Infidelity: Self-Help Is On The Way!

Title: THE (IN)FIDELITY FACTOR: Points to Ponder Before You Cheat
Author: Elda M. Lopez
Websites: www.theinfidelityfactorbook.com, www.eldamlopez.com
Genre: Non-fiction, Self-Help
Format: Kindle
ASIN: B00ATSB73C
Pages: 101 approx.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/THE-IN-FIDELITY-FACTOR-ebook/product-reviews/B00ATSB73C

Reviewed by Kia De Cou originally for Amazon.com
Reviewers rating: 5.0 stars

A very thoughtful and insightful look into a sensitive but all too common problem. This book weaves together research and discussion about infidelity with personal narrative to create a thought-provoking and sometimes humorous look at what goes on (or doesn't) inside our heads before we commit an act of infidelity and what some of the repercussions could be.

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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.

Education Expert Reviews Historical Fiction for Youth and Older

THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL
Author: Hitchcock, Shannon
Author's website: http://shannonhitchcockwriter.blogspot.com

Publisher: Namelos
Pages: 131
Price ( Hardcover ): $18.95
Publication Date: February 1, 2013
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-1-60898-141-0
Category: Fiction (ages 10 - up)
Review Rating: Five stars

 

Reviewed by Diana Sharp originally for Amazon

Perfect for historical-fiction fans of books like Sarah, Plain and Tall and Our Only May Amelia, this tale of plucky and loyal Jessie Pearl is aimed at somewhat older readers and gives a taste of life in 1920's rural North Carolina, with details on everything from chicken and dumplings to Model Ts to "stink soup."

As Jessie grows from fourteen years old to sixteen, love with a childhood sweetheart remains innocent and heart-tugging, and her love for her family is as deep as the well where she winds her water. Faith in God is an undercurrent throughout the story as this church-going family struggles with survival in a world where tuberculosis claimed the lives of many. There's no offensive language, and the romance is deftly written to be appropriate for all ages, making this one of those hard-to-find books about teenage life that don't require a parental advisory for younger, advanced readers. Book clubs (especially mother-daughter book clubs) will no doubt find the ending both satisfying and open-ended enough for good discussions about how Jessie's later life may unfold.

About the Reviewer:
 

Diana Sharp, Ph.D.

Consulting, Development, and Writing Services

for Educational Pioneers

diana@DianaSharp.com

http://www.dianasharp.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.

Donna M. McDine Reviews New Helpful Book for Emigrants

This is a New Book Review first! I've never run interviews before, partially because I worry about getting reliable permission from both the interviewer and the author to reprint/repost them, so this is a trial. I'd also like to know how it's received by my New Book Review subscribers. So leave comments. Let me know what you think. I liked this review because it isn't canned--it truly has a personal touch.

Interview of Lance Johnson, author of What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A ToZ: How ToUnderstand Crazy American culture, people, government, business, language and more by Donna M. McDine

“Lance, I am in awe of your vast accomplishments. I’ve spent quite a bit of time learning about you through your website at www.AmericaAtoZ.com . I’d like to transform myself into a “pocket person” and experience your travels first hand. I’m delighted to interview you and to have an opportunity to introduce you to my blog readers and network of colleagues. Welcome!

 

DMc: The creation of your book, What ForeignersNeed to Know About America from A to Z: How to understand crazy Americanculture, people, government, business, language and more came from your love of America and extensive travels throughout the world. Please share why you feel your book is the perfect guide in understanding American culture.

 

LJ: As I point out in the book’s intro, I’ve been in 81 countries, taught overseas, and experienced firsthand the difficulties my immigrant friends in the US have understanding our crazy culture. I’m not sure there’s a perfect guide that you refer to above because it is such a broad complex topic. But I’ve simplified it with 26 fundamental chapters. For example, the chapters on grammar and speech simply address the errors commonly made by foreigners and how they can overcome them…I keep it simple and the language easy and fun.

 

DMc: One of your travel tips abroad is to ask people “what they would like to know about America that they were always afraid of asking for fear of offending.” What is the most common question, the most unusual?

 

LJ: Oh boy, that really varies. For example, when I taught Chinese teachers of English near Shanghai using my book as a text, the chapter on religion brought the most interest. This is not surprising, given China’s opposition to religions. Next in line was the chapter on film and the movie stars they knew a lot about.

 

A German couple wanted to know why we all get along so well here, given our various minorities. I explained that we didn’t do well at it, then we analyzed why they had that perception. A common question is about our food and table manners, a topic discussed in an entire chapter on food and dining. I think the most revealing questions come from foreigners who probably know more about what is going on in Washington than the average American. I recently met an Italian and his wife who surprised me with endless questions and observations about Obama, Romney, and our government, which reveals foreigners are indeed aware of what is happening here; they wanted my comments on their comments. That is why I have an entire chapter on government.

 

As a side note on this topic, throughout the book I stress the importance of free speech, individual rights, and religious freedom that are chiseled in the cornerstone of our society, which in turn define how we behave. Because of the recent crudely-produced video that incited Muslim hate of America, it comes as no surprise because in those countries they are told what they can do and say. Thus, it is my guess they think our government and people support saying bad things about their religion, which of course is not true. They don’t realize this was one man’s film and the expression of his opinion, and that in America we are free to express our opinions. (In Thailand I learned that expressing negative comments about the king can land you in jail.)

 

As I’ve learned in all my travels, if America were a business, it would need a better public relations department…we‘re continually fighting a bad image, another topic in my book. It has an entire chapter on what foreigners think about America, and in many cases they say the same thing: from their firsthand knowledge, America is not as bad as most foreigners think.

 

DMc: What, if any was your biggest obstacle in writing and publishing What Foreigners Need to Know About America from A to Z?

 

LJ: This is easy. I wasn’t sure the book would ever be published. Halfway through the 24-month writing process, I started sending queries to literary agents and publishers around the world. The response was generally the same: There’s never been a book like this so there’s not a need for it. Finally, a foreign agent for all the big publishers in the US said he wanted rights to it. I signed a contract and he found a publisher who gave me an advance. Lesson: follow your own North Star and keep plugging away.

 

DMc: What has been your most exhilarating travel experience?

 

LJ: “Exhilarating” has multiple connotations, including frightening/exciting/stimulating. Frightening: Last year on a cruise ship from Singapore through the Suez Canal to Rome, as we approached Yemen and the Red Sea, we had to close our curtains a night and the ship ran without outdoor lights because of pirate activity in that area. During the day the captain spotted suspicious ships nearing us and broadcast an alert. Also, during the day we saw an armada of battle ships from different countries along the shipping lanes, which gave us some comfort. Exciting: I’ve traveled the Panama Canal multiple times and still marvel at this engineering wonder that is 100 years old and still working as designed. Stimulating: Visiting Israel, walking where Christ did, witnessing all the Biblical sights that I learned about as a youngster, and learning firsthand that Israel is much less the monster portrayed in the press regarding Arabs there. Like the US, they need a better PR Dept.

 

DMc: What’s next?

 

LJ: Would love to take the Orient Express, travel the Silk Road, and take the train across scenic Canada and write about that. (As an actor, I did some filming in Kunming, China, the exit from the Silk Road.) In my travels I send a travelogue to my friends with pictures and brief daily commentaries. In the last one when I sailed from Australia to San Francisco, this was the closing comment I made: “I’ve now been in 81 countries on 6 continents, but the more I travel the more I realize how little I know about the world and all that inhabits it, including peoples, cultures, vegetation, wildlife, and geology. What an eye opener it is to travel. If I were the Creator of Earth, I wouldn’t change a thing. What a magnificent place, and we’d better darn well take better care of it. This is also what astronauts say as they view Earth as a tiny speck cradling mankind. LJ”

 

I also point this out in the book’s intro:  With all of our cultural differences though, you’ll be surprised to learn how much our countries—and we as human beings—have in common on this third rock from the sun called Planet Earth. After all, the song played at our Disneyland parks around the world is “It’s A Small World After All.”

 

DMc: A signature request I like to ask every author, illustrator, editor, etc., I interview is for the individual to share with us a tidbit from their lives that the reader will find either humorous or surprising. Lance, can you please share one with us?

 

LJ: Perhaps the most surprising thing related to my book was receiving endorsements from the US Ambassador to China and the ambassadors to the US from China and Singapore in response to my requests for them. As my grandfather taught me ages ago: You’ll never know if you don’t try, will you?

 

Lance, thanks for taking the time out to chat with me. I’ve enjoyed getting to you know you! Best wishes for your continued success.

 

Interviewer bio: Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78^th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions, Literary Classics Silver Award & Seal of Approval Recipient Picture Book Early Reader, Readers Favorite 2012 Honorable Mention, Global eBook Awards Finalist Children’s Picture Book Fiction, and Preditors & Editors Readers Poll 2010 Top Ten Children’s Books ~ The Golden Pathway.

Her stories, articles, and book reviews have been published in over 100 print and online publications. Her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has four more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, Hockey Agony, Powder Monkey, A Sandy Grave, and Dee and Deb, Off They Go. She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids and owner of Author PR Services from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the Children’s Literature Network, Family Reading Partnership, and SCBWI. Visit www.donnamcdine.com and www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com.

 

Buy Information:

Learn more about Lance Johnson at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/A_to_Z.htm. His book is available on Amazon at http://amzn.to/ForeignersAmericaUs in the US and on other Amazon online bookstores worldwide.

 

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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 :

Review of Book Full of Chills and Chuckles

Title: Crime Please!
Author: Ann Morven
Author's Amazon profile page.
ISBN-13: 9781470183974
Category: Crime fiction collection
Publisher: Darling Newspaper Press

Reviewed by Cathy MacLeod originally for Amazon  

This collection of short stories particularly impressed me with its diversity. Ann Morven ("diva of the whodunit") spreads farther here than do her novels, presenting tales that vary from the macabre to the magical. There are, of course, her signature whodunits as well (four of them). Also the elements of chills and chuckles that she mixes so adroitly.
I found her characters intriguing and their problems compelling. For entertaining crime this author ranks among the best.


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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. 

Insatiable Readers Blog Loves Alibi's Ghosts

Title: Alibi's Ghosts, The Larger-Than-Life Small World of a Medium's
Daughter
Author: L.S. Hullinger
Author website: www.lshullinger.com
Genre: middle grade paranormal, mystery novel
ISBN 0985186224


Reviewed by Gina for her blog  Satisfaction For Insatiable Readers



Whew! With a title like that, how can you NOT stop and take a look…or at least I knew I couldn’t. I love the  word play in the title; “larger than life”…small…and medium (though obviously not speaking about someone’s size in this case). It really makes a word loving  girl like myself sit up and take notice. Now, on to the story…

Alibi  (aka Alexandra Vernon) is a great kid through and through; in fact, it’s no
wonder the spirits choose to communicate with her….she’s a gem! She feels with
her whole heart and listens with her entire being despite the fact that those open aspects of her personality get her in trouble more often than not. Well, you can’t really blame the parents entirely, I mean if you found your child making Dagwood sandwiches every night three days in a row when they don’t even know what one is or vehicles moved without explanation and a somewhat guilty looking eleven year old close at hand, you might be skeptical to believe every word that leaves her mouth as well. LISTEN UP parents…the kid is not always fibbing! Such is the case here and thanks to Alibi’s mother she has a little
leeway (I should hope so considering her line of work) but it doesn’t mean
that she can explain away anything and everything away due to ghostly
influence…especially since some of those influences have to remain a secret!
(Aka her grandfather’s and cousin’s presence….SHHH!) Oh my; wasn’t life
suppose to be easier when you were eleven? *sigh* Anywho…

The character building here was just enough to get you involved in their lives without over educating you on the who/when/why/where/how of it all; a good balance for both the target audience and beyond. Their interactions with members of the community help show a world more accepting than that of witch-hunting times but yet not ready to set a place for their lingering aunt’s or uncle’s spirits at the supper table. This acceptance and non also extends to Alibi. We see and feel it with her friend Daisy who happens to come for a visit during this week of week’s. She’s always been jumpy of Alibi’s mother’s powers, let alone their ghost magnet of a house, but what will happen if she finds out Alibi sees ghosts too? That’s a story for another slumber party, but the results may surprise you. Moving forward…

This isn’t just a story about a medium, her daughter and the
community in which they live and serve. At it’s heart is a mystery that needs
solving and from the looks of things, Alibi’s gonna have to be the one to do
it. It requires a quick mind (check!), an uncanny ability to both listen AND
understand (check!), and a pureness of heart only obtained from wanting
nothing more than to help someone in need (i.e. no earthly gain for
oneself…check! Hey, clearing your name of trouble isn’t an earthly gain
folks…just a useful byproduct of giving your assistance….). For all those
reasons and more, it makes a great read for both the younger set and the young
at heart. Though dealing with spirits and the afterlife, it doesn’t do so in
an uber-creepy way leaving it accessible (hat’s off to the author on that
accomplish!) while helping to explain some of these concepts in an honest and
open manner.

In conclusion, a wonderful read from a new-to-me author
that I would recommend to one and all no matter the time of year. It’s a fast
read with a lot of heart that will raise your spirits higher than her cousin’s
crow (Poe) can fly (yep…her cousin had a pet crow that sorta warns her when
his pranking self is about…hehe). So if you’re ready to take on the problems
of the living with the help of those that have passed, grab your clue sheet to
record your observations and H.I.B.E.S. events (or Heavily Influenced By
Entity Spirits events) and embark on a little paranormal adventure with Alibi
and friends. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

 

~ For more information on this title as well as her Hullinger's other works, visit her official
site or follow along on Twitter. This book was released in print June 2012
and should be available now on a bookstore shelf or online retailer near you. She has another work out right now entitled Cyndi Hazard, Empathic
Detective that from the chapter sample at ‘Alibi’s’ end…sounds
like another great pick for the old wish list!

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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 :

Maryetta Johnson Reviews New Barbara Mitchell Book on Stress

 

Title: Ten Powerful Stress Busters for the BAM VP Woman in You

Author: Barbara Mitchell, DCH
Author Site: http://www.thecalmingbreath.com
Category: Nonfiction/Self Help/Women's Health
Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9820209-4-4
Kindle Edition
Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A8INZ4C

Reviewed by Maryetta Johnson originally for Amazon

Reviewer's rating: 5.0 stars

This book taught me there is a counter-stress technique for every stressful situation which can be performed in a very few minutes at a moment's notice. Eight of the 10 methods included don't cost one red cent and only hypnosis would require a practitioner to get started, while aromatherapy would be an inexpensive investment for great peace of mind and joyous sensations.

Each chapter starts with an inspirational quote that sets the tone for the technique to be performed after reading background information about its proven scientific efficacy. Then we're told how to perform the technique and where to find further information about it. Thanks to the internet we can be transported instantly to the recommended websites while reading the book, or easily visit recommended YouTube sites later. It's a roundup of valuable information and although I've been very successful at practicing stress-reduction techniques for many years, the book gave me renewed fired-up motivation to keep doing what I'm doing and it taught me several new tricks as well.

For anyone who is new to stress management and who is committed to improving their health and the quality of their life, this book will save them from having to do years of research. Just like I always carry my purse for survival whenever I leave the house, now I also always carry the book's recommended techniques of BAM VP a handy acronym that reminds me where to start de-stressing and how to move through the process. So whether I'm stuck in traffic or negotiating with a used car salesman I know how to Breathe (deeply), Affirm (my goodness and that of others), Meditate, Visualize (my nervous system responds immediately to pictures of success), Progressively release excess tension from head to toe. Then I feel that I become the book's alternate version of the acronym which is Become A More Vibrant Person because, as the book says, stress can work for me making my life sweeter.

I can see how this book would also work for teenagers in preparing them to handle a lifetime of stressful situations. And men will also benefit from understanding the way stress works and how to control or to manage it.

 ~Learn more about Barbara Mitchell DCH, author of Ten Powerful Stress Busters When You Need a Timeout at:

http://www.thecalmingbreath.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.

Night Buddies Launches Today!

Night Buddies

Subtitle: Impostors and One Far-Out Flying Maching

Second in Night Budies series

Written by: Sands Hetherington
Illustrations by: Jessica Love
ISBN: 978-0-9847417-2-4
Releases February 1, 2013
Juvenile Fiction/Chapter Books for Ages 7 and up

Review by Fran Lewis from the World of Ink Network

Night Buddies, Impostors, and One Far-Out Flying Machine, the second book in the Night Buddies series, has a ton of mischief going on all over the Borough, done by a red crocodile and causing confusion and hard feelings everywhere.

For young John Degraffenreidt, lying awake at night is no reason to fret when it brings a bright red crocodile named Crosley out from under his bed. Night Buddies like Crosley promise a big adventure to any kid not sleepy yet--and tonight is no different! Out of bed, and into the city, John starts on a very special Program (Night-Buddies-speak for adventure) with his crocodile friend. Crosley is a unique, wacky character, the only red crocodile in the world for sure, but look-alikes have started popping up all over town, committing crimes, causing confusion, and making Crosley crazy at the sight of them. The imposters must be stopped, and Night Buddies John and Crosley are just the ones to stop them! Stakeouts and wild chases in a fantastic flying machine, far-out schemes to snare the imposters with the help of old friends and new ones, and a never-ending supply of Crusted Crème Fro-Madge frozen yogurt make for one totally super night.

 

Night Buddies John and Crosley have been enlisted to stop these crocs from continuing their crime spree. But, just how will they do it is really quite unique and just what kind of a program will this turn out to be. Imposters are those that pretend to be someone or something that they are not. How will everyone tell the difference between Crosley and his doubles you might say? Who created them and why? Then we learn more about how they intend to do this.

Author Sands Hetherington teaches children the importance of honesty, teamwork, caring, obeying the rules and the laws and how to be a good friend. Illustrations by Jessica Love to help bring the characters to life. Just what do you think? Can a young boy be best friends with a crocodile, solve crimes and freeze his parents with his special telescope pointed at them. Will they realize what he was missing for so long or will time be stopped? What happens at the end will surprise you? What happens to the moles and the impostors will renew your faith in kindness. An interesting story but at times hard to follow and many unusual words that required the author to put their translations and a glossary at the beginning which many kids might need to use or just make up their own meanings for these words from the context of the story.

Places where available for sale:

Amazon.com; BN.com; wherever books are sold.

(Dune Buggy Press titles are distributed by Delphi Distribution and are set up with wholesalers like Ingram and Baker & Taylor.)

About the Author:

Sands Hetherington, creator of the Night Buddies series of chapter books is delighted to have published his second title, Night Buddies, Impostors, and One Far-Out Flying Machine. Sands credits his son John for being his principal motivator in creating Night Buddies. He and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. They collaborated many nights on escapades starring John and Crosley, until eventually it occurred to Sands why it was that Crosley was bright red. That was when the first book came together. Now, Sands is pleased to announce the second title in the series!

 

The first book in the Night Buddies series, Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare is available anywhere books are sold.

About the Illustrator:

Jessica Love grew up in California, with two artist parents. She studied pintmaking and drawing at UC Santa Cruz, then went to study acting at The Juilliard School in NYC.

Jessica resides in Brooklyn, New York, toggling back and forth between her work as an actor and her work as an artist.

You can find out more about Sands Hetherington, Jessica Love and the Night Buddies series World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bysdkbv

Follow the Night Buddies at

Fan Website: www.nightbuddiesadventures.com

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/nightbuddies

Twitter: @Night_Buddies

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/nightbuddies2/

GoodReads Author Sands Hetherington

Publisher Website: www.dunebuggypress.com

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.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.