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Iaurei Saviiie's Postmortem and 1im antonio's tune in tokyo picked up by amazon. Iaiiiie and aionnioiie REFLECT on their journeys irom seii-pubiishing to amazon. Self-publishing service execs revisit danny snow.
Iaurei Saviiie's Postmortem and 1im antonio's tune in tokyo picked up by amazon. Iaiiiie and aionnioiie REFLECT on their journeys irom seii-pubiishing to amazon. Self-publishing service execs revisit danny snow.
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Iaurei Saviiie's Postmortem and 1im antonio's tune in tokyo picked up by amazon. Iaiiiie and aionnioiie REFLECT on their journeys irom seii-pubiishing to amazon. Self-publishing service execs revisit danny snow.
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Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Скачайте в формате PDF, TXT или читайте онлайн в Scribd
self-publishing service execs wA violin maker invests $1 million in three-volume project wTwo PW Select authors are picked up by Amazon
A quarterly guide to whats new in self-publishing Full reviews of 37 self-published books Listings for 193 new titles January 2012 P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 24 WHEN AMAZON CALLS: TWO SELF -PUBLISHED AUTHORS REFLECT Bv Di~xi P~1iici Recentiy, two o the sei-pubiished tities reviewed in PW Selects inaugurai edition in Decem- ber 2010 were picked up by the Amazon Incore pubiishing imprint. Both are memoirs. Iaurei Saviiies Postmortem (which has been retitied Unraveling Anne) and 1im Andersons Tune in Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries. PW spoke with Saviiie and Anderson about their journeys rom sei-pubiishing to Amazon Pubiishing, and iearned that their experiencesand reactions to themwere remarkabiy simiiar. Laurel Saville: Unraveling Self-Publishing PW Selects review said Postmortem docu- ments Saviiies] stormy reiationship with her mother, gited artist and designer Ann Iord, who sociaiized with the iikes o marion Brando and Ciaes Oidenburg, but whose schizophrenia, drinking, and drug use ied to home- iessness and a tragic end. Saviiie began writing the book whiie she was in the m.I.A. program at Ben- nington Coiiege, her men- tor brought the inished manuscript to the atten- tion o his own agent. Ater a coupie o years o submitting it, though, Saviiie says, 1here was iots o praise but no takers, or a variety o reasons that were vague and undeined. One editor had it or a year, then deciined. Saviiies marketing background heiped her understand the rejections. I knew that other things aected it. Ior exam- pie, at the time a iot o memoirs were being exposed as rauduient, so some o the pubiishers were skittish. And iater, I wondered i it wouid have been better received by a West Coast editor, because the book was set in Ios Angeies. When her agent had exhausted aii the options, Saviiie decided to sei-pubiish, using iUniverse in 2010. Iortunateiy, as a corporate communications proes- sionai, Saviiie, who resides in upstate New \ork, understands sei-promotion, branding, and presentation. I made sure I purchased high-quaiity editing and prooreading services, and hired a great graphic designer in Ios Angeies. I hired two dierent book pubii- cists. one did the tradi- tionai PR stu, and she got some nice reviews, a eature in the Aibany Sun- day paper, magazines, and some biogger interest. 1he other pubiicist speciaiized in sociai media, both tra- ditionai and user-gener- ated content s i t e s . A n d because I have a ma r k e t i n g background, I made sure I had a very com- prehensive Web site. Another eiement o her marketing strategy inciuded submitting her book to the December 2010 PW Select or review. I thought it iooked iike a great opportunity and a great bar- gainand obviousiy it was a pretty good investment. On )anuary ~, 2011, Saviiie received an e-maii. It said, I saw your book reviewed in PW Select and thought Id downioad and read a chapter or two. When I iooked up, it was our hours iater: 1he sender was 1erry Goodman, senior editor at the Amazon Incore imprint. 1he Ios Angeies connection bore ruit. Saviiie iater ound out that Goodman grew up in Ios Angeies. In addition, the LA Times Magazine recentiy commis- sioned an adaptation o the book, which appeared in its December ~ issue, Saviiie reports that its editor praised the way she captured an I.A. scene thats gone now. Reieased on November 1 under the new titie Unraveling Anne: A Memoir of My Mothers Reckless Life and Tragic Death (so retitied to avoid conusion with the Patricia Cornweii titie Postmortem), Sav- iiie says that the book received a new cover, iight editing, and a ew changes to the proiogue. Otherwise, she says, 1here is no perceptibie dierence rom the originai. Since the books pubiication, Saviiie and her book were twice mentioned in New York Times articies about Amazon Pubiishing. I ound Amazon Incore to be very proessionai. And I ind them to be extremeiy author-ocused, so much so that other authors eyes pop open when I teii them. Iven my agent says I wouid not have gotten this much support rom a tradi- tionai pubiisher. 1heir attitude is, the author aiways wins. Saies igures were not avaiiabie at press time, however, Saviiie noted that based on Amazon saies rank on December and 8, its doing phenomenaiiy weii. the print version is =1 in the memoir/Iamiiy s Chiidhood category, and =9 in the S E L F - P U B L I S H I N G WHEN AMAZON CALLS: TWO SELF -PUBLISHED AUTHORS REFLECT WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 25 S E L F - P U B L I S H I N G Kindle store in the Biographies & Mem- oirs/Women category. She is hopeful about holiday sales: Thats part of why they put it on sale in November, and its working. I see buyers mentioning that theyve bought multiple copies as gifts. For her next project, Saville says shes working on a novel based on an incident in Unraveling Anne, and her agent is try- ing to place some essays. And, yes, shes my original agent. Ive been with her about eight years, and she was supportive of my self-publishing. When I told her about the Amazon Encore deal, I asked her how much I owed her, and she said, You owe me nothingI didnt get you the contract. Shes not jealous or territo- rial. I keep saying I hope I get a movie dealnot for myself, but for her. Savilles advice to self-published authors: Make the best, best, best prod- uct you can. That means getting it edited, proofread, and a good cover design. Badly produced booksfull of typos and grammatical errorsbring down the whole group. If you want someone else to take your work seriously, you have to take it seriously first. Theres also a family connection that helps erase any doubt about self-publish- ing. My brother-in-law is the head of the prints and rare books department at Christies New York. He says the self- published editions of well-known authors books are highly sought after as collectors items, because they were pro- duced in such limited quantities. Right after I ceased publishing Postmortem, I saw it listed used on Amazon, as high as $175, Saville reports, with a lengthy, hearty laugh. So its such a horrible thing that I self-published, right? Tim Anderson: Out of the Rut Initially, Andersons manuscript for Tune in Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries was shopped around by an agent. As Anderson recalls, We got lots of nice responses, but wher- ever we pitched, the marketing depart- ments vetoed everything. They couldnt decide how to market it, or where it would go on the shelf, etc. So after a few years of pitching, my agent said shed done all she could do. At the ti me, al though Anderson had started writing another book, he says, I had a nagging feeling: I know theres a market for this book. I work for a book packager and when the topic of self-publishing came up, my boss said, Do it! I went with Amazon CreateSpace. I chose the design myself, and had it proofread and edited by an editor friend of mine. Anderson published Tune in Tokyo in June 2010. I sent it out and did get reviewed a few times here and there, but the book got no traction at all. I was try- ing to get people to pay attentionand then I saw the PW Select announcement. In its review, PW Select described the book: When Anderson decides his life in North Carolina is in a rut, he chooses to make a dramatic change and moves to Japan to teach English, as he chronicles in this hilarious, enlightening, and insightful memoir. Anderson is tall, white, and extremely gayall things that distinguish him from the average person in Japan. But that wasnt all. PWs Adam Boretz also contacted Anderson: He said it was one of the best reviews in the issue and wanted to profile me. Boretzs profile appeared in the same issue, and the two pieces resulted in a call, and a pub- lishing offer, from Amazon Encores Terry Goodman. I knew that once I got in PW there might be some interest, but I didnt know it could happen so fast. Terry asked, When do you want this book out? I said, in time for Christmas, and it was done. It came out on November 29 [2011]. Anderson describes working with Amazon Encore as pretty incredible. They have an incredible editorial and mar- keting team. There was no developmen- tal editing, just copyediting. They con- sulted me about the new cover. My origi- nal was much simpler because Im not a designer and I did it myself. They took my cover, reduced the character, and over- laid the Japanese imperial flag over the Tokyo skyline. Its very striking, and I could imagine it leaping off the shelf to grab peoples eyeballs. I get a lot of com- pliments on the cover. In its categories (Travel/Tokyo; Gay & Lesbian /Travel; and Gay & Lesbian/Biog- raphies & Memoirs), Anderson reports that even after only a week in print, the book has been #1 quite often in both the print and Kindle versions. Im hoping that people will buy it as gifts, especially Japan fansthere are a lot of those. Thats why I wanted it available at the end of November. Next, Anderson is writing another memoir, which he calls a gay, diabetic, New Wave memoir of adolescence in the 80s. As of now, he has no agent: I plan on submitting my next manuscript to Terry and hopefully continuing my rela- tionship with them. My advice to other self-published authors is to take advantage of whatever opportunities you mi ght f i nd, Anderson says. I had hoped to get a larger audience, but I wanted to find the audi- ence myself. I almost didnt do the PW Select thing because you had to pay. But I kind of hit the jackpot when I did PW. This has exceeded my expectations. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 26 E-book Boom Boosts Self-Publishers Digital editions add to the segments explosive growth B D O. S In the December 2010 inaugural issue of PW Select, the heads of different self-publishing companies talked about the way e-books were becoming a bigger part of their business. That trend acceler- ated in 2011, helping to keep the number of titles produced at the major e-book vendors soaring. L ulu.com now has more than 1.8 million titles and reports that during 2011 the num- ber of print book titles in its catalogue grew 9%, while the number of e-book titles rose by 22%. Self-publishing today is providing more flexibility and opportunities for content owners of all kinds, says company founder Bob Young. Lulu is helping them better serve their customers with tools to discover and purchase content no matter the format or medium. Lulu is not alone in reporting that e-books are rapidly outpacing printed books among writers who publish their own work. Digital has had an enormous impact in 2011 and will continue to transform buying and reading habits, says a spokesperson for Author Solutions. In 2011, e-book unit sales at Author Solutions grew over 425% from 2010, and the company expects similar gains in 2012. By the end of 2011, Authors Solu- tions will have more than 70,000 e-book titles available on every reading device, and by mid-year 2012, it expects to have 150,000 e-book titles in the market. The combination of e-books and print books is also driving growth at midsize companies that cater to writers. Accord- ing to Brent Sampson of Outskirts Press, the company ended 2010 with approxi- mately 6,700 titles listed on Amazon, and in 2011 had more than 8,000 in a combination of print and Kindle edi- tions. Outskirts expects to cross 10,000 titles in 2012. The trend toward more e-book releases, both from mainstream publishers and their self-publishing counterparts, is changing where readers buy books and how they read them, and self-publishing services are taking advantage of these new outlets. Early in 2011 the popularity of the iPad motivated Apple to stop selling e-books in its App Store and to open the iBookstore, where it can exercise more control over e-book publishing by the professional and hobbyist alike. Barnes & Noble took a contrary approach in late 2010, announcing its PubIt! program, a turnkey Web site that allows nearly anyone to e-publish material using a no- frills file conversion process. Upon com- pletion, the material is sold at BN.com for its Nook e-reading device. It now claims more than two million titles available. Lulu is using both outlets to sell its e-book titles, reporting that it has nearly 60,000 e-book titles in distribu- tion across its retail channels including the iBookstore and Nook Bookstore. Amazon has been driving the growth of self-published e-books through its Kindle Direct Publishing program, which now offers nearly a mil- lion titles to readers worldwide, includ- ing recent openings in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. KDP has attracted self- publishing authors in droves by paying royalties up to 70% and making it rela- tively easy for a writer to convert a man- uscript in Word format to a legible Kin- dle edition without paying fees. Cre- ateSpace, Amazons POD print publish- ing arm, offers its customers a more polished file conversion service, from PDF to Kindle format, starting at $59. According to Amazon, 13 KDP authors have sold more than 200,000 books, and 34 KDP authors have sold more than 100,000 books. 2011 has been an exceptional year for independent publishing. Weve seen significant growth, and more indie authors and pub- lishers are seeing impressive success. The fact that were seeing self-published authors from CreateSpace and Kindle Direct Publishing appear on bestsellers lists is a clear sign of the success of this channel, says Nader Kabbani, director of independent publishing at Amazon. Aside from the data provided by Ama- zon about its KDP authors, few self- publishing services disclose specific numbers of print orders. But they did cite dramatically higher percentages of e-book sales in 2011 than in 2010, help- ing to fuel a record year whether in terms of new print releases, e-book sales, or both. It is truly the best time in history to be an author, says Kevin Weiss, CEO of Authors Solutions. Self-publishing and digital technology have created more opportunities for authors around the globe than ever before. S E L F - P U B L I S H I N G Danny O. Snow formerly served as director of communications and planning for 1stBooks (now ASI) and as senior planning consultant for Lulu. He currently publishes books at Cre- ateSpace, Kindle Direct Publishing, and Lulu, in addition to writing for PW and other news media. WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 27 Big Bet for Good Cause Vioiin maker invests more than ;1 miiiion in unique project Bv Iiici Axxi Wiiii~xs Its sei-pubiishing on a grand scaie. It took 1om Wiider 10 years and a C;1.2 miiiion investment to pubiish The Conser- vation, Restoration, and Repair of Stringed Instruments and Their Bows. 1he three-voiume, 1,600-page bibie on the subject seiis or ;1,~95, but so ar saies are going weii, says Wiider. T hats good news or the mon- treai vioiin maker and shop owner, who took out a second mortgage on his house in order to produce the books, and the cause he is und-raising or, the Internationai Pernambuco Conservation Initiative. 1he heartwood o the Brazii- ian pernambuco tree has been used or 250 years to make the inest bows or stringed instruments, but now the tree is a threatened species and IPCI is working to save the trees. Wiider did a print run o 1,500 copies o the books using the printer Iriesens, and ater a partiai cost recovery on the saie o the irst 500 cop- ies, 50` o aii receipts rom saies wiii go to IPCI, increasing to 100` once pro- duction costs have aii been recovered. Wiider says about a third o the books, pubiished iast spring, have been soid. He thinks heii get his house back, but it was a big risk, he says. Im now more than 50 years oid and Ive been inan- ciaiiy independent since I was 1 and I had to ask my mother to heip me out with the printing.... I aii the books seii in a timeiy manner, I shouid raise about ;400,000 or the IPCI and get aii my investment back, but its oniy money. It was the act o producing it, thats the reason I did it. Wiider says he sei-pubiished because it was a und-raising project. I we had to go through a reguiar pubiisher, we were going to iose at ieast hai the money i not more, and secondiy, I ki nd o doubt we wouid have ound a pubiisher because it is such a speciaiized topic, he says. I know my peers, in terms o the vioiin worid,... and thats why I igured I couid do a better job marketing this than any pubiisher.... Its a smaii spe- ciaiized worid. Pre-pubiication sub- scriptions provided some assured saies. Wiider did ind a copubiisher in Archetype Pubiications in the U.K. 1hey are the worids oremost pubiishers o books in Ingiish or conservation, or restorers, or conservators in the museum miiieu. 1hey were the perect partners, says Wiider. What that did or us is give us access to the institutionai market, because i you are doing straight sei- pubiishing, they are going to iook askance at that, so this heiped iegitimize it. Whiie Archetype is marketing the book to the institutionai market, it was Wiider and his pubiishing team o more than 20 writers, transiators, editors, and designers who created the books. 1he book had its beginnings at a conerence o the American Iederation o Vioiin and Bow makers about 10 years ago. 1he members had given miniiectures to each other instead o inviting guest iecturers, and an organizer produced a bookiet o the iectures. When someone suggested seiiing the bookiet as a und-raiser or IPCI, oider members resisted, not want- ing to pubiish trade secrets. 1his trade is iike that. It was very, very secretive untii quite recentiy, says Wiider. But the younger me mbe r s , mys e i inciuded, were very much against this way o thinking, and so I deci ded to take i t u p o n my s e i t o approach other mem- bers, whose ideas I iiked, and do it on my own, outside the aus- pices o the edera- ti on. As the i dea deveioped, he put out a caii or papers internationaiiy, created a peer review process, and about two years iater ended up with about 150 articies that ormed the backbone o the books. But ater that, there was stiii a iong road ahead. Wiider hired director o pubiishing and executive editor Aureie Parisian, ormeriy an editor at mcGiii- Queens University Press to manage the massive project. 1he inished product has been gratiy- ing or Wiider, and the books have been weii received in the music, conservation, and design worids. The Conservation won Canadas Aicuin Award or the best design o a reerence work and best in show, and took irst prize in the Coupe Internationai Design + Image competi- tion this year. S E L F - P U B L I S H I N G P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 28 ART Pistils and Poetry: Elizabethan Poetry a nd I ma ge s o f Flowers. Ro i ma r ge na u. Irogworks Pubiish- ing. ;18.95 paper (94p), ISBN 98-0-615- 46~-~ www.rogworks.com Poems by Spenser, mariowe, Donne, Shakespeare, and more are juxtaposed with margenaus own photographs o iowers to show the deiicacy o both poeticai and botanicai orm. AUTOBIOGRAPHY & BIOGRAPHY Baghdad ER: Fifteen Minutes. 1odd Baker, m.D. Gray Iox Pubiishing. ;15 paper (~2p), ISBN 98-0-58-06992-0 www.BaghdadIR.com Dr. Baker spent 15 months as the chie o emergency medicine at Ibn Sina hospi- tai near Baghdad, treating oten severeiy injured American miiitary personnei. In this gripping account, the urgency o quick and eective medicai intervention was a matter o iie and death. Lone Holdout: A Memoir. Iinda Cox. Charies Street Press. ;15 paper (266p), ISBN 98-0-984~~~-0- Amazon Cox, a bookseiier rom Boston, ound hersei serving on a jury or a cocaine- traicking triai. She was the ione hoidout against conviction o a Hispanic man. Her book has been a avorite o severai book ciubs in New Ingiand. Swept: Love with a Chance of Drowning. 1orre DeRoche. Gauguin media. ;16.95 paper (~20p), ISBN 98-0-615-52111-4 Amazon A true story about how one giri con- ronted her deepest ears about iove by jumping aboard a ieaky saiiboat or the adventure o a iietime. Yesterdays Asylum: Reflections of Lunacy. ).D. Donnie Iink. Vantage Press. ;24.95 hardcover (244p), ISBN 98-0-5~~- 16~8~-0 Amazon Iink iooks back at his iie, beginning in 1959, when his amiiy moved to New Iast Pines, md. In reiating taies o his riends and adventures over the next 12 years, he oers readers a iook back at simpier times. The Pig & Me. Iindsay Irucci. Square Hiii Pubiishing. ;14.99 paper (~20p), ISBN 98-0-615- 42822-2 Amazon Irucci iaunched No Pudge:, a at-ree udge brownie mix, rom her armhouse kitchen and grew a muitimiiiion doiiar business. Aiong the way she met a smart, conident womanhersei. Triumph and Tragedy: The Life of Edward Whymper. Imii Henry. 1roubador Pubiishing Itd. U.K. ;19.95 paper (464p), ISBN 98-1- 8486-58-8 Amazon, BN.com 1h e b i o g r a p h y o t he bes t - known ciimber o the Victorian eras Goiden Age o mountaineering, who made the irst ascent o the matterhorn, in 1865. S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S Highiights rom the oerings to be ound here, our ith PW Select, include: (trumpet piease:) our irst titie to receive a starred review, Audrey Iynns novei about a Russian soidier returning rom Aghani- stan, an exciting medicai thriiier about iiiegai traicking in venomous snakes, Vivian \angs ictionai memoir about a Chinese teenager set during WWII and ater, an important work by two pioneers in autism research and treat- ment, and many more that aitogether reiect the diversity o interests and enthusiasms that ind voice through sei-pubiishing. Quality & Diversity Among The Self-Published 1ii + 1i1iis sinxi11ii ioi oii iii1i i~i1iiiv PW SELECT WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 29 Navigating the Course: A Mans Place in His Time. David Fanshel. Valley Meadow Press. $25 paper (254p), ISBN 978-0-9723269-6-4 Amazon Fanshels life story, from his Bronx child- hood in a Russian Jewish family through the Great Depression and his experiences as a navigator aboard a B-24 bomber flying sorties over Nazi targets in WWII. Youth to Golden Age. Vera M. Kierstead-Farber with Robert Far- ber. Vantage Press. $10.95 paper (46p), ISBN 978-0-533-16420-2 Amazon The author of a trilogy of early American historical fiction relates her own love story. After caring for her husband, who suffered a stroke at 49, until his death, she meets the man she had a friendship with 70 years ear- lierand love is rekindled. Sage Was the Perfect Shadow: A Survivors Story. Mona Krueger. CreateSpace. $11.99 paper (122p), ISBN 978-1-4663-9361-5 Amazon A memoir about identity reconstruction for a girl recovering from a burn trauma. 1000:1 Odds: Memoir of a World War II Childhood. Peter Kubicek. CreateSpace. $12 paper (89p), ISBN 978-1-4611-6971-0 Amazon Nine years old at the beginning of WWII, the author, now a docent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, weathered the Holocaust in wartime Slovakia, surviving six German concentra- tion camps, two Slovakian camps, and a hunger march just before liberation. Poisoned by Pollu- tion: An Unexpected Spiritual Journey. Anne Lipscomb. Author- House. $16.98 paper (192p), ISBN 978-1- 4389-6502-4 Amazon; (888) 519- 5121 In this inspiring memoir, Lipscomb reveals her secrets for overcoming adversity after being forced to live mostly house- bound for 18 years after exposure to toxic chemicals in the workplace. The Boy from Bothell: Bipolar Vietnam Veteran. Gene Olson. CSNBooks (Christian Services Network). $17.95 paper (279p), ISBN 978- 1-59352-554-5 CSNBooks.com; Amazon The Vietnam War is over, but not for many Vietnam vets, including Olson, who also suffers from bipolar disorder. This is the story of his battle for sanity. Looking Up: A Memoir of Sisters, Survi- vors and Skokie. Linda Pressman. CreateSpace. $16.99 hard- cover (348p), ISBN 978-1-4564-7068-5 Amazon A humorous yet somber memoir about growing up in 1960s and 70s Chicago, one of seven sisters and a child of Holocaust sur- vivors. Clips & Consequences: A Memoir. Beth Myrle Rice. Purple Stripe Publishing. $16.95 paper (379p), ISBN 978-0-615- 48151-7 www.purplestripepub- lishing.com Rat her t han f ace prosecution on mari- juana charges, Rice gave up all contact with her daughter, Zoey, until she turned 18. This memoir charts Rices path to forgiveness and her attempt to redefine herself. Blessed Be the Ties That Bind: Freewoods Community in the 1950s. ONeal Smalls. Vantage Press. $24.50 paper (216p), ISBN 978-0-533-16388-5 Amazon Freewoods, S.C., was founded by freed slaves in the 1860s. Smalls, a retired law professor, grew up there in the 1950s, and in this work, based on his memories and extensive interviews, he chronicles the year 1955, during the early days of the civil rights movement following Brown v. Board of Education and facing the still active KKK. The Upside of the Down Low: A Pastors Wifes Memoir. Yolanda King Stephen. No Ordinary Rose. $15 paper (154p), ISBN 978-0-9836285-1-4 www.upsidebook.com An unsuspecting pastors wife discovers her husband is having illicit relations with boys. She struggles to keep the household together as the scandal overtakes her hus- band, who then ends his life, while Stephen is left to recover in this story of betrayal and renewed faith. In God We Trusted: Escape from Lithuania. Lili Hriskevicius Tremblay. Vantage Press. $19.95 paper (179p), ISBN 978-0-533164- 16-5 Amazon Hriskevicius, born into one of the wealthiest families in Lithuania, lived a fairy tale existence in a mansion on her fam- ilys 1,000-acre estate until first the Soviets, then the Germans, took over her country. She and her family trekked across Europe to escape WWII. Bowls Out Goes In: Every Man for Himself. Gil Trott. Vantage Press. $10.95 paper (144p), ISBN 978-0-533-16002-0 Amazon Trott grew up in Bermuda in the 1930s and 1940s, moved to the U.S. where he served in an all-black battalion during WWII, returned to Bermuda, and worked in corporate America. His title is drawn from a popular sandlot cricket game based on the principle of every man for himself. The Journal of Unemployment Studies. Celia Scher Wagner. Lulu.com. $14.95 paper (126p), ISBN 978-0-557-53508-8 Lulu.com; Amazon Where else can you find unemployment haiku? A laugh-and-wince wisecracking book to accompany smart people on the job- hunt trail. Why does a search on/ Business S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 30 Analyst bring back/ Nanny Wanted ad? Still Time to Live: A Biography of Jack Belden. Gary G. Yerkey. GK Press. $14.99 paper (310p), ISBN 978-0-615-45888-5 Amazon A biography of the legendary mad and gifted American war correspondent Jack Belden (19101989), who reported for Time-Life and other U.S. news organiza- tions from China, Burma, North Africa, and Europe in the 1930s and 1940s. BODY, MIND & SPIRIT Messages of Hope: Metaphysical Memoir of a Most Unexpected Medium. Suzanne Giesemann. One Mind Books. $19. 95 paper (278p), ISBN 978-0- 9838539-1-6 OneMindBooks.com A story of transfor- mation, Messages of Hope shares the compelling transition of a former Navy commander into a practicing evidential medium. Beyond the Myth: How to Live the Life You Desire. Maria T. Holmes. Beyond the Myth. $24.95 hardcover (60p), ISBN 978-0-9830946- 0-9 beyondthemythbook.com How to embrace and harness the prin- ciples of desire, visualization, gratitude, belief, and faith. BUSINESS & ECONOMICS Lose Your Broker Not Your Money. Dan Calandro. Lose Your Broker LLC. $27.95 hardcover (220p), ISBN 978-0- 9836613-0-6 www.loseyourbroker.com Calandro untangles the mystery of suc- cessful investing by providing a market- based solution that is easy to understand, simple to use, and produces superior per- formance. Building a Life, Building a Business: A Memoir & Workbook. Karen Lorene. Lorene Publications. $18.50 paper (292p), ISBN 978-0-9618302-1-2 (206) 624-6768 Amazon; Blurb.com Forty years of busi- ness balanced with 40 years of living: delusion to ecstasy all in one book. The Monopoly Method: An Insiders Guide to Navigating Wall Street and Becoming a Better Investor. Greg J. McCall. 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CreateSpace. $15 paper (368p), ISBN 978-1-4538-9647-1 Amazon One mistake can ruin a life. One mistake can transform it. Can a government forestry camp bring redemption? Park Hardesty hopes for just that in this tale of love, guilt, and danger among the trees. The Prospect of My Arrival. Dwight Okita. Cre- ateSpace. $14.95 paper (277p), ISBN 978-1- 4609-5989-3 Amazon; Ingram A human embryo is allowed to preview the world before decid- ing whether to be born. A cautionary tale served up with equal helpings of whimsy and dread. Grace Note: In Hildegards Shadow. P.J. Parsons. iUniverse. $18.95 paper (300p), ISBN 978-1-4620-3123-8 Amazon Grace Note tells the 12th-century story of a 21st-century icon, St. Hildegard, through the eyes of a childhood friend. The Thunderblade. Kevin L. Perks. Vantage Press. $13.95 paper (326p), ISBN 978-0- 533-16296-3 Amazon This science fiction fantasy features a good wizard and two evil villains in a struggle for supremacy. Sudden Deception: A Jill Oliver Thriller. Judith Price. Judith Price. $12.99 paper (277p), ISBN 978-0-9877894-1-9 Amazon A complex thriller that reflects the politi- cal realities of current events in a week-long journey that concludes in Dubai. Zaftan Miscreants: Book 2 of the Zaftan Trilogy. Hank Quense. CreateSpace. $14.99 paper (211p), ISBN 978-1-4637-4049-8 (201) 414-3434 Two alien culturesone consisting of fantasy creatures, the other zaftan mon- stersclash in space. Meanwhile, an android with an organic brain falls in love with a computer, and a zaftan tries to succeed through her abilities rather than treachery. With humor and satire, the Zaftan trilogy continues. Impacts: A Novel. David Radmore. Vantage Press. $15.95 paper (404p), ISBN 978-0-533-16372-4 Amazon A coming-of-age novel brings its protag- onist, Danny, through the era of the Great Depression and WWII, flavored with inno- cence, trepidation, and courage, and ending with his consciousness of the devastation of the two nuclear bombs dropped on Japan. The Quiet Sound of Disappearing. Ryan Rayston. AuthorHouse. $18.95 paper (328p), ISBN 978-1-4567-1814-5 Amazon; AuthorHouse A gut-wrenching, fictionalized account of a young woman in the vortex of a 1980s sex, drugs, and hedonism scene, trying and failing at rehab, and caught in a major Capital Hill drug scandal. Virtually Yours, Jonathan Newman. Robert Rosel l . Trai l - head Press. $14.95 paper ( 332p) , ISBN 978-1- 4611-5745-8 www. Tr ai l HeadPr es s .com A dystopian peek at a libertarian future, when the government is weak, the powerful play dirty, and life is no tea party. Devils Eye. Al Ruksenas. Meridia Publishers. $17.95 paper (366p), ISBN 978-0-615-40498-1 devilseyethebook.com A secret U.S. commando teams up with a beautiful French historian to uncover an ancient cults high-level infiltrator trying to subdue America through a nuclear sur- render in this paranormal thriller. The Tenth Day. Don Safran. Red Willow Publishing. $7.99 paper (208p), ISBN 978-1-936539-22-2 Amazon A Marine Corps major pursues a female killer among a shipload of Army wives sail- ing to their husbands in Germany at the close of WWII. Ivetha: An Airedales Compendium. Bradd Allen Saunders. CreateSpace. $11.99 paper (366p), ISBN 978-1-4635-0427-4 Amazon Ivetha is an apparently ordinary street, but people who encounter it face strange and mysterious occurrences, described in this unusual compendium, which chronicles the S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 36 mysterious manner in which it changes peoples lives. Rainbows: A Novel in Five Parts. W. Schoellkopf. Arbor Books. $18 paper (148p), ISBN 978-0-9818658-5-0 Amazon Peter and his three daughtersCarol, a gallery owner and addict; Helen, a collec- tor of Dutch art; and Nancy, a modern art specialistcan relate to each other in lifes crises and discussions only through color theory, art, and the art business. A Little Dab a Do Ya. Eric L. Brantley. Mahogany Moon Com- munications. $10.95 paper (162p), ISBN 978-0-9827883-0-1 mahoganymoon.com A young poet and an elderly blues singer meet at a jazz club in Detroit and share their experiences in ways that enlighten and sup- port each other. Amo, Amas, Amat...: An Unconventional Love Story. Carter Taylor Seaton. CreateSpace. $16.95 paper (293p), ISBN 978-1-4635-8464-1 (304) 523-7902 Seatons second novel is set in 1983, when Mary Cate, a nave homophobic, marries Nick, a closeted gay man, leading her to discover that fairy tale notions of love are far from true love. Seatons first novel was a category finalist for ForeWord magazines 2003 Book of the Year Awards. The Arranger: A Futuristic Thriller. L.J. Sellers. Spellbinder Press. $13.99 paper (264p), ISBN 978-0-9832138-5-7 Amazon In 2023, ex-detective Lara Evans wit- nesses a crime, then competes in a national endurance contest, but a mysterious assailant threatens her chances of surviv- ing. Sellers has also written the Detective Jackson mystery series. My Sweet Saga. Brett Sills. Admiral J Press. $16 paper (452p), ISBN 978-0- 6155-3213-4 www.journalstone.com Take one 30-year-old man in L.A.; add boring job, upcoming marriage, and father whos won the lottery. Mix in a trip to Sweden with said father and falling into a quirky love triangle. The resulting adven- tures are in screenwriter Sillss first novel. Seven Stories to Read Before They Become Movies. Mike Slosberg. Xlibris. $19.95 hardcover (113p), ISBN 978-1-4628-7264-0 (888) 795-4274 Some movies have grown from short sto- ries. Slosberg, a novelist and author of The Official Book of Old Age Haiku, tosses seven short storiessome funny, some with twisty endsinto the cinematic competition. The Dark Before Dawn. Laurie Stevens. Follow Your Dreams Pro- ductions. $13.49 paper (372p), ISBN 978- 1-4564-5011-3 Amazon Grisly murders are taking place high in the Santa Monica Mountains. On each of the victims bodies is a note left for the L.A. sheriffs detective, Gabriel McRay. First in a series. Women Outside the Walls. Trisha Sugarek. CreateSpace. $14.95 paper (300p), ISBN 978-1-4537-1501-7 Amazon Playwright Sugarek has turned her eponymous play about Alma, Kitty, and Hattiewomen who love men who are in prisoninto a novel, revealing their lives in flashbacks, and then confronting them with a moment of violence and heartbreak on one visiting day. The First Ward: Mark Twain, Fingy Conners & the Sulli- van Brothers. Richard Sullivan. Cre- ateSpace. $19.95 paper (394p), ISBN 978-1- 4636-3658-6 Amazon Irish workers on Buffalos waterfront First Ward in the mid-to-late19th cen- tury are at the heart of this engrossing saga of the Sullivan family, Mark Twain, and a First Ward saloon keeper; based on histori- cal research and family stories. That Which Should Not Be. Brett J. Talley. JournalStone. $12.95 paper (262p), ISBN 978-1-9365-6414-9 Amazon Miskatonic Universitys reputation for a connection to the occult and supernatu- ral proves true when a stu- dent tracks down a book, The Inferno of the Witch, for his professor. But has he unleashed forces beyond anyones control? Winner of JournalStones 2011 Horror Writing Contest. A Hollow Cup. Alan Thompson. WingSpan Press. $32.95 hardcover (314p), ISBN 978-1-59594- 404-7 Amazon; BN.com Set in a town very much like Chapel Hill, N.C., this debut novel tells the story of two men who were boys there in the 1960s and who return as lawyers on opposing sides in a murder tale that is as much about race and culture as it is a legal thriller. You Dont Die of Love: Stories. Thomas Thonson. CreateSpace. $11.99 paper (254p), ISBN 978-1-4609-2874-5 Amazon Dreams collide with reality in this inven- tive collection of linked short stories about Hollywood lives gone awry from screen- writer Thonson. Cross Purposes: If Newspapers Had Covered the Crucifixion. Joel Thurtell. Hardalee Press. $20 paper (181p), ISBN 978-0-9759969-6-6 Amazon If Christ were crucified today, would modern media notice? This satirical debut from a former Detroit Free Press journalist S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 37 and now blogger eviscerates newspaper mores, media arrogance, and stupidity. The Secrets They Kept. Joanne Tombrakos. Joanne Tombra- kos. $11.99 paper (288p), ISBN 978-0- 9840076-0-8 Amazon A lawyer discovers she has a long-lost relative, which leads her to a box of let- ters and long-kept secrets in this story of a Greek-American family living in New York. The Essene Conspiracy. S. Eric Wachtel. S. Eric Wachtel. $14.99 paper (308p), ISBN 978-0-615-42646-4 Amazon A blood-stained card found in the shirt pocket of a slain Israeli minister leads international security con- sultant Harry McClure to a Wall Street money-launder- ing scheme and a Messianic brotherhood plotting to overthrow the Israeli government. A Song of Africa. Ronald Brian Wheatley. CreateSpace. $13.99 paper (200p), ISBN 978-1-4635- 1179-1 Amazon Set in Nigeria in 1966 during the Biafran War, this vivid depiction of three Americans playing out their battles of conscience, pride, and passion draws on the authors experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in that country. Search. Jan Widgery. Mystery Bay Press. $19.50 paper (259p), ISBN 978-1-257-93970-1 Lulu.com A child is kidnapped and abused by her father in the 1960s; as a young woman in the 1980s, shes haunted by her past. In search- ing for her identity, she discovers her own strength. Murder in Vienna. Irene Wittig. Lulu.com. $19.50 paper (213p), ISBN 978-1-105-09426-2 Lulu.com A ceramics artist and author, Wittig delves into her family history for this haunt- ing tale of three friends, only one of whom survives WWII, and how the choices they made ripple out to the next generations. Mnemes Place: Book One. Glenn P. Wolfe. iUniverse. $18.95 paper (296p), ISBN 978-1-4620-1714-0 iUniverse The posthumously published autobio- graphical novel by a former TV writer is set in a timeless saloon, where Ralph Jonas, the writer, indulges in his twin passions of the English language and baseball, and encoun- ters all the events and peopleliving, dead, and fictionalthat reside in his memory. Reternity. Neal Wooten. Mirror Publishing. $6.99 paper (240p), ISBN 978-1-61225-041-0 (414) 763-1034; www.reternitybook.com In this coming-of-age tale, Max heads to college where his parents fear his Christian faith will be tested. In a physics class, whose professor holds weekly Bible sessions, Max finds his fascination with science and his faith not so much collid- ing as raising questions he never expected. Memoirs of a Eurasian. Vivian Yang. CreateSpace. $15.99 paper (220p), ISBN 978-1-4610-1341-9 Amazon Mo Mo, the granddaughter of a Chinese teenager and a Russian exile, lives through the tumultuous times during and after the Chinese Cultural Revolution. In her travels from Shanghai to Hong Kong and beyond, she faces racial prejudice and a difficult relationship with her mother. An excerpt won third place in the Leonard Lopate (of WNYC radio fame) Essay Contest. GARDENING Flowers of Volunteer Park Conserva- tory: Blooming Month by Month. Sara L. Chapman. Book Pub- lishers Network. $27.95 hardcover (144p), ISBN 978-1-935359-81-4 www.lovethatimage.com The Volunteer Park Conservatory of Seattle celebrates its centennial with this sumptuous photography book presenting a month-by-month tour. Each chapter shows the flowers blooming that month along with an index listing the common and scientific plant names. This work will inspire flower lovers, gardeners, and plant professionals. HEALTH & FITNESS Growing Ageless: The Simple Art of Health and Longevity. Richard E. Bush. Longevity Press. $14.95 paper (198p), ISBN 978-0-9828192-0-3 Amazon; Ingram The authora certified instructor for the Universal Healing Tao in Thailand, a shiatsu practitioner, and an Usui Reiki masteroffers a system combining Eastern and Western health and lon- gevity practices, including meditations, exercises, and methods for customizing ones diet for best results. What Do the Doctors Say?: How Doctors Create a World Through Their Words Janet Farrell Leontiou. iUniverse. $13.95 paper (109p), ISBN 978-1-4502-2582-3 Amazon One of Leontious twin sons was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. As a professor of communi- cation, she found herself studying the language of the doctors she consulted, and she presents her analysis of how medical culture gets created through the way that doctors talk. Her iden- tification of 12 language patterns that create a culture of disconnection is intended to help parents of children with disabilities, and all patients, navigate the medical conversation. Skin Sense!: A Dermatologists Guide to Skin Care. Stephen Schleicher, M.D. iUniverse. $13.95 paper (117p), ISBN 978-1-4401-7427-8 Amazon For every skin-care problem from acne S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 38 to wrinkles, Skin Sense! is a resource from dermatologist Schleicher, who is founder and director of DermDOX Center for Dermatology in Pennsylvania, on the medical board of Emergency Medicine magazine, and on the advisory board of the Day Spa Association; he has also co-hosted Skin Sense, on TV, and Speaking of Your Skin, on the radio. HISTORY Al one, Unarmed, and Unafrai d: Unarmed Reconnaissance During the Vietnam Conflict. Taylor Eubank. Ramtho Publishing. $19.95 paper (131p), ISBN 978-1-934668-33-7 www.aloneunarmedandunafraid.com Former FBI agent Eubank, also a veteran of the Vietnam War, offers accounts of the air crews that flew reconnaissance missions without weapons or escorts over an armed Hanoi. Fairest Picture: Mark Twain at Lake Tahoe. David Antonucci. Cre- ateSpace. $17.99 paper ( 302p) , ISBN 978-1- 4637-6569-9 Amazon Mark Twains second major work, Roughing It, details his search for wealth in Nevada. In this work, Antonucci brings together every fact he could find about Twain and his adven- tures at Lake Tahoe, as well as every word Twain wrote about the place. HOUSE & HOME Good Riddance: Showing Clutter the Door. Susan Boraz & Heather Knittel. Profes- sional Organizing Solutions. $14.95 paper (156p), ISBN 978-0-9867177-0-3 www.goodriddance.ca In this humorous yet practical book, two professional organizers dissect every room to motivate readers to tackle the most common CRUD (Completely Ridiculous Useless Debris) problems; they identify the top 100 house-cluttering culprits and show how to get rid of them. HUMOR One Thing or Another. Ritchie Piazza. Vantage Press. $14.95 paper (104p), ISBN 987-0- 533-16413-4 Amazon A collection of 22 original and witty stories: says the author: Were not laugh- ing enough these days. Were worrying too much about Asian carp. Let the Asian carp worry for a while. JUVENILE FICTION Hotey. Josephine Bailey. AuthorHouse. $22.50 hardcover (152p), ISBN 978-1-4634- 2390-2 AuthorHouse; www.Hotey.net Set in the American southwest at the turn of the 19th century, these are the adventures of a wild burro, known as Donkey Hotey, who wanders from his home to follow wild mustangs, befriends Sancho the parrot, and meets danger, fear, and sorrow. A portion of the proceeds are donated to Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue. The Windwalkers. Robert Carlile. Longwood Publishing. $14.99 paper (183p), ISBN 978-0-615- 40545-2 www.windwalkersthebook.com A windwalker is someone who gains the courage to face his enemy. Chris Creighton, 14, fears a vicious bully called Spider. He and his two friends construct their own world in the marshes and learn how to defeat Spider. Malcolm McDinkelstorm Fedderman Stich. Peter Carnegie, illus. by Patty Johnston. CreateSpace. $10 paper (26p), ISBN 978- 1-4538-3835-8 Amazon Malcolm has to decide what to call his new frog, and with a name like Malcolm McDinkelstorm Fedderman Stich, choosing a name is tongue-twisting, silly fun. Ages 310. Kusikiy: A Child from Taquile, Peru. Mercedes Cecilia. Keepers of Wisdom and Peace Books. $24.99 paper (48p), ISBN 978-0-9844079-9-6 www.Kusikiy.com When a constellation is missing from the sky, Kusikiy, who lives on Lake Titicaca in Peru, flies toward the highest peaks to ask the Great Glacier for his help. Folk art high- lights the islands traditions. Ages 612. A Gift of Love. Dr. Claus, illus. by Christopher Vassallo. Dr. Claus Publishing. $9.99 paper (30p), ISBN 978-1-61497-001-9 www.drclausbooks.com A little girl goes from pajamas to pan- cakes as she gets ready for her first day of school on September 11, 2001. No Money Molly: Her Daddy Lost His Job. Terri Creswell. Lulu.com. $24.95 hardcover (31p), ISBN 978-1-257-99326-0 LuLu.com; (650) 592-7296 When a l i ttl e gi rl s Daddy loses his job, she learns how to enjoy life and find hope through doing things that are free. The friend she finds along the way has the same problems, and they help each other. The King of Fish. Darrell House. Maggie Music Inc. $16.95 hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-0-615-46534-0 www.maggiemusicinc.com Told in verse, this empowering story of a handicapped boy and an aging king embraces dreams and the wisdom and strength found in the heart of a child. Vickie Van Helsing. Solomon J. Inkwell. Oakberry & Inkwell. $14.95 paper (270p), ISBN 978-0-615- 44840-4 www.solomoninkwell.com When Vickie Jenkins, 17, discovers shes a descendant of Abraham Van Helsing, she realizes theres a bigger monster than her biology teacher obstructing her graduation. What Do You Suppose? Nora Leone, illus. by Kara Leone. Higher S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 39 Ground Press. $13.99 paper (28p), ISBN 978-0-9766062-6-0 Major retail book stores; Amazon If animals wore clothes, would they dress fashionably, have problems finding their size, or simply look preposterous? This charming tale is an adventure in imagina- tion. Ages 2up. Martin Mixed-Up at the Beach. Jess Golden Linehan. Salty Pond Publishers. $15.95 hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-0-615- 45705-5 Amazon This picture book for beginning read- ers shows Martin trying again and again to stop his sisters sobs until she reaches for the object she wanted all along: Martins book. Linehan has worked in elementary and school library education. Ages 35. You Are a Twisting Tornado. Angela Malavolti, illus. by Michael Stiff- ler. Jungle Wagon Press. $16.99 hardcover (28p), ISBN 978-0-9834092-0-5 www.junglewagonpress.com Like the weather, a young childs tem- perament can change drastically from one moment to the next. This picture book reminds us and our children that no matter what the forecast, my love is yours forever. Soccer Dreams: Playing the Seattle Sounders FC Way. Clare Hodgson Meeker. Creating One LLC. $16.95 hardcover (48p), ISBN 978-0-615- 43236-6 Partners West Book Distributing; (425) 227-8486 A 10-year-old boy from Kenya moves to Seattle and helps his coach build a winning soccer team. B&w illustrations for the story are accompanied by color photographs and profiles of the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders. Secret of the Scarab. Jay Roudebush. Lulu.com. $9 paper (143p), ISBN 978-0-615-53001-7 Lulu.com An 11-year-old British schoolboy orphaned by the 1918 influenza epidemic is given an ancient Egyptian talisman that leads him on an astonishing adventure from England to Egypt. Christmas Village. Jack Gilhooly. McNeil and Richards. $9.95 paper (92p), ISBN 978- 0-9825602-1-1 Amazon; Barnes and Noble When Amanda, 9, and Rudy, 6, visit their grandparents for Christmas, some- thing magical happens when they play with their grandfathers miniature Christmas vil- lage. They shrink into the village and dis- cover they have a whole new life there, where Christmas is celebrated as it used to be. Camellia the Fabulous Flower Girl. Lynelle Woolley. Markelle Media. $16.99 hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-0-9833116-2-1 www.flowergirlworld.com Camellia discovers friendship and fun when she learns to share the spotlight and walk down the aisle with two other fabulous flower girls in this charming picture book addition to the Flower Girl World Web site. Ages 48. Juvenile NonFiction Portrait of a Girl and Her Art. Elena Caravela. Lulu.com. $25.47 paper (81p), ISBN 978-0-578-08965-2 Lulu.com; portraitofagirlandherart.word- press.com This book of photo- graphs of young women and the art they have made illustrates the empowering, transfor- mative, and joyful value of making visual art. Through peer questions and examples, it invites young people to immerse themselves in critical and creative thinking. Ages 717. Flaked Out: The Story of Cod and Newfoundland. C.H. Colman. CreateSpace. $9.99 paper (33p), ISBN 978-1-4538-5662-8 Amazon A stamp collector since age five, Colman uses postage stamps to illus- trate historic events as he tells the history of Newfoundland and cod fish- ing, from the days of the Beothucks 2,000 ye a r s a go t hr ough European exploration and overfishing of cod in the 20th century to their repopulation today; includes factual back matter as well as a bibliography. The Adventures of Fluff the Wonder Bear and His Discoveries About Health and Fitness. Maureen E. Lupton, illus. by Isabela Nadal. Vantage Press. $13.95 paper (52p), ISBN 978-0-533-16491-2 Amazon; Barnes & Noble Maureen Lupton, a registered nurse, takes seven-year-old Caspian and Fluff, his bear, on adventures that teach them fitness, nutri- tion, and how good it feels to be healthy. LAW The Law School Decision Game: A Playbook for Prospective Lawyers. Ann Levine. Abraham Publishing. $15.95 paper (241p), ISBN 978-0-9838453-0-0 www.lawschoolexpertbook.com Whether youre considering law school or are already committed, this work by a law school admissions consultant explains what lawyers do, how to choose a specialization, how to find the right law job, and what to con- sider before taking on a load of student debt. MUSIC Musician! A Practical Guide for Stu- dents, Music Lovers, Amateurs, Pro- fessionals, Superstars, Wannabees, and Has-Beens Dan Wilensky. CreateSpace. $15 paper (156p), ISBN 978-1-4528-5771-8 Amazon Wilensky tells neo- phytes how to become a musician, musicians how to advance, and established players how to nurture their creativity, based on his own life playing jazz, S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 40 funk, rock, and folk. He has played with more than 250 artists, including Ray Charles, Santana, and Madonna. NONCLASSIFIABLE Haunted Watauga County. Tim Bullard. The History Press of Charles- ton. $19.99 paper (128p), ISBN 978-1- 60949-215-1 Barnes & Noble; Amazon; Books-A-Million Just as the Blue Ridge Mountains dot the landscape of this famed North Carolina county, so do the spirits of the residents who have died. Sitting with Warrior. Carl Hitchens. iUniverse. $13.95 paper (180p), ISBN 978-1-4502-7631-3 iUniverse Hitchens takes a journey that brings him to the Native American Warrior and, in weaving memoir, history, and myth, builds an expos of Americas Vietnam War era in hopes of healing Americas old wounds. Last Laughs: A Pocketful of Wry for the Aging. Everett Mattlin. Two Harbors. $14.95 paper (207p), ISBN 978-1-936401-34-5 everettmattlin.com; Amazon These short humorous essays about grow- ing older include lighthearted treatment of topics like oldster grumpiness, travel travails, hateful diets and exercise, endless doctor appointments; from the author of a dozen nonfiction books. NONFICTION Paul of Tarsus: A Study of the Man, His Role in History, and His Parallel Lives. Allan B. Burdick. Vantage Press. $17.95 paper (105p), ISBN 978-0-533-16387-8 Amazon; Barnes & Noble An emeritus professor of genetics inves- tigates the life of Paul, tracing his life, trav- els, and work, and argues that Luke was actually Pauls alter ego, in effect creating a parallel life for Paul. Eating an Elephant: Write Your Life One Bite at a Time. Patricia Charpentier. Life Story Publish- ing. $16.95 paper (163p), ISBN 978- 0-9832382-3-2 www.writingyour- life.org Eating an Elephant hel ps you br eak down the elephant- sized task of putting your life on paper into quick, easy-to-understand bites. The author is a journalist and writing instructor, and has ghost-written many memoirs. Nine Lives: Nine Cases Histories Reflecting the Human Condition. Newell Fischer, M.D. Vantage Press. $19.95 paper (133p), ISBN 978-0-533-16331-8 Amazon Henry is sleepwalking through his life; Mary feels constantly unfulfilled; Sara is afraid she will kill her infant. A psychiatrist and psy- choanalyst describes the psychoanalytic treat- ment of nine patients, revealing their shared humanity and each ones struggle with his or her particular anguish and conflict. Life: The Way It Was. Betty Sherwood Genter. Vantage Press. $13.95 paper (80p), ISBN 978-0-533-16389-2 Amazon Having grown up on a farm in upstate New York in the 1940s, the author details that life: The Thorpes had a huge cream separator in their kitchen.... Sometimes I was allowed to turn the crank handle.... Fred would hire Bill Gaylord or anyone else with a truck to take his lambs to the train station [where] the sheep and lambs were loaded on the train and shipped to Buffalo for slaughter. Undisputed: Notre Dame, National Champions 1966. Mark O. Hubbard. Vantage Press. $26.95 hardcover (305p), ISBN 978-0-533- 16512-4 Amazon Focusing on the Notre Dame national championship team of 1966 and specifi- cally on the 1010 tie with Michigan State, Hubbard recounts the game and the lives of many of the players and coaches behind the scenes, adding significantly to the debate over whether this is the greatest college football game ever played. Letters from My Sister: On Love, Life and Hair Removal. Eve Lederman with Faye Lederman. Squeeze the Stone Press. $12 paper (205p), ISBN 978-0-9753466-0-0 Amazon A collection of correspondence between sisters, one in Chicago, the other in New York, shares their offbeat urban escapades and musings while lovingly ridiculing every- one in their path over the course of a year. Insanity: Beyond Understanding. Bajeerao R. Patil. Eloquent Books. $17.50 paper (347p), ISBN 978-1-60976-098-4 www.bajeeraopatil.com; (610) 457 7640 Drug and alcohol counselor Patil describes the gripping yet brutal stories of his clients: entertaining, hilarious, insight- ful, sad, and thought-provoking. Patil explores how some are able to break the cycle of addiction while others cannot. The Tucson Trag- edy: Lessons from the Senseless Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords. John Newport. Out- skirts Press Inc. $16.95 paper (174p), ISBN 978-1-4327-7607-7 www.healingtucson.net Newport, a social activist, writer, and resi- dent of Tucson, presents a riveting account of the human side of the January 8, 2011, shoot- ing of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others, the aftermath, and lessons to be learned. Turning It Around: Redirectional Therapy. Sidney M. Rosen, M.S.W., Ph.D., and Deb- orah L.K. Spencer-Chun, M.S.W. Vantage Press. $18.95 paper (217p), ISBN 978-0- 533-16490-5 Amazon Adult Friends of Youth, in Honolulu, works with gang members and at-risk youth to reduce substance abuse and violence. Two staff members of AFY describe their suc- cessful program, the principles underlying S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 41 it, and how it has helped change the behav- iors of 30 gangs. Shoestring Reporter: How I Got to Be a Big City Reporter. Joel Thurtell. Hardalee Press. $25 paper (227p), ISBN 978-0-9759969-3-5 Amazon; joelontheroad.com Thurtell has been a newspaper reporter for more than 30 years and taught journal- ism, yet he never went to J School. He dem- onstrates how any literate person, with hard work and street smarts, can be a professional reporter without paying for a college jour- nalism degree. Respecting Autism: The Rebecca Schools DIR Casebook for Parents and Professionals. Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D., and Gil Tippy, Psy.D. Vantage Press. $19.95 paper (228p), ISBN 978-0-533-16454-7 Amazon The Rebecca School for autistic children in Manhattan uses the DIR program devel- oped by Dr. Greenspan, focused on develop- mental levels, the uniqueness of individual children, and relationships. This casebook, by Greenspan and the schools clinical direc- tor, describes how the school came into exis- tence and how its program works. PHILOSOPHY Homage to Stretcher Bearer. Gideon Tolkowsky. Inkwater Press. $20.95 paper (258p), ISBN 978-1-59299-457-1 inkwaterbooks.com; Amazon The books subtitle, The Human Oscillation Between Two Sensations of Oneness, refers to two feelings, one Eastern, the other Western. The author, founder of a ven- ture capital firm, claims that both perceptions, oneness in a whole and intellectual individualism, are essential for our complete humanity. POETRY 142 Short Stories...as Poems That Inspire, Entertain and Enlighten. Dr. Ed Pahl. Vantage Press. $23.95 hard- cover (304p), ISBN 978-0-533-16422-6 Amazon Inspired by his own ordinary and extraor- dinary life experiences, Pahl strives to convey a wide range of emotions in a compilation of witty, insightful, and sometimes nostalgic verse. Alone: For All Those Who Grieve. W.F. (Bill) Cento. Tasora Books. $14.95 paper (104p), ISBN 978-1-934690-49-9 Amazon; (800) 901-3480, ext. 118 Newspaper editor Cento cared for his wife, who had Alzheimers. In this collec- tion of poems and prose, he lucidly pres- ents the stages of coping with the strain of caregiving, and the grief and healing after a loved one dies. Mosaics of Understanding: Poems. E. Milton Scott. Vantage Press. $22.95 hard- cover (280p), ISBN 978-0-533-16418-9 Amazon Scott writes of his third book of poetry May you share with me these poems and gain thoughts and ideas which may be consid- ered, not to convince or influence, but rather, for meditation, as I have used it. Sirens Song: Livre dArtiste Facsimile. Elisabeth Stevens. BrickHouse Books. $18 paper (85p), ISBN 978-1-935916-03-1 Itascabooks.com This collection of 48 erotic and imaginative poems and 13 original copperplate etchings is a facsimile of the original artwork published in a limited edition of 20 by Stevens, who has published several works of fiction and poetry as well as art catalogues and monographs. The Brewing Storm: An Erotic Poetic Storytelling. Catrilia Watson. Lulu.com. $15 paper (234p), ISBN 978-0-557-66211-1 Amazon; Lulu.com A collection of individual erotic poems about a woman torn between two lovers as she discovers unabashed love while uncovering the pas- sionate nature of her soul. POLITICAL SCIENCE The Managed Healthcare Industry: A Market Failure. J a c k Cha r l e s Sc hoe nhol t z , M. D. CreateSpace. $82.95 paper (495p), ISBN 978-1-4392-8061-4 Amazon; BN.com A clinical professor of psychiatry and behav- ioral sciences at New York Medical College takes a comprehen- sive look at Americas healthcare crisis. His extensi ve research- based account of the complex present-day American healthcare system diagnoses the systemic problems and presents an effective course of treatment in his call for adequate health care for all. Adamant Aggressors: How to Recognize and Deal with Them. Bruce D. Thatcher. Xlibris. $19.99 paper (353p), ISBN 978-1-4628-9193-1 Xlibris; (888) 795-4274 A business executive takes a business case-study approach to several historical fig- ures he identifies as having obsessions with power and inflexible goals with the intent of illustrating the benefits of this approach in dealing with foreign policy and possible threats to America today. RELIGION Blind Faith? J. Mark Gibson. Vantage Press. $8.95 paper (39p), ISBN 978-0-533-16262-8 Amazon Gibson reviews Bi bl e transl ati ons from the King James a nd Ne w Li v i ng Transl ati on to the Ampl i f i e d Bi bl e ( AMP) , e xa mi ne s their discrepancies and rami f i cati ons, S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 42 and formulates a concordance based on contextual clarity. He addresses such questions as what is the name of God; what is the meaning of the cross; and how to conduct an active inner conversation with the Divinity. Who Is God and Who Are You? Steven Towers. Vantage Press. $15.95 paper (268p), ISBN 978-0-533-16392-2 Amazon In his efforts to spread the good news about God and Mother Nature, former steelworker Towers offers a new book of spiritual awaken- ing as he attempts to explain who God is and who we are. Godmine: A Memoir of Costly Obedi- ence to God Told Through My Poems, Lyrics and Thoughts. Elizabeth Christopher. Elizabeth Chris- topher. $14.99 paper (95p), ISBN 978-0- 9711976-5-7 www.godmine-online.com; Amazon A compilation of original poems, lyr- ics, and thoughts reflecting a three-year journey with the lord. SCIENCE Love, Sex, and Mush- rooms. Cardy Raper. Cardy Raper. $18.95 paper (254p), ISBN 978-0- 615-43440-7 Amazon; Barnes & Noble Rapers memoir delineates a convoluted life balancing wifehood and motherhood with a career in the male-dominated profession of molecular biology during the 20th century. Politics As If Evolution Mattered: Darwin, Ecology & Social Justice. Lorna Salzman. iUniverse. $9.95 paper (78p), ISBN 978-1-4620-3475-8 iUniverse Salzman, an environmentalist and activ- ist, gathers authoritative information on the intersection of evolution with human social and political systems to illustrate how human decisions have harmed the environment, and how that process can be reversed. SELF-HELP Letters to a Prisoner: A Survivor Speaks Out. Connie D. Create Space. $12.95 paper (100p), ISBN 978-1-4564-0536-6 Amazon The mother of a meth addict son in prison offers poems and letters as she learns to confront the demons of addiction and stop being an enabler. Alpha Chick: Five Steps for Moving from Pain to Power. Mal Duane. Alpha Chick Press. $16.95 paper (304p), ISBN 978-0- 9834129-0-8 Amazon; alphachick.com Through revealing her own success over- coming alcoholism, Duane offers a model and roadmap to happiness, success, and fulfillment by sharing her own story and promoting a five-step process. Get a Life After College: A Starter Kit for Life on Your Own. Marilyn McGreen Hotz. Xlibris. $15.99 paper (93p), ISBN 978-1-4653-4004-7 Amazon; marilynhotz.com Plenty of books tell you how to get into college. This one tells you how to get into life after college, including how to find a great place to live, furnish on a tight budget, cook like a pro, save and spend wisely, and most important, enjoy your own company. Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It: Your Ultimate Guide to Effortless Style. Natalie Jobity. lan Image Manage- ment. $18.95 paper (236p), ISBN 978-0- 9829297-0-4 Amazon; www.elanimagemanagement.com The president of lan Image Management guides readers in developing their authen- tic style and image to achieve their goals, whether at work or play, with help in filling their closets with the right accessories, choosing colors, and dressing for their body type. Making the Moment Meaningful: Creat- ing a Path to Purpose and Fulfillment. Dana LaMon. ImageWorth. $19.95 paper (226p), ISBN 978-0-9656633-1-1 www.danalamon.com A blind African-American retired judge in California, now a motivational speaker and Toastmasters International world champion of public speaking, shares inspi- rational stories and practical advice to lead readers to a life of purpose and meaning. 55+ Unite! Welcome All Wise Working Women. Georgian Lussier. CreateSpace. $11.99 paper (136p), ISBN 978-1-4664-1112-8 Amazon; hrhelp.squarespace.com A human resources consultant for many years urges women 55 and older who want, or need, to work, to celebrate their midlife strengths through sharing resources, net- working, remembering their achievements, and relying on friends. Living Life Dying Death: A Guide to Healthy Conversations. Jennifer Collins Taylor. MyRehab LLC. $19.99 hardcover (64p), ISBN 978-0- 9679887-9-5 www.livinglifedyingdeath.com This Next Generation Indie Book Award winner by a hospice social worker and speaker is a call to action to find the courage, comfort, and confidence to have conversations about death and dying. Taylors overarching message is that we embrace living well and dying well. SOCIAL SCIENCE The Digitally Divided Self: Relinquish- ing Our Awareness to the Internet. Ivo Quartiroli. Silens. $17.90 paper (274p), ISBN 978-88-97233-00-8 Amazon; www.indranet.org An Italian programmer and publisher of books on technology and spirituality explores the intersection of media studies, psychology, and spiritual- ity to elucidate how we lose human experience and inner exploration as we suc- cumb to obsessions with the Internets incessant flow of information. S E L F - P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S Reviews WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 43 Fiction A Better Man Audrey Lynn. Audrey Lynn, $17.95 trade paper (404p) ISBN 978-0-615-44968-5 Lynns debut proves an intense, emo- tional, and stunning exploration into the psychological horrors of war. After the de- cade-long Soviet war with Afghanistan, Vladimir Verstakov returns to the U.S.S.R., the sole survivor of a convoy at- tack. His memories are vivid and painful, and the slightest sound can trigger a flashback. Skillfully weaving Vladimirs memories into the narrative, Lynn enables readers to go through the pain Vladimir feels on a daily basis. His loving wife, Vhanna, fears for both her husband and herself, as his violent outbursts begin to drastically alter their lives. After speaking to another veteran, Vladimir becomes fix- ated on finding an Iskra: a purpose in life or something to believe in. Lynn me- ticulously unravels the raw emotions of post-traumatic stress disorder and the massive destruction war inflicts not only on soldiers but also on their family and friends. Vladimir and Vhanna are sympa- thetic, true-to-life, well-crafted charac- ters. And Lynn does a spectacular job cre- ating a novel to which all readers will be able to relate. The Arranger L.J. Sellers. Spellbinder Press (www.ljsellers. com), $13.99 trade paper (264p) ISBN 978-0- 9832138-5-7 Set in 2023, this middling stand-alone futuristic thriller from Sellers (Dying for Justice) paints an America in which eco- nomic woes are wedded to reality televi- sion via the Gauntlet: a contest in which representatives from all 50 states compete for prize money by undertaking a series of physical and mental tasks. Before repre- senting Oregon in the Gauntlet, cop- turned-paramedic Lara Evans treats a gunshot victim who turns out to be federal employment commis- sioner Thaddeus Mor- ton. The mystery of his assailants identity is back-burnered for much of the book, as Sellers alternates be- tween Evanss quest for victory and the machinations of sleazy software engineer Paul Madsen, who hopes to parlay his ac- cess to personnel databases into bribes. Despite the books fascinating premise, Sellers fails to deliver much originality. The contests in the Gauntlet arent par- ticularly imaginative; none of the plot twists are compelling; and readers will find maintaining interest an ongoing, and ultimately unsuccessful, struggle. The Case of the Missing Cobras Kathy Kaye. CreateSpace (www.createspace. com), $16.50 trade paper (452p) ISBN 978-1-4537-2506-1 A former managing editor at the American Medical Association, Kaye does a superior job of making illegal traffick- ing in venomous snakes an intriguing premise in this solid contemporary thrill- er. The mysterious decimation of wild king cobras in Thai- land leads that coun- trys prime minister to believe that unscrupu- lous American collec- tors have played a large part in smuggling out the valuable rep- tiles. That in turn, leads the special opera- tions unit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to launch an undercover opera- tion. A young and untested agent, Johnny Lee, is sent to infiltrate a community of collectors in Virginia, despite her lack of experience with snakes. Lee proves will- ing to go beyond the playbook to main- tain her cover, in a manner that the au- thor renders plausible. But the stakes get raised when one of her targets is killed by his venomous specimens. Making the chapters fly by despite the books length is an achievement, as is Kayes willingness to respect her audiences intelligence by not wrapping up everything neatly or making obvious plot choices. The Color of Heaven Julianne MacLean as E.V. Mitchell. Blue Ocean (www.blueoceanpublishing.biz), $13.99 trade paper (314p) ISBN 978-0- 9868422-2-1 Sophie Duncan leads a charmed exis- tence: loving husband Michael, great ca- reer, and beautiful daughter, Megan. But all of that comes to a halt when her little daughter is diagnosed with leukemia. Michael becomes distant as their daughters illness progresses and, after Megan dies, reveals he has been hav- ing an affair with a younger woman who is pregnant with his child. Sophie is dev- astated and her depression results in a ter- rible car accident. As she lies dying, So- phie has a spiritual experience: she meets her mother, whom she always thought abandoned her, and comes to terms with her family history. Awakening from her coma recommitted to life, Sophie discov- ers her high school sweetheart waiting for her in the hospital room. They marry, have a little boy, and live happily ever af- ter. MacLean (writing under the pen name Mitchell) has a deal of experience writing romance novels and that sensibility is ap- parent on every page. There is a great deal of epic love, crushing emotions, and, sad- ly, simplistic resolutions. Mitchell knows her audience and her craft, and she han- dles both well, but with a lack of imagi- nation. Destined: A Novel of the Tarot Gail Cleare. CreateSpace (www.createspace. com), $12 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-1- 4610-0776-0 Each chapter of this unassuming novel is illustrated with a card from the tarot, and the contents of each section are loose- ly related to the meaning of the corre- sponding card. Cleares narrative follows Emily, a young woman on a path of self- realization and awakening. She quits her unpleasant art gallery job and begins working at a mysterious rare-book store, whose owner, the eccentric Mr. Paradis, encourages her to explore her own psychic powers. Emily makes a new group of fe- male friends in the neighborhood and meets a tall, dark and very handsome stranger, with whom romance seems sure to bloom. The story is a little slow mov- ing, and there isnt much in the way of conflict; nevertheless, the novel is well plotted. Readers already interested in the tarot and its uses for divination will enjoy Cleares serious meditations on the mean- P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 44 ings of the cards, and the way the tarot plays out in Emilys life. Whats more, Cleare offers a little bit of self-help and a little bit of chick lit, pack- aged together with a positive, make-your- own-destiny message: a pleasant, comfort- ing read. Fire in the Henhouse Frances Grote. Rule Bender Press (www.rule- benderpress.com), $19.95 trade paper (474p) ISBN 978-0-9833341-0-1 In Grotes debu t, widowed New Yorker Maggiewith her teen son in towrelo- cates to her hometown of Dooleysburg, Pa., a move that triggers memories of abuse and mental illness. Amid encoun- ters with frequently winsome characters (an Irish nanny, a com- parative anthropology professor, a local deli owner, and the police chief), Maggie discov- ers the extent to which she has excluded people from her life, while an act of public violence causes simpler problems to shrink in im- portance. Fans of large casts replete with eccentric and memorable locals will ap- preciate Grotes novel with its overlap- ping subplots, the strongest of which em- phasize the importance of forgiveness and embracing the flaws of others. Clever banter and a flair for over-the-top scenari- os compensate for occasionally melodra- matic confrontations and rapid emotional denouements. A novel brewing with ten- sion, lightened by warm humor. The Grand Mirage Darrell Delamaide. Barnaby Woods Books (www.barnabywoodsbooks.com), $13.99 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-0-9839958-0-7 In the early 1900s, scholar and Orien- talist Lord Richard Leighton is enlisted by the British government to travel to the Ottoman Empire and investigate Germanys involvement in the construction of a rail- road. Almost immedi- ately, Leightonwho partners with Ameri- can spy William Mor- risonis caught be- tween a number of factions: Germans in- tent on preserving the secret military pur- pose of the railroad; bankers who want the railroad to bring trade to the region; the Turks running the Ottoman Empire; Arabs who want independence from the Ottomans; and the Armenians who have been subjugated by the Turks. Delamaide provides a fascinating look at a little-ex- amined period: the Great Game period before WWI. Leighton and Morrison are unlikely heroes (neither is particularly physically imposing or possessed of mili- tary prowess), and this makes them all the more likable. However, the novels plot is needlessly complicated, and the twists and turns sometimes make very little sense. Readers will find this interesting, but not particularly memorable. Hunt of the Sea Wolves John E. Chadwell. CreateSpace (www.cre- atespace.com), $10.99 trade paper (248p) ISBN 978-1-4637-6687-0 When terrorists commandeer a vessel shipping spent nuclear material, four brothers launch separate attacks against the West. After a cruise ship is destroyed by a nuclear weapon, the Department of Homeland Security puts together a team to stop the remaining three brothers. Chadwells debutwith its abundance of brutal but beautiful fight scenes and ex- cessive historical and political exposi- tionis hampered by a lack of coherence and an underdeveloped narrative arc. The author is unafraid to show death from the gritty perspective of the dying and, as a veteran of the U.S. Navy, his knowledge of the subject adds tremendous detail and creditability. However, Chadwell fails to produce nuanced characters, and his at- tempts to give them emotional depth come across as halfhearted and read more like addendums. Unfortunately, the well- choreographed action sequences fail to ad- equately mask the barren emotional land- scape, indulgent exposition, and uncon- nected plot lines. Jane of the Jungle Jane Baskin. iUniverse (www.iuniverse.com), $16.95 trade paper (248p) ISBN 978-1-4620- 0292-4 In Baskins comic debut, Jane, a 60-year-old widow and former nurse, is offered $30,000 to fly a plane to Mexico with mobster and Air Force veteran John. To- gether the unlikely duo poses as a tourist couple and, in a time- honored twist, fall in love while completing their assignment. Gun- fights, turf rivalries, kidnapping, a ro- mantic interlude in Cozumel, and a faked death all combine with rapid-fire narra- tion to create an engaging yet sometimes meandering tale. Subplots about the ag- ing process, an encounter with a sentient Siberian tiger, and the impulsive purchase of a roadhouse complicate this novel of second chances and spiritual self-exami- nation. While scenes featuring a talking fox, a flying bus, and familiar character types (e.g., bumbling henchmen) often seem excessive, Baskin presents an enter- taining search for magic in the under- world that concludes with a spot-on as- sessment of peoples need to reconcile past lives with future promises. Jokers Club Gregory Bastianelli. JournalStone (www.jour- nalstone.com), $11.95 trade paper (202p) ISBN 978-1-936564-30-9 A failed writer reunites with a group of former childhood miscreants in order to clear his troubled conscience in this neat- ly sewn-up horror tale. Geoffrey Thorn, 30-something, single, employed at a textbook company, and newly diagnosed with a brain tumor, returns to the picturesque New Eng- land town of Malton for a gathering of the Jokers Club, a band of local boys who used to play pranks such as removing corpses from the cemetery and putting bubble bath in the municipal fountain. But when the boys were 12, they went too far, punishing a new mem- ber by locking him in an abandoned re- frigerator for the night. The results were lamentable, but no one ever discovered the truth. Now grown men, the groups members reconvene at a local inn and are picked off one by one by a murderer. Bas- tianelli does an excellent job of creating distinct identities for the former members of the Jokers Club. However, some of the R E V I E W S WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 45 books ominous details (e.g., Shadow Drive; a funeral director named Mr. Un- der) are merely corny. Overall, the work is as tidy as the town and as pat as a familiar horror film. Meeting the Business: Journal I Hollie Delaney. AuthorHouse (www.author- house.com), $25.99 (308p) ISBN 978-1-4567- 4511-0 Victoria Hamilton is satisfied with her life. She owns a successful real estate com- pany, and has a beautiful condo and chil- dren who are grown up and on their own. But without warning, a strange man begins ap- pearing everywhere she goes. Whether shes on the street or in the li- brary, Victoria sudden- ly sees a long-haired man mysteriously staring back at her. But when the man enlists Victoria to help him purchase a home worth millions, they be- comes caught up in a passionate affair. The truth behind the animal attraction is far more fantastic than the buttoned- down businesswoman could have imag- ined: the couple have been lovers for 700 years. In this debut novel, Delaney uses her knowledge of the real estate business to develop a well-plotted story. However, the book alternates often between scenes rooted in reality and scenes that depict an alternate reality, and while this juxtaposi- tion can be appreciated, it is also surpris- ing and often jarring. The novel would have benefited from more realism and less paranormality. Memoirs of a Eurasian Vivian Yang. CreateSpace (www.createspace. com), $15.95 trade paper (220p) ISBN 978-1- 4610-1341-9 In 1944, a young Chinese teenager falls in love with a Russian exile in Shanghai. She dies in childbirth, leaving an or- phaned girl, who in turn becomes pregnant as a teenager and gives birth to a daughter named Mo Mo. Even as a child, Mo Mo is en- trancing and exotic be- cause of her Russian heritage, but she is also mistrusted for the same reason. Mo Mo travels from Shanghai to Hong Kong and back again during and after the Cultural Revolution and through Chinas economic reforms, along the way grappling with both racial prejudice and a strained rela- tionship with her mother. This latest nov- el from Yang (Shanghai Girl) is an engag- ing exploration of a world unknown to most Westerners. Yang navigates Hong Kong and the insular Chinese world of Shanghai with equal ease, convincingly charting Mo Mos life from childhood to adolescence and adulthood. And while Mo Mo isnt always likable, she always of- fers a unique perspective. Readers will find this fascinating novel very enjoyable and readable. Murder in Vienna Irene Wittig. LuLu (www.lulu.com), $19.50 trade paper (214p) ISBN 978-1-105-09426-2 The authorsambitious scopethe book spans five decadesisnt matched by her execution in this unwieldy histori- cal novel with a few mystery elements. In the waning months of WWII, Polly Huber loses her two closest friends. First, Helene Grnbaum goes out to run an errand and never returns; shes abducted by someone driving a white car and found dead shortly afterward. Then Liese Hell- mann is killed in a train accident in the U.S. before she can return to Vienna and reunite with Huber. Tragedy continues to mark Hubers life, but Wittigs failure to imbue any of the characters with depth will make it hard for readers to feel for them. The action jumps abruptly from 1975 to 1988, but the lacuna makes no difference as the story wends it way slow- ly to revelations that most readers will an- ticipate. The opening section, depicting a devastated Austria trying to recover from the Nazi regime, presents a different per- spective than is usually portrayed, and had the story been set there, the book would have been greatly improved. My Sweet Saga Brett Sills. Admiral J Press (www.admiralj- press.com), $16 trade paper (462p) ISBN 978- 0-615-53213-4 In Sillss novel, 30-year- old Brandon is unfulfilled and stuck in both a dead-end job and a dead-end relation- ship with Clarissa, whom he seems to hate. Clarissa may have a hot rack, a successful career, and a tendency to put up with Brandons worst behavior, but she is also, the reader is told, a moron: she lets her Prius run out of gas, doesnt know who Anton Chekhov is, and doesnt un- derstand Mad Men. Readers will find it difficult to empathize withor even like Brandon, particularly when he consents to marry Clarissa only af- ter she agrees (finally!) to have anal sex with him. Despite these shortcomings, the nov- el is occasionally funny, with some bad taste, offensive language, and many pairs of pert breasts thrown in for good mea- sure. In the end, though, its the narrators way with words that is sure to stay with the reader, e.g.,the girl seemed icy cold and I figured shed be hard to handle, like an Otter Pop on a cool summer night. Out, Out Kim MacQueen. Jungo (www.jungobooks. wordpress.com), $15 trade paper (214p) ISBN 978-0-615-48182-1 The narrator of MacQueens burbling, unorthodox love story, new mother Deb Soloman, is overwhelmed with life at home and ambivalent about her husband. So she takes an administrative job at the Southern University Primate Language Lab, where she falls for Dr. Soraya Baldwin-Ruhl. However, its not long before Deb finds her smoldering feelings for Soraya affecting her personal life. Mean- while, Soraya is becoming increasingly obsessed with her work and unable to un- derstand the dangers of ape escapes and attacksnot infrequent occurrences at the lab. As the project takes a turn for the worse, Deb finds her life spiraling out of control. MacQueens past-tense narrative robs this novel of some of its dramatic po- tential. However, Soraya is drawn with R E V I E W S P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 46 strong, ferocious strokes, and the details surrounding the primate lab are compelling and authentic. Overall, this novel is definitely worth a read. Photo Shoot: A Will Porter Mystery Louis Barth. Vantage (www.vantagepress. com), $14.95 trade paperback (264p) ISBN 978-0-533-16397-7 When ex-crime scene photographer Will Porter is asked to shoot a wedding, hes enticed by the large commission and takes the job. Howev- er, Will soon discovers that this isnt a typical ceremony: Joey, the groom, is the son of a Brooklyn, N.Y., mob boss, and Laura Lee, the bride, is the heir to a Southern fortune. Neither family sup- ports the marriage, and hits have been or- dered against both bride and groom. Barths characters are pure stereotypes: the well-armed men are stupidly violent and the women are sex objects. When first meeting the bride and maid of honor, Will remarks, I consider Gina built for comfort, Laura Lee was definitely built for speed. Lily, a sexually precocious teenag- er, was molested by her father when she was 11, but her family explains that she enjoyed it and blame her for the nearly constant aggressive male attention she re- ceives. Despite Will being a self-de- scribed pudgy, balding 60-year-old, young, attractive women throw them- selves at him. Barths novel is at best a dull mystery and at worst offensive and distasteful. The Prospect of My Arrival Dwight Okita. CreateSpace (www.createspace. com), $14.95 trade paper (277p) ISBN 978-1- 4609-5989-3 Prospect, so named, he tells us, because people have high hopes for me, has a lot on his young shoulders. As the embryonic star of the Pre-born Proj- ect, a scientific ven- ture funded by Big Farm Technologies, he has three weeks to pre- view the world before deciding if he wants to be born. To help in his decision, Prospect gets to meet five people: his mother; a happy person; someone who wishes he were never born; etc. Despite his in-embryo tutoring from the Cyber- Savant, Prospect (incarnated on Earth in a borrowed 20-year-old body) is a naf, and much of the book consists of people explaining things to him: the project, adoption, empathy, the wonder that is coffee, the wonder that is sex, the com- plexities of love. For real-world readers, many of these narratives are less than new. Meanwhile, everyone Prospect meets has an agendaand Okita, busily planting all kinds of improbable scenarios and life lessons in Prospects path, is, unfortunate- ly, no exception. At the end, when Pros- pect makes his decision, its hard to care; hes sweet, but his pre-born experience seems a little too prefab. Public Information Rolf Margenau. Frogworks (www.frogworks. com), $25 trade paper (378p) ISBN 978-1- 4581-7478-9 Wylie Cypher is a young man who joins the army during the Korean War, intent on becoming a Russian translator and avoiding combat. However, as he proves to be a superior marks- man, Wylie gets sent to Korea. Once there, he catches a lucky break and becomes a journal- ist, writing mostly col- or pieces: propaganda to give comfort to the soldiers and their fami- lies at home. While in Korea, Wylie falls in love with a young American, Amelia, who is doing work at an orphanage. How- ever, she dies in a fire, and Wylie returns home, sadder and wiser. Margenau clearly has some experience of the Korean War, for the sense of place he creates is strong and true. He also ably fleshes out his support- ing characters and brings the disparate ele- ments of his plot to a satisfactory conclu- sion. However, surprisingly little happens to Wylie in this war novel: hes a marks- man who hardly sees battle and a journalist who never confronts difficult truths. And while this may be an accurate depiction of life inside Korea after the armistice, it doesnt make for a compelling read. Rain Leigh K. Cunningham. Vivante Publishing (www.leighkcunningham.com), $12.95 trade paper (316p) ISBN 978-981-08-8280-8 The Wallins are a wealthy and influen- tial family in the small Australian town of Maine. After eldest daughter Helena mar- ries Michael Baden, a local boy from the wrong side of the tracks, things begin to go poorly for the Wallin family. The mill that is their livelihood burns down in a fire; the insurance that should have pro- tected them was never mailed; and the family loses everything. This tragedy is followed by more sorrow: death, demen- tia, adultery, drug use, more death, rape, and cancer. Cunninghams sprawling epic covers four decades and three generations. However, the books many characters nev- er prove particularly interesting. Horrible things happen to them, but they dont rise to the occasion or even fail in dramat- ic ways. Cunninghams prose is also un- necessarily flowery and descriptive, quali- ties that dont mesh with the starkness of her narrative. Overall, this is a slow slog of a tale, and readers will wonder why they bothered. Red Right Return: A Buck Reilly Adventure John H. Cunningham. Wheatmark (www. wheatmark.com), $15.95 trade paper (316p) ISBN 978-1-60494-704-5 Cunninghams winning debut, a mod- ern-day thriller with a Key West hero, will make readers welcome the prospect of additional Buck Reilly adventures. Reilly has come down in the world since the failure of e-Antiquity, his Internet auction site; instead of gracing the cover of the Wall Street Journal, he now strug- gles to run his new business, Last Resort Charter and Salvage. His relatively sedate life is unexpectedly upended after he gets $500 to deliver an attractive woman to a ship at sea. Hes then hired to locate three missing members of a church delegation en route to Cuba, who were lost at sea in a storm earlier that day. The writing is crisp and punchy, making this suitable for a one-sitting read. Cunningham flavors the pot with stolen treasure maps, Sante- ria, and run-ins with the FBI. The satisfy- ing ending demonstrates that Cunning- ham knows how to keep track of all the balls hes thrown in the air. R E V I E W S WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 47 Safely Buried John Pesta. CreateSpace (www.create space. com), $15.95 trade paper (388p) ISBN 978-1- 4563-4447-4 Smalltown newspaper editor Phil Lar- rison picks up a hitchhiker and agrees to drive to her friends house, where they soon find a pair of corpses rotting in a bathroom. This discovery leads Phil to launch an investigation that reveals a larger mystery with higher stakes and far-reaching implications. Pesta moves his plot forward adeptly, if slowly, and the books final reve- lation is a surprise. However, the au- thors characters particularly Larri- sonare unconvinc- ing and hampered by unbelievable dia- logue and incongruous actions. But what truly sinks this mystery is Pestas prose, e.g., My stomach, intestines, pancreas and gall bladder felt squashed from sit- ting at the desk; My eyes felt stiff, like dried-out meringue. Perhaps Pesta was aiming to create a hard-boiled hero, but, as with the rest of his endeavor, he was not successful. Search Jan Widgery. Mystery Bay Press (www.mystery- baypress.com), $19.50 trade paper (260p) ISBN 978-1-257-93970-1 After the death of her foster mother, Chris McMannknown as Judy Viereck in her childhoodbegins to search for the mother she lost when she was kid- napped by her abusive father as a young child, in Widgerys latest. Alternating be- tween Chriss present search for her family and reminiscences about her troubled childhood, the books tone shifts awk- wardly between the stark and the melo- dramatic. Additionally, the relationship that adult Chriswho fails to grow emo- tionally throughout the novelbegins with Jim Hochstedder is stilted, forced, and develops far too quickly, given that Chris, in the name of self-preservation, has always eschewed intimacy. Widgery makes a show of dealing with childhood trauma and sexual abuse without truly in- vestigating the depth or intricacies of ei- ther. The Shadow of the Staff: A Wiz- ards Revenge M.A. Haddad. Vantage (www.vantagepress. com), $13.95 trade paper (280p) ISBN 978-0- 533-16111-9 A grammatical catastrophe, Haddads underdeveloped and monotonous debut borrows heavily from Tolkien, creating a cast of characters reminiscent of the deni- zens of Middle Earthbut lacking any real depth and sharing an awkward voice: It is like I am beginning a new chapter in my life and that a great adventure awaits me; A warrior you are; etc. When Burton Brew, the hobbit-like pro- tagonist, is taken to the Elf city of Fal- lquint to celebrate his ancestors role in the defeat of evil wizard Porttia hundreds of years earlier, his life changes. An army of Orcs is again terrorizing the land, and its up to Burton to use the mysterious powers and battle skills he suddenly de- velops to deliver a message from Elf king Mindeloria to the dwarves of the Mystic Mountains, urging them to abandon their homes and join the battle. Haddads over- ly simplistic prose relies heavily on clich while offering minimal descriptions of characters and setting. Tree Soldier J.L. Oakley. CreateSpace (www.createspace. com), $15 trade paper (368p) ISBN 978-1- 4538-9647-1 This vigorously researched historical novel set during the Great Depression tracks the life of the leader of a Civilian Conservation Corps group working in the forests of Washington State. John Park Hardesty heads a motley band of teens thrust into road and construction work. But unlike his crew, Hardesty, while college educated, is fairly familiar with hard work. Breaking in his squad at Camp Kulshan, Hardesty must also con- front his past while falling for the fetch- ing, independent-minded local natural- ist Kate Alford, with whomafter she saves his life in the foresthe shares his shameful family se- cret: after a terrible ar- gument with his brother that resulted in a car accident, Hardesty was cast out of his family by his fa- ther. Oakley constructs this rugged romance with tre- mendous care, fully develop- ing its characters, particu- larly the honorable Hardesty, and build- ing moments of tension in an engaging and entertaining novel. You Dont Die of Love: Stories Thomas Thonson. Exterminating Angel (www. createspace.com), $11.99 trade paper (254p) ISBN 978-1-4609-2874-5 Ten loosely interconnected shorts by screenwriter Thonson reveal the insular, sordid, and somewhat touching world of Hollywood, its insiders, and those who prey on them. In Western, former mov- ie star cowboy Lee Rockwell, now the owner of a successful clothing store, re- turns to the scene of an earlier scandal in the Hollywood Hills after his erstwhile lover, Harry Dare, dies suspiciously. In the title story, Nick and Nora Dare, Har- rys estranged children, plan a memorial party in their fathers honor, despite their mothers affair with a neighbor and other shenanigans. With edgy humor, Thonson also explores film noir in Two Noirs, tracking the transformation of a police detective into a budding writer via the love of his dancing instructor, and science fiction in Clips, in which the pool man serves as a kind of nutty grim reaper who foretells the death of his client. Dark, pointed details and heavy atmosphere haunt these engaging tales. Nonfiction Baghdad ER: Fifteen Minutes Todd Baker. Gray Fox Publishing (www.bagh- dader.squarespace.com), $15 trade paper (376p) ISBN 978-0-578-06992-0 Between 2007 and 2009, Baker spent 15 months in Iraq as part of the emergen- cy medical team at the U.S. Armys 86th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, and this important memoir is a moving look at his experiences saving Americans and Iraqis alike with double lower-extremi- ty amputations and other devastating in- juries. Although de- scriptions of his train- ing are slow going, R E V I E W S P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 2 48 once Baker gets to Baghdad he delivers a riveting and de- tailed account of emergency room life during wartime. If anything, Bakers account is too detailed, with hundreds of pages of trauma, includ- ing an American soldier whose foot is blown off in a blast that pushes his tibia down through the bottom of his boot after ripping all the flesh from it, and an ac- count of another soldier burned beyond all recognition. And while Baker worries that he may have become addicted to the emotional roller coaster ride of life and death in the ER, he never once loses sight of his mission: to help the soldiers who had done their part to win this war with unbelievable professionalism, compassion, resiliency, and an unstoppable will. Bowls Out Goes In: Every Man for Himself Gil Trott, Vantage (www.vantagepress.com), $10.95 (158p) ISBN 978-0-533-16002-0 First-time author Trott announces in the prologue that this is a book of mem- ories detailing his life growing up in Bermuda in the 1930s and 40s; his move to America and service in the all-black Third Battalion of the 505th Airborne In- fantry Regiment in the early 1950s; his move back to Bermuda, where he ran a popular nightclub; and his work in cor- porate America in the early 70s. In each phase of his life, Trott experiences rac- ismand at its midpoint, his book shifts from straight memoir to a discourse on the nature and state of race relations. The books title refers to a variation on the game of cricket that Trott played, in which there are no teams and each player competes for the cricket ball or bat. Un- fortunately, while offering a few insights, the latter half of the book is unfocused and often presents over-the-top assertions, e.g., Both Blacks and Whites are being manipulated by a few insane, greedy, dev- il worshippers who call themselves Chris- tians and Everything the White Man does is geared towards creating division among others. Living Life Dying Death: A Guide to Healthy Conversations About Death and Dying to Inspire Life and Living Jennifer Collins Taylor. MyRehab (www.liv- inglifedyingdeath.com), $19.99 (64p) ISBN 978-0-9679887-9-5 Taylor, a social worker specializing in hospice care, shares more than 30 years of experiences confronting death in this slim book offering short conversation starters on several topics related to death and griev- ing: compassion, euphemisms, imperma- nence, nonjudg- ment, and sadness. Many of these al- most poem-like dis- cussion starters end with questions to encourage dialogue, e.g., What do you hope for in life and death? and What would be left unsaid or undone if you died unexpectedly? Others give more practical advice, such as that people who are dying often eat less or lose their appetites. While Taylor supports hav- ing conversations about spirituality, her advice and ideas do not favor any specific religious belief. The book also includes il- lustrations by Anthony Taylor in the intro- duction. Although this may not be a com- prehensive guide to death and dying, Tay- lor certainly accomplishes her goal of giv- ing readers the courage to start a conversa- tion about living and dying when coping with health problems or grief. Lone Holdout: A Memoir Linda Cox. Charles Street (charlesstreetpress. com), $15 trade paper (266p) ISBN 978-0- 9843733-0-7 In this compelling debut memoir, Cox, a former Boston bookseller, recounts her controversial role as the holdout jury member during what became a high-pro- file drug trial. In 1988, a young Hispanic man named Carlos Montilla was accused of cocaine trafficking. At his trial, police officer Albert LaFontaine, provided dam- aging testimony, but his own partner con- tradicted his statements. With the other jurors arguing for a guilty verdict, Cox displaying courage and a strong sense of justicemaintained that LaFontaine was lying and argued against conviction. After two days of tense deliberations, Cox re- fused to change her vote and a mistrial was declared. But when Montillas second trial (with a different jury) ended in a con- viction and prison sentence, Cox contin- ued to fight for the young mans freedom, eventually helping him win the right to a third trial. This account of the flawed American criminal justice system is a sad, moving, and scary account that readers will find both inspiring and important. Looking Up: A Memoir of Sis- ters, Survivors and Skokie Linda Pressman. CreateSpace (www.cre- atespace.com), $15 trade paper (348p) ISBN 978-1-4564-7068-5 In this flawed but intriguing family memoir, Pressman describes growing up as the sixth of seven sisters born to Holo- caust survivors living in Skokie, Ill., after WWII. Pressman is clearly a writer with a good ear for dialogue, but her coming-of- age stories about everyday life with her sistersnone of whom prove to be engag- ing charactersduring the 1960s and 1970s are far less interesting than her memories of her parents. It is their sto- riesher mother spent the bulk of WWII hiding from the Nazis with her family in the woods of Lithuania, while her father was in Siberiathat readers will find riveting. Ad- ditionally, it is diffi- cult to pin down Pressmans attitude toward her parents. In the end, it appears she resents the choices they made in Skokie despite their strug- glesand this diminishes the power of her story. Nonetheless, Pressman is a tal- ented writer and this book is a testament to her parents truly indomitable will. Respecting Autism: The Rebecca School DIR Casebook for Parents and Professionals Stanley I. Greenspan and Gil Tippy. Vantage (www.vantagepress.com), $19.95 trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-0-533-16454-7 In this useful volume, Tippyclinical director at New Yorks Rebecca School, a therapeutic institute in Manhattan for children with special needsand Greens- pan, who, when he died last year, left a legacy of pioneering work with autistic children. profile 16 students on the au- tism spectrum, describing their rocky his- tories in the medical and special educa- tion systems, the concerns and fears of their parents, and the ways in which the Rebecca Schools transdisciplinary ap- proach helped them reach developmental R E V I E W S WWW. P U B L I S H E R S WE E K LY. C O M 49 milestones: attention, communication, problem solving, comparative thinking, etc. As he did as a consultant to the Re- becca School, Greenspan makes recom- mendations to amplify successes and push through limitations. Parents of children who respond poorly to therapy systems based on memory and behavior, will be rallied by Tippys stories, while educators will be roused by his critique of evi- dence-based systems of rewards and pun- ishments that dehumanize autistic chil- dren whose core deficits, Tippy says, can best be addressed through respectful rela- tionships. Anyone working with autistic children will find surprising insights and effective tools in this practical yet deeply empathetic volume. Turning It Around: Redirectional Therapy Sidney M. Rosen and Deborah L.K. Spencer- Chun. Vantage (www.vantagepress.com), $18.95 trade paper (230p) ISBN 978-0-533- 16490-5 Initially created in 1985 by a federal grant to the University of Hawaii School of Social Work, the group now known as Adult Friends for Youth (AFY) has grown from a volunteer mentoring program into a private nonprofit corporation that sends trained professionals into low-income neighborhoods in Hawaii to work directly with gang members. In this valuable book, AFY founder and president emeri- tus Rosen and president and CEO Spen- cer-Chun describe the organizations sig- nature redirectional therapy, which they credit with helping dangerous youths lead productive lives. The authors support their claims with numerous case studies that demonstrate of the successful work being done by AFY. Particularly useful is a section on conducting successful media- tion between gangs and teaching gang members how to solve their differences nonviolently. While this effort lacks the immediacy of Gruwells catalyzing The Freedom Writers Diary, which tells of the authors experiences with high school stu- dents in Long Beach, Calif., the stories collected by Rosen and Spencer-Chun at- test to the power of respectful, therapeu- tic intervention to rehabilitate a popula- tion that has been stigmatized by educa- tors, mental health professionals, and the legal system as hopeless. Childrens Books Picture Books Martin Mixed-Up at the Beach Jess Golden Linehan. Salty Pond (www.jess goldenlinehan.com), $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978- 0-615-45705-5 Linehans understated yet expressive pictures make the most of a straightfor- ward story of sibling interactions in this spunky paper-over-board book. At the beach, Martin, a gray mouse, is reading a book when his baby sisters crying shat- ters the peace. Martin dutifully does ev- erything he can think of to cheer her upincluding snuggling and tickling her, trying to make her laugh, and rock- ing her in an inner tubeall to no avail. Linehans bare-bones prose is punchy and effectively repetitive: Maybe she wanted to play. She did not want to play. Maybe she wanted to sing. She did not want to sing. The visual humor in Linehans loosely rendered cartoons gives the prose a deadpan quality, as she conveys the dis- gruntled childs obstinacy through her animated body language and facial ex- pressions (think lots of flailing and howl- ing). The repeated dismissals of Martins attempts to placate his sister invite chim- ing in (Bottle? No. Cracker? No), and the large type and limited vocabulary will bolster beginning readers confidence. While Martin never figures out what his sister wants on his own, she makes it clear in the end. Ages 36. What Do You Suppose? Nora Leone, illus. by Kara Leone. Higher Ground (www.highergroundpress.com/ index.html), $13.99 paper (32p) ISBN 978-0- 9766062-6-0 This debut from a mother-daughter team jubilantly imagines what kinds of clothes different types of animals might wear. Most of the rhymes have a pleasing, easy cadence, though they are inconsistent in their meter and sometimes have to stretch to make the rhymes work: Chick- ens who scratch in the dirt, willy-nilly,/ wearing tights and high heels, would look pretty silly./ What kind of clothes would you see on a horse?/ Well, boots and a vest with fringe, of course! Kara Leones digi- tal graphics epitomize cutesi- ness (her animals have wide Betty Boop eyes, complete with long lashes), though there are some winning imagesthe aforementioned chickens exude a punk- rock aggressiveness, and its hard not to giggle at a pair of cows that prefer to wear tube tops and tinted sunglasses. A giraffe wears a selection of scarves in eye- catching knit patterns, while for an ele- phant diva adorned in a crown, pearls, and a feather boa, its all about finding the right accessories. The Leones deliver a lively read-aloud, especially suited for budding clotheshorses. Ages 36. Kusikiy: A Child from Taquile, Peru Mercedes Cecilia. Keepers of Wisdom and Peace Books (www.KeepersofWisdomand Peace.com), $24.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0- 9844079-0-3 A Peruvian island in Lake Titicaca is the setting for this original myth about a boy who embarks on a crucial mission. When drought threatens the potato and quinoa crops of Taquile, Kusikiy flies on the back of a condor to make an offering to Apu, the Guardian Spirit of the Great Glacier. He asks the spirit to help bring about the return of the Llama Constella- tion, which heralds rain. After Kusikiy follows Apus instructions to float a piece of ice on the lake to summon the stars, Clouds be- gin to smile and raindrops jump in the lake, and the islanders celebrate the end of the drought. The poetic narra- tive is often opaque (At this altitude the dust of the full moon whitewashes the feathers of birds and the wind whistles stories of the beginning of life on Earth), yet the story conveys Taquiles sense of community and strong intergenerational ties. Cecilias folk art showcases the vi- brancy of island traditions; images of in- tricately patterned handwoven and knit items are particularly striking. An au- thors note offers additional information about Taquiles customs and lifestyle. Ages 612. R E V I E W S Fiction Hotey Josephine Bailey, illus. by Zach Franzen. AuthorHouse (www.authorhouse.com), $22.50 (152p) ISBN 978-1-4634-2390-2; $15.99 trade paper ISBN 978-1-4634-2391-9 This peripatetic first novel from audio- book narrator Bailey centers on a young donkey who earns the groan-worthy nick- name of Donkey Hotey. Though eager to explore his world, Hotey heeds his mothers cautionary advice (a wise donkey learns to walk before he tries to run), until one day he strays from his herd to follow a pack of wild mustangs. He and the horses are captured by cattle herders and taken to their camp, where Michael, a kind cook, cares for Ho- tey. The donkey bonds with Michaels feisty pet parrot, Sancho, and his wise old mule, Charlie, eventually joining them as well as Michael on a journey during which Hotey emerges a hero. His mo- ments of triumph include aiding in a mining disaster rescue and saving sheep from a mountain lion. Hoteys voyage of self-discovery and loss (Charlie dies early on, and hes not the last to do so) is en- cumbered by considerable melodrama and platitude, yet Bailey creates a num- ber of heart-tugging scenes, as well as some thoughtful ruminations on friend- ship. Franzen contributes handsome b&w spot art images of Hoteys adventures. Ages 612. Vickie Van Helsing Solomon J. Inkwell. Oakberry & Inkwell (www.createspace.com), $14.95 trade paper (270p) ISBN 978-0-615-44840-4 This farcical vampire novel from Ink- well (a pen name for writer James Grea) centers on a high school outcast, 17-year- old Vickie Jenkins, who is unaware that she is descended from the Van Helsing line until assigned a project to research her genealogical history. Hopelessly and uncharacteristically smitten with football captain Rod Rainfeld, Vickie doesnt have slaying the undead on her mind. But when Rods eccentric father receives a delivery in the form of the Vladi- mir Dracula (who can only be reanimated with virgin blood), Rod and Vickie discover that their con- nection spans centuries into the past. Readers will inevitably find parallels to Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Vickie, her hor- ror-obsessed friend Kyle, Rod, and a hip teacher confront the vampires that have overtaken their town. Vickie is smart and tenacious, but her heavy use of slang (That would be a hell-with-a-side-of-no) feels forced. Inkwell offers effective dia- logue and well-paced action sequences, and he weaves a compelling literary thread into the story. But as Vickie relays the events, the narrative point of view shifts uncomfortably between first-person and third, resulting in a clumsy overall delivery. Ages 12up. R E V I E W S