J ULY 2017

Your guide to self-publishing

Cultivating Superfans Ask the Editor with Betty Sargent
Indie Scouting Report
Book Cover Redesign 132 New Titles Listed

The
Subtle
Art of
Finding
A Niche
Self-help author
Mark Manson
reflects on his
success
BY MATIA BURNETT

Mark Manson

M
ark Manson, the author
of the bestselling self-
help book The Subtle
A r t o f Not G i v i n g a F * ck : A
Counterintuitive Approach to
Living a Good Life (HarperOne),
didnt star t out planning to
INDIE SUCCESS
become an advice guruor to
become a professional author for
that matter. Manson began his
career doing freelance web work
and online marketing. But around
2007, he started blogging about
dating, among other subjects,
and that work led him to launch
a mens dating advice website.
As the site began to attract a
niche audience, he decided that
the next step would be to write a
book.
I felt like I had something to
say that needed to be heard and
nobody else in the mens dating
world was saying it at the time,
Manson says. That was it. At
the time, I saw myself as an
internet entrepreneur, so [work-
ing with] a traditional publisher
never even crossed my mind.
Manson first self-published
the book Models: Attract Women
Through Honesty on his blog.
The topic, which Manson calls
super niche and a bit taboo,
drew an online cult readership.
Through word of mouth and
discussion forums, Mansons
fan base grew. I kind of intui-
tively knew that because the
book was saying something so
radical for the industry at the
timeyou know, like, be honest
to women and stuffif it reso-
nated with people, it would
spread fairly quickly, he says.
After multiple revisions, the
book is now available digitally
and in print and has been the
top-selling mens dating book on
Amazon for several years, selling
more than 100,000 copies.
Manson assumed that he would
self-publish his second book, The
Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck:
A Counterintuitive Approach to
Living a Good Life, as well, but
his robust online presence ended
up attracting agents and editors.
Though many authors would be
over the moon about the attention,
Manson says that he felt pretty
agnostic on the whole publishing
vs. self-publishing thing. He adds
that he still considers himself an
entrepreneur of sorts and not
really a writer. But he is shrewd:
I viewed it, and still view it, as
a business decision and will do
whatever makes the most sense
for each book and for my career
as a whole. And so he signed
with the agent Mollie Glick, of
Creative Artists Agency.
Following his self-publishing
success story, Manson found him-
self in a highly advantageous
position. I had a huge platform
with millions of readers, he says.
I had an email list in the hun-
dreds of thousands. I knew I could
guarantee tens of thousands of
sales, potentially even more. So
self-publishing was never a bad
option. I kept it in my back pocket
and it gave me leverage when
meeting with publishers. I told
my agent that I was looking for
a certain number for this to be
worthwhile.
Manson considers himself very
fortunate to have met the right
editorLuke Dempseywho imme-
diately got the book and cared
about the message. It made sign-
ing with HarperOne to publish
The Subtle Art feel like the right
path forward.
According to Manson, much of
the books appeal has to do with
the way that it takes the self-help
category in a new and fresh direc-
tion. A lot of its advice is coun-
terintuitive or about stuff that
a lot of people havent considered
before, he says. Knowing his
intended readership very well,
Manson went full force in giving
them material that he felt was
lacking in the world of self-help.
In my book proposal, I noted
that every generation has a self-
help book that kind of comes to
define it, as it reflects the traits
and preferences of that particu-
lar generation, he says. I felt
that no self-help book had been
written for millennials yet, so
my ultimate goal was to write
it.
Manson is working on another
book that deals with relation-
ships. For now, hes sticking with
HarperOne, but he has some
salient advice for aspiring authors
contemplating the self-publishing
route: Self-publishing provides
more freedom and control, but it
also provides more risk. Publishing
provides more credibility and
promotion, but your vision can
also get lost in the bureaucratic
machinery of the business. Its a
tough decision to make. And the
answer is going to be different
depending on the book, the mar-
ket, and the authors goals.
W W W. P U B L I S H E R SW E E K LY.C O M 35
 COVER ART

Cover Redesign
This month, Deborah Bradseth at Tugboat Design reimag-
ines the cover of Little Guide to Unhip by Kate Rigby, who
said she was thrilled with the new design and described
Bradseth as wonderful to work with.
To submit your book for a free cover redesign, email us at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.
Original Cover

I angled the
The original words in the
cover matched title to make
the books it more playful
genre and tone, and chose
so we kept the a serif font
same upbeat instead of a
and fun tone for decorative
the new design. font to make
the design less
distracting.

Everything on
the original
cover was just a
little too small
We used bright
for readers
illustrations
to quickly
for the design
comprehend,
because they
so in the new
instantly
design we made
lighten the
the title and
tone and are
other elements
eye-catching.
larger.

36 B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 01 7
PARTY WITH THE PW STARS
Celebrate the innovators in publishing and their achievements at PW s Star
Watch event.

PW and the Frankfurt Book Fair present the Top 40 innovators and the Top 5
finalists, naming one of these individuals the PW Star Watch Superstar, who
receives a complimentary trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Open bar and passed hors doeuvres.

Network with the movers and shakers shaping the next generation of publishing.

September 6, 2017 6:30 8:30 PM

TAO Downtown Nightclub
92 Ninth Ave at 16th Street
Chelsea, New York

IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

PLATINUM SPONSOR: GOLD SPONSOR:

Purchase your tickets at:

www.PublishersWeekly.com/StarWatch17

DIY Self-Help
Author and artist Jessica Abel
offers creative coaching via
self-publishing
BY ROB SALKOWITZ
J
essica Abel, a respected cartoonist, educator,
and graphic novelist, has been running a suc-
cessful seminar on creative productivity for the
past 15 years, helping would-be authors, filmmak-
ers, entrepreneurs, and other self-directed creators
get past the self-made barriers that keep them from
seeing their projects through to completion. Now
shes distilled what shes learned from her students
and her own life into a unique self-help book called
Growing Gills: How to Find Creative Focus When
Youre Drowning in Daily Life. And, true to her do-
it-yourself ethos, shes taking it straight to readers
by self-publishing through Amazons KDP Select.
Powering Through Roadblocks
If you look at Abels career and bibliography, its
hard to believe that she has a problem with produc-
tivity or creativity. She started in comics by writing,
drawing, and distributing handmade minicomics
in the early 1990s. Her award-winning series Artbabe
was picked up by independent publisher Fantagraphics,
followed by an original graphic novel, La Perdida,
published by Pantheon in 2008. She has taught
comics at the School of Visual Arts in New York,
published two how-to books for teaching
cartooning, and followed those with
forays into graphic journalism, including
a graphic look at the rise of podcasting
in 2015 (Out on the Wire: The Storytelling
Secrets of the New Masters of Radio).
This year, Papercutz, a publisher of graphic
novels for children, published Abels fun
YA graphic novel, Trish Trash: Rollergirl
of Mars. Along the way, she traveled,
raised a family, and developed workshops
on creative focus.
For over a decade, Abel has developed
an online course to teach practices that
38 B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 01 7
GOING INDIE
laurene ducrocq
Jessica Abel
can help dispel the demons of distraction and self-
doubt. She says Growing Gills and its accompanying
workbook are intended to bring that message to a
wider audience.
Despite generally positive experiences with editors
and publishers throughout her career, Abel decided
to self-publish Growing Gills for two main reasons:
speed and control. She says she wanted to get the
book to market in time for her next video seminar
and workgroup. It is intended to be a resource for
students and to raise the profile of her coaching
and consulting practice. That meant managing the
writing, editing, design, marketing, and promotion
processes on a demanding six-month timelinea
scenario that gave her ample opportunity to prac-
tice what she was preaching in terms of time
management and focus.
I was good at the writing, Abel says. I hit
my landmarks and deadlines. Indeed, she notes,
writing a prose book was a relief compared to the
time-consuming effort required to draw,
ink, letter, and color a work of graphic
literature.
Design and production, however,
created problems. I realized I knew
how to be a writer, but I didnt know
how to be a publisher, Abel says. She
applied the techniques described in
Growing Gills, such as breaking down
daunting and complex tasks into a
series of doable steps. The big lesson?
Dont set the launch date without a firm
understanding of how long all that
other stuff takes.
GOING INDIE

Advantages of Independence opportunities. By self-publishing, authors like Abel

The official publication date for Growing Gills was
in June, but Abel conducted a soft launch starting
the month before to get the book into the hands
of influencers and reviewers, including former
students. That was another reason she chose to
self-publish.
With a traditional publisher, you have a window
of six to 12 weeks where the publicist is really
working to get your book out there, Abel says. By
putting Growing Gills out herself, she was not
bound to the publishers timetable or promotion
budget. She gave away 2,000 digital copies of the
book in the month ahead of its launch and is cur-
rently pricing the e-book at 99 on Amazon. (Print
copies, produced via print on demand, are $11.99.)
Abel says her goal is not necessarily to sell mil-
lions of copies (although, she admits, that would
be nice), but to build her brand as a coach and
expert with a unique message. Like many other
nonfiction authors, she aims to use her published
works as platforms to garner interesting (and
lucrative) speaking, teaching, writing, and travel
can manage their own needs and expectations and
use their books to keep the focus on their own work
for as long as it takes to gain traction.
The tradeoffs of self-publishing and traditional
publishing are familiar to many creative profes-
sionals. Traditional publishers offer prestige and
credibility. However, in Abels case, her expertise is
validated by her experience. Ive been doing creative
work for 25 years and been teaching creative focus
for 15, she says. I dont need anyones stamp of
approval.
Abel also has a fan base for her critically acclaimed
comics work, and there is a growing cadre of creative
professionals who have been helped by her seminars
and coaching. There are, in other words, lots of
fish in the sea. And if she can find them with
Growing Gills, Abel will be in a great position for
continued success.
Rob Salkowitz is a business and pop culture
analyst and the author of Comic-Con and the
Business of Pop Culture (McGraw-Hill).

A Romanc Thrier from Auor Anna Edwards

Thrilling. Addictive. Emotional. Steamy. Controlling
Darkness was a sizzling suspense that pulled me in. I was
wrapped in its action packed clutches. There was a heart
pumping and explosive story that gripped from the first
sentence to the last one. I was blown away.

- Kindle Reviewer Tanaka

Sometimes darkness is what you need

to nd the light.
This is the first book of Anna Edwards I have read but it
definitely won't be the last. Her writing is superb, her
character description elaborate, her story line like a
magnet that just draws you in and won't let you go. If you
have not read Anna Edwards work you are missing out.

- Kindle Reviewer Izzy

Book 5 in the Control Series
authorannaedwards.com ISBN: 1546472290

W W W. P U B L I S H E R SW E E K LY.C O M 39

Cultivating
Superfans
Finding readers is just the beginning;
building relationships with them is
what matters
BY MARK COKER
M
ost book marketing
advice focuses on how
to get readers to buy your
books, yet ignores how to care
for your readers once youve got
them. With subtle tweaks to your
publishing process, you have the
opportunity to cultivate more
passionate readers. I call these
passionate readers superfans.
Superfans are your evangelists.
Superfans buy everything you
publish. Theyre the first to pre-
order your next book and the
first to give it five-star reviews.
Superfans are how bestsellers
sell more books.
The process for cultivating
superfans unfolds over minutes,
days, and years. Before you can
create the optimal environment
for superfan cultivation, its help-
ful to first peek inside the minds
of readers. Why do they read?
Reading is an aspirational exer-
cise. Readers read to receive plea-
sure, knowledge, or both.
Whether theyre reading your
book, meeting you at a confer-
ence, or following you on social
media, readers form positive and
negative perceptions about you
40 B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 01 7
Mark Coker
with every interaction. Youre
either earning their admiration,
trust, and confidence, or youre
squandering it.
As readers, were inclined to
protect our limited resources of
time, attention, and money. Our
conscious and subconscious
m i n d s a re tu n e d to o b s e r ve
positive and negative inputs,
which we store on invisible men-
tal scorecards. These scorecards
guide our reading decisions from
one second to the next. We ignore
or abandon works we consider
unsatisfying, repulsive, or high-
risk, and we gravitate toward
authors whom we trust to satisfy
our desires. These scores are
cumulative, in that two typos in
your book are unlikely to shake
readers admiration, whereas a
typo on every page could make
them quit reading and remember
your author brand for the wrong
reason.
Lets itemize a few of the touch
points both outside and inside
the book where you have the
opportunity to either build or
diminish readers perception of
your author brand.
BOOK MARKETING
Cover Design
A good cover makes a promise.
Through imagery, symbolism,
and design, a cover either tele-
graphs that this book is exactly
what youre looking for, or it says,
Im not for you! Readers will
perceive most homemade covers
a s a m a te u r a n d t h e re fo re a
turnoff. A professionally designed
cover, by contrast, will draw read-
ers in by making an honest, aspi-
rational promise.
Book Description
Your description often comprises
the first words that your readers
will read from you. Why then do
so many self-published books
have poorly written book descrip-
tions? Common mistakes include
inadequate information, typos,
and poor sentence casing. Such
sloppiness sends the message
that you wont honor the readers
time with a professional-quality
read.
The Author Persona
Readers will form opinions of
you as an author based on how
you comport yourself both online
 BOOKLIFE_HALF_VERT_Layout 1 5/14/14 4:16 PM Page 1

BOOK MARKETING

and off. If youre one of those foul-tempered authors

who use social media to rant against enemies real
and imagined, theres a good chance your readers
will dislike you and not respect you. Be the sunshine,
not the storm cloud.

Formatting and Design Get one.

When readers open your e-book or print book, Taps the experience, integrity and
whats the first thing they see and feel? Do they
authority of Publishers Weekly to
see an attractive, clean design? Or are they met
Support for
with a cacophony of clutter, inconsistent font sizes, assist indie authors achieve their
and poor paragraph construction? Poor e-book
formatting is off-putting to readers because it
interferes with readability.
INDIE AUTHORS
publishing goals.
from Publishers Weekly
Writing tips,insights
Profesional tips,
n Professional insightsand
and
Readers minds are in judgment mode starting
with the first word of your first paragraph and strategies for creating
creating and
and
continuing until the end of the bookif they make marketing your book
it that far. With every completed sentence, readers
make a choice to either continue reading or give
up. They yearn to be teased, hooked, and titillated Connect and
n Connect and share
share with
with other
other
as your talent reveals itself to them. Sloppy writ- indie authors
indie authors
ing and poor editing, by contrast, pull readers out
of the story. n A free and easy way to submit
A free and easy way to submit
Enhanced Back Matter self-published books for review
Many authors end their books with a period fol- self-published books for review
in Publishers Weekly
lowed by nothing more. Thats a missed opportunity in Publishers Weekly
for the reader to form a more intimate relationship
with the author. Add these three sections to the
end of your book:

1. About the Author: A snappy, one-paragraph

bio to humanize the writer; surprise readers
with something interesting.

2. Other Books by This Author: Provide a listing Support for

INDIE AUTHORS
of your other books so they can find their next
read.

3. Connect with the Author: Add hyperlinks from Publishers Weekly

to all your social media coordinates and your
private mailing list; by making it easy for read-
ers to connect with you, you make it easier
for them to proceed down the path toward
superfandom.

Mark Coker is the founder of Smashwords, an

e-book distributor.
booklife.com
W W W. P U B L I S H E R SW E E K LY.C O M 41
booklife 1/2V rev10_6.indd 1 10/6/14 2:24:54 PM
 BOOKS TO WATCH

Scouting Report
In this months look at the best-reviewed self-published
titles, we highlight a Sherlock Holmes pastiche and a
memoir of cancer, as well as some fantasy and sci-fi,
and a nonfiction book about how we perceive time.

Into the Fun Remember,

House
WALTER HARP
Synopsis: Harp takes readers
along for the ride on his
hair-raising, heartbreaking,
hope-making battle with
acute, life-threatening
leukemia.
PWs Takeaway: Harps
writing is matter-of-fact,
exquisitely detailed, and often moving, while
eschewing sentimentality.
Comparable Titles: When Breath Becomes Air
Sample Line: I should have diedmore than once.
Yet I remain alive (at least for now), as can any-
one with cancer, regardless of how dreadful the
prognosis.
Read the review:
publishersweekly.com/9780998206837
Remember
ANNA ELLIOTT, WITH
CHARLES VELEY
Synopsis: In this third novel
pairing legendary sleuth
Sherlock Holmes and his
daughter, Lucy James, the
latter must work to regain
her memory while unravel-
ing a knotty mystery.
PWs Takeaway: Readers will look forward to
Lucys further adventures.
Comparable Titles: The Beekeepers Apprentice
Sample Line: Somewhere in the spinning chaos
behind my eyes, I must have the answer to
exactly who I am.
Read the review:
publishersweekly.com/9781545049167

The Power Tuning the The Worst

of Time Symphony Man on Mars
Perception WILLIAM C. TRACY CORBEN DUKE
JEAN PAUL ZOGBY Synopsis: In a Synopsis: The
Synopsis: Zogby universe where comic misadven-
draws on inter- alien worlds are tures of a mission
views to investigate connected at the to Mars in 2029.
the way we experience time. Nether, Rilan Ayama investigates PWs Takeaway: With humor,
PWs Takeaway: Zogbys endeavor her brothers death. this story reveals the absurdity
is a worthwhile one, and his PWs Takeaway: Fans of fantasy that might ensue if technology
thoughtful explanations have a will find much to love about this is endowed with too much
wide appeal. enchanting story. personality.
Comparable Titles: Time Warped, Comparable Titles: John Varleys Comparable Titles: Bill the
The Time Paradox Gaean Trilogy Galactic Hero
Read the review: publishers- Read the review: publishers- Read the review: publishers-
weekly.com/9780995734777 weekly.com/9780997299403 weekly.com/9781536930979

42 B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 01 7
 &

Follow the adventures of

Princess Emma and Indi the
dog who always manages to
get into trouble. These stores
are already a great favourite
with kids in its preview format.

The book has been brilliantly

illustrated by an exceptionally
talented illustrator who has
brought the two main
characters to life. A must
buy-book for young readers.

Susan Law is a trained Montessori teacher with years of experience working

with small children. Susan puts all this experience into these captivating stories
of Princess Emma and Indi the dog.

Order your copies today!

Learn more at:

www.authorhouse.co.uk
Paperback: 97811524680039
E-Book: 9781624680022
 FIRST LINES

First Lines Time Burrito

Our monthly look at some of the best
opening lines from titles by BookLife
authors
For your consideration this month: smiling liars,
birds falling from the sky, nasty tentacles, and the
perfect breakfast burritto. To submit a first line,
email booklifeeditor@booklife.com.
AARON FRALE
Chef Andre Pierre Jaramillo, or Pete for
shor t, wanted to make the per fect
breakfast burrito because his life was
a mess.
Knot in Time
ALAN TUCKER
I had no idea what was chasing me, but
I did not like the look of its tentacles.

Gas Money Blindsided

TROY LEWIS GWEN HERNANDEZ
By the time Mumma turned 16, she had Valerie Sanchez summoned her most
five kids and was still a virgin. dazzling smile and prepared to lie
through her teeth.

The Rose Master Element 42

VALENTINA CANO SEELEY JAMES
The day I turned seventeen, birds fell The voice in my head returned when I
from the sky. stopped taking my meds.
BOOKWORKS_HALF_H_0715_Layout 1 7/24/15 10:12 AM Page 1

Calling all Indie Authors

What can BookWorks do for you:
Help You Find Your Reader Chat With Our Experts
Post Excerpts from Your Book Showcase and Sell Your Books With
for Peer Review Direct-to-Retailer Links
Get a Featured Author Cover Medallion Find the Best Editors, Designers, Illustrators,
for Your Book 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 true how to make it fun.

JOIN NOW!
bookworks.com
WRITING ADVICE

Ask think about it. Then come back to

it fresh, with an open mind, and
John Searles, the bestselling
author of Strange but True, puts

the
reread it carefully, making sure it this way: Its time to send your
that the story is worth telling and work out into the world when
you have told it well; the opening you can read the entire manu-

Editer sentence is an attention grabber

A veteran editor answers
your writing questions
BY BETTY KELLY SARGENT
Dear Editor:
and helps the reader anticipate
whats to come; the characters
are believable and well developed;
the plot moves along swiftly with-
out repetitions and the storyline
always holds the readers atten-
tion; and the prose is clear, engag-
ing, grammatically correct, and
script and not feel the overwhelm-
ing urge to rewrite scenes or
sentences, you believe your char-
acters actions and motives make
sense, and your narrative arrives
at a satisfying conclusion. Also,
I always give it to a few trusted
readers first and get their take,
as well.

A ny tips for revising a novel?

I feel like Ive been revising
foreveram I just a perfectionist?
How can I tell when its time to
be finished with my revisions?
Margo
concisetry to lose the adverbs.
There. How do you feel? Dont
be too hard on yourself. Its clear
that youve spent many hours on
this, so I suspect that your man- Betty Kelly Sargent is the
uscript is in good shape. Now founder and CEO of BookWorks.
send it to a trusted reader. If she

G ood question. Id suggest

that you put your manuscript
aside for two weeks. Dont even
suggests a change that feels right
to you, go with it. If not, just go
ahead and submit it.
If you have a question for the
editor, please email Betty Sargent
at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

PA U L F R A N C I S M A L A M U D P R E S E N T S

White Piano, Black Piano, Brown Piano

Eddie Steinberg, a boy growing up in 1950s Oregon, heads
down to California with his parents on the Southern Pacific
railroad, to see his beloved grandmother in Hollywood.
This psychological study relies on dialogue and detail to
dramatize Eddies amazement at the world around him,
tempered by a growing awareness of a more complex reality
as he becomes an adult.

An evocative portrayal of a young boy passionately entranced by

sunny California ... The books portrayal of childhood exuberance
and petulance, vivid characters, and Eddies ephemeral sense of
melancholy should keep readers hooked until the end.
-Kirkus Reviews

BUY NOW http://bit.ly/PaulMalamud

Pages / 204 ASIN / B01LDOKJSE Now available on:

ISBN / 978-1530710423 Publisher / CreateSpace

B O O K L I F E .C O M 45
 PAID LISTINGS

PW SELECT LISTINGS

New Titles from

Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 132
self-published titles below. Each appears with a list of retailers that are selling the
book and a description provided by its author. 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 renowned chef Billy famous sonnet High Flight.

The Acorn Stories MacPherson ventures
Duane Simolke. Duane Simolke. $13.95 down the coast, Families, Friends, and Outcasts
paper (170p), ISBN 978-0-595-28864-9; reconnecting with his Michael Alexander. Dorrance Publishing.
$2.99 e-book, ASIN past while fighting the $20 paper (310p), ISBN 978-1-4809-
B0011E5LZ8 terrible, yet inevitable 3155-8
Amazon, BN.com prospect of turning 30. Dorrancebookstore.com
From romantic com- Life, love, and race
edy to razor-sharp Collision relations in a small
satire to moments of Siegfried Finser. Book Southern town.
quiet reflection, Venture Publishing. Spinster Lucy keeps a
Simolkes tales $16.93 paper (282p), sharp lookout for her
transform a fictional West Texas town ISBN 978-1-946735- family, friends, and
into a tapestry of human experiences. 23-2 the outcasts during the tumultuous early
Amazon, BN.com, 20th century.
Bitter Root Book Venture
Terri Watts. Outskirts Press. $19.95 paper Twelve characters collide in this fast- From a Golden
(275p), ISBN 978-1-4787-8558-3 paced drama about corporate takeover Mirror to a Sparkling
Outskirtspress.com, tactics and their impact on the char- Chandelier: Thirty
Amazon, BN.com acters personal lives. Short Stories from a
Rachel Spearman, a Journey Through Life
silver-spooned mil- A Day in Eternity Helmut Schwab.
lionaire, finds solace Kathryn Gabriel Loving. SoulJourn Books. iUniverse. $3.99
in her prearranged $15.95 paper (282p), ISBN 978-0- e-book, ISBN 978-1-
fortune and built an 9839838-2-8; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0- 4917-2691-4
agency from the 9839838-3-5 Amazon
ground up. What will it take to bring Amazon, Apple iBooks, This collection of short stories shares
Rachel to her knees? BN.com, Kobo Schwabs great empathy, joy, and sor-
A near-death life- row resulting from chance observations
Cities of the Common Man mance based in in daily life, nature, or human encoun-
Ben Hasskamp. Amazon. $3.99 e-book, part on the life, let- ters.
ASIN B071JZMZJ5 ters, and poetry of
Amazon John Gillespie Magee A Game for Knowledge
After the death of his father, once- Jr., author of the Senir Wongsokerto. AuthorHouse. $15.18

46 B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 01 7
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An easy-to-read guide
that offers answers to
lifes mysteries, chan-
neled from Blechers
spirit guides. The book
54 B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 01 7
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provides instructions for self-healing, road as a drifter, and the many adven-
self-knowledge, and self-love. tures he and his wife went through along
the way.
The Joy of Gluten Free and Dairy Free
Cooking Living in Peace While Living in Pieces:
Meg Fish. AuthorHouse. A Memoir
$37.99 paper (132p), Michael J. Washington.
ISBN 978-1-5246- iUniverse. $14.99 paper
4634-9; $3.99 e-book, (162p), ISBN 978-1-
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Fish shares a compila- 5320-0674-6
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vides a variety of choices for those faced Washington shares what hes learned
with the challenge of finding gluten-free about moving past mistakes to live a life
and dairy-free foods. in peace. He invites readers to join him as
they seek their own place of fulfillment.
Life as Seen in the
Eyes of Tatiana Living with Depression
Monica Brosnan. Xlibris. Nick Weatherhogg. AuthorHouse. $15.18
$31.60 paper (48p), paper (116p), ISBN 978-
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9450-3; $4.99 e-book, e-book, ISBN 978-1-
ISBN 978-1-5245-9451-0 5246-6365-0
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Brosnan relates life as seen in the eyes Weatherhogg, who has
of Tatiana, her doughty, plucky, four- suffered from depres-
legged friend, who takes the bite out of sion for years, explores
living alone. battling depression and the causes and
treatments for the worlds fastest-growing
Life Is Hopeful for the Living health problems, arguing that there is
M.A. Monareng. Xlibris. always hope.
$16.63 paper (102p),
ISBN 978-1-4990- Long Daze at Long Binh
8819-9; $5.99 e-book, Stephen Donovan. DCI Communications.
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8820-5 ISBN 978-0-9986159-
Amazon 0-5
Monareng argues that Amazon
there are rays of hope even during the A look at the Vietnam
darkest hours of life, and that hope gives War focusing on the
us zeal and courage to believe that things bizarre oddities of life
will be better. in a combat zone where
there were no front lines and no clear
The Little Green distinctions between friend and foe.
Wagon: A Book of
Journeys The Mystery Between the Seed of the
M.D. Carter. Woman and the Seed of Lucifer, Finally
CreateSpace. $15.99 Revealed: Gen. 3:15
paper (228p), ISBN 978- Septimus Bacourt. AuthorHouse. $13.99
1-5408-0070-1 paper (114p), ISBN 978-1-5246-2706-5;
Amazon $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5246-2705-8
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Bacourt advises read- Reflections on Sierra Leone by Amazon

ers to clear their minds a Former Senior Police Officer: Linking historical and
of religious teachings The History of the Waning of a Once contemporary facts of
theyve received and Progressive West African Country the last 500 years, this
discover the mysteries Ezekiel Alfred Coker. book provides a clear
concerning the house iUniverse. $22.95 paper and concise picture of
of (Jacob) scattered (324p), ISBN 978-1- who we were and who
to the worlds four 4917-9102-8; $3.99 we are today.
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tions today never preach about. 4917-9103-5 A Tragic Fate: Law and Ethics in the
Amazon Battle over Nazi-Looted Art
Origin & Insertion Charts for Massage This memoir and living Nicholas M. ODonnell.
Therapists history discusses the social and political Ankerwycke. $45 hard-
Thomas Vas-Don. Xlibris. landscape of Sierra Leone before, during, cover (400p), ISBN 978-
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This book was written ISBN 978-1-5245- of disputes over art looted during the
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Partition: Looking at the World For those troubled by iUniverse. $17.95 paper
Structured by Human Rights and apparent conflicts (202p), ISBN 978-1-
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Michael Lapajenko. religion, this book describes organic e-book, ISBN 978-1-
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1-5246-5178-7; $3.99 without some guiding principle. Born in the late 1950s in a rural commu-
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5246-5177-0 Sex: The Natural Way tors made house calls, recycling and
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Lapajenko stresses that the world is a (372p), ISBN 978-1- commonplace, and folks said what they
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entities with different perspectives. 4678-7380-2 When Did I Start Looking Like a Cop?
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Gebser, Sri Aurobindo and the Mother deal of scientific work (172p), ISBN 978-1-
David T. Johnston. iUniverse. $17.95 paper on the medical aspects 5320-0901-3; $3.99
(222p), ISBN 978-1-5320-0954-9; $3.99 of achieving and maintaining sexual e-book, ISBN 978-1-
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Eastern spirituality Belcastro describes his earliest
will find Johnstons So This Is Where We Stand? encounters as a rookie cop and how
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of Jung, Sri over the Last Five Hundred Years ing strategies. He discusses his tri-
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challenge. $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5320-0230-4

B O O K L I F E .C O M 55
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When I Turned kids mistake Moms The Cloud
Nineteen: A Vietnam worrisome direction Jack A. Hancock.
War Memoir for fun things to add iUniverse. $13.99 paper
Glyn Haynie. Glyn Haynie. on. Each page reveals (160p), ISBN 978-1-
$15.99 paper (262p), a new misunderstand- 5320-0975-4; $3.99
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1-7; $5.99 e-book, amazing tree house. 5320-0976-1
ASIN B01MRVU9TN Amazon
Amazon, BN.com The Bug Boys In the year 2110, something strange is
The author shares his experiences about Stewart Hoffman. iUniverse. $13.99 paper happening on Earth. The color yellow
fighting an unpopular war while serving (196p), ISBN 978-1-5320-0344-8; 99 has mysteriously disappearedtaking
in an Army infantry unit in 1969 at the e-book, ASIN B01L4JBAO0 with it much of the suns warmth and
age of 19. Amazon, BN.com, leaving the planet in peril of freezing.
iUniverse, Kobo
Worker Cooperatives and Revolution: Alex Adams and Ian A Diamond in My Pocket (The Unaltered,
History and Possibilities in the Harris become part of Book 1)
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Chris Wright. Booklocker. mission and become Books Publishing.
com. $16.95 paper the superheroes their $14.99 paper (286p),
(251p), ISBN 978-1- village didnt need. ISBN 978-0-9795248-
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Amazon, BN.com, Books- Bully Prevention Tips for Teens: ASIN B005F7LQBA
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the socially transformative potential of Yvonne Brooks and Though undesiring of superpowers,
the solidarity economy from the perspec- Stephanie R. Bien. iUni- Calli is forced into a mystical challenge
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2400 (Level 4) & 7200 (Level 6) 5320-0768-2 Dream Frequency
Chinese, English & French Words in Use Amazon S.J. Lomas. 8N Publishing.
Hua Zhang. This guide provides teenagers and the $16.99 paper (494p),
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e-book, ISBN 978-1- Christine is recruited
5246-6836-5 A Cat that TravelsCamper Style, into a secret govern-
Amazon Book 1 ment agency that monitors dreams. She
Designed for self-study, Jack McClellan. Xlibris. $15.99 paper (82p), must face corruption, conspiracy, and
this book is for English speakers and ISBN 978-1-5245-3673-2; $3.99 e-book, the complexities of love to succeed in
French speakers to learn Chinese and for ISBN 978-1-5245-3672-5 her mission, or die trying.
Chinese speakers to learn English and Amazon
French vocabulary and classic Chinese Campy the cat travels in a camper with The First Adventures of Thelma Thistle
ideograms. the family that and Her Friends
adopted her. Campy Joyce Crawford. Vivien
The Amazing Tree House sees famous places Wilhelmina Publishing.
Naomi Rogers, illus. by Travis Eberhard. Tru in France and Spain. $15.99 paper (38p),
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Amazon, BN.com Thelma learns that
While building a tree house, Dad and the even though she is

56 B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 01 7
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not beautiful or dainty, she is special Life After the Undead My Large Wild Animal Book
because she is strong and brave. Pembroke Sinclair. Lori Schweigert. Xlibris. $21.99 paper (38p),
Pembroke Sinclair. $2.99 ISBN 978-1-5245-
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Diana S. Duncan. Amazon 5245-8344-6
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e-book, ISBN 978-1-4828-8044-1 mals of North
Amazon Life Is Fine, When You Are Aligned! America. It shows pictures of each ani-
Daisy takes life very seriouslyno time T.E. Corner. Balboa Press. $13.95 paper mal as the adult male, adult female, and
for fun and friends. One day, when she (38p), ISBN 978- the baby animal.
takes her dog, Freddie, for a walk, she 1-5043-7492-7;
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ISBN 978-1- Diana S. Duncan. Partridge Singapore.
Gogi & Mogi Go to the Garden 5043-7493-4 $20.06 paper
Golareh Safarian. CreateSpace. $11.85 paper Amazon (34p), ISBN 978-
(38p), ISBN 978-1-5468-1422-1 Kylie is back in 1-4828-6691-
Amazon the third install- 9; $3.99 e-book,
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party. What is Gogi A dog follows
going to wear? Life on the Line: Football, Rage, and his young master to boarding school and
Gogi and Mogi Redemption changes the lives of all those there
search for inspiration in a colorful garden. Frank McNair. even the headmasters.
Bagpiper Press.
How Grandpa Tata Caught a Ginormous $14.99 paper (247p), The Phantastic Zoo
Fish Without a Hook ISBN 978-0- Christopher Kaufman. Three Dashes
Dhan Reddy. iUniverse. 9988096-0-1 Publications. $12.99
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ISBN 978-1-5320- A sports story 978-0-9862098-4-0
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grandpa go on a quest to catch the worlds Meet ClaraBelle Blue Phantastic Zoo, where mythical beasts
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CreateSpace. $9.95 paper (24p), ISBN 978- With audio album.
How to Set the World On Fire 1-5428-9502-6; $2.99 e-book, ASIN
T.K. Riggins. Franchise Publishing. $3.99 B06XSVBZJD Running with
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9959002-1-9 Amazon, BN.com Tigers
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ClaraBelle Blue and Im just like YOU! Thompson invites readers to delve into

B O O K L I F E .C O M 57

the WWII German Tiger tank history with
this graphic illustration of the awe-
inspiring Tiger tank.
The Second Adventures of Thelma
Thistle and Her Friends
Joyce Crawford, illus. by
George B. Crawford.
Vivien Wilhelmina
Publishing. $15.99
paper (42p), ISBN 978-
0-9976072-7-7
Amazon
Thelma Thistle and
her two best friends, Beetle and Bunny,
meet two new friends, Cory Crow and
Adam Mouse. They play in the mud and
have a frightening adventure in a corn-
field.
Sinnet of Dragons:
The Prequel to
Murder of Crows
Athena. BlissQuest
Publishing. $2.99 e-book,
ASIN B0711SRJ13
Amazon, BN.com
When the peaceful
tree city of Barriette is razed to the
ground, Fable witnesses Dragon Ryders
stealing Arias most precious resource,
Rhue.
Three Best Friends
Robbin Miller, illus. by Peipei. CreateSpace.
$9.25 e-book,
ASIN B073H9XMBF
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A new playground
opens up, but Sophia
and Xaviers best
friend, Max, cant push
himself in his wheel-
chair across the wood chip flooring.
Time Gliders
Cobus Prinsloo. Galaxy
Room. $14.95 paper
(46p), ISBN 978-1-
5469-1949-0; $3.41
e-book, ISBN 978-0-
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Amazon, Kobo Amazon
Science education made engaging for Senora, a toffee-
the 21st-century learner. This full-color nosed house cat, and
graphic work takes the reader on a sci- 10 distinct and deter-
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tious hero-style action and real science. lives are torn apart
until they meet
The Toots Family Gentleman George, a
Scotty Williams. Xlibris. Portuguese mountain dog.
$21.99 paper (42p),
ISBN 978-1-5144- When Aunt Flo Visits
2694-4; $3.99 e-book, Carlene Wilcox, illus. by Phillip Davis. Xlibris.
ISBN 978-1-5144- $21.99 paper (36p), ISBN 978-1-5245-
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days. changes their bodies
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Topaz and the Green what to expect when the menstrual
Fairies cycle happens.
Pat Frayne. CreateSpace.
$7.49 paper (288p), Zansky: The Case of a Letter
ISBN 978-1- Juhis. CreateSpace. $13.99 paper (62p),
51862115-4 ISBN 978-1-5432-4290-4
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A story of courage, Consisting of occa-
humor, and survival. A young green sionally absurd humor
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storm-ravaged island. deeper social themes
by commenting on
Veronica and the Volcano some current socio-
Geoffrey Cook, illus. by Gabrielle Shamsey. economic questions.
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REVIEWS
Fiction
Bayou Blues
Sierra Dean. Sierra Dean, $2.99 e-book
(416p) ASIN B00THF9EYM
Spinning off of her Secret McQueen
urban fantasy series (Something Secret This
Way Comes, etc.), Dean delves deeper into
the psyche and life of Secrets younger
sister, Genie, in this light, enjoyable novel.
When Genie was 13, she acquired both her
werewolf form and her magical power.
Either one would have been challenging to
master, but having both has complicated
her life exponentially. Shes not just any
werewolf, but a werewolf princess; and
shes not just any witch, but niece to the
King of the South. At 21, Genies a college
student in New Orleans with a human boy-
friend, Cash. Werewolves and other super-
naturals have recently made themselves
known to the human public, and not
everyone is happy about their existence.
When one of her pack mates goes missing,
Genie drops everything to help his brother,
Wilder, find him. Their simple detective
work quickly unearths a dark and horri-
fying corruption that seems to have spread
throughout an entire small town.
Occasionally slow pacing prevents the
story from flowing smoothly and gives the
plot a tentative feel. However, beautifully
drawn characters and strong worldbuilding
ensure that readers will be curious about
what comes next.
Botticellis Muse
Dorah Blume. Juiceboxartists Press, $24.95
trade paper (528p) ISBN 978-0-9981316-0-3
Set in Renaissance Italy, Blumes inter-
pretation of master painter Sandro Botticelli
is at once a florid love story and a chilling
political drama. Sensuous and provoca-
tive as well as mysterious, the novel follows
Sandros troubled relationship with
Florences ruling Medici family. He works
under the patronage of Lorenzo de Medici
until a sudden dismissal leads to a new
benefactor, Lorenzos young cousin, Piero.
During a visit to his sisters nearby convent,
Sandro meets Floriana, a captivating Jewish
weaver who is a prisoner being forced to
renounce her faith. Beguiled by her beauty
and artistry with flowers, Sandro becomes
inspired to create his iconic painting La
Primavera. Sandro and Floriana fall in love,
but Savonarola, a zealot priest with a violent
past, is a threat to both. Meanwhile, a polit-
ical conspiracy threatening the Medici
family is gaining steam. Political unrest and
an assassination that hits close to Sandro
separate him from an expectant Floriana; he
is placed under house arrest and forced to
memorialize the political bloodbath with
his art, an order he despises. Blume convinc-
ingly evokes the tumultuous time period;
however, her passages involving lustful
priests feel more gratuitous than necessary
for the narrative. The prose is clear and pre-
cise and, despite the books length, the pace
does not lag.
Cloud Stories
K. Thor Jensen. K. Thor Jensen, $20 trade
paper (216p) ISBN 978-0-692-64232-0
As the title suggests, each comic here
uses clouds as a central theme. Yet the col-
lection, which began as a Kickstarter
project in 2013, has a lot of variety, and is
drawn in a range of sturdy black-and-white
art styles. Some stories have the grounded,
lonely sensibility of an Adrian Tomine
graphic novel. Otherssuch as The Oil, Sammy. Although Tambri loves her hus-
which is about a sudden and fatal but
unnamed infestation at an office com-
plexrevel in nightmare logic. And tales
like Vape and The Smoke Runner off her emotions, and the door to Sammys
unfold in strange, postapocalyptic worlds.
While this diversity can be a little jarring,
it also keeps Jensens collection fresh and
moving at a brisk pace. One never gets the
sense that he is running out of ideas.
Jensens previous graphic novel, Red Eye,
Black Eye, used a road trip to maintain
narrative cohesion, but this collection
doesnt have a unifying element (beside
clouds), and some stories evaporate before
they take shape, despite Jensens obvious
skills as a cartoonist.
December Is the Blues:
A Nora North Mystery
Katherine Keeney. CreateSpace, $8.60 trade
paper (204p) ASIN B06XKZGQTX
Set in fictional Buscando County, Calif.,
Keeneys promising series launch intro-
duces an unconventional amateur sleuth,
earthy, menopausal Miss Nora North, who
has a love for hard drinking and the blues.
When an environmental activist she knows
from the radio station where she hosts a
late-night show is murdered, Miss Nora
uses her connections in the community to
assist Det. Gus Chestnut in solving the
crime. She also steps up to locate her sons
missing childhood friend, whose meth use
and involvement with underground fal-
conry have landed him in trouble. The nar-
rative alternates effectively between the
perspectives of Miss Nora, Gus, and various
suspects, though the story is at his strongest
when it stays close to Miss Nora. Some
chapters conclude with a recommended
blues song, which loosely mirrors Noras
state of mind as she pursues her leads.
Readers will want to see more of Miss
Norawhose pro bono work ought to earn
her a place on the payroll.
Finding Tambri
Sherry Meeks. Ibex Street, $12.99 trade paper
(211p) ISBN 978-0-9968043-0-1
A womans shattered life is recounted in
12 short stories from seven different narra-
tors in Meekss uneven debut set in Georgia.
Tambri, a wife and mother in her 20s, is
devastated by the death of her little boy,
band, they end up divorcing because
Sammys death is too much for them to
bear. For the next 20 years, Tambri shuts
room, while she enters into unhealthy rela-
tionships. Vickie, Tambris friend, puts her
own marriage at risk by giving Tambri her
undivided love and support. Each story is
told either by Tambri or an important
person in her life. Unfortunately, the stories
are often confusing, either because Meeks
doesnt orient the reader to each story or
because too much weight is given to lesser
characters, events, and themes. Ironically,
while many things seem to be foreshad-
owed or deemed important, theyre fre-
quently undeveloped or even dropped. Its
difficult to be completely invested in the
overarching story or Tambri because crucial
details and perspectives that would bond
readers with the struggling protagonist are
never divulged. The stories lack
momentum and the resolution borders on
trite.
B O O K L I F E .C O M 58a

Ghost Cave
Helen Currie Foster. CreateSpace, $12.99
trade paper (213p) ISBN 978-1-505414-30-1
Fosters debut and series launch combines
an independent lead with evocative descrip-
tions of the Texas hill country. After
receiving bad medical news, Ollie West
asks attorney Alice Greer, who works in the
backwater of Coffee Creek, to draw up a new
will. Ollie wants to protect some unusual
cave paintings located on the property he
owns while giving his daughter, Mary, and
his late brothers stepson, Allen Debard, the
right to live on his ranch during their life-
times. Alice undertakes the laborious trek
up the Guadalupe Mountains with Ollie to
see the cave art for herself and get a better
understanding of why their preservation is
so vital to her client. Inside the cave, the
realistic images, including a snake and a
mountain lion, startle her. The subsequent
murder of someone connected with Ollies
estate puts Alices life in peril. Foster bal-
ances plot and characterization effectively,
which bodes well for the seriess next entry.
Killing It Softly
Edited by Suzie Lockhart. Digital Horror
Fiction, $14.39 trade paper (483p) ISBN 978-
1-927598-50-4
This reprint anthology of 32 horror sto-
ries by female authors maintains an impres-
sively high level of quality in both prose and
chills. After opening with a few pieces with
period settings, including H.R. Boldwoods
Lambent Lights, the book moves through
most of the standard types of horror in
informal, ambling groupings: body horror
stories such as Rebecca J. Allreds Ecdysis,
spooky house stories such as K.S. Dearsleys
Graffiti, stories evoking folktales such as
Elaine Cunninghams Ravens, and
zombie and vampire stories such as Nancy
Holders Changed. Though the collection
doesnt aim for cultural diversity, a few
pieces, including Sarah Hanss voudou-
centered Long Time No See and Nidhi
Singhs Guilty by Chance, reach beyond
American and European topics. The collec-
tion doesnt make any particular statements
about femininity; Lockhart focuses on
raising up female horror writers as a com-
munity, eschewing any notion of common
themes or approaches.
58b B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 7
Land of Hidden Fires
Kirk Kjeldsen. Grenzland Press, $12.95 trade
paper (212p) ISBN 978-0-9984657-2-2
Kjeldsen tells a small-scale tale about
Norwegian resistance to the Nazis in this
work that should appeal to historical thriller
fans. Its March 1943 in the Stjrdalen Valley
of Norway when 15-year-old Kari Dahlstrm
looks up from her farm chores to see a P-47
falling from the sky. That night she disobeys
her father, Erling, and goes in search of the
downed pilot, fantasizing about rescuing a
dashing American flyer. She does find Major
Lance Mahurin and, after gathering some
meager supplies from her farm while her
father sleeps, the pair begins a perilous trek
through the late winter mountains of
Norway toward Sweden and safety. Erling
soon discovers Karis absence and follows her.
Also on their trail are the local Wehrmacht
Oberleutnant and Sverre Hattestad, a
Norwegian would-be collaborator. Karis
actions are somewhat foolhardy and of little
consequence to the war, but she and her taci-
turn father are heroic, nonetheless. Kjeldsens
pacing is steady and intriguing, with view-
point changes adding to the tension. His
descriptive prose does a fine job of conveying
the breathtaking scenery of the wintry
Norwegian mountains.
Little Girl Gone
Margaret Fenton. CreateSpace, $10.10 trade
paper (268p) ISBN 978-1-5232-6699-9
In Fentons weak sequel to 2009s Little
Lamb Lost, Birmingham, Ala., social worker
Claire Conover tries to help a 13- or 14-year-
old girl found sleeping underneath a card-
board box behind a discount store. The girl,
who tells Claire to call her Sandy, is uncoop-
erative. When Sandy concedes that she wont
be able to go home for a long while, Claire
arranges temporary shelter for her. The
murder of Sandys mother and Sandys sub- so his goal becomes to complete his two
sequent disappearance lead Claire to team
with untrustworthy reporter Kirk Mahoney
and street-smart teen LaReesa Jones to get
answers. Unfortunately, repeated informa-
tionvia Claires inner monologue as well
as in conversations with reporters, officers,
and suspectsslows the action. Fenton pro-
vides more details about Claires eating and
poor sleep habits than she does about the
case. Still, Claire makes a sympathetic lead.
REVIEWS
Match Fit
Amelie S. Duncan. Amelie S. Duncan, $0.99
e-book (290p) ASIN B01M000NJJ
Duncan (Tiger Lily) opens the Love and
Play series with a scorching winner of a con-
temporary romance. Brooke, age 23, is
determined to do without her affluent par-
ents connections and make her own way as
an actress in New York. She has the talent
its just a matter of getting the break. Enter
Dylan, a new player for the New York City
Football Club (which plays soccer, not
American football). Hes also determined
to make it in the acting world, but his repu-
tation as a partying playboy is scaring
Hollywood away. Brookes agent sets her up
to be Dylans wholesome fake girlfriend to
help rebuild his reputation, and soon
theyre blurring the line between public
and private personas. Dylans domineering
and occasionally crass attitude initially
comes across as abrasive, and Brookes girl-
next-door charm is tarnished by her fre-
quent lapses into insecurity. The highly
charged erotic romance between the pair
sparks hot and heavy, laden with instant
attraction and sexy submission. There are
several richly developed side characters
whose stories may unfold in later books.
The Militarized Zone: What Did
You Do in the Army, Grandpa?
Wayne E. Johnson. Tradewinds, $14.95 trade
paper (302p) ISBN 978-0-9896921-2-0
Despite some laugh-out-loud moments
and clever comebacks, Johnsons debut feels
dated. The book chronicles a draftees reluc-
tant tour of duty in the U.S. Army, where
mischief, mishaps, military incompetence,
and the occasional vindictive high-ranking
officer make for comical and sometimes
poignant moments. In 1969, Will Jensen
unsuccessfully attempts to avoid the draft,
years of service and have a good time doing
it. Through a bit of luck and scheming, hes
assigned to G-1, formally known as
Headquarters Company, Eighth U.S. Army,
Yongsan Compound, Seoul, Korea. Its at
G-1 where the fun really beginsofficer
assignments are made or modified there,
and Will and his cohorts take full advantage
of the power theyre given. Will also
explores Asia, which adds to his military
experience in both funny and profound
REVIEWS
ways. Johnsons GIs have some hilarious
scenes, but too often the story feels old and
tiredright down to the ironic Army
quotes at the beginning of chapters. This
book will entertain those still tickled by
MASH reruns or who enjoy poking fun at
the U.S. military; otherwise, theres nothing
new here.
Monkeys Wedding
Rossandra White. Mindola, $12.96 trade
paper (194p) ISBN 978-0-9985949-0-3
White (Loveyoubye) spellbinds with her
inspired fiction debut set on a sisal planta-
tion in 1953 Southern Rhodesia (now
Zimbabwe). Young Elizabeth McKenzie
tries in vain to appease her pregnant mother
as she silently questions the dismissive
treatment of black servants by her elders.
Despite racial tension, she finds friendship
with Tururu, son of one of the familys ser-
vants, who struggles to learn ancient incan-
tations and potions for healing and protec-
tion from his grandmother Anesu, the local
tribal witch doctor. Anesu hopes to rid the
valley of whites as British officials force the
Federation Day union of Southern Rhodesia
and its two neighbor countries. The spirit
of rebellion is personified in Anesus first
grandson and former apprentice Karari.
After injuring Anesu with dark magic he
cannot control, volatile Karari incites
fellow native black kaffirs, who have been
given no voting rights, to strike against
whites. Tururu must help Anesu stop her
rogue apprentice before Karari destroys
everyone, including himself. The protago-
nists encounter not only cultural injustice
but malevolent fire spirits and supernatural
Shona apparitions. Fine storytelling illumi-
nates this fable about coming of age and the
bonds of friendship.
Remember, Remember: A Lucy
James/Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Anna Elliott, with Charles Veley. CreateSpace,
$12.80 trade paper (356p) ISBN 978-1-5450-
4916-7
Elliott (the Twilight of Avon trilogy) and
Veley, her father, collaborate on the winning
third mystery pairing Sherlock Holmes and
his daughter, Lucy James (after 2016s The
Wilhelm Conspiracy). A woman, whom most
readers will quickly realize is Lucy, regains
consciousness near the British Museum after
being roused by a handsome police con-
stable, John Kelly, who believes her to be a
vagrant. To her alarm, she realizes her
memory is impaired; she doesnt even know
her own name. She does have visions of blood
and of holding a revolver, but her belief that
she may have shot someone is rebutted by
the officer, who notes the absence of powder
burns on her palms. And despite her
amnesia, Lucy is able to make some accurate
deductions about the constable. Her path to
regaining her memories is filled with peril,
though she does have the pleasure of
renewing her acquaintance with John before
finding herself in the midst of another high-
stakes investigation. Readers will look for-
ward to Lucys further adventures.
Still Shot: The Point and Shoot
Mystery Series; Book Two
N.L. Quatrano. WC Publishing, $10.98 mass
market (287p) ISBN 978-0-9903419-9-4
Set in 2005, Quatranos entertaining
sequel to 2015s Murder in Black and White
adds more depth to her intrepid lead, FBI
agent-turned-PI AJ Buchanan, who has a
love for photography, justice and [her] hus-
band Travis, not necessarily in that order,
and who runs on an insane sense of respon-
sibility to right social injustice. AJ and
Travis travel to New Orleans to attend the
wedding of a cousin, Merline Thoubodore,
whom she barely knows. Its also an oppor-
tunity for AJ to learn a family secret
involving her late mothers family. The
awkward family reunion turns tragic when
one of her other relatives, Clive Thoubodore,
falls down a flight of stairs, breaking his
neck. Foul play is suspected, and AJ and
Travis investigate. The family secret AJ
learns of proves to be a possible motive for
murder. Quatrano effectively combines
characterization, plotting, and suspense.
Tinderbox: Flashpoint, Book 1
Rachel Grant. Janus, $11.99 trade paper
(260p) ISBN 978-1-944571-06-1
Set in the turbulent country of Djibouti,
the first entry in Grants Flashpoint series
works better as suspense than romance. Dr.
Morgan Adler, a paleoanthropologist,
knows that her discovery of a Lucy-like fos-
silized human will significantly change
what people know about the predecessors
of the human species. What she doesnt
know is that someone has attached a bomb
to her car, planning to detonate it once shes
in the secure compound of Camp Citron,
the local military base. Fortunately shes
saved by Pax Blanchard, head of a Special
Forces team stationed in Djibouti. Together
they discover that the fossils are just a piece
of a bigger political puzzle and that the
warlord involved is desperate to get his
hands on Morgan. Grants greatest strength
is her ability to write gripping suspense
with a wonderfully brisk pace, but the
romance can be clunky. The scenes between
Morgan and Pax are fine, but dont really
help build the relationship and feel a bit
episodic. However, readers preferring more
political intrigue and great action in their
romance will be willing to overlook that.
Tuning the Symphony
William C. Tracy. Space Wizard Science
Fantasy, $2.99 e-book (160p) ISBN 978-0-
9972994-0-3
Tracy launches his Dissolution universe
with this delightfully imaginative fantasy
novella. The Nether is a junction that con-
nects 10 alien homeworlds, and maji are the
only ones who can create portals to connect
them all. All maji are capable of working
magic with the notes of the Grand
Symphony: It was the music that underlay
the universe. Change... one note... and the
universe changed with it. Rilan Ayama is
tested by the Nethers Great Assembly of
Species and is granted the title of majus.
Before seeking an occupation that will be
based on her new status, Rilan agrees to
accompany Origon, her friend and teacher,
to the homeworld of Festuour in order to
take custody of his brothers body. The
gravity of Festuour is different, the animals
are remarkably terrifying, and even the
foliage industry is peculiar. Origon and
Rilan become closer as they search for
answers regarding his brothers mysterious
death. The complex details of magical
manipulation of music, color, and all the
senses are laid out with a refreshing clarity
and consistency. Fans of fantasy will find
much to love about this enchanting story.
Winterbay Abbey
John Bladek and Davonna Juroe. Coda
Publishing, $14.95 trade paper (246p)
ISBN 978-0-9973648-0-4
B O O K L I F E .C O M 58c

Bladek and Juroes lukewarm haunted
mystery opens with architect Will Larson
under intense pressure: his wife is pregnant
and grappling with an injury from a horrific
car accident that he caused, and hes at risk
of losing his job. His boss asks him to head
to the coast of Maine to transform abandoned
Winterbay Abbey into a hotel for a couple of
hip Seattle developers. Its going to be a
tough job, and if he doesnt get it right, hell
be fired. Shortly after he arrives, he witnesses
a young woman dressed as a nun disappear
into the roiling sea and calls the police, but
its dismissed as a teen prank. When he finds
a room in the abbey full of records indicating
that it may have been a haven for unwed
mothers, the mystery deepens, but not
enough to matter. The haunted abbey story
has been done to death, and done better.
Skeptical Will is often off-putting, seeming
to resent the fact that his gentle and sup-
portive wife, Emily, is pregnant and unable
to work. Ultimately, this gothic ghost tale
fails to scare up any real thrills.
The Worst Man on Mars
Corben Duke and Mark Roman. Grand Mal,
$14.99 trade paper (413p) ISBN 978-
1536930979
Duke and Roman inspire much laughter
in their first book, which features a British
crew on the first manned trip to Mars in
2029. Mission commander Flint Dugdale
is looking forward to becoming the first
man to set foot on the red planet. However,
his position as leader was only achieved
through luck and the suspicious death of
the original commander. Dugdales person-
ality is loathsome, but at least the ship has
reached its orbit. Theres only one problem:
the domed habitat where the team is meant
to survive is not ready. The androids sent
ahead to prepare the facility have failed, and
the reasons become clear as their ridiculous
antics unfold. The story moves swiftly
between the struggles of the crew with their
ships hysterically intrusive programming
and the bumbling, anthropomorphized
androids. Plenty of intriguing plot twists
expand the story and its characters. With
humor that ranges from slapstick to the
macabre, this story reveals the absurdity
that might ensue if technology is endowed
with too much personality.
58d B O O K L I F E , J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 7
Nonfiction
Do You Know What a Book
Publicist Does? A Guide for
Creating Your Own Campaigns
Claire McKinney. Plum Bay, $11.99 trade
paper (174p) ISBN 978-0-9988617-0-8
McKinney, a veteran book publicist, has
produced a clear, basic road map to publi-
cizing a book. McKinneys advice illustrates
that the same rules (mostly) apply regardless
of whether an author has been signed by a
major house or is self-published, or whether
an author specializes in fact or fiction. Chief
among these rules is that writers need to
actively promote themselves, in all and any
ways that they can, and that they must begin
planning their publicity early on. The book
does well at covering the basicssuch as
defining the difference between publicity and
marketing or explaining what a distribution
agreement isand in explaining step-by-
step how to track contacts. It spends too
much time dwelling on how the industry
operated 20 years agoemphasizing the
rapid pace of change could have been better
accomplished by comparing publishing
today to five years agoand it occasionally
lapses in providing definitions (search engine
optimization, an important topic in maxi-
mizing exposure, gets a single paragraph).
However, the case studies of the authors cli-
ents are helpful, and the book is a solid begin-
ners guide to an ever-faster-paced industry.
Into the Fun House:
An Unpredictable Story of a
Relentless Leukemia
Walter Harp. LS Publishing, $14.95 trade pa-
per (288p) ISBN 978-0-9982068-3-7
Harps harrowing debut exhaustively
chronicles the twists and turns of his
struggle with acute lymphoblastic leu-
kemia over the past decade. Diagnosed at
age 38, Harp writes that he felt nothing
at first, but soon his intense treatment
began: chemotherapy, radiation, and stem-
cell transplants, as well as an experimental
treatment that aimed to weaponize his own
T-cells to fight leukemic blasts. At one
point, he spent 17 frightening days in a
padded metal cocoon suspended in midair
to keep him from drowning in the fluid
filling his lungs. His story is studded with
REVIEWS
vascular surgeries that threaten both his
cancer treatments and his limbs, while brief
interludes written by his wife, as well as
touching scenes with his children, provide
a 360-degree view of the familys experience
with Harps illness and remission.
Throughout, Harp emphasizes his good
fortune to have had nearly continuous
employment in the tech industry and
quality health insurance. Harps writing is
matter-of-fact, exquisitely detailed, and
often moving, while eschewing sentimen-
tality. Harp surpasses his goal of offering
hope as a friend who, like you, endures.
The Power of Time Perception:
Control the Speed of Time to
Make Every Second Count
Jean Paul Zogby. Lighthouse, $4.99 e-book
(248p) ISBN 978-0-9957347-7-7
Zogby, an engineer long interested in the
human perception of the speed of time, shares
the intriguing results of his readings into and
interviews with experts in the field. Having
grown up during the Lebanese civil war,
Zogby escaped death on multiple occasions
and witnessed the deaths of close friends and
family members; these experiences gave him
an appreciation for how precious time is and
a desire to somehow slow it down. Zogby
begins by introducing the topic of the psy-
chology of time perception, which describes
how people sense time, before delving into
brain biology. He also discusses how time is
limited to the speed at which the brain cap-
tures and processes sensory information. The
middle chapters address the many factors that
influence ones experience of time: among
them, mindfulness, extreme alertness, emo-
tional control, personality type, and the use
of drugs. In the final chapters Zogby delves
into remembrance, mental time travel, and
the aging brain before concluding with
thoughts on living in the moment and for a
prosperous, long time. Zogbys endeavor is a
worthwhile one, and his thoughtful explana-
tions and meditations have a wide appeal.
Childrens/YA
The Mark
Eric Grissom, illus. by Claire Connelly.
Frankensteins Daughter, $25 (76p) ISBN 978-
0-9889516-2-4
REVIEWS
Through immersive rhyming stanzas and
inky b&w cartoons, Connelly and Grissom
tell an eerie medieval cautionary tale that
straddles picture book and graphic novel
terrain. A female trapper with an elfin cap,
beaklike nose, lantern, and sword is forced
to spend a night in the forest before
returning to her village. Desperate to find
fuel for a fire, she breaks a sacred vow by
burning branches she cuts from an oak tall
and grim./ A gnarled and twisted face upon
its bark. A phantasmal figure with staglike
antlers rises from the fire she builds, the
Forgotten King both demon and a liar.
Upon returning to her village, the trapper
is shunned when its revealed that her palm
now bears a mark resembling the branches
of a tree. Grissoms verse appears on left-
hand pages opposite Connellys moody
panels, which grow increasingly tense as the
banished trapper returns to the fateful tree
and faces her fate. Grissoms cryptic verse
doesnt spell out all of the storys mysteries
or circumstances, but its rich imagery casts
a captivating spell. Ages 10up.
Blue Dust Days
Laura McGrail. Heart to Heart, $14.99 paper
(288p) ISBN 978-1-937008-48-2
Trust, unconditional sibling love, and
connections between humans and animals
are key themes in McGrails solid historical
novel, set during the Great Depression.
Destiny Rose Soames, who is 13 and goes by
Dessie, is furious about her alcoholic fathers
negligence when a fire breaks out and forces
her family of six to lose their home and be
indebted to Paps boss for help. Its winter
of 1933, and Dessies family is trying to sur-
vive in the dusty coal-mining town of
Whitburn, Ky. Pap selfishly arranges for
Lemuel, Dessies 15-year-old brother, to quit
school and become a coal miner in order to
help pay off the familys debts. Lems dream
of working with horses appears dashed until
Dessie devises a plan for the two of them to
run away on an adventure. Dessies deter-
mination and selflessness will draw readers
in, as will the resilience and mutual devotion
that she and Lemuel display. Endearing if
somewhat predictable, the novel is best
suited for readers who love animal stories or
enjoy rooting for the good guys to prevail
against the odds. Ages 812.
The Blue Marauders line of defense. The tender resolutionin
Ted MacVeagh. Stone Pond, $14.99 paper which readers learn that Lucy is just looking
(376p) ISBN 978-0-9972236-0-6 for a hugwill trigger smiles while putting
MacVeaghs debut novel about a youth Henrys tightfistedness in perspective. Ages
soccer team delivers both excitement and 38.
frustration. With the help of some adults,
seventh graders Nick McCoy and Erik
Steiner form a new soccer team, the Blue The preceding reviews of
Marauders, in their small town, hoping for self-published titles ran in
a shot at the playoffs in the competitive Tri-
State League. Nick and Erik are both prom- Publishers Weekly during the
ising soccer stars, but Erik is more dedicated past month.
to doing well in school than Nick is. Drama
and tension are heightened by the team-
mates varying skill levels and personalities,
classmates who dont play soccer, and a few
strong-willed adults. As MacVeagh details
the teams season, he avoids predictability
pitfalls, yet readers may struggle to connect
with Nick, Erik, and their teammates, even
as they root for them to succeed. The kids
tend to talk and act like adults (We want
to win the rest of the games, and we dont
want you jeopardizing that), and the story
oddly centers Eriks father, who steps in as
coach. Sports enthusiasts should enjoy fol-
lowing the Blue Marauders, but general
readers may find too much space is devoted
to play-by-play recounting, terminology,
and strategy. Ages 812.
Henry and the Hidden Treasure
B.C.R. Fegan, illus. by Lenny Wen. TaleBlade,
$15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-9953592-4-6
For a boy named Henry, the pocket
money his parents give him is nothing less
than treasurewhich needs to be kept safe
from his younger sister, Lucy. Henry believes
that shes a secret ninja spy sent to steal his
treasure, so he devises an elaborate way to
safeguard it, moving it into a secret cave
guarded by superheroes, soldiers, and even a
giant and ferocious pig. Theres an odd
switch in tense as Henry outlines his plan
(Fourth, he will build a huge maze inside
the cave.... Fifth, he would design some
clever booby traps), but its clear that
Australian writer Fegan understands how
much childrens possessionsespecially
cold, hard cashcan mean to them. Wen
captures the over-the-top premise in cine-
matic scenes that build tension as Henrys
heavily guarded cave takes shape, then
defuses it with comedy as little Lucy, dressed
as a ninja, makes short work of every single
B O O K L I F E .C O M 58e
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