Everyone has a story to tell, and some people need help telling it. Far too many stories go unpublished and unshared. We're working to help change that.
Our mission is to help authors bring their stories to light with professional editing, design, and good exposure to the marketplace. Through Belle Isle Books, we offer personal guidance and accessibility, encourage authors to actively participate in the publishing process, and produce high-quality books that exhibit editorial quality of the highest caliber.
We treat the publishing process as a partnership because when the book comes off the press, we want our authors to be confident and successful.
Our mission is to help authors bring their stories to light with professional editing, design, and good exposure to the marketplace. Through Belle Isle Books, we offer personal guidance and accessibility, encourage authors to actively participate in the publishing process, and produce high-quality books that exhibit editorial quality of the highest caliber.
We treat the publishing process as a partnership because when the book comes off the press, we want our authors to be confident and successful.
New and Upcoming Releases
The Land of Opposite Attractions
by Catherine Carson
From debut poet Catherine Carson comes an examination of everyday life, as seen through the lens of a mentally ill young woman navigating her twenties. Full of persistent optimism and honesty, this collection celebrates the tragedy and beauty to be found, not only in the world around us, but in the worlds we carry within ourselves.
From debut poet Catherine Carson comes an examination of everyday life, as seen through the lens of a mentally ill young woman navigating her twenties. Full of persistent optimism and honesty, this collection celebrates the tragedy and beauty to be found, not only in the world around us, but in the worlds we carry within ourselves.
The Lonely Daffodil
written by Emily Langhorne
illustrated by Heather Heyworth
One day, when a farmer is planting daffodils at the top of a hill, one of the bulbs slips from the basket, rolls down the hill, and lands at the forest’s edge. While there, the daffodil befriends many different creatures, but he can’t help feeling lonely each night when he hears the other daffodils singing together at the top of the hill. The daffodil longs to join in, but when the other daffodils refuse to let him, he must find a different way to use his voice.
illustrated by Heather Heyworth
One day, when a farmer is planting daffodils at the top of a hill, one of the bulbs slips from the basket, rolls down the hill, and lands at the forest’s edge. While there, the daffodil befriends many different creatures, but he can’t help feeling lonely each night when he hears the other daffodils singing together at the top of the hill. The daffodil longs to join in, but when the other daffodils refuse to let him, he must find a different way to use his voice.
Life Is Here, and I Have Been Away
by Dan Bessie
When Mary Burnett finds herself at the very end of her rope, she musters the courage to repel her suicidal demons and commits herself to psychiatric care. And so, her life-saving journey begins—one she vows to take without self-deception, as if looking into a truth-telling mirror.
As she rereads decades of her old journals about long-forgotten incidents, the past comes alive—the good times and the bad: growing up with a petulant mother, her hopes for romance dashed when her intended reveals his homosexuality, two failed marriages, the birth of two sons while living in poverty, and finally, a third husband facing the death penalty.
Resolving her long stream of memories and banishing self-doubt, as she completes therapy, Mary zeroes in on three goals: to retrieve her sons from a Dickensian boarding school, where relatives have placed them; secure a home for her little family, see her boys launched into the world as self-assured young men; and to find a way (in her own words) “to be of use, to serve some purpose in this life.”
In Life Is Here, and I Have Been Away, Mary Burnett’s son Dan Bessie weaves his mother’s narrative with his own perspective, and in so doing explores exactly how one woman was able to reinvent herself and rebuild her life.
When Mary Burnett finds herself at the very end of her rope, she musters the courage to repel her suicidal demons and commits herself to psychiatric care. And so, her life-saving journey begins—one she vows to take without self-deception, as if looking into a truth-telling mirror.
As she rereads decades of her old journals about long-forgotten incidents, the past comes alive—the good times and the bad: growing up with a petulant mother, her hopes for romance dashed when her intended reveals his homosexuality, two failed marriages, the birth of two sons while living in poverty, and finally, a third husband facing the death penalty.
Resolving her long stream of memories and banishing self-doubt, as she completes therapy, Mary zeroes in on three goals: to retrieve her sons from a Dickensian boarding school, where relatives have placed them; secure a home for her little family, see her boys launched into the world as self-assured young men; and to find a way (in her own words) “to be of use, to serve some purpose in this life.”
In Life Is Here, and I Have Been Away, Mary Burnett’s son Dan Bessie weaves his mother’s narrative with his own perspective, and in so doing explores exactly how one woman was able to reinvent herself and rebuild her life.
Wholehearted Day
written and illustrated by Elizabeth Dodson
Take a journey through Wholehearted Day, a book that dually comforts guardians and children who face separation. Explore why we work and what it means to be apart. Dive deeper into concepts of curiosity, security, development-of-self, and contribution to society. Observe how small daily actions can create wonder-filled experiences with a person you greatly hold! Let this tool curate a moment in time, a space, in which you can snuggle together to speak beautiful words, investigate intricate papercutting illustrations, and be reassured that your efforts are as important as your bond with each other. Discover hearts, symbols, and animals along the way!
Take a journey through Wholehearted Day, a book that dually comforts guardians and children who face separation. Explore why we work and what it means to be apart. Dive deeper into concepts of curiosity, security, development-of-self, and contribution to society. Observe how small daily actions can create wonder-filled experiences with a person you greatly hold! Let this tool curate a moment in time, a space, in which you can snuggle together to speak beautiful words, investigate intricate papercutting illustrations, and be reassured that your efforts are as important as your bond with each other. Discover hearts, symbols, and animals along the way!
Noble
by Stephanie Parwulski
Every town in the kingdom of Ansel has a storyteller, a man who weaves threads of magic into stories to share with the men of the community—and only the men, for in Ansel, women are forbidden from learning to read.
Elbon doesn’t know why Storyteller chose him as an apprentice. After all, he has no family, no friends, and not much talent for hearing the words woven into the colorful threads strung on Storyteller’s magic harp. Still, Elbon does his best to make his teacher proud . . . even if he doesn’t feel confident that he can.
But when Elbon meets a frightened boy named Freddie who claims to be running away from home—and when agents from the royal palace arrive not long after in search of a missing princess—Elbon and his new friend must work together to uncover the secrets that have shaped both their lives . . . and maybe right a few ancient wrongs along the way.
Every town in the kingdom of Ansel has a storyteller, a man who weaves threads of magic into stories to share with the men of the community—and only the men, for in Ansel, women are forbidden from learning to read.
Elbon doesn’t know why Storyteller chose him as an apprentice. After all, he has no family, no friends, and not much talent for hearing the words woven into the colorful threads strung on Storyteller’s magic harp. Still, Elbon does his best to make his teacher proud . . . even if he doesn’t feel confident that he can.
But when Elbon meets a frightened boy named Freddie who claims to be running away from home—and when agents from the royal palace arrive not long after in search of a missing princess—Elbon and his new friend must work together to uncover the secrets that have shaped both their lives . . . and maybe right a few ancient wrongs along the way.
The Song of Circe and Other Simple Musings
by J. Matthew Helms
Twilit dreamscapes unfold across J. Matthew Helms’ debut collection of poetry, revealing new worlds beyond the veils of myth. From the shores of Valhalla to the great halls of Mount Olympus, these unique poems guide the reader through the mists of time and legend like a lantern, casting tales of the old gods in a new light. Interwoven with themes of earthly nature and celestial warfare, The Song of Circe reflects the joy and sorrow—the pain and healing—the love and disdain that define the human soul, beckoning us to explore within ourselves the darkest corners of our oldest legends.
Twilit dreamscapes unfold across J. Matthew Helms’ debut collection of poetry, revealing new worlds beyond the veils of myth. From the shores of Valhalla to the great halls of Mount Olympus, these unique poems guide the reader through the mists of time and legend like a lantern, casting tales of the old gods in a new light. Interwoven with themes of earthly nature and celestial warfare, The Song of Circe reflects the joy and sorrow—the pain and healing—the love and disdain that define the human soul, beckoning us to explore within ourselves the darkest corners of our oldest legends.
The Age of Dinosaurs in Virginia and Nearby States
by Robert E. Weems
Although the fossil dinosaur deposits of the western United States are justly famous and widely appreciated, the fossil deposits of the eastern United States have received much less publicity. The Age of Dinosaurs in Virginia and Nearby States is intended to provide a detailed guide to the little publicized history of the age of dinosaurs from the perspective of the Mid-Atlantic states. This book focuses primarily on Virginia, but it also extensively covers the age of dinosaurs in North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, southern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey. This has resulted in a more comprehensive view of the age of dinosaurs in the Mid-Atlantic region than has ever been previously attempted.
Although the fossil dinosaur deposits of the western United States are justly famous and widely appreciated, the fossil deposits of the eastern United States have received much less publicity. The Age of Dinosaurs in Virginia and Nearby States is intended to provide a detailed guide to the little publicized history of the age of dinosaurs from the perspective of the Mid-Atlantic states. This book focuses primarily on Virginia, but it also extensively covers the age of dinosaurs in North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, southern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey. This has resulted in a more comprehensive view of the age of dinosaurs in the Mid-Atlantic region than has ever been previously attempted.
Desperate Endeavor
ON SALE 10/4/22!!!
by Glen Olson
If only Humanity knew what sense to make of the fight with AranthChi, the future would be less bleak.
Thirty-five years after the only interstellar war Humanity has ever fought—with the only aliens Humanity has ever met—one man has wondered his entire adult life why the hell that war happened. As part of the peace, the AranthChi hired Humanity to do scientific research for them, and Mikail's job is to ensure the safety of Humanity's secrets. But the AranthChi's long-term conspiracy is beginning to unravel, and Mikail knows something is very wrong. He sets out on a quest to find answers and soon learns that Humanity is in more danger than ever before . . . and time is running out.
by Glen Olson
If only Humanity knew what sense to make of the fight with AranthChi, the future would be less bleak.
Thirty-five years after the only interstellar war Humanity has ever fought—with the only aliens Humanity has ever met—one man has wondered his entire adult life why the hell that war happened. As part of the peace, the AranthChi hired Humanity to do scientific research for them, and Mikail's job is to ensure the safety of Humanity's secrets. But the AranthChi's long-term conspiracy is beginning to unravel, and Mikail knows something is very wrong. He sets out on a quest to find answers and soon learns that Humanity is in more danger than ever before . . . and time is running out.
Carole Jane from Starfish Lane
ON SALE 10/11/22!!!
written by Diane Twomley
illustrated by Cheryl Grant
What do you do at the beach when it’s not summertime? Carole Jane lives on Mac Island, and even though summer is fun, Carole Jane thinks she might love the other seasons even more. She can peek into tide pools in the spring, talk to gulls in the fall, and play in the sand all year round, building all sorts of things. Home on Mac Island is Carole Jane’s favorite place to be.
The pale yellow house at the end of Starfish Lane is where Carole Jane lives. She can see the ocean every day, all year long, and there is always something interesting to see and do on the island. Spend the year with Carole Jane, discovering everything from parades celebrating Mac Island's townspeople, to a bonfire on the beach, to peaceful days reading on the pier.
written by Diane Twomley
illustrated by Cheryl Grant
What do you do at the beach when it’s not summertime? Carole Jane lives on Mac Island, and even though summer is fun, Carole Jane thinks she might love the other seasons even more. She can peek into tide pools in the spring, talk to gulls in the fall, and play in the sand all year round, building all sorts of things. Home on Mac Island is Carole Jane’s favorite place to be.
The pale yellow house at the end of Starfish Lane is where Carole Jane lives. She can see the ocean every day, all year long, and there is always something interesting to see and do on the island. Spend the year with Carole Jane, discovering everything from parades celebrating Mac Island's townspeople, to a bonfire on the beach, to peaceful days reading on the pier.
You’re Not From Around Here, Are You?: Notes from a Naturalized Southerner
ON SALE 10/20/22!!!
by Martin Lehfeldt
More than five decades ago, Northeast-native Martin Lehfeldt was so captivated by the South that he made it his home. Reflecting on his experiences in the aptly titled You’re Not from Around Here, Are, You?, Lehfeldt has assembled a uniquely diverse collection of impressions that embrace an overview of the region’s historically black colleges and universities, the unequaled pleasure of sipping a Bloody Mary on a rainy Saturday morning in New Orleans, the joys of 1960s-era first-class air travel, the discovery of a coon dog cemetery, a revelatory visit to Key West, throwing a good party, brushes with celebrity, and plenty more. Open Lehfeldt’s witty collection of sketches at virtually any page and find a story that lyrically captures a moment, a feeling, and possibly a piece of your heart.
by Martin Lehfeldt
More than five decades ago, Northeast-native Martin Lehfeldt was so captivated by the South that he made it his home. Reflecting on his experiences in the aptly titled You’re Not from Around Here, Are, You?, Lehfeldt has assembled a uniquely diverse collection of impressions that embrace an overview of the region’s historically black colleges and universities, the unequaled pleasure of sipping a Bloody Mary on a rainy Saturday morning in New Orleans, the joys of 1960s-era first-class air travel, the discovery of a coon dog cemetery, a revelatory visit to Key West, throwing a good party, brushes with celebrity, and plenty more. Open Lehfeldt’s witty collection of sketches at virtually any page and find a story that lyrically captures a moment, a feeling, and possibly a piece of your heart.
The Wi-Fi Is Out
written by Tim Lane
illustrated by Tim Lane
“The Wi-Fi is out! What will we do? The Wi-Fi is out and the Internet too!”
Dad’s done everything he can, but there’s no way around it: the router is down, the Wi-Fi is out, and one brother and sister’s lazy weekend afternoon is now ruined! That is, until they remember that there’s still a whole world of adventures for them to explore in the great outdoors—and beyond!
Folly
ON SALE 11/4/22!!!
by Daniel “Seth” Holliday and Daniel “Wayne” Holliday
Ezra Magee has worked hard to make a good life for himself as a professor, husband, and father. He’s even made peace with the fact that he can’t remember any of his childhood in the small town of Folly, Alabama, before a traumatic event at the age of twelve erased it from his memory.
But when his own son turns twelve and exhibits symptoms of an illness Ezra thought long-gone from his life, Ezra is suddenly caught between the lies he’s told and the events of his past he was grateful to forget. For the sake of his son and his marriage, he returns to Folly to search for answers: for the truth about his eccentric father, his own history of mental illness, and the harrowing event that robbed him of his family and his childhood.
by Daniel “Seth” Holliday and Daniel “Wayne” Holliday
Ezra Magee has worked hard to make a good life for himself as a professor, husband, and father. He’s even made peace with the fact that he can’t remember any of his childhood in the small town of Folly, Alabama, before a traumatic event at the age of twelve erased it from his memory.
But when his own son turns twelve and exhibits symptoms of an illness Ezra thought long-gone from his life, Ezra is suddenly caught between the lies he’s told and the events of his past he was grateful to forget. For the sake of his son and his marriage, he returns to Folly to search for answers: for the truth about his eccentric father, his own history of mental illness, and the harrowing event that robbed him of his family and his childhood.
Losing a Tooth
ON SALE 11/8/22!!!
written by Nicole Wright
illustrated by Kelly O'Neill
Losing your first tooth can be hard to do . . . but it can also be exciting!
Feeling it wobble around in your mouth and trying to imagine your smile without it might feel a little scary. But follow along with one little girl as she loses her first tooth, learns it isn't as hard as she thought, and grows in confidence along the way!
written by Nicole Wright
illustrated by Kelly O'Neill
Losing your first tooth can be hard to do . . . but it can also be exciting!
Feeling it wobble around in your mouth and trying to imagine your smile without it might feel a little scary. But follow along with one little girl as she loses her first tooth, learns it isn't as hard as she thought, and grows in confidence along the way!
The Secret of the Legendary Tribe
ON SALE 11/22/22!!!
by John Roche
When Marci’s brother, Hector, gets hurt in a car accident, it seems the doctors won’t be able to help him. Marci and her friends take matters into their own hands and search for a magical artifact, the ancient Spearhead, which is rumored to have healing powers. Unfortunately, the spearhead’s whereabouts have been lost to time—but these kids won’t let anything stop them! Join Marci, Kay, and Archie at landmarks around the nation’s capital as they hunt for clues and dodge their sinister competitors who have nefarious plans for the Spearhead. It might be the only thing that can save Hector.
by John Roche
When Marci’s brother, Hector, gets hurt in a car accident, it seems the doctors won’t be able to help him. Marci and her friends take matters into their own hands and search for a magical artifact, the ancient Spearhead, which is rumored to have healing powers. Unfortunately, the spearhead’s whereabouts have been lost to time—but these kids won’t let anything stop them! Join Marci, Kay, and Archie at landmarks around the nation’s capital as they hunt for clues and dodge their sinister competitors who have nefarious plans for the Spearhead. It might be the only thing that can save Hector.
Bella Joins the Service
ON SALE 12/13/22!!!
written by Julie Ellis Williams
illustrated by Penny Weber
Bella, a fun-loving Lab, spends her days with her person, Kirk. Together, they run, swim, hike, and climb through Colorado’s great outdoors. But one day, everything changes. While mountain biking, Kirk has a disabling fall that leaves him unable to use his arms and legs the way he used to. What’s a Lab to do?
Bella chooses to “join the service”—service dogs, that is. While Kirk learns a new way of life, Bella learns how to do many things with her nose, mouth, and paws that Kirk can no longer do with his hands.
Follow Bella and Kirk’s journey as they come full circle to live the same adventurous life they lived before—just differently.
written by Julie Ellis Williams
illustrated by Penny Weber
Bella, a fun-loving Lab, spends her days with her person, Kirk. Together, they run, swim, hike, and climb through Colorado’s great outdoors. But one day, everything changes. While mountain biking, Kirk has a disabling fall that leaves him unable to use his arms and legs the way he used to. What’s a Lab to do?
Bella chooses to “join the service”—service dogs, that is. While Kirk learns a new way of life, Bella learns how to do many things with her nose, mouth, and paws that Kirk can no longer do with his hands.
Follow Bella and Kirk’s journey as they come full circle to live the same adventurous life they lived before—just differently.
