My Buy Essay

Archive for July, 2009

Pariah, written by muti-talented artist and author Timothy Goodwin, is a science fiction, fantasy novel that incorporates some very clear ideas to what is wrong with today’s world. The characters are colorfully portrayed and the battles were very well written.

Eric, the main character, is a victim of an abusive father and endures extreme poverty as a young adult. He is eventually diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and grows into what could be called a normal life. He meets and marries a wonderful woman and her son embraces Eric as his father. Eric loves his life despite the difficulties in finding a good job and unfulfilled dreams to relocate his family to a place where his wife would not suffer from allergies so badly.

Eric becomes involved in a motor vehicle accident and wakes up in a wildly different place called the Itarri. He is later told that this is a space ship and he is light years – and possibly another dimension – from the life he once knew. Everyone on board expects Eric to become someone else when he regains his senses. Seemingly on the brink of insanity, he experiences “fragmentation” &ndash when memories of other lives collide – but eventually works his way back to sanity only to discover that he is actually a clone.

In a desperate attempt to do whatever it takes to return to a time and a life he cherished so dearly, Eric undergoes intensive training. The reader is taken on fantastic space travel and time travel adventures, battles with foes, scenes with gods, demi-gods and an old flame that is incredibly vindictive are good spices for a great read.

At times I found myself confused, but I know from experience that books I have reread many times are those that challenge the mind and intrigue the reader to return. The ending has an interesting twist, which I think readers may suspect early on, but the work is written so well that it will leave them guessing.

ISBN#:1413713025

Publisher: Publish America, Inc.

Author: Timothy Goodwin

Author, Beresford McLean brings a new novel to his fans, this one delves into a time when British culture dominates over those within Jamaica. Providence Pond’s 500 pages are divided into four parts; each involves four generations of the King family between 1880-1920. The book closes with an afterword that provides insight into some of the issues in Jamaica over the years. Readers may want to read this section first, as it will definitely enrich the experience.

A mysterious Wiseman suddenly appears to a small group of seven individuals from Providence Pond just when matters were about to get out of hand. Asa, an aged shaman-like character, intends to begin a new branch of his “Family” within their community, and this scares some folks who are intimidated by the persecuting officials. But Asa leaves and does not return until much, much later &ndash bringing Congo King and Miss Hene along with him. There are numerous characters in Beresford’s novel but Congo, the co-leader of the new branch of Asa’s Family, is the leading role.

When I began this project, I was under the mistaken impression that it would be about a cultural clash between two peoples. Instead, the story seems to be more about a small group of people in a rural area who have children and the children have children &ndash the readers witnessing all the drama from adultery, romance, jealousy and greed.

Anticipation of a mistaken impression could have lead to my disappointment with some sections of the book. But the transformation of Detective Graham was something I wouldn’t have wanted to miss and I am glad that I read the book through to the end. I was certainly intrigued by the beliefs, culture and drumming &ndash perhaps due to our home-based business, Drum-it Percussion. Sadly, the story did not delve deeply into these subjects. However, the brief glimpses were certainly bright points for me.

Providence Pond is Mr. McLean’s second novel &ndash the first being Broken Gourds &ndash and is currently working on a third book. He is a generous man, deeply involved in numerous charities. Beresford actually emigrated from Jamaica to the United States roughly 36 years ago, and so writing about his homeland obviously slips easily into his novels.

This book would certainly appeal to readers who enjoy rural romance.

Publisher: Anancy Books

ISBN: 0-9753297-1-5

Pumping Your Muse is a 136-page non-fiction, self-help writer’s manual that is conveniently available in both electronic and print format. The hardcopy is coil-bound &ndash perfect for an inviting workbook.

Published just recently in June 2005, this book belongs on every writer’s reference bookshelf. Donna Sundblad’s goal for her manual has certainly been met, as Pumping Your Muse is able to stretch the readers’ creativity beyond their normal limits by developing skills and focusing creative energies in new directions.

The author focuses on the ability to build worlds through a variety of exercises including reflections, perspectives, balance, using multiple sensory tools and expanding thinking patterns. Readers will learn about tracking implements such as cards, journals and maps that help develop a detailed world for the reader and make the book a whole experience.

Following every exercise like a home-school class will take several weeks and will definitely improve creative writing skills. Pumping Your Muse could also be used as a refresher course, a tool during the proofreading processes of a manuscript, or to get past writer’s block.

Donna Sundblad keeps the continuity flowing at an interesting pace and has allowed space for notes at the end of every chapter. Her useful manual also includes a number of excellent writer’s resource websites.

I recommend that readers review the entire manual and then return to chapter one before they actually begin the program. In this way, the reader will be more familiar with the reasons and goals for each exercise. I’ve been anticipating my return to chapter one since I began the reviewing process of this book and have no doubt that my skills will be improved because of the exercises in this manual.

ISBN#: 0970863578

Author: Donna Sundblad

Publisher: ePress-online.com ~ Writopia, Inc.

Dawn Josephson, author of 14 books, has written a fantastic author resource with her latest book Putting it on Paper &ndash The ground rules for creating promotional pieces that sell books. This book discusses the development and use of contents within a media kit, and other marketing materials. From cover letters, press releases, book reviews, bios, sell and catalog sheets to articles &ndash Dawn covers it all.

Each chapter concludes with two brief, but very helpful sections. ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ is an essential ingredient to this well-rounded book because it touches on creativity and exceptions to the rule. Her section ‘Key Points’ acts as a summery to the main ideas within the chapter.

There are many excellent samples of actual promotional pieces, which give authors a variety of choices and ideas to use in creating the content for their own marketing materials. The samples are also precluded with notes on the construction of the piece so that the reader can fully understand the purpose of each opening, paragraph or by-line. Dawn shows many ways to tweak text for each piece and then closes with how to present promotional materials to various markets.

I really enjoyed the thought provoking quotes she used throughout the book and felt Putting it on Paper was quite inspirational. As an author who has spent a year of intensive marketing research and hands on application, I can say that several of Dawn’s tips are unique and I cannot wait to try them. The information on multiple press releases, mock book reviews and catalog sheets were particularly helpful for my own applications.

I highly recommend this useful book to any author who is facing book promotion. Putting it on Paper will certainly help authors get noticed.

ISBN#: 0974496618

Publisher: Ground Rules Press

Author: Dawn Josephson

As the market becomes saturated with young adult fantasy books in the “Harry Potter” mold, how long will it be before the genre loses its magic?

“If, like me, you’ve noticed that the spell being cast by the latest crop of young adult fantasy novels is becoming less potent, it seems a fair question to ask,” said R.J. Nimmo, a young adult novelist and expert on entertainment for children.

Nimmo doesn’t dispute the continued popularity of the sword-and-sorcery retreads out there.

“Nonetheless, assorted witches, djinn and goblins risk succumbing to that well-known pitfall of every successful celebrity from boy bands to Britney: overexposure,” he said.

Nimmo says the genre’s rise in popularity was initially due to J.K. Rowling’s wildly successful “Harry Potter” series and was further compounded by the success of the “Dark Materials” trilogy by Philip Pullman.

“They are all fantastic books – genuinely fun and original,” Nimmo said. “The problem is the market is becoming saturated. One more insipid ‘Harry Potter’ clone may be one too many.”

So how can parents find worthwhile reading choices that their kids – whose appetites for fantasy fiction show no sign of abating – will want to open and read?

“The trick is to find books for children and young adults where the fantasy genre elements are infused as part of historical-inspired stories, thus sharpening the emotional, intellectual and educational edge,” Nimmo said.

“The Ancient Egyptian Ennead,” Nimmo’s latest myth-inspired novel set in Egypt in the time of the pharaohs, promises to do just that.

“The magic in my books is something readers can identify with: the magic of learning about ancient civilizations, gods, myths and monsters,” he said. “It’s the way forward for an increasingly lackluster genre. I want to put the magic back in the hands of the reader.”

What certainly stood out for me in Barry Southers novel, Queens and Crescents, was his strong and deep feelings for his family that Barry made apparent in the dedication for this book. The love and appreciation he shares here is actually quite touching. The introduction does a good job of setting up the book through a discussion of happiness and success in today’s society.

Readers will find plenty of action and suspense in this murder romance novel. The main character here is Sean Martinez, a 28-year-old divorcee who works a mundane position in a mortgage broker firm. For Sean, life is just one day blending into the next. He just could not get over his wife leaving three years ago with her old lover. If there were a need for an example of a man in dire need of a vacation, Sean would be chosen.

Spurred on by a radio commercial one excruciatingly hot day, Sean’s vacation destination is decided for him. There, he finds true love, fascinating passion and discovers the power of intuition and fate. Cruel crime lords fighting for position, bloodcurdling hired killers and a heavy loss bring Sean back into living life for what it is.

I was impressed with Barry’s writing style because I could really picture the scenes in my head. I felt he delved deeply into the psyche of his characters, making them seem much more real than many authors are able to do. Queens and Crescents may take readers only a day or two to read, but the characters will remain alive in their minds for a number of days.

ISBN#: unknown

Author: Barry Southers

Publisher: Publish America

Quest for the Source of Darkness, Patricia Perry’s first novel, has an action fantasy story line with a strong mystery theme and an interesting romantic twist. This is no short novel, at 422 pages you’ll be kept entertained for quite a while.

The main hero character is a strong and gifted woman who is stricken with a form of memory loss. Little flashes of memory come to her, but she is frustrated with not knowing who she is and what her origins are. All she can remember is her name, Ramira.

Baffled in a tumultuous world of elves, dwarves and desert nomads, whose inability to co-exist peacefully could spell doom for all. They are forced to work together to battle the evil Mahn and his minions, a variety of demons from the low demons called Kreetch to the terrifying Vox, who are capable of possessing a body and torturing its soul for centuries.

The Elf Kings, Alyxandyr and Gard, and their royal peers – the Dwarf King, Seven, and the rulers of the Herkahs, Zada and Allad – converge together at the gates of grand city of Bystyn. Together their people find solace in numbers while they prepare to battle the sourcerous evil. Ramira discovers her power and learns that she is not meant to be alone. There is also a powerful seer and the hidden elf magic to aid her &ndash but they all must grow in strength if there is to be any hope at all.

Patricia does not explain things in this novel. Instead, the book expertly unfolds little tantalizing bits to the reader at just the right pace. Quest for the Source of Darkness is a larger-sized book that will take the reader on fantasy adventure for many days.

ISBN#: 141377427X

Author: Patricia Perry

Publisher: Publish America

A provocative, new book by author and scholar Marc Mourier reveals hidden secrets of the Bible.

In “The Garden of Eden: What Really Happened?” (Index Publishing, $14.95), Mourier cites Biblical evidence that he believes proves that Eve was cloned from Adam. Mourier feels that Noah’s flood was one way that God cleansed the Earth when the “Adam Experiment” went wrong. He also believes that Adam and Eve came after many civilizations, including Darwin’s apes.

Mourier says that more than 4,000 years of translations have changed the original meaning of the Bible and that people should be inquisitive and cautious about how the Bible has been relayed. He claims that many religious thinkers and theologians have purposely created a power grid to “cover up” ideas they do not want to openly disclose but “know are true,” such as the mission to create Adam and Eve.

Mourier also paints a picture of the Garden of Eden that is very different from what is traditionally taught. He believes that the original Hebrew Bible shows that the Garden of Eden isn’t a typical flowery garden that one might picture. Instead, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the snake, and the apple are symbolic. For example, when Eve is described eating the fruit, Mourier interprets this as acquiring scientific laboratory knowledge on how she was created.

The book also gives Mourier’s explanations on:

• “The secret, shocking and hidden revelations” of the Bible

• Where the Bible shows “proof of visitors from outside”

• Religious “cover-ups”

• Who specifically visited the Garden of Eden and created Adam.

“The Garden of Eden: What Really Happened?” has drawn positive reviews from readers who fall on different sides of Mourier’s research on Intelligent Design. It comes fully illustrated with what Mourier calls “evidence that the ideas expressed in this book have secretly been known for centuries.”

Reality Checked &ndash Life through Death, is a moving saga about finding meaning in a world of suffering and pointless hate based on the color of skin. Former school teacher and Theologist, Victor Waller has incorporated many of life’s issues through the lives of his characters who were forced to make decisions in hopeless situations. Racism, revenge and hate are rampant in this book. Domestic abuse and the dangers hidden within our society’s foster care system are also addressed.

There is only one main character &ndash Catherine Brown &ndash along with a host of supporting characters. Catherine grows up under the terrible threat of racism – which many use simply as an excuse to harm another human. In fact, her father and uncle were orphaned at a very young age through a racist attack. The fairy-tale romance of her parents slid away as fears of her father’s suspected infidelity enforces her mother’s accusations that she is being poisoned. Never really knowing the truth, Catherine stumbles through her youth and into adulthood.

Unfortunately, a disturbed individual brutally murders her family and Catherine is dragged away by the police and incarcerated for many years. She survived the harsh environment through the friendship of her cellmate &ndash and their hunger for revenge.

As an old woman, Catherine is only free from the bars of her prison. Her body is now her jailer &ndash it is discovered that she inherited her mother’s mysterious illness. Thinking she had no family remaining alive, Catherine is surprised when she is invited to a family reunion. This reunion proves to be one of Catherine’s greatest challenges. As she seeks to repair the family discord, she is contacted by a person from the past and her chance for revenge is handed to her on a silver platter.

Victor Waller has created an important and meaningful story in Reality Checked. In fact, the work is well titled. The novel provokes the reader to question their own choices in life – and possibly, to release some of the pessimistic inner voices which influence their decisions.

I give this 377 page novel the highest of ratings with no hesitation, what-so-ever.”

ISBN#: 0976498103

Author: Victor Waller

Publisher: Turn Key Press

Many cookbooks these days are long on dazzle and flash, and short on good recipes that we can instantly trust and love.

New York Times best-selling author Phyllis Pellman Good gives us recipes that include ingredients we already have on hand or can easily buy-recipes that are easy, foolproof and will make our families smile.

Good’s series of slow-cooker cookbooks, “Fix-It and Forget-It,” sold more than 6 million copies! Now, her new “Fix-It and Enjoy-It! Cookbook” (Good Books, $15.95) offers readers even more tried-and-true, welcome-home recipes for stovetop and oven cooking.

A collection of more than 675 recipes submitted by at-home cooks from around the country, the “Fix-It and Enjoy-It! Cookbook” features mouthwatering favorites such as “10-Minute Meatloaf” and “Frozen Mocha Cheesecake.” Each recipe includes its prep and cooking times.

Here’s an appetizer recipe taken from the new book:

Cheese and Shrimp Strudel

Makes 16-18 slices

1 half of a 17.25-ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry, thawed

11/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

1 cup (4 ounces) cooked shrimp, chopped, or 4.5 ounces canned shrimp, rinsed, drained and chopped

1 egg, beaten

On a lightly floured surface, roll the thawed puff pastry to a 10″ x 18″ rectangle.

Place rectangle of pastry on a lightly greased, large baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together cheese, sour cream, onion, shrimp and half the beaten egg (about 2 tablespoons).

Spread the mixture length-wise down half of the rectangle. Brush edges of pastry (using pastry brush) with some of the remaining beaten egg.

Carefully fold dough over the filling and seal edges with the tines of a fork. Brush top and sides of strudel with remaining egg.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool 20 minutes before slicing. With a very sharp knife, slice slightly on the diagonal.

A cookbook with detailed directions, including prep and cooking times, can help even novice cooks navigate the kitchen with confidence.