Play

Play: With Blocks, Chess and Monopoly at Work by Erik N. Boe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the author.

A lot of games are played in corporate America. The author focuses on three. First is blocks, played at the beginning level. The focus is on creativity. The second is chess, which is played at a higher level. This focuses on skill, anticipating your opponent's move, and hopefully countering it in advance. The third is Monopoly, played at the highest levels of the company. This focuses on domination, eliminating competition, and coming out on top.

Sometimes the three games collide. The author gives strategies on how to deal with this, before it becomes all-out war.

I've been in corporate America, and I can tell you that these games are played there all the time. The author gives some useful strategies on how to deal with each type of game player.

There is one game, however, the author left out. It's important, because it is played all the time. I'm referring to poker. The main strategy in poker is bluffing, making your opponent think you have a stronger hand than you actually do, in the hopes that they will fold and concede the win to you. Within the company, people will bluff to get what they want. Sometimes they bluff their way to higher management. No one questions them, either because they are good at bluffing, or they are high enough up in the company that no one dares question them. Bluffing is also used with outsiders to get more favorable terms in a deal. I wish the author had explained how to recognize when people are bluffing, and how to call their bluff, and find out the truth.

All in all, a good book, except for the omission of poker.

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The Grownup

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from Book of the Month Club.

This was a strange book. It was essentially a short story in book form. It follows a woman as she tries various things to make money. One of those things is to fake being a psychic. She goes to houses and pretends to cleanse them. Things get strange when she feels real psychic energy in one of the houses, and meets the son of the owner.

I was disappointed in the ending. Without giving too much away, the kid was a spoiled brat. As much as the woman was getting by as a fraud, the kid is an even bigger fraud. He just wants to get something for himself, and he'll do what he has to, including changing his story, to get it. I'm glad I didn't pay for this book. It wouldn't have been worth it.

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1984 and Star Trek.

I saw the picture of the "There are 4 lights" sign at the march for science. It reminded me that there are a lot of similarities between that episode and George Orwell's 1984. We think of 1984 as Big Brother and surveillance everywhere, but there's more to it than that. In the novel, Winston, the main character writes in his journal, "Freedom is the ability to say that two and two make four. Given that, all else follows." Later on, Winston is arrested. O'Brien, the Party member, says "If we say two and two is five, it's five." He then uses this to torture Winston. O'Brien holds up 2 fingers in his left hand and 2 fingers in his right hand, and asks, "How many fingers are there?" When Winston says, "4," he is beaten. After several rounds of this, Winston finally says, "It's whatever you say it is." At the end of the novel, Winston is sitting in the pub. He traces in the dust on the table, "2+2=5." At the end of the episode, Picard says, "You know, there really were 5 lights."

The point of both the novel and the episode is that there are objective truths that no one can change just on a whim. Freedom is the ability to accept these truths, and act in accordance with them. In an appendix to 1984, Orwell talked about Newspeak, the language in the novel. He quoted the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." In Newspeak, that entire passage could be reduced to one word: crimethink. It was a crime in Orwell's world to even think that way.

In torture, one of the elements is the torturer is right, and you're wrong, regardless of the evidence. That's what the episode and the novel were trying to portray. Even such simple questions as the number of lights or what is 2+2 can be twisted to give the torturer leverage.

I realize this is a long post. I also realize it's not like a lot of other posts on here. To me, though, this represents what Gene Roddenberry did with Star Trek. He used science fiction to explore current social issues. Other authors like Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, and Rod Serling did the same thing. Freedom is the ability to say that 2+2=4, and that there are 4 lights. Given that, all else follows.

Cash Flow for Life

Cash Flow For Life: How To Generate An Income Online by Jon Mac
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I got this book for free plus shipping from the author.

This is a promotional book to get you to buy other services from the author. He talks about opening Facebook store to sell products made by others. He goes through all the details of how to do it, and provides examples of websites used by others. He even discusses selling the business later.

I liked this book because it didn't have a lot of fluff. I've read a lot of these books, and many of them have excess material that has nothing to do with the main point of the book, which is building a business. I do not always like being distracted. I like that at the end of each chapter, he asks a series of questions, designed to get you to think about what was just said. Sometimes that alone can help move you along. All in all, a good book.



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The Fishy Business Handbook for Mermaids

The Fishy Business Handbook for Mermaids by Raina Mermaid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: I helped Raina edit this book. My name is listed in the book.

This is Raina's third book about being a professional mermaid. This book is more of a workbook than the other two. It is designed to be read in conjunction with the other two, as it references them frequently.

She addresses several issues she avoided in the first two books. One is mermaids who take advantage of you, or act inappropriately. Between the writing of the secondam and third book, she had to fire one of her mermaids for acting inappropriately. The key is to be firm. The second is working with kids. Some people shouldn't work with kids.

The book also includes pictures of how to get in a mermaid tail, and how to pick up a mermaid in a tail. It includes samples of contracts and media communications. Some of this information can be adapted to other businesses as well. An excellent book, along with the others, for anyone looking to be a professional mermaid. With Disney's scheduled release of a live-action Little Mermaid next year, there will be a lot more interest in mermaids. These books will be there to help.

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Mastering Civility

Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace by Christine Porath
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

Everyone wants civility in the workplace. People want to be treated fairly. The author makes the case that civility is good for the bottom line, and can make the workplace better. There are several tests in the book to determine how civil you are.

The book sounds like a lot of others I've read. It's good as far as it goes, but there are some things missing. For example, she recommends that employers ask prospective employees, "What would former employers say about you?" In many cases, the answer is, "They will only confirm dates of employment." Thanks to lawsuits, many employers are skittish about saying anything beyond that. Most companies won't go the trouble of deeper investigation.

Another area that doesn't go that far is in her chapter on what if incivility happens to you. Her advice is to focus on yourself and your situation. That's fine as far as it goes, but it doesn't address the situation when the incivility raises to discrimination or harassment. That requires focus on eliminating the problem, rather than simply focusing on yourself. That area was missing.

A minor issue. She uses Pete Carroll, coach of the Seattle Seahawks, as an example of civility in the NFL. After he left USC, the NCAA found significant recruiting violations had occurred during his time there. USC had to vacate several wins, including a national championship, and lost several scholarships. Reggie Bush gave back his Heisman Trophy. There was a sense that Pete Carroll got out of Dodge before the hammer fell. I don't think that was a good example.

Overall, a good book, just not complete.

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World Almanac 2017

The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2017 by Sarah Janssen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I get a copy of this every year. It's a good reference book. It lists a lot of historical data and current events information. Obviously, things are described in a nutshell, because of space limitations, but it is a good starting point. As a writer, I use this to see if what I'm saying has any semblance of truth. When you write fiction, you can make things up, but they sound more believable if there is some basis in fact. Later editions include pictures of the prior year's events. This was published in mid-November, shortly after the elections, so anything after that is not included. It's a great book. You don't usually read it cover to cover, but it has something for everyone.

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Operation Mermaid giveaway.

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Operation Mermaid

by Joseph McGarry

Giveaway ends December 31, 2016.

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You're A Leader, Charlie Brown

You're a Leader, Charlie Brown by Carla Curtsinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly, a bullet point rang out!

I can imagine Snoopy being told to write a business book, and sitting on top of his doghouse writing this. I grew up with Peanuts. I've also read a lot of business books. This is the first time I've seen them together. It seems an odd combination. Charlie Brown was described as "wishy-washy" in the comics. How could he be a leader?

The book uses not only Charlie Brown, but also a lot of the other characters, such as Linus, Lucy, Sally, Schroeder, even Snoopy. It is sprinkled with classic Peanuts cartoons and illustrations. There is a helpful summary of the bullet points at the end of the book. A lot of them are ones that have appeared elsewhere. Some of them are "Learn from failures." "Know what kind of leader you are." "Write in a concise but conversational style." (Although, if anyone starts any memos or reports with, "It was a dark and stormy night," they picked up the wrong message.)

It's a short read. That can actually help business readers, since they won't worry about a lot of details. I also liked the cartoons. Very enjoyable, which you rarely hear about business books.

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Think Better, Live Better

Think Better, Live Better: Deleting Negative Thoughts, Labels, and Attitudes by Joel Osteen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the latest book by Joel Osteen. For those who don't know him, he is the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. He took over in 1999 when his father died. In 2003, the church moved into the former Compaq Center, where the Houston Rockets of the NBA used to play basketball. His sermons are broadcast every week on various cable channels.

This book, like his others, is a collection of his sermons. This concept by itself is not new. Priests and ministers of all religions have been publishing collections of their sermons for many years. I focused on the content of the sermons. To me, they felt like something I would read in The Secret, only with Bible references. The themes are eliminate negativity, you have possibilities, good things are coming your way, God wants you to have abundance, just believe. It's good to believe all these things. It's just not enough.

First, there are some things that will never happen, no matter how much you believe. I am 52 years old with major health problems, and have never been very athletic. I will never play professional sports. The Vikings will never call me to replace someone in their starting lineup. I can believe, I can tell myself it will happen, but it's not happening. It's not meant to be. That needs to be there.

Second, there's nothing in here about taking action. For many years, I wanted to write a novel. I could think about it, I could believe, but until I sat down at my laptop and actually started writing, it wasn't going to happen. It did happen, and I published my book, Operation Mermaid: The Project Kraken Incident, late last year. The inspiration helped, but not without action.

Third, he talks about abundance. I wonder what he thinks of this Bible story. I'm paraphrasing Mark 10:17-27. A rich man went to see Jesus, and asked, "What must I do to gain eternal life?" Jesus told him, "Keep the commandments. Don't lie, don't steal, honor your father and mother." The rich man said, "I've done all these things. What more must I do?" Jesus looked at him with love and said, "Sell everything and give to the poor. Then you can follow me." The rich man walked away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." On the one hand, Joel Osteen is saying God wants you to have abundance and be rich. On the other hand, Jesus is saying it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. How do you reconcile those two?

The book is OK as far as it goes. It's just incomplete.

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The Kiss That Changed Me

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THE KISS THAT CHANGED ME- COMING DECEMBER 2016

THE TIDAL KISS TRILOGY-BOOK 3

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As two brothers reach the final phase of their plan to seize the stolen powers of a God made flesh, the Psirens lay claim to the debris of the Occulta Mirum. With this, a race against the rising blood moon begins.

 

As the seconds tick away, Callie and Orion must journey to the farthest corners of the earth, learning to balance devotion and duty whilst reuniting the segregated Kindred of the Circle of Eight. If this is not enough the function of the conduit is still unknown, meaning Callie and Orion must learn democratic flare in multicultural waters to convince others to risk their lives as well. With their foretold future together in the balance, their unity has never been so crucial and one’s willingness to sacrifice the other for the greater good never more necessary.

 

Can the journey of an immortal lifetime hold answers to salvation, or will it only bring the mer to their final resting place as their race is threatened with extinction?

 

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The American Girl

The American Girl by Kate Horsley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

This book is the story of Quinn Perkins, an American exchange student living in France in 2015. One night, she is found by some German tourists stumbling around outside after being hit by a car. She winds up in the hospital. Video of the accident goes viral on the Internet, drawing the attention of a TV reporter, Molly Swift. As the investigation unfolds, it is discovered that Quinn's host family has disappeared, with no explanation. Suspicion falls on Quinn, that she may be responsible for this. Is Quinn a victim or a villain? Or is the truth somewhere in the middle?

I don't want to give away too much, because of spoilers. It was an intriguing novel. The point of view shifts back and forth between Quinn and Molly. Early on, Molly is taken as Quinn's relative, which gives her more access to the story. Quinn's story is told in flashbacks, with a video log and her own blog. This works to add to the suspense, to keep you guessing. There are some details to keep this going. For example, Molly goes out to the house to find a creepy old caretaker out there. Part of me thought that this is how Scooby-Doo cartoons usually started. "I'd have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for you meddling kids!" But that was a minor distraction. All in all, this was a good book.

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Mystic Tides

Mystic Tides by C.J. Godwin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for this review.

I've always been fascinated with mermaid stories. Most people now know the Hans Christian Andersen story The Little Mermaid, or, more precisely, the Disney version of that story. The premise of the book is that the Hans Christian Andersen story was true, and that mermaids exist. The story starts out with Aden in Alaska. He has just turned 17, and is given a necklace with a mysterious moonstone as a birthday present. He's moving to Florida, to be with his aunt and his cousin. There are quite a few people who are interested in him, and have been watching him for some time. While in Florida, he discovers some unusual powers. He also meets Kat and Kailani, twin sisters with something special. I don't want to say too much more, because of spoilers.

I thought it gave a good backstory on mermaids, and why they were the way they were. Full disclosure: I am the author of Operation Mermaid: The Project Kraken Incident, another novel about mermaids, so I know how important the backstory can be. She doesn't try to overwhelm everyone with the backstory all at once, but reveals it piece by piece as needed. I like how Aden's story (1st person) and the mermaid story (3rd person) are alternated, with Aden's story in regular type, and the mermaid story in italics. This made it easier to follow. I've read other books that don't do this, and it can be easy to get lost. I couldn't help think about Disney's version, though. In one scene, Aden picks up a crab, and part of me thought the crab would start singing "Under the Sea." In another, Aden plays his guitar and sings to Kailani. I thought for sure the song would have been "Part of Your World," which would be an ironic commentary on their situation. (Read the book to find out why.) I also felt a little bit of the Australian TV series H20: Just Add Water and Mako Mermaids. Both of these series deal with mermaids in high school. The end of the book suggests that this is the first of a series. It's like Marty McFly getting the Western Union letter that Doc Brown is alive and well in 1885. The series aspect also explains all of the exposition in this book, to avoid a lot of this later. All in all, a good book. I look forward to reading book 2.

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Little Black Dress

Little Black Dress by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of the Bookshots series by James Patterson. Short books of less than 150 pages, priced at less than $5 each. In another world, they would be called novellas. They're designed for quick reading. You can finish it quickly.

This was the story of Jane Avery, a magazine editor who usually spends her nights alone with Netflix and Oreos. One day, she buys a little black dress. Suddenly, she releases her inner sexual desires. At first, she is somewhat reluctant, but that soon passes. This leads her in to some dangerous situations.

Obviously, this is designed for a quick read. There's not much character development, except for Jane. It seems a little unrealistic. A woman gets a black dress, and suddenly she's a nymphomaniac. I didn't buy that. Granted, an outfit can give you a different attitude. I feel different in a suit than I do in a t-shirt and shorts, but it's not that dramatic.

I picked this edition up at Target. The Target edition had an epilogue just for this edition. It felt tacked on, like it wasn't part of the story. This may be so that non-Target readers wouldn't feel too left out.

I think this is a good concept for a series. Shorter books might encourage more people to read. You also have to tighten up the plotline. I just think this book had some shortcomings to it.

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Army of the Winter Court

Army of the Winter Court by Ali Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Army of the Winter Court is about a battle between Aurelian and Nolan for control of the Winter Court. Their sister, Lilith, has set rules so that neither one will have an unfair advantage.

Evvie is a college student who meets a man named Ian. After one date with him, she suddenly feels strange. She takes a skeleton key and unlocks the door to another world, where she is the prize in the battle between Aurelian and Nolan.

This is a novella, not a full length book, so the story moves along quickly. I won't say too much more about the story, to avoid plot spoilers. I thought it was a good story. I wanted more development, but that's not in a novella. The author focuses on the 4 main characters, which is good for a novella. Too many cooks spoil the broth. When they mentioned it was winter all the time, I couldn't help but think of Frozen. Granted, there was no talking snowman named Olaf. but there were some similarities, especially compared to The Snow Queen, which is the original tale on which Frozen is based. Again, I can't say too much because of spoilers.

This is part of the Skeleton Key series. I look forward to reading other books in the series.

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New Goodreads giveaway for Operation Mermaid: The Project Kraken Incident

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Operation Mermaid

by Joseph McGarry

Giveaway ends July 31, 2016.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

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Through the Storm

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Through the Storm (From Kenya, With Love #3) Rula Sinara Adult Contemporary Romance Paperback & ebook, 368 pages April 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

The biggest risk she'll ever take… Tessa Henning is no damsel. But she's definitely in distress. If her husband really is involved in the ivory trade, he'll come after her when he finds out what she's uncovered. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Mac Walker. Stubborn, fiercely independent, danger-loving bush pilot Mac Walker—with whom she shares custody of their orphaned nephew. Though Mac's no knight in shining armor, he can keep her and their nephew safe in the Serengeti while they wait out this storm. But he can't protect Tessa from the strange weather brewing inside her, stirring up feelings for Mac she wishes she could ignore.

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Other Books in the Series

The Promise of Rain (From Kenya, With Love #1) Rula Sinara Adult Contemporary Romance Paperback & ebook, 384 pages January 1st 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming

He wants to take her child out of Africa...

The Busara elephant research and rescue camp on Kenya's Serengeti is Anna Bekker's life's work. And it's the last place she thought she'd run into Dr. Jackson Harper. As soon as he sets eyes on her four-year-old, Pippa, Anna knows he'll never leave...without his daughter.

Furious doesn't begin to describe how Jack feels. How could Anna keep this from him? He has to get his child back to the States. Yet as angry as he is with Anna, they still have a bond. But can it endure, despite the ocean--and the little girl--between them?

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After the Silence (From Kenya, With Love #2) Rula Sinara Adult Contemporary Romance Paperback & ebook, 368 pages March 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Does following her passion mean losing her way?

Marine Ben Corallis is an expert at facing death, but nothing comes close to the terror that grounds him when his wife is killed in a car accident the day he returns from duty. He's left to raise an infant, a toddler and a ten-year-old girl who hasn't uttered a word since her mother's death.

It's hard not to care for the widowed marine with three young children. Yet he's still grieving, too burdened with guilt to fall in love again. And Hope Alwanga's future as a doctor awaits her on the other side of the world, in Nairobi. If two such opposites can't agree on a common country, how can they ever create a safe place to call home?

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After a childhood enriched with exotic travels and adventures (both in books and real life), USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author Rula Sinara is now settled in rural Virginia with her husband, three boys and crazy but endearing pets. When she's not writing, she's busy attracting wildlife to her yard, watching romantic movies or researching trees on her garden wish list.

In addition to being a coffee addict, she's also a 2015 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit winner, a 2014 National Reader's Choice Award winner and double finalist, a 2015 Golden Quill Award Runner Up and a 2015 Book Buyers Best third place recipient. For updates on her releases and more, sign up for her newsletter.

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Tour Schedule

June 5th: Launch June 6th: Brooke Blogs & underneath the covers June 7th: Becky on Books, Rockin' Book Reviews & deal sharing aunt June 8th: Wishful Endings & EskieMama Reads June 9th: Lampshade Reader, Christy's Cozy Corners & 23 Review Street June 10th: Thoughts of a Blonde, Book talk & The Reading Diaries June 12th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

US PRIZE PACK: One winner will receive 3 'From Kenya, With Love' series canvas tote bags (one of each book), bookmarks, autographed copies of The Promise of Rain and After the Silence, and a $10 Amazon gift card.

INTERNATIONALLY OPEN PRIZE: One winner will receive Kindle copies of The Promise of Rain and After the Silence.

Ends June 17th

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Excerpt She curled onto her side on the massive leaves he’d laid on the ground. “You’ll watch for snakes, too, right?” she asked. Her back was turned but her waning voice told him her eyes were closing. “I have you covered. Go to sleep.” Hopefully they wouldn’t get any unwanted visitors—legless or legged—but he had a gun tucked at his lower back and a preferred tranquilizer rifle a couple of feet away just in case. He’d also shone his LED torch around the area in search of red eyes. No night stalkers turned up. That didn’t mean they wouldn’t. She shivered again and put her hands between her knees in a fetal position. Mac leaned back and reached over her. He put his hand against her forehead. It felt normal. “Sorry, just wanted to make sure you didn’t have a fever. You got vaccinated before coming out here, didn’t you?” He kept his voice down, not wanting to make Nick anxious if he wasn’t totally knocked out. “Yes. I don’t think I’m sick. I’m just freezing. I really think it’s exhaustion and the temperature drop.” Her voice sounded sleepy and weak. Mac laid down behind her and pulled her against his chest for warmth. “Does this help?” She nodded, holding onto his hand at her waist. Within seconds, her muscles relaxed and her breathing steadied. He hoped she wasn’t coming down with anything like malaria. He lay there with every intention of staying awake, but the touch of her hair against his face and the warmth of her scent lulled him to sleep for a few minutes. The call of a wild dog had his eyes jerking open. He kept his ears peeled to gauge the distance, relaxing when the sound got farther away. He’d always been comfortable being alone. He’d always felt at home out here in the Serengeti...but right now, hearing Tessa’s soft breathing and a bit of snoring from Nick, for the first time Mac felt like he was home. This was his family. The idea shocked him. Panic zipped through his chest. What was he doing? Warming Tessa? Yes. But still, lying here spooned against her was wrong. He slowly unwove his fingers from hers, lifted his arm up and inched his body away from hers. He sat up without waking her and considered the small supply box and tranquilizer gun within his reach. He was here to protect them. That’s all any of this was. Hopefully, Tessa wouldn’t get too cold...or remember being held by him when she woke up in the morning. He wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon.