November 2015 Review Issue
The
Bishop Wears No Drawers Author
Michael Barrington was a missionary priest in his youth and tells of
his
experiences in Nigeria
during a turbulent time in the country's history, creating a
spellbinding blend
of cultural observation, spiritual insight and memoir that reads with
the
passion and drama of fiction. As
if the title of The
Bishop Wears No Drawers:
A Former Catholic Missionary Priest Remembers Africa
isn't compelling
enough reason to imbibe, consider the lure of its first sentence: "Mary, it’s a boy, and he will be
the next priest in
the family!” I never actually heard these words spoken, since they were
addressed by my grandmother to my mother just a few moments after she
delivered
me. They would, however, establish a family expectation and set off a
chain of
events that would predictably lead to my eventual ordination." With
that prologue, readers are off and running, following a life preset in
its
course and seemingly unchangeable in its inevitability. And while one
might
anticipate that such a memoir would revolve around personal perspective
and
experience, it's rare to uncover one that combines these elements with
a larger
perspective on the Catholic Church's interactions in foreign nations,
insights
on a country at odds with itself, and a priest's struggle to find
himself
amidst a time of chaos. Events
lead Barrington
to question the set course of his life and his very belief system as he
seeks
to understand his ministry and its demands, his aching loneliness, and
the real
meaning of brotherhood. What evolves from this quest is a decision to
embark on
a new direction; one that will challenge his spirituality and very
life. The
Bishop Wears No Drawers focuses on
this process of revelation and change. Readers interested in missionary
work,
Catholic Church procedures, and African culture and experience will
find it a
unique memoir replete with encounters with all of the above; all
tempered with
the unusual perspective and course of Michael Barrington's
life. In
any superior memoir, it's not the life itself that's the driving force
so much
as events surrounding its evolution. This story's perspective is both
spiritual
and evocative, and not to be missed by either memoir readers, followers
of
African history and culture, or those who look for stories of the
Catholic
Church and personal spiritual change.
Michael Barrington
Lulu Publishing Services
Hardcover 1483432254
$23.09
Softcover
978-1483432250
$13.59
Ebook:
978-1-4834-3226-7 $8.99
www.Lulu.com
www.amazon.com
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to Index
Paul
Revealed: Facts that Father Never Told You Paul
Revealed: Facts that Father Never Told You
is a study recommended for readers who want an in-depth biographical
and
spiritual analysis of the important role Paul played in Biblical
affairs, and
provides a coverage both scholarly and accessible as it reveals not
only the
extent of Paul's life, times, and influence, but lesser-known facts
about his
impact on Jesus and the world. It
should be noted that Paul
Revealed
assumes the reader holds some familiarity with the Bible and Paul's
background
and importance (something most Christians already possess) and so takes
matters
from there, pointing out differences between Jesus and Paul's Christ
and how
they developed and diverged. Paul
Revealed also will raise some
controversy in that it focuses on facts that are often
thought-provoking
challenges to traditional viewpoints of both Paul and Jesus; so
Christian
readers who don't wish to reconsider the boundaries of faith and fact
might
wish to look elsewhere. There's nothing pat, predictable, or status quo
in the
approach of Paul
Revealed, which
intends to both modify and clarify points of confusion in traditional
analyses
of Paul and Christ. While it may be typical for Biblical scholars to
choose
faith over fact, Herman's approach is quite the opposite - and will
ruffle not
a few faithful feathers in the process. Herman
provides evidence that Paul's letters, travels, and Roman housing were
quite
expensive, while his potential earnings from making tents was quite
limited.
This contradicts traditional claims that Paul supported his mission
from his
workshop. Herman also documents how Paul's version of Christ's
teachings
conflicted with Jesus' own words. Be forewarned: Paul Revealed
pulls no punches in the process of analysis -
and Christian scholars will be delighted in Herman's intricate outlines
of
contradictions and their interpretation. Of
course, such research of necessity supports itself through Biblical
quotes and
passages; so readers can expect not speculation and theory but specific
references to Biblical events and Paul's own writings which, when
paired with
Herman's observations and historical research, neatly outline the many
conflicts with traditional views: "Paul
said that when Christ returns, “when he hands over the kingdom to God
the
father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and
power. For
he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Cor.
15:24-25). That is, shortly before Paul told the Romans that rulers
were divine
representatives, he told the Corinthians that they were God’s enemies.
On both
occasions, he claimed divine inspiration." Where
facts need support, Herman turns to both Biblical inconsistencies and
quotes
and his own research and analysis: "Shortly
after the Apostolic Council, Paul left Antioch
and went out on his own. Luke and Paul invented different stories to
explain
this. Luke said that when Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them on a
return
trip to Galatia, Paul became so outraged he charged out of Antioch
and had nothing more to do with Barnabas or the mission. This is
dubious on
several counts. First, Barnabas almost certainly had no interest in
returning
to Galatia.
Galatia
was a backwater, and it’s surprising he went there in the first place.
There
were many more important places to missionize in the brief time
remaining.
Second, Barnabas would have been leading and funding the mission. Not
only was
Paul in no position to object, complaining about Mark would have been
petty and
vindictive at best. Paul’s story was more grandiose and even less
plausible,
though nearly everyone accepts it." From
the economic, political and religious realities of the times, to how
New
Testament scholars have failed to recognize that Paul could be
deceptive (and
might even have purposely crafted lies), Paul
Revealed is an honest, scholarly reappraisal of
the man which any
serious reader interested in Christianity will appreciate.
Steve Herman
Encounter Press
P.O. Box 444, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Print- 978-0-9966188-4-7
$24.95
ebook- 978-0-9966188-3-0 $9.95
www.encounterpress.com
www.paulrevealed.com
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to Index
Portraits
from the Revolution: Interviews with the Protestors from Occupy Wall
Street, 30
September – 8 October 2011 Most
American readers will harbor a prior, casual familiarity with the
Occupy Wall
Street movement of 2011 based on newspaper headlines and events of the
times;
but for a more in-depth survey of the philosophies, approaches, and
concerns of
the protests,
Portraits from the Revolution:
Interviews with the Protestors from Occupy Wall Street, 30 September –
8
October 2011 is the item of choice, offering
unprecedented depth and
detail on the history and lasting impact of the Occupy Wall Street
movement. Rob
Couteau conducted a series of interviews with movement leaders; and
while one
might think the contents of these pieces would have been reported by
the media
- they were not. It's also important to note that Portraits from the Revolution
remains the only in-depth text
interview of participants that is available: so if readers wish to gain
more
than a casual news report's insights, Portraits
from the Revolution is the item of
choice. Chapters
explore not just each individual's actions, but their backgrounds,
reasons for
participating in Occupy Wall
Street, and their experiences, and offers
criticism of media reporting of the movement's history, intentions, and
approaches. From
how participants decided to react to violent antagonism against the
Occupy
movement to the social and political ramifications of not just Occupy
but the
elements it opposed, these interviews capture participants from all
walks of
life, from teens to full-time workers, and turns the newspaper reports
into a
series of personal vignettes about Occupy's deeper meaning. Any
who would better understand the events and the meaning behind news
reports must
turn to Portraits
from the Revolution
for a clearer vision of the 'why and how' of the times.
Rob Couteau
Dominantstar LLC
P. O. Box 1246,
New Paltz, NY 12561
Ebook: 978-0-9966888-0-2 $9.99
Print:
978-0-9966888-2-6 $19.95
http://
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The
Cats of Rekem The
third book in the 'Yeshua's Cats' series is here, and it takes place
years
after the events of A
Cat Out of Egypt
- but that doesn't mean that newcomers necessarily need prior
familiarity with
the others to easily enter the world of the latest The Cats of Rekem.
All that's required is a basic interest
in animal fantasy writings, ancient Egypt, and early Christian history
in order to appreciate the story of sentient cats who celebrate their
heritage
and observe the curious circumstances of humans. Francisco's
opening lines reviews this heritage, neatly providing background for
new
readers ("Zaidan,
master of caravans,
grandfather of his people, and my chosen human, bore my sister’s body
down from
the cliffs with honor. I, Lion of the Mountain, led the way, as I had
led him
into the rocks to find her."), while the
first-person cat's-eye
perspective offers additional insights into relationships and flavors
of the
times: "I
approved of my human and his
mate. Regardless of their own distress, they rarely failed to act with
dignity
and restraint, as befitted the humans of Rekem’s sovereign male cat." It's
this viewpoint which presents events from the life of Jesus in a
completely new
light, and which makes this story a refreshingly unique departure from
the
usual approach to Jesus' times: "Well,
Dragon,” she repeated, as if tasting the word as she spoke, “yes, the
son of
Earth really lives, and yes, he was dead.” She paused to lick a paw and
then
spoke again, this time with a smile. “You remind me of myself when I
first saw
him yesterday. I couldn’t sit still either.” As
Wind on Water, Lion of the Mountain, and others tell of their
experiences,
readers bask in the chill of the desert night, the blossoming of faith,
the
intrusion and questions of death, and the physical, psychological and
spiritual
observations of animals who make their way in the world and who comment
upon
the fates of man and animal alike. Throughout
these observations, the feel of the times springs to life: "The sweet scent of water reached
my nose long before
we reached Damascus.
Apparently the camels smelled it too: for almost a day before we
arrived, the
humans had to work to hold their beasts back, rather than urging them
on. First
the mountains rose over the rim of the desert, then the brown hills,
and last
the city walls." Brimming
with flavor, startling in many of its cat viewpoints, and
scintillatingly
haunting in its perspective of Jesus' world, The
Cats of Rekem represents spiritual fantasy
writing at its best, and
is a highly recommended addition to a series that will delight
Christian
readers with a fondness for cats. The
dose of fantasy extrapolation takes Yeshua's world in a different
direction
than most. Think 'Narnia' and Aslan, but with more emphasis on feline
perspectives and the odd nature and pursuits of man and how each
worship the
One in different ways. Christian fantasy readers will find it a
delightfully
different adventure!
C.L. Francisco, PhD
C.L. Francisco, Publisher
ISBN-13: 978-1517586027
http://clfrancisco.com/
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The
Ivory Staff An
appreciation for fairy tale fantasies steeped in political intrigue is
a
prerequisite for appreciating the twists and turns of The Ivory Staff:
A Dark Fairy
Tale of Kings and War, a
suspenseful romantic saga fueled by a feisty protagonist whose
escapades take
the finer art of storytelling to a new level. In
some ways The
Ivory Staff reveals
the difference between a well-told tale and a linear story because
nothing in
its story line is either trite or set in stone. It also represents the
finer
art of weaving a tenuous path through subplots of complexity: its
characters
are many, its scenarios are infused with social and political
commentary, and
its elements of romance, mystery and politics are so well woven that
it's
difficult to bill it as a singular genre read. As
Samiyah learns truths about her world that threaten to bring it down,
she also
finds that her underlying abilities, which go far beyond the socially
accepted
routines of grace and decorum, lead her to worlds she never expected:
worlds of
forbidden secrets, small conquests and heartbreaks, and not a few
mysteries. One
reason why The
Ivory Staff works
so well in weaving a complex tale that easily immerses readers is
Lachi's
attention to detail, whether it's in depicting her protagonists and
their
motivations or setting the scene: "I
could smell tea. Sweetened tea. Saab’s kind of tea. The smell merged
rather
well with the Saturday Mediterranean breeze flowing in from the window.
As soon
as the creamy blur around me faded into reality, I turned to my left,
away from
the bright sun, and found Uncle Pan wearing his light-blue morning
traditional
wear—a loose-fitting pullover, a blue brocaded garment with silver
embroideries, similarly designed trousers and a brimless, rounded cap." Through
her eyes and pen the sights, smells, and feelings of Samiyah's world
come
alive. Through her attention to detail, subplots and characters make
logical
sense. And through her descriptions of underlying psychological
tension, the
story becomes more than a dry political account of events, but a saga
filled
with emotional insights and rationales: "Part
of me died along with him. Any tuft of verve within me melted into
bitter
sorrow. There was nothing I could do to bring him back. Seeing the
blood actively
flow out of his wounds; seeing the life actively ooze out of his body
as he
lay there; it’s never something one gets used to and has remained
stapled to my
eyelids until this very day. The death of a loved one; it’s hard. I
took it
hard. All hopes of being ambassador, all hopes of a radical and new
Mutarobi
shattered in the flash of two seconds." What
life influences produce killers, kings, and kindness? What choices lead
to the
dark side, or the light? And what do princes, babies, murderers and
heritage
have to do with a girl finding her way and her destiny in a violent
world? The
Ivory Staff is a song for our
times,
sung from the mind and heart of a girl who faces her greatest
adversaries,
grows immensely, and steps into her destiny with the greatest
reluctance,
absorbing many lessons along the way. It holds the ability to reach
beyond the
usual fantasy reader into circles that appreciate complex novels,
protagonists,
and most of all, political intrigue - and, yes, fantasy settings, and
is highly
recommended for an audience that appreciates multi-faceted and
satisfyingly
complex stories.
M. Lachi
Library Tales Publishing
ASIN:B0157GPFGA Price: 5.99
ISBN: 978-0692425640 Price: 17.99
Website: www.mlachi.com
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Ivory-
The
Ivory Staff
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The
Roman empire is crumbling, leaving the British Isles free of their
influence -
but novice priestess Niniane, sheltered in the temple, has had little
to do
with politics. All this is about to change when she leaves her
sheltered life,
encounters a Roman commander, and learns the true nature of her
heritage and
the rumors that have surrounded it. Lady
of the Lake is a top recommendation
for fantasy readers who have loved Marian Zimmer Bradley's 'Avalon'
series and
who like fantasy novels along those lines. Because Jennifer Wherrett
has
enveloped her character in myths and legends quasi-familiar to the
general
reader and because of her attention to detail in painting a novice's
struggles
with her emerging powers and a changing social order, the duality of
events
assumes a vivid, realistic immediacy holding the power to reach out and
grab
readers even if they have no prior familiarity with or interest in
Arthurian
legend. More
so than similar fantasies, Wherett's focus on building a transformative
situation where her character evolves as much as the world around her
makes for
a compelling, riveting saga that's hard to put down and strengthened by
Niniane's personality and struggles. From
the inner circle of priestesses to a child's predetermined path and her
equal
determination to steer its uncertain course, "Ye canno’ fight destiny ‘n win”
is just one of the ongoing
sayings influencing Niniane's life and times. Charged with
extraordinary duties
and an equally extraordinary life, Niniane faces challenges few others
of her
ilk can field: "…to
transcend, Niniane, you have to leave
that place of safety
within, and that always has physical expression. You have to go beyond
anything
and everything you’ve known, especially of yourself." What
is destiny and predetermination, and how do one's choices change or fit
into
that path? Lady
of the Lake is
simply exquisite in its approach to transformative events in one girl's
life
and world, and is especially recommended for fantasy readers of
Arthurian
legend seeking something different and more well-rounded, multi-faceted
and
complex than many of its competitors.
Lady
of the Lake
Jennifer Wherrett
Xlibris Corporation
ISBN (softcover): 978-1-4836-2170-8
Price (softcover): $42.79
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-4836-2172-2 Price
(eBook): $4.27
www.thelady.com.au
www.amazon.com
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Better
With Age: The Ultimate Guide to Brain Training
Phyllis Strupp, MBA
Sonoran Cross Press LLC
8912 East
Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite 604
Scottsdale, Arizona 85255
978-0-9746727-1-7
$TBA
As people live longer and as bodies continue to break down with age, quality of life becomes more important for present and future generations, especially with the specter of Alzheimer's becoming more and more prevalent. While there is no current prevention or cure for dementia, Better with Age offers some self-help approaches that can help strengthen the brain.
But first, a disclaimer: readers who expect to be spoon-fed routines might be disappointed to learn that, especially in this case, self-help emphasizes self. There is no path to transformation that doesn't take place without reader participation; no pat and easy answers; and many routines that require an active, ongoing participation in exercises and approaches that strengthen brain functions.
Those with a 'can-do' attitude who seek concrete ideas for such exercises will find Better with Age is firmly rooted in the latest brain research and takes the 'training' ideas of physical therapy into brain-strengthening areas. Readers should thus be prepared to invest a minimum of 15 minutes a day to following the program provided, and should have sufficient motivation and ability to follow directions and document results.
Chapters provide overviews of how the brain changes with age, how it develops different strengths at different ages, and how to 'rebalance' the brain's thought processes to improve short- and long-term memory and provide the positive conditioning that leads it to choose better paths.
With its discussions of psychology, physiology, and brain research, approaches to retraining are reinforced by concrete research and facts. The result is a practical, applicable handbook requiring neither reader familiarity with brain research and cognitive theory nor complex routines. All that's needed is a commitment to changing lifestyles just a little to make brain exercise as important as physical fitness. This audience will find Better with Age offers an approach that is concrete, actionable, and easy to follow.
Better With Age: The Ultimate Guide to Brain TrainingReturn to Index
Binge
Crazy
Natalie Gold
Arrow Publications
eBook: ISBN: 978-1-934675-98-4 Price: $7.99 USD
Paperback: ISBN: 978-1-934675-99-1 Price: $17.99 USD
www.arrowpub.com
From its captivating and unusual cover depicting delicious foods (from doughnuts to pizza) dangling on meat hooks to its unusual vantage point (from a psychotherapist's chair), it's evident that Binge Crazy: A Psychotherapist’s Memoir of Food Addiction, Mental Illness, Obesity and Recovery excels not in the usual survivor's perspective, but comes from a therapist's astute observations.
Crack the cover of Binge Crazy to discover that there is more than autobiography, here: and given that eating disorders are notoriously difficult to address and extremely tenacious, it's refreshing to see a set of insights about which approaches do and don't work in the treatment process.
Registered Psychotherapist Natalie Gold is no stranger to the experience, herself: she spent years struggling with binge eating and weaves her autobiography into the wider story of how she not only emerged victorious from a potentially fatal disorder, but created an effective recovery approach for others, as well.
By the time she was twenty-one she 'escaped' her life and self-destructive actions by entering a mental hospital. Decades later she's back to reveal her difficult path to recovery and outline the programs and routines that truly made a difference for her.
Binge Crazy is highly recommended for any who struggle with obesity or other eating disorders, and offers concrete ideas for addressing a problem that many similar books can only document. Its blend of autobiography and insights wraps all this in a cloak of personal experience that invites both binge eaters and their loved ones to read, relate, and understand the confusion surrounding losing weight, self-image, and family interactions.
Binge CrazyReturn to Index
Live
Well: Personalized Stress Relief For Young Professionals
Melanie Noble
Lulu
9781304965578
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/
Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/shop/
There are so many books on the market directed to professional and personal stress relief that one might wonder at the need for yet another; but Live Well: Personalized Stress Relief For Young Professionals isn't just another general-interest approach, but a targeted plan aimed at a specific audience.
Author Melanie Noble is in the perfect position to write about this kind of management, based on her years of working in the technology industry from 9-6 without a break. Her achievement-driven career choices eventually led to a fatigue, a futile medical consultation, and finally, to work with a life coach who identified the fact that her drive to succeed was distancing her from her body and mind's basic needs.
It's important to note that the tools in Live Well aren’t intended as a 'one plan fits all' approach: of necessity, they need to be tweaked and adjusted by readers because everyone handles stress differently and everyone's lifestyle and sources of workplace stress are different.
With this thought in mind, advice is broad enough to apply across the board to all readers; yet flexible enough to alter. From discussions of different styles of yoga that ultimately achieve the same goals to applying Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), which 'taps in' to a body's acupuncture points, these self-help applications are designed with busy career professionals in mind and require no special training, skill sets or time commitments.
The only prerequisite is an interest in identifying and reducing career- and lifestyle-related stress to achieve optimum results; and in this Live Well: Personalized Stress Relief For Young Professionals provides its audience with a series of actionable choices that require only personal commitment to change to produce measurable results. A recommended pick for business, health, and new age holdings alike!
Live Well: Personalized Stress Relief For Young ProfessionalsReturn to Index
The
Stem Cell Revolution
Mark Berman, MD and Elliot Lander, MD
AuthorHouse
9781504920018
$14.95 Paper, $3.99 Kindle,
$23.99 Hardcover
www.stemcellrevolution.com
The Stem Cell Revolution joins only a relative handful of others on a blossoming topic of stem cell research, and describes clinical stem cell therapy by highlighting science, health applications, and research techniques and how they apply to clinical settings.
One might think from its title that possibly a background in health or science would be required, but The Stem Cell Revolution needs no such expertise: it's intended for lay readers with backgrounds in neither discipline, and discusses cell therapy with general-interest readers in mind.
Discussions don't neglect ethical challenges, either, but tackle head-on the controversies surrounding stem cell therapies and research: "It’s actually sad to see how so many scientists and physicians have been manipulated by special interest groups that have used the FDA to falsely support their position, keep out competition, and prevent doctors like us from simply caring for our patients. Indeed, as physicians, we appreciate that the Hippocratic oath (and the AMA code of ethics) are pretty clear about a doctor’s responsibility to help his/her patients if at all possible."
Chapters focusing on the work and applications of stem cell therapy are based the work of two doctor/authors and their creation of the Cell Surgical Network. They explain how stem cell healing covers a wide range of health issues, from asthma attacks to vision improvement, they survey the evolution of the Cell Surgical Network, and they paint a positive future of cell therapies which could include applications at medical clinics and pharma-based models; not just surgical networks.
Coming from two pioneers in the medical industry who have far-reaching vision and admit that stem cell therapy is in its infancy and promises to be a "disruptive technology" in the most positive of perspectives, The Stem Cell Revolution should be pursued by any who tire of hearing that doctors can do nothing to treat a wide range of medical ailments.
Now, they can.
The
Stem Cell Revolution
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to Index
Aloha
Kahuna Soul
Rick Pruett
RhythMantra Publishing Inc.
9780578141992 $14.99
www.alohakahunasoul.com
A young man awakens in a Hawaiian hospital after surviving a shark attack - but there's more going on here than a surfer's encounter with a shark: Alika Kealoha is about to discover that one of the touchstones of his life is changing as he's tasked with a mystery involving his father, a puzzling Hawaiian priest, and a secret protected and passed down through the centuries.
Rick Pruett's depiction of a tropical paradise gone awry is precise and opens with an ethereal description of this world and Alika's place in it ("The ocean is my touchstone. When I surf, I regenerate electromagnetic energy in my own system.That’s what I was thinking about when I paddled out to the liquid playground this morning."), then traces the progress of its downfall.
The plot is steeped in the smells, senses, and culture of Hawaii which creates not just authenticity, but a rare sense of place designed to immerse even readers unfamiliar with Hawaiian atmosphere. Alika's quest leads him from familiar Hawaiian settings to the unfamiliar world of gene-altering sociopaths in a pursuit that leads Alika to question his motivations, methods, and the foundations of his belief system: "I had always helped people, old women, children, whoever was in need. It was part of the legacy left to me by my mother. What would she think of my recent actions? She was full of compassion and forgiveness."
Dreams and disappearances, legacies lost, and a personal quest to explore cultural roots: all these meld with a mystery that is both personal and social in nature, exploring the pulse and life that is Hawaii within a riveting page-turner that proves hard to put down, making for a special recommendation for both general-interest mystery readers and those who hold a special affection for Hawaii.
Aloha Kahuna SoulReturn to Index
An
Invincible Summer
Betta Ferrendelli
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B015ZZFP4K
$2.99 Kindle $12.99 Paperback
http://www.amazon.com/
Jaime works as a deputy assistant D.A. in the Domestic Violence Unit of
the Denver County District Attorney’s Office. She's nearly thirty,
she's put in
three years in this high-stress job, and she's handling her first major
trial
for a brutal rape and murder of a teenager - a case that not only makes
her
question her job, but the world around her.
Victim Kelly's younger sister is one of the witnesses. And in order to get the shy, frightened girl to testify against her mother, Jaime must offer reassurances and tackle the girl's questions and nightmares, which lead to her own unresolved nightmares surrounding her sister Sarah.
But this is just the opener for An Invincible Summer and the lead-in to a bigger story (if that is possible) that embraces not just one trial and one step in Jaime's career, but the extent of her life and choices and her successes and failures both on the job and at home.
Readers of John Grisham and other courtroom dramas will find much to relish in An Invincible Summer, with its exact description of proceedings. Fans of thrillers will be attracted to the spunky protagonist Jaime, who displays very real, human emotions inside and outside of the courtroom. And followers of intrigue and mystery will find more than a dash of these elements spicing a story line that clearly delineates the boundaries between mother, lawyer and sister - and then slowly dissolves them in an intricate cross-examination of inter-connected lives.
And when the invincible Jamie finds herself in need of some TLC, it may not come from blood bonds, but from relationships forged from somewhere else.
It's the process of evolution and attaining completion and self-realization, injected into other themes of courtroom proceedings and home life, which makes An Invincible Summer so compelling a read.
Perhaps one of its descriptions best sums up this process: "She rubbed her hands over the woman’s face. Then she saw what was missing. The intimacy of details. The ones that would bring the sculpture to life, into existence, had not yet been carved. The eyes, the curvature of their noses and mouths, the veins in their arms and on the back of their hands, their fingernails. They were the precise attention to details that needed time and effort and skill to shape and form. Drew ran his hand along the contours of the woman’s hair. “Until I can finish those, Jaime, the work isn’t complete.”
The 'intimacy of details' is what the story line ultimately is all about, making An Invincible Summer a top recommendation for readers who enjoy courtroom drama but want proceedings to move beyond criminal law and into the complexity of evolving lives.
An Invincible SummerReturn to Index
Bloody
Truth
John J. Davis
Simon & Winter Inc.
978-0-9903144-2-4
www.simonandwinter.com
Bloody Truth opens with a bang: a Quonset hut explodes and the first-person narrator, Ron Granger, is injured but lucky to be alive and surrounded by family who will help him. Immediately readers are involved in the story line and the question of what is really happening; and as events unfold, it becomes evident that the setting is not Vietnam but another dangerous place where the protagonists see their covert tactics and mistakes edging the world into war.
Bloody Truth is intrigue, thriller, espionage and counterintelligence at its best, bound up by family interactions and relationships unusual in a genre that typically features only a lone wolf or two at the helm of disaster. It pits three individuals against an unknown enemy, it centers upon a power struggle for the world's data, and it involves secret agents operating on a different level than thrillers usually present.
Multiagency forces, uncertain cease fires, computer hackers, and agents dropped in the middle of nowhere make for a tense, gripping story line that excels in unexpected twists and turns, political intrigue, and vivid action.
Bloody Truth will find a welcoming home in any reader looking for its protagonists to be more connected and more vividly drawn than most in the thriller genre.
Bloody TruthReturn to Index
The
Cabin
B.A. Sherman
No Publisher, ISBN, $TBA
Pre-publication Manuscript: ETA Spring 2016
www.basherman.com
The Cabin is thriller writing at its best, and opens with an emotional rant, sparked from a seemingly-innocuous radio song, by a man who is sick of the world, and who pulls his SUV into a truck stop to make a call to a cabin owner inquiring about a layover. And that's where the story really begins; for the cabin - an oft-used refuge when he was part of a couple - is about to become something more.
There have been so many thrillers written about spooky cabins in the woods that one can nearly surmise some of the events about to take place just from the book's title; but it's quickly evident that The Cabin offers different. For one thing, it opens with an emotional melt-down that has nothing to do with cabins or intrigue, but documents the explosive relationship between a man and his ex.
In the course of his reflections, readers are treated to flashbacks that summarize his childhood, upbringing, and life: a taste of what was, preparing the ground for what is to come. Readers are moved quickly from childhood to college days, romance, and then the present state of affairs. From the emotional revelations, it's evident that The Cabin holds as much psychology as it has thriller in its mix - and considering that many psychological thrillers err on the 'thriller' portion, this is a big plus: "I should have then and there asked her for a further explanation—and also shared with her how the incident had looked to me. I should have been more of a man and taken charge."
As Herman struggles with issues of manliness, memories surrounding his dissolving relationship with his wife, and the growing realization that his wife has been having some kind of affair ("Actually, they seemed to be speaking to each other as if they had met several times…like they had a bond with each other."), events segue between the cold truck stop and the chilling relationship to completely fill in any blanks. Midway into The Cabin, the present kicks in.
Can a weekend at a retreat resolve questions of manly behaviors? As Herman returns from the past to delve into present-day matters in an isolated, primitive environment, readers are right there with him. And as delusion teeters precariously close to reality, readers eventually begin to question what is real and what is not as events and interactions push The Cabin to an unexpected conclusion.
The traditional 'spooky cabin in the woods' theme just got a lot more complicated, elevating a traditional thriller format to another level and providing a read recommended not for those who look for action-packed adventure, but for readers who consider the true thriller element to lie in a detailed psychological exploration of a protagonist who may be on the road to insanity … or not.
The CabinReturn to Index
The
Kellsburg Vampire
Lloyd Ritchey
Wildgrave Publishing
No ISBN, Price
www.Wildgravepublishing.com
We all see monsters and we all have nightmares, but Sheriff Greg Colvin is facing something all too real: a classic vampire problem in forces that are not only killing people, but eating them and then creating living monsters. It doesn't matter whether these creatures are vampires or zombies: what does matter is stopping the killing spree, but the classic vampire-killing devices don't seem to work.
It all began when a group of curious teens investigated an abandoned military facility, unleashing an unstoppable wave of horror. If Greg Colvin can't contain the outbreak, it will move beyond Kellsburg's borders to become truly unstoppable.
The first thing to note about The Kellsburg Vampire is Lloyd Ritchey's attention to setting and detail. Protagonists move through a richly-described world that involves readers with precise description and imagery: "Twenty feet below, louvered machines studded with dials and switches clung to the walls, and consoles with old video monitors, dark and silent, huddled in raised islands across the floor. Cage-like copper coils big enough to hold a tiger gleamed dully in the center of the room, rising to metal poles that vanished into shadows high above."
Personal struggles are injected into the story line which presents the protagonists as multi-faceted beings holding concerns beyond the vampire infestation. Greg is a recovering alcoholic, for example, with sobriety on his side; and even in a blossoming romance, he harbors the wisdom and restraint to move slowly: "Their relationship needed time to grow. Pushed too fast, it would certainly fail. He wanted this woman, but he hadn’t had time to fully resolve his feelings about Annie. In his mind he was still married and still mourning. He needed time to sort out his emotions."
The same caution translates well to his detective work and could make him the only possible solution to the vampire problem.
It's more than just another 'vampire novel', The Kellsburg Vampire excels in detective work, twists and turns, and intrigue to invite readers from the mystery genre to cross over into a realm of horror that infuses its plot with romance, action, and mystery as Greg confronts a force that could conceivably take over his mind and body. When an army of invincible opponents threatens, Greg might hold the key to winning an impossible battle. (Be forewarned: the story provides an open-ended conclusion that sets the stage for sequels, even though it doesn't say 'Book 1'.)
It would be easy to recommend The Kellsburg Vampire to horror audiences: because 'vampire' is part of the title, this group will migrate to the story. But less expected - and equally powerful - is an ongoing attention to intrigue and investigation which place it a cut above a 'vampire novel' to make for a recommended pick for mystery and detective readers alike.
The Kellsburg VampireReturn to Index
Killer.com
Kenneth Eade
Times Square
Publishing
ISBN: 1517277205
ASIN:
B0117UFSCG
$TBA
www.amazon.com
Killer.com is one of the most intriguing thrillers on the market, combining the best elements of a courtroom drama with a detective piece and including contemporary issues (such as online hire-for-death companies) to conclude with discussions of real-world cyberstalking and its intricate nature.
Because its drama and events are based on true scenarios, Killer.com offers up a powerful authenticity and contemporary focus - but what makes the story especially outstanding is its attention to crafting a complex series of scenarios holding firm psychological foundations based on superior protagonist development.
The use of the first-person helps; but even more effective is its focus on modern technology's uses and abuses, which evolves into a powerful theme that uses psychological profiles and events to create a compelling saga.
Readers should anticipate (and have a prior affinity for) much courtroom drama as well as revelations about the protagonists' personal lives. Those who enjoy Grisham and other legal studies and who appreciate more than a dose of reality in their fiction reads will find Killer.com to be one of Eade's most powerful works yet, providing a scenario firmly grounded in real possibilities and powerfully enhanced by a questionable, surprise outcome in an exquisitely well-done, complex thriller!
Killer.comReturn to Index
Missing,
a Frank Renzi Novel
Susan Fleet
Susan Fleet, Publisher
978-0-9847235-8-4 $15.00
Paperback $3.99 Kindle
http://susanfleet.com/missing.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/
Missing is Book 6 in the Frank Renzi crime detective series, and features a popular New Orleans couple who appear to have everything - family, careers, success - until the wife and children vanish, leading Frank Renzi to step in, only to find a rabbit's warren of lies and deceit woven into their private lives.
Under such circumstances, is it any surprise that the wife and kids are gone? It's hard to tell, when a ransom note implies that it's a kidnapping; but evidence points to murder although the disappearance may actually be neither.
And when the case does evolve into murder and more mayhem, Renzi discovers that an already-complicated situation has just taken a further step towards a disaster that holds far-reaching implications not just for the victims, but for his own future.
One satisfying aspect of Missing is that even though it's Book 6 in a series revolving around various challenges to Detective Frank Renzi's abilities, by no means is it entirely dependent on reading about these past events. Fleet's ability to craft stand-alone yet interconnected scenarios based on the Renzi character means that a mystery reader can enter the series at virtually any point and feel at home, while prior fans can enjoy a well-crafted saga that doesn't waste its chapters referencing past events.
Another strength lies in its ability to open with a bang and keep the action fast-paced and hard-hitting throughout, with unexpected moments evident in the first few lines and continuing for the length of the saga: "Ready to rock-n-roll?” said Mickey Mouse, his black-gloved hand poised over the doorbell, his voice shrill with excitement. Too much excitement, thought Donald Duck, the guy jazzed up, acting like a kid on his first trip to Disneyland. But this was no amusement park frolic. This was serious business."
Add attention to Renzi's inner feelings throughout (which so many mystery/detective stories only skirt) and you have an emotional roller-coaster of a ride that carries the reader swiftly and deftly through the passion and poignancy of death and a detective's determination to make a difference in his life and in the lives of his clients, against all odds: "He clenched his fists, pacing the sidewalk in the first light of dawn, fighting the fury that raged inside him. He wanted to take the killer’s neck in his bare hands and throttle him….But he couldn't let his emotions distract him now. He had too much to do…Frank didn't know who it was, but he would do whatever it took to find the scumbag."
Any good mystery is driven by emotion. Create concern about and empathy with the protagonists and the investigator and readers will come to care about the plot and its ultimate outcome. Add in satisfying twists and turns to pique the mind and in Missing you have a genre standout in story fueled by the author's personal investigation into NOPD procedures and protocols.
Missing, a Frank Renzi NovelReturn to Index
Murder
at Peacock Mansion
Judy Alter
Alter Ego Publishing
2115 Park Place Avenue, Fort Worth TX 76110
Print:
978-0-9960131-54
$13.99
Digital: 978-0-9960131-4-7; $3.99
978-0-9960131-54; digital is 978-0-9960131-4-7; price is $13.99 http://www.judyalter.com
Amazon Author’s Page: http://www.amazon.com/Judy-
The third book in the Blue Plate Café mystery series is here, with protagonist Kate Chambers up to her elbows juggling a restaurant, romance, legal beagles, and friendships. While all this sounds like a complex mix with little room for more, Alter adds a dash of humor paired with cooking descriptions to create a homey, involving atmosphere replete with wry tongue-in-cheek observation and many warm moments: "I was stewing in my own juices that April evening, as I sliced tomatoes and green onions and diced avocado for a salad. David had said he was coming in for dinner and I’d fixed a tourtière, a French-Canadian meat pie I’d been longing to try."
Being stood up by a man is nothing new; but because it's a usually-reliable lover who doesn't show and doesn't call, Kate's premonition of trouble ramps up a notch - and when the second dilemma (that someone's trying to kill recluse Edith Aldridge) lands on her doorstep, warm and cozy feelings fly out the café window.
One refreshing difference in Judy Alter's approach is that her savvy, intuitive protagonist can easily read beneath the lines to discern undercurrents of unrest. So when a calculating family member pays her a visit, she can readily see what he's really after … and so can the reader: "She’s seeing things that don’t exist, threats to her that are pure fabrication. I am no longer comfortable having her live in that house.” What he’s really saying is that he wants her out of the house, and he doesn’t care where she goes.
Another excellent device used in Murder at the Peacock Mansion is its attention to psychological detail, strengthened by Alter's use of the first person to narrate events. There's a big difference between telling a story and immersing readers in its action: Murder at the Peacock Mansion is the perfect example of the latter and assures that readers understand and empathize with Kate's thoughts throughout her experiences: "My heart lurched. It was really that serious. And then I thought about Huggles. He was outside, and yet I hadn’t heard him bark. Or had I just not listened. What if that man, whoever he was, harmed my dog?"
As can perhaps be anticipated early on, murderous matters hit closer and closer to home as the story proceeds. How close? Read Murder at the Peacock Mansion to find out just how close Kate is able - and willing - to get to the truth in a delicious production that ends not just with revelations, but a taste of something more that cooks up a fine, surprising conclusion: highly recommended for murder mystery readers who also enjoy food themes.
Murder at Peacock MansionReturn to Index
Silver,
Lead and Dead
James Garmisch
CreateSpace
978-1500522179 $16.00 Paperback
http://www.amazon.com/Silver-
Plenty of books about drug cartels, overseas politics and social issues, and Mexican experiences in particular focus on the underworld and travels through it; but few adopt the force and perspective of Silver, Lead and Dead, which portrays a Mexico on the verge of collapse and a narcotics agent forced to consider his own past when he embarks on a dangerous mission involving a kidnapped family only to find himself on the wrong side of a ransom effort gone awry.
Silver, Lead and Dead is a fast-paced action thriller that adopts the tried-and-tested manner of some of the biggest action authors and then takes events a step further as the plot becomes steeped in the protagonist's own murky past and questionable life choices.
With rival gangs, international cartels, children at risk, and cat-and-mouse games, the story line is simply nonstop, which will delight genre readers who like their action hot, heavy, and often unpredictable. The protagonist's ability to craft and play a game on par with the most dangerous of adversaries makes for a plot packed with three-sixty-degree changes throughout: "He parked in a different spot this time, facing the bus stop and road. He was helpless now, and if they double-crossed him, at least he knew where to go to find them." And while readers often know where events are heading, conversely there's also a twist added to keep them guessing.
One doesn't expect humor to enter this kind of mix, but the fact that it appears at odd intervals and then vanishes only adds to the delight of a story line that excels in not just describing hot and heavy action, but in placing readers into the hearts, minds, and bodies of the characters: "The bullets felt like hot pokers as they hit his vest and sent waves of pain into his abdomen."
From the legacy of a drug dealer and his interactions with multi-billion-dollar interests to a side of Mexico not usually revealed in more casual dips into the country, Silver, Lead and Dead is not just heart-stopping thriller action at its best: it holds social, political, and law enforcement insights throughout and weaves the lives of its characters into the overall death throes of a system at odds with life itself.
Add an insanely fast pace and a logical progression of events that succeeds in injecting its own elements of unpredictability and you have a thriller that is on par with the best blockbusters on the market, holding the dual ability of permeating Mexico's cultural and social cloak of confusion to create not just a believable saga, but one that offers up food for thought on Mexico's complex world.
Silver, Lead and DeadReturn to Index
A
Cold and Distant Place It's
November 1944, and Private First Class Raymond C. Peck is guarding a
wireless
device and enduring a mind-blasting shelling that carries with it the
possibility of instant death or mutilation at every moment. He's camped
out in
the hell that is World War II, and his battlefield experiences will not
just
shape his life, but place him and his team in a scenario that will
bring them
not to heaven or hell, but to the courtroom, facing decisions and their
ultimate consequences. One
might choose A
Cold and Distant Place
expecting a military saga alone; but its battlefield introduction only
serves
to provide the background setting for what evolves to be more than the
story of
one small event in a larger war. Readers
pursuing A
Cold and Distant Place
will find a host of protagonists and a military situation that changes
from
battle conditions to courtrooms, military investigations, unwinnable
defenses,
and strategies that make battle plans and decisions made in the field
look
straightforward in comparison. From
castles and courtrooms to explosive (literally) testimonies that
involve the
kind of recollections that pit privates against officers and raise
questions of
authority, ethics, and impossible promises and broken lives, the
interactions
between Peck, Dominick Sisto, and the aftermath of battle come to a
head. Whether
struggling for survival on the battlefield, facing a stint in military
prison,
or fighting in some of the key battles of World War II, A Cold and Distant Place
excels in
bringing to life both experiences and underlying motivations of
soldiers who
are left with haunting memories, obligations, and the uncertain gifts
of
hindsight. How
does one move from the memories of one of the biggest wars in mankind's
history
to the kinds of resolution that allow for a return to civilian life and
the
trappings of normalcy? What is the real legacy of comrades left with
memories
and uncertain associations? Amid powerful descriptions of the subtler
nuances
of place and time ("The
sun was a
lowering ember, and the fading, amber light gave the castle a
melancholic,
forgotten look.") , mind-numbing events and
battle hell, and
the ultimate costs of decisions lies a sweeping, epic saga recommended
not for
light followers of strategic military actions, but for readers who
appreciate
in-depth, world-changing stories of matters of the military heart and
mind. No
simple or casual read, A
Cold and Distant
Place leaves the follower with more than a taste
for what war truly
leaves behind, and is recommended reading for fans of psychological
military
novels.
Bill Mesce, Jr.
Endeavour Press
No ISBN, $3.99 on Kindle
www.amazon.com
Return
to Index
From
Under the Snow Teen
Jude is a preacher's son from a small Minnesota
town facing another winter without much change, until his
coach gives him
two free tickets to the Rose Bowl game in
Pasadena, California.
Suddenly, he has the opportunity to realize there's not only a
wider world
out there; but one he might be able to visit and participate
in - and so
begins the avalanche of experiences that mark his transition
into the
adult world in From
Under the Snow. Picture
a Catcher
in the Rye with
a Kerouac-like road trip of psychological and sexual discovery
in 1961 as
Jude and his friend, Stick, undertake a hitchhiking journey on
Route 66,
only to find that the romance of the road is offset
by the realities
of its trials and tribulations, turning the trip into a test
of their
friendship and what they value as individuals. As
Jude and his friend encounter a wide variety of people
and situations,
from a slick evangelical fundamentalist to a mind-expanding
Navajo peyote
ceremony, the story draws connections between circumstance,
choices,
and their lasting ramifications. Will Jude betray his friend
Stick under
pressure from a debauched truck driver and have sex with a
prostitute?
Will Jude admit to the truth of the trip or let his
friend’s version
prevail? From
Under the Snow is a
coming-of-age novel, in which the protagonist's encounters
test his
small-town provincial upbringing, his religious beliefs, and
much of what
Jude took for granted in the world. The chapter
headings offer clear
prefaces to content: If he doesn’t act
he ceases to exist. Homosexuality
is a sin and I think it’s illegal here too. Do you
think snakes can talk? The
novel will be released for sale on November
1st through Amazon.com
and
is currently available through the book’s website.
David Beck
ISBN: 1502893487
ISBN 13: 9781502893482 $14.75
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014918792
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
www.fromunderthesnow.com
Return
to Index
Harm's
Way Imagine
a strong female investigator who specializes in finding people in
hiding.
Imagine being hired by a sexy motorcycle dude who searches for a
missing woman
and her child - and who is willing to pay dearly for the truth.
Wouldn't you be
suspicious? Wouldn't you sense that perhaps something else was going on
-
something that could point to a dangerous stalker? And what if you fell
in love
with such a client? These
are just some of the themes blazing through Harm's
Way, a romance novel centering around a powerful
man named Harm and
a feisty, love-resistant female investigator who can't just take his
money and
run with the job. From
the beginning, the sense of both attraction and uncertainty between the
two is
powerful. Each harbors suspicions about the other and each
tempers their
initial instinctive attraction with a sense of self-preservation that
keeps
them at arms' distance - for a while. As
events unfold and McKay finds herself drawn into her client's complex
personal
life, professional and personal barriers on both sides break down and
the
anticipated romance blossoms in the face of revelations that will
change both
their lives. On
the face of it, Harm's
Way is
romance with a healthy dose of intrigue; but look beneath its surface
of
simmering, evolving passion and you'll also uncover a detective story
that is
an equally powerful force, driving events into satisfyingly
unpredictable
avenues. From
its sultry cover announcing that this adds to a 'Men of Passion' series
to its
duality in focusing on the very different perspectives of two
individuals, Harm's
Way takes the devices of romance
and intrigue a step further by marrying the best elements of both
genres into a
hard-hitting (and, yes, steamy) romance that neatly switches between
both
protagonists' perspectives to create a satisfying build-up of tension: "Harm felt his heart rate
increase, too. His thoughts
raced toward the inevitable. This beautiful room and that enormous,
welcoming
bed filled his mind with visions of how it would be between them when
there was
nothing between them but lustful passion. Nothing keeping them apart." Romance
genre readers should be aware that the investigative part of the story
is just
as enthralling and immediate as the blossoming romance, and will thus
find Harm's Way
a more complex standout than
the usual casual story of erotic and emotional connections.
Bobbie Cole Meyer
Arrow Publications
eBook ISBN: 978-1-934675-68-7
$4.99
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-934675-94-6 $13.99
www.arrowpub.com
Return
to Index
The
Jake Fischer Stories As
with S. Bird's previous story, The Jake
Fischer Stories is set in New York City and
centers around Jewish culture
(that's evident from the first paragraph): and what an atmospheric
description
it is: "My best
friend, Stevie
Rabinowitz, had come with me for my last ride. The #4 train pulled into
the
elevated platform at Mosholu
Parkway as we ran to
the first car and pressed our faces to the front glass. We saw the
beautiful Bronx spread out before
us as we barreled through each stop as if we were on our own magic
carpet ride
through the clouds." And
if 'beautiful' and 'Bronx' aren't words you usually find in the same
line, it's
because Bird celebrates his city in more ways than one, making The Jake Fischer Stories a
love story on
more than one level. The
essence of being Jewish is woven into nearly every line in The Jake Fischer Stories as
the
protagonist examines his heritage, world, and move away from his
beloved Bronx. Even when it's
far away, he remains connected by family and culture. The
Jake Fischer Stories succeeds in
vividly painting Jewish culture and a young boy's move within and
outside of
it, creating a series of family and wider-world encounters that will
successfully draw Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike. Any
reader with a pre-existing affection for New
York will especially relish the ongoing descriptions
of the City: "I
loved the sounds in the
Bronx. The
sounds of the trains and the tracks. Steel on steel, clanking,
rattling,
groaning. The sounds of sneakers screeching. The smells of pizza. Kids This
is one of the big attractions of The Jake
Fischer Stories - a sense of place -
and even as the
protagonist moves in an ever-widening circle away from his heartland,
he finds
within him the sense of place and culture that keeps him grounded as he
faces a
journey to Israel, the threat of the Vietnam War, the rise of civil
rights in
America, and his own evolving political and social
involvements. As
he moves from childhood to young adulthood and well into his adult
years,
readers follow not only the path of his life and awakenings, but the
evolution
of his perceptions - and The
Jake Fischer
Stories becomes ever clearer. It's not a
romance per say, and it's
not a love story in the sense of a genre read: it's a life story, and
the love
and heartache inherent in following a life well lived is also a story
of failure
and success. In
the process of describing life cycles and family and cultural
connections, The
Jake Fischer Stories succeeds
in becoming more than the sum of romance or love - it's a story of
strategies
developed for handling life and it's a saga of one man's determination
to break
the cycle of despair through love. Be
forewarned: The
Jake Fischer Stories is
not
for romance readers, but for
followers of life stories and how connections are made and broken in
the
process of a life well lived. And therein lies its strength.
Stewart Bird
Dog Ear Publishing
1457538989 $12.97
http://www.amazon.com/Jake-
urinating in the streets. I felt at home."
Return
to Index
The
Raven Room http://www.amazon.com/Raven- It's
the kind of relationship that is not only doomed to failure; but doomed
to
explode - and The
Raven Room
charts this fine line between reporter, a covert police investigation,
and
sexual desire fulfilled at its outer limits of acceptable
behavior. Perhaps
predictably, Meredith's involvement with Julian crosses professional
boundaries
and involves her in a personal exploration that challenges her ideals
and
sexuality. Less predictable are the connections drawn between people
outside of
the exclusive club: connections that come to light in unusual ways: "As soon as he had started to
speak, Julian knew Alana
could understand him. Nothing on her body changed. She remained
comfortably
seated, her body leaning toward the oversized couch pillows. But her
eyes
reacted to his words. Her wide gaze, full of longing, drew him in. For
the
first time since he met her, it was like he was looking at the real
Alana, the
person he saw at the club. No lies. No hidden truths. No questions left
unanswered. No persistent doubts. Just the two of them. And his
reaction to her
was the same—Julian felt connected." On
the face of it, The
Raven Room
would seem to proffer a cut-and-dried investigative mystery; but to
call it
such would be to do it a disservice. No pat or easy genre read, The Raven Room
is really about the
evolution of relationships, boundaries, and choices; and with Ana
Medeiros
providing plenty of insight into the complexities surrounding all three
arenas,
there's not only plenty of room for depth and detail in a novel that
discusses
control and domination; there's room for much more (thus, the fact that
The Raven Room
is part of a trilogy). Readers
who enjoy complex stories with strong characterization and
psychological depth
will find The
Raven Room a
satisfyingly story of emotional turbulence which ends in a
cliff-hanger,
setting the stage for the next book.
Ana Medeiros
Diversion Books
443
Park Avenue South, Suite 1008
New
York,
NY 10016
9781626817777
$14.99
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
In the world of kinky sexual exploration, one place stands out to
the protagonists in The
Raven Room:
a place where no holds are barred, where even the most deadly of urges
can be
satisfied, and where Julian introduces Meredith's willing body to
dangerous
pleasures (while undercover reporter Meredith is secretly amassing
ammunition
to expose the most secret of sexual enclaves in Chicago's
underworld.)
Return
to Index
Recognitions Think
Cloud Atlas,
a classic story of
rebirth, many lives, and reincarnation on a level that involves
protagonists in
other lives - but take it a step further in Recognitions,
the first novel in a trilogy, which presents a woman under hypnosis who
sometimes encounters a French girl on the cusp of marriage and
sometimes an
African shaman facing a village's struggles with illness and
slavery. Then
take these diverse lives and weave them together in the story of a
modern-day
woman, Amelia (who must deal with these other lives and her own daily
challenges, and who faces her own struggle to understand the
connections and
messages that lie in her dreams and hypnotic state), and you have an
emotionally-charged saga filled with three threads that weave back to
one
tapestry of wonder. Under
a different hand, this saga of birth, death, and afterlife could have
easily
proved confusing: it's no simple matter to create three disparate, very
different lives, and blend them together with purpose and discovery; no
easy
venture to bring each of these pieces to life and then meld them into
one. It's
also satisfying to note that the protagonist doesn't just skip into
acceptance
of these threads and their impact on her life; she's pulled in
reluctantly, and
initially believes these results from hypnotherapy and dream states to
be
'craziness'. She's no new age believer: she's a wife, mother, and has a
life of
her own: "I
hardly have time to explore
all sorts of strange mind-body-spirit connections or whatever they call
them
these days." But
hers is a life destined to transform (though her husband's departure
has
already started the process of vast changes) in unexpected ways, and
the gift
of this approach lies in how past, present, and future worlds not only
connect,
but collide. There
are many passages that support all kinds of emotional connections and
disconnects, as well: "But
I resolved
to call Don later and tell him that there’s something going on with our
daughter. I’ll call him even if talking to him will make me feel
emotional,
anxious, and envious of the quick fix he’d found in his life. Even if
it would
make me feel betrayed and confused by my feelings towards him – how his
cynicism annoyed me for years, how I couldn’t stand his macho jokes
anymore and
how relieved I had first felt when we decided to separate. We said we’d
remain
friends, for the kids’ sakes. We said we’d see how it would go if we
just
parted amicably for a while, and then take it from there." As
Amelia's life changes and as her novel-writing is spiced by her dream
states,
she finds the courage to not only probe these events, but understand
and
incorporate them into her own world: "I
needed to visit this place. This would help me understand more about
Adele’s
world, it would be research, not some craziness destined to satisfy my
sudden
and illogical fascination with past lives, I
said to myself." The
result (much like Cloud
Atlas's
ability to make readers think far past its last page) is a story that
is
quietly compelling: a moving saga highly recommended for any reader
interested
in predetermination, past lives, and how three disparate worlds
interlace.
Daniela I. Norris
Roundfire Books
ISBN 978-1-78535-197-6
Price $16.95
Publication date: January 2016
Return
to Index
The
Reform Artists: A Novel Books
about divorce (even wrenching, conflicted ones) are nothing new to the
market: Kramer
vs. Kramer and many others have
well followed the process and emotions involved in separation. What is new in
The
Reform Artists is a spy thriller and a courtroom
drama that revolves
around false allegations of domestic abuse. This book goes beyond
interpersonal confrontation by blending the legal thriller
format with
the unique emotional challenges associated
with high-conflict divorce
tactics. It
opens with the bang of a thriller: Character Heather Barnes is speeding
(and
screaming) along streets in her car, as she panics
over a precious
cell phone call that cannot be made. The
next instant, news of a triple murder/suicide from an apparent case of
domestic
violence flashes across news screens. All has been lost, and events
seem to
constitute a cut-and-dried case - or, do they? The
pleasure in The
Reform Artists is
that nothing is as it seems. As in any superior, complex read, a host
of
seemingly disparate characters are introduced (here, in staccato-quick
scenes)
who at first seem to bear no relationship to one another. As events
unwind, so
do the lives, motivations, and personalities of everyone involved, with
dissolving marriages and violence permeating a cast of characters
destined to
come together under the most unlikely of circumstances. Business
relationships gone awry, dubious contacts, husbands and wives and their
attorneys, and approaches to resolution that more than skirt the law:
All these
elements are presented in a legal thriller and spy story that takes the
domestic violence topic and turns it upside down. Courtroom
scenes and angry, scared men could easily have turned The Reform Artists
into a legal thriller
alone, but Reisfeld is careful to include the emotional twists that
involve
readers in character lives outside the courtroom: "Judge Farnsworth touched his
throbbing cheek. He was
no longer in his front hallway, but miles away, standing barefoot on a
cold,
dark street, still in his robe. He held a small, hastily stuffed
suitcase in
his right hand. He felt lost, ashamed — and alone." Any
action - even the most heinous of choices - can be explained by
understanding
the emotions and rationales behind them. The
Reform Artists offers powerful testimony both to
the legal process's
finer art of examination and cross-examination and the hearts,
minds,
choices and logic of protagonists who try to find a way out of
impossible
circumstances. All
this makes for a powerful blend of legal proceeding and emotional
revelation
especially recommended for fans of Grisham who seek courtroom drama
paired with
intrigue and cemented by emotional connections throughout.
Jon Reisfeld
Hot Gates Press, LLC
8775
Centre Park Drive #706, Columbia,
MD 21045-2104
9781515173281
$16.99
Trade Paperback, 326 pp 978-09965878-0-8 $16.99
Ebook PDF 978-09965878-1-5 $5.49
Ebook EPUB 978-09965878-3-9 $5.49
Ebook MOBI 9780-9965878-2-2 $5.49
http://jonreisfeld.com
Return
to Index
Storykeeper Hernando
DeSoto and his band of conquistadors were the first to cross the
Mississippi and conquer the ancient people of
Arkansas. Three 16th
century journals documented their travels and battles. The
truth takes facts about early Native American life and turns them
upside down,
telling of the breech of a forbidden practice and weaving together the
lives of
an orphan who grows up with oral accounts of some of the last witnesses
of
genocide of her times, a hermit who raises her, and a tribe that has
maintained
a vested interest in ignoring the truth for the sake of their
survival. In
some ways Storykeeper
is the
quintessential survivor's account and in other ways it's much more:
fiction
interspersed with the fluidity of time that sometimes keeps readers
guessing
but more often keeps them on their toes. It's a compelling saga of one
child's
ability to survive all odds only to grow into an adult world where her
stories
and experiences are shunned, and it offers a rare glimpse into early
Native
cultures and what they faced and perceived when the Europeans
arrived. Storykeeper
is a complex read, sometimes
challenging: narrators and perspectives change, Manaha's own name
changes, and
even in her childhood, the events surrounding the 'Son of the Sun' and
‘their’
arrival take place forty-nine years earlier. With both perspective and
time in
flux, readers are carried along on a historical and cultural journey
that,
while compelling, requires attention to detail: not for those seeking
light
entertainment, it's a saga that demands - and deserves - careful
reading and
contemplation. These
cautions aside, readers who relish detailed historical fiction, stories
of
early Native American tradition and experience, and an unusual focus
packed
with historical details not typically explored in fictional format will
find Storykeeper
a tale of not just one woman's
observations, but how she carries and imparts the memories of
generations in a
form that eschews paper in favor of oral accounts steeped in immediacy
and
vivid detail. A
saga of revenge, bribery, political bargaining, death and disease, it’s
a novel
that's surprisingly succinct for its subject, rich in its detail, and
highly
recommended for historical fiction readers who want so much more than a
casual
pursuit.
Daniel Smith
Daniel Smith, Publisher
ISBN: 1466212977 paperback - $14.96
ISBN: 9781301206285 e-book - $3.99
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/
Createspace https://www.createspace.com/
B&N
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Website: danielasmith.org
A hundred years have passed and the stories revolving around these
bloody
encounters have all but vanished - but one old woman, one of the last
surviving
storytellers able to relate eyewitness stories of the bloodshed, defies
native
custom to tell youngsters around the campfire what really happened -
and her
voice can't be halted.
Return
to Index
This
One Thing Writings
from gay authors aren't unusual. Analysis from psychologists isn't
unique. But
the combination … now, here's something different… and in This One Thing,
the marriage between the
two stands out, melding personal and professional worlds into a novel
that
captures the experience of being gay in the modern world. Here,
Daniel’s heart is unlocked in order to share his story and capture his
life.
The protagonist confesses his difficulty in overcoming the scars left
by a
dysfunctional family and 'letting in' people outside of his “secret
world"
- and thus readers have a rare opportunity to enter a seldom-seen world
which
reveals process of establishing an identity as a gay man who is in
hiding no
longer, and who seeks love like any other human being. Journeys
of self-awareness translate well to the novel format; perhaps because
this
first person story assumes an ethereal, intimate quality. It begins
with
childhood with the impossible decision of which divorcing parent to
live with
and moves slowly into the wider world of self-realization. At
every step, the protagonist successfully carries readers along for the
ride,
observing his world and its influences through a changing life that
moves to Australia
and back. The
sexual scenes are quite graphically described, but only to imbed all
experiences (including sex) with a 'you are there' feel. If it's a
circumspect
story that's desired, move on. Maher's purpose isn't to present
experiences
using distancing, dispassionate descriptions, but the physical and
emotional
aspects of the protagonist's evolving life include sexual experience in
its
most graphic (yet not vulgar) forms. In
a world where sex is equated with romance, the protagonist learns
lessons not
only about his own body and psyche, but about his quest for love in
life, apart
from family connections: "Outside
of
work, however, I felt miserable and worthless. I had the freedom to do
anything
I wanted, but I didn’t know what to do, and I didn’t have a partner
with whom
to share my life. I felt lonely, unattractive, and unhappy. I placed a
number
of ads for dates, without much success. I met some of the men who
replied, but
each time it was not meant to be. I thought that my standards might be
too
high, since one man was too feminine for me, another seemed
intellectually to
be somewhere else, and a third one was okay, but I was not physically
attracted
to him. Each time I met someone I was disappointed, which added to my
feelings
of hopelessness." It's
all about the magic of love and the growth of a gay man in a world
where hidden
prejudices and lives are a given. This One
Thing deftly captures this journey in an
absorbing read especially
recommended for readers of gay fiction, but also to anyone who has ever
sought
love in a lonely and hostile world, regardless of their sexual
orientation.
Damian Maher
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 1514718944 ISBN-13: 978-1514718940
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015911494
Price: $12.99
www.Amazon.com
Return
to Index
The
Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More: A Great
Wharf Novel Protagonists
who tackle life's uncertainties often project uncommon courage and a
feisty
attitude - but not Mallory Cooper, who has chosen to hide out in the
small town
of Great Wharf, Maine because of her agoraphobia and loss and because
there she
can snuggle with her soul mate and life-long anchor, husband Dwight,
and watch
the world go by safely, via television. Although
the major events in her homebound life revolve around vivid
descriptions such
as the perils of housecleaning ("I
washed under the counter edges, and I dusted everything, including the
leaves
on the fern. I even risked life and limb on the stepladder to dust the
overhead
light. Little did you know while you were chatting with tourists at the
trolley
museum that your wife was this close to a fatal fall.”),
all this is
about to change when she leaves the house and walks right into a world
replete
with more dangers than house dust. As
in many a story, the proof of a superior production lies not so much in
the
plot itself, but in the personalities of the protagonists - and its
here that
Meredith Marple shines. From the compelling probes of the town gossip
to how a
once-joyful mother becomes trapped at home and must force herself to
blossom
anew, The Year
Mrs. Cooper Got Out More
is replete with insights. Mallory's underlying rationales for seeking
out
safety after a seemingly-full life, her dip into therapy ("Think back now to that upsetting
dream you told me
about, the one where you were buried alive and no one would know where
you
were. I think these things are related. I think your fear in both
situations
relates to a feeling of never having existed in your parents’ eyes,
especially
your mother’s eyes.”), her confrontations with
new ideas,
possibilities, and directions, and the influence of therapy on her
choices and
ability to act on these new options all weave into the
quietly-compelling saga
of one woman's transition. Don't
expect nonstop action and vivid drama, here: The
Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More is more on the
level of the bucolic
English novel that depicts loving relationships challenged by life's
ups and
downs. As Mallory finds new purpose and new strength to challenge
threats to
this fragile persona ("…we
go along
living our everyday lives, doing so many of the same things every day,
and, as
often as not, with accidental deaths anyway, it’s those very things
that may do
us in. I guess what I’m trying to point out is that I hope you’re not
going to
add fear of stairs to your list of things to be worried about.”),
readers follow her uncertain steps into a realm where even murder is
not an
impossibility. Yes,
it's ultimately a murder mystery - but unlike many genre reads, there's
nothing
'formula' about The
Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out
More. Mallory and Dwight's evolving life is just
as compelling (and
even more deeply explored) than the murder scene itself - and that's
what keeps
its story line refreshing, compelling, and ultimately a winning
standout from
many genre peers.
Meredith Marple
Cinder Path Press
$6.99 for eBook, ISBN: 978-0-9967324-0-6 (pub date Aug. 30, 2015)
$14.99 for paperback, ISBN: 978-0-9967324-1-3 (pub date Nov. 1, 2015)
http://www.amazon.com/Year-
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/Meredith-
Return
to Index
Bonds
of Love & Blood Marylee MacDonald Bonds
of Love & Blood provides a
compelling short story collection that weaves together disparate lives
in many
different places and moves across emotional landscapes of connection
and
alienation alike in the process of exploring the bonds that bind and
caress. Twelve
stories center on various forms and aspects of love and their
transitional
powers: each protagonist faces something different, reacts in a
singular
manner, and ultimately changes enough to realize either a clearer
purpose in life
or a better path. In
one example, 'The Pancho Villa Coin', a troubled young girl struggles
with the
impact of her father's alcoholism and her own helplessness to control
her fate
and world. In another, a wanderer finds his way through the world in an
unexpected
manner. It's
satisfying to see a set of stories linked around a common theme, then
stretched
as far as possible to gain the most from that theme. Under MacDonald's
hand,
the well-crafted, succinct tales spin and dance - seemingly
directionless in
the wind of choice and circumstance, but ultimately filled with
revelation and
connections. The
essence of what makes these short stories revealing (and an art unto
themselves) is MacDonald's ability to build new insights from each
disparate
life. And thus mothers, fathers, wanderers and travelers in life, and
even
those isolated by weather or poverty all come together through
relationships
that ultimately transform them. Don't
expect to meet psyches elevated by perfect perceptions; and most of
all, don't
expect gentle sagas of self-discovery. Bonds
of Love & Blood teeters on the gritty
edge of complexity without
going overboard and its very real protagonists are charged with finding
their
own, often difficult paths. By supercharging its characters with very
believable choices, readers walk the streets, farms, and countries of
each of
these twelve individuals and their circles and will find these very
different
journeys engrossing.
Summertime Publications Inc.
4115 East Palo Verde Drive
Phoenix, Arizona
85018
9781940333083
$16.99 www.summertimepublications.com
Return
to Index
Women
on the Brink: Stories If
there's one unifying link to the short stories in G. Elizabeth
Kretchmer's Women
on the Brink: Stories, this lies in
its title: certainly age isn't the defining factor, as the protagonists
in each
story come from all ages and all walks of life. Within
the larger theme of change comes a collection that addresses how women
escape
their lives, patterns, and circumstances to move forward and realize
their
dreams and their true selves. Thus,
there are stories as diverse as that involving one woman's turn-around
from her
sanguine life ("I
LAY SPRAWLED across
my new king-sized Ralph Lauren duvet - another gift from Hugh - trying
to
figure out why Sylvia Plath chose the oven and Virginia Woolf decided
to drown,
and also where on earth Charlotte Perkins Gilman even found chloroform.
Meanwhile, the phone rang: more pleas for money. I liked giving my
husband’s
money away."). The process of her growth as she
fields a nasty
email from her younger sister commenting on her social status and her
inclination to send unwanted poetry presents a piece which captures
important
reflections on the ties between status and money ("That’s the trouble with such a
big house: You can’t
even say a proper goodbye."). Another
example is 'Running with Ghosts', the saga of a teen who struggles with
an
'evil stepmother' who is faced with the unsavory prospect of living
with an
elderly step-great-grandmother for the summer. Sierra's reflections ("The problem with being a
teenager is that you don’t
get any respect. And you don’t have any control over your life. And
you’re
treated like dog shit.") and her definition of
'slavery' change
when she walks out of her familiar world. With
each story adopting such a different perspective, it's fair to say that
Women on the
Brink: Stories creates a series
of evolutionary vignettes that offer glimpses into the perceptions,
motivations, and influences on lasting life changes. Each woman takes
what she
is given in life and moves forward, interacting with others from
different
lives and perspectives and escaping death, opposing forces, and
limiting
conditions alike. The
result is a multi-faceted short story collection especially recommended
for
women who want thought-provoking, literary, accessible pieces that will
stay
fresh and impressionable long after the first reading.
G. Elizabeth Kretchmer
Booktrope
978-1-5137-0235-3 $18.95 print,
$4.99 ebook
www.gekretchmer.com
Return
to Index
Confidence
Your Secret Weapon: A Guide to Building Confidence While
one might wonder at the need for yet another self-help book about
building
confidence in a genre already replete with so many books on the
subject, it
should be noted that a big differences sets Confidence
Your Secret Weapon: A Guide to Building Confidence
from its
competitors; and that's its intended audience of not adult readers, but
teens
ages 13-17. This
is actually the age which needs such a book the most: formative years
when
personality, life choices and experiences are fluid and expanding, and
when a
book about building confidence might have its biggest effect, before
habits
become engrained and difficult to change. Because
it's aimed towards a younger audience, Confidence
Your Secret Weapon assumes no prior knowledge of
psychology,
self-help, or life experience, and it comes from an expert who is not
just a
young motivational speaker, but who struggled with shyness and
self-limiting
tendencies. Ashley
McLean doesn't view confidence-building as a set routine, but as a
never-ending
life journey. Her task was to provide the tips and techniques for
navigating
this journey, and Confidence
Your Secret
Weapon speaks confidently and surely about this
process. Chapters
pull no punches in differentiating confidence from related (and less
desirable)
qualities stemming from different sources (such as arrogance), and they
cover
everything from identifying and cultivating desirable traits that lead
to and
build self-confidence to using exercises to reinforce these lessons.
These
short exercises require no special equipment and no challenging
approaches:
they're techniques any teen can readily use and incorporate into the
busiest of
schedules. From
building up different areas of life skills to reinforcing
self-confidence and
extending psychological foundations to physical health and well-being, Confidence Your Secret Weapon
covers it
all using a powerful, informative tone that cautions that its skills
are
intended as a life-long pursuit; not as a quick set of temporary
actions. Teens
(and many an adult reader) who wish to incorporate more confidence into
their
approaches to life - and who are willing to follow the techniques that
will
bring them to ultimate success - will find Confidence
Your Secret Weapon a real, unique
winner.
Ashley Korin McLean
Duart Publishing
1507 E. 53rd Street, Suite 520
Chicago, IL
60615
Paperback: 978-0-9861601-0-3
$11.99
Ebook:
978-0-9861601-1-0 $
5.99
www.yoursecret-weapon.com
Return
to Index
Crescent Teen
Stella is busy with the usual pursuits: changing friendships, wearing
too much
makeup, and developing feelings for a cute boy. She's also busy with
unusual
challenges: the death of a beloved grandmother who also happened to be
a witch,
her own blossoming prophetic dreams, and threats from ghosts, religious
mothers
and humans alike. While
trying to use Tarot to reconnect with her dead grandmother and facing
both
heartbreak and broken magic, Stella finds her changed world anything
but
acceptable and sets about making things right - with unexpected
consequences
and not a few chuckles from the reader. Crescent
is teen supernatural fiction at
its best: the first-person descriptions perfectly capture Stella's
impressions
of her life and the major forces influencing her world, while dialogue
and
insights are delivered with the artistry and craft of a writer who
knows how
teens think: "I’m
still trying to play
it cool and not come across as too ecstatic that we’re being haunted
and
talking about ghosts. After this, we’re truly best friends." Stella's
very precise, astute perceptions aren't just those of other worlds -
they're
those of other lives: "She
doesn’t want
to consider the very real possibility that Beatrice’s crap mother was
so intent
on disowning her, that she even had a family tree put together without
including her own daughter…as if she never existed." Perhaps
this is one reason why Crescent
flows so easily, feels so realistic, and reads so well: its compelling,
candid
character remains firmly in charge of herself and her life - even when
she
thinks she isn't. All these elements make Crescent's
sinuous world a top recommendation for teen readers who like precise
dialogue
and supernatural puzzlers presented with no light hand when it comes to
social
commentary, insights on fitting in (or not), and a teen's investigation
of
family, friends, and self.
Mary Jane Capps
DreamFusion Press, LLC
978-0985813413
$14.95
http://www.dreamfusionpress.
Return
to Index
A
Different Color A
Different Color is directed to
young
adults and 'high/low' readers and presents the story of a young man who
has
relished his independence from his family since college days, but is
now
returning home to face uncertain family and friendship changes.
Recommended for
mature young adults who find reading challenging and plots typically
too
complex to thoroughly enjoy, A Different
Color provides a story of revenge, street
culture, prison
encounters, and more; and is more absorbing than many reads about urban
experience. His
attempts to reconnect with his family fall short ("D.L.’s desperate attempt to
reach his little brother
failed, and Mike was not going to get back the last two hours of his
life."),
once again - but then everything changes, forcing him to face
an
out-of-control situation. From
jails and detective work to broken families and hearts, A Different Color
captures the realistic
world of streetwise hearts and minds and includes dialogue and
approaches that
are emotionally compelling. These elements make for a read accessible
to those
who normally struggle with unrealistic protagonists and mainstream
middle class
American concerns. This
was read as a manuscript-in-progress with the usual need for better
editing and
polish: this disclaimer aside, A Different
Color will only take a little more work to
become a gripping saga of
neighborhood gang violence and one family's struggles to not only
survive, but
to keep the faith.
K.C. Taylor
YIREAD Publishing
P.O. Box 33248, Indianapolis, IN 46203
Kchill24@aol.com
978-0-9728549-1-7 ($9.99)
www.yireadpublishing.com
Return
to Index
The
Satellite Dragon It's
a clear and sunny morning; but despite its brilliance, all does not
feel right:
a group of friends are haunted by a feeling of being watched, and the
young
adults who walk to a deli in the quiet town are about to find their
lives
changed. The
first thing to note about The
Satellite
Dragon is its attention to surreal description
and settings: a
device nearly poetic in its usage, and eerily compelling: "Sometimes the small chandeliers
in the apartment
south of Western Street would shake and reflect small colorful spots on
the
wall from the sun. The sound of manned airplanes hurrying through the
sky,
flying north, would set off signs of great enthusiasm. The shadows from
the
planes during the weekends, he remembered, would sometimes darken the
street
path and create a loud and zesty blare on the clouds."
While
some might say Oblap Mejia's choice of nouns is unexpected at points,
this only
serves to heighten tension and makes readers stop and think about how
these
unusual words affect the novel's overall feel by injecting it with
underlying
tension. Secondly,
The Satellite
Dragon excels in
creating a wide range of protagonists, expanding its settings from
small town
to Hollywood
and beyond. Protagonists handle videos, challenging (but limited) jobs,
sex,
smartphones, new technology and more; and as these facets steep into
and become
their lives, readers are ever drawn into the role of observer of the
building
and dissolving of these surreal worlds: "There
was a mysterious-looking man with an evil look on his face. He was a
tired man
and had one finger on his lips. He held a smartphone and began to dial
an
outgoing call. He lived in the abandoned cemetery for free and would
wear a
dark-colored tunic and ask people across the street for change. He
would ask
people to look directly into his camera phone so that he would get an
idea or
make his next plan of survival." As
evolving strategic intelligence-gathering winds its tendrils into their
lives
through unexpected routes and electronic gadgets, the true purposes and
insidious
intentions of forces far beyond individual pursuits becomes evident,
embedding The
Satellite Dragon with an increasing
sense of political and social change and the challenges of navigating a
world
superimposed with satellite capabilities that destroy freedom and turn
voting
rights into a farce. Against
this backdrop, lives begun together evolve into something more. With
its
chilling scenarios and realistic portraits of young adults captivated
by
devices and the impersonal routines of video and communications that
distance
emotion from reality, The
Satellite Dragon
offers up a compelling saga that will appeal to a wide audience, from
mature
teens well into adult circles, by creating a slow-building,
image-injected and
riveting saga that adds stunning social commentary into its
coming-of-age story.
Oblap Mejia
Xlibris
Senior Publishing Consultant
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN
4703
Email: basaliska@me.com
(or) theonlyfranciscian@gmail.com
Prepublication Manuscript: ETA Fall 2015
Return
to Index
The
Victor's Heritage The
Victor's Heritage is Book Two of
'The
Jonah Trilogy' and rests upon the spunky personality of teen Corrag,
who is on track to receive the Augment brain
implant that will connect her to the Cloud and thus to the knowledge
base of
the world. But
this goal about to be derailed, thanks to her association with a boy
who is a
veteran of war - and who offers quite a different perspective of their
world
than the one she's been raised with. In
2045, the U.S.
is divided into two very different countries. Within these nations lie
the
seeds of two competing political and social ideologies (much as is
happening
today). And when one special person 'crosses the border' between worlds
and
faces isolation, abandonment, and trials, this makes for a powerful
read,
indeed. The
Victor's Heritage, being part of a
trilogy, enhances the setting provided in Book One, Savior;
but while readers ideally should read the first,
such is not a requirement to arrive late on the scene with its sequel.
Through
the vision and perceptions of Corrag, this world springs immediately to
life
with all its potentials for love, change, and devastation. The
Victor's Heritage is especially
recommended for mature teens to young adults - particularly for those
inclined
to enjoy dystopian stories of the future, who will appreciate a vivid
turn of
events as Corrag's initial acceptance of her future turns into
questions with
terrible answers. The connections between family and friends are
especially
well drawn and lend an immediacy and excitement to the plot, which is
powered
by and packed with emotional revelations and swift action.
Anthony Caplan
Hope Mountain Press
810 Ray Road
Henniker, NH
03242
978-0-9815166-5-3 $9.99 Paperback; $3.41
eBook
http://www.
Return
to Index