The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts with label award-winning book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label award-winning book. Show all posts

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Goodreads Author Lauds Book about Law and Lawyers


Ms. Marin gave the book 5 of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Title: Closest to the Fire
Subtitle: A Writer's Guide to Law and Lawyers
Author: Karen A. Wyle
ISBN for paperback: 978-0-9905641-4-0
ISBN for non-Amazon ebooks: 978-0-9905641-5-7
Published by Oblique Angles Press
Available on Amazon (US)  as an e-book 
Available as paperback on Amazon US
The books' Web site: http://www.cttf.karenawyle.net
Cover designer: Elizabeth DiPalma Design Plus 
The cover won The Book Designer's, aka Joel Friedlander's,  nonfiction ebook cover award for October 2015



Reviewed by Ms. Marin originally for Goodreads.
Five of five stars



As a writer, I thought this book would be useful in the event I delve into the legal sphere for a screenplay. As an individual who’s had some experience with the legal system, I thought it could provide some insight on the legal process in general. I have to say Karen Wyle did not disappoint on either count.

Any writer wishing to take on the legal system first needs to understand the who, what, where, why and how of the subject. Ms. Wyle has successfully provided that information in her book “Closest to the Fire” which is a massive undertaking. Just check out the table of contents.

While this book is a guide and the author encourages readers not to just go from A to Z, I decided to read the first four chapters straight through to get the feel for her style. Thereafter, I poked around at different chapters that caught my attention.

The author clearly explains numerous aspects of the law, civil and criminal, and the people associated with it and in so doing, offers up possible scenarios a writer may choose to incorporate into a story. In fact, just about everything in the book, if you look closely enough, will provide clues for a novel or film script. But the author specifically points out possibilities with her use of asterisks for plot points. The author also peppers her work with references to films with legal plots.

You’ll read historical references and explanations of how some laws changed and why. You’ll learn the distinctions of criminal acts surrounding rape, robbery and theft, perjury, various threats and so forth. All written in an easy to understand fashion.

The one thing made abundantly clear at the outset and at the end is that this book is to be used as a writers’ guide and readers should not rely upon it for legal advice. That being said, I found the book very useful in understanding aspects of the law and, if writing a scene or screenplay involving the legal system, this would definitely be a resource I would use. Well done, Ms. Wyle.



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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Imperfect Echoes
Subtitle: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression with Small
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Honored by USA Book News
Genre: Poetry
ISBN-13:978-1515232490
ISBN-10:1515232192
To buy as either paperback or e-book: http://bit.ly/ImperfectEchoes r%2Caps%2C272
Cover art by Richard Conrad Jackson

Reviewed by Helen Dunn Frame
Five Star Review on Amazon:

Review:

I’m not a poet and I know it. However, Carolyn Howard-Johnson is as evidenced by her latest work Imperfect Echoes Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression with Small. She found inspiration for her poems in a variety of lengths in a wide range of topics garnered from news stories, photographs, events and more. Her style is distinctive. You’re bound to find poems that strike a chord in your life. Be sure to read the section at the end of the book, “About the Author” to learn about this fabulous woman.

About the reviewer:


Look for Helen Dunn Frame’s fourth book, Wetumpka Widow, Murder for Wealth, in paperback and Kindle on Amazon soon. Her other books are Retiring in Costa Rica or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida (Second Edition); Greek Ghosts; and Secrets Behind the Big Pencil, Inspired by an Actual Scandal. Find out more about her here: Author’s Page: http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Dunn-Frame/e/B0054LDOBW
Website: 
http://bit.ly/1KxXt7T  Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1COtMJn Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grandi1369/   and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dunn-frame

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Darcia Helle Reviews Award-Winning Book of Poetry

Title: Imperfect Echoes
Subtitle: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression with Smalll
ISBN: 9781515232490
Available as e-book or paper on Amazon
Genre: Poetry
USA Book News Finalist


Accepted for inclusion in Poets & Writers prestigious list of published poets, multi award-winning novelist and poet Carolyn Howard-Johnson is widely published in journals and anthologies. She is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was named to Pasadena Weekly’s list “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts and her poetry chapbooks have won several awards. One of her poems won the Franklin Christoph poetry prize. She was an instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program for nearly a decade. Learn more about all her books at http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile or http://howtodoitfrugally.com. All proceeds from this book will be donated to Amnesty International. Their work includes–in part–monitoring human rights violations the world over.
Published: August 2015

Reviewed by Darcia Helle, author and reviewer
Originally published on Darcia's Quiet Fury blog
Carolyn Howard-Johnson has the ability to transform intensely personal experiences and emotions into poetry that belongs to all of us. She draws us in, embracing us with her words.
Survival allows no time to laugh, no time to cry.
I love the theme of this collection. Carolyn looks at the broad scope of war, humanizing events, inviting us to see beyond political soundbites. We’re not given a stream of violent words to spark graphic images. Her intent here is not to shock with trails of blood. Instead, we’re shown what war looks like from a smaller standpoint; a child, a grandmother, a friend. We also see what compassion looks like, what real justice might feel like if we could learn to embrace our differences.
Does danger lurk
in the dark of my closet
or the fist of discipline
or the noose of justice?
This is a beautiful collection of poems that can be read and reread many times over.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Alessandra Domina: "Hooray for Waking the Bones!"

WAKING THE BONES, by Elizabeth Kirschner, a memoir
ISBN: 978-1-939739-60-5
Publisher: The Piscataqua Press, Portsmouth, NY
Rated: Five Stars


“Hooray for Waking the Bones”
Reviewed by Alessandra Domina, originally for Amazon

"Waking the Bones" is one of those memoirs one dreams about reading -- a gutsy, shameless, prose poem of the highest lyrical order that leaves one in awe of the process and the talent put out by the author. Kirschner unavoidably raises herself above the masses by layering a kaleidoscope of childhood memories underneath and on top of her present adult self, digging down so deep in some chapters that one is relieved that the subsequent chapter brings her back up into the light. Thank goodness Kirschner is, first, a poet. Then thank goodness she decided to share her survival story. The two have brought us a brilliant expose filled with terror and love on the same page.

"Waking the Bones" is intense with familiar images of everything that ever happened to everybody, or almost did. It is a biography of man and woman, mother and father, daughter and siblings. It is universal in scope even though it is a singular voice. It is ever a chameleon, changing mode, tone and color despite it's diminutive size. It should be required reading for all psychiatrists, counselors, and those afflicted with even the slightest mental illness.

"Waking the Bones" puts salve on wounds just by existing as a literary accomplishment. A very important book for Kirschner, but equally important for readers everywhere. It's a reality show of the highest order. Read it and be changed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Kirschner’s memoir, WAKING THE BONES,  is the winner of the North Street Book Prize for best work of nonfiction by an Independent author. (Learn more about that prize at http://winningwriters.com).   Kirschner has published six previous volumes of poetry, including, Surrender to Light, 2009, Cherry Grove Editions and Do My Life as a Doll, 2008, Autumn House Press. My Life as a Doll was nominated for the Lenore Marshall Prize and named Kirschner as the Literary Arts Fellow in state of Maine in 2010. She has also published over two dozen essays with The Coal Hill Review and is widely published in other literary magazines, both nationally and internationally. 

Kirschner has been writing and teaching across four decades. Most recently, she taught in Fairfield University’s low-residency Program in Creative Writing. Extensive teaching experience includes Boston College, Boston University and Carnegie-Mellon University. Residency stays include The MacDowell Colony, Yaddo and Gullkistan, Iceland.

Kirschner has collaborated with many classical composers, including Carson Cooman
and Thomas Oboe Lee, resulting in various CDs. She set her own poetry to Robert Schumann’s love song cycle, retitled it The Dichterliebe in Four Seasons. She lives in a cottage named Sea Cabin on the water in Kittery Point, ME, with her old dog, Larka. Kirschner is available for readings, signings, is a dynamic public speaker and loves to lead Memoir Writing Workshops for all populations. 

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Mentoring & Tutoring to Support the Writer in All of Us

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Robert Medak Reviews Award-Winning Imperfect Echoes

Title: Imperfect Echoes
Subtitle: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression with Small
Author: Carolyn Howard – Johnson
ISBN: 9781515232490
Finalist USA Book News Award
Available on Amazon as an e-book or paperback
Five-Star review from Robert Medak

Reviewed by Robert Medak

Imperfect Echoes is a series of poems by Carolyn, and a look at simple things in our lives that many don’t take the time to find the joy in their lives.
In this book, Carolyn draws with words allowing the reader to reminisce, if you are old enough, about living a life before social media and texting.

Through Carolyn’s way with words, readers are transported to times and places painted though the use of words on a page as a painter uses brushes to paint on canvas.
As you read Imperfect Echoes, you are able to reflect and reminisce about experiences, places and people from our planet.

Have a few moments to spare? Read a poem from Imperfect Echoes, it is not a book you have to read cover to cover in one sitting, although, you could. It is about the visceral response elicited by the poems.

Imperfect Echoes, is a book even those who don’t like poetry will enjoy reading and experiencing the written word in the form of free verse.

Imperfect Echoes is a five-star recommended read for anyone who likes a good book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Medak is a freelance writer, blogger, editor, reviewer and marketer. Learn more about him at:
http://www.authorsden.com/robertmedak
http://rjmedak.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/freelancewrtr
http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmedak


http://t.sidekickopen46.com/e1t/o/5/f18dQhb0S7ks8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9gXrN7sKj6v5df78Vf6rcs5v_-hHW3MxT6P3LvrVvW5CB1Yz1k1H6H0?si=5400543919865856&pi=425a2122-9a71-4cd9-bce8-b1585bf45ac3ABOUT THE POET
Accepted for inclusion in Poets & Writers prestigious list of published poets, multi award-winning novelist and poet Carolyn Howard-Johnson is widely published in journals and anthologies. She is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts. One of her poems won the Franklin Christoph poetry prize. She was an instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program for nearly a decade and edits poetry books for others. Learn more about all her books including her newest, Imperfect Echoes, at http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile or http://howtodoitfrugally.com.


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Start 2015 With Career-Building Book for Authors


The Frugal Book Promoter
Subtitle: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Winner USA Book News Award

ISBN: 978143743291
Available on Amazon in paperback and e-book
Author’s Web site: http://HowToDoItFrugally.com

Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin originally for Amazon


An Excellent Book for Authors Got
Even Better With This Updated Version


When I want to increase my understanding of book promotion, I turn to sources with experience and wisdom. One of those sources is Carolyn Howard-Johnson and her excellent, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER. The information in this book is practical and tested and perfect for a first-time author or one with many published books. The experienced voice of the author echoes on each page of this book. It’s not just theory but these are ideas Howard-Johnson has put into practice with results.

As she writes toward the end of her book, “It’s never too late and it’s never too early to promote. Rearrange your thinking. Marketing isn’t about a single book. It’s about building a career. And new books can build on the momentum created by an earlier book, if you keep the faith. Review the marketing ideas in this book, rearrange your schedule and priorities a bit, and keep at it.” (Page 364)


This new edition has more than 100 additional pages from the first edition yet THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER is practicing frugality—and maintains the same retail price as the first edition. I recommend every author get this book and take action on the multitude of ideas.

________________________________________

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. To help writers, he has created 12-lesson online course called Write A Book Proposal. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com.  Learn more about him and what he does for authors at
Straight Talk from the Editor (FREE Ebook): http://straightalkeditor.com
Follow him onn Twitter: http://twitter.com/terrywhalin
His blog, The Writing Life (over 1,000 entries): http://www.thewritinglife.ws


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.