"What's Not Said"
by Valerie Taylor 

Kirkus calls "What's Not Said" "snappy and contemporary…reads like a fun, romantic comedy despite the heavy subject matter." When Kassie discovers her emotionally abusive husband has chronic kidney disease, her plans to divorce him and move in with a younger man collapse - until she pokes around and realizes his illness is the least of his deceits.

But Kassie is no angel. As she struggles to justify her own indiscretions, their lives collide into a tangled web of sex, lies and DNA. Kassie commits to helping her husband find an organ donor. In the process, she uncovers a life-changing secret, forcing her to decide whose life to save. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2BO096C. 

"Hate's Recompense" 
by Joseph H. Gibson 

President Kahn faces a stiff re-election and moves to usurp the democratic process by executing cyber and bioterrorism attacks on his own country to stay in power. Kahn fabricates a lethal bio attack by Iran, which he plans to execute with the help of an Artificial Intelligence Agent called Athena.

Resistance leaders learn of Kahn's plans - and millions of lives are at stake. They organize an uprising. But as they lose the battle, their only hope is to free the creators of Athena from Kahn's captivity and allow them to reprogram their brainchild to end Kahn's deadly politics. But is the country ready to relinquish control to a machine? Purchase at https://amzn.to/2XhayiK. 

"Rootlines"
by Rikki West 

Rikki and her sister, Linda, had fallen out with one another. They are not speaking when Linda emails that she has lethal abdominal tumors, that her only hope is a total bone marrow replacement. Linda claims Rikki is too old to donate, and explains there's only a slight chance she is a good match - but Rikki refuses to accept that.

Linda's email ignites a wild aspiration in Rikki: She will become the perfect donor, with the most vigorous cells possible. She rises with intent to heal herself, her sister, and their rootlines, the patterns formed in their family of origin that have quietly shaped their lives. The sisters beat the lymphoma - and heal the intertwined roots of their family pain. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2zZgWCu. 

"Kill Chain"
by Dominic Martell 

Years ago, Pascual Rose put his life as a terrorist behind him. He sold out his colleagues for a new identity and low profile in Barcelona. All was quiet until he received a midnight text: Come join us on the terrace.

The stakes are high: if he fails, it will cost him his family; if he succeeds, $1 million will buy a lot more than translation piecework will. But the money-laundering scheme involves a nexus of diverted revenues, shell companies and cryptocurrencies peopled by shadowy benefactors, Russian mobsters, German intelligence agents, and a mysterious woman with a chilling warning: Get out before it's too late. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3ia7P33. 

NOTE: BookBites is a continuing series bringing readers information and ideas for their next read. For more reading ideas, visit BookTrib.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

(NewsUSA) - In periods of change, we often find comfort in simple pleasures. A great burger is one of them.

Yet, some of those simple pleasures have been compromised by the dramatic changes caused by COVID-19, including the disruption of the animal meat industry. Meat plants are closing, causing meat to be harder to find and its prices to rise. Some grocers are limiting the amount of meat shoppers can buy to curb pantry loading.

I know these issues will be resolved as the pandemic subsides. The animal meat industry will recover, and supply chains will be restored. But right now, you may be asking: What do I do without meat?

Now is the time to try plant-based protein. Made from simple ingredients you know, Lightlife plant-based meat is as nutritious as it is delicious. And you can find the products in your grocer's meat case.

To be clear, I'm not against the animal meat industry. I believe we're all trying to solve the same complex challenge: how to feed Americans during this pandemic. But I do believe no diet should be entirely dependent on animal meat. That's why Lightlife is committed to delivering plant-based protein throughout the country to ensure as many people as possible have access to the food they need.

At Lightlife, we're not asking you to give up animal meat. If you want to eat meat, eat meat. But we believe you should also eat plants: whole plants and plant-based protein. That's why we strive to bring more high-protein options to your table. Fortunately, the trend toward eating more plant-based protein began well before COVID-19, driven by a desire for more balance and variety in our diets, as evidenced by the fact that 44 percent of Americans now describe themselves as flexitarian.

In fact, Lightlife sales were up significantly in the first quarter of 2020. And longer term, the plant-based meat category is expected to grow exponentially, with the Good Food Institute predicting a threefold increase in the number of American households regularly purchasing plant-based protein1.

The reality is it takes a little more work these days to make a good burger, even the ones we make with simple ingredients. I want you to know that we're committed to your dinner table. And your lunch table. And if you want a burger for breakfast, your breakfast table, too.

I am so proud of our production teams working around the clock to ensure our products are available at your local grocer. To ensure their health and safety, we have taken additional steps including social distancing wherever possible, daily temperature checks and health screenings, face coverings, increased sanitation efforts, and staggered breaks and start times to reduce the potential for congestion. This is in addition to the sanitation procedures our team is already accustomed to, and the variety of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) we routinely wear.

This is all part of our dedication to getting high-quality, plant-based protein to your tables. Because whether your burger is made from ground beef or plant-based ingredients, a good burger is something we can all agree on. And I believe that together, we will celebrate that simple pleasure once again.

1 The Food Industry Association and IRI. (2020) Understanding the plant-based food consumer.

But Retirement in the United States can be expensive, and even savvy seniors who have budgeted for this phase of their lives may feel squeezed in areas such as housing and health care. COVID-19 has made things even harder for many.

Many older Americans who have worked hard all their lives are unaware that they qualify for a range of public and private benefits to help pay for food, medicine, utilities, and many more essentials that ensure a safe and stable retirement. Every year, $30 billion in benefits go unclaimed because eligible older adults don't know the programs exist or how to apply.

These programs are not scams, and they are not loans. They are legitimate public and private funds designed to help older adults boost their budgets.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA), the nation's oldest and most trusted nonprofit working on behalf of seniors, offers the latest information on benefits programs on its free and confidential website, BenefitsCheckUp.org.

The site includes a simple search tool to help retirees and their caregivers safely and securely identify programs that may help meet their financial needs. There are benefits that help pay for medication and other health care costs (including home care and nursing home care), as well as food, housing, and utilities.

For those living on a fixed income, an extra $200-$300 a month can make a significant difference in their standard of living and quality of life.

Approximately half of all Medicare beneficiaries live on incomes below $26,200 a year. For those who qualify, Medicare's special programs can save them thousands of dollars annually on their premiums, medications, deductibles, and co-pays.

BenefitsCheckUp.org also includes information on employment and volunteer programs, programs for veterans, property tax relief, travel and recreation discounts, and support for families and caregivers.

To raise awareness about these valuable benefits, NCOA is introducing an educational campaign called Boost Your Budget Week: Find Your Benefits to Age Well. Planned for July, the week is a great time for older adults to learn about opportunities to boost their budget with benefits.

Interested older adults can visit ncoa.org/Boost to start their free BenefitsCheckUp. Or they can connect with one of NCOA's local community organizations across the country for in-person assistance. Partners can be found on ncoa.org/Map.

In 2019, families in the United States spent approximately $700 per child on school supplies for the school year, according to the National Retail Federation. The combination of backpacks, clothes, notebooks, and lunchboxes adds up, and many schools also ask parents to contribute as much as $100 per family to help cover the costs of classroom materials. Many military families find themselves hard-pressed to purchase school supplies on top of other child-care costs and household needs.

Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit organization that has been supporting strong, stable military families since 2002, has taken on the challenge of getting military kids classroom-ready through its annual Back-to-School Brigade program, established in 2008.

This year, Hunt Heroes Foundation (HHF), a nonprofit organization founded by Hunt Military Communities (HMC), the nation's largest military housing owner, has announced its support of Operation Homefront and its Back-to-School Brigade. HHF will be delivering 1,850 backpacks filled with school supplies to HMC communities in the continental United States in advance of the 2020 school year.

"Operation Homefront is proud that Hunt Military Communities is helping bring our Back-to-School Brigade program to military families in their communities," says Robin Miller, senior director of Operation Homefront.

"With their support, we are able to distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to those who have given so much on behalf of all Americans and ensure that their children have the tools for a successful start to the school year," Ms. Miller emphasizes.

The event aims to ease some of the financial burdens of back-to-school costs for military families, and the backpacks are tailored to all ages and grade levels.

"We are honored to partner with Operation Homefront on an initiative that will support military families during this uniquely challenging back-to-school season," says John Ehle, president of Hunt Military Communities.

"It is our goal to make the process as seamless as possible for parents, and make sure that their children are prepared to start the new school year, whether virtually or in-person."

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's Back-to-School Brigade will be adjusted to adhere to federal, state, and local COVID-19 guidelines with features such as a drive-through format.

For more information or to support these organizations, visit OperationHomefront.org and huntmilitarycommunities.com.

SmartWealth is a coaching and training organization that teaches people how to retire safely by in- vesting wisely.

The key to financial security and success, according to Jeffrey D. Sokol, the founder of SmartWealth who predicted the current market collapse, is locking in stock market gains, without risking the client's money in the market, a proposition that many people find risky even at the best of times.

"Investing in the stock market directly with 401(k)s and mutual funds has proven to be a massive risk to the retirement accounts of millions. There is a simple way to lock in stock market gains, without having to suffer losses," says Sokol.

"Our methods are proven and efficient ... the wealthiest billionaires in the world have the same rule book you do, they just had a better coach."

Mr. Sokol is also the author of two books, "Get in the Game" and "Smart Wealth Secrets," that focus on investing.

Many financial advisors push clients to load up 401K accounts as a retirement strategy, but such accounts are more susceptible to the ups and downs of the stock market, Sokol says.

However, there are other options: SmartWealth offers a range of online training courses developed by industry experts that are designed to increase income and boost financial confidence. Courses include the SmartWealth series, which focuses on actions to keep and grow your retirement savings; and the Daily Passive Income Video series, which features sys- tematic strategies for asset creation.

"Our goal is to provide a safe haven for investors and have them retire with 300 percent more in- come than they would if they invested conventionally," Sokol explains.

For those looking to obtain funding to start or expand a busi- ness, the SmartWealth OPM (Oth- er People's Money) online acade- my, addresses topics of obtaining funds for a business, expanding your business, and even repairing a damaged credit score.

Finally, to help get your head into a new way of investing, check out SmartWealth's Get in the Game Mindset Mastery video course and book, which are geared to get people comfortable with generating passive cash flow?rather than being concerned over a single asset. In addition, SmartWealth offers personalized retirement planning services through its companion company, Beneshield Financial. In addition to retirement solutions, Beneshield Financial also provides consulting for life insurance, health care coverage, and small business startup funding.

Visit beneshieldfinancial.com to find out more.

For more information about SmartWealth's fresh take on smart money management, as well as the latest financial wisdom from the SmartWealth podcast, visit smartwealth.co.

You can support a healthy immune system by eating well, getting plenty of sleep, and exercising. Supplements with vitamins that support the immune system, such as vitamin D, may help, too. Sunlight remains a key source of vitamin D, but supplements may be increasingly beneficial as people are less able to get outside. This is especially true for those who live in the northern hemisphere.

Vitamin D has the science to back up its potential as an immune- system support. In 2017, the British Medical Journal published a meta-analysis of 25 studies in which vitamin D showed the potential to protect against acute respiratory tract infections, especially among individuals who were also deficient in vitamin D.

In addition, Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview with Fox News in March that taking a multivitamin containing vitamin D or a vitamin D supplement was good practice for overall health, and it certainly couldn't hurt when it comes to helping to boost immune resistance to infection.

However, not all vitamin D supplements are created equal. A vitamin D supplement must be easily absorbed by the body in order to provide much value. Many vitamin D supplements offer poorly absorbed forms of vitamin D in doses far too low to replenish a vitamin D deficit, much less offer therapeutic benefits for the immune system.

It's best to choose a supplement that includes vitamin D3, which is the most easily absorbed form of vitamin D, as well as Vitamin K2, such as the supplement produced by Lively Vitamin Co. Their product, Solar Power, combines vitamins D3 and K2 to provide the body with maximum therapeutic value. This combination improves total absorption rates and utilization in the body.

A blend of these two vitamins is engineered to help promote a healthy immune system and cardiovascular health. But the benefits don't stop there. Vitamin D3 supplements like Solar Power can also help the body absorb calcium and build stronger bones to help prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D even plays a role in regulating mood and helping to reduce seasonal depression.

However, be sure to check for possible drug interactions with any prescription medications you are taking before you take vitamin D or other supplements.

For more information about vitamin D and other ways to improve your health and boost your immunity, visit findyourhealthyplace.com.