Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bending
Genres
And
Giving
Back
T.J. Slee was
awarded the
inaugural BookLife
Prize in Fiction
for his novel
The Vanirim
BY NICOLE AUDREY SPECTOR
H
T.J. Slee
38 B O O K L I F E , J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7
BOOKLIFE PRIZE
information, other than hes living in Denmark) might have worried would one day be asked about
him.
The incognito author says he
left his previous post in counterterrorism to save his emotional
sentience. I got out because I
found myself becoming an emotional dead zone, Slee says. That
person I was becoming, that is
who I channel when I write about
Tully McIntyre [The Vanirims
central character], and I am still
fighting to not be him.
Im a bit of a
workaholic, and
Scandinavia is a
place with long,
dark winter nights
ideal for writing.
and Slee is continuing the Midgard
Cycle. The sequel to The Vanirim
is among his many writing projects for 2017. Im a bit of a
workaholic, and Scandinavia is
a place with long, dark winter
nights ideal for writing, he says.
Slee doesnt reveal what it is,
but he says he has a day job that
pays the bills. Any proceeds from
books he donates straight to charity.After winning the BookLife
Prize in Fiction, he instructed
BookLife and Publishers Weekly
to donate the $5,000 writing stipend directly to Doctors Without
Borders.
I walk with a limp from all the
shit I carry on my shoulder, Slee
says. When I check out of here,
I wa n t to h ave b a l a n c e d my
account. The writing itself isnt
redemptive, but I hope the result
will be one day.
Giving Back
39
YEAR IN PREVIEW
Self-Publishing in 2017
New opportunities and challenges
await self-publishing in the coming year
BY ALEX DANIEL
YEAR IN PREVIEW
L. to r.: Joel
Friedlander,
Sally Dedecker,
Robin Cutler,
Mark Coker
and Ashleigh
Gardner.
More Global
41
Calling all
Indie Authors
What can BookWorks do
for you:
Help You Find Your Reader
JOIN NOW!
bookworks.com
42 B O O K L I F E , J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7
Ready to
Launch
Authors can make online
courses powerful prepublication marketing tools
BY JANE FRIEDMAN
BOOK MARKETING
ConvertKit are good tools for creating drip courses
email newsletters that can be set up in advance
and delivered on a specific schedule.
Jane Friedman teaches digital media and publishing at the University of Virginia and is the
former publisher of Writers Digest.
B O O K L I F E .C O M
43
BOOKS TO WATCH
Scouting Report
Welcome to our new roundup of the best-reviewed selfpublished titles from the past month. We kick things off with
historical fiction, a fantasy adventure, a memoir of the AIDS
epidemic, and a psychedelic tale about Abe Lincoln.
Isabella and
the Tale of the
Unanswered
Question
LINDA WHITTAKER
Forest Child
HEATHER DAY GILBERT
The Sea Is
Quiet Tonight
Abe Lincoln
on Acid
Painted
Trillium
MICHAEL H. WARD
ROBERT BRANDT
Plot: An intimate
memoir of the
early days of the
AIDS epidemic.
PWs Takeaway: Ward never hesitates when peering into the abyss
of this traumatic time.... A courageous and necessary addition to
the canon of AIDS literature.
Comparable Titles: Borrowed Time;
Body Counts
Read the review: publishersweekly.com/9780996710336
44 B O O K L I F E , J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7
BILL WALKER
Plot: A portrait of
the struggles of a
young woman living
in Union-occupied
Tennessee during the Civil War.
PWs Takeaway: Brandt explores
the complexities of the Civil War,
handling war, race, and gender
with brutal honesty.
Comparable Titles: Cold Mountain;
The March
Read the review: publishersweekly.com/9780996787857
PAID LISTINGS
PW SELECT LISTINGS
46 B O O K L I F E , J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7
5035-8618-5
Amazon
Amazon, BN.com,
BookBaby, Kobo
When sociopathy
meets stupidity,
Keeping Up with the Kardashians suddenly becomes Killing the Kardashians.
Not All of Me Is Dust
Frances Maureen
Richardson.
CreateSpace. $15.95
paper (333p), ISBN 9781-5153-5882-4
Amazon
Troubled by feelings of
racial inferiority,
Nqobile, a Zimbabwean
student in America,
fruitlessly searches
for meaning in black
consciousness ideas and religion until
he searches within.
Stargazer Lilies or
Nothing at All
Stephen Lomer. Port
Nine Publishing. $5.99
paper (114p), ISBN 9781-5405-1971-9; 99
e-book, ASIN B01NBI4GKT
Amazon
Failed screenwriter
Winfield Payton
becomes the lone white employee at a
black savings and loan. Skating
between the worlds of white and black,
Payton flies high until the inevitable
crash.
PAID LISTINGS
PW SELECT LISTINGS
Wives of the Saints
Kathy Cecala. Diamond
Spring Press. $14.99
paper (240p),
ISBN 978-1-54058691-9
Amazon
ISBN 978-1-53713601-1
Amazon
Mystery/Thriller
Defiled
Mike Nemeth. Morgan James Publishing.
$21.95 paper (346p),
ISBN 978-1-68350001-8
Amazon, BN.com
Champ is at best a
poor excuse for a
human and at worst a
private detective.
As a man who can
feel no physical pain, hed rather be
the man whos left alone with his hutch.
Poetry
A book of 70 poems
that not only mirror
society but inspire reflection.
Words of Yellow Hammer an
Unacceptable Injun: The Long
Occupation and Other Matters
Milton Blake. Tamarack Publishing.
$12.99 paper (230p),
In a megacity of the
future, Singh is a
small-time fixer torn
between authorities
from the rich upper
levels and organized
crime from poor lower
levels while investigating a murder.
SF/Fantasy/Horror
Abe Lincoln on Acid
Brian Anthony & Bill Walker. Walker & Anthony
Publications. $17.95 paper (334p),
ISBN 978-0-9897457-7-2; $1.99 e-book,
ASIN B01FV4W6MO
Amazon
47
PAID LISTINGS
PW SELECT LISTINGS
Abe succeed, or will he turn on, tune in,
and drop out?
Tied in Illusion
Nonfiction
7-10 Split: My Journey as Americas
Whitest Black Kid
Michael Gordon Bennett. Bennett Global
Entertainment. $16.95 paper (330p),
ISBN 978-0-9864162-0-0; $9.99 e-book,
ASIN B00UO6ZOAO
Amazon, BN.com
48 B O O K L I F E , J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7
0-9978770-1-4
Amazon, BN.com
PAID LISTINGS
PW SELECT LISTINGS
more to glorify God than to denigrate
him.
Healing Wisdom for a Wounded World:
My Life-Changing Journey Through a
Shamanic School (Book 1)
Weam Namou. Hermiz Publishing. $15 paper
(341p), ISBN 978-09776790-4-1; $3.99
e-book, ASIN
B01B8VGDSM
Amazon, BN.com, Ingram
Kabbalistic insight
into the world of clairvoyance and self-discovery, guiding
individuals onto the
path of finding their
purpose in life.
Jay: Short Stories, Insights, and
Lessons from a Life of Hope and
Abundance
Jay Reed. Lulu Publishing.
$9.99 paper (76p), ISBN
978-1-4834-5769-7;
$4.99 e-book, ISBN
978-1-4834-5770-3
Amazon, BN.com, BooksA-Million, Lulu
Sometimes life can leave you with unresolved emotions. Learn about emotions,
gain insight, develop new beliefs, heal,
and let go to transform adversity into
strength, resilience, and joy.
Manly Manners: Lifestyle & Modern
Etiquette for the Young Man of the
21st Century
Wayne James. iUniverse.
$52.95 hardcover
(840p), ISBN 978-14917-9427-2
Amazon, BN.com,
iUniverse
A cutting-edge treatise on international manners and etiquette. Everything from how to conduct
oneself at an audience with the pope to
the etiquette of gay saunas is discussed.
Marketing for CEOs:
Death or Glory in the
Digital Age
Ben Legg. Marketing for
CEOs. $24.99 paper
(148p), ISBN 978-0692-66929-7
Amazon, BN.com
Amazon, BN.com
A step-by-step,
comprehensive,
integrated, holistic, and universal KM
strategy that can be utilized in any
organization.
Speaking What Is Not: Finding a Way
to Wholeness
Richard Atwood.
Outskirts Press. $14.95
paper (151p),
ISBN 978-1-47877379-5
Outskirtspress.com,
Amazon, BN.com
B O O K L I F E .C O M
49
PAID LISTINGS
PW SELECT LISTINGS
Technocracy in America: Rise of the
Info-State
Childrens/YA
Bedtime for Buzzy
T.J. Hackworth, illus. by Sean Baptist.
Downtown & Brown Ventures. $14.95 hardcover (28p), ISBN 978-0-9977391-0-7;
$2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9977391-1-4
Amazon, BN.com, IndieBound, Target
A young boy is
playing with
his toys and
doesnt want
to go to bed.
One by one
his toys come to life and convince him
that going to sleep is the best way to
continue his adventures.
JOBP
ZONE
www.Publishersweekly.com/JOBZONE
Connect to the
best job opportunities in
the publishing industry
New listings every day
reach qualified
professionals every
minute of the day
Refine the search for
the best with the
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resource
JOBZONE1/6V.indd
50 B O O K L I F E1 ,
7/18/12
J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7
3:04 PM
Prince Pounce-a-Lot
Fay Lorraine Sueltz. AuthorHouse. $20.99
paper (50p), ISBN 978-1-5049-5549-2;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5049-5857-8
Amazon
REVIEWS
Fiction
Abe Lincoln on Acid
Brian Anthony and Bill Walker. Walker/
Anthony, $17.95 trade paper (334p) ISBN 9780-9897457-7-2
Burned
Casting in Stone
Morgan Smith. CreateSpace, $2.99 e-book
(134p) ISBN 978-1-5239-9704-6
Smiths second Averraine Cycle installment (after A Spell in the Country) is a short,
concise journey to self-knowledge. In a tiny
mountain village in a remote part of a fantasy world, Caoimhe lives as quietly as she
can to escape her past. But even in so remote
a place, trouble comes to find her. Though
she is the ruler of the area in name, she has
taken no interest in leading or protecting
her people. Since her infancy, Caoimhe has
been hated and rejected by her family, and
she only found a home after being orphaned
and taken in by a household that eventually
gave her a place as a warrior and protector.
Now her origins have come to haunt her
village, as have outsiders who would force
her to take up the fate she has spent a lifetime trying to escape. Smith has crafted a
simple, dangerous world and a fascinating
protagonist. The pace is a little slow, and in
some places unnecessarily static. The
ending is sudden and relies on Caoimhes
good luck and sharp instincts, but Smith
has taken pains to establish those as the
heroines traits. The story never cheats,
leading to a surprisingly satisfying
conclusion.
Chain of Mercy
Brenda S. Anderson. Vivant, $13.99 trade
paper (356p) ISBN 978-0-9862147-1-4
REVIEWS
secrets from both of their pasts bubble up
to throw into doubt the outcome of their
romance. Heavy issues such as abortion,
death, forgiveness, and mercy complicate
both of their lives and impact their spiritual
journeys in significant ways. Anderson does
a fine job exploring the nuances of Christian
faith with its common companions guilt
and grace. While ultimately about life,
hope and faith, the story falters early on and
risks not engaging readers emotions and
attention spans. Those who stick with it
will look forward to Richard and Sheilas
story in future installments of this Coming
Home series.
Beyers historical novel displays a formidable grasp of the events surrounding the
fight for Irish independence. Frank
Kelleher, falsely accused of murder and
treason, steals a passport and flees Limerick,
Ireland, for New York City in December
1920, leaving behind his fiance, Kathleen.
Franks stay in New York City is jarringly
brief. When he learns of Kathleens pregnancy, he returns home. Little has changed
in the few months since his absence.
Despite a cease-fire, Ireland continues to
be in turmoil, and Frank remains a target
of both the British and the Irish Republican
Army. Franks personal losses and the
reawakening of a childhood trauma add
welcome drama to the narrative, which at
times can be limited by its strict adherence
to historical chronology. Beyer (In Sheeps
Clothing) capably conveys Franks conflicting feelings of devotion to his home
territory. An authors note shares that
Franks story is loosely based on that of
Beyers Irish grandfather.
Forest Child
Heather Day Gilbert. WoodHaven, $13 trade
paper (290p) ISBN 978-0-9978279-0-3
Heavenly Khan
Victor Cunrui Xiong. Airiti Press, $10 trade
paper (278p) ISBN 978-986-6286-66-7
REVIEWS
Isabella and the Tale of the
Unanswered Question
This whimsical and inspired debut cleverly disguises deep philosophical questions
with a YA-style fantasy adventure. Dutiful,
quiet Isabella is burdened with a nagging
secret and nightmares. After encountering
revelers near her forest home (the precise
setting is left unclear), Isabella begins to
question her mundane life. A telepathic
raven offers Isabella a choice that leads her
to a kingdom where people, animals, and
even the river can read her mind. She
delights in royal accommodations until the
king tells her she must find a book that will
save the land from dark forces. Meanwhile,
a present-day story line follows the treatment of a comatose woman. Intricate characters and dream sequences are continually
introduced, leading readers to wonder
whats real, imaginary, or metaphorical.
Whittaker delivers wisdom with style in
this brilliant examination of the consequences of choices, and readers may begin
to question their own deepest secrets and
dreams.
In this short and tender romance, a classical violinist and a rock musician tentatively build a romance despite big secrets
and wildly different lifestyles. Beth
MacGuire has given up her dreams of
playing violin to be a waitress at the Seattle
pub that she co-owns with her brother. Her
priority is caring for her 10-month-old
daughter and alcoholic mother. Then her
ex-boyfriend, drummer Liam Hensley,
breezes into town with his band and is eager
to reestablish their relationship. Beth and
Liams backstoryhow Liam broke up
their once-close relationship when he
signed on with the band and left Seattle,
and how Beth became a single motheris
Painted Trillium
Robert Brandt. Wandering in the Words,
$13.99 trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-09967878-5-7
50c
REVIEWS
PR guru Katherine. When Megan deals
Johnny a heartbreaking blow, his grief
pours out into verse and melody. With the
help of his mentor, Howard, Johnny finds
himself leading charts with a hit single,
landing a record deal, and heading up a
concert tour. His abrupt rise to fame is
countered by the demise of his career and
an unlikely path back to the top. Ostrows
characters are static, especially Johnny, who
hardly seems changed from the starry-eyed
college student at the novels outset; the
sole exception is Katherine, whose
treachery and deceit reaches Disneyvillain-esque proportions. Music-industry
information fills the pages, and the author
clearly did his research; the backstage
world is just as fascinating as front-page
stardom. However, the situations and supporting characters are clichs at best, some
bordering on empty tropes and generic
plotting.
Ravens Peak
Lincoln Cole. KDP, $3.49 e-book (217p) ISBN
978-0-9972259-7-6
Ring of Time
Andrew Seddon. Splashdown, $13.99 trade
paper (259p) ISBN 978-1-927154-38-0
Thunder Road
Sierra Dean. Sierra Dean, $4.99 e-book
(261p) ASIN B01ESO8NPM
pace sometimes lags later on. The worldbuilding and cosmology are complicated
and unclear: the gods come from a hodgepodge of belief systems, including Greek,
Roman, Egyptian, and Hindu, while also
fulfilling specific archetypical roles, but
how exactly it works is never fully
explained. Nonetheless, this is a solidly
entertaining tale that grabs the reader right
from the start.
Trident
John Moran. Atelier, $10.95 trade paper
(288p) ISBN 978-1-5331-4676-2
REVIEWS
stranger bursts into the room, identifies
himself as MI5, and declares that the dead
man just might be a bloody Nazi spy. Two
weeks earlier in Berlin, Adm. Wilhelm
Canaris, the head of the German Abwehr,
realizes that Prime Minister Winston
Churchill will likely soon be sailing on the
Queen Mary to America. Moran (Allegiance)
knows how to keep readers on the edge of
their seats (As he turned the corner onto
Jardine Road, he heard the squeal of cars
arriving at the building that housedhe
hopedthree dead men).
Nonfiction
The Great Heist
Jeff McArthur. Bandwagon, $12.95 paper
(200p) ISBN 978-1-4935-3269-8
In this second installment of her fourbook series, spiritual coach Namou continues to describe her personal journey
through a shamanic school known as The
Mystery School. Taking up where the first
book left off, Weam shares some of her
meaningful telephone discussions with
mentor Lynn Andrewsfor example, its
B O O K L I F E .C O M 50e
REVIEWS
important to be responsible for yourself,
before you can be responsible to deal at all
with anyone else. As Namous second year
in The Mystery School requires her to
expand her studies, the book includes
descriptions of conversations with her
second-year mentor, Fiona. During these
conversations with Fiona, other participants from Namous Mystery School cohort
chime in to ask pertinent questions that
push their collective spiritual journey forward. In addition to relating her experience
with The Mystery School, Namou divulges
more about her personal and family life,
including her relationship with her husband, Sudaid, and their eight-year struggle
with immigration into the United States.
By the end of book two, readers will see
firsthand that settling her undecided immigration status gave way for Namou to feel
more freedom to write.
50f
B O O K L I F E , J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7
Cokens debut memoir provides a closeup and, at times, funny view of dealing with
the illness and death of her mother while her
own life continued on. Her chronicle of her
mothers ovarian cancer is dotted with emotional retellings of key moments throughout
their relationship, including a cross-country
road trip, the support her mom offered her
while Coken was getting a divorce, and the
last night they got to spend together; both
big and small moments carry meaning in
Cokens life. The depth of this memoir
comes from the way her relationship with
her mother grew and the closeness she developed with her stepfather, but the focus
remains on Cokens feelings and thoughts as
she comes to terms with letting go.
Unfortunately, the book shifts quickly from
one point or scene to the next with little flow
and the story feels disjointed. Cokens
friends are often introduced at random, and
many of her conversations feel redundant or
dont contribute to the bigger issues shes
trying to tackle. The relatable content and
all-too-familiar story line make this an easy
book to engage with, though, and Cokens
honesty is genuine. Those who take the time
to journey with Coken will likely find comfort and a lesson at the end, much as she
found through her experiences.
REVIEWS
Childrens/YA
Ideal High
Valerie Ipson. Riverside Park, $14.50 paper
(424p) ISBN 978-0-9864246-1-8
First-time author Ipson weaves a suspenseful mystery about the deaths of several students from a West Texas high school
in a fire, an after-party gone wrong. One
week before the new school year begins, an
angry intruder comes on stage at the school
memorial service and insists that his
brother also died in the fire, even though
the boys name isnt mentioned. Though
the fire is initially ruled an accident,
emerging details and rumors about the
night it broke out collide with the harsh
realities of life at Ideal High. Ipson deftly
tackles universal themes of bullying,
alienation, loss, and renewed hope as
senior Taryn Young must decide if, as student body president and fire survivor, she
can pick up where good guy Blake
Montgomery left off and bring about positive change at the school. Smart, quickwitted, and open-minded, Taryn is an easy
protagonist to root for. Occasional extraneous scenes and details can be distracting
at times, but overall Ipson delivers a gripping story about self-discovery, growth,
and overcoming tragedy. Ages 12up.
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