June 2014 Review Issue
Table Of
Contents
Biography
& Autobiography
Straight
Lines. A Story About Illness, Addiction and Redemption
Gregory Sacchet
CreateSpace
978-1492250074 $.99
http://www.amazon.com/Straight-Lines-Illness-Addiction-Redemption/dp/1492250074/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290776&sr=8-1
http://www.gregsacchet.com
Straight Lines. A Story About Illness, Addiction and Redemption is a memoir recommended for any interested in personal stories of addiction and recovery, and opens in the 1990s, when the author is recovering from a broken leg that limits his access to cocaine.
He's long come to terms with the thought that his addiction is part of his life: "In those days, I lived my life every day carrying an enormous weight on my back demanding to be stroked and appeased. Wanting to get high was replaced with needing to get high. I had stopped resisting its call a long time ago. It became as much a part of my life as breathing; a necessity in order to survive. I ignored the health risks, and ignored the sloth that had overtaken my daily existence. I had promised myself at the age of 25, I would stop when I got married. When I married at 27, I promised myself I would quit when I was 30. When I reached 30, I swore I would stop before I reached 35. I continuously violated and broke every promise I made to myself in order to feed the savage beast raging inside of me."
His dependency isn't your usual story of a search for casual kicks, however: it began with his diagnosis of MS (a disease that attacks the central nervous system) at age 23 and it grew to supersede the importance of multiple sclerosis in his life.
And Gregory Sacchet wasn't a thrill-seeking kid: he was a young man who had already struggled with the diagnosis of Tourette's Syndrome at the young age of 13, but now faced a bigger health concern at an age where mortality was not really a big concern; especially if he could ignore the diagnosis and its implications for the future.
And so Sacchet did ignore his symptoms, convincing himself that it was a transient condition that would eventually go away. But as symptoms evolved to include brief seizures, imbalance, and more - and as it became evident that there was no cure and no medical relief (aside from psychological counseling) - Sacchet began a descent into disability and a dependency on cocaine; and herein lies the crux of his story in Straight Lines.
Anticipate an autobiography filled with first-person observation, passion, angst, self-pity and frustration as Sacchet went through a host of feelings about his condition. When cocaine became available at a party, Sacchet viewed it as one of the few things he could do to empower himself and fight back against his deteriorating condition: "I knew cocaine was illegal, I knew it was synthetic, and I knew I was cheating. I wasn't supposed to fool the MS by using an illegal substance. MS had bested me using its natural essence, and I was attempting to match it shot for shot with an artificial powder intent on using euphoria as its weapon."
This presents far more insight than most stories of the addiction process, offering concurrent understanding of the MS sufferer's experience, psychology, and the extent to which they will grasp anything with some measure of psychological or physical relief.
The fact that he was able to keep it secret from his own wife (and the fact that his involvement with a MS support group proved the impetus for real change) makes for involving reading that documents the highs and lows of drug addiction and Sacchet's own descent into the legal system before (against all odds) he beat his addiction.
Powerful, gripping and inspirational: these are the components of a success story that any struggling with addiction (or viewing addiction in a medically challenged individual) will find revealing and positive: "The imprisonment of chemical dependency was no different from the imprisonment of jail. With either, your freedom is restricted. Addiction steals your ability to make wise choices and imprisonment steals your ability to live life outside of guarded, concrete walls."
Gregory Sacchet
CreateSpace
978-1492250074 $.99
http://www.amazon.com/Straight-Lines-Illness-Addiction-Redemption/dp/1492250074/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290776&sr=8-1
http://www.gregsacchet.com
Straight Lines. A Story About Illness, Addiction and Redemption is a memoir recommended for any interested in personal stories of addiction and recovery, and opens in the 1990s, when the author is recovering from a broken leg that limits his access to cocaine.
He's long come to terms with the thought that his addiction is part of his life: "In those days, I lived my life every day carrying an enormous weight on my back demanding to be stroked and appeased. Wanting to get high was replaced with needing to get high. I had stopped resisting its call a long time ago. It became as much a part of my life as breathing; a necessity in order to survive. I ignored the health risks, and ignored the sloth that had overtaken my daily existence. I had promised myself at the age of 25, I would stop when I got married. When I married at 27, I promised myself I would quit when I was 30. When I reached 30, I swore I would stop before I reached 35. I continuously violated and broke every promise I made to myself in order to feed the savage beast raging inside of me."
His dependency isn't your usual story of a search for casual kicks, however: it began with his diagnosis of MS (a disease that attacks the central nervous system) at age 23 and it grew to supersede the importance of multiple sclerosis in his life.
And Gregory Sacchet wasn't a thrill-seeking kid: he was a young man who had already struggled with the diagnosis of Tourette's Syndrome at the young age of 13, but now faced a bigger health concern at an age where mortality was not really a big concern; especially if he could ignore the diagnosis and its implications for the future.
And so Sacchet did ignore his symptoms, convincing himself that it was a transient condition that would eventually go away. But as symptoms evolved to include brief seizures, imbalance, and more - and as it became evident that there was no cure and no medical relief (aside from psychological counseling) - Sacchet began a descent into disability and a dependency on cocaine; and herein lies the crux of his story in Straight Lines.
Anticipate an autobiography filled with first-person observation, passion, angst, self-pity and frustration as Sacchet went through a host of feelings about his condition. When cocaine became available at a party, Sacchet viewed it as one of the few things he could do to empower himself and fight back against his deteriorating condition: "I knew cocaine was illegal, I knew it was synthetic, and I knew I was cheating. I wasn't supposed to fool the MS by using an illegal substance. MS had bested me using its natural essence, and I was attempting to match it shot for shot with an artificial powder intent on using euphoria as its weapon."
This presents far more insight than most stories of the addiction process, offering concurrent understanding of the MS sufferer's experience, psychology, and the extent to which they will grasp anything with some measure of psychological or physical relief.
The fact that he was able to keep it secret from his own wife (and the fact that his involvement with a MS support group proved the impetus for real change) makes for involving reading that documents the highs and lows of drug addiction and Sacchet's own descent into the legal system before (against all odds) he beat his addiction.
Powerful, gripping and inspirational: these are the components of a success story that any struggling with addiction (or viewing addiction in a medically challenged individual) will find revealing and positive: "The imprisonment of chemical dependency was no different from the imprisonment of jail. With either, your freedom is restricted. Addiction steals your ability to make wise choices and imprisonment steals your ability to live life outside of guarded, concrete walls."
Fantasy
& Sci Fi
The
Seer's Lover
Kat de Falla
The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: B00ILXE2NO $2.99 until June 4th, then $5.99 digital
http://www.amazon.com/Seers-Lover-Seven-Archangels-Series-ebook/dp/B00ILXE2NO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399130769&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Seer%27s+Lover
http://www.katdefalla.com
The Seer's Lover is truly an unusual creation in the e-world: it comes with musical interludes (which can be downloaded for free) and it tells of Calise, who has long known she has different abilities than most. What she hasn't realized is that her powers will draw her into an ancient conflict between good and evil, pitting her against some of the strongest adversaries in the universe.
If all this sounds familiar, it's because the classic 'good-versus-evil' plot has been done time and again: but as with any good book, it's not just the plot that makes for an exceptional read, but how it's done.
Kat de Falla places her main protagonist on a journey of discovery that leads to the Costa Rican forest, there to encounter a man who (much like herself) has hidden his abilities. Lucas can actually see the demons and angels who walk the earth; but not only has he concealed his abilities; he doesn't want to endanger her by sharing his gift.
What evolves is paranormal romance fiction at its best: a story steeped in passion with the overlay of deadly dangers and powerful talents woven into an ever-changing plot.
Now, the genre of paranormal romance has rapidly expanded. Over the last ten years romance writers have added a variety of elements to spice their creations, and entry into paranormal realms is just one of these newer devices. Another device used here is that of music which runs through the story line as a theme so that musical passages accompany the story.
The Seer's Lover is all about building atmosphere, from its eye-catching cover of a man and a woman on an island facing down blazing red eyes in the sky to these musical interludes that reinforce action.
And this atmosphere is created right from the start, where Calise is already involved with Lucas: "Why would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met? Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her own head."
There are no pat answers here; no formula approaches that would lend too much predictability to events. Calise is alternately brave and terrified, as her abilities are yet untested but her adversaries are seasoned and powerful: "This is not going so well. I’m turning out to be a pretty shitty Buffy the Demon Slayer."
And there are surprises peppered throughout: in the form of a mother whom Calise comes to realize as the wellspring of her powers, and in the guise of a romances past and present which rise up to haunt her. There are unexpected religious experiences, there's a search to find self, and there are elements of suspense tying all of these events together.
In the end Calise faces the greatest challenge of her life - and with prior events having helped her grow, she's in the strongest position ever to find peace in her life.
The open-ended conclusion leaves room for a possible sequel but in the true style of a superior read, it's not essential that more be written: The Seer's Lover is a self-contained novel that properly wraps up its story, and will satisfy any reader of paranormal or romance fiction.
Kat de Falla
The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: B00ILXE2NO $2.99 until June 4th, then $5.99 digital
http://www.amazon.com/Seers-Lover-Seven-Archangels-Series-ebook/dp/B00ILXE2NO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399130769&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Seer%27s+Lover
http://www.katdefalla.com
The Seer's Lover is truly an unusual creation in the e-world: it comes with musical interludes (which can be downloaded for free) and it tells of Calise, who has long known she has different abilities than most. What she hasn't realized is that her powers will draw her into an ancient conflict between good and evil, pitting her against some of the strongest adversaries in the universe.
If all this sounds familiar, it's because the classic 'good-versus-evil' plot has been done time and again: but as with any good book, it's not just the plot that makes for an exceptional read, but how it's done.
Kat de Falla places her main protagonist on a journey of discovery that leads to the Costa Rican forest, there to encounter a man who (much like herself) has hidden his abilities. Lucas can actually see the demons and angels who walk the earth; but not only has he concealed his abilities; he doesn't want to endanger her by sharing his gift.
What evolves is paranormal romance fiction at its best: a story steeped in passion with the overlay of deadly dangers and powerful talents woven into an ever-changing plot.
Now, the genre of paranormal romance has rapidly expanded. Over the last ten years romance writers have added a variety of elements to spice their creations, and entry into paranormal realms is just one of these newer devices. Another device used here is that of music which runs through the story line as a theme so that musical passages accompany the story.
The Seer's Lover is all about building atmosphere, from its eye-catching cover of a man and a woman on an island facing down blazing red eyes in the sky to these musical interludes that reinforce action.
And this atmosphere is created right from the start, where Calise is already involved with Lucas: "Why would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met? Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her own head."
There are no pat answers here; no formula approaches that would lend too much predictability to events. Calise is alternately brave and terrified, as her abilities are yet untested but her adversaries are seasoned and powerful: "This is not going so well. I’m turning out to be a pretty shitty Buffy the Demon Slayer."
And there are surprises peppered throughout: in the form of a mother whom Calise comes to realize as the wellspring of her powers, and in the guise of a romances past and present which rise up to haunt her. There are unexpected religious experiences, there's a search to find self, and there are elements of suspense tying all of these events together.
In the end Calise faces the greatest challenge of her life - and with prior events having helped her grow, she's in the strongest position ever to find peace in her life.
The open-ended conclusion leaves room for a possible sequel but in the true style of a superior read, it's not essential that more be written: The Seer's Lover is a self-contained novel that properly wraps up its story, and will satisfy any reader of paranormal or romance fiction.
History
The
Renaissance
D. Medina Lasansky, Editor
Periscope Publishing Ltd./Prestel, Distributors
9781934772256 $45.00
www.prestel.com
Art history holdings may recognize this book's editor, D. Medina Lasansky, from her previous works revolving around Italy, fascism, and Italian Renaissance history; but should be prepared for far more depth and a broader focus in The Renaissance Revised, Expanded, Unexpurgated, which covers the lasting social and artistic legacy of Renaissance Italy.
It's important to note, first off, that The Renaissance is no light read for general-interest audiences, but a scholarly work covering different aspects of the Renaissance, from its doctrines, politics and social impact to the art and popular culture that evolved from its concepts and heritage. Thus its audience will be college-level readers who want not the usual (singular) focus on Renaissance art, but a wider-ranging collection of scholarly essays that each holds different themes and perspectives.
Chapters thus hold such intriguing connections between past and present that more closely examine the era and its influences.
Now, one might not expect a popular musician such as Lady Gaga to enter into the picture, but the fact that she does only serves to illustrate the unusual perspective of articles that draw important links between past and present styles, art forms, and figureheads.
So what do these seemingly-disparate topics have to do with modern-day art perspectives? Plenty, as D. Medina Lasansky and Glorida Kury illustrate right off the bat: "But today? The crowds at the Uffizi know little about most of the treasures once installed in the Tribuna. Even if they were to pause to look at a painting like Guercino's Sibyl, it would probably seem dull, the way unintelligible things so often do. Codes of aesthetic experience have changed, passwords forgotten, and the scene restaged."
In short, without background knowledge, perceptions of modern viewers may be one-sided and unable to embrace the historical context so essential to a complete understanding. This applies to everything; from rediscovered art works and fragments of documents to applying the trappings of nineteenth century recovery processes for display and consumption purposes to the needs of modern art viewers.
And lest you think all this covers an obscure topic for a very limited audience, let it be said that enthusiasm for the Italian Renaissance is actually widespread; with Renaissance fairs, TV shows, movies and books capturing its culture and feel. Even video games reflect this interest, as in Assassin's Creed II, set in late fifteenth-century Italy. Whether it be a book or a game, however, real understanding of the Renaissance's modern impact would be missing without this collection.
And if you anticipate a dry collection of writings, think again. Lively discussions include the fine art of making a profit on Italian Renaissance themes (a process which often holds little or no connection to history's realities), correlations between Renaissance table linens and Martha Stewart readers, and sexually explicit publications that shocked 1500s Italy and set the stage for today's moral sentiments about erotic art.
Color and black and white photos of art pieces from paintings to sculptures offer a blend of social and artistic commentary and support text discussions of art history, cultural evolutionary processes, and writers whose works and approaches fostered creativity and artistic expression: "Morelli never wrote monographs or "school" histories. The gallery guide, the emended gallery guide, the guide as an undercover report on the operations of major museums is his genre."
Historical evidence isn't ignored and neither is it footnoted to death: instead, readers can anticipate a lively, edgy quality to scholarship that reveals the course, objectives, blind spots and progression of Renaissance study as a whole.
Under such circumstances the Renaissance actually becomes a mirror where its image reflects the origins and evolution of Western civilization's moral and artistic values.
It's a rare delight to find a scholarly discussion so accessible and so filled with insights about modern society, bringing the past alive with powerful links to the present.
The Renaissance Revised, Expanded, Unexpurgated is such a document; and while its primary audience will still be art and history collections strong in Italian Renaissance subjects, it could (and should) reach beyond the realm of the scholar into the general-interest world, there to engross and educate readers who harbor a basic appreciation for Renaissance art and culture, and who seek more depth and further insights from a readable, lively encounter.
D. Medina Lasansky, Editor
Periscope Publishing Ltd./Prestel, Distributors
9781934772256 $45.00
www.prestel.com
Art history holdings may recognize this book's editor, D. Medina Lasansky, from her previous works revolving around Italy, fascism, and Italian Renaissance history; but should be prepared for far more depth and a broader focus in The Renaissance Revised, Expanded, Unexpurgated, which covers the lasting social and artistic legacy of Renaissance Italy.
It's important to note, first off, that The Renaissance is no light read for general-interest audiences, but a scholarly work covering different aspects of the Renaissance, from its doctrines, politics and social impact to the art and popular culture that evolved from its concepts and heritage. Thus its audience will be college-level readers who want not the usual (singular) focus on Renaissance art, but a wider-ranging collection of scholarly essays that each holds different themes and perspectives.
Chapters thus hold such intriguing connections between past and present that more closely examine the era and its influences.
Now, one might not expect a popular musician such as Lady Gaga to enter into the picture, but the fact that she does only serves to illustrate the unusual perspective of articles that draw important links between past and present styles, art forms, and figureheads.
So what do these seemingly-disparate topics have to do with modern-day art perspectives? Plenty, as D. Medina Lasansky and Glorida Kury illustrate right off the bat: "But today? The crowds at the Uffizi know little about most of the treasures once installed in the Tribuna. Even if they were to pause to look at a painting like Guercino's Sibyl, it would probably seem dull, the way unintelligible things so often do. Codes of aesthetic experience have changed, passwords forgotten, and the scene restaged."
In short, without background knowledge, perceptions of modern viewers may be one-sided and unable to embrace the historical context so essential to a complete understanding. This applies to everything; from rediscovered art works and fragments of documents to applying the trappings of nineteenth century recovery processes for display and consumption purposes to the needs of modern art viewers.
And lest you think all this covers an obscure topic for a very limited audience, let it be said that enthusiasm for the Italian Renaissance is actually widespread; with Renaissance fairs, TV shows, movies and books capturing its culture and feel. Even video games reflect this interest, as in Assassin's Creed II, set in late fifteenth-century Italy. Whether it be a book or a game, however, real understanding of the Renaissance's modern impact would be missing without this collection.
And if you anticipate a dry collection of writings, think again. Lively discussions include the fine art of making a profit on Italian Renaissance themes (a process which often holds little or no connection to history's realities), correlations between Renaissance table linens and Martha Stewart readers, and sexually explicit publications that shocked 1500s Italy and set the stage for today's moral sentiments about erotic art.
Color and black and white photos of art pieces from paintings to sculptures offer a blend of social and artistic commentary and support text discussions of art history, cultural evolutionary processes, and writers whose works and approaches fostered creativity and artistic expression: "Morelli never wrote monographs or "school" histories. The gallery guide, the emended gallery guide, the guide as an undercover report on the operations of major museums is his genre."
Historical evidence isn't ignored and neither is it footnoted to death: instead, readers can anticipate a lively, edgy quality to scholarship that reveals the course, objectives, blind spots and progression of Renaissance study as a whole.
Under such circumstances the Renaissance actually becomes a mirror where its image reflects the origins and evolution of Western civilization's moral and artistic values.
It's a rare delight to find a scholarly discussion so accessible and so filled with insights about modern society, bringing the past alive with powerful links to the present.
The Renaissance Revised, Expanded, Unexpurgated is such a document; and while its primary audience will still be art and history collections strong in Italian Renaissance subjects, it could (and should) reach beyond the realm of the scholar into the general-interest world, there to engross and educate readers who harbor a basic appreciation for Renaissance art and culture, and who seek more depth and further insights from a readable, lively encounter.
How To
Perfect
Bound: How to
Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro
Katherine Pickett
Hop On Publishing
ISBN 978-0-9914991-1-3 (paperback)
978-0-9914991-2-0 (e-book)
http://hoponpublishing.com/
If you're a beginning writer, you've likely more than familiarized yourself with the process of producing a polished piece. Now it's time for 'the other half' to kick in: and that's moving the piece from production to publication.
This is also where Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro enters the picture, providing all the resources and professional insights needed to take your book from 'written' to 'published'. Given that the author holds some fifteen years in the industry as an editor, readers can feel confident that her advice comes 'from the horse's mouth' and reflects over a decade of experience with authors and the publishing industry alike.
The process is logical and clear, but filled with pitfalls that novices couldn't know without a guide such as Perfect Bound in hand. Perfect Bound takes the guesswork out of each step and provides all the basics.
Take the first chapter on 'Choosing Your Route to Publication', for example. Now, you'd think this would be a simple matter of 'whoever wants to publish my book wins my hand' - but it's not that easy. Therein lies the 'choice'. An astute author, Perfect Bound maintains, should be researching publishers to ascertain the best fit for all involved. There are good and bad publishing houses: not every publishing house will be a good fit for your book, and a bad match can waste time, energy, and money.
Choices range from traditional publishing to self-publishing: each with its own pros and cons. A simple checklist is presented to help readers decide, accompanied by discussions of the methods involved in exploring each route. Case history examples cement ideas and offer concrete insights on the publishing business using different business models and approaches.
From collaborations and work-made-for-hire to self-publishing, topics are covered in discussions that always include 'what you give up' and 'what's in it for you'.
Keys to working with publishing professionals are specific and essential to streamlining this process, while discussions of timelines involved in seeing a book to publication, understanding the acquisition procedure, and working with copy editors take into account common snafus and how to avoid them: "…do not lie to your editor about when you have sent a manuscript. This may sound silly, but it happens with some regularity. When I was a new editor working in-house, I told a senior editor that I didn’t know what happened; the author said she had sent the manuscript and it would arrive that day, but no package had arrived. Where could it be? “She probably didn’t send the package,” the experienced editor advised. “Give her a call.” Sure enough, the author had intended to send the manuscript but hadn’t quite finished her review."
Anything that affects publication, from communications to understanding common routines, is discussed with an eye to showing writers how to make the best decisions for everyone involved.
Perfect Bound doesn't end with the actual book's appearance, either: it surveys self-marketing options, from blogging to author appearances and online promotions, and it shows how to handle common roadblocks - including reviews that pan one's book.
Katherine Pickett sums up her guide in a nutshell - and her follow-through is exactly why novice writers need her book: "The ideas I have presented in this book are based on two complementary mantras that should guide any author seeking publication. One, publishing a book that sells takes more than just good writing; it also requires market savvy, professionalism, and drive. And two, knowing what to expect and what is expected of you will save you time, money, and embarrassment throughout the publishing endeavor."
Want to be a successful author? Perfect Bound should be the first step towards collaborative, cooperative success between an author and publisher!
Katherine Pickett
Hop On Publishing
ISBN 978-0-9914991-1-3 (paperback)
978-0-9914991-2-0 (e-book)
http://hoponpublishing.com/
If you're a beginning writer, you've likely more than familiarized yourself with the process of producing a polished piece. Now it's time for 'the other half' to kick in: and that's moving the piece from production to publication.
This is also where Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro enters the picture, providing all the resources and professional insights needed to take your book from 'written' to 'published'. Given that the author holds some fifteen years in the industry as an editor, readers can feel confident that her advice comes 'from the horse's mouth' and reflects over a decade of experience with authors and the publishing industry alike.
The process is logical and clear, but filled with pitfalls that novices couldn't know without a guide such as Perfect Bound in hand. Perfect Bound takes the guesswork out of each step and provides all the basics.
Take the first chapter on 'Choosing Your Route to Publication', for example. Now, you'd think this would be a simple matter of 'whoever wants to publish my book wins my hand' - but it's not that easy. Therein lies the 'choice'. An astute author, Perfect Bound maintains, should be researching publishers to ascertain the best fit for all involved. There are good and bad publishing houses: not every publishing house will be a good fit for your book, and a bad match can waste time, energy, and money.
Choices range from traditional publishing to self-publishing: each with its own pros and cons. A simple checklist is presented to help readers decide, accompanied by discussions of the methods involved in exploring each route. Case history examples cement ideas and offer concrete insights on the publishing business using different business models and approaches.
From collaborations and work-made-for-hire to self-publishing, topics are covered in discussions that always include 'what you give up' and 'what's in it for you'.
Keys to working with publishing professionals are specific and essential to streamlining this process, while discussions of timelines involved in seeing a book to publication, understanding the acquisition procedure, and working with copy editors take into account common snafus and how to avoid them: "…do not lie to your editor about when you have sent a manuscript. This may sound silly, but it happens with some regularity. When I was a new editor working in-house, I told a senior editor that I didn’t know what happened; the author said she had sent the manuscript and it would arrive that day, but no package had arrived. Where could it be? “She probably didn’t send the package,” the experienced editor advised. “Give her a call.” Sure enough, the author had intended to send the manuscript but hadn’t quite finished her review."
Anything that affects publication, from communications to understanding common routines, is discussed with an eye to showing writers how to make the best decisions for everyone involved.
Perfect Bound doesn't end with the actual book's appearance, either: it surveys self-marketing options, from blogging to author appearances and online promotions, and it shows how to handle common roadblocks - including reviews that pan one's book.
Katherine Pickett sums up her guide in a nutshell - and her follow-through is exactly why novice writers need her book: "The ideas I have presented in this book are based on two complementary mantras that should guide any author seeking publication. One, publishing a book that sells takes more than just good writing; it also requires market savvy, professionalism, and drive. And two, knowing what to expect and what is expected of you will save you time, money, and embarrassment throughout the publishing endeavor."
Want to be a successful author? Perfect Bound should be the first step towards collaborative, cooperative success between an author and publisher!
Mystery
& Thrillers
Cornered
Alan Brenham
Black Opal Books
9781626941373
Price: $3.99/ebook; $12.99/print
Seven missing women plus one murder: but are these cases connected? Their only association seems to be that they were exceptionally beautiful. That's the question detective Matt Brady faces in Alan Brenham's hard-hitting crime novel Cornered, which jumps in to deep waters feet first and very quickly evolves to become a complex thriller.
The first thing to know is that this isn't light reading: scenarios change with a snap, readers are treated to a complex series of circumstances and chapters devoted to rounding out situations, protagonists, and motivations, and the effort begins with a personal foundation and rapidly moves outward to embrace the world.
Cornered may be set in modern Texas and deals with human trafficking; but that's too simple a description. In actuality Matt is a human being facing all the uncertainties and questions that make his detective work a challenge and a pleasure, and these qualms drive his personality and efforts throughout. It's a real pleasure to see the humanity that Matt embodies as he embarks upon the search of his life - and to join him in piecing together the few clues that comprise one of the most challenging cases of his life.
Now, readers are given more answers than Matt; and so are in the position of observing how he pieces together logic and events to come to conclusions viewers already know. And further insights into the perps and their motivations just add icing to the cake of intrigue as a vet, a cat, and other factors enter into a complex series of encounters.
The noose is tightening slowly - but is it tightening upon Matt, another victim, or the perps? Despite the changing viewpoints and insights provided, it's really not possible to easily predict the future events of Cornered - and so readers are treated to delightful changes as the story evolves.
It's rare to see a protagonist who struggles with so many ideas and encounters simultaneously: in reality Matt is a juggler, keeping all the balls in the air but with a satisfying uncertainty that reflects his humanity and self-doubt. The villains here - Weaver and Chiles - are equally well drawn and as the story shifts perspective between detective and perps, readers gain full vision of the motivations and actions of each.
What seems to be a one-time encounter with a veterinarian turns out to be something more as she becomes an intrinsic part of events that unfold with deadly perils for both.
Add a surprise twist to the ending and you have a mystery/thriller combo that reaches its crescendo in a flight to redemption and romance, concluding with new possibilities for all who survive the final confrontation. In short, a mystery/thriller that is steady and gripping throughout: just the ticket for readers who seek something more complex in their detective reading.
Alan Brenham
Black Opal Books
9781626941373
Price: $3.99/ebook; $12.99/print
Seven missing women plus one murder: but are these cases connected? Their only association seems to be that they were exceptionally beautiful. That's the question detective Matt Brady faces in Alan Brenham's hard-hitting crime novel Cornered, which jumps in to deep waters feet first and very quickly evolves to become a complex thriller.
The first thing to know is that this isn't light reading: scenarios change with a snap, readers are treated to a complex series of circumstances and chapters devoted to rounding out situations, protagonists, and motivations, and the effort begins with a personal foundation and rapidly moves outward to embrace the world.
Cornered may be set in modern Texas and deals with human trafficking; but that's too simple a description. In actuality Matt is a human being facing all the uncertainties and questions that make his detective work a challenge and a pleasure, and these qualms drive his personality and efforts throughout. It's a real pleasure to see the humanity that Matt embodies as he embarks upon the search of his life - and to join him in piecing together the few clues that comprise one of the most challenging cases of his life.
Now, readers are given more answers than Matt; and so are in the position of observing how he pieces together logic and events to come to conclusions viewers already know. And further insights into the perps and their motivations just add icing to the cake of intrigue as a vet, a cat, and other factors enter into a complex series of encounters.
The noose is tightening slowly - but is it tightening upon Matt, another victim, or the perps? Despite the changing viewpoints and insights provided, it's really not possible to easily predict the future events of Cornered - and so readers are treated to delightful changes as the story evolves.
It's rare to see a protagonist who struggles with so many ideas and encounters simultaneously: in reality Matt is a juggler, keeping all the balls in the air but with a satisfying uncertainty that reflects his humanity and self-doubt. The villains here - Weaver and Chiles - are equally well drawn and as the story shifts perspective between detective and perps, readers gain full vision of the motivations and actions of each.
What seems to be a one-time encounter with a veterinarian turns out to be something more as she becomes an intrinsic part of events that unfold with deadly perils for both.
Add a surprise twist to the ending and you have a mystery/thriller combo that reaches its crescendo in a flight to redemption and romance, concluding with new possibilities for all who survive the final confrontation. In short, a mystery/thriller that is steady and gripping throughout: just the ticket for readers who seek something more complex in their detective reading.
The
Killing Games
Frank Ritter
Trenchcoat Press
ASIN: B00DD6A4CM $4.99
http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Games-Frank-Ritter-ebook/dp/B00DD6A4CM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398786962&sr=8-1&keywords=the+killing+games
World terrorism is deadly enough and frightening enough: but what if it, in fact, was funded by a powerful country such as the U.S.? What if the U.S. funded the execution of terrorist groups - and what if CIA involvements resulted in 'hit teams' that mistakenly threaten the general public?
If all this sounds complicated, that's because The Killing Games is anything but light leisure reading - and is anything but predictable. Readers had better be prepared for a high-octane series of encounters spiced with protagonists who are all involved in terrorist activities at some level; and who each have something to lose.
It begins with KGB terrorist Henry Miller, who leads a team to Los Angeles to the 1984 Olympics with the intention of turning the Coliseum into a deadly firebomb. Some 2,000 terrorists are involved in plotting - but U.S. forces succeed in taking almost all of them out … all expect for key player Henry, who vanishes.
When an ordinary citizen seeking justice for the accidental death of his wife in the process becomes unwittingly involved in the search for Miller, the story becomes a maze of personalities, motivations, and clever games.
Now, if one recalls rightly, there was a lot of concern over the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. So the setting, events and characters here assume a certain gritty reality based on the very real sentiments and social and political flavor of the times.
It's this 'spice' that keeps The Killing Games a highly charged, believable story despite all its convolutions and changes. By basing action on realistic concerns, readers receive an emotionally-charged saga that neatly ties into modern-day concerns not just about Olympic settings and politics, but about world terrorist actions as a whole.
From how the FBI and CIA close in on their quarry and how "…it seems every nation on earth had terrorist representatives in Los Angeles" to the strategic concerns of eliminating terrorist threats without involving the general public, The Killing Games makes the point that the public is already more than 'involved' at the individual and societal level, and creates a more-than-believable set of scenarios that pit terrorists against not only U.S. agencies but the average Joe on the street.
Characters are well-rounded with all their involvements and motivations presented in action that is unrelenting, while fast-paced intrigue offers satisfying twists of plot that include a kidnapping and even a dash of romance.
Oh, and let's not forget the X-rated sex scenes: be forewarned: they are passionate and explicit interludes in the overall action-packed scenario.
Any who want a thriller based on real-life terrorist threats will find The Killing Games more than makes an impact, and presents page-turning, high drama to the end.
Frank Ritter
Trenchcoat Press
ASIN: B00DD6A4CM $4.99
http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Games-Frank-Ritter-ebook/dp/B00DD6A4CM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398786962&sr=8-1&keywords=the+killing+games
World terrorism is deadly enough and frightening enough: but what if it, in fact, was funded by a powerful country such as the U.S.? What if the U.S. funded the execution of terrorist groups - and what if CIA involvements resulted in 'hit teams' that mistakenly threaten the general public?
If all this sounds complicated, that's because The Killing Games is anything but light leisure reading - and is anything but predictable. Readers had better be prepared for a high-octane series of encounters spiced with protagonists who are all involved in terrorist activities at some level; and who each have something to lose.
It begins with KGB terrorist Henry Miller, who leads a team to Los Angeles to the 1984 Olympics with the intention of turning the Coliseum into a deadly firebomb. Some 2,000 terrorists are involved in plotting - but U.S. forces succeed in taking almost all of them out … all expect for key player Henry, who vanishes.
When an ordinary citizen seeking justice for the accidental death of his wife in the process becomes unwittingly involved in the search for Miller, the story becomes a maze of personalities, motivations, and clever games.
Now, if one recalls rightly, there was a lot of concern over the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. So the setting, events and characters here assume a certain gritty reality based on the very real sentiments and social and political flavor of the times.
It's this 'spice' that keeps The Killing Games a highly charged, believable story despite all its convolutions and changes. By basing action on realistic concerns, readers receive an emotionally-charged saga that neatly ties into modern-day concerns not just about Olympic settings and politics, but about world terrorist actions as a whole.
From how the FBI and CIA close in on their quarry and how "…it seems every nation on earth had terrorist representatives in Los Angeles" to the strategic concerns of eliminating terrorist threats without involving the general public, The Killing Games makes the point that the public is already more than 'involved' at the individual and societal level, and creates a more-than-believable set of scenarios that pit terrorists against not only U.S. agencies but the average Joe on the street.
Characters are well-rounded with all their involvements and motivations presented in action that is unrelenting, while fast-paced intrigue offers satisfying twists of plot that include a kidnapping and even a dash of romance.
Oh, and let's not forget the X-rated sex scenes: be forewarned: they are passionate and explicit interludes in the overall action-packed scenario.
Any who want a thriller based on real-life terrorist threats will find The Killing Games more than makes an impact, and presents page-turning, high drama to the end.
Measure
of Danger
Jay Klages
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B00FTBROUY $2.99
ISBN: 978-0-692-22082-5
http://www.amazon.com/Measure-Danger-Jay-Klages-ebook/dp/B00FTBROUY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398441594&sr=1-1&keywords=measure+of+danger
Measure of Danger centers around one Kade Sims, who has been recruited by the FBI to gather evidence of organized crime involvement in an Oregon biotech company. Seems like a straightforward assignment: the only problem is, he uncovers much more than expected in the evidence of not just crime but a large militia force set to unleash a terrorist attack of unparalleled proportions upon the nation.
This is no ordinary discovery and it's no ordinary task for Kade, who now must make some dangerous decisions affecting not just a singular investigation, but the nation's fate under fire.
And just why is the action and scenario so convincing? That's because author Jay Klages is a former military intelligence officer - and it translates well here, with chapters offering precise and realistic insights into intelligence operations and processes.
Personally, this reviewer favors thrillers that revolve around technological threats. There's something about the form, function and use of high-tech possibilities for either good or evil purposes that is an intrinsic 'draw' for any interested in the integration of technology and political (or criminal) objectives.
It's all laid out well here, with Measure of Danger elevating a realistic threats and scenarios to new levels of believability; all this bonded together by Kade's own motivations and the second chance he receives to serve his country by joining an FBI operation.
It's not all nonstop action: Klages does a good job of cementing character personalities and integrating a sense of place into his bigger picture: "The steaming mug warmed Owens’ thick hands while he gazed out the blurry window into darkness. There was no stunning view of the river at this hour, but he still enjoyed looking out into the black void sprinkled with dockside lights and listening to the sounds of the storm. With each wind gust, the century-old Sitka spruce and cedar building whistled, swayed, and popped. For Owens, it was like a favorite song reminding him of what his Chinook ancestors endured in this region hundreds of years ago."
They may seem like little details, or little breaks in the action-packed story; but these interludes lend the perfect feel of environment and motivation to the overall story and help make for a juicy plot where various protagonists interact, dialogue between them reveals motivations and personalities, and where readers come to appreciate a sense of place and purpose that makes them actually care about the drama unfolding.
This caring factor can't be forced: it can only be built with carefully-constructed chapters hinging not just on nonstop action, but on building connections between reader and thriller.
When faced with the specter of a battle, Kade realizes he's in the heart of a viper's nest with no way out and must call upon all his resources to save not only himself, but the world: "He thought about his escape plan again, went over the scenarios in his head. Making a move tonight was out of the question since there was now a planned after-dinner activity. He brainstormed if there was anything he could do to further support his plan and create a better chance for success. Could he cause an additional disruption or distraction while he attempted to escape? While he stared at the computer screen further, he thought, yes, maybe I can do something. Maybe some simple cyber warfare is in order."
The result is nothing short of spellbinding: well before the halfway point readers are immersed in Kade's discoveries, dilemmas, and uncertainties. The surprise ending is a hammer just waiting to fall - but not before Kade finds his options have changed.
Strong characterization, a sense of place and purpose, and an evolving technological threat together make Measure of Danger a strong recommendation for any reader of high-technology thrillers; especially prior fans of Tom Clancy, Jack Higgins, Robin Cook and others writing in this vein.
Jay Klages
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B00FTBROUY $2.99
ISBN: 978-0-692-22082-5
http://www.amazon.com/Measure-Danger-Jay-Klages-ebook/dp/B00FTBROUY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398441594&sr=1-1&keywords=measure+of+danger
Measure of Danger centers around one Kade Sims, who has been recruited by the FBI to gather evidence of organized crime involvement in an Oregon biotech company. Seems like a straightforward assignment: the only problem is, he uncovers much more than expected in the evidence of not just crime but a large militia force set to unleash a terrorist attack of unparalleled proportions upon the nation.
This is no ordinary discovery and it's no ordinary task for Kade, who now must make some dangerous decisions affecting not just a singular investigation, but the nation's fate under fire.
And just why is the action and scenario so convincing? That's because author Jay Klages is a former military intelligence officer - and it translates well here, with chapters offering precise and realistic insights into intelligence operations and processes.
Personally, this reviewer favors thrillers that revolve around technological threats. There's something about the form, function and use of high-tech possibilities for either good or evil purposes that is an intrinsic 'draw' for any interested in the integration of technology and political (or criminal) objectives.
It's all laid out well here, with Measure of Danger elevating a realistic threats and scenarios to new levels of believability; all this bonded together by Kade's own motivations and the second chance he receives to serve his country by joining an FBI operation.
It's not all nonstop action: Klages does a good job of cementing character personalities and integrating a sense of place into his bigger picture: "The steaming mug warmed Owens’ thick hands while he gazed out the blurry window into darkness. There was no stunning view of the river at this hour, but he still enjoyed looking out into the black void sprinkled with dockside lights and listening to the sounds of the storm. With each wind gust, the century-old Sitka spruce and cedar building whistled, swayed, and popped. For Owens, it was like a favorite song reminding him of what his Chinook ancestors endured in this region hundreds of years ago."
They may seem like little details, or little breaks in the action-packed story; but these interludes lend the perfect feel of environment and motivation to the overall story and help make for a juicy plot where various protagonists interact, dialogue between them reveals motivations and personalities, and where readers come to appreciate a sense of place and purpose that makes them actually care about the drama unfolding.
This caring factor can't be forced: it can only be built with carefully-constructed chapters hinging not just on nonstop action, but on building connections between reader and thriller.
When faced with the specter of a battle, Kade realizes he's in the heart of a viper's nest with no way out and must call upon all his resources to save not only himself, but the world: "He thought about his escape plan again, went over the scenarios in his head. Making a move tonight was out of the question since there was now a planned after-dinner activity. He brainstormed if there was anything he could do to further support his plan and create a better chance for success. Could he cause an additional disruption or distraction while he attempted to escape? While he stared at the computer screen further, he thought, yes, maybe I can do something. Maybe some simple cyber warfare is in order."
The result is nothing short of spellbinding: well before the halfway point readers are immersed in Kade's discoveries, dilemmas, and uncertainties. The surprise ending is a hammer just waiting to fall - but not before Kade finds his options have changed.
Strong characterization, a sense of place and purpose, and an evolving technological threat together make Measure of Danger a strong recommendation for any reader of high-technology thrillers; especially prior fans of Tom Clancy, Jack Higgins, Robin Cook and others writing in this vein.
Predatory
Kill
Kenneth Eade
Times Square Publishing
ASIN: B00JNNFEJ2 .99
http://www.amazon.com/Predatory-Kill-corruption-conspiracy-political-ebook/dp/B00JNNFEJ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398359103&sr=1-1&keywords=predatory+kill
Just as its title says, Predatory Kill: A Legal Thriller combines the genres of a good detective thriller with an exploration of legal process and, much in the manner of John Grisham, laces all this together with strong, believable protagonists who face the impossible.
All this comes from a lawyer/author, so the legal process is authoritative and specific as it relates a lawyer's move to take on cases that involve wider-ranging, more difficult issues of social importance.
As chance would have it, Brent's first venture into new legal realms involves one April Marsh, who instigates a case revolving around the predatory lending practices of big banks who have foreclosed on her parents' home.
It all seems pretty cut and dried … until murder enters the picture.
With April's mother dead and her father severely beaten, lawyer Brent Marks finds himself confronting an impossible conclusion: that big business has moved beyond the boundaries of predatory lending and into the realm of predatory killing. But why? What is so important about a single home that would cause a bank to hire a killer?
That's the crux of an investigation that becomes more convoluted and complex as chapters go on, immersing readers in a series of legal and social encounters that involve twisted purposes, perspectives, and emotions gone wild.
Fans of Grisham will find equal talent here in Eade's ability to captivate and hold readers with the unexpected, both in character development in nonstop action which lays the foundation for a story that's anything but predictable.
The realistic dialogue is - well - simply killer; while action points in one direction, then often takes a 360-degree turn. In a world where plot and outcome are often predictable from the start, this will prove more than satisfying to readers already well versed in the legal thriller format.
Another note: there's plenty of legal process and background incorporated into the chain of events. This lends Predatory Kill more than a realistic feel, with courtroom proceedings and arguments fueling the fire for out-of-courtroom drama.
Atmosphere is not neglected for the sake of either legal process or character development (as is too often the case in this genre): take (for example) an opening chapter in the salvo of a battle that crosses into different territory: "To the novice, it may have a appeared that a storm was rolling down Stagecoach Road, accompanied by dark clouds and the roar of thunder. But it was not an act of God; rather, a pack of hogs rolling into the Cold Spring Tavern Saturday night. The clan of bearded men and tattooed women rumbled in on their bikes, peeled their leather coated bodies off their saddles, and packed into the bar area."
What does this rough-and-tumble piece have to do with lawyer Brent's courtroom appearances, which liberally dose the book with realistic arguments and legal encounters? Read Predatory Kill to find out.
One thing's for certain: you won't be bored by this page-turner's wealth of characters, settings, and unpredictable cat-and-mouse games.
Kenneth Eade
Times Square Publishing
ASIN: B00JNNFEJ2 .99
http://www.amazon.com/Predatory-Kill-corruption-conspiracy-political-ebook/dp/B00JNNFEJ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398359103&sr=1-1&keywords=predatory+kill
Just as its title says, Predatory Kill: A Legal Thriller combines the genres of a good detective thriller with an exploration of legal process and, much in the manner of John Grisham, laces all this together with strong, believable protagonists who face the impossible.
All this comes from a lawyer/author, so the legal process is authoritative and specific as it relates a lawyer's move to take on cases that involve wider-ranging, more difficult issues of social importance.
As chance would have it, Brent's first venture into new legal realms involves one April Marsh, who instigates a case revolving around the predatory lending practices of big banks who have foreclosed on her parents' home.
It all seems pretty cut and dried … until murder enters the picture.
With April's mother dead and her father severely beaten, lawyer Brent Marks finds himself confronting an impossible conclusion: that big business has moved beyond the boundaries of predatory lending and into the realm of predatory killing. But why? What is so important about a single home that would cause a bank to hire a killer?
That's the crux of an investigation that becomes more convoluted and complex as chapters go on, immersing readers in a series of legal and social encounters that involve twisted purposes, perspectives, and emotions gone wild.
Fans of Grisham will find equal talent here in Eade's ability to captivate and hold readers with the unexpected, both in character development in nonstop action which lays the foundation for a story that's anything but predictable.
The realistic dialogue is - well - simply killer; while action points in one direction, then often takes a 360-degree turn. In a world where plot and outcome are often predictable from the start, this will prove more than satisfying to readers already well versed in the legal thriller format.
Another note: there's plenty of legal process and background incorporated into the chain of events. This lends Predatory Kill more than a realistic feel, with courtroom proceedings and arguments fueling the fire for out-of-courtroom drama.
Atmosphere is not neglected for the sake of either legal process or character development (as is too often the case in this genre): take (for example) an opening chapter in the salvo of a battle that crosses into different territory: "To the novice, it may have a appeared that a storm was rolling down Stagecoach Road, accompanied by dark clouds and the roar of thunder. But it was not an act of God; rather, a pack of hogs rolling into the Cold Spring Tavern Saturday night. The clan of bearded men and tattooed women rumbled in on their bikes, peeled their leather coated bodies off their saddles, and packed into the bar area."
What does this rough-and-tumble piece have to do with lawyer Brent's courtroom appearances, which liberally dose the book with realistic arguments and legal encounters? Read Predatory Kill to find out.
One thing's for certain: you won't be bored by this page-turner's wealth of characters, settings, and unpredictable cat-and-mouse games.
Quick
Draw: Global Oil Terrorism
Richard L. England
CreateSpace
9781453693872
Price: $14.75 Paper $6.99 Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Draw-Global-Oil-Terrorism-ebook/dp/B00466H6IS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398795099&sr=1-1&keywords=quick+draw+by+richard+england
International suspense thrillers (especially those that revolve around themes of terrorism) are proliferating like nuclear missiles these days, challenging genre readers to consider what sets a superior book apart from those that are merely ordinary (or even mundane) reads.
With such a thought in mind it's thus important to note the devices that set Quick Draw: Global Oil Terrorism apart from similar-sounding thrillers - and it's also important to mention that such devices are many, here.
Let's first consider protagonist John Ingram, the head of Fortune 500 company Ingram Energy. John isn't your usual everyday man caught up in a terrorist plot: he's a savvy businessman who wagers his reputation and his very business on a deal against one of his most vicious competitors: a Japanese businessman who will stop at nothing (including terrorism) to win the multi-billion-dollar contract for the world’s largest oil refinery in South India.
But the buck doesn't begin and end with these two: underlying their competition is a larger plot that involves an airplane in a terrorist takeover and brings in actors across the international arena; each with very different goals.
So anticipate a variety of protagonists and purposes which are complex and interesting, and who create a series of subplots and scenarios that employ international tensions to create an avalanche of intrigue and action.
From crude oil sites and processing in India to political meetings and maneuverings, Ingram Energy's negotiations and commercial discussions, and cultural and spiritual belief systems, Quick Draw is no light read but comes steeped in the motivations and psyches of individual, corporate and national interests alike: "A street fighter, a gang member, and now head of a world-class energy company, the lessons to be learned and applied were the same. Don't rely on just one plan but have at least three for any situation. No matter how bad the odds turn out to be, never be bullied and never give up."
That this sentiment is shared by many of the protagonists in Quick Draw only serves to make it more thrilling and packed with tension: in such a game there can be only one clear winner: the rest fall back in defeat. And while one wouldn't think romance could enter into this multi-faceted plot, think again: there's more than casual interactions and relationships being formed, here.
So who will win the contract, who will win the prize of their lives, and who will fail?
Read Quick Draw for some unexpected answers and unanticipated alliances between seemingly disparate special interests.
Richard L. England
CreateSpace
9781453693872
Price: $14.75 Paper $6.99 Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Draw-Global-Oil-Terrorism-ebook/dp/B00466H6IS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398795099&sr=1-1&keywords=quick+draw+by+richard+england
International suspense thrillers (especially those that revolve around themes of terrorism) are proliferating like nuclear missiles these days, challenging genre readers to consider what sets a superior book apart from those that are merely ordinary (or even mundane) reads.
With such a thought in mind it's thus important to note the devices that set Quick Draw: Global Oil Terrorism apart from similar-sounding thrillers - and it's also important to mention that such devices are many, here.
Let's first consider protagonist John Ingram, the head of Fortune 500 company Ingram Energy. John isn't your usual everyday man caught up in a terrorist plot: he's a savvy businessman who wagers his reputation and his very business on a deal against one of his most vicious competitors: a Japanese businessman who will stop at nothing (including terrorism) to win the multi-billion-dollar contract for the world’s largest oil refinery in South India.
But the buck doesn't begin and end with these two: underlying their competition is a larger plot that involves an airplane in a terrorist takeover and brings in actors across the international arena; each with very different goals.
So anticipate a variety of protagonists and purposes which are complex and interesting, and who create a series of subplots and scenarios that employ international tensions to create an avalanche of intrigue and action.
From crude oil sites and processing in India to political meetings and maneuverings, Ingram Energy's negotiations and commercial discussions, and cultural and spiritual belief systems, Quick Draw is no light read but comes steeped in the motivations and psyches of individual, corporate and national interests alike: "A street fighter, a gang member, and now head of a world-class energy company, the lessons to be learned and applied were the same. Don't rely on just one plan but have at least three for any situation. No matter how bad the odds turn out to be, never be bullied and never give up."
That this sentiment is shared by many of the protagonists in Quick Draw only serves to make it more thrilling and packed with tension: in such a game there can be only one clear winner: the rest fall back in defeat. And while one wouldn't think romance could enter into this multi-faceted plot, think again: there's more than casual interactions and relationships being formed, here.
So who will win the contract, who will win the prize of their lives, and who will fail?
Read Quick Draw for some unexpected answers and unanticipated alliances between seemingly disparate special interests.
Imputed
Knowledge
Edward De Vivo
CreateSpace
9781494763283 $16.70
www.amazon.com www.devivolaw.com
Imputed Knowledge combines elements of a thriller with insights on faith and God's involvement in human suffering: all this embedded in the story of one Jude Priore, an aviation defense counsel whose mission is to deal with the aftermath of an airplane's hijacking.
Now, Jude is personally experiencing a waning of his faith in God, and so the basic question 'Why are the innocent made to suffer?' only heightens his search for spiritual answers. That's really what Imputed Knowledge is all about, moving between a terrible hijacking's impact on all involved and the personal spiritual crisis of a man who embarks on a quest for answers.
But if you're expecting your standard thriller formula piece, know that Imputed Knowledge is something far more complex. It's all about turbulence: of faith, of humanity, and in Jude's own private reflections on his tasks in life. It's also about clues to terrorist actions that, ironically, lie in religious symbols; and about irony and testing in life that brings individuals to their knees only to rise up again, stronger than before.
Another difference lies in an introduction that uses a different tone to integrate the protagonist's world with the reader's: "Why are the innocent made to suffer? The curve of the question mark was like a giant hook tugging painfully at your soul. Your question stemmed from the rational thought that catastrophe in the modern age was making you doubt your faith….As Lead Counsel for one of the airlines being targeted by terrorism, you were all too familiar with your forthcoming assignment. You had become a fist responder to the devil's bidding."
With such a lead-in, you're off on a blend of adventure and spiritual revelation: and such a heady rush it is, involving sanctuaries where clues lie hidden in stained-glass windows, revenge plots targeting innocents, and challenges to 'professional detachment' that will ultimately test the boundaries of not only belief, but social and legal processes: "All the conventional postures of professional detachment were going to be rendered satirical by the vestiges of a terrorist's signature that you were about to inventory."
As Priore finds himself challenged on different levels, his belief system taken hostage and his courage assailed, he comes upon answers that actually make sense to him.
From encounters with terrorists their thought processes and motivations to the experiences of those on the plane and Priore's witnessing of atrocities, Priore becomes absorbed beyond professional boundaries ("Priore felt like he was wearing all the grime and repugnance of the assault on him.") and finds he'll have to use all his resources - not just those honed in hijacking litigation - to uncover the answers he needs.
These aren't just his discoveries, however: they're answers the world needs, too. And so as Imputed Knowledge weaves its story through violence, mystery, and confrontation with self and others, it invites readers to understand not just the roots of terrorist activities but the ultimate results of life's slings and arrows.
Action, drama, violence and confrontation that test personal and political boundaries, and spiritual insight: it's all here, presented in layers that invite both leisure reading and deeper reflection.
It's this unusual combination that offers readers a fine blend of action and philosophical, spiritual and social assessment: something usually lacking in a format that's strictly about action and intrigue. These elements set Imputed Knowledge apart from lighter, more mundane genre reads and succeed in creating a powerful, compelling story that makes its readers think about not just the adventure, but about social, religious and legal issues in life.
In conclusion: to call Imputed Knowledge a 'thriller' is to simplify its message. It's really a 'thinking man's spiritual saga' and as such, it incorporates and laces its plot with reflections on faith, doubt, and higher-level wisdom that uses the cloak of a thriller plot to make these ideas more accessible to general-interest, everyday readers.
Edward De Vivo
CreateSpace
9781494763283 $16.70
www.amazon.com www.devivolaw.com
Imputed Knowledge combines elements of a thriller with insights on faith and God's involvement in human suffering: all this embedded in the story of one Jude Priore, an aviation defense counsel whose mission is to deal with the aftermath of an airplane's hijacking.
Now, Jude is personally experiencing a waning of his faith in God, and so the basic question 'Why are the innocent made to suffer?' only heightens his search for spiritual answers. That's really what Imputed Knowledge is all about, moving between a terrible hijacking's impact on all involved and the personal spiritual crisis of a man who embarks on a quest for answers.
But if you're expecting your standard thriller formula piece, know that Imputed Knowledge is something far more complex. It's all about turbulence: of faith, of humanity, and in Jude's own private reflections on his tasks in life. It's also about clues to terrorist actions that, ironically, lie in religious symbols; and about irony and testing in life that brings individuals to their knees only to rise up again, stronger than before.
Another difference lies in an introduction that uses a different tone to integrate the protagonist's world with the reader's: "Why are the innocent made to suffer? The curve of the question mark was like a giant hook tugging painfully at your soul. Your question stemmed from the rational thought that catastrophe in the modern age was making you doubt your faith….As Lead Counsel for one of the airlines being targeted by terrorism, you were all too familiar with your forthcoming assignment. You had become a fist responder to the devil's bidding."
With such a lead-in, you're off on a blend of adventure and spiritual revelation: and such a heady rush it is, involving sanctuaries where clues lie hidden in stained-glass windows, revenge plots targeting innocents, and challenges to 'professional detachment' that will ultimately test the boundaries of not only belief, but social and legal processes: "All the conventional postures of professional detachment were going to be rendered satirical by the vestiges of a terrorist's signature that you were about to inventory."
As Priore finds himself challenged on different levels, his belief system taken hostage and his courage assailed, he comes upon answers that actually make sense to him.
From encounters with terrorists their thought processes and motivations to the experiences of those on the plane and Priore's witnessing of atrocities, Priore becomes absorbed beyond professional boundaries ("Priore felt like he was wearing all the grime and repugnance of the assault on him.") and finds he'll have to use all his resources - not just those honed in hijacking litigation - to uncover the answers he needs.
These aren't just his discoveries, however: they're answers the world needs, too. And so as Imputed Knowledge weaves its story through violence, mystery, and confrontation with self and others, it invites readers to understand not just the roots of terrorist activities but the ultimate results of life's slings and arrows.
Action, drama, violence and confrontation that test personal and political boundaries, and spiritual insight: it's all here, presented in layers that invite both leisure reading and deeper reflection.
It's this unusual combination that offers readers a fine blend of action and philosophical, spiritual and social assessment: something usually lacking in a format that's strictly about action and intrigue. These elements set Imputed Knowledge apart from lighter, more mundane genre reads and succeed in creating a powerful, compelling story that makes its readers think about not just the adventure, but about social, religious and legal issues in life.
In conclusion: to call Imputed Knowledge a 'thriller' is to simplify its message. It's really a 'thinking man's spiritual saga' and as such, it incorporates and laces its plot with reflections on faith, doubt, and higher-level wisdom that uses the cloak of a thriller plot to make these ideas more accessible to general-interest, everyday readers.
Novels
The
7th Tarot Card
Valerie Clay
Valerie Clay via Amazon KDP
ASIN: B00JFCBP26 $1.99
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JFCBP26
The 7th Tarot Card introduces divorcee Vic Morgan, who is bored with her job and with life in general. What better way to spice things up than through a challenging 'vision quest' to gain new purpose and perspective on life … and what happens when she lets in more excitement than anticipated, opening a door to the supernatural with an invitation that affects her life?
From frightening phone calls to an attractive (but dark) neighbor, Vic finds her life is suddenly anything but boring - and when a casual agreement to play investigator for a friend results in an unexpected journey, Vic might want to reconsider her desire for adventure.
The 7th Tarot Card starts with a bang right off the bat, with Vic's mysterious phone caller: "Sometimes the calls come in the daytime, but others, like this one, on the stroke of midnight. When I answer, there’s never a response—just the sound of someone’s slow, steady breathing."
Now, Vic is a middle-aged, self-proclaimed 'seeker', always on a mission of self-improvement and change: "I’m on a perpetual quest for self-improvement, the meaning of life, the perfect man, inner joy, and a bigger condo. Every woman should have a blueprint for her life, and each day I do something to bring me closer to my goals. I call it my VMAP (Victoria Morgan Action Plan). The way I see it, you can give up, stagnate, and die a slow, boring death as the years roll by, or you can push yourself to live life to the fullest, no matter how old you are."
In part, it's her highly charged motivation to learn, change, and get the most out of life which , ironically, introduces her to new dangers. Her primary objective of 'choosing life' and boosting her experiences gets her into convoluted trouble as she faces challenges outside her paradigm of belief and realizes new abilities not present at the time of her divorce.
Readers should anticipate a charged, changing story line that creates a powerful protagonist, then places her in a series of compromising positions that test her flexibility and ability to think out of the box.
As chapters focus on Vic's personality and evolution, they build compelling and believable scenarios that succeed in realizing her opening desire "…to jump-start my life and get out of a rut the size of the Grand Canyon, I’ve begun daily meditation, visualizing an exciting, new life filled with adventure and romance. Any day now that should be kicking in. Meanwhile, I’m a legal secretary by day, couch potato by night."
Vic wants adventure and romance (be careful what you wish for!) and she gets both, in spades, carrying readers along on a journey of intrigue and self-inspection that lead her on a breathless course packed with escapades and close encounters of all kinds.
Want heart-stopping car chases? You have it: "“Hang on to your hats, girls,” she yelled. “I’ll try and lose ’em.” Our tires squealed in protest as she accelerated, then made a last minute, hard right turn onto Pecos. Julie slid across the back seat and I grabbed onto the door handle while I looked back to see if they followed us. Sure enough, the Viper squealed around the corner in hot pursuit, then picked up speed."
Looking for insights on how an amateur detective hones her undeveloped skills? That's here, too: "Throwing my Action Plan to the wind, I started biting my fingernails, when it occurred to me—what would Emma Peel do? Would she dissolve into a lily-livered chicken-heart? I think not. Any self-respecting Avengers fan knows that. This could actually be an opportunity to hone my detective skills and practice some diversionary maneuvers. It’s all in how you think about it."
As Vic arrives closer to the truth she finds her own life coming full circle from that of a couch potato to an adventuress and back to a place that confronts fears, embraces courage, and ultimately leads to love: "In his dark eyes I saw surrender and a vulnerability that made my heart ache with love. Then he kissed me over and over again with a passion that set my soul on fire."
Readers will find themselves swept away by the passions and perspectives of a feisty woman who doesn't settle for less than she's worth, and will find The 7th Tarot Card to be just the ticket for an involving late-night leisure read.
Valerie Clay
Valerie Clay via Amazon KDP
ASIN: B00JFCBP26 $1.99
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JFCBP26
The 7th Tarot Card introduces divorcee Vic Morgan, who is bored with her job and with life in general. What better way to spice things up than through a challenging 'vision quest' to gain new purpose and perspective on life … and what happens when she lets in more excitement than anticipated, opening a door to the supernatural with an invitation that affects her life?
From frightening phone calls to an attractive (but dark) neighbor, Vic finds her life is suddenly anything but boring - and when a casual agreement to play investigator for a friend results in an unexpected journey, Vic might want to reconsider her desire for adventure.
The 7th Tarot Card starts with a bang right off the bat, with Vic's mysterious phone caller: "Sometimes the calls come in the daytime, but others, like this one, on the stroke of midnight. When I answer, there’s never a response—just the sound of someone’s slow, steady breathing."
Now, Vic is a middle-aged, self-proclaimed 'seeker', always on a mission of self-improvement and change: "I’m on a perpetual quest for self-improvement, the meaning of life, the perfect man, inner joy, and a bigger condo. Every woman should have a blueprint for her life, and each day I do something to bring me closer to my goals. I call it my VMAP (Victoria Morgan Action Plan). The way I see it, you can give up, stagnate, and die a slow, boring death as the years roll by, or you can push yourself to live life to the fullest, no matter how old you are."
In part, it's her highly charged motivation to learn, change, and get the most out of life which , ironically, introduces her to new dangers. Her primary objective of 'choosing life' and boosting her experiences gets her into convoluted trouble as she faces challenges outside her paradigm of belief and realizes new abilities not present at the time of her divorce.
Readers should anticipate a charged, changing story line that creates a powerful protagonist, then places her in a series of compromising positions that test her flexibility and ability to think out of the box.
As chapters focus on Vic's personality and evolution, they build compelling and believable scenarios that succeed in realizing her opening desire "…to jump-start my life and get out of a rut the size of the Grand Canyon, I’ve begun daily meditation, visualizing an exciting, new life filled with adventure and romance. Any day now that should be kicking in. Meanwhile, I’m a legal secretary by day, couch potato by night."
Vic wants adventure and romance (be careful what you wish for!) and she gets both, in spades, carrying readers along on a journey of intrigue and self-inspection that lead her on a breathless course packed with escapades and close encounters of all kinds.
Want heart-stopping car chases? You have it: "“Hang on to your hats, girls,” she yelled. “I’ll try and lose ’em.” Our tires squealed in protest as she accelerated, then made a last minute, hard right turn onto Pecos. Julie slid across the back seat and I grabbed onto the door handle while I looked back to see if they followed us. Sure enough, the Viper squealed around the corner in hot pursuit, then picked up speed."
Looking for insights on how an amateur detective hones her undeveloped skills? That's here, too: "Throwing my Action Plan to the wind, I started biting my fingernails, when it occurred to me—what would Emma Peel do? Would she dissolve into a lily-livered chicken-heart? I think not. Any self-respecting Avengers fan knows that. This could actually be an opportunity to hone my detective skills and practice some diversionary maneuvers. It’s all in how you think about it."
As Vic arrives closer to the truth she finds her own life coming full circle from that of a couch potato to an adventuress and back to a place that confronts fears, embraces courage, and ultimately leads to love: "In his dark eyes I saw surrender and a vulnerability that made my heart ache with love. Then he kissed me over and over again with a passion that set my soul on fire."
Readers will find themselves swept away by the passions and perspectives of a feisty woman who doesn't settle for less than she's worth, and will find The 7th Tarot Card to be just the ticket for an involving late-night leisure read.
53
Letters for My Lover
Leylah Attar
Pitch73 Publishing
Paperback: 9780993752704 $14.99
Ebook: 9780993752711 $4.99
www.amazon.com
To call 53 Letters For My Lover a romance (despite its beckoning name) would be to do it an injustice by oversimplifying its focus. Leylah Attar's poignant and emotionally charged debut novel may swirl around an epic and forbidden love, but it is really about transition, an unraveling of the human journey to find happiness, empowerment and ultimately, the freedom that comes with living life on your own terms.
Yes, it's about love. And family. And a woman who writes about her life and the people in it as though she's crafting a novel. Readers may be surprised to learn that it takes the form of a posthumous collection of entries from a journal that's evolved from over thirty years of experience and intimate writings. Expect to be quickly drawn into a circle of relationships and encounters that are filled with vivid descriptions, vivid moments, and atmosphere steeped in visual and tactile flashes that reach out and grab the reader:
"I feel the tension, like spring coils compressed into the space between us, expanding and contracting with each breath we take."
"Your eyes darken, black holes pushing sky blue irises to the edges of raw emotion. Hunger. Anger. Love. Pain."
"One world is waiting to be folded and put away, another is fluttering in the wind, like a sweet-smelling dress on a clothes line, longing to be worn."
All told in the first person, of course, to bring that sense of character and place right into one's own life.
But as was said: don't expect a romance alone. Shayda Hijazi is doing more than breaking a few rules: she's in the process of reinventing her world when, as life often does, a twist of fate enters the process to once again change her direction and focus.
Drawing on raw sensuality and emotion, 53 Letters For My Lover forms a bigger picture that eventually challenges Shayda's illusions about love and life itself. On another level, and maybe even more successfully, 53 Letters For My Lover raises important questions about our notions of love, family, right and wrong. What inspires our passion, what becomes precious about life and its relationships, and what evolves into full, blossoming growth is deftly captured in a novel that will enchant fans of women's fiction who enjoy realistic romance, thought-provoking reads, juicy love scenes and unexpected twists of plot.
Leylah Attar
Pitch73 Publishing
Paperback: 9780993752704 $14.99
Ebook: 9780993752711 $4.99
www.amazon.com
To call 53 Letters For My Lover a romance (despite its beckoning name) would be to do it an injustice by oversimplifying its focus. Leylah Attar's poignant and emotionally charged debut novel may swirl around an epic and forbidden love, but it is really about transition, an unraveling of the human journey to find happiness, empowerment and ultimately, the freedom that comes with living life on your own terms.
Yes, it's about love. And family. And a woman who writes about her life and the people in it as though she's crafting a novel. Readers may be surprised to learn that it takes the form of a posthumous collection of entries from a journal that's evolved from over thirty years of experience and intimate writings. Expect to be quickly drawn into a circle of relationships and encounters that are filled with vivid descriptions, vivid moments, and atmosphere steeped in visual and tactile flashes that reach out and grab the reader:
"I feel the tension, like spring coils compressed into the space between us, expanding and contracting with each breath we take."
"Your eyes darken, black holes pushing sky blue irises to the edges of raw emotion. Hunger. Anger. Love. Pain."
"One world is waiting to be folded and put away, another is fluttering in the wind, like a sweet-smelling dress on a clothes line, longing to be worn."
All told in the first person, of course, to bring that sense of character and place right into one's own life.
But as was said: don't expect a romance alone. Shayda Hijazi is doing more than breaking a few rules: she's in the process of reinventing her world when, as life often does, a twist of fate enters the process to once again change her direction and focus.
Drawing on raw sensuality and emotion, 53 Letters For My Lover forms a bigger picture that eventually challenges Shayda's illusions about love and life itself. On another level, and maybe even more successfully, 53 Letters For My Lover raises important questions about our notions of love, family, right and wrong. What inspires our passion, what becomes precious about life and its relationships, and what evolves into full, blossoming growth is deftly captured in a novel that will enchant fans of women's fiction who enjoy realistic romance, thought-provoking reads, juicy love scenes and unexpected twists of plot.
Daughters
Of The Dragon - A Comfort Woman's Story
William Andrews
MADHouse Press LLC
Print 978-0-9913958-5-9 $12.99
E-Book 978-0-9913958-4-2 $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/Daughters-Dragon-Comfort-Womans-Story-ebook/dp/B00HVKQD4E/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1392127689
Daughters Of The Dragon - A Comfort Woman's Story is set during World War II, when the Japanese forced some 200,000 young Korean women to be sex slaves (i.e. “comfort women”) for their soldiers, and centers around one Ja-hee and her sister who are taken from their family for such a purpose.
Their suffering is terrible and when Ja-hee finally escapes, leaving her dying sister behind, it's only to find that the past haunts her footsteps. Violence seems to follow her as she finds and loses love in North Korea, flees to South Korea, and keeps secret her trials as a former comfort woman, only to find that the truth emerges time and again and threatens to destroy her.
Daughters Of The Dragon is no easy read, so don't expect a light leisure story of survival and endurance. Ja-hee's world is gritty, dark, and filled with struggle; and so readers are swept along into her encounters with Japanese brutality and wartime events, with Ja-hee's only hope lying in a mysterious comb that is the sole remnant of her birth mother and which holds its own story of hope and survival, passed down through generations.
Candid passages and descriptions are eye-opening and revealing: "I had become an ianfu—a comfort woman. I learned a trick, too. I examined the men‘s boots before they raped me. As I said, the Colonel had his boots tied tight. It was a warning sign. His type of cruelty was the worst. It was psychological as well as physical. After that, whenever I saw someone with boots tied tight, I knew I would be humiliated. ―But there were many others. A soldier with dirty, untied boots would be careless and quick. A soldier who kept his boots on would often hurt me. If his boots were clean and polished, it would be someone who wanted me to pretend I was enjoying him. ―Examining their boots was just something I did. But knowing what was going to happen to me did not help. In fact, it made it worse. It was like a torturer telling you what he was going to do to you next. By looking at their boots, I knew how they would rape me."
And being based on actual historical fact, they hold all the more impact and importance not just for Daughters Of The Dragon, but for a deeper understanding of modern-day Asia and why the Japanese are still viewed with caution and anger throughout much of the rest of the region.
That the story of comfort women has all but been forgotten, buried by the Japanese government, is a shame. That it's resurrected here in Daughters Of The Dragon and woven into a fictional story of survival to make it accessible to a much wider audience than nonfiction could have achieved is an even more commendable choice.
William Andrews has taken a nearly-buried historical fact and used it to create a masterpiece of fictional encounters cemented by a strong central character in Ja-hee.
Readers who look for authentic historical meaning, strong protagonists, believable and involving dialogue, and a gripping saga will find Daughters Of The Dragon just the ticket. Anticipate brutal scenes, revelations, and struggles for survival and post-traumatic stress that follow the realistic paths of life in a powerful story of dignity, atrocities and roads to recovery.
It's a shame this story hasn't been fully explored before. It's a revelation that's long needed exposure, and it's outstanding that Andrews has seen fit to research and bring it to public attention now, in a format accessible to more than just history buffs and scholars.
William Andrews
MADHouse Press LLC
Print 978-0-9913958-5-9 $12.99
E-Book 978-0-9913958-4-2 $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/Daughters-Dragon-Comfort-Womans-Story-ebook/dp/B00HVKQD4E/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1392127689
Daughters Of The Dragon - A Comfort Woman's Story is set during World War II, when the Japanese forced some 200,000 young Korean women to be sex slaves (i.e. “comfort women”) for their soldiers, and centers around one Ja-hee and her sister who are taken from their family for such a purpose.
Their suffering is terrible and when Ja-hee finally escapes, leaving her dying sister behind, it's only to find that the past haunts her footsteps. Violence seems to follow her as she finds and loses love in North Korea, flees to South Korea, and keeps secret her trials as a former comfort woman, only to find that the truth emerges time and again and threatens to destroy her.
Daughters Of The Dragon is no easy read, so don't expect a light leisure story of survival and endurance. Ja-hee's world is gritty, dark, and filled with struggle; and so readers are swept along into her encounters with Japanese brutality and wartime events, with Ja-hee's only hope lying in a mysterious comb that is the sole remnant of her birth mother and which holds its own story of hope and survival, passed down through generations.
Candid passages and descriptions are eye-opening and revealing: "I had become an ianfu—a comfort woman. I learned a trick, too. I examined the men‘s boots before they raped me. As I said, the Colonel had his boots tied tight. It was a warning sign. His type of cruelty was the worst. It was psychological as well as physical. After that, whenever I saw someone with boots tied tight, I knew I would be humiliated. ―But there were many others. A soldier with dirty, untied boots would be careless and quick. A soldier who kept his boots on would often hurt me. If his boots were clean and polished, it would be someone who wanted me to pretend I was enjoying him. ―Examining their boots was just something I did. But knowing what was going to happen to me did not help. In fact, it made it worse. It was like a torturer telling you what he was going to do to you next. By looking at their boots, I knew how they would rape me."
And being based on actual historical fact, they hold all the more impact and importance not just for Daughters Of The Dragon, but for a deeper understanding of modern-day Asia and why the Japanese are still viewed with caution and anger throughout much of the rest of the region.
That the story of comfort women has all but been forgotten, buried by the Japanese government, is a shame. That it's resurrected here in Daughters Of The Dragon and woven into a fictional story of survival to make it accessible to a much wider audience than nonfiction could have achieved is an even more commendable choice.
William Andrews has taken a nearly-buried historical fact and used it to create a masterpiece of fictional encounters cemented by a strong central character in Ja-hee.
Readers who look for authentic historical meaning, strong protagonists, believable and involving dialogue, and a gripping saga will find Daughters Of The Dragon just the ticket. Anticipate brutal scenes, revelations, and struggles for survival and post-traumatic stress that follow the realistic paths of life in a powerful story of dignity, atrocities and roads to recovery.
It's a shame this story hasn't been fully explored before. It's a revelation that's long needed exposure, and it's outstanding that Andrews has seen fit to research and bring it to public attention now, in a format accessible to more than just history buffs and scholars.
Horrorscope
Brian Evans, Helen Marie Bousquet, Mark Andrew Biltz
H Infinity Books Inc.
Hardcover: 978-1-6192-7789-2 e-ISBN: 9781619278080
www.hinfinitybooks.com
It's hard to define the potential of a title using a single word, but Horrorscope does just that, using the dual reference to horoscopes and horror to let potential readers know just what they are getting into before the first page is cracked.
One of the main surprise twists of the story: a psychic is forced to relate her predictions to the mafia, allowing their crimes to go undetected - until someone in the mob questions her authenticity.
Now, Helen is used to giving candid readings: "Mary, he isn't that good a guy to begin with. Even if you ended up with him, he's a possessive guy, and you'd never be able to do the things you like with this guy. He's a jerk, and yeah, if you sit around waiting you'll probably hear from again. Everything, and I mean everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie. He says he loves you, but you know in your heart that you can't trust him. There's a reason he put a GPS on your phone. There's a reason he doesn't want you looking at his text messages when he's with you. You just fall for it and let it go, because you love him more than he loves you."
Her knowledge comes from impressions and otherworld sources she just can't identify; but when she gives a detective a clue that will lead him to three abducted children she begins to "…appear on radars, and some of them were the wrong ones."
It all boils down to belief and disbelief - and given Helen's abilities, it's hard for her clients not to believe, and they pass on their experiences to others who seek her services: some reluctantly, some desperately.
An underboss, betrayal, and an impossible beast that comes to life all add to an engrossing, slowly evolving story of horror and impossible events that immerse a detective in struggles he'd never have believed possible before meeting psychic little old lady Helen.
One doesn't expect a tiger to enter into this slowly-building house of horrors - but it does. In fact, one never knows what to expect in the maelstrom that surrounds Helen's abilities and her clients.
Suffice it to say that Horrorscope is a satisfying novel of intrigue, police and mob strikes and counterstrikes, and deception that builds a solid plot around believable protagonists and offers twists that are gripping. And be advised: if you liked Horrorscope, rumor has it that Horrorscope II is in the making…the story is left open-ended just for this purpose.
Brian Evans, Helen Marie Bousquet, Mark Andrew Biltz
H Infinity Books Inc.
Hardcover: 978-1-6192-7789-2 e-ISBN: 9781619278080
www.hinfinitybooks.com
It's hard to define the potential of a title using a single word, but Horrorscope does just that, using the dual reference to horoscopes and horror to let potential readers know just what they are getting into before the first page is cracked.
One of the main surprise twists of the story: a psychic is forced to relate her predictions to the mafia, allowing their crimes to go undetected - until someone in the mob questions her authenticity.
Now, Helen is used to giving candid readings: "Mary, he isn't that good a guy to begin with. Even if you ended up with him, he's a possessive guy, and you'd never be able to do the things you like with this guy. He's a jerk, and yeah, if you sit around waiting you'll probably hear from again. Everything, and I mean everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie. He says he loves you, but you know in your heart that you can't trust him. There's a reason he put a GPS on your phone. There's a reason he doesn't want you looking at his text messages when he's with you. You just fall for it and let it go, because you love him more than he loves you."
Her knowledge comes from impressions and otherworld sources she just can't identify; but when she gives a detective a clue that will lead him to three abducted children she begins to "…appear on radars, and some of them were the wrong ones."
It all boils down to belief and disbelief - and given Helen's abilities, it's hard for her clients not to believe, and they pass on their experiences to others who seek her services: some reluctantly, some desperately.
An underboss, betrayal, and an impossible beast that comes to life all add to an engrossing, slowly evolving story of horror and impossible events that immerse a detective in struggles he'd never have believed possible before meeting psychic little old lady Helen.
One doesn't expect a tiger to enter into this slowly-building house of horrors - but it does. In fact, one never knows what to expect in the maelstrom that surrounds Helen's abilities and her clients.
Suffice it to say that Horrorscope is a satisfying novel of intrigue, police and mob strikes and counterstrikes, and deception that builds a solid plot around believable protagonists and offers twists that are gripping. And be advised: if you liked Horrorscope, rumor has it that Horrorscope II is in the making…the story is left open-ended just for this purpose.
Jaguar
Dreams
Nora Caron
Homebound Publications
978-1-938846-22-9
http://homeboundpublications.com
Be forewarned: Jaguar Dreams represents Book Three of 'The New Dimensions' trilogy: as such, a new reader here is beginning near the end, opening with protagonist Lucina's search for her runaway lover Teleo in the jungles of Guatemala.
Now, it's not necessarily a bad thing (in this case) to start with Jaguar Dreams: unlike some trilogies, past events are smoothly explained with just enough awareness provided so that newcomers aren't immediately lost.
For Lucina, it's an adventure spiced with the sights, smells and sounds of a strange new world: "Hotel de la Rosa was brightly decorated with orchids, big rocks, tropical flowers, and beautiful stone arrangements on the walls." Her observations of this world carry the reader along not just on a journey to find romance, but on an exploration of an exotic locale that ultimately will awaken and transform Lucina's very perceptions of her life.
But, pause: we're getting ahead of things, here. Before this happens there's a host of dangerous encounters from city to jungle: confrontations that test not only her positive journey but her heart.
Lucina's jungle trek takes on the trappings of a Vision Quest (those challenging wilderness sojourns where the searcher endures hardships to discern their true being.) Only this quest is undertaken in a foreign country for quite a different purpose and brings Lucina in touch with not just nature, but the history and culture of the Guatemalan people: "You haven’t heard about our civil war? From 1960 to 1996, Guatemala was ruled by a series of dictators, each worse than the one before. The government wanted to suppress leftist guerilla forces in the country so they created an army called SCUGA, the Special Commando Unit of the Guatemalan Army that was designed to eradicate the various rebel groups for good. This army in turn worked with the infamous death squads who killed, abducted, and raped our people."
As Lucina comes to learn about a world far beyond her realm of experience, so she also comes to understand new truths about her own life and how sheltered and safe it's been: "Lowering her eyes, Lucina knew he spoke the truth. She did live in a sheltered world and couldn’t deny it. All she knew from the rest of the world was what was shown in the media and God knew that wasn’t the full truth."
There are new lessons to be learned in the jungle at every step of the way, and as her guide reinforces their nature and importance, so Lucina begins to embrace something larger, even, than love; drawing on voices and teachings from her past to make sense of what she's experiencing now, for the first time: "Lucina, sometimes in life, cold water hits us straight in the face. And you have to take it, absorb its nature right into your being. You have to love the cold water. You have to love being cold.”
One doesn't anticipate a mission that evolves from a singular purpose of finding a lost lover to a greater purpose in understanding - and changing - the nature of reality itself; but Jaguar Dreams is all about this transformative process - and that's its real strength: "Do you know that some people only dream in black and white?” he asked her, taking a long sip of his wine and savoring it. “Really?” “Yes. Others dream in color. Still others can never recollect their dreams, and that isn’t a good sign. It means they’re cut off from their spirit and soul. They need to bridge the physical with the spiritual worlds again to remember their dreams. Those with lucid dreams are the most advanced people in society; when you learn to be conscious while dreaming, you are truly walking the path of a warrior. It is only a matter of time before you start re-shaping your day-to-day reality.”
As Lucina faces assaults physical and mental she slowly gives up her preconceived ideas and relinquishes the sense of control that drove her on her task to find her lover in the first place. Her discoveries return her to the world with new tools, teachings, and a healing she will carry with her into the rest of her life: "I’m sorry you didn’t find your man.” Shrugging it off, Lucina smiled. “Swords are forged in a fire not a bubble bath,” she answered, repeating words that she had heard from a wise teacher. “Indeed! So you’ve sharpened yourself?” “I did more than that,” was the mysterious answer. She turned on her heel and walked out of El Chicodor…"
Without giving away the unexpected conclusion, suffice it to say that Lucina gets far more than she bargained for when she takes on the jungles of Guatemala.
So if it's an epic adventure you seek, which opens with the promise of finding a lost lover and concludes with something far greater, then Jaguar Dreams will prove your novel of choice!
Nora Caron
Homebound Publications
978-1-938846-22-9
http://homeboundpublications.com
Be forewarned: Jaguar Dreams represents Book Three of 'The New Dimensions' trilogy: as such, a new reader here is beginning near the end, opening with protagonist Lucina's search for her runaway lover Teleo in the jungles of Guatemala.
Now, it's not necessarily a bad thing (in this case) to start with Jaguar Dreams: unlike some trilogies, past events are smoothly explained with just enough awareness provided so that newcomers aren't immediately lost.
For Lucina, it's an adventure spiced with the sights, smells and sounds of a strange new world: "Hotel de la Rosa was brightly decorated with orchids, big rocks, tropical flowers, and beautiful stone arrangements on the walls." Her observations of this world carry the reader along not just on a journey to find romance, but on an exploration of an exotic locale that ultimately will awaken and transform Lucina's very perceptions of her life.
But, pause: we're getting ahead of things, here. Before this happens there's a host of dangerous encounters from city to jungle: confrontations that test not only her positive journey but her heart.
Lucina's jungle trek takes on the trappings of a Vision Quest (those challenging wilderness sojourns where the searcher endures hardships to discern their true being.) Only this quest is undertaken in a foreign country for quite a different purpose and brings Lucina in touch with not just nature, but the history and culture of the Guatemalan people: "You haven’t heard about our civil war? From 1960 to 1996, Guatemala was ruled by a series of dictators, each worse than the one before. The government wanted to suppress leftist guerilla forces in the country so they created an army called SCUGA, the Special Commando Unit of the Guatemalan Army that was designed to eradicate the various rebel groups for good. This army in turn worked with the infamous death squads who killed, abducted, and raped our people."
As Lucina comes to learn about a world far beyond her realm of experience, so she also comes to understand new truths about her own life and how sheltered and safe it's been: "Lowering her eyes, Lucina knew he spoke the truth. She did live in a sheltered world and couldn’t deny it. All she knew from the rest of the world was what was shown in the media and God knew that wasn’t the full truth."
There are new lessons to be learned in the jungle at every step of the way, and as her guide reinforces their nature and importance, so Lucina begins to embrace something larger, even, than love; drawing on voices and teachings from her past to make sense of what she's experiencing now, for the first time: "Lucina, sometimes in life, cold water hits us straight in the face. And you have to take it, absorb its nature right into your being. You have to love the cold water. You have to love being cold.”
One doesn't anticipate a mission that evolves from a singular purpose of finding a lost lover to a greater purpose in understanding - and changing - the nature of reality itself; but Jaguar Dreams is all about this transformative process - and that's its real strength: "Do you know that some people only dream in black and white?” he asked her, taking a long sip of his wine and savoring it. “Really?” “Yes. Others dream in color. Still others can never recollect their dreams, and that isn’t a good sign. It means they’re cut off from their spirit and soul. They need to bridge the physical with the spiritual worlds again to remember their dreams. Those with lucid dreams are the most advanced people in society; when you learn to be conscious while dreaming, you are truly walking the path of a warrior. It is only a matter of time before you start re-shaping your day-to-day reality.”
As Lucina faces assaults physical and mental she slowly gives up her preconceived ideas and relinquishes the sense of control that drove her on her task to find her lover in the first place. Her discoveries return her to the world with new tools, teachings, and a healing she will carry with her into the rest of her life: "I’m sorry you didn’t find your man.” Shrugging it off, Lucina smiled. “Swords are forged in a fire not a bubble bath,” she answered, repeating words that she had heard from a wise teacher. “Indeed! So you’ve sharpened yourself?” “I did more than that,” was the mysterious answer. She turned on her heel and walked out of El Chicodor…"
Without giving away the unexpected conclusion, suffice it to say that Lucina gets far more than she bargained for when she takes on the jungles of Guatemala.
So if it's an epic adventure you seek, which opens with the promise of finding a lost lover and concludes with something far greater, then Jaguar Dreams will prove your novel of choice!
Living
Treasures
Yang Huang
Harvard Square Editions Ltd.
9780989596053 $19.95
www.yanghuang.com
Living Treasures was a Bellwether Prize finalist and is a powerful novel set in China and centered on a young law student who finds her life changed by the violence in Tiananmen Square, which kills one of her friends. Her reaction (since she eschews violence) is to fall in love with a charismatic young soldier: the only problem is, she becomes pregnant.
Her parents arrange for her abortion and she flees school and home in disgrace, ending up at her grandparents' house in China's remote Sichuan mountains.
For all intents and purposes this story could have ended here; but Bao's saga continues in an unexpected direction when she helps a panda and a pregnant young mother (who is hiding from China's one-child policy enforcer).
Here Bao's own background comes into play as she sides with family and survival and finds herself simultaneously immersed in a dual struggle to save a young woman and a panda cub.
Living Treasures is nothing short of spectacular; especially for readers who want a story steeped in Chinese culture, tradition, and politics but cemented by a powerful young woman who emerges as a savior to others. Equally notable are passages filled with a sense of rural place, which engage all one's senses in the sounds, smells, and feel of Sichuan province:
"She hiked up the mountain. Wild azalea leaves glistened, their buds swollen and pink, ready to burst into flower. The red bark of birch trees caught the sun's slanting rays, and lichens drooped in luminous strands from their boughs…Never in her life had she imagined fawning over a peasant who tried to circumvent the one-child policy. Bao was a university student, the elite of Chinese youth, and a law student at that!"
Any who want a slowly-building sense of place and purpose and who want to better understand Chinese culture, history, and heritage will find Living Treasures is all about the nation's changes, reflected in the life of young Bao as she learns how and when to take stands for her changing beliefs.
Literary and lyrical, Living Treasures is a lovely, absorbing story steeped in Chinese tradition.
Yang Huang
Harvard Square Editions Ltd.
9780989596053 $19.95
www.yanghuang.com
Living Treasures was a Bellwether Prize finalist and is a powerful novel set in China and centered on a young law student who finds her life changed by the violence in Tiananmen Square, which kills one of her friends. Her reaction (since she eschews violence) is to fall in love with a charismatic young soldier: the only problem is, she becomes pregnant.
Her parents arrange for her abortion and she flees school and home in disgrace, ending up at her grandparents' house in China's remote Sichuan mountains.
For all intents and purposes this story could have ended here; but Bao's saga continues in an unexpected direction when she helps a panda and a pregnant young mother (who is hiding from China's one-child policy enforcer).
Here Bao's own background comes into play as she sides with family and survival and finds herself simultaneously immersed in a dual struggle to save a young woman and a panda cub.
Living Treasures is nothing short of spectacular; especially for readers who want a story steeped in Chinese culture, tradition, and politics but cemented by a powerful young woman who emerges as a savior to others. Equally notable are passages filled with a sense of rural place, which engage all one's senses in the sounds, smells, and feel of Sichuan province:
"She hiked up the mountain. Wild azalea leaves glistened, their buds swollen and pink, ready to burst into flower. The red bark of birch trees caught the sun's slanting rays, and lichens drooped in luminous strands from their boughs…Never in her life had she imagined fawning over a peasant who tried to circumvent the one-child policy. Bao was a university student, the elite of Chinese youth, and a law student at that!"
Any who want a slowly-building sense of place and purpose and who want to better understand Chinese culture, history, and heritage will find Living Treasures is all about the nation's changes, reflected in the life of young Bao as she learns how and when to take stands for her changing beliefs.
Literary and lyrical, Living Treasures is a lovely, absorbing story steeped in Chinese tradition.
Mr.
Ballpoint
Gerald Everett Jones
LaPuerta Books
Hardcover print edition ISBN: 978-0-9856227-4-9
Kindle edition: 978-0-9856227-5-6
It's getting rarer, these days, to find humorous fiction - much less humor stories based on true stories - but Mr. Ballpoint is such a find, and includes an unusual focus on a father-son relationship and a ballpoint pen.
Doesn't sound funny? Read on, Macduff … the conflict between the very different personalities of father and son (one a shameless huckster, the other a mild-mannered honors student) is vivid and engrossing.
Now, Milton is a blustering salesperson and promoter of the ballpoint pen and uses a fair amount of b-s in the course of his efforts, determined to win at any cost. His son, on the other hand, eschews these methods in favor of an approach to life that is less flamboyant. The personality contrasts and conflicts are believable and outrageous; but it takes not only marketing snafus but also more than one family crisis to change all this and to lead the protagonists down different roads of engagement.
Milton is used to the concept that haggling wins hearts but in this unfamiliar arena with his son, he's forced to admit that his prior skills have no impact. Nor do his prior achievements (which primarily involved setting off 'The Pen Wars' over a ballpoint pen's rights, manufacturing and promotion.)
As the two play a complicated dance centered around ballpoint pens and risky schemes, readers will find the story offers well-rounded views of past, present, and other family members as well as outrageous exploits and unexpected fame: Presumably traveling on business and spreading goodwill, she and Milt had been piloted in the Flying Printasign to most of the major cities in South America as they called on prominent retailers. Milt had written long letters back to his friends from each destination—thirty-four letters in all, which the company publicity department eventually collected into a book of memoirs entitled Hasta La Vista (I’ll Be Seeing You). They gave boxes of books away to customers. So Milt, the traveling salesman, was now a published book author. I never knew she hadn’t been totally thrilled about going with him. It would probably be news to him, as well.
Milt has 'fallen into' his roles (and fortunes) for much of his life - and all that is about to change, also altering the dynamics between father and son.
Don't expect straightforward comedy, here: if you do, you'll be disappointed. Mr. Ballpoint is actually much more; and as readers put together past, present and the probable future of Milt and son Jim, they will come to a new appreciation of the differences between generations and the communication challenges involved.
The fictional adaptation of the real-world ballpoint pen story is a fine vehicle for delivering a compelling saga centered on a stormy father-son relationship, and succeeds in entertaining readers while exposing the rich background and relationship of two disparate individuals. And as for the pen itself (in case you're wondering): the real Reynolds pen may have been a short-lived fiasco, but it helped change the world. To discern exactly why and how, turn to Mr. Ballpoint for an easy introduction.
Not just for comedy readers and not just for those who want serious psychology, Mr. Ballpoint is 'neither fish nor fowl' but a fine, engrossing chapter in the life of a product's development and a family's evolution, and is a recommendation for any who want a blend of entertainment and serious reading.
Gerald Everett Jones
LaPuerta Books
Hardcover print edition ISBN: 978-0-9856227-4-9
Kindle edition: 978-0-9856227-5-6
It's getting rarer, these days, to find humorous fiction - much less humor stories based on true stories - but Mr. Ballpoint is such a find, and includes an unusual focus on a father-son relationship and a ballpoint pen.
Doesn't sound funny? Read on, Macduff … the conflict between the very different personalities of father and son (one a shameless huckster, the other a mild-mannered honors student) is vivid and engrossing.
Now, Milton is a blustering salesperson and promoter of the ballpoint pen and uses a fair amount of b-s in the course of his efforts, determined to win at any cost. His son, on the other hand, eschews these methods in favor of an approach to life that is less flamboyant. The personality contrasts and conflicts are believable and outrageous; but it takes not only marketing snafus but also more than one family crisis to change all this and to lead the protagonists down different roads of engagement.
Milton is used to the concept that haggling wins hearts but in this unfamiliar arena with his son, he's forced to admit that his prior skills have no impact. Nor do his prior achievements (which primarily involved setting off 'The Pen Wars' over a ballpoint pen's rights, manufacturing and promotion.)
As the two play a complicated dance centered around ballpoint pens and risky schemes, readers will find the story offers well-rounded views of past, present, and other family members as well as outrageous exploits and unexpected fame: Presumably traveling on business and spreading goodwill, she and Milt had been piloted in the Flying Printasign to most of the major cities in South America as they called on prominent retailers. Milt had written long letters back to his friends from each destination—thirty-four letters in all, which the company publicity department eventually collected into a book of memoirs entitled Hasta La Vista (I’ll Be Seeing You). They gave boxes of books away to customers. So Milt, the traveling salesman, was now a published book author. I never knew she hadn’t been totally thrilled about going with him. It would probably be news to him, as well.
Milt has 'fallen into' his roles (and fortunes) for much of his life - and all that is about to change, also altering the dynamics between father and son.
Don't expect straightforward comedy, here: if you do, you'll be disappointed. Mr. Ballpoint is actually much more; and as readers put together past, present and the probable future of Milt and son Jim, they will come to a new appreciation of the differences between generations and the communication challenges involved.
The fictional adaptation of the real-world ballpoint pen story is a fine vehicle for delivering a compelling saga centered on a stormy father-son relationship, and succeeds in entertaining readers while exposing the rich background and relationship of two disparate individuals. And as for the pen itself (in case you're wondering): the real Reynolds pen may have been a short-lived fiasco, but it helped change the world. To discern exactly why and how, turn to Mr. Ballpoint for an easy introduction.
Not just for comedy readers and not just for those who want serious psychology, Mr. Ballpoint is 'neither fish nor fowl' but a fine, engrossing chapter in the life of a product's development and a family's evolution, and is a recommendation for any who want a blend of entertainment and serious reading.
Saving
Babe Ruth
Tom Swyers
Hillcrest House Publishing
9781941440001 $16.95
www.tomswyers.com
Saving Babe Ruth is a novel based on a true story, and its only prerequisite is that one must harbor an appreciation for baseball to thoroughly enjoy the history and allusions of the plot.
It's all about a recreational baseball league with an uncertain future, a lawyer who becomes involved in something over his head, and a 'villain' in the form of one Rob Barkus, who lures any good player away from the struggling league with promises of travel and scholarships to build his own A-plus winning travel teams. If this continues, there won't be a town Babe Ruth league!
Lawyer David Thompson finds himself unexpectedly embroiled not just in building a team, but struggling with the political and unfair practices of a predatory rival who will stop at nothing to get his way.
It's rare to see a thriller format embedded in a book about a ball game. Most such approaches create a 'whodunnit' mystery and leave the elements of a good thriller piece out of the picture entirely.
Not so Saving Babe Ruth, which blends its thriller with a focus on the politics and processes of youth sports and centers on how a baseball team of outcasts struggles to make a name for themselves against all odds.
For David, it's a new lease on a purposeful life after his elder law business declines due to most of his clients dying off. Why else would a lawyer be motivated to involve himself in a small town team's efforts?
Oh, and if you expect cut-and-dried scenarios, think again: that's evident from the novel's startling opening: "Armed with an 1859 Sharps carbine, David Thompson gazed beyond the baseball field, across the asphalt and slate-shingled suburban homes of Indigo Valley, wondering how these twenty-one thousand residents would feel if they knew that baseball was dying….He felt certain Annie would think he had lost it if she knew he was at the kids’ baseball field armed with a gun."
Now, David's solutions to problems are anything but conventional - and, they work. At least, they worked in his law office to some degree. But here on the baseball field where anonymous letters, parental interactions, a board of education concerned about school statistics, and student concerns intersect, who can say which unconventional approaches will work and which won't?
All David knows is that it's up to him to turn around not just a team, but a town. What it takes to achieve this goal is entirely up to him.
Saving Babe Ruth is all about the corruption of power, the bigger picture, young players struggling to succeed, and the progressive involvement of an adult who comes to realize that there's much more at stake than simply building up a team.
Readers should ideally be interested in a disparate number of threads, from a thriller format to baseball politics, youth involvement, and a lawyer whose techniques don't fit the traditional mold.
Wry humor is woven into encounters (you have to look for it; but it's there!), there's a healthy dose of special interest intrigue that pops up in daily interactions ("David sat outside trying to soak in the absurdity of it all while swimming in a state of disbelief. Here sat the principal of Indigo Valley High School at his desk on a school day, during school hours, defending a professional football player on drug allegations."), and David finds himself more than mired in the quicksand of dangerous associations when he probes beyond the Babe Ruth league's transparent surface.
The result is a fast-paced, changing baseball novel that is especially recommended for sports fans and those who enjoy thrillers filled with unexpected moments!
Tom Swyers
Hillcrest House Publishing
9781941440001 $16.95
www.tomswyers.com
Saving Babe Ruth is a novel based on a true story, and its only prerequisite is that one must harbor an appreciation for baseball to thoroughly enjoy the history and allusions of the plot.
It's all about a recreational baseball league with an uncertain future, a lawyer who becomes involved in something over his head, and a 'villain' in the form of one Rob Barkus, who lures any good player away from the struggling league with promises of travel and scholarships to build his own A-plus winning travel teams. If this continues, there won't be a town Babe Ruth league!
Lawyer David Thompson finds himself unexpectedly embroiled not just in building a team, but struggling with the political and unfair practices of a predatory rival who will stop at nothing to get his way.
It's rare to see a thriller format embedded in a book about a ball game. Most such approaches create a 'whodunnit' mystery and leave the elements of a good thriller piece out of the picture entirely.
Not so Saving Babe Ruth, which blends its thriller with a focus on the politics and processes of youth sports and centers on how a baseball team of outcasts struggles to make a name for themselves against all odds.
For David, it's a new lease on a purposeful life after his elder law business declines due to most of his clients dying off. Why else would a lawyer be motivated to involve himself in a small town team's efforts?
Oh, and if you expect cut-and-dried scenarios, think again: that's evident from the novel's startling opening: "Armed with an 1859 Sharps carbine, David Thompson gazed beyond the baseball field, across the asphalt and slate-shingled suburban homes of Indigo Valley, wondering how these twenty-one thousand residents would feel if they knew that baseball was dying….He felt certain Annie would think he had lost it if she knew he was at the kids’ baseball field armed with a gun."
Now, David's solutions to problems are anything but conventional - and, they work. At least, they worked in his law office to some degree. But here on the baseball field where anonymous letters, parental interactions, a board of education concerned about school statistics, and student concerns intersect, who can say which unconventional approaches will work and which won't?
All David knows is that it's up to him to turn around not just a team, but a town. What it takes to achieve this goal is entirely up to him.
Saving Babe Ruth is all about the corruption of power, the bigger picture, young players struggling to succeed, and the progressive involvement of an adult who comes to realize that there's much more at stake than simply building up a team.
Readers should ideally be interested in a disparate number of threads, from a thriller format to baseball politics, youth involvement, and a lawyer whose techniques don't fit the traditional mold.
Wry humor is woven into encounters (you have to look for it; but it's there!), there's a healthy dose of special interest intrigue that pops up in daily interactions ("David sat outside trying to soak in the absurdity of it all while swimming in a state of disbelief. Here sat the principal of Indigo Valley High School at his desk on a school day, during school hours, defending a professional football player on drug allegations."), and David finds himself more than mired in the quicksand of dangerous associations when he probes beyond the Babe Ruth league's transparent surface.
The result is a fast-paced, changing baseball novel that is especially recommended for sports fans and those who enjoy thrillers filled with unexpected moments!
Terms
of Surrender
Lorrie Farrelly
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B003ZDO4SI $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Terms-Surrender-Lorrie-Farrelly-ebook/dp/B003ZDO4SI
Terms of Surrender is set in the era of the War Between the States and tells of a young former Confederate Cavalry officer who is left without hope after the war when he stumbles upon one Annie Devlin's war on the frontier - and saves her life while threatening his own.
Now it's up to Annie to heal her hero - and to help him fill gaps in his life and hers.
Now, Terms of Surrender could be categorized as a Western romance: certainly this audience would be the likely readers of a story centered upon the blossoming relationship between two individuals who have faced struggle and adversity in their lives.
But the added bonus of a plot that revolves just as strongly around hardship and strife and the bonding of two very different protagonists who have faced change and danger with courage makes for a wider-ranging story, with the Wyoming setting (after the Civil War) just adding more spice to the mixture with its added focus on the aftermath of war and its lingering impact on all involved.
Drama and threats to humor and emotion: all spring to life in chapters that add action to romance, rounding out protagonists and settings.
Terms of Surrender is about surrender on many levels, from military to surrendering one's heart and preset notions. It's about sheer determination against all odds, summoning up personal strength to tackle adversity, and the influences that cause people to come together and families to be formed from fragments of past experience: "He had no use for those feelings and he desperately did not want them. And yet, as though his traitorous emotions and the raw craving he felt for Annie weren’t enough to torment him to madness, there was the additional vexation of his dawning, grudging fondness for the boy, a cruel and haunting reminder of the feelings he’d once had for his own little brother."
Descriptions are evocative and compelling throughout: "Annie’s pale hair cascaded over her shoulders, for all the world as though moonbeams had drifted down around her to settle in a soft, gleaming cloud."
Part of this multifaceted read, however, lies in elements that broaden its romantic overtones: thus readers can expect to find humor, violence, gritty action and exquisitely-wrought tension throughout a creation recommended not for those seeking light leisure reading, but for readers who seek more depth and layers in their stories.
The result feels like a Western romance read but embraces so much more: hope, desperation, and, ultimately, love. As such it's a recommendation for those who like their romances tinged with historical settings and more than a healthy dose of emotional zest.
Lorrie Farrelly
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B003ZDO4SI $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Terms-Surrender-Lorrie-Farrelly-ebook/dp/B003ZDO4SI
Terms of Surrender is set in the era of the War Between the States and tells of a young former Confederate Cavalry officer who is left without hope after the war when he stumbles upon one Annie Devlin's war on the frontier - and saves her life while threatening his own.
Now it's up to Annie to heal her hero - and to help him fill gaps in his life and hers.
Now, Terms of Surrender could be categorized as a Western romance: certainly this audience would be the likely readers of a story centered upon the blossoming relationship between two individuals who have faced struggle and adversity in their lives.
But the added bonus of a plot that revolves just as strongly around hardship and strife and the bonding of two very different protagonists who have faced change and danger with courage makes for a wider-ranging story, with the Wyoming setting (after the Civil War) just adding more spice to the mixture with its added focus on the aftermath of war and its lingering impact on all involved.
Drama and threats to humor and emotion: all spring to life in chapters that add action to romance, rounding out protagonists and settings.
Terms of Surrender is about surrender on many levels, from military to surrendering one's heart and preset notions. It's about sheer determination against all odds, summoning up personal strength to tackle adversity, and the influences that cause people to come together and families to be formed from fragments of past experience: "He had no use for those feelings and he desperately did not want them. And yet, as though his traitorous emotions and the raw craving he felt for Annie weren’t enough to torment him to madness, there was the additional vexation of his dawning, grudging fondness for the boy, a cruel and haunting reminder of the feelings he’d once had for his own little brother."
Descriptions are evocative and compelling throughout: "Annie’s pale hair cascaded over her shoulders, for all the world as though moonbeams had drifted down around her to settle in a soft, gleaming cloud."
Part of this multifaceted read, however, lies in elements that broaden its romantic overtones: thus readers can expect to find humor, violence, gritty action and exquisitely-wrought tension throughout a creation recommended not for those seeking light leisure reading, but for readers who seek more depth and layers in their stories.
The result feels like a Western romance read but embraces so much more: hope, desperation, and, ultimately, love. As such it's a recommendation for those who like their romances tinged with historical settings and more than a healthy dose of emotional zest.
Science
Involution-An
Odyssey Reconciling Science to God
Philippa Rees
CollaborArt Books
ISBN: ebook: 978-0-9575002-1-1
Printed book: 978-0-9575002-2-8
Price: Ebook $8.55 (Amazon) Paperback $27.99
http://involution-odyssey.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Involution-An-Odyssey-Reconciling-Science-God/dp/095750022X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398356448&sr=8-2&keywords=Involution-An+Odyssey
(From Canto the Seventh)
‘Then the cleft fell like an axe/Split Eden’s innocence/ Sent Man into Exile with a brain/ With which he could survive….Until he traced full circle ( as any planet orbits sun)/ Old soldier with his bandaged eyes/Returns limping to what he once called home/And does not recognise…
At a quick glance, Involution-An Odyssey Reconciling Science to God seems like a scientific or spiritual read, and possibly a dry one, at that. But those too ready to judge a book by its title may be in for a surprise, here: for Involution is in actuality a poetic-based exploration of the Western thinking process, and is more focused on the process of Mankind's incremental rediscovery than scientific or spiritual analysis.
It's neither poetry nor science, spiritual reader nor philosophical investigation - but it incorporates elements of each. Nor is it 'fish nor fowl' - which makes its intended audience and placement a bit ambiguous. How do you tell an audience mired in one discipline that there's value to be had (and elements of that discipline) in a book that crosses genres? Therein lies the presentation challenge; for it'd be a shame for the reader of science, spirituality, philosophy or history to miss the unexpected treats embedded in Involution.
So what, exactly, is 'involution'? It's defined here as the basic idea that the progress of science in fact reflects its ability to recover memory, or involution. Strictly speaking, 'involution' happens when something turns in upon itself; but in this case it's more than a geometric or mathematical expression, more than a medical description, and more than the path the soul takes to become more self-realized. Here it's described as the impetus to the evolutionary process, key to understanding the idea of scientific investigation and progression: "Involution, the in ‘folding’ of memory, and its recovery by man, does not seek to challenge Darwin, whose world is the evolution of outer forms, but offers a counterbalance, the in‘forming’ of evolving awareness that shapes his creatures and their relationships. The central premise of this book is that evolution, prior to man, has been achieved through the infolding of experience – involution – and that its legacy, memory, resides in the very structure of matter."
And if all of this sounds too challenging a view from the get-go, then Involution isn't the book for you. While its tone is lively and its delivery understandable, it's not 'light reading' per say, despite its unexpected vehicle of poetry as the delivery wagon of choice.
Poetry? Really? Yes: because poetic structure in this case lends well to a survey that has to speedily traverse all of time, but which requires slow, careful reading for maximum benefit. Anyone seeking a quick set of insights despite the lightening effects of its poetic structure will be disappointed. Its light-heartedness belies the depth of its insights on the human adventure.
Perhaps Involution can best be described as an 'ambitious work exposing the inspired development of science and philosophy (and parallel art and music) wrapped in the mantle of epic poetry'. Surely its conception marries the disparate worlds of science and religion more firmly with a structure and presentation that will capture readers of either genre. The poetic evocation (addressed to the instinctive right brain, and the heart) is unambiguous, direct and occasionally breath-taking.
Perhaps ideally one should have a familiarity with classical poetry and an appreciation of thinking anew from first principles in order to fully appreciate the purposes, language and history provided in Involution: "But why address the already long converted?/ When science is in greater need of vision/Believing, as it does, it holds all truth./Scientists were caged, not by commission,/Invisible are the bonds to its repute…" It is the ‘blindness of the old soldier’ (science) that is here offered new eyes to see, in its own history, an alternative spiritual journey of purpose and meaning. ‘Saints and scientists break the same bread’
Here you will find it all: poetic cantos, scientific footnotes, discussions of ideals of liberty, Renaissance history, the psychology of love and reunion…all provided in a unique format with a distinctive perspective; perfect for multidisciplinary, college-level readers who want a scholarly yet evocative presentation of the concept and workings of involution through its increasingly unifying stages. This broad-brush journey through the history of Western culture offers an alternative vision of Man’s powers and his destiny; a return to Eden, now as co-Creator, conscious of the unity of all creation.
Incidentally, Involution-An Odyssey Reconciling Science to God has been nominated runner-up Book of the Year (2013) by the Scientific and Medical Network. It's easy to see why it deserves this accolade.
Philippa Rees
CollaborArt Books
ISBN: ebook: 978-0-9575002-1-1
Printed book: 978-0-9575002-2-8
Price: Ebook $8.55 (Amazon) Paperback $27.99
http://involution-odyssey.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Involution-An-Odyssey-Reconciling-Science-God/dp/095750022X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398356448&sr=8-2&keywords=Involution-An+Odyssey
(From Canto the Seventh)
‘Then the cleft fell like an axe/Split Eden’s innocence/ Sent Man into Exile with a brain/ With which he could survive….Until he traced full circle ( as any planet orbits sun)/ Old soldier with his bandaged eyes/Returns limping to what he once called home/And does not recognise…
At a quick glance, Involution-An Odyssey Reconciling Science to God seems like a scientific or spiritual read, and possibly a dry one, at that. But those too ready to judge a book by its title may be in for a surprise, here: for Involution is in actuality a poetic-based exploration of the Western thinking process, and is more focused on the process of Mankind's incremental rediscovery than scientific or spiritual analysis.
It's neither poetry nor science, spiritual reader nor philosophical investigation - but it incorporates elements of each. Nor is it 'fish nor fowl' - which makes its intended audience and placement a bit ambiguous. How do you tell an audience mired in one discipline that there's value to be had (and elements of that discipline) in a book that crosses genres? Therein lies the presentation challenge; for it'd be a shame for the reader of science, spirituality, philosophy or history to miss the unexpected treats embedded in Involution.
So what, exactly, is 'involution'? It's defined here as the basic idea that the progress of science in fact reflects its ability to recover memory, or involution. Strictly speaking, 'involution' happens when something turns in upon itself; but in this case it's more than a geometric or mathematical expression, more than a medical description, and more than the path the soul takes to become more self-realized. Here it's described as the impetus to the evolutionary process, key to understanding the idea of scientific investigation and progression: "Involution, the in ‘folding’ of memory, and its recovery by man, does not seek to challenge Darwin, whose world is the evolution of outer forms, but offers a counterbalance, the in‘forming’ of evolving awareness that shapes his creatures and their relationships. The central premise of this book is that evolution, prior to man, has been achieved through the infolding of experience – involution – and that its legacy, memory, resides in the very structure of matter."
And if all of this sounds too challenging a view from the get-go, then Involution isn't the book for you. While its tone is lively and its delivery understandable, it's not 'light reading' per say, despite its unexpected vehicle of poetry as the delivery wagon of choice.
Poetry? Really? Yes: because poetic structure in this case lends well to a survey that has to speedily traverse all of time, but which requires slow, careful reading for maximum benefit. Anyone seeking a quick set of insights despite the lightening effects of its poetic structure will be disappointed. Its light-heartedness belies the depth of its insights on the human adventure.
Perhaps Involution can best be described as an 'ambitious work exposing the inspired development of science and philosophy (and parallel art and music) wrapped in the mantle of epic poetry'. Surely its conception marries the disparate worlds of science and religion more firmly with a structure and presentation that will capture readers of either genre. The poetic evocation (addressed to the instinctive right brain, and the heart) is unambiguous, direct and occasionally breath-taking.
Perhaps ideally one should have a familiarity with classical poetry and an appreciation of thinking anew from first principles in order to fully appreciate the purposes, language and history provided in Involution: "But why address the already long converted?/ When science is in greater need of vision/Believing, as it does, it holds all truth./Scientists were caged, not by commission,/Invisible are the bonds to its repute…" It is the ‘blindness of the old soldier’ (science) that is here offered new eyes to see, in its own history, an alternative spiritual journey of purpose and meaning. ‘Saints and scientists break the same bread’
Here you will find it all: poetic cantos, scientific footnotes, discussions of ideals of liberty, Renaissance history, the psychology of love and reunion…all provided in a unique format with a distinctive perspective; perfect for multidisciplinary, college-level readers who want a scholarly yet evocative presentation of the concept and workings of involution through its increasingly unifying stages. This broad-brush journey through the history of Western culture offers an alternative vision of Man’s powers and his destiny; a return to Eden, now as co-Creator, conscious of the unity of all creation.
Incidentally, Involution-An Odyssey Reconciling Science to God has been nominated runner-up Book of the Year (2013) by the Scientific and Medical Network. It's easy to see why it deserves this accolade.
Self Help
Adventure
Inward: A Risk Taker's Book of
Quotes
Jonathan Wunrow
Life is Twisted Press
E-book: 9781938568381 $3.99
Paperback: 9780985188146 $10.95
www.jonathanwunrow.com
http://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Inward-Risk-Takers-Quotes-ebook/dp/B00CXUSZQ6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398443082&sr=1-1&keywords=9781938568381
Adventure Inward: A Risk Taker's Book of Quotes is primarily a pick for adventurers; but those non-adventurers who like taking personal risks will also find much here to appreciate. It comes from an adventurer and extreme sports enthusiast who has spent over thirty years mountaineering around the world, and who describes his life of adventure and how to remain open to life's possibilities.
Adventure Inward consists of inspirational and humorous quotes designed to get readers thinking about their own course in life, and it reaches its own summit in tacking the bigger questions of life purpose. Even if you're not a natural risk-taker, it will provoke reflections on life's meaning that ultimately lead to transitions and changes, and is dedicated "…to the dreamers, the risk takers, and to the misfits."
This is a big job, and it requires organization: there are literally many hundreds of quotes here, and without structure they could all too easily become lost or prove overwhelming. Jonathan Wunrow provides that essential structure in chapters that open with 'Why Play a Risky Game?' and move logically to 'Finding Your Path in Life', 'Hardships and What They Can Teach Us', and 'Family and Other Sacrifices'.
Each chapter comes packed with inspirational quotes from fellow adventurers and spiritual seekers, from Ram Das to Sir Edmund Hillary, and each section receives a fine introduction by Wunrow, who uses his personal experience to translate the process of change.
Thus a series of involving quotes ("It's not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves." Sir Edmund Hillary) are preceded (or followed) by Wunrow's own self-examination: "An even more important question is how do we define "good" and who gets to do the defining?...(sic) …the best risk takers are the fearless ones…Commitment, determination, and patience are key to dealing with the day-in and day-out mental, emotional and physical grind of training and participating in extreme sports."
And lest you think you need to be a sports enthusiast to properly absorb his adages, let it be said that the only prerequisite is an interest in self-growth and understanding life paths and transition points. If it's an inspirational and thought-provoking reader that's desired, packed with quotes and insights for personal advancement, then Adventure Inward more than fits the bill.
Jonathan Wunrow
Life is Twisted Press
E-book: 9781938568381 $3.99
Paperback: 9780985188146 $10.95
www.jonathanwunrow.com
http://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Inward-Risk-Takers-Quotes-ebook/dp/B00CXUSZQ6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398443082&sr=1-1&keywords=9781938568381
Adventure Inward: A Risk Taker's Book of Quotes is primarily a pick for adventurers; but those non-adventurers who like taking personal risks will also find much here to appreciate. It comes from an adventurer and extreme sports enthusiast who has spent over thirty years mountaineering around the world, and who describes his life of adventure and how to remain open to life's possibilities.
Adventure Inward consists of inspirational and humorous quotes designed to get readers thinking about their own course in life, and it reaches its own summit in tacking the bigger questions of life purpose. Even if you're not a natural risk-taker, it will provoke reflections on life's meaning that ultimately lead to transitions and changes, and is dedicated "…to the dreamers, the risk takers, and to the misfits."
This is a big job, and it requires organization: there are literally many hundreds of quotes here, and without structure they could all too easily become lost or prove overwhelming. Jonathan Wunrow provides that essential structure in chapters that open with 'Why Play a Risky Game?' and move logically to 'Finding Your Path in Life', 'Hardships and What They Can Teach Us', and 'Family and Other Sacrifices'.
Each chapter comes packed with inspirational quotes from fellow adventurers and spiritual seekers, from Ram Das to Sir Edmund Hillary, and each section receives a fine introduction by Wunrow, who uses his personal experience to translate the process of change.
Thus a series of involving quotes ("It's not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves." Sir Edmund Hillary) are preceded (or followed) by Wunrow's own self-examination: "An even more important question is how do we define "good" and who gets to do the defining?...(sic) …the best risk takers are the fearless ones…Commitment, determination, and patience are key to dealing with the day-in and day-out mental, emotional and physical grind of training and participating in extreme sports."
And lest you think you need to be a sports enthusiast to properly absorb his adages, let it be said that the only prerequisite is an interest in self-growth and understanding life paths and transition points. If it's an inspirational and thought-provoking reader that's desired, packed with quotes and insights for personal advancement, then Adventure Inward more than fits the bill.
Confessions
of a Self-Help Writer (The Journal of Michael Enzo)
Benjamin W. DeHaven
Lagniappe Publishing
9780989912686 $22.95-Hardcover
9780988912693 $14.95-Digital
www.bdehaven.com
Michael Enzo was a fraud. He was also a philanthropist. He was also a gigolo. And a devout Catholic. He profited from people's insecurities and when that wasn't enough he began systematically psychologically destroying those closest to him - including author Benjamin W. DeHaven.
So why would DeHaven then salvage his former friend's journal from his New Orleans estate after Hurricane Katrina and publish it; especially since he was involved in Enzo's self-help industry deceptions?
Simple: the act of publishing a journal exposing the roots of deception is an act of contrition and an effort to undo the harm that they caused .
And who will be the likely reader of Confessions of a Self-Help Writer? That would be the reader already interested in the self-help field (possibly even those already familiar with Enzo's works) who want a deeper understanding of the entire operation, from Enzo's personality and motivations to the author's own rationale for participating in Enzo's schemes.
Now, forgiveness is a powerful motivator - and so is guilt. Without either in place, Confessions of a Self-Help Writer likely wouldn't have seen the light of day. And another powerful force at work here is egotism: specifically, Michael Enzo's drive to control and change his world and the worlds of others. Without THAT piece in place, he wouldn't have formed the schemes he did, nor candidly wrote about them in this journal. Consider the power of the voice that explains his perspective: ""I am one of the feeble who have to hit rock bottom before they can put things in perspective. Besides, once you hit rock bottom, you can start publishing self-help books in your own name, as long as you're famous. Mine will be a great testimonial to the will of men. When you've physically and mentally demolished the physical representation of your soul, suddenly you become an incredible healer, according to my books."
Add to this dose of autobiography a series of revelations that systematically show how darkness enters a common man's soul and how it twists motivation to ultimately foster deceptive practices and you have a satisfying blend of autobiography, journal entries, and insights into not just one man's obsession, but the psychological trappings of the self-help industry as a whole.
Eye-opening (even eye-popping, at points) and involving, Confessions of a Self-Help Writer reads like a thriller but is true life confession at its best.
Benjamin W. DeHaven
Lagniappe Publishing
9780989912686 $22.95-Hardcover
9780988912693 $14.95-Digital
www.bdehaven.com
Michael Enzo was a fraud. He was also a philanthropist. He was also a gigolo. And a devout Catholic. He profited from people's insecurities and when that wasn't enough he began systematically psychologically destroying those closest to him - including author Benjamin W. DeHaven.
So why would DeHaven then salvage his former friend's journal from his New Orleans estate after Hurricane Katrina and publish it; especially since he was involved in Enzo's self-help industry deceptions?
Simple: the act of publishing a journal exposing the roots of deception is an act of contrition and an effort to undo the harm that they caused .
And who will be the likely reader of Confessions of a Self-Help Writer? That would be the reader already interested in the self-help field (possibly even those already familiar with Enzo's works) who want a deeper understanding of the entire operation, from Enzo's personality and motivations to the author's own rationale for participating in Enzo's schemes.
Now, forgiveness is a powerful motivator - and so is guilt. Without either in place, Confessions of a Self-Help Writer likely wouldn't have seen the light of day. And another powerful force at work here is egotism: specifically, Michael Enzo's drive to control and change his world and the worlds of others. Without THAT piece in place, he wouldn't have formed the schemes he did, nor candidly wrote about them in this journal. Consider the power of the voice that explains his perspective: ""I am one of the feeble who have to hit rock bottom before they can put things in perspective. Besides, once you hit rock bottom, you can start publishing self-help books in your own name, as long as you're famous. Mine will be a great testimonial to the will of men. When you've physically and mentally demolished the physical representation of your soul, suddenly you become an incredible healer, according to my books."
Add to this dose of autobiography a series of revelations that systematically show how darkness enters a common man's soul and how it twists motivation to ultimately foster deceptive practices and you have a satisfying blend of autobiography, journal entries, and insights into not just one man's obsession, but the psychological trappings of the self-help industry as a whole.
Eye-opening (even eye-popping, at points) and involving, Confessions of a Self-Help Writer reads like a thriller but is true life confession at its best.
Short Story
Justice,
Inc.
Dale Bridges
Monkey Puzzle Press
978-0-9915429-5-6 $15.00
Justice, Inc. is a collection of short stories that opens with an introduction that's nothing short of hilarious - for those who can take spiritual tongue-in-cheek jokes: "Imagine this. God creates a world. He makes it blue and green and round like a shiny marble. Then He takes a nap. When He wakes up, there are a bunch of fleshy bipeds running all over the place, naming things and bossing everyone around. God tells them to keep it down. They refuse. So He floods the marble. A few of the fleshy bipeds build a boat and make it out alive. God decides they can’t do much harm and goes back to bed. Once again, He is awakened by their whining. He doesn’t know how they got His number, but they are calling Him day and night. They don’t want to build pyramids any longer. They want to live in a lactating country filled with bees. He sends them to Utah hoping to shut them up."
And it goes on from there, culminating in how the author came to write this collection: "In the year of our Lord 2014, a drunken, unemployed writer named Dale Bridges was attempting to steal cable from his neighbor in order to watch late-night porn and accidentally tapped into God’s satellite feed…"
So you want to find out more? Read this: it's one of the most brilliant introductions this reviewer has seen in recent years, and for those not scared off by the offbeat spiritual references, it's a fine prelude to the kind of writing you can expect from Justice, Inc - which is anything but ordinary.
For one thing, each opening in each short story scenario is unexpected and gripping. Take 'Welcome To Omni-Mart', for just one example: now, how could one not want to read on, with an opening like this?: "Barry wants me to terminate the babies in the morning before the customers arrive, and he’s the District Manager, so that’s what I do."
Or perhaps 'The Other Ones', which promises racy reading and delivers it with a bang: "In the beginning, there was porn. Lots and lots of porn."
And once again: if you're easily offended by offbeat references to sex, religion, or alternative cultures, this is not for you.
Expect the unexpected - and expect it packaged in short stories that range from only a page or so in length to multi-page reads; each honed to impact their reader with out-of-the-box scenarios and wry observations. The mark of a real short story artist is the ability to pull high impact with the fewest number of words, so every word must count no matter what the length - and Dale Bridges more than proves his prowess in this field.
From reflections on youth to the digital revolution, chapters pull no punches and provide nothing canned or dull, as in 'The Generation Gap': "And so after many, many years, the young people of the village gathered together and told the old people it was time to die. Of course, the old people were not fond of the idea and said they would prefer not to. The old people argued that they felt just fine."
So if it's out-of-the-box thinking you're looking for and a wry, gritty observational tone that skirts the edges of social offense and humor, Justice, Inc is just the ticket. Expect the unexpected, for it's the norm in each story of Dale Bridges's hard-hitting collection.
Dale Bridges
Monkey Puzzle Press
978-0-9915429-5-6 $15.00
Justice, Inc. is a collection of short stories that opens with an introduction that's nothing short of hilarious - for those who can take spiritual tongue-in-cheek jokes: "Imagine this. God creates a world. He makes it blue and green and round like a shiny marble. Then He takes a nap. When He wakes up, there are a bunch of fleshy bipeds running all over the place, naming things and bossing everyone around. God tells them to keep it down. They refuse. So He floods the marble. A few of the fleshy bipeds build a boat and make it out alive. God decides they can’t do much harm and goes back to bed. Once again, He is awakened by their whining. He doesn’t know how they got His number, but they are calling Him day and night. They don’t want to build pyramids any longer. They want to live in a lactating country filled with bees. He sends them to Utah hoping to shut them up."
And it goes on from there, culminating in how the author came to write this collection: "In the year of our Lord 2014, a drunken, unemployed writer named Dale Bridges was attempting to steal cable from his neighbor in order to watch late-night porn and accidentally tapped into God’s satellite feed…"
So you want to find out more? Read this: it's one of the most brilliant introductions this reviewer has seen in recent years, and for those not scared off by the offbeat spiritual references, it's a fine prelude to the kind of writing you can expect from Justice, Inc - which is anything but ordinary.
For one thing, each opening in each short story scenario is unexpected and gripping. Take 'Welcome To Omni-Mart', for just one example: now, how could one not want to read on, with an opening like this?: "Barry wants me to terminate the babies in the morning before the customers arrive, and he’s the District Manager, so that’s what I do."
Or perhaps 'The Other Ones', which promises racy reading and delivers it with a bang: "In the beginning, there was porn. Lots and lots of porn."
And once again: if you're easily offended by offbeat references to sex, religion, or alternative cultures, this is not for you.
Expect the unexpected - and expect it packaged in short stories that range from only a page or so in length to multi-page reads; each honed to impact their reader with out-of-the-box scenarios and wry observations. The mark of a real short story artist is the ability to pull high impact with the fewest number of words, so every word must count no matter what the length - and Dale Bridges more than proves his prowess in this field.
From reflections on youth to the digital revolution, chapters pull no punches and provide nothing canned or dull, as in 'The Generation Gap': "And so after many, many years, the young people of the village gathered together and told the old people it was time to die. Of course, the old people were not fond of the idea and said they would prefer not to. The old people argued that they felt just fine."
So if it's out-of-the-box thinking you're looking for and a wry, gritty observational tone that skirts the edges of social offense and humor, Justice, Inc is just the ticket. Expect the unexpected, for it's the norm in each story of Dale Bridges's hard-hitting collection.
River
Talk
CB Anderson
CR Press
978-1-936196-46-3 $16.00
www.crpress.org/product/river-talk/
The short stories featured in River Talk are all about small town settings and individual experience, and are recommended for readers who enjoy vignettes steeped in a sense of place and peppered with a wide range of emotional tests.
These small town settings serve as the foundations for tales that evolve to reveal protagonist strengths and weaknesses, and which engage readers with dialogues of self-inspection and challenge.
Take, for example, the opening story 'China Falls'. Now, opening stories often set the tone for the entire collection when it comes to the short story format. They serve as not only introductions to attitude and subject but often set the stage for stories to follow along the same vein. As such, many a collection opens with a strong punch but peters out later on as the tales assume a similarity of focus that eventually sets aside any elements of surprise.
Not so 'China Falls', which is merely one powerful opening act in a wider-ranging drama. Here the town of China Falls is facing a drought and resident Jeanine is facing a personal crisis as a single mother to her special-needs son and teen daughter. Work is the only place that allows her the freedom to relax in her role: "The Fiddlehead, Jeanine thinks as she flips on the blender, is the only place where things happen as they should, where she feels part of a smooth, working unit rather than an emblem of misfortune."
Everyone in China Falls wishes it would rain; longs for relief - as does Jeanine, who protects her son against all odds and is afraid to confess (even to her ex) that her boy is growing too difficult to control: "She will not tell Greg about the tooth or Cory’s rage in the car. She will not tell him what she feels: that Cory is getting harder to control. Or that she is tired."
Now, don't expect a clear resolution at story's end: this is a piece describing circumstance and atmosphere, not a formula work consisting of a beginning, middle, and an end. The only 'end' is uncertainty and the only 'conclusion' is Jeanine's connection to her son.
The same goes for 'Dance Recital for the Men of the American Legion in April': quite a different story that centers upon two dancer girls and a recital that captures a moment in time between present and future.
Drama is subtle in these tales; so don't expect highly-charged plots, either. It's CB Anderson's use of subtlety and innuendo that brings out the most in her stories and creates quiet scenarios of desperation and survival in the simplest of events: "A year from now some things would be different. The mother of the red-costumed girl would come home early one morning to find her husband waiting at the kitchen table. Why, he would ask, and she would not know the answer. Soon she would leave, taking their daughter with her. After that, the girls would no longer tap-dance together. This, at least, would provide some small relief to the girls themselves."
Another plus: there's no singular pattern to the characters or settings; from an Iraq War veteran who struggles with civilian life to a Somali's struggle with American culture and work ethics.
These are 'ordinary' people involved in extraordinary situations and they are living their lives on the edge while formulating new worldviews and tools for personal survival. Expect no easy answers - and no easy questions, either.
It's CB Anderson's talent in bringing together these disparate lives with minimal direction and seemingly effortless observation that makes this literary collection shine.
CB Anderson
CR Press
978-1-936196-46-3 $16.00
www.crpress.org/product/river-talk/
The short stories featured in River Talk are all about small town settings and individual experience, and are recommended for readers who enjoy vignettes steeped in a sense of place and peppered with a wide range of emotional tests.
These small town settings serve as the foundations for tales that evolve to reveal protagonist strengths and weaknesses, and which engage readers with dialogues of self-inspection and challenge.
Take, for example, the opening story 'China Falls'. Now, opening stories often set the tone for the entire collection when it comes to the short story format. They serve as not only introductions to attitude and subject but often set the stage for stories to follow along the same vein. As such, many a collection opens with a strong punch but peters out later on as the tales assume a similarity of focus that eventually sets aside any elements of surprise.
Not so 'China Falls', which is merely one powerful opening act in a wider-ranging drama. Here the town of China Falls is facing a drought and resident Jeanine is facing a personal crisis as a single mother to her special-needs son and teen daughter. Work is the only place that allows her the freedom to relax in her role: "The Fiddlehead, Jeanine thinks as she flips on the blender, is the only place where things happen as they should, where she feels part of a smooth, working unit rather than an emblem of misfortune."
Everyone in China Falls wishes it would rain; longs for relief - as does Jeanine, who protects her son against all odds and is afraid to confess (even to her ex) that her boy is growing too difficult to control: "She will not tell Greg about the tooth or Cory’s rage in the car. She will not tell him what she feels: that Cory is getting harder to control. Or that she is tired."
Now, don't expect a clear resolution at story's end: this is a piece describing circumstance and atmosphere, not a formula work consisting of a beginning, middle, and an end. The only 'end' is uncertainty and the only 'conclusion' is Jeanine's connection to her son.
The same goes for 'Dance Recital for the Men of the American Legion in April': quite a different story that centers upon two dancer girls and a recital that captures a moment in time between present and future.
Drama is subtle in these tales; so don't expect highly-charged plots, either. It's CB Anderson's use of subtlety and innuendo that brings out the most in her stories and creates quiet scenarios of desperation and survival in the simplest of events: "A year from now some things would be different. The mother of the red-costumed girl would come home early one morning to find her husband waiting at the kitchen table. Why, he would ask, and she would not know the answer. Soon she would leave, taking their daughter with her. After that, the girls would no longer tap-dance together. This, at least, would provide some small relief to the girls themselves."
Another plus: there's no singular pattern to the characters or settings; from an Iraq War veteran who struggles with civilian life to a Somali's struggle with American culture and work ethics.
These are 'ordinary' people involved in extraordinary situations and they are living their lives on the edge while formulating new worldviews and tools for personal survival. Expect no easy answers - and no easy questions, either.
It's CB Anderson's talent in bringing together these disparate lives with minimal direction and seemingly effortless observation that makes this literary collection shine.
Spirituality
A
Search for Israel
Bill Shuey
Elderberry Press Inc.
9781301194780 $4.99
www.amazon.com
A Search for Israel centers around one key question: how could a relatively tiny country (Israel/Judea) early on form the foundation of a nation predicted by the Bible to rise to power and become the keystone of the Middle East and a center of Biblical events? It seemed to researcher Bill Shuey that (Israel/Judea) was actually an improbable candidate for this position in the past, let alone its current status: "Genesis 35:10-11 states that Israel would be a nation and also a community of nations. When one looks at Judea today, it simply doesn't fit the Biblical description of a "great nation," and it certainly is not a "community of nations."
And so we are off and running with a controversial, pointed examination of Biblical prophecy, how and why a relative handful of Jews and a tiny besieged area embarked on the road to power, and the events which caused Shuey to question traditional teachings, setting aside everything he'd been taught to reconsider what the Bible actually says about Israel...not how it's interpreted.
What he found will be eye-opening to any interested in Biblical research.
Now, those who are astute and passionate Bible readers and believers should know that Shuey isn't refuting Biblical writings per say: quite the opposite, in fact. He's pointing out that over time, well-meaning interpretations have gone astray - and that better insights can be gained from a closer inspection and consideration of actual Scripture, even by lay readers: "Almost from infancy, we are conditioned to believe certain things. Some of these things are true and some false. As we mature, we discover that there is no Santa Claus, no Tooth Fairy, no Easter Bunny, and dozens of other things that children are taught to believe. Religion is somewhat the same because it conditions people to believe certain things. There is nothing necessarily sinister or diabolic at work here. People in authority, preachers and teachers, simply repeat what they have been told and have accepted as truth."
Chapters are designed to point readers in the direction clarifying these truths, following the path Shuey took in his own research and covering the major questions he tries to answer.
Now, this subject is a puzzle; and like any good puzzle, it should challenge the mind ... which requires from the reader that said mind be open to new ideas: "...it attempts to put together a jigsaw puzzle of seemingly unrelated pieces. As each individual piece is placed in its proper position, the entire picture begins to come into focus. However, truth is meaningless unless one is willing to be open-minded about what one has been indoctrinated to believe versus what is before your very eyes. The veracity of the Old (OT) and New Testament (NT) of the Bible hinges on the promises made to the nations of Israel and Judah. If the Jews are Israel then the promises are false and everything that Jewish and Christian adherents believe crumbles under the weight of that falsehood. The truth in this book won't "set you free," but it will provide insight into the reality of prophesy contained in the OT."
So be forewarned: A Search for Israel is NOT a recommendation for spiritual readers not open to new ideas, insights, and most of all, to questioning what has too long been taught as 'the only truth'.
It IS for the thinking, questioning, Christian reader who is open to new interpretations of Biblical Scripture. This reader will delight in a focus that concentrates on the evolution of Israel as a state, a concept, and a place of religious importance. It's about the Hebrew people and their place in Scripture, in the Middle East, and in the evolving world - and it pulls no punches in discussing Biblical incongruities and interpretations that cloud the history of the Jewish race.
With an acknowledgement that many passages of the Bible are subject to interpretation ("While the Bible is considered by many to be the infallible Word of God, there are several potential dissimilarities, conflicts, and contradictions that make that assessment problematic. For the purpose of this book, scriptures are presumed to be correct when quoted."), the reader is off and running, learning about the evolution of the nation of Judah and the Bible itself.
Now, one might not expect such a study to be wide-ranging; certainly not to include discussions of ancient Ireland and Druid legends, the cuneiform tablets from Tell Hariri (ancient Mari) in western Syria (which are housed in the Damascus Museum and which have helped clarify the origins of Bible prophesies), and the underlying meaning of the Egyptian periods both to modern Americans and Hebrew history.
Indeed, there are so many facets involved that in less capable hands, A Search for Israel could all too easily have become a search for understanding Shuey's writings - but such is not the case. Part of his art and craft lies in an ability to not just conduct research or question protocol, but to tie together seemingly disparate avenues of investigation within the larger context of Biblical meaning.
In this, A Search for Israel shines. The fact that it can retain a lively tone while presenting what would otherwise seem an overwhelming combination of researched information, history, and Biblical quotes make for an exceptional read any intellectual Christian reader will find accessible and absorbing.
Bill Shuey
Elderberry Press Inc.
9781301194780 $4.99
www.amazon.com
A Search for Israel centers around one key question: how could a relatively tiny country (Israel/Judea) early on form the foundation of a nation predicted by the Bible to rise to power and become the keystone of the Middle East and a center of Biblical events? It seemed to researcher Bill Shuey that (Israel/Judea) was actually an improbable candidate for this position in the past, let alone its current status: "Genesis 35:10-11 states that Israel would be a nation and also a community of nations. When one looks at Judea today, it simply doesn't fit the Biblical description of a "great nation," and it certainly is not a "community of nations."
And so we are off and running with a controversial, pointed examination of Biblical prophecy, how and why a relative handful of Jews and a tiny besieged area embarked on the road to power, and the events which caused Shuey to question traditional teachings, setting aside everything he'd been taught to reconsider what the Bible actually says about Israel...not how it's interpreted.
What he found will be eye-opening to any interested in Biblical research.
Now, those who are astute and passionate Bible readers and believers should know that Shuey isn't refuting Biblical writings per say: quite the opposite, in fact. He's pointing out that over time, well-meaning interpretations have gone astray - and that better insights can be gained from a closer inspection and consideration of actual Scripture, even by lay readers: "Almost from infancy, we are conditioned to believe certain things. Some of these things are true and some false. As we mature, we discover that there is no Santa Claus, no Tooth Fairy, no Easter Bunny, and dozens of other things that children are taught to believe. Religion is somewhat the same because it conditions people to believe certain things. There is nothing necessarily sinister or diabolic at work here. People in authority, preachers and teachers, simply repeat what they have been told and have accepted as truth."
Chapters are designed to point readers in the direction clarifying these truths, following the path Shuey took in his own research and covering the major questions he tries to answer.
Now, this subject is a puzzle; and like any good puzzle, it should challenge the mind ... which requires from the reader that said mind be open to new ideas: "...it attempts to put together a jigsaw puzzle of seemingly unrelated pieces. As each individual piece is placed in its proper position, the entire picture begins to come into focus. However, truth is meaningless unless one is willing to be open-minded about what one has been indoctrinated to believe versus what is before your very eyes. The veracity of the Old (OT) and New Testament (NT) of the Bible hinges on the promises made to the nations of Israel and Judah. If the Jews are Israel then the promises are false and everything that Jewish and Christian adherents believe crumbles under the weight of that falsehood. The truth in this book won't "set you free," but it will provide insight into the reality of prophesy contained in the OT."
So be forewarned: A Search for Israel is NOT a recommendation for spiritual readers not open to new ideas, insights, and most of all, to questioning what has too long been taught as 'the only truth'.
It IS for the thinking, questioning, Christian reader who is open to new interpretations of Biblical Scripture. This reader will delight in a focus that concentrates on the evolution of Israel as a state, a concept, and a place of religious importance. It's about the Hebrew people and their place in Scripture, in the Middle East, and in the evolving world - and it pulls no punches in discussing Biblical incongruities and interpretations that cloud the history of the Jewish race.
With an acknowledgement that many passages of the Bible are subject to interpretation ("While the Bible is considered by many to be the infallible Word of God, there are several potential dissimilarities, conflicts, and contradictions that make that assessment problematic. For the purpose of this book, scriptures are presumed to be correct when quoted."), the reader is off and running, learning about the evolution of the nation of Judah and the Bible itself.
Now, one might not expect such a study to be wide-ranging; certainly not to include discussions of ancient Ireland and Druid legends, the cuneiform tablets from Tell Hariri (ancient Mari) in western Syria (which are housed in the Damascus Museum and which have helped clarify the origins of Bible prophesies), and the underlying meaning of the Egyptian periods both to modern Americans and Hebrew history.
Indeed, there are so many facets involved that in less capable hands, A Search for Israel could all too easily have become a search for understanding Shuey's writings - but such is not the case. Part of his art and craft lies in an ability to not just conduct research or question protocol, but to tie together seemingly disparate avenues of investigation within the larger context of Biblical meaning.
In this, A Search for Israel shines. The fact that it can retain a lively tone while presenting what would otherwise seem an overwhelming combination of researched information, history, and Biblical quotes make for an exceptional read any intellectual Christian reader will find accessible and absorbing.
Young Adult
and Childrens
Camp
Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet
Jenny Ruden
Koehler Books
210 - 60th St., Virginia Beach, VA 23451
john@koehlerbooks.com
9781940192314 $18.95 300 pages
www.koehlerbooks.com
Camp Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet tells of teen Bethany Stern, slated to spend her summer at Camp Utopia, a 'fat camp' in Northern California, unless she can lose weight. But she's already tried everything…there's only one thing left to try: 'The Forgiveness Diet', which requires her to confront the angst in her life and practice forgiveness.
So Bethany writes a series of nasty emails to everyone in an effort to rid herself of her anger, parks them in 'drafts', and then (surprise!) they wind up being accidentally 'sent' to everyone - including her father.
Now she's really in the doghouse - and mired at a camp she hates. Can she really change her life there, thin or not? And is it true that she won't find romance until she's slender?
As events unfold, readers begin to see that weight isn't really the main issue, here. Bethany needs to unfold, herself; and her blossoming process as she interacts with others lies at the heart of a novel that peppers a healthy dose of humor into its proceedings: "Bethany, the fist time I saw you I was like, here's a girl who gets it. Linda, as in beautiful." All my life I had waited for someone to use the words Bethany and beautiful in the same sentence. ALL.MY.LIFE. Only it wasn't TJ. It was Liliana's brother?!"
Dialogue and interactions are realistic: Bethany is not only believable but involves readers in the series of snafus that often make up a teen's life. Because of her, the issues of 'fat camp' AND dieting all come together to spice a transformation process that will ultimately lead Bethany to feel more empowered.
Again, it's worth reiterating the unexpected thread of fun that runs throughout Camp Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet: anticipate a wry observational tone and a protagonist who succeeds in carrying her story with a satisfying combination of poignancy, hope and humor throughout: in short, a 'camp' and 'weight loss' novel far different than your usual teen story about either subject.
Jenny Ruden
Koehler Books
210 - 60th St., Virginia Beach, VA 23451
john@koehlerbooks.com
9781940192314 $18.95 300 pages
www.koehlerbooks.com
Camp Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet tells of teen Bethany Stern, slated to spend her summer at Camp Utopia, a 'fat camp' in Northern California, unless she can lose weight. But she's already tried everything…there's only one thing left to try: 'The Forgiveness Diet', which requires her to confront the angst in her life and practice forgiveness.
So Bethany writes a series of nasty emails to everyone in an effort to rid herself of her anger, parks them in 'drafts', and then (surprise!) they wind up being accidentally 'sent' to everyone - including her father.
Now she's really in the doghouse - and mired at a camp she hates. Can she really change her life there, thin or not? And is it true that she won't find romance until she's slender?
As events unfold, readers begin to see that weight isn't really the main issue, here. Bethany needs to unfold, herself; and her blossoming process as she interacts with others lies at the heart of a novel that peppers a healthy dose of humor into its proceedings: "Bethany, the fist time I saw you I was like, here's a girl who gets it. Linda, as in beautiful." All my life I had waited for someone to use the words Bethany and beautiful in the same sentence. ALL.MY.LIFE. Only it wasn't TJ. It was Liliana's brother?!"
Dialogue and interactions are realistic: Bethany is not only believable but involves readers in the series of snafus that often make up a teen's life. Because of her, the issues of 'fat camp' AND dieting all come together to spice a transformation process that will ultimately lead Bethany to feel more empowered.
Again, it's worth reiterating the unexpected thread of fun that runs throughout Camp Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet: anticipate a wry observational tone and a protagonist who succeeds in carrying her story with a satisfying combination of poignancy, hope and humor throughout: in short, a 'camp' and 'weight loss' novel far different than your usual teen story about either subject.
My
Mothers Kitchen: A Novel With Recipes
Meera Ekkanath Klein
Homebound Publications
Postal Box 1442, Pawcatuck CT 06379-1442
info@homeboundpublications.com
978-1-938846-29-8 $18.95 266 pages
www.homeboundpublications.com
My Mothers Kitchen: A Novel With Recipes reflects the author's childhood in India, incorporates some of her favorite family dishes, and provides the dual story of a girl growing up in India and the food that permeated her life and experiences.
Now, one might believe this would be a children's story; but it's not: it's packed with insights on Indian culture, cooking and eating, and will appeal across the board from teens through adult readers - and this is just one of its strengths.
Now, readers should ideally have a prior affection for novels that focus on cooking and include recipes: those with little interest in food or other cultures won't be able to appreciate the focus and detail packed into My Mothers Kitchen.
But this doesn't mean that teen readers won't become fascinated by the progress of protagonist Kashi's life; just that cooking (and Indian culture) are steeped into every chapter, and food is one of the novel's main themes: "For being such an enchanting place, the kitchen is actually very ordinary. It consists of two rooms, connected by an open doorway. The first room has three pieces of furniture, all large and made of wood. There is a long teak table with measuring cups and milk strainers on it. The china cabinet occupies another wall, filled with pieces of fine china as well as stainless steel pots and pans. Against yet another wall is a large cupboard with a mesh covering. I loved to open this door and take whiff s of the buttery tang of yogurt and the biting aroma of dried chilies."
It's the smoky aromas of cooking and the culinary insights peppered liberally throughout which set My Mothers Kitchen apart from most other novels about Indian culture and experience ("When the cream of wheat turned a pale golden color, Sita added some sugar and then a cup of hot water from a pot on the hearth. The sweet mixture immediately formed a thick pudding. She kept stirring the pudding until it was tender and smooth. She took down a small stainless container and pried open the lid. “This is special saffron coming all the way from the snowy slopes of the Himalayan Mountains.” Sita placed a small pinch of the bright orange strands into a spoonful of warm water. Immediately the water turned a bright orange and the air was filled with the exotic smell of the spice.") - and for any age reader (whether it be teen or adult) with even a casual interest in food, this makes for a rich read, indeed.
Lest one wonder: the story may be cemented by culinary encounters; but there are plenty of other insights and protagonists range from monks to would-be suitors, mailmen to thieves.
Food binds all together and provides delicious connections throughout: "This is best tea I’ve ever tasted,” I say to Paru Amma, who beams at me. “The tea is liquid cardamom,” she says. “We peel the seeds and boil them in water and then steep the tea in the spice water. The spice tea is mixed with fresh milk and sugar and served hot. That’s why it tastes so good.”
As Meena moves from high school to college, forced to major in Home Economics (the only acceptable reason her family will accept for her higher education pursuits), she constantly struggles against matchmaking efforts and the underlying ramifications of her choices, which even reach into her love of food: "The matchmaker watched me eat.
“So (snort),” she said, chewing loudly on the lentil snack. “You know how to cook these (snort)?” “My mother taught me how to make them,” I replied. “She is the best cook in her home ec class,” my mother said. “She has taught the instructor how to make all kinds of food, even foreign foods like noodles.” “But you don’t eat that stuff (snort, snort)?” the matchmaker looked horrified at the thought. “Isn’t it all impure (snort)? Full of eggs and meat (snort)?” “No, no. The noodles are just like our sava (vermicelli),” I explained. The matchmaker wasn’t entirely convinced but she didn’t say anything more about my cooking, foreign or otherwise."
What will happen to a 'modern' Indian girl who bucks the trend with different desires for her future, and how does food enter into the picture?
Anticipate a savory, mouth-watering read in My Mothers Kitchen, which holds the added bonus of being packed with appealing, tested recipes throughout its inviting story.
Meera Ekkanath Klein
Homebound Publications
Postal Box 1442, Pawcatuck CT 06379-1442
info@homeboundpublications.com
978-1-938846-29-8 $18.95 266 pages
www.homeboundpublications.com
My Mothers Kitchen: A Novel With Recipes reflects the author's childhood in India, incorporates some of her favorite family dishes, and provides the dual story of a girl growing up in India and the food that permeated her life and experiences.
Now, one might believe this would be a children's story; but it's not: it's packed with insights on Indian culture, cooking and eating, and will appeal across the board from teens through adult readers - and this is just one of its strengths.
Now, readers should ideally have a prior affection for novels that focus on cooking and include recipes: those with little interest in food or other cultures won't be able to appreciate the focus and detail packed into My Mothers Kitchen.
But this doesn't mean that teen readers won't become fascinated by the progress of protagonist Kashi's life; just that cooking (and Indian culture) are steeped into every chapter, and food is one of the novel's main themes: "For being such an enchanting place, the kitchen is actually very ordinary. It consists of two rooms, connected by an open doorway. The first room has three pieces of furniture, all large and made of wood. There is a long teak table with measuring cups and milk strainers on it. The china cabinet occupies another wall, filled with pieces of fine china as well as stainless steel pots and pans. Against yet another wall is a large cupboard with a mesh covering. I loved to open this door and take whiff s of the buttery tang of yogurt and the biting aroma of dried chilies."
It's the smoky aromas of cooking and the culinary insights peppered liberally throughout which set My Mothers Kitchen apart from most other novels about Indian culture and experience ("When the cream of wheat turned a pale golden color, Sita added some sugar and then a cup of hot water from a pot on the hearth. The sweet mixture immediately formed a thick pudding. She kept stirring the pudding until it was tender and smooth. She took down a small stainless container and pried open the lid. “This is special saffron coming all the way from the snowy slopes of the Himalayan Mountains.” Sita placed a small pinch of the bright orange strands into a spoonful of warm water. Immediately the water turned a bright orange and the air was filled with the exotic smell of the spice.") - and for any age reader (whether it be teen or adult) with even a casual interest in food, this makes for a rich read, indeed.
Lest one wonder: the story may be cemented by culinary encounters; but there are plenty of other insights and protagonists range from monks to would-be suitors, mailmen to thieves.
Food binds all together and provides delicious connections throughout: "This is best tea I’ve ever tasted,” I say to Paru Amma, who beams at me. “The tea is liquid cardamom,” she says. “We peel the seeds and boil them in water and then steep the tea in the spice water. The spice tea is mixed with fresh milk and sugar and served hot. That’s why it tastes so good.”
As Meena moves from high school to college, forced to major in Home Economics (the only acceptable reason her family will accept for her higher education pursuits), she constantly struggles against matchmaking efforts and the underlying ramifications of her choices, which even reach into her love of food: "The matchmaker watched me eat.
“So (snort),” she said, chewing loudly on the lentil snack. “You know how to cook these (snort)?” “My mother taught me how to make them,” I replied. “She is the best cook in her home ec class,” my mother said. “She has taught the instructor how to make all kinds of food, even foreign foods like noodles.” “But you don’t eat that stuff (snort, snort)?” the matchmaker looked horrified at the thought. “Isn’t it all impure (snort)? Full of eggs and meat (snort)?” “No, no. The noodles are just like our sava (vermicelli),” I explained. The matchmaker wasn’t entirely convinced but she didn’t say anything more about my cooking, foreign or otherwise."
What will happen to a 'modern' Indian girl who bucks the trend with different desires for her future, and how does food enter into the picture?
Anticipate a savory, mouth-watering read in My Mothers Kitchen, which holds the added bonus of being packed with appealing, tested recipes throughout its inviting story.
A
Quest of Heroes (Book #1 In The Sorcerer’s Ring)
Morgan Rice
Morgan Rice, Publisher
c/o Lukeman Literary Management Ltd
Publisher email: noah@lukeman.com
9781939416018 $2.99 233 pages
http://www.morganricebooks.com/buyquest.htm
A Quest of Heroes is the first book in 'The Sorcerer's Ring' - and the very first thing to note about it is a striking cover, portraying a brooding castle perched atop a winding, dark road. There's no artist attribute for this picture, but it sure does its job; pulling pre-teen and young adult readers into the story of one Thor, who awakes to possibly the greatest day in his life: Conscription Day, a day in which his destiny will be decided.
He has hopes that he'll be picked for his lifelong dream: to become a volunteer for the King's Legion. If this doesn't happen he could forever be regulated to the boring life of a sheep herder, doomed to tend his father's flock in a small village for the rest of his life. The Legion is the stepping stone to his ultimate dream of joining the Silver, the King’s elite force of knights.
For Thor it's more than a dream: it's a transition point where he'll leave a hated life to one paved in gold: "What had made all of this bearable, all these years of tending flocks, of being his father’s lackey, his older brothers’ lackey, the one cared for least and burdened most, was the idea that one day he would leave this place. One day, when the Silver came, he would surprise all those who had underestimated him and be selected. In one swift motion, he would ascend their carriage and say goodbye to all of this."
And it's not as though he has his family's support: he's going to have to fight for even the opportunity to prove himself: "Thor was determined to reject the fate his father had planned for him. At the first sign of the royal caravan, he would race back to the house, confront his father, and, like it or not, make himself known to the King’s men. He would stand for selection with the others. His father could not stop him."
If it all sounds too good to be true - that's because it is. The reality is that Thor, used to making the best out of what life gives him, finds his resources tested at every step of the way, thwarted by both circumstance and family. And if this all sounds like the opening to 'Cinderella' (albeit with a young male protagonist), that's because it basically is. Thor is abused and mistreated and it's only his determination to succeed that stands between a lifetime of such abuse and an entirely new world.
All this doesn't come without a price, however; and the first test is that of failure as Thor endures humiliation only to sees his brothers taking his path toward the coveted goal, leaving him behind to a possible lifetime of servitude and abuse.
No, it's all too much to contemplate: and never one to admit defeat, Thor sets off on a journey to defy the fate life has doled out to him: "He would continue to be his father’s lackey, years would pass, and he would end up just like him, stuck here living a small, menial life—while his brothers gained glory and renown. His veins burned with the indignity of it all. This was not the life he was meant to live. He knew it. Thor wracked his brain for anything he could do, any way he could change it. But there was nothing. These were the cards life had dealt him."
It's Thor's determination to take charge of (and take back) his life that leads him on an adventure that makes his former dreams look puny. And it's an epic quest that involves him in a odyssey fraught with stupid decisions, brave intentions, and high adventure.
Anticipate a spirited fantasy that weaves elements of mystery and intrigue into its story line. It's about more than survival: A Quest of Heroes is all about the making of courage and about realizing a life purpose that leads to growth, maturity, and excellence.
Be forewarned: the 'ending' is inconclusive. But then, readers should already know this from the 'Book One' subtitle. There will be more to the series, and so Thor's journey is just beginning. And for those seeking meaty fantasy adventures, the protagonists, devices, and action provide a vigorous set of encounters that focus well on Thor's evolution from a dreamy child to a young adult facing impossible odds for survival.
Does Thor reach his goals? Suffice it to say that as soon as one door closes, another opens. In this case readers looking for quick, definitive conclusions may be disappointed; but those who enjoy the atmosphere and evolution of A Quest of Heroes will be happy to learn that this is only the beginning of what promises to be an epic young adult series.
Morgan Rice
Morgan Rice, Publisher
c/o Lukeman Literary Management Ltd
Publisher email: noah@lukeman.com
9781939416018 $2.99 233 pages
http://www.morganricebooks.com/buyquest.htm
A Quest of Heroes is the first book in 'The Sorcerer's Ring' - and the very first thing to note about it is a striking cover, portraying a brooding castle perched atop a winding, dark road. There's no artist attribute for this picture, but it sure does its job; pulling pre-teen and young adult readers into the story of one Thor, who awakes to possibly the greatest day in his life: Conscription Day, a day in which his destiny will be decided.
He has hopes that he'll be picked for his lifelong dream: to become a volunteer for the King's Legion. If this doesn't happen he could forever be regulated to the boring life of a sheep herder, doomed to tend his father's flock in a small village for the rest of his life. The Legion is the stepping stone to his ultimate dream of joining the Silver, the King’s elite force of knights.
For Thor it's more than a dream: it's a transition point where he'll leave a hated life to one paved in gold: "What had made all of this bearable, all these years of tending flocks, of being his father’s lackey, his older brothers’ lackey, the one cared for least and burdened most, was the idea that one day he would leave this place. One day, when the Silver came, he would surprise all those who had underestimated him and be selected. In one swift motion, he would ascend their carriage and say goodbye to all of this."
And it's not as though he has his family's support: he's going to have to fight for even the opportunity to prove himself: "Thor was determined to reject the fate his father had planned for him. At the first sign of the royal caravan, he would race back to the house, confront his father, and, like it or not, make himself known to the King’s men. He would stand for selection with the others. His father could not stop him."
If it all sounds too good to be true - that's because it is. The reality is that Thor, used to making the best out of what life gives him, finds his resources tested at every step of the way, thwarted by both circumstance and family. And if this all sounds like the opening to 'Cinderella' (albeit with a young male protagonist), that's because it basically is. Thor is abused and mistreated and it's only his determination to succeed that stands between a lifetime of such abuse and an entirely new world.
All this doesn't come without a price, however; and the first test is that of failure as Thor endures humiliation only to sees his brothers taking his path toward the coveted goal, leaving him behind to a possible lifetime of servitude and abuse.
No, it's all too much to contemplate: and never one to admit defeat, Thor sets off on a journey to defy the fate life has doled out to him: "He would continue to be his father’s lackey, years would pass, and he would end up just like him, stuck here living a small, menial life—while his brothers gained glory and renown. His veins burned with the indignity of it all. This was not the life he was meant to live. He knew it. Thor wracked his brain for anything he could do, any way he could change it. But there was nothing. These were the cards life had dealt him."
It's Thor's determination to take charge of (and take back) his life that leads him on an adventure that makes his former dreams look puny. And it's an epic quest that involves him in a odyssey fraught with stupid decisions, brave intentions, and high adventure.
Anticipate a spirited fantasy that weaves elements of mystery and intrigue into its story line. It's about more than survival: A Quest of Heroes is all about the making of courage and about realizing a life purpose that leads to growth, maturity, and excellence.
Be forewarned: the 'ending' is inconclusive. But then, readers should already know this from the 'Book One' subtitle. There will be more to the series, and so Thor's journey is just beginning. And for those seeking meaty fantasy adventures, the protagonists, devices, and action provide a vigorous set of encounters that focus well on Thor's evolution from a dreamy child to a young adult facing impossible odds for survival.
Does Thor reach his goals? Suffice it to say that as soon as one door closes, another opens. In this case readers looking for quick, definitive conclusions may be disappointed; but those who enjoy the atmosphere and evolution of A Quest of Heroes will be happy to learn that this is only the beginning of what promises to be an epic young adult series.
Reader
Erec Stebbins
Twice Pi Press
1161 York Ave, Box 12C, New York, NY 10065
Publisher email: twicepipress@gmail.com
Paper: 978-0-6157638-5-9 Hardcover: 978-0-9890004-4-4
Kindle: $3.99 Paper: $11.50 Hardcover: $24.99
75K words, print 312 pages
http://www.amazon.com/Reader-Daughter-Time-Erec-Stebbins-ebook/dp/B00CL0UQ5G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399042153&sr=8-1&keywords=%3A+978-0-6157638-5-9
Reader is Book 1 of the 'Daughter of Time' trilogy, and is set in the 21st century where Earth is in thrall to the alien invaders the Dram, a technologically advanced race who kidnap teen Ambra to exploit her special ability to see the past and future.
In the process of their experimentation she's blinded, but her powers increase: and with them expands a unique opportunity to save not only herself, but her entire race.
Mature teen and young adult readers alike will find Ambra's story involving and engrossing. In a world where psychic 'readers' are few and far between, she stands out: this fact leads her on a journey of many experiences, from being tortured and sold into slavery to being freed by a race of benevolent aliens.
And if that's not enough richness, add her journey through space and time itself for a complex, multifaceted read not recommended for those looking for 'light' entertainment, but for avid science fiction readers interested in an exceptionally fine blend of hard science and winning characters.
Now, stories of bleak human encounters with aliens and races saved by the efforts of one unique individual are not rare. So if you go by plot alone, Reader sounds fairly ordinary: even its title doesn't give away the riches to be found within.
Another important note: although the protagonist is a teen (age 17), don't peg this as a 'young adult read' alone: the violence and disturbing confrontations between protagonists doesn't lend to its recommendation much below the age level of 16 or the maturity level of a near-adult.
That said, Reader is an unexpected treat on many levels.
First of all, it's narrated in the first person. This approach allows readers to absorb themselves in Ambra's experiences and world: and a complex world it is, between the reality of alien domination and the triple visions of Ambra's past, present and future: "Short, and yet long separations of time. The way of dreams. For me, the way of life."
Under a lesser hand these experiences and different timelines could all too easily have become confusing: it takes a skilled writer to pull all these threads together to create a uniform flow, and under Stebbins' pen this saga succeeds in assuming a logical, believable and understandable progression of events.
Now, a note for the audience: mature teens and adults won't find some of the descriptions terrifying at all; but this remains a recommendation for such an audience and not younger young adults because some of the descriptions and passages are quite striking: "I was only eleven, and it was too much for me. That demon face – I had seen it before. In another dream. Dreams within dreams. His face was part of a foggy future vision, one I had forgotten and that rushed back through me like nails in my veins. Flashes of future memories whipped through my mind
of pain, and fear, and loneliness, and horror – all connected to this face grinning back at me like some fiend from hell."
And this is light, compared to the torturous trials Ambra experiences under the hands of the aliens.
Mature teens and adults will be engrossed enough in her character to empathize when ill befalls her, celebrate her triumphs, and understand her struggles to cope with her growing powers and their implications. And as far as alien interactions go: we're not talking about one race, but multiple encounters with very different alien species.
To be tortured by aliens and then rescued by a species that visually look even more terrifying makes for a gripping conundrum that springs to life under Stebbens' hand: "We were all beyond the ability to believe or process much intellectually…Others were approached by more light-blue-uniformed nightmares, who spoke soothingly and tried to gather humans together and lead them through to the outside. How gentle they were! If there was anything to map between human empathy and the alien psychology, it seemed to me that the Xix felt our pain,
and genuinely cared for us."
It's personal, it's ever-changing, it's vivid, and it offers a ray of hope against the darkness of pain and evil: everything one could ask from a solid sci-fi read. Reader asks: what history will we change? Ambra could never reach all the Readers at one time: this book is her effort to explain her world - and to entreat its reader to consider their own world-changing efforts. In the end (without spilling beans), suffice it to say that her vantage point is not what one expects.
Oh, you want more? Book Two, Writer, is just waiting. Good thing, too, because the ending of Reader is startling and one can only hope it's not a conclusion, but a new beginning…
Erec Stebbins
Twice Pi Press
1161 York Ave, Box 12C, New York, NY 10065
Publisher email: twicepipress@gmail.com
Paper: 978-0-6157638-5-9 Hardcover: 978-0-9890004-4-4
Kindle: $3.99 Paper: $11.50 Hardcover: $24.99
75K words, print 312 pages
http://www.amazon.com/Reader-Daughter-Time-Erec-Stebbins-ebook/dp/B00CL0UQ5G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399042153&sr=8-1&keywords=%3A+978-0-6157638-5-9
Reader is Book 1 of the 'Daughter of Time' trilogy, and is set in the 21st century where Earth is in thrall to the alien invaders the Dram, a technologically advanced race who kidnap teen Ambra to exploit her special ability to see the past and future.
In the process of their experimentation she's blinded, but her powers increase: and with them expands a unique opportunity to save not only herself, but her entire race.
Mature teen and young adult readers alike will find Ambra's story involving and engrossing. In a world where psychic 'readers' are few and far between, she stands out: this fact leads her on a journey of many experiences, from being tortured and sold into slavery to being freed by a race of benevolent aliens.
And if that's not enough richness, add her journey through space and time itself for a complex, multifaceted read not recommended for those looking for 'light' entertainment, but for avid science fiction readers interested in an exceptionally fine blend of hard science and winning characters.
Now, stories of bleak human encounters with aliens and races saved by the efforts of one unique individual are not rare. So if you go by plot alone, Reader sounds fairly ordinary: even its title doesn't give away the riches to be found within.
Another important note: although the protagonist is a teen (age 17), don't peg this as a 'young adult read' alone: the violence and disturbing confrontations between protagonists doesn't lend to its recommendation much below the age level of 16 or the maturity level of a near-adult.
That said, Reader is an unexpected treat on many levels.
First of all, it's narrated in the first person. This approach allows readers to absorb themselves in Ambra's experiences and world: and a complex world it is, between the reality of alien domination and the triple visions of Ambra's past, present and future: "Short, and yet long separations of time. The way of dreams. For me, the way of life."
Under a lesser hand these experiences and different timelines could all too easily have become confusing: it takes a skilled writer to pull all these threads together to create a uniform flow, and under Stebbins' pen this saga succeeds in assuming a logical, believable and understandable progression of events.
Now, a note for the audience: mature teens and adults won't find some of the descriptions terrifying at all; but this remains a recommendation for such an audience and not younger young adults because some of the descriptions and passages are quite striking: "I was only eleven, and it was too much for me. That demon face – I had seen it before. In another dream. Dreams within dreams. His face was part of a foggy future vision, one I had forgotten and that rushed back through me like nails in my veins. Flashes of future memories whipped through my mind
of pain, and fear, and loneliness, and horror – all connected to this face grinning back at me like some fiend from hell."
And this is light, compared to the torturous trials Ambra experiences under the hands of the aliens.
Mature teens and adults will be engrossed enough in her character to empathize when ill befalls her, celebrate her triumphs, and understand her struggles to cope with her growing powers and their implications. And as far as alien interactions go: we're not talking about one race, but multiple encounters with very different alien species.
To be tortured by aliens and then rescued by a species that visually look even more terrifying makes for a gripping conundrum that springs to life under Stebbens' hand: "We were all beyond the ability to believe or process much intellectually…Others were approached by more light-blue-uniformed nightmares, who spoke soothingly and tried to gather humans together and lead them through to the outside. How gentle they were! If there was anything to map between human empathy and the alien psychology, it seemed to me that the Xix felt our pain,
and genuinely cared for us."
It's personal, it's ever-changing, it's vivid, and it offers a ray of hope against the darkness of pain and evil: everything one could ask from a solid sci-fi read. Reader asks: what history will we change? Ambra could never reach all the Readers at one time: this book is her effort to explain her world - and to entreat its reader to consider their own world-changing efforts. In the end (without spilling beans), suffice it to say that her vantage point is not what one expects.
Oh, you want more? Book Two, Writer, is just waiting. Good thing, too, because the ending of Reader is startling and one can only hope it's not a conclusion, but a new beginning…
South
Heart
S.L. Schwab
Publisher: S. L. Schwab
PO Box 2542
Bismarck ND 58502-2542
E-mail: steve@slschwab.com
ASIN: B00JH2YDO6 $4.99 319 Pages
http://www.amazon.com/South-Heart-S-L-Schwab-ebook/dp/B00JH2YDO6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398181819&sr=1-1&keywords=south+heart
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 978-1492714958 318 Pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
4900 Lacross Road
North Charleston SC 29406
E-mail: info@createspace.com
South Heart centers around a small Dakota town, a sheriff who finds himself facing down Lucifer himself ("Luce") instead of the usual challenges to law, and an epic struggle between good and evil forces, filled with angels and demons. So if it's a mystery or small-town saga you're anticipating from South Heart, think again: it's a slowly-evolving horror story much in the vein of Stephen King and it builds a plot accessible to teen and adult readers alike.
All the trapping of a good horror read are here; but first off, it's important to mention that the saga begins in 1884 in the Dakota Territory: a typical Western frontier setting. A posse and a gang of killers are in the process of confronting one another on the plains when something happens that "doesn't seem right" to the observers.
Fast forward to present-day New York, where Tom is leaving his love, foregoing marriage, and embarking on a journey West, driven by something he can't explain to drive to the small town of South Heart. There he finds a stranger who seems to know all about him without any explanations and a mystery rooted deep in the past that will reach out to grip his life and change everything he believes about the world.
As he continues to struggle with his love for Jean and events that are changing his perceptions, Tom finds himself immersed in new friends and a very different world - and slowly comes to realize that his path in life is nearly predetermined.
South Heart follows two protagonists who increasingly find their lives affected by supernatural forces beyond their experience. As they probe cowboy stories and legends of the past, they slowly come to realize these legends don't just embrace what was; they are embedded in their present-day experience and especially the small town of South Heart, as well.
It's a love story, it's a horror story, it's a Western: one thing you can say about South Heart is that it's unpredictable, incorporating elements of different genres and creating a deliciously-winding story of suspense. As readers share Tom and Jean's evolution, they come to realize (along with the protagonists) that their arrival in the town has somehow tipped an ancient balance and reintroduced forces into the world that should have best remained sleeping.
Lest you wonder at its recommended audience, it should be mentioned that South Heart contains no sexually explicit scenes that would relegate it to adult audiences alone: instead it tones down the romance to flirting, uses ghost towns and abandoned buildings to weave mystery and suspense into its story, and creates an atmosphere easily accessible by teen and adult reader alike.
Steeped in Dakota Territory and in the workings of a creature from hell loosed upon the world, South Heart incorporates tension and action at every turn and is an engrossing saga recommended for mature teens and adult readers: especially those who enjoy novels that cross genres and offer no predictable outcome.
S.L. Schwab
Publisher: S. L. Schwab
PO Box 2542
Bismarck ND 58502-2542
E-mail: steve@slschwab.com
ASIN: B00JH2YDO6 $4.99 319 Pages
http://www.amazon.com/South-Heart-S-L-Schwab-ebook/dp/B00JH2YDO6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398181819&sr=1-1&keywords=south+heart
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 978-1492714958 318 Pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
4900 Lacross Road
North Charleston SC 29406
E-mail: info@createspace.com
South Heart centers around a small Dakota town, a sheriff who finds himself facing down Lucifer himself ("Luce") instead of the usual challenges to law, and an epic struggle between good and evil forces, filled with angels and demons. So if it's a mystery or small-town saga you're anticipating from South Heart, think again: it's a slowly-evolving horror story much in the vein of Stephen King and it builds a plot accessible to teen and adult readers alike.
All the trapping of a good horror read are here; but first off, it's important to mention that the saga begins in 1884 in the Dakota Territory: a typical Western frontier setting. A posse and a gang of killers are in the process of confronting one another on the plains when something happens that "doesn't seem right" to the observers.
Fast forward to present-day New York, where Tom is leaving his love, foregoing marriage, and embarking on a journey West, driven by something he can't explain to drive to the small town of South Heart. There he finds a stranger who seems to know all about him without any explanations and a mystery rooted deep in the past that will reach out to grip his life and change everything he believes about the world.
As he continues to struggle with his love for Jean and events that are changing his perceptions, Tom finds himself immersed in new friends and a very different world - and slowly comes to realize that his path in life is nearly predetermined.
South Heart follows two protagonists who increasingly find their lives affected by supernatural forces beyond their experience. As they probe cowboy stories and legends of the past, they slowly come to realize these legends don't just embrace what was; they are embedded in their present-day experience and especially the small town of South Heart, as well.
It's a love story, it's a horror story, it's a Western: one thing you can say about South Heart is that it's unpredictable, incorporating elements of different genres and creating a deliciously-winding story of suspense. As readers share Tom and Jean's evolution, they come to realize (along with the protagonists) that their arrival in the town has somehow tipped an ancient balance and reintroduced forces into the world that should have best remained sleeping.
Lest you wonder at its recommended audience, it should be mentioned that South Heart contains no sexually explicit scenes that would relegate it to adult audiences alone: instead it tones down the romance to flirting, uses ghost towns and abandoned buildings to weave mystery and suspense into its story, and creates an atmosphere easily accessible by teen and adult reader alike.
Steeped in Dakota Territory and in the workings of a creature from hell loosed upon the world, South Heart incorporates tension and action at every turn and is an engrossing saga recommended for mature teens and adult readers: especially those who enjoy novels that cross genres and offer no predictable outcome.
Toby
Stacy A. Nyikos
Stonehorse Publishing
6528 E. 101st St., Ste. D1 Room 296, Tulsa OK 74133
Email: rkohrs@stonehorsepublishing.com
9780976419952 $15.95 32 pages
www.stonehorsepublishing.com
Toby has much to like for ages 0-8: it features a rollicking, rhyming verse, animals, lovely large-size color drawings on every page (by Shawn Sisneros), and follows a young sea turtle on his adventures from egg to ocean, evading predators at every step.
OK, so you've had rhyming picturebooks and seaside titles in your collection before: what makes Toby stand out from the crowd? A number of things!
For one, the rhymes are anything but predictable - and to reinforce this feel, the 'punch line' conclusion is delivered with a variety of intriguing devices, from appearing on a different page (perfect for read-aloud tension) to featuring the fun creatures little sea turtle Toby encounters, such as a pelican that gets 'tangled in a pose' when it tries to follow Toby under the guise of helping (but with intentions of making Toby a quick meal.)
Many rhyming picturebooks 'dumb down' their contents; especially books trying to appeal to a wide age range. That Toby tailors its message and feel to make it appealing for read-alouds and older picturebook self-readers just makes it all the more versatile.
Yes, it's fiction: but the events follow a turtle's actual, dangerous journey from hatching on the beach to living in the open ocean, and Toby also include a page of fun facts about the life cycle of sea turtles, plus a bibliography for those young readers who would pursue the subject. A supportive website also includes free materials for teaching, from mazes and quiz handouts to coloring pages.
So who will be the likely readers of Toby?
Pick one: aquariums looking to promote sea life to the young, parents seeking a read-aloud with many unexpected moments ("In a sandy little nest/With a happy little shout/Toby cracked apart his shell/And…./Kerploppled headfirst out…."), picturebook readers who love nature, fans of whimsical, original drawings…Toby's a gentle, lovely pick for any of these audiences and will stand out well in a picturebook collection about sea life.
Stacy A. Nyikos
Stonehorse Publishing
6528 E. 101st St., Ste. D1 Room 296, Tulsa OK 74133
Email: rkohrs@stonehorsepublishing.com
9780976419952 $15.95 32 pages
www.stonehorsepublishing.com
Toby has much to like for ages 0-8: it features a rollicking, rhyming verse, animals, lovely large-size color drawings on every page (by Shawn Sisneros), and follows a young sea turtle on his adventures from egg to ocean, evading predators at every step.
OK, so you've had rhyming picturebooks and seaside titles in your collection before: what makes Toby stand out from the crowd? A number of things!
For one, the rhymes are anything but predictable - and to reinforce this feel, the 'punch line' conclusion is delivered with a variety of intriguing devices, from appearing on a different page (perfect for read-aloud tension) to featuring the fun creatures little sea turtle Toby encounters, such as a pelican that gets 'tangled in a pose' when it tries to follow Toby under the guise of helping (but with intentions of making Toby a quick meal.)
Many rhyming picturebooks 'dumb down' their contents; especially books trying to appeal to a wide age range. That Toby tailors its message and feel to make it appealing for read-alouds and older picturebook self-readers just makes it all the more versatile.
Yes, it's fiction: but the events follow a turtle's actual, dangerous journey from hatching on the beach to living in the open ocean, and Toby also include a page of fun facts about the life cycle of sea turtles, plus a bibliography for those young readers who would pursue the subject. A supportive website also includes free materials for teaching, from mazes and quiz handouts to coloring pages.
So who will be the likely readers of Toby?
Pick one: aquariums looking to promote sea life to the young, parents seeking a read-aloud with many unexpected moments ("In a sandy little nest/With a happy little shout/Toby cracked apart his shell/And…./Kerploppled headfirst out…."), picturebook readers who love nature, fans of whimsical, original drawings…Toby's a gentle, lovely pick for any of these audiences and will stand out well in a picturebook collection about sea life.
Turning
on a Dime
Pageworks Press
4 Gibbons Circle
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Email: maggiedana@aol.com
978-0-9851504-9-5 240 pages
Paperback price $9.99 E-book price: $2.99
www.maggiedana.com
Samantha DeVries is a teen equestrian who has only one passion in life: horses. And this likely comes from her father, who is a successful horse trainer and from whom she has inherited her love of steeds.
And here's where Turning on a Dime departs from your usual young adult novel of a horse-crazy girl: Samantha is African-American operating in a world of privileged white girls.
And lest you think this is the primary difference between Turning on a Dime and other horse stories, let's add another twist in the form of a timeslip plot that brings Samantha into the past by way of a time portal that lands her in the bed of Southern belle Caroline, a similar soul who is a tomboy at heart in an era even more critical of headstrong girls.
Inject a dose of history (in that the Civil War is raging) and present Samantha as a modern black girl who obviously doesn't 'know her place' in such a world.
Include the danger of slave catchers; then the conflict that evolves when Samantha realizes that her growing friendship with Caroline means that if she does find a way back to her time, she'll be leaving behind one of the few peers who actually understands and accepts her.
Give all these elements a hearty shake of believability and you have a gripping young adult story in Turning on a Dime, which juxtaposes different elements of tension exquisitely in a story filled with unexpected twists and turns and no easy answers.
Samantha's quandary is clear: "I want my family, my horse, and—I also want Caroline. I can’t imagine leaving her behind. She’s become my best friend, like Jenna . . . like Fergus and Nugget. But what if I can’t leave? What if I’m stuck here . . . forever? Fear sends its bony fingers down my spine. If I’m caught, I’ll be branded a runaway slave. I’ll be beaten and whipped."
So what are the choices in such an impossible scenario?
Young adults will follow Samantha literally to the ends of the earth in a world where she must use an iPhone to help lend validity to her amazing story (and, given how quickly iPhones 'power down' … where is the charging plug in this brave old world?): "I’m from the future,” Sam says, as cool and calm as the inside of a watermelon. “I can tell you about many amazing things that are going to happen.” She pauses. “Long after you’re dead, there will be two world wars,men will fly to the moon, and a black man will be elected president.” He flinches. “Oh, really?” “Yes, really,” Sam says. The major raises one eyebrow. “Prove it.” Slowly, Sam pulls out her iPhone and lays it on Mama’s table. The screen shows Barack Obama being sworn in, followed by a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. Flags wave and bands play; soldiers salute their new commander in chief. Major Van Houten can’t take his eyes off it.
The result is a gripping narrative filled with delightfully original moments: perfect for young adults who love horses, stories of racial confrontation, feisty female protagonists, and unique timeslip dilemmas.
Pageworks Press
4 Gibbons Circle
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Email: maggiedana@aol.com
978-0-9851504-9-5 240 pages
Paperback price $9.99 E-book price: $2.99
www.maggiedana.com
Samantha DeVries is a teen equestrian who has only one passion in life: horses. And this likely comes from her father, who is a successful horse trainer and from whom she has inherited her love of steeds.
And here's where Turning on a Dime departs from your usual young adult novel of a horse-crazy girl: Samantha is African-American operating in a world of privileged white girls.
And lest you think this is the primary difference between Turning on a Dime and other horse stories, let's add another twist in the form of a timeslip plot that brings Samantha into the past by way of a time portal that lands her in the bed of Southern belle Caroline, a similar soul who is a tomboy at heart in an era even more critical of headstrong girls.
Inject a dose of history (in that the Civil War is raging) and present Samantha as a modern black girl who obviously doesn't 'know her place' in such a world.
Include the danger of slave catchers; then the conflict that evolves when Samantha realizes that her growing friendship with Caroline means that if she does find a way back to her time, she'll be leaving behind one of the few peers who actually understands and accepts her.
Give all these elements a hearty shake of believability and you have a gripping young adult story in Turning on a Dime, which juxtaposes different elements of tension exquisitely in a story filled with unexpected twists and turns and no easy answers.
Samantha's quandary is clear: "I want my family, my horse, and—I also want Caroline. I can’t imagine leaving her behind. She’s become my best friend, like Jenna . . . like Fergus and Nugget. But what if I can’t leave? What if I’m stuck here . . . forever? Fear sends its bony fingers down my spine. If I’m caught, I’ll be branded a runaway slave. I’ll be beaten and whipped."
So what are the choices in such an impossible scenario?
Young adults will follow Samantha literally to the ends of the earth in a world where she must use an iPhone to help lend validity to her amazing story (and, given how quickly iPhones 'power down' … where is the charging plug in this brave old world?): "I’m from the future,” Sam says, as cool and calm as the inside of a watermelon. “I can tell you about many amazing things that are going to happen.” She pauses. “Long after you’re dead, there will be two world wars,men will fly to the moon, and a black man will be elected president.” He flinches. “Oh, really?” “Yes, really,” Sam says. The major raises one eyebrow. “Prove it.” Slowly, Sam pulls out her iPhone and lays it on Mama’s table. The screen shows Barack Obama being sworn in, followed by a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. Flags wave and bands play; soldiers salute their new commander in chief. Major Van Houten can’t take his eyes off it.
The result is a gripping narrative filled with delightfully original moments: perfect for young adults who love horses, stories of racial confrontation, feisty female protagonists, and unique timeslip dilemmas.
Wild
Ones
Leigh Goodison
Sheffield Publications, LLC
9009 NE 223rd Circle, Battle Ground, WA 98604
Publisher email: sheffieldpublisher@yahoo.com
0615981585 $10.00 220 pages
http://www.sheffieldpublications.com/books_and_dvds
Wild Ones centers on sixteen-year-old Breeze, who is the new kid at school. But the school is not your ordinary high school: it's a state-run school for troubled teens and Breeze barely has formed friendships when she's faced with the possibility of another placement in a foster home far away, in a remote Oregon area where there's virtually no communication with the outside world.
Now, it's not like Breeze has no experience with rural settings in general or Oregon in particular: before her mother died, they went to southeast Oregon for the annual wild horse roundup, and it's there that she got a taste of the countryside and a respect for its offerings. So one would initially think that the new foster home setting would be a good match … and it would have been, had not Breeze just begun rebuilding her life in a challenging new environment, only to be torn away from yet another possibility of stability.
And so she resents the move, and once there she decides she'll return to the only place that has offered her a measure of friendship: but she must make at least one new friend (in the form of next-door neighbor boy Jared) in order to successfully escape. And therein lies her quandary.
As Breeze comes to develop feelings for her new home - emotions that overlay the lure of her old/new school environment - she comes to face some difficult scenarios in which nothing is clear; especially when her newfound foster parents are arrested, forcing Breeze to take a stand.
Wild horses, wild children, and wild home settings all juxtapose in a well-developed, lively story with a spicy, spunky protagonist recommended equally for young adult to adult audiences, who will appreciate Breeze and Jared's ability to develop positive paths out of challenging situations.
Leigh Goodison's use of the first person to describe her protagonists' struggles solidifies their personalities, closely involves readers in their lives, and succeeds in creating believable dialogue and responses to life: "It sounds sappy, but I couldn’t help wishing that one day I’d find someone to love me like that. Whether it was from a foster parent, or a boyfriend, or maybe just getting closer to my friends. The yearning inside me was so great my throat ached."
In the end it's the well-drawn, moving character of Breeze that brings her world and choices to life, and which makes Wild Ones a satisfying story of life's evolution, the options people consider when facing adversity, and (ultimately) how to pick a path that leads to happiness and human connections no matter where 'home' lies.
Leigh Goodison
Sheffield Publications, LLC
9009 NE 223rd Circle, Battle Ground, WA 98604
Publisher email: sheffieldpublisher@yahoo.com
0615981585 $10.00 220 pages
http://www.sheffieldpublications.com/books_and_dvds
Wild Ones centers on sixteen-year-old Breeze, who is the new kid at school. But the school is not your ordinary high school: it's a state-run school for troubled teens and Breeze barely has formed friendships when she's faced with the possibility of another placement in a foster home far away, in a remote Oregon area where there's virtually no communication with the outside world.
Now, it's not like Breeze has no experience with rural settings in general or Oregon in particular: before her mother died, they went to southeast Oregon for the annual wild horse roundup, and it's there that she got a taste of the countryside and a respect for its offerings. So one would initially think that the new foster home setting would be a good match … and it would have been, had not Breeze just begun rebuilding her life in a challenging new environment, only to be torn away from yet another possibility of stability.
And so she resents the move, and once there she decides she'll return to the only place that has offered her a measure of friendship: but she must make at least one new friend (in the form of next-door neighbor boy Jared) in order to successfully escape. And therein lies her quandary.
As Breeze comes to develop feelings for her new home - emotions that overlay the lure of her old/new school environment - she comes to face some difficult scenarios in which nothing is clear; especially when her newfound foster parents are arrested, forcing Breeze to take a stand.
Wild horses, wild children, and wild home settings all juxtapose in a well-developed, lively story with a spicy, spunky protagonist recommended equally for young adult to adult audiences, who will appreciate Breeze and Jared's ability to develop positive paths out of challenging situations.
Leigh Goodison's use of the first person to describe her protagonists' struggles solidifies their personalities, closely involves readers in their lives, and succeeds in creating believable dialogue and responses to life: "It sounds sappy, but I couldn’t help wishing that one day I’d find someone to love me like that. Whether it was from a foster parent, or a boyfriend, or maybe just getting closer to my friends. The yearning inside me was so great my throat ached."
In the end it's the well-drawn, moving character of Breeze that brings her world and choices to life, and which makes Wild Ones a satisfying story of life's evolution, the options people consider when facing adversity, and (ultimately) how to pick a path that leads to happiness and human connections no matter where 'home' lies.
Writer
Erec Stebbins
Twice Pi Press
1161 York Ave, Box 12C, New York, NY 10065
Publisher email: twicepipress@gmail.com
Paperback: :978-0-9860571-1-3
Hardback: 978-0-9860571-0-6
Ebook: 978-0-9860571-2-0 $3.99 444 Pages
http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Daughter-Time-Erec-Stebbins-ebook/dp/B00JYLTW9Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399047214&sr=8-1&keywords=9780986057120
Get ready for another emotionally-charged sci-fi read in Writer, Book Two in the 'Daughter of Time' trilogy; this one focusing more upon the romance forecast in Book One, and continuing where Book One left off (prior familiarity with Reader is highly recommended to gain the full flavor of the background and characters who continue their odyssey here in Writer.)
Yes, there is a prologue that handily sets the scene and opens with a bang ("How do you make love to a goddess?"); but it's practically a given that a booklover who begins with Writer will feel compelled to go back to Reader to fill in the blanks; so you might as well start from the beginning for a smoother appreciation of the characters, events, and setting that continues in Book Two.
Here is a different focus on a protagonist who loves Ambra and views her as more than a savior of worlds: "Even these monstrosities, these aliens now positioned across our world with their own godlike technologies and cities—they hold her in awe. In the erased fragments of time, a shattered Earth she made whole. The tyranny of the Dram trembles across the galaxy as her power sweeps outward like a tide washing clean a tainted shore. She communes with the Orbs, summons their power, opens their portals. She is a Cosmic Messiah, writing anew the story of our universe. But not to me. To me, this is only a beginning."
The romance seen in a vision in Reader really heats up in Writer: another indication that its audience should be mature teens into adult readers. As if that were not enough, the story line continues its complex series of twists and turns, focusing on high technology battles and the time-changing encounters between Ambra and her love Nitin (introduced in Book One), who is a lieutenant in a battle supported by the beneficial Xix aliens against the invasive and deadly Dram.
As much as Ambra Dawn was the center of Reader, so Nitin is the center of Writer - and he's also just coming into powers he long believed were not part of his abilities. Additionally, he's struggling with the loss of Ambra and her uncertain continuing presence in his dreams: "I turned to her and spoke, the wild creativity of a dream releasing my thoughts. “Please don’t go away this time.” I was remembering the other dream. Memories of dreams in a dream. I tried to suppress tears, but so much emotion flowed over me that I was overcome. “Please let me stay here with you, Ambra. There is a hole. It eats away at me. My whole life. No one understands. I can’t face that hurricane of emptiness". “Dreams are not lies, Nitin. Dreams are other spaces. Other times. But spaces and times within larger places. Bubbles within seas. Sometimes a person can stay in the bubble and ride out the storms. Never leave the dream.”
As Writer evolves, readers come to understand that Ambra is not only alive beyond the dream-state, but is clearly and remarkably involved in the ongoing resurrection of worlds and individuals alike.
Descriptions continue to capture the moment, neatly juxtaposing physical environment with psychological tension and creating images and scenes that go beyond penetrating and enter into the realm of vibrant experience: "Even now, in the midst of this insanity, I found myself distracted, stunned by her beauty….The stars framed her form, her red locks bouncing slightly with each step. Still reeling from the sudden sense of her disappearance, the reality of her physical presence before me felt infinitely valuable, precious, and vulnerable. Had I understood our ultimate fates, I would have treasured that physicality even more."
Anticipate trips through time and space, wrenching separations and confrontations that will test the lovers' bond to each other and to their worlds, and a healthy dose of high technology, as when a medical AI unit helps save Ambra's life on the field.
All this is no casual narration: it's highly charged with emotion as much as technology, and grips readers in a plot that is saturated with 'you are there' moments: "Somehow she broke through the forces holding her. Her mouth opened, and a cry of such devastating pain ripped through the cosmos that I was convinced that the geometry of space-time would be shattered and unrecoverable. Her cry did not die but wailed into the void ceaselessly, the waves of sound beating through me, the sense of her pain and torture unbearable."
The Collective is growing - and with it, unprecedented powers and purpose. What powers, and to what purpose? Study Writer to find out … and be prepared for another epic story that turns on a dime and leaves its ending open for yet more added attractions later.
Erec Stebbins
Twice Pi Press
1161 York Ave, Box 12C, New York, NY 10065
Publisher email: twicepipress@gmail.com
Paperback: :978-0-9860571-1-3
Hardback: 978-0-9860571-0-6
Ebook: 978-0-9860571-2-0 $3.99 444 Pages
http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Daughter-Time-Erec-Stebbins-ebook/dp/B00JYLTW9Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399047214&sr=8-1&keywords=9780986057120
Get ready for another emotionally-charged sci-fi read in Writer, Book Two in the 'Daughter of Time' trilogy; this one focusing more upon the romance forecast in Book One, and continuing where Book One left off (prior familiarity with Reader is highly recommended to gain the full flavor of the background and characters who continue their odyssey here in Writer.)
Yes, there is a prologue that handily sets the scene and opens with a bang ("How do you make love to a goddess?"); but it's practically a given that a booklover who begins with Writer will feel compelled to go back to Reader to fill in the blanks; so you might as well start from the beginning for a smoother appreciation of the characters, events, and setting that continues in Book Two.
Here is a different focus on a protagonist who loves Ambra and views her as more than a savior of worlds: "Even these monstrosities, these aliens now positioned across our world with their own godlike technologies and cities—they hold her in awe. In the erased fragments of time, a shattered Earth she made whole. The tyranny of the Dram trembles across the galaxy as her power sweeps outward like a tide washing clean a tainted shore. She communes with the Orbs, summons their power, opens their portals. She is a Cosmic Messiah, writing anew the story of our universe. But not to me. To me, this is only a beginning."
The romance seen in a vision in Reader really heats up in Writer: another indication that its audience should be mature teens into adult readers. As if that were not enough, the story line continues its complex series of twists and turns, focusing on high technology battles and the time-changing encounters between Ambra and her love Nitin (introduced in Book One), who is a lieutenant in a battle supported by the beneficial Xix aliens against the invasive and deadly Dram.
As much as Ambra Dawn was the center of Reader, so Nitin is the center of Writer - and he's also just coming into powers he long believed were not part of his abilities. Additionally, he's struggling with the loss of Ambra and her uncertain continuing presence in his dreams: "I turned to her and spoke, the wild creativity of a dream releasing my thoughts. “Please don’t go away this time.” I was remembering the other dream. Memories of dreams in a dream. I tried to suppress tears, but so much emotion flowed over me that I was overcome. “Please let me stay here with you, Ambra. There is a hole. It eats away at me. My whole life. No one understands. I can’t face that hurricane of emptiness". “Dreams are not lies, Nitin. Dreams are other spaces. Other times. But spaces and times within larger places. Bubbles within seas. Sometimes a person can stay in the bubble and ride out the storms. Never leave the dream.”
As Writer evolves, readers come to understand that Ambra is not only alive beyond the dream-state, but is clearly and remarkably involved in the ongoing resurrection of worlds and individuals alike.
Descriptions continue to capture the moment, neatly juxtaposing physical environment with psychological tension and creating images and scenes that go beyond penetrating and enter into the realm of vibrant experience: "Even now, in the midst of this insanity, I found myself distracted, stunned by her beauty….The stars framed her form, her red locks bouncing slightly with each step. Still reeling from the sudden sense of her disappearance, the reality of her physical presence before me felt infinitely valuable, precious, and vulnerable. Had I understood our ultimate fates, I would have treasured that physicality even more."
Anticipate trips through time and space, wrenching separations and confrontations that will test the lovers' bond to each other and to their worlds, and a healthy dose of high technology, as when a medical AI unit helps save Ambra's life on the field.
All this is no casual narration: it's highly charged with emotion as much as technology, and grips readers in a plot that is saturated with 'you are there' moments: "Somehow she broke through the forces holding her. Her mouth opened, and a cry of such devastating pain ripped through the cosmos that I was convinced that the geometry of space-time would be shattered and unrecoverable. Her cry did not die but wailed into the void ceaselessly, the waves of sound beating through me, the sense of her pain and torture unbearable."
The Collective is growing - and with it, unprecedented powers and purpose. What powers, and to what purpose? Study Writer to find out … and be prepared for another epic story that turns on a dime and leaves its ending open for yet more added attractions later.