Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers

BY: Irene Watson, Tyler R. Tichelaar & Victor R. Volkman

PUBLISHED BY: Modern History Press

PUBLISHED IN: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-932690-98-9

Pages: 220

Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers is a wonderful handbook for any writer. It is a compilation of podcasts from the internet radio show called Authors Access.

The authors share great tips about the craft and myths of writing. You learn about writing about romance, mystery and other genres. Being a writer myself, I found the book interesting. I enjoyed the chapters on children’s books and the article “Exploring Ghostwriting, co-Authoring, and Collaborating” by Ami Hendrickson. This is the first time I have read anything on ghostwriting. It was a joy to read.

There is a lot of information on promoting your book by the use of the internet. In “Book Marketing on MySpace,” you learn how to set up a successful myspace profile, and learn how an author can use it to promote their work effectively.

Every author needs to know how to use Amazon.com to sale their books. In “Amazon Adventures: Staring Down Earth’s Largest Bookstore,” you learn how to use advantage and associate programs.

There are four wonderful articles about book reviews and how to use them to your advantage. My favorite was, “Negative Book Reviews: How to Avoid Them, and How to Use Them to Your Advantage.”

One of the downfalls of the book is that it concentrates too much on self-publishing. I would’ve liked to have read more article on traditional publishing in magazines and big publishing houses. Overall I found Authors Access to be a great reference tool that every author should have on their desk.

Awakening

BY: K. Lippi

PUBLISHED BY: Mirror Publishing

PUBLISHED IN: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-936046-14-0

Pages: 231

Ages: Teen & Up

Reviewed by Billy Burgess


Author K. Lippi brings us the epic tale of Awakening, a world where vampires, demons, werewolves and other supernatural creatures exist. A California girl named Emilia Miani just returned from visiting her father in Japan. Her life is turned upside down when she meets the mysterious stranger, Shin Kurosaki. He is her guardian angel, a Japanese demon assigned to her by one of her ancestors over 500 years ago.

She learns that she has mystical powers of her own, and also a dark destiny. Her grandfather was a death angel just like her. He was hired by God. Emilia is his only heir. She is forced to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps.

A fallen death angel, Markus is stealing the souls of innocent children. He is set on becoming a new god. Emilia and Shin try to destroy his evil plans, while she starts to have feeling for her guardian.

This book is cleverly written at times. The characters are deeply explored, and I felt everything the main character goes through. The backstory was a bit too much. It could have been saved for the sequel. Yes, there will be sequel because of the ‘to be continued’ at the ending. A little cliché if you ask me. Overall it was a fun read. If you love reading supernatural, good vs. evil tales, then you’ll love Awakening.

Do you recall the devilish stepmothers and queens from the timeless fairy tales by the Grimm Brothers? Have you ever wondered how they turned bad? We are told a dark and twisted narrative by authors Kym Hackenberger and Melody Lowe about how an unassuming little girl came to rule the Dark Realm.

Charlaine Harris has brilliantly brought the vampire legacy into the modern era, where vampires are now legal. Japanese vampires use TrueBlood, synthetic blood developed by the Japanese, to coexist with humans.

(Originally posted in the June 2008 issue of the SFC Newsletter)

It seems the future of cartoons is in jeopardy. They are being replaced by preteen sitcoms and reality shows, which are fine for an older audience. But what about the younger children who are too young for this?

Growing up in the 1990s, I was a big fan of teen horror novels by authors like Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, and Lois Duncan. Except for those featuring vampires, the teen horror/thriller trend has died down. Ginger High by Melissa Burmester was a breath of fresh air for me. Daisy, the main character, is a smart, strong young woman who will easily connect with teenage girls.

The novel begins in 1901 with a string of murders. The bite marks on the victims' necks are all the same. Could it possibly be vampires? The plot shifts to the present day and focuses on Daisy Fisher, an adolescent. Daisy is transferred to a new school in New York after her old one is destroyed by fire. Ginger High is a private school for students who have extraordinary abilities and powers. She befriends a few of the students who have the ability to teleport, heal others, and create fire. She soon discovers that people have arrived on Earth from a parallel world known as the Kingdom of Animists.

A murder occurs at Ginger High, bringing from the parallel world the supernatural beings Amanta, Matthias, and Taeru. Daisy struggles with her supernatural abilities as well as her mysterious new friend, Fredrick, while they investigate the death. Amanta is forced to confront a long-buried family secret.

Final Thoughts

This book left a lasting impression on me. I finished it in two nights. The author, John Royce, has created a wonderful epic that blends fantasy and history, a cross between Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and the Time Machine. He employs his extensive knowledge of horse history to provide us with the first adventure in the Legend of the Great Horse Trilogy. The dialogue and descriptions are skillfully written to both entertain and educate both young adults and adults.