Reviewer of Western Novels Gives Nod to Detour Trail

Detour Trail

Author: Joy V. Smith

Author Web site: http://pagadan.wordpress.com/

Fiction: Western / Historical Novel

ISBN 978-1612355702

Purchase Detour Trail at the publisher or Amazon

Reviewed by Bill S originally for Julies Book Reviews

 

It's rare that you find a Western written by woman. Maybe that's why it's been labeled an historical novel as well as a western.  Historical novels often have a character from history play a part in the story. I don't think that's true in this novel unless I missed something. It's not important. What is important is that the story rings true and this one does.

The western novels I've read have usually been written by men with an emphasis on the "wild and wooly" dimension of the Wild West. The "Detour Trail" has plenty of violent moments but what I also found engaging was the emphasis Ms. Smith gave to the town building and housekeeping aspects of what pioneers had to do.

Many novels and films today make their female protagonists equal or superior to men when it comes to defending themselves. Lorena Emerson, the lead woman in this novel, is one of them. What I like about her is she's a balanced character. Tough as nails when she has to be with a warm and caring touch when needed. Women have been homemakers because of childbearing, but there is much cultural evidence of their history as leaders in community development. Too bad so many  men don't share.

Like all westerns I've read there are good guys and bad buys including renegade native Americans. What I found here that I didn't find in others was what went on when it came time to build a community. How people worked together and learned to respect the differences among themselves. In that regard there is a lesson for what's going on today in the streets and even the churches.

Besides writing a good story Joy V. Smith has given us something to think about when it comes to the respect most pioneers had for each other. More than a history lesson the respect shown in the characters of the "Detour Trail" is needed in the here and now.
4 Stars

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joy V. Pagadan also blogs media tidbits at http://pagadan.livejournal.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.

Readers' Favorite Reviews Joy V. Smith's "Detour"

Title: Detour Trail

Author:  Joy V. Smith 
Genre: Western

ISBN-10: 1612355706
• ISBN-13: 978-1612355702

Publisher:  Melange Books
Reviewer's rating: 5 stars
Available on Amazon : 

 

Reviewed by Michelle Robertson originally for Readers’ Favorite

Lorie Emerson, like many others of this era, is traveling with her uncle on a wagon train headed west on the Oregon Trail. But after the unexpected death of her uncle, Lorie is asked by the wagon master to leave the group at the next town. Not willing to give up so easily and determined to make a home in the west, Lorie finds others needing help and willing to travel with her. She organizes their little group, preparing supplies and leading the group to their destination, but not without a struggle. Lorie must fight the elements, enemies, and face problems within the group before they all can settle in the frontier. Detour Trail by Joy. V. Smith is a unique western novel introducing readers to the era of the Oregon Trail, western frontiers, harsh elements, thieves, death, hardship, love, hard work, and determination. 

Author Joy. V. Smith takes a bold approach when writing a western with a heroine instead of the typical male hero taking the lead role. Although not totally unheard of, a female heroine in the Oregon Trail era was uncommon. The elements were rough and life was hard, not fit for most women. Creating a main female character is refreshing, exciting, and honors those few women who did succeed on the Oregon Trail in the same way as the book character Lorie Emerson. Detour Trial is a book for readers who enjoy reading about courageous men and women and their adventures, love, suspense, grief, and enlightening experiences as they crossed the frontier on the rough Oregon Trail to create new homes and lives for themselves.

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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.

Clare O'Beara Reviews Joy Smith's "Detour Trail"

Detour Trail

Joy V. Smith

http://pagadan.wordpress.com/
Genre: Western

ISBN: 978-1-61235-570-2

Format:Paperback

Amazon

Melange Books

4 out of 5 stars

http://www.melange-books.com/authors/joyvsmith/detourtrail.html

 

 

Reviewed by Clare O'Beara

 

 

The Oregon Trail is notoriously long and hazardous, but Lorena Emerson and her uncle set off to seek a better future. Her uncle is killed by a thief so Lorrie is told she can't continue driving her oxen alone and must leave the wagon train at the next town. But the determined girl gathers some other discards such as the Browns and their broken wagon, and makes ready to travel with the next small train. Lorrie, who started driving light, collects abandoned furniture, mattresses and cast-iron stoves on the trail. When the steep mountain climbs become too much for a heavily pregnant woman and their livestock, Lorrie investigates a DETOUR TRAIL to a river and suggests settling near a mountain man and his Arapaho family.

Next we see the plentiful hard work and planning involved in building a settlement, from splitting logs and hauling rocks to planting gardens, and Lorrie makes a few back journeys to buy goods including flour, chickens and a wise mule called Jake. The girl is good at planning but less so at backwoods skills. She can hold her own against trail thieves though, who foolishly imagine a girl and loaded wagon will be easy prey. The settlers only have a short summer to prepare for winter, and their lives will depend on their buildings and supplies.

This is a spirited tale of a brave young woman, without any great drama of Indian wars. I enjoyed seeing the little settlement prosper and grow, and Lorrie had further adventures every time she ventured to the town or fort for supplies. Joy Smith has written a decent young adult read for a slice of American history, which reminded me of  Children on the Oregon Trail.

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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.

Poetry: Order Your Best Valentine Ever Early

Title: Cherished Pulse: Unconventional Love Poetry 

Authors:  Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson. 

Genre: Poetry

ISBN: 9781449546052

Reviewer: Joy V. Smith 

Reviewer's link: http://pagadan.wordpress.com/

Review was originally published on Amazon

Publisher:  A Compulsive Reader Publication

Reviewer's rating: 5 stars

Available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle

 Reviewed by Joy V. Smith

 

Say it with poetry

 

This chapbook of poems is a delicious serving of loving and lovely thoughts, memories, and images of love shared and remembered in a breathtaking way, as in these lines from "Aurora":

 

 

"Red, green and purple curtains

waved above you"

 

"If I could capture that spectrum of

atomic neon sign of lost wonder"

 

As a science fiction writer, I so appreciated the cosmic comparisons in Magadalena Ball's poems. 

 

The first group of poems is by Magdalena Ball; the second group is by Carolyn Howard-Johnson.  All the poems flow and entice you into a world of longing and caresses.  Howard-Johnson's poems reflect the imagery of nature, as in these lines from "Dreaming Lilacs":

 

"hearing bougainvillea's fuchsia

song, taking shortcuts

across the lawn to kick

through jacaranda's silent

petalfall. Like Van Goh's flowers

twist their faces

 to the sun, ... "

 

These gentle, but stirring poems are a sweet gift to yourself, a friend, a loved one, or a young girl to show her what love really means...

 

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Joy V. Smith loves science fiction; she reads it and writes it and interviews other science fiction writers when she tracks them down...  Her SF includes Sugar Time (audiobook), two collections of her published short stories, Aliens, Animals, and Adventure andThe Doorway and Other Stories, and three e-books: Hidebound (SF romance/adventure), Pretty Pink Planet, and Hot Yellow Planet (the sequel).  But her latest novel is a western, Detour Trail.

Find The Doorway and Other Stories on Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SV1FB2

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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.

Veteran Goodbye Woman Gives Other Parents College Advice

Book Title: The Goodbye Year

Author: Toni Piccinini (Seal Press Pub. October 2013)
Genre: Health & Well Being
WOW! Blog Tour Dates: 10/7/2013-11/7/2013
Book Hashtag: #TGYPiccinini
 Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Seal Press (September 10, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580054862
ISBN-13: 978-1580054867

Book Summary:   For many mothers, a child’s senior year brings about a serious look back on the past eighteen. Every event—from Halloween to Mother’s Day—becomes The Last Time.

Toni Piccinini knows exactly what that’s like, and in The Goodbye Year, she offers the loving support every soon-to-be Empty Nester needs. Think of Toni as your bossy-but-loving Italian auntie, with modern sensibilities and a packed pantry. With the wisdom she’s acquired from saying goodbye three times to her own children, she reassuringly holds your hand while encouraging you through the insanity of the college application process, the rejections and the acceptances, and the teary dorm drop-offs. Even better, she reminds every mother that the best is yet to come—freedom, creativity, flexibility, and the Me Years.

Author Bio:


My writing career started when I stapled my first "book" together and launched it at a reading attended by my brother, Scotty, and our Boxer, Lonesome. The title-less story was a mash-up of Hansel and Gretel, The Six Swans, and a Box Car Children adventure, with the protagonists (sister, brother, and dog) risking everything in their quest for a magical lump of coal that would save the town. It was an immediate success. During the fifty years between my first and second book, "The Goodbye Year: Wisdom and Culinary Therapy to Survive Your Child's Senior Year of High School (and Reclaim the YOU of You)" I have--in no order of importance or chronology--opened a "Top 100" San Francisco restaurant, published scientific articles on the efficacies of antibiotics, sang the National Anthem at high school football games, published essays, recipes, and cookbook reviews, and sent three children off to college. I live in Marin County California, which is a long way from my Western Pennsylvania hometown, Heilwood. I am busy on my next book, which may revisit the power found in a magical lump of coal. Thank you for checking in.

Finding the author online:

http://tonipiccinini.com/home.html

http://tonipiccinini.com/goodbyeyear.html

https://twitter.com/Bellatonicooks 

 
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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.

Book Tour Features Proof of Psychic Abilities

Introductory Video - An Open Mind https://vimeo.com/56568624
Title – The Reality of ESP: A Physicist’s Proof of Psychic Abilities
Author – Russell Targ
Author's website link – http://www.espresearch.com  
Genre or category – Non-iction,  
ISBN – 978-0835608848

The Reality of ESP: A Physicist’s Proof of Psychic Abilities by Russell Targ

Nobel laureate physicist Brian Josephson says, “This book should make those who deny the existence of [psychic] phenomena think again.” In The Reality of ESP, Targ presents evidence from the $20 million research program he co-founded at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in the 1970s. The amazing feats of psychic ability he details include: While remote viewing for the CIA, SRI psychics found a downed Russian bomber in Africa, reported on the health of American hostages in Iran, and described Soviet weapons factories in Siberia. When San Francisco heiress Patricia Hearst was abducted from her home in Berkeley, a psychic with the SRI team identified the kidnapper and then accurately described and located the kidnap car. After leaving SRI, Targ's group made $120,000 by psychically forecasting for nine weeks in a row the direction and amount of changes in the silver commodity futures market – without error! Targ also describes a plan for developing your own psychic abilities.

proof is evidence "so strong it would be logically or statistically unreasonable to deny," writes physicist Russell Targ." If facts alone can convince a skeptical investigator of the reality of ESP, this book should do it." In The Reality of ESP, Targ presents evidence from the $20 million research program he co-founded at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in the 1970s, together with the Buddhist and Hindu origins of ESP. The amazing feats of psychic ability he details include:

•        While remote viewing for the CIA and Army Intelligence, SRI psychics found a downed Russian bomber in Africa, reported on the health of American hostages in Iran, described Soviet weapons factories in Siberia, and forecasted a Chinese atomic-bomb test three days before it occurred.
  
•        When San Francisco heiress Patricia Hearst was abducted from her home in Berkeley, a psychic with the SRI team was the first to identify the kidnapper and then accurately describe ad locate the kidnap car. After leaving SRI, Targ's group made $120,000 by psychically forecasting for nine weeks in a row the direction and amount of changes in the silver commodity futures market – without error!
  
•        The odds against chance in many cases are staggering. Take the 36 outdoor remote-viewing trials described with six US army intelligence officers. Their overall statistical significance was at odds of three in a hundred thousand (3 x 10^-5). If the officers had been baseball players, the expected six first-place matches would equal a batting average of 166. But they achieved nineteen matches – batting better than 500 – while the great Joe DiMaggio had a lifetime average of only 335! "Such numbers," says Targ, "are what we mean by statistical proof. We achieved an effect size of 0.6, which is ten times greater than that claimed by the NIH for aspirin preventing heart attacks.”
  
•       Convinced that most of us have psychic abilities we haven't tapped, Targ concludes by describing how we can learn to develop our own ESP, at no cost, working at home using the SRI techniques with a friend. It involves a simple, meditative skill that eighth-century Buddhists called moving from conditioned to spacious or naked awareness. "Who would not want to try that?" he asks.

About Russell Targ

Physicist Russell Targ was the co-founder of a 20 year $25 million research program investigating psychic abilities for the CIA, Army Intelligence and many other agencies at Stanford Research Institute (SRI). This previously SECRET research and applications program is now declassified. Targ has written a comprehensive book describing the remarkable accomplishments of this program.

What Are People Saying About The Reality of ESP

In The Reality of ESP: A Physicist’s Proof of Psychic Abilities, Russell Targ shares his comprehensive scientific research to provide convincing evidence that by quieting our minds we can access information in the field of potentiality where there is no distance in space and time.- Deepak Chopra, author, War of the Worldviews

~*~

I have known Russell Targ for four decades. He is clearly among the most successful, creative and brilliant researchers ever to enter the field of parapsychology. He has approached this most difficult of all fields with uncompromising rigor and a penetrating, scientific mind. This book is the inside story of research that is shaking the very foundations of conventional western thinking about the human mind and its relationship to the physical world. I highly recommend it. –Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, Dean of Transformational Psychology, University of Philosophical Research

~*~

Russell Targ is one the foremost scientists in the world when it comes to parapsychology – and a good story teller too. If you want to know the latest and greatest about our increasing understanding of the psychic side of humanity, this is required reading. –Charles T. Tart, Professor, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto CA, Professor Emeritus, Psychology, University of California, Davis and author of The End of Materialism.

 

 

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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.

One Tough Woman Takes on the West

Title: Detour Trail 

Author: Joy V. Smith 

Genre: Western
ISBN: 9781612355702
Reviewer: Amy Peterson
Reviewer's link: http://www.amylpeterson.com/
Review was originally published on Amazon
Publisher:  Melange Books
Reviewer's rating: 5 stars
Available at:
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/joyvsmith/detourtrail.html

 

Reviewed by Amy Peterson, author of Something Furry Underfoot and From Zero to Four Kids in Thirty Seconds

 

One tough woman takes on the West

 

The main character in this book is Lorrie, a strong, courageous woman that goes off the Oregon Trail and blazes her own life in the West. She's the embodiment of what a woman of that time period had to be like: able to make decisions, able to pull and use a weapon, and with the people skills needed to survive and thrive. This is a pleasant read that will take you into the Old West and leave you with a good sense that the West was not won by cowboys taking on Indians, it was won little town by little town, because of women like Lorrie.

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Author Praises New Memoir by Wooden Supporter

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

http://www.WoodyWoodburn.com

Genre: Memoir

Reviewer: Ken McAlpine

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

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

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

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

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

This book is a very a good thing. 

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

Author Bio

 

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

 

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

About the Reviewer:

 

Ken McAlpine is the author of the novels Together We

 

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

 

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

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

New Book Trains You To Experience Less Pain

ReflexerciseBy Scott MusgraveGenre: Nonfiction: Health and Wellness

The new information in this book, Reflexercise, heals chronic conditions through techniques that help you train your brain to be LESS reactive to stress, anxiety, chronic pain, depression, trauma and PTSD right from home!

If you suffer from any of the following:

• Chronic Pain
• Trauma
• Depression & Anxiety
• Post Traumatic Stress
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Adrenal Fatigue
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Insomnia
• Limiting Beliefs

So many need this book.

If you've found that there are no answers provided or results achieved, regardless of whether your doctor is using Eastern, Western or combined medical philosophy. If you are not responding, you will eventually be pushed aside and relegated to the medical garbage dump and/or simply deemed as "crazy, all in your head!"

This is not because you are beyond help...sadly, it's because there is a poor understanding of the causative source of the pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. To learn more watch this Youtube video.  

 

Dozens of people have offered testimonials to the effectiveness of this treatment and exercise which you can do at home or anywhere. You see, you may be stuck in a loop that won't let go. Once you break that cycle, relief is yours. It's simple, easy and you can do it at work, at home, anywhere and everywhere. http://bit.ly/Reflax

One woman went from severe spasmodic torticollis:

She had twisting of the neck and a bulging muscle which kept her head twisted. She also had major pain in the neck and back muscles. After treatment (a few months of the exercise), she is much better.

Learn more now.

Because this book is part of a book tour from book marketer Denise Cassino, those who order now are offered a battery of free whitepapers and books. To be sure you can access them order from this page: The launch page is http://scottmusgrave.homestead.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 :

Accountant Reviews Book That Inspired Him

Title: Yes You Can ! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You Are or
Where You're From
Author: Bill Townsend
Website: www.interminds.com
Genre: Self-help, motivational, business
ISBN-13: 978-1477659748
Reviewer: Naoto Takazawa, Accountant, Las Vegas, NV

For 9 years I have worked in the accounting department of a mid-sized
company. It is a good job, it pays fairly well, and I am thankful for
it. But I have often wondered if there is something else I should be
doing? Am I destined to move to another company? Should I start my own
accounting firm? Should I change careers completely? And each time I
ask myself these questions, something holds me back.
No longer.

Last week I read "Yes You Can ! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You
Are or Where You're From" by Bill Townsend (available at Amazon.com in
paperback and Kindle).

As a 37 year old with questions about my future, reading this book was
a revelation. It gave me not only the motivation to take action, but
the inspiration to do so. It also helped me determine how to do it, by
giving me tactics to follow. I find that part of the book unique among
self-help books because most talk about how to be better, but few give
you actual tactics to get there.

The author, Bill Townsend, isn’t a Harvard graduate and wasn’t born
with a silver spoon in his mouth. He grew up on a farm in Western
Pennsylvania. His mother had a stroke when he was 5 years old that
left her paralyzed and without speech. He taught her the ABCs and how
to tie her shoes. He earned a degree in art, then worked in
advertising. At age 27 ran for US Congress, almost winning. Then he
got busy. He was the cofounder of Lycos.com, sixdegrees.com (now
LinkedIn), Deja.com (sold to Google and eBay) and 9 other companies. A
pretty successful person by anyone’s thinking.

"Yes You Can! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You Are or Where
You're From" is a motivational book that teaches you how to take
control of your life to become successful in career, love, and life.
There are hundreds of stories of people who started with nothing and
made it: people like John Paul Dejoria, who started John Paul Mitchel
Systems with $700 and is now worth over $4 billion.
"Yes You Can ! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You Are or Where
You're From" is fun to read, nurturing, uplifting, regenerative, and
worth every moment spent in your hands.

P.S. I’ve decided to start my own accounting and bookkeeping service.

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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 tell your Facebook friends about it.  

Time Machine Troopers

By Hal Colebatch
Sequel to H. G. Wells' The Time Machine.

Genre: Science fiction

ISBN: 978-1-4475-6091-3

Originally reviewed on Amazon

5 stars out of 5

Publisher: Acashic (2011)

Review

by Joy V. Smith

Time Machine Troopers by Hal Colebatch

I enjoyed Time Machine Troopers. It took up where H. G. Wells' book, The Time Mchine, left off. Actually, it delved deeper into the hero's mind as he worked his way through the despair of losing Weena and deciding to do something about the Morlocks and the Eloi. Choosing a companion was an interesting process as he considered such possibilites as Churchill, General Gordon, and even Wells. Major-General Baden-Powell, the Hero of Mafeking, was perfect. (He accomplished a lot later in his life also.) And deciding what supplies, including weapons, to take--being limited in space--was challenging. Baden-Powell helped a lot with that--and other things.

This story is a rousing adventure, while at the same time taking a look at history and choices with fascinating background and literary references. Fighting Morlocks and training Eloi wasn't easy. It's a good thing he had back-up. And some assumptions he had made turned out to be wrong... I can't say more and spoil your enjoyment of the story, but it is imaginative, well-written, full of twists and turns and setbacks and the carnage of war. Highly recommended. This is a classic. And one of the best sequels to any story I've ever read.

Check it out at:

 

Amazon.com: Time Machine Troopers (9781447560913): Hal Colebatch: Books

Joy V. Smith loves and writes science fiction. Some of her stories are collected in her latest e-book, The Doorway and Other Stories, available from Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SV1FB2 . However, her upcoming novel, Detour Trail, is a story of the settling of the western frontier.

----- 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 :

Author and Blog Reviewer Loves Sci-Fi

Man-Kzin Wars XIII 
Man-Kzin Wars series
By Larry Niven
Note: The authors vary in each anthology

Available on Amazon  

Genre: Science fiction
ISBN: 978-1-4516-3816-5
Publisher: Baen (2012)

Reviewed by Joy V. Smith, originally for Amazon

5 stars out of 5

I liked all the stories, but Bound for the Promised Land, Tomcat Tactics, Pick of the Litter, and Misunderstanding (the quirkiest) were my favorites. This anthology is highly recommended. (It's rare when all the stories in an anthology are this good.)

Misunderstanding by Hal Colebatch & Jessica Q Fox is a fun story where the Kzin are befuddled by some strangely different aliens.

Two Types of Teeth by Jane Lindskold: I enjoy stories where Kzin and human work together to confound other Kzin or humans.

Pick of the Litter by Charles E. Gannon: Humans attempt to capture and raise and socialize Kzin kits... This premise caught my attention right away. Well executed.

Tomcat Tactics by Charles E. Gannon: A Wunderland (the planet) story. Humans fight back against Kzin occupying their planet. Another good premise, and I was happy to see another Wunderland story.

At the Gates by Alex Hernandez: Humans and Kzin inhabit a lost colony of Earth when a damaged Kzin ship appears above the planet. Suspenseful with a good payoff. (Hmm. I could have added this to my favorites, but I didn't want to include them all!)

Zeno's Roulette by David Bartell: A story involving the Puppeteers and a secret they use humans to retrieve. The Puppeteers aren't my favorite characters, but it was interesting to see them included in another anthology--and it was a puzzling mystery.

Bound for the Promised Land by Alex Hernandez: Bobcat, a tailess Kzin telepath, comes across an opportunity to escape his ship with a telepathic ARM agent hot on his trail.

About the reviewer: Joy V. Smith loves and writes science fiction. Some of her stories are collected in her latest e-book, The Doorway and Other Stories (available from Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SV1FB2). However, her upcoming novel, Detour Trail, is a story of the settling of the western frontier.

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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 :

Carol Upton Reviews and Reveals A Quarter Horse Love Story

Horse at the Corner Post:

Our Divine Journey

By Denise Lee Branco

Strolling Hills Publishing

Soft Cover, 2010, $17.95 U.S.

ISBN: 879-0-9845888-0-0

Available at http://www.horseatthecornerpost.com

Reviewed by Carol M. Upton – www.dreamsaloud.ca

I have been blessed with many animal friends in my life, but you were unique. I had a connection with you since your wobbly foal legs held you up and until your aged arthritic legs no longer allowed you to stand. ~ Denise Lee Branco

In the award-winning Horse at the Corner Post, Denise Lee Branco writes straight from the heart about her deep, lifelong connection to her quarter horse, Freedom.

At an outsider’s first glance, there may have been nothing special about this particular foal. Yet, Branco and Freedom connected almost immediately, soul to soul. Sharing hugs, playing racing games alongside the fence, and winning 2^nd Place in a Kindergarten Western Pleasure Class, the two youngsters formed a powerful relationship. All that changed as Branco neared college age and her uncle took a fancy to the horse. Thinking Freedom would have a great temporary home, Branco let him go, only to discover some years later that he had been sold.

What ultimately takes place is an astonishing tribute, not only to the profound relationship between a girl and her horse, but also to the deep support of a family that understood this bond and cared enough to see it through.

The strength of this book lies in Branco’s skilled and honest storytelling. The reader is there every step of the way, reminded of the animals that may have graced their own life.

Branco’s hope in writing about Freedom is that it will encourage animal adoption. This inspired family reading achieves all of that and more.

~ About the author: Denise Lee Branco spent her childhood on a California ranch, befriending all the furry and feathered residents there. From reading horse books to competing in western shows and gymkhanas, Denise has always felt horses are a part of her identity. Visit her at:

http://www.horseatthecornerpost.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 :

K. M. Weiland Reviews Little Booklet on Editing and Wordtrippers

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips

The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avloiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Genre: Nonfiction for Writers/Editing/Grammar

ISBN: 9781450507653

Available on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle

Paper: $6.95, Kindle $2.99

 

Reviewed by K. M. Weiland

 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is well known among writers for her helpful book The Frugal Book Promoter, and she continues to encourage and guide writers through her many other projects, including this fast read (56 pages), which she advertises as a supplement to her book The Frugal Book Editor. After opening with an intro, reminding authors of the importance of crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s in both our queries and our published works, she launches into the meat of the book: page after page of handy references for spotting and fixing tricky word pairs.

Organized alphabetically with word pairs separated by slashes (e.g., “bereft / bereaved”), the book makes it easy to look up definitions and identify which word should be used in specific circumstances. Although the book’s diminutive length prevents it from anywhere close to exhaustive, it’s a good starting place and can easily be backed up with the more complete list in The Frugal Book Editor.

Priced reasonably (especially the Kindle version) and packed with lots of writerly wit and humor, the book makes for both an enjoyable read and a worthwhile reference manual.

K.M. Weiland is the author of the historical western A Man Called Outlaw and the medieval epic Behold the Dawn. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, her book Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success, and her instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.

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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 :

Don Blankenship Calls Memoir "Best"

Title: South to Alaska: A True Story of Courage and Survival from America's Heartland to the Heart of a Dream
Author: Nancy Owens Barnes
Website: http://www.southtoalaska.com

Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/South-Alaska-Survival-Americas-Heartland/dp/098239022X
Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel
ISBN: 098239022X (Rushing River Press)

Reviewed by Don Blankenship, Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer, (http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1MC6BFHWY6WC3 ), written originally for Amazon
5 out of 5 stars

Nancy Owens Barnes stated in the forward of this work that "Some suggested I fictionalize the story. By doing so would allow me to drive drama to a higher level and to void my worries about maintaining truth."

Well thank goodness and lucky for us she made the right decision and went with the truth. I cannot imagine how adding a bit of fiction to this story would in anyway "add to the drama" or make this a more satisfying read. I have to tell you that at the end of each year I sort of do an informal review of the books I read during the past twelve months and rank them in order of pure reading enjoyment. I will tell you right now that this read made the top three and it is quite debatable whether or not I should stick it in first place. My goodness, this book has so very much going for it.

This true story, put in a nutshell, is the telling of the remarkable journey of her father - an odyssey really, starting from the time he was a young child; a child of the Great Depression, living in Oklahoma, through his remarkable voyage in a boat he built himself and sailed it from Fort Smith, Arkansas (of all places) all the way to Alaska...for the most part, completely alone. But the book is so much more than just a sea voyage; a scary one, I grant you, but a voyage never-the less. It is also the story of her mother, Cecil Marie, a rather remarkable woman in her own right.

The author's parents, Melvin and Cecil Owens had a dream. They wanted to live in Alaska. Both these individual lived the majority of their lives in either Oklahoma or Arkansas - they were not sea dwelling people. George Owens worked construction and was one of those individuals (alas, I am not one of them) that could build just about anything he set his mind to. We are taken through the three years, where in his spare time, Mr. Owens built the ship they named "Red Dog" in his backyard and then through his remarkable journey down the Arkansas River, the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico, through the Panama Canal and then up the western coast of Central America, America, all the way to Ketchikan, Alaska where he and his wife finally made their home. (They ended up living in a home built by Mr. Owens near the water and forest for over twenty some odd years - remarkable!)

We travel with Melvin as he navigates river ways, crooked customs officers in foreign ports, the open sea and rather evil conmen, storms, sickness, anxiety..... Speaking no language other than English this quiet but determined man made a journey of a life time against tremendous odds.

Now let me be frank and explain. When I first heard of this book and the homemade craft, the Red Dog, I had visions of something like what I would build which would have been hammered and wired together out of scrap lumber, orange crates and empty oil cans. Mr. Owens though was a craftsman and the boat he built with his own two hands and spare parts was actually quite a sophisticated and seaworthy craft. The building alone; the process he went through absolutely amazed me.

But don't think this book is just about his two year voyage. This is actually the story of a family; a family of like mine and yours. Good hardworking people; a close family full of love and respect for each other. The author has used the techniques of flashbacks throughout the book to bring a vivid picture of a family who made it through the depression, worked extremely hard all of their lives and above all, followed their dream. (I consider myself an amature historian when it comes to the Great Depression and I have to tell you that I learned much from this book. The author was able to capture the essence of those times perfectly. I felt she could have been writing about my own family at times). I also grew up in the same area (Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma) so I knew much of the physical background the author describes and can assure you she is spot on.

Furthermore, not only do we have a wonderful story here, but we have a story written by an author that can actually write and I might say, write extremely well. Her prose borders on lyrical and her ability to describe puts her on the same level with all the great travel writers....folks, this is one talented lady!

If you have not already read this work I would strongly suggest you do so. It is a great true story that has been written by a true master writer.

Learn more about author Nancy Owens Barnes, freelance writer and author, at www.NancyOwensBarnes.com and

www.SouthToAlaska.com  She blogs at WritingNorthIdaho.blogspot.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 :

Mary Hitchcock Cone’s Clear Effortless Writing Delivers Vivid, Memorable Characters

Book: Moose Mash and Other Stories

Author: Mary Hitchcock Cone
Website: http://www.moosemash.com
Genre: Literary fiction, short stories

Publisher: FolkHeart Press

Available: Moosemash.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Reviewed by  Barbara Swift Brauer of WordsWorth (www.wordsworthofmarin.com)

It’s hard to tell just what it is about Mary Cone’s collection, Moose Mash and Other Stories that carries the reader along so enjoyably from the first paragraph of the title story to the last paragraph of “Point of No Return.” Is it the light, engaging style? Down-to-earth characters, the wonderful humor, or rare insight into the complexities of human nature? Most likely, it is a fine interplay of all these qualities.

The subjects of the stories cover an amazingly wide range: from the humorous (a moose loose in a shoe store, a ghost looking for its murderer, siblings banding together to rescue the household from their bargain-crazy father) to the poignant (a young woman facing uncertain love, young soldiers leaving home for war).

At the heart of each story is the author’s exceptional ear for voice and dialogue. “Odd Socks,” for example, in which a late-night radio talk show host fields listeners’ calls on the subject of mismatched socks, is entirely dialogue — the wonderful assortment of characters revealed only through their commentary on the topic.

           

Many stories are told in the first-person, the tone and pace of the characters’ narrative providing insight into who they are. This is most apparent in the Rashomon-style “Incident on Number 50,” in which five individuals each respond to the mishap of a fellow bus passenger.

In a few brief paragraphs, a portrait of each is expertly drawn. Wallace has been prescribed bifocals, and laments, “that meant he was officially middle-aged! His view of himself as a man of vigor, steely eyed at work, sexy-eyed at the Pagoda Bar, was no longer defendable.”

Laura, sitting behind Wallace on the bus, observes him taking his seat and thinks, “Edgar never would have sat down like that. If Edgar was with her now, he would purse his lips at the man in disgust. Ever-groomed, perfectly coordinated, intensely organized, critical Edgar. Laura suppressed a desire to pat the stranger on the shoulder as a gesture of fellowship.” She is on her way to the lawyer’s to sign the divorce papers.

Cone’s attention to visual detail is similarly acute. In “Ferry Ride,” Karen stands at the railing and notes, “Windows on the hillside houses catch the sun. They shine like shields protecting a suburban army. The rosy horizon gives way to turquoise blue. The outline of the hills across the bay sharpens.”

 

In every story, clear, effortless writing carries the narrative along. Whether broadly humorous, subtly wry, or deeply moving, there is an unfailing honesty about the author’s observations of her characters — honesty and a profound compassion. At the end of “Joseph the Appreciator,” the protagonist contemplates the pull of relationship with his own need for independence. His epiphany is at once elated and wise:

“Western rays of the sun provided backlighting and the greens brightened. The sight filled him with fierce appreciative joy. He laughed. There it was. He would be an appreciator. Joseph the Appreciator, not a bad job for a man up in years . . .”

Long after the last page, the people encountered in these stories remain vividly alive in our imaginations. Their portraits are drawn so true to life, so much like ourselves, we feel as if we’ve known them. In some sense, we have.

~Reviewer Barbara Swift Brauer is a writer, editor, and poet, and, with husband Laurence Brauer, co-owner of Wordsworth publishing services. She is co-author of Witness: The Artist's Vision in “The Face of AIDS” (Pomegranate Artbooks, 1996). Barbara’s poetry has been widely published. Her full-length poetry collection is forthcoming from Sixteen Rivers Press.

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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 :

Political Thriller Important Study in Culture

Title: The HomeGrown: Narrative of a conversion
Author: Harry Deshpande
Author's Website: www.thehomegrown.info
Genre: Political thriller
ISBN: 1460998316



When recent college graduate Anwar, a Muslim born in Denmark, marries Nahgma, an Indian Muslim, her prosperous father is keen to celebrate the union by treating them to a honeymoon in Hawaii. However, Anwar's father has a markedly different idea in mind to launch their marriage: a visit to the family homeland of Pakistan to acquaint the new bride with Pashtun culture. Reluctantly agreeing, Anwar finds himself in the province of Quetta, and in the forbidding company of Hamid, a member of his extended family who has a palpable madness in his eyes.

Regrettably, this meeting will forever alter Anwar's worldview. When he takes up Hamid's offer to visit a site of American attack as proof that the United States is targeting innocents, Anwar lands in the middle of a skirmish between American Special Forces and the jihadist elements. From there, one traumatic event after another calls into question Anwar's accepted Danish mores, his relationship with his new bride, and his comprehension of Denmark's complicity to Pakistani atrocities at the hands of Americans.

From there, rigorous Jihadist brainwashing quickly transforms a benign Western accountant into an avowed Muslim with a new wife, for whom he has a passion that even surprises him. With that love rendered asunder, Anwar now has the fire to enact the unimaginable, right in his once-beloved Denmark.

With each turn, The Homegrown charts the grave and all-too-common trajectory from world citizen to public enemy, casting crucial light on why terrorists succeed with their message of hatred, and why the United States may be losing in the war of propaganda.

The story is told through Anwar's eyes; fundamentally, it is the story of the definition, breaking, and re-making of his character. Thus he moves from being a more or less vague, dissatisfied, vacillating, and anonymous character to an equally anonymous character, albeit re-made and somewhat hardened in the mold of a terrorist. The irony at the heart of the story is that, in the end, Anwar is no more his own man than he was at the outset, but his closely mentored suffering, combined with his exposure to an exotic and seductive religiosity that appeals to his weak and sentimental nature, makes him an ideal weapon in the hands of higher-ups who, like officers of every stripe, nationality, and era remain safely behind the lines.

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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 :