Book review- Peeling Oranges by author James Lawless

Painted in descriptive language and spoken with a rich poetic voice, Peeling Oranges offers a storyline that is smooth, realistic, romantic and full of drama and mystery. The pages are filled with an honest style of writing which is accompanied by important historic events that make the read even more interesting and engaging.

The interactions between the characters are presented in a creative yet down-to-earth way. It is so easy to become emotionally involved with Derek, the main protagonist of the story who has to cope with a myriad of obstacles over the course of his search for two most desirable things in life: the ultimate truth and love. The author accurately describes this journey as “a higher truth, a poetic truth, a verisimilitude which strips away the bare facts which sometime can overpower us and blind us in our vision.” On his path to discovery Derek brings to light his family secrets and at the same time peels the layers of a Spanish and Irish turbulent history. He also needs to cross the long bridge from a beautiful ideology to an unwanted realization—is Sinéad, the love of his life, a woman he really wants and trusts? After all, can he be close to anyone or believe in anything? Yet nothing but diaries from the past have answers to his concerns and time-consuming doubts.

What especially amazed me was the re-readability of this story - when I looked back at a few chapters I found additional meaning from author’s daring and symbolic style. This book has everything: drama, suspense, action, tragedy, romance, and much more. I highly recommend it.

Award Winning Author Eran Gadot and his book Supernatural Hero

Eran Gadot is an award winning author. Gadot is married and a father to three children and two cats. He is proud to have ADHD and loves the fact that writing is the only way for him to focus on one thing. In his younger years he owned Pet Coffee, the first coffee place for dogs and their owners. He then opened a new coffee place, No Bill, where customers were free to pay as they please. He was the co-founder and CEO of a small high-tech company which was later sold to Playtech.

He is currently one of the owners of an advertising agency, works as the head of the creative department. His love for sports got him to be owner of a sports live scores website and an enthusiastic tennis player. He also has helped producing several independent films.









Few words from Gadot:
"I can't remember a time when I didn't write. I write about everything. As far as I'm concerned what isn't written down simply isn't important. Writing is in my blood. The words inside me are constantly trying to burst out, however much I may try to focus on other things.
My greatest dream was always to write a book for children, whose honesty and innocence constantly overwhelm me. It's thanks to children that my own inner child is sustained and never ceases to make his presence felt.
When my son started sixth grade and embarked on the journey known as adolescence my urge to write a book for children became impossible to ignore. His experiences granted me inspiration as well as fantastic ideas for my book.
As I began to write, the reactions of my son and his friends totally amazed me and I understood that I was on the right path. I completed my book, which became the first in a series of six. The responses from my readers renew my energy daily and strengthen my deep motivation to continue to write.
For me, writing is not a hobby but a vocation. I simply have to write. And I still feel like a boy, with a tremendous desire to realize my dreams, break new ground and transform the impossible into the possible."




Sneak Peek of Supernatural Hero:

Andy is the nerd everyone makes fun of. He's really skinny, wears glasses and talks to himself, but he falls in love with the prettiest girl in the class. One day Grandpa dies and turns into a ghost. Then, Andy discovers a new power, he can see ghosts and talk to the dead.
Join Andy's journey and find out how a nerd can become a hero.
Supernatural hero is a great children's book with an outstanding story, for the whole family to enjoy. This book series will stay with you forever.


Beverly Hills Book Awards 2014 - Winner
Reader's Favorite Book contest 2014 - Silver Medal
IPPY Book Awards 2014 - Bronze Medal
Purple Dragonfly Book Awards 2014 - Honorable Mention
Indie Excellence Book Awards 2014 - Finalist
London Book Festival 2013 - Honorable Mention


Readers' Favorite: Book Reviews and Award Contest /Mamta Madhavan

5/5 review!"Supernatural Hero (Action & Adventure) (Comics & Graphic Novels) by Eran Gadot is a story that children can relate to easily. Andy is the typical nerd you will come across in your class. He is in grade six, skinny, wears glasses, and then falls in love with Zoe, the prettiest girl in his class. The twist in the story happens when Andy's grandfather dies and turns into a ghost. Now Andy has the power of seeing ghosts and communicating with them. He decides to use that power to the fullest. The paranormal activities make Andy a supernatural hero and the book is about the transformation of nerd Andy into a supernatural hero.

It is a very entertaining theme where one can relate to Andy and his nerdy behavior, which sees him being the butt of many jokes in class. The transformation of this nerdy boy is done very well and the change is fluid. It is the type of story that kids will find fascinating. The black and white sketches are beautiful and they give an individuality to the characters and the scenes. The manner in which Andy handles the situations in his life is noteworthy.

The theme covers everything that is part of a child's life: parents, school, friends, bullies, pretty girl, and much more. It is an entertaining read with a relatable character and exciting adventures that make it a fast paced story. Now from the nerd that he was, will this supernatural hero get the girl?"


Supernatural Hero and Supernatural Hero and the Witches (Book 2) are available on Amazon!


Readers can find Gadot's latest achievements here:

 FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/SupernaturalHero
 TWITTER :https://twitter.com/erangadot

Interview with the author of The Truth About Us, I.C. Kanu

I.C. Kanu is an editor, writer, and avid lover of all things literature, having spent most of her childhood years devouring books by her favorite authors at the time - Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene. I. C. Kanu is a graduate of the University of Toronto with an Hons. B.A. in English Literature and double minors in Political Science and Philosophy. When she's not editing or reading anything in print, she's either enjoying quality time with family and friends or parading pet stores, grinning at adorable baby animals.

I.C. Kanu is also author of Love Is: A prose-poetry collection and Ruminations: A prose-poetry collection. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

What inspired you to write The Truth About Us?
First of all, there are two things that motivate me to write: my intense love for writing, and my desire to share.  With the desire to share, my motivation lies in giving the world an opportunity to see things a little differently; perhaps it may not be the best perception, but it’s a different perspective nonetheless.  I'm always looking for life topics to write about that can be reflected and pondered on, a theme so real that it resonates in the minds of readers for a long time and makes them see things a little differently than they normally would. As portrayed in most of my poems, I love to reflect and ruminate about the various things we individuals go through in life, from love and joy and happiness to pain and bitterness and suffering, and so on. And so the more I ruminated on human pain and suffering, this idea came to me and I began to wonder, what if the pain that we feel is inflicted by a loved one, someone we hold dearly? What would be the longevity of our human temperament? To what extent can our forgiving spirit go when faced with a certain truth? And thus, The Truth About Us (TTAU) was born.

How long did it take you to write this book?
At first, TTAU started off as a very short story with very few pages (it had a different title then) in 2010, but like my other short stories, I hadn't really considered publishing it, so after writing a few chapters, I put it aside for a long time to focus on my full time job and other side projects. It wasn't until early 2013 that I went back to my draft, and the more I thought about the plot and what I wanted to reflect on the story, the more convinced I became to turn it into a novella, develop the story and characters, go deeper into the issue of forgiveness and human temperament, and see what happens. So to answer the question, it took me about 4 years to finally complete it.

What books and authors have most influenced you?

I’m an avid reader and I have acquired tons of favorite authors over the years; however, two of my favorite authors still remain my most influencers: Danielle Steel and Sidney Sheldon. I got introduced to Steel as a teenager, and I instantly fell in love with her writing style. Steele captured my mind with the way she weaved words that moved you to the core, the way she made you fall in love with her characters, feel their heart ache, their pain, joy, their every move. It's the emotions that she brought out in me that has influenced my writing and have fueled my desire to move my readers through the actions and feelings of my characters. Sidney Sheldon's writing style blew my mind when I first discovered it. I was shocked, appalled, intrigued by the somewhat abruptness of his story-lines, the ruthlessness of some of the characters, the way they made me laugh, cry, and laugh out loud some more, and it greatly influenced the way I interlaced my own storyline, to create that element of shock, of excitement, of the need to find out more.

If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Literary Fiction. In fact, my next book leans heavily on this genre, and it's definitely one of my favorite genres to read. I have been influenced enough by literary classics like Jane Austen, Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison, Vladimir Nabokov, that I just couldn't keep my writing urge away from this genre for too long. I always knew that I would one day write a literary fiction. Let’s hope it shall be a success!

Do you have a current work in progress?
I do, as I mentioned earlier. I can’t really say much about it, in fact I can’t give away its title because it’s not 100 percent confirmed that I’ll be keeping its current title. But I will give a brief synopsis. It’s the story of a 15yr-old girl, Thelma, who faces a heavy loss when her parents die unexpectedly and she's left with an older brother and two younger siblings. She teams up with her brother to look after the younger ones as they struggle to live life as normal as they could. Thelma, a strong, determined and enduring young lady battles with and conquers poverty, homelessness and other adversaries as she struggles to survive and keep her family afloat. She is smart, insightful, and readers won't help but love and feel for her as they go through her trials with her. The release date of this work is yet to be determined. And it’s actually a full novel this time, not a novella.

Where readers can find your latest achievements?

The Truth About Us can be purchased on the Amazon link here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNL0PG0. To find out more about my other books, to follow my blog, and to know more about my writing, please visit my website at www.ickanu.com. You can also like and follow me on my Facebook fan page here: www.facebook.com/author.ick. Also, for a limited time only, The Truth About Us will be available for FREE download between October 10-12, 2014. Save the dates and be sure to get your FREE copy ASAP!!

Here is a sneak peek of The Truth About Us:

Aaron and Eden’s nine-year-old son almost dies from a hit-and-run. Both parents are frantic as they fear the worst, and they attempt to do everything in their power to ensure they don't lose their only child. In the process of doing this, hidden truths are suddenly revealed like an open can of worms, and both Eden and Aaron deeply wish they could get the worms back in the can, as their marriage stands in great jeopardy with these deep revelations. Can their marriage survive this threatening ordeal?

Narrated in two voices, The Truth About Us is a short but gripping read about betrayal, loss, and the true concept of love and forgiveness.

Three Rules by Marie Drake-Book Review

As a writer, an avid reader, and survivor of domestic abuse I was very eager to read this book. Certainly, Three Rules captured my attention from the very beginning. I found the story to be very touching and at the same time thought provoking and filled with intrigue.

It is so easy to become emotionally involved with the main character who had to cope with a myriad of abusive situations which impacted her over the course of her life. That’s how three rules were born for Hope Wellman…

1.) The most dangerous people in the world are not always strangers. 2.) The scariest things imaginable are not those that can kill you, but those you can live through. And probably the most prominent: 3.) The most horrible possibility is not what could happen to you, but what you could become – I became a killer.”

When a child is sexually molested, there may be no outward signs, so in many instances, there is no healing. Children often keep secrets about such experiences and suffer alone. After all, pain stays alive while trust is forever gone. In the end, Hope, as the author named the main character in this book, is one of the greatest things humans can have. It drives us to still exist, to survive.

Three Rules is a well written book; one that stays in the reader’s mind long after last page has been turned.

Interview with the author of Poets Are Not Useful, Gwyndyn Alexander

Poets Are Not Useful spans twenty years, detailing the author's abusive childhood, her recovery, her love for New Orleans, and the triumph of a broken soul healing and finding her voice.

Gwyndyn Alexander (1969-) is a feminist poet from New Orleans. She was born in San Francisco, but moved to New Orleans and never looked back. In 2005, she lost her house and job and her library to the Great Levee Failure. In April of 2006, she moved into exile in Austin, Texas where she currently resides. Her greatest hope is to someday move back to the city that will always be her home, because she knows what it means to miss New Orleans with all her heart. She survived an abusive childhood, and transmuted her experiences into art. She is a fervent supporter of Protect.org, donating 10% of all book sales to the organization. This is her fifth book.

What inspired you to write Poets Are Not Useful?

I had a very abusive childhood, 18 years worth of awfulness. It's never easy recovering from that sort of thing. These poems were very therapeutic for me. It really helped to tell my story, my way...to get that anger and grief out and on the page. My hope is that other survivors of abuse will read it and realize that they're not alone, that they can survive and thrive and transmute their pain into something positive.

That's also why I'm donating 10% of all proceeds from the book to http://protect.org. They are a wonderful group fighting for the rights of children, and fighting for justice against the abusers.

How you came up with such engaging title?

It's explained in the intro. I was having a drunken conversation with a hard core scientist type. He kept asking what the function of poetry is, what IS a poet, whether poets are even useful. The book as a whole is my answer to him.

At the very end is a kind of epilogue to the book, where I answer that poets are NOT useful. Microwaves are useful. Duct tape is useful. Poets are essential. :)

How long did it take you to write this book?

This book has been 20 years in the making. A year ago, I shared my poetry on Andrew Vachss' Facebook. He told me that it was criminal that such powerful, important work was out of print. He said that my voice needed to be heard.
So, I buckled down and got to work, revising old unpublished poems and writing new ones. I think it's a good collection.

What books and authors have most influenced you?

Andrew Vachss, definitely. His Burke novels introduced me to Protect.org, and were instrumental in helping me internalize the truth that what had happened to me was not in any way my fault.

Judith Tarr has also been a huge influence. I sent her an advance copy of Poets Are Not Useful, as a thank you for all of the hours of pleasure her books have given me over the years. Luckily, she liked it. :)

In fact, she gave me a blurb for the back cover: “These poems pierce the heart and twist the knife. Visceral, dark, and beautiful.”

If you were to write in a different genre, what it would be?

I would love to be able to write novels, science fiction would be great. Unfortunately, my mind seems geared towards poetry. Maybe someday, I'll discover I can write actual plots and characters...anything's possible in an ever-expanding universe.

Do you have current work in progress? 

I've just started work on a collection of poems about New Orleans. I lived there for over a decade, until the Great Levee Failure of 05. I lost my house and my business, and was forced into exile here in Austin.

Don't get me wrong, Austin is a great town, but there's no place like home. I just need to find some ruby slippers....

Where readers can find your latest achievements? 

The book has its own Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/poetsarenotuseful

I'm Gwyndyn Alexander on Facebook, if anyone wants to say 'hi': https://www.facebook.com/idiomagic

My husband Jonathan runs the Twitter thing for me at https://twitter.com/GwynTAlexander. I may be a twit, but I don't know anything about tweeting.

Here is a sneak peek of Poets Are Not Useful:

Poet as Reflection

Do you know that late at night

alone in the dark feeling?

Too much wrong, too little love.

Helpless. Hopeless.

You can't cope,

can't go on,

can't face another day

alone.

I live there

in that cold empty pain.

If you look

in the too-bright 4 a.m. mirror,

I'll be there looking back at you.

Maybe we'll sense each other,

touch fingertips to glass,

and know

we are not alone.

Poet as Portrait

I had my portrait painted once

when I was five.

Static image:

the child I never really was,

never grows or learns,

two-dimensional innocence

in my painted eyes.

I see that portrait in my mind

and wonder,

was I ever that girl?

Five years old, so solemn.

Cheeks plump with baby fat,

mute accusation,                     
reproval.                                          

Sometimes I feel
that flat image

is truer to
than the me I push through
life,

my self as marionette.

I want to step into my painted
self and rest,

but my strings bind me,

tether me.

                                                         

Is this what I have become?

That painted girl transformed,

out of the canvas

but still

the work of someone else's

hands.

Available in both print and Kindle editions on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/poets-are-useful-Gwyndyn-Alexander/dp/1500888575/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409573206&sr=8-1&keywords=poets+are+not+useful

Book Recommendation: 10 Children’s Short Stories Series by Oldiees Publishing

PRESENTS ITS NEW TITLE: 10 Children’s Short Stories Series

                                                                        AUDIO EDITION of Fairy Tales & Fables Collection

Listed in What’s Hot on the Apple iBooks Store US & UK.

Timeless collections of children's greatest stories including the works of Lewis Carroll, Madame Le prince de Beaumont, The Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, J. M. Barrie, Hans Christian Andersen, Edward R. Shaw, and more! These collection features 20 integrated text and audio narrated by Matthew Rutledge & Erica Lee.

ADVENTURES OF TOM THUMB

ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

BROTHER AND SISTER

CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP

HANSEL AND GRETEL

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

LITTLE BLACK SAMBO

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

PETER PAN

PINOCCHIO

RAPUNZEL

RUMPLESTILTSKIN

THE FROG PRINCE

THE LITTLE MERMAID

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

THE STORY OF CINDERELLA

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

THREE LITTLE BEARS

+ 65 more!

Available at:

Apple iBooks Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/10-childrens-short-stories-1/id503497695?mt=11 

Google Play Store: 

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Oldiees_Publishing_10_Children_s_Short_Stories_1_A?id=q_qDAwAAQBAJ&hl=en

     

Oldiees Publishing is a digital publisher founded in 2010 with the stated mission of offering timeless collection of cultural works in many genres that entertain, amuse, and inform. Some of the books Oldiees published include Children's Book of American Biographies, The Mystery & Thriller Short Stories, 50 Science Fiction Short Stories, Bible Made Easy 2: New Testament, and Great Speeches Collection 1.

Readers can find more about Oldiees Publishing by visiting www.oldiees.com

This post was brought to you in partnership with OPENKAST.

                                                                                            

Dive Into a Great Read...Interview with Author of 'Exodus Lost' S.C. Compton

Exodus Lost reopens cold cases from antiquity and applies cutting-edge science, classical scholarship, and tenacity to solve them. The adventure begins with Aztec and Mayan chronicles of an epic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. By mapping the details within these texts, the author tracks down their lost homeland and corroborates the local traditions of an ocean-crossing long before Columbus. This discovery leads to new insights into the origins of Mexican and Western civilizations, the Bible (including new archaeological evidence for two major biblical events), the alphabet, and much more. Enter a world of exploration and discovery, mystery and revelation. Whether your passion is archaeology or religion, history or simply a great adventure, Exodus Lost delivers.      

     Beautifully illustrated with 126 photos, maps, and engravings.

About the Author:

S. C. Compton has been fascinated with ancient civilizations since childhood adventures living in the rainforests of Peru with his grandparents and exploring Incan ruins in the nearby Andes. For his forthcoming book, Compton used satellite photography to find a legendary lost city, became the first American to summit Mt. Cudi (for centuries a sacred site to all Western religions and the only place where they worshipped in unison), visited archaeological sites in Iraq during the war, photographed ruins and artifacts that had never been captured on film before, was captured by PKK guerrilla fighters in Turkey, and also spent countless exciting hours hunched over books, scholarly papers, and a laptop. Compton holds degrees from Shimer College, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago and has studied at Oxford University and in Switzerland at L’Abri. He currently edits academic journals for Oxford University Press and has written one previous book, Exodus Lost.

What inspired you to write Exodus Lost?

          Growing up, I had family connections in Peru (where I spent some time living with my maternal grandparents) and Guatemala (where my father’s aunt, Helen Neuenswander, started a hospital, translated the Bible into Mayan, and did scholarly work). While formally studying Western Civilization, I privately read everything I could find about the ancient civilizations of the Americas and grew interested in a mystery.

When the first Europeans arrived from across the Atlantic Ocean, the Aztec emperor Montezuma welcomed them with a speech telling them that his own ancestors had come from across that same ocean long ago. The Aztecs and Maya both included this tradition of an ancient ocean-crossing in their histories. If it were true it would rewrite history.

When I first looked into it, I didn’t expect to find much. Western academia can be rather condescending toward non-Western historical traditions and tends to dismiss these accounts as primitive myths. But the more I researched them, the more I found them to be remarkably accurate. It turned into a personal detective story. Following the clues from the ancient accounts and weighing them against the latest archaeological, linguistic, and epigraphical evidence led to the Hyksos, who invaded and ruled northern Egypt for a century before fleeing a naval assault and disappearing from history.

How long did it take you to write this book?

I got the idea for the core research in Oxford in 1996. I pursued it as a graduate school thesis from 96 through 99. Then I developed it into a book through 2010. So 14 years. And numerous research trips to archaeological sites, museums, and research libraries in Mexico, Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Egypt.

What books and authors have most influenced you?

         

          For Exodus Lost, I spent years reading archaeological excavation reports, academic papers, Spanish chronicles from the time of the conquest, early Mesoamerican codices, etc. There are more than 700 endnotes. I documented everything meticulously there for the sake of academics so that I could leave the text itself accessible and interesting for the average reader.

Do you have a current work in progress?

Yes, I’m excited about the new book! It looks at the ancient accounts of a Great Flood and starts by correlating their claims with actual data on the history of the Earth’s climate taken from tree rings, ice cores, sea sediments, etc. It turned out that there is substantial physical evidence for a global cataclysm in the 32nd century BC, just when so many ancient traditions claim that a great flood devastated the Earth. This time saw a rapid drop in temperature, an extreme surge in global precipitation levels, the most intense spike in atmospheric sulfur ever recorded, and the lowest levels of cosmogenic nuclides. Both the physical data and the ancient accounts pinpoint the same place of origin in the night sky. In short, the evidence from all sides indicates a water impact by a Beta-Taurid asteroid.

I thought that would be the heart of the book, but then I started visiting the places associated with the Great Flood in Iraq and Turkey (as well as the British Museum, the Louvre, and so on). The earliest traditions, including those from ancient Assyria and early Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all claimed that ship of the flood survivors landed on Mt. Cudi in southern Turkey. However, the area has been dominated by violence for so long that its contents were not well known. I was able to become the first American to summit the mountain and to take the first ever photographs of several significant sites, including what was traditionally believed to be the Ark. Along the way, I discovered a lost city that ancient geographers claimed was the oldest city in the world. I also endured several misfortunes, including being captured by guerrilla fighters. 

Readers can find Compton's latest achievements here:

SCCompton.com

ExodusLost.com

www.goodreads.com/book/show/10333817-exodus-lost

www.amazon.com/Exodus-Lost-ebook/dp/B004GEAL4Q

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exodus-lost-s-compton/1102964509?ean=9781439276839  

Interview with author of 'Suicide Game'

It is my pleasure to welcome today another amazing author to my blog.

Just...Haidji, as she likes to refer to herself, was 12 when she started to write her stories and poems. Since then she has been producing abstract work that resonates with warmth and life.

Her stories create images in the reader’s mind, as would a word be a brushstroke painting inside your imagination.

A captivating blend of Brazilian flair, Teutonic precision and Dutch pragmatism makes Haidji's work unique, appealing and thought-provoking. Her published works include Life into Mist, Fancy & Adriaan, and

SG- Suicide Game.

Since 1995 Haidji has exhibited her work, realized her projects and told her stories in many countries: Germany, Brazil, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, England, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Australia, and the United States.

What inspired you to write Suicide Game?

SG – Suicide Game is based on a dream I had. The title was already there, in my dream.

How long did it take you to write “SG-Suicide Game”?

I took years to write SG- Suicide Game. I don’t know how many anymore. The book make persons cry and laugh. It is very intense, writing this book was overwhelming.

What is the message that you want to give through Suicide Game?

There are many messages inside the story. I want each person to find their own message in the book. But maybe a main one is, “Don’t kill your dream to achieve your goals“.

Your favorite genre/author?

Ficion. Shakespeare.

Do you have current work in progress?

I am writing a new book..."Antipoda", that will be ready in about 2 or 3 years.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Just write and write and write. Read all you wrote as would you be someone else. Think about it. And write it all again. The first time you write something, don’t think about it, just write it down. Accept good critics, they help you to grow.

Readers can find more about Haidji and her latest achievements here:

Twitter

https://twitter.com/Haidji

Facebook Book Page

https://www.facebook.com/sgsuicidegame

Facebook official page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Haidji/272073931895

Blog

www.haidji.blogspot.com

Goodreads profile

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7202532.Haidji

Google+

Haidji H

Instagram

haidjiofficialprofile

Here is a sneak peak at Suicide Game:

SG- Suicide Game is a metaphor about the society where persons almost kill themselves to achieve their goals and forget their dreams, but, in the book you will find also real love, friendship, loyalty, hope and an unexpected finale showing the good essence of the human seed. Eight thousand candidates sign up for the Suicide Game. Only one can win. Their destination is the Night Stadium: a place of makeup and music, fear and adrenaline, blood and romance, celebration and death. Each candidate has his or her own reason for entering the Game. The Council runs the Game. The outcome of the Game is left to fate...in the laps of the gods. The candidates will jump to their deaths in order to win everything, before capacity crowds in the Stadium. The public follows every jump, live on TV and mobile device screens, choosing their favorite candidates and betting on their lives. Who will win the game? Candidate 0907 - Moma - the terrorist? Candidate 1518 - Fabio Giovanni Cristiani - the cyclist? Candidate 3507 - Anthony Henrik Gustav - the lawyer? Candidate 4914 - Jens Plaato - the politician? Candidate 4918 - Sarah Mondstein - the career woman? Candidate 5151 - Bianca White - just a girl ? Candidate 7195 - The Scientist? …Or is it a completely different Candidate? The Game’s community also includes geeks, mafia, makeup artists, master chefs, models, musicians, spies, terrorists, and many others. It boldly imagines a place where death and denial are interwoven with hope, choices and the innate desire for happiness. Impressive in the totality of its vision, it is an exploration of the best and worst things in our lives, our nightmares, and especially our dreams.

Suicide Game is available on Amazon.

Thank you so much for allowing us into your world, Haidji. It's been my extreme pleasure to host you today. I wish you success in your writing.

Review of The Business Anarchist's Guide to Peak Productivity and Time Management: Getting More Done In Less Time Than You Ever Thought Possible

The material presented in this book includes business oriented topics such as improving time management, but also has a more holistic approach by giving advice on ways to accomplish tasks with more energy and more creativity.

The author’s advice is very motivating, sincere, and down-to-earth. It is geared towards anyone who wishes to finally follow through with those truly genius and diverse ideas that may have taken a back seat. It is obvious that he has done a lot of research on methods to enhance one’s career through personal growth but also stresses the importance of making room for a personal life. Everything is presented in a logical and experienced manner and his instructions are clear and easy to understand.

The chapters are broken into subjects so that readers can quickly get to the information that most pertains to them. The suggestions for boosting productivity and at the same time increasing energy are what I found to be most helpful.

However, what I most like about this book is that it introduces many great habits to help remind oneself of what he / she is capable of and what steps they can take to better their body, their mind, and their relationships with others. It contains a list of ways to improve the efficiency of the “whole person” as well as the business mind with topics such as budget management.

I highly recommend this guide especially for those who would need a boost of motivation to better achieve their goals.

Amazing Children's book 'A Pug Named Doug'

Today I am delighted to bring you an interview with author Yvonne Sidell

Puppy is as Puppy does! 

And a full day is just not enough time for A Pug Named Doug!

Seeing is believing in this colorfully illustrated book as young readers follow Doug along to witness first hand all the funny things a puppy can get into – both indoors and outdoors, mischievous Doug delightfully takes on the world (right down to naptime cuddles).

Ohhhhh silly Doug!  

What inspired you to write the A Pug Named Doug? 

My own puppy Maxx met Doug at a dog park and they became the best of friends.  The two of them experience every flower, bug and other park “amenity” that I just had to put their fun into words!

If you were to write in a different genre, what it would be?

Great question…I’m a total children’s book writer and at one time thought about intriguing novels, but it would probably end up being one for kids!
  

What has been your most rewarding and memorable experience as an author?

I must say it is reading to children in library groups or schools.  They are the greatest audience and it humbles me to watch their expressions (or hear laughter) when reading them my stories.

Every November thousands of writers take part in a month long challenge, write a novel in 30 days. In your opinion, how much time is needed to write a quality book?

Another great question.  For me, inspiration hits and I immediately jot down my thoughts before they evaporate.  For those authors who write novels, I am impressed with the time they take to write a quality book…again, maybe inspiration absorbs them and its written within that short timeframe.  I must defer to those wonderful novel authors to respond. 

Did you have favorite books/authors as a child?

Any Dr. Seuss book was my favorite.  I also enjoyed Clifford!

Are you exactly where you want to be in your writing endeavors?

Not yet…until the day I can no longer come up with a fun children’s story, that will be my time to know I am where I want to be. 

Where can this book be purchased?  

https://www.readpublishing.com/products/a-pug-named-doug   In the coming months, the book will be available on Amazon Kindle (and print).

Where can we find your latest achievements?

This is my first published book (I have another book titled The Fairy Twins which was self-published – it’s also available at Re.ad Publishing). If A Pug Named Doug grows, I will create a Facebook page.

Do you have current work in progress? 

Yes, but my publisher requires me to keep the title confidential until copyright certifications are completed.