Honoring Father/Daughter Writing Team Today

Note from Carolyn (your New Book Review blogger): This review is specially posted today to honor fathers and daughters everywhere, but especially father and daughter writing teams. I don't know many of them. Deacon Steve Lumbert and Karina Fabian are father and daughter who came to their faith in different ways. Karina was raised in it, while Steve discovered his calling later in life. Steve is a Deacon and parish administrator in Pueblo, CO. Karina is a writer, military wife, and mother of four.

Title: Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life

Author: Karina Fabian and Deacon Steve Lumbert

Category: Christian, devotionals, spirituality

ISBN: 9780982256534

Available from: Publisher (Tribute Books)
or Amazon or other online dealers

For More Info: http://whygodmatters.com

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/dI7jbp

Reviewed by Elizabeth Weidner originally for A Catholic Mom Climbing the Pillars

Fathers are so cool, they can be the best person in a child's life....or the worse. It's their choice. Much of it depends on their own bringing up, how they interpret the role of parenthood, especially the role of being the father. Fathers balance the family scales with mothers, giving the children in the nest two places to rely on. From the dawn of history, mothers were the nurturers, consolers, and source of gentle loving confidence. Fathers, on the other hand, provided the means to which the family survived, food, money, shelter, and protection from the outside.

Children, therefore, saw in a father the strength of one beyond their own capacity. The automatic dependence was a source of security that only in the strength of the father could a child even think of venturing outside the cocoon of the mother's nest.

The father's dependence on the mother was also a sign of strength to the children. His love and devotion to their mother impressed upon their children that strength is a sign of wisdom when it can bow down to dependence and devotion to another.

In August (2010), at the Catholic Media Network and Catholic Writer's Conference Live event in Philly, I was able to meet just such a father in Deacon Steve. He and his daughter, Karina, wrote a book together sharing their history and growth in their belief and dependence in God. "Why God Matters," is a compilation of experiences and life lessons that both brought them closer together and instilled in them that God is there for them at each and every corner of their lives. Both are a complete delight and without saying a word are beacons of hope for those around them in God. Just by their actions, you can tell they have joy in their hearts and hope on their sleeves. They know God and God knows them.

Meeting them both, I can see that Karina is the person she is because of her father's role in her life. Deacon Steve has truly been a devoted father to both his daughters and completely devoted to their mother. Yes, trials followed him throughout their family life, but it never dimmed their love for God, on the contrary, it strengthened their awareness of His presence.

The stories in their book will make you laugh, cry, and even give you an "Ah ha" moment through their life lessons section following each chapter. I loved the book and went away from reading it with the wide-open message that fatherhood is so imperative to a child's psyche and security. Karina is blessed and Deacon Steve is a blessing.

 ~Karina just wants to add that her "dad is everything Elizabeth says and more, and working on the book with him was one of the highlights of her writing career

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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 :

Reviewer Lauds Author's Debut Thriller

Title: The Gizeh Scrolls

Author: Charles Yockelson

Author's Web-site Link: http://www.wix.com/charlieyo/gizeh1

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

ISBN: 9781475173451

Reviewed by Eve Anderson originally for Amazon

Reviewer's Rating: 5 stars

Charles Yockelson has produced an excellently crafted storyline of international intrigue mixed with historic content. I was not expecting such a page turner plot and, once started, I could not stop reading the book. His descriptions of historic landmarks in many countries are so well constructed that you feel as if you are walking alongside the book's characters and experiencing the same breezes and seeing the same views as they.

The book was obviously very well researched and the author intertwined fact and fiction so well that the telling of the story could easily be mistaken for nonfiction instead of a novel.

It is hard to believe this is Yockelson's first book. I sincerely hope there are more to come.

----- 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 :

Yvonne Perry's Consciousness Tour Stops at New Book Review

Title: Shifting into Purer Consciousness

Subtitle: Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience

Author: Yvonne Perry
Author's Web site:http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com.

ISBN-13: 978-0-9825722-9-0

Publisher: Write On!, May 2012

Reviewer: Carl David  (Philadelphia, PA USA) May 11, 2012

If you only read one book in your search for answers as to who we are, why we are here and where we are going, then this is your guide to the Universe. This work is the ultimate handbook to life as it spells out very clearly all aspects of life as we know it and what lies beyond as the evolution of our soul’s progress. Every question is addressed in detail leaving no stone unturned. The ascension has begun and we are all in it together. The end of the world is mere fearmongering out of ignorance and ego. We are on the edge of a magnificent energy increase as the Universe graces us with its benevolence. Fabulous events for humanity are in the works like never before.

If you are fortunate enough to get a copy of this incredible compendium of knowledge you will never look at life in the same way. You will have a sense of peace without worry. No longer will fear of the unknown be part of your vision, you will embrace the present and the future as they merge tenses before your very eyes. Any and all of your questions will gain clarity as we move together into the tide of rising consciousness.

Yvonne has done it again with this extraordinary book of knowledge which she so freely imparts to us. I have had the distinct pleasure of reading Yvonne's other books and like the others, this one is a jewel! My best advice, get it now; don't wait another minute. You will never regret it.

Today is the first day of Yvonne’s tour! Tomorrow the tour will be at Jacqueline Stone’s blog, On the Journey and I invite you to visit that site to learn more about the spiritual transition we are currently in. See the full tour schedule at http://dld.bz/byrF7.

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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 :

New E-Book Helps Authors Shoot Their Books to Amazon Bestseller Lists

Amazon Categories Create Best Sellers: But That's Not All They Do by Aggie Villanueva
ISBN 13: 978-0-9825914-4-4

Genre: Non-fiction, How-to
Category: Writing, Publishing
Author's Web site
Purchase Link
Book Trailer
Press Page
E-Book

This book was an immediate bestseller in multiple categories and that status for the first seven  weeks of publication, which attests to the effectiveness of this book.

Synopsis:

This e-book is the most comprehensive help you'll find in using the simple techniques offered through Amazon's category choices, leading to your book to not only become a category bestseller but also make many of Amazon's other top-100 lists.

Further, this book discusses background Amazon strategies and controversy affecting authors while attempting to understand and utilize it on many levels. A fellow author's probe into the machinations of Amazon's mega-publicity engine. It attempts to understand Amazon Book Store's multi-leveled promotional core with no legal lingo, no geek speak."

Amazon created an ingenious marketing engine that drills through several layers of free and automated publicity, each layer completely unique, and each layer reaching millions of readers every minute of every day.

They have wisely structured their site for auto-promotion, promotion and more promotion applied to each book without bias. But few authors are aware of the tendrils of opportunity extending from your sales page to your target audience. And those lead to more and those lead to more and...

Even lesser known is that it all starts with categories.

Categories are the inverted pyramid point from which nearly every top-100 list is drawn. Mess up your categories and you'll never rank in most of Amazon's lists, including bestselling.

What people are saying:

"This book is a little jewel. Aggie Villanueva changes your perspective of Amazon from that of an online book store to that of an author publicity machine. Amazon.com like its namesake - is a large, unfathomable, murky river with many secrets and many treasures. This book shines a light on one such secret - using the categories function on Amazon to create best sellers. This little book is essential reading for authors ... even those who hate Amazon!"
Vikram Narayan, CEO BookBuzzr.com.

“I’ve been in the kindle ebook publishing game for a number of years now, have learned a lot, but after reading this Kindle book, it made me realize there is still tons of stuff I don’t know – and need to know. I also already had a basic understanding about Amazon categories – but Villanueva has obviously been combing through Amazons methods and policies – analyzing everything in critical detail, and what she has discovered is significant and important.”
Ken Korczak, Reviewer.

About the Author:

Aggie Villanueva  is a Bestselling, Award-winning Author & Marketing Specialist, and owner of Promotion a la Carte author marketing services. She also owns My Book Marketing Systems where authors get their mobile app affordably.

Aggie Villanueva 575.268.6095 aggie@promotionalacarte.com Skype: myaggie2
Promotion a la Carte, Promotional Menu of Choice: Promoting Authors & Celebrating Books

My Book Marketing Systems: Learn why you need your own author app
SUBSCRIBE TO LEARN ALL ABOUT BOOK PROMOTION & OUR PROMOTIONAL SERVICES

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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 :

A Gift for Mother and Other Women In Your Life

She Wore Emerald Then
Subtitle: Reflections on Motherhood
By Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Photography by May Lattanzio
Number one in the Celebration Series of chapbooks
Author's Web site: www.howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htm
Amazon Link: www.budurl.com/motherchapbook
ISBN: 978-1438263793
Also available for Kindle


Reviewed originally for Amazon by Zoe Potok, Czech Republic

REVIEW

She Wore Emerald Then

I read this collection of thirty poems slowly, allowing myself only a few at a time usually before I went to bed. The poems deserve such an approach, they need to settle in the mind and soul, to be savoured like a good wine.

The description (on the Amazon.com site only) says "Moods of Motherhood" but it is more than that. At its heart it is about a grown-up child reflecting on the elderly and dying mother and on earlier days when the mother was the strong adult and other. Maybe it is because I am at that stage of life (with a grown-up son and a frail mother) that the poems meant so much to me. The description also suggests that it would make the ideal Mother's Day gift, I'm not so sure about that, I certainly wouldn't give it to my mother, too close to home.

The two poets come at the subject from different points: Magdalena Ball talks about the cosmos before focusing in on the personal with her late poems, Carolyn Howard-Johnson starts with and continues with the personal. And it is the personal that catches the reader in the throat:

We all forget names, I say as numb

moves from hand to heart

because it is my name she has forgotten.

~More on the reviewer: Zoe Brooks (Potok) is a poet and writer. She is the author of Fool’s Paradise a long poem for voices http://www.amazon.com/Fools-Paradise-ebook/dp/B0087EB5KA/

She blogs at http://zoebrooks.blogspot.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 :

Poetry Market Ezine Reviewer Weighs in on Chapbook

LIBRETTI LUMI
By Roy Anthony Shabla
poetry
ISBN: 978-1-105-18751-3
royanthonyshabla.com
http://royanthonyshabla.com/books.html


Review by LB Sedlacek, originally for the  "The Poetry Market Ezine" - March 2012


Roy Anthony Shabla gets an "A" in visual
presentation for his new poetry book,
"Libretti Lumi." Even the envelope it
arrived in had a poem by Shabla stamped
on the outside -- a clever way to further
share his poetry.

"Libretti Luma" is divided into two sections:
"Air Play" "Cantata Aria" and "Word Play"
"lingua recitativa." Poems aren't titled --
they are numbered making the book more like
how an epic poem might be presented.

Poem III in the "Air Play" section is a
wonderful and somewhat playful romp through
the ups and downs of love in a relationship.
It explores appreciation of the earth, sky,
the breeze, etc. "Air Play" contains
grounded poems that reach into the
every day but also encompass the universe.

Poem IV in the "Word Play" section deals
with the end of everything: "the city is
gone./Maybe it never existed./the streets
go nowhere,/come from nowhere,/are nowhere./
the buildings are merely a trick of the light,/
a glimmer in the wasteland ...." In this
same poem, though, Shabla still presents a
glimmer of hope including lines such as
"I sing./I sing./O you may not think of
my song as singing,/but I sing ..." and
"I love you/you know this/I do not think."

The last poem (V in the "Word Play"
section) is a fitting end to the book:
"We say words/to each other//we say them/
like they mean something...."

There is an overall sense of sureness and
calmness in the poems presented in this
book. The subjects and symbollism are
sharp, but yet they exude a relaxed state.
I'm glad I opened the cover and dived on
in -- this is a poetry book I would read
again and again.
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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 :

Medical Fiction From India Grabs New Book Review Spotlight

Title: Mahashweta

Author: Sudha Murthy.

Genre: Indian fiction, medical fiction.

Originally published at  Book Reviews Galore

Step into the world of leukoderma and understand it complexity, problem and the various Indian superstitions revolving around it. Before you groan and go away, let me tell you that this isn't a book a la 'Emperor Of Maladies'(though I am told it is a fascinating book) but rather a fictional story of the struggles that a woman suffering leukoderma faces. 'Mahashweta' by Sudha Murthy, from the synopsis at the back and the glittering praise from well established newspapers, promises to be a unique read that delves into the suffering of a disease that afflicts many but doesn't find its way in the stories. Unfortunately, the novel fails to live up to those promises for which there are many reasons to which we will get back to later on.

'Mahashweta' is aptly dedicated to women suffering from leukoderma and urges them to fight and not be oppressed by their disease. The story begins on a congratulatory note with the birth of a girl child which is a means to establish the single status of Dr. Anand-the successful, handsome and rich doctor- who helped give birth to the baby girl. Later while at his work, Anand is coaxed into buying a Rs. 1000 ticker for a play he has no idea about by the 'incomparable' Anupama. The play is a love story between Mahashweta and Pundalik and is part of the book 'Kadambari' written by Bhana Bhatta. Anupama plays the heroine and as expected Dr. Anand is mesmerized by her beauty and acting skills. After a few irrelevant incidents, they both get married(how predictable!) despite the difference in their economic status. It is only after marriage that Anupama develops a white patch and it begins to spread despite her clandestine treatment. When her mother-in-law realises this, all hell breaks loose. She accuses Anupama of having tricked her son into marrying him and begins to consider her inauspicious because of leukoderma. She eventually returns to her father's house, disgraced. Her evil stepmother's taunts and ill treatment just worsens the situation. To top it all, Dr. Anand- being a doctor at least should know that leukoderma is nothing but a disease and not something that turns a person inauspicious-also does not support Anupama and abandons her when she needed him the most. Anupama, however, does not let the circumstances get the better of her. She bravely decides to go to Mumbai, away from her callous family and in-laws, to eke out a living and carve a place of her own free from any pain, stigma and stereotypes. She is quite successful is achieving her dreams and standing proudly on her own two feet.

'Mahashweta' is a conventional story of the suffering bravely overcoming their difficult trials and tribulations. The only redeeming aspect of the story comes at the end when Anupama decides to remain her own master and be economically independent rather than being bound by someone else's rules and regulations. Other than this, the novel as a whole is marred by a fragmented narrative, dollops of stereotypes, amateurish writing, no smooth narration and a very soap operatic treatment of the entire story. In fact, I wouldn't be wrong in saying that 'Mahashweta' is a soap opera in prose style as it has all the prerequisites of one-the constant preoccupation with marriage, the evil mother-in-law and sister-in-law twist, the evil stepmother convention, the too good to be true daughter-in-law who suffers silently, the narrow minded and religious focus of the story at time and the list is endless.

While Sudha Murthy does take up a relatively lesser known disease to tell her story, she does not break any new ground on it as the entire novel is steeped in too many stereotypes particularly about girls and marriage. For eg, on the first page itself, the nurse who assisted in the birth of the girl ponders over how the female child is stronger at birth than the male but later on becomes the one who suffers. The nurse attributes this as being 'a fact of life' which is not really true because being feminine or masculine is not a fact of life but rather a cultural construct. The system of patriarchy conditions women to expect suffering in their life. Anything that is exploited or oppressed is associated with the female sex. For eg. it is 'mother' earth and never 'father' earth. The novel is replete with such redundant stereotypes. Murthy may have wished to challenge them but she does not do a good job as she merely states them with no attempts at challenging them much like any commonplace Indian soap opera.

Moreover,her writing does not have the emotional depth that is perhaps required in such a sensitive story. Most of her attempts at philosophy(through Anupama) are also blunt and shallow.

Although, 'Mahashweta' educates the reader about leukoderma and the debilitating superstitions that even 'educated' Indians follow, the novel becomes a drag to read. It reveals the hypocrisy of the Indian society in their attitudes to leukoderma but does not do so in a profound, erudite and personal manner.

Final Verdict: It is best to skip 'Mahashweta' altogether. If you really want to know more about leukoderma, then contact you nearest dermatologist. Or if you don't have the time, then just click here to know more!

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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 :

Sigmarie Soto Reviews Thriller

Title: Q: Awakening
Author: G.M. Lawrence
Author's Website: http://www.gmlawrence.com/
Genre: Fiction/Philo-Thriller
ISBN: 9781935142539
Variance Publishing

Reviewed by Sigmarie Soto originally for ZiggySoto

 
G.M. Lawrence’s career as an author can only excel from here given the sophistication of his first novel. Q: Awakening focuses on the quest of conflicted hero, Dr. Declan Stewart, in not only searching for an ancient manuscript (“quelles”), a lost gospel believed to be written by Christ, but also regaining his faith in people and God after years of hiding.


The writing in Q: Awakening is elegant and clever, providing multiple layers and insight into a variety of complex cultural, political, and religious components. While this is an action-packed, save-the-world adventure, there is significantly more depth due to the philosophical aspects and the conflicts among and within the characters as well as the motives driving each of them. And all of this can draw a variety of audiences ranging from diehard adventure/thriller fans to those interested in modern philosophical fiction.


The read is captivating and enjoyably consuming in everything from character development to the vivid settings covering anything from New Zealand to the deserts of Saudi Arabia. While most plots have one villain, Q: Awakening has multiple villains with multiple agendas. Some want to profit from Q while others want to destroy it.



Beyond struggling with accepting that Q is his destiny and obsession, Declan is also interesting because of his struggle with moving forward after already having lost so much during his prior search for Q. As with any good and believable hero, Declan is flawed and even mysterious. His constantly weighed conscience forces him to accept his mission despite the fact he insists he doesn’t believe it is the salvation of the human race.


The quality of writing and imagination mixed with the detail and realness of the characters and places is quite refreshing. Since Q: Awakening is the first in Lawrence’s trilogy, the remaining novels have quite a bit to live up to as well as a lot of questions to answer. Given the complexity and adventure in this novel, a screen adaptation would also be successful and well-received.


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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 :

Women's Nonfiction Reviewed by Book Club

Title: My Pilgrim's Heart
Subtitle: A woman's journey through marriage and other foreign lands

By Stephanie Dale
Author's Web site: www.stephaniedale.net
Genre: Travel memoir
ISBN: 978 09821 40765

Reviewed by Chocolate Amethyst (chocolateamethyst) originally for Talk the Talk Women's Book Club

“You won't find Stephanie Dale in My Pilgrim's
Heart, you will find yourself. What you will find is Stephanie Dale right beside you." Stephanie - thank you. Every time you comment,  My Pilgrim’s Heart comes alive in a different “light”. I would like to thank you for for creating a “atomosphere” of sincerity, truthfulness, and “tough love”. This blog page has allowed the TTT Ladies a precious opportunity to be “real”. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to comment and answer each question. I did my final post on 6 May 2012, and honestly I have been on a “journey” of self reflection. Your book My Pilgrim's Heart has opened up the flood gates to my soul and mind. I did not realize how much “tension” that is in my spirit. I have set some new goals for myself, and I have a plan to be proactive with each one. Your Journey is full of wisdom, and your insight is limitless.
 TTT Ladies I really hope that other book clubs take this journey with Stephanie Dale and My Pilgrim’s Heart. They will discover the” journey” in their heart, 
Stephanie you are a ‘rare jewel’, and I have the upmost respect for you.”

More About the Author:
Stephanie Dale
Traveling writer

Facebook.com/mypilgrimsheart

Twitter: @stephaniedale22

www.stephaniedale.net

'A lover is a fighter who believes
her desires are shared by all the world' Harriet Rubin

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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 Ward Gives Karina Fabian's Fantast a Five!

Title: Mind Over Mind
Author: Karina Fabian
Category: fantasy/science fiction
ISBN-13: 978-1897942369 (print)
1897942362 (e-book)
Format: Trade paperback, e-book
Publication Date: Aug 8, 2011
Pages: 314
Price: $19.95 US (print) $2.99 (e-book)
Available from: DragonMoon Press, http://dragonmoonpress.com
More Info: www.fabianspace.com

 Reviewed by Tim Ward, originally for Amazon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I heard that the main character, Ydrel, was a telepath empowered by an alien only he can see and hear, I had to buy it. I am writing a book with telepaths and so I came at this book from a researcher’s perspective. What Karina gave me was more than I anticipated. Here’s a rapid-fire list of what this book offers:

*Solid, clear-cut writing. She keeps it fresh, insightful, emotional, fun, and rewarding.

*Three point-of-view characters with emotional investment and story lines that keep you engaged to the end.

*A fascinating idea about an alien world contacting a young boy from two different angles. One source trains him to kill, and then makes him pay when he refuses. The other needs help to prevent her people from being wiped out in war. The images, conflict, and threats that this side of the novel presents offer a grand scale for the rest of the series. I can’t wait to find out what happens.

*When not set in a fantastical alien world, Karina explores the carefully hidden secrets that could thrive in a mental health facility when you have a telepath and a manipulative chief psychiatrist. Joshua, the young intern who walks into this snake pit, must deal with this psychiatrist, while also gaining Ydrel’s trust so that he can help him escape. Sound research makes this setting real, and you trust the author to tell it how it is, even if that makes things more difficult for the heroes.

*Finally, from a research standpoint, this book offered a ton of inspiration for writing my telepath characters. The best part was, I didn’t feel like I was researching. I came for the story, and was pleasantly surprised to find a new author and series to follow.

~ Learn more about Karina Fabian at http://fabianspace.com Books to challenge the mind, touch the heart, and tickle the funny bone.

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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 :

How to Blog a Book: Write, Publish, and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time

How to Blog a Book: Write, Publish, and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time
By Nina Amir

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books (May 21, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599635402
• ISBN-13: 978-1599635408
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches

Reviewed by Deborah Carney, originally for  Amazon.com

Excellent book for blog authors or authors who blog, May 5, 2012


This book very clearly lays out what, how and why you would want to blog a book. From making you accountable to an audience that wants you to keep writing, to establishing good writing habits, to actually writing a business plan about what you want the blog and book to accomplish. Easy to read, easy to understand and easy to implement, must read for bloggers and authors both.



Learn more about the author Nina Amir:
http://www.ninaamir.com
http://www.copywrightcommunications.com
http://www.howtoblogabook.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 :

Cary Pepper Tells Five-Star Maltese Tale

Reel Life Crime
Author: Cary PepperAuthor’s Website: www.carypepper.comGenre: Fiction/Detective/CrimeISBN: 978-1-4658-4263-3
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81833

Reviewed by Kathy C originally for Hampton Reviews

Five-Star Review

This book is a lot of fun. It roughly follows the plot of the Maltese Falcon, and it’s fond references to the 1941 movie are skillfully woven into it. The story itself-that of the theft of the statue from the movie, is full of twists and turns. Like the movie, the reader thinks the case is dine until the next monkey-wrench is thrown into the works. The main character, Ed Sampas, is a character right out of 1940’s film noir. He keeps up a running commentary to the reader about his thoughts and feelings about the other characters. Used incorrectly, this device could have become annoying or too precious, but in Cary Pepper’s skilled hands it enhances the story greatly.

A fairly quick read, this story and its characters will absorb the reader to the last page.

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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 :

Carol Upton Reviews and Reveals A Quarter Horse Love Story

Horse at the Corner Post:

Our Divine Journey

By Denise Lee Branco

Strolling Hills Publishing

Soft Cover, 2010, $17.95 U.S.

ISBN: 879-0-9845888-0-0

Available at http://www.horseatthecornerpost.com

Reviewed by Carol M. Upton – www.dreamsaloud.ca

I have been blessed with many animal friends in my life, but you were unique. I had a connection with you since your wobbly foal legs held you up and until your aged arthritic legs no longer allowed you to stand. ~ Denise Lee Branco

In the award-winning Horse at the Corner Post, Denise Lee Branco writes straight from the heart about her deep, lifelong connection to her quarter horse, Freedom.

At an outsider’s first glance, there may have been nothing special about this particular foal. Yet, Branco and Freedom connected almost immediately, soul to soul. Sharing hugs, playing racing games alongside the fence, and winning 2^nd Place in a Kindergarten Western Pleasure Class, the two youngsters formed a powerful relationship. All that changed as Branco neared college age and her uncle took a fancy to the horse. Thinking Freedom would have a great temporary home, Branco let him go, only to discover some years later that he had been sold.

What ultimately takes place is an astonishing tribute, not only to the profound relationship between a girl and her horse, but also to the deep support of a family that understood this bond and cared enough to see it through.

The strength of this book lies in Branco’s skilled and honest storytelling. The reader is there every step of the way, reminded of the animals that may have graced their own life.

Branco’s hope in writing about Freedom is that it will encourage animal adoption. This inspired family reading achieves all of that and more.

~ About the author: Denise Lee Branco spent her childhood on a California ranch, befriending all the furry and feathered residents there. From reading horse books to competing in western shows and gymkhanas, Denise has always felt horses are a part of her identity. Visit her at:

http://www.horseatthecornerpost.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 :

Title: The Otherworld
Author: Margo Martin Benning
Publisher: Advocate House,
An imprint of A Cappela Publishing, Sarasota, FL
ISBN: 978-0-9846177-8-4 (Adult Fiction/Fantasy)

Reviewed by Jodi Grant

Ever wished you could leave your life behind and find happiness and romance in another world? So did Jenny McQueen, sixty year old widow and former shop owner who found no sparkle to her life in Omniville, Ohio – when suddenly her damned cell phone rang yet again as she battled rain, traffic, telemarketers, and hidden keys in her effort to reach a dental appointment she was late for. This was not the usual tin can ring. It was harp music. She answered irritably, only to hear a wise wizardly voice invite her to The Otherworld.

In Jenny’s many trips to this magical kingdom she encounters mythical animals, fairy-tale people, and her own personal dragons. And, of course, Jenny ends up living happily ever after.

This wise, witty Jungian tale of rebirth and rediscovery is truly a tale of enchantment for the disenchanted.

Publisher: Advocate House, an imprint of A Cappela Publishing, Inc Sarasota, FL

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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 :

Women's Health Issue Book Tours Online

Title – The Moon She Rocks You

Author – Gurutej Khalsa

Author's website link - http://gurutej.com/store/11-moon-centers

Genre or category – Alternative Health/Women’s Health/Self Help

ISBN-10: 0615621678

ISBN-13: 978-0615621678

The Moon She Rocks You by Gurutej Khalsa

Imagine you could feel on top of your emotions, on top of your world on a regular basis. Would that be something that would interest you? Does it make you exhale a big Ahhh if only?

I’m Gurutej what I’m about to reveal to you could change your life FOREVER. I am a world acclaimed teacher, leader and spiritual teacher. Building communities, businesses, teaching through many mediums for over 40 years.

I am introducing these previously secret teachings so you can profit and create better relationships which is the basis of all joy and balance.

I have not always been calm, centered. I, like you, was reactive, judgmental, stressed and overwhelmed and enslaved by my emotional reactions. I have to share the secrets of the moon centers with you because they were a great road map for me to be the me I wanted to be. Not the slave to my emotions.

I have helped 100’s if not 1000’s of women and men to understand and utilize this wonderful formula that will put you in the driver’s seat of your life.

What are Moon Center cycles and why should we as women care about them? Because these cycles have a direct and deep effects on us. Have you noticed that some days you feel strong and powerful and can take on the entire universe and other days someone looks at you cross-eyed and you want to find a bathroom to hide in? Why is that? This theory of Moon centers will shed some light on all this. This is not a shield to hide behind but information to make us more aware, informed complete with support tools that will make you more powerful.

Moon Centers Unveiling the hidden secrets to the inner workings of women. This is the next biggest leap after Men are from Mars Women are from Venus. Do you want to understand yourself as a women in your many aspects? Men do you want to be able to see and chart the emotional and devotional landscape of the women in your life? You will know when and how to support yourself and your women and when to move away from the firing line. Priceless information.

Moon Centers is a secret and sacred science: Do you want Greater harmony in your life? If yes then skip the text and just say yes buy it now. If you need more information carry on. If only all women and men for that matter could learn of these moon centers in their teens what a wonderful world it would be. This is an ancient secret science unveiled, how the moon affects women each day.

This is the secret code to women’s inner states. The positive, challenged and neutral aspects within each center, within each women. The moon moves into a different part of a women’s body every 2.25 days. Learn how to utilize the gifts of each center and recognize the moods that come from the challenged aspects ahead of time. Then turn them into harmony. Utilize the gifts of each center. All this can be yours.

What People Are Saying

“Gurutej is a true gift to the yoga world. She is able to communicate the

 living ancient wisdom of Kundalini yoga through her natural and practical

teaching on the Moon Centers which vibrates with flowing

 consciousness. Gurutej awakens through her love of sharing the secrets

of women from within, and her teachings in her book which will resonate

 with women and men at all levels of experience on the spiritual path.”

—Lisa Scanandolri, co-founder of Lisa’s Yoga

“Had I known how revealing this was and what great solutions for my

 problems, I would have willingly paid you almost anything.”

J. Toronto

“I studied the Moon Centers in Yogi Bhajan’s class. Gurutej explains

 them in such depth, it is astounding. She makes them easy, accessible

, and fun. This is not just for women. My husband has been taking an

 interest in this and that has made life so much better. You need this.

 Don’t wait.”

—Siri Bandhu, preventative medicine business planner

About Gurutej

Gurutej has known since she was six years old that she wanted to lead

others to their greatness. She is a born leader, a creational genius, and

 a visionary thought leader. Her energy brightens your day, and her gift

 for lightness, comedy, and humor radiates with every breath and every

 word of her powerful message. A founding practitioner of Kundalini,

 Gurutej Khalsa is one of a handful of Kundalini Yoga Masters in the

  world. She has taught people for over 40 years to connect to their

higher consciousness through healing, meditation, yoga, and chanting.

 She lives and breathes the meaning of her Sikh name, “the one who

 brings you from darkness into light at the speed of light.” Gurutej has

 created yoga centers throughout the United States and Canada. Her

commitment to community outreach, philanthropy, the homeless,

children, alternative education, and conscious living is tireless.

~This review is part of the author's book tour handled by Social Media Promotional Services - www.bookpromotionservices.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 :