BOOKS REVIEWS

Hidden Truth about Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs 

Subtitle: How to Avoid Heart Disease Naturally 

By Shane Ellison, M.Sc. 

Health Myths Exposed LLC, 20006 

ISBN: 0977207900 

Non-fiction/Adult/Medical 

Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com  

Rating 5 of 5 

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0977207900/qid=1138592623/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/103-7824821-4156653?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 

                        A Myth-Buster 

Here is the Book America Should Read 

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson 

For now, put aside your literary giants, your trashy novels, and--for heaven's sake--turn off the TV! At least until you've read this slim little volume, Hidden Truth about Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs: How to Avoid Heart Disease Naturally by Shane Ellison, M.Sc. 

I -- along with the rest of America -- have been getting whiffs lately of the news that Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs may do more harm than good and that there are other ways of handling it. Most of what I've read has come from medical giants like Dr. Julian Whitaker and Dr. David Williams (both with must-read newsletters). But here is the information you'll need for ammunition when your doctor says, "Your blood pressure is a little elevated; let's start you on a little of this." Especially when this means what the pharmaceutical companies have rigged up to rob your pockets and possibly even play havoc with your health.

The beauty of this book, of course, is that it has everything you need to know in one place, not scattered throughout the Web or in dozens of newsletters. Ellison is also not shy of scientific expertise. So, America! Let's all read this and do something about our diets, our exercise, our vitamins and…well, you get the idea. And let's do it before we let anything play havoc with our health. 

PS: Check out the chapter that begins on page 45: It tells you how to avoid the dangers of cholesterol-lowering drugs. 

------------ 

Thank you!

 Best, 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author

THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER:

HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T,

Winner USA Book News' "Best Professional Book 2004"

#1 Bestselling E-book at: http://starpublish.com/starbooks.htm.

Purchase the paperback at http://www.amazon.com/.

Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com/.

Tracings from Finishing Line Press is now available on Amazon.com. Magdalena Ball, editor of www.CompulsiveReader.com/html named it to her 10 Best Reads for 2005 list. Mary Anne Raphael, www.authorsden.com/maryanneraphael, says Carolyn describes Sylvia Plath as "'this shaman, this woman who uses words like a wand.' Carolyn herself could be described this way. " 

Audio classes on the craft of writing, tech and promotion from five experienced authors now available from Double Dragon Press! www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/audio.asp. 

Do you think that's because it's poetry? In spite of this, I think you will find the book refreshing though nostalgic.  Here is an excerpt a poem about my earliest memory--the screeching alarms used as warning of attacks during WWII.

I perch on my father’s knee,

afraid, look through our window

Utah’s lights snuff, quickly, quickly,

silver sequins turn dark

until the skyline disappears

against deep velvet. There,

among our overstuffed chairs

doilies protect fat rolled arms.

The siren whines to silence.

                                                    From Tracings, Carolyn Howard-Johnson 

I hope that if you would like to read Tracings or give it as a gift--perhaps with a single rose or stuffed into a Christmas stocking--you will consider ordering it now.

Tracings speaks in a nostalgic voice of patience, tolerance, aging, living and love.  I have made it easy to order either online or by mail by pasting the information below.  

Here is another sample of what you'll find in it:

"An ancient

with no teeth pumps my gas, puts me on the road

to Birmingham without a map because, I’m sure,

he cannot read, his voice a song finer than Foster

or B’rer Rabbit fables read to me by mother

who never thought I’d see a black man

or the night sky as Hapshutset saw it, a cloak

of burned velvet enfolds galaxies…"

Here is a form for mail orders and directions for doing it online are beneath that.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Please send me _____copy (ies) of Tracings by Carolyn Howard-Johnson at $12 per copy.

NAME___________________________________________

ADDRESS_______________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Send as a gift to the above address (with special gift card from ____________________)

Enclosed is a check (Payable to Finishing Line Press) in the amount of $___________

Or use your credit card:

Visa / Mastercard / Discover / AmEx (circle one)

Name as it appears on the card:______________________________________

Credit card number:______________

Expiration Date:___________

Card Verification Number (3 digit number on back of card—on the far right):_________

Total amount to be charged:__________________

NOTE: SHIPPING IS FREE IF YOU ORDER BY SEPTEMBER 23, 2005. (After Sept. 23, please add $2.00)

Please send check or money order to:

Finishing Line Press

P.O. Box 1626

Georgetown, KY 40324

Order online with your credit card at  http://www.finishinglinepress.com/. Go to the New Releases link. Scroll down six rows and click for the shopping cart.

PS: If you order and let me know you did so, I would be pleased to send you a handmade gift as a token of my thanks.  Thank you so much for any support you can give on this.

These are ordinary days, and ordinary recollections, make extraordinary by the power of Howard-Johnson’s observation and the tension between sensation and hindsight. Peppered with imagery that is heady and evocative, this is poetry both historical and psychological.

Tracings. Echoes. Deeds done
and undone, transformed
existence, loved ones here and gone. (“An Apparition”)

Peaks protrude through
an undulating mix of cloud and smoke
and I, even knowing my home may be
charred timbers, see how lovely, lovely
this masked inferno is.

Our observations are
time congealed; we believe our
bent perceptions, that an event begins and
ends, that time separates one from another.
I reason (if I can trust my reason still)
that my metaphors, squashed like putty,
pulled like taffy, piled line on line
in a mixing dish, transparent or not,
are clear and real today and yesterday
if only because I thought
of them that way. (“Poetry, Quantum Mechanics and Other Trifles“)

                Making Life Work For You!

Stylish Book Is an Example for Publishers Everywhere

Often authors with tons of great ideas find a book just isn't big enough. Stanier uses a Website to extend his forum, to offer the help that might clutter up this presentation. This is logical because the Zen of the book is one of the reasons it works so well. Letting the book direct readers to the website is so innovative and smart that it may lead other authors and publishers to try something similar.

I'm not a coach and know very little about self-actualization. I can't discover a single flaw in this book but if a fellow coach found one, my retort would be, "It worked for me. I found I need to slow down and get stuck rather than unstuck--if only for a moment or two."

Once you have this book in your hands, you'll want to share it with everyone. It will be the gift that will give and keep giving. Order it directly from Stainer at orders@GetUnstuckAndGetGoing.com. Tell him I sent you--with love.

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Feminine Wisdom Share



Finding Your True Self Among

The Cultural Clutter



Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, columnist and reviewer author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered and The Frugal Book Promoter



It seems that our culture continues to trade on a little girl’s desire to grow up to be cared for by a handsome prince. No doubt the Cinderella story is a captivating one. We, as a culture love Underdog (remember him from the 70s?) and Horatio Alger. The sad thing is that women still identify with the pretty, overworked keeper-of-the-hearth who has all that unrealized potential hidden beneath her apron and behind her sad eyes. 



Allyn Evans, the author of Grab the Queen Power, uses the term (and title) Queen to attract readers who might otherwise not read a serious book or who would not understand the confident persona the author is trying to reach. Queen is a combination memoir and guide. It uses scholarly interviews with women of all ages to evoke memories and understanding from the reader. It is not light reading but it is inspirational.



Author Allyn Evans, born as a southern belle, draws from cultural icons from literature and film (Scarlett O'Hara, The Sleeping Princess) and serious feminist writers like Sue Monk Kidd to make her points. She has also worked closely with professors and graduate students from schools like Delta State University and the University of Mississippi's Center for the Study of Southern Culture. That she also reveals herself--right down to the core--is effective because we see the courage there, the willingness to bare raw bones in the cause of helping others.



Clever titles like "The Half Unconscious Queen" and "When the Princess Takes her Poison," along with fully wrought scenes and anecdotes makes this serious work entertaining. I'd like to see every little girl who turns 12 read it before she enters those difficult years of development, before she ventures out into the world. She would be certain to see things more clearly than generations of women gone before. Times have changed but the echoes of repression still abound. We can only be the better for recognizing them when we see them. This book will help women in any generation know and understand them well.

.----------------



(Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards. Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remember has won three. Her new book, The Frugal Book Promoter is USA Book News' "Best Professional Book 2004." Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)



Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author 
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: 
HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T,
Winner USA Book News' "Best Professional Book 2004"
#1 Bestselling E-book at: http://starpublish.com/starbooks.htm . 
Purchase the paperback at http://www.amazon.com/ . 
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com/  . 

"I have not seen a better reference (than FRUGAL) for writers who need direction in getting their book noticed. " 
Gordon Kirkland in his column for the National Society of Newspaper Columnists' Newsletter

------------------

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered. Her poems and short stories appear frequently in literary journals and anthologies. The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t is the winner of USA Book News' "Best Professional Book of 2004" and may be found at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com and other online bookstores. Learn more at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com 



Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author 
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: 
HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T,
Winner USA Book News' "Best Professional Book 2004"
#1 Bestselling E-book at: http://starpublish.com/starbooks.htm. 
Purchase the paperback at http://www.amazon.com/ .
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com/ . 

"I have not seen a better reference (than FRUGAL) for writers who need direction in getting their book noticed. " 
Gordon Kirkland in his column for the National Society of Newspaper Columnists' Newsletter

For more information, contact: 
STAR PUBLISH 
http://starpublish.com 
Owner: Margie K. Tovrea 
starpublish04-info@yahoo.com 


Dread's Forest, the Braks and The Qulany River invade STAR PUBLISH

STAR PUBLISH releases newest book, THE ROCK OF REALM, a YA Fantasy by Lea Schizas. The ROCK OF REALM sets the tone for another exciting read for the Young Adult reader. As recent recipient of two Writer's Digest 101 Best Writing Sites of 2005 for Apollo's Lyre and The MuseItUp Club, Lea Schizas, a short story competition winner, is certain to establish herself as one of the newest writing voices for the young at heart.

What if you were hit with the realization that you were of royal lineage to another realm? This is exactly what fourteen-year old Alexandra Stone has to face in the Young Adult fantasy novel 'THE ROCK OF REALM'. 

Alex, along with her friends Sarah, Butch, Pops and Jinx, learns the meaning of friendship and courage as
they battle the dangerous elements that inhabit Dread's Forest. Alex is determined to find answers and fight the man that has been the root of all evil in this adventure, her uncle, Dread. But has he? She will have to risk her safety and trust her instincts, torn between fear and love, when she is thrust alongside him to battle the Braks, skeletal creatures that project thorn-infested slime encasing their victim before plunging them deep within the caverns of the earth. Can family love defeat all evil?

THE ROCK OF REALM incorporates three learning elements -discovery, friendship, and courage -But the biggest lesson the Young Adult reader will absorb is that 'things are not always as they appear to be'. THE ROCK OF REALM will shatter the concept of 'villain'. 

Marilyn Peake, author of THE FISHERMAN'S SON trilogy:
"Lea Schizas, does a wonderful job of creating in descriptive language such things as: talking trees, a magical ice palace, mud beings, "Qulany" birds, Oracles that guard Rock Kingdom, the golden fish of the Qulany River, an invisible boat, and so much more. 
While the reader travels through fantastic places, moral lessons are absorbed as well. Without preaching or making the lessons too evident, Lea weaves into her book important messages such as the destructive power
of jealousy."

Lea Schizas is Senior Editor of the print Coffee Cramp Magazine, Publicist for Star Publish, Editor in Chief
of Apollo's Lyre and founder of the online critique community The MuseItUp Club.

For more information on Lea Schizas, link here:
http://leaschizasauthor.tripod.com 

For more information on THE ROCK OF REALM, go to:
http://starpublish.com  

Paperback Price: $12.95
Buy now from Barnes&Noble.com
Ebook Price: $6.95
Buy now from STARBOOKS at
http://starpublish.com/starbooks.htm 

Sisters and Wives Packs

More Than Suspense Between Its Covers

I make it a point to read just about every piece of fiction set in Utah .  This area has huge literary potential.  Its geography is majestic and, because of its unique culture, it has latent literary possibilities.  Unfortunately, I am usually sorely disappointed. 

That is because writing about this place requires more than research.  Utah --again like the South--is in a class of its own.  Research alone doesn’t cut it.  A writer needs more than facts; she needs a sense of the religion, of the place, even a feeling for the language.  Natalie R. Collins has perfected Utah ’s voice.  Her Wives and Sisters, a suspense from St. Martin ’s Press, fits comfortably within my expectations for fiction set in Utah as well as for a well-written novel.

Christmas Cookies in a Bottle
May be Your Most Appreciated
Holiday Gift

-------

(Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s book of stories, Harkening, also includes a Christmas story or two. The collection explores the truths in fiction and how fiction permeates non-fiction. Learn more at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com)


Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author 
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: 
HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T,
Winner of USA Book News "Best Books 2004"
Best-selling e-book at http://ebookad.com. 
Purchase the paperback at http://www.amazon.com. 
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com. 

"After reading , THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER you may know more about book publicity than your publisher." 
Tim Bete, director of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop and author of IN THE BEGINNING THERE WERE NO DIAPERS

(Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards. Her newly released Harkening, a collection of stories, has won three. Her practical and detailed how-to book on promotion, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOU’RE PUBLISHER WON’T, is available as an e-book at http://ebookad.com  and as a paperback at online bookstores. 

Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author 
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: 
HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T,
Winner of USA Book News "Best Books 2004"
Best-selling e-book at http://ebookad.com.
Purchase the paperback at http://www.amazon.com. 
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com. 

"After reading , THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER you may know more about book publicity than your publisher." 
Tim Bete, director of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop and author of IN THE BEGINNING THERE WERE NO DIAPERS

MILTON'S DILEMMA

Written by Patricia Gatto & John De Angelis

Illustrator by Kenneth Vincent

ISBN 0-9651661-9-8

Format Hardcover, 32 pages

Children's Picture Book

Ages 5-10

$15.95

Publication Date July 2004



MILTON’S DILEMMA is the tale of a lonely boy’s magical journey to friendship and self-acceptance. Milton struggles to fit in, but is teased by the school bullies. With the help of a mischievous gnome named Duffy McDoogle, Milton learns the difference between right and wrong and the consequences of his actions when he vows to take revenge.


REVIEWS:


"MILTON'S DILEMMA so cleverly demonstrates to the child reader that they are uniquely special and that they MUST let their own personal beauty shine through. So often, children fail to recognize and embrace their own self-worth and personal talents. And after all, it is those vivid differences that make us truly unique and remarkable, and this world a better place in which to live."

Judge Marjorie O. Rendell

First Lady of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

*

"Milton’s Dilemma tugs at the heartstrings, invokes empathy, and allows the reader to come to their own conclusions without preaching. The brilliant prose and wonderful illustrations provide a unique opportunity to discuss the consequences of bullying and retaliation, and assist in further development of a child’s moral awareness. The authors have not only weaved an exciting and entertaining story, but have created a vehicle for educators and parents alike."

Robert S. Conquest, MSW

Certified Therapeutic School Social Worker

*

One of the most important topics for a book I've ever reviewed.

Gatto and De Angelis' book and programs are insightful, entertaining, and important. Our children are precious and deserve the freedom to be themselves, to get an education without fear and to be safe. An anti-bullying program needs to be implemented wherever children and teens gather such as in schools; one of the largest places of offences. 

Milton's Dilemma is recommended for those with children and/or who work with them. Children need adults who care about them no matter who they are, where they're from, or what they look or think like. 

One of the most important topics for a book, or program, I've ever reviewed.

Christina Francine Whitcher

Midwest Book Review

*

Fantastic Book for Children about Bullying

MILTON'S DILEMMA is a fantastic book that will teach school-age children from kindergarten to sixth grade that bullying and revenge is unnecessary, and unkind. Milton is a character whom many children will identify with, as are his tormentors, Ralphie, Jimmy, and Tommy. Patricia Gatto and John De Angelis have put into words what most children experience everyday. While this will help children, this is also a fantastic book for parents to read as well, so as to see what their children may be going through, as well as to open up a floor for discussion about bullying, and the repercussions it carries along with it. Join Milton through his quest for friendship, self-acceptance, and consequences, as you will not be disappointed. 

Erika Sorocco

Top 500 Reviewer

Amazon.Com

*

A Wonderful Story for Children Dealing with Bullies

MILTON'S DILEMMA is an enchanting story, wonderfully written by Patricia Gatto and John De Angelis. The beautiful illustrations of Kenneth Vincent are filled with rich color and detail. A lovely book for parents and teachers to share with their children, taking them on a journey of their own while teaching them how to listen to their heart. This is one any child is sure to enjoy!

P. Hunt

Graphic Designer and Freelance Writer

Amazon Reviewer

*

Should Be a Part of Every Elementary School’s Curriculum

A humorous, yet touching tale of a little boy forced to stand alone and make the right decisions. Well adapted to many family situations today of a one-parent household, this delicate but very real subject of how a child learns to deal with adversity is handled in a manner that is presented in a fun way and still succeeds in getting its point across. Milton’s Dilemma should be a part of every elementary school’s curriculum.

Katherine J. Turcotte

Reviewer

Fear of Writing

Subtitle: For Writers and Closet Writers

By Milli Thornton

Word Nerd Press, 1999

Non-fiction/Writers/How-To

ISBN: 1591098181

Website: http://www.fearofwriting.com 

Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com 

Rating 5 of 5

Inspiration in a How-To Book

Milli Thornton to a Writer's Rescue

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of 'This is the Place', 'Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered' and 'The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do What Your Publisher Won't'.

So, you're a writer. Maybe you have trouble admitting it at a party. Or to yourself. Maybe you don't feel like a writer because a bad case of 'the block' has got you. Milli Thornton's Fear of Writing to the rescue!

There simply is no way a writer can read this book without stumbling over a reflection of themselves somewhere in its pages. No way one could come away from it without improving her image of herself as a writer, without some new ideas to write about and without actually doing some writing.

If you are so blocked that you don't believe this, Milli Thornton will take care of that. Her exuberance--her pure force of will--will see to it not only that you read Fear of Writing but that you also read it right. That is, you must pause to do the exercises which she calls (aptly) 'fertile material.' And if you but think of sitting back on your laurels for having gone this far, her enthusiasm will propel you forward. 

This book is not a big book in size. However, it will consume you and consume some time as well. The author advises that you read it during the daytime when you can write, not before bed when your natural tendency to snooze might interfere with your resolve. Be assured, though, nothing will interfere with Milli's determination. She will make you into an active writer and probably a better writer. All you must do is give her a chance.

Readers will note that I gave this book a five star rating. I believe in rating a book on content. Rating one any other way is rather like judging a book by its cover or by the press on which it was printed. To be sure, this little book could use some sprucing up in its next edition. Please don't wait to read it until then. Put aside a writer's natural tendency to stall over formatting or other details and dig in. Milli Thornton's book is not about the fine art of making a beautiful book, it's about the special art of vibrant writing--something she knows much about.

-------

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered. Her poems and short stories appear frequently in literary journals and anthologies. The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't was just released by Star Publish, another book stuffed full of practical, success-driving advice for writers. Learn more at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com 

Wealth on any Income:12 Steps to Freedom
By Rennie Gabriel
Nonfiction/Adult/How-To/Financial
ISBN: 1891689975
Gabriel Publications, 1999
Publisher's Website: http://www.financial-coach.com
Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com
Rating 5 of 5

Learn Financial Health from a Coach

A How-To Financial Book for the Times

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do What Your Publisher Won't

Wealth on Any Income. Catchy, huh? For retired people. For young people like my grandson starting life as an enlistee on skimpy soldier's pay. For people who have experienced reverses (and that includes lots of us since our stock market is still treating many who invested in the 80s and 90s most unkindly). And for the Author Rennie Gabriel who was considering bankruptcy before he brought himself from the brink to a very, very comfortable financial status, thank you.

I was interested in this particular qualification, that of facing down difficulty and making it in a stormy economic climate. Someone who has experienced something first hand, who has felt the pain and learned from it, is usually a more qualified teacher than someone who learned what they know only from texts.

My hunch was correct. I have read (and reviewed) several financial times recently. This one is a yardstick above the others. The section on 'Challenges' discusses the roadblocks that keep many of us from financial success; it is worth the price of the book. It covers problems like the inability to handle money effectively, emotional reactions that are detrimental to financial health and lack of education. It is practical but the reader senses that they are learning from an expert who has been there and has compassion for his needs. In other words, the cold, hard, green facts are made comfortable and comforting. An 'I can' attitude is sure to emerge.

Wealth is not a new book yet it is still in print. It has been used as a kind of guide/text in the UCLA Extension class taught by the author. The author coaches clients in improving their lot in life. In other words, this is well-recommended and, it appears, not only by me!

--------------------

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered. She, too, wrote a how-to book utilizing practical experience as well as professional training, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T. It is available inexpensively as an e-book at http://ebookad.com  or in paperback at http://www.Amazon.com , http://www. BarnesandNoble.com    and other bookstores. Learn more at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author 
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T
is now available as an e-book and at a pre-publish discount at http://ebookad.com . The paperback will be released this month at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com . 
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com . 
Read a recent review at: http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=765  

A Rare and Deadly Issue

By Marlena Thompson

Pearl Street Publishing, 2004

ISBN 0972268812

Adult/Mystery

Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com 
Rating: 5 of 5

A Whodunit in the Best of Traditions

Mystery Readers May Find a New Sleuth to Love

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening

Look out world! Jenny Maguire may be the new sleuth extraordinaire. She has a slot of her own. This side of Nancy Drew. That side of Miss Jane Marple. 

The woman who dreamed her up is Marlena Thompson. She may well have written the first book in a series that will match Agatha Christie's run on the kind of mystery that offers the reader more than just a good whodunit.

I usually leave a mystery unimpressed if not a little confused. That was not so with A Rare and Deadly Issue. Perhaps it is Thompson's skill with grounding her characters. In this case they are firmly planted in the world of antiquities, old books in particular. The shop in which she works doesn't feel fictional; even the bookstore has a setting: Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Oh, to be sure, there is a dash of New York thrown into the mix, even a sprinkle of Glasgow, but wherever Jenny Maguire is, the reader is given a sense she is participating rather than observing.

Of course, along with such a setting comes a bonus. The reader comes to believe in the protagonist, even to trust that little tidbits she's learning are as real as her imagination has made the characters. We learn something about illuminated manuscripts (the Lisbon Bible, the Sarajevo Haggadah) and other information that makes this world literally vibrate with vellum and the musty odors of ancient leather bindings.

Another perk is that a reader may occasionally stumble into a word she doesn't know or doesn't remember. I happen to believe in reading books that make one stretch a bit but I'm usually surprised when it's a word I don't know rather than a fact or philosophy. It gives me confidence that I'm in good hands. I was not disappointed. Thompson's wide interests and travel experience play with one another throughout this book, keeping the reader not only mystified but wholly entertained. 

------------

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of two award-winning books and her new book for authors, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T, reached top-seller status on its online bookstore only days after it was released. She is an instructor for UCLA Extension's Writers' Program and a former journalist and publicist. Learn more about her at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author 
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T
is now available as an e-book and at a pre-publish discount at http://ebookad.com  The paperback will be released this month at: www.barnesandnoble.com  
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com  . 
Read a recent review at: http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=765 

Architectural Fixtures and Hardware

By Maggie Stevenson, Photography by Chris Everard

Non-fiction/Adult/Coffee Table/Architecture/Design

Publisher: Ryland Peters & Small, London & New York

ISBN: 184172324X

Publishers Website: www.rylandpeters.com 

Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com 

Rating 5 of 5


Finishing Off in Style

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do What Your Publisher Won't

In case you haven't noticed, everyone is remodeling. Or building. In many locales homeowners save lots of money by moving up or out rather than changing residence. Homeowners' sensibilities have changed from the days of cottage cheesy ceilings and heavy drapes. The same is true of details like hardware and Maggie Stevenson has created this book to help those whose tastes are changing move with the times.

My hair stylist is rebuilding her home--1500 square feet of a 50s ranch-style home will become a soaring two story with tons of open space and open windows. She is of Korean descent and likes clean, bright and shaped--in her home as well as her hair designs. My daughter just jettisoned a life style for a new existence in a loft--all hardware and essentials. Life is changing and we all need respite from crowds and work.

Architecture Fixtures and Hardware is certainly a book for those who are transforming their lives but it is also for those of us who have decided to stay put. At a fraction of the cost of a big change, modifying the details in our homes can work wonders. Fixtures and Hardware gives us ideas for doors and windows, flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, storage and more.

A big book, not quite as big as what we've come to think of as a coffee table book, it is packed with pictures, inside and out, of lovely conversions to fit every taste including that industrial look my daughter has taken to. Wait until you see the spotless photography by Chris Everard! It's going to make you want to tear up your floors and install plywood (p. 42). Yes, plywood! It displays a more exuberant grain than ordinary planks and can be cut into much wider boards to show off the pattern. Now, I can't imagine a more beautiful, moneysaving device than that. It's only the beginning for those who buy and browse this lovely book as only Ryland Peters & Small can design them.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered. Her poems and short stories appear frequently in literary journals and anthologies. The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't will be released by www.StarPublish.com  this August, as had been anticipated. She lives in a ranch-style home built in the hills near Los Angeles in the 60's. 
Learn more at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com 

Ordinary Miracles

My Incredible Spiritual, Artistic and Scientific Journey

By Sir Rupert A. L. Perrin, MD with Kristin J. Johnson

Publish America, 2004

ISBN: 141370490

Memoir

Contact Reviewer: hojoreviews@aol.com 

Rating: 5 of 5

A Memoir that Does What a Memoir Should

Lessons Learned by One, 
Shared with Another


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do What Your Publisher Won't



Here is a man--this Sir Rupert A. L. Perrin, MD--with a remarkable story to tell. In Kristin J. Johnson, he has found a partner with the passion and skill to help him tell it with the fervor it deserves.



Though not a traditionally-constructed memoir, this pair of talented people has built memories around art, the abiding force in Perrin's life. In a near-Faulknerian fashion, the two have woven memories together the way a man who has lived life to its fullest might do if he were sitting around a table with young friends. The clinking crystal reminds him of the good times; the silver warmed by a patina reminds him of the heartaches.



Each chapter of Ordinary Miracles begins with a memory prompted by a painting, rich in imagery, and, although, there is a linear quality to Perrin's story--youth through his present day retirement, he doesn't lose the quality of reminiscing. He moves from event to event, city to city, time to time, and--yes, lesson to lesson--like a stream rushing through a canyon with so many eddies and currents to navigate, a myriad of sound and beauty to make.



With so many biographies available today, it may feel foolish to choose one by a person who, though titled, is relatively unknown in many circles. Please don't be fooled. That is part of this book's charm. Here we have a man whose life's work has been instrumental in the quest for a cure for AIDS, whose roots in Jamaica have permeated many parts of the world, who has experienced celebrity--of his own and of those whose elbows he has rubbed. This alone is a kind of inspiration. How full our lives can be, how full they can seem to us, if we will only take a moment to look and be grateful.

--------------------
(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards. Her newly released Harkening, a collection of stories, has won three. Her practical and detailed how-to book on promotion, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOU'RE PUBLISHER WON'T, will be released by http://www.StarPublish.com . Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)

Author's website: http://www.wirehairedfoxterrier.com  

Rating: 4 of 5



Aptly Named "Curiosity" Appeals to Young Readers and Teaches Them, Too


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered



Author - Gerald Alllen Wunsch believes "Curiosity" is the first children's book to tell the story of the Underground Railroad from a contemporary perspective. Trust me. Children will not care. They'll only notice that it's a delightful mystery a la Nancy Drew that has a couple of things going for it that are often neglected in today's children's literature.



Near and dear to my heart is that the protagonist and narrator, Ginger Wannamaker, has grandparents who are anything but the kind of stereotypes who should have disappeared from literature (but didn't) in the 70's. Her grandfather whizzes around southern Indiana in his carefully groomed MG and her grandmother, though she is frequently seen preparing delicious breakfasts-- does so to the beat of rock 'n' roll.

It also approaches fiction with the curiosity, no pun intended, of a child. Once a youngster has been introduced to a subject: wire haired terriers, as an example, or buffalo nickles, he or she wants to know more about them. This book provides a fascinating non-fiction element about those things in a kind of index that entertains called 'Learning More'. It even includes adorable pictures of the author's real life and oh-so-perky dog, Laird. 

Mostly, however, this story is an adventure complete with spooky old homes, secret passages and part of America's history come alive. If a grade school child has lots of curiosity, she'll enjoy reading this book herself. Younger children will learn from it, too, if their older siblings will only read it to them.



(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards.

Her newly released Harkening, a collection of stories, has won three.

Her practical and detailed how-to book on promotion, 

THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T, 

will be released by http://www.StarPublish.com . 

Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com  .)

Writing Dialogue

By Tom Chiarella

Story Press, 1998

ISBN 1884910327

Nonfiction/Writing/How-To

Five of Five

Not a Bad Idea

Shadow of Doubt

By Linda Morelli

Port Town Publishing, 2002

ISBN: 0971623996

Adult: Romance/Mystery

Contact Reviewer: hojoreviews@aol.com 

Rating: 5 of 5


Romantic Mystery Offers Literary Elements, Sound Psychology



Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of 'This is the Place' and 'Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered'.


Here is a modern mystery with enough sexual anticipation to please the most avid reader of romances and enough sound writing to please readers who prefer more in their reading fare.

A lovely young woman who has been well-taught to distrust finds herself living in a home painted in her sister's colors, literally. The lovely house, situated on the Pacific coast in Mendocino, is a subtle metaphor for what it feels like to feel as if one's destiny has been molded by another or to live in the shadow of someone else. Cat Madoc carries many psychological scars at her sister's hand and now suspects that her death is not as accidental as the local authorities assume. She meets a man of courage, an architect carrying as much emotional baggage as she, and the story is off to a gallop.

Linda Morelli is an excellent writer and would be regardless of genre. She writes dialogue well. Her characters are real, their motivation well planned. The scenes, thankfully, are well grounded for the places in Shadow of Doubt are as memorable as anything else in the book. She also manages point of view well. This leads me to wish that she had not italicized her characters' thoughts. A tool sometimes used by authors who don't understand point of view, writers often use italics much like those with broken ankles use crutches. I have read romances that occupy space on the New York Times Best Seller list that are no better than Morelli's newest novel. She is ready to discard all such feeble remedies. 



(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards. This literary novel has been called a 'near romance'.

Her newly released Harkening, a collection of stories, has won three.

Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)


Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author
This is the Place has won eight awards
and Harkening has won three.
Learn more at: http://CarolynHowardJohnson.com 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author
This is the Place has won eight awards
and Harkening has won three.
Learn more at: http://CarolynHowardJohnson.com  

I Love You Like Crazy Cakes 
By Rose Lewis, Illustrated by Jane Dyer 
Little Brown and Company, 2002 
ISBN: 0316525766 
Adult 
Contact Reviewer: hojoreviews@aol.com  
Rating: 5 of 5 


A New Mother Sings 
Her Love to Her Adopted Child 


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of 'This is the Place' 
and 'Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered' 

I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose Lewis is a lovely little board book destined to become a keeper for any adopted child. The author sings a lullaby in prose to her newly adopted Chinese baby, one that baby and others will treasure. Illustrator Jane Dyer captures a nostalgic 40's look that still manages to look up-to-date. 
A book that is narrowly targeted to adoptive parents and children, I believe it would be most appreciated by those who have brought into their homes an Asian child. For these few, I know of no other book that will sing its song as poignantly. For adopted children of other ethnicities, the sentiments will still chime true. 
I have rated this book five of five; it is truly a rare find. 

(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, 'This is the Place', has won eight awards. 
Her newly released 'Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered', has won three. She tutors English as a Second Language, concentrating on helping Asian language speakers overcome their accents. 
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .) 

Escape

by Brian Seifrit

ISBN 1-55352-089-0

183 pages paperback at 13.95 US, 18.95 Can.

Author of The O'Brien Series, Manhunt, and Flesh Craves - The VanFell Legacy, Brian Seifrit stays true to his course in this contemporary action adventure thriller. Strong characters and macho action are his trademark.

The Cold war may be over, but Hayden Rochsoff still has an axe or two to grind. Life under communism has been grim for Hayden. He's become one of the best shooters in the Russian Rebel Army but he's weary of the game. No longer able to tell the good guys from the bad guys, beaten and tortured to within an inch of his life, Hayden vows revenge. He longs for freedom and safety, but first he must rescue his long time friends, Monique and Alex Farrell. This brother and sister team have not fared well and Hayden has his hands full pulling off their rescue from a commie prison. Their run for freedom is interrupted by Ellis Leroy, an unsavory operative from Hayden's past who plays both ends against the middle for monetary gain. He suggests a plan to the trio that will provide millions of dollars and guarantee their freedom. The only drawback is that the money must be stolen in Alaska from the DEA and US Navy. It's not an easy go, even for the accomplished Hayden and his friends.

Escape takes our hero and his friends from Russia to a cruise ship on the Bering Strait and finally to Alaska. Action and intrigue abound. Will Hayden and his friends survive to reach freedom and pull off the caper that will make them millionaires? You'll have to read the book to learn the answer.

Laurel Johnson

"The Legacy", a contemporary romance. 

Original Edition ISBN 1-58851-185-5   $24.95 US

Large Print Edition ISBN 1-41370-288-0   $24.95 US

Both Books are available by ORDERING through online book sites and all bookstores. 

The author, Cindy Cadelo, has the following web address http://www.cindycadelo.com .

The Legacy
by Cindy Cadelo
ISBN 1-58851-185-5 paperback and 1-4137-0288-0 big print
457 pages at $29.95 paperback
http://www.publishamerica.com 

 
Readers who appreciate decent, appealing characters living lives of tenderness and honesty, coming out winners against all odds will surely love The Legacy.  If I had the contacts and the power to do so, this book would a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie.  It deserves that and much more because this story demonstrates the finest of what we all would like America and Americans to be.
 
Maggie Claydon grew up in a Florida orphan's home with only the doting Francine Everhart as caregiver.  At age eighteen she goes out into the world to make her own way, knowing Mrs. Everhart is nearby to provide loving support.   When Maggie is twenty three, an official letter arrives from a New York City lawyer.  She's inherited property from grandparents that she did not know existed.  The property is run down, its residents all senior citizens with nowhere else to go.  Maggie rolls up her sleeves and digs in, determined that this neglected old building will be brought up to code, will shine again and that its inhabitants will feel secure and loved.
 
Maggie is a thoroughly decent, compassionate girl.  Her innocence and generous hearted  turn makes every stranger want to be her friend.  NYPD Officer Sean Murphy thinks Maggie and her building code dilemma might be just the thing to bring his younger brother Jake back to life.   Jake's history is harrowing.  On Christmas, more than three years ago, Jake came home from cutting down a Christmas tree to find his wife and two young children had been brutally murdered.  Jake has contemplated suicide, tried burying his horror in alcohol, and has withdrawn from everyone.  He's finally learned to hide his misery away, but life means nothing to him.  Sean urges him to help Maggie bring her tenement up to code.  After seeing what Maggie is up against and meeting the elderly residents, Jake reluctantly decides to do ONE GOOD DEED.  By book's end, everyone learns that good deeds - loving legacies - never die.  Love is returned in kind through small and large acts down through the generations.
 
OK.  That sets up the story and it's all I'm telling you.  Read this book for yourself.  Maggie, Jake, and everyone else in The Legacy represent positive old fashioned values in a contemporary setting.  I recommend this book to both teens and adults, despite some mild swearing and loving sexuality.  Ms. Cadelo's second book is a contemporary psychodrama called Loyalties.  If it's anything like her first, I want to be first in line to read it.
 
Laurel Johnson
Midwest Book Review

Anywhere But Her
By D Herrle
Publish America, 2003
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 1592866476
Herrle's website: http://www.subtletea.com 
Adult
Contact Reviewer: hojoreviews@aol.com
Rating: 5 of 5




Are Poetry and Prose-Real Prose-So Different?



Poet Seduces Readers with Prose


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered



I keep forgetting that Anywhere but Her is not poetry. At the same time, I am glad it is not, for poetry sometimes requires effort to fully comprehend the intent of the author.

It is not that D. Herrle's stories and sketches are not layered enough to warrant leisurely study, that they wouldn't reap deeper levels of comprehension if a reader wanted to spend the time with them. It's just that the accessibility of easier reading, coupled with the beauty of poetry is refreshing; it's also important because everyone these days seems to be in such a hurry.

The author invites his readers to "drift like a breeze-blown cloud through city streets" and, those who choose to do so will be seduced by what we see there; seduction is a subject near and dear to Herrle's heart. 

As it turns out, in spite of the speed in which the world turns, I read this book a second time. I became convinced that Herrle is at is best when he is inside the minds of characters most different from him, the old ones, the female ones. I'd like to tell you about dozens of discoveries I made. Instead I will point out only two, just enough to entice-ok, to seduce-you:

One of the first sketches starts simply: "When humans sleep they are equal." That is certainly an idea worth exploring.

"Old Lovely" is my favorite story. This is a story of youth meeting age, age remembering youth, age maintaining youth. 

The other stories, however, are delicious and different and surprising. The connection you will find between them is simply the genius (and seduction) of D. Herrle.

(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards.
Her newly released Harkening, also a collection of stories, has won three.
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's
This is the Place has won eight awards
and Harkening has won three.
Learn more at: http://CarolynHowardJohnson.com 

Roget's Descriptive Wordfinder: A Dictionary/Thesaurus of Adjectives
Barbara Ann Kipfer, Ph.D
Writer's Digest Books
Hardback
ISBN:1582971706
Adult
Reference
Four Stars Out of Five
Contact reviewer: hojonews@aol.com


Don't Let the Word Thesaurus Discourage You


Writer's Aid that Works When 
Word's Thesaurus Doesn't Cut It 


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered


I heard fellow writers say, "I never use a thesaurus" so often that I began to wonder if some of them might not want to admit that they got "help" with their writing from a musty old book. That prompted me to ask for more information.

What I heard most was that they simply never found a word they liked better than the one that originally came to them, or that the list of words in their thesaurus did not inspire new patterns of thought. 

I believe that Barbara Ann Kipfer's book functions better than a thesaurus on both counts. It will work to an author's advantage often enough to encourage her to keep picking up her Roget's Descriptive Wordfinder: A dictionary/Thesaurus of Adjectives.

Kipfer reminds us that her book works much like the human brain, by categorizing. She's right, of course. Because we memorize the alphabet when we are young, we think we are naturally alphabetical animals. We are wrong. We had to learn specific skills for using a dictionary or putting a Rolodex into order, but we group and classify the entire world rather naturally.

I found that one of the most useful ways use Kipfer's combination dictionary and thesaurus is look up a word in my old thesaurus and then cross-reference what I found there to this new one . If you look up "receding" in a thesaurus and find "retrogression," you could go to Kipfer's book and find other entries that were, indeed, in your thesaurus, but you'll also find "crablike." That certainly suggests a simile better than another Latinate word like "reflex" or "retrograde." 

I also was in awe of Kipfer's approach to categorizing in her addendum. She calls it a "Quick Word Finder". It uses very broad categories like Appealing-Unappealing. There one finds everything from the mundane (affluent, alluring, yummy) to the really off-beat (fiddle-footed and Circean.) 

This reference may be order at online bookstores or call 800-448-0915.


(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards.
Her newly released Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remember has won three.
Her writing has been praised for its "literary quality." She admits to using references
when she writes,. (-: 
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's
This is the Place has won eight awards
and Harkening has won three.
Learn more at: http://CarolynHowardJohnson.com 

Writer's Online Marketplace
How and Where to Get Published Online
Compiled by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Writer's Digest Books, 2001
Paperback
ISBN: 1582970165
Nonfiction
Reviewer Contact: HoJoReviews@aol.com
Publisher Link: http://www.writersdigestbooks.com 
Explicit: None
Rating: 4 of 5


Wow! A Full Guide to Online

Who Says Online Doesn't Pay?


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered

Listen up, writers! 

Writer's Online Marketplace is a book you'll want on your desk. Enough of these willy-nilly submissions. This book will put you on track.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi has compiled a book of informative articles-sage advice from other writers--to go with a section of very complete "Market Listings," all paying! It covers everything from the very basics to "Insider Views." It even has a section that addresses "Online Promotion," my favorite subject. Its strength, however, is that list of more than 300 sites that pay their authors and the advice it gives on how to trace down sites that have changed addresses.

Each entry in Online Marketplace is very complete; that is a boon to writers looking for new markets because it curtails the amount of research they must do for themselves. Because the entries are so detailed, the book would benefit from some easily spotted codes or icons at the beginning of each listing. Perhaps we can look forward to that in the next edition. I'm sure there will be one. Authors will want to keep on top of this rapidly changing market in yearly editions. 

In the meantime, the author offers a bonus. You can check out updates on these markets at http://www.electricpenguin.com/wom/ 



(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards.
Her newly released Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered has won three.
Kristie Leigh Maguire, author, says "Carolyn Howard-Johnson will be one of the greats."
Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's
This is the Place has won eight awards
and Harkening has won three.
Learn more at: http://CarolynHowardJohnson.com 

Title: Manhunt (The O'Brien Series Book 2)
Author: Brian T. Seifrit
Reviewer: Elaine Leite

Genre: Mystery
Formats: Currently as eBook $5.00 US.
Rating: 4.5
Review Text: (under here)

With one of the biggest captures behind him, Detective Tyler O'Brien thought that a vacation from Henderson & Co would be just what he needed. He would get a little rest and relaxation with his wife and two boys. They planned to vacation in the mountains by the lake. A very quiet vacation and well deserved. But, of course, O'Brien's vacation would be cut short.

The case of Anvil Brentwood would be due in court next week. Anvil Brentwood was no ordinary man. He was a sick and deranged man. O'Brien and his detectives wanted Anvil to be put where he belonged, in jail, forever. During an evaluation that the judge requested, the doctor revealed that Anvil was suffering from a neurological disease called Kuru and he also carried the antibodies for the disease in his DNA. But the doctors believed that Anvil would survive for no more than six months. The judge sentenced Anvil to spend the rest of his life at the Neurological Science Department at Kingston University to be studied until his death. With Anvil in the closest thing to a real prison in all of Canada, O'Brien and his detectives were happy with this sentence. The Kingston Penitentiary in the psychiatric hospital would be like a twenty-four hour lock up.

Henderson & Co could finally put Anvil Brentwood behind them once and for all and move on to other cases. Henderson also gave O'Brien an unexpected offer. He asked O'Brien to head the office in Ridgeville, only until he could find a permanent Lieutenant to fill the spot. After talking it over with his family, O'Brien decided to take the promotion.

The next couple of months would fly by for O'Brien. He was getting used to his position as Lieutenant and his family would gain a family member. But he never expected what happened next.

Anvil escaped from Kingston University. He killed a doctor and an assistant. Even worse, his tests showed that he was cured of Kuru. No doctor ever imagined that he would now have a higher IQ than a normal person. The Manhunt was on.

Manhunt picks up right where The O'Brien Series Book 1 leaves off. Manhunt is very exciting. Brian Seifrit keeps you on the edge of your seat with this series. You find yourself rooting for the good guys to prevail. With all the twists and turns, it keeps you holding on until the very end. I couldn't put this one down. The story line is very easy to follow. It is very well written. You can relate to the characters. I will pass this one on to friends.

Manhunt is available for purchase as an e-book from Fairgo E-Books, an Australian e-book publisher. http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/fairgoebooks 

Direct link to purchase Manhunt is http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/fairgoebooks/manhuntorder.htm 

NIGHT CRIMES

THE SPELLBINDING AND COMPLEX TALE

OF MURDER, OBSESSION, AND DUPLICITY

IS NOW ALSO AVAILABLE IN INEXPENSIVE

E-BOOK FORMAT

Judith Woolcock Colombo’s Night Crimes first published in April 2001 is one of the highly praised books selected in 2003 by her publisher AmErica House to be part of their e-book library.

Most of us who travel the New York City subways have moments of paranoia. We squeeze ourselves into a narrow space between two robust fellow travelers and then feel threatened when someone’s hand accidentally brushes against our thigh.  We are convinced that everyone is looking at us strangely, or perhaps it’s just that man in the red shirt that dared to smile at us.

This suspicion of our fellow riders is the normal groundless fear that accompanies us on our daily journeys.  Lara Bello has been having these feelings lately.  She is convinced that someone is following her, watching her every move.  However, no one believes her, not even her loving husband Sergeant Tony Bello. Why should he?  There is no reason why someone should want to follow an art instructor.    However, the man in the blue baseball cap is persistently pursuing Lara, and he is on the train with her.

Distracted and immersed in his own mystery, Sergeant Bello has become a target of sorts himself. Someone is poisoning street derelicts on his beat and leaving them where he is sure to find them

These two story lines converge to make Night Crimes a fast paced, suspense-driven, novel that transports readers through the streets of Manhattan, the quiet charms of Park Slope, Brooklyn, and finally, to the tranquility of the family farm in upstate Broome County New York. 

Night Crimes ushers readers through a compelling tale of murder, obsession, and duplicity. It is a gripping story of a family finding the courage and strength to overcome extraordinary and terrifying circumstances. The author’s research assures that the police procedures and situations described in the book are authentic.

Night Crimes is Ms. Colombo’s second novel. The Crossing Press published her first novel, The Fablesinger, in 1989. The author’s non-fiction works have also appeared in various anthologies. Ms. Colombo is also a reviewer for The Weekly Gleaner a Caribbean-American newspaper and for Book Crazy Radio Network.   

The e-book is $5.95 and can be ordered directly from the publisher at: 

http:// www.publishamerica.com/bookstore-n.htm     The books can easily be found through a search of the title. Each e-book is delivered by e-mail shortly after the order is processed.   

Feminine Writes
Compiled by Sheri McConnell
Edited by Angel Brown and Julie Ann Halick
National Association of Women Writers, 2002
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 0971477514
Adult/For Writers
Inspiration/Self-help (Writers)
Excerpt/More Info Link: http://www.NAWW.org 


Women, Wisdom and Writing


Women Writers Bare Souls, 
Share Knowledge for Other Writers


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of "This is the Place" and "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered"


Women, Wisdom and Writing are three very big Ws. This is an apt subtitle for "Feminine Writes," a kind of writing genre all its own.
Compiled by Sheri' McConnell, president and founder of the National Association of Women Writers, this book is a little of many things. This could be the kiss of death for a book--the very path to self destruction; in this case it works very well. 
The first five chapters are composed of inspirational works culled from essays by members of NAWW--a huge organization that is growing every day. Covering subjects like "The Identity of a Woman" and "Passion and Creativity" they appear in this book by invitation and Sheri' has been careful to include only the best. These are lovely pieces that should be read by any writer, whether she journals only for her own needs, is a hardworking reporter or writes creatively. These pieces may be read one by one and savored or devoured non-stop. Intended for women, many would be of value to men. 
The second section is designed to give a writer experience but also to "Ignite the Woman Writer's Soul."
Section three is all (or almost all) about the practical. It answers 25 commonly asked questions about the writing life. A woman writer may find something here that she had thought to ask but never had, or a new slant on an answer that she long thought she had the answer to. 
At the end is a "Directory of Wisdom." There is a surprise here that I shall not reveal. It may be sufficient to say that wisdom does not always spring from expected sources. 
"Feminine Writes," edited by Angel Brown and Julie Ann Halick, is available at no cost to a writer who chooses to become a member of NAWW; it is one of many perks. Or it may be ordered on Amazon with the rest of this spring's reading. 
I highly recommend this book. It is, in part, a mass memoir. Women share their innermost selves with other writers. It is a workbook extraordinaire. All in all, it is a book full of camaraderie. If I used a star system for rating, I would wave a flag full of them for "Feminine Writes." A pretty pink flag, for women writers everywhere. 

(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, "This is the Place," has won eight awards.
Her newly released "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered" has won two. She has contributed to another book of wisdom from writers called "Musings: Authors Do It Write." It is available FREE at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com .)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Awards-winning author of This is the Place
and: A Collection of Stories Remembered
Learn more at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com 

Novelist Turns Poet with 9/11 


And World Turmoil As Inspiration 

The Copperfield Review published "Peril", a poem by award-winning author Carolyn Howard-Johnson, in its winter issue. It was chosen because of its literary merit and because it relates the history of mankind to recent world events. The quarterly journal, edited by Meredith Allard, specializes in historical literary material.

"Peril" was inspired by 9/11. Howard-Johnson used the poem in her presentation called the "Three Faces of Tolerance" at the Glendale Public Library's Arts and Lecture Series. This poem is part of her work in progress, "Skyscapes: A Woman's View".

Howard-Johnson is also the author of "This is the Place", a novel which has won eight awards, and "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered", which has won three. Her creative non-fiction has been featured in anthologies like "Pass Fail", and her poems have appeared in literary journals like Yarrow Brook Literary Review.

For more information on the Copperfield Review go to: http://www.copperfieldreview.com 


Learn more about the author at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's
This is the Place has won eight awards
and Harkening has won three.
Learn more at: http://CarolynHowardJohnson.com 

Flesh Craves
By Brian T. Seifrit

One might ask how the title, Flesh Craves, could fit into a story about a family that heads west to claim a ranch they inherited from their kinsman. Flesh Craves plays an important role in the outcome of their quest. But the Vanfell family has more problems than this to overcome before their story ends.

Eli and Hank Vanfell have inherited their uncle's ranch. All they know of Roy Vanfell was that he had lost his family to some kind of sickness many years before Roy himself passed on. He had left the ranch to his only living relatives.

Unfortunately, not all of the clan made the trip; some died as they traveled. Finally, they left most of their supplies at the camp and pushed forward to find shelter before the snow hit. They found a cave complex to use for shelter just as the snow was becoming too deep to travel on. Later, Eli Vanfell and his brother, Hank, went back for the supplies, because the weather would force them to winter in the cave.

While the older men were gone, the family settled in, knowing they could make it to the Double-U ranch next spring. Only four would survive long enough to get to the ranch.

The plot for this story is a good one, though the story seems rushed. More details of the early part of their trip would have made it a gripping novel. The end has a strange twist that will haunt you for a long time. I am not normally a western fan and reading them is a chore unless the writer has a plot that keeps my interest. That was definitely the case with Flesh Craves/ Brian Seifrit has the tools to become a good writer. Give him a try.

Oh, and you are probably asking what Flesh Craves are. I'm not going to tell you. Read the book and find out.

Reviewed by Jo Rogers for Mybookshelf.

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