Who Knew New Words

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SGWNHCB/

Who Knew New Words looks like a great children’s book.  What can you tell us about it?

I believe it is a great children’s book. It breakdowns vocabulary words usually very medical.  Those terms can give any parent, caregiver, or teacher trouble simplifying on the spot.  Further, the illustrations help kids visualize the meaning of the words. But for me, the book goes beyond COVID-19 terms.  It looks at everyday words that kids hear but still cannot say exactly what it means.  Words such as disease or vaccine.  This book looks at the relationship and role of families and other social structures near and dear to kids.  It helps them to process emotions they may have felt during the early stages of the pandemic. 

 

How were the illustrations done in Who Knew New Words?

I had one true requirement for the illustrations of the book.  I wanted the illustrations to appear as if you were in the mind of a young child.  So the illustrations capture the emotion and imperfect manner children recount stories.  Some elements of the illustrations are more exaggerated than others.

 

What inspired you when writing Who Knew New Words?   

There are so many people that inspire me in general ways that contributed finishing and publishing this book.  My parents, play a major role.  They set the foundation of seeing a project through.  The inspiration for the book was different in each chapter. For instance, I wanted to highlight frontline workers in the medical field. Being a teacher myself and growing up with parents who teach; I wanted to highlight how the Coronavirus affected teachers. But beyond the Coronavirus, I wanted to touch on how instrumental teachers are in the lives and well-being of nurturing a child. I also drew inspiration from the work many of my friends do as social workers.  I am also a social worker, but since I have branched out into education, I am no longer a practicing therapist in social work.  But I wanted to pay homage to those who are very active in social work. I wanted people to know that a frontline worker is really a community worker.

 

Lessons From the Great Coaches (Author Interview)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QR8V74Z/

Lessons From the Great Coaches looks like a helpful book.  Any plans to turn it into a series?        

I’m currently working on volume two. The first edition was dedicated to pro coaches while the second will be focused on the college side of the game. It’s possible that there will be future editions from there, but the focus for now is getting the second volume completed and released.

How long did it take you to write Lessons From the Great Coaches?

It’s a concept that I’ve been tossing around in my head for several years. I’ve had a general outline and overview in place for some time. Earlier this year, I finally made the time to see it through to completion. All told, it was a couple of months of research, writing, and several rounds of edits. The biggest overall hurdle was getting to the point in which I was satisfied with the final product. That took some doing, but I’m pleased with the results.

What inspired you when writing Lessons From the Great Coaches?  

I’m a big fan of improvement, whether it be personal or professional in nature. I’ve done my best to instill that into my two children as well. Since they were born, I’ve been completely dedicated to being the best possible parent and placing them in a position to have the confidence to go after what they want in life. The overall inspiration was a combination of my personal passion for the topic and the opportunity to share knowledge with readers. 

What will readers get out of your book?

There’s a lot of wisdom and knowledge out there if you take the time to look. As opposed to spinning your wheels endlessly and never finding the answers that you’re looking for, taking the time to get to the heart of the matter can lead towards having clarity on what really matters. This book is a collection of some of the wisdom and knowledge that has been shared by some of the best coaches of all time along with actionable tips on how it can make a difference in your own life.

What motivated you to become a writer?

Not That Rich (Author Interview)

 

 https://amzn.to/39fKkE3

Not THAT Rich looks like an exciting story.  Compared to Gossip Girl and Crazy Rich Asians, what can you tell us a little about it?

I wrote Not THAT Rich through the lens of being the book that I wish I had as a high schooler. Growing up, there wasn’t much Asian American representation in pop culture, and even when there was an Asian American actor on TV or in a book, I felt like it didn’t reflect my own experience of being a second-generation daughter of Chinese immigrants. I wanted to write a book that encompassed the glitz and glam I sought out in books growing up (like Gossip Girl and The Clique) but also gave readers a glimpse into the diversity of perspectives and experiences that can be found in the world of being Asian American (like Crazy Rich Asians to a certain extent, despite being set in Singapore).

Most importantly, I wanted the book to be fun. Young adults already have so much on their minds these days from juggling family, friends, education, and just being a teenager. The heaviness cast on 2020 by the pandemic and political turmoil made it even more important for me to write a lighthearted and juicy book that helped readers escape into a satirical world. It ultimately became a delicate balance of being a cerebral read while also still drawing out reflections about identity, motivations, and consequences.

 

Congratulations on making it as a #1 New Release on Amazon.  What about the book do you think makes it such a big hit?

This is a tough question because I wish I knew as well, then I can make it an even bigger hit *laughs*. I think everyone has their own reason for liking the book but what I’ve heard the most often is that despite how “extra” and dramatic some characters and scenes are – the book is relatable. The emotions, cultural adversities, familial tension, miscommunications in friendship, and educational pressures all strike a chord in the reader in some way or another. 

What inspired you when writing Not THAT Rich?   

Not THAT Rich is inspired by a lot of stories, scenery, people and experiences that I witnessed growing up in an Asian American suburban bubble. There are parts of the book that are exaggerated (like having a $2 million dollar teddy bear, which is only found in a museum in South Korea), but the intense drive for monetary and educational success, the struggles of managing a multicultural identity, and the awkwardness of young love are all things I either experienced or saw firsthand in my own life.

 

There are quite a few characters in your book with different backgrounds and perspectives. Can you tell us a little bit about them?

Because my book is arranged in chapters with alternating perspectives of characters from the elite private high school, Winchester High, it might be easier to go down the list of them one-by-one:

 

Hunter Wang – He’s the popular and athletic overachiever who has a bullseye target on getting into Stanford. Tall, handsome, and smart, he’s also dating the most popular girl on campus – Sierra Jones. His obsession with college admissions drives him to take actions that cause many regrets in Not THAT Rich.

Trisha Wang – The goody two shoes perfectionist who has a massive crush on the new kid, Ray Martinez. She’s the younger sister of Hunter and while more practical than him in love, she struggles to maintain her straining friendship with her best friend, Pamela Shah.

You're the Boss (Author Interview)

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734752602/

You’re the Boss looks like a fun kids book. Any plans to turn it into a series? 

You’re the boss is actually the first book in the Wealthful Adventures series. The Wealthful Adventures series inspires mental and financial freedom. The books in the series will serve as a means of liberations through the teaching of life skills that traditional education often fails to acknowledge. 

Can you tell us a little about the games and activities included?

Children will be able to engage in a hidden object activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search, and more. These interactive activities will allow children to interact and learn the concepts of the book in other ways that will allow the lessons to stick with them. 

Any Luck at All: Asheville Brewing #1

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089XJ6MGQ/

***USA Today Bestseller!***

She might be wishing for the wrong kind of luck.

***Standalone romance with a HEA!***


Georgie Buchanan doesn’t know the first thing about running a brewery—she doesn’t even like beer—so she’s out of her element when she and her siblings inherit their grandfather’s money pit. Her one hope for success lies with River Reeves, the handsome brewmaster who learned at her grandfather’s feet...if she can avoid falling for him.

River Reeves is having a rough week. Not only did he lose his friend and mentor, Beau Buchanan, but he’s just been betrayed by his former best friend and business partner. Still, things seem to improve when Georgie offers him his dream job—turning around Buchanan Brewery.

Great right? There’s one problem: his new boss is his dream woman, and she’s not the type to mix business and pleasure.

Liberty Bound (Publication Review)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087YXKKT3/

Liberty Bound by Nathaniel M Wrey

HUGEOrange Publication Review and winner of the Editor’s Pick Award

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

I love future apocalyptic sci-fi and Liberty Bound does a great job of getting me out of my everyday life and into a decimated world set thousands of years in the future with few people and resources. Finbarl, the main character, is well rounded and someone the reader can get behind.  If you enjoy books by George Orwell or Phillip K Dick, this would be the perfect addition to your favorites.  

The characters are sinister and the author adds the appropriate tension and ambiance to their dialog and settings.

“Definitely, Wardyn!” declared Finbarl.

“Good,” said Hradbar, the one word demonstrating another difference between himself and his father. “The accused’s name is Aminatra-gula. I believe you met her this morning?”

Finbarl’s heart and mouth dropped as one, as all those around the table grinned at their fait accompli.

“Excellent!” said Governor Elbar.

 

It’s not long before Finbarl is thrown into adventure and although there are some slow scenes, they do well to build the tension and world around Finbarl, who protects the last city, Athenia, from a group of creatures hellbent on the city’s destruction.  

 

As with many great science fiction books, there is a reflection on the modern world and hidden nods to today throughout.  It’s brilliant and the author does well keeping the reader guessing and flipping the story throughout.  

 

It’s a unique and creative world.  Rich with everything you would want from a science fiction dystopian book. No spoilers, but as of the writing of this review, there isn’t a sequel, but the book leaves that door open while providing a solid ending.  

 

If you enjoy books that question freedom with in-depth sci-fi adventure and excellent writing, check it out.  You won’t be disappointed.  

Blackmark (The Kingsmen Chronicles #1): An Epic Fantasy Adventure

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D6SPARK/

A nation's elite warriors vanished. A throne in jeopardy on the heels of murder. War flamed by a shadowy magical cabal.

And the five friends who can stop it, banished.

Accused of treason, Kingsman Elohl seeks the truth of a betrayal that caused his people to disappear a decade ago. Now, he must give everything to shatter a hidden sect that usurps power from the throne.

Nations burn and kings are brought to their knees in this dark and gritty sword and sorcery series from Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Jean Lowe Carlson.

A #1 Amazon bestselling series in Epic Fantasy and Adventure Fantasy, The Kingsmen Chronicles is a complex world of treachery, passion, and magic.

Readers who enjoy Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time, Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles, George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, or Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive will love this fantastic adventure.

Dellia (The Ever-Branching Tree)

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1645710009/

Dellia is an epic high-fantasy romance about ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. It blends alternate worlds, action, adventure, and dire peril, with political intrigue, a generous dollop of romance, and a pinch of humor.

All Jon ever yearned for was a simple life with few responsibilities and someone to share it with. In the middle of an ordinary day, a shattering accident rips him from his uncomplicated life and plunges him into a baffling world that defies the physical laws he knows so well. Stuck in a world of impossible phenomena, terrifying creatures, and mystifying prophecies, his only hope of returning home is a harrowing journey that would propel him through three distinct realms.

But his arrival has not gone unnoticed. Suspicious of the circumstances of his appearance, a jittery ruling council requires someone to investigate. So they send the one warrior best suited to the job: the dedicated and compassionate Dellia. She lives to help people. It is what gives her life purpose and meaning, but as a protector, her duty binds her with an unshakable devotion to the council.

Dellia’s heart calls her to give the desperate Jon whatever aid he requires. Yet, how can she when every step walks a knifes edge between her own deeply held convictions and a nervous ruling council determined to see him as a threat?

Lost and alone in a vast world with no food or water and his all his technology broken, Jon is in dire need of help. Skilled and knowledgeable, Dellia is just the help he needs, if only he can keep from falling for the one woman whose duty might compel her to stop him.

Self-Reflect to Self-Correct (Author Interview)

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KSCTKFR/

Self-Reflect to Self-Correct looks like a great self-help guide.  Can you tell us a little about why you wrote it?

·        Absolutely! I wrote this book because I myself have struggled with feeling as if I’m enough. I have friends that many would consider to be highly accomplished and successful, however when we speak behind closed doors, they each question themselves. I wrote this book to give perspective on the feelings that many people are afraid to discuss. We all have doubt and we all need encouragement. As I state in the book, you are not alone!

Any plans to turn it into a series?        

·         I’d love to expand on this book. I believe that my experiences and perspective can speak to many, but my plan is to gather other’s experiences and the lesson’s they’ve learned and write about those. The more perspectives that I can gain, the more people that may be able to relate and gain something from reading.

How long did it take you to write Self-Reflect to Self-Correct?

·         This was a year long project. There were many early mornings and late nights as I tried to balance my life with completing my first book. It’s been a great journey!

What inspired you when writing Self-Reflect to Self-Correct?   

·         My support system and my readers and followers on my blog “Thoughts of a Normal Guy” were big inspirations. The messages and comments that I have received when people read my thoughts acknowledged my assumptions that what I had to say was needed. I had a message to communicate and those individuals pushed me to do so.

What do you want readers to get out of your book?

·         More than anything I hope that readers will give themselves “permission” to be themselves when reading my book. I want anyone who reads from cover to cover to be inspired to be themselves, and not to apologize about it. Once they’ve accepted the fact that their thoughts, doubts, feelings, and actions are perfectly normal, I want readers to commit to using that mindset to go out and achieve their goals. We are capable of accomplishing whatever we set our minds to if we align our actions with our belief.

Did anything stick out as particularly challenging when writing Self-Reflect to Self-Correct?

·         Writing this book required me to be vulnerable and that was hard. I had to get comfortable opening up about feelings that many people, especially men, don’t like to talk about. It was quite the challenge to open up about some of these things and share those experiences from my past but after seeing the finished product I think it was worth it.

The Whip: Inspired by the story of Charley Parkhurst

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064599HK/

 Best Western, 2013 International Book Awards

2013 National Indie Excellence Awards winner, Western fiction category
Award-Winner in the 'Fiction: Historical' category of The 2012 USA Best Book Awards
Gold Prize in Historical Fiction & Best Western Fiction - 2013 Global Ebook Awards

THE WHIP is inspired by the true story of a woman, Charlotte "Charley" Parkhurst (1812-1879) who lived most of her extraordinary life as a man.
As a young woman in Rhode Island, she fell in love with a runaway slave and had his child. The destruction of her family drove her west to California, dressed as a man, to track the killer. Charley became a renowned stagecoach driver for Wells Fargo. She killed a famous outlaw, had a secret love affair, and lived with a housekeeper who, unaware of her true sex, fell in love with her. Charley was the first woman to vote in America (as a man). Her grave lies in Watsonville, California.

Startups Made Simple: How to Start, Grow and Systemize Your Dream Business

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N1X1XXQ/

Imagine the perfect business for you. Not only a business that you love, but one that generates consistent wealth and is so well systemized that it mostly runs itself.

In Startups Made Simple, small business expert Matt Knee has created a complete guide that takes you from idea to systemized company as quickly and easily as humanly possible. This book is not for the stereotypical Silicon Valley-type of startup that get millions in venture capital. This book is for “the rest of us”—the 99% of entrepreneurs who bootstrap and start real businesses.
In this book, Matt Knee pulls back the curtain and guides you through a proven six-step process that he and other successful entrepreneurs have used to build multi-million dollar startups.

Whether you have a business now or are looking for an idea to start one, this book will systematically take you (and quickly, using lots of checklists and bullet points) through the process of perfecting and growing your business. This includes how to get out of your own way and even take a real vacation.

In addition, you’ll discover:

• How to supercharge your energy, productivity, and daily routine to get much more done in less time (and not have to work 50+ hours a week like most founders).
• How to build a clear vision so you get great ideas and know exactly how to turn them into reality.
• How to avoid the fatal mistakes that have destroyed startups in the past. (Most are easily avoidable.)
• How to identify that magic cross-section of what you love, what you’re good at, and what you can get highly paid for in your business.
• How to simply and inexpensively test if your idea is any good before starting the actual business!
• A step-by-step process for building your Sales Machine and putting your marketing and sales process on auto-pilot.
• Managing and systemizing your business with clear procedures, a simple one-page plan, and a manual that will show anyone how to operate your business (so you can take a real vacation).

Heir of the Hunted (Hollow World Book 1)

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBH5Y1X/

 CIPA EVVY Award Runner-up for Fiction/ Fantasy

Readers' Favorite Award Finalist for Epic Fantasy

Radyn likes to juggle blades and sleep beneath the stars. But when dark clerics slaughter his circus family and kidnap his foster father, his life is shattered. As he brushes aside his pain for a daring rescue attempt, Radyn has no idea that an ancient prophecy of a forgotten god has made him the real target.

Kyna is eager to prove herself within the mystical Alakyte order. When her magic shockingly fails far from home, she uncovers a deadly conspiracy. The primordial barrier to the underworld is being destroyed. Hordes of voiceless holy men gather in the Rolwood Forest, harbingers of their masters’ release. Acting against orders, Kyna takes on the enemy with the help of an orphaned acrobat who might just be the key to saving the world.

Aided by a surly demigod, the unlikely duo must find a way to stop an ancient evil from taking down mankind’s last magical defense. Can Radyn and Kyna fend off the darkness before the Hollow World awakens?

Heir of the Hunted is the first book in the thrilling Hollow World epic fantasy series. If you like unconventional heroes and fast-paced adventures, then you’ll love Richard T. Drake’s action-packed novel.

“Will wow readers and make them dream of dark gods and unusual heroes.” —Readers’ Favorite

“Any lover of fantasy will find this new series entertaining.” —The Road Trip Writer

“Brought me something totally new and fresh and yet still familiar in my fantasy world. Loved it!” —Amazon Reviewer

Buy Heir of the Hunted to start your adventures in the Hollow World today!

Unveiling Property Secrets (Publication Review)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08J845WWL/

Unveiling Property Secrets by Dean Pearson

HUGEOrange Publication Review

Editor’s Pick Award Winner 2020

 

Buying a house is a confusing, frustrating ordeal for many folks. Advice comes from all directions, from your mom to the grocery cashier. While you should listen to people, when you get a chance to learn from an expert, grab it. Unveiling Property Secrets is a must-read for those buying their first home or even their second or third.  There is a lot of information packed in this book that even someone experienced in the process would benefit from.  The content flows well from a variety of topics.  The layout lends itself to jumping around, which makes it a good reference tool and guide. 

The goal of the book is to give you a realistic look at the process and confidence in dealing with the complexity of the purchase of a home and it succeeds. Advice and information is written in a simple and easy-to-read style.

The more helpful of the chapters are the tips in determining how much you can afford and how to make a proper offer.

The offer that you are going to make to a seller is a written agreement. This agreement is legally binding, so it’s important to note that you’re not just drawing up a simple document. Within this document are several laws and processes that are taking place.

The author then goes through possible stipulations and contingencies, helping you avoid common mistakes and ensure you are in a stronger position.  This is good stuff; the information found in this section can make or break a deal.

I wanted to ensure that you know how to interact with the seller on both a business and personal level, to persuade them that you were the best potential buyer, and place you in the position of being able to stand head and shoulders above the competition. Most importantly, I wanted you to avoid the trap of disappointments and obstacles jumping in your way.

If you’re in the market for a new house, or plan to be in the future, this is a good step-by-step guide from start to finish in the home buying process that will leave you feeling confident every step of the way.