I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
One author takes a humorous jump into his past to showcase the life of a young man growing up in the Baby Boomer generation in author Dennis Fried’s “A Tongue In The Sink: The Harrowing Adventures Of A Baby Boomer Childhood”.
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The Synopsis
Are the current events of your childhood now showing on the History Channel?
Do you look at todayÂs kids and suspect that theyÂre aliens?
Have you ever assaulted an electronic device?
Have you been ridiculed in the recent past for using paper and pencil?
Do you forget whether some of your favorite movie stars are dead or alive?
Have you been saying “When I was a kid” more and more lately?
Then meet Dennis Fried, former philosophy professor and stand-up comic (just your normal, everyday career path), and author of the popular Memoirs of a Papillon: The Canine Guide to Living with Humans without Going Mad. Return with him to the days when kids actually went outside to play! When SUVs were not only unknown but unneeded, since no self-respecting kid wanted to be seen being dropped off by his parents. When gym teachers issued directly from the “walk it off” school of pain management. Back to the days of Saturday afternoon double features, A-bomb drills, and the always-dangerous Big Kids.
This wry, incisive memoir about growing up in a small town will fill you with laughter, nostalgia, and reflections on the changing nature of childhood. If you were ever a kid, this is your story.
The Review
A truly humorous, exciting and one-of-a-kind read readers will feel like they have been transported back into the past as they read the author’s unique take on a baby boomer childhood. From the book’s early pages readers are treated to the author’s unique sense of humor and his take on life since moving to Florida, and subsequently takes readers on a journey back to Catskill, New York.
From the parenting styling of his parents and an early childhood encounter with a rude school janitor that nearly led to an altercation between his father and the aforementioned janitor, to later years dodging the fury of road rage and growing up too fast, the author uses humor and wit to take a look at the past. Exploring one’s yearning for a simpler time and the simplicity we take for granted in childhood, the author expertly navigates his life and the baby boomer generation and brings readers along for the ride.
The Verdict
A powerful, funny, and charming read, “A Tongue in the Sink” by Dennis Fried is a must-read humor book. While there are many things that came from that era that are now being seen as harmful, there were also a lot of things of that era that spoke of simplicity, comfort, and less chaos than what the world is facing now, and there is something to be said for that. The readers of the baby boomer generation will love this read, and the humor is evident in every chapter, making this a unique read. Be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Dr. Dennis Fried has been laughed out of numerous careers, including stand-up comedy. He has advanced degrees in physics and philosophy, all of which have gone totally to waste. He is extremely lazy, and if it weren’t for his author-dog, Genevieve, he probably wouldn’t get out of bed until suppertime.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman seeking paradise and happiness after witnessing a horrific event tells her story in author Rita Pomade’s “Seeker: A Sea Odyssey”.
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The Synopsis
Seeker: A Sea Odyssey is the story of two people who meet in Mexico and fall in love. Rita is an American part-time English language teacher and freelance reporter for an English language tourist magazine struggling to raise two young boys on her own. Bernard is a French geologist under contract to the Mexican government to search for underground thermal springs. She dreams of finding Shangri-La after witnessing a bloody government crackdown from which she barely escapes. He dreams of having a yacht and sailing the world. Their dreams mesh, and they immigrate to Canada to earn the money to build their boat.
The Review
Many people often talk of adventure but rarely do we ever get to see it unfold as it does in this amazing memoir. The combination of an adventure memoir with the more personalized touch of including journal entries, photographs, and other material made this feel like a book that readers could really invest in on multiple levels.
The vivid imagery of the writing and the outstanding experiences both good and bad that the author shares to tell a powerful story of adventure, but also lends itself to the overall message or theme as well. The theme that no matter how much searching a person does, there is no one paradise in this world or anywhere else, but true joy and change comes from within.
The Verdict
Engaging, entertaining, and an evenly paced read, author Rita Pomade’s “Seeker: A Sea Odyssey” is a must-read memoir. Powerfully told and one of a kind, the book showcases the power of travel and the emotional core that comes from realizing true peace and understanding comes not from outside forces, but within us all. Be sure to grab your copy today!
Rita Pomade— teacher, poet, memoirist—lived six years aboard a small yacht that took her from Taiwan to the Suez to Mallorca, dropping anchor in 22 countries. She and her husband navigated through raging monsoons, encountered real-life pirates, and experienced cultures that profoundly changed them. Seeker: A Sea Odyssey, published by Guernica Editions under the Miroland label tells her story.
Rita Pomade, a native New Yorker, first settled in Mexico before immigrating to Quebec. During her time in Mexico, she taught English, wrote articles and book reviews for Mexconnect, an ezine devoted to Mexican culture, and had a Dear Rita monthly column on handwriting analysis in the Chapala Review. In Montreal she taught English as a Second Language at Concordia University and McGill University until her retirement. She is a two-time Moondance International Film Festival award winner, once for a film script and again for a short story deemed film worthy. Her work is represented in the Monologues Bank, a storehouse of monologues for actors in need of material for auditions, in several anthologies, and in literary reviews. Her travel biography, Seeker: A Sea Odyssey, was shortlisted for the 2019 Concordia University First Book Award. .
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— Blog Tour Dates
June 29th @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Grab your coffee and join us in celebrating the launch of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. You can read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book. https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
July 2nd @ Fiona Ingram’s Blog Visit Fiona’s blog and you can read a guest post by the author about how she could have enriched her journey at sea. http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/
July 5th @ CK Sorens’ Blog Visit Carrie’s blog today and you can read her review of Rita Pomade’s memoir Seeker. https://www.cksorens.com/blog
July 6th @ Create Write Now Visit Mari L. McCarthy’s blog where you can read author Rita Pomade’s guest post about what she learned about herself through writing. https://www.createwritenow.com/
July 7th @ The Faerie Review Make sure you visit Lily’s blog and read a guest post by the author about cooking on a shoestring at sea. http://www.thefaeriereview.com/
July 8th @ Coffee with Lacey Visit Lacey’s blog today and read her review of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. https://coffeewithlacey.com/
July 10th @ 12 Books Visit Louise’s blog and read her review of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. https://12books.co.uk/
July 11th @ Bookworm Blog Visit Anjanette’s blog today and you can read her review of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. http://bookworm66.wordpress.com/
July 12th @ It’s Alanna Jean Visit Alanna’s blog today and you can read a guest post by author Rita Pomade about the ten best traits you need for living aboard a yacht. http://itsalannajean.com/
July 14th @ Bev. A Baird’s Blog Visit Bev’s blog today and read her review of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
July 17th @ 12 Books Visit Louise’s blog and read author Rita Pomade’s guest post discussing sailing myths. https://12books.co.uk/
July 18th @ Author Anthon Avina’s Blog Visit Anthony’s blog today and read his interview with author Rita Pomade. https://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com
July 20th @ Bev. A Baird’s Blog Visit Bev’s blog again and you can read author Rita Pomade’s guest post featuring her advice on writing a memoir. https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
July 21st @ Jill Sheet’s Blog Visit Jill’s blog where you can read a guest post by author Rita Pomade about how her handwriting analysis skills made her a better writer. https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
July 22nd @ A Storybook World Visit Deirdra’s blog today and you can checkout her spotlight of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. http://www.astorybookworld.com/
July 23rd @ Choices Visit Madeline’s blog today and you can read a guest post by author Rita Pomade about the benefits of spending time abroad. http://madelinesharples.com/
July 24th @ Books, Beans and Botany Visit Ashley’s blog today where she reviews Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. https://booksbeansandbotany.com/
July 24th @ Tiggy’s Books Visit Tiggy’s blog today and read her review of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker: A Sea Odyssey. She’ll also be chatting a bit with the author! https://tiggysbooks.com/
July 26th @ CK Sorens Blog Visit Carrie’s blog today and you can read a guest post by author Rita Pomade about how she jumpstart her writing process. https://www.cksorens.com/blog
July 27th @ Memoir Writer’s Journey Visit Kathleen’s blog today and read her review of Rita Pomade’s book Seeker. https://www.krpooler.com/
July 28th @ Lady Unemployed Visit Nicole’s blog today where you can read a guest post by author Rita Pomade talking about stepping outside of one’s comfort zone. http://www.ladyunemployed.com
July 31st @ Wild Hearted Visit Ashley’s blog where you can read a guest post by author Rita Pomade about why she jumped at the chance to go to sea. https://wild-hearted.com/
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
One man’s journey to accepting himself and facing the world as not only a gay man, but a gay priest as well, comes to life in author Ted Karpf’s book, “Acts of Forgiveness: Faith Journeys of a Gay Priest”.
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The Synopsis
In 1980s America, coming out as gay as a father and husband was a significant journey for anyone to make. Coming out as gay as a priest guaranteed immersion into controversy, contradiction, and challenge. This book tells of the Reverend Canon Ted Karpf’s navigation of new social and romantic journeys, all within the context of his priestly vocation in the Episcopal Church. Covering from 1968 to 2018, Karpf recounts his vivid memories, life-changing dreams and resonant reflections on living a life of faith in a socially and politically tumultuous period. His narratives are crafted as poetic meditations on enduring values and meaning, which can remind any reader that we are neither abandoned nor alone, and that forgiveness is a fulfilling way of living in a world of contradictions.
The Review
A heartbreaking and honest journey takes form in this one of a kind read. The author relays the difficult journey of coming to terms with the abuse suffered as a child, the painful process of accepting who he truly is while married to a woman with two children and finding clarity for his religious beliefs in relation to his own personality and sexual identity.
What stands out to me as a reader is a journey the author takes to accept himself. Personally, as someone who isn’t religious, it was fascinating to see the author’s path to acceptance and finding his place in the world throughout his life. What also stands out is how religion is not as cut and dry as most think it to be. There are so many different paths and avenues of thought in that regard, and there is a place for those who choose to believe in a higher power. You just have to be willing to look and find it for yourself. As someone who isn’t religious, it was refreshing to see the way believers could still integrate acceptance and love for the LGBTQ community.
The Verdict
A brilliant, heartfelt and emotional read, the author has crafted a unique journey for the reader to follow. From finding forgiveness for an absent parent to the hardship of a gay relationship after accepting oneself and more, this book is an honest read that people need to read. A one of a kind book, be sure to grab your copy of “Acts of Forgiveness: Faith Journeys of a Gay Priest” by Ted Karpf today!
“Acts of Forgiveness: Faith Journeys of a Gay Priest is a beautiful work reminding again that there is no future without forgiveness; there is no faith without love. This book animates these truths through a poetic documentary legacy.” – Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus Anglican Church of Southern Africa
“In the tradition of the rabbis, Father Ted Karpf calls upon both his heritage and experience to bring the reader into a place of sensitivity and compassion. We literally “suffer with” in order to achieve healing and activate a more hopeful future; not because of the suffering, but in spite of it.” – Joel Thorp Katz, MD, MACP
“Karpf has written a difficult and important book, a social justice memoir that challenges secular readers with its religious language, abusers with its painful analysis, and activists with its stories of good deeds punished. He also conducts a rigorous accounting of his own shortcomings, what in Jewish tradition is called a cheshbon hanefesh. In so doing, this Methodist-turned-Episcopal-priest models the very trans-religious values he holds so dear, and honors the memory of his Jewish grandfather in the process.” – David I. Schulman, Supervising Attorney, AIDS Descrimination Unit, Los Angeles City Attorneys Office
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About the Author, Ted Karpf
Ted Karpf is a priest, public servant, international diplomat, journalist, university administrator and educator. He was educated in New York, Texas and Massachusetts. A gay man, Ted is a father and grandfather. He has been and remains a man who reflects the times in which he has lived while offering a hopeful vision for the future. Ted watches clouds and tests the winds and prays while residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Stop by the blog today and read an interview with author Ted Karpf. You can also win a copy of his book Acts of Forgiveness.
March 10th @ God vs. The Patriarchy
Stop by Annie’s blog and read her review of Ted Karpf’s book Acts of Forgiveness.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A man spends a year interviewing his friend in an attempt to confront his friend’s grief head on in author’s John Robinette and Robert Jacoby’s “Never Stop Dancing: A Memoir”.
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The Synopsis
A story of grief, male friendship, and healing conversations.
“Be present,” “cherish each day,” “always say I love you.” John Robinette lived those words. Or so he thought. Then his wife, Amy, was killed instantly in a pedestrian accident.
John’s world shattered, and he began the grueling task of parenting two young boys in a house filled with vibrant, bittersweet memories. As the grief closed in around him, John’s close friend, author Robert Jacoby, saw John struggling and proposed an unusual idea: to interview him over the course of the first year after Amy’s death. Robert’s hope was to meet John directly in his experience of sorrow, explore his grief with him, and discover what lessons might be learned.
Born of a year’s worth of candid interviews, Never Stop Dancing avoids clichéd takeaways about grief and healing to chart a deeper, thornier examination of loss and regret. Robert and John are transformed through their shared experience, too, emerging strengthened and with an abiding male friendship that cuts against the grain of pop-culture trends of quick fixes and easy answers. This memoir-in-conversation provides hard-won reassurances that one can and does go on after loss.
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The Review
This novel was emotionally and beautifully written. While steeped in tragedy and pain, the bond created by these events and the painful process of grief have given readers and the authors alike an experience like no other. In this novel, the eloquently written interviews between two friends take readers through John’s painful journey through the sudden loss of his wife. From the heartbreaking moment he’s confronted with the news, having to tell all his family about it, the first time his sons are confronted with Mother’s Day and more all bring the heartbreak and pain of loss to the forefront.
However as the interviews grew on, both Robert and John began to examine some of life’s toughest questions in the face of such a painful tragedy. From whether or not “God” is in fact all powerful or more of a being still prone to mistakes, how we converse and treat those who have lost someone, the falsehood that somehow men are supposed to have their lives together more readily than women in the face of tragedy, and finally the ultimate lesson of living in the moment with those you love rather than worrying about a future that hasn’t happened yet, all these lessons are found and experienced firsthand by the authors as they go on this emotional journey together.
The Verdict
A truly well written, evenly paced read that challenges readers to examine life, the bonds they share with those they love and the painful truth behind grief that most self-help books and quick fixes won’t tell you. As someone who lost a close family member this year, I could relate to the author’s struggles in a lot of ways, but as the book shows as well, grief is different for everyone. Both physically and mentally the grieving process changes and grows for each individual person, and respecting that and helping those in grief to find their way through is sometimes the best way to come together in the face of tragedy. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of “Never Stop Dancing: A Memoir” by John Robinette and Robert Jacoby today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
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Robert Jacoby
I’m a poet, novelist, memoirist, and diarist. My poetry, fiction, and nonfiction have appeared in more than 20 literary magazines. My story “The Span of Blood” was selected runner up in the 2018 Haunted Waters Press Short Shorts Flash Fiction Competition; read the story here. I’m the author of three books: Dusk and Ember(2019, novel); There Are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes(2012, novel); and Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying: 40 Years of High Seas Travels and Lowbrow Tales(2011, nonfiction). The book’s website is escaping-from-reality.com and has audio clips of the interviews, an FAQ, and more. My new book, Never Stop Dancing: A Memoir, is forthcoming October 2019. I’m currently working on two new novels.
Visit my other sites around the web to see what I’m all about:
After the death of his wife Amy Polk, John began journaling on his blog Hole in the Sun about his journey and has contributed to Elephant Journal.
John has a B.S., and M.S., in Management Science and spent the first 25 years of his career as a software engineer, IT professional, and project manager. After Amy’s death, he shifted his focus towards helping people be more successful and find more joy in their careers.
When he is not writing, John is an organizational development and leadership coach with the Center for Leadership and Organizational Change at the University of Maryland. He is also a principle at V-Teamwork, a company using immersive virtual game simulations to build trust and accelerate collaboration in teams.
John has a passion for the natural world and environment and met his current wife Lori on GreenSingles.com. They live in Takoma Park, Maryland with John’s sons Adam and Bryan along with three rescue pets.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman shares the journey her life takes a decade after the loss of her husband and the mission she undertakes to “redefine the impossible” in author Barbara Barth’s memoir, The Unfaithful Widow Ten Years Later.
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The Synopsis
Picking up where The Unfaithful Widow ended, Ten Years Later continues the author’s journey from widow to a slightly askew woman. A memoir written with warmth and candor on being single again, aging, and finding a creative path surrounded by dogs, friends, laughter, and a bit of craziness. Barbara Barth shares stories on the adventures that followed her first year alone as she moved headfirst into a new life, listening to her heart, sometimes not so wisely, but always full speed ahead. Join her on the ride of her life, from owning an antique shop to moving to a Victorian cottage outside of Atlanta, and all the follies in between. Going into the next decade with six dogs by her side, the author proves you are only as old as you feel, and happiness begins with a grateful heart. A funny and engaging memoir for anyone who wants to be their own superhero facing life’s good and bad moments.
The Review
A truly well written, honest and fascinating read, author Barbara Barth has created a fantastic novel that openly and honestly explores life after losing a spouse or loved one, while also exploring the journey to redefine or find your true self in this world.
While I haven’t read the first book that this novel is a sequel of, the authors straight forward, truthful and eye-catching way of writing will instantly draw readers in, and the following chapters will keep readers engaged as the author explores a year of her life in each chapter for the last decade.
From her purchase of an antique store to moving into a Victorian home in a historic small town outside Atlanta and the journey she took along the way, the author has created a wonderful work of art that many readers, especially those who are older and feel the pressure put on them by society to become “old”, will find inspirational as the author proves age is just a number, and there is no age limit on following your dreams, pursuing your goals or finding life after loss.
The Verdict
A thrilling and truly honest memoir that cannot be missed, author Barbara Barth has done an excellent job of creating a narrative readers will not be able to put down once they get started. A fairly evenly paced read that keeps the reader invested throughout, the author showcases a wonderful talent for bridging the emotional aspect of loss and life, and the thrill of adventure that comes with exploring what life has in store for us. It’s a must read novel and a top memoir of 2019, so if you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of “The Unfaithful Widow Ten Years Later” by Barbara Barth today!
Author, blogger, sometimes antique dealer, dog hoarder, bedazzled by life. Widowed ten years ago, Barth writes about finding a creative path back to happiness. Her recent move to a 1906 historic cottage brought many surprises, including discovering the Monroe–Walton Center for the Arts where she started the monthly Walton Writers group and is on the MWCA Board as Literary Arts Chair. Barth is a contributor to Walton Living Magazine and a former blogger for The Balancing Act, Lifetime Television’s morning show for women. Currently she lives with six dogs, rescue dogs that rescued her.
The Unfaithful widow Ten Years Later is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon.com
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Blog Tour Dates
Today @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Grab your coffee and join us in celebrating the launch of Barbara Barth’s new book The Unfaithful Widow Ten Years Later. You can read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book.
Stop by Lori’s blog today where you can read her interview with Barbara Barth and read her review of Barbara’s book The Unfaithful Widow Ten Years Later.
Be sure to stop by Deirdra’s blog today and check out her spotlight of the book The Unfaithful Widow Ten Years Later and enter to win a copy of the book!
Stop by the blog Women’s Writing Circle and you can read a guest post by Barbara Barth about adopting dogs while all her friends are having grandkids. Don’t miss this one!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman finds comfort and courage through journaling and her community of support’s responses in the face of a cancer diagnosis in author Antoinette Truglio Martin’s novel “Hug Everyone You Know: A Year of Community, Courage and Cancer”.
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The Synopsis
Antoinette Martin believed herself to be a healthy and sturdy woman–that is, until she received a Stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis. Cancer is scary enough for the brave, but for a wimp like Martin, it was downright terrifying. Martin had to swallow waves of nausea at the thought of her body being poisoned, and frequently fainted during blood draws and infusions. To add to her terror, cancer suddenly seemed to be all around her. In the months following her diagnosis, a colleague succumbed to cancer, and five of her friends were also diagnosed. Though tempted, Martin knew she could not hide in bed for ten months. She had a devoted husband, daughters, and a tribe of friends and relations. Along with work responsibilities, there were graduations, anniversaries, and roller derby bouts to attend, not to mention a house to sell and a summer of beach-bumming to enjoy. In order to harness support without scaring herself or anyone else, she journaled her experiences and began to e-mail the people who loved her–the people she called My Everyone–She kept them informed and reminded all to “hug everyone you know” at every opportunity. Reading the responses became her calming strategy. Ultimately, with the help of her community, Martin found the courage within herself to face cancer with perseverance and humor.
The Review
What a beautifully written memoir! This novel does an incredible job of telling the painful, emotional and heartbreaking journey of anyone who has ever faced or lived through a cancer diagnosis. Blending creative and phenomenal writing with a slew of emails written between the author and their support outlets, (family, friends, etc), the author showcases the journey through cancer on a very personal level.
The book is honest, holds no punches and utilizes the author’s natural storytelling ability while giving readers something to relate to. From the initial shock and disbelief of the diagnosis to the impact on friends and loved ones and the moments where friends and family often have or end up struggling with the disease as well, showcasing how scarily common cancer scares and actual diagnosis’s really are. The author’s ability to command the reader’s attention and illustrate the pain and struggle through this journey allowed the reader to connect not only with the author but the events overall on a much more intimate level, making for an emotional yet incredible read.
The Verdict
This is a must read for anyone who enjoys memoirs, is interested in the stories of those who have survived or lived with cancer diagnosis’s, and those who enjoy personal stories that speak from the heart. A lengthy read that is not only honest but showcases the power of writing and how therapeutic writing and having a community supporting you can help the process of dealing with cancer overall. It is an amazing story that everyone should read, so be sure to grab your copy of Hug Everyone You Know by Antoinette Truglio Martin today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Antoinette Truglio Martin is a life-long Long Islander, teacher, wife, mother, daughter, and friend. She is the author of Hug Everyone You Know: A Year of Community, Courage, and Cancer—a memoir chronicling her first year battling breast cancer as a wimpy patient. Personal experience essays and excerpts of her memoir were published in Bridges, Visible Ink, and The Southampton Review. Martin proudly received her MFA in creative writing and literature from Stony Brook/Southampton University in 2016. Antoinette had also written the children’s picture book, Famous Seaweed Soup (Albert Whitman and Company),and was a regular columnist for local periodicals Parent Connections (In a Family Way) and Fire Island Tide (Beach Bumming). Her blog, Stories Served Around The Table, tells family tales and life’s musings. She lives in her hometown of Sayville, New York with her husband, Matt, and is never far from her “Everyone” and the beaches she loves. Since being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2012, she strives to not let cancer to dictate her life.
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Join us as we celebrate the launch the blog tour for author Antoinette Truglio Martin’s book Hug Everyone You Know. Read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book.
Make sure you visit Mzz Dunning’s blog today where you can read a guest post written by Antoinette Truglio Martin about 5 reasons it’s okay to not be okay. You can also enter to win an ebook copy of the book!
You’ll want to stuff your bookshelf today when you visit Veronica Joy’s blog and read her review of Antoinette Truglio Martin’s book Hug Everyone You Know.
Stop by Veronica’s blog again where you can read Antoinette Truglio Martin’s guest post about how to help people help you. Don’t miss this important guest post!
Visit Amber’s blog and read Antoinette Truglio Martin’s guest post featuring 5 journaling tips when going through difficult trials. You can also read Amber’s review of Antoinette Truglio Martin’s book Hug Everyone You Know.
Get inspired today at Karen’s blog where you can read Antoinette Truglio Martin’s guest post about 5 lessons she learned writing about her cancer journey.
Be sure to visit Lisa’s blog today and read author Antoinette Truglio Martin’s guest post that is talking about her ways to not let a difficult diagnosis run (or ruin) your life. Plus read Lisa’s review of Antoinette Truglio Martin’s book Hug Everyone You Know.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
They say that everyone has a story to tell. Yet in our current political and societal struggles, we often forget that notion, refusing to listen to anyone else’s story other than our own. That is why stories like the one told by author Albert Nasib Badre in the novel “Looking West: The Journey of a Lebanese-American Immigrant” are so important. The story of a young person born into one world who must adapt himself into a completely different world, and not only that, but spends a life living as an immigrant in a new nation while struggling to find meaning in his life. Here is the synopsis.
The Synopsis
In 1960, the Badre family emigrates from Beirut, Lebanon to the United States, a dream come true for fourteen-year-old Nasib.
Nasib struggles to assimilate as a teen in Albany, New York. With limited English skills, he attempts to learn new customs, make friends, and adapt to a different culture. In Beirut, the Badre family was well-known and socially privileged. In America, they are unknown nobodies. Nasib adopts his father’s name “Albert,” and to further Americanize his name, young Albert becomes “Al.”
Despite the many frustrations and difficulties, Al’s ultimate goal is to become a successful American. The new anonymity actually inspires the young man. Excited by the opportunities available to him in his new country, he determines to make a potent contribution to society.
As he strives to adapt, Al reads voraciously, becoming increasingly interested in religion and philosophy. Books become his “American friends,” and reading soon prompts him to ask deep theological questions about his family’s Lebanese Protestant roots, his mother’s conversion to Catholicism, and the contrast between the Protestant and Catholic faiths. This ultimately leads to his Catholic conversion.
Al’s search for meaning in life leads him to social activism among New York City’s poorest. And, in time, to graduate studies, where his desire is to improve the human condition through information technology.
Al Badre– like many other American immigrants–works his way through hardship to achieve a meaningful place in his adopted nation.
From memories of life in Beirut and breaking tradition by dreaming of life as a writer and teacher rather than a doctor or engineer, to discovering New York City for the first time, learning about life in Albany, NY, moving to two different schools and finally the study of philosophy, religion and history. This book felt like the perfect blend of memoir and world history, as the author experiences many staggering events that are often forgotten to history books, and still manages to bring a sense of personal connectivity to the narrative. The author’s story of differing life from his time in Beirut to America, as well as the adjustments to life in the United States and finding his place in the world feels both new and familiar all at once, as we see life through the eyes of someone not born into our way of life here in the United States, and yet seeing the same struggle we all feel to define ourselves in life and the universe at large.
The author’s sense of detail shines through in every page of the novel. The way the author describes his experiences is so captivating and moving that the reader can instantly picture themselves experiencing these things with the author. One passage in particular described the port of Beirut, where the journey to the United States began for the author, and the way the author brought the smells and sights of the area to life were so vivid that it felt as if you were right there, witnessing the majesty of the Esperia passenger ship before our very eyes.
The Verdict
This is a fantastic read that many readers will enjoy. Those who enjoy memoirs and studies of philosophy and history will find themselves dazzled as we see the life of a man born in Lebanon and lived in the United States. A man of two worlds in a sense, readers will feel completely connected to the author’s journey and the life he builds for himself as the novel goes on, especially the emotional roller coaster he takes readers on when he finally returns to Beirut for the first time. It’s a fascinating story that shouldn’t be missed, so if you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of “Looking West: The Journey of a Lebanese-American Immigrant” by Albert Nasib Badre today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Albert Nasib Badre is an American author born in Beirut Lebanon. He immigrated to the United States with his family in 1960 at the age of fourteen. His family made Albany, N.Y. their first home in America where he attended a private Catholic high school through his Junior year. After three years in Albany, the family moved to Iowa City, Iowa, when his father accepted a professor position at the University of Iowa. He finished his senior year at Iowa City High School, then went on to the University of Iowa where he got a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. After college, he spent a year as a social worker in New York City. Deciding social work was not for him, he went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of Michigan where he got his Ph.D. in 1973.
He spent the next thirty years at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and today he’s Professor Emeritus of Computing. During his tenure at Georgia Tech, he was an international consultant specializing in designing technology to enhance the human experience. Dr. Badre was an early pioneer in the field of human-centric design, with some thirty years of experience in human-computer interaction, learning technologies, and human-centric e-learning. His background combines expertise in the empirical methodologies of the behavioral sciences and the design approaches of the computing sciences.
Dr. Badre authored numerous technical papers, is co-editor of the book Directions in Human Computer Interaction, and the author of the book, Shaping Web Usability: Interaction Design in Context, which was adopted in several dozen courses worldwide. His memoirs, Looking West, is the story of his coming of age immigration to America and subsequent conversion to the Catholic Church.
Today, Dr. Badre and his wife live in Providence, R.I., near his son and family, where he leads a very active volunteer life, in service to the community.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I started writing around the age of 12. I’d been quite illiterate to begin with because I missed out on a lot of schooling. I wrote indecipherable poetry filled with angst—stream-of-consciousness diary entries about wanting to get away from my abusive situation. It wasn’t until I started reading my favorite writers before I’d make any attempt at any real writing. I never wrote full time because I also played the drums and painted. I was most serious about music at the very start.
I fell in love with authors like JD Salinger, Tom Robbins, and Charles Bukowski and buried my nose in everything they wrote. Salinger’s Nine Stories made me want to be a short story writer. Then, I read Bukowski’s Ham on Rye and that truly changed my life forever. He gave me a lot of freedom to be myself as an artist. Then came John Fante, He’s now just about my favorite writer.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
I always knew I’d write this book. I just didn’t know if I’d ever publish it. Not as nonfiction anyway. I’ve always written autobiographical fiction and wrote a lot of dark comedy stories about my family. I figured I’d put them together as a collection or something, but I didn’t think I could string them into one long book. I didn’t believe in myself enough. I’d tried to write whole novels in the past and failed. Eventually, I wanted to try again. And again. And again. It took me almost a decade to finish this book, and as the years went on,Shrapnel took several different directions.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I really don’t have a direct intention for what my readers should or shouldn’t take away. This is the same philosophy I have with putting any of my art out on display. The work has two lives; the one it’s lived with me during its process, then the life it lives once it’s completed. It now lives with the audience and becomes their personal, individual experience. I can only hope people can identify with it on some level.
Interestingly enough, I’d mostly been inspired by fictional stories that were written in a nonfiction, first-person format, such as Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Pushby Sapphire, Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Alison, and Bee Season by Myla Goldberg. Dorothy Allison’s book is based on her real life and I originally wanted to take this approach, but my partner, Michael Phillips (also a writer), got me to change it to nonfiction. He got me to see how much more powerful it could be. I didn’t think anyone would believe it, and frankly I was fearful of putting my story out there. Now I’m grateful for his encouragement because it’s made me a stronger person.
5) There were quite a few different sides to your story that were heartfelt, emotional and powerful enough to convey your struggle to the reader. In regards to your experience within Scientology, if you could sit down and ask any of the leaders of the group a question or confront them in any way, what would you want to say to them?
I do not think anything I could ask or say to the leader, David Miscavage, that would ultimately change anything. As far as I’m concerned, and as the public continues to hear evidence of the stories regarding his abuse and destruction, he is a megalomaniac with blinders on. He has no conscious when making his ends meet, whatever they may be. Challenging his motives would only make things worse for his enemies and Scientologists alike.
Having once been a devout Scientologist, I’d rather address Scientologists in general and ask that they try to consult their gut. I would tell them that people that speak out against religions that abuse their members are not evil. Cutting off a dialogue with them doesn’t fix the situation. Disconnecting from people labeled “suppressive” only further isolates your mind to stick with like-minded Scientology kin. How will you find understanding with the rest of the world that way? And are you really the one who controls your communication?
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Keeping a blog is key, as well as slowly adding to my mailing list. I put out a newsletter a few times a year and am careful not to “spam” my list with too many superfluous email blasts. I make sure I announce my blog posts on all my social media outlets. Facebook and ello are my most successful.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
You can always get better at writing by reading. Read a lot and a wide range of genre. Don’t give up, but don’t try too hard either. Try not to listen to other people’s opinions—that may possibly kill the best thing about your style and voice. Just be mindful of it anyway, because not everyone knows what they’re talking about. Strunk & White’s Elements of Style is almost the only thing you’ll ever need. But if you like spending $100K on college, do what you like.
The most important piece of advice I have is: despite rejection at seemingly every turn, you can do this. We are all stronger than we think.
On a separate note, if you were to be able to speak to anyone who has questioned the practices of Scientology or has been approached to possibly join the group, what would you want to say to them or what advice would you want to give them based on your own experiences?
I feel I’ve pretty much answered this and choose not to dig a deeper hole. But I would refer current members of Scientologists to Dr. Robert J. Lifton’s Eight Criteria to reevaluate their situation.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
Right now I am finishing up new artwork for my big book launch and solo exhibit at the gallery that represents me in Los Angeles, Craig Krull Gallery. The show opens Saturday April 13th, 2019 at 4pm with a reading and a short Q&A. I will then sign books until the artist’s reception that goes from 5-8pm. The show runs until May 25.
I’m also putting the finishing touches on the special lettered edition of Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley, which is limited to 30 copies only. It is hard-bound in linen and comes with original artwork inside.
I plan to take a short hiatus over the summer and begin working on a book of short stories in the fall. I’d like to publish them with watercolor illustrations by 2020.
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Carol Es is a self-taught artist, writer, and musician born in Los Angeles. Using a wide variety of media, she is known for creating personal narratives that transform a broken history into a positive resolution. Her paintings, drawings, installations, videos, and books have been exhibited nationwide in venues such as Riverside Art Museum, Torrance Art Museum, Lancaster Museum of Art and History, and Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles. Some of her works can be found in the collections at the Getty and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. Her collaborative film was also featured in the 2015 Jerusalem Biennale.
Awarded many honors, including several grants from the National Arts and Disability Center and California Arts Council, she is a two-time recipient of the ARC Grant from the Durfee Foundation, a Pollock-Krasner Fellowship, and the Wynn Newhouse Award. She has written articles of art critique for the Huffington Post and Coagula Art Journal, as well as having poetry published with small presses. She also received a writing grant from Asylum-Arts—a Global Network for Jewish Culture.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
TRIGGER WARNING: THEMES AND STORIES INVOLVING ABUSE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, DRUG USE AND SUICIDE ARE FEATURED IN THIS NOVEL. READER DISCRETION ADVISED.
One woman’s harrowing journey through a tumultuous childhood and the back and forth struggle between living a “normal life” and being indoctrinated into Scientology comes to life in author Carol Es’s novel “Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley”. Here is the synopsis.
Six houses, five apartments, three motels, a Hollywood mansion, and a small vegetable farm. Moving 16 times before the age of nine is enough to screw with any kid’s head. Living with an unstable family, a mentally abusive mother, and enduring years of neglect and sexual molestation left Carol Es believing she was inherently bad. At 14, she decided to ditch a rootless, dysfunctional family circus, seeking something that might make her a better person.
She thought she found her answers in Scientology, but she thought wrong.
As a self-taught artist, writer, and drummer, Carol maintained an unbreakable bond with her passions as a means of survival. She exhibited her art and played music tirelessly in bands on Sunset Boulevard and the LA circuit. She toured the US and Canada, signed with Sony Music, but all the while, she’d been conditioned to hide and deny her own mental illness in order to stay true to the doctrine of L. Ron Hubbard—a man who claimed psychiatric treatment was an evil hoax.
In her book, Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley, Carol explains how it was even possible to be both brainwashed and live “normally” in the world of contemporary art and rock n’ roll.
After a tumultuous childhood and 20 years in the cult, Carol Es takes a huge stride out of fear and silence by sharing her true vulnerabilities and intense experiences. With gallows humor and a unique perspective, she invites readers into her confidence, laying bare her most raw and intimate revelations on her seemingly endless search for self-worth as a woman. In conversational prose, she manages to embrace the horrifically sad scenes of her past, her biggest embarrassments, and finds absurdities one can only laugh about through tears.
Illustrated with crude sketches throughout, Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley is a courageous, relatable story that will keep you turning pages to the very end.
The Review
This has got to be one of the most detailed and emotionally powerful books of not only an ex-Scientologist, but of a survivor in general. Having overcome so much hardship and struggles in her life, author Carol Es has delivered an emotionally driven, informative and down to earth retelling of the events that shaped her life, and her journey to overcome those experiences.
While I will reiterate that his novel has some powerful themes and stories that can be triggering for some (and should not be read by anyone who is triggered by these stories or children), the story is one everyone should get an opportunity to read. The life led by the author has elements many people can find a way to relate to. Whether it’s the abuses she survived, the indoctrination in Scientology, (one of the biggest cults currently running in the world), a troubled childhood and family life and coming to terms with that while dealing with loss, the highs and lows of the music industry, and even those struggling with autoimmune illnesses like MS and Lupus, this novel has something most readers will be able to relate to and identify with.
The Verdict
This is a must read novel of 2019. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say it’s a top contender for best nonfiction and top read of 2019 on my website. It’s has humor infused in a natural way, while also incorporating emotionally charged stories that not only showcase the worst of humanity, but also shows the power of resilience and fighting for a brighter, better tomorrow. An in-depth analysis of Scientology as well, viewers of the show conducted by former Scientologist Leah Remini or former scientologists themselves will be shocked, surprised and relieved to see someone give such an accurate and powerful account of what life in this organization is truly like. If you enjoy powerful memoirs, real life accounts of life inside of a cult and stories of overcoming great odds to find a brighter future, then grab your copy of Carol Es’s novel “Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley” on April 6th, 2019.
Carol Es is a self-taught artist, writer, and musician born in Los Angeles. Using a wide variety of media, she is known for creating personal narratives that transform a broken history into a positive resolution. Her paintings, drawings, installations, videos, and books have been exhibited nationwide in venues such as Riverside Art Museum, Torrance Art Museum, Lancaster Museum of Art and History, and Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles. Some of her works can be found in the collections at the Getty and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. Her collaborative film was also featured in the 2015 Jerusalem Biennale.
Awarded many honors, including several grants from the National Arts and Disability Center and California Arts Council, she is a two-time recipient of the ARC Grant from the Durfee Foundation, a Pollock-Krasner Fellowship, and the Wynn Newhouse Award. She has written articles of art critique for the Huffington Post and Coagula Art Journal, as well as having poetry published with small presses. She also received a writing grant from Asylum-Arts—a Global Network for Jewish Culture.
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