Book Reviews
Is “Kindle Wrist” an Ailment, and is it Covered by Insurance?
Having devoted time to reading books is a Summer ritual that I started in childhood. Mami would take me to the Library Museum, where I would choose as many books as I could carry, place them on the librarian’s desk and hand her my library card. It was my first completely independent act, as Mami never “censored” my choices. Her only requirement was, “if you can carry them, you may check them out.” I quickly learned to carry a book bag with me for each library visit. Thus, my love affair with Summer reading began. In fact, I may have been the only kid in school, at any level, who wanted to receive the dreaded Summer Reading List.
Go ahead. Gasp, in horror. 
Unless you’re an “I ❤ SRL” geek chick (or guy) like me. In that case, welcome, kick your feet up, popcorn’s on the coffee table and adjustable reading lights are available in the basket.
This Summer, I have spent a considerable amount of time on my Kindle. 90% of the time is reading books and the other 10% is reading my email, cruising the Internet or chatting on Facebook. I have also been on Lappy, my “small” Toshiba Ultrabook, because she is light to carry. She and I have perfected the knee-to-belly chunk prop, to ensure the optimal reading and typing angle. Toesh, my “big” Toshiba Satellite laptop, acts as my desktop. Toesh weighs over six pounds and forces me to sit upright at the table. I tried carrying Toesh through the house, once, to disastrous results. Fortunately, I had purchased the what-happens-when-Michelle-drops-Toesh-and-the-screen-shatters-rendering-her-FUBAR insurance. While it took three, long, agonizing weeks, until she was repaired, it was worth the wait to see her returned with a brand new screen. Lesson learned: do not parade Toesh around the house. She prefers the contemplative quiet of the kitchen table. Which is where I find myself writing this post.
I lost count after 25, at how many books I have read this Summer. But, in the past few days I felt that familiar “twinge” of discomfort and stiffness in my wrist. I do not suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, but as I have gotten older, I am finding more and more aches and pains that did not exist before. I first noticed the wrist stiffness and soreness when I was laid off. All of a sudden, my wrists felt “funny” and stiff. It was likely from lack of use, rather than overuse, because while I spent time on computers for my jobs, it was not the only physical task I did. I spent a few dollars at the drug store for a couple of wrist supports with removable metal plates, slipped those babies on, and I was back in business. When I bought Kindy, my first Kindle, I started reading exclusively on her. I noticed the “twinge” came back, but once I put my wrist support on my right “Kindle hand,” all was right with the world. The same thing happened when I upgraded to Fire K, my Kindle Fire, and finally with Lappy – although Lappy necessitated the use of both wrist supports.
Today, however, I am wearing both wrist supports and sitting on Toesh, in my superior ergonomically designed, yet affordable, Ikea office chair. And, dammit, I noticed the difference. I am sitting taller, typing faster and and more accurately, and haven’t had to reach for my bifocals to read the darn screen as I type. This leads me to my “discovery” of the day: Kindle Wrist. A condition for people who spend an exorbitant amount of time holding their electronic readers at odd angles for maximum reading comfort, leading to wrist and forearm discomfort and, sometimes, pain. I shall explore “Kindle Neck,” a co-condition, at a later date.
I am self-diagnosing myself with “Kindle Wrist,” and fully embracing the bitter with the sweet. Will it get worse, or improve with the use of wrist supports? Frankly, I don’t care. I refuse to give up my Kindle habit. I am deep in relationship with my Kindles and it is a codependency built in heaven. My next step will be to seek discomfort relief either by wearing my decidedly unsexy wrist supports, or by self-medicating with a lovely glass of Malbec, Merlot or the sweet delights of Moscato.
The Slippery Slope Between Fanfiction and Plagiarizing an Author’s Work
Fan fiction has existed alongside storytelling, throughout history. My undergraduate Shakespeare courses featured heated discussions on whether or not The Bard’s plays were homages to, or plagiarized copies of “Plutarch’s Lives of Noble Grecians and Romans.” The similarities were uncanny, to say the least. Another infamous case involved a college student who had a “photographic” memory and plagiarized a popular, “darling” series about six or seven years ago. Authors are influenced by stories they read or hear, but most acknowledge their sources of inspiration, either in their writing or in interviews about their books. 
Recently, one of the biggest fan fiction “success stories” rose out of anonymity and became a household name. She re-wrote an incredibly popular Young Adult (YA) series, based in Washington State, into one of the best-selling trilogies of the past decade. By changing her story substantially, the fan fiction author ensured it would not be confused with the original. She further set the right example, by explaining that the YA series was her inspiration. She went on to self-publish her series, and continues to profit from it.
I read both series. I am not a fan of YA (or its older, sexed up cousin, New Adult (NA)) novels, but the original was a sweet, well-written set of stories. The author captured the angst and irrational emotions of hormonal teens, experiencing their first loves. My twelve-year-old self would have LOVED this series. My 45-year-old self thought it was “cute” and perfect for its tween/pre-teen/teenage demographics. It was spun-off into movie series juggernaut that propelled the actors into the stratosphere of stardom, and brought more attention to the book series.
The fan fiction series, however, left a lot to be desired. This author kept the location as Washington State, only moving the action to the city of Seattle. The characters are chronologically older, but less mature. The stories are entirely too wordy and should have been condensed into one book. The action is decidedly more “adult,” in that the characters engage in sexual activities that incorporate an alternative lifestyle. Sadly, the author did not research this lifestyle thoroughly. She failed miserably in conveying the three key tenets of this lifestyle in her work: safe, sane and consensual. Be that as it may, this series has provided a venue for adults to discuss sex in a more open, provocative way. That is a good thing. This series has been greenlighted and could be in theaters next Summer (according to Perez Hilton’s website FSOG Movie Deal). No comment. (It’s already been done. Just watch the movie Secretary, starring James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal, then come back and tell me about it…you’re welcome).
With all that off my chest, I arrive at the reason for my post today.
Plagiarizing another person’s work, is STEALING.
I am not accusing the above unnamed authors of stealing, because clearly they did not. Unfortunately, not every writer of fan fiction is honest, and the number of plagiarized works is growing at an alarming rate. Perhaps the plagiarists were always there (i.e., Shakespeare, etc.), but the Internet seems to bring out the worst in people. The lure of fame, money and/or greed by taking someone else’s hard work, changing the title and a few names, adding your name as “author,” and releasing it to an unsuspecting public, is magnetic. And illegal.
In the past two weeks, some super sleuth book bloggers/reviewers uncovered at least five plagiarized books being sold as “original works.” These people were not professionals who worked for publishing companies, simply fans of books, who noticed uncanny similarities to books they had already read. Furthermore, several had hosted the thieves on their blogs to PROMOTE the plagiarized works. Not only were the bloggers/reviewers duped, they knew they inadvertently “helped” hurt other authors they cared for. I believe they, along with the wronged authors were innocent victims of liars and thieves.
Teresa Mummert provides a great chronology on her blog, for those who like to follow the bouncing ball “Plagiarism” from Author Teresa Mummert’s Blog
I started this post as a cautionary tale, but it is not. If you choose to steal another person’s work you are a THIEF, and deserve the world of hurt that accompanies legal action against plagiarists. It is a fantastic way to destroy your life and credibility, immediately, so HAVE AT IT. Just know that the Internet is forever. Fans of books are a smart, resourceful, loyal community who protects its own (authors and books) and we will find you.
My advice: write the stories that live within you. Place your characters in worlds of your own creation, but write what you know. Then, give credit where credit is due, for your inspiration. Thank the authors who write the stories that move you, by buying, reading and promoting their work. Not by copying and pasting it into a new file, and calling it yours.
You are more interesting than you think you are, and your story has not been told…by you. So write it.
Should Authors Write Bad Book Reviews?
Reviewing books may be hazardous to your health, especially if you are an author. Kristen Lamb discusses her experiences and how they shaped her reviewing style.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have not published any books. I have learned not to publish reviews on any books I did not like. If I strongly disliked, or worse, did not finish the book, I will not write a review. Period. To this day, I have only posted one negative review for a book. I purchased the book, at full price, and expected to get a “full-price experience,” based on the glowing and outstanding reviews. I did not. I got something far less enjoyable and felt gypped. My negative review is still “live,” and will remain so, because my feelings were honest. If I receive any negative feedback I will immediately delete the review.
The “anonymous bravado” of some people on the internet, is not pretty and not something I wished to engage in. Seeing the vitriolic backlash towards reviewers and authors, has helped me determine when, and if, to post a review. I will continue to give a book a low rating, if I feel it deserves it. Amazon and Goodreads like to “recommend” future books, based on what I have already read. This not been a successful “system” for me. I prefer to have books recommended to me via word-of-mouth or after reading remarks by reviewers who provide enough information about the author’s character development and mechanics of the story, rather than a marketing algorithm.
No review from me means “I did not have time to write a review, and none was requested,” the book was “fine,” or “the book was so poorly written that ‘silence is golden.'” If an author, or other reviewer, requests my thoughts, I will provide my honest thoughts. If I rate a book as an “A,” “B,” or “C” (outstanding, very good or good), the review will go “live” without input from the author. Anything lower, like a “D” (fair), “F” (poor), or “DNF” (did not finish because…why bother?) will not be reviewed. I will give my opinion of the book , along with an explanation as to what worked and did not work for me, to the author/reviewer, privately.
Okay, yesterday we had a little bit of a debate about leaving book reviews. First of all, the post is to warn you of the dangers of posting bad reviews as an author. Does it mean you can’t? No. Can you tweet while drinking and listening to LinkinPark? Yes, but you do so at your own risk. Same here. I am not the social media gestapo, but I am here to warn you of the hazards that are REAL.
We Never Know Who People Know
I once commented offhandedly to an acquaintance about a book I was reading. I wasn’t nasty, I just mentioned that I found it confusing and the dream sequences were messing me up. I also added that it could be me. I WAS seven-months pregnant, so I added the caveat that it could just be Baby Brain.
Little did I know the acquaintance was BEST…
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Blog Giveaways on Facebook and Learning to Step Away from Them
For several months I entered book giveaways sponsored by book blogs like an addict seeking her next fix. The lure of free e-books, paperbacks, bookmarks, magnets and countless other swag was mesmerizing. It appealed to my basest, “if it’s free, it’s for me” desires.
I clicked away like a mad woman. I “liked” authors I had not heard of, genres I did not particularly care for, books I would likely never read, and unknown blog, after unknown blog. I was fanatical in my glee! I reasoned that the more giveaways I entered, the greater my odds of “winning.”
And, I did win. I won a few well-written e-books, a few not-so-well-written e-books, a couple of signed paperbacks and postcards, magnets and bookmarks. For some of the books I enjoyed, I wrote reviews and downloaded the authors’ backlists. For the books I did not like, well…at least I attempted to read them, before relegating them to the “did not finish,” or “do not buy” piles.
A few bloggers posted their dismay on Facebook. They were unhappy that hundreds of people would run over to their Rafflecopter sites and enter the free contests they advertised and sponsored. Once the contests ended and the winners were announced, many of their new “followers” simply “unliked” their sites. My initial thought was, “You should never expect anything, when you offer something for nothing?” The only requirements for the giveaways were to “like” a bunch of sites, share the giveaways on other Social Media outlets, and sometimes leave comments on the blog. No real commitments were necessary.
One blogger, however, posted her true feelings on her Facebook status. She was upset, and hurt, that folks only entered the contests to “win.” It sparked a discussion on how the giveaways were structured. In that moment, I realized why I did not like the giveaways – they were one-sided with no reciprocation. The raffles had a finite timeline. None of the bloggers who sponsored them committed to following the people who entered the contests. There was no give-and-take. In more than one case this frustrated me, as wondered if they even read the comments posted. Wasn’t the point to help one another grow each other’s blogs? No, but it should have been.
At the writing of this post, only two of the blogs I “liked” and “followed” have “followed” me, in return. This let me know they actually read the comments posted. Those blogs have my support as they continue to grow their readership.
As for continuing to participate in giveaways…well, “if it’s free, it’s for me,” right? Perhaps. In a much more selective manner.
Book Review – “Searching For Moore,” by Julie A. Richman
Link Posted on Updated on
My Mazel of the day goes to Julie Richman, for tearing my heart out to Bruce Springsteen, the soundtrack of my youth. I have some beautiful Mazel Shot Glasses from Andy Cohen’s Bravo Clubhouse, just for you, Missy.
I will start by publicly flogging myself for thinking this was a “New Adult” novel, featuring a bunch of entitled, horny, self-centered, shiftless college students. It is not. I will further admit that I purchased it on sale, thinking it was a New Adult novel, featuring a bunch of entitled, horny, self-centered, shiftless college students. Therefore, my Catholic girl penance is that I am writing this post at 4:45 a.m. ET, after staying up all night long to finish reading Searching for Moore Enough said.
Ok, I took a couple of cat naps last night and work from home. Don’t feel too badly for me.
Holy debut novel, Batman.
I mean, HOLY. FUCKING. DEBUT. NOVEL.
The premise is simple: what if you were only one Facebook friend request away from your true love – that one person who knew you better than you knew yourself – 24 years after you last saw each other? Would you reconnect with her/him, even if it meant uprooting the life you had been creating for yourself? If you were given that chance, would you take it?
Searching for Moore begins in the present day. Schooner Moore’s wife, CJ, is throwing a lavish party to celebrate his 43rd birthday. It is filled with “the beautiful people,” superficial individuals who only wish to be seen at this party to rub elbows with the rich and famous. Schooner Moore is both. What CJ and her “guests” fail to realize, however, is that Schooner dislikes the shallow displays of artifice that are his life and social circle. Then, his college buddy, Beau, casually mentions that he has chatted with Mia Silver, a classmate from college, via Facebook.
As Schooner reminisces, we are transported back twenty-four years into the past. He remembers their freshman year of college and the first taste of independence, of “finding himself,” meeting diverse people and learning about true love. Schooner meets and is immediately attracted to CJ, the quintessential, beautiful prom queen. They are the “perfect” All-American blonde couple, who would be featured in an ad for Ralph Lauren. He also meets Mia Silver, antithesis to CJ, sassy New Yorker, attending school in California, who marches to the beat of her own drum. CJ fits into his world, effortlessly, like a well-decorated room that lacks personality. Mia challenges his mind, steals his heart and completes his soul. Schooner and Mia are each other’s first true love. Then, Mia leaves him, without a word.
We return to the present day and Schooner sends Mia an innocuous Facebook friend request. A friend request that she is fated to accept. The story continues as the veil of time is lifted, a lifetime of betrayal by CJ is exposed, and that first true love is renewed.
Ms. Richman writes Schooner so that the reader is able to see the “real” Schooner that Mia sees. He has spent his life as a handsome shell, a chameleon who morphs into whomever he is expected to be. He has been incredibly successful in business, but we know he is so much more. Conversely, Mia is a ray of sunlight, warm, ebullient, full of life and loyal. She is successful, loved and will bring balance back into Schooner’s life. Unfortunately, not everyone is pleased with this reunion, especially CJ and Zac (CJ and Schooner’s son – who inherited his personality from CJ).
We live a lifetime through their story. There is the angst of first heart break, the ambivalence and acceptance of life’s circumstances, and the joy and hope for renewed, healing love. Then, Ms. Richman ends this rollercoaster ride of emotions with a cliffhanger the reader sees building from the middle of the story, but is incapable to stop. Searching for Moore is funny and quirky, profound, poignant and moving – all at the same time. It is the best book I have read about aging Generation-Xers, this year.
Exceptional debut for Ms. Richman! I need the second book NOW!!
The “cleaned up” versions of this review are on Amazon and Goodreads.
Book Reviews – “Wrong Bed, Right Guy,” and “Chasing Mrs. Right” by Katee Robert
Book 1 in Katee Robert’s “Come Undone Series” – “Wrong Bed, Right Guy”
Sweet, sexy romance where the tattooed bad boy grows up before our eyes, into a good man, worthy of a lovely lady.
Book 2 in Katee Robert’s “Come Undone Series” – “Chasing Mrs. Right”
I wanted to know what happened to Ian and Roxanne, who were secondary characters in Wrong Bed, Right Guy (Come Undone) And, I’m a sucker for a tortured, military veteran, so I was expecting to like this story.
Holy cow! I LOVED it! This is case of the second book being hotter and more emotional than the first, in a series. Both Ian and Roxanne are dealing with deeply personal commitment issues and are wary of a relationship. Hot sex is ok, GREAT, even, but intimacy is a no-no.
So, both are caught unaware when they start falling for each other, effortlessly. They need to put aside their own baggage, to be there for the other one. I appreciate that Ms. Robert spent time allowing this part of their relationship develop organically. It was not rushed, and felt real.
I look forward to reading Two Wrongs, One Right (Come Undone) Nathan’s story. From the hints given in the first two books, it plans to also be an emotional rollercoaster.
Great series!
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Reading, Drinking and Dancing with a Chaser of Snark 