Authors Books

I learned a lot about publicity, things I never even heard of. If you have a book to promote, this is your best investment.It more than pays for itself.

As an author, I'm always on the lookout for books that can help with publicity, marketing, and promoting. This book was a pure gem.

This book is worth the purchase price just for Chapter 11 (E-mail Blasts) alone. With tips for propelling your book to the top of the bestseller lists by e-mail marketing, this chapter takes you by the hand and leads you through the process step by step in a quick and painless way.

This book doesn't just tell you how to promote and publicize your book; it shows you with sample letters and action steps.

If you're ready to pump up your promotion and get your book noticed, then this book should be on your list of must-haves!

Author 101 Bestselling Book Publicity is what every author needs to promote themselves and their book. This is a very practical, easy to follow and affordable handbook. Get it now! You're missing sales!

While I own all four of the "Author 101" books by Rick Frishman and Robyn Spizman, I feel this one is the most valuable. In fact, I wish I had it BEFORE I started writing my first book. The information and helpful tips included from these industry insiders is worth a hundred-times the price of the book. I have met and spoken with both Rick and Robyn, and I will attest that what they tell you in this book is gospel truth.
After you read this book, you will gain insight into how best to plan the marketing and publicity of your book even before you write it. This is key information whether you are using a traditional publisher, or if you are self-publishing. In fact, if you are self-publishing, READ and MEMORIZE chapter 8 on Interviews -- this will be the primary source of your income.
I highly recommend this and the other three books in the "Author 101" series.

Happy reading and successful writing,

Stuart Gustafson, Author
www.stuartgustafson.com

As a fellow book publicist it's imperative for me to keep up with all of the great books and magazine articles being published about the book business. I've read dozens and dozens of such books and can recommend this book without hesitation.

One thing about the book marketing and book promotion business is that there are so many nice people in the business. I rank Rick Frishman as one of the top publicists in the U.S. not to mention he's a nice guy too!

His book, co-authored by Robyn Freedman Spizman and Mark Steisel, offers advice and insight about every stage of the publishing world. Using testimonials and commentary, this book lets authors, agents, and publishers alike show you the things you should and shouldn't do in promoting your book.

Scott Lorenz
President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in book marketing and author publicity.
[...]

Having my own collection of "baseball letters" similar to Swirsky's thoroughly enjoyed this book. I even envied a few of his responses that I was never able to receive and was relieve to find that I was not the only baseball fan to journey into letter writing.

It is a collection of responses to letter's Swirsky sent to baseball players in a varied range of topics. Some answers are short and simple while others provide a more interserting response. Either way, if you are a baseball fans or have even written to a baseball player, past or present, you should enjoy this simple and enjoyable book.

. . . this would have to be it. I actually started getting jealous that HE was the one who wrote to all these players, and HE was the one who got letters back from them. But I got over it quickly and just shared in the joy and the fascinating discoveries. What a treasure trove, made even better by the author's showing us copies of the actual handwritten letters from the players! Also it's gutsy how he shares with us the story of how this project resulted from a period of emotional difficulty that he went through. The style is casual yet flawless -- as easy to read as anything you'll ever find.

I *love* this book. It's a great compilation of some of the most interesting questions one can ask his heroes. Mr. Swirsky doesn't just stick to the basics, he asks players who played in the 1930s what baseball was like in that era, he asks legends to put together their all time All-Star team, and asks players their impressions of up and coming (soon to be legendary) rookies! I was very impressed by Mr. Swirsky's knowledge of the game, and his ability to ask questions we wouldn't have thought of.

What's also interesting is that 99% of the responses are handwritten! In this day and age of email, it makes the book more intimate and personal!

This is a great coffee table book, too, as it's great for reading in small portions--when you want a slice of baseball history! The companion book, Every Pitcher Tells a Story, is also wonderful and features more great letters. I highly recommend!

This book is rich and full of exciting baseball history, as Swirsky writes to professional baseball players of all decades and teams and poses questions to them on their careers and reflections of America's Pastime. Not only is this book interesting in a historical prospective, but it's very fun to read and analzye. The work that went into this book is noticeable, and both the letter to the player and the response from the player (as well as many great pictures) make this book a timeless classic. Bravo to Seth Swirsky for such a job well-done.

I bought Mr. Swirsky's new book "Every Pitcher Tells A Story" and was so taken by its originality that I bought his first one "Baseball Letters". They are quite different and it's hard to tell which one I enjoyed more. I was glad he didn't write to the same players--every letter was a new 'experience'.Great reads.

A wonderful book. Helpful information for both newbies and experts alike. Written with a lot of humor and flair. And the pictures are lovely as well. Highly recommended!

I LOVED THE BEANIE INVASION. Your online reviews made me decide to purchase it, and I've never regreted it! This book is fun, informative and an easy read! I did not put it down until I read the whole thing! Mrs. Daniels stories are unique, and cleverly written. The poem on the back cover was a great tribute to TY. I hope she writes another book soon. I strongly encourage everyone to purchase this title. It's NOT a pricing guide, it's not negative, it's not boring or hard to read, it's WONDERFUL! It's a book full of stories which all of us can relate too that includes humor, love and passion. I could only give this title 5 stars but it deserves 10. When I received my copy it came signed. I felt so special and then learned that she signs all of her copies, something else that proves she is a people person who cares about us the collectors. Mrs. Daniels - YOU GO GIRL!

Ms. Janie has written the Beanie Invasion to inculde all of the collectors. Read this information packed book and laugh along as I did. This book will allow you to recall events you may have forgotten. I recently met Ms. Janie at a show, what a sweet woman. Not only was I impressed with her knowledge, I also loved her table setup which was geared towards children. I attend many shows and have never found any table to be packed with freebies for kids. Thanks Ms. Janie for remembering the kids are just as important! Keep writing and keep smiling, you are a beautiful person.

This is a great book! If you love beanies, you'll love this book! It's da bomb!

If you want first hand encounters of the Beanie world! If you want researched articles with humor and truth! If you want to read from an HONEST Beanie expert, then you need to read the Beanie Invasion. After purchasing The Beanie Invasion, my family reads all of Ms. Janies articles. Ms. Janie is well respected and loved by the Beanie community. She apears on many websites and is a inspiration to us all. I would guess the reason why Ms. Janie is so popular, is because she tells it like it is and still remains human and kind to all. Ms. Janie is a fair reporter and we love her.

I'm a history buff and the period I love the best is 1900-1930 which is why I love Betsy Tacy so much. This 'companion' book is a great source for anyone craving more B&T as well as those interested in the details of day to day life during this time. More people than dates and facts - how did people LIVE? This books shares a slice of that...

This book is a lot of fun to have around when you're reading or re-reading the Betsy-Tacy series! It tells the stories behind the stories, compares the events in the books to events in Maud's life, and includes wonderful pictures of the real people behind the fictional names.

It is not intended to be a straight-out biography of Maud but rather how her life paralleled Betsy's. The research is detailed and voluminous, and very well done. This kind of a book could have been very tedious and boring, but I didn't find it that way at all. The writing was sprightly and included some humor, and I just really enjoyed paging through it as I re-read the series this summer!

Any Maud or Betsy fan should own this book!

If you are like me, you always feel a bit melancholy as Betsy, Joe and their friends dance back into the mists of time on the last page of "Betsy's Wedding". It's like loosing touch with an old friend, and you are left to wonder what happened to Betsy, Joe and the gang? Why was "Betsy's Bettina" never published?
Did Joe come back from the war?

Thanks to what must have been a time consuming and massive effort by Sharla Scannel Whalen, you can find out. This very thick hardback is crammed full of every minute detail relating to Maud Hart Lovelace's series that the author could find.
The Betsy-Tacy Companion is divided into chapters that address each book in order. In each chapter she compares and contrasts characters and thier real life counterparts, as well as information about the homes and businesses in the real Deep Valley of Mankato where their adventures took place. There is an additional chapter that tells you what happened to as many main characters as possible after the series ended. The book includes photos, illustrations, and clippings in addition to the text.
The format struck me as more textbook than biography. It can at times, seem a very dry read. It's a chapter at a time sort of read for me, as opposed to a straight through read. It's obvious that when Whalen was researching this book that sources of information were becoming increasingly hard to find. Although some information may seem unimportant or unnecesary, it's inclusion is worthwhile in that it keeps those bits of history from being lost forever. You get the sense that was very important to Whalen, this isn't just a book, it's labor of love devoted to preserving as much of the Lovelace legacy as possible.
I may not sit down and read this through annually like I do the novels, but I will keep it and treasure it. More important, I hope someday my own daughters will appreciate having a book that will never be rivaled in detail and depth. If you are a die hard Betsy-Tacy fan, buy this book before it's gone for good. 20 years from now it may be a hard to find treasure that our next generation will appreciate as much as we do!

I recently ordered The Betsy-Tacy Companion, and I was quite unsure as to what I should expect. My hopes were high though, and I wasn't to be disappointed. The Betsy-Tacy series is a special one, and the companion goes deep into the magic of Deep Valley and Mankato without killing it altogether. Definitely a must have for anyone in love with Deep Valley.

Oh and I was pleasantly surprised to see chapters for Emily of Deep Valley and Carney's House Party.

This book is a treasure if only for the hundreds of photographs of Betsy and the Crowd. The perfect book to curl up with on a long winter's night or any other time of the year. As a lifelong Betsy-Tacy fan, you can't give me enough details about Maud Hart Lovelace. The writing is informative and often humorous -- it's obvious that the author understands who her audience is: true Betsy-Tacyites!

The life - project of Pessoa in his making of multiple poetic alter egos, reminds of the life - project of Kierkegaard who explored various aspects of the religious life through use of alter egos often representing different faculties, approaches and moods of life. But if Kierkegaard's aim is to bring the reader to realization of what it might be to be in true connection with God, Pessoa's seems to be more to dissipate the notion of unique identity completely out of existence. Thus the fragments he shores around his own ruin and attributes to alter ego , heteronym Bernard Soares have within them a strong nihilistic self- and - world denying element.
Yet and here is the contradiction and the deeper truth they also reveal a kind of beauty both in perception and in the varied motion of the mental life itself. Lonely solitary lost fragmented Pessoa knows no human sacrifice like that of Kierkegaard with Regina, knows no dedication to his father's task of doing God's duty in the most ultimate way. He instead seems to reveal hidden realities as he conceals that beyond them all may well lie an eternal nothing. Kierkegaard is the many- selved servant of God, and Pessoa the many - selved servant of nothing more holy than human poetry.

Poetry often speaks to us; we see something in it, something recognizable, and it's like we are shown a piece of ourselves that had been hidden for a lifetime before. Finding Pessoa's *Book of Disquiet* was like finding a piece of myself. In the pages of this poetic novel you will find honesty, often self-disparaging, and you will find beauty in the smallest observation. However, be forewarned, this is not a book that should be picked up with the idea of light reading in mind. In fact, you may find that you have to put it down, repeatedly, to get away from it, to think, but you will always, always come back to it. Keep it close to hand.

"If i think, it all seems absurd to me; if i feel, it all seems strange; if i desire, he who desires is something inside of me."
Sums up the book perfectly. Pessoa explores one of his many personalities. "The Book of Disquiet" explains, in complete depth and faith, the beauty of a lonely, existential, moment by moment life. He explains the beauty that people forget. He explains the world, his perception, as if every moment were the last.
"The book of disquiet" is one of the most insightful books a person can read, but only if one has imagination and an ability to let go. Bernardo Soars, Pessoa's personality who wrote the book, is extreme and eccentric. It isn't easy reading, and it won't affect you if you can't overlook the fact that life doesn't go on like Soars'; that there is more in thinking, dreaming, and desiring than Soars admits. What makes the book so special is how Soars can forget everything but the thought and the moment, and how he can analyze and critique and put into words something that most of us forget to remember. "The book of disquiet" reminds me, at least, of how to appreciate my own mind. It is the only philosophy-like book that i enjoy (as yet) because it is the real thing and encompasses a forgotten part of real life.

Fernando Pesoa's genius lies within who Pesoa was as nil and not. He wasn't anyone. Only somene who continually writes in "disquiet" his persona's variable exegesis. The writing is in the book but the author who wrote it, Fernando Pesoa does not "feel himself" as actually being who he is. So, maybe he's actually a different author, with a different name who begins to write a different book. There's all of the writing there, its genius evident in the mystery of the writing itself. All the writing invested with absolute revelation of numinous absence. The absence is that of the author's presence. Magic? Truly. The author is not there. But he must be "there" because he has no choice but to write. What's the answer for the author who is finds himself as absent? He must undertake the creation of the abent author's presence. How? By literally creating a utterly unique form of literature. A literature whose grammar is of being literal by making it possible to write of the absence of an author to himself into a presence to be known as the once absent identity. Writing through a textual hermeticism capable of transmutation through written words of the emanation of an author as "logos," or the Word. "In the beginning there was the Word." Through the Word as logos, all identity is created in the appearance, ex nilho, of the writer mediated solely through himself in this the new logos of writing itself. Pesoa is not himself. He's a man who achieves glimpses of a unmanifest self-referential identity only through his books. In the work of writing these books, this identity is made manifest as the author's anamnesis. Seemingly he finds out (remembers) he is, and always was, a certain author he now "remembers" as himself as a manifested presence. An absolute genius manifested as the author himself being (repeatedly) annihilated through radical self-doubt. Only later remembering who he was as absolute presence never to be lost again. Until this is accomplished all of the laborious, literal negotiations must of necessity begin anew, and are written as literature whose search arises from absence's discontent becomes the new discourse as the art and improvisation of real identity forged in the alchemy of narrative. This peculiar narative reaveals itself as a lived experience of self-discovery. One man of many parts dismembered in his own identity become self-inflicted and religious. Pesoa's own holy inquisition seeking and finding the indentity he is spurious, a phantasm of derealized personality perpetually guilty of having a persona found lacking, Wriiten out in texts as being found guilty of the "heresy" of having an identity. Never before Pesoa has an identity crisis of infinite magnitude been witnessed in Pesoa absence made real presence in some of the 2OTH century's finest writing and poetry. of the 20TH century in The writing of a man named Fernando Pesoa. A man lost to himself, in search of the "person" underneath the name. Personality and identity as reality grounded in a mystery only to be known by itself: self found through words that are the artifacts of the self discovered. A genius lost to himself and calling his absent identity into gradual existence by a person's absence fading into a personality that's presented in multiple, shifting Heteronyms, or cases of terminal identity lost and regained.

there are few poets able to assume so many diferent personalites as Fernando Pessoa. But Bernardo Soares is not a diferent personality, is just the other side of his personnal mirror, an escape to his tortured soul. Probably that is why The Book of Disquiet is so universal, a portait of the human fears, an example of a lonely man,travelling across his own mind, looking at the world through the most ironic eyes. Fernando Pessoa was able to understand dissapointment and regreat in a intemporal way, as a natural part of human nature. So, this book has the ability to make you look inside yourself, guide by one of the best poets of all times!

As a nurse working with cancer patients, their families & loved ones I often find myself at a place of wanting to say more to comfort or offer solace. Sometimes the emotions filling & spilling do not allow verbal sharing. This beautiful book fills that space. Sometimes weeks later I will get a note thanking me for the giving of this book...how much Maggie's words have meant to them...how connected to another human they felt while reading it...how sometimes they read it aloud to the dog or cat just to hear their own voice speaking such loving , tender words...my heart fills.

I received this book as a review copy from a small publisher, and was wary. Many of the review copies I've received have been books that were not what I'd normally chose to read (and in those cases, the books rarely get finished or reviewed.)

This book was a welcome exception. Often I've wished I could pass onto my children some of the insights I've had after years of living and experiencing life. Or be able to comfort a friend in troubled times with sage thoughts. This book offers me that opportunity, in a modest-sized, but nicely packaged offering.

Maggie Steincrohn Davis has woven her own reflections with those of well known and not so well known wisemen and women, and presents us with food for thought appropriate for many times -- joyfilled or troubled -- in our lives.

She says in the beginning, "I confess, I could have condensed this book into one sentence - 'See deeply the beauty and interconnectedness of all life; then think, speak and act from what you see.'"

I'm glad she didn't confine herself to a few words - this book makes a lovely bedside book to read in those moments when you feel blue. It makes a wonderful gift for a friend in a time of need. It is uplifting, yet simple; inspirational yet earthy. It gets added to my list of books to give as gifts.

A personal, practical & tender book about honoring the heart - a deep-seeing that goes beyond courtesy, kindness & empathy to the living compassion. Especially fitting for health practitioners, teachers, parents & volunteers.

Maggie's philosophy is to see the beauty & interconnectedness of all life. Her goal is to strive, to think, to speak & to act from what we see. She has been listening to her own heart & the concerns of others for years.

There are books that you read & there are books you live by. Caring in Remembered Ways is just such a book, the kind you can read from cover to cover or leave on your nightstand for those final, meditative thoughts before sleep. The throne room is also a good place for such pondering in a moment of privacy & relaxation.

A simply beautiful inspirational book of verses, thoughts, stories & philosophies.

CARING IN REMEMBERED WAYS is the kind of book I reach for when I crave nourishing insights during trying times in my life. Maggie Steincrohn Davis' book about loving and caring for ourselves and others is true food for the soul, written like poetry. Thirty-one graceful entries gently serve up tasty morsels of ancient wisdom (such as how to see from the heart, or face times when loved ones are dying) alongside a garnish of amusing and heart-warming personal anecdotes.

I love the way Maggie understands all the subtle nuances of care-giving, and the ways love can reach through any situation, when we imagine it can. She writes, "Only by reaching 'beyond-the-beyond' of people -- behind their eyes, back of their pain, beneath their blaming and irritation and fussing -- do we make a path to the best in them. Treating someone with compassion who does not treat us well in return might be our fullest offering of love, as well as our own greatest relief during the daily rounds of vigilance and giving."

In this book, every sentence feels like a prayer and a meditation on love and compassion. As I read each comforting entry, I find myself feeling like I'm back in the warm, sunny days of my childhood -- snugly wrapped by my mother in a fluffy towel after a warm bath. CARING IN REMEMBERED WAYS can help brighten and warm even the darkest, coldest days in one's life. It's the ideal pick-me-up for anyone who grows weary of caring for and nurturing others, and even oneself.

Maggie has written a beautiful book about taking care of our fellow man. Her words flow like a calming river, bathing our souls in caring consciousness. This book will teach you deeply and remind you we are all human. Maggie helps us hear the thoughts of the ill and dying. She takes us by the hand and leads us into their world. How do you handle a parents death, a friends illness, the loss of a pet? What do you say to a friend experiencing a loss? How do you feel about your own aging? These are issues we will all have to face in our life.

Her words inspire us to move beyond courtesy and kindness and realize empathy. She evokes this feeling through a montage of anecdotes, meditations, stories from her own life, collected quotes, eternal wisdom and rivers of thoughts which run deeply over the rocky river beds of life.

The philosophy is to see the beauty and interconnectedness of all life. The goal is to strive to think, speak and act from what we see. Maggie has been listening to her own heart and the concerns of others for years. She has absorbed this knowledge and wants to pass it on to us in a way that affirms the best a human can be. She reminds us: "...any life we care for well can remind us of all we are capable of giving."

I highly recommend this "drink for the soul" to nurses, doctors, hospice volunteers, families caring for their loved ones, and everyone who feels disconnected and wants to start learning how to care for others. How beautiful the world would be if we could all know what Maggie knows in her heart. How caring of her to share her knowledge with us.

By reading this book you will realize how the smallest deed can have a positive effect in your own neighborhood. If you nourish yourself with the attitude of compassion, at the same time you will leave attitudes of worry, self-doubt, blame, fear, resentment and pettiness to die without your care. Maggie started Neighborcare to provide hands-on-care, plant care, pet care, help with errands, meal preparation, housekeeping, help with outside chores and help with transportation to medical appointments.

Her vision for the future is to encourage others to serve the ill, dying, injured and heartsick. She applauds volunteer efforts and I believe she is going to succeed in bringing awareness to caring with this thoughtful book from her heart.

The lessons presented in "Caring in Remembered Ways" are your guides to compassion. Along the journey of collected thoughts you may not see the words through you own tears. This is when you will most clearly see the needs of your own soul and the needs of fellow souls traveling with you in life. If you plant the thoughts from this inspiring book in your soul, caring will grow.

~The Rebecca Review

An amazing look into Borderline Personality Disorder, recovered memories, and the impact of those memories on the patient, family, and physician. Highly recommended.

Stephanie Moulton Sarkis PhD NCC LMHC
Author and Psychotherapist

Dr. Moskovitz presents a great case study, and a great analysis of a malpractice case. He also gives an excellent presentation of a psychotherapy case. Dr. Moskovitz sets the stage carefully and then the blook takes off and goes flying. I particularly enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Boston. Dr. Moskovitz's book brings about intriguing speculation about repressed memories. I highly recommend this book.

This engrossing book is for anyone who is addicted to the court-room, Law and Order-type suspense genre. As the drama unfolds, the author provides a sometimes disturbing window into the minds and hearts of each of the characters with even-handed, reportial detail.

As a psychiatrist, I found Dr. Moskovitz's novel, "Carousel Music" both entertaining and believable. His treatment of the controversial repressed memories and confidentiality issues is sensitive and insightful. They are addressed in the context of a mystery story complete with a surprising twist at the end. The development of the intricate characters and their interactions is very realistic, and I found the most interesting dialogue occurring during the courtroom scenes.

The reader is challenged to predict the outcome not only of the trial, but also of the novel itself. This is a well-researched page-turner, which clearly shows the complex thought processes of a psychiatric patient, her relatives, the treating physician, and the attorneys who become involved. I look forward to Dr. Moskovitz's next book.

Fred Miley, M. D.
Immediate Past President, Florida Psychiatric Society

The author's easy writing style takes the reader through the trauma and drama of the abuse, the courtroom, and the anguish of mental illness. I read this novel from cover to cover in just one night which is no small feat considering my busy lifestyle, but I just had to know how it all turned out.

Richard Moskovitz develops his characters well and brings them to life with compassion, intelligence and skill. Having worked closely with victims of abuse I can say that this novel is right on the mark. Therapists and suvivors should read Carousel Music.

Colin is my cousin and I had no idea he was such a talented writer! I am not one who actually enjoys reading because I have a hard time getting into books. Not many books capture my attention and hold it. Colin's book did! I could not put this book down!!! It was so exciting, suspenseful, and thrilling. Casting Two Shadows keeps you guessing the whole time. It was everything a book needs to make it an exciting and enjoyable for the reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an all around great read. Wow Colin, the past 20 years of my life I have been searching high and low for a great read and the whole time you have been the author I was looking for. Casting Two Shadows

I've been an avid reader for many years, but normally will not touch anything fictional. It has almost become a challenge for friends and family to try to become the one to break that barrier, by getting me interested enough to read a fiction book that not only will I finish, but will actually enjoy.

Casting Two Shadows has done exactly that! Sitting among piles of other books that were strewn about my reading room, something drew me to this one. An inexplicable curiosity quickly gave way to a fervent desire to chew through the pages as quickly as I could turn them. My indifference to fiction was quickly replaced by a rapacious hunger for the next page (all while standing, as I had no intention of getting this deeply involved with any non-fiction creation!) Once I determined there was no closing this book, I settled into the most pleasantly surprising tale I have ever had the pleasure of stumbling upon.

The only drawback to this book is that you will not find other materials from this supremely talented author. Colin's tale had the audacity to pry me from my non-fictional world into the lively, multi-dimensional universe of novel. I only wish he were here so I could thank him...

I'm not good at writing reviews but all I can say is WOW. I had no idea Colin was a writer, none the less an extremely talented writer. This was by far one of the best books I have read and rate it among my favorites. I can honestly say I now have read the same book twice for the first time ever. It was that awesome! Throughout the whole book from page one I was hooked, captured by every detail and story plot that continually left me wanting more. I would recommend this book to others and have actually bought multiple copies for friends and family. Thank you Colin for sharing your talent.

When reading this book, Casting Two Shadows, I had to stop and remind myself that I was reading a book by Colin Doran, and not my usual pick, such as Nora Roberts and Nelson DeMille. The writing and plot of this book are phenomenal and the suspense is just thrilling. Everytime I thought I could have had the story figured out, I would be shocked again. I read it on the train everyday to and from work, and I can't imagine the different expressions on my face that people saw when I was reading this book, that is how amazing it is! You feel like you are there and you know the characters. It is really a shame I will not get to read another novel by him.

RIP Colin Doran

Casting Two Shadows is an incredible mystery with numerous twists and turns. It's a book that is hard to put down once you've turned the first page. As chapter and chapter unfolds you begin to think you have the story figured out and then another unknown key is revealed. The characters are well scripted and evolve in just the right amount of time, so they are people you empathize with by the end of the book. It is a shame that Colin Doran will not be sharing his talents with us in the future...he was a gifted author. My only question is when is Holywood going to pick it up as a movie option?

William Trevor continues his short-story excellence with this collection. A wonderful, spirited read! Enjoy, and rest assured that if this is the first Trevor collection you're purchasing, it won't be the last! If you're a long-time fan, you will not be disappointed.

The powerful melancholic narrative in Trevor's 'CHEATING AT CANASTA is often unsettling and complex, but at the same time evocative and finely crafted.

These stories stay in your mind, the harshness of their conclusions, the solidity of them, strongly molded and resonating with fierce elegiac gravity.

Trevor is an eloquent storyteller and shines a probing light on elusive human intricacies and entangled relationships with a true master's touch!

Reviewing William Trevor's THE STORY OF LUCY GAULT on this site some years ago, I wrote: "There are very few authors whom one trusts to lead one into dark places, with the assurance that there will be some beauty to be found there in the end. Trevor is emphatically one of them." In that book, in his novel FELICIA'S JOURNEY, and in almost all of his short stories, Trevor writes about the lost, the lonely, characters who are very young or growing old, people who have been deceived, rejected, or bereaved. But he also has the gift of benediction. The title of his previous collection, AFTER RAIN, is well-taken; his ability to bring the sun out after the storm is miraculous -- to produce not always a happy ending, but at least acceptance and understanding, a quiet gift of grace.

The stories in CHEATING AT CANASTA are just as good, but they are rather more sad. Trevor still has the power to set up a nuanced situation in a very few pages: the impending sale of an old estate in Ireland, an accidental encounter in Paris recalling boyhood traumas. He can still create characters who pull at your heartstrings: a fifteen-year-old girl meeting an older man from a chatroom, a widower finding love again after the death of his wife. And in story after story, he can still end gently with hard-won wisdom: a separated couple coming together again only to realize they were better apart, an old clergyman in doubt of his faith finding peace at the deathbed of his domineering sister. But while all the endings seem absolutely right, none of them is entirely happy. Trevor's rainfall still stops, but now mostly gives way to a tranquil dusk. I appreciate that... but miss the occasional rainbow. [4.5 stars]

I was convinced long ago that William Trevor is a master of the short story. I so enjoy luxuriating in his collections that I now intentionally pass by the occasional story in "The New Yorker" in favor of the delayed but ever-so-greater gratification of an entire volume of stories every three or four years. The latest collection of a dozen Trevor short stories is CHEATING AT CANASTA. After reading the first three stories, I feared that perhaps Trevor was slipping a tad. While quite accomplished technically, they did not touch my inner being. But the remaining stories put any such fears to rest. Once again, Trevor proves himself a master of the short story in English.

And once again, I marvel over how Trevor seems to be able to write about anything, about anyone -- to weave a story out of the unlikeliest stray rags and scraps of yarn. Here, many of the characters are from the working class or lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder. Those who are not nonetheless are not among society's glamorous or smug. None of Trevor's characters (here or as far as I remember from his other works) would ever have expected their lives, public or private, to be worthy of the attention of a great writer or legions of sensitive readers. They are common, yet in Trevor's renderings they become uncommon.

A theme shared by all these stories is deception, even between two seemingly very close people. Yet the tone rarely is one of anger. Instead, it is one of gentle ruefulness, tinged with melancholy, at times approaching a world-weariness. The narrative is sparse, almost minimalistic. Yet Trevor's voice is so assured, so authoritative, but without ever being overbearing.

In truth, I can't imagine anyone who appreciates literate short stories not relishing the stories of William Trevor, including CHEATING AT CANASTA.

Life as it was lived before the ubiquitous use of anti-depressants. No Prozac in the water system here. Read and be enveloped by the emotion, the heart-wrenching reality of life in the raw. You can feel the sorrow, the embrace of an ineluctable reality, the inescapable path of Destiny. Feel the bleak damp in your bones, the drizzle on your skin. Smell the peat. These stories will linger with you for a long time. Another masterpiece by Ireland's favorite son.

I was a student of Jess Moody at Palm Beach Atlantic and it thrills me to see him still at it in "Club Sandwich". His gift to tell meaningful stories in a memorable way shines through once again. He writes the way he preaches, short, succinct, and powerful. If you need a heart- warming lift I highly recommend you read "Club Sandwich".

I am Jess Moody's granddaughter,Jessica. Even if he wasn't in my family, I would always rate this book with 5 stars. It's a great book with wonderful stories about his life. Try reading it, it's awesome!

I have read all of Jess Moody's books. I think he has found his niche with "Club Sandwich." He is a superb spinner of stories! This is his best book to date, his personal Everest of human interest and insight. He dares to share himself with the reader in an audacious and attractive way that appeals to the voyeur in us that clamors for celebrity dope. Buy it, read it loan it, but get it back. Long summer afternoons are coming!

Jess Moody is a master storyteller. He writes with great wit and intellegence, and has the ability to touch your soul with truth and insight when you least expect it. Jess is really an American treasure and this book underlines that fact. I can't think of anyone quite like him. I hope he continues to write books in the future. His voice needs to be heard. For those familiar with his other books this is vintage Jess Moody. For those haven't had the opportunity to feast on his stories and the visual images they evoke, this is a great introduction to a master wordsmith.

Club Sandwich is so good, you'll be asking for seconds. Jess Moody is a masterful storyteller with a message of faith, hope and humor. You can tell he's related to Will Rogers, Jr. because he got the "story-telling" gene that captures audiences with rememberances of the rich and famous and common folk.

My husband and I have been reading Club Sandwich as a morning devotional and it's a wonderful way to start a new day. In fact, it's so wonderful, we just purchased 40 copies to give as gifts to our family and friends.

I recommend Club Sandwich to everyone.