Saturday, 12 March 2011

Radio Host Reviews Travel Writer

Lost Angel Walkabout-One Traveler's Tales

By Linda Ballou
Author's Web site: http://www.lindaballouauthor.com/
Travel Literature
ISBN 978-1449971526



Originally Reviewed byYolanda Renee, Author and Radio Host for her blog, http://yolandarenee.com/





Recent poor health had me looking for an escape. When I picked up Linda Ballou’s book LOST ANGEL WALKABOUT, I found my salvation. Linda combines her most favorite things to create a book of adventures like nothing I have ever read. She blends her love of travel, and writing, and in several stories her love of horses, and with unsurpassed skill she takes the reader with her to places like Raven’s River, Alaska, to windswept Donegal Bay, Ireland, to Waipio Valley in Hawaii, and North Island, New Zealand to name just a few. Linda not only takes you on a journey to exciting places and distant lands she shares herself along the way. Her stories are personal, enlightening, and captivating.


Raven’s River is a particularly touching tale because it is a memorial to Matthew Wayne Bell, her nephew. It is a trip that entails a 140-mile journey, on the Tatshenshini, or Raven’s River and includes white water rafting and hiking on bear trails. Linda shares her adventure and her love for Matt, as she educates us on the environment. Raven’s River is a beautiful story of honor and discovery that is shared with grace and love.


I particularly enjoyed her journey in Golden Horseshoe or Bust. Linda, her 83-year-old mother, and nephew take off on a road trip. Her mother is insistent on driving. It is a typical family argument that adds amusement to this beautiful journey. Linda shares this memory of a courageous woman, with adventure in her soul, with a view in to her own. We learn even more about Linda and her mother in Water Dogs. These personal insights make this book of travel stories more like a novel.


LOST ANGEL WALKABOUT is more than a travel log, it is about Linda, the family she loves, the history of the lands and peoples she visits, and the folks she admires most, including adventure writer Tom Cahill and Horsewoman Lari Shea. I highly recommend this book: whether you are trying to plan your next journey, escape from your own couch, or want to inspire a young trailblazer.
You can check out all of Linda’s adventures and her historical novel Wai-nani, High Chiefess of Hawai’i; Her Epic Journey at http://www.lindaballouauthor.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 :

Friday, 11 March 2011

Book Maker Michael N. Marcus Reviews Book for Authors

The Frugal Book Promoter
Subtitle: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
ISBN: 9781463743291
Available on Amazon at www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo
and Kindle at www.budurl.com/FrugalBkProKindle


Reviewed by Book Maker Michael N. Marcus originally for Book Making blog





Carolyn Howard-Johnson (www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com) is an award-winning author and a former publicist. With a last name that makes me keep thinking about fried clam strips and ice cream, Carolyn serves up a large portion of useful info and advice. Her book, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t was one of the first books I bought when I started self publishing in 2008, and it has been extremely useful.

It has just been updated with a new subtitle ("How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher") that recognizes self-publishing, and it has been expanded to include simple ways to promote books using newer technology. I bought the new book a few days ago and recommend it highly. It can empower you to give your book the best possible start in life.

Book promotion has changed tremendously since publication of the first "Frugal" in 2004, particularly because of the web, e-books and the growing acceptance of self-published books. So, this new edition includes lots of information on ways to promote that were not around or were in their infancy a few years ago.

Here's some of what's new: (1) The Second Edition has been reorganized. (2) It's much bigger -- so it can be much more helpful. (3) Updates on writers’ conferences, getting reviews, book fairs and trade shows; media releases, query letters and media kits; working with a professional publicist; "backdoor methods" of getting reviews -- even long after a book has been published (4) Online bookstores (5) Blogging (6) Social networks (7) Avoiding scam-traps

"Frugal" shows you how to promote your book with powerful but inexpensive or even free publicity. Carolyn points out important publicity possibilities that you may not think of, like reviewing other authors’ books.

The promotional tips are not just theory -- they come from Carolyn’s own successful book campaigns. Several ideas will certainly be right for you and your book.


Most new writers have much more time than money, and this book can help you achieve big-buck results with minimum use of your credit cards -- and no federal bailout. “Frugal” belongs on every author’s shelf, whether you are an independent self-publisher, are using a self-publishing company or a traditional publisher.

Here are some of Carolyn’s tips:

  • Read, read, read: Even your junk mail can be useful. My daughter found a flier from the local library in the Sunday paper stuffed between grocery coupons. It mentioned a display done by a local merchant in the library window. My book was displayed in their lobby and I became a seminar speaker for their author series. Rubbish (even spam email) can be valuable.
  • Keep an open mind for promotion ideas: Look at the different themes in your book. There are angles you can exploit when you’re talking to editors. My book, This is the Place is romantic and set in Salt Lake City, the site where the winter Olympic games were played in 2002. I found sports desks and feature editors open to it as Olympics fervor grew, and even as it waned.
  • Etiquette counts: Send thank-you notes to contacts after they’ve featured you or your book. This happens so rarely they are sure to be impressed and to pay attention to the next idea you have, even if it’s just a listing in a calendar for your next book signing.
  • Publicize who you are, what you do: Reviews aren’t the only way to go. Think of angles for human interest stories, not only about your book but about you as its author. Are you very young? Is writing a book a new endeavor for you? Several editors have liked the idea that I wrote my first book at an age when most are thinking of retiring, that I think of myself as an example of the fact that it is never too late to follow a dream.
  • Develop new activities to publicize: Don’t do just book signings. Use your imagination for a spectacular launch. Get charities involved. Think in terms of ways to help your community.
  • Frequency is important: The editor who ignores your first release may pay more attention to your second or 25th. She will come to view you as a source and call you when she needs to quote an expert. This can work for novels as well as nonfiction. Publicity is like planting bulbs. It proliferates even when you aren’t trying.

Even if you are lucky enough to have a huge promotion budget and don't need to be frugal, Carolyn has important advice and information for you. Buy the book.


-----
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 . As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Wednesday, 9 March 2011

A Book That Can Change Your Life - And How You See Yourself

Book Title: UNFEAR Facing Change In an Era of Uncertainty
Author: Karlin Sloan
Genre: Business/Self Help
ISBN-10: 1452885850
ISBN-13: 978-1452885858
Publisher: CreateSpace

Reviewed by the author of Evidence of Insanity, Carol Piner exclusively for The New Book Review



UNFEAR Facing Change In an Era of Uncertainty, by Karlin Sloan is an astounding book, much as Norman Vincent Peale’s Power of Positive Thinking was. Using staggering intellectualism at times, Sloan is able to break down the barriers we all carry within ourselves and tries to make us see how we can reach a level of confidence and self-reliance, free from fear based reactions. We have all experienced the feelings of insecurity she describes, but she takes those insecurities and shows us the way to overcome them. By association we can change our interactions and make the places where we work more productive.

I loved her the way she shared the ordeal experienced by the crew of the Endurance, their bravery, and the “never-give-up” attitude of leader and explorer Ernest Shackleton. She showed sensitivity and respect in every word she wrote. This was a perfect example of what her book is about and of how we can all look forward to overcoming the obstacles we face in live without being controlled by fear of the unknown. Instead we should the energy lost in fear behaviors, convert it and show others how to turn challenges and change into opportunities for growth, especially when faced we are faced with what seems like overwhelming odds.


Karlin sees the boundaries we surround ourselves with and the fear based excuses we give for doing so --how we allow ourselves to be smothered by fear paralysis, controlled by a fear of failure or through a lack of confidence in our own abilities. Her simple charts, techniques and explanations offer tools that reduce those fears and give the reader a perspective and a path that will free them to reach higher levels of leadership and personal success.


Karlin Sloan has given us a gripping how-to book that everyone should read if they want to go to work looking forward to achieving goals. This book will help you see fear patterns and behaviors for what they are, and realize you have the power to break free from them. Whether you have problems at work, or even at home, the spirit and the principles that she is teaching will help you recognize in yourself the capability of achieving anything if you believe through UNFEAR.


~This review was written for The New Book Review by the author of Evidence of Insanity, Carol Piner.

~Continue to follow Karlin's virtual book tour on March 10, 2011, for an excerpt from UNFEAR Facing Change In an Era of Uncertainty, presented at Dallas Woodburn's Writing Life.


~Executive leadership guru Karlin Sloan is the founder and CEO of Karlin Sloan & Company, a leadership development firm providing development consultation for national and multinational organizations seeking to advance through enhanced training and executive coaching. Karlin holds a BA from Mills College, an MA in clinical psychology from the Professional School of Psychology in San Francisco, and executive coach certification through the William James Institute Center for Executive Coaching.

Karlin's UNFEAR virtual tour was launched from Karlin's Success TV blog with a discussion provoking article about future shock and facing change in an era of uncertainty. The tour will travel the Internet offering question-and-answer written and radio interviews with the author, blog articles, reviews, book excerpts, and more. Each tour stop will explore the concept of UNFEAR, and the four practices taught by Karlin Sloan & Company to executive leaders around the world.
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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 :

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Title: What Every Dream Means
Author: Scott M. Shafer
Web Site: http://whateverydreammeans.com/
Genre/Category: Non-Fiction: Christianity
ISBN-13: 978-1589094635

Reviewed by Marsha Randolph
“What Every Dream Means” is not what I expected nor is its’ author Scott M Shafer. What I expected was a dream dictionary with commentary; it is not. I also expected an author who would give Biblical interpretations to justify various statements without actually citing a particular verse; this was not the case. Incorporating personal experience, years of study and much prayer the author has put together a biblically based argument for the importance of understanding dreams as well as foundational information to do so.

The author, Scott M. Shafer, speaks at seminars, workshops and retreats as well as hosting private dream interpretation sessions. His website www.whateverydreammeans.comintroduces the viewer to the potential of dream interpretation by providing such workshops as: “Dreams and The Professional Community”.


Scott’s journey to understanding dreams began as a young man. In examining the significance of his own dreams he noticed a relationship between his conversations with God and the proliferation of dreams. This gave birth to years of study and as opportunities presented itself the interpretation of the dreams of others. Through experience he learned the importance of listening to the details of the dreamer as well as listening to the Holy Spirit. “What Every Dream Means” incorporates the knowledge of 20 plus years of studying dreams.


“Scott’s intention and purpose is to build knowledge into others in order for them to properly understand and interpret dreams.” (see: http://www.whateverydreammeans.com/  About the Author)

Though dreams have been around as long as mankind existed it is not a recognized “ministry” in most Christian churches. In discussing how people receive what he does Scott shared the following with me:

“…As a result they assume that it is New Age or occult based.

I recall a pastor’s wife who came to a dream interpretation table in a bookstore where I was interpreting one evening. After to talking to her she admitted that she could not find answers to her dreams in the church and when she saw the interpretation table at the bookstore she thought or assumed it was New Age but she was desperate to find answers for her dreams. So she came to the table and immediately took the opportunity to share her dreams.


I have another person, probably a well-meaning person; say to me recently that they thought what I did was ‘psychic’. Again I think the reason is that they have never been exposed to who I am and what I do and on the surface they are only familiar with what the New Age has become known for. “


Obviously there is a need for dream interpretation yet as with many areas of ministry the laborers are few. “What Every Dream Means” is a beginning. From the Introduction forward Mr. Shafer walks the reader through the dream process which does not begin with going to bed. There is a biblical basis for dreams and throughout the book there are both Old and New Testament references to corroborate various points.


The book is 159 pages full of much needed information. (Generally speaking; I hate reading the introduction to most books yet I found Scotts’ to be very thought provoking and a necessary read.) Chapter 1- “DREAM RECALL: Remembering Your Dreams”, has subchapters that include: Passivity Can I Really Change This?; “God Speaks in Dreams”: “The Night Season: Sleep Preparation”; and “Improving Memory”. Though chapter one could be a book by itself there are eleven subsequent chapters each building upon the other.


In preparation for dreaming Scott teaches the reader the importance of exercising his or her “memory muscle” by memorizing bible verses. When asked to suggest a few mentioned the Psalms of David and also Romans.


“Romans 12:1 reveals the light that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. As we meditate on this verse at night it will have a profound and deep influence on our conscience and gradually as we come to believe the verse it will set us free from any nagging sense of accusation, guilt or fear. Fear, stress, worry and guilt are some of the things that negatively affect the quality of our sleep at night and can erode our dreaming experience.”


Scott makes it clear in this book that God speaks to us in our dreams no matter who we are or what we believe:


“The things that I recommend about sleep preparation are not intended in any way to become ‘law’ or some kind of legalistic burden to people. I do believe it will enhance their sleep and dreaming experience but I am ultimately confident in the Sovereignty of God. When he wants to speak to us in a dream He will do it. There are examples of this kind of thing happening and being reported in the mission field. Muslims are reporting Jesus appearing to them in dreams and being converted by reason of their dreams.”


He, Scott, also makes it clear that there are no rules etched in stone as to how we are to interpret dreams. Which is why; I don’t use the dream book that I have.


“This is the genius of God that keeps us dependent of Him and His Spirit and not on some methodology of interpreting by knowing a list of symbol meanings from a dream dictionary.”


Each of us should have a personal relationship with Father God. Knowing that He speaks to us in various ways including dreams it is important that we know how to get the most out of our sleep. What is presented in “What Every Dream Means” is the compilations of biblical principles supported by scripture to help you interpret you own dreams as well as the dreams of others. In case you have not determined it yet: I am recommending you purchase this book.

-----
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, 7 March 2011

Memoir Review: Answering the "Why Me" Question

Title: Long Run, Short Catch: One Woman's Desperate Attempt to Discover If Normalcy Actually Exists on Earth

Author: Asama Iwuoha
Genre: Biographies, Memoir
ISBN: 978-1456309497
eBook ISBN: 978-1456600136
Publishers: CreateSpace, eBookit

Reviewed by Rosella LaFevre originally for The Temple News


Many of us, I believe, have asked the question, “Why me?” When we face tough situations, we wonder why those things had to happened to us. I am sure I’m not the only one who has begged for an answer to this question.

Asama Iwuoha, a Nigerian-American and the author of the self-published memoir “Long Run, Short Catch: One Woman’s Desperate Attempt to Discover If Normalcy Actually Exists on Earth,” posed this question on the first page of her book.


Iwuoha’s memoir encompasses the sexual abuse she suffered as a child and her years as a Temple student, where she met the man she eventually married. She wrote that from the start she has never found the answer to this question.


In her book, Iwuoha recalled the time her mother discovered her father sexually abusing her and called the police. When her father returned from prison to live with the family, Iwuoha had to learn to deal with his presence. Understandably, she continues to hold a grudge against him, getting fancy clothes and accessories out of him out of forgiveness and finally, she marries a Jamaican man to spite him.


Sometimes, when we ask the question, “Why me?” we seek to absolve ourselves of any guilt, as did Iwuoha. She asks the question without pausing to consider that perhaps her ill-fated marriage happened because she chose to marry a man for the wrong reasons.


As a sophomore at Temple, Iwuoha was finally fitting into a group of girls. One of them introduced her to Michael Williams, a polite Jamaican man. He immediately took a shine to her despite being more into light-skinned girls, as Iwuoha’s account tells us.


His father had brought him to America using someone else’s passport. Advised by his father that marriage would be the quickest way to solve his problems, Williams recognized that Iwuoha could solve his problems and he set out to marry her.


Action was taken so that he might go to college, but it caught up to him when a student enrolled at Temple with the same Social Security number. That was when his father told him he must find a woman to marry and soon after, he met Iwuoha.


They started dating, and he later told her his dilemma. Unsure, she said she’d think about marrying him.



“Is it possible he just wants to use me as his ticket?” Iwuoha wrote. “Either way, marrying him could be my final valediction from father.”


The outcome of the situation is surely undesirable, but this could be the very answer to the Iwuoha’s question.Why should her marriage end the way it did? Perhaps because, as much as Williams was using her for a green card, she was using him to get back at her father.


Often, we beg the question, “Why me?” because we hope that should the answer come to us one way or another, that it will give meaning to our suffering.


Perhaps Iwuoha’s supposed inability to find her answer is because in writing the book, she sought to answer the questions her family had about the choices she made in life.


“Not only does my book entail many of those answers, but it also served as my catharsis, releasing me of emotional baggage that had been haunting me,” Iwuoha said of why she chose to self-publish her story now.


Ultimately, Iwuoha’s book raises more questions for the reader than it answers, but this could be considered its greatest charm. By questioning Iwuoha’s actions, reactions and feelings, we learn that sometimes the answer we’re looking for is right there. And sometimes, it’s not so important why you suffered as how you championed that suffering.

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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, 6 March 2011

Dreams and Christianity

Title: What Every Dream Means
Author: Scott M. Shafer
Web Site: http://whateverydreammeans.com/
Genre/Category: Non-Fiction: Christianity
ISBN-13: 978-1589094635

Reviewed by Marsha Randolph

“What Every Dream Means” is not what I expected nor is its’ author Scott M Shafer. What I expected was a dream dictionary with commentary; it is not. I also expected an author who would give biblical interpretations to justify various statements without actually citing a particular verse; this was not the case. Incorporating personal experience, years of study and much prayer the author has put together a biblically based argument for the importance of understanding dreams as well as foundational information to do so.



The author, Scott M. Shafer, speaks at seminars, workshops and retreats as well as hosting private dream interpretation sessions. His website www.whateverydreammeans.comintroduces the viewer to the potential of dream interpretation by providing such workshops as: “Dreams and The Professional Community”.



Scott’s journey to understanding dreams began as a young man. In examining the significance of his own dreams he noticed a relationship between his conversations with God and the proliferation of dreams. This gave birth to years of study and as opportunities presented itself the interpretation of the dreams of others. Through experience he learned the importance of listening to the details of the dreamer as well as listening to the Holy Spirit. “What Every Dream Means” incorporates the knowledge of 20 plus years of studying dreams.



“Scott’s intention and purpose is to build knowledge into others in order for them to properly understand and interpret dreams.” (see: www.whateverydreammeans.com About the Author)



Though dreams have been around as long as mankind existed it is not a recognized “ministry” in most Christian churches. In discussing how people receive what he does Scott shared the following with me:



“…As a result they assume that it is New Age or occult based.



I recall a pastor’s wife who came to a dream interpretation table in a bookstore where I was interpreting one evening. After to talking to her she admitted that she could not find answers to her dreams in the church and when she saw the interpretation table at the bookstore she thought or assumed it was New Age but she was desperate to find answers for her dreams. So she came to the table and immediately took the opportunity to share her dreams.



I have another person, probably a well-meaning person; say to me recently that they thought what I did was ‘psychic’. Again I think the reason is that they have never been exposed to who I am and what I do and on the surface they are only familiar with what the New Age has become known for. “



Obviously there is a need for dream interpretation yet as with many areas of ministry the laborers are few. “What Every Dream Means” is a beginning. From the Introduction forward Mr. Shafer walks the reader through the dream process which does not begin with going to bed. There is a biblical basis for dreams and throughout the book there are both Old and New Testament references to corroborate various points.



The book is 159 pages full of much needed information. (Generally speaking; I hate reading the introduction to most books yet I found Scotts’ to be very thought provoking and a necessary read.) Chapter 1- “DREAM RECALL: Remembering Your Dreams”, has subchapters that include: Passivity Can I Really Change This?; “God Speaks in Dreams”: “The Night Season: Sleep Preparation”; and “Improving Memory”. Though chapter one could be a book by itself there are eleven subsequent chapters each building upon the other.



In preparation for dreaming Scott teaches the reader the importance of exercising his or her “memory muscle” by memorizing bible verses. When asked to suggest a few mentioned the Psalms of David and also Romans.



“Romans 12:1 reveals the light that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. As we meditate on this verse at night it will have a profound and deep influence on our conscience and gradually as we come to believe the verse it will set us free from any nagging sense of accusation, guilt or fear. Fear, stress, worry and guilt are some of the things that negatively affect the quality of our sleep at night and can erode our dreaming experience.”



Scott makes it clear in this book that God speaks to us in our dreams no matter who we are or what we believe:



“The things that I recommend about sleep preparation are not intended in any way to become ‘law’ or some kind of legalistic burden to people. I do believe it will enhance their sleep and dreaming experience but I am ultimately confident in the Sovereignty of God. When he wants to speak to us in a dream He will do it. There are examples of this kind of thing happening and being reported in the mission field. Muslims are reporting Jesus appearing to them in dreams and being converted by reason of their dreams.”



He, Scott, also makes it clear that there are no rules etched in stone as to how we are to interpret dreams. Which is why; I don’t use the dream book that I have.



“This is the genius of God that keeps us dependent of Him and His Spirit and not on some methodology of interpreting by knowing a list of symbol meanings from a dream dictionary.”



Each of us should have a personal relationship with Father God. Knowing that He speaks to us in various ways including dreams it is important that we know how to get the most out of our sleep. What is presented in “What Every Dream Means” is the compilations of biblical principles supported by scripture to help you interpret you own dreams as well as the dreams of others. In case you have not determined it yet: I am recommending you purchase this book.

-----
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 :

Saturday, 5 March 2011

No Review: E-Book Week Celebration Instead


Magdalena Ball and I are celebrating Read an E-book Week by giving e-book copies of our poetry to all comers from March 6 to 12.

Our chapbooks of poetry include Cherished Pulse (for anyone you love) with artwork from California artist Vicki Thomas, She Wore Emerald Then (for mothers on your gift list) with photographs by May Lattanzio, Imagining the Future (for Fathers), and Blooming Red, a Christmas chapbook. All are priced to compete with greeting cards at any time of year but this is a celebration of F r ^ ^ (and e-books!).

Chapbooks have been a tradition in the poetry world since Elizabethan times. The Celebration Series goes beyond the clichéd sentiments in most greeting cards—and does it for about the same price.

Now the full series is being offered for f r ^ ^ during Read an E-book Week from March 6 to 12 to help raise public awareness of electronic reading. Read an E-book Week’s Web site (http://www.ebookweek.com ) provides information on the latest e-book reading devices, different e-book stores, benefits of e-books, as well as the history and the future of e-books. Visitors will be able to download free reads from different major retailers, authors and publishers during the Read an E-book Week event period. The Celebration books can be read in over nine digital formats on any computer or portable reading device anywhere in the world. This is a revolution for both authors, both of whom started their writing careers when the latest technology was a typewriter and carbon paper for copies. To access the free books, visit:


http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/maggieball


Magdalena Ball runs the highly respected www.compulsivereader.com review site. She is the author of the poetry book Repulsion Thrust, published to unanimous 5-star reviews. Her novel Sleep Before Evening, published in 2007, was a Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist. You all probably know about my poetry except for the one published quite a while ago by Finishing Line Press, (www.budurl.com/CarolynsTracings ), which isn’t being offered f r ^^ by contractual agreement. For more information on any of the chapbooks in this poetry series, contact either of the authors or visit media rooms at http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/

 or http://www.magdalenaball.com/

.Happy promoting, writing and poetry reading!

Your New Book Review blogger,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson

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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 :

Tim Roux Reviews Novella-Sized Biography

Title: The Bookie's Runner

Author: Brendan Gisby
http://www.brendangisby.com/
Genre: Nonfiction: Biography
ISBN: 978-1456554590



Reviewed by Tim Roux http://timroux.blogspot.com  originally by Amazon


Brendan Gisby's 'The Bookie's Runner' is a perfect 100 pages - perfect and exactly 100 pages (you don't see that too often).


So, it is a novella, and a eulogy, maybe even an apology for Brendan's not being able to do more to help his father in troubled times, although he clearly did what he could.


There is nothing extraordinary about the story of this book - millions, even billions, have suffered lives like these, which makes it a universal tale.


What is extraordinary is the writing. Like the best of French auteur cinema, it is a novella of characters who interact vividly (you can see each one clearly as if on celluloid) in a mildly tragic way. The tone is lyrical, fluorescent, and its trajectory is literally the dying fall. We know from the beginning that it is about a man who will be dead by the end of the book. The question is why.


There is also something extraordinary about the plotting and the rhythm of the piece, something that mesmerises. The whole book takes place in the space of a short bus journey the author took as a teenager after the funeral of his father on his way to his first day back at school.


It has been compared with 'Angela's Ashes' but it is not as grandstanding as that. It is more like Francoise Sagan's 'Bonjour Tristesse' or Elizabeth Smart's 'I Sat Down in Grand Central Station and Wept'.


It is too late to read this before Brendan's dad died and to put things right, and that would somewhat undermine the point of the book, but there is time yet to read it before you do. Yes, it is one of those books for sure.
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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 :

Friday, 4 March 2011

Simplifying the Bible

Bible Wisdom for Modern Times:
Subtitle: Selections from the Orthodox Old Testament

by John Howard Reid (Wyong, NSW Australia)
Paperback  and Kindle

Reviewed  Joyce White


Do you find Bibles somewhat daunting and off-putting? I know I do. The first problem is the sheer size of the book. My "Revised Standard Version" has 2,024 pages, with a double column of type on each page. The next hurdle is the way the text is set up with paragraphs as long as freight trains and all these idiotic numerals and numbers inserted into the text. I even have one Bible, "The Jerusalem Bible", which not content with one set of numbers disfiguring the text and making it difficult to read, has TWO sets running down the margin in places. In the story of Daniel and the Lions, for example, you get this progression: 2,1,3,2,4,3,5,4,6,5,7,6... For heaven's sakes! The final hurdle is the language. All this "thou sayest" and "wherewithal purposed forasmuch handstaves" (the last two words aren't even in the Dictionary)! What I've always wanted is a selection from the Bible of important material relevant to my life that's not only easy to read and understand but that sings to my soul. I've attempted to supply just that in "Bible Wisdom for Modern Times."

Note: I agree with the author that most Bibles were not written for ordinary people and the mechanics of searching and deciphering its wisdom can be so displeasing; many are disheartened enough to give up quickly. This book is smooth and easy reading and the wisdom is very clear. I find it interesting Wisdom is referred to as "Her." God is referenced as (He).


In the back of this 117-Page Bible of Wisdoms is a Chapter of Notes. Chapter One, begins with the wisdom of love goodness, virtue and doing right...He (God) quickly reveals His mind to men and women whose intentions are honest and who really put their trust in Him...


Distrusting the Lord God, in fact, is the very thing that separates men and women from God...Whether you believe in God or not, most believe if we look for good we will find good. If we look for bad, we will find sinners committing wickedness...

Wisdom is referred to as a kindly Spirit who loves all mankind...ending with...It was the works and words of ungodly and misguided men that called death into existence...

These fools considered death their friend. They pined for it. They made a covenant with it because they were not fit to take their place in heaven.


Note: We're living in a war torn world and the last line in this scripture speaks to me of all those who call death into existence...killing and maiming, rather than seeding and nurturing.


Chapter Six, begins with:

Wickedness, if unchecked, can lay waste the whole earth,
Evil-doing overturn even the thrones of might rulers.
If a storm of anarchy is allowed to rise against them,
Like a tempest, it will winnow them away.

Note: Unfortunately, wickedness is contagious...and the longer it goes unchecked, the more wicked it becomes; the last line in this Chapter reads...Wisdom reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other. And She orders all things well.


"Greek" Ezra: The Story of 3 Wise Young men
Chapters 3 and 4

I really enjoyed this fable-script about King Darius of Persia, the story begins when three guardsmen suggest a riddle for their King's favor.

"Let us propose a riddle...such as What is the strongest force in the world? The winner receiving title of King's Special Friend and Kinsman with many rewards."

The first Hesiod played to the King's ego, naming the King. He is your overlord and rules over all.

Maximus proposed that alcohol was the strongest force in the world.

Zrubar, the third, proposed and won, that "for Truth lives and rules forever....truth never fails, Truth endures, Truth is just...Blessed by the God of Truth!"

The Psalms were always my favorites because they were the easiest to read. This Psalms Six was about Trust; Psalm Nine was about Mercy; Psalm Eleven, was about Deliverance and Psalm Fifteen was about Help in Distress.

In Song of Solomon my favorite line is, ...There are many things about kingship that affront a poet's sense of beauty.

Note: Gods never die. Sinners deserve to die...

O Lord God of all,
Truly blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Proverbs begins with...Do you wish to acquire knowledge
And a deep understanding of the ways of God and man?
Then seek out Wisdom
Praise Her and proclaim Her!


I find this book very simple and inspiring to those who fear the time and commitment it takes to tackle any Bible. Love that springs from a pure heart, a clear conscious and real faith (not sham faith or pretending faith)....

Many of us would like to be known as "wise and learned teachers of the Law, like John Howard Reid, the author, but so many of us haven't the faintest idea how to begin!

Smooth and easy reading. Beautiful pictures. Uncomplicated design and text.


~Joyce White reviews for  Sculpting the Heart Book Reviews, http://www.sculptingtheheart.com/ and is an author in her own right.

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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 :

Thursday, 3 March 2011

World War II Story Reviewed by Roby Chausse

Letters From Home
by Kristina McMorris
http://www.kristinamcmorris.com/
Women’s Fiction
Kensington Books
ISBN: 978-0-7582-4684-4


Review by Robyn Chausse for The New Book Review

McMorris takes us on a journey of the heart in this timeless tale set against the backdrop of WWII. In a story told through dated letters and entries we follow the lives of three young women struggling with issues of friendship, love, honesty and choices.
Liz is engaged to an up and coming politician when she finds herself attracted to Morgan McClain, who is just heading off on tour of duty. The two begin a courtship through letters, but McClain believes he is writing to someone else! Julia is torn between a once in a lifetime chance to follow her heart’s desire, and settling down into respectable married life with her fiancé who is due to return from war. Betty, tired and frustrated with her place in society, enlists and finds herself at an Army hospital in the line of fire. Each of these characters reaches a point where they can no longer be who they have been.

Letters from Home is beautifully written with rich characters and a touch of romance. It took me back to a more innocent time. It made me think about how society has changed, especially towards women, and how it hasn’t. It made me think about my parent’s younger days and postcard courtship. It also made me cry several times—and I found myself listening to 40’s music for weeks afterward. The adherence to historically correct detail is impressive (yes, I did cross check the history). This effort successfully blurred the line between fact and fiction and set a definite mood. I read this book in a weekend and could not put it down.


~Reviewer Robyn Chausse also interviewed the author. Find the interview at http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2011/02/letters-from-home-by-kristina-mcmorris.html.  She also blogs for The Muffin, the blogsite of WOW! Women on Writing, http://www.womenonwriting.com/ . Her own blog is A Ponderance of Things (http://rcponders.wordpress.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 :

Wednesday, 2 March 2011

Unforgettable Fun & Laughter in Bucksnort!

Babes in Bucksnort

Author: Davis Aujourd'hui
Author websites: http://bestsatireseriesofthedecade.blogspot.com/ , http://authordavisaujourdhui.blogspot.com/
Genre: fiction-satire
ISBN: 978-1432745004

Reviewed by name: author Jennifer Chase for Amazon


You won't be disappointed with Babes in Bucksnort because all of the outrageous, fun-loving characters are back in book #2 at the steady direction of loveable, chain-smoking, bourbon drinking Sister Mary Olga. She has taught readers, along with her town of parishioners of course, that sometimes it's important to take a good look at ourselves in order to make a positive change.


There seems to be conflict brewing in Bucksnort due to the range of truly unforgettable characters and their diverse activities. This time, Priscilla Bunhead along with her group of town nosy busybodies with the help from Reverend Billy-Bob Blunthead are determined to run out of town who they feel are perverts and undesirables. Following, is outrageous behavior and fun filled chapters that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next.


Aujourd'hui has managed to create a satire series that will definitely give you mountains of smiles and giggles, but he has also masterfully woven important teachings of kindness, forgiveness, and true acceptance. The characters are vivid and it's highly unlikely you'll forget their names any time soon. There's a delicate balance of satire and reality that I feel that Babes in Bucksnort has accomplished perfectly.


If you want a fast weekend or afternoon read that's guaranteed to make you laugh, I recommend Babes in Bucksnort. I look forward to the next installment to see what Sister Mary Olga has in store for her and the town of Bucksnort.



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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 :

Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Judith Orloff Offers New Release with Freebies for Buying

Title – Emotional Freedom

Author – Dr Judith Orloff
Author's website link - http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-promotion/
Genre or category – Self help, personal transformation
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Harmony; First Edition edition (March 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0307338181



Reviewed by Caroline Myss



Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life written by Judith Orloff MD is the perfect book to come along at the perfect time. I couldn’t put it down!


We live in a tumultuous, fear-dominated period in history and must become masters at overcoming fear and other negative emotions so they don’t sabotage our power. With skill and compassion, Dr. Judith Orloff shows us how to become heroes in our own lives by transforming anger, loneliness, and envy and more rather than simply “reacting” when our buttons get pushed.

An Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and intuition expert, Dr. Orloff shares her wealth of personal and professional knowledge to illuminate the field of emotions. She draws on wisdom from traditional medicine but goes light years beyond it by presenting emotions as a path to spiritual, energetic, and intuitive awakening. Why is this leap so important? The intellect has restricted vision about emotions, but bringing intuition into the feeling realm lets us go deeper within. Dr. Orloff asks us to see every success, every heartbreak, every loss, every gain as vehicles for transformation. She teaches readers to view emotions in a non-ordinary way, rather than simply making you happy or miserable. Everyone will benefit from the insightful instructions that continually guide us and also from the author’s intimate personal journey and well-earned life wisdom. Judith is the kind of doctor we wish we all had.

Part One of the book introduces you to the four components of emotions: their biology, spirituality, energetic power, and psychology. Understanding each component in yourself will lead to inner breakthroughs that aren’t possible without seeing the whole picture. It offers a self-assessment test to evaluate your current level of emotional freedom so you can increase it practicing this book’s principles. Dr. Orloff invites you into her romance with sleep and dreams as revolutionary states of consciousness. She also helps readers determine their “emotional type” including “the intellectual,” and “the empath. “so they can make the most of their own finest qualities. As an empath, Dr. Orloff knows the gigantic challenges of being an “emotional sponge” and teaches other empaths who’ve been labeled “overly sensitive” how to stay grounded in an often-overwhelming world.

You’ll enjoy the “emotional vampire survival guide”--specific advice for dealing with emotional drainers. We’ve all met them. You’re talking to someone, when suddenly you feel anxious, depressed, or tired. She describes the narcissist, the victim, the controller, and other types of vampires. Plus, there are quizzes to help you determine “Are you in a relationship with an emotional vampire?” or if you might be one yourself. Sometimes, we all have the capacity to be draining, but with mindful compassion we can catch ourselves early and make a shift.

Part Two of the book offers a hands-on approach for facing the most prevalent negative emotions and building positive ones Each chapter is called a “transformation” in which you learn how to transform a negative emotion into its counterpoint. For instance, fear is transformed with courage, frustration with patience, and jealousy with self-esteem.

You learn to do this in your life by taking a wealth of quizzes, from Dr. Orloff’s patient studies, and her own intimate journey with each emotion.

Emotional Freedom is the rare book that can open your mind and your heart to more empowerment. Give yourself a gift and read it.

SPECIAL OFFER! Purchase a copy of Emotional Freedom with 100 bonus gifts from Dr. Michael Beckwith, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Shirley MacLaine and more at Judith Orloff MD is at http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-promotion/  or http://www.drjudithorloff.com/ .

~Reviewer Caroline Myss is a pioneer in the fields of intuition and mysticism and bestselling author of Anatomy of the Spirit




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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, 28 February 2011

Prolific Author Bill Kirton Reviewed by Diane Nelson

The Figurehead
by Bill Kirton

ISBN #978-1935460091
Historical crime fiction
Bill Kirton: http://www.bill-kirton.co.uk/


Reviewed by Diane Nelson for Romancing Words.com and Goodreads

Opening a book is much like passing through a portal. As the page turns, and you step through that opening, you enter a time, a place, a world populated with the familiar and the inexplicable. Historical fiction. Oft times an acquired taste, or an accidental discovery, driven by curiosity, grounded in the universals of human behavior. The author, Bill Kirton, provides us with a compass rose to orient the reader with subtle cues - the scents, the sounds, the taste and feel of a bustling port and ship building center. The intimacy of humble lodgings, the expanse of beach and narrow confines of the estuary, a workshop where works of art are coaxed from rough timber. The setting is such a skillful tapestry, of uncommon warp and weft, that it immediately allows the characters to command our full attention.

The setting complements and drives the story forward as John Grant encounters an apparent drowning victim, a local shipwright of questionable character. When the local constabulary fail, once again, to exercise due diligence, John decides to investigate on his own, driven by a deep-seated need to see justice done when he determines that the incident appears to be murder most foul. His investigations are spurred by common sense and a unique ability to see patterns in disparate events. This ability makes him a consummate wood-carver of figureheads, and when William Anderson commissions John to provide a likeness of his wife to grace his newest ship, the Elizabeth Anderson, he finds unexpected and interconnected chains of events. As he digs deeper into the mystery surrounding the murder, his discoveries, and their implications, test his friendships and relationships with all involved. As he works through the list of suspects he, and we, are drawn to one inexorable conclusion. What he does with that knowledge would be a spoiler … but suffice it to say, the author did a masterful job laying the groundwork as we followed the logic, the bits and pieces of tangible and not-so-tangible clues, motivations, events possible and impossible alike.

And while this should be more than enough to satisfy even the pickiest crime/mystery buff, the author manages to interweave a splendid romance of such exquisite tenderness that he is guaranteed to capture the heart of the most die-hard romantic. John and Anderson’s daughter, Helen, are drawn to each other by their sharp intellects and curious dispositions, yet the constraints of the time, their stations in life, and the dominating presence of Helen’s father make this a less-than-smooth relationship. Helen is an unconventional young woman who risks her father’s and society’s displeasure by befriending the murdered man’s wife, Jesse, and by insisting on learning her father’s business. Her discoveries, juxtaposed next to John’s, create an intriguing circle of supposition and fleshes out the historical context leading up the actual event.

The Figurehead satisfies on every level, giving the reader authenticity, characters to care about, a mystery, and a romance. The author gives us a portal through which we can enter whenever we choose, and return to time and again - Aberdeen, Scotland when tall ships ruled and greed by any other name was still commerce.

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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 :

Blog Tour for Sandy Sims' Memoir and Self-Help Book

Title – Creative Thinking for the 21st Century: An Experiential Guidebook

Author – Sandy Sims
Genre or category – Self Help, Workbook
ISBN-10: 0982745702
ISBN-13: 978-0982745700
Available in Print, Kindle coming in March 2011
Author's website link - http://creativethinkingbook.com/




Why I Wrote – How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century – Comments from the author, Sandy Sims


Originally I knew this would be a story of interest to people who follow architecture. After reading Wright’s autobiography I had been struck by the idea that not only was he famous but his drawings at the time were selling at auction for the same price as those of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He had designed over 1,000 designs but some 500 remained unbuilt. In an “a ha” flash I imagined that a collection of Wright’s unrealized designs built in Hawaii would be stunning.

The pursuit of this idea was so compelling, that I innocently and naively began the journey, and what a journey it was. I was cordially invited into many of Wright’s private homes, to meet their owners, and to hear their stories. I became friends with those in the Taliesin Fellowship, some of whom were the earliest apprentices to Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a rich journey. While in the beginning I was attracted to the financial rewards that might have accrued, I later became fascinated by the idea of what it would be like to live inside of the space created by both a mystic and a genius. I found out


Sandy Sims' Bio –



Sandy Sims was raised and educated in the South. After serving as Naval Officer and finishing graduate business school, he followed a dream to live in Honolulu where he built one of Hawaii's most successful advertising agencies.


The crisis of personal health and business setbacks opened the way to larger spiritual dimensions including a long association with the Caddy family, founders of the Findhorn Spiritual Community in Scotland His book,”How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century,” is a memoir of his journey culminating in a 20 year project with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.


He has collaborated with Psychiatrist, Kerry Monick MD, and authored Creative Thinking For The 21st Century, An Experiential Guidebook. Accepting the science that our intention does indeed affect the material world, it addresses what to be thinking about, how to shape these thoughts, and what might be the best way to avoid unintended consequences.


When not travelling, Sandy resides in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where you can find him writing, playing tennis, poking around with his camera and embracing a new culture.


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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 :

Saturday, 26 February 2011

S. K. Hamilton Reviews The Frugal Editor

The Frugal Editor
Subtitle: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success
Genre: Nonfiction/Writers
ISBN: 9780978515874
Red Engine Press

Reviewed by S. K. Hamilton

You might know a little bit about a lot of things, but if you don’t know about Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (How To Do It Frugally series of book for writers), then you don’t know enough.

I pulled a stupid stunt when I was working on my first book, The Kahills of Willow Walk. That’s not my first stupid stunt and likely not my last. Anyway, I put The Frugal Editor high on a shelf, thinking I wouldn’t need it anymore. Wrong! This is the third and last time I’ll allow it to be farther than twelve inches from me when I’m writing. If you’re a writer, you need it. If you’re a college student, you need it. If you’re a teacher you need it. You name it… you need it, whoever you are, whatever you do. Why? Because it might keep you from making a fool of yourself sometime. I won’t go into what the book consists of, other than what it’s title entails, although I could, because I know it well enough. Take my word for it.
This book has been advantageous to my editing, most of all my ability to publish what I write. I’ll leave my e-mail  (peewee2234488@yahoo.com) and website link  (http://www.willow-walk.webs.com/)
with you folks so you can let me know what you think. And while you’re at my site look around. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to let you in on a bit of good advice about a great book.

S.K. Hamilton, author of The Kahills of Willow Walk and the sequel, For the Love of Willow Walk. The Romantic series of "Willow Walk" will transport you out of your skin into the lives of others.


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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 :