David M. Barker Pens Nonfiction Book on Religion and Science

Title: Science and Religion: Reconciling the ConflictsAuthor: David M. Barker
Author's website: www.davidmckaybarker.com
Genre: Non-fiction (religion and science)
ISBN: 9781625103796

Originally published: Amazon.com

Reviewed by Ted Cox originally for Amazon

Review:
Best read for me so far regarding the apparent conflicts between scriptural stories and science - terrific book! I consider myself "well read" when it comes to books trying to reconcile religion and science -- this is the best one I have read by far. Well documented and researched, the author clearly explains how "apparent" differences between science and the stories of the Bible can be reconciled by understanding well documented research and theories that demonstrate how the scriptural accounts can also be supported by scientific application. I never realized how many theories regarding geology, carbon dating, archaeology and so forth that are accepted by the scientific community and the general public as "undeniable truth" are in fact based on assumptions that have yet to be proved. I recommend you read this book and decide for yourself. You will find this book well written, enlightening and thought provoking.
Reviewer rating: ***** (5-stars)

Purchasing links:
 Amazon
Barnes and Noble

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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.

Editor Review O'Callan's Third Book

Title – "Other People"

Author – Kelly O’Callan
Author's website link - http://www.facebook.com/kelly.ocallan?fref=ts&ref=br_tf
Publisher: Kelly O'Callan; First edition (April 11, 2014)
Genre or category - Contemporary Fiction
ISBN-10: 1496095537
ISBN-13: 978-1496095534
Links to purchase

 

Reviewer: Nina Meditz, Editor

I am Nina Meditz, editor and friend of the author, Kelly O'Callan. Her first and second books, "Breaking Limbo” and “The Cardholder,” were published just a few months ago. Both books are doing very well and getting great reviews from readers on Amazon and Good Reads. Now, Kelly has just released her third novel, “Other People,” which promises to be just as successful as the others. As the editor, I have had to read “Other People” several times in the process of getting it ready for publication. I can honestly say that I never tire of the story and characters and find I get more out of the book with each reading. Kelly’s captivating writing style holds a reader’s interest and leaves them wanting more.

Other People is about a young woman, named Ginny Hughes, who suffers from a mental condition called borderline personality disorder. She desperately tries to fit in with "other people,' but her disorder prevents this from happening. Her fragile mental state leaves her very vulnerable, afraid and insecure in the world. She is easily hurt and driven to suicidal thoughts. Through her interaction with her neighbors, Vance, Nina and Jim we get a an in depth look at Ginny's daily internal, chaotic dialogue and her struggle. The characters are well developed and the story is full of the unexpected twists and turns typical of Kelly's work. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly’s love affair with novel writing began with an English class in college, when she penned her first contemporary fiction novel, “Other People”. Shortly afterwards, she wrote the suspense-filled psychological thriller, “The Cardholder”. Feeling she had a wonderful gift to share – storytelling fused with fruitful life lessons for mankind- she became a member of the Bucks County Writers Room and attended several Philadelphia Writers Conferences.

Kelly’s pursuit of publication was put on hold when she suffered two disabling car accidents in less than a year, requiring over twenty surgeries within a six year period. In the meantime, she married and is raising two boys in a suburb of Philadelphia, PA. After a ten year hiatus, she published her first book, “Breaking Limbo”, a paranormal psychological thriller, in September, 2013 and her second book, The Cardholder, a psychological suspense thriller, in November, 2013. Her third book, Other People, is now available for sale on Amazon.

 

You can read my review of Kelly's first novel, "Breaking Limbo" at http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2013/09/editor-is-fan-and-reviewer-for-new.html   and my review of her second novel, "The Cardholder" at http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2013/11/editor-reviews-authors-second-suspense.html

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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.

New Mystery at Right Price!

Title: Dismantling Vindictiveness

Author: Lillian R. Melendez

ASIN: B00FUB0A8Q

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Format, page count: e-book, 164 Pages

Genre: Mystery

Release date: 2013, Price: $3.99

 

Reviewed by Patricia K. Batta originally for Amazon

 

 

Christopher has made many enemies in his life, and one of them owns a competing architectural firm that is in financial trouble. Oscar lets Christopher buy a half share of his firm because he can see no other way out of his difficulties, but everyone warns him that Christopher will only hurt him again.

Then, as things start improving in Oscar’s firm, they start going wrong in Christopher’s; someone is tampering with the retirement funds. The financial troubles are followed by a hit-and-run murder and then other attacks on people close to Christopher. While dealing with these things and being confronted with people who resent his past actions and suspect he may be causing the new problems himself, he struggles to keep his heart condition hidden and under control.

The steps that Christopher takes to try and right the wrongs he has done in the past make all the difference. Some of the people who had the most reason to hate him end up being the ones who help bring the culprit to justice.

Settle yourself down for a nice afternoon read with this short novel. The twists and turns will keep you involved. You may guess who the bad guy is, but the ending will be a complete surprise.

 MOE ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

PJ Nunn
Author of Angel Killer
www.pjnunn.com
http://breakthroughpromotions.net
http://bookbrowsing.wordpress.com

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

Quick Little Mother's Day Gift--Electronic or Paper

Deeper Into the Pond
By Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Genre: Poetry chapbook/women/Women'sDay/feminism/Mother's Day
ISBN: 9781461159384
Publisher: The Compulsive Reader
Available on Amazon Kindle and Amazon (as paperback)
$6.95


From Gilda Evans' blog Girl Talk

I  am honored to have as a guest on my blog the very talented Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Her books have earned her multiple awards, including the Best Book Award from USA Book News, the Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts from the city of Glendale and Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment from the California State Legislature.  She imparts her wisdom in many formats – I am pleased to present one of her poems from her collection titled “Deeper in the Pond: A Celebration of Femininity.”

Enjoy the reflections and humor of my esteemed guest, Carolyn!

Breakthrough for a Sexagenarian
In my Tangee years, Seventeen
advised I apply makeup
with an upward motion, toil fingers from chin
to cheekbone. We likely didn’t know the word collagen.

Gravity
we had known since Newton. That it would work
its weighty purpose on me, well, no one bothered
to tell me . . .

I, about 30, surprised that an elder-friend
had not shampooed for a week. Another friend
elbows my ribs, gives me a look.
Later says (hushed at the secret), Didn’t you know
that old peoples’ scalps dry up. No, no one ever bothered to tell me . . .

That was scalps. This is jowls. Now on the origami
packet in my Estée Lauder box of rejuvenating cream,
the same directional arrows Seventeen espoused,
(much too late for the anti part of anti-aging cream)
fingers massaging up, up to keep time
in its place.

I’m told fingers are more sensitive than other body
parts, still doubt magic fingerlifts vanish crows’ feet, wonder, though, if they could—would—work on drying labial petals.
No one ever said that, but I’ve learned if I don’t figure
it out for myself, no one will ever
tell me.

In my acne days, lotions pooled in oily
patches I cottoned away.

In the Pond’s Cold Cream
decade when, to combat drying affects,
I left grease shiny—thick enough to slick
my pillow cases.

There a hint.

That and fallen leaves skittering across my lawn,
so dry they sing a song before they crumble into sand. Very nearly too late to do much with this new-found wisdom—this trifle: If there is something I need to know (but really don’t want to know), no one can tell me
one damn thing.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Deeper in the Pond” is available on Amazon at http://budurl.com/DeeperPond 

Carolyn can be reached at -
The Frugal Book Promoter: http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo
/ Web site: http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
/ E-mail: CarolynHowardJ@AOL.com
/ Facebook: http://Facebook.com/carolynhowardjohnson
/ Twitter: http://Twitter.com/FrugalBookPromo
/ Pinterest: http://Pinterest.com/chowardjohnson

 

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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.

A Rare Note on Reviews from the Blogger

I am your The New Book Review blogger and thought I'd weigh in on the state of reviews these days. I hope it will benefit both authors and readers. 
 
Recently someone on one of the forums I frequent expressed the idea that readers are impressed by any review--good or bad. I responded to the audience of writers, but it behooves readers to understand the review process better, too. Just like advertising, reviews can be manipulated to put them in the best light. A note here to readers: If you decide to write a review of a book, be fair. Try to temper a critical review with constructive criticism and a rave review with, yes, constructive criticism. 
 
Anyway, here's what I told authors about the state of review in this Internetted world:

I've seen some authors weigh in on positive reviews with negative comments because they're sure the reviewer has an agenda (And that's a really stupid approach to marketing, if I do say so). I've also seen them dispute negative reviews and that isn't a much better tactic in terms of public relations.

 I’ve also seen them pay for reviews, apparently unaware that librarians and bookstore buyers don't give either paid-for review or Amazon reviews much—if any--weight. They may also be unaware that there are other ways to get reviews. Namely by asking their readers for them. Or asking bloggers for them. Or using alternative online review sites like this one where you’ll find guidelines for submission in the left column).

That said, we all need good reviews and we can even make the bad ones work for us. We should keep the gems in any review to use in media kits, on our Web sites, etc. Yes, even negative reviews can sometimes be excerpted to find little jewel soundbites.

And as long as we're on the subject, I've heard that a good review on Amazon can up sales by 10%. I don't remember the source. I  suspect that reviews also help with Amazon's logarithms and whatever formula Amazon uses takes hold, they start sending out your book in their mass e-mails for suggested reading--obviously a very targeted advertising campaign we should all aim to be part of.

I also encourage authors to post reviews of others’ books on Amazon. It’s a lovely gift for a fellow writer in 2014.

Here’s a real upside to reviews. Since they have (mostly) moved from the pages of literary journals into the hands of amateur reviewers (meaning—sadly—readers!), we authors have more power over getting reviews for our books. We also can more easily determine how effectively good reviews can be used. There is always a risk factor with reviews, but even ones we might consider bad can be learning tools.

One technique I like is picking up little positive soundbites from a review. Say even a bad reviewer says the characters are dazzling. The author can then quote that one little tidbit in their media kit, their newsletter, their Website. It would look like this:

 "...dazzling..." ~ Kirkus Review

The ads for movies do this all the time. You can, too. 

So have at making the most of reviews. Just don’t pay for them.

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From your New Book Review blogger. Learn more about the review process in the Writers Resource section of my HowToDoItFrugally Web site, http://howtodoitfrugally.com/reviews_and_review_journals.htm.

 

Poet J. R. McRae Urges Celebration of Earth Day with Poetry

Sublime Planet: Celebrating Earth Day and the Universe
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball
ISBN 9781482054705
Publisher: Compulsive Reader
Available as paperback or for e-readers on Amazon
"I recommend Sublime Planet particularly to those individuals who reside on this planet." ~ Suzanne Lummis, UCLA poetry instructor

Reviewed by J. R. McRae

SUBLIME PLANET,  includes a section called Sacred Lessons, Poems by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and one called Tipping Point with poems by Magdalena Ball .

Two very different poets, very different styles of writing, have produced a collection united by their passion for environment, for the world that touches their skin and imbues them with its presence with every breath they take.

This collection, is their tribute to their world, both physical and mental, our world.

It is replete with flashes of insight,

forcing myself to see
all these stories
left to grow
viral in rubbish

[from Toxic by Magdalena]

memorable lines that linger in the soul.

 

Writing in my sleep, metaphors that sit on the bridge
of my nose.

[from My Favorite Things by Carolyn]

The collection is sprinkled liberally with stunning images that catch and hold the eye –

Van Gogh brushed sea

marked with freighters,
lights twinkling.
smudged parentheses afar,
looming presences up close.

[From Malacca Strait by Carolyn]

grain of sand in your speculation oyster

truth taken for granted

[From Walking Into Eternity by Magdalena]

Acerbic or more subtly needling, comments, hit home –

Forgotten history meets trashtree

another landfill specimen
pink, fragrant, invasive
easing pangs

you wear like designer clothes.

[From Trashtree by Magdalena]

 

He unaware
he is endangered,
I unaware he might
be dangerous.

[From The Giraffe by Carolyn]

 

This is a collection to be savoured in quiet moments, in those reflective times with wine or coffee in a comfy couch.

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ABOUT THE REVIEWER

J.R.McRae once worked in a circus, as a Rare-Books Librarian, as a book-reviewer, as assessment package writer and Associate Lecturer, English Expression, for international postgraduates, University of Queensland. Her short stories and award winning poetry are in anthologies and journals, like Basics of Life, 100 Stories for Queensland, Stories for Sendai, The Spirit of Poe, Trust and Treachery, Poe-it, Quadrant, Long and Winding Road, Bound by the Secrets We Hide, Antipodes, Social Alternatives. Her Artwork/photography features in Ripples, ABC Pool, The Mozzie and Vine Leaves. As awarded children’s/education writer, J.R.Poulter, she has thirteen books, eleven digital and more coming 2013/14/15. Websites: http://www.jrmcrae_subversive.weebly.com, 

http://www.jenniferrpoulter.weebly.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.

Nina Amir and Writer's Digest Pair for Must-Have Reference for Writers

The Author Training Manual: 

SUBTITLE: Develop Marketable Ideas, Craft Books That Sell,
Become the Author Publishers Want, and Self-Publish Effectively
By Nina Amir
Foreword by James Scott BellAuthors Website: www.ninaamir.com
Category: Authorship
Paperback: 248 pages
Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (March 18, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599631458
ISBN-13: 978-1599631455
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

By Brian Felsen, President, BookBaby www.bookbaby.com

Among the myriad of books written about the business of writing and publishing, Nina Amir's The Author Training Manual is the first I've seen which combines all of the elements necessary to learn how to be an actual (rather than "aspiring") writer.  What makes this book special is its focus on how authors can view themselves and their art from a third person perspective to evaluate why someone might want to purchase or publish a book.  She recommends an analysis of the true size and demographics of a book's potential market, and she shows how to take the point of view of readers and publishers to assess how well a book's purpose matches the needs of its prospective audience.  With this foundation in place, the reader can begin an examination of how to sharpen a book's focus; how to structure a work so the content will match the excitement of the description; and how to write a proposal and build a platform.  The Author Training Manual presents a complete package which, if followed, will serve writers well with their professional careers and with their craft.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nina Amir 
Inspiration-to-Creation Coach
With Nina you... Achieve More Inspired Results
www.ninaamir.com

 
Author of these books for writers:
How to Blog a Book, 
How to Write, Publish and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time 
(Writer's Digest Books)
The Author Training Manual: 
Develop Marketable Ideas, Craft Books That Sell, 
Become the Author Publishers Want, and Self-Publish Effectively 
(Writer's Digest Books)
10 Day and 10 Ways to Return to Your Best Self 
(Pure Spirit Creations)

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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.

Jim Cox Makes Midwest Reviews Easier for Indie Authors

I ran this--with permission of course--in my Sharingwithwriters newsletter and received more thank yous from grateful indie authors for doing it than most anything else I have run.  So thought I'd share it with my blog subscribers and visitors, too.

Midwest Book Review Assures Review for Deserving Books

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This good news from Jim Cox at Midwest Book Reviews is reprinted from the Midwest Newsletter with permission.

 

By Jim Cox

 

It's a new year and I've developed a new policy here at the Midwest Book Review that went into effect on January 1st. It all started a few weeks ago when I was doing some office work and received five phone calls during the morning from five self-published authors wanting a status report on the books they had submitted for review.

 

In each case I had the unfortunate responsibility of informing them that although their books had arrived safely and passed our initial screening process, they were unable to achieve a review assignment in the allotted time (14 to 16 weeks) simply because we had too many books being submitted for review consideration (an average of 2000 a month) and only 81 reviewers.

 

Then with the fifth of those phone calls I got a sudden inspiration. So here's the new policy based on that idea:

 

Any author or publisher who has submitted a book for review consideration to the Midwest Book Review and whose book passed our initial screening and simply did not get reviewed because of "too many books, not enough reviewers", that author or publisher can submit the MBR a review from any other reviewer or review resource, as long as they have that reviewer's permission to do so. We will run the review in our monthly book review publication "Reviewer's Bookwatch" on behalf of that author or publisher, under that reviewer's byline. (Of course, the reviewer retains all copyright and ownership rights to their review, just like any other contributor to the "Reviewer's Bookwatch".)

 

I'm making this policy retroactive, so if you have ever submitted a book to the Midwest Book Review in the past and it failed to achieve a review assignment from us, then this offer is open to you.

 

Here is a link to our "Reviewer Guidelines" that I provide anyone seeking to submit reviews to the Midwest Book Review -- feel free to use it if you are recruiting your own reviewers:

 

http://www.midwestbookreview.com/revinfo.htm

 

So now our online book review 'audience' of booksellers and the general reading public, including our network of libraries and librarians, is open anyone whose book was good enough to pass our screening process but didn't make it all the way through because of our limited reviewer resources.

 

This new policy is in service to our overall goal of promoting literacy, libraries, and small press publishing.

  

All of the previous issues of the "Jim Cox Report" are archived on the Midwest Book Review website. If you'd like to receive the "Jim Cox Report" directly (and for free), just send me an email asking to be signed up for it.

So until next time -- goodbye, good luck, and good reading!

Jim Cox
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI, 53575
http://www.midwestbookreview.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.

Pat Boone Fan Club is Finding Yourself Memoir

Title: The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew

Author: Sue William Silverman
Author's Website: http://www.suewilliamsilverman.com/

Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Pages: 248 pages
Genre: Memoir
ISBN: 0803264852
Amazon Link

 Reviewed by Beth Tropp

The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew tells a universal story of a young woman trying to discover who she truly is apart from what her family, culture and surroundings have told her she is. What makes this memoir is unique is that author Sue William Silverman is simultaneously trying to find herself and run away from herself at the same time. It makes for a fascinating "Alice down the Rabbit Hole" feeling at times.

This memoir flits between Silverman's childhood and her young adulthood, weaving the events and feelings of her early family life with how she reacts decades later. Silverman's writing is very alive. As a reader you feel immersed in her world, not just seeing it but feeling, tasting and smelling it. She weaves ribbons from moments in her childhood to odd obsessions and reactions she experiences in later life. It's an eye-opening tale that will have you re-examining your own life, wondering how much of your life is not an independent choice but a reaction to your childhood.

 

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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.

Second Edition Reviews by Well Known Editor Dr. Bob Rich

The Frugal Editor
Subtitle: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors; From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your new bestseller
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Second Edition: Newly formatted, updated, and expanded
Multi award-winning first edition
Purchase e-book
Genre: Nonfiction/writing, editing, marketing
Print edition is coming soon

Reviewed by Dr. Bob Rich, editor of "Bobbin Around"

Carolyn Howard-Johnson has sent me an invaluable resource: the revised, updated The Frugal Editor: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors; From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your new bestseller.

One of the marketing tricks in this digital age is the elephant-size subtitle. Carolyn explains that it contains all sorts of keywords that will direct Internet searches to her book.

The conventions of grammar, punctuation, clear writing, and similar topics are not most people’s idea of light reading. Carolyn’s chatty style and clarity help to make such stodgy stuff more palatable.

This is not a book to read, but a reference book to study. It should be an essential part of any writer’s armoury.

Buy it now and use the free app from Amazon to install it on readers other than Kindle.

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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.

Nancy Famolari calls Sublime Planet "A Celebration of Earth"

Sublime Planet
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball
The Celebration Series of Poetry
Celebrating Earth and the Universe
Genre: Poetry/Nature/Science
Photography by Ann Howley
Available e-book and paperback

Reviewed by Amazon Vine Reviewer Nancy Famolari Our world is both magnificent and terrible. These poems celebrate both aspects. I delighted in the lush images of places I've loved seeing them through the eyes of someone who loved them, too: Santa Ana winds, poppies, the plains of Kansas. There are also harsh poems like "Trash Tree" that show us the dark side of ourselves and the world. My favorite is "The Man I Love and the Writing Spider" because it's so close to my own experience. I watch the spider build a web of silver threads delighting in the intricacy. But when it leaves the web and wants to come inside, it becomes the enemy. I want to squash it, but I'm grateful when some kinder person rescues it and gives it another chance at life or death. The poems not only invite you to relive sensuous experiences, but they make you think about the world, how important it is, and how we need to care for it. The book is a wonderful gift for Earth Day. A good time to meditate on the magnificence of the world.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Nancy Famolari splits her time between her farm in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania and a smaller farm near Ocala, Florida. She and her husband love riding their Paso Finos in the Endless Mountains and in the Goethe Forest near Ocala. She is the author of the Montbleu Murder series. The Endless Mountains, a lovely rural area with many small towns dating from the early 1800s provides the background for the novels in this series. She also writes romance novels about her experiences racing, breeding, and training Standardbred horses for harness racing. Her most recent mystery  is Yellow Diamond Caper,  http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Diamond-Caper-Nancy-Famolari/dp/1480151181/

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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.

Saucy Cover Attracts Attention, Story Keeps Up Interest

TITLE Instant Whips And Dream Toppings.
SUBTITLE: A true-life dom rom com
AUTHOR Jacky Donovan

GENRE Memoir / romance / erotica / humour WEBSITE http://www.InstantWhipsAndDreamToppings.com

ISBN 978-1909869691

WHERE PUBLISHED Amazon

REVIEWER RATING  5 stars

 

 

 Reviewed by John and Adam originally for Amazon

 

 

Jacky is like Marian Keyes with a BDSM twist

I don't normally take the time to review books (shame on me) but this one is so outstanding that I feel I should spread the word.

It was the saucy cover that first caught my eye, but the narrative made me devour the book in one sitting. Jacky is like Marian Keyes with a BDSM twist - she takes a female character, some pretty depressing subjects including being a battered wife, depression, addiction, throws in a dollop of submissive clients and their crazy fantasies, and turns it into a terrific comedy read with all the angst of a love affair as an added twist. This is truly a 'must-read'!

Find the author on Twitter at ‏@Instantwhips  

 

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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.

Wine Guru Whispers His Secrets

TITLE:            Secrets of the Wine Whisperer

AUTHOR:      The Wine Whisperer – Jerry Greenfield
PRICE:            $17.95
PUBLISHER:  Creative Book Publishers International
FORMAT:      Trade Paperback
PAGES:          313
ISBN:             978-0-9818222-5-9
PUB. DATE:  June 15, 2014
DIST:             Creative Projects International Ltd.
Purchase at www.thewine-whisperer.com and Amazon.com

The Wine Whisperer Loves Wine Out Loud
Reviewed by Jan Kaplan

Marketing expert and wine guru Jerry Greenfield offers a riotous memoir of an ordinary couple’s seduction into the world of fine wine.  Even if you have only a passing interest in the subject, Mr. Greenfield’s recollections and “secrets” will make for a delightful read.

Secrets of the Wine Whisperer is subtitled “How I Learned to Drink Wine and Found Ecstasy, Joy, Peace, Happiness, Life, and Salvation.”  And indeed, the author carefully traces the journey taken by him and his wife as they educated their palates, discovered how to find those “bargain bottles,” and learned to understand how the juice in the bottle connects with the cultures and places that produce it.

He also details (with some regret) their impulse to spend beyond their means as they pursue their travels to faraway winegrowing regions, three-day tasting events that cost thousands of dollars, and the compulsion to build a refrigerated wine cellar in their home.  Then, there was the necessity to accumulate all the accessories that go along with fine wine collecting and tasting:  corkscrews of every description, hilariously fragile glassware in a different shape for each variety of wine, special soap to wash the glasses, and so it goes.

There’s another regret, as well…though it’s humorously told.  As Greenfield and his wife Debi became more deeply immersed, relationships with their friends started to change.  He writes, “I felt worse every time I thought about it, in a conscience bothering sort of way, but we had, over the past year or so, basically eliminated from our social lives anyone who didn’t enjoy wine. Shame on us, but, in our defense, we weren’t really aware that it was happening.  Since wine lovers enjoy sharing, it was disappointing to open something nice and relatively elevated in price for some dinner companions who didn’t understand it, appreciate it, or who (heaven forbid) wanted to put a few ice cubes in it.  We’d built our circle of friends outward from people who shared the passion and gradually drifted away from people who didn’t.”

 

The author’s humor is a special joy of the book.  While Greenfield knows that he and his wife have gotten in way over their heads, he views their situation with just the right touch of clever irony and self-deprecation.

Mr. Greenfield makes sure we understand that he is not a sommelier or any kind of wine professional, though his self-education in the subject led him to the position of Wine Director of a major charity wine event.  He writes in the wondering voice of an ordinary person who discovered an interest that became a passion, and finally an obsession.  He captures the journey through the world of winemaking with clever wit, quirky anecdotes, and unique meanderings.  Secrets is a must read, whether you’re interested in beginning a similar journey, or already an accomplished wine aficionado.

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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.

Pre-Book Tour Call for "Bastard's Brew"

Book title: Bastard's Brew (Family Portrait v.3)

Author: Gillian Felix
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Family Saga, Drama
Tour Dates: April 15 - May 15

Suitable for adults 18+

Synopsis: 

When L'Wren's ex-boyfriend Jeff suddenly disappears, she turns to Kevin to help her find him. With one phone call, Kevin makes sure that Jeff stays hidden and that L'Wren's heart is broken, leaving the door open for Kevin to pursue her. But Kevin is not as free as L'Wren thinks; she is in the dark about his affair with her stepmother, Savi. Savi constantly reminds Kevin of his devious ways and uses their secret to keep him as her toyfriend.

“You don’t deserve to be loved, and you don’t deserve to be happy. You and I are the same … we’re broken inside. Everything we touch, we destroy. We don’t get happily ever after … we don’t get to ride off into the sunset. You know who gets that? L’Wren … she gets it, she gets the guy, and she deserves a decent guy.”- Savi

Kevin desires to be the man that L'Wren deserves, but before he can assume the role of white knight, he brews one last plan to get rid of Savi for good. Will L'Wren, the innocent victim in their twisted game, become a casualty?

Kevin may have sold his body to the devil in stilettos, but he'd be damned if he let her have his heart.

 

MORE ABOUT THE ONLINE BOOK TOUR

Giveaways: Gifted e-copy, autographed hardcopy

Seeking tour hosts: Signup here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cNnvR82HKgUPb1jP-ojzELwG7kEBmCSyYePEiVrIRDQ/viewform
Website: http://www.plaintalkbm.com/family-portrait-novel/

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Plain Talk Book Marketing http://www.plaintalkbm.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gillianfx

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00EAUDZM6

Book Information: http://www.plaintalkbm.com/family-portrait-novel/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels

 

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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.

Keeping Dreams Book Reviews New Karen Wyle Novel

Dear Carolyn --

 

Division
By Karen A. Wyle

Genre: Fiction: Near-future, Science Fiction, Mainstream

E-book  available from Amazon 

The multi-country link is:  http://smarturl.it/Division 

Available in other formats via at author's Web site:  http://www.karenawyle.net/buy-division.html. 

5 of 5 stars

 

Reviewed by Charles J. Kravetz originally for his blog Keeping Dreams Book Reviews

 

Can two individuals, joined together before birth, be two separate individuals?

Conjoined twins, raised as individuals, yet never being apart. Johnny would like to live a separate life now that it is possible. Gordon, on the other hand, believes him and Johnny can and will live together forever.

The author took the time to weave a delicate and sensitive story into a great novel. It is so much more than the idea that cloning could be acceptable at some time. It is much more than science fiction. It is the story of love and relationships between brothers. It is the story of the delicate threads that bind us together at times. It is also the story of fear and loathing that sometimes sneaks in to our relationships.

The author writes a very serious story with this book. She also writes a story of the love between brothers, and the battles that sometimes take place. This is a work of fiction, but who can say that it will not be a work of fact some day?

I have enjoyed every one of Karen A. Wyle’s books that I have read. She writes with authority about subjects that are near to her own heart. I would recommend this book to adults and teens alike.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author Web site is at http://www.KarenAWyle.net.
Also find her on Facebook  at http://www.facebook.com/KarenAWyle.

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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.