Books Worth a Reading a Second Time Around

February 6, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

The Daily Post: Second Time Around by Michelle Weber

Tell us about a book you can read again and again without getting bored — what is it that speaks to you?

Two books instantly came to mind when I read this prompt.

Set in Wisconsin in 1909, we meet Mr. Truitt, a lonely businessman standing on a train platform awaiting the arrival of a woman he has never met.

Catherine Land, traveling from Chicago answered Mr. Truitt’s newspaper ad for “a reliable wife.” From the moment she steps off the train, Mr. Truitt’s world is turned upside down. This beautiful woman was not the woman who answered his letter. But, he wanted companionship, an heir, and one day, love. Catherine wanted his wealth and before the year’s end, she would have it all.

Truitt has secrets of his own, and as their story unfolds, they both get more than they bargained.

What moved me most about this book is the humanness portrayed on every page. The language is beautiful and the way the author takes on a mesmerizing journey of these two very different strangers.

Book two is Defending Jacob by Willaim Landay

If you’re a parent, this book will keep you up at night. It has been a long time since a book made me feel the range of emotions I felt reading this. At times, I had to close it, but only for a moment.

When Andy Barber the District Attorney is faced with investigating the murder of Ben Rifkin, a friend of his 14-year-old son, Jacob. When the evidence begins to point toward his son, he and his wife are faced with a decision no parent should have to face. The author gets inside the mind of a parent better than any story I’ve ever read. This book is more than a legal thriller. It will have you wandering what extent would you go to protect your child?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

You Asked: What is the Criteria for Rating Books in a Review?

January 5, 2016June 7, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 10 Comments

Welcome to the first, You Asked, the Experts Answer Segment, for 2016. A number of blog posts this week covered reviews and their value to the authors. The post from Kristin Lamb, reblogged here yesterday, is a good example. However, the question I’ve heard the most often when discussing writing reviews is, “What criteria or rating method do I use when writing a book review?”

Although, I’m not a professional reviewer or an expert. Fellow writers and authors have asked me to read and review their books and I make every effort to give helpful and honest feedback. Every reviewer has their own methodology. Yours may be different from the one I have developed, but the important thing is to have a system that effectively communicates your thoughts to the author and reader, alike. I use the 5 stars method for my reviews based on the following 5 criteria.

5 Criteria For Book Reviews:

Entertainment – I love reading. It’s an escape and adventure. I want a book to transport me to another place and time. I want to feel as if I’m at the dinner table or on the run with my characters. When I’m reading I want to forget the time. So, for me the first and most important aspect of any review is the entertainment value. Was I entertained?
Characters – I want to connect with the characters. I don’t have to like them, but I want the personality, physical attributes, and motives of the characters to come through loud and clear. I want a character I can visualize and relate to. Give me a character that makes me laugh or pisses me off, but don’t bore me or give me a superhuman (unless you’re writing Sci-fi or fantasy).
Plot – Does it make sense to me? Is it credible? Are all the loose ends tied in a pretty bow at the end, or am I left hanging wondering what happened to Suzy Q? I love a plot with twists, turns and surprises, but don’t overdo it. I don’t want to get drunk or whiplash from those twists and turns. Give me a plot that moves forward, creates change (in the character or even me), and a plot that takes my breath away.
Writing Style/Voice- This one is as important to me as the entertainment aspect. Point of View (POV), the way sentences flow, and word choice plays a major role in whether I like or connect with a book. If the writer’s voice captivates me, I can often overlook other weaknesses.
The Finished product – Was the book well-edited? Covers are not going to affect my reviews. It’s the content, the structure, voice, style, and story. But please, proofread. Screwed up formats are not going to win a star. The occasional grammar slip-up is okay, but repeated errors pull me from the story and make me stop reading.

Assign the Stars

5 Stars – a check in all the boxes.
4 Stars – I liked the plot, characters were okay, but something about the writing style or finished product pulled me out.
3 Stars – It was okay entertainment, but I found it lacking in more than two of the elements.
2 Stars – lacked credibility in either plot or characters; the writing style/voice was lack luster and rather than entertained, I slogged through the story.
1 Star– I have yet to rate a book 1 Star. If a book is missing the majority of the elements above, I won’t waste my time finishing the book. I read to be entertained, not tortured. Okay, maybe tortured is a little strong, but you get my drift.

As others have pointed out, reviews are the lifeblood of every writer/author. I review books to make others aware of the book, give the author feedback, help me remember the book, and to show respect and support to the author. You can find my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

I hope you found this information and method helpful and the next time you read a book, write a review. The authors will appreciate hearing from you.

Do you have a method to your madness? Do write reviews? I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

I hope you found this information and method helpful and the next time you read a book, write a review. I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

The Last of The Erin Solomon Pentalogy – a Review

October 12, 2015October 18, 2015 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

This is the first series, in a long time, I’ve read to the end. I give four stars to the last two books of this five book series.

If you like a long-runningAmazon Reviews mystery filled with childhood secrets, murder and mayhem, tension building romance, and characters that outsmart the devil himself, you’ll enjoy the Erin Solomon Pentalogy, five book series.

Book 4: Before the After (Erin Solomon Pentalogy Book 4) by Jen Blood

In book four, more of Erin’s childhood secrets begin to surface as ghostly visions. Driven to find the truth, Erin pushes forward. With each dangerous leg of the journey, a kibble of truth is dropped in their path and Erin follows them like a dog catching a scent.

As in the first three books, Erin and Diggs barely survive the chaos. Filled with more fast-paced action, book four, it’s secrets still unrevealed, will propel you to pick up the final book in this series and read.

Book 5: The Book of J. (The Erin Solomon Pentalogy) (Volume 5) byJen Blood

If the other four books were fast-paced, book five is in full throttle. Erin Solomon and her long-time lover, Diggs will uncover the truth, or die trying.

Once again, I found myself asking, how can two people survive so many beatings, gunshot wounds, and bombs as these two characters?

I loved the intrigue and romance of this series and with each installment anticipated loose ends to be tied up in a pretty bow of resolution. It didn’t happen; too many characters vied for the spotlight leaving behind unanswered questions.

Although, I enjoyed the writer’s voice and loved the characters in this series, stretching the storyline to five books was a bit tiring. My biggest beef with all five books was the indestructibility of the characters against every type of violence imaginable, but I kept reading. You may have a different view. So, check out The Erin Solomon Pentalogy and let me know what you think.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter @cofcmom, and Contently.

Forget About Getting Rich

September 27, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 14 Comments

via The Average Earnings of Authors | A Writer’s Path and Guest post contributed by Sara Wolf at the Blooming Twig. The Blooming Twig is an independent publishing house that also produces writing blog posts. For more information, check out the Blooming Twig and A Writer’s Path.

A big thanks to Ryan Lanz and Sara Wolf for bursting my bubble. I’m no Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, but hey, I have aspirations for my still unfinished novel. I imagined my book on the New York Times bestselling list and after selling the movie rights, visions of rolling in money. But, according to a report by the University of London, it ain’t gonna happen.

Photo Courtesy of toonbarn.com and Google

Here are the highlights of the University’s study (based on 2,500 working writers):

54% of traditionally published authors and 80% of self-published authors earn less than $1,000 a year.
In 2013, 17% of authors made no money writing.
Less than 1% of self-published and more than 5% hybrid writers earn more than $100,000 per year. (Hybrid writer -an author who utilizes both the traditional and self-publishing systems in order to retain control of her own work).
According to award-winning author, Phillip Pullman, over the past ten years, publisher’s earnings have remained steady; writers incomes have decreased an average of 29%.
Fiction authors make more money than non-fiction or academic writers.
Women writers make 80% of what male writers make. (What! Who’s surprised?)
The report summed it nicely, “It appears that writing is a profession where only a handful of successful authors make a very good living while most do not.”

There you have it; not many of us will become rich from writing. Most of us write because we love to; it’s part of who we are.

I published my first article in 1989 and the excitement I felt is hard to describe. It’s an accomplishment of which I am still very proud. That first article happened a long time ago, but each time a story or article of mine is published, I get those same feelings. There’s something special about knowing other people are reading and enjoying the words I have written.

What about you? Do you write for fame and riches? Have you earned income from your writing? Share your success. Want to read the full article? You can find it here.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter @cofcmom, and Contently.