Winter Reading 2016 Give Me Wings

Imagine being born a slave, being told to spy on your own mother, living with the knowledge that you could be sold away at any time. We can't, because we are fortunate enough to have been born in a time and place of freedom. But Ella Sheppard was born in 1851, in the state of Tennessee, and she was asked by her mistress to report anything suspicious her mother said or did. Now, imagine going from that start in life to leading a choir that sang for Queen Victoria herself. A true rags to riches story, right?

Give Me Wings is not just Ella's story, although she features in it prominently. Using her as a central figure, the story traces the Civil War, Emancipation, and Reconstruction. In the aftermath of the war, schools for blacks (as they were often referred to at that time), either former slaves or others, were established across the South by the American Missionary Association. Fisk Free Colored School in Nashville was one of the schools. But financial woes plagued the school and in an effort to raise funds, it was decided to form a singing group to give concerts. The result was the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The details of their rocky beginning and the road that eventually took them to London and a European tour are covered in a narrative supported with primary sources such as photos, maps, song lyrics, and paintings. The story also draws in other prominent figures of the period, including: Mark Twain, Lyman Beecher, John Brown, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass.

Altogether a well-told and informative look at a piece of American and Tennessee history that deserves our attention. This would be an excellent addition to any school library or history classroom collection.

I received a review copy from the publisher.

Fall Reading 2015 Design the Life You Love

I enjoy planning and organizing, so the idea of this book appealed to me. Once I began reading it, I enjoyed the way it was presented. The process that the book will take you through is explained up front, and plenty of examples are given for each step along the way. Since the author is a designer, the approach she uses draws heavily on that background with lots of visual organizers like idea maps, graphs, and diagrams. There are also times when lists, charts, and poems are used to gather your thoughts. The main thrust of the book is to deconstruct your life and examine all the existing elements, and then reconstruct it with the things you want to keep and eliminating the things you don't love.

There are so many positive points about this book. It includes various types of responses to the different prompts so that no matter what style of learner you are, or how best you express yourself, you will have opportunities to work from your areas of strength and explore new methods, too. I also appreciated the way each step was presented and then a time limit for the response was given, and each one was a small chunk that felt do-able and not overwhelming. There were also extra pages for some of the responses in case you decided after your first effort that you wanted to try a different approach, and there were even more templates in the back of the book. The construction of the book itself is very sturdy, which is a good thing for something you may be carrying around with you or revisiting often. The cover is thick but flexible, and it even has an elasticized band for closure. 

This would make an excellent gift, especially at this time of year when many people are thinking of New Year's resolutions. If you know someone who is at a point where they are considering making some changes or perhaps you are looking for ways to improve your own level of satisfaction with your life, then order a copy of this book. It will be very helpful.

For more details visit the author bio or book info provided by the publisher.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Blog Tour Monsterland

Book Review: Monsterland, by Award-Winning Author Michael Phillip Cash

Warning! This book is not for the faint of heart, or those hoping that the monster will turn out to be Old Man Withers in a creepy mask and Scooby-Doo will thwart his plans. No, this is a tale of real monsters and what happens when you mix them together in a theme park with a crowd of excited teenagers, celebrities, and politicians. As it asks on the back of the book, "What could possibly go wrong?"

Have you ever debated with your friends about which monster is the biggest and meanest? You know how it is; you're all sitting around and someone asks, "Who would win in a faceoff - King Kong or Godzilla?" Wyatt Baldwin (no relation to Alec), and his friends Howard and Melvin often spend their time at work debating just such deep questions. Then again, working at the Instaburger isn't exactly a demanding job. But when they win behind-the-scenes passes to the new theme park Monsterland, it looks like they will finally get to see some of the creatures they have only read about or watched as CGI and special effects in movies. So the guys, along with Wyatt's younger brother Josh, are there for the big opening night. Jade, the girl of Wyatt's dreams is also there, along with her bully of a date and her friend Keisha, who has a crush on Howard.

But wait, you say, where do the monsters come from? Well ... vampires have been around all along, living on the fringes of society. Werewolves were discovered by accident in the Everglades. And the "vitality challenged" zombies are the victims of an incurable virus and have been quarantined into detention camps to protect the rest of the world’s population. It turns out that fear of contagion from the virus has pretty much thrown the world into a steep economic decline. So the world's leaders are overjoyed that Dr. Vincent Conrad has offered to take all the infected off government hands and confine them to the multiple parks he has built around the world, and he will even use profits from the parks to research a cure.

There are those who think it sounds too good to be true, like Wyatt's parents, but his stepfather is at the park on opening night, too. He is part of the local law enforcement contingent there to help protect the VIPs. It seems like the perfect time for the kids to experience the park - heightened security from park employees, the Secret Service, and local police - special passes to see how the park is run, and the chance to finally satisfy their curiosity about the creatures they have debated about for so long. Once the park opens at sunset, the crowd rushes in to experience all the thrills and chills. And it is an experience they will never forget.

The descriptions of the various areas of the park are creepy enough to give us goose bumps. As readers, we can only imagine how spooky they would be in person. Here's a taste of the main entrance square: "The village was a parody of any Main Street ... a maze of rutted paths, buildings squeezed together from different centuries ... a bizarre assortment that jarred the nerves." The enclave for each type of monster is decorated differently. For the werewolves there are bayou-like dense vegetation, bird calls, and banjo music. The vampires have a "techno paradise" with rubber streets that muffle any sound and gleaming chrome buildings that "grew out of the black depths." Perhaps the most macabre are the pastel suburban homes set aside for the zombies, with attendants washing the blood and guts off the streets.

Author Michael Phillip Cash takes on several heavy themes in his latest story. Among them are the threat of pandemics and how governments deal with the diseases and the victims, corporate and political greed, the difficulties of divorce and blended families, bullies, and more. Whether you enjoy stories with action or mental stimulation, Monsterland has it all covered, along with the creation of a sinister atmosphere that has you glancing over your shoulder as you turn the pages. If you enjoy horror, suspense, and thrillers, then grab a copy, but take my advice - read with the lights on.

About the Book

Monsterland

Written by Michael Phillip Cash Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville. Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?

“Monsterland contains solid ingredients for a horror feast: stupid teens, smart teens, a little challenged romance, family dynamics, action, blood and gore. Will civilization ever be normal again? You’ll have to read it to find out. We dare you!”—The Children’s Book Review

Ages 14+ | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | 2015 | 978-1517180676 Add this book to your collection: Monsterland Available Here:

About Michael Phillip Cash

Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist. He’s written eleven books including the best-selling Brood X, Stillwell, The Flip, The After House, The Hanging Tree, Witches Protection Program, Pokergeist, and Battle for Darracia series. Michael resides on the North Shore of Long Island. He writes full-time with his screaming monsters in the background. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Monsterland Tour Giveaway

Would you rather be a werewolf, a zombie or a vampire? Enter to win an autographed copy of Monsterland, by Michael Phillip Cash; plus a living dead themed travel mug and a $50 Amazon gift card!

Giveaway begins November 14, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends December 16, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST. US addresses only.

Monsterland Tour Dates

Thursday November 12 2015 The Children’s Book Review Tour Kick-Off & Giveaway Tuesday November 17 2015 The Review Wire Book Excerpt from Monsterland Tuesday November 24 2015 SciFiChick.com Guest Post written by Michael Phillip Cash Tuesday November 17 2015 Suz Reviews Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash Sunday November 29 2015 The Cover Contessa Guest Post written by Michael Phillip Cash Tuesday December 1 2015 DCC Mealy Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash Wednesday December 2 2015 Once Upon a Twilight Book Excerpt from Monsterland Saturday December 5 2015 The Fairview Review Monsterland Book Review Tuesday December 8 2015 Just Another Mom Monsterland Book Review Monday December 14 2015 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Monsterland Book Review Tuesday December 15 2015 Inspired by Savannah Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash

Fall Reading 2015 The Ghetto Singer: A Berlin Jazz-Legend Remembers

The title may actually confuse some readers, because when they hear "ghetto," they think of gangs in New York or similar settings from a movie. The fact that ghettos can actually be in any large city worldwide seems to occur to only a small percentage of people. It wasn't as misleading to me because of all the WWII stories I have read over the past year; many of them mentioned the Jewish ghettos created by the Nazis to contain unwanted citizens. So I decided to read this book based on my interest in history and my love of music. 

It seems that Coco Schumann and I share that love of all things musical. During his long and interesting career he has played almost every type of popular music and had the privilege of meeting or even performing with legends such as Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Watching through Coco's eyes and seeing the music scene change over the years (some of them long before I was even born), was like seeing a time-lapse movie of pop culture. The book covers the pre-war years of 1930s Germany up to the present day and the songs and styles of the times are his anchors in each decade or era.

For those who have never heard of Coco Schumann, he is a musician born in Germany to an "Aryan" father and Jewish mother after World War I. Even though his father had served in the German army during WWI and his family had a long history of service and loyalty to their country, Coco was sent to a concentration camp along with thousands of others from the Berlin area. He actually spent time in three camps - Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Dachau. As with anyone who survived the horrors of the camps, it is a miracle he lived. But it is an even greater miracle that he has remained as positive and friendly as he is. He credits music with saving him, both literally and figuratively. It saved him physically because the camp officers enjoyed having musicians to play for them and entertain them, so they spared his life. But it also saved his sanity and humanity by giving him something to cling to as an anchor and a connection to better times.

Since Coco never emigrated to America, his name is not well known except among music aficionados. His biography tells of how he first became attracted to the musical scene in Berlin and spans his career in Germany and abroad, with performances on board cruise ships, in jazz clubs, for campaign rallies, TV and radio shows, jazz competitions, and countless other appearances. The book does talk about his time in the ghetto and in the camps, but without going into excruciating detail. Instead, it focuses on the music and its importance to him.

For history buffs this is an interesting addition to the literature about the time period of the Nazi rise to power and its effects on European Jews. For music lovers, it traces the influence of war and culture, as well as technological breakthroughs such as TV and radio, on popular music. This is a book that keeps readers interested and ready to hear more.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Capitol Couture vs. Material Girls

Having recently finished Material Girls, I was struck by the similarity of the "torture trend" in that story and one of the designs for the Panem digital magazine Capitol Couture. The model wearing "The Huntress" look seems to have a woven red muzzle on her face, which reminds me of the gags in the torture trend accessories. To see the final issue of Capitol Couture visit CapitolCouture.pn, or to see a behind the scenes video of the shoot visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j95WIsicG8M.

Monsterland Blog Tour - Interview with Michael Phillip Cash

Michael Phillip Cash Talks About Monsterland and a Cameo as a Zombie

People have probably been asking you this quite often lately, since the “Goosebumps” movie has been so popular with kids this fall, and especially since you are a screenwriter—do you have any plans to turn Monsterland into a film adaptation? Absolutely! Getting a movie made is my goal…that is my end game. I’ve already pitched Monsterland to a studio and they are interested in the script, which I’m currently polishing. There is another production company who is also very interested in producing Monsterland. The only thing I’m asking for is a cameo as a zombie. The “vitality challenged” have overrun the world and regular humans have withdrawn into fortified enclaves in most zombie stories. But in Monsterland the infected are safely contained in detention camps. Why did you decide to set up the situation in that way? I mean this in the nicest way possible, but how many times can we read or watch the same zombie story over and over again. Every zombie book/movie has zombies running rampant in the streets. I wanted to shake things up a bit. I asked myself, would the government really let the zombies take over the world? No way! The US government in Monsterland built camps and wrangled them in there. It would have been the same story as every other zombie story if I left them in modern society. The government had a plan and it succeeded. Were there other monsters that you considered including in the park, but then decided to leave out? If you did, what were they and why did you exclude them as you went forward with the story? Yes, there was. I wanted to include a haunted house and have ghosts be the main attraction. But I must say, it was very, very hard to toggle between the three main monsters – werewolves, vampires and zombies. Adding a fourth monster, say ghosts, with a fourth teen whose story is intertwined was just too difficult. I’m going to try it for the sequel though. J Wyatt, Josh, Melvin, and Howard share an interest in monsters, although they disagree on which would win in a face off. Did you have friends with whom you debated the merits of various creatures when you were a teen? Not necessarily monsters, but I’ve debated, and still do, other types of things worth debating. Best movie of the 80s. Best video game on the original Nintendo console. Best TV show. Best book of the 90s, etc.…I must say that having those three argue about which monster reigns supreme was a hoot to write. I loved the witty banter because I’m familiar with it. The only parents we see in the story are those of Wyatt and Josh, although Melvin’s mother is mentioned. Was that a deliberate choice, or something that happened organically as the story evolved? Yes, it was deliberate. I loved writing the characters of Wyatt, Melvin and Howard, and I certainly could have added more depth with their parents, but I really wanted the central story to be about these three boys overcoming their insecurities. I feel it would have taken away from them as the focus if I had included parents in the mix. This was about teens surviving a scary theme park and growing up to become men. There have been several series of books recently that are a multi-platform experience combining the book and online components where readers can watch video clips, hunt for clues, etc. Have you considered expanding Monsterland to include other media with which readers can interact? It’s an incredible idea, but I leave all the publicity and online components to my fabulous team. My mom handles all the publicity with my publicist Brittany Bass. Ann Gerber oversees all the Facebook and Twitter stuff. If these ladies in my life feel this is where we should go with Monsterland, then so be it. I listen to them…they’re my bosses. I just create and write the stories. Do you have any projects you are currently working on that you can give us a few hints about and pique our curiosity? I just finished writing the 9^th Star Wars movie and the Yoda spinoff. I have a meeting with JJ Abrams this afternoon. Other than that, it’s been kinda quiet. You know I’m only joking, although that is my dream to write a Star Wars movie. All kidding aside, I finished this creepy novella called “The History Major” that is currently being edited. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I will say it’s a bit of a departure from my previous works. I’m in the middle of beating out a wizard story called “Warlocked”. Two wizards from different factions and different time periods are fighting for the same guy … the chosen one. I have a few sequels in the works too. Witches Protection Program II and Monsterland II are being beat out as well. Finally, I have met with a production company who is currently setting budgets for one of my earlier novels to be made into a feature film. I’m hoping this dream comes true!

About the Book

Monsterland

Written by Michael Phillip Cash Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville. Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?

“Monsterland contains solid ingredients for a horror feast: stupid teens, smart teens, a little challenged romance, family dynamics, action, blood and gore. Will civilization ever be normal again? You’ll have to read it to find out. We dare you!”—The Children’s Book Review

Ages 14+ | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | 2015 | 978-1517180676 Add this book to your collection: Monsterland Available Here:

About Michael Phillip Cash

Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist. He’s written eleven books including the best-selling Brood X, Stillwell, The Flip, The After House, The Hanging Tree, Witches Protection Program, Pokergeist, and Battle for Darracia series. Michael resides on the North Shore of Long Island. He writes full-time with his screaming monsters in the background. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Monsterland Tour Giveaway

Would you rather be a werewolf, a zombie or a vampire? Enter to win an autographed copy of Monsterland, by Michael Phillip Cash; plus a living dead themed travel mug and a $50 Amazon gift card!

Giveaway begins November 14, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends December 16, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST. US addresses only.

Monsterland Tour Dates

Thursday November 12 2015 The Children’s Book Review Tour Kick-Off & Giveaway Tuesday November 17 2015 The Review Wire Book Excerpt from Monsterland Tuesday November 24 2015 SciFiChick.com Guest Post written by Michael Phillip Cash Tuesday November 17 2015 Suz Reviews Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash Sunday November 29 2015 The Cover Contessa Guest Post written by Michael Phillip Cash Tuesday December 1 2015 DCC Mealy Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash Wednesday December 2 2015 Once Upon a Twilight Book Excerpt from Monsterland Saturday December 5 2015 The Fairview Review Monsterland Book Review Tuesday December 8 2015 Just Another Mom Monsterland Book Review Monday December 14 2015 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Monsterland Book Review Tuesday December 15 2015 Inspired by Savannah Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash

Fall Reading 2015 So, Anyway

Have you ever met someone really interesting and intelligent that you enjoyed talking with and listening to? Maybe you've come out of a presentation or seminar and said, "I could have listened to him all day." That's the feeling you get from reading So, Anyway. John Cleese tells the story of his life, including everything from how his parents met to the first filming of the "Flying Circus" series. Tales of his schooldays are brutally honest about how awkward he could be socially and how he learned to use comedy to redirect potential bullying. And the description of how he came to choose a life of writing and performing comedy rather than a legal career is an almost unbelievably random string of opportunities. Through it all Cleese offers explanations of his choices and his theories on what worked best, and why, for each TV or radio show, script, or screenplay.

If you are expecting the book itself to be one long Python sketch, it is not. Instead of a 400-page running gag, it is an honest and often amusing recollection of a very busy life. The number of different projects that Cleese has worked on as writer and/or performer staggers the mind. He lists a sample from the time period of March 1966 to November 1967 which includes 41 radio show episodes, 80+ TV show episodes, another 12 TV appearances, 1 film appearance, and work on 2 film scripts and 1 TV pilot script. (And just think - it was all done before the days of cell phones, e-mail, and video conferencing.) It is also awe-inspiring to stop and think about all the other comedic greats he has known and worked with, such as Peter Sellers and Marty Feldman (just to name a couple).

The photos of Cleese along with his friends and family help you to imagine the scenes he describes. In a similar way, the inclusion of script excerpts from different projects gives a taste of what the performances were like. While I would have wished for more details on his time with Monty Python, that would probably fill another book of its own. This is a very enjoyable read and feels like a humorous monologue about the author's life and what he has observed and learned along the way. It has been like a visit with a dear and very funny friend, and when the book ended I was sad that the visit was over.

Check the publisher's website for more information about the author or the book.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Fall Reading 2015 Material Girls

What if the country's economy was turned around by having teenagers running everything? What if kids were chosen in middle school to become fashion designers, movie producers, media stars and then the rest of the population followed whatever trends they set, no matter how extreme? Doesn't that seem a little drastic? But that is just what has happened in the society that Ivy and Marla live in. We're not given a specific date, but it seems to be fairly near to our time, though still a bit futuristic. Ivy Wilde is a top pop star with a carefully created and maintained persona; her manager and publicist choose her songs, her clothing, even her boyfriend. Marla Klein is a superior court judge at one of the top five fashion houses, choosing which clothing will be endorsed and produced by the company and what the newest trends will be. But their paths cross at just the right time and they collaborate on a project that all the "Silents" (adults working behind the scenes in the big corporations), don't like at all. Will they stand their ground or cave in to the pressure and conform?

This story takes a lot of current issues and shows what happens when they become accepted as the norm. For instance, Ivy's publicist arranges her entire schedule, including how often she should be drunk and disorderly in public to keep up her "wild girl" image. Torro-LeBlanc, the design house where Marla works, cautions her that she is showing too many individual opinions during the court sessions. They say she needs to be more cohesive with the other judges. And in the background of all this glitz and glamour are sweat shops with underage workers where all the beautiful new trends are manufactured and all the "adequates" who receive a normal education and work in offices or as doctors or other necessary professions, feel envious of those "tapped" to leave school early for one of the elite positions. Who wouldn't want to shake things up in an environment like that?

Told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Ivy and Marla, the book moves at a fast pace and keeps the reader guessing about what will happen next. Will this person actually rebel against expectations? Will that one turn out to be an ally or a foe? Who will win, the corporations or the individuals? And there is also a smidgen of romance mixed in, but I can't tell you who winds up with whom.

If you like stories about underdogs taking on the big shots of the world, about individuals trying to find their place and a career that actually fulfills them creatively and individually, and about finding out how far you are willing to go to pursue your dreams, then you should give Material Girls a try. 

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Wishapick Blog Tour - Author Guest Post by M.M. Allen

Creating Mood in a Story and with Music

MM Allen & Deborah Wynne MM Allen: Mood is a feeling a reader or listener gets when reading a book or listening to music. It can also be a variety of feelings all at once. What you feel when reading a book or listening to music is created by the author or composer for your enjoyment. I develop mood in my stories using words, dialogue, descriptions and action. Within my narrative, I may change the mood by describing an action. In Wishapick, Jack had many harrowing, ominous, and heroic moments involving his interactions with King O’Sirus. In the passage below, in his last battle with the king, Jack in one second of descriptive action was rendered helpless.

He knew he was in trouble as the king thrashed his head about in a rage. Jack barely held on. Yellow bile dripped from the king’s mouth. Jack lost his grip and slipped. The king flexed his muscular body and tossed his head. Chest first, Jack crashed onto the meadow. In agony, with the wind knocked out of him, unable to move, he curled his body into a fetal position. – Excerpt from Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk.

Deborah Wynne: Creating mood in music is similar to creating mood in a story, but rather than dialogue, action and descriptions, a composer will use melody, rhythm, tempo and mode, among other things. If I want a happy mood for a song, I will often use complimenting harmonies in the melody line, a smooth rhythm, an upbeat tempo and a major tonality/mode. If I want to change the mood in a piece of music, I might move to a slower tempo and perhaps a minor tonality/mode, which will feel more contemplative or sad. The mood of a song must of course fit the lyrics. On the Wishapick Cd, an example of mood change in a song would be in King O’Sirus and Queen Sanctuary. When King O’Sirus (a threatening character) is singing, the tonality is in the minor mode and he sounds quite scary, but as Queen Sanctuary (a character of grace and goodwill) begins to sing, the mode changes to a major tonality and the mood of the song moves from scary to comforting. The lyrics below reflect this change of mood. King O’Sirus: I’m the King of the night and I’ll give you such a fright, if you fall into my deep dark den. I will coil, I will hiss and my rattle you can’ miss, so welcome now let’s begin. Queen Sanctuary: Go, Jack, to the deepest darkest place, go now and don’t worry. I will help you, soon you shall escape, my name is Queen Sanctuary. –Lyrics from Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk. MM & Deborah: Words, imagery, and sounds take on a different meaning when presented by different authors and composers. Interesting, exciting and fresh ideas spark our imaginations through the feelings a story or piece of music evoke in us. To feel something uniquely ours, whether it be happy, sad, whimsical or forlorn, is the authors or composers gift to us as reader or listener. We do hope the feelings you get from our work, Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk will spark your imagination so that new exciting fresh ideas will be born into the work you do. With every good wish - MM Allen & Deborah Wynne Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk

About Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk

Darkness. Utter blackness. Was this why his mother had refused to let Jack unlock his father’s old trunk? It had been two years since his dad had died, and all Jack could think about was examining whatever treasures were stored inside the beloved trunk. But when he finally lifted the lid, he didn’t just fall in—he fell through it into a pit of rattlesnakes! Trying to recall his mother’s stories about “the Breath of All Good Things”—anything to shed light on his current situation—Jack wishes he’d paid better attention rather than mock the tales as childish myths…and that he’d waited to enter the trunk with his sister, Lilly, so they could at least face this together. Like L. Frank Baum’s Oz and C. S. Lewis’s Narnia, M. M. Allen brings to life the fantastical world of Wishapick—a land of courageous animals ruled by a cruel rattlesnake king who has condemned the villagers to live without light. Chosen as the reluctant hero to save the villagers, Jack must face terrifying creatures and overwhelming odds if he wants to help his new friends—and return home himself.

"... a breathy and fantastical storytelling style, imaginations will flourish and the tale will be enjoyed by kids ages 8-12 who enjoy the genre of fantasy.”—The Children's Book Review

Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk is available on Amazon.

Fun Stuff

Wishapick Soundtrack Be sure to check out the companion music CD, Wishapick, for purchase or download from DeborahWynne.com Book Club Questions Get to the heart of Wishapick by downloading this set of book club questions: Wishapick by M. M. Allen: Book Club Questions

About M. M. Allen

M. M. Allen, author of the acclaimed children’s picture book Let’s Play Ball, is the mother of two adult children and aunt to twenty-three nieces and nephews, including ten great-nieces and great-nephews. MM is a former teacher and university lecturer. She has also worked extensively in marketing and communications with varied businesses and non-profits. MM lives in a picturesque northern California town where she enjoys writing, tending to her rose garden, and caring for her West Highland terrier, Pip. www.Wishapick.com | Facebook

About Deborah Wynne

Composer and lyricist Deborah Wynne created a companion CD of songs to accompany Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk. Wynne’s primary talents lie in choral singing, stage musicals, and composing. Her musical projects include the 2013 album Strands of Gold and 2007 musical Moment of Truth. She is an active singer and composer in Santa Barbara, California, where she lives with her husband and their two shelties, Sparkle and Gracie. DeborahWynne.com

Wishapick and iPod Nano Giveaway

Enter to win an autographed copy of Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk written by acclaimed author M. M. Allen; plus an Apple iPod Nano to listen to your downloaded copy of the Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk soundtrack composed by the talented Deborah Wynne! Giveaway begins November 5, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends December 31, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wishapick Tour Dates

Thursday November 5 2015 The Children's Book Review Tour Kick-Off & Giveaway Friday November 6 2015 The Review Wire Book Excerpt & Soundtrack Clip Tuesday November 17 2015 Suz Reviews Creating Mood in a Story with Music Monday November 23 2015 On Starships & Dragonwings 5 Things About the World of Wishapick Tuesday November 24 2015 Valerie's Reviews Book Excerpt & Soundtrack Clip Tuesday November 27 2015 Batch of Books Author Interview with M. M. Allen Saturday December 5 2015 The Fairview Review Wishapick Book Review Thursday December 10 2015 Inspired by Savannah Wishapick Book Review Tuesday December 15 2015 Just Another Mom Wishapick Book Review Wednesday December 23 2015 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Author Interview with M. M. Allen Sunday December 27 2015 Little Miss History Author Interview with M. M. Allen

Fall Reading 2015 King Dork Approximately

Picture the love child of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Revenge of the Nerds." That comes close to capturing the feel ofKing Dork Approximately. Our narrator is Thomas "Tom" Henderson, a sophomore in high school. We find Tom recovering from a vicious tuba attack. No, seriously, he was hit in the head with a tuba and has the scar and stitches to prove it. To add to his overall misery, his parents don't plan to sue anyone over the injury. Once he comes home and does a bit of convalescence, he also learns that his school is being closed and he will have to finish out the year at Clearview High. But you know what they say about every cloud having a silver lining, and maybe this is Tom's chance to start over. He can rise above being King Dork and actually be successful at this new school where many people don't know him yet. 

Tom gamely narrates his triumphs (not many), and his failures through the end of the school year. Among the various situations that arise - he finds himself with a girlfriend, his mom and stepfather have marital problems, his friend Sam is listening to confidence-building tapes, his band actually performs in public, and he finally figures out what his English teacher is looking for in the required book reports. Throughout the story he often uses words that he is a bit unsure of, so he says, "...if "erstwhile" means what I think it does," or whichever word he has used most recently. (He does get most of them right.) He spends a lot of time writing songs for his band to practice and one day perform, but having a girlfriend cuts into his time for that. Between the crazy diatribes against normalcy, the odd letters he receives from classmate Roberta, trying to learn to play "O'Brien Is Tryin' to Learn to Talk Hawaiian," and serving as Sam's sidekick, Tom is a pretty busy guy for an antisocial dork.

The book does a good job of capturing some aspects of high school life: popular kids picking on those who are different, the inability of adults to see what is really going on, the need for geeky kids to run in packs, the incomprehensibility of some teachers and their assignments, it's all in there. You also get a good dose of Tom's theories on rock and roll, what makes a good book, and how normal people should all be done in so that the meek can inherit the earth (since normal = the popular kids that pick on everyone else). Through it all we see Tom struggling to decide how much of his theories he is willing to give up in order to fit in and avoid trouble (hint - probably not enough).

If you enjoy realistic fiction punctuated with power vocabulary words, rock and roll references, and a jaundiced eye toward lettermans' jackets, then you will probably find this very entertaining. 

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Fall Reading 2015 The Witch of Lime Street: Seance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World

An intriguing look at the worldwide popularity of mysticism and mediums following World War I, The Witch of Lime Street goes into incredible detail about the period and the key players. Among the stars of the era were Harry Houdini, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Mina Crandon (a.k.a the Witch of Lime Street). It may seem strange to those who have not read any other accounts of Houdini's life, but the famous escape artist was very involved in exposing frauds who posed as psychics. Even stranger, Doyle was a major proponent of speaking with spirits through seances - something you wouldn't expect from the creator of the ultra-logical Sherlock Holmes.

Author David Jaher has researched many existing museum and archival collections of journals, letters, and other papers from the main characters of his book, as well as reading innumerable articles and interviews from the time period. He has managed to reconstruct a story spanning from 1918 to 1941 (even including background and important events from earlier in the lives of the principals), and ranging across the U.S., England and Europe. He shows how Houdini and Doyle met, how Houdini became involved in the contest sponsored by Scientific American magazine to find proof that psychic phenomena were real, and the various competitors for the prize money.

More than just recounting the facts, Jaher manages to convey the emotional atmosphere of the times. First there is the weary feeling after the war, with so many missing their loved ones who died during the fighting. Then he captures the almost manic gaiety of the Roaring 20s with the dance marathons, speak-easies, and flappers. And finally he shows the gradual decline of the giddiness as the 20s gave way to the Great Depression. Those eras were important in creating a climate where thousands were desperate for contact with the deceased and eager for new breakthroughs, and then the change of focus from the great beyond to daily subsistence as the economy collapsed.

The use of extensive quotes from the primary source material helps to preserve the voice of the individuals involved in the quest to prove or disprove the question of mediumistic powers. Readers will also appreciate the way in which the author lets us know the fates of Houdini, Doyle, and Crandon, rather than abruptly ending the story with the end of the competition.

Excellent reading for those interested in the historical periods covered, or in the famous personalities involved.  And the glow-in-the-dark cover adds a wonderfully spooky touch.

Learn more about the author and the book from the publisher's website.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Fall Reading 2015 The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever

Some people say high school is stressful. Imagine trying to finish the final month of your freshman year, work a part time job, study for finals, and occasionally still squeeze in some time to eat and sleep. Doable, you say? Now add on the tasks of writing a screenplay, auditioning actors, advertising for extras, finding the money to pay for special effects, scouting locations, and filming an entire feature-length film - all within that same month. Still sound possible? Well, impossible or not, that's exactly what Justin, Gabe, and Bobby decide to do. And if that wasn't enough pressure, their female lead is also the girl of Justin's dreams.

This book is full of references to the long and gory history of zombie films, including debates on the relative merits of slow versus fast zombies, the difference between the infected in "28 Days Later" and actual zombies, and whether the original versions or remakes of their favorite films are better. The friends face challenges such as scary investors, Stinky the Clown, fires, automobile collisions, body piercings, and possible suspension from school. Their lives are spiraling out of control as they try to make their deadline and the story covers every embarrassing detail.

I began laughing as I read the warning at the front of the book to readers who feel, "Books about zombies are evil! Eeeeeevil!" and the calm response of, "Perhaps we'll reconnect on a future novel." And if the professional courtesy shown in that paragraph doesn't get a small giggle out of you, perhaps the next section will. The author goes on to address those of us who are still reading and have not run off to find some lighter fluid to burn the evil book. He states, "Okay, they're gone. No no, don't judge them." How can you resist a book that starts like that?

The overall feeling from the story that stayed with me was similar to films like "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," a sort of slowly mounting sense of chaos looming over our hero as he tries to fulfill his quest. Fans of books and films featuring such epic struggles will identify with Justin and his friends and, of course, zombie fans will want to see if the guys succeed in creating the greatest zombie movie ever.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

The following content is re-posted from a Sourcebooks announcement:

Jeff Strand Is Back with Another Gut-Bustingly Hilarious Book

Click on the photo to visit Jeff's website! The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever Jeff Strand 978-1-4926-2814-9 $9.99/TP Ages 12+ * March 2016

After producing three horror movies that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it’s time they create something noteworthy, something epic. They’re going to film the Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. But with only one month to complete their movie, a script that can’t possibly get worse, a cast of uncooperative extras, and incompetent production assistants, Justin must face the sad, sad truth. He may actually be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever… What was your inspiration for some of the wonderfully disastrous problems Justin and crew run into while filming? Almost all of it was just made up in an evil “Heh heh heh, what could go wrong NOW?” manner. I worked on my wife’s short zombie film CHOMP, and there were many, many, many challenges, but I didn’t use them as direct inspirations for the disasters in this book.   What are some of the actual greatest zombie movies ever? Shaun of the Dead. The Return of the Living Dead. Both the original Dawn of the Dead and the remake. Re-Animator.Dead Alive. Day of the Dead.   There aren't any real zombies in the book, but how do you think your characters would fare in an actual zombie apocalypse? Gabe, the fifteen-year-old producer of the film they’re making and the constant (if often ignored) Voice of Reason, would make it through. I hate to say it, but everyone else is toast.

Fall Reading 2015 Embracing the Wild in Your Dog

Some people may embrace the message of this book, while others may run screaming into the wilderness to get away from it, but nearly everyone who reads it is bound to have a strong reaction of some sort. 

The anecdotes from the author's childhood in Alaska were vital to forming his approach to working with dogs, so I liked reading them to see what lesson his mentor taught him in each situation. Likewise, the anecdotes from his time working as a trainer illustrated his approach and the different types of clients and problems he has worked with professionally.

The author's knowledge of wolf behavior is something that many of us cannot hope to replicate, and he acknowledges this point. But we can follow his reasoning that treating dogs as small furry humans can lead to trouble. Every time he talked about owners who dress their dogs up and inundate them with toys and treats, I kept picturing a scene from the Nora Roberts book, The Search. In her book, the protagonist is a dog trainer who also runs a search and rescue unit. One of her clients has a very spoiled small dog who goes crazy and barks and attacks any dog that comes near. The trainer tells the owner that the dog sees herself as alpha of the pack and is defending her territory and place in the pack hierarchy. To prevent lawsuits and injuries the owners need to reclaim that alpha position. Mr. Bailey says much the same thing - if owners don't want their dog to bark at or bite other dogs or humans, then the owners must establish their place as the dominant ones in the relationship and have the dogs look to them for cues on how to react in a situation.

Bailey's chapter that discusses his views on rescue programs and no-kill shelters is sure to rile up some readers. He admits that his statements may make people think he dislikes all such programs, but that it is not true. He simply thinks there are dogs who cannot be safely worked into the human world and trying to do so will cause injury, heartache, and perhaps even death (of another pet or a human), or lawsuits. He gives several examples to support his point.

Overall this is a fascinating read and provides a lot of food for thought and discussion. It is comparable in some ways to a book I read years ago about the hidden or secret life of dogs (sorry, I can't remember the exact wording). That book also talked about things like the pack hierarchy that forms when you have several dogs. Embracing the Wild in Your Dog goes into more descriptions of situations that have gone wrong because the humans did not exert dominance when they should have.

If you are looking for a manual on how to train your dog, this is not intended for that use. If you are looking for something to read that will cause you to re-examine your beliefs and behaviors toward man's best friend, then you have found it.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

For more information about the author and his book, visit http://tamingthewild.com/.

Fall Reading 2015 The Woman Who Would Be King

Kings' Daughter. King's Great Wife. God's Wife to Amen. King. Pharaoh. Hatshepsut. They are all the same woman, one who played many roles in her short life and accomplished what no other woman in the ancient world did. Hatshepsut was born into the Egyptian royal family with the destiny of being married to her own brother to secure the royal bloodlines, but she managed to keep the throne after her brother's death and rule for over two decades. The author has written a detailed and informative description of what Hatshepsut's life would have been like, the responsibilities she carried, and the powers she wielded. Where it is necessary to fill gaps in our knowledge with hypothesis, Cooney explains her reasoning and also offers theories suggested by others. There is an extensive section of notes explaining where her information comes from and why she has chosen to interpret things in the way that she has.

I've always been interested in ancient civilizations; I even majored in Latin and Classical Studies during my undergraduate days. This is a book I would have been glad to find on a class reading list because it develops a comprehensive picture of what Egypt was like during Hatshepsut's lifetime. Everything from poor teeth due to all the sand in the food to the practice of shaving children's heads to cut down on lice is included in the descriptions of palace life. The key figures surrounding this female king are described and their importance to the king explained, as well as how they benefited from the relationship. And the actions of her nephew and co-ruler, Thutmose III after her death are also examined. 

The book is fascinating and packed with insights into the ancient world. Despite the names that are so unwieldy to modern tongues, it is a compelling read that carries you along from one obstacle that is overcome to the next. And there are so many facets of life in those times that are included - the palace and royal family; the temples and priesthood; festivals; the construction of buildings, obelisks, and tombs; and even the types of foods that were eaten or the embalming process all play a part in the saga.

I highly recommend this title to anyone who is interested in Egyptology, or ancient civilizations in general, and for those who enjoy reading about powerful female leaders. 

For more information about Kara Cooney, visit her author bio on the Penguin Random House site, where they also have more info about the book.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Fall Reading 2015 The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

Imagine planning a trip to visit a friend and arriving at her house just as the funeral guests are leaving. Actually, I can't imagine what that would be like, and I'm grateful never to have had such an experience. But that is exactly how the story of Sara's visit to Broken Wheel begins. She has been pen pals with Amy (a resident of the town), and they have planned this visit, but Amy dies before Sara arrives. Now Sara is at loose ends. The bookshop she worked in back home in Sweden has closed, so she is between jobs. She is not particularly close to her sister and her parents were not wild about the idea of the trip. She has no really close friends or romantic ties to anyone back home, which was what had freed her to plan a 2-month visit with Amy in the first place. So she decides to stay for a while and spend some time in this town that she feels she already knows through Amy's letters. And the book lover in her comes out as she becomes acquainted with the townsfolk. She begins finding books for each of them: Grace, the fiercely independent woman with the gun below the counter of her diner; May and Gertrude, the older women who spend their time drinking coffee in the diner; Andy, the owner of the local bar; George, the town's reformed drunk; etc. 

I've seen blurbs comparing this book to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but I have not read that title, so I can't say if those comparisons are accurate. I've also seen it compared to The Storied Life of A J Fikry, which I have read. That is a fair comparison, although the Fikry book had critiques of classic books in it, and the Broken Wheel story depends more on quotes from books or references to books. But both show a deep love of books and an understanding that "There's always a person for every book. And a book for very person." As Sara says, "They're meant to be better than reality. Bigger, funnier, more beautiful, more tragic, more romantic." 

The story contains Amy's character through her letters to Sara, which precede each chapter and help us to know the people of Broken Wheel as Amy did. And Sara's idea to bring books to the townspeople is a carryover of her friendship with Amy and their common love of books. "She might not quite be a part of the town, but she had become a part of its history. And she swore to herself that she would force books on them before she was done here." Amy's nephew Tom sees why the friendship grew between the two women and advises Sara, "if you're going to get this lot to read, you're going to need to be more cunning."

The writing is so easy to read; it just flows along and before you know it, hours have gone by and the book is done. You find yourself sitting there and thinking of the characters as if they were real people that you might run into if you went out to the store. There is heartache, friendship, a bit of romance, humor, and lots of books - all in all a very good mix. Whether you enjoy books that have you laughing out loud, or stories where you may need to reach for a tissue, there is some of both in these pages. You may even want to dive right back in and read it again, just to figure out the answer to a question that comes up in the story, "What is it with this town?" Until you read it, you'll never know - and that would be a shame.

I read an advance copy provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Fall Reading 2015 Rose Eagle

I have to admit that I missed this when it first came out, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment at all. Written as companion or even prequel e-novella to Killer of Enemies, this story takes place shortly after the Cloud surrounds Earth and causes all electronics to cease functioning. To Rose Eagle and the rest of the Lakota who are working in the Deeps, mining for the Overlords, it actually causes an improvement in their way of living. Rather than being trapped deep underground as some others were, the people of the Ridge listened to a warning dream from Rose's Aunt Mary and stayed out of the mines on the day when the mechanical elevators and other equipment stopped working. Many of the despotic Overlords died as the implants that gave them enhanced abilities shorted out, and many others were driven mad. For the first time in memory, the people of Rose's tribe are able to live as they choose, following the old ways, and worshiping as their ancestors did.

The book starts with Rose in a sweat lodge, following another of Aunt Mary's prohetic dreams. That may seem like a tame start to a post-apocalyptic story of survival, but don't be fooled. Soon enough there are genetically modified monsters to fight off, a vision quest to pursue, and perhaps even new allies to find. What makes Rose so unique is her ability with animals - everything from having birds land on her shoulder and chirp messages to befriending a grumpy badger shows how her talent is growing. I also appreciated how Rose was portrayed with human frailties; despite all her amazing gifts she is still shy and feels unattractive because she was teased over her height when she was younger. IT just shows that anyone can have issues to deal with, no matter what their background or ability.

For those who have already read Killer of Enemies and Trail of the Dead, you are already acquainted with Rose Eagle and her companions, so this will make a nice backstory to add to your knowledge of their world. If you have not yet started with Lozen's adventures, this is a quick introduction to her world and some of the other survivors she meets in her adventures. Either way it is a win-win situation.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through edelweiss.