Tag: nonfiction

Interview with Crypto Engineer

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

I have worked as a consultant and senior manager in the IT industry for the last ten years. I also had a software company and a fintech start-up.

I invested my financial surplus in the stock market. After learning about cryptocurrencies, I also entered this space. Without a complete guide, I have to learn from my mistakes.

More than two years ago, I started publishing educational content on Twitter as Crypto Engineer. I wanted to professionalize this industry by sharing how to invest in cryptocurrencies.

Advertisements

2) What inspired you to write your book?

Cryptocurrencies are a field at the intersection of finance and technology. They are also a social movement toward decentralization, privacy, and freedom, which resonate with me. 

I wanted to not only read about this movement but also be part of it. I hope my contribution helps people understand cryptocurrency and prevents them from making bad financial decisions.

I also won many competitions for the best crypto writer, earning thousands of dollars. This showed me a demand for high-quality content about investing in cryptocurrencies. One example is https://hackernoon.com/the-blockchain-writing-contest-2022-april-results-announced

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

Everyone is an investor, but most don’t invest actively, and their wealth is concentrated in their homes, cars, and cash. Not everyone should be active in this field, but knowing investment basics is helpful.

Cryptocurrency can help many people achieve their financial goals. It can shorten the path to it, or sometimes, it is the only way.

However, this market is not mature, so there are many risks. Investing in crypto is not easy, and I want to emphasize this.

I am sharing all my knowledge with the readers, but the decision is at their risk. Cryptocurrency offers high profit, but only to those prepared.

ABN Banner

4) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

X (Twitter). I’ve also tried other social media sites but with worse results. I like X for its directness and concise communication. I would like to be present on all major sites, but with a limited time, I need to prioritize.

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

Start with your end goal. What do you want to achieve by writing this book? What is next? 

What are the biggest risks that could prevent you from succeeding? Thinking about this beforehand will allow you to assess your chances and revise your planned approach.

For example, if your bigger concern is that no one would like to read it, think if you can write something shorter (maybe even one chapter) and verify this with your potential readers. Social media or blogs like you are great for it. Friends may not be enough because their opinions may not be objective.

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

This will mostly depend on the book’s success. Since I am not a full-time author, I must choose which project to work on.

I’ve also started writing an epic fantasy book, which I would like to finish, even if this would be only a hobby project. I hope that this is only the start of my author journey.

Advertisements

About the Author

For the last ten years, Crypto Engineer has worked as a consultant and manager in the IT industry. He also owned a software company and a fintech start-up.

He invested his financial surplus in the stock market. After learning about cryptocurrencies, he also entered this space. In the absence of a complete guide, he learned from his mistakes.

In 2021, he started publishing educational content on X (Twitter) as a Crypto Engineer. He aimed to professionalize the industry by sharing how to invest in this market.

He won many competitions for the best crypto writer and earned thousands of dollars (you can find more details on his website). This demonstrated the demand for high-quality content about investing in cryptocurrencies.

Freeman’s Challenge: The Murder That Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit by Robin Bernstein Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

Author Robin Bernstein shares the shocking origins of prison for profit and anti-Black racism in the book Freeman’s Challenge: The Murder That Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

An award-winning historian tells a gripping, morally complicated story of murder, greed, race, and the true origins of prison for profit.

In the early nineteenth century, as slavery gradually ended in the North, a village in New York State invented a new form of unfreedom: the profit-driven prison. Uniting incarceration and capitalism, the village of Auburn built a prison that enclosed industrial factories. There, “slaves of the state” were leased to private companies. The prisoners earned no wages, yet they manufactured furniture, animal harnesses, carpets, and combs, which consumers bought throughout the North. Then one young man challenged the system.

In Freeman’s Challenge, Robin Bernstein tells the story of an Afro-Native teenager named William Freeman who was convicted of a horse theft he insisted he did not commit and sentenced to five years of hard labor in Auburn’s prison. Incensed at being forced to work without pay, Freeman demanded wages. His challenge triggered violence: first against him, then by him. Freeman committed a murder that terrified and bewildered white America. And white America struck back—with aftereffects that reverberate into our lives today in the persistent myth of inherent Black criminality. William Freeman’s unforgettable story reveals how the North invented prison for profit half a century before the Thirteenth Amendment outlawed slavery “except as a punishment for crime”—and how Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and other African Americans invented strategies of resilience and resistance in a city dominated by a citadel of unfreedom.

Through one Black man, his family, and his city, Bernstein tells an explosive, moving story about the entangled origins of prison for profit and anti-Black racism.

ABN Banner

The Review

The shocking nature not only of the crime but of what drove the young African-American man to that crime instantly grabs the reader’s attention. The visceral nature of the life of William Freeman and the heartbreaking events that led to the young man’s incarceration, both the first and second time, was instantly haunting and compelling all at once and captured the sense of frenzy that overtook white America at the time.

The close examination of racial tension and racial profiling during this time was conveyed throughout this book. Not only did the author explore the mindsets that many white Americans took at this time, relegating all members of the Black community to either being savage criminals or a failure of white America to educate the Black community, but showed how these two equally troubling mindsets impacted race relations in the centuries since. The fallout and impact this case had on the treatment and hardship that many Black Americans would feel in the next several years and beyond was shocking yet expertly navigated throughout this book.

Mpix Prints 468x120

The Verdict

Insightful, honest, and engaging author Robin Bernstein’s “Freeman’s Challenge” is a thoughtful and emotional book that examines one man’s heartbreaking case and the terrible reality of how relations between white and black America progressed in the years that followed. The tragic events that occurred to this young man and the conversation this book will spark and get people of all races thinking critically about American history and how we must end the cycle before it begins again made this one book you won’t be able to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

I am a cultural historian who specializes in race in the U.S. from the nineteenth century to the present. A graduate of Yale’s doctoral program in American Studies, I am the Dillon Professor of American History and Professor of African and African American Studies and of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University. I am also Chair of Harvard’s doctoral program in American Studies. My book Freeman’s Challenge: The Murder that Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit is forthcoming from the University of Chicago Press in May 2024. My previous book, Racial Innocence: Performing American Childhood from Slavery to Civil Rights, won five awards.

https://amazon.com/gp/product/B0CTYLQ4SV/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20

Introduction to Investing: A Complete Guide To Starting Your Wealth Building Journey by Vladyslav Grabarskyy 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 Vladyslav Grabarskyy shares the fundamentals of investing and money in the book “Introduction to Investing: A Complete Guide to Starting Your Wealth-Building Journey”. 

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Unlock the secrets of investing with “Introduction to Investing: A Complete Guide to Starting Your Wealth-Building Journey.”

Have you always wanted to learn about the stock market but didn’t know where to start? This comprehensive beginner’s guide covers everything you need to know to begin your journey to financial independence. Discover the history of money, the basics of the stock market, bond market, and various investment strategies, all presented in an easy-to-understand format.

Dive into essential topics such as personal finance for beginners, investment strategies for beginners, and financial literacy. Learn how to set up a brokerage account, manage your money, and make informed investment decisions. Whether you’re new to investing or looking to refine your skills, this book is your roadmap to success in the world of finance.

Key Features:

  • Understand the fundamentals of money and investing
  • Step-by-step guide to starting investing
  • Insights into stock market and bond market basics
  • Practical investment strategies for beginners
  • Tips on personal finance management and financial literacy
  • Strategies on how to combat money printing and inflation
  • Investing in precious metals, real estate, land, and commodities
  • Promising investment opportunities for the next decade

Start building your wealth today and take the first step towards financial independence.

The Review

This was a fast-paced and easy-to-read book. The author’s ability to write in a way that beginners to investing and financial moves, in general, could comprehend and explore the investment market was beautiful to see come to life. The author also delves deeply into the history surrounding money and investment, looking into the first trade routes and how wealth has changed over the centuries. 

The author’s ability to relay their financial lessons and experiences to the reader without coming across as the supreme authority on the subject and instead as a personal exercise in investment made the book feel very conversational as if it were nothing more than a personal meeting between the reader and the author. The author also does a great job of exploring the stock market in general and what it means to invest in it.

The Verdict

Straight-forward, honest, and educational, author Vladyslav Grabarskyy’s “Introduction to Investing” is a must-read financial, nonfiction book. The wealth of knowledge and personal experience the author brings to the table and the personable writing style will help readers gain a firmer understanding of the stock market and money. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

I am an Investor who wrote a book called ”Introduction to Investing: Your Complete Guide to Starting Your Wealth-Building Journey”. I decided to write the book to help people all around the world learn about money and start investing so that they can get their financial lives under control. 

https://booksprout.co/reviewer/review-copy/view/165616/introduction-to-investing-your-complete-guide-to-starting-your-wealth-building-journey

Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America (US Travel Guide, Gifts For Fans of True Crime, Horror and the Paranormal) by Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl 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. 

Authors Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl share with readers a collection o the spookiest places in America in the book “Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America”.

The Synopsis

Grab your flashlight, garlic, and ghost hunting equipment. We’re taking you on the ultimate road trip of the spookiest places around the U.S.

Horror lovers, lifelong best friends, and co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast, Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl, have traveled around the U.S. to bring you the most thrill-inducing spots for horror, history, and true crime. They’ve compiled a list of what to do, where to stay, where to eat and drink, and where to shop to make your vacation-planning a breeze.

They’ve also delved into the history and pop culture of each spot, revealing hidden gems, most notorious true crimes, women you should know, horror books and movies set in the state, and other strange facts about some of the scariest places around the nation.

Here’s a small sampling of what you can expect to find in Travels of Terror:

  • St. Augustine, Florida: Take an open air trolley on the Ghosts & Gravestones Tour to the Old St Augustine Cemetery, Potter’s Wax Museum, Old Jail Museum, and a bevy of churches with their own macabre past.
  • Los Angeles, California: Stay at the haunted Hotel Roosevelt, where you may be visited by the ghosts of actors Errol Flynn and Montgomery Clift.
  • Portland, Oregon: Grab a cocktail at Raven’s Manor, a horror-themed bar with drinks like the Black Widow, Lilith, and Draught of Asphyxiation.
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Learn about the most famous true crime to happen there, when the wife of the Allegheny County Jail warden fell in love with a convicted murderer.
  • New York, New York: Celebrate Nia DaCosta, the first Black female director to have a film debut at the top of the box office, with the supernatural horror-slasher film Candyman in 2021.
  • Austin, Texas: Pick up souvenirs for friends and family at The Glass Coffin, a vampire parlor and horror shop.
  • Duluth, Minnesota: Visit Glensheen Mansion on the shores of Lake Superior, where Duluth’s most notorious murders occurred in 1977.

From big cities to small towns, get inspired to plan your own ghoulish getaway.

Toy & Treat of the Month

The Review

This was such a memorable and remarkable book. When I am not reading or writing, my specialty is paranormal investigation. I have always been into everything from UFOs to cryptids and ghosts. We recently featured an episode of our latest paranormal investigation with my team, Phenomenon Paranormal, on our YouTube channel. So when this book came across my path, I knew I had to dive head first. 

The level of detail and insight the authors can give to this book drove me into the stories found within. The thing that stood out immediately was the level of different things the authors included in each city’s history, from the paranormal sightings and the infamous true crimes that put these cities on the map to the local sightings, films, and shows made there, and even the places a person will want to stay at and eat. The authors do an excellent job of not just presenting the information to the reader but instigating a sense of adventure and the need to hit the road, inspiring so many to delve into the strange, the macabre, and the unknown.

BOPIS

The Verdict

Insightful, engaging, and beautifully haunting, authors Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl’s “Travels of Terror” is a must-read paranormal nonfiction read meets travel guide. The knowledge and excitement that the authors bring to this subject matter and the adventurous tone the author’s writing strikes in the reader will have them returning to this book repeatedly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Authors

Kelly Florence teaches communication at Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN and is the creator of the Be a Better Communicator podcast. She received her BA in theatre from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and her MA in communicating arts from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. She has directed, produced, choreographed and stage managed for dozens of productions in Minnesota including Carrie The Musical through Rubber Chicken Theatre and Treasure Island for Wise Fool Theater. She is passionate about female representation in all media and particularly the horror genre.

About

Bram Stoker Award nominated Meg Hafdahl is the creator of numerous stories and books. Her fiction has appeared in anthologies such as Eve’s Requiem: Tales of Women, Mystery and Horror and Eclectically Criminal. Her work has been produced for audio by The Wicked Library and The Lift, and she is the author of three popular short story collections including Twisted Reveries: Thirteen Tales of the Macabre. Meg is also the author of the three novels; The Darkest Hunger, Daughters of Darkness, and Her Dark Inheritance called “an intricate tale of betrayal, murder, and small town intrigue” by Horror Addicts and “every bit as page turning as any King novel” by RW Magazine. Meg, also the co-host of the podcast Horror Rewind and co-author of The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, The Science of Stephen King, The Science of Serial Killers, and the upcoming The Science of Witchcraft lives in the snowy bluffs of Minnesota. 

https://www.meghafdahl.com

Life Strikes Back (Back In A Year Series) by Candace MacPhie Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

Author Candace MacPhie continues to share her journey through a year of travel as she crosses through Eastern Europe in the book “Life Strikes Back”. 

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Ahh—here I am—on my dream backpacking trip overlanding from Russia—through Eastern Europe—to Istanbul with my travel partner, Khadejah. Bring on the sunny days of exotic sightseeing, tasty new food, interesting people, and places I can get lost in to soothe my tattered heart.

But …

It rains most days.

Don’t even get me started on the food.

The locals are low on smiles.

And I’m drowning in grief.

Then the sun finally comes out. With the help of my friends, George Michael’s music, and laughter we tackle culture shock, wild interactions, changing plans, and uncover gems I never thought I would see with my own eyes.

But the leers, catcalls, and gropes are never-ending. Regardless we persevere … until a vicious and humiliating encounter causes me to question if life on the road will save me or break me.

__________

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

__________

Content Warning: Profanity, sexual harassment, sexual assault, consensual sexual content, parental grief, alcohol consumption, smoking, and visits to Holocaust sites.

ABN Banner

The Review

This was yet another compelling and engaging read. The adventurous nature of the author’s experiences and the vivid imagery that comes with the descriptive nature of those experiences, including the settings of each chapter. The rich culture of each country and the customs that went into each interaction gave readers insight into each country and their interactions and the era in which this book took place (the 90s).

The balance the author struck between her journey’s big, emotional moments and the more witty, humorous interactions she had made this an enthralling memoir. The bond she shares with her travel partner and the theme of travel being a means of healing from grief spoke to this author’s heart, as well as the connection readers can make with this deeply personal story.

Take a Food Journey Around the World!

The Verdict

Thoughtfully, deeply engagingly, and incredibly presented, Candace MacPhie’s “Life Strikes Back” is a must-read memoir. The breathtaking imagery the author brings to life on the page and the thought-provoking life lessons the author experiences will keep readers invested as the book comes to a close. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

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

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

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

Follow me on Instagram: @candacemacphie

Or on TikTok: @candacemacphie

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

Interview with Author Justin Cook

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews1 Comment

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

I fell into writing as one falls into a lake, when they are stumbling drunk down a wooden dock looking at the stars. At first, I didn’t consider myself an author even though I have a #1 Amazon Best Selling Novel, but then I learned that writing is not what you do, but who you are. 

Advertisements

2) What inspired you to write your book?


I wrote this book in San Quentin when I was there for something I didn’t do, so I was very inspired. It’s a novel made of blood, sweat, and too many tears.

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

I want the readers to realize the justice system has now become latent with corruption. It purposefully hurts people and pretends like it is rehabilitating. But most importantly, I want people to see the power of the human spirit.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?


I had no idea narrative non-fiction was even a thing until I wrote it. Oh well.

Advertisements

5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?


I don’t do social media, but my book, Infectious Injustice, in just one month, became the #1 Amazon Best Seller in 3 languages across eight categories!

-Law Ethics & Professional Responsibility

-Society & Social Sciences in Spanish

-Criminal Procedure

-Law Procedure & Litigation

-Law in Spanish

-Law in French

-eBooks in Other Languages

-Alternative Dispute Resolution

I’m so grateful for the response from the community and reviewers. 

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


Do not write for anyone other than yourself, or your art turns into a floppy mush puddle of mutated words and sentences. Also, write something you would like to read.

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


I’m writing a new book, Abyss of Tyranny, the second part which will come out next year

Advertisements

About the Author

Justin Cook was born in Nevada. He’s a technical architect who has worked at the most prestigious companies and holds over fifty technical certifications, including top-tier status among the technical community worldwide. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish literature, a master’s in information systems, and is pursuing a PhD in information systems. He also taught at a college in Nevada and was a faculty member in the information technology department. He is a marathon runner who has also stupidly run with the bulls in Pamplona, twice. He speaks four languages, which he developed while living abroad in Spain, France, and Germany. He has traveled to over thirty countries, which translates to he doesn’t know how to save money. He enjoys teaching Kenpo, where he holds a black belt, playing piano, snowboarding, and hiking. He is much better at being divorced than he was at being married. He is a father of rambunctious kids who enjoy reminding him that he is no longer cool and is gaining weight. He now lives in a house free of bars that is made for naps, reading books, and drinking too much coffee. Most days, you will find him lounging in his Kirkland sweats from Costco, writing, where he transports readers to a place where bold heroes have endearing flaws, as he broadly addresses the human experience. The swashbuckling action-adventure Infectious Injustice is his first novel.

https://amazon.com/Infectious-Injustice-Survival-Corruption-Incarceration/dp/B0CKC1PVP9/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Interview with Author Dolores Reynals 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

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

When I went to university in Buenos Aires I first signed up to journalism. Mainly because my family tried to derail me from studying acting, and this was the only other thing I wanted to do. I felt I was going to write, not sure what. Maybe for the travel section of a paper one day, or as a correspondent going away around the world on assignments. I left after one year, to study Drama full-time. I still wrote stories for myself, and I minored in Creative Writing. 

Advertisements

2) What inspired you to write your book?

I began writing to try to understand what was going on with me at a certain moment. I was very uncomfortable with the expectations placed on me as a woman, being expected to want to get married, to want to change my name, I thought it was outrageous. I was hurting someone I loved with these feelings. At the same time I could not betray myself. I felt alone and wanted to speak to my teenage self, my child self, to figure out my situation, I wondered if there was something very wrong with me. So I wrote a story which now is chapter 5, a day at a wedding when I was a child. 

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

Everyone who connects with the book enough to read it will take their own, I would like to stay out of that. That connection is enough, I just hope they take away something useful for their lives. 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

Maybe the introspection I needed. I didn’t mean to write a book or be in a genre. I just wanted to put down a story to make a short film, to talk about the expectations put on me, and then there were more stories that came out because I was in a writing class. After about a year I looked at everything I had written and the short film had been left behind, the book was there plus many more pages to get rid of. 

Take a Food Journey Around the World!

5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Instagram is the only social media I have, and there are new independent publishers and independent book-shops that showcase writers, new ones and older ones. They make curious and want to get new books.

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

Joining a writing workshop to work on ideas was very useful to me. I will do it again. Apart from developing skills there, to feel like I am working with other people. Being an actor I am used to working with groups of people. Then there were times when I had to be writing on my own for a long time of course, but writing is such a lonely thing to do, and quite torturous to me, and this way I felt less alone in it for a while. 

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

I am inspired to tell other people´s stories at the moment. I am working on one idea and researching now, I am not sure what shape it will take exactly, but it is already going in a certain direction. 

Advertisements

About the Author

Dolores Reynals was born in Mendoza, Argentina. She started out as a radio actress before moving to London to attain her BA (Hons) in Drama from the University of Surrey. Since then she has worked internationally and now lives nowhere in particular, often between Europe and Mexico.

https://www.doloresreynals.com

Guest Post: Breast Cancer Patient and Awareness Advocate by Lisa Braxton (Blog Tour for Author’s “Dancing Between the Raindrops”

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest PostLeave a comment

I had an appointment for a breast MRI and biopsy on my husband’s birthday, May 1, 2019. We spent that day at the imaging center. It was a cold, drizzly, gunmetal-gray day out. The rain was just spitting. I spent hours in the imaging machine, holding onto the panic button they give you, earplugs in my ears. I was praying the whole time with my eyes pressed shut: Please, please, please, God. Let me not have breast cancer.

The test was grueling. I was in the MRI machine for hours. They’d numbed my breasts; I could hear the biopsy machine making that whirring, drilling sound, and I was thinking, I cannot wait to get out of this thing. When they rolled me out, my back was killing me—you’re in there for so long with your arms stretched out in front of you. The surgeon who did the biopsy said, “I don’t like to let people wait around with false hope. Lisa, I want you to know that the area I saw had jagged edges around it. It looks like it’s cancer.”

Advertisements

I could not believe it. I’ve been such a health nut my entire life, and I never thought it would happen to me. I work out a lot—tennis, the gym, ice skating. When she told me it looked like breast cancer, I felt like I was floating over myself and the doctor in the exam room, watching the conversation. All I could think about was dying. I wondered how much time I had.

Fast forward to now. After a lumpectomy and being prescribed a pill I take every day to rid my body of the hormone that fed my cancer, I’ve been cancer free for five years. In that time, without intending to, I’ve become a breast cancer awareness advocate. I appeared in a local television commercial celebrating the milestone anniversary of Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I walked in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraiser sponsored by the American Cancer Society, wrote a column for a local magazine about my breast cancer journey, and participated in a photographic exhibit of cancer survivors focused on sharing stories of faith and survivorship to encourage the demystification of cancer. 

One event I reflect upon the most is a “fireside chat” in which another survivor and I spoke to high school and college students who are doing internships at Dana Farber. I spoke about self-care, how I met the challenges of the disease and the importance of empathy on the part of health care providers. The future health care professionals were engaging, had many questions and indicated that they benefited in their learning process by hearing from us.

Now each May 1st I focus on celebrating my husband’s birthday with him and he celebrates me for attending to my breast heath and advocating for awareness.

Summer 2023

Book Summary

Dancing Between the Raindrops: A Daughter’s Reflections on Love and Loss, is a powerful meditation on grief, a deeply personal mosaic of a daughter’s remembrances of beautiful, challenging and heartbreaking moments of life with her family. It speaks to anyone who has lost a loved one and is trying to navigate the world without them while coming to terms with complicated emotions.

Lisa Braxton’s parents died within two years of each other—her mother from ovarian cancer, her father from prostate cancer. While caring for her mother she was stunned to find out that she, herself, had a life-threatening illness—breast cancer.

In this intimate, lyrical memoir-in-essays, Lisa Braxton takes us to the core of her loss and extends a lifeline of comfort to anyone who needs to be reminded that in their grief they are not alone.

Publisher: Sea Crow Press

Print length: 158 pages

Purchase a copy of Dancing Between the Raindrops on

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Between-Raindrops-Daughters-Reflections/dp/1961864088/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dancing-between-the-raindrops-lisa-braxton/1144935014?ean=9781961864085

You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208947069-dancing-between-the-raindrops?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=WYkO4vLd07&rank=2

Advertisements

About the Author

Lisa Braxton is the author of the novel, The Talking Drum, winner of a 2021 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards Gold Medal, overall winner of Shelf Unbound book review magazine’s 2020 Independently Published Book Award, and winner of a 2020 Outstanding Literary Award from the National Association of Black Journalists and a Finalist for the International Book Awards. She is also an Emmy-nominated former television journalist, an essayist, and short story writer. 

She is on the executive board of the Writers Room of Boston and a writing instructor at Grub Street Boston, and currently serves as President of the Greater Boston Section of the National Council of Negro Women and is a member of the Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

You can follow the author at:

Website: https://lisabraxton.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.a.braxton/

Twitter: @Lisaannbraxton  OR @LisaReidbraxton

Instagram: @lisabraxton6186

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabraxton/

Take a Food Journey Around the World!

Blog Tour Calendar

April 29th @ The Muffin

Join us at WOW as we celebrate the launch of Lisa Braxton’s memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops. Read an interview with the author and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

May 1st @ Beverley Baird

Lisa Braxton, author of the memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops, shares the experience of being an adult orphan.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com

May 3rd @ A Storybook World

Start the month with a touching memoir. Read more about Lisa Braxton’s Dancing Between the Raindrops.

https://www.astorybookworld.com

May 3rd @ Beverley Baird

Bev reviews Dancing Between the Raindrops, a memoir by Lisa Braxton.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com

May 5th @ Choices

How important is it to be part of a writing group? Dancing Between the Raindrops author Lisa Braxton gives her opinion on writing groups.

http://madelinesharples.com

May 6th @ Anthony Avina

Stop by for a surprise guest post with Lisa Braxton, author of the memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops.

http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

May 8th @ The Shaggy Shepherd

How to answer the question “Do You Have Kids?” with guest post Lisa Braxton, author of the memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops.

https://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com

May 9th @ Boys’ Mom Reads!

Find out how a Boys’ Mom feels about the memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops with today’s review.

https://karensiddall.wordpress.com

May 13th @ Word Magic

Stop by for a guest post about growing up in the family business by Lisa Braxton, author of the memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops.

https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

May 14th @ What Is That Book About

Looking for a new book for your TBR pile? Stop by for a spotlight on Lisa Braxton’s memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops.

www.whatisthatbookabout.com

May 15th @ From the TBR Pile

Dancing Between the Raindrops author Lisa Braxton will be visiting with a guest post today.

https://fromthetbrpile.blogspot.com

May 16th @ Fancy That!

Lisa Braxton, author of Dancing Between the Raindrops, is at Fancy That today writing about grieving the death of elderly parents.

https://fancythatblog.com

May 23rd at Words by Webb

Read a review of Lisa Braxton’s Dancing Between the Raindrops today.

https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog

May 24th @ World of My Imagination

Enjoy Nicole’s review of Dancing Between the Raindrops, a memoir by Lisa Braxton.

Welcome! I’m Glad You’re Here.

The Journey from Manuscript to Print by Ann Aubitz 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 Ann Aubitz shares an intricate look into the process of bringing a person’s book to print in the book “The Journey from Manuscript to Print”. 

Advertisements

The Synopsis

The Journey from Manuscript to Print: A Guide to Publishing Your Book

Do you have a book manuscript that you’ve poured your heart and soul into but don’t know the next steps to getting it published? The author, publisher Ann Aubitz, has seen countless authors struggle to navigate the publishing process. But it doesn’t have to be so mysterious or daunting!

Publishing your book can be one of the most rewarding experiences for an author. But it requires understanding the steps from manuscript to bound book. This book will walk you through the publishing process, from editing to production to sales and marketing. You’ll learn insider tips to ready your manuscript for publication and make your book stand out.

Imagine holding your published book in your hands for the first time. Seeing your name on the cover and knowing you made your dream a reality. The sense of accomplishment is unmatched! But it all starts with deciding to publish. This book will provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the publishing process and successfully avoid rookie mistakes. You’ll be ready to publish like a pro!

If you’re ready to go from manuscript to printed book, this book is for you. Follow along as the author breaks down the steps and provides real-world advice. You’ll gain the clarity and confidence to publish your book and start sharing your story with the world. Let’s start the journey together!

4th of July 20% Off a Food Vacation Around the World!

The Review

In a world where the publishing industry has changed drastically, having a guide like this is instrumental to new and established authors everywhere. The rise of self-publishing, digital books, and so much more makes the need to understand the ins and outs of the publishing world that much more crucial, and this author does a fantastic job of establishing that.

The author walks the reader through a step-by-step process, delving into everything from the writing process that begins the book to establishing your core audience. Yet it was the business side of publishing and how to market your book that spoke to me personally, as gaining traction in this business requires that creative spark to make your book stand out amongst the throngs of books in your same genre. The author wrote concisely yet relatable, allowing the reader to absorb the knowledge and feel acknowledged in their journey. 

Summer 2023

The Verdict

Insightful, engaging, and thought-provoking author, Ann Aubitz’s “The Journey From Manuscript to Print”, is a must-read nonfiction guidebook for authors and writers everywhere. The creativity, education, and hopeful notes that inspire writers to pursue their passions will have readers going back repeatedly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

When Ann Aubitz was young, the greatest joy for her was reading books. This was before. Reading was cool like it is now. It was a time when her friends were playing their first computer games, but Ann was always burying her nose in a book. In those stories, she went to far-off places and had amazing adventures. In those stories, she could be free.

She credits her love of reading to her mom. Born in 1926 to a family with sixteen children, she had a thirst for knowledge and reading that thrived throughout the years. Ann remembers only a few times while growing up that her mom did not have a book, magazine, or word puzzle in her hands—she had an insatiable quest for knowledge.

When her mother was in her mid-nineties, she discovered a book that she loved. Someone altered the original book in a good way. This book contained illustrations and a larger print. Unfortunately for her, there were no other books like this in the library. Her mom tried and failed to read books with more complex storylines and smaller type. She would get frustrated and distraught because reading no longer brought her joy.

Therefore, Ann Aubitz started the line of Reminisce books published by Kirk House Publishers. It is for people that LOVE to read. These books are easy to read, have a complete storyline, and help readers remember a time long past and reminisce. Ann Aubitz is one author featured in the Reminisce line of books and the co-author of several books with her daughter Katlyn Aubitz.

As an author and publisher Ann Aubitz has worked in the printing and publishing business for over thirty years. She has worked for some of the largest printers in the world and now works as a publisher for her own publishing company.

As a publisher, Ann wants to pull back the curtain on the publishing process. From manuscript, editing, design, printing, and marketing, publishing a book is a complex journey. But it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the proper guidance, you can navigate the path successfully.

Bringing your book to life is an exciting process. As someone who has been through it many times, she is happy to share insights into transforming your manuscript into a published book. The journey involves dedication, but is rewarding. She looks forward to helping you achieve your book publishing dreams.