Guide to Grants Writing for Non-Profits, Harriet Grayson, Ocean Breeze Press, 2013
For many non-profit organizations, grants are a very lucrative source of income. How does one get their modest non-profit noticed by all those corporations and foundations?
It is going to take a lot of time and research. Visit the website of your local bank or credit union. Visit the websites of major retailers in your area. They are always looking for opportunities for good public relations. For a new non-profit, applying for a grant from the federal government might be reaching a little high, so try your state government first (the book provides websites to visit).
Some foundations might restrict their giving to, for instance, a certain geographic area, or groups run by women, or veterans, or minorities. If the grant is for a specific purpose, make sure that your group can handle it; don't apply for everything. Read the requirements, usually called the RFP, or Request for Proposal, thoroughly; then read it again. Some grantors will get very particular about what should be in the grant proposal, and how long each part should be. Follow those directions exactly. You don't want an otherwise first-rate grant proposal to be rejected simply because you didn't follow directions.
How does one get the grantor to approve the proposal? Be concise, but tell a compelling story. Mention other grants that you have received in the past. Include your proposed budget. How will your group fulfill the need better than any other group? In short, force the grantor to choose your group. If your proposal is rejected, it's not the end of the world. Sometimes the grantor will explain why they rejected it. Therefore, you will be that much more prepared next time.
This book is short, it gets right to the point, and it's very easy to read. For any person, or any group, who is new to the grants world, here is a good place to start.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Internal Security
Internal Security, David Darracott, CreateSpace, 2012
America is rocked by another terrorist attack. Has Islamic terrorism again come to America?
A large truck bomb explodes at a Daytona Beach hotel during Spring Break. The casualty list, and the amount of damage, is huge. Tom Darden, a reporter for a regional radio news service, gets into the blast area, when everyone else is being kept out. Over the next few days, he writes a story that starts to put some of the pieces together. It involves a couple of missing illegal aliens, and a black pickup truck with Texas license plates. Darden's boss has no interest in running the story, because he was officially told, by his boss, to back off the story. As punishment, Darden is sent to Iraq.
The patrol that Darden is part of is attacked, and, in the chaos, Darden photographs things that he shouldn't have photographed. He is thrown in prison, but this is not your average prison. For lack of a better term, this is an unofficial, "off-the-books" prison. It's the sort of places where Iraqis with absolutely no connection to the insurgency, are tortured, frequently to death, simply because the civilian contractors can do it. Darden's cell neighbor is a former Army medic whose "crime" was treating one of those tortured Iraqis. After a few days, Darden is released and put on a plane back to America.
Back home, Darden writes about his experiences in Iraq, and posts on several different websites. It attracts the attention of powerful people in Washington, which leads to an assassination attempt. A senior adviser to the President, called the War Hawk, goes live on national TV. Using the Daytona Beach bombing as a justification, he imposes martial law. Rioting is widespread. The country is very divided. Can Tom, along with sympathetic government officials, expose the truth before it is too late?
This is an excellent piece of writing. It works really well as a political thriller, and it's much too plausible. Highly recommended.
America is rocked by another terrorist attack. Has Islamic terrorism again come to America?
A large truck bomb explodes at a Daytona Beach hotel during Spring Break. The casualty list, and the amount of damage, is huge. Tom Darden, a reporter for a regional radio news service, gets into the blast area, when everyone else is being kept out. Over the next few days, he writes a story that starts to put some of the pieces together. It involves a couple of missing illegal aliens, and a black pickup truck with Texas license plates. Darden's boss has no interest in running the story, because he was officially told, by his boss, to back off the story. As punishment, Darden is sent to Iraq.
The patrol that Darden is part of is attacked, and, in the chaos, Darden photographs things that he shouldn't have photographed. He is thrown in prison, but this is not your average prison. For lack of a better term, this is an unofficial, "off-the-books" prison. It's the sort of places where Iraqis with absolutely no connection to the insurgency, are tortured, frequently to death, simply because the civilian contractors can do it. Darden's cell neighbor is a former Army medic whose "crime" was treating one of those tortured Iraqis. After a few days, Darden is released and put on a plane back to America.
Back home, Darden writes about his experiences in Iraq, and posts on several different websites. It attracts the attention of powerful people in Washington, which leads to an assassination attempt. A senior adviser to the President, called the War Hawk, goes live on national TV. Using the Daytona Beach bombing as a justification, he imposes martial law. Rioting is widespread. The country is very divided. Can Tom, along with sympathetic government officials, expose the truth before it is too late?
This is an excellent piece of writing. It works really well as a political thriller, and it's much too plausible. Highly recommended.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Vic: Mongol
Vic: Mongol, Jerry Gill, Ann Darrow Co., 2013
This is another novel about Victoria Custer, your average citizen of the early 20th century who really is not so average.
On the outside, Victoria, who now calls herself Vic Challenger, likes to wear pink and has a big interest in cloches (women's hats). On the inside, she has an avatar that is a part of her. It's name is Nat-ul, a female cave dweller who lived about 100,000 years ago. Because of her presence, Vic has acquired a desire, or a wish, to go to places that even the most experienced male adventurers would hesitate to visit. She is searching for the modern incarnation of Nu, her lover from all those centuries ago.
In this book, Vic, and her friend, Lin Li, travel to Mongolia. On the boat ride across the Pacific, they assist in a murder investigation. Upon reaching China, they meet up with Chu, whose family lives in an isolated bit of Mongolia. These are tough times for Mongolia, with the Chinese on one side and the Russians on the other, and criminals from either side ready to attack at any time.
The trio narrowly escape being eaten by giant worms that live under the sand. If the mouths full of sharp teeth (like a lamprey) don't get you, then the liquid they spew, that can dissolve flesh and bone in seconds, will. Later, they come under attack by a band of Russian pirates. They get some unexpected help from more of the giant worms. Chu shows them the entrance to a buried city that really is full of treasure. Almost too late, they learn that the city is not deserted. Does Vic find the modern incarnation of Nu, her lover?
This is a very good page-turner. It's exciting, and it will really keep the reader's interest. It has just enough weird stuff in it, and it shows the power of real love between two people.
This is another novel about Victoria Custer, your average citizen of the early 20th century who really is not so average.
On the outside, Victoria, who now calls herself Vic Challenger, likes to wear pink and has a big interest in cloches (women's hats). On the inside, she has an avatar that is a part of her. It's name is Nat-ul, a female cave dweller who lived about 100,000 years ago. Because of her presence, Vic has acquired a desire, or a wish, to go to places that even the most experienced male adventurers would hesitate to visit. She is searching for the modern incarnation of Nu, her lover from all those centuries ago.
In this book, Vic, and her friend, Lin Li, travel to Mongolia. On the boat ride across the Pacific, they assist in a murder investigation. Upon reaching China, they meet up with Chu, whose family lives in an isolated bit of Mongolia. These are tough times for Mongolia, with the Chinese on one side and the Russians on the other, and criminals from either side ready to attack at any time.
The trio narrowly escape being eaten by giant worms that live under the sand. If the mouths full of sharp teeth (like a lamprey) don't get you, then the liquid they spew, that can dissolve flesh and bone in seconds, will. Later, they come under attack by a band of Russian pirates. They get some unexpected help from more of the giant worms. Chu shows them the entrance to a buried city that really is full of treasure. Almost too late, they learn that the city is not deserted. Does Vic find the modern incarnation of Nu, her lover?
This is a very good page-turner. It's exciting, and it will really keep the reader's interest. It has just enough weird stuff in it, and it shows the power of real love between two people.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
SOS: Stop Only Sugar Diet
SOS: Stop Only Sugar Diet, James A. Surrell, MD, Bean Books LLC, 2010
This book is all about a very easy weight loss program. It consists of only two rules.
Greatly reduce, or eliminate, your consumption of refined sugar. Greatly increase your consumption of fiber. That's all. The author strongly believes that most "diets" are much too complicated. He subscribes to the MISS principle (Make It Short and Simple).
When digested, refined sugar, is stored in the body as body fat. Among the potential, and reported, side effects are: it may lead to childhood and adult obesity; it may increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and vascular disease; it may lead to Type 2 diabetes in children and adults; obesity will increase the risk of cancer, and it may double the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.
Sugar substitutes, like saccharin and aspartame, are much less unhealthy than is refined sugar. A popular weight loss idea is to do a colon cleanse. Getting rid of that waste material will drop your weight by several pounds. Don't do it. The colon is supposed to have waste material in it. A cleaned-out colon can lead to very bad things physically.
The human body is over 60 percent water, so drinking several glasses a day is a very good thing. Fast food restaurants are increasingly adding healthy items to their menus. Another side effect of excess refined sugar is that it causes the body to produce more insulin, which leads to the production of more cholesterol. The book also includes a list of low-sugar and high-fiber foods, and those foods that are to be totally avoided.
Just two rules: how much easier can it get? This book is short, very easy to read, and it has a lot to say. This is very highly recommended.
This book is all about a very easy weight loss program. It consists of only two rules.
Greatly reduce, or eliminate, your consumption of refined sugar. Greatly increase your consumption of fiber. That's all. The author strongly believes that most "diets" are much too complicated. He subscribes to the MISS principle (Make It Short and Simple).
When digested, refined sugar, is stored in the body as body fat. Among the potential, and reported, side effects are: it may lead to childhood and adult obesity; it may increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and vascular disease; it may lead to Type 2 diabetes in children and adults; obesity will increase the risk of cancer, and it may double the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.
Sugar substitutes, like saccharin and aspartame, are much less unhealthy than is refined sugar. A popular weight loss idea is to do a colon cleanse. Getting rid of that waste material will drop your weight by several pounds. Don't do it. The colon is supposed to have waste material in it. A cleaned-out colon can lead to very bad things physically.
The human body is over 60 percent water, so drinking several glasses a day is a very good thing. Fast food restaurants are increasingly adding healthy items to their menus. Another side effect of excess refined sugar is that it causes the body to produce more insulin, which leads to the production of more cholesterol. The book also includes a list of low-sugar and high-fiber foods, and those foods that are to be totally avoided.
Just two rules: how much easier can it get? This book is short, very easy to read, and it has a lot to say. This is very highly recommended.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Uncharted: Big Data as a Lens on Human Culture
Uncharted: Big Data as a Lens on Human Culture, Erez Aiden and Jean-Baptiste Michel, Riverhead Books, 2013
Everyone has heard of Big Data; huge amounts of information, usually involving computers or the Internet. Is there a cultural or historical equivalent of Big Data?
Yes, and it comes from Google's intention to digitize all the world's books (or, at least, a significant portion of them). The authors created an algorithm that would search all those books for certain words. On a chart, it will show, for instance, how many times, per million words, the name "Abraham Lincoln" was used, or "World War II." It can also be used to compare the historical use of pairs of words, like Satan/Santa, evolution/DNA, men/women, war/peace, tea/coffee or old school/new school. It can be found at books.google.com/ngrams ("Possibly the greatest time-waster in the history of the Internet." - Mother Jones magazine). Google needed convincing that this was a good idea, that it would not open them up to millions of copyright infringement lawsuits.
Using this algorithm, it is possible to look at things like historical attempts at censorship. It can range from Nazi attempts to remove Jewish artists like Marc Chagall from the German cultural landscape, to the 1950's Hollywood Blacklist. A person can also look at how long a certain word or phrase stays in the cultural memory. For instance, "Korean war" has a huge jump in usage in the 1960's, then an equally huge drop in usage soon after, down to its present level of almost nothing.
The book also looks at the evolution of the English language. If we have pairs of words like drive/drove, what happened to thrive/throve? Also, what happened to words like burnt, learnt and dwelt? It all has to do with irregular verbs, which change over time.
This is a fascinating book, but it will take some effort on the part of the reader. It's very well done, and it gives the reader the chance to do their own historical research.
Everyone has heard of Big Data; huge amounts of information, usually involving computers or the Internet. Is there a cultural or historical equivalent of Big Data?
Yes, and it comes from Google's intention to digitize all the world's books (or, at least, a significant portion of them). The authors created an algorithm that would search all those books for certain words. On a chart, it will show, for instance, how many times, per million words, the name "Abraham Lincoln" was used, or "World War II." It can also be used to compare the historical use of pairs of words, like Satan/Santa, evolution/DNA, men/women, war/peace, tea/coffee or old school/new school. It can be found at books.google.com/ngrams ("Possibly the greatest time-waster in the history of the Internet." - Mother Jones magazine). Google needed convincing that this was a good idea, that it would not open them up to millions of copyright infringement lawsuits.
Using this algorithm, it is possible to look at things like historical attempts at censorship. It can range from Nazi attempts to remove Jewish artists like Marc Chagall from the German cultural landscape, to the 1950's Hollywood Blacklist. A person can also look at how long a certain word or phrase stays in the cultural memory. For instance, "Korean war" has a huge jump in usage in the 1960's, then an equally huge drop in usage soon after, down to its present level of almost nothing.
The book also looks at the evolution of the English language. If we have pairs of words like drive/drove, what happened to thrive/throve? Also, what happened to words like burnt, learnt and dwelt? It all has to do with irregular verbs, which change over time.
This is a fascinating book, but it will take some effort on the part of the reader. It's very well done, and it gives the reader the chance to do their own historical research.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Streaming: Movies, Media and Instant Access
Streaming: Movies, Media and Instant Access, Wheeler Winston Dixon, University Press of Kentucky, 2013
Like it or not, the streaming of movies and music is becoming an increasingly large portion of all internet traffic. This book gives the details.
Why shouldn't a person be able to pay a few dollars to stream a movie at home, when going to the theater or buying the DVD costs a lot more? At the theater, does the projectionist load a film canister on a 35mm projector and turn it on? Increasingly, the answer is no. The majority of theaters have gone to all-digital systems. The movie is downloaded from the distributor, along with an electronic code. That code can be good for just one showing, on one specific day. If the right code is not available, or if it does not work properly, then there is no showing.
Fewer and fewer movies are being shot on actual film, because fewer and fewer theaters have film projectors. Unless there is an art house cinema nearby, any watching of older, or less well known, films, on actual film, is pretty much impossible. When is the last time that an older or obscure film was available at the local multi-theater megaplex? If whoever has a film copy of that older, obscure film, does not think it is lucrative enough to put it on DVD, there is little that can be done about it. Soon, the only way to watch films of any kind, will be through on-line streaming. Depending on your point of view, this is either that natural progression of technology, or it's the end of the world.
What Netflix is doing to the movie business, Apple is doing to the music business, and Amazon is doing to book publishing. Amazon is now selling more Kindle copies of books than paper copies. Facebook is little more than a way to suck up people's personal information, and sell it to advertisers (Google Glass, plus new facial recognition technology, will make that much easier). Facebook has created over 80 million fake accounts. The hope is that the author, for instance, will see their account already set up, and decide to use it. For that reason, the author says that he will never post on Facebook.
This is a very interesting book. For some, it may be common knowledge, but I learned a lot from it. It's no-technical, and very easy to read. It's also very much worth checking out.
Like it or not, the streaming of movies and music is becoming an increasingly large portion of all internet traffic. This book gives the details.
Why shouldn't a person be able to pay a few dollars to stream a movie at home, when going to the theater or buying the DVD costs a lot more? At the theater, does the projectionist load a film canister on a 35mm projector and turn it on? Increasingly, the answer is no. The majority of theaters have gone to all-digital systems. The movie is downloaded from the distributor, along with an electronic code. That code can be good for just one showing, on one specific day. If the right code is not available, or if it does not work properly, then there is no showing.
Fewer and fewer movies are being shot on actual film, because fewer and fewer theaters have film projectors. Unless there is an art house cinema nearby, any watching of older, or less well known, films, on actual film, is pretty much impossible. When is the last time that an older or obscure film was available at the local multi-theater megaplex? If whoever has a film copy of that older, obscure film, does not think it is lucrative enough to put it on DVD, there is little that can be done about it. Soon, the only way to watch films of any kind, will be through on-line streaming. Depending on your point of view, this is either that natural progression of technology, or it's the end of the world.
What Netflix is doing to the movie business, Apple is doing to the music business, and Amazon is doing to book publishing. Amazon is now selling more Kindle copies of books than paper copies. Facebook is little more than a way to suck up people's personal information, and sell it to advertisers (Google Glass, plus new facial recognition technology, will make that much easier). Facebook has created over 80 million fake accounts. The hope is that the author, for instance, will see their account already set up, and decide to use it. For that reason, the author says that he will never post on Facebook.
This is a very interesting book. For some, it may be common knowledge, but I learned a lot from it. It's no-technical, and very easy to read. It's also very much worth checking out.
Eden M51
Eden M51, G.R. Paskoff, Amazon Digital Services, 2012
(Kindle Book Review)
Set a few decades from now, this science fiction novel is about an Earth that has seen better days. A potentially Earth-like planet is found. . .in another galaxy.
The climate of mid-21st Century Earth has pretty much fallen apart. The polar ice caps are gone, leading to a big rise in sea levels. This has forced the creation of cities like New Orlando, and a new Washington DC. That is because the old cities are under water. Common animals like cows and horses are extinct; the situation is no better in the oceans. Earth's population has risen to over 20 billion. Very long range space probes have found an Earth-like planet, in the M51 galaxy.
America would prefer to keep the news to itself, but that becomes not possible, so an international expedition sets off for a trip that takes six months each way (intergalactic travel in only six months?!). Led by Captain Nathan Hawke, some small bits of sabotage are discovered. It's nothing obvious like a bomb found in an inaccessible spot, but someone does not want the expedition to succeed.
The planet Eden really does live up to its name. It has a breathable atmosphere, crystal clear water, abundant plant and animal life, and friendly humanoid natives called the Myng'h. They knew the humans were coming, because Ahn-Ben, their god, told them. Each of the humans has a private conversation with Ahn-Ben. He finds the secret spots in their souls that they don't like to talk about. He also knows a lot about humans.
There are those among the humans who think of the Myng'h as little more than animals to be rounded up and confined to some barren part of Eden. The flood of colonists and corporations would spell the end of the Myng'h culture. Ahn-Ben is not interested in doing anything about it. Can the human expedition keep Eden for the Myng'h?
This novel gets four stars. While parts of it may be a little predictable, the author does a very good job throughout, especially with the society-building (of Earth and Eden). Yes, it's well worth reading.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book in exchange for an independent, fair and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
(Kindle Book Review)
Set a few decades from now, this science fiction novel is about an Earth that has seen better days. A potentially Earth-like planet is found. . .in another galaxy.
The climate of mid-21st Century Earth has pretty much fallen apart. The polar ice caps are gone, leading to a big rise in sea levels. This has forced the creation of cities like New Orlando, and a new Washington DC. That is because the old cities are under water. Common animals like cows and horses are extinct; the situation is no better in the oceans. Earth's population has risen to over 20 billion. Very long range space probes have found an Earth-like planet, in the M51 galaxy.
America would prefer to keep the news to itself, but that becomes not possible, so an international expedition sets off for a trip that takes six months each way (intergalactic travel in only six months?!). Led by Captain Nathan Hawke, some small bits of sabotage are discovered. It's nothing obvious like a bomb found in an inaccessible spot, but someone does not want the expedition to succeed.
The planet Eden really does live up to its name. It has a breathable atmosphere, crystal clear water, abundant plant and animal life, and friendly humanoid natives called the Myng'h. They knew the humans were coming, because Ahn-Ben, their god, told them. Each of the humans has a private conversation with Ahn-Ben. He finds the secret spots in their souls that they don't like to talk about. He also knows a lot about humans.
There are those among the humans who think of the Myng'h as little more than animals to be rounded up and confined to some barren part of Eden. The flood of colonists and corporations would spell the end of the Myng'h culture. Ahn-Ben is not interested in doing anything about it. Can the human expedition keep Eden for the Myng'h?
This novel gets four stars. While parts of it may be a little predictable, the author does a very good job throughout, especially with the society-building (of Earth and Eden). Yes, it's well worth reading.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book in exchange for an independent, fair and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Zoom: Surprising Ways to Supercharge Your Career
Zoom: Surprising Ways to Supercharge Your Career, Daniel Roberts, Fortune Books, 2013
Based on Fortune Magazine's "40 Under 40" column, this book gives short profiles of some of the biggest names in American business, and how they got there.
Of course, the people that one would expect to see in any such book are here, including Marissa Mayer, Elon Musk, Tony Hsieh, and Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Also included are the CEO's of Rent The Runway, TOMS Shoes and Change.org, senior executives from Heineken and ArcelorMittal (one of the biggest steel producers in the world), and Lebron James.
It is very acceptable to want to take on Goliath (the dominant company in your field). It is just as acceptable to concentrate on doing one thing really well. These days, it seems to be fashionable to jump from one company to another during your career, never spending more than a couple of years in one place. There is absolutely nothing wrong with spending your career at one company.
Some people are serial entrepreneurs. They thrive on getting a company established, or taking it public. Once that happens, they go one to the next one; they are less interested in actually running the company. What do you do after making a large, public blunder? Do you stay at the same company, withdraw from the public eye, and work to rebuild your image? Do you move to another company, and work to rebuild your image? Find something that you are passionate about, something that gets you up in the morning. It may be possible to find, or create, your dream job in that area, no matter how un-high tech it may be.
If they can do it, why can't you? This is a very inspiring group of portraits of today's business leaders. Each portrait is only a few pages long, so they are also easy to read. This is well worth reading for anyone in business, whether large, small or start-up.
Based on Fortune Magazine's "40 Under 40" column, this book gives short profiles of some of the biggest names in American business, and how they got there.
Of course, the people that one would expect to see in any such book are here, including Marissa Mayer, Elon Musk, Tony Hsieh, and Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Also included are the CEO's of Rent The Runway, TOMS Shoes and Change.org, senior executives from Heineken and ArcelorMittal (one of the biggest steel producers in the world), and Lebron James.
It is very acceptable to want to take on Goliath (the dominant company in your field). It is just as acceptable to concentrate on doing one thing really well. These days, it seems to be fashionable to jump from one company to another during your career, never spending more than a couple of years in one place. There is absolutely nothing wrong with spending your career at one company.
Some people are serial entrepreneurs. They thrive on getting a company established, or taking it public. Once that happens, they go one to the next one; they are less interested in actually running the company. What do you do after making a large, public blunder? Do you stay at the same company, withdraw from the public eye, and work to rebuild your image? Do you move to another company, and work to rebuild your image? Find something that you are passionate about, something that gets you up in the morning. It may be possible to find, or create, your dream job in that area, no matter how un-high tech it may be.
If they can do it, why can't you? This is a very inspiring group of portraits of today's business leaders. Each portrait is only a few pages long, so they are also easy to read. This is well worth reading for anyone in business, whether large, small or start-up.
The Unholy Trinity: Origins
The Unholy Trinity: Origins, Daniel Gage, 2013
(Kindle Book Review)
First of a series, this paranormal novel is about a young woman who is suddenly running for her life.
Kathryn has a unique ability to influence people to do whatever she wants. She never knew just what she was, until the day that men dressed in red, showed up at her workplace, a strip club, armed with swords and a crossbow. She is rescued by Jacob, a man who walked out of a hospital earlier that day after being seriously injured the previous day.
Imagine Kathryn's surprise when Jacob tells her that she is half-demon, but not just any half-demon. They travel to Kathryn's father, who lives several hours away by car. An expert wizard, he is in the process of resurrecting his dead wife. He is opposed by Rebecca, his daughter, who also knows a lot about the wizard world. After the resurrection attempt is permanently stopped, Rebecca joins Kathryn and Jacob.
Imagine the reaction when Jacob says that he is a full demon, direct from Hell. Very powerful forces from Hell want Kathryn dead, not just the men in red. In their travels, the trio battles vampires and human-looking werecoyotes. Because of who and what she is, there are only a few ways to make Kathryn less easy to track. Can a demon, a half-demon and a wizard survive against the forces of Hell?
Told from the point of Kathryn, Jacob and Rebecca, this is a really good story. It moves very quickly, and has plenty of action and weird stuff. This deserves at least 4 stars, maybe even 4.25 stars.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book in exchange for an independent, honest and fair review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
(Kindle Book Review)
First of a series, this paranormal novel is about a young woman who is suddenly running for her life.
Kathryn has a unique ability to influence people to do whatever she wants. She never knew just what she was, until the day that men dressed in red, showed up at her workplace, a strip club, armed with swords and a crossbow. She is rescued by Jacob, a man who walked out of a hospital earlier that day after being seriously injured the previous day.
Imagine Kathryn's surprise when Jacob tells her that she is half-demon, but not just any half-demon. They travel to Kathryn's father, who lives several hours away by car. An expert wizard, he is in the process of resurrecting his dead wife. He is opposed by Rebecca, his daughter, who also knows a lot about the wizard world. After the resurrection attempt is permanently stopped, Rebecca joins Kathryn and Jacob.
Imagine the reaction when Jacob says that he is a full demon, direct from Hell. Very powerful forces from Hell want Kathryn dead, not just the men in red. In their travels, the trio battles vampires and human-looking werecoyotes. Because of who and what she is, there are only a few ways to make Kathryn less easy to track. Can a demon, a half-demon and a wizard survive against the forces of Hell?
Told from the point of Kathryn, Jacob and Rebecca, this is a really good story. It moves very quickly, and has plenty of action and weird stuff. This deserves at least 4 stars, maybe even 4.25 stars.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book in exchange for an independent, honest and fair review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Lies to Die For
Lies to Die For, Todd M. Thiede, CreateSpace, 2013
This present-day murder mystery is about a small town being menaced by a serial killer, soon after putting another serial killer in jail.
Detective Max Larkin of the Rockton Police Department has just returned to work after taking a mandated psychological leave. Larkin and Jesse, his partner, are investigating a double homicide. After a third murder, suspicion falls on Liam, the hot-headed estranged husband of one of the victims. The circumstantial evidence is pretty strong, but it's not enough to force a confession. Larkin, whose instincts about a person's guilt or innocence are usually very good, is convinced that Liam is innocent. Jesse is just as convinced of his guilt.
After Liam goes to jail, there is another dead body. Suspicion points in a totally different direction, toward someone a lot closer to Max and Jesse. After that possibility is no longer a possibility, another person is found dead. Can Max and Jesse stop the killer before Max becomes the next victim?
This one is really good. It feels realistic, and it has lots of twists and turns. The reader will be kept guessing until the last few pages. It is very much worth reading.
This present-day murder mystery is about a small town being menaced by a serial killer, soon after putting another serial killer in jail.
Detective Max Larkin of the Rockton Police Department has just returned to work after taking a mandated psychological leave. Larkin and Jesse, his partner, are investigating a double homicide. After a third murder, suspicion falls on Liam, the hot-headed estranged husband of one of the victims. The circumstantial evidence is pretty strong, but it's not enough to force a confession. Larkin, whose instincts about a person's guilt or innocence are usually very good, is convinced that Liam is innocent. Jesse is just as convinced of his guilt.
After Liam goes to jail, there is another dead body. Suspicion points in a totally different direction, toward someone a lot closer to Max and Jesse. After that possibility is no longer a possibility, another person is found dead. Can Max and Jesse stop the killer before Max becomes the next victim?
This one is really good. It feels realistic, and it has lots of twists and turns. The reader will be kept guessing until the last few pages. It is very much worth reading.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Lifelong Sobriety
Lifelong Sobriety: How to Stop Drinking and/or Using Drugs, Bajeerao Patil, BRP Books, 2013
Why are some people able to permanently give up drugs or alcohol, and start to turn their lives around, and some people just can't do it? Are those people destined to be alcoholics or junkies forever?
You, the addict, have to want to change; today, and tomorrow, and the next day. There will be setbacks and relapses. Are you going to give up because you fell "off the wagon" once, or are you going to re-focus your efforts to never let it happen again? Don't be afraid to ask for help. If your friends and family see you making an honest effort to change, they might be willing to meet you halfway.
There are many things that you, the addict, need to stop doing, now. First and foremost, stay away from your drinking or drugs buddies. Stop being so self-centered. Denying that you have a problem, when everyone around thinks otherwise, helps no one. Drop the "My way or the highway" attitude. Stop lying to others. You are responsible for your actions, and no one else. The world is not out to get you.
Anger, depression and anxiety are normal human feelings. The way a person deals with those feelings is what, figuratively, separates the men from the boys (or the women from the girls). Once you are clean, what do you want to do with your life? Come up with some life goals. Learn to follow directions, and honestly share your feelings. Last but not least, learn to recognize the situations that could lead you back to using drugs or alcohol.
This is general book, intended to start a person on the road to sobriety, and not so much a detailed, everything-you-need-to-know book. The chapters are short, and it is very easy to read. It is highly recommended for everyone, including addicts and those whose family member is an addict.
Why are some people able to permanently give up drugs or alcohol, and start to turn their lives around, and some people just can't do it? Are those people destined to be alcoholics or junkies forever?
You, the addict, have to want to change; today, and tomorrow, and the next day. There will be setbacks and relapses. Are you going to give up because you fell "off the wagon" once, or are you going to re-focus your efforts to never let it happen again? Don't be afraid to ask for help. If your friends and family see you making an honest effort to change, they might be willing to meet you halfway.
There are many things that you, the addict, need to stop doing, now. First and foremost, stay away from your drinking or drugs buddies. Stop being so self-centered. Denying that you have a problem, when everyone around thinks otherwise, helps no one. Drop the "My way or the highway" attitude. Stop lying to others. You are responsible for your actions, and no one else. The world is not out to get you.
Anger, depression and anxiety are normal human feelings. The way a person deals with those feelings is what, figuratively, separates the men from the boys (or the women from the girls). Once you are clean, what do you want to do with your life? Come up with some life goals. Learn to follow directions, and honestly share your feelings. Last but not least, learn to recognize the situations that could lead you back to using drugs or alcohol.
This is general book, intended to start a person on the road to sobriety, and not so much a detailed, everything-you-need-to-know book. The chapters are short, and it is very easy to read. It is highly recommended for everyone, including addicts and those whose family member is an addict.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Courvalian: The Resistance
Courvalian: The Resistance, Benjamin Reed, Amazon Digital Services, 2013
(Reviewed by Paul Lappen - Kindle Book Review)
First of a series, this novel is about three brothers who are thrust into a very strange world.
Charles, Matthew and Travis are experienced winter hikers and campers. On a recent trip, there is a cave-in in the cave where they were sleeping. Next thing they know, they are in a place called Archelon, which is in the middle of rebellion against the tyrannical king. With no memory of their previous lives, the three join the Resistance. Matthew is tasked with delivering a vital message to Fort Renee, several days away on foot. After many trials and tribulations, Matthew is successful in delivering his message. Meantime, Charles and Travis go to a place called Lake Victorbland, which is something like Resistance Headquarters.
While Matthew is at Fort Renee, several thousand of the king's men stage an attack, along with mentally altered people called Mirages. The attack is barely repulsed. It is decided to send a small group of people, including Matthew, to Lake Victorbland, where he is reunited with Charles and Travis. Several years ago, Kurtax, the overall commander of the Resistance, was forced to abandon a place called Gowand's Keep. He has vowed to get it back, regardless of the cost. The three brother spend several days watching the castle, looking for any weaknesses or "back doors". There are none. Any conventional attack on Gowand's Keep would be a suicide mission. What about an "unconventional" attack?
This is a strong, well-done piece of sword and sorcery fantasy that is heavy on the "sword" part. It easily rates 4 stars, maybe even 4.25 stars. The reader will not go wrong with this one.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
(Reviewed by Paul Lappen - Kindle Book Review)
First of a series, this novel is about three brothers who are thrust into a very strange world.
Charles, Matthew and Travis are experienced winter hikers and campers. On a recent trip, there is a cave-in in the cave where they were sleeping. Next thing they know, they are in a place called Archelon, which is in the middle of rebellion against the tyrannical king. With no memory of their previous lives, the three join the Resistance. Matthew is tasked with delivering a vital message to Fort Renee, several days away on foot. After many trials and tribulations, Matthew is successful in delivering his message. Meantime, Charles and Travis go to a place called Lake Victorbland, which is something like Resistance Headquarters.
While Matthew is at Fort Renee, several thousand of the king's men stage an attack, along with mentally altered people called Mirages. The attack is barely repulsed. It is decided to send a small group of people, including Matthew, to Lake Victorbland, where he is reunited with Charles and Travis. Several years ago, Kurtax, the overall commander of the Resistance, was forced to abandon a place called Gowand's Keep. He has vowed to get it back, regardless of the cost. The three brother spend several days watching the castle, looking for any weaknesses or "back doors". There are none. Any conventional attack on Gowand's Keep would be a suicide mission. What about an "unconventional" attack?
This is a strong, well-done piece of sword and sorcery fantasy that is heavy on the "sword" part. It easily rates 4 stars, maybe even 4.25 stars. The reader will not go wrong with this one.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
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