The Awakening Human Being: A Guide to the Power of Mind

Title: The Awakening Human Being: A Guide to the Power of Mind

Author: Barbara Berger (with Tim Ray)

Classification: Nonfiction

Genre: Self-Help

ISBN: 978-1846948350

Year Published: 2011

Pages: 205

Edition: First

Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer ~ http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

The author Barbara Berger (with Tim Ray) asks some important questions, including: Do you live your life, or do you live your interpretation of it? Do you look for happiness in all the wrong places? Do you know the right places to look? If you do look in the wrong places, it’s because that’s what you were taught to do. You can learn a better way, author Barbara Berger promises—and delivers!

Have you ever wondered, What is the key to personal power and the freedom that it brings? Or ever asked yourself, “…why isn’t this working for me? I’ve been so good and I’ve tried so hard, why don’t I experience the happiness I seek? What am I doing wrong? What’s wrong with me?” What if it isn’t that there’s anything wrong with you…just your beliefs, and perhaps your beliefs don’t work for you because they aren’t aligned with reality; and, what is reality, anyway? 

What will help you to answer the questions above, and more you may have, is to know the Mental Laws (“…a law is an impersonal sequence of events that is not dependent on the person or people involved in that sequence of events”). This book includes these Laws, which are: Thoughts Arising (what can you do about your thoughts?), Witnessing (what is the difference between the content and context of thoughts?), Naming (what are your labels and how do they influence you?), Cause and Effect (what is the cause? what is the effect?), Emotion (what comes before an emotion?), Focus (what are you growing in your life?), Free Will (do you have a choice?), Underlying Beliefs (do they in fact determine your experience?), Substitution (what can you change?), Mental Equivalents (what do you really desire to experience?), and Truth (what is actually true?). These Laws speak volumes about us and how we experience ourselves and life, and how we can have a better experience.

Berger also offers Bonus Tracks, which are humorous and revealing dialogues between her and the voice in her head that she named Bollum. These are worth a read because we all have similar conversations in our heads, but instead of falling victim to the voice, Barbara grabs Bollum by the bollocks. I dare you not to laugh or at least chuckle when you read this section; and I’m sure you’ll resonate with these inner conversations as Bollum goes after Berger about being productive, staring at a blank wall, making an impression, meeting people, making a plan for her life and future, being single, the financial crisis, making more money, finding a new relationship, and improving this moment.

The book is written in three parts: Part 1 – the Mental Laws and understanding the way the mind works (the Laws are worth knowing!); Part 2 – using the power of mind wisely; and Part 3 – putting it all into practice in your life. Berger does not sugarcoat or make the wisdom of her message fluffy. She’s candid and real, just as life is; and she shows you how to appreciate and make the most of this fact about life. She speaks about what-is, as well as reminds you that though there are things you have no control over and never will, there are things you can do about this like develop wisdom, understand cause and effect, aim at and work for change, and drop unrealistic expectations that cause you to suffer needlessly, as well as understand what the underlying cause of emotional suffering is. She explains what your happiness depends on and what it doesn’t depend on, and that when you understand this, you’re free. Knowing this is “worth the price of admission.”

Children of a Living Universe: Discovering Our Legacy Will Change Our Future

Title: Children of a Living Universe: Discovering Our Legacy Will Change Our Future

Author: Paul Von Ward

Classification: Nonfiction

Genre: Science/Cosmology and Philosophy/Metaphysics

ISBN: 978-1-57174-711-2

Year Published: 2014

Pages: 432

Edition: Revision of original book Our Solarian Legacy (April 1, 2014)

Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer ~ http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

I found this an engaging read! Very compelling information!

Does the prevailing history of the Earth and human origins, and human capabilities, satisfy you? Or do you feel—or know—there’s more to the story, our story? “Desiring to stake out areas of specialized knowledge and control, we have suppressed the consciousness of our cosmos.” Not only is this a profound and profoundly accurate statement, but it’s a huge clue as to what you might anticipate will be included in this intelligent, rational, reasonable exposition about who we are and the nature of reality that is being denied to us (and by many of us—still) to our individual and shared detriment, while deterring the flourishing we might instead experience.

If you’re curious enough to explore other options about our origins and the nature of reality (or even if you have done), you’ll appreciate this book based on research by independent scholars and the critical, cumulative thinking of the author, Paul Von Ward, who states: “I describe a provisional, but realistic picture of the human legacy by synthesizing the ideas of countless others who are willing to test alternative perceptions of reality. I also evaluate solid material dismissed as unscientific by institutional gate-keepers or ignored because of its source.” He continues with, “Included are studies on improperly labeled ‘paranormal’ phenomena, reports of intelligent nonhuman beings, tangible evidence of forgotten advanced civilizations, compelling findings of frontier science, and wisdom germinated in some cosmic seedbed that springs from deep intuition.” If you typically skip the Preface and Introduction when you read, I advise that these two sections are must-reads!

As the author explains, some of our beliefs about our human and planetary history have caused us to reach a crossroads of either taking responsibility for constructing a better world (and earning our place in the cosmos) or taking responsibility for destroying our world—or allowing it to be destroyed through our complacency. Are we being led by those in authority (religious, educational, political) who may be wearing blinders or are guided solely by their personal beliefs (or agendas) rather than by facts or right questions? The author asks if we can truly create a better future (and present) if we don’t first fill in the gaps about our history; and there are more gaps than facts. He has a point. If you watch any programs about ancient monoliths and structures—creations we’d be hard-pressed to recreate today—and believe that it was a more “primitive” form of us who accomplished these feats, then you’d have to also agree that even with our modern technologies, in some ways, we’ve devolved. Or, you’d have to wonder what else was going on, perhaps that mainstream doesn’t want us to even consider as our history, which begs the question: why not? Von Ward’s purpose is not to prove, but to engender healthy skepticism about what we’re told the facts are versus what the evidence about our history and who we really are demonstrates—or doesn’t.

The book has three parts. Part 1 offers three perspectives on reality.  Part 2 covers how consciousness manifests itself. Part 3 describes what has to happen for humans to be and behave as Solarians, meaning to operate using all of our potential and currently recognized abilities, as well as letting go of what no longer serves us as individuals or as a collective—or never has, and to embrace what we might currently consider the “unknown” to be about us and the cosmos as opportunities to expand into the fullness of who we can be, or meant to be.

Von Ward posits that an intelligent assessment is needed now as to how misinformation, disinformation, and wrong information has been “guiding” us, or misleading us, in many significant instances, along the path our human history has followed. That the absence of such assessment has affected how we evolve intellectually, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and cosmically. I appreciate the author’s premise for writing this book, which is to have candid conversations among the various disciplines about what we categorically do not know as fact and what we do know as fact. “Any action ‘to set the story straight’ is worthwhile just for the sake of truth, but there are also more urgent reasons. It will expose arbitrary sources of political, economic, military and religious power. It will democratize esoteric knowledge not yet available to all. It will empower individuals to take more responsibility for our own actions and the future of the planet. And it will facilitate much-needed reform in economic, medical, educations, and political institutions.”

This book, which examines areas of science, cosmology, philosophy, psychology, and metaphysics, is by no means light reading, but it is engaging on many levels to those who practice critical thinking and or have inquisitive minds. Some may also find some of the information or proposals controversial, but this may be a result of conditioned thinking and fear of leaving the safety net such thinking is believed to guarantee. There is a great deal of material covered, and it is organized well. Some of the content is complex because of its scientific nature (depending on your familiarity with such information), but the author gets you through it and leaves you with greater understanding on many levels, or at least asking yourself some darn good questions. I particularly appreciate the application of the Hermetic Principles to a variety of scientific and other scenarios, which creates a different consideration and comprehension about what goes on all around, which we take for granted.

This book reminds us that although right answers matter, right questions matter as much. Considering the precipice humans, as well as our planet, seem to be teetering on, I’d say this is a good time to read this book and give sincere consideration to what the author presents as a way through and beyond such times and into the future that can be.

The Wisdom of Sound and Number: Phonetic Chaldean Numerology—Reclaiming an Ancient Oracle

Title: The Wisdom of Sound and Number: Phonetic Chaldean Numerology—Reclaiming an Ancient Oracle

Author: Leeya Brooke Thompson, M.A.

Classification: Nonfiction

Genre: Spirityality/Numerology

ISBN: 0-595-41682-9

Year Published: 2006

Pages: 202

Edition: First

Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer ~ http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

This is by no means your typical, light book about numerology, an ancient system that addresses the questions: Who am I, Why am I here, What is my mission in life. The author, Leeya Brooke Thompson, was assisted in her research by Dr. Loren Fisher, a scholar and former professor of ancient Semitic languages, to rigorously compare the sounds of the letters to numbers in ancient alphabets to match phonetic sounds in the modern English language. Their belief was that “. . . the Ancients had information about vibration which we are in the process of rediscovering.” The author stated, “I believed the Ancients knew something that we haven’t yet discovered—or we know it in our scientific studies, but not in the application of those studies of vibration to human consciousness and character which is concerned about the spiritual aspects of men and women.” The author has a point: the contemporary English alphabet wasn’t in use when the original system of numerology (gematria) was created and in use, so how could the simplistic Western form commonly used today be completely accurate?

The author, who has been involved with numerology for around half a century, starts by explaining that she did numerology readings for a specific client over a twenty-five-year period, the first time using the Western (Pythagorean) system then the Chaldean system, and finally using her “new” phonetic system described in this book. She says this about her client’s experience with the phonetic system: “This time she began to weep, then sob, for the number patterns absolutely described the core of pain she had been feeling all of her adult life.” That’s a powerful experience and result, to say the least.

There is a brief introduction giving concise information about Pythagoras and his involvement with numerology, as well as more about the effect of vibration as it relates to Cymatics (vibration creating form in matter) and Emoto’s work on how sound influences water crystals (e.g., negative words create ugly crystal formations, while positive or loving words create beautiful crystal formations). “The name is our ‘tool box’ at birth, indicating the strengths, aptitudes and predisposition we brought with us into this lifetime. The birth date, on the other hand, indicates what we have come to master and to accomplish. The interaction of these two forces—who we are and who we are being challenged to become—result in what our life looks like and whether we are working harmoniously with our life or rejecting the opportunities that come our way…. Numerology is a map of consciousness.”

The first part is a brief and interesting explanation about the history of numerology and its use and possible influence in our daily lives and decisions, whether for individual use or for those who wish to do charts for others. What follows this is an understanding of the number patterns (including master and karmic numbers), how to set up your chart, the positions in your name, the positions in your birth date, the shadow and projection, your destiny and journey through time, how to integrate your chart, companions and mates, deciding to change your name or any changes to your name as a result of life experiences (misspelled names on birth certificates or immigration forms or marriage), plus additional information about the phonetics and roots of numerology. Thompson’s remarks about the Universal years are impressive in their revelations and scope.

If you’ve previously used the Western system of assigning numbers one through nine to the English alphabet or are unfamiliar with phonetics, you may find this system a challenge to get used to. Fortunately, the author provides a sample chart, with additional information in the appendices, and demonstrates how to do each section through the use of an example name and birth date then offers descriptions of what the numbers mean so you can identify your patterns. Because of the type of book it is, there are segments you’ll read and some you may not feel you need to read, but you’ll get more out of it if you read the entire book before you create your chart, so you familiarize yourself with the phonetic numerology process, including what to do about letters that are silent.

Know that this is not the usual light or more esoteric approach of other numerology books you may have read. This one includes some history, but it geared toward practical application for a person’s life experience and guidance. I have to be candid and say that the author initially asked me to contribute some of the content about the numbers, which I did, but the research that led to this revised system and the content are 98% hers. I didn’t see what she’d done with the material until the book was published—but this does not alter the fact that she did a stunning job with the topic and what supports it. Not having read it since it was published in 2006 has led me to revisit what Leeya truly accomplished through her commitment to accuracy for individuals.

Make Your Indie Novel the Best It Can Be

Guest Blogger: indie author Kia Heavey
See a review of her book on this site.

Do you have a completed draft of your novel? Congratulations! Writing a full manuscript is certainly something to be proud of. Take a breather and pat yourself on the back, but then it’s time to hone and refine your project into a truly praise-worthy literary work for your readers.

I recently completed this process for the second time. It’s amazing how much I’ve learned since the first time around and using this perspective, I put together this list of best practices to help indie authors get their projects into tip-top shape for publishing and marketing. Of course, what works for me may not work for everyone, but hopefully you’ll find something useful in this post. Here’s what I’ve learned so far…

Your book isn’t finished.

Just accept this. You may think you’ve written a complete novel and maybe you have, but it’s probably not a very good one – yet.  Remember the old adage about success being 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration, and read on…

You need feedback readers.

You may think your book is complete, but that is often because in your head, you know what you meant to say. Unfortunately, your readers aren’t in your head. It’s not apparent to you, but there are places in your manuscript where something doesn’t work. Trust me, there just are. You’ve been so engrossed in this project for so long, you don’t have the perspective to see the issues.

But feedback readers do! And their input is the difference between a quirky, promising, but not-quite-there manuscript and a compelling, polished page-turner.

Choose appropriate feedback readers.

I belong to a local writers’ group, but I do not rely on them for critiques of my work. This is because they are not representative of my target audience. For example, the last novel I wrote was for teen girls and their mothers who enjoy YA fiction. The average age in my writers’ group is north of 60.  So when I needed feedback, I sought out readers among personal acquaintances as well as Goodreads connections. I pre-screened them according to their reading habits and sought input only from people with a track record of reading YA who also possessed the psycho-demographics I wanted to serve.

Choose what feedback to use.

You’re an Indie author. Maybe you don’t have an agent or a six-figure contract, but you do have something wonderful: autonomy. You aren’t bound to make every change some egghead editor tells you to make. This is your project, and you make the calls.

In fact, it’s not uncommon to get conflicting comments from different feedback readers. It’s literally impossible to implement all the advice you’ll get. Once you have read through all the comments, you ultimately decide what fits the story you’re telling and the philosophy you’re conveying. Accept that you will never please all the people all the time, but you can learn to balance your own creative integrity with marketability and audience appeal.

You need an editor.

No, I’m not just saying this because I’m guest-posting on Joyce’s site and she’s my friend. You really do need one. Even if you got straight A’s in English class. Even if you yourself are a professional editor.

There are two main points at which you might invite an editor into your project. The first is when you are ready to show your manuscript to beta readers. At this point, consider getting a comprehensive critique from a professional. (If this is your first book and you can afford it, a comprehensive critique is almost a must. It is worth every penny because of all the things you’ll learn.) The second point is when you have a final, tight manuscript that you think is ready to publish. This is a great time to run it past an editor to clean up grammatical errors, typos, etc.

If you publish a book rife with editing errors, it will not be taken seriously. Please don’t do that to yourself after you’ve worked so hard.

Find friendly reviewers.

Got your book published? Now it’s time to send out review copies and start building up Internet buzz. Many prolific readers have book review blogs, and many more post reviews on important sites like Amazon and Goodreads. Make a list of potential reviewers, order up some review copies of the paperback, get the ebook file ready to email, and start sending out review requests. As with feedback readers, look for reviewers who represent the correct psycho-demographic to appreciate your work. Do this part well and not only will reviews pile up, there will be plenty of four– and five–star reviews among them.

Don’t quit your day job.

The good thing about being an Indie author – no agents or publishers telling you what to do – is also the bad thing – no agents or publishers sending you royalty checks. The odds against you becoming wealthy from a single indie title are astronomically high. They get a little lower with each additional book you publish and with competent marketing, but no one knows for sure how to make the lightning strike. In fact, the only indie authors I know of who make a living off their writing treat it like, well, a job. They put in many hours and re-invest royalties in their business.

Decide what purpose your writing will serve for you – creative outlet or moneymaking business – and treat it accordingly. May you find it as rewarding a pastime as I do!

Kia Heavey is the author of Night Machines (2011) and Underlake (2014). You can read about her books on her website: kiaheavey.com.

Are You Happy Now? 10 Ways to Live a Happy Life

Title: Are You Happy Now? 10 Ways to Live a Happy Life

Author: Barbara Berger

Classification: Nonfiction

Genre: Self-Help/Spirituality

ISBN: 978-1-78279-201-7

Year Published: 2013

Pages: 197

Edition: Reprint Edition (August 16, 2013)

Publisher: O-Books, imprint of John Hunt Publishing

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer ~ http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

This is a book to read more than once!

I love and appreciate what the author did with this content. I could go on and on about the value and wisdom of this book. But I’ll start here, with a profound statement I heard years back: Sometimes the questions matter more to us than the answers. Though author, Barbara Berger, presents us with beneficial answers and information to consider and integrate, she also presents us with valuable questions (and all-important solutions), such as: Is the past controlling your present? Are you a people-pleaser with an aversion to conflict? Do the opinions of others influence or manipulate you? Do you have healthy boundaries? Do you fear your emotions? Do you know what the collective lie is that affects nearly all of us? What is the difference between consciousness and mind? Who are you beyond your thoughts that arise? What kind of life might you have if you stopped allowing other people to mind your business and if you stopped minding theirs? How many ways do you make or keep yourself unhappy, without realizing you’re doing this? How can you communicate honestly and clearly with others if you aren’t honest and clear with yourself? How can you have a fulfilling life if you’re afraid of making mistakes or fear others believing your choices are mistakes? How can you become mindful, especially when emotionally upset or afraid? These (and others she covers in the book) are questions many of us contend with but may not address, as this book does and does so well.

The ten chapter titles give a preview of what’s to come in the book, whether they build enthusiasm and eagerness to delve into them or, perhaps, make you quake a bit. It all depends on how ready you are to live a more authentic and fulfilling life. The titles are as follows: Accept what is; Want what you have; Be honest with yourself; Investigate your stories; Mind your own business; Follow your passion and accept the consequences; Do the right thing and accept the consequences; Deal with what is in front of you and forget the rest; Know what is what; and Learn to see beyond impermanence. There are worksheets at the back that help you address each chapter concept, as well as an Epilogue titled “Don’t Believe What You Think.” You’re either ready to see what the author has to offer about each of these or you’re telling yourself there’s laundry to fold or grass to cut (i.e., avoidance).

This is a book written by someone who who’s been through a lot, was facing a lot, including moving forward in years—and asked herself an important question: “...what do you need to remember to live a happy life? If you would sum it all up, what would it be? What do you need to know to get you through the rest of your life in a better way?” This is a question (what do you need to remember to live a happy life?) many of us contemplate, but likely do so in passing rather than addressing it head-on as the author did. Berger states in the Introduction that she recognized how much of her life she’d “spent worrying about stuff or being nervous and insecure about stuff or not really enjoying the fullness and richness of” her life. This is more of a common complaint than, I believe, most of us would like to admit, and one we truly desire to resolve. (I love the mountain example in Chapter 8, and find it highly beneficial!)

In her candid, straightforward manner, Berger discusses how we resist what-is, whatever the what-is is in a moment (weather, an event, pain, health, relationships, finances, etc.), and how we tend to fight the reality of what-is nearly all the time, as well as how this resistance affects not only us but how we experience life. However, she makes a keen point that accepting what-is is not saying “yes” to everything and doing nothing; that it is not about passivity, but the opposite. There were certainly additional brilliant points made beside these two I’m about to share, but I love these: We more often than not don’t live our lives, but live our interpretations of our lives; we’re dancing with illusions. And, we let other people manipulate us with their uninvestigated codes of behavior.

Berger proposes that all of us can lead happy lives regardless of our situation, and then demonstrates how to accomplish this throughout the book. She asks how well we know ourselves, or if we’re afraid to do this, asks why; discusses our responsibility to ourselves and our right to exist; and how we can deal with the fear of criticism and choice with integrity. She shares that we can remember the wonder of our own existence; discusses common worries and stories we tell ourselves and how to transform them; and shares what she discovered real happiness and success is, and how clear and simple it actually is.

Berger reminds us that life is always a process that we’re in; that it’s about awakening our awareness so that we make appropriate choices for ourselves, and not focus on perfection, which is unrealistic. I give this book an all-thumbs-up; and as I said earlier, it’s one to read more than once.

Out of the Kiln: Vessels of Hope by Wendi Romero

Title: Out of the Kiln: Vessels of Hope

Author: Wendi Romero

Classification: Nonfiction

Genre: Poetry/Spiritual-Metaphysical

ISBN: 978-1-4817-3672-5

Year Published: 2013

Pages: 106

Edition: First

Publisher: Wendi Romero

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer ~ http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

In the 75 poems that reflect on life transitions and moments of keen awareness, found in Out of the Kiln: Vessels of Hope, accomplished poet Wendi Romero writes so that words no longer remain on the page but merge with the “tissues and bones” of the reader. Romero captures texture and substance of a spiritually conscious or aware life—of a feeling life, and uses her skillful craft to richly embroider the imagery and meaning of each poem in this exquisite offering. The book is separated into three parts: Part 1 is dedicated to Wholeness – “All I am was there all along;” Part 2 is dedicated to Brokenness – “Though fractured, I’m still complete;” and Part 3 is dedicated to Openness – “Empty can only be filled.”

The author has a profound way of addressing spirituality, the truth of painful experiences, the joy of renewal and reinventing the self, and the often ignored specialness of everyday moments that cause us to look at life, ourselves, and others through a new and brighter lens. The writings are uplifting, enlightening, inspiring, deeply moving… “Sometimes, it’s moments of profound beauty and other times, the excruciating pain of deep loss, that brings us to a threshold. In varying stages, life is moving us in a new direction; calling us to cross over from the life we’ve known to the life that waits for our openness to change.”

Romero’s writings remind you to ease up, to slow down and embrace life, yourself, and your moments, whatever they may be. You feel you walk with Romero through instances and experiences in her own life, ones you share in some measure, but can now see or interpret differently—through her eyes and filter, yes, but through your own, as well. Or perhaps you feel it is she who puts words to your own experiences in a manner that lets you translate them in a way you may not have previously done, because it isn’t always easy to put such depth of feeling into words—unless you are a wordsmith, such as this poet is.

There were many times that Romero got a feeling or experience so right that I had goosebumps, though I did resonate with the concept and message of each poem. These are poems you can read alone when you need to contemplate or feel your life in meaningful ways, or read aloud at special gatherings or celebrations, whether ones of joy or to infuse sorrowful ones with grace and deeper meaning. Her words re-Mind us of who we really are under all the debris and clutter life sometimes sends our way; that we have greater strength and wholeness than we at times remember as our truth. I highly recommend this book, even for those who don’t usually lean toward poetry. These are more than poems: they are us.

Night Machines by Kia Heavey

Title: Night Machines

Author: Kia Heavey

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy (Paranormal)/Suspense

ISBN: 978-0-615-48709-0

Year Published: 2009

Pages: 304

Edition: First

Publisher: Kia Heavey

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer ~ http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

Author’s website: http://kiaheavey.com/

In this novel of suspense, romance-gone-awry, and the paranormal, the main character, Maggie Moore, is married to Rowan, a detective in the small town where they live, and is the mother of two. Now that her children are a bit older, she’s ready to return to the working world but is anxious about her interview for a part-time job as a corporate communications writer and editor at NarcoDynamics. Dr. Cambien Cuthbert, founder of the company and creator of the clinical sleep aid Anadreme, which eliminates “intense dreaming, night panics, and nightmares,” is a former high school chum, whom Maggie only barely remembers. He’s no longer the lanky, awkward, pale teen but now a tall, svelte, wickedly handsome man of confidence and success—who has a long-held attraction for Maggie. The way she represents herself in the interview with Cuthbert, she’s certain she blew her chance for the job. She’s wrong, of course. Soon, Maggie’s thoughts about her boss seduce her into behaviors and visions that are a form of escape from her predictable life, a husband who is becoming more and more remote, and her insecurities. As is printed on the book cover, “Maggie decided to have an affair. No one needed to know, not even her lover.”

Soon after the story opens, a tragedy happens in their area: A child has been murdered, and there’s no trail leading to her killer. People in the small town where Maggie and Rowan live are in a heightened state of awareness and panic, causing additional problems, which keeps Rowan and his fellow police officers busy nearly around the clock as they address these new issues and simultaneously work the homicide. Maggie and Rowan drift apart, which makes Cambien Cuthbert’s attentions all the more appealing: “She wanted two men and could have neither.” Feeling abandoned by her now careworn, ill-tempered husband, Maggie engages in a very different kind of affair with her boss, an imaginary one that begins to consume her. All the while, Cuthbert inveigles himself into her life in such a way that there seems to be no escape from him or her desire for him.

I found this an engaging read! Murders, manipulations, and agendas…. I have to be careful about spoilers because this plot unfolds in layers that go deeper and darker until… So what I will say is that the author, Kia Heavey, creates a rich tapestry of scenery, motive, character development, and plot. The tension builds deliciously throughout the book, revealing more and more of what’s really going on, which you, more than likely, may not or probably won’t anticipate. She has the gift for turning a phrase and does so effectively and often throughout the book. A big Thumbs-Up for this author’s creative imagination and storytelling skills.

The People’s Will by Eric Berbig

Title:  The People’s Will

Author: Eric Berbig

Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction

ISBN: 978-0-615-40842-2

Year Published: 2010

Pages: 300

Edition: First

Publisher: Eric Berbig

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer - http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

Author’s website: http://thepeopleswillbook.com/

The People are restless; some are bent on murder and destruction—and the tension is building. Primarily set in pre-Revolution days in St. Petersburg, Russia, this compelling historical mystery novel is based on actual events. Serfs have been emancipated and more people are allowed to be educated, but improvements meant as a result of these and other changes are slow to happen for the people most affected. The disenfranchised new working-class discover “Horrid living conditions, poverty, debt—were constant companions.” One particular leader of a splinter revolutionist group believes the only way to get the right message across to the tsar and others who need to hear it is to plan and execute something that makes it clear it was no random event, but a decisive one. Where better to create such a spectacle than in public, in front of the grandest opera theater in town, at the opening of a new show. The plan is to do the deed and blame the Nihilists, because this leader and his group must remain hidden and unknown until the moment they can safely reveal themselves, once they have public support. The event goes off as planned, and Detective Yuri Vladimirovich Petrov decides to visit the scene, where his presence gets noticed by someone from the Okhrana, as well as one of the perpetrators.

Yuri rose to his position in the investigative division of the St. Petersburg Police Department on merit, not politics or who he knew. He sticks to investigative basics and has a higher success rate for solving crimes than anyone in his division. His instincts are keen and he follows where they lead him. He’s on the case to find those behind this crime. It’s not his district, so this shouldn’t be his case, but his reputation for competency and, particularly, discretion in a prior case involving a member of the royal family motivated the appropriate investigative service, the Okhrana, to include him. Yuri’s instincts tell him there is more to his involvement than this. Trying to find the right trail to follow leads to many frustrations as well as good leads, and into disturbing realizations about how his government actually works at the inner level. Trying to determine who, what, when, and how haunts him, even as he makes headway in his investigation. His instinct, and a few experiences he has along the way, indicates something even bigger is being planned. His gut tells him he needs to hurry. The question that drives him is Will he be too late.

I don’t usually go for historical novels as my personal reading choices, but this one is done well and worth the read, and is as much a mystery novel as an historical one. The author, Eric Berbig, sets the tone and mood, and has excellent plot and character development. He builds the tension and sustains it all the way through with a well-organized progression of the story, The writing is smooth, flowing, and so descriptive that you feel the settings, locations, and time period, as well as the emotions of the characters; he engages the senses. This book held my attention all the way through and contains several riveting scenes. It could have used very slight editing touch-ups, but instances are few and do not detract from this engaging story. It’s top-of-the-line storytelling from start to finish.

Eight Twisted Shorts by Nathan Lichtwar

Eight Twisted Shorts is, obviously, eight short stories and the second offering from the author of Peckerwood Twist, Nathan Lichtwar.

Eight Twisted Shorts is, obviously, eight short stories and the second offering from the author of Peckerwood Twist, Nathan Lichtwar. Here’s a brief review of each story.

“Gotcha!” – Someone is targeting fashionable women on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in a manner that’s more annoying than violent. This goes on for months—until the perpetrator picks the wrong victim to tangle with: someone who believes and follows the premise that vengeance is best served cold.

“Slightly Stained” – Imagine a motorcycle with narcissistic personality disorder that misbehaves—badly—when its riders least expect it.

“The Petrified Tree” – A tree planted long ago by travelers to a foreign land takes on new life as a beacon for safe passage, death, restoration of life, and redemption. The segment titled “The Voyage” is quite dynamic, which only a true man of the seas, which the author is, could describe in such detail.

“The Swing” – We rely on our GPS device for many services and purposes. What might happen if a GPS has a mind of its own and wants to get friendly?

“What Do You Think?” It’s Christmas, and our man, despondent and jaded as he is, is walking the streets of Manhattan in search of gifts. He has a vision, which becomes a reality, and finds he is no longer the man he was. Everyone deserves at least one miracle in life.

“Souls of Lilith” – This one is adult-themed and a bit wicked, and the longest of the eight stories. The first paragraph gives a big clue about the content by starting with “S-E-X…” and is dictated to a scribe by that slithery ancient demon herself, who has a keen understanding of particular human frailties. Since a demon dictated it, please prepare to possibly be shocked—if you’re easily shocked, that is.

“Ek Balam” – You know to expect something quite different when a story opens with a paragraph about the formerly all-too-frequent practice of lobotomies. It’s a sometimes graphic and definitely, at times, gripping tale of destruction and salvation.

“Once Upon A Twisted Night” – This one is told in “real-time” by an observer telling tales out of school on the gods as they muck about with human lives just to amuse themselves. Only the cleverness of the gods could coordinate the events and individuals who know and don’t know each other, yet find their extraordinary experiences intersecting in remarkable and sometimes humorous (I laughed out loud several times), as well as tragic and truly twisted, ways. I found myself cheering for the moose.

One thing about author Nathan Lichtwar—you never know where his stories are going to take you. If you enjoy surprises and twists, you’ll enjoy this book. Some stories are edgy, some are better suited to adult readers, some use expletives, and all of them are flights of fancy that lean toward black comedy. Lichtwar’s clever imagination loves to play, so his stories are sometimes touching and sometimes a wild ride.

Title: Eight Twisted Shorts

Author: Nathan Lichtwar

Genre: Suspense/Fantasy

ISBN: 978-1-300-83437-3

Year Published: 2013

Pages: 156

Edition: First

Publisher: Nathan Lichtwar

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer

http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

Self-Published Authors Book Reviews

Breaking the Chains to Freedom: Finding the Power within You

Esther Adler

Genre: Self-Help/Memoir

ISBN: 978-1-4664-2510-1

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer

http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

Esther Adler’s book, Breaking the Chains to Freedom: Finding the Power within You, is part memoir, part self-help, which focuses on how to switch from victim mentality to a spiritual warrior mindset. Adler is a bright spirit born into a strict Orthodox Jewish family and culture filled with rules, restrictions, and guilt—and lots of each, which makes her more than the “black sheep” in the family. She was also born into a family with a father who has a genius I.Q. along with Borderline Paranoid Schizophrenia, and a mother who had a joyful spirit despite a physically incapacitated body and her own victim mentality, and whom Adler became primary caregiver of at age eight.

Adler describes growing up with a mother couldn’t take care of herself without assistance; a verbally and physically abusive father who tried to strangle her; a “religious” culture that refused to help her; the decline and death of her mother; being diagnosed with diabetes and the struggle to find a way to function with this disease; and a host of experiences that caused her to one day state to herself, “I don’t really want to die. I just don’t know how to live.” She reveals her transformation from practicing victim mentality to someone with a warrior mindset, which includes sharing how she was a wife at eighteen, with four children who arrived within a short few years; living with and eventually divorcing her verbally abusive husband (who, though Adler doesn’t state as such, at least seems to have Narcissistic Personality Disorder, based on her descriptions of his behaviors); and having to find love, peace, and wisdom in the decision to let her children live with their father as a result of his religious smear campaign against her. Adler also includes inspirational notes and theories about human needs that lead to victim behaviors, as well as exercises and ideas to help shift from emotional pain to happiness and spiritual awakening that lead to personal freedom. 

It’s pleasing to read something written by someone without degree letters after their name. That’s not a criticism: What I mean is that this book is a nice chance to relate to someone who is perceived as more like the man on the street than not, even if readers’ cultures are quite different. Adler demonstrates inner strength, character, and an indomitable, if not enviable, belief in herself, love, and life. I found that in the final sections, my yellow highlighter was used to note particular passages such as this one: “Showing no emotion is not an act of strength, but an act of fear. It’s a fear of being judged. Be judged. You will be judged in your life no matter what.”

Adler wrote this book for those who practice victim mentality or have experienced—or currently are experiencing—a major life transition (death of a loved one, loss of a significant relationship, loss of employment, loss of health, etc.), to help them move through and beyond the trauma such and similar experiences present. Although some pre-publishing polishing with editing tweaks would have been a good idea, such instances do not diminish how engaging her story is or how inspirational her message is. All in all, it’s a powerful read.

Self-Published Authors Book Reviews

Peckerwood Twist

Nathan Lichtwar

Genre: Suspense/Fantasy

ISBN: 978-0-6152-0231-0

Reviewer: Joyce Shafer

http://Self-PublishedAuthorsBookReviews.weebly.com

Ready to get out of the sweltering summer heat, Sam Paris goes to his usual spot: The Peckerwood Bar in Port Salerno, Florida, famous for its spicy hot sauce and its unsavory characters. The bar patrons are as rough and tough as Sam and his language when someone annoys him. In his sixties and with a history, including as a Vietnam vet, Sam pays attention to everything and everyone around him from “Habit born out of self-preservation and lessons learned the hard way.” He’s minding his own business when a man and his attractive female partner enter the bar and are immediately seen for what they are: more than a little out of place and unconcerned about it, when they should be. The man says he’s a journalist looking for a good story—Sam’s story—and will pay. Sam agrees, and the twisted roller-coaster-like tale begins about his time in the Amazon Jungle with a beautiful, sensual woman he can neither figure out nor resist; Nazi’s in hiding; the hunt for lost cities and gold; and a number of criminal elements who all have agendas they either want to involve Sam in or believe he is involved in—and for a very particular reason. After he tells his story, Sam realizes his past has come back to haunt him—or kill him, and Sam must use every resource he has to try to survive, once again.

Peckerwood Twist is a part-suspense, part-fantasy fiction novel that, as Lichtwar says, is either 90% true and 10% false or the other way around, and based in part on his own experiences. Sam’s stint as a Marine during the Vietnam War was followed by drug addiction, leaving him homeless until he’s picked up in New York City and groomed for a specific purpose by Ursula Jung, a woman who tells lies about what’s going on as easily as she breathes. After hooking up with Ursula, Sam never knows from one minute to the next who he’s going to be running from, who he’s being set up by or who’ll shoot at him next, or who he may have to kill to survive. Whether it’s the result of the cacao used for altitude sickness while in Peru, or real experiences that occur, Sam finds that reality and visions overlap in ways that make him question everyone’s sanity, including his own. Sometimes, his instincts are the only thing Sam knows he is sure of.

Lichtwar created this first novel to be action-based, and takes readers into New York City, Peru, deep into the Amazon Jungle, and onto Florida, where life and the people interested in Sam Paris just won’t leave him in peace to drink himself into a stupor to wash down “the dust of old memories.” The cast of characters demonstrates what happens when people who have agendas will use others and go to any lengths to attain their goals. All in all, this book is a bit of good fun and adventure and an entertaining first book from this author.