The New Book Review

A READERS FAVORITE REVIEW OF YOUR MARRIAGE GOD'S WAY

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:00:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: YOUR MARRIAGE GOD'S WAY: A BIBLICAL GUIDE TO A CHRIST-CENTERED RELATIONSHIP

AUTHOR: Scott LaPierre

GENRE: Christian nonfiction / Christian living / Marriage

ISBN: 9780692689356 — existing Charis Publishing paperback
Amazon paperback identifier: 0692689354

SERIES: The workbook available is a separately available companion.

PAGE COUNT: 268

BOOK / BUY LINKS:
Author's book page: https://www.scottlapierre.org/book/your-marriage-gods-way/
Existing paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692689354
Companion workbook: https://www.scottlapierre.org/book/your-marriage-gods-way-workbook/

REVIEW: By Alexandra J. Savage, originally for Readers' Favorite
Rating: 5 stars
Original review date: March 31, 2023
Original source: https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/your-marriage-gods-way

If your marriage needs a facelift, then Your Marriage God's Way by Scott LaPierre is the book for you! This book allows readers to reach spiritual epiphanies on how to better their marriages through biblical truth. The book, used in tandem with the workbook, is informative and presents practical ways to improve your marriage. Not only is this book based on the Truth of God’s Word but also is specifically purposed for you and your marriage. The author has designed this book in such a way that it points out your specific strengths and weaknesses that could be affecting your marriage. This book enabled me to realize some areas of my life that could be tweaked to help my marriage grow. With this book, you will be able to understand what God has to say. It is a personal tool that can be used for you to grow in your marriage today.

One of my favorite parts of the book was where it explains how to apologize to your spouse in a sincere, godly way. Being an author myself, I must applaud Scott LaPierre. His work points the arrow back to Jesus regarding marriage. God can transform you and your spouse’s marriage through this book, and the supplemental workbook. If your marriage needs Christ’s strength, God’s healing, and biblical truth in action, with the Bible and this workbook you have the right tools in your hands. Your Marriage God’s Way will set your heart on fire for God, and rekindle your marriage.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Scott LaPierre is a pastor, author, and conference speaker at Woodland Christian Church in Woodland, Washington. A former Army officer and elementary school teacher, he holds an MA in Biblical Studies from Liberty University. He and his wife, Katie, have eleven children whom they homeschool. His books help readers apply Scripture to everyday life.

Your Marriage God's Way Workbook is sold separately. Couples can share the main book; each spouse should have a workbook to answer independently before discussing responses together.

Website: https://www.scottlapierre.org/

X PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH
As the author of the reviewed book, I authorize republication of this unchanged, attributed review on The New Book Review under Readers' Favorite's published review-use license. That license permits authors to reproduce and sublicense reviews in full or in part.
License source: https://readersfavorite.com/reviewer-application.htm
This permission covers the review and supplied promotional biography/images for this free feature. It does not grant book manuscript, cover-design, edition, or publication rights.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish the reviews of books they want to share with others; that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. NewBookReview associate Lois W. Stern is the silver circle associate in charge of review submissions and the one who keeps services offered on this blog to authors free with her AuthorsHelpingAuthors projects. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icons in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page, or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. (WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of this blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine (the link is also found in the right column!) handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com and #FrugalSmartTuned-InEditor.blogspot.com. Learn more about the team using our frequent hashtags: #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing and Carolyn’s website, HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

A MOST IMPRESSIVE REVIEW FOR: A POETIC RHAPSODY OF THE SOUL

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:00:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: A Poetic Rhapsody of the Soul

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Ron Roman

GENRE: Poetry

ISBN: 978-1-962065-93-1

PAGE COUNT: 101

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://books2read.com/u/bp5qK9

REVIEWER: Stephen C. Pollock for Windtree Press

An Exceptionally Enjoyable Collection of Poems
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2026
Format: Paperback
Verified Purchase
5 out of 5 stars
FULL REVIEW:
"Throughout this engaging and spirited poetry collection, English professor and Army veteran Ron Roman treats readers to a potpourri of poetic styles, ranging from free verse to rhyming couplets to haiku. His longer pieces take the form of vignettes (real or imagined), and in an entertaining departure from much of contemporary poetry, many of these anecdotes are driven by dialogue. Roman's exploration of the meaning and purpose of our shared humanity -- his nourishment for the "soul" of the book's title -- is alternately heartfelt, humorous, satirical, and philosophical. Taken as a whole, the poems in A Poetic Rhapsody of the Soul recapitulate the qualities of a musical rhapsody: separate yet integrated episodes, surprising contrasts in mood and tone, and an unmistakable sense of artful improvisation."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Associate Professor of English and Humanities, Ron Roman taught with the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC-Asia) until retirement in 2020. He has written extensive travel, academic, and political articles for regional, national, and international publications. He studied writing (both fiction and creative) for his third graduate degree (Humanities) from Wesleyan University/Connecticut/USA. Currently he resides in South Korea where he works with the US military assisting retirees and dependents. He publishes in miscellaneous genres, including in poetry publications as far away as England where he has been the recipient of the UK’s THE POET magazine international POET OF THE MONTH award (May 2020) and is a critically acclaimed novelist: Of Ashes and Dust (Histria Books/2022), Finalist for the 2023 Chanticleer International Book Award (CIBA) Global Suspense Thriller.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Stephen C. Pollock is a poet, essayist, scholar, inventor, and author of the poetry collection Exits. The twenty-two poems in Exits were written and edited over a period of twenty-two years. Designing and formatting the book required an additional two years. Steve began scribbling poems on shirt cardboard at age nine. All of those early poems rhymed. (Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss was a huge influence!)Trained as a physician, eye surgeon, and neuro-ophthalmologist, Steve was recruited to Duke University as Chief of Neuro-Ophthalmology in 1987. He ultimately achieved a rank of Associate Professor with tenure and has published 30 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters in the medical literature.As a result of his lifelong penchant for designing novel devices, Steve holds U.S. Patent 4,477,158, Lens System for Variable Refraction. He also designed an instrument used to biopsy inaccessible tumors in the brain and behind the eye.The gratification Steve derives from writing springs from a variety of sources: fascination with language; the whimsy of wordplay; the intimate marriage of sound and sense; the thrill of creating something utterly new; and awe at the infinite ways in which words, well chosen, can capture and intensify human experience.

MORE ABOUT # #THENEWBOOKREVIEW ASSOCIATE, LOIS W. STERN

Lois W. Stern, TheNewBookReview Associate and Facilitator, works with a passion to help other authors strengthen their visibility on this blog and elsewhere. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, her services are Free. As such, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent. She has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured anthologies and six award winning Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies of her contest winners' stories. Lois is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV, The Authors Show podcast and in live presentations in varied venues.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire book with six of those award winning stories.

https://www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

Website: https://www.tales2inspire.com

E-MAIL: tales2inspire2@gmail.com

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish the reviews of books they want to share with others; that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. NewBookReview associate Lois W. Stern is the silver circle associate in charge of review submissions and the one who keeps services offered on this blog to authors free with her AuthorsHelpingAuthors projects. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icons in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page, or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. (WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of this blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine (the link is also found in the right column!) handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com and #FrugalSmartTuned-InEditor.blogspot.com. Learn more about the team using our frequent hashtags: #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing and Carolyn’s website, HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

GREAT REVIEWS SELL BOOKS, SO DON'T KEEP YOURS A SECRET

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:28:55 -0700

Many of you have been submitting your ‘Bestie’ book reviews to us, and I’m getting them posted as quickly as I can. And as a bonus, I create a nifty banner which you are free to use wherever you like. It’s just one way to get both your readers and the search engines to notice you and get a bit of extra free exposure for your book(s). So keep those reviews coming, using the template at: https://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2026/01/send-us-your-fav-book-review.html.

EXPANDING THE REACH OF YOUR REVIEW

We've started a little contest, rewarding the author(s) whose posted review(s) get the highest number of views. So if you haven’t yet sent us a proud-to-share review for any of your books, CLICK HERE, (or copy and paste: https://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2026/01/send-us-your-fav-book-review.html into your browser) to use this form to do so.

CONTEST DETAILS

Every time someone views your posted review, it automatically registers another vote for your book. So here’s the thing: Keep sending others to the link for your posted review. Don’t worry if you haven’t yet submitted a review, all submitted reviews, once posted, become automatic entries into our TheNewBookReviewBlogSpot Most Popular Books contest, with the tally ending on June 30, 2027. And by the way, it’s perfectly okay for you to remind your friends that you have a fave review on our blog, complete with the permalink to make it easy for them to find.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

Winners names and book titles will have permanent placement on our blog. (Just click on the gold ribboned Award decal on our side panel to see where your name and book title would be placed if you are a winner.) ** And this contest is a great way for every book with a posted review to get some additional exposure. You know, the more people who read your posted review(s), the more possibility of book sales. So why not give it a try? It’s free and maybe you will be a lucky winner!

** WARNING: The Sidebar is not visible from iPhone’s, so view from your Ipad or laptop instead.

Here's to getting more eyeballs focused on your books!

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire book with six of those award winning stories.

https://www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

Website: https://www.tales2inspire.com

E-MAIL: tales2inspire2@gmail.com

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish the reviews of books they want to share with others; that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. NewBookReview associate Lois W. Stern is the silver circle associate in charge of review submissions and the one who keeps services offered on this blog to authors free with her AuthorsHelpingAuthors projects. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icons in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page, or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. (WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of this blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine (the link is also found in the right column!) handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com and #FrugalSmartTuned-InEditor.blogspot.com. Learn more about the team using our frequent hashtags: #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing and Carolyn’s website, HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Heads up About a Great Podcast Opportunity for Authors

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Thu, 8 Oct 2026 04:34:18 -0700

Carolyn and I always like sharing helpful marketing tips with our blog followers, so here's a heads up about a great podcast opportunity, The Authors Show, a reputable podcast devoted exclusively to authors.

This is how it works: You are sent questions in advance, so there are no surprises. There is no fee to participate and then, once the audio interview is finished and professionally edited, it is posted on multiple social media platforms, with your book cover and a synopsis of your book included. These first steps are free, but only for 24 hours. Then once the recording is completed, you can purchase an MP3 copy of your interview for your extended personal use. I went the extra mile and did just that.

This next step took me some time to put together, but I personally think it is the best PR piece I have done for myself: I made a film detailing my journey as the creator of Tales2Inspire, using the Apple program, IMovie, by integrating segments of voice from that podcast with relevant pictures. I posted it on my website BIO page, which, according to google, has been huge drawing card to my website.

I now have two videos on my BIO page.

CLICK HERE if you want to watch my film adaptation of The Authors Show interview,

or if you're really curious about me, watch the film I made some years ago about my writer's journey, CLICK HERE.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire book with six of those award winning stories.

https://www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

Website: https://www.tales2inspire.com

E-MAIL: tales2inspire2@gmail.com

FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND: AN INTRODUCTION TO TheNewBookReviewBlog.Spot

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Tue, 6 Oct 2026 05:46:39 -0700

HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS BLOG

Carolyn and I want each of you to get the most benefit from this blog, so here is our quick and easy intro.

For starters, be sure to enter our blog using your laptop or IPad, but NOT your IPhone, as sadly the sidebar icons don’t appear on iPhones.

Once there, before you simply click on the word FOLLOW to add your icon to this blog, we recommend that you take a moment with one extra step to enable your photo to appear instead of your initial. We think it is well worth your effort to do this because the search engines love pictures, so uploading your photo is just one more way to help get your name out there in cyberspace.

HOW TO UPLOAD YOUR PHOTO

We consulted our magic genie, AI, to learn how to make your headshot appear instead of your initial. Here is what s/he told us:

Go to Blogger.com.

Click on your profile picture/name in the top right corner.

Select "Blogger Profile".

Click the orange "Edit Profile" button.

Upload a photo in the "Profile Photo" section.

HINT: If you have a selfie of you holding your book, even better. But in any case, this is one simple way to help the search engines discover you.

Once done, take a quick tour down the right lower side of the blog for the new offerings in the works. Some are still in transition, but all will be there to help you on your road to success. Our newest feature, still under construction, is our INDEX.

By clicking on the sidebar INDEX, you will find a listing and a ink to many of our posted articles, all in one place. We know your time is limited, so this gives you a quick and easy way to find some of those key posts in a time efficient way.

Then further down that sidebar, click on any of the gold rimmed silver circles to explore some of our other features.

As we progress, we'll be sending you more short little emails to guide you. But for starters, just hitting that FOLLOW button and adding your picture gives the search engines a nudge in your direction.

Lois W. Stern is the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest with no entrance fees, a labor of love to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. Now in its thirteenth year, Stern has published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Gem Collection anthologies, each with a different Gemstone emblazoned on its cover, to match the theme of the stories within that particular collection. Learn more about this fascinating project, and the woman who created it, in two quick films at https://www.tales2Inspire.com/BIO.

Stern is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As an Associate at the award winning blog, TheNewBookReviewBlogSpot, Stern serves as an outreach, helping other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

Grab some of her Freebies at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

Visit her Facebook page at /Facebook.com/tales2inspire

CHASING HOPE ~ A STORY THAT STAYS WITH YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Mon, 5 Oct 2026 23:00:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: CHASING HOPE

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Joy Lynn Goddard with Daniel Pike

GENRE: Women's Fiction

ISBN: 97810677110-0-9

PAGE COUNT: 326

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK:

https://www.amazon.ca/Chasing-Hope-Joy-Lynn-Goddard/dp/1067711007

REVIEWER: Jodi Cooper, Originally for Amazon

X PERMISSION GRANTED TO SHARE REVIEW:

FULL REVIEW

5 out of 5 stars

A Story That Stays With You

Reviewed in Canada on September 3, 2026

Format: Paperback

While reading Chasing Hope, I kept thinking about how family is often the people we choose, not just the families we are born into. They are the people who love us, support us, show up for us, and to whom we give back in return. Finding this kind of family is precious and worth cherishing. I was also moved by the book’s portrayal of resilience. It reminded me that strength isn’t about overcoming hardship on our own. Sometimes it means accepting help, continuing to love, and finding reasons to hope when life feels overwhelming. I especially appreciated the message that our difficult experiences can become a reason to extend compassion to others and help create something better in the world around us.

This story left me with a renewed appreciation for how much one person’s kindness can matter in another person’s life, and how our paths can come together in unexpected ways and make us stronger together. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt story about family, resilience, compassion, and hope.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joy Lynn Goddard and her husband, Daniel Pike, write adult fiction that blends mystery, romance, and suspense. Their first novel, Moonshadow, won a Book Excellence Award, a Reader Ready Award (Recommended Read), and a Canada Book Award. Their second novel, The Keepers, also won a Canada Book Award. In addition to their novels, they wrote a screenplay adapted from their novel A Good Mother and a collection of humorous short stories about the real estate industry, Buyers, Liars, Sellers and Yellers.

Although Joy is well known for her award-winning young adult and middle-grade fiction, with her books in schools across Canada, her novels with Daniel have found readers around the world. Joy and Dan divide their time between Guelph and Belleville, Ontario, where they enjoy spending time with their growing family when they are not working on their next book.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER: Jodi Cooper is an educator, art therapist, and filmmaker living in Eastern Ontario with her husband and two dogs. When she’s not working, she can usually be found reading, working on a creative project, travelling, or enjoying a coffee and good conversation. She’s endlessly curious and especially drawn to stories that explore creativity, connection, and what it means to be human.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW ASSOCIATE, LOIS W. STERN

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG:

Freebies at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

WHY ADDING YOUR PICTURE TO THE FOLLOW BUTTON HELPS GOOGLE HELP YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Mon, 5 Oct 2026 09:31:17 -0700

Have you wondered why only your initial appeared in the box above

when you clicked to follow us?

Well I wondered too, so I consulted my guru of all things, A1.

Here's what h/she told me:

To make your headshot appear instead of an initial, when clicking "Follow" on Blogger, you must update your user profile picture.

HERE'S HOW

Go to Blogger.com,

Click on your profile picture/name in the top right corner

Select "Blogger Profile,

Click the orange "Edit Profile" button

Upload a photo in the "Profile Photo" section

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

The search engines love pictures, so if you follow with a picture, your name is more likely to get noticed by them and spread around the internet.

Again I asks my magic genie, who told me:

How Pictures Help SEO and Visibility

Extra traffic sources: Optimizing your visuals allows your content to rank in the Google Images tab, opening up a completely separate channel for visitors.

AI and feature inclusion: Modern AI summaries and search tools like Gemini pull images into citations, increasing your overall visibility.

Grab some of her Freebies at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

visit her Facebook page at /Facebook.com/tales2inspire

Want to Sell More Books? Check Out This Tip from TheNewBookReview Associate, Lois W. Stern

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 04:18:12 -0700

SECRETS FOR SELLING MORE BOOKS

By Lois W. Stern

Did you ever think of selling your books from the comfort of your home? At one time I thought about it too, looked into several internet pay options, but didn't think too much more about it . . .

Then I learned about ZELLE.

The name of this game is SAFE, QUICK 'n EASY and FREE.

Zelle is a safe, flexible, no fee way to make or receive a payments - all from the comfort of your home.

. SAFE: Despite all the talk of internet scams, when used properly, Zelle is extremely safe because you are not giving out either credit card or bank account information. This bank to bank transfer of funds moves a dollar amount from the buyer’s account to the account of the seller. The buyer’s bank simply transfers that inputted amount from one account to the other, without revealing the account number of either party. If you already pay your bills online, you're good to go. Once you sign in, there will be a drop down menu for paying bills. At my bank it looks like this:

You can set up your Zelle account using either your cell phone number or your email address. I set up my Zelle account with my email address because I knew those placing book orders would be familiar with the words Tales2Inspire, but preferred to keep my cell number private.

QUICK: When making a Zelle payment, you simply input the amount owed, the name and identifier (either e-mail or cell number, but not both) of the person you are paying, click a button and DONE. An immediate Bank-to-Bank transfer of funds takes place.
EASY: I asked Siri to compare Zelle with traditional payment options and up came the chart, below.

FREE: Absolutely no charges for this service.

Most major banks now use Zelle. Many are now incorporating an additional step, such as multi-factor authentication, for first time payments to any given party.

STILL NOT CONVINCED? If you're still not sure this is for you, do what I did: Ask a friend if you could Zelle them $1. Once it arrives, have them return the favor and Zelle $1. back to you.

CAUTION

Only use Zelle to make payments to people you know and trust. To avoid falling victim to a scam, never use Zelle to buy goods or services from online marketplaces or strangers.

My book sales have definitely grown since using Zelle as a payment option,

but getting the word out was another challenge. I'll introduce readers my Jotform payment forms soon, as it's another free program I use to meet various needs. Meantime, Click here (or copy and paste https://form.jotform.com/260094023611041 into your browser) to check out one of the first Jotforms I made - this one to offer my fans some free gifts. So help yourself.

COMING SOON: A whole new Sharing with Writers section, where I'll be sharing details of my project and inviting readers to post their best marketing tips as well.

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S CONTRIBUTOR

Lois W. Stern, Associate and book review facilitator for TNBR (The New Book Review.blogspot.com), is the founder, editor and contributor to Tales2Inspire, an authors helping authors project to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. As such, she has now published twelve award winning Tales2Inspire® treasured anthologies of her contest winners' stories. Lois is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview Associate, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

CLICK HERE to learn details about entering this Free contest.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire Sampler book.

https://www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

#AuthorsHelpingAuthors associate here on the #SharingwithWriters Blog

Founder, Contributor and Editor of the #Tales2Inspire Series of anthologies

Contributing #AuthorsHelpingAuthors associate here and on the #SharingwithWriters Blog

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

A MINI CONTEST FOR OUR MOST POPULAR POSTED REVIEWS

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 03:56:04 -0700

Hi, It's Lois W. Stern here, Your TheNewBookReview Associate, with another idea to keep you and your book in the news.

As you already know, Carolyn and I are forever looking for new ways to give our followers a bit more Free exposure on TheNewBookReview blog. Many of you have been submitting your ‘Bestie’ book reviews to us, and I’m getting them posted as quickly as I can. And as a bonus, I create a nifty banner which you are free to use wherever you like. It’s just one way to get both your readers and the search engines to notice you and get a bit of extra free exposure for your book(s). So keep those reviews coming, using the template at: https://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2026/01/send-us-your-fav-book-review.html.

Enter our new mini contest:

We’ve started a new contest: A GREAT REVIEWS SELL BOOKS contest, so don’t keep yours a secret. Every time someone views your posted review, it automatically registers another vote for your book. So here’s the thing: Keep sending others to the link for your posted review ‘cause all reviews posted through the end of 2026 are entered into our TheNewBookReviewBlogSpot Most Popular Books contest. The tally ends on June 30, 2027. Winners are those whose posted review(s) get the highest number of views here on TNBR. If you haven’t yet sent us a proud-to-share review for any of your books, CLICK HERE to use this form to do so, (or copy and paste: https://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2026/01/send-us-your-fav-book-review.html into your browser.)

WHAT’S IN IT FOR OUR WINNERS:

Winners' names and book titles will be posted on the page linked to the gold ribbed seal appearing on the sidebar of our blog)* at no cost to you, along with a link to your posted review. It’s just one more way to add a little ZING to your name and book title and make the search engines take notice.

It’s also a great way for you authors to get some additional exposure, so why not give it a try? It’s Free and maybe one time a review for your book will be the lucky winner! And by the way, it’s perfectly okay if you’d like to remind possible readers that you have a fave review on our blog, complete with the permalink to make it easy for them to find. Phase one of this contest begins now. But don’t worry if you haven’t yet submitted a review, any reviews submitted after today will also be considered automatic entries.

Here's to getting more eyeballs focused on your books!

WARNING: The Sidebar is not visible from iPhone’s, so view from your Ipad or laptop instead.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire book with six of those award winning stories.

https://www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

A NewBookReview Essay on Book Magic We Rarely Consider

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Howard-Johnson) — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Subscribers and Visitors:

You might already know that I (the longtime blogger of this #TheNewBookReview) and my longtime associate Lois W. Stern don’t do reviews. It is the new book review where people who love books can send their own reviews and authors and publishers can extend the exposure of their books by re-sharing their favorite reviews with us (see guidelines for that process below in the “More About” this blog section!) and with readers looking for new books of both well known and new authors.

So this essay about a newly published book is a first coming direct from me. I was inspired by a media release I just received for a new book that reminded me of the values--some of them rarely mentioned--of books. This one touched me because it is a way to learn about a part of the US that I knew nothing about in spite of living in many cities and states and having traveled by car cross-country many times--both before there were any freeways (seriously) to today. Needless to say, some of those trips were made before most people rarely traveled by partially because it was so expensive. And, yes, I still missed knowing anything about the large peninsula region of our far north known as Michigan's UPPER PENINSULA.

I couldn’t resist sharing this book with you hoping that might do the same for a good number of our New Book Review readers. Of course times and communication are different than they were way back then, but I am still believe it will be a must-read for today's huge segment of American history buffs.

Victor Volkman, the publisher, says,

"Thanks Carolyn!

"Very sweet of you to take notice of our little project. I never thought of this way until you mentioned it. But the Upper

Peninsula is really is a microcosm of America--everything is in there from colony times to industrial revolution to civil war and

beyond. One man lived through the most transformative era we will ever know, his name is KAWBAWGAM.”

So, here is a little about this book from Modern History Press’s press release, edited and abbreviated (as is permissible with media releases) for #TheNewBookReview audiences:

MEDIA RELEASE

MARQUETTE, Mich. — September 25, 2026 — Modern History Press of Ann Arbor announces the publication of Charley Kawbawgam: Ojibwa Chief and Lake Superior Pioneer, the first illustrated biography of Chief Kawbawgam written specifically for elementary and middle school students.

Award-winning Marquette author Tyler R. Tichelaar, who previously wrote a full-length scholarly biography of Kawbawgam, brings the Ojibwa tribal history [and its chief’s remarkable life] to a younger audience. The book combines biography, Upper Peninsula History including the Obwith timelines, discussion questions, educational activities, and project ideas designed to help readers understand Kawbawgam’s life and the nineteenth-century world in which he lived. Charley Kawbawgam is the second book in Modern History Press’ new middle-grade Yooper Heroes series.

Sixteen pencil-and-ink illustrations bring the story to life. Upper Michigan artists Joanna Walitalo and Bruce “Buck” Denomie created the artwork, with Denomie, a member of the Ojibwa First Nations tribe, helping ensure historical accuracy. Several illustrations are based on historical photographs of the Kawbawgam family and Ojibwa life.

Artwork from author Tyler R. Tichelaar’s newest release.

METADATA

Charley Kawbawgam: Ojibwa Chief and Lake Superior Pioneer (ISBN-13 979-8-89656-142-2 paperback; 979-8-89656-143-9 hardcover; 979-8-89656-144-6 eBook) is available from ModernHistoryPress.com, Ingram, Amazon and other retailers. Review copies are available to reporters and professional book reviewers by request at info@modernhistorypress.com

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG

#TheNewBookReview is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish the reviews of books they want to share with others; that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love.

#TheNewBookReview associate Lois W. Stern is the silver circle associate in charge of review submissions and the one who keeps services offered on this blog to authors free with her AuthorsHelpingAuthors projects. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icons in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page, or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. (WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of this blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator.

Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine (the link is also found in the right column!) handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com and #FrugalSmartTuned-InEditor.blogspot.com. Learn more about the team using our frequent hashtags: #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing and Carolyn’s website, HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

A 5 Star Readers Favorite Review for The Heiress in Kent: Kopp Chronicles

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: The Heiress in Kent: Kopp Chronicles

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Gregory Kopp

GENRE: Victorian Historical Romance

ISBN: 978-1981089246

SERIES: Kopp Chronicles

PAGE COUNT: 81

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Heiress-Kent-Kopp-Chronicles/dp/1981089241

THE REVIEW ITSELF: Reviewed by Doanné Deventer for Readers’ Favorite

Gregory Kopp's novel The Heiress in Kent takes place in 19th-century London and New York. Sir Richard Mayne and Her Majesty the Queen ordered Scotland Yard detective Richard Cordwell to investigate urgent matters regarding the British throne's financial investments in the American railroads. During a global financial crisis, Cordwell embarks on his journey to uncover the truth and meets new and interesting people along the way. The handsome detective is entrusted with a secret mission from the queen herself that keeps him on his toes. While traveling to different towns to investigate the financial fraud that could negatively impact Britain's economy, he finds himself in challenging situations to complete this secret mission. The burning question on everyone's mind is, who exactly is The Heiress in Kent?

The Heiress in Kent, a historical mystery novel by Gregory Kopp, is a delightful and easy-to-read book. Kopp skillfully introduces several characters in the plot, including two based on his great-grandparents. He has portrayed the era and two different countries remarkably well and has also conveyed the challenging times faced by the characters to the reader in a touching manner. The financial difficulties that the characters experience are relatable to our current economic situation. Kopp has conducted extensive research on the eras and history of both Britain and America, which is evident from the detailed annexures containing references to some of the characters and other relevant information. The book is fast-paced, and not overly complicated. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey it took me on.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gregory Kopp is a 5-Star Reviewed Author, Graduate of Northwestern University and a Principal Consultant for Kopp Company, a privately held firm. Gregory is also a Talent Ambassador for The Walt Disney Company. The 5-Star acclaimed Kopp Chronicles series of novels have been nominated for Reader's Choice Awards and have received glowing reviews and been featured in “First Lines” of "BookLife Publishers Weekly", an international news website of book publishing and bookselling and in “Readers' Favorite”, the fastest growing book review and award contest site on the Internet, respected by publishers Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins. They have also received numerous "Cover of the Month" & "Book of the Day" Honors.

X Permission to publish the review.

You can learn more about Gregory Kopp and "The Heiress in Kent" at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/the-heiress-in-kent where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.

Website: https://www.tales2inspire.com

E-MAIL: tales2inspire2@gmail.com

WHY BREAK UPS ARE SO HARD - A READERS FAVORITE 5 STAR REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:00:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: WHY BREAKUPS ARE SO HARD: HOW WE CAN HELP

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Terry McNiff

GENRE: Nonfiction, Relationships, Parenting, Family Conflict, Self-Help

ISBN: 978-0983062776

PAGE COUNT: 413

PUBLISHER: Independent: JP Reammard Publishing

AMAZON LINK:

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Breakups-Are-So-Hard-ebook/dp/B0FCZRC1KK

REVIEWER: Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: X yes

THE REVIEW ITSELF:

Terry McNiff’s Why Breakups Are So Hard: How We Can Help explains how separation between parents can turn family life into a court-centered process that many people enter before they understand its consequences. Written for parents with children, the book presents one central message: adult conflict after a breakup can follow children for years, so parents need practical guidance before anger influences legal choices. McNiff shows how court procedures can confuse people already under stress, especially when hearings are delayed, money is withheld, accusations become public, and children are pulled into adult disputes. The book calls for earlier education through visual guidance that helps parents understand the consequences before conflict harms their children. It offers separated parents a way to see what conflict can cost before the damage spreads through the family.

Terry McNiff approaches Why Breakups Are So Hard with the voice of somebody who has spent years watching families walk into court with anger they have not yet learned how to manage. McNiff keeps bringing the reader back to one hard truth: children continue living inside the emotional climate adults create after separation. That idea gives the book its urgency. McNiff explains family court procedures in plain language that parents can use immediately during mediation conversations or custody preparation. A section on decision trees helps readers slow down before reacting impulsively during legal conflict. Another section shows parents how naming emotions can lower hostility before discussions spiral into personal attacks. Research concerning trauma plus brain function supports the practical advice throughout the guide. Parents entering separation proceedings will find useful direction here, especially when communication has become emotionally charged around children. Very highly recommended.

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/why-breakups-are-so-hard

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Terry McNiff began his career working with David Kagon, who won the original Marvin (palimony) case. Dave won his next palimony trial, with Terry assisting. Later, Dave persuaded Terry to co-write the local lawyers’ Reference Book chapter “Family Law Techniques and Trial Tips”. Terry revised the chapter yearly, striving to persuade lawyers and judges to better prepare and serve people forced into family court. Terry eventually realized he was failing to persuade judges and lawyers, but he wasn’t ready to give up.

Terry had learned that breakup grief and anger temporarily impaired parents, and court rigidity and structure encouraged conflict that overwhelmed parents. He created idea pictures of key issues clients faced — so they could see, focus, and refer to them whenever necessary. To help all separating couples, Terry created a visual guide, and later a reference guide, to show everyone why separating parents need our help, and how to help, for the sake of the children.

Author’s e-mail address.

tm@pictureyourdivorce.com

Attorney Author of 2 Award-Winning Breakup Guides:

1. Independent Press Award, Feathered Quill Award, & Pinnacle Book Award Winner Reference Guide:

Why Breakups Are So Hard: How We Can Help

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCZRC1Kamazon.com/Terry-McNiff

2. Global Ebook, National Indie Excellence, & USA Book News Best Books Awards Top 2-3 Award-Winning Visual Guide:

Picture Your Divorce Decisions

amazon.com/PictureYourDivorce

---International Conference on Multisensory Law, University of Zurich, Switzerland

3. “Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips” in LA County Bar Family Law Reference Book 1996-2020

Relationship Attorney & Counselor @ Law since 1983: 760-805-8081

Free Divorce/Separation Conflict-Reducing Videos @:

youtube.com/PictureYourDivorce/videos

ABOUT THENEWBOOKREVIEWBLOGSPOT ASSOCIATE, LOIS W. STERN

Lois W. Stern is an Associate at TheNewBookReviewBlogSpot and frequent contributor at Sharing With Writers.. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Gemstone Collection anthologies and six award winning Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. She is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire book with six of those award winning stories.

at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

REACHING OUT IN WAYS THAT MATTER - TRUE STORIES FROM TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE AGATE COLLECTION

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Tue, 1 Sep 2026 04:20:25 -0700

BOOK TITLE: Tales2Inspire ~ The Agate Collection

SUBTITLE; Stories of Reaching Out

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Anthology of Tales2Inspire Winning Authors

GENRE: Memoirs

ISBN: 979-8271835896

SERIES: Tales2Inspire Gem Collection anthologies

PAGE COUNT:116 pages

PUBLISHER: Independently published

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Tales2Inspire-Agate-Collection-Stories-Reaching/dp/B0FZ8T9S6T/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NVaKQz9oMj0alqVvFJKim4MSHvLSgmdEYIcCZMNN8c2XXEo2mGebK0_SSyB-sPTumAdi5vjAyjgSIbe__l5HxWedzWUWkH3ShXaX81diZArKq7HQZxY9ScR4KtSx5-7v4Qxd04BiaUAKwLqU6d4CdLDOVX91GOL2OvBgc3P1d20AsiE5EIylQ0KEpRIGSFdoG1VkfF6EEYDfeO6s6GOjO511D6ddSGehhszvPF9dppk.mC5vMCSs0iZGuvT7vU3BZpMaak8b7Nfv9NwQ1-yiYyA&dib_tag=se&keywords=Tales2Inspire+Collection&qid=1788263171&s=books&sr=1-1

REVIEWER’S NAME : Jorge Barboza

PERMISSION TO REPRINT X Yes

THE REVIEW ITSELF:

Tales2Inspire: The Agate Collection is a compact but powerful anthology built around one of humanity's most essential instincts: connection. The stories here span remarkable range. What unites them is that "reaching out" looks different in every story. Sometimes bold, sometimes anonymous, sometimes unexpected. That variety is precisely what makes this collection so affecting. These are award-winning stories for good reason: they earn their emotion honestly.

A beautifully human little book. Read it slowly.

By Jorge Barboza, Originally for Amazon.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lois W. Stern, TheNewBookReview Associate and Facilitator, is the founder, editor and contributor to Tales2Inspire, an 'Authors Helping Authors' project to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. As such, she has now published twelve award winning Tales2Inspire® treasured Gem Collection anthologies of her contest winners' stories. Lois is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire book with six of those award winning stories.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Jorge Barboza was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela in 1981, with a deep appreciation for his country's culture and Latin American history, which serves as a constant inspiration for his writings. As a young child, he cherished moments spent in a hammock by his grandfather's side, where he would regale him with stories while gently rocking him to sleep. His storytelling focused on the extraordinary achievements of ordinary individuals, and his narrative style influenced Jorge's own works, in aiming to provide readers with an uplifting, well-crafted, yet humble experience.

In 2007, Jorge was fortunate enough to win a Latin Grammy as a producer for the best music video, which opened doors for him to pursue his dreams in the USA, where he relocated in 2008. Since then, Jorge has had the honor of receiving recognition for his screenwriting, including being named a finalist and semifinalist in esteemed festivals such as Hollyshorts and Raindance.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Theresa Werba Shares Overview of Adam Sedia’s Poetry with SharingwithWriters Visitors and Subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Howard-Johnson) — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 18:38:00 -0700

The Zingers of Adam Sedia and the Voice of Ancient Egypt
A review by Theresa Werba

Metadata:

Title: “Elysium"

Author: Adam Sedia

Independently Published

ISBN: 979-8316796984

Released April 2025

Available at: https://a.co/d/0g1yWnAT

$12.00 paperback

76 pages

And other titles:

“The Spring’s Autumn" (May 2013), https://a.co/d/0bT8dkJj, available in paperback $12.00, and Kindle $2.99 ); and

"The Opening of the Mouth" (April, 2026), available in paperback https://a.co/d/008iQwpO, paperback

I have had the pleasure of reading the poetry of Adam Sedia for many years, and additionally had the pleasure of a face-to-face meeting at the SCP Symposium in New York in 2019. I have always been impressed with him as an uncommonly good poet and I am delighted to finally be able to share my thoughts and impressions of his work.

Sedia was the 2019 First Place winner of the Society of Classical Poets annual competition, having placed 2^nd in 2018. He has been long recognized and appreciated within the formal poetry community, and deserves to be more widely known. I do enjoy bringing attention to poets who might be more modest than their talent demands, and Adam Sedia is a poet I have been wanting to review for some time.

Sedia has the unique gift of employing what I call “Zingers”— a combination or interplay or juxtaposition of words which are so unique and unusual (and unusually good) that they just pop out at you. Not only is Sedia a careful, measured poet with extremely fine and precise diction, but he manages to combine commonly-used words in uncommon ways in addition to the “Zingers”, which elevate his writing to a whole new level. Although his Zingers are appreciated more powerfully and potently in their poetic context, you can take them out and enjoy them as a microcosm of great creativity and innovation on their own merit.

In his first publication, the 2013 The Spring’s Autum, Sedia begins with “Convocation”, a prayer for poetic inspiration:

“Let me bring order from chaos;

Let me shine light through the haze;

Let me build towering castles

To capture the wandering gaze.

Just as the smith hammers metal,

Just as the sculptor hews stone,

Just as the carpenter dresses,

I fashion a form of my own.

Give me my tools, my material:

Sound upon trembling lips,

Phantoms that dart though the mind-paths,

And serpentine contours of script.

Give them to me! I shall mold them

Not into mad disarray,

But into a dulcet gold clarion

That beautifies what I must say.

Thou, who first fashioned the cosmos

From the primeval abyss,

Gave it both order and meaning,

May I do likewise with this!”

This poem certainly would resonate with anyone writing formal poetry, for Sedia gives homage to “order and meaning” while eschewing “mad disarray”, an indictment of much of the vomitus and detritus that passes for contemporary “free verse” poetry today (I say this as a poet who write both formal poetry and free verse). The Zingers in this poem that resonate with me are: “Phantoms that dart though the mind-paths;” “serpentine contours of script”,and my musical favorite ,“a dulcet gold clarion.”

In “Death of Leviathan” we have the Zinger: “As its effusions ooze and churn”, while in “Two Volcanos” we have “a raging pyroclastic hell;” in “Nameless Fossil” we have “Paleozoic sludge” and in “February Snowfall” we have “opalescent fog”. Other Zingers I found noteworthy include “roseate orbs” in “Peonies;” “the years of torrid, fecund apogee” in “To September,” and “Stars now dot the blue Of the crepuscule” (which means the time between the beginning of the setting sun until sunset) in “Vespers; in “Two Cleansings” we have the highly memorable “So, too, the infant skin grew maculate.”

In “To the Stars” Sedia speaks to the stars like a kind of prayer, using the Zinger “Faint, feeble scintillations” which is starlight within an equally luminous poem:

“Night’s mantle drapes its sable folds, dyed deep

With trillion-mile-wide emptiness, bleak cloak

Encompassing all ages’ endless sweep.

You, myriads, hurl blinding, flame-born rays –

Faint, feeble scintillations once they poke

Through voids to meet a yearning, upward gaze.

Those crystal eyes stare out, indifferent

To this far-distant speck, just one perhaps

Of many whirring through the firmament.

You wind precession’s stately minuet

Of eons; your nocturnal circling wraps

Around the pole-star, confidently set.

But we spin giddily; you stand unswayed

By turbulent, primeval wind and flame

Of chaos where no end may be surveyed.

What comfort can you give? I long to view

Divine perfection far from earthly shame

And death, as bygone ages saw in you.

Immutable, irrefutable laws

That govern how your every atom moves,

Perhaps, were not decreed without a cause.

Your chaos yet is ordered: let that be

The only evidence I need that proves

My longing more than dreamy fantasy.”

Although I find Sedia’s poetry outstanding across the board, when he shares more of his personal, internal feelings, it is rendered very powerful by its restraint. No sloppy mush or saccharine, trite or maudlin sentimentality here! In the villanelle “Remembrance” we have a fine Zinger in “screaming gales of passion”:

“Remembrance haunts, persisting like a ghost;

It drains the soul and gnaws upon the heart,

For always we destroy what we love most.

We countenance too late, too late we boast

The lover in whose love we wished no part –

Remembrance haunts, persisting like a ghost.

The idol we adored, abject, engrossed,

Our screaming gales of passion tore apart,

For always we destroy what we love most.

The land we fled for a less hostile coast,

We pine for now, long since we dared depart –

Remembrance haunts, persisting like a ghost.

The gentle lamb we slaughter, carve and roast

Was yesterday our dearest counterpart,

For always we destroy what we love most.

And never can we resurrect the host

Of victims in our trail, despite our art;

Remembrance haunts, persisting like a ghost;

For always we destroy what we love most.”

Sedia’s 2025 Elysium is a collection of nature-oriented observations of sunsets, herons, sunrise, trees, plants, and even mushrooms. It is a careful observation of nature and a work which verily loves and honors it. It is especially rich in Zingers: “soft denouement of day” in the opening “Elysium;” “Shroud of all the simulacra/Masking the world to come” in “Incense;” “thorn-trees crisscrossed shadows” as well as “Clash of cloying sights and sounds” in “In Urbe Hortus;” “curved sextuple petals” in “The gift of Lillies;” “Smashed, stinking remnants” along with “Consumed consuming unto pang-wracked death” in “Mushrooms;” “demons from the cloaca of hell;” “curvaceous ochre gyre”in “To a Conch Shell’” and probably my favorite, “Botryoidal puffs shining white” in “Love and Vipers.”

My favorite poem in the collection is “The Poet’s Spirit”, a sonnet in memory to a distant ancestral relative, the Italian poet Alceste De Lollis:

“Across two centuries’ and an ocean’s span,

You born to Dante’s, I to Shakespeare’s tongue,

Our blood unites us, scions of one clan,

Whose forebears Horace entertained in song.

But more than blood spans distance, tongue, and time:

The flame, the spirit that all poets share—

The ear attuned to music, rhythm, and rhyme;

The eye aware of beauty everywhere.

And in it Truth, eternal, changeless, clear;

The mind that can extract the hidden good.

These unseen bonds of spirit draw us near—

More than mere blood and surname ever could.

Through blood will perish, spirit never dies,

And thus is where our truest kinship lies.”

If I myself were related to any great poet of the past, I could not imagine having captured my reverence, sentiment, and sense of connection to a poet across history and time better than this sonnet of Adam Sedia.

It was a very interesting and refreshing experience to read Adam Sedia’s latest collection The Opening of the Mouth. Long admiring his talents, this book surprises me and delights me in still being Adam Sedia but his presenting himself through an innovative approach through a novel idiom. In this collection of love poems and hymns, he has reached back to Ancient Egypt for inspiration. “It started as an experiment,” Sedia explains, “to see how well a contemporary American mind could express itself in a voice so far removed its experience.” That we still write sonnets from Italy, villanelles from France, pantoums from Malaysia and haikus from Japan is testament to the versatility and resilience of poetic forms engendered in other countries and cultures. It was so satisfying to see what Sedia can do with such a challenge before him— he has come through with flying colors. He captures what he calls the “strange beauty” of the idiom, particularly in how “simple” and yet how “powerful” it is.

In referencing the 1920s work Ancient Egyptian Poetry and Prose by Adolf Erman, Sedia explains that Egyptian poetry makes particular used of “parallelism of its members.” This involves stating an idea and then restating it a different way in the following line. This technique has “parallels” in ancient Babylonian and even Hebrew poetry—the psalms are replete with parallelisms. The poetry is structured by 2-4 short lines of unrhymed verse in a stanza, with 2-4 accented syllables per line. Stanzas may repeated lines from previous stanzas. The lines will have the characteristic parallelisms, along with the use of alliteration. Sedia also made the choice to employ English archaisms such as “thy”, “thee”, and “thine”; he states that this “conveyed a wonderfully otherworldly sense of the antiquity of the style and the elevated language used for poetry in the ancient world.” Though Ancient Egyptian poetry employs the use of “paronomasia”, the use of puns on the names of objects, Sedia did not choose to use paronomasia in this collection, citing translation difficulties. He did find English well-suited to the alliterative nature of Egyptian poetry, noting that this has been a feature of English poetry since the dawn of our language. He also establishes at the outset that although he is Catholic, he seeks to write in a “thoroughly pagan voice” while avoiding “sacrificing either personal devotion or sincerity.” What he claims to sacrifice, however, is “some faithfulness” to the original style. His goal is to “seek a common humanity” in his use of this idiom, feeling that “the poems lose nothing” by his choice to omit overt references to pagan gods. In its stead, he does reference Duat (the Egyptian netherworld) and the gods, but does not offer praise to them, noting that many Egyptian texts are not “overtly religious” to begin with. He then provides us with a collection love poems, along with a shorter collection of “hymns” which “mourn for the dead in a borrowed voice from that long-vanished world.” I have a lot of respect for any writer or poet who nonetheless is open to expression and revelation in forms or styles outside his or her tradition or comfort zone.

I found Sedia’s love poems in this collection to be among the most exquisite I have ever read. There is definitely an echo of the past which permeates the reading experience— I felt like I had a window into a world very different from my own, and yet being surprised at how similar the emotions and observations expressed were to my own today. I truly felt transported to sand and sun, the Nile and the Sphinx and the pyramids, while at the same time feeling a surprising resonance of truth within the memories of my own experiences.

Take, for example, love poem “II”:

“Thy flesh is of glimmering gold,

Gleaming like the morning sun.

And thy hair is of lapis lazuli,

Lustrous, of heavenly hue.

Thy lips are of polished carnelian;

They are red like hills of jasper.

Thy teeth are of whitest ivory,

Of silver glowing like the moon.

How precious thou art, O exalted one!

How precious, delight of mine eye!

Established forever among the holy ones,

Enduring like the gods of Duat.”

We immediately see the alliterations in “glimmering gold,/Gleaming”, “lapis lazuli,/Lustrous,” “heavenly hue”, along with the parallelisms of “glimmering/gleaming” (words doing double duty!), “whitest ivory”/”silver glowing like the moon”, “Established/Enduring.” While not “Zingers” in the sense which he employs them in his more traditional poetry, he nevertheless provokes us withimagery— the use of earthly elements—gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian, ivory, silver, to give us an unusual mental image of his colorfully rendered “exalted one”. I also find the reference to Durat to provide that echo from the past which for me, brings ancient Egypt right to the forefront of my mind.

I also found love song “IV” to be subtly erotic and very beautiful:

“Thy breath is like the lotus,

Like the lotus, sweet of scent,

Perfuming the twilight air.

Wafting its fragrance towards the stars.

When I smell my evening lotus,

When I inhale her sumptuous breath,

I reel, drunk with wine,

I stagger like a raving madman.

And how I long for more!

How I am rapt with that scent,

With the fragrances that rises through evening,

The sweetness that softens the dusk.”

The repetition of “like the lotus” is both alliterative and creates the parallelism of the first two lines. Other parallelisms of “perfuming/wafting”, “smell/inhale,” “reel/stagger”, “long for/rapt”, “fragrances/sweetness” combine with imagery of his love as a lotus, in an erotic, subtle tenderness.

What also strikes me as particularly arresting in this form is the lack of rhyme. We expect this absence from free verse, or blank verse—but here is unrhymed poetry, in a very ancient style, held together through other structural elements. For me, it gives the poems an eerie quality, a sense of something old and far away, like the sound in the echo of a memory. Somehow the absence of rhyme only causes the ear to draw even more fully to the alliteration and parallelisms inherent in this form. Moreover, what we are given in these poems in the Ancient Egyptian style are not the “Zingers” of Sedia’s traditional poetry, but something like the difference between an oil painting and a watercolor: the oils are “Zingers”; the Egyptian love poems are rendered in a quieter, almost softer register, much as watercolors are subtle, reflective, and often very tenderly rendered.

I found that it is best to savor each of Adam’s poems in “The Opening of the Mouth” as one would a dessert of rich fudge or mousse, paired with a fine espresso, best enjoyed slowly, and mindfully, letting the unfolding of the reading experience also be an end unto itself. It is in the measured and almost otherworldly approach to this collection that one begins to see in the mind’s eye the Nile, Sphynx, and pyramids, and the universality of human experience across the aeons.

I have given the reader a glimpse of the treasures in the poetry of Adam Sedia, from his first collection to his latest collection. In between, there is Heights and Depths (2024), Visions Beyond (2018) and Inquietude (2016). Many volumes to choose from, and I encourage any lover of excellent poetry to download or get a hard copy of at least one of his works. I have endeavored to give an overview of Sedia’s range and capabilities. He brings novel innovation combined with careful diction and a measured form of passion that it is truly the mark of a virtuoso poet. Sedia deserves to be more widely known and fully appreciated for the truly great American poet that he is. I hope you will join me and others who have been treated to his Zingers, and his mysteries inspired by the ancient Land of the Nile!!!

More About Adam Sedia is the author of six books of poetry: The Spring’s Autumn (2013), Inquietude (2016), Visions Beyond(2108), Heights and Depths (2024), Elysium (2025) and his newly-released collection The Opening of the Mouth(2026). His poems, essays, and fiction have appeared in various literary journals, including the SCP Journal. He was the First Place Winner of the 2019 Society of Classical Poets International Poetry Competition. He is also a composer, and his musical works may be heard on his YouTube channel. He lives in his native Northwest Indiana and practices law as a civil and appellate litigator.

More About Reviewer Theresa Werba

Werba is the author of eight books, including What Was and Is: Formal Poetry and Free Verse and Sonnets, collection in Shakespearean, Petrarchan, and Spenserian forms, which will be published in a revised and expanded edition of 100 sonnets in 2027. Her work has appeared numerous journals and online publications, including the SCP Journal. She has appeared as a guest on Classical Poets Live with Andrew Benson Brown where she discusses rhythm and harmony in poetry. She is contributing writer for Classical Singer Magazine. Werba’s background as a Classical singer informs her dramatic poetry readings and she may be found on Youtube at @theresawerba and on social media@thesonnetqueen. Her website is www.theresawerba.com.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG

NewBookReview associate Lois W. Stern is the silver circle associate in charge of review submissions and the one who keeps services offered on this blog to authors free with her AuthorsHelpingAuthors projects. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icons in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page, or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. (WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of this blog, so try it using your desktop!)

Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator.

Find other writer-related blogs at SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com and #FrugalSmartTuned-InEditor.blogspot.com. Learn more about the team using our frequent hashtags: #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing and Carolyn’s website, HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

#TheNewBookReview’s founder Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s

most recent poetry book.

Honored by Writers’ Digest.

Review for Beyond Luna : The Weirdest Book Series Out There

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Sat, 8 Aug 2026 06:15:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: Beyond Luna – Volume 1 – H 2 LiftShips

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Bob Freeman

GENRE: SciFi ISBN: 978-1-64456-237-6

SERIES: Volumes 1 to 5

SERIES PAGE COUNT: 122,000

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.h2liftship.com/purchasepage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WHN4PN6 https://books2read.com/u/3n8zd9 THE REVIEW ITSELF: (Including reviewer’s byline, of course!:

THE REVIEW ITSELF: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Reviewed in Germany on January 23, 2024

THE MOST UNIQUE AND WEIRDEST BOOK SERIES OUT THERE

Although it’s January and the beginning of the year, I think it’s fairly safe to say that I’ve found the most unique and weirdest book series out there. Everyone has read some sci-fi, everyone has seen at least one space opera book or TV show. You kind of think you know what to expect, right? If you’re told that this is a sci-fi- themed book, you think you kind of know what the writings going to be like, right? Haha, no, wrong! You think you know how books are usually written, right? Like, how the plot and story are going to unfold, right? Yes, you have read a zillion books and you think you’ve seen it all, and rightly so, right? Haha, no, wrong again! Enter Bob. Bob Freeman. This weirdo has written a book that’s a book but isn’t a book, that’s a book series but isn’t a book series, he has written *something* that’… I’m not sure if there’s a genre for it. How do you label a book that’s written as an… instruction manual? Me? Read it. Was surprised.

Took a break. Read book 2. Took a break. Read book 3. Took a break. Read book 4. Now? I’m still surprised. I’m feeling seriously entertained now when I’m thinking about how to describe it. I feel like this dude wrote a book that made himself cackle and giggle and laugh out loud. It feels like he wrote a book that he wished he could read. I feel like he wrote this book series because this was exactly what he felt the world was missing. After all, it was something he himself wanted to read but couldn’t find. Am I right? I’ve no clue. But he’s done it, the books are there, he’s written them and they’re strangely unique and unique fun. The language is quirky, it’ spicy, but the spice isn’t your traditional one – it’s sciency/made up sciency spicy, and it most definitely blurs all the lines of what sci-fi should be. Does it make sense? I’m not sure. But it’s weird and I’m here for it. You most definitely have to have this weird and weirdly spicy sense of humor to enjoy it, and you need to have a lot of geeky, nerdy, and sciency genes in you. If you ever start feeling like you’ve read it all, or if you meet someone who says they’ve read it all – nope, they haven’t, unless they’ve read at least one of those books. Seriously. If you read those, then you may proclaim to be certified in having read it all. Maybe. Maybe not. See for yourself. See more reviews at: https://www.h2liftship.com/reviewsbeyondluna

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bob Freeman is a talented author with wide-ranging interests who uses his scientific expertise to create an epic five-volume space opera series. Drawing inspiration from Star Wars and Star Trek, he has created a space-faring society devoid of the over-used tropes of Faster- Than-Light travel, transporters, flaming swords, or aliens. Bob is storyteller with broad interests as seen in his diverse short stories with themes ranging from cats to microbiology to solar flares and time travel. The outer space stories are aimed at a young adult audience and are driven by science, with no need for magic. Fans of the books follow Captain Graciela Lourdes on her solar sail cargo ship and her crew of mutated animals as they navigate challenges using only their wits, skills, and luck. Bob encourages the reader to consider the science behind the story-lines, offering both entertainment and education as they explore new horizons through the books. Bob traveled his own path to become an author. Higher education started at UCLA, where he spent more time in Yosemite than a freshman college student should. His education track led to Humboldt State College (now called Cal-Poly Humboldt) where he worked on a Department of Commerce grant studying anaerobic bacteria in lignin waste and prepping the pathogenic and nursing bacteriology teaching labs. His experience at UCLA enabled Bob to turn a two-year Masters degree program into a four-year educational jaunt, with many side trips to surrounding wilderness areas. Forced by extenuating circumstances, he found work in the California desert at the Imperial County Public Health Laboratory, eventually retiring as the Laboratory Directory after 18 years. He also took a year to work at the San Francisco City and County Public Health Lab during the height of the first HIV epidemic. Notable accomplishments at Imperial County included working with the Jurisdiccion Sanitaria No. 1, Servicios Coordinados de Salud Publica, Baja California, Mexico, on cross-border Tuberculosis drug susceptibility, conducting a Chlamydia study for field workers and a study on the SLE (Saint Louis Encephalitis) virus. Bob was a team member on a study for the Needs Assessment of Tuberculosis Laboratories' in Peru, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Bob has a long history of scientific writing, manuals for use in the laboratory and for his Laboratory Information Management Software (LIMS) company, BtB Software, LLC. He has an extensive computer background, beginning with 8-inch dual floppy disc computers running CP/M to SQL/Azure. He began writing Sci-fi in 2021 at the tender age of 70 and is finishing his fifth volume of the H2LiftShip saga. He has published numerous short stories and has just released TimeWall #39; Bob Freeman lives in Northern California with his wife and a pair of Australian Shepherds. His books are available from the regular e-book retailers and signed copies can be found on the author’s website as well as links to his published short stories.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

A GEM OF A REVIEW: JORGE BARBOZA MAKES THIS BOOK SHINE!

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 03:30:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE DIAMOND COLLECTION - SEREIS VI

AUTHORS OF BOOK: 28 Contest Winning Authors

GENRE: Anthology, Memoir

ISBN: 979-8271640995

SERIES: #6

PAGE COUNT: 237 pages

PUBLISHER: Amazon.com

AMAZON BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Tales2Inspire-Diamond-Collection-VI/dp/B0FZR84VNN/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NVaKQz9oMj0alqVvFJKim-ViK8z1jTpkmOesPhU2Wk5K5ZRJXEwAfz7hwm5RgJc-H7OU4nlMlQHwlkbCJB64xoSfn7Yz02aCtA7YQ4mvp0cpVjmyY23s7yMY3IEbdrwDZlUZl6tHX7aScjItPTht4upX9kGSxEvhS6ZZy5lxx_05CXLOPFejQKgPfshx-UiaCLe7cFzVfXPgCdoL_Esz3OCfRaEir2gweCs1z4VRKmI.fW-dZMC6jbY7whkDA5GHHFdhaTxPJTRViZYul70Crto&dib_tag=se&keywords=Tales2Inspire+Collection&qid=1780398638&s=books&sr=1-2

REVIEWER’S NAME: Jorge Barboza

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: X Yes

THE REVIEW ITSELF:

Tales2Inspire: The Diamond Collection – Series VI is exactly what its title promises — a sparkling gathering of real lives, real courage, and real heart. This collection reminded me why true stories often outshine fiction: no novelist could invent the journey of three friends driving a rebuilt Model T Ford from Venezuela to Michigan, or the quiet magic of a horse healing a grieving child, or an educator stitching entire worlds into puppets to light up classrooms across the globe.

What makes this anthology special is the community behind it. These are stories that earned their place — voted on, championed, and celebrated by fellow writers who recognized something worth sharing. That process shows in the quality. Every piece feels purposeful, every voice distinct.

By Jorge Barboza, originally for Amazon.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

When offered a retirement incentive too good to pass up, I ended my professional career as the reading/writing coordinator for the Department of Special Education in a prominent Long Island school district. But I had loved my work and worried about what i would do to fill my days ahead with equal fulfillment. So after those twenty-one years as an active educator, I continued to pursue my love of writing, soon becoming co-editor of a popular Long Island web-zine. As I created and authored my column, Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives, I solidified my special niche of investigative journalism, putting those same talents to work while writing Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery. I secured a contract with a NY literary agent, who was sure this book would take off and fly. But to our utter dismay, it was rejected, with the explanation, "She doesn't have enough of an author platform" (Honestly, I didn't even know the meaning of that term at the time.) But then I began to think, "There must be tons of talented writers out there who haven't been given a chance. Why don't I create an "Authors Helping Authors" project. With that brainstorm in mind, I initiated Tales2Inspire® in 2012, never dreaming it would grow in such strength and numbers as it has.

I work with a passion to deliver exactly what I envisioned and am thrilled to be able to help other talented writers build stronger author platforms. I continually strive to find new and innovative ways to strengthen their opportunities for discovery.

Tales2Inspire® has opened a whole new chapter in my life, and hopefully in the lives of many others.

Website: https://www.tales2inspire.com

E-MAIL: tales2inspire2@gmail.com

ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Jorge Barboza is a writer born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, on September 7th, 1981. He has a deep appreciation for his country's culture and Latin American history, which inspires his writing. His stories often focus on real-life accounts of ordinary individuals who achieve remarkable accomplishments, but he also enjoys dabbling in thrillers. In 2007, Jorge was fortunate enough to win a Latin Grammy as a producer for the best music video, which paved the way for him to move to the USA in 2008. Since then, he has received some recognition for his screenwriting, having been named a finalist and semifinalist in festivals such as Hollyshorts and Raindance.

MORE ABOUT #TheNewBookReview Associate, Lois W. Stern

Lois W. Stern is an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an #AuthorsHelpingAuthors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. She is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

Learn more about my FREE "Authors helping Authors" Contest HERE.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Howard-Johnson) — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 22:49:00 -0700

UP Reader

Genre: Literary Journal

10th Anniversary Edition

Subtitle: Bringing Upper Michigan Literature to the World

Published by UPPAA Writers Group

Publisher: Victor Volkman President UPPAA

ISBN: 979-8-89656-120-0

All ten issues may be ordered at upreader.org/comprehensive-index.

Available in paperback ($25.95), hard cover, e-book, and audio

Notice special free e-book offer for

#TheNewBookReview subscribers and visitors.

Learn more at www.UPReader.com

Proceeds for sales support UPPAA, a non-profit corporation.

Reviewed and adapted from an article for Karen Cioffi’s #WritersontheMove
with #FrugalBookPromoterTips by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi award-winning novelist, poet, and author
of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

This large paperback/hardcover/e-book was independently published to achieve several goals of the UPPAA Writers Group in the far North of Michigan. I will be recommending it to my book marketing clients and thought I’d could call it a how-to on self-publishing as part of a book marketing campaign rather than a review regardless of how the author has chosen to publish the book he/she/they are publishing for use on my blog.

Participants on this blog might recall I started this “New” approach to a review blog because as a journalist there is an ethical element involved. Because I (and much of the academic and media worlds closely connected with the publishing industry) eschews reviewing because by its very nature suggests that it’s very nearly impossible for a paid-for review (or one that is too closely related to the author or book bringing reviewed) to be “honest and fair.” In fact, it’s one of the reasons that Amazon rejects reviews that appear to be written by reviewers who fit in either category. It’s their policy to provide only “honest and fair” reviews on their site.

But please don't go away. It’s a review, too! And I’ll use bullets so you can see how to use this US Reader as a model for a rarely used approach to marketing campaigns. I’ll also tell you how to get a freebie so you can give yourself a break from chasing the brightest media stars with few results. And this independently published journal is literary so you’ll find darn good reading here which is likely to introduce you to part of our good old USA you know little or nothing about.

UP Reader is named after a writer’s organization called UPPAA (Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association) in upper Michigan that happens to be a substantial literary journal like the ones that so many authors submit their work to, often with few if any results. The issue I have is a concept that’s designed to:

1. celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of the sponsoring writers’ group; in this case it’s it’s the 10^th anniversary of this literary journal.

2. bring “Upper Michigan Literature to the World” with a “special edition honoring the Spirit of Mackinac Island.”

3. to expose more than seventy of their writers’ works and the work they do to educate writers to an audience beyond Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

An anthology, UP READERS is published by Modern History Press. It takes only a first glance at the cover to see how to put this idea to work for your personal needs or for a literary/writing centered group you belong to.

Here are some of what this anniversary project achieves, but you might think of others. Each of their ten issues is different:

~It features the top 3 winning submissions to UPPAA’s Dandelion Short Story Contest that recognizes young writers from Upper Michigan area of the United States in grades 6 to 8 (Junior division) and 9 to 12 (Senior division).

~Royalties from the UP Reader supports UPPAA’s operating costs, and educational efforts like the UP Notable Books Club and Young Writers Storytelling Workshop that aim to showcase northern Michigan life from the Keweenaw to the Soo and from Menominee to Ironwood, but it could be adapted to support your career efforts no matter what they might be or where they exist.

~Though it offers works and the voices of authors of this far-flung area, it is also mindful of the broad tastes for readers by publishing genres from speculative to historic fiction and poetry to nonfiction, thus making it great reading for naturally curious readers everywhere.

~It uses backmatter effectively including a “history” of the nine previous editions/issues and images of the Readers’ covers using glorious CineYooper Color. (What will you name you’re the color you use for the cover—inside, out, or both?)

~Interested reviewers are invited to spread the word about this anthology and the sponsoring group with its inclusive platform and open membership requirements. To receive a free paperback ARC of this newest edition contact Victor Volkman president@uppaa.org. If you haven’t time for a review, Victor also says, “…I would be happy to send a freebie of the e-book version of UP Reader Volume 1" to serve anyone anywhere!”

§ Learn more about UPPAA and membership www.UPPAA.org. And experience a zoom keynote I did for this generous group on YouTube on great ways to avoid Imposter Syndrome and other debilitating fears that plague writers like fear of marketing.(I first learned of Imposter Syndrome in Psychology Today when I was preparing that presentation sharing ways writers can avoid that debilitating condition as well as writers’ block and just plain moments of depression familiar to many who work with only a computer as a companion.) It’s one of those slick trade magazines with targeted distribution we authors love to query with our ideas for free ink mentioned in this article above!)

I also plan to use it as on my list of Top Ten Hidden Gems, magazines that are more accessible than the more competitive supermedia publications that we authors are familiar with. If we never pitch our books for reviews or feature stories about ourselves as an author or some other related topic to more accessible publications, we might never get the recognition we need to succeed in our pursuits of those brighter stars and, sadly, never experience the opportunities they all offer in the meantime. When we build our lists with readers and media in new regions (and among new demographics), we expand on the possibilities for own work. Sometimes we need to reread our own books in search for possible topics that would appeal to new audiences. Here are some to consider including some free copies that might already get delivered to your USPS PO box just because you do business with the business that uses magazines to promote their own businesses!

§ Westways is distributed free only to AAA members. It lands in the mailboxes of over five million readers, far exceeding some of the more avidly pursued journals and trade magazines authors tend to query for reviews, feature stories, and even to publish their own book- or author-related articles.

§ Sierra Club and a variety of other charities distribute beautifully designed publications you will be proud to appear in.

§ AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) sends genuinely helpful periodicals to their members in huge quantities and yes, many are made of real paper, exude bragging rights, and provide moments that inspire. You could be one of their stars.

§ The periodicals that come to us from our alma maters work the same way. (And yearbooks across the nation cater to avid local readers; you might be impressed—and surprised!—with the literature assigned to their senior-year English classes!)

§ Don’t forget to offer your talents to the free newspapers (known as throwaways!) you find stacked in racks in front of bookstores, drugstores, and our favorite restaurants.

§ The organizations that you have touched as a writer probably have online newsletters, often chock full of writing tips and writing news and might be open to featuring you and your suitable idea for a regular column or occasional article.

§ Generally we writers are curious travelers and our experiences can often relate in some way to our last book…or our next.

§ Don’t neglect possible Opinion pieces (my Los Angeles Times calls them “Voices") on the Op-Ed page. These pieces always include a byline and usually a credit line with the title of you book linked to your website. They usually pay for exclusive content.

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S #TheNewBookReview Blogger

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a multi award-winning author of fiction and poetry but is best known for her how-to-books for writers. Find all of that series in one place on Amazon, but it’s her poetry that addresses the ills of cultures across the world. Imperfect Echoes is her Writers’ Digest honored book. Self-published in the tradition of poets since the advent of the Gutenberg press, it defies #bookbigoty as well other biases we are experiencing after a period—decades—of progress on that front. Find a laudatory review by Jim Cox, editor-in-chief of The Midwest Book Review, and its Amazon buy page at https://tinyurl.com/ImperfectEchoes.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG

Image a gift from Award-Winning Author

Gene Cartwright

Carolyn Wilhelm has been our IT expert since the inception of this blog, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books.

Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

SEND US ONE MARKETING TIP THAT'S WORKED FOR YOU: ONE MORE WAY TO GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE AS AN AUTHOR OF TALENT

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:12:52 -0700

Do your have one successful marketing tip to share with your fellow authors, publicists and book marketers? Just send it to me at carolynhjohnson@icloud.com with the words "My fave marketing tip" in the subject line, using the format below. We will publish your tip and give a special award as the WINNER OF THE YEAR to the one which receives the greatest number of views that year.

Hi, I'm Lois W. Stern, Associate here at Carolyn's wonderful blogs.

We all know that even the best of books won’t go far without some good marketing behind them, so how about sending us your FAVE marketing tip, using the form below. That’s a big deal for you ‘cause, with so many eyeballs focused on your idea, it gives you one more opportunity to highlight your accomplishments as an Author, Editor, Publisher or Marketing guru.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR FAVE MARKETING TIP:

To make the submission process easier, first copy and paste the template below to help you gather all your data. Then I will post it for FREE on my blogs.

TEMPLATE for SUBMITTING a FAVE MARKETING TIP

YOUR NAME:

YOUR CREDENTIALS:: How you want to be known

(Author, Publicist, Editor , Marketing guru . . .)

TITLE(S) OF BOOK(S) YOU SUCCESSFULLY MARKETED:

MARKETING TIP ITSELF, of course!

IMAGES: Please include JPEG IMAGES of your choice, (ie Your logo, Your photo, Anything that helps define you and the book you marketed). Kindly send each with an identifying caption,

ABOUT YOU, THE MARKETING GURU: With Optional Biography/credit line.

(Don’t be shy. This is your opportunity to let readers know of all your wonderful accomplishments.)

YOUR FAVE LINKS:

YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS: ____________________________

Do you want this email to be included with your marketing tip?

___ Yes ___ NO

LAST CHECK: NITTY GRITTY BUT IMPORTANT PUBLISHING STUFF

YOUR SUBMISSION WILL INCLUDE:

Your name as submitter of this marketing tip.

Title of book you are marketing.

Actual marketing tip.

Permission to print your marketing tip

Photos of your choice in JPEG format.

Caption to identify each submitted photo.

Note #1: If you would like to quote a testimonial or blurb of twenty-five words or under at the end of your marketing tip, please feel free to do so.

If you need help editing blurbs, read Carolyn’s “The Frugal Editor” using the Index to find appropriate entries.

SEND YOUR SUBMISSION TO LOIS W. STERN AT TALES2INSPIRE2@GMAIL.COM WITH THE WORDS "FAVE MARKETING TIP IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Review of HIDEBOUND, a SCI-FI THRILLER

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:24:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: HIDEBOUND

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Joy V. Smith

GENRE: Science fiction (Adult content)

ISBN: 979-8-224-23122-5

PAGE COUNT: 68

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Hidebound-Joy-V-Smith-ebook/dp/B005ICFOHY/ref=sr_1_1crid=XXB8DP05ZA1A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5um1Y3ysXTMdSnF1eH7WOlcxnZyPgclgEEPjQGzCno.Viazmj20hxdMedfr7OfeHGBf1muXe3IpfJDIyomTv9w&dib_tag=se&keywords=Hidebound+by+Joy+v+smith&qid=1774341491&s=books&sprefix=hidebound+by+joy+v+smith%2Cstripbooks%2C120&sr=1-1

THE REVIEW ITSELF:

by Vincent Miskell

Permission granted 03-22-26

Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2011

5.0 out of 5 stars

Coming of Age on a Deadly Planet

Format: Kindle

Fissa's desire for independence, leaving the safety of her home planet to travel space on her cousin's ship, the St. Catherine, may be her first and final adventure. The ship is attacked, and she crash-lands in a shuttle on a planet covered with carnivorous vegetation. Now her life is in the hands of Ferenc, an alien humanoid with strange physical powers. Will he abandon her, force himself upon her, or continue to save her as they journey over deadly terrain? Under the constant threat of death and with a growing attraction for the enigmatic humanoid, Fissa must grow up fast and make some life-altering choices. Joy V. Smith has deftly combined science fiction adventure with romance, realistically exploring an emotional and physical relationship between human and humanoid.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joy V. Smith has been writing stories since she was little; she made her own little books. Her stories and articles have been published in print magazines, ezines, and anthologies; and her SF has been published in two audiobooks, including Sugar Time (also in print). Her books include Detour Trail; Strike Three; Well Met by Water; Velvet of Swords; Cold New Planet; Crystal Quest; a collection of her published short stories, The Doorway and Other Stories. She lives in Florida with Samwise Gamgee, a Chihuahua cross, and Pemberley, the tortoiseshell cat,

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

ADDING ANOTHER FEATHER TO YOUR CAP AS AN AUTHOR OF TALENT

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 03:04:43 -0700

ENTER THIS NO FEE CONTEST

FROM TALES2INSPIRE®

Check out these value added features:

Critiques from 3 fellow authors
Opportunity to revise entry based on critiques and resubmit
Each winners gets:

Story published in a new Tales2Inspire gem anthology
Dedicated full page in book to tout each author’s other accomplishments
Full screen teaser about each author’s winning story on theTales2Inspire website
Story and author featured as a permanent blog article on the Tales2Inspire website
Story and author featured on a rotating basis in the Tales2Inspire monthly newsletter and linked to the blog posting

And did I mention that all of this is free?

So this is my invitation to you:

If you'd like to learn more about participating in the Tales2Inspire 2026 contest, just CLICK HERE (or copy and paste https:/www.tales2inspire.com/contest-2 into your browser), for all posted details.

Each Tales2Inspire winner gains another feather in their cap as an author of talent!

ABOUT THE CREATOR OF TALES2INSPIIRE:

Lois W. Stern is an Associate at TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six award winning Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. She is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Lois W. Stern Offers Writers A Fresh New Approach to Getting Reviews for Your Books

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0700

A Fresh New Approach to Getting Reviews for Your Book

BY LOIS W. STERN

Hi, I'm Lois W. Stern here, your Associate at Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s THE NEW BOOK REVIEW BLOG. I have a fresh new idea for those of you who originally submitted data about your books, hoping to attract a reviewer or two for your book(s) As you know, that project laid a goose egg, so we have moved on

I just initiated a mini review writing contest for Tales2Inspire, which I want to share with you, so that you can adapt it to initiate your own mini review contest.

Here is my opening pitch

Write a meaningful mini review for any of the Tales2Inspire books (even a review of 25 words works). Add a catchy title and submit your mini review to this contest, along with the following.

A brief bio
Your headshot photo
URLs to any of your relevant links, (i.e.social media, website, etc.)
Your book cover(s) or other object unique to you, to add to your personal banner (as pictured below).

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Here are the payoffs I offer my Tales2Inspire reviewers, but you will need to adapt the words in green font below for your book review campaign:

👉 Carolyn Howard-Johnson will select the winning reviews, posting them on The NewBookReview blog, and highlighting the reviewer for their achievement.

👉 Each winner will receive a personal banner to use as they wish for all their promotional needs.

👉 Each contest winner's review will end with an About the Reviewer section with the reviewer's bio, headshot and reviewer's preferred links included.

👉 I will feature each contest winning reviewer in my Tales2Inspire newsletter.

* NOTE: I am fortunate to be working with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, so she will be selecting my Tales2Inspire mini review contest winners and highlighting them on her TheNewBookReview blog. If you are replicating this project, try to connect with someone to work with you that might lend authenticity to your project. And if you have a newsletter, that's another good place to thank the reviewer.)

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tips for structuring your contest

👉 Think of a way that you can honor your winners. Do you have a blog, website, newsletter, Twitter or Facebook page? Promise them some payoff and follow through.

👉 If you can get a respected author or other person of note to select your contest winners, it will add authenticity to your contest.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tell your readers how to submit their mini reviews

👉 Provide the name and email address of the person to whom the reviewer should submit their review.

(Reviews for any of the Tales2Inspire books should be sent to Carolyn at: hojonews@gmail.com with a CC to me at tales2inspire2@gmail.com.)

👉 Tell them to put the words Mini Review Contest in the subject line.

👉 Remind them to include the following items with their mini review:

A brief bio
Their headshot photo
The URL to any of their relevant links, (i.e.social media, website, etc.)

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tips for writing a winning mini-review

👉 Write a catchy heading for your review in 10 words or less. (HINT: Use strong words for your title as that is what other readers will see first, and sometimes the only part they read. So make it pop!)

👉 Sincerity counts. Give the book the number of stars you think it deserves.

(1 is the lowest score, 5 is the highest. A 5-star rating means that you really liked the book, 4 stars means it was very good, 3 stars, just okay, etc. ).

👉 Answer a few of questions about the book you are reviewing. (I make this easy for reviewers by including Book Discussion Questions at the end of each of my Tales2Inspire books, but you can always ask the author to send you some questions as suggestions of topics they would like you to address.)

👉 End your review with your actual name, not a pseudonym. Readers will take more notice of your words if written by a person with an authentic name.

👉 Finally, read over your review to correct any errors before pressing that submit button.

👉 If possible, post your mini review on Amazon, 'cause short reviews count just as much as detailed long ones when Amazon displays the total number of reviews a book has received.

👉 But even if for some reason Amazon rejects your review, we can still post it 0n Amazon's Editorial Reviews section, (according to their guidelines), and that's a big deal. Here's why:

Your Editorial Review

Although Amazon no longer counts Editorial Reviews toward the total number of reviews a book receives, those Editorial Reviews do something super good for the reviewer! Along with your review, we will include your relevant credentials (i.e. author of, or other pertinent info). And as you already know, Amazon is a great place for wide exposure without costing you a dime!

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

About the Author:

Lois W. Stern is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in many varied venues. She has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured anthologies of her contest winners' stories. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help authors on their paths to discovery.

Lois created her Tales2Inspire® ‘Authors Helping Authors’ project in 2012, helping hundreds of talented newbies and seasoned authors alike enhance their visibility. Click here to learn more about entering her annual no fee Tales2Inspire contest. That’s right, it’s free! What emerges from these annual contests are highly professional anthologies of inspirational memoirs. Fans of Chicken Soup for the Soul are particularly enamored of Tales2Inspire® books, because aside from being expertly crafted, inspirational memoirs, they are filled with original photos to further enhance the power of each story. Lois invites interested readers to get a FREE Tales2Inspire® sampler book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts and visit Lois at these Media Marketing sites:

Website: https://www.tales2Inspirel.com

Spend some media marketing time with Lois at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tales2inspire2

About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Review for Bob Rich's Inspirational Book, The Hole in Your Life: Grief and Bereavement

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 27 May 2026 14:09:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: The Hole in Your Life: Grief and Bereavement AUTHOR OF BOOK: Bob Rich, PhD

GENRE: Psychology self-help; inspirational

ISBN: PB 979-8-89656-051-7 / HC 979-8-89656-052-4 / eBook 979-8-89656-053-1 SERIES: (If relevant.)

PAGE COUNT: 102

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/bobs-booklist/#grief

THE REVIEW ITSELF: By:

Glen Morris, originally at Amazon Australia FULL REVIEW Bob Rich’s The Hole in Your Life: Grief and Bereavement is a rare gift—a book that transforms agony into hope with wisdom, humility, and profound humanity. As a psychologist who recently lost his beloved daughter, Natalie, Dr. Rich writes not just as an expert, but as a fellow traveler in the valley of grief. This dual perspective makes his guidance feel like a tender handhold in the darkest moments.

**WHAT SETS THIS BOOK APART:**

**Raw Authenticity:**

Dr. Rich’s personal journey—especially his account of Natalie’s 19-month battle with cancer—grounds everychapter in heartbreaking honesty. His ability to find peace amid sorrow ("Thank heavens, she is at peace now") offers a beacon to readers. - **Practical Tools, Not Platitudes:** Forget vague advice. Dr. Rich provides actionable strategies like "scheduling grief" (dedicating focused time to process emotions), mindfulness exercises, and his "Seven Magic Bullets" for rebuilding resilience (e.g., creativity, social connection, meaning). These are lifelines for those drowning in loss.

- **Diverse Grief, Universal Compassion: **

Whether mourning a child, spouse, pet ("furbaby"), or even an abusive relationship, Dr. Rich addresses each scenario with nuance. His case studies—from parents shattered by guilt to widows reclaiming joy—resonate deeply.

- **Science Meets Soul:**

Blending psychology research with spiritual insights (mindfulness, reincarnation, forgiveness), he respects all beliefs while emphasizing *what works*. His critique of the "stages of grief" myth is particularly liberating.

- **Light in the Darkness:**

Unexpected humor and warmth ("cheeky stories") balance the heaviness, reminding us that grief and joy can coexist.

**Standout Sections:** - **"The Power of NOW"** (Chapter 4):

A masterclass in mindfulness to anchor yourself amid emotional storms. - **"Compassion for the Departed"** (Part III): Challenges notions of eternal punishment, offering solace through love-centered spirituality. - **"Stuck in Grief"** (Chapter 10): Identifies barriers to healing (guilt, anger) with compassionate solutions. **Final Thoughts:** This isn’t just a book—it’s a toolbox for the soul. Dr. Rich’s voice feels like a wise grandfather’s: gentle, unwavering, and fiercely hopeful. Whether you’re newly bereaved or years into a loss that still aches, *The Hole in Your Life* will help you heal, grow, and honor your loved ones by living fully again. **A must-read for anyone with a heart that has loved—and mourned.

** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bob Rich retired from decades of counseling psychology in 2013. In that time, He was a member of the National Executive of the College of Counselling Psychologists of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and served as an elected Director of the APS. It’s the Psychological society because, well, he lives in Australia. His daughter died in December 2024. He had his 20th book published in her memory, and to put meaning to his loss. That meaning is to be of benefit to as many people as possible in passing on the tools for grief counseling he used in his work, and for himself. The book has already won an award and was a finalist in a contest. One of his bad habits is to have fun even while talking about issues like bereavement, something his daughter also shared, poor thing.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER: Glen Morris is a leading voice in renewable energy — part engineer, part educator, and part entertainer — with over 30 years of experience designing, building, and teaching solar and battery systems that actually work in the real world. He joined Moora Moora Cooperative in the early 2000s, where he built his strawbale home with his partner of the time and raised two sons.Living completely off-grid on Mount Toolebewong, Glen doesn’t just talk sustainability — he’s been living it for over three decades. In 2003, he founded SolarQuip, a solar installation and training business that helped shape Australia’s early solar industry. By 2015, Glen shifted full-time into education,transforming his old sheds into the Smart Energy Lab, a hands-on training and testing hub that supports both in-person and online learning. When COVID lockdowns hit, Glen pivoted again — this time intoonline media. He created a YouTube show featuring his alter ego, a “DJ Glenmo” who broke down complex solar and battery standards with humour and street-style swagger. The character became a hit, blending technicalinsight with entertainment and helping installers make sense of Australia’s ever-evolving energy regulations. Today, Glen’s full-time gig is as a solar industry influencer,producing unboxing videos, installation showcases, and product highlightfeatures for manufacturers and distributors around the world. He also presents at conferences and workshops internationally, championing best safety, and innovation across the renewable energy sector. Beyond his professional life, Glen is a Justice of the Peace, a dedicated vegan home cook, and a hands-on dad to two teenage boys. Whenhe’s not filming or teaching, you’ll likely find him tinkering with networking gear or microcontroller projects, dreaming up new solar gadgets and digital tools that make life off-grid smarter and simpler. From strawbales to standards, Glen Morris continues to prove that renewable energy isn’t just his work — it’s his way of life.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Five Star Review for Alina, a Fabulous Coming of Age Novel

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 20 May 2026 03:00:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: ALINA: A SONG FOR THE TELLING

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Malve von Hassell

AUTHOR’S EMAIL: malvevonhassell01@gmail.com

GENRE: Historical Fiction

ISBN: 979-8-9899277-2-2

PAGE COUNT: 232

AMAZON link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1643971042

or https://books2read.com/u/baMG8q/

REVIEW:

By Grant Leishman for Readers’ Favorite

Review Rating: 5 stars

FULL REVIEW

Alina: A Song for the Telling by Malve von Hassell is a coming-of-age novel that will draw

readers into an intriguing and historical journey back to twelfth-century Jerusalem at the time of

the Crusades. Alina and Milos are siblings who have been left orphaned after their mother and

sister died and their father committed suicide in the depths of grief. When their mean uncle and

persnickety aunt arrive to put the estate in order after their father had let it run down, Milos and

Alina cannot stand their overbearing attitudes and undesired plans for them. In desperation, they

decide to travel to Jerusalem as pilgrims to pray for the soul of their late father. Alina, a talented

lute player, has dreams of becoming a troubadour like her father, whilst Milos just wants to

experience the world and all its forbidden fruits. So begins a treacherous journey that will be full

of adventure and excitement for the youngsters.

Alina is a fantastically easy and enjoyable read. Tailored for young adults, the language is simple

and the plot flows seamlessly from one exciting arc and intrigue to the next. The two lead

characters are fascinating in their own right. Milos is a typical young man keen to discover all

that life has to offer him, especially the vices of women, alcohol, and gambling but his

commitment to Alina and their joint futures can never be questioned. He loves his younger sister

with an elder brotherly warmth and concern. Alina is surely the star of the tale and the adventure

is told through her eyes. She is somewhat of a contradiction as although she is seemingly certain

of her plans for the future, to become a traveling musician, she does find the comfort and

security that marriage offers appealing, especially if it was to Count Stephen. What I liked was

Alina’s compassion and heart. Despite her needs and wants, she had a genuine desire to help

others to improve their lot in life. Her commitment to seeing her errant elder brother safe and out

of trouble would take up much of her time and effort, though. The political intrigue and

backstabbing within the Jerusalem court ensures interesting and challenging arcs, plot twists, and

turns. I particularly enjoyed the long, arduous trip overland to Jerusalem that, of course, took

several months. The long journey allowed the author to develop her main characters exceedingly

well and also to plant a red herring or two regarding the true nature of some of them. I was

pleased to see the author left the door open for a possible sequel. I enjoyed meeting these

characters and would love to see more of them. This is a wonderful read that I thoroughly

enjoyed and highly recommend.

BLURB: In this coming-of-age novel set in the 12th century, Alina, an aspiring musician from

Provence, and her brother embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to pray for their father’s soul

and to escape from their aunt and uncle’s strictures. Their journey east takes them through the

Byzantine Empire all the way to Jerusalem, where Alina is embroiled in political intrigue, theft,

and murder, and finds her voice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Malve von Hassell is a freelance writer, researcher, and translator.

Her publications include three historical fiction novels for young adult readers, The Falconer’s

Apprentice (namelos, 2015/independently published 2025), Alina: A Song for the Telling (BHC

Press, 2020/independently published 2025), The Amber Crane (Odyssey Press,

2021/independently published 2025), and the biography of a woman coming age in Nazi

Germany, Tapestry of My Mother’s Life: Stories, Fragments, and Silences (Next Chapter

Publishing, 2021). Her most recent publication is The Price of Loyalty: Serving Adela of Blois

(Historium Press 2025).

ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews

Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

SELLING BOOKS FROM THE ZODIAC ~ A MARKETING TIP FROM LOIS W. STERN

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 6 May 2026 10:34:00 -0700

NAME: Lois W. Stern

CREDENTIALS:: Author, Editor, Publisher

TITLE(S) OF BOOK(S) YOU SUCCESSFULLY MARKETED: Tales2Inspire ~ The Gem Collection (Emerald, Topaz, Ruby, Sapphire, Pearl, Opal, Crystal, Garnet, Jade, Moonstone 1, Moonstone 2, Agate); Tales2Inspire ~ The Diamond Collections - Series I, II, III, IV, V, VI)

MARKETING TIP ITSELF, of course!

Since each of my twelve Gem Collection books is named for a different gemstone, (with a little nudge from Carolyn), I came up with the idea of timing the marketing of each book to the Zodiac gemstone of that time span. Lucky you! You can now order the paper edition of any Gem Collection book for that special person in your life for only $10 (US shipping and handling included). Just check out my handy-dandy Zodiac chart, below, and pick out one or more of the titles based on the gemstone representing the birthdates of those special to you.

This Zodiac chart below is a way to keep track of all the special birthdays while matching them to their individual zodiac signs. For example, if a favorite friend, teacher or relative was born under the sign of Aries, the Ruby Collection (Gift of Compassion stories) would be the best fit for them. Similarly, if a favorite neighbor or relative was born under the sign of Virgo, order the Agate Collection (stories of Amazing Adventures) instead.

Save this gem chart to record the birthdays of all the favorite people in your life.

And I created a Jotform for FREE so viewers can place hassle free orders. CLICK HERE to see how that works.

SIGN UP HERE: Stay informed of Tales2Inspire Freebies and Specials.

BRIGHT IDEA

The Zodiac works perfectly for my Tales2Inspire books, but now it's your turn. Try to think of a gimmick that works for your books. How about National Pickle Day for a book about pickles, or National Friendship Day for a book to present to a good friend? Anyone have a calendar of celebrations? If so, how about writig an article to share on Sharing With Writers?

ABOUT ME, THE MARKETING GURU: I am an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. But another hat that I wear is that of creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest, to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. I have now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies (as well as six Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies). I am a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, I serve as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

Visit my Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join me on my Facebook page HERE.

MY FAVE LINKS: https://www.tales2Inspire.com/; https://www.Facebook.com/tales2Inspire/; https://www.amazon.com/tales2inspire/; https://author.amazon.com/home

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tales2inspire&i=stripbooks&crid=3SKYL8WCNMZF8&sprefix=tales2inspire%2Cstripbooks%2C307&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 ;

MY E-MAIL ADDRESS: tales2Inspire2@gmail.com

Do you want this email to be included with your marketing tip?

X Yes ___ NO

Lois W. Stern, TheNewBookReview Associate and Facilitator, is the founder, editor and contributor to Tales2Inspire, an authors helping authors project to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. As such, she has now published twelve award winning Tales2Inspire® treasured gem collection anthologies of her contest winners' stories, republished in her double 2 for 1 Diamond Collection books. If you would like to participate in this No Fee contest, CLICK HERE for all details. Lois is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire book with six of those award winning stories.

Join me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

MY NAME: LOIS W. STERN

CREDENTIALS:: Author, Editor, Publisher, Associate at TheNewBookReviewBlogspot, Founder and editor of the #Tales2Inspire Series of anthologies, Contributing #AuthorsHelpingAuthors associate here and on the #SharingwithWriters Blog

TITLE(S) OF BOOK(S) I SUCCESSFULLY MARKETED: 12 Tales2Inspire Anthologies, 6 Tales2Inspire Diamond Collection Anthologies, Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery, Tick Tock, Stop the Clock ~ Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour

MARKETING TIP ITSELF: By Lois W. Stern,

If you haven't yet read my article about Zelle, a popular tool for making online payments with NO additional charges, check it out here..

A BIT OF BACKGROUND:

First you need to know that each book in myTale2Inspire Jewel Collection is named for a specific Zodiac gem, and there's a specific reason for that pairing: The stories in each individual Jewel Collection book are theme based to match the symbolic meaning of that particular gemstone. For example, the Emerald is the gemstone symbolizing psychic powers. It’s named for the Tales2Inspire collection filled with Beyond Coincidence stories.

MY CREATIVE MARKETING IDEA: In marketing my books, here is one idea that has worked so well for me.

I'd like to invite all my Tales2Inspire fans to go to https://www.tales2inspire.com/gifts to downlod a free Zodiac chart, an enlarged working copy of the miniature one you see below. Then add the name of each person special in your life to the line corresponding to their specific birthdate.

Then, if looking for a unique way to let those near and dear know that they are indeed special to you, consider presenting some on your list with a gem collection book - one named for a gem listed under their Zodiac sign. (See column two on this chart for easy reference.)

What thoughtful little 'Thinking of you' gifts these Jewel Collection books make when paired to the Zodiac sign of one of your friends and/or family members. And here is a little bonus tip I learned from one of my authors: Write one sentence inside each book cover telling that person why they are special to you.

Thank you, Adrienne Drake, MD

Can you just imagine how thrilled you would be to know that someone cared enough to think of you in such a speclal way!

I often run specials, announced through my monthly newsletter, and encourage my readers to use my Jotform at: https://form.jotform.com/260094023611041 to stock up on these little gift books at bargain prices.

By thinking creatively, perhaps you can come up with a clever marketing idea to sell your books. If so, please enter our Book Marketing Contest to share one of your creative marketing strategies and possibly win a TNBR BlogSpot marketing guru award.

ABOUT TODAY’S CONTRIBUTOR

ABOUT MARKETING GURU, LOIS W. STERN

Lois W. Stern, TheNewBookReviewBlogSpot Associate, is the founder, editor and contributor to Tales2Inspire, an authors helping authors project to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. She has now published over a dozen Tales2Inspire® treasured Jewel Collection anthologies and award winningsi award winning Diamond Collection anthologies of her contest winners' stories.

Lois is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review associate, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

CLICK HERE to get a FREE Tales2Inspire Sampler book.

MY FAVE LINKS:

https://www.tales2inspire.com

https://www.Facebook.com.tales2inspire

https://www.youtube.com/winningtales

MY E-MAIL ADDRESS: tales2Inspire2@gmail.com

Do you want this email to be included with your marketing tip?

X Yes ___ NO

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lois W. Stern is an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six award winning Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. She is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.

Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

Lois is an associate of TheNewBookReview, working with a passion to help other authors strengthen their visibility on this blog and elsewhere. Through her annual Tales2Inspire contest, a labor of love that has received worldwide recognition, she accepts entries from talented newbies and accomplished authors alike, and continues to feature her winning authors on an ongoing basis. True to her 'Authors Helping Authors' philosophy, she charges no submission fee for folks to enter her contest and receives no remuneration for any of her services. She hopes those who benefit from her efforts will express their appreciation by purchasing Tales2Inspire anthologies and writing reviews. In her continuing spirit of “Authors Helping Authors”, Lois provides several tips on how authors can help promote themselves while writing honest reviews for others. To read her article, Be a Hero: Make Some Magic for Yourself. CLICK HERE..

####

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG

Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews . Find her guidelines in the right column of this blog’s home page (a silver and gold badge with three silver- circle icons beneath it.

Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books.

Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at #SharingwithWriters and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing Learn more about Carolyn’s services at HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Five Star Review for Overture to Murder, Another Mystery Thriller by Erica Miner

noreply@blogger.com (Lois W. Stern) — Wed, 6 May 2026 04:09:00 -0700

BOOK TITLE: OVERTURE TO MURDER

AUTHOR OF BOOK: ERICA MINER

GENRE: MYSTERY/THRILLER

ISBN: 1685127819

SERIES: JULIA KOGAN OPERA MYSTERY SERIES

PAGE COUNT: 300

PUBLISHER: LEVEL BEST BOOKS

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Overture-Murder-Julia-Kogan-Mystery/dp/1685127819/

REVIEWER’S NAME AND PERMISSION TO REPRINT:

JESSICA FAHEY, THE SAN FRANCISCO BOOK REVIEW

Heidi K. Rojek, Owner

THE REVIEW ITSELF:

By Jessica Fahey, The San Francisco Book Review

FULL REVIEW HERE

(https://sanfranciscobookreview.com/product/overture-to-murder/)

Erica Miner’s Overture to Murder is an absorbing and intelligent addition to the Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series, combining the rarefied world of grand opera with the satisfying architecture of a classic whodunit. As a longtime lover of mysteries, I found this novel very rewarding.

Set against the formidable backdrop of Wagner’s Ring cycle at the San Francisco Opera, the novel opens with an atmosphere of tension and grandeur that immediately establishes both scale and stakes. The prologue, reaching back to 1922, lends the story a sense of legacy and continuity, while the present-day chapters immerse us in the complicated machinery of mounting Das Rheingold. Miner’s familiarity with the operatic world is evident from the first pages; the rehearsal dynamics, the politics between stage director and management, and the physical layout of the opera house feel authentic and meticulously observed.

Julia Kogan, the protagonist, is a particularly appealing heroine. Now serving as interim concertmaster after a suspicious hit-and-run injures her predecessor, Julia must navigate not only the technical demands of Wagner’s monumental score but also the fragile egos and rivalries that inevitably simmer behind the curtain. Julia’s relationship with her partner Larry and their precocious daughter Rebecca adds warmth and dimension to the narrative. The scenes of Julia teaching Rebecca violin, complete with the child’s imaginative interpretations of the strings, provide a tender counterpoint to the darker events unfolding at the opera house.

One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is Miner’s portrayal of backstage tensions. The abrasive stage director Yves Chauvet is drawn with sharp precision: ambitious, temperamental, and dismissive of others’ expertise. His public berating of Julia during rehearsal is both shocking and believable, and it sets the emotional groundwork for the tragedy that follows. When a fire alarm disrupts opening night and Chauvet is discovered dead in his dressing room, the transition from artistic drama to criminal investigation feels organic rather than contrived.

I especially enjoyed the way Miner layers professional hierarchies into the mystery. The general director, the orchestra manager, the house head, and the union dynamics; each plays a role in shaping both motive and opportunity. For readers like myself who relish procedural detail, these elements enrich the story rather than slow it down. The author’s background as a violinist shines through in the descriptions of rehearsal pressures, bow strokes, and the unique responsibility borne by a concertmaster. Those passages lend the book a gravitas that elevates it beyond a standard cozy.

In all, Overture to Murder is a polished and engaging mystery that will delight opera aficionados and general readers alike. It offers intellectual intrigue, vivid characterization, and a richly textured setting that lingers long after the final page.

Blurb:

"Divas and deadly secrets share center stage in Erica Miner's Overture to Murder, a classic mystery tale set at the San Francisco Opera House. Underpinning the plot of this delightfully twisty novel is a full-scale Wagnerian opera production that provides an apt metaphor for the action and a chilling backdrop for murder. The stakes could not be higher for violinist Julia Kogan, whose pursuit of a killer is rendered with all the immediacy of a live performance. Precise details, inside information about the glamorous world of classical music, and a cast of finely drawn characters propel the action from the opening curtain to the final bows. The suspenseful and surprising finish to this tale of mystery, music, and mayhem is a page-turner. Highly recommend." - Lori Robbins, author of the Master Class and On Pointe Mysteries

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Former Metropolitan Opera violinist turned author ERICA MINER now has a multi-faceted career as an award-winning author, screenwriter, journalist and lecturer. Winner of the Fiction Prize in the Direct from the Author Book Awards for her debut novel, Travels With My Lovers, Erica has received kudos for her Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series published by Level Best Books, based on her experiences at the Met: ARIA FOR MURDER (2022); PRELUDE TO MURDER (2023); and OVERTURE TO MURDER (2024).

Erica writes music criticism for websites such as US Bachtrack; Classical Voice of North America; Broadway World and LA Opus. Her lectures and seminars on writing and opera have won praise at numerous arts and academic organizations including: the Seattle Symphony, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of San Diego and University of Washington; and Wagner Societies across the US and in Australia. Erica’s writings also can be found in publications such as Leitmotive, the magazine of the Wagner Society of Northern California; Italian American Magazine; San Diego Jewish Journal; Del Mar Lifestyle; Opera+ St. Petersburg Music & Art Magazine; Vision Magazine; WORD San Diego; and Istanbul Our City.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers will want to access use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors services. All are free and listed in her silver-circle icons in the right column. WARNING some cell phones cut off the right column of the blog, so try it using your desktop!) Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

The New Book Review

A READERS FAVORITE REVIEW OF YOUR MARRIAGE GOD'S WAY

A MOST IMPRESSIVE REVIEW FOR: A POETIC RHAPSODY OF THE SOUL

GREAT REVIEWS SELL BOOKS, SO DON'T KEEP YOURS A SECRET

Heads up About a Great Podcast Opportunity for Authors

FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND: AN INTRODUCTION TO TheNewBookReviewBlog.Spot

CHASING HOPE ~ A STORY THAT STAYS WITH YOU

A Story That Stays With You

WHY ADDING YOUR PICTURE TO THE FOLLOW BUTTON HELPS GOOGLE HELP YOU

Have you wondered why only your initial appeared in the box above

when you clicked to follow us?

To make your headshot appear instead of an initial, when clicking "Follow" on Blogger, you must update your user profile picture.

Want to Sell More Books? Check Out This Tip from TheNewBookReview Associate, Lois W. Stern

The name of this game is SAFE, QUICK 'n EASY and FREE.

A MINI CONTEST FOR OUR MOST POPULAR POSTED REVIEWS

A NewBookReview Essay on Book Magic We Rarely Consider

A 5 Star Readers Favorite Review for The Heiress in Kent: Kopp Chronicles

WHY BREAK UPS ARE SO HARD - A READERS FAVORITE 5 STAR REVIEW

REACHING OUT IN WAYS THAT MATTER - TRUE STORIES FROM TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE AGATE COLLECTION

Theresa Werba Shares Overview of Adam Sedia’s Poetry with SharingwithWriters Visitors and Subscribers

The Zingers of Adam Sedia and the Voice of Ancient Egypt A review by Theresa Werba

Review for Beyond Luna : The Weirdest Book Series Out There

A GEM OF A REVIEW: JORGE BARBOZA MAKES THIS BOOK SHINE!

Reviewed and adapted from an article for Karen Cioffi’s #WritersontheMove with #FrugalBookPromoterTips by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi award-winning novelist, poet, and authorof the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

SEND US ONE MARKETING TIP THAT'S WORKED FOR YOU: ONE MORE WAY TO GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE AS AN AUTHOR OF TALENT

Review of HIDEBOUND, a SCI-FI THRILLER

ADDING ANOTHER FEATHER TO YOUR CAP AS AN AUTHOR OF TALENT

ENTER THIS NO FEE CONTEST

FROM TALES2INSPIRE®

Check out these value added features:

And did I mention that all of this is free?

So this is my invitation to you:

If you'd like to learn more about participating in the Tales2Inspire 2026 contest, just CLICK HERE (or copy and paste https:/www.tales2inspire.com/contest-2 into your browser), for all posted details.

Each Tales2Inspire winner gains another feather in their cap as an author of talent!

Lois W. Stern Offers Writers A Fresh New Approach to Getting Reviews for Your Books

A Fresh New Approach to Getting Reviews for Your Book

👉 I will feature each contest winning reviewer in my Tales2Inspire newsletter.

Review for Bob Rich's Inspirational Book, The Hole in Your Life: Grief and Bereavement

Five Star Review for Alina, a Fabulous Coming of Age Novel

SELLING BOOKS FROM THE ZODIAC ~ A MARKETING TIP FROM LOIS W. STERN

Five Star Review for Overture to Murder, Another Mystery Thriller by Erica Miner

The Zingers of Adam Sedia and the Voice of Ancient Egypt
A review by Theresa Werba

Reviewed and adapted from an article for Karen Cioffi’s #WritersontheMove
with #FrugalBookPromoterTips by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi award-winning novelist, poet, and author
of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers