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Today's guest! Jay S. Levy!

Please start by telling us a little about yourself, including things like education, jobs, spouse, children, pets, etc.

My name is Jay S. Levy.  My wife’s name is Louise and we have been happily married for 23 years.  Louise is a high school teacher who specializes in ecology and outdoor education. We were fortunate to have two beautiful healthy daughters. Talia is 18 years old and Sara is 14. They both love the arts, dancing, and have shown a great interest in philosophy and science. I am a writer, a social worker, and an amateur astronomer.

Vocationally, I’ve focused on homelessness, mental health and addiction issues. In particular I am interested in the effects of long-term homelessness on individuals and society, as well as ways of promoting healing and resolving homelessness. After graduating from Columbia University with my masters in Social Work during 1988, I have spent the past 25 years providing outreach and housing services to the most vulnerable among us through my work with Eliot CHS Homeless Services. Over the past 15 years I have published several journal articles, a monograph, and two books on the subject.

Tell us about your latest book and what inspired you to write it. 

Pretreatment Guide for Homeless Outreach & Housing First: Helping Couples, Youth, and Unaccompanied Adults provides intricate narratives that bring to life the challenges of the helping process between outreach counselors and people who have experienced long-term or chronic homelessness. I think this would interest social workers, clinicians, case managers, concerned citizens, or anyone with a family member or friend that needs help, but is reluctant to accept care. The pretreatment model that I offer is based on universal principles that can be applied to a wide range of people who are hesitant to accept formalized treatment. This includes elders, youth, couples, and single adults who are struggling with mental health and/or addiction issues, among other things. My focus is on Homeless Outreach and Housing First, but it can be applied to a variety of housing or living situations. When trying to help people, the importance of building a trusting relationship and good communication with an emphasis on achieving reachable goals cannot be overstated. In the end, a client centered relationship is at the foundation of our work and the various narratives throughout the book show the nuances of outreach counseling based on a pretreatment model.

Over the years, I’ve worked with many homeless individuals and have been amazed by their ability to overcome pain and suffering, while finding or creating a deeper meaning to guide their day-to-day pursuits. This inspired me to tell their stories, while sharing an approach for helping those who are most in need.

Do you belong to any critique groups and/or do you have other people read your work as you're writing it? Who's brutally honest and who's a cheerleader? Which do you prefer? 

My editor via Loving Healing Press has provided valuable guidance and feedback for both of my books and monograph. In addition, my wife Louise has been my main support and critic throughout the creative and laborious process of writing a book or article for publication.  Her critiques are well balanced and I trust her feedback to be authentic and well intentioned toward producing the best possible document. I’ve also been fortunate to have a couple of friends and colleagues offer to review my work prior to publication. In the end, I prefer a balanced critique that provides some ideas for improvement, rather than a simple affirmation that does nothing to make my work better.

Which authors have been the greatest inspiration to your writing?

During my late teens I read Naked Lunch, Junky and other works by William S. Burroughs and it helped me to find my voice and write prose about the streets, addiction, and mental illness. During my early 20’s I spent some time traveling cross country, while reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance by Robert M. Persig, as well as Neitzsche’s Gay Science. Those books had a profound effect on both my writing and life. Over the past few years I’ve enjoyed numerous books by Malcolm Gladwell and Jon Kraukauer.  I love the way their non-fiction stories invite me to reflect more deeply on the world of interpersonal psychology and why people do the things they do. Finally, Timothy Ferris is my all-time favorite science writer on the world of astronomy.  I love the way he starts every chapter with a quote to help prepare the reader to reflect more deeply on what will follow and I have incorporated this method into my own writing.

Do you outline before you write or just dive head-first into a manuscript? Do you maintain a schedule for writing, or is it more haphazard?

I always begin with an outline, but I am never afraid to stray from it. The characters within my stories often bring me to unexpected places and remind me of other real life events that I originally did not plan to incorporate. I love writing late at night… I have a romanticized notion of burning the midnight candle, while creating great work. In reality, I usually begin after my family goes to bed for the night… about 11pm and I normally turn on some background rock music from the 60’s to help spur my creativity.

What are the best and worst parts of writing a book?

The best is when you get into a creative zone. The words just flow, while time appears to stand still. That is when I become confident that my writing is meaningful, reflective, and that others will want to read what I have written. I really love how the process of writing can lead to new and deeper insights that can transform the author. It becomes its own avenue or method (epistemology) toward discovering what is really important, effective, and truthful.  Great writing provides a new and exciting perspective on life and invites others into that world. 

The worst part is the lengthy editing process, which leads to endless questions and revisions in the pursuit of fully communicating with others exactly what I want to say. One of my methods toward measuring how well I do this is to wear different hats when reading through a manuscript. I pretend that I am someone else with a very different perspective and take on the role of devil’s advocate. I then challenge myself to revise the manuscript in a way that is more accessible to those who may initially disagree with my ideas and values. I constantly challenge myself to find a common language to make my writing more accessible to a wider audience, while remaining true to my meaning and newly found perspective.

When you go to the zoo, which animals do you visit first?

I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to a zoo, but Louise and I do spend a great deal of time going for long walks in the woods and birding. I am very pragmatic when visiting a zoo.  I begin wherever the animals are at and I am open to whatever I encounter.

What are the top 5 titles in your Netflix queue? (Be honest.) Or if you don't have a Netflix queue, which books are on your bedside table? (Again, be honest.) 

Well… I just finished reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy and I am looking forward to revisiting Plato and Socrates by reading the Apology, Crito, and Phaedo dialogues. I love philosophy and I am anxious to learn more about linguistics and/or philosophy of language.  This is very important to me because communication is the basis of forming a trusting relationship and it is our main tool for successfully helping others.

Do you prefer to read ebooks or print?

I definitely prefer a good old fashion book.  There is something special and enjoyable about actually holding the book in your hands, while flipping through the pages.  This is not meant to discount the multiple advantages that ebooks have to offer such as saving space and providing the option to enlarge the type for a more comfortable reading experience. 

What do you enjoy doing, apart from writing?

I enjoy hiking, stargazing, reading books, and traveling to new places to meet interesting people, as well as reflecting on life with others at a local café.

Where is your favorite place in the world?

I want to be under a clear dark sky full of stars with my telescope- pure heaven!

Do you have any advice for people who want to write a book?

Choose a subject that you are passionate about and go to town with your writing and research. I think it is important to give yourself permission to let the words fly and to save the real critique and editing for much later in the process. This helps me to get past writer’s block and provides lots of material to mold into some quality output.

Today's guest! Kim Osborn Sullivan

        Monica Lewinsky was a 22-year-old intern working at the White House when she met President Bill Clinton. She fell for him, and the pair began an affair that lasted over a year and resulted in Clinton's impeachment. During the affair, Lewinsky claims that he "entertained" her in the Oval Office, in hallways within the White House, and inside his private study. She "entertained" him while he was on the telephone with a member of Congress.

            The whole time, Clinton was married to another woman, in addition to being the leader of the free world. He risked his family and position to engage in the affair. His behavior probably gave a young, romantic Lewinsky reason to believe that the president returned her feelings and really cared about her. Until their relationship was discovered, that is.

            Lewinsky made the mistake of telling her coworker Linda Tripp about the relationship. Tripp proceeded to tape conversations with Lewinsky and turned the tapes over to a government prosecutor who was already investigating Clinton about other matters. The cat was out of the bag.

            Clinton's knee-jerk reaction to being found out was to deny everything. His exact words during a televised speech were, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." Later, in an interview, Lewinsky shared how hurt she had been by that statement. She was shocked that he would brush her aside by calling her "that woman". Further, she was hurt that Clinton mischaracterized their whole relationship. To hear him tell it, what they had was just physical. Lewinsky saw a much deeper connection.

            Despite all the heartache, a 2011 story in the Daily Mail revealed that Monica Lewinsky still loved Bill Clinton fifteen years after the affair. According to her friends, she never married or had children because she continued to be hung up on the former president. Meanwhile, Bill Clinton finished two terms in the White House, went on to become a bestselling author and popular speaker. He helped his wife become a U.S. Senator and run for president, in addition to watching his daughter grow up and get married. Does it seem that Clinton is still pining after Lewinsky? Not likely.

            This example demonstrates how difficult it can be for a woman to judge a man's feelings based on what he says or even how he acts. But when push comes to shove, she will see where she ranks in his list of priorities. He can recite poetry and promises until he's blue in the face, and she might be able to command his attention for an hour or two in bed, but when he has to choose between her and his family or his job or his standing in the community, what do you honestly think he'll do? Does he stand by her, or does she become "that woman"? Here's a hint: If he's married to someone else, the "other woman" probably isn't his first priority. And it's time for her to quit pining and move on with her own life.

About the authors: Louise Helene and Kim Osborn Sullivan, Ph.D. wrote I Saw Your Future and He's Not It: A Psychic's Guide to True Love (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2013). Louise Helene (www.LouiseHeleneThePsychic.com) is a second-generation psychic advisor who specializes in love and relationship issues. Kim Osborn Sullivan (www.KOsbornSullivan.com) is Louise's niece and co-founder of NonfictionReads.com.

Review: Grammar Without Tears by Tabitha Ormiston-Smith

Grammar Without Tears by Tabitha Ormiston-Smith

Link to buy
ASIN B00CO03M90

Story Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review:

GRAMMAR WITHOUT TEARS is a short summary of fifteen common grammar mistakes and how to avoid them. The book uses fictional scenes and dialogue between the characters to demonstrate common errors and explain how they should be corrected. It's an interesting approach that at times reminded me of an abbreviated version of The Deluxe Transitive Vampire.

This book has the advantage of being short and sweet so it doesn't overwhelm the reader with too much information or unnecessary details. It addresses particular problems with verbs, word choice, and punctuation, and offers a clear table of contents so readers can tell at a glance whether their specific question is covered or not. The fictional short stories and dialogue keep the book from feeling stale or stuffy the way academic books can be.

Unfortunately, the book's advantage of brevity is also its biggest liability. It offers only one or two examples of each common mistake, such as when to use "me versus I." After the initial presentation in the stories, readers must be able to comprehend the rules being applied without any further discussion or explanation. Some readers will be able to do this, while others doubtless will not.

GRAMMAR WITHOUT TEARS would have been more helpful if it were longer and offered more information. It doesn't have an introduction or conclusion, but instead just jumps right into a section about verbs directly after the table of contents, then ends abruptly after a section on inverted commas. It also presumes the reader already has a solid command of the English language and grammatical concepts, so doesn't explain basic terms. For instance, the first example is titled "Perfect Tense," but there's no explanation of what perfect tense is. Instead, it launches into an example and expects the reader to catch up.

It's hard to tell whether the book is geared to adults or children. On the one hand, children would probably appreciate the light, entertaining style, but the vocabulary and scenes might go over the heads of young readers. On the other hand, many adults picking up a grammar book would probably be looking for a wider variety of grammatical situations than this book has to offer.

If a reader is looking for a "quick and dirty" desk reference or a chance to brush-up on frequently confused topics, this might be a good choice for adults or teens. However, if a reader is writing a research paper or has questions that go beyond very basic concepts, then he should look for a different book.

Reviewed by Peter

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Author interview with Sara Lunsford

Please start by telling us a little about yourself, including things like education, jobs, spouse, children, pets, etc. 

I have an “official author biography” for Saranna DeWylde, but that’s for my other books. See, I’ve got the best day job ever. I write about happily ever after. It’s kind of my thing because I had to crawl through hell to get it for myself. I started out as a horror and romance writer. I could never quite dedicate myself wholly to one or the other.

Like most writers, I’ve held a variety of jobs. I’ve been an airline supervisor, a mover, a medical secretary, an assistant to a call girl and I was a corrections officer. I worked segregation in all male max security facility. It was inevitable, I think. It was in my blood. My father is a retired officer from federal prison in Leavenworth. I grew up under the watchful eye of guys in the towers with semi-automatic weapons. When I dialed “0” on my phone, I didn’t get the phone company’s operator, I got the prison’s. When it was time to find another job, the state prison seemed like the best option.

Tell us about your latest book and what inspired you to write it.

Prison stories. Everyone wants them when they find out where I’ve worked and I don’t mind telling them because it’s a culture that’s kept mostly in the dark and separate from the rest of the population. There’s a natural curiosity. A friend told me that I just had to write the book. It originally started out as a kind of Girl’s Guide to Prison. But after talking with my agent, she said that wasn’t enough and I knew she was right.

Only, that meant baring my soul. It meant showing all the things that hurt, all the things that I was afraid of and it meant facing everything that happened to me all over again. Then I thought about what I wanted from this book. Ultimately, I wanted to show people who were hurting, who were lost in the dark like I was that there is hope. There is good life after trauma. There is light after darkness. Granted, a lot of my problems were my own making. I own that, but what has given me hope is that it was all for a purpose. Because I did survive it, I came out swinging on the other side, so I need to be there to speak for those who can’t or don’t know how. I have this amazing platform and this loud voice and I need to use it.

Do you belong to any critique groups and/or do you have other people read your work as you're writing it? Who's brutally honest and who's a cheerleader? Which do you prefer?

I do belong to a critique group that meets every Friday. I also have several online critique partners. We exchange chapters as they’re written.

I tend to choose partners who will be both: brutally honest and cheerleaders. I need both. I need to be told if it’s bad. All the cheerleading in the world won’t help me if what I’ve produced is crap. On the other hand, all the poking and prodding and picking won’t help if no one tells me it’s good. Or no one believes in me.

I’ve been very lucky in the people who comprise my crit partners. They’re all passionate about me as an author and a person. They love me enough to tell me when I suck, but they never stop cheering me on or pushing me to be better than I am.

Which authors have been the greatest inspiration to your writing?

So many. This is such a hard question. I think every author is moved or shaped in some way by everything they read or encounter. Right now I’d say my critique partners. Jennifer L Hart, Virginia Nelson, Sally Berneathy, Madonna Bock, Julie Mulhern… It was Jennifer I had to call while I was writing the memoir and she’d just tell me it was all going to be okay and I knew it would. I never sent chapters of this book because it was so hard to write.

Do you outline before you write or just dive head-first into a manuscript? Do you maintain a schedule for writing, or is it more haphazard?

I wrote an outline for Sweet Hell on Fire. I had to when I pitched it, but I usually scribble notes about five chapters at a time, and some overarching themes. Then I dive in.

I guess you could say my schedule is haphazard, but I write all the time. When I get up, I sit down and handle admin tasks for the day and then I just write until I can’t.

Where do you do your best writing? (Ex: desk in your office, public library, under a tree in the park, in front of a Real Housewives TV marathon, etc.) Do you like music or some other background noise, or do you need quiet?

I would do my best writing in an office, but right now I use the dining room table. I need to be in a chair at a desk, though. I like quiet. I have headphones that I put on just to block out background noise. Makes it easier to get lost in what I’m working on.

What are the best and worst parts of writing a book?

*laughs* All of them? Writing isn’t really a choice for me. I just have to do it. But there is nothing so intimidating or beautiful as that first white page. Then I think I have 300+ of these to fill. OH MY GOD, what was I thinking? I can’t write books. Are you crazy? It’s just one letter in front of the next until you have a book. Even writing “the end” there is wonderful sense of accomplishment, but there’s sadness too because that experience with that particular thing you’ve created is over. Even when you go back in for edits, the experience is never the same.

When you're driving and you have a sudden, brilliant idea for the new manuscript you're working on, what do you do? (Ex: pull over and fire up the laptop, keep driving while scribbling on a McDonald's bag, tell Siri, etc.)

I will write it down on whatever is available. My crit partner, Julie, got me a notebook to keep in my bag for just such occasions. It’s always with me.

When you go to the zoo, which animals do you visit first?

I don’t go to the zoo. I used to take the kids, but after Blackfish and a few other documentaries, we decided we don’t want to spend our money that way. But when we did go, we started at the front and made a tidy circle. So it was usually penguins.

What are the top 5 titles in your Netflix queue? (Be honest.) Or if you don't have a Netflix queue, which books are on your bedside table? (Again, be honest.)

Phantom by Susan Kay

Deadly Doses Book of Poisons (It’s research, I swear.)

Red Mafiya: How the Russian Mob Invaded America

Hellfire Friars

Ravenous by Ray Garton

Do you prefer to read ebooks or print?

I love print for research or keeper shelf books. Otherwise, I prefer e. We live pretty far out, so rather than drive an hour, or wait days, I can click once and it’s mine, all mine!

What do you enjoy doing, apart from writing?

Reading, long drives with coffee and loud music, exploring back roads, traveling in general, and I love hanging out with my kids. They see the world in such a cool way. They keep me young. I love going to the movies, too. We have whole conversations in movie quotes.

Where is your favorite place in the world?

I don’t know. I haven’t been all the places I want to go yet.

Do you have any advice for people who want to write a book?

Do it. Sit down, bottom in chair, fingers on keyboard and write. Let it all just spill out of you onto the page. Worry about mechanics later. You can’t edit what you haven’t written. So get it on the page. Then deal with the rest of it. 

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