Perfect Thoughtful (and Frugal!) Valentine's Gift

Title: Cherished Pulse Unconventional Love Poetry

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball
Chapbook , 35 pages
Poetry
$6.95
ISBN: 978 1449546052
Also available for Kindle


Entertaining Read …….. Recommended … 5 stars

Reviewed by Molly Martin

Magdalena Ball presents the first 10 poems; from the haunting lyric found in ‘The Ocean,’ strength of ‘Great Sky,’ and stark reality of ‘Dark Matter,’ poet Ball moves the reader toward her final though provoking reflective work; ‘Baker’s Dozen’. Other titles by poet Ball include; Event Horizon, Personality, Body Language, Aurora, Galactic Collision, and Oubliette.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s poems begin with the delicate refrain found in ‘A Woman's Heart.’ ‘Dreaming Lilacs,’ move the reader into a scented, heart felt remembrance before moving on to a playful stanza ‘Hallmark Couldn't Possibly Get This Right.’ Poet Howard-Johnson’s last offering is a poignant introspective ‘Loving Lance.’ Other titles by this poet include; Watching My Daughter Say Goodbye To a Fleeting Love, Another Day, déjà vu?, Discovery, From the Observation Deck, LA Love Story.
Poets Ball and Howard-Johnson have joined forces to create an oeuvre of exquisite work. Readers are offered a rhythmical extravagance as Ball and Howard-Johnson draw upon their journey of life to give rise to an tour de force of superlative work. These bards have crafted an admirable read for their target audience of those who enjoy lyrical offerings. Readers are sure to be captivated in a most charming manner while reading the words offered by this pair of sensitive, forthright women whose evident ardor for life is aptly captured on the pages of this work.
Cherished Pulse: Unconventional Love Poetry is a pleasurable collection of buoyant, spirited poetry sure to pique the interest of the most discerning reader who is looking for a nice afternoon’s read. Each of the verses is a true delight. There is something for everyone. Language use is not predictable, nevertheless Cherished Pulse is an invigorating read of agreeably constructed stanzas presented in a satisfactorily rounded assortment. The reader will be drawn into the verses’ rich stitching of sentiment, passion and sensation.

On the pages of Cherished Pulse poets Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson move the reader along an voyage of poignant remembrance and encouraged expectations through the panorama of emotive setting. On the pages of Cherished Pulse Lyrists Ball and HowardJohnson have shaped a enticing publication of some of their most excellent compositions. Verses entice the reader with a multiplicity of intensely felt verses penned about human emotion. Fervor for life surges from the page as these rhymes are enjoyed. Verses filled with tenderness, perceptiveness and consideration are included. Readers, those who are admirers of poetry and those who are not, are certain to find much to enjoy Cherished Pulse. Everyday issues of life tuned into an appealing work is not an easy task. Bards Ball and Howard-Johnson have succeeded admirably.
Cherished Pulse is meant to be read and then re read as longing and inclination strikes. Each rhyme only gets better. The work lends itself well to the gift book tuck in market.
Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend. A delightful read for all poetry lovers whiling away a lazy afternoon in the porch swing with a tall iced tea or mint julep nearby.


Learn more about reviewer Molly Martin at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mollymartin and
http://www.AuthorsDen.com/mjhollingshead. She has taught in California classrooms for more than twenty years.

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

Al Chase Expertly Reviews Satirical Novel

Title: Whom God Would Destroy

Author: Commander Pants
Author's website link:  http://www.whomgodwoulddestroy.com/
Genre: Black comedy/Satire (w/a wee bit of science fiction thrown in for good measure)
ISBN: 978-0-578-01889-8

Reviewed by Al Chase
Reviewer rating: 5 stars (out of 5)


"How could I not be intrigued about a novel written by someone who calls himself "Commander Pants." The novel deals with a variety of issues in a "novel" way: a vengeful God, the foibles of consumerism run amok, aliens, abuse of medication, psychiatry and mental illness. The cover of the book adds a nice fillip: "A novel about taking reality with a pillar of salt." That tells you just about everything you need to know about the author's sense of humor and sense of irreverence.
Dostoevsky, in the monumental Grand Inquisitor section of "The Brothers Karamazov," deals with the question of what would happen if Jesus came back to earth in human form. This book takes a slightly more twisted approach to the same line of inquiry. The result is a rollicking romp through Jeremy's impact on a world much in need of a Messiah. There is a bell - think of the Gold's horseradish commercials! -that plays a significant role throughout the narrative. There is a motley assemblage of characters, beginning with the over-the-top Yiddishisms of Mrs. Zeidel, the long-suffering widow who has the misfortune to live a floor below Abbey. Abbey has issues, some of which are being attended to by her "worker" - her "Outreach Counselor" Oliver. There are the denizens of The Peaceful Breeze Inn halfway house, described as the "last refuge of Ripley's lunatics, drug addicts and alcoholics." (Page 7) One of the most colorful of those residents is Doc, a Vietnam era vet who is still fighting multiple wars in his head. His psychiatrist, Dr. Smart, is trying to make sense of Doc's ravings about alien visitations while trying to find a therapeutic dose for the Prolixin that he has prescribed. Throw in a few more characters from Oliver's agency, a mysterious letter-to-the-editor that gets several pairs of knickers in a twist, a local access cable TV show hosted by Jeremy and you have the makings for a wild and crazy ride.
I do not want to give away too much of the plot, because it is delicious fun - as delicious as, say, "two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun"! That quotation will make sense to you as you near the novel's denouement.
Reading this book felt much like reading the good-humored blasphemies of Christopher Moore's "Lamb," or the innocent insanity of "A Confederacy of Dunces."
Here's how you will know if this book is for you. If you smile and nod knowingly when you read this quotation by Voltaire that adorns the first page of the novel, then you will be safe in ordering this book from Amazon:
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."

Drink the Kool-Aid! Laugh -at the book and at yourself.

Enjoy!"

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

Help for Unlearning Pain

Unlearn Your Pain: A 28-Day Process to Reprogram Your Brain
By Howard Schubiner, MD
Author's Web site: http://www.unlearnyourpain.com/
271 pages
Mind Body Publishing, Pleasant Ridge, MI
Publication Date: March 23, 2010
Retail price: $25.00
ISBN # 978-0-9843367-0-8



Synopsis
Based upon cutting-edge research and written by an esteemed research physician, Unlearn Your Pain demonstrates that most chronic pain is caused by learned nerve pathways. Learned nerve pathways produce real pain that is typically triggered by injury and/or significant stressful events. This simple, yet revolutionary concept is the basis for a treatment approach that has been proven to be effective in research studies. Unlearn Your Pain provides the reader with the scientific basis for understanding the cause of their pain and a comprehensive step-by-step self-help guide that includes therapeutic writing exercises and meditations to reverse it.







About The Book

Do you suffer from chronic pain that appears to have no medical cause? Many of us suffer needlessly from pain diagnosed as migraines, tension headaches, fibromyalgia, or chronic neck, back, abdominal, and pelvic pain, when the real cause is Mind Body Syndrome.

Using cutting-edge research, this book demonstrates that the underlying reason for much chronic pain is nerve sensitization and learned nerve pathways, rather than actual tissue destruction. Dr. Schubiner has used this new understanding to develop a unique program to actually reverse pain and research studies support the effectiveness of the program. By reading this book, you'll be able to determine if you have this syndrome and then learn how to overcome it. The program in this book gives you therapeutic writing exercises, a CD with four meditations, and everything else you need to unlearn your pain.

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

Writers' Services Editor Reviews Handy Editor's Helper

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Author's Web Site: www.howtodoitfrugally.com
ISBN 978 2450507653
Genre: Reference/Writers
54 page booklet
$6.95
Available for Kindle


Reviewed by Jennifer Akers for Squidoo

Writers know that their stories come to light after the editing process. You tighten sentences, fix typos, look for flow and correct errors. There are plenty of words that can be confusing, and author Carolyn Howard-Johnson offers a list of “word trippers” – words that sound alike and words often confused or commonly misused.
This 54-page booklet includes word trippers like:

alright / all right
anxious / eager
every day / everyday
further / farther
gage / gauge
lose / loose
to lie / to lay
peddling / pedaling
peaked / peeked / piqued
setup / set up
sight / site / cite
waiver / waver

Some entries include words we probably know, such as the difference between lose and loose, yet they often are mistyped and not corrected. The book lists words in alphabetical order, and each entry includes a short explanation on the proper usage. Sometimes, the word is antiquated and shouldn’t be used anymore. Other times, it’s a difference in American versus British English. It also explains the best word choice, so you don’t rub an editor (or other gatekeeper) the wrong way.

In addition to the word combination, the book includes singular words that are often misused. Have you used “enable” or “mischievious” in your writing? Find out why you shouldn’t use either one.


It’s hard to get our words into the hands of readers. At the very least, your work shouldn’t get tossed at the starting gate. Your copy needs to be error free, which shows professionalism and experience.


This booklet isn’t the final word on editing, and it’s not meant to be. Howard-Johnson shares these common word trippers from her experience as an editor and author. The booklet is a valuable resource, and one you should have in your purse, briefcase or book shelf.


You can flip through the book to look for a word you’re struggling with, or you can do what I did: read the entire book in one sitting. I found some gems I wouldn’t have otherwise seen if I skipped through entries. It’s short, easy-to-use and peppered with Howard-Johnson’s vast knowledge in publishing. This booklet is now sitting on my desk and always within arm’s reach. I highly recommend Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy for your library.

~Jennifer Akers is a Squidooer extraordinaire and  runs a copyright service at http://jenniferakers.com/professional-writing-services/  She edits many online sites including MyShelf.com.






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

Satire and Science Fiction Blend Reviewed

Title: Whom God Would Destroy

Author: Commander Pants
Author's Web site link: http://www.whomgodwoulddestroy.com/
Genre: Black comedy/Satire (w/a wee bit of science fiction thrown in for good measure)
ISBN: 978-0-578-01889-8

Reviewed by  Al Chase for WhiterHinoReport
Reviewers link: /2010/12/mini-review-of-whom-god-would-destroy.html

Reviewer rating: 5 stars (out of 5)



I have permission from the author of the review to send it to you.



Here is the review (and thanks in advance):



"How could I not be intrigued about a novel written by someone who calls himself "Commander Pants." The novel deals with a variety of issues in a "novel" way: a vengeful God, the foibles of consumerism run amok, aliens, abuse of medication, psychiatry and mental illness. The cover of the book adds a nice fillip: "A novel about taking reality with a pillar of salt." That tells you just about everything you need to know about the author's sense of humor and sense of irreverence.



Dostoevsky, in the monumental Grand Inquisitor section of "The Brothers Karamazov," deals with the question of what would happen if Jesus came back to earth in human form. This book takes a slightly more twisted approach to the same line of inquiry. The result is a rollicking romp through Jeremy's impact on a world much in need of a Messiah. There is a bell - think of the Gold's horseradish commercials! -that plays a significant role throughout the narrative. There is a motley assemblage of characters, beginning with the over-the-top Yiddishisms of Mrs. Zeidel, the long-suffering widow who has the misfortune to live a floor below Abbey. Abbey has issues, some of which are being attended to by her "worker" - her "Outreach Counselor" Oliver. There are the denizens of The Peaceful Breeze Inn halfway house, described as the "last refuge of Ripley's lunatics, drug addicts and alcoholics." (Page 7) One of the most colorful of those residents is Doc, a Vietnam era vet who is still fighting multiple wars in his head. His psychiatrist, Dr. Smart, is trying to make sense of Doc's ravings about alien visitations while trying to find a therapeutic dose for the Prolixin that he has prescribed. Throw in a few more characters from Oliver's agency, a mysterious letter-to-the-editor that gets several pairs of knickers in a twist, a local access cable TV show hosted by Jeremy and you have the makings for a wild and crazy ride.



I do not want to give away too much of the plot, because it is delicious fun - as delicious as, say, "two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun"! That quotation will make sense to you as you near the novel's denouement.



Reading this book felt much like reading the good-humored blasphemies of Christopher Moore's "Lamb," or the innocent insanity of "A Confederacy of Dunces."



Here's how you will know if this book is for you. If you smile and nod knowingly when you read this quotation by Voltaire that adorns the first page of the novel, then you will be safe in ordering this book from Amazon:



"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."



Drink the Kool-Aid! Laugh -at the book and at yourself.



Enjoy!"






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

Humor Mixes with Literary in My Barsetshire Diary

My Barsetshire Diary: The Daily Events of the Gentry Recorded for Posterity (Volume 1)
By Lord David Prosser
Publication Date: Dec 30 2010
ISBN/EAN13: 1456479776 / 9781456479770
Page Count: 184
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size:  5.25" x 8"
Language: English
Related Categories: Humor / General

Blurb by Gary Morgenstein. Mediablvd.com



"An extraordinary new book. combining great charm with biting wit. Life in a small village unfolds in the timeless fashion that unites the great British writers past and present." ~ Gary Morgenstein. Novelist/Playwright.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Deb Hockenberry Reviews Based-On-A-True Story Fiction

TITLE: Coming Up For Air

AUTHOR: Rose Mary Boehm
PUBLISHER: The Black Leaf Publishing Group http://www.blackleafpublishing.com/
PAGES: 346
FORMAT: Paperback, Kindle
PRICE: Paperback: $18.71 (US), £14.24 (UK), Kindle: $9.99 (US), £7.46 (UK)
ISBN-10: 1907407073
ISBN-13: 9781907407079



This is the story of Anne Marie Becker who grew up during World War II. She was only two-years-old when the bombs started falling. As the author states, part of this novel is fiction, part fact and part autobiographical. In any case, Coming Up For Air is a hard book to put down.


Through her excellent writing, Ms. Boehm transports us right into the war and shows us all the horrors and atrocities that happened then. As we watch Anne Marie grow up we experience her first love and then date rape. When she is old enough to get a job, older men have some particular ideas. Rose Mary doesn’t just describe to us what happens; she shows us in such detail that we experience everything that Anne Marie goes through!

This page turner just isn’t a story of growing up through that terrible war either. It’s a story of growing up fast and finding your own freedom. It’s about shaking off the chains of a previously rigid existence, coming up for air, taking a deep breath and finding your own life.

This reviewer was transported back to live through that terrible time. I highly recommend Coming Up For Air to all young adults and adults.



About the Author
Ms. Boehm was born in Duisburg, Germany and is a German born UK national. She now resides in Lima, Peru but she’s more than a writer! Rose Mary is also a photographer, painter and a copywriter.
If you would like to learn more about Rose Mary Boehm, please visit her book blog at: http://www.coming-up-for-air.com/ . If you would like to read the first 24 pages of Coming Up For Air please follow this link: http://bit.ly/aFdnzA .

About the Reviewer

Deb Hockenberry blogs at http://thebumpyroadtopublishing.blogspot.com/, and http://debsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

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