SPR | Self-Publishing Review

Karma’s Envoy by Kevan Houser

Karma’s Envoy by Kevan Houser is very clear in its mission to displace the reader along with Todd, the main character, in a narrative that is at once humorous and haunting.

The story begins with the rapid thoughts and memories of a man who has just committed something unspeakable, which triggers a memory of his mom and dad, and the family’s trips to Oregon. However, it turns out that none of it was true, as Todd asks, “Was it a scene from a movie, or something I made up?”

With this page-turning ending to the prologue, we are thrown with […]

SPR2018-06-23T06:24:35+02:00May 14th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Jake, Lucid Dreamer by David J. Naiman

Jake, Lucid Dreamer

Jake, Lucid Dreamer by David J. Naiman is a charming look at a middle-schooler’s struggle to navigate grief and acceptance. With a touch of the surreal, Naiman has woven a fantastical tale with a powerful message about learning to face your demons, traversing the tricky plains of middle school, and how important compassion is in the face of adversity.

Jake wakes on his birthday after one of his lucid dreams. We see his life, a typical, moody teenager – his family, a darling little sister, and a father with patience to spare. They serve as a grounding force for Jake, […]

SPR2019-01-22T11:02:56+02:00May 12th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Middle Grade Fiction Book Reviews|

An Interview with Dale W. Cox: Author of Get the Heck Out of Our Way!

Dale Cox grew up living in several places around the country while his father served in the United States Air Force. He earned a B.S. and M.S. in Food Science at Brigham Young University and lived for two years in Mexico while serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

He has worked over 23 years in the food industry, primarily in new product development and process improvement. Together with his wife, LeAnne, and others, he has run several businesses, including various real estate investment ventures, mobile home park ownership and operation, and land development.

He […]

SPR2018-05-11T12:28:17+02:00May 11th, 2018|Categories: Interviews|

An Interview with Carlo Armenise: Author of Footsteps in the Dark

I’ve been writing and creating for most of my life. I’ve done stand-up comedy, written screenplays and television episodes across various genres.

Tell us about your book.

Footsteps in the Dark is a collection of eight supernatural/horror short stories with a Twilight Zone flavor that highlight the eternal struggle between good and evil, brought on by the human condition and the lengths people go to satisfy their desires.

Why did you want to write a book?

I wanted to bring to life ideas that were best shown through the pages of a book.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

Considering […]

SPR2020-03-10T12:34:32+02:00May 10th, 2018|Categories: Interviews|

Berlin Butterfly: Ensnare by Leah Moyes

Berlin Butterfly: Ensnare by Leah Moyes In Berlin Butterfly: Ensnare, author Leah Moyes has presented a truly human story of heartache and familial devotion during the Cold War in East Berlin.

The story begins on August 12, 1961, the day the barbs were laid in preparation for the Berlin Wall. 15-year-old Ella must make the decision that many of that time had to make: leave your family and be free, or stay and suffer the tyranny of Khrushchev. The lives on the other side of the wall may have seemed so much greener, but the relationships that were built, the love that was longed for, […]

SPR2018-05-10T12:09:12+02:00May 10th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Lady of the Lake by Jennifer Wherrett

There are countless stories of King Arthur and the Age of Camelot, and with Lady of the Lake, author Jennifer Wherrett adds a wonderful new chapter to this long and rich tradition. Taking a much more feminine perspective on this particular element of our collective culture, this book does away with the notion that women in Arthurian legend were merely love interests. Instead, in this world, they are holy accomplices to the epic tales we have known since childhood.

The story of how Arthur came to be the King of the Britons has taken many forms, as has the […]

SPR2018-05-16T11:57:58+02:00May 9th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

An Interview with R. Lawson: Author of Recall

R. Lawson is a retired vascular surgeon and Professor of Surgery who served as a Captain in the United States Air Force. With over 120 academic works published, he moved into fiction genre writing thrillers with a focus on terrorism, cyber spying and more. However, RECALL is written in a different genre, a fictional historical narrative.

Tell us about your book.

RECALL, a fictional historical narrative, tells the story through the impressions of four young men who played on a championship high school football team in the Fifties and end up in different capacities in Vietnam a decade later. […]

SPR2018-05-08T09:55:27+02:00May 8th, 2018|Categories: Interviews|

The Prisoner of Zurenda: Warrior from Olympus by Kent A. LeFevre

The Prisoner of Zurenda: Warrior from Olympus is an epic work of mythic fantasy, weaving Greek mythology into an entertaining work of fiction. More fit for younger readers, it boasts characters with a moral compass – a quality that is famously devoid among the Greek Gods.

A trio of friends, Arjun, Lycos and Keira, adventure through ancient Greece, both real and fantastical, in an attempt quell the angry gods and ungrateful men. Assigned a mission by the Goddess Selene, its story fits snugly with those of ancient Greece – sea monsters attack, leaving men to float off on pieces of […]

SPR2019-01-22T06:00:42+02:00May 8th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|