Warm weather at last, Outdoor festivals begin
Nominate us for a listing in Writer's Digest's 101 Best Sites
of The Year. Please send your nomination, along with our web
name Allbooks Review and our URL www.allbookreviews.com
to: writersdig@fwpubs.com Subject "101 Sites".
Thank you for all of your support.
*****************************************************************************
ALLBOOKS REVIEW IS NOW ON iFOGO. Be sure and join the Albooks Review Author’s Group where we can share our success and our mistakes. Also join iFogo and get www.booksonfilm.com. Great promo for a great price, post audio, book trailers, contact with agents and producers and much more. Be sure and let them know Allbooks Review sent you and join our group.
http://ifogo.com/buy/order_abr.html USE THIS LINK TO JOIN TODAY
FEATURE
Podcasting Your Way to Success
By Sigrid MacDonald
About two years ago, one of my science-fiction clients started a podcast series. Every week he would put a new chapter of his book on audio, and upload it to iTunes and MySpace. He had a tremendous following and I really admired his form of promotion, but I thought it would be too difficult and expensive for me. Wrong! Podcasting is simple and affordable. And it can be an effective way to get the word out about your book because you are offering free content, which people love.
How do you make a podcast? Download free software from Audacity.com or splurge for the user-friendly package by RecordForAll. I went with the latter because it has an easy navigational system, and only costs $39.99. After listening to the tutorial, I was ready to record. I had long pauses in my sentences, but the software gave me the ability to edit. After recording, I took out the blank spaces, and the few times I coughed, or said, "Um" or "Ah." The end result was a polished product.
What can you talk about? Anything related to your book. My new book is called Be Your Own Editor. It's a crash course in grammar basics that deals with the most common errors people make when they're writing, as well as editing issues related to creative writing. So, I made ten different podcasts and broke them down as follows:
1. How to Avoid Writing Run-On Sentences
2. How to Use Apostrophes Properly
3. How to Establish Realistic Dialogue
I made each podcast brief since people have short attention spans online. If you have a nonfiction topic, podcasting is a breeze. Identify key points in your book and abbreviate them. This is a great teaser; it introduces people to you and draws them to your material. You won't be giving your whole book away - just pieces of it to whet a prospective reader's appetite.
Fiction is a little more complicated but you could read your book chapter by chapter on audio. If you choose this method, stop after two or three chapters. That way the reader is left hanging and needs to know the end of the story. Second, you could read excerpts from your book, and talk about yourself and what motivated you to write it. I hosted my podcasts on MySpace and searched the site using the terms writers, poets, editors, etc. Your search words would relate to your book.
You can also load your podcasts on iTunes. This requires software that has a feed such as FeedForAll and a website that will give you more space for hosting like Mevio, which is free.
We've come a long way, baby, since I started writing in my teens. Now that we have blogs, websites, video, web cams and podcasts, why not take advantage of them?
---------------------------------------------------
Sigrid Macdonald is the author of three books, including Be Your Own Editor. Visit her at http://sigridmacdonald.blogspot.com or http://beyourowneditor.blogspot.com.
SUCCESS STORIES
We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts was awarded Editor's Choice from the iUniverse recognition program this week.
Deb Hosey White
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts
CONGRATULATIONS DEB !
Shirley A. Roe is collaborating with screenwriter, director Randall Rutledge to bring her book Dreams and Nightmares to the big screen. All of us at Allbooks Review congratulate Shirley on this accomplishment.
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Jonathan Maxwell. Taylorsville, Georgia.
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Murderous Intellectuals: German Elites and the Nazi SS. American Book Publishing, which is based in Salt Lake City.
Tell us about yourself:
I’ve been a writer and editor for about four years now. I hold a BA in English from Berry College in Rome, Ga., along with a psychology minor. I also possess a Paralegal Certificate. Since the publication of my first book- Murderous Intellectuals- I have written two additional books. I have also penned op/ed pieces for various newspapers, have contributed critical reviews to literary journals, and have written chapters for history textbooks. As an editor, I have worked for the publishing giants Harcourt and Pearson.
When was the book released?
November 2009.
Give us an overview of your book.
My book examines why so many well-educated professionals- such as doctors, lawyers, professors, scientists, and engineers- willingly joined the Nazi SS, the notorious group that spearheaded the Holocaust.
What inspired you to write this book?
My interest in the Holocaust- the Nazi war against Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, and other “undesirables”- began in high school. I read many excellent books about the subject through the years, but, eventually, I noticed a dearth of information in at least one crucial area. Popular culture tends to depict the Nazis as being brutes, but many Nazis did not fit this stereotype. Many Nazis, in fact, were superbly educated, graduating from the best universities in Europe. At times, books would briefly examine this contradiction, but no author that I knew of wrote a book about this phenomenon and what motivated these “murderous intellectuals.” I read book after book, but none dealt satisfactorily with the subject. Eventually, I got frustrated and decided to write the book myself.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Many books have been penned about the Final Solution (the Nazi term for the Holocaust), but comparatively few histories have examined the motivations of Nazi elites from psychological, sociological, political, and historical perspectives.
Where can people buy your book?
People can purchase a copy at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and www.pdbookstore.com.
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
My second book, Piltdown Man and Other Hoaxes, will be released in late 2010. It’s a far cry from my first one. The book is a lighthearted, fun examination of scientific frauds through history, such as the Missing Link Hoax and the Minnesota Iceman Hoax.
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
Working with traditional publishers helps to ensure that you get a quality product. My publisher, for example, requires your assigned editor to edit your manuscript four times. Then, your copy editor edits it once, and, finally, the proofreader edits it at least once. The editorial stage, then, transpires for at least a year. In addition, your book designer spends about six months creating a suitable cover, selecting fonts, choosing colors, and so on. It’s a slow, painstaking process, but in the end, you appreciate the results. Everything looks sensational.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
Take a multi-tiered approach to marketing your work. Do signings at the book stores and libraries. Submit press releases to local and regional newspapers. Send out galleys to reputable reviewers. Perform lectures at schools, colleges, service organizations, and elsewhere. Get radio interviews. Don’t try starting at the national level. If you’re a new author just starting out, USA Today and Book TV are not going to give you publicity. Start out locally and work your way up.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I stumbled upon Allbooks Reviews while searching for book reviewers on the Internet. I was impressed by the website and I sent out an e-mail asking for more information. The information I received impressed me further, so I decided the use the company’s services.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
Publicists are a requirement in the publishing industry, and Allbooks Reviews provides the most services at the most economical rates. To Allbooks Reviews, all I can say is: Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thank you!
Our newsletter is available on our website and blogs monthly. We do not do mass mailings
www.allbookreviews.com Check it out, our website is constantly being updated.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Allbooks Review Newsletter April 2010
Don’t be an April Fool
Nominate us for a listing in Writer's Digest's 101 Best Sites
of The Year. Please send your nomination, along with our web
name Allbooks Review and our URL www.allbookreviews.com
to: writersdig@fwpubs.com Subject "101 Sites".
Thank you for all of your support.
*****************************************************************************
ALLBOOKS REVIEW IS NOW ON iFOGO. Be sure and join the Albooks Review Author’s Group where we can share our success and our mistakes. Also join iFogo and get www.booksonfilm.com. Great promo for a great price, post audio, book trailers, contact with agents and producers and much more. Be sure and let them know Allbooks Review sent you and join our group.
http://ifogo.com/buy/order_abr.html USE THIS LINK TO JOIN TODAY
FEATURE
Sneak Peek: Characterization
from Accelerated Getting Started in Writing
Once you've determined who your characters are, what they
look like and why they act the way they do, you'll need to
find creative ways to get that information to your reader.
The use of a variety of techniques to portray your
characters to your reader is referred to as "characteriza-
tion."
There are three primary methods of characterization:
description, action and dialogue. Description is narrative
that simply tells your reader something about your
character:
Larry was a tall, unhappy man with short brown hair.
A more dynamic method of characterization is to show your
character in action or in dialogue with another character
(we'll discuss dialogue in more detail shortly). The words
and actions of a character--particularly when enhanced by
description--can tell your reader a lot about who that
character is. Here, for example is Larry in action:
Larry shuffled into the kitchen, ducking instinctively as
he came through the doorway. The dishes were piling up and
the floor needed sweeping, but he couldn't find a reason
to care about that right now. He pulled a beer from the
fridge and sat at the table without opening it.
From this passage we get an impression of Larry's height
from the fact that he needs to "duck" through the doorway.
His unhappiness is hinted at by his shuffling and his
apathetic reaction to his surroundings. In a similar way,
dialogue can characterize by letting the reader see the
character relating to someone else:
Beth clicked on the light and jumped when she saw Larry
slumped over the kitchen table. "Jeez, Larry, you scared
me half to death. What the hell are you doing, sitting in
here in the dark?"
"I don't know. Nothing." Larry ran his hand over his head,
spiking his short brown hair.
"Did you go to work today?"
"No."
"You sick?"
"No."
Beth laid her purse on the table and sat down. "Now you're
really scaring me. Tell me what's wrong."
Not only does this brief dialogue passage show us a picture
of a despondent Larry, it introduces a second character
and gives us some indication of the relationship between
the two characters.
All three methods of characterization can be effective.
How you use them, and in what combination, is a matter of
your personal style and the needs of your story. You
should practice all three, and study them in the published
works of writers you admire to see how each contributes to
the overall style of the piece and to your understanding
of the character.
- - - - - - -
Get on the fast track to writing success!
Visit http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2101129/3836259/1590/0/
to check out the six one-week sessions for this course,
and to enroll in Accelerated Getting Started in Writing
today!
SUCCESS STORIES
We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.
Hi:
Just wanted to share the news that my book has been nominated for an award in the Romance Category. Take a look, http://readerviews.com/Awards2009Finalists.html. Winners will be announced next month. :)
Christyna Hunter
Author, Wildfire & The Butterfly's Dance
My New Book Unintelligent Humans will be released officially in July of this year. Check out detailed info at my website.www.UnintelligentHumans.com In addition, my last book Eastern Wisdom for Your Soul has recently been sold for translating to an E-Book publisher in Italy.
Richard Singer, Author, Eastern Wisdom for your Soul, Unintelligent Humans
TIP
Allbooks Review wishes to thank all of the authors that purchased our promo package in 2009, making this our best year ever. We have grown over the past 10 years and will continue to provide excellent service for reasonable fees. Our goal is to make your book sell !
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Sherry Jones Mayo
Sedona, AZ
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Confessions of a Trauma Junkie: My Life as a Nurse Paramedic
Modern History Press
Tell us about yourself:
Depending on the day and situation, I’m a wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, writer, cook, confidant, or crazy cat lady. No matter which hat I’m wearing, after 20 years in emergency medicine and working with a paramilitary organization, I’ve accumulated enough experience to lend a more qualified hand in crisis response; my focus remains on continuing in the helping professions, but lately it is through another door. I find myself looking backward as much as forward, stopping to think, “Wait, I’m not entirely done with that yet, I still have something to say.” Knowledge gained while working toward the Health Psychology degree is giving me a clearer voice, and I hope to share those lessons and thoughts with my readers.
When was the book released?
Paperback edition was June 1, 2009. The publisher plans a hardcover edition for June 1, 2010.
Give us an overview of your book.
“Confessions” reflects the innermost feelings of emergency services workers as they encounter trauma, tragedy, redemption, and even a little humor. I have worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic), Trauma Nurse, and on-scene Critical Incident Stress Debriefer for Hurricane Katrina, and following small-airplane crashes. Most people who have observed or experienced physical, mental, or emotional crisis have single perspectives. This book allows readers to stand on both sides of the gurney; it details a progression from innocence to enlightened caregiver to burnout, glimpsing into each stage personally and professionally.
What inspired you to write this book?
A lot of people today are interested in the true ‘story behind the story’, especially when it comes to true-life situations that touch so closely upon what they or their family members may experience. Whenever I tell people what I do, they focus on the gory side of life, and the type of incidents that catch folk’s attention and prevent them from looking away. What they don’t realize, until it happens to them, is that those horrible things happen to someone who is loved and cherished, especially the children. I want people to see the world, for a moment, through my eyes, to walk with me through the broken glass, to sit next to me and hold the hand of the sick or dying, to fight against death. And then I want them to see the lunacy of it all and laugh.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Many books about emergency medicine and true life situations present the hero perspective, a viewpoint of glamorization and drama. This book presents the raw and honest feelings of people without (much) censure or euphemism. Love us or hate us, this is how we feel. My slant is in telling the side of the story you may never know: how the emergency services worker feels about his experience, how it impacts him (sometimes for the rest of his life), what he is thinking as he works his calls, how he internalizes most of the negative thoughts and experiences lest his coworkers or family see him as weak, and what happens after the call is over.
Where can people buy your book?
Ordering from my website allows readers to get an autographed copy (or not, as they choose) through http://sherryjonesmayo.com. Readers may also order from Amazon (which offers a Kindle version), or ask major bookstores to order the book for them.
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
I’m gathering materials for another book, but it will have to wait until grad school is complete, so I’m only writing short pieces for the next couple of years. I’m working on a master’s degree in Health Psychology, which offers a different perspective than my medical training offers. Nurses and Medics respond to the affects of injury and illness, I’d like to focus on a more proactive vision of promoting wellness, and future books may represent that bio/psych/socio vision.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
A publisher who provides services beyond editing and printing books is invaluable. My publisher, Modern History Press, gives writers tools for self-marketing and promotion that are beyond our experience and expertise, and regularly links writers to other writing opportunities (which in turn promote books). I wouldn’t have known where to begin without that service, and the book may never have gone beyond family copies and bragging rights. Simply, I’m an expert (of sorts) on emergency medicine and crisis response, not on publishing.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
Recently my publisher provided a query regarding the experience of nurses who transitioned from paramedics. The piece turned into a feature interview on the website, and I was able to establish a writing agreement with the site owner. Now I’m not only getting a lot of publicity about the book every time I write for this site, but I have the opportunity to be a paid contributor.
Initial interview: http://rndegrees.net/confessions-of-a-trauma-junkie.php
First feature piece: http://rndegrees.net/blog/career-development/disaster-relief-a-paramedic-turned-rn-shares-her-story.html
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
Sherry: I’ll turn this over to Victor, my publisher, he can answer this question the best
Victor: Thanks Sherry! I believe I discovered Allbooks Reviews through a referral from my friend and colleague Irene Watson at ReaderViews. I like the professional and erudite nature of the reviews that AllBooks Reviews has consistently produced. I feel their reputation and influence in the independent review industry will only continue to grow. That is why I have selected Allbooks Reviews for all new titles coming from Modern History Press in 2010.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
Victor: Allbooks Reviews is highly competitive and offers an excellent value-for-money proposition. In fact, I doubt you can get reviews of this caliber for less money anywhere. Their service is also quite speedy and customer service always friendly. Probably the next domain for them to conquer would be author-interview podcasts. Ok, I’ll turn the interview back over to Sherry.:
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Sherry: Thank you! Selling books is nice, but the biggest joy is when someone has read the book and told me they laughed, they cried, they were deeply touched. Taking people to a place deep within themselves is extremely rewarding. It makes baring one’s own soul, standing naked before the world in one of the most vulnerable ways possible, well worth the exposure.
In the News
Amazon Fires All Colorado Affiliates
------------------------------------
To show that it protested against a new Colorado State Sales Tax,
Amazon immediately broke all relations with every affiliate based
in Colorado. The new law requires out-of-state retailers such as
Amazon to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by
Colorado residents or simply to inform their Colorado customers
that they owe use tax on any purchase they have made. For more on
this story visit: http://news.bookweb.org/7364.html
Canadian Booksellers Fight Against Amazon Coming to Canada
----------------------------------------------------------
The Canadian Booksellers Association has urged the Canadian
government to prevent Amazon.com from entering the Canadian market.
Amazon.com wants to build a shipping warehouse in Canada.
For more on this story visit: http://news.bookweb.org/7354.html
Nominate us for a listing in Writer's Digest's 101 Best Sites
of The Year. Please send your nomination, along with our web
name Allbooks Review and our URL www.allbookreviews.com
to: writersdig@fwpubs.com Subject "101 Sites".
Thank you for all of your support.
*****************************************************************************
ALLBOOKS REVIEW IS NOW ON iFOGO. Be sure and join the Albooks Review Author’s Group where we can share our success and our mistakes. Also join iFogo and get www.booksonfilm.com. Great promo for a great price, post audio, book trailers, contact with agents and producers and much more. Be sure and let them know Allbooks Review sent you and join our group.
http://ifogo.com/buy/order_abr.html USE THIS LINK TO JOIN TODAY
FEATURE
Sneak Peek: Characterization
from Accelerated Getting Started in Writing
Once you've determined who your characters are, what they
look like and why they act the way they do, you'll need to
find creative ways to get that information to your reader.
The use of a variety of techniques to portray your
characters to your reader is referred to as "characteriza-
tion."
There are three primary methods of characterization:
description, action and dialogue. Description is narrative
that simply tells your reader something about your
character:
Larry was a tall, unhappy man with short brown hair.
A more dynamic method of characterization is to show your
character in action or in dialogue with another character
(we'll discuss dialogue in more detail shortly). The words
and actions of a character--particularly when enhanced by
description--can tell your reader a lot about who that
character is. Here, for example is Larry in action:
Larry shuffled into the kitchen, ducking instinctively as
he came through the doorway. The dishes were piling up and
the floor needed sweeping, but he couldn't find a reason
to care about that right now. He pulled a beer from the
fridge and sat at the table without opening it.
From this passage we get an impression of Larry's height
from the fact that he needs to "duck" through the doorway.
His unhappiness is hinted at by his shuffling and his
apathetic reaction to his surroundings. In a similar way,
dialogue can characterize by letting the reader see the
character relating to someone else:
Beth clicked on the light and jumped when she saw Larry
slumped over the kitchen table. "Jeez, Larry, you scared
me half to death. What the hell are you doing, sitting in
here in the dark?"
"I don't know. Nothing." Larry ran his hand over his head,
spiking his short brown hair.
"Did you go to work today?"
"No."
"You sick?"
"No."
Beth laid her purse on the table and sat down. "Now you're
really scaring me. Tell me what's wrong."
Not only does this brief dialogue passage show us a picture
of a despondent Larry, it introduces a second character
and gives us some indication of the relationship between
the two characters.
All three methods of characterization can be effective.
How you use them, and in what combination, is a matter of
your personal style and the needs of your story. You
should practice all three, and study them in the published
works of writers you admire to see how each contributes to
the overall style of the piece and to your understanding
of the character.
- - - - - - -
Get on the fast track to writing success!
Visit http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2101129/3836259/1590/0/
to check out the six one-week sessions for this course,
and to enroll in Accelerated Getting Started in Writing
today!
SUCCESS STORIES
We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.
Hi:
Just wanted to share the news that my book has been nominated for an award in the Romance Category. Take a look, http://readerviews.com/Awards2009Finalists.html. Winners will be announced next month. :)
Christyna Hunter
Author, Wildfire & The Butterfly's Dance
My New Book Unintelligent Humans will be released officially in July of this year. Check out detailed info at my website.www.UnintelligentHumans.com In addition, my last book Eastern Wisdom for Your Soul has recently been sold for translating to an E-Book publisher in Italy.
Richard Singer, Author, Eastern Wisdom for your Soul, Unintelligent Humans
TIP
Allbooks Review wishes to thank all of the authors that purchased our promo package in 2009, making this our best year ever. We have grown over the past 10 years and will continue to provide excellent service for reasonable fees. Our goal is to make your book sell !
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Sherry Jones Mayo
Sedona, AZ
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Confessions of a Trauma Junkie: My Life as a Nurse Paramedic
Modern History Press
Tell us about yourself:
Depending on the day and situation, I’m a wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, writer, cook, confidant, or crazy cat lady. No matter which hat I’m wearing, after 20 years in emergency medicine and working with a paramilitary organization, I’ve accumulated enough experience to lend a more qualified hand in crisis response; my focus remains on continuing in the helping professions, but lately it is through another door. I find myself looking backward as much as forward, stopping to think, “Wait, I’m not entirely done with that yet, I still have something to say.” Knowledge gained while working toward the Health Psychology degree is giving me a clearer voice, and I hope to share those lessons and thoughts with my readers.
When was the book released?
Paperback edition was June 1, 2009. The publisher plans a hardcover edition for June 1, 2010.
Give us an overview of your book.
“Confessions” reflects the innermost feelings of emergency services workers as they encounter trauma, tragedy, redemption, and even a little humor. I have worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic), Trauma Nurse, and on-scene Critical Incident Stress Debriefer for Hurricane Katrina, and following small-airplane crashes. Most people who have observed or experienced physical, mental, or emotional crisis have single perspectives. This book allows readers to stand on both sides of the gurney; it details a progression from innocence to enlightened caregiver to burnout, glimpsing into each stage personally and professionally.
What inspired you to write this book?
A lot of people today are interested in the true ‘story behind the story’, especially when it comes to true-life situations that touch so closely upon what they or their family members may experience. Whenever I tell people what I do, they focus on the gory side of life, and the type of incidents that catch folk’s attention and prevent them from looking away. What they don’t realize, until it happens to them, is that those horrible things happen to someone who is loved and cherished, especially the children. I want people to see the world, for a moment, through my eyes, to walk with me through the broken glass, to sit next to me and hold the hand of the sick or dying, to fight against death. And then I want them to see the lunacy of it all and laugh.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Many books about emergency medicine and true life situations present the hero perspective, a viewpoint of glamorization and drama. This book presents the raw and honest feelings of people without (much) censure or euphemism. Love us or hate us, this is how we feel. My slant is in telling the side of the story you may never know: how the emergency services worker feels about his experience, how it impacts him (sometimes for the rest of his life), what he is thinking as he works his calls, how he internalizes most of the negative thoughts and experiences lest his coworkers or family see him as weak, and what happens after the call is over.
Where can people buy your book?
Ordering from my website allows readers to get an autographed copy (or not, as they choose) through http://sherryjonesmayo.com. Readers may also order from Amazon (which offers a Kindle version), or ask major bookstores to order the book for them.
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
I’m gathering materials for another book, but it will have to wait until grad school is complete, so I’m only writing short pieces for the next couple of years. I’m working on a master’s degree in Health Psychology, which offers a different perspective than my medical training offers. Nurses and Medics respond to the affects of injury and illness, I’d like to focus on a more proactive vision of promoting wellness, and future books may represent that bio/psych/socio vision.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
A publisher who provides services beyond editing and printing books is invaluable. My publisher, Modern History Press, gives writers tools for self-marketing and promotion that are beyond our experience and expertise, and regularly links writers to other writing opportunities (which in turn promote books). I wouldn’t have known where to begin without that service, and the book may never have gone beyond family copies and bragging rights. Simply, I’m an expert (of sorts) on emergency medicine and crisis response, not on publishing.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
Recently my publisher provided a query regarding the experience of nurses who transitioned from paramedics. The piece turned into a feature interview on the website, and I was able to establish a writing agreement with the site owner. Now I’m not only getting a lot of publicity about the book every time I write for this site, but I have the opportunity to be a paid contributor.
Initial interview: http://rndegrees.net/confessions-of-a-trauma-junkie.php
First feature piece: http://rndegrees.net/blog/career-development/disaster-relief-a-paramedic-turned-rn-shares-her-story.html
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
Sherry: I’ll turn this over to Victor, my publisher, he can answer this question the best
Victor: Thanks Sherry! I believe I discovered Allbooks Reviews through a referral from my friend and colleague Irene Watson at ReaderViews. I like the professional and erudite nature of the reviews that AllBooks Reviews has consistently produced. I feel their reputation and influence in the independent review industry will only continue to grow. That is why I have selected Allbooks Reviews for all new titles coming from Modern History Press in 2010.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
Victor: Allbooks Reviews is highly competitive and offers an excellent value-for-money proposition. In fact, I doubt you can get reviews of this caliber for less money anywhere. Their service is also quite speedy and customer service always friendly. Probably the next domain for them to conquer would be author-interview podcasts. Ok, I’ll turn the interview back over to Sherry.:
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Sherry: Thank you! Selling books is nice, but the biggest joy is when someone has read the book and told me they laughed, they cried, they were deeply touched. Taking people to a place deep within themselves is extremely rewarding. It makes baring one’s own soul, standing naked before the world in one of the most vulnerable ways possible, well worth the exposure.
In the News
Amazon Fires All Colorado Affiliates
------------------------------------
To show that it protested against a new Colorado State Sales Tax,
Amazon immediately broke all relations with every affiliate based
in Colorado. The new law requires out-of-state retailers such as
Amazon to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by
Colorado residents or simply to inform their Colorado customers
that they owe use tax on any purchase they have made. For more on
this story visit: http://news.bookweb.org/7364.html
Canadian Booksellers Fight Against Amazon Coming to Canada
----------------------------------------------------------
The Canadian Booksellers Association has urged the Canadian
government to prevent Amazon.com from entering the Canadian market.
Amazon.com wants to build a shipping warehouse in Canada.
For more on this story visit: http://news.bookweb.org/7354.html
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Hidden in the Sun
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Author: CA Bodiford
Author, CA Bodiford, has written an adventure filled story. Sarah is content living the single life, when she reconnects with someone from her past. They marry and the real saga begins. Sarah finds herself as the wife of a wealthy man and with a seemingly charmed life. As their relationship changes, violence and deceitfulness destroy her world. Fleeing for her life, she must start all over again in a new life with a new identity.
Meanwhile, Jackson, a police detective, is working the case of a missing woman who seemingly was harmed and kidnapped. The case goes terribly wrong and he, too, seeks refuge in a new place.
A chance encounter brings the two main characters together, yet they can never fully love until they learn to trust one another. Will they be able to forget their past lives and move on, or will their lives remain Hidden in the Sun.
Ms. Bodiford has created believable and endearing characters with “sit on the edge of your seat” circumstances. Adult situations and language, along with graphic details, limit this book to mature readers.
Recommended for anyone wishing to escape in the pages of a good book!
Reviewed by: Donetta Garman, Allbooks Review www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: Publish America
ISBN: 978-1-61582-748-0
List price: $19.95
January 2010
*Disclaimer on Homepage.
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Author: CA Bodiford
Author, CA Bodiford, has written an adventure filled story. Sarah is content living the single life, when she reconnects with someone from her past. They marry and the real saga begins. Sarah finds herself as the wife of a wealthy man and with a seemingly charmed life. As their relationship changes, violence and deceitfulness destroy her world. Fleeing for her life, she must start all over again in a new life with a new identity.
Meanwhile, Jackson, a police detective, is working the case of a missing woman who seemingly was harmed and kidnapped. The case goes terribly wrong and he, too, seeks refuge in a new place.
A chance encounter brings the two main characters together, yet they can never fully love until they learn to trust one another. Will they be able to forget their past lives and move on, or will their lives remain Hidden in the Sun.
Ms. Bodiford has created believable and endearing characters with “sit on the edge of your seat” circumstances. Adult situations and language, along with graphic details, limit this book to mature readers.
Recommended for anyone wishing to escape in the pages of a good book!
Reviewed by: Donetta Garman, Allbooks Review www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: Publish America
ISBN: 978-1-61582-748-0
List price: $19.95
January 2010
*Disclaimer on Homepage.
Self Murder
Genre: Fiction
AVAILABLE APRIL 2010
Author: Robert Scott Leyse
SELF-MURDER. “Do you dare to fall in love?” asks the narrator of Self-Murder, and
then answers by detailing an instance of attraction to a "breath-stealing" beauty, which swiftly becomes an obsessive fixation, such that all else melts from his awareness, his sanity is stretched to its limits and madness threatens to engulf him.
Thus begins the tale of a man who plays mind games with himself as he invites you “dear reader” to follow him down the pathways of a developing criminal mind.
Of course, like many of those who follow this pathway, his problem is totally the fault of beautiful women. His lust is not his lust. It is all the fault of the beautiful and mysterious curves of young and supple women. The narrator visits peep shows and solicits young women for excesses in sensual delights, and adds prolonged sleep deprivation to erode his tenuous hold on rationality. What is real and what is imagined become totally confused to the point where both narrator and reader wonder if murder or even several murders take place before the end.
This is a good/fun read, though a tad confusing at times. But what would you expect
when entering the mind of the insane. A note to women: This is not a character you would ever want to meet. He is the extreme example of men who blame women for all their woes.
As previously mentioned, the style can be confusing because you are taken into an
increasingly unstable mind. I enjoyed the romp maybe because I rooted for the girls and wished one of them would put an end to his madness by being crazier than him
Robert Scott Leyse was born in San Francisco, grew up in various locales about America, lived in Paris for a spell, and now resides in Manhattan. He has worked as a New York cab driver, on the night shift, and has over a dozen years of experience in the legal field. His first novel, Liaisons for Laughs: Angie & Ella's Summer of Delirium appeared in July, 2009.
Self-Murder is his second novel. Visit him online at: www.robertscottleyse.com
"This is a good/fun read I can highly recommend to readers searching for something different and don't mind entering the mind of the insane." Reviewer: Peter Klein, Allbooks Reviews. www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: ShatterColors Press
ISBN: 978-0-9821710-2-8
Pages: 224
Price: $26.95
Jan, 2010
AVAILABLE APRIL 2010
Author: Robert Scott Leyse
SELF-MURDER. “Do you dare to fall in love?” asks the narrator of Self-Murder, and
then answers by detailing an instance of attraction to a "breath-stealing" beauty, which swiftly becomes an obsessive fixation, such that all else melts from his awareness, his sanity is stretched to its limits and madness threatens to engulf him.
Thus begins the tale of a man who plays mind games with himself as he invites you “dear reader” to follow him down the pathways of a developing criminal mind.
Of course, like many of those who follow this pathway, his problem is totally the fault of beautiful women. His lust is not his lust. It is all the fault of the beautiful and mysterious curves of young and supple women. The narrator visits peep shows and solicits young women for excesses in sensual delights, and adds prolonged sleep deprivation to erode his tenuous hold on rationality. What is real and what is imagined become totally confused to the point where both narrator and reader wonder if murder or even several murders take place before the end.
This is a good/fun read, though a tad confusing at times. But what would you expect
when entering the mind of the insane. A note to women: This is not a character you would ever want to meet. He is the extreme example of men who blame women for all their woes.
As previously mentioned, the style can be confusing because you are taken into an
increasingly unstable mind. I enjoyed the romp maybe because I rooted for the girls and wished one of them would put an end to his madness by being crazier than him
Robert Scott Leyse was born in San Francisco, grew up in various locales about America, lived in Paris for a spell, and now resides in Manhattan. He has worked as a New York cab driver, on the night shift, and has over a dozen years of experience in the legal field. His first novel, Liaisons for Laughs: Angie & Ella's Summer of Delirium appeared in July, 2009.
Self-Murder is his second novel. Visit him online at: www.robertscottleyse.com
"This is a good/fun read I can highly recommend to readers searching for something different and don't mind entering the mind of the insane." Reviewer: Peter Klein, Allbooks Reviews. www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: ShatterColors Press
ISBN: 978-0-9821710-2-8
Pages: 224
Price: $26.95
Jan, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Dragon's Hat: Who was Noah?
Genre: Religious Fiction
Author: Jack Dunn
Oliver and Justine visit Eridu, now known as Abu Shah Rain, southeast of Baghdad. They return to the Enki’s temple to retrieve the Tablet of Time that they hid on their last visit. Unfortunately, someone has removed it and other artifacts in their absence.
Meanwhile, back in New York City Jonathan and Lisa, who work for the Whiting Foundation attempt to discover the truth about the Private Security Company and the CIA’s involvement. There is some evidence that the Vatican is also involved.
Father Luke and Father Joshua follow the trail of the tablets to Berlin. The trail leads them to the Berlin Zoo, where the tablets surface, but are guarded by evil spirit who is attempting to sell them.
How do these 6 characters come together and what will they discover? Are the beliefs of the world’s religions, both current and ancient, the same after all? Is one faith’s God the same as another, with only slight variations on the legends and stories? Who was Noah and how does he influence modern day destiny?
Jack Dunn’s previous books, The Vatican Boys and Babylon’s Tablet of Destiny introduce his theories and talent for intense research. The books are works of fiction, but the author gives readers something to think about with his conspiracy theory and covert operations. His spin on the religious folklore is interesting.
Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Review. www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: Raider Publishing
ISBN: 978-1935383956
Jan. 2010
Author: Jack Dunn
Oliver and Justine visit Eridu, now known as Abu Shah Rain, southeast of Baghdad. They return to the Enki’s temple to retrieve the Tablet of Time that they hid on their last visit. Unfortunately, someone has removed it and other artifacts in their absence.
Meanwhile, back in New York City Jonathan and Lisa, who work for the Whiting Foundation attempt to discover the truth about the Private Security Company and the CIA’s involvement. There is some evidence that the Vatican is also involved.
Father Luke and Father Joshua follow the trail of the tablets to Berlin. The trail leads them to the Berlin Zoo, where the tablets surface, but are guarded by evil spirit who is attempting to sell them.
How do these 6 characters come together and what will they discover? Are the beliefs of the world’s religions, both current and ancient, the same after all? Is one faith’s God the same as another, with only slight variations on the legends and stories? Who was Noah and how does he influence modern day destiny?
Jack Dunn’s previous books, The Vatican Boys and Babylon’s Tablet of Destiny introduce his theories and talent for intense research. The books are works of fiction, but the author gives readers something to think about with his conspiracy theory and covert operations. His spin on the religious folklore is interesting.
Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Review. www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: Raider Publishing
ISBN: 978-1935383956
Jan. 2010
Fireworks
Genre: Adventure/Mystery
Author: Paul J. Mila
In Pakistan, a U.S. Navy Seal uncovers a terrorist plot against
America, somehow involving the Queen of England. The details are
murky, but the potential for death and destruction are terrifying. The
CIA and New York police department must work quickly to uncover the
details and prevent a disaster.
Fireworks, is the third in a series by Paul Mila about Terry and Joe
Manetta and their heroic dolphin friend, Notchka. Happily raising
their children in the beautiful tourist island of Cozumel, Mexico, the
couple is called upon by the NYPD to help prevent a terrorist attack
against the Queen Mary and New York City. Notchka's keen dolphin
instincts, with help from Terry's training, proves indispensable, but
the threat doesn't end there, and the family finds themselves deeply
entrenched in the terrorists' plans.
Paul J. Mila is an avid scuba enthusiast, with great respect for the
conservation of the ocean and the creatures in it, often appearing at
speaking engagements on the subject. As well as having written the
three books in this series, his underwater photography has appeared in
magazines and websites.
Fireworks is a cleverly written novel, filled with not only
adventure and entertainment, but with many informative facts about
every facet of the story, from dolphins and scuba diving, to New York
and Cozumel. It is quickly apparent that the author has real
experience in the areas of which he writes, which is crucial for
producing a novel that involves such specific skill sets. The
characters are vivid and each unique, with genuine emotions and
interpersonal relationships. The settings, particularly that of the
island, are described with an obviously personal appreciation, and
talent, by the author.
An exciting and fast-paced read, Fireworks is a wonderful book,
that gives ample reason to look for the first two in the series!
Highly Recommended by Reviewer: Nancy Morris, Allbooks Review.
www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: Authorhouse
ISBN: 978-1-4389-0068-1
Pages: 270
Price: $15.95
also available in hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-4389-0069-8.
Jan 2010
Author: Paul J. Mila
In Pakistan, a U.S. Navy Seal uncovers a terrorist plot against
America, somehow involving the Queen of England. The details are
murky, but the potential for death and destruction are terrifying. The
CIA and New York police department must work quickly to uncover the
details and prevent a disaster.
Fireworks, is the third in a series by Paul Mila about Terry and Joe
Manetta and their heroic dolphin friend, Notchka. Happily raising
their children in the beautiful tourist island of Cozumel, Mexico, the
couple is called upon by the NYPD to help prevent a terrorist attack
against the Queen Mary and New York City. Notchka's keen dolphin
instincts, with help from Terry's training, proves indispensable, but
the threat doesn't end there, and the family finds themselves deeply
entrenched in the terrorists' plans.
Paul J. Mila is an avid scuba enthusiast, with great respect for the
conservation of the ocean and the creatures in it, often appearing at
speaking engagements on the subject. As well as having written the
three books in this series, his underwater photography has appeared in
magazines and websites.
Fireworks is a cleverly written novel, filled with not only
adventure and entertainment, but with many informative facts about
every facet of the story, from dolphins and scuba diving, to New York
and Cozumel. It is quickly apparent that the author has real
experience in the areas of which he writes, which is crucial for
producing a novel that involves such specific skill sets. The
characters are vivid and each unique, with genuine emotions and
interpersonal relationships. The settings, particularly that of the
island, are described with an obviously personal appreciation, and
talent, by the author.
An exciting and fast-paced read, Fireworks is a wonderful book,
that gives ample reason to look for the first two in the series!
Highly Recommended by Reviewer: Nancy Morris, Allbooks Review.
www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher: Authorhouse
ISBN: 978-1-4389-0068-1
Pages: 270
Price: $15.95
also available in hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-4389-0069-8.
Jan 2010
Hitting the High Notes
Genre: Womens Fiction
AUTHOR: Nan D. Arnold
Maggie’s life is rather ordinary until she meets sexy-as-all-get-out ‘Stavros’ at a convenient store one afternoon and goes to his place for drinks.
Forgetting her purse when Stavros rushes her out the door starts a series of events for Maggie that leave her head spinning, especially once gorgeous Detective Bruce “Red” Herring enters the picture.
Forty-something Maggie finds her hot flashes increasing in number as she tries to figure out which green-sock-wearing guy is the one worthy of seeing her in her best lingerie.
Told with a similar humoristic style to Janet Evanovich and Sarah Strohmeyer, Hitting the High Notes grabs the reader with a lot of lively dialogue and non-stop action. With a protagonist who needs cold bursts of air to temper her hot flashes, the author has created an amusing, down-to-earth character that many Boomers will find themselves relating to.
Nan D. Arnold is a member of Romance Writers of America. Her novel-length work has finaled in several RWA chapter-sponsored contests and The PACIFIC NORTHWEST WRITERS ASSOCIATION’S annual literary competition, adult, and romance genres respectively. Five manuscripts later, Hitting the High Notes landed a contract.
The story itself is fun and entertaining, but hard to enjoy due to the vast amount of editorial issues. Hitting the High Notes is a good read. Reviewer: Lisa Haselton, Allbooks Reviews.
Will be available through www.champagnebooks.com in Feb 2010.
Title: Hitting the High Notes
Author: Nan D. Arnold
Publisher: Champagne Books
Dec. 2009
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Hello, I’m NAN D ARNOLD and I live in coastal Georgia (USA)
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
HITTING THE HIGH NOTES, published by Champagne Books
Tell us about yourself:
I’m a former ass’t purchasing agent before I became an indentured servant working for my husband’s firm (grin). Currently, I’ve taken a year off to write full time. I’m also doing the “for better, for worse, and for lunch” thing as my husband recently retired. Between his visiting children and their off-spring, herding three cats, and every woman’s routine, there’s little time for sleep if I want to write. But I do it.
When was the book released? February 1st 2010
Give us an overview of your book.
A mildly neurotic woman meets an AWOL opera star by chance who is posing as something he’s not. Uncharacteristically, she agrees to join him for a glass of wine at his place. Someone knocks on his door, spooking him, and he urges heroine, Maggie Duncan, out his back door. Miffed, she rounds the building to reclaim her pride and her purse which possesses an irreplaceable photo of her deceased mother. It’s not mystery man who greets her but an Amazon who claims no one other than “she” is there and knows nothing about any handbag.
Maggie wants that photo! Many want opera man returned home before he garners negative press. A cop enters Maggie’s romantic sphere as well. Along the way, both men help her re=learn that life’s a song and at the end she endeavors to hit all the high notes from here on. One man lays claim to her heart but Maggie has baggage, lots of it. However, after many ups and downs, things work out in the sequel, PESTO PACKIN’ MAMA, a contemporary romance.
What inspired you to write this book?
I asked myself what would Carl Hiaasen write if he were a woman on the brink of menopause. (Not that I’m in his esteemed league!!!)
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Maggie is off-kilter and a woman of age for one thing and it’s not your typical women’s saga or sibling rivalry sort of women’s fiction.
Where can people buy your book?
Details are available at my website: http://nandarnold.com/
Or, they may check out Champagne Books website after February 1st.
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
As previously mentioned, PESTO PACKIN’ MAMA, a contemporary romance is scheduled for release JUNE 1st 2010 by Champagne Books.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
Writing the novel is only the first step on a long hard road. There’s promotion which takes up a l-o-t of time and the stress of coming up with other publishable works in a timely manner to contend with.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
Not presently. I’ll see how sales fare then give you an answer (grin).
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
A fellow author buddy suggested review sites other than standard romance venues. Your organization was on that list.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
The price was reasonable considering the potential exposure. The expedited review (I submitted my novel shortly after Thanksgiving) was a plus.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thank you, as well. May you and your readers have a happy, healthy, prosperous new year.
*Disclaimer on HomePage.
AUTHOR: Nan D. Arnold
Maggie’s life is rather ordinary until she meets sexy-as-all-get-out ‘Stavros’ at a convenient store one afternoon and goes to his place for drinks.
Forgetting her purse when Stavros rushes her out the door starts a series of events for Maggie that leave her head spinning, especially once gorgeous Detective Bruce “Red” Herring enters the picture.
Forty-something Maggie finds her hot flashes increasing in number as she tries to figure out which green-sock-wearing guy is the one worthy of seeing her in her best lingerie.
Told with a similar humoristic style to Janet Evanovich and Sarah Strohmeyer, Hitting the High Notes grabs the reader with a lot of lively dialogue and non-stop action. With a protagonist who needs cold bursts of air to temper her hot flashes, the author has created an amusing, down-to-earth character that many Boomers will find themselves relating to.
Nan D. Arnold is a member of Romance Writers of America. Her novel-length work has finaled in several RWA chapter-sponsored contests and The PACIFIC NORTHWEST WRITERS ASSOCIATION’S annual literary competition, adult, and romance genres respectively. Five manuscripts later, Hitting the High Notes landed a contract.
The story itself is fun and entertaining, but hard to enjoy due to the vast amount of editorial issues. Hitting the High Notes is a good read. Reviewer: Lisa Haselton, Allbooks Reviews.
Will be available through www.champagnebooks.com in Feb 2010.
Title: Hitting the High Notes
Author: Nan D. Arnold
Publisher: Champagne Books
Dec. 2009
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Hello, I’m NAN D ARNOLD and I live in coastal Georgia (USA)
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
HITTING THE HIGH NOTES, published by Champagne Books
Tell us about yourself:
I’m a former ass’t purchasing agent before I became an indentured servant working for my husband’s firm (grin). Currently, I’ve taken a year off to write full time. I’m also doing the “for better, for worse, and for lunch” thing as my husband recently retired. Between his visiting children and their off-spring, herding three cats, and every woman’s routine, there’s little time for sleep if I want to write. But I do it.
When was the book released? February 1st 2010
Give us an overview of your book.
A mildly neurotic woman meets an AWOL opera star by chance who is posing as something he’s not. Uncharacteristically, she agrees to join him for a glass of wine at his place. Someone knocks on his door, spooking him, and he urges heroine, Maggie Duncan, out his back door. Miffed, she rounds the building to reclaim her pride and her purse which possesses an irreplaceable photo of her deceased mother. It’s not mystery man who greets her but an Amazon who claims no one other than “she” is there and knows nothing about any handbag.
Maggie wants that photo! Many want opera man returned home before he garners negative press. A cop enters Maggie’s romantic sphere as well. Along the way, both men help her re=learn that life’s a song and at the end she endeavors to hit all the high notes from here on. One man lays claim to her heart but Maggie has baggage, lots of it. However, after many ups and downs, things work out in the sequel, PESTO PACKIN’ MAMA, a contemporary romance.
What inspired you to write this book?
I asked myself what would Carl Hiaasen write if he were a woman on the brink of menopause. (Not that I’m in his esteemed league!!!)
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Maggie is off-kilter and a woman of age for one thing and it’s not your typical women’s saga or sibling rivalry sort of women’s fiction.
Where can people buy your book?
Details are available at my website: http://nandarnold.com/
Or, they may check out Champagne Books website after February 1st.
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
As previously mentioned, PESTO PACKIN’ MAMA, a contemporary romance is scheduled for release JUNE 1st 2010 by Champagne Books.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
Writing the novel is only the first step on a long hard road. There’s promotion which takes up a l-o-t of time and the stress of coming up with other publishable works in a timely manner to contend with.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
Not presently. I’ll see how sales fare then give you an answer (grin).
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
A fellow author buddy suggested review sites other than standard romance venues. Your organization was on that list.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
The price was reasonable considering the potential exposure. The expedited review (I submitted my novel shortly after Thanksgiving) was a plus.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thank you, as well. May you and your readers have a happy, healthy, prosperous new year.
*Disclaimer on HomePage.
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