Fantasy Elucidates Autism

Title: There Are No Words
Author: Mary Calhoun Brown
ISBN: 978-09776300-2-8
Publisher: Lucky Press, LLC
Author's email: email@marycalhounbrown.com
Author's blog: http://blog.marycalhounbrown.com
Softcover $9.95
Hardcover: $22.00
Kindle: $4.95
Books available for purchase at the author's Web site. After Feb. 1, 2010, There Are No Words will be available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Reviewed by Dr. Ruth C. Sullivan, first President of the Autism Society of America.

This delightful and gentle fantasy is told in first person by Jaxon MacKenzie, a 12-year-old girl with autism. Mute and not in school, she lives with caring and good grandparents. She knows hurt when people outside the home sometimes speak down to her or say unkind things, as though she wasn't (sic) there.

In the house hangs an old oil painting in which a happy girl and boy are holding hands as they dance away from a large tree. One night the girl in the painting reaches out to Jaxon saying, 'come with us. We've been waiting for you.' Helped out to the 'other side of the painting' (as she calls it) by a spritely and happy Sarah, Jaxon begins to talk. She has new adventures, is touched by warm friendships and is moved by their acceptance of someone who is not like them. After some interesting--one dramatically tragic-- experiences-- she finds her way home.

Mary Calhoun Brown has given us an unusual path in getting to the story of autism. Young teenagers, their teachers and parents will be happy to have this one in their library.


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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.

For Budding Editors, Grammarians and Writers.

This may be off the subject just a tad but I thought I'd mention Darell House's CD for children because of its overall quality but expecially, for this audience of writers and lovers-of-English. His Speed -B-B-B-Bumps and Other Poems for Kids and Families (DBTB Productions) has a few poems in it that us word-loving types might want to memorize with our children. One might even put them music and sing them! One is "Write My Story Down" but there are others with subjects dear to the hearts of writers, too, and the others are all gentle and fun. So, if you know of a family or kidlets, this is a good one to pick up for them for the holidays. Find it at www.sonicbid.com/darrellhouse or 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.

Literary Novel Finds Publisher and High Approval

Shades of Luz
John Gorman
Genre: Fiction: Literary
ISBN 098409847X

Reviewed by Nannette Croce for A Book Review Blog

John Gorman's first novel Shades of Luz is a fun read, though I must admit I'm a little surprised it found a publisher. That's not criticism. It's just that the book is hard to classify, and classification末or genre末seems to carry far too much weight with agents and publishers these day. Happily All Things That Matter Press must be somewhat more flexible.

Shades of Luz is part coming-of-age novel and part love story and even a bit surreal at times. Benny Fluke is a 29-year-old still living at home and working on his Master's thesis, the subject of which he keeps changing. He meets the elusive Luz while selling stuffed animals for a fake charity, and from then on she threads through the story, popping in and out of his life, encouraging him to move out of his parents' house, eventually sharing his apartment, but always hovering between friend and lover. The story is enlivened still more by some oddball and humorous minor characters and Benny's unusual workplace where he goes from overseeing the monkeys who pick stocks on a dartboard to championship thumb wrestling within the same company. And then there's that strange secret about Benny's Mom.

As a Baby Boomer I'm used to thinking of coming-of-age novels dealing with teens, but 29 is probably on target for the current coming-of-age generation. One thing that did confuse me a bit about the novel was the time period in which it was set. While much of it seemed current, Benny's workplace seemed a little futuristic, though maybe it was just meant to be fantastic. Whatever, it added interest and humor.

I "met" John Gorman when I accepted and edited Boba Fett Blues, my last official job with The Rose & Thorn. So I wasn't surprised that Gorman is at his best in those scenes that reminisce on childhood and adolescence.

Here's wishing John Gorman success with Luz and all future endeavors.
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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.

Remember the Way Sheriff Taylor Taught Barney Fife the Facts of Life?

Your Name Here: Guide to Life
By Michael Rosenbaum
Genre: Nonfiction: Inspirational/Self-Help
Publisher: Barosum Books (July 23, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0982501625
ISBN-13: 978-0982501627

Reviewed for Amazon by Dave Armon
Reviewer's Rating: 5 Stars



When the sheriff of Mayberry passed along a nugget of knowledge on TV's "Andy Griffith Show," it was delivered in such a folksy manner that it didn't sound or look like a lecture or dressing down. That's the kind of common sense and good vibes I got while absorbing the words of wisdom in Michael Rosenbaum's thoroughly enjoyable read, Your Name Here' Guide to Life.

With the recession of 2008-2009 prompting many of us to take stock in our personal fortunes -- monetarily and spiritually -- Rosenbaum's collection of insights and commentary is an easy-to-digest pathway to tranquility. Everyone has personal heroes and demons. Few of us have taken time to write about them and turn them into anecdotes suitable for sharing with our kids to help them be better people.

From a purely financial perspective, the money spent on this book could save thousands of dollars in psychotherapy.

In one story, the author tied his father's guilt of returning unscathed from World War II to a lesson about the motivations of people who volunteer. Later, Rosenbaum equated his mother's need to keep lists of birthday gifts received by the family to the futility of keeping personal scorecards that make individuals feel inferior.

Without preaching or trying to recruit the reader to join a cult, Michael Rosenbaum fills a void missing since many of us lack an Andy Griffith in our lives.


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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.

Horse Lovers Alert! Betsy Kelleher Shares Her Love of Mares

Mares! (Ya Gotta LOVE ‘em)
Fifty Stories to Aid and Inspire Mare Owners
Compiled by Betsy Kelleher
Nonfiction Anthology
Xulon Press, 2008. $23.99
ISBN: 978-1-60477-547-1


Reviewed by Carol M. Upton for Horses All Magazine



Mares often require special handling before their best side is evident ~ Betsy Kelleher


In Mares! (Ya Gotta LOVE ’em), Betsy Kelleher has assembled a diverse collection of horse lovers' tales representing different breeds and backgrounds. Each of the fifty stories has one thing in common – each is an inspired tribute to the elusive Mare.

The book is also about women, and the essence of being female is an interwoven theme. The original true stories, written by 38 different mare owners, enlighten and entertain while introducing us to the seeming paradoxical nature of mares – from stubborn to loving to dangerous to protective and loyal.

Mary Wynn Craig’s Lisa, the quarter horse with the permanent scowl, will capture your heart. Trainer Ron Meredith includes an excellent article on Gender Differences: Training Mares. If you’ve ever loved and lost any horse, you’ll cry when young Erin Landers tells the tale of Duchess, her very first horse. You’ll root for Factor, the thoroughbred brood mare, in Chiropractic Saves a Life. Helen Farley sticks with her little bay Abby, despite repeated admonishments about mares being no good, in the touching Kindred Females.

This book acknowledges the unexplainable moments present in the lives of horse owners and encourages us to find God at work even in more difficult situations. Some of the stories are completely zany and others touch on profound sorrow, yet lessons of love and hope show up in each tender tale, alongside practical tips for handling your mare.

Mares! will leave a heartfelt impression and is an irresistible read for those moments when you just want to take care of you.

Author Biography:

Betsy Kelleher’s first riding horse was a Percheron mare from her grandfather’s work team on an Iowa farm. She writes a monthly column for the Illinois Horse Network newspaper. Her website, www.goduseshorses.com, shares her columns, horse photos, and information about her books. She is offering a Christmas special at: www.goduseshorses.com
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Ohhhh! For Halloween! The Horrible Hex!!

The Horrible Huckleberry Hex
By Alani M’echel Weathers
Publisher: Infinity Publishing
ISBN-10: 0741453282
ISBN-13: 978-0741453280
SRP: $9.95

Reviewed by The Kids Book Connection

Are you ready for a spooky story? Cross Goosebumps from R.L. Stine
and a bit of Scooby Doo, and you’ll come close to what you find in The Horrible Huckleberry Hex by Alani M’echel Weathers.

Eleven-year-old Jordan Davis, jumps in Aunt Desiree’s van to go on his first camping trip with his younger brother and twin sisters: Danny, Tiffany and Celeste. Little does he know that this camping trip will soon take a dangerous turn.

After setting up camp, the family hikes down a trail where they discover an ancient oak tree decorated with huge, juicy berries. Jordan soon discovers, however, that there might be more to those berries than them being huge and juicy. When he bumps into his friends, Kevin and Lei, they warn Jordan that those berries shouldn’t be consumed, especially by adults.

Jordan and his friends must race against time as they try to save Jordan’s siblings, and themselves, from an ancient curse that might doom them all!

Some of you might be too young to remember, but in the 90’s, Nickelodeon aired a show titled, Are You Afraid of the Dark?. A group of friends belonging to “The Midnight Society” would meet at a secret
location in the woods and one member would share a scary story with the rest of the group. The Horrible Huckleberry Hex is similiar,except for young Jordan Davis and his family, it’s not a story, it’s
really happening and it’s frightening.

The entire story is told from Jordan’s point of view and he is the only narrator, sharing the story and sometimes addressing the reader,which instantly connects that reader to the story. I would alsocompare it to Goosebumps by R.L. Stine because of its hair-raising action, and Scooby Doo deserves some mention because of the hilarious antics that this adventure creates. Weathers did an amazing job of combining all these elements, an ancient curse, and a diverse cast of characters to come up with a huge winner.

This book should be on every middle grade reader’s wish list. With a captivating and engaging storyline, a touch of humor, and several yummy-looking recipes The Horrible Huckleberry Hex by Alani M’echel Weathers is sure to thrill everyone who reads it!


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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.

Reading Rule: Don't Judge A Book by Its Cover

The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed
By Alex Austin
http://www.willcall.org
Mainstream Fiction
ISBN 978-1-60264-450-2
Publisher: Virtual Boookworm
Reviewer: Allison Vaughn
Review first published on Amazon.com
Reviewer's Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewed by Allison Vaughn



The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed is, by far, one of the best books
I have read recently.

On the surface, The Red Album of Asbury Park
Remixed doesn’t appear to be anything exciting – I wasn’t a fan of the
cover (although “Never judge a book by the cover” rings very true here)
and the synopsis did not pull me in. The cover just does not do this
magical and engaging story justice. I gave it a try, though, and – wow.
I am speechless. It’s going to be hard writing a review – because how
do you explain something so wonderful?

Sam has just returned from his stint in the military and on the way to
his mother’s new home, he meets a free (although heavily damaged) soul
named Jillian. Instantly drawn to her, and their mutual respect for
music -he finds himself torn between two women, one representing the
past and one who represents everything that could be. Meanwhile- Sam
wants nothing more than to make it big in the music industry, although
the town is small and the stakes are high. Sam is full of soul and
passion, qualities that are very admirable in a character. Sam is a
likable and truly realistic character that will you cheering for him
from start to finish.

Austin does a wonderful, amazing, absolutely phenomenal job at painting
a picture. Words are carefully chosen and sentences carefully
structured but flow easily as if writing is the most natural thing in
the world. Because I was born in the 80’s, I was not fortunate enough
to belong to the lifestyle of bell bottoms, hippies, and musicians
following the Beatles. After reading Austin’s novel, I feel like I
truly lived there. Like maybe – just maybe – I can now picture what
life was like back in the 60s. With real life situations (JFK’s &
Martin Luther King’s assassinations) mentioned in the time line of the
plot, the book felt real to me. It gave me that sense of wonder, as if
the book may possibly be based on true events. (I admit it, I looked up
the band name “Pan” without much luck.)

While I read The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed, I kept thinking what
a fabulous movie this would make and am hoping that someday Alex Austin receives such recognition that this would become an easy possibility.
For anyone who loves music and would love to read something new, I
definitely recommend The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed. Place it on
your “To-Read” list as it’s a worthy 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 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.