Sunday, March 4, 2012

Universal Sales Techniques Lauded by Publisher/Reviewer

Title: Seven Secrets of Superselling

Author- Michael B. Hickland

Author’s Website link-http://michaelbhickland.blogspot.com/

Genre or Category-Business, Nonfiction

ISBN 9781620952863

Originally reviewed by Gary Anderson for Amazon.com

Seven Secrets of Superselling

Michael B. Hickland

As a former retail salesperson, real estate professional, and now owner of my own editing firm and publishing company, I found Michael Hickland’s ebook Seven Secrets of Superselling both informative and inspiring, because I know from my own experience that he is right on the money in every case.

If you want a leg up on your competition, all you have to do is read and absorb the information in this ebook and then diligently put the seven secrets to work in your own career—no matter what field of sales you might be in. The techniques are universal and will work in any field. The steps Michael describes are things I used throughout in my own long career, so I know firsthand that they’ll help you succeed, as well.

There is no professional that is paid more handsomely than a highly effective salesperson. Only skilled surgeons make more worldwide—and they have to go to school for at least eight years before they can even hang out their shingles. Every business in the world relies on great salespeople—so the opportunities are limitless. Michael Hickland’s Seven Secrets of Superselling is a perfect no-frills guide for learning how to become a Superseller yourself!

~Learn more about reviewer Gary Anderson at www.abciowa.com, www.ParadiseCreekBooks.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 :

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Generation X Without the Banalities

Acid Indigestion Eyes

Subtitle: Collected Essays and Musings on Generation X

By Wayne Lockwood
Codorus Press, December 2011
ISBN 9780983978329

Originally reviewed by TJ "Brewser" for Amazon.com

I was really impressed with "Acid Indigestion Eyes." Believe me, that means something.

Wayne Lockwood was a Generation X columnist in the 1990s, and this is a collection of his columns. As a guy in his 40s who was around for the era that Mr. Lockwood chronicles in this book, I remember all too well the substandard work that a lot of "Generation X columnists" produced. For too many news outlets, the definition of "Generation X columnist" seemed to be: Any staffer in his or her 20s whom the middle-aged members of management thought might "get" whatever the hell the kids are into these days.

So for starters, here's what you WON'T find in "Acid Indigestion Eyes":

--- A cavalcade of sorely dated cultural references.

--- Ruminations on cultural and political issues that are no longer relevant.

--- The smug indifference for which Generation X (justifiably, to some degree) was so notorious.

--- Trite observations and bad writing.

Instead, you'll find the thoughts of a literate, intelligent young man just starting out in the world, and getting some sense of who he is and what he wants out of life. Although this is nonfiction and thus somewhat of a different beast, I wouldn't consider it an exaggeration to put it alongside such works as "The Graduate" in its insightful encapsulation of that period we all go through, one way or another.

To his credit, Mr. Lockwood avoids the trap of so many young writers, who often consider every element of their lives to be the most intense drama imaginable. Mr. Lockwood presents his experiences with an admirably low-key tone, which is far more powerful than histrionics would have been.

He works a low-paying job. Scrounges for discarded furniture. Wonders why people treat him differently when he's wearing a tie than when he isn't. Gets drunk occasionally. Eats too much fast food.

In between, he deals with his relationship with his mother, who suffered a nervous breakdown. He works through his thoughts on politics, religion and mortality.

This juxtaposition of mundane details and big issues is ultimately what makes the book so effective, and so universal - no matter what decade we happen to be in.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Utopian Frontiers: Useful Speculative Fiction

Title: Utopian Frontiers
Author – Drew Tapley
Author's website link – http://www.utopianfrontiers.com
Genre or category – Sci-Fi, Speculative fiction
ISBN-10: 1927005124
ISBN-13:978-1927005125

Welcome to the world of Utopian Frontiers, a fictional story about a secret, prototypical city located on the fringes of national parkland somewhere in the Americas. The city itself is the headquarters of a clandestine transnational research corporation dedicated to developing beneficial technologies in service to humanity. Please enter this unique research environment where alternative social/political/economic/technological options are explored in the interest of the future well-being of environmental and ultimately, human integrity.

Recent and emerging world events indicate a growing mass movement demanding solutions to increasingly disturbing trends that have spawned social unrest. People need and want real solutions to real problems that threaten the very systemic basis of the democracies that claim to support and protect the peace and (so called) freedom which generations before us fought to preserve. Yet the entertainment media, to a great extent, continues to deliver trivialized adventure sagas and doomsday scenarios, whereas the public is in need of messages that imply optimism and hope for the future of humanity, delivered in an edutainment format.

The relationship between humankind and technology, a main theme of Utopian Frontiers, explores the positive applications of technology as a tool in the service of social humanity. The inevitable conflict between vested interests and vying priorities, the dramatic tension that ensues as the impact of change upon people’s lives becomes manifest, and the message of hope for the future integration of technologies with the social imperative: these are the major underlying themes explored by Utopian Frontiers.

Join a vacationing family as they inadvertently stumble upon this futuristic city, and witness their struggles as they attempt to come to terms with the challenge of self- fulfillment and actualization, and ultimately the very survival of life as we know it.

This is a timely tale about a secret, evolving society that suggests change to the basic nature of our global culture may ultimately have to include the co-opting of if not a total break from the very institutions and values that spawned and currently nurture us.

Intended to provoke meaningful discussion regarding the current “human condition”, Utopian Frontiers will make you step outside of the box, expand the envelope of possibilities, and consider the very nature of our ways and why we must nurture the long journey to a better, more meaningful, inclusive way of life for one and all.

Please visit our website at www.utopianfrontiers.com and sample some of the music tracks on our EP Utopian Front while reading the book.

And consider this: Utopian Frontiers is about researching options that will help deliver humanity to a healthier state of being, but not all “investors” agree with priorities... Want to know more about the ultimate challenges that confront the community? Read the book, and enjoy, celebrate, embrace, protect life as we know it!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Rebecca Graf Reviews Creative Look at Jackie Kennedy Onassis

Jackie O: On the Couch

By Alma H. Bond

Author's Web site: http://alma_bond.tripod.com

Published by Bancroft Press August 15, 2011
Reviewed by Rebecca Graf originally for Amazon

This review is from: Jackie O: On the Couch: Inside the Mind and Life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis (Hardcover)

What if a famous person sat down on your couch and opened up their entire soul to you? There would be no holds barred. You would know it all. You would hear the entire truth. The good and the bad would be laid open before you. What if that person was Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis? Alma H. Bond takes the facts of Mrs. Onassis' life and delivers them as though they were through her own lips in her book, Jackie O: On the Couch: Inside the Mind and Life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

I have to admit that like many others in America and around the world, I have always been fascinated with Jackie Kennedy Onassis. It could be contributed to the tragedy of her first husband's death, or it could be just the mystery that has always surrounded her. As young girls we look for women we would love to emulate. Each generation has its idol. Jackie's has spanned many generations. Her poise, her beauty, her elegance, and her sorrow have called to so many.

The problem is that like those in the 60s that watched her, subsequent generations placed her on a pedestal. We saw her as beautiful, tragic, and perfect. Yet, like any human being who walked this planet, she was far from perfect.

Ms. Bond lets Jackie tell her own life story of privilege and heartbreak. Instead of being on a pedestal, Jackie sits down beside you as you read of a girl that could have been you. How many could say that they never could please their mother? How many could say that they were emotionally destroyed when their parents divorced? Many women can read Jackie O: On the Couch and find themselves in her. The topics of her womanizing father, cold mother, jealous sister, low self-esteem, love of a man who abused her and loved her, womanizing husbands, brief affairs, and the tragedy of widowhood are laid bare before the reader. You get a glimpse into a woman who feels that she is less than adequate or her husband would love her, cherish her, and not flaunt his mistresses under her very nose. You see a girl inside a woman's body who only wanted to feel secure but found herself forced into a mold that did not fit her.

I found myself leaning toward this fictional Jackie on my couch as I connected with her at times. Other times, I felt anger and the desire to defend her. Then I would feel disappointment to see her be human and make mistakes. Quickly, I would love her for her wit and pride. When I got to the chapter on John F. Kennedy's assassination, I found myself unable to read as the tears overflowed my eyes and would not stop. Her description of holding him and the pain that ripped through her echoed in me. I tend to get emotional when I read, but this is probably the most I've cried in reading a book.

A few facts seem to be mixed up but overall the historical parts are done very well. The reader has to keep in mind that this is a work of fiction. This is not Jackie actually talking to us. This is a "what-if" book. Many people don't like these kinds of writings, but for others it is a way to step out of the "norm" and look at things in a different light. If you read this book and just develop a desire to learn more, then it did a good job. If you are looking for a history book or a biography, then you will be disappointed. This is a wonderful example of an author using creativity to explore an historical figure and to stimulate conversation. Do not approach this book as a biography, autobiography, or historical textbook. It is a fiction book used to help the reader view Jackie in a different light.

The way Ms. Bond delivered the life of Jackie is beyond words. It is something you can only feel and experience. You have to sit down on the couch and let Jackie open her soul.

If you want to get a new perspective on Jackie Kennedy Onassis and those in her life, this is the book to read. It is remarkably done and will have you glad you bought it. Ms. Bond has delivered in Jackie O: On the Couch a piece of literary art that even Jackie would have applauded.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Win Your Divorce Fiancially, Emotionally, Socially

Title: Win Your Divorce Fiancially, Emotionally, Socially
Author: Rick D. Banks

This book is going to show you not only how to divorce without going broke, hating your spouse for the rest of your life, or suffering a nervous breakdown, it will help you get on with your life in the divorce's aftermath.
This book is meant to help you. It is not meant to teach you pit-bull, win-at-all-cost tactics. Most of the time, those tactics backfire and end up costing the spouse who uses them dearly. My goal is to give you a reference for divorce: a way to come through it stronger than you were before. After all, there are reasons you're divorcing. Hopefully your life post-divorce will be happier, more joyful, and more content than anything you've experienced to date.

~Submitted by Denise Cassino
Publicist & Book Marketing Specialist
skype: denise.cassino
w ww.BestsellerServices.com
www.spiritoftheseasoncatalog.com
www.mybestsellerlaunch.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 :

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Online Book Launch / Book Tour Resource: How It Works

Many visitors to The New Book Review are authors and reviewers as well as our very welcome readers of books! (Not to say authors and reviewers aren't also readers! Ahem!). At any rate I though most would be interested in online book tours and online book launches--a subject I cover extensively in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) but that is of special interest to me right now because I just did one with the great guidance of Denise Cassino (w ww.BestsellerServices.com) , an expert on the subject if there ever was one.

Of course, online book tours and launches don't work if they don't go viral. That's part of the fun. Thus, this is part of that viral effort, too. Click on the link in the great page Denise did for me below and see how great bonuses add to the fun and to the value of such an online promotion. My bonuses came from some greats in the industry like Kathleen Gage, Dan Poynter, D'vorah Lansky, Bookbuzzr.com, and about a dozen other book promotion smarties.

So, check it out! And help me celebrate the new Kindle edition! (Remember, Kindle e-books can also be read on your computer!). All the while you rake it great benefits for yourself.

CAROLYN HOWARD-JOHNSON

Here's the book you writers have been looking for!

The second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter is an updated version of the multi award-winning first edition. It has been expanded to include simple ways to promote books using newer technology--always considering promotion and marketing techniques that are easy on the pocketbook and frugal of time. It also includes a multitude of ways for authors and publishers to promote the so-called hard-to-promote genres. The award-winning author of poetry and fiction draws on a lifetime of experience in journalism, public relations, retailing, marketing, and the marketing of her own books to give authors the basics they need for do-it-yourself promotion and fun, effective approaches that haven't been stirred and warmed over, techniques that will help rocket their books to bestselling lists. You'll also l earn to write media releases, query letters and a knock 'em dead media kit--all tools that help an author find a publisher and sell their book once it's in print.

When you buy the book today, you'll receive more than a dozen great bonuses for writers1

Click here to Buy the Book!

PO Box 1223, Conifer, CO USA

You, too, can get help from Denise. Here is how to learn more about her and contact her:
Denise Cassino

Publicist and Book Marketing Specialist
303 838 3399
skype: denise.cassino
w ww.BestsellerServices.com
www.spiritoftheseasoncatalog.com
www.mybestsellerlaunch.com
Follow me on Twitter @DeniseCassino
Friend me on Facebook Denise.Cassino

Monday, February 20, 2012

Growing Up Mixed: A Memoir About Intolerance

The Speckled People: A Memoir of a Half-Irish Childhood

By Hugo Hamilton
Fourth Estate, 2003
ISBN: 0007149980
Adult/Memoir
Rating: 5 of 5

The Best View for Understanding Intolerance

Growing Up Mixed

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered

How sharp are the knives that divide. The Speckled People: A Memoir of a Half-Irish Childhood is about the effects of both sharp and blunt instruments on the lives of children. Religion. Borders. Language. Wars. Culture. And, yes, Love and Hate.

Themes literally seethe through Hugo Hamilton's work. Part of the reason for that is the story itself. The narrator is a child, the product of a severe Irish nationalist and a German mother. The parents themselves are creations of their time and place no less than their offspring are. Young Hugo is allowed to speak only Irish and German in a land that is increasingly speaking English. He is dressed in Irish sweaters and Lederhosen. The identities of some of his relatives are secreted away in armoires and others are flaunted as exemplary models. He is inundated by rules, rules, rules and they are modulated by a mother with much love to give in spite of her own story set in Germany of the Third Reich; her history is slowly revealed to the reader as Hugo grows in understanding.

Told with a child’s stream of conscious, this memoir requires careful attention. The reader unravels this family’s truths only when the child can finally grasp them for himself. This technique heightens our understanding of how affecting such an upbringing can be. The language is poetic in character. So is the structure: One situation reminds the narrator of another connection and we begin to see how this character and this family are strung together and—hopefully—also begin to see how similar dynamics might have affected our own lives. For, though very particular, this story is also general, one that still reaches beyond its time and touches ours.

It seems as if children tend to grow up speckled in one way or another. That makes the general premise of this lovely little book close to the heart of us all. We have all been there in one way or another, felt unloved, apart at some time in our lives. It is apparent that children who grow up half-and-half, a potpourri, will always be marked. Some will turn these hardships into the stuff of insight, understanding, and—in the case of Hugo Hamilton—great talent.

~The reviewer’s first novel, This is the Place (www.budurl.com/ThisIsthePlace), has won eight awards. It, too, explores how one can grow up part of two cultures and never feel a part of either one. Harkening, a collection of creative nonfiction stories, is also an award-winner. Learn more at: http://www.carolynhoward-johnson.com.)

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