The New Book Review

Friday, March 24, 2017

Editor and WordTrippers Queen Recommends Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Latest How-To Book

How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically

Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career

Series: Multi Award-Winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

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

Cover: Chaz DeSimone

Genre: Nonfiction/Writers/Marketing

ISBN 9788-1-5369-4837-0

Purchase paperback of e-book on Amazon

Reviewed by Barbara McNichol originally for Amazon

This title and subtitle sets up a huge expectation, and the text adeptly delivers on it with excellence!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson addresses the good, the bad, and (at times) the ugly of book reviews in this comprehensive and highly readable resource. She teaches authors how to take control of the process of obtaining book reviews in today’s robust (and bursting) publishing climate. Throughout the book, this expert repeatedly brings to mind the value of book reviews in marketing—a superior move to paying for ads. And she cautions against paid-for reviews. “Authors who buy reviews spend their valuable promotion budget on something that doesn’t impress anybody, even most readers,” she writes.

This resource dares to cite a number of Review-Trippers that can trip up both first-time and experienced authors. They include long lead times and biases based on who published the book (called book bigotry). They also include a misconception that publicity (including book reviews) automatically results in sales (not so). True to her mission of practicality, Howard-Johnson shows how reviews can work cumulatively with other marketing activities.

I highly recommend reading this book during your book-writing journey. Attempt to understand the good, the bad, and the ugly of getting reviews and making them work for you. Written with a humorous touch, this book is your frugal guide with advice that won’t let you stray ethically.

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MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Barbara McNichol edits nonfiction books and is queen of helping helping writers with word trippers. Reach her at Barbara McNichol Editorial, 520 615 7910 or editor@barbaraMcNichol.com. Check out her Word Trippers book and ebook.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

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.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Readers Favorite Award-Winner for Kids Released

Little Birdie Grows Up

by Wanda Luthman

www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com

A Children's Picture Book

ISBN 9780692745090

Reviewed by: Mamta Madhavan on Reader's Favorite

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/little-birdie-grows-up

Little Birdie Grows Up received a 5 Star Review

Buy on Amazon

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers Favorite Awards

Little Birdie Grows Up by Wanda Luthman is the story of a little bird who is welcomed into the world by Mama Bird. Birdie snuggles up to Mama Bird and feels happy with her. Little Birdie is hungry and wants to eat something. Birdie thinks a worm will be good. Little Birdie also dreams of flying up high in the sky and at the same time is scared of falling. Little Birdie is proud of the first flight and lands down with a bump. Little Birdie has grown big and has become strong. This beautiful story captures the growth of Little Birdie from that of being a baby to an adult and leaving home.

Narrated from a bird’s point of view, the story takes the reader through the various stages of development and life changes of Little Birdie. The illustrations are lively and colorful and they add a good pace and movement to the story by breathing life into the scenes and characters. It is an excellent story for interactive sessions in classrooms and school libraries as it tells kids about growing up and leaving home. Parents and grandparents can use it for bedtime story-telling as it encourages children to grow and embrace the new changes that are going to happen in their lives while growing up. The concept and message are good and definitely helpful to child readers to look at their life, growth, and development with the right perspective. The rhyming verses make the narration lyrical and enjoyable for kids

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MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wanda Luthman has her Masters of Arts in both Mental Health Counseling and Guidance Counseling from Rollins College located in beautiful Winter Park, Florida. She worked at a local Community Mental Health Center for 10 years before transferring to the Public School System as a Guidance Counselor. She’s worked at a High School for the past 20 years. She has also been an Adjunct Professor at the local Community College and worked with teens who had lost a loved one through Hospice. She has always loved reading and writing and wrote many books and poems as a child growing up in Missouri. She presently resides in Brevard County Florida with her husband of 21 years and two dogs. Her daughter is away at college, like Little Birdie, she has left the nest. All of Wanda's books are available on Amazon at www.amazon.com/author/wandaluthman. She writes to encourage kids to be the best they can be! You can follow her blog at www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com or her Facebook Fanpage at www.facebook.com/wluthman. She is also the author of The Lilac Princess and A Turtle's Magical Adventure. Learn more about the author and all of her books at

http://www.amazon.com/author/wandaluthman and myBook.to/WandaLuthmanAut hor. Also available at www.bn.com

Here are her social networks:

Blog: www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com

Twitter--@wandalu64

Facebook--www.facebook.com/wluthman

YouTube--www.youtube.com/c/WandaLuthman

Instagram--www.instagram.com/wandalu64

Google+--https://plus.google.com/+WandaLuthman

Goodreads--https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14469611.Wanda_Luthman

LindedIn--https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanda-luthman-37b836117

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Costa Rica Retiree Shares Journey

My Path to Retiring (and Writing!) in Costa Rica

By Helen Dunn Frame

Review quote from Rowdy Rhodes

About 13 years ago, I faced the BIG decision. Should I retire or go up against the unseen wall preventing older citizens from obtaining a job despite extensive experience?

When the parent company filed bankruptcy, my job of a lifetime disappeared. I determined I did not want to return to the good-ole-boy commercial real estate business that I had battled for 25 years. I looked for something to supplement my income. One real estate company’s president wouldn’t hire me as a receptionist with the bonus of a broker’s license because he felt I would want to retire soon.

As part of my due diligence, I visited Costa Rica, a then financial friendly country, to assess living there. When I returned home, despite what many financial advisors would advise I took Social Security early based on the idea that money now is worth more than later. I ran the numbers and determined I would have to collect my benefit for at least 13 years to break even.

Like others, I had to decide if I wanted to retire full time, part time, or not at all. As I approached what could be the last quarter or even third of my life, I did a Ben Franklin and listed the pros and cons. My goal was to enjoy an adventure that would ensure my golden years would be happy, healthy, and content. To pay forward, I wrote a book, first published in 2012, called Retiring in Costa Rica or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida. This year I published the third edition to pinpoint the changes and growth in the country.

The book offers readers the first step, beginning with the new first Chapter, Retirement 101, in which I encourage you to look beyond your financial plans and to consider what you will do with your wonderful free hours. If Costa Rica is on your list of possible locations, you’ll learn about its environment. You’ll undoubtedly discover if retiring to this emerging nation is, or is not, for you. If your choice is retiring to another foreign country, the book will help you to recognize what you might face when adapting to a different culture. You could also decide to keep working, if only part-time, or to create a business and live near family and friends.

In Retiring, you will find a lot of data, including references to other books, links to websites, and much-needed phone numbers that will enable you to carry your research to the next level. And, you may contact me through my website to download a free Moving Guide and workbook, useful for any move.

Author’s Page: http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Dunn-Frame/e/B0054LDOBW

Freelance Writer Rowdy Rhodes wrote: “If you are contemplating permanent retirement, investing, or even birding in the forest reserves in Costa Rica, then you must read this book. An in-depth, comprehensive guide by U.S. expat Helen Dunn Frame, it provides a systematic method for the entire process of making your tropical retirement dream easily come true."

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen Dunn Frame, an accomplished businesswoman (formerly a commercial real estate broker in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, specializing in retail and restaurants), developed professional writing skills. Plus, living in England, Germany, and Costa Rica; and her love of travel (in 50 countries where she gained an appreciation of the value of diverse cultures) have provided background for several books.

Helen wove many threads of her experiences into the fabric of GREEK GHOSTS followed by the second in the mystery series, WETUMPKA WIDOW. Living in Dallas during a major scandal resulted in SECRETS BEHIND THE BIG PENCIL. In a third edition this year, Helen advises Baby Boomers in her book about RETIRING IN COSTA RICA or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida. It features a new chapter, Retirement 101, which is also a booklet available on Kindle.

A graduate of Syracuse University (Journalism School), and New York University (Master’s Degree in Sociology/Anthropology), major newspapers and magazines as well as trade publications in the United States, Costa Rica, England, and Germany have published her writing. She has edited newsletters, a newspaper and other author's books, created business proposals for clients and spoken to groups.

She is the author of Retiring in Costa Rica or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida (Third Edition); Greek Ghosts, Love and Danger; Wetumpka Widow, Murder for Wealth; Secrets Behind the Big Pencil, Inspired by an Actual Scandal, Retirement 101, Planning Beyond Financial Security. Get to know her on her Web site at http://bit.ly/1KxXt7T , Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1COtMJn , her

Amazon author's page:http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Dunn-Frame/e/B0054LDOBW,
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grandi1369/ and Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dunn-frame

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Jan Peregrine Reviews How to Get Great Reviews Frugally and Ethically

How To Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically

Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Nonfiction: Writers/HowTo/Marketing

ISBN: 978-1536948370

Available on Amazon as E-book and Paperback

Reviewed by Jan Peregrine originally for Facebook

The title and subtitle of this book live up beautifully to their claims! Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi-award-winning How to Do It Frugally Series of books for writers, emphatically reminds me of yesteryear book titles with that nonfrugal use of words in her title/subtitle! The generous text carries on this theme with six sections, appendix, and close to 300 pages. This ARC e-book, free until it's print-published, is my introduction to the author and it won't be the last book of hers that I read. We're FB friends now and she published my White Trash book review on her blog. Not only a cool lady, but a very helpful one!

Howard-Johnson's latest e-book is the kind of self-help book that serious writers need. I sure do. While I have the book-writing part down, nary a writer's block to dog me, I unfortunately am messing up big time on the promotional part. Maybe I should blame the former dysfunctional review site I wrote for. Not making much money for my writing has become second nature to me...or something like that.

First she shows us the ropes to build the backdrop of our artistic performances to the reading/listening public That means getting to know who's out there who may help us to promote our books. There are lists we can make of people, reviewers, and publishers who are potential interested parties, especially if we hook them with a blurb about our book. I'd never thought of that. Also she encourages writers to review books where other similar authors will likely read them. That's a great suggestion and Howard-Johnson knows of review opportunities I've never heard of.

She really has a lot of useful tips and links, but I have one for her. Recently I read a young adult novel by Sonya Sones and since she included her email address on the back flap, I emailed her about my concerns regarding her story. I was thrilled to hear back from her right away! She had the erroneous impression that I hated it and would give it a bad review. While I did email back and clarified my impressions, I'll be more careful the next time I email an author. Brief reviews via email don't seem like a good idea.

So now I feel more confident that I'll be better able to promote my own books with effort put into it, even if they're self-published, because Howard-Johnson knows of reviewers who welcome self-published books and are not book bigots, heh.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Jan Peregrine writes reviews for Amazon, Goodreads and her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/jansbooks/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel. She plans to be a fequent contributor to The New Book Review.

Monday, February 27, 2017

Military Writers, Writers with Military Topics Alert!

I suspect that many readers and visitors to this blog aren't award of MWSA or its great networking community!

MSWS is the Military Writers Society of America. It is not just for those who write with a military theme. It is also an organization the supports writers who are or have been military or are related to military. Though it also accepts authors and writers who appreciate the possibilities it offers.

Membership is reasonably priced and it offers an excellent book award contest. A couple of my poetry chapbooks have won awards and definitely are not military oriented!

And now all members of MWSA are encouraged to attend this year’s conference in September. They say, “In addition to a general membership meeting that will enable you to learn more about what’s going on in MWSA and provide you the opportunity to voice your suggestions for the future of MWSA, the agenda includes seminars to improve your skills as a writer and presentations that will entertain and educate you on the military history of San Antonio.

“We have worked hard to keep the conference costs down this year and are offering an early bird price at an amount below prior conferences and way below other writers’ conferences held around the country. The Menger Hotel is located right in the heart of San Antonio, minutes away from many major attractions: the Alamo, River Walk, Old Market Square, and more.

Learn more at http://www.mwsadispatches.com/events/2017/9/7/mwsa-general-membership-meeting

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

ew 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.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Magdalena Ball's Poety Sees Science Everywhere

Unmaking Atoms

By Magdalena Ball
Genre: Poetry/ Science
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Ginninderra Press (January 11, 2017)
Language: English
190 Pages
ISBN-10: 1760412821
ISBN-13: 978-1760412821
Author's Web site: www.magdalenaball.com
Buy the book on Amazon

A Moment in Time

I always learn something new from Magdalena Ball’s poetry and was excited that she has a new book that might satisfy my hunger for more of her science-related poems. And so I was surprised to see an entire section titled “Hieroglyphics” in Unmaking Atoms. That discovery doubled my excitement because years ago I studied Egyptian hieroglyphics for three long, confusing, and exciting semesters. It was a process that entangled me in anything with even the mildest scent of Egypt about it and I have visited that country several times since. But I was confused. Where was the “science” in anything I had ever learned about that country, its history, culture, people, language?

I’m telling you this story because Ball’s poetry is nothing if not eclectic and wholly unexpected. I should have known she could make the connection. In this section inspired by the Online at MoMA exhibition at

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2010/online/#works, she says,

“the story you’ve left in me

a ridge against the inside

scar tissue

“like art, I could make myself in positive integers

on carbon, memory cutting figures across a black expanse

as I move through these places, at grand scale

“finding a tincture of who you were

each detail of your absence, bringing back

the line and curve that makes us whole.”

And so . . . now I have a deeper sense of many of those things I thought I had come to know. And science? Ball finds science everywhere and—of course—it is everywhere

And this, dear readers, is the beauty and the excitement of picking up a book of Ball’s poetry and slowly, deliberately, letting that science permeate you awareness of whatever she chooses to examine.

You won’t be bored. You will have your senses awakened. And those who know and love ekphrastic poetry are going to fall in love and want more of the modern art exhibit that inspired it.

Isn’t all poetry but a moment in a time? And isn’t science inundated with unseen time. Ball may help you see time—and feel it.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Indie Reader Posts Blurb for "Mary Poser"

Title: Mary Poser

Author: Angel A

ISBN e-pub: 9876222-0-4

ISBN print: 978-0-9876222-2-8

Number of pages: 472

Publisher: Angel's Leap Pty Ltd

BLURB:

Originally written for and published for IndieReader, http://indiereader.com/2017/02/mary-poster/

“Full of humor and warmth, MARY POSER touches on serious issues like self-harm, anxiety, and prejudice, while inspiring readers to be happy with who they are, and to always look for butterflies.”

Pages