March 2016 Review Issue
Adventures from
the Ghetto to the Mainstream
William Lord
Adventures from the Ghetto, Publisher
978-0-9966636-0-1 $16.95
http://www.amazon.com/
Imagine being born in the ghettos of Harlem, where gang life and struggle is a part of daily life. Imagine holding greater ambitions than one's surroundings. Then imagine defying these early influences and their familiar paths in favor of something not just greater, but something completely beyond anything well-known.
Adventures from the Ghetto to the Mainstream: Living on the Cutting Edge of the Civil and Human Rights Movement is autobiography at its best and charts the course of this process as author William Lord strives for knowledge and greater goals than his surroundings can offer.
In the process of extending his reach into unfamiliar waters, Lord encounters incongruities and cultural and social prejudices from a wide range of sources and moves from ghetto life to marriage and a growing involvement in civil rights issues. His journey traces an epidemic of obstacles against people of color in this country and his process of confronting these barriers to achievement (both personally and then politically), depicting the efforts of a man who overcomes challenges using diverse approaches at different times in his life.
It's important to note the time frame of this exploration: Lord was born in the 1930s in the Great Depression and grew up in a family of five children. Fortunate enough to experience love and support from within and outside the family (even from a female friend of the family whose husband was an abusive racist), Lord moves through poverty a bit more privileged than some of his peers. He comes to observe the nature and effects of racism on more than one level in his home and community, and personally confronts racism in the South and the horrors of lynching and segregation.
One important feature to note in Adventures from the Ghetto to the Mainstream is that this is a progressive journey. As the author grows, assimilates his surroundings, reflects its messages, and chooses those he will accept or reject, readers are brought along for a ride through not just racial issues in America from the Depression years forward, but one man's growing determination not to give in to repressive forces: "No one was doing anything illegal that might warrant police presence. It was just another attempt to intimidate me, put me in my place, and make me vulnerable for extortion. Unfortunately, they selected the wrong guy to try to make a victim."
As he makes a name for himself in academia and business worlds, he never forgets his roots and makes candid observations about many of the real sources of violence in the black community: "As I was having pleasure enjoying my family’s activities, I became accustomed to anticipating the next tragedy. In most cases, these tragedies were perpetrated by the people we pay to serve and protect the citizenry—the police. To quote Dr. Cornel West of Princeton University, “You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.”
As the "epidemic of injustices" continues to blossom, his voice of reason joins others in documenting these circumstances and the rise of civil rights activism. Thus autobiography swells from personal saga to a social and political journey, carrying readers with the strength of Lord's life and convictions to see how racism may be tackled even from the ghetto, and how many of its greatest challenges have paved positive paths for future generations: "I hope the reader can see that adventures from the ghetto to the mainstream, including poverty, joy, sadness, tragedy, progress, and accomplishment, can be achieved if you persist in doing what you believe."
Readers seeking a personal approach to the effects of racism and how individuals combat it will find much to relish in Adventures from the Ghetto to the Mainstream.
Adventures from the Ghetto to the MainstreamReturn to Index
Nostalgia
from: A City Set Upon a Hill: A Memoir
Garfield “Garry” Whyte
CreateSpace
9781514628928 $27.00 Paperback, $3.99
Kindle
www.garfeel.com
Nostalgia from: A City Set Upon a Hill: A Memoir is centered around one of the oldest all-boys boarding schools in Jamaica, established in 1856 and the author's high school for seven years. But this boarding school story transcends autobiography and even school memoir to offer a nostalgia piece especially inviting to anyone who knows Jamaica or boarding schools well, and is filled with accounts of what it meant to spend seven years in the Munro College high school environment.
Color photos of the school grounds accompany the author's memories of the school's appearance, teachers, its place in the city, and its inviting environment.
From how the school's relative isolation fostered a community spirit that led to unique educational opportunities and interactions to how boys from many different backgrounds came to engage one another and learn, descriptions are especially powerful when they reveal the roots of this process: "There was no computer room or computer lab, like what exists in high schools today, but we had something much better: Bull Sessions. Who said boys don’t gossip? These bull sessions were the most interesting idle-talk sessions I ever knew. They were always fun. Amusement 101. Amusement guaranteed. Just think about what topics were up for discussion. Anything and everything that the minds of idle boys could conceive of were chatted and laughed about. One of the most interesting features of these bull sessions was that many times, the same topics were discussed repeatedly, but from different perspectives, the reason being that many times, there just weren’t enough newsbreak items up for discussion. What I admired about bull sessions was that no special invitation was required; it was impromptu in its purest form."
One might not expected footnoted references from a memoir, but Garfield Whyte's choice of this scholarly approach adds information to the discussion without interrupting its progression. The footnotes explain terminology, slang, and cultural references at the end of the book while readers are able to enjoy a dialogue that flows smoothly.
From the lifelong friendships that evolved from the school's special environment to field trips, pranks, hierarchies of culture and boarding school teachers and life, this light read comes steeped in the flavor and culture of a childhood in Jamaica and will attract a wide audience, from those interested in the island's life to readers who enjoy school days stories, this is a lively and personal examination of a special school and a special era which comes alive with Whyte's observations.
Nostalgia from: A City Set Upon a Hill: A MemoirReturn to Index
Tangents
Between God
Regan Vasconcellos
Lulu.com
ASIN: B019CWA3L2
$3.99
http://www.amazon.com/
Themes of God and suicide, despair and hope, unexpected humor, and thought-provoking philosophy run through Tangents Between God, which is as much a dialogue between reader and author as it is about the author and his life. But if a typical autobiographical reflection is anticipated, be advised that Tangents Between God holds much more than the usual life story.
Its chapters probe the heart of angst, self-examination, a life lived with vigor and variety, and the uncertain reflections of one who might seem to 'have it all', but who actually searches for more meaning than a lightly lived life of leisure would entail.
Here lies the heart of existential angst: in revealing and appreciating the juxtaposition of pain and pleasure and the intersection where both meet, Tangents Between God provides insights using surrealistic and sensual reflections. Some might call them 'rants' - and perhaps they'd be correct. Others would deem these writings both introspective and analytical and this, too, is one of the collection's strengths.
Many times the author boards planes and takes journeys to escape the past and what is familiar, bringing readers along on a globe-trotting series of escapades that are, in turn, frightening, funny, dangerous, and daring.
Passages describing this progress are exquisitely sharp and sometimes painful, like touching a fine shard of glass: "The army took care of me because we suited each other in that fine madness." The more particular English teacher might say that descriptions tend to be lengthy and cross over the line of run-on sentences at times; but here, in this place that is Tangents Between God, they serve as dialogues to link images, impressions, and movements between relationships with institutions, women, and self.
Perhaps the author himself says it best when explaining, at one point, that he cannot provide a vicarious experience for the reader just by exploring the apexes and low points of his life: "Life to be enjoyed has to be lived with the right perspective, and in order to get that perspective we just have to live it and hopefully the perspective will come along the way. No man can climb a mountain vicariously for another."
If the heart of autobiography lies in that vicarious experience, then be advised: Tangents Between God may utilize some of the trappings of autobiography (personal experience, life encounters) as its foundation, but it's more of a road map, touching upon points that brought meaning and purpose to Vasconcellos's own life journey.
At once wrenching and revealing, Tangents Between God is not for the leisure reader and not for those who would read about a linear life, but for those who look for written words that sparkle and shine in their examination of self, society, and the meaning (or its absence) of life. Add surreal descriptions and sometimes-exotic locales and you have a series of encounters that juxtapose experience with insight in a dramatic, absorbing manner recommended for any with an interest in vivid literary and philosophical self-inspection.
Tangents Between GodReturn to Index
More
Collected Couteau: Essays and Interviews
Rob Couteau
Dominantstar
978-0-9966888-1-9
$24.95
www.robcouteau.com
The 'Renaissance Man' is a multi-faceted individual whose fingers are in just about every pie you could imagine, fostering a variety of abilities and mastering many quite well. His expertise is wide-ranging and there's seemingly no limit to his subject, as is demonstrated in More Collected Couteau: Essays and Interviews, which gathers Couteau's insights and encounters with a diverse range of individuals.
More Collected Couteau is divided neatly into two segments. The first section of essays probes the anniversary of the publication of Tropic of Cancer, the pain and anguish of writer Hubert Selby, and the lasting impact of countercultural icon Jack Kerouac with equal aplomb and vivid imagery.
It doesn't matter if you haven't heard of his subject before, either: take Hubert Selby, for example. Couteau's analysis is striking and revealing: "… the reader is a victim of the greatest and most inhuman assault of all. No matter how monstrous or horrific his depictions of abject brutality are, Selby always ups the ante and makes them worse, pushing the limits until, by the end of the tale, he manages to rape our imagination once again, to puncture yet another hole in our innocence."
The joy of reading Couteau's works lies as much in his penetrating, crystalline language as it does in the works or figures being examined, and so readers receive a wide-ranging treat that examines victims, vengeance, mortality and immortality through an inspection process that educates even those unfamiliar with the subject: "Selby once said: “There is no light in my stories, so the reader is forced to turn to his own inner light” to make it through this journey. I now realize this is only partially true. The great beacon in his demonic oeuvre is that of the artfully crafted line and the immense vision of wholeness and transcendence that lurks behind it. Selby’s empathy is there, omnipresent, even while recording the darkest hues of black. The utmost depravity is portrayed with the noblest verse."
After proving his prowess at the essay form, he turns to the heart of the collection: its interviews. These range from discussions with Albert Hoffman (activist and the discoverer of LSD) to interviews with literary figures such as historian and cultural commentator Robert Roper or poet Christopher Sawyer-Lauçanno.
One of the pleasures in this collection is that readers needn't have prior familiarity with the writers' works. Couteau provides that familiarity by the structure of his interview questions, which probe the foundation beliefs of each figure: "The first time I read your wonderful biography, I was struck by how supportive Cummings’s father was. After all, he even paid Estlin to write The Enormous Room. And I was very thrown off by that. I always thought that artists are supposed to have a contentious relationship with their fathers!"
From the possibility that Nabokov suffered unconscious doubts about his own value that led him to insist that the world acknowledge him as a genius to the underlying patriotism of counterculture icons who were commonly seen as rebels ("Ginsberg continually affirmed that, essentially, Jack had always been a sort of patriotic American,” says Sawyer-Lauçanno. "This had never not been part of who he was. It was patriotic to get into an automobile made in Detroit and drive across the country …"), both essays and interviews are designed to make readers think about underlying psychology, social perceptions, and cultural change.
Readers seeking not just a literary presentation but a lively analysis of selected wordsmiths and their lives and influences must add More Collected Couteau to their reading lists. It's a powerful presentation that offers much insight and food for thought, and which should find its way into many a college classroom as well.
More Collected Couteau: Essays and InterviewsReturn to Index
Motions
and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo
By Michael Pronko
Raked Gravel Press
978-1-942410-08-9 - Kindle: $3.99
978-1-942410-11-9 - Paper: $10.99
http://www.amazon.com/Motions-
http://www.michaelpronko.com
Michael Pronko's short stories about Japan's culture and oddities are the next best thing to a visit, but don't expect a travelogue, here. The pleasure of Motions and Moments (as in his other writings) lies not in the usual 'things to go/places to see/I was there' approach, but in an attention to cultural dichotomies and a depth of detail that is difficult to find elsewhere.
Take the opening, for example, with begins with a note about its glossary. One might be surprised that information explaining the glossary's importance prefaces the collection, but in fact this is key to enjoying the work, and shouldn't be skipped over lightly, because: "All Japanese words that work better in Japanese have been given in italicized Roman alphabet form, called romaji. The reader can flip back to the glossary to find those, or read on and experience the confusion of being in Tokyo. Check the back for the fun words, the crucial ones and sometimes the strange."
Tokyo living doesn't just involve a light dose of inconsistency. It embraces it. Pronko outlines this right away, letting readers know that they should be prepared for a production less linear and predictable than the usual treatise on Japanese culture: "True to Tokyo’s inconsistency, I sometimes use some English, like “cell phone,” in the essay on cell phones. But at other times, I put in keitai, short for keitai denwa, which means cell phone. English speaking friends and I rarely use the English word because that little object is so central to Tokyo life. A little inconsistency never hurt anyone, I figure, and anyway, Tokyoites switch terms whenever they feel like it, dropping a little English in here, taking it out there. Inconsistency is part of life here—or maybe its only consistency."
This collection is in keeping with Pronko's other exquisite essays about Japan, so prior fans will be thrilled, while newcomers need have no previous familiarity in order to see how he captures the subtler nuances of Japanese living with crystal clarity.
From Tokyo's own peculiar brand of cell phone addiction and how it differs from other countries to the bigger picture connecting Tokyoite decisions with how the rest of the world functions, insights are thought-provoking reflections of the particular choices this modern world makes, and their impact: "But if you see a teensy photo of a bowl of ramen before you eat it, will it taste any better? There is only so much information a screen can deliver. Tokyo screen size means urban experiences become pre-planned. Checking online beforehand deflates all sense of surprise. Tokyoites start to divide between the virtual planners with expectations cooked up online and the adventurers who plunge into the unplanned and take the consequences."
From the city's unusual undercurrents of silence compared with the din of other urban cities in Asia ("Tokyo life goes on largely unspoken. I could get by just fine for weeks and weeks without saying much of anything to anyone. Shopping, eating, entertainment, almost everything can be accomplished without once uttering a single word, as if the entire city is set up for monks.") to symphonies of sound, taste, and a marathon feel in which life seems to move faster and faster, nobody captures the feel of Tokyo quite like Pronko.
His writings aren't just designed to 'show and tell', but to dissect the psyche and heartbeat of a city to pinpoint its unique culture, from business rituals and formalities to intersections where Tokyoites relax.
Anyone with an interest in Japanese culture in general and Tokyo in particular must acquire Motions and Moments. More so than almost any other treatment, it captures the nuances Westerners find puzzling about Japan and translates them into digestible, vivid insights no visitor should be without.
Motions and Moments: More Essays on TokyoReturn to Index
The
Eclipsing of Sirus C: A Dryden Universe Novel At
first glance it would seem that the 'Dryden Universe' mentioned in the
subtitle
of The
Eclipsing of Sirus C would
require a prior familiarity with this setting (developed by the
artists' group
The Dryden Experiment and made available for general writers' use), but
in
reality, no prior knowledge is required. In
this future world a Major embarks on a special mission to offer her
hacker
brother an opportunity to reverse his desertion sentence (punishable by
death)
and help their cause. Her team is tasked with stealing a rare
technology by
hacking into an alien supercomputer, and Rafe's skills could be the key
to
their success. Impossible
as both missions sound, things are about to get a lot more complicated,
because
alien technology is anything but predictable and the forces brought to
life in
the course of their efforts are complex, embracing singularities,
changing
universes, manipulation on a cosmic scale no human as ever attempted,
and a
newfound understanding of what arises in its place when a complex
system dies. By
now it should be evident that there are several prerequisites for a
thorough enjoyment
of The
Eclipsing of Sirus C:
among them, affection for military and hard sci-fi. There's much in the
way of
military sci-fi on the current market but, sadly, increasingly fewer
hard
sci-fi reads which embrace scientific foundations in the course of
presenting
an adventure. That
The Eclipsing
of Sirus C provides
both in a riveting, changing saga is a tribute to one of its strengths:
its
ability to blend protagonist interests, special missions, and
powerfully
believable futuristic encounters and to add plenty of life and intrigue
into
this mix with an action-packed series of encounters. Don't
expect complex psychology and depth in Daniel Hunt's protagonists,
though.
Readers seeking deep emotional connections might find themselves with
more
action than detailed insights into anything more than the cursory
motivations
and emotions of protagonists. Hunt's
intention isn't to provide gripping characters nor even to explain the
technology involved. Instead, he builds a universe powered with just
enough science
and psychology to involve readers and then adds plenty of gripping
twists and
unexpected moments to bring the thriller portions to life. The
result is especially recommended for sci-fi readers looking for a
solid, good
adventure read powered by a group's special goal of saving not just
their
people, but possibly the universe.
The
Power Flux https://www.facebook.com/The- Alex
Shepherd is out to change the world … only the process of such a vast
change
will certainly begin with the crumbling of established civilization.
Thus
begins the dystopian story The Power Flux,
which doesn't hold an EMT pulse as the instigator of change (as its
title and
so many competitors pose), but poses a new solar power source that
could bring
prosperity to not a select few, but everyone. Free,
unlimited power does not come without its price, though: particularly
for those
who have a vested interest in profiting from old models of keeping
power
resources firmly in the hands but of companies and political
structures. Alex's
position at the heart of an anti-oil movement that finally holds the
capability
of offering something radically successful (and free to all) places him
in the
perfect role as both instigator of change and observer of what
transpires
around him, and this role is deftly translated into a fast-paced
scenario
filled with personal and political struggle. In
this near-future world, there are individuals with extraordinary
sensory powers
that aren't recognized by most of humanity. America
has been divided into territories and is in a fragile state. State
governments
have collapsed, there have been three Oil Panics, the environment and
society
continue to deteriorate, terrorism is rampant, and thus the time is
ripe for
vast changes. Politics,
pulse guns, and dangerous encounters stalk Alex's band of companions
and
introduce readers to a world not entirely unlike our own. Alex
determines to
change the social and political structure, and loyal members of his
group place
their lives on the line for a greater cause. Driven by the desire to
build a
better world for his daughter (among other motivators), Alex is in the
unique
position of working against impossible odds to turn a dying world into
a living,
more effective future. One
might expect some of the physical and political struggles throughout The Power Flux,
but it's important to note
that matters of heart and spirit are not neglected in the process of
describing
the sweeping changes embracing all: "Plenty
of horrible things happen to kids too,” I reply and dip my hand into
the glassy
pond. This motion sends subtle ripples racing outward in an expanding
and
dissipating crescent on the surface of the water. “Not energetically.
It’s not
the same.” Jessie reaches his hand down to the water. He holds it flat
above
the calming surface of the water. “Physically, yes, bad things still
happen,
but our energetic bodies don’t fully develop or open to the harsh
realities
until early adulthood.” Dystopian
novels all too frequently take predictable paths, but the special
pleasure of
this story lies in its attention to building believable worlds,
protagonists,
goals, and bigger pictures. Add a fast-paced story line and an ending
that
wraps everything up while leaving the door ajar for further
possibilities and
you have a compelling, thought-provoking adventure that takes dark
trends and
adds hope, change, and love into the mix. It's
a powerful cocktail of emotion and action, and is highly recommended
for fans of
dystopian fiction looking for something more vivid, political, and
unpredictable than most genre reads can offer.
Sunborn
Rising: Beneath the Fall In
a world covered by oceans, with forests that float atop them, blight is
a
world-changing event that could extinguish life from the entire planet.
Into
such a world the headstrong Barra is born, but only her late father's
journal
gives any indication that the world so familiar to her now is not the
same
lush, light-infused world her father once knew. Barra's
urge to know more about her father is overwhelming and leads her into
forbidden
territory, and the more she knows, the clearer her quest and purpose
become.
It's a search that cannot be done alone and so, much in the manner of
Tolkien's
Lord of the
Rings, three friends
join together to embark on an unexpected journey of both self-discovery
and
greater, world-changing possibilities. Gorgeous
full-page color drawings capture this fantasy world, from the clawed
and tailed
characters who inhabit Cerulean and who reside in living boughs of wood
to a
young Listlespur's attempt to know more of her heritage and its
meaning. These
gorgeous color drawings are supplemented by smaller black and white
images
peppered throughout and lend Sunborn Rising
a powerful visual impact that compliments both specific scenes and the
overall
feel of the world and inhabitants of Cerulean, which are just as
powerfully
wrapped in compelling written imagery: "The
world’s slow inhale after the buckle, the expansion of the Cerulean
Ocean, was
already beginning. Steadily, the trees were moving apart. By morning
the Loft
would be open again, and the Arboreals would wake up from their dreams
to begin
another dimly lit day." All
the trappings are here for a fully satisfying middle- to high-school
leisure
fantasy read, but it would be a shame to limit Sunborn
Rising to teens alone. Many an adult will find
Barra's tasks and
growth equally compelling, and will discover the young protagonists are
well-developed, appealing, and purposeful as they confront dangers and
more
closely examine a situation that holds high potential for
disaster. Sunborn
Rising is thus a top read for any
who enjoy stories driven by the discoveries, determination and
achievements of
young protagonists who reach out from their safe worlds to question,
examine,
and ultimately draw closer to what they truly love and value.
Daniel B. Hunt
iUniverse
9781491771549 $15.95
www.iuniverse.com
Return
to Index
Ben Scott Craig
KDP/Createspace
978-1522795711 eBook: $0.99, Print: $11.69
http://www.amazon.com/Power-
Return
to Index
Aaron Safronoff
Neoglyphic Entertainment
978-1-944606-00-8 $12.99
www.sunbornrising.com
Return
to Index
Moon
Talk provides just what its title
promises: a chatty, short treatise about the moon - but readers
anticipating a
scientific discussion might be surprised to discover it offers
something
different, using a poem/lullaby to explore a poet's wistful
observations of
lunar moods and his efforts to describe and capture the moon's elusive,
enchanting nature. As
free verse juxtaposes science with emotional connections in over fifty
pages of
lyrical examination, it becomes evident that an appreciation for Moon Talk
should, ideally, come from fans
of literature as well as science; because the presentation incorporates
both. In
choosing such an approach, Moon Talk
takes the risk of being 'neither fish nor fowl': poets
looking for free verse structure alone may feel stymied when, after
fifty
pages, the poem is complimented by a section of analysis, while those
anticipating a scientific discussion of moon facts will find the long
poem
format a pleasant surprise; especially if they hold a prior affinity
for verse. But the beauty
of this kind of multi-faceted
creation is that the 'moon poem' becomes something more than lovely
imagery.
After creating his story, Stevenson surveys the poetry techniques used
to
describe the moon, from why hyphenation is a good choice at one point
to how
different verbs alter the meaning and perception of their subject ("what is clear is that the moon,
recognizing the poet
for who he is (a poet, capable of being receptive to the moon) has a
powerful
desire to pull the poet into the mystery of its own being."). As Stevenson's
discussion moves beyond poetic
structure to examine the tools of language and the poet's choices in
using
these devices, so
Moon Talk takes
an evolutionary path as it examines how meaning is imparted through the
poem's
style. Teachers of poetry and English should consider Moon Talk's
inclusion in any classroom
discussion about verse because, more so than most, it uses an
accessible and
universally appealing topic (the moon) to demonstrate how these choices
are
made: "The
poet’s tools are his words. Some philosophers believe that words, the
ability
to conceptualize what we feel into language, are what separate us from
animals.
Certainly some animals, such as dolphins, are said to have a language
of their
own and to be able to communicate through sounds. But to the best of my
admittedly limited knowledge, no animal has the ability to talk about
the moon
in the same way that our poet does." Concluding with
snippets from other literary
observations of the moon, Moon
Talk
quite simply provides a powerful example of form, usage, poetic
license, and
interactions between poet/writer and audience. By taking one (long)
poem and
deconstructing it line by line, Moon Talk
achieves what few other literary studies provide: a thorough, in-depth
consideration of the poet's toolbox. Anyone studying
the art and craft of poetry in
general and free verse in particular would do well to start here. Moon Talk is especially
recommended for poets, students, and classrooms
studying creative writing and the evolution of meaningful free
verse.
Raised
By Wolves Not
many people can say they literally lived among wolves: there're a
relative
handful of people in the world who can claim such a feat. But for
author CJ
Rogers, wolves embraced her as part of their pack and gave her a sense
of
identity, belonging, and love, and so since 1992 her life has revolved
around
her wolf brethren. Raised
By Wolves isn't a saga of a
childhood spent in the forest with wild animals, as one might initially
expect
from the title. Nor is it about studying wolf behavior from afar, as
most
scientific approaches would offer. The author decided that in order to
truly
understand wolves, one has to spend a great deal of time with them, and
so she
embarked on a venture deemed difficult (if not impossible) by
many. In
1992 wolves largely resided in remote areas, and living with wolves in
the wild
was problematic at best. In order for her to achieve her goals, the
wolves
would have to come to her habitat - and so they did. Because they could
not
adapt to her human life, she entered their world - and Raised By Wolves
explores this process
with an unusual focus on "captive" wolves given the choice to remain
with her or return to the wild at any given moment. This
first-person exploration adopts a day-by-day approach in showing how
wolf/human
interactions take place and what can be learned from them. Rogers'
communication with the wolves is uncanny at times. Her interpretations
of their
language are based on observation and close interactions and offer much
insight
on wolf packs. All
this is narrated in a lyrical blend of human and wolf perceptions: "Wolves are inseparable from the
forces and features
of nature. Wolves normally mate for life, remain dedicated to their
children
and families, and firmly respect the etiquette and order of their
society. This
society is designed to reflect and obey nature’s wisdom, living in
accordance
with the delicate predator-prey balance, the population
control that
nature needs. The wolves honor nature in other ways too. Wolves
interact with
their world in a way that expresses curiosity without exploitation,
inventiveness without interference, and anyone who has ever known or
really
watched wolves knows these animals are perhaps the most gleeful
creatures on
earth." If
at times it seems that Rogers
is "putting human words in wolves' mouths", it's only part of the
process of interpreting their world. At other times her interactions
offer
insights on values systems and provides a philosophical focus: "I did my best to communicate to
the wolves that if
they killed something I expected them to eat it—we didn’t want a death
to go to
waste." Ultimately,
Raised By Wolves
goes where few
other wolf studies attempt in examining a bonding relationship between
wild
creature and human that goes beyond dispassionate observation and
research.
Readers with a special interest in the spiritual, environmental, and
psychological world of wolves will find it a special blend of
autobiography and
natural history, examining the psyches, myths, and miracles that
surround the
wolf and his encounters with humans.
Rise
of the Good Wolf Rise
of the Good Wolf: Releasing our Self into our Truth
is recommended for new age and self-help readers alike, and delves into
the
concept of the 'True Self' and how connections with this self are
created.
Because this involves a good degree of self-examination and techniques
designed
to dissolve common barriers to success, Rise
of the Good Wolf is recommended reading for
those who want to
confront obstacles in their lives as they search for inner
enlightenment and
better understanding. There's
a common anticipation that such an approach could threaten the self
(and
others) by uncovering and revealing false truths. In fact, Rise of the Good Wolf
points out that
there's far more danger involved in not
tackling and dealing with these illusions. Regrets and barriers to
intimacy
don't stem from exposing life stories so much as keeping them
hidden. The
process of identifying (and then sharing) these fears, misguided
choices, and
poor decisions results in better bonds and a type of clarity that not
only
leads to inner truth, but stronger connections with the world. Rise of the Good Wolf
teaches how to work
through adversity to uncover one's own unique inner purpose, then
explores how
to best share these discoveries with others. Many
self-inspection books focus developing self-awareness; but the
satisfying (and
wider-ranging) approach presented in Rise of
the Good Wolf embraces the notion of how to
incorporate wisdom from
others. Those who strive for such connections will readily understand
one of
the basic foundations of this title ("We
choose which wolf to feed."). Time
is sacred. Choices throughout life center upon how to spend time well,
and how
to make relationships a priority over self-limiting insecurities. The
'how'
piece often escapes readers who have studied personal transformation,
but who
lack the tools to enact specific changes. Those who partake of Rise of the Good Wolf
's closer
examination of adversity, however, will find it holds many keys to
nurturing
the 'good wolf' within. Self-help
readers interested in honing the kinds of skills that cultivate inner
love and
then sharing discoveries to ultimately influence the world will find Rise of the Good Wolf
presents a powerful
approach for cultivating new self-awareness and contributing to the
overall
well-being of society as a whole.
The
Rival Readers
interested in global business concepts will want to read The Rival: Play the Game, Own
the Hustle, Power in
Competition, Longevity in Collaboration. It's a
business book with a
basic message: that small-time entrepreneurs can play on the same field
as the
'big boys', especially if they understand the nature of global
competition and
its rules. In
probing the nature and outcome of global business success, The Rival
holds additional and unexpected
benefits by presenting a game plan than can apply equally well to
personal life. Take
the approach of making business personal, for example. The Rival's
chapter on approaches that
meld business with personal relationships is based on the author's
successful
techniques and shows how he repeatedly crafted opportunities and
settings that
made strong impressions and opened doors. This process involves not a
light
degree of psychological as well as business savvy: there's a fine line
between
intimidation and aggression, for example. Knowing this definition (and
when to
wield the proper amount of force tempered with respect) is one of the
many keys
to becoming a successful entrepreneur. As
chapters wind through the mechanics of everything from business
relationships
and their care and feeding to knowing one's product and competition,
they
provide a set of powerful, personal connections between business
environments
and how to inject a compelling personality and creativity into the
mix. The
result is a primer that doesn't just outline strategy, but reaches to
the heart
of why a particular strategy is a good or a bad idea. In this, The Rival
succeeds where other business
books fail. By
outlining a mix of common sense and 'insider' business savvy and
cementing the
entire process with personal experience, The
Rival holds the potential to reach beyond its
intended business
readers with successful methods of handling life. Psychology and
business
students alike will find The
Rival
direct, lively, and packed with concrete information.
Moon
Talk
Wade Stevenson
BlazeVOX Books
978-1-60964-248-8
www.Blazevox.org
Return
to Index
CJ Rogers
Booklogix
978-1-61005-619-9
$16.95
http://www.amazon.com/Raised-
Return
to Index
Kelly Pellatt
Good Wolf Publishing
978-0-9948758-0-8
$10.66
Kindle/ebook: $4.99
www.amazon.com/dp/0994875800
Return
to Index
Benjamin von Seeger
BVS Publishing
9781401780817 $14.95
www.benjaminvonseeger.com
Return
to Index
Alien
Mysteries: The Earthling
Robert Kriete
Robert Kriete, Publisher
978-0-9970347-0-7
$13.00
http://www.
A man goes missing in the desert for nearly a week. Just when all is presumed lost, he turns up none the worse for wear and is even healthy and hardy. What has happened to Dr. Maxwell Fairmont? It's an extraordinary experience that defies all his scientific training and which will change and challenge his life.
Alien Mysteries: The Earthling is a different kind of alien abduction story; in part because its main protagonist is an engineer whose training directly conflicts with his experiences. More so than most alien encounter sagas, the story line injects a healthy degree of science into its fictional coverage, so readers delighted by the presence of "hard science" in their novels and sci-fi adventures will relish these devices in Alien Mysteries: The Earthling, recognizing that this is part of what sets Kriete's story apart from similar-sounding plots.
What is the real source of miracles, and when does alien intervention make sense? As the story unfolds, scientific details back fantastic concepts to create many thought-provoking moments: "Is that what happened to people claiming to have had cancer or another incurable disease that disappeared out of the blue, Doc? All verified by doctors? They said that it must have been a miracle. Were you or some of your colleagues responsible?” “What do you think, Max?” As when Max first met him, Doc had a twinkle in his huge eyes that hinted at his amusement, since the aliens didn’t have the muscles in their faces to smile or laugh. Max then knew the answer."
Audiences interested in hard science tend to not be the same readers as those who enjoy alien abduction stories. Perhaps this is because the latter genre tends to be adventure-oriented and too often eschews science in favor of the psychological drama surrounding extraterrestrial scenarios.
But Alien Mysteries: The Earthling is not your typical alien encounter read, and thus it will draw neatly from more scientific circles while keeping the thriller/adventure leisure reader thoroughly engaged. As Max's story takes unexpected turns and results in escape and unusual alien alliances, readers surge along for a wild ride through time and the fabric of space itself.
While those anticipating a lighter treatment might chafe at the scientific passages, a wider audience will find that its depth and detail adds satisfying complexity to the story, making Alien Mysteries: The Earthling a recommendation not just for fans of alien abduction sagas, but for any who would appreciate the unique blend of science and thriller that Robert Kriete cultivates.
Alien Mysteries: The EarthlingReturn to Index
Four
Ways to Pharaoh Khufu
Alexander Marmer
Partridge Singapore
Softcover: 9781482854978
$21.56
Hardcover: 9781482854985
$39.57
eBook:
9781482855050
$ 3.99
http://www.
Michael Doyle is about to tackle the greatest mystery of modern times: the Great Pyramid at Giza. Many have sought to uncover its mysteries, and all have failed; but Michael's journey to Egypt to view the pyramids takes an unexpected turn that's about to send him on a path no other explorer has followed before.
The known facts about the Great Pyramid of Giza are delicately woven into a thriller that weaves romance and intrigue into its historical mystery. An opening explanation of three known facts about the pyramid, Pharaoh Cheops, and the Medjay (desert tribesmen turned professional warriors) set the stage for events to follow and clarify facts from fiction.
How can an under-thirty-year-old software engineer with no previous archaeological or historical experience in Egypt accomplish what no other before him has achieved? As events move back and forth between a Medjay assassin who will stop at nothing to solve an ancient mystery and a man about to enjoy a long-awaited Egyptian vacation, there's intrigue at every step and mystery woven into history from the first page onward.
As a cast of characters from different countries and with different interests come on board, the novel rides smoothly through the roller-coaster ups and downs of danger and confrontations at nearly every turn. Alexander Marmer is a master at building suspense and taking seemingly-obvious paths and giving them quick twists so that they lead to entirely unexpected directions.
It would have been all too easy to have a confusing story line given the expanding characters, special interests and events, but Marmer cultivates an exquisite ability to create a realistic, historically accurate mystery that creates much intrigue with no confusion. What skills could a software engineer bring to the table of an ancient mystery that has confounded historians and archaeologists for millennia? That's just one of the many delightful questions in Four Ways to Pharaoh Khufu, which is anything but predictable.
This powerful read will delight fans of historical mysteries and Egyptian settings; especially those who have absorbed enough of the latter to believe there're few approaches left to surprise them. Look again!
Four Ways to Pharaoh KhufuReturn to Index
Hard-Boiled
Anxiety
Karen Huston Karydes
Secant Publishing
9780990938064 $24.95
www.secantpublishing.com
Hard-Boiled Anxiety: The Freudian Desires of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald, and Their Detectives is especially recommended for fans of detective fiction who appreciate psychological analysis. Three selected classic noir novelists and their characters are surveyed, using Freudian analysis to examine how the particular perspectives and struggles of each author translated into different fictional detective story approaches.
It's important to note that Hard-Boiled Anxiety is no light discussion, providing an in-depth analysis of not just the mental conditions of these genre writers, but how these states of mind translated to their creation of remarkable fictional protagonists. Re-reading their works from this different perspective involves a close inspection of not only each author's writings, but consideration of their life experiences and psyches, requiring both critical skills and an appreciation for history and psychology. Readers with more than a casual familiarity with the noir detective format will thus find Hard-Boiled Anxiety the perfect approach to better understanding these connections.
From alcoholism to unresolved family struggles, each of these writers utilized their characters and detective plots in different ways to express and explore their fractured families, sexual orientations, anger, and beliefs, ultimately producing noir works that were to define a genre with their blend of problem-solving and gumshoe sleuthing.
Readers of noir detective fiction (especially college-level readers analyzing the genre) will find Hard-Boiled Anxiety a key to better understanding not just the choices involved in the literary approaches of these three top detective writers, but the underlying psychology affecting the genre as a whole. All this makes Hard-Boiled Anxiety highly recommended as a thought-provoking analytical accompaniment that should be required reading for any serious study of noir detective fiction.
Hard-Boiled AnxietyReturn to Index
The
Malevolent Twin
Mary Sage Nguyen
Mary Sage Nguyen, Publisher
Paperback ISBN: 978-0996256100 $4.99
Ebook ISBN:
9780996256124
$ .99
ASIN: B00W0IV964
www.marysagenguyen.com
Avery Tran is a normal teenage girl, with a difference: she has kept her imaginary friend from childhood, Venice . But when the two begin to fight, Avery comes to suspect that her imaginary friend is something more deadly. When she engages the services of an exorcist and a psychic, she is forced to realize that her 'evil twin' is a force that is capable of using Avery's body to exact revenge.
Clues to the real origins of Avery's problems are revealed in the prologue to The Malevolent Twin; but the heart of the story lies in how Avery chooses to deal with something so close to her, and with issues of control and tragedy.
As nightmares turn into gruesome reality (it should be mentioned that graphic violence is part of the plot), Avery struggles with a force that increasingly takes over her body and mind and forces her to do terrible things. Can she guide the growing tide of violence into an arena of justice and good? And why does Venice insist that Avery be her friend?
Bad dreams, suppressed memories, seeming proof that Venice is not a demon but something more … as Avery probes deeper, she uncovers some horrifying truths about her past, Venice's world, and the dangers that threaten everything and everyone around her.
While The Malevolent Twin might seem directed to a teen audience, it's the mature reader capable of absorbing a horror story laced with violence who will best appreciate the mystery and danger in a plot surrounding a teen who faces an unusual threat.
As events wind towards a terrible conclusion, the truth about twins good and evil begins to emerge through not just Avery's experiences, but those of other twins. Readers who believe they know where the story is heading will be intrigued and delighted by a changing story line that holds many surprises.
Events leave the door open for a sequel, but offer a satisfying conclusion to the immediate problem using a dramatic twist that mature teen to adult horror readers will find absorbing and surprising.
The Malevolent TwinReturn to Index
Paradise
Hacked
Alex Siegel
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B019SJS000 $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/dp/
Paradise Hacked is Book Two of the 'First Circle Club' series, but prior familiarity with the first book is not a requirement in order to appreciate this supernatural detective story which involves investigators from a First Circle Club (with members from Heaven and Hell) in a real puzzle involving the strangely rearranged body of a murder victim.
Detective Thomas Haymaker of the Chicago Police Department barely has a chance to ascertain that his victim was somehow roasted before federal forces move in and extract the body, claiming jurisdiction on the Detective's own turf.
But there's more going on than military conspiracies and a high-tech accident, and Haymaker isn't actually at the helm of the investigation: the Club is. What they will uncover is a mystery that seems impossible to solve, even for their special abilities.
When Virgil and his team probe further, they encounter professional criminals, struggle to maintain the appearance of normalcy despite the hellfire trapped in their demonic flesh (which doesn't require eating or even breathing), and probe government agents, dangerous research goals, and mysteries that could challenge Heaven itself.
Was the murder victim involved in a secret plan to sneak into Heaven? What happens when a ride to visit Heaven goes awry? Virgil is about to find out, and his discoveries confront angels, demons, unholy alliances, and God's own purposes.
The juxtaposition of detectives from heaven and hell, special forces activities on Earth, and a world filled with intrigue will especially delight detective story enthusiasts seeking something different in their mystery reading. There's nothing quite like a marriage between Heaven, Hell and Earth to present extraordinary situations; and having these disparate interests join forces to solve a mystery that somehow eludes even supernatural abilities results in an involving, gripping read.
Paradise HackedReturn to Index
The
Sons of Mars
Christopher Jackson
Smashwords
9781452348063
$TBA
www.smashwords.com
Research scientist Darien holds a secret that has been passed down in his family. It's about a gift that he and his mother share which revolves around his mother's special abilities, from her seemingly-impossible long life span to her extraordinary healing.
Alienated from his mother by a woman who pretends to love him, Darien soon finds himself far from his roots and involved in a research lab's treatment for the dying which promises not just immortality, but youth.
When his research attracts the attention of a dangerous cult headed by a charismatic, beloved leader, Darien finds himself with few resources as kidnapping, torture, and death threaten him.
A host of special interests, a satisfyingly convoluted series of events that pits Darien against everything familiar in his life, and a killer who cannot be outsmarted drive a fine blend of technological super science, mystery and intrigue. Add a touch of romance to the thriller and you have a story line filled with fine twists and turns which considers the consequences of creating and marketing a cure for death.
It should be noted that minor punctuation errors peppered throughout occasionally interrupt the story's progression ("Let me put it this way said Alice, as long as I have a desire to live then I will live.” and "…when she wasn’t sleeping with men, she was out spending Darien hard earned money.").
That note aside, The Sons of Mars is a good thriller and is recommended reading for any who enjoy a blend of high-tech possibilities and special interests confrontations over how to wield an unusual and powerful new option to transform humanity.
The Sons of MarsReturn to Index
Transformed:
San Francisco
Suzanne Falter & Jack Harvey
New Heights Publishing
978-0-9969981-0-9
$0.99
ebook
$12.99 paperback
Website: suzannefalter.com
Ordering link:
http://www.amazon.com/
It quickly becomes evident that Book One of the 'Charley and Electra' series is anything but a typical thriller, because its characters are quirky, different, and steeped in San Francisco culture and characters.
Take CIA informant Charley McElroy, for example. He's no ordinary spy, but is a female-to-male transsexual who is unemployed because of tax evasion. His partner Electra (nee Pamela Delacroix), a Manhattan socialite who is now a dominatrix, has just arrived in San Francisco and has already been labeled as a 'Society Dom'. She also is seeks new beginnings - and is not doing a good job with her restart. Their chance meeting at a social gathering throws them together when they stumble upon a plot to attack San Francisco's counterculture. Joined by a lesbian police officer, the trio is placed in danger.
That's just the beginning of events that unfold in Transformed: San Francisco, however, because a big part of its delight lies not just in an unusual cast of characters with very different perspectives and special interests, but in a story line that is thoroughly steeped in the modern culture of San Francisco, from its coffee shops and street bicyclists to its ethnic neighborhoods.
As with any superior read, the characters are icing on a bigger 'cake' consisting of wonderfully-written plots and subplots, enhancing a story line filled with satisfying, unexpected twists and turns laced with the culture and atmosphere of San Francisco. There is no linear path of logical events, and that keeps readers on their toes in throughout this gripping thriller.
This reviewer is a City native, and observes that San Francisco's cultural nuances could not have been better captured. From a dangerous fundamentalist movement with plots and plans to individuals who each face their own very different struggles, Transformed: San Francisco is engrossing, intriguing, and embraces not only different lifestyles, but different classes and their choices: "For a moment, Electra thought about fleeing. She could, of course, just slip away and disappear. She could go to L.A. or the Bahamas or somewhere in Europe. She didn’t have to be a dominatrix. Maybe no one would even know her in the Bahamas. But then what would she do? Sit around all day in sunfilled gardens, sipping Chardonnay, reading, and browsing catalogs like any other woman of her class?"
Detective and thriller readers seeking something edgy, compelling, and vividly realistic, incorporating an authentic San Francisco cultural milieu, will find Transformed: San Francisco fits the bill for an engrossing read that incorporates many thought-provoking insights into transgendered experiences and the surprises in relationships that are anything but predictable.
Transformed: San FranciscoReturn to Index
Angel
Rock Leap Nineteen-year-old
Sarah has just crashed and burned, flunking out of college, and returns
to her
home town in quest of answers that are not quickly forthcoming in this
story of
the lasting effects of being a victim. Her first impulse is to blame
somebody
else for her failure, but it seems there's nobody who can be blamed but
herself
- or, is there? Angel
Rock Leap is about how life
passions
become lost in a sea of 'practical' decisions, of how trauma holds
lasting
ramifications as victims repeat self-defeating patterns and attitudes,
and of
how recovery is gained. Readers
follow Sarah's return home and learn what it takes to make new memories
out of
bad experiences and how to juggle the survival instinct and an impulse
to run
away with the purpose of confronting one's past in order to change the
present
and future. Readers
follow the evolution of Sarah's growth, absorbing passages that deftly
display
logic and emotional processes: "Too
many people are making me feel like not a day has gone by since I last
saw
them,” I said. “And that would be OK if things didn’t completely
suck... the
last time I saw them.” Sarah
has let men and women hurt her throughout her life. It's time for a
different
way of communicating, confronting, and (ultimately) healing from her
wounds.
But how? Angel
Rock Leap becomes not just a scene from the past, but a place where old
acquaintances come together to examine connections that were dangerous,
destructive, or divisive. As Sarah uncovers the routes to different
choices in
her life, readers will find themselves immersed in her emotional roller
coaster
ride which ultimately lends perspective and insight into the process of
forming
better interpersonal connections. Angel
Rock Leap wraps a diverse selection
of themes (alienation, bullying, and how victims turn tables to become
something greater than their pain) into its story, and is a strong
recommendation for fiction readers seeking emotional stories of
protagonists
who hover at the intersections of life-changing events and
decisions.
Clarence
Olgibee Life
in a small, windblown Texas
town holds many dead ends. Surrounded by a windblown desert with
prejudices hardened
by environment and attitude, many of the town's residents are caught in
a
circle of events that embraces racism, political strife, and dark
psychological
pressures. All
these come to life in Clarence
Olgibee,
a hard-hitting novel that pulls no punches in either its description of
racial
violence between blacks and whites or in its exploration of the
multi-faceted
world of Afro-American teen Clarence Olgibee. From
its very first chapter, it's evident that Clarence
Olgibee will be no easy read; but that's not
just because of its
descriptions of violence. Its focus on the underlying psychological and
social
pressures that lead to the inevitable results of prejudice, fear, and
even
murder require thoughtful contemplation from its readers placing it a
notch
above other novels about racial strife. Clarence
Olgibee's characters are complex,
and nothing in its story line progresses on a linear, predictable path.
Thus
the themes of rising white supremacist movements, choices in
involvement or
disengagement, and how "all
this black
white stuff" becomes complicated makes Clarence Olgibee
more than a conventional
assessment of the many routes prejudice can take. One
protagonist is a perfect example of this complexity: Jimmy is in prison
for
life, serving time for watching two of his friends murder a black man.
But his
story doesn't end there: prison is only one of the many dark times in
his life,
and the place where he becomes indoctrinated in the white supremacist church.
And the man who introduced him to
this world was once the best friend of Afro-American teen Clarence
Olgibee. How
does such a friendship change so drastically? Clarence
Olgibee's timeline shifts back to
1954 and a world in which a white supremacy church rose to power,
embraced the
white man, and influenced the future of teen Clarence, who tries to
escape his
world's growing dangers. The fluid story brings the evolution of racial
issues
to life through the eyes of different protagonists who each find their
lives
altered by the choices available to them. Kessler
adds plenty of detail to his story above and beyond the focus on racial
discord, always with an eye to probing the bigger picture and the
origins of
attitudes that ultimately entrap and limit individual
options. A
thirty-year legacy is covered, during which even minor characters find
that
their evolving perspectives are tied to a movement that becomes larger
and more
out of control than anything they could have imagined. Though
Clarence
Olgibee is about the
maelstrom that revolves around Olgibee's life, the real story (told
through the
experiences of a variety of protagonists) is one of how right and wrong
decisions are made, for better or for worse. It's no easy task to
juxtapose the
lives and influences of a range of protagonists over a sweeping period
of time;
and there's no simple approach to following the evolutionary process of
prejudice as it evolves from singular events to become a sweeping
social
movement. This
is accomplished through a constant inquiry process ("Do you have a choice?")
which
considers opportunities to quit, evolve, turn back, or move forward,
creating a
powerful reach that sifts through past, present, and future impacts
with a
clear eye to examining how choices are made and how changes evolve,
whether
personally or, on a broader scale, in society as a whole. Readers
seeking a novel exploring various facets of racism's interactions,
ideals, and
evolution will find Clarence
Olgibee
a precise, thought-provoking examination of lives and worlds in flux in
America
from the 1950s to modern times.
Gag
Rule Dolores
has a perfect life: nice husband, home, two children. They are both
teachers
and their lives seem ideal only until husband Lawrence
is accused of being a sexual predator - and then everything
changes. Gag
Rule is about this process and
these
changes, and focuses on how Dolores' world is turned upside down. Based
on
real-life circumstances (which have been fictionalized here), Gag Rule
comes across as riveting and
engrossing perhaps because of these foundations in reality, which
discuss
silences either self-imposed or dictated by the outside world. As
events progress, Dolores finds more than her perception of her husband
and
their lives in jeopardy. Also at issue is who she has become in the
course of a
satisfied marriage that has seemed a dream come true. It
should be mentioned that there's no surprise about the outcome of
Lawrence's
guilt or innocence. This is provided in the very first chapter, which
should
indicate that the actual process is not really about Lawrence's
actions, but their impact on his wife. It's also about Dolores'
choices, which
have framed (and too often limited) not just her role in their
relationship,
but her entire personality. Many
of these psychological insights are set up in that initial chapter ("Dolores smiled back, covering
the hurt she felt at
his implied suggestion that she could be easily replaced. Such
was the
nature of their relationship. She knew that he needed to preen and be
stroked.
The world revolved around him. He always pumped himself up and expected
the
world to the same."), but its how Dolores works
through the
tumultuous processes of change in her life that really makes Gag Rule
shine. Dreyfus
is at his best when depicting the stark contrasts of this
seemingly-idyllic
life: "Lawrence
drove home, convertible top down, feeling on top of the world. He was
achieving
the kind of recognition he believed he deserved. He was an
award-winning music
teacher, respected by his peers, adored by his students, and had a
picture-perfect, lovely family of two children and a wife. He felt as
though
his star was rising. Dolores, by contrast, felt overwhelmed, depressed,
and
lonely. She felt as though she had full responsibility for maintaining
the
home, parenting the children, doing the grocery shopping and meal
preparation,
and all of the myriad details required of a primary homemaker – plus
the added
responsibility of being a full-time teacher. In effect, Dolores had two
full
time jobs…" Under
his hand, Gag
Rule becomes not a
novel of legal process, as might be anticipated; but a story of how
marital experiences
diverge and how narcissism leads to disaster on all sides. It's not
just about
guilt or innocence: it's about the psychology of unraveling and
rebirth. Gag
Rule is driven by change and
self-realization and is a powerful recommendation for readers who would
move
beyond the prospect of a sexual predator in a marriage to examine the
underlying influences and subtle cycles of abuse.
The Grave
Concerns of Jennifer Lloyd As most fiction
writers know, characters don't
typically spring from an author's pen to page as full-blown concepts:
they
evolve, like a sculpture from a piece of clay, as the story moves on.
This
wasn't the case, however, for author Ian Kingsley as he wrote The Grave Concerns of Jennifer
Lloyd. His
protagonist, Jen, 'built herself' and poured from his pen already
developed as
a strong and humorous lead character with whom the reader can
readily empathize:
one filled with zest and always ready to confront new
situations.
Kingsley's other characters are equally interesting and well-drawn, and
the
English country estate where the mystery is set sounds gorgeous. There
is even
a romantic angle. From its first
paragraph, The
Grave Concerns draws readers in with a
flash and a bang: "I
plan to
start with a murder. That should get me noticed. I’m after headlines
and
television news. Or, to put it more bluntly: fame. Maybe you think
murder is
too dangerous for a girl, but I’m dangerous as well. There are
dangerous girls
in the army; I’m a dangerous girl in civvy-street. Are you shocked?
Well, hang
on! You’ll guess where I’m going with this when I tell you I was once a
journalist and now I’m a television presenter. Actually, all I’m really
talking
about is crafting a dramatic exposé of a murderer. So, you see, I’m
quite a
nice person, really." Jen's job in
freelance television involves
creating lead stories, conducting interviews, and cultivating a nose
for
trouble. It’s the latter that drives Jen into a dangerous situation,
even
though her job largely consists of developing wildlife and documentary
pieces
and educational works. All this is
about to change as she confronts
something far more sinister. Her troubled past comes back to haunt her
and she
discovers that her talents and instincts may be no match for her
adversaries:
"I might not
attack him, as Ami had
predicted, but I could rise to a little scream in his ear. But that was
not to
be; he’d already headed for the door—he has a nose for trouble." As Jen's secrets
and lack of credentials are
exposed, threatening everything she's built, she finds herself
recreating a new
life through alternate avenues that bring her into contact with
different
experiences and individuals: "Did I
like the job I had created for myself? I didn’t like the thought of
making it
rough for Digby, but some justice for Toma had to be achieved... Can a TV
reporter who has invented her career
path solve murders that have baffled the police? What happens when she
truly
has to face down a murderer and confront her own ethics by possibly
destroying
a man's carefully-built façade of a life that he, too, has reinvented
in a
creative manner? Murder mystery
and thriller readers will relish The Grave Concerns of Jennifer
Lloyd. The
feisty and conflicted world of Jen and how she chooses to navigate her
obstacles makes for a powerful, compelling read that's hard to put
down.
Mimadamos What
if the historical figure of Adam has not been properly acknowledged as
the
powerful incarnation of faith that it represents? What if the 'here and
now',
rather than an afterlife or a bid for heaven, is what life's all about?
Take
these concepts and weave them into a compelling story of one man's
unique and
shining example in an egotistical human world to uncover some of the
nuggets of
wisdom contained in the powerful saga Mimadamos. A
"spiritual but not religious" focus would reflect the ideal reader
able to appreciate the shining examples in Mimadamos
("Spirit and
matter are not enemies, as
the religious and the scientific traditions would like you to believe.
Matter
is spirit solidified to let you dream yourself real, and spirit is
matter
liquefied to save you from the reel of your own dream! They are married
for all
eternity. That marriage was made flesh in the first man, Adam.").
The story that ultimately embraces the idea of living a joyful and
effective
life on Earth rather than tailoring it for a type of holiness that
reaches
beyond Adam and well into the unknowable. Chadi
B. Ghaith's warning is clear from the start: "…don’t exhaust your definite now
for an indefinite tomorrow."
With this in mind, readers embark on a spiritual roller coaster that
examines
the basic tenants of belief, destiny, fate, and the meaning of life
itself:
"What had to
happen had to play out. It
could not be hurried or slowed. There was a difference between knowing
the path
and walking the path. The mind could travel distances into the past and
future,
but something about the present seemed to force its machinations no
matter
what." Mimadamos
is a quest involving
self-examination and thus it holds much spiritual and philosophical
reflection
that provides its readers with more food for thought than the usual
fictional
quest offers. The
characters are Destiny, Fate, and others. The setting embraces the vast
Lands
of Sophistication, and in this fantastic world, Mimadamos is a girlhood
abode
surrounded by the Forget Lands where Destiny grew up. From
blind chiefs drunk on ignorance and arrogance to young Choice's
decision to
leave Mimadamos and a father strong enough to let his family go, the
separation
mysterious and secretive, a host of characters come together to pose
questions
that readers will find intriguing even as they reflect the confusion
Choice
faces in the world. Legends
and history, the origins of fate and purpose, and disturbances in space
and
time all weave very different versions of religion, myth, and Biblical
events. A
prior appreciation for and basic knowledge of Gnostic faith would lend
to an
appreciation of Mimadamos,
but
it's not a requirement. Many a newcomer to Gnostic beliefs will find
this
fictional story compelling, driven by metaphor and lovely poetic
imagery
throughout.
Rude
Boy USA Fans
of novels about mob action and organized crime, especially those which
include
historical facts within their story lines, will relish Rude Boy USA,
which is set in the 1960s
and revolves around a New York City gang, Chimera, which attracts the
attention
of a top organized crime family. As
the group evolves into a crime syndicate run by four leaders, murder,
sex, and
struggle assume new levels of reality and insight in a thriller
thoroughly
grounded in a diverse variety of characters and special interests. Many
social
issues are also examined from different perspectives, from the fluid
relationships between men and women to questions of race and heritage
that
ultimately dictate attitudes and choices in life ("…Passing can only get you so
far,” she said. “I don’t
care about what anybody thinks. I do it because it gets me ahead. It’s
hard out
there. I know what I am, and that’s all I care about. I mean, they may
look
like nice people, they may seem nice and tolerant and understanding of
who you
are, but when they get angry at you for whatever reason—when she gets
mad—her
white hood comes out."). From
men who sleep with different women without loving any of them to
emotional,
racial, and gang obligations that take precedence over all else, Rude Boy USA
constantly provides a smooth
interaction between protagonists with different perspectives on life
and its
values in a thriller marked with nonstop confrontations. Be forewarned:
this
process includes sex, violence, drugs, and crime (it would not be a
proper crime
story without these elements). Love,
betrayal, friendships, and gang connections all simmer beneath the
atmosphere
of the 1960s in New York City,
making for a riveting, highly recommended read especially recommended
for fans
of historical novels or mob stories.
The
Sins of Soldiers It's
1916, and American reporter Anson is embedded undercover in a British
infantry
regiment on the Western Front, awaiting action. Anson's experience of
life in
the trenches isn't what he had expected: the realities of war aren't
cut and
dried and the relationships between soldiers vary from sadistic and
cruel to
divisive. Part
of Anson's job is to provide candid reports of these realities and part
of it
involves staying hidden; for if his true purposes are uncovered, he'll
be
killed by those around him. The
last thing he expects under such conditions is romance - but he meets
Beatrice
when the battalion is on leave from the front, and a dangerous
association
begins, involving a lovely woman already engaged to a soldier who has
attracted
the dangerous attention of a psychopathic leader. There
are many surprises in this historical novel, but first and foremost is
its
attention to varied and stormy relationships among the troops on the
battlefield: something often glossed over in World War I accounts in
favor of
battle strategies and descriptions of war. The
Sins of Soldiers examines the
reality
of what it meant to be engaged in warfare during World War I, and this
reveals
diverse personalities of soldiers and commanders, the possibilities in
relationships that aren't related to battlefield encounters, and the
struggles
of a reporter who hides his deception in favor of a greater good:
providing
candid insider accounts of what's really going on behind the
lines. Despite
his sense of purpose, Anson is not always determined and comfortable
with his
choices: "I
smiled at the pair of them,
but inside I was angry with myself. All it took was the admiration of a
beautiful woman to make me feel like the worst sort of crook. At that
moment, I
came close to packing the whole thing in and settling for being a
simple
soldier." As
Anson inspects his feelings and questions his role, readers are carried
into
both a romance and an evolving conundrum: "One part of me was still feeling
drugged by the effect of being so
close to her. Another was trying to work out whether she had any idea
of what
she was doing to me. The third part was feeling ashamed. Maybe that’s
the
condition of undeclared lovers the world over – confused, guilty and
hopeful
all at once. But they were all new sensations to me and I didn’t know
how to
explain any of them." Readers
expecting the usual World War I story of military encounters, battles,
and
strategies will find The
Sins of Soldiers
operates on a satisfyingly different level than most, offering
soul-searching insights
and experiences that take the events of the war and move them into new
emotional heights. The
result is a story packed with living, breathing protagonists whose
choices and
quandaries are far more wide-ranging than a military novel along could
bring,
making The
Sins of Soldiers
especially recommended for any who would understand the changing
worldviews and
inconvenient truths that overseas battles bring with them. It's truly a
memorial to the missing and to what memory chooses to preserve, years
later.
Unification Unification:
Love, Adventure & Awakening Found in the
Mystical Expansion is a new age
story of mind expansion and
awakening and explores the concept of The Unification: the process of
this
enlightenment. Set
in changing timelines from ancient eras to 2035, the novel provides an
adventure story that selects individuals who are products of rich
cultural
backgrounds who are on the path of solving greater mysteries than those
of
their worlds, and provides thought-provoking accounts of spiritual and
psychic
change. Crisp,
clear, and precise are the journeys of protagonists and connections
between
past, present, and future. The sense of self represented in
conversations,
explorations, and interpersonal reflections, along with a metaphysical
and
spiritual focus, binds the changing events and characters using
powerful
connections. From
scientific research to why humans always wind up in trouble when they
try to
pair spiritual objectives with fast or profitable outcomes, these
protagonists
investigate self-healing research, unrealized potential, and the nature
of
truth, reality, and innocence in present and past worlds. Of
necessity there's a lot of dialogue, philosophy, and spiritual
reflection along
the way; so readers anticipating a light new age read should likely
look
elsewhere. Though the story line is alluring and engrossing, Unification
is anything but (and is not
intended as) a light read, offering the rare opportunity to absorb
spiritual
concepts in a pairing of fictional mystical and physical
journeys. Unification
is a recommendation for new
age readers who would receive a novel that holds not just entertainment
value,
but virtually commands a self-inspection and reflection process through
a slow
read of eye-opening concepts and wisdom.
What
She Knew Liz
is a successful Wall Street broker with a perfect life: a fast-paced
but
glamorous job, a fine boyfriend, and an upper Manhattan
lifestyle. All this is threatened by the financial crisis of 2008-2009,
during
which her boss demands a level of impossible performance to beat the
stock
market. And
so Liz becomes involved in dubious financial affairs that explode when
illegal
schemes and her role in them are exposed. Add a family crisis on the
opposite
coast which pulls her in two directions and Liz's carefully-built life
comes
crashing down, along with Wall Street. Plenty
of stories have revolved around Wall Street challenges and loss, but
the
difference in What
She Knew lies
in an approach that creates a strong, successful female protagonist and
tests
her abilities and power with a series of life-changing events. Faced
with the challenge of turning her back on her family versus her career,
Liz
chafes at the demands her family brings as she teeters on the cusp of
business
disaster, and feels her choices are clear. Or, are they? As Liz ponders
her
future, the aunt who raised her, and the lifestyle she's fought for and
achieved, she faces her own midlife crisis in re-identifying what is
important
in her life and what it has cost her to survive. Liz's
discoveries about
her aunt create new family bonds even as she admits that not knowing
everything
holds its own equally-powerful connections. Has her drive to succeed
become a
flight from everything she's truly loved in life? It's
time to confront the truth, once and for all, and Liz's journey to
achieve this
knowledge intersects neatly with the new challenges to everything she's
worked
for in this gripping, thought-provoking read about business, family,
and love. Readers
who enjoy stories of powerful women who continue to evolve in their
lives, work
and psyche will relish the many questions raised in What She Knew,
which will lend to especially strong book
talk points for book clubs as well as food for thought for readers of
women's
fiction.
Ellen
Weisberg
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1943849871 $16.95
http://www.amazon.com/Angel-
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Alan S. Kessler
Black Rose, Writing
P.O.
Box 1540
Castroville,
TX 78009
978-1-61296-660-1
$21.95
http://www.blackrosewriting.
www.amazon.com
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Edward A. Dreyfus
Createspace
978-1519681713
$19.95
www.edwardadreyfus.net
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Ian Kingsley
FeedARead.com Publishing
9781786106896
$14.95
www.iankingsley.com
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Chadi B. Ghaith
BookLogix
978-1-61005-703-5
$14.95
http://www.amazon.com/
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Victoria Bolton
Hairummat Books/Createspace
978-1518754333 $10.99
Paperback
.99 Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Rude-
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S J Hardman Lea
Troubador Publishing Ltd.
9781785890185 $4.99
www.shlnovels.com
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Bridges McCall
BookLocker.com, Inc.
9781634911450 $17.95
http://www.amazon.com/
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Nadine Galinsky Feldman
CreateSpace Independent Publishing
978-1514879221 $11.99 (paperback) $2.99
(ebook)
http://www.amazon.com/What-
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The
Aviator's Last Words The
Aviator's Last Words, the first
book
in the Adventures of Beatrice the Little Green Girl, a
multicultural
series, opens not with a bang but with the swell of the sea
and a group of
friends who observe that, someday, the fierce waves that surround their
island
home in the South Pacific might destroy it. With climate change Tuvalu
is one of the "canaries in the coal mine." Its people struggle daily
with forces that would have them abandon their island home. Hopefully,
before
that time, they will find the legendary treasure the island is supposed
to
hold, and Beatrice will solve the mysteries in her own life. Flooding
always follows a cyclone on Tuvalu's
islands and Beatrice has experienced weather threats all her
young
life; but even as it brings destruction (which the islanders
are used to),
it also brings the children hope that the changing seas and shores will
uncover
an artifact from an American pilot who once lived on the island when
Tuvaluans
had to temporarily vacate their home during World War II. Tuvalu's
culture and setting come alive as Beatrice explores her island
and its mysteries,
from banana plantations, TeNamo lagoon and coconut palms to meals of
flying
fish and a potatolike vegetable called a pulaka. From interactions
between
island family and friends to a long journey to America,
Beatrice finds her world expands when new information is revealed about
a
treasure she's unearthed in a puddle. Her
research and investigative process is compelling and young readers will
avidly
follow how she uncovers clues about her find and makes some startling
connections far from home. Can
ancient peoples - and ghosts - come to life? Can Beatrice uncover the
clues
that solve her peculiar and unsettling mystery? A delightful saga
blends a
girl's journey with her attempts to discover a strange and wonderful
truth,
creating a story filled with quirky encounters that take her far from
the
simplicity of her island roots. Advanced
elementary to middle school readers will find The Aviator's
Last Words holds all the elements of a
satisfying mystery, set
against the backdrop of climate change and personal
challenges. Kayla
and the Chocolate Tree Kayla's
discovery of a chocolate tree when she follows a butterfly's progress
through a
crack in the fence begins an adventure in which she faces an
insurmountable
problem: she's too short to reach the tree's riches. Jumping,
climbing up on rocks, and other strategies don't work, but when she
drags home,
discouraged and defeated, her wise mother provides some additional
insights
about perseverance and roads to success. In
the process of considering her options, Kayla discovers new methods of
creative
brainstorming over her dilemma and makes some amazing discoveries about
the
magical chocolate tree. Many
positive messages are embedded in the course of the story ("You don’t fail until you stop
trying.”)
that provide elementary-grade chapter book readers with
inspiration. Lovely
color drawings by Katrina Gidewell accompany a story which ends with
sample
exercises and questions that encourage parent/child debates about
attitudes,
perseverance, and generosity. Although
Kayla and the
Chocolate Tree
isn't structured as a read-aloud book, parents and kids who pursue it
together
will find it holds many opportunities for dialogues about the
foundations of
success, failure, creative thinking, and developing solutions to
seemingly
insurmountable problems, making it a highly recommended pick for
parents who
seek to impart some life-encouraging wisdom to their kids.
TGIT
- Thank Goodness It’s T-Ball Day TGIT
- Thank Goodness It’s T-Ball Day
adds
to a blossoming and appealing picture book series for kids ages 4-6,
and
provides a blend of baseball insights and fun, first-person experiences
through
the eyes of a young player and his friends. Bright
color illustrations throughout capture the excitement of T-Ball Day,
with guys,
gals, and coaches interacting as the team conducts warm-up exercises,
absorb
some basic lessons of baseball conduct ("You
should always stand sideways, so that you aim better."),
and
learn simple concepts intrinsic to the game's success. The
delight about this style and presentation is that neither parents nor
readers
need have any prior knowledge of baseball. Educational activities and
discussions are geared to bare-bones beginners and present tips in a
lively
series of vignettes that blend real coaching techniques with a fun,
interactive
format inviting kids to participate. The
result is a cheerful, lively story that mixes the drama of fiction with
the
practical side of baseball experience. It's perfect for newcomers to
the sport
and for adults looking to get their child involved in a team effort.
Oliver Ezra Hatley
Welcome Tree Press
978-0-9970229-0-2 (ebook) $3.99
Website: http://www.welcometreepress.
Email: karen@welcometreepress.com
Available at kobo.com
and indiebound.org
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AnnaMarie Squailia
Mascot Books
9780980043129 $14.95
www.kaylaandthechocolatetree.
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Kevin Christofora
Clarens
9780986349324
$12.99
www.thehometownallstars.com
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