Monthly Archives: May 2010

Book Review – Cyber Writers and the Zebra of Life

Cyber Writers – An African Adventure Tale for Young Readers!

Rating: 4 of 5

Author: Karen Kostlivy
Format: Paperback

Being a pen pal is fun and young Mason Witt joins a group called Cyber Writers to connect with other kids around the world.  One day, however, he learns from his African friend Lutalo that his village is dying due to the theft of their magic Zebra.  Wishing he could some how help out his friend, Mason suddenly finds his world around him melt away to be replaced by thick forests of the African jungle.  Don’t worry Lutalo – Mason is here – help is on the way!

In Cyber Writers, Karen Kostlivy takes young readers on a fun and entertaining journey to Africa where talking animals and magic arrows help our young heroes track the thieves and save their village.  Mason learns, as should all children, the value of friendship, teamwork, and frankly exercise!  Running through the forest, climbing trees, shooting arrows, all requires strength and stamina and Mason learns his time in front of the TV or playing video games has left him a little soft unlike his African friend.  He also learns that his exploring adventures to be much more fun and rewarding than anything he experiences in front of a television.

Kostlivy has created an interesting premise in Cyber Writers.  One that I’m sure lends itself to future interesting volumes for young readers to enjoy.

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Filed under Book review, Reviews

Book Review – Amsterdam 2012

Amsterdam 2012 – Thought Provoking Alternate Future Reality

Rating: 4 of 5

Author: Ruth Fransisco
Format: Kindle

Carefree and making their way across Europe, Peter and Anne meet a group of locals in Amsterdam willing to show them around to the various sites and galleries.  Finding their guides fun and engaging, they agree to accompany them to their home in the outskirts of town and enjoy dinner, desert, and new guests who arrive during their stay.  As the alcohol flows and the night drags on, Peter and Anne agree to spend the night in the Amsterdam couple’s old windmill recently converted to a guest bedroom.  After a restful and relaxing sleep, the young couple make their way to their guests house to help clean up and start breakfast.  Inside, they find their hosts brutally slain bodies.  What follows is a harrowing escape from Europe that will not only change their lives, but the course of the world.

In Amsterdam 2012, Ruth Fransisco paints what I would call an alternative reality of a potential future sequence of world events.  Similar to the assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand which started World War I, Fransisco shows how these slayings in Amsterdam begin the start of World War III except this time, it is a war of Islam versus the rest of Europe and the United States.  I can understand the comments from some reviewers regarding the unlikely series of events or the speed upon with the Jihadists can take over so much of the world.  But this is why I call this an alternative reality.  Fransisco is hitting readers over the head with hyperbole of some of the potentially politically correct leanings of this country and how far it could take us if we aren’t home watching the store.

Do I think events could unfold as described?  No.  Do I think the book is thought provoking and compelling?  Absolutely.  Those who like a more subtle approach may not enjoy this read and would not find the United States to be so willing to embrace such radical cultural indoctrination.  Having said that, Clavell’s book “A Children’s Story” frightening shows how easily and quickly it is to change beliefs.  My estimate is this book will polarize readers but all will come away thinking.

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Book Review – Primal Wound

Primal Wound – Engaging, Compelling, Disturbing…

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author: Ruth Fransisco
Format: Kindle

A naked, pregnant, teenage, American Indian girl is found floating face down – dead; detective Val Piccard is brought in to lead the case.  As the investigation unfolds, the pieces don’t add up.  The young girl, though she had a troubled past, was clearly on the path to recovery and making a life for herself.  Piccard finds dead end after dead end while trying to uncover who would commit such a brutal murder.  Was it just fate?  Could it have been simply her being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Across town, Cecily Scott desperately tries to save her father who is in dire need of a kidney transplant.  After having herself tested to see if she is a match, she learns the shocking truth – not only is she not a match, but genetic tests confirm she isn’t even related.  Thus begins her journey to find her biological parents.

Ruth Fransisco Primal Wound is a compelling read of two interweaving stories lines.  Clearly the reader knows that these arcs must at some point intersect – but how?  Fransisco expertly gets the reader into Cecily’s head in her quest to find her biological family.  She slowly shows us how Cecily step by step goes from investigating, to stalking, to interfering, and how all of it could seem quite reasonable as events escalate as the chapters unfold.  Frankly, I could not turn the pages fast enough.

While some actions seem a bit out of character for Cecile, I think this was Fransisco’s point – that the primal wound she endured is so embedded in who she is she isn’t even aware of its impact. The ending was definitely satisfying, but I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension and the unraveling of Cecily’s psyche.  Primal Wound is a gripping, compelling, and disturbingly good tale.

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Filed under Book review, Reviews, TMBOA recommended

April 2010 Additions

A Breath Floats By

Tags Requested:

Kindle romance, Kindle fiction, Kindle Book

Description

What would you do if you realized you married your best friend’s soul mate? If your sacred work petrifies you with glimpses of tortured deaths in past lives? What becomes of your soul group if you do not keep your promise this lifetime?

A Breath Floats By is an astonishing story examining strong currents beneath the thin veneer of modern life.

Lindsay thinks she finally has reached the age when one gets away with nothing. She is terrified to begin her true life work and faces the death of her husband, Sam. She is taken underwing by someone she would rather not know, then becomes aware the woman is vying for Sam’s heart. Beyond forgivable. Through it all, Lindsay realizes her soul group needs her more than she needs them, especially Daniel.

Lindsay, Heather Laurel and Gooee are strong, genuine characters, well over forty, dealing with divorce, security, forgiveness, faith and death.
Each find that their greatest challenge is the raw honesty required to face the complexity of their love affairs.

Within a timely, gentle love story of lifetimes anew in the Great Lakes Region, a swirling spiritually-charged world is exposed.

During our era of spiritual awakening, despite belief in reincarnation, readers exploring transformation and soul-growth may never again view a coincidence in the same light.

A Breath Floats By. Where spiritual answers sometimes come with unrelenting force.

Website:

http://www.essabooks.com/spirituality-fiction-reincarnation-stories-online/

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Dawn of the Shadow

Tags Requested:

Superhero, Philly, Dawn, origin

Description

A single moment can change life forever. For Pete Farrell two moments will define his very existence. By accident or chance the life of Peter Farrell will never be the same after finding a relic of time before man. Just as new Pete is created an old evil is reawakened. Peter no longer the clown among friends finds new confidence and strength. It allows him to stand up for himself an others like never before. Pushed to his limit Pete finds an anger in him that he never knew existed. Darkness rises the shadow falls Light remains.

Website:

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The Merry-Go-Round

Tags Requested:

Women’s Fiction, Relationships, Romance

Description

When 38-year-old attorney Lauren Flynn shows up in court, it’s usually to defend a client, but now she’s ending her marriage to a man whose mistakes have cost her far too much: her nest egg (paying someone else’s debts is grating), her freedom (her web-surfing, hypochondriac father is moving back in with her) and her heart (which was broken by deception and lies). Little does she know that she’ll be awarded a small piece of (swamp) land and a dilapidated merry-go-round. Although she’s momentarily delighted by the circus animals, Lauren is far too sensible to get entangled by enchantment. She quickly learns that the carousel animals are worth a mint, so she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work. Maybe while refurbishing the circus menagerie she can restore some semblance of normalcy to her existence. Or will the merry-go-round cause her to make a mistake or two of her own and teach her lessons she didn’t even know she needed to learn before bringing her right back around to where she started? One thing is certain; Lauren discovers that, when she’s willing to open her heart to love and forgiveness (of both herself and others), life never fails to offer a wild ride.

Website:

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True Season of Love

Tags Requested:

interracial romance, Greek, Paris

Description

“True Season of Love” is a mesmerizing, passionate love story set in Paris, France in 1968. African-American, Medical Journalist, Olivia Moreno meets wealthy Ptolemy Verenis at a masquerade party in London.
It’s a night of not removing one’s mask. It’s a night of not revealing your identity. It’s a night Olivia wishes to forget. She has a great job. Letting her hair down that weekend must remain secret. But Ptolemy is captivated by the woman he’s met; he has no intention of forgetting her.
This is a book of love, passion, deception and secret pain; that will bond the women who love Ptolemy. One tormented by trauma in her past, the other guilt-ridden with the atrocities of Germany’s invasion of Greece during World War II.
The story is hauntingly beautiful of love absolute, between a man and a woman.

Website:

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Nexus Point

Tags Requested:

Science fiction, adventure, YA adventure

Description

Dace’s wants are simple – a trading ship and the freedom to fly where she chooses. But on her first trip, her crew betrays her, her ship explodes, and she finds herself stranded on Dadilan, a planet locked in a feudal age.

Survival is hard enough when you have no technology or resources. It’s even harder when you have drug smugglers hunting you. Dadilan is the source of shara, a drug that enhances psychic abilities, a commodity so rare and precious people will kill for it.

Trapped between rival smugglers and the Patrol undercover investigation, Dace has one hope of rescue: convincing Tayvis, the undercover agent, she’s an innocent bystander. But those don’t exist on Dadilan. No one lands without authorization, unless they are smuggling.

Her ignorance may cost her life.

Website:

Author site: http://www.jaletac.com
Book site: http://www.nexuspoint.info

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GOD: A Long Time Ago in a Galilean Far, Far Away…

Tags Requested:

Christology, God, Jesus Christ

Description

It was always prophesied within the ancient writings of the Old Testament that God would one day manifest Himself as a man. This simple and beautiful promise was finally fulfilled in a man named Jesus very early in the first century. Sadly, however, it was also foretold by the New Testament apostles that the true and full identity of Jesus Christ would be very soon attacked, altered and even denied by many (including some self-proclaimed Christians).
Using Scripture as its primary source of data and an array of insightful anecdotes, this book skillfully sets aside the modern, pre-fabricated and man-made ideas concerning Christ that have gradually infiltrated modern Christianity. It aptly presents the first, pure and original doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ that birthed the original church. It revives the untainted truth that abundantly prevailed and flourished throughout the first century of New Testament Christianity. This book is an indispensable asset for those who are passionate lovers of truth and for those who desire a pure and clear disclosure of the full and true identity of Jesus Christ.

Website:

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Casca 32: The Anzac

Tags Requested:

Casca, Military History, Historical Fiction

Description

Picked up more dead than alive from the North Sea, Casca is taken to an Alexandria hospital. His amazing power of recovery arouses the suspicion of medical orderly Ieuan Clark and when Casca escapes, fearign his immortality would be discovered, two British soldiers are accidentally killed.
Clark is recruited by the British army to help track Casca down, so the Eternal Mercenary tries to hide within the ranks of an Australian unit bound for Gallipoli. Once there, Casca has to endure to horrors of trench warfare on a narrow front hemmed in by the Turkish army as well as to evade the closing net led by the determined Clark.
Casca’s situation is not helped by falling for an Australian nurse, and his identity is jeopardised when one of his colleagues decides to betray him to the military police. Once again Casca must use his centuries of knowledge and skill to outwit an implacable enemy.

Website:

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Lust in London

Tags Requested:

gay, romance, fiction

Description

Alex has gone to London to study, but what he finds is an adventure he’s not sure he’s ready for. He meets a charming man named Mason who is everything he’s ever pictured in a potential lover. Problem is, does Mason feel the same way? Can Alex handle not only his first relationship, but a long-distance one at that? Not to mention a jealous ex and a secret admirer along the way…

Website:

http://www.ladyauthorsld.blogspot.com/

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Ranch Hands

Tags Requested:

gay, romance, fiction

Description

Sid is a simple farmer who’s been through the mill. His fields are fallow, his mortgage is late, and his heart is shattered. His lover left without so much as a word or warning, his 200 acres were fried the previous summer, and his late father’s gambling debt has put the farm in great jeopardy.

Out of desperation, he places an ad for free help needed. Enter Roger, a ranch hand who is looking for an escape of his own and finds solace in Sid’s offer. He jumps at the chance.

The attraction is immediate, but their personalities clash. They fight often, sometimes leading to violence! Finally, an ultimatum is issued and secrets come to bear.

Can Sid and Roger sow the seeds of love? Or bitterness?

Website:

http://www.ladyauthorsld.blogspot.com/

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Opening Day: A Matt Davis Mystery

Tags Requested:

mystery thriller, murder mystery, mystery series

Description

How do you solve a murder when you don’t even know the identity of the victim? That’s exactly what faces the police in Opening Day. Following a close brush with death as an NYPD homicide detective, Matt Davis takes early retirement, and accepts what appears to be a cushy position as Chief of Police of a three-man department in a small, rural Upstate New York village. While out fishing on his favorite stream on the opening day of trout season, Matt stumbles across the murdered remains of a body, barely recognizable as a human being, killed approximately six months earlier. With no real physical evidence-no clothing, no identification, and no clues-it’s up to Matt to not only identify the murderer, but to find the identity of the victim. Woven throughout the story, are examinations into the pasts of three possible victims, all moving inexorably toward their unknown destinies. But, in the end, it’s the revelation of the unlikely killer’s identity that will shock this tight-knit community to its very core, and leave the reader begging for more. Opening Day is the second in the Matt Davis Mystery Series, and picks up where As the Twig is Bent left off.

Website:

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Shot to Death

Tags Requested:

mystery, anthology, New England

Description

How do you solve a murder when you don’t even know the identity of the victim? That’s exactly what faces the police in Opening Day. Following a close brush with death as an NYPD homicide detective, Matt Davis takes early retirement, and accepts what appears to be a cushy position as Chief of Police of a three-man department in a small, rural Upstate New York village. While out fishing on his favorite stream on the opening day of trout season, Matt stumbles across the murdered remains of a body, barely recognizable as a human being, killed approximately six months earlier. With no real physical evidence-no clothing, no identification, and no clues-it’s up to Matt to not only identify the murderer, but to find the identity of the victim. Woven throughout the story, are examinations into the pasts of three possible victims, all moving inexorably toward their unknown destinies. But, in the end, it’s the revelation of the unlikely killer’s identity that will shock this tight-knit community to its very core, and leave the reader begging for more. Opening Day is the second in the Matt Davis Mystery Series, and picks up where As the Twig is Bent left off.

Website:

http://www.stephendrogers.com

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Tinseland

Tags Requested:

christmas books, christmas story, christmas books for children

Description

Tinseland is a modern day Christmas adventure story. Christopher is a young boy who has just been chosen by Santa Claus to help save Christmas. Join him on his perilous quest against the evil forces of Grimmire and his minions. On your journey you will met memorable characters and experience a different twist to the traditional Christmas story. Will they succeed? A delight to both the young reader and parents creating memories, the fate of Christmas awaits Christopher, and you…

Website:

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The Further Accounts of the Imaginary Friend

Tags Requested:

Horror anthology, Horror, P.S. Gifford

Description

-Indulge in Gifford-s tawdry tales of deliciously wicked woe and let the Imaginary Friend ply your subconscious with evil twists. You-ll dream dark the whole night through.-
-John Everson, Author
Covenant and Sacrifice

-P.S. Gifford-s combination of horror and wit make his stories the -potato chips- of the genre: bet-cha can-t read just one!-
-Billy Tackett, Dark Artist

-Gifford returns with a vengeance! One of the best collections of horror fiction at any level I-ve seen in ages.-
-Lawrence Dagstine, Author
Fresh Blood

-P.S. Gifford serves up a second helping of genuinely spooky tales, with the Imaginary Friend serving as a worthy guide. These are the kinds of stories that chill to the bone as you read them and lurk in the corners of your mind long after that.
-Alicia Benson, Author
The First Vampire: A Novel of Samson & Delilah

-Mr. Gifford fiendishly channels the Imaginary Friend, giving over his ears, his masterful pen, and his devilish wit to magically weave the tapestry of our nightmares. Don-t be fooled by the inviting rug in front of the warm and cozy fireplace; it-s only a matter of time before the Imaginary Friend tells YOUR story!-
-Deanna Crews, Assistant Program Director
HyperiCon Speculative Fiction Convention

-Reminiscent of Roald Dahl, P.S Gifford entices the reader into his realm of dark wonder with intriguing tales of possession, fear and foul murder. Each story is uniquely constructed, delving into the darkest regions of the human psyche. Characterizations are perfectly orchestrated, leaving the reader wrapped in the moment. This collection is a real page turner, guaranteed to leave you feeling unsettled yet stimulated.-
-Charlotte Emma Gledson, Author
The Lonely Tree and Other Twisted Tales of Torment

Website:

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High on a Mountain

Tags Requested:

bonnie prince charlie, highlander, family saga

Description

As a boy, Ailean MacLachlainn dreamed of living an adventurous life and longed to be a celebrated warrior of his clan. Until a shy smile and a glance from Mùirne’s blue eyes turned his head and escalated his rivalry with Latharn into enmity and open conflict.

When Ailean became a man, his boyhood dreams faded. Until Bonnie Prince Charlie came to reclaim his father’s throne. The Jacobite loyalties of Ailean’s clan chief involved the MacLachlainns in the uprising and set Ailean on a course toward a destiny of which he could never have dreamed.

What happens when a man’s dreams turn to dust?

And when a man loses everything, does he have what it takes to go on?

Website:

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When You Feel & Don’t Know How to Say : A Book of Poems

Tags Requested:

Poetry, Feelings, Inspirational

Description

“When You Feel & Don’t Know How to Say” is a collection of poems written by actress, singer and songwriter Estefania Crespo. “Whenever you feel trapped without anywhere to escape, take a trip through your mind and make a pit stop on some paper. The world is beautiful place if you let it be, even at your darkest moments…”

Website:

http://www.estefaniacrespo.com

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A Whisper to a Scream

Tags Requested:

parenthood, mothers, infertility, women

Description

Ovulation detectors. Hormone surges. Anxiety-ridden dreams. This is the world in which Annie Jacobs is thrust when she and her husband John receive a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. A 37-year old PR executive, Annie has wanted to be a mother since she first cuddled her Baby Tenderlove at age five.

She is dreading another Christmas of relatives asking when they will be hearing the pitter patter of little feet, and Uncle Joe slapping John on the back, telling him to relax and take a cruise. Lots of people get pregnant on vacation, you know.

Across town, stay-at-home mom of two, Sarah Anderson, attempts grocery shopping with a toddler intent on hurling items from the cart at passersby. She notices a box of rice heading straight for a pink-babushkaed head. Leaping across the aisle, Sarah grabs it, saving the woman from certain doom, or at least a minor head injury. Little Alex screams at being thwarted. The unknowing octogenarian shakes her head and admonishes Sarah for not knowing how to keep her child quiet in public.

The women meet through a Classics Book Club and become beverage buddies, a book club annex of sorts, gathering at the local coffeehouse for continued conversation, each savoring her time being just herself; Annie with no Scarlet I emblazoned on her chest, Sarah with no stressed out Supermom cape in view. But how long can this oasis possibly last?

Website:

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Secrets in the Shadows

Tags Requested:

Secrets, Mystery, Romance

Description

When long-held secrets come to light in the small town of Leroy, Indiana, death and destruction aren’t far behind. Can the residents overcome their pasts, enabling them to rebuild and face the future, or will the secrets lurking in the shadows rise up to swallow them whole?

Gallery owner Charity Vaughn had a closet full of secrets. Hiding underneath her polished exterior was a terrified girl with a past. When the life she’d tried so hard to make disappear is revealed, Charity won’t be the only one to feel the repercussions.

Lauren Grant didn’t expect her inner demon to rear its ugly head, threatening to destroy everything she had worked so hard to build, but that is exactly what happened. She never expected her secrets to be revealed for all the world to see, but they were. Now the single mother has to try and put the pieces of her life back together. Hopefully she won’t die trying.

Charlie Clark moved back to his hometown to repay an old debt, still looking for that elusive ‘something’ his heart was calling for. He never expected to find that ‘something’ in Leroy, the town he had left years before because of the heartache and memories. Now that hope for the future is being threatened. Will Charlie be able to stop the threat in time, or will he lose everything again?

Come to Leroy, Indiana, and find out who survives…and who doesn’t.

Website:

http://www.tlhaddix.com

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Bartholi’s Rest

Tags Requested:

99 cents, mystery, kindle mystery

Description

In the second Jan Birch Mystery, Jan takes a job as a waitress behind her husband’s back. When the owner of the restaurant, Paul Bartholi, takes a near-fatal fall down the basement stairs, Jan quickly becomes convinced it wasn’t an accident. She attempts to mind her own business, but when Paul’s fiery fiancé tells the police Jan may have pushed her boss down the stairs, she has to act.

Website:

marshallthornton.wordpress.com

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Oriana’s Eyes

Tags Requested:

Young Adult Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult

Description

As a pure-blood Winglet, Oriana isn’t supposed to look at a half-blood much less speak to one. Half-bloods are the lowest of all races at Odon’s University, because they are half Winglet and half Finlet. But when a half-blood, Dorian, locks eyes with her in the hallway, Oriana can’t help but be intrigued by his daring nature. After sneaking out to the garden in the middle of the night to talk to him, Oriana knows she can’t let her feelings go. She fears not following Odon’s rules, but the more she sees Dorian the more she wants to break them all. When Oriana’s idea of perfection crumbles she seeks a way out of the imprisoning University that threatens not only her happiness, but her very life. Dorian promises he has a plan to take her far away, but Oriana doubts they can escape Odon’s all-seeing eye. Oriana isn’t sure what she fears more, being stuck in the University or finding out what lies beyond its walls.

Website:

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The Ark of Adams

Tags Requested:

Science Fiction, post cyberpunk, virtual reality, dystopic

Description

The Ark Of Adams is a story about noble intention gone awry. Consider one Dr. Timothy Adams. In a near distant future beset by the turmoil of global warming and economic failures, he creates an innovative virtual reality application which, when combined with extropian immersion technologies, yields a land of plenty. With the promise of a viable solution to the world’s problems at hand, his deal with a shadowy government agency appears of a reasonable means to an end.

Meet Senator Elaine Noel, Citizen 472. Assigned to the colony of Arcadia for data integrity strategies, her true identity since lost to system corruption; today, she serves as a lowly backup technician, known as Nikki Allen. But, today is not an ordinary day.

Today, she will be interrogated by intelligence agents, stripped of her system profile, and imprisoned. Today, she will become a fugitive and find herself drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse amidst the hacker underground.

Yet when tragedy strikes Limmerick; this imperfect world, facing its final moments, will look to her as their leader in a fight to be waged for the ultimate control of all that remains.

Website:

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Firsts

Tags Requested:

Reference book, Guinness, Origins

Description

For anyone who ever wanted to know the history of the chocolate chip cookie, earmuffs, and Daylight Savings…

Firsts-history through the milestones of human achievement-are fun. And Wilson Casey, trivia expert, has collected over 500 firsts in nearly every major category of culture: from fashion to food, politics to science, entertainment to art to architec­ture. Each “first” is a full explanation of the topic at hand, written in a humorous yet authoritative style. It includes:

•The true history of the golf tee

•How a blind man came up with cruise control

•The myth behind the origins of the Caesar salad

•Why and how the first dieter dieted

Website:

TriviaGuy.com

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The Fly Caster Who Tried to Make Peace with the World

Tags Requested:

Fly Fishing, Spirituality, Recovery

Description

Making peace with the world, sooner or later most of us have to. But how?

For Ian Mac Bride, his way begins almost accidentally when, in 1909, he watches a fly-casting tournament in New York’s Central Park, and begins to dream of becoming a great fly caster.

But soon Ian experiences personal tragedy, and then is appalled by the unexpected slaughter of World War I.

He retreats into the world of fly fishing and fly casting, and meets unforgettable anglers like: Doc, a Civil War veteran, who tells how, after he enlisted in return for drinking money, he was unexpectedly changed by the horror of war; Izzy, a mysterious immigrant, who, in his way, teaches Ian perhaps the most important lesson of long-distance fly casting; and George M. L. La Branche who, though torn by self-doubt, writes the book that revolutionizes fly fishing.

And so, these anglers help change Ian’s hopes and values. Though his father questions his courage, Ian decides to become a teacher instead of a lawyer, and moves near the beautiful Beaverkill River, the birthplace of fly fishing in America.

But tragedy still follows him.

Torn by grief, he curses the world and loses faith in it – until, almost by accident, he finds a way to come to terms.

How? The answer will surprise you.

Website:

http://www.flyandspincasting.com

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33 Summers

Tags Requested:

baseball, addiction, New York

Description

What does it take to make it in baseball? Jack Mathis shares the dream of many a young boy: he wants to be a major league baseball player. Jack possesses loads of talent and dreams of one day wearing the pinstripes of the New York Yankees. But his dream throws him some curves when he has to overcome family problems, trouble with the ladies, alcohol and drugs. Jack’s father was a former minor leaguer whose career ended in injury. A control freak, he lives vicariously through his son. Does Jack have the will to overcome his problems and realize his dreams, or will he be just another jock who never makes the big time?

Website:

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Revenge is Mine

Tags Requested:

suspense thrillers, murder mysterys, suspense

Description

Patricia Wilson and the District Attorney Robert Mayberry had been engaged. She paid an unexpected visit to his apartment and walked into a secret drug meeting. Rather then have her killed they drugged her. Mayberry agreed to have her sold into the white slavery market in China. A friend of her father’s saved her, but he couldn’t heal her emotional scars orthe nightmares that would live with her for the rest of her life.
Patricia Wilson had only one thought and that was revenge on the four men for what they had put her through. The cartels had tried to kill the three of them without success. Now it was William Rogers turn. To Patricia Wilson, the time was here, the time was now, time for her to say, “Revenge is Mine.”

Website:

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How to Be and Everyday Philanthropist

Tags Requested:

giving, philanthropy, charity

Description

Want to help make your community, your town–your world–a better place, but don’t know where to begin? How To Be An Everyday Philanthropist shows you the way. A handbook, a resource guide, a call to action, and an inspiration, it offers 330 concrete, direct ideas for making a difference–all of which have nothing to do with the size of your checkbook and everything to do with using the hidden assets that are already a part of your life. Whether you’re shopping, working, exercising, or surfing the Web, there are hundreds of ways to slip small but deeply meaningful acts of philanthropy into your life, using over 600 of the most innovative and effective charitable organizations around.
In tough times it’s more important than ever that people and communities pull together– How To Be An Everyday Philanthropist makes it easier than ever before.

Website:

http://www.nicolebouchardboles.com

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It’s About Time

Tags Requested:

healing after divorce, divorce recovery, surviving divorce

Description

This book is a self-guided book/workbook about healing after divorce. It’s written to help you move on with your life in a positive and constructive way. Maybe some of your friends or your family are beginning to say behind your back “it’s about time “… for you to move on, heal, get over it, go out, … basically they care about you and love you but they want to start hearing you say something new or positive. They want you to start living your life again. This book is written to help you do just that.
The design of the book is flexible and fluid. There are case studies, practical everyday psychology, journal exercises, prayer journal exercises, and resources in each chapter. You select the format that is most appealing to you. I think you will want to use it in its entirety. You may want to give it to a friend who is in pain. Just remember, no matter what anyone may say, it is all about time … time, love, and tenderness.

Website:

healingafterdivorce.com

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Margaret’s Rematch

Tags Requested:

regency romance, novel, traditional

Description

After the loss of her sister, Margaret Fairfax settles at Northbrook Hall – the country estate of her brother-in-law, Mr. Westfield, whose dislike of her is legendary. There she faces a major challenge of reconciling their many differences and proving to him that despite the rumours of schemes and scandals that followed her from London, she is worthy of his regard and affection. With time and many an exertion on her part and that of her new family, Margaret succeeds in altering Mr. Westfield’s opinion of her and attaching his heart, but she fears the worst when her deceitful friend arrives.

Website:

faridamestek.blogspot.com/

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Walk in The Light

Tags Requested:

Prayer, Christianity, Intercessory prayer

Description

Prayer is a great gift. Through prayer you find your place in the universe. Your wounds are healed. Your soul is comforted. You find unity with God.

Prayer is and should be the focal point of the believer. If we are not a people of prayer, then what are we? Walk In The Light is the third book in the From A Layman’s Point of View Series.

Website:

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Don’t Read This Unless You Want More Money

Tags Requested:

Money, wealth consciousness, personal growth, personal development

Description

…Unless you are looking for a practical guide to cashing in on your unique value.

People have all kinds of ridiculous ideas about what it takes to achieve vast amounts of wealth and success-consistently those ideas are-dead wrong!

What you have heard until this point about wealth has likely been from those who did not, do not, or are ever likely to have it. The intriguing thing is for those who don’t have it, money comes with a set of myths perpetuated by those who don’t have it.

Yes, the economy has changed. However, the opportunity for you to live the life of your dreams does not die at the announcement of a recession.

Dov Baron cuts bone deep and gives YOU the competitive edge for growing your own ‘Niagara Falls’ flow of affluence.

Throughout these pages you will discover not only how to survive-BUT how to thrive by offering the world what you naturally already have, even if you’re not sure what it is-yet. This book removes the hard work of what it takes to discover and apply the real core affluence formula.

* EXPOSED: Why your friends guarantee your financial affluence or poverty
* DISCOVER: How to get people to Bang Down Your Door to Give You Money
* How to get rich while you relax by the pool and so much more!

Website:

DovBaron.com

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Poppy’s Passions

Tags Requested:

erotic romance, humor, contemporary romance

Description

Can Poppy find the courage to risk triple the love — and triple the heartbreak? Poppy Maguire is tired of being a loser. Emotionally neglected as a child, she wants to find the courage to leave her family and the job she hates. She desperately wants to make a change. Little does she realize how much of a change sexy brothers Cody, Michael and Trevor Paraby will bring to her life when the friendly shoulders they offer turn into so much more. Comfort turns to passion and Poppy learns what life could be like in the arms of not one, but three men who love her. But what happens when the pink line on a pregnancy test doubles and she-s expecting twins, courtesy of one of a Parabys? The brothers blow her mind by offering her the family and love she-s always longed for. But do they realize what they-re in for? Cody is moving a little too fast, Michael may not be in for the long haul, and Trevor is a bit self-centered.In order for Poppy to have the extraordinary love she fears she hasn’t earned, everyone is going to have to do some growing. But can she break free from the bad seed of her abusive family and have the courage to bloom?

Website:

stephaniebeck.net

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Guinevere

Tags Requested:

childrens books, guinevere, arthurian legend

Description

Before she was a queen, Guinevere was a typical 12-year old who enjoyed having the run of the castle. With her friend, 7-year old Cedwyn, she spends her days having adventures that include almost getting stomped by King Pellinore and the Painted Dragon! She and Merlyn the wizard also encounter the mystical Nume and a legendary creature of the forest. When she finds out that she has been promised in marriage to the young King Arthur, Guinevere does what any girl her age would do: she rebells and runs away.

Website:

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Out of Time

Tags Requested:

science fiction, time travel, kindle

Description

A scientist discovers time is actually fluid; past, present, and future all exist at the same time. What he doesn’t know, is if the current timeline can change when something is changed in the past. The US government wants him to find out. The theme being to make right what once went wrong. The time travelers meet all sorts of 20th century characters, but, someone is trying to stop them. Once they return to their present, things may not be what they appear.

Website:

cliffball.com

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Mexican Autumn

Tags Requested:

mexican, short fiction, short stories

Description

A series of inter-related short stories, set in a small fishing village on the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, involving a series of humorous and/or poignant encounters between the local inhabitants and a varied assortment of U.S. tourists.

Website:

johnreid.exactpages.com

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The Phonological Changes Due to the Hamza and Weak Consonant in Arabic

Tags Requested:

arabic language, arabic, arabic linguistics

Description

This work offers a comprehensive overview of the phonological changes due to the hamza and to the weak consonant. For this purpose it focuses specifically on the complexities of many words pertaining to the classes of the hamzated and weak verbs. In many of these cases, the hamza or weak consonant can be alleviated or retained. Other phonological particularities can also affect the words’ structures. The extensive data, the techniques of the phonological analysis and the references to the different works from the 8th century until our days, offer a thorough and accessible study of both these linguistic phenomena for both the students and researchers of Arabic.

Website:

joyceakesson.com

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The Girl Born of Smoke

Tags Requested:

dark fantasy, magic, epic fantasy

Description

Aurora never asked to be a born a wizard. If she was only normal, her family would still be alive, she never would have fled her home, and she wouldn’t know about the war being fought in her name. And the visions…maybe those would be gone too. Instead, she’s haunted by the memory of her sister and suspects she may be losing her mind.

With two opposing armies searching for her, Aurora is determined not to tell anyone her secret or use her magic. She finds this resolve tested when her best friend is mistakenly identified as the wizard and kidnapped. In her struggle to rescue him, she finds evidence the two armies may be connected, controlled by a single individual with his own agenda. With loved ones on both sides of the war, she is forced to decide who she can trust as she tries to stop the fighting. But, can she even trust her own sanity?

Website:

http://jessicabillings.weebly.com/

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One More Serving

Tags Requested:

Inspirational, Motivational, Christian

Description

Think your life can’t be hijacked by a defining moment?

Our lives can be dramatically altered in the blink of an eye by something or someone we never dreamed of or anticipated.

ONE MORE SERVING contains the stories of ordinary individuals whose lives became extraordinary because of those defining moments. These are your friends, neighbors, colleagues and just about anyone you do life with daily. Once you hear their stories you will never look at anyone within your slice of life quite the same way again.

ONE MORE SERVING proves that total strangers can rearrange lives and just one circumstance can change the story from the one you expected your life to tell to something you can barely believe.

We really never know when the moment that can define the rest of our lives will occur, but we seldom forget whenever it does.

Who or what will rewrite your story? Each day someone or something is rewriting another person’s story often before we even know it.

ONE MORE SERVING…because everyone has a story and some are simply meant to be told.

Website:

www.onemoreserving.com

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Being Light

Tags Requested:

literary fiction, contemporary fiction, humor

Description

Roy Travers is swept away by a freak gust of wind while trying to install a bouncy castle in Brockwell Park, south London. Sheila, his wife, can’t understand why he hasn’t found his way back home. She begins to suspect that Roy has been abducted by aliens and enlists the help of Mrs Fitzgerald’s Bureau of Investigation to find him.

Sheila travels to Kent with Alison, a private detective. Together they build a missing persons advertisement out of pebbles on a beach, hoping it will be seen by the aliens who have taken Roy. But Roy was not taken by aliens. The truth is far stranger.

Website:

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Men are Like Fish

Tags Requested:

dating, relationships, love

Description

Most single women have experienced the sinking feeling of fishing for a date from someone special without receiving so much as a nibble. It is enough to make women wonder if there is something wrong with their bait.

Steve Nakamoto, a former Dale Carnegie instructor, personal development trainer, and professional tour director understands these feelings. He has written an intelligent, funny, and wise book for women who are looking to catch a guy—hook, line, and sinker. In this entertaining look at relationships, he compares men to fish who are secretly longing to be caught. Women, on the other hand, are wily yet compassionate anglers looking to reel in the big one.

Men Are Like Fish will take readers on a fact-packed fishing trip where they will learn tips on how to initiate great relationships or enhance the ones they already have. The book is sweetly old-fashioned, yet wickedly on target. Nakamoto has also sprinkled zippy cartoons/illustrations and unusually helpful quotes throughout the book.
While the title might imply a single-minded effort to drag an unsuspecting man into the net, the book is actually somewhat Zenlike. It will help women to improve their self-images, broaden their interests, and accentuate the unique qualities they possess that will naturally draw good relationships to them. Nakamoto also spends a good deal of time discussing the end of relationships. He shows women how to let go gracefully, with as little pain as possible, so that they can continue to grow without harboring bitterness. He uses several examples from his own life, sharing many of his triumphs and failures with a good-natured sense of humor.

Nakamoto shares one especially funny story about a tight jeans contest where he lost a shapely girlfriend/contestant to judge Clint Eastwood. He writes, I consoled myself with the thought that Deanna must have had a tough choice:

Clint Eastwood (People Weekly s 2001 #2 most popular screen actor of all time) or Steve Nakamoto? It could have gone either way, right?

Nakamoto also shares good, solid advice. One especially helpful area is Favorite Fishing Holes: 101 Hot Spots Where the Big Ones Are Biting. It consists of a list of fun and inexpensive activities and places to explore that are bound to be interesting, even if they do not spark a new love affair. Among the many activities that Nakamoto recommends are going to art gallery openings, visiting wineries for wine tasting and tours, and taking city tours or day trips in one s own city or in a nearby town.

Nakamoto does not guarantee eternal love for readers. However, both single women looking for that perfect catch and those seeking to recapture the romance of an exciting relationship will find great value here. Men Are Like Fish is guaranteed to give even the most jaded and discouraged romantic angler a new, more joyful perspective on the oldest sport in the world.

— Reviewed by Kathleen Youman –Clarion Reviews

Website:

SteveNakamoto.com

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The Light of Asteria

Tags Requested:

young adult, fantasy, romance

Description

If Nora Johnson hadn’t been on campus that day she would have never known her true destiny. Helping her friends move into the dorm that she wanted to call home, Nora accidentally collides with mysterious stranger, Gavin Frey. His very first touch sends flames through her heart. The world seems different-something within her has changed.
Nora tries to resume her mundane life, but she is now consumed with the one whose very presence ignited her soul, the one with eyes of emerald. Nora soon learns that an energy buried deep within has been unleashed. She now wields unimaginable power and has become Gavin’s source, his strength.

Her newfound joy is shaken when she discovers that Gavin is not who he appears to be and she has been thrust in the middle of a war of mythical proportions. Negativity has allowed all things evil to flourish, the earth is under siege. The fate of creation hinges on the power within her heart. Will she be strong enough to survive?

A gripping tale of unbounded love and ancient power, The Light of Asteria will take you on an epic adventure filled with war, treachery, and demons, as well as unimaginable delights.

Website:

http://www.kailmeyra.com

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The Heretic

Tags Requested:

ghosts, supernatural, action and adventure, action adventure

Description

If Nora Johnson hadn’t been on campus that day she would have never known her true destiny. Helping her friends move into the dorm that she wanted to call home, Nora accidentally collides with mysterious stranger, Gavin Frey. His very first touch sends flames through her heart. The world seems different-something within her has changed.
Nora tries to resume her mundane life, but she is now consumed with the one whose very presence ignited her soul, the one with eyes of emerald. Nora soon learns that an energy buried deep within has been unleashed. She now wields unimaginable power and has become Gavin’s source, his strength.

Her newfound joy is shaken when she discovers that Gavin is not who he appears to be and she has been thrust in the middle of a war of mythical proportions. Negativity has allowed all things evil to flourish, the earth is under siege. The fate of creation hinges on the power within her heart. Will she be strong enough to survive?

A gripping tale of unbounded love and ancient power, The Light of Asteria will take you on an epic adventure filled with war, treachery, and demons, as well as unimaginable delights.

Website:

http://www.josephnassise.com

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CHINA: Portrait of a People

Tags Requested:

China, Chinese Culture, Photography

Description

Photojournalist Tom Carter spent 2 years backpacking to all 33 provinces in China to research CHINA: Portrait of a People, the most comprehensive book of photography on modern China ever published by a single author.

Website:

http://www.tomcarter.org

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Starfire Angels

Tags Requested:

young adult, science fiction, fantasy

Description

They’ve been coming here for thousands of years, using Earth as a sanctuary to escape threats from their own kind. Mankind knows them as angels, and one of them left a child upon her death to be raised as a human.

Raea is now a high school senior and her life as a human is about to end. The crystal shard she bears is not a pretty pendant; it’s a collective of powerful entities who chose her as their Keeper, a protector of one of the four shards that power a machine capable of destroying whole worlds. Those who desire the Starfire’s power have sent an agent to find her, but she’s too busy evading a nosy reporter ready to exploit her secret and dating a hot new foreign student to notice. Nevermind learning what she really is.

Only one person on Earth can help her, the last person she ever expected. But he’s not from Earth. Life as a human would be so much easier.

Website:

melanienilles.com

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Boystown: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries

Tags Requested:

detective mystery, gay erotica, gay mystery

Description

A former police officer turned private investigator, Nick Nowak is haunted by his abrupt departure from the department, as well as, the traumatic end of his relationship with librarian Daniel Laverty. In these three stories set in Chicago during the early eighties, Nick locates a missing young man for a mysterious client, solves a case of arson at a popular nightspot, and goes undercover to prove a dramatic suicide was actually murder.

When he isn’t detecting, and sometimes when he is, Nick moves through a series of casual relationships. But his long suppressed romantic side surfaces when he meets Detective Bert Harker. Will he give love another chance? Or, will he continue to bury himself in the arms of strangers?

Website:

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The Quickening

Tags Requested:

Women, Historical Fiction, Farm Life

Description

In the upper Midwest of the early 1900s, two women struggle to make a living on neighboring farms. For one, their hardscrabble life comes easily, while the other longs for the excitement of the city. Though they depend on one another for survival and companionship, their friendship proves as rugged as the land they farm. While the Great Depression looms, the delicate balance of their relationship tips, pitting neighbor against neighbor, and exposing the dark secrets they hide.

In The Quickening, Michelle Hoover explores the polarization of the human soul in times of hardship and the instinctual drive for self-preservation by whatever needs necessary. A novel of lyrical precision and historical consequence, this debut reflects the resilience and sacrifices required even now in our modern troubled times.

Website:

http://www.michellehoover.net

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More Health Less Care

Tags Requested:

Health, Wellness, Healthy living

Description

“More Health, Less Care,” outlines a practical philosophy of personal health and enables readers to develop and act on an individual plan for healthy living. Through the metaphor of “be your own doctor,” it explains fundamental principles of change that can be applied for a lifetime instead of the latest fad diet or exercise program. The easily understood stories and disarming, open style invite readers to accept the message and inspire them to make meaningful changes.

Other health books typically provide formulas for healthy living in a “one size fits all” approach, ignoring individual variation and the great difficulty of actually implementing major lifestyle changes. By engaging the reader farther upstream in the change process, “More Health, Less Care” complements other health and wellness works.

Website:

http://www.morehealthlesscare.com

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Love is Eternal

Tags Requested:

catholic fiction novel, inspirational, love stories

Description

WAR, LOVE & FAITH These three things have changed the course of history for thousands of years. They can dramatically change the life of a single individual or of millions of people in many nations.
WAR is a devastating event that most individuals have little or no control over, but whose lives are seriously impacted by it.
LOVE and FAITH can have a powerful effect on individuals, who very often can not explain or understand them. They can’t see or touch them but they know they are real and that they can bring great joy or pain. People sometimes have doubts that they are real as they struggle to understand them. This story concerns all three of these things and how they changed the life of one man and the people he loved.

Website:

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Review – The Skinny On: The Art of Persuasion

The Skinny On: The Art of Persuasion – I’m Convinced!

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author: Jim Randel
Format: Paperback

What I like about Jim Randel’s The Skinny On books, is that they are like hiring an excerpt consultant to come and spend a couple of hours teaching from their extensive research and experience, all for the price of a couple of cups of coffee.  Written in a power point type fashion with wonderfully simple but effective and well illustrated characters, Randel teaches through fictional case studies.  Peppered throughout these studies are the wisdom of experts who have been well researched and quoted by Randel along with an extensive bibliography for those wanting to delve deeper.  Usually when I attend a conference or listen to an expert speaker, I consider it well worth my time if I can learn one new factoid or item that I can put into practice.  While I have read a number of the references Jim uses in his books, I still found multiple take-aways to use going forward making reading The Skinny On books well worth the time.

In The Skinny On: The Art of Persuasion, Randel uses the example of selling real estate as a way to teach the art of persuasion.   However, the ten rules presented apply to all persuasive settings.  While one can be successful in the short term with false sincerity, the true key to persuasion is integrity and truly understanding what the motivations of the party you are attempting to persuade.  In order to master this skill, one needs to learn to be observant.  Randel uses the phrase “Think big ears, big eyes, small mouth” in order to drive home the importance of really “hearing” the other person through all your senses than talking the to death to drive home your point.  In fact, Randel warns not to go to far once you’ve already persuaded someone – know when to stop talking.  He provides a nice anecdote of a real estate deal almost lost when the persuader didn’t know when to stop.

A few other items he highlights are that people want to be consistent.  In other words, it may be easier to have people agree to small incremental items than going for the big sell all at once.  Once you have someone agreeing with you, the process to move along the “sale” becomes much easier; for this Randel uses a story where people eventually agreed to have giant signs placed in their yard asking drivers to be careful while driving.  Frankly, I found this result fascinating.  The discussion on creating a sense of reciprocity was interesting; while I knew of this concept, I think it may be one of the most powerful opportunities in any persuasive undertaking.  Finally, being persuasive isn’t about manipulation but truly understanding the motivations of others and aligning yours and their agenda together to achieve a collaborative end result.

Regardless of the methods you use, Randel’s book contains a lot of information packed into a small and engaging package.  Perhaps not all ideas will resonate with everyone, but there is so much good content here, everyone will gain a key take-away or two.

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Review – The Skinny On Willpower!

The Skinny On: Willpower – Literally, Where There is a Will There is a Way!

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author:
Jim Randel
Format: Paperback

What I like about Jim Randel’s The Skinny On books, is that they are like hiring an excerpt consultant to come and spend a couple of hours teaching from their extensive research and experience, all for the price of a couple of cups of coffee.  Written in a power point type fashion with wonderfully simple but effective and well illustrated characters, Randel teaches through fictional case studies.  Peppered throughout these studies are the wisdom of experts who have been well researched and quoted by Randel along with an extensive bibliography for those wanting to delve deeper.  Usually when I attend a conference or listen to an expert speaker, I consider it well worth my time if I can learn one new factoid or item that I can put into practice.  While I have read a number of the references Jim uses in his books, I still found multiple take-aways to use going forward making reading The Skinny On books well worth the time.

In The Skinny On: Willpower, Randel uses an example of eating properly (fewer marshmallows!) and losing weight to impart lessons regarding willpower.  Given the number of dieting books, exercise videos, and overall size of this market, use of this example should resonate with many readers.  Randel reiterates common lessons with respect to willpower which include goal setting.  Important in this exercise is the specificity of the goals – how much, by when, etc.  Generic goals – be happier – eat better, etc. are prone to failure because there isn’t anything objective to hold oneself accountable to.

Of even greater interest to me, however, was Randel’s focus on preparing for challenges.  Inherent in needing to exercise willpower is the fact that one’s will will be challenged.  For example, in dieting, one will be challenged with emotional stresses that could trigger unhealthy eating – before setting off on a new goal, one needs to anticipate what the potential challenges to the goal and one’s will will be and create a “willpower plan”.  The idea is to think through these future stresses and how to manage them before they happen.  By making a plan before the issue comes up, one is able to effectively plan a response and practice this response before the challenge comes.  This way, when the eventual challenge comes the stress of the challenge itself does not break one’s will and success is easier to obtain.  Randel provides some research suggesting that this practicing improves one’s willpower similar to training a muscle in athletics or the mind in intellectual pursuits.

Finally, I enjoyed the discussion on self discipline.  Randel’s writes “self discipline is about doing things today that may not be your first choice for the pleasure of experiencing bigger and better things tomorrow.”  Well said.

Regardless of the methods you use, Randel’s book contains a lot of information packed into a small and engaging package.  Perhaps not all ideas will resonate with everyone, but there is so much good content here, everyone will gain a key take-away or two.

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Review – The Skinny On: Time Management

The Skinny On: Time Management – Practices What It Preaches!

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author: Jim Randel
Format: Paperback

What I like about Jim Randel’s The Skinny On books, is that they are like hiring an excerpt consultant to come and spend a couple of hours teaching from their extensive research and experience, all for the price of a couple of cups of coffee.  Written in a power point type fashion with wonderfully simple but effective and well illustrated characters, Randel teaches through fictional case studies.  Peppered throughout these studies are the wisdom of experts who have been well researched and quoted by Randel along with an extensive bibliography for those wanting to delve deeper.  Usually when I attend a conference or listen to an expert speaker, I consider it well worth my time if I can learn one new factoid or item that I can put into practice.  While I have read a number of the references Jim uses in his books, I still found multiple take-aways to use going forward making reading The Skinny On books well worth the time.

In The Skinny on: Time Management, there were a number of items that resonated with me.  First off is the idea of inertia, that is to say an object at rest stays at rest which is why it is many times easier to do nothing because it takes so much effort to get going; but one can also take advantage of inertia in that once something is moving it tends to stay moving.  Therefore, getting things done becomes much easier once one gets started.  One of the keys to getting started is when creating to-do lists is to not just list the item to get done, but also the first few key steps that must be taken to accomplish the task. In this way, it is much easier to begin a to-do item because most of the energy required to start is the forming of the action steps, especially the first, to be taken.  That way when one gets to the fourth or fifth item on the list for that day, instead of staring at the item and thinking through how to attack it – which likely includes remembering what the item was to begin with, it’s implications, etc. – one skips all these steps because that work has already been done and the first few actions to be taken are already there!  On a related note, the author quotes an interesting statistic that one immediately increases their efficiency 25% just by creating a to-do list because of the focus it provides.

The idea of batching similar work is also good because it forces planning, increases focus and as a result increases efficiency; Randel quotes “effective beats busy every time”.  Lessons on prioritization are also good.  What has worked for me is to use index cards for to-do lists: one to-do for each card.  This way I can list the item, its key action steps on the left side of the card, and status on the right side.  Each morning I take my list of index cards and prioritize them in order of greatest importance and impact.  When each one is done, I collect them in an every growing pile of accomplishments which provides positive reinforcement and feedback in the short term (which helps to keep inertia) and for the bigger items these finished cards serve as reminders of what I’ve accomplished when writing my self review at performance cycle time.

Regardless of the methods you use, Randel’s book contains a lot of information packed into a small and engaging package.  Perhaps not all ideas will resonate with everyone, but there is so much good content here, everyone will gain a key take-away or two.

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Review – Run for your Life

Run For Your Life – Alligators and Seniors: A Surprisingly Charming Story!

Rating: 4 of 5

Author: P.B. LaSalle
Format: Paperback

Having witnessed the brutal alligator attack and subsequent death of his best friend, Anthony Lucas devoted his life to understanding their habitats, behaviors, and interactions with humans.  Years later, Lucas – now a doctor – travels the world both studying and lecturing on the dangers of cohabitating with these animals.  Recently, some strange goings-on in a Florida mobile home park for seniors have drawn the attention of the residents as well as Dr. Lucas who comes to both investigate and educate the park’s members.  What is in store for all is mystery, adventure, and even possibly – romance.

P.B. LaSalle’s book Run for Your Life took me a bit by surprise.  Given its title and opening chapters, I thought this would be a bit of an action adventure B-movie type of novel with a crazed alligator terrorizing a mobile home park.  Instead what I found was a charming story of senior residents and the culture surrounding their Florida lifestyle.  There is the lonely but helpful widowed handyman missing his departed wife, the attractive but self conscious woman struggling to manage the affections of two men, the world traveling famous doctor, the couple always meant for one another but never together, and so on.  The presence of an unwanted alligator in their mobile home park is the catalyst that brings all of these personalities together.  But the story is really about the residents – their struggles, their desires, their lifestyles, and the relationships that grow and evolve with the events that have drawn them together.

Run for Your Life is a charming story to be enjoyed as a quick vacation read.  You’ll connect with its characters while wondering what could happen to one or more of these lovely people as the wayward alligator threatens their community.

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Filed under Book review, Reviews, Uncategorized