Henry Baum | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Angels Play Pianos by Pat Estelle

★★★½

Angels Play Pianos by Pat Estelle tells the story of Jimmy, a child prodigy who is able to play Beethoven flawlessly at the age of five. Tragically, the book begins with his death, but the novel tells the tale of hope among the hardship of a troubled family.

The prose in Angels Play Pianos has a quiet grace – especially when describing the abusive father and husband, Edward. He’s truly infuriating and frustrating, but Estelle’s reserve in describing him manages to make him seem more menacing. There’s no anger or vitriol thrown his way; it’s a subtle take-down of […]

Donald Trump: Zombie Hunter by Jon Davidson

Donald Trump: Zombie Hunter is the raucous and topical satire of the man of the moment, Donald Trump, as he wins the presidency, fixes everything overnight, and then is attacked by a hoard of zombies, all of which come in the form of his current opponents: Chris Christie and Rand Paul, among others. The story is filled with amusing references to moments from the campaign trail – such as Trump taking on John McCain’s heroism. If you’re a fan of the horror crossover genre, it’s a unique take that’s at once funny and revolting.

Though the short story may be […]

Henry Baum2019-01-21T09:38:10+02:00September 16th, 2015|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews, Zombie Fiction Book Reviews|

An Interview with Author Brendan Le Grange: Author of Drachen

Brendan le Grange Tell us something about your book. The basics: what’s it about?
Drachen is an adventure thriller that starts with Brett Rivera on the run, and stays with her as she races to find a legendary lost treasure of Hanseatic League. Along the way she has to test herself and her allegiances as the clues take her through Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and Germany.

But Hiko, a mother-obsessed psychopath, is determined to find the treasure first, and he is prepared to play dirty.

It’s an entertaining and fast-paced read.

How did you come to self-publish? Did you try to get published traditionally?[…]

Henry Baum2015-09-10T06:49:25+02:00September 10th, 2015|Categories: Interviews|

The Country of Innocence by Eric Fisher Stone

The Country of Innocence by Eric Fisher Stone The Country of Innocence by Eric Fisher Stone is the surreal, literary novel about a strange place named Mexas, where the Southwest has become one giant state, and animals and humans can converse with each other. After moving to Mazatlán on the Pacific coast, the Montoya are taunted by demonic iguanas, and Mateo Montoya must travel the long distance to Mazatlán to reach his family, an epic journey that becomes increasingly strange and perilous.

What makes The Country of Innocence unique, and effective, is that even with its absurd and surreal premise, the prose itself is straightforward, and the characters […]

Henry Baum2015-09-07T06:34:39+02:00September 7th, 2015|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Burn Zones: Playing Life’s Bad Hands by Jorge P. Newbery

Burn Zones: Playing Life’s Bad Hands is Jorge P. Newbery’s autobiography about going from rags to riches to rags again, and still staying strong along the way. Becoming a real estate mogul at a young age owning over 4000 apartment buildings and a net worth of tens of millions, it all came crashing down with a botched investment in Ohio. Newbury was arrested and ended up $26 million in debt. That’s not a typo.

In racing parlance, a Burn Zone is the toughest part of a bike race, which tends to separate the wheat from the chaff. If anything, the […]

Henry Baum2015-10-09T07:50:10+02:00September 4th, 2015|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Pipeline to Plenty by Paul Clifton

Pipeline to Plenty by Paul Clifton is an exciting corporate thriller about building a pipeline in central Australia, which turns out to be a lot more complicated and dangerous than anticipated. James Clayton – newly marriage with a new child and new house in a wealthy section of Melbourne – is tasked with the monumental duty of building the pipeline, on the urging of the giant construction firm Robco. Things are not as easy as they seem as Clayton and his brother have to battle the rough Australian terrain, ambitious politicians, thieves, terrorists, and more, who all threaten to sabotage […]

Henry Baum2015-09-04T07:23:25+02:00September 4th, 2015|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Men's Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: How To Go From Couch Potato To English Teacher To Chinese Speaking Lawyer by Hastings Cavendish

★★★½

How To Go From Couch Potato To English Teacher To Chinese Speaking Lawyer is Hastings Cavendish’s tale of teaching English to Chinese people in the UK, and trying to learn to speak the demanding language of Mandarin. It’s at once an ode to the beauty of the Chinese language, food, and an exploration of the hardships and rewards of being an international English teacher.

Cavendish is a fun travel guide. He clearly loves language – learning it and teaching it. As he says, even boring small talk becomes interesting when you’re speaking another language. Cavendish immerses himself in all […]

Henry Baum2020-02-21T07:51:39+02:00August 28th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Social Science Book Reviews|

Kobo Now Offering Author Services

Kobo is expanding into author services, separating itself from Amazon KDP. From the Kobo blog:

Many of you have noticed a new “Author Services” tab popped up in your dashboard. This is a project we’ve been working towards for several years: offering a list of recommended professional services – cover design, editorial help, print on demand, and more – that we trust and believe offer good value for independent authors. When possible, we’ll negotiate a great discount so you’ll get more for your money.

Kobo Author Services