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July 23, 2024July 23, 2024

Confessions of an Aspiring Pornographer

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Confessions of an Aspiring Pornographer 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Anthony Valerio ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“Confessions of an Aspiring Pornographer” penned by the author Anthony Valerio is a unique read. This is the story of Walter Michael Gregory, the Aspiring

Pornographer. Wally’s best friend Alison Taylor was a tarot reader. She told Wally that he has money and travels ahead in his life. The last tarot card told him about the book ‘Confessions of an Aspiring Pornographer.’

Wally wanted to be a professional writer. In the 1960s, Wally was working as a proofreader. At the end of the night, he didn’t have a place to rest. As the story progresses, Wally finds himself in New York. He started spending time at Peacock Cafe that remained open till two o’clock. Once Wally’s eyes fell on the ad of the major paperback publisher, NewWorldEncycs. Inc., that was interviewing research and writers for their new encyclopedia series. When Wally was asked how long he was planning to work at NewWorldEncys, he mentioned forever.

Ernie, a copy editor liked Walter’s story about Mussolini and his mistress. That story got him an interview at the Soft/Prose orifices, offices. Walter’s journey makes us realize how tough working for a living can be.

This book kept me hooked till the last page. I was on the edge of my seat while reading it. The title of the book is suitable. It is well paced and I had a great time reading it. The character of Walter is written well by the author. The narration is smooth.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

July 23, 2024July 23, 2024

Rosie Rench and the Drip-Drop Delight

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Rosie Rench and the Drip-Drop Delight 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Alex and Kayleigh Barber ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“Rosie Rench and the Drip-Drop Delight” is an interesting Children’s book written by the authors Alex Barber and Kayleigh Barber. The main character of the story is a young girl named Rosie Rench who lives in Soak City. She loves to play in puddles. One day, Rosie noticed a drip-drop from the town’s big tap.

She met a local plumber named Zara. Together they dived into fixing the leak drop by drop. Will they be successful in fixing the leak?

This book opens the minds of the readers as the main character of the story is a girl plumber. This book inspires girls to take any career they want. The illustrations are pretty and I loved the colorful pages of the book. The writing of the authors is easy to follow.

Kids would be delighted to read this book. I appreciate the story writing skills of the authors. Parents should add this book to their children’s bookshelf.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

July 22, 2024July 22, 2024

Sweet Sorrow

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Sweet Sorrow 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Sherry Cormier ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Sweet Sorrow penned by the author Sherry Cormier is a gripping read that explores grief and gives insights about how to deal with loss. Sherry was forty-two years old when she married Jay. Her marriage with Jay was magical and they had a great time with each other. After Sherry’s seventeenth anniversary, Jay was diagnosed with cancer and he passed away six months later.

Dreams helped Sherry to accept Jay’s death and she realized how dying might be a part of his soul’s path. The visitation dreams guided Sherry towards healing and spiritual awakening.

The author empowers the readers by reminding them to live their life fully and celebrate each moment because life doesn’t come with an extended warranty.

Through this book, the author hopes readers will find some consolation in their grief journey. It is a well researched book that guides readers on how to cope with a loss. The writing of the author touches you directly. The wisdom shared in this book is really insightful. Thanks to Sherry for sharing her journey with us and for the valuable tips shared in this book.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

July 22, 2024July 22, 2024

The Extremely Peculiar Case

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: The Extremely peculiar case 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Serafina D. Blackwood ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“The Extremely peculiar case” penned by the author Serafina D. Blackwood is a gripping read. Jasmine was born in 1803 into a family of 8. One day, when she returned home, she saw her house was on fire and none of her family members survived. She was sent to an orphanage.

Her mother’s sister adopted her but treated her badly. She was forced to marry her cousin who was 16 years older than her. One day, it hit her that her family’s death may not be an accident. She was determined to solve the extremely peculiar case of the Mason house fire. However, to escape she wanted to steal money from her aunt’s family vault. Read this story to know what secrets Jasmine would uncover.

This is a short read that one could read in a single sitting. The story is captivating and I loved every bit of it. The writing style of the author is nice and the language used is easy to follow. Sheridan has done great work in her debut novel. It would be interesting to read more books by her in the future.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5

★ Book Is Available Here

July 22, 2024July 24, 2024

Interview with author Sean Bridges

July 20, 2024

Keeping the Faith

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Keeping the Faith 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: John Negron ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“Keeping the Faith” penned by the author John Negron is a memoir. The author didn’t have a stable childhood. Just after his birth, he was placed in foster care and bounced between different families. As a little boy, he needed to be hugged, kissed but he was full of fear all the time and yet remained hopeful. These experiences taught John self-reliance early on in life.

While growing up, John was looking forward to something permanent and secure. John’s life in Brooklyn was very different compared to life in rural New Jersey. While living with his mom, he secretly wished to be placed in foster care. He developed an interest in reading and books and continues to excel in different things. Even his teacher started praising him for his smartness. Read this story to find out what more challenges John would face in his journey.

I am impressed by the author’s faith and resilience. This is a great story of survival and about breaking chains. I really appreciate the strength of the author. John’s story involves abuse, faith, survival, resilience, heartache, instability, etc. I am thankful to the author for sharing his journey with us. This book empowers the readers to hold on to faith in dark times. It’s a must read book.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024

White Wine & Medical Marijuana

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: White Wine & Medical Marijuana 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Julia Cirignano ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“White Wine & Medical Marijuana” penned by the author Julia Cirignano is a collection of poems about the author’s life. In a few poems, the author has mentioned the consequences of being high or intoxicated.

Sucker is a poem about the man who warned the author not to fall in love with them. But even after the warning, we fall in love.

“A Sensual Poem About an Unfortunate Affair” is a poem about a relationship in which the author loved many little things about her partner. She wishes that he would be hers.

Help is a poem about the time when our heart longs to see someone we love.

I was able to relate to many poems and could feel the author’s emotions behind these words. The language used in the poems is easy to follow. The writing style is nice and I am glad to read this poetry book. Those who have been in a relationship would enjoy this book more as they could connect to it well.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

July 19, 2024July 19, 2024

Interview with author Paula Stahel

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. I’ve been a Tampa-based writer and editor for decades, working primarily in non-fiction and memoir. For more than 20 years I specialized as a personal historian, and am proud to have been a pioneer of the profession. But when covid made it impossible to conduct in-person interviews, I concentrated on editing fiction—I really enjoy helping authors improve their work. My mantra is “Every writer needs an editor,” which applies to my own work, as well!

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Undone: A Novel of Betrayal”?

A2. First was making the time to write. Then there was the fleshing out the characters—both the ones who were planned and the ones who literally walked themselves onto the page! Also, a lot of research was needed for the more “technical” issues, such as the financial situations Lydia dealt with, and the medical situation at the end of the story.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. Oh my gosh, where to begin?!? The two writers who made me think I should pull a Lillian Hellman and toss the keyboard out the window are Pat Conroy and Rick Bragg. Conroy is, in my estimation, the greatest writer of Southern fiction of the last half of the 20th century, and Rick continues to be the greatest writer of Southern non-fiction. Both write such poetic, lyrical sentences—but Bragg makes you laugh a lot more.

Other than those two, if I started listing, it alone would turn into a book!

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. Again, not an easy question to answer. I do love visiting Michigan and the Upper Peninsula in the summer but no more winters there for me! So, my real answer is again a two-fer: San Francisco and New Orleans.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Undone: A Novel of Betrayal’?

A5. After experiencing a betrayal myself, I read so many books about betrayal. None of them were what I was looking for—a story where a woman got her due. So I took Toni Morrison’s advice and wrote the book I wanted to read. And while living well may be the best revenge, so is publishing!

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Undone: A Novel of Betrayal’?

A6. I started in late 2016 and finished the first draft three years later—I was writing only on weekends, as clients took precedence on weekdays. In the summer of 2019 I made a trip to the Upper Peninsula for the first time in decades, and oh how that impacted my revisions! Then it went to my first readers, whose input led to further alternations.

I began searching for an agent in—drumroll, please—February 2020, and we all know what happened then, right? Agents closed up like everyone else After more than a year I ultimately decided to go with a hybrid. The book was to have been released in 2023, but production problems delayed it until May of this year.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. You name it! Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop dot org, Walmart, online retailers such as The Ripped Bodice, and through brick & mortar bookstores such as Skylight Books in Los Angeles, Schuler Books in Michigan, or Tomobolo Books in Florida.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Undone: A Novel of Betrayal’?

A8. Titles and headlines have never been my strong suit, so I didn’t even bother considering one until the book was nearly complete. Then I took a workshop on crafting the necessary logline required for submission to agents and/or publishers. It was in the process of reworking and distilling that over several months that the title presented itself. After all, it is the story of a woman whose world comes undone, and who ultimately undoes the world of those who betrayed her.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. The only way I know to keep things fresh for the reader is to keep it fresh for myself. Here, it was beneficial that I only write on weekends and holidays, as that allowed the story and characters to develop more before I took up my pencil again. But I do not plot—that’s something I’ve never been able to do successfully. I find, for me at least, it stymies the serendipity that can take place.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. From Natalie Goldberg: Puke it on the page. In other words, just write and don’t give a fig if it’s any good or not. Because odds are the first draft won’t be. It took me years to accept that, and not try to craft “perfect” sentences and paragraphs as I worked. I used to love drafting a story. No longer. Now I just want to get that first draft over and done with so I can get on to the real fun and what I love: revision!

Buy Undone on Amazon

July 19, 2024

Interview with author Ann Schreiber

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. My name is Ann Schreiber and I am the owner of Copywriting For You, a content writing and copywriting services for small to mid-sized businesses. While my company just formally launched in March 2023, I have been a writer all of my life in some form or fashion. It started in grade school working on the school newspaper and continued with writing opportunities here and there until I got more formal with a side hustle in 2019.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Perseverance. Reinvention.”?

A2. Perseverance. Reinvention. was my first venture into writing long-form content, most specifically about me and my experiences. The book talks about my divorce in 2019 and some other set-backs and traumatic experiences throughout my life and how I really struggled to figure out who I was and what I was going to do in this new and changed life I was in.

So, to answer your question, the biggest challenges were about determining how much to share and how much to leave out. Plus, it was emotionally taxing to share what I did, and to determine how to convey to readers that there is more to the story than what I chose to tell.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. Up until my divorce, I was an avid reader, sometimes reading two or three books a week. Some of my favorite authors are Jodi Picoult, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks, Kristin Hannah, and Nora Roberts.

I love a book that evokes emotion. I call them “cryers.” Maybe that was part of what influenced me to write my book.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. I love to travel. It really doesn’t much matter where I go, as long as I am on the go. I thrive on experiences more than possessions. I always tell people that if they want to get me something, to take me somewhere.

As far as favorite places, I love big cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle. I also absolutely love Key West and the Black Hills. They’re totally different places, but I love them.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Perseverance. Reinvention.’?

A5. I started over in life and remarried in February of 2023. And my business is thriving. So life is going pretty good these days. But I do have triggers every once in a while that take me back to that dark place. That said, I had so many people tell me to use my writing skills to take my story and do something to help others. That was really my inspiration. If I could share my story with even one person and give them hope that they can come out better on the other side of whatever trauma they are experiencing, writing the book will be worth it.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Perseverance. Reinvention.’?

A6. It actually didn’t take my very long—only about four or five months. But, because I am a writer by trade, it was easy to switch back and forth from client work to my book. Each day, I sit down to write about what is inspiring me for the day. And the book just poured out of me.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. Right now, it is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Waterstones out of the UK. I am also working on relationships with local booksellers as I really want to support small businesses in my area.

Links to online platforms:

You can also order directly from the distributor (Ingram) here: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?gCyrj4RUdSJEnQwa75wQTBAVrD83Vq9g0bxA7GlHw5B

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Perseverance. Reinvention.’?

A8. I worked with a hybrid publisher to help me with the editing and formatting process, and one of their designers helped with the cover design based on my direction. The company is Performance Publishing and they were absolutely wonderful to work with.

For this cover in particular, I wanted something simple that represented growth. Plus, my favorite color is green (and my company’s brand color is green). The result with the leaves was exactly what I was hoping for.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. My goal with my first book was to write about something that would resonate with others. And unfortunately, divorce is far more common than we like to think. While I never wanted to become a divorced person, I’m now part of that club. And I wanted others going through the same thing and starting on their own new path in life to know that they’ll be okay.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. To write from the heart. It’s as simple as that.

Author’s Website

July 18, 2024July 18, 2024

Perseverance. Reinvention.

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Perseverance. Reinvention. 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Ann Schreiber ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“Perseverance. Reinvention: Losing It All to Gain What Truly Matters” penned by the author Ann Schreiber is an interesting read. This book is about perseverance and reinvention, about picking yourself up each time life knocks you down. I have got my hands on this book at a much needed time.

Ann has shared her life journey in this book. Going through a divorce, miscarriage and almost losing her son were challenging times of her life. These experiences changed her and made her stronger and better. The author suggests we put the hurts and disappointments behind us and become better from our experiences. Whenever we are at our low moments, we should seek out help. The author has shared her experience of miscarriage and how it impacts both the partners. Yet, she encouraged us to learn lessons from such sorrow.

While reading this book, you will realize the importance of perseverance and resilience. Our experiences help us to realize our strength and capabilities. Ann inspires us to live a life that is true to ourselves. This book encouraged me to create a new fulfilling life. I am grateful to Ann for sharing her story with us. The writing style of the author is amazing and the book is well paced. I am delighted to read it. It’s worth every second.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon