Fiona Ingram's Blog, page 9
November 11, 2023
Book Spotlight: Once Upon a Christmas Castle by Virginia Barlow
Lady Rosalind Chatham's arranged marriage cannot withstand the wonder of a Christmas wish glistening with true love and happy ever after.
Title: Once Upon a Christmas CastleAuthor: Virginia Barlow
Publication Date: November 6, 2023
Pages: 276Genre: Holiday Romance
Lady Rosalind Chatham journeys with her family to Weston Castle to wed an ancient earl on Christmas day. Yearning for true love, she falls for the duke, her stepfather’s cousin, while preparing her nuptials. Lady Rosalind entrances the Duke of Weston. Concerned for her future with the tempestuous earl, he can’t afford to get involved. The fines and scandal will be too great for a man of his wealth and power. When the truth comes to light, and he almost loses her forever, he finds he cannot afford to give less than his whole heart.
What Critics Are Saying:
“Loved this holiday romance between Lady Rosalind (Ruby) and the charismatic Duke of Weston. Facing a forced marriage to a loathsome noble, Rosalind uncovers lies and betrayal which almost cost her the life of the man she loves.
With plot twists, devious characters, attempted abduction, and touches of humor– thanks to a little boy and his unpredictable pet frog– this Christmas novel is a delightful holiday read!”
Buy Links:
About the Author
Virginia Barlow has always loved reading romance novels. She used to sneak into her mom’s room as a young girl and read them while her mother was gone. As she grew older, her reading tastes expanded to sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, and fantasy.
She considered becoming an author in her late twenties but as a busy mother with toddlers, she didn’t have the time or the energy. Later, in her fifties, she decided to give it a try and has enjoyed every moment of it since. She recently signed her fourteenth contract and is over the moon with excitement. Writing is truly her happy place.
Her husband of forty-one years is her greatest support, as are all her children. Most of them are grown and carve out lives for themselves. But they are the beat of her heart and with every grandchild, the rhythm gets stronger. She enjoys every moment of her life and plans to live it to the fullest.
Author Links
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
November 9, 2023
The Inspiration Behind the Nurse Florence Series by author Michael Dow
Nurse Florence teaches Jean, Condi, and Sonia about the science of emotions and uses images from the internet on her phone to teach.
Title: Nurse Florence, What Are Emotions?Author: Michael Dow
Publication Date: September 6, 2023
Pages: 86Genre: Children's BookSometimes it seems only a nurse can bring technical information down to an understanding that an ordinary person can grasp. The Nurse Florence® book series provides high quality medical information that even a child can grasp. By introducing young kids to correct terminology and science concepts at an early age, we can help increase our children’s health literacy level as well as help to prepare them for courses and jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We need more scientists so I hope that many children will enjoy this book series and consider a job involving science.
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TheInspiration Behind the Nurse Florence Series
As to how I got published, I realized I would have very little chance toget traditionally published because I was not famous, do not have a largesocial media following, nor am I well connected. Someone once said, “Theonly way to steer a ship is to move forward.” I don’t know where myproject is going to end up, but I realized to get some place, I had to startmoving forward so I self-published through Lulu. Lulu is very easy to useand relatively cheap. The ease and price have enabled me to publish a bookevery 10 days this year. We have over 60 titles in the series now. Nurse Florence is the first of its kind health book series for kids. Webelieve we will have a societal impact on the health literacy of theworld. The books are being translated into multiple languages. Also, coloring books are being created for some of the titles so that kids canlearn another healthy coping skill of drawing to help them find peace. The series has won best educational series for kids with the Independent PressAward and the coloring books have won best series with the NYC Big BookAward. Many of the titles have won their own book award. We havemany 5-star reviews from professional reviewers as well as individuals. There are over 40 illustrators working on the project. We are helping newillustrators become published illustrators through the series so that they can catcha break and become experienced. Writing books is a lot of fun and my kidsare part of the editorial review process by suggesting changes as needed. Mywife helps translate the books into Latin American Spanish. One of mycousins translates them into French. We hope to be a powerhouse in thechildren’s publishing world one day. Dream big dreams and do something every day to achieve them. Never give up.
About the Author
Michael is the Founder and Manager of Dow Creative Enterprises, LLC. His books have garnered the Silver Nautilus Book award in 2020 (Nurse Florence, Help I’m Bleeding) and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion category for the 2021 International Book Awards (A Prayer to Our Father in the Heavens: Possibly the Greatest Jewish Prayer of All Time). Michael believes we will need the best of science and religion to successfully navigate ourselves, our civilization, through the future obstacles we will face. More information can be found at www.DowCreativeEnterprises.com and www.NurseFlorence.org. Nurse Florence® is a federally registered trademark by Dow Creative Enterprises. The Nurse Florence® series seeks to promote science and health among children and to help increase the health literacy levels of our society. With teamwork, inclusion, faith, and perseverance, we can bravely face our problems and help each other reach our better selves as well as our best collective good.
Author Links
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November 4, 2023
10 Things You Might Not Know About the Godzilla: The Monster Fight Record by Patrick Kelley
Godzilla: The Monster Fight Record is a two volume series that examines the fight history throughout Godzilla’s film career.
Title: Godzilla: The Monster Fight Record SeriesAuthor: Patrick Kelley
Publication Date:
Pages: Volume 1 - 309, Volume 2 - 430Genre: Nonfiction/Reference
Godzilla: The Monster Fight Record is a two-volume series that provides a history of all the monster battlesthroughout the Godzilla film series. After seven decades and almostforty films, Godzilla has earned the title of King of the Monsters. TheGodzilla films have showcased the King’s legendary battles withlarger-than-life opponents like the three-headed King Ghidorah, thewinged guardian Mothra, his robotic doppelganger Mechagodzilla, and theoriginal giant monster star King Kong. The Monster Fight Record analyzes these titanic battles to determine an informed and accurate win-lossrecord for Godzilla and all of his monster co-stars. Fans of kaiju andclassic science fiction films will enjoy a trip down memory lane whilealso getting a sports-style analysis of the monster battles, completewith statistics and win percentages for each beast.
Buy Links:
Amazon Book 1 | Amazon Book 2 | Barnes & Noble
10 Things You Might Not Know About the Godzilla: The Monster FightRecord
1. Work on the books began in 2020. Patrick, who had never felt compelledto write a book before, found himself bored and filled with pent-up energyduring the COVID lockdowns. Living alone and unable to go anywhere, Patrickpassed the time by watching and rewatching the classic Godzilla movies. Thisexperience triggered memories of seeing a Godzilla win/loss record on theinternet back in 1996, which led him to think about a full process fordetermining a record for the King of the Monsters. Simply put, if COVID didn’thappen, then these books might not exist.
2. The original intention for the book was to have a comprehensive scopeto include all forms of Godzilla media, including TV shows, comic books,novels, manga, and anything else that could add to Godzilla’s overall fightrecord. After looking at the full outline, Patrick determined that this scopewas so huge that it would make the finished project too long. Because of that,only the relevant films were included in scope.
3. The 1st draft of the manuscript was over a 1000 pages long!After receiving critical feedback regarding the book’s length, Patrick decidedto trim some unnecessary chapters and sections of the book and then ultimatelysplit it into two volumes.
4. Patrick’s goal was to have the two volumes published before therelease of the newest Godzilla film. There are two Godzilla films on thehorizon: Godzilla: Minus One, set forrelease in November 2023, and Godzilla xKong: The New Empire, due to be released in April 2024. Patrick publishedthe books in August, just months before the release of Godzilla: Minus One.
5. The scope for the book excludes the King Kong films that do notconnect to the Godzilla series. Patrick has considered writing a similar bookabout Kong’s fight record but is hesitant to subject himself to rewatching thelesser Kong films, most notably the animated musical, The Mighty Kong.
6. In addition to the thirty-six feature length Godzilla films, the scopeof analysis includes fifteen non-Godzilla films that include his variousco-stars. This list includes Rodan, Frankenstein vs. Baragon, The War of theGargantuas, The Mothra Trilogy, and Kong:Skull Island.
7. Godzilla vs. Kong was the newest Godzilla movie included inthe scope of these books. It was also the first movie Patrick saw in theatersafter the COVID Lockdowns and was the first movie-night date with Jessica, histhen-girlfriend, now wife.
8. Based on the analysis performed on Godzilla’s fight history for thisbook, only one monster has a winning record over Godzilla.
9. There are three forewords included in both volumes. One is by BarryGoldberg, webmaster of classic Godzilla fan site, “Barry’s Temple of Godzilla,”JP Lemay, author of several Godzilla books, including The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies 3 volume series, andJames Rolfe, head of Cinemassacre.com and star of the famous web series, The Angry Video Game Nerd.
10. Be sure to read the footnotes in both volumes. A lot of references,jokes, and sidebars are found there.
About the Author
Patrick Kelley was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, and is alifelong monster movie fan. He spent his childhood becoming familiarwith the classics like Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein, King Kong,the works of Ray Harryhausen, and of course his favorite, Godzilla. Hismany other hobbies include sports (particularly Football), movies, andtelevision, but when he’s not indulging in those activities, he enjoysspending time with his lovely wife and newborn daughter.
Visit Patrick on Twitter at http://twitter.com/patrickgbook.
October 22, 2023
Movie Review: The Meg 2
The megalodon is back. With friends.Lots of friends as well as some who have no business being able to walk onland! Quick recap: Jonas Taylor (our Jason) and crew descend again into theTrench (the Mariana Trench) to investigate further and do more research. Theycome across an illegal mining operation and must not only survive an underwaterexplosion that breaks the thermal layer (thermocline), thus enabling horrible prehistoriccreatures (with more teeth than is respectable!) to escape but must battle tosurvive the attacks by these modern-day pirates intent on plundering the depthsof the ocean floor. As if that’s not enough, treachery in the environmentalcompany puts everyone trapped in the Trench in grave danger.
If dinosaurs ever rise again, I wantJason Statham on my side. He does all his own stunts so that’s a very goodreason to have him in one’s camp. Two more megs make it through the thermoclineand proceed to wreak havoc in the Pacific, namely around the ill-fated FunIsland, now heavily populated by holidaymakers determined to snap selfies andhave the party to end all parties. The action erupts in a whirlwind of teeth,blood, guts, guns, hails of bullets, explosions and more as Jonas and his team(bringing back the always watchable Cliff Curtis, Page Kennedy, and JiumingZang) must eradicate the megs and their many-fanged friends. Did I mention thata giant squid also made it through the thermocline? There’s a nail-biting scenewith it and a helicopter…
Don’t expect stellar acting or aliterary-style script. In fact, the dialogue is downright dreadful and clunkyin places, and people would never speak like this in real life. However, CliffCurtis and Jiuming Zang manage to create a very successful comedy duo caper amidavoiding being eaten on land and in the sea and evading the above-mentionedhails of bullets. It’s essentially a continuation of The Meg (my review here) with more teeth,more bullets, and more danger, if that’s possible. It is also very entertaining,and the action sequences are absolutely incredible.
For those of you, like me, whospent much of The Meg (part one, #SavePippin) praying that Pippin, the adorableheroic pooch, would not become a meg snack, you will be delighted to know thatPippin makes an appearance in The Meg 2 and has a tussle with the arm of thegiant squid. Pippin survives! Adorable Yorkie Kelly plays Pippin admirably andwith great panache in both movies even though the role involves getting soakedand we all know what that does to a Yorkie’s hairdo… Pippin’s movie action was supervisedby Humane Hollywood (The American Humane Society) and the sea scenes were shotin a large heated outdoor tank in a studio. Phew!
Make popcorn, get your favourite drink,sit back, and totally suspend your disbelief. You must but it’s worth it.
PS: A tame megalodon named Haiqa(can the words ‘tame’ and ‘megalodon’ even go into the same sentence?) makes acameo appearance in The Meg 2 and it looks as if she has ‘un petit paquet’ tooffer moviegoers so there might just be a Meg 3.
October 18, 2023
Are You a Plotter or a Pantser? by Joni Parker
In a thrilling mystery of intrigue, the Elfin Keeper of the Keys, Alex, uncovers a sinister plot to steal the gold set aside for the Golden Harvest by a rival group of Elves, who will stop at nothing to get it.
Title: The Epsilon Account: The Golden Harvest Series Book 1
Author: Joni Parker
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 388
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction Hybrid
Thousands of years ago, Eledon was created for the Elves by their Mentors whenthey were forced to leave Earth. At least, that’s how the legend goes.In return, the Elves must pay them a tribute in gold, known as theGolden Harvest, every four thousand years. The Elfin Council of Eldersappoints Lady Alexin (Alex) Dumwalt, the Keeper of the Keys, to managethe next payment, due 244 years from now. That is, until the Mentorsshow up unexpectedly and demand immediate payment of the EpsilonAccount. Since the Harvest has never been called that, Alex suspectsfoul play and uncovers a sinister plot by the Star Elves, a rival clanfrom the Constellations, who want to steal the gold. To make mattersworse, they’re willing to do anything to succeed to include murder. Can Alex stop them and save the Elfin gold before it’s too late?
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Are You a Plotter or a Pantser?
Writers have beendivided into two main categories. Those who are plotters and others who arepantsers. The plotters outline their story, do character studies, set up theworld where the story takes place (world building), and gather as many detailsas they can before they write. On the other hand, pantsers develop an idea fora story and start writing, making it up as they go along. In other words, theywrite by the seat of their pants—thus the name, pantsers.
I’m a pantser.When I come up with an idea, I give it some time to develop in my head and thensit down at the computer and let it flow out. My main character, Alex, is my‘muse,’ and she helps guide the story along. I can even put in chapter breaks,plot twists, and logical conclusions. When I look back on it, I’m amazed at theprocess, but it works for me. It does require me to edit more than plotters,but I really don’t mind it.
Most of thearticles about writing implore writers to be more methodical and advocate plotting methods. I’ve read countless articles on outlining, and I’ve eventried it, but it makes me cringe just to think about it. In fact, my editor forTheEpsilon Account had me outline my book after I wrote it, and sheedited it. I did it, but I wasn’t sure why. I had already completed the book,and I didn’t make any changes after I did the outline. She must have been aplotter.
Most plottersdon’t understand the pantser’s methodology, and most of us pantsers can’texplain it to them. Plotters think we must be like them deep down insidebecause no one could write under such chaotic circumstances. But we do. So,leave us alone.
About the Author
Joni Parker was born in Chicago, Illinois, but moved to Japan when she was 8 so her father could become a professional golfer. Once he achieved his dream, Joni and her family returned to the U.S. and moved to Phoenix, Arizona. After high school, Joni served her country for 22 years in the Navy and another 7 years in federal civil service. She retired in Tucson, Arizona, devoting her time to writing, reading, and watching the sunrise.
Author Links
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October 5, 2023
The Secret to Successful Travel and Travel Writing by Alle C. Hall
Nominated for The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Book Award, AlleC. Hall’s debut literary novel, As Far As You Can Go Before You Have toCome Back is a-girl-and-her-backpack story with a #MeTooinfluence: Carlie is not merely traveling. A child sexual abuse survivor,as a teen she steals ten thousand dollars from her parents and runs away toAsia. There, the Lonely Planet path of hookups, heat, alcohol, and drugs takeson a terrifying reality. Landing in Tokyo in the late 1980s, Carlie falls inwith an international crew of tai chi-practicing backpackers. With their help,Carlie has the chance at a journey she didn’t plan for: one to find the self-respectripped from her as a child and the healthy sexuality she desires. Purchase acopy of the book on Amazon, Bookshop.org, or Barnes and Noble. Makesure you also add it to your GoodReads reading list.
The Secret to Successful Travel and TravelWriting
When I first conceived of As Far as You Can Go Before You Haveto Come Back, I thought the subtitle should be, A Travel Adventure ofInternal Terrain. In the novel, the main character, Carlie, practices Taichi .Tai chi is a Chinese Daoist training. There is no separation between thebody and the mind. What one experiences, the other experiences. Therefore, to me,a physical journey can only be a spiritual one.
When I travel, I see the big sights and all, but my true pleasure comesfrom connecting with people. That happens when I recognize a sharedhumanity. To write meaningfully about travel, the surest way comes by lettingthe reader into what your best self has observed about thoughts of the peopleyou meet, about their reality. It can be hard to forge any true comradery, letalone any semblance of friendship, as a white-skinned person in a country wherethe population is largely brown- or black-skinned and the people that areeasiest to meet are those working in a service industry. It’s not that theircare is fake; it’s that service industry employees have no option. That’s thejob.
However, if I travel in a way that recognizes the humanity ofevery person I interact with, I am far more likely to fall into a meaningfulconversation or even the beginnings of friendship. When I interact as no moreor less than the humans we all are, I feel the same sense of balance, purpose,and grace that happens when I do Tai chi. Having a spiritual core fedby kind people can grow to replace the nasty imprint left on a survivor by hertrauma history. As much as I travel to connect with others, the spirituality ofthe road returns me to an emotional state of self-esteem and compassion.
I find that the most significant obstacle to connection islanguage. I get that many people are fearful when they don’t speak the languageof the country they are traveling in; or don’t understand the culture. Here isone of the few advantages of having survived a traumatic childhood: when Ibegan traveling, I walked around so disassociated that it didn’t strike me as whollydifferent when I do not understand the language, or I put my foot in it,culturally. Guess what? Making mistakes leads to great travel writing!
About the Author
Nominated for The National Book Award and The Pacific NorthwestBooksellers Book Award, Alle C. Hall’s debut literary novel, As Far AsYou Can Go Before You Have to Come Back was winning prizes before itspublication, including the National League of American Pen Women’s Mary KennedyEastham Prize. Her short stories and essays appear in journals including DalePeck’s Evergreen Review, Tupelo Quarterly, NewWorld Writing, Litro, Creative Nonfiction,and Another Chicago. She has written for The Seattle Times, SeattleWeekly, and was a contributing writer at The Stranger. She isthe former senior nonfiction editor at jmww journal and theformer associate editor of Vestal Review. Hall lived in Asia,traveled there extensively, speaks what she calls “clunky” Japanese, and has atai chi practice of 35 years running.
Find her online at:
Website: https://allehall.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allechallwriter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allec.hall/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/allechall1
Substack: https://allechall.substack.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alle-c-hall-36a588159/
September 24, 2023
Get Your Book Seen and Sold by author Claudine Wolk
It is easier than ever to publish a book, but many authors findout too late about the actual work-the book marketing-that needs to be done toachieve sizable book sales. Instead of embracing the opportunities to promotetheir books, authors are intimidated and shut down. Those days are over. Thisis the book authors MUST HAVE to give their books the best chance to be seen andsold.
In this essential, easy-to-read, and easy-to-understand guide, theauthor will work through the graphs, examples, and exercises in the book andlearn:
The fundamentals of book marketing: Message, Audience, and Hook How the book marketing fundamentals effortlessly feed into every aspect of book marketing The breadth of book marketing options and how book marketing works, with examples How book distribution IS a crucial part of book marketing To develop an elevator pitch and a formal pitch to media contacts To develop with a doable book marketing plan To develop media kit items for their book publicity efforts: Press Release, Author Bio, etc. The types of book reviews and how to get them To create a list of media contacts and how to use them To organize their new entrepreneurial business as book marketer/author Ideas to “shake their tree” to develop unique book marketing opportunities To examine the best social media channels to promote their books Where to put their book promotion dollars Most importantly, authors will learn something priceless...the correct starting point!
Authors, You CAN do right by your book! Go on and reach the book buyers thatyou had in mind when wrote your treasured manuscript and Get Your Book Seenand Sold today. Purchase your copyon Amazon, Bookshop.org, or Barnesand Noble. Make sure you addit to your GoodReads listtoo.
Media Contacts and How To Use Them
What is a media contact?
A “media contact” is any entity or person from tv, radio,podcasting, newspaper, magazine, or online outlet whom an author decides topitch. For example, the editor of Writers Digest is a mediacontact.
What will you do with a media contact?
1. Create a pitch and then,
2. Send the pitch with selected media kit items,i.e., a press release
What do you want from the pitch?
You are pitching a media contact for a review, interview ormention
o Review: a book review, of course!
o Interview: an interview of you about your book orthe subject of your book
o Mention: the media contact simply writes about you and your bookor your message without a formal interview. It’s simply a mention!
How to Pitch to Media Contacts
The first step is to take the time to identify media contacts. Internetsearches are the best way to come up with media contact names. There are also books that collect mediacontact names by industry. One book, Writer’sMarket, is one such resource. Another great website to find publications byindustry or genre is webwire.com. Finally, you can simply pick up a magazine and look at the masthead forthe names of the editors. The next step after you have done your research formedia contact names and emails is to come up with a pitch to send to them. Finally, you need to send your pitch via email or snail mail, follow up, andhopefully provide what the media contact desires for a review, mention orinterview.
One Media Contact at a Time
One: Keep your goal in mind. When you pitchto a media contact you are hoping for a book review, an interview about yourtopic, or a mention of your book. Those three things are always yourgoal.
Two: Mass emailing equals massrejection. I know it is tempting to write a generic pitch and to send itthrough Mail Chimp, et al or to a string of every email in your contact listbut this is idea is bad form for a couple of reasons. First, puttingmedia contacts in a constant contact database is a no-no. You technicallyhave to have the permission of the contact to add it to Constant Contact, etal. Second, media contacts can spot a blanketpitch from a mileaway and they will ignore it.
Three: You will be pitching your book for years to come. Take a minute and a deep breath. I acknowledge that the pitch process isoverwhelming. When I was promoting my first book and pitching to mediacontacts, I can remember panicking at the sight of the grocery store magazineracks. Every magazine was a potentialmedia contact…how was I going to pitch to them all? The answer is: onemedia contact at a time.
Tips to Pitch to Your Media Contact
1. Be sincere! Take the time to read the media contact’s website to get toknow them a bit before you put them on your list and pitch to them. Sincerity ALWAYS wins the day. Every successful hit I have ever had hasincluded a sincere and well-considered pitch. The key when pitching to amedia contact is quality over quantity.
2. Write a pitch that makes it easy for the media contact to sayyes to a review, interview or mention.
3. Gently follow-up with the mediacontact.
When you take the time to create a list of media contacts aswell as creative, thoughtful pitches you give your book the best chance to beseen and sold.
About the Author
ClaudineWolk and Julie Murkette are experienced in sharing their knowledge of thepublishing industry to give books the BEST chance to be sold. Julie is thelong-time owner of Satya House Publications, whichpublished and marketed the award-winning I See the Sun seriesof books, among others. Claudine Wolk is a published author, journalist,podcast host and book marketing consultant. You can find her writing in herweekly newsletter on Substack: Get Your Book Seen and Sold. Herbook, It Gets Easier and Other Lies We Tell New Mothers,(Harper Collins) is translated into three languages and was released as anaudiobook (Nov. 2022).
FindClaudine online at:
Substack:https://ClaudineWolk.Substack.com
Website:ClaudineWolk.com
Instagram:@ClaudineWolk
Facebook:Facebook.com/ClaudineWolk
Twitter:@help4newmoms
September 21, 2023
Interview with John Andrew Fredrick, author of The King of Good Intentions III
The King of Good Intentions III is lyrical, heartbreaking, discursive/digressive, startlingly as poetic as it is laugh aloud funny…
Title: The King of Good Intentions III
Author: John Andrew Fredrick
Publisher: Embers Art Press
Publication Date: September 12, 2023
Pages: 457
Genre: Fiction/General Fiction/Humorous/Black Humor
As The Weird Sisters return from their first What-Could-Go-Wrong (spoileralert – everything) National Tour, bandmates/lovers John and Jenny facetheir iffy futures together (or apart) as the brilliant and mysteriousKatie upends the romantic/artistic balance that’s beenprecarious-at-best. The unmitigated vanity, the mythopoeic beauty, themegalomania and heartbreak, the exquisite talent and ludicrous hubris –it’s all here in Fredrick’s wonderful, tart-sweet, final installment.
Buy Link
Welcome to TheWriter's Life! Now that your book has been published, How did you come up withthe idea to write your book, The King of Good Intentions III?
Well, as the Kingis a set of novels, a series, it was incumbent upon me to see the storythrough, as it were, and make it come full circle--to the beginning of thefirst TheKing of Good Intentions. For the most part, I write in orderto make myself laugh aloud. It's like what Robert Smith of The Cure saidabout writing songs: that he makes something in order to havesomething to listen to! That's my very purport when it comes tosongwriting as well.
To describeyour series, people call it "rollicking," "uproarious," and"zany." Is that a correct set of words to describe your book?
It is a comedy,after all. Notwithstanding the fact that there are some quite sad andtender moments sprinkled throughout the text. The writers I mostadmire--Nabokov, Amis, Stella Gibbons--all have a wonderful knack for embracingthe absurd.
How hard wasit to write a book like this?
Not verydifficult in that writing fiction's kind of like trying to master asport: the more you do it, the easier and more fun it gets. I havewritten seven novels now, five published; and I started my first one when I wasfourteen or so.
What’s onefact about your book that would surprise people?
That it's filledwith jeux d'esprit. That it plays games with the reader's sense of what'sreal and what's a put-on. The mere fact that my narrator's are oftencalled "John" is a sort of feint or ruse, for sure. Justbecause we share the same first name and are described as tall, blonde,hilarious, and devastatingly charming and handsome, don't think that he's me!
Is there amessage that are you trying to get across with your book?
Hard toencapsulate in a single phrase or message, really, but I will try: it'sthat the world of indie rock is as heartbreaking as it is enthralling attimes. And that Los Angeles is, paradoxically, the most ridiculous andmost wondrous place in the USA.
About the Author
John Andrew Fredrick isthe author of five novels and one book on the early films of WesAnderson. He is the principal songwriter/singer of an indie rock bandcalled The Black Watch that has released twenty-two albums toconsiderable acclaim. As Popmatters.com has observed, he is anaccomplished painter. His poems have appeared in The Los Angeles Press,Santa Barbara Magazine, and Artillery, among others. He lives in LosAngeles and London. Visit him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/john.a.fredrick and Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/177676792-the-king-of-good-intentions-part-three.
September 15, 2023
Book Spotlight: HATCH: A Change Your Life Guide by Jamie Linn Saloff
A book for fiercely independent, misfit, square pegs trapped in an unfulfilling life who desire to Hatch a life worth loving…
Title: Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide
Author: Jamie Saloff
Publisher: Sent Books
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Pages: 384
Genre: Self-Help/Motivational, Religion/Spirituality, Personal Growth/Personal Transformation
If you could, how would you change your life?
While bravely facing the motherlode of difficult life challenges, you neverdreamt the result would be a soul-sucking, heart-crushing existence.
Although you try to ignore the emptiness, detachment, and feeling that you don’t belong, you rarely make changes. It just seems too impossible for somany reasons. Instead, you silenced your heart’s nagging withself-sacrifice, food stuffing, or by becoming a workaholic.
Contemplating ending her life, Jamie Saloff chose instead to hatch a new one. Sheknows how self-doubt and unworthiness can cloud our ability to moveforward after the darkness of illness, grief, trauma, or tragedy –because she’s faced it too.
In Hatch – A Change Your Life Guide, Saloff walks readers through her step-by-step method to:
• Awaken your soul’s purpose by listening to your heart’s voice
• Find confidence in your next forward step by hearing your body speak
•See messages of guidance everywhere by learning where to look
• Uncover your future in your past by examining your ancestral heritage
• And much, much more…
“It’s a simple question “Do you wish you could change your life for the better” while the answer is an easy one – do you have any idea of howto accomplish the task? “Hatch – A Change Your Life Guide” gives you asystematic process that will take you on a journey of physical,emotional, and spiritual healing…I highly recommend this wonderful andenlightening book” – Yolanda Renee
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | BooksAMillion
Book Excerpt
As long as I can, remember—though I’m not sure why—I’ve been labeled a misfit—a square peg, a Goonie, an outcast (every generation seems to have its own word for this).
In kindergarten kids laughed at me saying I had a boy’s name. In elementary school, they said I hadn’t grown up with them, I wasn’t from there. Or maybe it was because even though I have never been outspoken, I decided I wouldn’t tolerate the bigoted French teacher and refused to go back to her class. The principle reprimanded me, called me “a quitter,” but I wasn’t swayed. I don’t think the kids (or the teacher) could quite understand that kind of rebellion from a ten-year-old.
Another time, the teacher ordered me into the hallway where she told me to repeat to the principal what I’d just told her. I explained my drawing of an aneurysm to him. (Due to cholesterol or other blockage in a vein, a balloon-like area forms expanding the side of the vein. If it would burst, my father would have 45 minutes to live.) My teacher didn’t approve of my mother sharing the details of my father’s illness with a child. The principal only shrugged.
In middle school, I argued with the principal that, due to a highly publicized paper shortage, it was stupid to waste it by writing punishment sentences hundreds of times. I ended up having to run around the gym in front of my class, which did very little for my already degraded social status, but it was a win for my cause.
If you’ve been in this position, you know there is no going back. Once you’re tagged as an outlier, that’s where you stay. As I entered high school, I wasn’t “the right fit” to be one of the majorettes. They can give whatever reasons they liked, but I’m pretty sure none of them had 60 trophies attesting to their ability and, while they were marching up and down the muddy hometown football field, I performed all over the world, including for servicemen at Pearl Harbor, in the shadow of Scotland’s Edinburgh castle, and other cities across the US and Europe. As they continued buddying up with football players in their cliques, I was privileged to experience foreign cultures and see historic sites firsthand instead of reading about them in a text book.
When we are mistreated or outcast by someone, we may blame ourselves. We falsely wonder, “Am I ugly?” “Fat?” “Horrible?” and all sorts of self-degrading ideas. This self-blame can cause us to slip into isolation because we feel unliked or unloved.
Eventually, if you give yourself space, you learn that being a misfit is a good thing. It allows you to do things your way without others caring. You may discover you are a bit of a loner, and that’s okay. This is particularly true for creatives and those who have suffered for their uniqueness. Yet it is your uniqueness that can make you great.
It doesn’t matter what labels they put on you. You can’t change their actions. Instead, you must realize that deep down they know you’re somehow different in ways they can’t understand. Whether that means you become a target or are simply ignored, they know there is something special about you, more specifically, you’re not like them—you’re not like “everyone else.” And maybe that scares them a little because they’re afraid to step out of the crowd—and you’re not.
What they sense is that you carry traits offering you the potential to do great things, even if you don’t realize it or feel like it could ever be possible. As it turns out, some of the worst things that have happened in your past, particularly in your youth, formed the exact survival traits you need to succeed as you trod forward.1
Despite the obvious definitions of hatch, i.e., “hatching new life from an egg,” “an escape hatch,” or “hatching a plan,” for readers of this book “hatch” means all that and more. It means realizing that no matter what brought you to this point, you have options and choices available to you right now to help you to Hatch a new and better life, one worth loving. And it doesn’t matter if they mark you as “an outcast,” “a misfit,” or whatever else they want to label you because once you “hatch” it will no longer matter.
Some of you are what I call the “Endurers.” You are still on the inside of the “egg” feeling trapped and not realizing there is a whole other, much better life waiting for you “out there.” (It’s hard to see through those thick-shelled walls.)
Others of you have potentially “hatched” but are now looking at all the broken pieces of your life. You may be feeling all “Humpty Dumpty” (who couldn’t put it all back together again) and are wondering, “what do I do now?”
This book is about how I found myself in those positions and hacked my way out with very little guidance or direction. With much angst, I began seeking my way as a young adolescent and continue to machete my way forward as a senior.
As you read on, in Phase One, you’ll learn how to listen to and follow the longings of your heart.
Scratch that. If you knew what your heart wanted and how to follow it, you wouldn’t be reading this book. You’d be doing it. Instead, in Phase One you’ll learn how to listen to your body groan and soul weep. I’ll show you how those nagging little aches and pains, illnesses, and even accidental injuries can be translated into Marvelous Messages™ that can help you plan your Hatch. (This is where I had my first real breakthrough in my life.)
In Phase Two, we will circle back to your heart and all it desires. I’ll teach you ways to identify what your heart’s aching for you to do and how it ties into your soul’s purpose. Now, having a clearer idea on what you really desire—(you have known it all along, you’ve simply silenced it)—you can now set goals and a plan to obtain it. We’ll take a “look back to leap forward” to understand how some of the challenges you face today are the result of inherited trials that were never properly resolved in the generations that came before you. Lucky you, it’s now your turn to see if you can make it right. But, you’ll also learn about the gifts implanted within your spiritual DNA to help you along in your soul’s journey.
In Phase Three, we will dig a little deeper. Having opened up the lines of inner communication, I’ll show you many ways to recognize and follow your intuition.
In Phase Four, we will talk about the hard stuff—those barriers holding you to where you are now and how to overcome them—fear, mistaken perceptions, and other beliefs that cloud your mind and prevent you from being the “you” you came here to be.
Lastly, in Phase Five, you’ll see how, once you open these doors to your body and soul, you not only are creating a new and better path for your life, but you can also create a better world. And that is a true transformation. Let’s begin…
About the Author
Jamie Linn Saloff is passionate about aiding fiercely independent, misfit, square pegstrapped in an unfulfilling life. Author, teacher, story weaver,spiritual counselor, seer of visions, pathfinder, for over thirty yearsJamie’s taught how to reignite your heart by listening to your bodygroan and your soul weep. She is the author of twelve books including Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide and her Marvelous Messages™ series.
Author Links
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September 10, 2023
Book Spotlight: Tropical Scandal by David Myles Robinson
A legal thriller about a grandson accused of murdering his grandmother which morphs into a scandal that shakes the very foundations of the Hawaii legal system…
Title: Tropical Scandal
Author: David Myles Robinson
Publisher: Bluewater Press, LLC
Pages: 291
Genre: Legal Thriller/Suspense/Mystery
When Pancho McMartin, Honolulu’s top criminal defense attorney, takes on the case of Dayton Kalama, a young drug dealer accused of murdering hisgrandmother (tutu), Pancho is faced with a daunting amount of evidencepointing squarely at Dayton. But as Pancho, together with his privateinvestigator, Drew Tulafono, gradually pull back the layers of deceit,they begin to uncover hints at what is beginning to look like thebiggest scandal ever to hit Hawaii’s legal community. This book is purefiction, but is inspired by true, scandalous events which shookHonolulu’s legal community to its core.
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/3p8vwcvf
Book Excerpt
I was surprised when my current lover, Padma Dasari, asked me to meet with Isaac Goldblum, a legendary Hawaii trial attorney who, now in his eighties, was an alcoholic still representing clients. I had made known my intolerance for those attorneys who fell prey to addiction yet refused help—all while still accepting clients. They were walking malpractice cases who risked everything they’d worked for in their own lives—not to mention the lives of their
clients—by living and working as functional drunks or addicts.
Being a trial attorney was stressful. Being a criminal defense trial attorney was particularly stressful. Aside from the relatively rare innocent defendant, our customer base was composed of criminals who, generally speaking, were not the warmest and fuzziest people to deal with day in and day out.
Whether they were guilty or innocent, their lives were in our hands—a situation only the most jaded and burned-out counsel didn’t find stressful.
My surprise didn’t arise from the fact that Padma knew Goldblum. She was the former medical examiner for the city and county of Honolulu, and just as I had cross-examined her many times in her capacity as coroner, so had Goldblum. My surprise arose from the fact that Padma knew Goldblum had been one of my early heroes. He was most famous for having won an acquittal for two Hawaiian teenagers who had been charged with the murder of a prominent haole (Caucasian) businessman. The public outcry against the Hawaiian kids had been reminiscent of the uproar in the Deep South when young black men were charged with the rape of white women. It was scary. Goldblum was vilified for taking the case.
As he later said in an interview for the Honolulu Advertiser, he knew that anything short of proving who the real killer was would fall on deaf ears. His cross-examination of the
businessman’s administrative assistant, who’d been having an affair with the dead man’s wife and who ultimately confessed to the murder, was nothing short of brilliant.
I had shared my early hero worship of Goldblum with Padma, but I had also made it clear that I now harbored a healthy dose of contempt for the man, who seemed intent on destroying his own legacy. At the time, Padma had not tried to defend Goldblum.
We were enjoying a quiet Saturday afternoon at Padma’s Kahala Beach condo when she broached the subject of my meeting with Goldblum. “He lives here, in the next building,”
she said. “He’s invited us to stop by for a cocktail at about four.”
I stared out from her oceanfront lanai at the tranquil ocean.
The palm fronds on the coconut trees fronting the beach barely twitched. One lone puff of a cumulous cloud hovered in the bright blue sky.
“Why?” I asked. “Why would I want to go have a drink with a drunk who should have put himself on inactive status years ago?”
Padma stared back at me with her piercing dark eyes. I half expected her to admonish me for being too judgmental—a trait I seemed to have developed in recent years. “Isaac asked to
meet with you. We know each other from court, and he knows I live in this building, and he knows we’re in a relationship. I think he came to me rather than you because he knows—or at
least suspects—that you aren’t much of an admirer of his.”
Padma had been born in India and had done volunteer work as a doctor in Bangladesh, but she had lived and worked in the United States for most of her adult life. Nonetheless, she
still retained the remnants of an accent, which was melodic and soothing. No doubt she was a calming influence on many people grieving the loss of a loved one. She had been instrumental in
helping my mother in New Mexico get through the early stages of the loss of my father. Just the tone of her voice seemed to take the wind out of my judgmental sails.
“Okay, but do you know why he wants to meet?”
She gave a small shake of her head. “Something about a case. That’s all I know.” She paused for a beat. “Look, I know he’s a drunk and you hate the fact that he’s still going to court, but you have to admit: drunk or sober, the man knows the law and probably still has pretty good instincts. I doubt he would ask to meet with you if he didn’t think it was important.”
I resisted the temptation to make a snide remark and instead looked at my watch. It was three-thirty in the afternoon. “Why’d you wait until now to tell me about this?”
Padma’s beautiful brown face broke into a mischievous grin. “So you wouldn’t have time to obsess about it.”
I laughed. “Jesus, Padma. We’re not even married and you play me like a fiddle.”
“I love the fiddle,” was her only retort.
About the Author
David Myles Robinson has always had a passion for writing. During thelate 1960’s and early 1970’s, while in college, Robinson worked as afreelance writer for several magazines and was a staff writer for aweekly minority newspaper in Pasadena, California. Upon graduating fromSan Francisco State University, he attended the University of SanFrancisco School of Law. It was there that he met his wife, MarciaWaldorf. In 1975 the two moved to Honolulu, Hawaii and began practicinglaw. Robinson became a trial lawyer and Waldorf eventually became aCircuit Court judge.
Upon retiring in 2010, Robinson completed his first novel, Unplayable Lie. He has since published eight more novels.
Website: www.davidmylesrobinson.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DMRobinsonWrite
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidMylesRobinson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmylesrobinson
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