Book Review: “Final Notice”
Posted: December 12, 2025 Filed under: Action/Adventure, Book Review, Books, cozy mystery, Crime, Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Review, Thriller | Tags: Book Reveiw, Crime Fiction, Final Notice, Humor, Jennifer Hart, mystery, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
About Final Notice
Fester Gomez is three months behind on his rent for his pricey South Beach condo and Damaged Goods is on the job. Either they convince the tenant to pay up or he’ll face eviction. The simple task turns deadly when the team discovers Gomez missing and a Jane Doe slowly decomposing in his bathtub. Serving a killer up to justice, wrestling family secrets—it’s just another day on the job for Damaged Goods.
My Review of Final Notice
I purchased Final Notice, by Jennifer L. Hart from a KindofBook deal and I am providing an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Final Notice, by Jennifer L. Hart is Book 1 in the Damaged Goods Mystery series. Damaged Goods is the name Jackie Parker chooses for their property management business when her husband, Luke, and brother-in-law, Logan, invite her to join their team as a certified process server. As one might guess from the business name, this tale contains quite a bit of humor, as Jackie is determined to find out who the dead girl in the bathtub at their first gig is, and find their missing tenant, and our trio finds themselves in some very unexpected situations. Jackie goes through outfits like someone with halitosis goes through breath mints, as she pokes her nose where someone doesn’t think it belongs.
Throw into the mix, a close encounter with Logan before she met Luke, which Luke doesn’t know about, that keeps things plenty uncomfortable among our new business partners, a mother-in-law who renews her vows every year with Jackie in the wedding party, a very needy mother of her own, and an unquenchable need to solve a mystery, and you’ve got the makings for a thoroughly entertaining cozy that won’t let you down.
I recommend Ms. Hart expend more on editing, as there were enough typos to be distracting from the story, but I had so much fun following along as Jackie tries to evict some very unusual tenants, and interact with the story’s other quirky characters, that I was willing to struggle past them and continue reading.
Comical and witty, as well as adventurous. If you can ignore the many typos, you’ll be well entertained by this cozy mystery. I give Final Notice four quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Book Review: “Rage in the Wilderness” & “Digging Up Murder”
Posted: November 14, 2025 Filed under: Action/Adventure, Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Review, Thriller | Tags: Action, Book Reveiw, Kathryn Lane, Kaye Lynne Booth, Rage in the Wilderness, Thriller, Writing to be Read 3 CommentsAbout Rage in the Wilderness
You can’t keep the past buried forever…
When private investigator Nikki Garcia comes to New Mexico, raging wildfires in the nearby mountains force her and her family to evacuate. In the ensuing chaos, people close to her, including her husband, mysteriously disappear.
Join Nikki as she races across the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Colorado prairie in a desperate attempt to save her loved ones. Her search unearths decades-old secrets and an international spy network that will stop at nothing to steal secrets from the heart of Cheyenne Mountain.
As she navigates treacherous terrain and ruthless adversaries, old secrets hold the key to uncovering the truth. When she unravels a past that defies explanation, will that help her locate her kidnapped husband or will she pay the ultimate price in this perilous pursuit?
Prepare for a riveting adventure with a female sleuth that will keep you on the edge of your seat, craving every page.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rage-Wilderness-secrets-revealed-explodes-ebook/dp/B0CRTH1Q47
My Review of Rage in the Wilderness
I purchased Rage in the Wilderness, by Katheryn Lane through a Friday BookBub Deal. All opinions stated here are my own.
A vacation to New Mexico turns sour when wildfires force evacuation and P.I., Nicki Garcia’s husband is abducted in the chaos. She’s torn between getting her brother’s family to safety, and locating her husband, Eduardo. As on a true life investigation, the right hand doesn’t always know what the left is doing, especially when the feds get involved.
Lots of action and gun play, foiled escapes, and tense moments. Readers don’t know any more than our two protagonists do and must wait as the mystery unfolds. I give Rage in the Wilderness four quills.
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A quaint seaside New England town. A historic library. And a mystery to solve.
Elly Hockette returns to her hometown of Garden Cove, Massachusetts, just in time to help her librarian grandmother with last-minute preparations for the historic library’s Halloween festivities. Determined to forget her recent past and start anew, she spends the rest of her free time doing something that always brought her joy—gardening.
But when she makes a grisly discovery, her world is flipped upside down. It isn’t until the local authorities point to her grandma as their number-one suspect that she needs her old friends—and some new furry ones—to help her crack the case.
Can Elly solve the mystery and clear her grandma’s good name? Or will she go too far and put her own life in jeopardy?
This fun-filled and clean librarian cozy mystery will have you guessing until the very end.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Digging-Murder-Gard
My Review of Digging Up Murder
I purchased a digital copy of Digging Up Murder, by Penny Brooke through a KindofBook Deal. All opinions stated here are my own.
Digging up Murder, by Penny Brooke is a delightful cozy murder mystery, complete with a cuddly kitten and a dog named Lucky. (While the kitten is cute and may win readers hearts with the classic ‘Save the Cat’s move, it doesn’t actually have a part in the solving of the mystery, so its presence felt a little gimmicky.)
Elly has returned to her hometown of Garden Cove after the breakup of a really bad relationship, in time for her grandmother’s retirement from the local library. While doing a fall cleanup in her grandmother’s yard, Elly discovers a human hand buried in the detritus, and before she knows what’s happening, her elderly grandmother has been arrested for murder! Although the idea is preposterous, it looks like it is up to Elly to discover the true murderer and get her grandma out of jail. But it’s time for the annual witches’ festival and there are special events scheduled at the library, as well. With grandma in the pokey, it falls to her to be sure it all comes off without a hitch, all while searching for the answers to this murder mystery with the help of her once best friend, Claire and her high school boyfriend, Nathan, and his trustworthy dog, Lucky.
I think cozies are meant to be feel-good mysteries, softening murder down to a basic puzzle to be solved with lots of cute distractions. By those standards, this story does exactly what it was meant to do and serves its purpose well. I did enjoy watching the mystery unfold, and the kitten and the dog were quite entertaining. (But then who can resist a cute little kitten and a loveable dog?) The story was well crafted, which I think I mystery must be, for all the clues and red herrings to work like they are supposed to.
A well-crafted cozy which gives you all the clues, so that the answer is right in front of the reader, but they don’t realize it until the answers are revealed. I give Digging Up Murder five quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Lindsey’s WRITING PRACTICE- Review: “Jigsaw Puzzling: Essays in a Time of Pestilence” by Denise Low
Posted: October 1, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Lindsey's Writing Practice, Nonfiction, Review | Tags: Book Reveiw, Denise Low, Jigsaw Puzzling, Lindsey Martin-Bowen, Lindsey's Writing Practice, Nonfiction, Problem Solving, Writing to be Read 4 Comments
By Lindsey Martin-Bowen
“I never underestimate the power of a single puzzle piece. It fits within a whole, like each moment of my unfolding life story.”
—Denise Low
Hey, Dear Readers, this month you’ve earned a break: No writing exercise. Instead, I’m posting an engaging book review by a well-known poet, professor, fiction and prose writer, and former Kansas Poet Laureate, Denise Low. Jigsaw Puzzling: Essays in a Time of Pestilence amazed me—and I had to share the experience with others. Please enjoy it!
Who’da thunk it? Such an accomplished, widely-published poet, fiction and scholarly writer, and esteemed university professor she is—yet she’s writing about and documenting info about jigsaw puzzles?
Yes!
This brilliant scholar, Denise Low, penned an insightful, in-depth, engaging and well-researched book that could suffice as a manual or textbook for the jig-sawing craft. Trapped indoors—sans travel and during the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her husband, visual artist, Thomas Pecore Weso, found fulfillment and experienced marvelous teamwork in assembling jigsaw puzzles, including those that emulate high art. (In fact, Chapter 4 , “The Great Masters in (Jigsaw) Pieces,” Lowe lists some of the painting reproductions transformed into jig-saw puzzles, among them, Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Claude Monet’s Waterlilies, and Thomas Gainsborough’s The Blue Boy.)
Like me, Low views paintings as “more intimate than photographs.” She continues to explore this viewpoint by adding, “If [Van Gogh’s] Arles bedroom scene had been a photograph, historical documentation would give the image an aura of authenticity. The painted representation of the bedroom also has some value as documentation— what was a nineteenth century peasant room like, anyway?—and it also records his mode of painterly creation. The artist’s vivid palette and energetic, rough brushstrokes are unique to him. The puzzling apotheosis of Van Gogh, a person transformed into an artist god, overrode my experience of the original painting. (30)
Low also intertwines words from Margaret Drabble, who pointed out the integration of high art into jigsaw puzzles to Springbok Editions’ 1964 publication of Jackson Pollack’s Convergence, renowned as “the most difficult jigsaw puzzle in the world,” by a British Broadcasting Company radio show, hosted by Alan Dein. Drabble is also a jigsaw and Van Gogh admirer, Low points out, and quotes Drabble’s words about the two topics: From jigsaws, you learn about the brushstrokes of Van Gogh, the clouds of Constable, the reflections and shadows of Manet, the stripes of Tissot and Rousseau, the brickwork and tiles of the Dutch masters, the flesh tones of Titian, the undulating fabrics and limbs of Botticelli, the business of Botsch and Breughel. (31) (From Drabble’s The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws. Boston:Houghton Mifflin, p. 250, (2009 ).
Nevertheless, Low does not limit her analysis (and resolutions) of jigsaws to historical (primarily European) paintings. She also analyzes a work by a master Indigenous artist, whose works (in jigsaw puzzles) she admits were “not as easy” to find. Fortunately, her husband, (a member of the Menominee Nation family) found (on the internet) the Lakota leader Red Cloud, (his family’s distant relative), in a jigsaw of the original painting of Red Cloud standing with a calvary officer in front of four teepees, for a reconciliation—rather than for a war.
Both Low and her husband relate strongly to Native American art. In fact, she equates the process of piecing together a “large, table-size picture piece-by-piece “as tantamount to “creating a sand painting” (33), a process wherein Native American tribes and Tibetan Monks create art by mixing various hues with the sand.
Further, Low doesn’t focus solely on painted artwork. She also analyzes engravings and illustrations, such as one of a cabinet of curiosities from Ferrante Imperato’s Deli’Historia Naturale (Naples 1599), poetry shards, mosaics, and various other topics for jigsaw puzzles—and offers histories for these varieties of subjects in jigsaws.
In the final chapters, she wraps up how the jigsawing during that frightening pandemic affected her priorities, psyche, and health. An unexpected result of immersion into Jigsaw Landria has been how colors burn into my retinas and become part of my inner life. In waking dreams, sections from Water Lilies would dance before my eyes, colors of blue-topaz, cotton-candy pink, and fern green. Other puzzles have had the had the same effect, with after images of colors entering inner sight, dreams, and early morning awakening. These colors interacted with what, a spirit body? An etheric double? An aura?
From those questions, Low analyzes the various theories on color and concludes that Color is one of our first considerations when we select a puzzle. . . we want something bright or soothing or compelling. A puzzle made of too many colors is chaotic and upsetting . . . . As COVID-19 lasts far beyond the year 2020, we look for more from Monet’s palette, the muted tones of a seascape as sunlight filters through mist, we are grateful for this respite from the grim chaos beyond our control. (93)
Indeed, Low’s brilliant insight applies to our current Zeitgeist in the U.S., too.
After teaching many years as a tenured writing and literature Professor at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, Low now teaches at Baker University. With more than 30 poetry books published, she continues to work in her free-lance writing career.
About Lindsey Martin-Bowen
On Halloween 2023, redbat books released Lindsey Martin-Bowen’s 7th poetry collection, CASHING CHECKS with Jim Morrison. Her 4 th collection, Where Water Meets the Rock, was nominated for a Pulitzer; her 3rd, CROSSING KANSAS with Jim Morrison was a finalist in the QuillsEdge Press 2015-2016 Contest. In 2017, it won the Kansas Writers Assn award, “Looks Like a Million.” Writer’s Digest gave her “Vegetable Linguistics” an Honorable Mention in its 85th Annual (2017) Contest. Her Inside Virgil’s Garage (Chatter House Press 2013) was a runner-up in the 2015 Nelson Poetry Book Award. McClatchy Newspapers named her Standing on the Edge of the World (Woodley Press/Washburn University) was one of the Ten Top Poetry Books of 2008. It was nominated for a Pen Award.
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Book Review: Shocking Celebrity Murders
Posted: August 22, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Nonfiction, Review | Tags: Book Reveiw, Jack Smith, Nonfiction, Shocking Celebrity Murders, True Crime, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsAbout Shocking Celebrity Murders
Hollywood has long fascinated the masses. Not just with blockbuster films, but also by way of the Hollywood lifestyle. The lives of the rich and famous stars who strut down Sunset Boulevard hold us mesmerized. One can’t help but wonder about what being a celebrity must really be like. And the same goes for Hollywood tragedy. When tragedy occurs, people can’t help but find themselves drawn to the spectacle. Cases of celebrities being murdered in particular are bound to get attention.
Some of the cases mentioned in this book are rather clear-cut instances of murder, while others still remain a complete mystery to this very day. It was quite obvious for example, who the culprits were in the deaths of aspiring actresses Rebecca Schaeffer and Dominque Dunne, since the killers of these two aspiring actresses, readily admitted to doing the killing. These tragic instances have shown that even the rich and famous are just as vulnerable as the rest of us. Then again, for Hollywood screenwriter Gary Devore, there was no such luck. In fact, when the celebrated writer was found with his hands cut off, no one seemed to have a clue as to what had happened to him.
Here in this book, we will highlight some of the most infamous Hollywood murders, along with a few that you might not have heard much about, including:
- George Reeves
- Bruce Lee
- Desmond Taylor
- Selena
- Lana Clarkson
- Kristi Johnson
- Bob Crane
- And many more!
Read on your favorite devices such as Kindle, iPhone, iPad, Android cellular phone, tablet, laptop, or computer with Amazon’s free reading Kindle App.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Shocking-Celebrity-Murders-Brutally-Hollywood-ebook/dp/B09L58HY76/
My Review of Shocking Celebrity Murders
I purchased a digital copy of Shocking Celebrity Murders, by Jack Smith via a KindofBook Deal. All opinions stated here are my own.
Shocking Celebrity Murders, by Jack Smith gives us the bare bones facts about the deaths of some of Hollywood’s most famous. Even the most gruesome of murders are reported with known facts and no added supposition or gory details.
Included are the deaths of Hogan’s Heros’ star Bob Crane; Saturday Night Live’s Phil Hartman; the original Superman, George Reeves; Martial artist and rising star, Bruce Lee; actress Natalie Woods; Musician Marvin Gaye; con-artist and with of Robert Blake, Bonnie Lee Blakely; and even the gruesome murder of Sharon Tate by members of the Mason ‘family’, along with several others whom I’d not heard of.
Smith covers the spectrum well, but I was surprised that certain deaths were not included, such as Marilyn Monroe, Janice Joplin, John Belushi, or even Elvis. They certainly qualify, since he includes unsolved cases, suspected suicides, and disappearances where the fate of the victim was never resolved. Because of this, I don’t believe the subtitle of the book- “True Crime Cases of Famous People Who Were Brutally Killed”- is misleading. While the author has done an excellent job of presenting the known facts, those facts often only lead to questions and speculation. While all the deaths included were tragic, I don’t consider all of them to be brutal, and not all were murders.
An interesting read. I give Shocking Celebrity Murders four quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Book Review: “Wings of Tabat”
Posted: August 15, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Review | Tags: Book Reveiw, Cat Rambo, Epic Fantasy, Wings of Tabat, Writing to be Read Leave a commentAbout Wings of Tabat
In the final book of Cat Rambo’s magical Tabat Quartet, we return to the city of Tabat, where Humans and magical Beasts co-exist—but uneasily. The exploited Beasts, used for both their labor and their very bodies, are finally fighting back, and turmoil abounds in the city.
At the same time, as Tabat prepares for its long-predicted elections, multiple factions are jostling for power—all of them preparing to oust the Duke. And the mysterious Circus of the Autumn Moon has departed from the College of Mages and is nowhere to be found.
Bella Kanto, once Champion of Tabat before being exiled for crimes she did not commit, has come home to her beloved city, carried by Dragons. If she is found, exiled Bella could be thrown into the Duke’s dark prisons.
Adelina, Bella’s former lover and best friend, has married Merchant Mage Sebastiano, but the two are still learning what it means to be in love with each other—and how to survive together.
Meanwhile, freed of his curse, Bella’s former companion Teo has escaped Lucy’s grasp, but finds the city an unwelcoming place nonetheless.
Now Bella must determine how to defend Tabat from a terrifying menace: the transfigured Lucy, transformed into a dangerous demigod. Monstrous in her power and angry at the city she feels has betrayed her, Lucy destroys the Duke’s castle and other vital parts of Tabat, raining down destruction and chaos, and threatening to eradicate the city entirely.
Now that she is reunited with her friends and family, can Bella manage to recapture her magical tie to Tabat in time to defeat Lucy before she destroys the city?
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Wings-Tabat-Quartet-Book-ebook/dp/B0FHC3M47Z
My Review of Wings of Tabat
I received a digital copy of Wings of Tabat, by Cat Rambo, from WordFire Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Wings of Tabat is the last book in The Tabat Quartet, by Cat Rambo. I had a hard time getting into the story because I was busy trying to figure out all the characters, with which I was unfamiliar because I hadn’t read the first three books. The author included a note to bring readers up to speed, but not knowing the characters and the world made it difficult to understand what has come before. Although some series books do well as stand alone, this series is epic fantasy, and there is need to be oriented in the world to be fully committed to the characters, so I recommend reading it through from the beginning.
Tabat is currently ruled by the Duke, but the city is in unrest and the upcoming elections threaten to change all that. The beasts are tired of being slaves and being treated as less than the humans, and there are humans who feel the state of things, where beasts are concerned, is wrong and needs to be corrected.
The champion of Tabat, Bella Canto, has been exiled by the Duke. Something has happened to a young girl, Obedience, to turn her evil and give her great power, turning her into Lucy, who is bent on revenge to all who have wronged her, as she sees it. Now, she has returned to Tabat to wreck havoc on the Duke and the city at large, and make the people she holds responsible pay.
But Bella Canto has also returned to Tabat, hoping to reclaim the city that she loves, and once loved her. As it turns out, she may be the city’s only hope, if she can gather the city’s magic once more.
Once I felt a connection with some of the characters, I was able to better get into this epic tale. I give Wings of Tabat four quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Book Review: Her Mother’s Secrets
Posted: June 20, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Mystery, Review, Short Fiction, Stories | Tags: Book Reveiw, Her Mother's Secrets, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, mystery, Short Fiction, Writing to be Read 10 CommentsAbout Her Mother’s Secrets
When tragedy took everything from Violet, she left home and never looked back. Until now. Her mother’s funeral.
Violet hopes she can settle her mother’s affairs and quietly return to the life she built after that day. Until she sees him. Skeeter Johnson. The boy who shot her in the face.
In a moment, her past returns to haunt her. A past she thought she left behind. A past, she comes to discover, full of her mother’s secrets.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Secrets-Kristine-Kathryn-Rusch-ebook/dp/B004BDOWMY/
My Review of Her Mother’s Secrets
I received a free digital copy of Her Mother’s Secrets from the WMG Books newsletter. All opinions stated here are my own.
This short story, Her Mother’s Secrets, by best selling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch, is a mystery of the mind. When Violet inherits her mother’s house, she inherits her mother’s secrets, as well. But those secrets may be the key to the missing parts of Violet’s life, the parts she lost during and after the ‘incident’ that changed her life forever.
Her Mother’s Secrets is a different type of mystery that delves into the tricks one’s mind can play. A delightful tale which can be read in a single sitting. I give it five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Review in Practice: “Get Your Book Selling Wide”
Posted: May 19, 2025 Filed under: book marketing, Book Review, Books, Indie Publishing, marketing, Nonfiction, Publishing, Review in Practice, Writing Resource | Tags: book marketing, Book Reveiw, Get Your Book Selling Wide, Monica Leonelle, Review in Practice, Writing to be Read 3 CommentsAbout Get Your Book Selling Wide
In this book, you’ll find:
- The five main strategies for going wide in ebook and how authors decide
- All the places you can go wide across multiple formats—print, ebook, audiobook, and more—and the benefits and downsides of each
- The general strategies authors use to make money while having their books wide (and why they work or don’t work on various platforms)
This book also covers the book industry as a whole from the perspective of an independent author. It answers questions like:
- What are the market factors that matter amongst some of the biggest players in the industry?
- What devices are important to pay attention to and how do those affect the ebook, print, and audiobook markets?
- How does global ecommerce play a role in shaping the future of the book industry?
This book is meant to be a detailed overview of what going wide really means as an independent career author.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Get-Your-Book-Selling-Wide-ebook/dp/B0917BYZPV/
I received a copy of Get Your Book Selling Wide through an offer in author Monica Leonelle’s Newsletter. All opinions stated here are my own. One of the best things about this book though, is the fact that it is always permafree, which means you too can get a free copy at the purchase link above.
You can read my review of
I’ve often mentioned that I am a wide author, which means I publish WordCrafter Press books on as many platforms as possible, and in as many formats as I can. I’m not a fan of exclusivity. It doesn’t make much sense to me to put all my eggs in one basket. So, it will come as no surprise to most of you that this book would be of interest to me.
Monica Leonelle has put together a comprehensive volume that explains what it means to be a wide author, and goes over several of the marketing platforms, and the different formats in which your books can be offered, as well as different types of marketing strategies for the different formats.
I be looking particularly at the pricing and marketing strategies for my print books, which are areas where I feel I have been lacking. The book industry is changing quickly and for an author to survive and be noticed above the competition, the author mindset must adjust to those changes. Digital and print books are two different beasts when it comes to marketing, with different target audiences. It only makes sense that you must reach out to those audiences in different ways.
I was also interested to learn that the pricing strategy for traditionally published books does not work so well for independent authors. Leonelle claims that independently published print books need to be priced slightly higher than traditionally published books in order for authors to make a decent profit.
I found the information on pre-orders and the discussion about their durations to be useful. I’ll be taking Leonelle’s advice under consideration in the future. The timing of pre-orders is an area I have struggled with in the past. My release of Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures missed the pre-order altogether and was released early. Obviously, an area where I can hone my skills as I continue to try and get it right.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Review in Practice” is sponsored by the Time Travel Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
When a Girl with a Guitar Meets a Man with a Gun, It’s Time to Travel
The Rock Star & The Outlaw: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Star-Outlaw-Time-Travel-Adventure-ebook/dp/B0CJBRRCN1/
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles: Coming in June, 2025
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Book Review: “Weeping Boughs Don’t Break”
Posted: May 9, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Review, romance | Tags: Book Reveiw, romance, Staci Troilo, Weeping Boughs Don't Break, Writing to be Read 13 CommentsAbout Weeping Boughs Don’t Break
A vow broken. A covenant shattered. A duty she can’t escape.
Claudia Abruzzo expected her mid-life crisis to begin when her kids left for college and culminate in a trip around the world when her husband retired. Instead, it started with Leo divorcing her for a woman young enough to be their daughter, and there was no end in sight to her heartbreak.
Five years later, the only change is her last name—back to Valenti. She still lives in the same memory-filled house in the same tiny town with the same financial and emotional struggles since losing her partner. While she doesn’t miss her ex, she does miss being married. She’d meant it when she’d said for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or health, and forsaking all others.
Leo had meant none of it, especially the forsaking part.
Now, his life is on the line and he—as well as his family—expects her to uphold her vows.
Crises of conscience, faith, and family test the flimsy tether of resolve that kept her moored when her life blew apart. Leo is forcing her into another no-win situation, and this time, when her world inevitably explodes, she might not have the strength to pick up the pieces.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Weeping-Boughs-Break-Staci-Troilo-ebook/dp/B0F3Q4T2JQ
My Review of Weeping Boughs Don’t Break
I requested and received a digital copy of Weeping Boughs Don’t Break from author Staci Troilo in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
This book affected me on a personal level, speaking to women and the strengths which are not always seen, especially not by the woman herself. When responsibility and the stresses of life overwhelm us, it feels like the world is crashing in on us and we can’t bear anymore. While others may see our amazing strengths in the trials of life, we don’t feel strong inside.
That’s how it was after my son was taken from me at the age of nineteen, when those around me claimed that I was the strength that held my family together, even as I felt my life crumbling around me. It was a time when family gather, which means dealing with all the people with whom I had a history, and while each came to lend support, they all had their own perspectives and thoughts on how things should proceed. At times, I felt pulled in several different directions, like Gumby, but not nearly as flexible. I remember thinking that I needed someone to stop the world from spinning and let me off.
That is without a doubt the biggest tragedy I have ever experienced, but I’ve had my share of lesser tragedies that brought me down to the lowest of lows, where it was a struggle just to face each day. We all have tragedies, big and small, that assault our emotions and mess with our heads. This story was a reminder of how strong we, as women, can be when they must.
For Claudia, who never learned to say “no” to anyone, even when those demands of others are totally unreasonable, and she tends to push her own needs to the back of the line, pushing those who care for her away unintentionally.But, when her manipulative and emotionally abusive ex-husband begins demanding of her after five long, painful years following their divorce, her emotions are stirred and the lines are blurred, and she doesn’t know how much more she can take. As a reader, Claudia’s strengths are apparent, and those who care about her see it, as well. But, there are events which Claudia hasn’t yet dealt with, which she must, if she is to ever fully heal, and that involves being honest with herself.
The realization that Trace sees something in her which she doesn’t see herself, comes as a shock, but to think he might be serious about her forces her to face her demons and her inner strength shines through.
Troilo manages to touch chords many women are familiar with and will relate to easily. It made me look at my own inner strengths as the character discovers strength which she never knew was there. I give Weeping Boughs Don’t Break five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Chatting with the Pros: Children’s Author, Darlene Foster
Posted: February 15, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Chatting with the Pros, Children's Books, Fiction, Interview, Writing | Tags: Amanda in Scotland, Author Interview, Book Reveiw, Chatting with the Pros, Children's Books, Darlene Foster, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writing to be Read 77 Comments
I first met Darlene when she sent me a pitch for this interview in response to a call for pitches I put out. I’m always thrilled to meet other children’s authors and I have to say, I really liked her attitude and her approach. I believe children’s authors have the gift of viewingthe world through a child’s eyes, or maybe they just retain more of their own inner child than others do. When I saw her author photo (below), I saw this in her wonderful smile and the sparkle in her eye.
Join me here, in learning more about her and her lovely children’s books, the Amanda Travels Series, (ten books and still more to come). She also writes short fiction, which has been featured in several anthologies, and has a short fiction collection, .
About Darlene Foster
Darlene Foster grew up on a ranch in Alberta, Canada, where her love of reading inspired her to see the world and write stories. She is the author of the exciting Amanda Travels series featuring spunky Amanda Ross, a twelve-year-old girl who loves to travel. All ages enjoy following Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another in unique destinations. When not travelling, meeting interesting people, and collecting ideas for her books, Darlene enjoys spending time with her family in Canada and her house in Spain with her husband and entertaining rescue dogs, Dot and Lia.
My Interview with Darlene
Kaye: Please tell us a little about your author’s journey.
Darlene: Since I was a little girl on the farm, I enjoyed telling stories, often making them up in my head as I daydreamed. My wonderful grade-three teacher suggested I write my stories down. I had a short story published in the local newspaper when I was twelve but didn’t do much serious writing until I was a grandmother. I visited a friend in the United Arab Emirates and had such a great time that I planned to write a story about it. After several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to try writing the story from a twelve-year-old’s point of view. Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask was born. It took me three years to write the book and another five years to find a publisher, but I persisted. In the meantime, I wrote Amanda in Spain: The Girl in The Painting and had ideas for Amanda in England: The Missing Novel. I now have ten books in the series and am working on the eleventh.
Kaye: You are a member of the Children’s Writer’s Guild. Can you tell us how authors benefit from being a member of such organizations?
Darlene: I belong to CWILL BC (Children’s Writers and Illustrators of BC) I love being part of an organization like this as it is important to mix with other authors. One of the many benefits is the sharing of knowledge. It is the best way to keep up to date on the writing/publishing industry which is an ever-changing world. It’s imperative to keep on top of trends etc. These organizations put together workshops and special events, in person or online, and provide marketing opportunities. Because of my membership, I have done in-class presentations all over the world via Zoom. I used to belong to more similar organizations, but there is only so much time to commit.
Kaye: You have a children’s series, the Amanda Travels series. Tell us about the books and the series.
Darlene: Here is the Reader’s Digest version. Spunky Amanda Jane Ross loves travelling to interesting places, meeting cool people and learning fascinating new things. Her curiosity and eagerness to help people often gets her into trouble wherever she goes. Her adventures have taken her to the deserts of Arabia, castles in England, Spain’s sunny beaches, historic cities along the Danube, spooky buildings in New Mexico, the tulip fields of Holland, and mysterious standing stones in Scotland. Life is never dull for this tween.
Kaye: Amanda in Scotland makes ten books in the Amanda Travels books, and in each one she travels to a different country. Would I be wrong in assuming that you have visited all the places Amanda has traveled?
Darlene: You would not be wrong. In fact, I have made it a policy that Amanda can not go anywhere I haven’t been!
Kaye: Which country is your favorite? Why?
Darlene: That’s difficult to answer as I like all of them for different reasons. Perhaps the United Arab Emirates as it was so very different from anything I had ever experienced, and it got me started writing the series.
Kaye: Which country is Amanda’s favorite? Why?
Darlene: Amanda doesn’t have a favourite country. She loves them all and always has a great time wherever she goes. As long as she is making friends,learning new things, and solving a mystery, she is happy.
Kaye: If Amanda goes to a different country each year, how old was she when the series began? How many countries does Amanda go to each year?
Darlene: Amanda turned twelve when she wished for travel and adventure before blowing out the candles on her birthday cake. She stays twelve years old throughout the series. Nancy Drew is the same age in all 34 books. I believe Trixie Belden stays around the same age too. The books are stand-alone and don’t have to be read in any particular order. I prefer writing for tweens instead of teenagers.
Kaye: Where does Amanda plan to travel next?
Darlene: Amanda will be off to Ireland to attend her cousin’s wedding. She will have a fabulous adventure in the Emerald Isle; the land of leprechauns, fairies and dangerous bogs. The working title is, Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog.
Kaye: You are a traditionally published author and the Amanda Travels series is signed with Simon & Schuster. (Congratulations, by the way.) How much of the marketing and promotion for your books are you required to do?
Darlene: The first nine books were published by Central Avenue Publishing, a small independent press in Canada. CAP has recently become an imprint of Simon & Schuster, which is wonderful. I self-published, through Draft2Digital, Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones. As for marketing and promotion, I have always done most of my own. I set up book signings and visits to bookstores, schools and libraries, as well as blog tours and social media marketing. I do some marketing every day as it is part of the job. It is great to have a distribution company like Simon & Schuster for bookstores, libraries, and schools to order from.
Kaye: After being traditionally published for nine books, why the switch to independent publishing through D2D?
Darlene: My publisher has decided not to publish kids’ books anymore. We are still on good terms, and I am leaving the first nine books with her. The publishing world is very changeable and as writers, we need to be adaptable.
Kaye: According to your bio, you are an award-winning author. Would you tell us about the awards you’ve won for your books? Which are you most proud of?
Darlene: I have won awards for my short stories, which can be found in a number of anthologies. I’m very proud of my story, The Day Dief Came to Town. It’s based on an hilarious event from my childhood. It was the first prize I got for my writing and gave me the confidence to carry on. I included it in my short-story collection, You Can Take The Girl From The Prairie
Kaye: Your books are available in both digital and print editions. What differences do you see in digital and print sales for children’s books?
Darlene: Initially (15 years ago), I sold 50% e-books and 50% print books. Now it is more like 25% e-books and 75% print books. Kids still enjoy holding a book in their hands, and adults prefer buying print books for them. School libraries like to stock print books, and teachers use the print books as part of their curriculum.
Kaye: What advice do you have for new authors trying to break into the children’s market?
Darlene: Never give up and never stop learning. Search out other writers who can serve as mentors or become part of your street team.
Kaye: Where can readers find out more about you and the Amanda Travels series?
Darlene:
My website https://www.darlenefoster.ca/
My blog https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/
My Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/Darlene-Foster/author/B003XGQPHA
My goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3156908.Darlene_Foster
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog!
Kaye: You’ve been a wonderful guest. Thank you so much for your candid responses.
About Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones
What could possibly go wrong on the magical Scottish Isle of Arran? It’s such a peaceful, charming place with castles, mountains, old graves and ancient standing stones.
Amanda Ross and Leah Anderson are visiting Aunt Jenny who owns an old house on the island. But something is not right. A mysterious woman, who seems to have stepped out of the past, keeps appearing, Leah’s father hasn’t contacted the family for some time, and Aunt Jenny’s house may have an uninvited guest.
Amanda is intrigued by this picturesque island, often called Little Scotland. She watches exciting sheepdog trials, attends a lively ceilidh, makes friends with the locals, and visits the mystical Holy Island. Join Amanda as she tries to solve the mystery of the strange woman and the disappearance of Leah’s father. Will the past catch up with the present?
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-Scotland-Standing-Stones-Travels-ebook/dp/B0D5TMLSLC
My Review of Amanda in Scotland
I received a digital copy of Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones, by Darlene Foster is a delightful middle-grade mystery reminescent of the Nancy Drew mysteries, with the element of travel thrown in. In the Amanda Travels Series, Amanda is a curious and bright twelve year old, who discover and solve myteries through her travels. Readers are introduced to the various countries she travels to through Amanda’s eyes as she learns about the history and culture of each destination.
This story takes us to the Arran in Scotland, where Amanda visits her travel friend, Leah, and her Aunt Jenny. As the girls explore Arran and the surrounding islands, they meet a mysterious woman, recieve puzzling messages from Leah’s father, and they experience other odd occurances which don’t add up. On an island where many places are reported to be haunted, Amanda determines to follow the clues and unravel the mystery. Like any good mystery, all is revealed by the end of the story.
Foster manages to give vivid descriptions, allowing readers to picture the castles, ruins and landscapes of Scotland in stunning detail, while delighting in the thrill of solving a mystery. I’ve no doubt the other books in the series are just as delightful. A great way for young readers to learn about the world around us. I give Amanda in Scotland five quills.
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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This segment of “Chatting with the Pros” is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
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Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle
Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee
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Book Review: “The Cultist’s Wife”
Posted: November 22, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Horror, Review | Tags: BJ Sikes, Book Reveiw, Gothic Horror, The Cultist's Wife, Writing to be Read Leave a commentAbout The Cultist’s Wife
A gothic horror set in 1908 Bahamas
She loathes him but the cult beckons.
1908, the height of the British Empire. Clara’s autonomy is shattered when her long-absent husband summons her to join him at his eerie sect’s headquarters, insulated on a sparsely inhabited island in the Bahamas.
After a harrowing sea voyage, Clara and her children disembark into an unfamiliar landscape and climate. The children explore the marvels and mysteries of Andros Island and develop friendships with a Bahamian family, while Clara struggles to find her place as a woman within the cult.
But what seems at first to be a spiritual haven for Clara reveals itself to be a monster-worshiping cult intent on draining her family of more than their fortune.
Must Clara give up her quest for independence to protect her children from the cult’s depravity?
With themes of Spiritualism, motherhood, and female empowerment, The Cultist’s Wife will appeal to fans of The Ghost Woods and The Quickening.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Cultists-Wife-BJ-Sikes-ebook/dp/B0CW1FKGND
My Review
I recieved a digital copy of The Cultist’s Wife, by B.J. Sikes from Sandra’s Book Club review program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
I was attracted to this book by its simple cover design which highlights the title, which caught my eye, so I chose this book from a slew of books Sandra’s Book Club has available for review. It’s a gothic horror novel, which could even fall under the women’s fiction genre. Clara, the female protagonist, is a woman in British society seeking her independence through spiritualism at the beginning of the twentieth century in the absence of her husband, who has been in the Bahamas for the past five years. And later in the story, we meet a second strong female who plays an equally vital role in the story’s plot.
At first, I must admit, I didn’t like Clara very much. I found her to be selfish, worried more about appearances in society than anything else, as she allows a nanny to take responsibility for the care of her children, eight-year-old Elsie and five-year-old Reggie, which was common for the times. When her absent husband summons her to bring the children and join him, she cows to his will as a proper wife should, in spite of her questions as to his motive. Upon their arrival, her choice to seek enlightenment on Andros Island and become a member of the cult her husband is involved, and her almost total disregard for her children and their well-being reinforced my first impression and made me wonder how she could be so blind to what was happening around her. I felt it to be at odds with the self-rightous, independent woman she was struggling to be.
The children are the real heroes in this tale, showing strength and ingenuity in their mother’s absence as she bends to the will of the Order. They are left to their own devices to explore the island, making friends with the indigenous people, and uncovering a murder in the process. Their mother doesn’t believe them and they turn to Aunty Irene, another strong and independent female from the local population, but even she may not be strong enough to stand against the Order.
By the end of the story, we see Clara grow and change into a truly strong and caring woman as her priorities shift and her eyes are opened to the reality of her situation, providing an unsuspected and satisfying ending as every character arc should, but it is little Elsie who I identified with and rooted for. Perhaps it should have been titled, “The Cultist’s Children” instead.
A classic gothic horror story, I give The Cultist’s Wife four quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
