Showing posts with label Create Space Independent Publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Create Space Independent Publishing. Show all posts

Tuesday, 12 August 2014

LADY ELEANOR MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT REVIEW: Paranormal Intruder - Caroline Mitchell

Release Date: 1/12/13
Publisher:  Create Space Independent Publishing

SYNOPSIS:

An innocent family finds itself completely helpless against the sudden onset of paranormal activity in their quiet rural home. A knife embedded in a kitchen cupboard, crockery smashed by invisible hands, and blood-chilling growls emit from thin air. Caroline and her husband Neil search for answers as they try to protect their family from the unseen entity that seems determined to rip them apart.
The biggest question looms over them like a dark cloud ... who is going to help us? There are emergency services for many things, but not of this nature. It might be easier to believe temporary insanity, if not for the vast amount of witnesses. Police, fire services, mediums, priests and investigators all become embroiled in the mystery. The family struggles to cope, and Caroline grows concerned for her husband’s failing health as he withdraws from the world. However, the entity has only just begun.
Paranormal Intruder is the true story of one family’s brave fight against an invisible entity. Described as one of the best-documented cases of paranormal activity, this page turning book will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.


REVIEW:

Whilst reading my Facebook wall one day I came across a share about this book, which after reading the blurb and as a fan of horror movies as well as ghost stories I thought I’d give it a go as I’m more than interested in getting to read someone’s real life account of a haunting.

Yes, generally a lot of them are all based in historic places such as tales of the past Kings and Queens or a haunted old inn yet this one stood out as it was set in a fairly new property, not something that you’d think would be haunted.

So upon opening the pages the reporting of the events started straight away and to be honest never slowed down.unlike so many others. What this title has done completely differently was to sit down and explain everything in a clear concise manner that also allowed you to get to know the victims of this haunting. There was no bravado or heroic stances from the family concerned and after doing what they could, they took the only step left to them which was to leave their home but even that didn’t end the paranormal events.

All in, this is a book that has a lot of twists and turns within, taking the reader from tears, from when the family had to rehome their dogs or your hair standing on end as the events are described in detail, yet throughout it all, it was clear that the familial bonds were strong as they stood together against the unseen foe.

I have read other reviews and am shocked at certain people's attitude to part of the story ( I will not go into it ) and I want to say to them until you have been literally been to hell and back don't be abusive about people’s reactions to a situation like this. The books author also has a blog which is very interesting and in my opinion is something definitely worth looking at. I would definitely give this book 10 out of 10 and I'm glad the author could come forward with this story it may well help others.

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

LADY ELEANOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY REVIEW: Life Sentence: A True Story about Life, Lunacy and Fame - Robert LaSardo

Release Date: 01/03/14
Publisher:  Create Space Independent Publishing

SYNOPSIS:

After a long, and deeply philosophical, conversation with Robert LaSardo, I eagerly awaited this book that you are about to read. I was not disappointed. Left deep in thought, I sat in a long contemplative silence. While I always enjoyed Mr. LaSardo as an actor, I discovered I like him even better as who he is, behind the face he shows the public. Often, if you are in the public eye, you develop a persona (ego) and become someone that society, fans and publicists want you to be. You can sometimes lose aspects of yourself. The truly courageous ones overcome this through strength of character and merge the two halves of themselves to be whole. In the end, people will either love you for who you are, imperfections and all, or they will pull back, fading away because you spoiled the 'image' they had of you. It is sad that the creative person loses a part of themselves so that they can be known and make a good living. Yet, it is the love of art, writing and acting - the real, inner person we are is what made us do it in the first place - that can often become extinguished by the machine of ratings, demands of talent agents, advisers or by the shine of fame and glamour. Throughout his career, Robert LaSardo has found his niche in Hollywood, playing the devious criminal. Often evil personified in his roles, he has played the villain we love, on the award-winning series Nip/Tuck and on both CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami. We also see his more recent performances in Ghost Whisperer and his own independent film Never Down, he continues to win the hearts of his audience. In Life Sentence: a true story about love, lunacy and fame, you will encounter the man behind the villain he plays, and come to understand the depth of his heart, his will and desire to accomplish despite the hardships that will make you cry. This book will make you feel the triumph of his success, as you are drawn into his life. ~ From the introduction.


REVIEW:

I’ve been a fan of Robert LaSardo since I originally saw him in Nip/Tuck, so when he released his poetry books I was pretty stunned, not because he released them but purely for the fact that I’d stereotyped him based on not only his looks (with his tattoo’s) but on the character he’d portrayed. Those books were emotionally raw, real and quite frankly awesome so much so that I felt that I had to write reviews on them.

It was a sheer pleasure and when Robert wrote in December to wish us Merry Christmas I was not only surprised but it went to show that he was a down to earth in touch with the real world human being, so when I heard about his autobiography coming out, it was something I wanted immediately and couldn’t wait to get my hands upon.

So when it arrived, it was devoured in quite a short time and whilst I could have written the review much earlier, it’s a review that has taken me time to sit back and digest as well as how to phrase as the emotional aspects detailed within the title are open, frankly brutal in places and has gone on to show how the real Hollywood works.

Starting out in Robert’s early life, the reader is given the cold hard facts about him having to deal with a split family with his mother suffering from mental illness, it was difficult to read and whilst many would have bypassed this to concentrate on their story from later on ie their arrival in Hollywood, his openness about it brought tears to my eyes. I felt special being allowed into his life, as his words portrayed a truth that many others wouldn’t have the courage to face let alone talk about.

Yet as the book carried on he continued to talk about his life from child into adult hood alongside his time in the Navy and how upon de mobbing his return to his love of acting from his humble beginnings through to Hollywood, but not the Tinseltown that many think of as glitz and glamour, the downright real world version where money is scarce and home is a motel as you struggle making rent each week. A pretentious town where people you looked up to and met years before have been chewed up and spat out wandering round crazed and almost forgotten.

The book is harrowing, the tales about auditions frightening and to have an account from an actor who most would think lived in a big house (including myself) with a huge bank balance (he doesn’t) really has a less stable life than most “average people” do. Yet throughout it all, despite being stomped and downtrodden so many times its his clear passion for acting that comes through with each of his characters such as Nip/Tuck’s Escobar whose portrayal pushed not only the audience to the max but the character himself.

If you want real peak beneath Hollywood’s skirt, that contains amazing writing and a truth that rings out then you really have to read Robert’s work (poetry included.) He really is an inspirational guy. Thank you Robert.



Wednesday, 1 January 2014

STEAMPUNK MAGAZINE REVIEW: Steampunk Trails: Issue 1 - Ed. Julie Campbell

Release Date:  18/09/13
Publisher:  Create Space Independent Publishing

SYNOPSIS:

Steampunk Trails brings the world of steam and gadgets right to your fingertips. In this inaugural edition enter a world of machines with ill intent, hearts of gold, and evil. You will find assassins, unlikely heroes and people just trying to survive in a domain overrun by the establishment. Encounter places where mosquitoes are actually useful and airships dominate the skies. Presenting a special feature from Carrie Vaughn and illustrated stories by O. M. Grey, Quincy Allen, Henrik Ramsager, Lyn McConchie, Vivian Caethe, Sam Knight, Rhye Manhattan, Mike Cervantes and more.


REVIEW:

A first time outing for a specialist magazine in the wonderful E World of Steampunk, and let me just say that whilst a little sceptical about the whole thing, found it to be a lot of fun wrapped up in one pretty solid volume. Within this cracking title are a whole host of stories for the Victoriana Steam fan, a couple of articles (one on Doggles and the other on Steampunk clothing) which when added to some fun art all round made this a solid first outing for hopefully many future issues.

Add to this a reasonable price for a lot of material and all round I was a pretty happy reader. On a personal level I did think one of the stories within was weaker than the rest however, for a first issue, it comes out packing one hell of a punch. Great stuff.