Books published by publisher Quad City Press

Frustrations and tensions fly amid adversaries turned partners in this fun and sweet romance.When the high school’s float explodes five days before the National Farmer’s Day parade, Principal Calvin Finkenbinder sees his chance at the promotion to Superintendent disintegrate. Unless he enlists the help of Ellie Bright, the most annoying, disorganized and kissable woman he knows.Standing in Principal Fink’s office, again, for driving her daughter to school late, again, Ellie is given two odious choices. Either her straight A daughter receives detention for another tardy that’s not her fault, or Ellie uses her artistic skills and helps the uptight, stringent principal build a new float.As they scramble to construct the float in time, Ellie’s chaotic life collides with Fink’s methodical plans. A tangle of arguments and decorations leads to a stolen kiss. Underneath their long established animosity is an unexpected passion that threatens to ruin more than just a school float."An author I can always count upon to engage my mind and warm my heart." - Ramla Zareen Ahmad, Author of Light-Hearted Romance.AUTHOR INTERVIEWQ: Why do you write?A: I was not on the school newspaper team, but because my mother was the advisor for it, when someone didn't turn in their assigned article, I often got selected as a volunteer to fill that spot. The school administrators liked to see articles about the aquaculture project the district had gotten a grant for, but everyone hated writing about the boring, smelly fish. One February, the assigned student went AWOL and I sat in my last period study hall trying to figure out how I could combine tilapia and Valentine's day into an article that would make my mother happy. The resulting article, which started off with a line that included, "Could there be love lurking beneath the murky depths?" won an award from the county paper, and ran on the front page of the school newspaper. I sat in the school cafeteria and watched people read my article and laugh. It was a great feeling, not winning the award or having my article lead, but because I had made people smile. That's why I write.Q: What books do you write?A: I write clean and wholesome contemporary romance with humor set in small towns and rural areas. I'm back on the straight and narrow from my wild high school days; no more fish erotica. The reading order for my series follows below.SWEET HAVEN FARMHARVEST MOON HOMECOMING (novella)BETTER TOGETHER (book 1)JUST RIGHT (book 2)Q: Why should readers pick up your books?A: You'll get all the feel-good tingles of a great love story with no graphic sex, swearing or violence. You'll laugh along with relatable heroines and hunky heroes as they weather life's storms and fall in love. I enjoy throwing in some fun science, history and local, rural trivia (Did you know that you can hold an egg in the palm of your hand and squeeze as hard as you can and it won't crack?) so you might learn something. I hope my books are uplifting and encouraging. You'll laugh, maybe cry, but you'll finish the book with a great feeling of satisfaction. To quote St. Paul, "Love never fails."Be sure to scroll up and hit that BUY NOW button to be swept away into a world of love, laughs, and of course, romance!

This 2nd Edition includes a new annotated bibliography by William Harmless, S.J. The Confessions of Saint Augustine is considered the all time number one Christian classic. Augustine undertook his greatest piece of writing with the conviction that God wanted him to make this confession. The Confessions are, in fact, an extended poetic, passionate, intimate prayer. Augustine was probably forty-three when he began this endeavor. He had been a baptized Catholic for ten years, a priest for six, and a bishop for only two. His pre-baptismal life raised questions in the community. Was his conversion genuine? The first hearers were captivated, as many millions have been over the following sixteen centuries. His experience of God speaks to us across time with little need of transpositions. This new translation masterfully captures his experience.

The day is like any other day until it becomes The Day. At 4:05 pm the United States is attacked with an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon. A 20-megaton nuclear warhead is detonated high in the atmosphere above Kansas, blanketing most of the contiguous United States and parts of Canada and Mexico with an electromagnetic pulse that damages nearly all microprocessors and electronic controls beyond repair. Nearly every system that depends on computers and electronics has ceased to work. The electrical grid goes down. The water system goes down. The sewer system goes down. The phone system goes down. The cellular system goes down. Cars stop. Tractors stop. Radio and TV stations go dark. The Internet is no more. No more ambulance services. No more emergency services. No more government services. No more 911. In the twinkle of an eye, America is sent back deep into the 19th century. Jill Barnes, a single mom, finds herself stranded on the side of Interstate 459 near Birmingham, Alabama. Jack Chance, a bank vice president, is stranded on Interstate 85 near Montgomery, Alabama. John Carter, a contractor, finds himself stranded near Leeds, Alabama. Each has a different mind-set and level of preparedness. Follow them as they make their decisions and journey home to Clarke County in rural Southwest Alabama. Author's note: This is a new performance of the revised version of book one. It has been revised to reflect a first-person point of view for each chapter's main character. Take note of which character leads in the chapter title. This is not a book on religion or religious ideology; however, two of the main characters are Christian. They pray often and acknowledge God's influence upon the events taking place. If you find praying, acknowledging God, or seeing Jesus' name used in a positive context offensive, then I suggest you do not listen to this book.

Augustine undertook his greatest piece of writing with the conviction that God wanted him to make this confession. The book in fact is an extended poetic, passionate and intimate prayer.The Confessions is considered to be the greatest Christian classic. Augustine's notorious life before his baptism raised questions about the genuineness of his conversion. It is his honest struggle with the faith which has given The Confessions such timeless appeal over the last sixteen centuries."Augustine's Confessions has been much translated: but it is no exaggeration to say that Sister Maria Boulding's version is of different level of excellence from practically anything else on the market." (Rowan Williams - Archbishop of Canterbury)

On a chilly Monday morning in 1935, a young maid opened the garage door of a Southern California seaside villa onto a grim scene. Her employer, a popular motion picture comedienne, lay dead in the front seat of her expensive automobile. Within hours, the news of Thelma Todd’s death was making headlines throughout the nation. Was it murder, suicide, or accident?Cast against the background of Hollywood and Los Angeles, the film industry and the growing metropolis, her death baffled both the public and the investigating authorities. After numerous attempts to solve the mystery over the last eighty years, a powerful mythology remains, obscuring the facts of the case as well as the character of Thelma herself.For the first time, however, the mystery of Thelma Todd’s death will unfold as it originally did in 1935. Not only does Testimony of a Death narrate the events of that December but it also explores the forces and personalities central to the tragedy.The book examines the various contexts of Todd’s death, including the motion picture business in its Golden Age and the city of Los Angeles hovering on the verge of its greatness. It looks beyond the legends and distortions to the darker reality that lies beneath the myths.

Authors note:This is a Revised Version of the original book. It has been revised to reflect a 1st person point of view for each chapter's main character. Take note of which character leads the chapter title. This will help make the flow of thoughts smooth. This is not a book on religion or religious ideology, however, two of the main characters are Christian. They pray often and acknowledge God's influence upon the events taking place. If you find praying, acknowledging God, or seeing Jesus' name used in a positive context offensive, then I suggest you do not read this book. These are strong characters, who I think many can relate to. I hope you enjoy the book.The DayThe day was like any other day—until it became “The Day.” At 4:05 p.m. the United States was attacked with an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) weapon. A 20 mega-ton nuclear warhead was detonated high in the atmosphere above Kansas, blanketing most of the contiguous United States and parts of Canada and Mexico with an electro-magnetic pulse that damaged nearly all microprocessors and electronic controls beyond repair. Nearly every system that depends on computers and electronics has ceased to work. The electrical grid goes down. The water system goes down. The sewer system goes down. The phone system goes down. The cellular system goes down. Cars stop. Tractors stop. Radio and TV stations go dark. The internet is no more. No more ambulance services. No more emergency services. No more government services. No more 911. In the twinkle of an eye America is sent back deep into the 19th century. Jill Barnes, a single mom, finds herself stranded on the side of Interstate 459 near Birmingham, Alabama. Jack Chance, a bank vice-president, is stranded on Interstate 85 near Montgomery, Alabama. John Carter, a contractor, finds himself stranded near Leeds, Alabama. Each must travel home to Clarke County in rural southwest Alabama. Follow them as they each make their decisions and journey home while the fabric of American society is torn asunder and criminals run amok. The story is exciting and enlightening, compelling and fast moving, infuriating and redemptive, heart-rending and heart-warming. Keep some tissue close to hand, just in case . . . .

RED IS FOR RAGE is the second book in the award-winning THE COLOR OF EVIL series by Connie (Corcoran) Wilson. THE COLOR OF EVIL won the E-Lit Gold Medal for Horror (Jenkins Group), and the Silver Feather (IWPA). In Book Two, we learn more about the exact nature of Tad’s paranormal power, Tetrachromatic Super Vision. Can this keen sight help Tad find Stevie Scranton? Will Tad suffer another breakdown from reliving the crimes of serial killer Michael Clay (aka, Pogo, the Killer Clown), as he did when only eight years old? Can Tad learn to harness his special sight to help his loved ones? When Stevie Scranton goes missing, best friend Tad vows to do everything he can to find him. Even if Stevie is dead, Sally and Earl Scranton, (his parents), and Shannon, (Stevie’s older sister), crave closure. Tad enlists the help of retired policeman Charlie Chandler and a team of volunteers, including Charlie’s old partner, Evelyn Hoeflinger. This rag-tag team of detectives continues searching for Stevie Scranton, the runty misfit of Cedar Falls’ Sky High. In their search, they discover a monster every bit as dangerous as Pogo and must confront him in order to save Stevie. Tad sees auras around others that tell him whether they are good or evil. The truly evil are surrounded by a khaki aura (THE COLOR OF EVIL). At night, Tad suffers vivid nightmares that depict the crimes of the evil-doers. Michael Clay (the serial killer Pogo) escapes custody. On the loose again, Pogo’s actions restart the vicious cycle of violent nightmares. Pogo poses a threat to the entire town of Cedar Falls, but he is especially a threat to Tad McGreevy. Pogo has one main goal: kill Tad McGreevy so that Tad cannot disclose Clay’s location. Pogo doesn’t realize that, up until now, Tad has been unable to harness the paranormal ability he possesses. Now, Tad McGreevy must try to learn to use his unique gift. Stevie Scranton’s fate hangs in the balance. Tad’s power, if precognitive, could save everyone he loves. Jenny SanGiovanni returns from her father’s home in Boulder, Colorado, to finish her senior year with her old classmates. She brings home a new set of problems. Jeremy Gustaffsson, the fifth-year senior boyfriend in Jenny’s junior year, graduated. But Jeremy is still in town, still obsessed with Jenny, still dangerous. When Jenny broke up with Jeremy, it made Jeremy mad. Bad things happen to good people when Jeremy Gustaffsson gets angry and descends into a red rage. All Jenny’s cheerleader friends from her junior year are back. Many, like Janice Kramer, Heather Crompton and Melody Harris, have problems of their own. Jenny deals with adolescent issues such as self-esteem and self-worth, problems that tax her soul. But Jenny is not alone. Another Sky High student is driven to the brink. Will that individual plunge into the abyss of despair? And what of the adults? What has the stress of Stevie’s nine-month ordeal done to Earl and Sally Scranton’s marriage? What problems confront the other adults in Cedar Falls as three evil-doers rise up to create chaos and do them harm? RED IS FOR RAGE and rage runs rampant in this small Iowa town in the year of our Lord 2004.

Named both an E-Lit Gold Medal winner (Horror), a Silver Feather (IWPA) winner, and a Lucky Cinda winner while leading all books in recommendations for the Bram Stoker in the YA category (2012), THE COLOR OF EVIL: A Paranormal Thriller, is the first book in the young adult series by the same name (THE COLOR OF EVIL).Tad McGreevy has a power that he has never revealed, not even to his life-long best friend, Stevie Scranton. When Tad looks at others, he sees colors. These auras tell Tad whether a person is good or evil. At night, Tad dreams about the evil-doers, reliving their crimes in horrifyingly vivid detail. But Tad doesn't know if the evil acts he witnesses in his nightmares are happening now, are already over, or are going to occur in the future. He has no control over the horrifying visions. He has been told (by his parents) never to speak of his paranormal power. All Tad knows is that he wants to protect those he loves. And he wants the bad dreams to stop. At Tad's eighth birthday party (April 1, 1995) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the clown his parents hire to entertain Tad's third-grade classmates is one of the bad people. Pogo, the Killer Clown (aka Michael Clay) is a serial killer. So begins 53 nights of terror as Tad relives Pogo's crime, awakens screaming, and recites the terrifying details to his disbelieving family. The situation becomes so dire that Tad is hospitalized in a private institution under the care of a psychiatrist---who also does not believe the small boy's stories of having paranormal power. And then the police arrest Pogo, the Killer Clown. Flash forward to the beginning of Tad's junior year in high school, 8 years later. Tad is 16 and recovered from the spring of his third-grade year. When Michael Clay was caught and imprisoned, the crime spree ended and so did Tad's bad dreams. Until now, in the year of our Lord 2003, when evil once again stalks the land.

This year the Christmas Cats are urging other to be kind and considerate and civil. They are coming out against bullying others for any reason and helping a little bear with funny hair to be accepted by his peers. The Christmas Cats Care for the Bear is the story of a small bear named Fred who is treated badly by the other bears because he has funny hair and is pudgy. The Christmas Cats, true to their tradition of helping animals in distress, find a way to bring Fred out of his funk and back into society.We should all be kinder to one another. Saying kind things and not mean things is a much better way to live than making fun of others because they are different. Now, more than ever, this is a great lesson to teach children between the ages of 3 and 10. Be sure to check out "The Christmas Cats Care for the Bear," available soon in paperback, hardcover and e-book formats. (www.TheXmasCats.com).

The Christmas Cats Encounter Bats is a Seuss-ical tale for young children which builds upon the morals of the first two Christmas Cats books (The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats and The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats). Book One (The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats) stressed that twin sisters---or anyone--- should learn to play together nicely. When one twin bit the other on the nose, it was a sign that a story about playing together nicely would be useful. Learning to cooperate is important for everyone. Book Two, The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats, urges acceptance and advises against prejudice. “It’s best to be open and trusting and kind, and always to keep an open mind.” Learn to accept others in a non-judgmental, open-minded fashion. Book Three, The Christmas Cats Encounter Bats urges everyone to honor life in all its forms. Love and accept all God’s creatures. Some animals---(puppies and kitties come to mind)--- are popular with nearly everyone. Others (spiders, lizards, bats, etc.) may not seem as worthy, but all are small cogs in the universe. Bats serve a very useful purposes in God’s grand scheme. All life should be valued. The bats of story three are just as deserving of respect and have as much of a right to life as any other creature on the planet. Check Connie Corcoran Wilson on Amazon for her projects for adult readers, and her dedicated website, www.ConnieCWilson.com. Follow Connie on Twitter at Connie Wilson Author. “Like” her Facebook and Pinterest pages at Connie Corcoran Wilson. Sign up for her blog

The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats is a Dr. Seuss-like book, with rhyming wisdom, sly humor and colorful characters that will help parents teach their young children that success in life is about learning to get along and work cooperatively. The cats of the story must learn to share and put aside their petty catty spats, in order to be happy and successful. Written for the author’s two-year-old granddaughters, Ava and Elise Wilson, with the assistance of two talented young illustrators (one, the girls’ nanny from Venezuela, Emily Marquez), The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats employs a whimsical, non-preachy style, using the rivalry and friendship between two cats to teach a valuable life lesson. The lesson? It is better to learn to cooperate and to share in order to get along in life than it is to be mean and to fight. Andrew Weinert began the illustrations for the book when still a high school student in 2004. Due to a series of circumstances beyond the authors’ control, the book languished for eight years until after Elise and Ava Wilson were born in January of 2009. The girls’ Venezuelan au pair, Emily Marquez, offered to help bridge the areas of the story that had changed with the passage of time. Now, the book was not just about two cats, but---indirectly---about two children, twin girls, who should learn to be nice to one another. Children of all ages should learn to share and to work and play together nicely. Valuable lessons for any age presented with humor and style in The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats. A labor-of-love Christmas gift for two special little girls and a tribute to the young lady who has taught them so much over the past two years about kindness and being nice to one another.