Tag: reviews

WRITING CHALLENGE: See It, Write It – PLUS! A Special Announcement About My First Word Weaver WRITING CONTEST

I’m so into this!

Dan Alatorre AUTHOR's avatarDAN ALATORRE

Your humble host. your humble host

This week’s writing challenge looks kinda hard, so a LOT of you are not gonna wanna do it, but you’re ALL gonna wanna hear about the SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

First, the writing challenge. Hey, no pain, no gain.

Here is a road rage scene from the movie Marathon Man. Watch it…

Okay, NOW what I want you to do is one of three things. (Extra points for number three)

EITHER:

  1. Describe the place where dramatic irony occurs. Can you introduce that in a written scene? How would you do it? (Don’t know what dramatic irony is? Join the club.) OR
  2. Describe the action in the chase scene between the Mercedes Driver (The Nazi) and the Caprice driver (The Jewish Guy). Can you write that scene? Why or why not? OR
  3. The place where the nanny is crossing the street and the little girl…

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Why Reviewing Books is an Act of Love

Whenever I finish a book and prepare a review, I ask myself why I am doing this. Why I dedicate time reading books and time writing reviews and even more time structuring the blog post. Do you know how many times I revise a post before it goes public? Too many times. Some of the posts you love the most have been revised upwards to twenty times because I want it to be done to the best of my ability. It may not even be done right but at least I know I’ve done what I can. If I think before I speak then it means that I must also think before I write. Of course, typos fall through but the point is that to prepare and schedule a post takes time. So, after days (sometimes weeks and months) reading the book, hours writing the review and a few hours scheduling the post I ask myself, why am I doing this? This question led to this post.

Book Bloggers are individuals who offer their service as nothing more than an act of love. It is a selfless act in which the person or persons expect nothing in return. Reviewers are not paid, have no agendas and to be real, we really don’t even have the time which is why our to-be-read piles are always sky high. Book Reviewers read books and write reviews even under pressure and harsh criticism because love endures. And the real ones, those opting to give much more than glowing five stars, these reviewers give even more. Not only do they give their time and attention but they are also genuine. They open up about how they truly felt about the work and add even more value to the service by giving authors the opportunity to grow.

As I finish a book and prepare the review, I find myself feeling really good. I am not burdened or worried or obligated. I am doing what I enjoy doing and am always excited for the authors I get to promote! It humbles me to be a part of their journey. Sometimes I scroll Amazon just to see how my authors are doing.  I remember reviewing books that had just a few reviews when I reviewed them. Then I see they have ten, twenty and thirty. I smile inwardly. In some way, I helped someone to grow.

You see, Book Reviewers do this, largely, with nothing coming back to them except the valuable qualities that no one can take away because it is something that people cannot touch and that money cannot buy: Love, Respect, Dignity, and Courage.

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – Define Your Voice: Narrowing Down Your Target Market by Altovise Pelzer

Title: Define Your Voice: Narrowing Down Your Target Market

Author: Altovise Pelzer

Print Length: 43 pages

Publication Date: July 14, 2016

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Language: English

ASIN: B01IGD5WXW

Define Your Voice is a book that reads like a workbook designed to help authors discover their unique voices. By voice, the author means your unique story. The experiences that set you apart as an individual make your work reverberate unlike anyone else’s. The author shares some of her personal experiences and takes us through prompts designed to help the reader find his or her voice. I cannot say the information presented was new for me, but it is a great read to help someone who needs a step-by-step guide on discovering and embracing their authentic selves.

Rating this book was a challenge for me. I was excited to read this, considering the author’s many accomplishments, and there are parts I really appreciated. However, the book also needs more editorial and formatting attention. However, the inspiring messages of hope and motivation were on point. The book was also an easy and short read which is always a plus. My decided rating is therefore based on these strong points. Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Motivational quotes are birthed out of the victories, trials and failures in a person’s life. They become popular because they are relevant and transparent.”- Altovise Pelzer

And my most favorite:

“Are you bitter or better? There is a huge difference and it will show up in how you talk about your pivotal moment. Are you speaking from a heart of forgiveness or hatred? Don’t think you have to wear a mask or pretend to be anyone other than you. I need you to be authentic. For me, being authentic means that you are able to share the pain and the purpose in your pivotal moment. People need both! There will be those who follow you even if you lean more to one side than the other. It’s better to stay grounded by sharing the good, the bad and the ugly then to have people believing that there is only one side to a pivotal moment.” – Altovise

Strong Introduction: 3/5
Entertainment Factor: 3/5
Authenticity: 4/5
Thought Provoking: 4/5
Overall Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Define Your Voice: Narrowing Down Your Target Market is available now on Amazon

Be Sure to Follow this Author Online! Here’s more information about Altovise:

Bio. Altovise Pelzer is the host of “Our Voice Matters” on WoW TV and the #MorningPRESS series on Periscope and Facebook and has entered the world of publishing in 2016. Her most recently released book is the second of an eight-part series, Getting Through Difficult Situations: “The Ripple Effect”. This book is a follow-up to her first book “It’s Okay to Cry”. Altovise has learned, first hand, what it means to live in difficult situations. Because of her life experiences, she motivates women and youth to find their unique voice.

You can find Altovise at the following social networks:

www.facebook.com/findyourvoicenow
www.lnkedin.com/in/findyourvoicenow
http://www.instagram.com/findyourvoicenow
http://www.altovisepelzer.com/
Author Altovise P. (@TheeVoiceCoach) | Twitter
 Stay tuned for my next awesome author!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – Waiting in the Wings by Stevie Turner

Name: Waiting in the Wings

Author: Stevie Turner

Print Length: 199 pages

Publisher: KDP (November 30, 2016)

Publication Date: November 30, 2016

Language: English

ASIN: B01M3MOEPV

In Waiting in the Wings, Stevie’s mother, Dot is sick and getting worse as time progresses. Dorothy Eliza Wilkins or Dot had a breech birth. (My twin sister was breech as well. It means that she was born feet first instead of head first.) Sadly, Dot suffered a dislocated hip due to being pulled from the womb by her left leg and developed osteomyelitis at four years of age after a fall.

This would play a major role in her adult life, especially as she ages and her body deteriorates and her mobility becomes limited.

The relationship between Dot and Stevie is one in which Dot has become the child and Stevie the adult. Both mother and daughter struggle to endure this transition, which understandably takes its toll on them both. Stevie helps her mom through her depression by reliving old memories.

We are invited into Stevie and Dot’s past and watch how it influences Stevie in real time. We watch her examine her relationship with Dot while enduring the trials of caring for a sick parent while balancing her own illness.

Ratings:

Plot Movement / Strength: 4/5

Entertainment Factor: 4/5

Characterization: 5/5

Authenticity / Believable: 5/5

Thought Provoking: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5 / 5

Waiting in the Wings is Available on Amazon

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Stevie has lots of books for you so be sure to find her online!

Website

http://www.stevie-turner-author.co.uk/

Blog

https://steviet3.wordpress.com/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/StevieTurnerAuthor/

Twitter @stevieturner6

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7172051.Stevie_Turner

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Stay tuned for my next awesome author!