Title: Communication With All Life: Revelations of an Animal Communicator
Author: Joan Ranquet
www.joanranquet.com
Genre: non-fictionISBN-10: 9781401916817

Reviewed by Kelli Kozak, originall for Amazon.com

Joan Ranquet's "Communication with all Life, Revelations of an Animal Communicator" is not only truly fascinating reading, but is full of inspirational stories and lots of tools that any animal lover can use to communicate with animals. As the author notes, we are all animal communicators, whether we know it or not... even whether we believe in it or not!

There are many ways we communicate with our animal companions. We use words, of course, but what we don't realize is that we are constantly communicating using pictures and feelings, as well. For example, when we tell - in words - our animals not to do something, they don't understand the "not" part, because the picture we invariably have in our minds is of the animal actually doing what we wish they wouldn't. In our minds is, "Go ahead, pee on the couch." Our expectation is often, "Well, they going to do it again anyway!"

Another example of how we unknowingly send messages is by what we are feeling: When packing for a trip, we are apprehensive about leaving our animals behind, worrying that they will miss us and feel sad and that we will miss them terribly! This often leads to separation anxiety and depression. We can try being happy about the trip and about the fact that we will be back soon and that they will have a great time while we are gone!

This book contains many exercises we can use to deepen our intuition, as well, in order to get pictures, words and feelings from our companions. I have been working with the techniques and have been able to get images from my dogs and horse. My dogs were out late enjoying their nightly run. I began to worry - it had been an hour - and tuned in to the pack leader. I got an image of a large white curve. When the dogs returned five minutes later, I realized that the image was of the roof of the barn next door. That's what the pack leader saw from the distance and that's the direction they came back from!

This book contains many stories of how Joan's advanced communication skills saved many a relationship - between animal and steward, between animals in the same household and even between the human members of a family!

This is a truly fascinating read and one that will change forever the way you behave, communicate and think about the animals around you.

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

Horse Thriller? See What You Think

Title: The Bone Trail

Nell Walton

Soft Cover, 2010, $13.95 U.S.

ISBN: 978-1-45649-90799

Available from Amazon

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

First published in Horses All: www.horsesall.com

On the afternoon of the last day of Lindy Abraham’s life, she stood leaning against an old Jeep Cherokee, once red, now faded to kind of a dusky umber, rapping her heel impatiently against a tire. She waited in the Nevada desert in the middle of June; it was hot, and her peach colored cotton tank top stuck unpleasantly in the hollow between her narrow shoulders. ~ Nell Walton

In The Bone Trail, Nell Walton hooks the reader from the very start. We can feel the unrelenting heat and isolation of the desert, and the vulnerability of those who venture there. I was immediately drawn into this exciting story about the disappearance of two wild horse advocates – mystery, thriller and romance all rolled into one.

Walton’s book is inspired by the true-life events with which many horse lovers are familiar – the brutal helicopter roundups of wild mustangs off U.S. public lands, hearing of them being run to exhaustion into long-term warehousing facilities, where many face illness and death. But, there is more to this story, something far worse, and investigative journalist Kate Wyndham is determined to the discover the truth, even at great personal risk.

Every single character in this novel is lively and engaging – from the cold-blooded mining security staff to the Shoshone Reservation inhabitants to the stonewalling local police. Before we know it, we are following Kate’s terrifying trail, gripped with fear and sickened by the possible outcome.

This is one of those books the reader hopes will never end. Rumor has it that Walton is working on a sequel and there is no doubt readers will be lined up to get their hands on it.

~Nell Walton is a journalist and the founder of the online equestrian news magazine, The AllHorses Post (www.allpetspost.org/allhorsespost). She lives with her husband and four horses (including two mustangs) in East Tennessee.

~Submitted by Carol Upton (604) 886-8951
Dreams Aloud Promotions
~ Linking your dreams to the worldwww.dreamsaloud.ca

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

Young Adult Novel Gets Rave Review

Title - New England Witch Chronicles
Author - Chelsea Bellingeri
Link - www.chelseabellingeri.com
 Genre - Young Adult
ISBN - 9781463648978



Reveiwed by Lisa Luna originally for Amazon




This was a WONDERFUL BOOK! ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! Chelsea Bellingeri does an exceptional job drawing her readers into the world of her characters. I felt like I knew each and every one of them by the time I finished, and I cannot wait to see what will happen in the next book! You LOVE Alex from the start! Peters and her relationship is fantastic, I LOVED it! Then the author throws in a "hot new guy in town" James, and it really starts the fireworks! The nightmare scenes are really good! The ending left me really wanting to know what happens next! I will be the first in line for the 2nd Book in this series! I REALLY LOVE how Bellingeri writes she really takes you into their world and you get to know and LOVE the characters. She is my new favorite author! A great read I would HIGHLY recommend it!

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

A Gypsy in New York Celebrates her 100th Birthday

A Gypsy in New York
Author: Juliette de Bairacli Levy
Ashtree Publishing
Genre: Memoir

 A revised edition of A Gypsy in New York by  the renowned author and healer, Juliette de Bairacli Levy, known as the Grandmother of Herbal Medicine who (11/11/12- 5/28/09) would soon have celebrated her upcoming 100^th birthday.

Before her death in 2009, Juliette de Bairacli Levy collaborated with Susun “Wise Woman” S. Weed, to update several of her books, all of which will be re-released this summer.  http://bitly.com/kZziVJ

Levy was born on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1912 in Manchester, England. She was educated at Lowther College, one of the best girls schools in Britain, and went on to study veterinary medicine at the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool, but she left university after two years to study with the Gypsies and peasants of the world.

In the late 1930's Juliette ran a distemper clinic in London where, at a time when many dogs were dying, she treated and cured hundreds of dogs with fasting, herbs and a natural diet.  In the 1930's Juliette developed the first line of herbal supplements for animals known as Natural Rearing Products which are today distributed worldwide. She also worked with wounded soldiers and later cured thousands of sheep declared incurable by conventional vets.

In the 1940's, while travelling in America, Spain, France, North Africa and Turkey, Juliette gathered herbal remedies from the nomadic and peasant peoples of these lands. When her Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable was published in 1951, it was the first veterinary herbal ever to be published making information previously passed by word of  mouth available in print.

Thus Juliette became THE pioneer of what is known today as holistic animal care. She went on to write The Complete Herbal Book for the Dog. Both these books together with Juliette's Illustrated Herbal Handbook for Everyone and Natural Rearing of Children have become classics and many generations of humans & animals have been raised & healed on these books.  As well as her herbal books, she has written several travel books, two novels and three books of poems.

This is part of the launch and online book tour for that book that includes bonuses for the purchase of this book. Find that bonus page and other information at   http://bit.ly/natmed .

Here's what people are saying about A Gypsy in New York:

In this richly detailed memoir, Juliette de Bairacli Levy – one of the founders of American herbalism – offers us a rare and compelling documentary. It is at once a travel book, and herbal guide and a compendium of Gypsy lore and Gypsy ways. Juliette gives us river winds, strange characters in the streets by day, rats scurrying by at night, and legions of cockroaches in the apartments, against whose window the blossoms of apple and pear trees toss, even in the great city’s cement heart. In this richly detailed memoir, Juliette de Bairacli Levy offers us a rare and compelling documentary.

If you love animals or plants, you’ll love Juliette de Bairacli Levy & her books.” ~ Susun Weed. http://bit.ly/natmed

This jewel-like memoir details Juliette’s love of nature & animals as she relates w/Gypsies.http://bit.ly/natmed

~This book launch tour comes to you from

Denise Cassino
Publicist
Book Marketing Specialist
303 838 3399
skype: denise.cassino
www.wizardlywebdesigns.com
www.spiritoftheseasoncatalog.com
www.mybestsellerlaunch.com
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Christmas in July: Prepare Memorable Greetings Now

Blooming Red: Unconventional Christmas Poetry
Co-authors Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Genre: Poetry/holiday
Author's Web site: www.howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htm

Little Known Poetry History: Chapbooks, a tradition in the poetry world since Elizabethan times, are named after the itinerant chapmen who travelled from village to village selling their goods.

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 people order imprinted holiday greetings (very expensive ones!) in July. With that in mind they are offering a great Christmas-in-July incentive to those early birds who want to gift a chapbook Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational to their most cherished friends. .

But how would poetry lovers, literature lovers and those who just like something different and beautiful to use as mini gifts or greetings know if this little booklet is for them?

These multi award-winning authors have arranged to get the e-book version for 50% off until August 6. That means your sample comes to you for a mere $1.98 using the special coupon code ZZ47S when you go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/45393

Then, when you fall in love with the exquisite poetry and the beautiful artwork by award-winning California watercolorist Vicki Thomas, you can order 25 full paperback booklets for only $3.00 each. This is a substantial discount from Amazon’s price of $6.95 each. They become your card and gift in one and orders of 12 or more come autographed by one of the poets. That’s got to be more personal than an imprint.

You just send your shipping address with your check or money order to:

Carolyn Howard-Johnson

PO Box 1101
LaCanada-Flintridge, CA 91012-1101

Include $6. Ship charges for the continental US and $12 worldwide, any quantity. Please order before August 15^th.

 Blooming Red includes 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. 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's poetry appears frequently in review journals. She is listed in Poets & Writers and her chapbook of poetry, Tracings (www.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 this poetry series, contact either of the authors or visit media rooms at www.howtodoitfrugally.com or www.magdalenaball.com. To learn more about artist Vicki Thomas and to see her selections of her work, go to www.vickithomasartist.com

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Support material available electronically or by post on request. E-mail hojonews (at) AOL (dot) com.

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

Military Nonfiction Reviewed by Military Writer

Title: Humble Heroes, How The USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII

Author: Steven George Bustin
Publisher: CreateSpace (Amazon)
Author Websites: www.ussnashville.org, www.bustinmedia.com
Author Blog: www.humbleheroeswwii.blogspot.com
Genre: Historial Non-Fiction

 

Originally Reviewed by Donald J. Farinacci for Amazon.

 

The USS Nashville began its epic journey across the turbulant waters of World War II in February 1941 when it transported a contingent of U.S. Marines to Wake Island. When she finally sailed into San Francisco Harbor in January of 1946 on her return to the United States, she carried an incredible legacy to her native shores of pain, loss, horror, grief and death combined with heroism, devotion, selflessness, loyalty, skill and great distinction. If she could tell her own tale, it would no doubt be with the same humility shown by the humble heroes who served with such dedication upon her blood-stained and fire-scarred decks.

But, the job of telling that engrossing tale has fallen to Steven George Bustin, a writer of great clarity and instinctive empathy for the individuals whose exploits and travails he so lovingly depicts on the pages of this inspiring work. And the story of The Nashville and its intrepid crew is in good hands. "Humble Heroes" is meticulously crafted--both as a fond and poignant remembrance and a breathtaking tale of adventure in the perilous waters of the Pacific during WWII.

 

The Nashville seemed to be everywhere: on Lend Lease missions in the North Atlantic, as part of Doolittle's daring raid on Tokyo, at Midway, Hollandia, New Guinia, the Battle of Leyte Gulf and as MacArthur's flagship on his triumphant return to the Phillipines. Full of intriguing first-hand vignettes from former crew members, it is also a history of the War in the Pacific in micrcosm. "Humble Heroes" is masterful in its thoroughness and truly a great read, especially for World War II buffs and history buffs in general.

~The reviewer is Donald J. Farinacci, author of Truman and MacArthur,

  Adversaries For A Common Cause (Merriam Press) as well as three other  books.

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

Award-Winning Novelist Writes Books for Youth

Title: Belle’s Star

Author: Connie Gotsch
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 136 pages
Publisher: Artemesia Publishing (August 11, 2009)
English
ISBN-10: 1932926011
ISBN-13: 978-1932926019

A herding dog who knows nothing but abuse and neglect is dumped by her cruel owners, who do not need her. She finds herself with Darcy, a spunky soccer-playing girl, and her Aunt Ellen. They show Belle kindness, but she has serious trust issues.

Aunt Ellen’s cat and dog try to convince Belle trusting people is okay. Because she begins to like these animals, Belle decides to hang around Ellen’s yard. She also proves herself useful, herding Ellen’s dog out of the flower garden when he tries to dig there. Just as she thinks she’s found an oka spot to live, Ellen’s husband, Jim, accidentally stomps on Belle’s paw. Terrified, she bites him. Bad choice. The dog and cat tell her she could have stepped away from Jim. Not fond of animals, he insists Belle go to the pound. Instead, Ellen sends her to Darcy’s house. Belle realizes her mistake, and resolves to do better when bullies come around.

Belle likes Darcy’s mother, but children have mistreated Belle, so she fears Darcy. Darcy’s puppy tries to convince Belle she’s safe. Belle falls asleep, too exhausted to argue. Awakening from a nightmare, she finds her teeth clamped on Darcy’s ankle. Belle again fears she will go to the pound for sure this time, since she has mishandled herself again. But to her surprise, Darcy apologizes for startling her. Belle begins to like Darcy.

Darcy’s dad arrives. When he treats Belle kindly, she learns that not all men are cruel. She begins liking Darcy’s whole family, and tries hard to get along with them.

Darcy and her parents take Belle to the park, where they meet Ellen, Jim, and pets. Belle is thrilled to see Ellen and the other animals, but she refuses to go near Jim.

The adults settle on a bench to talk. Belle and the animals wander to the lake, with Darcy. Belle’s former owners show up. The mean spirited pair intimidate Darcy and steal Belle. Belle escapes, and with her friends, devises a plan using her herding skills, to rescue Darcy.

When the plan succeeds, Belle realizes she can handle anything--even Jim--as he finally gives her a pat.

~Connie Gotsch is a multi award-winning author of several books including Snap Me a Future and A Mouth Full of Shell. She also wrote a sequel to this book called Belle's Trial.  Connie blogs at conniegotsch.blogspot.com and is a radio host in the four corners area.
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  The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Amazon Review Says "Really Strange and Really Good"

Title: God Drug
Author: Stephen L. Antczak
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror
Kindle Edition Available

Reviewed by Paul Lappen, originally for Amazon

 

Tom and Sparrow, his lover, are part of the punk music scene in present-day Gainesville, Florida. Sparrow is part of a band that has a gig at Dave-O's, the local punk music club. Earlier that day, they score some LSD, that was not meant for them, from Galactic Bill, the local drug source.

Meantime, near Atlanta, Georgia, a young woman named Hanna wakes up in a suburban house next to a fat, hairy guy. She has no memory of who she is or how she got there, except for flashbacks of having served in the Vietnam War, even though she is nowhere near old enough to have served. Hanna gets in a car and heads south, not knowing where she is going. Along the way, she meets The General, an older man in uniform who certainly remembers Hanna.

When they reach Gainesville, Hanna realizes that The General is some sort of alien whose task is to absorb certain people, and thereby become part of Jovah. She realizes this after seeing The General swallow Galactic Bill whole, like a snake eating a rat. Back at the punk club, the LSD begins to have an effect, and suddenly, everyone at the club is flying, as long as the music keeps playing. When a malfunctioning amp stops the music, gravity takes over, violently. While in the air, Tom, Sparrow and their friends watch as a giant mechanical dragon lays waste to Gainesville, like a modern-day Godzilla movie. They can't help but think that this is the ultimate drug trip, but this is reality (that's the magic word). They meet Hanna and The General, who must absorb Hanna to become "whole."

This book does a fine job at messing with conceptions of reality. One can almost hear the punk music in the background. This one is really strange and really good.
~Read more about the author's movie credits at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1379161
----- 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 :

Solo Novo's Wall Scrawls Inspired by Ohio Farm House

Title: Solo Novo Wall Scrawls Vol 1

Edited by Paula C. Lowe

Publisher Web site: www.solopress.org

ISBN: 09411490506

Pages: 92

Genre: Literary Journal/Poetry

Literary Journal Selects Best for Wall Scrawls

 

Editors of the literary journal Solo Novo Wall Scrawls Vol 1 was just published. It will include the poetry of UCLA Extension Writers’ Program instructor Carolyn Howard-Johnson.

The journal is published by Solo Novo Press, Carpinteria, CA and North Wilkesboro, NC. Editor Paula C. Lowe says, “Wall Scrawls” is inspired by an Iowa farm house wall. Eighty years abandoned and orphaned, it is a “hive of letters, a busy kitchen of words. Every kid with a can of spray paint somehow gets here and leaves his or her native tongue on the walls.” One of those walls has become the cover art of this journal.

The selected poem by Howard-Johnson is "Inevitably Walls.” It is inspired by the poet’s extensive travels where she has come upon walls that only occasionally impart hope for the future of mankind. A quote from the poem:

[This wall] like the one we found

years ago when we lost our way

in a dark forest somewhere

in Germany, cried when we

found it there—unexpected…

Howard-Johnson’s poetry has appeared in literary journals like the Mochila Review, Banyan Review, Pear Noir, Manzanita and Poetic Voices. One of her poems won a reader award at The Pedestal Magazine.

Howard-Johnson has studied at UCLA with Suzanne Lummis, editor of Speechless the Magazine (http://www.speechlessthemagazine.org/ ) which featured her chapbook Tracings, winner of Military Writers Society of America’s Award of Excellence and published by Finishing Line Press.

The poet's literary novel, This Is the Place, won eight awards. Her book of creative nonfiction has won three. She is developing a new Celebration Series of poetry chapbooks with Magdalena Ball. Among them are She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood  (www.budurl.com/MotherChapbook) and Cherished Pulse: Unconventional Love Poetry (www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse ). She also advocates with authors as the author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers (www.howtodoitfrugally.com).

Learn more about Solo Novo and how to order a copy at: http://www.solopress.com .

Learn more about Carolyn Howard-Johnson at http://carolynhoward-johnson.com.

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Support Materials available on request.

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

By Dammit, We're Marines! Veterans Stories of Heroism, Horror, and Humor in World War II on the Pacific FrontBy Gail Chatfield
www.bydammitweremarines.com
Memoir/military
Military Writers Society of America Silver Medal 2009
Branson Stars and Flags Silver Medal 2009
View PowerPoint presentation at http://www.bydammitweremarines.com/photos.html
ISBN: 9780977903948


Reviewed by Col. Steve Fisher, USMC (Ret.)

Stephen Ambrose once said, "As I sit at my computer, or stand at the podium, I think of myself as sitting around the campfire after a day on the trail, telling stories that I hope will have the members of the audience, or the readers, leaning forward just a bit, wanting to know what happens next."

In "By Dammit, We're Marines! -- Veterans' Stories of Heroism, Horror and Humor in World War II on the Pacific Front," a collection of remembrances from Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen, Carmel Valley author Gail Chatfield gathers us around the campfire with 52 heroes of the World War II Pacific campaigns.

Culled from Chatfield's interviews with these representatives of the "greatest generation," she presents unique perspectives on the war as seen through the eyes of officers and enlisted personnel, cousins and neighbors, frontline combat and support troops, corpsmen and chaplains.

Their stories provide detailed, firsthand accounts of some of the most horrific fighting in that theater. They take us through America's entry into the war; their induction, training and deployment; combat; and reintegration into a demobilizing society. The short tales are candid, poignant and sprinkled with humor.

Many of the combat stories focus on the Iwo Jima campaign, the battle immortalized by the famous flag-raising photo taken by Joe Rosenthal on Mount Suribachi. The veterans in "By Dammit, We're Marines!" openly speak of their fear in battle on Iwo Jima, where approximately one-third of all Marines killed in World War II died. Looking back, the Marines try to assess why they survived, and what enabled them to endure and accomplish the mission despite fierce enemy resistance. Some credit the training. Some owe their survival to their buddies.


Whatever it was, they certainly weren't fighting for the money: One of the Marines calculated that he fought on Iwo Jima for $1.53 a day. They fought tenaciously and prevailed because, in the words of retired Sgt. Maj. "Iron Mike" Mervosh, "By dammit, we're Marines."

At the time, most didn't know why they were ordered to take the tiny island of Iwo Jima -- they didn't need to know why -- until the first crippled B-29 airplanes returned from bombing Japan, and the pilots found a safe haven on which to land them.

While many initially enlisted for the challenge or to fulfill a patriotic duty, in combat they kept fighting for the Marine to their left or right, for the Marine who counted on them to protect their flanks. And, when wounded, they knew they had to get back in the fight as soon as possible.

Retired Lt. Gen. Lawrence Snowden summed it up best. After being wounded and evacuated to Guam for medical care, he found a Marine colonel and said, "'I would like to go back to Iwo Jima -- that is my family up there.' I hadn't seen my wife or infant son for two years by that time, but my family was on Iwo."

When I was boxing at the Naval Academy, our coach, Emerson Smith, once spoke of his years in the Navy during World War II. Just as many of Chatfield's veterans did, Smith married just before deploying to the South Pacific for several years. He once confided to me that the scariest experience he had was at the end of the war: He had arranged to meet his wife in the lobby of a hotel and was afraid that he would not recognize her.

I highly recommend this book. These warriors cum schoolteachers, librarians, husbands and fathers are part of this country's legacy. Chatfield, whose father served in the Marines, says it best as she ends: "Without Marines we're toast!"

As our nation is again engaged in a global conflict, Chatfield provides a window to our past, a look at the timeless horrors of war up close and personal, the sacrifices and dedication of our military and their families, and a chance to gather around the campfire.

~ Reviewer Steve Fisher of Fallbrook is a Vietnam veteran and retired U.S. Marine colonel who is working with the First Marine Expeditionary Force.

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

Title Reveals New Book's Link to Filmmaking

Book Title: Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot

Author: Guy Magar

www.kissmequickbeforeishoot.com
Genre: Memoir/Filmmaking
ISBN: 978-0982866344
Publisher: Sea Script Company; First edition (May 4, 2011)

Reviewed by  Vonnie Faroqui  for Inkslingers Whimsey

Rating: 5 Stars, 2 thumbs up

Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot, is Hollywood filmmaker Guy Magar’s memoir detailing his journey from child immigrant, through college, years of filmmaking, and love along the way to becoming an accomplished director, writer and producer. In an industry known to gloss and glamorize a turd until it looks appealing, this book is being given all the best hype and promotional backing you might imagine the autobiography of a recognizable celebrity and talent would get. However, in this case the hype is REAL. Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot deserves every bit of praise and recognition it gets and more.

For those of us that love the movies or have ever dreamed of, aspired to, danced around, or dived into a career in motion pictures or television, Kiss Me Quick is a “director’s cut” commentary of life on the road to and inside the industry. When I read Guy’s recollections and experiences, I wept just thinking of all the hopeful seekers and dreamers struggling for a break that never get one. The detailed behind-the-scenes knowledge and wisdom he so generously shares is beyond priceless to any aspiring film or television talent seeking entry into the industry. This is “must” reading for acting and directing students seeking film and television careers. Theater and film school do not prepare you for the cold reality of the industry, but Guy’s conversational and revealing memoir sure will.

Readers looking for a Hollywood fix, an insider’s candid perspective on breaking into the business or stories of life among the stars will lock themselves behind closed doors to indulge their celluloid passions with this master story teller. I think I’m in love. Too bad Guy is taken. Which leads me to another aspect of this book, which I think places it a cut above other memoirs and books of its genre. Kiss Me Quick is more than a Hollywood success story, it also relates the very real human drama and love story between Guy and his wife, Jacqui; sharing intimate details of her diagnosis with Leukemia and of the trial medical treatments that saved her life. Guy opens his heart and with incredible spirit, courage, and candor shares it all.

The creativity and passion which infuses Guy’s film work also comes through in his writing. Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot has all the excitement , flare, human interest , and drama Hollywood promises the hopeful, with a measure of reality, and God’s grace thrown in. Both of my thumbs are up for Magar’s Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot. Hand me the popcorn. I am reading that again.

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

Chick Lit Reviewed by Blogger/Reviewer

Title – Something Blue

Author – Emily Giffin
Author’s Website – http://www.emilygiffin.com
Genre - Chicklit
ISBN-10: 0312323867
ISBN-13: 978-0312323868

Originally reviewed by Lyndsay Digneo for her Simply Lyndsay blog

After reading and loving Emily Giffin's first novel, Something Borrowed, so much, I was anxious to read the sequel, Something Blue, which highlights the flip side. Again, Giffin didn't disappoint me. Something Blue is a must read after Something Borrowed.

Darcy Rhone has sailed through life by using her good looks and smooth charm. Rules? She didn't play by them. And karma? She never worried about it. However, her seemingly perfect life gets flipped up-side-down when she learns her "plain Jane," good girl best friend, Rachel, has had an affair and fallen in love with her fiancé. To add to her predicament, she finds herself pregnant and alone.

For the first time, Darcy is struck with the harsh reality that her life has become. While she doesn't fully grasp that her lack of sincerity and 30 years of not playing by the rules has led her to her current situation, Darcy decides to start fresh and flees from her luxurious New York City apartment to London, where she bunks with her childhood friend, Ethan, in his one bedroom flat. When Darcy first arrives in London, she's still very much the superficial Darcy. However, as her pregnancy progresses, Darcy's outlook on life, love, and what truly matters transforms as well.

One of the things I love most about Giffin's writing is her ability to characterize the characters of her books so well in addition to highlighting tough life decisions. I made a similar comment in my review of Something Borrowed, but I think it's worth repeating. Giffin makes a subtle case throughout the story that life decisions aren't always black and white. There is a lot of gray area, and sometimes you just have to live life to realize that truth and learn from it.

Something Blue was most definitely the other half of Something Borrowed. I was happy to gain more insight into Darcy's point of view, but more importantly, I enjoyed how Giffin tied up the loose ends of Rachel and Darcy's saga. If you haven't already, place Giffin's second novel on your summer reading list so you can find out exactly what is Darcy's "something blue!"

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

A Book Tour Parents of Young Kids and Teachers Will Love

Parents and teachers will love this book tour coming to you from author Kathy Stemke. Scroll down for trivia questions and how to win prizes (fun ones!), but be sure to read the synopsis of this great little children's book, too, and the sample workbook questions designed to make learning fun!

When Zachary puts on his thick black glasses, he becomes a super hero. This enables him to protect his new baby sister from all kinds of problems. In the process he learns how much he loves her. This action packed book with clever rhymes focuses on teaching consonant blends. The teacher supplement includes comprehension questions, songs, worksheets and activities.

In Kathy Stemke’s  book, Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep, you will find adorable rhymes for each of the following consonant blends: sh, br, th, ch, and gr. Parents and teachers will find these as well as the activities in the back of the book useful for teaching these blended sounds to children. As a retired kindergarten teacher, Kathy always includes comprehension questions, activities, songs, rhymes, and worksheets in her books to help children learn.  Here’s some additional educational activities to go with the book.

Teacher’s Language Guide  

Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep

Comprehension Questions:

·      Look over the cover. What do you think the story is about?

·      Name the letters in the title.

·      Note that SH is a consonant blend. Practice its sound. What does it mean?

·      Read the book using volume, pitch and tone variation.

·      Who is the main Character? Why do you think so?

·      Do you know anybody like Zachary?

·      What happened to Zachary when he put his black glasses on?

·      How did Zachary stop Mr. Wind?

·      Why did the baby bird squawk?

·      How did the train wake up Layla?

·      How did the train help Layla fall asleep?

·      What did the grizzly bear give Layla?

·      What did Zachary learn by the end of the story?

·      What is your favorite part of the story? Why?

Finish the Sentence:

·      The baby’s blanket flew out of the _______________.

·      Zachary flew the baby bird right back to its soft ________.

·      Super Zachary zoomed up to the whistle and tied it down with a ___________.

·      “Come aboard,” said the friendly __________________.

·      At that moment a giant grizzly bear stomped out of the _____________.

·      Zachary leaped into action and jumped on the bear’s __________.

·      “I love my little _______________.”

Name the Shapes:

Mom smiled and handed him a book.

·      What shape are the wheels on the stroller/

·      What shape is the book?

·      What shape is the Kid’s Corner decal on Zachary’s shirt?

·      What shape are the eyebrows?

Consonant Blend Song

(Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Sh, sh, sh don’t cry.

Quiet, not a peep.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Layla goes to sleep.

Br, Br, Br, it’s cold.

Mister Wind blows strong.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Layla sleeps so long.

Th, th, th thank you,

Said the little bird.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Layla never heard.

Ch, ch, ch the train

Whistled down the line.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Layla sleeps just fine.

Gr, gr, gr growled bear.

Won’t you come and play?

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Layla sleeps all day.

Consonant Blend Musical Chairs

·      Line up chairs in a circle facing out.

·      On 8” by 11” card stock write various consonant blends. Place them face down on the chairs.

·      Walk around the circle singing the consonant blend song. When finished, each child picks up a card and sits.

·      Taking turns around the circle, the children say the blend on their card.

·      If they cannot read it, they must leave the game. Remove their chair.

Consonant Blend Action Rhyme!

Consonant blends are fun to do.

Read them all with me, won’t you?

         Float and flutter in the sun.

Twist and twirl and have some fun.

Dribble and drive down the street.

Crawl and crouch on your own feet.

Swing and swim on the big lake.

Prance on in and bake a cake.

Try to fly up in the sky.

Fry some eggs and ask me why.

Consonant blends really rock.

Practice them around the clock!

There are more fun worksheets and activities at the back of the book! dancekam1@yahoo.com

SUPERHERO TRIVIA QUESTION: DAY 18

Which superhero can fly and gets stronger when he puts on his thick black glasses?

Come to http://educationtipster.blogspot.com  July 4^th for the answer.

SUPERHERO TRIVIA ANSWER: DAY 17

He's technically an alien, and he calls himself Clark Kent. His superpowers are said to derive partly from exposure to Earth's yellow sun, but which planet did he come from?

ANSWER: Krypton. He is, of course, Superman. He was introduced in 1932, by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shusterbackstory has evolved over the years, and details vary, but he always comes from Krypton, under the giant red star known as Rao.

Remember; Every answer or comment you make during this book tour puts your name in the hat for a fantastic prize, which includes amazon gift certificates, books, superhero figurines, and much more.

There will be drawings at the end of the tour from those who comment or answer a superhero trivia question on this or any other site during the tour from June 13^th-July 5^th. Please include your email address in a safe format like this one: dancekam1(at)yahoo(dot) com

Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep can be found:

Amazon:Use the widget on this blog post to take you directly to the sales page.

----- 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 :