PW Select June 2014

June 2014
SELF-PUBLISHING
CHILDRENS
BOOKS
Your Guide to Self-Publishing

Indie Success for Activist Turned Author
The Secrets of Self-Publishing Kids Books
The Truth About Book Giveaways
85 New Titles Listed
21 Full Reviews
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CHILDRENS BOOKS
Telling Stories to Children

Self-publishing a childrens
book isnt all fun and games
By Ryan Joe
Aspiring childrens book authors have it

tough. Theyre trying to push their work into
a glutted field, with far more supply than demand, and publishing houses arent known
for investing in unknown writers.
n the surface, the growth of self-publishing

tools and digital marketing channels seems
like the perfect answer for a childrens book
author who hasnt been able to catch the attention of a publishing house.
However, the process of creating and marketing a childrens
book is very different from that for a piece of fiction or nonfiction meant for adults. For instance, being able to write does not
necessarily mean being able to write for children. Gail Kearns,
cofounder of To Press & Beyond, an advisory service that helps
self-published writers develop professional-quality books, says
that many childrens book authors write from an adult point of
view.
Young at Heart, Young in Mind
Its a problem that Penny Paine, childrens author and art director at To Press & Beyond, has noticed as well. [Many childrens
authors] havent had any child development courses, she says.
They dont appreciate that a three-, four-, or five-year-old wont
comprehend some of the feelings or issues they bring up.
Often, authors want to write childrens books because they
want to impart something they appreciated as a child, or to send
a message, which can make their story overly didactic. Thus,
adults sometimes compromise one value to illustrate another,
Paine says: It might be fine to have a child do something very
brave, but then the punishment will come in. Paine is aware
that fairy tales often incorporate this structure: heroic action
leads to less-than-ideal consequences. For childrens books, she
says, this structure can be a problem because it can make the
book harder to sell.
And even during the writing process itself, many childrens
book authors overlook that theyre telling stories to children.
Ryan Joe is a writer living in New York City.
Kearns has found herself stripping out words from overwritten

texts. Moreover, many childrens book authors forget to incorporate dialogue or develop a plot. Try to have something that
is exciting in the story, so it does have that movement, and a
resolution at the end, Paine suggests. Hopefully, theres a
crisis of some sort.
Action is especially important, as childrens books are now
competing in a world of video games, movies, and digital entertainment. Describing abstractions like feelings isnt easy, and
often the language used in adult novels to describe even things
like sounds and smells doesnt resonate with children. Paine
recalls working on a book that tried to describe the frustration
of being bullied. Its very difficult to use the words and show
it in the pictures, she says.
One trick? Use action verbs. You need to have some movement in the story and in the illustrations as well, Kearns says.
Sometimes we go through 20 drafts with a client, and its not
even final at that point. Once you put illustrations with text,
the text will change.
The Illustration Challenge
Few childrens book authors are also illustrators. Traditional

publishing houses prefer to find an illustrator to work with their
authors. To Press & Beyond also provides this service for its
clients. But for authors who dont work with a traditional publishing house or a publishing services provider, the process of
finding an illustrator can be both daunting and expensive.
Karen Inglis, who has self-published four childrens and
young adult books since 2011, got lucky. She began searching
for an artist to do black-and-white illustrations for her book
Eeek! The Runaway Alien. She searched
through
Google and scoured her network of
friends and acquaintances until she
nearly gave up.
I couldnt find somebody I could afford, or who had the right ideas, she
recalls. Although Inglis herself couldnt
draw, she doodled an alien for Eeek and
went online looking for a Photoshop
expert who could clean it up. Eventually, she found Kundalic Damir, who
did such a good job she asked if he also illustrated childrens
books. He didnt, but they began working together. Damir redid the cover for Ingliss first book, The Secret Lake, and provided
illustrations for her childrens book Ferdinand Foxs Big Sleep.
Inglis is very precise in describing how she wants the illustrations to look. Were I working with a completely different illustrator whos done a lot of childrens books, I could see it being
different, she says, noting that she is separated from Damir (who
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M
CHILDRENS BOOKS
is Bosnian) both by geography and language. I
do brief him quite tightly and that works well for
both us.Asked about the importance of authorillustrator communication, Kearns and
Paine burst out laughing. The two helped
the childrens book Night Buddies, written
by Sands Hetherington and illustrated by
Jessica Love. Theyre always butting heads
because hes very literal, Kearns says. Shes
absolutely the perfect person for the job, but
he is so literal, if she takes any creative license it kind of upsets him.
Part of the problem, Paine agrees, can be
distance. Ive done several books myself
and was very fortunate because the illustrator was close by where I was living, Paine says. In that case, I
let her take over. I created the words, she created the artwork,
and my only requirement was, no faces.
Another big hurdle for self-published authors looking for an
illustrator: pricing. In many cases, this limits whom a writer can
work with and it is one of the biggest challenges Inglis had to
overcome. Before she found Damir, shed identified another
artist whose work she liked. But not only was that artist busy,
her fee was beyond Ingliss range. She wanted, understandably,
a lot of money, and I didnt have the confidence Id sell a lot of
books to get the money back, she says.
Illustrator prices range from the hundreds to the thousands;
the best of the best can command around $10,000 for just a
cover. For a self-published childrens book, which can cost an
average of $20,000 to produce, including printing a four-color
text, marketing, and distribution, budgeting is imperative.
Weve had a couple of [art] students work on books, and
theyve been very good and cost our clients a lot less, Paine says.
Its not quite so bad when were in the electronic and technical
era, but when we were doing print, it was quite difficult.
Authors Presence
media sites that authors focus on to build a platform.

Discoverability for childrens books by self-published authors
is challenging because our end-user typically discovers his or her
book at a school fair, bricks-and-mortar store, or from a referral,
says Jeffrey Gunhus. Gunhus writes books for adults as well as
the middle-grade Jack Templar fantasy series that is aimed at the
Harry Potter and Percy Jackson set. Theyre typically not trolling the Amazon bestseller lists or clicking the suggested reads
in an online retailer sidebar. Indies have to get their books in
front of parents and grandparents who buy for their kids.
Stacie Huttons book Shovelful of Sunshine, published through
the small press Headline Books, takes place amid the tightly
knit coal-mining families in Appalachia. Hutton makes it a
point to attend readings and book fairs, where she encounters
families with a strong lineage in coal mining and signs each
book in honor of those relatives.
When I go to events and they know Im signing the books
in honor of coal-miner relatives, its not a stretch that I will sell
to almost every person there, she recalls. We had an entire
school buy a copy for the entire school population. And then we
had another school, off the heels of that, pop up and say they
wanted to have a book for every child.
The Tours the Thing
When childrens book authors tour, they need to do more than

simply present their books and say, here: read this, its entertaining. As Hutton discovered, its about building a genuine connection with both children and their parents.
When Gunhus goes on blog tours to build word of mouth
and participate in communities, his message goes beyond simply selling books.
The main difference in my marketing stems from the reason
I wrote my childrens series, he says. My son was a reluctant
reader, so I wrote book number one in an effort to get him excited about reading. Gunhuss outreach focuses on helping
parents get their own children to read, suggesting strategies,
and recommending other books besides his own. Having a
cause you are passionate about that speaks to your target audience aids in the promotion of the novels, he says, but also
makes the author experience even more rewarding.
And thats the best type of childrens bookone thats as
rewarding to the creator as it is to parents and children.
A self-published author trying to market books for adults can

be successful without ever leaving his or her desk. A savvy
search, marketing, and advertising campaign, as well as the
right type of online interaction, can generate a fervent fan base.
No such luck for childrens book authors, who have to be
present at book fairs,
signings, and readings
Discoverability for childrens books by
in order to generate an
audience following.
self-published authors is challenging beMuch of this has to do
cause our end-user typically discovers his
with their target market
or her book at a school fair, bricks-andbeing composed of kids,
many of whom might
mortar store, or from a referral.
be too young to use
Facebook, Twitter, or
JEFFREY GUNHUS, AUTHOR OF THE JACK TEMPLAR SERIES
any of the other social
P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 1 4
PICTURE BOOKS
Indie Spotlight on
Childrens Authors
Picture books are a rapidly growing category
in self-publishing, but they can also be one
of the most challenging types of books to
produce. From the added cost of hiring an
illustrator and paying a printer to promoting
and publicizing a book in the crowded childrens market, authors must be prepared to
find creative ways to meet their publishing
goals.
e asked five picture book creators to tell

us about their publishing success, share
their experiences, and offer advice to
other authors. Whether its teaming up
with a member of the autism community
to broaden readership or funding a project on Kickstarter, these
indie authors are finding creative ways to fund, publish, and
market their books.
The Woodcutter and the

Most Beautiful Tree
by Robb N. Johnston
As an English conversation teacher in Japan,
Johnston felt inspired by the picture books he
was using to teach Japanese children. He decided to take his love of art and illustration,
combine it with a simple story, and create a Robb N. Johnston
book that would be his contribution to the world of picture
books. About a tree that must outwit the woodcutters ax, the
story is complemented by Johnstons own illustrations. Listed
as a top-five book for Earth Day by BookTrib, the title was the
recipient of a starred review in Kirkus Reviews and the product
of a successfully funded Kickstarter campaign. Its sold out of
its first printing due to promotion on the authors website, word
of mouth from Kickstarter and the authors artist community,
and positive press.
Despite being unable to secure a traditional agent or publisher for my work, Ive had an overwhelmingly positive response to The Woodcutter, Johnston says. His second independently published book, Lelani and the Plastic Kingdom, is an adventure tale about marine plastic pollution and is close to being
By Jennifer McCartney
ready for press. If you put your absolute best work out there,
it will resonate with and enrich people, he says. There are so
many avenues and opportunities out there for independently
publishing your work, and there are just as many pitfalls and
traps for getting scammed. Research your options and talk to
people that have been there before. Johnston credits the Society
of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators as a useful resource.
Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison, illus. by Kitty Harvill
Prolific author Pattison established her
publishing company, Mims House, in
2008, and in 2014, the company published seven titles. Based in Little Rock,
Ark., Mims House is named after the
1890 residents of its Victorian headquartersthe Mims family.
Pattisons bestseller to date is Wisdom, Darcy Pattison
the Midway Albatross, about the oldest
known wild bird in the world and how it survived the 2011 tsunami. The book received many honors, including a starred Publishers Weekly review; first place in the 2013 Writers Digest SelfPublished Award for childrens books; a Next-Gen Indie Awards
finalist for juvenile nonfiction; and a 20142015 Sakura Medal
a childrens book award given by international English-speaking
schools in Japan. The book is carried by the Smithsonian Museum
stores and by educational distributors.
Pattison advises authors to be everywhere. Her books are
available in paperback, hardcover, e-book (Kindle, Nook, iBook,
Kobo, and on her website), as well as audio. Expect quality
from yourself and those you work with, she advises. Poorly
illustrated childrens books are the bane of the childrens book
indie publishing movement.
Pattison adds, Look to adult indies for marketing inspiration,
but test everything in the childrens book market. Adult indies
know that you cant be a one-book wonder. Instead, series pull
in readers and keep them coming back for more, nurturing an
audience that becomes the basis of long-term success.
Jamie Loves Her Natural Hair

by Ariane Roberts, illus. by Shida Davis
Robertss childrens book Jamie Loves Her Natural Hair will be
released in July 2014but its already enjoying word-of-mouth
success after the project was successfully funded on Kickstarter
with 221 backers pledging more than $3,000.
Since 2010 Roberts had been blogging beauty tips and advice
PICTURE BOOKS
about Afro-textured
natural hair on her website BlackNaps.org. After a spate of news reports about children being bullied and criticized at
school for their natural hair, Roberts
was appalled. It was as if these school
officials didnt understand that this is Ariane Roberts
the way that black hair looks without
the use of chemicals and heat, she says. She also realized that
this criticism was damaging to the self-esteem of black youth.
The message that is being sent is the way you were born is
wrong.
Jamie Loves Her Natural Hair features Jamie, a girl who realizes that her hair is different from most of her friends at school,
from the actors on the television shows she watches, and from
the characters in the books that she reads. In spite of this difference, Jamie loves her curls and embraces her hairs texture.
Roberts envisions the book as a source of strength, particularly for girls of color from ages 48 years old.
Her advice to those who are seeking to self-publish: Do your
research and find a good printer. She notes that for childrens
books its important for the illustrations to look vibrant. She
adds that many printing companies will send free samples of
their productsa blank book that lets an author judge the
board and paper quality before committing. This will be a
helpful tool in deciding which printer you choose, she says.
Finally, Roberts says, reaching out to influencers in an authors
industry is key: [They] will have an interest in sharing your
work as they play a key role in getting your book recognition.
Since Were Friends

by Celeste Shally, illus. by David
Harrington
At the age of three, author Shallys son,
Cooper, was diagnosed with autism.
When she realized there was a lack of
childrens books about the subject, she
decided to use her elementary education
degree and write a book that would fill
that void. Since Were Friends: An Autism
Picture Book sold 25,000 copies before Celeste Shally
getting snapped up by a traditional
publisher (Skyhorse/Sky Pony Press).
I wanted to publish the book myself because I had a definite
idea of what I wanted the book to look like, and I didnt want
someone without knowledge of autism to change it, she says
of her decision to self-publish. The research process took two
years, during which she found illustrator David Harrington,
worked with a graphic designer, and studied the best and most
cost-effective ways to print a picture book.
The story about a friendship between two boysa typical boy
and one with autismprovides practical examples of the com4
passion and understanding needed in such a friendship. Since

Were Friends has been a popular learning tool for parents, educators, and many others in helping typical children to better understand those who have autism. The book was recently included in a World Autism Day reading at Barnes & Noble,
where actress Kim Raver read the book aloud.
The single most important thing I did to sell so many books
was that I asked Alison Singer, an influential member of the
autism community, to write a foreword for the book, Shally says.
She graciously agreed and championed my book in the autism
community, which brought my book legitimacyand sales.
Where Is Simon, Sandy?

by Donna Seim, illus. by Susan Spellman
After a career of child-care work, teaching, and establishing and managing a
childrens toy store, Donna Seim, who
lives in Massachusetts, decided to try
her hand at writing childrens books.
Her first book, Where Is Simon, Sandy?,
is now in its third printing, with all
proceeds going to the Childrens Club
of the Turks and Caicos National Mu- Donna Seim
seum. The book received the gold medal for the 2009 Moms Choice Award in the childrens picture
books category of peoples, places, and cultures; it was also a finalist in the 2010 National Indie Excellence Awards.
Set in the Caribbean on the island of Grand Turk, Where Is
Simon, Sandy? is based on the true story of a little donkey who
delivered water to the people of Cockburn Town every day, and
who, with the help of the children in the town, saves the day
when his master hurts his foot and is no longer able to deliver
water. This story had been passed down for generations by
word of mouth, and no one had ever written it down, says
Seim. I decided to try my hand at retelling the story in a
folktale format. She sent the finished story to the Turks and
Caicos National Museum in the hopes they might want to
print it in their newsletter. They called back within three
hours and said they wanted the story, but they wanted it to be
made into a book, Seim recalls. She sought out Susan Spellman, who has illustrated more than 30 books, to create the
watercolor images. The expense of publishing the book was
financed by donations solicited by the museum.
After publishing her first book, Seim says she felt secure with
the self-publishing process. She was encouraged that she was able
to choose and work directly with her own illustrator, which she
says was one of the strongest reasons for pursuing the self-publishing route. Her advice to indie authors is to research publishers and compare cost and quality. The quality of a book presentation is invaluable. A cover does sell a bookand a striking,
eye-catching cover is the best sales tool you can have.

Jennifer McCartney is an author and editor.
BOARD BOOK SUCCESS
From Activist to Author

Indie author succeeds with a board book for the 99%
By Jennifer McCartney
hen Innosanto
Nagara set out to
create a board
book to teach his
son about progressive values, he thought hed print one
copy and that would be the end of it. But
the more he talked to his friends and
family, the more he became convinced
that there might be a wider audience for
his idea. After a successful crowdfunding
campaign and a sold-out first printing,
followed by an offer from a traditional
publisher, A Is for Activist is enjoying the
kind of success indie authors dream
about.
My son and all the kids in my community inspired me to
write the book, says Nagara, a graphic designer who was born
in Indonesia but has lived in California since 1988. I live in a
wonderful communal living situation, and [my son] is the
eighth child born into our household, so I read a lot of board
books. There are a ton of toddler books out there, and while
many are great, its amazing how many really arent.
The Medium Is What Matters
Nagara began considering what it might be like to create his

own board bookone that reflected the values of his own socially progressive community. He believed he understood the
elements it took to create a successful read that was engaging to
both children and adults, combining thoughtful rhyming and
alliteration along with rich images that encouraged exploration.
The result is what he calls an ABC book for the 99%. The
letter C stands for co-ops, cooperating cultures, and cats, for
example, while the letter E stands for equal rights and environmental justice. I was writing it for my family and families who
shared our values, not just trying to reach a least-common-denominator audience, Nagara explains.
Nagaras first step was to distribute mockups of the potential
text and illustrations, along with a feedback form, to friends and
family members who had children in the target ages three and
under. He also had various drafts reviewed by teachers and early childhood education specialists. Incorporating feedback from
this field-testing at each stage enabled him to ensure the book
would appeal to his core audience. I

went through many revisions, and that
has really paid off, he says of the process.
The final version, which took all the
feedback into account, includes bright,
bold illustrations featuring many children of color, and socially progressive
messages from A to Z. Nagara saw the
book as one that would help fill a gap in
the current market. The statistics on
racial diversity alone in childrens books
are appalling, not to mention gender,
LGBTQ families, and progressive values
in general, he says.
Next came the challenge of how to affordably print and distribute a full-color
board book. With a background in printing as well as in graphic design, Nagara realized the economics of publishing his own
board book would be difficult. He investigated some on-demand publishers and novelty photo book services, but the cost
per book was prohibitiveabout $60. Nagara says he did use
these services for his field-tested prototypes, but to print in
quantity they werent a viable option. Many self-publishers like
CreateSpace dont yet offer a board book format. He then got a
few quotes from printers and decided to take a chance by printing the book on his own. For the math to make sense, I had to
raise funds to print them in quantity, says Nagara.
C Is for Crowdfunding
Nagara decided to crowdfund the printing costs, and he chose

Kickstarter to do it. He created his campaign page and added
video of himself reading from the book to his son, as well as text
and images from the project. He appealed to potential donors
by explaining, Even a two year old can appreciate a word like
camaraderie... as long as theres also a cat in the picture. As an
incentive, backers pledging $25 or more received a copy of the
finished book, while donors of more than $100 received recognition on the back cover. In 30 days, 131 backers pledged
$4,501more than $1,500 over his goal of $3,000to fully
fund the project. After Kickstarter fees, the final amount he
received was closer to $4,000, which he supplemented with
micro-loans from friends and family. With this, he was able to
fund his first print run of 3,000 copies.
BOARD BOOK SUCCESS
The final result of Nagaras

efforts was a book that clearly
resonated with readers. His first
print run sold out within a few
months. What I hadnt really
considered is that there would
also be a secondary audience
aunts and uncles, grandparents, friends of people who have
children, and even people who dont have children in their lives
who are excited about the book. Nagara did a survey of the
readers who bought the first edition, and while most of them
were parents or primary care givers, he discovered many people
were purchasing the book as a gift. Sometimes its easy to feel
like an embattled minority as we try to raise our children in a
sea of corporate billboards. But as it turns out, lots of other
people feel that way, too.
He was fulfilling orders in his living room after work and
dropping the books off at the post office every morning. It was
a second job, he says. He also faced the problem of supplying
independent bookstores with copies of the book, as his printing
costs, in addition to the standard discount booksellers expect to
receive from publishers, made the arrangement unsustainable.
I love and want to support independent booksellers, he says,
but given my costs, it was very difficult to sell it at a price that
would make sense for both them and me. In addition, he realized that buyers and booksellers outside the U.S. were paying a
premium in shipping. He was at a crossroads. It was clear that
if I wanted the book to become available to a broader audience,
a real publisher and distributor, which could take advantage of
economies of scale to bring down the costs of printing, shipping,
and marketing, was going to be necessary.
The Next Step
Nagara began querying traditional publishers that he

thought might be a good fit. Navely perhaps, I thought it
would be an easy sell, he says. I had sold out my first run
within months, and I had quotes from bookstores saying that
over the holidays it was selling as well as Harry Potter. He
heard back from a small number of publishers, although many
of them lacked experience with publishing board books and
expressed reservations about the printing costs. One publisher
was interested in a softcover edition of the book; however,
Nagara felt the board book format was essential. He finally
6
found a like-minded publisher in Seven Stories Press, which

shared his enthusiasm for both the books message and the
board book format. Seven Stories was no stranger to titles that
break new ground, and they had a really solid international
distribution network, Nagara notes.
Seven Stories released the book under its childrens imprint,
Triangle Square, in November 2013. Nagara says the book is
now in its fourth printing, with a Spanish edition written and
adapted by Grammy awardwinning musician Martha Gonzalez slated for this fall. The book is also available as an e-book.
While he acknowledges the books progressive message wont
be for everyone, he says thats okay. I trust that among likeminded people, we dont have to agree on everything, and we
neednt be afraid to discuss these differences with our children.
For the books fans, however, the message is clearly a welcome
oneauthor and activist Naomi Klein called it full of wit,
beauty, and fun, while New Mexico State Representative Christine Trujillo offered the blurb B is for BUY this book.
One of the most rewarding aspects of his publishing journey
was the different individuals he has met. Ive discovered a
whole world of people who are working tirelessly to broaden the
definition of childrens books, he says.
As for the publishing process, Nagara maintains it is necessarily a collaborative effort. The reality is that getting that
vision from your head and into the hands of your audience is a
group process, he says. He advises authors to be clear about
their core vision and to stick to it when working with others,
but believes this will lead to a better book. Nagara was assisted
by his partners at the cooperative design studio where he works
to develop the books concept and create the illustrations, and
relied on his professional and social networks to spread the word
about his crowdfunding campaign with Kickstarter. He received loans from friends and family and had help with website
coding. Even as you may feel you are doing everything yourself, Nagara says of self-publishing, in fact we are relying on
the kindness of strangers at every step of the way.
BOOKWORKS COLUMN
Are Book Giveaways Still Worth It

For Indie Authors?
By Betty Kelly Sargent
Can self-published authors

still make money by giving away books for free?
Are the rumors that freebies no longer help boost
sales for indie authors true?
We decided to ask some of
the brightest stars in the
self-publishing firmament what they think.
As we all know, there was a time when offering your book for free, even for a few days,
could boost your rank on Amazon and lead to
increased sales. But it looks as if things have
changedsort of.
hen we asked C.J. Lyons, bestselling author and indie publishing guru at the No
Rules Just Write blog, what she thinks
about the value of giving books away, she
said, It depends on your goals. For new
authors, it is a good way to reach new readersbut it wont
work if you have only one book. You need to have several related books, aimed at the same target audience. The free book
attracts readers, and those who fall in love with the series will
provide revenue when they start buying the rest of the books in
the series.
She also says that in 2011 she gave away 35,000 copies of her
then-new book, Snake Skin, in less than 24 hours. After that, she
put a price on it so she could count sales, because she never includes free numbers in sales figures, and it sold enough to hit
the USA Today bestseller list. That wouldnt work today,
though, she says. Now the marketplace is oversaturated with
free books. It is not uncommon for the free e-books blogs to post
over 100 new free books a day.
For successful series author and blogger Joanna Penn at the
Creative Penn, giving away books still makes sense. Penn says,
I give away the first e-book in my Arkane series for free because
it gives people a low-risk way to try my fiction and then leads
them into the other books, which are full price. It is also a great
way to get reviews, so for authors who are not well-known
names, and who have multiple books, its a great marketing
strategy. I set the book for free on Kobo and iBooks, and Amazon will match the price.
Jane Friedman, writer and publishing guru (JaneFriedman.com),
is a believer, too. She says, Giving away an e-book for free is an
excellent way to reach new readers, and can be most effective when
you have another book that someone can immediately buy after
finishing the first giveaway.
Mark Coker, founder of the e-book publishing and distribution platform Smashwords, is also a big fan of free. Thirty-five
percent of the authors of the top 100 bestselling series at Smashwords give away a free book as a promotion incentive, he says.
And all of the authors of the top 10 bestselling series give away
the first book for free as a way to launch the series. Sure, the
impact of free has diminished somewhat recently, because there
is so much free competition now, but for us it is still an incredibly effective marketing tool. In fact, just to show what a great
marketing tool free can be, Coker gives away his own e-book,
The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success, at Smashwords.
Penny Sansevieri of AuthorMarketingExperts.com puts it
this way: Free will always benefit authors if they know how to
use it. You cant just give away a book and then make the reader do the work to contact you. You have to put your book to
work. She suggests that authors include letters to readers at the
end of their free books, encouraging readers to contact them,
asking readers what they liked and didnt like about the books,
and sweetly suggesting that they write online reviews. Most
authors do free and then hope for the best. Hope is not a marketing strategy.
Hugh Howey, bestselling author of the Wool and Silo series,
says, An author with no following can most easily gain fans by
giving their book away. Free is a term so many wrong things are
said about. When it comes to the big question of whether giving away content devalues a book, he says, Not at allwhat
devalues literature is having good books go unread.
Betty Kelly Sargent is the founder and CEO of BookWorks.com.

SELFPUBLISHED LISTINGS
New Titles
from Self-Publishers
The titles submitted for our nd PW Select
Booksellers, publishers, and agents are encouraged

to take a look at the following listings of self-published books; some are from authors
waiting to be discovered, others are from those with track records and followings
who are doing it on their own.
ART
Capital Offenses: The Artwork of
Stephen Barnwell
Stephen Barnwell. Antarctica Arts. $75
hardcover (140p), ISBN 978-0991321605
AntarcticaArts.com
A 10-year retrospective of the
political art and
satire of visual mischief maker Barnwell, whose work
often blurs the line
between political activism, humor, and
observation.
BIOGRAPHY &
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Songs to Make the Desert Bear Fruit
Nathan Gauer. Cosmopolitan Tongues
Press. $11.99 paper (266p), ISBN 9780991410606; $5.99 e-book ASIN
B00JLGS5NI
Amazon; BN.com
As a young man, Gauer
attended a Lakota Sundance, an encounter with
Americas past that forever
shaped his relationship with
its future.
Letting Go into Perfect Love: Discovering
the Extraordinary After Abuse
Gwendolyn M. Plano. She Writes Press.
8
$16.95 paper (176p),

ISBN 978-1938314742;
$9.95 e-book ISBN 9781938314759
Amazon; BN.com
F o r r e a d e r s o v e rwhelmed by lifes challenges and wondering, Why me? Plano
offers a pathway through unspeakable miseries and befuddling blessings to illuminate the extraordinary journey we travel.
Amazon; BN.com;
garyrextanner.com
Rex Tanner lived a colorful life, sidestepping
danger as he adroitly and
fearlessly turned negative
situations into positive
solutions during a fascinating period of
American history. With original songs and
photos.
A Slow Trot Home

Lisa G. Sharp. Wheatmark.
$17.95 paper (213p),
ISBN 978-1627870740;
$7.99 e-book ISBN 9781627870757
Amazon; BN.com;
Ingram; lisagsharp.com
Sharps mother moved the family to a
ranch in southern Arizona, trading paved
roads, dependable electricity, and telephones for prairie grass, horses, and cattle.
This memoir gives a glimpse of U.S.-Mexico border ranching, love and loss of land,
and poignant reflections on Sharps mother
and the lands beauty.
Think Your Life into Action

Brenda Basham Dothage. CreateSpace.
$27.95 paper (115p), ISBN 9781475155129; $7.99 e-book ASIN
B00G5D6HI0
Amazon; BN.com
A positive self-image is
necessary to benefit from
the power of the mind,
Dothage says. She offers
a method to increase and
maintain a positive selfimage to produce lifechanging outcomes.
The Oklahoma Gamblin Man

Gary Rex Tanner. Two Little Frogs Publishing. $21.50 hardcover (250p), ISBN
978-0989218658; $9.99 e-book ISBN
978-0989218610
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT
To the Survivors
Robert Uttaro. CreateSpace. $12.95 paper
(268p), ISBN 9781490931661; $5.95
e-book ISBN 9780991128709
Amazon; Ingram; BTOL; BN.com; Kobo
One mans journey as a rape crisis counselor with true stories of sexual violence
shared by survivors in their own words.
BUSINESS &
ECONOMICS
How Do I Keep My Employees
Motivated? The Practice of EmpathyBased Management
George Langelett. River
Grove Books. $17.95
paper (228p), ISBN
978-1938416736;
$7.99 e-book ISBN 9781938416903
Amazon; BN.com
Learn how to skillfully empathize and
become a manager who can effectively
influence each employees attitude, behavior, level of motivation, and professional
growth.
Get the Job: Optimize Your Resume for
the Online Job Search
Pamela Paterson. CreateSpace. $15.95
paper (152p), ISBN 978-1489524980;
$15.95 e-book ASIN
B00CWZTP70
Amazon; BN.com
Online job systems can
delete your rsum without anybody knowing
you applied. Learn the
top strategies you need to get past the HR
robot and land the job you want.
CRAFTS & HOBBIES

Quilty Fun: Lessons in Scrappy
Patchwork by Lori Holt
Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet. Its Sew
Emma. $27.95 paper (116p), ISBN 9780988174917
itssewemma.com
Presents complete
instructions for Holts
popular and viral Bee
in My Bonnet Row
Along quilt, along
with 10 brand-new
coordinating projects
in four size options. Spiral bound.
EDUCATION
Spanish Fluency: Twin Words and
Essential Vocabulary
Susan Elizabeth Nus. CreateSpace. $24.99
paper (358p), ISBN 978-1484987919;
$9.99 e-book ASIN B00JSKM4YI
Amazon; BN.com
Nus shows a shortcut to
fluency by targeting the
essential, most frequently
used Spanish words with
an emphasis on humor.
With ideas for increasing
fluency through technology: apps, blogs,
e-books, film, websites, music, media, and
more.
FAMILY &
RELATIONSHIPS
Catawampus: The Fertility Process
from a Mans Perspective
Stuart A. Burkhalter. Hugenslop Press.
$14.99 paper (122p), ISBN 9780985336271; $4.99
e-book ISBN 9780985336288
stuartburkhalter.com
The madness and confusion of fertility treatments and all that those
treatments entail, but this time the husband is telling the story.
A Divorce Lawyers Guide to Relationships: Applying Legal Principles to
Help You Find & Keep Your Soul Mate
Aubrey Burton Jr. Burton Firm. $14.95
paper (290p), ISBN
978-1496195975;
$9.99 e-book ISBN 9780615991221
Amazon; BN.com
An analytical framework, guided by timeproven and tested legal principles, to assist
in virtually any occurrence in a relationship.
Healing Hearts: A Tribute to Katie
Jenny B. Kern. BookLogix. $16.95 paper
(216p), ISBN 978-1610054553; $4.95
e-book ISBN 978-1610054577
Amazon; BN.com; jbkventures.net

A childless couples
turbulent relationship
was saved by the love
of their life, Katie, who
enlightened everyone
about the giant heart of a
small dog.
FICTION
Con Game
Terry Ambrose. Satori. $11.95 paper (314p),
ISBN 978-0985954048;
$3.99 e-book ISBN 9780985954079
Amazon; BN.com
A million-dollar con
gone wrong. A failed
attempt at murder. A
young girl on the streets. In this con game,
only the strongest survive. Second in the
License to Lie series.
River Talk
CB Anderson. C&R Press.
$16 paper (236p), ISBN
978-1936196463
Amazon; BN.com;
crpress.org
This story collection
explores loss and desire,
regret and hope among diverse characters in a small town. Everywhere we are
reminded of all that a single life contains.
The Moral Line
Va n e s s a B o g e n h o l m .
AuthorHouse. $16.95
paper (208p), ISBN
978-1491872406;
$3.99 e-book ISBN 9781491872390
Amazon; BN.com
Alexandria becomes a high-end escort,
and in this world finds unexpected laughter and friendship.
The Sword and the Well
Ann Chamberlin. Epigraph. $25 hardcover
(290p), ISBN 978-1936940615; $9.99
e-book ASIN B00JSA218C
annchamberlin.com
The conclusion of a trilogy set in the early days of
Islam. Three lives braid
together: Muhammads
best general, Khalid ibn
al-Walid; a woman named
Sitt Sameh hiding from
the Muslim armies; and
her 12-year-old daughter,
Rayah.
Green
Keith C. Clark. CreateSpace. $16.95 paper
(422p), ISBN 978-1493783137; $2.99
e-book ISBN 978-1493783137
Amazon
African-American
caddie Wish Fitzgeralds dramatic journey to
achieve his improbable
goal of playing in the Masters, with the help of his
childhood white friend.
I Am the Other, Book 1
Philippe de Vosjoli. Advanced Visions.
$7.99 e-book ASIN B00JKML2EW
Amazon
A mysterious message
appears globally on all
communication devices,
triggering humanitys
greatest fears and hopes.
To add to the chaos, a
psychopath is killing
women.
She Sins at Midnight
Whitney Dineen. Kissing Frogs. $12.95
paper (280p), ISBN 978-1496150455;
$5.99 e-book ASIN B00JV4PUVA
Amazon; BN.com
Lila Montgomery is a Hollywood assistantand the secret author of a steamy
romance novel. When she goes home for
her high school reunionand a bit of normalcyan Oscar-nominated client follows her,
and a media circus ensues.
Dineen spent 18 years
working with celebrity
clients in Hollywood.
Spinning a Good Yarn

Ginger K. Glomstead. CBHE
Publisher. $15.99 paper (208p), ISBN
978-0996094597; $2.99 e-book ISBN
978-0615985534
Amazon; BN.com
Chicagoan Shelia
Johnson-McKenna finds
herself torn between lust
and love, betrayal and
self-fulfillment. After
divorcing, she rises to become a successful
businesswoman pursued by a lost Irish love
and her own desire for a deep lasting love.
13:24: A Story of Faith and Obsession
M. Dolon Hickmon. Rehoboam Press.
$16.99 paper (376p),
ISBN 978-0991106608;
$5.99 e-book ISBN 9780991106622
Amazon; BN.com
On the eve of a rock
concert, a teenage fan disappears after committing murder. Reporters blame violent lyrics, but Det. William
Hursel sees a deeper motive.
Go to Liberty
Patricia Hilliard. iUniverse. $17.95 paper
(274p), ISBN 978-1491715901; $3.99
e-book ISBN 978-1491715918
iUniverse
A novel about a communitys effort to preserve
a public park. Four women
do what they can to stop
the destruction of habitat
by overdevelopment.
Field of Vision
Michael Jarvis. Field of Vision Books. $9.99
paper (373p), ISBN 978-0988538924;
$2.99 e-book ISBN 978-0988538917
michaeljarvis.net
Photographer Jake Mayfield discovers
passion and racial trouble
on a beautiful Caribbean
island, but soon finds his
journey spiraling downward into paranoia and
criminal tourism.
10 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 1 4
Desperately Ever After

Laura Kenyon. CreateSpace. $14.99 paper
(284p), ISBN 978-1494953287; $2.99
e-book ISBN 978-1494953287
Amazon
If our favorite fairy-tale
princesses had the dreams,
dilemmas, and libidos of
the modern woman, what
would happen when the
wedding bells stopped
ringing?
Goose Island Chill: A Kate Houlihan
Novel
G.R. Kinra. G.R. Kinra. $12.95 paper
(316p), ISBN 978-0991321308; $4.95
e-book ISBN 978-0991321377
Amazon; BN.com
I n a s m a l l Te x a s
coastal town, Kate
Houlihan uses her
crime-solving skills to
relentlessly pursue an
unknown assailant.
My Lady Viper: Tales from the Tudor
Court
E. Knight. Knight Media. $15.99 paper
(410p), ISBN 978-0990324508; $4.99
e-book ISBN 978-0990324515
Amazon; BN.com
The queen is dead. Long
live the queen. In Henry
VIIIs court, Lady Anne
Seymour must choose
between her familys rise
and the loss of her soul.
Mortal Acquaintance
Anthony Mendola. Quillslammer Publications. $12.99 paper (314p), ISBN 9780979975653; $9.99 e-book ISBN 9780979975622
Amazon; BN.com
Tony Banks is released
from prison only to find
that someone is killing
those closest to him. As
Tony tries to outsmart
two hit men and uncover
a murder in time to save the woman he
is falling in love with, New York City
becomes a deadly battleground.
Malrooneys (Tales of Basilica Hill)
T.M. Merremont. Cat Scratch Publishing. $14.99 paper (263p), ISBN 9781496103543; $3.99 e-book ASIN
B00DP6P9SO
Catscratchbooks.com
This tale knocks the
props out from the usual
crime novel with its
oddball mix of myth and
mayhem set in Bostons
pixilated Basilica Hill.
Red Bang
Brandt Monroe. Foo Publishing. $12.99
paper (485p), ISBN 978-0615973500;
$4.99 e-book ISBN 978-0991627400
Amazon; BN.com
A warmhearted, humorous look at one familys
fight against the Stepfordlike culture of todays most
comically flawed tech
giants.
Hill People
James Riley. James Riley.
$17.99 paper (302p),
ISBN 978-0578091686;
$4.99 e-book ISBN 9781105837371
Amazon; Lulu.com
What happened to the residents of Cheronkin County, who vanished and were
never seen again? One familys account of
the months before the mass disappearance.
Shiloh, Unveiled: A Thoroughly
Detailed Novel on the Life, Times,
Events, and People Interacting with
Jesus Christ
Walter Joseph Schenck Jr. iUniverse.
$45.95 paper (676p),
ISBN 978-1491726433;
$3.99 e-book ISBN 9781491726426
Amazon
The leader of a failed
revolution is executed in
shame. This epic novel weaves multiple plots
and complex themes personalizing the his-
toric figures crisscrossing Jesuss life.

South Heart
S.L. Schwab. S.L. Schwab. $11.69 paper
(319p), ISBN 978-1492714958; $4.99
e-book ASIN B00JH2YDO6
Amazon
An action/thriller
for teen and adult readers. How a good versus
evil war, and its consequences, changes people,
history, and the future.
The Ballerina & the Fighter: Book 1,
the Ballerina Series
Ursula Sinclair. Isisindc Publishing. $8.99
paper (240p), ISBN 978-0985964603;
$2.99 e-book ISBN 978-0985964627
Amazon; BN.com
Ivy travels through life
dancing. Maze travels
through life fighting. She
is his point of illumination in the dark, tumultuous world he lives in. He
promised himself hed stay away, but Ivy
needed him. But can she accept him as he
is?
1914: A Novel
Charles B. Smith. CreateSpace. $21.99
paper (650p), ISBN 978-1494236007;
$8.99 e-book ASIN B00J8KP1AM
Amazon
In the horrific and savage first months of the
Great War, nine young
men from different sides
and different branches of
the armed forces struggle
to survive the slaughter.
Writer: Daughter of Time, Book 2
Erec Stebbins. Twice Pi Press. $16.99
paper (444p), ISBN 978-0986057182;
$3.99 e-book ISBN 9780986057120
Amazon; BN.com
A love story and sci-fi
epic about the beautiful
and terrible destiny of
star-crossed lovers with a
galaxys fate in their hands.
The Profilers Daughter: A

Sky Stone Thriller
P.M. Steffen. Lion Dog Press. $21.08 paper
(632p), ISBN 978-1493560332; $3.99
e-book ASIN B009TI5XZG
Amazon; BN.com
A grisly murder. A six-year-old eyewitness. A gun from the
grave. In this psychological thriller that combines
murder mystery, love triangle, and family intrigue,
Sky Stone returns from
her self-imposed exile to
investigate.
The Strange Birth, Short Life, and Sudden Death of Justice Girl
Julian David Stone. For the Duration
Press. $14.95 paper (408p), ISBN 9780989831505; $2.99 e-book ISBN 9780989831507
Amazon; BN.com
In 1950s New York, a
writer becomes a sensation
with his hit TV show, Justice Girl, but chaos ensues
when his leading lady tries
to get him blacklisted.
Run with the Wolves, Volume 1: The
Pack
T.C. Tombs. iUniverse. $22.95 paper
(387p), ISBN 978-1462011339; $6.99
e-book ISBN 978-1462010929
Amazon; BN.com; Chapters Indigo
Wa r l o o m s , a n d
monstrous wolves and
other beasts roam the
night. A young man
survives the attack of
a wolf pack, but is now
afflicted by the fullmoon madness that will
soon transform him.
Teenage Mafia, Part
One: Whats a King to
a God
Henry F. Tyler III. Outskirts Press. $16. 95
paper (369p), ISBN 9781478729402
11
Amazon; BN.com; outskirtspress.com
Good teens turned bad. Never judge a
book by its cover. Six teens with bright
futures decide to take a dark turn.
The Kramski Case (Tales of MI7)
J.J. Ward. FeedARead. $14.95 paper
(352p), ISBN 978-1782998952; $2.99
e-book ISBN 978-1301569113
Amazon; BN.com
When someone assassinates paparazzi in three
countries, MI7 sits up.
The killer appears to be a
retired SVR field operative
and former Kremlin protg. Is he trying to rig a
U.K. general election? Three agents from
Britain, Russia, and the USA go on the
counteroffensive.
To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey
of Meriwether Lewis
Andra Watkins. Word
Hermit Press. $11.99
paper (305p), ISBN
978-0615937472;
$4.99 e-book ASIN
B00IA0MWMQ; BN ID
2940148267980
Amazon; BN.com; Kobo
Meriwether Lewis has been stuck in
Nowhere since his mysterious death on
the Natchez Trace two centuries ago. His
last hope for redemption is helping nineyear-old Emmaline Cagney flee her madam
mother in New Orleans to find her father
in Nashville.
Rent (minus) Control:
Turning Thirty
R . B . Wi n t e r s . C r e ateSpace. $7.99 paper
(190p), ISBN 9780615957272; 99 e-book
ASIN B00D23MFAU
Amazon; BN.com
On the edge of turning 30, Ryan, a cynical writer living in New York, is forced to
come to terms with his friends and life
while learning change isnt the end.
GARDENING
Grown in Gravel: The Study of Geological Agriculture, 2014 Edition
Richard Campbell. $20 e-book ISBN 9780578142111
tosoilless.com
The latest book on
the new science of geological agriculture, the
science of growing crops
in rocks. The 2014 edition includes research results from George
Washington University and Tennessee
State University.
HEALTH & FITNESS

Navigate Your Beauty: Smart and Safe
Plastic Surgery Solutions
Rod J. Rohrich & Mary Crosland. RichMar. $29.95 hardcover (232p), ISBN 9781939758422; $9.99 e-book ISBN 9780996099516
navigateyourbeauty.com
A plastic surgeon and
an advocate for womens
health tell how to look
your best with and without plastic surgery. They
discuss how to find the right surgeon to
maximize your chances for a safe and successful outcome.
HISTORY
999: A History of Chicago in Ten Stories
Richard B. Fizdale. Ampersand. $79.95
hardcover (260p), ISBN 978-1467545280
Amazon; BN.com; bookstores
A comprehensive, heavily illustrated
account of the wealth, greed, power, corruption, and even murder that accompanied
the rise of the stunning building at 999
Lake Shore Drive. Fizdale
includes largely unknown
details of the lives of the
boldface names of Chicagos pastfrom the
period just after the Chicago fire to the present.
JUVENILE FICTION
The Lord of Salamander
T.H. Alexander. CreateSpace. $11.79 paper
(266p), ISBN 978-1490977096; $2.99

e-book ASIN B00DTHL1KY
Amazon; BN.com
When 13-year-old Elijah Pendleton discovers he
is the descendant of greatness, he begins a journey of
legendary and mythic proportions to find the truth.
Ages 812.
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The
Death of Innocents
Rusty Biesele, illus. by Matt Curtis. Children of Sophista. $13.99 paper (90p), ISBN
978-0615925981
Amazon
Stefan, a seventh-grade
artistic prodigy, and Tova,
a 19-year-old life sciences
genius, are forced to be the
secret rulers of contemporary Earth. Ages 812.
Threads
Beth Brown. Belleyre Books. $9.98 e-book
ISBN 978-0991665709
Amazon
Fourteen-year-old Ellis
visits parallel timelines to
learn the truth about her
parents. What she doesnt
expect to find is the truth
about her own life. Ages
1014.
The Doomsday Kids: Liams Promise
Karyn Langhorne Folan. K Squared
Books. $12.99 paper (259p), ISBN
978-0615966083; $3.99 e-book ASIN
B00JAQH33W
Amazon; BN.com
Eight kids embark on
a terrifying journey to
survive a massive nuclear
blast that destroys the
world they once knew.
Without food or transportation, their only hope of
safety is to walk to a mountain cabin almost
two hundred miles away. First in a series.
Ages 1116.
Every Turtle Counts
Sara Hoagland Hunter, illus by Susan Spellman. Peter E. Randall Publisher. $16.95
hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-1931807258
(800) 421-1561; Amazon; BN.com
Based on the extensive national effort to
preserve the last of the
Kemps ridley sea turtles, this is the touching
adventure story of Mimi, a seven-year-old
with autism, whose challenges, like the
turtles, are many but whose determination is undaunted. Ages 58.
A Quest of Heroes: The Sorcerers Ring,

Book 1
Morgan Rice. Morgan Rice. $10.99 paper
(234p), ISBN 978-1939416209; 99
e-book ASIN B00AFROVQC; BN ID
2940015808186
Amazon; BN.com; morganricebooks.com
First in an epic fantasy series that tells of a
14-year-old boy from the
outskirts of the Kingdom
of the Ring who rises as a warrior and discovers a special destiny. Ages 1014.
The JAX Chronicles: Initiation

Jen Lemons. Jen Lemons. $15 paper
(290p), ISBN 978-0996000109; $9.99
e-book ISBN 978-0996000116
(925) 305-1207
An action-packed, coming-of-age story of a young
girl overcoming her personal demons by entering
the dangerous world of contract killers. Ages 15up.
The Crystals of Belvoir

Beverly A. Snell, illus. by Jeanne Romano.
Zoe Publishing. $19.99 hardcover, ISBN
978-1467591003
crystalsofbelvoir.com
Barbara Rowett is
thrown into a fairy cave
during a car accident.
She awakens in a different century, lost to family and friends forever.
Ages 47.
The Shadows Breathe

Kathleen Marentes. CreateSpace. $13.99
paper (602p), ISBN 978-1492862895;
$3.99 e-book ASIN B00FKVHH78
Amazon
A young horse trainer
steals a horse to save its life
and goes on a journey that
will test her courage and
heart. Ages 10up.
A Word to Rhyme with Orange

Matthew Wilson, illus. by Jessica Chrysler.
CreateSpace. $16.96 paper (42p), ISBN 9781493767267
Amazon; BN.com
A boy goes in search
of a new word so he can
write a poem for a girl
named Orange. Told in
rhyme. Ages 47.
Buddys Fun Day

Henry Porada, illus. by Rosemarie Gillen.
Tyrus Press. $9.99 paper (24p), ISBN 9780615988528
Amazon; BN.com
Buddys friend has
a sketch pad. Buddy
convinces his friend to
swap. Buddy continues
to trade until he discovers the perfect conclusion: reading is fun.
Ages 47.
Daddys Little Girl

Peter Wilson, illus. by Carol Matsuyama.
Peter Wilson. $8.95 paper (28p), ISBN
978-0981182308
daddyslittlegirlbook.com
A heartwarming tale of a
fathers love and
growing relationship with
his daughter;
the story follows
Daddys little girl from infancy to maturity. Ages 48.
JUVENILE
NONFICTION
Dogs Dont Care, Dogs Poo Everywhere
Lynn Chang. Lynn Chang Enterprises.
$19.95 hardcover (40p), ISBN 9780615922256
lynnchang.com
All about the
dogs people love
and their poo.
See beagles, pugs,
greyhounds, and
more doing what they do best. Full of zany
illustrations with an uproarious rhyme.
Ages 59.
Through Charlies Eyes
Linda M. Hueftlein. Xlibris. $13.99 paper
(24p), ISBN 978-1493122462; $3.99
e-book ISBN 9781493122479
charlies-world.com
From a dog that has
lost both eyes due to
extreme cruelty comes
a lesson to see not with our eyes but with
our hearts. Ages 612.
The Stink Bug Invasion
Peter Matthews. CreateSpace. $7.50 paper
(26p), ISBN 978-1484816646; $2.99
e-book ASIN B00HM9LPW4
Amazon
A picture book
describing the life
cycle of the brown
marmorated stinkbug,
an exotic species that
invades orchards during
the growing season and
overwinters in houses. Ages 69.
MEDICAL
Living Well with Chronic lllness: A
Practical and Spiritual Guide
Richard Cheu. Dog Ear
Publishing. $16.95
paper (218p), ISBN
978-1457513435; $9.95
e-book ISBN 9781457517938
Amazon; BN.com
13
Overcome limiting
thoughts and feelings to
expand your life through personal transformation. Cheu provides pastoral counseling
at medical facilities.
NONFICTION
Arizona Dream: A True Story of a Real
Life Oceans Eleven
Adnan Aliic Dog Ear Publishing. $19
paper (436p), ISBN
978-1457529870;
$6.99 e-book ISBN 9781457529108
ArizonaDreamBook.
com; Amazon; BN.com
After losing everything at gambling, Aliic commits an
Oceans Elevenstyle casino heist.
Midlife Cabernet: Life, Love & Laughter
After Fifty
Elaine Ambrose. Mill
Park Publishing. $12
paper (224p), ISBN
978-0988398078;
$2.99 e-book ASIN
B00JA26JE0
millparkpublishing.com
If youre a feisty female tumbling down
the far side of 50, grab a glass of cabernet
(oh hell, grab the whole bottle), put on
your rhinestone-studded reading glasses,
and savor some witty words of wisdom in
this collection of essays.
The Pleasure of Fiends: An Orthodox
Study of Evil and the Meaning in the
Jonestown Cultic Horror
David Conn. David Conn. $19 paper
(540p), ISBN 9780989912105
Amazon
A study of evil and the
meaning in the Jonestown
cultic horror. Conn began
investigating cult leader
Jim Jones years before the mass death and
murder that took place in 1978-.
The Caleb Years: ...When God Doesnt
Make Sense
David Ingerson. Word & Spirit Publishing.
$19.99 hardcover (296p),

ISBN 978-1939570147;
$9.99 e-book ASIN
B00KGKMNL8; BN ID
2940149210367
Amazon; BN.com; thecalebyears.com
A compelling account of hope amid
heartache as the author journeys through
uncertainty after his son is born with several congenital anomalies including heart
disease.
Famous Ski Hills in Wisconsin (And
Other Delusions of Grandeur)
Scott Jacobs. Dead Tree Press. $27.95
hardcover (173p), ISBN 978-1879652040;
$9.99 e-book ISBN 9781879652194
Apple iBooks store; Amazon; Baker & Taylor;
BN.com; Ingram
Its a short listthe
famous ski hills of Wisconsinthat teaches one of lifes great
lessons: things arent always what they are
cracked up to be.
The Art of Social Climbing: A Guide for
the Socially Ambitious
Lincoln Kerney. CreateSpace. $12.95 paper
(112p), ISBN 978-1495441868; $9.95
e-book ASIN B00K1FIPGK
Amazon; BN.com
With humor, honesty,
and off-the-cuff panache,
an insider pulls back the
curtain on the habits,
tastes, and rituals of the
old-money elite.
Being There: A Daughters Voice for
Her Fathers Silence
Aimi Medina. CreateSpace. $8.99 paper
(146p), ISBN 978-1492272366; $2.99
e-book ASIN B00IG9BRW2
Amazon; BN.com
A daughter takes the
reader on a 19-month journey after her father suffered a massive stroke that
left him incapacitated. She
was her fathers voice.
PHILOSOPHY
Culture vs. Copyright: A Diary of a
Naive Philosopher
Anatoly Volynets. Total Knowledge. $13
paper (143p), ISBN 978-0988955707
cvc.culturedialogue.org
Five first graders discuss intellectual property
and the nature of culture
in general and in the marketplace. Inspired, their
teacher writes his own
thoughts too.
POETRY
Bejeweled Poetry: Revelations Sensations Creations
M. Jewel H. Trafford Publishing. $19.55
hardcover (100p), ISBN 978-1490730462;
$3.99 e-book ISBN 9781490730509
(888) 232-4444; trafford.
com
Journey through the
mind, body, and soul of a
conscious poet. Encounter the expression of emotions that harmonize with a heartbeat of rhythms.
Rime of the Modern Mariner: An American Odyssey
Stephen Kryska. Wise Media Group. $7.99
paper (150p), ISBN 978-1629670003;
$2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1629670010
Amazon; BN.com;
iBooks; Kobo
A yachtsman and his
crew sail from Buffalo
across the Great Lakes,
heading for Chicago. The
cruise degenerates into a
philosophical trip of mythical proportions.
Reflections from a Broken Stream
Douglas Sinclair. Roslin Publishing. $18.95
paper (92p), ISBN 978-0992095604;
$14.95 e-book ISBN 9780992095611
(416) 367-3613
A collection of 45 poems
that are a multilayered,
deeply felt expression of
what it means to be alive.
RELIGION
Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall...:
No Place to Hide, No Place to Run
Pastor Sherri Black. Outskirts Press. $12.95
paper (157p), ISBN 978-1432799199
Amazon; BN.com
A Christian novel displaying saints and sinners
in quest of finding righteousness. It takes readers
to hard places and throws
out a lifeline.
Elijah & the SAT: Reflections on a
Hairy, Old, Desert Prophet and the
Benchmarking of Our Childrens Lives
Heather Choate Davis. Stewart Press. $9.99
paper (246p), ISBN 978-0985350437;
$5.99 e-book ISBN 978-0985350413
Amazon; BN.com
A combination of
social commentary, biblical narrative, and realtime memoir that provides timeless answers
to modern parenting
problems.
Tactics, Trends, & Traits of the Enemy:
Equipping the Believer to Fight Back
Jermaine Gadson. CrossBooks. $14.99
paper (215p), ISBN 978-1462736355;
$6.99 e-book ISBN 978-1462736348
Amazon
The devil is cunning
and deceptive, and he
will stop at nothing to
keep Gods people from
reaching their potential
in Christ. Pastor Gadson
reveals how believers can
arm themselves against
his scheming ways.
What Is the Bible? Exploring the Bible:
The Dickinson Series, Vol. 1
Rev. Anne Robertson.
Massachusetts Bible Society. $11 paper (132p),
ISBN 978-0615645353;
$9.40 e-book ISBN
Amazon; BN.com
A resource for lifelong
churchgoers as well as the casually curious.

It teaches what the Bible is all about in an
accessible way.
SCIENCE
The Meaning(s) of Life: A Humans
Guide to the Biology of Souls
M. CreateSpace. $9.99 paper (242p), ISBN
978-1499150179; $9.99 e-book ASIN
B00JSZSJSI; BN ID 2940045845410
Amazon; BN.com
A literary work at the
intersection of science,
philosophy, and religion,
looking at how recent biology is changing our traditional meanings of life.
SELFHELP
Get a Job! 10 Steps to Career Success
Kathleen Brady. Inkwater Press. $13.95
paper (175p), ISBN 978-1592999187;
$5.99 e-book ISBN 978-1592998265
(212) 518-7191
A holistic approach
and practical advice on
how to perform an effective job search to land
your dream job and live
the life you imagine.
Unconform: Only the Conscious Thrive
Penni Ma nna s D ie fe ndorf. Truthredux. $7.99 paper (134p), ISBN 9789881226969; $3.99
e-book ISBN 9789881226952
Amazon
Everyone is unique and
not to be rubber-stamped
into existence. This book
aims to give readers the
boost and impetus to stop conforming for
conformitys sake and begin to think for
themselves along fresh lines.
Magnificent... Married
or Not: Reaching Your
Highest Self Before,
During, and After
Divorce
Cloris Kylie. Balboa Press. $11.99
paper (220p), ISBN 9781452593234; $5.99 e-book

ISBN 978-1452593258
Amazon; BN.com
A practical guide to turn the pain of
an unwanted separation or divorce into a
springboard for a life of meaning.
Catalyst: How Confidence Reacts with
Our Strengths to Shape What We
Achieve and Who We Become
Steven Smith. Veracity. $9.99 e-book
ISBN 978-0991568000
(801) 361-2144
Confidence is perhaps the greatest element of human achievement. This book reveals
the social science of why
confidence deserves
a new definition and
undivided attention.
TRAVEL
Italy: Beer Country
Bryan Jansing and Paul Vismara. Dog Ear
Publishing. $24.99 paper (188p), ISBN
978-1457526558; $9.99 e-book ASIN
B00JR9NXC2; BN ID 2940149345182
Amazon; BN.com; italybeercountry.com
In 1996, a handful
of men inspired a crusadethe Italian craft
beer movement. This is
the first book to present
the movements humble
roots and the passionate brewers whose
dogged determination forged Europes
most vibrant beer scene.
Fields of War: Battle of Normandy
Robert Muweller. French
Battlefields. $29.95
paper (471p), ISBN 9780982367735
frenchbattlefields.com
A visitors guidebook
that presents the actual
locations and the individual actions in the struggle to free France
from German occupation in World War II.
With detailed maps.
15
Reviews
Fiction
How to Knock a Bravebird from
Her Perch: The First Novel in the
Morrow Girls Series
D. Bryant Simmons. Bravebird Publishing,
$17.95 paper (344p) ISBN 978-0-9857516-6-1
When Pecans doting father dies unexpectedly, she marries a boxer named
Ricky Morrow and becomes pregnant almost immediately. Unfortunately for Pecan, things go from bad to worse: Ricky
becomes violent, and she falls into a cycle
of pregnancy and physical abuse. But
when Pecan meets another man and tries
to extricate herself from her marriage,
shes forced to fight for her life and the
lives of her children. From the start of
Simmonss novel,
readers will empathize with Pecans struggles.
While the authors prose is
solid, the narrative is somewhat
predictable. The
plot and eventual
outcome of the
novel will be obvious to many readers from the beginning. And this predictability will likely
take readers out of the story.
Lethal Cure
Glen Apseloff. Amazon Digital Services, $2.99
e-book (353p) ISBN 978-0-9898461-9-6
Shortly after an injured girl dies at Dr.

Jake Warners hospital, leaving behind a
strange diary and many unanswered questions, the doctor discovers hes suffering
from memory loss. A few days later, he
wins a free trip to Europe, and while the
holiday comes with some curious restrictions, he accepts, bringing the mysterious
diary with him. While Warner enjoys the
trip, he cant shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong, and that somehow
its related to his memory loss and the dia-
ry. This medical thriller is chock-full of

fascinating ideasmemory erasure, memory transfer, the military applications of
memorythat
will hook readers
almost immediately. Unfortunately, the novels
structure and
plotting are less
successful: engaging plot threads
are dropped and
the narrative
wraps up too
quickly. Still, if readers can look past these
problems, they will find a lot to like.
Lost Capital
Peter M. Wahl. CreateSpace, $10.79 paper
(292p) ISBN 978-1-4928-6335-9
Biting satire dissects the myth of the

American Dream in Wahls thought-provoking novel that exposes the worm in the
apple of power. Ballsy dreamer Guy Baxter creates a whirlwind with unforeseen
consequences when he declares himself a
companyGuy, Incorporatedand sells
shares of himself on the stock market.
Forced into work as a tennis pro when his
stock dives, Guy is shocked when wealthy
Ivan Vissar makes him a part owner of a
business venture called eCOM. Ignoring
his devilish employers disreputable background,
Guy discovers
that he might be
a pawn in a cruel
game of chance.
This seductive
rendering of
Americas selfmade man motif
modernizes
Fitzgeralds fable, crafting in Guy a likable yet nave mirror of Gatsby. In so doing, the author utilizes an original voice
and skillfully captures the numbness and
amorality of a society in which elegant
parties mask debasement, and honesty is
crushed by a hungry bottom line.
Out There: A Novel

Sarah Stark. Leaf Storm Press, $17.95 paper
(238p) ISBN 978-0-9914105-0-7
In this lyrical, evocative novel, Stark

summons the possibility of salvation in
tragedy. Iraq war veteran Jefferson Long
Soldier returns home with a wounded
soul and a copy
of Gabriel Garca
Mrquezs novel
One Hundred Years
of Solitude, which
he carried with
him through
combat and credits for saving his
life. But when
neither family
nor a psychologist can help ease his transition to civilian life, Jefferson journeys by motorbike
across Mexico in search of salvation and
the reclusive Garca Mrquez. A tribute
to magical realism and the transforming
power of fiction, Starks novel juxtaposes
violence and gentleness and merges logic
with sensuous atmosphere to question
the boundaries of reality. Jeffersons
struggle for peace reveals an existence as
fluid and magical as a dreambut with
consequences.
Second Hand Stops

Katie St. Claire. CreateSpace, $12.99 paper
(346p) ISBN 978-1-4949-9669-7
In this winning novel from St. Claire,

six 18-year-oldsall raised together in a
manor house in Englandare forced to
drink a life-prolonging elixir to receive
multimillion-dollar inheritances and internships in New York City courtesy of
an anonymous benefactor. This promising premise kicks off St. Claires Black
Moon series, and finds Julia Malone
abandoning her sheltered upbringing in
England to become vice president of the
product research and development firm
Van Buren Industries in the Big Apple.
Julias telepathic abilities help her sustain her lifetime bond with confidante
and former housemate Nic amid luxurious Manhattan penthouses, but feed her
concerns about possibly duplicitous com-
REVIEWS
pany staff. The
unclear motives of Claude
Van Buren,
the inscrutable
benefactor, in
promoting a
skin cream
that includes
traces of the
untested elixir, which had ambiguous effects on the
teens, leave Julia wondering about its
safety and her future. St. Claires novel is
well plotted and the characters skillfully
developed. Her convincing portrayal of
Julias angst and Nics loyalty help make
this a lively paranormal fantasy adventure. Julias insistence that she is a normal teen, albeit with unusual abilities,
makes her a character with which readersboth young and oldcan empathize.
The Second Key

Cheryl Holdefer. Cheryl Holdefer, $9.99 paper
(252p) ISBN 978-0-615-97560-3
In Holdefers novel, Rachel Matthews,

a single mother of twins, is still mourning the death of husband Patrick and
finds dating difficult. When she meets
her old high school friend and prom date
Michael vacationing at Lake Placid, they
charge into an affair. But when she sees
him kissing another woman, Rachel returns home to discover a key in Patricks
study that leads to a safety deposit box
and letters from his mistress. While she
investigates her husbands mysterious past
and grapples with
heartache, Rachel
works to love
again. Although
the author offers
up a fascinating
premise, her novel
suffers from a lack
of suspense, predictability, and an
unsatisfying ending. Potentially complex plot elements
(e.g., the husbands infidelity) lack tension, and, in the end, readers will have
difficulty investing in the characters and
their story.
The Thrift Shop Murders

Stanford Pritchard. Springside Book, $15.95
paper (266p) ISBN 978-1-4943-3644-8
In Pritchards uneven metaphysical

whodunit, brokerage firm manager Selwyn McCandless finds his life crumbling
when millionaire Fairfield Dixon is murdered at an elegant dinner party. Soon after the killing, Selwynand all the other
partygoersreceives an enigmatic letter
and poem stating that clues leading to
portions of Dixons vast fortune are hidden at local thrift
shops. Meanwhile, Selwyns
son, Marvin, a
day laborer working to build a
museum for the
dead mans art
collection, becomes a suspect.
Despite an intriguing concept,
the plot is convoluted at times, lacking
tension or focus, and hindered by relentless inner monologues, meandering pace,
and a contrived climax.
Writer: Daughter of Time, Book 2

Erec Stebbins. Twin Pi Press, $16.99 paper
(444p) ISBN 978-0-9860571-8-2
As the tyrannical Draman advanced

alien racemake military advances in
this sequel to Stebbinss Reader, Lt. Nitin
Ratava reaffirms his love for New Earth
savior Ambra Dawn (a reader with powerful visions of the past and future) by
joining the Temple Guards. The sarcastic
voice of Weapons Sgt. Grant Moore provides a contrast to the often ethereal relationship of Ratava and Dawn and the cool
wisdom of her loyal alien protector, Waythrel. With the appearance of malevolent
Dawn clones pointing to a powerful new
enemy, Stebbins
uses the Xixa
benevolent alien
raceto present a
contrast between
the cultures of love
and wisdom and of
conquest and hatred. While Stebbinss novel is full
of the same adven-
ture and excitement as Reader, it suffers from a disjunction between the action of
the story and the rarified relationship between Ratava and Dawn. Additionally,
the narrative bogs down at times due to
overly long inner monologue from Ratava. Still, fans of the series will likely keep
turning pages in anticipation of the next
installment.
13:24: A Story of Faith and

Obsession
M. Donlon Hickmon. Rehoboam, $16.99 paper (376p) ISBN 978-0-9911066-0-8
Hickman unleashes a shocking blitzkrieg of murder, conspiracy, and child

abuse in this disturbing, breathlessly
plotted murder mystery. When 14-yearold Chris Pesner murders his mother and
her boyfriend, Andrew, the media blames
heavy metal band Rehoboams violent,
blasphemous lyrics. But homicide detective William Hursels investigation unearths a dark web of child abuse and black
market pornography. Merging biblical
tales, psychology, and social
criticism, Hickman stares into
the distressing
abyss of child
exploitation
with daring
honesty. Designed to provoke, scenes of
underage abuse
avoid the pornographic by focusing on
psychological damagethus rousing pity
and disgust, not titillation. Eschewing
easy answers for moral complexity, this
thriller is unsettling entertainment that
offers catharsis.
1914: A Novel
Charles B. Smith. CreateSpace, $21.99 paper
(650p) ISBN 978-1-4942-3600-7
Mind and bodies are shattered in this

carefully researched yet meandering descent into the tragedy and triumph of
war. Set against the allegiances, politics,
and shocking trench warfare of WWI,
Smiths novel follows nine men from various walks of life as they struggle to come
to terms with war, violence, and themW W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M
17
REVIEWS
selves. Despite convincing
physical descriptions of the
agony of battle, a rambling
narrative and unfocused plot sacrifice
momentum and suspense in favor of exposition. From American Gordon to
British friends Arthur and Perry, the
characters
many of them
underdevelopeddo little
to summon reader empathy or interest. While the
internal conflicts
of characters can
fascinate, the
stagnant motivations of these combatants are less than
engaging. Even German Lance Corporal
Hentschwho provides one of the more
interesting perspectives on battleseems
to exist primarily as a vehicle for an author interested more in history than narrative.
Nonfiction
Burning Shield:
The Jason Schechterle Story
Landon J. Napoleon. Avery Press, $19.95 paper (390p) ISBN 978-0-9886519-4-4
This gripping biography of Jason

Schechterles battle for life and justice celebrates the resilience of the human spirit
while condemning corporate greed. In the
telling of Schechterles storyfrom his
becoming a Phoenix police officer to the
March 26, 2001, auto accident that nearly
killed him
Napoleon offers
up suspenseful
prose replete
with all the crucial elements of
a legal thriller.
Schechterles accidenta taxi
hit his police
cruiser, which
inexplicably
burst into flamesturned out to be part
of a nationwide spate of similar auto explosions. Legal crusader Patrick J. McGroder, who worked with Schechterle in
his case against Ford Motor Company, is

depicted as a feisty, down-home everyman. This enthralling biography injects
the intimacy of fiction into a true story of
human endurance. Readers are continuously reminded that Jason Schechterle is
flesh, bones, and blood, not a fictional
character, and they are invited to experience his terror, frustration, and ultimate
triumph.
Face to Face:
Cultivating Kids Social Lives in
Todays Digital World
Kathy Masarie, Kathy Keller Jones, Ruth
Matinko-Wald, Jody Bellant Scheer,
Cassandra Dickson, and Monique Terner.
Family Empowerment Network, $34.95 paper
(272p) ISBN 978-0-9819504-4-0
This parenting guidebook, intended

for parents, educators, counselors, or discussion groups, reads like it was written
by a committeeand with six author
credits, it likely was. Although the
books title suggests a focus on digital
technology, readers will find a surprising
shortage of practical information, as well
as little coverage of cyberbullying and
organized
sports. Still,
the authors address a host of
important topicseverything from
cliques and resiliency to cultural identity and creativityand include an early exercise to kick
things off, as well as questions or additional resources at the end of chapters.
Charts, photos, and graphics also work
well to reinforce ideas. However, because
the book strives to serve multiple audiences, it sometimes struggles to effectively reach any of them.
Italy: Beer Country

Bryan Jansing, illus. by Paul Vismara. Dog Ear,
$24.99 paper (188p) ISBN 978-1-4575-2655-8
This enthusiastic and informative celebration of Italian craft beer profiles the
principal brewersand describes the
clash between tradition and changein
a country where beer often takes a back-
seat to wine. Among the many key players covered by Jansing are Teo Musso,
whose discovery and love of European
beer led to his creation of Le Baladin, a
bar famous for its beer in Italy; Agostino
Arioli, who operates a brewery
called Birrificio
Italiano and creates beer for
beer lovers,; and
Birrificio Lambrate, whose
brewpub prospers through local publicity in
Milan. Illustrations, photography, and
promotional materials add to this thorough examination of Italian craft beer,
revealing the influence of culture, taste,
and food as well as the aesthetic passions
and business complexities in the art of
brewing.
Letting Go into Perfect Love:

Discovering the Extraordinary
After Abuse
Gwen Plano. She Writes Press, $16.95 paper
(256p) ISBN 978-1-938314-74-2
Logic itself cannot restore us to a

place of joy; we need the direct experience of love, Plano counsels in her gripping memoir of surviving domestic violence and coping with the sexual abuse
of her daughter. Raised to keep a stiff
upper lip when challenged by adversity,
she ascribes her long-term post-traumatic-stress disorder to hiding her pain and
misinterpreting the Roman Catholic
concepts of sin and redemption she absorbed as a
child. Her deeply disturbing
narrative relates
how she separated from a mentally ill husband
only to land in a
physically and
emotionally
abusive second
marriage, followed by her daughters victimization by
a prostitution ring ensconced in a seminary. Plano also chronicles her struggles
to re-establish a healthy relationship
REVIEWS
with the Catholic Church and a series of
transformative events that helped her
heal. Ultimately life affirming, her journey will ring true to readers familiar
with domestic violence and anyone who
feels trapped and crippled by shame and
self-blame.
Stress Less: 10 Balancing

Insights on Work and Life
Amy Freeman. Daylight Press, $14.99 paper
(84p) ISBN 978-0-9641971-2-1
Educator and parent Freemanwho

holds a doctorate in workforce educationtackles the difficulties of juggling
work life and personal life in this slim
volume, encouraging individual
reflection rather
than proposing a
one-size-fits-all
prescription.
Freeman urges
readers to fight
stress by doing
less, rather than
more, but fails
to go beyond offering personal anecdotes and general
bromides. The authors emphasis on
gradual progress and individual pace
matches the reflective tone of her prose.
Perhaps Freemans strongest insight is
that slowing down and talking with others can help people put their lives back in
order. Readers wont find a cure-all, and
Freemans book is unlikely to stand out
in the crowded self-help market.
To the Survivors
Robert Uttaro. CreateSpace, $12.95 paper
(268p) ISBN 978-1-4909-3166-1
Rape counselor Uttaro draws upon his

years of experience to warn that sexual
abuse is far more
prevalent than
most people suspect, and provides a moving
series of survivor
stories. Uttaro
persuasively argues that each
survivors story is
uniqueand
this militates
one-size-fits-all advice. The surprising

revelations of the survivors Uttaro interviews corroborate his claim that justice
is an individual concept that depends on
what redress survivors seek. Uttaros assurances that survivors are not defined
by sexual abuse offer the possibility of a
positive resolution. This book is both informative for the general public and supportive for those who have suffered sexual abuse. It is hard to imagine that members of either group will not gain from
reading it.
999: A History of Chicago

in Ten Stories
Richard B. Fizdale. Ampersand, $79.95 hardcover (260p) ISBN 978-1-4675-4528-0
Chicago native and former CEO Fizdale offers up both a lively history of the
Windy City and a somewhat ponderous
biography of a condominium at 999 Lake
Shore Drive in Chicago. In the first half
of this well-researched bookreplete
with archival
photography
and illustrationsFizdale provides
an arresting
depiction of
the formation
of Chicagos
Streeterville
neighborhood
and the colorful characters involved in
the process. Less interesting, however, is
the section of the book devoted to the
building at 999 Lake Shore Drive, despite the authors best efforts to imbue its
apartments with beguiling notoriety.
While the escapades of architect Benjamin Marshall, the avant-garde costume
parties of Elizabeth McWilliams, and
Muriel McCormicks bizarre marriage are
engaging, and the presences of notorious
gangster Terry Druggan, influential philanthropist Elizabeth Paepcke, and disgraced auto manufacturer Preston Tucker
are noteworthy, the many pages documenting every person who ever lived in
the building quickly become tedious.
Still, for residents of Chicago, Fizdales
unequivocal affection for his home and
city will be contagious.
Childrens
Books
Fiction
Rocket Ship
C.O.B. Grey Line Press (www.greylinepress.com),
$1.99 e-book (224p) ISBN 978-0-9830028-3-3
Two disaffected seventh graders decide

that the solution to their troubled lives
is to build a rocket ship in an offbeat adventure that toys with science fiction
and magical realism. Together, Gary and
Lincoln design the ship and attempt to
collect needed
materials, while
dealing with
bullies, dismissive adults, and
curious classmates. When
word of their
scheme to reach
the Moon
spreads, they
find theyre not
the only ones looking for an escape from
reality. Soon, the project is a communal
effort, one that challenges their resolve.
Told in an almost dreamlike fashion in
present-tense narration, the story unfolds
with painstaking leisure, weighed down
by minute details and philosophical
asides (Middle school is where the
molding begins, smoothens, and then
hardens, and the cafeteria is the potters
wheel. Its a good thing there is chocolate milk, for every explorer and discoverer knows that it is, most definitely and
undeniably, a good thing). With such
purple prose and ambiguous subtext
how much of this is real, how much is
fantasy?its a story thats hard to categorize. Ages 912.
Broken Covenant
Teresa Williams Irvin. HeartChild Inc.
(www.teresairvin.com), $16.95 paper (304p)
ISBN 978-0-9799395-5-6
Irvin (Seeds of Rebellion) spins out the

story of a couple who must overcome
emotional wounds and learn to love one
another, set against the backdrop of the
French and Indian War in 1755. Still
19
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grieving the death of her husband,
17-year-old Rebecca chafes at living at
home and once again being treated like a
child. When the handsome Blanton
Moseley offers to marry her to take her
away from it all, she accepts, willing to
try life on the frontier despite the hardships. Their relationship is tested by a
lack of communication, Indian attacks,
and Blantons decision to join
General Braddock and Colonel
Washington on
their campaign;
the separation
allows them to
come into their
own and realize
whats important.
While Irvin thrives in the historical details and accuracy of the setting, the plot
lacks energy and her leads have little
chemistry, making for a passionless and
chaste romance that barely resolves itself
by the end. As an adventure set in tumultuous times, its capable, but as a character piece or drama, its fairly mundane.
Ages 12up.
Finding Julian
Shane Morgan. TSW Books
(www.shanemorganwrites.com), $12.50
paper (286p) ISBN 978-0-615-94581-1
Morgans convoluted, soap operatic

novel introduces 21-year-old Julian to the
family she never knew, and a world of
high stakes and hard decisions. When her
estranged father dies, Julian travels to
Narragansett, R.I., to attend the funeral
against her mothers wishes. When the
will is read, Julian is astounded
to hear that shes
inherited her
fathers estate,
angering other
members of the
family. While
Julian tries to
extract herself
from the legacy
she never wanted,
she discovers things arent what they
seem. Her father may have been murdered, there are several different copies of
the will floating around, not all of her

family can be trusted, and shes attracted
the attentions of two very different
guysone of whom may be more trouble
than hes worth. As Julians mother urges
her to return to New York, Julian tries to
uncover her fathers killer and locate the
true will. Clichs abound in this drama,
which relies on stock characters, tired
twists, and even a climatic confrontation
on the edge of a cliff in the rain. Theres
potential, but its lost amid overused
tropes. Ages 12up.
A Quest of Heroes
Morgan Rice. Morgan Rice
(www.morganricebooks.com), $10.99 paper
(234p) ISBN 978-1-939416-20-9
In this action-packed first book in the

epic fantasy Sorcerers Ring series (which
is currently 14 books strong), Rice introduces readers to 14-year-old Thorgrin
Thor McLeod, whose dream is to join
the Silver Legion, the elite knights who
serve the king. Though initially rejected
for his youth and inexperience, a chance
meeting with the kings Druid, Argon,
prompts Thor to leave home and try
again. Against all odds, he is allowed to
join the Legion
as a squire-intraining. Thor
quickly proves
himself time
and again, earning honors, recognition, and
even the eye of
Princess Gwendolyn. Simultaneously, he discovers a mysterious magical
ability building within him. As Thor
struggles to tap into his potential and
prove himself as a member of the Legion,
he becomes embroiled in political intrigue and drama. While Rices writing is
solid and the premise intriguing, theres
an overwhelming amount of wish fulfillment packed into this initial installment,
with Thors successes and rewards piling
up at an unbelievable rate in an impossibly short time. The predictable plot is
packed full of fantasy clichs, the pacing
is rushed, and character development is
hasty. Ages 12up.
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June 2014

Your Guide to Self-Publishing

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Telling Stories to Children

Aspiring childrens book authors have it

n the surface, the growth of self-publishing

Young at Heart, Young in Mind

Kearns has found herself stripping out words from overwritten

The Illustration Challenge

Few childrens book authors are also illustrators. Traditional

media sites that authors focus on to build a platform.

The Tours the Thing

When childrens book authors tour, they need to do more than

A self-published author trying to market books for adults can

e asked five picture book creators to tell

The Woodcutter and the

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

Jamie Loves Her Natural Hair

Since Were Friends

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Where Is Simon, Sandy?

eye-catching cover is the best sales tool you can have.

BOARD BOOK SUCCESS

From Activist to Author

The Medium Is What Matters

Nagara began considering what it might be like to create his

would appeal to his core audience. I

Nagara decided to crowdfund the printing costs, and he chose

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The final result of Nagaras

The Next Step

Nagara began querying traditional publishers that he

found a like-minded publisher in Seven Stories Press, which

Are Book Giveaways Still Worth It

Can self-published authors

Betty Kelly Sargent is the founder and CEO of BookWorks.com.

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$16.95 paper (176p),

A Slow Trot Home

Think Your Life into Action

The Oklahoma Gamblin Man

BODY, MIND & SPIRIT

CRAFTS & HOBBIES

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Spinning a Good Yarn

Desperately Ever After

toric figures crisscrossing Jesuss life.

The Profilers Daughter: A

HEALTH & FITNESS

(266p), ISBN 978-1490977096; $2.99

A Quest of Heroes: The Sorcerers Ring,

The JAX Chronicles: Initiation

The Crystals of Belvoir

The Shadows Breathe

A Word to Rhyme with Orange

Buddys Fun Day

Daddys Little Girl

$19.99 hardcover (296p),

churchgoers as well as the casually curious.

paper (220p), ISBN 9781452593234; $5.99 e-book

Shortly after an injured girl dies at Dr.

ry. This medical thriller is chock-full of

Biting satire dissects the myth of the

Out There: A Novel