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Showing posts from 2016

Can the Passivity of the Protagonist Spoil the Perception of Your Book

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I decided to raise a very interesting topic that, in most cases, is typical to novice authors, but sometimes peculiar to both advanced and world-known writers . Yes, today I’m going to talk about the passivity of the protagonist. That is the hero that has no will and acts at the behest of others. So why does this phenomenon take place in literary works, and how does it affect the success of the book? Finally, how to deal with it?

Poignant, page-turner reveals a deep side of beach-holiday India

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Book Title: Lemon Seas Genre: Fiction: Thriller/suspense, Adventure Goa – this was the break Rich had looked forward to after a broken marriage and his mother’s death. At last he could breathe again on a beach lined with palm trees. The discovery of the body of an Indian dancing girl as he arrives shatters his expectations and he’s quick not to get involved. Nina, the wild young singer in a band provides romantic distractions. Dinesh and Frank befriend him and all is going well. Until his world is turned upside down when interrogated by Lakshya, the local Police Chief, a clever, well-educated man who’s strong on accusations. When other dancing girls go missing and another body is found, Rich is prime suspect. The heat is on and proving his innocence is not going to be easy – there’s only one thing for it: follow the trail through a tropical paradise of forests and beaches to find the truth. But can he trust those around him? Who can he count on when he goes on the run

Questions That Will Help You to Choose a Topic for Writing a Book

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New authors experience a lot of difficulties, and the very first of them is the inability to choose a topic. It may happen that you can’t come up with something really interesting and engaging even having a lot of knowledge in the field and a strong desire to create a masterpiece. At the same time, once you decide on the theme, the process goes on much faster. To boost your writing, I’ve collected a list of essential questions that may significantly advance the selection of a topic. #1 What is Your Favorite Kind of Books? The books chosen by you for reading are the first and the most obvious source for topics! There is nothing wrong to cover the same topic as you are reading now although many beginners are afraid of expressing the thoughts of others instead of their own. However, in non-fiction literature, it is practically impossible to say something new. Moreover, the reader does not buy the information about the problem – he buys your personal view on the issue and how

An enthralling detective thriller novel. Mr Carrick is laid to rest

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It is August 1974. A respected teacher at a private girls’ school in rural Worcestershire, Adrian Carrick, physically attracted to one of the Sixth-Form leavers, discloses his feelings for her. Convinced that he has mishandled their final meeting, he writes her a letter of regret and then kills himself by leaping over the edge of a quarry. The coroner’s verdict is suicide while the balance of his mind is disturbed. Not all is as it appears, however, and Inspector Wickfield is called in to take a look. His investigation leads him to Venice, where Carrick seemingly led a double life as the owner of an art gallery which acted as a base for international crime, to St.Gallen and Bologna, to Hereford and Birmingham, to Pershore and the suburbs of Worcester, without significant success. A second murder adds increasing urgency to the case. Interleaved in the investigation are the members of Mr Carrick’s philosophy class, in particular the girl who had caught Carrick’s eye. The case is solv

Looking beyond the surface of Hollywood glitz and glamour

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H ave you ever wondered why after watching a movie you are left with a residue of emotions? Some people experience a sense of peace, empowerment, exhilaration, fear or maybe a better understanding of how to deal with a personal issue. By juxtaposing Hollywood movies and biblical characters, the author connects the dots for the reader so that by using fundamental biblical principles they can steer through their own life challenges. What does Bruce Almighty have in common with the biblical Samson? What is Prophet Jonah doing in the Wizard of Oz instead of going down to Nineveh? Find out in this fun and feisty easy-to-read book and while you are at it - you will sense God speaking to you in encouraging, practical and at times convicting ways. Find out more... The Author - D.C. Lassiter D.C. Lassiter resides in the Pennsylvania area and is a student of God’s word. After being called from a life of modeling, she is heading to Lancaster Bible College to complete her Bache

Toppled Cornerstones - A Polemic Journey into the Past

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A ncient West African Women is a short, crisp book which systematically explains how women in ancient West African tribes migrated from the Nile Valley in Egypt westwards to an area south of the Sahara, which we now know as West Africa. The book also polemically explores the lasting impact of chattel slave trading, colonization, Christianization and Islamization on the standing of West African women. In this book we discover the shifting fortunes of women, as ancient African cultures encounter the encroaching world and these strong pillars of African society became TOPPLED CORNERSTONES! Find out more... The Author - Christiana Oware Knudsen Born and brought up in Ghana West Africa. As a newly trained schoolteacher, she met the Danish medical doctor, Peder Christian Kjaerulff Knudsen, at Koforidua, Ghana, in 1955. They married and had three children. Later on they moved to Denmark to settle.  Christiana Knudsen holds a Cand Phil degree in Social Anthropology from Aarhu

The Folly Under the Lake’ by Salema Nazzal is a Whodunit in the classic style

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A Review by Neal James Replete with characters common to a host of murder mysteries, the novel presents the reader with a series of unmitigated cads, outrageous bullies, cowering wallflowers and the odd faceless servant to confuse the issue. In a plot which moves around with, at times, bewildering speed, the reader is left wondering which way to turn as the story moves down a series of blind alleys in the search for a killer and his or her motive. Inspector Thomas, much in the image of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, sifts expertly through a catalogue of evidence, hampered by the involvement of his son, but comes to the final conclusion with the boy’s help. Salema Nazzal writes in a style easy to read, and wastes not a single word in drawing you in to her story. The settings and descriptive text are perfect for this style of crime novel, and in a surprise ending left me wondering what it was that I had missed. A highly recommended read. Book Trailer Read book excerp

A 1930s jape with witticisms on the one hand, and spine chilling scenes on the other. Thoroughly enjoyable.

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I enjoyed this book. It kept your interest and was a quick read. The rich owner of the estate ,Watler Sinnet ,where the Folly under the lake was built was a despicable person who treated everyone badly especially his wife Blanche, son Harry and daughter Rose. He threatened to disinherit his son because he wouldn't join him in his business. But the on didn't like his fathers business ethics so refused to join him. Walter had 3 lakes built on his estate with the Folly built under the lake. He invited a bunch of people to spend time at his estate to showoff the Folly. Well Walter ends up being murdered and the cast of characters spending the week there are all suspects in the murder as all of them have plenty of reason to want to see him dead. The Police Inspector interviews all the guests several times and its difficult coming to a conclusion as all seem to be guilty but in the end the crime is solved and the murderer was one of the guests. Well written "wh

Fierce Thunder is showcased in the Spring collection of The People’s book Prize and can be voted for until 15 May 2016

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We encourage everybody to buy, borrow from the libraries, read, comment and vote for the authors/book. The public have until 15 May 2016 to vote.  The People's Book Prize entry links:   Fierce Thunder - Fiction Category The 3 authors with the most votes in the category will become finalists and will compete again from 16 May 2016 to 12 July 2016 from the special Finalists Page.  The winners will be announced at The People’s Book Prize 7th  Award Ceremony on 12th July 2016 to be broadcast by SKY NEWS. Courtney and Jacquelyn Silberberg are the author of Fierce Thunder . We wish Courtney and Jacquelyn Silberberg the very best with this event.

The Folly Under the Lake, a book review in the Follies Magazine, Edition 96, Spring 2016

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Read book excerpt (preview) Download Book Flyer Ebook   |  Kobo  |  Google Play  |  Apple iBook  |  Nook  |  Amazon Kindle UK  |   Amazon Kindle US The Author Having always had a love for English, Salema qualified to teach it as a foreign language and then went abroad to work in Lebanon. She taught adults at a language centre and eventually ended up helping at a school on the site of an orphanage where she met her husband. She wrote about the plight of the orphans and the article was published in the centre-spread of a Christian newspaper.    Salema has been obsessed with whodunits since she was a teenager and was challenged to write her own by her sister Jess. Not knowing where to start she took herself off to college to do a crime writing course with published crime authors Lesley Thomson and Elly Griffiths and hasn’t looked back since. She currently lives in West Sussex where she takes care of her husband, two children and two cats (not necess

Lessons on leadership and meaning from the pros

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Golfing with the Enlightened Dead Dr David Cruise Malloy; Dr Donald Lyle Lang Book description This book brilliantly applies the thoughts of the world’s greatest thinkers to the practical questions of modern day life, leadership, and work.  The reader walks the fairway with Bud Graland as he is introduced to the likes of Socrates, Nietzsche, Freud, and Frankl.  On each hole a new “Enlightened Dead” thinker is returned to the living and guides Bud through his quest to find meaning in everyday life and the world of work.  Malloy & Lang engage and inspire deeper thinking in a manner as simple as taking a walk and as challenging as the game of golf.  Who knows, it might even improve your game.     Uniqueness of the book Books on philosophy abound as do books on leadership, and golf. The Enlightened Dead takes the bold step and combines these three worlds into a unique, thoughtful, and practical application of philosophy to leadership and meaningful work.  This book provides the

Be moved! Be inspired! Be encouraged!

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H ere is the true and honest story of a man who out of the blue fell victim to oesophageal cancer in mid-life and fought back. He takes the reader from his incomprehension at the moment of diagnosis, to his bewilderment, then acceptance, the battle and finally the all-clear. He does not spare us the disappointments, pain, loneliness and much more! Find out more... Reviews “A very powerful account of one man's journey through the complex NHS system after being diagnosed with cancer. Never losing his sense of humour throughout you will find this book both fascinating and insightful. The author is very relatable which kept me hooked right from the start.” Shirley Harvey "I could not put it down. I didn't expect a book about cancer to make me laugh out loud, but it did. The humour lightened the mood while still telling the story. The author has managed to find the right balance between conveying their personal experience/opinions while remaining non-judgemen