Hot Preview ~ "Gilda Can't Gallop" by Susan K. Schank

Last week while visiting with a friend, I noticed these vivid children's book covers on her screen. This one stood out and caught my eye.

What makes this little story, Gilda Can't Gallop, special is the notion that dreams still come true. Gilda, which means golden, is a beautiful golden horse who can't gallop like the others. She wants to run and play, frollick and leap like the others, but it seems it may never happen for her. Without giving away any of the book, your child is going to love how Gilda overcame her problem.

This book will open the door for parents to discuss overcoming hardships or handicaps with their children and for that, I think this book and its author, Susan Schank, desire a FIVE STARFISH RATING!

Wealth of Information

The internet has a wealth of information, though some of the best takes more digging than the worst of it. In my efforts to maximize the benefits of this blog, I've been searching and researching blogs similar to my own. It's a great way to find out what works and what doesn't work. I found far too many good blogs to list them all here, but here are some that I believe should be marked by authors and visited frequently:

Blog Book Tours, which has many ideas for building the value of your blog so that you can host tours. Authors can learn how to make their sites go viral and attract more comments.

The Book Views, which posts reviews, interviews and previews of upcoming works. I like that there is a loose flow to the site. It isn't as structured as mine, which is a good thing. I found several books on this blog that I have reviewed myself. That's always good. I can compare my thoughts to another reviewer's thoughts.

Books and Authors, which features some of the longest, but most interesting interviews I've read yet. This blogger also features book reviews.

Urban Christian Fiction, which features great books others probably overlook. I've purchased four books since I first visited her site. Normally, I don't get into AA Fiction for obvious reasons, but sometimes I think whites overlook the beauty and culture found in AA books.

Bibliophile's Retreat, which has massive amounts of info just there for the asking. Books galore that I'd never even heard of. I'm afraid I picked up a few books from what I read on this list too.

Review ~ "Dare to Dream" by Carol Jones

Carol Jones tells her story in her freshman work, Dare to Dream. In the first three chapters, I tried to figured out how all those hardships related to dreaming. That made me reconsider the cover. I'd just gotten it, but my friend asked me to give her a rush review. It took until chapter six to finally get the significance of darkness into wide open space, something that signifies freedom. Then, it all made since.

If you can hang on past the rather run-of-the-mill issues of life, you'll get a real treat. Her topic was great, as was the whole moral of the story. It wasn't a full length read, and as part of the Living Waters mini-motivational line, it is the perfect size to provide reading entertainment on a trip or to wind down after a long day of work.

What Makes an Author Stand Out

Authors are both born and made. Some people are writing as soon as they can hold a pencil and never stop. Some people just fall into writing as a way of dealing with an issue, or as a result of their primary profession. Either way, no one writes to be mediocre. A real author wants to be great. What author hasn't dreamed of a Pulitzer or other prestigious writing awards?

This profession is filled to rim with mediocre writers. Just because you may have a million people competing against you doesn't really mean that your competition is a million people. Your competition is yourself and all those who strive for excellence and greatness in writing. Believe me, that may be 5 percent, and I'm being generous. My point is you have to strive to stand out from the pack.

Standing out isn't hard. First, care about what you're doing. If you care, it will show in all that you do. That is a life lesson, a lot of which I've been learning from a dear friend, Lacresha Hayes. Secondly, give. Most people's eyes are so full of dollar signs that they are paralyzed when you tell them to give something away. Lend your expertise. Give your readers a real piece of yourself. Lastly, connect with your followers. Books are great, but you won't find people just picking up your books for the hell of it. Something has to draw them. Your publisher can't do it. Your publicist can't do it. YOU have to do it.

Review ~ "I Romanced the Stone" by Marvin Wilson

At first glance at the cover, I thought this book was about a man ready to kill himself. Then I noticed the hand in the clouds and figured he'd gotten saved. After some thought, I figured it out before opening the book, always a good thing.

In this true story, Marvin Wilson details his life as a druggie and hippie, two words that nearly became synonymous in the 60's and 70's. He talks about the ups and downs of street life and the dangers that lie within when you live the fast life.

Wilson also talks about his transformation in Jesus Christ in no uncertain details. The way he talks about the struggles of life without Christ, and the struggles of life when you first meet Christ was one of the most realistic accountants of salvation I've read in ages. I love the detail, the sarcastic humor, and the warnings that exist page after page. Good book and one that will go into my personal library.