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M ARCH 2017

Your guide to self-publishing


Indie Zombies Take to the Streets of London Book Cover Redesign
First Lines from BookLife Authors
Ask the Editor, with Betty Kelly Sargent 115 New Titles Listed

A Zombie
Success
Story
Building a readership,
one book (and one
day) at a time

BY JENNIFER MCCARTNEY

I
ndie author R.R. Haywood
wanted a zombie outbreak novel
that followed the gory action
in real timeso each book in his
bestselling Undead series takes
place in a single day. Readers loved
the idea, and the series now stands
at Day Twenty One, which became
#1 in Amazons horror category
upon its publication in February.
The success of the zombie
An actor dressed as a zombie hired by
Haywood to visit the offices of literary books caught the attention of
agents around London Amazons speculative fiction
imprint, 47North, which released
Haywoods time travel novel,

B O O K L I F E .C O M 41
INDIE SUCCESS

If the obvious
routes dont work,
Ill look for ways around

illustration by eduardo garay


or over, or just bludgeon
my way through.
dressed as zombies to personally him. His strategy is to give each
visit offices around Londonan new advertisement a trial run,
The first seven-book bundle in approach he does not recommend. setting his spending limit at $5
Haywoods popular zombie series, It closed doors to meit was too per day. If it doesnt gain engage-
The Undead in-your-face, too bold, and far too ments within that first day, then
pushy for some, he says. His stunt its not going to work. End of. Cut
Extracted, on March 1. The Kindle did get some media coverage, it and try again, he says. Simple,
edition is a top 100 bestseller on however, which ultimately led to centered, bold images with mini-
both amazon.com and amazon. three agents getting in touch with mal text seem to work best. The
co.uk, and it has risen to #1 in offers to represent him. If the wrong font, the wrong colors, the
such categories as adventure, obvious routes dont work then, wrong wording at the top and
superheroes, and time travel. Ill look for ways around or over, bottom will all mean that Facebook
Extracted was also chosen as part or just bludgeon my way through, users will scroll on past your ad
of Amazons Kindle First program, he says. and never think twice about it,
which allows Prime members to says Haywood. He has also invested
access the book for free before Lessons Learned in magazine ads, which he admits
its publication date. As an author Haywood has learned a few other is an expensive option. In the U.K.
with no publishing experience valuable things from his self- a quarter page can be around
and a background in law enforce- publishing experience. The first 1,000, he says. Websites with
ment, Haywood achieved his suc- is to never argue with a reviewer. high foot traffic are also good, but
cess through a lot of trial and You are willingly placing your again they charge a fortune, and
errorand one misguided adven- work in the world to be reviewed you need placement on a homep-
ture with real-life zombies. and discussed, and just because age or landing page. He also rec-
I dont think anyone was reading someone says something you dont ommends the Amazon author page
it when it first came out, Haywood like doesnt mean you can have a as an easy way to reach readers.
says of the series. There were a tantrum, he says. He advises He says his largest demographic
few reviews, some awful, some writers to move on from negative is women aged 3060, so each ad
quite nice. It wasnt until he bun- reviews and to concentrate on buy is chosen with that group in
dled the first seven books that he improving their writing. He also mind. Once you have an audience,
began to see an uptick in readers found that many Facebook groups then Facebook, Twitter, and a web-
and reviews. He learned from the for writers were a waste of time site are the best ways to reach out,
reviews, his writing improved, and as authors used them only for he concludes.
as each new book in the series was self-promotion: You need to find Haywood has now taken a sab-
released, his readership grewthats readers, not other writers. batical from his work in law enforce-
when he started thinking about Facebook ads have been a valu- ment to write full time. 
getting an agent. able tool for Haywood. He has
Haywood says he tried every- experimented with different sizes, Jennifer McCartney is a free-
thing to get agents attention. He fonts, and text, and has hit on a lance writer and editor, and
hired a mobile billboard and actors general formula that works for the author of the novel Afloat.

42 B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
D
HE
AU S T
NC
-L JU
RE

Calling All Indie Authors...


What can BookWorks do for you?
Help You Find Your Reader

Post Excerpts from Your Book for Peer Review

Get a Featured Author Cover Medallion for Your Book

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Find the Best Editors, Designers, Illustrators, Marketers


and Publicists in the Business

And thats just for starters.


Let us help you Prepare, Publish and Promote your
books. We show you how to make indie publishing
easier and, yes its truehow to make it fun.

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bookworks.com
COVER ART

Cover Redesign
This month, Deborah Bradseth at Tugboat Design reimag-
ines the cover of Jeep Tour by Gail Ward Olmstead, who
was so pleased with the result that she immediately hired
Bradseth to redesign another book. Bradseths new cover
art and design notes are below. Original Cover

To submit your book for a free cover redesign, email us at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

Using colors
within the
main image
for the text is Coloring can
a great way to have a huge
tie everything impact on the
together. design as it
helps convey
the tone of
the story. The
yellow/pink
sky in the new
design keeps
Adding a stroke the tone light
around the text and hopeful.
to help it stand
out is a method
that should be The original
avoided except design looked
for certain more like a
scenarios. travel guide,
Instead, find whereas the
a contrasting new design has
color or lighten/ similar imagery,
darken the area yet conveys the
behind the text appropriate
to help it stand genre.
out.

44 B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
LIBRARY DISTRIBUTION

How to Market Self-Published


E-books to Libraries
These five tips will help indie authors get
e-books into library collections Mark Coker

BY MARK COKER

THE BOY WHO


P
ublic libraries represent a
GOT A BERNESE
THE BOY WHO GOT A BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG
promising sales opportunity
for self-published e-book
authors. There are more than Luke is almost a teenager when he
9,000
makes a decision that will change
everything. He decides to get his
public libraries in the U.S. A 2015 very own dog.
MOUNTAIN DOG
survey by Library Journal foundWhen the extraordinary Bernese
mountain dog arrives, Luke

that 94% of public librariesdiscovers


offerjust
troubles,
his dog has a few
like he does.

e-book checkouts and 39% ofButlibrar-


will Luke be able to save his
dog from a huge mistake?
ies either purchased or planned A fast paced, coming of age

to purchase self-published e-books.


story about friendship, loyalty,
& family. Written in the style
of a teenage diary.
The indie authors opportunityThe Boy Who Got A Bernese
is to tailor his or her marketing
Mountain Dog is a debut novel by
Brook Ardon.
to reach librarians when, where,
and how they want to be reached.
BROOK ARDON

Librarians use multiple levels


of curation. In addition to their own
reading, they consider trade jour- BROOK ARDON
nal reviews, publisher or author BROOK ARDON
www.cellopublishing.com

reputation, patron requests, The Boy Who Got A Bernese Mountain Dog
national bestseller lists, and Brook Ardon, Author
recommendations from fellow Cello Publishing Company, Paperback $18.99 (95)
librarians. ISBN 13: 978-1-5399-0844-9
When librarians add self-pub- A uplifting story about friendship, family and the unbreakable bonds
lished e-books to their collections, between a teenager and his dog. Luke decides to get his very own dog:
they shoulder more of the cura- it's a decision that will change everything! But when the extraordinary
tion responsibility. Self-published Bernese mountain dog arrives, Luke realizes his dog has a few
books typically havent survived troubles, just like he does. Luke writes a diary to keep track of his wild
the agent/publisher gauntlet of days growing up, and all the wild things his dog does. Can Luke master
traditional gatekeepinga form obedience classes and high school? Will he be able to save his dog from
of vetting that librarians appre- a huge mistake?
ciateand they typically dont Ages 10 and up.
come with the same number of
reviews. This may explain why Categories: Fiction / Action & Adventure / Pets: Dog.
61% of the librarians at the time
of Library Journals survey had
not purchased or were not plan- Visit www.cellopublishing.com LemonadeMoney
ning to purchase self-published LemonadeMoney is a imprint & trademark of Cello Publishing Company Ltd. Hong Kong.
e-books.

B O O K L I F E .C O M 45
LIBRARY DISTRIBUTION
Yet there are strong voices call-
ing for libraries to embrace self-
published e-books. One of those
All librarians have a
champions is Henry Bankhead,
formerly the acting director of the
responsibility to their pro-
Los Gatos (Calif.) Public Library,
and now an assistant director at
fession and to their patrons to read,
the San Rafael Public Library. In
2014, his advocacy for indie authors
recommend, and acquire the best
landed him on the cover of Library
Journal. Bankhead recently told
indie e-books.
me that he believes all librarians
have a responsibility to their by local authors. Thats a missed title if local patrons ask for it.
profession and to their patrons to opportunity. But your goal isnt
read, recommend, and acquire the to just sell one book to the library. 5. Contact libraries on their
best indie e-books. Your goal is to become a super terms
Smart marketing can help indie patron and build a relationship. Most libraries have websites, and
e-book authors earn a librarians many offer email addresses and
attention, consideration, confi- 3. Offer to orchestrate events online forms through which you or
dence, and purchase. at your local library your readers can contact the col-
Most libraries have meeting spaces lection development manager and
Five Library Marketing for events, and some have specific suggest titles for acquisition. Some
Tips for Indie E-books staff responsible for helping with librarians prefer online contact
1. Make your e-book purchas- event coordination and promotion. over in-person visits because online
able by libraries As a local indie author, you could requests contain all the informa-
Libraries cannot acquire your offer to do a reading, host your tion needed for purchase. Still,
e-book unless its available for next book launch, or organize a keep pitches brief. For an in-person
purchase through one of the panel discussion. You could even pitch, try something like this: Hi,
library e-book platforms. These present a workshop on self-pub- Im Jane Author, and Im a patron
platforms enable librarians to lishing to help inspire and train here. I recently published my
manage purchasing, cataloguing, the next generation of local indie debut thriller, which is available
rights, and time-limited check- authors. Librarians generally love for purchase on OverDrive and
outs. Indie authors can get e-books such events because they bring other library e-book platforms. I
carried by library e-book platforms patrons in the door and contribute wonder if youd consider adding
by working with a distributor. For to the culture of books, authorship, it to your collection. That 10-sec-
example, Smashwords distributes and reading. ond pitch is all you need to pique
indie e-books to most leading the librarians interest and spark
library platforms, including Baker 4. Mobilize your readers to a productive conversation. Note
& Taylors Axis 360, Bibliotheca request your book at libraries that by mentioning that your book
CloudLibrary, Odilo, OverDrive, Many of your readers borrow is on the major checkout platforms
and Askews and Holts in the U.K. e-books from their local libraries, you demonstrate an understand-
Other notable e-book checkout and theres a good chance that ing of how libraries procure titles.
platforms include BiblioBoard, some are even librarians. Once A written pitch should also be brief,
Hoopla, and Freading. your book is distributed to the major but can contain more information
library e-book platforms, let read- including title, library checkout
2. Visit your local library, ers know by adding a note on your platforms, price, category, ISBN,
introduce yourself, and start webpage or bloge.g. E-book avail- trade journal reviews, awards, and
building a relationship able for checkout at libraries. Ask a succinct description. 
Surprisingly, 83% of librarians your librarian today! As the
in the Library Journal survey said Library Journal report found, librar- Mark Coker is the founder of
they are rarely or never visited ians are more likely to acquire a Smashwords.

46 B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
BOOKS TO WATCH

Scouting Report
In this months roundup of the best-reviewed self-published
titles, we highlight a thriller about a man drawn into a deadly
mystery by his deceased doctor, a collection of devotionals,
a sci-fi mystery, and more.

The Smart One My Temporary Life


DREW YANNO MARTIN CROSBIE

Plot: An unnamed narrator Plot: Crosbie tells the story


receives a list of apparently of Malcolm Wilson, from his
unrelated and unfamiliar school days to his meeting,
names after the death of decades later, with a beau-
his former family doctor. tiful woman with a mysteri-
But the list soon draws him ous secret.
into a mystery that has him PWs Takeaway: Crosbies
running for his life. novel captivates from the
PWs Takeaway: An out- get-go with spine-tingling
standing Hitchcockian thriller... The twists are drama and penetrating character portrayals.
surprising.... The spare prose a good match for Comparable Titles: This Boys Life, The End of
the fast-moving plot. Eddy
Comparable Titles: Desperate, Before He Finds Sample Line: Numbers dont vary. They dont
Her stray. If a series of numbers add, or multiply,
Sample Line: Ironically, I keep mentioning life or subtract a certain way today, theyll do
when, in fact, it was death that started the ball that over and over again tomorrow, without
rolling.... fail.
Read the review: Read the review:
publishersweekly.com/9780692761724 publishersweekly.com/9781469965628

Journey to Levels Judahs


Peace D.H. RICHARDS Scepter and
KEANNA BARNES Plot: Set in a fan- the Sacred
Plot: Barnes collects tastic multilevel Stone
31 devotionals to city, the novel fol- D.A. BRITTAIN
help mothers pro- lows small-time Plot: A princess
cess the grief of fixer Talbot Singhs flees Jerusalem,
miscarriages and stillbirths. investigation of a murder that is meeting the son of a king in
PWs Takeaway: Barness writing more than it appears. Egypt, where an attraction
is intimate.... The daily medita- PWs Takeaway: The superior develops.
tions are quick doses of hope. worldbuilding offers plenty of PWs Takeaway: An engrossing
Comparable Titles: What Was Lost, potential for a sequel. tale of faith and love.
From Gods Word to a Womans Comparable Titles: James S.A. Comparable Titles: Connilyn
Heart Coreys Expanse series Cossettes Out from Egypt series
Read the review: publishers- Read the review: publishers- Read the review: publishers-
weekly.com/9780997905700 weekly.com/9781537598390 weekly.com/9781506902296

48 B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
FIRST LINES

First Lines Witch


JILL BENSON
Concious evil has no soul. Its only
Our monthly look at some of the best purpose is destruction.
opening lines from titles by BookLife
authors Midmen
STEVE OCHS
This month, weve got death, death, evil, and more I tried Viagra. The results were as
death. Also, the shocking results of taking Viagra shocking to me as they were to every-
in public. one else in the room.

Quitting the Grave Judgment


DECATER COLLINS VALERIE WILLIS
Three years is a long time to be dead. I fear I have failed my brother.

Only the Holy Remain My Life as a Sperm


ALVERNE BALL WILLIAM DARRAH WHITAKER
The city is dead. My name is Buddy Price, and I died
twice yesterday.

50 B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
This is Bob. His full name is Bobcat!
A large-print
debut picture book
showcases the
many tasks that
Bobcat trucks can
accomplish.
-Kirkus Review

A charming tale
that offers
parents an
opportunity to
teach their
young children
about the
ve
versatility of
trucks.
-Kirkus Review

Bob
Job
On The
h h p : / / w w w. g e p p y. o r g / I S B N - 1 0 : 1 5 4 0 6 5 0 4 5 6
WRITING ADVICE

Ask told his students that, in his class,


they were allowed to use an excla-
You can use initial caps for short
stories, book chapters, songs,

the
mation point exactly once a year. short poems, and journal and
Shes never forgotten that and has magazine ar ticles. But dont
used very few since. panic. Style guides differ, and it

Editer Exclamation points can be used


in place of a period to add empha-
sis or emotion to a sentence, or
is also acceptable to use italics
or quotation marks for any of the
above titles.
A veteran editor to capture the readers attention. Capitalization rules are com-
The problem is that because they plex, but always capitalize the
answers your writing are so easily overused, they often first words of sentences, proper
questions lose their impact. Less is more nouns, and proper adjectives (a
here. Use them sparingly. Once Homeric battle). You can even
BY BETTY KELLY SARGENT
a year might just do the trick! put a word or sentence in ALL

Dear Editor: I t a l i c s a re u s u a l ly u s e d to
emphasize words in a sentence,
CAPS to suggest shouting, but, as
with the exclamation point, use

I d like to have definitive word to set off non-English words or this sparingly.
on the use of italics in novels, phrases, to indicate words that
the use of caps (if at all), and the are thought but not spoken by a
use of exclamation points. character, or for the titles of
Edita A. Petrick books, magazines, newspapers,
films, works of art, plays, operas, If you have a question for the

M y friend Jennifer had a 10th-


grade English teacher who
CDs, ships, space vehicles, and
book-length poems (The Iliad).
editor, email Betty Sargent at
booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

New illustrated titles from The Historic New Orleans Collection

Guidebooks to Sin A Life in Jazz


The Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans by Danny Barker
by Pamela D. Arceneaux, with a foreword edited by Alyn Shipton, with a new introduction
by Emily Epstein Landau by Gwen Thompkins
In the 100 years since Storyvilles An elder statesman of jazz and
closure, many scholars have an international representative
written about the notorious of New Orleans and African
legal red-light district, but no American culture, Danny
thorough contemporary study of Barker (19091994) is credited
the blue booksdirectories of on more than a thousand
the neighborhoods brothels recordings and penned dozens
has been available until now. of original songs. This new
Guidebooks to Sin illuminates the illustrated edition of his
intersection of race, commerce, autobiography brings Barkers
and sex in this essential chapter story back into print and adds
of New Orleans history. fresh insight into his legacy.
hardcover 160 pp. 9" 12" 320 images hardcover 254 pp. 8" 10" 115 images
$50 ISBN 978-0-917860-73-7 $39.95 ISBN 978-0-917860-71-3
book design by Alison Cody jacket photograph by Milt Hinton book design by Alison Cody

Available at www.hnoc.org/shop and major online retailers

P U B L I S H I N G T H E C U LT U R E & H I S T O R Y
OF NEW ORLE ANS & THE GULF SOUTH
www.hnoc.org @visit_thnoc #visitthnoc

52 B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
APRIL 20, 2017
New York, NY

A PUBLISHING
CONFERENCE
LIKE NO OTHER
Learn from innovators and disruptors
both inside and outside publishing
CONFERENCE
PRESENTED BY:

CONFERENCE
SPONSORS:

PubTechConnect.com
PAID LISTINGS

PW SELECT LISTINGS

New Titles from


Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 115
self-published titles below, with descriptions provided by their authors. Some of these
writers are waiting to be discovered; others have a track record and a following and
are doing it on their own. If you are a self-published author interested in listing titles
in this section, please visit publishersweekly.com/pw-select for more information.

Fiction A mentally challenged The Clan: The Book of Jasher


And Some Will Triumph: Stories of the boy born to a crack Bill W. Sanford. iUniverse. $20.99 paper
Mentally Ill in a Correctional Setting addict embarks on a (278p), ISBN 978-1-
and the Nurses Who Care for Them coming-of-age journey 4917-9686-3; $3.99
Virginia Frusteri Sollars. Xlibris. $23.99 paper to create a meaningful e-book, ISBN 978-1-
(440p), ISBN 978-1- existence in the face 4917-9685-6
5144-7765-6; $3.99 of incredible odds. Will Amazon
e-book, ISBN 978-1- he be broken or arise An antiquities dealer
5144-7764-9 victorious? delivers an artifact for
Amazon translation to two col-
This is a tale of regret The Boy Who lege professors. The translated work is
and hope, of tragedy Dreamed of opposed by an ancient global society
and redemption, of Becoming that fears their revelation to the world.
lives lived differently from planned, and a Soldier
of lives never lived at allyet some will Jos L. Zuluaga. Xlibris. A Country Divided
triumph. $15.99 paper (190p), Jay F. Downs. iUniverse.
ISBN 978-1-5245- $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-
A Beast No More: Emerging from the 2344-2; $3.99 e-book, 1-4759-8868-0
Middle State ISBN 978-1-5245-2343-5 Amazon, BN.com,
Phyllis Magold. Outskirts Amazon iUniverse
Press. $22.95 paper This is the story of Alonso Caz and his As the Civil War comes
(358p), ISBN 978-0- dream to one day serve his country. to an end, England,
578-18463-0 France, and Spain plan to retake the land
Outskirtspress.com, The Choosing: You that was theirs. But love also blooms as
Amazon, BN.com Gonna Choose Up or the invasion day draws near. What is the
Three lifelong friends Get Trampled? divine plan?
face obstacles and turmoil. Their saga Khalidah J. Hunter.
continuously forces them to choose AuthorHouse. $16.95 Fate Rode the Wind: An American Story
between the aspirations of the human paper (214p), ISBN 978- of Hope and Fortitude
spirit and the temptations of the flesh. 1-5246-0222-2; $3.99 Larry D. Quick. iUniverse.
e-book, ISBN 978-1- $24.95 paper (450p),
Blind Innocence 5246-0221-5 ISBN 978-1-4917-
A. Adams Jones. iUniverse. $16.95 paper Amazon 3226-7; $3.99 e-book,
(266p), ISBN 978-1-4759-0154-2; $3.99 Hunter takes you on a journey to places ISBN 978-1-4917-
e-book, ISBN 978-1-4759-0156-6 you never thought possible. Sometimes 3224-3
Amazon hitting rock bottom isnt enough. Amazon

54 B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
PAID LISTINGS

PW SELECT LISTINGS
Set in a time when the worlds norms marshal appears to come through a Amazon, BN.com
are being turned upside down, this wormhole to become a modern-day vigi- A collection of short stories unified by
novel tells a story of one familys undying lante. the authors respect for the human spirit
patriotism, unending trials, and uncondi- and its ability to cope with real losses
tional love. Roam and unanswerable questions.
Erik Therme. Thecker
Layla in the Sky with Books. $9.99 paper A Summer of
Diamonds (244p) ISBN 978-0- Good-Byes
Manbeena Bhullar 692-79707-5; $2.99 Fred Misurella. Blue
Sandhu. Archway e-book, ASIN Triangle Press. $15
Publishing. $14.99 paper B01MSAA345 paper (314p), ISBN 978-
(194p), ISBN 978-1- Amazon, BN.com 1-5377-2111-8
4808-4191-8 When three lives intersect in an unsa- Amazon, BN.com
Archway Publishing, vory hotel with a bloody history, all will A novel of contempo-
Amazon, BN.com, Chapters, Indigo struggle to exorcise their personal rary Provence filled with the struggle to
This story interweaves 1960s-style demons, unaware that a bigger threat live and love in the face of impending
hedonism, Indian culture, drugs, family, is waiting to strike. death and loss.
devastation, passion, and endearing
characters. Sarah Annes Faithful Friends: Poetry
Unshakable Faith Series The Flowers Speak:
The Legacy of John: Cathy Lynn Bryant and The Spiritual Meaning of Flowers
A Journey of Wisdom Jessica Marie Dorman. Rosalee M. Smith. Xlibris. $51.99 paper (92p),
Peter Lago. Peter Lago. Bryant Dorman Books. ISBN 978-1-5144-
$11.99 paper (237p), $12.25 paper (314p), 3474-1; $3.99
ISBN 978-1-5203- ISBN 978-0-692- e-book, ISBN 978-
3547-6 56298-7 1-5144-3473-4
Amazon Amazon, BN.com, Books- Amazon
Terminally ill John A-Million This collection of
Hannover understands philosophy and Sarahs happy life has crumbled. poems gives read-
religion. When he meets Paul, who is Grieving, she again accompanies Mr. ers a spiritually enriching experience,
suicidal and broke, and they embark on a Hoyt to Boston. Once there, a terrible imparting to them the importance of
quest for Johns daughter, John discov- tragedy occursleaving Sarah in a faith. It will nourish the soul and comfort
ers life. quandary and facing a fearsome foe. the heart.

The Pursuer Shotgun Preacher Pen Scratching Poets:


James Clayton Welch. Thomas G. Morgan. A Collection of One
iUniverse. $19.95 paper MindStir Media. $17.77 Familys Creative
(278p), ISBN 978-1- paper (452p), ISBN 978- Pursuits
4917-3808-5 0-9975435-3-7 Marilyn B. Wassmann.
Amazon, BN.com, Amazon, BN.com, Books- AuthorHouse. $33.99
iUniverse A-Million paper (158p), ISBN 978-
Loyalty, courage amid The convergent chaos 1-5246-0448-6; $3.99
war, faith, and honorthese equate the of characters and culture formations e-book, ISBN 978-1-5246-0449-3
survivors final choice: death or life. toward his ministry would be radically Amazon
understated as a disturbance in This collection of poetry and artworks is
Quantum Roots II: Church. dedicated to all the members of
Worm Holes (Vol. 2) Wassmanns family.
Kyle Keyes. Kyle Keyes. Skipping Stones in
$11.99 paper (296p), the Sky The Truth:
ISBN 978-0-9864374- Margaret Guy. Robertson An Autobiography in Poetry and Prose
9-6 Publishing. $14.95 paper Talya Morgana Stein. iUniverse. $19.95 paper
Amazon (104p), ISBN 978-1- (256p), ISBN 978-1-4917-3506-0; $3.99
An 1876 Dodge City 61170-244-6 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4917-3508-4

B O O K L I F E .C O M 55
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PW SELECT LISTINGS
Amazon homogenized. It cannot be allowed. Hand of God: Impact
This poetry collection Event America
recounts Steins jour- The Datura Solution: Book 1 in the Max Peter Thorn. Wolfs
ney through a debili- Foreman Series Mount. $16.95 paper
tating illness. Stein Patrick Faure. Xlibris. (343p), ISBN 978-1-
reaches down into the $23.28 paper (350p), 5331-5204-6
fundamental qualities ISBN 978-1-5144- Handofgodbook.net,
and emotions that connect us. 9390-8; $4.99 e-book, Amazon
ISBN 978-1-5144- Terrorists unleash the most powerful
Mystery/Thriller 9389-2 force on the planet against America, set-
After the Wedding Came the Marriage: Amazon ting off a manhunt across the
P.S. I Love and Forgive You This tale of love, tragedy, brutality, and Mediterranean.
Stella Louise. WestBow greed builds into a fight for survival for
Press. $17.95 paper Max and for his associates in the unfor- The Place Where the
(206p), ISBN 978-1- giving world of Russian oligarchs. Giant Fell
5127-3073-9; $3.99 John Henry Hardy.
e-book, ISBN 978-1- Dead Mans Tale CreateSpace. $8.50
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In this series of essays, Shanna Covey He defied the odds e-book, ISBN 978-1-4759-5084-7
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Jeff Minich, illus. by Renan Garcia. Nuggies. The Little Yarnmouth Abduction surprises everyone. It is even remem-
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REVIEWS

Fiction balances activism and escapism as she places Jeremiah and a group of refugees after
Toms and Spensers interracial love-con- Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem, taking
The Big Overnight: Book 3 in the quers-all romance in a context full of real Jacobs stone with them. Eochaid Finn, son
Stella Reynolds Mystery Series contemporary challenges, letting the reader of the High King of Ireland, leads a seafaring
Libby Kirsch. Sunnyside, $12.99 trade paper indulge hopeful thoughts of the possibility expedition, crossing paths with Teia during
(299p) ISBN 978-0-9969350-3-6 of successful support networks for gay men a brief sojourn in Egypt. An immediate
TV journalist Kirsch puts her knowledge and immigrants without straying too far attraction develops, but the pair must over-
of her industry to good use in her enter- into after-school special territory. However, come physical distance and religious differ-
taining third whodunit featuring Stella her analogy between the freedom of dance ences if their relationship is to exist outside
Reynolds, a reporter for a Knoxville, Tenn., and the freedom to allow happiness into of their dreams. Intrigue, fierce battles,
TV station (after 2016s The Big Interview). ones life often feels overblown. pirate attacks, treacherous alliances, and a
A routine assignment takes Stella to the quaint romantic dalliance ensue as the stone
police department just as officers are Illusions of Privacy finds its way from Jerusalem to Ireland.
bringing in a murder suspect. When Stella Seven Major. Propeller Publishing, $14.95 Brittain seamlessly weaves historical fact,
asks handcuffed Cas Rockman if he shot trade paper (356p) ISBN 978-0-692-73021-8 legend, and biblical references into an
Oliver Bennet, Rockman admits to it on This edgy first novel about a former mafia engrossing tale of faith and love.
camera. Despite the confession, Stella is princess atoning for a lifetime of lies deftly
warned to disregard it by a stranger, who blends elements of pop culture and gangster The Judge
turns out to be Rockmans father, Harrison caricature. When Cici Russo is five years old, Farin Powell. iUniverse, $18.99 trade paper
Keys, a convicted murderer who served 20 shes snatched from her mother by her father, (332p) ISBN 978-1-4917-9684-9
years in prison. These odd encounters prove Sal Russo, a gun runner. She and her brothers At the start of Powells melodramatic
to be just the beginning of an extremely grow up in a wealthy home ruled by Sals thriller, Walter McNeil, who has served 16
challenging case, in which Stella investi- iron fist; he displays kindness, too, but less years as a judge in D.C.s superior court, is
gates Rockmans possible innocence. often. As a rebellious teen, Cici ends up on kidnapped at gunpoint as hes walking
Romance fans will enjoy passages detailing the receiving end of Sals bad temper when home one evening. Earlier in the day,
Stellas love life (She launched into him, shes drugged, kidnapped, and sent to a farm McNeil visited the grave of his wife, who
ripping his shirt off in one rough move- for wayward girls run by fetishy Vladimir, died 13 years earlier and for whom he still
ment, and the ping of buttons as they a Russian mobster and family friend. In her mourns. Haunted in more recent years by
bounced off the bedside table and lamp was early 20s, Cici is ordered by Sal to earn your the disappearance of his daughter, who was
the only thing that broke the silence). keep by taking someone out. Its a botched six at the time her mother died, McNeil has
hit, and Cici goes into hiding, having her reason to believe that his kidnapping and
Enjoy the Dance: Dancing, Book 2 face surgically altered and emerging as his daughters fate are connected. McNeils
Heidi Cullinan. Heidi Cullinan, $4.99 e-book Brooke, a confidants recently deceased freedom now depends on the help of DA
(344p) ASIN B01KVVFRM8 sister. The dupe lasts into Cici/Brookes Amanda Perkins, whos bitter over their
The rapidity of change in American poli- middle age; this story is her confession to past professional relationship. Powell (Two
tics allows Cullinan to make her second Brookes family and to her friends and Weddings) puts her legal knowledge as a
Dancing novel (after Dance with Me) a family for decades of deception. The novel practicing D.C. lawyer to good use, but
period piece set in the distant historical is colorful and inventive until it becomes readers should be prepared for some awk-
era of the early 2010s, in a Minnesota con- burdened with Cici/Brookes midlife finan- ward prose (After her aunt left, Amanda
sidering the repeal of same-sex marriage cial and marital problems, drug dealing, and realized that although Aunt Julia could
while the nation is on the edge of marriage bland, random characters. never take the place of her mother, she was
equality. Dance teacher Toms Jimenezs the closest and the best support she could
student, Duon Graves, winds up on Tomss Judahs Scepter and the Sacred dream of having). Information becomes
doorstep after enduring homophobic abuse Stone repetitiveretold though dialogue, court
from his family. Tomss neighbor, closeted D.A. Brittain. First Edition Design, $21.95 hearings, and internal monologue.
kindergarten teacher Spenser Harris, takes (346p) ISBN 978-1-5069-0229-6
the boy in. Someone needs to give Duon a In Brittains debut novel, the legend Last Room at the Cliffs Edge:
new home, and Spenser realizes that Toms claiming the Stone Pillow used by Jacob in A Detective Linda Mystery
cannot risk exposing his undocumented the Bible and the Stone of Scone used at Mark McNease. MadeMark, $10.95 trade paper
parents, whom he supports while they British coronations are one and the same is (184p) ISBN 978-0-9916279-9-8
raise his deadbeat sisters children, to the true. Princess Teia, daughter of the biblical This suspenseful series launch from
scrutiny of the foster care system. Cullinan King Zedekiah, flees with the prophet McNease (the Kyle Callahan Mysteries)

B O O K L I F E .C O M 64a
REVIEWS

introduces retired homicide detective A Man of Character show broad spacescapes, but their poor
Linda Sikorsky. Linda has opened a vintage Margaret Locke. Locked on Love, $2.99 quality detracts from his verbal descrip-
everything store in New Hope, Pa., where e-book (327p) ISBN 978-0-9963170-1-6 tions rather than enhancing them.
she lives with her wife, aspiring writer In the endearing first Magic of Love con-
Kirsten McClellan, whose first novel fea- temporary romance, a 35-year-old bookstore Split Rock
tures a lead based on Linda. But Lindas past owner in Charlottesville, Va., discovers Holly Hodder Eger. Conzett Verlag, $19.95
turns out not to be past. When they get that none of the men she has dreamed up is trade paper (367p) ISBN 978-0-9978351-0-6
caught in a torrential rainstorm while actually the man of her dreams. After six Between redbirds, rocks, and supporting
driving to a writers retreat in Maine that years of being single, Catherine Cat characters, Egers first book hits too hard
Kirsten is eager to attend, Kirsten wants to Schreiber suddenly finds herself the object with heavy-handed symbolism and story
keep going. Linda persuades her that they of desire. Curiously enough, three of the parallels. In 1997, forty-year-old Annie
need to stop for the night, which they do at men wooing Cat have been conjured up Tucker, wife and mother of three, inherits a
the seedy Cliffs Edge motel. Linda is sus- from stories she wrote years ago. The fourth house on Marthas Vineyard from her
picious of the creepy desk clerk, Lenny is refreshingly real Ben Cooper, the guy beloved and recently deceased Aunt Faye.
Winfrow, and that feeling is only intensi- from the local caf. Cat is an endearing and She decides to spend the summer there
fied after she hears some odd noises from an engaging protagonist, credible in her dis- with her young children. Gordon, Annies
adjoining room that Lenny insisted was belief about magic, and amiable in her inse- ambitious husband, plans to come out on
vacant, but which the reader knows is occu- curities and indecision about herself and weekends from their home in Maryland,
pied by an ambitious small-town journalist, how to manage her suitors. Some point but a business crisis forces him back over-
Cayley Drees, whos following up an anony- plots are overstated, and clichd turns of seas, leaving Annie and the children on the
mous tip. Plausible sleuthing and smart phrases threaten to detract from the narra- island without him for most of the summer.
characterizations combine for a winner. tive, but the story flows relatively smoothly. Annie must deal with grieving her aunt,
The magical books, mysterious messages, inheriting a dog, being a single parent,
Levels happily-ever-after endings, dashing and the reappearance of Chase, her first
D.H. Richards. Quanta, $14.99 trade paper modern men, and tastefully sensual sex love, while her romantic notions of the
(168p) ISBN 978-1-5375-9839-0 scenes make for an enticing adventure. Vineyardand peopleare tested. Infidelity
Fans of imaginative science fiction that dominates the narrative; almost all of the
integrates a whodunit plot line into a well- Phoenix Dawn characters are involved in some form of
constructed imagining of the future, such as Dan Letchworth. Desert Owl, $5.75 e-book cheating or affair. Egers prose is smooth and
James S.A. Coreys Expanse series, will enjoy (355p) ISBN 978-0-9981876-1-7 polished, and story highlights include piv-
Richardss thoughtful novel. Talbot Singh Debut author Letchworth chooses a otal ocean scenes that pull the reader into
is an assist, whose job is to make sure that much more ambitious plot than he is able the tumultuous water alongside Annie,
when things happened to a family, those to handle gracefully, unveiling the personal but the book reads like part memoir, part
things went as well as could be expected. stories of members of several humanoid fiction, and part romance novel, not
Talbot has his hands full when a jeweler, Jay species while placing them in a space war squarely hitting the mark in any of those
Mill, is shot to death in his store, but, since thats driven by clunky pseudoscience. His genres, so split is apropos.
nothing was stolen, Talbot suspects that story gains a naive warmth from the themes
Mill was the target of a professional hit. In of coming together despite profound differ- My Temporary Life
the best hard-boiled tradition, Talbots ences and embracing hope and change. The Martin Crosbie. CreateSpace, $12.99 trade
involvement rubs the official investigators species he populates his worlds with are paper (340p) ISBN 978-1-4699-6562-8
the wrong way, forcing him to do his own wildly creative: deaf phoenixes who travel The first section of this gripping debut
discreet digging into the murder. But while the air in glass boats they construct from the first volume in a trilogytakes a
the central concept is familiar, the setting is the debris of sandstorms; knuckle-walking serious, disquieting look at the sometimes
not. The killing takes place in an unnamed rural Leians fleeing a dying traditional cul- sordid realities of adolescence and adult-
multilevel city connected by thousands of ture to fit into cities that do not accommo- hood as he depicts the bullying, bad par-
elevators; status is determined by the level date them well; upright Orish, proud of enting, and violence encountered by a
on which one lives, and the cost of traveling their flying ships and terrified by a disease smart and sensitive young man. The novel
to one of the top levels is half a years wages that drives people mad with thirst; and begins in 1976, when 13-year-old Malcolm
for the average resident. The superior world- militaristic reptilians who live on light and Wilson lives with his aloof father in
building offers plenty of potential for a whose leader believes he has a divine man- Scotland during the school year and with
sequel. date to take over other planets. Cartoonish his promiscuous Canadian mother in
color illustrations by the author intend to Vancouver during the summer. Malcolm

64b B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
REVIEWS

and his best friend, Hardly, are targets of speak about delicate social issues in this With keen skill and accuracy, the author
trickery and beatings by schoolmates; a impressive tale. targets the lessons taught in the parables,
particularly unnerving incident occurs in often giving unique insight. Nwaorgus
their refuge, an old tree. The one time A Whole Lot intent is to get people moving: life is full of
Malcolm fights back, he accidentally strikes Bradley Wind. Kind Books, $13.93 trade opportunities, he writes, but it is what we
a teacher. He moves to Vancouver and, paper (394p) ISBN 978-0-9972805-0-0 do with them that will matter most. He
helped by the kindness of his wealthy This debut novel by Wind takes the form consolidates the teaching further, catego-
summer employer, attends a private school. of the autobiography of a young savant, rizing the stories as ways to be ready, to act,
The second section, set 20 years later, is a Abel Velasco. Abel is a mathematical genius and to give to others when opportunities
fast-paced, romantic thriller with sleuthing, with amazing memory skills and acute syn- present themselves. Realizing that choice,
a dark secret, and a vile, maniacal character. esthesia who also suffers from some type of not chance, determines fate will result in a
Malcolm, now 34, lives a comfortable, seizure and has social skills reminiscent of closer relationship with people as well as
drama-free life as an unmarried accountant someone with Aspergers. In 1982, he is with God, he emphatically believes, and
until he meets the lovely Heather Postman, living with his horrid aunt, Pigpie, in will help the reader beat the odds in
whose mysterious secret sends them off on North Brunswick, N.J. Like a true biog- achieving blessings.
a suspenseful caper . Malcolm cant get at raphy, there isnt a single unifying story arc
Heathers secret and doesnt know whom to that ties the whole together, other than that Beginning French:
trust. Crosbies novel captivates from the Abel lives through and participates in all of Lessons from a Stone Farmhouse
get-go with spine-tingling drama and pen- the events recounted. The longest plotline Les Amricains. Les Amricains, $7.99 e-book
etrating character portrayals that send a involves Abels inadvertent discovery in an (256p) ISBN 978-0-9974102-1-1
strong message about family, and friends abandoned mansion of a Bible with a hand- Under a shared pseudonym, Californians
who become family. written numerical code and quest to deci- Eileen McKenna and Marty Neumeier
pher the seemingly random string of num- regale readers with the tale of their purchase
Within the Veil bers. He pursues this search when he is of a 400-year-old completely restored
Brandy Vallance. Lyrical Vine, $16.99 trade allowed to study at Princeton and in an farmhouse in Frances Aquitaine region, the
paper (440p) ISBN 978-0-9974997-0-4 unforeseen journey that takes him to challenges they faced to their lengthy mar-
Vallance (The Covered Deep) combines Berkeley. Wind has created a fascinating riage, and the gourmet meals they indulged
unique characters, historical facts, and pow- character in Abel Velasco with a whirlwind in. Studded with recipes for duck burgers,
erful writing to transport readers to 19th- life to match, but other elements, like the sangria, and more, the book chronicles
century Scotland. Since her mothers death, injury of his friend Russell Ghety and his multiple disasters in their long-distance
Feya Broon has been trapped in the tene- fascination with an older woman arise but homeownership of le Rve (the Dream): a
ments of Edinburgh caring for her siblings arent followed to a conclusion boiler flooded the house, appliances over-
and drunken father. She is willing to do loaded the electrical system, and the ceiling

Nonfiction
whatever is necessary to keep her family threatened to collapse. However, those
alive, and a petty crime lands her in the ordeals are resolved too handily, defusing
custody of palace guard Alasdair Cairncross. the tension, and the only real threat to their
Considered a Gypsy by the English, Feya is Beating the Odds: long-term happiness arises a stones throw
looked down upon as lower class and isnt Inspirations from Matthew 25 from the end of the tale. Neumeier, the
the most important prisoner for Alasdair to Anselm Nwaorgu. iUniverse, $12.95 trade author of several books on branding and
transport across the countryside. Along the paper (116p) ISBN 978-0-595-47482-0 creativity, waxes elegiac about countryside
way to her new prison, Alasdair must con- Nwaorgus compact guide for success and cuisine with the practiced joviality of a
front the past he thought he had left behind, offers a lot more than the typical prosperity salesman. Though some of his banter
as his affections grow for the strange girl. theology book suggesting that financial and charms (such as labeling the purchase of a
Alasdair and Feya will need to trust each physical blessings are part of following kitchen table straight out from under the
other more than expected to survive this God. Nwaorgu, a psychologist and priest in brokers family dinner as a steal), his nar-
journey, which is fraught with danger at the archdiocese of Newark, N.J., uses ration is marked by paternalism, even when
every turn. Vallances spunky characters Matthew 25 to offer advice on how to apply he believes hes being generous (Mark
must battle their for their faith and over- wisdom from Jesuss stories to everyday life. my words, he says of his wife after she
come systemic barriers, including poverty Three well-known parables (of the lamps, agrees on an issue, women will one day rule
and discrimination. While the ending is the talents, and the kingdom) are explored the world). To his credit, he seems aware of
expected, the journey is wonderful, and in new ways to provide eight principles for this tendency, interpreting one of McKennas
Vallance uses an engrossing narrative to producing success and blessing in ones life. glances as a warning not to give [her] that

B O O K L I F E .C O M 64c
REVIEWS

marketing hoohah. Minimal reflection and enced practitioners, this book is not for writer. The weaving of family life and spiri-
scant backstory make the book less someone looking to learn yoga. Breathing tual life throughout the series helps forge
memoir than brochure, but Francophiles exercises lack clear instruction, yoga poses Namou into the person she is today, and
and foodies will find plenty to feast on. are not described in detail, and the illus- she uses what she has learned to help others
trations are rudimentary. For readers inter- on their spiritual paths.
For the Record: Confessions of ested in teaching yoga, however, Weiss
a Vinyl-Soundtrack Junkie book is effective. Exercises on breathing and Just Keep Shooting:
Bruce K. Hanson. CreateSpace, $11.99 trade movement for different age groups lead My Youth in Manhattan
paper (164p) ISBN 978-1-5349-9706-6 readers through engaging activities sure to Judy McConnell. Ingram Spark, $14.99 trade
Hanson (The Peter Pan Chronicles) describes appeal to children. Weis provides sound paper (264p) ISBN 978-0-692-66597-8
a fascination with musicals and their advice on teaching different age groups, In her second memoir (after A Penny a
recorded soundtracks in this charming and explaining how to engage children, espe- Kiss), McConnell embarks on an immersive
informative story of his life as a record cially the tween and teenage groups. Lesson journey through nearly six years of post-
geek. Growing up in the 1960s, Hanson plans, examples of how to communicate college life during the late 1950s and early
spent joyful afternoons studying album with parents, and suggestions on how to 60s, though its difficult to discern any
covers and reading liner notes. At age 12 incorporate yoga into different settings are real impact that time has on the authors
he sold his comic books (Batman, Superman, useful and evidence of Weiss years of life. She traveled from home in Minnesota
etc.), making a beeline to a Manhattan experience as a teacher. A short chapter on to Manhattan, Paris, and Spain, then to
record store to spend half his $200 profit. how yoga can benefit children with special California and back to New York. McConnell
Hanson guides readers through his life needs deserves close attention; readers will recalls people she met and experiences
and his treasured record collection, seg- wish for more information on the subject. including jobs at the U.N., in publishing,
ueing neatly between recording trivia and A resources section offers a diverse selection and at Forbes magazine. These gigs dont
anecdotes from his formative years as a of books and music to use to connect yoga hold much for McConnell, nor do her loves
soundtrack junkie. His parents didnt poses to different themes. While a practical and friends, who come and go. Her passions
expect this dreamer to amount to anything. book with sound advice, Go Go Yoga Kids is feel more like hobbies, as her film and
Hanson adored singer Rosemary Clooney useful for only a limited audience. writing aspirations are never fully realized.
when he was eight, later moving on to Throughout the book, McConnell makes
follow Judy Garland, June Allyson, Barbara Healing Wisdom for a Wounded clear her disdain for her mother, including
Cook, Debbie Reynolds, and other per- World: My Life-Changing Journey her attitude toward the volatile politics of
formers of the time. He also shares an Through a Shamanic School, Book 4 the day and married life. This gives the
interesting interview with Mary Martin, Weam Namou. Hermiz, $15 trade paper reader a loose sense of McConnells ideals
who played Peter Pan on Broadway. He (198p) ISBN 978-1-945371-94-3 and beliefs, only to have it dismantled as
attended high school on Staten Island, N.Y., Accomplished spiritual coach and author she concludes the book with a rushed
and later continued studies in theatre arts, Namou (The Flavor of Cultures) concludes description of falling in love and getting
pottery, and sculpture, eventually becoming her four-part memoir by describing her married. McConnell works to define herself
a visual arts teacher. Collectors will be final year in Lynn Andrewss shamanic and her place in life, but by the end, readers
entertained by Hansons impressive knowl- school, Storm Eagle. Her new mentor, for are left with no better an understanding of
edge of records, including their graphics, the fourth year of the school, is Nancy. Just her than when the book began.
cover art, and production details; his well- as in the other three books of this series,
crafted and often humorous prose deftly this new spiritual teacher has a profound The Nature of Things: 24 Stories
conjures up the bygone era of musical impact on Namous journey. Nancy explains About Embracing Reality
theaters golden age. that the fourth year is about the apprentices Brigid Elsken Galloway. Flamepoint, $12.95
working on themselves and that the year is trade paper (208p) ISBN 978-1-5371-5266-0
Go Go Yoga Kids: Empower Kids designed to help you come out into the Self-professed Southern Buddhist
for Life Through Yoga world. A major portion of the book focuses Catholic Galloway has reported for NPRs
Sara J. Weis. River Oaks, $12.99 trade paper on the preparation for the graduation ritual, All Things Considered and is an instructor
(145p) ISBN 9780998213118 and the ritual itself, which Namou describes at the Institute for Conscious Being. Here,
As an elementary and junior high teacher in detail that draws the reader in. Familiar she reflects on her life and shares her per-
and certified child and adult yoga instructor, names from the previous books in this sonal path to dealing with a D- (death,
Weis brings her expertise in both fields to series make appearances. By the conclusion divorce, disease, downsizing) life. She was
this book about teaching yoga to children. of this fourth book, it is apparent how raised as a Catholic but turned to Buddhist
Designed as a teaching guide for experi- Namou has benefitted as a person and practices to gain perspective about her life;

64d B O O K L I F E , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
REVIEWS

she also joined a 12-step program that she moments arise in Howards confessed awe tion. She left a successful but stressful PR
credits with enabling her to accept and not at his friends successes with women and his job and abandoned her unhealthy eating
resist reality. This memoir has 12 chapters own ineptitude. Despite some awkward and drinking habits, and is now a health and
with themes such as awareness, honesty, writing and a need for more extensive nutrition coach. Its easy to jump on
and practice, each featuring two stories notes and definitions, Miner does his father Vicarios bandwagon; she uses strong sales-
revealing how Galloway learned these les- and other WWII veterans proud. manship techniques (asking questions that
sons. In Awareness, Galloway realizes that can only have one answer), serves up plenty
her meltdown at McDonalds had nothing When Thought Turns to Light: of encouraging words, and shares personal
to do with her sons Happy Meal, but was A Practical Guide to Spiritual details about her transformation to great
about her own rage toward her mothers Transformation advantage. (Once she found her purpose
late-stage degenerative dementia. In Patrick Paul Garlinger. Epigraph, $15.95 in health coaching, the rest of her life fell
Honesty, Galloway shares her early child- trade paper (192p) ISBN 978-1-944037-47-5 into place, she explains.) In addition to self-
hood dream of becoming a saint and how Debut author Garlinger delivers a wel- help narration, the book includes healthy
she was punished for praying in a chapel; coming, approachable introduction to food choices and a sprinkling of recipes.
years later, after her second marriage failed, changing the patterns of ones thoughts Client Story sidebars illustrate successful
Galloway felt cynical about religion but and, in so doing, positively transforming practices and brief Put It in Action sum-
still turned back to spirituality. In Practice, ones relationship to self, others, and the maries at chapter ends are useful reminders
Galloway learns to accept responsibility Light. The author defines the Light as the of small and manageable changes to incor-
for her actions after dealing with a car crash energy of unconditional love, a term meant porate into ones life. In addition to nutri-
at a Buddhist monastery. These relatable to encompass concepts of energy, the infi- tion, Vicario covers the well-stocked pantry,
stories of hardship are funny and moving nite, the divine, and even God, and he deli- stress-free cooking, exercise, relationship
and will appeal to those who are open to cately handles any emotional baggage tips, and a few out-of-the-ordinary subjects
Galloways guidance. readers might have around particular (tongue scraping, mask treatments).
spiritual or religious terms, even inviting Lifestyle change doesnt have to be com-
Sketches of a Black Cat: Story of a mental substitutions of terminology if plicated, Vicario insists, and for deter-
Night Flying WWII Pilot and Artist readers feel resistant. Garlinger assumes no mined readers, this book may well be the
Ron Miner. Riverdale, $20 trade paper (248p) previous familiarity with meditation, man- impetus for transformation.
ISBN 978-1-5350-5488-1 tras, self-care, or gratitude practice, making

Audio
Miner uses the diary, drawings, and each concept seem simple and doable rather
WWII memorabilia of his late father, than intimidating. According to the author,
Howard, to piece together an account of learning to transform oneself begins with
his fathers experiences as a WWII pilot in noticing the cyclical, repetitive nature of Grim: Dark Fairy Tales for the
the Pacific Theater. He combines Howards negative thoughtsincluding how often Psychologically Minded
writings with interviews with WWII vet- we separate ourselves from others by Joseph Burgo, read by Stuart Packer. New
erans, crafting a loving tribute to the young saying we dislike or disapprove of some- Rise, unabridged, digital download, 9 hrs.,
men who fought in WWII. He begins with thing about them. Garlingers tips on $17.46 ASIN B01M7TMWV1
the Sunday brunch date when Howard replacing those negative thoughts and Three classic fairy talesthe stories of
heard President Roosevelt announce the vibrations with positive ones are intended Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel
attack on Pearl Harbor, moving through to raise the vibrations of the individuals and get a more sinister retelling in this three-
the hardships, terror, and tedium of the collective, healing all with the Light. novella collection by Burgo. Cinderella
fighting a war. Howard, a college student grapples with depression and a sense of
at the outbreak of war, enlisted with the Your Holistically Hot Transforma- dread about getting what she thought she
Navy and became a pilot with the Black tion: Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle wanted, Snow Whites mother hones her
Cats squadron. The squadron primarily flew Free of Dieting, Confusion, and psychopathic tendencies to try to kill her
at night, scouting for Japanese ships and Self-Judgment daughter, and Rapunzel must deal with
enemy positions or doing rescue missions. Marissa Vicario. Marissas Well-Being and mommy issues and self-worth. Burgo cre-
Miner mixes training and flight stories with Health, $12.99 trade paper (252p) ISBN 978- ates strong narratives that add nuance and
observations on the importance to enlisted 0-692-66240-3 sophistication to these tales; the titular
men of cigarettes, alcohol, movies, and mail Written for fans of glossy magazines, grimness manifests as sexual violence, rape
from home. Reports of friends deaths and Vicarios book rolls out a well-integrated, fantasies, and ruthless seductresses. For por-
needless losses throughout the war are jar- holistic lifestyle plan based on what she tions from a male point of view, Packer
ring for their regularity, but lighthearted touts as her successful personal transforma- makes a spectacular narrator with a resonant

B O O K L I F E .C O M 64e
REVIEWS

English accent and brooding tone reminis- studying for the SATs. Yet, as Alexia hones The Elephants of Art:
cent of Christopher Lee in his Hammer her spell casting, both with her mentor, An Educational Art Story
Films days. He does create believable and Darren, and through an after-school pro- Jo OMara. Archway, $14.95 paper (44p)
complex female character voices, but it gram, she learns more about the secretive ISBN 978-1-4808-2834-6
seems strange to choose a male reader for a Order that governs the various covens. Toulouse, a gray mouse in a bowler hat,
production that focuses on nearly all female When Kaleb, a boy she is dating, reveals is confused by his art teachers reference to
protagonists. A New Rise paperback. that he is a vampire, she must come to terms the elements of art and assumes that she
with what she discovers are deep entangle- meant the elephants of art. Setting out to
ments between vampires and witches. find these important pachyderms, Toulouse

Childrens/YA
Almonte excels at making the fantastical meets three personable elephants, who are
seem commonplace, particularly in his eager to share their knowledge: Linus, the
empathic descriptions of the pressures and elephant of line; Starla, the elephant of
Miss E. anxieties associated with passing the Trials. shape; and Rainbow, the elephant of color.
Brian Herberger. Birch Cove, $12.99 paper The relationship that develops easily Each elephant demonstrates the role played
(256p) ISBN 978-0-9974875-4-1 between Alexis and Kaleb, along with the by his or her element and how the concepts
Fifteen-year-old army kid Bets and her tensions among the factions of vampires and work together to create art. We came to
parents move to Northern California in July witches, will be very familiar to fans of para- show you how to put these pieces, or ele-
1967; her father will soon be deployed to normal romance; devotees of the genre ments, together to make something beau-
Vietnam, and Bets is about to start high should enjoy exploring the world Almonte tiful, explains Linus. OMara incorporates
school. Betss new girlfriends tell her that sets up, even if it doesnt break much new bright colors and eye-catching patterns into
no one knows much about Miss E., the ground. Ages 12up. her collage-style graphics, filling the pages
quiet old woman who drives her red truck with lines, colors, and shapes that visually
into the small town of Forestville once in a Hopes Melody underscore what Toulouse is learning.
while. After her father leaves for the war, Jeanna Kunce, illus. by Craig Kunce. Windhill, Although some readers might be slightly
Bets and Miss E.s paths intersect, and the $14 paper (144p) ISBN 978-1-944734-08-4 confused by the literal manifestation of
two have a profound effect on each other. In this lightly illustrated chapter book Toulouses misunderstanding, the books
Meanwhile, the result of a history project from the Kunces, whose previous books wordplay (including the connections
assigned by a free-thinking teacher forces include Darien and the Lost Paints of Telinoria, between the elephants names and the con-
Bets to look at the world in new ways. eight-year-old Abigail treasures the stuffed cepts they represent) should help them
First-time author Herberger creates an lion she calls Lionie. As Abigail debates remember the elements discussed. OMara,
engaging story as he adroitly weaves history whether to leave her current school and an art educator, packs a fair amount of infor-
and mystery into a coming-of-age tale. friends to study at a music school, Lionie mation in this outing, the first in a planned
Relationships, feminism, civil protest, and comes to life. Nicknamed Gus (his real series. Ages 2up
respect are among the themes highlighted, name is Augustine), he explains that he and
though they arent explored too deeply. several other animals were created by a
Even so, readers are likely to draw connections magician long ago but separated during a
The preceding reviews of
between current events and the political storm, kicking off a quest to find the other self-published titles ran in
climate depicted in the book, and theyll animals and save the world of imagina- Publishers Weekly during the
enjoy the unexpected revelation regarding tion. Scraggly b&w spot illustrations past month.
Miss E.s identity early on. Its a polished punctuate this daydream-like but drawn
debut with an inspiring protagonist. Ages out story. Readers taken with the idea of a
12up. favorite stuffed animal coming to life may
look past the fact that the underlying rea-
Rise sons for it are rather vague (of the magician:
Luis Almonte. Theorem, $12.99 paper (212p) Somehow the love between the man and
ISBN 978-0-9978940-0-4 his animals created a new magic in the
This first entry in the planned Trifecta worldthe power of imagination was born
series introduces 15-year-old Alexia and into every living child). In the end,
her family, witches who belong to the Abigails personal growth as she weighs
Alerium coven. For Alexia and her siblings, what to do about her future schooling is
training for the annual Trials that test the more engaging than the storys fantasy ele-
powers of rising witches is on par with ments. Ages 69.

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