SPR | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Whole Mind Facilitation by Eric Meade

In Whole Mind Facilitation: How to Lead Workshops that Change People, Organizations, and the World, award-winning writer Eric Meade provides innovative and intellectually sound strategies for workshop leadership.

Meade’s thesis is simple, using the model of a house in which there are two rooms, with a basement. The rooms are Intuition and Thought, and the basement is Emotion. Meade states that to get from thought – one’s ideas and factual material regarding an issue – to intuition – one’s ability to create new ideas around that issue, one must pass through “the basement” – embracing personal motivation and insight, […]

SPR2020-08-11T03:12:08+02:00June 27th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Leadership Book Reviews|

Journey of a Twelve-Year-Old Author

A majority of existing novels implicate important messages, whether they are directly or vicariously stated. My recently published book, The Black Sisterhood Files, is a murder mystery that bears a veiled, yet sincere, moral: even the most villainous of creatures have love situated at the core of their hearts. The piece below is my humble attempt at sharing what inspired me to write the novel and my path to getting it published at the age of twelve. I don’t claim this to be a recipe for success for everyone, nor do I think that perception of affluence is uniform; […]

SPR2020-06-25T09:05:32+02:00June 25th, 2020|Categories: Member Blog|

8 Easy Tips for Fiction Writing

1) It is Important to Show, Not Tell

First off it is important to show, not tell. Showing is based around description and that really helps a reader become engaged in a story and understand the situation the character is in. Telling is more of an expository summary of something, which as I’m sure you’ll agree isn’t quite as exciting!

Knowing your audience and creating characters that they not only engage with but also empathize with is very important. I try to create characters that kids can look up to as role models that deal with situations and issues that […]

SPR2020-06-25T08:06:07+02:00June 25th, 2020|Categories: Member Blog|Tags: Writing Tips|

Review: Search: A Guide for College and Life by Barbara Roquemore EdD and Jeff Duffey MD

An innovative exploration of what is really needed to prepare for college is presented in Search: A Guide for College and Life by Barbara Roquemore EdD, an associate professor of Professional Learning and Innovation, and Jeff Duffey MD, a psychiatrist and author. Both specialize in work with students and offer useful insights for those entering college or moving through its stages.

Unlike many such guides, this book is geared toward looking both outward, at technical and practical considerations, and inward, at personal inclinations and ambitions. Issues covered include self-assessment and personal motivation, specific academic plans, lodging and sustenance, friendships with […]

SPR2020-08-03T06:26:21+02:00June 24th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Education Book Reviews|

Texas Off-Road Racing by Mike Kowis, Esq.

Brimming with passion and amusing anecdotes, Texas Off-Road Racing by Mike Kowis, Esq. is an entertaining journey through the sport of UTV off-road racing, as well as a touching family story. While doubtlessly, Kowis’ book will be most appealing to those who are familiar with the sport, he provides enough information that the layman can understand what it takes to compete, with the author’s love of racing taking the front seat, which is infectious. The play-by-play of one race goes a long way to filling in the details, so there is some repetition, but the strong use of visuals throughout […]

SPR2020-06-04T09:19:43+02:00June 4th, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Gates by Jay Green

A short but significant collection of ideas, memories, and imaginings are offered in the varied and expressive work of poetry, Gates by Jay Green.

The volume opens with a reflection on judging and condemning others, “Namesake.” The poet suggests that trust and forgiveness play a role in finding balance and “braving any distance” between people. “Sunset on the Bayou” paints the lovely perception that “Someone dropped ice cream on my Louisiana sky,” inviting him to relax and watch the celestial substance melt. An interesting take on writing is explored in “Penmanship” in which, as a child, Green tried to imagine […]

SPR2020-06-18T03:16:02+02:00May 27th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Bankruptcy Didn’t Break Me by Kassondra R. Lewis

A compassionate and expert guide. Unlike many other financial self-help books, Lewis strikes a good balance between anecdotal stories and specific strategies that can be readily applied to help improve one’s credit score. She writes with conviction and confidence, while maintaining a relatable voice, and tackles the delicate subject of bankruptcy with a clear head and obvious expertise, making this guide a brief but indispensable read.

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SPR2020-04-24T05:58:10+02:00April 24th, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

An Interview with Douglas Bain: Author of The Race to the Blackened Nevers, Winner of the 2019 SPR Book Awards

Douglas Bain lived in seven countries by the age of ten, and used the next couple of decades to rack-up as many careers. The Woeful Wager, Book 1 of the new dark, fantasy series “The Race to the Blackened Nevers” is his first novel. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two dogs who howl along with him when he finally gets the page right. Follow him on Twitter @DBainWriter.