Reviews for Tales2Inspire ~ The Diamond Collection - Series II

TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: Tales2Inspire ~ The Diamond Collection Series II (a double header 

combining all the stories published in the Ruby and Sapphire Collections)

NAME (AUTHOR OF BOOK): Anthology of short stories written both by Lois W. Stern (Publisher) and winning authors of her Tales2Inspire® contest)

GENRE OR CATEGORY: Anthology of Non-fiction, inspiring short stories

ISBN-10: 1507618050

ISBN-13: 978-1507618059 

ASIN: B0186FC73S

FORMATS: Paperback, Kindle, PDF

PAGE COUNT:  229

AMAZON LINK: 

BEST REVIEWS:

In this latest of Lois W. Stern's Tales2Inspire books, we again get to know about the incredible resiliency of the human spirit, and the intricacies of the human mind. For those of us who find ourselves questioning the conditions of the world around us, (this book) gives hope. If it's time for you to find a peaceful place to nurture your own dreams, take comfort in this series.

REVIEWER’S BYLINE: Linda Maria Frank, Author of the Annie Tillery Mystery Series

They speak of empathic concern for those less fortunate and of belief which propels an individual to seek ...

Every day, we are deluged with stories of crimes, tragedy and natural disasters which tend to distort our perceptions of the true spirit inherent in humankind. In Tales2Inspire: The Diamond Collection, creator Lois W. Stern has offered a collection of stories which artfully demonstrate the courage and positive motivation of ordinary people. These ordinary people are sometimes placed in extraordinary circumstances which test their endurance and their willingness to stretch the limits of their knowledge and their skills. At other times, individuals are asked to believe the seemingly impossible as fate steps in to remediate past pain.
Most of the stories in both Part One and Part Two feature stories told for the lay person. They are believable and heartwarming. They speak of empathic concern for those less fortunate and of belief which propels an individual to seek the excellence within them. The collection is one which nudges the reader toward looking within and daring to take life not as it is wished for, but rather, as it is.

CLICK TO BUY

AUTHOR/PUBLISHER BIO:

Lois W. Stern is a multi award-winning author whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Newsday, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV, and in live presentations in an assortment of varied venues. She has now published ten Tales2Inspire® books of her contest winners' stories. Fans of Chicken Soup for the Soul are particularly enamored of Tales2Inspire® books because, aside from their dynamic inspirational themes, they are filled with original photos to enhance the power of each story. Lois invites interested readers to get a FREE Tales2Inspire® sampler book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts and to learn more about entering the next Tales2Inspire contest at: https://tales2inspire.com/contest-2/. 

She is also a regular contributor to this blog. 

E-MAIL ADDRESS: tales2Inspire@optimum.net

FAVORITE LINKS: 

 https://www.tales2inspire.com,

 www.twitter.com/tales2inspire2, 

www.facebook.com/tales2inspire.com

Idelle Kursman Shares 1946 Classic on Bereavement with The New Book Review Visitors

Title: Man's Search for Meaning

Author: Viktor Frankl

Publisher:  Beacon Press

Genre: Popular Psychology Psychotherapy                           

ISBN: 978-0807014271

Release Date of this Edition: June 1, 2006

Reviewed by Idelle Kursman

                                                                                                             

Dr. Viktor Frankl’s classic is as relevant today in helping with bereavement and grief as it was when he wrote it in 1946

"We should not ask ourselves what we want from life. 

We should ask ourselves, what does life want from us?" --Viktor Frankl

Many of us lost loved ones last year. Some through the natural aging process but a significant number due to COVID-19. Pandemic rules dictated that funerals be limited in size so only a tiny number of relatives and friends could attend and support the bereaved. Added to that, traditional mourning customs often had to be modified or abandoned due to virus concerns. Following the funeral, people had to face the business of going on living, and with so many job losses and furloughs, together with travel restrictions and limit on family gatherings, they were deprived of the usual coping mechanisms.

Dr. Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) was an Austrian-Jewish neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, and author. He was also a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps. He is the author of the classic Man’s Search for Meaning. I first read it in college and reread it recently for help with my own bereavement and grief.

Dr. Frankl was the founder of logotherapy. Verywellmind.com describes it as “…a theory that … through a search for meaning and purpose in life that individuals can endure hardship and suffering.”

In the first section of Man’s Search for Meaning, Dr. Frankl describes the stages of shock an inmate of the concentration camps endured once they got off the cattle trains. Some people gave up while others found the strength to go on through  thoughts of reuniting with loved ones and/or going back to their professions. Survival in the camps depended quite a bit on luck: finding a sympathetic guard to offer assistance, having a skill the Nazis found useful, and/or finding a fellow inmate for support. But diseases like typhoid were rampant, the prisoners performed hard physical labor from early morning to night, and they were undernourished. Dr. Frankl was one of the lucky ones who survived. However, upon his liberation, he found out his pregnant wife, his parents and his brother had perished.

The second section of the book is about logotherapy. Here are only three takeaways from the book’s treasure trove of useful advice:

1. Human beings need a certain degree of tension in order to maintain their mental health. By tension, he is referring to “the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task” (p. 105). Being in a tensionless state with nothing to be preoccupied or involved in is actually unhealthy.
2. The concept of meaning in life is different for every individual. In fact, it can differ from day to day, even at different times during a day. Frankl describes it best: “Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment. . . Everyone’s task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it” (p. 109).
3. Many of us need a change in attitude toward life. Instead of focusing on what we expect out of life and what is the meaning of life, we should be asking what life expects of us. This means taking responsibility and pursuing the right course of actions and behavior. 

I close by retelling a story from the book. It was the only thing I remembered from reading it in college. After the war, Dr. Frankl stayed in his native Austria to practice psychotherapy. One day an elderly doctor came to see him. He had lost his beloved wife and was so overcome with grief that he could not go on. Instead of counseling him, Dr. Frankl asked him what would have happened if he died before his wife. The man replied that his wife would have suffered terribly. Dr. Frankl then told him “You see, Doctor, such a suffering has been spared her, and it was you who now have to survive and mourn her” (p. 113). The doctor then shook his hand and left the office, needing no further treatment.

More About #TheNewBookReview 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 in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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

Aussie Dr. Bob Rich Reviews Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips

Title: Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers

Subtitle: The Ultimate Frugal reference Guide for Avoiding World Trippers 

and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy

Series: HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

Edition: 2nd

Genre: Nonfiction: Grammar, Writing, Reference 

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Publisher: Modern History Press

ISBN: 9781615995240

Website: https://howtodoitfrugally.com

Available on Amazon

Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips 

by Carolyn Howard-Johnson

 

Reviewed by Dr. Bob Rich

 

Think of this little book as an amusingly annotated dictionary of samples of likely word confusions. To expand:

It is little (my apologies short; an illegitimate word substitution not in it): less than 60 pages.

It does provide amusing reading, always a benefit of any writing.

Every item involves a brief examination of the meaning of the relevant word, and that’s what a dictionary is. It is annotated, thanks to Carolyn’s amusing commentary.

She has carefully chosen examples from among the tens of thousands of possible ways we can misuse words. Studying her little sample will enable the reader to make the correct choices for a great many more.

You don’t need to pay attention to the distinctions she deals with when writing a shopping list, but I do so even in emails. Her approach is essential in writings such as job applications, project proposals, and of course anything to do with the book trade.

Thoroughly recommended.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Dr Bob Rich is an Australian storyteller with 16 published books, and one due to join them soon. He has retired five times so far, but he’ll keep one occupation going as long as he is alive: that of professional grandfather. Any person under about 25 years of age qualifies as his grandbaby. They only need to apply.
Many do so by tracking him down and emailing him a cry for help. His words often make a difference, and some of these youngsters have been his friends for years.

He is not so much a writer as a recorder. He invents a character, who then talks to him. He faithfully writes down the story, which usually surprises him. Judged by the reviews his books receive, this process works

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 

If You Want to Brand Yourself as an Accomplished Author, Don’t Be Hiding Behind the Bushes

If You Want to Brand Yourself as an Accomplished Author, 

Don’t Be Hiding Behind the Bushes

by Lois W. Stern

Your #Authors Helping Authors NewBookReview

Acquisition Coordinator

Children's Author Linda Wilson Reviews Deborah Lyn Stanley's Memoir on Dementia

TITLE: Mom & Me

SUBTITLE: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love

AUTHOR: Deborah Lyn Stanley

AUTHOR’S WEBSITE: “The Caregiver’s Retreat—a Place to Refresh, Restore, Affirm and Supply”  https://deborahlyncaregiver.com

GENRE: Non-fiction, Biography, Memoir

AGE / INTEREST LEVEL: Adult

PAGES: 94

PUBLISHER: 2 Timothy Publishing

LINKS FOR PURCHASE:

Kindle and paperback editions available on Amazon 

Find eBooks sources at: https://books2read.com/b/valuestories

 

Reviewed by Linda Wilson

Deborah Lyn Stanley’s book, Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love, has helped me more than I can say with a challenge I’ve been living with for almost ten years: my husband’s decline due to Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s dementia, and Alzheimer’s. I had to place my husband in a home, which was the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make. 

Living with a loved one afflicted with this disease cannot be understood by anyone not affected, finding help can be difficult and expensive; in the long run caregivers find that they must be creative in finding solutions, resilient in being able to bounce back from the most frustrating problems, and are generally isolated much of the time. Deborah’s book offers hope, sage advice, and bits of wisdom throughout her book, such as “Find a way, your endurance depends on it.” I highly recommend Deborah’s book to anyone in a caregiving situation. The love and assurances she offers have helped me do more than cope, they’ve offered something I never thought possible: a way to learn how to thrive. 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER 

 Linda Wilson, Children's Author

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lindawilsonchildrensauthor

Coming soon: Secret in the Mist

Fun for readers and tips for writers:  https://www.lindawilsonauthor.com

Find me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/lindawilson.kidsmysterywriter.com37017794 

On Twitter: @LinWilsonauthor

Posts the 28th of each month: www.writersonthemove.com

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF MOM & ME 

Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love is a journal of my experiences while caregiving memory-impaired seniors—in particular, caring for Helen, my dear “second Mom,” for many years. 

 

This memoir embraces Helen’s personal journey from the onset of Alzheimer’s Dementia through stories and letters to caregivers. Mom’s journey is portrayed through the lens of my personal knowledge as her daughter-in-law and caregiver. The book speaks of challenges common to caregivers, day-to-day needs, and the progression of dementia disease. It is an account of joy and sadness, trauma and triumph, peace and anxiety. It is a story of love, the exhaustion of caregiving, denial, and mending misunderstandings. It is about high-stakes decisions, stressful days, and knowing you did the best you could at that crucial moment. 

Learn more at: My Writer’s Life: https://deborahlynwriter.com/

Writing for Caregivers: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/   

Artist’s Website: https://lynstanleyart.com

My eBook Author’s Page: https://books2read.com/b/valuestories

Goodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomdeborahlyn

Amazon Author's Page: https://www.amazon.com/Deborah-Lyn-Stanley/

 

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 

Poet LB Sedlacek Reviews New Modern History Press Poetry Book

“Septuagenarian”
Love is What Happens When I Die
By Sherry Quan Lee
102 pages
ISBN: 978-1-61599-568-4
Modern History Press
www.modernhistorypress.com
Copyright 2021

Available on Amazon

Review by LB Sedlacek

Sherry Quan Lee has put together an unsettling yet brilliant juxtaposition of sweet and sad, love and anger that will hit you right at your emotional core.  The collection feels almost like heartfelt portraits of pain, disconnection, and strength all rolled into one.

Her poems, though, delve deeper beyond emotion presenting lines that achieve poignancy with their build-up.  Context is important with any poem and Quan Lee achieves that.  Her poems are fulfilling and real.  

Her approach is straightforward.  Poems examining her life till now offer personal and compelling details.  She invites us to participate in her struggle, her internal voyages throughout the years.  Her descriptions are vivid and they allow us to see beyond the setting into her internal strife.  

Each poem stands alone, but each poem complements the other poem before it.  Same with each section of the book.  The author doesn’t let you forget that she is human and willing to bare her soul within her verses.  

It’s a well-crafted book.  Her words will seep into your heart and then some.

More About the Reviewer

LB Sedlacek is the author of the poetry collections “Words and Bones,” “Simultaneous Submissions,” “The Adventures of Stick People on Cars,” and “The Poet Next Door.”  Her first short story collection came out last year entitled “Four Thieves of Vinegar & Other Short Stories.”  Her mystery novel “The Glass River” was nominated for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award.  She writes poetry reviews for “The Poetry Market Ezine” www.thepoetrymarket.com  You can find out more about her at www.lbsedlacek.com.  

Her networks are:

Facebook - @lbsedlacekpoet  @poetryinla

Twitter: @lbsedlacek   @frugalpoet

Instagram:  @lbsedlacek    @poetryinla

More About #TheNewBookReview 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 in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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

Hidden Figures Book and Movie Discussion Guide

Hidden Figures Book and Movie Discussion Guide 

Free PDF Instant Download with the questions

Note: The movie may be rented on Amazon Prime. It is not on Netflix or Hulu. I do not see a way to watch it free or included in subscription plans other than Disney Plus. I watched it on Disney Plus. 

The movie is a fictionalized version of the nonfiction book and is about 74% accurate. 

Movie Questions

1. The opening scene looks like there may be trouble for the three women when their car broke down in the middle of nowhere. How did the situation resolve? What did you learn about Dorothy Johnson Vaughn to help foreshadow her promotion at work? 

2. NASA was divided into the West and East work areas. In what ways were they segregated? 

3. A library book became the catalyst for worker empowerment. How did this one book contribute to the computer revolution? How was the book obtained? How far did it reach? 

4. Explain the attitudes of the men who were engineers towards other workers. How did these attitudes evolve during the story? 

5. Math was empowering to the main characters. Why? How? Do you think it is still so important?

6. The home lives of the main characters were also shown. How did this help humanize the story against a backdrop of technology and precision? 

7. The movie was set in 1961-62 when civil rights activists were working and demonstrating. How did the film reflect the reasons why changes were needed in society at large? 

8. The movie was about 74% factual. A court order was not needed for one person to attend high school (after receiving a Bachelor's Degree). What were other elements of the movie exaggerated for dramatic effect? 

9. The IBM computer was necessary at that time. Explain how it helped with integration. 

10. Discuss some of your favorite scenes or people in the movie. Tell why you especially liked those. 

Title: Hidden Figures: The Untold Story of the African American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race
Author: Margot Lee Shetterly
Publisher: William Collins
Publisher Website Address: https://corporate.harpercollins.co.uk/
Publisher Email Address: 4thestate.publicity@harpercollins.co.uk

ISBN-10: 0062363603

ISBN-13: 978-0062363602

ASIN: B01MYUTJR7
Price: $9.98 Paperback, $Hardcover $21.99, $12.99 Audio Book, $6.99 Kindle
Page Count: 368 pages
Formats: (PB, Hardcover, Audio Book, Kindle)

The book Hidden Figures: The Untold Story of the African American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race is nothing like the movie. It is more like a textbook with scientific information about aviation and civil rights. The author demonstrates how segregation at NACA (now NASA) compared and contrasted to civil rights issues of the larger society. The book would be a fantastic resource for civil rights studies as it is all nonfiction. People interested in aviation would also find reasons to consult this book in studies of flight. 

The book does include discussion questions at the end. A book club or discussion group could consult the questions to foster discussion. Here are my questions regarding the book, which are different from the authors. I suggest using the author's questions.

Book Discussion Questions

1. The opening scene looks like there may be trouble for the three women when their car broke down in the middle of nowhere. How did the situation resolve? What did you learn about Dorothy Johnson Vaughn to help foreshadow her promotion at work? 

2. NASA was divided into the West and East work areas. In what ways were they segregated? 

3. A library book became the catalyst for worker empowerment. How did this one book contribute to the computer revolution? How was the book obtained? How far did it reach? 

4. Explain the attitudes of the men who were engineers towards other workers. How did these attitudes evolve during the story? 

5. Math was empowering to the main characters. Why? How? Do you think it is still so important?

6. The home lives of the main characters were also shown. How did this help humanize the story against a backdrop of technology and precision? 

7. The movie was set in 1961-62 when civil rights activists were working and demonstrating. How did the film reflect the reasons why changes were needed in society at large? 

8. The movie was about 74% factual. A court order was not needed for one person to attend high school (after receiving a Bachelor's Degree). What were other elements of the movie exaggerated for dramatic effect? 

9. The IBM computer was necessary at that time. Explain how it helped with integration. 

10. Discuss some of your favorite scenes or people in the movie. Tell why you especially liked those. 

Thank you for reading, Carolyn

More About #TheNewBookReview 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 in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the form at https://www.bit.ly/FinishedReviewSubmissions. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors" project. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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