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.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Literary Novel Uses Internet as Enhancement

Book Title: Until the Deep Water Stills - An Internet-enhanced Novel
Author Name: Michael Robert Dyet
Novel Online Companion: www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog
Michael’s Blog: www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2 (Metaphors of Life Journal AKA
Things That Make Me Go Hmmm)
Genre: Literary Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-9811995-0-4
Publication Date: March 2009
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Reviewed by Marianne Paul, Author of Tending Memory, Twice in a Blue Moon
and Dead Girl Diaries



"Doomsday prophets who sound the death knell of this book shortchange the
artist and his abilities to find new ways to express himself.

In Until the Deep Water Stills, Michael Dyet offers a glimpse into the evolution of the novel, harnessing the new technologies to reveal layers of story in a way that can only be done in the electronic age. Dyet deftly uses the Internet
to create underlying strata, allowing the reader to slip away, if she wishes, from the third-person narrative of the novel to access the first-person intimacy of the blogs, diaries, letters, audio, and photo journals of the characters. When the reader returns to the main narrative, it is with deeper understanding, and sometimes astonishing new facts.

The story unfolds from a central event – the drug overdose death of a teenage girl at a rave. The aftershocks set out in ever-expanding circles, engulfing her parents, her aunt and uncle, and also a social worker using the death to promote her personal agenda of drug-free raves. Tragedy and misfortune rock the lives of the characters, but it is the emotional narrative beneath these events that is the epicenter of the novel. Secrets lie beneath the surface, as do fault lines beneath the earth. It is
private life to public life, subconscious mind to conscious mind, third person to first person - what we choose to reveal (or not) to those who are supposed to be our “intimates” – our spouses and partners.

Bryan speaks openly of his affair in his blog, telling strangers of his marital infidelity and his innermost thoughts, but not his politician wife, Grace. Jayce’s anger erupts so that he smashes a glass-top table in front of Katherine and their young daughter, but he can’t bring himself to share with his wife the one act of violence from his past that most plagues him. Katharine publicly communicates to her husband her desire to leave their marriage through the photographs she has chosen to display at the opening reception of her art show. Faith writes letters to the mother
who abandoned her at a young age, but doesn’t send them, choosing instead to view her mother from afar.

Marshall McLuhan said, "The medium is the message." He might have been peering into the future to see Dyet's novel, where the medium of the Internet enhances the story, certainly, but also, becomes the story,revelations offered to the reader in a way not possible in the hard-copy, print-static world of the past. The mode influences the telling."

~Marianne Paul
Author of Tending Memory, Twice in a Blue Moon and Dead Girl Diaries


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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, July 21, 2009

A Time Travel Romance Is Also Dark Fiction

The Space Between
A novel by Erik Tomblin
Dark Fiction/Time Travel Romance
ISBN: 978-0-615-24536-2
Blue Fair Books
5 stars


Reviewed by Kelly Perry for Amazon


I adore books that can entertain me, but don't require my undivided attention to enjoy. I'm also infatuated with books that can make me laugh, maybe cry a little, and then give me the happily-ever-after ending I so want. But my biggest affection, my deepest love, is held for those books that grant me space in the author's world and offer transcendence.

I read Erik Tomblin's latest and was completely entranced. Like street lights that seem to grow closer until they soon begin to appear as stars that were made just for you, strung out along the streets like hushed party lights, The Space Between shakes free and transforms the world around you.

Now while I could go on and break the story down for you, I think the synopsis pretty much covers it. And sure, I could describe the intoxicating atmosphere, the fluid pace, the three-dimensional characters or even Tomblin's powerful, yet subtle style of writing, but seriously...how fun would that be to read? My point exactly. No, much like trying to describe to someone the utter deliciousness of funnel cake or getting a Prada bag at bargain price, some things just have to be experienced.

I promise, you won't be let down.

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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, July 20, 2009

Brigitte A. Thompson Gives Writers a Dose of What They Need

Title: Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers
Author: Brigitte A. Thompson
Genre: Nonfiction, business
ISBN: 978-0963212382
Reviewer's rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by Michelle Dunn for Amazon

Review:

- Writers everywhere will be so happy to find this book! I am a writer, not a bookkeeper, but bookkeeping is a big part of being a writer. Unfortunately, many writers do not have bookkeeping or business skills. This book can help you tremendously with forming your business, setting up what you need to do legally, choosing a name, and documenting your income for the IRS. The forms included in this book are invaluable and make the process much easier and stremlined, including a freelance contract and subcontractor agreement. Save yourself much time and aggravation and use this book and the forms included to begin your successful writing career today! ----Michelle Dunn, columnist and author of eight books in the collecting money seri

Synopsis:

Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers addresses issues writers face daily such as how to deduct travel expenses, determine taxable writing income, and claim home office deductions.

Navigating through the recordkeeping required for a small business owner can be difficult. This book is written exclusively for those of us who earn money by writing. It includes useful information to help interpret the complexities of our federal tax code and proven techniques to reduce taxable income. T

hroughout the book we have included tips from both new and seasoned writers. In the Tips forSuccess feature writers share the wisdom they have acquired over time. In the Writer’s Block feature you will discover specific questions writers have submitted which, when answered, helpclarify points made about that topic.

You will also find that each part of this book works together to assist you in forming your overall business plan. Each chapter steps through a comprehensive plan that works as a building block towards a successful writing business.

Q&A/Interview:

An interview with Brigitte A. Thompson, author of eight financial books including the just released Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers published by Crystal Press.

Tell us what Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers is about.

Writers have many important questions to ask about income and expenses, but no single source for answers. I created this book, Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers, to be that source. It is an easy-to-understand guide to organizing a writer’s financial life.

This book addresses issues writers face daily such as how to deduct travel expenses, determine taxable writing income, and claim home office deductions. Navigating through the recordkeeping required for a small business owner can be difficult. This book is written exclusively for those of us who earn money by writing.

Readers will also find that each part of this book works together to assist in forming an overall business plan. The chapters take the writer through a comprehensive process that works as a building block towards a successful writing business.

Have you found that freelance writers require a different set of bookkeeping rules?

Many bookkeeping rules are universal such as the requirement to record income, but there are some areas of the tax law that are of more interest to freelance writers. This includes dealing with royalty payments, bartering, personal property and agent fees. My book addresses the universal tax rules as well as the infrequently discussed rules that apply specifically to freelance writers.

Learning how to document expenses and how to track income will give writers the best chance at overall business success.

What are some tax deductions that freelance writers might not be aware of?

There are many tax deductions available to writers. Some expenses are common, such as the cost of purchasing a case of paper or paying for a computer software upgrade. Other costs incurred in the operation of your writing business may not jump out at you as expenses when they could be.

For example, consider the following accounts.

Mileage: Trips made in your vehicle to pick up office supplies can be counted as a business deduction if you record the proper information to support it.

Meals: Treating your agent to a restaurant meal with the discussion focusing on your next book can also generate a tax deduction when properly documented.

Shipping: UPS charges and postage used to mail a query or review copy of your book can be a small expense, but it should still be tracked. Those small deductions add up and every penny spent as a qualified business expense will reduce the amount of income tax you owe.

Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers devotes an entire chapter to expenses including a comprehensive listing of expenses and detailed information regarding what documentation is required to support each one.

I'm sure you've observed other freelance writers making accounting missteps that cost them time and money. What are some of the most common issues and how can we avoid them?

The most common misstep I’ve seen with writers is not taking themselves seriously as business owners. This can lead to financial pitfalls. Many writers have been honing their craft for years so it’s hard to identify an official starting date for their self-employment. Without this point to mark the beginning, it is easy to put off tracking income and expenses. This can be an unfortunate mistake.

The IRS will consider you to be in business when you are actively pursuing projects intended to generate income and expenses. This means they will expect you to file a tax return to report those transactions. Keeping track of your income and expenses from day one will enable you to pay the least amount of income taxes on the money you earn.

Many people find numbers, especially when related to bookkeeping and taxes, intimidating. Will this book make these things easier to understand"?

Yes, my book breaks down complicated number crunching into easy to follow steps. By reading the book, readers will understand why it's important to keep certain receipts and how those pieces of paper factor into the overall success of their writing business. Sometimes knowing the reasoning behind a task makes it easier to complete.

Writers can take advantage of some wonderful tax deductions, but only when they are aware of the possibility and know how to accurately document the expenses. My book explains it all in a reader friendly format.

What are some of the challenges readers face with regards to bookkeeping?

I found the most common challenge writers face revolves around what they can claim as income and what counts as a tax deduction. For example, if their first job is writing the school newsletter, is the money received really income? Do they need to do something with the Internal Revenue Service before they can be considered a business? How do they handle selfemployment tax?

The second most common concern for the freelance writers is related to proper documentation.What receipts did they need to save? How should they be kept? What information needs to be recorded to prove the expense? These are all great questions and they are addressed in the book.

Why is it important for writers to understand bookkeeping?

Writers are earning money and this money needs to be reported as income on their income tax return. If writers do not have any expenses to claim, their taxable income will be higher and they will owe more income tax.

Understanding what can be claimed as business expenses when you are a writer and how to properly document these expenses will help ensure the success of your business.

The most important thing you can do as a writer is to become organized. There are many books available on how to organize your writing, but this is the best book available about how to organize the financial side of your writing business.


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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, July 18, 2009

Christy Tillery French Reviews New Memoir

Letting Go: An Ordinary Woman’s Extraordinary Journey of Healing and Transformation
Author: Nancy A. Kaiser
Genre: Memoir/Self-Help
ISBN: 9780981463323
Publisher: Visual Impressions Publishing


Reviewed by Christy Tillery French for Midwest Book Review


With five short words (“I never wanted this house”), Nancy Kaiser’s world came to a screeching halt. Nancy and her husband Bob had retired to North Carolina, where they planned to build their dream home on a mountain they chose as their special place. Before the house was finished, Bob said these words to Nancy, and from that point on, her world tilted and her life became off-balance. Alone, six hundred miles from family and friends, nothing seemed to go right for Nancy. On her own, she had to face the deaths of dear friends and beloved animal companions, as well as problems that kept cropping up with the house she moved into, all while dealing with the trauma of divorcing her husband.

Although the title describes Nancy as an “ordinary woman”, perhaps a more appropriate nomenclature would be an exceptional person in tune with nature, who not only understands the connection between animals and humans but also is able to communicate with animals. Nancy is a woman dedicated to finding her center through spiritual and cerebral means, pitting ego against soul, learning to love herself, trust her decisions, and focus on the positive instead of the negative. This outstanding book leads the reader through Nancy’s soul-searching journey of transformation, from a woman filled with anger and rage and negativity to one who is at peace with herself and her feelings and has learned to let go of the things she cannot control. The reader will feel Nancy’s pain as she struggles and rejoice with her as she begins to progress toward her life’s goal. The lessons learned in this book are of great significance and will gift the reader with a better understanding of “self”. Highly recommended.


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

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Self-Help Book (With Humor) Keeps You on Track

Title: Hindsight: What You Need to Know Before You Drop Your Drawers
Author: Maryanne Comaroto
ISBN-13: 0974661007
Genre: self-help, sex, relationships
Publisher: Bridge the Gap publishing

Have you noticed that you have a knack for attracting Mr. Wrong (or Not-Exactly-Right)? When it comes to relationships, timing is everything. Knowing what you need to know before you drop your drawers can save you tons of heartache, money and time. For some of us, finding a man any man totally eludes us. While others have become adept at finding a man, he is rarely the right man, and rarely does the relationship last, nor should it.

Let's face it, there isn't much worse than literally and figuratively waking up to the reality that we have been sleeping with disaster. Hindsight: What You Need to Know Before You Drop Your Drawers guides the reader through the challenges of dating and mating in the twenty-first century and shares powerful solutions on how to find the RIGHT man, get him, and keep him, so you are fully equipped to create healthy, sustainable, fulfilling relationships.

Maryanne Comaroto (Maryannelive.com) has been inspiring people to create and attract healthy relationships for nearly a decade. In HINDSIGHT she reveals the six tools you must have in your tool belt to create the perfect mate. Maryanne takes you through the toxic choices we make in dating, and then teaches you how to turn six tools into lifelong skills and Self-Love Prescription exercises designed to help you achieve mastery.

Since HINDSIGHT begins within, your relationship with yourself is the first place to start. You will learn: How to tell the frogs from the princes/princesses What you truly want and how to create it Ways to remove the blockages you have with men and relationships The steps on the journey from selling yourself to your sacred self that will attract your perfect mate How to manifest the relationship of your dreams into reality To lighten up and have fun discover the JOY of your own life While the truth can often hurt, it can also be hysterical. The journey through Hindsight will have you laughing and learning your way to healthier relationships.

Maryanne's book is applicable for just about anyone – single or not – as it focuses on the priority we should place on learning to be in tune with OUR OWN SELVES. It's then up to us how we choose to take this knowledge into our relationships! A great read for anyone feeling there has to be a better way to be in a relationship, or for someone who just wants help figuring themselves out! Maryanne tells it like it is in a way that encourages and inspires!

~Alexis James
(synopsis first published on Amazon

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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, July 15, 2009

Patricia Delois' New Book Reviewed

Title: Bufflehead Sisters
Author: Patricia Delois
ISBN-13: 978-0425227770
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Berkley Trade

Reviewed by Karyn Hall
Review first published by Amazon

Janet lives an ordinary life with an ordinary family, growing up
against a backdrop of the Vietnam War and the growth of the drug
culture. Her parents struggle for a balance between compassion and
control. Janet yearns for a sister, a Thelma for her Louise. Then
Sophie enters her life. Patricia DeLois has Janet describe Sophie as
follows: "Her hair was a nest of blond curls that made me think of
Goldilocks, and there was a smug look about her mouth that suggested
she might have already helped herself to someone's porridge and found
it just right." Turns out, this is actually foreshadowing of events
to come in Sophie and Janet’s lives.

DeLois writes with a magic wand. "One day in late winter, Sophie
suggested we dig our way to another country. Not China, she said--they
would look for us there. We would dig a hole halfway to China, and
then we would veer off toward Amsterdam."

DeLois enters the world of two children and shows the reader both how
Sophie viewed her dysfunctional family and how Janet viewed her own
parents as well as her relationship with the Sophie. The author is as
adept at showing the child's view as she is the adolescent view. The
imagery she creates is so realistic you'll think you're back in your
high school lunchroom, hoping against hope a certain boy will sit with
you and scorning the girls who have reputations. But this is an adult
book that holds a mirror to the ways we judge others.

A coming of age story, a book about heartbreak and the ways women and
men struggle with their wounds, and a tale of everyday lives,
Bufflehead Sisters is all that. It is also a look at having friends
who are different than you and how that affects your life and your
character. You may see yourself in the pages.

There's something special about Sophie. Every one who meets her thinks
so, though not in the same ways. This reader agrees, and probably not
in the same way as you.

I found Bufflehead Sisters to be an enjoyable book. I cared about the
characters and the conflicts they faced. I also looked again at the
choices I’ve made in 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.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Mary Jean Kelso's New Book Reviewed

Title: Back to the Homestead
Author Mary Jean Kelso
Genre: Western Fiction
ISBN 978-1-59705-431-7.
Publisher: Wings Press


Reviewed by Claudia Valiquet, publicist/literary agent

Mary Jean Kelso’s historical romance, Life on the

Homestead
, was not only entertaining, but also informative about western life! Western fiction has been a passion of mine now for several years. I confess that Louis L’Amour is my favorite and I actually get a little bored with Zane Grey. Ms. Kelso’s book, while teaching me some new facts about life on the range, kept me in suspense the whole way through and I didn’t want to stop reading.

I fell in love with the Westerman family and agonized along with them as they dealt not only with the day-to-day chores and other tribulations that western pioneer families faced, but also with great adversities such as mental illness, cattle rustling, and severe childhood illness. Ms. Kelso dealt with racism as Charlie Cooper and his new wife, Effie Mae, a black couple settling onto the range, have to fear for their lives.

Despite all of the drama in the book, there are some wonderfully humorous portions, too, especially the marble game and a small matter about one boy who is not very good at handling guns. The book is action-packed and flows well, yet there is no blood or death--which is very refreshing. I’m ready for more!


Available through wings-press.com or ask for it at your favorite book store.

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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.