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2022 Ford Maverick vs 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Have you ever wanted to combine the efficiency and affordability of a commuter car with the capability of a pickup truck? Maybe it's time you consider a compact pickup truck like the 2022 Ford Maverick. Ford's new compact pickup truck brings together compact convenience, affordability, and top-notch performance in a way we've never seen before. This new vehicle comes with a budget-friendly MSRP, and the savings keep on going with the hybrid engine.
If you wish your sedan had a bigger cargo area or your pickup truck got better gas mileage (or was more affordable in the first place), you are going to love Ford's new Maverick. This compact pickup is definitely going to take the world by storm. In fact, it already has!
Now the only thing to ask yourself is, will the 2022 Ford Maverick fit into your driveway and lifestyle. What are you looking for in a vehicle, and will Ford's new 2022 Maverick meet these needs and expectations for you? Are you ready to take a closer look at the 2022 Maverick?
Fuel Efficiency (city/hwy mpg)
Towing Capacity (lbs)
Payload (lbs)
A New Kind of Truck
As far as fuel efficiency goes, the 2022 Ford Maverick is one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road––especially when you consider the fact that it is a pickup truck. This compact pickup truck is actually a hybrid truck which is why drivers can get such good gas mileage. When you drive home the 2022 Maverick, you can expect to get 40 MPG in the city or 33 MPG on the highway. If you're a city driver, this is going to be the perfect pickup truck for you.
What kind of range does the Ford Maverick get? This hybrid has a range of up to 500 miles. In addition to the hybrid capabilities, you'll get a fuel tank capacity of 13.8 gallons, meaning you'll have a long way to go before you need to worry about running out of fuel or power. If you want your truck to be able to have AWD for overlanding or off-roading adventures, the EcoBoost engine comes with an AWD capability. Or, if you prefer to keep fuel economy as high as possible and you only plan on driving in the city or on paved roads, the FWD option with the smaller engine should serve you well.
Just because you're getting the fuel efficiency of a compact commuter car doesn't mean you'll be sacrificing performance and capability. The 2022 Ford Maverick has plenty of bragging rights when it comes to performance, and you'll definitely be getting some pickup truck experiences in this bad boy. To begin with, when you drive home the 2022 Maverick, you'll be getting a towing capability of up to 4,000 lbs. While that may not seem like much when you compare it to Ford's bigger pickup trucks, such as the F-150, F-250, and F-350 vehicles, that's certainly more than you can expect to get when you buy a compact SUV.
One Capable Machine
The Ford Maverick is not just a commuter vehicle, even though it gets commuter-friendly gas mileage. You'll also be able to tow small trailers, making this the perfect vehicle for the hobby home improvement enthusiast or the hobby yard work enthusiast. This vehicle is also perfect for weekends at the lake or in the mountains, as 4,000 lbs is more than enough to carry around plenty of ATVs, smaller boats, and more. Your lifestyle adventures will not be lacking when you drive a Maverick.
Speaking of pickup truck capabilities, have you seen the tailgate on the 2022 Ford Maverick? The Maverick comes equipped with a pretty impressive tailgate, and this thing is about as user-friendly as a truck tailgate could possibly get. To begin with, the bed itself is 4.5 ft long, making it big enough to tote around plenty of gear, tools, and other random necessities. The tailgate itself has multiple positions that make it easy to load and unload just about anything you could imagine.
Impressive Capabilities
The tailgate can open all the way to sit in a flat position for the biggest of items, or the tailgate can sit and lock in a midway position that securely holds any awkwardly-shaped pieces of equipment. No longer will you need to leave the tailgate hanging all the way open for one long stick that you then have to figure out how to keep from sliding up and down. Just lock your tailgate in a midway position, tie down your load, and you're good to go!
While you're at it, you can expect to be able to load up your Maverick with just about anything you like. The 2022 Maverick has a payload capability of 1,500 lbs making it strong enough to carry around mulch, concrete, bricks, outdoor adventure toys, or whatever else your heart desires. You'll be amazed at what this compact pickup truck is capable of.
One of the coolest parts about the new 2022 Maverick is the plug-in bed. The bed of the Maverick comes with a spot to plug in anything you could need for some projects or tailgating. Whether you need to run a miniature generator, fill up an air mattress, charge a drill's battery, or power a backyard movie projector, the 2022 Ford Maverick has got you covered. The rear seats also have some pretty cool capabilities. Besides being spacious and comfortable in the first place, the back row seats completely lift up to reveal a convenient storage area. Use this area for items you want to keep safe from the elements or from prying eyes.
The cockpit comes with a driver's seat that has an eight-way power adjuster. The cockpit also has the option of coming with an 8-inch infotainment display center as well as two 12V power outlets, so you'll never be lacking in power again. There is also plenty of storage space in the cockpit area, including side door pockets and shelves. In fact, the side door is capable of storing up to a 1.5L water bottle; you can take your favorite drink with you everywhere you go without having to worry about spilling.
Adventure Ready
The unique features don't just end with interior conveniences. When you bring home the 2022 Ford Maverick, you will also have the option of using some pretty stellar driving modes. When you opt for the off-road adventure package, you'll be able to switch between drive modes such as normal (for pavement and city driving), tow/haul (for towing around trailers and toys), slippery (for wet and otherwise dangerous road and off-road conditions), mud and ruts (for off-roading adventures that might otherwise leave you stuck in muddy ditches), and sand mode (for terrain that is difficult to keep grip and traction on). Keep in mind when you get a Maverick with an off-roading package, you'll need the bigger 2.0 L EcoBoost engine rather than the standard hybrid engine.
The back of the Maverick has the option of adding in a manual sliding window so you can get some extra airflow or even extend the length of your bed for, particularly long and narrow items. Or if you've got people sitting in the bed, say for a drive-in movie, you'll be able to open this window to easily hear anybody in the cab or even the stereo system. Or when you're using the bed for towing and hauling, the bed itself comes with no less than ten anchor points, two of which slide and lock for even more securing abilities. You'll never have to worry about losing your gear while driving down the road again.
New 2023 Ford Ranger LARIAT®
Dealer Discount $500
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Find the Maverick at Newton Ford South
When you're ready to get an even closer look at the 2022 Ford Maverick, come on down to Newton Ford South. We've got the insider tips on the new Maverick, and we're ready to answer every question you have. Whether you're just wondering what all the buzz is about or you're looking for a reason to add this compact pickup truck to your family of vehicles, our expert team members are ready to share with you everything we know about Ford's new Maverick.
Beyond just knowledge and insight, there are many more reasons to visit Newton Ford South for all your automotive needs. We've got the best selection of new and used vehicles in the area, and we have examples of many trim levels and customization options for you to choose from. Our financing department works hard to get you your dream vehicle at a price point you can easily afford, and when it's all said and done, our certified mechanics provide you with the best vehicle maintenance possible via our onsite parts and service center.
So what are you waiting for? There is no other vehicle quite like the new Ford Maverick on the market today, and it will certainly be a long time before we see another vehicle launch as amazing and innovative as this one has been again. There's never been a better time to take a closer look at the new 2022 Ford Maverick. Come and see what all the buzz is about today!
*MSRP may change without notice. See dealer for complete details.


Solar Xpress specialises in cost saving measures in energy for Schools.
Utilising our specially developed software we can analyse your usage data which will guide us in providing the appropriate measures to help you with cost saving measures for energy needs.
Most schools only trade a 5-day week and with 10 public holidays per year there are around 120 days each year where the school is not making use of the solar power produced (this figure does not include school holiday periods). With the development of battery solutions there is now the ability to store produced excess energy and use the stored energy in the evenings and night when solar would have not been effective.
Demonstrate to your students and your community the importance of renewable energy while at the same time, receiving significant savings on your electricity bill - with no capital cost.
This is a specialised solar rental plan created just for schools. Your selected solar system is purchased by our financer and rented to your school for ten years at a fixed rate. After ten years the school has the option to pay one additional months payment and the title of the goods are transfered to them locking in the savings on electricity - but then with no monthly costs.


Home / NEWS & INSIGHTS / Insight / Does your organisation meet the ACNC requirements for a Public Benevolent Institution?
Charities registered as or seeking to be registered as a PBI.
The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Commissioner's Interpretation Statement: Public Benevolent Institutions (CIS 2016/03) provides guidance to obtain and maintain PBI endorsement.
Review your organisation's activities, governance documents, publicly available information (website) policies, procedures, strategic and business plans, relationships with other organisations and agreements to ensure that it continues to meet the requirements of a PBI.
The ACNC determines whether a charity qualifies as a public benevolent institution (PBI). This decision is then considered by the ATO in determining available tax concessions including entitlement to endorsement as a deductible gift recipient (DGR). The ACNC has published a Commissioner's Interpretation Statement: Public Benevolent Institutions (CIS) setting out the factors the ACNC will consider when assessing an organisation's eligibility as a PBI.
Some of the more difficult issues relating to qualification as a PBI and some of the nuances associated with these issues are drawn out by the CIS.
An organisation must be able to demonstrate that its main purpose is benevolent, but it may have other purposes that are ancillary or incidental to its main benevolent purpose.
An example given in the CIS is an organisation whose main purpose is the advancement of religion which has activities which advance religion and also activities which provide benevolent relief may not qualify as a PBI. In comparison an organisation whose main purpose and activity is the direct relief of people in need which also has a minor purpose/activity of promoting religion may qualify.
Before the ACNC, the ATO assessed the eligibility of an organisation to be endorsed as a PBI. The ATO requirement was that an organisation had to itself provide direct benevolent relief to be a PBI.
The effect of this is that some organisations which were not previously able to qualify as a PBI will now be able to do so.
The activity of the PBI must be targeted to relieving a need, for example poverty or distress.
One of the issues discussed in the CIS is to what extent does activity which is aimed at preventing a need from arising (for example, programs aimed at preventing ill health, poverty or distress) qualify as PBI activity.
At what point does the outcome of an activity get described as prevention and become too remote to be considered as providing relief. For example, compare suicide prevention which usually does qualify as a PBI activity to programs aimed at education about healthy eating habits to prevent obesity in the general community.
Preventative work must be targeted at people in need as opposed to the community at large and it must actually provide relief to the needy otherwise it will be considered to be too remote.
An organisation established and operated in Australia which provides benevolent relief to people in need in an overseas country may by endorsed by the ACNC as a PBI.
The ACNC requires charities that operate overseas to demonstrate how risks such as the misuse of funds provided will be monitored and managed to ensure compliance with the ACNC Governance Standards.
Importantly, even if the ACNC registers an organisation as a PBI, this does not automatically entitle that organisation to be endorsed by the ATO as a DGR. It is therefore possible that an organisation which does not meet the ATO 'in Australia test' could be registered with the ACNC as a PBI but not the ATO, meaning it would not be a DGR. Therefore, depending on activity and ability to comply with the 'in Australia test' it may still be better for some organisations to apply for endorsement as an overseas aid agency rather than a PBI.
Please contact us if you would like any further information or assistance to establish a PBI or in determining your organisation's eligibility or ongoing entitlement as a PBI for the ACNC and ATO purposes.


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Christian Book Marketing
Title: Your Guide to Marketing Books in the Christian Marketplace,
Author:Sarah Bolme
Website: www.marketingchristianbooks.com
Category: Nonfiction: Marketing
Publisher: CREST Publications
This book provides a blueprint for authors and publishers to promote their books in the Christian marketplace. The book covers three areas:
1) Launching Your Book including gathering endorsements, garnering reviews, and pursuing book awards;
2) Selling Your Books with information on reaching Christian retailers, connecting with churches, promoting to Christian consumers, and harnessing the Internet;
3) Special Markets for selling your books to the homeschool market, the Urban market, and e-books.
Reviewed by Mary Battle
Sarah Bolme has distinguished herself as a leading publisher and author in her latest book, Your Guide to Marketing Books in the Christian Marketplace, Second Edition. In her book, Bolme reveals the secret to successful marketing for authors and publishers alike. She unveils countless valuable tips, web resources, and easy to follow instructions on marketing in the Christian book industry. As an African-American author, I found the 'Targeting Special Markets' section a priceless gem. This book is an essential tool for all Christian authors and publishers.
Sarah Bolme is an author and speaker. She blogs at http://marketingchristianbooks.wordpress.com
and tweets at http://www.twitter.com/SaraBlome
Buy the book at www.marketingchristianbooks.com
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Posted by Carolyn Howard-Johnson at 9:07 PM No comments:
Labels: Crest Publications, Nonfiction: Marketing, Nonfiction: Writers
Christian Book Reviews Postulates Book of the Year
Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction
By Robert W. Kellemen, and Karole Edwards.
Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 2007
Web Site: www.rpmministries.org
Genre: Non-Fiction, History, Church History, Black Church History, Soul Care, Christian Counseling, Spiritual Direction
Reviewed by Donna Eggett for Christian Book Previews
This may well be the book of the year! Engrossing, important, well researched, deeply biblical - what more can I say? Presenting imperative Christian nurturing, vividly illustrated by significant, scripture-based, lifesaving lessons gleaned from some of our most downtrodden Americans, Beyond the Suffering provides essential truths for all Americans, no matter race, creed, or history. Let's extend the arena -the rest of the world will profit from this heart/mind/spirit catching book.
Written for the express purpose of showing how Christ snatches triumphs from the jaws of defeat and transforming victims into victors, Beyond the Suffering is based on documents, biographies, and quotations from American slaves who learned that when absolutely everything else fails Christ is present, real, loving, in control. The format revolves around ministries which help hurting and hardened people. The examples used are shocking, horrifying, uplifting, always pointing to Christ. A term found often throughout these pages is 'Soul Physician' - one who, from the depth of their own terrible yet wondrous experiences, helps others to reach out of their own particular pit toward the healing Lord. These slave Soul Physicians were lay-people whom our Lord had touched; a concept which today's world desperately needs. Beyond the Suffering will not only heal and prepare us to face life, it will equip us to be Soul Physicians. Many materials in this book encourage the reader towards victory. The questions which summarize each chapter are thought- and action-provoking.
The history is well-researched; ideas are amply, tellingly illustrated. No punches are pulled. The authors tell about slavery exactly as it was, and about Christ and His ministry exactly like it is. Beyond the Suffering is not a book for those who like their American comfort and traditional misbeliefs. Be prepared to have growing pains and spiritual toothaches as you read. This book is a must for all Christians. It will make an excellent preparation for our youth as they head into a dangerous future.
Nonfiction: History, Nonfiction: Inspiration, robert w. kelleman, karole edwards, Baker Books (publishers), donna eggert (reviewer), christian book reviews
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers.
Posted by Carolyn Howard-Johnson at 1:08 PM 2 comments:
Labels: Baker Books (publishers), christian book reviews, donna eggert (reviewer), karole edwards, Nonfiction: History, Nonfiction: Inspiration, robert w. kelleman
Karina Fabian Pens Christian Sci-Fi
FLASHPOINT: Book One of the Underground
Author: Frank Creed
Book website: http://www.frankcreed.com/flashpoint.html
Genre: science fiction, Christian, cyberpunk
Published by Writers Café Press
Review's website: www.fabianspace.com
Reviewed by Karina Fabian in www.virtualbooktourdenet.com
Rating: Four of Five stars
Frank Creed pushes the boundaries of Christian fiction with Biblical cyberpunk—when he talks about "God in the machine," he's quite literal. He's been thinking and playing in the genre since long before William Gibson made it popular—and Creed can give Gibson a run for his money.
Creed starts with the basics for both cyberpunk and Biblical speculative fiction: a dystopic world run by a totalitarian global regime, with a pretty wide division between the haves and have-nots. Those who support the regime live a prosperous life, while those who do not are left to the squalor of a crime-riddled underworld at best and slave camps or "reconditioning" at worst.
True to the Christian angle, the government has established a watered-down "feel good" religion, and true Christians (dubbed "Fundamentalists") are forced to hide their practices or go totally underground by joining the Resistance.
Dave and Jen are our young heroes. When the government finds out their family is part of a secret home church, they are taken to the underground by their father to save their lives. Daddy leaves them in order to draw off the authorities and is captured with their mother. Meanwhile, Dave and Jen are taken in by the Resistance and discover they have amazing abilities. They receive cybernetic mind enhancements that enable them to become the kind of perfected humans God created, before we were damaged by Original Sin.
Dave becomes a superhero with Matrix-style abilities, while Jen becomes e-girl, the computer wizard no cyberpunk novel is complete without. They join the Resistance; their first mission: Save Mom and Dad and the members of their home church. And as they fulfill their mission, they learn what it means to be part of God's army.
There's nothing especially spectacular in the plot, but the real magic is in the execution. Creed does a fantastic job of weaving in all the things that make cyberpunk an exciting genre to read: the melding of human capabilities with highly technological advancements, exciting scenes that deliver the adrenalin rush, earthy but clever repartee, cunning twists to the mundane, some well-thought out fight scenes…
But what about the Biblical message? Here again Creed shows his genius. He immerses you in the Word of God just as he immerses you in the cyberpunk culture—in thought, word and deed. The thing I personally love about cyberpunk is the complete cultural mythos, right down to vocabulary.
Creed does the same thing; in addition to some really fun slang, he's woven in Scripture and the ideals of his Christian "Army" so that as you read, you are neither preached to nor pulled out of the story. It's all part of the program—literally and figuratively.
Flashpoint is a fast, fun read, something I was comfortable in giving to my 13-year-old son, and which I wouldn't mind re-reading again. (My husband can tell you that from me, that's high praise.) If you are looking for Biblical speculative fiction the way it should be done, you need to read Creed!
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Labels: Fiction: Christian, Fiction: Science Fiction/, frank creed, karina fabian, Writers Cafe Press
Fantasy Expert John Ottinger Reviews "Wind Follower"
Title: Wind Follower
Author: Carole McDonnell
Format: Paperback, 248pp
Publisher: Juno Books an imprint of Wildside Press
Reviewed by: John Ottinger (http://otter.covblogs.com) for Grasping for the Wind
The standard fantasy is usually set in a world based on medieval Europe. Sometimes you get a Greco-Roman base, or the rare Asian/Chinese setting as with the Tales of Otori novels by Lian Hearn, or the Arabic tales of the Arabian Nights. But no one, to my knowledge, has ever based their fantasy novel on a medieval Africa. Some have used Africa�s jungles as the setting for a story, but its characters were usually white adventurers and the black natives were the evil ones (think Indiana Jones).
Carole McDonnell (website, blog), in her fantasy Wind Follower, has turned all of that on its head. Based on an African medieval culture (and by medieval I mean between ancient and colonial) with its own kingdoms, culture, and politics, Wind Follower uniquely portrays some very human struggles.
The story follows a married couple, Loic and Satha, as they find themselves embroiled in a cultural and spiritual war. Ancestor worship is common in this world, and politics is a highly complicated affair with many detailed rules and customs. Beyond that, there are three distinct races, with different skin colors and personality types. Each tribe and clan shows a fierce loyalty to the others of their groups, and the smallest slight can lead to petty vengeance. When Satha's honor is ruined, Loic seeks murderous vengeance.
Wind Follower is so unique in my own experience that I find it hard not to gush all over this novel. The tribal system is vividly portrayed by McDonnell, showing her intimate knowledge of African tribal systems, and the customs she gives the peoples of Wind Follower, while frustrating, are ones commonly ascribed to tribal cultures around the world. As is common with such systems, ancestor and spirit worship rules their daily lives. Loic has rebelled against that system, embroiling him in a spiritual war from which only the Creator can save him.
McDonnell packages the novel as an oral story being told by the same Loic and Satha who lived the events described. But unlike the thin veneer of storytelling common in other fantasy books (i.e. the prologue and epilogue mention the book being written down or transcribed from the words of the characters in their old age, but the rest of the book is standard third person) the oral nature of the telling of the book is embedded into its very fabric. Each chapter is told either from Loic or Satha�s perspective, each one alternating with the other. At times, the storyteller will make an aside that fills in gaps in the story, but doesn't break the flow of the narrative. Some readers will find this hard to understand, (I had to keep reminding myself that this was an oral history of sorts) especially in the initial pages, but will settle in after the first or second chapter. This is a creative way to structure the novel, and it is done very well. I felt I was sitting at the feet of Loic and Satha as the told me the story of their lives.
The story is sexually and violently graphic. McDonnell has not feared to display wonderful acts of love and gruesome acts of violence in a disturbing and pointed way. She did not shy away from depicting any of the horrors of the evil spirits, or the sinful acts of man. Yet she does it in such a way that you are emotionally wrapped up in both the wonders and horrors of the events surrounding Loic and Satha. When they react in predictably human ways to both good and bad events we empathize to the point of remembering situations our own lives.
Some of the things about the novel that are difficult are its oral storytelling, as I�ve already mentioned, but that can be overcome with familiarity. There are a few major grammatical mistakes towards the end of the story, which interrupt important events, and are jarring for the reader.
McDonnell unashamedly calls this novel a Christian fantasy, and while that is not evident on the cover or in the back blurb, McDonnell's Pentecostal Christianity is part and parcel of the entire story. Those readers who are not Christians may be offended by the obvious references to a Creator and a Savior, a Trinitarian God, and the evil spirits (i.e. demons) who are at war with Him. However, I found that of all the explicitly Christian fantasies I have read, this one has best weaved the author�s worldview into the story without becoming preachy. The story stands alone as a good fantasy, even without the references to God. A Christian will enjoy the Scriptural elements of the novel, and dislike the explicit sex and violence, whereas the non-Christian may find those things powerful, while being offended by the Christian aspects of the story. Wind Follower is not a book that can be pigeon-holed and every person will find something he or she loves, and something he or she dislikes. And that is Mcdonnell�s greatest triumph. No matter your reaction to the novel, you will be called to an emotional response of some kind to the characters.
Other readers may be offended by the portrayal of the Angleni, a white skinned conquering race of people. However, white readers should not be offended. McDonnell does not, in the book hold up any one race as better or worse, In fact, Loic is light skinned and Satha very dark skinned. The theme of the story is the transcendence of the Creator over an above custom, race, and the evil schemes of the spirits. So while race is an important element to Wind Follower, it is not the primary theme of this fantasy.
I highly recommend this book. Wind Follower struggles with the religious nature of man, the effects of racial hatred on belief, the intimacy of a marriage ruled by custom, and ability of forgiveness to transcend all transgressions. If you leave this novel on the bookstore shelf, you will be the poorer for it.
Learn more about the reviewer John Ottinger III at
http://otter.covblogs.com
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and the index. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer nanmes and review sites. You'll also find it handy for gleaning the names of small publishers.
Posted by Carolyn Howard-Johnson at 9:05 AM No comments:
Labels: carole mcdonnell, Fiction: Fantasy, Grasping for the Wind (Reviews), john ottinger, Wildside Press
"My Brothers Keeper" Reviewed by Religion Journal
Book Title: My Brother's Keeper
Author: Bill Kassel
Author Website: www.billkassel.com
Genre: Historical/Religious Fiction
Publisher: Company Publications/Saint Joseph Communications
Review Link: http://www.hprweb.com/2016/09/early-fall-reading/)
Purchase Online at: https://saintjoe.com/products/my-brother-s-keeper?taxon_id=107
Reviewed by Fr. Michael P. Orsi originally for Homiletic and Pastoral Review
My Brother's Keeper is an inspirational novel of a type that used to be broadly popular: a Bible-based narrative that expands on the Gospels to tell an engaging story about a character whose life is touched by Christ. Classics such as Ben Hur and The Robe are examples of this genre of religious storytelling that was once at the heart of the literary mainstream.
In our cynical, materialist age, such works have largely fallen out of fashion. Even the Christian publishing houses tend to shy away from Bible fiction, preferring instead to offer contemporary or historical tales that center on moral conflicts, along with those innumerable series of so-called "Christian romances." And when secular publishers touch on the Bible these days, we're mainly treated to gnostic conspiracies or wild speculations about Jesus' "secret wife."
Catholic author Bill Kassel is attempting to swim against the fashionable tide with a tale that's remarkably orthodox but that offers an unconventional perspective on Jesus and his family. He accomplishes this through a deft blending of canonical and non-canonical elements, spiced with historical research and a good deal of imaginative supposition.
His story is premised on two ancient pious traditions: (1) that Joseph was a widower with children when he married a much younger Mary, and (2) that Mary herself had been raised in the Temple at Jerusalem as a sort of Jewish proto-"nun." These ideas are not Kassel's inventions, but rather are rooted in the Apocryphal Gospels (such as the Protoevangelium of James), early Christian writings that are largely overlooked in the Western Church today.
The plot of My Brother's Keeper gets nudged into motion when Joseph is asked to take a teenage Mary as his wife because she is approaching her "impurity" (the onset of menstruation), which will require her to leave the Temple. Mary's mother, Anna, is dead, and her father, Joachim, is nearing death himself, so the girl needs a home and husbandly protection. The twist is that this arrangement must allow Mary to preserve the celibacy she has chosen for herself.
Thus Kassel both sets the stage for all kinds of domestic complications within Joseph's extended household, and advances a neat rationale for the Catholic doctrine of Mary's Perpetual Virginity which even Protestants might accept. Through such clever literary contrivances My Brother's Keeper tries to fill many of the gaps in the Gospels and answer questions that have challenged the Christian imagination over millennia.
The book's anchor is James, described in the Bible as "the brother of the Lord," and in Kassel's telling the youngest of Joseph's children. James dreams of becoming a Doctor of the Law. He pursues his goal under the tutelage of Hillel, the most renowned sage of First-Century Judaism, and Gamaliel, Hillel's grandson (who is recognized as an important leader of the Sanhedrin in The Acts of the Apostle).
As James rises to scholarly prominence, Joseph, on his deathbed, exacts a promise from him to protect Jesus, whom Joseph believes to be the Messiah. James doesn't share his father's certainty about Jesus and his spiritual pedigree, but he nevertheless agrees to do what he can—in essence becoming his brother's keeper. Later in the book, when Jesus' ministry has begun stirring controversy, James cultivates a friendship with Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, in an effort to make good on the promise to his late father and assure that Jesus isn't railroaded by corrupt religious authorities.
Pilate is only one of the Biblical figures who show up in this book and are revealed in unexpected ways. Joseph of Arimathea and Saul of Tarsus are two others who play surprising roles in James' life and add density to the plot. Numerous made-up characters enrich the story as well. In fact, one of the book's strengths is the variety of perspectives on Jesus illustrated as people grapple with their questions about this strange prophet from Nazareth.
Looking back 2,000 years and knowing how things turned out, we sometimes wonder why anyone, at the time, would have missed Jesus' true nature. But it wasn't necessarily clear, then, who Jesus was or what he was up to. The book captures those ambiguous circumstances, maintaining an appropriate atmosphere of tension and uncertainty throughout, until Christ's post-resurrection appearance to James (mentioned in the Bible) near the end of the story.
Kassel demonstrates a deep appreciation for the Jewishness of Jesus and for the Old Testament roots of Christianity, evident in his research into the laws and customs of Judaism. His command of the period's history, the local geography, and especially the political conflicts of Roman-occupied Palestine make this work instructive as well as entertaining. And it allows the author to avoid either over-romanticizing life in Jesus' day or blaming the Jews, as a people, for Christ's death.
My Brother's Keeper can be viewed as part of a literary genre concerning Jesus that goes back to at least the second century A.D. But it achieves a contemporary plausibility, to which modern readers can relate, by emphasizing the human dimension of the story over its miraculous aspects. This is a highly engaging work of fiction that can be readily employed in religious education programs for both adults and teenagers—though some care should be taken with young people. Kassel doesn't soft-pedal the violence of the period. His portrayal of crucifixion is particularly vivid. It makes one appreciate what Christ suffered, but it could be a bit unsettling.
Perhaps if My Brother's Keeper gains a sufficient following, it might help to bring quality religious novels back into popularity among the general readership. My one concern is that 1,000 years from now, when it's discovered in cyber-space, it may attain the notoriety of the ancient Apocryphal Gospels and engender a sequel to The DaVinci Code.
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Labels: Fiction: Historical, fiction: religion
Radio Host Reviews Christian Book
Title: A LOVE STORY
Subtitle: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible Love Story
Publisher: CROSS BOOKS Publishing/Lifeway
Author: Samantha Ryan Chandler
Author's Web site: http://www.SamanthaRyanChandler.com
Genre: Christian Non Fiction
Paperback 90 pages. Published February 25, 2011
Price: U.S. 11.95
ISBN 978-1-6150-7761-8 (dj) and 978-1-6150-7758-8 (sc)
Reviewed by Salvadore DeBasco, book critic
"In A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story {CROSS BOOKS Publishing/Lifeway, 2011} Samantha Ryan Chandler opens her heart and shares how she was led to the Lord. Hers is a chilling (deeply moving) and encouraging testimony a how God changed her life
And while what transpired in her life might sound familiar that is what is compelling about how Chandler opens readers into her thoughts along the way. A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story shows how scriptures affected author Samantha Ryan Chandler's life and the unlikely events to her writing this book as a testimony about her relationship with Our Lord God Almighty. Her outlook on life, death, God, Jesus, Satan and more evokes one to wonder and be wide eyed about the significance of how the stories in the Bible and how we apply them in our Christian lives.
As all children of God no matter what age, we are reminder that childhoods are fragile and how we influence each other is not to be taken lightly. The fabric of familial relationships, attention to ones upbringing and a tone that we are not alone in God's care, all come above in this authentic story about perseverance, trust in God, and how ordinary people are called upon to bring forth extraordinary movements in others' lives at times when they think they are the most down and out.
What resonated with me about A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story is how Chandler took the time to capture what she learned and how she describes the wonderment of God's greatness. At first, to Chandler, the lofty calling of her writing a book about her experience seemed a novelty, but readers learn how the value of the message became forefront in her thinking. After I read this love story, I saw A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story as Chandler's story about how she came to love God as an utmost value in life.
To me there is no more refreshing random testimony than when someone first realizes the awesome power God has in our lives and how to harness the excitement, humility along with gratitude resulting thereof, and reverence with the action of falling to one's knees in wonderment of how one person could be worthy of being touched so deeply. Regardless of whether the right words were used, the naivety about God's glory, the part about God's grace that makes us cry, all that is what comes across in how this book's message has haunted me (in a good way) the past eight months since reading it. And while I can't predict it will do the same for all readers, I know that one person at a time God's love is shared through his-story (of which this book is in-part)."
~Learn more about reviewer Salvador SeBasco:
Book Critic
Literary Director
Host of THE INSIDE VIEW SHOWTM –Christian Radio–
on staff with CNN affiliate station, KNLE
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Labels: nonfiction: Christian
Fred Warren Reviews Christian Nonfiction
Title: Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life
Author: Karina Fabian and Deacon Steve Lumbert
Category: Christian, devotionals, spirituality
Available from: Publisher (Tribute Books)
or Amazon or other online dealers
For More Info: http://whygodmatters.com
Amazon link: http://amzn.to/dI7jbp
Reviewed by Fred Warren for http://frederation.wordpress.com/
I know Karina Fabian best from her speculative fiction–tales of dragon detectives, spacefaring nuns, superhero misfits, and zombie cookery, filled with engaging characters, sly puns, and wry observations on human nature. While her faith informs all her writing (her tagline is "Fiction, Faith, and Fun"), that faith is front-and-center in this very non-fiction collaboration with her father, Steven Lumbert, a Catholic deacon.
There's still plenty of fun. Why God Matters is primarily a devotional guide, in the spirit of Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God, but it's also a personal memoir and meditation on the joys and challenges of life, shared by a father and daughter who love each other very much.
The book provides a series of topical meditations, "life lessons," each with a scripture passage, an excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a pertinent quotation that summarizes the chapter's main idea, and a vignette from Karina or Steven.
The vignettes are what really bring this book to life. Karina and Steven share some very personal moments when they've recognized God's presence and intervention in their lives. Sometimes it happens in something as simple as a shared family meal or the give-and-take of a relationship with a friend. Sometimes it's a life-changing incident, a momentous decision, or a miraculous answer to prayer. These are situations we all encounter, and it's encouraging to read these accounts of how God met Steven and Karina there and strengthened their faith in the process. As they note in the introduction,
The stories you'll find here are ordinary, because quite often, we find our faith in the day-to-day living. After all, what could be more ordinary than taking a step—or a breath? Yet, as St. Patrick said, "Christ's breath in mine."
This book is written from a Catholic viewpoint with a Catholic audience in mind. I think, though, that any Christian reader would enjoy and benefit from the insights it offers, which transcend sectarian borders. Protestant Evangelical Fred certainly gained a renewed appreciation of how important it is to be aware that God is working in my life every day, and of my corresponding need to respond to that work and cooperate with Him in my spiritual development, becoming more like Him, and participating in the divine nature. That's what being a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ, is all about.
It's not complicated, but it takes commitment, and you've got to keep your head in the game. In its glimpses of one family's faith journey, Why God Matters illustrates many practical ways to cultivate a daily walk with God. It's helpful, it's inspiring, and it's heartwarming. A great combination, and well worth reading.
Deacon Steve Lumbert and Karina Fabian are father and daughter who came to their faith in different ways. Karina was raised in it, while Steve discovered his calling later in life. Steve is a Deacon and parish administrator in Pueblo, CO. Karina is a writer, military wife, and mother of four.
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Labels: Nonfiction: Spiritual
Targeted Resources To Get You Invited To Be a Radio Guest!
This is not exactly the usual New Book Review review. I am running it on this blog because I know that many of the authors and publishers who have offered their reviews to The New Book Review will find this series of booklets useful. They offer up-to-date opportunities for radio interviews. The author, Fran Silverman, is also the author of
Talk Radio Wants You: An Intimate Guide to 700 Shows and How To Get Invited published by McFarland Co. 2009. It was a National "USA Best Books 2009" Awards winner in the Business: Reference category. And her new booklets are especially valuable because they are targeted to specific topics and genres and are frugally priced!
The following ebooks for radio guests are available from Fran:
Animals ($12 for 46 shows) - Covers animal advocacy, health, care, competition, communication, behavior, longevity, dog relationships, pets and the paranormal, pet peeves, wildlife, training, shelter and rescue.
Authors ($12 for 52 shows) - Covers writing, editing, publishing, marketing, literary agents, Christian authors, author spotlights; genres include thrillers, suspense, action/adventures, novels, teen/YA, romance, poetry, science, historical, baseball, screenplays, songwriting.
Business ($25 for 274 Shows) - Covers workplace issues, innovation, entrepreneurship, business strategies, careers, finance, small business, sales, home-based businesses, law, investments, insurance, money management, customer service, and real estate.
Entertainment ($20 for 176 Shows) - Covers art, fashion, movies, music and comedy.
Environment ($12 for 39 shows) - Covers green lifestyles, sustainable communities, conservation, cleaner energy, natural healing and medical remedies, environmental news, non-toxic living, wildlife, and activism.
Food and Travel ($12 for 64 shows) - Covers grilling and barbequing, wines and spirits, tea, chefs and recipes and raw food, parties, special event planning; all kinds of travel: budget, frequent, upscale, good deals, cruises and medical and health tourism.
Health ($20 for 178 Shows) - Covers healthy living and lifestyles, fitness, health as a business advantage, natural healing, alternative medicine, medical travel, issues, education and treatment, and overcoming adversities.
House and Garden ($12 for 26 shows) - Covers gardening, growing vegetables, going green, home improvement, repair, and remodeling, healthy home design trends, buying and selling homes, feng shui, organizing vegetable garden
Men and Women ($12 for 67 shows) - Covers chick lit books, female and Christian entrepreneurs, fun for women over 40, men's comedy, girl's math and science, women empowerment, life makeovers, interesting women, women's health, parenting, women's ministries and spirituality, women in business, medicine, politics, gay, lesbian and transgender issues.
New Age - ($25 for 220 Shows) - Covers astrology, metaphysics, Tarot, Angels, psychic development, paranormal, parapsychology, holistic health, healing, mysticism, occult, and mediums.
Parenting ($15 for 64 shows) - Covers parenting issues and pressures, education, security and safety, family life, parenting parents, health, home-school, child development, schooling, charter schools, mom entrepreneurship, homebirth, adoption, marriage, military moms, single mothers, childhood cancer, and money management.
Politics ($20 for 216 Shows)- Covers current events, conservatism, Christian conservatism, liberalism, Libertarianism, government, pop culture, U.S. Constitution, Tea Party movement, democracy, the military and labor.
Relationships ($15 for 72 shows) - Covers dating, relationship strategies, weddings, marriage, sex and divorce.
Science and Technology ($12 for 50 shows) - Covers hardware, software, wireless communication, clean energy technology, nanotechnology, engineering, film and video production, biology, astronomy, geology, robotics, physics, and outer space.
Self-Help ($20 for 231 Shows) - Covers personal and professional goals, growth and empowerment, emotional freedom techniques, motivation, creativity, living one's calling, making for a better world, transforming your life and self-realization
Sports ($20 for 100 Shows) - Covers wrestling, biking, gaming, fantasy sports, golf, fitness/health, football, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, thoroughbred racing, hunting, fishing, camping, birding, hiking, skiing, kayaking, and performance.
To order go to her buy page on her Web site: http://www.talkradioadvocate.com/Ebooks.html
Or e-mail her for more information at:
franalive@optonline.net.
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Posted by Carolyn Howard-Johnson at 10:00 AM No comments:
Labels: Nonfiction: Book Marketing, Nonfiction: Reference, Nonfiction: Writers
Children's Picture Book on Tour!
Baby Come Home
By: Elizabeth Kail Arnita
Illustrations by: Diane Lucas
Genre of Book: Children's Christian Picture Book
Published by Halo Publishing Int.
All proceeds from book sales support Welcome the Children, a nonprofit helping children in poverty.
Places available for sale: Internet/Online, Church Book Store
Reviewed by World of Ink Network
Baby Come Home is a story of the young bird, "Baby", who learns the value of unconditional love and acceptance after he decides to break free from the confinement of his cage and those who love him most. The story gives children a different perspective on rules and why we need to obey them while also offering a teaching on the unconditional love our perfect God has for His imperfect people.
Overall Thoughts:
Even though this book is considered a children's Christian picture book, there are no Bible references (verses quoted) in the actually text. In the author's notes you will find three or four Bible verses for those who want to use the book as a teaching tool in their church, family gatherings, etc.
The storyline itself is one that transcends any religious beliefs as we all at some point or another have broken rules, think we know better than those trying to guide/protect us and have found ourselves lead down a path we didn't think would end in consequences from our choices.
The book itself opens doors for parents, teachers or church leaders for open conversation with children. There are some scenes children might even ask questions because they don't quite understand what happened to Baby.
Even though the main character is a bird, children and adults alike will be able to relate to him, Sam (a human) and the events in the story. The illustrations are beautifully done and only add to each scene.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Arnita is the youngest of 12 children. She learned early in life about family dynamics and the concept of sharing. After graduating in 1983, with a degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, Elizabeth married Shadi and they have been blessed with four fabulous children. Her love for the Lord has opened her eyes to a world in need and ignited her compassion for those who are less fortunate. She and her husband founded and continue to manage Welcome The Children; a non-profit organization that funds and supports children who are experiencing the reality of poverty. Elizabeth Arnita has designated all of the proceeds from her book sales to support WTC.
~Submitted by The World of Ink Network. It is touring author Elizabeth Arnita's Children's Christian Picture book, BABY COME HOME published by Halo Publishing Int. throughout January 2013.
You can find out more about Elizabeth Arnita, her books and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/ayhg69o
Find out more about Welcome the Children at http://welcomethechildren.org/
To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com
Labels: book tour, Picture Book: Children
Title: Twisted Christians
Author: Scott Meade
Website: http://scottmeade.webs.com/
Genre: Christian Horror
Reviewed by Dr. Ann Nyland
I loved this book and in fact read it from start to finish without putting it down. This is far from a cliche Christian horror book, fascinating at all times and never superficial or namby-pamby. It will appeal to those interested in spiritual warfare and those after a really good read alike. Twisted Christians kept up a fast pace throughout. It was "real" and not heavily censored for the Christian market, a major plus in my view. I see some reviewers have commented on the theology, but there are many different denominations and beliefs within Christianity, yet all are Christ-centered. This is a work of fiction not a theological textbook and to me excels as such. I can easily see it translated to the big screen.
Those who like Frank Peretti will love this book! Highly recommended. I can't wait for the next book by Scott Meade.
The Source New Testament With Extensive Notes On Greek Word Meaning
~The reviewer Dr A. Nyland is a translator.
Labels: Fiction: Christian, Fiction: Horror
Christian Book Marketing Reviews Theology 101
Title: Theology 101 In Bite-Size Pieces; A Bird's Eye View of the Riches of Divine Grace
Genre: Christian Non-Fiction
Author: Judy Azar LeBlanc http://www.manyfacestomayplaces.com/
Reviewed by: Brenda of http://www.christian-book-marketing.com/
9.2 stars on a scale of 10.0 stars
Theology 101 In Bite-Size Pieces is sweet to the taste and food for the soul. Beautifully written, Award winning author Judy Azar LeBlanc explains both the simplicity and the depths of the riches of God's Divine Grace through the application of the wisdom and life changing truth of the Word of God. The author speaks of and teaches of the basic, yet profound kingdom truths and principles of receiving and entering into God's wonderful grace through the finished work of the Cross. The author also opens the doors to a much deeper knowledge and in-depth understanding of the graces and riches in Christ that are available to every believer.
Each chapter reveals the foundational truths of the divine riches available to those who accept the free gift of salvation with an in-depth revelation of what the finished work of the Cross provides.
Through careful research of the Greek and Hebrew root meaning, the author, unveils the true meaning of the reality of divine grace, foreknown, predestined, called, chosen, redemption, reconciliation, forgiveness, to be freed from the law, saved by grace and the importance of justification.
The author continues to reveal the profound importance and truths of divine inheritance and what it means to be a heavenly citizen, to be adopted, delivered from the powers of darkness, while displaying the true belonging and security there is to be found in Christ.
Like unwrapping a gift, this book, unravels the mystery of the word "theology" by the practical application of every day language. The author provides the reader with a deeper knowledge and appreciation for God, the character of God, His nature and just how profound His love is for us all.
Theology 101 In Bite-Size Pieces provides an excellent foundation for teaching, bible studies, encouraging others and as a personal look into the depths and truths of the wonderful grace of God.
This book is highly recommended not just as a excellent read, but also as a life changing teaching that can help put a reader on the path to a much more intimate understanding and relationship with God through the understanding and revelation of His Word.
LaTonya Franklin Reviews Parker's Christian Fiction
All the Voices of the Wind
By Donald James Parker
Reviewed by Latonya Franklin for Apex Reviews
Jeremy Dillon is quite the accomplished young man. A talented athlete with an engaging personality, he's spirited, driven, and well-liked by his peers. With all that going for him, one would think that he'd have no problem being popular with the young ladies - but the opposite actually proves true, and, when the lovely Maria Masterson literally waltzes into his life one day, he is awestruck by her beauty, as well as the ineffable power and mystery that surround her.
After a few false starts, Jeremy finally succeeds in establishing a solid rapport with Maria, and the two of them quickly become close friends, sharing much of themselves with one another on the way to forming a unique spiritual bond. A devout Christian, Maria soon introduces Jeremy to a new way of seeing the world around him, and his ensuing spiritual journey engenders within him a new foundation of wisdom and intellectual maturity.
There's just one bump on Jeremy's road to enlightenment: his father. Ever since the untimely death of his mother, Jeremy's father has struggled with spiritual issues, and the notion of faith in an omnipotent higher power has become quite a difficult concept for him to accept. In the face of his father's skepticism, Jeremy soon finds it increasingly difficult to contend with the internal conflict with which his divided loyalties soon confront him as he moves forward in his own personal journey with Maria.
Book 3 in the Masterson Family Series, All The Voices Of The Wind offers a deeper, more probing look into the inner workings of a family in constant flux. The bond between Jeremy and his father remains strong, but as its strength is tested by Jeremy's budding relationship with Maria, the reader is presented with a realistic portrayal of just how difficult it can be for family members - no matter how close - to preserve the integrity of their respective unions.
In addition, Donald James Parker - in his typical intrepid style - tackles the topic of evolution head-on, offering insightful, well-thought-out analysis of the issue from all sides. His attention to detail ensures that the reader comes away with a comprehensive, in-depth perspective on the matter, and he does ultimate justice to a spirited debate that only continues to grow in intensity.
Moving, engaging, and entertaining, All The Voices Of The Wind is a heart-rending literary treat.
Posted by Carolyn Howard-Johnson at 3:25 PM 1 comment:
Labels: apex reviews, donald james parker, Fiction: Christian, latonya franklin
Insecure Writers Group Releases Its 2020 Anthology
Title: Voyagers: The Third Ghost
Anthology from Insecure Writers Group
Available May 5, 2020 online, retail, and for all eBook platforms.
Publisher: Freedom Fox Press an imprint of Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.
Genre: Juvenile fiction - historical/action and adventure/fantasy and magic.
www.DancingLemurPress.com
History Comes Alive for Children
New Anthology Offers an Entertaining Glimpse into the Past
The Insecure Writer's Support Group hosted their fifth annual anthology contest last year and Voyagers: The Third Ghost is the result. A Writer's Digest Top 101 Site for Writers, the IWSG called for juvenile historical fiction stories with the theme of "voyagers." The group's 20,000+ members responded, and once the administrators selected the top stories, they were forwarded to the official judges—a panel of authors, agents, and publishing industry experts.
This is the first children's title produced by the group and by focusing on history, the book teaches as it entertains. The stories touch upon a wide variety of time periods, which adds extra appeal to teachers and librarians.
Yvonne Ventresca, who also appeared in the second IWSG anthology, Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life, won the top spot in the contest. Her story, The Third Ghost, received the subtitle and cover art honor.
Journey into the past…
Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives? Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII? And sneaking off to see the first aeroplane – what could go wrong?
Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise MacBeath Barbour, Beth Anderson Schuck, and L.T. Ward.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get ready for an exciting ride!
Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer's Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter.
Voyagers: The Third Ghost will be available May 5, 2020 online, retail, and for all eBook platforms. Published by Freedom Fox Press an imprint of Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. Juvenile fiction – historical/action & adventure/fantasy & magic. Trade paperback $13.95 ISBN 9781939844729, eBook 4.99 ISBN 9781939844736
Judges for the contest were:
Dan Koboldt, author and #SFFpit founder
Dan Koboldt is the author of the Gateways to Alissia trilogy (Harper Voyager), the editor of Putting the Science in Fiction (Writers Digest, 2018), and the creator of the sci-fi adventure serial The Triangle (Serial Box, 2019). As a genetics researcher, he has co-authored more than 80 publications in Nature, Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, and other scientific journals. He is represented by Paul Stevens of Donald Maass Literary Agency.
Lynda R. Young, author
Lynda R. Young is an Aussie writing fantasy novels as Elle Cardy. Wielder's Prize is her debut YA epic fantasy. She is also an editor, game developer, 3D artist, graphic designer, photographer, gamer and more.
Colleen Oefelein, agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
Colleen Oefelein is an author of YA, picture books, and author promotion guides, a devourer of books, and the owner of the book review site North of Normal. Formerly an associate agent and PR manager with Inklings Literary Agency, Colleen has hosted numerous "Pitch Perfect" and "Rejection Correction" workshops on Facebook and at conferences nationwide, and she's mentored several authors one-on-one through online pitch contests such as Pitch Wars.
Damien Larkin, author
Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. His debut novel Big Red was published by Dancing Lemur Press and went on to be longlisted for the BSFA award for Best Novel. He currently lives in Dublin, Ireland and is working on his next novel Blood Red Sand.
Ion Newcombe, eidtor and publisher
is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January 1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through electronics into literature and communications.
Julie Gwinn, agent, The Seymour Agency
Julie Gwinn most recently served as Marketing Manager for the Christian Living line at Abingdon Press and before that served as Trade Book Marketing Manager and then Fiction Publisher for the Pure Enjoyment line at B&H Publishing Group, a Division of LifeWay Christian Resources. Recently, she was awarded Editor of the Year from the American Christian Fiction Writers and won B&H's first Christy award for Ginny Yttrup's debut novel Words.
David Powers King, author
David's works include Woven, The Undead Road,, and Full Dark: An Anthology. He currently resides in the Mountain West with his wife and 4 children.
MORE ABOUT ISWG:
The Insecure Writer's Support Group was founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Learn more about the opportunities it offers: Watch for the new The Insecure Writer's Support Group anthology contest 2021 on May 6. Learn more about the group at
https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/
LEARN MORE ABOUT VOYAGERS AND BUY LINKS:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/193984472X/
Barnes and Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/voyagers-yvonne-ventresca/1135912991?ean=2940163430857
ITunes - https://books.apple.com/ca/book/voyagers-the-third-ghost/id1493413956
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/voyagers-the-third-ghost
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50364415-voyagers
MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER AND WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM THIS BLOG
#TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing
Labels: Alex J. Cavanaugh, annual ISWG contest, Dancing Lemur Press, Freedom Fox Press, Insecure Writer's Group, Juvenile Fiction, The Third Ghost, Yvonne Ventresca
Dr. Wesley Britton Explores StarWarsday for Starwars Fans
THE GALAXY BRITAIN BUILT: The British Talent Behind Star Wars
David Whiteley
Foreword By Robert Watts: Star Wars Production Supervisor And Producer
Publisher: BearManor Media
ASIN: B081YKQ2P7
https://www.amazon.com/Galaxy-Britain-Built-British-hardback/dp/1629334995
Reviewed by Wesley Britton originally for BookPleasures
David Witeley's exploration into the behind-the-scenes British talent involved with the Star Wars franchise was first made public in a 1917 60-minute documentary broadcast over BBC television. Google the title The Galaxy Britain Built, and you'll hit on the YouTube and BBC trailers, videos, and interviews conducted by David Whiteley promoting the film throughout 2017 and especially 2018.
If you explore any of Whiteley's online videos or his new BearManor Media book, you'll quickly learn how proud he is to have been born on May 4, 1977, known to fans as Star Wars day. So, in his opinion, he grew up with the franchise and became devoted to investigating how so much Star Wars work took place in Elstree Studios in North London. Why London and not Hollywood? Costs. The studios didn't want to invest too heavily in a science-fiction film as sci-fi hadn't been big box office for them.
As it turned out, the British talent who worked on the films on the smallest of budgets and the tightest of schedules were just what the project needed, especially in terms of costumes, props, and sets. The results were so outstanding that Lucas returned to Elstreet again and again, using as much of the original talent as he could retain.
Whiteley's book chronicles to beginnings of the British work in the hot summer of 1976 through undreamed of sequels produced decades later. The stories are built on interviews with participants even the most devoted Star Wars aficionados might not have heard of: These include Robert Watts, Les Dilley, Nick Maley, Roger Christian, Peter Beale, Gareth Edwards, Colin Goudie and Louise Mollo.
All of those involved contribute so many anecdotes about how the Star Wars mythos came to be. For example, Roger Christian tells us, "We called it the laser sword because we were British! I knew the lightsaber was the Excalibur of this film! I knew it would be the iconic image . . . I went to Brunnings on Great Marlborough Street in London, whom we rented all our film equipment from: photography, anything we needed, and I'd buy equipment there. I just said to the owner, 'Do you have anything here that's unusual, or stuff that might be interesting?' He pointed me over to the side of the room. He said, 'There's a load of boxes under there, I haven't looked at those for years, go and have a rummage through.' And it was the first box, it literally was covered in dust. It hadn't been out for, I don't know, fifteen or twenty years. I pulled it out, opened the lid and there was tissue paper and then when I pulled it open . . . out came a Graflex handle from a 1940s press camera. I just took it and I went 'There it is! This is the Holy Grail.'"
The Galaxy Britain Built is page-after-page of such nuggets and revelations. I imagine many diehard Star Wars fans will have heard many of these stories before. But I doubt all of them
Without question, you got to be a serious Star Wars fan to one degree or another to want to dive into this book, no matter how much you think you already know about the production history of the saga. It's a fast read as we get one short chunk of one interview, then another, then another, and so on. I definitely had a feeling I was taken behind the sets and scripts and actors to see how a galaxy far away had been built with a deepened sense of just how collaborative moviemaking is. If that sort of stuff is your cuppa tea, then David Whiteley's book is just for you.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Sun. Jan. 12, 2020:
MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Dr. Wesley Britton, is a frequent reviewer for The New Book Review, author of The Beta Earth Chronicles and reviewer for BookPleasures.com. Learn more about his and his work:
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Labels: Bear Manor Media (publisher), David Whiteley, Dr. Wesley Britton, Robert Watts, Star Wars, StarWarsday, The Galaxy Britain Built
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text:
Location: Outside the door
Mood: hungry
Music: "The Times They Are A'Changin'" - Bob Dylan
Game of Blocked Egress
I started hearing about how good last night's Game of Thrones was twenty minutes before I watched it. Stephen King tweeted, "I thought my friend Jack Bender, who directed so many great LOST episodes, just turned in the episode of the year on GAME OF THRONES." And he was right. We're halfway through the season yet--and Bender directs next week, too--but it's hard to imagine the show topping this. "The Door" was 800 times better than last week's episode and last week's episode was good.
Spoilers after the screen shot--I'd particularly recommend avoiding spoilers for this one
Let's start off with the scene that's doubtlessly still on everyone's mind, the last one, where Max von Sydow died. Okay, so that's not the death you're thinking about, but still, it's too bad we'll have no more von Sydow.
The origin of Hodor's name was George R.R. Martin's idea--Benioff and Weiss say that Martin told them about it in a hotel room at some point. This may be the biggest plot point from a book that's appeared on the show that hasn't been previously published, I wonder if Martin will handle it very differently. I wonder if he's really kicking himself now for wasting so much time. No, George R.R. Martin, as Neil Gaiman famously said regarding complaints about the slowness of his book releases, is not our bitch. But alas, we are all time's bitches.
It's a real good idea. The reason it resonates so well is that it means Hodor's entire adult life was defined by his death. Which, if you think about it, is normal, particularly in Game of Thrones. Every time a character dies, be it Stannis or the Starks at the Red Wedding, we compulsively think about everything the characters had been through up to that point and we think about how cruel death is. As the end, its circumstances inevitably make a statement regarding everything that came before, and the arbitrary nature of it makes everything else seem fruitless and each action becomes significant only for its own sake. Hodor's story becomes a perfect encapsulation of that idea and that's why it's so perfectly heartbreaking. And once again, it was for something small, just Bran being bored and recklessly giving away their location to Darth Maul.
Of course, a big part of the reason this episode worked so wonderfully is that Ramsay's not in it. Though he was a topic of discussion, notably between Sansa and Littlefinger. I think Benioff and Weiss are taking notes from internet blogs and discussion sites as Sansa is giving the thoughts of such sites practically verbatim when she tells Littlefinger that him sending her to Ramsay either meant Littlefinger was stupid or her enemy. Of course, like most things involving Ramsay, this whole story doesn't quite make sense. Littlefinger has no reason to want to hurt Sansa and obviously he should have known about Ramsay. So . . . what happened? This is a bit much for any lampshade to contain.
Let's back up and think about it. At the end of season four, Sansa had the swiftly abandoned Littlefinger jr. makeover and it seemed she was going to be a sneaky power player. Maybe Littlefinger wanted Ramsay to kill her so Littlefinger could solidify his control of the Vale. If Ramsay killed Sansa, that may have been extra incentive for the Vale to attack the Boltons. This assumes that Littlefinger's devotion to Sansa as the living memory of Catelyn was a lie. But with Sansa in charge of the Vale, he would have an easy time manipulating her and it's not like the Vale and Sansa lacked reasons for wanting to take down the Boltons. Sansa taking over Winterfell would probably have been a better asset for Littlefinger than anyone else. So it seems he likely didn't know about Ramsay, which doesn't make sense. Maybe he honestly expected Sansa to wrap him around her little finger since Ramsay doesn't seem very bright. But, then, neither does Sansa, which was the main problem with her whole presumptive Dark Manipulator role to begin with. Just because she's had a lot of bad experiences doesn't make her a genius. Now she's turning down the desperately needed forces from the Vale because Littlefinger's with them.
Sansa's not the only Stark unable to put her emotions aside for pragmatism. Arya is having similar troubles with the Faceless Ones in the episode's weakest segment. But it was such a good episode, even the weakest segment was good, and I loved the play starring Richard E. Grant as Robert Baratheon.
I spend so much time analysing media, when a show invites me to analyse a play it's wonderfully natural. My biggest complaint about Game of Thrones is its inattention to the thoughts and feelings of the common people and here we can learn a few things about what they expect and accept from a play about the power players. Apparently Ned Stark is generally considered a buffoon for some reason. The oddest thing about this is that Arya seems to be just now hearing about it. And, of course, she has absolutely no poker face, as usual.
Arya is such a laughably bad assassin it sinks the whole Faceless Ones story line. She has the same outfit and hair style as when she was pretending to be a fish monger. And once again, she observes her intended victim by staring directly.
But let's get back to the good stuff. The "kingsmoot" where Theon and his sister lost the throne to Euron ("Euron"? Like urine? I guess it's no worse than Tolkien's "Huron") was great. I love the sea focus of the Iron Islands ritual and dress, the squids on the shields and the practice of ceremonially drowning the new king. The murky armour and the muddy beach are great.
The second best segment, after Hodor's, though, was Daenerys and Jorah on the cliff and Daenerys ordering Jorah to heal himself. It's like something out of a mediaeval poem about chivalry where Jorah's refraining from touching the object of his devotion is physically manifested by a skin disease, his sweet melancholy death at the end of it his romantic fixation. But Daenerys chooses life. It's sweet.
Tags: fantasy, game of thrones, television, tv show


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