ABOUT.me is not about me. It is ABOUT YOU.
This is a wonderful site where you've 2,500 characters/spaces to tell others all about yourself.
How many times have you received a new follower, but when you go to this individual's Twitter page you don't really know anything about them? How many times have you followed someone and get blocked, primarily due to the fact they don't really know anything about besides the items you get to write below your name on Twitter?
I've found this site can be helpful to getting more return followers. To better understand what I'm talking about, everyone is invited to check out my Twitter account. Once you get to my homepage look at the left and you'll find a link to my about.me page.
I'd like to read your comments regarding the above. And if you're an author, I'd like to have you follow me, especially if your genre is MG/YA or Romance.
Here's the link to my Twitter account: http://www.twitter.com/mypennameonly
[When you're giving someone a link to your twitter account, you MUST give them the complete link. The @______ ONLY WORKS within Twitter itself.]
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
WEEKLY STATUS REPORT # 26
As you might you might have guessed if you've been following my posts, I've been quite busy reading/reviewing books. In the past week I've finished reading one book and read two more books and then posting my reviews for them. I also posted a review for a book I read by Rene D. Schultz ["Bishop Street"] which I read back in 2008, and just found again in the back of the top shelf of a closet in our [my OH and I] apartment.
Over the weekend I began reading a biography of Bill Crosby - "CROSBY - His Life and Times" by Mark Whiteaker which I won on a GiveAway on GoodReads, The book doesn't get officially released until tomorrow [September 16, 2014.]
I had to chance to review by FLASH FICTION anthology and going over 25% of my manuscript I decided to delete two items, which means I've got to write two new ones so far; hopefully there won't be too many more I've got to delete.
The big thing about all this that I'm finally keeping my New Year's Resolution for this year regarding my return to reading books again. I've already read seven books since the end of last month and still have to post by review for it here on my blog, it's already posted on Amazon.com / GoodReads.com / LibraryThing.com like the rest of the books I've reviewed.
All the reviews I've posted so far here on my blog have been for REAL PHYSICAL BOOKS in which some of the authors have signed their names, with two of them being personally signed. In the coming days, I'm going to post the reviews I've already written for the e-books I've bought or won. There is a FTC guideline which deals with reviewers needing to mention if they've received the book for FREE, which is why you see writing about how I obtained the book.
Over the weekend I began reading a biography of Bill Crosby - "CROSBY - His Life and Times" by Mark Whiteaker which I won on a GiveAway on GoodReads, The book doesn't get officially released until tomorrow [September 16, 2014.]
I had to chance to review by FLASH FICTION anthology and going over 25% of my manuscript I decided to delete two items, which means I've got to write two new ones so far; hopefully there won't be too many more I've got to delete.
The big thing about all this that I'm finally keeping my New Year's Resolution for this year regarding my return to reading books again. I've already read seven books since the end of last month and still have to post by review for it here on my blog, it's already posted on Amazon.com / GoodReads.com / LibraryThing.com like the rest of the books I've reviewed.
All the reviews I've posted so far here on my blog have been for REAL PHYSICAL BOOKS in which some of the authors have signed their names, with two of them being personally signed. In the coming days, I'm going to post the reviews I've already written for the e-books I've bought or won. There is a FTC guideline which deals with reviewers needing to mention if they've received the book for FREE, which is why you see writing about how I obtained the book.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
BOOK REVIEW # 7 - SEARCHING 4 MrRIGHT.COM
I read this, Rene's first book, as a paperback way back in 2008 which I believe I might still have tucked away somewhere in my apartment.
Searching4MrRight.com is a pure personal account of the author's personal life following a divorce and years of living alone until a friend urged to try online dating. She finally did follow this person's advice, the results of which can be read in her book.
Who can't recall the horrors of the dates you had, many of which you'd sooner forget, before getting married for the first. For the dates you can recall, didn't you give each one of those dates a label of sort to "remember" them by. If you did and you can relate to what Rene had experienced when she decided to re-enter the dating and doing the same thing. Read this book, and see how many of her dates had been similar to ones you had experienced yourself.
Searching4MrRight.com is a fun read, which for some might be hard to put down.
US: http://www.amazon.com/Searching4MrRight-com-Rene-D-Schultz-ebook/dp/B007V91HTQ
UK: http://www.amazon.com/Searching4MrRight-com-Rene-D-Schultz-ebook/dp/B007V91HTQ
Searching4MrRight.com is a pure personal account of the author's personal life following a divorce and years of living alone until a friend urged to try online dating. She finally did follow this person's advice, the results of which can be read in her book.
Who can't recall the horrors of the dates you had, many of which you'd sooner forget, before getting married for the first. For the dates you can recall, didn't you give each one of those dates a label of sort to "remember" them by. If you did and you can relate to what Rene had experienced when she decided to re-enter the dating and doing the same thing. Read this book, and see how many of her dates had been similar to ones you had experienced yourself.
Searching4MrRight.com is a fun read, which for some might be hard to put down.
US: http://www.amazon.com/Searching4MrRight-com-Rene-D-Schultz-ebook/dp/B007V91HTQ
UK: http://www.amazon.com/Searching4MrRight-com-Rene-D-Schultz-ebook/dp/B007V91HTQ
BOOK REVIEW # 6 - BISHOP STREET
How many times have we finished reading a book by an author and wondered what had been this author's inspiration in writing each of their main characters? Well, Rene D. Schultz is the first author I can recall who has given us this information even before we get to the first page of the actual story; and with it, I feel, gives us a somewhat better understanding of the characters themselves.
The first two characters we meet are Margaret [Maggie] Gray and her secretary Denise Lockwood. Ms. Schultz had already informed us that Maggie is the author in her and that Denise is her humor; both of which, without going into any details, I can attest to having read her first book, "Searching For Mr.Right.com." [see BOOK REVIEW # 7]
In "Bishop Street" the author tells the story of Maggie's quest to reunite herself with the only three friends she had growing up in the orphanage, the only home she knew. Those three were friends Elizabeth [the mother in the author's life], Randolph [the successful one] and Lucy [the lost child]. And with the help of Damon she was able to connect with each one again.
It's interesting how Elizabeth wound up isolated in small town in North Dakota on a small farm away from the madness of a large city; and the other three in the same large city on the west coast, with each one of these three having built a wall around their personal lives, and each with their own personal reasons.
Yet, throughout the story there are no long drawn out chapters about their lives of her characters in the orphanage on Bishop Street, just snippets dispersed throughout the story itself which adds to the poignancy of the scene.
While Maggie is basically satisfied with how the first two of her friends have turned out. However, she can't help her desire to help Lucy, the last of her three friends, not only to regain her former dignity and self-respect; but also to regain custody of her daughter who had been taken by social services due to her abuse of alcohol and drugs. Does she succeed? I'm not going to say, it's in the book.
Even though all four of the main characters lives took different paths after they each left the Bishop Street Orphanage, each one took the same single memento of a special day there; a memento they've kept close to them even twenty years later.
Schultz's descriptive style of writing many times pulls you right into the scene being created, and it feels as if the action is taking place in front of you.
Bishop Street is a great poignant of an individual's will to survive and succeed, regardless of what life had brought them. Which is why I'm not hesitating in giving it 5 STARS.
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DL3QBBK
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DL3QBBK
In "Bishop Street" the author tells the story of Maggie's quest to reunite herself with the only three friends she had growing up in the orphanage, the only home she knew. Those three were friends Elizabeth [the mother in the author's life], Randolph [the successful one] and Lucy [the lost child]. And with the help of Damon she was able to connect with each one again.
It's interesting how Elizabeth wound up isolated in small town in North Dakota on a small farm away from the madness of a large city; and the other three in the same large city on the west coast, with each one of these three having built a wall around their personal lives, and each with their own personal reasons.
Yet, throughout the story there are no long drawn out chapters about their lives of her characters in the orphanage on Bishop Street, just snippets dispersed throughout the story itself which adds to the poignancy of the scene.
While Maggie is basically satisfied with how the first two of her friends have turned out. However, she can't help her desire to help Lucy, the last of her three friends, not only to regain her former dignity and self-respect; but also to regain custody of her daughter who had been taken by social services due to her abuse of alcohol and drugs. Does she succeed? I'm not going to say, it's in the book.
Even though all four of the main characters lives took different paths after they each left the Bishop Street Orphanage, each one took the same single memento of a special day there; a memento they've kept close to them even twenty years later.
Schultz's descriptive style of writing many times pulls you right into the scene being created, and it feels as if the action is taking place in front of you.
Bishop Street is a great poignant of an individual's will to survive and succeed, regardless of what life had brought them. Which is why I'm not hesitating in giving it 5 STARS.
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DL3QBBK
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DL3QBBK
Friday, September 12, 2014
BOOK REVIEW # 5 - THE CATEGORICAL UNIVERSE OF CANDICE PHEE
Before I start, it should be noted this book had been released previously in Australia under the title of “My Life as the Alphabet.”
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In addition, I should point out that having read/review three rock romance novels by Nicky Wells, I’ve already became adjusted to the British spelling and usage of words contained in this book, which for some readers might take a little getting used to.
When I first once opened the book and flipped through the pages I immediately got transported to the first grade [or was it Kindergarten] and had a primer to read. You know what I’m talking about; A is for Apple, B is for Boy, C is for Cat.
As I read the first chapter of this book, “A is for Assignment,” I immediately began to realize that you need to read as Barry Jonsberg meant it to be read. You need to read coming from the first person POV of Candice Phee herself, as she’s the one who’s actually writing this story.
This came about because her teacher, Miss Bamford, had given her an assignment to write a simple essay consisting of twenty-six paragraphs with each paragraph starting a letter of the alphabet concerning something which had happened to you in the past. However, Candice, knowing she couldn’t adequately tell her story in a mere twenty-six paragraphs, decided to write several paragraphs for each letter instead; and even mentioned she’d already written sixteen paragraphs for the letter “A” at one point. And as you might suspect she already envisioned having problems with the letters “Q” and “X.”
Candice’s entire family seems to be dysfunctional as her father’s despondent because a certain confrontation which had occurred eons ago; her mother’s totally depressed to do a double mastectomy and having lost a child to SIDS. Her now rich Uncle Brian uses his wealth attempting to win other people’s affection. And even though she has no idea whatsoever in terms of what she’s doing, Candice is continuously trying to fix her family’s multitude of problems on her own. It is because of this she seem to be the embodiment of being “quirky” in her personality.
As we read subsequent chapter and letter of the alphabet, we see more and more of the episodic existence Candice has to endure to survive. I truly enjoyed reading this, the first of Barry Jonsberg’s books I’ve had the pleasure to read. I feel it would be best suited to be read by children aged ten or more, and in the fifth grade. While the book would be something girls would tend to read more than boys—boys should not be forgotten as part of the audience of potential readers, since some of things Candice did, boys would be usually more apt to do than girls.
I believe the US title for this book is more appropriate than its counterpart in Australia and the rest of the world since it more aptly describes Candice’s world one letter of the alphabet at a time.
I consider myself privileged to have received a free ARC [Advanced Reader’s Copy – Uncorrected] copy of this book, which I got as part of GoodRead’s GiveAway program. The above has been my honest opinion regardless the manner I’ve received this copy of the book. And I’m there happy to give “The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee” the 5 STARS it deserves.
US http://www.amazon.com/Categorical-Universe-Candice-Phee-ebook/dp/B00JVZ46A0
US http://www.amazon.com/Categorical-Universe-Candice-Phee-ebook/dp/B00JVZ46A0
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
BOOK REVIEW # 4 - THE JOY OF SKINNY ON FINANCES
In these days of financial crises and woes how many of us can HONESTLY SAY we don’t need to be told repeatedly how to handle our money. The truth is, even though we hate to admit it, none of us can afford not to be reminded.
We need to be grateful to the authors of “The Joy of Skinny on Finances,” Marcia Manchester and Charla Aylsworth, for having taken the time to put together and write a book which deals with precisely we must remember and actually need to do to gain some wealth and peace of mind in these trying times.
I found their book to be an easy slow read which can easily be completed in a few hours, and still have time to read it again a second time the same day.
The authors of this book can assist many of us take the “blinders” off that we’re walking around with when it comes to our “fiscal fitness” by telling us in simple terms how to take the “fat” off of what we’ve been doing wrong and to get to the real “skin and bones” of the matter.This is why I’ve decided to give this the 5 STARS it so RICHLY deserves.
NOTE: I received a signed paperback copy of this book by both of its authors through a GiveAway on GoodReads; and this has been my honest opinion of the book.
US http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Skinny-Finances-Living-ebook/dp/B00LCDW8KY
UK http://www.amazon.co,uk/Joy-Skinny-Finances-Living-ebook/dp/B00LCDW8KY
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
BOOK REVIEW # 3 - RICH & FAMOUS
When
I first looked at the cover of “Rich & Famous” by Roberta Grimes and saw the
white limousine and what appears to have been ankle-restraints in the
lower-right corner, I began to fear the book I was about to review would turn out
to an Erotica novel. Luckily this didn’t
turn out to be the case here, and I’m grateful she go on to give us any details
when it came to her sex scenes, which is something the all of us, if not most,
should have experienced during our lives at some point or other.
Her
main character, Kim, seem to me to be sort of a conundrum in that while she had
become extremely successful in business, and had a type of a boyfriend almost
any woman would wish could be hers; at times she seemed to lacking a total understanding
of what was going on. Other than this
Ms. Grimes’ complex character development of Kim is quite good. Using a
“flashback” to tell us what happened to Kim at age 13 and her youth I feel had
been placed perfectly in the storyline.
However,
if we look at this author’s storyline as a cross-country trip, she took off on
side-trips for a brief moment to visit, but never returned to give us more of
it, resulting in us not really knowing anything; just as us driving by a
tourist attraction without stopping to go in.
Her
“visit” to discussions of margins and business plans/reasons for holding to the
company she owned could have been eliminated without any lost to the actual
storyline itself as it didn’t add anything to it.
How
many of us can remember watching “LifeStyles of the Rich & Famous” with
Robin Leach and wondered what else is it like. Well Ms. Grimes’ book takes us
there, and shows us it’s not all as it appears to be. “Rich & Famous” is a
decent read which should be looked into, which is why I’ve given 4 STARS.
This
review has been my honest opinion for a paperback copy of the book I’ve
received from a GiveAway on Goodreads.
Robin
Leigh Morgan is the author of “I Kissed a Ghost,” a MG-YA Paranormal romance
novel.
WEEKLY STATUS REPORT # 25
As you know by now I’ve officially
declared myself to be a BOOK REVIEWER due to the onslaught of books I’ve won on
GoodReads and elsewhere. So far, I’ve read/reviewed 5 of the physical books I’ve
won and have posted my reviews on Amazon.com / GoodReads.com /
LibraryThing.com; and I’ve also written a review for a book I read back in 2008
because it had been written by one of the authors I’ve just reviewed. I’ll be
posting them here shortly has well. Besides
these paperbacks, I’ve got about 6 e-books yet to be read.
All this has caused me to halt making almost
any progress for most of my writing endeavors. Hopefully by next week I’ll be
able to start these up again.
One thing I’ve found since becoming a BOOK
REVIEWER is I’m getting more exposure to new individuals who’ve read my
reviews. I’d love to read any comments you might have regarding.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
BOOK REVIEW # 2 - AFTER "I DO" - A Marriage Map
Well it's time for me to do another review for another book I won the internet. This time received a signed copy paperback edition "After 'I Do' - A Marriage Map," from a
contest the author held on FaceBook. [I also had place an entry to win it on GoodReads] The following is my honest opinion of the book.
We’re
all heard of the “For Dummies” series of books, so naturally you’ve guessed there’s
one which deals with marriage; and like the others in the series, each one is about
350 pages long. The one which deals with marriage has 384 pages.
P
J LaRue’s “After ‘I Do’ – A Marriage Map, however, is a quick fun read which I
feel should be read more than once; I read it twice in a day. And after reading
it, I believe, the book cuts to the chase and gives its readers everything they
really need to know about this thing we call MARRIAGE.
The
book, written in a straight forward manner, and based on her experience, gives
us what works. The advice she gives crosses all religions, ethnicities, and
races; the good times and the bad.
Unfortunately,
as LaRue told us in the beginning of her book, half of all marriages end in
divorce. This in all probably is, I feel, due to the adversary relationship
present in many cases from the start.
There
are many marriages in which the woman believes she can change the man she’s
about to marry from the way he is [remember, she’s marrying him because of the
way he is] into what she wants him to be like. So naturally, as she walks down
the aisle towards the altar while listening to the hymn being sung; these three
things repeat continuously in her mind: AISLE. ALTAR. HYMN. [Just repeat these
words a few times in your mind.]
And
as she approaches the altar, the groom stands there, looking at his bride,
while in the back of his mind he thinks of what his married friends have told
him about life after the honeymoon.
Here
comes the bride.
There
goes the groom.
Boy,
he’s going to get it after the honeymoon.
So
given the above, it’s easy to tell why some marriages wind up on the rocks.
This
is why I’ve not hesitated in giving it 5 STARS on Amazon, GoodReads and LibraryThing.com
AMAZON.COM http://www.amazon.com/After-Do-Marriage-Map-LaRue-ebook/dp/B00LIGL9FK
AMAZON.CO.UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Do-Marriage-Map-LaRue-ebook/dp/B00LIGL9FK
AMAZON.COM http://www.amazon.com/After-Do-Marriage-Map-LaRue-ebook/dp/B00LIGL9FK
AMAZON.CO.UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Do-Marriage-Map-LaRue-ebook/dp/B00LIGL9FK
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
BOOK REVIEW # 1 - ARC [Advance Reader's Copy] for "Althea & Oliver"
I appreciate the manner in which Cristina wrote about the medical condition, KLS [Kleine-Levin Syndrome], which Oliver suffered from in her story. I’m glad she included an Author’s Note on the copyright page in which she correctly stated it’s an incurable disease and gave her readers a link to disease’s foundation. I’m also glad she also advised her readers here that she used artistic license with the disease for her story, so no one could be lead to believe this is what actual occurs with people with the disease.
There is a roller coaster of emotions between the two main characters of the book. Just as their opposites make them good for each other, it also pulls them apart. They need to find out what their relationship is truly about. Cristina’s writing seems to pull you into what’s happening, and at times causing the reader to believe they’re witnessing the action personally, and as the story progresses you really get to know Althea & Oliver. There are times in which an almost fictional memoir quality to the story exists.
The book is great story of coming of age with all its characteristics. I wouldn’t be surprised at the least if Cristina hadn’t put part of herself and her own experiences, albeit her living in New York City, into Althea.
While Althea & Oliver is targeted at the YA audience, I would, given talk about sex, drug use and the language used within the story, position it more as a NA [New Adult] including some older YA readers. I feel “Althea & Oliver” is a must read for these age groups; as well as for parents of children of Althea and Oliver’s age, for they might be able to understand their own children more; which is why I’ve given it 5 STARS.
While Althea & Oliver is targeted at the YA audience, I would, given talk about sex, drug use and the language used within the story, position it more as a NA [New Adult] including some older YA readers. I feel “Althea & Oliver” is a must read for these age groups; as well as for parents of children of Althea and Oliver’s age, for they might be able to understand their own children more; which is why I’ve given it 5 STARS.
PLEASE NOTE THE BOOK IS NOT SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED UNTIL OCTOBER 9. 2014 !!!
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
WEEKLY STATUS REPORT # 24
Although our
original plans had changed for the Labor Day Weekend, my OH and I still wound
up having an enjoyable one.
As I said last
week, I’ve recently won several free books from various GiveAways, so given
this I decided to add BOOK REVIEWER to my profile on LinkedIn. This triggered
LinkedIn to notify all of my first level connections, that I’ve gotten a “new
job”, which has caused me to receive over 120 CONGRATS; each of which I’ve sent
my THANKS to.
As I approach
finishing another book sometime today, I now have a backlog of three reviews to
write and then post on Amazon and GoodReads; as well as here and on my other
blog site on WordPress.com.
Unfortunately, I’m still locked out of my blog on Webs.com. Hopefully, before the end of this week, the
problem will finally be corrected; and when it is, I’ll have a lot of
retro-postings to do there for the entries I missed posting from here.
This will leave me
with four paperbacks, one of which is an ARC, as well as about four e-books.
As far as my
writing endeavors, I’ve finally decided how to handle the Flash Fictions I’ve
written which are snippets and squibs from “I Kissed a Ghost,” and my two other
WIPs. I’m going to place them towards at the end of the book according to where
they’re from. This means the target date for publishing this anthology is now
the end of October.
Finally, I’m in the
process of updating a guest blog post I do, and submitting for an anthology of
items about being an author.
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