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Written by by our Reviewer, John H. Manhold
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Thursday, 02 April 2009 |
Infinite Exposure ISBN 978-0-9770866-8-9 is an e-book by Roland Hughes, published by Logical Solutions in 465 pages.  Infinite Exposure
To provide more details would spoil, for the reader, a most interesting and thought-provoking proposal of a possible future American agenda. With respect to the writing, Roland Hughes quite masterfully juggles the various elements, as they shift from one to the next. His characters are interesting, and the story’s progression is at a fine pace. I read an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of this book which contained spelling and grammar problems. However, I understand the author has since had the manuscript fully edited and corrected. With removal of this jarring note, I should like to say that Roland Hughes has provided added enjoyment to a highly recommended read that presents some very serious thoughts to ponder, as well. Download an excerpt of this exciting new book at: http://www.infiniteexposure.net |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 04 April 2009 )
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Written by Our Reviewer, Stuart Nachbar
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Thursday, 04 December 2008 |
Tsunami - A Novel
Gordon Gumpertz’ Tsunami is a techno-thriller that does not miss most aspects of that genre: an impending act-of-God disaster, its effects unknown, but a fear that they might be under-estimated; an extremely masculine military hero, who is every much a leader and a fighter; a brilliant female scientist who eventually falls for the extremely masculine hero figure; and, a variety of greedy villains whose wealth is threatened by the impending act-of-God.
 Tsunami, A Novel
The greediest of the villains are not American, and they want to make money selling Ripper guns, as well as in real estate. The scientist is a Hawaiian Princeton-educated seismologist who has predicted impending doom when her colleagues at her California laboratory will not. That lab is partly financed by the developer, who is backed by the greedy gun-dealing villains, and its chief executive is their puppet. And Coast Guard officer David Steel is the extremely, but sufficiently sensitive, masculine hero.
Tsunami has good points. First, it gives you enough of the science to help you follow the story. One flaw of techno-thrillers is that they get too much into the science and technology for a non-scientific or non-military reader. Or they get too much into the politics of the science. Those who are more deeply into the science and technology find that boring. This novel struck the right balance.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 04 December 2008 )
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Written by Editor
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Wednesday, 30 April 2008 |
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A Virtual Book Review Network exclusive... An Interview with author Catherine Johnson
The Virtual Book Review Network is pleased to interview Catherine Johnson, author of Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace, her first novel. Inspired by a true story, the captivating and heart-stopping Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace unveils the malice, betrayal, and violence running beneath the wholesome exterior of a close-knit Midwestern family in a classic case of good versus evil.
 Shades of Darkenss, Shades of Grace
LAUREN SMITH: Since this book is based on a true story, how did you pick and choose the facts to use for the story, and what did you omit, and why?
Catherine Johnson: In writing the book, I chose to use the facts and events that not only best told the story, but also had the most universal appeal for readers. Family and the many dynamics that comprise those relationships, the difficulty of divorce even when it’s necessary, and the existence of evil in ordinary lives are all themes that I think everyone can relate to on some level.
What I omitted were the aspects of the story that while still true, were so bizarre that I felt readers would not accept them as believable. This also helped me to keep the narrative focused on what was important and moving the story forward.
Another element that falls into the category of what is in the book and what was omitted concerns the time frame. The period of five years over which the story takes place was greatly compressed. In real life, the events occurred over a much longer period of time, making for an unwieldy narrative. The five-year span kept the story moving at a pace that didn’t bog down and kept the reader engaged.
LAUREN SMITH: Did having personal knowledge of this story make it easier – or harder – to tell this story?
Catherine Johnson: Harder, because even though this a fictionalized story, I know what my family went through. And it was devastating. However, writing this book was also cathartic for me as an author because you can give the story the ending you wished it had had in real life, or an ending that was at least was more just from your perspective. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 April 2008 )
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Written by Editor
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Wednesday, 30 April 2008 |
An Interview with author Paul Miller
The Virtual Book Review Network is pleased to interview Paul Miller, author of A Place to Belong.
 A Place to Belong
Paul Miller was eight years old when his parents took him on a mystifying, zigzagging journey, from Detroit to Florida, to California and back again. His father’s tenuous grip on reality becomes as changeable as the landscapes they travel through. Paul’s simple questions are ignored or answered by the back of his father’s hand.
About the Paul Miller: This is Paul Miller's first novel and he has desperately wanted to write it for 50+ years. But, bearing one's soul to the world can be a very scary adventure. A large portion of his life has been spent working in manufacturing and real estate. Paul Miller currently works as a Real Estate Agent. Visit http://www.placetobelong.com.
LAUREN SMITH: What inspired you to finally sit down and write this book that you had dreamed of writing for more than 50 years?
Paul Miller: I started to write my story several times, but I had so many self doubts that I would get disillusioned and give up. Also, I was very ashamed and embarrassed by what happened to me and did not want people to know. So, I pushed everything way, way back in my mind and let them fester like a cancer.
I related some of the stories, not the embarrassing ones, to friends and they continually pushed me to write a book about all my exploits. Then one day in October 2000, I sat down at the computer and told myself that I was going to write my story and not give up.
Now armed with that self confidence and the fact that I got old, and, one good feature about getting old, and believe me, there are not very many, is that one starts to feel and think; “Hey, I don’t care what people think. That’s the way it was! That’s what happened to me and I can’t change it.” If it bothers people, I’m sorry. Like Walter Cronkite always said; “And that’s the way it is.”
LAUREN SMITH: Did you have any written records to use while writing your book – letters, journal entries, etc. – that would help you tell your story?
Paul Miller: None. I wrote all from memory. The more I remembered, the more those memories brought out others. It was like the domino affect. Sometimes the memories would come so fast that I had to write myself notes so I would not forget. Because I couldn’t make my fingers move that fast. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 21 May 2008 )
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Written by Editor
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Friday, 01 February 2008 |
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A Virtual Book Review Network exclusive... An Interview with author Erik Quisling Lauren Smith: What inspired you to create a work of fiction?  Fables from the Mud Lauren Smith: Do you see Fables From the Mud as a satire, cultural commentary or something more? Erik Quisling: Fables From The Mud is about three little creatures – a clam, an ant, and a worm – all of whom are struggling with very human problems. The stories are satirical but in many ways are simply a cultural commentary on the human obsession with finding meaning in the world. All in all, they are designed to be amusing and to get you to see somewhat the absurdity of taking life too seriously. Lauren Smith: How did you develop each of the fables? Erik Quisling: Each fable was born from its own separate bout of inspiration. In each case, it was a single line of text that came to me that was like lighting a fuse that set the story on its course. Once the fuse was lit, the stories pretty much wrote themselves – I simply had to go back and edit them a little bit. Lauren Smith: Are any of the characters based on anyone – or any type of person - you know? Erik Quisling: I can say that the more I read the stories, the more I learn about myself. But I truly think each character is a reflection of some deeply common human experience – not of any human in particular. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 April 2008 )
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Fiction 
