The New Book Review: March 2017

Sunday, March 26, 2017

"Powerful and Funny" LGBT Story

Title: Womb Man
Subtitle: How I Survived Growing Up in a Booby-Trapped World
Author: Kristine M Smith
Author Website: YellowBalloonPublications.com
Category: LGBT Studies
ISBN: 7881544200682
Reviewer: Shayne Laughter
Where to buy the book: YellowBalloonPublications.com or http://amzn.to/2munFwP

Book Review for WOMB MAN: How I Survived Growing Up in a Booby-Trapped World

“What I love about Kris Smith's writing is that she is powerful and funny without being mean; compassionate and courageous without asking for a scrap of pity. WOMB-MAN is a fresh, fast read, full of information and rousing emotion. This is the transgender life story you want to give your teen and pre-teen, your grandmother, pastor, congressman, barista and school counselor. Kris is walking proof that humor and a focus on what we love saves lives.” - Joy Shayne Laughter, Author, Speaker

Synopsis

When I was 32, I did something that made my father immensely proud. Spontaneously, he proclaimed “That’s my boy!” Immediately realizing his error, he shot a panicked look at me, eyes wide with horror.
Equally shocked and catching my breath, I responded, “It’s all right, Dad.”

And it really was all right. Because—for the first time in my life—I felt recognized for who I really was: a remarkable man.

We never spoke of it again. But I began to wonder why it had taken Dad 32 years to “get” me. Or had it? Did he know something I didn’t? And if he did, why was he keeping it a secret?

Was I born intersex and surgically altered as an infant to meet gender norms (the default solution in the mid 50’s for ambiguously-gendered babies, then called hermaphrodites)? Or am I naturally transgender—a man housed in a female body?

There are countless people like me who don’t fit gender norms. Many feel the need to hide who they truly are, to exist without being scolded as strange or feared as foreign. You probably know several of them; they just might not trust you enough to tell you.

Something needs to change. I hope my own story helps that happen.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

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

Friday, March 24, 2017

Editor and WordTrippers Queen Recommends Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Latest How-To Book

How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically

Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career

Series: Multi Award-Winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Author's Web site: http://HowToDoItFrugally.com

Cover: Chaz DeSimone

Genre: Nonfiction/Writers/Marketing

ISBN 9788-1-5369-4837-0

Purchase paperback of e-book on Amazon

Reviewed by Barbara McNichol originally for Amazon

This title and subtitle sets up a huge expectation, and the text adeptly delivers on it with excellence!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson addresses the good, the bad, and (at times) the ugly of book reviews in this comprehensive and highly readable resource. She teaches authors how to take control of the process of obtaining book reviews in today’s robust (and bursting) publishing climate. Throughout the book, this expert repeatedly brings to mind the value of book reviews in marketing—a superior move to paying for ads. And she cautions against paid-for reviews. “Authors who buy reviews spend their valuable promotion budget on something that doesn’t impress anybody, even most readers,” she writes.

This resource dares to cite a number of Review-Trippers that can trip up both first-time and experienced authors. They include long lead times and biases based on who published the book (called book bigotry). They also include a misconception that publicity (including book reviews) automatically results in sales (not so). True to her mission of practicality, Howard-Johnson shows how reviews can work cumulatively with other marketing activities.

I highly recommend reading this book during your book-writing journey. Attempt to understand the good, the bad, and the ugly of getting reviews and making them work for you. Written with a humorous touch, this book is your frugal guide with advice that won’t let you stray ethically.

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MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Barbara McNichol edits nonfiction books and is queen of helping helping writers with word trippers. Reach her at Barbara McNichol Editorial, 520 615 7910 or editor@barbaraMcNichol.com. Check out her Word Trippers book and ebook.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Readers Favorite Award-Winner for Kids Released

Little Birdie Grows Up

by Wanda Luthman

www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com

A Children's Picture Book

ISBN 9780692745090

Reviewed by: Mamta Madhavan on Reader's Favorite

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/little-birdie-grows-up

Little Birdie Grows Up received a 5 Star Review

Buy on Amazon

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers Favorite Awards

Little Birdie Grows Up by Wanda Luthman is the story of a little bird who is welcomed into the world by Mama Bird. Birdie snuggles up to Mama Bird and feels happy with her. Little Birdie is hungry and wants to eat something. Birdie thinks a worm will be good. Little Birdie also dreams of flying up high in the sky and at the same time is scared of falling. Little Birdie is proud of the first flight and lands down with a bump. Little Birdie has grown big and has become strong. This beautiful story captures the growth of Little Birdie from that of being a baby to an adult and leaving home.

Narrated from a bird’s point of view, the story takes the reader through the various stages of development and life changes of Little Birdie. The illustrations are lively and colorful and they add a good pace and movement to the story by breathing life into the scenes and characters. It is an excellent story for interactive sessions in classrooms and school libraries as it tells kids about growing up and leaving home. Parents and grandparents can use it for bedtime story-telling as it encourages children to grow and embrace the new changes that are going to happen in their lives while growing up. The concept and message are good and definitely helpful to child readers to look at their life, growth, and development with the right perspective. The rhyming verses make the narration lyrical and enjoyable for kids

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MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wanda Luthman has her Masters of Arts in both Mental Health Counseling and Guidance Counseling from Rollins College located in beautiful Winter Park, Florida. She worked at a local Community Mental Health Center for 10 years before transferring to the Public School System as a Guidance Counselor. She’s worked at a High School for the past 20 years. She has also been an Adjunct Professor at the local Community College and worked with teens who had lost a loved one through Hospice. She has always loved reading and writing and wrote many books and poems as a child growing up in Missouri. She presently resides in Brevard County Florida with her husband of 21 years and two dogs. Her daughter is away at college, like Little Birdie, she has left the nest. All of Wanda's books are available on Amazon at www.amazon.com/author/wandaluthman. She writes to encourage kids to be the best they can be! You can follow her blog at www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com or her Facebook Fanpage at www.facebook.com/wluthman. She is also the author of The Lilac Princess and A Turtle's Magical Adventure. Learn more about the author and all of her books at

http://www.amazon.com/author/wandaluthman and myBook.to/WandaLuthmanAut hor. Also available at www.bn.com

Here are her social networks:

Blog: www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com

Twitter--@wandalu64

Facebook--www.facebook.com/wluthman

YouTube--www.youtube.com/c/WandaLuthman

Instagram--www.instagram.com/wandalu64

Google+--https://plus.google.com/+WandaLuthman

Goodreads--https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14469611.Wanda_Luthman

LindedIn--https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanda-luthman-37b836117

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Costa Rica Retiree Shares Journey

My Path to Retiring (and Writing!) in Costa Rica

By Helen Dunn Frame

Review quote from Rowdy Rhodes

About 13 years ago, I faced the BIG decision. Should I retire or go up against the unseen wall preventing older citizens from obtaining a job despite extensive experience?

When the parent company filed bankruptcy, my job of a lifetime disappeared. I determined I did not want to return to the good-ole-boy commercial real estate business that I had battled for 25 years. I looked for something to supplement my income. One real estate company’s president wouldn’t hire me as a receptionist with the bonus of a broker’s license because he felt I would want to retire soon.

As part of my due diligence, I visited Costa Rica, a then financial friendly country, to assess living there. When I returned home, despite what many financial advisors would advise I took Social Security early based on the idea that money now is worth more than later. I ran the numbers and determined I would have to collect my benefit for at least 13 years to break even.

Like others, I had to decide if I wanted to retire full time, part time, or not at all. As I approached what could be the last quarter or even third of my life, I did a Ben Franklin and listed the pros and cons. My goal was to enjoy an adventure that would ensure my golden years would be happy, healthy, and content. To pay forward, I wrote a book, first published in 2012, called Retiring in Costa Rica or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida. This year I published the third edition to pinpoint the changes and growth in the country.

The book offers readers the first step, beginning with the new first Chapter, Retirement 101, in which I encourage you to look beyond your financial plans and to consider what you will do with your wonderful free hours. If Costa Rica is on your list of possible locations, you’ll learn about its environment. You’ll undoubtedly discover if retiring to this emerging nation is, or is not, for you. If your choice is retiring to another foreign country, the book will help you to recognize what you might face when adapting to a different culture. You could also decide to keep working, if only part-time, or to create a business and live near family and friends.

In Retiring, you will find a lot of data, including references to other books, links to websites, and much-needed phone numbers that will enable you to carry your research to the next level. And, you may contact me through my website to download a free Moving Guide and workbook, useful for any move.

Author’s Page: http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Dunn-Frame/e/B0054LDOBW

Freelance Writer Rowdy Rhodes wrote: “If you are contemplating permanent retirement, investing, or even birding in the forest reserves in Costa Rica, then you must read this book. An in-depth, comprehensive guide by U.S. expat Helen Dunn Frame, it provides a systematic method for the entire process of making your tropical retirement dream easily come true."

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen Dunn Frame, an accomplished businesswoman (formerly a commercial real estate broker in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, specializing in retail and restaurants), developed professional writing skills. Plus, living in England, Germany, and Costa Rica; and her love of travel (in 50 countries where she gained an appreciation of the value of diverse cultures) have provided background for several books.

Helen wove many threads of her experiences into the fabric of GREEK GHOSTS followed by the second in the mystery series, WETUMPKA WIDOW. Living in Dallas during a major scandal resulted in SECRETS BEHIND THE BIG PENCIL. In a third edition this year, Helen advises Baby Boomers in her book about RETIRING IN COSTA RICA or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida. It features a new chapter, Retirement 101, which is also a booklet available on Kindle.

A graduate of Syracuse University (Journalism School), and New York University (Master’s Degree in Sociology/Anthropology), major newspapers and magazines as well as trade publications in the United States, Costa Rica, England, and Germany have published her writing. She has edited newsletters, a newspaper and other author's books, created business proposals for clients and spoken to groups.

She is the author of Retiring in Costa Rica or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida (Third Edition); Greek Ghosts, Love and Danger; Wetumpka Widow, Murder for Wealth; Secrets Behind the Big Pencil, Inspired by an Actual Scandal, Retirement 101, Planning Beyond Financial Security. Get to know her on her Web site at http://bit.ly/1KxXt7T , Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1COtMJn , her

Amazon author's page:http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Dunn-Frame/e/B0054LDOBW,
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grandi1369/ and Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dunn-frame

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