Award-Winning Author Reviews Award-Winning Author

Finding True Home

Series: Book 2 of American Dream series

Author: Heidi M. Thomas

http://www.heidimthomas.com

Genre: Women’s Fiction

ISBN: 978-0999066317

https://amzn.to/2SY7nIR Kindle

https://amzn.to/2ATsvZQ paperback

Reviewed by Karen Casey-Fitzjerrel originally for Amazon 

This book, based on life experiences of the author’s mother, is an emotional journey start to finish. Anna is a new bride of German descent in rural America a few years after World War II ends. She feels left out of the community lifeline where she and her husband have settled. At times she senses discrimination and believes she is the topic of gossip. The story opens as Anna finds out she is pregnant for a third time. The pregnancy is difficult with complications, including toxemia. To make matters worse, the child, a daughter, is plagued with colic, sleeplessness, and fits of screaming that last throughout her childhood.

In the rest of the story Anna slowly realizes her children have far different directions in mind for their lives than the one she has imagined. She struggles to understand why, in her view, her children have all gone wrong. A boy who leaves home as soon as he is of age, a first born daughter who goes away to college and has no plans to return to rural life, and lastly the youngest daughter who is willful beyond reason into adulthood.

For me, the book came full circle in the last pages but I don’t want to give a spoiler here.

This addition to Heidi M. Thomas’s body of work is sure to captivate readers as much as her previous books in which she offers readers rich and accurate accounts of obstacles young women faced eighty, ninety years ago. Young women who desperately want to step out of society’s restrictive molds. Thomas’s earlier books show us how Montana women, aspiring to participate in male dominated roles, faced their fears and naysayers with determination and courage. However, in Finding True Home, Thomas writes about a struggling mother and wife, new to mid-century America, who must examine her own thoughts in order to live in harmony with her family and community.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

 Karen Casey Fitzjerrell is the author of Forgiving Effie Beck, winner of the Will Rodgers Gold Medallion Award. It was named Kirkus Reviews Best Independently Published Novel of 2015.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heidi M. Thomas grew up on a working ranch in eastern Montana, riding and gathering cattle for branding and shipping. Her parents taught her a love of books, and her grandmother rode bucking stock in rodeos. She followed her dream of writing with a journalism degree from the University of Montana. Heidi is the author of the award-winning “Cowgirl Dreams” novel series and Cowgirl Up: A History of Rodeo Women. Seeking the American Dream and Finding True Home are based on the author’s mother who emigrated from Germany after WWII. She is the author of

Cowgirl Up! A History of Rodeo Women (Winner Global e-book Awards)

1.Cowgirl Dreams (EPIC Award Winner)

2.Follow the Dream (WILLA Award Winner)

3.Dare to Dream (Finalist  International Book Awards)

Learn more about her at 

http://www.heidimthomas.com and  http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.

Midwest Book Review Loves New Literary Memoir

Book Girl
Sarah Clarkson
Tyndale Momentum
c/o Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496425805,
$15.99, PB, 288pp
www.amazon.com

Reviewed by Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief at MidwestBookReview.com

Synopsis: When you hear a riveting story, does it thrill your heart and stir your soul? Do you hunger for truth and goodness? Do you secretly relate to Belle’s delight in the library in Beauty and the Beast? If so, you may be on your way to being a book girl (or boy!).

Books were always Sarah Clarkson’s delight. Raised in the company of the lively Anne of Green Gables, the brave Pevensie children of Narnia, and the wise Austen heroines, she discovered reading early on as a daily gift, a way of encountering the world in all its wonder. But what she came to realize as an adult was just how powerfully books had shaped her as a woman to live a story within that world, to be a lifelong learner, to grasp hope in struggle, and to create and act with courage. She’s convinced that books can do the same for you.

In the pages of "Book Girl: A Journey through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life" readers will join Sarah in exploring the reading life as a gift and an adventure, one meant to enrich, broaden, and delight in each season of life as a woman.

In Book Girl, reader's will discover: How reading can strengthen your spiritual life and deepen your faith; Why a journey through classic literature might be just what you need (and where to begin); How stories form your sense of identity; How Sarah’s parents raised her to be a reader -- and can be done to cultivate a love of reading in the growing readers around us; and some 20+ annotated book lists, including some old favorites and many new discoveries.

Whether you’ve long considered yourself a reader or have dreams of becoming one, "Book Girl" will draw you into the life-giving journey of becoming a woman (or a man!) who reads and lives well.

Critique: Although primarily written for female readers as reflected in the title, "Book Girl: A Journey through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life" by author, blogger, and student of theology Sarah Clarkson is an extraordinary read that is very highly recommended to the attention of all dedicated bibliophiles regardless of gender. Rarely has a truer portrait of the joy and influence of a literate life been so well exemplified or showcased.

While "Book Girl" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.44) for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialists general readers with an interest in the subject. Librarians should note that "Book Girl" is also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982558284, $34.95, CD).

And for the record, I have no personal or professional relationship to Sarah Clarkson and wouldn't recognize her if I were to pass her on the street.

MORE ABOUT MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

When you subscribe to Midwest Book Review's newsletters from--either the one edited by Jim Cox or Beth Cox--you get reviews directly to your e-mail box.  Jim's are always (most always?) related to reading or writing in one way or another.  He often ends the editorial portion of his letter with, "Now on to reviews of other new books with particular relevance and interest for authors and publishers: The Writing/Publishing Shelf." midwestbookreview.com

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.

Poet Judith Skillman Reviews Carol Smallwood's "In the Measuring"

Title: In the Measuring

by Carol Smallwood

Publisher: Shanti Arts

August 2018, Paperback:120 pages, 

ISBN: 978-1-947067-38-7

$17.00

Reviewed by Judith Skillman, originally for Compulsive Reader

Carol Smallwood’s language is exuberant as she threads themes of childhood, adolescence, maturity, aging, and mortality through the seventy-seven poems of her new collection, In the Measuring. Using free verse as well as formal, she examines seasons, myths, childhood, nature, and the plethora of experiences we encounter in everyday life.

Mysteries arise for Smallwood as she examines the ordinary. Under her microscope, something as everyday as a carwash changes suddenly to a cornfield: “Driving home, the corn that’d emerged in spring in such/straight emerald lines paraded in crumpled gold.” (“Today,” p. 34). Here, memory illuminates a landscape one generally equates with winter: “…–it was windy,/bags and newspapers flying the streets.” Through her wielding of the microscopic lens, a stray moment of recall provides not only a blast of color, but also a dose of nostalgia.

The saying goes: “the devil is in the details”; for Smallwood, however, one may say “the angel is in the details”. Whether it is a person, a landscape or a thing, concrete images accrue and become more than the sum of their parts. 

For instance, in “Falling Leaves” (p. 36), the change of season from summer to fall creates nuances of feeling—in this case, of exile—which are echoed by new developments that have sprung up in a familiar locale. We have experienced this in contemporary life; it’s become normative and expected. For the witness in this poem, the tree losing its leaves becomes a metaphor for abrupt and continual change:

Nearby stands one tree

with fallen leaves crumpled

by sea change without

having seen the sea

Bringing the sea inland and giving the tree permission to “be” sensory without anthropomorphizing it is an angelic act, given the harsh details that “swirl” through this short piece.

The aforementioned exuberance comes with the author’s novel treatment of the everyday—those ordinary, mundane tasks and chores we take for granted. Who would think to write a pantoum about dishwashing liquid? Yet Smallwood carries it off, and braids colloquial language with scientific. She assumes a persona the reader can identify with:

There are so many on the shelves but had to select one —

antibacterial, concentrated, degreaser, biodegradable:

how bad were phosphates (what did they do) in the long run?

Surely an experienced housekeeper should be capable.(“A Dishwashing Liquid Pantoum”)

In addition to glancing aslant at a world overfull with choices,In the Measuringreveals the journey of an open-minded life-long learner and an ironic soul, one who wanders lightly through days and years. The line of questioning follows an all too familiar path we all tread—that of the mortal whose days and years are numbered. Through many modes of assessment, and myriad daily problems to be solved (even the mundane filling out of a questionnaire at the dentist (“Waiting for the Dental  Hygienist” p. 84) standard communications become wholly inadequate.

As the adventure unfolds, this explorer searching for a way to properly interpret, label, and explain the world in scientific terms learns lessons she passes on to the reader:

How much knowing is good for us to know?

Venus, the admired morning star, is a sulfuric hell.

Know Thyself can be a Medusa turn-to-stone blow:…(“Knowing”, 70)

When examining the role of childhood myths, from Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, to the Wizard of Oz, Smallwood waxes feminist: “Sleeping Beauty/was awakened by the prince./What would’ve happened if/she hadn’t been a beauty?” (79)

The overwhelming amount of information that must be processed more and more quickly in our contemporary world cannot be reduced—that is no longer an option. Reading Smallwood, however, is not only possible but advisable. She herself is an avid reader. Perhaps the best we can do to insulate ourselves from the inevitable intrusion of overload is to opt in to one of Smallwood’s worlds. An ideal example can be found in one of her vignettes, a four-line poem emblematic of the whole:

I’m a child again

wanting to read

darkened tree bark

like Braille (“On Days of Slow Rain”, 96)

As a wanderer, this female Don Quixote struggles until, as a compulsive searcher, she finds a way to lower the bar and arrive at home under her own terms. That is, she comes to grips with the impossibility of finding a proper answer to unanswerable questions. She turns from shadows cast by inanimate objects to actual living things, even if those things must be  bugs:

 “The Bug”/ “was on the post office floor so put it in my purse:…” (p. 100). 

What a surprising move.

The persona then goes on to describe what this insect liked: “…Subway lettuce, drops of coke in the car;”—and brings the bug round to another angelic moment: “It had survived countless species long extinct–/and if we wait, we may see the Spring”. Spring is capitalized intentionally here, for it is a Spring where the reader, who, we learn, lives between worlds (“I Read that Between,” 113) can hold winter and summer, and therefore light and darkness, at once.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Judith Skillman’s recent books are Premise of Light, Tebot Bach; and Came Home to Winter, Deerbrook Editions. She is the recipient of grants from Artist Trust and from the Academy of American Poets. Her work has appeared in Shenandoah, Poetry, Cimarron Review, The Southern Review, and other journals. Visit www.judithskillman.com

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.

A Shoutout to Talented Writers - Newbies and Published Authors Alike

TALES2INSPIRE® 

an "AUTHORS HELPING AUTHORS" PROJECT/CONTEST

Tales2Inspire® is a project I created nine years ago with two missions in mind. The first was to seek out stories to spread some good news. But as a retired educator and author, I had a second mission in mind. I wanted to give talented writers with an inspiring story to share an opportunity to make their voices heard. With the help of some prominent author advocates, word continued to spread. Accomplished authors and talented newbies alike have grabbed the opportunity. Why not? It’s FREE to enter and gives winners one more respected notch in their platform building belts.

Has the word FREE popped out at you yet? For one thing it is Free to enter this contest. For another, you can get a Free sampler of six Tales2Inspire published stories for your Kindle, Nook or iPad simply by going to www.tales2inspire.com/gifts. Not only will you enjoy these stories, but it will be really helpful for those entering this project/contest to read a few stories that have won past Tales2Inspire® awards.

THEME FOR 2021: TURNING THE PAGE

Be creative. Think in terms of:

 Turning a corner:

Saying goodbye to:

a life trauma, a habitual path, a past life direction, 

a beloved person or animal, a failed relationship . . . to start anew. 

The skies the limit, but just remember, it must be an inspiring, true story

Whether you are new to Tales2Inspire or have been with us before, a quick review of our Contest Guidelines will help you succeed, so be sure to follow the step-by-step instructions below.

GUIDELINES

* For guidelines on writing a winning story, CLICK HERE.

* To learn how to submit a story, CLICK HERE.

* To learn about winner rewards – What’s In it For You – CLICK HERE.

* To learn how stories are judged and how authors become part of that process, CLICK HERE.

* For post-judging editing support, CLICK HERE.

Don't forget,Tales2Inspire newcomers, download your FREE Tales2Inspire® sampler now. Not only is it a treat to read these inspiring stories, but it will give you a great idea of the type stories we like to publish.

TESTIMONIALS

Rod DiGruttolo, Sarasota, Fl.

Tales2Inspire is unique in that all those entering a 'tale' for consideration, have an opportunity to grow as authors. While there are winners in the entries, there are no losers.while Lois provides every author with the opportunity to see our work through other authors' eyes. By inspiring us toward writing mastery, she helps us inspire others.

 Starling Hiraldo, Lawrence, Mass.

Working with Lois has been one of the most eye-opening and rewording experiences of my life. I have learned to be grateful for human interaction and the importance of sharing stories with communities across the globe.

Claudia Domb, Smithtown, NY

Anonymously critiquing the work of three of my peers sharpened my critical thinking skills. In turn, having my story judged by three other authors was helpful to me. Being open to change can make for positive results, helping to polish an already great story to near perfect results.

Bailey Jacobs and the Disappearing Dogs Series Novella One

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.

Bailey Jacobs and the Disappearing Dogs, Series Novella One

• Title: Bailey Jacobs and the Disappearing Dogs
• Author: VJ Barrington
• Print Length: 41 pages
• Language: English
• Available on Amazon

Bailey Jacobs is a down-and-out 17-year-old goth, having lost her job and breaking up with her boyfriend.  However, she isn't the only one with problems in town; there have been many dogs disappearing without a trace.  Bailey happens upon a clue, but when she reports it to the police they do not believe her as she already has a bad reputation due to the actions of her ex-boyfriend.  She decides that she is the only hope for the dogs and plays amateur detective to find out who is responsible for the missing canines.  She is certain she knows who is behind it, but the only way for her to convince the authorities to act may be by committing an offense herself!

This first novella nicely sets the scene both for this book, as well as Bailey's future antics.  There are several possible paths the future books could take based upon the hints given in this first story.

The target audience for this book is young adults, but I enjoyed it as well and look forward to the next installment of this series.  VJ Barrington is sure to have a wide and devoted following in no time.

Bailey Jacobs and the Disappearing Dogs is VJ Barrington's first book in this first series. Each series will have 12 episodes; every 4 episodes (1-4 and 5-8 and 9-12) will be combined into an omnibus (about 80k words long) and then printed as a hard copy and made into an audio-book, narrated by VJ Barrington.  He has plans for another 2 series, as well.  Each episode will publish at the rate of about one a month, so keep checking in for the newest adventure of Bailey Jacobs in her unconventional female detective role.

Next in the Bailey Jacobs series:

• Bailey Jacobs and the Flying Thief
• Bailey Jacobs and the Bungled Burglary
• Bailey Jacobs and the Dealer's Den

About the Author

VJ Barrington was born in Africa in 1966. Having lived and worked abroad most of his life, he has settled down with his wife and dogs in a quiet Victorian town on the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland.

He enjoys stories with plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end. This can be seen in his writing and his preferred authors who include Jeffrey Deaver and Agatha Christie.

If you’d like to know more or would like to follow VJ Barrington, you can connect with him through his website, Facebook, and YouTube.

Review by Crystal McClean

Crystal is a Mom, wife, homeschooler, virtual assistant, ex-pat, and more. If you’re looking for fun activities, educational ideas, recipes, multiculturalism, reviews, freebies, and giveaways, you’ll find it all at Castle View Academy with a little dose of inspiration thrown in for good measure.

Precarious and Mysterious Life in Antarctica a Murder Mystery Trilogy

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.

Precarious and Mysterious Life in Antarctica a Murder Mystery Trilogy

Book One Antarctic Murders Series
Frozen in Time: Murder at the Bottom of the World
Best price for the Cold Blood Trilogy on Amazon
Author: Theodore Jerome Cohen

• Print Length: 236 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse 
• Language: English
• ASIN: B079KG6CZ9

In Frozen in Time, the reader will enjoy the picturesque language and vivid details such as:
"Seen from the mountain to the south, the base had all the appearance of a small, abandoned mining town on a planet at the outreaches of the galaxy."
The base was painted bright orange (for visibility, I assume) each year as the winter wind, ice pellets, and snow hit it with speeds of up to 150 miles per hour which removed the paint. How would a person survive in such conditions? Not me as the indoor daytime temperatures were in the 40's when I think 60's are too cold. There were 23 hours a day of sunlight which sounds nice until remembering this was in Antarctica, decades ago, and sunscreen then didn't help much at all.
This is the real story of the author's experience as a National Science Foundation researcher and scientist and is based on real facts. Who would think murders and intrigue would happen in such a remote location with few inhabitants?
When a radio is submerged in salt water, a description of what the involved repair entailed is given, yet that radio did help save a man's life later. Sailors shooting seals caused an avalanche. The glacier calved by itself anyway, and deep crevices would open up with no warning. Since this happened decades ago and would be dangerous today, it was quite the adventure (if a scientific adventure).
The ending is quite philosophical and considers how precarious life can be. It also ends with a mystery and leaving me anxious to read book two in this trilogy.

Do you like books on Audible? The first book of this trilogy is now available on Audible.

Book Two Antarctic Murders Series
Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer
Best price for the Cold Blood Trilogy on Amazon
Author: Theodore Jerome Cohen

• Print Length: 252 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07933K1CN

Unfinished Business is just that as Book 2 of the trilogy of Antarctic thrillers, as a work of fiction based on real events that took place between 1960 and 1965. This book tells in detail how Munoz masterminded a sudden opportunity for a 1960 bank robbery in the millions as well as other thefts, has eluded the police and Naval investigations and hearings to escape undetected. In fact, he testified at some of the hearings! He is also a murderer and although some people know he is guilty, there is only circumstantial evidence and no hard evidence. He is living well at the end of the book and has earned a prestigious award and a promotion to an international position.

Events occur like a donkey cart stops traffic when Munoz needs to make quick time as part of his plan, but he manages to escape without a problem. He leaves behind coins with messages indicating he has outsmarted the investigators. Valderas "the bloodhound" is someone who knows him well, yet cannot find a shred of evidence to convict him. Time seems to pass slowly as Valderas thinks over the evidence on a daily basis (for years).

This book provides insight, facts, and background information so hopefully one day Munoz will hopefully make a mistake somewhere or events will catch up with him. I am hoping something along those lines happens in Book 3 (End Game) which I am eager to begin reading right now. In fact, I have started the last book in this trilogy.

Book Three Antarctic Murders Series
End Game: Irrational Acts, Tragic Consequences
Best price for the Cold Blood Trilogy on Amazon
Author: Theodore Jerome Cohen

• Print Length: 192 pages
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0794BVM4X

Immediately after finishing book 2 in this trilogy, I had to read this title, book 3, End Game. I read it straight through and couldn't put it down. I was anxious to find out not "who done it" but how he (Munoz) might eventually get caught in this game of cat and mouse. There were no shreds of hard evidence at the end of book 2 although the reader learns what happened and how he got away with it all -- while still being held in high regard.

What a clever, smart villain people trust (Munoz)! Until the very end, the story will keep you wondering how it can resolve and who might be hurt. Along the way, he does some very good deeds that are not very public so this was not for helping his cover-up. Of course, Munoz learned from the very best, his father -- unfortunately.

Included in the text are Spanish phrases and sentences which are fun to decipher if you have taken Spanish classes. There is some French, too. Anyone who was in orchestra or music classes at some time will start to remember their music literature as symphonies feature prominently in the plot. Oh, really, yes, and also so many "engineering/scientific" details to warm the hearts of those see the world that way such as:
"Candia, a man in his mid-40s, had grown up with the mainframe computer industry. He cut his teeth on the old IBM systems that used drum memories. He was still punching cards in the mid-1960s . . ."

You knew all those high school and college classes would come in handy someday!

Reviews shared on Amazon by Carolyn Wilhelm of the Wise Owl Factory

Meghan O'Neill Returns to Laud Jendi Reiter's New Book of Short Stories

Author: Jendi Reiter

Title: An Incomplete List of My Wishes

Genre: Literary short story collection

Publisher: Sunshot Press

ISBN: 9781944977207

Purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1944977201/

Reviewed by Meghan O'Neill for Mom Egg Review

Jendi Reiter’s debut short story collection, An Incomplete List of My Wishes, is an example in tension. The push and pull of one’s own sexuality, family relationships or friends and enemies, but most poignantly the tension between what is said and not said.

“Taking advantage of what she now knew to be her invisibility, her inconsequential being, Carla wove among the clusters of cocktail drinkers…” (88).

The characters in each of Reiter’s stories are united in their own perceived inconsequence. It is the reader who draws the through-line, who sees the need or misunderstandings in each, who wants to yell, “you are not alone!” in the hopes it will make it all better. But it doesn’t. Reiter isn’t pulling any punches, the direct and uncompromising tone of the writing doesn’t allow any room to make it all better. You must see life as it is.

“When your mother was dying, you’d hide at Mira’s house in the dark winter afternoons…” (122).

or

“The day begins with a dead baby.” (68).

Each story in this collection is its own entity, so much so that many have won prizes from journals like The Iowa Review, New Letters, Bayou Magazine and American Fiction. They span a wide range of perspectives and settings, everything from a reminiscing World War II solider in “Waiting for the Train to Fort Devens, June 17, 1943” to a grieving suburban business woman in “Taking Down the Pear Tree”.

Although Reiter is the editor of the online resource WinningWriters.com and the author of the novel Two Natures (which won the Rainbow Award for Best Gay Contemporary Fiction), you get a glimpse of Reiter as the award-winning poet through the lyrical prose of some of the more playfully structured stories, such as “Memories of the Snow Queen”,

“Around the bit of mirror, the bit his body hadn’t made but was fast disappearing into his tissues, the white blood cells rushed in, clumping like snowflakes, turning to ice. Plates of ice like a white knight’s armor, floors and rooms of ice spreading a ballroom over black water…” (104).

In some ways, this short story collection is the product of a wonderful mixing of novelist and poet. For each of Jendi Reiter’s stories, the tension is expertly built but never released. By exposing the fraught nature of different relationships, the reader must sit in their own discomfort, wondering about the things never said.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jendi Reiter is the Editor of WinningWriters.com, a Writer's Digest "101 Best Websites for Writers. She just released this new short story collection and is also the author of the novel Two Natures (Saddle Road Press). A review is available on this blog. Use the search engine box at the top of each post window. It was the winner of the Rainbow and Book Excellence Awards and a finalist in the National Indie Excellence. See the book trailer at http://bit.ly/twonaturestrailer. The Midwest Book Review called said, "Intense revelations about what it means to be both Christian and gay...a powerful saga." 

"Things are not what they appear to be: nor are they otherwise."
Surangama Sutra

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Meghan O'Neill reviews in several places including Mom Egg Review (http://momeggreview.com) among others. The author found her by surfing this blog.  See her quotation on using The New Book Review as a resource near the masthead of this blog. 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.