1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’m T.M. Daliggr, a playful explorer of language and culture. Writing has always been my way to connect worlds—whether it’s through stories, humor, or breaking down generational slang. I got into writing because I love capturing the quirky and often hilarious ways people communicate, especially across different age groups.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
Skibidi Ohio Rizz was inspired by the hilarious, baffling, and sometimes downright confusing slang I overheard between kids, teens, and adults trying to keep up with the newest lingo. I wanted to create a fun, approachable guide to help parents, teachers, and anyone curious decode Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang without feeling totally lost.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I hope readers walk away with a smile and a better understanding—that language is always evolving and staying curious and open-minded is the best way to connect across generations. Plus, it’s okay to laugh at yourself a little while learning something new!
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I love humor and education wrapped into one. The idea of turning something as dynamic and playful as slang into an entertaining guidebook was irresistible. It’s a genre where I can bring levity to communication and help people bond through shared understanding.
5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Amazon has been great! Its vast, engaged reader community perfectly matches the vibe of Skibidi Ohio Rizz. Reviews and recommendations help bring the book’s spirit to life and reach curious readers. I’m also working on building a presence on TikTok to connect with even more fans through fun, creative videos.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Write what excites you—authenticity shines through. Don’t be afraid to experiment and blend genres. And most importantly, engage with your community; readers want to connect with the real you. Patience and persistence go a long way!
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7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m cooking up more playful language guides and maybe diving into some creative fiction inspired by the same vibe. I have two middle-grade chapter books on the horizon that I hope to publish soon. There’s always new slang, memes, and cultural moments to capture, so expect more fun, fresh projects coming your way!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Mark Morton releases the third edition of his beloved book of culinary terms and their history in the book “Cupboard Love: A Dictionary of Culinary Curiosities.”
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The Synopsis
“A whimsical, side-splitting, erudite, and sometimes cheeky book.” – The Globe and Mail
From everyday foods to exotic dishes, from the herbs and spices of medieval England to the cooking implements of the modern kitchen, Cupboard Love is a sumptuous feast that explores the fascinating stories behind familiar and not-so-familiar gastronomic terms.
Who knew that the word “pomegranate” is related to the word “grenade”? That “baguette” is a cousin of “bacteria”? That “soufflé” comes from the same root as “flatulence”? Who knew that “vermicelli” is Italian for “little worms,” that “avocado” comes from an Aztec word meaning “testicle,” or that “catillation” denotes the unseemly licking of plates?
Originally published in 1996 and revised and expanded in 2004, and now available again for the first time in two decades in this new edition, Cupboard Love was one of three books nominated for a 1996 Julia Child Cookbook Award in the Food Reference/Technical Category (Calphalon Award), and was included in The Globe and Mail’s list of “required reading” notable books for 1997.
Addictively readable, it takes us on a journey across cultures and history to arrive at the explanations behind some of our favorite culinary words and phrases, answering along the way those questions we’ve always had about food but were afraid to ask the cook.
The Review
This was such a fun and fascinating reference book. The author did an incredible job of exuding passion and a wealth of knowledge on the page, showcasing a wide range of terminology and the depth of research that the author poured into the book. The range of topics related to food was great to see as well, as the author not only touched upon certain types of cuisine but different events related to food as well, such as the term “groaning”, which refers to a period in the English countryside when a woman was going through the birthing process, and those in attendance would be given groaning boards to eat food from.
When it comes to reference books, one factor that always stands out to me as a reader is how much I’m left wanting to return to the book for guidance or knowledge. The author’s engaging and unique writing style keeps me invested in this book as a reference for culinary history and the world at large. The relevance for readers of European and American descent is also felt, with a profound amount of knowledge in this type of culinary terminology featured in the book.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, engaging, and memorable, author Mark Morton’s “Cupboard Love” is a must-read reference book. The book elevates culinary history to all-new levels, making this feel like more than just a dictionary or trivia book, but a genuine appreciation for the world of food and the evolution of how people view cooking and food preparation as a whole. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
I grew up with a bunch of brothers and sisters on a small farm in the south-east corner of Saskatchewan, a bleak, flat, sublime landscape that continues to define my identity and sensibilities. I was never interested in farming —and my parents knew I would likely lose a limb trying to do it—so I went to university. And then I went some more. And then some more. Eventually, I completed a PhD in sixteenth-century literature from the University of Toronto. I taught for a while in the south of France, and then for twelve years at the University of Winnipeg, in Manitoba. I really enjoyed teaching.
While I was in Winnipeg, I also started doing writing and broadcasting for CBC radio, first for a regional show and then for a national show called Definitely Not the Opera. My “gig” was talking about the intersections of language and culture. Eventually, I broadcast more than a hundred columns. Also while in Winnipeg, I co-founded the Winnipeg International Writers Festival, and wrote four nonfiction books, and more than fifty columns for Gastronomica: A Journal of Food and Culture published by the University of California Press.
Best of all, while in Winnipeg I met my wife (I mean she wasn’t my wife yet, but she became that😊). She—Melanie Cameron—is also a writer, having published two award-winning books.
We moved to Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, where I started working at the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo. Melanie and I then adopted two older children—Brandon and Laika—and then, a few years later, two more—Rukhsana and Matthew. Not surprisingly, our writing screeched to a halt while we devoted ourselves to raising our children (and our four dogs—dogs have always been integral to our family!). All of our kids are now are in their twenties and are doing well.
After our kids grew up, I started writing again, but I shifted to fiction. That’s when I wrote The Headmasters, which was published by Shadowpaw Press. I’ve also completed another novel and have started writing a third one.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Steven P. Unger shares the long and storied history of coffee, as well as the travel experiences of consuming coffee on multiple continents in the book “Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide.”
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The Synopsis
BLACK AS HELL, STRONG AS DEATH, SWEET AS LOVE: A Coffee Travel Guide, is the first and only book to trace coffee consumption from its origins in prehistory to becoming the world’s second-most-valuable commodity after oil—and to pair this history with replicable, affordable Coffee Experiences that provide a unique approach and added value to the readers’ destinations, no matter how many times they’ve been there before. This book is a multi-genre travel book with unique historical insights that immerse the reader in the culture of a country or city through the lens of the destination’s deep relationship with coffee. No other travel book has ever provided the kind of total immersion into a country or city—through histories, travel directions, one-of-a-kind photos, and recipes—that BLACK AS HELL, STRONG AS DEATH, SWEET AS LOVE: A Coffee Travel Guide,delivers in every chapter.
The timing is right for BLACK AS HELL, STRONG AS DEATH, SWEET AS LOVE: A Coffee Travel Guide, a history of coffee and a travel guide to Coffee Experiences on almost every continent. Plus, there are recipes.
Among the Coffee Experience destinations are places that almost no one goes to, like Ethiopia’s South Omo, and places masses of tourists go to, like Paris. Other Coffee Experiences are closer to home for Americans, as simple as sharing a colada at a ventanilla in Miami’s Little Havana; or taking the Canal streetcar to the end of the line, where Morning Call in New Orleans’ Spanish moss-shrouded City Park offers chicory coffee, beignets, crawfish bread, gumbo, alligator sausage, and jambalaya just a short walk away from the last remaining section of Bayou Metairie.
These Coffee Experiences result from three years of related travel, five years of research, and decades of travel and travel writing. These are the Best of the Best, the Coffee Experiences that surpassed all our expectations.
Linking the Coffee Experiences to history provides a unique approach to a city or country’s particular relationship to coffee. Coffee Experiences may be in the middle of, or adjacent to heavily touristed areas, but for the most part, they are places barely mentioned in guidebooks.
The Coffee Trail is full of curious twists and turns, spanning millennia and the rise and fall of great civilizations. Surviving bans from religions and regimes, coffee consumption has changed its style constantly to adapt to new customs, new physiologies, and new technologies with the driving mandates of better taste and more effective delivery systems for the physically and psychologically stimulating effects of caffeine.
All along the Coffee Trail, from Africa to Europe and the New World, each culture and country has added its own unique stamp to the passport of Coffee Experiences. This book is a journey through those countries and cultures with stopovers that are sometimes a reenactment, and sometimes a re-imagination of a unique time and place in the human history of coffee consumption.
The Review
This was such a fascinating read. Like much of the population, I am a coffee drinker, but I didn’t always know that there could be a powerful history behind the cultivation of coffee beans throughout the world. The sheer volume of detail and insight the author provides is fascinating. The author explores different cultures and continents not only in terms of how the coffee bean has grown and evolved there but also how the consumption of coffee has evolved and grown over time.
The balance of the beauty that photographer Ruth St. Steven captured with the imagery of the author’s writing style and the sense of adventure that this book brought made it such an engaging read. The book not only featured an eclectic collection of history and stories related to coffee, but each location the author explored came with recommendations for orders, recipes, and where to get coffee while there.
The Verdict
Equal parts reference book, guide, history, and adventure book, author Steven P. Unger’s “Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love” is a must-read. The honesty, depth of knowledge, and thorough exploration of this subject, the locations where these products can be found, and the passion for coffee will instantly draw readers in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today.
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
cover girl
Steven P. Unger has traveled extensively in North, South, and Central America; Western Europe; the Middle East; Africa; Istanbul; and Romania. He has been published in numerous travel and bicycling magazines. His book, In the Footsteps of Dracula: A Personal Journey and Travel Guide, 3rd Ed., traces the voyages and eventual flight of Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula from Transylvania to London and back in text and photographs, and pairs this journey with the life and times of Dracula’s real-life counterpart, Prince Vlad Dracula, or Vlad the Impaler.
Mr. Unger was an exchange student at a historically black college, Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, and later a member of the Bear Tribe, a California commune that tried sharecropping, goat herding, and living in teepees—and failed spectacularly at everything. These adventures and many more are described in his novel Dancing in the Streets.
He also wrote the accompanying text and Preface for Before the Paparazzi: Fifty Years of Extraordinary Photographs, which includes over 250 pictures taken by Arty Pomerantz, staff photographer and assignment editor for the New York Post from the 1960s through the early 1990s.
Appearances by the author for Before the Paparazzi, 50 Years of Extraordinary Photographs included a video of his co-author’s life and work. In October 2014 at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism, the author’s presentation was followed by a roundtable on contemporary photojournalism with members of the New York Press Club and the New York Press Photographers’ Association. This presentation was given at the New York City Fire Museum and the Bronx Documentary Center, and was one of four lectures for the 2015-2016 California State University, Sacramento, Friends of the Library Author Lecture Series.
He lives with Ruthie St. Steven and their terrier mix Bailey in Elk Grove, California.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I have enjoyed writing from a very young age, I won a fictional short story contest when I was very young and had a press release at the time in a local newspaper, I have also had some of my poetry published in anthologies. My first love is art however, I graduated from university with a Degree in Fine Art, and even while still studying I was running lino cutting workshops from my studio for people of all ages. I have produced a large body of artwork to date, in particular lino cutting, which I really enjoy.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I always aspired to see more of the world and began solo travelling in 2015 with a trip to Athens, Greece. Since then I have travelled in Europe, North Africa, spent two months in India, explored much of south-east Asia and lived in Vietnam for over 4 years, teaching English as a foreign language. This love for travel has really helped me rediscover my passion for writing and inspired my new book.
I also recently started doing a travel blog, packed full of travel itineraries, guides and useful tips. It’s an extension of my book. This is the link:
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I really hope that by reading my new book, readers will be encouraged to confront any fears or hang ups they may have, that may be preventing them from travelling and realizing their dreams. Being from a very working class background myself, I always thought maybe I would never get to break out into the big, wide world and go to all of these amazing places. But I was brave enough to throw caution to the wind and take my chances working in a foreign country and it was the best decision of my life so far. I want to inspire readers to follow their heart and live life to the fullest, not accepting less.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I was drawn into the genre of travel, simply because its the area where I feel I have a lot of experience and expertise to offer and share. I am a very creative person and writing is a great outlet for this, so I like to think not only is my book an informative non-fiction travel guide, it is also a rich, narrative. It’s pretty poetic at times when I am describing my own memoirs.
5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Facebook has been particularly useful in growing readership and driving traffic to my website. I have a Facebook Page which shares the same name as my book ‘Travel For As Long As You Wish’, here I share original photos, reels and blog posts I’ve wrote, all inspired by my travels around the world.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
My advice to new or aspiring authors would be to really be prepared to put in the work on marketing your books, remember your job has just begun once your book is out there. It’s a highly competitive market but don’t forget why you started writing in the first place, because it’s what you love and it’s important to let this passion be your main driving force. Let the passion and shine through and do it with a flourish.
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
In regard to the future, I am hoping to eventually release a paperback and audiobook version of my current book and hopefully increase the popularity of both my book and my travel blog. I feel my content is very useful to anyone wishing to travel more. I will also be returning to teaching English in Vietnam later this year, as well as continuing my practice as an artist! So lots to keep busy with.
My ebook ‘Travel For As Long As You Wish: The Blueprint For Budget Travel, Backpacking And Escaping The Rat Race’ is available here:
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About the Author
Mark James Murphy is an artist, teacher, adventurer, and writer. He was born in Sunderland, North-East England in the early 1980s. He has solo traveled extensively throughout the world and in 2017 decided to leave behind his job and apartment in the UK to teach English in Vietnam, South East Asia, for almost five years, describing it as the best moment of his life so far. There he also continued developing his practice as an artist and printmaker, documenting his travels through the medium of linocut. In 2019 he fulfilled a childhood dream when he backpacked for two months throughout the whole of India, ending up in a remote village in the Himalayan foothills. He has played football with local kids in the Sahara desert, lived with Hmong people high in the mountains of North Vietnam, and worked as a farmhand in Southern Spain. Mark is currently based just outside of London.
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”.
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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
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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.
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
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.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Mark Leslie takes readers on a humorous and engaging journey to look behind the scenes of the making of John Hughes’s instant classic film Planes, Trains and Automobiles and the use of a very real book in a pivotal scene in his book, The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”.
The Synopsis
The Prop Book That Keeps on Popping Up!
Yes, the cover of this book looks a lot like the one Del Griffith (John Candy) is reading at the New York airport in the 1987 movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles. A strikingly similar book also appears in 2018’s Deadpool 2. It was long believed that this was a prop book. But it was a real book published in the 1980s and from a company that went out of business before the end of the decade.
This re-imagined incarnation of The Canadian Mounted explores the use of this prop book and many other intriguing, insightful and entertaining behind-the-scenes details as they relate to the classic 1987 John Hughes film.
Created for fans of the movie and of John Hughes, this book explores and shares stories related to the writing and making of the film, curious tales and collected trivia associated with it, including:
The incident that inspired Hughes to write the original script
Del-isms
The film’s eclectic sound-track
Missing Oxford commas
Deleted scenes
Ryan Reynolds’ adoration of fellow Canadian John Candy
General trivia
And more…
If you love and regularly re-watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles, then this is a book you must read.
The Review
This is a truly detailed and captivating read. The author does an incredible job of finding just the right balance in tone between educational moments from the film and book in question and personable writing styles that make this feel like a shared experience between friends. The wit and charm with which the author crafts this narrative was incredibly inviting to the reader.
The vast amount of research and information the author provided the reader was spectacular. The way the author was able to implement everything from unused portions of the original script to behind-the-scenes commentary, and finds a natural way to blend this into the author’s own personal connection and history with the film and book itself made this such an inviting and unique read.
The Verdict
Informative, thoughtful, and humorous, author Mark Leslie’s “The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is a must-read film and pop culture trivia and reference book. The personable and imagery-heavy writing style really allowed these experiences both for the author and those involved in the original production of the film to come to life on the page, and this book makes the perfect story to pick up for longtime fans of this film and filmmaker John Hughes in general. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Mark is a writer, editor and bookseller who was born and grew up in Sudbury, spent many years in Ottawa and Hamilton and currently lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
When he is not writing, he tacks “Lefebvre” back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.
Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother’s refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.
When he’s not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.
