The Changing Season
by Steven
Manchester
www.stevenmanchester.com
commercial fiction; YA
ISBN is
978-1611882261
Reviewed by Beth Cutwright originally for http://bethartfromtheheart.blogspot.ca
Review:
In my humble opinion, Steven Manchester is one of this
generations greatest writers and so when something comes out by him, it becomes
the top book to be read in my TBR pile. I can't help it, his writing always
speaks to my heart and leaves me with so much to think about.
The
Changing Season resonated with me as I could relate on so many levels to this
tremendous tale of growing up. Like Billy Baker, I loved animals and I was
carried on a splashing sea of uncertainty....what did I want to do with my life
after high school? I never did determine what I should do, unlike our young
hero, Billy.
Another thing we shared was a strong moral ethic and a
strong sense of loyalty to our friends. Billy was your normal teenager
experiencing first love, a vile test of friendship, and a job he came to love
and appreciate.
The author could have taken this story in so many
different directions, but I loved the simplicity of the relationship between dog
and boy. The story could've been about your next door neighbor or at the very
least, someone you know.
This book is an easy read for those who love
coming of age tales, dogs, and first love.
I loved it. I am excited that it
was my first read in 2016. It's a good sign for future reads this
year.
I rated this a five Wink read!
----
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.
This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Editor of Bookwatch Calls Poet "Exceptionally Skilled Wordsmith"
Imperfect Echoes
Subtitle: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, Lie and Oppression with small
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 9781515232490
ISBN: 9781515232490
$9.95, PB,
148pp,
Purchase: http://bit.ly/ImperfectEchoes
Web site: http://HowToDoItFrugally.com/poetry_books.htm
Also available for Kindle and other e-readers.
Also available for Kindle and other e-readers.
Reviewed by Jim Cox for the February 2016 Issue of Wisconsin Bookwatch
Accepted for inclusion in Poets and Writers prestigious list of
published poets, multi award-winning novelist and poet Carolyn Howard-Johnson
is widely published in journals and anthologies. With the publication of
"Imperfect Echoes: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, Lie and
Oppression with Small" Carolyn has showcased the best of her free verse
poetry to date. An exceptionally skilled wordsmith, her poetry will linger in
the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back
upon the shelf. Very highly recommended for community and academic library
Contemporary American Poetry collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Imperfect Echoes" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($2.99).
'Utah's Song'
Snow hums a quiet melody, rhythmic drifts,
polar staccato on cheeks and nose.
Quiet harmony here.
Solace in the pulse of canyon winds,
hush of gurgling creeks
sway of clouds moving high.
Symphony of silence
in thin mountain air.
Bars, staffs, and whole notes.
Tranquil self-destruction.
'Utah's Song'
Snow hums a quiet melody, rhythmic drifts,
polar staccato on cheeks and nose.
Quiet harmony here.
Solace in the pulse of canyon winds,
hush of gurgling creeks
sway of clouds moving high.
Symphony of silence
in thin mountain air.
Bars, staffs, and whole notes.
Tranquil self-destruction.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Jim Cox is Editor-in-Chief of Wisconsin Bookwatch. He has been a staple in the review industry for decades. . His business address is 278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575 and his business e-mail is MWBOOKREVW@aol.com.
ABOUT THE POET
Accepted
for inclusion in Poets & Writers
prestigious list of published poets, multi award-winning novelist and poet
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is widely published in journals and anthologies. She is
the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and
Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her
work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list “Fourteen San
Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s
Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts. One of her poems won the Franklin
Christoph poetry prize. She was an instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown
Writers’ Program for nearly a decade. Learn more about her and follow her Amazon Author page at http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile
or at http://howtodoitfrugally.com/more_on_imperfect_echoes.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Interview: A Twenty-Five Year Love Affair Writing Books for Children
Hi! I am
Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the
multi award-winning HowTo Do It
Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been
exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after
I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary
Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I thought sharing
the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book
Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just
might find a new favorite author among the featured books and
authors.
So, today
welcome Ruth
Wiseman.
Ruth Wiseman has been writing children’s stories since 5th
grade, when her English teacher, Mr. Lavrov, inspired her talents. She has been
writing children’s books for over twenty-five years and co-edited Broken Glass,
Broken Lives: A Jewish Girl’s Survival Story in Berlin 1933-1945 by Rita J.
Kuhn. She hopes to be published soon and to share her stories with even more
children. She is a grateful mother of two young daughters and two step-sons, and
lives in Passaic, NJ.
What made you want to be a
writer? When
I was twelve-years-old, I had a wonderful English teacher. He engaged my
imagination by giving us pictures from which to write stories. Some of them were
very silly. I found a whole new voice inside me when I wrote. I was a rather
quiet student, but suddenly I found a world in which I could have a strong voice
and I wouldn't be teased. My teacher provided feedback as though I were a
serious writer. That experience stayed with me all these years. And need I say
how much I love the feeling of a new pen and paper?
Of all the authors out there,
who inspired you most? I love so many authors, it's
hard to name just one. For children's stories I love Barbara Park, Mo Willems,
Cynthia Rylant, Bracha Goetz. For middle school books, I adore J.K. Rowling,
Sharon Creech, Andrew Clemens, Julie Kagawa, R. J. Palacio, J.R.R. Tolkien. In
adult literature, Tolstoy is magnificent, Jhumpa Lahiri is lovely, Amy Tan has
colorful, multi-faceted characters, Herman Wouk, John Grisham, Edith Wharton.
Really an assortment of writers. I don't have a specific genre that I seek out,
just pure, good writing.
What is your writing style?
Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? For my children's stories, I
will sometimes be given the gift of a full story coming to me in one piece. That
is exhilarating. Other stories, I need to massage and rewrite and rewrite. Each
one has its own personality. The midgrade I am working on right now (and will
probably complete when my current middle school child is in college!), I write
by scenes. I think this is because I am seeing the images unfolding in my mind's
eye, and it then develops into a narrative. This story, though, is giving me a
lot of trouble because I started it in one style and changed the style
midstream. I am going to have to go back and rework the first several chapters
once I have moved the story line far enough along.
Do you write every day? How
much? How long? Ha, that would be nice! I
aspire to that. Somehow with a full-time job, an eleven-year old, and a six-year
old, I just can't seem to find the time or energy to write every day. I also
need a certain physical and mental space for my writing. If I can be in a quiet
place—a library, a cool cafe, an empty park—then my concentration is enhanced
and the words just flow out of me. But if I am sitting in my office in a slow
moment, or waiting to see the doctor, or sitting in my room once my girls are
asleep, those times are harder because my mind is on overdrive with other
concerns. But those are also the ‘lost moments.’ It's a quandary. I am working
on trying to use those moments for some creative purpose. My characters tug at
me to listen to them, and I really suffer when I don't.
Do you think reading is as
important to writing for an author? Why? Absolutely. It is an
excellent way of distinguishing your own voice to read other people's works. I
recently read a midgrade book similar in some fashion to the one I am working
on, but I finished that book feeling that my concept and writing style is very
different and, in my humble opinion, better. I don't always close a book feeling
that way. Certainly not the Harry Potter series; Rowling is just sheer
inspiration. I want to run and get my quill and go into my characters’ worlds,
without thought for my style or my chances of publication. Some writers give me
an artistic thirst for creating.
What are some of the things
you would like to share with budding authors? Just keep writing. Try not
to be your own editor. You have a unique voice, and you do not need to sound
like anyone else. The imaginings and perspectives that you have will resonate
with a certain audience. Trust in that!
Do you have any marketing and
promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? I don't have any just yet,
other than the Yiddish word chutzpah.
It means ‘you've got to have nerve.’ That is how I found my wonderful literary
agent, Jeanie Loiacono. I walked up to a children's author and asked her for
publishing advice. She gave me Jeanie's name. It took a year to build up the
nerve to contact her, but when I did, I was not sorry that I did! Both those
instances involved a certain amount of chutzpah. Any time you put yourself on
the line, you are promoting yourself. Any time you tell your colleagues about
your work, you are promoting yourself. Just keep believing in your stories, and
you will come up with ideas.
Do you think conferences are
beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you
frequent? I
haven't attended any conferences for purely logistical reasons. However, I love
being in writing workshops. Any forum that is going to help you focus your
creativity and make you take yourself more seriously as a writer is
beneficial.
Where can we find you, your
books and when is your next event? Keep your eyes peeled for my
three children's titles scheduled for publication in 2016 with Saturn Moon's
Press, an imprint of Cactus Moon Publications LLC. You can see more about me at: http://ruthcwiseman.wix.com/storywise#
http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/ruth-wiseman
MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT
Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary
Agency
A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her
forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and
all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors
succeed.“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com
IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO SEE MORE INTERVIEWS--TO FIND GREAT READING OR TO NETWORK WITH
AUTHORS--PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS
FAMILY WHO LOVES BOOKS! YOU'LL FIND A WINDOW TO DO THIS AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG
PAGE.
-----
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.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Interview: Reading for Jewish Children
Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book
Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It
Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been
exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after
I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary
Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I
thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to
this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers
who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and
authors.
So, today welcome Bracha
Goetz.
Bracha
Goetz is the Harvard-educated author of thirty children’s books, including Remarkable Park, Let Your Fingers Do the Mitzvos and The Invisible Book. She also coordinates a Big Brother Big
Sister Program for Jewish Community Services in Baltimore,
Maryland.
Her
first published piece was a poem that appeared in McCall’s magazine when she won
a Junior McCall’s contest as a twelve-year-old. Years later, she was the editor
of her high school paper, and later on, helped coordinate and contributed an
essay to the anthology, Women Look at Biology Looking at Women, while at
Harvard, which became a text for many women’s studies courses nationwide. Her
writing has, since then and up until now, almost exclusively been aimed at the
religious Jewish population; being interviewed twice (2009, 2010) on the Zev
Brenner Radio show in NY, the most popular Orthodox Jewish radio show. What Do You See on Purim? A fun way for toddlers to learn
vocabulary! Teaches toddlers about the holiday of Purim with a bright and
colorful word-and-picture book! Children will learn basic vocabulary while
becoming familiar with the objects and concepts that are unique to this special
holiday. It’s available from Judaica Press and in the local Jewish
bookstores!
She
also has a chapter entitled “From Harvard to Homemaking” in new release from
Coffeetown Press called Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern
Motherhood.
She
has recently released What Do You See At School? and Because of a Smile . Available online and in Jewish bookstores
– What Do You See On Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur?
Her
latest release is Hashem’s Candy Store
“What
do you think you would see if you opened the door? What would you find on the
shelves in Hashem’s Candy Store?
In
this adorable book by bestselling author Bracha Goetz, kids will learn the most
amazing things about some of the yummiest “candy” available on the market –
namely, the delicious fruits and vegetables that Hashem
created.
“Children
will devour the captivating rhymes and illustrations…and don’t be surprised if
you soon find them beginning to devour their fruits and veggies, too!” —
Bracha
Hashem’s
Candy Store is available both online and in Jewish
bookstores.
2. What made you want to be a writer? I love reading children’s books, and I wanted to write the kind of books that I wished I could have read when I was a child—spiritual children’s books with answers to life’s deepest questions, presented in a delightfully simple way.
3. Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? Anne Frank
4. What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? When ideas pop into my head, I jot them down, even if it is in the middle of the night. I keep a pad and pen near my bed for that purpose so I can go back to sleep after writing it down. Then when I have some time, like when I am a passenger in a long car ride or taking a plane trip, I play with the ideas that I have jotted down and see where we can go.
5. Do you write every day? How much? How long? I probably write something every day, whether it’s editing a piece I once wrote, or communicating about my writing to others.
6. Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? I think reading is as important because it opens up the writer’s mind to go in new directions.
7. What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? As soon as I get a rejection, I try to do something with the manuscript, whether that means sending it to a different place or revising it. If I don’t respond quickly, then it will just sit and go nowhere, and I wrote it to get it out into the world.
8. Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Email blasts are still very effective when new material is published, but the emails need to be kept short as they are often viewed on phones now.
9. Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? I attended conferences when I began writing professionally and found them very helpful at that time. I think they must have helped me learn how to get my foot into doors.
10. Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? All of my books can be found on my Author Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/spiritualkidsbooks-brachagoetz . These are picture books for Jewish children, but soon I will have spiritual kids’ books for all children (and their parents and teachers) to enjoy as well! My next event that is open to the public (not at a school) is on Sunday, December 12 from 10 to 11:30 am at the Leon Weiner Jewish Library in the Young Israel of Houston in Houston, Texas. I will attach a flyer I just received about this event. Amazon Author Page – Bracha Goetz David Clarke Blog Talk Radio Interview Bracha Goetz books/images Listen to Bracha reading her books
Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono
'
MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT
Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary
Agency
A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono
represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers,
historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her
passion is to see her authors succeed.
“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one
of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and
privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the
world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INTERVIEWS--TO FIND GREAT READING OR TO NETWORK WITH AUTHORS--PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS FAMILY WHO LOVES BOOKS! YOU'LL FIND A WINDOW TO DO THIS AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG PAGE.
-----
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.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
An Emerging Literary Star of Magical Realism
Unspeakable Things
By Kathleen Spivack
Knopf
ISBN: 978-0-385-35396-0
Adult/Literary
304 pages
Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com
A New Author That Shines
and Sighs on the Literary Horizon
Reviewed by Carolyn
Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for
writers.
The title of Unspeakable Things by Kathleen Spivack isn’t misleading. Don’t fool
yourself into believing this book will be an upper—at least not in terms of
your mood. Unless, of course, your mood is positively affected by beautiful
language, unusual plotlines, and any tendency toward daring literature.
The language is this book reaches poetic
heights that will thrill those who speak English, breaks new ground in the
genre of magical realism and it does it all within the boundaries of difficult
themes like immigration, survival and pedophilia and spins on the recognition
of the destructive underbelly of secrets kept.
I adore Spivack’s literary skills.
I hope she takes on something that will appeal to a broader audience in the
near future (though I urge readers to stretch a bit and try this one, too!) Having
said that, even if you think this book isn’t your cup of tea, track Spivack’s
literary progress. She is a not-to-be missed new star that shines and sighs on
the literary horizon.
MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of the award-winning fiction This is the Place ,and Harkening, a book of creative nonfiction
short stories. Her newer efforts, Here’s
How I Don’t Cook and This Land
Divided, are being shopped by agent Terrie Wolf. Howard-Johnson is also the
author of fifteen books and chapbooks of poetry including her most recent Imperfect Echoes (http://bit.ly/ImperfectEchoes),
that was recently honored by USA Book News.
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Friday, February 12, 2016
EMPOWERMENT IS JUST A WORD...UNTIL YOU LIVE I
Title: THE SKIN OF WATER
Subtitle: Defending The Dreamcatcher
By Cristina Salat
Publisher: Green Flame Omnimedia
Pub date: Feb. 14, 2016
Trade Paperback: ISBN-13: 978-1518829000 ISBN-10: 1518829007Mass Market: ISBN-13: 978-1523793624 ISBN-10: 1523793627E-edition: ISBN 978-1311502605
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015957072
Purchase Links:
Available through
your local library and wherever fine books are sold
Also: Amazon's
Match Book program
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019BI3FAI (the purchase of print edition comes with accompanying Kindle version at discount).
Signed copies
available through: http://creativecornucopia.miiduu.com
Reviewed by Nikki Nigari, jorascknigari@hotmail.com
There are books you read and workshops you enjoy. And then there are books and activities that ROCK your world.
In these uncertain times my children are aware that their school, the mall, even our church is no longer necessarily a guaranteed safe zone. The complex dangers and economic hardships going on everywhere seem to be making anything truly inspiring in great demand, yet short supply.
In wanting a break from violence while not wanting to stick my head in the sand, I found an unusual new book: The Skin of Water: Defending The Dreamcatchers by Cristina Salat. It heralds a modern-day pueblo teen who winds up changing her life in ways you will not see coming that are likely to also change your own!
From the jacket copy:
"Lisel Martinez is not a rough-&-tumble kind of girl, so what is someone more interested in books and plants than in having a hot social life doing out on the most dangerous streets in San Francisco? Is there actually anything one 16-year-old without a home can do to keep herself safe in a world that seems anything but?!
From the award-winning author of books for the young and young at heart comes a contemporary quest from the mesas of New Mexico to the streets of San Francisco, as one modern-day First Nation girl searches for a life different than the one that seems destined to be her fate."
This is the kind of book that becomes a friend, no matter what age you are. The second I finished it, I started again from the beginning. Cleaning out the garage would just have to wait!
It aroused discussions between children and adults, including a teenager and her friends who don't often like to participate in family discussions about anything! One character's comment: "It's not enough to just Take Back the Night, we need to take back the world!" particularly made my daughter cheer.
Dedicated by the author to "all who are loved, and all who deserve to be," the novel champions the idea that "Empowerment is just a word...until you live it." It is an evocative, empowering gift in an age when beloved children's book authors like Judy Blume in the collection Letters To Judy: What Your Kids Wish They Could Tell You says she receives volumes of requests from children of all ages, educators, and those who work in social services imploring her to write about kids whose lives include things like: dangerous family members, unconventional living situations, and real life circumstances such as surviving on the streets long enough to escape them.
Ms. Blume's understandable response is: "no one author can write about every situation, and most of us write out of our own experiences..." but she hopes one day someone else might write just such a book...and that book is now here.
There may be no easy answers to today's pressures around giving children wings while keeping them safe, but there are fresh ideas. New possibilities.
In an age of vampire love stories, wizards, and child wars in mythical lands, there can also be Real Magic in this world, right here, right now.
The Skin of Water: Defending The Dreamcatchers made me cry and had me shouting "YES!" during the rousing self-defense scenes.
In my opinion, there is no better gift to give to someone you love and want to see safe.
The book is available in trade paperback, mass market, and E-editions.
In the spirit of community, why not give it also to someone who isn't as loved as they deserve to be, along with your local libraries and schools?
Empowerment is just a word...until we live it
The Skin of Water: Defending The Dreamcatchers by Cristina Salat.Get it.Experience it.Spread the word!
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Interview: Author Tells How To Get Away From It All
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 Jocko
Lee.
What is
your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction?
I
don’t have a specific genre. I have written science fiction, fantasy and some
romance. All my work is fiction.
What
made you want to be a writer? I was kinda
tricked into it. I was in a depression and I got there by thinking about my
problems too much. So I decided to think happy thoughts and wrote them down. My
Mom read them and said that I had a start to a good book, and to finish it. So I
did. My Mom is the one who wanted to be a writer. I must have got the bug from
her.
Of all
the authors out there, who inspired you most? I like Louis
L’amour, Tom Clancy and Zane Grey, all for different reasons. L’amour can make
you feel that you are there while Zane Grey can give you the sounds. Clancy
makes you think about what you are doing. Jean M. Auel can educate you in the
medicinal value of plants if you read her Earth’s Children series. Many writers,
even though they are writing fiction, stick to actual facts.
What is
your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why?
I have no idea what my style is. That is one thing I miss, not studying writing.
I don’t outline, I just put pen to paper and the story comes out. Sometimes I
have no idea how a sentence will end when I start one. I have been surprised. I
have told others that the pen writes the story, I just hold it upright. The
first manuscript I wrote had over 100K words.
Do you
write every day? How much? How long? I don’t write
every day. Sometimes I go weeks without writing. And then the story hits me and
I have to start putting it down. When I tried to force myself to write, nothing
came out right. Writing is like giving birth, the baby comes when it’s
ready.
Do you
think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why?
Reading was very important, to me. I have loved to read and have read all my
life. Reading is how I learned to write.
What
are some of the things you would like to share with budding
authors?
I am also a budding author, so I don’t have a lot of tried and true tidbits yet.
The best thing I can say is write what is in your head. Don’t let someone else
tell you how your story should go unless they are speaking from a marketing
standpoint, and have the results to back it up.
Do you
have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to
share? Find
the best agent you can and listen to that agent. They are in this business
because they love what they do and they make a living doing
it.
Do you
think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do
you frequent? I have no
thoughts about conferences, mostly because I have never been to one. I have
mobility problems at the moment but in the future I plan to see if they might
help.
Where can
we find you, your books and when is your next event? I have a web
site, www.jockolee.com. My book Tar Kyler: time Traveling Mercenary may
be found on all the online sites: Amazon, B&N and the publisher’s website www.rougephoenixpress.com.
Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency,
Jeanie Loiacono www.loiaconoliteraryagency/authors/jocko-lee
MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT
Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary
Agency
A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her
forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and
all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors
succeed.“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
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