Author and Reviewer Alert! Free Review Resource Plus Review Hint #Three

Authors, Get Reviews for Your Books - Free and Ethical 

and Hint # Three for Getting Them

This is a regular service offered by Lois W. Stern to help authors find interested reviewers for their books and help reviewers find fascinating, published works to review. Watch for more of them along with hints for getting reviews. Scroll down to see both new book offerings and Lois's third How-To-Get-Great-Reviews Hint! 

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You can get any of the books listed below FREE in exchange for an honest Amazon posted review.

TITLE: The Opium Lord's Daughter

NUMBER OF PAGES: 287

DESCRIPTION: The Opium Lord’s Daughter features true events and characters within a world populated by rogue drug traders, imperialist government officials, religious zealots, and scrappy survivors. It’s a coming-of-age story filled with romance, adventure, and tragedy; an expedition through the destruction of a culture, underscoring the hold and havoc drug empires perpetually exert.  
AUTHOR'S NAME: Robert Wang

E-MAIL: rwang@opiumwar-story.com:

FORMAT: E-book available on all major retailers

AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: 18+ 

SHORTENED LINK: https://tinyurl.com/the-opium-lords-daughter

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TITLE: AVENGING ANGEL:  Love and Death in Old Brooklyn
NUMBER OF PAGES: 394
DESCRIPTION: An African-American woman, struggling to overcome the trauma of a racially motivated childhood rape, finds even deadly revenge insufficient. She stalks the streets of the dark city, dangling her spider's web before potential predators. Eventually, while searching for salvation as a fearless champion of endangered women, she tests her capacity to risk being loved. a tale of revenge, survival and redemption, wrapped around an unlikely and stormy dark romance, and set within the context of some unfortunately timeless issues: Violence Against Women, and Racism.
AUTHOR'S NAME: Charles S. Isaacs 
E-MAIL: DrCSIsaacs@aol.com
FORMAT: any digital format
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Adults
SHORTENED LINK: Amazon

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TITLE: Sensitive

SUBTITLE: My Journey through a Toxic World

NUMBER OF PAGES: 293

DESCRIPTION: Sensitive is memoir wrapped around timely and important manifesto. Through Sekmet’s lifelong struggles with chemical sensitivities, she learned crucial truths about the underlying toxicity of many of the products that surround us. This straight-shooting and bold memoir tells how she triumphed over mysterious chronic health struggles and family trauma with determination and humor.
AUTHOR: Pookie Sekmet

EMAIL: pookiesekmet@gmail.com
FORMAT: ARC (Advanced review copies)
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: General Audience/Memoir
AMAZON URL: 

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TITLE: Justice Gone

NUMBER OF PAGES: 336 (314 excluding front and back matter)

DESCRIPTION: A homeless vet is beaten to death by police. Protests erupt. 3 cops are gunned down. A multi-state manhunt. And the trial of the decade. A new kind of legal thriller.

AUTHOR'S NAME: N. Lombardi Jr

E-MAIL: nlomb269@gmail.com

FORMAT: PDF, e-book (including Kindle), 20 paper back copies

AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: teens and adults

AMAZON URL: tiny.cc/14kz7y

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TITLE: Tales2Inspire ~ The Pearl Collection

# OF PAGES: 124

DESCRIPTION: True stories of fifteen Awesome Kids, each making an incredible impact to better our world.

AUTHOR'S NAME: Lois W. Stern

E-MAIL: tales2Inspire@optimum.net

FORMAT: PDF, e-book, 4 paperback copies

AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: preteens, teens and adults

AMAZON URL: https://www.amazon.com/Tales2Inspire-Pearl-Collection-Awesome-ebook/dp/B07PK51NV5/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Tales2Inspire+Collection&qid=1554513523&s=books&sr=1-

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TITLE: Super Spoons to the Rescue: A Math Measuring Story

NUMBER OF PAGES: 58 Pages

DESCRIPTION: This is a math story about spoon superheroes who help people measure ingredients for things like chocolate cakes. When their town is hit by a tornado, they help dispense the exact amount of medicines needed. They fly to the rescue as requested. This book also has worksheets and activity cards.

AUTHOR'S NAME: Carolyn Wilhelm

Illustrator: Oxana Cerra

E-MAIL: cwilhelm@thewiseowlfactory.com

FORMAT: 3 PDFs, 3 of PAPERBACK BOOKS  (people can have both)

AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Primary Grades 1-3 (Ages 6-9)

SHORTENED LINK: https://tinyurl.com/y495v5nc 

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To get your copy of any of the above titles for review:

Email the author directly using their address above.

1. Commit to writing a review within 30 days.
2. Post your review on Amazon.
3. Give the author permission to post it on this New Book Review blog, credited to you with a link to your website or social network, of course.

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TO SUBMIT YOUR REVIEW REQUEST, KINDLY USE THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:

TITLE:

NUMBER OF PAGES:

DESCRIPTION: (Please keep pitch to 50 words or less.)

AUTHOR'S NAME:

E-MAIL:

FORMAT:(PDF, E-BOOK, # of PAPERBACK BOOKS, # of HARDCOVER BOOKS)

AGE/NTEREST LEVEL:

AMAZON URL: (Kindly send shortened link using Tiny URL or other.)

Send review requests to Lois at: tales2inspire@optimum.net

Put Blogspot Review Request IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

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LOIS'S HINT #3 FOR GETTING REVIEWS:

"Don’t overlook staff members at bookstores.  A large percentage (of them) are avid readers an many are fellow writers. Some also do reviews  for the bookstore’s newsletter."

Page 108 of Carolyn Howard-Johnson's How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally 

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  MORE ABOUT THE GUEST BLOGGER AND HER TALES2INSPIRE PROJECT

Lois W. Stern's Tales2Inspire was a kernel of an idea that started in 2012 and has grown to proportions even she didn’t dare to envision. Her innate curiosity about potentially fascinating human interest stories was the spark that ignited this idea. But it was the confused state of traditional publishing that propelled her forward. Tales2Inspire delivers exactly what it promises as both an ‘Authors Helping Authors’ project and a contest. Winners get their stories published in print, as e-books, and some even in video formats with their names, headshot photos, and mini-autobiographies. Then she spreads the word about the winners and their stories on her blogs, social media and monthly newsletter. FREE to enter, this is a great competition for talented newbies and seasoned authors alike. Learn more about her and her projects here:

Tales2Inspire website: http://www.tales2inspire.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tales2inspire2

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

LinkedIn profile: http://tinyurl.com/odtw2wt

Get a FREE Tales2Inspire Sampler book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gift

Tales2Inspire trailer: https://youtu.be/FuDgXkYMHvo

Blog: http:://www.tales2inspire/blog

                                                    ___________________

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER, THIS BLOG AND ITS BENEFIT FOR WRITERS

 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 everything 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! 

Sheila Deeth Finds Karen Wyle's Science Fiction Relatable

Title: Water to Water

Genre: science fiction

ISBN: for non-Amazon ebook, 978-0-9980604-4-6; for paperback, 978-0-9980604-3-9

ASIN is B07HM67TSW

Publisher: Oblique Angles Press

Reviewer's rating on Goodreads: 5 stars

Purchase links:

Amazon (global, Kindle): http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B07HM67TSW

Amazon (paperback, global): http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=0998060437

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Karen_A_Wyle_Water_to_Water?id=n_ZwDwAAQBAJ

--Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/water-to-water/id1437153759

--Nook Store: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/water-to-water-karen-a-wyle/1129616288

--Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/water-to-water

Reviewed by Sheila Deeth originally for Goodreads

THE REVIEW

Karen Wyle’s alien life-forms in Water to Water are immediately and vividly real, convincingly non-human with evocatively different emotional needs, and yet profoundly relatable. A world with two different species and one haunting funeral tradition slowly expands as a young adult strives to move on from losing a parent. But losses come in many forms, and simply moving away from a parent might prove similarly difficult. Moving away from a faith could be even harder.

Honnu’s family secret, Terril’s loss, and the curiosity of an alien of different species combine in this haunting tale. The dialog carries convincing depth and humor, like two teens shying away from deeper truths. And the mystery is so completely involving that the reader switches from guess to guess, all the way to the end and beyond. (Yes, I’m still guessing at parts not told!)

Questions of faith, life after death, the threat of new revelation on old traditions,all this and more—deep topics for a tale that’s filled with action, heart and soul. Author Karen Wyle has imagined a world with self-consistent science and social science, and peopled it with youthful characters whose heroes' journey will surely carry readers far beyond the pages. A masterpiece!

Disclosure: I was given a copy and I love it!

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Learn more about Karen Wyle at http://www.KarenAWyle.com, https://www.facebook.com/KarenAWyle, and https://twitter.com/KarenAWyle

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.

Deep and Thought-provoking Christmas Poetry: Blooming Red

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.

  Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Deep and Thought-provoking Christmas Poetry

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball 

• Publisher: Compulsive Reader 
• ASIN: B004GXB4AW
• Print Length: 56 pages

Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational

"The reality of Christmas does not always resemble the images we see on commercial Christmas cards--or in our dreams."

This book is perhaps not what you might assume at first glance. Hopes are high at the holidays, and hope is referred to as:
“hope—a Mobius strip”

Right. This is another way to say hope springs eternal, Christmas style.

Holiday images and stories are full of baking, food, and meals that are Norman Rockwell perfect. So I did not expect a poem that stated dinner reservations might be a “McCormick-and-Schmick system of revenge.” I did not see that coming.

The nativity with the Holy family display is another holiday tradition. Did you realize the first in the Holy family to go missing . . . is baby Jesus? Oh, of course . . . that makes sense when you stop and ponder the writing. That poem made me think, as did all the others.

Aging reflections of how Christmas events change as families do, children grow up, children go to college or move away is well described. We have experienced the excitement of young children to teens — then grown-ups only at the holidays. But the poem on this topic nails the emotions changes in holiday gatherings brings through the years.

This phrase caught my attention:
“icy tendrils of memory”
See why?

The reality of commercialism and plastic is described this way:
“after hours at the mall belief wears thin”
And is described in several poems, as well.

This book may help me make it through the holidays again this year!

Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm of the Wise Owl Factory Blog

This review was posted on Amazon and Goodreads by Carolyn Wilhelm.

Tracey Quintin Gives YA Novel 5 Stars

Title:  The Dead of Winter 

Series: Seasons of Jefferson: Book 2

Author: Julie Solano (Author),‎ Tracy Justice (Author),‎ JT Authors (Author)

Website:  http://jtauthors.com/index.html

Genre:  Literature & Fiction, Teens, Teen & Young Adult, Social & Family Issues, Depression & Mental Illness, Mental Illness, Personal Health, Depression

ASIN #:   B018BWIDJI

Where people can purchase the book 

Reviewed by Tracey Quintin originally for Goodreads

Rated 5 Star

I've got to say I so love these authors! They know how to knock it out of the ballpark with their writing! 

I HIGHLY recommend you read Book 1, When Fall Breaks, BEFORE reading this story so you can truly "feel" every single moment of this story.

I don't give away spoilers in my reviews so this will be SUPER hard because this story is FULL of so many things I want to mention! Thus, I'm leaving out anything pertaining to these characters I love.

I couldn't wait to read this story after I fell in complete love with When Fall Breaks and the authors writing style.

I read this story from 3 perspectives which is a first for me! I read it as if I were the characters in the story, I read it as a parent thinking of my own children and I read it as a reader, all 3 as the events of the storyline unfolded. When I finished reading that's when I fully realized I was reading this way, that's how much I was COMPLETELY absorbed into this story!

This story captivated me from page 1 all the way to the end. I had so many emotions going through my mind while reading, so many thoughts in my mind of what I THOUGHT was going to happen. The authors got me EVERY SINGLE TIME. Whatever I was thinking didn't happen and they completely surprised me every step of the way! Such an emotional roller coaster ride and SO worth all the tummy flips! I was SO on edge NEEDING to know what would happen next. These characters and events were so real to me, I could picture everything. Perfect blend of details and dialog.

This story deals with PTSD a very real serious mental health disorder that many dismiss or overlook in treating. The manner in which these authors tackle it is outstanding.

I will write this from the story because this means something so important to me:
"WORTH FIGHTING FOR...She was my last hope. My reason to move forward. I miss laughing. I miss feeling good. When was the last time I was happy? It feels like forever. "
Gaaaaaaa...that grabs my heart and squeezes tight! There are many more I've highlighted on my Kindle throughout the story.

A SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOP THAT THIS STORY IS A GRIPPING PAGE TURNER AND SO REALISTIC! AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ FOR ALL AGES.
(I can't write a review that does this story justice!)

Superb job by the authors on this brilliant read. I look forward to reading anything they ever write! They always delve into real life issues and illnesses in a manner making it possible for all to understand. Thank you for bringing attention in this story to PTSD.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORS

JT Authors connections:

Website:  http://jtauthors.com/index.html

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seasonsofjefferson/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/jt_authors

Goodreads:  

Julie Solano: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12336169.Julie_Solano

Tracy Justice: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12336170.Tracy_Justice

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_3?ie=UTF8&text=JT+Authors&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=JT+Authors&sort=relevancerank

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Tracey Quintin connections:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LOVEBOOKSWITHROMANCE/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ReadingIsOurPas

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/19886187-tracey-quintin

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. 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. 

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.

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

.

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/WandaLuthmanAuthor. 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

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.

Young Adult Novel Tackles Domestic Abuse

Title: Girl on the Brink

Author: Christina Hoag

Publisher: Fire & Ice Young Adult Books; First edition (August 30, 2016)

Publication Date: August 30, 2016

Genre: YA Fiction/Teen Romance 

Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Girl-Brink-Christina-Hoag/dp/168046339X

ISBN: 978-1-68046-339-2 (Paperback)

ASIN: B01K9L996A (Kindle)

Website: http://www.ChristinaHoag.com

Twitter: @ChristinaHoag

Facebook: http://facebook.com/ChristinaHoagAuthor

Reviewer, Marlan Warren
“Roadmap Girl’s Book Buzz”

Reviewed by Marlan Warren originally for Roadmap Girl's Book Buzz Blog

"I hope...he never calls me again, but he still owes me a big apology."

 --Girl on the Brink

Summary: Aspiring reporter Chloe (age 17) lands a dream job as a summer intern with the local paper in her New Jersey suburb, and meets the somewhat annoying-but-cute Kieran while she is on assignment. Kieran (age 19) pounces on Chloe, who is pleased to find a creative person like herself (he's an aspiring actor), and enjoys his lavish attention as a welcome alternative to her unhappy home life due to her parents' impending divorce. Gradually, it becomes more and more apparent that Kieran is emotionally disturbed, and unable (or unwilling) to control his need to micromanage her life or his extreme jealousy. At first, she thinks "There's no point in resisting," but by the time he's repeatedly hurt her physically and mentally, Chloe knows in her head that he's abusing her, but her heart makes excuses for him. Which will win? Head or heart?

Los Angeles author Christina Hoag has crafted Girl on the Brink as a "howdunit." While it is no mystery why the vulnerable and intelligent 17-year old Chloe falls for the initial charm of a potentially lethal 19-year old young man whose avid attention leads her into a summer romance, the real mystery lies in how the heck this otherwise sharp, but troubled, teen will extricate herself from what increasingly becomes an abusive relationship.

Hoag has grounded the story in the psychological reality of how abusive relationships can occur at any age. The episodic story is told in first person from Chloe's point of view, which gives it a kind of one-sided diary quality, but its use of present tense gives it a you-are-there immediacy. It unfolds the way life--and relationships--unfold.

This is not a "sleeping with the enemy" tale. There are no real villains here. Neither the sex nor the violence is sensationalized. In fact, the tragedy and victory play out with greater impact because "domestic abuse" is sadly commonplace--even though it is almost taboo in American culture to discuss it openly, especially with young daughters and sons.

Many readers may see themselves or someone they know in these pages. And to her credit, Hoag supplies a "Resources" list in the Appendix where teens can seek help if they are in Chloe's situation.

It is a well-documented fact that a significant number of abusive relationships are inhabited by two people who say they love each other. Girl on the Brink gently explores this paradox (nothing is preachy). And when it is finally over, a wiser Chloe states:

"I know it was okay to leave Kieran, and it was okay to miss him, too."

Abusive relationships can happen throughout women's lives in repetitive patterns. Girl on the Brink serves as a beacon that shines light on how to nip potential abuse cycles in the bud, and place high priority on mutual respect in relationships.

---- 

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.

Interview: Jim Garrison Pens Novel Set in Mekong Delta

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 Jim Garrison. 

• What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction?
  • I mostly write fiction, typically a cross between genre and literary fiction. My first novel, QL 4, is both historical fiction and a literary crime novel set in the Mekong Delta in 1970 during the Vietnam War. 
• What made you want to be a writer? As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with books and the doors they open, both in the mind and in life.  So I thought, Why not create my own literary canvas drawn from my experiences and observations and render these tales in a way that entertains and informs?
• Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? There were many writers of all stripes who inspired me, but Ernest Hemingway is probably the one who gave me the writing bug in my teens, especially A Farewell to Arms.
• What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? Going back to when I practiced law, I start with a lump of clay: ideas jotted down on sticky notes and scratch paper, then in a notebook dedicated to the novel.  The first part of the notebook may be ruminations about characters or even a story arc.  As the concept develops, I begin a list of characters with their descriptions and back story, a timeline, and a chapter outline (based on different scenes).  To start writing, I “outline” in a way that usually ends up getting every scene and character down on paper.  Next I flesh out the story (description, characters, and dialogue) in long hand until I have a complete novel that may be hundreds of pages. I try to be flexible; writing chapters out of order, revising, deleting, changing course.  From those handwritten pages, I type a manuscript, which I deem my first real draft.  
• Do you write every day? How much? How long? When I’m not travelling, I usually write or edit, every day, but I have no set schedule (and my writing may take other forms than fiction, from poetry to legal documents).  When I’m working on a novel, I usually spend no more than two or three hours a day unless I have a deadline.
• Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? How can you write without reading: fiction, nonfiction, current events, poetry, comics?The wider your range of knowledge, the deeper your insights into people, the human condition, everything.  Also, knowing what the reading public reads helps the author write for his or her chosen audience.
• What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Get something on the page, no matter how rough, inelegant, or incomplete.  Keep a journal, write a description of a place or person or event.  Observe everything and everyone around you.  Listen, eavesdrop.  Cancel cable television.
• Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? From my scant experience, you must have a platform, including a good website that shows you know your subject.
• Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Certainly conferences can be beneficial.  Here and there, I’ve picked up some writing tips, but most valuable has been the interaction with other writers and a few agents and editors. I’ve been to the Pike’s Peak Writers Conference several times, as well as to conferences sponsored by the Houston Writers Guild and the Writers’ League of Texas.  I also attended the Maui Writers Conference once in its heyday.
• Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? https://jamesdgarrison.wordpress.com/ Johnnie Bernhard with Loiacono Literary Agency represents my novel QL4 (available for acquisition), a brutally honest, unflinchingly poetic, final test for a disillusioned American GI as he searches for an honorable way out of his predicament during the Vietnam War.  http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/jim-garrison/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENTS

Agent Johnnie Bernhard is a former English teacher and journalist whose life’s work has been writing and reading.  A published author, her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines, both nationally and internationally.  Johnnie believes that good writing has the ability to transform and transport the reader.

            Her novel, A Good Girl, a second finalist in the 2015 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, is available for acquisition.

Bernhard Events  Featured Writer for Gulf Coast Writer’s Association

Genres:  Literary Fiction, Women’s Literature, Faith-Based Literature, Southern Literature, Historic Fiction, Memoir, and Nonfiction.

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.