The New Book Review

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 17, 2009

New Writer's Handbook: An Anthology for One's Career

Title: New Writer's Handbook 2007: A Practical Anthology of Best Advice for Your Craft and Career Editor: Philip Martin, Preface: Erica Jong
Publisher: Scarletta Press (June 6, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0976520168
ISBN-13: 978-0976520160
My Rating - 4.5 out of 5

Reviewed By Judi Silva


What is most interesting and attention-grabbing about this book is that it isn’t written by only one author. Rather, it is an anthology of the best and practical advice that writers can use to hone their craft and make a successful career with their writing. Composed of sixty-three articles from almost as many writers (some authors have more than one article showcased), it is a collection no writer should be without. All of the personal websites of each author are listed at the end of their articles. Even more valuable is how each author’s article is filled with quotes and advices they found helpful from other famous authors.

In this review, I have tried to quote a portion of each author’s article to give the reader a good sampling of what is covered in this anthology and hopefully wet their appetite to go out and buy it in order to devour the rest. There is something for everyone, no matter who you are or what you write.

The preface is written by Erica Jong. She points out “the more worldly the world, the more it needs a solitary artist for its own spiritual health. Believe in yourself. You are the soul and the conscience of the world, even if the world doesn’t know it yet.”

Under the first subheading of Creativity, Motivation & Discipline, Jane Yolen encourages the writer to “read everything you write out loud. Put everything in a folder (both computer and printout). Go back over what you have done previously before you begin that day.”

Eric Abrahamson clues us in on The Benefits of Messiness. “People with orderly desks report spending 36% more time finding things. Moderate messiness is completely acceptable and is, in fact, probably superior in a number of instances.”

Especially fascinated with the subject, I appreciated the article Where Do Ideas Come From? Some writers get annoyed with people who ask this question. But, as a writer who tries to turn a situation or experience into a story, I relish the opportunity to answer it.

For instance, one of my ideas came from inside a book I loaned from the local library. It was a novel written by one of my favorite authors, Indu Sundaresan. Not able to wait to reach home to begin reading it, I cracked open the cover on the bus. To my surprise, a portion of a boarding pass for Lufthansa Airlines fell out into my lap. Picking it up, I read what little details I could extrapolate from it and began to imagine who the previous reader of this novel had been and my imagination began to run wild. Instead of reading the book on the way home, I grabbed my journal and pen out of my backpack and began writing one of my own.

Philip Martins, who wrote the abovementioned article on ideas explains, “Where ideas come from then, is a combination of openness, constant seeking and courage. If the writer is tuned into these, the serendipity of ideas coming unbidden can at times seem miraculous.”

Gabriel Gudding, in the article The Cultivation of Mindstates says, “because writing is principally an act of generosity, cultivating an empathetic mindstate, indeed an empathetic temperament will only enhance our desire and ability to write well.”

Dennis Palumbo, who is not only an author but a licensed psychotherapist specializing in the issues of creative writing gives us The Three Cosmic Rules of Writing. “You may at this very moment be feeling scared, frustrated, blocked or discouraged. If so, join the club. Because so does every other writer in the world, even the most successful ones.”

On the topic of Developing Intuition, the creator and president of the National Association of Women Writers (NAWW) Sherri McConnell gives writers five suggestions to do this while also testing your inner guidance.

The Treadmill Journal, according to author Gregory Martin should include five daily entries - date and time, how long you will work, what you plan to work on, how it went and when you will work tomorrow and for how long. He also includes a sample entry.

Do you find yourself wondering how to start your story? Brandi Reissenweber tells writers, “The beginning’s job is to lure. You want to entice the reader into the story and deliver on that enticement.”

Most helpful are the articles entitled Checklist for Characters and Conflict Revision by Gregory Martin and Haiku Techniques of which author Jane Reichhold discusses nineteen of them.

The article by Laura Backes on What Dr. Seuss Can Teach Us was enlightening to me. Did you know for instance that it was in 1954 when a challenge by Pulitzer Prize winner John Hersey was put before Dr. Seuss and others in Life magazine? This challenge, which is discussed in detail led to the publication of The Cat In The Hat.

Maybe you’re trying to break into the world of magazine writing. Marcia Yudkin’s feature on M-Factors - Qualities That Help You Break Into Major Magazines will not only pique your interest but give you the five different factors important to your success in this field.

Is it nonfiction scenes that have your shorts in a bunch? Then check out Larry Getlen’s Recreating Nonfiction Scenes. Quoting author Julian Rubenstein he says, “you can’t write narrative reflection unless you have the material. You have to know everything. Then, and only then, can you decide what is best to illustrate your story.”

Linda Formichelli follows up with Getting The Tough Interview.

For journalists, Ray Peter Clark discusses The Line Between Fact and Fiction with strong advice and elaboration on the two cornerstone principles of “Do Not Add” and “Do Don’t Deceive”.

Lynn Franklin covers the importance of The Psychological Action In Nonfiction and how it increases the power of the story. By “bringing the reader close to the psychological action you help them to empathize with the character.”

The next three authors, namely W. Terry Whalen, Linda Adams and Judy Bridges advice writers about critique groups, both joining and running one along with creating snappy introductions for a successful one.

The quest for information/articles on the topic you want to write about is undertaken in Marylaine Block’s entry My First Rule of Information. She gives helpful advice on where to go to find what you need.

Eight articles appear in the Pitching & Proposals section. Resources are included with samples of pitches, query letters and proposals, along with a do’s and don’t and what to remember lists. Rounding it all out are the remaining two articles in this section - How to deal with a small press and understanding editorese.

Marketing Your Work is the section which follows. Learn how to create a successful press kit and how you as a writer can help your publisher with marketing by taking all the listed opportunities available to you. Both short and long projects are clearly defined.

The article on How To Get Great Testimonials lists seven tried and true styles to finding the right people and asking them for want you want. “Testimonials are a workhorse tool for your book marketing effort,” says author Jay Lipe.

Helpful step-by-step instructions are listed on the subject of Planning Author Events in Bookstores. After you’ve planned your event, take advantage of the tips to make sure it’s a well-attended event. This is especially true if the majority of your audience is international, such as was the case with author Jenna Glatzer. She discusses the nine best ways, which she found through trial and error, that work for her.

Not to be overlooked are the important topics of focusing on Niche Markets and The Potential of Tips Booklets by Kate Bandos and Paulette Ensign respectively.

One of the known experts on Writing White Papers, Michael Stelzner explains exactly what a white paper is, why they matter, why you should care about them, how they are used, and who reads them. The emergence of white papers as marketing tools and their standards are also considered.

Deborah Raney gives numerous ideas on how you can have a “positive influence” on both the life of your book and you as an author.

Being Internet savvy these days is a must for authors. Your own website will be not only the core but the starting point for an online book promotion, in order for you to target a larger audience than just those locally.

The five major steps which need to be taken to acquire a successful website are outlined by Patrice-Anne Rutledge. Moira Allen helps the writer create on online portfolio and talks about what to keep in mind when posting clips.

Have you started blogging yet? Creative Consultant Lani Voivod will explain why it is imperative to do so “if you have a passion, specialty, niche, mission or business.” Steve Weber continues with the same line of thought in his article Fundamentals of Blogging.

A concise, detailed explanation of the 10 Tips on Writing the Living Web have been compiled by Mark Bernstein.

Developing a catchy email signature is the topic of conversation with Linda Formichelli.

The last section of the anthology, barring the two appendices (Editor’s Afterward and Publication Credits), is titled Literary Insights and Lost Words. It encompasses ten articles by ten authors. Writers will learn How To Speak A Book with Richard Powers.

The articles Books As A Gateway Drug, Time Traveling By Words, Music and Arts, and Literary Fiction all appear in rapid succession. We then reach Katha Pollitt’s comical Thank You For Hating My Book.

No matter where we hail from, our culture and heritage has its own distinct language. “It is a language,” concludes Barry Lopez in Discovering Home Ground, “that keeps us from slipping off into abstract space.

Go Into The Light with Mike Silva and be content with Being A Minor Writer with Bruce Holland Rogers.

When all is said and done, Mary Pipher’s Writing In A New World cautions writers that sometimes language can be a weapon in itself. “We weaponize it when we use it to objectify, depersonalize, dehumanize and create an “other”.

Philip Martins sums things up by expressing the sentiments that “writing is a gift and we should try to use it for good. Take it seriously but don’t forget to laugh at yourself. Good writing comes from great passion and personal dedication.

Buy

Reviewed By Judi Silva
judi.silva@gmail.com
http://www.dark-horse-adaptations.com/
Originally published on Associated Content:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/1968/simran.html

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've 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.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Teaching Memoir Reviewed by Author Judi Silva

Title: New Directions In Teaching Memoir: A Studio Workshop Approach
Author(s): Dawn Latta Kirby and Dan Kirby
Publisher: Heinemann
ISBN-10: 0325006687
ISBN-13: 978-0325006680
My Rating - 4 out of 5

Reviewed By Judi Silva

This studio workshop approach for the genre of contemporary memoir is quite interesting, as it is written from the standpoint of the instructor who is teaching a class on writing memoir. Taking a look at the new direction in which the class is being taught, the authors of this book have taken their ideas from those which required a little over a decade to develop and then successfully implemented in classrooms and workshops across the country.

The concept of the book has a dual purpose. It is a “how-to-write” memoir, along with a “how-to-teach” writing memoir. The important tools for both are contained within its 195 pages of instruction, bibliography of memoirs and subsequent index.

The twelve well stocked chapters are broken down into the following: Chapters 1-3 cover background information and exploration in memoir writing. Chapters 4-11 are the meat ... the “how-to” create a memoir of your own. Chapter 12 is the extensive bibliography.

When you have finished this book, you will have learned how to read and write a memoir, along with thinking like a reader and like a writer of memoir. You will be equipped with the valuable tools which assist you in drafting, writing, revising, assembling, tracking, assessing and evaluating your memoir. Reflections and final thoughts round things out.

Various readings from other literary memoirs are cited to give excellent examples of how a memoir “should” read, such as in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Namesake and The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.

Charts, key questions and printouts help tremendously with the task at hand. Assembling and presenting your memoir is the best part of the entire project. Experiment with color, fonts and pictures. Be creative. It’s the story of your life. Seeing the finished product which is not only personalized but ready to share with others is very rewarding.

Just a side point, not mentioned in the book - watch the Mira Sorvino starrer Tarentella (1996). In it you will find an interesting example of a memoir, from which you can incorporate some ideas.

Buy New Directions In Teaching Memoir: A Studio Workshop Approach.


Reviewed By Judi Silva
judi.silva@gmail.com
http://www.dark-horse-adaptations.com/
Originally published on Assoicated Content:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/1968/simran.html

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've 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.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Brit Ron Morgans Treats Readers to New Thriller

Title: The Deadline Murderspart of the Fox & Farraday series.
Author: Ron MorgansWebsite:
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
ISBN: 9788461291632
Format: Paperback 320 pages
Publisher: Riverheron Publishing
Purchase:

Henrietta Fox is a paparazzo. A wild, flame-haired girl in biker’s boots and leathers, with an Irish temper. She rides a Yamaha on the streets of London stalking celebrities for the tabloid gossip pages. When a Chinese military plane explodes in a fireball before her camera, life for Henrietta Fox gets dangerous!

Five reporters across Europe have been murdered, each with their exotic, lop-eared Sumxu cats. Animals considered extinct for 300 years. Only Henrietta Fox knows why - and that knowledge could kill her.

To survive she must pursue a madman across China with partner CASS FARRADAY, an ex-Repton public schoolboy turned tabloid reporter with a devious line in interviews.

Only they can prevent an Armageddon assault on Britain’s Air Traffic Control. Fail and half a million lives will be lost.

AUTHOR: Ron Morgans lives on the Mediterranean writing mystery novels. The characters and plots he writes about are inspired by his years as an award winning photojournalist. He worked on eight UK National newspapers and covered the world’s major events with the top cameramen of his generation. He uses that experience to craft stories that move with breathtaking pace to excite and intrigue his growing band of readers.

BLURB: “The Deadline Murders is an exciting, unpredictable, thrilling page-turner of a book. I loved it.” ~ Piers Morgan – author, editor and judge of Britain’s/America’s Got Talent.

REVIEW: http://insearchofadam.blogspot.com/2009/04/weekend-reading-ron-morgans.html

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've 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.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Oh! That Blind Date Thing-- Revisited!

Eyes Wide Shut
Title: All Men Are Cremated Equal: My 77 Blind Dates
Author: Elizabeth Fournier
Genre: Women's NonFiction/Chick Lit
ISBN-13: 9780595533008
Format: Paperback, 212 pages
Publisher: iUniverse, Incorporated (January 2009)

Review by Cate Garrison, author OF MUTTS AND MEN, MIRANDA AND HER
DAUGHTERS, CHOICE CUTS OF LAMB


Elizabeth Fournier is a motorcycling, ballroom dancing, beer drinking mortician who decides to go on 77 blind dates; if that isn't a formula for success, I don't know what is. And, believe me, this page-turning, hilarious yet thought-provoking book lives up to the promises of its premises. Elizabeth's imagery is alive and glorious; her dialog pops off the page; the pictures she creates shout aloud with color. In
particular, the thumbnail sketches of the guys she dates are telling and resonant. We recognize these jerks; nay, we have dated them, if not blindly, then certainly (in my case) with our eyes closed. And her central character (herself) is beautifully drawn, quirky, half-vulnerable, half-brimming with confidence, at all times both totally empathetic and yet refreshingly unexpected. Buy this book for
your girlfriends (and boyfriends), and they will forever be grateful.

About the Author:

After she got over her dream of being a Solid Gold Dancer, Fournier promptly headed into the local funeral home and asked for a job, any job. She became the live-in night keeper which meant she resided in a trailer in the far reaches of a large, hilly cemetery and slept with a shotgun near her bed. It was the scariest summer of her life. She is currently the voice of the autopsy exhibit in the forensic wing at the United States National Museum of Medicine and a full-time mortician. She is also a ballroom dance instructor at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. But she couldn't resist writing the story of her unusual method of dating that led her to the love of her life.


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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.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Be Part of a Movement: Feel the Feng Shui Energy

Title: Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster
Author: Dr. Anna Maria Prezio
Purchase: Find it on Amazon or scroll down and click on the cover on the Amazon image below.

Synopsis:

Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster is part memoir, part guide. It is a result of a life long journey that begins in a tiny village in Italy where Anna Maria experienced her first metaphysical phenomenon. The book is so compelling that I wanted to share it with you:

Part I captures your attention with a ghostly first encounter of an intuitive and vulnerable 6 year old. The culture and experience of the author growing up in a rural and mystical village in Italy where ghostly occurrences and stories were part of every day life sets the stage for what would be a life-long study of the mystical and divine.

Part II describes Feng Shui, like medicine, as both an art and a science. Here, the definitions and different sects of Feng Shui are discussed to provide a backdrop for the connection between environmental balance and the appearance of spirits. Through Feng Shui mastery you will begin to understand the metaphysical and hidden knowledge as it applies to all aspects of our life here on earth. In this book, Dr. Prezio teaches you to create a better and more harmonious environment to uplift your spirit and raise your vibrations. As a result, your spirit is naturally in tune with creation and your divine self.

Part III delves deeper into the correlation between environment and entities with ideas, cures and stories about ghost-busting from Dr. Prezio's direct and extraordinary experiences.

This book promises to intrigue you from cover to cover. You will better understand yourself and the phenomenal world in which you live.

I encourage you to visit this link now and step into the prosperity and serenity you deserve:

http://www.confessionsofafengshuighost-buster.com/BookPromo.html

The inspiring mentors you will meet when you visit the link above want you to have this book so badly that they are willing to FREELY SHARE their very valuable wisdom and knowledge so Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster can transform your life and guide you toward your ultimate dreams.




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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.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Star Cynthia Brian Presents New Book for Teens

Be the Star You Are! for TEENS
By Cynthia Brian with 38 contributors
304 pages
Morgan James Publishers
Teen/Young Adult $17.95 ISBN: 9781600376320
Starstyle® Productions, LLC


It’s tough being a teen in the 21st century. With so many restrictions, requirements, and reality television obsessed with cultural messages focused on fame, fortune, beauty, and sex, it’s no wonder teens feel helpless, hopeless, and stressed out. Empowerment coach, TV/Radio personality, and best selling author, Cynthia Brian has worked tirelessly over the past two decades to encourage young people to reach for the stars. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 , a new book boasting thirty eight contributors from around the world, Be the Star You Are! for TEENS, will be released with all proceeds benefitting the charity.


Olesya Rulin, actress and star of High School Musical 1, 2, and 3 stated, " I wish I would have read this when I was a teen. It would have encouraged me to let go and be me. Individuality is crucial in life. This book helps explain why it is so important to stay true to yourself."

Be the Star You Are! for TEENS is a refreshing escape from sermons and rules. Instead you’ll read real life stories with real issue tools. Each easy to read short chapter is jam packed with simple strategies that you can implement immediately to survive and thrive. The book encourages you to embrace your individuality, find your passion, and ignite the flame that burns brightly within. “ In this book, Cynthia Brian provides stories and tools that will help teens honor their individuality and uniqueness while learning to deal with peer pressure in a positive way,” stated Patty Hansen, author of Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul.

Besides contributions by renowned best selling authors such as Dr. Bernie Siegel, M. J. Ryan, Libby Gill, and C. Hope Clark, teenagers from around the country are making their writing debut.

This book has garnered rave endorsements from educators, authors, celebrities, and CEO’s. Pro-surfer and teen inspiration, Bethany Hamilton, who suffered the loss of her arm from a shark attack wrote, “When I read a book it has to be like talking to a friend...this is it! Made me smile and surf a bigger wave!” Cassidy Freeman, Star of CW’s SMALLVILLE said, “I'm glad there's a book to help people of all ages realize that joy is more important than status and absolutely no one is better at being you.”

Whether you are a teen looking for answers, a parent, teacher, grandparent, or advisor searching for communication guidance, Be the Star You Are! for TEENS is a teen survival guide with pro-active positive steps in learning to major in success. Cynthia shared, “I’ve always strove to help young people uncover their inner genius. And as a woman who loves to garden, my real goal was to grow people.”

Be the Star You Are! for TEENS is in full bloom. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit Be the Star You Are!® 501c3 charity. (www.bethestaryouare.org)


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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.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Mother's Day Chapbook Reviewed by Poet Helena Harper

Poet Helena Harper, www.helenaharper.com, just reviewed She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections of Motherhood by Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson. So as not to steal any of her Mother's Day thunder, please go to her site to see the poems she chose to quote and see what she has to say about this ultimate in Gifts-for-Mother. It's at her blog http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/she-wore-emerald-then-cosmic-imagery.html.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've 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.