Unplanned Journey: A Triumph in Life and Death by Tanya M. Unkovich
Publisher: VMI Publishing
I received this book for a First Wild Card Tour in August.
About the book:Phil Morrow's 48th birthday party was interrupted by a phone call that would change his life: he had been diagnosed with small cell carcinoma, an aggressive cancer of the lung. The prognosis was grim, yet he clung tenaciously to the faith that God was not finished with his life yet.
Unplanned Journey: A Triumph in Life and Death tells the story of Phil's journey from diagnosis to death, chronicling his spiritual process and that of his wife, Tanya, as they finally accepted his fate. The book has been lovingly penned by Tanya Unkovich to carry out Phil's deep desire to share his story with the world. Phil's own words are woven through Tanya's narrative, giving readers a true glimpse of his character and the faith in God that carried him through his journey.
"Phil was a man of few words; when he spoke, they were significant. When he wrote, they were transforming and often expressed in poetry," Unkovich recalls. "Throughout the pages of this book, from Phil's words and my own, readers will walk beside us and share our experience during those five months. They will also accompany me on my journey of healing during the first year following his death. It is my wish to communicate how goodness can come from what at times feels like the deepest depression."
Unplanned Journey: A triumph in Life and Death will speak directly to anyone who is struggling to cope with a tragedy in life. Unkovich holds nothing back, sharing the depths of her healing process - everything from her initial shock and dismay over the uninvited interruption of her "picket fence dream" to her acceptance of Phil's death - and inviting readers to join her as she finds meaning in her experience. At the time of the book's release, she will also be releasing an accompanying workbook that will help guide grieving people through their own healing processes.
While there are many painful moments in the book, Unkovich's tone is an overwhelmingly hopeful one. "In the year following Phil's death, God revealed a purpose in my life, even in the times when there appeared to be none," she says. "Today I feel at peace with our separate journeys knowing that they were both triumphant in their own different ways. Phil triumphed in death, and I, in life." (from B&B Media Press Release sent with book)
About the author: In both her professional and personal life, Tanya Unkovich describes herself as "a mixed bag." As a qualified CPA and expert in accounting software, she provides counseling and consulting services. Later in life, she received training as a life and corporate coach and now maintains a private coaching (therapy) practice in Auckland, New Zealand. Her latest career developments include writing articles for local magazines, publishing Unplanned Journey and the accompanying workbook, and fulfilling speaking engagements. On the personal side, Unkovich traces her passionate approach to life to her Croatian roots. She pursues health and wellness on all levels - physical, emotional, and spiritual - and prefers to fill her hours with fun, creativity, friends, family and Fergus the cat, who is a source of absolute joy. (from B&B Media Press Release sent with book)
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University with a B.S. in education. She taught at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, until 2006, when she began to pursue writing full-time. She has two grown children and lives in Illinois with her husband, Alan, and a dog named Laura.
Hold the Wind, Hold the Wind, Hold the Wind, don’t let it blow.
—Negro spiritual, “Hold the Wind”
August 26, 2005, Normal, Illinois
“I’m meteorologist Kim Boudreaux.” Clad in a dark suit, the petite woman smiled big for her television audience. “Katrina’s track has changed.” She pointed to a mass of ominous-looking clouds that threatened to engulf the screen. “She’s no longer headed for Mobile but is on course for the Crescent City.”
Sally Stevens checked her cell phone, then paced in front of the television, as if that would make her brother Robert pick up the phone. She needed to talk to him, needed to know that he’d gotten her nieces and her sister-in-law out of the death trap that New Orleans suddenly had become. Needed to have him assure her, with his balmy Southern drawl, that he and his National Guardsmen were going to be okay.
A slender hand pointed to what must be a fortune’s worth of satellite and radar imagery. “As you can see, Katrina’s moving toward the mouth of the Mississippi, toward the levees . . .” The meteorologist buzzed on, seemingly high on news of this climactic wonder.
Every word seeped from the television screen, crept across the Stevens’s den, and crawled up Sally’s spine. Louisiana had once been her home. Her heritage. What would this hurricane do to the Southern state that she still loved?
A glance at her watch told Sally to get moving. Instead, she once again punched in Robert’s number. If she could just hear his voice, she’d know how to pray later as she stood in her classroom pretending to be passionate about her lecture on the history of American music, pretending to act like it was another ordinary afternoon in Normal, Illinois, while this mother of a storm wreaked wrath and vengeance upon her brother. Her home.
“. . . the next twenty-four hours are crucial . . .” The camera zoomed in for a close-up, focusing on a perfect oval face that, for just a moment, seemed to stiffen, as if a personal levee was about to be breached. “I’m not supposed to say this.” Urgency laced the forecaster’s voice “But I’m telling you. Leave. This is a killer.” The pulsating weather image seemed to confirm her report, a mass of scarlet and violet whirling about an ominous-looking eye. Growing like a cancer. Moving in for the kill . . .
Talk turned to evacuation, log-jammed roads, but Sally barely listened. Years flew away as she studied Ms. Boudreaux’s flawless mocha complexion, the tilt of her chin. The determination of this woman to save her city, or at least its people. So like the determination of Ella, that first friend, who’d taken off for New Orleans. It was as if the lockbox of Sally’s memories had somehow sprung open. Ella, that friend who’d saved her. Ella. And her brother Willie, if he’d gotten out of the pen. Were they digging in, evacuating—
A classical song Sally’s kids had downloaded onto her phone poured from the tiny speaker as the device vibrated in her palm.
“God, let it be—” She glanced at the readout. 504 area code. New Orleans. Robert. Her fingers suddenly clumsy, she struggled to flip open the phone.
Static greeted her.
“Robert? Bobby?” She was shouting, but she didn’t care. “Are you there? Are you—”
“Ssss—got them out.”
He’s out there somewhere, right in the elements, from the sound of it. “Where are you?” Sally cried. “Robert, what’s going on?” Sally pressed the phone against her ear until it hurt. All this technology, yet she could barely hear him, could barely—
The whooshing stopped. So did Robert’s voice. Sally stared at the readout. Ten seconds she’d had with him. Ten seconds to gauge the climate of a city. A city that might still claim as a resident that once-best friend. Sally whispered a prayer as she grabbed her briefcase and headed to class.
***
August 29, 2005, New Orleans, Louisiana
“It’s no use! The generator’s flooded!” A single battery-operated hallway light revealed the faint outline of Dr. Powers, the thin, impeccably groomed physician whom Ella Ward had worked with for a decade. “Ella? Ella?” He groped against the hospital’s second floor wall, his hands and arms made ghoulish by the shadowy dark. “Are you there? Ella? We’ve got to get them out of here! Now.”
Screams, howling winds, and debris crashing against boarded-up windows swirled into a hellish cacophony that tore at Ella’s heart. What were the three of them, she, Willie, and the doctor—no. Willie didn’t count. What were the two of them going to do for sixty-three patients writhing in excrement, gasping for breath, thousands of dollars of ventilators and BiPAPs rendered powerless? Dying, minute by minute, second by second?
Just to keep from falling down, Ella dug her fingernails into a wall sweaty with humidity. She opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out. At Dr. Powers’s side, she’d watched an aortic artery explode, a patient gurgle in his own blood . . . “The scalpel, Ms. Ward?” he’d said. “Suction, please.” With ice-blue cool, Dr. Powers had plucked life out of mangled messes and never even raised his voice. Now his screams pierced Ella’s ears, and her hopes. Even with one of New Orleans’ best surgeons at her side, the prognosis of surviving this storm was dim. There was nothing for Ella to do but close her eyes and beg. “Oh God. Please Spirit. Please Lord Jesus, please.”
Dr. Powers clutched at the sleeve of Ella’s cotton scrub. “Where’s Willie?”
The doctor’s touch and the mention of her brother brought Ella around. Still, she could barely speak for the quivering of her lip. “Where . . . do you think a junkie would be?”
“The . . . pharmacy?”
Even though Dr. Powers most likely couldn’t see her nod, Ella went through the motion. Twenty-four hours ago, she’d decided she and Willie would come here together. Yet even in her worst nightmare, she hadn’t really believed that they’d die here together.
“Someone, anyone, let me outta here!” It was Mrs. Smith, in Room 215.
“Hold the wind, Lord!” Mr. Lunsford, who’d thought he’d die of cancer.
Ella gritted her teeth. One by one, the patients were seeing the storm’s demonic fingers etching out a death sentence, and screaming their response.
“We’ve got to do something.”
Dr. Powers’s words sent a shiver through Ella. Had he read her mind? Or had she babbled without even knowing it? She clamped her hands over her ears. Lord! I’m goin’ crazy! Help me, Lord!
“What’s happenin’, Lawd? Oh, Lawd Jesus!”
“Sweet Jesus! Where are you?”
What had acted as a twisted tonic to incite the patients to a new level of chaos? Was it the howls of the winds, the thuds and crashes against the windows, the doors, the very roof of this place?
“Jesus, oh Jesus!”
Every moan, every scream, knifed into Ella like a scalpel. Nursing school hadn’t trained her for this. Nearly thirty years working at understaffed facilities hadn’t trained her for this. Nothing had trained her for this. With taut fingers, she pulled the doctor close, then shoved him to his knees and knelt by him, her hands flush against the wall. “We gotta pray,” she said.
The Light, the Dark, & Ember Between by J.W. Nicklaus
Publisher: American Book Publishing Group
I received this from the author through Bostick Communications.
About the book:This book is a collection of uplifting images that delve into the reflections of the human condition. These stories will cause you to think, laugh, and even cry at the beauty of emotional memories. You will smile at the thought of love lost and found again in "Paper Doll." You will think about your life's choices in "10:18." You will cry tears of joy while reading about the hidden gift in "Winter Rose." This is a must-have collection of thought-provoking reflections perfect for your bedside or the beach. (from the book cover)
About the author: J. W. Nicklaus resides in a place not entirely fit for human habitation about five months of the year. No pets to speak of, only the apparitions from which all romantics suffer.
An Arizona native, he's been from one coast to the other, and a few places in between. Snow has been featured prominently in his stories, perhaps because of the seasonless climate he lives in. Nature was meant to be enjoyed and experienced, not hidden from the senses. So to that end, he hopes someday to live amongst those who are able to live through four true seasons, and not just blast furnace and warm.
He enjoys the occasional Arizona Diamondbacks game with his son, as well as watching him grow up. The experience of being a single dad has taught him far more about himself than he ever thought possible.
Within the expanse of every waking moment, he hopes his guardian angel keeps its arms open wide and heart ever watchful, for there but for one true Hope goes She. (from the book)
The Light, the Dark & Ember Between Publisher/Publication Date: American Book Publishing Group, May 2009 ISBN: 978-1-58982-505-5 196 pages
I won this AUTOGRAPHED copy over at Rhapsody in Books. This is a husband/wife blog team that has the best list of non-fiction reviews I have seen. They also have a multitude of fiction reviews. Stop by to find your next book!
About the book:Thirteen-year-old Johnny Merrimon had the perfect life: a warm home and loving parents; a twin sister, Alyssa, with whom he shared an irreplaceable bond. He knew nothing of loss, until the day Alyssa vanished from the side of a lonely street. Now, a year later, Johnny finds himself isolated and alone, failed by the people he'd been taught since birth to trust. No one else believes that Alyssa is still alive, but Johnny is certain that she is - confident in a way that he can never fully explain.
Determined to find his sister, Johnny risks everything to explore the dark side of his hometown. It is a desperate, terrifying search, but Johnny is not as alone as he might think. Detective Clyde Hunt has never stopped looking for Alyssa either, and he has a soft spot for Johnny. He watches over the boy and tries to keep him safe, but when Johnny uncovers a dangerous lead and vows to follow it, Hunt has no choice but to intervene.
Then a second child goes missing. . .
Undeterred by Hunt's threats or his mother's pleas, Johnny enlists the help of his last friend, and together they plunge into the wild, to a forgotten place with a history of violence that goes back more than a hundred years. There, they meet a giant of a man, an escaped convict on his own tragic quest. What they learn from him will shatter every notion Johnny had about the fate of his sister; it will lead them to another far place, to a truth that will test both boys to the limit.
Traveling the wilderness between innocence and hard wisdom, between hopelessness and faith, The Last Child leaves all categories behind and establishes John Hart as a writer of unique power. (from the book cover)
About the author:John Hart is the Edgar Award-winning author of two New York Times bestsellers, The King of Lies and Down River. His books have been translated into twenty-six languages and published in over thirty countries. A former criminal defense attorney, John has also worked as a banker, stockbroker, and apprentice helicopter mechanic. Other than writing, his favorite job was pouring pints in a London pub. A husband and father of two, John still lives in his native North Carolina, where he writes full-time.
The Last Child Publisher/Publication Date: St. Martin's Press, May 2009 ISBN: 978-0-312-35932-4 384 pages
About the book: Skylar Hoyt is a girl who seems to have it all – she’s pretty, popular, and has a great-looking boyfriend. Her senior year should be the best one yet. But a horrible experience at a summer party has changed everything. Now she’s vowing to make better choices, including going back to church. But as Skylar tries to gain new perspective on life, the world as she knows it begins to fall apart.
Her parents are constantly fighting. Her younger sister has a big secret that Skylar is forced to keep. The guy she’s dating is annoyingly jealous. And the new guy down the street is just plain annoying. In the midst of the chaos, Skylar starts to wonder who her real friends are and, even more importantly, who she is. (from the back cover)
About the author:Stephanie Morrill is a twenty something living in Kansas with her high school sweetheart turned husband and their daughter. She loves writing for teens because her highs school years greatly impacted her adult life. That, and it’s an excuse to keep playing her music really, really loud. (from the book)
Me, Just Different Publisher/Publication Date: Revell Books, July 2009 ISBN: 9780800733773 256 pages
Here are my finds this week! (I am late posting because I got to go to an author talk today at our library - look for a post on it soon along with a signed giveaway and bag!)
The Twilight Before Christmas by Christine Feehan
I had seen a book earlier this week - Fever by Christine Feehan and so when I saw this book at our library's used book store, I had to buy it. I discovered it was the second book in the Drake Sisters series - see below for entire list. It sounds like it will read well alone though. Has anybody read this series?
About the book: Bestselling novelist Kate Drake is one of seven sisters gifted with amazing powers of witchcraft. Returning home in time for her northern California town's annual Christmas pageant, Kate catches the spirit of the season and decides to open a bookstore in a charming but run-down historic mill. Decorated former U.S. Army Ranger Matt Granite, now a local contractor, doesn't mind working in the undeniably eerie house - not if it means getting closer to Kate. There's something about the quiet, sensual woman that powerfully attracts him.
When an earthquake cracks the mill's foundation and reveals a burial crypt, Kate senses that a centuries-old evil has been unleashed. . .and that it's coming after her. Though Matt vows to guard her from dusk till dawn, Kate knows she will have to summon all of her and her sisters' powers to battle the darkness threatening to destroy both Christmas and the gift of soul-searing passion her hometown hero wants her to keep forever. . .(from the back cover)
About the author:Christine Feehan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including Wild Rain and the Dark Series, as well as numerous novellas, including The Twilight Before Christmas and "After the Music" in A Very Gothic Christmas, both available from Pocket Books. She lives in Cobb, California.
Drake Sisters Series
Magic in the Wind
The Twilight Before Christmas
Oceans of Fire
Dangerous Tides
Safe Harbour
Turbulent Sea
Hidden Currents
What great books did you find this week?? Stop over at Should Be Reading and share yours!
Hi Marie and welcome to Books and Needlepoint! Thank you for answering these interview questions for me and my readers - I was reading through your bio and we have some similarities - I graduated hs in 1984 - married a Navy man (but we were stationed on the west coast - and we are divorced now) I lost a parent to cancer and I have a son named Jake! Of course, that leaves a ton of stuff that differs! I just thought that was interesting!
Marie:Wow, Kristi, we do have a lot in common! That’s crazy! Sons named Jake are the best, aren’t they? I’m quite partial to that boy and my daughter, Emily, too! It’s nice to be here with you today. Thanks for having me!
It's a pleasure. I had a lot of fun with these questions! So, let's get started. I know that you like to go boating and spend time on the beach - do you have a favorite beach that you go to and what do you have to take to make it a great day?
Marie:My favorite beaches are right here in Rhode Island. When I’m home, I love Second Beach in Middletown, which has the best waves for body surfing. My favorite times there are when all my cousins are in town with their kids and we take over a big section of the beach for the day. We stay until the sun sets and then go for pizza. Those are the best days! In late August every year, we go with our best friends to Block Island (12 miles off the southern coast of Rhode Island, but it may as well be another universe). There we while away endless hours on a small section of the town beach. It’s our idea of heaven, and we look forward to it all year. Last summer, my husband came nose-to-nose with a sand shark right off that beach, so now he’s a little less enamored!
Wow - that would have been scary! I have only been to west coast beaches myself (well - ok, one down in Florida, but it was too long ago to count!)I read that you have one must-see TV show for every night of the week - would you share what some of those favorite shows are? Do any of them ever give you ideas for books?
Marie:Okay, here we go:
Sunday: Brothers and Sisters Monday: The Bachelor/Bachelorette when it’s on as well as Two and a Half Men Tuesday: American Idol Wednesday: American Idol Thursday: Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and back when it was on, every episode ever aired of ER. Friday: Friday Night Lights (the single best show on TV, hands down—if you’re not watching it, you’re missing out! Don’t be fooled—it’s not just about football. It’s sooooo much more than that. Rent the first three seasons and get caught up!)
In the summer, it’s all Red Sox all the time around here! I haven’t gotten any ideas for books by watching TV, but I do like to study the characterization and story arcs. FNL is particularly good with both of these things, and the writing is just dazzling.
We love Two and a Half Men and watch a lot of the reruns that are on here after the news! I like the medical shows too - actually just watched the very last ER - it had been on my DVR forever. I think I was afraid to watch it cuz I didn't want it to be over! I would watch Friday Night Lights for Kyle Chandler alone - I loved Early Edition! You would think living near Chicago we would have a favorite baseball team - but we are more of a football family! (Go Bears!) We both graduated high school in 1984 - how have you found that the technology advances (or any other changes) affect the way you raise your kids versus how we were raised?
Marie:Oh wow, this is a tough question and something I grapple with a lot, especially with my soon-to-be fourteen-year-old daughter. She is more techno savvy than I’ll ever be (I say this despite the fact that my day job has me on a computer all day, using about 30 different programs, so I’m no nitwit in this regard...) I have recently taken her off instant messenger, for one thing, because I worry about her being sucked into something that parents on the other end are watching. I tell her, “Don’t leave a paper trail. It can come back to haunt you.” We’ve had to have conversations about “sexting” and all kinds of things I wish I didn’t have to talk to her about. So while technology is so empowering, it’s just another danger where our kids are concerned. On the plus side, I can’t imagine writing a book on a typewriter, and I love having Google handy whenever I’m stumped by something as I write. I appreciate the advancements, but still, a lot of it scares me in regard to my kids.
Ouch "sexting" - ok, now you have me worried (I have soon-to-be 15-year-old and 17-year-old daughters!) I haven't even thought about this with them - and they text ALOT. I can't imagine what it would have been like when I was their age to be able to take a phone where ever I went! How much time do you spend doing background research for a book - and what has been your favorite "find" while doing this research?
Marie:Here’s a true confession... I actually don’t love doing research. Because of the full-time job and the kids, I don’t have a lot of time purely devoted to writing, so when I do have time, I want to get in there and write. While I know the research is necessary and critical, it’s just another obstacle to doing what I love to do. One of my favorite “finds” has to have been discovering a latent love of football once I dug into the sport while researching Line of Scrimmage. I’d always been a baseball girl and didn’t give football the time of day. In fact, I’d been kind of disdainful toward football (shameful, I know!) Once my muse delivered Ryan and he demanded that I make him into a football star, I had no choice but to get very familiar with football. And in the process, I became a fan! Go Patriots! (And Tom Brady, of course!) I also enjoyed doing a ride-along with a cop friend of mine when I was researching a romantic suspense. That was truly enlightening! I was just able to get Line of Scrimmage from the library and can't wait to get started! Do you have a favorite book(s)? What makes it/them your favorite? Marie:I love anything by Nora Roberts, and my new favorite author is Lisa Kleypas. Even though I mostly read contemporaries, I recently read Lisa’s Wallflower series and loved it. And her contemporaries are among the best I’ve ever read. I adore them! She does it all—deep emotion, sizzling love scenes, heroes to die for, and underneath it all, a great story that has you turning the pages for more. I love Nora Roberts also - I find her books good to take on vacation! I haven't read anything by Lisa Kleypas but will have to check her out! From your own books - do you have a favorite scene or quote?
Marie:Let’s see, from Line of Scrimmage I love the scene where Ryan and Susannah are fighting (I love writing fights—what does that say about me?) and she tells him he can have any woman he wants, go get another one. Hurt by this, he says, the only one I want is the one right in front of me. To which she replies, well, you can’t have me. What part of that don’t you understand? In typical Ryan fashion, he says, um, the can’t part? Insert frustrated shriek from Susannah here! That scene cracks me up every time I read it. I loved writing Ryan as intentionally obtuse. My favorite scene in Love at First Flight is the “big black moment” between Michael and Juliana, which I can’t say too much about because it includes plot spoilers. Suffice to say you’ll know it when you read it! I think a lot of men are intentionally obtuse! I can't wait to meet Ryan and Susannah as I read Line of Scrimmage. I have not read First Flight but am trying to win me a copy! I want to know what that "big black moment" is!
Where do you like to write and is there anything specific you need - like a favorite pen or a favorite snack?
Marie: Since I work in my home office all day for the job, I don’t like to be there when I’m writing. So picture this: sofa, footstool, laptop, kids running all around, Red Sox on the TV, Diet Coke in the glass... I seem to do my best work in the midst of chaos. I travel quite a bit for my day job and always think I’m going to get so much writing done in the hotel rooms, but that never seems to happen. I’ve decided I need the chaos to produce. Weird, right?
No, sometimes I think I get more done when there is more energy (translate: chaos) around me!
While on this blog tour - has there been any comments or questions that have taken you by surprise?
Marie:One thing that happened last week really threw me. I had a reviewer say that the scenario with my characters Juliana and her longtime boyfriend Jeremy really rocked her on a personal level. At the opening of Love at First Flight, Juliana and Jeremy have been together ten years, but she’s sensing some discontent on his part. She later finds out that he’s been having thoughts about other women and worries that he’s missing out by being with the same woman his entire adult life. Needless to say this really rocks Juliana’s world. It also rocked this reviewer’s world since she’s been married to her high school sweetheart for more than twenty years. For a week after she finished Love at First Flight she couldn’t stop wondering if her husband ever feels the way Jeremy did. Wow, I sure didn’t see that coming!
Isn't it amazing how writing can touch everyone differently?! Is there anything else you would like your readers to know?
Marie:I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shown up to support my blog tour and for all the wonderful reviews. It’s been a really exciting couple of weeks. A few announcements for your readers:
I’ll give one copy of Line of Scrimmage and Love at First Flight to two different people, so leave a comment for a chance to win! Already read Line of Scrimmage? Just let me know.
(wondering...can I enter a contest on my own blog? hmmmm)
If you wish to discuss all the rules I broke in Love at First Flight, join me Monday, July 20, at 7 p.m. EDT on my blog (http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com) for a Book Club discussion. Warning, there will be spoilers, so make sure you read the book before the party! I’ll be giving away some great prizes to participants.
Once you’ve read the book, come by my website at www.mariesullivanforce.com to find out how to enter the contest for the Love at First Flight Grand Prize gift basket. I’ll accept answers to daily questions about the book through July 15. The winner will be announced during the July 20 Book Club Meeting.
What is coming up next for you when this tour is over?
Marie:I'm polishing up a sexy romantic comedy about a small conservative town fighting the newest business—a naughty lingerie and sex toy shop owned by my fearless heroine—and working on book one in a series about four brothers who are summoned home to the island where they grew up to save the family business. Their mother also has matchmaking on her mind, but her idea of the perfect mates for her sons differs vastly with their own ideas. It’s been really fun so far, and I’m looking forward to getting back to it!
How fun! I look forward to hearing more about these! Thank you Marie and best of luck on these new ventures!
Marie:Thanks again for having me!
To enter the giveaway for one of Marie's books - Line of Scrimmage or Love at First Flight (please specifiy which book you would like - you can enter the drawings for both, but can only win one!) just leave a comment below WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. This giveaway will end on July 20th.(US or Canada only)
Love at First Flight Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, July 2009 ISBN: 9781402220067 398 pages
Title: Acne for Dummies Author: Herbert P. Goodheart, MD Publisher: Wiley Publishing
First sentence: Benjamin Franklin said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes," to which I would add a third certainty - acne.
My thoughts: I wanted to read this book as I have two teenage daughters struggling with acne. I was one of the more fortunate teenagers who only got the occasional pimple, so I don't know how to help them. I have one taking oral antibiotics, which has cleared up her face, but hasn't really touched her back or upper arms. With it being summertime she is loath to wear any kind of tank top or sleeveless shirt.
With this book I mainly concentrated on those areas of interest to me going forward with my girls. These areas included understanding teen acne, myths vs reality, and when to use topicals or call in an expert.
Some of the big myths - 'chocolate causes acne (or sugar or dairy)' hasn't been proved or disproved. Dr. Goodheart just recommends that if your convinced some type of food is making your acne worse - then stop eating it. There are other myths that are also discussed like stress and makeup.
This book is very inclusive in that it covers teen acne to adult acne to disorders that might cause acne. It also covers topical treatments, common sense and prescription drugs. The book ends with some great web site references, tips for healthy skin and things you should never do (like looking in the mirror too much!) It goes into what it terms "technical stuff" which, while interesting, I didn't feel was always necessary.
Acne for Dummies, like the name would suggest, addresses this topic with common sense and a touch of humor for that which can be a very sensitive subject for some teenagers. It would be a good reference book for those beginning to deal with acne as an adult or maybe as the parent of a teen.
About the author: Herbert P. Goodheart, MD, has been in the private practice of dermatology for over 25 years. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a member of the Greater New York Dermatological Society. For 20 years, Dr. Goodheart was an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Dermatology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, and is now an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Mount Sinai College of Medicine in New York City.
Dr. Goodheart is the author of Goodheart’s Photoguide of Common Skin Disorders, Diagnosis and Management, a clinical guide to assist the primary care provider and dermatologist-in-training in the identification and treatment of common skin disorders. The book, which is in its second edition, was a unanimous choice for first prize in dermatology at the annual British Medical Association Book Awards for 2004. He also is a contributing editor of Women’s Health in Primary Care, a medical journal for physicians and other healthcare professionals. Dr. Goodheart’s monthly column, “Dermatology Rounds,” provides information on the wide spectrum of skin disorders affecting women.
Acne for Dummies Publisher/Publication Date: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated, January 2006 ISBN: 978-0-471-74698-3 292 pages
Here is an article from the author of Acne for Dummies - Dr. Herbert P. Goodheart. My review for this book will be up on Friday - but in the meantime - check this out!
Helping Your Child Deal with Acne's "Invisible Scars" By Herbert P. Goodheart, M.D., Author of Acne For Dummies
Acne affects adolescents at a time when they're developing their personalities and evolving into adulthood. The psychological impact of severe or even mild acne can lead your child to feelings of diminished self-esteem and be a source of anxiety when it comes to dealing with the world. During this time, peer acceptance is very important to them and physical appearance and attractiveness is highly associated with status. Besides the physical scars that acne can produce, your teen may also be suffering emotionally.
Acne, particularly, severe facial acne, can bring out cruel taunts, teasing, and name calling from other children. Some teens lose interest in sports such as swimming or basketball because of the need to undress in locker rooms and expose their back and chests. Some kids become so preoccupied with how their skin looks that they may not want to go to school, they may pull away from their friends, show dramatic changes in their thinking and behavior, become withdrawn, and may even become depressed.
Our society places a great emphasis on physical appearance; we're all constantly bombarded with advertisements that display models and movie stars, all of whom are depicted as paragons of beauty and flawless perfection. They often serve as the spokespeople for health and beauty aids that imply that you can look like them if you buy the products they're promoting. When you see media portrayals of all those people with perfect skin, just remember that almost all of those photos are touched-up and airbrushed. Some of the models even have -- heaven forbid -- acne, just like your kid does!
Teens with acne are often told, "It's no big deal, and anyway, you'll grow out of it; it's just a normal part of life." But to a teen with acne, it is a big deal; they often feel insecure and lack self confidence. The truth is that many kids don't "just grow out of it". The main thing to remember, acne, even very severe acne, is treatable. But you as a parent should be aware of the "invisible scars" that some teens carry on the inside; they can be really tough!
You Can Do Something About It
Here are a few simple, yet effective, ways to communicate your willingness to help:
Let your child know how much you care: Give your child adequate time to bring up the subjects of their acne and allow them to address or respond to your questions about the behavioral changes you've noticed.
Listen patiently: They may want to communicate their feelings but have difficulty doing so. Think back to your own teen years. You may not have always felt like it was easy to be open about your thoughts and feelings.
Don't be overly judgmental about your child's appearance: Approach the subject of acne in a gentle, caring manner and try to give a little space when it comes to some of the relatively harmless decisions they make about their clothing and grooming habits.
It's extremely important to keep the lines of communication open: Take the time to pay undivided attention to your kid's concerns. It's important to even if your child seems to want to withdraw.
Don't lecture on the subject: Try to avoid telling your child what to do. Instead, pay careful attention and you may discover more about the issues causing his or her problems.
Detecting Depression in Your Teenager
It's very normal for people with severe acne to feel down and despondent; even mild acne can give them the blues. However, if your child is feeling unhappy more often and doesn't seem to enjoy his/her usual activities anymore, you need to consider the possibility that your child may be suffering from depression.
Determining if a teenager is depressed can be a very tricky undertaking. Dramatic physical and mental changes seem to take place almost overnight and it sometimes seems hard to tell the "normal" from the "abnormal."
Depression has become a more commonly recognized diagnosis in adolescents than it had been in the past. Parents should look for signs of depression in adolescents and they should be dealt with in a serious manner and not just passed off as "growing pains" or the normal consequence of adolescence. If you observe some of the signs or behaviors listed below, they may be indicators of depression, although they're not always diagnostic of teen depression, they may be a signs of other psychological, social, family, or school problems:
Increased fatigue, low energy
Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, anxiety, and guilt
Loss of enjoyment in things that previously gave pleasure
Irritability, anger, or aggressiveness
Sleep disturbances such as staying awake at night and sleeping during the day
Social isolation, withdrawal from family and friends
Loss of interest in food or compulsive overeating that results in rapid weight loss or gain
Lots of new physical complaints such as headaches, stomach aches, low back pain, or excessive fatigue
A sudden drop in grades
Unusual rebellious behavior, or cutting school
Use of alcohol or drugs
Promiscuous sexual activity
A preoccupation with death and dying
Suicidal thoughts
If one or more of these descriptions rings a bell, talk to your child's pediatrician or other health care provider. Strong suicidal thoughts are an emergency and call for immediate action. Don't go it alone!
Author Bio Herbert P. Goodheart, M.D., of New York, NY, author of Acne For Dummies, is a practicing dermatologist who also teaches at the Mount Sinai College of Medicine. He is the author of a highly regarded dermatology textbook. For more information please visit http://herbertgoodheart.com/
I got this through Paperback Swap after I read What the Dead Know. This is the first of the Tess Monaghan series. Has anyone read these?
About the book:In a city where someone is murdered almost every day, attorney Michael Abramowitz's death should be just another statistic. But the slain lawyer's notoriety - and his taste for illicit midday trysts - makes the case front page news in every local paper except the Star, which crashed and burned before Abramowitz did. A former Star reporter who knows every inch of this town - from historic Fort McHenry to the crumbling projects of Cherry Hill - now-unemployed journalist Tess Monaghan also knows the guy the cops like for the killing: cuckolded fiance Darryl "Rock" Paxton. The time is ripe for a career move, so when rowing buddy Rock wants to hire her to do some unorthodox snooping to help clear his name, Tess agrees. But there are lethal secrets hiding in the Charm City shadows. And Tess's own name could end up on that ever-expanding list of Baltimore dead. (From the back cover)
About the author:Laura Lippman was a reporter for 20 years, including 12 years at The (Baltimore) Sun. She began writing novels while working full time and published seven books about "accidental PI" Tess Monaghan before leaving daily journalism in 2001. Her work has been awarded the Edgar, the Anthony, the Agatha, the Shamus, the Nero Wolfe, Gumshoe, and Barry awards. She also has been nominated for other prizes in the crime fiction field, including the Hammett and the Macavity. She was the first-ever recipient of the Mayor's Prize for Literary Excellence and the first genre writer recognized as Author of the Year by the Maryland Library Association.
Ms. Lippman grew up in Baltimore and attended city schools through ninth grade. After graduating from Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Md., Ms. Lippman attended Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her other newspaper jobs included the Waco Tribune-Herald and the San Antonio Light.
Ms. Lippman returned to Baltimore in 1989 and has lived there since. (from author's website)
About the book: With gothic intensity, Liz Jensen conjures the unnerving relationship between Gabrielle, a physically and emotionally damaged therapist, and her patient, sixteen-year-old Bethany, who is incarcerated in a British psychiatric hospital for the brutal murder of her mother.
Delving deep into the psyche of her fascinating, manipulative patient, Gabrielle is confronted by alarming coincidences between the girl’s paranoid disaster fantasies and actual incidents of geological and meteorological upheaval. Coincidences her professionalism tells her to ignore — but which her heart cannot.
As Bethany’s warnings continue to prove accurate beyond fluke, and she begins to offer scientifically precise hints of a final, world-altering cataclysm, Gabrielle is confronted with a series of devastating choices. In a world on the brink of apocalypse, belief is as precious — and as dangerous — as life itself. (from Barnes & Noble website)
About the author:Liz Jensen is the author of Egg Dancing, Ark Baby, shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Prize and a New York Times Notable Book, The Paper Eater, War Crimes for the Home, The Ninth Life of Louis Drax, in development to be a feature film, and My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time. Her novels have been translated into 20 languages.
The Rapture Publisher/Publication Date: Knopf Doubleday, August 11, 2009 ISBN: 978-0-385-52821-4 304 pages
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan
Publisher/Publication Date: Voice, August 25, 2009
About the book: Steeped in the intriguing history of Niagara Falls, this epic love story is as rich, spellbinding and majestic as the falls themselves.
1915. The dawn of the hydroelectric power era in Niagara Falls. Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath has led a sheltered existence as the youngest daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Company. After graduation day at her boarding school, she is impatient to return to her picturesque family home near Niagara Falls. But when she arrives, nothing is as she had left it. Her father has lost his job at the power company, her mother is reduced to taking in sewing from the society ladies she once entertained, and Isabel, her vivacious older sister, is a shadow of her former self. She has shut herself in her bedroom, barely eating-and harbouring a secret.
The night of her return, Bess meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform. She finds herself inexplicably drawn to him-against her family's strong objections. He is not from their world. Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls. His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies that seek to harness the power of the falls for themselves. As their lives become more fully entwined, Bess is forced to make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future.
Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Niagara Falls, at a time when daredevils shot the river rapids in barrels and great industrial fortunes were made and lost as quickly as lives disappeared, The Day the Falls Stood Still is an intoxicating debut novel. (from Barnes and Noble website)
About the author:Cathy Marie Buchanan was born and raised in Niagara Falls and lives in Toronto. Her fiction has appeared in some of Canada's premier journals, including The Antigonish Review, The Dalhousie Review, Descant, and The New Quarterly. She is the recipient of grants from both the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council.
The Day the Falls Stood Still Publisher/Publication Date: Voice, August 2009 ISBN: 9781401340971 320 pages
Title: The Castaways Author: Elin Hilderbrand Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
First sentence:Because the accident occurred out on the water and not on the land that fell under his jurisdiction, it was unusual that the Chief was the first one to find out.
My summary/thoughts: This is the story of 8 friends - 4 couples - Tess and Greg, Jeff and Delilah, Ed and Andrea, Phoebe and Addison. They all live on the island of Nantucket - a community where everyone knows everyone and nobody's business remains private for long.
The story opens with the death of Tess and Greg. They had gone sailing to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary - an anniversary that they had fought hard to reach over the last year. Nobody could believe they had drowned - especially the six friends they left behind.
I love the way the story is told rotating around the survivors - so you are not just getting one point of view - but everyone's. It alternates between how they are dealing with the present and what happened in the past, what decisions they did or did not make, that shaped this present. The death of this couple hits them all hard - some because of guilty secrets - some because of what ifs. They all deal with their grief differently.
Over the course of this book, each character really becomes more and more real. I was afraid when I first started reading - because of the 8 main characters - and the way the story moved around - that I was going to have trouble maintaining who was who. But it wasn't long before I realized I wasn't having to 'think' about who was who anymore. I had come to know each one of them.
Elin Hilderbrand was a new-to-me author and I can't wait to read more of her work!
About the author:Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket. She is the author of ten novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa. (from her website)
About the book:When the body of a local teenager is found in a community garden, detective Gus Ramone relives intense memories of a twenty-year-old case. Back when he was a rookie, Ramone and his partner "Doc" Holiday assisted legendary detective T.C. Cook in the investigation of a series of murders involving young victims. The killer, dubbed "the Night Gardener," was never caught.
The fierce sense of anger, regret, and purpose that once burned among these three men comes rushing back as they race to vanquish the monster who has stalked their dreams. For Cook, now retired, it means solving one of the few cases that eluded him. For Holiday, whose career as a cop was derailed, it's one last chance to redeem himself. For Ramone, catching the killer means not only doing his job but knowing that his own teenage son, who was a friend of the dead boy, won't be the next victim. (from the back cover)
About the author: George Pelecanos is the author of several highly acclaimed and bestselling novels, including, most recently, The Turnaround and The Way Home. He is also an independent-film producer, and essayist, the recipient of numerous international writing awards, and an Emmy-nominated writer-producer for the HBO hit series The Wire. (from the back cover
The Night Gardener Publisher/Publication Date: Little, Brown & Company, June 2009 (Reprint) ISBN: 978-0-316-05650-2 400 pages
About the book:A thrilling new series featuring seven immortal Spartan warriors protecting mankind— and confronting passion along the way...
Eternity has become a prison for Ajax Petrakos. Centuries after he and his Spartan brothers made their bargain for immortality, Ajax struggles to maintain his warrior's discipline. His only source of strength is his hope that he will soon meet the woman once foretold to him--the other half of his soul, Shay Angel.
Ajax searches for his destined mate on the haunted streets of modern-day Savannah, but he isn't the first to find her. Shay, the youngest of a powerful demon-hunting clan, can see the monsters that stalk the steamy Southern nights--an ability that draws the deadly attention of Ajax's worst enemy. As Shay and Ajax race to solve a chilling prophecy--one that could spell Ajax's death if they don't succeed--a fated passion arises, threatening to sweep away everything in its path.(from Barnes and Noble website)
About the author:Deidre Knight is a literary agent, mom, wife, novelist and southern woman, and proud to answer to all of these titles. Before she founded The Knight Agency in 1996, Deidre worked behind the camera in movies and television. During the thirteen years since she launched her literary agency, she has grown The Knight Agency to national prominence, shepherding authors on to every major bestseller list. With agency sales of more than 1,000 titles to major publishers, a large percentage of which are in the categories of romance and women’s fiction, Deidre has established a reputation for discovering vivid and unique storytellers and is considered an industry expert on the hot trends of paranormal fiction and urban fantasy.
Deidre began her writing career at age nine, when her award-winning essay on Barbie was published in her hometown newspaper, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. She has been writing in one form or another ever since. After nearly a decade of working with Knight Agency clients, helping them discover their creative potential, Deidre’s dream of writing romance came true in the form of her debut series THE MIDNIGHT WARRIORS which launched with PARALLEL ATTRACTION in the spring of 2006. (from author's website)
Red Fire Publisher/Publication Date: Penguin, October 2008 ISBN: 9780451225382 400 pages
I received this book from Random House for a blog tour in August.
About the book:Once a month, the six women of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society gather to discuss books and share their knitting projects. Inspired by her recently-wedded bliss, group leader Eugenie chooses “Great Love Stories in Literature” as the theme for the year’s reading list–a risky selection for a group whose members span the spectrum of age and relationship status.
As the Knit Lit ladies read and discus classic romances like Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice, each member is confronted with her own perception about love. Camille’s unexpected reunion with an old crush forces her to confront conflicting desires. Newly widowed Esther finds her role in Sweetgum changing and is surprised by two unlikely friends. Hannah isn’t sure she’s ready for the trials of first love. Newcomer Maria finds her life turned upside-down by increasing family obligations and a handsome, arrogant lawyer, and Eugenie and Merry are both asked to make sacrifices for their husbands that challenge their principles.
Even in a sleepy, southern town like Sweetgum, Tennessee, love isn’t easy. The Knit Lit ladies learn they can find strength and guidance in the novels they read, the love of their family, their community–and especially in each other. (from the book cover)
About the author: Beth Pattillo learned to knit in second grade. She is the author of nine books including Heavens to Betsy and Jane Austen Ruined My Life. Beth lives with her husband and children in Tennessee.
The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love Publisher/Publication Date: Waterbrook, June 2009 ISBN: 978-1-4000-7395-5 368 pages
Unplanned Journey: A Triumph in Life and Death by Tanya M. Unkovich
