My review of “Adding Fire to the Fuel” by Scott Stevens

Tags

alcoholism, author, recovery, review, Scott Stevens, shame, stigma

“Adding Fire to the Fuel: Challenging Shame and the Stigma of Alcoholism” by Scott Stevens turns the spotlight on some very important, yet lesser known or discussed aspects of alcoholism: Shame and Stigma.
We all know some about recovery and the 12 Steps programme but we probably do not emphasize enough or know about the many ways that society and its attitudes prevent people from seeking recovery.
Be that the advertising industry that tempts people into drinking and glorifies it, or the shame of drinking or not-drinking. Blaming and prejudices.
In this brilliantly written book so much is said that rings true. I am an ex-smoker and I feel that Stevens does to alcoholism what Alan Carr did to smokers: Intellectualising the problem, educating people and using statistical data to prove his points.
I personally know of two people whose lives have been changed by Stevens’ books, one of which even has been in direct contact with the author.
Read this book, for it will make you understand more about a very common problem that is often brushed under the carpet. Here is a man who lived and survived the problem. This intellectual dissection of the problem is disarming and unique. A remarkable book – highly recommended.

Scott Stevens has been a guest on my blog several times, once with an interview and also with a feature about his alcohology app. He has written two previous books on Alcoholism and his latest book “Adding Fire to the Fuel” has just been released in the kindle version.

Scott launched the e-Book, launched the redesign of his website (www.alcohologist.com) and taken on an executive role with a new luxury addiction rehab.

Adding Fire to the Fuel
ISBN: 978-1- 63192-906-9
The book on Amazon US and Amazon UK

PRESS RELEASE: 

HEALTH REPORTER TO LAUNCH THIRD ALCOHOLISM BOOK
@ SAN FRANCISCO’S REEL RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL Burlington, Wis., May 8, 2015 –

The stigma of alcoholism is what keeps many alcoholics from seeking help for their disease. The controversial subject is captured in Adding Fire to the Fuel, the third recovery-oriented book by award-winning author Scott Stevens.

Stevens … is rolling out the new book at what he calls “the right time for the recovery movement, in conjunction with two of the nation’s most meaningful organizations dedicated to reducing stigma. Much of what is known about the disease of alcoholism connects it to flaws in genes which control metabolism of alcohol as well as the brain’s risk/reward biochemistry.“
It’s a disease.
Same kind of chronic, progressive, incurable-but-treatable, primary and fatal classification as cancer or diabetes.
When we handle people with those other diseases with empathy, and dish out distaste to alcoholics or recovering ones, we create a social and economic problem that’s passed its tipping point.”

The new book, available at all retailers following the California launch, looks at the stigma around alcoholism and alcoholism recovery as a $226 billion annual problem hiding in plain sight.
“The story of alcohol and America’s affair with it keeps it from being recognized as the problem. Instead, people with the disease of alcoholism are considered the problem. ‘Alcoholic’ is a pejorative today. That’s ripe for change,” says the author.
The third-leading cause of preventable death and illness stays under the radar because of good advertising and bad stigma, according to Stevens.
“Its purveyors are proclaimed as charitable kings. Those who use it and discover alcohol has health and social consequences, are labeled as villains, killjoys, weak, weird, or morally off. What that stigma does to keep people from getting help also keeps the discussion of what alcohol does to you behind the wishful-thinking-driven chatter about what it does for you. The tipping point has passed. The status quo: No longer sustainable or acceptable.”
_______________________ http://www.alcohologist.com __________________________

Adding Fire to the Fuel examines: How families and communities feed public and self-stigma even while the stigma holds them back; How stigma has become a barrier to many who want help; How to hang on to sobriety in a pro-alcohol world; And how PANonymous alcoholics will reduce stigma more than all the protests combined.

Adding Fire to the Fuel (ISBN: 978-1- 63192-906-9).
Stevens says :
“It’s an honor to be involved with two of the groups so influential in tearing down stigma and portraying alcohol accurately. We all endorse the fact that sobriety is a better thing to have than to lack.” He adds, “There’s an impressive recovery atmosphere in northern California that is as robust as you find in Arizona, Florida, Texas and other locales. It’s a great place for a recovering alcoholic like me to debut a book like this one.”
The independent author launched Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud at Milwaukee’s largest independent bookseller, Boswell Books, in 2013. ###

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stevens is a noted journalist on alcoholism and a founding influencer of the world’s largest medical portal, HealthTap.com. His books on the disease include 2010’s What the Early Worm Gets and 2012’s Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud, which earned finalist honors in the Indie Book Awards and USA Best Books Awards in 2013. For more information on the new book, please visit http://www.alcohologist.com and for information on the film festival, please visit http://www.filmfestsfbay.org.

Another well written and informative book on Scott Stevens’ experiences …

Another well written and informative book on Scott Stevens’ experiences with alcoholism and recovery. The stigma of alcoholism is covered extensively in this book and insight is provided into understanding the stigma that many recovering alcoholics face in their new world without alcohol. Scott Stevens is an expert on the subject of alcoholism and recovery. He brings his perspective and draws people in with his clever and engaging writing style. I am looking forward to his next writing endeavor.

Outstanding

Well-written from the first page to the last, this book was both educational and insightful. The author did a fantastic job of opening the mind of his readers and challenging assumptions of alcoholism. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about the aging risks and the risks to teens. Overall, I highly recommend this one to anyone dealing with alcoholism.

So useful, everyone should read this

This is a powerful and invaluable book about an issue related to alcoholism. It has ‘in-valuable lessons for everyone, including non-alcoholics.
Using literary and philosophical quotes as headings the chapters all hit home with a few very well-put truths about alcoholism, society and human behaviour.
Blame has never helped anyone. The stigma attached to alcoholism, the stereotypes, prejudices and misinformation contribute largely to the problem because they stop people from seeking help.
Stevens is an award-winning journalist with great analytical capabilities, a sharp dissecting mind and first-hand knowledge of the subject – and all of this shines through every chapter.
Stevens has done a lot of research and adds well-presented statistics and data to bust a few myths and support his many so truthful statements and thought-provoking questions.
“Has every Kenyan won a marathon? Is every alcoholic a train wreck?”
The book is full of knowledge, clarifications and pointers and the world would be a more compassionate and better place if everyone read and took a leaf out of this book.
To quote one of the great chapter headings / quote from Johannes Kepler: “I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.”
As society we have a lot to learn. How we treat our weakest and vulnerable and how we help them – active and passive- says a lot about us. Information and the right attitude are still not widely spread. The book is a useful tool to help us with this. A must read for anyone.

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The King’s Jew by Darius Stransky

Tags

author, Darius Stransky, Historical fiction, interview, review

“The King’s Jew: Book One – Changeling” by Darius Stransky took me into an era of British History that I knew next to nothing of. Detailed and well researched in the manner of a CJ Sansom novel the story is immediately gripping with its vivid descriptions and sense of autenthicity.
Court intrigue and mundane life are well illustrated in a plot rich and fascinating stories full of well chosen characters. This is just the beginning of the story of the King’s Jews and leaves us on the eve of further struggle.
Historically sound, competent and well written this should do very well.

Midnight, Westminster Abbey, Friday, October 27, 1307 and Lord Cristian Gilleson keeps vigil at the tomb of Edward I. Death stalks the Abbey as Edward II, Piers Gaveston and their supporters try to bring him down. Many years ago he vowed to spend this last night by the side of his dead friend and Cristian has never broken a promise. A long night beckons and many will not live to see the dawn. Plot and counter-plot at the king’s court as “The King’s Jew” reflects on a turbulent life with his king. His enemies are many and supporters few yet he will keep his promise to the greatest of England’s kings or die in the attempt.

Interview with Darius:

How did you come to writing?

Always been a lover of literature and writing – it’s a natural to me as breathing. Eventually I found myself working as a freelancer for various media groups in the UK and US, weekly columns ETC. One day I realised I’d written enough words in one year to fill two novels. Hmmm, I thought to myself, about time I wrote a ‘real’ book. The rest, as they say, is history. Or in my case Historical Faction.

 

What is your interest in history and the eras you write about? Do you have a preferred era?

To me history is about people. The only thing that stopped our ‘ancestors’ from thousands of years ago achieving what we ‘modern’ people do is technology. Once you realise that people from the past are exactly the same as us then you can understand them. Their loves, hopes and fears were the same as ours yet set in a harsher, more brutal, society. I chose the thirteenth century world of Cristian Gilleson and Edward the First because of the monumental events that took place in that time. The shaping of modern England and Europe began then.

How do you research?

Extensive reading and online sources. Only now has a writer the ability to access medieval texts and references with comparative ease. The research came before the story. I needed to know my historical world to immerse myself in it and to wonder at the fortitude of thirteenth century people. Most of the main characters are real. Look ‘em up!

How do you come up with your story?

‘The King’s Jew’ – the clue is in the title. Without spoiling the plot all I can say is that the medieval Jews were banished from England’s shores in 1290 by King Edward I. Indeed, the Jewish population of England was ‘owned’ by the king. Now imagine a man who is born out of wedlock and rises to walk beside the king – to be his friend – what if that man one day realised just who and what his mother had been? That he was ‘different’? The main person in my book arrived in my mind before I began the work. This is his story and the tale of a misunderstood minority.

Were the plot and subplots completely planned from the start or did they change during the process, and if so, how?

Strange to say this but I knew exactly where the plots and SPs would lead. I knew how the story ends in Book Three. What really amazed me was the way certain characters appeared in the narrative. Take Mathew for instance – he appears at the start and I had no thoughts of him playing a major role. Then when a group of men delivered a letter to Cristian Gilleson lo and behold Mathew was there! He ‘elbowed’ his way into the narrative and the work is all the better for him and his ilk.

I‘ve only read one of the books so far. What is the idea behind your series?

Yes, you read Book One. I’ve got be careful here lest I give too much away! We follow a man who rises to be companion to the king of England. Certain sectors of society were marginalised, abused and even, on occasions, massacred for their beliefs. Not every medieval Christian hated the Jews. Some tried to help them and ended up being persecuted themselves. Think twentieth century pogroms in a thirteenth century world. Think how an ‘insider’ at the centre of a king’s court must hide his true feelings to aid others less fortunate. Our MC has a dangerous path to tread between two opposing ideologies. If he is discovered he loses everything, even his life.

Do you prefer to stay in one era and genre or do you see yourself spreading out?

In my freelancer days I thought of myself as a (if you’ll pardon the expression) ‘literary prostitute’. I’d write anything for anybody so long as they paid me! For the time being I’ll stay in my medieval world.

You have created great characters. Which one is your favourite?

I can’t answer that. Can a father say he loves one child more than another? They are all my children, from the peasant who flits in and out in the space of a line to Cristian Gilleson and King Edward. The one could not exist without the others.

Are you like any of the characters (and how so)?

We are one and the same just living in a different era.

Tell us about your other books?

Book One covered the period up to 1265 and ends with the Battle of Evesham. Book Two takes us up to 1290 and the banishment of the Jews. Book Three finishes on Saturday, October 28, 1307 when Cristian’s struggle ends and the opening conflict that started in Book One is resolved. Thus the circle is complete.

What is your advice to new writers?

Get through the first 30,000 words and you’re home free. Oh, and believe in the validity of your work yet listen to others who have your best interests at heart.
What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

The best? When you hold the finished book in your hand. The worst? Knowing when it’s finished. There comes a time when you have to walk away and let the readers be the judge.

What do you do when you don’t write?

Read and think. And maybe have a warm beer in a snug old fashioned bar. Sometimes more than one beer!

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

Lovely beta readers. Quality control? I take each and every suggestion / criticism seriously and act accordingly. Yet the final decisions are mine.

How do you handle criticism of your work?

With gratitude.

How have you found the experience of self-publishing? What were your highs and lows?

Taking that decision wasn’t easy. We all want the ‘Big Five’ to pick us up and run with us. Yet when you look at the financial considerations it’s best to be an independent and guess what? You get to meet some really interesting people. No highs or lows it just sort of worked for me.

How do you balance marketing one book and writing the next?

Book Two of ‘The King’s Jew’ is almost ready for publishing but I need to tie up a few things. I use social media first thing in the morning – I don’t overdo it – word of mouth is best. Then I write and edit for five hours.

Who are your favourite independent writers?

Best indie? Galen Watson whose book ‘The Psalter’ deserves more recognition. Look him up folks (and no we’ve never met).

Who are your favourite authors?

Cormac McCarthy. Hilary Mantel. Franz Kafka. Shakespeare.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

‘Dunkirk (fight to the last man)’ by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore. Paperback. Second time of reading.

Tell us one odd thing about you and one really mundane thing.

Odd? I get up early with, or before, the sun. Mundane? Cats, their individuality, they don’t take any nonsense. Treat a cat badly and it moves on, bit like me really! I like cats.

Anything you want to add before we go down the pub?

Yes. A big vote of thanks to people like you who give people like me the opportunity to talk to our readers. Can we go now? It’s my round.

Website http://dariusstransky.wix.com/darius-stransky

Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/KINGS-JEW-Book1-Changeling-Sept-ebook/dp/B00OAAI2WY

Booklaunch https://booklaunch.io/Darius%20Stransky/5485643305c86d826650270d

Twitter https://twitter.com/DariusStransky

FB https://www.facebook.com/darius.stransky

More people behind my books

Tags

Alice Trego, author, book covers, Christoph Fischer, cover design, David Lawlor, Daz Smith, editing, editors, Wanda Hartzenberg, writer, writing

I must once again mention my amazing cover designer Daz Smith (link to an interview with him) who effortlessly put together covers that have been complimented on from day one.

http://www.nethed.com/book-covers/

Contact details:
email: darryl@nethed.com
website: www.nethed.com
phone: 07766655631
twitter: @remoteviewed
facebook: www.facebook.com/eightmartinis Flikr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dazsmithpics/ 
Last but not least I must mention Alice Trego, who helped me with my newest book “In Search of a Revolution” as beta reader and who made some excellent suggestions for the book and my writing. She also offers editing services and can be contacted via email
alicetrego@me.com
Her website alicetregoedits.com is still undergoing construction work but I can thoroughly recommend her services. 

Here are all contact details again for the team behind “Conditions“.

Wanda Hartzenberg 

Feel free to contact her on  email: wandahart@vodamail.co.za
On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/WandaPanda
her website http://authorsallies.com/
or via twitter, her username is WandPand 

My blog post on Wanda and “The Struggle of me”

David Lawlor
link to an interview with him about The Golden Grave
blog historywithatwist.wordpress.com . 

editing (see http://historywithatwist.wordpress.com/editorial-services/

Find him on his blog http://historywithatwist.wordpress.com/ and more spceifically about his editing services: http://historywithatwist.wordpress.com/editorial-services/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.lawlor.9404 Twitter: @LawlorDavid Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7059828.David_Lawlor Blog: historywithatwist.wordpress.com Link to my review of his latest novel, A Time of Traitors

and my previous feature on David 

 And my travelling but eventually returning editor Deborah Wall 

My editors: Post 1 Wanda Hartzenberg

Tags

author, Conditions, editing, editor, South Africa, Struggle of me, Suicide Song, Wanda Hartzenberg, writer Christoph Fischer

I feel it’s time to put the spotlight on a few people that are helping me behind the scenes. Today I’m introducing Wanda Hartzenberg, editor, reader and dear friend.

Since my usual editor, Deborah Wall began travelling the world and teaching English to people with even greater need of her talent than me, I had to find someone to replace her before I was able to publish “Conditions“.

Wanda Hartzenberg is an avid reader,
( On Goodreads she is currently listed as:
#18 top reader
#1 top reviewer
#12 best reviewer)

she is head of several review groups (Wanda’s Amazing Amazon Reviewers on Facebook for example https://www.facebook.com/groups/328607697211329/
and WaAr Reviewer Reward Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1395755427335631/ ).
And she runs her own blog: http://tattlet.blogspot.co.uk/

She has also co-written The Struggle of Me and released her short story Suicide Song.

Wanda has years of experience under her belt and was one of the first and most important people I’ve met online who helped me getting my books out there, two yeras ago. She advised me on my writing style, found some plot holes and pointed out missing details, found flaws with characters and specific scenes and gave me some very good suggestions as how to resolve some of the issues that needed attention.
Years of her own writing and reading experience paid off and I can only describe our exchange as incredibly fruitful and inspiring for me.

She can be contacted on 
email: wandahart@vodamail.co.za
On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/WandaPanda
her website http://authorsallies.com/
or via twitter, her username is WandPand

“Suicide Song (Songs)” by Wand Hartzenberg is a most beautiful and thoughtful short story about a young man’s last moments on earth. The author zooms in from afar with mesmerizing observations about the night sky and a dark memory before homing in on that moment, throughout using great metaphores and scene setting. The writing is atmospheric and bittersweet while the setting is described in excellent detail. It is the perfect close up of the surrounding of th emoment to come. The scene was so captivating I felt as if it were me in that room. The afterword is almost as important and breath taking as the story itself when the author explains about her connection to the man. This truly touched me deeply.

 

“Suicide Song” on your Amazon page: http://bookShow.me/B00J35IBFY

My blog post on Wanda and “The Struggle of me”

https://www.goodreads.com/WandaPanda

website

http://authorsallies.com/

twitter username

WandPand

About this author

I was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa in 1973. I wrote my first story at the age of 4 and since managed to obtain a BA degree in Communication. I always tend to see the world at a slightly skew angle. As such, I want to share my view with you. I hope you like it. As a matter of fact, I hope you love it.

I love animals, furry puppies that grow to be 18 years and older especially, I have four that share my love, life and bed with me. I also have a turtle, but he is not allowed to sleep with us.

I love cooking, trying out new recipes etc and thus love to entertain. It seems, whether I am at writing or cooking or simply living life – I aim to entertain.

“The Struggle of Me” was written by several authors under the Umbrella “Write to Read Project” and it is hard to believe that the segments of the story should have been written by several different authors – so skilled is the editing that it reads just like one story by one author.
17 year old Derrick and his 15 year old sister Arriane come from a dysfunctional family, the details of which we find out more about in the course of the story. Told from changing perspectives we get insight into the thoughts of several characters and we witness how the sibling’s recent move to live with their older brother Lucas alters their life. Derrick struggles to settle in the new school, while it seems that Arriane is happier here, that is until a nasty incident with her addicted brother Lucas.
As to be expected from this premise there is a fair share of teenage angst in this book and despair. One of the achievements is the heartfelt and slightly sad portrayal of the kids’ desire for home and belonging
But, there is also a love interest for Derrick and unexpected support to make this an inspirational and lovely read with a beautiful message of hope that leaves you feel positive and feeling good.
Through the tool of changing narratives and perspectives we can witness different perceptions of the same situation, adding more insight and making this a rewarding reading experience, the sort of book every child from a difficult family background should have read and re-read to not feel alone and hopeless in their situation.
In my eyes this is a great achievement and I hope that many young adults will find access to this story to aid their personal development and healing.
Highly recommended.

“The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club: Unleashed” by Duncan Whitehead

Tags

author, Duncan Whitehead, Gordonston, Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club, Humour, murder, review, Savannah, suspense, thriller, writer

 “The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club: Unleashed” by Duncan Whitehead is a long awaited sequel and one that does not disappoint.

Once again we are served a cocktail of clever plotting, comic and suspenseful entertainment and colourful characters in an intriguing and original setting.

This time we start with a secret nightly burial, setting the tone for the secretive and murderous atmosphere in the outwardly peaceful neighbourhood of Gordonston, Savannah. Who does not have a secret, hidden agenda or a mysterious past in this novel?
A lot is going on in the neighbourhood these days, for example. Elliott is running for Major, Cindy expects her nephew returning from Africa and the gossip still focuses on missing people and romantic liaisons – so life is busy as usual.

The same can be said for a certain organisation that, for a fee, will resolve some of your problems for you, and which – lately – is getting a lot of business from the Gordonston neighbourhood. 

“Unleashed” is fantastic as a sequel. It brings back some of the familiar and successful formula of intrigue, suspense, great characters and the hugely entertaining dynamics of the dog walking club; yet it introduces new characters, new themes and then blends them with the old through some unexpected twists, connections and turns of events. The plotting is excellently done and surprised me many times throughout reading the book. I would have been happy with a simple formula repetition since I enjoyed the first book so much, but Whitehead has simply used it as a stepping stone for a much more evolved and complex novel, unleashing the full potential of old and new. Threads you thought were tied up are not, so always expect the unexpected. There are some great stereotypes and hilarious moments but don’t fear that it is all mindless entertainment. Some characters show depth and serious reflections, adding a more thoughtful note and class to the story. 

Sharp, witty and well written this should sweep awards and nominations as easily as its predecessor did. For fans of crime fiction with a humorous tone I couldn’t recommend this highly enough and this is saying something since I don’t often get excited over crime fiction. 

Six out of five stars.

Find the book on Amazon US and Amazon UK

and my previous posts on Duncan and Book One in the series and The Reluctant Jesus

Links:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16174821-the-gordonston-ladies-dog-walking-club

http://www.amazon.com/Gordonston-Ladies-Walking-Club-ebook/dp/B00AHHODH2/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1375203238&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gordonston-Ladies-Walking-Club-ebook/dp/B00AHHODH2/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1375203266&sr=1-1

http://www.thegordonstonladiesdogwalkingclub.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheGordonstonLadiesDogWalkingClub 

https://twitter.com/DuncanWhitehead

http://www.amazon.com/Duncan-Whitehead/e/B00AQIPK2O

DUNCAN WHITEHEAD

AUTHOR

THEGORDONSTONLADIESDOGWALKINGCLUB.COM

THE GORDONSTON LADIES DOG WALKING CLUB ON AMAZON  

THE GORDONSTON LADIES DOG WALKING CLUB ON FACEBOOK

FOLLOW ON TWITTER

Duncan was born in England in 1967. After a successful career in the Royal Navy where he served in British Embassies throughout South America and saw service in the Gulf War he joined the world of super yachts as a Purser onboard some of the world’s largest private vessels, working for many high profile individuals, being fortunate enough to visit some of the world’s most luxurious and exotic places.

Eventually retiring to Savannah, Georgia, he began to partake of his greatest passion, writing. Initially writing short stories he finally put pen to paper and wrote THE GORDONSTON LADIES WALKING CLUB, inspired by the quirky characters and eeriness of his new environment. The book, a thriller, which boasts an assortment of characters and plot twists, is set in the leafy neighborhood where he lived.

His passion for comedy saw submissions to many online satire news sites and a stint performing as a stand- up comedian.

He is a former boxer, representing the Royal Navy and an English under 19 team as an amateur and is a qualified teacher of English as a foreign language as well as a former accomplished children’s soccer coach.

In 2011 Duncan returned to South America, spending six months in Brazil and a few months in Paraguay before travelling to the Middle-East and Europe before returning to the United States to settle in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and lists his hobbies and passions as cooking, the Israeli self defense art of Krav Maga and the pressure point martial art Dim- Mak.

Duncan has written over 2,000 spoof and comedy news articles, under various aliases, for an assortment of web sites both in the US and UK. 

Ben Manning: “The Vril Codex”

Tags

author, Ben Manning, Book review, Fantasy, history, interview, Nazi power, Vril Codex

Vril is a force which to its believers can heal or destroy.’ For famous journalist Jane Wilkinson, a peaceful architectural assignment in Berlin is a chance for some much needed relaxation. Until she notices that something very sinister is happening… she is touched by an occult evil more terrifying than anything she has ever known. An evil that will engulf her and reach out remorselessly to her husband Bob who is literally haunted as he tries to discover her fate and what lies beneath the ancient legend of the VRIL CODEX’
Part romance, part conspiracy thriller, involving Nazi’s, and the mysterious cults of the “Thule Society,” and the “Devils Bible.” Supernatural forces and conspiracies combine, leading Bob and his companions into danger and a confrontation with the ancient Vril power’.

For an interview with Ben follow this link

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/ben-manning-the-vril-codex/

“The Vril Codex” by Ben Manning is an unsual and to me a highly original read.
While the main protagonist is a widower and tries to overcome his grief with a work trip to Berlin, the plot edges into paranormal area and sheds light on some supernatural cult around Hitler and his hardcore followers.
I have read quite a few stories and articles about it, all handled as rumours, but their existence is so persistent that the plot – speculative conspiracy as it may be – sounds very plausible to me.
The book is well written and held my interest throughout.
The most pleasant aspects of the book are that the characters are so real and believable, more dimensional and that the storyline is far from flat, as I find so often with books in the genre.
I found it a compelling and fascinating read.

NEW RELEASE: “A MENU OF DEATH” BY LUCY PIREEL

Tags

author, Book review, Lucy Pireel, short stories

“A Menu of Death” by Lucy Pireel is a selection of very strong short stories, all written with a raw, edgy and bloody pen. Ranging from harsh reality to fantasy territory they provoke, open your mind, change your perspective, entertain and take you to the edge of your seat. They can be gory and violent yet also thoughtful and insightful; they are most certainly unpredictable and therefore a truly compelling read. Excellently written, tightly edited and brilliantly compiled into a varied yet homogenous collection the pages just flick through your fingers.
I’d find it hard to choose a favourite story or tell you much about the stories without giving vital clues away. I loved however one story about Karma, one about an abusive husband and one about a brutal killer, all of which turned out completely different from what I expected them to become and were extremely rewarding and a pleasure to read. There is a bite to these stories and a sharp mind behind them.
I came across the author via a tweet about her previous book, “Red Gone Bad” which was also an excellent reading experience and I am pleased that this new book is in no way second. Pireel is a fascinating emerging talent, an uncompromising wordsmith with plots that stimulate your adrenaline and your brain.

Here is a link to an interview with Lucy earlier this year:

https://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/red-gone-bad-by-lucy-pireel/

Brenda Kearns: “There is nothing wrong with Claudia”

Tags

author, Brenda Kearns, children's books, interview, review, young adult fiction

THIS IS AN EXCERPT OF THE POST ON BRENDA KEARNS ON MY NEW WEBSITE

WWW.CHRISTOPHFISCHERBOOKS.COM

PLEASE FIND THE FULL ARTICLE PLUS THE INTERVIEW HERE

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/theres-nothing-wrong-with-claudia-by-brenda-kearns/

*****************************************************

Claudia does not like being different. She does not like being outside on windy days. And she does not like being able to float—because floating causes nothing but trouble.

All Claudia wants is to be the same as everyone else…until the day there’s a major disaster at her school, and the only one who can possibly make things right is a very clever girl who knows how to float

“There’s Nothing Wrong With Claudia” by Brenda Kearns is a wonderful and magic book for children that I would highly recommend.
In the story Claudia is unhappy with her special gift, talent or curse to be able to float, for which no cure can be found.
Only her grandfather keeps assuring everyone: There is nothing wrong with Claudia.
The book is a wonderful plea for acceptance of all of one’s qualities. What may appear as a weakness could turn out to be a strength and a blessing.
The symbolism and the many possible readings of this story work on many levels, which is amazing for such a short story. Floating could be a metaphor for the ability to rise above things, for being light hearted and free or being able to go with the flow of the universe?
This book, being read to a child by an understanding adult as the grandfather in the story, can bring children a greater understanding of the gift that is being different, should help them to accept themselves for what they are and also allow them to enjoy the beautiful drawings and the cute characters.
A very impressive achievement

Red Gone Bad by Lucy Pireel

Tags

author, Cinderella, fairy tales, Little Red Riding Hood, Lucy Pireel, modern take

HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM MY NEW BLOGPOST ON WWW.CHRISTOPHFISCHERBOOKS.COM

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE FULL FEATURE AND INTERVIEW WITH LUCY PIREEL
http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/red-gone-bad-by-lucy-pireel/

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A collection of twisted fairy tales

Little Red Riding Hood finally takes her life into a direction which suits her, but not so much her friends, nor the wolf.

The miller’s daughter tries to strike a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, but forgets one detail.

Snow White is as black as night.

And Cinderella cleans house in a most definite way.

If you like to read stories in which the twists keep you on the edge of your seat and heroines get what they deserve, you might just like this anthology.

And here is my humble opinion:

“Red Gone Bad” by Lucy Pireel is a great selection of short fairy tale stories, some modernised or updated, others twisted and altered in original ways. With these changes the book makes for thought-provoking and also very entertaining reading.
My favourite is probably the ending in Cinderella. Lucy’s characters are more believable without straying too far from fantasy and fairy tale territory. There may be mobile phones in Little Red Riding Hood but there is also the wolf from the original.
Cleverly put together and well written this is certainly worth your time.

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/red-gone-bad-by-lucy-pireel/

Flora J. Solomon: “A Pledge of Silence”

Tags

author, Flora, interview, military nurses, prisoners of war, PTSD, Solomon, women in the military, world war II, writer

A World War II novel based on the American military nurses serving in the Philippines. Follow Margie whose life changes forever when she is captured and held prisoner of war by enemy forces.
January of 1941, Margie Bauer is called to active duty in the Army Nurse Corps of the United States Army Reserves. She delights in her assignment to Manila—the Pearl of the Orient. She falls in love with the beauty of the island and a carefree social whirl of bridge games, pool parties, and dancing under twinkle-light stars with handsome young doctors. Though rumors of war circulate, she feels safe—the island is fortified, the airbases are ample, and the Filipino troops are training intensively.
December 8, 1941, her dream world shatters. Japanese bombers roar into the Philippines, turning everything in their paths to smoldering piles of rubble.

My review:

“A Pledge of Silence” by Flora J. Solomon is based on true stories although it focuses on a fictional character, war nurse Margie and her remarkable story.
Pre-war romance in the 1930s, a broken heart and patriotism land Margie in the Philippines in the fight against the Japanese. It is an amazing story of war time survival, personal resolve and bravery; is the personal story of one woman and her private life affected so deeply by the war and its many atrocities.
The book provides a lot of interesting and well documented historical facts that in themselves would make a page turner, but Solomon has created excellent characters to live through the hell and illustrate on more levels what these people were going through and why they made the choices they did.
I am amazed that after all these years and all the books published on WWII there are still more new stories and dramas to be told and new information to be digested.
A gripping book from start to finish.

Interview with Flora:

Please tell us a little something about yourself as a person and an author:

I’ve lived the life of a student nurse, wife, 3 times a mother, college undergrad, biochemical researcher, graduate student, healthcare analyst, 4 times a grandmother, retiree, and author—
in that order. My book, A Pledge of Silence, is the culmination of a belief in continuing education, my years’ work experience in the healthcare field, and a love for history and research.

What made you decide to be a writer? Have you always written?

I had a husband and 3 young children before I discovered how much fun writing can be. In order to escape the drudge of drool and diapers, I enrolled in a creative writing class at the near-by junior college. I discovered I could make people laugh, which was a delightful surprise, because I’m rather reserved. The seed lay dormant for decades before I had the time to develop it. My readers laugh … and cry.

Your book, A Pledge of Silence, is a World War II novel based on American military nurses who served in the Philippines. What was your fascination with that particular story?

I grew up in the post-World War II years. My grandfather, grandmother and mother were nurses though they never served in the military. However, my many uncles did serve on battleships and overseas. Artifacts of the war—steel helmets, scratchy army blankets, German buttons, military patches and foreign coins—were common to me. My friends and I dug foxholes and played War complete with an arsenal of cap guns, jack knives, and hand grenades (empty soup cans.) We all knew whose uncle hadn’t returned from the war, whose father was having a problem with alcohol, and which families had broken from the strain of battle fatigue—the yet unrecognized post-traumatic stress disorder.

When I ran across the story of the World War II nurses interned by the Japanese in Manila, I felt comfortable with the setting and fascinated by it. Eager to learn more, I began researching the history.

How difficult was it to draw the balance between research and invention/ imagination?

Not difficult at all. I dropped my fictional characters into an already created and very dramatic setting and let them react to it. On one hand, writing historical fiction is easier, because the structure of the story is provided. On the other hand, in order to do it right, the author must be meticulous in his/her research.

Which character / story did you most enjoy writing?

My protagonist, Margie, flew onto the page. Gracie, her friend, developed overtime in ways I had not planned. Barbara, Margie’s daughter, played a larger part in an earlier version. She was so difficult to write, I wrote her out by starting the revised version with her funeral.

What is your writing environment like?

I live in a golf community on the North Carolina coast. Close by are golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools and, of course, the beautiful North Carolina beaches. The availability of physical and social activity nicely balances my proclivity to be a writer-recluse.

How long did this book take you to write?

The book took me eight years to write, because I had to learn how to write fiction and dialogue. I attended workshops and conferences, read “How-to” books, and studied the writing of other authors. I found I was a good mimic, easily adopting other author’s styles. I wrote, re-wrote, and re-wrote, again, until my own voice emerged. Additionally, I researched everything.

What did you find most challenging? What do you like least about writing?

That’s an easy question. I will never understand the nuances of grammar or the capriciousness of punctuation. Thank goodness for editors. I hired both content and copy editors along the way and learned immensely from them.

How do you handle criticism?

I encourage it. I gave a copy of my manuscript to anyone who was willing to read it and asked them to tell me what they didn’t like. Many were reluctant to be blunt, but I appreciated those who were.

Did you have any say in your cover art? What do you think of it? Tell us about the artist.

Funny, I can transfer words from my head to the page, but not pictures. I hired a graphic designer and we worked together. We started with the World War II ambulances driving into the fog – I liked the eerie feeling of it.

What were your highs and lows?

An agent accepted an earlier version of my book and shopped it around. That to me was a validation of my work and a real high. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find a publisher willing to take it. A year later when I had completed a revision, I decided not to go with that painfully slow process and published it myself on CreateSpace and Kindle.

How have you found the experience of self-publishing?

Hurrah! for self-publishing. Not only does it offer opportunities never before available, but it is extremely rewarding to carry a project from its inception to fruition.

Who are your favourite authors?

My favorite books/authors change over time. So often I’ll love an author’s carefully crafted first book then be disappointed in their hurried second book or bloated later books. My favorite relatively current books are People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

I just finished Julian Barnes’ A Sense of an Ending on my Kindle. It was for my book club, and because I’m so busy right now, I didn’t want to read it. But I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed it

What are you working on now?

I’m researching the life of a swashbuckling World War II journalist turned spy.

Links:

My website

A Pledge of Silence is available as both a paperback and e-book.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes and Noble/Nook