Book Release: Claire’s Voice

November 17, 2021

We are excited to announce the release of Michelle Fishpaw’s book, Claire’s Voice!

Imagine a mother’s horror when she finds her 11-month-old daughter suffering on the floor after being shaken by a babysitter. Against the odds, Claire Fishpaw survived and continually amazed her doctors. This book is the story of a mother and father’s inspirational quest to provide their daughter with a beautiful life filled with hope. Claire’s unforgettable journey is one miracle after another.

“This beautifully written book showcases Michelle and Jon’s unique ability to take a heartbreaking story and turn it into something positive. I commend their efforts in raising awareness for child abuse prevention, particularly Shaken Baby Syndrome.”

Marilyn Barr, Founder, National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome

Order your copy of Claire’s Voice from a major retailer or request it from your favorite local bookstore today!


America should be reading your book. We help authors just like you publish books that win in a competitive marketplace. Click here to book a free one-on-one consultation with a publishing expert. We’ll answer your questions and advise you on the best way to publish your book. 

Book Release: Encounter: Experience God’s Outrageous Love

October 29, 2021

We are excited to announce the release of Leanne O’Donnell’s new book, Encounter: Experience God’s Outrageous Love!

Do you ever feel that your relationship with God is flat or lacking? Do you long to experience more of God Himself rather than simply learning about Him?

Encounter: Experience God’s Outrageous Love is a compilation of forty spiritual exercises designed to lead you into God’s loving presence so you can know God’s heart for you, experience His healing power, and discover your identity in Christ. Encounter uses God’s promises from the Bible to invite you into a personal experience with God in order to build a foundation of faith deeply rooted in God’s love. It’s affirming when someone tells you God loves you, but hearing it directly from Him is transformative.

The purpose of each exercise is to position you to hear directly from God through His Word. Each exercise will lead you through a verse, a short reading, and a few questions. Some questions will lead you inward to pay attention to your thoughts, emotions, and motives. Other questions will lead you to tune the eyes of your heart to God so He can show you what is true. Whether you’re seeking a reconnection, or you’ve never heard from God before, Encounter makes experiences with God real, possible, and accessible.

Order your copy of Encounter: Experience God’s Outrageous Love from a major retailer or request it from your favorite local bookstore today!


America should be reading your book. We help authors just like you publish books that win in a competitive marketplace. Click here to book a free one-on-one consultation with a publishing expert. We’ll answer your questions and advise you on the best way to publish your book. 

Grief: Surviving the Storm After Someone You Love Has Died

December 9, 2020

Like a lighthouse illuminating a path through dark and stormy waters, this book was written to spark hope in the midst of despair.

When Mike Thomson’s wife died, he didn’t know how he’d ever go on without her. No matter where he was—at work, getting through the holidays, or trying to be present with friends and family—his mind was lost in desperation and loneliness.

Grief is one man’s struggle to accept the death of his wife. Through familiar experiences, the author lends insight with the intention of helping those who are grieving a loss. Let this book be a lighthouse in your life, guiding you through the storms of fear, pain, regret, self-blame, and loneliness. From a small flicker in the darkness grows a bright beacon of hope.

Anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one will find the author’s story to be inspiring. This book will fill their hearts with hope and help them find a normal, happy life again.

Grab your copy of Grief: Surviving the Storm After Someone You Love Has Died by Michael S. Thompson at a major retailer or find it at your favorite bookstore.

Interested in becoming a published author? We’ve developed a five-step plan that will guide you through the process. For a limited time, download a free copy of The Self-Publishing Handbook here.

Eye with a View, Now Available

October 11, 2019

Eye with a View by Amla Mehta chronicles the light and dark aspects of vision loss based on universal themes like facing inequality and vast change. Amla’s journey of blindness organically became the catalyst that enabled her to love herself unconditionally—both her innate irregularities and her internal and external shimmery qualities.

Nature is a perfect example of how we, as a human race, are meant to expand and grow. Even the most weathered, gnarled tree encompasses a unique pattern of magnificence. If every living being can accept nature in totality, resonating with imperfections and strengths, why can’t we, as a collective community, value and accept one another’s similarities and differences simultaneously?

Through the lens of being legally blind, Amla will empower you to radiate your authenticity despite any adversity. After all, every star in the galaxy sparkles differently. Yet that’s precisely what makes the universe ever so spectacular.

Shine Love, Shine Light, Shine You!

Find it from major retailers here, or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.

Amla Mehta will be on Different Strokes for Different Folks hosted by David Clarke on Friday, October 11, 2019 at @ 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard time/4:30 p.m. Pacific on Different Strokes for Different Folks hosted by David Clarke.

Find out more here.

Author Spotlight – H. L. Ott

September 3, 2019

Read about author H. L. Ott and find out the inspiration behind the story of Sneezy the Squirrel!

What inspired you to write Sneezy the Squirrel?

When I was eight years old, I discovered my purpose in life.  I was asked by my teacher to write a poem, something that had meaning to me, then share it with the class.  The poem was short, called “Pencils”. Odd, but it had a lot of meaning for me.

When I was four, I was diagnosed with a rare eye condition called Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.  It left me legally blind in both eyes, and it is not correctable by glasses or surgery.  Due to my low vision, I had to use pens and several vision devices.  Children at a young age don’t understand this, and I had few friends.  I used this poem to help the children in my class understand why I couldn’t use pencils.  To my amazement, it worked! They understood me better than ever before, and I was hooked on writing from then on.

As I grew older, I used poetry to express both good times and bad.  The good times included classes I loved and my family pet Lilly, a beagle mix.  The bad times were when students picked on me due to my vision, once I was old enough to understand what they were doing, as well as deaths in the family like grandparents.

When Sneezy the Squirrel is released, the first thing you may notice is that the print will be larger.  This was my choice.  As a younger child it was hard to find books that I didn’t need a magnifier for.  Now that I am writing my own, especially when it comes to children’s books, the print size will be automatically larger.  This is because I believe every child should be able to read and learn from the same book.  I also believe that a child’s parents shouldn’t have to pay more for a book their child can see.

What do you want children to take away from Sneezy the Squirrel?

I want children who do not have disabilities to understand that everyone has something that makes them different.  Sneezy got his name because of his allergies, something anyone can have, just like a disability.  We are all different, so instead of making fun of one another, we should help and love one another.  That is the beautiful thing about life. We may not all have limitations, but we are still unique, and because of this we can learn from everyone we meet.

How did you come up with the idea of Sneezy the Squirrel?

On a lighter note, I came up with Sneezy the Squirrel in a very funny way.  I just had allergy testing done at the age of 21.  I was allergic to grass, ragweed, dust, cats, dogs, and eight different kinds of trees.  The worst part after finding out all of this was being on a college campus that had basically everything on that list!

One day when walking to class, a day or two after my allergy test, a little squirrel ran onto the path and looked at me.  I said “hello” to him as I often did, but he didn’t scurry away. He just looked at me!  He was adorable, but I had to get to class, so I told him “goodbye” and went to class.  During a review session, I put my confirmed allergy to a squirrel perspective, naturally, and wrote the idea for Sneezy the Squirrel in the back of my notebook. When I got home, the whole book took about 45 minutes to write with coffee in hand!

Why did you choose Columbus Publishing Lab for your project?

I held onto the rough draft of Sneezy the Squirrel for three years as I completed my two associate degrees and then turned them into two bachelor’s degrees.  Near the time I completed school, I started to investigate publishing options.  Since writing Sneezy the Squirrel, I had written eighteen manuscripts as a series for adults.  I also had several ideas typed out in folders just waiting for me to have time to work on them.

I had made a deal with my father that I would complete college before pursuing publication, and just as I was nearing that goal, an author named Peg Hanna brought her book to the nursing home where I frequently volunteered.  I asked her who she published with and after meeting Emily Hitchcock, the choice was obvious.  I also chose Columbus Publishing Lab for security, knowing I wouldn’t have to be anxious about someone stealing my work.  For every potential publisher, there seemed to be five others that I researched who didn’t seem legit.  In addition, most of them wanted too much money, another reason I couldn’t believe them, or their intentions.

What have you enjoyed most about publishing Sneezy the Squirrel?

What I have enjoyed most about publishing Sneezy the Squirrel is finally seeing the characters come to life. My illustrator Ryan is doing a great job, and it’s amazing how he has brought a character I created to an image I and others can see! This also leads into my advice to those trying to publish their first book. Do your research! Be sure that who you are going to trust with your work, is worthy of that trust. Further, if you can find someone like Columbus Publishing Lab, who lets you keep your rights to the book you created, it will really reduce the stress of the process!  Lastly, enjoy the process. It goes so fast!

What is your next step?

The next step in my process is to get Sneezy the Squirrel out there so people with and without children with special needs knows it is available.  What I earn from this book will go towards my next, and the next, and the next!  I want to be an author; it is the first love and only constant I have ever wanted in life.  My favorite part is when I start a new story, or I expand on a series with another book; it is so exciting!  I don’t know where I am going, but I trust my imagination will lead me in the right direction.  It has yet to let me down, and I can’t wait for my readers to rise and fall, laugh and cry, along with every new adventure I take them on, at any age.  I personally thank you for reading about me, and I hope you are as excited as I am to read about Sneezy and all my other characters to come.

You can follow Heather and her work on Facebook or Instagram.

Publishing Announcements — Acclimating to Africa

May 30, 2019

Congratulations to Sharon Bell on the release of her second title, Acclimating to Africa! Sharon continues the adventures of Grace, Peter, and Nathaniel as they learn about the value and strength of family no matter what the setting.

You first met Grace, Peter, and Nathaniel in ADVENTURES IN AFRICA. They are a little ‘”older and wiser” now, having each had a birthday and a few months of African life tucked under their belts. In ACCLIMATING TO AFRICA (MAKING KENYA HOME), they would like to share some valuable lessons they have learned. Like home is where you make it and happiness is a choice. Different is not always the other guy and enough is far less than you might think. And of course, family is FOREVER. You’ll find plenty of whimsy, too, in tales about doting grandparents, Carl the Chameleon, and our long-necked friends, George and Mable Giraffe.

This story will keep your child engaged with fascinating pictures, exotic experiences, and relatable lessons.

Look for Acclimating to Africa from these retailers, or ask for it from your favorite bookshop!

Publishing Announcements — Ned the Nuclear Submarine

December 18, 2018

Author Demetri Capetanopoulos author of The Design and Construction of the Nautilus has turned his precise imagination to the children’s story Ned the Nuclear SubmarineNed the Nuclear Submarine is a story about overcoming fears, both real and imagined, to enable discovery and growth. Seldom featured in a children’s book, the fascinating world of a submarine is introduced in a way that is both realistic and yet accessible, drawing upon Demetri’s personal experiences as a U.S. Navy Submarine Officer. Journey with Ned on an epic voyage around the world that unfurls in rhyme, with true-to-life images and events taken from history.

“I love the lesson of overcoming fear, and the transformation from timid to confident. This is a book you will want to read with your little one, and a book your little one will want you to read to them over and over!” — Amazon reviewer

With clever illustrations that will keep your child engaged, this intelligently crafted story will spark your child’s imagination.

Find Ned the Nuclear Submarine at these retailers or ask for the book at your favorite bookstore.