Title: Deadly Vision
Author: Rick R. Reed
Genre: Thriller/GLBT
ISBN: 1932300961
Quest Books / January 2008
Reviewed by Vince Liaguno for Dark Scribe Magazine Reviewer
Originally published in: Dark Scribe Magazine
Hot on the heels of his enjoyable gay serial killer novel – last year's IM – Rick Reed returns with another gripping thriller, Deadly Vision. Reed is quickly developing his own unique formula that blends suspense, fast-moving narratives, fully-realized gay characters, and a touch of the occult. His seeming bid to become a gay hybrid of James Patterson and Dean Koontz will not be lost on readers with this latest offering.
Cass D'Angelo, single mother to seven-year-old Max, is toiling away as a waitress in a small, depressed river town in Ohio. When Cass goes off after Max when he wanders off one afternoon during a thunderstorm, she runs afoul of a lightning strike and a falling tree limb. She awakens days later in the hospital – relieved to find Max safe – and discovers that the resulting concussion has left her with a newfound psychic ability. Before you can say Psychic Friends Network, Cass receives disturbing images of several local girls gone missing – their grisly fates playing out behind her mind's eye. Fearing more deaths, the reluctant psychic reaches out to the police and to one of the missing girl's parents – all of whom are skeptical. But when the father of a second missing girl begs Cass' help in finding his daughter and her decomposing body is found along the Ohio River banks, Cass finds herself the center of unwanted attention from a pair of devil-worshipping killers desperate to find out how she found their carefully hidden grave. It's here that the story kicks into even higher gear with a kidnapping, a manhunt, and – to a lesser extent - hints of a budding romance with a sympathetic female journalist.
As in IM, Reed again opts to tell his story through multiple points-of-view. And, again, it works surprisingly well even when minor characters like Cass' mother get their chance at the storytelling bat. Laying out the actions and motives of your villains for readers is a tricky proposition - give too much and risk predictability at the expense of the suspense. But Reed expertly walks the tightrope between disclosure and omission, crafting passages told from the killers' perspective that are appropriately chilling and give just enough away to readers so that their acquired insight translates into dread when the action switches back to Cass and company. It's foreboding at it s finest with readers left muttering, "If you only knew what I know" at the book itself.
Reed also imbues Deadly Vision with a strong sense of setting, creating in Summitville a bleak tableau of working class hardship. One gets a strong sense of inevitability for the fictional denizens of the town, like they surrendered master status of their own destinies somewhere between unplanned pregnancies and factory closings. He nails the idea of familiarity and disconnection as analogous functions of small-town life:
When Sheryl McKenna's mother opened the door, Cass felt as though she had already seen her. And maybe she had. Summitville was, after all, a small town. She could have passed the tired-looking woman on the street downtown, or served her in the diner. The woman stared at her with bright gray eyes, looking her over as if Cass were something she had discarded in the yard that had managed to make its way back to the porch. Mrs. McKenna was small, with no fat on her bones; she looked almost skeletal. Her skin was weathered, the result of too much sun, too much smoke. Her skin, combined with straw-like bleached blonde hair and hard eyes made her, Cass was sure, look older than her years. She held a cigarette in her hand, and the smell of tobacco smoke came out of the house in a wave when she opened the door.
Unlike IM, the lesbian romance is relegated to the background here, never even a glimmer of possibility until the third act - and even then it's only alluded to in a near future. This is the novel's only misstep – and a slight one at that – and an area where Reed missed an opportunity for deeper emotional investment in the reporter character of Dani Westwood. The lack of romantic connection to Cass keeps her at arm's length for much of the action, consigning her to stock character status.
The novel's supernatural elements are handled quite well, with Cass' understanding of her precognitive abilities evolving gradually over the course of the book and never coming off as forced or over-the-top. Only toward the end when Cass encounters the spectral vision of one of the victims does one get the sense that they're smack dab in the middle of an episode of Cold Case or The Ghost Whisperer – and that's either criticism or commendation depending upon your level of tolerance for either of those shows.
The literary equivalent of a hybrid vehicle, Deadly Vision powers forward on a combustion of supernatural suspense, murder mystery, and breakneck thriller. With psychics and serial killers rendered with the same deft hand in a propulsive narrative likely to increase respirations, it takes no psychic ability to see that Rick Reed is headed for the top of the suspense class.
--
Check out my most recent releases on Amazon:
High Risk: http://tinyurl.com/39dror
Deadly Vision: http://tinyurl.com/3eygd4
In the Blood: http://tinyurl.com/3dbb7k
IM: http://tinyurl.com/32rsy4
Find me at:
http://www.rickrreed.com and http://www.myspace.com/rickrreed
Coming in 2008
Orientation
Dead End Street
More information and excerpts at http://www.rickrreed.com
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Monday, 17 March 2008
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Spirtual Book That Goes Deeper
I Am Therefore I Am: Revelations of Truth
By Lawrence Doochin
website: www.lawrencedoochin.com/
Genre: Spiritual
ISBN: 0-595-36175-7
Reviewed by Karen Lawrence
I Am Therefore I Am author Says "We Are Not Here to Learn"
In a society where even spiritual growth is associated with striving and “fixing” ourselves, Lawrence Doochin’s message in I Am Therefore I Am: Revelations of Truth that "...we are not here to learn" is a refreshing one for spiritual seekers of all types. His soft approach to our most troublesome questions about life, love, spirit and the nature of existence is to say "Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to change anything about yourself? If all you had to do was remember and recognize who you really are?" As I read those words I was struck with how deeply they resonate in my own heart and how Doochin’s healing journey through what we see, experience, think and feel on this earth really captures the underlying simplicity of our existence as I FEEL it rather than how I THINK about it.
I Am Therefore I Am recounts what was revealed to Doochin during a time of deep personal introspection. He explores perception, faith, reality, emotion, morality and purpose. Lawrence starts the book with a question: “What is the difference between the following statements? The world is as I see it. I see the world as it is.” I was hooked. As he travels through the most difficult concepts we all grapple with in our lives, he encourages us to truly let go of our beliefs about the nature of the universe and where we fit in it. "If you release your beliefs, or you at least witness them, then the current carries you along effortlessly. Life becomes easier, much simpler."
So, you might ask, what do we get for dropping our beliefs and relaxing into who we are? We will experience a more frequent awareness of God, according to Doochin. By recognizing and remembering our true nature we can tap into the Love that “… is the essence of all that is." Doochin makes suggestions throughout the book for sparking our remembrance rather than trying to access it through our minds or figure out what we should BE or BE DOING. "You are not here to do anything. You are here to be. You are fulfilling your role on Earth just by being an expression of God in form, for this is Creation fulfilled. This is Love."
I was happy I overcame my resistance to what potentially was yet another book imploring me to study more and practice harder in order to “fix” my troubled soul and picked up I Am Therefore I Am. It is a reassuring reminder that we are all reflections of the Divine and need only settle into that awareness to find peace and joy. Doochin’s book is a refreshing resource for helping us recognize and remember who we truly are.
-------
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
By Lawrence Doochin
website: www.lawrencedoochin.com/
Genre: Spiritual
ISBN: 0-595-36175-7
Reviewed by Karen Lawrence
I Am Therefore I Am author Says "We Are Not Here to Learn"
In a society where even spiritual growth is associated with striving and “fixing” ourselves, Lawrence Doochin’s message in I Am Therefore I Am: Revelations of Truth that "...we are not here to learn" is a refreshing one for spiritual seekers of all types. His soft approach to our most troublesome questions about life, love, spirit and the nature of existence is to say "Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to change anything about yourself? If all you had to do was remember and recognize who you really are?" As I read those words I was struck with how deeply they resonate in my own heart and how Doochin’s healing journey through what we see, experience, think and feel on this earth really captures the underlying simplicity of our existence as I FEEL it rather than how I THINK about it.
I Am Therefore I Am recounts what was revealed to Doochin during a time of deep personal introspection. He explores perception, faith, reality, emotion, morality and purpose. Lawrence starts the book with a question: “What is the difference between the following statements? The world is as I see it. I see the world as it is.” I was hooked. As he travels through the most difficult concepts we all grapple with in our lives, he encourages us to truly let go of our beliefs about the nature of the universe and where we fit in it. "If you release your beliefs, or you at least witness them, then the current carries you along effortlessly. Life becomes easier, much simpler."
So, you might ask, what do we get for dropping our beliefs and relaxing into who we are? We will experience a more frequent awareness of God, according to Doochin. By recognizing and remembering our true nature we can tap into the Love that “… is the essence of all that is." Doochin makes suggestions throughout the book for sparking our remembrance rather than trying to access it through our minds or figure out what we should BE or BE DOING. "You are not here to do anything. You are here to be. You are fulfilling your role on Earth just by being an expression of God in form, for this is Creation fulfilled. This is Love."
I was happy I overcame my resistance to what potentially was yet another book imploring me to study more and practice harder in order to “fix” my troubled soul and picked up I Am Therefore I Am. It is a reassuring reminder that we are all reflections of the Divine and need only settle into that awareness to find peace and joy. Doochin’s book is a refreshing resource for helping us recognize and remember who we truly are.
-------
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Monday, 3 March 2008
A Double Whammy! A Special Offer and a New Life from Dr. Joe Capista
Title
What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? Discover Secrets to Achieving Total Success! Author
Author: Dr. Joe Capista
ISBN-10: 0965815951
ISBN-13: 978-0965815956
Genre: Business/Success/Spiritual
Reviewed by Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Marketer
For anyone seeking a refreshing look at success and success principles, What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? Discover Secrets to Achieving Total Success! is one to add to your personal library.
“You can have anything you want in life if you want it badly enough and are willing to pay the price,” is the opening statement of the book.
With all the success and self-help books available, the last thing we need is another author claiming to have the answers to achieving what you want. The fact is, Dr. Capista doesn’t just talk about success, he lives it. He gives readers an intimate look into the years he struggled in school and grew up in an average blue-collar neighborhood to becoming one of the most successful people in his industry.
What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? is more than a book about amassing financial wealth. Readers will learn how Dr. Capista combines a pragmatic approach to life as well as a very spiritual approach.
Written in a very relaxed, easy to read style, What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? will show you how virtually anyone can achieve a life filled with happiness, abundance, joy, love and contribution. achieve your deepest dreams.
Dr. Capista covers everything from career to family and relationships to your relationship with money, to spirituality and finding purpose, to health and well-being. He shares the very strategies he used to build a multi-million dollar business; achieve optimum health, enjoy a loving marriage of over 34 years and live a life that he refers to as Total Success.
This is a must read!
We invite you to take part in a very special promotion that is taking place this week to promote Dr Capista's book. Order you own copy of What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? within the next 24 hours and receive over $2,551 in bonus gifts from experts around the globe. Go to http://www.joecapista.com/amazon.htm
------
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? Discover Secrets to Achieving Total Success! Author
Author: Dr. Joe Capista
ISBN-10: 0965815951
ISBN-13: 978-0965815956
Genre: Business/Success/Spiritual
Reviewed by Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Marketer
For anyone seeking a refreshing look at success and success principles, What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? Discover Secrets to Achieving Total Success! is one to add to your personal library.
“You can have anything you want in life if you want it badly enough and are willing to pay the price,” is the opening statement of the book.
With all the success and self-help books available, the last thing we need is another author claiming to have the answers to achieving what you want. The fact is, Dr. Capista doesn’t just talk about success, he lives it. He gives readers an intimate look into the years he struggled in school and grew up in an average blue-collar neighborhood to becoming one of the most successful people in his industry.
What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? is more than a book about amassing financial wealth. Readers will learn how Dr. Capista combines a pragmatic approach to life as well as a very spiritual approach.
Written in a very relaxed, easy to read style, What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? will show you how virtually anyone can achieve a life filled with happiness, abundance, joy, love and contribution. achieve your deepest dreams.
Dr. Capista covers everything from career to family and relationships to your relationship with money, to spirituality and finding purpose, to health and well-being. He shares the very strategies he used to build a multi-million dollar business; achieve optimum health, enjoy a loving marriage of over 34 years and live a life that he refers to as Total Success.
This is a must read!
We invite you to take part in a very special promotion that is taking place this week to promote Dr Capista's book. Order you own copy of What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success? within the next 24 hours and receive over $2,551 in bonus gifts from experts around the globe. Go to http://www.joecapista.com/amazon.htm
------
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Friday, 29 February 2008
US Navy Veteran Reviews "Unsung Patriot"
itle: Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki How The Stars and Stripes Began
Author: Virginia G. Vassallo
Websites: www.krazyduck.com www.unsungpatriot.com
Genre: Military history/ World War I/ Biography/ History
ISBN: 978-0-9776739-2-6
Reviewed by Richard Blakewww.midwestbookreview.com. See Reviewer's Bookwatch, August 2007, Richard's Bookshelf
Every generation has its' heroes. Many of these receive medals, and ribbons to honor them for their service to our country. Others receive plaques, trophies, and acclaim for personal accomplishments in business, sports, or entertainment. There is also that myriad of heroes who never receive the accolades. These are the "unsung" heroes serving behind the lines while others receive the applause.
This is the biography of Guy T. Viskniskki, the founder, and first editor-in-chief of "The Stars and Stripes" newspaper, published during the fighting months of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I during 1917-1919.
At age forty, Guy put a successful career in newspaper editing and publishing on hold and responded to a sense of patriotism by enlisting in armed forces. He hoped to be placed on the frontline with the troops in Europe. However, he was assigned to General Headquarters guiding newspapermen throughout the American zone in France. While traveling through France he conceived the idea of a newspaper written "by and for the soldiers" of the A.E.F. He saw this as a need to raise morale among the troops.
By November in 1917 Second Lieutenant Guy T. Viskniskki was press officer and censor at the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). Already a veteran of the Wheeler Newspaper Syndicate, and former editor of the Bayonet, a camp newspaper of the Eightieth Division, Camp Lee, Virginia Guy was asked to develop his idea and to explore the feasibility of publishing a newspaper for the AEF.
Once it was determined that an AEF newspaper could be produced in France, Viskniskki became the first managing editor of "The Stars and Stripes." Guy successfully faced the challenges of staffing, paper shortages, and maintaining editorial control with integrity. "Stars and Stripes" became Guy's legacy. After the war he again resumed his newspaper career, served as editor of several newspapers, and as a consultant in the publishing field.
Proud of her heritage and of her Grandfather's accomplishments Virginia Vassallo produced this book as a tribute to honor his memory. What started as a few notes and memories to preserve some family history for her grandson became a monumental project. Her fascination for one more bit of information drove her into writing this thoroughly researched and well documented monument to this "Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki".
Virginia used her grandfather's unpublished memoirs, various internet sources, interviews with family members, and numberless newspaper articles, and correspondence to research the background information this book. She contacted Jim Mayo, President of the Stars and Stripes Museum for help. Jim was eager to assist her in this project and provided additional valuable resource information.
Guy T. Viskniskki will long be remembered for his patriotism, integrity and perseverance for the things he valued. The book will provide inspiration to small town newspaper editors and the editor-in-chiefs of newspapers across the world. Veteran's Associations, Sons of the American Revolution, and members of the American Legion will remember Guy's indefatigable efforts for their causes. As readers they will applaud this tribute to a tireless mentor and for his advocacy for the peoples of United States of America.
Virginia's respect and admiration for the accomplishments of Guy T. Viskniskki came through beautifully. She masterfully created well-rounded word pictures of this dynamic, yet complex, man whose legacy is the "Stars and Stripes." Virginia is very articulate, her words are well chosen. Her organization is meticulous, and her presentation is convincing. I say "Bravo!"
----
Reviewed By: Richard R. Blake,
U. S. Navy Veteran, Korean Conflict
Book Store Owner
Christian Education Consultant
-------
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Author: Virginia G. Vassallo
Websites: www.krazyduck.com www.unsungpatriot.com
Genre: Military history/ World War I/ Biography/ History
ISBN: 978-0-9776739-2-6
Reviewed by Richard Blakewww.midwestbookreview.com. See Reviewer's Bookwatch, August 2007, Richard's Bookshelf
Every generation has its' heroes. Many of these receive medals, and ribbons to honor them for their service to our country. Others receive plaques, trophies, and acclaim for personal accomplishments in business, sports, or entertainment. There is also that myriad of heroes who never receive the accolades. These are the "unsung" heroes serving behind the lines while others receive the applause.
This is the biography of Guy T. Viskniskki, the founder, and first editor-in-chief of "The Stars and Stripes" newspaper, published during the fighting months of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I during 1917-1919.
At age forty, Guy put a successful career in newspaper editing and publishing on hold and responded to a sense of patriotism by enlisting in armed forces. He hoped to be placed on the frontline with the troops in Europe. However, he was assigned to General Headquarters guiding newspapermen throughout the American zone in France. While traveling through France he conceived the idea of a newspaper written "by and for the soldiers" of the A.E.F. He saw this as a need to raise morale among the troops.
By November in 1917 Second Lieutenant Guy T. Viskniskki was press officer and censor at the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). Already a veteran of the Wheeler Newspaper Syndicate, and former editor of the Bayonet, a camp newspaper of the Eightieth Division, Camp Lee, Virginia Guy was asked to develop his idea and to explore the feasibility of publishing a newspaper for the AEF.
Once it was determined that an AEF newspaper could be produced in France, Viskniskki became the first managing editor of "The Stars and Stripes." Guy successfully faced the challenges of staffing, paper shortages, and maintaining editorial control with integrity. "Stars and Stripes" became Guy's legacy. After the war he again resumed his newspaper career, served as editor of several newspapers, and as a consultant in the publishing field.
Proud of her heritage and of her Grandfather's accomplishments Virginia Vassallo produced this book as a tribute to honor his memory. What started as a few notes and memories to preserve some family history for her grandson became a monumental project. Her fascination for one more bit of information drove her into writing this thoroughly researched and well documented monument to this "Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki".
Virginia used her grandfather's unpublished memoirs, various internet sources, interviews with family members, and numberless newspaper articles, and correspondence to research the background information this book. She contacted Jim Mayo, President of the Stars and Stripes Museum for help. Jim was eager to assist her in this project and provided additional valuable resource information.
Guy T. Viskniskki will long be remembered for his patriotism, integrity and perseverance for the things he valued. The book will provide inspiration to small town newspaper editors and the editor-in-chiefs of newspapers across the world. Veteran's Associations, Sons of the American Revolution, and members of the American Legion will remember Guy's indefatigable efforts for their causes. As readers they will applaud this tribute to a tireless mentor and for his advocacy for the peoples of United States of America.
Virginia's respect and admiration for the accomplishments of Guy T. Viskniskki came through beautifully. She masterfully created well-rounded word pictures of this dynamic, yet complex, man whose legacy is the "Stars and Stripes." Virginia is very articulate, her words are well chosen. Her organization is meticulous, and her presentation is convincing. I say "Bravo!"
----
Reviewed By: Richard R. Blake,
U. S. Navy Veteran, Korean Conflict
Book Store Owner
Christian Education Consultant
-------
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
An Amazing Cross-Cultural Story
Title: Running From Coyote: A White Family among the Navajo
Author: Danalee Buhler
Publisher: iUniverse, August 2007
ISBN 978-0-595-40543-5
E-mail: danaleebooks@gmail.com
See Kirkus Discoveries review on author web site.
See Amazon Shorts story, "Finding a Navajo At The Bottom of the
Baptismal Tank"
Pre-print quotation from Tony Hillerman
"Running From Coyote is a remarkable book, a brilliant example of how a
writer can use memories of her own childhood to introduce the world to
another culture. Not only does Ms. Buhler provide a clear view of the
Navajo people, my own favorite Native American culture, she also tells
a wonderful story of a white girl growing up between the Sacred
Mountains. If I were still teaching my University of New Mexico
classes, I would have it on my required reading list."
The book is available from iUniverse, Amazon, Powells, Barnes and
Nobel, and other internet book stores.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Author: Danalee Buhler
Publisher: iUniverse, August 2007
ISBN 978-0-595-40543-5
E-mail: danaleebooks@gmail.com
See Kirkus Discoveries review on author web site.
See Amazon Shorts story, "Finding a Navajo At The Bottom of the
Baptismal Tank"
Pre-print quotation from Tony Hillerman
"Running From Coyote is a remarkable book, a brilliant example of how a
writer can use memories of her own childhood to introduce the world to
another culture. Not only does Ms. Buhler provide a clear view of the
Navajo people, my own favorite Native American culture, she also tells
a wonderful story of a white girl growing up between the Sacred
Mountains. If I were still teaching my University of New Mexico
classes, I would have it on my required reading list."
The book is available from iUniverse, Amazon, Powells, Barnes and
Nobel, and other internet book stores.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Publishing Consultant Reviews Frugal Book Promoter
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The Frugal Book Promoter
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Available on Amazon.com in paperback or as a Kindle book
Star Publish
Available as an e-book at Star Publish
Number 1 in the HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers
Reviewed by Dana Lynn Smith, publishing consultant, Texana Publishing
Become a master at the book publicity game
Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s PR background shines through as she shares dozens and dozens tips for preparing media materials and working successfully with the media.
The Frugal Book Promoter also offers advice on the effective use of galleys and ARCs, tips for getting blurbs, information on using Amazon’s promotional tools, ideas for book launch announcements and parties, tips for jump-starting sales of books that have been out for a while, and more.
This book is a great tool for both new and experienced authors. New authors will especially benefit from Howard-Johnson’s refreshingly realistic look at the not-always-glamorous world of book signings and book fairs.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Eloquence in Poetry by Usiku
Eloquence: Rhythm & Renaissance
Usiku
ISBN 13: 978-0-9794450-0-2
Hardcover,2007
$19.95
www.usiku.net
usiku@usiku.net
Reviewed by Jeisea, http://crps-rsd-a-better-life.blogspot.com, jeisea2@gmail.com
Eloquence: Rhythm & Renaissance is inspiring and uplifting poetry, prose and short stories.
Eloquence provides a unique experience for each as we read and re-read, peeling back the layers of meaning. As Usiku writes in his title poem, "Eloquence":
"Each person understood in their own way
Appreciating, absorbing, appreciating."
From his play on words “(L)imitations” as “impostors” to nature coiled in humanity, Usiku shares insights of life’s journey in this thought-provoking book.
Usiku’s soul liquefies words as they flow in rivulets across the pages evoking our spirit, memories and call to nurture nature.
"Casserole
of nature
spirit
and the everyday
oven just warm enough."
(from “Composure”)
We often seek inspiring quotes to uplift and guide us. Eloquence contains powerful and motivating writing that makes us mindful of the extraordinary in ordinary.
Eloquence: Rhythm & Renaissance is filled with passion and creativity that is wonderfully refreshing. I highly recommend this reading.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Usiku
ISBN 13: 978-0-9794450-0-2
Hardcover,2007
$19.95
www.usiku.net
usiku@usiku.net
Reviewed by Jeisea, http://crps-rsd-a-better-life.blogspot.com, jeisea2@gmail.com
Eloquence: Rhythm & Renaissance is inspiring and uplifting poetry, prose and short stories.
Eloquence provides a unique experience for each as we read and re-read, peeling back the layers of meaning. As Usiku writes in his title poem, "Eloquence":
"Each person understood in their own way
Appreciating, absorbing, appreciating."
From his play on words “(L)imitations” as “impostors” to nature coiled in humanity, Usiku shares insights of life’s journey in this thought-provoking book.
Usiku’s soul liquefies words as they flow in rivulets across the pages evoking our spirit, memories and call to nurture nature.
"Casserole
of nature
spirit
and the everyday
oven just warm enough."
(from “Composure”)
We often seek inspiring quotes to uplift and guide us. Eloquence contains powerful and motivating writing that makes us mindful of the extraordinary in ordinary.
Eloquence: Rhythm & Renaissance is filled with passion and creativity that is wonderfully refreshing. I highly recommend this reading.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Karina Fabian Pens Christian Sci-Fi
FLASHPOINT: Book One of the Underground
Author: Frank Creed
Book website: http://www.frankcreed.com/flashpoint.html
Genre: science fiction, Christian, cyberpunk
Published by Writers Café Press
ISBN: 978-1-934284-01-8
Review's website: www.fabianspace.com
Reviewed by Karina Fabian in www.virtualbooktourdenet.com
Rating: Four of Five stars
Frank Creed pushes the boundaries of Christian fiction with Biblical cyberpunk—when he talks about "God in the machine," he's quite literal. He's been thinking and playing in the genre since long before William Gibson made it popular—and Creed can give Gibson a run for his money.
Creed starts with the basics for both cyberpunk and Biblical speculative fiction: a dystopic world run by a totalitarian global regime, with a pretty wide division between the haves and have-nots. Those who support the regime live a prosperous life, while those who do not are left to the squalor of a crime-riddled underworld at best and slave camps or "reconditioning" at worst.
True to the Christian angle, the government has established a watered-down "feel good" religion, and true Christians (dubbed "Fundamentalists") are forced to hide their practices or go totally underground by joining the Resistance.
Dave and Jen are our young heroes. When the government finds out their family is part of a secret home church, they are taken to the underground by their father to save their lives. Daddy leaves them in order to draw off the authorities and is captured with their mother. Meanwhile, Dave and Jen are taken in by the Resistance and discover they have amazing abilities. They receive cybernetic mind enhancements that enable them to become the kind of perfected humans God created, before we were damaged by Original Sin.
Dave becomes a superhero with Matrix-style abilities, while Jen becomes e-girl, the computer wizard no cyberpunk novel is complete without. They join the Resistance; their first mission: Save Mom and Dad and the members of their home church. And as they fulfill their mission, they learn what it means to be part of God's army.
There's nothing especially spectacular in the plot, but the real magic is in the execution. Creed does a fantastic job of weaving in all the things that make cyberpunk an exciting genre to read: the melding of human capabilities with highly technological advancements, exciting scenes that deliver the adrenalin rush, earthy but clever repartee, cunning twists to the mundane, some well-thought out fight scenes…
But what about the Biblical message? Here again Creed shows his genius. He immerses you in the Word of God just as he immerses you in the cyberpunk culture—in thought, word and deed. The thing I personally love about cyberpunk is the complete cultural mythos, right down to vocabulary.
Creed does the same thing; in addition to some really fun slang, he's woven in Scripture and the ideals of his Christian "Army" so that as you read, you are neither preached to nor pulled out of the story. It's all part of the program—literally and figuratively.
Flashpoint is a fast, fun read, something I was comfortable in giving to my 13-year-old son, and which I wouldn't mind re-reading again. (My husband can tell you that from me, that's high praise.) If you are looking for Biblical speculative fiction the way it should be done, you need to read Creed!
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Author: Frank Creed
Book website: http://www.frankcreed.com/flashpoint.html
Genre: science fiction, Christian, cyberpunk
Published by Writers Café Press
ISBN: 978-1-934284-01-8
Review's website: www.fabianspace.com
Reviewed by Karina Fabian in www.virtualbooktourdenet.com
Rating: Four of Five stars
Frank Creed pushes the boundaries of Christian fiction with Biblical cyberpunk—when he talks about "God in the machine," he's quite literal. He's been thinking and playing in the genre since long before William Gibson made it popular—and Creed can give Gibson a run for his money.
Creed starts with the basics for both cyberpunk and Biblical speculative fiction: a dystopic world run by a totalitarian global regime, with a pretty wide division between the haves and have-nots. Those who support the regime live a prosperous life, while those who do not are left to the squalor of a crime-riddled underworld at best and slave camps or "reconditioning" at worst.
True to the Christian angle, the government has established a watered-down "feel good" religion, and true Christians (dubbed "Fundamentalists") are forced to hide their practices or go totally underground by joining the Resistance.
Dave and Jen are our young heroes. When the government finds out their family is part of a secret home church, they are taken to the underground by their father to save their lives. Daddy leaves them in order to draw off the authorities and is captured with their mother. Meanwhile, Dave and Jen are taken in by the Resistance and discover they have amazing abilities. They receive cybernetic mind enhancements that enable them to become the kind of perfected humans God created, before we were damaged by Original Sin.
Dave becomes a superhero with Matrix-style abilities, while Jen becomes e-girl, the computer wizard no cyberpunk novel is complete without. They join the Resistance; their first mission: Save Mom and Dad and the members of their home church. And as they fulfill their mission, they learn what it means to be part of God's army.
There's nothing especially spectacular in the plot, but the real magic is in the execution. Creed does a fantastic job of weaving in all the things that make cyberpunk an exciting genre to read: the melding of human capabilities with highly technological advancements, exciting scenes that deliver the adrenalin rush, earthy but clever repartee, cunning twists to the mundane, some well-thought out fight scenes…
But what about the Biblical message? Here again Creed shows his genius. He immerses you in the Word of God just as he immerses you in the cyberpunk culture—in thought, word and deed. The thing I personally love about cyberpunk is the complete cultural mythos, right down to vocabulary.
Creed does the same thing; in addition to some really fun slang, he's woven in Scripture and the ideals of his Christian "Army" so that as you read, you are neither preached to nor pulled out of the story. It's all part of the program—literally and figuratively.
Flashpoint is a fast, fun read, something I was comfortable in giving to my 13-year-old son, and which I wouldn't mind re-reading again. (My husband can tell you that from me, that's high praise.) If you are looking for Biblical speculative fiction the way it should be done, you need to read Creed!
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Monday, 4 February 2008
Great Book Proposal Reviewed by Lattanzio
The Great First Impression Book Proposal
An Amazon Short
Only 49 cents
Published by Amazon.com
Reviewed by May L. Lattanzio "Inkslinger", author of "Paradise," an Amazon Short
It's not the writing of the book I hate . . . that part's fun. As an author, freelance writer and poet, no matter how many times you write and rewrite a piece, there's a lot of pride and enjoyment that goes into birthing your best creative efforts.
The downside is...The DREADED QUERY LETTER and BOOK PROPOSAL. They crushing to me, and probably to others who are serious about getting their work "out there" as well. For me, I HATE, HATE, HATE them! I can write a novel - no sweat. But I sweat blood over proposals and queries.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson makes it easy, gives you the switches that can turn you and even the most cold-blooded editor on.
Try it. I'm taking this little booklet and having it tattooed on my inner arm. It's going to be useful to you, I promise. And if you aren't a writer, and you know one, send it on. They'll love it.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Monday, 28 January 2008
Author Laura Caldwell Writes Romance, Mystery
Title - THE GOOD LIAR
Author - Laura Caldwell
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Romantic Suspense
ISBN- 0778325016
Reviewed by L. Levy
Kate Livingston and Liza Kingsley have been best friends since
childhood. When Liza sets the newly divorced Kate up with Michael
Walker, she never expects her to fall for the elegant man, 16 years her
senior. The relationship is a whirlwind, quickly resulting in marriage.
Liza begins to wonder, however, if she's introduced Kate to more than
her dream man, catapulting her instead into a world of dangerous
secrets...
Kate follows Michael to the French-Canadian town of St. Marabel,
but she soon begins to suspect, like Liza, that he isn't who he claims.
After digging a little deeper, the two women eventually find themselves
on a collision course, racing from the US to Russia to Canada to Brazil.
The betrayals and crimes of passion they uncover threaten to end them,
as well as everything they love.
Author - Laura Caldwell
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Romantic Suspense
ISBN- 0778325016
Reviewed by L. Levy
Kate Livingston and Liza Kingsley have been best friends since
childhood. When Liza sets the newly divorced Kate up with Michael
Walker, she never expects her to fall for the elegant man, 16 years her
senior. The relationship is a whirlwind, quickly resulting in marriage.
Liza begins to wonder, however, if she's introduced Kate to more than
her dream man, catapulting her instead into a world of dangerous
secrets...
Kate follows Michael to the French-Canadian town of St. Marabel,
but she soon begins to suspect, like Liza, that he isn't who he claims.
After digging a little deeper, the two women eventually find themselves
on a collision course, racing from the US to Russia to Canada to Brazil.
The betrayals and crimes of passion they uncover threaten to end them,
as well as everything they love.
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Standing Tall with Roots in Giving
Reviewed by Linda Ballou
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and the Frugal Editor, comes from giving. She gives freely of her vast knowledge in marketing to an ever growing list of loyal readers. Whether you are considering subsidy publishing, self-publishing or a traditional publisher her books provide you with a roadmap and the tools to get your book into the public eye. A former publicist for a New York PR firm and a marketing instructor for the UCLA Extension’s Writer’s Program she tells us to put our best blossoms forward. “Think of your work as a bouquet that you arrange to its best advantage.”
The talk she gave at the San Fernanco Chapter of the Calfironia Writers Club (CWC) focused on how to create an effective media kit. Branding yourself, rather than your book, is critical in creating a lasting image and impression on editors. Collecting lists for distribution should be a part of your daily life. Developing an awareness of where opportunities to network lie will facilitate getting the word out about your book. Although she encourages creativity in presentation, editors do not want to search for information. They want it handed to them in an easy to use format that fills already established slots in newspapers and magazines. High points of her talk on how to build a media kit are detailed in the Frugal Book Promoter.
“Don’t be proprietary.” She warns us. “We want to share. We want people to know about what we think and feel.” Carolyn does not worry about people stealing her material. In fact, she invites editors to download articles off her site and to use them for free as long as they give her a byline. She gets more than dollars out of what she is doing. “Besides, she quips “Who wants to stay home watching I Love Lucy reruns?”
------
Reviewed by Linda Ballou –Adventure travel writer and author of Wai-nani—High Chiefess of Hawai`i—Her Ancient Journey www.LindaBallouAuthor.com
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and the Frugal Editor, comes from giving. She gives freely of her vast knowledge in marketing to an ever growing list of loyal readers. Whether you are considering subsidy publishing, self-publishing or a traditional publisher her books provide you with a roadmap and the tools to get your book into the public eye. A former publicist for a New York PR firm and a marketing instructor for the UCLA Extension’s Writer’s Program she tells us to put our best blossoms forward. “Think of your work as a bouquet that you arrange to its best advantage.”
The talk she gave at the San Fernanco Chapter of the Calfironia Writers Club (CWC) focused on how to create an effective media kit. Branding yourself, rather than your book, is critical in creating a lasting image and impression on editors. Collecting lists for distribution should be a part of your daily life. Developing an awareness of where opportunities to network lie will facilitate getting the word out about your book. Although she encourages creativity in presentation, editors do not want to search for information. They want it handed to them in an easy to use format that fills already established slots in newspapers and magazines. High points of her talk on how to build a media kit are detailed in the Frugal Book Promoter.
“Don’t be proprietary.” She warns us. “We want to share. We want people to know about what we think and feel.” Carolyn does not worry about people stealing her material. In fact, she invites editors to download articles off her site and to use them for free as long as they give her a byline. She gets more than dollars out of what she is doing. “Besides, she quips “Who wants to stay home watching I Love Lucy reruns?”
------
Reviewed by Linda Ballou –Adventure travel writer and author of Wai-nani—High Chiefess of Hawai`i—Her Ancient Journey www.LindaBallouAuthor.com
Sunday, 13 January 2008
Memoir, Tolerance and, Incidentally, a Run for President
Dreams from my Father, A story of Race and Inheritance
By Barack Obama
Three Rivers Press
Reviewed by Maryanne Raphael
In Dreams From My Father, Obama wrote of his efforts to understand his family, the leaps through time and the collision of cultures hoping to shine light on the question of identity and race in the American experience.
He described the “underlying struggle between worlds of plenty and worlds of want, between modern and ancient cultures.” He admired those “who embrace our teeming, colliding irksome diversity while insisting on values that bind us together”. And he feared “those who seek, under whatever flag or slogan or sacred text,to justify cruelty towards those not like us.”
The book shows how powerlessness twists children’s lives in Jakarta or Nairobi in much the same way it does on Chicago’s South Side and how quickly despair slips into violence. It discusses how the powerful respond with a dull complacency until violence threatens them and they then use force,(longer prison sentences and more sophisticated hardware) inadequate to the task.
Obama struggles constantly to understand this problem and his place in it. He is now professionally engaged in a broader public debate that will shape our lives and the lives of our children for many years to come.
If he had known his mother was dying so young, he would have written a different book, less a meditation of the absent parent and more a celebration of the one who was the single constant in his life. He shares some of the stories his mother and her parents told him when he was a child. ”
Obama feels we have all seen too much to take his parents’ brief union, a black man and a white woman an African and an American at face value. He says when black or white people who don’t know him well, discover his background they no longer know who he is.
This is the record of a personal interior journey, a boy’s search for his father and a workable meaning for his life as a black American.
Obama says, “I can embrace my black brothers and sisters whether in this country or in Africa and affirm a common destiny without pretending to speak for all our various struggles.”
Much of this book is based on journals or oral histories of his family. Obama says he tried to write an honest account of a particular province of his life.’
Without the love and support of his family, his mother, his grandparents and his siblings, stretched across oceans and continents he could never have finished it
He was born in Hawaii, lived several years in Indonesia, then lived in New York City where he went to Columbia University. In 1983 he was a Chicago community organizer and a civil rights lawyer.
His Aunt Jane whom he had never met called him from Kenya to say his father was killed in an auto accident. His parents had divorced when he was two years old and he had only seen his father for one month when he came to visit Obama and his mother in Hawaii.
When Obama went to Kenya his half sister Auma and his Auntie Zeitumi met him
They took him to meet Aunt Jane and other African family members.
Family seemed to be everywhere in Kenya and Obama found himself meditating on just what is a family He sat on his father’s grave and spoke with him through Africa’ red soil.
When he returned to America he met Michelle, who had been raised in Chicago. After their engagement he took her to Kenya to meet his family there They returned to the United States and married.
This is an absorbing and moving tale of a man who takes a journey to his father ‘s home, where he lived much of his life and died. Obama re-evaluates his relationship with the myth of his father and the meaning of his own life. It is a quiet but intense examination of a man’s past and his son’s attempt to understand it.
Examining his family’s life and thinking about his own, Obama finds a certain relief reliving times and behavior that had slipped into the undifferentiated past and finally arrives at some kind of understanding.
The writing style is exciting, a well written blend of memoir and history. The rich narrative and interesting characters keep the reader turning pages. Obama’s sensual descriptions made the reader feel he is visiting south side of Chicago, Harlem, Indonesia or Kenya. You see the people, hear their voices, taste and smell the food, feel the breeze and smell the ocean.
This is a book I would have enjoyed even if had not been written by a well-known, fascinating man beginning to put his mark on the world.
-----
Reviewed by Maryanne Raphael www.authorsden.com/maryanneraphael
"No matter what I'm doing right now, I would rather be writing."
By Barack Obama
Three Rivers Press
Reviewed by Maryanne Raphael
In Dreams From My Father, Obama wrote of his efforts to understand his family, the leaps through time and the collision of cultures hoping to shine light on the question of identity and race in the American experience.
He described the “underlying struggle between worlds of plenty and worlds of want, between modern and ancient cultures.” He admired those “who embrace our teeming, colliding irksome diversity while insisting on values that bind us together”. And he feared “those who seek, under whatever flag or slogan or sacred text,to justify cruelty towards those not like us.”
The book shows how powerlessness twists children’s lives in Jakarta or Nairobi in much the same way it does on Chicago’s South Side and how quickly despair slips into violence. It discusses how the powerful respond with a dull complacency until violence threatens them and they then use force,(longer prison sentences and more sophisticated hardware) inadequate to the task.
Obama struggles constantly to understand this problem and his place in it. He is now professionally engaged in a broader public debate that will shape our lives and the lives of our children for many years to come.
If he had known his mother was dying so young, he would have written a different book, less a meditation of the absent parent and more a celebration of the one who was the single constant in his life. He shares some of the stories his mother and her parents told him when he was a child. ”
Obama feels we have all seen too much to take his parents’ brief union, a black man and a white woman an African and an American at face value. He says when black or white people who don’t know him well, discover his background they no longer know who he is.
This is the record of a personal interior journey, a boy’s search for his father and a workable meaning for his life as a black American.
Obama says, “I can embrace my black brothers and sisters whether in this country or in Africa and affirm a common destiny without pretending to speak for all our various struggles.”
Much of this book is based on journals or oral histories of his family. Obama says he tried to write an honest account of a particular province of his life.’
Without the love and support of his family, his mother, his grandparents and his siblings, stretched across oceans and continents he could never have finished it
He was born in Hawaii, lived several years in Indonesia, then lived in New York City where he went to Columbia University. In 1983 he was a Chicago community organizer and a civil rights lawyer.
His Aunt Jane whom he had never met called him from Kenya to say his father was killed in an auto accident. His parents had divorced when he was two years old and he had only seen his father for one month when he came to visit Obama and his mother in Hawaii.
When Obama went to Kenya his half sister Auma and his Auntie Zeitumi met him
They took him to meet Aunt Jane and other African family members.
Family seemed to be everywhere in Kenya and Obama found himself meditating on just what is a family He sat on his father’s grave and spoke with him through Africa’ red soil.
When he returned to America he met Michelle, who had been raised in Chicago. After their engagement he took her to Kenya to meet his family there They returned to the United States and married.
This is an absorbing and moving tale of a man who takes a journey to his father ‘s home, where he lived much of his life and died. Obama re-evaluates his relationship with the myth of his father and the meaning of his own life. It is a quiet but intense examination of a man’s past and his son’s attempt to understand it.
Examining his family’s life and thinking about his own, Obama finds a certain relief reliving times and behavior that had slipped into the undifferentiated past and finally arrives at some kind of understanding.
The writing style is exciting, a well written blend of memoir and history. The rich narrative and interesting characters keep the reader turning pages. Obama’s sensual descriptions made the reader feel he is visiting south side of Chicago, Harlem, Indonesia or Kenya. You see the people, hear their voices, taste and smell the food, feel the breeze and smell the ocean.
This is a book I would have enjoyed even if had not been written by a well-known, fascinating man beginning to put his mark on the world.
-----
Reviewed by Maryanne Raphael www.authorsden.com/maryanneraphael
"No matter what I'm doing right now, I would rather be writing."
Sunday, 6 January 2008
James A. Cox Reviews a Sinking Ship
Sinking the Ship of State - The Presidency of George W. Bush
Walter M. Brasch
non-fiction (current events, politics)
ISBN: 9781419669507
PRICE: $24.95
Booksurge (Charleston, SC)
Reviewer: James A. Cox, editor, Midwest Book Review
Quoting from the back cover:
"Sinking the Ship of State traces the arc of the Bush presidency from its humble beginnings in the slime of the South Carolina primary to its zenith on a carrier deck beneath a "Mission Accomplished" banner and down to its sorry demise in proposed impeachment proceedings. Brasch lays the whip to the indolent press, "cash register patriots," and a corrupt Congress. It is an exhilarating ride." - Don Kaul, syndicated columnist; retired Washington columnist, Des Moines Register
"When most Americans and the mainstream media were accepting whatever they were told by the Bush Administration, Walter Brasch was meticulously peeling away the incompetence, deceit, corruption and, most of all, their cavalier attitude to the Constitution." - Jim Hightower, syndicated columnist
"Walter Brasch shines a merciless light on the moral hypocrites and constitutional villains who act as the self-appointed protectors of the nation. His writing is propelled by a lively sense of humor and an acute sensitivity to the darker ironies of our times." - Jeffrey St. Clair, co-editor, CounterPunch
"Brasch is one of the first and most consistent columnists to warn about George W. Bush and his neo-conservative administration's plans for a pre-emptive attack on Iraq and the drummed up evidence of WMD. Brasch is an articulate and entertaining writer exposing constitutional and human right violations." - Regina Huelman, Editor, Liberal Opinion Week."
Walter Brasch has used past writings from his social issues column, Wanderings, as the basis for this book. The columns have been presented in a chronological order, starting in 2000, making the book historical, informative, and easily digestible. If you're interested in politics, this book should be on the table beside your bed.
Walter Brasch is a master at weeding through the political lies, deceit, corruption, rhetoric, and hyperbole to help us find the truth. He is a man we need very much in today's complex society. If you want to know the truth, buy this book and help support his efforts.
Walter M. Brasch
non-fiction (current events, politics)
ISBN: 9781419669507
PRICE: $24.95
Booksurge (Charleston, SC)
Reviewer: James A. Cox, editor, Midwest Book Review
Quoting from the back cover:
"Sinking the Ship of State traces the arc of the Bush presidency from its humble beginnings in the slime of the South Carolina primary to its zenith on a carrier deck beneath a "Mission Accomplished" banner and down to its sorry demise in proposed impeachment proceedings. Brasch lays the whip to the indolent press, "cash register patriots," and a corrupt Congress. It is an exhilarating ride." - Don Kaul, syndicated columnist; retired Washington columnist, Des Moines Register
"When most Americans and the mainstream media were accepting whatever they were told by the Bush Administration, Walter Brasch was meticulously peeling away the incompetence, deceit, corruption and, most of all, their cavalier attitude to the Constitution." - Jim Hightower, syndicated columnist
"Walter Brasch shines a merciless light on the moral hypocrites and constitutional villains who act as the self-appointed protectors of the nation. His writing is propelled by a lively sense of humor and an acute sensitivity to the darker ironies of our times." - Jeffrey St. Clair, co-editor, CounterPunch
"Brasch is one of the first and most consistent columnists to warn about George W. Bush and his neo-conservative administration's plans for a pre-emptive attack on Iraq and the drummed up evidence of WMD. Brasch is an articulate and entertaining writer exposing constitutional and human right violations." - Regina Huelman, Editor, Liberal Opinion Week."
Walter Brasch has used past writings from his social issues column, Wanderings, as the basis for this book. The columns have been presented in a chronological order, starting in 2000, making the book historical, informative, and easily digestible. If you're interested in politics, this book should be on the table beside your bed.
Walter Brasch is a master at weeding through the political lies, deceit, corruption, rhetoric, and hyperbole to help us find the truth. He is a man we need very much in today's complex society. If you want to know the truth, buy this book and help support his efforts.
Writer/Reader Reads Memoir at Therapist's Suggestion
Low Down
By A.J. Albany
Non-Fiction Memoir
Publisher-Bloomsbury, New York (2003)
Purchase Link - N/A - Picked up copy at Pasadena
central Library
Reviewed by Diane Ward, reader and Authors' Coalition member
The other day I received an email from my ex-therapist, Margaret Starr, suggesting I get hold of a copy of a book called LOW DOWN to read. According to Margaret, the writing seemed to remind her of my writing - 'wry, funny with undertones of accusation and appreciation.' Naturally, I had to find out what Margaret was talking about so I inquired at my local library to see if in fact they had a copy and/or could one be ordered. In two days I had a hard copy of the book in my hands. Wow! Now that's what I call efficient. O.K. So this is what I felt after reading this very intense journey of A.J. Albany.
First, I like the geography of the book...the lay of the land so to speak. For the most part, the telling of this tale occurs in Hollywood and the period is roughly from 1969 - 1972. This is exactly the same time I lived in a rented room in a Hollywood Hills home and walked to Falcon Studios on Hollywood Blvd, walking right past the St Francis Hotel - where A.J. was raised by her now late great jazz pianist dad Joe Albany. Had I seen her walking the streets as I passed by on my way to dance class? This, I could not remember... .
But getting back to A.J.'s upbringing, it is apparent from early on that both her mother and father were heroin addicts and unfortunately put their parenting skills on a back burner. A.J., at a very tender age had to in fact recessitate either parent at an given moment and bring them back to life. This in fact depicts young A.J. behaving as though she were her parents parent. How very sad and terrifying this
surely was for anyone to witness, let alone a 5 year old. It was around that time that A.J.'s mother decides to leave her dad and abandon her daugher. Thus, little A.J. is thrown into a world of rapidly declining jazz jobs that her father was not able to find work in and thrust more deeply into an environment of drug-dealers, parole officers, truant officers, whores and pimps looking for monies owed along with the occasional introductions to people like Charlie Mingus, Charlie Parker (via her dad's memory, Thelonious Monk and Erroll Garner, to mention but a few. Heavy stuff to assimilate for anyone, let alone a 5 year old. And so it goes...drug deals gone sour,her dad's getting arrested, getting released and constant shuffling between the St.Francis Hotel on Hollywood Blvd, and the Knickerbocker Hotel on Ivar where they mostly resided, one step always ahead of the police. In the strange world of bottom feeders, drug addicts, jazz musicians and every other kind ofmisfit and outcast that eventually gravitates to Hollywood, does A.J.'s story unfold. It is a very compelling tale and an honest look at an amoral society that defintely existed
in a time a young soul was cheated of her childhood. No one should have to experience a life growing up like this. It happens. Itis true. Pick up a copy of this book and see and feel it for yourself. I would give this book an "R" rating
for its explicit language and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed watching the film TRAINSPOTTING. What I don't understand is how Margaret, my ex-therapist could think my memoir is as dark as this...
By A.J. Albany
Non-Fiction Memoir
Publisher-Bloomsbury, New York (2003)
Purchase Link - N/A - Picked up copy at Pasadena
central Library
Reviewed by Diane Ward, reader and Authors' Coalition member
The other day I received an email from my ex-therapist, Margaret Starr, suggesting I get hold of a copy of a book called LOW DOWN to read. According to Margaret, the writing seemed to remind her of my writing - 'wry, funny with undertones of accusation and appreciation.' Naturally, I had to find out what Margaret was talking about so I inquired at my local library to see if in fact they had a copy and/or could one be ordered. In two days I had a hard copy of the book in my hands. Wow! Now that's what I call efficient. O.K. So this is what I felt after reading this very intense journey of A.J. Albany.
First, I like the geography of the book...the lay of the land so to speak. For the most part, the telling of this tale occurs in Hollywood and the period is roughly from 1969 - 1972. This is exactly the same time I lived in a rented room in a Hollywood Hills home and walked to Falcon Studios on Hollywood Blvd, walking right past the St Francis Hotel - where A.J. was raised by her now late great jazz pianist dad Joe Albany. Had I seen her walking the streets as I passed by on my way to dance class? This, I could not remember... .
But getting back to A.J.'s upbringing, it is apparent from early on that both her mother and father were heroin addicts and unfortunately put their parenting skills on a back burner. A.J., at a very tender age had to in fact recessitate either parent at an given moment and bring them back to life. This in fact depicts young A.J. behaving as though she were her parents parent. How very sad and terrifying this
surely was for anyone to witness, let alone a 5 year old. It was around that time that A.J.'s mother decides to leave her dad and abandon her daugher. Thus, little A.J. is thrown into a world of rapidly declining jazz jobs that her father was not able to find work in and thrust more deeply into an environment of drug-dealers, parole officers, truant officers, whores and pimps looking for monies owed along with the occasional introductions to people like Charlie Mingus, Charlie Parker (via her dad's memory, Thelonious Monk and Erroll Garner, to mention but a few. Heavy stuff to assimilate for anyone, let alone a 5 year old. And so it goes...drug deals gone sour,her dad's getting arrested, getting released and constant shuffling between the St.Francis Hotel on Hollywood Blvd, and the Knickerbocker Hotel on Ivar where they mostly resided, one step always ahead of the police. In the strange world of bottom feeders, drug addicts, jazz musicians and every other kind ofmisfit and outcast that eventually gravitates to Hollywood, does A.J.'s story unfold. It is a very compelling tale and an honest look at an amoral society that defintely existed
in a time a young soul was cheated of her childhood. No one should have to experience a life growing up like this. It happens. Itis true. Pick up a copy of this book and see and feel it for yourself. I would give this book an "R" rating
for its explicit language and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed watching the film TRAINSPOTTING. What I don't understand is how Margaret, my ex-therapist could think my memoir is as dark as this...
Friday, 4 January 2008
Gogolewski Reviews Piers Anthony
Tortoise Reform
By Piers Anthony
Fantasy Adventure for Middle Grade and Young Adult
Publisher: Mundania Press
Purchase Link: http://www.mundania.com/books-tortoisereform.html
Reviewed by Kathe Gogolewski
About two years ago, Piers Anthony sent me the manuscript for Pandora Park, a fantasy adventure novel he had written for middle grade readers. I had offered to read the story to my 4th and 5th grade schoolchildren at Lake Elementary in Oceanside, California, where I worked as a school volunteer. Over the course of two weeks, I did just that. The children loved it, which didn’t surprise me as the premise was exciting, original and magical. The children gave it high marks in their evaluations, which I sent to Piers. As yet, the story has not been published, but if it is, I highly recommend it for both children and young adults.
Piers Anthony has written another children’s novel, Tortoise Reform, published by Mundania Press. I received a copy in December and read it with great interest. The story revolves around a ten-year-old girl, Rowan, who is displaced from her home for reasons beyond her control and made to stay with her kindly yet kid-clueless aunt and uncle. Feeling lost and lonely, Rowan discovers a tortoise who ventures into her world from another realm through a huge sink hole. This is no ordinary tortoise, however, bearing a sapient and telepathic mind. Rowan learns from Gopher, the tortoise, that most animals from his realm are similarly endowed. As if in a reversal of the natural order, Gopher is surprised at the power and complexity of Rowan’s mind, as humans are considered dull, unimaginative creatures in his world; indeed, they are used as beasts of burden. With delight, Gopher introduces Rowan to his burrow mates - an owl, a snake, an armadillo and a rabbit - all sapient creatures who teach Rowan to transmit thoughts telepathically. One by one, they bond with Rowan and she with them, in part as a result of her efforts to rescue the animals when they fall into mishap. All wish for the relationships to continue, but there’s a problem.
A construction project is slated for the area over the sink hole, which provides the only known exit and entry between their worlds. If the hole is cemented over, Rowan will not be able to visit her new friends and vice versa. Using their shared telepathy, they identify the man in charge of the construction project and set out to find him. The story also entails a visit by Rowan to the animals’ realm, where she feigns dullness to pass as an inhabitant. The animals are short one burrow mate in their world, which they must find before they can apply for official recognition as a burrow. Naturally, they consider Rowan for the role. Adventures abound for all in both realms.
I found the story delightful, but then, I’m a fan of Piers Anthony’s writing. In Tortosie Reform, he does not dull-down the vocabulary, yet most of the more difficult words are aptly presented in context, creating meaningful and digestible text for ten-year olds and up. This treatment is atypical of the majority of current children’s literature, which tends to incorporate large doses of popular kid-patois. Piers’ treatment is reminiscent of the literary works of C. S. Lewis or Lewis Carroll, who present language considered adultish, yet is much enjoyed by children.
I also love the characterization of Rowan. She remains charming, enthusiastic and relatable throughout the tale. Piers has a good grasp of the concerns and interests of children, in my opinion, and I’ll post an excerpt here of Rowan’s thoughts to show you what I mean:
She didn’t like deceiving Aunt and Uncle. She knew they were nice enough people. It wasn’t their fault that her folks were having problems and had to farm her out for a while. In fact they were being pretty decent about boarding her. But they did not understand children, having none of their own. Sometimes they acted as if she were a little adult, and sometimes as if she were two years old. They hadn’t found the range for age ten. So they expected her to do her chores, like laundry, which was adult, and to be in bed and asleep by nine PM, which was child. And they had no understanding at all of her need to interact with her friends.
The last was the worst. She had a slender slew of fine friends in fifth grade, and some vile villainous enemies, and had had every intention of keeping in touch with them all over the summer. The bad things could be almost as much fun as the good ones. She was good at being bad, when she tried. It was maybe her last real chance to be a tomboy before she had to start orienting on (ugh!) young lady hood.
Aside from equating badness with tomboy tendencies, I enjoyed this. His characterization creates a well-rounded and believable little girl.
I didn’t feel, however, that the animals differed significantly from each other in their characterizations. They felt homogenous; I could easily trade the dialogue of one with another. I felt Piers missed an excellent opportunity to create anthropomorphic differentiation in their characterizations, such as the treatment given to animal characters in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe or the Harry Potter series.
My other objection concerns the temporary nudity assigned to the girl in the animals’ realm. Whereas it is alluded to only once as she washes her clothes and hangs them up to dry, it is left to the reader to consider that she is thereafter left without a stitch of clothing. Culturally in our westernized society, nudity is not a topic found in children’s literature. It may be argued that it is realistic to assume that in this story the girl must wash her clothes after crawling through a muddy tunnel, but it is also realistic for people to perch upon a toilet at least once a day, yet one rarely reads about it unless the plot demands it. I think it’s best to keep such illuminations out of children’s stories entirely.
All in all, it is a tale well-told, and I hope it gains enough readership to prompt Piers to write the sequel (it does beg for one). I felt compelled to return to the story each evening until I had finished the book. Piers Anthony is, after all, a master storyteller.
Kathe Gogolewski
http://www.TRI-Studio.com
NEW! The Mother Daughter Club radio show
www.byforandaboutwomen.com
The Fiction Flyer: www.tri-studio.com/ezine.html
From Amazon: short stories for 49 cents:
The Gold Coin: http://www.amazon.com/The-Gold-Coin/dp/B000IB0JHK/ref=pd_ts_b_13/102-3993851-2836959?ie=UTF8&s=books
By Piers Anthony
Fantasy Adventure for Middle Grade and Young Adult
Publisher: Mundania Press
Purchase Link: http://www.mundania.com/books-tortoisereform.html
Reviewed by Kathe Gogolewski
About two years ago, Piers Anthony sent me the manuscript for Pandora Park, a fantasy adventure novel he had written for middle grade readers. I had offered to read the story to my 4th and 5th grade schoolchildren at Lake Elementary in Oceanside, California, where I worked as a school volunteer. Over the course of two weeks, I did just that. The children loved it, which didn’t surprise me as the premise was exciting, original and magical. The children gave it high marks in their evaluations, which I sent to Piers. As yet, the story has not been published, but if it is, I highly recommend it for both children and young adults.
Piers Anthony has written another children’s novel, Tortoise Reform, published by Mundania Press. I received a copy in December and read it with great interest. The story revolves around a ten-year-old girl, Rowan, who is displaced from her home for reasons beyond her control and made to stay with her kindly yet kid-clueless aunt and uncle. Feeling lost and lonely, Rowan discovers a tortoise who ventures into her world from another realm through a huge sink hole. This is no ordinary tortoise, however, bearing a sapient and telepathic mind. Rowan learns from Gopher, the tortoise, that most animals from his realm are similarly endowed. As if in a reversal of the natural order, Gopher is surprised at the power and complexity of Rowan’s mind, as humans are considered dull, unimaginative creatures in his world; indeed, they are used as beasts of burden. With delight, Gopher introduces Rowan to his burrow mates - an owl, a snake, an armadillo and a rabbit - all sapient creatures who teach Rowan to transmit thoughts telepathically. One by one, they bond with Rowan and she with them, in part as a result of her efforts to rescue the animals when they fall into mishap. All wish for the relationships to continue, but there’s a problem.
A construction project is slated for the area over the sink hole, which provides the only known exit and entry between their worlds. If the hole is cemented over, Rowan will not be able to visit her new friends and vice versa. Using their shared telepathy, they identify the man in charge of the construction project and set out to find him. The story also entails a visit by Rowan to the animals’ realm, where she feigns dullness to pass as an inhabitant. The animals are short one burrow mate in their world, which they must find before they can apply for official recognition as a burrow. Naturally, they consider Rowan for the role. Adventures abound for all in both realms.
I found the story delightful, but then, I’m a fan of Piers Anthony’s writing. In Tortosie Reform, he does not dull-down the vocabulary, yet most of the more difficult words are aptly presented in context, creating meaningful and digestible text for ten-year olds and up. This treatment is atypical of the majority of current children’s literature, which tends to incorporate large doses of popular kid-patois. Piers’ treatment is reminiscent of the literary works of C. S. Lewis or Lewis Carroll, who present language considered adultish, yet is much enjoyed by children.
I also love the characterization of Rowan. She remains charming, enthusiastic and relatable throughout the tale. Piers has a good grasp of the concerns and interests of children, in my opinion, and I’ll post an excerpt here of Rowan’s thoughts to show you what I mean:
She didn’t like deceiving Aunt and Uncle. She knew they were nice enough people. It wasn’t their fault that her folks were having problems and had to farm her out for a while. In fact they were being pretty decent about boarding her. But they did not understand children, having none of their own. Sometimes they acted as if she were a little adult, and sometimes as if she were two years old. They hadn’t found the range for age ten. So they expected her to do her chores, like laundry, which was adult, and to be in bed and asleep by nine PM, which was child. And they had no understanding at all of her need to interact with her friends.
The last was the worst. She had a slender slew of fine friends in fifth grade, and some vile villainous enemies, and had had every intention of keeping in touch with them all over the summer. The bad things could be almost as much fun as the good ones. She was good at being bad, when she tried. It was maybe her last real chance to be a tomboy before she had to start orienting on (ugh!) young lady hood.
Aside from equating badness with tomboy tendencies, I enjoyed this. His characterization creates a well-rounded and believable little girl.
I didn’t feel, however, that the animals differed significantly from each other in their characterizations. They felt homogenous; I could easily trade the dialogue of one with another. I felt Piers missed an excellent opportunity to create anthropomorphic differentiation in their characterizations, such as the treatment given to animal characters in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe or the Harry Potter series.
My other objection concerns the temporary nudity assigned to the girl in the animals’ realm. Whereas it is alluded to only once as she washes her clothes and hangs them up to dry, it is left to the reader to consider that she is thereafter left without a stitch of clothing. Culturally in our westernized society, nudity is not a topic found in children’s literature. It may be argued that it is realistic to assume that in this story the girl must wash her clothes after crawling through a muddy tunnel, but it is also realistic for people to perch upon a toilet at least once a day, yet one rarely reads about it unless the plot demands it. I think it’s best to keep such illuminations out of children’s stories entirely.
All in all, it is a tale well-told, and I hope it gains enough readership to prompt Piers to write the sequel (it does beg for one). I felt compelled to return to the story each evening until I had finished the book. Piers Anthony is, after all, a master storyteller.
Kathe Gogolewski
http://www.TRI-Studio.com
NEW! The Mother Daughter Club radio show
www.byforandaboutwomen.com
The Fiction Flyer: www.tri-studio.com/ezine.html
From Amazon: short stories for 49 cents:
The Gold Coin: http://www.amazon.com/The-Gold-Coin/dp/B000IB0JHK/ref=pd_ts_b_13/102-3993851-2836959?ie=UTF8&s=books
