A Can't-Put-Down Mainstream Novel

TITLE: The Seeds of a Daisy
AUTHOR: +Alison Caiola
AUTHOR'S WEB SITE: www.theseedsofadaisy.com
AVAILABILITY: Amazon US , Amazon UK (Kindle e-book), Barnes & Noble,
  iTunes
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/4081993
http://www.amazon.com/The-Seeds-Of-A-Daisy/dp/1481159623/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355941253&sr=8-2&keywords=alison+caiola
Kindle: Amazon http://www.amazon.com/The-Seeds-Of-Daisy-ebook/dp/B00AKR2XVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355922302&sr=8-1&keywords=alison+caiola
Nook Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-seeds-of-a-daisy-alison-caiola/1113921263?ean=2940015756111
APPROXIMATE LENGTH: 366 pages
GENRE: Mainstream Fiction—Drama/Women’s FictionRecommended for readers seeking character-driven dramas.

Reviewed by Mary Fan, originally for Zigzag Timeline

The Seeds of a Daisy is the story of a young woman dealing with
emotional turmoil following her mother’s devastating car accident.
This novel is full of raw emotion and high drama, set against the
backdrop of Hollywood politics.

PACE

Let’s just say I devoured this one. I started reading during lunch and finished by mid-afternoon. Caiola’s conversational style and flair for drama make this novel a suspenseful and absorbing read.
PERSPECTIVE
First person present. The book opens with Lily Lockwood, a successful TV actress, in the hospital following her mother’s accident. As she comes to grips with the tragedy, she reflects on her past, and much of the book consists of her flashbacks.
CONTENT REVIEW
From a distance, Lily Lockwood has it all. She’s the star of a popular and acclaimed TV series with a handsome boyfriend poised to become a big time Hollywood leading man. But in her own eyes, her life is
unraveling. That boyfriend, Jamie, is cheating on her with his costar
on a film set miles away, and Lily’s mother, Daisy, is comatose
following a devastating car accident

The Seeds of a Daisy opens with Lily by Daisy’s side in the hospital,
begging her to return to the realm of the conscious. As she waits for
news from the doctors, she reflects on her life and relationship with
her mother, who raised Lily alone and guided her through the mad world
of Hollywood. When Lily goes through Daisy’s possessions in search of
a living will, she discovers things about her mother’s past that she
could never have dreamed of, things that reveal the woman behind the
tough-cookie career queen Daisy the bestselling author was known as.

Caiola writes with a natural, conversational style that brings Lily’s
voice to life. The realistic dialogue and easy, fluid prose carry the
story forward in a way that makes the pages turn themselves. The
reader is privy to all of Lily’s thoughts and raw emotions as she
faces the madness her life has become—her grief, her anger, her hope,
and then some. Each moment is a suspenseful one for Lily as she waits for news from the doctors and comes to grips with reality, and that suspense carries over to the audience, making this book an unexpectedly fast-paced page-turner.

Although the story is told from Lily’s point of view, The Seeds of a Daisy, as the title implies, is as much about Daisy—her effect on Lily and the world around her. Lily spends much of the book reflecting on her somewhat codependent
relationship with her mother and learning to stand on her own and take charge of her life.
Behind the mother-daughter drama is a colorful supporting cast and a fascinating glimpse of Hollywood politics. While the reader sees Lily as a vulnerable young woman, the rest of the world views her as a celebrity to be gossiped about. Paparazzi mob her in the hospital lobby, trying to get a snapshot of her distraught face for the tabloids. So when Jamie flies back to be with her, is he actually trying to comfort her, or is this another publicity stunt? Meanwhile, Daisy’s longtime friends flock to Lily’s side out of genuine concern.

Also, I must note that this book seems incredibly well-researched on the hospital drama front. The medical jargon and explanations—dry and impenetrable to both the reader and Lily—add to the story’s realistic atmosphere. Although the book’s set-up, with the Emmy’s and the paparazzi hovering in the background, may seem glamorized, the story itself is very down-to-earth. Lily may not be the most eloquent speaker, but her words ring true even though she sometimes seems to
have trouble expressing her emotional frenzy.
I didn’t mean to read The Seeds of a Daisy in one sitting, but I ended up getting so absorbed in the drama and the characters that I couldn’t put it down. Entertaining, gripping, and sometimes tear-jerking, it’s the kind of book that’s easy to get lost in.
THE NITPICKY STUFF
I received an advance copy of this novel, which has since been edited,
so I can’t comment on typos and the like.
This novel contains a handful of mild sex scenes and some adult language.

AUTHOR INFO
[from the back cover]
Alison Caiola's many years in Hollywood, first as a PR Executive and then as a writer, makes her qualified to write about the entertainment industry and the behind-the-scenes craziness that it often spawns.
  Like Daisy, the mother in The Seeds of a Daisy, her son JD Daniels is
a successful and award-winning actor. Alison recently wrote, directed,
and produced the television series The Tyme Chronicles. She currently
resides on the beautiful North Fork of Long Island with her Malti-Poo
daughter-dog Emma, surrounded by vineyards, farms, and wonderful
friends.  Learn more at  www.theseedsofadaisy.com.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Audio Book on Publishing for Authors

Jumpstart Your Dreams
By Terry Whalin
Audio Book
Genre: Nonfiction: Publishing/ Writing/Business
Order info: http://bit.ly/RxJcfa

 

Terry Whalin and I often appear at writers' conferences together and I've read his books and recommend them. But I'd never attended one of his presentations because they conflicted with my own. At the last conference we attended, Terry said he had repurposed one of his seminars to an audio CD and graciously presented me with one. I just listened to it as I drove the California freeways. It is Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and I love, love, love it! Terry comes at helping other authors through experience and he loads his talks with anecdotes that make his advice entertaining, understandable, and memorable. Even though this audio is recorded live at a seminar, the recording is clear and professional. All I can say is "Wow!" I could tell you all the points he covers, but I won't. You might be tempted to think you know that stuff. But this audio is so much more than the sum of its parts.

 

If your publishing career is lagging or if you'd like to change that path you've been taking (or if you just need a review and a big shot in the arm of energy and ideas!), this is an audio workshop worth the money—even for frugal me. Find it at: http://bit.ly/RxJcfa. Think of it this way. The CD is maybe 1/8 the cost of a real live conference. And you can play it any old time you have the time.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Review Site Owner Pens Book on Writing Reviews

The Art of Assessment

By Magdalena Ball
Author's Web site: http://www.magdalenaball.com
Paperback: 150 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1477499863,
Genres: nonfiction, writing
Book available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Assessment-Review-Anything/dp/1477499865

Reviewed by gotanenvoy at The Review Centre (5 star)

When conducting a review, whether it is for a book, car, house, film or theatre there are principles one must keep in mind. Who it is going to read the review and what will their expectations of the evaluation be. Like all good writers the reviewer must decide who their audience will be, and aim their writing at that audience.

The Art of Assessment sets out to provide practical guidelines to prospective reviewers, on how to perfect the techniques required of the craft. Set out in thirteen chapters the book takes the reader step by step through the process of reviewing. Each step is highly detailed and backed up with examples of what is required. There is also a wide listing of potential reviews markets detailed throughout the book.

What makes this book stand out from others of its type? It is in the simplicity of the presentation both verbally and visually. The book is not cluttered to look at and does not talk down to the reader, or lecture at them through an academic format.

All the information about what a review, types of reviews, formatting, research and interviews are presented with great clarity. It is reflected in the book's construction that the author has a great wealth and experience in the field of reviewing. The book does not ignore the pitfalls of reviewing if one is seeking to make a full-time living from the exercise. It does emphasize that for reviews to be taken seriously, they must be well crafted and researched like any other form of published work.

Overall the book gives excellent guidance for a person contemplating traveling down the reviewing path. It is a journey that needs patience, dedication, grammatical skills and a thick skin. Not all those who you write reviews for will appreciate your views and will not hesitate to tell you. Financial reward will not be great in most cases, but the pleasure of completing a well-written review is a true reward in itself.

The Art of Assessment is a very useful tool to guide potential and practicing reviewers to greater heights of excellence in their chosen field. Until recently I ran a book review service for authors, and having access to a book such as Magdalena Ball has written, would have made my reviewing tasks so much easier. For those wishing to try their luck at reviewing they could buy no better text on the subject.

 

 

 -----

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 :

Atomicjack Reviews Saucy Fantasy

Rarity from the Hollow
By Robert Eggleton

Author's Web site: www.lacydawnadventures.com
411 Pages
Science Fiction/Fantasy
ISBN: 1907133062 / ISBN-13: 9781907133060
Dog Horn Publishing, Leeds, England
To purchase:
http://www.amazon.com/Rarity-from-the-Hollow-ebook/dp/B007JDI508
http://www.lulu.com/shop/robert-eggleton/rarity-from-the-hollow/paperback/product-20203207.html
To preorder hardback: http://www.doghornpublishing.com/books/rarity_from_the_hollow.html
Author proceeds are donated to prevent child abuse in West Virginia.

Review by Adicus Ryan Garton for Atomjack Science Fiction Magazine

“Imagine Wizard of Oz and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy smashed together and taking place in a hollow in the hills of West Virginia. Now you have an idea of what to expect when you sit down to read Rarity From the Hollow….”

…unabashed, unashamed exploration of the life of young Lacy Dawn, as she learns that she is the savior of the universe. The naked, genderless android, Dot-com… Add her abusive father, her weak-willed mother, a sexually-abused ghost for a best friend…trees that talk to her, a dog that can communicate telepathically with cockroaches and so much more.

There is so much to this story, and its writing is so unblinkingly honest…spares us nothing…her father beating her and her mother, the emotions…the dark creeping insanity that eats away at her Iraq-veteran father, and the life in general of people too poor, too uneducated to escape.

In part, it is a grueling exposition of what children endure when …abused. …the only way…to escape is to learn that she is the savior… strong, tough, smart—all those attributes that any child should have—and she reminds us that children are survivors, adaptive and optimistic.

But don't think you're going to be reading something harsh and brutal and tragic. This book is laugh-out-loud funny at times, satiric of almost everything it touches upon…The characters from the hollow and from the planet Shptiludrp (the Mall of the Universe) are funny almost to the point of tears.

...It's absolutely fantastic…."

~ Reviewer Adicus Ryan Garton is the editor of the online science fiction magazine Atomjack. He is currently teaching English in South Korea.

 

Excerpt from First Chapter:

Cozy in Cardboard

Inside her first clubhouse, Lacy Dawn glanced over fifth grade spelling words for tomorrow’s quiz at school. She already knew all the words in the textbook and most others in any human language.

Nothing’s more important than an education.

The clubhouse was a cardboard box in the front yard that her grandmother's new refrigerator had occupied until an hour before. Her father brought it home for her to play in.

The nicest thing he's ever done.

Faith lay beside her with a hand over the words and split fingers to cheat as they were called off. She lived in the next house up the hollow. Every other Wednesday for the last two months, the supervised child psychologist came to their school, pulled her out of class, and evaluated suspected learning disabilities. Lacy Dawn underlined a word with a fingernail.

All she needs is a little motivation.

Before they had crawled in, Lacy Dawn tapped the upper corner of the box with a flashlight and proclaimed, "The place of all things possible -- especially you passing the fifth grade so we'll be together in the sixth."

Please concentrate, Faith. Try this one.

"Armadillo."

"A, R, M, … A … D, I, L, D, O," Faith demonstrated her intellect.

"That's weak. This is a bonus word so you’ll get extra points. Come on."

Lacy Dawn nodded and looked for a new word.

I’ll trick her by going out of order – a word she can't turn into another punch line.

“Don’t talk about it and the image will go away. Let’s get back to studying,” Lacy Dawn said.

My mommy don't like sex. It's just her job and she told me so.

Faith turned her open spelling book over, which saved its page, and rolled onto her side. Lacy Dawn did the same and snuggled her back against the paper wall. Face to face -- a foot of smoothness between -- they took a break. The outside was outside.

At their parents’ insistence, each wore play clothing -- unisex hand-me-downs that didn’t fit as well as school clothing. They’d been careful not to get muddy before crawling into the box. They’d not played in the creek and both were cleaner than the usual evening. The clubhouse floor remained an open invitation to anybody who had the opportunity to consider relief from daily stressors.

"How'd you get so smart, Lacy Dawn? Your parents are dumb asses just like mine."

"You ain't no dumb ass and you're going to pass the fifth grade."

"Big deal -- I'm still fat and ugly," Faith said.

"I'm doing the best I can. I figure by the time I turn eleven I can fix that too. For now, just concentrate on passing and don't become special education. I need you. You're my best friend."

-----
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 :

Christian Booklet Series Reviewed by World of Ink

Bible Bites: Personal Devotions/Journal Series

by Shirley Kufeldt
Book Titles:

MEET GOD AND HIS SON

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61244-099-6

GOALS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESS

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61244-100-9

AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61244-101-6

THE WOW FACTOR

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61244-102-3

Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.

Genre of Books:

• Christian Devotional Journal
• Religion
• Devotional
• Journal
• Legacy
• Inspirational 

 (Verses come from the New Living Translation)

Available at: www.halopublishing.com

Reviewed by World of Ink Network

BIBLE BITES booklets are small pocket-sized monthly journals that include current prayer requests and focused daily Scripture for journaling and reflection. This is a simple solution to a situation many would like to resolve. Through BIBLE BITES people can easily learn, memorize or meditate on Scripture as they journal regularly with direction and purpose.

• Learn, memorize and meditate on Bible verses
• List current prayer requests
• Respond and react to God’s Word “where you are each day”
• Quickly Journal each day in a small topical booklet with a daily Scripture verse
• Introduce God as the One who you them unconditionally
• Use BIBLE BITES as an easy gift idea in place of a greeting card
• Carry BIBLE BITES in pocket, purse, briefcase, backpack.
• BIBLE BITES is inexpensive, sold over the internet.
• Because it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Bible Bites firmly establishes the habit of spending five minutes each day with God’s Word.

About the Author:

 

After growing up with four sisters in Illinois, then raising two daughters, Shirley Kufeldt and her husband left Illinois and her daughters to retire to Northern Wisconsin in 2007. Having participated in Bible studies for over 30 years and hearing of the efforts of so many others over the years to document their personal walk of faith, she developed the Bible Bites series. Mrs. Kufeldt participates in Tea Party activities as time allows and cares for her one grandchild (when asked) with joy.

The World of Ink Network is touring author Shirley Kufeldt’s personal devotions book series. You can find out more about Shirley Kufeldt’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bb3ofxd

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com

Submitted by
VS Grenier

Founder & Partner, World of Ink Network
http://worldofinknetwork.com

Office: 435-625-1743

Award-winning Author & Editor

http://vsgrenier.com Book Your World of Ink Tour Today

http://worldofinknetwork.comFollow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Member of League of Utah Writers/HWG chapter president and SCBWI

http://heritagewriters.tripod.com

Stories for Children Publishing, LLC
http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com

 

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Blogger Reviews Horror Novel

TITLE: Red Sand

AUTHOR: Ronan Cray
AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: http://ronancray.blogspot.com/
GENRE: Horror/Suspense
ISBN: 9781301737321
REVIEWER NAME: Mary Fan
REVIEWER'S WEBSITE: http://zigzagtl.blogspot.com

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

Reviewed by Mary Fan for her blog Zig Zag Time Line

 

RED SAND REVIEW:

The Princess Anne was just another cruise ship making its way across the ocean, ferrying people from all walks of life, each on board for his or her own purpose. Most are neither heroes nor villains, only ordinary human beings with ordinary problems.

Then their ship goes down, and a few lucky survivors are fished out of the water by inhabitants of a nearby desert island. The inhabitants aren’t savage natives—they’re fellow Westerners, survivors of a previous shipwreck. Having lived on the island for years, they’ve developed a system to keep food in their bellies. The survivors of the Princess Anne are put to work fishing, farming, and otherwise maintaining operations necessary for subsistence. But it soon becomes clear that there’s more to the island—and its inhabitants—that meets the eye. One by one, the Princess Anne’s survivors vanish, picked off by both nature’s and man’s brutality.

Red Sand is an ensemble show. Although some characters drive the plot more than others, Cray treats each one as if he or she is special, presenting the reader with lively backstories told from the characters’ points of views. He wants you to know them before he kills them. It’s a refreshing take on the genre—too many horror writers throw people away simply to illustrate the external dangers. But even though they are props in a bloody show, they’re nevertheless human beings, each with a story.

Cray seems all too aware of this. His cast isn’t made of faceless redshirts; they’re living, breathing people, each with his or her own motivations, on the island for different reasons. There’s Howie, the formerly henpecked widower whose wife left him a cruise ticket—and another wife to henpeck him. And Lauren, the coupon-clipping con artist running away to her new life. And Mason, the lonely single man seeking adventure and companionship. Cray lets you know at the very beginning, in his Author’s Note, that no one will come out alive.

But don’t be fooled by Cray’s seemingly innocuous backstories. Behind the developer of sympathetic characters lies an unapologetic sadist. The horror in Red Sand is more than gruesome—it’s the stomach-turning stuff of nightmares, largely thanks to Cray’s gift for description. Through vivid yet tight language, he brings each scene to life, whether it’s painting the setting or depicting a grisly death. For example, without spoiling too much, here's the death of poor Howie: "He thrashed his arms and legs, pushed against the sand, whipped his head in fury and terror, to no avail. Unbreakable bonds held him to the ground...It wrapped around his ribs and exerted pressure, oh so gentle pressure, until his scream tapered off into a wheezing his...The sun glinted off something near his eye. A slender tentacle slid into view, silhouetted against an azure haze. It drove in figure eights through his eye sockets."

The deaths are told from the close third perspectives of the victims, allowing a reader to feel their terror and hear their thoughts, which are often bizarrely incongruent with the circumstances. Cray’s writing also smacks of the philosophical at times, through dialogues discussing what it means to be cut off from civilization and internal ruminations on what was left behind.

But even knowing the characters’ inevitable fates, I found myself caught up in the story’s suspense. Mysteries abound on the island. The motivations of the islands’ de facto colonizers, so rational at first, soon become garbled. They maintain a rigid hierarchy, keeping themselves behind a salt wall while the Princess Anne’s survivors are made to camp outside. What is it that they fear? What are they hiding from the survivors? And what are they hiding from each other? Tuk, the leader, seems so benevolent at first, but it’s soon revealed that there’s much more to him than a determined John Smith-like survivor.

Red Sand is a fairly quick read. Cray’s vibrant writing makes it easy to get lost in the passages, whether it’s the colorfully told backstories or the intensely depicted scenes of violence. It’s more than just a gore fest—the plot and concepts are fascinating. All in all, a wonderfully entertaining—and sometimes scream-inducing—story.

_______________________________________________________
Learn more about reviewer Mary Fan:

Author of Artificial Absolutes (view trailer)
Book Review Blogger for Zigzag Timeline Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr | Pinterest
-----
  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 :

What if the Normandy Invasion Had Failed?

On The Edge Of Twilight 

By Aaron T Knight

ISBN-13: 978-1468005370
ISBN-10: 1468005375
Genre: WWII novel

 

NEWS BULLETIN: NORMANDY INVASION FAILS

 

The author was ten years old when America entered WWII and I remember the Home Front very well. The Nazis could have won the war if the Normandy invasion had failed because it would have provided the time to use the futuristic weapons in existence and ready to be used. Allied armies were ill equipped to defend against “push button” warfare as envisioned by the Nazis which was a prelude to weapons in use today. They were the pioneers of jet aircraft, rockets and it is estimated the atomic bomb was a mere two years away from being a reality.Two stories intertwine in the novel, there are the war events, and the personal challenges to be met by Major Canyon on the SHAEF staff in London. To my knowledge no one has ever explored the staggering implicatioms of a Nazi Germany with their entire array of super weapons at their disposal.

Review: R Van Holst

 

On the Edge of Twilight, by Aaron T. Knight, is hard to classify. It is part military documentary, part history, part adventure story and part romance novel.

The Allies are about to invade the beaches of Normandy. Major Mike Canyon, who has already seen action, is part of the team at SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force). It is his job to monitor incoming messages and train soldiers. help make sure the invasion goes smoothly. We follow Mike's adventures as he witnesses the invasion of Normandy, and the devastation of London. We also go with him to Greece and Norway, as he tries to frustrate Hitler's attempts to browbeat the Allies into submission.

 

But that is not all that's on his mind.

 

Life seemed to be going swimmingly for Mike. He has risen from lowly beginnings to marry a beautiful woman and enjoy a job which promised lots of opportunities for success. But recently he received devastating news of his wife's infidelity. With his marriage now wrecked beyond repair, he is cast adrift once again on the sea of love, and looks for somewhere to cast an anchor. On the one hand there is Rachel, a strong-minded yet sensuous woman who holds out a promise of passion. He also meets Barbara, an intelligent and independent Red Cross girl whom he comes to respect greatly. Which one of them will he choose?

 

Aaron Knight documents military strategies, tactical moves and political upheaval to portray for the reader with amazing detail the volatile time near the close of World War II. But he also gives us a cast of vividly drawn characters. There are heroes, villains, clowns, statesmen, opportunists, martyrs and ordinary folk. They are trying to wrest a victory from the jaws of defeat, and to find a bit of happiness amid the dangers and uncertainties of war.

-----
  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 :

KDP Select Freebie for (Gasp!) Christmas Freebie?

Hi everyone, my poetry partner Magdalena Ball asks if KDP Select is good marketing or a gimmick. It is now up here:
http://www.writersonthemove.com/2012/12/kdp-select-good-marketing-or-gimmick.html

She's written about something she suspects will interest all writers and most reviewers and readers and finshed the post with a link to two books available free in KDP Select this month. I hope you'll all drop by and retweet (or tweet using one of my handy links below), and download the books even if you already have them. It would also be fun if reviewers who follow this blog would go back and leave a quick review!

 I'd love to hear your experiences - positive or negative and what you think of KDP. Jury is still out for me, but I'm giving it a whirl and will happily share my experiences with you.

Easy Tweet:

Great e-card idea! "Rational" Christmas chapbook available free. Go to http://amzn.to/BloomingRedKind on Dec. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. 

 

We encourage you to buy and then pass the pdf or e-copy around AS an e-greeting this season. There are many secular seasonal poems in it, too, for those who don't celebrate Christmas.

 

 

Happy holidays!

-----
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 :

World of Ink Reviews Juvenile Fantasy Adventure

The Wishing Well: Another Weaver Tale

By Kai Strand
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing
ISBN Number(s):
Hardcover 978-1616333010
Softcover 978-1616333027
Publication Date: July 24, 2012
Genre of Book: Juvenile Fantasy Adventure

Reviewed by The World of Ink Network

 

The Wishing Well: Another Weaver Tale; Molly Minstrel is treated worse than Cinderella by her mom and sisters. When Molly meets the magical creature, Unwanted, she wishes her problems away. However, you must first understand what you need before knowing what to ask for. Molly will have to look within for the solution to her troubles.

Molly is a character with a lot of grace and dignity even under difficult circumstances. She holds tightly to the beauty in her life until she is able to figure out how to erase the ugly. The Wishing Well is set in the same lyrical village as Kai Strand's first novel, The Weaver, where everyone speaks in story. Poor misunderstood Unwanted is back to create more havoc, but The Wishing Well is a stand-along story and can be enjoyed without having read the first book in the series. Of course, Kai Strand hopes you'll want to read it afterward.

About the Author:

Kai Strand writes fiction for middle grade and young adult readers. Her debut novel, The Weaver, was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards. She is a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. The most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is, "Do your dishes!" She and her family hike, geocache, and canoe in beautiful Central Oregon, where they call home.

To find out more about Kai’s books, download companion documents, find links to her published short stories and discover all the places to find Kai both virtually and in person, visit her website: www.kaistrand.com. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to send her an email or visit her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KaiStrandAuthor

You can find out more about Kai Strand and her World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/9vlepkd

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Free Last Minute Christmas Book Offer

Blooming Red
Subtitle: Christmas Poetry for the Rational
Coauthors: Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Genre: Poetry
Awards: Honored by Military Writers Society of America and USA Book News
Available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/BloomingRedKindle
Dates of Free Offer: Dec 14-18.
Artwork by Vicki Thomas
Website: http://howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htm

 

Multi award-winning poets Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball figure nothing is more meaningful at any holiday than a poem—a real poem, not sing-songy impersonal verse from the shelves of card shops. They also noticed that many folks remember many people they forgot when it may be too late. 

Ta Da! We have are offering you our "rational" Christmas chapbook to procrastinators free. Enter the KDP Select free e-book feature. All you do is go to http://amzn.to/BloomingRedKind on Dec. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 and click.

 

Anyone can send it free to anyone they'd like to have a thoughtful—and fast—Christmas gift with a click of a mouse (no not the same mouse that's in "The Night Before Christmas" poem!). The booklet Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational was honored by the Military Writers Society of America and USA Book News award.

It's a mini gift and greeting card in one!

 

Blooming Redincludes Maggie’s science-inspired and Carolyn’s nostalgic poetry. It also includes some humorous poems for fair measure.

 

Magdalena Ball runs the highly respected CompulsiveReader.com review site.  She is the author of the poetry book Repulsion Thrust, which was published to unanimous 5-star reviews.  Her novel Sleep Before Evening was a Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist and she just released a new novel set in Australia. It is Black Cow.  

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's poetry appears frequently in review journals. She is listed in Poets & Writers and her chapbook of poetry, Tracings ( http://budurl.com/CarolynsTracings ), was given the Award of Excellence by the Military Writers Society of America and She Wore Emerald Then won its highest honor of gold. One of her poems recently won the Franklin Christoph Poetry Prize. She is also an award-winning novelist and short story writer and instructor for UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

For more information on any of the chapbooks in the Celebration series, contact either of the authors, or visit media rooms at http://howtodoitfrugally.com  or http://magdalenaball.com. To learn more about artist Vicki Thomas and to see her selections of her work, go to http://www.vickithomasartist.com .

 

                              ###

Please let your friends know about this offer. Support material available electronically or by post on request. Contact MaggieBall@CompulsiveReader.com.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Diane Wolf Brings Her SpunkOnAStick Experience to How-To Book

How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now
Subtitle: Publishing and Promoting Made Simple
By L. Diane Wolfe
ISBN: 9780982713952
Publisher: Dancing lemur Press, LLC
Genre: Nonfiction: How-To/Writing/Marketing/Publishing

How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now by L. Diane Wolfe delivers exactly what the subtitle promises, Publishing and Promoting Made Simple. The language, the interior design, and the choices made by the author all contribute to this basic book aimed at anyone considering publishing a book. She gives an unbiased take on the advantages and disadvantages of traditional publishing and self-publishing and publishing paths that combine the two.

She covers both traditional- and self-publishing, print and e-book setup, formatting, and distribution, finding your target audience, generating reviews and media interest, networking and developing an online presence, promotional materials and appearances. Most chapters are a bare (essential!) two to four pages. There is no clutter.  It's the perfect book for those who want an overview to begin the decision-making process. And, it is important to note, Wolfe's advice comes from long experience as the author of Circle of Friends series and SpunkOnAStick entities, a speaker, and an inspirer. 

Learn more about Wolfe and what she can do to help writing careers at http://spunkonastick.net.

-----
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 :

BookPleasures Reviewer Calls Book for Writers "Must-Have"

Title: The Frugal Book Promoter

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Publisher: HowToDoItFrugally Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-146374329
USA Book News Best Book and Irwin Award

Reviewed by Conny Crisalli originally for BookPleasures.com

“Knowing the rules of promotion is like knowing the rules for writing. When you have mastered them, you have the confidence to break them when you need to,” Carolyn Howard-Johnson states in the introduction to her book, The Frugal Book Promoter – How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher.

This four hundred and sixteen page paperback book is authored by an award-winning writer of fiction and nonfiction, former publicist and marketing instructor whose valuable years of experience and in-depth knowledge saves the new author time and money when promoting and publicizing his or her work. In addition to free or inexpensive ways to stimulate awareness and support of a book, she gives details of websites, email addresses and contacts related to marketing and promotion along with a twenty-seven page appendix of samples and a fourteen page comprehensive index to aid and assist in the process.

Howard-Johnson walks one through the complicated, sometimes confusing and daunting environment of publicity and promotion by first subduing the fears and fine lines of plagiarism, lawsuits and self-doubt writers feel. She concentrates on three “Ps” of marketing: platform, publicity and public relations, correlating them to a train with platform chugging along as the caboose. She provides eighteen helpful publicity commandments and explains the value of branding and pitching.

There are step-by step instructions how to put together a successful media kit, down to what font and point to use and proper formatting it on a page. The meat of the book is its many resources to publicize printed materials that include standard channels such as speaking engagements, contests, conferences, trade shows/booths, book signings, radio/television, websites, blogging and social networking along with the more unused avenues of reading groups, catalogs and corporate sales.

The author tries to touch each facet of not only publicizing but gives details assembling folders for the media kit, how to use an ARC (advance reading copy) advantageously, what to take to a trade show and warns of some of the pitfalls of online promotion. With the plentiful references of emails and websites for further study, this book contains a multitude of useful information for the first time writer as well as the seasoned one who wants to expand their public presence further.

With no promotion stone unturned, this is a must-have book for the shelf of any writer, experienced or not. Like the author states, once you know the rules to promotion real well, you can break a few while climbing the marketing ladder even further.

~Conny Crisalli loves to read and review the books she reads. Find her reviews on her blog http://connywithay.wordpress.com, BookPleasures.com, and Amazon.com.

-----

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Victoria Shockley Reviews Solomon’s Sky by Peter Aleff

 

Solomon’s Sky

By Peter Aleff
Author's Website: http://phaistosgame.com/ISBN 0-9724646-3-8 for e-book
ISBN 0-9724646-4-6 for paperback
GENRE: History
Review originally published on the homepage for the novel, http://phaistosgame.com/Phaistos00titlepage.htm and was given 5 stars
Publisher: Recovered Science Press

Review by Victoria Shockley (www.linkedin.com/in/victoriashockley)

A fascinating solution to the mystery surrounding an ancient artifact

An engaging solution to the mystery surrounding an ancient artifact, Solomon's Sky presents the key to the riddle of the famous Phaistos Disk, an artifact that has baffled archaeologists and many others for over a century. The Disk, which dates back to the Bronze Age, was found on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island of Crete, and its markings have been interpreted in a number of different, sometimes comical ways. Most of its would-be decipherers believed that the symbols are a form of writing, typically in some rare form of Greek but also a long list of other languages such as Basque or Slavic. This led them to “read” the Disk variously as a calendar, a sacred hymn and kitchen recipe, a sex manual, or an astronomical document, and much more.

However, among all of the proposals for the meaning and purpose of this ancient object, historian and author Peter Aleff's idea makes the most sense: that its symbols are actually markings for an ancient game board. His interpretation is well-researched, as every source is cited with a link or page numbers to back up his claims, and there are numerous endnotes. The many photographs, maps, and other images provide visual aids that complement the information he's describing, which I found particularly helpful in understanding some of the more complex aspects of the story.

Although I enjoy mysteries and riddles, I wouldn't consider myself a history buff. However, the way Mr. Aleff explains the background behind the ancient Disk and the various translation efforts over the years immediately grabbed my attention and made me want to keep reading. His style is easy to follow, and his writing is clean and precise. I was able to easily recognize many of the historical references to places and ancient civilizations, and the ones I was unfamiliar with were readily accessible through Google searches. For this reason, I think Solomon's Sky can appeal not only to people enthusiastic about history and/or archaeology, but also to those like me who have only lightly delved into those fields. Mr. Aleff's slightly sarcastic humor is a pleasant surprise, given that the historical basis of the story may make one expect something much dryer.

Solomon's Sky is definitely an enjoyable book, and also very informative. Before reading it, I had been completely unaware of the existence of the Phaistos Disk or the mystery that has surrounded it ever since its discovery. I had never heard of the ancient game of Senet or the Snake Game, or even its modern descendant the Game of the Goose, (and of course, I had no idea of their parallels with the Disk). Learning about these ancient connections and mysteries in Solomon's Sky has opened a window to the past for me and reminded me how fascinating history can be.

About the author: Peter Aleff is an engineer, a researcher, a designer, a historian, and an author. He was born and raised in Germany and studied economics at the University of Basel in Switzerland. History had always been one of his hobbies, and he began to research the history and role of board games in antiquity. Several scholars had drawn attention to the rosette with eight leaves which appears on many ancient gameboards, and on boards of the same type usually in the same fields. He noticed the same rosette on the Phaistos Disk, and it occurred to him that this Disk might also be a gameboard. From this new perspective, he noticed parallels between the Disk and other board games and soon found the key to this interpretation, which is the story of Solomon’s Sky.

-----
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 :