Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Jun 15

5

Book Tour & Giveaway: Dark Wine Waters by Fran Simone

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on June 5, 2015
Posted in Book Tours • My Past Giveaways • Non-Fiction  | Tagged With: , , , , | 4 Comments

Today it is my immense pleasure to kick off the Dark Wine by Fran Simone Tour!

Fran SimonePublisher: Central Recovery Press (July 15, 2014)
Category: Non-fiction, Memoir, Substance Abuse, Codependency
ISBN: 978-1-937612-64-1
Tour Date: June/July, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 224 Pages

The dynamics of codependency are illuminated in this heartbreaking story of a marriage comprised by a husband’s addiction to alcohol.

Through the eyes of love clouded by denial, Fran saw the danger signs but ignored them. Her husband, Terry, was accomplished, romantic, and good-natured. A newly divorced single parent, Fran was ready for love. She recounts the joys and sorrows of their relationship, including Terry’s attempts to control his drinking, her attempts to control him, his death, and her subsequent recovery.

Praise for Dark Wine Waters’ by Fran Simone:

“Dark Wine Waters goes way beyond the plethora of recovery books. It is a beautifully written memoir, with its charming water motif throughout, and it so clearly offers everyone a way to continue, to be happy, despite whatever happens. In this,  the author has handed all of us a true gift.”-Cat Pleska, president of Mountain State Press and author,  Riding on Comets (forthcoming, April, 2015) 

“Brutally frank and fearless in its honesty, Fran Simone’s book is a gift for those who love or have loved alcoholics or addicts. She tells the story of how she jumped into a relationship with a man she never imagined would have the disease of alcoholism. She simply had no reference for such an illness and missed all the clues. Once in love and married, she struggled to keep their life together, admitting she made every mistake possible.
This book boldly explains how alcoholism seduces and corrupts the most innocent of people, both the drinker and the ones who love them. Nicely written and well crafted, Simone’s memoir will appeal to those who enjoy a human interest and love story. But more importantly, it is for those caught in the darkness of loving someone with this disease and how they can find joy and hope and a better way to live through recovery.”- L. Farwell, Amazon Reviewer

“Fran Simone has written an intimate, deeply honest, and absorbing memoir that clearly shows the four stages of alcoholism through the years of her marriage to Terry. When she begins writing their story and the narrative starts to take shape, she finds “the courage to admit my faults, face my fears, and forgive my husband and myself.” Her honesty is compelling.
I particularly like the way the author organizes her story, dividing the book into four parts, each opening with an epigraph of the disease stage. Part 1, for example, opens with “The addict has a ‘wow’ experience and begins to form a relationship with the drug. Family members may observe subtle changes in personality, and a formidable barrier to communication appears: denial.” I leave the rest for you to read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a very well told narrative that intimately shares the lives of two very human people ensnared in the full throes of the disease of alcoholism.”-Mary Jo Doig, Story Circle Book Reviews

“I was absorbed in this book from the very first page. The author takes us on her journey through life with an alcoholic from the moment she falls in love with him through the inevitable sad conclusion, yet gives those of us in this struggle hope for recovery.
This book is written with the honesty that can only come from the experience of living those highs and lows. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, whether you are just looking for an engagingly candid memoir or you are looking for clues to learn to cope when and if you’ve found yourself in a similar situation.”- Peggy E. Gunter, Amazom Reviewer

About Fran Simone:Fran Simone

Fran Simone, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus from Marshall University in West Virginia. She is the former director of  the WV Writing Project, a statewide affiliate of the National Writing Project, University of California at Berkeley. Her doctorate is from Duke University.

Her essays have appeared in The Voice and The Quarterly of  the National Writing Project,  the Charleston Gazette, Story Circle Network journal and anthology. Her blog posts have appeared online in Hazelden/Betty Ford.  She is a regular contributor to The Addiction Blog and to the Psychology Today blog. She is a member of Story Circle Network, the National Association of Memoir Writers and  West Virginia Writers, Inc. She conducts workshops on writing and speaks on addiction and recovery.

Honors: Featured author of the month, National Memoir Association, January, 2015.

Website: www.darkwinewaters.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darkwinewaters

Listen to the Interview with Fran Simone:

Buy ‘Dark Wine Waters’ by Fran Simone:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Indie Bound
Central Recovery Press

Enter the Book Giveaway to Win Dark Wine Waters by Fran Simone:

This giveaway is for one print or ebook copy.  Print is open to the U.S. only.  This giveaway ends on July 31, 2015.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the ‘Dark Wine Waters’ by Fran Simone Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews  June 5 Spotlight & Giveaway

Let’s Get BOOKED! June 8 Excerpt & Giveaway

Inspire to Read  June 10 Excerpt

A place in the spotlight June 11  Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Pomegranate Radio June 19 Podcast Review

Indie Review Behind the Scenes June 19 Live Interview 6 PM cst

What U Talking Bout Willis? June 22 Review & Giveaway

Teddy Rose Book Reviews June 25 Review

Rockin’ Book Reviews July 15 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Deal Sharing Aunt July  22 Review

I’d Rather Be At The Beach July 28 Review & Giveaway

Create With Joy July 31 Review

Fran Simone

Feb 13

25

Review: Before You Say I Do by Benjamin Berkley

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on February 25, 2013
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2013 • Non-Fiction  | 3 Comments

Book Description:

Publisher: Frederick Fell Trade (September 15, 2009
Category: Non-Fiction, Self-Help (Legal)
Available in: Print, 240 pages

Learning from the mistakes of a failed first marriage and telling yourself you will do better the next time around is like saying if you lose a football game you’ll win the next one.  You will but only if you learn some new plays before you go back on the field.  Presented   by an attorney who has seen all the warning signs, “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!” will teach those new plays to avoid coming up on the losing side again.

Note, book shelves are filled with warm and fuzzy titles authored by psychologists and family counselors.  Their message is to teach how to listen to each other and improve the relationship.  “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!”is not a how to book to get back together or to stay together.  Instead it takes the gloves off and provides insight as to the issues one must consider before walking down the aisle a second time.  Tackling a serious subject, but presented in a sometimes whimsical fashion, “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!” puts the brakes on the wedding ceremony and provides the reader with the questions that must be answered before she drives down the path of destruction.

In addition,   it provides information regarding the legal consequences of a failed second marriage. “BEFORE YOU SAY I DO, AGAIN!” is a “tell it is like it is guide”   to avoid an impending disaster.

My Thoughts:

Boy do I wish this book would have been around when I was younger.  I was only 19 when I got married and it was for all the wrong reasons.  I was very shy at the time and lacked self confidence.  That was a recipe for disaster for me.  The guy I married ended up being very abusive.

My parents and siblings knew something was wrong and when one of my older brother’s came to town for a visit, he got it out of me.  With my family’s support, I got out of it. I had to quit my job because he kept showing up there but that ended up being a good thing.  I decided to go back to university and little by little my confidence grew.  I was finally living totally in my own apartment, something I never thought I could.  Eventually I even moved to a Canada from the U,S. for a great job.

The thing is, I believe that if I hadn’t gone through that horrible experience, I wouldn’t be who I am today.  I’ve been here in Canada for over 20 years now.  16 years ago I married a Canadian.  I was never going to marry again.  I found my independence and no one was going to take that away from me.  However, I did agree to lived with Bill and a year later agreed to marry him.  We did some relationship workshops together, which really help.  Today, he is still the love of my life.

What I didn’t know then is that I was following some of the advice of Before You Say I do Again by Benjamin Berkley.  Believe me, it is sound, no nonsense advice that anyone can follow.  Though the book is directed at women, men can certainly benefit from it too. I also recommend it for people thinking about getting married for the first time.  In fact, I think it should be required reading!

I highly recommend Before You Say I Do Again by Benjami Berkley!  In fact,  today is the last day of my giveaway to win a copy for yourself.  Go enter the giveaway, here.

About Benjamin Berkley:

Benjamin Berkley is the author of four self-help books:  ”My Wishes, Your Plan for Organizing Your Family’s Needs” (Sourcebooks, June, 2006)   “The Complete Executor’s Guide” (Sourcebooks, June 2007)   “Winning Your Social Security Disability Case” (Sourcebooks, February, 2008) and “Before You Say I Do Again, A Buyer’s Beware Guide to Remarriage.” (Frederick Fell Publishers, September, 2009). “Against My Will” (Fell Publishers, September, 2012) is Benjamin Berkley’s fifth book and debut novel.

And though writing is his passion, for over 34 years he has conducted a busy law practice in which he has seen many interesting clients come through his door.  One in particular, an older woman with white hair, the kindest smile, and an amazing story became the inspiration for one of his characters for “Against My Will.”   Berkley lives in southern California with his wife Phyllis and their cat Riley.   He has two grown children and is always bragging about his most beautiful grandson and granddaughter.

Buy Before You Say I Do, Again at:

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Mar 11

30

Messages From an Unknown Chinese Mother by Xinran

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on March 30, 2011
Posted in Books Read in 2011 • Human Rights • Non-Fiction • Women's Issues  | 10 Comments

Xinran was born and raised in China and worked there as a reporter for a radio station.  The book begins, “A Book Written for Adoptive Daughters.”  Xinran begins,

“It took a long time for me to summon the courage to relive the personal memories and experiences of my life as a reporter in China.” Page 1

China has a strict one child per family rule, due to over-population.  If you are caught with having more that 1 child, there are deep penalties, including losing your job.  Xinran  goes on to recount numerous stories of mothers forced to give up their daughters  because their parents in-law insist that they have a boy. 

For a very long time, China would not allow adoptions of children from outside the country.  Many of the stories Xinran heard and some that she even witnessed, firsthand were gruesome.  Parts of this book was shocking to read.

“Suddenly, I thought I heard a slight movement in the slops pail behind me, and automatically glanced toward it. I felt ice in my blood. To my absolute horror, I saw a tiny foot poking out of the pail. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Then the tiny foot twitched! It wasn’t possible. The midwife must have dropped that tiny baby alive into the slop pail!” Page 92

There were other stories of female babies being abandoned and left to die.  There were some orphanages but they were all very poor.

“The children were just left to cry all day. She mostly fed them on rice gruel, and kept them clean by sluicing the urine and excrement off the mat with cold water. By night she slept squeezed onto the mat with the babies, at the mercy of the mosquitoes just as they were.”  Page 244

Things improved, some when adoption was opened up to families from other countries.  Though mothers don’t know where their daughters live, they did give messages to Xinran to pass on to adopted daughters, her main motivation for writing this book.

I found these true stories to be raw, heart rendering, and shocking.  Xinran writes beautifully but opens the child issue in China up for the entire world to see.  If you don’t know what is happening in China, even to this day, read this book.  If you know what is happening read this book and learn more.

4/5

Did you review this book?  Please leave the link in the comments and I will post it here.

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

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