Authors Books

received and read -Scott Hawley's - "HOT TIMES DURING THE COLD WAR"

I am not sure where to begin and I know for certain I cannot adequately or fairly write what I felt while reading Scott's book.

July 1989 one month after graduation from FrankfurtAmericanHigh Schoolmy family and I prepared to leave Rhein-Main Air Base (our second tour) after three, magical almost unexplainable, awesome years. The going away parties, the last days with all my friends, and the nights in Sachs that led up to our leaving was nothing compared to the day we actually had to say good-bye.

My dad was commander of the 435th Aerial Port Squadron - the Terminal at Rhein-Main - while we said our good-byes in the special room at the terminal I knew my life would NEVER be the same - as we stepped off onto the tarmac my dad's entire squadron lined up saluting my dad and our family as we prepared for the flight back to my dad's last duty station at Randolph AFB in San Antonio - while all of us attempted to hold back the tears and clear the lump from our throats we knew what we had experienced would never be repeated or easily explained -

Scott made me feel like I was back at Rhein-Main & back at FAHS. I laughed, I got that familiar lump in my throat and I was transported back 19 years, ago to Rhein-Main, Frankfurt, my dear friends and that VERY special time in life.

We were all family (all of us) and I like to think we all still are - Our circle will never be broken.

Thank you, Scott, you captured what I have been trying to "explain" all these years.

UBER ALLES!

Amy Shields
Class of 1989 FAHS!

The author did an awesome job putting great memories in poetry! Thank you for bringing back the memories of the good old days. I will definitely be sharing this book with the other Frankfurters!
Frankfurt Uber Alles
Woohoo Sue FAHS 88

HAWLEY DEFINITELY LIVED THE COLD WAR FROM AN AMERICAN YOUTH'S PERSPECTIVE LIVING IN GERMANY. VERY WELL DONE.

85-88 was some damn good times!! man, this book rocked!!! Thanks Scott for sharing the stoke.. I'll treasure it. FAHS 86

-acacio

I read this book and thought it was incredibly creative and a very touching and sweet story about the author. I loved it and highly recommend it!

I found this book (a first edition) in the dusty corner of a library in New York. The title intrigued me, so I had to check it out. I honestly do not think I have ever read a more enjoyable memoir....and about such a subject. There is absolutely no other book out there that describes a patients stay at a TB sanatorium. Sure, there is the Magic Mountain and various others that are tiresome and not REALLY and simply about a stay in a sanatorium....interesting, because so many people had that experience-and no, not everyone died. This is the only book of its kind and I am thrilled and honored to have accidentally discovered it. I was even more shocked to find out that she was Mrs. Piggle Wiggle...hey, I grew up with her!

If there's anything good about a disiplinarian TB institution in the 30s (not 40s), it's the opportunity to meet so many different kinds of people. Macdonald is an observer and nailer of people's quirks on a level with Dickens (both of them, Charles and Monica). I love this book. There's one thing I would like explained, though. American readers talk as if Macdonald's "racism" was an understood and obvious thing. I see no racism in this book. OK, she calls somebody "coloured" and another girl "black". She also mentions that her roommate is Japanese and her workmate an Eskimo. Is she racist for not using today's PC terminology? She praises the institution for accepting everybody and mixing them together. She quotes some racist comments from other patients, but doesn't say she condones them, in fact "Betty" in the book answers back and disagrees. Please, please, somebody tell me why it is currently PC to say Macdonald is racist?

I read this book long ago, have forgotten a lot of it, but just about every December I find myself singing "Deck the Halls in Old Crepe Paper, fa la la" etc. Used to confuse my kids no end. For those who haven't read it yet, look for the scenes of holiday celebrations in the old TB sanitaruims-- sad & funny.

as "The Egg and I"--her statement in that book that "I do not like Indians and I think we did a good thing in coming over and taking this beautiful country away from them." made my part-Cherokee blood boil--could write another that was so UNracist. While the author does use terms like 'colored' and 'Negro', those were (one can understand) the accepted terms in the 1930s, and while she records the racist attudes of some of the patients and staff, she apparently does not agree with them. She formed a close attachment with a Japanese patient--whom she later urges to go to college--and when an African-American (to use the accepted term of today) patient tells her that she doesn't mind being in isolation because the white patients don't want her as a roommate anyway, she thinks this absurd.

It is difficult for us today to understand how very scary TB was back then. While TB is not unknown today, if caught early it is easily treated with appropriate medications; not so, then. The only treatment was a rest-cure with pallitive measures; many people recovered, but many did not. There were some surgical treatments (collapsed lung), but they were painful and not terribly effective. It was known to be contageous, although not nearly as contageous as many people thought it was. The nearest modern equivalent might be HIV/AIDS, except that the latter is always fatal.

As other authors have mentioned, one hardly thinks that such a story would be funny, but BMacD is able to find humor in any situation. I've read all four of her books for adults and enjoyed them very much--even 'Egg'. That she was able to be discharged from the sanitarium after only about a year shows that laughter is, indeed, the best medicine.

This book is filled with an off beat sence of humor. It isn't the slap you in the face kind of humor but rather the kind of humor that hits you later. For example, I found myself smilingat something I read earlier in the day while cooking dinner. At the end of this book you feel like you know each of the people personally. I wanted a follow up to find out what happened to each person. It's that good.

Basically this book is about Betty MacDonalds stay in a sanitorium while she had TB. She can take such a serious topic that could be pretty morose and turn it into something interesting and funny.

I hardly ever read fiction, but this one intrigued me. I heard it was life-changing for many readers, but since my life was in a ministry transition as it is, I simply related. It's about life, stuff and purpose. It asks questions we all need to find answers for. It made me laugh and cry. It made me more ready to serve the sick, not just hang out with the healthy. I liked the title and it made for a relaxing summer read.

Lisa Samson has quickly become one of my all-time favorite authors. In this book, Heather, the main character, is a well-to-do shopaholic with a terrific kid and married to a handsome surgeon who is nuts about her. She lives in a house that most people only dream of, furnished with the best of everything. On the surface, life is grand. But are all the `things' merely anesthetic for a pain too deep to be faced? In order to find the peace to move ahead, she must confront her own shameful past. To do that, she finds help from some unlikely sources - among them a nun, and a couple of ancient Quaker women.

Quaker Summer is one of those books that captivates you so deeply and draws you into the story so masterfully that you can't put it down. It changed the way I think - about a lot of things. It's beautifully written, and full of so much wisdom I wanted to grab my highlighter as I read. I challenge you to read this book and not come away changed. It's never preachy (I detest preachy books), but the message is powerful and profound. Samson spins a wonderful tale with strength and skill.

I thought it was an excellent book for our book club as it had many thought provoking episodes to recall.

This book is among the best I've ever read! Samson's characters are real, down to their doubts and spending habits. This book is not only entertaining, it is convicting. If you want a book that will open your eyes and change your life, read this one!

Heather Curridge is going crazy; at least that is what her husband Jace, son Will and her friends seem to think. And at times Heather thinks so too.

On the outside Heather seems to have it all, a loving doctor husband, a great fifteen year old son, a house by the lake and things, possessions but all of a sudden Heather starts questioning why she puts her husband through all her spending, spending, spending. Up till now she's justified it well saying she likes to help people but really it's just a way to move up to more, more, and more and the big question as to why she needs so much.. Jace tries to work hard to pay for it all but he's wearing down and wants to go back to his life's dream which he feels he can't tell Heather about.

Than one night Heather crashes her big Suburban on the way home from yet another St Matthews' dinner for the private school she insisted Will attend, and makes her way to the home of Annie and Liza ninety some year old sisters. Heather finds being with them having a calming effect upon her as well as questioning her walk with God.

While Jace is out of town and Will stays with his grandparents Heather spends a few weeks with the ladies who are Quakers, and comes in close contact with an inner city nun and the people living there. Heather begins to come to terms with so many things her past, her dad, the possessions and the rat race of life.

Christy award winning author Lisa Samson does an amazing job with Quaker Summer, her first novel with WestBow but her nineteenth overall. A definite 5 plus wow factor as you'll find yourself within the pages of this page turner that you won't be able to put down. The story unwinds and is so real you'll think you are Heather or she's your best friend, an awesome character we all can relate to.

Voted 2007's Women of Faith's Novel of the Year tells you how amazing this book is ( Women of Faith is an organization dedicated to encouraging women of all ages to grow in faith and spiritual maturity with Christ ). There is even a reading group guide in the back of the book as this book would be perfect for reading groups. You'll love the mixture of everyday life with the Bible and how each section ties in with the Beatles such as "Fool on the Hill" and "the Long and Winding Road", even if you don't know who the Beatles are you'll catch the comparison. Actually the style of writing puts the reader in mind of the writings of Erma Bombeck, an awesome writer of the seventies. A must read for adult women, especially those who question life and God. So come on an amazing journey and give this book a chance, listen to God and your heart it will really set you free!

My publisher, Corinthian Books, was skeptical when I promised them that the 10,000-copy first printing of The Redneck Riviera would sell out. In the spring of 2007 they were delighted to find out that their worries were unfounded! In this second edition, we had the opportunity come up with a great new cover (thanks to the inspired work of Diane Anderson, Senior Editor, and Rebecca Imholz, my spirited publicist). We also took the opportunity to make some tiny tweaks in the text. The book has become somewhat of a cult classic in the South, with over 120 book clubs making it their selection. In the "customer photos" section you can get a sense of some of the places in The Redneck Riviera (Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) where this novel was set. It will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you laugh again. In the process, it shows the heroism it sometimes takes to fix a broken family, and the miraculous emotional healing which can result when someone is willing to risk everything to save someone they love. This second edition of The Redneck Riviera (with the red dancing shoe on the cover) was released for sale February 1, 2008. If you enjoy it, I'd be delighted to have you post your review here! With warmest wishes -- Richard N. Côté, the author.

This novel is a hoot. Has a certain segment of Southern Society nailed oh so correctly! Gonna buy more of his works.

These are scary times. "Make love not war" may have been the mantra of the 1960's and 70's, but gone are the days of mild marijuana and Boone's Farm Apple wine, Deadheads and Woodstock. Now teens attend "Raves", and the drugs of choice are ecstasy and meth. Ignorance really is the mother of all prejudice, not bliss. This is what a divorced mother named Dolly discovers in The Redneck Riviera. Not only is her daughter, April, rejecting every value that has been hypocritically proclaimed by her misguided mother, April is also quickly being sucked in by a racist, sexist, meth-cooking group of skinheads that the she has embraced as her new "family". Dolly is forced to put her own life and problems in the back seat and pay close attention to what is going on with April, instead of taking her for granted. The plot rolls right along, and even as the characters make good and bad choices, the believability level is very high, especially due to the details of setting and dialogue. As serious as the subject matter is, though, there are also funny moments in the novel when life's absurdities occur, especially in the scene with the pathetic, lecherous, middle-aged golfers. Do they really believe these young, beautiful girls are attracted to them? As layer after layer of self-deceit is peeled away from each character, exposing their lies to themselves, the truth, in all its ugliness and beauty is revealed. To be contrite, selfish, forgiving, accepting, or angry are the choices that ultimately have to be made when true integrity is tested. And the outcomes are surprising.

The research that must have gone into this book is awesome. But then again, this is the same author who wrote "Mary's World: Love, War, and Family Ties in Nineteenth-century Charleston", a non-fiction account of a Civil War plantation owners wife based on her actual diaries and letters. The diversity of Cote's writing ability is amazing and the originality of the setting and subject matter make you wonder what he'll write next.

I stayed up until 3:30 a.m. last night because I couldn't put this book down! I had to know what happened.
The story is very fast-paced, but pay attention because there's a lot going on. I also appreciated that it was a very modern setting about current issues. I didn't know a lot about meth labs and definately never heard of topless caddies, but I think I've heard it all now. None of it is exploitive, though, just part of the character's time and place in their lives. The bottom line is that it's about bad choices and generation gaps and what we will do for love.
I definately recommend this book - but take it to the beach and start reading in the daylight. Don't begin late at night or you'll miss a night's sleep, too.

We've read the newspapers and watched the news...often the most horrifying scenarios capture our attention like the inability to look away from a car accident. But those things always happen to other people, in other places....Aren't we all guilty of "not in my backyard..."? Well, the author of The Redneck Riviera places a meth lab right on the outskirts of a beautiful beachside community, and then dreams up the nightmare of having your beautiful, intelligent daughter run away from home, go to work at a stripper bar and date a skinhead drug dealer. That's how real this story is. I kept thinking, we all have these traits within us, and these evil people are all around us. There but for the grace of God....goes my kid.

The protagonist of the novel is a bleached-blonde, white-trash, divorced mother who revolves her swinging single social life around looking for love in all the wrong places. The reader can't help but like Dolly, though...she may be a naïve floozy but she's got a good heart and loves her kid. It is hard to like her daughter, initially. What a rude-mouthed, self-centered brat! It's to Dolly's credit that she's resisted the urge to slap the kid's smart mouth. Then again, that's probably why daughter April became such a wild child...because Mom not only had a crummy upbringing herself, but appears to be spineless.

What struck me the most about this book, difficult as the characters were to relate to personally, was that they were so REAL. I've known teenagers who were lying, manipulative and self-absorbed, to the point where they become a danger to themselves and others. And the middle-aged mother, while she is careening out of control on her own personal road to hell self-paved with good intentions, is adamant in her faith that her daughter can be loved back to good self-esteem and a positive lifestyle.

Richard N. Côté tackles some very real problems that face society today and tells the absorbing story of The Redneck Riveria so brutally honestly that it could be right next door, right now. So look around your town; these criminals and con artists are all around. And give your kids an extra hug tonight. The love of your life might be in the same danger.

Sweet Caroline is a very sweet read, in more ways than one. Rachel is a gifted author with the ability to bring her characters to life. I was able to relate to the financial struggles and the prayer battles Caroline experienced, and rooted for her to make the right decisions in her spiritual life. While I wasn't completely satisfied with the romantic element, I still enjoyed it and am now wondering if they'll be another book with Caroline at its center in the future.

Sweet Caroline is quite the book, and she is quite the person. She is a normal human being, in a normal life. Tough decisions need to be made, and only Christ knows if she is making the right choices. This book grips your heart and doesn't let it go. I love it from the heart-head-ear conversations to the screaming in my head what I thought she should do. :) This story of a girl in her late twenties growing up is something that anyone could benefit from reading. Caroline's situations remind me of...more Sweet Caroline is quite the book, and she is quite the person. She is a normal human being, in a normal life. Tough decisions need to be made, and only Christ knows if she is making the right choices. This book grips your heart and doesn't let it go. I love it from the heart-head-ear conversations to the screaming in my head what I thought she should do. :) This story of a girl in her late twenties growing up is something that anyone could benefit from reading. Caroline's situations remind me of some of Jane Austen's tales, where you really want it to end one way, but with more thought you want it how it is, and then you go back to the other. Over all this book was a comfy read and caused more giggles and grins that I care to admit. The whole cast of characters was a hoot and found a warm place in my heart. I cannot wait to read more through Love Starts with Elle. Rachel Hauck has a real winner here and I'm definitely putting her future books on my TBR lists.

I found Sweet Caroline to be a delightful and uplifting book. The main character, Caroline, was a selfless person. However, most of the characters were people who cared about others. The book shows how meaningful living in a small town is where people know each other and care for others. I recommend the book for women who know about or want to know about life in the South.

I just finished reading Sweet Caroline and I'm not ready to let go of these characters! The plot had some unexpected twists in it which I thoroughly enjoyed. I struggled along with Caroline about her decisions between jobs and men. Very uplifting and real. I also appreciated that the conflicts came out of good things landing in her lap, though I guess you could argue that inheriting the cafe didn't start out a "good" thing. I loved that the town characters were by and far good people; our heroine was not surrounded by corrupt people. A refreshing difference. And the low-country setting, new to this California girl, was delightful.

Rachel Hauck tells such an engrossing, true to life story with all the Southern charm and wit one would expect in a chick lit novel. Caroline is an endearing character from page one--we are captivated by her dilemma--a sense of obligation and the desire for something big and exciting in her life. Hauck employs the present-tense, first person point of view typical in the genre, with seemingly little effort. As readers we are actually there with Caroline, watching her every move and hearing her every thought.
With each hilarious catastrophe, God softens her do-the-right-thing heart into a heart that trusts Him every step of the way. As He woos her to Himself, we are reminded that He goes to great lengths to draw each of us closer to Him.
I loved this story; it's the best chick lit I've read in a long time. Rachel is a new favorite author!

"Tragedy in Tin Can Holler" is one of the most chilling books I have ever read. Rozetta Mowery tells this true story in a direct and compelling way. Its a must read story detailing bizarre and tragic events in the author's life. Mowery's hidden family secrets are told in an uncensored unveiling of murders and mayhem that will leave you stunned by the evil and demonic murder of her mother and the legacy left by her vicious serial killer family matriarch. Rozetta Mowery's story has turned a family tragedy into a triumphant life for herself and the communities she serves. She exemplifies strength, victory and courage with a strong dedication to help others overcome domestic violence. You must read this book. I could not put it down.





Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster

This is the best book I have every read and I don`t read to much it`s a sad true story worth reading I tell everyone about this book and that makes them want to get this book, This book is worth buying. Star

I have read alot of books, but this is one that will stay with you...A very well written, no boring parts book that you will not want to put down until you are finished...The author is a very admirable person to not just accept her past and forget about it..A must read...

I heard about this book through a friend, and when I got it I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone! I think Rozetta is a great person who suffered a tremendous amount of pain. Sharing her story is the most important thing she could ever do!

This is a must read for anyone who has experienced domestic violence - or who knows someone going through it. Rozetta is a wonderful example of someone who is standing firm in her desire to stop the life cycle of violence! She is awesome and believe me, you won't be able to put her book down!

Several reviewers here have remarked that Kate Seredy's A Tree for Peter was out of print. It has now been reissued, with restored plates for Seredy's superb illustrations. The book was neither a Caldecott winner nor Honor Book, and was not a Newbery winner nor Honor Book. Seredy did win the Newbery Medal in the 1930s for her reworking of Hungarian myth in The White Stag, and her novel The Singing Tree was a Newbery Honor book in 1940. As to A Tree for Peter itself: I remember encountering the book in elementary school, likely in the fifth grade, but whether I came upon myself, was introduced to it by my sympathetic teacher or even more sympathetic public librarian, I cannot recall. What I can recall vivdly is being overwhelmed by the pathos of the tale and knowing intuitively that this was an allegory. Reading it again in adulthood, it seems almost -- almost! -- to teeter into sentimentality, but such is Kate Seredy's absolute conviction that the book avoids it, and becomes a manifestation of Christian teaching. One may remark, too, that the book is very short -- as, it seems, books about true goodness almost always are. Welcome back, Peter.A Tree for Peter

My family loves this book. Kids know they're inheriting a pretty messed up world, but this book engenders optimism. It's about a kid who changes his community and helps others conquer poverty. It's a beautiful story.

This book tells a great Christmas story. Its message is one of hope and is particularly powerful for someone for whom life isn't going so well. It's an example of how faith and believing in the goodness of God through times of deprivation can lead to wonderful outcomes when continued. I haven't re-read it recently, so I don't recall how much of this message is stated outright and how much is through symbolism (some definitely is symbolism), but that's what I recall about the message. It's a story for children through adults who want to be inspired at Christmastime. I hope we find time to re-read it as a family this Christmas!

Background: My wife remembers this book from Christmas visits as a child with an elderly couple (their "Adopted Grandparents"). Years later, the elderly woman, Rosamond, wanted to give a copy of this book to our family and other relatives. She found it was out of print, but with the local book store obtained permission to make photocopies which she gave that Christmas. It's about 6 years later now, Rosamond has passed away, and the photocopy we received from her wasn't very good quality. We were able to replace it with a nice bound book for a price that was quite reasonable (not sure it will still be on sale when you're reading this :-) A Tree for Peter.

I read a library copy of this book as a child back in the early 60's, and it touched me deeply. For years I tried to find a copy to purchase, but it was out of print and the internet hadn't happened yet. Then several years ago along came ebay, and I finally was able to get an older copy. I have shared it with my own children, and I still can't get through the book without crying. I'm thrilled that they have re-printed it!

School-age children will love reading about Peter, a desperately poor child who lives with his widowed mother in a run-down house on the town dump. A mysterious visitor teaches Peter to view life positively and take small steps to improve the area around his home. The other slum-dwellers take hope and the small changes lead to a renewed spirit of community. The author, Kate Seredy, was a master illustrator, whose line drawings make the book come alive. This is one of my favorite books from my very favorite children's author.

Joyce Scarbrough knows all the emotional buttons to push. Reading her fast-moving tale of four teens working their ways through those difficult years, I laughed and wept. I pulled for the protagonists and railed at the villains. And I was thoroughly entertained. It even has a happy ending.

Of course, the characters are too good to be true. As a father of four who went through their teens at precisely the same time, I found myself comparing Jeanna and Mickey to Skip, Wendy, Jeff and Marty, all of whom are now productive and responsible adults in their 40's. But back then their language was vile, they all experimented with drugs and took GED tests to get out of high school early, and protested for or against whatever the cause celebre of the day was.

So True Blue Forever is fiction, which is precisely what the author claims it to be. Jeanna and Mickey are more virtuous than real life; Billy Joe funnier; Wade meaner, although through an interesting twist he undergoes a transformation before the story ends.

Read True Blue Forever for pleasure. I would rate it suitable for anybody over the age of 12, considering the times we live in.

(...)

True Blue Forever, by Joyce Sterling Scarborough.

Let me start with an unadorned statement - I loved this book.

I carried True Blue Forever to work each day and read it on the train, forfeiting my nap on the ride home to continue reading. It brought out laughter, it forced me to wipe away at my mist-filled eyes, it stirred anger, frustration and an adolescent need to pump my fist with an "in your face" sense of triumph. True Blue Forever did, as all good books hope to do - it stirred me as a human being.

Romance is a language that speaks to both the heart and mind. When it touches the soul, however one can be sure the words are pure. Three boys make a silent vow to win the heart of a magnificent young lady in the fifth grade. The story blossoms from there with two of the boys having kept contact with her throughout her life while the third, having returned from a move to another town, reaffirms his devotion by setting out to win her heart. The stage is set, one boy has grown to be an arrogant "jock", one is a comical jokester and the third, this stranger from afar, is a tried and true, steadfast depiction of manhood. Together, they create a whirlwind of interaction centered around Jeanna, a girl who is as beautiful as these three boys believe, both inside and out. The story is sure to touch your soul.

True Blue Forever is not a difficult read and that helps to make it an addicting read. I relished the story as it unfolded and was unhappy when it ended because I wanted more. The characters are not only believable, they are endearing and the love they feel for one another is heart-warming. Jeanna, although frustrating at times (from a man's perspective) with her unselfish optimism, ultimately shows herself to be a most rousing individual, as mentioned above. The three boys are all lucky for knowing her and having her as part of their lives. True Blue Forever is a strong testament of friendship and how hardships can be overcome with the help of those in life who care - even when one has stopped caring for oneself.

True Blue Forever, by Joyce Sterling Scarborough - an outstanding tale of friendship, love, romance and perseverance as well as family, trials, heartbreak and redemption. It's a feel-good book that does its job well.

Joyce Sterling-Scarbrough has given us a trip back to the bitter-sweet times of reaching out for maturity, the agony and ecstacy of the teen-years.
Her characters are solid and the plot is alluring.
A really entertaining story to read. Be sure you read it!

A friend of mine was telling me about this book they were reading and they mentioned that one of the characters drove a Boss 429. Well since they only made about 1200 of these Mustangs, I immediately became skeptical, thinking that the author was just using these rare, top of the line vehicles like they were store brand cereal. So I read the book convinced that it would reek of stale overused stereotypes in every other story. Well it turned out to be a huge girly love story like I had expected. But what I didn't expect, and don't let anyone know this(especially not the Chevy guys), but I loved it. I read it all in one night, a night that was supposed to yield a rebuilt carburetor. But my Holley carb had to wait for Jeana and Mickey and Billie Joe, and I don't regret it one bit. The story line was excellent and constantly had me wanting to read more of it. My wife must have thought I was under the car with another woman with all the lauging I was doing out in my garage, because she came out to see what was "so freakin hilarious," as she put it. Well she read it the night after I finished and absolutely LOVED it. Although she did keep asking me why there was so much grease on the pages. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story, not just a love story, but a lot more. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time, and I hope there is a second book on the way? I did have one problem with it however, I felt that Mickey was spending way too much time with Jeana and not enough time with his Ford. But I guess Jeana was just that one special girl we all have. And he really didn't need that much time to work on his Mustang anyway, those Fords run forever you know!

Eleven year old Jeana Russell recites a poem written from the heart at a fifth grade honors program. Three boys in the audience fall hopelessly in love with the pretty redhead, each one of them vowing that one day she will be their girl.

True Blue Forever follows the teenage years of these four friends, Jeanna, Mickey, Wade and Billy Joe, as they journey through their teenage years in the late 1970s.

Jeanna must deal with the different expectations each boy has of her, while maintaining the one relationship she sees as 'true blue'.

Although this book deals with the lives and loves of teenagers, it is plainly written for adults, and is truly addictive reading. True Blue Forever is well written, full of emotion, humor and heartache.

I am really looking forward to reading more from this author.

I purchased this book on Amazon a year ago, after reading many of the glowing reviews.

They're true.

Christina Katz de-mystifies the publishing process, along with great pitching and organizational tips to help you blossom as a freelance mama.

Due to incorporating many of Christina's ideas, I've landed articles in local and national magazines. I'm also revising my first completed novel, preparing to send it out into the world.

This book takes what is a cherished dream to many moms and lays bare the steps to make it happen. Are you ready?

Women, and particularly Moms, face emotional challenges daily, such as: Did I love my children well? Am I presenting my best self professionally and coming across confidently? Am I subconsciously harboring insecurities about writing which ultimately keep me from putting pen to paper?

Don't get me wrong: this is a book about writing and taking practical steps to getting published, focusing on freelance writing but also including nonfiction; it does not presume to be a psychological book at all. HOWEVER, Katz hints at something a bit deeper and more subtle throughout the book: don't get overwhelmed, just take it one step at a time.

I like Christina Katz's approach of taking small steps slowly in achieving your goals. In truth, it is remarkably comforting to see it that way, and of course, it is the only way to go. Obviously I shouldn't be going for the front cover feature on my first try.... As a young writer, this book made me realize my own tragic flaw: I wanted to be happy, smart, articulate, and semi-famous, and that without much effort at all...

Katz demonstrates the "you can do it" mentality by the broad and very complete scope of issues that she deals with in the book (check out the table of contents to see what I mean). She takes nothing for granted, but clues you into all the big and little steps some people may assume you already know. I knew next to nothing about freelance when I picked it up, and now I am not nearly as intimidated by the freelance world.

And her good news is, work can be pleasurable and even fun! Browsing through the aisles of Barnes and Noble (or your bookstore of choice), with a hot beverage in hand, looking for the zeitgeist amongst bestsellers to get ideas for articles (getting "geisty" as she calls it)... how much more fun could it get?! If you are a born writer, you will hear her voice calling you like a siren, and you will find her tips, ideas, and her encouragement to write irresistible!

I happen to be a freelance writer and a young mother, and this book teaches me a ton about how to do better at the first without sacrificing time or quality of care for my son. While the book does not actually cover how to get things done around a baby, she does do an admirable job of teaching you how to get the most out of a few minutes, and that is what I needed to know. Thank you for the EXCELLENT book!

I don't care if you are a Writer Mama, a Writer Dad or a singleton without kids, this book is indispensable if you want to become a writer/author and get published! As opposed to most books out there about writing that are intimidating and overwhelming, Ms. Katz's tone is warm and helpful. She shows you how to get published even though you don't have a newspaper column that 300,000 people read every week or a marriage to a famous celebrity. (For those of you in the dark here, I'm talking about Jessica Seinfeld and her book Deceptively Delicious. We all know she got that book deal because of her marriage to Jerry.) But I digress. Perhaps more important, Writer Mama is very well organized and filled with practical information. If I ever get published, it will be because of Writer Mama! So if you want to be a published author, don't walk, but run to your nearest Barnes and Noble or Borders bookstore. Or better yet, let your fingers do the work and place the order now on Amazon.

Christina Katz is the Queen of the Query!

Members of our writers' group read, discussed, and applied Katz's inspiring principles. Her section on query letters is particulary informative, with professional examples.

Katz never claims that being a writer mama is easy. Rather, she offers helpful tips and encouragement to prevent "mommy mush mind." Our favorites? That even the smallest amount of writing is writing, and how to "Get your name known."

[...]

As one who can personally relate to the stories told by Schaeffer, I just couldn't put the book down. He cycles from view to view of multiple characters, fully examining the situations and events throughout the book. The multiple viewpoints don't lend themselves to individual favor, aka good and bad people, but more to the thoughts and actions you commonly wouldn't assosiate with people put in these situations.

Great book, very detailed and descriptive of events you wouldn't associate with a military enlistment.

I loved this book. Mr. Schaeffer is not only a very, very good writer, he also captures the feelings of an unlikely military family. I highly recommend this book for military and non military. If you are a military family, you will cry, we always do. If you are not, read it anyway, it's a good read.

I have read Schaeffer's Calvin Becker trilogy plus the book (title escapes me) written jointly with his son. Baby Jack starts out sounding written in one voice (Frank's) which I was finding a little disappointing. The author surprised me as he introduced new voices to further the story a definite new twist. I hesitate to say more for giving away the story. A must read for all families with sons and daughters in the military. It is also a must read for those of us who oppose the war in the Middle East to remind us at what cost we have the freedoms we have today.

Baby Jack

Todd Ogden, an acclaimed painter with works in museums around the world and a supposedly successful thirty-year marriage is living in and painting his two hundred year old house when his youngest son, Jack joins the Marines instead of going to college. Jack goes to Iraq and is killed. Baby Jack is the story of how his baby son is coped with by the baby's grandfather.

Recommended for fans of Frank Schaeffer

Gunner December 2007

This is an extraordinary book about the meaning of service and sacrifice. Given that we are at war, it is a book that "must be read" if we are to understand that the war is being fought by a very few and their loved ones. It is not a political polemic. It is the story of a young man who chooses to become a Marine and the profound impact of that choice.

Highly recommended.