Award-Winning Author Reviews Killing the Cancer Beast

Killing the Cancer Beast
By Maria D.Georga
Genre: Nonfiction/Holistic Health
Available at www.lulu.com and Amazon

Mini Synopsis: The real story of a woman who was left with no hope after she was diagnosed with Cancer. An actual fight of her and her family with the only weapons which were left to them: love, strong will and a belief that God should have thought of an antidote before humans would.

Reviewed by Shirley Cheng, Award-Winning Author

Imagine that, during surgery, doctors unexpectedly discovered a
malignant tumor in the person closest to your heart. Would you give way
to bitter resentment, or would you look the cancer straight in the eye
and challenge a fight? Maria D. Georga chose the latter route and took
matters into her own hands when her mother Angela was diagnosed with
not only a very aggressive type of cancer but also at the worst stage.
"Killing the Cancer Beast" is the true story of Maria's journey of
helping win her mother's battle alongside her. Written in a
no-nonsense, easy-to-read style, this short book demonstrates that
nature's medicines not only cure the patient but the caregivers as
well. What are those natural ingredients? They come in both tangible
and intangible elements: God-gifted strength, determination, a positive
attitude, but more so a strong love for her mother, were the intangible
components that helped Maria cope during their difficult time. The
tangible medicines lie in the plants God abundantly supplies us, yet
many are ignorant of their values. For example, did you know that
Vitamin B17, apricot seeds, and intravenously injected Vitamin C can
have the same effects of chemotherapy without the adversity? And did
you know that millet contains all the essential amino acids required to
sustain our life?

"Killing the Cancer Beast" is not simply a
heartwarming story of a stranger, but it is more so a gentle guide that
can lead you and your loved ones to a better life. No, it does not
guarantee treatments nor is it a replacement to professional medical
advice, but it will open doors you may not otherwise open without
reading it. Life is a giant school with countless opportunities to
learn, but we can not learn everything from only one class--we need to
attend as many classes as we can in order to learn as much as possible,
and this book is just one of those many classes. Why not sign up for
this class to learn something new today that may help someone tomorrow?

Reviewer Shirley Cheng is a blind and physically disable multi award-winning author and motivational speaker. Learn more about her at www.ShirleyCheng.com. She is nine-time winner of the Parent to Paren Adding Wisdom award and advocate board member of World Positive Thinkers Club.

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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 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 :

Book Promotion: It Is Never Too Early or Too Late

Rather than run a review today, I thought I'd run an article that will help all the authors and publishers who have participated in this blog over the years. With my thanks, of course. 

Book Sales Getting Musty?

Note: Carolyn Howard-Johnson celebrates the release of the second edition of the multi award-winning Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) with this excerpt and a little rundown of what readers will find in the new edition that weren’t in the old one.

In the world of publishing as in life, persistence counts. Of course, there is no way to keep a book at the top of the charts forever, but if you keep reviving it, you might hold a classic in your hands. Or your marketing efforts for one book may propel your next one to greater heights.

I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen authors who measure their success by book sales give up on their book (and sometimes on writing) just about the time their careers are about ready to take off. I tell my students and clients to fight the it’s-too-late-urge.

Publicity is like the little waves you make when you toss pebbles into a lake. The waves travel, travel, travel and eventually come back to you. If you stop lobbing little stones, you lose momentum. It’s never too late and it’s never too early to promote. Rearrange your thinking. Marketing isn’t about a single book. It’s about building a career. And new books can build on the momentum created by an earlier book, if you keep the faith. Review the marketing ideas in this book, rearrange your schedule and priorities a bit, and keep at it.

Here are a few keep-at-it ideas.

• Run a contest on your Web site, on Twitter, or in your newsletter. Use your books for prizes or get cross-promotion benefits by asking other authors for books; many will donate one to you in trade for the exposure. Watch the 99 Cent Stores for suitable favors to go with them.

Hint: Any promotion you do including a contest is more powerful when you call on your friends to tell their blog visitors or Facebook pals about it.

• Barter your books or your services for exposure on other authors’ Web sites.
• Post your flier, brochure, or business card on bulletin boards everywhere: In grocery stores, coffee shops, Laundromats, car washes, and bookstores.
• Offer classes in writing to your local high school, college, or library system. Publicizing them is easy and free. When appropriate, use your own book as suggested reading. The organization you are helping will pitch in by promoting your class. The network you build with them and your students is invaluable. Use this experience in your media kit to show you have teaching and presentation skills.
• Slip automailers into each book you sell or give away for publicity. Automailers are envelopes that are pre-stamped, ready to go. Your auto mailer asks the recipient to recommend your book to someone else. Your mailer includes a brief synopsis of your book, a picture of the cover of your book, your book’s ISBN, ordering information, a couple of your most powerful blurbs, and a space for the reader to add her handwritten, personal recommendation. Make it clear in the directions that the reader should fill out the form, address the envelope, and mail it to a friend. You may offer a free gift for helping out, but don’t make getting the freebie too tough. Proof-of-purchase type schemes discourage your audience from participating.
• Send notes to your friends and readers asking them to recommend your book to others. Or offer them a perk like free shipping, gift wrap, or small gift if they purchase your book for a friend. That’s an ideal way to use those contact lists you’ve been building.
• While you’re working on the suggestion above, put on your thinking cap. What directories have you neglected to incorporate into your contact list? Have you joined any new groups since your book was published? Did you ask your grown children for lists of their friends? Did you include lists of old classmates?
• Though it may be a bit more expensive than some ideas in this book, learn more about Google’s AdWords and AdSense. Learn about these opportunities on your Google account page. Many authors of niche nonfiction or fiction that can be identified with often-searched-for keywords find this advertising program effective.
• Check out ad programs like Amazon’s Vine review service. You agree to provide a certain number of books to Amazon and pay them a fee for the service. Amazon arranges the reviews for you. It’s expensive, but it gets your book exposed to Amazon’s select cadre of reviewers who not only write reviews for your Amazon sales page but also may start (or restart!) a buzz about your book.
• Connect and reconnect. Start reading blogs and newsletters you once subscribed to again. Subscribe to a new one. Join a writers’ group or organization related to the subject of your book.
• Record a playful message about your book on your answering machine.
• When you ship signed copies of your book, include a coupon for the purchase of another copy for a friend—signed and dedicated—or for one of your other books. Some distributors insert fliers or coupons into your books when they ship them for a fee.
• Adjust the idea above to a cross-promotional effort with a friend who writes in the same genre as you. He puts a coupon for your book in his shipments; you do the same for him in yours.
• Explore the opportunities for speaking on cruise ships. Many have cut back on the number of speakers they use, but your area of expertise may be perfect for one of them. I tried it, but found ship politics a drawback. Still many authors like Allyn Evans who holds top honors in Toastmasters and Erica Miner have used these venues successfully. For help with the application process from beginning to end, contact Daniel Hall at speakerscruisefree.com.

LEARN IN THE SECOND EDITION of The Frugal Book Promoter
WHAT YOU DIDN’T IN THE FIRST

We all know that book promotion (and life!) has changed since The Frugal Book Promoter was first published in 2004—particularly in ways that have to do with the Web, but in other ways, too. As an example, the publishing world in general is more open to indie publishing now than it was then. So, this new edition is updated but it also includes lots of information on ways to promote that were not around or were in their infancy a few short years ago.

So here is what is new:

~The Second Edition has been reorganized.
~The Second Edition is almost twice as fat—read that “twice as chock full of promotions you can use.”
~The Second Edition still includes the basics that make you into an on-your-own publicist or a great partner
for a professional publicist. That includes everything you need to know to put together the best,
most effective media releases, query letters, and media kits possible. And how to utilize what you love to do
most—write—to get the word out about what you love most—your book. If you loved the chapters
like the ones on writers’ conferences, getting reviews, book fairs or tradeshows, you’ll love the
updated ones even more.
~You’ll love the chapters on what I call the game changers. These really are game changers!

There’s information on using online bookstores to your benefit. There's information on how to make your blog actually work for you! And how to save time with your blogging! And ideas for blog posts—even if you write fiction or poetry!

~There is new information that answers questions like these:
§ What is Carolyn’s simplified method for making social networks actually work—without spending too much time away from my writing?
§ How can I avoid falling into some of the scam-traps for authors?
§ How can I get into one of those big tradeshows like BEA?
§ What are the best “old-fashioned” ways to promote—the ones I shouldn’t give up on entirely?
§ There is even an updated section on how you go about writing (and publishing) an award-worthy book. And, of course, you’ll find it loaded with resources you can use—but they’re all updated.
§ How can I use the new QR codes to promote my book to mobile users? And to others?
§ What are the pitfalls of using the Web and how can I avoid them?
§ What are the backdoor methods of getting reviews—even long after my book
has been published?

----- 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 Young Adult Novel

TITLE: The Story Of Don Luis

AUTHOR: Stuart G. Yates
PUBLISHER: Triskaideka Books http://www.triskaidekabooks.co.nz
FILE SIZE: 280 KB
FORMAT: E-book
PRICE: $2.99 (US), £2.14 (UK),
ASIN: B00584P5MG
GENRE: Young Adult Fiction

Fourteen – year - old Luis has so many problems in his young life. His father marched off to war only to be murdered. Luis is left as the man of the house caring for his sick mother and younger sister. Each day, he rises earlier than anyone else in his household to go to his job of delivering bread to people that can afford it. Upon returning home, Luis feeds his family breakfast of bread and some water that he carries from the village well each day. But Luis has the determination not to live in poverty for the rest of his life. So, Luis is being educated by Senor Martinez. Everyday, he’s bullied on his way to Senor Martinez’ house by the other boys in his village.

 This reviewer liked The Story Of Don Luis and would recommend it to any young adult who’s interested in history. Even though this is fiction, this is a well – written ebook. It’s very detailed and shows what life is like in a small Spanish village in the 1600’s. It shows the everyday struggles and prejudices that people faced everyday back then.The author created characters so well that I could see them in my minds’ eye. He paints pictures with his words so that you can see the furniture, houses and even the kitchen utensils! I have reviewed the author before and this was a very different kind of book than he usually writes. He usually writes historical paranormal mysteries for young adults which are historical but much more action – packed and mysterious. Personally, I like his historical paranormal mysteries better but that’s just my own taste.

 

If you would like to find out more about Mr. Yates just surf to http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/stuartgyates. Maybe you would like to read more about The Story Of Don Luis. If you do, please visit http://donluisbystuartgyates.weebly.com/index.html. If you would like to buy this ebook, you can pick it up at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.amazon.co.uk. Or if you prefer you can go to http://www.smashwords.com to pick up The Story Of Don Luis.

~Reviewer Deb Hockenberry is the author of The Bumpy Road To Writing For Children http://thebumpyroadtopublishing.blogspot.com  Find her at Deb's Book Nook http://debsbookreviews.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 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 :

Goodreads Reviewer Sees New Novel Grounded in American South Literature

Title: Remain In Light
Author: Collin Kelley
Web site: www.collinkelley.com
Genre: Mystery/suspense
ASIN: B005Q133EI (ebook out now; print in January 2012)

Reviewed by Marshall Moore originally for Goodreads.com
Rating: Four stars


Fast forward two years, after the tumultuous events of Conquering Venus. Collin has done an admirable job here, layering history, mystery and travelogue to create a story that is thoughtful and substantial, immensely readable without being fluff. I can't speak to how well the book works as a stand-alone novel: although Collin intended it to be accessible to readers unfamiliar with Conquering Venus, I've read that book and can't experience this one without that background knowledge. My advice would be just to read them both.

One of the reasons this book works for me is that, despite its Paris setting (with excursions to Berlin, St-Etienne, and Chambery), this is Southern writing. Collin comes from that literary tradition, and readers familiar with the literature of the American South will recognize the use of language; the embrace of flawed, cracked characters; and the strong sense of place in this novel. The cover suggests the grotesque being rendered lovely; that's exactly what Collin is doing here. The novel won't be for everyone: it isn't an easy fit in any genre, it's sexually frank, and it thumbs its nose at a few mores that an increasingly right-wing America holds dear. But then, the best Southern writers don't spoon-feed baby food to their readers.






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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 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 :

Joyce Faulkner's New Novel Entertainment for About Everyone But Kids

Username

Author: Joyce Faulkner

Author's Website:www.joycefaulkner.com

Genre: Fiction: horror/crime/

ISBN: 978-0983493020
Paperback on Amazon and Barnes&Noble  
Kindle ASIN: B0055AUCQM
Kindle Edition
Other e-readers on Smashwords

 

I am a fan of literary fiction so I was surprised when I I was taken in hook, line, and sinker by this novel. I can't say it crosses over the line to literary but here's what it does do.

• It captures the reader's interest--immediately.
• The characters are wholly original and captivating.
• There are surprises at every turn.
• The structure makes Username a page-turner.
• It nimbly crosses genres so the audience should be wide. So, yes. Horror. Crime. Thriller. But also a book for women (though men will love it, too!), a book for feminists searching for strong female characters; a book that explores cultural issues. Username bursts out of its genre (or genres) to mainstream. 

I found Username every bit as intriguing and well written as any by Stephen King.

 

 

 

Smashwords:

Barnes & Noble (bn.com):

itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/username/id455589006?mt=11

Whew...I think that's all. LOL

----- 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 :

Phyllis Zimbler Miller Loves Word Tripper Read

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Subtitle: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Available in paperback and for Kindle
Author's editing blog, www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com
Amazon link: www.budurl.com/WordtripperPB

 Reviewed by Phyllis Zimbler Miller originally for Amazon

This little book is a must-have for writers who take seriously their word usage. Carolyn Howard Johnson's paired words are a fascinating look at the sand traps of American English. More importantly, her amusing advice on how to tell the difference between, for example, fissures and fishers is valuable for editors as well as writers.

I highly recommend this book.

--- Reviewer Phyllis Zimbler Miller is coauthor of Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders (http://budurl.com/PZMbooks)

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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 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 :

Smarts and Stamina – A Book Review

Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person’s Guide to Optimal Health and Performance

Shaar, M. J. & Britton, K. H. (2011).
Positive Psychology Press.

ISBN 0615529682. ISBN-13: 978-0615529684.

Genre: Healthy Living.

Key words: Health habits, Habit formation, Healthy eating, Exercise, Mood, Productivity, Sleep

Author's Web site: http://smartsandstamina.com.

 

Reviewed by Louisa Jewell originally for Positive Psychology News Daily  http://www.positivematters.com/

I have been anticipating Marie-Josée Shaar and Kathryn Britton’s new book: Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person’s Guide to Optimal Health and Performance for several months now and it is better than even I had anticipated.

According to Dr. Liana Lianov of Harvard Medical School, virtually all of the top 10 leading causes of death among American adults are related to lifestyle patterns. Taking this to heart, the authors do not preach about what you ‘should’ be doing to be healthy, or promise if you follow their advice that you will look like Jennifer Aniston in 6 weeks. Their focus is on guiding the reader to improve personal everyday habits to be healthy, and they do this by helping you build your health skills. Their approach is realistic and simple: make small incremental changes to your habits.

The Smarts and Stamina (SaS) Compass Model

The book is based on research on the interaction among the various aspects of good health and intelligently weaves in the research in positive psychology on self-regulation, goal pursuit, and successful change to help people make sustainable change to their behavior. Their approach is guided by the Smarts and Stamina (SaS) Compass which has four points:

1. Sleep
   
2. Food
   
3. Mood
   
4. Exercise

The authors begin with a discussion of four biochemicals; serotonin, dopamine, leptin, and cortisol and how they affect how you feel and subsequently behave. Some biochemicals boost our ability to self-regulate while others can detract. While these biochemicals affect behavior, our habits in the four SaS Compass areas also affect our biochemical levels in our body. Thus all four compass points are mutually reinforcing. For example, physical activity increases serotonin levels and acts as a stress-reliever which contributes to good sleep. Sleep balances all four biochemicals which can curb food cravings and maintain positive emotions. Stronger emotional health contributes to better sleep and so on.

Jogging with a dog

50 Avenues to Good Health
The book is written in a workbook format that offers 50 different avenues to good health with excellent reflective questions, assessments, exercises, and suggestions for changing habits in all four SaS Compass point areas. The intention is not to overwhelm people with 50 avenues. Instead the authors suggest starting with one area and exploring the avenue(s) that works for you. The book is also written so well it is a pleasure to pick up anytime and use it as a reference for years to come.
For each of these 50 avenues, the authors have provided a comprehensive guide for putting it into action, including:

1. Science Says: This section describes the research that supports this avenue.
   
2. Story: The authors share stories of people they have worked with who had problems in this area and then successfully implemented the avenue for good results.
   
3. Build the Skills: The authors then describe how to build skills in this area.
   

• Mindfulness: The authors ask powerful questions here to get people to reflect on what is already working for you in this area. This was one of my favorite parts of the workbook. When I was able to contemplate on what I was already doing well, I actually felt better about myself and it made me think about how I could do more of what I was already doing. This is the first book I have ever read that offers a strengths-based approach to good health. I believe this is what sets this workbook apart from others in a powerful way.
  
• Plan & Execute: Activities that cause you to take action.
  
• Onward & Upward: A final reflection about what can be gained from this avenue that might carry over into other avenues or other aspects of your life.

One of the things I found very helpful was how the authors adapted Carol Dweck’s learning theory of Mindset to how our mindset can affect behavioral change in the health arena. After taking this assessment, I discovered that while I had a growth mindset as far as food went, I had some work to do in the exercise arena.
An Intelligent Resource for Positive Psychology Practitioners As a positive psychology practitioner working with organizations to improve well-being, I am already using the book as an intelligent resource for new ideas to immediately implement with my organizational clients. For example, one of my favorite avenues is ‘Do a Mini.’ This avenue gives several activities people can do at their desk or while at work that gives them an opportunity to have a 10-minute meditation session that can instantly relieve stress and energize them for continued work.

While I love the countless suggestions for my organizational clients, I started to get really excited about using the workbook to improve my own health.

Vegetables at the Farmer's Market

This workbook is a great resource for positive psychology coaches and practitioners who want to help clients achieve optimum health, but it is also a great resource for anyone wanting to be healthier. And now I am off to find a good recipe for oyster and shiitake mushrooms . . . Anyone have a good recipe to share?

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Shaar, M. J. & Britton, K. H. (2011). Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person’s Guide to Optimal Health and Performance. Positive Psychology Press. Available from Amazon and from an eStore (may be easier for international orders).


----- 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 :