Tag: memoir

Hello, I Am Here (Back in a Year Series Book 3) by Candace MacPhie Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Candace MacPhie returns to her Back in a Year series to find herself as she travels the world in the book “Hello, I Am Here.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

I have an around-the-world airline ticket and plans to conquer the Middle East. So why am I hanging around Prague, waiting for a guy who told me to my face that he doesn’t love me? Because I can’t escape kryptonite, that’s why. The two of us travel through the Czech Republic and Germany, eating way too many peanut butter sandwiches and dancing around our feelings—until we don’t.

Once I do get my butt on a plane and reunite with my Australian friends, each step through the blistering heat in the Middle East spins up a slew of new challenges. My trials traveling around Europe have nothing on this place.

We haggle and dodge bedbugs and camel spit from Amman to Cairo. The girls and I take turns in the front seat of the taxi. Bus drivers rearrange passengers so we sit apart from locals. And an unexpected hairy nemesis barges in on my long-awaited felucca trip down the Nile.

But maybe, just maybe, out here in the sweaty, dusty chaos, I’ll find what I’ve been missing. And it’s not a peanut butter sandwich. It’s me.

_____________________________________

Grab your backpack and get ready for an adventure in the ’90s when the Internet was scarce but laughs weren’t. Hello, I Am Here is book three in the five-part Back in a Year series, a true story of a young woman traveling around the world. Each book can be read independently, but it’s more fun to take the full trip.

Content Warning:

Profanity, consensual sexual content, sexual assault, sexual harassment, parental grief, alcohol, religious situations, smoking, and drug use.

Holiday Bundles

The Review

As with the other entries in this series, I loved this book. The author writes with such passion and zeal for life, and moves beyond the typical travelogue format into much more personal territory. The blend of romantic adventures, new experiences, and new cultures being experienced, and the transformative nature long-term travel can have on a person was so perfectly illustrated in the author’s work, and conveys a sense of both adventure and bravery for both the author and the reader who becomes inspired by the author’s stories.

The heart of this story is in the author’s personal exploration. From the return of an old flame that is fiery yet not without its troubles, to a new journey into the Middle East that is so adventurous and nostalgic for those who yearn for those 90s era travel stories, and so much more, this story holds a lot of heart that will resonate with readers powerfully. Beyond the issues with lodgings, meeting new friends, and initiating dialogue despite a significant language barrier, the book delves more deeply into that inner journey, confronting grief and loss head-on and, in the process, the emotional struggle to find oneself and love all at once. 

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging, author Candace MacPhie’s “Hello, I Am Here” is a must-read travel-based nonfiction work that reads like a memoir. The perfect entry in this series and a thoughtful approach to travel nonfiction, the author expertly navigates the emotional inner conflict within herself during a time of great turmoil, writing with great humor, charm, wit, and heart to create a narrative readers will instantly connect with. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Born in Montreal, Quebec, I spent years backpacking and working around the world. I have a Bachelor of Commerce degree, an MBA, and worked for twenty years on four different continents and now call Calgary, Alberta home.

I got married, had kids, and things got busy. Time was moving by quickly, and my kids were growing up fast. I shifted gears and quit my job to spend time at home. During the COVID lockdown, I had time on my hands, decided to try writing, and started writing the Back in a Year series.

When I’m not at my computer yelling, “Just a few more pages, then I’ll make dinner,” I love hiking in the Rocky Mountains, hot yoga, reading romance novels, and making up new cake recipes. I especially like to laugh and spend time with my husband, the self-proclaimed grumpy motherf*%ker, and my three awesome kids.

Follow me on Instagram: @candacemacphie

Or on TikTok: @candacemacphie

And visit my website for trip photos: www.candacemacphie.com

https://amzn.to/4oUkzwa

You Could Not Make This Up, Even If You Tried: Memoirs of a Social Worker Book Three by J. Traveler Pelton Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author J. Traveler Pelton shares the stories of those she worked with and helped over a long career as a social worker in the book “You Could Not Make This Up, Even If You Tried: Memoirs of a Social Worker Book Three.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

In this third book of the Social Work Memoirs series, I once again reflected on the faces of the people I had known, interacted with, and hopefully helped over the years. I did it to try to uplift those who are social workers themselves and to help others who don’t understand a little bit more about the mindset of social work. If I can bring a smile to your face, or make you stop and consider what I did that you could do better, I think it will have proven worthwhile to have written. If I convince someone that they want to join the ranks and see the world a different way, that’s fabulous. Once again, names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty, and I promise you won’t find anything more fascinating than true life in our world.

The Review

This was an insightful, compelling, and emotionally charged read. The author writes with an honesty and depth that homes in on the life of social workers. The writing style does a great job of balancing almost conversational writing with a more natural, nonfiction storytelling style that relates the author’s experiences in a straightforward yet engaging way.

The heart of this book was in the emotional depth of the stories being told and the humanity behind each story. The author touches upon both humorous, heartfelt, and heartbreaking tales as she experienced everything from false reports from unruly neighbors, chilling cases of abuse, and so much more. The variety of stories she delves into is also unique, as she shares moments of personal meetings with clients, house calls, and much more.

kickstarter

The Verdict

Thoughtful, insightful, and personally written, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “You Could Not Make This Up, Even If You Tried” is a must-read nonfiction memoir and a great addition to the series. An emotional and in-depth exploration of the world of social workers and their experiences, as well as the perspectives of those who work with social workers, the book offers a fresh and honest discussion surrounding social work. It provides a valuable insight into what it takes to keep families together and what people should avoid doing if they want to be part of those families. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She lives on a small farm with her husband, 7 alpaca, chickens, 5 Pomeranians, 14 canaries and tolerates T-Bears Siamese cats and irascible parrot Giz. She loves to find out what all her friends are studying. She is the mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a great-grandma of 1, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies, and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable, and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling, and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.

Her co-author of the Clan Falconer fantasy series is her grandson T-Bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller, and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place, and another dimension. Come to the future, after the Great War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.

Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon! She loves your reviews and to hear from her fans.

https://amzn.to/3JMPX1b

Don’t Flush! By Dakarai Larriett Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Dakarai Larriet showcases the struggle and activism his false arrest brought to life in the book “Don’t Flush.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

What would you do if you were arrested for a crime you didn’t commit—despite passing every test and proving your innocence?

In Don’t Flush!, activist and Senate candidate Dakarai Larriett recounts the harrowing night in April 2024 when he was wrongfully arrested in Michigan for suspected DUI. Despite testing negative and showing no signs of impairment, he was jailed, humiliated, and thrust into the unforgiving machinery of systemic injustice.

This gripping memoir not only exposes the cracks in our legal and policing systems but also shows the power of one voice refusing to stay silent. Larriett’s $10 million lawsuit against the Michigan State Police, his media campaign fueled by FOIA-released footage, and his push for legislative reform—including a Motorist Bill of Rights and the end of qualified immunity—paint a picture of a man turning trauma into action.

Don’t Flush! is more than a personal story—it’s a rallying cry. Whether you’re an ally, advocate, or just waking up to these injustices, this book demands you do more. Read it. Share it. Join the movement for true accountability.

The Review

This was such a compelling and thought-provoking read. The author expertly weaves a balance of personal storytelling and inspirational and motivational discussion, engaging readers to deliver a powerful look at social justice and the overhaul that the criminal justice system needs in the United States, as well as the many fears and hardships those who struggle with discrimination must face every day. 

The author’s writing was the most powerful aspect of this book. The tension, and almost atmospheric way the author delved into those tense moments of his false arrest, from the hyper awareness of his surroundings as he drove before he spotted the police, to the calm manner he forced himself to stay in when engaging the police, and how these moments connected to the similar struggles of discrimination his grandparents and so many others had made these events feel more elevated and essential, and yet the harsh realities that this book brings to light also serves a hopeful tone, as the author showcases how finding the light in that darkness proved that a path of change does exist, if people are willing to fight for it.

Grafton Mini Pen

The Verdict

Engaging, thoughtfully written, and memorable, author Dakarai Larriett’s “Don’t Flush” is a must-read nonfiction memoir that also serves as a valuable resource for social and criminal justice reform. The expertise with which the author crafts this book, slipping from the defining moments of his childhood and his struggles both as a Black man and a Gay man, to the horrors so many face when confronted by false arrests such as this, and the inspiring direction the author takes when making a bid for the US Senate will have readers enthralled with the author’s story and eager to fight for the changes this country sorely needs. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Dakarai Larriett, a proud Alabama native and son of a U.S. Army veteran and public school teacher, is a successful entrepreneur and dedicated community volunteer whose run for the U.S. Senate is motivated by a false arrest in 2024 for which he has yet to receive justice. His upbringing, shaped by his father’s military service, saw him move across various states and even to Germany. After excelling as an honors student and earning a full scholarship to the University of Alabama, Dakarai’s passion for public service grew during his junior year as an exchange student at Howard University. He built a successful career as a corporate leader while managing a pet-care business he started in his garage, ultimately returning to Birmingham in 2021 where he became known for his servant leadership. Engaged in various volunteer activities, he also leads a board representing local families and businesses, expressing his love for Alabama’s culture and community. In his free time, Dakarai enjoys the shooting range and attends First United Methodist Church regularly.

Website: dakarailarriett.com

Contribution Link: Click here to donate

https://amzn.to/475jw6Q

Subscribe

Enter your email below to receive updates.

Working Fire in East Cleveland by Michael C. Ede Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author and firefighter Michael C. Ede shares the true stories and harrowing realities of life not only as a firefighter, but as a firefighter working in the struggling city of East Cleveland in the book “Working Fire in East Cleveland.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

A career firefighter with a personal commitment that: everyone gets home safe!

26-year firefighter, Michael C. Ede, a career firefighter with a personal commitment that “everyone gets home safe,” shares true stories of emergency calls, working relationships, and life inside and outside of the firehouse in the financially and morally crumbling city of East Cleveland, Ohio.

This book offers readers a unique opportunity to enjoy a completely transparent, start-to-finish 26-year career highlights of a firefighter in a busy urban department. Readers will benefit from an honest appraisal of what a firefighter experiences both, inside the engine house, and at the emergency scene throughout the span of an entire career. The transformation from young, inexperienced rookie, to old, seasoned veteran, is chronicled in a way that keeps readers anticipating each new phase.

There are three unique topics within the book that allow the readers to benefit from a very unusual and special work environment. The fact that the story takes place in a nearly all African-American impoverished city. A black-to-white employee ratio of 50/50 in the fire department, coupled with raw honest story telling, makes this story extremely eye-opening to most readers who have never experienced this type of work and racial makeup within the work force. The contrast of the firefighters is portrayed throughout the book, and the successes, as well as the failures, are brought to the forefront. The work environment is absolutely unique. It answers the questions in a reader’s mind pertaining to how well white and black firefighters work together. Suspenseful, gripping details reveal the answer, and show that when white and black firefighters work together, great things can, and often do, take place.

Reader be warned, there are no cover ups, embellishment, fluff, or exaggeration in this book. Action, hard–hitting humor, & raw honesty tell the story of inner-city career firefighter, Michael C. Ede.

The Review

This was an insightful and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of giving insight and knowledge surrounding life in service to the fire department and the inner workings of life in East Cleveland, OH. The balance the author found in conveying personal experience with the training and education, so few have surrounding fires in general and fighting fires with specific procedures, was engaging, and early stories, such as the one in which the author came close to a near-death experience with a 2-story fire, helped illustrate how firefighting departments learn from these experiences. 

The author not only discussed the educational and experiential factors involved in firefighting, but also the social aspects. The idea of brotherhood among firefighters is unique, and the author’s emphasis on the unique racial harmony found between both black and white firefighters in East Cleveland, which at the time boasted an even 50/50 ratio, was so interesting and well-received, speaking to how living together and facing untold dangers can shed many prejudices and bring people together. The camaraderie and heart that the author poured into these chapters, along with the personal writing style that brought them to life, made for a very engaging reading experience.

Everyman Live on Kickstarter

The Verdict

Memorable, insightful, and compelling, author Michael C. Ede’s “Working Fire in East Cleveland” is a must-read nonfiction book on the subject of firefighting. The detail and relatability of the author’s writing style, along with the unique perspective this book offers, will give readers an engaging look into the lives of the unsung heroes who face these blistering fires daily. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Author of the book, Working Fire in East Cleveland, lives in AKron Ohio with his wife, and has two adult children… one of them is a firefighter.

Working Fire in East Cleveland – new firefighter book

https://amzn.to/46ZSRbG

Subscribe

Enter your email below to receive updates.

Don’t Die Dad by Mark Woodley Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A father struggling with depression and separation must find himself in author Mark Woodley’s “Don’t Die Dad.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Don’t Die Dad

A Separated Father’s Journey from Devastation to Peace and Acceptance

🔥 A raw, powerful memoir of fatherhood lost—and the relentless fight to rebuild a life worth living.

Ten years after separation tore his family apart and ripped him from daily life with his children, one father is drowning in silence—grieving, addicted, unmoored.

With nothing left but a pair of hiking boots and a sliver of hope, he sets off on a three-day solo trek through New Zealand’s Southern Alps. What begins as an escape becomes a reckoning—with his past, his pain, and the man he’s trying to become.

What you’ll find inside:

🛑 Addiction, anger, and the silent suffering of separated dads

👣 A decade-long transformation through nature, therapy, and soul-searching

💔 Honest reflections on love, loss, fatherhood, and identity

🌄 A mountain hike that mirrors the climb back to self

💡 Hard-won insights into peace, resilience, and letting go

For separated fathers.

For men told to “be strong” and “move on.”

For anyone who needs proof that healing is possible.

This isn’t just a memoir. It’s a lifeline.

If you’ve ever felt broken, forgotten, or lost in the dark—this book is for you.

The Review

Immediately, I was struck by the author’s honesty and the visceral depth of their dive into their most painful and personal moments. The book serves not as an educational or step-by-step guide for any father or parent facing separation or divorce for the first time, but instead serves as a beacon to those living that reality that, through that struggle, perseverance is possible. The raw emotions and experiences the author brought to life on the page were both relatable and heartbreaking to read. They allowed readers who have lived through similar experiences to have their hearts laid bare on the page.

The balance the author found between storytelling with their experiences both in the past and on that transformational hike, and the lessons and experiences that made that trip so vital to their future, made this a compelling read. The relatively steady pacing of the book’s narrative elements allowed readers the time to connect to the author’s message. What stood out was how the author didn’t spend time disparaging their ex-spouse. The author was able to explore the emotional highs and lows of this journey without vilifying the other parent in this equation, and the self-reflective nature of both of their actions made this feel truly balanced.

AudiobooksNow

The Verdict

Heartfelt, emotional, and captivating, author Mark Woodley’s “Don’t Die Dad” is a must-read nonfiction memoir. The honesty and the imagery the author infused into their writing allowed the reader to connect to the emotional elements of the author’s life, and yet still kept the reader engaged in the story of their life as well. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Mark Woodley – Father, Author, Entrepreneur, Advocate and Athlete

Mark Woodley is an Australian father, author, entrepreneur, GPS windsurfing competitor, and advocate for the rights and wellbeing of separated fathers. His memoir, Don’t Die Dad: A Separated Father’s Journey from Devastation to Peace and Acceptance, resonates deeply with men navigating the collapse of family, identity, and connection.

Mark’s story of fatherhood began like many—with joy and the dream of raising his children in a loving home. That dream shattered with a single text message, launching him into the chaos of legal conflict, emotional disconnection, and the grief of part-time parenting. Over the next ten years, he faced a collapse of self, a loss of purpose, and long stretches of silence from his children.

A self-employed professional in the health and nutrition industry and previous the cosmetic industry and advertising industry, Mark has spent over 30 years working with a variety of people and corporations. But business success couldn’t shield him from the emotional toll of separation. As his internal world crumbled, he returned to a teenage passion.

Windsurfing became his lifeline—restoring presence, physical resilience, and emotional strength. He went on to become a GPS Windsurfing Champion, proving his tenacity and reminding him that healing often begins with physical motion.

But the deepest transformation came through facing the shadows within: childhood trauma, addictions, emotional shutdown, and the ache of losing daily contact with his children. His journey through despair, recovery, and hard-earned clarity is captured in Don’t Die Dad, written over three symbolic days of hiking through New Zealand’s Southern Alps—a mirror to his decade of emotional reckoning.

Today, Mark is the founder of Separated Fathers Recovery, which hosts an online course: Always Dad: The Recovery Accelerator for Separated Fathers, a structured course grounded in lived experience, empathy, and growth.

Through his work, Mark champions legal reform, mental health support, and greater understanding of the father-child bond after separation. He looks to speak regularly on podcasts and panels about male vulnerability, rebuilding after crisis, and showing up with dignity—even when love is met with silence.

Mark lives in Perth, Western Australia and travels back to New Zealand regularly where Don’t Die Dad was written. He remains a present, committed father and a qualified voice for change—proof that from devastation, peace and acceptance is possible.

https://www.separatedfathersrecovery.com/

https://amzn.to/4pupuFA

Woven as One by William R. Waddell Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author William R. Waddell shares the experiences and stories that kept him and his partner, Linda, together in a strong and healthy relationship for over three decades in the book “Woven as One.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Even good relationships (particularly marriages) have temperatures, varying from almost unbearable passion to steady devotion to uncertainty or worse. Woven as One recounts the successes and foibles of a nearly sixty-five-year bond between two lifelong partners, describing the magic that can come of truly merging the humdrum of everyday life with their feelings for each other. Bill and Linda “met” under somewhat unusual circumstances, and their way of dealing with bumps in their road wasn’t always by the book, but they grew to understand that real intimacy often grows more out of sharing prosaic experiences than out of grand gestures, and they learned to appreciate the importance of things like hard work (together or apart), inclusion, genuine tolerance, and the sheer chemistry between two kindred spirits.

The Review

This was such a personal, intimate, and compelling nonfiction read. The author did an excellent job of writing in a way that felt almost conversational, as if the stories and experiences found in this book were shared over a drink or two after dinner with friends. The detail the author put into not only the shared experiences he had with his late wife, Linda, but also into the era and settings their journey took them, was so vivid that it allowed the reader to feel transported in time as the book progressed.

The honesty with which the author conveyed these experiences not only showcased the deep love and affection he and Linda had for one another but also how they found a way to live truthfully and boldly for every moment. The author’s life with his late wife is infused with humor and heart, and even in the moments following her loss, a sense of hope and celebration for the life they lived together lingers in the air, serving as a tribute to the enduring love that transcends everything, even death.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, thoughtfully portrayed, and engaging, author William R. Waddell’s “Woven as One” is a must-read nonfiction memoir that doubles as a love story. The way the author lovingly looks back on the life he and his wife shared, and the way they faced both trials and adventures together, will keep readers both emotionally invested and engaged in the author’s story until the book’s final pages. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

William R. Waddell grew up in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and earned degrees from Williams College and the University of Virginia School of Law. Over a 50-year career with McGuireWoods, he practiced business law in Richmond and Norfolk, holding leadership roles within the firm and representing it internationally. He also served as an adjunct professor at UVA Law, teaching Alternative Dispute Resolution and authoring a casebook for his course. His prior publications include Virginia Practice, Business Entities, a legal treatise for business lawyers.

Now retired, Bill enjoys supporting charitable causes, reading, walking, and cheering on his favorite sports teams. He is the proud father of three sons. His debut book, Woven as One, is a tribute to his late wife, Linda, and a reflection on life, love, and resilience.

https://www.williamrwaddell.com/

Young Salt At Sixty by Deborah Hammett Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Deborah Hammett shares the journey of adventure and self-discovery she found after retiring in the book “Young Salt At Sixty.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Why settle for ordinary when you can make your retirement epic? This is your time to embrace adventure, push boundaries, and live your boldest dreams.

For Deborah Hammett, that dream didn’t reveal itself until after she retired from teaching on Martha’s Vineyard. Only then did she set her sights on an audacious new chapter—becoming a sailor. With her sharp wit and seasoned teaching skills, she not only masters the art of sailing but also guides and inspires fellow adventurers of all ages.

Join Deborah on her remarkable solo voyage from New England to the Southern Bahamas and back. Along the way, she conquers fears, navigates unexpected challenges, and reexamines long-held beliefs. Her journey is more than a sailing expedition—it’s a testament to the power of reinvention and the limitless possibilities that await when you dare to chase the horizon.

Why just retire when you can embark on the greatest adventure of your life?

This riveting tale of personal growth will:

  • Empower you with the courage to live your dream fully
  • Inspire you to confront your own biases
  • Captivate you as you join in an enthralling sailing adventure
  • Teach you the essential vocabulary and concepts the novice sailor must learn
  • Give you the courage to think young and become something completely new and different in your golden years

If you are interested in sailing, or in making a significant lifestyle change in retirement, you must
read Young Salt at Sixty.

The Review

This was an insightful and engaging read. The author did an excellent job of balancing the book with memoir-style storytelling, with insight into the world of sailing and so much more. The educational value and detail the author went into when discussing the world of sailing and how she was able to use her years as an educator to delve into the more technical aspects of sailing was engaging to get into for anyone with an interest in boating as a whole.

The book also perfectly brought an emotional component to this author’s story, showcasing the psychological and personal journey the author went on while confronting her fears, and embracing new challenges rather than feeling the need to slow down after retirement. This was a motivational message readers could get behind, speaking to the idea of embracing change and finding what makes us passionate in life. 

The Verdict

Thought-provoking, inspiring, and engaging, author Deborah Hammett’s “Young Salt at Sixty” is a must-read nonfiction book. The insight and educational value of the sailing experiences the author had were perfectly mirrored by the author’s emotional journey, and will resonate with many readers, both facing retirement and seeking the things that make us passionate for life again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Deborah Hammett grew up in Katonah, NY and received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Western Connecticut State University. She moved to Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, on the island of Martha’s Vineyard in 1986 when she began her career as a teacher. She commuted off-island for graduate school and received her MEd. in school leadership from Salem State University. Within her thirty-three years as an educator, she taught at several grade levels and was a school principal before she retired and learned to sail. She has two grown daughters, Rilla and Emily. She now lives everywhere aboard her boat, Mavia.

Interview with Author Rowland Grover

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve enjoyed writing since I was a kid, although back then I was mostly coming up with ideas for fantasy stories and drawing maps. Then in high school, I expanded my writing to include short stories, and I continued scribbling ideas in several notebooks. It wasn’t until I went to college that I first discovered nonfiction essay writing. I enjoyed taking seemingly unrelated and inconsequential events and turning them into an interesting and humorous story.

Advertisements

2) What inspired you to write your book?

I was in graduate school in Thailand, sitting through a boring lecture, so I began pondering my life growing up biracial. Then I had the idea to write a memoir about my experiences. However, I just wanted to procrastinate working on my thesis.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

My desire is that people who read my book will have a better understanding of other people’s experiences and sympathize with them. And for those who have gone through similar experiences can empathize, and we can connect, grow, and heal together. Then hopefully the world will have a little more peace, love, and happiness.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

When I first had the idea to write a memoir, I asked an old high school classmate for tips because he was the only person I knew who was a writer. He gave me a list of books and essays that influenced me so much, such as Educated by Tara Westover and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. Sedaris specifically made me want to focus on nonfiction essays, which became the majority of my book.

5) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

My advice for starting authors out there is not to be afraid to tell your story. All of us have stories to share, so write them down for the world to read. Also, find joy in each part of the writing journey. It is long and difficult, but it is also rewarding and thrilling.

6) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I have too many ideas and need to focus on one project at a time! First, I would like to record the audiobook and create a visual novel video game based on my book. Later, I would like to write bilingual children’s books because that is what my son loves to read. Finally, I will write a fantasy book based on Thai mythology. I have notes, maps, and ideas, but one day it will become a book. 

Advertisements

About the Author

Since he was young, Rowland has loved to create stories. Whether that was using stuffed animals to portray the horror of war and class division or writing and drawing maps in a notebook for a fantasy story that was not a rip-off of any other popular series. Rowland’s debut book, ลูกครึ่ง: Only Half a Person, utilizes his love of story-telling to reflect on and analyze his life, race and ethnicity, culture, faith, family, and more.

Rowland Grover was born and raised in Idaho, which, believe it or not, is a real place in the United States. Starting in his late teens, he lived on and off in Thailand, China, and Taiwan for several years. Rowland graduated with a B.A. in International Studies because he had no life plan. Then, he enrolled at Chulalongkorn University to study Southeast Asia Area Studies, but he had to drop out because, quote, “no money.”

He currently lives in Taiwan with his wife, two children, and two cats. Besides unromantic walks on the beach, he enjoys playing video games and studying languages.

https://rowlandgroverauthor.weebly.com/

Finding Peace: A Refugee’s Story From Peril to Protection by Richmond B. Appleton Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Richmond B. Appleton shares his experiences as a refugee and how faith became the foundation of his survival in the book “Finding Peace.”

The Synopsis

Do you know what it feels like to spend a life in a war-torn country and then live in the U.S?


An inspirational journey that examines what it’s like to grow up under surveillance in a war-torn country every one of us has a story to share. Some of these stories can be heartbreaking, some can be uplifting, and some stand out to inspire others. What matters is that we can learn from each journey and use those lessons to make us better people. I have learned valuable lessons from my Refugee journey and Most of them you can apply to your life’s journey at work, your career, and other things that you passionate about. Richmond Appleton is one of the few people who can vouch for an inspirational journey this book will expound on his road to survival and why it motivates everyone to take a giant step to search for a better future.

This book is all about what to do when you want to do something, but you are not able to do it, what can you do? If you want to know the answer then you’re in the right place.

In This Book


• Why I left my home country of Liberia and why fled to a refugee camp in Ghana.
• How Faith has been the foundation of my life’s journey.
• If there is nothing left for us to go back to.
• If there was no hope left for our past.
• What do you do when you see no more hope in life?

After reading this book you will learn to listen to your intuition, separate real danger from an imagined one, and recognize the survival signals that your brain gives you.

The Review

The author’s sense of resilience and strength is evident from the earliest chapters of this memoir. The line, “disappointment is a visitor, not a resident,” showcases this extensively, offering immediate insight into the author’s mindset and life experiences that have shaped so much of his life. The author’s writing is vivid and compelling, using an earnestness and honesty that parallels the imagery in their writing style.

The series of events that defined so much of the author’s life before arriving in America, from surviving polio as a child and learning to live life with the impact it had on his body, to the horrors of war tearing apart his country, life as a refugee, and ultimately his quest for knowledge and finding his place in the world, not only speaks to the lifetime of experiences he had, but the strength he gained emotionally and internally in the face of that adversity. The depth of emotional connection the reader makes with the author’s writing stands out as a major draw for fans of nonfiction, especially those who enjoy memoirs with an inspirational twist.

The Verdict

A fast-paced, short yet compelling read, author Richmond B. Appleton’s “Finding Peace” is a must-read book. The connection he makes with readers through his honest experiences and feelings as he found his faith and adapted to his situations will leave a lasting impact on readers by the book’s end. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richmond.appleton/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmond-a-a4596b77/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richapple2g2/

X/Twitter: https://x.com/richmondapplet1/status/1934703708052574278?s=46