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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 11 November 2010 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice American History Shelf Anthropology Shelf
Fiction Shelf Business Shelf Biography Shelf
Poetry Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Civil War Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Sports Shelf Education Shelf
Psychology Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Parenting Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Social Issues Shelf International Studies Shelf Political Science Shelf
Humor Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf Science Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Economics Shelf
Travel Shelf Martial Arts Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

The Deep Sea Quest for Amelia Earhart
David W. Jourdan
Ocellus
PO Box 7689, Cape Porpoise, ME 04014
9780984328208, $28.00, www.earhartdiscovery.com

The disappearance of Amelia Earhart is one of the great mysteries of the twentieth century. "The Deep Sea Quest for Amelia Earhart" delves into the fate of the famed female aviator, trying to find the evidence of the most common and tragic theory surrounding his disappearance, that she crashed into the Pacific Ocean, and that the wreckage of her plane the Lockheed Electra would be someone within the sea. "The Deep Sea Quest for Amelia Earhart" is an intriguing look at this mystery, highly recommended.

Love Fraud
Donna Andersen
Anderly Publishing
3121 D Fire Road #304, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
9780982705704, $29.95, www.anderlypublishing.com

It may seem like one of the worst relationships ever. "Love Fraud: How Marriage to a Sociopath Fulfilled my Spiritual Plan" tells of author Donna Andersen's unique journey with marriage with who she deems a sociopath lead her to a better and more fulfilling life. Strange in concept, Andersen explains her journey well and reminds readers that even when dealing with horrible people, you can emerge successful. "Love Fraud" is a fine read with intriguing ideas, highly recommended.


The American History Shelf

America's Original GI Town, new edition
Gregory C. Randall
Windsor Hill Publishing
119 Poppy Court, Walnut Creek, California 94596
9780982837603 $24.95 www.gregorycrandall.com

Now in a new edition, America's Original GI Town: Park Forest, Illinois chronicles the history of the planning, design, building, and expansion of Park Forest, a.k.a. "GI Town", a community created partly in response to America's peacetime housing shortage. America's Original GI Town reveals the inception of what would become Park Forest, how the site of the future town was acquired, how the planners of Park Forest drew upon English garden cities and New Deal greenbelt towns in order to plan a solid community, and how their interpretation affected American community development up to the modern day. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs and diagrams illustrate this thoughtful and worthy contribution to American history shelves.


The Anthropology Shelf

Some Last People
Pierre Odier
L'Image Odier Publishing
1255 Hill Drive, Eagle Rock, CA 90041-1610
0961163259 $34.95 hc www.limageodier.com
0961163267 $29.95 pbk, www.amazon.com

Available in both hardcover and a softcover edition, Some Last People is an extraordinary portrait of human tribes, and cultures, that are on the verge of extinction. Though physical massacre is not necessarily an immediate risk, some of the tribes are threatened by starvation, while others may cease to exist as they are due to the overwhelming pressure to assimilate into mainstream cultures. Chapters cover the Brogpas of Bhutan, the Ge minority of China, the Tarahumara/Raramuri of Mexico, the Nomads of Mongolia, and the Yukaghir of Siberia. Illustrated with striking color photographs throughout, Some Last People is a choice and compelling pick for public library collections.


The Fiction Shelf

Just Kid Me Old Highway, Old Wildway, O Pecos Bill
William Linehan
Sagebrush
55684 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley, CA 92284
9780930704353, $14.95m www.amazon.com

The time of horses and cowboys may have passed, but the spirit has not. "Just Kid Me Old Highway, Old Wildway, O Pecos Bill" is a western adventure set in the mid twentieth century as a young man comes to term with his families secrets and his own desires to come to term with the reality that surrounds him. An exciting read with plenty to ponder and think about, "Just Kid Me" is a top notch pick.

The Job
Craig Davis
St. Celibart Press
23 Castlerock Cv., Jackson, TN 37305
9780982956700, $7.00, www.stcelibart.com

It's easy to fall off of a cliff, but it's hard to get back to where you were. "The Job" is a book of corporate life with a heavy Christian influence. Using the character of Joe B., a vice president sent to the mailroom, Craig Davis tells a story of the modern book of Job. "The Job" is a humorous and enlightening read, highly recommended.

Possum Trot
J. Harley McIlrath
Ice Cube Books
205 North Front Street, north Liberty, IO 52317-9302
9781888160475, $16.95, www.icecubepress.com

Times have changed and the place of the farm has shifted rapidly. "Possum Trot" is a collection of short tales from J. Harley McIlrath focusing on the declining icon of the Midwestern farm. A vastly different time, many reflect on this passing era, and recall this shift. With plenty to ponder and think about on top of it all, "Possum Trot" is a read that will dwell on the minds of readers.

Last Train from Berlin
Irene Magers
Shady Tree Press
136 East 64th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10065
9780984121106, $13.95, www.shadytreepress.com

Tradition finds itself challenged when times are tough. "Last Train from Berlin" is the third volume in Irene Mager's story following the von Renz dynasty as they find the bonds of their family under onslaught by World War II. A family split between fleeing and trying to retain their bonds forms a tragedy that will make readers remember the importance of love and honesty. "Last Train from Berlin" is a read that will prove hard to put down.

A Ballad for Allison Porter
Gary Solomon
Aslan Publishing
857 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824
9780944031087, $19.95

What lies inside the mind of a murderer? "A Ballad for Allison Porter tells the story of reporter Kevin Pratt as she is set to interview Allison Porter, a woman convicted of murdering her next door neighbors. Coming to understand her through talking to her and her vacant home, Pratt comes to understand Allison, as author Gary Solomon makes "A Ballad for Allison Porter" an intriguing and highly recommended read of the mind.

Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel
David Goodberg
Blue World Publications
5482 Wilshire Suite 310, Los Angeles, CA 90036
9780982704103, $22.95, www.blueworldpublications.com

Everything will eventually be prepared for the consumer. Even time travel. "Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel" is a collection of short stories from David Goodberg as he focusing on a time in a few decades where time travel is prepared for mass consumption. Tourists flood all over time and the time line as we know it meets the cruel tendencies of the tourists, and the tourists meet the cruel tendencies of time. "Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel" is an excellent pick of short fiction, highly recommended.

Oregon Trail
Rick Streber
Bonanza Publishing
PO Box 24, Prineville, OR 97754
0945134290, $15.95

Like all eras, the age of the covered wagon eventually came to a close. "Oregon Trail: Last of the Pioneers" is a collection of documents and letters from the end of the covered wagon era, as these pioneers tell their own trip about traveling through the now developing America and the challenges that they still faced in the end of their run. "Oregon Trail" is an informative and intriguing read, highly recommended.

Lies at the End of the World
Phil Wolters
Pill Hill Press
343 W 4th Street, Chadron, NE 69337
9781617060366, $12.99, www.pillhillpress.com

When catastrophe truly strikes, only the paranoid will remain. "Lies at the End of the World" tells of John Frank, a man who believes he is one of the last man on earth when a zombie apocalypse sweeps across America. When he finds another, he realizes that survival isn't the only thing that's important to him any more. A thriller of love against a zombie swarm, "Lies at the End of the World" is a fun read that will be hard to put down, highly recommended. Also in Pill Hill Press fiction, "Awakened" (9781617060380, $12.99), the first book of the Guardian Legacy from Ednah Walters, telling the story of a teen turned demon hunter coming to terms with his new responsibility.

Burning Silk
Destiny Kinal
Reinhabitory Institute
c/o Sitio Tiempo Press
PO Box 10064, Berkeley, CA 94709
9780984458400, $14.95, www.destinykinal.com

For maximum elegance, the habits of the nineteenth century went to great lengths. "Burning Silk" is a novel from Destiny Kinal of the high society of the nineteenth century. Set in France and throughout the western world, Kinal blends a story of high society and the changing world around them and facing their own destinies. Exquisitely written, "Burning Silk" is a fine piece of literary historical fiction.

The Nursing Home
James J. Murphy III
L&J Publishing
PO Box 833, Shrub Oak, NY 10588
9780984273102, $14.00

Death in a nursing home seems unavoidable. But not like this. "The Nursing Home" tells the tale of the charge of eighty four year old Morris Grover who finds himself thrust into a retirement home. When patients begin to die not form illness or age and staff begins to die as well, the normally forgetful Grover finds he can't forget this and is faced with a race against time. "The Nursing Home" is a riveting thriller with an original take on the elderly.

Leave No Child Behind
R. Overbeck
Heroic Teacher Press
789 Lake Bluff Ct. Lebanon, OH 45036
9780984219407, $14.95, www.heroicteacherpress.com

Dee Dee Sterber wanted to make a difference, but she had no idea it'd be like this. "Leave No Child Behind" follows Dee Dee, a teacher who returns to her small town to help the education of her young students. But terror looms in this remote town, and Dee Dee finds it on her shoulders when a collection of terrorists begin to move to take a High School hostage to free a terrorist currently held by the US Government. Dee Dee and her one partner, Jerod, seem to be the schools only hope. "Leave No Child Behind" is a strong pick for thrilling fiction, highly recommended.

Talismans
Sybil Baker
C&R Press
812 Westwood Avenue, Suite D, Chattanooga, TN 37405
9781936196036, $14.95, www.sarahhadley.com

When you don't know someone you have a close connection to, you do everything you can to understand. "Talisman" tells the story of Elise, a lost daughter of a Vietnam veteran who visits Southeast Asia in hopes of gaining some semblance of understanding of her father, to gain understanding of where she came from. "Talisman" is a remarkable and thought provoking read, highly recommended.

Palm Beach Gold
R. Thomas Roe
Signalman Publishing
3209 Stonehurst Cir, Kissimmee, FL 34741
9780984061495, $16.99, www.signalmanpublishing.com

When a supposed accident happens, it takes a lot to find out who is truly responsible. "Palm Beach Gold: A Trial Lawyer Lurns that Truth is Not Negotiable" is the story of attorney Jake Fox who is drawn into the accidental death of Trey Fielding. Coming into contact with his wife, Fox is faced with the truth of the accident and how his client, Trey's wife, is not solely innocent of wrongdoing. "Palm Beach Gold" is an intriguing and entertaining read that will be hard to put down.

Our Jewish Robot Future
Leonard Borman
Scarletta Press
10 S. 5th Street #1105, Minneapolis, MN 55402
9780982458419, $14.95, www.scarlettapress.com

The future can be a very strange place. "Our Jewish Robot Future" tells the story of the Haralsons, an eccentric family with their own problems when a cyborg called John Chapman comes from the future and asks for help to protect his race of Jewish robots from annihilation. A strange adventure with even stranger concepts, "Our Jewish Robot Future" will prove to be a highly entertaining and very highly recommended read.

Dead End Date
Caroline A. Shearer
Absolute Love Publishing
6044 Mesa Verde Circle, Austin, TX 78749
9780615339320, $14.95, www.absolutelovepublishing.com

When one's charge is to spread love, it can be very unlovely to fulfill one's duties. "Dead End Date: Adventures of a Lightworker" tells the story of Faith, who finds out partway through her life that her charge is to be a lightworker, one who is to spread love through Earth. Seeing her fail at her job, she has one year to improve or be pulled from her assignment. But with her regular life being in the way, spreading love can be quite tiring. "Dead End Date" is a fun read and solidly recommended.

bELIEVE. Book 1: Faith Beyond the Shadows
Campfield
Campfield and Campfield Publishing
9780981702568, $13.99, www.campfieldspublishing.com

Spirituality can drive one to great things. "bELIEVE. Book 1: Faith Beyond the Shadows" is the story of Angeleigh St. Jamesin an authoritarian world of 2112. Through her spirit, her destination is made clear, and only the spirit that her faith in God has given her will lead her through the journey. "bELIEVE." is an exciting read for young Christian teenagers.

Escape to Haven
Robert N. Gable
Tate Publishing & Enterprises
127 E. Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064-4421
9781616631444, $14.99, www.tatepublishing.com

When the world falls apart, it can be hard to endure. "Escape to Haven" is a novel where in a shambling America, Kent Davidson leads his family and friends to form a self-sustaining community called Haven. But their refuge is not safe from assault, as turmoil from within and the political forces from the outside begin to close in on them. "Escape to Haven" is a riveting Christian and political thriller, a choice pick. Also recommended is the follow-up, "Haven and the Circle of Darkness" (9781617393266, $19.99), following the town of Haven and its endurance of the onslaught of evil.

Succumbing to Gravity
Richard Fransworth
Reliquary Press
1301 Hightower Trail, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30350
9780984183340, $13.95, www.reliquarypress.com

No angel is infallible. "Succumbing to Gravity" tells the story of Greg, a fallen angel who has been falling further on Earth than he did from heaven. However, when someone in need appears in his life. he's offered two ways in life, one which may redeem him to a degree of heaven, or one that will send him further to hell. "Succumbing to Gravity" is a riveting read that will be hard to put down.

Nethergate
Norah Lofts
Isis Publishing Limited
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780753185629, $35.50

The cruelty of life is nothing easily shrugged off. "Nethergate" is the story of Isabella de Savigny, and her life as a servant of Martha Pratt. Used and abused, she finds a husband with little choice. But when a child enters her life, she finally gains the courage to fight the world that has oppressed her. A story of a poor French girl in England, "Nethergate" is a top notch pick for historical fiction readers looking for large print entries.

Loving Ryan
Christopher Brookhouse
Safe Harbor Books
31 Page Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
9780979822612, $18.95

Love is never simple, and never easy. "Loving Ryan" is a collection of three novellas telling the story of love and the struggles faced with it. From having to resist love, to the spins and turmoils of love triangles, to dangerous passion, these stories provide a sensual and thought provoking read that will do much to make one appreciate and ponder love. "Loving Ryan" is a fine addition to any collection of fiction.

Haunted Echoes
Julie Ann Howell
Peppertree Press
1269 First Street, Suite 7, Sarasota, FL 34236
Maryglenn McCombs (publicity)
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274, Nashville, TN 37203
9781936051694, $19.95, www.peppertreepublishing.com

When the lines between reality and fantasy blur, it can become hard to see the world around you. "Haunted Echoes" is the story of Sarah Reddington. Fleeing the world and wanting to finish the writing she long put off, she finds a quiet Victorian Inn. But the supernatural buts into her world and her writing becomes far too real for her to understand and it seems to all crash down around her. "Haunted Echoes" is a read that will be hard to put down, very highly recommended.

Through the Eyes of My Mulatto Daughter
Michele L. Waters
Crystal Clear Publishing
25379 Wayne Pl Suite #193, Valencia, CA 93155
9780982867006, $15.00, www.crystallclearpublishing.com

The cruelty mixed race children faced is astounding. "Through the Eyes of My Mulatto Daughter" is a novel following the life of Brittney Adams, daughter of a mixed couple and growing up in the deep south. With street smarts, Brittney finds another teen in need and moves to help her find her place in life and help her prepare for the cruelty of being a teen mother. "Through the Eyes of My Mulatto Daughter" is an excellent read with a powerful message, highly recommended.

Battle Lines Undrawn
Rick Brooks
Mirror Publishing
2330 W Kings Hwy, San Antonio, TX 78201
9781936352814, $10.99, www.pagesofwonder.com

It's saddening when you figure out who the real enemy is. "Battle Lines Undrawn" is a coming of age tale from Rick Brooks telling of Brad Stevens, a young man who joins the army. During his training however, he begins to see the real threats to America are not the communist boogeyman. "Battle Lines Undrawn" is a quick and fun read, not to be missed.

Celara Sun
Lee McQueen
McQueen Press
PO Box 93732, Des Moines, IA 50393-3732
9780979851582, $16.99

The call of greed may be what renewable energy needs. "Celara Sun" is a suspense novel using the crusade of renewable energy as a source for green as two entrepreneurs battle in Lake City for control of its newest renewable resources. A nonstop suspense read of people using a good idea to the furthest economic gain, "Celara Sun" is not a read to be missed.

Training the Problem
Michael P. Ferrari
Blue Room Publishing
23 E. 9th Avenue, 2nd Fl, Conshohocken, PA 19428
9780984300624, $12.95, www.blueroompublishing.com

It's easy to blame others for our own downfall. "Training the Problem: Stories and a Novella" is a collection of short stories from Michael P. Ferrari focusing on the theme of one being their own worst enemies and coming to terms with that thought. Discussing personal responsibility, the celebrity culture, the church, and more. "Training the Problem" is an enticing and riveting read, very highly recommended.

Wallflower
Holly-Jane Rahlens
Berlinica
255 West 43rd, St., Suite 1012, New York, NY 10036
9781935902706, $13.95, www.cafepress.com

The fall of the Berlin wall brought together a city that was never divided in spirit. "Wallflower" is the story of Molly Lenzfeld, a sixteen year old America who visits Berlin two weeks after the wall falls. Visiting the birthplace of her parents, she finds romance, and finds an underground of Berlin which leads her to a whole new perspective on the place of the Berlin wall. "Wallflower" is a riveting and remarkable read, highly recommended.

Mosq
Shepherd Graham
Plot Thickens Press
136 Know Way, PO Box 1621, Andrews, NC 28901
9780615367699, $25.99, www.plotthickenspress.com

Corruption makes high risk ventures exponentially more dangerous. "Mosq" is a thriller following partners Jonathan MckEnna and Maggie O'Neal as they follow the trail that left three of their comrades dead. As they dig deeper into a terrorist base in Zambia, they find that corruption in their own ranks may lurk all the way up to the leaders of the world. An exciting breakneck thriller, "Mosq" is a read that will prove hard to easily put down.

Lambs of Men
Charles Dodd White
Casperian Books
PO Box 161026, Sacramento, CA 95816-1026
9781934081273, $13.50, www.casperianbooks.com

There are times when the trenches of World War I are preferable to family life. "Lambs of Men" tells the story of the troubled home of Hiram Tobit. When his mother commits suicide, Hiram faces his father and the stressed bonds between them. When their small town is thrown into disarray, they must come to terms or watch the town burn. "Lambs of Men" is a touching and thoughtful read, highly recommended.

Violet's Flight
David Beasley
Davus Publishing
150 Norfolk St. S, Simcoe, ON N3Y 2W2
9780915317257, $20.00, www.kwic.com/davus

Faced with the fervency of Japanese expansionism, the Burmese people were faced with tough questions with tougher answers. "Violet's Flight" tells the story of Violet, a young Burmese girl unsure of what to do in the face of these invaders. Living under this oppression, David Beasley tells a unique story with plenty of thought and history. "Violet's Flight" is not a read to be missed, highly recommended.

The Consequence of Skating
Steven Gillis
Black Lawrence Press
115 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15215
9780982622872, $18.00, www.blacklawrence.com

Upon losing one's way in Hollywood, it can be hard to find one's way once more. "The Consequences of Skating" follows failing actor Mickey Greene as he tries to set his life back on the right track. With humor and many thoughts on the ways of the world, Steven Gillis gives readers quite the read. "The Consequences of Skating" is loaded with wit and wisdom as well as a fun story, highly recommended.

Beautiful Dreamer
Joan Naper
Allium Press of Chicago
1530 Elgin Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130
9780984067640, $14.99, www.alliumpress.com

Few want to accept normalcy as their life. "Beautiful Dreamer" tells the story of ambitious Kitty Coakley as she tells her story of trying to find a career for herself in the early twentieth century, not wanting to simply be another housewife. But when two very worthy suitors appear before her, her resolve as a driven and independent woman is put to its ultimate test. "Beautiful Dreamer" is a fun read of a woman's challenge in life, highly recommended.

Spin The Plate
Donna Anastasi
Black Rose Writing
2250 Military Road, Tonawanda, NY 14225
9781935605393, $16.95, www.blackrosewriting.com

You can give up on people, but people may not give up on you. "Spin the Plate" tells the story of troubled woman Jo, burdened with the wounds of a traumatic childhood and having no hope for her personal relationships in the future. But hope comes for Jo, and it may be in the form of someone genuine for the first time in Jo's life. "Spin the Plate" is a moving read of romance and overcoming childhood pain.

Ace of Hearts
Jean Holloway
PHE Ink Writing Solutions Firm
9597 Jones Rd., #213, Houston, TX 77065-4815
9780977412662, $14.95 PHEInkPub.com DeckofCardz.com

Dissecting a murder case comes all the more difficult when you're on the hit list. "Ace of Hearts" is a mystery following Detective Shevaughn Robinson as she chases a methodical serial killer. But if she does not figure out this method and the madness behind in time, she may become the latest statistic. "Ace of Hearts" is a fun mystery, a grade-A pick for mystery readers.

Hard Cache
Charles B. Neff
Bennett & Hastings Publishing
2400 NW 80th Street #254, Seattle, WA 98117
9781934733578, $14.95, www.bennetthastings.com

The endeavors of some policemen are never done. "Hard Cache" tells the story of Magnus Torval and his attempt to retire quietly to the mountains of Washington. But with romance, murder, and a unique cast of characters, Charles Neff puts together a fascinating story that discusses many topics, with a focus on Eastern European immigrants. "Hard Cache" is an intriguing and entertaining read, highly recommended.

Crestmont
Holly Weiss
Star Publish
43 South Hills Drive, New Hartford, NY 13413
9781935188100, $18.95, www.hollyweiss.com

After the first world war, many women thought to take control of their own destinies. "Crestmont" tells the story of Gracie Antes as she pushes for her dream as a singer, accepting a job as a housemaid along her journey. Through her pursuit, she meets friends, love, and much heartache along her quest for a better life. "Crestmont" is a fine and riveting read for historical fiction fans, highly recommended.

The Trophy Bride's Tale
Cyrilla Barr
Bascom Hill Group
212 N 3rd Avenue, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781935098287, $15.00, www.bascomhillpublishing.com

One can only take so much cruelty. "The Trophy Bride's Tale" tells the story of Prudenza, a woman of Renaissance Italy who is married off to a silk merchant. Pressed under cruelty, she strikes back, and through a series of events, she is convicted of murdering her husband. An intriguing look at the position of women in Renaissance Italy and their rights, "The Trophy Bride's Tale" is an exciting read with much to think about.

The Spy's Demise
Jim Wygant
Lycetta Press
7505 SE Reed College Pl., Portland, OR 97202
9780982889008, $14.00, www.lycettapress.com

When you switch sides, it isn't as easy as being welcomed with open arms. "The Spy's Demise" is the story of a KGB agent defecting to America and finding the combined efforts of the CIA and the Russian mob placed against him. An exciting spy thriller looking at the time of turbulent intelligence following the fall of Soviet Union, "The Spy's Demise" is not to be missed.

Promise
Kristie Cook
Ang'dora Productions
15275 Collier Blvd, #201-300, Naples, FL 34119
9780984562107, $15.99

Normalcy is an illusion hard to maintain. "Promise" tells the story of Alexis Ames and her family secrets. When romance enters her life, she and Tristan Knight soon realize that normalcy isn't required for love, and a union of love can withstand the onslaught of both the Heavens and Hells. "Promise" is an exciting and fascinating fantasy of demons and angels, highly recommended.

Ask the Fire
Dennis Paddie
Lethe Press
118 Heritage Ave, Maple Shade, NJ 08052
9781590212486, $20.00, www.lethepressbooks.com

Through the conditioning of life, some people are more adept at keeping secrets than others. "Ask the Fire" is a story of espionage and what leads up to the September 11th attacks. A story that sprawls over the past centuries and the collision of western culture and Islamic fundamentalism, Dennise Paddie gives a story that is riveting and exciting as well as speaking on the history of homosexuality. "Ask the Fire" is a read that is not to be missed for those who enjoy spy thrillers and gay fiction.

The Messenger
Tim Spitzack
OakTara
14140 Furlong Trail, Hastings, MN 55033
9781602902305, $16.95, www.oaktara.com

The biggest stories come in the most unsuspecting of packages. "The Messenger" follows journalist John Jenkins as he faces what he thinks is a routine obituary for a local farmer, Alfred Gutzman. But through his research, he finds that life Alfred led was not one of a farmer, but an ex soldier. A moving story of collecting the memories of a veteran, "The Messenger" is not a read to be missed.

The Love Again
Dody Myers
BellaRosa Books
PO Box 4521 CRS, Rock Hill, SC 29732
9781933523675, $14.95, www.bellarosabooks.com

Upon beginning a new chapter in one's life, the only one to dictate it will be oneself. "To Love Again" tells the story of two older individuals who have brought themselves to Alaska and soon find each other. Their age does not defer their romance but their age does provide many other problems as well as their environment, children, and more. "To Love Again" is a story of loving and losing, then finding love once more.

My Only Sunshine
Lou Dischler
Hub City Press
186 West Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306
9781891885723, $21.95, www.hubcity.org

Everyone is welcomed to adulthood differently, and for Charlie, it was something else entirely. "My Only Sunshine" is an exciting take on the upbringing of Charlie, as he's taken on strange and unusual adventures by the side of his uncle Dan and his less than wholesome ideas that he uses to corrupt Charlie and his brother Jute. With plenty of humor and much to ponder, "My Only Sunshine" is a read that shouldn't be overlooked.

Woman Times One
Jon Riis
BalonaBooks
PO Box 690106, Stockton, CA 95269-0106
9781934376225, $17.00, www.balona.com

Love and romance has an annoying tendency to pop up where you least expect it. "Woman Times One: A Quasi-Romance" tells the story of an offbeat young woman lost in the world who finds an unusual direction in life when she encounters an animal shelter and the charms of a dentist as well as the cruelty of teenagers. A riveting story with plenty of originality, "Woman Times One" is a choice pick for readers.

A Capitalist Christmas Carol
Donald R. Burleson
Black Mesa Press
PO Box 583, Roswell, NM 88202-0583
9780964958074, $9.95, www.blackmesapress.com

Money isn't the root of all evil, but the people pursuing it can make it be. "A Capitalist Christmas Carol" is Donald R. Burleson's modernization of the Christmas Carol, taking a stance of the good that can be done with capitalism in the right hands. With a bit of humor and parody, "A Capitalist Christmas Carol" has much to entertain and enlighten.

Lost Island Smugglers
Max Elliot Anderson
SharksFinn
c/o Port Yonder Press
6332-33rd Avenue Drive, Shellsburg, IO 52332
9781935600022, $12.95

Stranded on a desert island, survival first comes to mind, and dealing with those smugglers isn't too far down the list. "Lost Island Smugglers" is an exciting juvenile novel following Sam Cooper and his friends as a boat trip goes awry and they find themselves on a seemingly deserted island. But the previous occupants aren't friendly, as they aren't fond of their operation being found. "Lost Island Smugglers" is an exciting read that younger readers will relish.

Painter's Green
Cyrus Wraith Walker
Damnation Books, LLC
PO Box 3931, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
9781615721283, $12.36, www.damnationbooks.com

A blessing from above can just as easily be a curse from below. "Painter's Green" tells the story of Terry Painter and his family's blend of unique green paint known only as Painter's Green. He finds that this paint has supernatural properties, to what extent he does not know. He learns quite quickly when he paints the local funeral home, however... "Painter's Green" is a fun and exciting read, highly recommended.

What Cheer
Zachary Michael Jack
Tall Corn Books
c/o Ice Cube Books
205 N Front St, North Liberty, IO 52317
9781888160420, $24.95, www.icecubepress.com

Love doesn't happen at first sight, it takes an adventure to blossom it. "What Cheer" is a unique take on the love story from Zachary Michael Jack as he comes to readers with a fun road trip story that blends the adventure of life and a road trip and the search for love and what happens when you find it. Endless entertaining and thoughtful, "What Cheer" is a novel that shouldn't be missed for those looking for blend of romance and humor.

A Cup of Normal
Devon Monk
Fairwood Press
21428 105th St Ct. E, Bonney Lake, WA 98391
9780982073094, $16.99, www.fairwoodpress.com

Normal is a word with no meaning. "A Cup of Normal" is a collection of short stories from Devon Monk attacking how absurd the idea of normal truly is. Following many characters in their own definitions of normal, Monk gives readers a collection of humor and poignancy that is sure to entertain and delight for hours.

The Princess, The King, and the Anarchist
Robert Pagani
Helen Marx Books
23 East 69th Street, Suite BF, New York, NY 10021
9781933527208, $14.95

In the early twentieth century, being royal seemed to place a target on your head. "The Princess, the King, and the Anarchist" tells the story of the union of King Alfonso XIII and Princess Maria Eugenia as they marry in 1906 and find themselves the target of an assassination plot during their celebration. Written by Swiss author Robert Pagani and expertly translated by Helen Marx, "The Princess, the King, and the Anarchist" is a fine volume for world fiction collections.

The Buddha at Culver
Richard Gwyn Davies
Unlimited Publishing
PO Box 3007, Bloomington, IN 47402
9781453804179, $16.99, www.unlimitedpublishing.com

Faced with those who want to kill you, it isn't the best time to let past problems come to a head. "The Buddha at Culver" is a riveting action fantasy as a group from a military academy find themselves in the sights of a vicious native American tribe. With the help of Buddhist monks, they will find the centering they need to settle their past and stay alive. "The Buddha at Culver" is a riveting read and very highly recommended.

A Despicable Profession
John Knoerle
Blue Steel Press
1648 W. Bloomingdale Ave., Chicago, IL 60622
9780982090305 $15.00 www.bluesteelpress.com

Being a spy isn't something you apply for. It's the sort of job you fall into. "A Despicable Profession" is the followup to John Knoerle's previous spy novel a Pure Double Cross. Hal Schroeder wants to go into a normal business and finds that escaping the spy trade is no easy job, and soon finds himself once more in the role he so hates. "A Despicable Profession" is a riveting read, very highly recommended.

Blue Duets
Kathleen Wall
Brindle & Glass
340-1105 Pandora Avenue, Victoria, BC V8V 3P9
9781897142448 $19.95 www.brindleandglass.com

In a stressful time, the music is the only thing that keeps musicians sane. "Blue Duets" tells the story of Lila, struggling with her mother's slow death through cancer and the unfeeling response from her husband. When the only one there for her is her musical partner, Lila is stuck at a crossroads in her life. "Blue Duets" is a riveting read and very highly recommended.

Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls
Alissa Nutting
Starcherone Books
P.O. Box 303, Buffalo, NY 14201-0303
9780984213320, $18.00, www.starcherone.com

The ordeal of women to make a profit is not one easily done. "Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls" is a collection of short stories from Alissa Nutting and the ordeals women facing for profit of either money or spirit. Ranging from the absurd as serving as dinner and facing your mothers ghost, to the racy of having sex in space, to the tragic, "Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls" is a thoughtful and thought provoking read that will give many readers much to be entertained by.

The Origin of Nasty Nate
Wayne Dukes
Wayne Dukes Enterprises
PO Box 51, East Lansing, MI 48826
No ISBN, $8.95

When someone breaks onto the scene, it's always a scene in and of itself. "The Origin of Nasty Nate" is an entry into Wayne Dukes' 'I Felt Her Thigh' Saga, telling the story of Jerome, who breaks out of his self-inflicted shell as Nasty Nate, and finds a whole new adventure as an extrovert. "The Origin of Nasty Nate" is a fun and entertaining read which shouldn't be missed.

Of Fathers And Friends
Gary Armstead
Chloe Enterprises
PO Box 26054, St. Louis Park, MN 55426
9780982490945, $14.95

In the face of corruption, if you don't take solace in the friends you have, you have no hope. "Of Fathers and Friends" tells the story of two men trying to struggle to keep their heads in a corrupt and crime ridden world of Chicago's south-side. Through their endeavors, they learn the importance of unity and family and makes "Of Fathers and Friends" a riveting urban novel with an important message.

Super
Aaron Dietz
Emergency Press
154 W. 27th Street #5W, New York, NY 10001
9780975362396, $16.00

The call of the Super-hero is not for everyone and is by no means easy. "Super" is a unique novel from Aaron Dietz, who provides his novel through a story of dedicated would be super heroes as they go through their training and ranks. Told through a series of forms and reports, "Super" is a highly entertaining and quirky read of the status and need for supers. Highly recommended.

Blood
Jack Remick
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
9781603818049, $17.95, www.camelpress.com

The mind of a killer is nothing like you'd expect. "Blood" tells the story of mercenary Hank Mitchell who departs the family business and lands in prison for a crime wholly unrelated to contract killing. Finding romance in prison, he finds a new passion as well, only to find that the contract killing game doesn't want to give him up. A fascinating novel of a truly unusual character, "Blood" is a novel that will be hard to put down.

Introducing the Richest Family in America
David Drum
Burning Books Press
PO Box 41053, Los Angeles, CA 90041-0053
9780984564606, $14.95, www.introducingtherichest.com

Money can't buy happiness, especially with the family pulled in every single direction. "Introducing the Richest Family in America" tells of the story of an elite Family in California and how the family is on the verge of falling apart. From potentially disastrous business moves, to rampant unfaithfulness, the problems of the family and their money all rest on the shoulder of the snubbed black sheep of the family who may be the only key to saving them all. "Introducing the Richest Family in America" is a riveting read and a solidly recommended one.

Misty's Blood
Sincerly Yours / Denise Newsome
Azz1 Productions
PO Box 386, Roosevelt, NY 11575
9780982711002, $15.00, www.azz1productions.com

The sins of one are often paid for by another. "Misty's Blood" tells the story of Misty Johnson as she is stuck feeling the awfulness of the sins of another member of her family and unsure of how to face it. A story of facing the sins perpetrated by a loved one, "Misty's Blood" is an intriguing read, recommended.

The Woods of Wicomico
Nuala C. Galbari
Brandylane Publishers
5 South First St., Richmond, VA 23219
9781883911973, $15.95, www.brandylanepublishers.com

Home is worth defending and dying for for many. "The Woods of Wicomico" tells the story of the animals of the Wicomico woods and their serene lives as they are threatened by human development. As they work together to oppose this development, they learn the power of teamwork, and no matter how small and powerless one is, they can become something greater. "The Woods of Wicomico" is a charming read, highly recommended.


The Business Shelf

Getting Paid Using Social Media
Michelle Dunn
Never Dunn Publishing
PO Box 40, Plymouth, NH 03264
9781453759424, $16.95, www.michelledunn.com

Who says Twitter can't make you bank? "Getting Paid Using Social Media: Using Social Media in Collections" is a guide to the potential profit to be had using social media as a way to collect debts owed help one get their money more efficiently. With plenty of nonstandard advice, "Getting Paid Using Social Media in Collections" uses social media for what many thought it couldn't be used for.

Quicksilver
Michael O'Brien & Larry Shook
Sombrero Press
c/o The Printed Word Inc.
PO Box 31166, Spokane, WA 99223
O'Brien Group
1276 Sweetwater Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45215
9781934738214, $15.95, www.sombreropress.com

Normalcy is the most dangerous thing in the world. "Quicksilver: A Revolutionary Way to Lead the Many and the Few -- Beginning with You" looks into the thinking that leads into the catastrophes that have shaken our world from the truly tragic to the economic meltdowns of recent years. Stating that wise thinking prepares against the fallacies of normalcy, facing fear, and how to lead people away from this faulty conventional wisdom, "Quicksilver" is thoughtful and highly recommended reading for anyone whose job is thinking.

Working Naked
Lisa Kanarek
Blakely Press
11700 Preston Road, Ste. 660-20, Dallas, TX 75230
9780615383033, $15.00, www.workingnaked.com

Things like clothes and commutes seem so excessive in the modern day workplace. "Working Naked" is a guide to working from home. Author Lisa Kanarek encourages people to use their home office to its fullest when working, and gives readers a run down to the many avenues of the home office. From saving space to using efficient home office equipment, dealing with massive paper work and more, "Working Naked" is a guide for those who only want the bare essentials of work.

Who Stopped the Sale?
Richard J. Libin
Automotive Profit Builders
PO Box 2011, Natick, MA 01760
9781451572551, $14.99

Failure isn't a failure if you can learn from it. "Who Stopped the Sale?" is a guide to landing the sale, finding customers, pitching your product, and learning from when the sale stops and money has been lost. For anyone trying to flourish their business and learn the finer points of selling and making their job work, "Who Stopped the Sale?" is a fine read with plenty of advice for the aspiring business person.

50 Marketing Secrets
Sherre L. DeMao
Green Castle Publishing
137 Cross Center Road, Suite 239, Denver, NC 28037
9780984105113, $24.95, www.50marketingsecrets.com

You can grow when times are down, you just need to know the tips and tricks of survival. "50 Marketing Secrets of Growth Companies in Down Economic Times" is a guide to succeeding where many fail, growing and expanding and remaining profitable during a time where it doesn't seem possible. Letting readers know the less obvious tricks of the trade, Sherre L. DeMao gives business leaders an invaluable lesson with "50 Marketing Secrets of Growth Companies in Down Economic Times", solidly recommended.

The Fast Track to Sales Success
L. Perry Wilbur
Picadilly Books
PO Box 25203, Colorado Springs, CO 80936
9780941599863, $14.95

Sales success is is something a business has to master quickly to succeed. "The Fast Track to Sales Success" is a guide to landing those sales, giving readers solid advisory on how to drive a sale home and be the person your customers want to buy from. Written by an experienced sales man, "The Fast Track to Sales Success" is a solid and very highly recommended pick for sales people looking for tips and tricks of the trade.

Transformational Leadership
Randy Dobbs
Parkhurst Brothers
415 North McKinley Street, Suite 510, Little Rock, AR 72205
9781935166191, $24.99, www.pbros.net

A leader can change the way a business functions. "Transformational Leadership: A Blueprint for Real Organizational Change" is Randy Dobbs as he tries to explain to readers what it really takes to become an important and powerful leader in today's ambitious business world where many at least think they can become leaders on their own. Stating that to change a business one has to change oneself, he comes to readers with invaluable business wisdom. "Transformational Leadership" is a powerful and influential read.


The Biography Shelf

Breaking the Silence
Riisa Renee
Seraphina Press
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780984196579, $14.95, www.seraphinapress.com

Everyone faces harsh reality, and it's important to remember one is not alone. "Breaking the Silence" is a collection of wisdom from Riisa Renee as she reflects on her own experiences in relationships and in life, and hoping her stories will help inspire others to be prepared for the cruelty of life. "Breaking the Silence" is an excellent read, very highly recommended.

The Simple Game
Thomas Foley
A Caballo Press of Ann Arbor Book
24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, PO Box 415, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0445
9780982476659, $21.47, www.caballopress.com

The pressure on the jockey is one of the most underplayed burdens in professional sports. "The Simple Game: An Irish Jockey's Memoir" is a memoir of how Thomas Foley's dreams of racing horses were soon corrupted. Focusing on the pressures a jockey faces, one were weight is a curse and being as light as possible is treasured as a boon, Foley faced an eating disorder and fell into addictions, and lost his family. A cautionary tale to watch what you're willing to sacrifice for success, "The Simple Game" is quite the read, very highly recommended.

Arctic Gardens
Harvard Ayers
Arctic Gardens
346 Fieldstream Drive, Boone, NC 28607
9780984394715, $21.95, www.arcticgardens.org

The future of their land lies in the hands of politicians, businessmen, and economists. "Arctic Gardens: Voices from an Abundant Land" looks at the people on the land in question in Alaska and Northern Canada whose homeland is being targeted potential oil drilling. Providing a unique perspective with their own words and plenty of history as an anthropologist, a professor and a businessman provide this intriguing analysis of the issue. "Arctic Gardens" is an excellent read with plenty to consider.

The Still Position
Barbara Blatner
New York Quarterly
PO Box 2015, Old Chelsea, New York, NY 10113
9781935520238, $14.95, www.nyquarterly.org

The loss of a mother is a life changing experience. "The Still Position" is a collection of poetry from Barbara Blatner focusing primarily on the loss of her mother, but discusses other topics profoundly as well. "The Still Position" is a fascinating read, and deftly written. "Dying As Trickery": "The dirty rat"/Tom says. "She's really/gonna do it."

Citizen Spy
Robert W. Morgan
Title Town Publishing
PO Box 12093, Green Bay, WI 54307
9780982720608, $14.95, www.titletownpublishing.com

Spies aren't just people with decades of CIA training. "Citizen Spy: Vatican Cover-Up, The Mob, Money-Laundering, and Murder" tells the story of Robert Morgan, a regular citizen who helped bring down a half billion dollar conspiracy in the mob as he worked within the Mob and passed on everything he saw along to the DEA and FBI in his own way of making a difference in the world. "Citizen Spy" is a fascinating and exciting read, a very highly recommended biography.

Shaggy Six
Mike Manger
Privately Published
c/o Smith Publicity
1930 E. Marlton Pike, Suite I-46, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
9781451501155, $12.99

Vietnam's grueling war was an ordeal for many. "Shaggy Six" is the reflections from Mike Manger as he tells his own experiences through his time serving in the Vietnam and his efforts to survive and make sense of his service and the losses of those more unfortunate than him who returned wounded or worse. From survival to returning a home where they were vilified, "Shaggy Six" is an intriguing memoir of the weight being a Vietnam veteran carries.

Letters to Ethan
Tom McQueen
Seraphina Press
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists (publicity)
8716 Mopac Suite 330, Austin, TX 78759
9780984196593, $14.95

Life is always complicated and takes a long time to explain. "Letters to Ethan: A Grandfather's Legacy of Life & Love" serves as a letters of a grandfather to grandson as he tries to equip him with lessons of life throughout this complicated world to equip him with the wisdom that one needs to understand get through life and live it happily and successfully. A therapist by trade, he uses his expertise well, and makes "Letters to Ethan" a thoughtful and highly recommended book with much to learn from.

Circumnavigating Low Key
Woody Henderson
Sheridan House
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092998, $23.95, www.sheridanhouse.com

The call of adventure has no concerns for money. "Circumnavigating Low Key" is the story of Captain Woody Henderson and his small vessel Low Key as he takes his ship out onto the seas throughout the world in his journeys and call to do something amazing. An exciting story of adventure and following in the spirit of Magellan, "Circumnavigating Low Key" is a fun and exciting read of true adventure.

Angels, Vampires & Douche Bags
Carla Collins
Burman Books
260 Queens Quay West, Suite 904, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5J 2N3
9781897404249, $19.95, www.burmanbooks.com

Throughout life, one will encounter many characters, and it can prove to be annoying to deal with them all. "Angels, Vampires, & Douche Bags" is a memoir from Carla Collins, star of the famous Carlawood. Her story is one of dealing with those who are out to drain you of your life, those out to simply waste you time, and those who make it all worth while. With a message to keep at it no matter how many terrible people you meet, "Angels, Vampires, & Douche Bags" is an excellent pick and solidly recommended.

Chapel Hill in Plain Sight
Daphne Athas
Eno Publishers
PO Box 158, Hillsborough, NC 27278
9780982077139, $16.95, www.enopublishers.org

The South rapidly shifted and developed during the middle years of the twentieth century. "Chapel Hill in Plain Sight" is a memoir from Daphne Athas, as she reflects on the rise of the new south and how Chapel Hill become a powerful place in academia and in thought in America. Drawing from her own experiences from the Depression towards the modern day, "Chapel Hill in Plain Sight" is an excellent read that provides much needed enlightenment on the development of the South.

Rescue
Sandra Hurtes
Poetica Publishing Company
c/o Baldwin Communications (publicity)
136 E. 36th Street, New York, NY 10016
9781615846412 $13.00 www.poeticapublishing.com

The scars of atrocity can be passed down to the next generation. "Rescue" is a memoir from Sandra Hurtes, as she reflects on growing up under a Holocaust survivor and how the events her parents faced impact her and her life. Their parents never recovered, and Sandra Hurtes speaks out well on these events and the pain that never goes away. "Rescue" is a fine memoir, highly recommended.

Noogie Circles
William C. Rice
Outskirts press
10940 S. Parker Road - 515, Parker, CO 80134
9781432749071, $20.95, www.outskirtspress.com

Manhood is taking the pain and not letting it stop you. "Noogie Circles" is the reflections of William C. Rice of his own upbringing in Northern California and the lessons he learned in the noogie circles and how those high school years are so important in learning what we need to become adults who know and understand in the world as a whole. "Noogie Circles" is a fascinating read, highly recommended.

Climbing Kilimanjaro at 70
Richard A. Wolfe
Ingalls Publishing Group
PO Box 2500, Banner Elk, NC 28604
9781932158908, $17.95, www.ingallspublishinggroup.com

Age is no excuse for adventure. "Climbing Kilimanjaro at 70" is a true adventure memoir from Richard A. Wolfe as he reflects on his own outstanding life and how a long and storied career and how he won't stop living or working just because he's past his own retirement age. A story of the determination what can have in life, "Climbing Kilimanjaro at 70" is a remarkable and fun read of one man's endless determination, highly recommended.

Brooklyn's Scarlett
Gene Arceri
Bear Manor Media
PO Box 1129, Duncan, OK 75334-1129
9781593930288, $21.95

Susan Hayward did much to capture the imagination of many throughout her career. "Brooklyn's Scarlett: Susan Hayward: fire in the Wind" traces the life and career of Susan Hayward from a devoted fan and PBS talk show host Gene Arceri who gives readers anecdotes from those who knew her as well as her own research. "Brooklyn's Scarlett" is a moving and remarkable read about a star of the golden age of television and film, highly recommended.

Vintage Keating
Brian Carroll
Rosenberg Publishing
920 NE 58th Ave., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781877058998, $19.95

American leaders have been praised for being tough as nails - but Australian leaders are revered for the sharpness of their wit. "Vintage Keating: His Wit and Wisdom" looks at the many words of Paul Keating, Australian Prime Minister who gained so much fame for his sharp tongue that he inspired a musical based on himself. Through his election and long political career, Keating pulled no punches and held little back, even about the recently deceased. "Vintage Keating" is humorous and thoughtful all the way through.

The Forgotten Longfellow
Richard Shain Cohen
Artship Publishing
366 Winslow Gray Rd., W Yarmouth, MA 02673
9780976597575, $32.50, www.artshippublishing.com

Reaching for something greater is genetic. "The Forgotten Longfellow: Man in the Shadows" tells the story of the lesser known Longfellow brother, Alexander Longfellow, Sr, brother of Henry Longfellow who became known for his poetry in the nineteenth century. A tale of living in the shadows well and living a fuller and excellent life of adventure, "The Forgotten Longfellow" proves to be quite the read, a fine addition to history and biography collections.


The Poetry Shelf

Red Willow People
Devreaux Baker
Wild Ocean Press
1371 21st Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
9780984130443, $14.00, www.wildoceanpress.com

Medicine has different disciplines, and the traditional southwest has its own discipline. "Red Willow People" is a collection of poetry from Devreaux Baker, reflecting on the traditions of southwest America. With much to ponder, "Red Will People" is a thoughtful collection, highly recommended. "New Mexico Chant": Whistles in the dark alleys of my mind/Driving with the top down/So stars fall into my mouth/The desert is getting into my blood/Night is doing his Jaguar dance beside the road/Moon is leaving milky seeds in sagebrush hair/My seed/My love/You grow so big my heart/I cannot eat you, I have to devour you/My Arroyo Seco, Ranchos De Taos,/Paseo Del Pueblo Norta/High road of my heart.

We
Lowell Jaeger
Main Street Rag Publishing Company
PO Box 690100, Charlotte, NC 28227
9781599482415, $16.00, www.mainstreetrag.com

No one is truly alone, and we face many of these problems together. "We" is a collection of poetry from Lowell Jaeger reflecting on family, friends, and the challenges we all face in everyday life. Thoughtful, amusing, and highly recommended, "We" is not a collection to be missed. "On the Street": I spoke with un hombre de Mexico./To practice/a few frases de espanol.//Told him I wanted to learn.//His brown face wrinkled/a hard-earned smile.//Amigo, he said./You swim across the river/to my country./No money./No friends./No food.//You learn.

King of Country
Howard Wright
Black Staff Press
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9780856408526, $17.95, www.blackstaffpress.com

With no soul for hundreds of miles, you may as well take control. "King of Country" is the poetic debut of Howard Wright as he focuses on his life living out in the vast emptiness of the American west and its lonely highways. "King of Country" is a fine read, very highly recommended. "At Murtagh's": As you might say, the old boy at the corner table/is engrossed and entranced by and fully awake to/the riddles circumscribed by the coin/on the flat of his hand, all evening inquiring of it/(as we ordinary mortals might of the Sphinx,/what it would take to remain in ignorance.

The Finders of London
Anna Robinson
Arts Council England
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781904634942, $8.99, www.dufoureditions.com

London is a city that is over a thousand years old, and its history resonates strongly. "The Finders of London" is a collection of poetry from debut poet Anna Robinson, focusing on the long history of London and what it has come to mean to its people. "The Finders of London" is a choice pick for any poetry collection. "Lenten Moon": Above the plane tree in the park and moving fast -- Lenten Moon --/you silence the birds with fullness. Down here -- it's my neighbor's birthday; we sing and laugh not fasting much at all -- and you -- crisp/ as a crust moon, crow and sugar moon, light the yard.//Chaste Moon, they've got you wrong, you're not spotless, you/man-scars are vivid and dark. Stories of how the crow flies, birds/that become rabbits, the child that spoke and how we nearly died/ laughing, get told in the dark crisp air. Are you impressed? You're/ clear of the chimneys now and rising.

Poetic Indulgence
Sandra Bettencourt
Eloquent Books
c/o Strategic Book Group
PO Box 333, Durham, CT 06422
9781609115661, $9.99

Everyone has poetry in them, it's a matter of getting it to paper. "Poetic Indulgence: Where Poetry Meets Real Life" is a collection of poems from Sandra Bettencourt as she takes her life long love of poetry and puts it to paper. With love and dedication, "Poetic Indulgence" will prove quite a read. "About My Father": If I could/I would swim every sea/Travel every country/And walk on my knees//If I could/I would tackle the lands/Fight through snow/And freeze my hands//If I could/I'd fight all wars/Jump over bushes/And break down doors//All of this/I gladly do/Because all of this/I would do for you.

Zombies in Oz
Robin Wayne Bailey
Yard Dog Press
710 W. Redbud Lane, Alma, AR 72921-7247
9780982470435, $8.00, www.yarddogpress.com

Zombies have certain feelings that can't be entirely expressed in dragging groans and moans. "Zombies in Oz and Other Undead Musings" is a collection of zombie inspired poetry from Robin Wayne Bailey. With plenty of wit and humor in regard to the living dead, "Zombies in Oz" is a highly entertaining read that will be hard to miss. "Zombie Love - A Half-Eaten Sonnet": I think that I shall never face/A creature with such a subtle grace/As thee, O Shambler, Lurcher, All-devouring/Bloody-breasted love, empowering/Womanhood with broken teeth and claws;/Screaming, I surrender to your gaping maw/And seek erotic ecstasy that strains/All believability. Feast hee on my brains,/My entrails. I give to thee my heart,/And give me back they precious, stink fart/For indigestion proves the depth of all my passion./Our Zombie Love is all the fashion.

Ghost Stories of the New West
Denise Low
Woodley Memorial Press
Washburn University, Topeka, KS 66621
9780981733494, $12.00, www.washburn.edu

The west never truly died. "Ghost Stories of the New West" is a collection of poetry from Denise Low as she offers a thoughtful collection of poetry offering a deep and thought filled gaze into the history of the western United States and the people who came before her. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Ghost Stories of the New West" is not a collection to be overlooked. "Inside Her Belly: The Spine": The creation story begins with fog./Oceans are the sky./Valleys are the dark voids.//The hero has delicate fish bones/connected to a lumpen head.//Or delicate fern-leaf vertebra/curl around uncertain middle continents./Or is this water snake's spine/Or a limestone fossil's--returning to life?

God, Seed
Rebecca Foust & Lorna Stevens
Tebot Bach
PO Box 7887, Huntington Beach, CA 92615-7887
9781893670471, $20.00, www.tebotbach.com

There is something truly magnificent about the world that surrounds us. "God, Seed: Poetry & Art About the Natural World" is a collection of art and poetry from Rebecca Foust and Lorna Stevens as they draw upon their own experiences with nature as well as empowering their faith. Thoughtful with plenty of eye candy as well as candid verse, "God, Seed" is a collection not to be missed. "Sonoma Oak Tree": Knee-deep in owl clover,/wild mustard, white/firework wildflower.//Three kinds of fern:/maidenhair, sword,/Japanese painted.//Galleon-girth trunk/twisted back -- a god/caught surprised.

Char Front
Craig Sullender
Bite Press
2308-A Arpdale St., Austin, TX 78704
9781453645932, $5.00, www.bitepress.com

As we travel through the world, we find things daily to change who we are. "Char Front" is a collection of poetry from Craig Sullender, offering a travelogue of life in the form of poetry. "Char Front" is a fine read with a lot to ponder, recommended. "Seizure": two-legged choices run around/one pole/baby/cup clicked on saucer/squeaking wooden chair/move together in a flat arc pulled to a far whirl

Crossroads
Robert Hamblin
Time Being Books
10411 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63131
9781568091341, $15.95, www.timebeing.com

A youth in Mississippi is a youth surrounded by history. "Crossroads: Poems of a Mississippi Childhood" is a collection of poetry from Robert Hamblin reflecting on his upbringing in Mississippi. Reflecting on the diverse and tumultuous history of his state, he has much in the way of the profound, intriguing verse with a lot to understand. "Crossroads" is a fine anthology of poetry, highly recommended. "Mississippi Autumn": A harvest moon/climbs, with dreaming,/from orange to white/in the eastern sky./Far below, trapped/on a narrow country road/behind wagon after wagon/loaded with cotton,/I long to push/the pedal to the floor,/break from the pack,/launch off from the nearest hill,/exiting this dry, dusty land/for a rendezvous/beyond the farthest star.

Midnight Lemonade
Verla Wills
Vertom Enterprises
PO Box 26592, Indianapolis, IN 46226
9780966188516, $17.95

There are options we don't pay mind to when faced with life's decisions. "Midnight Lemonade: Another Refreshing Approach to Life Through Poetry" looks into the poetry from Verla Willis, as she provides a unique perspective on the events we often face in life. "Midnight Lemonade" is a fine take on the avenues of life, highly recommended. "Our Profound Senses": The wonder of Smell.../An invigorating scent/of lilacs blooming in spring,/Or leaves of fall burning/Which winter will bring.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Total Healing to the Limits of Living
Caroline Sojourner
Black Wolf Matrix
PO Box 326, 3 Monroe Parkway, Ste. P, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
0966774310, $17.95, www.blackwolfmatrix.com

The power to heal comes from within. "Total Healing to the Limits of Living" is a spiritual guide to understanding one's full potential to heal one's spiritual and emotional wounds and overcome grief. The power to be a more whole and happier human being is within and Caroline Sojourner gives readers the affirmation and philosophy to go off onto this goal to realize one's potential. "Total Healing to the Limits of Living" is a top pick for spirituality and self-help collections.

The Jewels of Happiness
Sri Chinmoy
Watkins Publishing
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
9781906787974, $14.95, www.watkinspublishing.co.uk

Finding happiness should be what drives people to go further in life. "The Jewels of Happiness: Inspiration and Wisdom to Guide Your Life-Journey" is spiritual read from Sri Chinmoy, as he uses his experience as Peace meditation leader of the United Nations, he encourages people to find their enthusiasm for life, and with that, they will find love as well. "The Jewels of Happiness" is an excellent read with much to teach, highly recommended.

The Mindful Addict
Tom Catton
Central Recovery Press
3371 N. Buffalo Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89129
9780981848273, $18.95

Addiction is the furthest thing from enlightenment, but one can still lead to the other. "The Mindful Addict: A Memoir of Awakening of a Spirit" is a combination memoir and spirituality guide from Tom Catton as he reflects on his heavy drug addiction in the sixties and seventies and his long road to recovery and what it has taught him. With plenty of wisdom, "The Mindful Addict" is inspiration some addicts may need to find their own way.

Making Your Wisdom Come Alive
Michael Gluckman
Light Up Your Life
c/o Warwick Associates
18340 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, CA 95476
9781450722407, $15.99, www.warwickassociates.net

You can look everywhere for peace and wisdom and miss the most obvious place - yourself. "Making Your Wisdom Come Alive" is a collection of wisdom and thoughts from Michael Gluckman, a Quaker who looks to other faiths and spirits to come to understand himself and the world around him. With much food for thought and encouragement from readers, "Making Your Wisdom Come Alive" is a fascinating read that shouldn't be overlooked for spiritual readers.

Unifying Truths of the World's Religions
C. David Lundberg
Heavenlight Press
PO Box 8313, New Fairfield, CT 06812-8313
9780979630828, $18.95, www.heavenslightpress.com

Do no harm, do not steal, be good to your fellow man, there are virtues that are apparent in nearly every faith. "Unifying Truths of the World's Religions" Practical Principles for Living and Loving in Peace" is a discussion of living life divinely and serenely by taking the unifying aspects that lie in many. From the meaning of life, the divinity that watches over us, being apart of a bigger world and more, "Unifying Truths in the World's Religions" is a thoughtful analysis of faith and what can one learn even if one is not a follower.

Moral Traditions
Mari Rapela Heidt
Anselm Academic
702 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987
9780884897491 $22.95 anselmacademic.org

There are many principles shared between the world's religions, but there are also things that differ them. "Moral Traditions: An Introduction to World Religious Ethics" is an analysis of the world religion's many different codes of ethics around the world, and how a better understanding of them can lead to a more harmonious world. With chapters on the major religions such as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and other as well as chapters on the smaller faiths such as Shinto and Sikh faiths, "Moral Traditions" proves to be a vital read on the debates of inter-religious relations in the world today.

What Do The Religions Say About Each Other?
William Stoddart
Sophia Perennis
PO Box 151011, San Rafael, CA 94915
9781597310895, $16.95

The first step to fixing misunderstandings is to know what those misunderstandings are. "What do the Religions Say About Each Other?: Christian Attitudes towards Islam, Islamic Attitudes towards Christianity" looks at the historical relationship that lies between the two biggest faiths in the world. In a time more than ever where understanding both faiths and their importance in the bigger picture, it draws from both holy books and religious leaders through the centuries. "What Do the Religions Say About Each Other?" is a highly fascinating and highly recommended read.


The Civil War Shelf

War News
Brayton Harris
6521 Mission Road, Mission Hills, KS 66208
9781453617021, $19.95, www.civil-war-newspaper.com

Throughout the civil war, both sides counted on the newspapers for much of their information. "War News: Blue & Gray in Black and White" is a study of newspapers in the civil war and the state of journalism at the time. America's main source for understanding the war, it was not without its problems as sources were scarce, and sensationalism was running high. "War News" is an intriguing take on the nineteenth century newspapers during one of America's most important conflicts.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Self
DL Hoefer
Books to Believe In
17011 Lincoln Ave. #408, Parker, CO 80134
9780984483839, $14.97, www.discovertheself.com

It is the most driving aspect in one's life; one should never forget the power of the self. "The Self" is an inspirational guide educating readers on the value of one's own power for their self, reminding people to remember who they are and that a life without self-esteem is truly tragic. "The Self" is a powerful read, highly recommended.

Living with Certainty
Kristi LeBlanc
Thundersnow Publishing
14405 West Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80401
9780984381807, $24.95, www.livingwithcertainty.com

Living in fear of what's coming next is no way to live at all. "Living with Certainty: Experience Deep-Soul Joy" is a guide to connecting with the world around yourself more completely and serenely. A spiritual guide designed to help one find their energy, think positive thoughts and listen to one's inner feelings, "Living with Certainty" is a unique and driven spirituality guide to those who want to drive that awkward feeling out of their souls.

Got the Power
Cie Murray
Lifesource Publishing
110 Stonington Drive, Peachtree City, GA 30269
9780984155040, $21.95, www.lifesourcepublishing.com

Smart people are smart because they avoid doing what they don't want to do. "Got the Power: 7 Tools to Produce the Work Life You Want" is an inspirational read from Cie Murray encouraging readers to find the job at their workplace that they succeed at the very best in order to increase their own productivity and happiness at a job well done. "Got the Power" is a read with a powerful message, very highly recommended.

Loved One in Treatment? Now What!
Lisa Frederiksen
KLJ Publishing
275 Belmont Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94061
9780981684451, $14.95, www.kjpublishing.com

Getting them into treatment can commonly be the first problem. But the next step may even be more difficult. "Loved One in Treatment? Now What! An Essential Handbook for Family Members and Friends Navigating the Path of a Loved One's Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery" is a guide for family members of addict who want to help a loved one reclaim their lives from an addiction and how to continue to help even as they are in treatment and recovery. Understanding addiction and its causes are key, making "Loved One in Treatment? Now What!" is a useful and powerful read.

Only 1 Shot
Randall Scott Rogers
Personal Strategy Institute
PO Box 169, Itasca, IL 60143
9780984125104, $34.95, www.only1shot.com

You don't have a do-over. "Only 1 Shot: Aligning the Inner Soul with Action" is an inspirational read from Randall Scott Rogers as he urges people to take control of their life by listening to their souls and following its own urges and goals. With advice on developing a strategy of life, remembering to have fun and enjoy it, and do much more than that with the short time that you have "Only 1 Shot" is an excellent motivational read packed cover to cover with wit and wisdom.

Exit Strategy
Kelsey Collins
Lightning Source Press
c/o ChaseHawk Publishing
PO Box 303, Sisters, OR 97759
9780981862101, $16.95

A good passing is one that isn't chaotic. "Exit Strategy: Leaving this Life with Grace and Gratitude" is a guide to entering the twilight of one's life and living it with calmness and dignity that so often eludes those who are near passing. Drawing on author Kelsey Collins own experience with advice on the many aspects of old age, "Exit Strategy" asks many questions and offers many answers.


The Sports Shelf

Fantasy Football Basics
Sam Hendricks
Extra Point Press
PO Box 206, Forest, VA 24551
9780982428634, $10.95, www.XPpress.com

Fantasy football is a fun way to make the Sunday game all the more enticing to watch. "Fantasy Football Basics: The Ultimate "How-To" Guide for Beginners" explains the many details of fantasy football and how to get involved and play well. A knowledge of real football is needed to excel, and Sam Hendricks explains the concept well so that they can get a leg up on their competitors. "Fantasy Football Basics" is a must for anyone who wants to spice up their football fandom.


The Education Shelf

Learning Disabilities
Addie Cusimano
Achieve Publications
1216 Scobee Drive, Lansdale, PA
9780972776271, $17.00

A learning disability is an obstacle, not a death sentence. "Learning Disabilities: There is a Cure" is the work of Addie Cusimano, an educational specialist who has worked with learning disabilities throughout her career and seeks to equip parents and teachers as well as their physicians to meet these disabilities head on and overcome them for a better future for the child. "Learning Disabilities" is an excellent resource for those working with such students.

State Capitals!
E. Andrew Martonyi
Schoolside Press
20950-40 Oxnard Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
9780978510077, $11.95, www.schoolsidepress.com

Fifty states and their capitals can be a bit of a rough endeavor for the young student. "State Capitals!: Learn All 50 Capitals In an Hour" is a guide for young readers to gain a quicker mastery of state capitals through fun sayings and puns on the capital sand their states. With humorous drawings for many of the states, "State Capitals!" is educational and fun to read, highly recommended.

Schools Cannot Do It Alone
Jamie Vollmer
Enlightenment Press
1978 Cherry Tree Lane, Fairfield, IA 52556
9780982756904, $24.95, www.enlightenmentpress.com

One can't expect for public schools to right themselves alone. "Schools Cannot Do It Alone: Building Public Support for America's Public Schools" is a call from Jamie Vollmer to help get the public's voice and opinion behind our schools which have fallen by the wayside in recent years and have led to a significant decline in the standards of American education. "Schools Cannot Do It Alone" is a vital read and addition to the debate of public education.


The Psychology Shelf

God Soul Mind Brain
Michael S. A. Graziano
Leapfrog Press
PO Box 2110, Teaticket, MA 02536
9781935248118, $13.95, www.leapfrogpress.com

In the Science and Religion debate, few remember to focus on the creators of both: the brain. "God, Soul, Mind, Brain: A Neuroscientist's Reflections on the Spirit World" discusses the role of the mind in perception of the world and the importance of faith. Dedicated to the study of consciousness and why it's more important than the science versus religion debate, Michael Graziano comes to readers with plenty of food for thought on how to look at the world. "God, Soul, Mind, Brain" is a fine take, very highly recommended for any psychology collection.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Dog Quirks
Lynn Hoover
Dog Quirks, LLC
505 Timber Lane, Jefferson Hills, PA 15025
9780977994946, $24.50, www.dogquirks.com

Just like people, dogs can have their annoying little quirks. "Dog Quirks and Behavior Solutions" is a guide for pet owners who want to remedy their dogs unusual quirks which can range from bizarre habits to easy being set off on aggression. Dog psychology can be hard to understand but it can be worked with to improve the situation. From diet to therapy to other solutions, "Dog Quirks" is a must for any pet owner who wants a more harmonious relationship with their dog.

42 Rules to Fight Dog Cancer
Aimee Quemuel
Superstar Press
20660 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 210, Cupertino, CA 95014
9781607730309, $19.95, www.superstarpress.com

Cancer isn't only a human problem. "42 Rules to Fight Dog Cancer" is a guide for dog owners who have the health of their best friends in mind and want to fight to prevent, and if needed, know what they can do to help their dog fight their own cancers. Encouraging readers to keep looking for knowledge, look for more answers, and don't jump to conclusions, "42 Rules to Fight Dog Cancer" is a must for any proud and determined dog owner.

Dog Sayings
Bradford G. Wheler
Book Collaborative
PO Box 403, Cazenovia, NY 13055
9780982253823, $24.95, www.bookcollaborative.com

The simple mutts can be far wiser than they let on. "Dog Sayings: Wit & Wisdom from Man's Best Friend" looks at a collection of humor and knowledge as well as plenty of art focusing on man's constant canine companion. For centuries, there has been much said about the relationship of man and dog, and much inspiration has been drawn fine them. Presented in full color throughout, "Dog Sayings" is a choice read, solidly recommended.

Kids and Dogs
Colleen Pelar
Dream Dog Productions, LLC
PO Box 4227, Woodbrdige VA 22194-4227
9781933562063, $14.95, www.dreamdogproductions.com

Interspecies communication happens every time we pet or speak to the dog, but the more dangerous is inter species miscommunication. "Kids and Dogs: A Professional's Guide to Helping Families" is a guide to help families not make these mistakes that leads to dangerous situations such as dog bites and injuries and death on both sides. Encouraging parents to teach their kids how to work with the family pet that they grow to love, Colleen Pelar holds these communications can be made easier and lead to a more harmonious life. "Kids and Dogs" is a top pick for any family with a beloved mutt.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Wizard's Son
Kathryn L. Ramage
Wapshott Press
PO Box 34543, Los Angeles, CA 90034-0543
9780578032931, $15.00, www.wapshottpress.com

In the world of wizardry, the sins of the father are weighed heavily against the son. "The Wizard's Son" is the story of Orlan Lightesblood, a son of one of the most powerful wizards in the world. But being born under a wizard is no easy task, as the training that lies ahead of him seems to be a drop in the barrel for the enemies he will inherit. "The Wizard's Son" is an exciting fantasy, highly recommended.

Liberation
Maria Lucia
Andrusian Press
3262 Superior Lane #262, Bowie, MD 20715
Karen Villaneueva Author Services
PO Box 25061, Albuquerque, NM 87125
9780984475544, $16.95, www.andrusianchronicles.com

There will be more threat to Washington than simply terrorists. "Liberation" is the first enter into the Andrusian Chronicles following Amora and Gabriel as they face the spirit world and extra terrestrials as they begin to threaten Washington DC, and are drawn into a web of deceit and adventure throughout Earth and the many worlds it's connected to. "Liberation" is an exciting work of fantasy, highly recommended.

The Gatekeepers
Richard Sutton
Saille Tales
223 Wolf Street #145, Huntington, NY 11743
9781449924188, $16.95

You may prosper, but life has many surprises. "The Gatekeepers" tells the story of an Irish family facing the return of their cousins, and the dark secret that binds them all to their ancestral farm. A followup to 'The Red Gate', Richard Sutton's previous novel in the series, he focuses the story on Finn and Claire, the two who have remained in Ireland all these years. "The Gatekeepers" is a riveting read, recommended.

Worlds Unseen
Rachel Starr Thomson
Little Dozen Press
937 Felix Avenue, Windsor, ON N9C 3L2
9780973959123, $20.00

In effort to leave the past behind, one may find the future unappealing as well. "Worlds Unseen" is the first book of the Seventh World Trilogy from Rachel Starr Thomson. Maggie Sheffield is an orphan trying to move on from the memories of the past, but through her travels, she finds herself aligned with many unusual characters and the last remnants of a group set on finding what lied beyond the borders of the Empire that held them all. "Worlds Unseen" is an excellent read, solidly recommended for fantasy readers.

A Tangle in Slops
Jeffrey E. Barlough
Gresham & Doyle
PO Box 45797, Los Angeles, CA 90045
9780978763428, $14.95, www.westerlinlightsbooks.com

A monster looms over Plumley, and no one is sure how to face it. "A Tangle in Slops" tells the story of Ada Henslowe as she returns to her small hometown to help her cousin orphan Mary. However Ada's return may also bring the monster out to eliminate her family back as well and it may be on Ada's shoulders to set it right. An original and exciting fantasy, "A Tangle in Slops" is a read that will be hard to miss.

The Twelve
James K. Burk
Wolfsinger Publications
4260 Cassidy St., Security, CO 80911
9781936099054, $12.95, www.wolfsingerpub.com

Faced with dilemma, the old ways show their flaws. "The Twelve" tells the story of Valtierra, a city-state governed by a council of twelve archetypes such as the Mother, the Warrior, the fool, among others, representing the various aspects of society, with each donning a mask. But when traitors infiltrate the council, Valtierra is faced with peril which may destroy the city-state from the inside. "The Twelve" is a creative and intriguing fantasy, recommended.

Stories from the Circle: Apprentice
Jared Aragona, author
Phil Arcuri, illustrator
Music of Epics Publishing, LLC
c/o LWS Literary Services (publicity)
12300 N. Mount Bigelow Rd., Tucson, AZ 85755
9780982622704 $39.99 www.lwsliteraryservices.com

The world's existence is constantly under attack. "Stories from the Circle: Apprentice" tells the story of a secret society of caretakers who are in charge of protecting the many worlds of the universe. Caretakers on each of these planets are sent to oppose the breakers, who want to end these worlds and bring existence to an end. The first three books following Caretaker Miles Dean and his apprenticeship, "Stories from the Circle" is a fun and solidly recommended read for young fantasy readers.

The Jumper Chronicles
W. C. Peever
Savant Books and Publications
2630 Kapiolani Blvd #1601, Honolulu, HI 96826
9780984117550, $15.95, www.savantsbooksandpublications.com

The earth needs defending, and its defenders just may not realize it. "The Jumper Chronicles" tells the story of Charlie Burrows, who discovers he is in the long line of the Druids, the defenders of the human race and the planet after the Gods abandoned it. Charlie is overwhelmed by his new position, but must endure to protect humanity from predators he never knew they had. "The Jumper Chronicles" is a riveting read and very highly recommended.

Our Lady of the Absolute
Resa Nelson
Mundania Press
6470A Glenway Avenue, #109, Cincinnati, OH 45211-52222
9781606592359, $12.95, www.mundania.com

Love and country are two loyalties that can work together and be placed against each other. "Our Lady of the Absolute" tells the story of Meres and her life working as an attendant in the Temple of Isis, in the White Walled City, a fantasy world with heavy Egyptian influences. When her sister-in-law, a harem woman, is pregnant with a child that is not the pharaohs, she faces punishment by death. Meres may be her only hope, but to defy the Pharaoh is treason. "Our Lady of the Absolute" is a riveting fantasy, very highly recommended.

Curved Space
Richard Dean, editor
Dark League Press
c/o Glen Alan Hamilton
1709 6th Avenue, Scottsbluff, NE 69361
9781453725320, $10.79

It doesn't have to be an artistic classic to be fun. "Curved Space: The Adventures of Stella Star" is a collection of science fiction short stories from Luigi Cozzi's cult film Starcrash, following out of this world beauty Stella Star in her adventures throughout the galaxy. These authors offer new adventures for the heroine, and with the forwards from the director of the film as well as the lead actress and original Stella Star, "Curved Space" is a read that sets out to be exciting and fun, and accomplishes its goal.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Sacred Ground & Holy Water
Lyn Fuchs
Coffeetown Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
9781603810876, $15.95, www.coffeetownpress.com

Life has never been boring for Lyn Fuchs. "Sacred Ground & Holy Water: Travel Tales of Enlightenment" is a travelogue following author Lyn Fuchs as he tells his stories of traveling around the world and encounters with both the high and lows of society. With no shortage of stories making for a fun read, "Sacred Ground & Holy Water" is a story that shouldn't be missed.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Medical Intuition
C. Norman Shealy
4th Dimension Press
c/o A.R.E.
216 67th St., Virginia Beach, VA 23451
9780876046036, $15.95, www.edgarcayce.org

Your body knows what's good for it. It's just a matter of understanding it. "Medical Intuition: A Science of the Soul" delves into the intuition inside of us all that helps us guide us to what's right for us and to gain power over own health and maintain how to heal oneself. "Medical Intuition" provides many thoughtful ideas on the power of the spirit, and makes for an intriguing read.

From Zero to Mastectomy
Jackie Fox
Honyocker Press
PO Box 262, Gretna, NE 68028
9780578054162, $12.95, www.honyockerpress.com

Breast cancer can enter one's life at any time and leave one asking how. "From Zero to Mastectomy: What I Learned and You Need to Know About Stage 0 Breast Cancer" is a memoir of breast cancer that Jackie Fox faced where she luckily caught it very early, a stage referred to as stage 0. Faced with mastectomy to route the cancer before it became a life threatening issue. She hopes to answer the questions that many women ask about the procedure. "From Zero to Mastectomy" is an informative and highly recommended read.

No Place for Dying
Helen Stanton Chapple
Left Coast Press
1630 North Main Street, #400, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
9781598744026, $89.00, www.lcoastpress.com

The right to life is a hard right to refuse. "No Place for Dying: Hospitals and the Ideology of Rescue" is a text that discusses the legal place of the rights of the dying, the thought process behind these laws, and the position of modern medical facilities. The first chapters discuss situations where death is gauged between unavoidable and where rescue is successful. It then discusses the place of profit, and the drive to save lives in American culture. Finally, it analyzes culture and its own attitudes towards death. A complete and comprehensive text on the role hospitals play in death and dying, "No Place for Dying" is a scholarly and thoughtful work that would do well in community and college anthropology collections.

Discover Health
Marie Pace
Optimum Solutions
210 Elmwood Dr., Lafayette, LA 70503
9780984578443, $18.95, www.mariepace.com

Everyone is different, but there are some things that are universal. "Discover Health: Natural Answers for Every "Body"" is a collection of health-related advice from Marie Pace as she gives readers thoughtful wisdom on many medical issues and diverse and useful advice to help readers find their own understanding of health for a better life. "Discover Health" is a solid read for anyone looking for general health information.

Beer Belly Blues
Brad J. King
Not Just Another Brand
Suite 627, 718-333, Brooksbank Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 3V8
9780981064208, $22.95

No one is going to keep a six pack forever. Well not Abs anyway. "Beer Belly Blues: What Every Aging Man and the Women in His Life Need to Know" is a guide to middle age aimed at the aging man as Brad King offers readers what they need to know to keep that youthful vigor and flare of life that so often escapes them as they age. "Beer Belly Blues" is a choice pick, solidly recommended and not to be missed.

Change Your Body, Change the World
Frank Forencich
Exuberant Animal
9112 32nd Avenue., NE Seattle, WA 98115
Marketing Group, Inc. (publicity)
659 Marine Drive, Bellingham, WA 98225
9780972335850, $22.00, www.exuberantanimal.com

Disease is contagious, but so is health as well. "Change Your Body, Change the World: Reflections on Health and the Human Predicament" is a discussion of how the individual's health is important for the world as a whole as the social creature of humanity. With plenty of thought and opinion on health as a whole, "Change Your Body, Change the World" is a thoughtful read, very highly recommended.

Weight Loss Empowerment
Kevin Graham
Grande Gringos Inc.
28562 Oso Pkwy, Suite D-238, Racho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-5598
9780615373188, $18.95, www.grandegringos.com

The hardest thing about losing weight is sticking with it. "Weight Loss Empowerment: 50 Ways to Lose Your Luggage" is a guide to embarking on one's own journey to weight loss with plenty of tips on how to stay with it by being realistic and empowering oneself to keep up the work. "Weight Loss Empowerment" is a much needed read for anyone who has trouble keeping the focus with their weight loss plan and wants to stay on it.

The Old Guy Rules
Jim Rodgers
Small Dogma Publishing
c/o Ascot Media Group
PO Box 133032, The Woodlands, TX 77393
9781935267102, $13.95, www.smalldogma.com

Age is nothing but a number. "The Old Guy Rules" is the reflections of on the second half of life for men from Jim Rodgers as he comes to readers with a life philosophy that says don't take it too seriously, stay healthy, and accept the aging process instead of fighting it to the death. With charming and thoughtful ideas, 'The Old Guy Rules" is a top pick for those who want to take age with grace.

Stop ADD Naturally
Billie J. Sahley
Pain & Stress Publications
5282 Medical Drive #160 San Antonio, TX 78229-6023
9781889391366, $12.95

Drugs are not always the answer. "Stop ADD Naturally" is an alternative medicine guide with advice on how to control ADD through natural diets and foods. Preaching the value of amino acids to one's health and nutrients that encourage funds and other ideas for helping a child excel in school, "Stop ADD Naturally" is a top pick for those who don't want to quickly resort to drugs.

Movement
Gray Cook
On Target Publications
PO Box 1335, Aptos, CA 95001
9781931046725, $69.96, www.ontargetpublications.net

The movement of the human body is something that inspires wonder in many sciences. "Movement: Functional Movement Systems" discussing the details of human movement through the eyes of a physical therapist. Focusing on the function of movement in its many forms, Cook brings many values and measurements to the table, such as the strenuousness of some movement, systems to measure this, applying corrective therapy when problems emerge, and why movement is more complex than a simple mechanical process. Scholarly, useful, and intriguing discussion about the highly complex human muscular system, "Movement" is a resource that should be considered by any physical therapist.

On the Mend
John Toussaint & Roger A. Gerard
Lean Enterprise Institute
One Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9781934109274, $30.00, www.onthemendbook.com

Americans pay more for health care than anyone in the world and get mediocre service in return. "On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry" analyzes the problems facing healthcare and how they can be addressed. John Toussaint & Roger A. Gerard promote a new brand of healthcare with the idea that supports a leaner healthcare system that provides better care without the bureaucracy and administration problems bloating the current system. "On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry" is an important read for those who want a more thoughtful take on the healthcare debate.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Silence Not, A Love Story
Cynthia L. Cooper
Gihon River Press
PO Box 88, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
9780981990606, $17.95, www.gihonriverpress.com

The strength found in unity is like no strength found elsewhere. "Silence Not, A Love Story" is a play following the trials and tribulations of a Jewish Woman and a Catholic artisan who join to oppose the rise of Nazism in the 1920s and 1930s. A love story that emphasizes the importance of love, "Silence Not, A Love Story" is a unique tale, solidly recommended for theater collections.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

The Career Activist Republic
Peter Weddle
Weddle's
9781928734543, $16.95, www.weddles.com

It may not be singing or dancing, but everyone has talent. "The Career Activist Republic" encourages workers to realize the full potential of their talents and to remember that as they work to help them recapture the American dream that so often pursues them. With plenty of thought to strengthen and empower readers, "The Career Activist Republic" is a fine read that shouldn't be overlooked.

The Employee Rights Handbook, third edition
Steven Mitchell Sack
Legal Strategies Publications
1795 Harvard Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566
9780963639674, $39.95, www.theemployeeslawyer.com

In the modern day, the employee is not as powerless as they once were. Now in a newly revised third edition, "The Employee Rights Handbook: Effective Legal Strategies to Protect Your Job from Interview to Pink Slip" serves as a guide for employees who want to better and more completely understand their legal rights. From what you can do before you've even signed on, knowing your rights in the work place, consulting lawyers, avoid burning bridges, ending one's employment on a good note, "The Employee Rights Handbook" is a powerful resource that should be considered for anyone who wants the security of knowing the full extent of their legal power.


The Parenting Shelf

Shine in Your Own Way
Nancy E. Gill
Down-to-Earth Books
PO Box 488, Ashfield, MA 01330
1878115251, $18.95

Failure in grades is not always the failure of the student. "Shine in Your Own Way: Inspiration for Parents of Failing Kids" is a discussion of many of the problems with modern education and how parents can keep up their hope for a better tomorrow and pass that inspiration onto their failing children to keep their hopes high. "Shine in Your Own Way" discusses the problems with education, recommended.

From My Mama's Kitchen
Johnny Tan
THC Investments, LLC
PO Box 420492, Dallas, Texas 75342
9780982023518 $22.95 FromMyMamasKitchen.com

You learn more than you know from your mother. "From My Mama's Kitchen" is a tribute and reflection of the powers of mothers in life. Motherly love is something that isn't limited by blood, as Johnny Tan reflects on his own adopted upbringing. Thoughtful and touching, "From My Mama's Kitchen" is a warming read that any mother or anyone looking for motherly wisdom will love.

The Peacemaker Parent
Lorraine Esposito
EME Press
PO Box 24, East Stroudsburg, PA 19301
9780984295326, $14.95, www.emepress.com

Parents have be the law and order in their homes, an endeavor that can be awfully draining. "The Peacemaker Parent: Solving Problems for Today, Teaching Independence for a Lifetime" is a guide for parents to empowering one's child to independence and helping them learn to solve their own problems. The central premise is that encouraging independent thought can help one's child in many ways that will be hard to be beat. "The Peacemaker Parent" is a useful read, very highly recommended for any parent who wants a strong and independent child.

Creating Healthy Children
Karen Ranzi
SHC Publishing
PO Box 13, Ramsey, NJ 07446
9780615331508, $24.95, www.superhealthychildren.com

Health comes from a natural diet. "Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods" speaks of the benefits of a raw food dominated diet for younger children and how it can combat health problems and obesity. Drawing on her own experiences, she hopes to inspire other parents to embrace raw foods as a way of maintaining good health without spending a lot of money. "Creating Healthy Children" is a worthwhile read for any with concerns for health and childhood obesity.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Cultivating Faith in Fearful Times
Adele Blakey
c/o Campbell Public relations, LLC
1255 Lake Plaza Dr., Suite 244, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
9780615337388, $13.99

It's easy to lose sight of one's faith in today's society. "Cultivating Faith in Fearful Times" is Adele Blakey's Christian inspiration for readers as she urges them to not forget their faith and offers advice on keeping God close to you. By recognizing the hurdles that faith faces daily, and the importance of prayer, Blakey urges readers to fully trust God and keep their heads held high. "Cultivating Faith in Fearful Times" is a must for Christian readers finding themselves falling into a crisis of faith.

Thrill
Karl Clauson
Credo Home Publishers
c/o Veritas Communications (publicity)
PO Box 2075, Canon City, CO 81215
9781935391487, $19.95, www.thrillonline.com

No one likes boredom, not even good Christians. "Thrill: When Normal is Not Enough" brings readers a unique brand of Christianity where the search for Thrill is keeping with God's word and standing up for the excitement of one's life. Thoughtful, driven, and highly motivating, "Thrill" is a choice pick for those who want their faith to keep up with them as take their own unique journey through life.

Beginning the Journey
Ralph F. Wilson
Jesus Walk
PO Box 565, Loomis, CA 95650-0565
Veritas Communications (publicity)
PO Box 2075, Canon City, CO 81215
9780981972114, $10.95, www.jesuswalk.com

Example is a strong way to lead. "Beginning the Journey: Discipleship and Spiritual Formation" is a guide to those who want to inspire the faith of Christ in themselves and those around them to reach up and lead others through life as Jesus would. Thoughtful and spiritual, "Beginning the Journey" is a powerful read for Christians, very highly recommended.

Hunting Arguments
Tom C. Rakow
Rock Dove Publications
PO Box 203, Silver Lake, MN 55381
9781891147128, $14.95, www.rockdove.com

There's more to God and Guns than stereotypes. "Hunting Arguments: Biblical Responses to a Loaded Issue" is a Christian discussion of the Biblical nature of hunting and fishing in life and how to express one's religious beliefs when attacked by those who would condemn your practices. A fine pick for the religious hunter or fisherman, "Hunting Arguments" is a choice pick, highly recommended.


The Social Issues Shelf

Radical Action for Radical Times
Jonathan Hornby
SAS Publishing
World Headquarters, SAS Campus Drive, Cary, NC, 27513
9781607640387, $24.95, www.sas.com

Success and failure of a particular business shouldn't rely solely on the trends of the economy. "Radical Action for Radical Times" is a guide for businesses to succeed an d thrive even in today's unstable economy that seems to shift by the day. Stating the unknown benefits of a recession, how innovation can make or break companies, succeeding where the last guy failed, and much more to push a business to greater heights on a leader's power, "Radical Action for Radical Times" is a business book that anyone who is trying to a run a business in trying time should highly consider.

Agricultural Urbanism
Janine de la Salle & Mark Holland
Green Frigate Books
417 Haney St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3R 0Y5
9780981243429, $24.95

Urban and rural don't have to be mutually exclusive things. "Agricultural Urbanism: Handbook for Building Sustainable Food & Agriculture System in 21st Century Cities" is a discussion of how within cities, food can be grown to help combat the growing demand of the world's population by encouraging greater self-sustainability. Gardens, farming with free space and more, is a call for more urban dwellers to embrace agriculture as something more than for the farms. "Agricultural Urbanism" comes with many intriguing ideas, highly recommended.


The International Studies Shelf

Pakistan
Iftikhar Haider Malik
Olive Branch Press
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
9781566568166, $18.00, www.interlinkbooks.com

Pakistan is on the lips of many in today's world where terror is the great evil. "Pakistan: Democracy, Terrorism, and the Building of a Nation" analyzes Pakistan in hopes of understanding its role in today's war on terror and what Pakistan's true position is in the war on terror. Looking at its long history and the role conflict has played with it, a state trying to find its own identity between the Islamic world and the behemoth of India. "Pakistan" is a thoughtful and scholarly analysis of the country, highly recommended.


The Political Science Shelf

The Federalist Papers Revisited
J. Jackson Owensby
Argus Enterprises International
PO Box 914, Kernersville, NC 27285
9780984514298, $29.95, www.a-argusbooks.com

The Federalist Papers were the foundation of the constitution. "The Federalist Papers Revisited" is an examination of the Federalist papers as J. Jackson Owensby looks at how they came into law in the constitution and how administrations over the years have abused the various articles for their own selfish means and how there is need for reform on both sides of the political aisle. "The Federalist Papers Revisited" is a worthy read for those dissatisfied with both sides of the government.

Chronicle of Catastrophe
Michael Cuddehe
Three Worlds Press
960 East 4th Avenue, Denver, CO 80218
9780578064147, $14.95, www.riskopportunity.com

The penalties of the past are being felt in the future. "Chronicle of Catastrophe: A Contemporaneous History of the Bush Years" is Michael Cuddehe's urging that people remember where many of today's economic and political problems came from, stating that many of the issues were placed during the administration of George W. Bush, and that the negatives of those policies are being felt more strongly now and that the American people should not be so quick to blame the current government for the past. "Chronicle of Catastrophe" is a worthwhile political read with much to ponder, highly recommended.


The Humor Shelf

Revenge of the Pun!
Barry Corbett
Corbett Features
100 Cummings Center, Suite 246-F, Beverly, MA 01915
9780557493364, $11.99

The pun, both the best and worst form of humor. "Revenge of the Pun!" is the follow up to Barry Corbett's previous book of cartoons, Embrace the Pun!, a collection of cartoons that illustrate just how punny Corbett can be. Humorous with plenty of entertainment value, "Revenge of the Pun!" is a fun and hard to put down read for the lover of puns.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Arbitration
Richard Chylinski Faia
North Mission Road Publishing
161 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90033
9780615295763, $49.95

It's hard to move that piece of house you accidentally built on someone else's land. "Arbitration: Your Guide to Construction Dispute Resolution" is a legal guide to avoiding and dealing with construction problems that often occur and how to resolve problems without taking every problem to court. Written by Richard Chylinski, with over four decades of experience on the matter, "Arbitration" serves as a complete and comprehensive resource that should not be missed by anyone managing construction.


The Science Shelf

Brain on Fire
Lawrence C. Marsh
Emeritus Publishing
PO Box 480852, Kansas City, MO 64148
9780982852187, $29.95, www.ingrambooks.com

The mind is capable of many things and human potential is truly untapped. "Brain on Fire: Confronting the Burning Issues of Today... and Tomorrow" " are the musings of Lawrence C. Marsh as he ponders the status of the world and provides much to think about on the realms of politics, science, and the future of us and our world. Thoughtful and very thought provoking, "Brain on Fire" is a read that will stimulate one's mind a good deal and help people find solutions.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

We Were Europeans
Werner M. Loval
Gefen Publishing House
600 Broadway, Lynbrook, NY 11563
9789652295224, $39.95, www.gefenpublishing.com

The horrors of the Nazis destroyed lives in many ways, and in this case by spreading a family all across the world. "We Were Europeans: A Personal History of a Turbulent Century" tells the story of a Jewish family who escaped the holocaust not together, but spread across the planet and finding their own lives once more across the planet, be it in Ecuador, England, America, Siberia, and many other locations. A fascinating read of family and what happens when it's abruptly shattered, "We Were Europeans" is a fine addition to Holocaust studies and Jewish history collections.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Conflict Contract
Jonathan Miller
Cool Titles
439 N. Canon Dr., Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 9021
Karen Villanueva Author Services (publicity)
PO Box 25061, Albuquerque, NM 87125
9781935270027, $18.95

It's hard to serve justice when justice seems to fight being served. "Conflict Contract" is the story of Dan Shepard, an attorney charged with rescuing a judge's daughter. The road to success is one filled with trouble, as it seems the very judges he's helping seem to be out to incarcerate him once more. "Conflict Contract" is an exciting read, highly recommended.

Three Days Dead
Keith Donnelly
Harrison Mountain Press
PO Box 1386, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
9780895873729, $24.95

Following a faint trail can prove tiring, even for the most seasoned investigator. "Three Days Dead" is the story of private investigator Donald Youngblood. Trying to reel in his life after finding love, he's sent on a wild chase to help find a young woman's lost mother and soon finds that this isn't just a simple missing person case, but there's so much more that lies under it all. "Three Days Dead" is a fun and exciting read, highly recommended.


The Economics Shelf

The Way to Wealth, updated edition
Jack Vincent
Helpful Info Publishing Company
c/o Ascot Media Group
1450 Finley Road Suite 1001, Pleasanton, CA 94588
9780979152306, $12.95, www.ascotmedia.com

The fundamentals of economics never truly change. "The Way to Wealth" is an updated edition from Jack Vincent, seeking to bring Benjamin Franklin's 1758 volume to the twenty first century, looking at his wisdom and how to apply it to today's world and succeed in a much greater fashion. Thoughtful and intriguing reading, "The Way to Wealth" is invaluable.


The Travel Shelf

Niagara Falls, third edition
Dirk Vanderwilt
Channel Lake Inc.
PO Box 1771, New York, NY 10156
9781935455035, $14.95, www.touristtown.com

Niagara Falls is one of the most famous places in the Americas. "Niagara Falls: With the Niagara Parks, Clifton Hill, and Other Area Attractions" serves as a history of the falls, a travel guide with plenty of details for the falls and the region, as well as plenty of advice for making the most out of a trip to the magnificent and breath taking natural wonder. A choice guide for any natural tourist, "Niagara Falls" is a fine addition to any travel collection.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Simple Self Defense
Jennifer Lawler
Wish Publishing
PO Box 10337, Terre Haute, IN 47801
9781930546950, $16.95, www.wishpublishing.com

It's a dangerous world and self-preservation is not something to discount. "Simple Self-Defense: Empower Yourself with Proven Techniques, Strategies and Skills" is an advisory for women and girls to be smart and be wise on the streets, and what you can do without resorting to violence. From simple planning, to defensive techniques if it does come violence, "Simple Self-Defense" is a worthy read for women trying to instill confidence in themselves for their daily lives.


James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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