For the last decade, if you’ve worked in a bookstore then you probably have a Harry Potter story. You probably worked a late night HP Party when a new book came out, or you probably had interesting discussions with customers who berated Potter for teaching kids about wizardry. My own story begins in the year 2000 when I first started working in a bookstore.

I had never heard of JK Rowling or Harry Potter, but I knew where to find them.  We had a huge center aisle display that housed all the books and merchandise.  I remember even thinking Rowling was a man for a few weeks until our children’s department manager corrected me.

When the fourth book came out, I lucked out and didn’t have to work the midnight release.  I didn’t even go near the store that night.  But all week long, I got to listen to tons of complaints from “Christians” who were peeved that the entire back cashwrap display was promoting Harry Potter, wizards, and witchcraft.  It was perfectly okay though when we did a Tim LeHaye Left Behind display, and guess what?  Not one HP fan complained about that.

To this day, I have never read one single Harry Potter book.  I don’t have to be reminded about how good they are and that I should read them.  I tend not to read what’s popular.  And with a franchise that spans eight movies and millions of dollars in merchandise, I’d say Harry is quite popular.  But public ridicule given to books that opened a whole new door for interest in reading amongst a young generation (and old) does have my attention.

And that’s why I definitely wanted to read Derek Murphy’s Jesus Potter Harry Christ.  Murphy takes the great debate between Christians and Muggles to a whole new level and parallels the lives and storylines of their two great leaders:  Harry Potter and Jesus Christ.

At a lengthy478 pages, with a 20 page Index and another 20 pages devoted to Notes, Murphy has done his homework.  Just check out the Bibliography which is another 12 pages. The book is divided into three distinct parts covering a wide range of information based on the beginning, the middle, and the end of both of our lead character’s stories and their many followers, citing the likes and differences.

This debate is not new.  And Murphy does a brilliant job of keeping his facts and his own opinions separate.  He acts as a proctor between the debaters, presenting a wealth of quotes and citations from numerous scholars, reporters, Christians, readers, priests, and more. We get equal opinions from those who support either side and many who support both.

You have those who are dead set against HP because its paganism and against the rules of the Bible.  You have those who love HP for its value in literature and readership.  And then you have believers, like Murphy, who believe in what the Bible says but approach Potter in a more open-minded light.  As one quote in the book suggests, Christianity and its values change with each generation and culture.

Murphy clearly outlines the likes and differences between Potter and Christ from both having a miraculous birth, both having to go into hiding, both having to battle against evil, and both dying and coming back to life. There’s also distinct symbolism that mirrors itself in each story such as evil (or Satan) being represented by a snake.

Probably my only problem with the book is that the information is repeated quite a bit.  Its often broken up with lengthy quotes and references to back up Murphy’s points, but still repeats itself at times as Murphy solidifies the arguments.  The section on the history of paganism was fascinating though and even complete with photographs and illustrations. Rowling fans will also learn a lot about her as as author and a mother with her own personal beliefs and motivations.

I’ve always been a person who’s enjoyed the effects a book can have on people.  I don’t just mean someone saying, “I loved that book.”  But how did the book affect your life?  How did it affect your thinking?  My review probably holds no precedence since I admit I haven’t read the Potter books and that I never will, but how many of you have read the Bible from cover to cover?  Potter is still as much a part of my history as any one elses and will be for a long time to come despite the series being over.

New readers are being introduced to him for the first time every day – both Christ and Potter. And as long as people are reading, for whatever reason, then there will always be debate.  Murphy presents a healthy and spiritual look into the lives of two of the world’s most popular literary characters and in the end, still leaves you to decide on your own whose right and whose wrong – or is there a truce to be met somewhere in the middle between fans and followers.  And to be such a large book, you can’t beat the hard copy or Kindle price.

If you approach this topic with an open mind and consider the facts (and the myths), which Murphy has presented here in a magnificent well-researched volume of information, then you will come away informed and enlightened.  In the end, what YOU believe, is all that really matters.

Jana Pryor witnessed it all.  Her grandmother, Jane, suffered for 5 years from Alzheimers and Jana was her caretaker for every day of it.  The book is Jane’s eye witness account.  Told in 9 chapters, a quick 90 pages, Jana takes you through each slow stage from beginning to end.

Jana states in the beginning that she is not an expert or licensed nurse; her book is based on her personal thoughts and memories.  Sadly, that’s what gives it such a raw and personal edge.  While Jana doesn’t literally try to touch your heartstrings you can’t help but get emotional as she details everyday occurrences with her grandmother.

We begin with a quick chapter on how life was with Grandma Jane before the disease.  She gives you some of Jane’s background and where she came from.  She introduces you to her sons and siblings, Jane’s fetish for clothing and costume jewelry. We see Jane learning to drive and getting her license for the first time in her sixties after she loses a son.  Pryor gives a brief synopsis of the sixties, seventies, and eighties in Jane’s life.  Life was good.

In Chapter two, Jane is getting older and has been losing her friends and family to death, including her love Robert.  Jane seems “blank” at times, but her family considers that it is probably just old age.  After Jana becomes her caregiver, she introduces us to signs of the early, middle, late, and severe stages of the disease as Jane worsens.

Jana begins each chapter with an informational paragraph about Alzheimers or healthcare before going into Jane’s story. Her opinion on nursing homes and how they need to be reformed at  the beginning of Chapter 8 is quite an eye opener. We truly do not respect our elderly, but our country also does not make it affordable to take care of them either.

The one and only thing I did not like about this book is that Jana refers to herself in the third person, so it’s almost as if someone else is telling the story.  While this is already a very teary heart-felt account, it probably would have been even more personal had Jana told it from the first person POV.

I highly recommend this book if you have an elderly loved one in your life -whether they are suffering with Alzheimers or not.  Professional caregivers, nurses, and nursing home attendants: this is an excellent resource for your patient’s families. Let Jane’s story and memory be told!

I grew up with “green thumb” parents who tended to a number of gardens to grow vegetables for our own dinner table, including several of our neighbors throughout the community.  I remember my father getting up at three in the morning every day during Winter to go out and stoke the fire of a pot bellied stove in his green house and to say good morning to thousands of flats of seedlings.

I hated vegetables and anything related to gardening back then, but these days as Spring approaches, I’m always eager to bid farewell to the grocery store and seek out my local Farmers Markets for fresh fruits and vegetables instead.  For the past four years, I’ve poorly attempted to grow herbs and the occasional tomato or pepper plant in my back yard urban garden, and have since resorted to hostas and bulbs to satisfy by “green” family roots that are slowly turning me into my parents.

My father grew lucrative tomatos by the truck load using only manure, a water hose, and lots of love and attention.  These days, I keep my lawn green using a Miracle Grow spray, but being interested in alternative and “greener” methods of caring for my habitat, I found Marc Remillard’s book, Compost Tea Making, to be quite appealing.

Marc’s book begins with an extensive and scientific approach to compost, what it’s made of, how the organisms in it help each other and help the environment, and so on.  It is quite obvious that he knows what he is talking about!  However, Marc approaches the subject with an often humorous approach and appeals to the reader in almost a fun-loving grade school Biology teacher kind of way.  He is being serious and holds your attention, but you are not bored.  And most importantly, you are learning something.

The second half of the book covers procedures for making compost.  There’s also a plethora of information about the different types of worms and how each is beneficial to your compost heap.  Marc also covers how to make your own worm bed and the do’s and don’ts of how to manage the bed and worms.

Lastly, we learn how to make compost tea and how different environments benefit from it.  Your flowers will bloom longer.  Your vegetables and fruits will be more plentiful.  Your lawn will be greener and healthier.  Even vineyards can benefit from it.  There’s even a troubleshooting section to tell you what to expect and to help you through steps you might be doing wrong.

After absorbing such a wealth of information, I expected the actual brewing process to be just as elaborate, if not more complex.  But the tools you need to set up your brewer can probably be purchased for under $50 total and can all be found at Home Depot.

At 120 pages, I was very impressed by Mr. Remillard’s book because I didn’t feel overwhelmed by useless information.  I’m definitely not an expert gardener, and the author doesn’t treat his readers as such.  He takes you through every step of the process from beginning to end, but he doesn’t just tell you how to do it.  He thoroughly explains each and every aspect of the process as a whole so that you really do get a complete understanding from start to finish.

The book is laced with black and white microscope photos of various compost organisms giving the book a very professional and almost encyclopedic feel. There’s also a personal interview with an organic farmer.  I loved the “blurbs” from various plants and flowers on the book’s exterior too!

So, if you are looking for alternative and “greener” methods for caring for your plants, flowers, lawn, trees, and more, or want to learn how to start composting, I highly recommend Marc Remillard’s Compost Tea Making.

It’s hard to imagine people out there still unfamiliar with The Internet. Even harder to imagine teaching one, a grandparent say, who suddenly gets a Netbook or other computer and wants to go surfin’. As daunting as sharing a skill one takes for granted, like a parent teaching a child to drive perhaps. This is where Untangling The Internet aims to help.

This small (66 pages, large font, plenty of figures) booklet, the debut entry of a self-help series of booklets called Take It Easy, is for the greenest of newcomers to the Internet. It’s not a comprehensive guide nor does it claim to be one. It’s better suited for passive digestion than study. Its twenty-two small chapters—each six pages or less—describe various elements of the Internet experience: The Browser; Ease of Navigation: Links; Search Engines; Favorites; History, and so on.

The tone is conversational and encouraging. The tone a relative might take—first- and second-person are used consistently—with pace that is casual but not plodding. This is a sample, taken from the chapter on “Pop-Ups”:

“Another method exercised by marketing companies is (pop-ups). A pop-up is a new Browser window that opens up (i.e. ‘pops up’) without your intention when you browse a website. It is another method of advertising. It usually pops up after you click on a link: the window which you browsed through goes to the page you requested via the link, while a new pop-up window is displayed with an ad or a new website. A pop-up can be extremely annoying since it interferes with your browsing and slows down your computer temporarily.”

Describing a visual, interactive entity such as the Internet is difficult, especially with limited space and a need for simple clarity. Not surprisingly, the booklet misfires occasionally, as in the following paragraph from page 28:

“This linking phenomenon usually leads Internet browsers vying for information from a website to many others, all sites sharing a joint topic. They continue their browsing until they are satisfied with what they have found.”

Most readers would gloss over such a passage and doing so would not be problematic. But for the timid newcomer, it could pose an obstacle. Fortunately, such occurrences are rare.

Oddities in word choice and grammar made me wonder whether some portions were translated from another language. For instance, the second sentence of the first chapter reads, “This network (the Internet) is connecting millions of computers . . .,” rather than, “This network connects.” Other editing and formatting issues occur, such as the footnotes for page 45 appearing on the top of page 46, and the first chapter on the left side of the page instead of the right. None of these detracts from the reading / learning experience but may lessen the authority this type of publication demands; on the other hand, some might treat this as a level of informality that complements the philosophy behind the booklet, and the Take It Easy series.

The booklet includes the requisite categorized list of popular websites and glossary of terms referenced to the text. The chapter summaries were particularly clear and concise. The screen shots, though, I found clunky due to their small size and the use of double-spaced captions. The captions were easy to read but contrasted with the smaller text within the figures.

Untangling The Internet is a noble if uneven effort but it does deliver what it claims. Unlike a novel, the ultimate test of its value lies not in the reading experience but in whether it is actually helpful. At $3.99, it’s an inexpensive investment, both in time and money, to acquire a rudimentary understanding of the Internet before giving online surfin’ a go.

I’ve said it before in other historical or nonfiction books I’ve reviewed here: I was not a fan of history class back in school, and I blame the bland teachers who doubled as coaches and only taught history because they had to teach something besides kick ball.  History was boring to me thanks to those boring teachers.  But I have authors like Michael E. Newton to thank for bringing me back to the fold. If you are not a fan of historical nonfiction, I absolutely beg you to pick up his book and at least give it a try.  I have only two words to describe it: Brilliant and Intelligent!

First, I had an idea what tyranny was and I admit I almost looked it up before I started to read Mr. Newton’s book. I assumed his book was written for a specific group of people who should probably already be well versed in the subject.  I was wrong. Tyranny is defined right on page 4, and Newton doesn’t use “over your head” terms that you’ll find yourself going glassy eyed over. In fact, the text is laced with infamous quotes from George Santayana (“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”) to James Madison (“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”) which help you become quite comfortable with the material.  Newton draws you and obviously knows how to relate to his reader.  A sign of a good teacher, perhaps?  As for that definition of tyranny:

The word comes from the ancient Greek tyrannos, meaning “absolute ruler.” With time, the definition of tyrannos changed from “absolute ruler” to “illegitimate, cruel, and oppressive ruler.” Today, the dictionary definition of tyrant is “an absolute ruler unrestrained by law or constitution” and tyranny is “oppressive power” especially as “exerted by government.”

Still too much to wrap your head around?  Don’t worry.  From there, Newton spends a chapter each on Ancient Greece, Ancient Israel, Ancient Rome, Communist Russia, Fascist Italy, and even Nazi Germany explaining how each free society descended into tyranny.  Newton ultimately ends with the United States and the jagged path they may just be leading us in the same direction.  Readers will be shocked but informed at the evidence of our destiny, which is actually already happening right in the headlines.  We’ve just been too blind to see it.  But we aren’t necessarily the ones to blame.

Newton stretches all the way back to our forefathers and the signing of the constitution.  The taste of wealth and freedom has shielded our eyes from the same demise that all of the other societies mentioned in the book eventually met, so this descent has been slow going, but has happened throughout our history. Newton even sites examples of when tyranny isn’t such a bad thing, but ultimately a single leader even gets greedy.

Newton’s book is impressive on all accounts.  It’s solid – inside and out.  The book’s cover is beautiful and eye catching.  Although it only contains 8 lengthy chapters, each is informative and not a page is wasted.  Newton had my full attention throughout.  And while Newton does lightly input his own opinions throughout the text, his facts are in plain sight.  The citations and bibliography sections in the back of the book take up an impressive 40 pages!  Newton did his homework. This is another book I’m going to call the attention of other indie authors to – buy Newton’s book for a reference on how self-publishing should be done!

His solution to our problem is limited to just two pages in the last chapter on the U.S.  And it’s quite simple.  I won’t reveal it here because I don’t want to ruin the book for readers, but this is not a how-to-get-out-of-tyranny book anyway.  Newton just peels back the layers of history – the pop quiz questions on who fought who – and shows us what the world’s history sadly had in common, and that in the end, as a country we are no different. With politics and “change” all over the news lately, Newton’s book is for the voter.  Yes, it’s a wake up call.  It’s informative.  And it encourages us to use the two freedoms we’ve fought the most for: the right to vote and the right to speak.

History buffs, political junkies, conspiracy theorists, or just those who enjoy a good nonfiction read or like to be informed – there’s a little bit of everything for everyone here.  Ten years ago I wouldn’t have thought twice about this book.  But in today’s society, today’s economy, today’s America, this is a book that I will be suggesting for a long time to come.  If you loved history back in the day, or even if you hated it, Newton’s book will astound you and open the eyes of the student inside all over again.

I’d been following the journey of Judith Schwartz’s book for several months now, mainly because she used the Espresso Book Machine to publish it. The first Espresso Book Machine in the U.S. belongs to the Northshire Bookstore in Vermont where copies of Judith’s book can be born in a matter of minutes.  The word therapist in the title pretty much kept me away from reading it, but after Mrs. Schwartz’s approached me with her book, I decided to give it a try.  And I’m glad I did.

At 148 pages, it’s a short and quick read and some readers may frown at that list price, although E-readers can download it at Smashwords for $9.99,  but keep in mind what it takes to put this book together.  And I’m not just talking about the physicality involved: the cost of paper and ink, time and payroll to run that nifty little book machine, electricity and maintenance, packing and shipping.

Most readers don’t consider the effort that is placed into a book beyond a writer spending hours sweating over a keyboard, and then I don’t even think they take that into consideration sometimes.  But those, like me, who support the indie community do know what it takes and can certainly appreciate a book like Judith’s.  And just by reading Judith’s book, you do get a sense of the blood, sweat, and tears she put into the story that lies on the page.

The story evolves around Judith’s on self journey to mental health.  Deeply affected by her grandmother’s suicide, Judith finds that happiness escapes her and is always out of reach.  As she matures, marries, and has a child, the new focus in her life sadly does not help her succeed at finding the meaningful connections she longs for outside herself.  She’s good at putting up a front, but she is a ticking time bomb on the inside on the verge of emotional breakdown. She seeks therapy to extinguish that fuse, and on the road to recovery, she decides to become a therapist herself.

The book begins with Judith, all dressed up in new clothes which she hopes will make her look and feel like a real therapist, about to meet her first patient who, like Judith once was, is lost and becomes a metaphor for what Judith has just gone through.  From there, the book switches back and forth between past and present as Judith recounts her own journey through therapy, education, and ultimately happiness.

This book is an ideal guide book through self-awareness for those who may be experiencing the same problem, and in today’s society, who isn’t?  But that’s what makes this book so personal for Judith and for the reader. As you read it, you’ll be saying, “Oh my, that’s me!”  As a therapist herself, Judith admits that her journey is not complete.  Happiness in life can be achieved, but it is not always a final destination.  Instead, we must conquer those bumps in the road that stand in our way of trying to get there.  And instead of finding happiness at the end of the road, the journey becomes more about those obstacles – not just solving them but discovering how they got there in the first place, facing up to them and owning them. Here’s a bit near the end of the book that couldn’t ring more true:

One bit of wisdom was that psychoanalysis could not promise freedom from sadness and care, rather that one went from neurotic misery to “ordinary unhappiness”. Glad I got that misery out of the way.

And as I said, I’m glad I read this book.  Divided into “three years,” this is not your typical self-help book sectioned with outlines and motivational quotes.  It’s actually far from it, and I wouldn’t even classify it as self-help.  Instead, the book is one person’s story who was in search of help and succeeded in getting it, and ultimately succeeded in helping others along the way.  If you don’t read any other nonfiction book this year, read this one.  Like I said, it’s a quick read.  It’s also heartfelt and not a word is wasted.  Judith’s new “clothes” make her look like a winner, and so does this book!

Read a preview of Judith’s book here!

Buy Judith’s book here!

Want to learn more about Judith, The Therapist’s New Clothes, and her experience with publishing using the Espresso Book Machine?  Check back tomorrow for an author interview!

It took several months for the book to become available on Amazon. Six months in fact.  Having emailed Lulu support several times during that wait period and after getting no help, I decided to give up on the project and I retired the book immediately.  It loaded to Amazon anyway though and while I have never promoted it, I did go ahead and load it to the Kindle where it has been downloaded enough to gain a sales rank in genres such as Writing Skills and Authorship.

Since the project was retired, but live on Amazon, I also expected never to collect any royalties from the sale of hard copies.  My fault for letting my anger get the best of me. But that’s where good ole Lulu didn’t fail me…at least I hope they didn’t fail.  To date, I’ve collected royalties for a total of just 5 copies: 3 in the US and 2 in the UK!

After much inner debate, I’ve decided to “unretire” the book.  With that decision, I’ve lowered the list price of the paperback to just $9.50 on Lulu and the E-Book to just $4.50, cutting most of my royalties. This may or may not affect the current list price at Amazon where the book is $12.50, but can be purchased starting at $9.50 from third party marketplace sellers. I don’t care.  More than anything, I want the book to be available to those who need it most…indie authors who may not have a lot of money to invest in their work, but have a lot of heart already invested in it. And may just need some help in the right direction.

The information presented in this book has not been changed.  In fact, I have reviewed it against Amazon and the information is still as current today as it was a year ago when I compiled it.  While I’m sure I could build upon the material, the purpose of the book was always to be a “quick” reference for indie authors.  I do not feel the need to broaden it, and I believe it can be a very important “go to” book for authors who are out of money and looking for quick ways to market their own book on Amazon.com, the world’s largest online book seller.

So, to kick off the “rebirth” of my POD Pocket Guide, I’m offering ten free copies!  That’s right!  Ten free copies!  To be eligible, just leave a comment with your email address on this post. On June 30th, I’ll pick ten winners at random. Yes, there’s a catch.  First, you must live in the United States.  Second, you must commit to leaving a review of the POD Pocket Guide on Amazon.com once you’ve read or used it.  If you can meet these two requirements, then leave a comment on this post to enter the raffle.

Can’t wait till June 30th for a free copy?  Buy or download it right now at Lulu.com!

The subtitle of Marc Zirogiannis’s book is A Guide to Life Outside the Asylum.  I admit it was this subtitle that immediately caught my interest.  After reading the preview, I decided to commit to reading the full book.  The manuscript is packed into only 78 pages, which is a bit unfortunate because there is a lot of good material here which I believe the author could build upon in order to give us a more full bodied story.

In the beginning, we are introduced to the author and told that he spent 14 days as a psychiatric patient at North Shore – Long Island Jewish Hospital (The psychiatric ward is called 1 North.).  At 41 years of age, he is a professor, a published author, and a lawyer who has just tried to commit suicide.

What follows is a prologue that begins like an itinerary from a businessman’s blackberry.  It’s a detailed account of times and places where Marc was a few months prior to his attempt on taking his life. In March 2009, a private police force bursts into his office with guns drawn in an attempt to gather evidence of crime against one of Marc’s corporate clients.  Four months later Marc is “criminally indicted in connection with a white-collar crime” that he had nothing to do with. Marc’s personal and professional life begins to spiral downward after newspaper photos of him in handcuffs begin to circulate in his industry.

The tide immediately turned against me. The local newspapers printed misinformation and outright fallacies about the case and my role in it. Clients began turning their backs on me in droves. Colleagues refused my phone calls or formalized their intent to distance themselves from me until my case was resolved. Supposed friends stopped calling. Even banks were refusing to do business with me, freezing my accounts, closing my credit lines, and acting as if I had been convicted of an egregious crime. What happened to the American way “Innocent until proven guilty?” What happened to that age-old principal upon which our justice system was forged? Even my seemingly closest of allies had begun to reach the conclusion that I must be guilty of something. After all, the Grand Jury would not have indicted me for no reason. I suppose I can understand. Prior to living the experience I might have felt the same way. I would have believed where there was smoke there must be fire. This was different though. I knew the truth. This was a bad dream. It had all the makings of one of those television or movie mysteries I used to love to watch, only this was no dream and no movie, it was my life.

Now, we aren’t treated to a lot of detail of the “crimes” here, probably for obvious legal reasons, but since Marc is a lawyer I kept questioning how much of the truth is in this.  After all, lawyers are paid to convince us of “innocent until proven guilty.”  I’m not saying that Marc is guilty of anything here.  He tells the reader he isn’t.  But the tone of the introduction in general definitely had me question how much of this is true.  Yes, I know there are two sides to every story and here we are only treated to one side, but it is hard to determine if it is the side of the victim or the guilty.

Three events follow that push Marc closer to the edge:  His ten year old son is told at a birthday party that “Your father is a crook.” Marc’s biggest client, who is (was) a close friend, drops him. And the final event was when Marc’s partner and bookkeeper “orchestrated the stealing of (his) life’s work and business.”   Rather than fight, Marc felt beaten.  He decides to end his life in August 2009.

Now, there’s enough information here to give “Law & Order” and entire season of shows.  But Marc tells us the story rather than showing, and so all of this is packed into a five page prologue.  And we are already 15 pages into the 78 page manuscript.  Having not read another single page yet, I was already feeling cheated on the story.  Like I said before, I can guess that because of Marc’s position and oath, he can’t share certain details of his background.  However, he has only scratched the service here of what could still be an amazing story that really draws the reader in.

The rest of the book is Marc recounting how he got there, goals he has to accomplish to get out, and what a typical day at 1 North was like (which again reads like an hourly itinerary), while offering bits of advice and positive reinforcement along the way for his target audience. The book ends with a “Top Ten” Lesson of 1North and a list of helpful phone numbers readers can contact for assistance.  For me the significance of this book came from the second sentence of the first chapter: Everyone’s problems are real to them no matter how insignificant they seem to others.

That being said, this book suffers from a lot of problems.  First, it is not formatted properly.  Mainly, there is no right justification of the text and the entire body is double spaced, which means it’s actually only about 35 pages long if spaced properly. Being nonfiction, this book would really benefit from a table of contents just to give the reader a sense of organization of the material. Though the story is very personal for the author and he tries very hard (and sincerely) to keep his reader in mind, he still tells the story rather than show us.  There were so many scenes throughout where I begged for more from the scene but always came up empty handed. The reader is never really given a sense of setting and place, or feel for the psychiatric ward although it’s the basis for the title of the book.  Instead, we are left with lists and schedules and brief descriptions of what it’s like.  We don’t feel connected to the patient, and therefore the reader isn’t connected to the story.

A few chapters are also introduced with a motivational quote.  I would have preferred to see every chapter begin with a quote just to offer some balance to the text. I also noticed that the book’s cover presented above from Lulu is not the same cover of the book as on Amazon.com. This is probably because the author changed the cover on Lulu after having already published his book through Lulu with an ISBN. The cover above is much better than the plain parchment feel of the one on Amazon, but it could still be better. The trees and stone wall are a bit too generic for the material presented here.

Honestly, right now this book is like one of those free brochures you pick up from a table in a hospital waiting room.  I know that seems a bit harsh, but I would not pay $16 for a 78 page book.  As I said before, Marc has barely scratched the surface of his story here.  There may be parts of it he can’t share with his audience, or doesn’t want to, for obvious reasons.  But this book has the potential to be so much more.  I know the story is here; I just haven’t been given the chance to read it.  Otherwise, this is the beginning of a book that definitely has a spot in the marketplace.  With a bit of work, and a bit more writing, its potential starts with just a bit more honesty.

For years, I was a true crime buff.  I still possess more useless knowledge about some of America’s infamous serial killers than I care to admit to.  Give me a good “true” ghost story or A&E/ Travel Channel historical haunting feature or reality ghost hunting show and I’m glued to the television for hours. So, when Curt Rowlett approached us with his three books devoted to mysteries, murder, and the occult, I immediately wanted to read all of them!

Labrinth13 is my favorite of the three, and covers the subject matter of the other two books which I will discuss in this review as well. L13 is divided into three sections: Occult, Crime, and Conspiracy.  There is an outstanding introduction where Rowlett explains how this book was born out of a website he created by the same name to record his research while preserving his artistic integrity and capturing a reading audience.  Rowlett even goes into great detail to explain where the title came from, giving a nice explanation as to the fear behind the infamous number 13 while citing a long list of historical events and information related to 13 including classical composer Arnold Shonberg who suffered from triskaidekaphobia which is a fear of the number 13.  And he had a right to be afraid of it.  He was born on Friday the 13th, and died on Friday the 13th and 13 minutes before midnight!

Vampire fans will enjoy the first chapter of the Occult section where Rowlett explores the history of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and how Stoker might have also been inspired by unknown vampiric history that took place on American soil. This is based on newspaper clippings found in Stoker’s papers about a Rhode Island vampire named Mercy Lena Brown who might have inspired Stoker’s character named Lucy. Rowlett also covers werewolves in another chapter for those of you who enjoy lycanthropy over vampires.

Rowlett does an excellent job of weaving his research and theory into nice tight chapters that move at a decent pace, definitely keeping the reader interested, and also cause a few chills along the way.  Take this opening paragraph as an example, from the story about a strange visitor to Edgar Allan Poe’s grave:

For over 50 years since 1949, on the night marking the anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s birth, a mysterious man-in-black has entered the cemetery where the master of the macabre lies buried, and, making his way through the dark shadows to Poe’s grave, he places a partial bottle of expensive French cognac and three blood-red roses there, presumably as tokens of admiration and in tribute to the great author. This ritual completed, he then slips away into the night as quietly and as mysteriously as he came. The identity of this dark stranger — dubbed “The Poe Toaster” by observers — has never been revealed.

My favorite chapter in the Occult section is Chapter 8, where Rowlett covers several “uncanny occurrences” in small sections including an odd tale about Mary Shelley and her deceased husband’s heart, one about Mark Twain and a Ouija Board, and another coincidence concerning Poe and the unfortunate fate of a literary character and two different real life men all named Richard Parker. Writers will also enjoy the frightening tale about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary and one man’s “insane” passion for words.

Part 2 of the book, Crime, starts off with an extensive piece about the Zodiac killer, followed by focus on Charles Manson, David Berkowitz, and the Process Church and what role Christianity and Satanism both played in bringing fear to America during the late 70s and early 80s.  Rowlett lays out some fascinating research on symbolism and how it also played an important role during this time.

Part 3 of the book, Conspiracy, begins with a bizarre look at how our government might have been involved in mind control and creating programmed assassins. Rowlett focuses on several well known gunman including Sirhan Sirhan, Lee Harvey Oswald (a favorite subject of mine in high school), James Earl Ray, and Mark David Chapman, pointing out their political ties, military background, and literary tastes. Rowlett also points out the odd rise of serial killers in the 1980s may have very well been “a stockpile of sleepers who woke up too early.”

Consider that for the most part, serial killers tend to prey on the so-called “undesirables” of society, such as prostitutes, drug addicts, homosexuals, and other targeted minorities of the ultra-right wing. (The FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit has stated that as many as 150 serial killers may be operating undetected in the United States). Serial killers, like mind-controlled sleepers, outwardly appear normal to the rest of the world, but also seem to be acting under a programmed obsession to kill, usually in the same way, over and over again, as if trying to fulfill some sort of mission that is echoing around in their heads.

I have to commend Rowlett on his research and attention to detail.  The notes, resources, and appendix of this book is well over 100 pages.

Rowlett’s book, Riding on Your Fears, is a 67 page essay and more extensive look into the Manson Family and the murders they committed.  Rowlett mentions Manson quite a bit in L13 and discusses in great detail the effect Manson might have had on the hippie movement.

Could Manson be considered a true counter-culture revolutionary? Was he a well-intentioned, but ultimately misunderstood guru whose followers took it upon themselves to murder for him? Or was he, as the prosecutor at his murder trial portrayed him, simply a crazed cult leader and career criminal? This book contends that Manson is a varied combination of all of those things.

Through research and interviews, Rowlett points out several mysteries behind Manson, his “family,” and the infamous murders he’s still known for today.Rowlett also discusses  several rumors and urban legends that have followed Manson over the years.

I have to admit I had never heard of Palmyra Island before reading Rowlett’s book, The Curse of Palmyra Island. It’s a small South Pacific atoll which is shrouded in mystery much like the Bermuda Triangle. It has a long history of strange events, supernatural occurrences, and murder. Much of Rowlett’s 72 page essay is featured in L13, but in this book Rowlett also covers the history of the island along with a map and beautiful illustrations.

Rowlett cites a book called And The Sea Will Tell which focuses on a sailing couple, Mac and Muff Graham, who were killed in 1974 on the island by another couple who were inhabiting it. Rowlett was later contacted by and given the chance to interview a lady named Sharon Jordan who actually discovered the remains of Muff Graham washed ashore on the island seven years later. Mac Graham’s remains have still not been found to this day.

When I see things like this in the news, or read of a murder in the newspaper, I’m always the one who questions everything and usually suspects the most bizarre and unusual thing to have happened. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Curt Rowlett’s work because of my fascination with such stories.  He is truly a well versed student and expert of the supernatural and occult.

If you are a fan of such writing, theories, mysteries, and more, then you can visit Curt on the web and read more of his work at labyrinth13.com.

Reviewed by:
Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.
Poet, Author

As a grandfather to five grandchildren, aged seven to ten, I was interested to learn what this book has to offer in the way of advice on how to be a grandparent. The answer is it has much to offer. The two authors offer great insight with ideas and suggestions that should be beneficial to any grandparent, but especially to the new grandparent.

The 124-page book is arranged into four sections. The first section has eight chapters with suggestions of things to do before the baby arrives. The helpful ideas range from pampering the expectant mother in various ways to preparing yourself to be the family historian for the grandchild by starting a time capsule on the day of the birth and gathering family history. One chapter lists potential memento gifts to commemorate the birth, as well as ways to make the first meeting with the new baby more enjoyable for the new mother (flowers, food, keep the visit short, take charge of any older siblings). I’m sure if these suggestions are followed, the first meeting will go smoothly.

Section two has the meat of the book. Its dozen chapters cover the philosophy of being a good grandparent and discuss how you can best interact with the grandchild as an infant, a toddler, the middle years, the teen years, through their becoming grownup grandchildren. Weis and Johnston offer great advice on communicating with the parents and working with the parents for the best interests of the grandchildren. This section has suggestions for how best to handle babysitting. It even presents the authors’ thoughts on diverse topics like adopted grandchildren and long-distance grandparenting. I especially liked the notion that grandparents could take the lead in starting and/or maintaining family traditions with the grandchildren. As a poet myself, I was particularly fond of the authors’ proposal that the grandparent could be the family storyteller that introduced the grandchild to the older family history and fleshed out their impression of other family members. With my own grandchildren soon to become teenagers, I found their advice to listen without being critical or “parenting” since the teenager needs someone they can trust to talk to about things that they may not want to discuss directly with their parents to be great advice. I plan to remember their advice!

The six chapters of section three provide useful ideas for hosting baby showers, stocking the freezer, creating floral arrangements, gift giving, vacationing with the grandchildren, and being a “spontaneous grandparent”. It is a section that would be referred to often by the grandparent.

The fourth section has one whimsical chapter entitled “If Grandmothers Ruled the World”. Oh, if only they did!

“Welcome to Grandparenting” is truly a useful guide filled with great suggestions and ideas for activities appropriate for any age grandchild. It would be a wonderful introduction into the world of grandparenting for any new grandparent. Even experienced grandparents would benefit from reading this book. I know I did. Although the book is aimed mostly at grandmothers with its numerous suggestions for food preparation, flower arrangements, shopping and gift giving, throwing baby showers, there are still plenty of suggestions contained within the book to make it useful for grandfathers to read it also. In summary, I heartily recommend this book, especially for any new grandparents, but also for experienced grandparents. You are never too old to learn new ideas. The authors are to be commended for a job well done. This book would make a great gift as well as a valuable addition to one’s own library.