Transgender Protagonist Leads Readers to Better Understanding

TITLE: She's My Dad
AUTHOR: Iolanthe Woulff
AUTHOR SITE: www.iolanthewoulff.com
GENRE: Fiction: Social Suspense/Contemporary/LGBT
ISBN: 9781432744052 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 9781432743772 (Trade Paperback)
PUBLISHER: Outskirts Press (November 13, 2009)



Reviewed by Erin N. for Luxury Reading

REVIEWER RATING: SHE'S MY DAD has been included in Vera's "Year's Best Books" list: http://www.luxuryreading.com/2009/10/years-best-books.html


In today’s society, absolutely no one is immune to the forces of hate in the world. Terrorist attacks, hate groups, and xenophobic neighborhoods, towns, and even nations are all appalling reminders that citizens of the world live daily with fear. But, how often is the hate within ever addressed? Due to blind prejudice, it doesn’t take much for an average working American, or even a well respected financial baron, to build a bomb and “set it off like some primitive Arabian towel-head,” as evidenced in this book and the news every night.

She’s My Dad brings this terrifying hate to the forefront in a spell binding and dynamic way. The story begins in a small town in Virginia. A wealthy man disowns one of his sons because of his homosexuality, only to have that very son be his only surviving heir. In an effort to shine a light on the inherent hate within our society, that son turns his vast fortune, and even his home, into a university whose ideals are integration and acceptance. Despite his noble efforts, the small town that is the home to this university isn’t enlightened enough to deal with its existence, and the locals harbor a hatred for the institution and everything it stands for.

Flash forward. An intelligent and engaging woman returns to the university 25 years after graduation to take up the mantle of a professor. A journalism major discovers the secrets of this woman’s past; she is a transgendered woman and, through a youthful indiscretion with a married local woman, is the father of a local boy. This boy has been raised in a home of hatred and intolerance. The new professor’s appointment to the university’s staff forces the staff, the students, the town, and her own son to finally address the prejudice inherent within themselves.

She’s My Dad is an action packed story with a great deal of insight into the human heart. Woulff creates a cast of characters that are fascinating and cause the reader to care about what happens to them. She’s My Dad is more than just a novel, it is an experience.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER: Erin fell in love with the written word as a small child and subsequently spent most of her life happily devouring literature. She works as a freelance news, marketing, and technical writer. Erin lives just outside of Cleveland, Ohio with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Like her title character Nickie Farrell, Iolanthe Woulff is a transsexual woman. A fifty-nine-year-old Princeton-educated English major, she lives in Palm Springs, CA, where for several years she wrote a column in a local magazine about the challenges of gender transition. As the eldest child of author Herman Wouk, storytelling has always been dear to Ms. Woulff's heart. Her hope is that besides providing a suspenseful read, She's My Dad will help to dispel some of the widespread misconceptions about transsexual people.


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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.
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Rave Review for John Klawitter's New Release

The Rogue Pirates Bible Heretical
By John Klawitter
ISBN-10: 1-55404-716-1
ISBN-13: 978-1-55404-716-1
Genre: Science Fiction
eBook Length: 214 Pages
Published: December 2009
Imprint: Double Dragon Publishing

http://tinyurl.com/PirBib1
The Rogue Pirates Bible Heretical

Tales from the Biblical Zone
by John Klawitter

Review by Mary Therese Burns-De Francesco, Rome , Italy
~~ Rome correspondent for the La Gazzetta Italiana newspaper

Whymiscal, very human take on previously chiselled in stone biblical characters by author John Klawitter, who did for the Bible what Douglas Addams did for space travel with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Klawitter brings home the characters and shows us they're good old guys and gals just like us, who happened to live in an amazing time full of burning bushes, angelic apparitions and thunder strikes on cue. Not to mention neanderthals, aliens and pirate spaceships....

Klawitter's other works also show an admirable capacity for understanding human nature and society as is, not how we wish it were, and his characters often feel like we already know them, they are quite believable, in effect. Many of his books are chock full of action like a Hollywood movie and it's hard to put them down, he did the same in this collection of short tales, one wants to read it over and over again and wishes there were more stories to read. I am an old fan of John Klawitter's work, I enjoy his mature tales, like only a master storyteller can tell them. I am enamoured of this world he invented, of the frame of the Rogue pirates to tell these age-old stories with a new twist, I really would love to see more development of the space pirate theme, I can't get enough of it, my mind keeps wondering about that world in my free time, I hope that John Klawitter will reveal more of that world to readers in the future.

A thumbs up to The Rogue Pirates Bible Heretical.

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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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

The Really OK, Not OK Book

I'm Not OK, You're Not OK, But That's OK With God: Finding the Humor and Healing in Life
By Shelley Hussey
ISBN 9780615199368
Publisher: Harper Ink


Reviewed By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, an Amazon Vine Voice


Prospective readers of "I'm Not OK" should know, I am not an officianado of inspirational self-help books. I have read enough of them to know that most are not written by writers--especially the ones on the bestselling lists--thus I don't seek them out. Usually one can't detect a voice or personality behind the advice. Thus, it's difficult to related to those giving the advice and certainly they aren't much fun to read.

"I'm Not OK" is different. It is full of humor. One would expect that from the subtitle. But it's also full of heart and, yes, one can detect a real person--and I'm thinking writer, too--behind the chapters and paragraphs.

Find the chapters titled "From Band-Aid Soup to Nuts." Find "The Fleeting Peace of Mind Zip Code" and "Fred Goes to the Not OK Corral." Here is a book that is full of anecdote, personal experience (read that "trusted experience") and, yep! Inspiration.
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Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi award-winning novelist, poet and author of the HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and retailers.




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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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Birts Write Illustrate Book for Kids

Title: Ian Wakes Up
Author: Pat Birt
Publisher's Book Store :
http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=64737
Illustrator : Rob Birt

Genre : Childrens Color Picture/Easy Reader
ISBN : 9781449012137

Reviewed by Julie Rugh for Amazon

Supports teaching morning routine,

Ian Wakes Up is about a child's morning routine from climbing out of bed,to dressing, eating breakfast etc...all the things we do before leaving the house to start our day. The illustrations are bright, colorful and cheery...while simple and easy for the child to understand prior to being able to read the words. A wonderful tool for reinforcing those morning steps to a pre-schooler as they learn to do for themselves.

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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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Poodle and Doodle and Fun Story for Kids

Poodle & DoodleTitle: Poodle and Doodle
Written by: Donna J. Shepherd
Illustrated by: Jack Foster
Soft cover: 20 pages
Ages: up to 12 years
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing
Print ISBN: 978-1-61633-017-0 ; 6161330171
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-61633-018-7 ; 161633018-X
Price: $10.95 – Soft cover
$9.95 – E-book CD
$5.00 – PDF or Flip Zipped E-book

Reviewed by Donna M. McDine

The balance of friendship can be a difficult one to understand. At times one may feel they are overshadowed by a friend and become frustrated. Poodle and Doodle by Donna J. Shepherd explores an unexpected friendship in this delightful rhyming story of two distinctly different dogs.

What comes forth through the eyes of one fancy poodle pup, Angel, is her own insecurities of having another dog around. When Scruffy, a cross between Poodle and Labrador is brought home by their owner, Leah, havoc ensues wherever Scruffy goes. His less than stellar manners appall Angel until the “ah-ha” moment that Scruffy is not so bad and is actually fun to have around.

Shepherd wonderfully brings to life real life issues all humans contend with in finding their place with friends. Most of all, we are all individuals whether canine or human and should appreciate the positives in all we meet.

Illustrator, Jack Foster brings the canine characters to life with their young owner, Leah, making it an adventure to read over and over again.

To learn more about author Donna J. Shepherd visit: http://www.donnajshepherd.com and http://www.poodleanddoodle.blogspot.com.

Visit and explore Jack Foster’s colorful world at: http://www.jacktoon.blogspot.com.

Reviewer Donna M. McDine will help you post your media releases? Contact: Dynamic Media Release Services: http://www.donnamcdine.com/dynamicmediareleases.html Find her at: http://www.donnamcdine.com and her Write What Inspires You Blog: http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Memoir Serves As Self Help, Too!

Book: The Therapist's New Clothes
By: Judith D. Schwartz
Blog: http://litadventuresinpod.blogspot.com
Genre: Memoir
ISBN/UPC: 9781605710341
Publisher: Shires Press


Reviewed by Carla Cantor for Amazon.com


In The Therapist's New Clothes, Judith D. Schwartz takes us on a journey of self-discovery. Haunted by her grandmother's suicide, the author has spent most of her adult years trying to resolve emotional problems with her for as long as she can remember. But despite years of self-analysis and psychotherapy, she is unable to hold onto happiness. Her quest to conquer her demons takes on an even greater urgency once she marries and has a child. Desperate for answers, Schwartz seeks out a string of clinicians with whom she forges close, symbiotic relationships as they struggle to piece together the puzzle of her childhood. At the same time, she decides to
become a therapist herself.

Schwartz's pursuit of a tranquil psyche unfolds like a detective story, from New York to Chicago to Vermont and back and forth in time. The author moves deftly between early years and present-day life and provides an uncommon peek into the private worlds of therapy sessions and clinician training.

A "good patient" and a caring, astute beginning therapist, Schwartz
understands the ins and outs of concepts like transference and projection.
She clings to a personal narrative that includes guilt and parental blame
for a case of childhood mumps that may that (or may not) have caused her
brother's vision problems. Schwartz views emptiness and self-loathing, her
constant companions, as "old" feelings dredged up in therapy, to be worked
out in therapy - preventing her from realizing that the therapy itself has
become addiction that is keeping her from discovering a better way.

We root for this intelligent, insightful woman to unlock the key to her
misery and stop beating herself up, which she eventually does, sort of. One
gets the feeling at the end of the book that there are more chapters to be
written, new narratives and aha moments for the analytic Schwartz - but
that's okay. We can look forward to them.

In the meantime, Schwartz's cautionary tale will be inspiring to others and
make readers think. Aside from sharing a moving personal tale, Schwartz
broaches important questions - about the relationship between mind and body,self and biochemistry, and the meaning of happiness. Her story challenges us to take a look at own narratives and how they influence our perception of who we are in the world.

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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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Polishing up Your Media Releases with "The Frugal Book Promoter"

The Frugal Book Promoter
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
ISBN 193299310X
Star Publish
Pages 282 Includes Index
Winner USA Book News Best Book Award, and Book Publicists of Southern California's Irwin Award


Reviewed by Author and Radio Host Constance M. Gotsch

As the program director for a public radio station, thrice-published author, and publicist for a couple of arts organizations in my home town, I deal with releases all the time. Some of the people who send me stuff should read The Frugal Book Promoter. Carolyn Howard-Johnson is full of ideas on how to focus promotions, and how to make them attractive to any medium--radio, TV, the net, print, and more. To grasp all the information she's managed to pack into 243 pages, counting the index, would take multiple readings.

Though aimed mostly at authors The Frugal Book Promoter can be useful to anyone doing publicity. Ms. Howard-Johnson's ideas adapt as well to the Red Cross as they do to a hot romance to read in the airport.

The Frugal Book Promoter will be a dog-eared reference on my writer's shelf both at work and at home until it falls apart from over work, and I have to spring for a new copy.
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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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post: