Book Review
Books on Sports to Fill the Void
The Super Bowl is over. Baseball won’t start Spring training for another month. The basketball season is another month away from March Madness and the playoffs. Hockey is in mid-season. What is a sports fan to do? I know, read about sports! I have read dozens of these kind of books and would like to suggest a few. This is by no means a definitive list. In fact, it reflects my own tastes more than …
“Close your eyes dear, I have a surprise for you.”
One hundred years ago this week, Cecil Chubb of Great Britain decided to give his wife a really great gift. He bought her a bunch of big rocks at auction for £6,600 (equal to US$10,500 in 1915 and about US$250,000 today). Mrs. Chubb was certainly surprised with the thoughtful gift. But the rocks just weren’t her cup of tea. You see Mr. Chubb bought Stonehenge for his wife. Yes, that Stonehenge. …
Bad Reviews
This post isn’t about what you think. I am not going to address how to handle the emotional sting of a bad review. Instead, I am going to talk about those closest to you, showing how your friends and family can hinder your writing career. If you cannot stand the thought those you love may be undermining your career, stop reading now and go make yourself a smoothie and relax. For those of you who …
How to Read More in Less Time
I have the privilege of reading for a living. Someone once asked “What do you do for a living?” I replied, “I read.” Then they asked what I did for fun. And I replied with a huge smile, “I read.” But not all reading is alike. There is immersive reading of a technical nature. There is escapist reading of a great thriller. And there is cursory reading where you …
Summer Beach Reading
While I’m away at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, perhaps you will enjoy sharing your thoughts with each other. Have fun! What books are you planning to take with you on vacation this year? What are your favorite “beach” reads? What old favorites will you revisit? What new books will you read?
6 Elements of a Good Book Review
In our discussions of late on reviews and authors’ reactions to reviews, I thought it would be helpful to take a look at the elements of a good review. And when I say “good,” I mean helpful. For the readers. Because that’s what reviews are about. Helping readers decide if this is a book for them. So here are some things, based on book reviews out there, for reviewers to keep in mind. A good …
Reviews: Friend or Foe?
Writers are a fascinating blend of contradictions. Many are introverts who have to do extroverted things—speaking, booksignings, author appearances–and do them well. They are creative, expressive people who, most of the time, live in their heads. And when they are around people, they can seem withdrawn, even remote (mostly because they’re STILL in their heads). They come across as confident …
Are You Being Trashed?
No matter who you are or how nice you are, some people won’t like you. That’s a fact we all have to live with. Even worse, people we thought were friends can turn on us. And sometimes we may become the victim of unhappy people who enjoy talking rudely about others. Know the meaning of “trashed” You are being trashed if someone is making harmful statements about you with …
Is it Possible to Read Too Much?
Amidst all the public voices and rhetoric swirling around these days is a healthy focus on the need to make reading more a part of every life. From celebrities sponsoring reading campaigns to Amazon providing pre-loaded Kindles to schools in Africa through their Worldreader program, it is a good thing for sure. Illiteracy is not good for any society. However, I asked a question in the title of …