Two Big Thumbs Up for Trisha Slay's New Book

Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away
by Trisha Slay

Trisha’s website: http://trishaslay.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrishaSlayAuthor
Twitter: @SlaytheWriter Twitter hashtag: #NSLASlayPaperback: 316 pages
Publisher: Deeds Publishing (May 21, 2013)
ISBN-13: 978-1-937565-58-9
Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away is available as a print and e-book at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto (originally published for Bring On Lemons Blog

 

 

 

I don’t remember watching Star Wars and I was born two months after it was released in theaters, but novelist Trisha Slay made me feel as if I had been there in the theater taking in each frame of the film. Slay’s novel, Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away was so well written that I imagined myself a troubled teenager, coming of age and being transformed during the summer months of 1977.

Erika (the lead character) is the reason I loved this book, because she is every teenager girl; awkward in her own skin and unsure of herself. Not only does she struggle for acceptance, but struggles will self-doubt. Erika doesn’t see what the rest of the town sees which makes her character so real.

Erika had been the chunky side-kick to her teen beauty queen best friend, Cassie. When Cassandra disappeared, all the attention moved to Erika who had been plotting Cassie’s escape. Each question made Erika question whether she had really known Cassie at all. Erika even had her own doubts; she wondered if Cassie had arrived safely in Hollywood to live out her dream.

The summer was dragging on for Erika, with no word from Cassie. Erika would write letters to her friend. Letters she never intended to mail, but letters that helped her feel less alone, less like an outcast. Erika felt totally misunderstood and completely alone – that was until Star Wars was released. The movie and her summer cleaning at the Bixby Theater made all the difference in the world to Erika.

Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away is filled with interesting characters and even though the majority of the novel takes place at the Bixby Theater, Slay paints a lovely picture of the world surrounding Erika. The Bixby may be crumbling, but it is a lovely historical theater filled with plenty of rooms to explore.

Sonny and Jeff are fascinating characters, but the most intriguing character in the book may be the missing teenage beauty queen Cassie. I couldn’t decide if I loved her, felt sorry for her, or hated the way she seemed to leave her supposed best friend in her shadow.

Even though the story took place before I was born, you get the idea that parts of it happen every day in schools across the nation.

If you want to find out how Erika’s life was transformed, you’ll have to read Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away for yourself. I’m hoping Slay is working on a sequel because I can’t get enough of these characters and I want to know what happens next. I would definitely recommend this book to others; I give it two thumbs up!

Submitted by:
Crystal J. Casavant-Otto
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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.

Reader Loves the Pinata-Maker's Daughter

The Pinata-Maker's Daughter
Author: Eileen Clemens Granfors
Author's Web site: htttp://www.eileengranfors.blogspot.com
Genre: Women's fiction/late YA
ISBN: 1456341219 (paperback)
5 Stars

Reviewed by Maplesyrup, a reader, originally for Amazon

I loved reading "The Pinata-Maker's Daughter" because it is about families. It is about the family of Carmen and her mother, Lucia. They are the main family since Lucia is the Pinata-Maker. Her daughter Carmen thinks she is so smart and modern and goes off to college pretty much ashamed of her hometown (San Ysidro, CA) and her mother and her old friends. She has her head in the clouds. So Carmen has a lot to learn about life that is not taught in any classroom.

She meets two young men. The one is Hispanic like her, and he tries to keep her focused on handling classes and handling work and handling her heritage. He's very serious all the time, but I could tell he was like Carmen in trying to fulfill a dream. He wants Carmen to become a voice and a role model.

The other young man is a goof off. His name is Joe. He is a fraternity guy, and most of his time is spent looking for pretty girls or practicing his sport. The thing is, even though he doesn't know much about Carmen's heritage, he connects with her by just making her laugh and not be so serious. His family, at least his mother, shows Carmen a whole new side of life.

Carmen's roommate and her roommate's friend also push her in new directions. Isn't that what college is for?

The ending of the book revealed a lot of secrets and surprised me and made me cry. I want to read more about Carmen. She's very funny even when she doesn't mean to be. One of the best things about this book is the way that the author shows young people learning that life isn't just a bowl of cherries, and it's not a pinata-party either!

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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.

No Predictable Plot in this Sexy Book

A Glittering Chaos

Author: Lisa de Nikolits
Genre: Literary Fiction
ISBN: 192670892X
Author's Web site: www.lisadenikolitswriter.com

Reviewed by Beth Tropp

A Glittering Chaos reaches out and grabs your attention with that old favorite: sex. But it quickly becomes clear that this book isn't about that. It is an exploration of many different types of relationships. Melusine, a German housewife, comes to Las Vegas on a business trip with her husband Hans. Turns out their relationship isn't what we (and Melusine) thought. Melusine falls into a one night stand with a fellow tourist. And that turns out to be more than it originally seems. All of the relationships in this book are fascinating and full of many facets, reflecting the real world. Because whose relationship is what it appears to be?

 

Too often, the plots of books are predictable. You can sort of see where you are headed. It doesn't ruin the book because you still get to enjoy the journey but, well...surprise is fun. A Glittering Chaos is one surprise after another. This plot is no straight line from Point A to Point B. The characters themselves are quite wild. Even Melusine, who starts out so conventional and familiar, transforms into someone you never would have guessed. If you want a summer read that will be memorable, something you can recommend to your friends that will stand apart from all the other books on the Summer Reading Lists, try A Glittering Chaos.

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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.

Clinical Psychologist Examines Inspirational Anthology

Title: Tales2Inspire
Subtitle: Beyond Coincidence

From (The Emerald Collection)

Authors: Lois W. Stern, Dr. Stan Cupery, Cmi Ann Hofstadter,, Erica Kosal Ph.D, Tina Chippas, Anne Knorr, James Osborne, Heidi DuPreee, donna Surface, Glenn Poveromo
Created and edited by Lois W. Stern
URL: www.tales2inspire.com
Genre: Non-fiction, inspirational

Blurb: Is there really such a thing as coincidence? Or could there be an unknown force, a higher order, taking charge? These are thoughts you are likely to question as you read this collection of inspiring stories of “six degrees of separation” true tales of happenings experienced by winning authors from across the globe. Tales2Inspire is an  “Authors Helping Authors” project/contest developed by Lois W. Stern, which provides talented writers with several excellent platform building opportunities - all for free.

Review from Karen Pirnot: Posted on Amazon.com

Do you believe there's a reason for everything? Do you think people come into our lives (and leave) for a reason? Well, if so, this book is an inspiration for you all!

Come inside and meet those who have faced life squarely and are here to share their stories - stories filled with messages of hope and inspiration. You will meet a skilled physician, unable to revive a nearly frozen newborn baby girl, who discovers a lifesaving solution during a moment of prayer. You will read about two elephants, so deeply bonded in their early years together, who display beyond human emotion when unexpectedly reunited after a separation of over 22 years. Lastly, you will marvel at the story of an orphan adopted by a family who offers him a million-to-one chance of having a fulfilling life.

These are real life stories, sometimes gut-wrenching, but always leaving the reader with a sense of newness and unwavering belief in something greater than us all. No matter your formal belief system (or not), you just can't help but come away thinking there is so much in this universe totally outside of our control and yet, something there to offer a hand-up along the way.

The tales do inspire. They bring you to your knees and then, they lift you up again. Congratulations to Lois W. Stern for bringing together ordinary people with extraordinary tales. The writers are not celebrities found in the tabloids. Rather, they are the common people who, when adversity strikes, are there to comfort and to facilitate healing.

Reviewer Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot is a Clinical Psychologist/Author, As I Am and Just a Common Lady

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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.

Author Praises New Memoir by Wooden Supporter

Wooden & Me
by Woody Woodburn
Author's Web site:

http://www.WoodyWoodburn.com

Genre: Memoir

Reviewer: Ken McAlpine

John Robert Wooden was teacher, mentor and friend to many, but few have gotten to the heart of Wooden (and, with Wooden, it’s the heart that matters) like Woody Woodburn. Woodburn’s Wooden & Me is a marriage made in writing heaven. Two men cut from the same mid-Western cloth -- woven with integrity, honesty and a need to do for others – Woodburn, a national award-winning columnist, and UCLA coaching legend Wooden forged a special bond, and a friendship that lasted over 20 years.

Woodburn first met Wooden as a youth basketball camper in 1975 and the magic begins here. But this is not a book about basketball. Wooden’s gift was to see the bigger picture, and Woodburn possesses the same gift. The end result is a book that moves and motivates and makes you care about the not-so-simple values that make this world a better place.

John Wooden’s sporting accomplishments were almost beyond belief. His won-loss record, his NCAA championship wins, we could list the numbers here, but Coach made little of these accomplishments. “What was the biggest highlight of your career?” he was once asked. “When Nellie married me,” he said. This was a man, writes Woodburn aptly, of “rare grace.” Rare grace also sums Woodburn’s prose. Wooden was larger than life because he didn’t try to be; Woodburn writes a lovely book because he has a simple, unselfish aim. “Coach helped shape my life, and grandly,” writes Woodburn. “My friendship/mentorship with him was a precious gift, one that came wrapped with a bow of responsibility to share with others the life lessons he shared with me… the best I can strive for is to pay forward in some small measure by sharing his wisdom with others…”  

That Woodburn knew Wooden doesn’t distinguish him from hundreds of others: what distinguishes Woodburn is he cares about people and good things and Wooden knew this and so the two became real friends (Woodburn has a stack of letters from Coach that he keeps in a fireproof safe along with other pen-and-paper family heirlooms). Because they were real friends, Wooden & Me touches every chamber of the heart. At times the book is funny and upbeat, at times, poignant and bittersweet. Woodburn often got through his own difficult times with help, actual and inspired, from Coach, and Woodburn returned the favor. Together they raised friendship to an art.     

The value of friendship, honesty, integrity and hard work, these are things that always merit reminding. Woodburn turns the lessons he learned from Wooden into lessons we can all use. “Remember, Woody,” Coach told him more than once, “good things take time – and good things should take time. Usually a lot of time.” 

This book is a very a good thing. 

Pre-order your copy of Wooden & Me today at http://www.woodywoodburn.com/

Author Bio

 

Woody Woodburn is a national award-winning sports columnist and currently a general interest essayist with The Ventura County Star. National recognition for Woodburn's writing includes First Place for Column Writing by the Associated Press News Executive Council; E.W. Scripps Newspapers “Columnist of the Year”; Copley News Service’s “Columnist of the Year”; and the James S. Copley “Ring of Truth” award. Woodburn's work has also appeared in The Best American Sports Writing anthology, The Sporting News, and The Los Angeles Times Op-Ed pages. In 2004 he co-authored Raising Your Child To Be A Champion In Athletics, Arts and Academics with nationally renowned speaker and coach Wayne Bryan.

 

Inspired by Coach John Wooden’s philanthropic spirit, Woodburn, 53, has held an annual Holiday Ball Drive that has collected and donated more than 6,000 sports balls to disadvantaged youth since 2001.

About the Reviewer:

 

Ken McAlpine is the author of the novels Together We

 

Jump and FOG and the nonfiction books Off Season: Discover America

 

on Winter’s Shore and Islands Apart: A Year on the Edge of Civilization.

 

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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.

Military Thriller Offered Free

Title – Time Fall
Author – Tim Ashby

Genre – Military History, Thriller

Publisher – Author Planet Press

ISBN-10 1481026674

ISBN-13 978-1481026673

Website – http://www.timashby.com

Special Offer – http://www.timefallbook.com

 

Synopsis:

 

Lt. Art Sutton’s team of six US Rangers parachute into Nazi Germany…  but they vanish in 1945.  They land, a few minutes later, in 2011. The Rangers are unaware of the passage of time all around them and the valiant, misguided soldiers begin to attack “enemy” targets.

They face the age old question - What is good? What is evil?

KIRKUS BOOK REVIEW

Author Ashby’s (Devil’s Den, 2011) historical actioner follows six U.S. Army Rangers who jump from an aircraft in 1945 and travel nearly 70 years by the time they hit the ground.

Near the end of World War II, Lt. Arthur Sutton leads his troop on a covert mission in Germany, but the soldiers are unaware that they’ve landed in 2011. One of their raids inadvertently thwarts a planned terrorist attack but also gets a German counterterrorism outfit on their trail. In the future, the men must work with a sergeant whose thirst for vengeance—his Jewish family suffered Nazi atrocities—causes him to become unhinged while they’re being pursued by retired Gen. Hanno Kasper, a loyal Nazi who’d rather see them dead than taken alive. Despite the time traveling, Ashby’s novel isn’t so much sci-fi as historical fiction with a modern-day setting: The soldiers believe it’s 1945 for much of the story; Kasper wallows in archaic Nazi principles, always carrying the Iron Cross given to him by Hitler when he was a young boy; and American investigator and Vietnam vet Eddie Cassera delves into the past after finding a recently killed solider who’s been MIA for decades. Time traveling, in fact, is a minor plot device, and the author is prudent in its execution—characters concentrate less on how they arrived in the future than what action to take while there. Sutton, who loses the others after an injury, is an ideal man out of time. Scenes of the lieutenant slowly grasping his circumstances are handled deftly; his fascination with such contemporary things as an iPad or YouTube aren’t tongue-in-cheek but endearing, as when he’s shown a video of his favorite musician, Benny Goodman. In the same vein, Sutton’s relationship with Paula, a German woman who sympathizes with his plight, is endurably unassertive—a comfortable enhancement that doesn’t call attention to itself. Ashby’s blissfully concise prose makes this 350-pager feel half the length. History buffs will delight in the World War II backdrop, but the book’s action, style and unremitting pace make it a triumph across-the-board.

Book tour information:

Filled with historically accurate details, Time Fall is a complex tale that keeps readers riveted through every surprising twist. To read an excerpt and to enter to win a FREE copy of Time Fall, visit http://www.timefallbook.com/. To get your copy now, visit http://amzn.to/12mA0mW (print) and http://amzn.to/1aK4Xzt (digital). You can also get your copy at all major book retailers.
   

About Tim Ashby

Timothy Ashby's life has been as thrilling as one of his action/adventure novels. Visit his author blog at www.timashby.com.

An international lawyer, businessman and writer, Tim Ashby worked in Washington DC as a counter-terrorism consultant to the U.S. State Department, and then as a senior official - the youngest political appointee of his rank - at the U.S. Commerce Department, responsible for commercial relations with Latin America and the Caribbean. He held two Top Secret security clearances and worked with a number of colorful characters, including members of the U.S. military's Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He has lived in the Caribbean and Europe as well as various places in the United States. An avid historian, he published widely on military history, archaeology, business and international relations. A licensed attorney in Florida and the District of Columbia, Tim Ashby has a PhD degree from the University of Southern California, a JD from Seattle University Law School, and an MBA from the University of Edinburgh Scotland.

Submitted by:

Nikki Leigh, promotional services

Visit my new Website - http://www.nikkileighauthor.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 :

Lehoux's Fantasy Books in Re-Release

 

Masquerade
Third book in THE SEVY SERIES
Author: Sarah-Jane Lehoux.
Information on the series: http://sarah-janelehoux.com/sevyseries.htm

Genre: Fantasy

Original Publisher: Mundania Press, 2010..
Now in re-release by the author.

Reviewer's Rating for Masquerade: 5 of 5 Frodos

ISBNs:

Thief:   ISBN 148417433X  ISBN-13: 978-1484174333

Shades of War:  ISBN: 148485716X  ISBN-13: 978-1484857168

Masquerade:  ISBN: 1484860292  ISBN-13: 978-1484860298

Reviewed by Eric Townsend originally for Frodo’s Blog of Randomness

 

 

I’m pretty sure that it is Sarah-Jane’s mission in life to torture her characters, most especially Sevy. However, that doesn’t prevent Masquerade from being an excellent addition to the series. Sevy has to battle a whole host of new enemies, most of all the seemingly all-powerful Kirydan who quickly manages to get her wrapped around his finger.

The characters in Masquerade are, as is par for the course with the Sevy Series, the greatest strength of the book. Revik, the dark elf, takes on a greater role as he attempts to help Sevy escape from Kirydan. We find out more of Revik’s devotion toward his family and delve deeper into who he is as a person, as well as some hard sacrifices he is willing to make for a friend. While Sevy is still the focal point of Masquerade, she’d have it no other way, she isn’t like herself for the vast majority of the book. Under Kirydan’s spell she acts more and more like his pet/love slave, which is truly hard to watch, or in this case read.

 

The void of a heroine is taken up by Revik’s daughter, Yy’voura. A new character in the series, Yy’voura is a fun loving young dark elf who seems to want nothing more than to play yet another game with her friends, unfortunately those friends include Kirydan who has messed with her mind in a powerful way. As the book progresses we learn more about who Yy’voura truly is and what lengths she will go to in order to help her family.

 

Kirydan is an excellent villain. He’s got magical powers (always helps), good looks (doesn’t hurt) and even seems to have control over certain magical creatures as well. While he is definitely contemptible there is a vulnerability and a tortured past that gives the reader, as well as the other characters in Masquerade, just enough pause which is just what he wants. He’s corrupted, twisted and pitiable, and while that might seem slightly cliché it works in this case.

 

The plot is very heavily focused on the back and forth between attempted freeing of Sevy and company and further conquest by Kirydan. It is a balanced battle and will keep the reader anxious to find out which side will come out victorious, and what price they will have to pay in order to do so. For those of you who like a little naughtiness mixed in with your fantasy, Masquerade delivers just the right amount. With romance, daring attempts at rescue, a freakishly powerful yet seductive villain and plenty of magic Masquerade delivers the perfect combination.

 

As you can clearly tell, I thoroughly enjoyed Masquerade, just as I have with [earlier books in the series] Thief and Shades of War. While they have all been excellent books in my opinion, the elements in Masquerade work even more perfectly than the previous ones and it has quickly become my favorite. Even though Masquerade was just released I already can’t wait for the next book in the series!

 

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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.