BlacKkKlansman Book Discussion Questions

BlacKkKlansman Book Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions

BlackkKlansman:

Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime 
By Ron Stallworth

Publisher:  Flatiron Books, Sold by Macmillian
ISBN-10: 1250299055

ISBN-13: 978-1250299055

ASIN: B078X26S6C

Click on this link to get your free instant download of the discussion questions for your book club.

This nonfiction book might not be what you expect as it is different from some of the movies available with about the same title. In this story, the author, Ron Stallworth, was working in the police force. At first, he only thought he would earn money and become a high school teacher. We are lucky he did not and became a writer who shares such informative reading material.

Stallworth was the frequent voice on the phone to people like David Duke in the KKK, while another white officer went to the in-person events. The two men team worked together to investigate the KKK while pretending to be enthusiastic members. They had to be careful much of the time to not reveal the truth of what they were doing. Besides fooling the people in high positions within the Klan, they had to keep their true feelings to themselves. It was a difficult "acting" assignment, and there were some close calls. The book has some humorous portions, but overall this was a very serious project.

Included in the book are photos that prove the author's story. His very own KKK membership card and other memorabilia are in the special images section. The entire investigation didn't last that long and was successful as by knowing when crosses would be burned, the author could tip of the police in his office. The police would then drive by and in that way stop the activities. Although the Klan and other racist groups were in the area, no high profile problems occurred.

I had no idea of many of the activities and pledges people made to these groups. It seems to be the basis of some of the white supremacy hate speech going on today. There were hundreds of thousands of members in the one location mostly described in the book.

The author was also invited to some secret meetings, like offices inside what appeared to be a mountain. Another time, he was able to see some confidential files with valuable information, although he could only take notes in the limited amount of time provided. It was all news to me and very interesting reading. It is a fairly fast read because of the "police blotter" style of writing and the author's clear language. This book would be good for book club discussions or reading to learn for oneself.

Thank you for reading!

Carolyn Wilhelm, UDEMY Instructor for Self-Publishing from the Very, Very Beginning

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE

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

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shoutout praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines in the left column of this page or in the tab at the top of the home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at: cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 

Accidental Angel by Tess Thompson -- Romance!

Title Accidental Angel
Authors Tess Thompson (Sisters Charlene Tess and Judy Thompson)
Publisher Independently Published
Publisher Address Denver, CO

Publisher Email Address novelsbytessthompson@gmail.com

ISBN-10: 1986033988

ISBN-13: 978-1986033985

ASIN: B004WSPXVM

Price $4.99 Kindle
Page Count 309 Pages
Formats (Kindle)

Accidental Angel by Tess Thompson  (the pen name for two writing sisters, Charlene Tess and Judi Thompson) is a true romance novel in every sense of the word. Almost engaged, Dr. Shane Madden finally meets a new right girl and things develop quickly. Although he ends the superficial and materialistic relationship with Elizabeth, he doesn’t inform his new true love, Dena.

Elizabeth was the caviar and martini type who grew up in a family concerned with appearances. Shane grew up in a happy family, and was the blue jeans and outdoors type. Their relationship wasn’t meant to be, but requires quite a bit of disentanglement as Elizabeth’s father, Dr. Fitzpatrick, is the head of the hospital. Will Shane be able to continue working there if he breaks up with Elizabeth? He is threatened with his job unless she marries Elizabeth.

With her divorce almost final, Dena has moved to a small town in Colorado without giving her controlling and abusive ex the address. She begins a job as a pediatric nurse and loves to help her patients. Being a stay-at-home without children only to meet the needs of a demanding man was not what she had wanted. She is worried she may only meet abusive men.

As events unfold, she thinks Shane might be trouble. She grew up with dysfunction and abuse. Shane has a car accident and Dena pulls him out of the car before it explodes. People think Shane falls for her only because she saved his life. He knows better as he never had truly been in love before, but is not able to convince anyone, especially Dena.

Shane moves home to California. His mother, Hollywood Madden, has an at-home kennel to care for animals. His visit home provides a backdrop to know Shane is a caring and responsible person. He becomes a contract doctor to allow Dena time to think. What will she decide? 

Carolyn Wilhelm Reviewer
MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Acclaimed Poetry Chapbook Doubles as Valentine Greeting Card

Title:  Cherished Pulse

Subtitle: Unconventional Love Poetry 

Series: Celebration Series of Poetry Chapbooks
Authors:  Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson  
Publisher: Independently Published
Publisher Website Address http://www.compulsivereader.com/ISBN-10: 1449546056

ISBN-13: 978-1449546052

ASIN: B004HB1W9Q
Price $ 5.95 paperback, $2.99 Kindle
Page Count 42 pages
Formats (PB, Kindle)

Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm

The Celebration Series of Poetry Chapbooks covers many aspects of life, seasons, and holidays. Cherished Pulse is appropriate for loved ones. It is small enough to fit inside a greeting card envelope or could be used instead of a card for a memorable gift. 

Magdalena Ball’s poems focus on nature and deep feelings at the same time. “Ocean,” “Great Sky,” “Aurora,” and the rest speak beautifully of deep love, longing, and intimate relationships. 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s portion of the book includes poems such as “A Woman’s Heart,” and “Watching My Daughter Say Goodbye to a Fleeting Love” speak of life and how perspective changes through the years regarding love. 

The poems are profound and moving. The book is definitely a read and read again. 

 -----

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Carolyn Wilhelm is a regular contributor to #TheNewBookReview where she reviews books and writes occasion study guides for popular books turned to film. (Teachers and parents can use this blog's search engine to find her guides on works like Black Klansman and Green Book.) She is also an author. Her most recent book is Climate Change Captives 2035. Learn more about her with links below. 

Carolyn Wilhelm Climate Change Captives 2035 and Project Save, Wise Owl Factory LLC cwilhelm@thewiseowlfactory.com  The Wise Owl Factory

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Compulsive Reader Managing Editor Reviews The Frugal Book Promoter

Title: The Frugal Book Promoter

Subtitle: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher

Edition: Three

Awards for all editions: Winner USA Book News, coveted Irwin Award

Award, USA Book News winner, silver medal from Military Writers Society of America, honored by Global Ebook Awards

Publisher: Modern History Press

Publisher’s Website: www.modernhistorypress.com

ISBN: 9781615994687

ASIN: 978161594694

Available in hard cover, print and ebook onAmazon

Reviewed by Magdalena Ball, originally for CompulsiveReader.com

I first read, and reviewed Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s The Frugal Book Promoter in 2011, when the second edition came out. Since then it has been my go-to for ideas on ways to promote my books cheaply – which is, of course, what every author needs these days. It’s a noisy world, and no matter how well-written, or what kind of publisher support you may have, if you don’t promote well, it’s unlikely that your books will attract notice. Few of us have big budgets for promotion, and most of us have a budget close to zero. Creative and effective ideas for book promotion are more than just nice-to-haves, they’re critical, and Howard-Johnson is about as knowledgeable as it gets on the subject. Of course books like this go out of date quickly, so the re-releases are also vital, as they allow for technological and cultural change. 

The 3rd edition came out recently and is right up-to-the-minute, exploring new ways of branding, developing a platform, and getting your work out into the world. Howard-Johnson’s prose remains utterly clear, accessible, and warm–like having a very helpful, clued-up conversation with your best friend–and the book is as inspirational as it is practical.

The latest version of the book contains nearly 300 pages (quite a lot more than the first edition!) of high quality information on every thing from how to promote your work ethically, public relations, creating media releases and a media kit, querying for reviews (and believe me, this is a much needed skill!), making use of radio and other media, using the internet and social media (and how not to use it), including ensuring that you use online bookstores correctly, making the most of reading groups, revitalizing old titles, recycling your work, and so much more. As with the original version, the book comes with a number of handy template, scripts, codes and examples, but these have been updated so that they continue to remain relevant to a modern author. The book is beautifully structured and well indexed, so you can find what you need when you need it fast. Howard-Johnson has created a number of mnemonics to help simplify the overall promotion process:

“The Six-P maxim is the one that makes me a nag. The more organized you are, the more you know early on, the earlier you start to practice promotion and publicity magic, the more good it will do for your book. The more you learn the easier it is. And that leads me to the three most important Ps for marketing books. Platform, Publicity, Public Relations.”

Throughout the book, there is careful attention paid to ethics, which I love. The Frugal Book Promoter is most certainly not about buying likes, reviews, unsolicited mailings, or manipulating people into purchasing something they don’t want. These practices happen all too frequently, and sometimes they work in the short term, but they are unsustainable and no way to manage a lifelong career. Ethical marketing all about relationships, giving people work they will get value from, and working within carefully obtained permissions. It’s about creating a brand that people will continue to trust, so you’re not just selling one book, but yourself as a person. This kind of work builds on itself and each thing that you do increases the overall messages you’re putting out, creating a cumulative effect:

“Good PR, of course, is carefully targeted. But mostly PR is connecting with people in a way that makes them feel cared for, and those connections are made—with love and expertise—over and over again. Those are the essentials and they work. Done this way, great publicity becomes great public relations and vice versa.”

I won’t give away too many of Howard-Johnson’s marvelous tips here, but suffice to say that the book is full of them—many of them inventive, and all of them focusing on credibility and multi-tasking – getting impact for your effort. As the title suggests, most of the ideas here are either inexpensive or free, though not without effort. There are a few chapters which are worth the whole cost of the book. These include, to my mind, chapters on querying and pitching–something I repeatedly see done badly—and the chapter on creating a media kit. I have not seen either of these topics covered in such detail, or with such clarity.  Even seasoned self-promoters will learn new things from these chapters. The reviews section too, is particularly thorough, with plenty of current links and samples. There are also lots of tips about what doesn’t work and where to save your money, your time, your sanity, and how to best manage your all-important networks–for the long run. Put simply, The Frugal Book Promoter is one of the best all-purpose books for developing a promotional plan for your work that won’t break the bank or destroy your relationships. This is a book keeps on providing practical, easy to apply ideas to get your work noticed, and to create a viable, sustainable, ethical platform that will continue to create valuable promotion for authors of all genres.  It’s one of those guides that should be on every author’s bookshelf.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Magdalena Ball is an award-winning novelist, poet, reviewer and interviewer, and is Managing Editor of Compulsive Reader, one of the internet’s most respected and long-running review sites.  She is the author of several novels and poetry books, the most recent of which, High Wire Step, was published in 2018 by Flying Island Books. Find out more about Magdalena at http://www.magdalenaball.com. 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Get Free Reviews from Major Reviewers

Most of my visitors on this blog come to get new reading from new perspectives or to research resources for sharing—or getting—honest and credible reviews for their books and I love it when I can give them new ideas apart from my very credible and complete How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically.  

Open to non-members Room for 2 more books View this email in your browser DEADLINE January 24, 2020 Is your book coming out in the New Year? Get advance reviews! Open for upcoming releases or new books since October 1   Get your book in front of 2,400+ legitimate book reviewers, Amazon reviewers, and book bloggers Solve the mystery of getting a book in front of legitimate reviewers. SPAWN has the answers to these questions: Where do I find reviewers and book bloggers? How do I get in front of Amazon Key Reviewers? What do I present to them? Do I send a print book or ebook? Feature your book in this service from SPAWN,  open to members and nonmembers.   Sign up now and be part of New Releases from... Deadline for next issue is January 30, 2020   Book must have been released during the last six months or will be released before October 2019. View the October issue Praise for New Releases from...SPAWN "I never expected to receive such an amazing and heartfelt review, and I appreciate it so much." ~ Chuck Redman, author of A Cottonwood Stand "In January  2019, at age  79, I published my first  novel, a memoir called I Slept In Hitler's Bed. I had no idea if it was marketable. I signed up for SPAWNS New Releases, and received 3 remarkable reviews, the last from Midwest Book Reviews, a 30-year-old organization that reviews for Educational Institutions and Libraries. SPAWN has placed my book out into the universe, and the feedback just as important to me, since it has confirmed that I am a writer." - Jay Balter "As much as I am a do-it-yourself kind of marketer, one author can only do so much! SPAWN's outreach to reviewers got results--one of the best pay-for-help services I ever used!" ~ Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically  "WOW! We already received three book order from reviewers in less than 24 hours. Thanks, so much." ~ Bob Osland, Surepoint Publishing DO YOU HAVE A BOOK PLANNED FOR SPRING RELEASE? Editors had a positive response to New Releases from SPAWN. One thing several wanted were unreleased books, those coming out in the Winter. Plan your marketing for reviews at least 3 to 4 months in advance. Reserve your space now!   Launched in 2017, the newsletter goes out every quarter to over 2,400 book reviewers, Amazon reviewers, and book bloggers. The reviewer list is pulled from Cision, the premiere online media database company that updates its media lists daily and includes top publications, online and broadcast resources like NPR, daily and weekly newspapers that publish book reviews, and a host of freelancers and bloggers who review books. Each participating author submits up to 75-word description of the book that starts with a catchy log line such as appears in the New York Times Book Review or online at Kirkus Reviews. Log lines are the concise one-sentence description of the book usually at the top of the review. We want these descriptions to sound professional and grab reviewers. Quick sentance and a grabber to get them to request the book. View the last issue for examples. Along with the description, an image of the book cover and a link for reviewers to request a book. Fee and how to participate in the New Releases from... newsletter      Option One:  $225 for one book description and cover. SPAWN members only $150 - non-members including membership The New Releases from… newsletter goes out four times a year. The next edition is January 2020. This service is open for all books published within the last year. Deadline for participation in the next issue is January 20, 2020. Learn more or sign up! Copyright © 2020 Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network, All rights reserved. SPAWN Our mailing address is: Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network 1129 Maricopa Hwy Suite 142 SCW Ojai, CA  93023 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Magic Bullets to Getting Book Reviews (Plus Review Hint #Ten For Getting Them)

ANOTHER AUTHORS HELPING AUTHORS MARKETING TIP
Plus HINT #TEN

by TheNewBookReview Acquisition Coordinator, Lois W. Stern

"Reviews are directly linked to book sales on Amazon because that’s what drives their algorithms. The more reviews you have, the more people will see your book. The more people that see your book, the greater the chances are that someone will buy it, and therefore review it. You see where this is going, right? Due to Amazon’s algorithms, if you have less than 10 good reviews, your book will likely never be seen."

Jeniffer Thompson, Personal Branding Expert & Digital Marketing Strategist, San Diego, Ca.

Two things I know for sure: How important it is to get Amazon posted reviews and how hard it is to get them! So here are a couple of ideas I have tried to make it easier for potential reviewers:
http://www.tales2inspire.com


1.  On a time crunch? Aren’t we all! Suggest that potential reviewers read a specific portion of your book to get its flavor. (Maybe 35-50 pages). Honest, you don’t have to read the entire book to get a good feel for it. 

2. Try offering some discussion questions to help target several key points in your book. I have made it super easy for my readers by posting BOOK REVIEW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS at the end of each Tales2Inspire book. (Click here to view the Book Club Discussion Questions I added to the end of my Opal Collection book.)

3. And be sure to offer folks a FREE book in exchange for an honest review. (Ask that they post it within 30 days or they are likely to forget.)

Appellate Attorney Pens Western Romance, Earns Five Stars

Title: What Heals the Heart

Author: Karen A. Wyle

Author website: http://www.KarenAWyle.com

Genre: historical romance [whether it's Western historical romance depends on people's definition, given the absence of ranches, cattle drives, gunfights, and outlaws, and only a passing reference to cowboys]

ISBN:  978-0998060453 (10-digit version  0998060453) 

ASIN B07VH1Q6C6

Reviewer's rating: five stars

Purchase at Amazon 

Reviewed by Kathryn Blade originally for Amazon

I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

What Heals the Heart by Karen A. Wyle is a romance in the years following the Civil War in America. Joshua Gibbs moved to the town of Cowbird Creek after the war. He serves as physician to the residents in the area. He meets Clara Brook. Their attraction is immediate.

Ms. Wyle’s understanding of the time period described in the book is impressive. The world of Cowbird Creek is interesting and well developed. Characters are interesting and develop over time. There are plot twists that keep the reader interested. The love story that develops is endearing and timeless. Another strong point is Ms. Wyle’s style of writing. Reading What Heals the Heart is easy as the writing flows in a relaxed, almost conversational style. My world felt right while reading this book, as if I’d found an old friend and sat for a while to drink coffee and chat about life or love.

I give What Heals the Heart five out of five stars. It is one of the best modern historical romances I have read in recent years. Fans of historical romances will enjoy this book.

Ms. Wyle, if you’re out there reading this, just know I’m a huge fan now.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Kathryn Blade is an indie author and book reviewer. She writes book reviews, poetry, and light romance.  She says, "Check out the recent cool things I've been up to: 

Tons of book reviews posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. 

My interview on the NF Reads website. 

My guest blog post on author Matt Brown's blog. 

​Ebooks of my first works are available on Amazon. 

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen A. Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, but eventually settled in Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana University. She now considers herself a Hoosier. Wyle's childhood ambition was to be the youngest ever published novelist. While writing her first novel at age 10, she was mortified to learn that some British upstart had beaten her to the goal at age 9.

Wyle is an appellate attorney, photographer, political junkie, and mother of two daughters. Her voice is the product of almost five decades of reading both literary and genre fiction. It is no doubt also influenced, although she hopes not fatally tainted, by her years of law practice. Her personal history has led her to focus on often-intertwined themes of family, communication, the impossibility of controlling events, and the persistence of unfinished business.

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

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

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

Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too.