When Jessica Butler of Berkley/NAL, Penguin, Random House, asked me if I wanted to review There Are No Sad Dogs, I couldn’t refuse. I love dogs and I am interested in mediums. Book Description: Our pets are part of the family. For many they’re as close as children; for some they may be our only children. And while most of us can expect that our children will outlive us, sadly, our pets almost never do.
Losing a pet can be as difficult as losing any other family member; we grieve, we miss them, and, mostly, we want closure, to know that our furry, feathered, or scaled friends are okay, wherever they are.
For years, animal communicator Sonya Fitzpatrick has helped pet owners cope with the loss of their beloved companions. Many of them ask the same questions: Is my pet happy? Why did this happen? Is it okay to get another pet? Using her personal experiences as well as the stories of the families she’s worked with, Sonya sheds some light on the questions that every grieving pet owner has, and assures the reader that there are, in fact, no sad dogs (or cats or birds or turtles or horses or cows) in heaven. My Thoughts: Sonya Fitzpatrick gives comfort to many people who have experienced the loss of a pet. Loosing one’s pet can be just as difficult as loosing a human loved one. To most of us, pets are just as loved as the humans in our families. I know that is the case with my family. The unfortunate fact, is we tend to lose pets more often than we loose our humans in our families. Humans have a much longer lifespan than most other animal species. I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I am glad that their are people out there who find comfort from Ms. Fitzpatrick however, I found some of the things she talked about in the book contradictory. The biggest issue I had is that she claims that when a pet decides s/he will come back from the spirit world, all the pet parent needs to do it to adopt a different pet and the old one will appear in the new pet’s body. She wrote of several instance when this has happened, in the case of dogs, some came back as a puppy, some as a adult dog. So what happens to the dog that was in the dogs’ body already? Please explain that one to me! There was one dog who wouldn’t reincarnate into a puppy until after the puppy was potty trained. If the puppy is able to be trained, isn’t s/he an individual already? What happens to h/er when the previous dog takes possession? Other than that issue, I enjoyed the book. It’s too bad it came up so frequently. Does reincarnation happen? I’m certainly open to the idea but I can’t believe it happens the way it is explained in this book. I was on an air-plane when I was reading the last chapter. There was a woman sitting next to me who asked me about the book, so I gave it to her. I hope she doesn’t get as frustrated with parts of it like I did. I do recommend it to people who love animals and have some interest in mediums. It is a easy read and each chapter stands alone from the rest of the book so it would be good when you only have short time periods to read in, like in the bathroom. LOL! 3/5 I received this book for my honest opinion. About Sonya Fitzpatrick:
Growing up on a farm in England, Sonya Fitzpatrick realized at an early age that she had a very special connection with animals. Her extensive work helping animals handle adversity has distinguished her as an expert in the field of animal communication. Sonya’s passion for animals and her understanding of the critical role they play in our lives provides a unique perspective on the way we need to interact with all of the animals in our world.
Sonya lives in Texas with her nine cats, four dogs, one horse and three frogs.
Here is your chance to give this book a chance for free. Thanks to Jessica Butler, I am giving away one copy of There Are No Sad Dogs In Heaven. This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on December 5, 2013. Please us Rafflecopter to enter. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
Life can be tough for a loner like Emily. She’s had enough of being the perfect target for bullies. She persuades her brother and sister to run away with her to Galumphagos Island, a paradise on earth. But they find out that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the street, or even the other side of the ocean. They need all their courage and cleverness — and a little luck, too — to get out of the mess they landed in. Seth Eisner blends fantastic creatures, exotic travel, non-stop action, and humor in his story about three young children who learn that real courage isn’t just about adventures. It’s usually about ordinary things, like asking that other lonely girl if you can share her lunch table. Journey to Galumphagos is sure to entertain both adults and children. “In this entertaining, fantastical adventure for middle-grade readers, three siblings discover that running away from problems might create more of them. A well-paced, delightful children’s book with a moral that’s clear without being heavy-handed.”- Kirkus Review
My Thoughts:
Emily is a loner in school. She eats lunch by herself because she doesn’t have friends and some of the kids even bully her. She is finally fed up! She brings home a brochure about Galumphagos Island. It’s a place for children to get away from their problems and have fun. They don’t even need to bring any stuffed animals because the Island is full of loveable, cuddly, teddy-bear like creatures, called galumphers.
Emily shares the brochure with her brother and sister and talk them into going to Galumphagos Island with her. They paddle in a boat the 12 miles there but soon discover that not everything that was promised in the brochure came to pass. Not only were they home sick but there food that they brought with them was running out. They only food available on the Island was what the galumphers ate, green mush. It was bad!
Journey to Galumphagos is a delightful and entertaining read that is fun for both adults and children. Seth Eisner paints a vivid picture of the Island life and it’s inhabitants. The black and white drawn illustrations by Ellen C. Maze are excellent and helps bring the Galumphers to life. This book is well written and just plain fun! It is also a good lesson for children on acceptance. I hope Seth keeps on writing, I would love to red more! Highly recommended!
5/5
I received this ebook for my honest review.
About Seth Eisner:
Seth Eisner was an unemployed English professor who wrote a 400-page dissertation on Jane Austen before he gave up trying to be poor and went to law school. He spent most of his career as inside counsel at Kraft Foods. He retired as Vice President and Associate General Counsel.
Seth has been married to Rosalind for 44 years during which she has shown almost infinite patience. They have three adult children, three children-in-law, and six grandchildren, none yet old enough to read Journey to Galumphagos, but they will be by the time the sequel comes out next year.
Seth Eisner on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/seth.eisner.98?fref=ts
Thanks to the author, Seth Eisner, I am giving away one copy of Journey to Galumphagos. This giveaway is open internationally. A U.S. winner has the choice of print or ebook. An international winner will receive the ebook. This giveaway ends on November 28, 2013. Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
Today it is my pleasure to kick off the tour for The Three Sister by Bryon Tayler. Book Description:
Publisher: Dragon Tree Books (July 23, 2013) Category/Genre: Humor, Literary Fiction, Inspirational, Satire, Philosophy ISBN13: 9780988402478 Tour Date: Mid-October/November, 2013 Available in: Print & ebook, 401
Nuns just want to have fun! But when three former Catholic nuns, Coito Gott, TheodoraSuoraandRegina Granthave too much fun and get in trouble with the law, they become nuns on the run.
Driving back to Washington D.C. where they work at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Parts, the three sisters are arrested in Tennessee. After defeating the local deputy in strip poker, they escape from jail, and are pursued by the zealous Detective Schmuck Hole, who has personally offered a $10,000 reward for their capture on the 700 Club. Little do they know that when the three sisters visit the Washington Monument, their lives will change forever.
Set in 1979, The Three Sisters is a humorous, adult satire that skewers not only organized religion, but the government, the media, intellectuals, corporate greed and every other part of the establishment. Maybe not the greatest story ever told, but possibly the funniest.
“Blessed are they who read The Three Sisters, for they shall inherit eternal laughter.” — Matthew 5:66
My Thoughts:
Coitowas a Cathlic girl and had to attend an all girls Cathlic School. The nuns were always so serious, with no sense of humor. Coito wanted to be good but also wanted to liven things up a little. However, the nuns didn’t approve. After graduating she attended college and also found the need to livened things up however, she livened things up a bit too much and got expelled in her Junior year.
Because she had no money, she ended up living with her parents again. Her and her dad had different views of how things should be. She finally came up with a solution. Why not become a nun herself and change things from the inside of the convent? Of course, you know what kind of crazy idea that was. LOL! All there was in the convent was work and praying, oh and of course, confessing. Her confession time with the young priest sent their to hear confession, turned into more than just confession. Soon things liven up so much that she is on the run with two other nuns.
I found The Three sisters to be side splitting funny and well written. I felt like I was with Coito and her two nun friends throughout the book. Coito’s escapades in catholic school, college, and then in the convent were funny and to me, understandable. They call it cloistered for a reason! Being a liberal feminist, that just wouldn’t work for me. I doesn’t even work for the men that well, case in point , all the priests caught with alter boys. I highly recommend this book to those who do not get offended easily. After all, this is truely a book for adults with a wicked sense of humor!
4.5/5
I received this ebook for my honest review.
Interview With Bryon Taylor:
Welcome to So Many Precious Books, So Little Time Bryan!
TR: Why did you write a book about nuns? From some of the emails you have sent me, you seem to be obsessed with them, why?
BT: Writing a book about nuns was accidental. I am not a Catholic. My background is more Southern Baptist than anything else. Prior to writing the Three Sisters, I had very little knowledge about Catholicism, which may be why it worked so well. A friend of mine gave me a couple old pictures of nuns when I was in college, and I turned one into a Wanted Poster that I put outside my dorm room, and the second into a story about three nuns kidnapping an elderly couple. Then my friends asked me what was going to happen next. I started putting up a new episode each week until I completed the plot of the book. In graduate school I turned the serial into a book, and thirty years later, I published it. Me? Obsessive? About nuns? Obviously, nuns are fun. Most of my friends just think I’m nuts, which is probably true, but I keep having funny things about nuns going wild pop into my head, and even my die-hard Catholic friends find my thoughts funny. I’m sure if I didn’t keep them entertained, they would have me committed, but that is the thin line with insanity that writers walk.
TR: You seem to know a lot about nuns in pop culture, such as books, movies, TV, etc. Have you considered or would you consider writing a non-fiction pop culture book on the subject?
BT: I could probably write some articles, but not a book. My preference is for humor and satire, especially when it comes to nuns. A non-fiction book would take too much time, and if I were to write a non-fiction book, it would probably be on finance. Given the limited amount of time I already have for writing, I would rather focus on fiction. That doesn’t preclude me writing a humorous novel on something other than nuns, or having my nuns enter into genres where you wouldn’t expect them, maybe in a science fiction novel or one of the three sisters becoming the first Popess, but probably not non-fiction.
TR: What book are you currently reading?
BT: I know this will ruin the image my readers have, but The Global Securities Market by Ranald C. Michie, and I just completed Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamed about the role of Central Bankers in the Great Depression, which was fascinating. Yes, dry, dull stuff, but I’ve always loved economic history and anything about Wall Street. As a subject, I have probably read more economic history than anything else. Maybe one of these days, I’ll have my three nuns take over Wall Street. I do read other fiction writers, most recently David Sedaris, but to be honest, only to figure out why these authors are so popular, which I haven’t done. Obviously, if I had figured that out, I would be on The Daily Show and have a mainstream publisher. I’ll keep trying.
TR: If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
BT: Jesus. He’s both the greatest mystery of all time and the most influential person of all time. We know how his disciples portrayed him, but how much of that was fiction and how much reality? Was he so god-awful serious most of the time, or did he have a sense of humor? Did he play practical jokes on the Pharisees? Did he do magic tricks to keep his audience entertained? And what was the truth about him and Mary? With that interview I could publish a billion-selling book, if I wasn’t burned at the stake first. Maybe I should write it anyway.
TR: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
BT: That I am an economist who spends most of his time working with financial data. I’ve always found the stock market fascinating, as well as how the monetary side of the economy influences the real side of the economy. I have two blogs that I write on a regular basis, one about the stock market and financial data, and the other about nuns. I guess you could call me Mr. [Milton] Friedman and Dr. Voltaire. Bizarrely, my blog on the stock market is much more successful than my nun blog, which may explain why the world is such a mess. While maybe a dozen or so people read my hilarious blogs on nuns, my stock market blog gets republished on other people’s blogs and is read by thousands. Alas, my nuns are horribly discriminated against.
TR: Out of the interviews you have done, is there a question that you wish someone had asked you? Here’s your chance.
BT: Actually, no one has ever asked me if I would want to be a nun. First off, I’d have to have a sex change, and the whole idea of surgical instruments touching certain private parts of my body is enough to say no to that. Then, I’d have to follow the rules and do what I’m told, and no, that wouldn’t work. There are elements of me in all three of my nuns, and the one I’m most like is Coito, the rebel, and as you can see in the novel, she is not compatible with Church teachings. No, I’m happy being a non-nun who can write about nuns who aren’t nuns.
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by for a chat, Bryan. It was a pleasure to have you.
About Bryan Taylor:
Bryan Taylor is a double PK, a preacher’s kid of a preacher’s kid. With that legacy he faced two destinies, being an unhappy triple PK (Jubilees 17:23, “He that is born unto the son of a preacher and himself preaches shall be miserable until his dying day and suffer eternal damnation.”), or being sacrilegious and happy.
He decided to forsake the Southern Baptists for Catholicism, but when he applied to join a convent, he was rejected (sex discrimination!), so he decided to do the next best thing: write a novel about the three nuns he would most like to meet.
Bryan Taylor was born in Louisiana, grew up in Michigan and Texas, went to school in Tennessee, South Carolina and California, taught in Switzerland for a year, and has traveled to 50 countries, more than any Pope except Saint John Paul II. He now lives in California, which is one of the few places with people crazier than him.
Thanks to the author, Bryan Taylor, I am giving away one copy of The Three Sisters. You must be at least 18 years of age to enter. This giveaway is open internationally. U.S. or Canadian winner can choose either print or ebook. ebook is available for international winner. This giveaway ends on December 1, 2013. Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
