spotlight: Mayhem and the Mortal by Shanora Williams

One mission. One curse. No escape.

Zaira doesn’t want a hero. She needs a weapon.

To save her sister from a soul-devouring curse, she has to cross The Shallows—a nightmare landscape of ruined magic, shifting paths, and vicious creatures that eat people alive.

Her guide? Thane Valkor: sorcerer, assassin, walking red flag. His name clears rooms. His magic kills quietly. And whatever he’s really after, it’s not salvation.

He promises to help. He might even mean it.

But Zaira knows better than to trust a liar with a blade and ice in his veins.

She just doesn’t have a choice.

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About the Author

Shanora Williams is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty romance and diverse suspense novels. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and three boys and is a sister to eleven. When she isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her family, binge reading, or running marathons on TV streaming services.