Tag: non-fiction

Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities from a mom with Twins by Kathleen Cawley 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 Kathleen Cawley takes readers through the experience of parenthood as hundreds of parents share their insights, from finding a community as a parent to cleaning up after your kid and more, and also touches upon the historical sources of the most anxiety-inducing parenting imperatives people face to this day in the book “Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities from a mom with Twins”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Navigating the Shock of Parenthood, pulls together insights from hundreds of experienced parents. It organizes expert advice, and reveals the social and historical sources of some of today’s most anxiety provoking parenting imperatives. It also helps with a range of nitty gritty parenting challenges. Such as, projectile pooping (Real!). Dolphin training for toddlers. (Useful!) Or, how do I find community? What do I do when I find myself channeling the parent I never wanted to emulate?

A little insight and perspective will help you steer a course through the strange new waters of parenthood. With these tools you’ll learn to guide your family boat in a direction of your choosing rather than being swept along by outside forces. Navigating the Shock of Parenthood will help you laugh, build your village, raise your kids with joy, make decisions with insight, and work for the world you want your children to inherit.

If you’re struggling with new parenthood, you will find endless books on breastfeeding or potty training. However, there is almost nothing on the emotional and psychological challenges we face when we transition from adulthood to parenthood. Why are the joys of parenthood so heavily mixed with fear and angst? Where did “concerted cultivation,” come from and do you really need to buy into it? What is “the race to nowhere,” and how is it driving parents and children to anxiety. What has happened to modern American kindergarten, and is it a good thing?

Frankly, most parenting books also leave out many of the really difficult day to day challenges that parents struggle with. How do you to talk with young children about death? How do you manage problem relatives when kids and partners are in the picture? How do you parent a child who seems so different from yourself? How do you negotiate new life roles with your partner when society is pushing you heavily toward old stereotypes.

The challenges of today’s parenthood are real, and the first years are often so hard. We all need some help. Navigating the Shock of Parenthood is loaded with warmth, help, and support for this epic new adventure in your life.

The Review

This was a captivating and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of finding the perfect balance between educational reading material and personal memoir-style storytelling. The honesty and inviting nature of these experiences and stories and how they impact parenting as a whole were thoughtfully presented, and the overwhelming feeling of understanding that went with the guidance these stories brought to life was great to read. 

The sheer volume of information the book brings to light was incredible to behold. The author expertly divides these lessons and experiences into various areas of expertise, from the growing pains that go along with becoming a parent to the historical influences on what is expected of parents in this day and age, and advanced parenting tips that explore some of the common issues that parents will face in the earliest years of their child’s life. The way author hones in on things like how fatherhood has changed in recent years and the importance of having others in your life to become a support system while also acknowledging the importance of finding your own feet as a parent and establishing your own idea of what family looks like to you made this book so valuable to dive into.

The Verdict

Informative, thoughtful, and enlightening, author Kathleen Cawley’s “Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities from a mom with Twins” is a must-read nonfiction read on parenting. The author expertly tackles the misconceptions and experiences that many parents have undergone, and the relatability and honesty with which the author writes will have parents and readers alike glad they picked up this book. If you haven’t yet, grab your copy of this amazing book today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Kathleen Cawley is a physician assistant who practiced pediatric and adult medicine for 18 years. She is the mother of 12-year-old boy-girl twins, and the author of Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities – from a mom with twins. She also writes parenting articles for the Auburn Journal and regularly posts on Medium.

Kathleen married late in life, and having children was a struggle. After surviving five years of fertility treatment, her husband’s battle with aggressive prostate cancer, a post miscarriage stroke, a high-risk twin pregnancy at age 45, and an emergency C-section that veered into dangerous territory, Kathleen and her husband found themselves rather exhausted by new parenthood!

Soon, however, Kathleen began researching the social and cultural changes of the last 200 years with a new perspective. She realized these changes have radically altered the lives of children, and the goals of childhood.

In addition, over her many years of caring for patients, Kathleen was given a glimpse into the painful and difficult parts of people’s private lives. They shared with her their joys and sorrows whether personal, professional, or financial. With these shared intimacies in her heart, Kathleen found herself unable to see families, parents, and parenting without recognizing the reality of the powerful forces buffeting a family’s life.

A few years ago, Kathleen and her family moved from the cool, crowded, chaos of the San Francisco Bay Area to the unrelenting heat of the Sacramento summer sun. Currently, a fulltime at-home-mom and a fulltime writer, Kathleen is working on books about the politics of parenthood, parenting in the elementary school years, the new shape of fatherhood, and other issues.

https://kcawley.medium.com/about

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLW99V42/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F63885673-navigating-the-shock-of-parenthood%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3D6o2BXISqVa%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

GOOD DICK BAD DICK: How to spot a loser before you date or marry him by Hal Free (Illustrated by Jon Klassen) 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 Hal Free takes readers on a journey to showcase the toxic behavior of men and how they mistreat women through a series of humorous yet thoughtful illustrations and commentary in the book “GOOD DICK BAD DICK: How to spot a loser before you date or marry him”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

GOOD DICK BAD DICK is a totally unique book that uses illustration and outrageous humor to drive home the serious problem of how men mistreat and objectify women. The cartoon presenter is probably the last you’d expect to demonstrate men’s bad behavior, but he’s the ultimate symbol of all men. Each page presents different examples of the selfish, self-absorbed male mindset. a “pee-in-your-pants” collection of watchouts for women — and a way for men to see themselves as they too often are.

The Review

One of the things that has become so much more apparent in recent years with the accountability that social media brings in this day and age is the horrid way that men grow up believing how to treat the women in their lives and those they encounter throughout their days. The toxicity and mistreatment that is constantly brushed aside or excused as “boys will be boys” has been an issue that has faced mankind for centuries, and in the author’s book, this issue is finally blasted for all to read. 

The mixture of lighthearted tone and humor with the seriousness of men’s behavior and attitude is illustrated in such a way that instantly connected the reader to the subject matter. I think this was a book that spoke to everyone, men and women included. For men, this was a wake-up call to showcase how they are constantly twisting the truth and abusing women around them for their own immediate gratification or genuine pleasure, and the only way to build a better world is to teach future generations how not to act. For women, this book feels validating, as if the hardships and struggles that they are forced to endure on a daily basis are finally given life in these hilarious yet powerful cartoons that speak to the heart of this matter.

The Verdict

Thought-provoking, inspiring, and engaging, author Hal Free’s “GOOD DICK BAD DICK: How to spot a loser before you date or marry him” is a must-read nonfiction book that meets illustrated work. The commentary on relationships and behaviors related to gender, specifically how men treat women in life from their adolescence to their adult years, will not only help women readers to feel heard and seen in their own struggles but allow male readers to see a part of themselves they may ignore or not realize is there. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Techniques for Calming Your Mind and Spirit by Shai Tubali 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 Shai Tubali adds to the ever-growing collection of books under the Llewellyn’s Complete Book series with a look at how meditation can be used to live a happier and healthier life while reducing stress, decreasing pain and so much more in the book “Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Techniques for Calming Your Mind and Spirit”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Free Your Awareness and Awaken Your Energies with 35 Worldwide Meditation Techniques

Enjoy a healthier and happier life with reduced stress, decreased pain, improved sleep, lengthened attention span, and fewer age-related memory problems. The key to these and other benefits? Meditation.

Appropriate for practitioners of all skill levels, this new addition to Llewellyn’s Complete Book Series features thirty-five fundamental meditation techniques from traditions around the globe, including one unique method of author Shai Tubali’s own creation. These include:

– Zazen (Classical Zen Meditation)

– Qigong Standing Meditation

– Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Body Scan

– Taoist Inner Smile

– Osho’s Mystic Rose

– Japanese Forest Bathing

– Sufi Whirling

– Gurdjieff ‘s “I Am” Meditation

– Christian Prayer of the Heart

– Islamic Dhikr

– Hindu Aum Meditation

– Sikh Kirtan Kriya

– Jewish Hitbodedut

– Ramana Maharshi’s Self-Inquiry

– Tantric Hindu Kriya Yoga

– Tibetan Buddhist Dzogchen

Shai presents each technique with its historical background, cultural context, potential benefits, and clear instructions for practicing it at home in a non-appropriative way. You will explore the fifteen purposes of meditation and the role of chakras. You will also learn how to align your mind and body, open your heart to love and compassion, use the hidden powers of sound, and more. This comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide introduces the magic of meditation in a way that is experiential, practical, and deeply researched. Every page encourages you to take your journey into the world of meditation further than ever before.

The Review

This was quite a comprehensive and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of capturing a cohesive and easy-to-understand book that spoke to both beginners and advanced meditation students alike. The way the author was able to find the right balance between writing in a more authoritative and knowledgeable voice and the voice of someone who is able to relate to the reader’s history and interest in meditation as a whole kept me engaged with this book.

The heart of this book for me had to be the emphasis the author put on showcasing a wide range of meditation techniques from different cultures and backgrounds, as well as the focus on identifying trauma and the troubles in life that give us a purpose towards meditation as a whole. While not only used in trauma, the spiritual and mental effect that meditation can have on a person has always fascinated me, and the detailed way the author brings this to life on the page was great to read. This, combined with the different backgrounds and cultures surrounding the different meditation techniques the author explores made this a well-rounded and insightful read.

The Verdict

Captivating, engaging, and thoughtful, author Shai Tubali’s “Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Techniques for Calming Your Mind and Spirit” is a must-read nonfiction book and guide on meditation. The thought-provoking and spiritual nature of the book will keep readers invested in the subject matter, and the approachability of the author’s writing style will have readers eager to absorb and utilize the knowledge the author is imparting. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Shai Tubali is an international speaker, author, and spiritual teacher. He is one of Europe’s leading authorities in the field of chakras and the subtle body and has published twelve books. Shai also serves as an academic researcher at the University of Leeds and has developed several meditation-based therapeutic methods. Visit him online at ShaiTubali.com.

Home

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B1XSGF8D/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F61195623-llewellyn-s-complete-book-of-meditation%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3DkTAFqy1nRM%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis: How I Survived IVF With My Sanity (Mostly) Intact by Jade Barrett 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 Jade Barrett takes readers on a personal journey into the process and life of IVF in an effort to start her family in the book “The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis: How I Survived IVF With My Sanity (Mostly) Intact”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Jade Barrett thought she was living her best life in her 30s, a stable career, an amazing husband, a great group of friends, a supportive family, and a beautiful home…that is until she tried to start a family.

After yet another negative pregnancy test, her husband said, “It’s time to talk to a doctor.” Surely she didn’t have infertility…right? Finding out that the only way she could conceive a child biologically was through IVF sent shockwaves through her marriage and her life.

Thisis the story of triumph over adversity and how you can advocate from the best possible care from your fertility clinic.

“There are lots of things one can prepare for in life – an important exam, maybe a big job interview – but no one is prepared to be diagnosed with infertility.”

– Jade Barrett

“No one discusses the idea that maybe some people have a fancy built-in biological protection against pregnancy that will become a major crisis in the lives of 1 in 8 couples when they wish to start a family.”
– Jade Barrett

“The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis”is a hilariously intense story of Jade Barrett’s IVF quest to parenthood and how you can advocate for the best possible care from infertility clinics.

The Review

This was such a heartfelt and passionate read. The author did an incredible job of really relating her personal experiences going through fertility tests and going to a plethora of doctors’ appointments to discover where the issues lay in the process. The fast pace of the read and the intense atmosphere of the author’s story told kept readers engaged on a personal level as the book progressed.

The heart of this narrative lay in the wonderful balance of humor and wit that the author wrote with, as well as the perspective the author brought to the subject. The narrative honed in on the author’s point of view, not as a medical professional at all but as an everyday person and patient who had to endure and learn about this tough subject on the go. The strength and resiliency she shows in the pages of this book and the captivating way she showcases how to be her own advocate in the journey to find medical care that is both done right and done with professionalism kept me thoroughly engaged.

The Verdict

Mesmerizing, educational, and charming yet inspiring all at once, author Jade Barrett”s “The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis: How I Survived IVF With My Sanity (Mostly) Intact” is a must-read nonfiction medical memoir on the struggle and journey to understand IVF. The way the author hones in on the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of this journey and the honesty with which she writes has crafted a book that feels both authentic and emotionally driven. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Jade Barrett is an American high school teacher who experienced infertility from 2017-2021.

She hopes to help other women and couples who are struggling with infertility through her story, The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis: How I Survived IVF with My Sanity (Mostly) Intact.

It is the story of triumph over adversity and how you can advocate from the best possible care from your fertility clinic.

http://jadebarrettauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jadebarrettauthor/

https://twitter.com/jadebarrettauth

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09L6FFC23/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F60113607-the-good-news-is-you-don-t-have-endometriosis%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3DmpJbq559bW%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

The Good Husband: How to Use Your Masculine Strengths to Benefit Your Family by Hagai Avisar 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 and counselor Hagai Avisar takes readers on a journey to understand what truly “masculinity” is and how it can be used not to control but to love and care for one’s family in his book “The Good Husband: How to Use Your Masculine Strengths to Benefit Your Family”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

If you feel confused and disempowered in your marriage, with the same arguments over and over, then The Good Husband is tailored for you. It will show you how to be at your best as a husband and father:

  • Follow a solid roadmap that taps into your masculine strengths. Apply the tools and exercises to start living out the four blueprints (archetypes) of your masculine identity: King, Lover, Magician and Warrior.
  • Get practical solutions to highly troubling problems such as lack of sex, angry partner, threats of divorce, disempowering your fatherhood and more.
  • Make your wife feel happier and closer to you by realising what she really needs from you when she raises young kids, and responding wisely to these needs.
  • Discover how you can get better responses to your important needs for purpose, appreciation, respect, and sex.

Your masculine power is your responsibility, not your privilege. Once you discover how your masculinity is a force for LOVE in your family, you will be inspired to use it confidently to benefit your family.

Written by a highly experienced psychologist and couple therapist, The Good Husband is packed with knowledge, insights, and strategies that are based on research, state-of-the-art marriage counseling, and decades of clinical experience.

The Review

As someone who has always felt a calling towards a more feminist frame of mind, I have always been wary of people who use the term masculinity to hide behind a mindset of control and lack of emotions in relationships. I respect everyone’s own perspective, and in that spirit wanted to delve into the author’s book and experiences with an open mind, and I am glad I did. The author did an incredible job of crafting a book and guide that showcases how a man can hold onto the things that he connects with that he feels make him a “man”, while also finding the balance to understand the feminine perspective as well.

The research and thoughtful approach the author had to this subject was both emotional and well-founded. The way the author not only identified the traits and aspects of masculinity that are important to understand but gave voice to the women’s perspective on these traits and why they are important to maintaining a relationship as both a spouse and parent were wonderful to see illustrated. The way the author was able to not only draw upon these experiences and lessons but show how to implement them into our daily lives made this a very compelling and enthralling reading experience and made for the perfect way to start out 2023 for those looking to improve upon themselves.

The Verdict

As someone who has always hoped to find a way of tearing down old ideas surrounding masculinity and instead finding a way of making masculinity healthy and in balance with femininity, I was pleasantly surprised and inspired by this book. Author Hagai Avisar’s “The Good Husband” is a must-read self-help and relationship-style nonfiction book and the perfect way to start out the New Year. The informative and insightful way the author was able to relay these lessons and the engaging way the author was able to connect readers to these experiences made this a brilliant story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Avisar is an Israeli-born psychologist and couples therapist who has been in practice since 1987. Avisar moved from Israel to Melbourne, Australia with his Aussie wife and two kids in 1997.

With his passion to support young families, Avisar has specialized over the years in helping couples with their relationship issues. As an enthusiastic educator and therapist, he provides unique perspectives and effective solutions through counseling and workshops.

In recent years Avisar has developed an interest in helping men with their relationships. He says “There is an ever-increasing gap between the high expectations from family men and the poor support and empathy they receive from society. Public attacks on masculinity and men certainly don’t help these men”. Responding to this gap Avisar published in 2022 his book The Good Husband in which he offers married men guidance on how to use their masculine strengths to benefit their families.

Avisar has initiated and supported various social projects for parents and families. As an adoptive parent himself, he set up a network for adoptive families who raise children of Ethiopian origin.

www.thegoodhusband.online

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BDVYMYZ9/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F63024589-the-good-husband%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3D4ARu1id08q%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

Guest Blog Post: WHY A JOURNALIST WROTE A MEMOIR – ACROSS CONTINENTS by Ira Mathur

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest Post1 Comment

In writing this memoir, I combined my two loves, journalism and creative writing.

The journalist’s task is to find the dark corners of the world of injustice and sadness and illuminate them. The bigger job is to be the watchdog of democracies, to ensure there are checks and balances in governance on behalf of the people.

If there is one thing it taught me is that humans are essentially the same. Everyone is looking for a way to survive the dark days of our mortality and the trials of being human, whether they are gangsters who end up getting shot at 20 and buried with gold chains down to their stomachs; or priests who have lived ascetic lives; or indeed, families around the commonwealth navigating the damage of Empire.

Advertisements

It was with this understanding that I began to write a memoir.

As an immigrant to Tobago, where my parents moved when I was a child, and later to Trinidad, I felt the past was being cut away from me.

My son was born, and I had begun forgetting words in Urdu and Hindi. As an immigrant to Trinidad, I started feeling the past was being cut away from me. I wrote it to remember the past and understand the present of the glittering islands of Trinidad and Tobago, where my parents moved when I was a child. 

As I wrote about my experience as a journalist, somebody who chronicles the events that shape a country, I realised that my past was not unique. My grandmother told me how my ancestor was brought from Uzbekistan to put down the mutiny in India in 1856. As a recruited member of the British Army, he was forced to shoot his fellow Muslims, something he regretted till he died. I began making connections. It was also the story of colonial islands in the new world, where people were stripped of language. The narrative continued with my parents travelling to Trinidad and Tobago, which also has a complicated history of colonisation by the French Spanish and English. That interested me – how the personal can be so political, how the unravelling of one family living under decades of colonialism can echo a crumbling empire.

The overall theme of the crumbling Empire is relevant, especially now; after the death of Queen Elizabeth 11, we can see how similar post-colonial worlds are. The history of brutality was identical. In India, we grew up with stories of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar Puja when General Dyer ordered the British 

Indian Army to open fire on over a thousand unarmed, nonviolent protestors, Churchill’s active role in perpetuating the Bengal famine, or the signs my mother remembers in exclusive clubs that read “No Dogs or Indians” and the sly inroads of the East India Company. In Trinidad, as in much of South America, there is the brutal history of slavery, indentureship and genocide of millions of native Indians. In India from 1765 to 1938. the British got an estimated 45 trillion U.S. dollars’ worth of goods like textiles, rice, iron, and timbre, not to mention jewels from the Raj, which are housed in 

British museums today. Similarly, Caribbean islands like ours were looted for sugar and cocoa. It’s a shared history of exploitation.

 When my grandmother left India to join our family in Trinidad, she told me stories about a vanished India of the British Raj. She told me of generations of women born into Muslim Indian princely families of Bhopal and Savanur. I had to infer the calamity upon her life when my mother broke hundreds of years of tradition and understand why my grandmother disinherited my mother for marrying a Hindu army officer.

There were unanswered questions. I wondered why my grandmother ended up alone and penniless despite all her privileges- born a princess into Indian royalty, beauty, and musical talent. 

As I wrote the story, the puzzle came together. I began to understand how patterns are created in how we treat our daughters and how that damages the people we love. At my grandmother’s funeral, I was aware of how incongruous this was, a woman born in colonial India dying in the new world so far from everything she grew up with and knew. It was a way of bringing tother the old and new worlds and introducing the question of how and why this happened. How did a princess of the Raj die in Trinidad? 

Advertisements

The colonial idea that subjugation, cruelty and even corporal punishment can be justified for the greater good filtered down to how people in colonies viewed their children.– how neglect, abandonment or abuse is passed on to their daughters and that pattern is continued. 

Migration is also a very personal issue. At the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth, dozens of security guards were of South Asian origin. According to an Indian Ministry of External Affairs report, 32 million Non-Resident Indians live outside India, overseas Indians comprise the world’s largest overseas diaspora, and over 2.4 million Indians migrate overseas yearly. Our family was just one in this ocean of movement. So the themes aren’t heavy, but 

illustrates how politics always becomes personal and affects families.  

When I wrote it, I did not expect it to resonate with so many people across continents. Michael Portillo for Times Radio was moved by the story of Poppet, the child in the book. Anita Rani of Times Radio was moved by the story of migration. The Observer found it was reminiscent of the times of the Raj in India, which has connected India and Britain for generations.

Advertisements

About the Author

Ira Mathur is the author of Love The Dark Days – a Peepal Tree published a memoir on the emotional ruins of Empire on three generations of women set in Trinidad, St Lucia, India and the U.K., bookended with a weekend with Derek Walcott. Love The Dark Days was selected as a UK Guardian Best Book of the Year 2022 ( Memoir and Biography)

Mathur is an Indian-born Trinidadian multimedia journalist and columnist with a body of writing that includes over 800 columns over 20 years. (www.irasroom.org) She was longlisted for the 2021 Bath Novel Award for Touching Dr Simone. (Out in 2023)

Mathur studied creative writing in London with The University of East Anglia/Guardian & the Faber Academy with Gillian Slovo, Maggie Gee, and James Scudamore. In 2019 Mathur was longlisted for the Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize. She holds degrees in literature, law and journalism. 

Purchase on Amazon U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Dark-Days-Ira-Mathur/dp/1845235355#detailBullets_feature_div

Purchase on Amazon U.S.: https://amzn.to/3YaoVmH

The Crow Who Tampered with Time by Lloyd Ratzlaff 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 Lloyd Ratzlaff shares profound and moving thoughts on life through powerful essays in his book “The Crow Who Tampered with Time”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Lloyd Ratzlaff brings the prairie landscape to life through a capacious imagination charged with wonder and the gentle irony of an awareness tempered by time and love. A remarkable new talent in the burgeoning field of literary non-fiction, Ratzlaff connects with the challenges posed by scepticism and belief, countering both the cynicism and doctrinairism of contemporary life with a renewed praise of the profound depths of the spirit and the natural world.

The Review

This was a profound and thought-provoking read. The author did an incredible job of capturing some pretty strong themes, from faith and nature as more general themes to more intricate themes like the nature of reality itself and the need to focus on the here and now rather than the future constantly. The thoughtful atmosphere the author crafted balanced the personal nature of the author’s writing style.

The heart of this narrative was in the author’s personal and heartfelt delivery of each essay. The connection the author shares to his homeland of Saskatchewan in Canada and how the land doesn’t connect to bodies of water made for powerful imagery and a great way to input imagery into the author’s writing style. The wonderment and spiritual nature o the author’s experiences and views will resonate greatly with many readers.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, captivating, and engaging, author Lloyd Ratzlaff’s “The Crow Who Tampered with Time” is a memorable collection of essays that readers will want to identify with. The emotional weight of this author’s experiences and the personal nature of each essay will allow readers to connect to the author’s messages and themes in a great way. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Lloyd Ratzlaff is the author of a triptych of personal literary essays, the editor of an anthology of seniors’ writings published by READ Saskatoon, and a monthly columnist for Prairie Messenger Catholic Journal. He has served on the boards of several writing organizations and has taught writing classes for the University of Saskatchewan Certificate of Art & Design (USCAD) and the Western Development Museum. Both his creative non-fiction and professional pieces have been widely published throughout Canada and the United States. Ratzlaff lives in Saskatoon.

From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith, MFA 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 Melanie Faith showcases to readers the path and means of taking their story from the writing phase to the publication phase in her book “From Promising to Published”. 

Advertisements

The Synopsis

You’ve been writing and honing your craft for months or years and are curious about seeking publication for your latest project. Perhaps you wonder about the next steps in the process. Look no further!

This book has a little something for every writer interested in expanding their audience and sharing their writing with readers, from pre-writing and writing your drafts to choosing your market and the writing life before, during, and after publication.

Topics covered include:

  • The Lovely Littles: Breaking into Literary Magazines
  • The Spinning Spider: Keeping Track of your Brainchildren
  • Options, You’ve Got ’em: Traditional, Indie/Small, University Press, or Self-Publishing 
  • Two Streams with One Stone: To Simultaneously Submit or Not
  • Monetize it! Part One: All about the Benjamins; Monetize it! Part Two: Risk and a Swimming Metaphor
  • The Myth of the Fancy-Pants Tools
  • The Art of Writing the Author Bio
  • Paradox Meets Passion: Writer vs. Author
  • The Slam-Bam Reply: Now in Two Painful Varieties; Creative Noodling
  • F.U.N

and so much more!

The Review

This was such a thoughtful and meaningful read. Authors and aspiring writers will absolutely love this book. The author’s writing style was very pointed and personable, allowing the reader to feel more like they were in a conversation and less like they were being preached to. This friendly and relatable approach to the subject allows readers to connect more to the author’s message, and the lessons found within. 

I absolutely loved the amount of information the author was able to fit into this book. From the process of crafting an author bio and finding a target audience, to more thoughtful approaches such as making multiple submissions and finding a literary magazine to be featured in, as well as the differences between an author and a writer, this book does an incredible job of not only drawing the reader in but finding the right balance of inspiration and education.

The Verdict

Honest, thought-provoking, and engaging, author Melanie Faith’s “From Promising to Published” is a must-read guide and reference book on the publishing process for authors. The knowledge the reader is able to glean from this book and the writing style will allow readers to return to this book time and time again and keeps authors invested in learning the process of getting their work published in a cohesive way. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Melanie Faith is a night-owl writer and editor who moves through the daytime world with her camera. She’s an introvert who likes to wear many hats, too, including as a poet, photographer, professor, and tutor. She’s been a doodler for years but just recently started to share her perfectly imperfect doodles. She loves to write about historical settings in poetry and prose, and this fall she taught both a Leaping Worlds class for historical fiction and time-travel writers as well as a university class about publishing. She especially enjoys creating nonfiction craft books that assist fellow authors on their writing paths, including books packed with tips about writing flash fiction and poetry. Her latest published craft books are: Photography for Writers, guides for teaching online and writing a research book respectively, and From Promising to Published: A Multi-Genre, Insider’s Guide to the Publication Process (all from Vine Leaves Press). Read more about her books, classes, and arts projects at https://melaniedfaith.com.

Purchase a copy of From Promising to Published on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.

Advertisements

Blog Tour Calendar

December 5th @ The Muffin

Join WOW as we celebrate the launch of Melanie Faith’s blog tour of From Promising to Publishing. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

December 5th @ Karen Brown Tyson

Visit Karen’s blog today and read about whether to monetize your writing or keep it a hobby.

Karen Brown Tyson

December 7th @ Create Write Now

Visit Mari’s blog today to read a guest post by Melanie Faith about how to self-motivate.

https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog

December 8th @ Margay Leah Justice’s Blog

Join Margay as she reviews From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.

https://margayleahjustice.blogspot.com/

December 9th @ Blunt Scissors Book Reviews

Jennifer shares her thoughts about Melanie Faith’s helpful book From Promising to Published.

https://www.instagram.com/bluntscissorsbookreviews/

December 10th @ World of My Imagination

Visit Nicole’s blog to catch her review of From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.

https://worldofmyimagination.com/

December 11th @ Shoe’s Seeds and Stories

Visit Linda’s blog as she reviews Melanie Faith’s book From Promising to Published.

https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/

December 12th @ One Writer’s Journey

Sue shares her thoughts about Melanie Faith’s helpful book for writers From Promising to Published.

https://suebe.wordpress.com/

December 13th @ Lisa Haselton’s Book Reviews & Interviews

Visit Lisa’s blog for an interview with author Melanie Faith about her book From Promising to Published.

https://lisahaselton.com/blog/

December 15th @ Mother Daughter Bookclub

Join Cindy as she reviews From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.

https://motherdaughterbookclub.com/

December 16th @ The Faerie Review

Lily shares her thoughts about Melanie Faith’s book From Promising to Published.

https://www.thefaeriereview.com/

December 18th @ Michelle Cornish’ Blog

Come by Michelle’s blog and read Melanie Faith’s guest post about overcoming imposter syndrome.

https://www.michellecornish.com/blog

December 20th @ A Storybook World

Deirdra features a spotlight of Melanie Faith’s book From Promising to Published.

https://www.astorybookworld.com/

December 21st @ Elle Backenstoe’s Blog

Join Elle as she reviews Melanie Faith’s book From Promising to Published.

http://ellebackenstoe.com/

December 22nd @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

Visit Anthony’s blog and read his review of From Promising to Published.

https://authoranthonyavinablog.wordpress.com/category/blog-tours/

December 23rd @ Help Me Naomi

Noami shares a review of From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.

https://helpmenaomi.com/

December 24th @ The Mommies Reviews

Join Tara she reviews Melanie Faith’s book From Promising to Published and hosts a giveaway too.

https://www.themommiesreviews.com/

December 27th @ Mindy McGinnis’ Blog

Join Mindy’s blog today where author Melanie Faith shares tips on writing author bios that have personality and heart.

https://www.mindymcginnis.com/blog

December 27th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

Join Beverley as she reviews Melanie Faith’s book From Promising to Published.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

December 29th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

Visit Beverley’s blog to read a guest post by Melanie Faith about the benefits of hiring a freelance editor and how to find a good fit.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

January 2nd @ Elle Backenstoe’s Blog

Visit Elle’s blog again and read Melanie Faith’s guest post about the benefits of beta readers and how to find one.

http://ellebackenstoe.com/

January 3rd @ Editor 911

Join Margo as she features a guest post by Melanie Faith about the taking-on-too-much spiral.

https://editor-911.com/blog

January 4th @ Liberate & Lather

Visit Angie’s blog and read her review of From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith. She hosts a giveaway and also interviews author Melanie Faith about her book.

https://liberateandlather.com/blog

January 5th @ Word Magic

Fiona reviews this helpful writing book From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith. Don’t miss it!

http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

January 7th @ Leslie’s Voice

Join Leslie as she reviews From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.

https://lesliesvoice.com/

The High Income Healer: How to Turn Your healing Gift into a Full-Time Business by Jill K. Thomas 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 and Hypnotherapist Jill K. Thomas takes readers on a journey to explore how to succeed as a business or entrepreneur pursuing your love and passion for healing in her book “The High Income Healer: How to Turn Your Healing Gift into a Full-Time Business”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Dream of having a flourishing and fulfilling practice as a healer,

but are wrestling with the “business of healing”?

Countless healers today are stuck in jobs they hate—doing what they love at night, in fits and starts. Others are practicing their craft but struggling to make ends meet. And some never get off the ground because they have no idea how and where to start. Sound familiar?

What do they all have in common?

They’re far better healers than businesspeople.

Yet, to succeed in a healing profession today, you have to be BOTH.

Enter The High Income healer, written by Jill K. Thomas, a thriving 18-year certified hypnotherapist and successful solopreneur, who, over the years, found herself fielding endless questions from colleagues about the “business” of healing.

She quickly realized there was a huge need, not only for solid, practical nuts-and-bolts info, but also for guidance in banishing the limiting beliefs about money that keep so many healers strapped and struggling. In The High Income Healer, you’ll learn:

-The basics of business start-up, pricing and workflow planning

-Anxiety-free sales, marketing, advertising and networking

-How to effectively communicate your value, and most importantly…

-How to develop a “Money Mindset” that will have abundance flowing freely to you

Add in “barrier-busting” journaling exercises, practical action steps, and straight-shooting advice—all delivered with Jill’s empowering “you-can-do this!” guidance—and you’ll be quickly powering through blocks on the way to living your “healing dream.”

Ready to thrive as a healer, while shaving years off your “ramp-up” to profitability? Use The High Income Healer to boost your confidence as both a healer and a business person, as you build a practice that supports you—not just your clients! 

The Review

This is a fantastic and well-developed read. The balance the author found between the business side of things and the healer’s path was the first thing that stood out. This balance was enhanced through the author’s writing style, which was both educational and yet very personable and honest in its delivery, and the striking tone the author made as they delivered these lessons kept the reader invested in the topic throughout the entirety of the book.

It was that balance that the author found that really become the heart of the narrative. The way author takes the time to explore what makes someone a healer, the ways in which healers are made through intense life experiences that affect them, and how healers are meant to guide their clients towards the right goal and teach them how to accomplish things, and yet it is up to the client to implement these ideas, made this half of the book shine. It was great to see this harmony as the author then showcased how healers need to find the means of separating their healing gift from the business-sided mind of their brains. Eliminating the need to stay in an employee mindset and transition into an employer state of mind was great to see explored, as were the basics of starting a business and how to interact with a client as both a healer and a business owner. 

The Verdict

Captivating, thoughtful, and engaging, author Jill K. Thomas’s “The High-Income Healer” is a must-read nonfiction health and business read. The perfect way to jumpstart 2023, the author will give readers the tools they need to not only discover their passion for healing as a profession but start their own business and leave behind the day jobs they have been forced to work for years. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder your copy today or pick up copy on January 25th, 2023.

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

As an Intuitive Hypnotherapist, Clairvoyant Reader, Author, Medium and Vocal Channel, Jill K Thomas, CHT has over 18 years’ experience helping clients move past limiting beliefs, discover their authentic selves, and create a life of peace and harmony. Jill has helped thousands of people realize lifestyle and wellness goals they could never before achieve, including attracting prosperity and success, overcoming debilitating phobias, healing toxic relationships, and losing weight.

Among many of her accomplishments, her most recent book, “The High Income Healer: How to Turn your Healing Gift into a Full-time Business” helps healers take their business to the next level. Her other books include “Tales From the Trance”, published by Ozark Mountain Publishing, and her well known weight loss book “Feed Your Real Hunger: Getting off the Emotional Treadmill that Keeps you Overweight”.

She has appeared on numerous radio shows, maintains her popular online blog “Confessions of a Hypnotherapist”, and has authored articles for magazines read across the nation. Her “30 Day weight loss Jumpstart” CD has also helped many people finally lose the pounds, after years of trying.

https://www.jillkthomas.com/

https://twitter.com/hypnotistjill