Author, Speaker, and Life Coach Pens Memoir

Book Title: Bringing in Finn

Author: Sara Connell (Seal Press Pub. October 2013)
Genre: Memoir / Family
WOW! Blog Tour Dates: 10/21/2013-11/21/2013
Book Hashtag: #BIFinn
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Seal Press (August 28, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580054102
ASIN: B00BJYM6IU

 

Book Summary:   Bringing in Finn is an incredibly moving story of surrogacy and how it created a bond like no other between a mother and daughter


In February 2011, 61-year-old Kristine Casey delivered the greatest gift of all to her daughter, Sara Connell: Sara’s son, Finnean. At that moment, Kristine—the gestational carrier of Sara and her husband Bill’s child—became the oldest woman ever to give birth in Chicago.  Bringing in Finn: An Extraordinary Surrogacy Story  tells this modern family’s remarkable surrogacy story.

After trying to conceive naturally without success, Sara and her husband Bill dedicated years to a variety of fertility treatments—but after Sara lost a third pregnancy (including the loss of twins at twenty-two weeks), they started to give up their hope. When Kristine offered to be their surrogate, they were shocked; but Kristine was clear that helping Sara become a mother felt like a calling, something she felt inspired to do.


In this achingly honest memoir, Connell recounts the tragedy and heartbreak of losing pregnancies; the process of opening her heart and mind to the idea of her sixty-one-year-old mother carrying her child for her; and the profound bond that blossomed between mother and daughter as a result of their unique experience together.


Bringing in Finn is the true story of a couple who wanted nothing more than to have a family and a mother who would do anything for her daughter. After unsuccessfully trying to conceive naturally, years of fertility treatments, miscarriage and a late term loss of twins, Sara and Bill Connell were emotionally and financially depleted and at a loss as to how they could have a family. When Sara’s mother Kristine offered to be their surrogate, the three embark on the journey that would culminate in Finnean’s miraculous birth and complete a transformation of their at-one-time strained mother-daughter relationship. - See more at: http://www.saraconnell.com/books/#sthash.2dbPO5eJ.dpuf

Bringing in Finn is the true story of a couple who wanted nothing more than to have a family and a mother who would do anything for her daughter. After unsuccessfully trying to conceive naturally, years of fertility treatments, miscarriage and a late term loss of twins, Sara and Bill Connell were emotionally and financially depleted and at a loss as to how they could have a family. When Sara’s mother Kristine offered to be their surrogate, the three embark on the journey that would culminate in Finnean’s miraculous birth and complete a transformation of their at-one-time strained mother-daughter relationship. - See more at: http://www.saraconnell.com/books/#sthash.2dbPO5eJ.dpuf

Author Bio:


Sara Connell is an author, speaker, and life coach with a private practice in Chicago. She is a frequent contributor in the media and has appeared on Oprah, NPR, WGN, FOX News Chicago- upcoming: Good Morning America, Nightline an The View. Sara's writing has been featured in: Elle Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Parenting, Psychobabble, Evolving Your Spirit and Mindful Metropolis magazines. Her first book- Bringing in Finn; an Extraordinary Surrogacy story- nominated for Book of the Year 2012 by Elle Magazine- is Sara's first book. (Sept 4, 2012 Seal Press)

Finding Sara online:

http://www.saraconnell.com

http://www.saraconnell.com/blog

https://www.facebook.com/SaraConnellAuthorSpeakerCoach 

https://twitter.com/saracconnell 

 

List of Guest Post Topics----- 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.

Eleanor Vincent's Memoir on Parenting Goes Digital

Book Title: Swimming with Maya (Dream of Things Pub. March 2013)

Author: Eleanor Vincent
Genre: Memoir/Parenting
WOW! Blog Tour Dates: 10/14/2013-11/15/2013
Book Hashtag:  #SWMaya
Print Length: 340 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0988439042
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Dream of Things (March 26, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00BCMCUX0

Book Summary:    In a memoir that has been called "heartbreaking and heart-healing," Eleanor Vincent shares an inspiring true story of courage, creativity, faith, and sheer tenacity as she seeks to find balance after unthinkable tragedy.

Previously available only in hardcover, Swimming with Maya demonstrates the remarkable process of healing after the traumatic death of a loved one. Eleanor Vincent raised her two daughters, Maya and Meghan, virtually as a single-parent. Maya, the eldest, was a high-spirited and gifted young woman. As a toddler, Maya was an angelic tow-head, full of life and curiosity. As a teenager, Maya was energetic and independent - and often butted heads with her mother. But Eleanor and Maya were always close and connected, like best friends or sisters, but always also mother and daughter.

Then at age 19, Maya mounts a horse bareback as a dare and, in a crushing cantilever fall, is left in a coma from which she will never recover. Eleanor's life is turned upside down as she struggles to make the painful decision about Maya's fate.

Ultimately Eleanor chooses to donate Maya's organs. Years later, in one of the most poignant moments you will ever read about, Eleanor has the opportunity to hear her daughter's heart beat in the chest of the heart recipient. Along the way, Eleanor re-examines her relationship with her daughter, as well as the experiences that shaped Eleanor as a woman and as a mother to Maya.

An inspirational/motivational true story recommended for anyone who has experienced tragedy, who is grappling with traumatic experiences of the past, or who wants to better understand the strength and healing power of the human spirit.

Author Bio:

Eleanor Vincent is an award-winning writer whose debut memoir, Swimming with Maya: A Mother’s Story, was nominated for the Independent Publisher Book Award and was reissued by Dream of Things press early in 2013. She writes about love, loss, and grief recovery with a special focus on the challenges and joys of raising children at any age.

Called “engaging” by Booklist, Swimming with Maya chronicles the life and death of Eleanor’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Maya, who was thrown from a horse and pronounced brain-dead at the hospital. Eleanor donated her daughter’s organs to critically ill patients and poignantly describes her friendship with a middle-aged man who was the recipient of Maya’s heart.

Since the initial publication of Swimming with Maya in 2004, Eleanor has been a national spokesperson on grief recovery and organ donation, appearing on CNN and San Francisco’s Evening Magazine. She has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, and been interviewed on radio and television programs around the country.

She was born in Cleveland, Ohio and attended the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College, where she occasionally teaches writing workshops on creative nonfiction and memoir.

Her essays appear in the anthologies At the End of Life: True Stories about How we Die(edited by Lee Gutkind); This I Believe: On Motherhood; and Impact: An Anthology of Short Memoirs. They celebrate the unique and complicated bonds between mothers and daughters, making hard decisions as a parent – whether your child is 14 or 40 – and navigating midlife transitions with grace and authenticity.

She lives in Oakland, California.

Finding Eleanor online:

http://www.eleanorvincent.com/
https://www.facebook.com/eleanor.vincent
https://twitter.com/eleanor_vincent
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/eleanor-vincent/8/895/a95
http://about.me/eleanorvincent

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

Mmmmm. Tasty Review for Pork Chops!

Title: Pork Chops and Applesauce: A Collection of Recipes and Reflections

Author: Cynthia Briggs

Website: http://www.cynthiabriggsbooks.com/
Genre: Cookbook/Essays
ISBN: 1403381658

Reviewed by Elizabeth Tropp originally for Amazon

 

We all have favorite foods with a story connected to them. Maybe an old family recipe that has been passed down through the generations. Usually the stories are oral history but in Pork Chops and Applesauce author Cynthia Briggs decided to design a cookbook that connected the recipes to their "story". Most of the stories are fun, family memories connected to the stories although a few feel like a stretch...more of an advertisement for a local business in Briggs' New Mexico hometown.

As far as the recipe side of this dual cookbook/essays book they are, for the most part good, down home cooking. Nothing too gourmet, nothing too difficult. Just dishes that everyone in the family (even the infamous picky eater) will like. There's a wide variety of dishes: salads, appetizers, entrees, desserts, beverages. Truly a soups to nuts type of cookbook.

This book seems like a great choice as a gift, either for someone who likes cooking (or needs to learn how to cook) or for someone who enjoys family essays.

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

Veteran Goodbye Woman Gives Other Parents College Advice

Book Title: The Goodbye Year

Author: Toni Piccinini (Seal Press Pub. October 2013)
Genre: Health & Well Being
WOW! Blog Tour Dates: 10/7/2013-11/7/2013
Book Hashtag: #TGYPiccinini
 Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Seal Press (September 10, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580054862
ISBN-13: 978-1580054867

Book Summary:   For many mothers, a child’s senior year brings about a serious look back on the past eighteen. Every event—from Halloween to Mother’s Day—becomes The Last Time.

Toni Piccinini knows exactly what that’s like, and in The Goodbye Year, she offers the loving support every soon-to-be Empty Nester needs. Think of Toni as your bossy-but-loving Italian auntie, with modern sensibilities and a packed pantry. With the wisdom she’s acquired from saying goodbye three times to her own children, she reassuringly holds your hand while encouraging you through the insanity of the college application process, the rejections and the acceptances, and the teary dorm drop-offs. Even better, she reminds every mother that the best is yet to come—freedom, creativity, flexibility, and the Me Years.

Author Bio:


My writing career started when I stapled my first "book" together and launched it at a reading attended by my brother, Scotty, and our Boxer, Lonesome. The title-less story was a mash-up of Hansel and Gretel, The Six Swans, and a Box Car Children adventure, with the protagonists (sister, brother, and dog) risking everything in their quest for a magical lump of coal that would save the town. It was an immediate success. During the fifty years between my first and second book, "The Goodbye Year: Wisdom and Culinary Therapy to Survive Your Child's Senior Year of High School (and Reclaim the YOU of You)" I have--in no order of importance or chronology--opened a "Top 100" San Francisco restaurant, published scientific articles on the efficacies of antibiotics, sang the National Anthem at high school football games, published essays, recipes, and cookbook reviews, and sent three children off to college. I live in Marin County California, which is a long way from my Western Pennsylvania hometown, Heilwood. I am busy on my next book, which may revisit the power found in a magical lump of coal. Thank you for checking in.

Finding the author online:

http://tonipiccinini.com/home.html

http://tonipiccinini.com/goodbyeyear.html

https://twitter.com/Bellatonicooks 

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

Love Books About Turtles!

Title: Milton the Square Shell Turtle

Author: MaryAnn Tatro
Illustrator: Diane Lucas
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
ISBN: 978-1-61244-103-1
Publication Date: June 2013
$11.95
Available for sale at Amazon and
http://www.halopublishing.com/bookstore

 

 

Review provided by World of Ink Network

“We are all different but our unique traits make us who we truly are. It is important for kids to realize that they don't have to compare themselves to others in order to be accepted. Sometimes, they have to accept themselves first in order to be accepted by others.” ~Irene Roth, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Committed Writers

 

About the Book:

Milton is a story of a turtle. Unlike other turtles with round or oval shells, Milton has a square shell. One afternoon, and being new to the area, he decides to take a walk to the pond to relax.

Just when he thinks he finds the perfect spot, he can't stay. Not wanting to cause a problem, he goes further up the pond, only to discover, home is the best place to relax.

EXCERPT:

“Hey, look at me. I can sit on a turtle. You are a

turtle, aren’t you?” the frog asked, with some

hesitation.

 

Milton, hearing the same question before, turned

his head to see the frog sitting on his back and

simply answered, “of course I am. Will you please

get off my shell.”

 

“Well,” said the frog, as he jumped off and landed

next to Milton’s head, “I’ve never seen a turtle

with a square shell.”

 

About the Author: 

MaryAnn Tatro attended Southern Ohio Business College and received a degree in Office Administration and Communication. She also attended Cooper School of Art for one year and took with her a love to create, design and color. She worked several years for a publishing company in Cleveland while raising her son Ryan.

Tatro grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, but her heart is in the country. She currently lives in Wadsworth, Ohio with her husband Dennis of 20 years and their cat. She and her husband enjoy nature walks, antiques, yard sales and being with family.

You can find out more about MaryAnn Tatro, her book and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/oz73p92

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

Submitted by:

 

Virginia S Grenier 

Founder & Partner, World of Ink Network

Bringing Authors and Readers Together

http://worldofinknetwork.com

Office: 435-625-1743

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Award-winning Author & Editor

http://vsgrenier.com 

Member of League of Utah Writers/HWG chapter

http://heritagewriters.tripod.com

 

 

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

Atlantis Mystery Plays Out on Archaelogical Dig

Title – Travels in Elysium
Author – William Azuski
Author's website link -
Genre or category – metaphysical mystery/psychological thriller/literary fiction

ISBN-10: 3952401528

ISBN-13: 978-3952401521

Available on Amazon

Reviewed by archaeologist and historian Haighleagh Winslade for Travels in Elysium

A Story of Archaeology and Greek Culture That I Could Not Put Down

I started reading Travels in Elysium by William Azuski on a cold and wet spring day it proved to be the perfect tonic for such a dismal day. Travels in Elysium is the story of former student Nicholas Pedrosa who lands a position as assistant to archaeologist Marcus Huxley on Huxley's excavations of the lost settlement on the Greek island of Santorini (Thera) destroyed by the colossal eruption that occurred c. 3600 years ago during the time of the Minoan civilization.
Mr Azuski is a master at setting the scene and placing the characters and action in the landscape. After describing Nicholas Pedrosa's journey across Europe and the graphic account of the treacherous storm that blew up as the ship that he was travelling in crossed the Aegean Sea, on landing on Santorini the other main characters are introduced when Nicholas Pedrosa becomes entangled in the funeral procession of Benjamin Randal his predecessor who died on the excavation in mysterious circumstances. The funeral also provides the opportunity to introduce one of the main themes in the novel that of the Grecian burial rite of placing a silver coin in the mouth of the deceased to pay the boatman Charon for their journey across the river Styx to the afterlife.
The narrative of the excavation is cleverly entwined with the mythology of the afterlife and there is a good twist in the plot. Without giving anything away my favourite scene was where Nicholas Pedrosa is in Charon's boat and his barrage of questions and remarks to Charon about the journey across the Styx results in Charon pushing Pedrosa from his boat into the river! All in all an excellent book which I could not put down and a recommended read for anyone interested in Greek culture!

— Archaeologist and historian Haighleagh Winslade

 

Synopsis

It was the chance of a lifetime. A dream job in the southern Aegean. Apprentice to the great archaeologist Marcus Huxley, lifting a golden civilisation from the dead... Yet trading rural England for the scarred volcanic island of Santorini, 22‐year old Nicholas Pedrosa is about to blunder into an ancient mystery that will threaten his liberty, his life, even his most fundamental concepts of reality.

‘Then chalk it up to experience, Mr Pedrosa. Trust no one. Believe no one. Question everything. Remember, there is nothing here you can take at face value... No — not even yourself.’
An island that blew apart with the force of 100,000 atomic bombs... A civilisation prised out of the ash, its exquisite frescoes bearing a haunting resemblance to Plato’s lost island paradise, Atlantis... An archaeologist on a collision course with a brutal police state... A death that may have been murder... And a string of inexplicable events entwining past and present with bewildering intensity... Can this ancient conundrum be understood before it engulfs them all?

About William Azuski

William Azuski was born in the United Kingdom, and is of British and Yugoslav descent. Travelling widely through the Mediterranean since childhood, his frequent sojourns in Greece included several months on Santorini in the 1970s, an experience that provided firsthand experience for this exceptional novel’s local setting. Writing as William Miles Johnson, Azuski is also author of the critically-acclaimed The Rose-Tinted Menagerie, an Observer Book of the Year (nonfiction), and Making a Killing, an end of the world satire, both titles recently republished by Iridescent.

 

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

Awakening the Harmony Within Touring Online

Title – Awakening the Harmony Within : How to Create with Spirit
Author – Eugenia Oganova
Author's website link - http://eugeniaoganova.com/
Genre or category – Spiritual/Self Help
ISBN-10: 0979381711
ISBN-13: 978-0979381713 

At some point in time, every person arrives at an understanding that material life is not all that there is.  Questions like “there must be something more than this?!” and “what is my purpose, why am I here?” begin to surface. If you are one of these people ,then this book is for you.

By clearing resistance to being a spiritual adult, by taking responsibility not only for our actions, but also for our emotions, our thoughts, and our beliefs, we begin walking the Soul path of Harmony. By facing the circumstances of our lives and learning through them, we dutifully study the lessons inside of our material classroom. As this is occurring, we remember more of our spiritual journey beyond this lifetime – past, parallel, future lifetimes – because the identity of this lifetime expands to incorporate the larger Self of the Soul, the Divine Mind is activated and knowledge that is not linear becomes readily available.

I endeavor to explain, in detail, conceptual systems which are required in order to move out of survival and on into conscious, harmonious with Spirit, living. I also describe, in detail, what the practical steps are that can be undertaken to make this possible. This fascinating upward evolutionary movement between levels of consciousness requires effort, a focused intention to remain aware, Self-Love, and Self-Responsibility. Following this leads to Awakening the Harmony Within.

What People Are saying About
Awakening the Harmony Within: How to Create with Spirit

As a person who regularly reads titles related to metaphysics and spiritual growth, I usually know in fairly short order whether a book I've begun to read is going to resonate with me or not. It only took reading the first chapter of "Awakening the Harmony Within" for me to be deeply drawn into the balance of it. In the context of this work the author addresses many very complex metaphysical subjects that, in many instances, I'd never encountered previously. Even with twenty years of walking the path of spiritual growth, I am delighted to report that I was able to learn a lot from this book. Ms. Oganova is clearly an expert in her field, and based on my experience in reading this work I now also look forward to reading her first book, "Mission Alpha."

From Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified

In a very direct and concise way, in her newest book "Awakening the Harmony Within," Eugenia Oganova explains what others have only touched upon. This book digs deeply beyond surface explanations to reveal aspects of the puzzle of Life that I have never seen or heard described before. With compassion and heartfelt insight, Eugenia shows us how to progress in our evolution. "Awakening the Harmony Within" describes in detail how to "stand at the edge of what is coming" with new awareness that comes from looking at life from the expanded perspective of the Soul. In a powerful and impactful way, this book gave me the metaphysical context (conceptual framework) and the practical tools. The first time I read it, I had to lie down and "rest" (integrate the information) after the first 50 pages. The second time, I could swear that certain sentences were not there when I read it the first time... I am going for my third read in the next few days. Who knows what I will find!

From Eugenia Oganova

I have always felt myself to be “on a mission” of enlightenment – for myself, others, and the planet. My clairvoyant abilities allow me to have an intimate relationship with Earth, the Galaxy, and the Universe, which have never felt far away to me. Being able to perceive the multidimensionality of universal energy, I live in a perpetual experience of Source’s Light/Code in every moment, parallel to regular life’s circumstances, thoughts and feelings. The holographic nature of our reality was apparent to me from birth, and the exploration of that hologram became my life’s work.

I have studied science, history, archaeology and astronomy in Russia and in the U.S. and have a BFA degree from the Art Institute of Boston. I am an autodidact in anatomy and biology, nuclear physics, archaeology, ancient history and mythology, metaphysics and Theosophy. I now live in Maine with my husband, and have a company called Pravda, Inc. (which means “truth” in Russian). For over twenty years now, using my ability to see and read energy, I help people figure out solutions to many life’s challenges through my books, seminars, and private sessions.

Eugenia Oganova’s full bio - http://bookpromotionservices.com/2013/07/29/eugenia-oganova-bio/

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

Engaging, Character-Driven, Dystopian for Your Summer Reading List

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Title: Pipe Dreams
Author: Destiny Allison
Author’s Website: http://shapingdestinythebook.com/
Genre: Sci-Fi/Dystopia
ISBN-10 0615823742 (Kindle)
ISBN-13 978-0615823744 (Paperback)
5 Stars

Reviewed by Robyn Chausse


Due to bio warfare we are now under military control—a scary, yet common, dystopian scenario. But add some genetic engineering, an organized “underground”, spice it up with potential romance and stir with the manipulator of all manipulators and you have a novel that keeps the pages turning.

What I love about Pipe Dreams, and what frightens me the most, is the believable plot that could very well happen tomorrow. The story centers around current research into behavioral genetics, the identification of gene markers that scientists hope will help control or modify negative behavioral traits.

Allison keeps up the pace with plenty of plot twists and engaging dialog. She offers us a diverse cast of characters each with their own convictions and strives to illustrate “how our individual pursuit of dreams affects our collective reality.” She pulls us into the story with visually descriptive scenes conveying her character’s emotions as in this example where the main character encounters one of society’s outcasts:

“Something brushed her ankle. Jerking her leg away from whatever slithering thing had braved the morning, she slapped the pavement with her purse. Nothing moved and she dared a glance beneath her. Amidst dead and rotting leaves, an arm was barely visible. Vanessa startled, but did not scream. She didn’t need to rouse the callers from their dirty sleep. She just needed to leave. As she began to walk away, a tiny voice scratched out a noise that sounded horribly like, “Please.” Vanessa froze. In the silence that followed, there was no voice, no wind, no movement. The hushed world waited, as if everything would take its cue from her.”

Although listed as dystopian/science fiction, the current day placement of the story and character-driven focus makes this novel attractive to a broader range of readers.

This is Destiny Allison’s first novel, but it is her second book. Shaping Destiny, her memoir, was published in March of 2012.

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

Nine Fold Heaven: New Historial Fiction on Tour

Title – Nine Fold Heaven       

Author – Mingmei Yip

Author's website link – http://www.mingmeiyip.com  

Genre or category – Suspense, historic fiction

ISBN – 978-0758273543

  

In this mesmerizing new novel, Mingmei Yip draw readers deeper into the exotic world of 1930s Shanghai first explored in Skeleton Women and into the lives of the unforgettable singer-spy Camilla, the magician Shadow, and the gossip columnist Rainbow Chang.


The Nine Fold Heaven is the story of an ex spy and nightclub singer who undertakes an emotional and dangerous journey to reunite with her lost lovers and the baby she was told was stillborn, and to discover the secret of her parents’ murder. 


Click here to read the prologue and first chapter:

About Mingmei Yip

Mingmei Yip has been writing and publishing since she was fourteen years old and now she has twelve books to her credit. Her five novels are published by Kensington Books and her two children’s books are published by Tuttle Publishing.

 
Mingmei’s new novel is The Nine Fold Heaven (2013), the story of an ex spy and nightclub singer who undertakes an emotional and dangerous journey to reunite with her lost lover and the baby she was told was stillborn, and to discover the secret of her parents’ murder.

 
Mingmei’s fourth novel is Skeleton Women (2012), a story about a singer spy, a magician, and a gossip columnist scheming to survive the gang wars in lawless 1930ies Shanghai.


Her other four novels are equally exciting:

 
Song of the Silk Road, (2011) is a romantic adventure on China’s legendary ancient trade route with the lure of a three million dollar reward.


Petals from the Sky, (2010) is a Buddhist love story about a woman who tries to escape her dysfunctional family only to find she’s been running away from her heart.

 
Peach Blossom Pavilion (2008) her first novel, is the story of the last prestitous musician-courtesan of China, received numerous favorable reviews and is now in its fifth printing.

 
Mingmei is also the author and illustrator of Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories (2005) and Grandma Panda’s China Storybook, (2013).

 
Mingmei is also a renowned qin (ancient string instrument) musician, calligrapher and painter. In Hong Kong, she was a columnist for seven major newspapers. She has appeared on over sixty TV and radio programs in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and the US.

Visit Mingmei at: www.mingmeiyip.com

 
Comments about Nine Fold Heaven from Amazon –

 The latest book from author Mingmei Yip takes the reader on an epic journey -- both emotional and geographically. The Nine Fold Heaven is the story of a young Chinese woman, Camilla who is taken from an orphanage at the age of four, and forced to work for one of the worst gangs in Shanghai. Not that she has a bad life with them. In exchange for her various "services" to the gang, from sexual favors to singing entertainment to assassinations, she is well taken care of, as least in material objects. Her emotional life however, has been completely deprived and suffocated.

~*~

The prose and the description of the setting lends an authenticity to the story that made it feel like a real history to me. I was intrigued by the comparisons between Chinese culture and American culture (although this was in the 30s) and there are both positives and negatives to both in my opinion. The clashes between opposing viewpoints in politics and religion gave more dimension to the characters and created a thought-provoking larger conflict than just what Camilla was going through. But the most important thing, especially in historical fiction, is for the setting to feel realistic and I felt like the streets of Thirties Hong Kong and Shanghai were brought to life in this book.

~*~

Camilla is a noir heroine who readers will love to hate or hate to love. The author makes it clear she's a product of her environment and never apologizes for her behavior which she shouldn't. The narrative is colorful and an exotic mix of cultures and traditions and will bring the sounds and flavors of a troubled lawless past society to life. 

 Reviews for Mingmei Yip books -  

 Skeleton Women  “A guilty pleasure....enjoy the exotic location and characters.... This is a large, luscious box of chocolates. Go on. You know you want to." -- RTBook 4 star Review

Song of the Silk Road  “Lively…fascinating…filled with unique companions, unforeseen dangers, unexpected joys, and bitter sorrows…” -- Publisher’s Weekly

Petals from the Sky  “Strong…powerful…emotional…vivid…poignant…” -- Coffee Time Romamce

 
Peach Blossom Pavilion “Engrossing…atmospheric tale…fantastical escape!” – Honolulu Advertiser

 If you like strong women in exotic locations and like to learn about new people, places and times – Nine Fold Heaven is a must read.

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

One Gay American Gets World of Ink Review

Title of Book: One Gay American

Author: Dennis Milam Bensie

Author Website: http://dennismilambensie.com

 Publisher: CoffeeTown Press

ISBN-10: 1603811532
ISBN-13: 978-1603811538
Price $13.95

Publication Date: September 2012

Genre of Book: Memoir

Heat Level: LGBT

 

Review provided by: World of Ink Network

 

 

 

About the Book:

 

Dennis Milam Bensie is One Gay American. Born in the 1960s and raised with traditional values in Robinson, Illinois, Bensie desperately wanted romance, a beautiful wedding, and a baby to carry on the family name. He denied his sexuality and married a woman at nineteen years old, but fantasized of weddings where he could be the bride. The newlyweds "adopted" a Cabbage Patch Doll and ironically witnessed a Cabbage Patch Doll wedding (a successful fundraiser staged by a local women's club) where the dolls were granted the type of grand ceremony off-limits to gay couples.

In search of his identity as a gay man, Bensie divorced his wife and stumbled through missteps and lessons that still sting his generation: defending against bullies, "disappointing" his parents, and looking for love in gay bars, bath houses and restrooms. He helped his straight friends plan their dream weddings and mourned his gay friends dying of AIDS.

Although true love has not yet come his way, Bensie has learned to love himself. Bensie is the author of the much-lauded memoir, Shorn: Toys to Men, which recounts his battle with paraphilia. One Gay American tells the rest of his story and draws parallels to gay history, decade by decade, with newspaper headlines and quotations. Bensie is the gay neighbor that you either love or hate. Either way, he's got a lot to say and says it with no apologies.

 

EXCERPT:

My first real kiss from a man was from a stranger in the library restroom. As we stood in the bathroom stall, the handsome, dark-haired guy looked me in the eyes, cupped

my face in his hands and softly kissed me. He was much taller and more muscular

than I. We were the only men in the room and he picked me up in a big bear hug and

lifted me until my feet were actually dangling off the floor. He kissed me again and

looked at me. No one else in the bathroom had ever really looked at me.

I felt love for the first time. Real love … ever so brief. The stranger made me feel whole.

All the other guys I had seen in the restroom were focused on genitalia, but this man

saw me as a man with a face and a heart. I had waited my whole life to be

romantically kissed by a man. In that moment my life changed. I could finally be who I

wanted to be. It was such a significant event in my life, and I was sad that it had taken place in such a depressing place.Was this the best I could do? My first romantic kiss in a seedy public restroom? I didn’t even know the guy’s name.

Most of these guys were just looking for quick sex. If I wanted a partner, where would

I find him? Carbondale wasn’t exactly a Mecca for secure gay men.

I just had to have faith in myself and be patient. I was twenty-two, in my sexual prime.

Did I have to wait for love to come to me? Shouldn’t I go out and look for it?

I knew I probably wouldn’t find it in the library restroom or the gay bar. However, it

would only take one guy just like me. If he existed in Carbondale, then surely we would

find each other in the only gay spots in town.

While I was being hugged and kissed, we both heard the sound of Keys entering the

restroom. My kisser released me and fled. My feet were back on the ground. I

remained in my door-less stall. Keys walked by, as I had seen him do dozens of times,

and took his place in the stall next to mine.

I never saw my kisser again.

I left the library bathroom not knowing if Keys had ruined the opportunity of a lifetime

or saved me from myself.

 

BOOK TRAILER:

 http://youtu.be/MdE8s4mMnP0

About the Book:

An honest tell all story about looking for love, wanting a family and coming out as America discovered its own Gay community throughout the last 40 years. Dennis not only shares about the struggles he faces as a Gay American, but also the heartache, struggles and joys of all those who are Gay Americans as they come out to not only family and friends but to their country. Dennis highlights each chapter with the different headlines or political highlights of the Gay Community in American helping us all realize every American has rights and should be treated equal no matter their race, religion or sexual lifestyle.

 

About the Author: 

Dennis Milam Bensie grew up in Robinson, Illinois where his interest in the arts began in high school participating in various community theatre productions. Bensie’s first book,  Shorn: Toys to Men was nominated for the Stonewall Book Award, sponsored by the American Library Association. It was also a pick in the International gay magazine The Advocate as “One of the Best Overlooked Books of 2011″. The author’s short stories have been published by Bay Laurel, Everyday Fiction, and This Zine Will Change Your Lifeand he has also been a feature contributor for The Good Men Project. One Gay American is his second book with Coffeetown Press and it was chosen as a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the Indie Excellence Book Awards. He was a presenter at the 2013 Saints and Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans. Dennis lives in Seattle with his three dogs.

You can find out more about Dennis Milam Bensie, his memoirs and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/lhtvxyt

 

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

 

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

Kirkus Indie Reviews Memoir

Title of Book: Betty's Child
Author: Donald R. Dempsey
Author Website: http://bettyschild.com
Genre: Personal Memoir
ISBN: 9780988439016
Formats: Trade paperback and e-book
Reviewer's Link: http://tinyurl.com/qy5uho9

 

Reviewed by Kirkus Indie

 

A highly visual debut memoir from Don Dempsey spanning his pre- to early adolescent years in urban Ohio

Dempsey illuminates the steep uphill scramble he had as a young man in a bad neighborhood. The memoir opens cinematically on a night of petty stealing, which escalated to the sort of theft that exposed young Donny to violent retribution. Donny attempted to guard himself, his younger brothers and his canine companion, Benji, from the string of hothead men his mother—the eponymous Betty—welcomed into the family’s rotating rental houses. In addition to fending off soul savers from the church Betty attended in order to run her scams, Donny turned down invitations to participate in crime more difficult than theft. Most of the book’s sequences—a teacher’s good-hearted but ultimately futile efforts to defend Donny from a bully—efficiently reveal the wit and determination, not to mention anger, that helped Donny survive.

Neither alarmist nor self-pitying, the memoir sees Donny through mounting losses of his sense of safety, his friends, his sanity-saving dog and his proximity to his brothers. While this account certainly couldn’t be called feel-good, it also isn’t altogether bleak. Early in the book, Donny poses a question to himself: “Would I wind up toothless, clueless and broke because of heredity—or because of where and how we lived?” Determined not to consider either factor an excuse, as a preteen boy he decided that, despite his abuse and neglect, he would choose better for himself.

 

By turns heartrending and humorous, the book’s main events are accompanied by resonant dialogue that reveals the speakers’ natures. Distinguishing his from similar accounts, Dempsey’s discipline as a writer lends the real-life tale the feel of a fictional page-turner. In scene after vivid scene, Dempsey presents his inspiring true story with accomplished style.

 

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

Lehoux's Fantasy Books in Re-Release

 

Masquerade
Third book in THE SEVY SERIES
Author: Sarah-Jane Lehoux.
Information on the series: http://sarah-janelehoux.com/sevyseries.htm

Genre: Fantasy

Original Publisher: Mundania Press, 2010..
Now in re-release by the author.

Reviewer's Rating for Masquerade: 5 of 5 Frodos

ISBNs:

Thief:   ISBN 148417433X  ISBN-13: 978-1484174333

Shades of War:  ISBN: 148485716X  ISBN-13: 978-1484857168

Masquerade:  ISBN: 1484860292  ISBN-13: 978-1484860298

Reviewed by Eric Townsend originally for Frodo’s Blog of Randomness

 

 

I’m pretty sure that it is Sarah-Jane’s mission in life to torture her characters, most especially Sevy. However, that doesn’t prevent Masquerade from being an excellent addition to the series. Sevy has to battle a whole host of new enemies, most of all the seemingly all-powerful Kirydan who quickly manages to get her wrapped around his finger.

The characters in Masquerade are, as is par for the course with the Sevy Series, the greatest strength of the book. Revik, the dark elf, takes on a greater role as he attempts to help Sevy escape from Kirydan. We find out more of Revik’s devotion toward his family and delve deeper into who he is as a person, as well as some hard sacrifices he is willing to make for a friend. While Sevy is still the focal point of Masquerade, she’d have it no other way, she isn’t like herself for the vast majority of the book. Under Kirydan’s spell she acts more and more like his pet/love slave, which is truly hard to watch, or in this case read.

 

The void of a heroine is taken up by Revik’s daughter, Yy’voura. A new character in the series, Yy’voura is a fun loving young dark elf who seems to want nothing more than to play yet another game with her friends, unfortunately those friends include Kirydan who has messed with her mind in a powerful way. As the book progresses we learn more about who Yy’voura truly is and what lengths she will go to in order to help her family.

 

Kirydan is an excellent villain. He’s got magical powers (always helps), good looks (doesn’t hurt) and even seems to have control over certain magical creatures as well. While he is definitely contemptible there is a vulnerability and a tortured past that gives the reader, as well as the other characters in Masquerade, just enough pause which is just what he wants. He’s corrupted, twisted and pitiable, and while that might seem slightly cliché it works in this case.

 

The plot is very heavily focused on the back and forth between attempted freeing of Sevy and company and further conquest by Kirydan. It is a balanced battle and will keep the reader anxious to find out which side will come out victorious, and what price they will have to pay in order to do so. For those of you who like a little naughtiness mixed in with your fantasy, Masquerade delivers just the right amount. With romance, daring attempts at rescue, a freakishly powerful yet seductive villain and plenty of magic Masquerade delivers the perfect combination.

 

As you can clearly tell, I thoroughly enjoyed Masquerade, just as I have with [earlier books in the series] Thief and Shades of War. While they have all been excellent books in my opinion, the elements in Masquerade work even more perfectly than the previous ones and it has quickly become my favorite. Even though Masquerade was just released I already can’t wait for the next book in the series!

 

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