The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query children. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query children. Sort by date Show all posts

Friday, January 7, 2011

Respect for Ourselves and Environment

Title: The ABC Field Guide to Faeries
Sub Title: Inspiring reminders of respect for ourselves, each other and the environment
Author: Susanne Alexander-Heaton
Author's website: http://www.abcfaeries.com/
Genre: Children's educational
ISBN:978-0-9813048-0-9


Reviewed for REAP Calgary by Angus Macdonell


Author Susanne Alexander-Heaton has done more than just capture the innocence of children and the magic of make-believe with her remarkable book, The ABC Field Guide to Faeries. She’s also sending timely messages with it that cannot be repeated often enough and to a readership that will take them to heart as readily as they do milk and cookies.

Every parent knows that children learn best when their senses are stimulated and their imaginations inspired. The beautiful photographs and illustrations (designed by Chantal Gabriell) in Alexander-Heaton’s book are a feast for any child’s eyes, offering a spectrum of colours as well as imagery that leave an indelible impression.

The wonderful rhymes that accompany the artwork are easily read and digested. The truths they convey of respect for the planet, self-love and compassion for others could be considered above some young children’s grasp, however repetition of them throughout the book is an excellent way to guarantee that they’ll come across sooner or later as a child develops and begins to comprehend the meanings they contain.

It’s a perfect medium to reach children, who can be so full of hope, joy and selfless love that they can only benefit by such warmly positive sentiments like those expressed by faery Camilio, “Follow your heart as you go on your way, Then you will find pleasure in every day,” or the empowering message of faery Uniqueuella, “You are magical, beautiful, mystical and bright, So shine out strongly with your unending light.”

The ABC Field Guide to Faeries is a must-have addition to any children’s library, both for the beauty of the book’s design features and for the simple wisdom of its poetry. One further inducement to obtaining a copy is that a portion of the sale proceeds go directly to charitable causes. Susanne’s goal is to raise $2.5 million dollars by 2012. This is an achievable, worthwhile endeavour that every parent can support while giving their children a book with words they can believe in that may also help shape the way they think about and approach their lives.
Susanne Alexander-Heaton is CEO, Motivated by Nature, Calgary, Alberta, CANADA and author, publisher, speaker and FUNdraiser. Her Web site is http://www.motivatedbynature.com/. She blogs at
http://blog.abcfaeries.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 :

Friday, April 23, 2010

Just What Mothers-in-Law Need!

Title: The Mother-in-Law’s Manual: Proven Strategies for Creating Healthy Relationships with Married Children

Author: Susan Abel Lieberman, PH.D.
Genre: Nonfiction/Family Matters
Publisher: bright sky press
ISBN: 978-1933979410



Originally reviewed by Karen Cioffi for Bookpleasures.com



The Mother-in-Law’s Manual is a wonderfully insightful and at times humorous advice manual for dealing with not only in-laws, but also other family members. Having recently seen a commercial for Monsters-in-Law, with Jennifer Lopez, it was refreshing to read a much more realistic portrayal of mother-in-laws, especially since I am one myself.

Lieberman’s first chapter explains that when our children are young we are afforded an abundance of advice from professionals such as Dr. Spock. But, when our children are grown, leave the nest and marry, we are left to fend for ourselves. Lieberman’s analogy for the marriage is: “They are moving to a new country that they will create together. Yes, we get territorial. Use my bill of rights. Celebrate my holidays. Serve my food. Even if we don’t see it like a competition, we are likely to consider each deviation a loss.”

Situations that never existed before are now ones that can cause hurt, sadness, and even anger, along with satisfaction and happiness. This book delves into all the emotions that come into play. The child who was once yours now belongs to someone else. The author alludes to the fact that this is more of an issue when it is your son and you are dealing with a daughter-in-law. But, whether son or daughter, the dynamics of the family change.

The Mother-in-Law’s Manual is jammed packed with bits and pieces of wisdom. One of my favorite gems comes right after the “10 most recommended rules” for mothers-in-law which are all the same, “Keep your mouth shut.” Lieberman cleverly explains: “Even if we could follow the rule(s) and not say one word that would be heard as contentious, judgmental, argumentative, or critical […] our children would still hear contentions, judgments, arguments, and criticisms.” As a mother and mother-in-law, these are words that ring true. At times it seems you just can’t win. I thought this section was so funny, I had to read it to my husband.

It is difficult to do justice to all the pearls of wisdom in this book. It explains not to fret over the small things, our perceptions and our intent matter, when not to offer advice, and so much more. It even considers the roles of grandparents, children’s relationships to aging parents, and the aging process itself as Lieberman coins as “zippy to droopy.” She even includes a glimpse of her relationship with her own mother, the frustrations and sometimes guilt that is inevitable when a parent reaches an old age or is ill. Having taken care of a quadriplegic mother my experiences are somewhat different, but in some aspects they are the same. When watching your parent age, you wonder if you’re looking at your future.

Lieberman’s efforts produced an impressive book that all family members should read. Her research involved interviews with as many mothers-in-law across the country and from different backgrounds as she could. She even interviewed a number of daughters-in-law and sons-in-law. Many of these interviews are in the book. Some of their stories/advice sounded familiar, others were surprising. But, they all brought another element of enlightenment. Adult children who read this, married or unmarried, will hopefully gain insight into their parents as not only Mom or Dad, but as individuals with a life of their own including hopes, needs and feelings.

One final gem from the book that struck a chord with me is in Chapter Ten: “I understand my children are not my friends, that our relationship is that unique connection between parent and child. But, there is a way in which we are candid and honest with close, old friends, yet show a carefulness, a respectfulness that can be forgotten with parents. As soon as we begin to feel superior to a friend, the nature of the friendship shifts.” Lieberman hit just about every nail on the head with The Mother-in-Law’s Manual. I give this book 5 Stars and highly recommend it.

About the author:
Susan Abel Lieberman currently lives in Houston and works as an executive coach. She has written five books, including New Traditions: Redefining Celebrations for Today’s Family. The Mother-in-Law’s Manual springs from the realization that her assumption that anyone would be thrilled to have her for a mother-in-law was off base. Rather than accepting family tension, she put her skills as a researcher and an executive coach to work to improve the situation. Ordained as an interfaith minister, Lieberman also holds a master’s from Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburg. As a wife, mother, mother-in-law and grandmother, she is well-versed in the challenges presented by every stage of family life. The Mother-in-Law’s Manual brings her personal and professional insights together to help mothers-in-law everywhere start a new chapter in their family life.

About the reviewer:
Karen Cioffi-Ventrice may be reached at
http://www.dkvwriting4u.com
http://karencioffi.com/media-page/
She blogs at http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com and is co-Author of Day's End Lullaby. She is also author of The Self-Publisher's Guide, Writing, Publishing, and Marketing - You Can Do It!, and Walking Through Walls
Tweet with her at http://twitter.com/KarenCV

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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 the widget below:

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Mother/Daughter Writing Team Dedicate Book to Adopted Children Everywhere

Title: A Mom
Authors: Daughter and Mother team, Betsy and Carolyn Wilhelm
Genre: Children's Picture Book, Children's Literature
Illustrator: Pieter Els
ISBN: 978-0-9997766-5-0
Dedicated to adopted children everywhere

As an educator holding a masters degree in gifted education, Carolyn Wilhelm's books for children are filled with subtle lessons with an emphasis on the word "subtle." That the protagonist in this book shares what she thinks a "mother" does is Asian and the mother is Caucasian is a subtext. The story is really about a mother and daughter relationship and love. The underlying message is discernible through the lovely, simple illustrations by Pieter Els and a gentle allusion to "color" in the text that the reader might easily miss. Which is how it should be. After all, that is the point of this lovely little eighteen-page booklet which is just the right size for a just-one-more-story at bedtime.

MORE ABOUT THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WRITING TEAM

I. Reid is the pen name of the daughter of this team, who happens to be adopted and look quite different from her mother.  Carolyn Wilhelm is the other half of the team who, as an educator, recognized the need for gentle stories about adoption and about interracial adoption in particular. This book is dedicated to "All adopted children everywhere." You can find Reid blogging at https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/guest-posts-by-i-reid/. Find Wilhelm's teaching aids for teachers and parents at The Wise Owl Factory on Pinterest and she tweets @WiseOwlFactory.

MORE ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Pieter Else has a long list of experience from thirty years plus studying and working in graphic design and educational technology.  Find his clip art at http://surferkiddies.com and reach him by e-mail at surferkidsclipart@gmail.com.

Mother/Daughter Writing Team Dedicate Book to Adopted Children Everywhere


MORE ABOUT THE NEW BOOK REVIEW 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, April 17, 2015

Ask People Who Know About Today's Education

 

Title: Lifting the Curtain: The Disgrace We Call Urban High School Education
By D. A. Russell
Second Edition
Paperback: 276 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2nd edition (January 5, 2015)
ISBN-10: 1506015980
ISBN-13: 978-1506015989
Blog tour by WOW (Women on Writing) WOW!
Buy the book at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lifting-Curtain-2nd-disgrace-education/dp/1506015980

Review by Renee Roberson

In the first edition of Lifting the Curtain, Russell outlined the issues that are plaguing today's high school educational system, and offered solutions necessary to incite change. After releasing the book, he heard feedback from so many teachers that he decided to put together a 2nd edition so their voices could be heard. It also includes additional topics that weren’t in the 1st edition, such as the loss of electives in today’s schools.

The author is a retired math teacher who felt an overwhelming need to document the very real problems with education that are affecting the children both inside and outside the classroom, by spending three years surveying 760 teachers and students in 19 urban high schools in 15 cities in Massachusetts.

I learned a lot personally from reading this book. I truly had no idea how difficult the teaching profession has become to navigate. If you are a teacher, you can’t just expect a love and passion for teaching children will carry you through the obstacles he outlines in this book. You’ll be stonewalled by PDPs, standardized testing mandates, the pressure to pass children, bullying by school administrators, and much more.

But rest assured. This book is not just one teacher ranting about the problems within the public school system. The responses from the students and teachers he surveyed as part of the book’s research speak volumes, as does the following quote:

We seem to have asked everyone outside of the school building what is wrong with education, but ignored the views of everyone inside the building.

The final chapter of the book provides a clear and set of solutions to all the problems Russell outlines in the earlier chapters of the book. But to learn what they are . . . you'll have to check out Lifting the Curtain for yourself!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

D. A. Russell has spent the last ten years as a math teacher in one of the urban high schools that is the subject of Lifting the Curtain. He is an honors graduate of Dartmouth College, and has his master’s degree from Simon School, where he was valedictorian of his class. Russell is a decorated Vietnam veteran. He has two children that he treasures, and four grandchildren. His son is a police officer who served in the US Army in Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star for valor. His daughter is a lawyer and his most passionate fan and honorary literary agent. Russell has a passion for children that dominates his life. He has taught and coached children for decades. Few things are more important in Russell’s view than to cherish the children who are our real treasures in this world. He is a contributor for education matters to the Huffington Post, and runs a personal blog at: LiftingTheCurtainOnEducation.wordpress.com dedicated to letting teacher voices be heard in the real problems with education.

 
ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer who also blogs at www.reneespages.blogspot.com. When she’s not writing, researching, or reviewing books, she assists authors as a blog tour manager with WOW! Women on Writing, which provides authors with excellent service and out-of-the-box book promotions.

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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.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Iggy the Iguana Is Back!

Iggy the Iguana Chapter Book Series
Title – Summer League
Author – Melissa M Williams
Publisher – Long Tale Publishing
Genre – Children’s Chapter Book
ISBN: 978-0-9818054-2-9
Paperback $9.99
ISBN: 978-0-9818054-3-6
Hardback $15.99
190 pages


Reviewed by Author Geri Ahearn

Summer League is the second book in the Iggy the Iguana Chapter Book Series for boys and girls ages 7 to 11. The characters you love in Iggy the Iguana are all back, gearing up to play ball, even Iggy’s silly little sister! After an exciting school year, Iggy and his friends kick off their summer vacation with some fun in the sun and ... baseball! The summer proves to be full of lessons, eye-openers, and ultimate excitement. Who would have thought you really do grow up over the summer time!



The hero in this delightful children's story is Iggy, who is a loveable nine year old, and the new kid on the block. It's hard enough that Iggy has to deal with his smart, sassy younger sister, but there are other issues that he must also challenge. As Iggy prepares to enter a public school for the first time in his life, not knowing anyone, he realizes that he needs to make lots of friends. Along with trying to prove himself
worthy, he is forced to deal with bullies, and his first childhood crush. Snap Shell, Kit Kat, and Molly all have unique personalities, and are extremely funny. Dragon D tries to act very cool, but does this type of personality fade away, after everyone really gets to know you? Does Iggy have a tough time trying to fit in, and who makes him feel comfortable?

How does Iggy feel about Lizbeth? Does Iggy survive the trials and tribulations of his age group on his journey through elementary school? I highly recommend this wonderful children's book that will touch the hearts of readers of all ages. Children will be able to relate to the story, and learn from those lessons through a fun, easy, and humorous read. Melissa M. Williams presents everyday issues, along with simple solutions in an interesting story, with adorable characters. This book will encourage children to be considerate and caring, with a positive attitude. The author includes the true value of family and friendship, which is an essential stepping-stone from childhood to adult.

There are serious moments, funny moments, and touching moments. This fun and easy read is recommended for any child who is preparing to enter elementary school, and for children in this age group who are changing schools, after moving to a new location. How does Iggy adapt from an All Lizard School to a public All Animal School? The characters come to life as Iggy and his friends experience their first school year together, issues get resolved, and emotions become heartfelt in this educational, children's adventure. "IGGY THE IGUANA" is as thrilling as Walt Disney's LADY AND THE TRAMP, and as funny as CHICKEN LITTLE.

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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Time of Year for Children's Picture Book

Title of Book: Adventures of Nutty and Twittles, Oh Nuts! I Lost My Little Sister
Author: Dennis Marcoux
Illustrator: Amy Rottinger
Follow Dennis Marcoux at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dennis-Marcoux/286869338186554
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
ISBN Number: 978-1-61244-274-7
Publication Date: September 2014
Genre of Book: Children’s Picture Book

Review provided by: World of Ink Network


About the Book: Nutty and his sister Twittles set out to play a fun game of hide "n" seek with their friends. When Twittles is the only one missing, the game quickly changes.  Nutty has to find his sister because she may be lost in the dark and dangerous Forrest.

 EXCERPT:

Nutty gathered his friends together to explain the rules of the game.

“First, Robby, you can’t hide in the tree tops because no one else has

wings and that wouldn’t be fair.”

Robby flicked his tail when he heard the rule, but he finally said, “Ok.”

Rule number two was no peeking. They all agreed to that one.

“Ok, let’s get started,” said Nutty, his nose twitching with excitement.

“I’ll count to ten and you run and…”

“Hold on a minute,” said Speckles, “I’m a turtle, remember? I don’t

move too swiftly. If you only count to ten, I will still be standing next to

you when you open your eyes.”

This time Nutty’s tail flicked, but he knew Speckles was right. “Ok,” he

muttered, “I will count to twenty-five but no more than that.”

Nutty was about to start the game when he noticed Twittles hanging

back. “What’s wrong Twittles?” asked Nutty.

“I don’t think I want to play,” she answered.

“Why?” Nutty asked.

“Because I always get found first, I never win,” she answered.

Nutty looked at all his friends and thought what can I do?

Speckles broke the silence. “Twittles I have a feeling that today is going

to be a lucky day for you.”

“Really?” Twittles replied as her eyes opened wide.

“Really!” said Speckles.

Nutty covered his eyes with his paws and started counting. “One, two,

three, four….” Everyone scrambled off to find their favorite hiding place.

“Twenty-Five, ready or not here I come.”

What Reviewers Think:

“This is a super-cute story for kids 3 to 8 about siblings and the importance of following rules. The illustrations and the story will keep kids of all ages captivated and glued to the pages of this wonderful picture book.” ~Irene Roth (http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/book-review-adventures-of-nutty-and-twittles/)

“Kudos to Dennis Marcoux for giving children an exciting story with fun animal characters who keep young readers engaged and interested.” ~Terri Forehand (http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-adventures-of-nutty-and.html)

“My daughter brought this book into her Kindergarten class and shared the story with her friends. Her teacher and classmates loved this book! It's a great story that all children can relate to and my daughter is looking forward to more adventures with Nutty and Twittles!” ~Lynn Hudak

“As a child play therapist, I especially appreciate the important message that encourages children to hear adult warnings not as constraints, but as critical details meant to ensure a fun, safe and enjoyable experience. This book is a welcomed addition to my office library. I eagerly await the next adventure of Nutty, Twittles, and their friends.” ~Deborah Haggett, Ed.D, MSW, LCSW

 
About the Author: 
Dennis Marcoux lived in Worcester, Massachusetts for most of his life and now resides in Cape Coral, Florida. He has been writing children stories and poems for many years and is passionate about children reading to expand their imagination. In his spare time, you can find him reading books as a volunteer in elementary schools and children's hospitals. He is a member of the Gulf Coast Writers Association of Fort Myers, Florida

Places where available for sale: Halo Publishing International, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

e-Book Available Nook & Kindle 

 

About the World of Ink Tours
Virginia S Grenier  is
Founder & Partner, World of Ink Network
Bringing Authors and Readers Together
Office: 435-625-1743
She is also Director & Co-Chairman St. George Book Festival
http://stgeorgebookfestival.org and author of Babysiting Sugarpaw

 
Award-winning Author
Follow on Twitter
Like on Facebook
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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.

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Thinking About Self-Publishing? Try Carolyn Wilhelm's UDEMY Book for Very, Very Beginners

My clients come in two sizes: Those who struggle with finding readers for their books or who are spending too much money publishing and marketing them and those who are toying with the idea of self-publishing but know nothing about it. Until now, I had no inexpensive resource for the latter to learn a bit more before taking the publishing plunge. But when I found this video (read that "video!") course at UDEMY.com today, I couldn't wait to let my #TheNewBookReview visitors and subscribers know about it. Please do any newbies you know a favor and let them know Carolyn's (another Carolyn, not me!) online tutorial. It's easy and truly very basic and quite all-encompassing view of what they need to know to get started--or to know what aspects of publishing they want to hire someone to help them with. 

Here is the course at UDEMY for you to peruse:


And here is more information on Self-Publishing for the Very Very Beginning Writer: 

This course has video demonstrations, templates, and instructions for the beginner to create eBook and paperback manuscripts, learn some ways to get additional online links to the book sales page, prepare a cover as a print-ready PDF, learn how not to compress images in Word, and learn about ISBN's and copyrights. Adobe Pro is used in a few lessons but alternative methods are described. 

Step-by-step printable direction PDFs for working with book templates are included.

Easy templates include the following:

Chapter Paperback Word Doc Template 

Chapter eBook Word Template

Children's Picture Book PowerPoint Template for a Paperback and an eBook (8.25" X 6" paperback with bleed)

Children's Picture Book 8.5" X 8.5" Paperback Word Template

Videos include the following and more:

Free Accounts for Self-Publishing

There are several free online accounts that will allow you to publish eBooks and paperbacks. This video discusses Kindle Direct Publishing, the sales page, Amazon Author Central, Goodreads as a reader, and Goodreads as an author. 

Quick Overview of Social Media for a Book

Social media can be carefully used to provide links online to your book sales page. Quick overview.   

Copyrights

When the manuscript is finished (or finished and published) it should be copyrighted within 90 days. 

Begin with an End Plan

Begin with the end in mind so that decisions made later will not require revisions and extra work. Start out with a plan to be most efficient and reach your goals. 

Be Consistent with Metadata

Be careful to use the exact same title, subtitle, and author name on all documents to be published such as eBook manuscripts, paperback manuscripts, and covers.

Copyright Page 

Word Doc and PDF provided to edit for your own book. 

Set-up Word so Images will not be Compressed

If your book has photos or art, before typing the manuscript, Word should be set up to not compress images.

Set-up Acrobat Pro 

If using Acrobat Pro to create PDFs, set up Word so that images will not be compressed when saved as a PDF.

Prepare the Kindle Manuscript

This video has a demonstration of preparing a Kindle eBook Word document from scratch. A generic Word Doc is provided which meets the new requirements. 

Table of Contents for Kindle 

Learn to insert a table of contents that will have links for eBooks, learn to update it, and see how to see/check your work by downloading the Kindle previewer for PC or Mac. Two supporting documents are included in this lesson.   

Online Cover Creators

Kindle Create to Embellish Manuscripts

Convert Paperback Manuscript to eBook Format

Fonts in eBooks

Paperback Manuscript How to and Free Template 

Create your own paperback manuscript using the directions and lesson resource template.

Table of Contents for the Paperback

The Table of Contents (TOC) for a paperback is different from the eBook format.

Create a Full-bleed Children's Paperback with PowerPoint

This video shows how to use a PowerPoint file sized to publish a 8.5" X 6" children's paperback.  Template provided.

Create a No-bleed Children's Paperback with Word

This lecture has a video about creating a children's paperback using Word (no other software is required) to make an 8.5" X 8.5" book. A sample Word doc is provided. 

Use Word and Adobe Pro to Create a Full-bleed Children's Paperback

This lecture has a video, a step-by-step guide, and a Word document that may be used to create both a paperback and an eBook from the same file. For this paperback, Word, Adobe Acrobat DC Pro, a story, and illustrations are required.

There are 41 videos in all. Other topics include figuring out which is the left-hand and right-hand page in documents, finding the financial information reports in KDP, uploading to KDP, and some troubleshooting. 

Also, students may ask questions and a video may be created which could be added to the course. 

Thinking About Self-Publishing? Try Carolyn Wilhelm's UDEMY Book for Very, Very Beginners
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carolyn Wilhelm is the is an educator and author of an acclaimed Young Adults novel, Climate Change Captives 2035 and Project Save. She offers teaching aids, many of them free on Pinterest and is a great retweeter on Twitter @wiseowlfactory.  

Climate Change Captives 2035 and Project SAVE: Students Help Save the Earth


MORE ABOUT BLOGGER AND WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM THIS BLOG

 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.



Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too!
 Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Tales2Inspire ~ The Ruby Collection - Created by Lois W. Stern

Tales2Inspire ~ The Ruby Collection (Gifts of Compassion):
ISBN-10: 149594008X
ISBN-13: 978-1495940088
Genre:
Inspirational, Motivational, Non-fiction, Short Story Collection



EXPANDED AND REVISED 2018

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True Stories of Inspiration, Compassion and Love
By Gail Sobotkin
I have read each story and can honestly say I don't have a favorite. Each and every story touched my heart deeply. If you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world where people and animals are treated with compassion, kindness and love, where the human spirit rises up again and again to meet seemingly impossible challenges, where faith triumphs over despair, where young children and abused animals teach adult humans life lessons, where the homeless are treated with respect and compassion, you must read The Ruby Collection, an amazing anthology of 14 true stories that will inspire you to live your own life with an open heart--- despite, or perhaps because of, whatever difficulties you may face.
Compassion is a gift that keeps on giving; it changes the giver, recipient, and all those who witness the compassionate act. It makes the world a better, kinder place and when delivered with love, has the power to transform the globe one person, one animal at a time.
The Ruby Collection makes a great gift for children and adults. Treat yourself to a copy and buy one for your friends, colleagues and relatives. Ask them to read the book then pass it on to an institution such as a library, hospital or school so that the stories will be spread far and wide, planting seeds of inspiration, compassion and love.


Inspiring 
By Shauna L Bowling
Freelance Writer/Copy Editor
. . . a book of inspiration that uplifts the reader with each story. From human/animal spiritual connections to human/human connections, these true stories of courage, love, and strength are proof that good exists in the world. We can and do overcome the odds each and every day. If you have any doubts about the power of love, read this book. All it takes is one person to reach out to make positive changes in someone's life.
I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. It just may change your life!

Another Chicken Soup for the Soul
Warmly recommended, By Bani Sodermark
Reviewer for Book Pleasures and Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer
This is a feel good book documenting a collection of true stories that involve genuine empathy and kindness to other living beings including oneself. It arose out of a writing contest by an organization called "Authors Helping Author" and includes the best contributions that were submitted. The result is a very readable and well written book enshrined in the symbol of the ruby which stands for kindness and compassion.
That which is most appealing about this collection of stories is that the kindness shown at one instance of time is nearly always repaid in some way or other, forging deep and lasting bonds as the protagonists walk their life paths in tandem with one another. In some cases, they may experience a total reversal of a bodily malfunction as in the case of the first story, in which a man took care of a wounded eagle, unable to fly and nursed it to wellness. Later on, he was afflicted with cancer and he is convinced that dream conversations with his pet eagle, supplemented with chemo, was the cause of his total recovery.
A second story documents the success of a program called "Labs`n Life" in which dysfunctional children with learning and other problems are made to train Labradors. The interaction with these intelligent and loving animals, miraculously opens up these children and helps them integrate into the mainstream.
The theme of working with animals continues with the rehabilitation stories of Dusty the horse and Rae the dog who are restored to their playful selves and fulfil memorable relationships with their caregivers.
A few of the stories will touch you deep down inside. There is the erstwhile convict, Ray, who after years of confrontation with the bullying and sadistic warden of the penitentiary that he had occupied since his late teens, helped set fire to it. The warden was changed to one who had a record of successfully rehabilitating dreaded inmates and the whole atmosphere of the place changed as the convicts applied their energies to study and vocational training. There were no more incidents of arson or otherwise and our friend, Ray, after he was released was able to successfully land a job, get married and raise a family.
There is the holocaust survivor, who neutralized the actions of local politicians by going out with his own message of peaceful coexistence, ultimately reaching out to millions.
Another story that I will find difficult to forget is the story of a young African American black belt karate champion on the karate circuit, who it seems always acted rough if he or his team lost. It turned out that he had dedicated his life to saving children in the roughest quarters of Miami from a life of crime, by loading as many as possible into a van that was to take them to the tournament. If he did not win, he would have to borrow the money for the gas home.
There is the story of a former citizen of Rwanda, who returned to his homeland after the genocide and helped many people work their way out of poverty using his engineering skills and thus finding the way to his true calling. . . . 
Other inspiring stories include that of a young woman who appeared in the Guinness Book of Records after running seven marathons in seven continents. There is also the unusual story of window cleaners outside a hospital dressing up as children's heroes, e.g. Batman to cheer up children suffering from debilitating diseases.
The length of the manuscript is optimal, not too long, not too short.
This book, in my opinion, the best so far, in the Tales 2 Inspire series, created by Editor, Lois W. Stern. The storytelling is chiseled and evocative. . . .  One can never read too many of such stories, of seeing the way love and spirit redefine priorities and guide the human race out of black holes of its own making.

We Need More Love and Kindness
By Mommy to Twins
      Today, the news is full of negative stories. We need more positivity and compassion in our lives. In fact, the research supports that "extending compassion toward others biases the brain to glean more positive information from the world, something called the 'carryover effect.' And compassionate action--such as giving some of one's own earnings to charity--also activates pleasure circuits, which some people call 'the warm glow.'
These heartfelt stories of compassion, love, and kindness, help us to know that there are good people in the world who live their life with an open heart. They provide the necessary inspiration we need to live our own lives more compassionately. It reminds us that it really takes just one person to make a real difference in the life of another. These are stories that should be shared with everyone.

Warm Feeling
by Rod DiGruttolo
Published author, Group Leader for the Sarasota Writers Group 
       Tales of compassionate souls are always heartfelt even if they are something we do not see often enough. The Ruby Collection of Tales2Inspire presents a group of such stories that keep warm feelings bubbling in your heart for months to come.
From abused animals to frightened children, the gifts of human and animal alike jump off the page and embrace the reader. From the furthest corners of the world, injured eagles; horses destined for the slaughterhouse; a family dealing with the death of a wife and mother; children in hospital frightened while dealing with terrible pain and patients facing their fears, feel the compassion of people and creatures around them.
Fourteen stories of courage, compassion and love grace the pages of this wonderful tome. A must read for all.

Gifts of Compassion
By Michael Monji 
     Tree Whisperer, Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer
On a scale of 1 to 5, this series of Tales2Inspire books is a whopping TEN! This particular book will inspire you to never give up. The courage that these people showed is unbelievable. When you think time are tough for you, then you need to read this book. Your problems and worries will fade away. Now go out an buy all four books.

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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.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Mom and Daughter Review Children's Book

 



 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1477581634/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=mothanddaugbo-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1477581634
Title: When Sam Set Sail
Author: LeAnn Beck
Year published: 2012
Publisher: LeAnn Beck
Number of pages: 38
Recommended age: 3+
Genre~children's
ISBN~978-1477581636
 
 
Reviewed by: Renee and Danielle (Mother and Daughter)
Summary (from previous back cover): This engaging tale of adventure and camaraderie welcomes the reader aboard an unexpected journey with unforeseen events. The salty and seaworthy crew who have spent their lives skimming the sea, find that what is beyond the horizon and the journeys that get us there, are shaped by the imagination and spirit we color them with. For children of all ages who enjoy the sea, from the deck or the shore, this adventure begs to be read again and again. Illustrate the events in this journal as you would record the voyage. Share with family and friends and see what they think of the surprise ending!
 
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DAUGHTER SAYS
 
1. What is the story about? The book is about a ship that is sailing in the sea when it comes upon a big scary sea monster.
2. What do you think of the cover and the design of the book? I like the cover of the second book better because the first book only has a tiny ship in the corner and the second book has a huge ship in the middle. I like that in the second book there are pretty scrolls for drawing pictures on and in the first book, I didn’t like that you couldn’t draw pictures on each page.
3. What is your favorite part of the book? I really like that you can draw pictures on each page and I like the surprise ending but, ssshhh… I’m not telling.
4. What is your least favorite part of the book? I didn’t like that, in the first book, you couldn’t draw out the story on each page but could only draw a few pictures at the end on a couple pages. I like the second book much, much better.
5. What did you think about the story in the book? I liked the story in the book and I liked the rhyming and the end was surprising. I didn’t see THAT coming!
6. Who do you think would like this book? I think that it’s a good book because I don’t know about any other book where you can draw your own pictures and I recommend it to boys and girls six years old and up.
Daughter Rating: ★★★★★
http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Renee-avatar-with-cat.jpg
MOM SAYS
 
My thoughts: The story in the book is told through lilting, rhyming verse and makes the reader feel as if they themselves are on a tall ship sailing the deep blue sea. The story provides the reader with adventure, excitement and just the right level of tension for young children. There is a twist at the end that I think children would really enjoy – and I can say in all honestly that I did not see it coming!
Aside from the cover, the book has no illustrations. In lieu of illustrations, children reading the book (or being read to) are encouraged to read the book from start to finish and then use their imagination to draw their own pictures interpreting the story. Each page is designed to look like an old weathered scroll and has some text and a wide space where a child can draw a picture. What I love about the design is that the text is so descriptive that it gives some direction to children for what to draw and which features to include in their picture.
 

----- 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.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Interview: A Twenty-Five Year Love Affair Writing Books for Children

Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Ruth Wiseman.

Ruth Wiseman has been writing children’s stories since 5th grade, when her English teacher, Mr. Lavrov, inspired her talents. She has been writing children’s books for over twenty-five years and co-edited Broken Glass, Broken Lives: A Jewish Girl’s Survival Story in Berlin 1933-1945 by Rita J. Kuhn. She hopes to be published soon and to share her stories with even more children. She is a grateful mother of two young daughters and two step-sons, and lives in Passaic, NJ. 

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? I write children's literature and I am trying my hand at a novel. I've only written the first chapter, but I have to start somewhere! I am also working on a midgrade. 

What made you want to be a writer? When I was twelve-years-old, I had a wonderful English teacher. He engaged my imagination by giving us pictures from which to write stories. Some of them were very silly. I found a whole new voice inside me when I wrote. I was a rather quiet student, but suddenly I found a world in which I could have a strong voice and I wouldn't be teased. My teacher provided feedback as though I were a serious writer. That experience stayed with me all these years. And need I say how much I love the feeling of a new pen and paper?

Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? I love so many authors, it's hard to name just one. For children's stories I love Barbara Park, Mo Willems, Cynthia Rylant, Bracha Goetz. For middle school books, I adore J.K. Rowling, Sharon Creech, Andrew Clemens, Julie Kagawa, R. J. Palacio, J.R.R. Tolkien. In adult literature, Tolstoy is magnificent, Jhumpa Lahiri is lovely, Amy Tan has colorful, multi-faceted characters, Herman Wouk, John Grisham, Edith Wharton. Really an assortment of writers. I don't have a specific genre that I seek out, just pure, good writing.

What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? For my children's stories, I will sometimes be given the gift of a full story coming to me in one piece. That is exhilarating. Other stories, I need to massage and rewrite and rewrite. Each one has its own personality. The midgrade I am working on right now (and will probably complete when my current middle school child is in college!), I write by scenes. I think this is because I am seeing the images unfolding in my mind's eye, and it then develops into a narrative. This story, though, is giving me a lot of trouble because I started it in one style and changed the style midstream. I am going to have to go back and rework the first several chapters once I have moved the story line far enough along.

Do you write every day? How much? How long? Ha, that would be nice! I aspire to that. Somehow with a full-time job, an eleven-year old, and a six-year old, I just can't seem to find the time or energy to write every day. I also need a certain physical and mental space for my writing. If I can be in a quiet place—a library, a cool cafe, an empty park—then my concentration is enhanced and the words just flow out of me. But if I am sitting in my office in a slow moment, or waiting to see the doctor, or sitting in my room once my girls are asleep, those times are harder because my mind is on overdrive with other concerns. But those are also the ‘lost moments.’ It's a quandary. I am working on trying to use those moments for some creative purpose. My characters tug at me to listen to them, and I really suffer when I don't.

Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? Absolutely. It is an excellent way of distinguishing your own voice to read other people's works. I recently read a midgrade book similar in some fashion to the one I am working on, but I finished that book feeling that my concept and writing style is very different and, in my humble opinion, better. I don't always close a book feeling that way. Certainly not the Harry Potter series; Rowling is just sheer inspiration. I want to run and get my quill and go into my characters’ worlds, without thought for my style or my chances of publication. Some writers give me an artistic thirst for creating.

What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Just keep writing. Try not to be your own editor. You have a unique voice, and you do not need to sound like anyone else. The imaginings and perspectives that you have will resonate with a certain audience. Trust in that!

Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? I don't have any just yet, other than the Yiddish word chutzpah. It means ‘you've got to have nerve.’ That is how I found my wonderful literary agent, Jeanie Loiacono. I walked up to a children's author and asked her for publishing advice. She gave me Jeanie's name. It took a year to build up the nerve to contact her, but when I did, I was not sorry that I did! Both those instances involved a certain amount of chutzpah. Any time you put yourself on the line, you are promoting yourself. Any time you tell your colleagues about your work, you are promoting yourself. Just keep believing in your stories, and you will come up with ideas. 

Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? I haven't attended any conferences for purely logistical reasons. However, I love being in writing workshops. Any forum that is going to help you focus your creativity and make you take yourself more seriously as a writer is beneficial.

Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? Keep your eyes peeled for my three children's titles scheduled for publication in 2016 with Saturn Moon's Press, an imprint of Cactus Moon Publications LLC. You can see more about me at: http://ruthcwiseman.wix.com/storywise#   http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/ruth-wiseman 

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency
A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.

“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.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.