Tag: authors

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – No Idle Word by Tehilayah Ysrayl

Title: No Idle Word: Poetry and Prose

Author: Tehilayah Ysrayl

Publisher: ‎ Tehilayah Ysrayl

Published: May 7, 2019

Pages: 98

Her name means “A song of praise to Yah,” and Tehilayah’s anthology of poetry and prose sings just like the book of Psalms. We can tell the author thought through each piece before she penned it, as each poem is focused and intentional. There are no idle words in this anthology, as the title implies. Each stanza seeks to emphasize the significance of the use of language.

This is a short and quick read, but you will want to take your time with this one. The poems force us to pause and savor the meanings between the lines. Tehilayah speaks with gentleness and wisdom. I can hear the poetry being read aloud, and she makes excellent use of metaphor and imagery.

This author is also a great singer, which is also a testament to her name and why this book reads like a collection of hymns.

Finally, I enjoyed how the author stayed close to the book’s theme. We are reminded that there are no idle words from the opening to the end.

Ratings:

  • Presentation: 4/5
  • Authenticity /Authentic Voice: 5/5
  • Creativity/Lyrical Content: 5/5
  • Thought Provoking: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

Grab Your Copy of No Idle Word Here

https://nolineleftbehind.wordpress.com/

To have your book reviewed on this blog apply here. The registry is open UNTIL AUGUST 1ST!

Be sure to apply BEFORE August even if your book releases after if you want a review on this blog.

Stay tuned for our next dope read!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.

 

Preparing Your Self-Published Book for Bookstores (Part 1)

Contrary to popular belief, self-published books can get into brick-and-mortar bookstores.

Ask me how I know…

Here Are Three Easy Ways to Prepare Your Self-Published / Indie Book for a Store:

1. Have a professionally designed cover with your name and title on the spine.

Usually, I will tell you to ensure it’s edited first (do that, please), but I want to highlight book covers here because they become even more important offline.

Imagine you are in Barnes and Noble (or anywhere) looking for your next read. The cover is going to attract you first.

Also, because you see it from that point of view, the book becomes easier to notice if the name and title are on the spine.

Some bookstores also take your book through a review process, where their team has to vote on the book. If the cover is poor and the editing is not up to standard, they’ll reject stocking your book.

2. Buy Your ISBN from Bowker

You can get your book into Independent stores with a free ISBN on consignment. However, having your book registered under your or your company’s name is a plus if your target is larger chains.

It’s a plus because bookstores hate Amazon’s guts. As soon as they see you are published with Amazon, they are judging you and already trying to come up with a way to let you down easy. It’s almost an instant no.

There are also tons of benefits to having your own ISBN. I go into depth about that here.

3. Use both Amazon and Ingram Spark.

Publish with Kindle Direct Publishing for Amazon only. Do not choose the expanded distribution. This option puts your book into Ingram Spark’s system but under Amazon.

Instead, you will opt out of this and create your own Ingram account.

Then, you are going to publish your book there as well.

This will allow bookstores to order your book directly from Ingram Spark through you instead of Amazon should they decide to carry your title. It also prevents you from bringing copies in yourself, which you would do under consignment.

More on this in part two…

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – Black Coffee by Bree Gordon

Title: Black Coffee: From Empty to Overflowing with Peace, Healing, and Purpose

Author: Bree Gordon

Publisher: ‎ Bree Gordon

Published: February 18, 2020

Pages: 122

Bree Gordon begins her book with frank sincerity and unabashed vulnerability. We learn about her trials and tribulations as her marriage unraveled and her mental health suffered. Gordon utilizes her therapy sessions as the basis for telling the stories of the women who made a difference in her life, and the revelation about who these women are will leave you speechless.

In this book, we meet not just Bree but also Linda, Gia, Reena, and Trina. It’s got that How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale vibe.

This book’s layout and packaging are both excellent. Gordon welcomes us with a stunning cover of her enjoying a cup of coffee and then weaves this motif across her chapters. From “Brewing” to “Spilling the Beans,” I like how imaginatively she titled the chapters to enhance the story. It brought the narrative and the title together well.

What truly sets this book apart is the inclusion of therapist notes. It will surely help other women who have had to walk in Gordon’s shoes.

Ratings:

  • Authenticity / Believable: 5/5
  • Organization: 5/5
  • Thought Provoking: 5/5
  • Solid Conclusion: 4/5
  • Overall Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Grab Your Copy of Black Coffee Here

bree

https://www.breejgordon.com/

To have your book reviewed on this blog apply here. The registry is open UNTIL AUGUST 1ST!

Be sure to apply BEFORE August even if your book releases after if you want a review on this blog.

Stay tuned for our next dope read!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.

 

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – The Weight of Salt by Sandra Montanino

Title: The Weight of Salt: A Gripping Story of Love and Courage (Angelina Pirrello Saga Book 1)

Author: Sandra Montanino

Publisher: ‎ Edwards Publishing; 1st edition

Published: January 13, 2021

Pages: 358

The Weight of Salt follows a Sicilian Italian family as they make their way through early 1900s America via the perspective of fifteen-year-old Angelina Pirello. In detail and filled with such emotion you’d think you were in the room, the author opens with Angelina watching her mother give birth for the seventh time. We are in Ybor, Florida, and the year is 1906.

The midwife is not very helpful, the baby is breached, and the doctor is delayed because of other patients since his wife won’t tell him that the Pirellos need assistance.

The reader’s exploration of Sicilian culture, religion, and family life begins with this event. Since the family is deeply Catholic, I sensed from the beginning that Angelina would be unique. She first rejects the idea that her infant brother (the one who passed away during birth) cannot enter paradise and will remain in limbo. The doctrine holds that everyone has Adam and Eve’s original sin, which must be washed away via baptism. However, unbaptized infants who pass away live in limbo and are not entitled to the gates of heaven.

Angelina is floored, and we see glimpses of her impending rebellion against tradition.

As fate would have it, she falls in love with someone her father, Domenico disapproves of. He then tries to give her an arranged marriage. Meanwhile, he is hiding college letters.

A lot is going on here, and there’s something in this book for everyone.

In the beginning, Angelina getting into a fight with the doctor’s wife (yes!) had me dying laughing. (Like, ma’am, why are you fighting this little girl?) For romance lovers, Angelina and Fabian will scratch that itch. For history buffs, there’s something in it for us too. Angelina learns the story of her parents and neighbors’ arrival at Ellis Island and how her neighbor’s family (not being wealthy) endured long lines and cruel examinations.

This book is lengthy, and you would want to savor it slowly. I enjoyed it mainly because it gave me a break from nonfiction, which I’ve been writing and reading a lot lately. (I’ve missed fiction!) It is complex, with numerous facets, themes, fully realized characters, and a masterfully structured narrative. Readers who prefer historical romance should definitely check it out, but historical fiction fans will also love it.

Ratings:

  • Plot Movement / Strength: 5/5
  • Entertainment Factor: 4/5
  • Characterization: 5/5
  • Authenticity / Believable: 4/5
  • Thought Provoking: 5/5
    Overall Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Grab Your Copy of The Weight of Salt Here

Salt

To have your book reviewed on this blog apply here. The registry is open UNTIL AUGUST 1ST!

Be sure to apply BEFORE August even if your book releases after if you want a review on this blog.

Stay tuned for our next dope read!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.

 

Do More with Your Self-Published Book

High achieving authors (Indie, Trad, or otherwise) tend to fall into a few categories:

  • They publish high-quality books (well-edited, dope cover art, and well-formatted, to name a few).

  • They collaborate with other authors and business people. 

  • They use their book to create additional income streams through businesses and services.

Today, I want to focus on that last one, although all these are important.

No matter the route, book publishing is hard work, and most of the work happens after the book is written and published. Most of us find ourselves saying, “Dang, now what?”

Depending on what your book is about, there are so many creative things you can do to leverage your self-publishing career.

Here are a few things I do based on the kinds of books I write:

  • From writing black historical fiction, I lecture at schools.

and so on…

Some authors even have high-ticket courses based on the chapters in their books. Podcasts and workshops based on the book are also ways people leverage their books.

The key point is to look at the book not as the end but as the beginning. Let it (the book) stretch you to new heights!

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – A Subtle Art to Eliminating Anxiety and Stress from Your Life

Title: A Subtle Art to Eliminating Anxiety and Stress from Your Life

Author: Michael Pukasta Jr.

Publisher: Michael Pukasta Jr.

Published: February 28, 2023

Pages: 104

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in eight Americans between the ages of 18 and 54 has anxiety, the author writes in A Subtle Art to Eliminating Anxiety and Stress from Your Life. It is second to drugs and alcohol in men and is one of the leading disorders in women. We discover that although stress is a natural part of life, if it is not controlled, it can accumulate in the body and cause anxiety and other illnesses.

The author helps the reader identify the compulsive habits causing us to be more stressed, such as obsessive negativity and perfectionism. Compulsive negativity causes us to have a predisposition to negativity where nothing is ever okay. The author calls this the “sour grape” attitude. Obsessive perfectionism causes us to be fixated on doing everything right to the point that we are constantly analyzing or trying to accomplish something instead of smelling the flowers. We might want to redo a task, delete a post because it’s imperfect (only to post it again), and basically drive ourselves insane.

The book is a quick read and a good reminder of the differences between stress and anxiety and provides some tools we can use to become better managers of our bodies (such as diet and exercise). There is even a quiz with questions to help readers to identify if they are depressed or not. While I found this a nice touch, the questions still fit the typical description most people associate with depression on the outside. Some people might answer no to the questions and still be depressed.

Overall, the book is an excellent reminder to keep our bodies healthy and our minds.

“We’ve all experienced worries and anxiety. While worrying can be beneficial when it motivates you to act and solve a problem, worrying excessively can take over your mind, impair your ability to manage your daily activities and wellbeing, interfere with your sleep and appetite, interfere with your social life, and make it difficult for you to focus.” – Michael Pukasta, Jr.

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Ratings:

  • Strong Introduction: 4/5
  • Authenticity / Believable: 4/5
  • Organization: 4/5
  • Thought Provoking: 4/5
  • Solid Conclusion: 4/5
  • Overall: 4/5

Grab Your Copy of A Subtle Art to Eliminating Anxiety and Stress from Your Life Here

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To have your book reviewed on this blog apply here. The registry is open UNTIL AUGUST 1ST!

Stay tuned for our next dope read.

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.

 

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews -Menopause and the Black Woman by April S. Lily

Title: Menopause and the Black Woman: A Guide to Wellness for African Americans

Author: April S. Lily

Publisher: April Lily

Published: June 15, 2022

Pages: 103

As women learn about the lack of knowledge on the subject, the discussion of menopause and perimenopause is becoming more common. (Even Oprah Winfrey is in on it.) The author highlights the significance of normalizing this topic in Menopause and the Black Woman: A Guide to Wellness for African Americans.

We learn that despite all women going through it, over a third of American women between the ages of 40 and 65 who participated in the State of Menopause research said they had never looked into menopause before going through it. Additionally, almost half were unaware of the distinction between perimenopause and the actual menopause.

The author explains how, in many traditional West African communities, elderhood was to be cherished and respected and held tremendous rank and influence, in contrast to modern American culture, where growing older is something individuals attempt to avoid. We should prepare for and accept these changes as a normal part of life rather than feeling ashamed of our bodies as we age.

“I want my grandchildren to grow up in a world that understands that menopause is normal, natural, and something that women shouldn’t be afraid of anymore.”

-April Lily

In the same way that we had to get ready for our first periods, we should learn about menopause and perimenopause, the symptoms associated with them, and how to prepare for the journey.

The author also shares her journey of experiencing hot flashes and night sweats that stopped her from getting a peaceful night’s rest and other signs and symptoms to be aware of, such as hair thinning, vaginal dryness, weight gain, dry skin, aches and pains, and more. These issues are accompanied by solutions to make the transition from perimenopause to menopause smoother such as exercise, diet, and natural supplements.

Women who have already been on this journey and have already done individualized research may find the book basic as it does not get too deep. It is a conversation starter, though, and I applaud the author for helping us de-stigmatize menopause and perimenopause.

While the title suggests this is exclusive to Black women, I think it is a good beginner guide for all women on this journey across ethnicity as it reads like a message to women in general.

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Ratings:

  • Strong Introduction: 4/5
  • Authenticity / Believable: 5/5
  • Organization: 5/5
  • Thought Provoking: 4/5
  • Solid Conclusion: 4/5
  • Overall: 4/5

Grab Your Copy of Menopause and the Black Woman Here

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To have your book reviewed on this blog apply here. The registry is open UNTIL AUGUST 1ST!

Stay tuned for our next dope read.

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.