Opinions Wanted

If you've been accused of being opinionated, writers want to hear from you. Tell us what you like, and/or what you don't like about our blogs or website content. If you find an error in our work, please let us know so that we can correct it.

But it's better to say nothing than to pan books in print. One reason--why waste your time reading a bad book? Cecil Murphey (of 90 Minutes in Heaven and many more) said once the book is bound, no matter who messed up--the writer, editor, or printer, it's too late to change it. 

If you enjoy a book, send the author a note. Better still, tell the world about it. Writing is a tough business, and writers truly appreciate your help. I found Dianne G. Sagan's "how to" advice on her blog, and have copied it with her permission. 

Dianne, known for her well-researched historical Christian fiction, writes on numerous subjects, and presents workshops on writing and other topics.

--bws  

How to Write a Book Review

Posted on April 13, 2013 by diannegsagan

Do you ever wonder what the best way is to support your favorite authors? Of course, purchasing books, reading their books, and telling your friends about them is the best way of getting the word out.

Another way of showing your support is reviewing the books you read. When you purchase a book from Amazon or Barnes & Nobel online there is a place for you to write a short review. Goodreads.com also provides a place for reviews. Most readers don’t leave one because it intimidates them. People think that there are certain requirements you must have to be a book reviewer. Not true any more.                        

I’d like to give you some tips on how to write a simple, short review that is easy and only take a few minutes of your time. You can read the book in print form and put a review online whether you bought it online or not. Fear keeps us from doing a lot of things. Don’t be scared of writing a review.

Some suggestions:

• The theme represents …
• I enjoyed the story because …
• The relationships between characters demonstrated …
• It is well written …
• My favorite character …
• The story is well researched …
• Read some of the reviews posted for examples and write one in your own words.
• A review does not have to be only positive statements, but can include points that you feel are negative. Just be sure that you stick to the subject and the writing, do not get personal about the author.
• If the writing is not professional, then it is alright to say that.
• If the research in a historical novel is obviously well done, then mention it.
• It can be a great story that isn’t told very well.
• Tell whether you like the book or not.
• Would you recommend it to others?

I hope this helps take some of the anxiety out of writing a review. I am sure your favorite authors will appreciate your support.

          

The Fisherman's Wife - A Review

Lent is an appropriate time to slow down and reflect on the story of Jesus. This year I decided to turn from text-like studies and relax with a Christian novel. For me, the obvious choice was Dianne G. Sagan’s The Fisherman’s Wife.

The chapters are short, ideal for tucking one or two between morning devotionals and the start of my workday.

That was my plan, but before I knew it, I’d turned about fifty pages, and later, with a few chores complete, I reheated my coffee and read the book through its Afterword.

The storyline mixes the well-known Biblical account of Jesus, his ministry, crucifixion and resurrection with a fictional version. Perhaps vision is a better word than version. Ms Sagan’s vision of Biblical times delves into the day-to-day lives of people who knew Jesus of Nazareth.

We meet Johanna, who with her mother, listen to a conversation between her father and a friend. The two men who haggle over Johanna’s dowry don’t consider love as a factor. Custom does not permit interference from Johanna when her father holds firm to the bride price the other man says is too high. Within a short time, Johanna’s emotions jump from despair at the thought of not sharing her life with the man she loves to ecstasy. Johanna and Simon will marry in a year.

Celebration defines the mood of the next several chapters except for a reminder of the times. The Jewish people are controlled by King Herod, a puppet to Rome. The ever-present Roman soldiers, even when unseen, cast a pall on the inhabitants of Capernaum.

Despite Roman occupation, these God-centered people continue their religious culture, as well as customs passed down through generations. Curiosity about those customs may be what initially keeps the reader turning pages.

It is obvious that Ms. Sagan has thoroughly researched her material. We join the wedding preparations and celebration. Later, we walk with Johanna, her sister and mother to the market who, like shoppers today make purchases, and also admire goods displayed for wealthy patrons. As we see women carry on with their daily responsibilities, we identify with these hard-working, faithful women. Although they lived in another era, human emotions remain the same.

Deeper into the story, we understand their fear of the Roman soldiers who will crucify a dozen innocent men in retribution for one act done against them. They will kill an entire family for the suspected misdeed of one member or one member’s friend.

Johanna had witnessed their cruelty first hand. But seeing their gruesome acts was only one of Johanna’s nightmares.

As years pass, Johanna a once-joyful bride grows sullen. Will she ever know peace again? Shamed by birthing still-born children, how will she pull her marriage back together? How will Simon provide for his family if he continues to experience a poor fishing season? What will happen to Simon if the Roman’s arrest him for associating with Jesus, a man they call a zealot? How will she survive?

The Fisherman’s Wife is an excellent commentary on the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, as well as a story of imperfect people whose faith wanes and swells, and eventually sustains them.

Dianne is presently working on a third in her series about women in biblical times. Learn more about Dianne and her writing at dianne.sagan@wordpress.com and flashfiction5.com.

(c) 2013, Bernice W. Simpson

A Case of Bad Timing

   

Dianne G. Sagan of Amarillo is a writer and speaker, and was the intended subject of my blog tonight. Then, I planned to follow it in a week or two with a review of at least one of her books. 

  

So much for plans. To write good articles about other people takes research. That means interviews with them, as well as their friends and acquaintances.

It's through research a writer learns about anecdotes that pop up in conversation, but rarely in formal interviews. For example, a friend, using her GPS to find an address, followed its directions, and indeed arrived at the address she had entered, but … well, you've already guessed, haven’t you? The GPS led her to the wrong town.

I hope Diane Sagan was exactly where she wanted to be last week. I’m glad to know (via Face Book) she arrived home safely. To call her this week would have been the epitome of bad timing, if not plain rude. Undoubtedly, she had a stack of mail to go through, and list of emails several pages long.

I’ll keep the book review on my do list for next Thursday. In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about Dianne, simply do a search on Dianne G. Sagan, and watch her name come up. You may not collect any tidbits—those morsels caught in conversation, but you can learn about Dianne as a writer.

I find a book review more interesting when I know a bit about the author, don’t you?

© 2013, Bernice W. Simpson