Books published by Sapphire Books Publishing

Bryce Andrews, west coast sales director for Global Distillers and Distribution, is tired of the corporate hamster wheel. She needs a change.A craft whisky trade show offers her inspiration and a chance to revisit Scotland and the majestic scenery of the Speyside region-best known for the "Whisky Trail." Bryce and her coworker, Reggie Ballard, need to find a wholly original whisky for their international distribution division by visiting a number of small distillers.A blind curve, a dangling sign, and weed-choked driveway draw Bryce directly into a truly unique opportunity. She discovers a struggling family, a shuttered distillery, and a spitfire of a daughter called home to care for her confused father.Fiona McDougall-the only child and heir to the MacDougall & Son legacy, had her career teaching in Edinburgh curtailed by fate…or serendipity.When the stars finally align, the two women work together to resurrect a dream for themselves and the family business-if they can weather the storms of unscrupulous business practices in the competitive whisky market.

Join Sapphire Books as we bring you the fresh new voices in this queer anthology. Readers will escape into new uncharted territory as queer lovers collide with cosplay, fans, fan fiction, superstars and the supernatural. These stories are guaranteed to make you sweat, leave you on the edge of anticipation and wondering how you can be part of the fun at your favorite fandom con. So, pack your bags for adventure, get that passport stamped at the con and join fellow conference goers as we embark on this E-ticket ride.

Lammy-nominated novelist, editor, and college professor Shelley Thrasher, who grew up in a small, conservative town in East Texas, was a late bloomer. Her first published poetry collection, In and Out of Love, chronicles personal ups and downs during the 1980s and '90s, when she came out. Most of these 150 brief, haiku-like poems feature images that speak for themselves, influenced by poets such as Allen Ginsberg and Anne Waldman, with whom she studied writing.The first poems portray the crushes and lovers the author was involved with during this period of her life. In part two, they express the longing for something she didn't understand. Section three chronicles the painful rough spots she encountered during her journey of accepting herself as a lesbian. And the final section celebrates being in love with the woman she has now been joined with for twenty-five adventurous years.Lee Lynch talks about Shelley's poetry:Shelley Thrasher has a way of imbuing even the unlikeliest of words with sensuality. She writes in the style of the great lesbian Imagist poets H.D. and Amy Lowell. Her images are crystalline: "...the sea gnaws at the beach...." Thrasher celebrates life, even its deepest pain. She extols the glories of nature, classical times, art, travel, coming out, and love. In and Out of Love reads like a portrait of a woman who has seen the good and bad sides of life and now finds herself deeply contented while, as she titled one poem, "Peeling Summer Peaches."

High school is rarely easy, especially for a tall, somewhat gangly Native American girl. Add a sprinkle of shyness, a dash of athletic prowess, an above-average IQ, and some bizarre history that places in the guardianship of her aunt. Then normal high school life is only an illusion.Kai Tiva faces an uphill struggle until she runs into Riley Beth James, the extroverted class cutie, at the principal's office. Riley shows up for a newspaper interview, while Kai is summoned for punching out a classmate.Riley is the attractive girl-next-door-type whom everyone likes. Though a fairly good student, an emerging choral star, and wildly popular, she knows she'll never live up to her older sister. She makes up for it with bravery, kindness, and a brash can-do attitude.Their odd matchup is strengthened by curiosity, compassion, humor, and all the drama of typical teenage life. But their experiences go beyond the normal teen angst; theirs is compounded by a curious attraction to each other, and an emerging, insidious danger related to mysterious death of Kai's father.Their emerging friendship is tested as they navigate this risky challenge. But the powerful bond forged between them has existed through past lives. The outcome this time will affect the next generation of Kai's people.

Luce Potter lives by a code of honor. Push her and she shoves back, harder. There's only one problem: Luce has just found out that revenge is a knife that cuts both ways. Now that her lover Brooke has survived the attack on her life, Luce has only one thing on her mind, and his name is Frank. Unfortunately, someone walks into her life that she didn't see coming.Brooke Erickson has survived an attack so brutal it's left a permanent scar on her soul. All she wants to do now is go home and finish recuperating with her lover, Luce Potter, by her side. An unexpected event puts Brooke at the head of the Yakuza family. Can she command the respect necessary to lead it through the crisis?Luce and Brooke's worlds are upending. Can each do what's necessary to survive and return to a new normal?

What would you do if you were faced with finding and saving the one person who held your heart, but you only had two weeks to do it?When the unexpected happens and Lanis's world is turned upside down, her and Elson have no choice but to align themselves with two people from a strange land. With new enemies at play, and a Goddess that seems to have forsaken them, Lanis relies on the only people she can; her friends. To fight the demons that plague her daily, she has to separate her love for Anya, from the task she must perform. On top of the unknowns, she is gifted a small black book that changes the way she sees everything and everyone around her. As her world starts to crumble, Lanis must face her fears and the nightmares that invade her dreams. With the hours ticking away, she must come to terms with the fact that she might already be too late.

After a horrible explosion sends local television news reporter, Burton Blinde reeling both physically and emotionally, she walks away from her life and the dream job she was about to start at a major news network.For six long years she hides out in a small mountain town, working at the local library, though is haunted by the life she had, including mysterious messages and gifts she was receiving before her life was turned upside down, a veritable bread crumb trail leading to the unknown.Unable to resist, Burton begins to follow the clues, which will lead her into the darkest places of human nature that she may not be able to return from.

"Becoming Me - A Metamorphosis" is a journey though the darkness and light of the human condition. It opens up discussions on deep and serious subject matters. It also speaks of the joy and love that we all seek. "Becoming Me, A Metamorphosis" is an in-depth, raw, gritty and complex look into the human psyche. It is a beautiful journey of healing. This collection of poems sways your heart into the world of reality while keeping your emotions on edge. The purpose of this book is to deliver a profound and meaningful message to you, the reader.**Possible triggers

If lucky enough, we fall in love once in a lifetime.Children's books and romance novels promise us an encounter with a beautiful, mythical love - a passionate lover that sweeps us off kilter and changes everyday life into happily-ever-after. In reality, most fall in love a couple of times throughout a lifetime. Yet, those relationships fail to ful¿ll the "forever" expectancy - they end. Still, we hope that love, true and eternal will embrace us. We hope that stardust will cover the banal when life becomes monotonous or loneliness grasps us too ¿rmly when days fades to night.Reading about love triumphant sparks desire for more than uninspired routine existence.In The One, an assortment of writers chronicle the discovery of the one woman to share the rest of life's journey.Everyone deserves happily ever after!

Kristine Holt is haunted by the darkness of her past. She has spent years dealing with frequent nightmares and night terrors stemming from years of mental and physical abuse inflicted by her parents while she was growing up. With the help of her best friend Grace Barnes, she is able to escape her parents' clutches, but not the darkness within. Will Kristine find the light or will she be consumed by the darkness of her past?