Book review blog site, with some entertainment material from time-to-time.
Monday, 20 February 2012
That's Food and Drink: Welcome To Squires Kitchen Bake School, a new publ...
That's Food and Drink: Welcome To Squires Kitchen Bake School, a new publ...: SKMP, publishers of Cakes & Sugarcraft, Wedding Cakes - A Design Source, and Inspired by Food, are launching a new title for budding bakers ...
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Author uses fiction to promote real life concern over cruise ship crimes
Bringing Un-prosecuted Crimes aboard Cruise Ships to Light-In her mystery adventure series, author http://ArleenAlleman.com uses fiction to address this serious issue.
As ABC News’s 20/20 illustrated in the piece “Cruise Ship Confidential” on the January 20th episode, cruise ship safety is a growing concern. We are quickly approaching the date set by President Obama that will change the nature of luxury cruising immensely by mandating that cruise personnel must report serious crimes to the FBI and the Coast Guard, among other stipulations; however, whether or not American law will have any bearing on international cruise lines with no intention of entering American ports has yet to be seen, it is reported by the media.
In her Darcy Farthing mystery adventure series, author Arleen Alleman uses fiction to treat this series issue, bringing the unprosecuted crimes at sea to light through dynamic stories centred around her pragmatic protagonist, Darcy Farthing, and her adventures aboard the Sea Nymph. In the first novel, Currents Deep and Deadly, Darcy overhears a discussion of a murder for hire plot and members of the crew begin to die under circumstances that are nothing less than suspicious.
After confronting a vicious killer in the first novel, Darcy believes that all of the madness aboard cruise ships is behind her; however, nothing could be further from the truth. In Currents of Vengeance, Darcy and company return to the Sea Nymph to conduct a Government Accountability Office/FBI Congressional investigation of unprosecuted crimes on cruise ships.
Their investigation hopes to bring ruthless Las Vegas casino owner, Paul Denezza, to justice after eluding prosecution for the violence on the previous cruise. In the second novel, Darcy will come face to face with even more madness.
While Alleman’s stories are both fictional, they both highlight the very real possibility of a ruthless killer eluding prosecution under the current laws. Currents Deep and Deadly and Currents of Vengeance not only entertain their readers, but they also call attention to the oft-overlooked issue of crimes at sea, making a serious case for significant change.
The Darcy Farthing Mystery Adventure Series
Alleman’s series centres around Darcy Farthing, a pragmatic woman in her forties, who readers were first introduced to in Currents Deep and Deadly. After coming face to face with a vicious murderer in the first novel, she wrote a book about the madness she confronted, which completely changed her life, both personally and financially. The third instalment in this page-turning series, Current Assets, is slated for release in Autumn of 2012. To watch the book trailers, visit www.arleenalleman.com/trailer.htm.
FACTFILE:
Arleen Alleman spent 21 years as an analyst for the US Government Accountability Office. After retiring from the GAO, Alleman and her husband became avid cruisers, which inspired her to write stories set on cruise ships. In her two six-week cruises around Cape Horn; the first was spent writing her book and the second was spent doing book signings and promoting her books. For more about Arleen Alleman, visit her website www.ArleenAlleman.com or follow her on Twitter @AAllemanWrites.
As ABC News’s 20/20 illustrated in the piece “Cruise Ship Confidential” on the January 20th episode, cruise ship safety is a growing concern. We are quickly approaching the date set by President Obama that will change the nature of luxury cruising immensely by mandating that cruise personnel must report serious crimes to the FBI and the Coast Guard, among other stipulations; however, whether or not American law will have any bearing on international cruise lines with no intention of entering American ports has yet to be seen, it is reported by the media.
In her Darcy Farthing mystery adventure series, author Arleen Alleman uses fiction to treat this series issue, bringing the unprosecuted crimes at sea to light through dynamic stories centred around her pragmatic protagonist, Darcy Farthing, and her adventures aboard the Sea Nymph. In the first novel, Currents Deep and Deadly, Darcy overhears a discussion of a murder for hire plot and members of the crew begin to die under circumstances that are nothing less than suspicious.
After confronting a vicious killer in the first novel, Darcy believes that all of the madness aboard cruise ships is behind her; however, nothing could be further from the truth. In Currents of Vengeance, Darcy and company return to the Sea Nymph to conduct a Government Accountability Office/FBI Congressional investigation of unprosecuted crimes on cruise ships.
Their investigation hopes to bring ruthless Las Vegas casino owner, Paul Denezza, to justice after eluding prosecution for the violence on the previous cruise. In the second novel, Darcy will come face to face with even more madness.
While Alleman’s stories are both fictional, they both highlight the very real possibility of a ruthless killer eluding prosecution under the current laws. Currents Deep and Deadly and Currents of Vengeance not only entertain their readers, but they also call attention to the oft-overlooked issue of crimes at sea, making a serious case for significant change.
The Darcy Farthing Mystery Adventure Series
Alleman’s series centres around Darcy Farthing, a pragmatic woman in her forties, who readers were first introduced to in Currents Deep and Deadly. After coming face to face with a vicious murderer in the first novel, she wrote a book about the madness she confronted, which completely changed her life, both personally and financially. The third instalment in this page-turning series, Current Assets, is slated for release in Autumn of 2012. To watch the book trailers, visit www.arleenalleman.com/trailer.htm.
FACTFILE:
Arleen Alleman spent 21 years as an analyst for the US Government Accountability Office. After retiring from the GAO, Alleman and her husband became avid cruisers, which inspired her to write stories set on cruise ships. In her two six-week cruises around Cape Horn; the first was spent writing her book and the second was spent doing book signings and promoting her books. For more about Arleen Alleman, visit her website www.ArleenAlleman.com or follow her on Twitter @AAllemanWrites.
Gunpowder, TREason or Plot, or How We Dug Up The Ancestors
Gunpowder, TREason or Plot, or How We Dug Up The Ancestors is a new book by respected historical writer Allan Frost.
But Gunpowder, TREason or Plot, or How We Dug Up The Ancestors tends to be a little more hysterical than historical.
In this fictional book, Tim Eason, (described as an unconfirmed batchelor!) visits Priorton in pursuit of a new lead on England's infamous Gunplowder Plot, he could not have anticipated just how close his relationship would become with the pub landlady, Sarah Brewer. But an elderly juke box in he corner of the bar seemed to have some sort of an inkling!
Nor did Tim quite realise that his research work would attract the attention of bungling conspirators Frank Fiddlit (a dubious solicitor), Tom Bleak (of Bleak Homes Limited) and Nevil Strubble (hapless Council Planning Officer).
Tim digs up enough information to attend a court hearing to determine ownership of Prioton Hall. However, Judge Sir Cedric Foot-Wart seems strangely preoccupied. Until an unexpected witness appears...
This somewhat explosive novel, set in an English town ignored by progress and time itself, will keep you intrigued and interested as its thickening plot and unforgettable characters interact.
You'll be chuckling from start to finish as farcical situation follows farcical situation!
This book is released via Amazon Kindle. You can buy it via the That's Books Amazon-powered bookshop. Just look for the Amazon Search Box to the right of That's Books.
But Gunpowder, TREason or Plot, or How We Dug Up The Ancestors tends to be a little more hysterical than historical.
In this fictional book, Tim Eason, (described as an unconfirmed batchelor!) visits Priorton in pursuit of a new lead on England's infamous Gunplowder Plot, he could not have anticipated just how close his relationship would become with the pub landlady, Sarah Brewer. But an elderly juke box in he corner of the bar seemed to have some sort of an inkling!
Nor did Tim quite realise that his research work would attract the attention of bungling conspirators Frank Fiddlit (a dubious solicitor), Tom Bleak (of Bleak Homes Limited) and Nevil Strubble (hapless Council Planning Officer).
Tim digs up enough information to attend a court hearing to determine ownership of Prioton Hall. However, Judge Sir Cedric Foot-Wart seems strangely preoccupied. Until an unexpected witness appears...
This somewhat explosive novel, set in an English town ignored by progress and time itself, will keep you intrigued and interested as its thickening plot and unforgettable characters interact.
You'll be chuckling from start to finish as farcical situation follows farcical situation!
This book is released via Amazon Kindle. You can buy it via the That's Books Amazon-powered bookshop. Just look for the Amazon Search Box to the right of That's Books.
Be That Writer: Competition entry is done!
Be That Writer: Competition entry is done!: My competition entry for a novel writing competition is ready to post off. The top prize is a £20,000 advance and the chance to have my no...
Saturday, 18 February 2012
The Ten Questions to Ask For Success
The Ten Questions to Ask For Success is a very lively and helpful book by acknowledged expert Phil Parker.
What use is a self help book that doesn't give you any answers?
In his latest book, Phil points out that the most important discovery he has made in over two decades of working in the field of personal development is this: providing solutions, advice suggestions or answers does not always help everyone.
Phil opines that there can be a problem with just providing the answer to a particular problem, or set of problems. Because if people do not go through the process of finding their own solution, the next time they are faced with another problem, they will tend to turn for help again. (EDITOR: I think it is also referred to as 'learned helplessness'.)
Parker takes the position that learning the skill of creating our own solutions lets us become more independent and skilled at finding and making the right choices and decisions for ourselves, not merely relying on other people for the answers all the time.
Parker points out that it is all about learning to ask what he describes as the key questions, at the right time in order for us to reach the right solution.
He has distilled these to a list of ten key questions. Questions which will, argues Parker, prove to be powerful tools to enable you to draw on the fields of personal and spiritual development, business, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, hostage negotiation (yes, really!) that should see you equipped to make "great decisions" in all aspects of your life.
Parker has used these techniques to help thousands of his clients to help themselves or other people to rid them of stress, worry, feeling dis-empowered, unmotivated or frustrated and can help them identify and counter self-sabotage.
Parker feels that if you read his book you will be able to feel more motivated, be better able to motivate others, find solutions in a calm, collected manner, even when under extreme stress, design your dreams and achieve them, ensure all the relationships in your life (be they work or life related) work well, flourish and fulfil you.
You'll also be able to manage your business affairs in a more effective way. Whilst also offering assistance to others to help them, too.
The book is out now. It is published by Hay House in paperback at £10.99.
The author Phil Parker is a qualified NLP practitioner, osteopath, hypnotherapist and an executive coach.
He operates a private practice in London. You can visit his website at www.philparker.org
What use is a self help book that doesn't give you any answers?
In his latest book, Phil points out that the most important discovery he has made in over two decades of working in the field of personal development is this: providing solutions, advice suggestions or answers does not always help everyone.
Phil opines that there can be a problem with just providing the answer to a particular problem, or set of problems. Because if people do not go through the process of finding their own solution, the next time they are faced with another problem, they will tend to turn for help again. (EDITOR: I think it is also referred to as 'learned helplessness'.)
Parker takes the position that learning the skill of creating our own solutions lets us become more independent and skilled at finding and making the right choices and decisions for ourselves, not merely relying on other people for the answers all the time.
Parker points out that it is all about learning to ask what he describes as the key questions, at the right time in order for us to reach the right solution.
He has distilled these to a list of ten key questions. Questions which will, argues Parker, prove to be powerful tools to enable you to draw on the fields of personal and spiritual development, business, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, hostage negotiation (yes, really!) that should see you equipped to make "great decisions" in all aspects of your life.
Parker has used these techniques to help thousands of his clients to help themselves or other people to rid them of stress, worry, feeling dis-empowered, unmotivated or frustrated and can help them identify and counter self-sabotage.
Parker feels that if you read his book you will be able to feel more motivated, be better able to motivate others, find solutions in a calm, collected manner, even when under extreme stress, design your dreams and achieve them, ensure all the relationships in your life (be they work or life related) work well, flourish and fulfil you.
You'll also be able to manage your business affairs in a more effective way. Whilst also offering assistance to others to help them, too.
The book is out now. It is published by Hay House in paperback at £10.99.
The author Phil Parker is a qualified NLP practitioner, osteopath, hypnotherapist and an executive coach.
He operates a private practice in London. You can visit his website at www.philparker.org
Thursday, 16 February 2012
A Dictionary of Forensic Science
A Dictionary of Forensic Science is an important book on this very diverse field.
There are over 1,300 entries, some with very helpful illustrations and the book is written in a very clear and entertaining way by Dr Suzanne Bell, one of the leading experts in the field.
If you are a student of forensic science, a forensic scientist or technician, a law student, a barrister, a solicitor, a police officer (long-served or a cadet) a journalist or an author needing to do research for a novel, or even just a fan of CSI on the TV, then this book is one that must be on your bookshelf or in your work bag.
It not only covers forensic terms it also covers relevant jurisprudence terms, engineering references, case histories, biographies of leading figures from the field and gives clear and concise explanations of what the terms used mean.
It also tells you what Luminol is and how it works its apparent magic with blood stains.
It also contains a bibliography for further reading and identifies links to useful websites throughout the book, yet in a way that is totally non-intrusive.
It's out this month in paperback and costs £12.99.
Students should be aware that this is probably a book that you will use until you retire from your chosen field, it really is that good a book, in the opinion of your reviewer.
There are over 1,300 entries, some with very helpful illustrations and the book is written in a very clear and entertaining way by Dr Suzanne Bell, one of the leading experts in the field.
If you are a student of forensic science, a forensic scientist or technician, a law student, a barrister, a solicitor, a police officer (long-served or a cadet) a journalist or an author needing to do research for a novel, or even just a fan of CSI on the TV, then this book is one that must be on your bookshelf or in your work bag.
It not only covers forensic terms it also covers relevant jurisprudence terms, engineering references, case histories, biographies of leading figures from the field and gives clear and concise explanations of what the terms used mean.
It also tells you what Luminol is and how it works its apparent magic with blood stains.
It also contains a bibliography for further reading and identifies links to useful websites throughout the book, yet in a way that is totally non-intrusive.
It's out this month in paperback and costs £12.99.
Students should be aware that this is probably a book that you will use until you retire from your chosen field, it really is that good a book, in the opinion of your reviewer.
“Bird flu will remain a threat as long as factory farms exist” claims author of new book on public health
The author of a pioneering new book on animals and public health, published this month, claims that “as long as factory farms exist; we will continue to be at risk from bird flu”.
Dr Aysha Akhtar, the author of 'Animals and Public Health: Why treating animals better is critical to human welfare', considers that while Bird Flu is currently receiving much attention owing to recent deaths in Vietnam and its potential use in bio-terrorism “We don't need a terrorist to wreak havoc. By confining billions of animals on factory farms, we have created a worldwide natural laboratory for the rapid development of a deadly and highly infectious form of the virus. The stressful and crowded conditions make a perfect breeding ground for new infectious diseases that can harm humans."
The book reveals how the link between how we treat animals and human health goes far beyond bird flu, however. "A significant number of the most urgent health issues we face today are intricately linked with poor treatment of animals.”
The book to be published on 17 February is the sixth volume published as part of the Palgrave Macmillan Animal Ethics book series in partnership with the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. In a lively manner, this book describes the link between the way we treat animals and human health across a wide range of health topics.
Dr Akhtar explores the lives of animals in violent homes, factory farms, experimental laboratories, the entertainment industry and the wildlife trade. She reveals how their treatment is related to issues as diverse as domestic violence, the obesity epidemic, the world's most ominous infectious diseases, animal attacks, high-profile drug failures and climate change.
In the first academic text to address the relationship between animals and public health, Dr Akhtar argues that "... public health has long-ignored the relationship between our health and animal treatment, largely owing to a misconception that animal welfare is in opposition to human welfare”.
Using a wealth of scientific information, the book demonstrates that in order to best promote human health, we have to improve our treatment of animals. Dr Akhtar hopes that this book will lead to a new public health paradigm, one that considers animals as part of the "public" in public health.
Aysha Akhtar, M.D., M.P.H., is a neurologist and public health specialist and a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. She works for the Office of Counter-terrorism and Emerging Threats of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The book is written in her personal capacity and is the result of many years of scientific research.
The Palgrave Macmillan book series is jointly edited by the internationally known theologian the Reverend Professor Andrew Linzey, Director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and Professor Priscilla Cohn, Emeritus Professor in Philosophy at Penn State University and Associate Director of the Centre.
Commenting on the publication of Dr Akhtar’s Animals and Public Health, Professor Linzey says, “This is a must read for all those who think caring for animals is a separate issue from human welfare. The scientific evidence marshalled in this book ought to dispel any lingering doubts that a world in which animal abuse goes unchecked is a less safe world for human beings. This first book linking animals to public health is truly ground-breaking."
'Animals and Public Health: Why treating animals better is critical to human welfare', is published on 17 February in both the U.S. and the U.K. priced $85 / £50.
Dr Aysha Akhtar, the author of 'Animals and Public Health: Why treating animals better is critical to human welfare', considers that while Bird Flu is currently receiving much attention owing to recent deaths in Vietnam and its potential use in bio-terrorism “We don't need a terrorist to wreak havoc. By confining billions of animals on factory farms, we have created a worldwide natural laboratory for the rapid development of a deadly and highly infectious form of the virus. The stressful and crowded conditions make a perfect breeding ground for new infectious diseases that can harm humans."
The book reveals how the link between how we treat animals and human health goes far beyond bird flu, however. "A significant number of the most urgent health issues we face today are intricately linked with poor treatment of animals.”
The book to be published on 17 February is the sixth volume published as part of the Palgrave Macmillan Animal Ethics book series in partnership with the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. In a lively manner, this book describes the link between the way we treat animals and human health across a wide range of health topics.
Dr Akhtar explores the lives of animals in violent homes, factory farms, experimental laboratories, the entertainment industry and the wildlife trade. She reveals how their treatment is related to issues as diverse as domestic violence, the obesity epidemic, the world's most ominous infectious diseases, animal attacks, high-profile drug failures and climate change.
In the first academic text to address the relationship between animals and public health, Dr Akhtar argues that "... public health has long-ignored the relationship between our health and animal treatment, largely owing to a misconception that animal welfare is in opposition to human welfare”.
Using a wealth of scientific information, the book demonstrates that in order to best promote human health, we have to improve our treatment of animals. Dr Akhtar hopes that this book will lead to a new public health paradigm, one that considers animals as part of the "public" in public health.
Aysha Akhtar, M.D., M.P.H., is a neurologist and public health specialist and a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. She works for the Office of Counter-terrorism and Emerging Threats of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The book is written in her personal capacity and is the result of many years of scientific research.
The Palgrave Macmillan book series is jointly edited by the internationally known theologian the Reverend Professor Andrew Linzey, Director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and Professor Priscilla Cohn, Emeritus Professor in Philosophy at Penn State University and Associate Director of the Centre.
Commenting on the publication of Dr Akhtar’s Animals and Public Health, Professor Linzey says, “This is a must read for all those who think caring for animals is a separate issue from human welfare. The scientific evidence marshalled in this book ought to dispel any lingering doubts that a world in which animal abuse goes unchecked is a less safe world for human beings. This first book linking animals to public health is truly ground-breaking."
'Animals and Public Health: Why treating animals better is critical to human welfare', is published on 17 February in both the U.S. and the U.K. priced $85 / £50.
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