Reader Views

Sleeper’s Run

“Sleeper’s Run” is built on a plot in which the characters have inflated egos and are motivated by greed and the thirst for power. Author Henry Mosquera has created a non-stop action thriller exposing the protagonist Eric Caine to conflict, after conflict, after conflict with only brief respites of resolution. He includes action, romance, deception, and intrigue in this fast-paced international thriller.

Special Forces veteran Eric Caine is found wandering the streets of Miami as a result of a car accident. He has no memory of the details of the accident. As a result of his service in the War on Terror, Eric is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), resulting in a way of life destined to end in self-destruction.

An unexpected timely chance meeting at a bar and the events that follow provide Eric with an opportunity to start on new a new path of life fulfillment. The new job requires that he relocate to Venezuela, the land of his childhood. Eric pours himself into the job, impressing his employers; however, things take a turn for the worse as suspicious incidents signal the threat of something evil. Suddenly Eric finds himself involved in a catastrophic event that threatens the political and economic stability of the country. Eric is forced to clear his name by exposing an elite team of CIA assassins in an international conspiracy.

Mosquera has a broad scope of understanding of international current events; the crime and corruption often found intermingled with political ideologies. He writes intelligently of subjects including: martial arts, self defense weaponry, security systems, internet hacking, and world travel. He introduces interesting aspects regarding paramedic techniques and provides insight into PTSD. All of these areas of expertise are interwoven into his writing.

I was also impressed with Henry Mosquera’s character development. He effectively uses a combination of back story, dialogue, inner dialogue, narrations, and flashback to introduce his main characters. Mosquera carefully combines a protagonist first person narration with sequences where his protagonist is not present. Occasional verb tense changes add interest to specific scenes but triggered insecurity into my own editorial instincts.

“Sleeper’s Run” may be a book that many will find so compelling that they will read it in one sitting. For me, the rapid pace of the action was so intense I had to take breathers, however, I found myself quickly drawn back into the mêlée.  If you like super-heroes, non-stop action, and intrigue and suspense you are destined to become a fan of Henry Mosquera. I am looking forward to reading his next intrigue and adventure novel.

Sleeper’s Run
Henry Mosquera
Oddity Media (2011)
ISBN 9780615505442
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (8/11)

Ultimate Revenge: Involuntary Transsexual

“Ultimate Revenge: Involuntary Transsexual” is the story of Ben Nightingale, a man who takes a unique path when the legal system fails. His fiancée, Erika, is raped and a legal technicality allows the rapist, Henry, to avoid serving his full sentence. Ben wants Henry to be punished, but he figures even confinement isn’t enough punishment. He wants Henry to go through what Erika went through. Of course, Henry can’t face the same type of ordeal in exactly the same way because he’s a guy so Ben transforms Henry into Hazel, the involuntary transsexual. What happens after the transformation is complete is something that neither Ben nor Henry could have predicted.

While the story is definitely different than just about anything else on the market today, I did find the plot to be interesting, although the delivery made it suffer. There were also a few weak points in the storyline that really should have been addressed. As far-fetched as the plot is, the biggest stretch of the imagination is when Ben’s past and present meet. Not too much can be said to avoid revealing any spoilers but one encounter in particular was just too over-simplified. The simplicity of this one meeting basically sets the pace for the last third of the book, avoiding any of the emotional depth that Franck seemed to be reaching for during the first half of the story. Consequently, a profound shallowness made the last few chapters as predictable as a children’s fairy tale.

I thought Henry was the most interesting character out of everyone else. His troubled past is explored and it’s easy to see how and why he became the way he is. He’s a monster who discovers a conscience, learning that he doesn’t have to be the way he is. Unfortunately for Henry, this enlightenment doesn’t sway Ben’s thirst for vengeance. Ben’s plight does a good job of showing that there’s more than one victim in a rape crime. While Erika undoubtedly receives the harsher punishment, Ben is not left unscathed by the attack. As Henry discovers he doesn’t have to be a beast, Ben slowly starts to realize that inside him might lurk a monster.

While the plot had a few holes in it, the writing itself was the story’s worst enemy. Statements such as:

“The life of a newsman is not an opulent one, but what they lack in money they make for in intrigue.”

“Unfortunately, when you punch a rapist, sometimes you pay dearly for it.”

Sentences such as these interfere with the reading process. Instead of seeing the story unfold in my mind, it’s simply being told to me. We are shown that Ben lives in a shabby neighborhood and drives an older car. We don’t need to point-blank be told that his life isn’t an opulent one. Likewise, when we see Henry retaliate against Erika’s surprise attack, we don’t have to actually be told that punching a rapist can come with consequences. These things are shown so they don’t have to be told.

There are far too many of these incidents throughout the whole book, and it occasionally made for difficult reading. Another item that I found odd was the songs. Henry likes to sing and every time he sings, a couple of pages are used to provide the lyrics to the song - the whole song. While I occasionally enjoy knowing what the words are to certain music, I don’t enjoy having those lyrics sprinkled liberally throughout the story I’m trying to read.

“Ultimate Revenge: Involuntary Transsexual”contains a unique twist on revenge provides an interesting concept, but a weak foundation combined with a simplistic conclusion removed much of the drama that could have existed.

Ultimate Revenge: Involuntary Transsexual
Herman Franck, Esq.
Trafford Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9781426946967
Reviewed by Marty Shaw for Reader Views (11/10)

Through Dark Places: True Stories of Human Tragedy, Faith, Miracles, and Survival

“Through Dark Places” is a compilation of true short stories of human tragedy, faith, miracles, and survival. Each story tells of an extraordinary event that realistically describes the emotions experienced by courageous people facing some of life’s greatest trials.

The stories are drawn from Sid Baron’s own experiences, from those of close friends, and from interviews with other “everyday heroes” who have learned the preciousness of life through the uncertainties that accompany the emotion-packed drama and paralyzing intensity experienced during those uncertain hours while waiting for a prognosis, an update, or some kind of promising news.

Baron includes accounts of exciting incidents where miraculous life-saving rescues have been attributed to guardian angels. He speaks of the fear and anxiety experienced when faced with a premonition of bad news to come. He shares stories of the resultant havoc after a fatal accident due to drunk driving.

In the story of “The Longest Week” Sid tells of coping with anger during his daughter’s long recovery and painful therapy after being hit by a drunk driver. He shares the importance of a strong bond of family love, of hope, of faith, and of laughter in the recovery process.

I was especially touched by the moving account of a fighter pilot’s traumatic experiences in prisoner of war camps during World War II.

“David’s Story” relates the emotions which his parents describe as “…a deep sadness creeping over their hearts for a son who is not there.” They speak of an occasional glow on life’s path dimmed by the intensity of ever present shadows. Baron relates the lessons Lisa learned from her brush with death. Lisa now knows how truly blessed she is, how vulnerable, and what a special gift life is.

Tom Klarkson’s story describes the long-range impact that results from growing up in a dysfunctional family. He tells of the embarrassment of being on government welfare and receiving food stamps. He also speaks of the effects of drug and alcohol, abandonment, and of the horrors of physical and mental abuse.

My-Uyen’s story of discovering the meaning of life includes her escape with the boat people evacuated from Viet Nam. She was plagued by fear and a feeling of insignificance as she looked at “the immensity of space above” and the “indifference of the vast ocean below” during her flight on an unsafe ship crowded with evacuees. Today as a vibrant Christian My-Uyen shares, with gratitude, the story of her “harrowing” experiences and the mystery of her miraculous escape.

When collaborating in an effort of this nature, relating the personal stories of other individuals, the writer may unintentionally assume their own personal voice and fall into a sameness or a pattern of simply reporting facts. I sensed this from time to time in Baron’s stories. However, because his writing is fresh, relevant and clear, each episode stands on its own. Each story reflects the triumph of the central characters and is an inspiration.

I appreciated Baron’s excellent command of language and his choice of strong descriptive words. His frequent transitions flowed with very natural segues through each change. “Through Dark Places” is compelling.  Baron is an extraordinary communicator

Through Dark Places: True Stories of Human Tragedy, Faith, Miracles, and Survival
Sid Baron
Exxel Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780970346919
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (07/10)

Awakening Consciousness: A Woman's Guide!

If you are a woman and know a little about energy, chakras, vibrations, auras, meditations, and spirituality, then “Awakening Consciousness: A Woman’s Guide!” is for you.  I feel it’s a book that would work well for any woman contemplating on expanding her wisdom and power through sources within herself. Thre workbook is simple, concise, and certainly not overwhelming for a beginner.

Robin Marvel presents to her reader ways to get in touch with the vibrational energy within, discover the aura, understand chakras, give self empowerment, recognize the messages in dreams, and much more. In her short and summarizing explanations, Marvel encourages the reader to expand her horizons and experiment with new concepts.  As well, she gives the reader the opportunity to write notes, messages, affirmations, or whatever needs to be written in the book itself.  In the end this book becomes a personal journal as well as an exercise venue.

All along during my reading and exercise journey I kept thinking that this book would work great in a group setting and sure enough, in Chapter 16, Marvel suggests just that. She also encourages using a talking stick in the group as well as how to make one.  I do believe that awakening consciousness is a very personal endeavor; however, I also believe that we need support from other women that have the same goals and aspirations to even take ourselves to a higher state of consciousness.

“Awakening Consciousness: A Woman’s Guide!,” by Robin Marvel, is one of those little books that you will always remember and keep in the back of your mind when you hear of someone wanting to delve into their consciousness, awaken it and take it to higher levels. This will be the book you will recommend because I certainly do.

Awakening Consciousness: A Woman's Guide!
Robin Marvel
Marvelous Spirit Press (2010)
ISBN 9781615990641
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (12/10)

Interview with Alan Smith, Author of "Unbreak Your Health" - discussion about complementary and alternative therapies

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is pleased to be joined by Alan Smith, who is here to talk about his new book “UnBreak Your Health.”

Alan Smith has found greater health and happiness thanks to complementary and alternative therapies. A few years ago his deteriorating health took him to the finest medical facility in the world, The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Unfortunately they didn't have any solutions for his digestive problems. Just a few weeks later he discovered a new book by Bruce Lipton, Ph.D. called “Biology of Belief.” This was the kind of answer he had been searching for—scientific evidence that the energy of thoughts and feelings could directly influence the function of cells. In other words, the right beliefs and attitudes could improve health! Lipton's book led him to Rob Williams's PSYCH-K® process. With the first signs of improvement he became so excited about complementary and alternative therapies that he began offering PSYCH-K® in Plano, Texas. The challenge of introducing a new type of healing, especially in a conservative Southern location, was the inspiration for “UnBreak Your Health.”

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Alan. I understand “UnBreak Your Health” is a complete guide to over 300 complementary and alternative therapies. Would you begin by giving us just a taste of what some of those therapies are and what they are treatments for?

Alan: Tyler, complementary and alternative therapies, or CAM as it’s called, run the gamut from ancient healing therapies like acupuncture to the latest cold laser technology. Some of them are very specific in purpose like Auditory Intervention Technique for ADD, ADHD and other attention disorders. It’s a treatment developed by a French physician using sound to reprogram the way the brain processes information. Doula therapy was developed by doctors and nurses to help pregnant women have safe and successful birthing experiences. The Ornish Program is the only medically proven therapy to reverse heart disease naturally, and it also was developed by a doctor.

The vast majority of therapies in the book however are multi-purpose; they can address a wide variety of health problems, which is one of the reasons there is no disease listing in the Index. I know people are looking for quick, easy answers but that’s not how our health works and by encouraging people to read the whole book they’ll pick up the knowledge that will help them find their own healing path. Therapies like acupuncture, homeopathy, even EFT can be used for a diverse range of health problems.

While every therapy in my book will work for someone, nothing in the book will work for everyone. If you accept the instinctive concept that we are whole beings of body, mind and energy/spirit, then you have to appreciate that your illness or disease is unique too. That means your health solution is like a combination lock that only you can unlock. We all have to take responsibility for our own health and learn what our body, mind and spirit or energy system factors are in our unique health problems and how to correct them.

That’s not exactly the American way! We like fast, easy answers to everything, usually in the form of a pill, and we want somebody else to take care of us. I often try to explain it with the story about the ancient Chinese Master in the temple talking with a young student. The young man asked his mentor, “Why do we meditate every day, do hours of exercise and till the soil to grow good food?” The old man smiled knowingly and said simply, “If you don’t take care of your house, where you gonna live?”

Tyler: Alan, how did you go about compiling the book?

Alan: Fortunately my college degree from decades ago was in journalism. Back in the dark ages you actually had to research using libraries, books, magazines and interviewing people. Today the Internet gives you a faster start on research but my background in reporting gave me the framework to produce the book.

I will say it was funny how it grew to the size it is now. Originally I started out with about 60 therapies, which was more than double anything that had been written before so I thought the subject would make a beneficial book. But once I started researching a therapy I’d usually discover one or two more that I’d never heard of before. The list just kept growing and growing until I simply drew a line in the sand a year ago and said “Enough!” I’ve probably missed some good ones and I’ve already started collecting new therapies for the next edition.

Tyler: How did you decide what to include, or did you have items you chose to leave out for any reason?

Alan: I wanted to include everything I possibly could but it, became pretty obvious early in the process that the same basic therapy was often just being tweaked a little so a different therapist could put his or her own name on it. I didn’t need to put 100 versions of the same thing in the book so I tried to set up some benchmarks. One of them was a minimum level of use or having a certain number of practitioners in the U.S. along with other criteria. After all, to be of any benefit people would need to be able to find practitioners all across the country.

Tyler: I am intrigued by the title. What do you hope it says to the potential reader of the book?

Alan: The title comes from the old expression “You can’t unbreak the mirror” which is similar to the old spilt milk and water under the bridge sayings. The way I explain it is that doctors try to glue your broken health back together with drugs and my book is about everything else so I wanted the title to make the distinction clear. It also tries to say that it is possible to find therapies that not only repair your health but restore it to a better, earlier condition. Some of the common traits of these complementary and alternative therapies are that they try to treat the source of a problem, not just the symptoms, which is what most doctors are doing with prescription drugs. By treating the source, and treating all of the problem (body, mind and spirit/energy) you can achieve better health than you may imagine is possible. I know, I’ve been there, and these therapies have restored my health better than I dared to dream possible just a few years ago.

Tyler: Alan, will you tell us a little bit about your own medical background and interest in non-conventional medicine?

Alan: My “medical background” is that I’ve been a patient of too many doctors for too many problems for too long. I admit right up front that I have no medical training other than being on the receiving end. I’m simply a patient, just like my readers. Maybe that’s why so many people love my little book; it’s designed for people just like them by someone who is just like them.

“UnBreak Your Health” is the book I wish had been available a few years ago after my disappointing trip to the Mayo Clinic, as you said, the finest medical facility in the world. The problem is that modern medicine doesn’t have all of the answers. In fact, they still don’t have all of the questions at this point!

After days of testing at Mayo I was told, “We have good news and bad news. The good news is it isn’t going to kill you. The bad news is you aren’t going to like it, and there isn’t anything we can do about it.” I kept waiting for the drum roll and a punchline, but there wasn’t one. When you run out of options you become very, very interested in ANY alternative! Unfortunately most of us wait until we’ve run out of options before discovering all of the wonderful therapies available today. I hope getting the word out about my book will change that.

Tyler: I understand your interests in alternative therapies began as the result of digestive problems? Will you tell us a little bit about your ailment and the therapy you used to improve the situation?

Alan: I hate to get into an “organ recital,” meaning running down all of my health problems, but let’s just say it’s one of the chronic problems that doctors really can’t fix. My particular issue was digestive and in hindsight it was probably caused by more than 20 years of travel combined with the stress of working in a dying industry for too long. It’s not a question of what happens to us in life, it’s how we react that matters. In my case there were subconscious beliefs about work that weren’t helping me at that time. I discovered the PSYCH-K process that provides for direct communication with the subconscious and a way to reprogram subconscious beliefs easily. In my case that helped a lot.

I’d like to add that many people have similar problems resulting in a variety of health issues. In many cases what’s happened is that our incredible bodies were never built to handle the stress of 24/7 living like we have today. It’s called the Tiger of the Mind Syndrome. We were designed to deal with the tiger in the bushes with fight or flight, both short-term responses to survival stress. Today the tiger is in our minds and it’s there 24 hours a day, every day. It’s no wonder our bodies break down!

Tyler: Alan, I’m intrigued by the Psych-K process. Are you saying then that our mind and thoughts influence our health? Tell us more about how this process works. How do we figure out what the subconscious thoughts are that are causing us problems and how do we change those thoughts?

Alan: Yes, and that’s been confirmed by science. Bruce Lipton has new research on the issue but in the 1970s psychneuroimmunology or PNI was created with the discovery of peptides, the messenger molecules that connect the brain to the body’s immune system. It’s the reason you rarely get sick when you’re excited and having a wonderful time in life but seem to catch every bug in the world when you’re depressed and stressed out. Science is just beginning to understand the strength and range of the mind-body connection. In many cases our health problems are really just the body doing what it’s being told by the subconscious mind, the part that controls all of your body’s systems, no matter how destructive or painful it may be.

PSYCH-K is based on kinesiology or muscle testing. Much like the autonomic responses used by a polygraph machine to tell truth from lies, your body reacts to statements signaling agreement or disagreement by the subconscious. A facilitator pushes down very lightly on your extended arm after you repeat a statement and when your subconscious mind agrees with it then all of the nerves and muscles work normally and the arm stays straight and strong. If, on the other hand, the subconscious disagrees with the statement then there is a momentary lapse in nerve function due to the confusion or disagreement between conscious and subconscious. This hesitation translates into a weaker arm muscle and your arm “unlocks” and goes down when pushed by the facilitator. It’s a primitive, binary communication system but it offers amazing insight into the subconscious mind. Issues you don’t have a problem with in your conscious mind can turn out to be major problems on the subconscious level.

The PSYCH-K facilitator normally uses a variety of Belief Statements to isolate a problem belief by a process of elimination. Once exposed there are several types of Balances used to reprogram the belief to support your best life.

Tyler: Our reviewer, Cherie Fisher, mentioned that Network Spinal Analysis is included, a type of chiropractic touch to heal. What might be the benefit of this therapy for people?

Alan: NSA is built on a chiropractic foundation, but it’s used to release stress from the body so it can be adjusted, balanced and begin to heal itself. Many people talk about experiencing intense feelings during a session, like reliving and releasing emotional traumas resulting from the death of a loved one. By releasing the tension that’s been held in the body, the spine can be adjusted and health problems corrected.

Tyler: Why did you feel the need to write “UnBreak Your Health”?

Alan: The simple answer is that I knew from personal experience that somebody had to do it. I know I’m not the most medically qualified person to write a book like this, but I sure know what it’s like to be a person with health problems that doctors don’t know how to fix. I’ve tried to create the book I wanted when I ran out of options. I know what it’s like to hit a brick wall, when you suddenly appreciate the old adage, “without health, nothing else matters.” You trust the doctors to walk on water and to heal everything, but they don’t and they can’t.

Where do you turn? What do I do now? How do I even start to find answers? When you’ve been in that situation you know what it feels like and know what people need. They want a wide variety of information but they don’t want a lot of it. They want the USA Today version, an easy-to-read summary and directions to begin finding their own healing path. They want website links so they can continue researching the therapies that attract them and may hold promise for their problems.

Most of all, they want hope. They need to hear that even when doctors say there isn’t anything more they can do, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything more that can be done! I hope that “UnBreak Your Health” offers hope to everyone.

Tyler: Alan, what makes “UnBreak Your Health” stand out from the other books on holistic medicine and alternative therapies, such as Lipton’s “Biology of Belief” that led you to alternative therapies?

Alan: Bruce’s book was about the science and it’s wonderful, but as a cellular biologist he didn’t cover any answers. His one mention of PSYCH-K was buried at the very end of his book. The good news is that his state-of-the-art science adds credibility to therapies people don’t understand or appreciate yet.

First of all, “UnBreak Your Health” is the most complete collection of complementary and alternative therapies ever published. It has no diet or supplement listings, it’s all about therapies, and with over 300 in 136 different categories, it’s got a lot to offer.

Second, it’s different because it doesn’t offer disease listings in the Index. People actually have to take responsibility for their own health and read the whole book. My publisher and I nearly parted company over this issue because he said successful health books always had listings in the Index. My goal isn’t money or success but to help people find better health and better lives so they need to learn how to open their own health combination locks. I was willing to take the chance on being different and somehow I managed to convince my publisher to go along with it.

Third, it has comments from users of the therapies so readers can get an idea of what it feels like and what it really does. Those are the biggest differences and I hope advantages of my book.

Tyler: What did you find to be your biggest challenge in writing this book?

Alan: Strangely enough the most difficult part was finding testimonials for each therapy. I wanted to add a little human color to the black-and-white definitions and descriptions but it turned out to be quite a challenge.

Tyler: Why do you think that is? Are people shy about discussing their health problems, or just admitting they used non-conventional remedies?

Alan: Many of the testimonials in the book came from national organizations. While they want to promote their therapy they don’t want to cross the line into the minefield either. It’s the problem of people not wanting to attract the attention of the AMA and mainstream medical-industrial system. They want to exist under the radar because the history of complementary and alternative medicine is filled with stories with very sad endings when people tried to bring new types of healing to the world. That would mean taking business away from the existing medical system which doesn’t let go easily. Remember this is the group that took ten years to accept the research from Australia that ulcers were caused by bacteria. It’s no wonder people in complementary and alternative healing don’t want to become connected to such dangerous activities even in this day and age.

Tyler: Alan, if people are skeptical about these non-conventional medicine types of therapies, what reassurance can you offer them?

Alan: It’s fascinating that people can be apprehensive about therapies that have been used successfully for hundreds if not thousands of years but feel completely safe taking a new drug that has almost no large-scale track record of safety whatsoever. So many of the treatments being used by conventional medicine have never been properly tested in double-blind research studies and the range of therapies for the same condition across the country can be absolutely scary. Right now I’m reading Shannon Brownlee’s new book “OVERTREATED—Why Too Much Medicine is Making Us Sicker and Poorer” and her research into mainstream medicine today presents a frightening picture. Yet this is the medicine that most people feel safe with!

By comparison most of the CAM therapies have evolved by trial and error. In other words, they’re around today because they work. Now the caveat here is that while every therapy in my book will work for someone, nothing in the book will work for everyone. The same can be said for prescription drugs, while they help many they can literally kill others.

Tyler: In considering an alternative therapy, what caution should people have? How does someone know if a therapy is legitimate or just a scam?

Alan: First of all you have to realize that anything that can be a catalyst for your own healing, even if it’s just switching on your placebo effect, is a valuable therapy. That’s why some of the craziest things still produce amazing results for some people. My advice is always to check out the national organizations, read the books that are available on almost every therapy and learn about the technique. Ask around and see what experiences others have had with it. Even if the process is legitimate you also need to check out your local practitioner’s qualifications. Just as there are good doctors and bad doctors, the same applies in the CAM world. If you take the time to do a little research, you’ll either get a comfort level with the process or you’ll want to walk away from it. It’s when we jump off the cliff without checking how deep the water is that we get into trouble.

Tyler: I understand the response to the book has already been phenomenal. Will you tell us a little bit about the book’s history since publication and what you attribute its success to?

Alan: Since I’m a new author I don’t really know if the response has been phenomenal, but I know my publisher seems to be happy at this point. I started doing radio interviews even before the book was available to start spreading the word that there is hope out there. I guess the subject is interesting to people because I keep getting radio hosts to talk with me. I’ve got one coming up with KGO radio in San Francisco on January 26th with Joanie Greggains. She has one of the top-rated health programs in the country.

I have to say it’s an amazing feeling to have someone respond to an interview. I just did one with Cathy Blythe at KFOR in Lincoln, Nebraska, and when I called one of their local bookstores after the program, the buyer said she’d already had 5 people in looking for the book…within an hour of the program!

On the other hand, I’ve been very surprised at how the mainstream media ignores anything to do with complementary and alternative therapies. They might do a token story or two once in a while but most of the time it’s drugs, drugs and more drugs. They act like they’re afraid to give anything CAM credibility or perhaps they’re just protecting one of their biggest advertisers. I’ve contacted dozens of health reporters at newspapers, radio and TV stations across the country in the last few months and like the doctors they cover, the subject is just too far outside their comfort zone. Even the local media here in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area have ignored everything about my book even though I’m a local author, and an award-winner at that. Most of them wouldn’t even accept a free copy of the book. It just shows we have a long way to go in this country to open eyes and minds.

Tyler: Thank you, Alan, for joining me today. Before we go, will you tell us about your website and what additional information might be found there about “UnBreak Your Health”?

Alan: Absolutely! The website for the book is easy to remember since it’s the name of the book, it’s www.unbreakyourhealth.com. Your readers will find reviews, radio interviews and links to every therapy included in the book. As I said, this is simply the place to start a journey toward better health, not the end.

UnBreak Your Health: The Complete Guide to Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Alan E. Smith
Loving Healing Press (2007)
ISBN 9781932690
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (7/07)

Interview with Kieran W. Harrop

Voyage to Destiny: Sailing to Success
Kieran W. Harrop
Target Success Publishing (2006)
ISBN 0973945206
Reader Views is happy to be talking with Kieran Harrop, author of the inspirational book “Voyage to Destiny: Sailing to Success.” Kieran is being interviewed by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor for Reader Views.

Juanita: Thanks for talking with us today Kieran. Please tell us about the inspiration and birth of your book “Voyage to Destiny: Sailing to Success.”

Kieran: Hi Juanita, it is a pleasure to talk with you. The inspiration for my book began as I was sailing into the open Pacific in my small sailboat, after graduating from university. I was living my dream and wanted to share the exhilaration I felt with as many people as I could. It occurred to me that sailing itself was the ideal metaphor for the journey to success, happiness and the realization of dreams. Just like sailing, if you want to be successful in life, you must choose a destination (know where you want to go), chart a course (create a plan of how you are going to get there), and then weigh anchor and set sail (take action on your plan). The more I thought about the metaphor, the more I liked it. It is a simple and accessible theme we can all relate to. You can be a potato farmer plowing his fields near Boise, Idaho, and still want to stay on an even keel in the eye of a storm, come hell or high water. We all know what it’s like to weather life’s storms, to have the wind taken out of our sails, to go with the flow or be on the right tack because we experience these feelings in our everyday family, work and social lives. The metaphor also works for the inner journey towards peace, happiness and spiritual well-being. With-in us all is an infinite sea of potential. When we connect with this Source, we suddenly find ourselves in the flow of the moment, on the right tack and living life to its fullest.
Read complete interview on Reader Views

Interview with David W. Powell, author of "My Tour in Hell"

Reader Views is very happy to be speaking with David W. Powell, author of “My Tour in Hell: A Marine's Battle with Combat Trauma.” David is being interviewed by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views.

Juanita: Thank you for talking with us today David. Please give your readers an overview of the deeply personal journey you write about in “My Tour in Hell: A Marine’s Battle with Combat Trauma.”

David: My memoir describes my combat experiences in Viet Nam in straightforward, no-holds barred detail. The reader will observe the transformation of a peaceful, naive guy into a battle-experienced hunter of human beings. The reader will also see how my collection of traumatic experiences impaired my emotional and social behavior to a great degree. The reader will be introduced to a kind, loving resolution to traumatic events, known as Traumatic Incident Reduction, or TIR, and the positive effects it has had on my life after treatment.
Read complete review on Reader Views

Interview with Harry E. Gilleland, author of "White Lighning Road"

Reader Views is happy to have the chance to talk with author Harry E. Gilleland, Jr., who has recently published his new novel “White Lightning Road.” Harry is being interviewed by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views.

Juanita: Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us today, Harry. Would you please give your readers an idea of the storyline in “White Lightning Road”?

Harry: The story follows the lives of two young women, who become lifelong best friends from when they meet in high school. Each was a big-city teenager whose family moved them to White Lightning Road, a small country road in northern Louisiana. Both girls shared their disdain of rural life and lived for the day to escape back to the big-city life. Jennifer goes to Baton Rouge to attend LSU, while Sally marries the first boy who will move her back to Dallas. Jenny marries happily. However, her husband is sent to fight in Iraq with his activated Army Reserve unit and killed. Sally’s first marriage is short-lived, and she marries a second time a few years later. They have a son, and all is happy until she discovers her husband is having an affair. Jennifer’s parents are in a tragic car accident a year after her husband’s death, and her father is killed and her mother is critically injured. Jennifer comes back to White Lightning Road to handle her parents’ affairs. Her mother dies. Sally divorces her husband and comes home to her parents’ house for a few weeks to cope. Thus, both Jenny and Sally find themselves back together on White Lightning Road. This starts our story. Jenny becomes involved with her neighbor Michael Garrott, a mysterious man whom everyone assumes is an unpunished murderer. She feels drawn to him, but can she trust him? Sally is her confidante and adviser as she explores her growing feelings for Michael. The second storyline follows Sally as she moves from Dallas to Atlanta for a better job. There she meets an undergraduate student at Georgia Tech who insists on dating her even though she feels he is too young for her. Should Sally follow her heart or listen to her head? The storyline is the romantic adventures of the two women.
Read complete review on Reader Views

Interview with Marlys Marshall Styne, author of "Reinventing Myself"

Today, Reader Views is talking with Marlys Marshall Styne, author of “Reinventing Myself: Memoirs of a Retired Professor.” Marlys is being interviewed by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views.

Juanita: Thank you for talking with us today, Marlys. Please tell your readers what your book, “Reinventing Myself: Memoirs of a Retired Professor,” is about.

Marlys: My book is about finding myself retired, widowed, childless, old, and depressed, and setting out to find contentment, mainly through writing. It’s also about encouraging other seniors to write.

Juanita: What inspired you to write your book?

Read complete interview on Reader Views

Interview with Peter Cajander, author of "Fragments of Realilty"

Today, Reader Views is talking with Peter Cajander, author of “Fragments of Reality: Daily Entries of Lived Life” from Helsinki, Finland. Peter is talking with Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views.

Juanita: Thanks for talking with us today Peter. Please tell your readers what “Fragments of Reality: Daily Entries of Lived Life” is about.

Peter: Thanks Juanita. It’s a pleasure talking with you. The book is really about the everyday life we’re living but often too distracted to see or observe ourselves. It tells and talks from a bit of a different angle about issues we all ponder and face in our lives.
Read complete interview on Reader Views