Aoléon: The Martian Girl - Part Five

Published in 2015, Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part 5: The Great Pyramid of Cydonia), written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur, is the final part of this series.  This last Aoléon review is also a general, wrap-up post of sorts, as I have read each of the five parts of this middle-grade sci-fi series.  Although I am not really a huge fan of ebooks, I didn't mind reading them on my iPad mini, computer, and phone.  In fact, it kind of felt like the right way to read them given the futuristic nature of the stories, and the colorful graphics looked fantastic on each of these devices.   


Part Five is of course a continuation of the other parts of the book (each part of this story should be read in order).  It begins with Chapter 20, and features three action-packed sections: The Great Pyramid of Cydonia, Sphaira, and Terra Firma.  Like the other parts, it's fast-paced, and will hold the attention of readers of all ages.  Not surprisingly, there are plenty of imaginative obstacles and challenges (such as sentrybots) when Aoléon, Gilbert, Helios, Bizwat, and Zoot travel to Cydonia, where Aoléon's parents are being held captive.  Gilbert and Aoléon have a special, two-fold mission: they need to rescue Aoléon's parents, and they must also save the Earth from invasion by the Luminon and his destructive forces.  They meet Pax and make some important discoveries in Part Five.  And of course, at the end of the book, Gilbert needs to return home to Earth, to Terra Firma, which will mean parting from his lovely, blue-skinned friend, Aoléon, the Martian Girl.  She is solid proof that an "aoléon" can be friendly. ;)

What a terrific series!  The length of the parts of each book is just right for young readers.  There's a helpful glossary of scientific terms at the end of this book.  The vibrant graphics are incredible and add a lot to the story.  All in all, I enjoyed this series very much.  Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for sending me each of the parts of this ebook, and to the author as well, for writing this fun sci-fi series!  For more reviews, please stop by iRead's book blog tour for Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Five).  Thank you for reading!  Please feel free to add a comment to this post. 

Aoléon: The Martian Girl - Part Four

If you think that "men are from Mars, and women are from Venus", then you probably haven't met Aoléon yet. 

Aoléon, the Martian girl, is the female protagonist in this fun, five-part, sci-fi series.  I've just read the ebook Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part 4: Illegal Aliens), written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur.

Like the other parts of this book, Part Four is fast-paced and action-packed.  In this story, Aoléon and Gilbert attempt to rescue Phobos and Deimos, Aoléon's parents, who've been captured and taken to a secret base.  The duo must also try to stop the evil Luminon, who has just begun an invasion of Terra (Earth), in order to steal cows.

The Luminon

Aoléon & Zoot

Throughout the story, Aoléon and Gilbert face many obstacles, including forces of nature, a dust storm, and even a giant slor, and Gilbert develops his psionic power, in this portion of the book.

This is another fun, zany installment of the series, which I think will appeal to middle-grade girls and boys.  The 3-D graphics are fabulous in each of these books.  Aoléon is a charming, blue-eyed, blue-skinned Martian girl, and she and Gilbert have a solid friendship, with just a hint of romance in it.  I love the cover of Part Four!  I have a cow blog, La Vache Intéressante, so I am especially partial to cows.  (I must also feature this cover on my cow blog.)   I've enjoyed each "episode" of Aoléon: The Martian Girl, including this one, so far.  I'm eager to read Part Five of this series, the last part of this book, to find out what's in store for Aoléon, the Martian Girl, and Gilbert, the Terran boy.  

Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for giving me a copy of this ebook.  For more reviews, please stop by iRead's book blog tour for Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Four). 

Thank you for reading!  Your comments are welcomed. 

Aoléon: The Martian Girl - Part Three

Since the discovery of moons on Mars in 1877, we've developed a fascination with life on the red planet, which has been depicted in numerous stories that feature Martians.  Published in 2015, Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part 3: The Hollow Moon), written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur, continues this tradition.  Like the others I've read, Part Three is a sci-fi adventure for middle-grade children.  It has four chapters, Luminon (Chapter Nine), Galactworks (Chapter 10), Hollow Moon (Chapter 11), and Gilbert Skyboards (Chapter 12).

Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Three) is quite action packed.  In Part Three, Gilbert and Aoléon "phase-jump" to Luminon's dazzling palace, in the center of the Martian megapolis, to investigate a suspicious matter, with the help of an omnitool from their friend, Bizwat, the pizza delivery guy.  The duo discovers that there's indeed a sinister plan in the works to sabotage the Galactworks, which produces millions of gallons of galactmilk daily for the Martian people. They must warn Aoléon's father, Deimos, who manages the Galactworks pumps, and so they travel to the plant, which is located in the bottom of an extinct Martian volcano.  Aoléon also brings her pet, Zoot, to the plant, because she feels that he may be helpful.  Gilbert notices a mysterious saboteur near the enormous maintenance bot at the plant, and Aoléon sends Zoot over to intervene.  Deimos is hurt in an explosion at the plant, and Aoléon and Gilbert unveil the saboteur. The next day, Aoléon takes her pilot’s exam so that she'll be able to join the Martian intergalactic exploration fleet, but things do not go as planned, and they are chased by Draconian warriors.  In the last chapter of Part Three, Gilbert gets a chance to skyboard, and he seems like a "natural".  However, before too long his fun escapade becomes a struggle for survival, when he and Aoléon are chased by the Royal Paladin Guard.

"They had been found.  The paladins quickly gained on them.  The disruptor cannons mounted on their hoversleds burped rapid-fire bursts.  Blasts of plasma flew past the duo.  Aoléon screamed, almost losing her balance.  They barely avoided several shots that came close to hitting their mark."
~ Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part 3), Brent LeVasseur

When they finally get back to Aoléon's home, Una, Aoléon's baby sister, is very upset because her parents have been arrested and whisked off to prison.  Gilbert and Aoléon may need the help of Bizwat, the pizza delivery guy, once again.

There is a lot going on in this book!  But I think this fast-paced book is fantastic.  I read it on my computer, and also looked at it on my iPad mini.  I hope to share it with my young nephews, and think that they'll adore it as well.   It features brilliant graphics and is perfect for young adults (and older adults) who enjoy enchanting, imaginative Martian stories.  I've enjoyed each part of this story so far, and look forward to reading Part Four (which has a wonderful cover with many "bovars").

Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for giving me a copy of this ebook.  For more reviews, please stop by iRead's book blog tour for Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Three). 

Thanks for reading!  Your comments are appreciated and welcomed. 

Aoléon: The Martian Girl - Part Two

“Which is exactly my point--being telepathic, my thoughts and memories are not always my own.  Your individuality in spirit, in thought, and in your wide range of emotions is what makes Terrans unique among all other races of sentient beings.  In a sense, I think many other races either envy or fear you--for what you are and what you might become."
~ Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Two), Brent LeVasseur


Telepathy is a common theme in modern science fiction, and many extraterrestrials have telepathic ability.  In Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Two: The Luminess of Mars), written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur, more attention is given to the matter of telepathy, which is introduced in Part One.  Aoléon says that Martians are a telepathic race, who communicate telepathically.  It has its advantages, of course, but it also has its disadvantages (Aoléon can't keep any secrets from her mother).  And with the way things are going right now, Mars feels like a dystopia of sorts, due in part to telepathy.

Since I can't communicate with my readers telepathically at this very moment, I'll straight out tell you a bit about this book. ;)  I read an ARC of Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Two), comprised of three chapters: Luminess (Chapter Six), Bizwat the Procyon (Chapter Seven), and Martian Space Academy (Chapter Eight).

In Part Two of Aoléon: The Martian Girl, we meet many other Martians.  Along with Gilbert, we meet the formidable Luminess, when Aoléon and Gilbert go on a special mission to investigate the Luminon, who's suspected of planning an invasion of Earth to steal cows.  Later, Aoléon brings Gilbert home for dinner, and he meets the members of her family, her mother, Phobos, her father Deimos, and her little sister, Una, as well as Zoot, Una's pet moog, an odd-looking little creature.  They forgo the usual evening consumption of galact, and order platters--Martian pizza--delivered by Aoléon's friend, Bizwat (the delivery guy) who is a Procyon Commando, and who uses his Saturn Pizza delivery job as a cover.  When Gilbert attends school, the Martian Space Academy, with Aoléon, we meet Charm (misnomer), Quarkina, Neptunian "exchange students", Plutarch Xenocrates (the teacher), and others.  Gilbert tries to blend in at Martian school, but as a Terran, he stands out like a sore thumb.  At least Gilbert has some telepathy now, and knows what the other students think about him, although the thoughts he hears are chaotic, and more than a bit overwhelming.  Plutarch Xenocrates gives a lesson about the history of Martian people, and they even take an exciting field trip to the Galactic History Museum.  Later in the day, after school, Gilbert and Aoléon, frolic as they train in zero-G.  The last chapter ends with a game of psi-ball, "the greatest game on Mars", in a "friendly" match between the Martian Space Academy and the Martian Science Academy. 

Pizza: no civilized world can exist without it.

Fun, fun, fun!  Gilbert and Aoléon are a charming dynamic duo, and Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part 2 : The Luminess of Mars) is an irresistibly fun book.  The brightly-colored, three-dimensional graphics delight the eye and fit the story perfectly.  This time, I read the story on my computer, rather than on my iPad mini, and enjoyed viewing the graphics on a larger screen.  The characters are too cute for words, and there's a healthy amount of humor in the story, which is quite appealing.  I found myself laughing out loud (but not too loud) at least a few times.  As I said in my review of Part One, Aoléon: The Martian Girl has MOVIE written all over it--I can practically see and hear it now.  As a book, though, it's a quick and absorbing read, the second part of a five part book.  I enjoyed many of the sci-fi adventures and ideas in this book, which includes a handy dandy glossary of terms, and think that this sensational book is especially suitable for (even reluctant) readers in middle-school, as well as older readers with an interest in Martian matters. 

Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for sending me an advanced readers copy of this ebook. For more reviews, please stop by iRead's book blog tour for Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part Two). 

Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed. 

The Metabolism Solution

"The Metabolism Solution is the way to get into the best shape of your life, guaranteed."
~ The Metabolism Solution, Lisa Lynn


Motivated by the author's own struggles with weight loss, The Metabolism Solution: Lose 1 Pound Per Day and Melt Belly Fat Fast! by celebrity fitness and nutrition expert Lisa Lynn begins with Lisa's personal story.  Born into a family of alcoholics and addicts, Lisa became a compulsive overeater who sought comfort from food as a young child.  When she was older, she wanted to lose weight, but regular dieting and exercising didn't seem to help her much.  Ironically, she was interested in health and fitness, and had started to work in the fitness business, although nothing worked for her personally.  While working out at the gym in 1991, Lisa met Dr. Fred Hatfield, an internationally renowned fitness expert, who was looking for trainers to help with a study he was conducting.  Through her work with Dr. Hatfield, Lisa learned a great deal, and she went on to explore even further the effects of food and exercise on metabolism.  She discovered that certain foods could boost metabolism and speed weight loss, and that more exercise was not always better (she had been working out obsessively).  Lisa also learned that specific supplements could help with weight loss.  She realized that her approach to weight loss was fear-based, and that she needed to change this.  Before too long, Lisa became known at the gym as the trainer who got "fast results".  One morning at the gym, Martha Stewart asked for her help, and she soon became Martha's trainer and friend (as mentioned in my spotlight post, Lisa has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show, and The Dr. Oz Show, numerous times).  Over the years, she has earned four educational certificates from the International Sports and Sciences Association’s Professional Division: Certified Fitness Trainer, Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Fitness Therapy, and Elite Trainer.  Lisa took what she learned from Dr. Hatfield, combined it with her own extensive research and experience, and wrote The Metabolism Solution, which was published in 2014.  

Like Lisa, I've learned about food over the years (although I haven't earned any educational certificates).  After I had kids, I didn't want my metabolism to change, so I became more careful about what I ate, and I began to exercise on a regular basis.  I thought the idea of this book sounded promising, and since I want to continue to have a healthy metabolism as I get older, I welcomed a review copy of this book.

"Hunger is a good sign. It means your body is about to burn fat."
~ The Metabolism Solution, Lisa Lynn 

I never thought of hunger in that way before; many of us think that feeling hungry is a bad thing, to be avoided at all costs (now I may actually welcome it).  Divided into nine chapters, with photographs, charts, and recipes, The Metabolism Solution is full of information and tips for boosting your metabolism.  Lisa has devoted nearly three decades of her career to personal training, specializing in metabolic weight loss and performance nutrition, so she has a lot to say.  Many of the chapters in the book are devoted to food.  (I won't reveal too much of the book's contents, but I will provide a handful of tidbits from the book.)  Lisa says that we may think we're hungry when we're really thirsty, and that by drinking enough water, we can boost our metabolic rate (note to self: drink more water).  She recommends limiting fruit to one or two servings per day for greater weight loss, because fruit converts to sugar very quickly during digestion.  (I eat a lot of fruit; in fact, I'm a fruitoholic.)  Chapters Two and Three are about using supplements to boost your metabolism, such as Omega-3.  Chapter Six is all about exercise.  One of the exercises in this section is called The Metabolic Core Walk, to rev up your metabolism, and Lisa also includes instructions for an intense looking 30-minute workout.  Did you know that being able to touch your toes is quite important?  I'll admit that I'd forgotten this (and that flexibility is something I need to work on).  One of the things Lisa says--and I love this, even though I do exercise--is that if you eat right, you can exercise less.  Chapter Seven pertains to the psychological and emotional aspects of eating, and Chapter Eight is titled, "GOD and Your Bod", where she stresses the importance of faith.  But back to food, in Chapter Nine, the final chapter--and some fun!

I love that The Metabolism Solution has recipes in it!  Chapter Nine is comprised of over a hundred thermogenic (fat-burning) recipes.  I tried out a couple of easy recipes (my favorite kind).  Both were "hits" with my family.  I altered Lisa's recipes a bit, but the ideas are from her book, told in my own words.  (I always cook with as many organic ingredients as possible, although I didn't label the ingredients as such.)

******************

LISA'S FAMOUS SAUTÉED SALAD

Ingredients:
Spray olive oil, or 1/2 tablespoon (or less) olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 clove minced garlic
3 or 4 white mushrooms, sliced
3 Romaine hearts (I used two), chopped up
1/4 teaspoon NoSalt (I used herbs instead, like oregano, and a touch of black pepper)
Grated (or shredded) Parmesan cheese (optional)


Directions:
We eat a lot of raw salads in our house.  I was intrigued by the idea of a sautéed salad.  This salad calls for three heads of Romaine lettuce, but three seemed like too much for us that evening, so I chopped up two.  (Trader Joe's sells a package of three organic Romaine hearts at a great price.)  Spray a bit of olive oil (from a  Misto) or drizzle oil into a medium-large skillet and sauté the mushrooms, onions, herbs, and a bit of garlic for about 10 minutes, on low heat.  Then add the Romaine, and let the mixture cook for several more minutes, stirring every so often.  That's it!  Serve with Parmesan, if desired.  My family seemed to enjoy this variation of salad. 

Sautéed Salad

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I also tried out Lisa's recipe for apple chips, several times.  They are super easy to prepare, delicious, and perhaps best of all, the house smells heavenly while they are baking.

HOMEMADE BAKED CINNAMON APPLE CHIPS

Ingredients:
1 to 3 apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste--I just sprinkle it on!)

Directions:
It doesn't get any easier than this!  But, they take about three hours to cook, so plan accordingly.  Slice the apple(s) very thinly, then sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cook in the oven at 200º for an hour on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I used two toaster oven sized trays).  Flip apple pieces after about one hour.  Continue to bake them for another hour or two, flipping the pieces occasionally, until no longer moist.  These are a very tasty and nutritious snack, which I will make often.  I would never have thought to bake apples in this manner, but now I am obsessed with them.  :)

Cinnamon Apple Chips

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Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for sending me a complimentary copy of this book. Please visit the other stops on the iRead book tour for The Metabolism Solution for more reviews, giveaways, and other features. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Your comments are welcomed.

Aoléon: The Martian Girl

Take me to your reader.

You don't need to be a member of MUFON to read this book, but it does help to have a vigorous imagination.  I've just read the ebook Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part One: First Contact), written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur, on my iPad mini (my eReader).  This short book (under 100 pages) will have five parts, and is appropriate for middle-grade children.

In the first chapter of Part One, we meet a young boy, Gilbert Sullivan, who often has disturbing dreams before crop circles appear on his neighbor's farm in Nebraska.  Gilbert's interest in space and astronomy was sparked by mysterious crop circles that appeared in Old Farmer Neville Johnson's farm.  One night, wide awake after his recurring nightmare, Gilbert hears his parents arguing downstairs, and wishes for an end to the trouble, and for an angel who would take him far away.  When he notices a bright light outside, he decides to investigate.

Gilbert ventures outside toward the distant, glowing light, through the wheat fields of the farm next door.  Farmer Johnson, at the urging of his wife, also goes outside, with his three-legged dog, Tripod, and walks toward the brilliant light.  Gilbert trips over someone in the field, and meets Aoléon, the Martian Girl.  

Strange-looking yet beautiful, with huge blue eyes and turquoise skin, this girl is from Mars (though Aoleon's website is accessible to Terrans like us).  She has special powers which are remarkable to Gilbert.  She seems to be able to read his mind, and her touch heals (she helps Tripod after he falls in a gopher hole).  To escape from Farmer Johnson, who believes that vandals are making the crop circles, the Martian Girl brings Gilbert onto her spacecraft.

Gilbert and Aoléon fly above the earth, travel through various countries, and experience many adventures together. As they soar toward the North Pole in Aoléon's spacecraft, Gilbert realizes that he's "been abducted by a nutty alien who's a speed freak".  Gilbert's wish to leave home has come true, and his boring, ordinary life is a thing of the past.

 
Aoléon: The Martian Girl features numerous large, brightly-colored pictures.  Three-dimensional images are an integral part of the story, and I asked how the author created them.  This is his reply:

"I used The Foundry Modo to make all the character models, buildings, props such as weapons and ships, and to render them, using Modo's amazing built in renderer.  The landscapes and the Planet Mars with the exclusion of Gilbert's farm field, were rendered using Planetside's Terragen 2/3.  The final renders were color corrected and any effects such as lens flares and or depth-of-field blurs were done in both Adobe After Effects and Photoshop."

Brent calls his pictures 3D renders.  They are really fantastic!  In fact, although I enjoyed the prose of the story, it's the images in this book that make it so appealing, at least to me.  The book features many pictures of space, as well as flying cows, and other humorous things (and one-liners), that would translate well into film.  This book has MOVIE written all over it.  While I was reading it, I wondered if this was going to be a movie--maybe it's already in pre-production?  It would be perfect as an animated film.

I enjoyed the ideas in the book about dreams (or nightmares), telepathy and mind-reading, and the ability to heal through touch and thought (yes, I'm a bit "new age").  It's imaginative and clever, and suitable for folks like me (who don't read a great deal of science fiction), as well as for young adults drawn to sci-fi and adventure stories.  At the end of the book there's a helpful glossary which defines some of the terms used in the book.  There's also a related song, Another World ~ Aoléon: The Martian Girl Song, featuring Élan Noelle, on iTunes!  I listened to it, and it's a pretty song (that would be great in the movie).  Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part One) will be available at the end of January 2015, but you can pre-order the book now, on Amazon.  As for me, I look forward to reading Part Two!

Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for sending me an advanced readers copy of this ebook. For more reviews, please stop by iRead's book blog tour for Aoléon: The Martian Girl (Part One).  Since this book is for young adults, I've added a link to this review to Kid Konnection, hosted by Booking Mama.

Thanks very much for reading!  Your comments are welcomed.

Liesl's Ocean Rescue: Review and Guest Post

The most compelling stories are often based on true stories.  Liesl's Ocean Rescue is a book for children that's based on a true story, written by Barbara Krasner, and illustrated by Avi Katz.  Published in 2014, this picture book tells the story of 10-year-old Liesl Joseph and her family, through expressive prose and charming drawings that complement each other well.

In the book, Liesl's father, Josef Joseph, a lawyer, is arrested in his own home in Rheydt, Germany by Nazi soldiers, and Jewish homes and businesses all over Germany are attacked and destroyed during Kristallnacht, "Night of the Broken Glass".  In order to survive, the Joseph family, and many other Jews, decide to leave Germany.  In May of 1939, along with nearly 1,000 others, they board the MS St. Louis, a luxury ocean liner which was bound for Havana, and then America.

The MS St. Louis, from Wikipedia

The story is from Liesl's perspective, although it's told in the third person, and we see life through the eyes of the young protagonist.  Liesl adores her father.  She has faith that Father will make everything all right, even when she learns they have to leave Germany "forever", on the MS St. Louis.

Liesl enjoys being on the MS St. Louis.  She has more freedom on the ship than she had in Germany.  She can walk around freely, watch movies, and enjoy a variety of foods (in Germany, she only ate rationed bread and eggs).  She makes friends, plays checkers, bangs the gong to communicate with people on the ship, and helps in other ways, too.

The fun of being on the ship lasts for two weeks.  When they reach the harbor in Havana, the passengers are not allowed into Cuba.  They're ordered to go back to Germany, but they refuse because they know they'll be taken to the concentration camps and killed.  Father has been put in charge, and he sends out cablegrams for help.  Eventually, after some more time at sea, they receive good news from the head of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's Paris office, Mr. Morris Troper.  The passengers will be allowed to go to Belgium, Holland, France, and England.  When Liesl meets Mr. Troper on the ship, on her birthday, she has a thank you speech prepared.

Liesl's Ocean Rescue is a good way to introduce elementary school children to this dark part of our history which includes the story of the MS St. Louis and the Holocaust.  The gray and white drawings inside of the book contribute to the underlying tone of the story, which is somber.  Thankfully, the book features some joyful moments.  At the beginning of the book (November 1938), Father's birthday is mentioned, and at the end of the book (June 1939), it's Liesl's eleventh birthday.  Children will enjoy the mentions of the birthdays.  Throughout the pages, they will imagine what it must have been like for Liesl.  The story ends on an optimistic note which is a relief, given the difficult subject matter of the book.

As an adult, I found Liesl's story poignant.  Lovely details in the story made me smile, despite the seriousness of this story.  I was very pleased to read the author's notes at the end of the book and learn that Liesl and her family made it safely to America in 1940, and settled in Philadelphia, PA.  Liesl Joseph Loeb became a graphic designer and artist, and died in August of 2013.

Author Barbara Krasner has written an exclusive guest post for us, which follows this review.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Something Surprising About Me: A Guest Post by Barbara Krasner

About twenty-five years ago, when my son was born, I was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, landing me in the hospital for more than two weeks.  It was a defining moment for me, as I began to realize my life’s priorities needed to change.  I ultimately became less enamored with my corporate life and wanted to connect to something higher and make more of an impact on the world.

I decided I wanted to leave a legacy to my son and once out of the hospital, I put plans in place to write for children and to research my family’s history.  The skills I learned as a genealogist help me as a historian and as a writer.

Barbara and her son

For example, one of the first steps one takes in researching the family tree is to speak with the eldest members of the family, collecting names, places, and dates, as well as family traditions and stories.  I didn’t know at the time that this would provide me with the foundation to become an oral historian.  I learned how to become a detective, how to put my B.A. in German and Russian to use in reading vital records from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and from Poland/Russia, and how to deal with conflicting information from multiple sources.

I had grown up with the story of the MS St. Louis, the ship the United States turned away, the ship with nearly 1,000 German-Jewish refugees seeking safety from the Nazis in 1939.  With the help of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. I located several survivors who had been children on board.  Using the oral history techniques I’d learned as a genealogist (and as a corporate market researcher), I collected testimonies about experiences on the St. Louis.  These, combined with material culled from the Holocaust Museum and from the archives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in New York City, became the foundation for telling Liesl’s story aboard the St. Louis in Liesl’s Ocean Rescue.

I teach creative writing at William Paterson University, where I am also pursuing a master’s in public history, that is, making history accessible to the masses.  That is what I do as a writer.  But now I have even more opportunity to serve as an oral historian.  Currently, I’m helping the National Park Service collect oral histories of Paterson, New Jersey and I’ve collected several for my hometown of Kearny, New Jersey.

Being a genealogist and oral historian, I believe, brings a set of skills to writing and to writing for children that is unique.  It’s important to realize your strengths and to make them even stronger.  I hope that I continue to build on these skills for future books for kids and for adults.

Barbara, thank you for this interesting guest post!  Your work is purposeful and wonderful.  I think listening, intently, to the stories of others is incredibly important for writers, especially writers of history or historical fiction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for sending me an advanced readers copy of this book. For more reviews, giveaways, and other features, please stop by iRead's book blog tour for Liesl's Ocean Rescue.  Because this is a children's book, I've added a link to this review to Kid Konnection, hosted by Booking Mama.

 
Thanks for reading!  Your comments are welcomed.

The Metabolism Solution: Spotlight and Giveaway

"Getting your body to switch over from fat-storing mode to fat-burning mode is easier than you think.  Food is the problem and the answer."
~ The Metabolism Solution, Lisa Lynn

Is there a new way to lose weight quickly?  Published in 2014, The Metabolism Solution: Lose 1 Pound Per Day and Melt Belly Fat Fast! by celebrity fitness and nutrition expert Lisa Lynn is a book that was motivated by the author's own struggles with weight loss.  With nearly 30 years of experience in nutrition and fitness, she's been Martha Stewart's personal trainer for 13 years, and has been a guest on Martha's television show over 50 times.  She's also appeared many times on The Dr. Oz Show (one of my favorite shows, although I don't watch it often enough).

"My specialty is revving the metabolism, known as metabolic hyping in the fitness world.  Metabolic hyping creates an optimal environment for fat loss by helping to lower blood sugar levels and enhancing metabolism--this is the secret to melting fat faster."
~ The Metabolism Solution, Lisa Lynn

The Metabolism Solution "addresses weight loss and fitness issues from the inside out", and explains how to use food, exercise, supplements, and the power of God to boost your metabolism.  This book features more than 100 healthy and delicious-sounding thermogenic recipes.  (Lisa's Famous Sautéed Salad sounds wonderful!)  I've skimmed my copy of the book, which arrived in the mail recently, and I've already learned a few things!  I'll post a review of The Metabolism Solution next month.

Great news!  In conjunction with iRead Book Tours, the author is generously offering a giveaway for the LynFit Fat Loss Trio Product Package, plus a copy of The Metabolism Solution.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm pleased to be the first stop on the iRead Book Tours Spotlight Tour for The Metabolism Solution.  Many thanks to Laura from iRead Book Tours for sending me a complimentary copy of this book, and for offering this terrific giveaway!

Your comments are welcomed.