Book Review - The Silver Sphere: Book I of The Kin Chronicles

The Silver Sphere: Book I of The Kin Chronicles

By: Michael Dadich
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
Publication Date: November 2012
ISBN: 978-1-62253-601-6
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: July 22, 2013

As one who does, it is easy to say this to other readers: We crave the days of Harry Potter and want nothing more than to have a book series that brings that magic back. The good news? We may just have found a winner to take the mantle and run with it.

Shelby is in 10th grade and has to live a somewhat lonely existence. Her mother has abandoned her and her father has turned to the drink instead of taking care of his child. The only escape Shelby has is the library. This is a girl of imagination and intelligence, and even though she’s going through darkness she is always so full of courage, light and kindness for others.

One day, when she runs to the library for a little respite from her home life, Shelby finds a cryptic message popping up on the library’s computer telling her that her ‘Kin’ need help, and alluding to an ancient evil. She shows her favorite person - the librarian, Mr. Dempsey - the message, and they head to an assigned meeting place within the library, wondering who the message is from.
Yet another person, a young man by the name of Zach Ryder, also receives a message, as well as four others: Riley, Max, Stuart and Emily. It turns out that when these kids answer the call, so to speak, they are immediately transported through an intercept portal into another realm. And we are talking about a very cool realm.

The basic plot is that these six have a psychic link to members that make up the Aulic Assembly - the governing body of the country of Meridia. On a planet located 200 light years from Earth, this Assembly has disappeared through evil means. And to help retrieve their Kin, these children are placed in this new world, all grown up and owning the magical abilities of their missing brethren.

Malefic is the bad guy in all this. He, with the power of Biskara (an ancient evil ala, Satan), has built an army called the Nightlanders and is overpowering Meridia. He wants the power and will make sure that everyone dies who gets in his way. The one thing he can’t seem to get by, however, is the Silver Sphere. This is a magical type of weapon that seems to halt his progress.

The six find themselves thrust into this seriously wild ride, and every character you hope will be there is accounted for. From the hysterical intercept teams of Vilaborg and Cassie, as well as Barrick and Sculptor - who remind one of Frick and Frack - the people that readers are introduced to are beyond memorable. You will get lost in the beautiful voices of The Fugues, gasp at the furry, unkempt Bogman, and want to chase the bright green squirrel through this amazing landscape.

Quill says: A vivid mind has most definitely brought back the Technicolor that’s been missing since Potter made his last stand.

For more information on The Silver Sphere: Book I of The Kin Chronicles, please visit the book's website at: www.thesilversphere.org

Book Review - Necessary Lies

Necessary Lies

By: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: September 2013
ISBN: 978-1250010698
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: July 2013

In Necessary Lies, author Diane Chamberlain uses fictional characters to bring the reader back to the early 1960s, in the deep, rural South, where poverty was plentiful and the 'Eugenics Sterilization Program' was a very real method used to control the poor and 'mentally defective' population.

Jane Forrester is a newlywed who has just accepted a position as a social worker in Grace County, one of the poorest districts in North Carolina. Her husband, a pediatrician, is against his wife taking such a job, let alone working at all. It is, after all, 1960, and a doctor's wife should not work. What would people at the country club think if they knew that his wife was working? It would reflect poorly on him and he couldn't allow that. Jane, however, is a very strong willed individual and insists on working outside of the home. This disagreement causes tension throughout the story.

Jane's biggest problem as a social worker is that she gets too emotionally attached to her clients. One family that she desperately wants to help is made up of Noonie, the grandmother, her two teenage granddaughters, Mary Ella and Ivy, and Mary Ella's toddler, 'Baby William.' The family is dirt poor, and are tenants on a tobacco farm. Through the farm owner's generosity, they are allowed to live in a home on the property in exchange for working on the farm. But with Noonie's deteriorating health, and Mary Ella constantly getting sidetracked looking after her son, and being chased by numerous local boys who are entranced by her beauty and easy ways, the family's contribution to the farm is dwindling. There's always the chance they could be asked to leave.

Mary Ella, a mildly retarded girl, was sterilized without her knowledge, immediately after giving birth. Noonie had signed the authorization papers, and agreed to the procedure in the hopes of bettering her granddaughter's life. Now it appears that Ivy, a relatively bright girl who suffers from mild epilepsy, may be headed down the same path. Noonie knows that the girl sneaks out at night and she's afraid that there will soon be another baby in the house. Noonie wants Ivy sterilized too, and this is about the time that Jane takes over from the previous social worker, a woman who agreed with Noonie about what was best for the girls. However, Jane is hesitant to fill out the application for sterilization. How can she allow a teenage girl, who wants to one day have a family, be sterilized without her knowledge? That is the dilemma facing Jane as she becomes increasingly attached to Ivy.

In the author's note in the back of the book, Chamberlain explains that the 'Eugenics Sterilization Program' was a real program, and from 1929 to 1975, the state of North Carolina sterilized over 7,000 people. Initially aimed at the 'mentally defective,' the program expanded to include others whose sterilization was "for the public good." Necessary Lies is told in the first person, through the eyes of both Jane and Ivy. The characters are very real, and the poverty that those in Grace County (a fictional place) endure is overpowering. Assumptions are made by the reader, assumptions that are proven incorrect and really cause one to consider the tragedy of the disgraceful eugenics programs that existed in various parts of the U.S. not so long ago. The stupidity and shallowness that Jane faces from her peers are in sharp contrast to the lives and trials that her clients are forced to deal with on a daily basis. If you want a tale that will linger with you long after you've finished reading, and a story that will really make you think, then start reading Necessary Lies.

Quill says: Bestselling author Diane Chamberlain shows readers just what made her such a popular writer in this stunning, fictionalized tale of a very real time in our not-too-distant past.

Interview with Author Marcus Brady

Today we're talking with Marcus Brady, author of Dark, Love, and Light

FQ: I enjoyed your character Orville Whitworth and his guest player appearance in a rugby match against his old school rivals. Did you ever play rugby and if so, what did you enjoy most about the sport?

I played rugby for P.E. at school a number of times and at home with my brother occasionally when I was a teenager. I never played rugby at club level like Orville though. I think rugby’s a good sport. It’s a tough, rough sport, but it’s also a strong masculine sport. That’s why I made Orville a rugby player, because I think it helps make him a strong masculine character, and he’s the lead male character in Dark, Love, and Light. My own favourite sport is soccer. I wanted to have a scene involving sport in the play, and I thought it would be good to tackle (no pun intended) a sport other than my own favourite sport in the book.

FQ: In Scene 10: Mosque, Habib provides an interesting explanation to Annabel of the "...Islamic Artistic calligraphy, which was instrumental in keeping the Qur’an alive in history through record..." The overall scene is quite informative. Did you spend time in a mosque in order to develop the scene? If so, what is your most memorable recollection you gleaned from the experience?

I didn’t spend time in a mosque to develop Scene 10 – I’ve never actually been to a mosque – but I did buy a copy of the Qur’an and read parts of it to help me write the scene. The Qur’an is an interesting read. I also looked up information about mosques online to help me write the scene.

FQ: In Scene 15: Park, Otto shares his philosophy and approach to writing a book which is “…to write the full book all at once; yet not to write it in sequence…” How close is your process to that described by Otto when you are in the throes of a new writing project?

Well, just to clarify this, it’s not actually Otto’s own philosophy and approach to writing a book – it’s that of his friend Radek Gaffney. Radek, as Otto reveals earlier in the Park scene, has written a script for a short film called Hopscotch, which Otto reveals he’s going to direct himself. But, as Otto says himself, he does think that writing a book all at once is “one interesting approach to writing a book”. My own approach to and process while writing a book is similar to the approach Otto describes to the others with him in the park. But I also tend to focus on individual scenes, when I’m writing a play, or chapters, when I’m writing a novel, at times.

Author Marcus Brady

FQ: In Scene 16: Warehouse, Annabel and Josie go to the Warehouse and have their first meeting with lesbians: Imber, Zuleika, U and Michaela. Michaela explains the Warehouse as "...our Writer... we meet him here because this is where the young man insists on us meeting him..." Why?

The young man, the real writer who’s writing the scripts for the real-life artistic venture he’s named realart, insists on meeting the four lesbians in the warehouse because he wants their meetings to be as private as the realart venture the five of them are involved in.

FQ: If you were to take to the stage as one of your characters in Dark, Love, and Light, who would you be and why?

One of the male characters with a small role in the play. Orville, as the male lead in the play, and a fun character to boot, is definitely the best role for a guy in the play, but he’s the male character with the most lines in the play too, and thus his part has the most lines to learn! But I’m not actually interested in acting in a performance of one of my plays – I’m content just writing my plays!

FQ: While you have written a few plays, have you ever personally produced one of your works on stage?

No. None of my plays have ever been produced for the stage. I would love for Dark, Love, and Light to be produced for the stage at some point though.

FQ: I enjoyed learning you are a fan of Shakespeare. Perhaps it is unfair to ask this question, but if you had to choose your number one Shakespearean favorite, what would it be and why?

Hamlet, because it’s his longest and greatest play. I love the Sonnets too.

FQ: I'm assuming since you wrote a gaming book, you have a fair amount of "techno" knowledge. With the constant emergence of new technologies, what innovation do you believe has been most impressive to hit the market in the past couple of years and why?

The technological innovation that’s impressed me most in the past couple of years is superfast broadband. When I first used it in 2011 I was just amazed by how quickly everything loaded on the screen, including videos, which is so brilliant. I think superfast broadband improves the Internet user experience immeasurably.

FQ: Thank you for your time and the opportunity to interview you. Is there anything you are currently working on and if so, would you care to share?

I’m currently working on my first novel, a popular fiction science fiction and fantasy novel entitled Dimension Generations. It’s coming together nicely; I’m excited about it.

To learn more about Dark, Love, and Light please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Mo Willems App!

Attention Mo Willems fans – here’s your chance to laugh one-on-one alongside the famous children’s author! Mo’s newest app, Pigeon Presents…Mo on the Go!, is now available on iTunes and Nook, complete with games from Mo himself… and also created by YOU!

Three-time Caldecott honoree Mo Willems invites you to join some of his most beloved characters in this collection of entertaining games and activities to play anywhere, anytime! In Pigeon Presents…Mo on the Go!, kids can also draw along with Mo in the app during a one-on-one lesson.

Additional features include:

• Watch as Mo demonstrates how to transform a scribble into a work of art
• Share your masterpieces with friends or store them in your sticker vault
• Create a terrifying—or hilarious—monster with Leonardo
• Do the Jumbo Gumbo, the Piggie Jiggie, and tons more funky moves
• Let the Pigeon drive the bus…in his dreams!

Pigeon Presents…Mo on the Go! is now available on iTunes for $3.99 and Nook for $2.99. Please let me know if you’d like to receive a review code for this app and/or images.

Also, be sure to check out Mo’s newest coffee table book by Disney Editions, “Don’t Pigeonhole Me!: Two Decades of the Mo Willems Sketchbook,” available wherever books are sold. Featuring a foreword by Eric Carle and an introduction by Mo, this volume includes all twenty sketchbooks from the last two decades revealling the author/illustrator at his most truthful, most experimental, most grown-up. Most Mo.

Another Special Award in Our Awards Program!

Have you nominated your book yet???  Our early bird reduced nomination fee ends soon (August 1) so don't wait.  Here's just one example of the extra, special awards we're offering:

Savannah's Choice Award for Best Adult Fiction Written by a Self-Published Author: Prize includes: book review by Savannah Mae, a page highlighting both author & book to be featured for a month on the home page of www.saywhatsavannahmae.com following the awards. Book review and highlight pages to remain on website indefinitely, featured under "Savannah's Choice Awards" and last but not least an ad with the winning book cover linking to Amazon.com for 1 year on sidebar.

‘Jetson’-Age Tools Click with Big-Event Planners

Trade Shows Expert Shares 3 Cutting-Edge New
Technologies

Most of us think about technology on a mostly two-dimensional plane as we flick our way from screen to screen on touch glass. But today’s tech includes applications that are far from flat, says major-events expert Ann Windham.

“What if you could control all primary aspects of major events like trade shows, big weddings and awards ceremonies through your iPad or smartphone; imagine shutting everything down at the end of a long and exhausting night by pushing one button on your phone – that’s just some of what’s possible with today’s software,” says Ann Windham, president and CEO of Imagine Xhibits, Inc., (imaginexhibits.com/events).

Lights, climate control, projectors and monitors, curtains, fountains and much more can be controlled with an app, and the data that you take away from trade shows can be used to quickly follow up on sales leads, she says.

Windham shares three of her favorite new technologies:

• Pre-show – Event Management Software: This one-stop source for managing every detail about your event – from Fed Ex tracking numbers to vendor contact information to photos from the show – even allows you to manage multiple events from any location. “In the past, we carried all the details for each show in one huge binder. If you were at a show in Texas and someone called with a question about the show in Oregon, you wouldn’t have that information handy,” Windham says. Event management software relies on cloud storage, so members of your team can access it from their smart phone or iPad no matter where they are. Another benefit: You’ve got just one place to input all that data.

• During the show – Remote Sensors: Sensors built into the walls of an exhibit allow you to control all of the electronics from your smart phone or iPad. Not only does it save time, it’s an easy way to add valuable theatrics during a demonstration. “Say you’re standing at the back of the room and you realize the speaker can’t be heard, you just turn up the volume on his mic, right from your your iPad,” Windham says. “Or, if you want to create special effects using lighting and room temperature, you can dim the lighting and drop the temperature.” Her favorite feature? At the end of a long day, rather than walking from one device to the next, shutting off each, you press just one button and turn everything off while walking out the door.

• Post-show – Sales Leads Follow-up: Seventy percent of percent of exhibitors who capture sales leads at trade shows don’t collect qualifying information, according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).Scanners collect only the most basic data from visitors to each booth – there’s no way of knowing whether they were a “hot” lead ready to buy, or someone who stopped by for the free T-shirt, Windham says. Now, however, event management software allows exhibitors to include qualifying information every time a visitor’s badge is scanned. “At the end of the event, you can quickly see who your hottest leads were and send them an email or postcard before you’ve even left the event,” Windham says.

For planners who’ve been hamstrung by personnel cutbacks in recent years, these new tools are lifesavers, she says.

“The days of ‘The Jetsons’ has arrived.” 

About Ann Windham

Ann Windham is the president and CEO of Imagine Xhibits, Inc., a full-service trade show marketing company that offers custom design exhibits using modular components. Windham’s company offers customers more than 50 percent savings on operating expenses; expert face-to-face marketing consultants that will work to increase ROI with four-step marketing; quarterly seminars offering continuous education by certified trainers; in-house design services for custom structures, graphic design and brand development; turn-key services and exhibit management program for all logistical needs; and a one-stop shop for meeting planning, promotional products, collateral web-site and more.

Book Review - Little Red Writing

Little Red Writing

By: Joan Holub
Illustrated by: Melissa Sweet
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: September 2013
ISBN: 978-0811878692
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: July 17, 2013

Pencil school was the perfect place to learn how to become a writer and Ms. 2 was up for teaching everyone how to write. “Today,” she exclaimed, “we’re going to write a story.” Of course everyone was excited and Little Red was raring to go. Ms. 2 set out the outline of a story path on her blackboard for everyone to follow. All the student pencils had a story in mind. Naturally the birthday pencil, state pencil, and the basketball pencil were going to write about those easy peasy things they knew best, but Little Red had a different idea. “I want to write a story about bravery because red is the color of courage,” she said to herself. Hmmmm, but just how would she go about telling her story?

Ms. 2 gave Little Red a basket of nouns and reminded her to stick to her “basic story path” so she wouldn’t “get lost.” Little Red smiled as she took the basket and was on her way ... to writing a very, very boring story. Little Red wanted exciting and so she added a little “verb action” with some bouncing, a bit of boogie woogie, and cartwheeling. She had to watch those adjectives, had to clip a bit of the story, and watch those run-on sentences. Of course those adverbs were there to help, but soon Little Red found danger along her story path. “Greetings, little pencil. Grrrreat to see you,” growled out Principal Granny between those sharp teeth. Was Little Red so far off the beaten story path that someone or something was going to eat her up?

This is a charming retold story of Little Red Riding Hood, who took up a little writing. Naturally there is such a thing as a reluctant reader, but even more commonly we find those reluctant writers hiding out in classrooms. They have their sharpened pencils in hand, but simply don’t understand how to follow that story path and get where they are going. With a combination picture book, graphic novel, and instructional, Joan Holub charts out a storytelling map for them. The artwork, by Caldecott Honor winner, Melissa Sweet, is quite dynamic and vibrant as it invites the young reader to explore the “workings” of that story line. Undoubtedly this retold tale will be a hit with reluctant writers, homeschoolers, and classroom teachers everywhere.

Quill says: If you have reluctant writers who need a little nudging, this is the perfect book to jump start the writing process!