Cynthia's Attic: The Missing Locket
By Mary Cunningham
Tween fantasy/fiction, Ages: 9-12
Quake (Echelon Press imprint)
9735 Country Meadows Lane 1-D, Laurel, MD 20723
ISBN: 1590804414 $9.99 410-878-7113
Reviewed by Mayra Calvani for Midwest Book Reviews
The Missing Locket is a paranormal mystery featuring two lovable young sleuths that girls 9 and up will absolutely love. It is the perfect, darkly atmospheric story for young fans of intrigue and adventure to cuddle up with on those gray, rainy afternoons or read in bed.
It is the summer of 1964 and Gus and Cynthia, two best friends who are very different from each other yet very close, are bored out of their minds. Then they have an idea—why not explore Cynthia's old and mysterious attic? After all, Cynthia lives in one of those huge mansions with three floors and lots of rooms, the perfect kind of house that stimulates young imaginations. In the attic, among all the antiques, spiders and cobwebs, they discover a huge, dust-covered old trunk. When they open it, they find an old, dirty, pink ballet costume and slippers, which Cynthia, unable to resist, quickly tries on. Then something very strange happens… Cynthia begins to dance and twirl with the effortless beauty of a ballerina! Stunned, she soon takes it off. As they head towards the door, the unimaginable happens—they're 'pulled' back to the trunk as if by magic, and the attic changes, becoming cold and still when only a moment ago it had been hot and muggy. What's even more strange, the ballet costume and the trunk now look brand new!
Under the costume, they discover a sailor dress, and this time Gus tries it on, with drastic consequences… she's whisked in time back to 1914, to the time when their grandmothers were only twelve years old. Of course, later on, Cynthia joins Gus, and together they must help their Aunt Belle and solve the mystery of the missing, bell-shaped locket, an adventure that takes them over on a steamship across the Atlantic and where they make friends with a young boy's ghost.
Talented author Mary Cunningham has drawn a delightful, intriguing fantasy world that will delight middle readers. Her love for storytelling and for the genre really comes through the pages. The pace is quick and there are enough twists and turns to keep juvenile fans of mystery guessing. The characters of Gus and Cynthia are sympathetic and interesting and young girls will be able to identify with them. This is the first book in the series and I certainly look forward to read the second book, The Magic Medallion, soon.
-----
Mayra Calvani, the reviewer, is author of the book, The Slippery Art of Book Reviews.
-----
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, 10 June 2008
Sunday, 8 June 2008
Author of Slipper Art of Book Reviews Interviews Carolyn How This Blog Works and More!
Unknown
16:11
book reviewing, mayra calvani, Nonfiction: Marketing, Nonfiction: Professional/Writers, Nonfiction: Writers
0
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the founder of Authors' Coalition, an award-winning author and poet, a columnist for My Shelf, and an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. Her books include the popular titles The Frugal Promoter and The Frugal Editor, both USA Book News' Award winners. Carolyn is also the editor of The New Book Review, a book review blog with a different twist: authors may submit reviews which have already been written about their books, thus extending the life of the reviews. In this interview, Johnson discusses the influence and effectiveness of reviews in terms of book promotion, among other things.
Thanks for being here today, Carolyn. How long have you been reviewing?
I've been reviewing for about eight years. Now I really only review movies occasionally for the Glendale News Press and even more infrequently for my series called Reviews for Riters (tm). The latter are reviews written for well-known books but rather than recommending a book (or not!) they are examinations of how master authors tackle specific elements of writing. Thus they are directed at writers--really--more than readers. They're really tools for learning our craft.
Please tell us about The New Book Review. How and when did it get started?
The New Book Review is unusual in that it does not offer review services (either free or paid) to authors. Rather it is a place where authors can submit reviews that have already been written for their book, thus extending the life of the review. Readers are welcome to submit, too. The New Book Review is a blog rather than a site and the submission guidelines may be found in the left column. Of course, writers must have permission from their reviewers to republish the review and must give the reviewer full credit for their work.
What makes The New Book Review different?
Probably just that it is simple and easy to remember. THE NEW BOOK REVIEW. Its concept may be more original than the name. The "new" means that I take a the "new' view to books. Reviews for all books (other than pornography) are welcome. If someone loved a book enough to write a review for it, it belongs at THE NEW BOOK REVIEW. By the way, I will accept critical reviews but not slash and burn critiques. If the reviewer can't recommend a book, then why would my readers want to know about it?
What is the most challenging aspect of running your blog?
As you can see, I make it easy. If people don't submit material in a way that I prescribe in the guidelines, it doesn't get published. That's a good lesson for all. To promote well, authors (and others) must make it easy on the editor.
Do you have staff reviewers?
I suppose every person who submits a review is on my staff. Kind of a neat concept, don't you think?
How should an author contact you about a review request?
Just follow the guidelines on The New Book Review.
How do you determine which reviews to post on your blog?
As long as a review meets the guidelines (found in the left column of the blog), I accept them. When needed, I edit them. Sometimes there is a wait. I try to never post more than one review a day. All those who submit are asked to do a little promotion of the fact that their review has appeared. That helps all the participating authors get more exposure.
How effective are reviews in terms of book publicity?
Reviews are very important to an overall book campaign. I do think that authors need to put them into perspective, though. They are part of a campaign. A vital part but still only a part with every part working together. The Frugal Book Promoter gives authors and publishers information on how to get reviews but also about those other essential parts of a promotion effort.
How influential are reviews on consumers?
For some consumers, they are very influential. My daughter-in-law (she helps me nominate books for my Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize that appears on MyShelf.com) buys her books almost exclusively on the basis of reviews. But different people buy their books differently. I believe that word-of-mouth is more influential and most studies uphold that view. By the way, winning a contest can be a big influence, too. And what a wonderful opportunity a win is to get the word on a book out there.
Do you think reviews can make or destroy an author's career?
They say there is no such thing as bad publicity. I also think that many authors view reviews as bad reviews when they aren't. A review will have more credibility if it isn't all raves and rose petals. A balanced review is more credible. And like everything in our culture, reviews are short-lived. Everyone forgets them in short order. Except maybe the author.
Do you think there’s a lot of ‘facile praise’ among many online review sites?
Do you think there’s a lot of ‘facile praise’ among many online review sites?
Facile praise. Quite a term. Yes, I do. But if someone loves a book, who out there should tell them that they are wrong. I'd just prefer reviews to be a little more even-handed. After all, the review process is about learning for the author and credibility for the reader, too.
There was a lot of controversy last year between print publication reviewers and online bloggers. In your opinion, what defines a ‘legitimate’ reviewer?
It is very hard to draw a line, isn't it. Weren't the reviewers for the New York Times at one point beginners. Does one have to have a BA in English Lit or an MFA in writing to be considered an expert. I think the point here is that people should always be aware of where the material they read is coming from. What is the reader's standard for credibility? Apply those standards. No one should believe everything they read. On the other hand, opinions of others should be respected. Just because a reviewer doesn't agree with us, doesn't mean that their opinion is not valid. This is one of those arguments never to be won, one of those problems never to be solved.
What is your stand on paid reviews?
I'm against them. Paying for something undermines its credibility. And, yes, that even applies to the paid reviews that Kirkus does.
Do you think it’s okay for reviewers to resell the books they review? What about advance review copies?
No, reviewers should donate their books to libraries. It is a fine point of ethics but an important one.
In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes amateur reviewers make?
You named it! Facile reviews.
With so many major newspapers getting rid of their book review sections, how do you see the future of online review sites?
I think there is a place for shorter, quicker reviews online regardless of what the LA Times does with their pages. Still, one hates to see lovely old review sections in journals and newspapers deteriorate.
Do you keep the author’s feelings in mind when you review?
Absolutely. But I also keep the future of her craft in mind.
Have you received aggressive responses from authors or publishers because of a negative review? If yes, how do you handle it?
Not so far. I did quit reviewing for a newspaper who demanded that I write only good things because it was a "family newspaper." This is a freedom of the press issue. Reviews--once committed--get to say what they want. Only their own standards should affect what they say.
What does your blog offer readers?
The New Book Review offers readers a variety of review for books that they might miss if they only peruse the major journals.
What promotional opportunities does your blog offer authors?
Oh, you know me. All publicity and exposure is good publicity and exposure.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a reviewer?
Well, I am an author's advocate--at least with some of my writing. Therefore I'm always interested in helping authors reach readers with what they are passionate about. That's certainly why they write, right?
Is there anything else you would like to say about you or The New Book Review?
Just please come to The New Book Review. To find new and different material to read. Authors should come to reach new readers, cross-promote, and grow their footprint on the Google search engine.
Thanks, Carolyn! It was a pleasure interviewing you!
-----
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.
Saturday, 31 May 2008
Romance with a Strong Dose of Humor
Unknown
20:40
connie gotsch, Fiction: Romance, KSJE (Writers' Programming), sabra brown steinsiek, whisky creek press
0
Title Annie’s Song
Author Sabra Brown Steinsiek
Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Publisher: http://whiskeycreekpress.com/store/
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1593748094
ISBN-13: 978-1593748098
Price: $16.95 Amazon
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch
‘Annie’s Song’ by Sabra Brown Steinsiek has a typical romance plot. Boy (Kit) knows girl (Annie) since childhood. They’re sort of friends. Boy (Kit) and Girl (Annie), go out with other people. That doesn’t work and they end up friends, lovers, and engaged.
What saves ‘Annie’s Song,’ from unraveling into clichés is the laugh the author has with the throes, trials, triumphs, and tribulations of young love. At 23, Annie Collins has experienced success on the Broadway stage, but because her life has revolved around the theater, she has never had a serious boyfriend.
Deciding she’s ready to give that a try, she experiences the infatuations, tears, and befuddlement's that everyone over the age of 30 has experienced as they try to date. In one hilarious scene, Kit, who becomes her platonic roommate, arrives home just in time to interrupt her romantic moment with the guy she believes is Mr. Right. Who hasn’t been there and witnessed that?
While much of the action of ‘Annie’s Song’ takes place in New York, Sabra Brown Steinsiek mixes in a good bit of Southwestern culture, by giving Annie a native New Mexican mother, and a Hispanic grandmother, who lives in Ireland with Annie’s grandfather.
The result is a joyful blend of foods and customs that both evoke fond memories of family gatherings, and capture the feeling of what it’s like to live in a state where Hispanics, Anglos, and Indians have more or less learned to get along over four centuries.
Steinsiek also adds a touch of Albuquerque popular history. A ghost said to haunt the KiMo, an old theater at 5th and Central downtown, comes to warn Annie of danger. Real street names and locations, both eastern and western, add a further sense of authenticity to the book. Steinsiek’s simple and direct descriptions trigger memories of both locations, to anyone who’s been lucky enough to spend time in Manhattan and New Mexico.
Add to that a few unexpected (and sometimes nasty) events, a slew of Annie’s girl friends and nieces; a doting father, and older sisters, and ‘Annie’s Song’ becomes a celebration for anyone who has come of age with strong roots and powerful wings.
It won’t matter that the reader will guess the outcome of the book long before the end. Steinsiek’s humor and warmth make ‘Annie’s Song’ work anyway.
-----
Connie Gotsch, Imagination on Board
Author of "A Mouth Full of Shell" and "Snap Me a Future"
Featured in "The Complete Writer's Journal" --www.redenginepress.com
Find out more at www.conniegotsch.com or dlsijpress.com or ebook.com
-----
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 Sabra Brown Steinsiek
Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Publisher: http://whiskeycreekpress.com/store/
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1593748094
ISBN-13: 978-1593748098
Price: $16.95 Amazon
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch
‘Annie’s Song’ by Sabra Brown Steinsiek has a typical romance plot. Boy (Kit) knows girl (Annie) since childhood. They’re sort of friends. Boy (Kit) and Girl (Annie), go out with other people. That doesn’t work and they end up friends, lovers, and engaged.
What saves ‘Annie’s Song,’ from unraveling into clichés is the laugh the author has with the throes, trials, triumphs, and tribulations of young love. At 23, Annie Collins has experienced success on the Broadway stage, but because her life has revolved around the theater, she has never had a serious boyfriend.
Deciding she’s ready to give that a try, she experiences the infatuations, tears, and befuddlement's that everyone over the age of 30 has experienced as they try to date. In one hilarious scene, Kit, who becomes her platonic roommate, arrives home just in time to interrupt her romantic moment with the guy she believes is Mr. Right. Who hasn’t been there and witnessed that?
While much of the action of ‘Annie’s Song’ takes place in New York, Sabra Brown Steinsiek mixes in a good bit of Southwestern culture, by giving Annie a native New Mexican mother, and a Hispanic grandmother, who lives in Ireland with Annie’s grandfather.
The result is a joyful blend of foods and customs that both evoke fond memories of family gatherings, and capture the feeling of what it’s like to live in a state where Hispanics, Anglos, and Indians have more or less learned to get along over four centuries.
Steinsiek also adds a touch of Albuquerque popular history. A ghost said to haunt the KiMo, an old theater at 5th and Central downtown, comes to warn Annie of danger. Real street names and locations, both eastern and western, add a further sense of authenticity to the book. Steinsiek’s simple and direct descriptions trigger memories of both locations, to anyone who’s been lucky enough to spend time in Manhattan and New Mexico.
Add to that a few unexpected (and sometimes nasty) events, a slew of Annie’s girl friends and nieces; a doting father, and older sisters, and ‘Annie’s Song’ becomes a celebration for anyone who has come of age with strong roots and powerful wings.
It won’t matter that the reader will guess the outcome of the book long before the end. Steinsiek’s humor and warmth make ‘Annie’s Song’ work anyway.
-----
Connie Gotsch, Imagination on Board
Author of "A Mouth Full of Shell" and "Snap Me a Future"
Featured in "The Complete Writer's Journal" --www.redenginepress.com
Find out more at www.conniegotsch.com or dlsijpress.com or ebook.com
-----
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, 19 May 2008
Zogby Poll on Why Readers Read, Book Buyers Buy
Unknown
09:00
book expo america, carol schneider, Nonfiction: Publishing/Reading Trends, Random House Publishing Group, zogby
0
This is really a media release rather than a review but it seemed pertinent to a review site -- important information for both authors and readers alike -- so I thought I would include it.
COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF BOOK BUYERS AND READERS TO BE RELEASED BY RENOWNED POLLSTER
JOHN ZOGBY ON FRIDAY, MAY 30 AT
BOOK EXPO AMERICA IN LOS ANGELES
May 19, 2008 New York, NY: John Zogby, one of the leading voices in the public opinion research industry, and his firm Zogby International have partnered with The Random House Publishing Group to design and conduct an extensive nationwide interactive poll of book buyers to determine how, why and where they purchase and read books. The just-completed survey, which drew 8200 responses, provides an in-depth picture of Americans’ reading and book-buying habits—from the influence of book reviews and recommendations, to details on how they browse for books, both in store and online.
In his presentation at BEA (details below), Zogby will put the findings of his survey into context and provide marketing information that booksellers and publishers can use to connect with the changing American consumer.
“This survey provides an unprecedented look at where people purchase books and how they make their decisions about what books to buy”, comments Zogby. “The findings also highlight the similarities – and differences – between men and women, young and old, and across the income spectrum to capture the latest opinions of today’s consumers on an extensive range of book-related topics. It will no doubt prove an invaluable tool for anyone looking to get a good read on the American book-buying public.”
Zogby is the author of a new book, The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream, which Random House will publish on August 12. In it he identifies a new American consensus arising from the collapse of trust in our leaders and leading institutions. Basing his analysis on thousands of polls conducted by his organization, he sees four main trends that affect how Americans buy and vote: learning to live with limits, embracing diversity, rejecting materialism, and demanding authenticity.
Zogby’s presentation , “The New American Character,” is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, May 30 in Room 406A at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Carol Schneider
V.P., Executive Director, Publicity & Public Relations
The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway 17-4
New York, NY 10019
212/572-2245
cschneider@randomhouse.com
------
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.
COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF BOOK BUYERS AND READERS TO BE RELEASED BY RENOWNED POLLSTER
JOHN ZOGBY ON FRIDAY, MAY 30 AT
BOOK EXPO AMERICA IN LOS ANGELES
May 19, 2008 New York, NY: John Zogby, one of the leading voices in the public opinion research industry, and his firm Zogby International have partnered with The Random House Publishing Group to design and conduct an extensive nationwide interactive poll of book buyers to determine how, why and where they purchase and read books. The just-completed survey, which drew 8200 responses, provides an in-depth picture of Americans’ reading and book-buying habits—from the influence of book reviews and recommendations, to details on how they browse for books, both in store and online.
In his presentation at BEA (details below), Zogby will put the findings of his survey into context and provide marketing information that booksellers and publishers can use to connect with the changing American consumer.
“This survey provides an unprecedented look at where people purchase books and how they make their decisions about what books to buy”, comments Zogby. “The findings also highlight the similarities – and differences – between men and women, young and old, and across the income spectrum to capture the latest opinions of today’s consumers on an extensive range of book-related topics. It will no doubt prove an invaluable tool for anyone looking to get a good read on the American book-buying public.”
Zogby is the author of a new book, The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream, which Random House will publish on August 12. In it he identifies a new American consensus arising from the collapse of trust in our leaders and leading institutions. Basing his analysis on thousands of polls conducted by his organization, he sees four main trends that affect how Americans buy and vote: learning to live with limits, embracing diversity, rejecting materialism, and demanding authenticity.
Zogby’s presentation , “The New American Character,” is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, May 30 in Room 406A at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Carol Schneider
V.P., Executive Director, Publicity & Public Relations
The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway 17-4
New York, NY 10019
212/572-2245
cschneider@randomhouse.com
------
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, 13 May 2008
Literary Radio Host Rills on Equality and "The Girl with Braided Hair"
Unknown
20:17
Berkeley Publishing (Imprint), connie gotsch, Fiction: Mystery, Indian, KSJE (Writers' Programming), margaret cole, penguin press, tolerance
0
Title ‘The Girl with Braided Hair’
Author Margaret Coel
Publisher The Berkley Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, New York
10014-3658
www.penguin.com
Price $16.29 Amazon
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (September 4, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425217124
ISBN-13: 978-0425217122
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch
Liz has to get off the rez, or angry AIM members will drive her off--into a grave. Packing her baby into her old car, she scrapes money together for gas, and heads for Denver.
With that incident, Colorado mystery writer Margaret Coel begins her thriller, ‘The Girl with Braided Hair.’ A professional historian, Ms. Coel has spent much of her career researching the Arapaho and their lives on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, first for nonfiction books, and now for novels.
She has written 13 mysteries featuring Arapaho lawyer, Vicky Holden, and Catholic priest, Father John O’Malley as protagonists. Together they solve murders. Sometimes the police, Vicky’s children, people working at Father John’s mission, or Vicky’s love interest, Adam Lone Eagle, help out. Sometimes they hinder the process.
In ‘The Girl with Braided Hair,’ Vicky and Father John must identify the skeleton of a person killed in 1973 and left to rot in a shallow grave along a highway. The plot has all the elements of a typical mystery: false leads, uncooperative witnesses, threats to Vicky and Father John, cliffhanger car chases, and an explosive climax that reveals both the killer and the victim’s identity.
This model might lead to repetitious themes and predictable twists, especially after 13 novels. Margaret Coel avoids that trap. The components required for a good whodunit serve her as a framework around which to weave thoroughly researched Arapaho history, adding education to the fun of a good thriller.
For ‘The Girl with Braided Hair,” Coel examines the American Indian Movement (AIM), its origins, the struggles that drew people into it, and the related attitudes about it that linger today on the Wind River Reservation.
Her characters come off as solidly three-dimensional against this background. Vicky Holden is a kind, sincere person who wants to use her education as a lawyer to do right for her people by supporting ordinary individuals. She eagerly accepts a request from her neighbors to find the identity of the skeleton.
Her lover, Adam Lone Eagle, carries on the struggle by looking at the actions of large entities, in this case corporations discriminating against Native Americans in hiring practices. He does not approve of Vicky’s choice to leave an important case and chase down the name of a long-dead person about whom no one has cared before.
Father John struggles with alcoholism, an impending transfer, and a spirit that would much rather deal with people than the invoices, checkbooks, memos, and papers required to run a mission on a reservation. Perhaps he also harbors a love for Vicky that he cannot fulfill
In the end, the murder victim while undeserving of death, has by choice trusted vicious people. Thirty years after the heyday of AIM, the individuals who both loved and hated this person suffer repercussions from their emotions, and related decisions.
However, strong characterization and presentation of Arapaho history alone do not raise ‘The Girl with Braided Hair,’ above the typical good ole murder thriller. Margaret Coel adds one more element to make that happen. She uses the story to introduce several good and universal questions that everyone must face in some way.
What is the right way to lead a struggle for equality? What’s important to fight for in that process? What do people do at any given time that leads to good or bad outcomes? What decisions haunt them 30 years later? How important is individual identity and why? How long should a person hold on to something he loves? When is it time to move on?
Margaret Coel’s approach makes readers think about their own life decisions, and the effect those decisions have on themselves and others. An author who does that is always fresh, even if she writes a thousand stories about a particular set of characters.
-----
Reviewer Connie Gotsch is the author "A Mouth Full of Shell" and "Snap Me a Future" published by DLSIJ Press.
She is featured in "The Complete Writer's Journal" published by Red Engine Press --www.redenginepress.com
She is also a radio host for KSJE.
-----------------------------
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 Margaret Coel
Publisher The Berkley Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, New York
10014-3658
www.penguin.com
Price $16.29 Amazon
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (September 4, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425217124
ISBN-13: 978-0425217122
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch
Liz has to get off the rez, or angry AIM members will drive her off--into a grave. Packing her baby into her old car, she scrapes money together for gas, and heads for Denver.
With that incident, Colorado mystery writer Margaret Coel begins her thriller, ‘The Girl with Braided Hair.’ A professional historian, Ms. Coel has spent much of her career researching the Arapaho and their lives on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, first for nonfiction books, and now for novels.
She has written 13 mysteries featuring Arapaho lawyer, Vicky Holden, and Catholic priest, Father John O’Malley as protagonists. Together they solve murders. Sometimes the police, Vicky’s children, people working at Father John’s mission, or Vicky’s love interest, Adam Lone Eagle, help out. Sometimes they hinder the process.
In ‘The Girl with Braided Hair,’ Vicky and Father John must identify the skeleton of a person killed in 1973 and left to rot in a shallow grave along a highway. The plot has all the elements of a typical mystery: false leads, uncooperative witnesses, threats to Vicky and Father John, cliffhanger car chases, and an explosive climax that reveals both the killer and the victim’s identity.
This model might lead to repetitious themes and predictable twists, especially after 13 novels. Margaret Coel avoids that trap. The components required for a good whodunit serve her as a framework around which to weave thoroughly researched Arapaho history, adding education to the fun of a good thriller.
For ‘The Girl with Braided Hair,” Coel examines the American Indian Movement (AIM), its origins, the struggles that drew people into it, and the related attitudes about it that linger today on the Wind River Reservation.
Her characters come off as solidly three-dimensional against this background. Vicky Holden is a kind, sincere person who wants to use her education as a lawyer to do right for her people by supporting ordinary individuals. She eagerly accepts a request from her neighbors to find the identity of the skeleton.
Her lover, Adam Lone Eagle, carries on the struggle by looking at the actions of large entities, in this case corporations discriminating against Native Americans in hiring practices. He does not approve of Vicky’s choice to leave an important case and chase down the name of a long-dead person about whom no one has cared before.
Father John struggles with alcoholism, an impending transfer, and a spirit that would much rather deal with people than the invoices, checkbooks, memos, and papers required to run a mission on a reservation. Perhaps he also harbors a love for Vicky that he cannot fulfill
In the end, the murder victim while undeserving of death, has by choice trusted vicious people. Thirty years after the heyday of AIM, the individuals who both loved and hated this person suffer repercussions from their emotions, and related decisions.
However, strong characterization and presentation of Arapaho history alone do not raise ‘The Girl with Braided Hair,’ above the typical good ole murder thriller. Margaret Coel adds one more element to make that happen. She uses the story to introduce several good and universal questions that everyone must face in some way.
What is the right way to lead a struggle for equality? What’s important to fight for in that process? What do people do at any given time that leads to good or bad outcomes? What decisions haunt them 30 years later? How important is individual identity and why? How long should a person hold on to something he loves? When is it time to move on?
Margaret Coel’s approach makes readers think about their own life decisions, and the effect those decisions have on themselves and others. An author who does that is always fresh, even if she writes a thousand stories about a particular set of characters.
-----
Reviewer Connie Gotsch is the author "A Mouth Full of Shell" and "Snap Me a Future" published by DLSIJ Press.
She is featured in "The Complete Writer's Journal" published by Red Engine Press --www.redenginepress.com
She is also a radio host for KSJE.
-----------------------------
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, 7 May 2008
Conor and the Crossroads: At It Again!
Unknown
22:15
3rs book reviews, cold tree press, Fiction: Fantasy, Fiction: Young Adult, Front Street (Reviews), kevin gerard, Mary Aycock
0
Title - Conor and the Crossworlds: Book Two: Peril in the Corridors
Author - Kevin Gerard
ISBN - 9781583852385
Genre - Young Adult Fantasy
From Journal - Front Street Reviews
Publisher - Cold Tree Press
Reviewer's Rating - Top Shelf!
Reviewed by Mary Aycock for Front Street ReviewsConor and T
This second quest into the Crossworlds brings us into our main character’s life two years after the first story. The Lady of the Light appears in Conor Jameson’s bedroom and asks him to accompany her back into the Crossworlds to assist with a problem that was actually created when our young hero and his mentor, Purugama, had their first adventures together. Completely by accident, Purugama and Conor unknowingly created a situation whereby the Crossworlds corridors have been weakened and are now in danger of being destroyed by the Circle of Evil. Many horrible and treacherous evildoers had escaped their bonds when the corridors were weakened and could no longer hold them captive. Now they are on a vengeful drive to destroy all forces of good and all means of traveling through the Crossworlds corridors.
Conor decides to accompany the Lady of the Light to the Glade of Champions, where he meets Maya and the other Crossworlds Champions, Eha, Ajur, Surmitang and Therion. All of the Crossworlds Champions are amazing and endearing but GIGANTIC members of the cat family, just as Purugama was. Anyone who is a cat lover, including myself, would give their left arm to be in Conor’s position, meeting and being mentored by a giant Panther and Cheetah and Tiger and Lion, not to mention Maya, who has the outward appearance of a gigantic domestic cat, but is the Lord of the Crossworlds Champions. All are vested with special powers, which Conor gets to feel and enjoy and practice, as he accompanies Maya on several perilous quests to repair the Crossworlds corridors. Maya is the only one of the huge cats who can travel with Conor through the Crossworlds, but the other cats are able to lend Conor their powers and magical abilities to help him fight the many terrifying foes that are trying to prevent the corridor repairs. In order to give Maya the time he needs to work the repairs on the corridors, Conor must battle and defeat a human-dragon mutant, a formless entity and a shape-shifting master of darkness. Oh, the deliciously scary things we come face to face with on this journey!
The action-packed fast pace will have you turning page after page as fast as possible to see what comes next, because this author holds nothing back in his quest to show you every corner of the Crossworlds and all the dangers that lurk within. As Conor battles each wicked foe, your heart beats faster as you try to think past what is happening to all of the possible outcomes, only to be surprised by the turn of events.
The battle scenes are huge in dimension and impact as Conor fights for his life, using his wits and the powers of the mighty Crossworlds Champions. What incredible powers he wields as he fights the best (or is that the worst?) that the Circle of Evil can throw at him. Entire worlds are involved; the span of our imagination grows with each battle. As I was reading, I kept envisioning these scenes on a big screen, wondering how the movie world would create the amazing things that come straight from this author’s incredible imagination. This mind-blowing series of battles against the Circle of Evil’s finest team of destroyers would be quite a feat to translate to the big screen, but my goodness, what an awesome thing that would be to see and to hear! Hollywood, are you paying attention here????
I was impressed with the first book of "Conor and the Crossworlds” and was wondering if the second book would be as good as the first or, as sometimes happens, not live up to the promise. Well, let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed after reading the second book in a series that is turning out to be a highly entertaining and enjoyable read. There is so much MORE in this second book for everyone to enjoy, fast paced action, close calls around every bend, tender moments between Conor and the amazing giant cats who are the Crossworld Champions, surprises, treachery, deception, battles to end all battles and foes that will curl your hair!
There is a wonderful sense of right fighting against wrong in Conor’s perilous journey and you see him grow stronger and wiser with every confrontation. I truly think that we, as readers, grow with him and learn with him and come away with the sense that we want to change our world for the better, now that we know what can go horribly wrong if we continue as we are. Three cheers to the author, Kevin Gerard, for giving us reality’s lessons disguised as enchanting fiction.
I was carried along on this journey with Conor and Maya and the other Crossworld Champions and they will always be a part of my heart. This book will have to be reread, slowly this time, just so I can savor the relationships and the experiences once more. The author has left me with a deep hunger for the NEXT book in this series and, for all the world, I have NO idea where his imagination is going to take me next time, but I am ready for the ride! Bring it on, Kevin, but please bring it on SOON!
The author, Kevin Gerard, lives in San Diego, CA, with his wife and four children. When he is not busy being a successful professor of sociology and statistics for California State University, San Marcos, you will find him doing fun things with his extended family in and around the San Diego area. The Crossworlds series provided the main impetus for his decision to pursue a professional writing career and may prove to him that he can now concentrate on writing full time, to the exclusion of all other endeavors.
----
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 - Kevin Gerard
ISBN - 9781583852385
Genre - Young Adult Fantasy
From Journal - Front Street Reviews
Publisher - Cold Tree Press
Reviewer's Rating - Top Shelf!
Reviewed by Mary Aycock for Front Street ReviewsConor and T
This second quest into the Crossworlds brings us into our main character’s life two years after the first story. The Lady of the Light appears in Conor Jameson’s bedroom and asks him to accompany her back into the Crossworlds to assist with a problem that was actually created when our young hero and his mentor, Purugama, had their first adventures together. Completely by accident, Purugama and Conor unknowingly created a situation whereby the Crossworlds corridors have been weakened and are now in danger of being destroyed by the Circle of Evil. Many horrible and treacherous evildoers had escaped their bonds when the corridors were weakened and could no longer hold them captive. Now they are on a vengeful drive to destroy all forces of good and all means of traveling through the Crossworlds corridors.
Conor decides to accompany the Lady of the Light to the Glade of Champions, where he meets Maya and the other Crossworlds Champions, Eha, Ajur, Surmitang and Therion. All of the Crossworlds Champions are amazing and endearing but GIGANTIC members of the cat family, just as Purugama was. Anyone who is a cat lover, including myself, would give their left arm to be in Conor’s position, meeting and being mentored by a giant Panther and Cheetah and Tiger and Lion, not to mention Maya, who has the outward appearance of a gigantic domestic cat, but is the Lord of the Crossworlds Champions. All are vested with special powers, which Conor gets to feel and enjoy and practice, as he accompanies Maya on several perilous quests to repair the Crossworlds corridors. Maya is the only one of the huge cats who can travel with Conor through the Crossworlds, but the other cats are able to lend Conor their powers and magical abilities to help him fight the many terrifying foes that are trying to prevent the corridor repairs. In order to give Maya the time he needs to work the repairs on the corridors, Conor must battle and defeat a human-dragon mutant, a formless entity and a shape-shifting master of darkness. Oh, the deliciously scary things we come face to face with on this journey!
The action-packed fast pace will have you turning page after page as fast as possible to see what comes next, because this author holds nothing back in his quest to show you every corner of the Crossworlds and all the dangers that lurk within. As Conor battles each wicked foe, your heart beats faster as you try to think past what is happening to all of the possible outcomes, only to be surprised by the turn of events.
The battle scenes are huge in dimension and impact as Conor fights for his life, using his wits and the powers of the mighty Crossworlds Champions. What incredible powers he wields as he fights the best (or is that the worst?) that the Circle of Evil can throw at him. Entire worlds are involved; the span of our imagination grows with each battle. As I was reading, I kept envisioning these scenes on a big screen, wondering how the movie world would create the amazing things that come straight from this author’s incredible imagination. This mind-blowing series of battles against the Circle of Evil’s finest team of destroyers would be quite a feat to translate to the big screen, but my goodness, what an awesome thing that would be to see and to hear! Hollywood, are you paying attention here????
I was impressed with the first book of "Conor and the Crossworlds” and was wondering if the second book would be as good as the first or, as sometimes happens, not live up to the promise. Well, let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed after reading the second book in a series that is turning out to be a highly entertaining and enjoyable read. There is so much MORE in this second book for everyone to enjoy, fast paced action, close calls around every bend, tender moments between Conor and the amazing giant cats who are the Crossworld Champions, surprises, treachery, deception, battles to end all battles and foes that will curl your hair!
There is a wonderful sense of right fighting against wrong in Conor’s perilous journey and you see him grow stronger and wiser with every confrontation. I truly think that we, as readers, grow with him and learn with him and come away with the sense that we want to change our world for the better, now that we know what can go horribly wrong if we continue as we are. Three cheers to the author, Kevin Gerard, for giving us reality’s lessons disguised as enchanting fiction.
I was carried along on this journey with Conor and Maya and the other Crossworld Champions and they will always be a part of my heart. This book will have to be reread, slowly this time, just so I can savor the relationships and the experiences once more. The author has left me with a deep hunger for the NEXT book in this series and, for all the world, I have NO idea where his imagination is going to take me next time, but I am ready for the ride! Bring it on, Kevin, but please bring it on SOON!
The author, Kevin Gerard, lives in San Diego, CA, with his wife and four children. When he is not busy being a successful professor of sociology and statistics for California State University, San Marcos, you will find him doing fun things with his extended family in and around the San Diego area. The Crossworlds series provided the main impetus for his decision to pursue a professional writing career and may prove to him that he can now concentrate on writing full time, to the exclusion of all other endeavors.
----
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, 29 April 2008
Harry Potter and Tolerance! Big Subject to Consider!
Short Title: Prejudice in Harry Potter
Full Book Title: Prejudice in Harry Potter's World: A Social Critique of the Series, Using Allport's "The Nature of Prejudice"
Genre: Commentary on popular culture and literature; Literary Criticism
ISBN-10: 1602641536
ISBN-13: 978-1602641532
Author's Website: http://www.thelppc.com/featuredbook-prejudiceinharrypotter.html
Summary:
Prejudice in Harry Potter's World is a very readable academic study and a social commentary which the author discusses the discrimination issues raised in Rowling's series. All types of societal prejudices are metaphorized through Rowling's subplots: For example, the conditions in which werewolves live is a social parallel for disability prejudice in the modern world. And, of course, the Mudblood subplot teems with racial and anti-Semitic overtones. There are many other examples, all of which are highlighted and explained in Brown's work. These Harry Potter-related issues have so far been ignored or glossed over by the mostly-mainstream Harry Potter audience, commentators and literary critics. Of all the companions, study-guides, commentaries, etc., that have been written about the Harry Potter books, none have dealt with its social themes in depth until now. Brown's study is therefore the first of its kind, and a very worthy piece of scholarship.
Comments made by Erin Jade on Book-Related Discussion Topic (This is NOT an Amazon review):
"I actually just finished writing an essay on this very subject for a British Lit class. I always thought Rowling's themes about prejudice, racism, and discrimination were very clear, but discussing the books with others they always said they "hadn't thought about it," which I found disturbing. In searching for sources for my paper, I only found a few sites/books that mentioned it at all (and I must admit, I checked our library for your book, but with no luck). I think that it's partly because people are afraid, but also because the topic makes most people very uncomfortable.
One thing I pointed out in my essay is that Rowling has characters that are both good and bad display prejudice and discrimination, because we are ALL prejudiced in one form or another, and I believe that having to think closely about their own prejudices makes people horribly uncomfortable."
(Source: http://www.amazon.com/tag/harry%20potter/forum?%5Fencoding=UTF8&cdForum=FxZZNCHJFAFY3A&cdThread=Tx10XJ3SA8YY7CI )
----
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.
Full Book Title: Prejudice in Harry Potter's World: A Social Critique of the Series, Using Allport's "The Nature of Prejudice"
Genre: Commentary on popular culture and literature; Literary Criticism
ISBN-10: 1602641536
ISBN-13: 978-1602641532
Author's Website: http://www.thelppc.com/featuredbook-prejudiceinharrypotter.html
Summary:
Prejudice in Harry Potter's World is a very readable academic study and a social commentary which the author discusses the discrimination issues raised in Rowling's series. All types of societal prejudices are metaphorized through Rowling's subplots: For example, the conditions in which werewolves live is a social parallel for disability prejudice in the modern world. And, of course, the Mudblood subplot teems with racial and anti-Semitic overtones. There are many other examples, all of which are highlighted and explained in Brown's work. These Harry Potter-related issues have so far been ignored or glossed over by the mostly-mainstream Harry Potter audience, commentators and literary critics. Of all the companions, study-guides, commentaries, etc., that have been written about the Harry Potter books, none have dealt with its social themes in depth until now. Brown's study is therefore the first of its kind, and a very worthy piece of scholarship.
Comments made by Erin Jade on Book-Related Discussion Topic (This is NOT an Amazon review):
"I actually just finished writing an essay on this very subject for a British Lit class. I always thought Rowling's themes about prejudice, racism, and discrimination were very clear, but discussing the books with others they always said they "hadn't thought about it," which I found disturbing. In searching for sources for my paper, I only found a few sites/books that mentioned it at all (and I must admit, I checked our library for your book, but with no luck). I think that it's partly because people are afraid, but also because the topic makes most people very uncomfortable.
One thing I pointed out in my essay is that Rowling has characters that are both good and bad display prejudice and discrimination, because we are ALL prejudiced in one form or another, and I believe that having to think closely about their own prejudices makes people horribly uncomfortable."
(Source: http://www.amazon.com/tag/harry%20potter/forum?%5Fencoding=UTF8&cdForum=FxZZNCHJFAFY3A&cdThread=Tx10XJ3SA8YY7CI )
----
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, 16 April 2008
Mayra Calvani Brings Us Crash and Marcelo!
Crash!
By Mayra Calvani
Published by Guardian Angel Publishing
Children's Picture Book, 24 pages, $10.95
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/crash.htm
Reviewed by Lea Schizas, for the Muse Book Reviews, http://themusebookreviews.tripod.com/
Anyone who is a parent with a child that has begged, hollered, and begged some more for a pet will enjoy Crash and Marcelo, the little boy who gets his wish. The glee and joy in his cute little face is described vividly by author Mayra Calvani.
Reading “Crash”, a child and a parent discover the responsibilities that come with owning a pet. Marcelo also discovers that naming his new family member is not as easy as he thought. Many ideas come to his head, none really fitting in with the cute Golden Retriever.
The name he finally picks surprises his parents. But as you read, you realize this is the PERFECT name.
Maybe it’s me but as I read Crash and several other children’s books I’ve purchased this week from some of my guest bloggers, the writing is so simple one would say, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Yet, writing for children isn’t as simple as one would think so I have to tip my hat to Mayra for yet another great read. The first book I read written by Mayra Calvani was The Magic Violin and, as in Crash!, I loved the descriptive details bringing the story alive. Her young character’s love and interaction with his new puppy came through, loud and clear.
This is a great book to buy for your child, you know, the one who is begging and hollering and begging some more for a pet. It will teach and prepare them for the responsibilities surely to come when a pet finally comes gift-wrapped.
Note:
THE AUTHOR IS DONATING 50% OF HER ROYALTIES TO
ALMOST HEAVEN GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE AND SANCTUARY,
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
ALMOST HEAVEN-GOLDEN-RETRIEVER-RESCUE.ORG
-----
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 Mayra Calvani
Published by Guardian Angel Publishing
Children's Picture Book, 24 pages, $10.95
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/crash.htm
Reviewed by Lea Schizas, for the Muse Book Reviews, http://themusebookreviews.tripod.com/
Anyone who is a parent with a child that has begged, hollered, and begged some more for a pet will enjoy Crash and Marcelo, the little boy who gets his wish. The glee and joy in his cute little face is described vividly by author Mayra Calvani.
Reading “Crash”, a child and a parent discover the responsibilities that come with owning a pet. Marcelo also discovers that naming his new family member is not as easy as he thought. Many ideas come to his head, none really fitting in with the cute Golden Retriever.
The name he finally picks surprises his parents. But as you read, you realize this is the PERFECT name.
Maybe it’s me but as I read Crash and several other children’s books I’ve purchased this week from some of my guest bloggers, the writing is so simple one would say, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Yet, writing for children isn’t as simple as one would think so I have to tip my hat to Mayra for yet another great read. The first book I read written by Mayra Calvani was The Magic Violin and, as in Crash!, I loved the descriptive details bringing the story alive. Her young character’s love and interaction with his new puppy came through, loud and clear.
This is a great book to buy for your child, you know, the one who is begging and hollering and begging some more for a pet. It will teach and prepare them for the responsibilities surely to come when a pet finally comes gift-wrapped.
Note:
THE AUTHOR IS DONATING 50% OF HER ROYALTIES TO
ALMOST HEAVEN GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE AND SANCTUARY,
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
ALMOST HEAVEN-GOLDEN-RETRIEVER-RESCUE.ORG
-----
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, 6 April 2008
The Ethnic Presidency: Talk About Timing
The Ethnic Presidency
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Reviewed by Nikki Leigh
I've never really kept track of the political process. I have my own opinions, but I never really understood the process of primaries, caucuses and so on. So, I had never noticed how various ethnic groups vote in specific ways. After reading The Latino Challenge and The Ethnic Presidency I have learned so much about the electoral process and the deeper ways that the issues affect various ethnic groups.
The Ethnic Presidency delves into the democratic and republican parties, the various candidates and the parts they are playing or have played in the primary process. It gives a large number of examples from past elections which show techniques that have brought in votes from all ethnic groups.
In the introduction to the book, Earl Hutchinson explains why this topic involves more than the fact that there is a woman and a black man running for president this year. That makes the 2008 election more unusual, but throughout the years the same elements and principals have come into play in many elections and that even applies to the elections when two white men were running for president.
For anyone of any ethnic background, any age or any gender who wants to learn more about how race, gender and ethnic background play a big part in the election process - this is a must read. This year, more than any other, race, gender and ethnicity will have a major impact on the presidential election.
-----
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 Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Reviewed by Nikki Leigh
I've never really kept track of the political process. I have my own opinions, but I never really understood the process of primaries, caucuses and so on. So, I had never noticed how various ethnic groups vote in specific ways. After reading The Latino Challenge and The Ethnic Presidency I have learned so much about the electoral process and the deeper ways that the issues affect various ethnic groups.
The Ethnic Presidency delves into the democratic and republican parties, the various candidates and the parts they are playing or have played in the primary process. It gives a large number of examples from past elections which show techniques that have brought in votes from all ethnic groups.
In the introduction to the book, Earl Hutchinson explains why this topic involves more than the fact that there is a woman and a black man running for president this year. That makes the 2008 election more unusual, but throughout the years the same elements and principals have come into play in many elections and that even applies to the elections when two white men were running for president.
For anyone of any ethnic background, any age or any gender who wants to learn more about how race, gender and ethnic background play a big part in the election process - this is a must read. This year, more than any other, race, gender and ethnicity will have a major impact on the presidential election.
-----
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, 31 March 2008
All The Romance of New Orleans in a Historical Novel
Unknown
18:13
amos lassen, Arlette Gaffrey, Fiction: Historical, Fiction: Romance, Henry Shreve, outskirts press
0
Title: A World Of His Own-In The Land Of The Creoles
Author: Arlette Gaffrey
Published by: Outskirts Press
Website: www.OutskirtsPress.com/ArletteGaffrey
Genre: Historical Novel
ISBN # 0-9788891-0-X
Reviewed by Amos Lassen for Amazon
I am originally from New Orleans and I never get tired of reading about my hometown.
From the moment I picked up this book I couldn't put it down. I find Arlette Gaffrey to be a very talented writer who knows New Orleans so well she really brings the city to life. The story line holds your interest from the first page to the last. This is a story of love, marriage and betrayal set against the background of the magical city of New Orleans.
As a child, Andre de Javon is torn from his family during the French revolution, and when he grows up he arrives in New Orleans to begin building a new life for himself. Through hard work and sheer determination he becomes wealthy and the owner of one of the most successful plantations in the territory.
Andre's mentor Jean-Claude Charlevoix has a young daughter Julie Marie who is in love with Andre even though she is still a child of eleven. She hopes Andre will wait for her to grow up so they can marry, but instead Andre marries the beautiful, spoilt, selfish Gabrielle Ste. Claire. Marriage to Gabrielle is a nightmare. Gabrielle sets their beautiful house on fire in a drunken rage, and she is caught in the fire and dies, leaving Andre with her illegitimate son.
Andre sees everything he's built go up in flames and is filled with grief and rage. But now he is at last free to marry the one he realizes he truly loves, Julie. However he is eleven years her senior and has a bastard son to boot. Will Julie still want to marry him?
This author Arlette Gaffrey has captured the color, charm and heart of New Orleans. She has also brought in several historical characters who played a part in that time in history. The infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, Andrew Jackson, Henry Shreve and others. Her historical facts are accurate, and the details of plantation life is true. Arlette also shines in her descriptions of the fashions of the day along with hair styles, fabrics and jewelry. She also very easily explains the French and Spanish Creole culture and this love story exudes romance.
The elements of a good story are here, the romance and historical background of 19th century New Orleans are all here.
Many years ago the author of this review actually lived in the building shown on the cover of the book, the courtyard is famous and the address is 734 Royal Street.
-----
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: Arlette Gaffrey
Published by: Outskirts Press
Website: www.OutskirtsPress.com/ArletteGaffrey
Genre: Historical Novel
ISBN # 0-9788891-0-X
Reviewed by Amos Lassen for Amazon
I am originally from New Orleans and I never get tired of reading about my hometown.
From the moment I picked up this book I couldn't put it down. I find Arlette Gaffrey to be a very talented writer who knows New Orleans so well she really brings the city to life. The story line holds your interest from the first page to the last. This is a story of love, marriage and betrayal set against the background of the magical city of New Orleans.
As a child, Andre de Javon is torn from his family during the French revolution, and when he grows up he arrives in New Orleans to begin building a new life for himself. Through hard work and sheer determination he becomes wealthy and the owner of one of the most successful plantations in the territory.
Andre's mentor Jean-Claude Charlevoix has a young daughter Julie Marie who is in love with Andre even though she is still a child of eleven. She hopes Andre will wait for her to grow up so they can marry, but instead Andre marries the beautiful, spoilt, selfish Gabrielle Ste. Claire. Marriage to Gabrielle is a nightmare. Gabrielle sets their beautiful house on fire in a drunken rage, and she is caught in the fire and dies, leaving Andre with her illegitimate son.
Andre sees everything he's built go up in flames and is filled with grief and rage. But now he is at last free to marry the one he realizes he truly loves, Julie. However he is eleven years her senior and has a bastard son to boot. Will Julie still want to marry him?
This author Arlette Gaffrey has captured the color, charm and heart of New Orleans. She has also brought in several historical characters who played a part in that time in history. The infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, Andrew Jackson, Henry Shreve and others. Her historical facts are accurate, and the details of plantation life is true. Arlette also shines in her descriptions of the fashions of the day along with hair styles, fabrics and jewelry. She also very easily explains the French and Spanish Creole culture and this love story exudes romance.
The elements of a good story are here, the romance and historical background of 19th century New Orleans are all here.
Many years ago the author of this review actually lived in the building shown on the cover of the book, the courtyard is famous and the address is 734 Royal Street.
-----
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.
Journey Through the Quintessential Immigrant's Tale
Unknown
13:23
Beirut Daily Star, Cune Press, hani bathis, Levant Distributor, Nonfiction: Memoir, raff ellis
0
Title: Kisses from a Distance
Author: Raff Ellis
Genre: Memoir
Reviewed by Hani Bathis for the Beirut Daily Star
Tuesday, February 26, 2008, Beirut, Lebanon
Raff Ellis' 'Kisses from a Distance' delves into the lure of migration, a subject that resonates deeply for nearly every Lebanese family today
BEIRUT: Lebanese-American author Raff Ellis' "Kisses from a Distance" unfolds like a quintessential immigrant's tale. It follows a Lebanese story that is as relevant and familiar to today's Levantine audience as it would have been 100 years ago. Over the book's 311 pages, which are peppered with relevant and exhaustively researched history, Ellis tugs readers along on a journey down the snow-capped mountains of Lebanon, over land, across seas and oceans and into many strange and distant ports. The story anchors in New York and allows readers to experience the anxious excitement of the wide-eyed immigrant as he steps off the boat and sets foot in a new country for the first time.
In "Kisses from a Distance," Ellis chronicles a very intimate family history - his parents' marriage and migration to the United States and their struggle to raise a family and make ends meet in the small town of Carthage, New York, during the Great Depression. Ellis also gives readers a glimpse of Lebanon ravaged by war, famine and disease. But he also reveals the ways in which the country encompasses boundless hope and countless tales of courage, triumph and success.
That success, in particular, reflects the dogged determination of Lebanese immigrants to persevere against all odds, an attribute which continues to serve their adopted homelands well. The author's story is just one of innumerable ordinary, untold epics, a highly personal account of a sad history, presenting a proud and fiercely independent people who are all too often caught up in the region's tectonic political shifts.
The genesis of Ellis' family epic came after the death of his mother, when he discovered more than 200 letters among her personal affects. The letters from friends and family span 60 years, starting in 1925. They begin with traditional Lebanese greetings, and many kisses: "Kisses from a distance ... We kiss your cheeks ... I kiss you many times from this distance," thus inspiring the title of the book.
The real-life dramas unfolding between the pages of these letters, especially in the last half of Ellis' book, make for a very compelling read, turning "Kisses from a Distance" into a veritable page-turner.
The author's visits to Lebanon, his meticulous research and his tenacious quest to trace his family's roots - and those of all the characters involved in this complex story - further enrich the narrative. The well laid-out book, which is Ellis' first full-length effort, is divided into 41 chapters ranging from four to 12 pages.
Angele [the author’s mother], a prolific letter writer and a proficient linguist, corresponded regularly with her family in Lebanon, mostly with her brothers Youssef and Khalil, her sister Miriam and her mother Adela. Through their letters back to Angele, readers of Ellis' account learn of her death her new life in America, her pining for Lebanon and her unhappiness in marriage. The letters also peel back layers of her personality and in particular her religious fervor, which was a great source of comfort for her in the many family arguments that erupted over money and property.
As expressed in "Kisses from a Distance," the subject of migration resonates deeply for nearly every Lebanese family today, more so than at any time since WWI. Once again, many of Lebanon's youth are seeking work in foreign lands to escape the instability and uncertainty in their home country. And one suspects that when and if they return, they too, like Toufic [the author’s father], will be both disappointed and dismissive.
Through her correspondence with her family, Angele learns of their struggles and frustrations, too. She learns of her sister Miriam's untimely death from a burst appendix, her younger brother Khalil's passing and her mother's worsening health until her ultimate demise. Angele watches from a distance as one after another of her loved ones perish.
The real-life dramas unfolding between the pages of these letters, especially in the last half of Ellis' book, make for a very compelling read, turning "Kisses from a Distance" into a veritable page-turner.
The author's visits to Lebanon, his meticulous research and his tenacious quest to trace his family's roots - and those of all the characters involved in this complex story - further enrich the narrative. The well laid-out book, which is Ellis' first full-length effort, is divided into 41 chapters ranging from four to 12 pages.
As expressed in "Kisses from a Distance," the subject of migration resonates deeply for nearly every Lebanese family today, more so than at any time since WWI. Once again, many of Lebanon's youth are seeking work in foreign lands to escape the instability and uncertainty in their home country. And one suspects that when and if they return, they too, like Toufic [the author’s father], will be both disappointed and dismissive.
Raff Ellis' "Kisses from a Distance" is published by Cune Press, distributed in Lebanon by Levant, and available in the States in special edition hardcopy at www.raffellis.com, and in paperback at Amazon.com.
-----
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: Raff Ellis
Genre: Memoir
Reviewed by Hani Bathis for the Beirut Daily Star
Tuesday, February 26, 2008, Beirut, Lebanon
Raff Ellis' 'Kisses from a Distance' delves into the lure of migration, a subject that resonates deeply for nearly every Lebanese family today
BEIRUT: Lebanese-American author Raff Ellis' "Kisses from a Distance" unfolds like a quintessential immigrant's tale. It follows a Lebanese story that is as relevant and familiar to today's Levantine audience as it would have been 100 years ago. Over the book's 311 pages, which are peppered with relevant and exhaustively researched history, Ellis tugs readers along on a journey down the snow-capped mountains of Lebanon, over land, across seas and oceans and into many strange and distant ports. The story anchors in New York and allows readers to experience the anxious excitement of the wide-eyed immigrant as he steps off the boat and sets foot in a new country for the first time.
In "Kisses from a Distance," Ellis chronicles a very intimate family history - his parents' marriage and migration to the United States and their struggle to raise a family and make ends meet in the small town of Carthage, New York, during the Great Depression. Ellis also gives readers a glimpse of Lebanon ravaged by war, famine and disease. But he also reveals the ways in which the country encompasses boundless hope and countless tales of courage, triumph and success.
That success, in particular, reflects the dogged determination of Lebanese immigrants to persevere against all odds, an attribute which continues to serve their adopted homelands well. The author's story is just one of innumerable ordinary, untold epics, a highly personal account of a sad history, presenting a proud and fiercely independent people who are all too often caught up in the region's tectonic political shifts.
The genesis of Ellis' family epic came after the death of his mother, when he discovered more than 200 letters among her personal affects. The letters from friends and family span 60 years, starting in 1925. They begin with traditional Lebanese greetings, and many kisses: "Kisses from a distance ... We kiss your cheeks ... I kiss you many times from this distance," thus inspiring the title of the book.
The real-life dramas unfolding between the pages of these letters, especially in the last half of Ellis' book, make for a very compelling read, turning "Kisses from a Distance" into a veritable page-turner.
The author's visits to Lebanon, his meticulous research and his tenacious quest to trace his family's roots - and those of all the characters involved in this complex story - further enrich the narrative. The well laid-out book, which is Ellis' first full-length effort, is divided into 41 chapters ranging from four to 12 pages.
Angele [the author’s mother], a prolific letter writer and a proficient linguist, corresponded regularly with her family in Lebanon, mostly with her brothers Youssef and Khalil, her sister Miriam and her mother Adela. Through their letters back to Angele, readers of Ellis' account learn of her death her new life in America, her pining for Lebanon and her unhappiness in marriage. The letters also peel back layers of her personality and in particular her religious fervor, which was a great source of comfort for her in the many family arguments that erupted over money and property.
As expressed in "Kisses from a Distance," the subject of migration resonates deeply for nearly every Lebanese family today, more so than at any time since WWI. Once again, many of Lebanon's youth are seeking work in foreign lands to escape the instability and uncertainty in their home country. And one suspects that when and if they return, they too, like Toufic [the author’s father], will be both disappointed and dismissive.
Through her correspondence with her family, Angele learns of their struggles and frustrations, too. She learns of her sister Miriam's untimely death from a burst appendix, her younger brother Khalil's passing and her mother's worsening health until her ultimate demise. Angele watches from a distance as one after another of her loved ones perish.
The real-life dramas unfolding between the pages of these letters, especially in the last half of Ellis' book, make for a very compelling read, turning "Kisses from a Distance" into a veritable page-turner.
The author's visits to Lebanon, his meticulous research and his tenacious quest to trace his family's roots - and those of all the characters involved in this complex story - further enrich the narrative. The well laid-out book, which is Ellis' first full-length effort, is divided into 41 chapters ranging from four to 12 pages.
As expressed in "Kisses from a Distance," the subject of migration resonates deeply for nearly every Lebanese family today, more so than at any time since WWI. Once again, many of Lebanon's youth are seeking work in foreign lands to escape the instability and uncertainty in their home country. And one suspects that when and if they return, they too, like Toufic [the author’s father], will be both disappointed and dismissive.
Raff Ellis' "Kisses from a Distance" is published by Cune Press, distributed in Lebanon by Levant, and available in the States in special edition hardcopy at www.raffellis.com, and in paperback at Amazon.com.
-----
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.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
The Wonders for Journaling Made Real in Memoir
Unknown
08:45
3rs book reviews, diana raab, diaries, journaling, Nonfiction: Memoir, Nonfiction: Professional/Writers
0
TITLE: Regina's Closet: Finding My Grandmother's Secret Journal
AUTHOR:Diana M. Raab
AUTHOR'S WEB SITE: www.dianaraab.com
GENRE: Memoir
ISBN: 978-0-8253-0575-7
REVIEWER: RJ
REVIEWER'S WEB SITE: http://3rsbookreviews.wordpress.com/
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: January 31,2008
Reviewed by RJ for 3Rs Book Reviews
Wow! What an incredible story. It's rare for this reviewer to "rave" or to liter my opinions with complimentary adjectives and yet, I have been exposed to a book that absolutely demands both...Regina's Closet: finding my grandmother's secret journal is a hauntingly beautiful story of two women, Diana Raab and her beloved Grandmother, Regina Klein. You will smile and cry. You will be shocked and astounded, the narrative is filled with such raw emotion that it reaches out from the pages and touches the reader in a very tangible way.
Author, Diana Raab shares her grandmother's journal, which follows her difficult and frightening experiences in war torn Poland, events of World War I, witnessing the Russian invasion, atrocities committed by soldiers, the death of her mother in the cholera epidemic, the cramped trains evacuees spent weeks riding only to arrive in cities where the natives did not want them and had no reservations about expressing such in the most hurtful of ways. Even as a child, Regina was not sparred this degrading hostility. Over and over again she is forced to make adult decisions and each time her incredible strength and unusual ability to understand the ways of the world shines through the darkness that surrounded her. The family eventually immigrated to the United States and settled in Brooklyn, New York, where things remained tense between her grandparents, but Diana wouldn't realize until years later, while reading the journal the extent of her grandmother's marital unhappiness.
Meticulously and masterfully, Diana has woven her feelings, fears and experiences throughout this extraordinary narrative and the result is this once-in-a-lifetime novel.
Diana found strength and grace in those handwritten, time worn and yellowing pages. She began to see her grandmother in a new light, as she read about the horrific things she had witnessed and the hardships she had endured as a child, she couldn't help but wonder if these things had played a part in her grandmother's decision to take her own life. Growing up, Diana was always closer to her grandmother...she spent a great deal of time with Regina and had fond memories of things her grandmother shared with her. In 1964, at ten years old, Diana was home alone with her grandmother when Regina took an overdose of sleeping medication. The loss of her beloved grandmother had a profound affect on the young Diana and years later she would have an exceptional opportunity to reconnect with her grandmother, through the secret journal.
Regina (grandmother) was a true hero..wise beyond her years, with a quiet strength that crossed the generations via the words of her journal and influenced her darling grand-daughter, giving her courage and providing solace and sanctuary. She could not have known that years after penning the diary and many years after her death, her reflections would reach millions of readers. I applaud Diana Raab for recognizing the significance and beauty of her grandmother's words and for taking the initiative to share this intimate journey with us. The author has definitely inherited her grandmother's way with words and allowed her heart to flow freely within the pen strokes that created this literary masterpiece.
I recommend "Regina's Closet: finding my grandmother's secret journal" to all readers, everywhere...don't miss this heart warming, inspiring and life-affirming book-- this is one you will want to share with everyone!
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (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:Diana M. Raab
AUTHOR'S WEB SITE: www.dianaraab.com
GENRE: Memoir
ISBN: 978-0-8253-0575-7
REVIEWER: RJ
REVIEWER'S WEB SITE: http://3rsbookreviews.wordpress.com/
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: January 31,2008
Reviewed by RJ for 3Rs Book Reviews
Wow! What an incredible story. It's rare for this reviewer to "rave" or to liter my opinions with complimentary adjectives and yet, I have been exposed to a book that absolutely demands both...Regina's Closet: finding my grandmother's secret journal is a hauntingly beautiful story of two women, Diana Raab and her beloved Grandmother, Regina Klein. You will smile and cry. You will be shocked and astounded, the narrative is filled with such raw emotion that it reaches out from the pages and touches the reader in a very tangible way.
Author, Diana Raab shares her grandmother's journal, which follows her difficult and frightening experiences in war torn Poland, events of World War I, witnessing the Russian invasion, atrocities committed by soldiers, the death of her mother in the cholera epidemic, the cramped trains evacuees spent weeks riding only to arrive in cities where the natives did not want them and had no reservations about expressing such in the most hurtful of ways. Even as a child, Regina was not sparred this degrading hostility. Over and over again she is forced to make adult decisions and each time her incredible strength and unusual ability to understand the ways of the world shines through the darkness that surrounded her. The family eventually immigrated to the United States and settled in Brooklyn, New York, where things remained tense between her grandparents, but Diana wouldn't realize until years later, while reading the journal the extent of her grandmother's marital unhappiness.
Meticulously and masterfully, Diana has woven her feelings, fears and experiences throughout this extraordinary narrative and the result is this once-in-a-lifetime novel.
Diana found strength and grace in those handwritten, time worn and yellowing pages. She began to see her grandmother in a new light, as she read about the horrific things she had witnessed and the hardships she had endured as a child, she couldn't help but wonder if these things had played a part in her grandmother's decision to take her own life. Growing up, Diana was always closer to her grandmother...she spent a great deal of time with Regina and had fond memories of things her grandmother shared with her. In 1964, at ten years old, Diana was home alone with her grandmother when Regina took an overdose of sleeping medication. The loss of her beloved grandmother had a profound affect on the young Diana and years later she would have an exceptional opportunity to reconnect with her grandmother, through the secret journal.
Regina (grandmother) was a true hero..wise beyond her years, with a quiet strength that crossed the generations via the words of her journal and influenced her darling grand-daughter, giving her courage and providing solace and sanctuary. She could not have known that years after penning the diary and many years after her death, her reflections would reach millions of readers. I applaud Diana Raab for recognizing the significance and beauty of her grandmother's words and for taking the initiative to share this intimate journey with us. The author has definitely inherited her grandmother's way with words and allowed her heart to flow freely within the pen strokes that created this literary masterpiece.
I recommend "Regina's Closet: finding my grandmother's secret journal" to all readers, everywhere...don't miss this heart warming, inspiring and life-affirming book-- this is one you will want to share with everyone!
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (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, 26 March 2008
New Publish America Novel "Unveiled"
The Bell Witch Unveiled At Last! The True Story Of A Poltergeist
By DJ Lyons
Publisher: PublishAmerica
ISBN 1604744774.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Order this book on Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Witch-Unveiled-Last-Poltergeist/dp/1604744774/
Find bookstores selling this book: http://www.bellwitchunveiled.com/Buy_Book.html
Who Was The True Bell Witch Of Tennessee?
John Bell, of Adams, Tennessee, died on December 20, 1820. Why not? He was old. He was sick. He was comatose. Yet dozens of newspaper articles; a handful of published books, movies, videos, and websites; and countless amateur and professional storytellers all erroneously claim that John Bell was killed by a poltergeist.
Who was this poltergeist many called the ‘Bell Witch’? Newspapers, books, websites, and countless people familiar with the 1817-1821 haunting gave the finger of blame to a neighbor woman, Cate Batts. Her alleged guilt was purely circumstantial. For the first time, this breakthrough publication reveals the actual identities and motives of the three poltergeists. These three male entities followed John Bell from his former home in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to Adams, Tennessee, seeking their revenge. Within the covers of this book, the Bell Witch is unveiled at last.
About the Author: DJ Lyons
DJ Lyons earned her masters degree with a specialization in storytelling from East Tennessee State University in 1989. She has been a professional storyteller and writer ever since.
To make a very long story short, the storytelling professor requested that DJ research and write the story of the Bell Witch for a Halloween exclusive entitled "Special 1990 Halloween Edition: Appalachian Ghostlore." DJ wrote the story from the point-of-view of Betsy Bell, the teenage daughter. DJ refused to perform the story at the ETSU Halloween Storyfest as she found the story way too depressing.
Three years later, a Knoxville, Tennessee, high school art teacher hired DJ to tell scary stories at her school. This very insistent teacher wanted DJ to tell the story of the Tennessee Bell Witch. Initially, DJ refused. Then a whole series of events transpired that literally changed the whole course of DJ's life. The end result? Not only did DJ perform the story of the Bell Witch at this high school in late October of 1993, she spent the next two years of her life researching and writing this book called "The Bell Witch Unveiled At Last! The True Story Of A Poltergeist." Her goal? She wishes to empower the reader, alleviate superstition and fear, and to bring light to a story that has been shrouded in fear and mystery for far too long. Happy 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.
By DJ Lyons
Publisher: PublishAmerica
ISBN 1604744774.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Order this book on Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Witch-Unveiled-Last-Poltergeist/dp/1604744774/
Find bookstores selling this book: http://www.bellwitchunveiled.com/Buy_Book.html
Who Was The True Bell Witch Of Tennessee?
John Bell, of Adams, Tennessee, died on December 20, 1820. Why not? He was old. He was sick. He was comatose. Yet dozens of newspaper articles; a handful of published books, movies, videos, and websites; and countless amateur and professional storytellers all erroneously claim that John Bell was killed by a poltergeist.
Who was this poltergeist many called the ‘Bell Witch’? Newspapers, books, websites, and countless people familiar with the 1817-1821 haunting gave the finger of blame to a neighbor woman, Cate Batts. Her alleged guilt was purely circumstantial. For the first time, this breakthrough publication reveals the actual identities and motives of the three poltergeists. These three male entities followed John Bell from his former home in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to Adams, Tennessee, seeking their revenge. Within the covers of this book, the Bell Witch is unveiled at last.
About the Author: DJ Lyons
DJ Lyons earned her masters degree with a specialization in storytelling from East Tennessee State University in 1989. She has been a professional storyteller and writer ever since.
To make a very long story short, the storytelling professor requested that DJ research and write the story of the Bell Witch for a Halloween exclusive entitled "Special 1990 Halloween Edition: Appalachian Ghostlore." DJ wrote the story from the point-of-view of Betsy Bell, the teenage daughter. DJ refused to perform the story at the ETSU Halloween Storyfest as she found the story way too depressing.
Three years later, a Knoxville, Tennessee, high school art teacher hired DJ to tell scary stories at her school. This very insistent teacher wanted DJ to tell the story of the Tennessee Bell Witch. Initially, DJ refused. Then a whole series of events transpired that literally changed the whole course of DJ's life. The end result? Not only did DJ perform the story of the Bell Witch at this high school in late October of 1993, she spent the next two years of her life researching and writing this book called "The Bell Witch Unveiled At Last! The True Story Of A Poltergeist." Her goal? She wishes to empower the reader, alleviate superstition and fear, and to bring light to a story that has been shrouded in fear and mystery for far too long. Happy 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.
Monday, 17 March 2008
Rick Reed's Novel So Deadly Its Great
Unknown
16:59
Fiction: Gay/Lesbian, Fiction: Mystery, Fiction: Thriller, Quest Books (Publisher), rick r reed, zumaya publications
0
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
-----
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: 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.
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.
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