Author: Heena R. Pardeshi

Heena is the author of the award-winning novel Deceived. She works as the novel critic and the chief editor at a local publishing house in Pune, India. She is an animal lover as well as an animal activist. She loves books, music and wine. Travelling and learning about new cultures is an integral part of her life. She is presently learning Piano and French language. She lives in Pune, India with her beloved husband and 6 cats.

Author Interview: Kally-Jay Mkwawa

Categories Author InterviewLeave a Comment on Author Interview: Kally-Jay Mkwawa

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome Kally-Jay Mkwawa, author of Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African Phoenix, for an author interview.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kally-Jay Mkwawa

Kally-Jay Mkwawa (a pseudonym), is a lady of 30 years living and working in
Tanzania and is the author of Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African
Phoenix. She gained her undergraduate degree in Bcom Law (majoring in law and
minor in business management) which she was awarded in South Africa and is
currently working for an NGO dealing with provision of medical assistance in the
country whilst pursuing her MBA with the University of South Wales, the latter
being via distance learning.
She’s always been a lover of reading and collecting books, a passion through
which (in addition to formal education) and, possessing a mind louder than words
she can actually utter, has enhanced and inspired her to start writing. Her writing
is more of a born talent since she’s never had classes in literature or the arts which
would have enabled her to grow further in the field. To her, writing is a form of
therapy and a way to tap into her imagination.
Besides her love of writing, Kally-Jay has a passion for lending an ear to people
who most of the times need someone to listen to, music and watching series or
movies.
She draws inspiration for writing from travelling, reading fiction novels and devotional books and conversations with close friends and family and, anything that is ‘out the box’ or living life not conforming to society’s normal set standards. She strives to write stories from real life experiences and thus, living an essence of herself in them and what she’s personally been through in life and epiphanies she’s come to in the process.

 you can connect with the author here
instagram | linkedin | goodreads


The Interview

 

can you please tell my readers a little bit about yourself?


I’m a Tanzanian lady living and working in Tanzania and am the author of Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African Phoenix. My given name is L.J. Mkwawa even though for the purposes of publishing my work I’ve picked the pseudonym of Kally-Jay Mkwawa. I attained my undergraduate degree in Bcom Law (majoring in law and a minor in business management) which I was awarded in South Africa.


please tell us about your book?


My book is generally about life stages, epiphanies that one comes to whilst encountering different people and experiencing different situations. It’s about love (in most of its facets), friends, family, memories one collects during one’s life and personal growth. I’d say parts of it are quite emotional but I’d rather readers look at the bigger picture. I’ve put an essence of myself in the book as well.


how long did it take you to write it?


I’d actually started scripting the chapters for quite a while but, the process had actually been on and off since I’d had to juggle work, family and school. But ideally, I’d say it took me less than a year to complete it since I’d set a deadline of my birthday in 2018.


why did you choose this topic?

Wow (chuckles). This is definitely one of my favorite questions. I chose the topic/ title because ‘Isidora’ which ideally means ‘gift of isis’ or in other different stories, she was an empathetic woman always overlooking herself and putting others first whilst in history she is said to have been quite reserved as well. This is something which talks about Isidora’s character. The subtitle ‘Life, Mind and Memories’ is simply about her life, the way her mind works and the memories she’s kept instilled within her that’s somehow shaped and still shaping her character. ‘African Phoenix’- a phoenix is a mythological bird who at the end of its life, goes in flames and, out of the ashes it is reborn. This portrays the various stages and trials that Isidora goes through by experiencing different situations and encountering different people and in signifies that no matter how trying a scenario/ experience is for her, she lives to see another day. And, ‘African’ is just the fact that it represents the story being based in Africa – Isidora’s home. Having said that, I therefore chose this title for my debut book.


which writers in your field inspire you?


The actual fact is that I haven’t quite read a lot of books by non-fiction authors, but the few that come to mind are such as C.S. Lewis, Susan Cain, Sarah Young, Stephen Covey and the like. In all honesty, I’ve read more fictional books than non-fiction and I feel it’s perhaps because I’m quite particular about a writer’s writing style.


what inspired you to write?

I’ve personally grown up to have very few people I can speak to or confide in, and thus, there more times when my mind tends to be louder than my mouth or the number of times I speak. I also easily always find myself thinking a lot (most especially about deeper meaning of issues in and of life) and thus, writing is my way of emptying my mind. This is especially because most times not a lot of people would understand what I’m saying (thus appreciating my level of ‘weird’) or relate to what I’m saying. Writing is my type of therapeutic exercise. When a thought or an epiphany (be it spiritual/religious or general, comes to my mind, it even gets to a point of getting a headache. Thus, I’d grab my laptop or a pen and notebook and just pour it all out.


are you working on any other project(s) right now? if yes, what are they?

I’m currently working for an NGO dealing with provision of medical assistance in the country whilst at the same time, I’m pursuing my MBA with the University of South Wales, the latter being via distance learning. I also manage a vacation home on a part-time basis (this being a family venture). At the same time, I’m still writing and thus, in the process of writing my second book as well.


how do you prefer to write? on computer/laptop, typewriter, dictation or longhand with a pen?


I prefer writing with a pen in any notebook of mine I can find and when it’s something I feel I can include in a book, that’s when I use my laptop (or, my phone when the urgency to get a thought out of my head gets too overwhelming).


what are your 5 favourite books and 5 favourite authors?


  • K. Rowling – All the Harry Potter Books (wouldn’t be fair to pick just one)
  • Susan Cain – Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking
  • Nora Roberts (definitely too many books of hers to mention as I’ve read (still reading) a lot of them and equally loved all of them),
  • Stephen Covey – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
  • Dan Brown – Angels and Demons


non-fiction deals with a lot of facts and real-life study. how do you deal with the all research work?

Honestly, it’s really not that much of a challenge for me at the moment and this is simply because debut book is about things or people I’ve encountered or experienced or, have in one way or another played a role in. This is be it through conversations with my close circle of friends or my family or, at times, through reading work from other non-fiction writers/ authors (something which isn’t at all hard for me since reading another form of relaxation for me. I’m a certified book junkie!). I also think non-fiction isn’t solely about research all times, it’s just the mere fact that it’s based on true or real life occurrence of events.


what advice would you give to new aspiring authors in your genre?

I reckon each person has a story to tell about oneself and it doesn’t matter if it’ll be a bestseller or not or, whether you’d be praised for your heroics or be laughed at. The point remains that you have a story which has somehow shaped their character and made you who you are today; it is your testimony. If you touch one person, one million or all 7 billion, you’re in a position to inspire, change or motivate someone. With your story, another person would grow and learn to do and be better, why not share it? I encourage aspiring authors to speak up and let them be heard. It’s one which through which you can definitely make a difference.

Most times it’s not easy to make your mark in this world, so even if you’ll eventually be writing for an audience or readers, initially, you can write for yourself. Do it for you! This piece of advice was hammered into me by one of my closest friends and she said ‘do it for yourself woman! Be your own fan’. It took a lot of debating and second guessing myself to have finally decided to publish (and self-publish at that, a field I was completely clueless about) but I did it for me. And it still amazes me that so many people praise the fact I published and that they appreciate my writing.


Thank you, Kally-Jay, for all your honest answers and for the insightful and exciting answers! 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African Phoenix

Spending the better part of your life being called a good listener, a weirdo, a hermit or a ‘mirror of ugly truths’ and a walking-talking memory machine isn’t at all that it’s cut out to be. To a large extent, it’s a lonely life. You arrive into this life without even meaning to and suddenly it seems that you carry the weight of the whole world on your shoulders. You get sucked into it quite easily and coming up for a breath of fresh air is not easy at all.

This is an account that will give the reader an idea of what Isidora has encountered this beautiful, yet twisted and noisy place called the world. It’s not a long story with a happy ending (at least not so far). Rather, it’s about the reason for her tears, worries, unending voices in her head, the blows that life threw at her, about those precious moments of sheer joy and last, but certainly not least, her encounter with Him. Hopefully, sharing her story will find others who can relate to it and make them feel they’re not alone. Writing this work has been like an ‘extension’ of herself whilst overcoming her fear of hurting people or being compelled to ‘walk on eggshells’. It’s one of her legacies and as always, has been her type of therapy. May it be a type of therapy or inspiring for you too.

book links:
amazon and smashwords

To read other author interviews, click here.

If you are an author and wish to be interviewed or if you are a publicist and want to get your author interviewed on TRB, then please get in touch through direct e-mail: thereadingbud@gmail.com

Bookstagram 101

Categories Articles On Reading2 Comments on Bookstagram 101

Contrary to what most of the bloggers and vloggers suggest, I have a separate Bookstagram for my book blog, The Reading Bud. I created my Bookstagram account when it became clear to me that I might actually become an author and would need my Instagram for writing-related and personal pictures photos rather than the book-related pictures that I read and review. So on 1st April 2016, I created my book-related Instagram account, aka Bookstagram, and over the course of the 2 years I’ve had it, I’ve learned a lot about book photography.

TRB’s Bookstagram – @TheReadingBud

If you’re a regular Instagrammer then you might know that posting consistently good-looking pictures is not an easy task; some days are better than others, yes, but some days are worse. What is even more exhausting is to maintain a schedule for posting pictures along with having to edit these pictures to make them look more presentable. And don’t even get me started on the wearisome and dull task of coming up with captions for each and every picture.

TRB’s Bookstagram – @TheReadingBud

I’ve been asked, by emails obviously, about how I maintain my Bookstagram. Now, I do not have a lot of followers or a really, really snazzy account (though I do think my account is pretty cool), I guess, why I get asked about my Bookstagram is because I manage a decent Bookstagram in spite of being an author and pretty much managing around a hundred other accounts on various platforms. God only knows managing one Ig account is difficult enough and I have two! Along with a separate Fb page for TRB as well as a Twitter account (and I’m not even starting on the three different blogs I manage, including this one.) So I decided to do a couple of articles on how I tackle Bookstagramming and how I manage to keep surviving this endless whirlwind.

If you’re new to Bookstagramming or are planning to create your own Bookstagram, this might be a good place for you to start as you’d get the first-hand experience of someone who was (and still is in many ways) an amateur. If you’ve already begun your big journey and realize that you can do better with a bit of some tips and tricks (we all can always do with some tips and tricks) then you’re at the right place. And if you’re a pro, then do share your advice with the rest of us in the comments below to help us learn from your experiences.

Coming back to where I was, I’ve decided to do a couple of articles which will be on the following topics:

  • Photography
  • Editing
  • Scheduling
  • Captioning
  • Socializing

So stay tuned for my Bookstagram-related series of articles in the coming weeks.

I’m not a pro in any way, but I have been complimented enough times regarding the way my photography has evolved and well, I’ve worked pretty hard for it too as I love photography in general. But photography is not all that is needed for maintaining a Bookstagram account, you need to be able to edit the photos too, otherwise, you’ll end up with almost good photos and not the good ones. I’ve been fortunate to have studied photo editing when I studied 3D animation film-making, but to be honest, Bookstagram pictures can very well be edited with free software and sometimes even directly with Instagram’s various settings. And I am not talking about filters, I’m talking about adjusting every aspect fo the picture by oneself, as filters are just the quick fix and rarely give the desired effect. Though, sometimes filters do come in handy in order to determine which shades of light to use to make the picture look ‘perkier.’

There is so much to share on this subject that I’ll better stop right here for now and get started on the next post for the first topic – photography.

If you have any suggestions or any questions related to Bookstagram then do not hesitate to comment below.

Book Spotlight: Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African Phoenix by Kally-Jay Mkwawa

Categories Book SpotlightLeave a Comment on Book Spotlight: Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African Phoenix by Kally-Jay Mkwawa

About The Book

 

Book Name: Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African Phoenix

Author: Kally-Jay Mkwawa

Publisher: L.J. Mkwawa

Genre: Non-Fiction, Family & Relationships

Page Count: 88

Release date: June 2018

Synopsis

Spending the better part of your life being called a good listener, a weirdo, a hermit or a ‘mirror of ugly truths’ and a walking-talking memory machine isn’t at all that it’s cut out to be. To a large extent, it’s a lonely life. You arrive into this life without even meaning to and suddenly it seems that you carry the weight of the whole world on your shoulders. You get sucked into it quite easily and coming up for a breath of fresh air is not easy at all.

This is an account that will give the reader an idea of what Isidora has encountered this beautiful, yet twisted and noisy place called the world. It’s not a long story with a happy ending (at least not so far). Rather, it’s about the reason for her tears, worries, unending voices in her head, the blows that life threw at her, about those precious moments of sheer joy and last, but certainly not least, her encounter with Him. Hopefully, sharing her story will find others who can relate to it and make them feel they’re not alone. Writing this work has been like an ‘extension’ of herself whilst overcoming her fear of hurting people or being compelled to ‘walk on eggshells’. It’s one of her legacies and as always, has been her type of therapy. May it be a type of therapy or inspiring for you too.

buy here
Amazon and Smashwords

 

About The Author

Kally-Jay Mkwawa

Kally-Jay Mkwawa (a pseudonym), is a lady of 30 years living and working in
Tanzania and is the author of Isidora – The Life, Mind and Memories of an African
Phoenix. She gained her undergraduate degree in Bcom Law (majoring in law and
minor in business management) which she was awarded in South Africa and is
currently working for an NGO dealing with provision of medical assistance in the
country whilst pursuing her MBA with the University of South Wales, the latter
being via distance learning.
She’s always been a lover of reading and collecting books, a passion through
which (in addition to formal education) and, possessing a mind louder than words
she can actually utter, has enhanced and inspired her to start writing. Her writing
is more of a born talent since she’s never had classes in literature or the arts which
would have enabled her to grow further in the field. To her, writing is a form of
therapy and a way to tap into her imagination.
Besides her love of writing, Kally-Jay has a passion for lending an ear to people
who most of the times need someone to listen to, music and watching series or
movies.
She draws inspiration for writing from travelling, reading fiction novels and devotional books and conversations with close friends and family and, anything that is ‘out the box’ or living life not conforming to society’s normal set standards. She strives to write stories from real life experiences and thus, living an essence of herself in them and what she’s personally been through in life and epiphanies she’s come to in the process.

 you can connect with the author here
Instagram | LinkedIn | Goodreads

 

Book Review: Walking With Peety by Eric O’Grey

Categories Autobiography, Eric O'Grey, memoir, Non-FictionLeave a Comment on Book Review: Walking With Peety by Eric O’Grey
Author: Eric O’Grey with Mark Dagostino
Release Date: 10th October 2017
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Animals
Series:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 320
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Blurb:
Eric met Peety when he was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of serious diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that’s when Eric met Peety: a middle-aged and forgotten shelter dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, and the bond of unconditional love they formed forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together and eating plant-based food, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric reversed his type 2 diabetes, got off all medication, became happy and healthy for the first time in his life, and even reconnected with and married his high school sweetheart. WALKING WITH PEETY is perfect for anyone who is ready to make a change in their life and for everyone who knows the joy, love and hope that dogs can bring to human lives. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue, this is an epic story of friendship and strength.

Review

★★★★

Walking With Peety by Eric O’Grey is a beautiful memoir about the author’s journey, along with an adopted dog, full of hope, lots of ups and downs and love.

This book is a beautiful tribute to the love and happiness an animal brings into the life of a person. A very enjoyable book with honestly that reflected in the writing. It was a very touching and warm read. It proved to be a very inspiring story which left me feeling motivated to change a couple of things in my life that I might be taking for granted.

I’d recommend it to the readers of non-fiction genre as well as to those who love animals or are going through rough times and can do with a bit of a pick-me-up.

this review is also posted on Goodreads, NetGalley, and Amazon

Book Review: Cleaving Souls by Chauncey Rogers

Categories Chauncey Rogers, Horror, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller2 Comments on Book Review: Cleaving Souls by Chauncey Rogers
Author: Chauncey Rogers
Release Date: 10th October 2017
Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Thriller, Suspense
Series:
Edition: E-Book
Pages: 225
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Some dangers you cannot outrun. Some nightmares do not end when you wake.
Something is watching Katherine Harris. She can feel it when she goes out. She can feel it inside her home. She feels it in her bed. Her husband, Alex, wants to blame her anxiety on her pregnancy, but he’s often away for work. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be stuck in a small town, to be trapped in a tiny house on a run-down street, to be alone. Kat does, and the feeling only grows worse.
Whatever is going on, Kat’s certain that it’s far more serious than pregnancy jitters. When Alex takes Kat on a second honeymoon to get her mind off things, it becomes far more dangerous as well.

Review

★★★★+1/2

Cleaving Souls by Chancey Rogers is a super fast-paced supernatural read that is literally un-put-down-able.

Wow, what a suspenseful and goosebumps-inducing ride! The first part (out of all 3) was my favourite as the suspense built up was so perfect that it was literally impossible to put down the book! The characterization wasn’t overly relatable for me, but it felt very realistic and seemed apt for the story, so it served the purpose well.

A very well-written book with simple and smooth writing which made for a very quick read. The flow of the writing was so good that I finished this book in less than 48 hrs when I wasn’t even planning on reading it and happened to pick it up randomly on a whim, earlier than I had planned.

My only complaints are the slight slack in pacing around the 70-90% mark in the ebook and a somewhat down-played climax-built up. Just before the end, the plot progression suffered because of downplaying the main conflict of the story. It wasn’t bad as suck, but I feel that given the thrilling Act I and the sensational Act II, this part, Act III of the story could have been so much better in terms of tension, pacing and overall progression of that bit. Thankfully, the ending made up for this little negative, the only negative in the book.

I’m sure as hell looking forward to reading other books by the author! And I’d recommend this one to all supernatural and horror fiction fans and to those who won’t mind reading an unsettling or pregnancy-related story.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: On The Devil’s Side Of Heaven by Roger Peppercorn

Categories crime, Mystery, Roger Peppercorn, Suspense, ThrillerLeave a Comment on Book Review: On The Devil’s Side Of Heaven by Roger Peppercorn
Author: Roger Peppercorn
Release Date: 9th January 2018
Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Suspense
Series:
Edition: E-Book
Pages: 583
Publisher: Wallace Publishing
Blurb:
With the drop of a judge’s gavel, Walt Walker has finally lost everything. The badge and gun he used to carry and the moral certainty of right and wrong, good and evil that used to keep him grounded. Now Walt, sans gun, gets his badges from an Army Navy store. He spends his days in South Florida, working for a boutique insurance firm as their investigator. He spends his nights in dive bars, trying to forget the mess he has made of his life.
Ronald Jacobs always preferred the title Human Resource Manger to Hitman. But now that he’s retired, he can concentrate on living in the shadows as a respectable gentlemen farmer. Far from the reach and pull of his past life.
Their transgressions are behind them but a chance encounter and a failed assassination attempt sets the two of them on a collision course of violence and retribution. Hunted by contract killers, the law, and corporate bag men, they are pursued across the unforgiving adobes and the sweeping vistas of the Mesa Valley in Western Colorado.
Survival means putting their past in front of them and their differences aside, because in this world the only thing that matters is to cast not others on the devil’s side of heaven, lest you be cast in with them.

Review

★★★+1/2

On The Devil’s Side Of Heaven by Roger Peppercorn is a hard-boiled crime thriller packed with lots of action and suspense.

This book proved to be a decent crime thriller and delivered what it promised – lots of suspense and thriller laced with tons of action and drama. The mystery was good, the characterization decent (though not overly powerful) and the pacing good. The writing was good and consisted of various POVs which turned out to be very interesting and engaging. There were several excellent twists and turns that kept me hooked to the book and the ending paid off well.

The only complain I have about the book is that it was too long. Maybe if some of the cliched scenes weren’t there then it might not feel a bit of a drag at some places, but otherwise, it was a good book. I’d recommend it to all crime, mystery and thriller readers.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Bitcoin For Blockheads by Theme Thomas

Categories Non-Fiction, Tasheme ThomasLeave a Comment on Book Review: Bitcoin For Blockheads by Theme Thomas
Author: Tasheme Thomas
Release Date: 20th August 2018
Genre: Non-Fiction
Series:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 70
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Whether it’s your hip grandma, tech-obsessed nephew, or the businessman who wants to cut right to the chase in order to capitalize on this new asset class, Bitcoin For Blockheads will make sure you’re in the know. This book speaks at a conversational level for those casually interested in Bitcoin and blockchain technology but it doesn’t sacrifice the intricacies that make the technology so wonderful.You can expect to learn about the history of peer-to-peer technology, the technological development of bitcoin, the economics behind it, and so much more!

Review

★★★+1/2

Bitcoin For Blockheads by Tasheme Thomas is a very informative book on the concept of Bitcoin and the blockchain technology.

As someone who had almost no idea about what Bitcoin was and the things it entailed, I am really glad that I read this book. It was an easy read and presented all the concepts very clearly and in a very understandable way. The content itself felt rich and even if I wouldn’t have been able to grasp the context of everything described in the book, I know a LOT more about Bitcoin than I ever did before! The best part was that the book was very short, so I did not find myself wandering even for a second, as generally happens in case of technical books.

I’d recommend it to everyone who is interested in Bitcoin and wants to know more about the subject in under an hour.

this review is also posted on goodreads and amazon

Cover Reveal: Bitcoin For Blockheads by Tasheme Thomas

Categories cover revealLeave a Comment on Cover Reveal: Bitcoin For Blockheads by Tasheme Thomas

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome author Tasheme Thomas, for the cover reveal of his upcoming book Bitcoin For Blockheads.

Presenting the simple yet elegant cover of Bitcoin For Blockheads

About The Book

Bitcoin For Blockheads is a primer to the world of cryptocurrency. This book covers the history of Bitcoin, the development of the technology, the underlying economics, and so much more. This book is written in a casual tone but doesn’t sacrifice the intricacies that make the technology so interesting. Whether it’s your hip grandma, tech-obsessed nephew, or the businessman who wants to cut right to the chase in order to capitalize on this new asset class, Bitcoin For Blockheads will make sure you’re in-the-know.

You can buy Bitcoin For Blockheads here:

amazon and website

 

About The Author:

Tasheme Thomas

Tasheme Thomas is an Educator who studied Mathematics at UNC-Chapel Hill. During the course of his studies, he fell in love with computer science and philosophy. The intersection of these topics brought him to cryptocurrency. Having originally invested during his college years, it wasn’t until he graduated that he really dove into the cryptosphere. After a brief stint working on entrepreneurial ventures and freelance programming, Tasheme began teaching Middle and High School mathematics. His experience teaching highlighted the need for education about cryptocurrency, which prompted him to write Bitcoin For Blockheads.

Twitter | Instagram

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at  thereadingbud@gmail.com

Author Interview: Thomas Josef

Categories Author InterviewLeave a Comment on Author Interview: Thomas Josef

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome Thomas Josef, author of Incoming! Secrets Of A Contract Warrior In Afghanistan, for an author interview.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Thomas Josef

Thomas Josef is a native of Wisconsin and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He hiked the epic 2,200+ mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in his mid-twenties. Thereafter, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tunisia, North Africa. He studied Spanish in Mexico, Guatemala, and Ecuador. With his passion for travel and adventure, he took a military contractor position with a Fortune 500 engineering and construction company to serve the Warfighters of Afghanistan. This is his story of that time and his first book.

 Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads | Website


The Interview

Can you please tell my readers a little bit about yourself?


I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and I’m a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. I took a short time off between my sophomore and junior year of college to hike the epic 2000+ mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.
From 1989 to 1991, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tunisia, North Africa as a community service worker helping local farmers manage greenhouses. We were ordered out of the region by decree of the State Department because of the initial Iraq-Kuwait conflict that escalated to the Gulf War.
With my Peace Corps assignment cut short and the US is on the brink of war, I decided to travel to Mexico and Central America where tensions were much more subdued. I learned Spanish in Mexico and Guatemala. When I returned to the states, I endured my career with the State of Texas and continued to reside in Austin.
After nearly ten years of service to the state, I was looking for a change in my career and one that would offer an excellent compensation package and travel opportunities. I decided to take a military contractor position with a Fortune 500 engineering and construction company to help serve the Warfighters of Afghanistan. During that time I started to write about daily accounts that became the premise of my book.


Please tell us about your book?


Life as a military contractor working in a war zone is very different, yet fascinating as you can imagine. It’s more about attitude than aptitude. It takes a unique personality and character to stick it out in a war zone and probably more so for a gay man on a military base.
Every day in a war zone, you’re reminded of death. We were working seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Frequently it’s melancholy, but there’s also beautiful cultivation of how you handle your work and what you do outside of work. I worked out nearly every day. I trained to run marathons. I made lasting friendships, had libidinous love affairs, and knowing you’re working alongside our men and women in uniform serving our country as well as our NATO allies made the experience rewarding.
I have a passion for life and adventure and things out of the ordinary, so I decided to keep a journal of the highs and lows of my experiences and feelings during this time in Afghanistan. I started writing stories and sharing some of them as newsletters back home. I had several friends tell me I should compile the newsletters and make it a book. So I did.


How long did it take you to write it?


The book spans four and half years of my time that I served in Afghanistan. It took me another four years after my service to rewrite, rethink, and rework the book for publishing.


Why did you choose this topic?

It’s a memoir, and I wanted to share some of my thoughts and feelings of war that are not shared in newspapers or magazines, how I was able to find peace and happiness in a place that reminds us of dark and gloom almost every day, and that it’s more about the journey, not the destination.


Which writers in your field inspire you?


I’ve always been fascinated by writers that wrote about their life experiences, thoughts, and how they handle things on a daily basis. A few writers that inspired me are Sylvia Plath, Anne Frank, Alice Walker, Khaled Hosseini, and Kevin Powers.


What inspired you to write?

Life’s an adventure. I think it’s great to live and talk about my unique life and experiences that are outside of the norm.


Are you working on any other project(s) right now? If yes, what are they?

Not at this time. I want to see how this book is perceived before I pursue another.


How do you prefer to write? On computer/laptop, typewriter, dictation or longhand with a pen?


I prefer to write using a computer or laptop. I can’t imagine how writers did it before computers.


What are your 5 favorite books and 5 favorite authors?


The five authors that I mentioned that inspired me to write are also on the list of my favorite books:
  1. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
  2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
  3. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
  4. The Kite Runner and 10,000 Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
  5. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers


Non-Fiction deals with a lot of facts and real-life study. How do you deal with the all research work?

My memoir is a real-life study, so I guess that portion speaks for itself. I made several political and social comments in my writing on topics that I explored and researched. I have a personality trait as a thinker and analyzer. I love to study subjects that interest me, so it’s something I enjoy to find differences in thought and perception, but also familiar ground.


What advice would you give to new aspiring authors in your genre?

As a friend and fellow author told me, “Everyone has a story to share; share yours.”


Thank you, Thomas, for all your honest answers and for the simple yet powerful writing advice! 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Incoming! Secrets Of A Contract Warrior In Afghanistan

INCOMINGis an intimate view of one man’s highs and lows during his four and half years of work as a military contractor at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

Thomas’ account explores the oftentimes melancholy details of working in a war zone, but equally delves into the beautiful cultivation of lasting friendships, libidinous love affairs, and the many other ways one must find to help them endure a life away from home and family.

Through his vivid recollections of training as a marathon runner, as well as the amorous but sometimes tumultuous exploration of life as a gay man on a military base, Thomas offers a political and social commentary along the way. For every harrowing moment dealing with personal or wartime bleakness, there’s an equally uplifting reminder that we find peace and happiness within ourselves and those we choose as companions.

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

 

To read other author interviews, click here.

If you are an author and wish to be interviewed or if you are a publicist and want to get your author interviewed on TRB, then please get in touch through direct e-mail: thereadingbud@gmail.com

Audiobook Review: Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Categories Children's Fiction, Classics, Kate Douglas Wiggin3 Comments on Audiobook Review: Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Author: Kate Douglas Wiggin
Narrator: Ann Richardson
Release Date: 8th December 2017
Genre: Classic, Children’s Fiction
Series: –
Length: 8 hours 11 minutes
Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press Inc.⎮2018
Blurb:
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm has delighted readers for over 100 years. Published in 1903, when girls were inevitably depicted as pretty, gentle and proper, Rebecca Rowena Randall burst onto the scene of children’s literature. Sent to live with her prim and proper Aunt Miranda, who is expecting her much more demure sister, Rebecca is a “bird of a very different feather”. She has “a small, plain face illuminated by a pair of eyes carrying such messages, such suggestions, such hints of sleeping power and insight, that one never tired of looking into their shining depths….” To her Aunt Miranda’s continual dismay, Rebecca is exuberant, irrepressible, and spirited – not at all “proper” or “demure”. She wins over her aunt soon enough, and the whole town, and thousands of readers and listeners everywhere.
In 1904, author Jack London wrote Kate Douglas Wiggin: “May I thank you for Rebecca?…. I would have quested the wide world over to make her mine, only I was born too long ago and she was born but yesterday…. Why could she not have been my daughter? Why couldn’t it have been I who bought the three hundred cakes of soap? Why, O, why?” And Mark Twain called Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm “beautiful and warm and satisfying”. This recording, narrated by Ann Richardson, whose sweet voice has a facility for accents and character voices, is a satisfying listening experience you’ll want to revisit. Upcoming from Post Hypnotic Press is a new annotated print/eBook edition of this book, with illustrations from the original publication and a new introduction, as well as a work-book f…

Review

★★★★

Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin and narrated by Ann Richardson is a beautiful audiobook that is a must read (must-listen?) for everyone.

It is a beautifully sweet book with a lovely young girly-girl character at its heart who will win your heart by the end of the first chapter itself. Unlike many other readers, I have not yet read Anne of the Green Gables (a reference I came across in many reviews for this book while deciding whether to accept this book for review or not) so I can’t offer any comparison, though what I can say is that this is a very thorough book full of moral lessons and hearty anecdotes of a time that is long gone and is always remembered. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book because of the colourful narration which was fun to listen to.

I’d recommend this audiobook to everyone who loves reading (or more specifically, who loves listening to audiobooks.)

This Review Is Also Posted On Audible and Goodreads

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Book Review: Wild Blue Yonder by Jack B. Rochester

Categories Historical, Jack B. Rochester1 Comment on Book Review: Wild Blue Yonder by Jack B. Rochester
Author: Jack B. Rochester
Release Date: 1st August 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 306
Publisher: –
Blurb:
“Nathaniel Hawthorne Flowers, eh?” said First Sergeant Wilford H. Buford. “That yer real name or one you picked up out there in fairyland Cally-forny?” “Wild Blue Yonder” is the coming-of-age story of Nathaniel Hawthorne Flowers, a smart but sheltered boy from suburban Chicago whose beloved father suddenly dies, resulting in his flunking out of college. It’s the 1960s, so he gets a draft notice but joins the Air Force to avoid going to Vietnam. Nate’s adventure takes off as he tries to understand the military mindset and the massive social disruption going on in America. His journey takes a Kafka-esque turn when he is sent to Germany to become a military newspaper correspondent whose stories will never see print. Existential, psychedelic, fun-filled and laced with the rock ‘n’ roll of the times, “Wild Blue Yonder” is the story of Nate finding his personal and spiritual values as he discovers the love of a girl and the meaning of family and friendships.

Review

★★★★★

Wild Blue Yonder by Jack B. Rochester is a beautifully written historical fiction book with such realistic characterization that it takes the book to a whole new level of awesomeness.

I truly enjoyed reading this book; it had great writing, really good characterization, very nice pacing and tension and the plot-progression was really, really good. And on top of all this, the story was not only realistic but also very emotional and deep, which made reading this book so worth it. I was pulled into the story right from the start and was in it for good till the very end. The conflicts felt real and the backdrop was fantastic. Overall, it is a very, very good book.

I’d recommend this book to the readers of historical fiction as well to those who are looking for a refreshing new dramatic story and won’t mind the backdrop of war.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Our Frail Disordered Lives by Mary M. Schmidt

Categories Comedy, Cross-genre, Horror, Mary M. Schmidt, SupernaturalLeave a Comment on Book Review: Our Frail Disordered Lives by Mary M. Schmidt
Author: Mary M. Schmidt
Release Date: 1st June 2018
Genre: Horror-Comedy, Supernatural
Series:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 188
Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
Blurb:
Larry Kavanaugh is an ordinary kind of guy. He’s got a nagging wife and two kids, both annoyingly gifted. No matter what he does, there is no end to what his family needs. What’s a regular, everyday guy to do? Well, he cuts a few corners, obviously—one very big corner in particular. He sells his soul to the Devil. Maybe it’s not the actual Devil, but Larry is ready to make a deal with one of the Devil’s minions. He meets some demon whose name he can’t remember. Funny, it was right on the tip of his tongue, a name of something you step on. Roach the Demon has sort of good intentions. He just wants a re-write of Dante’s Inferno with himself as the star. Roach goes after Larry as a rogue operation. He needs to make a point to his boss, Satan, so he uses the body of a human to follow Larry around and stir up trouble. He offers Larry an airtight guarantee that nothing could possibly go wrong. After all, Larry doesn’t feel like he has much to lose—or does he? Even Roach might be in over his head this time.

Review

★★★

Our Frail Disordered Lives by Mary M. Schmidt is a unique story about a guy who sells his soul to the devil a demon in order to make his life better and what follows is a litany of situations one could do better to stay away from.

A very unique story with lots of drama and twists and turns to keep the readers entertained throughout the book. Overall speaking, I liked the idea of the book, the main concept that is, but felt that it needed more polishing in terms of the execution of that concept. The writing was okay but the characterization, for this kind of story, felt weak, and that was my biggest issue. The pacing was good and the plot progression okay, but I really felt that if I would have been able to connect with the main character, Larry, a bit more then the story would have meant even more to me.

Still, it proved to be a pretty quick and easy read. So if you’re looking for a fresh quick read then this might be for you if you’re okay with reading stories with not very relatable characters and care about the story more than characterization.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Caina by Joe Albanese

Categories Comedy, crime, Joe AlbaneseLeave a Comment on Book Review: Caina by Joe Albanese
Author: Joe Albanese
Release Date: 5th July 2018
Genre: Crime Comedy
Series:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 124
Publisher: Mockingbird Lane Press
Blurb:
Twins tend to be closer than typical siblings. They often share a bond that is oftentimes unexplainable.*
For some reason that bond didn’t apply to Grant and Lee Tolan. Grant was always the responsible one. Lee, on the other hand, was always in trouble and in jail, self-destructing to the point the twins hadn’t seen or spoken in years.
In trouble with the Irish mob who wanted him sleeping with the fishes, finding Grant dead of an apparent suicide, Lee did the only thing that made sense. He switched identities.
Instead of making life easier, Lee is plunged into a world the Irish and Italian crime families, the Mexican cartel and the DEA. Pitting one against the other, Lee enlists the help of friends to save his own life. He will need a miracle.
But Grant’s secret is the biggest shock of all for Lee and he must re-evaluate his entire life.

Review

★★★★

Caina by Jow Albanese is a very entertaining crime comedy about a guy who knows only one thing – how to get in trouble.

It was a very interesting read. The narration was good because more than a book it felt like a movie running in the head.  The writing was solid, the characterization was decent and the plot was very exciting. The well-placed twists and turns kept the story engaging and the high action kept me entertained throughout the book.

The ending was really good and felt apt tot he entire plot build-up. The dialogues were good and made the book, again, feel like a film.

A very quick read in which the author’s sense of humour shone through quite well. Overall, this book is a complete action-comedy package and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining quick read.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Spencer’s Risk by Andy Greenhalgh

Categories Andy Greenhalgh, Comedy, Contemporary Fiction, dark comedyLeave a Comment on Book Review: Spencer’s Risk by Andy Greenhalgh
Author: Andy Greenhalgh
Release Date: 17th April 2018
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Dark Comedy
Series:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 185
Publisher: –
Blurb:
SPENCER’S RISK is a dark comic novel. Burnt out and broke, university Drama lecturer Spencer Leyton is a compulsive gambler, estranged from his wife and children and driving his career over a cliff. His some-time friend Justin invites him to a high-stakes poker game. (‘Justin could sell snow to the Eskimos – literally. For some months he had sold cocaine to the Inuit community in Copenhagen’.) The game ends with Spencer owing £10,000 to Paula Malone, the head of a criminal gang.
At work, Spencer is sexually obsessed with a wealthy and glamourous student called Eva. She commits plagiarism,
an offence usually punished by expulsion, but bribes him with £3000 to keep quiet about it. Spencer has inside information about a football game, so he bets the £3000 on it, and that is when things really start to go wrong…
Eva demands the leading role in the College Showcase Production, with disastrous results. (‘Eva was not wearing the costume she had worn in the Dress Rehearsal. Eva was wearing a sporran. And very little else’)
Paula’s deadline runs out. It looks like curtains for Spencer Leyton…

Review

★★★★

Spencer’s Risk by Andy Greenhalgh is a delightful and enjoyable new contemporary read with lots of dark humour highlighted by sarcastic undertones.

It was a very enjoyable book and I had a good time reading it. The characterization was good which was a big plus given the entire story heavily depended on the main protagonist, Spencer. He was very believable and pretty relatable. Even though he landed up in extreme situations, I was able to relate to his worries and dilemmas and hence, was able to connect to him easily.

The writing was clean and good and the author’s clever sense of humour shone through the entire book nicely. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a light and refreshing contemporary book.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: The Business Launch Code: A Step By Step Guide To Starting Your Own Business by M. Salek

Categories M. Salek, Non-FictionLeave a Comment on Book Review: The Business Launch Code: A Step By Step Guide To Starting Your Own Business by M. Salek
Author: M. Salek
Release Date: 19th July 2018
Genre: Non-Fiction, Businesses and Start-Ups
Series:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 274
Publisher: Polymath Publishing
Blurb:
Everything you need to know to start a business, step by step.
Starting a business doesn’t need to be hard, and it certainly doesn’t need to be confusing.
If you’ve ever considered starting a business (or in the process of starting one), then this is the book for you.
Inside the book, you will learn:
1. 10 mistakes new businesses make, and how NOT to fall prey to them
2. How to give your business an edge
3. The people you should talk to before starting your business
4. The qualities that are important to start and grow a successful business
5. How to test your ideas (this way you can find out if your idea has potential or not)
6. How to determine if your business idea can be profitable (& why you need to do this before you start)
7. How to find out if people will buy
8. The different ways to fund your business (including how to start a business with no money)
9. A quick, fun and effective way to plan your business (create a business plan in less than 15 minutes!)
10. Branding for a new business, and what you need to know
11. The crucial steps most new businesses miss
12. Why it is important to take care of the small things (& how these can significantly improve your business)
13. The 5 things you need in place to create a solid, sustainable business (you need these if you want to create a business that won’t disappear overnight)
14. The optimal structure for your business
15. How you can get great people on board (for free!)
16. The 3 main positions every business needs to fill
17. How to cut your initial business costs to nearly zero!
18. ‘Sensitivity Analysis’ – what it is and why you need to know about this (this can make or break a business)
19. A creative strategy for building partnerships (and how it can also help you cut costs & increase profits)
20. 9 proven tips for coming up with a great business name
21. How to create an effective business card (business cards don’t need to boring…!)
22. A quick list of the records you need to keep to stay out of trouble
23. A 5-minute checklist to help guide you start your business the right way
24. How to make your business finally happen
The Business Launch Code offers essential information, insights, and exercises on what it takes to create a successful business. Each step takes you closer towards creating your own business, while at the same time minimising the risks.
This book goes beyond conventional wisdom and combines standard procedures with the latest developments and updates so that you get an edge when starting your own business.
By following these steps, you will find the knowledge, insights, and confidence you need to finally start your business..

Review

★★★+1/2

The Business Launch Code by M. Salek is a very informative book on starting a new business which also gives helpful insights for established businesses.

Unlike many business books, this book had content that was surprisingly well-written. Many authors of business books concentrate only on the content they’re putting forward and pay little to no attention on the way they write it. They do pay attention to the way they present the content in the way of organisation, but the writing is heavily suffered in such books. So I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book as the ideas are not only put forth in an organized way, but also in a well-written manner.

This book was well-researched and was pretty helpful. The insight into the whole starting-a-new-business scenario in today’s world was very useful, something that I’m sure new entrepreneurs would really appreciate. What better way to start a new business knowing what are the main things that tend to go wrong in 90% of the cases?

It was an easy and interesting read, with well thought out chapters and the points made in each one of them. I liked how the facts, relevant examples and information were presented in an effectively simple way.

I recommend this book to people with new startups and even to the ones who already have established businesses as it is a quick read and also because extra knowledge never hurts.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: The Boxcar Baby by J.L. Mulvihill

Categories Dystopian, J.L. Mulvihill, steampunk, Young AdultLeave a Comment on Book Review: The Boxcar Baby by J.L. Mulvihill
Author: J.L. Mulvihill
Release Date: 12th July 2013
Genre: Steampunk, Dystopian, Young Adult
Series: Steel Roots Series (Book #1)
Edition: e-book
Pages: 274
Publisher: Seventh Star Press, LLC
Blurb:
The Box Car Baby introduces the character of AB’Gale Steel who was born in a boxcar on a train bound for Georgia, according to what her papa told her. Bishop Steel, a mechanical engineer for the Southern Railroad, found his adopted daughter snuggled in a basket of cotton on an otherwise empty boxcar in the train yard. When no one came around to claim the baby, Bishop Steel, rather than relinquish the child to the State only to end up at the Workhouse someday, smuggled her home to raise as his own. The name on the boxcar he found her in read, A B Gale Logs, and so he named the baby AB’Gale.
But if the mystery of who her real parents are isn’t enough for fifteen-year -old AB’Gale, Papa Bishop goes missing. Worried for her family and afraid of having to spend her life at the Workhouse, AB’Gale goes into town to see if anyone’s seen her papa, only to find a deeper mystery. At the train station no one seems to know who her papa is even though he’s worked for the Southern Railroad for thirty years.
An encounter with a strange Hobo-man, who claims to know her father, results in the acquisition of a leather eye-glass tube that he says belongs to her papa. Before AB’Gale can question him further the man runs away. When she gets home, she finds the Crushers taking her grandma off to the Oldies-home, so she hides until they are gone.
AB’Gale finds that the leather tube contains a map of the United States, with markers made by various towns across the country. By each marker is a word or a name written in her papa’s handwriting.
Alone, and with only the clues of the map to go by, AB’Gale has no choice but to set out on her own to find her Papa.

Review

★★

The Boxcar Baby by J.L. Mulvihill is a steampunk dystopian with a very interesting plot which unfortunately wasn’t executed well.

Considering the beautiful covers of all the three books in this series, I was expecting the book to be really good and polished, but unfortunately, it proved to be a bit of a disappointment. I have the entire series with me and I was really excited about it, but there is so much telling and not enough showing in this book that it gets difficult to read after a couple of pages itself. Plus, the story progression is way off than should be allowed in an edited book.

The writing was too simple and there was a lot of wandering. The characters felt flat and the overall connection was not established (though I was able to see the effort the author put into it, but it simply didn’t work.)

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Watch Me by Jody Gehrman

Categories Jody Gehrman, psychological thriller, Suspense, ThrillerLeave a Comment on Book Review: Watch Me by Jody Gehrman
Author: Jody Gehrman
Release Date: 23rd January 2018
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Series:  
Edition: Physical
Pages: 308
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Blurb:
Kate Youngblood is disappearing. Muddling through her late 30s as a creative writing professor at Blackwood college, she’s dangerously close to never being noticed again. The follow-up novel to her successful debut tanked. Her husband left her for a woman ten years younger. She’s always been bright, beautiful, independent and a little wild, but now her glow is starting to vanish. She’s heading into an age where her eyes are less blue, her charm worn out, and soon no one will ever truly look at her, want to know her, again.
Except one.
Sam Grist is Kate’s most promising student. An unflinching writer with razor-sharp clarity who gravitates towards dark themes and twisted plots, his raw talent is something Kate wants to nurture into literary success. But he’s not there solely to be the best writer. He’s been watching her. Wanting her. Working his way to her for years.
As Sam slowly makes his way into Kate’s life, they enter a deadly web of dangerous lies and forbidden desire. But how far will his fixation go? And how far will she allow it?
A gripping novel exploring intense obsession and illicit attraction, Jody Gehrman introduces a world where what you desire most may be the most dangerous thing of all.

Review

★★★★

Watch Me by Jody Gehrman is a very enjoyable fast-paced psychological thriller with good characterization and a very intelligent story-line. This book reminded me a lot of a book I read a couple of years ago (I have totally forgotten what was the name of the book and the bestselling author duo, though I do remember it was a British book), this one was very similar to that. And most of the plot was kind of the same, but the ending was totally different and the creep in this book came across as a kind of well-meaning psycho (I’m sure it doesn’t make any sense, but you’ll get it once you’ve read the book.)

The story progression is what I really loved about this book along with the detailed exposition. The characters were good and believable enough and the pacing excellent. Though, in spite of all this, I feel that the ending was a bit abrupt and unclimatic. I mean, here I’m reading the book enjoying where the plot is going with high-intensity drama and the high stakes and as I turn the page the book ends with an anti-climactic turn of a page. Now that was a big turn off.

Still, I’d rate the book high as I loved every bit of it except for the last 2-3 pages. If you love thrillers and fast-paced stories about psychopaths and sociopaths then you must read this one!

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Kaitlin’s Mooring by Carey V. Azzara

Categories Carey V. Azzara, Contemporary Fiction, Drama, Relationships, RomanceLeave a Comment on Book Review: Kaitlin’s Mooring by Carey V. Azzara
Author: Carey V. Azzara
Release Date: 3rd July 2018
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Family Drama, Romance
Series:  
Edition: E-book
Pages: 208
Publisher: Glass Spider Publishing
Blurb:
Nothing is more horrific than losing a child, nothing more joyous than the birth of one. When grief intertwines with joy, it throws the Deveau family into turmoil.

Pregnant twenty-year-old Kaitlin Deveau leaves Boston University in a hurry when Henry, her grandfather, calls from Maine with devastating news. Bereft of hope, Kaitlin’s son, Christopher, becomes a life preserver, keeping the family buoyant. Henry, now Chris’s only male role model, teaches him lessons he uses throughout life. In the end, Chris and his adopted sister, Susan, must save their parents from the fate that took his grandparents–but the outcome is uncertain.

Review

★★★★

Kaitlin’s Mooring by Carey V. Azzara is a beautiful story about relationships and family.

This book was surprisingly good and I savoured reading every minute of it. The overall story was a feast and the writing was pretty good and the characters strong and believable. The character’s inner conflicts seemed real and they complemented the carefully woven tale very well. The beginning was slow but built up steadily and the ending proved to be apt.

Except for a few minor pacing issues, I enjoyed the book thoroughly. I’d recommend it to all contemporary fiction readers and to those readers who want to explore new authors and books.

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Author Spotlight: Carey V. Azzara

Categories Author SpotlightLeave a Comment on Author Spotlight: Carey V. Azzara

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring Ashraf Haggag, author of Legends Over Generations, for the Author Spotlight.

About The Author

Carey V. Azzara is no stranger to twists and turns, overcoming life challenges on route to obtaining two graduate degrees and establishing a successful career spanning public health and market research—all while raising a family and rescuing a few dogs. Azzara has published articles, reports, and books, writing for the joy of sharing his ideas and stories with his readers.

Also by Carey V. Azzara:

Azzara is the author of Kaitlin’s Mooring, a story that spans five generations of the Deveau family. He is also the author of The Lottery Curse and two collections of stories: Uncommon Heroes and Cars, plus the first and second editions of Halley’s Gift and Eight Other Extraordinary Tales. He also authored Heroes, Dogs, and Cars (out of print). He has authored short stories published in Storyacious and the anthology Swallowed by the Beast. In 2010, he wrote the book Questionnaire Design for Business Research, a technical text on marketing research practices.

Forthcoming works include a children’s book titled Ready or Not Here We Come and the novels Halley’s Gift: The Adventure Begins.

 you can connect with the author here
facebook | amazon | linkedin | goodreads

About The Book

Nothing is more horrific than losing a child, nothing more joyous than the birth of one. When grief intertwines with joy, it throws the Deveau family into turmoil.

Pregnant twenty-year-old Kaitlin Deveau leaves Boston University in a hurry when Henry, her grandfather, calls from Maine with devastating news. Bereft of hope, Kaitlin’s son, Christopher, becomes a life preserver, keeping the family buoyant. Henry, now Chris’s only male role model, teaches him lessons he uses throughout life. In the end, Chris and his adopted sister, Susan, must save their parents from the fate that took his grandparents–but the outcome is uncertain.

buy kaitlin’s mooring on
barnes & noble and amazon

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author/book featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Review: Super Me by Jessica Dazzo

Categories Contemporary Fiction, Paranormal, Young AdultLeave a Comment on Book Review: Super Me by Jessica Dazzo
Author: Jessica Dazzo
Release Date: 20th July 2018
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal
Series: Super Series (Book #1)
Edition: E-book
Pages: 327
Publisher: –
Blurb:
What does it mean when your mind goes rogue and starts making stuff up? For example, if you were to hear the radio talk to you—say your name and tell you to do something… that couldn’t be a good sign, right? Or when everyone keeps saying your ex-crush’s name in random conversation when you’re just really trying to get over the jerk because he’s actually terrible? Not good.
Seventeen-year-old Faye Aldright has never quite fit in, but when she starts hearing and seeing things all wrong, it makes life so much harder. Faye knows she’s the cause of all of the intense, awkward, and sometimes explosive misunderstandings with her mom, best friend, and the new boy who she definitely hates. She knows it’s all in her mind and that for some reason, it’s turned against her. It’s trying to ruin her life. She just has to figure out how to fight the crazy in order to get her life back on track–in order to find out what’s really going on in her little town, because something supernatural is definitely going on.
But how do you fight your mind? And what kind of person has their own mind as their nemesis?

Review

★★★★

Super Me by Jessica Dazzo is a refreshing new YA paranormal novel that is hard to put down once you get into the story.

Initially, it took me a while to get into the story, but once I was in, it was hard not to read and finish it off in one sitting. The story is complex, in a good way, and engaging. The writing is good and makes the book an easy and quick read. The characters believable and the setting fitting to the tone of the overall plotline. So, on the whole, it was a complete package and I enjoyed reading it. But what really set this book apart from the others in the genre is the emotional believability of the protagonist’s internal (as well as external) conflicts. I was able to connect with Faye and felt deeply for her. Other characters were also developed well and, hence, the ending proved to be emotionally exhausting yet rewarding at the same time.

If you’re into paranormal and supernatural fiction, then you must check out this book.

this review is also posted on goodreads and amazon

Book Spotlight: Kaitlin’s Mooring by Carey V. Azzara

Categories Book SpotlightLeave a Comment on Book Spotlight: Kaitlin’s Mooring by Carey V. Azzara

About The Book

Name: Kaitlin’s Mooring

Author: Carey V. Azzara

Publisher: Glass Spider Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Romance, Family Drama

Page Count: 208

Release date: 2nd July 2018

Synopsis

Nothing is more horrific than losing a child, nothing more joyous than the birth of one. When grief intertwines with joy, it throws the Deveau family into turmoil.

Pregnant twenty-year-old Kaitlin Deveau leaves Boston University in a hurry when Henry, her grandfather, calls from Maine with devastating news. Bereft of hope, Kaitlin’s son, Christopher, becomes a life preserver, keeping the family buoyant. Henry, now Chris’s only male role model, teaches him lessons he uses throughout life. In the end, Chris and his adopted sister, Susan, must save their parents from the fate that took his grandparents–but the outcome is uncertain.

buy kaitlin’s mooring on
barnes & noble and amazon

 

About the Author

Carey V. Azzara

Carey V. Azzara is no stranger to twists and turns, overcoming life challenges on route to obtaining two graduate degrees and establishing a successful career spanning public health and market research—all while raising a family and rescuing a few dogs. Azzara has published articles, reports, and books, writing for the joy of sharing his ideas and stories with his readers.

Also by Carey V. Azzara

Azzara is the author of Kaitlin’s Mooring, a story that spans five generations of the Deveau family. He is also the author of The Lottery Curse and two collections of stories: Uncommon Heroes and Cars, plus the first and second editions of Halley’s Gift and Eight Other Extraordinary Tales. He also authored Heroes, Dogs, and Cars (out of print). He has authored short stories published in Storyacious and the anthology Swallowed by the Beast. In 2010, he wrote the book Questionnaire Design for Business Research, a technical text on marketing research practices.

Forthcoming works include a children’s book titled Ready or Not Here We Come and the novels Halley’s Gift: The Adventure Begins.

 You can connect with the author here
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Book Review: The Inheritants By K.M. Mackmurdie

Categories K.M Mackmurdie, Urban FantasyLeave a Comment on Book Review: The Inheritants By K.M. Mackmurdie
Author: K.M Mackmurdie
Release Date: 30th April 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series:  
Edition: E-book
Pages: 402
Publisher: Burton Brown Enterprises Publisher
Blurb:
Many moons ago, the Gods funnelled their gifts into mortals, and the Inheritant Families were born…London 2018
Meredith Earl is an Inheritant orphan with no one left to trust. Her lover Sloane is dead and his corpse missing – now Meredith must find out who took him, and why.
After the tragic death of her parents she vowed never to use her powers again, but to find Sloane Meredith must enter the shrouded world of the Inheritant Families once more, and rediscover who she really is.
Meredith embarks on a voyage rife with love, loss, sacrifice and despair to face an enemy more cruel and vengeful than she could have ever imagined.The Inheritant is K. M. Mackmurdie’s literary debut, a thrilling urban fantasy that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Review

★★★★

Inheritants by K.M. Mackmurdie is a new urban fantasy read that is thoroughly fast-paced, engaging and enjoyable.

A well-written book for a first-time author with a strong main character, relatable secondary characters, good pacing, great story progression and a fascinating new plot – this book ticks off all the major check-boxes for a great read. It was very enjoyable and I am glad that I read this book.

Heavy with twists and turns and magical themes that were not only entertaining but dark too this book kept my mind engaged throughout, something which is missing from a lot of other books in this genre. I appreciated the simple yet powerful writing and the thought that went into crafting each and every single character.

This book is kind of a stand-alone consisting of all three parts of the series. So it’s one book with an entire 3-part story which is always a treat for readers like me who like to finish series they start but can hardly find the time to do so every time.

If you’re looking to discover a new author in the urban fantasy genre or want to read a book that’ll give you the satisfaction of having read a full trilogy in one go then go for this one, I’m sure you’ll like it.

this review is also posted on goodreads and amazon

Author Interview: K.M. Mackmurdie

Categories Author InterviewLeave a Comment on Author Interview: K.M. Mackmurdie

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome K.M. Mackmurdie, author of The Inheritants, for an author interview.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

K.M. Mackmurdie

K.M.Mackmurdie has always preferred fantasy lands to reality – and it only took her twenty five years to bring her daydreams to life.
Born and bred in Islington, London, she moved from place to place soaking up snatches of conversation and the body language between furrowed brows, before ending up in Hertfordshire, with a wonderful partner and two highly distracting cats. A local government dropout, K.M. Mackmurdie swapped politics for storytelling and published the first three instalments of her hotly anticipated Inheritant Saga in May 2018.

When not being a tortured artist, K.M. Mackmurdie can be found reading, (duh, right?), cooking up a masterpiece or making a fool of herself on the dancefloor.

Check out The Inheritants now on Amazon Kindle and Ingram Spark. K.M.Mackmurdie’s full debut novel is also available in print.

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The Interview

Can you please tell my readers about your ambitions for your writing career?

My ambition right now is to just keep telling the stories I love and improve my craft. The publishing world can be a daunting place for a debut author and so I want to just keep learning and absorbing as much as I can so that the novels I share are the best they can be.

Which writers inspire you?

I’m very much inspired by a variety of authors, but if I had to pick a top five, I’d have to go with my favourites; Glen Duncan, Neil Gaiman, Lee Child, J.K Rowling and Margaret Atwood.

Tell us about your book?

An urban fantasy, The Inheritants is set in present day London, with the only difference being the descendants of Gods who walk among us. Blessed with special and potentially dangerous abilities, they live under the gaze of the Watchers who ensure that The Inheritant families are contained. None are deadlier than Meredith Earl, who has learnt that using her powers can have fatal consequences.

Yet when her boyfriend is killed and his corpse taken, Meredith will have to confront her past to find him – and the Inheritant families who want revenge.

At its core, The Inheritants is a twisted love story, where old secrets and severed familial ties are resurrected for nefarious means.

How long did it take you to write it?

The novel took about eight months to write and a few more months to edit and publish.

Are you working on any other project(s) right now? If yes, what are they?

Yes! Other than the sequel to The Inheritants, I’m working on a crime novel at the moment, with the working title of The Devil’s Game. In a nutshell, the novel is about a badass female vigilante / private detective, who must work with the police when a young boy washes up on Coney Island’s shore. Who killed Ed Summers and why? Read the explosive new Ash Wheeler novel in 2019 to find out!

Why have you chosen this genre?

The urban fantasy genre is my favourite to read and the only genre I’ve written in previously, so my debut published novel was going to be an urban fantasy. I really like to subvert traditional genres though, so there are some real dark, noir aspects to the novel as well as graphic violence and sex scenes, which really contrast well with the fantastical elements of the novel.

When did you decide to become a writer?

I decided to become a writer when it became clear that not writing was making me feel very unfulfilled and unsatisfied. They always say if you do something you love you’ll never work a day in your life – and all the hard work is worth it for a career that makes you smile.

How do you prefer to write? On computer/laptop, typewriter, dictation or longhand with a pen?

I write on a Surface Pro, which is the only laptop I’ve been able to stand for hours on end. It’s really comfortable and I can write on it anywhere – I do have a study but I’m rarely one to sit still. I write anywhere and everywhere, whenever the inspiration strikes!

How do you deal with Writer’s Block?

A lot of the time I use music and film. I like to make playlists and research scenes that spark ideas in me or fix challenges I’m having with my plot. I find that I can’t ‘push through’ writer’s block like some other authors do. It’s much more helpful for me to read a novel or do some research and switch off as it were. In the creative arts, it’s important to give yourself thinking time.

What advice would you give to new aspiring authors?

Not to give up, firstly, because it’s very easy to give up and if you do, the important thing is to get over it and try again. I give up on a daily basis!

Secondly though, it’s to be honest about your abilities. There will always be mistakes and things you could do better – writers are their own best critic. Listen to feedback and try to identify your weaknesses and work on them. You can always improve.

Thank you, Katie, for all your insightful answers! 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Inheritants

An urban fantasy like no other, The Inheritants delivers adventure and magic with a realistic, gritty twist. Meredith may have inherited her powers from the Gods, but she isn’t the only one….and she soon discovers that the other side fights dirty.

Meredith Earl is an Inheritant orphan with no one left to trust. Her lover Sloane is dead and his corpse missing – now Meredith must find out who took him, and why.

After the tragic death of her parents she vowed never to use her powers again, but to find Sloane Meredith must enter the shrouded world of the Inheritant Families once more, and rediscover who she really is.

Meredith embarks on a voyage rife with love, loss, sacrifice and despair to face an enemy more cruel and vengeful than she could have ever imagined.

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

 

To read other author interviews, click here.

If you are an author and wish to be interviewed or if you are a publicist and want to get your author interviewed on TRB, then please get in touch through direct e-mail: thereadingbud@gmail.com

Excerpt Reveal: The Inheritants By K.M. Mackmurdie

Categories Book ExcerptsLeave a Comment on Excerpt Reveal: The Inheritants By K.M. Mackmurdie

Welcome to TRB-Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome author K.M. Mackmurdie, for sharing with us an excerpt from her latest release, a fascinating new urban fantasy, The Inheritants.

Read ahead to get a sneak-peek into this amazing new read!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

An urban fantasy like no other, The Inheritants delivers adventure and magic with a realistic, gritty twist. Meredith may have inherited her powers from the Gods, but she isn’t the only one….and she soon discovers that the other side fights dirty.

Meredith Earl is an Inheritant orphan with no one left to trust. Her lover Sloane is dead and his corpse missing – now Meredith must find out who took him, and why.

After the tragic death of her parents she vowed never to use her powers again, but to find Sloane Meredith must enter the shrouded world of the Inheritant Families once more, and rediscover who she really is.

Meredith embarks on a voyage rife with love, loss, sacrifice and despair to face an enemy more cruel and vengeful than she could have ever imagined.

Book Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSJ8TK2 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40195381-the-inheritants

Book Excerpt

A single lamp illuminated him.

What was left of Sloane was bathed in a feeble, flickering glow. The mulch that served as his head had tipped forward, revealing the debris of skull and brain that congealed on the wall behind him, maggots and porridge against bloodstains that appeared black in the gloom. The blood was still dripping, that night when Meredith knocked at the door, the pool seeping into the hallway being the first thing she had seen. A good girlfriend would have run straight in to face it. A good girlfriend would have had the first two nines dialled before she even discovered it was too late. Meredith was not a good girlfriend, and neither was she an optimist. She threw up right there on the threshold.

When she thought back now she cringed, because the fact was she had sat in that hallway, dry eyed and brain dead, tasting and smelling her own sick for almost an hour. Until the dripping had stopped and the blood that first appeared like clustered, winking rubies was now still and brown, like fatty stew.

She had braved the room eventually with no particular purpose. Something in her bones told her to stand, and so she did. Something somewhere told her legs to move, and her body followed. She had been unprepared by how the blood had stuck to her shoes. It was almost comical, the way each step was accompanied with the squelching sound usually found in tacky clubs and children’s play areas. At the time Meredith was disgusted with the thought. She knew now it was the shock. Still, the distaste persisted. The initial glimpse had been the worst, surprisingly, because there was so much to take in, yet in that moment the smell overtook the visual. Sloane’s bowels and fluids had mixed and spurted from his corpse, wafting a putrid scent of rotting meat and sickeningly sweet perfume to catch in her throat. She couldn’t breathe with the cold heaviness of it; it was as if she were being buried in it, the stench getting stronger and stronger, filling up the air she dragged in until even her oxygen tasted like rancid garbage during a heatwave. Meredith threw up again, right there on the doorway to the living room, as if she were playing hopscotch with her DNA.

The second look stopped her heart and released her tears.

All of him was drenched in crimson, a parody of a king draped in velvet. His legs were crossed under him, uncomfortable, though she supposed that was no longer a concern. The inane thoughts kept drifting and twisting through her head as she took in what she could see of his face, or what remained. It had caved inward, everything above his nose little more than a bridge. He no longer had a mouth or teeth. His jaw hung obscenely by two flaps of skin attached to his free-falling chin. Even under the weak glow of the lamp, Sloane was lit up like New Year’s Eve, alone but for the side table and light, a vulgar tableau.

Eventually, Meredith dialled the three nines but been unable to speak to the operator, so her call was marked low priority and she sat, just outside the circle of blood, for a further half an hour before the police showed up. She had spent forty-eight hours at the station while two greasy officers by the name of Greaves and Judd had worked her over. Meredith hadn’t asked for a lawyer, or even to leave. She hadn’t even said it wasn’t her. Two weeks later they told her the fingerprints had come back and, other than a partial on the front door, there was no sign of her prints anywhere else in the house. They told her she could speak to a grief counsellor. Meredith had hung up the phone. The smell had stayed with her for days. When she closed her eyes and thought of Sloane, it was still the first image to come to mind, no matter how hard she tried to forget it. She knew that would stay with her forever.

 

About the Author

 

K.M. Mackmurdie

K.M.Mackmurdie has always preferred fantasy lands to reality – and it only took her twenty five years to bring her daydreams to life.
Born and bred in Islington, London, she moved from place to place soaking up snatches of conversation and the body language between furrowed brows, before ending up in Hertfordshire, with a wonderful partner and two highly distracting cats. A local government dropout, K.M. Mackmurdie swapped politics for storytelling and published the first three instalments of her hotly anticipated Inheritant Saga in May 2018.

When not being a tortured artist, K.M. Mackmurdie can be found reading, (duh, right?), cooking up a masterpiece or making a fool of herself on the dancefloor.

Check out The Inheritants now on Amazon Kindle and Ingram Spark. K.M.Mackmurdie’s full debut novel is also available in print.

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If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Audiobook Review: Dead Of Night by William. R Todd

Categories Horror, William R Todd2 Comments on Audiobook Review: Dead Of Night by William. R Todd
Author: William R Todd
Narrator: Ben Werling
Release Date: 30th March 2018
Genre: Horror
Series: –
Length: 4 hours
Publisher: William Todd | 2018

Blurb:
Dead of Night is a compilation of turn-of-the-century-era horror stories with a Victorian flair and traditional horror story plots with unexpected endings. If you like ghosts and ghouls and demons and werewolves, these stories are for you.

Review

★★★★+1/2

Dark Of Night by William Todd is a gripping and scary horror story that was narrated in a way that took the spook factor to an entirely new level.

I loved this book, more than many other horror books I’ve read (that have totally failed to spook me.) This book was everything the short blurb promised – dark and macabre. I love reading short stories (the main reason why I picked this one up) and, to my relief, in this book all the short stories were good, some very good and some plain good, but good nonetheless.

All the stories were well-written and maintained a good pace. They all had a good beginning with a really good hook, a good middle point and a nice ending – even if it was an open ending. I enjoyed reading all the stories and plan to read more (or listen to more audiobooks) by the author.

The narration was really good and I loved the deep and dark voice of narration that leant this book a constant eerie air. My only complaint is that in some stories (especially in the first one) the background music seemed a bit funny at times and I felt that the audiobook could really do well without it.

I’d recommend this book to all horror readers and to anyone who’s looking for a nice spooky read around Halloween.

this review is also posted on audible and Goodreads

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Book Spotlight: The Inheritants by K.M. Mackmurdie

Categories Book SpotlightLeave a Comment on Book Spotlight: The Inheritants by K.M. Mackmurdie

About The Book

Name: The Inheritants

Author: K.M. Mackmurdie

Publisher: Burton Brown Enterprises Publisher

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Page Count: 402

Release date: April 30th, 2018

Synopsis

An urban fantasy like no other, The Inheritants delivers adventure and magic with a realistic, gritty twist. Meredith may have inherited her powers from the Gods, but she isn’t the only one….and she soon discovers that the other side fights dirty.

Meredith Earl is an Inheritant orphan with no one left to trust. Her lover Sloane is dead and his corpse missing – now Meredith must find out who took him, and why.

After the tragic death of her parents she vowed never to use her powers again, but to find Sloane Meredith must enter the shrouded world of the Inheritant Families once more, and rediscover who she really is.

Meredith embarks on a voyage rife with love, loss, sacrifice and despair to face an enemy more cruel and vengeful than she could have ever imagined.

Buy Links

buy the inheritants on
amazon

 

About the Author

K.M. Mackmurdie

K.M.Mackmurdie has always preferred fantasy lands to reality – and it only took her twenty five years to bring her daydreams to life.
Born and bred in Islington, London, she moved from place to place soaking up snatches of conversation and the body language between furrowed brows, before ending up in Hertfordshire, with a wonderful partner and two highly distracting cats. A local government dropout, K.M. Mackmurdie swapped politics for storytelling and published the first three instalments of her hotly anticipated Inheritant Saga in May 2018.

When not being a tortured artist, K.M. Mackmurdie can be found reading, (duh, right?), cooking up a masterpiece or making a fool of herself on the dancefloor.

Check out The Inheritants now on Amazon Kindle and Ingram Spark. K.M.Mackmurdie’s full debut novel is also available in print.

 facebook | instagram | email | Goodreads

Book Review: Stellar by Kevin Hollingsworth

Categories Kevin Hollingsworth, Poetry, RomanceLeave a Comment on Book Review: Stellar by Kevin Hollingsworth
Author: Kevin Hollingsworth
Release Date: 16th January 2018
Genre: Poetry Collection
Series:  
Edition: E-book
Pages: 140
Publisher: Southern Owl Publications, LLC
Blurb:
“Stellar” is an interesting as well as compelling book of prose poetry that encompasses the wonderment of love. Further, stories of romance, love, and tragedy are told creatively through the eyes of 107 poems. In “Stellar” one will have a chance to go on an odyssey of figurative language, and will also get a refreshing sense of the human condition that we all need, and yearn for love. In “Stellar” one will also have a unique opportunity to view emotionalism seemingly painted by the masters. In reality, however, these poetic words of distinction cannot fit on a canvas, but are to be read on paper, and enjoyed by you and your imagination.

Review

★★★★

Stellar by Kevin Hollingsworth is an impressive collection of emotional poems that are sure to tickle the reader’s emotions.

I enjoyed reading this book and I am glad that I read it. I am not a big poetry fan, but I do enjoy simple and meaningful poems, and this book was exactly that. On the romantic side of the spectrum, Stellar succeeds in grabbing the interest of the reader from the very first poem itself. From the very beginning, I knew it was going to be a rollercoaster of emotions and the book did not disappoint.

The language was good and there was clarity of thought which could be clearly noticed. The poems themselves were little treats and overall, it was an enjoyable and a quick read.

If you like reading poetry by new and talented poets then you must definitely read this book.

Podcast

this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Spotlight: The Golden Wizard (Scrolls Of Zndaria #1) by J.S. Jaeger

Categories Book SpotlightLeave a Comment on Book Spotlight: The Golden Wizard (Scrolls Of Zndaria #1) by J.S. Jaeger

About The Audiobook

Author: J.S. Jaeger

Narrator: R.J. Walker

Length: 5 hours 55 minutes

Publisher: Golden Wizard Publishing⎮2017

Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy

Series: Scrolls of Zndaria, Book 1

Release date: September 26, 2017

Synopsis

Join Nathanial “Nate” McGray, the 15-year-old son of the king’s woodsman, on an unforgettable adventure. He is determined to be the first peasant to become a wizard in the magical world of Zndaria.

Wedged in a sticky spot, Nate is saved from the town bullies by a mysterious elf named Blinkly. Together, Nate and Blinkly embark on a journey to the Halls of Magic. Along the way, they encounter vicious Dread Vikings, deadly bounty hunters, and a deranged beast.
Just as Nate begins to learn magic, the Infinite Wizard and a devilish army attack his kingdom. Will Nate become a wizard? Can he save his kingdom? The story unfolds in the Scrolls of Zndaria: The Golden Wizard

buy links

buy the golden wizard on audible

About the Author

J.S. Jaeger

Parents to four wonderful children, Jerry and Stephanie Jaeger enjoy working together as J.S. Jaeger to write uplifting, entertaining stories. Jerry overcame bullying to earn his black belt in Kempo Karate. He served as a special agent for the FBI and currently works as a prosecutor. Stephanie ran her own accounting practice for several years before turning her focus to writing Scrolls of Zndaria with Jerry. Together, they are excited to bring readers of all ages into the magical world of Zndaria.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Pinterest⎮Instagram

About the Narrator

RJ Walker

RJ Walker is a performance poet and voice actor from Salt Lake City, Utah. RJ Has performed at the national poetry slam numerous times, representing Salt Lake City, and Sugar House Utah. At the Individual World Poetry Slam he was a showcased poet on final stage and placed 6th overall at the 2017 Individual world poetry slam. RJ won the NPS Spirit of the Slam award for organizing the first Compliment Deathmatch event. RJ has narrated over 28 audiobooks and produced 2 albums of spoken word poetry. He is also an actor and game designer for Mystery Escape Room in Salt Lake City.

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Book Review: Layers Of Deceit by Robert Stephen

Categories psychological thriller, Robert Stephen, ThrillerLeave a Comment on Book Review: Layers Of Deceit by Robert Stephen
Author: Robert Stephen
Release Date: –
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Series:  
Edition: E-book
Pages: 240
Publisher: Self-published
Blurb:
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO GET BACK SOMEONE YOU LOVEFive years have passed since Jonathan Dunsmore’s last and only best seller. Forgotten, he’s lost everything including beautiful Nisha, the only woman he loved. Dangling on the brink of insanity a stranger appears in the author’s life. A person who knows Jonathan will do anything to get Nisha back.”Do you want to write another best seller,” says Beckett Reed. “To write about a killer you must become a killer.”

Torn between his fear of Beckett Reed and his desire to hold Nisha again in his arms Jonathan must become a character in his next book. Jonathan randomly stalks and kills a man. He makes it look like a robbery-homicide. However, hidden in the dead man’s wallet is a piece of paper, which his brother, the leader of a Russian gang, will do anything and kill anyone to get it back.

Jonathan’s old college roommate and friend, Glen Barton, is a homicide detective. He discovers Jonathan is a murderer, but it’s too late. Glen must choose between upholding the law or breaking it.

Review

★★★★

Layers Of Deceit by Robert Stephen is a very interesting and engaging new psychological thriller.

Being a writer, it always fascinates me to read about writers as characters in books, and this one was no different. I enjoyed the book, and without a doubt was able to connect to the main characters, so I was happy with the characterization as well (not overly impressed, but it were good enough.)

The story was good, writing decent and overall an enjoyable thriller full of some good, some okay twists and turns. The theme was different and good and the plot-progression was nicely done.

I’d recommend this book to the readers of psychological thriller and to anyone who’s looking for a book by a new author (and won’t mind the dark theme.)

this review is also posted on goodreads and amazon

Book Review: The Europa Lander by Eli Clark

Categories Science-FictionLeave a Comment on Book Review: The Europa Lander by Eli Clark
Author: Eli Clark
Release Date: 10th April 2018
Genre: Science-Fiction Comedy
Series:
Edition: E-book
Pages: 118
Publisher: Abandoned Park Publishing
Blurb:
Martin Pool, brilliant and reclusive astronomer and Europa expert, is hired by Tycho Tech to win the race to land on Jupiter’s moon Europa. Confident as ever, Martin accepts, only to find with horror, that they intended him to manage PEOPLE. With each passing day Martin is forced closer and closer towards the choice: trust the minds of people with less than 2 PhDs, or risk losing the race to his beloved Europa?
The Europa Lander collects interviews, memos and emails to tell the 3 year story of Tycho Tech’s Europa team to explore from their own view, how they learned to tolerate one another (even though the Trekkies know their Star Wars loving coworkers will never truly understand anything).

Review

★★★★

The Europa Lander by Eli Clark is a witty story with a good storyline and well-built characters.

As a writer, I know that writing humour is no simple task, let alone writing it in sci-fi futuristic settings, so the fact that the author did a really good job in writing this book is commendable. I liked the characterization and was able to feel a connection, in an indirect way, to most of the major characters.

I liked the writing style as it was simple and brought out the plot nicely. The story itself was cleverly written and nicely executed. Overall, it was a fun read and I’d recommend it to all humour readers, sci-fi fans or not.

this review is also posted on goodreads and amazon