Gosh! Its been two Mondays now that I haven't reviewed any books. :( It's quite sad for my part but I can't figure out why I've done such miserable action. But however, I'll promise that I resume the doing reviews (especially that my Mom gave me a new cellphone where I can read my ebooks even I'm away from my PC). ^^ Stay tune for more books to be reviewed. :D Okay??
Friday, June 29, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Guest Post: Heather Huffman, Author of Jailbird
Writing Time Management
by Heather Huffman
I was recently asked during a radio interview how I manage my time as an author, a mother, an anti-slavery activist and a homesteader. Nights like tonight, when I’m a week behind on blog posts and I have a half-made chicken tractor sitting in my front lawn, it feels like I don’t manage my time well at all.
With so many proverbial irons in the fire, it’s crucial for me to manage my time well. I think most families feel that way these days. Here are the three things I’ve found to be the most helpful when trying to manage my exploding to-do list.
1) Track it all. It might sound overly simply, but it took me a few months of floundering and forgetting to figure that one out. Now I keep my current to-do list on a white board next to my desk, along with a whiteboard calendar I use to keep track of all the book promotions, interviews and blog posts for a given month.
2) Respect your writing time. Don’t let television, chores, or the tyranny of the urgent steal your writing time. It’s hard to find the time to write some days, but if you don’t fight to protect that time you’ll find that years slip by with nary a paragraph written. And don’t wait until you feel like writing to do it. I try to sit and write every day, even if I have no clue what I’m going to say when I sit down. I figure bad writing can be fixed, and it’s better than a blank page.
3) Say no. I’ve never understood writers who felt they could simply release their novel and have readers flood to them, especially given the how many books there are to choose from. I tended to err on the other side – if my book manager suggested something, I was game to try it. If she didn’t suggest something, then I brought it up. I found that I’d quickly overwhelmed myself.
Even the most organized person has their limits, and their will come a time when you can’t squeeze one more word out of your brain. Don’t push yourself too hard.
Heather Huffman writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense with strong female
leads who refuse to lose hope. She sees her books as a way to not only entertain, but also to
raise awareness of the realities of modern day slavery. She shares the passion of her resilient
heroines to make a difference and so dedicates both her time and a portion of her book royalties
to organizations that fight against human trafficking.
Heather was born and spent her early childhood in Florida, but now calls the beautiful state of
Missouri home. Her greatest joy, aside from writing, is to hit the road with her three boys for
adventures unknown.
***
She is the author of Throwaway, Ties that Bind, Jailbird, Suddenly a Spy, Ring of Fire,
Tumbleweed and Devil in Disguise. You can find out more about her writing and charitable work
onwww.heatherhuffman.net
by Heather Huffman
I was recently asked during a radio interview how I manage my time as an author, a mother, an anti-slavery activist and a homesteader. Nights like tonight, when I’m a week behind on blog posts and I have a half-made chicken tractor sitting in my front lawn, it feels like I don’t manage my time well at all.
With so many proverbial irons in the fire, it’s crucial for me to manage my time well. I think most families feel that way these days. Here are the three things I’ve found to be the most helpful when trying to manage my exploding to-do list.
1) Track it all. It might sound overly simply, but it took me a few months of floundering and forgetting to figure that one out. Now I keep my current to-do list on a white board next to my desk, along with a whiteboard calendar I use to keep track of all the book promotions, interviews and blog posts for a given month.
2) Respect your writing time. Don’t let television, chores, or the tyranny of the urgent steal your writing time. It’s hard to find the time to write some days, but if you don’t fight to protect that time you’ll find that years slip by with nary a paragraph written. And don’t wait until you feel like writing to do it. I try to sit and write every day, even if I have no clue what I’m going to say when I sit down. I figure bad writing can be fixed, and it’s better than a blank page.
3) Say no. I’ve never understood writers who felt they could simply release their novel and have readers flood to them, especially given the how many books there are to choose from. I tended to err on the other side – if my book manager suggested something, I was game to try it. If she didn’t suggest something, then I brought it up. I found that I’d quickly overwhelmed myself.
Even the most organized person has their limits, and their will come a time when you can’t squeeze one more word out of your brain. Don’t push yourself too hard.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 | |||||
Heather Huffman writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense with strong female
leads who refuse to lose hope. She sees her books as a way to not only entertain, but also to
raise awareness of the realities of modern day slavery. She shares the passion of her resilient
heroines to make a difference and so dedicates both her time and a portion of her book royalties
to organizations that fight against human trafficking.
Heather was born and spent her early childhood in Florida, but now calls the beautiful state of
Missouri home. Her greatest joy, aside from writing, is to hit the road with her three boys for
adventures unknown.
***
She is the author of Throwaway, Ties that Bind, Jailbird, Suddenly a Spy, Ring of Fire,
Tumbleweed and Devil in Disguise. You can find out more about her writing and charitable work
onwww.heatherhuffman.net
Friday, June 15, 2012
Daily Quote 06/16/12
“There is no book so bad...that it does not have something good in it.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Daily Quote 06/14/12
God is in the sadness and the laughter, in the bitter and the sweet. There is a divine purpose behind everything — and therefore a divine presence in everything.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Book Review: The Bridge of Deaths by M.C.V Egan
Thank you M.C.V Egan for the dedication you wrote on the copy of your book. Hope to read more of your works in the future.
Paperback Kindle
The Bridge of Deaths
by M.C.V Egan
Publisher: Author House
Publication Date: 2011
Language: English
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Mystery
by M.C.V Egan
Publisher: Author House
Publication Date: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4634-1041-4
Format: PaperbackLanguage: English
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Mystery
Follow Bill and Maggie in London 2010 as they explore the events of August 15th 1939. When at the brink of World War II, an English plane crashed and sunk in Danish waters. Five deaths were reported: two Standard Oil of New Jersey employees, a German Corporate Lawyer, an English member of Parliament, and a crew member for the airline. Bill and Maggie find a conceivable version of the events.
RATING
 |
| 4-star for the effort and time spent in making for this book! Kudos! |
REVIEW
Well documented!
M.C.V Egan is the most hardworking author I've ever known. From the little piece of paper and photos to telegrams in year 1939, she compiled it with ease and smoothness. She has a very good research skill. Bravo! The story? Ms. Egan never compromised the plot of her novel though she embedded archive documents in it. Kudos!
Looking forward to read more of Ms. Egan's novels.
M.C.V Egan is the most hardworking author I've ever known. From the little piece of paper and photos to telegrams in year 1939, she compiled it with ease and smoothness. She has a very good research skill. Bravo! The story? Ms. Egan never compromised the plot of her novel though she embedded archive documents in it. Kudos!
Looking forward to read more of Ms. Egan's novels.
Available at:
Friday, June 8, 2012
Guest Post: Gregory Allen, Author of Patchwork of Me
Summer Escapes
Gregory G. Allen is the author of PATCHWORK OF ME, WELL WITH MY SOUL, PROUD PANTS: AN UNCONVENTIONAL MEMOIR, and CHICKEN BOY: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF A SUPER HERO WITH AUTISM. He has had short stories and poetry published in: New Town Writers' anthology Off The Rocks 14, Loch Raven Review, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, The Oddville Press, Word Catalyst Magazine, Rancor'd Type, Home & Holidays and is a contributor of articles and blogs to several online sites. Allen has been in the entertainment business for over twenty years as an actor, director, writer, and producer and is an award-winning musical theater writer with over ten original musicals produced. Allen currently manages an arts center on the campus of a college in northern New Jersey.
www.ggallen.net | www.facebook.com/author.gregory.g.allen
By Gregory Allen
People see these few months we get each year as a time to escape our usual daily lives and go on a vacation. They plan (sometimes for months) exactly where they want to go to create the best possible holiday/vacation they can. I’ll admit I’m always jealous of my friends that teach and get those months off. They will fight with me about how hard they work during the other months and they deserve to escape their classrooms; but secretly I am jealous I can’t spend every summer day in front of the television or immersed in a good book. But the rest of us must be happy with that one week we may get away or a long weekend to go to the beach.
Escapes don’t need to be held for those warm months when people like to shed their clothes and bake in the sun. There are so many ways one can turn off the daily routine and do something different throughout the year.
Watch a good movie. Turn off that phone, put in the latest DVD of a movie you missed when it was released and allow yourself to forget the world for a moment. Or actually get out of your house and go sit in that large dark room that smells of popcorn and be swept away by the latest blockbuster (or better yet – an indie film by an unknown filmmaker). Just do remember that silence is golden so for the sake of all: cell phones off!
Let yourself travel in a book. There is nothing like turning your back on the laundry piling up or the dishes in the sink to be transported somewhere else by the words of a well-loved author. Our minds are the best escape we have. We paint the pictures. We set the scene. We cast the characters. And we get to enjoy the moments inside those pages (or on your favorite digital reader) when it is just us and the book. Now more than ever, there are so many choices for excellent books out there. I personally love to discover a new author (thank God for social media sites) and try them out. See where they’ll take me and just let myself take a personal vacation for a few hours.
Live theater. I absolutely love it. I realize I have the luxury of living near New York
So don’t always long for the good ol’ days of summer. Plan those escapes throughout the year so you allow yourself more chances to ‘get away’.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 | |||||
www.ggallen.net | www.facebook.com/author.gregory.g.allen
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Feature: Ligo na u, lapit na me by Eros Atalia
Matagal ko na tong natapos (mga one week) pero ngayon ko lang i-post yung review ko para dito. Kinikimkim ko yung excitement na ma-i-post at sa wakas mapopost ko na.
Ligo na U, Lapit na ME
by Eros Atalia
Publisher: Visprint
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 971926747x
Format: Paperback
Language: Filipino
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Satire
by Eros Atalia
Publisher: Visprint
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 971926747x
Format: Paperback
Language: Filipino
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Satire
Paano mo malalaman kung hindi ka magtatanong? Pero andami-dami nating nalalaman kahit hindi tayo nagtatanong. Paano ka pa magtatanong kung alam mo na ang sagot. Pero paano ka magtatanong kung hindi mo alam kung ano ang iyong itatanong? Paano mo sasagutin ang tanong sa iyo kung hindi mo alam ang isasagot? Paano ka sasagot kung hindi mo alam ang tanong. (Kunsabagay, sa buhay na ito, madalas, tama ang sagot, mali nga lang ang tanong.)
Si Intoy, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, parang natuto na yatang magmahal pero hindi tiyak kung minahal ba sya o kinailangan. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, parang Math problems, tama ang sagot, hindi nga lang maipakita na tama ang solution...
Narito, ang isang nobelang(?) may asim ng romansa, pait ng pagkabigo, tamis ng ligaya alat ng pamumuna at anghang ng kaastigan. Handa ka na ba?
Si Intoy, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, parang natuto na yatang magmahal pero hindi tiyak kung minahal ba sya o kinailangan. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, parang Math problems, tama ang sagot, hindi nga lang maipakita na tama ang solution...
Narito, ang isang nobelang(?) may asim ng romansa, pait ng pagkabigo, tamis ng ligaya alat ng pamumuna at anghang ng kaastigan. Handa ka na ba?
RATING
|
| :D |
REVIEW
Ligo na u, lapit na me.
Isang obra na nagpapakita kung ano ang kasalukuyang estado ng kabataang Pilipino. Konserbatibo? Hindi! Sa librong ito makakapasok ka sa utak ng mga kabtaan at malalaman mo rin kung ano ang nasaisip nila kung ipahaharap mo ng iba't ibang isyu ng bansa (o sa mundo). Nagsisilbi itong salamin sa mukha ng indibidwal na kabataang Nopi. Walang palya. Isa itong manwal sa pagbabago na tinatahak ngayon ng mga kabataan sa bansa. Nasasa iyo na kung sasang-ayon kayo kay Eros Atalia.
May mga part ng libro na nakakabored, may mga scenes na hindi man siguro relevant pero I believe may significant reason naman siguro si Eros Talia kung bakit may mga ganon. Typos? Hmmm. Meron din. But still 4-star ang bigay ko nito dahil ito'y naka-ankla sa katotohanan at gusto lang ng manunulat na ipaabot sa karamihan ang snetimento nya ukol sa isyu/topic na nilalahad sa nobela.
Isina-pelikula rin pala ito. Click here para sa trailer
.
Isang kuwento ng romansa, pagkabigo, at buhay kabaatan.
Isang obra na nagpapakita kung ano ang kasalukuyang estado ng kabataang Pilipino. Konserbatibo? Hindi! Sa librong ito makakapasok ka sa utak ng mga kabtaan at malalaman mo rin kung ano ang nasaisip nila kung ipahaharap mo ng iba't ibang isyu ng bansa (o sa mundo). Nagsisilbi itong salamin sa mukha ng indibidwal na kabataang Nopi. Walang palya. Isa itong manwal sa pagbabago na tinatahak ngayon ng mga kabataan sa bansa. Nasasa iyo na kung sasang-ayon kayo kay Eros Atalia.
May mga part ng libro na nakakabored, may mga scenes na hindi man siguro relevant pero I believe may significant reason naman siguro si Eros Talia kung bakit may mga ganon. Typos? Hmmm. Meron din. But still 4-star ang bigay ko nito dahil ito'y naka-ankla sa katotohanan at gusto lang ng manunulat na ipaabot sa karamihan ang snetimento nya ukol sa isyu/topic na nilalahad sa nobela.
Isina-pelikula rin pala ito. Click here para sa trailer
.
Isang kuwento ng romansa, pagkabigo, at buhay kabaatan.
Available at:
NATIONAL BOOKSTORE and other leading bookstores nationwide.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The Bridge of Deaths
I've just received (by mail) M.C.V Egan's novel The Bridge of Death. And as per my review policy sending me paperback.hardcover will be reviewed first than those who just send me ecopies. So next Monday, expect Egan's novel to be reviewed. ^^
Thanks.
Thanks.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Daily Quote 06/05/12
"Your worst enemy, he reflected, was your nervous system. At any moment the tension inside you was liable to translate itself into some visible symptom."
- George Orwell
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Book Review: Storylandia 1-6: A Wappshot Press Journal of Fiction
I've decided to have a compress review on Storylandia's issues. ^^ I really had a fun read on all of the issues.
RATING
 |
| WONDERFUL! |
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Daily Quote 06/03/12
"Cowards at heart, as crowds always are when one solitary man stands up to them."
-Guy de Maupassant
Friday, June 1, 2012
Daily Quote 06/02/12
We enjoy warmth because we have been cold.
We appreciate light because we have been in darkness.
By the same token, we can experience joy because we have known sadness.
-David Weatherford
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