Title: Flaming Dove
Author: Daniel Arenson
Author Website: http://www.danielarenson.com/
Genre: Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-9866028-1-8
Synopsis:
Outcast from Hell. Banished from Heaven. Lost on Earth.
The battle of Armageddon was finally fought... and ended with no clear victor. Upon the mountain, the armies of Hell and Heaven beat each other into a bloody, uneasy standstill, leaving the Earth in ruins. Armageddon should have ended with Heaven winning, ushering in an era of peace. That's what the prophecies said. Instead, the two armies--one of angels, one of demons--hunker down in the scorched planet, lick their wounds, and gear up for a prolonged war with no end in sight.
In this chaos of warring armies and ruined landscapes, Laila doesn't want to take sides. Her mother was an angel, her father a demon; she is outcast from both camps. And yet both armies need her, for with her mixed blood, Laila can become the ultimate spy... or ultimate soldier. As the armies of Heaven and Hell pursue her, Laila's only war is within her heart--a struggle between her demonic and heavenly blood.
Author Bio:
Daniel Arenson is an author of fantasy fiction, from epic to dark and surreal. He began his career writing short stories. He sold his first story, "Worms Believe in God", in 1998. Since then, dozens of his stories and poems have appeared in various magazines, among them Flesh & Blood, Chizine, and Orson Scott Card's Strong Verse.
Five Star Publishing, an imprint of Gale, published Daniel's fantasy novel Firefly Island in 2007.
His second novel, the dark fantasy Flaming Dove, was released in 2010.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Monday, 13 September 2010
Saturday, 11 September 2010
Carol Upton Reviews Poetry for Those Who Love Horses
Blue Mountain Rider
By Mary Benson and Hedy Strauss
Publisher: Xlibris
Paperback, 2009, $19.99
Also available in Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-4415-7108
Reviewed by Carol M. Upton for Horses All
This collection of poems reflects our deepest emotions, ambitions, desires, hopes, fears, and dreams. It illustrates love and respect for an animal that has earned its way into our structure of life. ~ Hedy Strauss
Blue Mountain Rider is one of the few poetry collections dedicated to a celebration of the horse. Mary Benson and Hedy Strauss bring us an exceptional anthology that describes the countless ways in which these unusual creatures have enriched our lives.
In the opening section, ‘Horse Evolving’, we are treated to elemental images that remind us why we are often so drawn to horses. In ‘Wild Spirit’ Strauss writes one of several poems about the mustangs whose dramatic images appear in current news of round ups and herd management:
“The sound of hoofbeats
fill the air
Wild prairie phantoms – disappear!”
Benson offers us the ethereal ‘Night Ride’ plucked from childhood dreams:
“Oh, the desert sings to me
And I ride
In windswept flight, aloft and free
Forever in this enchanted land, Pegasus and me.”
Other sections include poems dedicated to specific types such as the Appaloosa, the hard-working mules of history, and the world’s wild horses, from the Steppes of Asia to the Moors of Brittany. Another cluster reminds us how horses have served throughout history, in city streets and country fields, on police patrol or cutting cattle. Special relationships between girls and horses are explored in such tender poems as ‘Pigtails and Ponytails’ and ‘Mane of Red and Gold’. There is sadness, too, in Benson’s pondering: “Oh, how will we say farewell?” and Strauss acknowledging how “It will break my heart the day you die.”
This book is a memorable gift for any horse-lover, but you’ll likely want a second copy for your bedside table, so you can savour these evocative lyrics whenever you wish.
Combining their love of horses and the outdoors, Mary Benson and Hedy Strauss immigrated to the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York where they met. Whether it is preserving wild mustang heritage or saving horses from slaughter, both women are passionate advocates for animal welfare. Visit Mary and Hedy at http://www.bluemountainrider.com/
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
By Mary Benson and Hedy Strauss
Publisher: Xlibris
Paperback, 2009, $19.99
Also available in Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-4415-7108
Reviewed by Carol M. Upton for Horses All
This collection of poems reflects our deepest emotions, ambitions, desires, hopes, fears, and dreams. It illustrates love and respect for an animal that has earned its way into our structure of life. ~ Hedy Strauss
Blue Mountain Rider is one of the few poetry collections dedicated to a celebration of the horse. Mary Benson and Hedy Strauss bring us an exceptional anthology that describes the countless ways in which these unusual creatures have enriched our lives.
In the opening section, ‘Horse Evolving’, we are treated to elemental images that remind us why we are often so drawn to horses. In ‘Wild Spirit’ Strauss writes one of several poems about the mustangs whose dramatic images appear in current news of round ups and herd management:
“The sound of hoofbeats
fill the air
Wild prairie phantoms – disappear!”
Benson offers us the ethereal ‘Night Ride’ plucked from childhood dreams:
“Oh, the desert sings to me
And I ride
In windswept flight, aloft and free
Forever in this enchanted land, Pegasus and me.”
Other sections include poems dedicated to specific types such as the Appaloosa, the hard-working mules of history, and the world’s wild horses, from the Steppes of Asia to the Moors of Brittany. Another cluster reminds us how horses have served throughout history, in city streets and country fields, on police patrol or cutting cattle. Special relationships between girls and horses are explored in such tender poems as ‘Pigtails and Ponytails’ and ‘Mane of Red and Gold’. There is sadness, too, in Benson’s pondering: “Oh, how will we say farewell?” and Strauss acknowledging how “It will break my heart the day you die.”
This book is a memorable gift for any horse-lover, but you’ll likely want a second copy for your bedside table, so you can savour these evocative lyrics whenever you wish.
Combining their love of horses and the outdoors, Mary Benson and Hedy Strauss immigrated to the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York where they met. Whether it is preserving wild mustang heritage or saving horses from slaughter, both women are passionate advocates for animal welfare. Visit Mary and Hedy at http://www.bluemountainrider.com/
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Friday, 10 September 2010
A New Waste Land: Timeship Earth at Nillennium by Michael Horovitz
A New Waste Land: Timeship Earth at Nillennium
By Michael Horovitz
Genre: Poetry, Art, Politics
ISBN: 978-0-902689-18-3;
Publisher: New Departures
Distributed by Central Books, London
Reviewed by Tony Benn (Time Out London)
In this book Michael Horovitz has deployed all his many talents to produce a passionate, poetic and immensely powerful polemic against Tony Blair's New Labour Administration for the policies he pursued as Prime Minister and in particular his wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, his threats to Iran and his consistent and deliberate deception of the British public and Parliament to justify his actions.
For those who have been advocating a War Crimes Tribunal to arraign him and President Bush this poetic charge sheet could be used by any lawyer as a brief to guide him in preparing his case, and since no such trial has ever taken place A New Waste Land will remain on the record as a reminder for all those around the world who do not wish these crimes ever to be forgotten.
Michael was disappointed that the hopes raised in 1997 were so quickly dashed and even those, who like myself, never expected as much as he did, find it hard to believe that it went as badly wrong as it did.
His style is brilliant using historical quotations, pictures, cartoons and poetry laid out in a way that elevates it to the level of art to make his point and it is effective in a way that no speech could do.
Thoroughly researched, with footnotes to justify his assertions, he tackles a wide range of subjects, ranging from atomic weapons to privatisation as a deliberate instrument to diminish the role of the electorate and transfer the power back to the powerful economic forces which, today, dominate the political process so comprehensively.
Reminded of Hiroshima, we see the decision to renew Trident in its proper historical context as a conscious decision to maintain weapons of even greater power that could – if ever used – inflict death and destruction on millions of innocent people.
Palestine's unanswered pleas for peace and justice feature strongly, and we are reminded of the wicked practice of unspeakable torture that we have come to accept, as well as the rendition process, which makes it easier to transport the victims to countries where it can be done in secret, leaving the perpetrators to deny their own responsibility.
A New Waste Land is published on the 250th birthday of William Blake and, wherever his spirit now rests, Blake will be proud to read such a clear re-statement of the principles which he enunciated and which have – as this book will have – a permanent place in the libraries of the world and in the minds of those who read it.
But horrific as the picture Horovitz paints may be, we must never allow it to drive us into pessimism about the future, for hope is the fuel of progressive movements and fear is a prison into which we confine ourselves.
Knowing Michael's indomitable spirit I am sure that he too retains the hope we shall need if a peaceful and just world is to be built – as it must be.
Tony Benn (Time Out, London)
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
By Michael Horovitz
Genre: Poetry, Art, Politics
ISBN: 978-0-902689-18-3;
Publisher: New Departures
Distributed by Central Books, London
Reviewed by Tony Benn (Time Out London)
In this book Michael Horovitz has deployed all his many talents to produce a passionate, poetic and immensely powerful polemic against Tony Blair's New Labour Administration for the policies he pursued as Prime Minister and in particular his wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, his threats to Iran and his consistent and deliberate deception of the British public and Parliament to justify his actions.
For those who have been advocating a War Crimes Tribunal to arraign him and President Bush this poetic charge sheet could be used by any lawyer as a brief to guide him in preparing his case, and since no such trial has ever taken place A New Waste Land will remain on the record as a reminder for all those around the world who do not wish these crimes ever to be forgotten.
Michael was disappointed that the hopes raised in 1997 were so quickly dashed and even those, who like myself, never expected as much as he did, find it hard to believe that it went as badly wrong as it did.
His style is brilliant using historical quotations, pictures, cartoons and poetry laid out in a way that elevates it to the level of art to make his point and it is effective in a way that no speech could do.
Thoroughly researched, with footnotes to justify his assertions, he tackles a wide range of subjects, ranging from atomic weapons to privatisation as a deliberate instrument to diminish the role of the electorate and transfer the power back to the powerful economic forces which, today, dominate the political process so comprehensively.
Reminded of Hiroshima, we see the decision to renew Trident in its proper historical context as a conscious decision to maintain weapons of even greater power that could – if ever used – inflict death and destruction on millions of innocent people.
Palestine's unanswered pleas for peace and justice feature strongly, and we are reminded of the wicked practice of unspeakable torture that we have come to accept, as well as the rendition process, which makes it easier to transport the victims to countries where it can be done in secret, leaving the perpetrators to deny their own responsibility.
A New Waste Land is published on the 250th birthday of William Blake and, wherever his spirit now rests, Blake will be proud to read such a clear re-statement of the principles which he enunciated and which have – as this book will have – a permanent place in the libraries of the world and in the minds of those who read it.
But horrific as the picture Horovitz paints may be, we must never allow it to drive us into pessimism about the future, for hope is the fuel of progressive movements and fear is a prison into which we confine ourselves.
Knowing Michael's indomitable spirit I am sure that he too retains the hope we shall need if a peaceful and just world is to be built – as it must be.
Tony Benn (Time Out, London)
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Karen Cioffi Reviews Helena Harper's New Poetry Book
Title: Family & More - Enemies or Friends?
Author: Helena Harper, www.helenaharper.com
Publisher: Pen Press, http://www.penpress.co.uk/
Genre: memoir, poetry
ISBN 13: 978-1907172649
ISBN-10: 1907172645
Reviewed by Karen Cioffi originally for Amazon
Reviewer's rating: 5 stars
Family and More – Enemies or Friends? is more than a collection of poems, it is a story I enjoyed and learned from. As you read this book, it becomes clear that the author put a great deal of time and effort into the choice of every word used. Each poem has a melodic flow that moves smoothly into the next.
Family and More enlightens the reader to the conflicts and confusion that exist in a family divided by war. Being the child of a German mother and English father in the aftermath of WWII, the author delves into her family’s history by examining the lives of several family members as well as other personal relationships. Each poem is an intertwined life. With descriptive imagery these people come alive; you see their struggles and triumphs.
This wonderful poetic story goes beyond a family history; it depicts the futility, frustration and hardship of war, along with the frailties and strengths of the people that make up each of our families.
Family and More – Enemies or Friends? is a beautifully written book. I highly recommend it.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Author: Helena Harper, www.helenaharper.com
Publisher: Pen Press, http://www.penpress.co.uk/
Genre: memoir, poetry
ISBN 13: 978-1907172649
ISBN-10: 1907172645
Reviewed by Karen Cioffi originally for Amazon
Reviewer's rating: 5 stars
Family and More – Enemies or Friends? is more than a collection of poems, it is a story I enjoyed and learned from. As you read this book, it becomes clear that the author put a great deal of time and effort into the choice of every word used. Each poem has a melodic flow that moves smoothly into the next.
Family and More enlightens the reader to the conflicts and confusion that exist in a family divided by war. Being the child of a German mother and English father in the aftermath of WWII, the author delves into her family’s history by examining the lives of several family members as well as other personal relationships. Each poem is an intertwined life. With descriptive imagery these people come alive; you see their struggles and triumphs.
This wonderful poetic story goes beyond a family history; it depicts the futility, frustration and hardship of war, along with the frailties and strengths of the people that make up each of our families.
Family and More – Enemies or Friends? is a beautifully written book. I highly recommend it.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Eloise Michael Review Book of Love Poems
A Book of Poems: The Inner Soul
By: Anthony F. Rando
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Publication Date: June 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4490-9991-6
Reviewed by: Eloise Michael for Feathered Quill Book Reviews
In A Book of Poems: The Inner Soul, Anthony Rando writes about love, fear, and loss, subjects that have moved authors for as long as people have been writing poetry. Here Rando shares his deepest feelings, exploring them through metaphor and simile. The voice of the poet is earnest throughout this collection. Readers will feel as though Rando
wrote the poems in the midst of the intensity of feeling that he describes. They are raw and honest, holding back no emotion; they are love and longing in real time. The author makes little attempt to temper his passion with balance or perspective.
Rando employs images of light and dark to speak of sadness and loss and to contrast that sadness with the joy he dreams of possessing once again. The majority of the poems in the collection are love poems, written for a woman he compares to an angel, of whom he writes, “She is my heaven, my earth. She is everything to my heart." Some of these poems are written in the second person, speaking directly to her, and many are
descriptions of this woman and the overwhelming feelings that the author has for her.
Rando showers his beloved with praise and adoration throughout the book. A reader will no doubt long to find someone so worthy or perhaps dream that a poet will one day write such a poem for her.
Though most of Rando's poems are celebrations of the love he has found, and the woman with whom he has found it, the poems speak also of sadness. Rando hints at the loneliness he felt before finding this love, the emptiness he feels without her. “The Rose from Afar” is an example of this tension between joy and emptiness.
The Rose from Afar
The sweet smell of her skin
A warm wind embracing my heart
Like a blanket wrapped around my soul
The morning sunshine surrounds the mountains above
A beautiful rose appears from afar
Colors so vibrant they illuminate your darkest days
Tears fill my eyes as I watch the rose disappear into the
night sky
Missing my rose, like love missing from my empty heart.
Rando truly writes from the heart, expressing his joy and his pain with equal intensity. The title of this collection, The Inner Soul is fitting, as this book is Rando's deepest and most personal emotions set on paper.
Quill says: Passionate poems about love, loneliness, and loss.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
By: Anthony F. Rando
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Publication Date: June 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4490-9991-6
Reviewed by: Eloise Michael for Feathered Quill Book Reviews
In A Book of Poems: The Inner Soul, Anthony Rando writes about love, fear, and loss, subjects that have moved authors for as long as people have been writing poetry. Here Rando shares his deepest feelings, exploring them through metaphor and simile. The voice of the poet is earnest throughout this collection. Readers will feel as though Rando
wrote the poems in the midst of the intensity of feeling that he describes. They are raw and honest, holding back no emotion; they are love and longing in real time. The author makes little attempt to temper his passion with balance or perspective.
Rando employs images of light and dark to speak of sadness and loss and to contrast that sadness with the joy he dreams of possessing once again. The majority of the poems in the collection are love poems, written for a woman he compares to an angel, of whom he writes, “She is my heaven, my earth. She is everything to my heart." Some of these poems are written in the second person, speaking directly to her, and many are
descriptions of this woman and the overwhelming feelings that the author has for her.
Rando showers his beloved with praise and adoration throughout the book. A reader will no doubt long to find someone so worthy or perhaps dream that a poet will one day write such a poem for her.
Though most of Rando's poems are celebrations of the love he has found, and the woman with whom he has found it, the poems speak also of sadness. Rando hints at the loneliness he felt before finding this love, the emptiness he feels without her. “The Rose from Afar” is an example of this tension between joy and emptiness.
The Rose from Afar
The sweet smell of her skin
A warm wind embracing my heart
Like a blanket wrapped around my soul
The morning sunshine surrounds the mountains above
A beautiful rose appears from afar
Colors so vibrant they illuminate your darkest days
Tears fill my eyes as I watch the rose disappear into the
night sky
Missing my rose, like love missing from my empty heart.
Rando truly writes from the heart, expressing his joy and his pain with equal intensity. The title of this collection, The Inner Soul is fitting, as this book is Rando's deepest and most personal emotions set on paper.
Quill says: Passionate poems about love, loneliness, and loss.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Monday, 6 September 2010
On Reviews, Reviewers and Ethics
I thought those of you who subscribe to this blog or drop by as visitors would enjoy this article on reviews by guest blogger Leora Krygier.
Review or Skew?
By Leora Krygier author of When She Sleeps
Recently, an encounter with a book review blogger got me thinking about the subject of honest reviewing. But I’ll get to that in a moment.
Along with the democratization of book publishing in the last two decades and the proliferation of self-published books, has come the democratization of reviews and reviewers. No longer are reviewers sitting exclusively in the ivory towers of the New York Times, the New Yorker and other major publications. Reviewers abound everywhere you look -- on Amazon and Barnes and Noble sites, on Library Thing, and a host of other book blog sites. And this is good, yes? Well, yes and no.
So, back to my encounter. I’d asked a book blogger of a certain genre to give me some comments on an unsold, unpublished manuscript. Besides the fact that she reviewed the manuscript without my permission and put the review on her blog (she later removed it) the more disheartening aspect of this story were the prejudicial comments she made, based, I learned later, on her narrow world view. I won’t go into specifics, but let’s just say she advised me not to include certain characters, in order to have a “larger audience” of readers. This and some other strangely backwater comments alerted me to her skewed views. Besides feeling completely stupid for not picking up on some of this earlier on, and besides my wanting to expose this as a cautionary tale for authors, it also got me thinking about reviews in general.
Should reviewers disclose their leanings and prejudices, and their world view? And on the other side of the coin, what about all those reviews we authors ask our friends to write on Amazon? Should “friend” connections be disclosed in honest reviewing? What about blurbs that come from authors who have the same publisher? Is that a conflict of interest? And reviews for money? Do we just stack it all up to…”it’s okay because it’s just promotion?” or is this an ethical issue that needs addressing?
I went straight to my good friend (full disclosure here) Bob Stone, also known as “EthicsBob” who writes and blogs about all things ethical and asked him to weigh in on this.
EthicsBob says, "Reviewers should have a clear conscience—they shouldn’t hope that their background remains hidden. If I write a review on Amazon for my pal Leora’s book I must disclose that she’s a friend, because there’s a clear conflict here: I hope her book succeeds and I want to write an honest review. If my publisher asks me to review a colleague’s book I have a slightly different conflict: I want to stay in my publisher’s good graces and I want to be honest. If I’m being paid for a review I want to please my patron and I want to be honest.
"I’m not saying that I can’t be honest in my reviews; in fact I did love and admire Leora’s novels—only that my conflict exists. Readers are entitled to know she’s my friend. [Full disclosure: I hadn’t thought this through when I posted reviews on Amazon. I’ve just now corrected my ethical lapse.] If I’m paid by the author to write a review readers are entitled to know. Then they can decide whether to heed my review or to discount it as hopelessly biased.
"As far as reviewers disclosing their world view and leanings, I don’t think so, as long as they write honestly. Their reviews can speak for themselves, and their readers can decide. I think comments can be stupid, narrow minded and offensive without being unethical. If, on the other hand, a book is panned as dull, thin, or badly written without disclosing that the reviewer is offended, for example ,by homosexuality, blasphemy or sex, then the reviewer is being deceptive and unethical.
“EthicsBob” is Bob Stone. You can read about him at http://bobstone.us/ and read his blog at http://ethicsbob.com/
Leora Krygier is the author of When She Sleeps and New York Public Library pick, Best Books for the Teen Age. It is Juvenile Court: A Judge's Guide for Young Adults and Their Parents. Follow her breezy Starbucks blog at http://www.starbuckled.blogspot.com/ and read more about Leora at http://www.leorakrygier.com/ .
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Review or Skew?
By Leora Krygier author of When She Sleeps
Recently, an encounter with a book review blogger got me thinking about the subject of honest reviewing. But I’ll get to that in a moment.
Along with the democratization of book publishing in the last two decades and the proliferation of self-published books, has come the democratization of reviews and reviewers. No longer are reviewers sitting exclusively in the ivory towers of the New York Times, the New Yorker and other major publications. Reviewers abound everywhere you look -- on Amazon and Barnes and Noble sites, on Library Thing, and a host of other book blog sites. And this is good, yes? Well, yes and no.
So, back to my encounter. I’d asked a book blogger of a certain genre to give me some comments on an unsold, unpublished manuscript. Besides the fact that she reviewed the manuscript without my permission and put the review on her blog (she later removed it) the more disheartening aspect of this story were the prejudicial comments she made, based, I learned later, on her narrow world view. I won’t go into specifics, but let’s just say she advised me not to include certain characters, in order to have a “larger audience” of readers. This and some other strangely backwater comments alerted me to her skewed views. Besides feeling completely stupid for not picking up on some of this earlier on, and besides my wanting to expose this as a cautionary tale for authors, it also got me thinking about reviews in general.
Should reviewers disclose their leanings and prejudices, and their world view? And on the other side of the coin, what about all those reviews we authors ask our friends to write on Amazon? Should “friend” connections be disclosed in honest reviewing? What about blurbs that come from authors who have the same publisher? Is that a conflict of interest? And reviews for money? Do we just stack it all up to…”it’s okay because it’s just promotion?” or is this an ethical issue that needs addressing?
I went straight to my good friend (full disclosure here) Bob Stone, also known as “EthicsBob” who writes and blogs about all things ethical and asked him to weigh in on this.
EthicsBob says, "Reviewers should have a clear conscience—they shouldn’t hope that their background remains hidden. If I write a review on Amazon for my pal Leora’s book I must disclose that she’s a friend, because there’s a clear conflict here: I hope her book succeeds and I want to write an honest review. If my publisher asks me to review a colleague’s book I have a slightly different conflict: I want to stay in my publisher’s good graces and I want to be honest. If I’m being paid for a review I want to please my patron and I want to be honest.
"I’m not saying that I can’t be honest in my reviews; in fact I did love and admire Leora’s novels—only that my conflict exists. Readers are entitled to know she’s my friend. [Full disclosure: I hadn’t thought this through when I posted reviews on Amazon. I’ve just now corrected my ethical lapse.] If I’m paid by the author to write a review readers are entitled to know. Then they can decide whether to heed my review or to discount it as hopelessly biased.
"As far as reviewers disclosing their world view and leanings, I don’t think so, as long as they write honestly. Their reviews can speak for themselves, and their readers can decide. I think comments can be stupid, narrow minded and offensive without being unethical. If, on the other hand, a book is panned as dull, thin, or badly written without disclosing that the reviewer is offended, for example ,by homosexuality, blasphemy or sex, then the reviewer is being deceptive and unethical.
“EthicsBob” is Bob Stone. You can read about him at http://bobstone.us/ and read his blog at http://ethicsbob.com/
Leora Krygier is the author of When She Sleeps and New York Public Library pick, Best Books for the Teen Age. It is Juvenile Court: A Judge's Guide for Young Adults and Their Parents. Follow her breezy Starbucks blog at http://www.starbuckled.blogspot.com/ and read more about Leora at http://www.leorakrygier.com/ .
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Debut Novel Crestmont Reviewed
Crestmont
By Holly Weiss, http://www.hollyweiss.com/
Historical Fiction
ISBN978-1-935188-10-0
Review of Crestmont by Tiffany Schlarman for Review the Book
“Step into the lives of Gracie Antes and the Woods family of Eagles Mere Pennsylvania. Gracie, who decided to take control and live her life, left her sheltered family in 1925 to pursue her dreams. Crestmont was a summer job, a way to start earning money in order to follow her dream and sing. Little did she know she would find herself, friends, and a family of her own by taking a job at the Crestmont Inn. The woods own the Crestmont and spend their time keeping the dream of Mrs. Woods's father alive. The Crestmont is not just and Inn, but a place of happiness and solitude for many guest as well as the charming staff.
As you read this wonderful novel, you will be taken back in time to the 1920's. You will feel you are part of the Crestmont and its staff. As Gracie's' story unfolds you are vividly aware of the decade, its people, pastimes and its trials. The book is truly engulfing. You will not want to put it down. The characters are unique and charming, giving the book a truly small town feel with a get away to dream of.
I really enjoyed this debut novel. I felt I was actually part of Eagles Mere and the Crestmont Inn. The characters are charming and loveable. It makes you want to visit the modern day Crestmont, though I'm sure you would arrive and be disappointed. The book is a work of historical fiction, combined with actual history, The Crestmont is a wildly entertaining read. Everything is well presented and thought out. The descriptive nature enables you to envision life during this time. The author does a wonderful job at drawing the reader in and making them welcome, wanting to be part of the story and happenings. She has a way of making the business of running an Inn feel charming and delightful. It is a pleasure to read.”
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
By Holly Weiss, http://www.hollyweiss.com/
Historical Fiction
ISBN978-1-935188-10-0
Review of Crestmont by Tiffany Schlarman for Review the Book
“Step into the lives of Gracie Antes and the Woods family of Eagles Mere Pennsylvania. Gracie, who decided to take control and live her life, left her sheltered family in 1925 to pursue her dreams. Crestmont was a summer job, a way to start earning money in order to follow her dream and sing. Little did she know she would find herself, friends, and a family of her own by taking a job at the Crestmont Inn. The woods own the Crestmont and spend their time keeping the dream of Mrs. Woods's father alive. The Crestmont is not just and Inn, but a place of happiness and solitude for many guest as well as the charming staff.
As you read this wonderful novel, you will be taken back in time to the 1920's. You will feel you are part of the Crestmont and its staff. As Gracie's' story unfolds you are vividly aware of the decade, its people, pastimes and its trials. The book is truly engulfing. You will not want to put it down. The characters are unique and charming, giving the book a truly small town feel with a get away to dream of.
I really enjoyed this debut novel. I felt I was actually part of Eagles Mere and the Crestmont Inn. The characters are charming and loveable. It makes you want to visit the modern day Crestmont, though I'm sure you would arrive and be disappointed. The book is a work of historical fiction, combined with actual history, The Crestmont is a wildly entertaining read. Everything is well presented and thought out. The descriptive nature enables you to envision life during this time. The author does a wonderful job at drawing the reader in and making them welcome, wanting to be part of the story and happenings. She has a way of making the business of running an Inn feel charming and delightful. It is a pleasure to read.”
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Search for Consciousness Self Help Here!
Title: Conscious Footsteps
Subtitle: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters
Author Name: Dianne Eppler Adams
Publisher Name: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-4520-1147-9
Genre: Self-help – General; Religion – Spiritual
Synopsis
Conscious Footsteps is an idea generator for finding Spirit in ordinary life experiences, inspired by the author's deep, heartfelt search for life's greater meaning. Read it to awaken personal happiness and notice the interdependence and sacredness of everything. Discover how Spirit manifests in your daily affairs, bringing greater joy and fulfillment.
Underlying the book is the assumption that you won't find Spirit by moving away from the world; you find it by going more open-heartedly into ordinary life. Though written by an astrologer, you do not need to understand or believe in astrology to gain from the book. Those who want to know more will find answers to many common questions about astrology in the appendix. Open this book to any page at any time and use it to inspire your day.
Reviewed by Tracy Riva Book Reviewer for Amazon
RATING: (5) STARS
Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters by Dianne Eppler Adams is a unique find in the world of books of spirituality. Dianne draws upon her own heightened awareness and her experience as an astrologer to bring an entirely new refreshing perspective to books on spirituality.
Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters is a self-help book in that it does help highlight practices you could now be doing to help you and the world around you to achieve better balance and happiness. Adams recognizes we are going through difficult times and acknowledges that more of the same is likely, but she shows ways, such as focusing on the positive or helping with a charity, to get through these times. As she aptly points out the key to surviving these times is to take the focus off of ourselves and put it on someone, or something else.
Another thing Adams emphasizes is the fact it is better to say nothing at all than to tell even a "white lie." She uses the example of someone asking us how we are and the fact we almost invariably reply with "fine." Adams points out that it's better to say nothing than to answer that you are fine if you aren't. Don't be rude or anything, just come up with a true, but non-committal answer.
Adams also strongly emphasizes out uniqueness and how important our opinion is, even when it differs from that of the world around us. Voicing our opinion can help others see another side and may help bring balance, or a better resolution to a situation. She also points out that we need to honor ourselves in our lives, opinions, relationships and interactions with others and the world around us. We need to find ways to both give and receive in our relationships so we can be fulfilled and have an inner well of strength to draw on. We need to not allow fear to hold us back. That only brings about more fear and a constriction in the natural flow of things.
I'm giving away way too much of Dianne's book, but let me point out that these examples are only a very small portion of the life-changing examples of Adams work and these are all in the first few chapters. Also, you can use the book as a daily reference - or whenever you want/need to - just pop it open to a page and apply that point for the rest of the day. It works great.
What follows is an excerpt from Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters:
"I remind myself that I did not create myself. Therefore, I am not the beginning and end of the strength on which I can call to manage my life. I frequently call on Spirit during the day with an inner thought or wish or prayer. I ask for strength when I feel weak. I ask for clarity when I am confused. I ask for patience when I am frustrated.
The operation of Spirit is not something I fully understand, but I trust it. I consider it humorous that, with our little brains, we think we might understand the vast wisdom of Spirit. For this reason, I believe all religions and belief systems are only partially true. All mystics, seers, and prophets see part of the Truth but not the Whole Truth. They are trying to access the Truth with a puny (relatively speaking) instrument called "the human mind." When I am fearful, I call on the strength that comes from beyond me and trust that Spirit is handling everything."
Author Bio
Dianne Eppler Adams, CAP, is a certified astrologer, practical mystic and author of the book, "Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters." She writes a popular monthly New Moon newsletter (signup at www.SpiritinMatters.com) from which Conscious Footsteps was drawn.
Since 1995, Dianne has maintained an astrological consulting practice in Alexandria, VA using a Western psychological-spiritual approach and inspiring others to live in alignment with their authentic selves by recognizing life's higher purpose. She is certified by the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR) and also holds membership in the National Committee for Geocosmic Research (NCGR)and the Organization for Professional Astrology (OPA).
In 2004, after 35 years in the corporate world, she transitioned her astrology practice from part-time to full-time. Dianne is also the founder and director of the Holistic Entrepreneurs Alliance, an alternative business networking group in the Northern VA area.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Subtitle: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters
Author Name: Dianne Eppler Adams
Publisher Name: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-4520-1147-9
Genre: Self-help – General; Religion – Spiritual
Synopsis
Conscious Footsteps is an idea generator for finding Spirit in ordinary life experiences, inspired by the author's deep, heartfelt search for life's greater meaning. Read it to awaken personal happiness and notice the interdependence and sacredness of everything. Discover how Spirit manifests in your daily affairs, bringing greater joy and fulfillment.
Underlying the book is the assumption that you won't find Spirit by moving away from the world; you find it by going more open-heartedly into ordinary life. Though written by an astrologer, you do not need to understand or believe in astrology to gain from the book. Those who want to know more will find answers to many common questions about astrology in the appendix. Open this book to any page at any time and use it to inspire your day.
Reviewed by Tracy Riva Book Reviewer for Amazon
RATING: (5) STARS
Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters by Dianne Eppler Adams is a unique find in the world of books of spirituality. Dianne draws upon her own heightened awareness and her experience as an astrologer to bring an entirely new refreshing perspective to books on spirituality.
Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters is a self-help book in that it does help highlight practices you could now be doing to help you and the world around you to achieve better balance and happiness. Adams recognizes we are going through difficult times and acknowledges that more of the same is likely, but she shows ways, such as focusing on the positive or helping with a charity, to get through these times. As she aptly points out the key to surviving these times is to take the focus off of ourselves and put it on someone, or something else.
Another thing Adams emphasizes is the fact it is better to say nothing at all than to tell even a "white lie." She uses the example of someone asking us how we are and the fact we almost invariably reply with "fine." Adams points out that it's better to say nothing than to answer that you are fine if you aren't. Don't be rude or anything, just come up with a true, but non-committal answer.
Adams also strongly emphasizes out uniqueness and how important our opinion is, even when it differs from that of the world around us. Voicing our opinion can help others see another side and may help bring balance, or a better resolution to a situation. She also points out that we need to honor ourselves in our lives, opinions, relationships and interactions with others and the world around us. We need to find ways to both give and receive in our relationships so we can be fulfilled and have an inner well of strength to draw on. We need to not allow fear to hold us back. That only brings about more fear and a constriction in the natural flow of things.
I'm giving away way too much of Dianne's book, but let me point out that these examples are only a very small portion of the life-changing examples of Adams work and these are all in the first few chapters. Also, you can use the book as a daily reference - or whenever you want/need to - just pop it open to a page and apply that point for the rest of the day. It works great.
What follows is an excerpt from Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters:
"I remind myself that I did not create myself. Therefore, I am not the beginning and end of the strength on which I can call to manage my life. I frequently call on Spirit during the day with an inner thought or wish or prayer. I ask for strength when I feel weak. I ask for clarity when I am confused. I ask for patience when I am frustrated.
The operation of Spirit is not something I fully understand, but I trust it. I consider it humorous that, with our little brains, we think we might understand the vast wisdom of Spirit. For this reason, I believe all religions and belief systems are only partially true. All mystics, seers, and prophets see part of the Truth but not the Whole Truth. They are trying to access the Truth with a puny (relatively speaking) instrument called "the human mind." When I am fearful, I call on the strength that comes from beyond me and trust that Spirit is handling everything."
Author Bio
Dianne Eppler Adams, CAP, is a certified astrologer, practical mystic and author of the book, "Conscious Footsteps: Finding Spirit in Everyday Matters." She writes a popular monthly New Moon newsletter (signup at www.SpiritinMatters.com) from which Conscious Footsteps was drawn.
Since 1995, Dianne has maintained an astrological consulting practice in Alexandria, VA using a Western psychological-spiritual approach and inspiring others to live in alignment with their authentic selves by recognizing life's higher purpose. She is certified by the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR) and also holds membership in the National Committee for Geocosmic Research (NCGR)and the Organization for Professional Astrology (OPA).
In 2004, after 35 years in the corporate world, she transitioned her astrology practice from part-time to full-time. Dianne is also the founder and director of the Holistic Entrepreneurs Alliance, an alternative business networking group in the Northern VA area.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
If I Had a Best Writers' Book of the Year Award, This Would Be the Winner!
It was the best of sentences, it was the worst of sentences
Subtitle: a writer’s guide to crafting killer sentences
By June Casagrande
Ten Speed Press (2010)
ISBN: 9781580087407
Nonfiction/How-To (Writing)
Buy Link: http://budurl.com/GrammarSnobs
Publisher's Site: http://www.tenspeed.com/
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This Is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, a chapbook of poetry and the How To Do It Frugally Series of book for authors
Rules. Rules. Rules. I didn’t realize how tired I was of the same old writing advice until this little black book landed in my mailbox. I promised to review it fast, but this It was the best of sentences, it was the worst of sentences book by June Casagrande isn’t a book a serious writer wants to flip through fast.
I could see from the subhead in the first chapter that this book would include something better than most. It read, “Thy Reader, Thy God.” What a concept that is! The Reader and not The Rule Book! Ahem! And it got better and better as Casagrande explored all the subjects I knew everything about. Or thought I did. She uses examples so a writer can see the differences between OK writing and acrylic-clear writing.
By the time I got to “Are Your Relatives Essential?” I was really sold. This is a Wow- Chapter, even for accomplished editors. The writing tips she gives in Chapter Twelve for using tenses effectively are just what I need to convince my students that I’m not the only editor/teacher in the world who believes that tenses needn’t match all the way through a story (or even a paragraph, for that matter!). That chapter is called “You Will Have Been Conjugating.”
I could go on and on, chapter by chapter. What isn’t new to a writer or what doesn’t elucidate will remind and amuse Casagrande’s God, The Reader. For those who know Casagrande’s work, this book isn’t as funny as her first one, Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies (www.budurl.com/GrammarSnobs ). Nevertheless, the reader will still occasionally get a good laugh. For chuckles read Chapter Nine, “Antique Desk Suitable for Lady with Thick Legs and Large Drawers.”
For Casagrande, the lesson is always that grammar needn’t be dreary. Why should it be when we love writing? How could it be when grammar is the nails and tacks, the color and structure of what we love? Writing.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards.
Her book of creative nonfiction Harkening, won three. A UCLA Writers' Program instructor, she also is the author of another book essential for writers,USA Book News' Best Professional Book of 2004, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't.(www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo ). The second in the HowToDoItFrugally series, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor ) covers writing successful query letters and includes helpful hints from twenty of the nation's top agents. Her book Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy (www.budurl.com/WordTrippersPB ) will appeal to the same crowd that falls in love with Casagrande’s books. Learn more about Howard-Johnson at her new site http://howtodoitfrugally.com/ .
Subtitle: a writer’s guide to crafting killer sentences
By June Casagrande
Ten Speed Press (2010)
ISBN: 9781580087407
Nonfiction/How-To (Writing)
Buy Link: http://budurl.com/GrammarSnobs
Publisher's Site: http://www.tenspeed.com/
New Book May (Should!) Replace Your Stunk and White!
Grammar Guru Offers Advice
Like None You’ve Ever Seen—All in One Place!
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This Is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, a chapbook of poetry and the How To Do It Frugally Series of book for authors
Rules. Rules. Rules. I didn’t realize how tired I was of the same old writing advice until this little black book landed in my mailbox. I promised to review it fast, but this It was the best of sentences, it was the worst of sentences book by June Casagrande isn’t a book a serious writer wants to flip through fast.
I could see from the subhead in the first chapter that this book would include something better than most. It read, “Thy Reader, Thy God.” What a concept that is! The Reader and not The Rule Book! Ahem! And it got better and better as Casagrande explored all the subjects I knew everything about. Or thought I did. She uses examples so a writer can see the differences between OK writing and acrylic-clear writing.
By the time I got to “Are Your Relatives Essential?” I was really sold. This is a Wow- Chapter, even for accomplished editors. The writing tips she gives in Chapter Twelve for using tenses effectively are just what I need to convince my students that I’m not the only editor/teacher in the world who believes that tenses needn’t match all the way through a story (or even a paragraph, for that matter!). That chapter is called “You Will Have Been Conjugating.”
I could go on and on, chapter by chapter. What isn’t new to a writer or what doesn’t elucidate will remind and amuse Casagrande’s God, The Reader. For those who know Casagrande’s work, this book isn’t as funny as her first one, Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies (www.budurl.com/GrammarSnobs ). Nevertheless, the reader will still occasionally get a good laugh. For chuckles read Chapter Nine, “Antique Desk Suitable for Lady with Thick Legs and Large Drawers.”
For Casagrande, the lesson is always that grammar needn’t be dreary. Why should it be when we love writing? How could it be when grammar is the nails and tacks, the color and structure of what we love? Writing.
------
Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards.
Her book of creative nonfiction Harkening, won three. A UCLA Writers' Program instructor, she also is the author of another book essential for writers,USA Book News' Best Professional Book of 2004, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't.(www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo ). The second in the HowToDoItFrugally series, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor ) covers writing successful query letters and includes helpful hints from twenty of the nation's top agents. Her book Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy (www.budurl.com/WordTrippersPB ) will appeal to the same crowd that falls in love with Casagrande’s books. Learn more about Howard-Johnson at her new site http://howtodoitfrugally.com/ .
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Lois Stern Pens Time-Stopping Beauty Help
Title: Tick Tock, Stop the Clock.
Subtitle: Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour
Author Name: Lois W. Stern
Publisher Name: Infinity Publishing Company
ISBN: 0-7414-5359-2
Genre: Self-help – Health and Beauty
Synopsis
Even in times of economic downturn we can find affordable ways to enhance our beauty.
With this book in hand, readers can learn from some of the best-of-the-best: 11 nationally renowned experts and outstanding practitioners,
all dedicated to bringing you accurate, honest information presented in a user-friendly format. Meet the experts at: www.ticktockstopptheclock.com/
Reviewed by Kenya Dow, Apex Reviews (Durham, NC USA) for Amazon
RATING: (5) STARS
How many times have you walked past a magazine stand and shot an envious glance at the sculpted physiques, flawless complexions, come hither smiles, or flowing tresses of the models featured on the covers? Or watched an MTV Spring Break Special and wished you could have the same chiseled abs as the hunks and hotties having the time of their lives?
The practice of plastic surgery is nothing new; however, many people still remain unaware of the wide variety of non-surgical procedures available to help eliminate the problem areas of our bodies and turn back the clock on aging. Furthermore, the general perception regarding plastic surgery is that it's expensive, time-consuming, and - worst of all - often life-threatening.
Well, thanks to Tick Tock, Stop The Clock, those misconceptions can finally be put to rest. In the pages of Lois W. Stern's new seminal work on the world of beauty enhancement, readers worldwide are treated to a wealth of tips and general practices designed to reveal the simple, practical techniques they can follow to improve their physical appearance. Even better, Stern allows the reader to see just how cost-affordable the practices and techniques are, effectively eliminating the fear of having to pay and arm and a leg to - well, have better arms and legs.
Featuring a comprehensive compilation of eleven nationally renowned experts and practitioners from such fields as dermatology, cosmetology, hair restoration, and cosmetic dentistry, Tick Tock, Stop The Clock is a veritable encyclopedia for the health and beauty world. Presented in clear language and an easy-to-read format, Stern's enlightening opus is perfect for individuals who struggle with issues of self-esteem tied to their appearance, yet - in the midst of the current worldwide recession - simultaneously struggle with concerns over how to pay for the quality assistance they seek.
Complete with detailed explanations, revealing photos, and insightful commentary, Tick Tock, Stop The Clock is required reading for anyone with even the slightest interest in improving their health and overall appearance. An excellent, well-crafted, and timely read.
Author Bio:
Stern is also the author of Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Subtitle: Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour
Author Name: Lois W. Stern
Publisher Name: Infinity Publishing Company
ISBN: 0-7414-5359-2
Genre: Self-help – Health and Beauty
Synopsis
Even in times of economic downturn we can find affordable ways to enhance our beauty.
With this book in hand, readers can learn from some of the best-of-the-best: 11 nationally renowned experts and outstanding practitioners,
all dedicated to bringing you accurate, honest information presented in a user-friendly format. Meet the experts at: www.ticktockstopptheclock.com/
Reviewed by Kenya Dow, Apex Reviews (Durham, NC USA) for Amazon
RATING: (5) STARS
How many times have you walked past a magazine stand and shot an envious glance at the sculpted physiques, flawless complexions, come hither smiles, or flowing tresses of the models featured on the covers? Or watched an MTV Spring Break Special and wished you could have the same chiseled abs as the hunks and hotties having the time of their lives?
The practice of plastic surgery is nothing new; however, many people still remain unaware of the wide variety of non-surgical procedures available to help eliminate the problem areas of our bodies and turn back the clock on aging. Furthermore, the general perception regarding plastic surgery is that it's expensive, time-consuming, and - worst of all - often life-threatening.
Well, thanks to Tick Tock, Stop The Clock, those misconceptions can finally be put to rest. In the pages of Lois W. Stern's new seminal work on the world of beauty enhancement, readers worldwide are treated to a wealth of tips and general practices designed to reveal the simple, practical techniques they can follow to improve their physical appearance. Even better, Stern allows the reader to see just how cost-affordable the practices and techniques are, effectively eliminating the fear of having to pay and arm and a leg to - well, have better arms and legs.
Featuring a comprehensive compilation of eleven nationally renowned experts and practitioners from such fields as dermatology, cosmetology, hair restoration, and cosmetic dentistry, Tick Tock, Stop The Clock is a veritable encyclopedia for the health and beauty world. Presented in clear language and an easy-to-read format, Stern's enlightening opus is perfect for individuals who struggle with issues of self-esteem tied to their appearance, yet - in the midst of the current worldwide recession - simultaneously struggle with concerns over how to pay for the quality assistance they seek.
Complete with detailed explanations, revealing photos, and insightful commentary, Tick Tock, Stop The Clock is required reading for anyone with even the slightest interest in improving their health and overall appearance. An excellent, well-crafted, and timely read.
Author Bio:
Stern is also the author of Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Enjoyed by Compulsive Reader Reviewer
Take the Monkeys and Run
by Karen Cantwell
Kindle Edition
File Size: 350 KB
ASIN: B003SE7O40, July 2010\
Reviewed by Jenny Mounfield for The Compulsive Reader
Here is one for all those who like their fiction light, fluffy, and just a little bit corny.
‘My name is Barbara Marr. I’m not a lady coroner, bounty hunter or crime scene investigator. I don’t fight vampires, werewolves or flesh-eating zombies destined to destroy humanity. Even worse, I don’t knit, sew, bake gourmet goodies for sweet English ladies or refinish houses then flip them for a profit. In fact, I lack a veritable encyclopedia of talents and accomplishments. I have managed to give birth to three children, but when my teenage daughter looks at me like I’m an alien from the planet Freak, I wonder at my parenting abilities.’
Roused one cold night to the sounds of mischief at the House of Many Boxes across the way in sleepy White Willow Circle, Barb is determined to get to the root of the mystery. The house in question has been vacant for some thirty years, which in Barb’s opinion is odd enough, but now she sees light and hears someone yelling about missing toes. The next morning she discovers monkeys in her trees and is convinced they have something to do with the goings on at the vacant house. Roping in good neighbourhood chums, Peggy and Roz, the trio go snooping. What they, or rather what Barb discovers is a severed human head and another three monkeys, all deceased.
Having passed out in grand style, one would think Barb would take little convincing when it comes to steering clear of the death house. But not so. If nothing else delving deeper into the underbelly of White Willow Circle will serve to keep her mind off hubby Howard and his reasons, or lack thereof, for walking out on her the previous week. So, too, a neighbourhood mystery is fine fodder for her movie-mad mentality, and as a fan of all the best (and not so best) action flicks, she probably couldn’t leave well enough alone even if she wanted to.
Enter Colt: PI and ex-boyfriend—who, of course, still has the hots for Barb. And who, naturally, is every bit as handsome as Barb’s George Clooney lookalike hubby. Some gals do have all the luck. What follows is a lot more madness and mayhem (not to mention another good looking sort for Barb to drool over), which culminates in kidnapping, a mafia cover-up and a marital twist straight from Schwarzemegger’s True Lies.
A semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award content, Take the Monkeys and Run obviously pleased a few readers. While this is no literary masterpiece, it is essentially well-written with engaging, often larger that life characters, and most importantly is laugh out loud funny. Sure Barb’s motivation is questionable, the clichés numerous and the wise-guy dialogue truly annoying after a couple of pages. BUT the world really does need feel good easy-reads like this. In Cantwell’s own words:
‘When I set out to write this book, I knew I wanted to write something that readers would say, “Now that was FUN.” I HOPE I have achieved that goal’
To which I say: Absolutely!
More on this title and author Karen Cantwell at: http://karencantwell.com. She blogs at http://fictionfordessert.blogspot.com/ .
Watch the book video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlCJKr9xvlE
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
by Karen Cantwell
Kindle Edition
File Size: 350 KB
ASIN: B003SE7O40, July 2010\
Reviewed by Jenny Mounfield for The Compulsive Reader
Here is one for all those who like their fiction light, fluffy, and just a little bit corny.
‘My name is Barbara Marr. I’m not a lady coroner, bounty hunter or crime scene investigator. I don’t fight vampires, werewolves or flesh-eating zombies destined to destroy humanity. Even worse, I don’t knit, sew, bake gourmet goodies for sweet English ladies or refinish houses then flip them for a profit. In fact, I lack a veritable encyclopedia of talents and accomplishments. I have managed to give birth to three children, but when my teenage daughter looks at me like I’m an alien from the planet Freak, I wonder at my parenting abilities.’
Roused one cold night to the sounds of mischief at the House of Many Boxes across the way in sleepy White Willow Circle, Barb is determined to get to the root of the mystery. The house in question has been vacant for some thirty years, which in Barb’s opinion is odd enough, but now she sees light and hears someone yelling about missing toes. The next morning she discovers monkeys in her trees and is convinced they have something to do with the goings on at the vacant house. Roping in good neighbourhood chums, Peggy and Roz, the trio go snooping. What they, or rather what Barb discovers is a severed human head and another three monkeys, all deceased.
Having passed out in grand style, one would think Barb would take little convincing when it comes to steering clear of the death house. But not so. If nothing else delving deeper into the underbelly of White Willow Circle will serve to keep her mind off hubby Howard and his reasons, or lack thereof, for walking out on her the previous week. So, too, a neighbourhood mystery is fine fodder for her movie-mad mentality, and as a fan of all the best (and not so best) action flicks, she probably couldn’t leave well enough alone even if she wanted to.
Enter Colt: PI and ex-boyfriend—who, of course, still has the hots for Barb. And who, naturally, is every bit as handsome as Barb’s George Clooney lookalike hubby. Some gals do have all the luck. What follows is a lot more madness and mayhem (not to mention another good looking sort for Barb to drool over), which culminates in kidnapping, a mafia cover-up and a marital twist straight from Schwarzemegger’s True Lies.
A semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award content, Take the Monkeys and Run obviously pleased a few readers. While this is no literary masterpiece, it is essentially well-written with engaging, often larger that life characters, and most importantly is laugh out loud funny. Sure Barb’s motivation is questionable, the clichés numerous and the wise-guy dialogue truly annoying after a couple of pages. BUT the world really does need feel good easy-reads like this. In Cantwell’s own words:
‘When I set out to write this book, I knew I wanted to write something that readers would say, “Now that was FUN.” I HOPE I have achieved that goal’
To which I say: Absolutely!
More on this title and author Karen Cantwell at: http://karencantwell.com. She blogs at http://fictionfordessert.blogspot.com/ .
Watch the book video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlCJKr9xvlE
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Friday, 27 August 2010
Robert Duperre Raves about Daglish's New Novel
Title: The Cost of Betrayal
Second book in the Half-Orc Series
Author: David Dalglish
Genre: Epic Fantasy
ISBN-10: 1450574483
ISBN-13: 978-1450574488
Reviewed by Robert Duperre
Let me preface this by saying that normally I like to sit on a book a few days before I review it. This allows me time to ponder the meaning of the story in greater detail, to mull over the finer aspects of the storytelling and decide whether my initial, guttural reaction was indeed true, or if I was simply caught up in the moment. Sometimes a book I loved will appear lesser after time, sometimes one I loathed will be struck with new meaning. This balance is what I seek and what this practice is for, to come from an objective place. However, as with most things of an objective nature, sometimes the emotion can be wrung from my explanation of it, due to both the time and that pondering.
So now I sit here, an hour past finishing The Cost of Betrayal, the second of the Half-Orc series by David Dalglish, and I want nothing more than to get my thoughts down on paper now. This is a work that is demanding of a highly emotional state, and it’s in my own, right now, that I honor it.
The story picks up where The Weight of Blood left off, in the aftermath of master necromancer Velixar’s failed attempt to destroy Woodhaven. The three partners-in-convoluted-crime – Harruq and Qurrah, the half-orc brothers, and Aurelia, an elven sorceress – are on their way back to Veldaren, the city in which the brothers grew up, on the streets and all alone. Upon reentering the city, they are immediately attacked, by a group called the Eschaton, a militia who protects the city for coin and favor. The way Dalglish pours you right into the action is admirable. He does it without missing a beat and without a ton of setup, which is appreciated.
The small group joins up with the Eschaton, and wackiness ensues. They encounter a plot by the local thieves’ guild and the battle scenes are epic. In fact, ALL the battle scenes are epic, extremely graphic, and skillfully presented, just as in the first book.You don’t get lost in the action and you actually care about what’s about to happen to the characters.
The funny thing about these battles, however grand they might be, is that they are overshadowed by the emotional threads that run through the novel. The relationship between Harruq and Aurelia grows by leaps and bounds, and Qurrah becomes obsessed with a strange and tweaked-out girl named Tessanna, who is possessed of power that not even she knows the depths. It is with these two relationships, mirrored against each other, that the bulk of the story grows and flourishes.
More than in book one, the differences between Harruq and Qurrah and made that much more apparent by the way they relate to their loved ones. Harruq, though a big lunk, is thoughtful and caring. He listens and is willing to change. Qurrah, on the other hand, is fanatical, cynical, and unbending. He thinks he knows his place in the world and is not willing to alter his mindset…or his actions.
Though a work of fantasy – and a graphic, cringe-inducing work at that – it is this heart that sets this book apart from others I’ve read. The emotional and social threads that run through it cast it above the realm of high fantasy and into highly literary. There are so many issues presented, from racism (how well an individual can “pass” when partially of a lineage deemed unsavory) to the difference between love and fixation (how far will one go, how much will one sacrifice, to help out someone they care about) to the simple act of forgiveness (an example of which I will not give away, as it is the most powerful and gut-wrenching part of the book).
Yet despite all this, there is one theme that rises above all others: family. What does it mean to be family? Can there be family without blood relation? Can that family overcome the faults of its members, even if those faults endanger them? These were stunning revelations to read, and some of the more prophetic words and ideas presented left me with a gigantic lump in my throat. By the end of the book I was a quivering mess. I cried. I couldn’t help but look at my own family, pull them in, and tell them how much I loved them. I thought of the actions of those involved in this yarn and wondered if I would be able to be as forgiving as they were. That is what I found surprising. Almost every character in these novels is a highly flawed individual. They perpetuate horrible acts and seek no clemency. They murder and maim because it’s their job, and they refuse to apologize because that is the state of the world they live in.And yet, through each of them runs a deeply emotional center, a potential to love and be loved that they wish to feed and encourage. There is change, and as I said before, there is forgiveness, and we the readers forgive right along with them. We do this because we recognize the power they hold, the love they are capable of, and when one treads off that path, we shake our heads in pity. We want them to succeed, to overcome whatever demons have befallen them, and it actually HURTS when they fail.
This is a deeply sad book. And it is poignant. I couldn’t put it down. It is painful, at times, to take in, and yet you can’t stop. It makes you FEEL and THINK, and that is, besides pure entertainment, the reason most of us read in the first place. For this, David Dalglish should be commended. I do not speak in hyperbole to say that this is one of the four or five best novels I have read IN MY LIFETIME. It has everything one would want in a book. It takes you through the roller coaster of sensations – from hopeful to despaired to overjoyed to, finally, broken – and spits you out on the other side shaken and thankful for what you have. You laugh, you cry, you ponder. This is truly an accomplishment, and one that should not be overlooked.
Yes, The Cost of Betrayal is that good. I dare anyone to read it, to take it in, to relish it. The mistakes in the writing from the first book (which weren’t that noticeable to begin with) have been remedied. What remains is a tale of such power that you have no choice but listen. Carnage and conflict aside, as some might not welcome them, there is too much here to not appreciate it.
This needs to be read. It needs to be out there.
And with that, for the emotions I feel, I give the author two simple words that I think say everything.
Thank you.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Second book in the Half-Orc Series
Author: David Dalglish
Genre: Epic Fantasy
ISBN-10: 1450574483
ISBN-13: 978-1450574488
Reviewed by Robert Duperre
Let me preface this by saying that normally I like to sit on a book a few days before I review it. This allows me time to ponder the meaning of the story in greater detail, to mull over the finer aspects of the storytelling and decide whether my initial, guttural reaction was indeed true, or if I was simply caught up in the moment. Sometimes a book I loved will appear lesser after time, sometimes one I loathed will be struck with new meaning. This balance is what I seek and what this practice is for, to come from an objective place. However, as with most things of an objective nature, sometimes the emotion can be wrung from my explanation of it, due to both the time and that pondering.
So now I sit here, an hour past finishing The Cost of Betrayal, the second of the Half-Orc series by David Dalglish, and I want nothing more than to get my thoughts down on paper now. This is a work that is demanding of a highly emotional state, and it’s in my own, right now, that I honor it.
The story picks up where The Weight of Blood left off, in the aftermath of master necromancer Velixar’s failed attempt to destroy Woodhaven. The three partners-in-convoluted-crime – Harruq and Qurrah, the half-orc brothers, and Aurelia, an elven sorceress – are on their way back to Veldaren, the city in which the brothers grew up, on the streets and all alone. Upon reentering the city, they are immediately attacked, by a group called the Eschaton, a militia who protects the city for coin and favor. The way Dalglish pours you right into the action is admirable. He does it without missing a beat and without a ton of setup, which is appreciated.
The small group joins up with the Eschaton, and wackiness ensues. They encounter a plot by the local thieves’ guild and the battle scenes are epic. In fact, ALL the battle scenes are epic, extremely graphic, and skillfully presented, just as in the first book.You don’t get lost in the action and you actually care about what’s about to happen to the characters.
The funny thing about these battles, however grand they might be, is that they are overshadowed by the emotional threads that run through the novel. The relationship between Harruq and Aurelia grows by leaps and bounds, and Qurrah becomes obsessed with a strange and tweaked-out girl named Tessanna, who is possessed of power that not even she knows the depths. It is with these two relationships, mirrored against each other, that the bulk of the story grows and flourishes.
More than in book one, the differences between Harruq and Qurrah and made that much more apparent by the way they relate to their loved ones. Harruq, though a big lunk, is thoughtful and caring. He listens and is willing to change. Qurrah, on the other hand, is fanatical, cynical, and unbending. He thinks he knows his place in the world and is not willing to alter his mindset…or his actions.
Though a work of fantasy – and a graphic, cringe-inducing work at that – it is this heart that sets this book apart from others I’ve read. The emotional and social threads that run through it cast it above the realm of high fantasy and into highly literary. There are so many issues presented, from racism (how well an individual can “pass” when partially of a lineage deemed unsavory) to the difference between love and fixation (how far will one go, how much will one sacrifice, to help out someone they care about) to the simple act of forgiveness (an example of which I will not give away, as it is the most powerful and gut-wrenching part of the book).
Yet despite all this, there is one theme that rises above all others: family. What does it mean to be family? Can there be family without blood relation? Can that family overcome the faults of its members, even if those faults endanger them? These were stunning revelations to read, and some of the more prophetic words and ideas presented left me with a gigantic lump in my throat. By the end of the book I was a quivering mess. I cried. I couldn’t help but look at my own family, pull them in, and tell them how much I loved them. I thought of the actions of those involved in this yarn and wondered if I would be able to be as forgiving as they were. That is what I found surprising. Almost every character in these novels is a highly flawed individual. They perpetuate horrible acts and seek no clemency. They murder and maim because it’s their job, and they refuse to apologize because that is the state of the world they live in.And yet, through each of them runs a deeply emotional center, a potential to love and be loved that they wish to feed and encourage. There is change, and as I said before, there is forgiveness, and we the readers forgive right along with them. We do this because we recognize the power they hold, the love they are capable of, and when one treads off that path, we shake our heads in pity. We want them to succeed, to overcome whatever demons have befallen them, and it actually HURTS when they fail.
This is a deeply sad book. And it is poignant. I couldn’t put it down. It is painful, at times, to take in, and yet you can’t stop. It makes you FEEL and THINK, and that is, besides pure entertainment, the reason most of us read in the first place. For this, David Dalglish should be commended. I do not speak in hyperbole to say that this is one of the four or five best novels I have read IN MY LIFETIME. It has everything one would want in a book. It takes you through the roller coaster of sensations – from hopeful to despaired to overjoyed to, finally, broken – and spits you out on the other side shaken and thankful for what you have. You laugh, you cry, you ponder. This is truly an accomplishment, and one that should not be overlooked.
Yes, The Cost of Betrayal is that good. I dare anyone to read it, to take it in, to relish it. The mistakes in the writing from the first book (which weren’t that noticeable to begin with) have been remedied. What remains is a tale of such power that you have no choice but listen. Carnage and conflict aside, as some might not welcome them, there is too much here to not appreciate it.
This needs to be read. It needs to be out there.
And with that, for the emotions I feel, I give the author two simple words that I think say everything.
Thank you.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Women's Action Adventure E-Book Sure to Please
Color Me Grey
By J.C. Phelps
Action Adventure; Womens Fiction
ISBN: 9780981769004
Reviewed by Misty Baker for Kindle Obsessed
Kindle Obsessed Review: Paging Mr. White
I have always been “that girl.” You know… the one that when she gets bored wants to jump off of or out of something. The need for adrenaline has been rushing through my blood since I was a child and even though, with age, I have had to tone down my actions (for the sake of my small children) I still feel this constant need to challenge myself, prove that I can do anything, and more importantly… do it better than a man.
Alexis, the tuff as nails, lead in Color Me Grey is also an adrenaline junkie, but I would classify her as more “Adrenaline Junkie on 8 shots of espresso.”
Alex gets everything she wants. Growing up in a wealthy home she not only had the pleasure of private tutors, but also the flexibility to try and/or conquer anything she felt the need to. With a military dad and a artist mom she was trained in everything from how to walk with a tea cup on her head to disabling a man with just her pinkie. With this stability and money also came a boring job in computers, but after 1 early morning revelation, Alex decides she’s had enough of sitting in one place and answers a newspaper ad that not so subtly screams RUN AWAY. It takes only seconds for Alex to realize there is more to this little adventure than meets the eye, and it takes even less time to realize that bowing out gracefully is not an option. Will Alex’s need for heart pumping excitement be what she ultimately needed, or will it leave her 6 feet underground and making friends with worms?
I have always loved books where female leads are thrust into, what is stereotypically, a man’s position, and this little ditty is no exception. J.C. Phelps did a wonderful job of weaving suspense, intrigue, and lust, resulting in what was a very pleasurable, and solid read. Each character had their own unique qualities and the use of “code names” while developing each was an engaging way to keep the reader guessing as to who they “really” were. The plot, however, is where Phelps’ writing really shined. As a reader the push and pull of a story is what keeps you reading. “Where is this going?” “I know something big is about to happen… but what is it?” This more than anything is what made “Color Me Grey” so exciting, you could always feel something bubbling just under the surface… even in the most sedated moments of monologue.
Like I said before… I truly… genuinely… enjoyed this novel, and even though I didn’t have to purchase it, I would… (without a doubt in the world) have absolutely no problem forking over the $2.99 for it.
Get it, live it, love it… pass it on.
Happy reading my fellow Junkies and remember: if the application asks how long it takes for you to assemble an m16… chances are they aren’t looking for a receptionist.
Author Information:
JC Phelps blogs at http://jcphelps.blogspot.com/
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
By J.C. Phelps
Action Adventure; Womens Fiction
ISBN: 9780981769004
Reviewed by Misty Baker for Kindle Obsessed
Kindle Obsessed Review: Paging Mr. White
I have always been “that girl.” You know… the one that when she gets bored wants to jump off of or out of something. The need for adrenaline has been rushing through my blood since I was a child and even though, with age, I have had to tone down my actions (for the sake of my small children) I still feel this constant need to challenge myself, prove that I can do anything, and more importantly… do it better than a man.
Alexis, the tuff as nails, lead in Color Me Grey is also an adrenaline junkie, but I would classify her as more “Adrenaline Junkie on 8 shots of espresso.”
Alex gets everything she wants. Growing up in a wealthy home she not only had the pleasure of private tutors, but also the flexibility to try and/or conquer anything she felt the need to. With a military dad and a artist mom she was trained in everything from how to walk with a tea cup on her head to disabling a man with just her pinkie. With this stability and money also came a boring job in computers, but after 1 early morning revelation, Alex decides she’s had enough of sitting in one place and answers a newspaper ad that not so subtly screams RUN AWAY. It takes only seconds for Alex to realize there is more to this little adventure than meets the eye, and it takes even less time to realize that bowing out gracefully is not an option. Will Alex’s need for heart pumping excitement be what she ultimately needed, or will it leave her 6 feet underground and making friends with worms?
I have always loved books where female leads are thrust into, what is stereotypically, a man’s position, and this little ditty is no exception. J.C. Phelps did a wonderful job of weaving suspense, intrigue, and lust, resulting in what was a very pleasurable, and solid read. Each character had their own unique qualities and the use of “code names” while developing each was an engaging way to keep the reader guessing as to who they “really” were. The plot, however, is where Phelps’ writing really shined. As a reader the push and pull of a story is what keeps you reading. “Where is this going?” “I know something big is about to happen… but what is it?” This more than anything is what made “Color Me Grey” so exciting, you could always feel something bubbling just under the surface… even in the most sedated moments of monologue.
Like I said before… I truly… genuinely… enjoyed this novel, and even though I didn’t have to purchase it, I would… (without a doubt in the world) have absolutely no problem forking over the $2.99 for it.
Get it, live it, love it… pass it on.
Happy reading my fellow Junkies and remember: if the application asks how long it takes for you to assemble an m16… chances are they aren’t looking for a receptionist.
Author Information:
JC Phelps blogs at http://jcphelps.blogspot.com/
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Publisher's Weekly and Others Review New Women's Fiction
Title – The Unexpected Son
Author – Shobhan Bantwal
Genre or category –Women’s Fiction, Cultural Fiction, Women’s Issues
ISBN-10: 0758232039
ISBN-13: 978-0758232038
About The Unexpected Son
What happens when a woman who’s realized her dreams wakes up to a shocking truth? It is a morning like any other in suburban New Jersey when Vinita Patil opens the battered envelope postmarked “Mumbai.” But the letter inside turns her comfortable world upside down. It tells Vinita an impossible story: she has a grown son in India whose life may depend on her.
Once upon a time, a naive young college girl fell for a wealthy boy whose primary interests were cricket and womanizing. Vinita knew, even then, that a secret affair with a man whose language and values were different from her own was a mistake. He finished with her soon enough—leaving her to birth a baby that was stillborn. Or so Vinita was told.
Now that child is a grown man in desperate need. How will she confess her secret past to her arranged-marriage husband and her grown daughter? Nonetheless, to help her son, to know him, Vinita must revisit her darkest hours by returning to her battle-scarred homeland—and pray for the faith of the family she leaves behind.
About Shobhan Bantwal
Shobhan Bantwal calls her writing “Bollywood in a Book,”romantic, colorful, action-packed tales, rich with elements of Indian culture — stories that entertain and educate.
Her writing career is a “menopausal epiphany,” because she took up creative writing at the age of 50. By day Shobhan works for the government. In the evenings and on weekends she slips into her writer’s cape and flies off to Authorland. She loves writing stories about her native India and Hindu culture.
To date, Shobhan has four published novels by Kensington Publishing, with a fifth slated for 2011. Since 2002, Shobhan's articles and short stories have appeared in a variety of publications including The Writer magazine, India Abroad, Little India, U.S. 1, Desi Journal, India Currents, Overseas Indian, New Woman India, and Sulekha. Her short stories have won honors and awards in fiction contests sponsored by Writer's Digest, New York Stories and New Woman magazines. Her award-winning stories are available for reading on her website.
Shobhan can also be contacted through her website: www.shobhanbantwal.com
What Reviewers are saying about The Unexpected Son:
"This inspiring testament to a mother's enduring love makes for a fascinating tale and provides a window into an equally fascinating culture."
~~~~ Publisher's Weekly
"The Unexpected Son by Shobhan Bantwal is yet another crosscultural delight by this author."
~~~~Chicago Examiner - 5 stars
"Shobhan Bantwal is a magical storyteller. The characters are so tangible that you miss them when you finish reading The Unexpected Son."
~~~~Book Pleasures - 5 stars
"... a page-turner ... a moving story that flooded my heart with emotions and crowded my mind with endless questions."
~~~~Coffee Time Romance - 5 cups
This excellent contemporary provides strong insight into the Indian-American culture ... The Unexpected Son is a super Indian-American tale.
~~~~Harriet Klausner - 5 stars
"This enchanting, heartbreaking, but uplifting tale was impossible to put down ... extremely well-written book that will grab you at page one." ~~~~Romance Reviews Today - Perfect 10
Topics In The Unexpected Son by Shobhan Bantwal –
• Indian culture
• Dark secrets that can affect a relationship/marriage
• Arranged marriage
• Women’s issues in India
• Imperfect heroes (mine has many flaws)
• College romances that crash and burn
• Family ties
• Male oriented cultures
• Broken promises
• Mother-son relationship
• Mothers and Sons
• Indian Immigrant Culture in the U.S.
• Pre-marital affairs in a conservative culture
• Illegitimate children and their impact on marriage
• Male-dominated cultures.
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using the widget below:
Author – Shobhan Bantwal
Genre or category –Women’s Fiction, Cultural Fiction, Women’s Issues
ISBN-10: 0758232039
ISBN-13: 978-0758232038
About The Unexpected Son
What happens when a woman who’s realized her dreams wakes up to a shocking truth? It is a morning like any other in suburban New Jersey when Vinita Patil opens the battered envelope postmarked “Mumbai.” But the letter inside turns her comfortable world upside down. It tells Vinita an impossible story: she has a grown son in India whose life may depend on her.
Once upon a time, a naive young college girl fell for a wealthy boy whose primary interests were cricket and womanizing. Vinita knew, even then, that a secret affair with a man whose language and values were different from her own was a mistake. He finished with her soon enough—leaving her to birth a baby that was stillborn. Or so Vinita was told.
Now that child is a grown man in desperate need. How will she confess her secret past to her arranged-marriage husband and her grown daughter? Nonetheless, to help her son, to know him, Vinita must revisit her darkest hours by returning to her battle-scarred homeland—and pray for the faith of the family she leaves behind.
About Shobhan Bantwal
Shobhan Bantwal calls her writing “Bollywood in a Book,”romantic, colorful, action-packed tales, rich with elements of Indian culture — stories that entertain and educate.
Her writing career is a “menopausal epiphany,” because she took up creative writing at the age of 50. By day Shobhan works for the government. In the evenings and on weekends she slips into her writer’s cape and flies off to Authorland. She loves writing stories about her native India and Hindu culture.
To date, Shobhan has four published novels by Kensington Publishing, with a fifth slated for 2011. Since 2002, Shobhan's articles and short stories have appeared in a variety of publications including The Writer magazine, India Abroad, Little India, U.S. 1, Desi Journal, India Currents, Overseas Indian, New Woman India, and Sulekha. Her short stories have won honors and awards in fiction contests sponsored by Writer's Digest, New York Stories and New Woman magazines. Her award-winning stories are available for reading on her website.
Shobhan can also be contacted through her website: www.shobhanbantwal.com
What Reviewers are saying about The Unexpected Son:
"This inspiring testament to a mother's enduring love makes for a fascinating tale and provides a window into an equally fascinating culture."
~~~~ Publisher's Weekly
"The Unexpected Son by Shobhan Bantwal is yet another crosscultural delight by this author."
~~~~Chicago Examiner - 5 stars
"Shobhan Bantwal is a magical storyteller. The characters are so tangible that you miss them when you finish reading The Unexpected Son."
~~~~Book Pleasures - 5 stars
"... a page-turner ... a moving story that flooded my heart with emotions and crowded my mind with endless questions."
~~~~Coffee Time Romance - 5 cups
This excellent contemporary provides strong insight into the Indian-American culture ... The Unexpected Son is a super Indian-American tale.
~~~~Harriet Klausner - 5 stars
"This enchanting, heartbreaking, but uplifting tale was impossible to put down ... extremely well-written book that will grab you at page one." ~~~~Romance Reviews Today - Perfect 10
Topics In The Unexpected Son by Shobhan Bantwal –
• Indian culture
• Dark secrets that can affect a relationship/marriage
• Arranged marriage
• Women’s issues in India
• Imperfect heroes (mine has many flaws)
• College romances that crash and burn
• Family ties
• Male oriented cultures
• Broken promises
• Mother-son relationship
• Mothers and Sons
• Indian Immigrant Culture in the U.S.
• Pre-marital affairs in a conservative culture
• Illegitimate children and their impact on marriage
• Male-dominated cultures.
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using the widget below:
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Your First-Person Essay (Or Memoir), Your Book. Your Book Sales
Naked, Drunk, and Writing
Subtitle: Shed Your Inhibitions and Craft a Compelling Memoir or Personal Essay
By Adair Lara
Ten Speed Press
ISBN: 9781580084802, 2010
Nonfiction/How-To (Writing)
Publisher's Site: http://www.tenspeed.com/
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This Is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, several chapbooks of poetry and the How To Do It Frugally series of books for writers.
I collect books on the writing and marketing of books. After reading and reviewing so many, I’ve found that some of the best lessons are those that teach by example. In the case of Adair Lara’s new book--which is a bit about writers’ block and a lot about craft-- the first lesson I noticed was one about marketing. It was that great title. Naked, Drunk, and Writing.Naked is metaphorically what those who write memoirs must get. Yes, and maybe a little drunk, too.
The subtitle, Shed Your Inhibitions and Craft a Compelling Memoir or Personal Essay, explains what the reader may not get on first glance at the title. I liked that it has lots of searchable keywords that explanation of what the book.That very simple “writing” in the main title will help writers reaching for help on Amazon’s search feature, too.
So, I’m a little off the subject. Maybe it’s the way my brain works. Dunno.
I do know that if Adair were my teacher, she’d get after me for straying from a review of the book’s content. Or, she would, at the very least, suggest I reconsider digressing. Being a teacher myself, I’ve stubbornly decided against a change on the grounds that my students and my blog and Web site visitors will learn something from my detour, and that they get a marketing lesson or two is almost always one of my goals.
Having excused away my tendency toward a tangent (I hope successfully), I also recommend Naked and Drunk for those writing their own stories. When I teach the marketing of books, I always find many in my class who don’t know what a first-person essay is. So, to explain, I must digress (I have lots of practice in that, as you can see).
I’ll be recommending this book to in my UCLA class handout, for sure. No matter what an author’s genre of choice, he or she will need the skills for a personal essay. Every author’s media kit should include one. Therefore every author needs this book for the most practical of reasons. So they can get publicity. For it’s publicity that will sell the memoir that Lara so capably teaches them to write.
PS: A note to Ten Speed Press: From a marketing standpoint, what would it hurt to include on the “Other Books by Adair Lara” page a little explanatory pitch about what her other books are about. Some have titles that are adorable, but are not upfront clear about what might be between the covers. Option two: Include the subtitles. We’re all going to want to know more about Lara.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Subtitle: Shed Your Inhibitions and Craft a Compelling Memoir or Personal Essay
By Adair Lara
Ten Speed Press
ISBN: 9781580084802, 2010
Nonfiction/How-To (Writing)
Publisher's Site: http://www.tenspeed.com/
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This Is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, several chapbooks of poetry and the How To Do It Frugally series of books for writers.
I collect books on the writing and marketing of books. After reading and reviewing so many, I’ve found that some of the best lessons are those that teach by example. In the case of Adair Lara’s new book--which is a bit about writers’ block and a lot about craft-- the first lesson I noticed was one about marketing. It was that great title. Naked, Drunk, and Writing.Naked is metaphorically what those who write memoirs must get. Yes, and maybe a little drunk, too.
The subtitle, Shed Your Inhibitions and Craft a Compelling Memoir or Personal Essay, explains what the reader may not get on first glance at the title. I liked that it has lots of searchable keywords that explanation of what the book.That very simple “writing” in the main title will help writers reaching for help on Amazon’s search feature, too.
So, I’m a little off the subject. Maybe it’s the way my brain works. Dunno.
I do know that if Adair were my teacher, she’d get after me for straying from a review of the book’s content. Or, she would, at the very least, suggest I reconsider digressing. Being a teacher myself, I’ve stubbornly decided against a change on the grounds that my students and my blog and Web site visitors will learn something from my detour, and that they get a marketing lesson or two is almost always one of my goals.
Having excused away my tendency toward a tangent (I hope successfully), I also recommend Naked and Drunk for those writing their own stories. When I teach the marketing of books, I always find many in my class who don’t know what a first-person essay is. So, to explain, I must digress (I have lots of practice in that, as you can see).
I’ll be recommending this book to in my UCLA class handout, for sure. No matter what an author’s genre of choice, he or she will need the skills for a personal essay. Every author’s media kit should include one. Therefore every author needs this book for the most practical of reasons. So they can get publicity. For it’s publicity that will sell the memoir that Lara so capably teaches them to write.
PS: A note to Ten Speed Press: From a marketing standpoint, what would it hurt to include on the “Other Books by Adair Lara” page a little explanatory pitch about what her other books are about. Some have titles that are adorable, but are not upfront clear about what might be between the covers. Option two: Include the subtitles. We’re all going to want to know more about Lara.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
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