The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do What Your Publisher Won’t
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Star Publish
ISBN: 193299310X
Pages 283
Genre: Nonfiction: Writers/Marketing/
Reviewed by Robert J. Medak
In today’s publishing environment, the author is often responsible for promoting their book. There are ways to do this, this book lists many of them, and you may come up with some of your own after reading The Frugal Book Promoter.
It would be nice if your publisher did the promoting for you, but most authors do not have names like King, Bradbury, or Rice to name a few that might have their publishers doing more for them than the average writer. The Frugal Promoter to the rescue, in this book you will find out about press kits, and more. There is also information about how to do media releases, and ways to get publicity for you, and your book.
This reviewer believes that this book can be good for promoting anything, just replace the word “book”, with a service, product, or anything you are trying to let the public know about.
It is up to the author to have the willingness to get out and do the work. Anyone can do it, if he or she is of the mindset to get out and promote your book. Many publishers are not going to do it for you, and may ask you for a promotion plan. Without one, you may not get far in the publishing game unless you decide to self-publish. If you choose a nontraditional way to publish your book, you will have to do the promotion for it to sell. Either way, it is up to the author to promote these days. If you are lucky, you may get some help from a publisher, but do not rely on getting it.
The authors best bet is to have this book handy for ways to promote your book. This reviewer found the information in this book to be valuable to anyone wishing to promote his or her book.
The Frugal Book Promoter receives a five star rating from this reviewer.
Reviewer Information:
Reviewer Robert J. Medak is a freelance writer and editor. Learn more at http://www.stormywriter.com/
"The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say."
- Mark Twain's Notebook, 1902-1903
Endorsement Disclaimer:
All reviews written by this Robert J. Medak are personal opinions of the book. The reviews are NOT paid endorsements of the book or the author. They are not advertisements. All reviews are honest, forthright and the opinion of this individual reviewer. This reviewer’s opinions are not for sale. (There is however, a small fee for some reviews, and sometimes this reviewer receives complementary copies from the author.) Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR Part 255 (http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
179 Great Ways to Save a Novel
179 Ways to Save a Novel
By Peter Selgin
Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books
ISBN: 9781582976075
$16.99
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered and The Frugal Book Promoter
What Writer Doesn’t Want Just One Great Way to Save A Novel?
Peter Selgin offers you 179 of them!
Novelists are going to love this author. He dedicates his book 179 Ways to Save a Novel to “Walter Cummins. And to my students, especially those who argue with me.” As a teacher myself, I know that students who argue offer the best opportunities for learning for everyone from the rest of the class to the teacher herself.
Selgin also knows that “no artist should ever be afraid to make mistakes.” Another core learning principle.
With an introduction that shouldn’t be overlooked, Selgin launches into a small book, dense with ideas for writers of fiction. Writers everywhere will be inspired to write a great new character or improve on an old one, reexamine the deaths that occur in our stories and on and on. Subjects I’ve never seen covered in a book (and I read a lot of books for writers!).
I also appreciate the design of this book. Writer’s Digest assigned Claudean Wheeler to the task and what she does with this book feels right. It’s creative and caring.
Writer’s Digest and Selgin (and Wheeler, too!) should be proud of this one. I hope it lands on the suggested reading list of any teacher who makes it her business to guide students to better-crafted fiction. It’s certainly going on mine!
Here are another couple of books that will help writers by the reviewer: The Frugal Editor and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
By Peter Selgin
Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books
ISBN: 9781582976075
$16.99
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered and The Frugal Book Promoter
What Writer Doesn’t Want Just One Great Way to Save A Novel?
Peter Selgin offers you 179 of them!
Novelists are going to love this author. He dedicates his book 179 Ways to Save a Novel to “Walter Cummins. And to my students, especially those who argue with me.” As a teacher myself, I know that students who argue offer the best opportunities for learning for everyone from the rest of the class to the teacher herself.
Selgin also knows that “no artist should ever be afraid to make mistakes.” Another core learning principle.
With an introduction that shouldn’t be overlooked, Selgin launches into a small book, dense with ideas for writers of fiction. Writers everywhere will be inspired to write a great new character or improve on an old one, reexamine the deaths that occur in our stories and on and on. Subjects I’ve never seen covered in a book (and I read a lot of books for writers!).
I also appreciate the design of this book. Writer’s Digest assigned Claudean Wheeler to the task and what she does with this book feels right. It’s creative and caring.
Writer’s Digest and Selgin (and Wheeler, too!) should be proud of this one. I hope it lands on the suggested reading list of any teacher who makes it her business to guide students to better-crafted fiction. It’s certainly going on mine!
Here are another couple of books that will help writers by the reviewer: The Frugal Editor and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Dawn Mitchell's Just-Plain-Cute Children's Book
A Bird in a Bathing Suit
By Dawn Mitchell
ISBN: 978-1-4327-5404-1
Juvenile Fiction
Reviewed by Eileen Hanley of Bookpleasures.com
A little blue bird in a red bathing suit flapping his wings in a birdbath greets us on the cover of this delightful little book. He looks so happy even when we see him flying out of a tree with the children down below pointing and laughing, “what a silly sight to see.”
They continue to giggle and conjure up all sorts of situations in which birds act like people wearing bows, tee-shirts, underwear, sunglasses and a variety of outfits that they would wear. They eventually realize that the bird in the bathing suit is not going to come back if he is laughed at. The children recognize that in order to keep and make friends they have to accept how we all look dissimilar.
This is such a timely issue in that society has a difficult time accepting differences. This type of rejection can quickly escalate into full-scale bullying with disastrous results.
Dawn Mitchell has put important lessons on acceptance into rhyme with words and lessons for the young child. This is a wonderful talking point book for parents and teachers to discuss the differences that we all meet with each day.
The illustrations are engaging and the young reader can glean a multitude of contextual clues by just looking at the birds faces. In a beginning reader level, it is important that the print be large and distinctive, and A Bird in a Bathing Suit certainly fits the criteria readability.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
By Dawn Mitchell
ISBN: 978-1-4327-5404-1
Juvenile Fiction
Reviewed by Eileen Hanley of Bookpleasures.com
A little blue bird in a red bathing suit flapping his wings in a birdbath greets us on the cover of this delightful little book. He looks so happy even when we see him flying out of a tree with the children down below pointing and laughing, “what a silly sight to see.”
They continue to giggle and conjure up all sorts of situations in which birds act like people wearing bows, tee-shirts, underwear, sunglasses and a variety of outfits that they would wear. They eventually realize that the bird in the bathing suit is not going to come back if he is laughed at. The children recognize that in order to keep and make friends they have to accept how we all look dissimilar.
This is such a timely issue in that society has a difficult time accepting differences. This type of rejection can quickly escalate into full-scale bullying with disastrous results.
Dawn Mitchell has put important lessons on acceptance into rhyme with words and lessons for the young child. This is a wonderful talking point book for parents and teachers to discuss the differences that we all meet with each day.
The illustrations are engaging and the young reader can glean a multitude of contextual clues by just looking at the birds faces. In a beginning reader level, it is important that the print be large and distinctive, and A Bird in a Bathing Suit certainly fits the criteria readability.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Monday, May 24, 2010
James A. Cox Reviews Booklet for Midwest's Writing/Publishing Shelf
Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips For Writers
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
How To Do it Frugally Publishing
HoJoNews@aol.com
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
9781450507653, $6.95, www.amazon.com
Reviewed for Library Bookwatch, May 1010 by James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review
A successful author, editor, writing and publishing consultant, Carolyn Howard-Johnson draws upon her many years of experience and expertise to compile a 56-page compendium of 'user friendly' and immanently practical advice that will enable writers to avoid commonly encountered errors of spelling and thereby making their work, be it a blog, a letter, or the next Great American Novel, to be all that it should. From adapting/adopting to wreak/reek, "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips For Writers" is highly recommended reading for anyone preparing to write pretty much anything -- and a fascinating read in its own right for those who appreciate word-play and the occasionally encountered dilemmas of the English language!
This review is archived on our Midwest Book Review Web site for the next five years at http://www.midwestbookreview.com
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
How To Do it Frugally Publishing
HoJoNews@aol.com
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
9781450507653, $6.95, www.amazon.com
Reviewed for Library Bookwatch, May 1010 by James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review
A successful author, editor, writing and publishing consultant, Carolyn Howard-Johnson draws upon her many years of experience and expertise to compile a 56-page compendium of 'user friendly' and immanently practical advice that will enable writers to avoid commonly encountered errors of spelling and thereby making their work, be it a blog, a letter, or the next Great American Novel, to be all that it should. From adapting/adopting to wreak/reek, "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips For Writers" is highly recommended reading for anyone preparing to write pretty much anything -- and a fascinating read in its own right for those who appreciate word-play and the occasionally encountered dilemmas of the English language!
This review is archived on our Midwest Book Review Web site for the next five years at http://www.midwestbookreview.com
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Cathy Bryant Gets Rave Review
TITLE: Texas Roads
AUTHOR: Cathy Bryant
GENRE: Christian Fiction/General/Romance
ISBN: 978-0-9844311-0-6
Reviewed by Mandy for Read Or Not Read
RATING: 5 of 5 stars
Attention Ladies! Not many fiction books around here get awarded with 5 Stars. However, this is one that did and now I want to tell you all about it!
When Cathy Bryant asked if I would consider reading and reviewing her book, Texas Roads, I was not quick to take the offer. I have quite a stack to get through and wasn't sure if I should take the time to add a fiction title to my pile or not. But something in what Cathy wrote to me grabbed my attention and made me say "yes" and now, well, I'm so glad I did!
Texas Roads is a novel set in the good old state of Texas. When the main characters, Steve and Dani, meet in the first few pages it is hard to imagine what might happen in the next 284 pages. But this book, while somewhat predictable, takes unexpected and unpredictable twists and turns until you close the book with happy tears on your cheeks. The plot is simple yet complicated. It has a sweet storyline tinged with a hint of heartbreak and characters that are real: like-able one minute, and frustrating the next!
I greatly appreciated how Cathy penned a story that was honest, fresh, realistic, and romantic - to name a few! - without compromising the quality with sensual or unnecessary details. This book, while geared for an adult audience, could be read by a 15-year-old without concern.
This was an enjoyable read with a message of faith, hope, and forgiveness. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the tight binding that made it harder to read while laying down! Texas Roads is the perfect book for a relaxing read on a rainy day or for taking to the beach with you on your next vacation."
Author Biography
Cathy Bryant, author of Texas Roads
Chapter-a-week of TEXAS ROADS
Texas Roads is available as an e-Book or in print.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
AUTHOR: Cathy Bryant
GENRE: Christian Fiction/General/Romance
ISBN: 978-0-9844311-0-6
Reviewed by Mandy for Read Or Not Read
RATING: 5 of 5 stars
Attention Ladies! Not many fiction books around here get awarded with 5 Stars. However, this is one that did and now I want to tell you all about it!
When Cathy Bryant asked if I would consider reading and reviewing her book, Texas Roads, I was not quick to take the offer. I have quite a stack to get through and wasn't sure if I should take the time to add a fiction title to my pile or not. But something in what Cathy wrote to me grabbed my attention and made me say "yes" and now, well, I'm so glad I did!
Texas Roads is a novel set in the good old state of Texas. When the main characters, Steve and Dani, meet in the first few pages it is hard to imagine what might happen in the next 284 pages. But this book, while somewhat predictable, takes unexpected and unpredictable twists and turns until you close the book with happy tears on your cheeks. The plot is simple yet complicated. It has a sweet storyline tinged with a hint of heartbreak and characters that are real: like-able one minute, and frustrating the next!
I greatly appreciated how Cathy penned a story that was honest, fresh, realistic, and romantic - to name a few! - without compromising the quality with sensual or unnecessary details. This book, while geared for an adult audience, could be read by a 15-year-old without concern.
This was an enjoyable read with a message of faith, hope, and forgiveness. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the tight binding that made it harder to read while laying down! Texas Roads is the perfect book for a relaxing read on a rainy day or for taking to the beach with you on your next vacation."
Author Biography
Cathy Bryant, author of Texas Roads
Chapter-a-week of TEXAS ROADS
Texas Roads is available as an e-Book or in print.
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Rootin' Tootin' Good Novel
Title: Houdini Pie
Publisher: Bennett & Hastings Publishing
Author: Paul Michel
ISBN #: 978-1-934733-55-4
Paper
Price: $15.95 U.S.; also available in e-formats
Number of pages: 212
Genre: Literary Fiction
Reviewed by Lewis Buzbee for Amazon
Michel's Houdini Pie is a rip-roaring, rootin' tootin' good book. It's a tale of baseball, Indian treasure, bootlegging, psychics, and romance, all set in southern California during the Depression. And as such, it's a supremely American book, about the hunt for fortune and the follies that travel the same route. The real joy and achievement of this novel is Michel's narrative voice, a perfect and enlightening use of 30's slang and patois, a condensation of all those movies we've all watched.
This is a funny, funny book--exhilarating and smart and sophisticated. Michel is a born storyteller, and lord knows, we need more writers like that. A guaranteed pleasure.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Publisher: Bennett & Hastings Publishing
Author: Paul Michel
ISBN #: 978-1-934733-55-4
Paper
Price: $15.95 U.S.; also available in e-formats
Number of pages: 212
Genre: Literary Fiction
Reviewed by Lewis Buzbee for Amazon
Michel's Houdini Pie is a rip-roaring, rootin' tootin' good book. It's a tale of baseball, Indian treasure, bootlegging, psychics, and romance, all set in southern California during the Depression. And as such, it's a supremely American book, about the hunt for fortune and the follies that travel the same route. The real joy and achievement of this novel is Michel's narrative voice, a perfect and enlightening use of 30's slang and patois, a condensation of all those movies we've all watched.
This is a funny, funny book--exhilarating and smart and sophisticated. Michel is a born storyteller, and lord knows, we need more writers like that. A guaranteed pleasure.
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
"Sweet Book" Gets Great Review
Book Title: Kisses from a Distance
Genre: Nonfiction: Memoir
Author: Raff Ellis
Reviewed by A Diamond in Sunlight [actual name unknown]
Permission: Public domain
My new position leaves me with free time on weekends (a luxury I haven’t enjoyed for years), as well as roughly 20 minutes of commuting time every morning and evening. I’ve been putting all this time to good use by catching up on a shelf’s worth of books that I have ordered over the course of the past year but not yet found time to read.
The first was the bittersweet family memoir Kisses from a Distance, written by Raff Ellis (Elias). His maternal grandmother was the product of an unhappy alliance between members of two elite Maronite families in Ottoman Syria: the Hobeiches and the el Khazens. Elite, but deeply impoverished – which is what led their son, a man with the Hobeiche name and the desire for financial security to match, to marry off his sister to a ‘nameless’ young Lebanese man newly returned from the United States to look for a local bride, with a general goods store and bright prospects for the future. That man and that auctioned-off woman would become Ellis’s parents – and despite the initial promises, they ended up living a very hard life, trying to keep their store (and family) afloat.
Ellis moves charmingly from one side of his family to another, and intersperses the history of their lives with his own memories of visiting Lebanon in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The book is published by Cune Press, a small but very good Seattle-base publishing house, which has published a number of books on the Middle East and Arab culture. Kisses from a Distance is a sweet book, but its not a fairytale. I cheered for the Ellises when their store did well, and I grieved for them when tragedies struck.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Genre: Nonfiction: Memoir
Author: Raff Ellis
Reviewed by A Diamond in Sunlight [actual name unknown]
Permission: Public domain
My new position leaves me with free time on weekends (a luxury I haven’t enjoyed for years), as well as roughly 20 minutes of commuting time every morning and evening. I’ve been putting all this time to good use by catching up on a shelf’s worth of books that I have ordered over the course of the past year but not yet found time to read.
The first was the bittersweet family memoir Kisses from a Distance, written by Raff Ellis (Elias). His maternal grandmother was the product of an unhappy alliance between members of two elite Maronite families in Ottoman Syria: the Hobeiches and the el Khazens. Elite, but deeply impoverished – which is what led their son, a man with the Hobeiche name and the desire for financial security to match, to marry off his sister to a ‘nameless’ young Lebanese man newly returned from the United States to look for a local bride, with a general goods store and bright prospects for the future. That man and that auctioned-off woman would become Ellis’s parents – and despite the initial promises, they ended up living a very hard life, trying to keep their store (and family) afloat.
Ellis moves charmingly from one side of his family to another, and intersperses the history of their lives with his own memories of visiting Lebanon in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The book is published by Cune Press, a small but very good Seattle-base publishing house, which has published a number of books on the Middle East and Arab culture. Kisses from a Distance is a sweet book, but its not a fairytale. I cheered for the Ellises when their store did well, and I grieved for them when tragedies struck.
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Sunday, May 16, 2010
National Stationery Show Features Authors on Tradeshow Floor
Five Veteran Industry Authorities to Debut Books at the 2010 National Stationery Show!
Meet the Authors" Book Signing Events
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 aisle
Book Signing on Monday
Here’s a terrific opportunity to meet and chat with industry-esteemed experts, all of whom will debut helpful business-building books at the Show this year.
Rob Fortier, president of Paper Words and Meryl Hooker, manufacturer’s representative, have jointly authored Pushing the Envelope: The Small Greeting Card Manufacturer’s Guide to Working with Sales Reps. This book will convey to small greeting card manufacturers how to find, recruit and retain a winning sales. Written from both the manufacturer and sales rep perspectives, this nuts and bolts guide is full of industry information, sales tips, and guidance for building successful and profitable rep relationships.
Enjoy meeting Meryl and Rob! Monday, 4pm – 5pm and get your copy hot off the press!
Book Signing on Sunday
Long-time retailer and best-selling author Carolyn Howard- Johnson will launch two new books in her award-winning "How To Do It Frugally" series:
Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media and Your Blog, Your Business: A Retailer’s Mini Guide to Garnering Customer Loyalty and Sales Online and In Store.
Carolyn is a 30-year veteran of the retail industry, founding and operating a successful chain of stores from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Carolyn is also the author of A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrify Events and Sales Techniques, launched at the National Staterionery Show in 2009. It will also be available for purchase.
Carolyn will be available to meet, greet and sign her books on Sunday, 2pm – 3pm.
Book Signing Monday
Linda Cahan is internationally known for her visual merchandising and store design expertise developed over three decades of working with retail stores.
Get a first run, signed copy of her book 100 Display Ideas Under $100. and chat with Linda on Monday, 10am – 11am.
Linda is also the author of Feng Shui for Retailers.
And as a special exclusively for NSS attendees, Carolyn’s book will be offered at one half the retail price and Linda’s book will be available at a significant discount during these signing events!
Book Signing Tuesday
Wanda Wen, a devoted paper arts enthusiast and founder of Los Angeles stationer Soolip -- the preferred artisanal paper supplier and letterpress correspondence purveyor for L.A.’s trendsetters and Hollywood A-Listers -- has long been a champion of creating simplicity-infused beauty using the ingenuity of the human hand and heart. Wanda's new book The Art of Gift Wrapping (Potter Craft/Random House), an inspiring, visually tantalizing and resourceful how-to on the art of gift wrapping, inspires others to join in the fun with 50 innovative design ideas using organic, unique and uncommon materials.
Enjoy the opportunity to visit with Wanda Tuesday, May 18, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Many of these celebrated authors are among the 2010 National Stationery Show’s educational Faculty, and will be presenting seminars throughout the show.
All signings will take place in the Media Resource Lounge, 3600 aisle
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Meet the Authors" Book Signing Events
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 aisle
Book Signing on Monday
Here’s a terrific opportunity to meet and chat with industry-esteemed experts, all of whom will debut helpful business-building books at the Show this year.
Rob Fortier, president of Paper Words and Meryl Hooker, manufacturer’s representative, have jointly authored Pushing the Envelope: The Small Greeting Card Manufacturer’s Guide to Working with Sales Reps. This book will convey to small greeting card manufacturers how to find, recruit and retain a winning sales. Written from both the manufacturer and sales rep perspectives, this nuts and bolts guide is full of industry information, sales tips, and guidance for building successful and profitable rep relationships.
Enjoy meeting Meryl and Rob! Monday, 4pm – 5pm and get your copy hot off the press!
Book Signing on Sunday
Long-time retailer and best-selling author Carolyn Howard- Johnson will launch two new books in her award-winning "How To Do It Frugally" series:
Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media and Your Blog, Your Business: A Retailer’s Mini Guide to Garnering Customer Loyalty and Sales Online and In Store.
Carolyn is a 30-year veteran of the retail industry, founding and operating a successful chain of stores from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Carolyn is also the author of A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrify Events and Sales Techniques, launched at the National Staterionery Show in 2009. It will also be available for purchase.
Carolyn will be available to meet, greet and sign her books on Sunday, 2pm – 3pm.
Book Signing Monday
Linda Cahan is internationally known for her visual merchandising and store design expertise developed over three decades of working with retail stores.
Get a first run, signed copy of her book 100 Display Ideas Under $100. and chat with Linda on Monday, 10am – 11am.
Linda is also the author of Feng Shui for Retailers.
And as a special exclusively for NSS attendees, Carolyn’s book will be offered at one half the retail price and Linda’s book will be available at a significant discount during these signing events!
Book Signing Tuesday
Wanda Wen, a devoted paper arts enthusiast and founder of Los Angeles stationer Soolip -- the preferred artisanal paper supplier and letterpress correspondence purveyor for L.A.’s trendsetters and Hollywood A-Listers -- has long been a champion of creating simplicity-infused beauty using the ingenuity of the human hand and heart. Wanda's new book The Art of Gift Wrapping (Potter Craft/Random House), an inspiring, visually tantalizing and resourceful how-to on the art of gift wrapping, inspires others to join in the fun with 50 innovative design ideas using organic, unique and uncommon materials.
Enjoy the opportunity to visit with Wanda Tuesday, May 18, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Many of these celebrated authors are among the 2010 National Stationery Show’s educational Faculty, and will be presenting seminars throughout the show.
All signings will take place in the Media Resource Lounge, 3600 aisle
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Pesky Word Trippers and Editing Hints
I'm in love with this review written by Karen Cioffi. Not because it is a rave review (really, it's quite matter-of-fact), but because it gives readers what they need to make a buying decision. So, I think of this not only as a brag about my new little booklet, but as an example of what a well-written review looks like.
Title: Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Publisher: HowToDoItFrugally.com
ISBN: 1450507654
What’s more important to a writer than words? Not much . . . maybe how to put words together properly, using correct grammar, weaving them together to create descriptive or informative content . . . but, we still go back to the foundation of every writer’s manuscript or article . . . words.
Carolyn Howard Johnson’s latest book, Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers, is a little 55 page book (or e-book) that a writer can refer back to over and over and over to find help with some of the most common word trippers.
In the Before You Get Started section of this book, Howard-Johnson explains, “Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers is full of words that are trouble causers. They either sound alike or are spelled similarly. They are not arcane words that you will seldom have an occasion to use. They are not words the writer knows but still mistypes.”
Words such as climactic and climatic used improperly or misspelled can mean a rejection when submitting to the “gatekeepers.” The addition or deletion of that little second “c” makes a huge difference in the meaning of the word.
Or, how about the words: all together / altogether; demur / demure; one in the same / one and the same; and peeked / peaked / piqued. These are just a few of the word trippers added in the Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers.
Listed in an A – Z format, the words chosen for this book are thoroughly explained with the aid of examples. This all makes for an easy to understand and easy to read guide. The author also provides two resource sections at the end of the book: Reading: One Editing Book at a Time, and Other Writers’ Aids.
I happen to be a fan of Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s Frugal series and have the Frugal Editor as well as the Frugal Book Promoter. They are a part of my writing and marketing toolkit. The author has done it again with the Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers. She has compiled this much needed booklet as an addendum to a list in the appendix of her book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success.
I learned a great deal from Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers and will be referring to it often; I highly recommend it.
Reviewed by Karen Cioffi, author, writer-for-hire, freelance writer. She blogs at
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com and is co-author of Day's End Lullaby. She is the author of The Self-Publisher's Guide, Writing, Publishing, and Marketing - You Can Do It!, and Walking Through Walls - In contract with 4RV Publishing. She also reviews for BookPleasures.com and Muse Book Reviews
Follow her at http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Title: Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Publisher: HowToDoItFrugally.com
ISBN: 1450507654
What’s more important to a writer than words? Not much . . . maybe how to put words together properly, using correct grammar, weaving them together to create descriptive or informative content . . . but, we still go back to the foundation of every writer’s manuscript or article . . . words.
Carolyn Howard Johnson’s latest book, Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers, is a little 55 page book (or e-book) that a writer can refer back to over and over and over to find help with some of the most common word trippers.
In the Before You Get Started section of this book, Howard-Johnson explains, “Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers is full of words that are trouble causers. They either sound alike or are spelled similarly. They are not arcane words that you will seldom have an occasion to use. They are not words the writer knows but still mistypes.”
Words such as climactic and climatic used improperly or misspelled can mean a rejection when submitting to the “gatekeepers.” The addition or deletion of that little second “c” makes a huge difference in the meaning of the word.
Or, how about the words: all together / altogether; demur / demure; one in the same / one and the same; and peeked / peaked / piqued. These are just a few of the word trippers added in the Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers.
Listed in an A – Z format, the words chosen for this book are thoroughly explained with the aid of examples. This all makes for an easy to understand and easy to read guide. The author also provides two resource sections at the end of the book: Reading: One Editing Book at a Time, and Other Writers’ Aids.
I happen to be a fan of Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s Frugal series and have the Frugal Editor as well as the Frugal Book Promoter. They are a part of my writing and marketing toolkit. The author has done it again with the Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers. She has compiled this much needed booklet as an addendum to a list in the appendix of her book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success.
I learned a great deal from Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers and will be referring to it often; I highly recommend it.
Reviewed by Karen Cioffi, author, writer-for-hire, freelance writer. She blogs at
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com and is co-author of Day's End Lullaby. She is the author of The Self-Publisher's Guide, Writing, Publishing, and Marketing - You Can Do It!, and Walking Through Walls - In contract with 4RV Publishing. She also reviews for BookPleasures.com and Muse Book Reviews
Follow her at http://twitter.com/KarenCV
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Robert Medak Reviews "The Frugal Editor"
The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Froward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Red Engine Press
ISBN 9780978515874
Reviewed by editor and author Robert Medak
The Frugal Editor is a book that belongs on the desk of anyone that is either an author, or an aspiring author. This book contains a wealth of information about what it takes to have your manuscript pass the mark toward publication.
This book gives writers needed information on how to create queries, cover letters, book proposals, and manuscripts that are not sloppy which will get you into the round file. Reading this book will assist you in why you need an editor or at least two other sets of eyes for you writing.
If you use Word, the de facto standard, there is information in this book about using the Tracking feature and more to help you with your writing and editing with easy and practical steps.
The Frugal Editor applies to all types of writing. Even those that write business letters, e-mails, and more can gain a unique insight into making them better. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone putting words on paper or a computer screen.
The book is conversational in tone as if talking to a fiend that is imparting their secrets and tips to make your writing more professional and your manuscript pass muster with agents or in-house editors. No one wants to submit something that is not their best, which is why writers need a copy of The Frugal Editor.
Do yourself a favor, and find a copy of this book for your reference; you will appreciate it.
This reviewer gives a five star rating to The Frugal Editor.
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Endorsement Disclaimer from the reviewer: All reviews written by this reviewer are personal opinions of the book by this reviewer. The reviews are NOT paid endorsements of the book or the author. They are not advertisements. All reviews are honest, forthright, and the opinion of this individual reviewer. This reviewer’s opinions are not for sale. (There is however, a small fee for some reviews, and sometimes this reviewer receives complementary copies from the author.) Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR Part 255 (http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)
The reviewer,Robert Medak, is a freelance writer and editor.
http://www.stormywriter.com/
"The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say."
- Mark Twain's Notebook, 1902-1903
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
For Writers Tax Season Lasts All Year!
The Write Life
By Sylvia McClain
ISBN Print: 978-0-974264-39-3
E-book: 978-0-974264-30-X
Usually I run reviews on this blog, today I am taking the liberty of using an excerpt because I know it will help both the working reviewers who have published their reviews here and the authors who have had reviews of their books run here! It is from Sylvia McClain's The Write Life.
Did You Know the Tax Season Isn't Over: For Writers it Last all Year?
You got paid for a story you wrote. Congratulations! You’ve become a recognized and published writer.
Now you have to ask yourself this question. Am I now self employed?
Contrary to public thought, there is an easy answer to it. If you write continuously and regularly with the activity being your primary source of income or profit, then it is a business and you are self employed. If your writing is a sporadic activity or a hobby, it is not a business. Whether you are self-employed or not, all earned income of $400 or more must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Money earned from a sporadic activity is easily reported on a 1040 tax form. There is another side to reporting your income as a sole proprietor of a business. To be self-employed means there is not an employer to withhold monies from your pay to meet your tax obligations. It’s now your responsibility and you can accomplish this new task.
First, let me help you understand the basics of the tax structure for the self-employed. Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business and Schedule SE, Self-Employment Tax must be filed with your 1040 form. Schedule C calculates the amount of money you made or lost writing and Schedule SE determines taxes owed, if any.
The secret to overcoming a large tax bite is keeping good records of money spent to make money. In other words, knowing what you can deduct as an expense against your profits will help lower your tax liability. This will lower the amount that will appear on Schedule SE’s net income to be taxed. The lower the amount, the less you will have to pay in taxes. So what are the business expenses that a writer can apply against his or her profits? Any ordinary and necessary expenses incurred to operate your business. An ordinary expense is an expense that is common and accepted in your field of business. A necessary expense is one that is appropriate and helpful for your business. Advertising, educational cost, computer paper and postage are a few tax deductible writer expenses. Publication 535, Business Expenses from the IRS can assist you with definitions of other types of business expenses.
If you don’t feel tax savvy, there are preparers to do your taxes for you. You must keep good records of your expenses and income. Also, check to make sure the preparer is familiar with, and an expert in the field of writing. Not all preparers specialize in the writing profession. Preparers sometimes depend on the computer programs to guide them.
Now go on, don’t be afraid to continue doing what you love to do. Write. Before you know it, you could just make a very good living doing it. A tax bite can be turned into just a little pinch.
Author Biography:
Sylvia McClain blogs at http://sylviaspeaks.blogspot.com and is a book reviewer in her own right at MyShelf.com and Atlantic Publishing Company. The Write Life is now available in its 2nd edition.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
By Sylvia McClain
ISBN Print: 978-0-974264-39-3
E-book: 978-0-974264-30-X
Usually I run reviews on this blog, today I am taking the liberty of using an excerpt because I know it will help both the working reviewers who have published their reviews here and the authors who have had reviews of their books run here! It is from Sylvia McClain's The Write Life.
Did You Know the Tax Season Isn't Over: For Writers it Last all Year?
You got paid for a story you wrote. Congratulations! You’ve become a recognized and published writer.
Now you have to ask yourself this question. Am I now self employed?
Contrary to public thought, there is an easy answer to it. If you write continuously and regularly with the activity being your primary source of income or profit, then it is a business and you are self employed. If your writing is a sporadic activity or a hobby, it is not a business. Whether you are self-employed or not, all earned income of $400 or more must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Money earned from a sporadic activity is easily reported on a 1040 tax form. There is another side to reporting your income as a sole proprietor of a business. To be self-employed means there is not an employer to withhold monies from your pay to meet your tax obligations. It’s now your responsibility and you can accomplish this new task.
First, let me help you understand the basics of the tax structure for the self-employed. Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business and Schedule SE, Self-Employment Tax must be filed with your 1040 form. Schedule C calculates the amount of money you made or lost writing and Schedule SE determines taxes owed, if any.
The secret to overcoming a large tax bite is keeping good records of money spent to make money. In other words, knowing what you can deduct as an expense against your profits will help lower your tax liability. This will lower the amount that will appear on Schedule SE’s net income to be taxed. The lower the amount, the less you will have to pay in taxes. So what are the business expenses that a writer can apply against his or her profits? Any ordinary and necessary expenses incurred to operate your business. An ordinary expense is an expense that is common and accepted in your field of business. A necessary expense is one that is appropriate and helpful for your business. Advertising, educational cost, computer paper and postage are a few tax deductible writer expenses. Publication 535, Business Expenses from the IRS can assist you with definitions of other types of business expenses.
If you don’t feel tax savvy, there are preparers to do your taxes for you. You must keep good records of your expenses and income. Also, check to make sure the preparer is familiar with, and an expert in the field of writing. Not all preparers specialize in the writing profession. Preparers sometimes depend on the computer programs to guide them.
Now go on, don’t be afraid to continue doing what you love to do. Write. Before you know it, you could just make a very good living doing it. A tax bite can be turned into just a little pinch.
Author Biography:
Sylvia McClain blogs at http://sylviaspeaks.blogspot.com and is a book reviewer in her own right at MyShelf.com and Atlantic Publishing Company. The Write Life is now available in its 2nd edition.
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Being a Believer and Finding a Partner
Title: Finding The Right Man For You: Dating Advice For Women
Author: Lawrence J. Danks
Publisher: Helpful Media (HelpfulMedia@yahoo.com)
ISBN: 978-0-578-04809-3
Binding: Perfect Paperback
Pages: 245
Retail Price: $13.95 (Often discounted)
Publication Date: June 2010
Contents: 28 chapters. 245 pages
Distribution to the Trade: Lightning Source
Summary:
Dating is never easy, no matter what someone’s age — and it only gets more difficult after thirty. Finding The Right Man For You can help women meet more men, guard against men who lie, date more effectively after divorce or the death of a partner, overcome fear and self-doubt, and help a woman know when she’s found the right man. It offers excellent insights on intimacy and sex, dating tips, dating for women who have children and work pressures, personal and financial safety, making a decision about a man, and finding happiness with or without one.
Review by Author:
Finding The Right Man For You: Dating Advice For Women suggests a more organized approach to dating and finding the right man with an objective toward making the process more efficient and effective. I was fortunate to have the assistance of a number of women who read various parts of the book and offered many good suggestions. They shared some personal experiences, too, which have enabled me to offer even better advice on the many topics the book contains. It is supportive, motivational, inspirational, and respectful to women. It also contains many distillations of wisdom in its instructive quotations from many recognized dating and happiness experts, and others noted for their wisdom.
There is a separate chapter on "Finding Happiness With or Without A Man." It's important to make the most of every day, whether we have a partner or not. Sometimes just leading our everyday life is when we find what we least expect. The book emphasizes being a believer. If someone believes that they are not going to meet someone, they are probably going to be right. Consistent application to a good search can produce a good result.
Some might think that this is a strange book for a management professor to be writing, but I felt that more organization and some encouragement to believe in the future could help make a difference in the lives of some women by combating loneliness and potentially leading them to increased happiness and personal fulfillment. As far as rating the book, it would be inappropriate to rate my own book. I'll leave that to the readers. Best wishes to everyone.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Author: Lawrence J. Danks
Publisher: Helpful Media (HelpfulMedia@yahoo.com)
ISBN: 978-0-578-04809-3
Binding: Perfect Paperback
Pages: 245
Retail Price: $13.95 (Often discounted)
Publication Date: June 2010
Contents: 28 chapters. 245 pages
Distribution to the Trade: Lightning Source
Summary:
Dating is never easy, no matter what someone’s age — and it only gets more difficult after thirty. Finding The Right Man For You can help women meet more men, guard against men who lie, date more effectively after divorce or the death of a partner, overcome fear and self-doubt, and help a woman know when she’s found the right man. It offers excellent insights on intimacy and sex, dating tips, dating for women who have children and work pressures, personal and financial safety, making a decision about a man, and finding happiness with or without one.
Review by Author:
Finding The Right Man For You: Dating Advice For Women suggests a more organized approach to dating and finding the right man with an objective toward making the process more efficient and effective. I was fortunate to have the assistance of a number of women who read various parts of the book and offered many good suggestions. They shared some personal experiences, too, which have enabled me to offer even better advice on the many topics the book contains. It is supportive, motivational, inspirational, and respectful to women. It also contains many distillations of wisdom in its instructive quotations from many recognized dating and happiness experts, and others noted for their wisdom.
There is a separate chapter on "Finding Happiness With or Without A Man." It's important to make the most of every day, whether we have a partner or not. Sometimes just leading our everyday life is when we find what we least expect. The book emphasizes being a believer. If someone believes that they are not going to meet someone, they are probably going to be right. Consistent application to a good search can produce a good result.
Some might think that this is a strange book for a management professor to be writing, but I felt that more organization and some encouragement to believe in the future could help make a difference in the lives of some women by combating loneliness and potentially leading them to increased happiness and personal fulfillment. As far as rating the book, it would be inappropriate to rate my own book. I'll leave that to the readers. Best wishes to everyone.
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Monday, May 10, 2010
Raja N. Krishnan Reviews Novel Set in Ancient Roma
Book Title: Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome
Author: Steven Saylor
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publisher's Address: 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 978-0312377625
List Price: $15.95
Reviewed by Raja N. Krishnan
“Legend is Historical Just as History is Legendary.”
What a phrase…..and it’s the opening quote in Steven Saylor’s latest production on the Roman Republic, titled Roma. Mr. Saylor has stepped away from his acclaimed mystery based series with Gordianus the Finder to present a unique and fresh perspective on the ancient republic.
Mr. Saylor produces a nice effort to highlight the major events of the Roman Republic from pre-Roma days through the founding of Roma to the days of Julius Ceasar. The story that evolves through the generations of one family, with the Roman history in the backdrop, focuses more on the legends, spirituality, and cultural aspects of the Roman Republic. The author easily weaves the story of this family into the fabric of the history of the Roman Republic. This epic story shows the struggle between the lower class, plebians, and the upper class, patricians, through the generations of the Roman Republic. It also depicts the power and ego of successful political men who tried to reach the status of King, but could not stay in that position for long.
As each chapter goes by the author fast forwards in time to the next major or controversial event in the republic’s history. This might first appear as though he is skipping events, but the author does a nice job of tieing chapters together and summarizing events that happened in the timeline. Although not a detailed account of the Roman Republic government, that not being the intent of the book, the book does convey how the government transformed through the generations with the rise and fall of the republic.
As I was reading this book I found myself excited about the possibilities of a second trip to Rome to visit the historical sites that I missed the first time, armed with this new knowledge of the legends of Rome. I would highly recommend this book for fans of Roman History, furthermore it would be worth a read if you plan to travel the historical sights in Italy.
The author is also the author of The Triumph of Caesar: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Roma Sub Rosa)
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Reach the reviewer at raja_krishnan1975@hotmail.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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Author: Steven Saylor
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publisher's Address: 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 978-0312377625
List Price: $15.95
Reviewed by Raja N. Krishnan
“Legend is Historical Just as History is Legendary.”
What a phrase…..and it’s the opening quote in Steven Saylor’s latest production on the Roman Republic, titled Roma. Mr. Saylor has stepped away from his acclaimed mystery based series with Gordianus the Finder to present a unique and fresh perspective on the ancient republic.
Mr. Saylor produces a nice effort to highlight the major events of the Roman Republic from pre-Roma days through the founding of Roma to the days of Julius Ceasar. The story that evolves through the generations of one family, with the Roman history in the backdrop, focuses more on the legends, spirituality, and cultural aspects of the Roman Republic. The author easily weaves the story of this family into the fabric of the history of the Roman Republic. This epic story shows the struggle between the lower class, plebians, and the upper class, patricians, through the generations of the Roman Republic. It also depicts the power and ego of successful political men who tried to reach the status of King, but could not stay in that position for long.
As each chapter goes by the author fast forwards in time to the next major or controversial event in the republic’s history. This might first appear as though he is skipping events, but the author does a nice job of tieing chapters together and summarizing events that happened in the timeline. Although not a detailed account of the Roman Republic government, that not being the intent of the book, the book does convey how the government transformed through the generations with the rise and fall of the republic.
As I was reading this book I found myself excited about the possibilities of a second trip to Rome to visit the historical sites that I missed the first time, armed with this new knowledge of the legends of Rome. I would highly recommend this book for fans of Roman History, furthermore it would be worth a read if you plan to travel the historical sights in Italy.
The author is also the author of The Triumph of Caesar: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Roma Sub Rosa)
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Reach the reviewer at raja_krishnan1975@hotmail.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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Opal, Herby, And Squeaky
Author: Jay Miller
Genre: childrens book
ISBN: 9781438918082
AuthorHouse
Reviewed By Rhonda Carver for Apex Reviews
Rating: 5
Opal is an adorable little kitten, but she’s homeless, and when a kindhearted woman offers to adopt her one day, Opal is elated. Her new owner’s offer, though, is based on one condition: that Opal catch a little gray mouse running free in her house, to which Opal gladly agrees.
Upon arriving at her new home, Opal becomes fast friends with Herby, her
owner’s lovable little wiener dog, who soon lets her know exactly why the rouge mouse, Squeaky, is such a problem: every night after Herby goes to sleep,Squeaky sneaks out of his hole in the wall and steals all of the food out of Herby’s bowl. Herby then goes hungry all of the next day because he has no food to eat.
After learning of Herby’s ongoing plight, Opal commits herself to putting a
stop to Squeaky’s hijinks once and for all – but she soon finds that her task isn’t as easy as it sounds. However, rather than allow herself to grow frustrated, she asks God for His help in figuring out precisely how to catch Squeaky in the act – and ultimately have the little critter for her own dinner.
God then gives Opal the answer – but on one condition: that Opal give Squeaky the chance to repent once he’s been caught, and, if he does so, Opal must allow him to go free.
Soon thereafter, Opal finally catches Squeaky, but she stays true to her
promise to God and gives him the chance to repent – and, little does Squeaky know, his ultimate decision will prove much more consequential than he realizes…
Opal, Herby, And Squeaky is a delightful children’s tale by Christian
Fiction author Jay Miller. In it, Miller skillfully spurs original thought in the minds of young readers, helping them realize that for every action there is a consequence – be it good or bad – and that each decision we make must be preceded by careful, deliberate forethought. By doing so, we can prevent ourselves from falling into the pratfalls that often accompany the folly of diving head-first into situations whose virtue is superficial at best.
Miller also does a commendable job of displaying the transcendent power
of forgiveness, particularly the second chances with which it provides us all. As we are all human, we are all prone to making mistakes, but the importance of patience and understanding in the face of common error is not often stressed enough – a point that Miller makes in compelling fashion.
Opal, Herby, And Squeaky is a welcome literary treat with a powerful,
inviting message. Highly recommended.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Author: Jay Miller
Genre: childrens book
ISBN: 9781438918082
AuthorHouse
Reviewed By Rhonda Carver for Apex Reviews
Rating: 5
Opal is an adorable little kitten, but she’s homeless, and when a kindhearted woman offers to adopt her one day, Opal is elated. Her new owner’s offer, though, is based on one condition: that Opal catch a little gray mouse running free in her house, to which Opal gladly agrees.
Upon arriving at her new home, Opal becomes fast friends with Herby, her
owner’s lovable little wiener dog, who soon lets her know exactly why the rouge mouse, Squeaky, is such a problem: every night after Herby goes to sleep,Squeaky sneaks out of his hole in the wall and steals all of the food out of Herby’s bowl. Herby then goes hungry all of the next day because he has no food to eat.
After learning of Herby’s ongoing plight, Opal commits herself to putting a
stop to Squeaky’s hijinks once and for all – but she soon finds that her task isn’t as easy as it sounds. However, rather than allow herself to grow frustrated, she asks God for His help in figuring out precisely how to catch Squeaky in the act – and ultimately have the little critter for her own dinner.
God then gives Opal the answer – but on one condition: that Opal give Squeaky the chance to repent once he’s been caught, and, if he does so, Opal must allow him to go free.
Soon thereafter, Opal finally catches Squeaky, but she stays true to her
promise to God and gives him the chance to repent – and, little does Squeaky know, his ultimate decision will prove much more consequential than he realizes…
Opal, Herby, And Squeaky is a delightful children’s tale by Christian
Fiction author Jay Miller. In it, Miller skillfully spurs original thought in the minds of young readers, helping them realize that for every action there is a consequence – be it good or bad – and that each decision we make must be preceded by careful, deliberate forethought. By doing so, we can prevent ourselves from falling into the pratfalls that often accompany the folly of diving head-first into situations whose virtue is superficial at best.
Miller also does a commendable job of displaying the transcendent power
of forgiveness, particularly the second chances with which it provides us all. As we are all human, we are all prone to making mistakes, but the importance of patience and understanding in the face of common error is not often stressed enough – a point that Miller makes in compelling fashion.
Opal, Herby, And Squeaky is a welcome literary treat with a powerful,
inviting message. Highly recommended.
-----
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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Kelly Klepfer Reviews Women's Literature
Crossing Oceans
Gina Holmes
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (April 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414333056
Women's Fiction
Book Description:
Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But being told you’re dying has a way of changing things. Years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter, Isabella, must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank–toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter. As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love and its ability to change everything—to heal old hurts, bring new beginnings . . . even overcome the impossible. A stunning debut about love and loss from a talented new voice.
Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer for Amazon
I am always hesitant to review a book written by a friend. Can you imagine how much more apprehensive I was reading the debut novel from not only a friend but a critique partner? A critique partner lives to rip and shred work to point out what's wrong and what needs to be changed to make the work readable.
Though I've critiqued Gina Holmes for years, I had just glimpses into Crossing Oceans and I knew it was a very different style from her previous suspense novels. Her suspense is strong. But how well would her voice translate to women's fiction?
Once I opened her book and began to read I can say that her voice translates with a poignant grace that is rare in a debut novelist. And Crossing Oceans is a story that Holmes was meant to tell.
Holmes tackles a heavy story line with a touch of whimsy and deep, deep melancholy, sometimes in the same paragraph. A young mother, emotionally orphaned when her mother died and father cocooned himself in a cloak of angry grief, finds herself forced to return to the home she had escaped. Jenny has Stage IV metastatic cancer and must reunite with the family she fled for the sake of her little girl's very near future need. With less than a year to repair and restore relationships Jenny tackles the past and the future, the present and the pain, all while attempting to give her daughter, Isabella, memories and love and what life she has available to give.
This is a novel that quickly overcame the author and my relationship with her. The story told itself in a realistic and three-dimensional tale of life and death, sorrow and fear, choices and consequences, pain and beauty, loss and hope. Holmes voice is similar to some of my favorite authors in the Christian fiction genre, Siri Mitchell, Charles Martin, Susan Meissner, Claudia Mair Burney, Lisa Samson and Bonnie Groves.
Crossing Oceans is not an easy read. It is haunting and beautiful and raw. Expect to cry and expect to remember this family long after you turn the last page.
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Reviewer Kelly Klepfer reviews at http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com/ 101 Best Websites for Writers - Writers Digest, 2010. Learn more about her at http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Gina Holmes
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (April 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414333056
Women's Fiction
Book Description:
Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But being told you’re dying has a way of changing things. Years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter, Isabella, must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank–toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter. As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love and its ability to change everything—to heal old hurts, bring new beginnings . . . even overcome the impossible. A stunning debut about love and loss from a talented new voice.
Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer for Amazon
I am always hesitant to review a book written by a friend. Can you imagine how much more apprehensive I was reading the debut novel from not only a friend but a critique partner? A critique partner lives to rip and shred work to point out what's wrong and what needs to be changed to make the work readable.
Though I've critiqued Gina Holmes for years, I had just glimpses into Crossing Oceans and I knew it was a very different style from her previous suspense novels. Her suspense is strong. But how well would her voice translate to women's fiction?
Once I opened her book and began to read I can say that her voice translates with a poignant grace that is rare in a debut novelist. And Crossing Oceans is a story that Holmes was meant to tell.
Holmes tackles a heavy story line with a touch of whimsy and deep, deep melancholy, sometimes in the same paragraph. A young mother, emotionally orphaned when her mother died and father cocooned himself in a cloak of angry grief, finds herself forced to return to the home she had escaped. Jenny has Stage IV metastatic cancer and must reunite with the family she fled for the sake of her little girl's very near future need. With less than a year to repair and restore relationships Jenny tackles the past and the future, the present and the pain, all while attempting to give her daughter, Isabella, memories and love and what life she has available to give.
This is a novel that quickly overcame the author and my relationship with her. The story told itself in a realistic and three-dimensional tale of life and death, sorrow and fear, choices and consequences, pain and beauty, loss and hope. Holmes voice is similar to some of my favorite authors in the Christian fiction genre, Siri Mitchell, Charles Martin, Susan Meissner, Claudia Mair Burney, Lisa Samson and Bonnie Groves.
Crossing Oceans is not an easy read. It is haunting and beautiful and raw. Expect to cry and expect to remember this family long after you turn the last page.
--
Reviewer Kelly Klepfer reviews at http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com/ 101 Best Websites for Writers - Writers Digest, 2010. Learn more about her at http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Speed-b-b-bumps
By Darrell House
Spoken word CD
27:15 min.
Prod. by Maggie Music.
ISBN 978-0-615-31853-0
$16.95.
South Florida children’s author and musician Darrell House has just earned a Parents’ Choice Gold Award for his newest release, a spoken word CD collection of mostly humorous poems for kids and families titled Speed-b-b-b-bumps. The material was written to entertain his daughters when they were young, and it reflects interests and ideas with which children easily identify.
Parents' Choice says:
"Parents seem to enjoy [House's] music and stories too."
MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY and reviewer for the Library Journal says, "House’s enjoyment is contagious, and listeners will be smiling, laughing, and asking for more."
Author Bio:
Children’s author, poet, storyteller, singer/songwriter Darrell House
wears a lot of hats. Described as Grizzly Adams meets Key West, he has a magnetic personality and is a powerful performer. Having presented in more than 60 schools and a hundred libraries, he is also a regular performer at Reading Festivals and Early Childhood Education Conferences. Miller the Green Caterpillar, his children’s picture book, is an inspirational story of setting goals, and his two CDs of original music, Underneath the Cushions on the Couch and Makes Me Feel Like Singing are full of original songs. His most recent release, Speed-b-b-b-bumps, a spoken word CD collection of mostly humorous poems, has just earned a
Parents’ Choice Gold Award. He blogs as Suburbanhobo at www.bolognabrain.com
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
By Darrell House
Spoken word CD
27:15 min.
Prod. by Maggie Music.
ISBN 978-0-615-31853-0
$16.95.
South Florida children’s author and musician Darrell House has just earned a Parents’ Choice Gold Award for his newest release, a spoken word CD collection of mostly humorous poems for kids and families titled Speed-b-b-b-bumps. The material was written to entertain his daughters when they were young, and it reflects interests and ideas with which children easily identify.
Parents' Choice says:
"Parents seem to enjoy [House's] music and stories too."
MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY and reviewer for the Library Journal says, "House’s enjoyment is contagious, and listeners will be smiling, laughing, and asking for more."
Author Bio:
Children’s author, poet, storyteller, singer/songwriter Darrell House
wears a lot of hats. Described as Grizzly Adams meets Key West, he has a magnetic personality and is a powerful performer. Having presented in more than 60 schools and a hundred libraries, he is also a regular performer at Reading Festivals and Early Childhood Education Conferences. Miller the Green Caterpillar, his children’s picture book, is an inspirational story of setting goals, and his two CDs of original music, Underneath the Cushions on the Couch and Makes Me Feel Like Singing are full of original songs. His most recent release, Speed-b-b-b-bumps, a spoken word CD collection of mostly humorous poems, has just earned a
Parents’ Choice Gold Award. He blogs as Suburbanhobo at www.bolognabrain.com
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Deb Hockenverry Reviews Christian Fiction
TITLE: Third Time’s a Charm: A Novel
AUTHOR: Virginia Smith
FORMAT: Paperback, Kindle
PAGES: 327
PRICE: $10.19 (print), $9.99 (kindle)
ISBN-10: 0800732340
ISBN-13: 9780800732349
Reviewed by Deb Hockenberry
Tori Sanderson is the youngest of the three Sanderson sisters. She loves to shop for designer clothes and shoes.
Her two older sisters fix her up with Ryan, a farm boy from her hometown. Over time Tori slowly falls in love with Ryan, much to her two older sisters’ delight. Unfortunately, Ryan’s busybody sister-in-law interferes way too much, showing up at their first date with her two sons. The two older Sanderson sisters are also not quite as bad at interfering but they do invade their sister’s love life asking Ryan for details after each date. In fact, they go as far as to show up at the hardware store where Ryan works!
Tori works at a very high pressure job in a nearby town and has a boss that expects her to work 24/7. She’s also up for a promotion along with her coworker, Mitch. If Mitch gets the promotion, Tori would work for him so the competition between the two is fierce!
Mitch also has his eye on Tori and can’t figure out what Tori sees in Ryan.
Tori’s possible promotion adds further complications to their relationship since she has to work harder than ever hardly leaving her time to breathe much less date. She has to do her regular job as well as garner experience and get a presentation together for the owners of a restaurant. Whoever has the best presentation and wins the restaurant owners over, gets the promotion. So, the competition between Tori and Mitch is fierce!
I truly enjoyed this easy to read book but was a bit disappointed in the beginning. Tori is at the mall buying a gift for her sister, Joan’s, wedding shower present. While she’s in the mall she sees a pair of designer shoes that she thinks she has to have. This makes her late for Joan’s wedding shower! How can you be late for one of your sisters’ biggest events in her life? From there on the book got much better.
This is the last book in the Sister-to-Sister series. As a sister myself, I could relate to the three sisters. I’ve never read a book from this trilogy before but after reading this book, I would like to read the other two books. This Christian book is easy to read without being ‘preachy’. This book has to be in any church library and in your own personal library!
To learn more about the author please visit: http://www.virginiasmith.org .
The reviewer Deb Hockenberry may be reached at kidztales@verizon.net. Also find her review site at http://debsbookreviews.blogspot.com.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
AUTHOR: Virginia Smith
FORMAT: Paperback, Kindle
PAGES: 327
PRICE: $10.19 (print), $9.99 (kindle)
ISBN-10: 0800732340
ISBN-13: 9780800732349
Reviewed by Deb Hockenberry
Tori Sanderson is the youngest of the three Sanderson sisters. She loves to shop for designer clothes and shoes.
Her two older sisters fix her up with Ryan, a farm boy from her hometown. Over time Tori slowly falls in love with Ryan, much to her two older sisters’ delight. Unfortunately, Ryan’s busybody sister-in-law interferes way too much, showing up at their first date with her two sons. The two older Sanderson sisters are also not quite as bad at interfering but they do invade their sister’s love life asking Ryan for details after each date. In fact, they go as far as to show up at the hardware store where Ryan works!
Tori works at a very high pressure job in a nearby town and has a boss that expects her to work 24/7. She’s also up for a promotion along with her coworker, Mitch. If Mitch gets the promotion, Tori would work for him so the competition between the two is fierce!
Mitch also has his eye on Tori and can’t figure out what Tori sees in Ryan.
Tori’s possible promotion adds further complications to their relationship since she has to work harder than ever hardly leaving her time to breathe much less date. She has to do her regular job as well as garner experience and get a presentation together for the owners of a restaurant. Whoever has the best presentation and wins the restaurant owners over, gets the promotion. So, the competition between Tori and Mitch is fierce!
I truly enjoyed this easy to read book but was a bit disappointed in the beginning. Tori is at the mall buying a gift for her sister, Joan’s, wedding shower present. While she’s in the mall she sees a pair of designer shoes that she thinks she has to have. This makes her late for Joan’s wedding shower! How can you be late for one of your sisters’ biggest events in her life? From there on the book got much better.
This is the last book in the Sister-to-Sister series. As a sister myself, I could relate to the three sisters. I’ve never read a book from this trilogy before but after reading this book, I would like to read the other two books. This Christian book is easy to read without being ‘preachy’. This book has to be in any church library and in your own personal library!
To learn more about the author please visit: http://www.virginiasmith.org .
The reviewer Deb Hockenberry may be reached at kidztales@verizon.net. Also find her review site at http://debsbookreviews.blogspot.com.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Veteran Reviewer Likes Book on Parenting
Title: The Power of Your Child’s Imagination: How to Transform Stress and Anxiety into Joy and Success
Author: Charlotte Reznick, PhD
Category: Parenting
ISBN: 978-0399535079
Reviewer: Stephanie Ward http://laughingstars.net
Publisher: Perigee Trade
Review by Stephanie Ward originally for Barnes and Nobel,Amazon and her Laughing Stars blog.
Adults often forget that children experience tremendous anxiety. They are beginning to absorb everything going on around them and starting to understand that loss and death are part of life. They’re also developing expectations for themselves, personally or academically, and worrying that they don’t measure up. The Power of Your Child’s Imagination offers strategies for helping kids use their own inner strength to cope with stress. I think other parents, especially those who – like me – have sensitive, intense kids, will find this book to be a gem.
Dr. Reznick points out that each of us, including young children, has an internal compass that seems to know more than we do. She offers imagination techniques we can teach our children to help them tap into that internal wisdom.
In the first section, she starts by suggesting simple ways we can encourage our children to use their imagination to “see” things in their minds and envision their lives changing for the better. She offers tips for setting goals with our kids. Sometimes they don’t share our goals for them, so it’s important to find common ground. Then she describes nine guided imagery tools to use with children. Some of these strategies draw on the power of archetypes, like a wise wizard, that have deep roots in our psyche. For each tool, she provides a script, possible variations, a real-life example of the technique in action, and troubleshooting tips. She corroborates these techniques with evidence from neurological and physiological research. She also explores ways to incorporate art and music, and she encourages parents to mix and match these methods to fit our children’s individual needs.
In the second section, she discusses how to apply the nine tools in more depth, using brief case studies. She offers guidance on molding these tools to address specific issues, such helping a child with low self esteem, building an appropriate sense of responsibility, and coping with fear of abandonment or death. She delves into sleep problems and bed wetting. She addresses aggressive behavior, sibling rivalry, and peer issues. She also looks at helping kids with academic problems, whether they stem from learning disabilities or an environment that does fit a child’s developmental needs and learning style.
As an educator-type, I appreciated her thoughts on learning issues. Some of you know that I’m a bit of an evangelist for delayed academics and honoring children’s developmental needs and learning styles. This is one of the reasons we homeschool. Dr. Reznick touches on the fact that many children are academically pushed much too early and that traditional classroom methods don’t fit some students.
One of the things I appreciated most about this book was Dr. Reznick’s warm, empathetic attitude toward parents and her acknowledgment that no “expert” can offer a “perfect” way to parent. “Caring parents … want to get it “right” But there is no such animal. Not here.” She also acknowledges that we have regrets as parents, and urges us to have compassion for ourselves.
This fits well with her articulate, approachable writing style. While there is some scholarly information woven into this book, it flows smoothly and is easy to read. It’s like sitting down with a compassionate friend — the type of person who has a lot of positive energy and intuitive wisdom — and having a chat over coffee.
I recommend this book to parents, teachers, counselors, and other caregivers and to any adults who want to incorporate stress management techniques into their own lives. The guidance Dr. Reznick offers is clear and supported with a wealth of specific examples, and readers will appreciate her nurturing, compassionate approach to guiding parents.
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:
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