A P RIL 2019

Your guide to self-publishing

How to Publish an Error-Free Book •
Indie Scouting Report • Book Cover Redesign •
First Lines from BookLife Authors • 102 New Titles Listed

From
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Trauma to
Triumph
A survivor finds
empowerment through
writing and publishing
BY MATIA BURNETT

J
ennifer Asbenson developed survival
skills early on in her life. She says that
growing up in rural Southern California,
her family had no water or electricity.
“We lived on a lonesome mountain away
from civilization.” She describes living
with a mother who was “physically and
emotionally abusive,” adding, “I was
ashamed and embarrassed about that.”
As a result of her circumstances, she relied
on her imagination for sustenance and
escape: “Rain became ‘shower time.’
Storytelling replaced TV. Daydreaming
often shielded me from reality.”
Asbenson didn’t know then that her
practiced self-reliance and resilience
 ® INDIE SUCCESS
would end up saving her life. In
1992, when she was 19 years old,
s h e a c c e p te d a r i d e f r o m a
stranger who appeared friendly
but who quickly became violent
and aggressive. The attacker
drove from Desert Hot Springs,
Calif., to the nearby desert, where
he pulled a gun, bound and gagged
Asbenson, and attempted to rape
her. After he tortured her and
put her in the trunk of the car,
she managed to escape, flagging
down help from a vehicle passing
on the road.
The horror of that day pressed
on, as many in law enforcement,
and even people Asbenson knew
didn’t believe her about the
attack. But, five years later, her
captor, Andrew Urdiales, was
arrested. He confessed to attack-
ing Asbenson and to murdering
eight other women. In 2018,
Urdiales hung himself in his cell
while awaiting the death penalty.
Years after the experience, still
navigating her trauma, Asbenson
decided to tell her story in writing,
finding solace in the protective
space of her furnished split-level
tree house in her backyard. For
years, Asbenson had thought
about writing a book, though she
imagined that she would need a
ghostwriter. But the desire to
recount her experiences intensi-
fied: “I realized if I did not trust
myself enough to write it, it would
never be written.”
A s b e n s o n’s o u t p o u r i n g o f
thoughts and emotions became
h e r m e m o i r, T h e G i rl i n t h e
Treehouse. Though her escape
from Urdiales is a central piece
of the story, she reflects on other
formative events—notably her
turbulent upbringing and the
psychological impacts of her
childhood on her adult life.
42 B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
Every writer
is different. I lived
in the tree house
for one year.
Before I wrote
each day, I’d light
candles and
incense.
The book is also a meditation
on the process of writing through
trauma. Asbenson says she fol-
lowed a very particular routine
to ensure that her creative space
felt safe enough for her to expose
her wounds: “Every writer is dif-
ferent. I lived in the tree house
for one year to write my book.
Before I wrote each day, I’d light
candles and incense. I’d pour
wine or smoke a little marijuana.”
She adds that as difficult as it
was to persevere through the
pain of recounting her day of
horror, “I am my most creative
when I am enveloped in emotional
turmoil.”
As Asbenson worked on the
book, she shared sample chapters
on social media, receiving encour-
agement and feedback from beta
readers. “A new chapter was
published each Friday, and I devel-
oped a small following,” she
recalls. “The chapters were satu-
rated with errors, but nobody
really minded.” She notes that
when it came time to revise and
edit, she hired an expert: “I cannot
stress the importance of hiring
professionals.”
Asbenson says that as terrify-
ing as that day in the desert was,
she would not change the cir-
cumstances that have led her to
where she is today. “I learned a
lot from the experience; I gained
empathy and sympathy for other
survivors. If I had not gotten in
that car and survived, I would
not try to empower other survi-
vors; I would not be a voice for
them; I would not inspire them
and tell them there is hope.”
Asbenson continues her advo-
cacy for victims, making appear-
ances in a number of media
outlets—most recently on the Dr.
Phil show. As someone who has
found solace through the creative
process, she encourages other
survivors of trauma to do the
same.
First, Asbenson advises writers
to be prepared for the resurgence
of sometimes over whelming
emotions—“have a therapist on
speed dial.” But, she says, once
secure in an isolated space, “lose
your pride and bleed freely.” She
adds, “If you do not suffer in the
process, you should not be telling
your story.” ■
COVER ART ®

Cover Redesign
This month, Michelle Argyle at Melissa Williams Design
reimagines the cover of Betrayed by a Butterfly, by
indie author Jamie Elizabeth Tingen, who praised the
“eye-catching simplicity” of the new design.
To submit a book for a free cover redesign, email us at booklifeeditor@booklife.com. Original Cover

Because of the
book’s content,
I gave the cover I decided to
a literary feel keep the author’s
with muted name unobtru-
colors, a sive and give
minimal title, more focus to
and symbolic the title and
imagery. imagery. This
gives the cover
a more literary
feel, even though
the book has
some aspects of
I loved the idea a thriller.
of mixing some-
thing delicate
with something Sometimes less
dangerous but is more. It’s not
wanted the gun exactly clear
to feel more what this book
prominent than is about from
in the original the cover, but
cover. it does spark
questions and
curiosity—
which should
get readers to
probe a little
deeper.

B O O K L I F E .C O M 43
 ® EDITING
Perfect Publishing
An industry veteran looks at how to publish
an error-free book
BY BROOKE WARNER
“M istakes are reminders
that books are made by
humans and not gods,”
a publisher once told me when I
was a relatively new editor,
bemoaning a typo that had man-
aged to slip through. Those words
brought me some comfort at the
time. And now, all these years
later, in my role as publisher of
two imprints, those words come
to mind often—because where
there are books, there are errors.
Newly published authors’ reac-
tions to typos and other errors
range from resignation to distress.
Some authors put the blame on
their editors and publishers;
others blame themselves.
Understandably, frustration with
errors in finished copies will
increase with the quantity of said
errors.
I’ve learned a lot from shepherd-
ing books through the production
process over the years, but even
with more than 20 years of expe-
rience, books still go to the printer
with typos. Some authors believe
that turning their manuscript
over to a professional—any profes-
sional—means abdicating their
authority and responsibility to
an editor, a proofreader, or a
publisher. But I have some con-
crete advice that might prevent
the kind of frustration, and some-
times horror, that comes from
discovering what got missed when
44 B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
it’s already too late.
First, be discerning about the
actual level of editing required
for any given book. Over the years
I’ve helped a number of authors
self-publish and found too many
of them willing to send their
manuscripts straight to a proof-
reader when, in fact, the book
needed a developmental edit and
it most certainly needed a copy-
edit. In some cases, I tried to
persuade authors to get a heavier
level of edit, only to be met with
refusals and excuses. Any author
who opts out of necessary editing
will likely get feedback from future
readers that the book could have
been better.
I recommend that authors get
all three levels of editing: devel-
opmental, copyediting, and proof-
reading. Editorial is not the place
to skimp, and the consequence of
doing so is potentially disastrous.
Second, always order an advanced
reading copy of any final book
for the purpose of catching final
errors. Getting an ARC should be
a no-brainer. In its simplest form,
an ARC is a proof of the final
book, and yet I find that too few
authors treat it that way. A proof
is a sample, a representation of
what the final will look like once
it’s printed. I recommend that
authors read their proofs out
loud. Reading aloud is an amaz-
ing experience because the brain
Brooke Warner
hears things when they are read
aloud that it somehow overlooks
when reading silently.
Third, engage beta readers to
catch final typos. These readers
might read a PDF of final pages
(a book’s final designed interior),
or they might read the hard copy
ARC. I personally find that I catch
errors on hard copies that I do
not catch when I read on-screen.
More and more these days, all
editing is done online, so if no
single editor or proofreader has
read a final version of the man-
uscript in hard copy form, I’d
argue that someone—and ideally
more than one person—ought to.
Authors can and should give
their final files to trusted readers
or, better yet, hire final proofread-
ers. It’s important to give firm
parameters: the purpose is to
catch typos only. I’ve seen far too
many authors at this phase send
their files to readers and proof-
readers and then come back with
aesthetic and subjective changes,
which is a huge industry no-no
because those kinds of changes
have the potential to introduce
new errors into a final proof. But
this exercise is otherwise useful,
and it’s better to have a good
reader catch any final errors
before a customer does.
EDITING
Authors would do well to take
their editorial authority into their
own hands—always. Editorial work
varies. As much as editors follow
and should follow The Chicago
Manual of Style and in-house styles,
I’ve found that individual editors
are not objective. They bring their
own sense of style, too, frustrat-
ing many authors who get con-
tradictory marks from their copy
editors and proofreaders.
My experience has taught me
that editorial pitfalls are around
every corner. The reason authors
sign contracts that include lan-
guage around errata is because
books have always been printed
with errors. Most of us don’t
remember a time when books
were published with errata sheets,
but they used to be commonplace,
and they were not a source of
shame; they existed to correct
errors and alleviate confusion.
Today, books don’t include errata
sheets, and er rors that slip
through just make the author and
publisher look bad. And yet books
are made by humans and not
gods. Account for that reality.
Any author who wants an error-
free book must take measures to
ensure that outcome. The defini-
tion of proofreading is the care-
ful reading (and rereading) of a
proof. So read, and read, and read
again out loud. Then hand the
final thing over to be read again,
and read one more time. In some
cases, gods can be thwarted and,
with the help of many humans,
perfect books can and do get
made.  ■
Brooke Warner is the publisher
of She Writes Press and Spark-
Press, a TEDx speaker, writing
coach, and the author of Write
On, Sisters! (She Writes, Aug.).
Q&A SPONSORED
BookLife Talks with
Steven C. Brandt
Brandt, a former executive and Stanford Graduate
School of Business professor, strikes gold with a
romantic thriller about a young woman in upper
management.
What inspired you to write A Woman’s
Prerogative?
My goal was to write a down-to-earth, heart-
thumping thriller featuring regular people. My
characters attempt to find a long-lost gold mine in
order to save protagonist Greta Sadler’s family’s
90-year-old corporation from bankruptcy. Family
conflicts and an Old West–style, good-old-boy net-
work come into play. The story takes place in the
present but has deep historical roots.
How do you see Greta’s and Alex’s struggles as reflective of young
couples’ experiences today?
The high-octane graduate students I had at Stanford inspired the char-
acters of Greta and Alex. They have each earned their way into the upper
echelons of their work and grapple with its challenges. The trade-off
of work vs. family, the competitive ambitions that can drive couples
toward rivalry, and the abundance of opportunities to encounter equally
successful, and often attractive, individuals all figure in their story.
A Woman’s Prerogative touches on love, business, family, gender,
and gold mining. How does it relate to or depart from the themes
you explored in your poetry collection, The Golden Window?
In the two years before my wife died, I wrote more than 250 poems that
were drains for my grief. Poetry mellowed me and taught me more
about love, ambition, and stress. I passed some of that wisdom on to
my novel’s characters in a much more deliberate creation.
To what extent did you draw from real life in writing A Woman’s
Prerogative?
The book is based in reality—that is, in experiences from my life, people
I know, and actual historical figures and events. My characters change
in words and deeds as the story unfolds. Ultimately, they—not this
writer—call the shots.
Why or how do you think this book is particularly relevant in the
Lean In and #MeToo eras?
A Woman’s Prerogative vigorously supports the rise of women in man-
agement positions. Regarding the romantic side of the story, as Zsa Zsa
Gabor said, “I know nothing about sex, because I was always married.”
For the complete interview, visit booklife.com/brandt
B O O K L I F E .C O M 45
 ® BOOKS TO WATCH

Scouting Report
In this month’s roundup of the best-reviewed BookLife titles,
we highlight historical fiction, high fantasy, an assessment
of artificial intelligence, a travelogue, and a Sherlock Holmes
pastiche.

Blueprint The Cracked Amulet

JAY PRASAD RB WATKINSON

Synopsis: Prasad paints the Synopsis: Watkinson kicks

postwar world with broad, off a promising fantasy
sweeping strokes and pain- series with powers shifting
fully accurate details in this in Dumnon, a world where
accomplished novel set in a pervasive energy called
Germany and America. wefan is contained within
PW’s Takeaway: Prasad’s the “weave,” which is found
novel, tightly written and throughout nature and the
comprehensive, provides air itself.
readers with a powerful meditation on the after- PW’s Takeaway: Captivating characters, mythical
math of the Holocaust. creatures, and exciting battles make this a treat
Comparable Title: H.G. Adler’s The Wall for fantasy readers.
Sample Line: “The last bomb tore the facade off Comparable Title: Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of
her house. Where there once was a boundary the Wind
between her bedroom and the street, a curtain Sample Line: “The tree-spirit grinned at him then
of dust now wavered and shimmered in the disappeared, only to reappear hanging upside
moonlight.” down from a twig above Bryn’s head.”
Read the Review: Read the Review:
publishersweekly.com/9781542679428 publishersweekly.com/9781910461075

Will Evergreen Die Again,

Computers Dreaming Mr. Holmes
Revolt? PETER KURTZ ANNA ELLIOTT
CHARLES J. SIMON Synopsis: Kurtz AND CHARLES
Synopsis: Simon hikes from VELEY
makes a welcome Georgia to North
contribution to Carolina along Synopsis: In this
the literature on artificial the Appalachian Trail in this pastiche, Sherlock Holmes has
intelligence. entertaining travelogue. been shot.
PW’s Takeaway: The appealing PW’s Takeaway: This charming PW’s Takeaway: A clever variation
blend of philosophy and hard memoir encourages wilderness that makes Holmes as a parent
science will be a treat for readers. purists to chase their dreams. seem plausible.
Comparable Title: Byron Reese’s Comparable Title: Bill Bryson’s Comparable Title: Laurie R. King’s
The Fourth Age A Walk in the Woods The Beekeeper’s Apprentice
Read the Review: publishers- Read the Review: publishers- Read the Review: publishers-
weekly.com/9781732687219 weekly.com/9781732478909 weekly.com/9780999119167

46 B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
FIRST LINES ®

First Lines Midnight Black: The Purge

R.J. EASTWOOD
“I kick in the front door and call his
Our monthly look at some of the best bastard name.”
first lines by BookLife authors
The Housewife Loved a Bandit
For April, we’ve got recovering debutantes, LARRY BARAN
bastards, and defiant mothers. To submit a “Ma went down swinging that day
first line, email booklifeeditor@booklife.com. against men with badges, warrants
and handcuffs.”

Undercover Debutante Angel of the City

CHARLOTTE LAWS R.J. LEAHY
“I am a recovering debutante.” “Freedom breeds uncertainty;
uncertainty invites chaos.”

Searching for Spenser Life in the Hollywood Lane

MARGARET KRAMAR ANN CRAWFORD
“There’s nothing suspenseful about “Ever have one of those lifetimes?”
this story.”

Listen, Watch & Love

TV
Uncover the inspiration for your favorite books directly from the authors who wrote them
in PW’s amazing author interviews, discussions and more!
Discover More: PublishersWeekly.com

PublishersWeekly.com

PublishersWeekly pubweekly PublishersWeekly @PublishersWkly

B O O K L I F E .C O M 47
 ® WRITING ADVICE
Ask
the
Editer
A veteran editor answers
your writing questions
BY BETTY KELLY SARGENT
W

hat qualities should I look
for in a freelance editor?
—Eddie B.
“
T o write is human, to edit is
divine.” That’s what Stephen
King wrote when thanking his
editor in On Writing. I’m not sure
about divine, but I am sure that
working with a talented editor
Q&A SPONSORED
BookLife Talks with
Brad Laidman
Cleveland-born pop ar t patron
Laidman reimagines Superman’s
Clark Kent as a baseball player in an
“existential cartoon.”
What is the story behind Waiting
for Clark Kent? How did the idea of
creating an alternate life for this
iconic character come to you?
The first piece of fiction I wrote was
a short story I dubbed “an existen-
tial cartoon” about Mr. Ed, TV’s talk-
ing horse, who I saw as cursed with
angst owing to his language abili-
ties. I moved on to writing about
Superman, iconic yet stale due to
his perfection. I wanted to explore the implications
and loneliness of his relative godlike nature in a
world of lost mortals looking for a savior in a way that
was short, funny, and as true as Voltaire’s Candide.
For the complete interview, visit
booklife.com/laidman.
48 B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
BOOKWOKS_HALF_V_0715_Layout 1 7/24/15 10:10 AM Page 1
who gets you and your work is tions for improvement.
just about the most important 4. They are clear about what
thing you can do to up your they expect from you (their fees,
chances of finding a publisher. preferred method of communi-
Here’s a short list of what I cation, deadlines) and what
believe great editors do or know:
1. They respond immediately
to your query, even if only to
you can expect from them (a
professional manuscript ready
to be submitted to agents).
let you know they are swamped Where to you find these top
and won’t be able to read your editors? Search online, ask for
manuscript for several weeks. recommendations from writer
2. They listen to you carefully friends, and check the
and understand who you are, acknowledgements pages in
Calling all
why you are writing this book, books you love.
Indie Authors
and what you want to achieve
with it. They appreciate your
strengths and recognize your
What can BookWorks do
limitations, and help you clar-
ify your writing and find your
voice. And they show you tools
to help you improve your work.
Betty Kelly Sargent is the
for you:
founder and CEO of BookWorks.
3. They begin their critique by If you have a question for the
● Help You Find
telling you what they like Your
editor, Reader
please email Betty Sargent
before moving on to sugges- at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.
● Post Excerpts from Your Book
for Peer Review
● Get a Featured Author Cover
Medallion for Your Book
● Chat With Our Experts
● Showcase and Sell Your Books With
can BookWorks do
What Direct-to-Retailer for you:
Links
● Find
• Help you the
FindBest
Your Editors,
Reader Designers,
• PostIllustrators,
Excerpts fromMarketers,
Your Book for andPeer Review
Publicists in the Business
• Get a Featured Author Cover Medallion for
Your Book
• Chat
And that’s just for starters
With Our Experts
Let us help you Prepare, Publish and Promote
• Showcase and Sell Your Books With
your books. We show you how to make
Direct-to-Retailer
indie publishingLinks
easier and, yes it’s true —
• Find the Best how
Editors, Designers,
to make it fun. Illustrators,
Marketers, and Publicists in the Business
JOIN NOW!
bookworks.com
 PAID LISTINGS

PW SELECT LISTINGS ®

New Titles from

Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 102
self-published titles below. Each appears with a list of retailers that are selling the
book and a description provided by its author. Some of these writers are waiting to
be discovered; others have track records and followings and are doing it on their
own. If you are a self-published author interested in listing titles in this section,
please visit publishersweekly.com/pw-select for more information.
Fiction discovers that his avaricious employer Everything Under the Sun: Can Love
Andrew Murray: Destined to Wait; A may be engaged in a deplorable violation Survive in Such Dark
Biographical Novel of the profession’s ethics rules. From that Times, or Is It Fated to
Olea Nel. Clairvaux point, it becomes a race to see which of Die with Them?
House. $4.99 e-book, them can get the other disbarred first. Jessica Redmerski.
ASIN B07PSGDRNL Jessica Redmerski.
Amazon Cowboy $3.99 e-book, ASIN
After resuming his min- Bob Holt. Outskirts B074W372G6
istry in Bloemfontein, Press. $18.95 paper Amazon
28-year-old Andrew (358p), ISBN 978-1- Two strangers shed their fear of growing
Murray finds himself in the midst of a 4787-9871-2 too close in order to help each other
series of grave situations in which he is Amazon, BN.com survive in a postapocalyptic society.
called on to play a central role. When a cowboy meets
a flower child, both The Long Journey to the Fair
Backstreet their worlds are turned upside down. Radka Yakimov. iUniverse.
Daniel Vincent Pierce. After she breaks his heart, he returns $10.99 paper (104p),
Dorrance Publishing. home and his family welcomes him. ISBN 978-1-5320-4380-2
$11 paper (70p), ISBN Amazon, BN.com
978-1-4809-2481-9 A Dream Life: From the U.S. Army During A collection of stories
Amazon the Berlin Crisis to the Spectacle of about the conse-
When three African- Hollywood and the Height of Broadway quences of wars,
American teenagers Patrick J. Suraci. Archway totalitarian regimes,
find a new hangout for parties, they think Publishing. $33.95 intolerance, prejudice, and the people
only about fun. But their arrogance and hardcover (238p), ISBN whose lives have been impacted by
bad decisions could destroy their lives. 978-1-4808-7131-1; these events and attitudes and their
$9.99 e-book, ASIN search for safety, peace, security.
Coin of the Realm: A Novel B07MZNZVKX
Peyton Hooper Hodge. Amazon The Mind of a Deviant Woman
AuthorHouse. $13.99 In 1961, homosexual- Paula Paul. Outskirts
paper (194p), ISBN 978- ity in the U.S. Army is a crime punishable Press. $15.95 paper
1-5462-5048-7; $3.99 by imprisonment. That doesn’t stop (226p), ISBN 978-1-
e-book, ISBN 978-1- two soldiers from falling in love while 4787-9882-8
5462-5047-0 serving in Germany during the Berlin Amazon, BN.com
Amazon crisis. After giving birth out
Attorney Pete Hodge of wedlock in the

B O O K L I F E .C O M 49
 PAID LISTINGS

® PW SELECT LISTINGS
1900s, Carrie Buck is institutionalized. possibilities of what Jesus was like and On the Occasion of a Wedding: Eclectic
Using authentic letters and documents, what he experienced during his life. Love Poems
Paul provides a fictionalized account of Ollie Bowen. Ollie Bowen.
Carrie’s life. A Year Inside the Moon $7.99 e-book, ASIN
Nathaniel Sewell. B07Q575LW1
Mountain Mysteries Standout Books. $7.99 Amazon
James W. Dean. Outskirts paper (207p), ISBN 978- From soulfully simple
Press. $14.95 paper 1-73373-672-5 to humorously erotic
(233p), ISBN 978-1- Amazon and from deeply spiri-
4787-6917-0 Over a year, Rob tual to painfully profound, Bowen’s
Amazon, BN.com rebuilds his life after a poems celebrate love.
A collection of stories painful divorce, meeting a wacky array
set in the Appalachian of the happy and sad patrons inside the Poet Steals Headlines: Sentenced to Life
Mountains. Moon, a bar in St. Petersburg, Fla. Tom Smith.
Readersmagnet. $22.30
Soyala: Daughter of the Desert Poetry hardcover (82p), ISBN
Cindy Burkart Maynard. Bohemienne: A Collection of Poetry 978-1-948864-68-8;
BookBaby. $10.99 paper Monita Ford. Xlibris. $7.10 paper (82p), ISBN
(188p), ISBN 978-1- $31.99 paper (46p), ISBN 978-1-948864-67-1
5439-6264-2 978-1-5144-3708-7; Amazon
Amazon $3.99 e-book, ISBN 978- Taking off from actual
Societal turmoil and 1-5144-3707-0 headlines from a variety of scandal
personal tragedy force Amazon sheets, tabloids, and even the New York
a clan to abandon its Through her poems, Times, Smith has created poems with
homeland. Using the archaeological Ford describes falling humor, irony, satire, whimsy, fantasy, and
record, Maynard reimagines a mysterious in love and heartbreak. even some sensuality.
event in the prehistory of the Southwest.
The Driver, the Journey, the Fall Secrets and Lies
Stories from the Pews Lisa M. McDougald. Julie Anderson. Feminine
G. Modele “Dale” Clarke. Raven Shadow Press. Collective Media. $7.99
Xlibris. $19.99 paper $12 paper (92p), ISBN paper (142p), ISBN 978-
(158p), ISBN 978-1- 978-1-949268-00-3 0-9979622-8-4; $2.99
984531-15-5; $3.99 Amazon, BN.com, e-book, ISBN 978-0-
e-book, ISBN 978-1- IndieBound, Lulu 9979622-8-4
984531-14-8 McDougald’s poems Amazon, BN.com, Kobo
Amazon navigate her confes- One woman’s journey from cult member
A collection of narratives about peculiar sions and autobiography, and are divided to the height of fashion. This poetic
people and traditions in the black church into three natural moods or seasons. memoir explores her tumultuous life and
that make church membership and atten- the things that should have broken her.
dance such a fascinating experience. Goats & Those Who Live by Them
Greg Bernhardt. Snapshots: Say Cheese! The World Is
They Called Him Yeshua: The Story of Haybine Press. $14 Watching
the Young Jesus; How Jesus’s paper (92p), ISBN 978- Cara Cilento. Cara
Unrecorded Years Shaped His Ministry 0-9983524-2-8 Cilento. $15.99 paper
Donald Brake, with Shelly Beach. Archway Ingram (108p), ISBN 978-1-
Publishing. $42.01 Written by a Vermont 79091-951-2
hardcover (458p), ISBN goat farmer, this is an Amazon
978-1-4808-7296-7; homage to the spe- Cilento’s poetry
$28.87 paper (458p), cial nexus between goats and humans. reflects on growing
ISBN 978-1-4808- The poems speak with an ordinary up in a suburb where there is significant
7298-1 tone, reflecting everyday moments of pressure to fit in. What if you don’t? To
Amazon, BN.com life. what lengths does one go to be
This novel recounts accepted into the fold?

50 B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
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Hardcover: 478 pages
that her own school is responsible for Publisher: North Loop Books;
unspeakable acts. Foreword by Everett Raymond Kinstler edition (March 3, 2019)
ISBN-13: 978-1545635278

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CIA officer Logan
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52 B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
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Someone wants Taylor
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A faithless TV
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Sheriff Clay Finnes’s
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Humanity has learned
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paper (40p), ISBN 978-0- ASIN B00CQCRAIK
692-17801-0 Amazon
Amazon Sixteen-year-old
Elsie is tormented by Samantha and her
the bullying behavior friend Charlie must sail the high seas,
of her classmates. She needs a hero to battle monsters, and fight vampires to find
stand up for her. her mother in a place called Neverworld.

Grandma’s Magic Box Puffy Gets Angry

Nadine Thomas. Xlibris. Rich Pfeiffer and Susie Post Roberts. Growth
$31.99 paper (64p), Publishing. $9.99 paper (22p), ISBN 978-1-
ISBN 978-1-5434- 893505-98-8;
7707-8; $3.99 e-book, $9.99 e-book,
ASIN B079JFPW9Q ASIN
Amazon B07PGK5JDK
With surprising endings, each story Amazon
takes the reader to a different location This book, in
and includes facts about that location. which Puffy the puffer fish gets angry, is
designed to provide a guide for adults to
Journey into Darkness: help kids learn how to manage their anger.
A Story in Four Parts (second ed.)
J. Arthur Moore. Omnibook. Schotsi: Book 1
$28 hardcover (554p), Tracy Bright. Kindle Direct
ISBN 978-621-434-050- Publishing. $2.99 e-book,
7; $18 paper (554p), ISBN ASIN B07L393FVD
978-621-434-049-1 Amazon
acrossthevalleytodark- A brave story of the
ness.com love and courage of a
Duane Kinkade was family and their dog
11 in 1862 when he went in search of while they survive alone in one of the last
his father, becoming a part of the war. He great wildernesses of Northern
was 13 when he returned home, after two California. ■

58 B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
REVIEWS
Fiction
Ashwin
Kit Rocha. Kit Rocha, $4.99 e-book (368p)
ASIN B01N6ECB83
New readers should expect to flounder a
bit with this postapocalyptic erotic
thriller—though it begins a series arc, it’s
not a true entry point, instead opening
season two of an overarching story begun in
Rocha’s 12-part Beyond series—but those
who persevere will find a wealth of enjoyment.
Dr. Kora Bellamy once tended genetically
engineered Makhai troops before rebellion
toppled the city-state of Eden. Ashwin
Malhotra was Makhai—a honed, emotion-
less killer. Neither could explain their
mutual sparks of attraction, and Ashwin was
so determined to smother the feeling that he
abandoned Kora and volunteered for aver-
sion therapy. Now Kora is on the rebel side,
honored as family by the god-king Gideon,
and Ashwin has been sent by the govern-
ment-in-exile to infiltrate Gideon’s organi-
zation. It’s soon apparent that the aversion
therapy hasn’t worked. While the rebels
accept Ashwin in hopes of converting him,
the simple fact of his presence poses a unique
risk to Kora that only Ashwin knows. His
dedication to his mission—and her safety—
may drive him to leave her again, unless they
can find common ground and mutual goals.
Rocha (the team of Donna Herren and Bree
Bridges) has undeniable skill, setting a
strong pace from the start and crafting a
romance with delectable sizzle. This some-
times challenging novel is worth the
learning curve.
Be My Light
Ari Reavis. Ari Reavis, $2.99 e-book (248p)
ASIN B07H588YL4
Reavis tackles family dysfunction, abuse,
and more in a no-holds-barred debut that’s
a little bit romance, a little bit bildung-
sroman. Seventeen-year-old Ebony Sealy is
a serious student, and even more serious
outside the classroom. She ignores fashion
for black sweatpants and tunes out the
world with ever-present earbuds; her pri-
mary interests are binge sleeping and self-
inflicted pain. The only thing that keeps
her alive is a commitment to protect her
younger siblings from their neglectful, abu-
sive mother, who failed to interfere when
Ebony’s predatory uncle molested her.
Then, as if by magic, a too-good-to-be-true
classmate named Marcus shows up on
Ebony’s porch, sits next to her on the bus,
gets her to share her ear buds, and draws her
into a relationship. Both teens and adults
willing to read intense, explicit scenes of
abuse in a tender romance novel will find
Ebony’s story moving and worth their time.
Bermuda Blood
Tom Kenny. CreateSpace, $12.95 trade paper
(285p) ISBN 978-1-7190-4311-3
Vietnam War veteran Waldo LaGrande,
the hero of this suspenseful thriller set in
the mid 1990s from Kenny (The Morning
Line), has conquered the twin demons of a
traumatic childhood and alcoholism to
become the first African-American to be
elected to the House of Representatives by
Massachusetts voters. His time in office
coincides with a federal inquiry into pos-
sible campaign finance illegalities con-
nected with an investment house located in
Bermuda. The firm’s clients include an
ambitious Texas congressman, Horace
Dowd, who’s angling to unseat his state’s
longtime incumbent senator, Lloyd Baylor.
While IRS field agent Gregory Jollymore
puts the pieces together, Waldo attends a
conference in Switzerland, where he falls off
the wagon and is unfaithful to his wife.
Back in Washington, Waldo takes charge
of looking into what has become a money
laundering case, though not before a promi-
nent politician and his spouse are murdered.
The stakes rise when a rival Massachusetts
pol threatens to expose Waldo’s one-night
stand if he decides to pursue justice in the
case. Fans of Brad Meltzer will be pleased.
Blueprint
Jay Prasad. CreateSpace, $20.20 trade paper
(504p) ISBN 978-1-5426-7942-8
Prasad paints the postwar world with
broad, sweeping strokes and painfully accu-
rate details in this accomplished novel.
Middle-aged Hannah Muller, living in
Berlin, has an ideal Aryan appearance, but
she was blacklisted by the Nazis as an open-
minded German artist. After Germany is
divided among the victors, Hannah grows
numb as she’s repeatedly raped by occu-
pying Russians. Her life changes when she’s
®
wooed by Eric Grossman, a young Jewish
American who has come to work at the
Nuremberg trials. Although “conflict...
seemed to pursue her like the Greek Furies
wherever she went,” Hannah, desperate for
work, finds it creating artistic propaganda
for the Russians and then for the Americans,
and her painting talents are enhanced by her
abilities as a multilingual translator. She
attends Nuremberg and other trials with
Eric, who has gained permission from the
military to work as a lawyer and is seeking
information about the Nazis’ plan to con-
quer Eastern Europe and exterminate the
Jews. Eventually, she travels to the U.S.
with him; in America, she finds bigotry
against Germans and panic about the Red
Scare, and she contemplates contradictory
ideologies of various nationalities before
returning to Germany. Prasad’s novel,
tightly written and comprehensive, pro-
vides readers with a powerful meditation on
the aftermath of the Holocaust.
The Book of Moon
George Crowder. Chelsea Press, $7.99 trade
paper (264p) ISBN 978-0-9979358-0-6
Crowder’s thoughtful and humorous
debut follows the coming-of-age of a boy
named Moon Landing. A 15-year-old
Californian, Moon has a 17-year-old brother
named Moss, and their parents are getting
divorced. Mom Janis is gorgeous and
decides to indulge in her new sexual
freedom, while dad David tends to his suc-
cessful restaurant and bar, and refuses to
look for a new relationship. At the start of
the separation, the boys spend weekends at
the bar—eating, watching sports, doing
homework—but disagreements between
the parents lead to supervised visits with
David. Janis, meanwhile, joins a dating
website with the handle “cougarlicious.”
Moon tries to be philosophical about his
mom’s behaviors: “the most generous adjec-
tive I can offer to describe my mother’s
approach to her single lifestyle would be
‘eager,’” while Moss signs up for a skate-
boarding contest. There are some gram-
matical errors, but this book has a fresh,
contemporary vibe, with of-the-moment
language. Throughout, Moon explores a
variety of religions, sees himself as a
modern-day Job, and endeavors to survive
the age of 15 with his dignity intact,
B O O K L I F E .C O M 58a
 ® REVIEWS
making for a solid novel about a boy fig-
uring out who he is.
The Book of Zhongli:
The Way of the Warrior
Varujan L. Piccard. Interior Solutions, $10.99
trade paper (250p) ISBN 978-0-578-41711-0
In his well-meaning if flawed debut,
musician Piccard offers aphorisms teaching
what he terms Zhongli, or the mastery of
self, to find internal peace in a world rife
with conflict, struggle, and difficulty. The
aphorisms are organized by topics such as
strength, discipline, wisdom, tempera-
ment, forgiveness, self-governance, and
civil obedience. Readers seeking a book of
personal philosophy along the lines of Sun
Tzu’s The Art of War, Confucius’s Analects,
or even Machiavelli’s The Prince will find
Piccard’s teachings to be a fun homage to
them. However, the majority of the
aphorisms here read as undifferentiated
from their sources: “Power corrupts,”
“Familiarity breeds contempt,” “Not all
who wander are blind,” “We do not know
what we do not know,” and so on.
Oftentimes the aphorisms, which some-
times lead into mini-essays, become diffuse
and lose connection to one another, giving
the litany of phrases a jumbled effect; the
result is colder and more impersonal than
expected for a text teaching self-cultivation.
While these “principles of Zhongli” would
have benefited from a stronger voice, they
form an intriguing basis for Piccard’s free-
wheeling spirituality.
Constance: One Road to Take:
The Life and Photography of
Constance Stuart Larrabee
(1914–2000)
Peter Elliott. Cantaloup, $29 (196p) ISBN 978-
1-7202-5806-3
Elliott, a lawyer and independent histo-
rian, reconstructs the life and artistic
achievements of South African photogra-
pher Constance Stuart Larrabee in this
finely detailed biography. Larrabee, whose
grandfather was also a well-known photog-
rapher, got her first Kodak Brownie camera
at age 10, studied camera technique at a
London art school in the early 1930s, and
in 1935 continued her studies in Munich.
Armed with a twin-lens Rolleiflex—ideal
for documentary photography—Larrabee
58b B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
captured images of swastika flags and Nazi
propaganda posters. Upon her return to
South Africa in 1936, she took photos in the
Ndelbele settlements, worked with the
poor of townships near Johannesburg, and
shot images of the royal family in
Basutoland. Elliott includes several photos
highlighting Larrabee’s most important
projects, such as workers in the diamond
and gold mines in Kimberley, as well as her
time as a war correspondent in Italy and
France during WWII (several photos cap-
ture the euphoria of French citizens and
soldiers after D-Day). This fascinating
account of an overlooked photographer will
delight both historians and photography
enthusiasts.
Countdown America
M.C. Fox. M.C. Fox, $19.99 trade paper
(302p) ISBN 978-1-7329144-2-1
Devotees of Valerie Plame’s Vanessa
Pierson books will welcome Fox’s gripping
thriller featuring a strong female lead. In
the prologue, CIA operative Isabella
Bendel’s maverick approach to a hostage
situation results in the successful rescue of
Sen. Robert Matthews. A decade later,
Matthews is in the White House, and
Bendel is the chief supervisor of the CIA’s
Cyberterrorism Unit, though she’s now a
widow after her husband’s death from
cancer. When she’s attacked during her
morning jog near her Washington, D.C.,
house, Bendel is able to overpower and cap-
ture her Russian assailant, Viktor Gachev,
who reveals during his interrogation that
her six-year-old twins are at risk. When
Bendel reaches home, she finds the twins
and her mother, who’s a retired CIA agent,
missing amid signs of a struggle. The
abduction coincides with credible intel
about an impending cyberattack that could
cripple the U.S. A mole within Bendel’s
own unit imperils her desperate efforts to
save her family and country. Unspectacular
but solid prose enhances the familiar story
framework. Fox provides the surprising
twists and fast-paced action that genre fans
expect.
Country Gold
Heatherly Bell. Heatherly Bell, $3.99 e-book
(228p) ASIN B07DVKD3NS
In the first Wilder Sisters romance from
Bell (Starlight Hill), beautiful harmonies
and bitter memories strike conflicting
chords. Country star Luke Wyatt finishes
his grueling tour and heads to his home-
town of Whistle Cove, Calif., and the
Wilder Sisters B&B. He’s not sure what
reception he’s going to receive from Lexi,
the oldest of the three sisters. They were
darlings of the country music stage until a
sordid scandal derailed their career. Luke
was the group’s backup musician, and a hit
song he and Lexi wrote together helped
launch his solo career. Now Luke needs
another hit, and, more importantly, he
needs Lexi back in his life. Lexi is still
stinging from what she views as Luke’s
betrayal, and yet the minute she sees him,
all her pent-up romantic yearnings come
flooding back. Luke’s unwavering loyalty
to Lexi and her family gives this sweet
romance unexpected integrity that more
than makes up for the lack of sexual tension.
Readers looking for a tender romance that
leans more toward the emotional than the
physical will find this very satisfying.
The Cracked Amulet
RB Watkinson. Claret, $12.99 trade paper
(334p) ISBN 978-1-910461-07-5
Watkinson kicks off a promising series
with this winning first installment to the
Wefan Weaves trilogy. Powers are shifting
in Dumnon, a world where a pervasive
energy called “wefan” is contained within
the “weave,” which is found throughout
nature and the air itself. Only Wealdan-
bearers, those who have the ability to tap
into the weave, can see the wefan and use it.
Young Coryn aef Arlean and Katleya aef
Laeft leave their homes for different reasons:
Coryn is determined to find his sister, Lera,
who was taken as a toddler eight years ago
by a mysterious woman who promised to
protect the girl and gave Coryn a special
cracked amulet for protection. Wealdan-
bearer Katleya is trying to reach a haven
where her talents can be nurtured and
honed. However, bloodhunter-priests
ravage the land and pursue Katleya, whose
Wealdan blood is a potent elixir for them,
forcing her to take refuge with a group of
Wealdan healers. Coming across the group
while searching for his sister, Coryn meets
Katleya, and his amulet proves invaluable
as bloodhunter-priests close in on them.
REVIEWS
Captivating characters, mythical creatures,
and exciting battles make this a treat for
fantasy readers.
Deep in the Heart
(Austin After Dark #1)
Alexa Padgett. Sidecar, $13.99 trade paper
(316p) ISBN 978-1-945090-24-0
Two strong, battle-scarred people grapple
with how to make a relationship work in the
forceful first Austin After Dark contempo-
rary. Ever since Austin, Tex., became a
country music hub, the Olsen family’s
custom guitar business has done well.
Whenever country music star Camden
Grace wants a new instrument, he’s willing
to pay the Olsens whatever they charge. He
needs a new guitar ASAP, but 24-year-old
co-owner Jenna Olsen is swamped with
orders. There are three things that might
put him at the head of the queue, though.
First, Camden’s just rescued Jenna from an
attack by a high school nemesis who won’t
let an old grudge die. Second, Jenna’s grand-
father, the widely respected luthier who
founded the business, has a soft spot for
Camden. And third, every time Jenna sees
Camden, sparks fly. But Camden has PTSD
from his time as an Army Ranger, and
Jenna’s a survivor of assault. The harm that
trauma can wreak on a budding romance is
convincingly portrayed as each lover is
simultaneously drawn to and unnerved by
commitment to the other. For fans of com-
plicated characters, this one’s a shoo-in.
Devil of Gilding
December Knight. Roaming Pig, $16.95 trade
paper (308p) ISBN 978-0-9969-9103-2
Knight’s enticing debut explores the evil
disguises of an outwardly pleasant gov-
erness. Set in Regency England, the novel
opens with the death of James Blake’s wife,
Leah, shortly after she gave birth to a son.
James, the lord of the manor of Gilding,
becomes a recluse on his large, secluded
estate for years afterward. James’s life
revolves around his son, Toby, and his own
younger brother, Clemit. But when Toby
turns eight, James decides he must hire a
governess to further Toby’s education and
offers the position to Adelaide Everglade,
his late wife’s cousin. Clemit warns against
this, believing he remembers a side to
Adelaide that no one recognizes. Adelaide
accepts the position, secretly planning to
step into Leah’s role as wife and mother. But
she quickly discovers that her plans to move
up in society through marriage to James
will be impossible as long as Toby is
around—so she contrives a plot to have him
kidnapped. After Toby goes missing,
Adelaide works to cover up her involvement
in the crime, and devoutly Protestant James
leans on his faith and his brother for comfort
as they try to find his son. While the fore-
shadowing is heavy-handed from the start,
Knight’s enthralling plot will appeal to
Christian readers interested in a story with
very clear moral stakes.
Die Again, Mr. Holmes: A Sherlock
Holmes/Lucy James Mystery
Anna Elliott and Charles Veley. Wilton, $18.99
trade paper (469p) ISBN 978-0-9991191-6-7
The teasing prologue to Elliott and
Veley’s entertaining eighth pastiche fea-
turing Sherlock Holmes and his detective
daughter, Lucy (after 2018’s The Return of
the Ripper), presents the shocking news that
Holmes has been shot and fallen into the
Thames. Flash back to 10 days earlier.
Holmes and Dr. Watson attend a London
courtroom as a jury renders its guilty ver-
dict in the case of Thomas Newman, the
head of the Bleeders, a vicious East End
gang. Newman’s only utterance before
being sentenced to hang is the ominous
sentence, “I’m not done yet.” The meaning
of that becomes clearer when Florence
Janine approaches Holmes and Watson out-
side the Old Bailey asking for help tracing
her fiancé, John Swafford. He’s a police
detective investigating Newman and had
told Janine that the gang leader was plot-
ting to bribe his jailers and escape.
Meanwhile, Lady Serena Lynley retains
Lucy to find her missing maid, Alice
Gordon. The authors provide a clever varia-
tion on a familiar theme by making the
concept of Holmes as a parent plausible.
Failure to Communicate
Kaia Sønderby. Going to Mars, $2.99 e-book
(395p) ASIN B01N81A1XO
This far-future tale of interspecies diplo-
macy hinges on an uneven depiction of
autism in a society that has genetically
engineered away most neurodivergence.
When the StarSystems Alliance needs a
®
diplomat to send to the xenophobic and
divided Anmerilli, autistic xeno-liaison
Xandri Corelel is the best option, as she has
specialized in understanding nonverbal
communication across species. The preju-
dices she faces both personally and politi-
cally make her job difficult, and the stakes
are high. Individual characterizations lack
depth, particularly for the antagonists, but
the diversity across the Alliance and among
the Anmerilli gives the story a welcome
complexity. Xandri’s personal and profes-
sional efforts to interpret body language
provide insights that a neurotypical nar-
rator would not, although her unreliable
narration is not always successful, and her
experience is described dryly in ways that
make it hard for readers to feel her panic in
crowds or fall into her hyperfocus. The con-
flation of autism acceptance with other
social issues distracts the reader from
focusing on Xandri’s significant skills.
Despite these inconsistencies, the book
mostly satisfies as a tale of space adventure.
Sønderby (Testing Pandora) shows promise,
especially with worldbuilding, that will
encourage readers to pick up her future
books.
His Wicked Secret
(League of Rogues #8)
Lauren Smith. Lauren Smith, $4.99 e-book
(312p) ASIN B07DMR29ZY
Smith’s pleasing eighth League of
Rogues Regency (after Earl of Pembroke)
delights with a strong female protagonist
who decides that she wants more from life
than merely marrying well. Audrey
Sheridan, youngest sister of Viscount
Sheridan, has written the “Lady Society”
gossip column since she turned 15. Now
19, she wants to become a spy. Meanwhile,
she’s under pressure to land a husband.
Though Audrey is attracted to Jonathan St.
Laurent, the half-brother of the Duke of
Essex, she isn’t sure whether his feelings
toward her are more than just a passing
interest. When Audrey and her maid,
Gillian, embark on an escapade to gather
clandestine information and expose mem-
bers of a secret club for highly placed men
with questionable tastes, the adventure
goes awry and they are rescued by Jonathan,
along with James Fordyce, the Earl of
Pembroke. As Jonathan assists Audrey
B O O K L I F E .C O M 58c
 ® REVIEWS
with the self-defense skills necessary for spy
work, their mutual attraction grows, but
frequent misunderstandings as to the
nature of their relationship come to the
forefront. Espionage, an undercurrent of
mystery, and sensuous romance are at the
heart of this page-turner, which hints at a
future installment and will encourage
readers to look for the previous books.
Holy Crap! The World Is Ending!
Anna-Marie Abell. Alien Abduction, $15.99
trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-1-947119-01-7
A trip to the bookstore brings about new
love and a desperate plan to save humanity
in Abell’s smart debut. Autumn’s life is
turned upside down when her search for a
book on the paranormal results in an
encounter with Rigel, an ancient
Anunnaki alien. Rigel informs her that the
Anunnaki created humans to help them
mine for gold to protect their homeworld,
Nibiru. Autumn and Rigel share an inex-
plicable connection, but their romance is
forbidden by Anunnaki law. To make mat-
ters worse, Nibiru is headed toward Earth,
and one of its moons is on course to collide
with Autumn’s planet, the news of which
causes society to break down. Autumn and
Rigel battle against desperate humans and
one very disgruntled Anunnaki on their
mission to utilize the Ark of the Covenant
to save mankind. The blend of humor and
action works wonderfully, but the
romantic scenes between Autumn and
Rigel feel out of place in an otherwise rip-
roaring story.
Imperfect Strangers
(Imperfect #5)
Mary Frame. Mary Frame, $2.99 e-book
(250p) ASIN B07GV4PNVN
Ghostly noises accidentally throw idio-
syncratic executive assistant Bethany
Connell into the arms of pro football player
Brent Crawford in Frame’s witty fifth
Imperfect contemporary. Bethany has fled
her difficult family and is now living alone
in New York City, working for irascible,
misogynist executive Albert Crawford, and
terrified of recurring creepy sounds in her
apartment. Brent, Albert’s son, is dealing
poorly with a troubling medical issue while
fending off his father’s attempts to get him
married, but he takes time to befriend
58d B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
attractive Bethany, and they investigate the
weird wall knocking together. They swiftly
become realistically close through quirky,
punny repartee and their mutual devotion
to true crime stories. Though at first they
both believe a romance is ill-advised, and
several outside conflicts fling up barriers,
openness prevails and intimate confessions
result in an appealing, believable relation-
ship. The mystery-sounds plot resolves
more clumsily. Frame’s charming, zany
rom-com will appeal to fans of screwball
comedies.
An Improbable Pairing
Gary Dickson. Greenleaf Book Group, $16.95
trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-1-62634-579-9
Themes of role reversal, seduction, and
culture clash abound in Dickson’s wistful
historical debut. It’s the summer of 1963,
the pinnacle of America’s Camelot era, and
22-year-old Scott Stoddard is about to
depart New York, bound for Geneva and
graduate school. As he waves to his parents
from the ocean liner’s rail, he notices an
older woman of unequaled beauty and
sophistication in the dockside crowd.
Although the Countess Desirée de Rovere
is clearly out of his league—in both years
and style—Scott can’t stop thinking about
her. Luckily, they meet on the ship, and
eventually she seduces him amid the luxu-
rious playgrounds of the mid-century
European jet set. But before they can have
their happy ending, the couple must over-
come obstacles such as differences of age,
culture, and religion. There’s little in the
way of tension, but this undemanding,
pleasant tale features capably drawn char-
acters who appear to float unmoored inside
a romantic travel brochure.
In Search of a Witch’s Soul
D. Lieber. Ink and Magick, $3.99 e-book
(212p) ASIN B07K5JLNZH
In this uneven urban fantasy set in an
alternate Prohibition-era America where
the public use of magic has been outlawed
instead of alcohol, a female private detective
hired to find a missing person is caught up
in the affairs of witches. Anna Caill is
grieving the death of her boyfriend, Cy, and
copes through the use of memory spells to
relive happier times together. This grants
her insight into the magical community,
which has recently retreated mostly under-
ground. When she’s hired by Jesse Hunt to
find his lost friend, Anna’s search takes her
to dangerous corners of New York City and
forces her to confront her own feelings for
both her best friend, Jack, and the sinister
but seductive Jesse. The further she delves
into the investigation, the more she ques-
tions her own past and future. While Lieber
(Intended Bondmates) offers an intriguing
premise, drawing upon classic hardboiled
tropes and a setting ripe with potential, the
characters and story fail to truly engage.
The convoluted romantic tension between
Anna and her multiple would-be paramours
feels forced, with an unsatisfying resolu-
tion. The nonlinear nature of the story,
incorporating multiple flashbacks through
the usage of memory spells, gets confusing,
and the prose is clunky (“Scream out your
pain. I want to make your dark soul dance”).
Readers drawn in by the central conceit will
hope that Lieber’s future books do more
justice to her innovative ideas.
In the Shadow of Light
Tracy Causley. Amethyst Press, $16.95 trade
paper (416p) ISBN 978-0-692-06278-4
Causley’s debut, a solid historical fantasy,
takes place in 17th century Florence and
pits good witches against bad. With the
death of her parents from plague in the
summer of 1630, 19-year-old Vittoria
Giordano flees the city and meets Marcel
Barberini at his family villa when she saves
him from thieves. The two quickly fall in
love. Later, Vittoria meets the Benedanti,
her heretofore unknown witch relatives, and
from them learns she is the successor to the
Benetrix, the representative of the Goddess,
the Lady of Light. Back in Florence, Nerezza
Ascerbi is the Malatrix, the avatar of
shadow, who, in league with the Pope, has
spread the plague to increase her own
power. Nerezza has a vendetta against the
Benedanti, and she launches a plot to
ensnare Vittoria and her cousins with false
accusations of causing the plague with
witchcraft. Occasional modernisms
(“Anything you need, you let me know”)
and some overly florid descriptions mar the
prose at times. Nevertheless, this should
satisfy historical fantasy fans who like
magic and romance.
REVIEWS
The Julius Katz Collection
Dave Zeltserman. CreateSpace, $15 trade
paper (350p) ISBN 978-1-5027-0673-7
In this fresh and funny collection,
Zeltserman (The Interloper) offers seven old-
school puzzle stories that follow the exploits
of Boston PI Julius Katz, who bears many
similarities to Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe,
while Wolfe’s singular secretary, Archie,
appears here, as Ed Gorman notes in the
foreword, as a compact piece of artificial
intelligence. It is Archie who lifts these tales
into a higher dimension. As he says of him-
self, “What I am is a two-inch rectangular-
shaped piece of space-aged computer tech-
nology that’s twenty years more advanced
than what’s currently considered theoreti-
cally possible.... Julius wore me as a tie clip.”
The Shamus Award–winning “Julius Katz,”
about an inheritance case, introduces readers
to the duo and their methods. “Archie’s Been
Framed” provides an original look at the
problems of online dating. “Archie Solves
the Case” lets the reader in on Archie’s never-
ending attempt to refine his neural network,
so that he might “someday beat Julius to the
punch in solving a case.” There’s good fun
to be had along with the brainteasers in this
sprightly volume.
Masters of Deception
(Dragonstones Chronicles #1)
JC Kang. Dragonstone, $2.99 e-book (541p)
ASIN B07HC3M7J6
Political intrigue and subterfuge rule the
day in Kang’s layered fantasy, which opens
a new arc in his established Dragon Songs
Saga universe and unites four unlikely
heroes against mafiosi and a looming orc
invasion. Cassius is a diviner in the city of
Tokahia, and is also the sworn protector of
the pyramid that keeps the orc gods from
reclaiming the lands. Brehane is a mystic
who is trying to restore her clan’s honor; she
accepts an order to find a missing illusionist
in hopes that fulfilling this task will help
her reclaim her family’s rightful place.
Sameer is a paladin searching for his lost
love in the brothels of Tokahia. Jie, a half-elf
ninja and spy, arrives in Tokahia’s port on a
mission to root out a clan traitor. Kang
quickly draws the four together and links
their missions amid betrayal, political
machinations, and outright deceit. Though
elves and orcs will be familiar to readers of
Western fantasy novels, the worldbuilding
is effectively infused with Asian elements.
The book’s ending feels even more incon-
clusive than one might expect from a series
launch book; impatient readers should wait
for the series to be completed before dig-
ging in. This conflict-driven tale of politics
and underhandedness will appeal to a wide
range of fantasy fans.
New Shoes
B.C. Palmer. Raptor, $3.99 e-book (430p)
ISBN 978-1-73244-520-8
Though extraneous details sometimes
slow the plot of Palmer’s debut, which stars
the cynical and scintillating sorcerer Adam
Saint, there are enough surprises and grip-
ping characters to keep reader interest high.
As a child, Adam Saint was possessed by a
demon. Raised by Pete Saint, the exorcist
who discovered and saved him, Adam
learned to become a midrate sorcerer before
being sanctioned and blacklisted from his
magical community. When his guardian
disappears while on the hunt for a missing
girl, Adam is pulled off his bar stool and
assigned to track both parties down. The
case is tied up with a mysterious murder
being investigated by hardworking Det.
Vanessa Moreno, a talented cop with no
inkling about magic until Adam and his
newfound friend Cole, a shifter security
guard, cross her path. When these crime
fighters uncover an otherworldly conspiracy
centered on releasing Adam’s inner demon,
they decide to stick together. The alterna-
tive is Armageddon. A well-drawn cast,
terrific worldbuilding, and snarky humor
make this series opener perfect for fans of
Stephen Blackmore and Simon R. Green.
The Night Is Done:
A Durant Family Saga
Sheila Myers. CreateSpace, $12.99 trade paper
(260p) ISBN 978-1-5487-3239-4
Myers (Imaginary Brightness) satisfyingly
concludes her historical trilogy set in the
Gilded Age by presenting the detailed
downfall of ruthless real estate mogul
William West Durant; his exasperated wife,
Janet; and his estranged sister, Ella. In 1931,
the penniless Durant recounts his tragic life.
After inheriting his father’s vast wealth and
interest in the Adirondack Railroad,
William immediately begins to make bad
®
investments. He squanders money on
yachts, panders to princes, and builds man-
sions he can’t afford to run, all while hiding
assets from Ella. She sues him for her rightful
inheritance and tries to overcome discrimi-
nation to become a novelist. Meanwhile,
Janet, verbally abused and infantilized by
William, begins an affair with her doctor.
After getting proof of William’s own infi-
delities with an actress, Janet sues for
divorce. While at times it’s fun to follow
William’s wallowing in his absolute greed,
arrogance, and deceptive business practices,
the petty slights, retribution, and rich-
people problems wear thin, and the frequent
changes in points of view muddles the plot.
Nevertheless, Myers expertly depicts a pre-
carious era soaked in vicious gossip, stained
reputations, and ostentatiousness. Readers
will enjoy the historical details that bring
this Gilded Age soap opera to life.
A Place Outside the Wild
Daniel Humphreys. Daniel Humphreys,
$16.99 trade paper (626p) ISBN 978-1-5369-
7917-6
Humphreys’s debut and series launch is
a competent addition to the zombie apoca-
lypse genre. It’s 2026, eight years after
Z-day, when hordes of zombies arose after a
flu-like pandemic. Computer geek Miles
Matthews lives, along with his family, in a
protected enclave with other survivors. As
the zombie population gradually deterio-
rates due to natural decomposition, a
murder in the enclave reveals that humanity
itself is still a potential threat to survival.
Before Miles can investigate, a military
convoy arrives, surprising the survivors,
who haven’t seen other people in years. As
it turns out, the military is searching for
Miles, who has access to a biotech facility
from his job before Z-day, and materials at
the facility might be able to help find a cure.
While Miles leaves to help the military, the
rest of the enclave searches for the murderer
in their midst. Humphreys has a morbid
wit, but the work stays inside typical
zombie story standards: the undead are rav-
enous and determined, the killings are
bloody (although not gratuitously so), and
the battles are glorious. Those who enjoy
zombie stories will want to give
Humphreys’s offering a look.
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The Price of Compassion
A.B. Michaels. Red Trumpet Press, $15.99
trade paper (500p) ISBN 978-0-9975201-0-1
A life-altering decision made by a sur-
geon while treating victims of San
Francisco’s 1906 earthquake and subse-
quent devastating fire haunts him in this
moving novel. A talented athlete with a
curious intellect, Tom Justice is from North
Platte, Nebr., where he studied his grand-
mother’s natural healing remedies. His
academic brilliance lands him at prestigious
Johns Hopkins University, where he
becomes a gifted surgeon. Tom helps out a
medical school friend at San Francisco’s
Chinatown Free Clinic, intending to return
to a highly coveted Hopkins position; how-
ever, he remains at the clinic and becomes
a bulwark against discrimination in health
care and a portrait of courage in the face of
racism. While working on victims after the
earthquake, Tom is asked to assist with the
critically injured using a controversial
medical protocol; afterward, he is shattered
emotionally and physically, and unable to
operate. He leaves the city and Katherine
Firestone, the woman he loves, to seek treat-
ment, but is arrested for a murder com-
mitted after the earthquake and returned to
San Francisco. The murder trial provides a
vivid, alternating timeline of Tom’s life, as
well as a moral dilemma to consider. This
excellent story, with well-researched his-
torical detail, is a profile of resilience in the
face of vast tragedy.
Proof of Virtue
Leila Snow. Leila Snow, $2.99 e-book (215p)
ASIN B076C4Z78J
This simplistic portrayal of life in 1830s
Manchester explores the morality of choices
made in poverty. After their middle-class
parents die of cholera, 19-year-old Emma
Belden and her four-year-old twin siblings
enter the poorhouse in order to have shelter
and food. Before long, Emma must choose
between allowing her brother to work as a
chimney sweep or becoming the mistress of
the abusive owner of a local mill. When
local lord Gideon also takes an interest in
her, Emma’s situation becomes more com-
plicated as she attempts to protect herself
and everyone she cares for. Snow’s debut
showcases her research as she explores the
direness of the workhouse, grim working
58f B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
conditions for the lower classes, and daily
life on a country estate. Unfortunately, the
overall effect is episodic and unsubtle, as the
characterizations have little nuance, but the
straightforward prose and historical
authenticity make up for the lack of depth.
Emma and Gideon’s romance is sweet and
will appeal to readers with an interest in
19th-century history.
Secrets of Burial Island:
A Prescient Series Novel
Jude Wilde. Skya, $19.99 trade paper (310p)
ISBN 978-0-692-19890-2
Wilde’s gripping second mystery fea-
turing former TV reporter Chloe Roussel
(after 2018’s Prescient: The Knowing) takes
Chloe and her husband, Alex, an interna-
tionally renowned jazz musician, to Lake
Tahoe, where they are celebrating the birth
of twin grandsons to their son, Luke. But
Chloe’s joy soon turns to overwhelming
grief when Alex is mortally wounded by an
unknown shooter who may have been
aiming at Chloe. Just before the weapon was
fired, Chloe stumbled while taking photos
of the lake from the patio of the cottage
where they were staying. The resilient
Chloe resolves to track down those respon-
sible for Alex’s death, even as she deals with
ongoing tensions with Alex’s thuggish
brother, Jean-Luc, who has his own ideas of
what the funeral should be. Film from her
camera—which disappeared after the
shooting but later resurfaces—turns out to
contain images that may implicate a trusted
member of her family in the attack. Plot
twists and fast pacing enhance Wilde’s solid
characterizations.
Slouch Witch: The Lazy Girl’s
Guide to Magic, Book 1
Helen Harper. Helen Harper, $12.99 trade pa-
per (342p) ISBN 978-1-5455-8544-3
This entertaining series launch intro-
duces readers to a witch living in contem-
porary Oxford, England, who makes up for
a lack of discipline with smarts, talent, and
a dry wit. Twenty-seven-year-old Ivy Wilde
was expelled from her training at the
Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment
for disobedience. Eight years after her
expulsion, Ivy is mistakenly bound by the
Order to a disarmingly attractive but frus-
tratingly pragmatic Order detective,
Raphael Winter. Both are unhappy with
being forced to work together by this turn
of events, but the magic that binds them
together cannot be broken for at least three
months. For their first assignment, they’re
tasked with finding a thief who stole a valu-
able artifact from the Order. Saucy, uncon-
ventional Ivy and by-the-book Rafael often
clash but have great chemistry. The imagi-
native worldbuilding, mystery, and sexy
tension between the leads helps create an
entertaining story. Readers will be eager for
the sequel.
Sorrow’s Son
(Crossroads of Worlds #2)
Rene Sears. Rene Sears, $11.99 trade paper
(222p) ISBN 978-1-976096-21-1
The second installment to Sears’s
Crossroads of Worlds contemporary fantasy
series (after Strangehold) is just as enjoyable
as the first. After the events of Strangehold,
in which the Savannah Flu devastated the
human spellcaster population, Javier, an
orphaned 16-year-old spellcaster, searches
for fellow human magicians, but he’s afraid
of encountering the faeries his dead father
loathed. Javier’s loneliness is intensified by
the loss of most of the other spellcasters in
the world, but he’s befriended by spell-
casters Morgan Tenpenny and her teenage
twin nieces Igraine and Iliesa. The twins’
father is missing and Javier decides to help
them look for him in the faery world,
despite his father’s warnings about the
unpredictability of faeries. Sears’s prose can
capture the imagination (one creature has
“a great silver eye whirling gently, faintly
chased with blue”), and the unusual set-
tings, such as the ethereal Strangehold, add
to an already rich world. Readers will look
forward to the next book in the series.
Star Marque Rising
Shami Stovall. Capital Station, $14.99 trade
paper (436p) ISBN 978-0-9980452-0-7
Rife with action, intrigue, and plenty of
backstabbing, Stovall’s space opera takes
readers on a bumpy ride through a distant
future where genetically modified cyborg
humans face off against even more geneti-
cally modified superhumans. When tough
guy Clevon Demarco is chosen to join the
crew of cyborg enforcer starship Star
Marque, captained by ruthless Cmdr.
REVIEWS
Endellion Voight, he accepts without a
second thought. Enforcers are usually
“fighting the filth of the outer colonies,”
but ambitious Endellion has other plans:
she wants to become the first human gov-
ernor of a planet, in contradiction of super-
human tradition. As readers observe her
progress through Demarco’s unwitting
eyes, it’s hard to believe neither he nor the
rest of her crew realizes that her determina-
tion masks a deadly ruthlessness. Although
the setting and characters lack depth, action
fans will enjoy the violence and scheming
that drive this story of guile and dark
ambition.
Twilight’s Last Gleaming
Dane Ronnow. Mohave, $16.95 trade paper
(376p) ISBN 978-0-9979857-1-9
In Ronnow’s impressive, all too plausible
near-future thriller, U.S. president Edmund
Wheeler is faced with only difficult choices
at a time of great international turmoil. Two
blows to the American economy trigger the
crisis: first, China sells over $1 trillion in
U.S. bonds; second, Russia’s Putin-like
president, Dmitry Burkov, announces that
he’s ending his country’s economic connec-
tions with Europe, Canada, and the U.S.,
and is expelling their diplomats and busi-
nesses. A financial panic follows, as does a
rise in military tensions in the Persian Gulf
that threaten to escalate into all-out nuclear
war between Russia and the U.S. As
Wheeler works to devise an appropriate
response to Russia’s aggression, Naomi
Hendricks, an NSA intelligence analyst,
provides even more disturbing news: an
attack against the U.S. power grid by
Russia, North Korea, and Iran is imminent.
Ronnow lends credibility to this doomsday
scenario by making his characters three-
dimensional. Tom Clancy fans will be
satisfied.
The Weight of a Pearl
Walker Smith. Sonata, $15.99 trade paper
(406p) ISBN 978-0-9904996-7-1
Smith (The Color Line) unflinchingly
depicts a painful story of survival in a “damn
mean world.” Pearl Sayles and her younger
brother, Ronnie, are black children in
1930s Chicago who struggle through hard
times living with an alcoholic father until
they can escape with their mother. Years
later, at 17, the mature, sultry-voiced Pearl
tries singing at a nightclub, and later moves
with Ronnie to Harlem; it’s there that her
talent develops into a career while her
brother strives to find his own purpose,
encountering difficulties in finding work
and a true sense of self. Pearl captures the
attention of an accomplished trumpet
player, Doc Calhoun, who fought first in the
Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish
Civil War, then in WWII. The love they
build carries them through the McCarthy
hearings, in which Doc is targeted as a com-
munist for his service in the Brigade. Pearl
and Doc battle internal and external
demons as they raise their children in
Harlem tenements, where the clouds some-
times seem to “cover the shame of their
existence in the shadow of American afflu-
ence.” Fluid prose and gritty realism will
hold readers’ attention throughout this tale
of life through the eyes of an abuse survivor
and a war hero whose courage is tested at
home as it had been abroad.
When You Close Your Eyes
Roxanne D. Howard. The Wild Rose, $18.99
trade paper (442p) ISBN 978-1-5092-2360-2
Howard (The Longer They Last) explores
the concept of fated love in this skillfully
woven contemporary erotic romance. Lark
Braithwaite, an American in London, is
living with her British fiancé, Charles
Chase, when she starts dreaming of a sexy
mystery man with an Irish brogue. After
Lark gets word that her estranged father has
died and she returns to her Oregon home-
town for the funeral, she meets the dream
man in the flesh: he’s her parents’ widowed
lawyer, Niall O’Hagan. Lark quickly falls
in love with Niall, struggling to decide
whether she should follow her heart or the
commitment she’s made to her fiancé—a
decision that gets easier when Charles
shows his true and ugly colors. Early on, it’s
hard to tell whether Lark and Niall are
encountering each other in a dream or in
real life, providing unnecessary distraction
from what is otherwise a well-plotted nar-
rative. Explicit sex scenes crackle with heat,
and Howard’s characters invite readers to
come in and get lost on the pages with them
as the plot hurtles toward a shocking, but
not unbelievable, climax involving Lark’s
father’s past and her future. Erotic romance
®
fans will devour Howard’s suspenseful and
heart-filled story.
Nonfiction
The Entrepreneur’s Framework:
How Businesses Are Adapting
in the New Economy
Joshua H. Davidson. Lioncrest, $15.99 trade
paper (338p) ISBN 978-1-54451-264-8
Davidson, founder of app development
firm Chop Dawg, offers hard-won advice
for fellow entrepreneurs looking to create a
lasting business in this perceptive strategy
primer. Davidson focuses on the importance
of knowing the “why” motivating one’s
endeavors, and the “how” behind making
one’s goals a reality. The titular framework,
devoted to the latter question, concerns
eight crucial considerations for entrepre-
neurs: self-awareness, purpose, operations,
economics, long- and short-term thinking,
leadership, and empathy. Davidson pro-
vides a spider web–like chart to help readers
assess their performance in each area, along
with exercises to help with those that need
work. The author draws heavily from his
own experiences, heavily weighted with
examples of his shortcomings, such as how
a lack of empathy doomed an expensive,
time-intensive marketing campaign, and
how self-awareness allowed him to turn his
company around after a significant failure.
Throughout, Davidson offers a well-told
narrative that sheds light onto how an
entrepreneur’s mind works and showcases
key concepts that should stack the odds of
success in the reader’s favor.
Evergreen Dreaming:
Trail Tales of an Aging Hiker
Peter Kurtz. Longitudes, $16.95 trade paper
(272p) ISBN 978-1-7324-7890-9
Kurtz, a 55-year-old technical writer
(Bluejackets in the Blubber Room), hikes from
Georgia to North Carolina along the
Appalachian Trail in this entertaining trav-
elogue. His love for nature started as a teen
camping with his family in the Blue Ridge
Mountain; now, his wife, Lynn, supports
him in his hiking endeavors, but worries
about his quest at his age. Kurtz makes sev-
eral friends along the way (among them,
Dylan, a 24-year-old realizing his dream to
B O O K L I F E .C O M 58g
 ® REVIEWS
hike the entire trail, who joins Kurtz for a
couple days), and describes the scenery (“a
long, flat stretch with lots of overhanging
rhododrendon that offers a nice shady
canopy”). Along the way, he argues for wil-
derness conservation, noting that only 3%
of the 2,200-mile trail is designated wilder-
ness and warning that open spaces are
threatened. Kurtz also discusses his affinity
for reading (The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn), his love for the Beatles, his desire for
hot water, and his reliance on sturdy walking
sticks (one of which he names “Kip”)—and
he always makes sure to call Lynn to share
his experiences. Kurtz’s charming memoir
encourages wilderness purists to chase their
dreams, regardless of age.
Log Off: How to Stay Connected
After Disconnecting
Blake Snow. Blake Snow, $11.99 trade paper
(102p) ISBN 978-1-973543-74-9
Technology journalist Snow shares in his
snappy debut how, after realizing he had
gone nearly five years without spending a
single day without his phone, he realized the
toxicity of screens and developed a strategy
for balance. “Our generation has the pathetic
distinction of rearing smartphone orphans,”
he writes. “The very devices that were meant
to free us are making us negligent friends,
parents, and lovers.” During a trip to
Montana, he was forced to disconnect and
began to realize that he and his family were
happier and more engaged without instant
access to the internet. He then canceled his
data plan, set limits for his working hours,
and committed to exercising more, which
instantly made his life more “productive and
invigorating.” While he offers 10 steps for
readers interested in doing the same—such
as establishing an accountability partner,
becoming a late adopter to technology, and
periodically fasting from electronics—he
doesn’t advise following his exact routine
and encourages readers to incorporate some
of the lessons. In pithy, freewheeling prose,
Snow jumps between exploring his early
fixations with the internet and signaling an
alarm of concern. “If we don’t stop to recali-
brate... we’ll go from alarming habits to
widespread burnout, debilitating attention
spans, and universal anxiety disorder.”
Snow’s warnings and strategies for dealing
with internet overuse will be a wake-up call
58h B O O K L I F E , A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
and road map for readers looking to limit
screen time.
Radical Inclusion:
Engaging Interfaith Families
for a Thriving Jewish Future
Edmund Case. Center for Radically Inclusive
Judaism, $19.99 trade paper (276p)
ISBN 978-1-73293-880-9
Case, founder of the nonprofit
InterfaithFamily, makes a case in his
forceful debut that, given the numbers of
Jews marrying partners from a different
faith, preserving Jewish traditions depends
upon the Jewish community being more
open to and welcoming of interfaith mar-
riages. As people are increasingly marrying
across religious and cultural traditions,
almost three-quarters of “non-Orthodox
Jews are now intermarrying,” Case writes,
citing the Pew Research Center’s 2013
study A Portrait of Jewish Americans. That
trend leads him to argue that Jewish insti-
tutions of all kinds should be accepting of
mixed-faith families in the hope that such
an attitude will create meaningful and
strong connections across traditional cul-
tural boundaries—even where the non-
Jewish spouse elects not to convert to
Judaism. Case makes the simple but per-
suasive point that rejection of the legiti-
macy of such marriages will only lead to
alienation from the Jewish community.
Jewish readers curious about how interfaith
marriage is affecting Judaism will find
much of interest here.
Sandwich’d:
My Life Between the Breads
Peter Roseman. Plum Bay, $15.99 trade pa-
per (160p) ISBN 978-0-9988617-6-0
Roseman and his family have been
serving up sandwiches at Gourmet Galley
in Stamford, Conn., for 25 years, and that
experience, along with more than a dozen
sandwich recipes, informs this slight
memoir. His tales of work as a restaurateur
echo that of many a restaurant owner: a
litany of unreliable staff and no-shows (he
realized a delivery driver quit only after a
tow truck pulled up with the restaurant’s
van), catered events that went awry (an out-
door Bastille Day tent party for a French
company in Greenwich turned into chaos
when the alcohol and water ran out), and
longtime employees who became like
family. Although his sandwich recipes are
similar to those of other delis, Roseman
shares personal stories with each, including
the La Vache (a brie, tomato, horseradish
sandwich whose roast beef Roseman ties
and cooks himself); the Italian Combo (he
recalls eating his first Italian at age 15,
sharing it with a girl he had a crush on); a
Peruvian Chicken Sanguchon of rotisserie
chicken and fried eggs that their Peruvian
cook developed; Sicilian Muffuletta (“like
the Italian combo... only bigger” and with
an olive tapenade). While this memoir
doesn’t rise above others, Roseman ear-
nestly recounts what it means to be part of
a small family business.
Turmeric & Spice: Indian Cuisine
for the Mind, Body, and Spirit
Bina Mehta. Bina Mehta, $34.99 (224p)
ISBN 978-1-7328916-1-6
Mehta, an Ayurvedic consultant with her
own line of Indian spice blends, shares her
knowledge and enthusiasm in this wide-
ranging collection of Indian fare for all skill
levels. Mehta tutors readers on the proper
way to roast, temper, and store spices and
blends before using them; many recipes call
for her own products alongside store-
bought ones. Even if readers aren’t able to
source the brand spices, they’re in for a treat,
as Mehta offers page after page of sump-
tuous dishes, including such familiar ones
as cauliflower and peas, chai tea, and
chicken tikka masala, as well as more
inspired fare, including a cashew coconut
curry, a must-try mango pomegranate salad,
and her East Indian take on the Fourth of
July, with Indian fajitas, grilled spiced corn,
and a simple Indian coleslaw with lime,
chili, and curry leaves. Photos of key steps,
such as the proper preparation of samosas,
help instill confidence and success. Even if
readers aren’t familiar with Ayurvedic
eating, they’re certain to appreciate Mehta’s
assortment of classic and contemporary
Indian recipes.
Will Computers Revolt?
Preparing for the Future
of Artificial Intelligence
Charles J. Simon. Future AI, $19.95 trade
paper (250p) ISBN 978-1-7326872-1-9
Simon makes a welcome contribution to
REVIEWS ®

the literature on artificial intelligence that Kunce populates the story with adults who
benefits from his technical expertise, are eager to help, and with few obstacles to
acquired writing software for neurological overcome, Ellie and her friends easily suc-
test equipment. This background, and ceed in their fund-raising efforts, which
Simon’s penchant for philosophical inquiry, spotlight the kids’ math skills. Line draw-
allows this relatively short book to be ings reinforce the text throughout this
remarkably thorough in considering var- encouraging tale, which introduces kids to
ious implications of AI. At the beginning, the idea of raising money for worthy causes.
Simon asks readers to consider a thought Ages 5–10.
experiment—if all one’s neurons were
replaced with identical but artificial neu-
rons, would one be the same person? Simon
goes on to consider the hypothetical science
of intelligent thinking machines from mul-
tiple angles and possible outcomes. Chief
among his numerous conclusions is his cer-
tainty that “intelligent thinking machines
are not only possible but inevitable.” At the
midway point, he takes a lengthy but useful
digression into basic neuroscience and evo-
lutionary biology, in order to show how
little separates the human brain from a com-
puter. Simon ends by predicting four pos-
sible scenarios for a world with intelligent
thinking machines; these range from an
apocalyptic societal meltdown to the nego-
tiation of robot rights. The appealing blend
of philosophy and hard science from a
thoughtful writer with a knack for bringing
the esoteric down to earth will be a treat for
readers with questions about AI’s possibili-
ties and potential.

Children’s/YA
Ellie Anders:
The Playground Fundraiser
Craig Kunce. Windhill, $14 paper (164p)
ISBN 978-1-944734-20-6
This optimistic addition to the Ellie
Anders chapter book series shows that small
decisions can bring about enormous change.
On the last day of third grade, Ellie Anders,
her little brother, Will, and her friend Lex
go to their local park to celebrate the start
of summer vacation. On the old, worn-
down playground, Will breaks his arm
(“you bent your bone, like a little tree
branch bends”) when a swing chain snaps.
After being told by City Hall that the play-
ground equipment isn’t due to be replaced
for four years, the kids raise money to
replace the swings themselves, holding sev-
eral events to reach their goal of $600.

B O O K L I F E .C O M 58i