Category: Book Reviews

Art, Book Reviews

My Attempt to Market a Book

Impower You

It’s tough out there for a new self published author to get their books noticed.  No worries though. I am up for the challenge.  I don’t have a marketing budget, but I am artistic and I use that skill to my advantage. I have designed every illustration and cover in all of my books. So I have been creating banners in the hope that one or two will go viral and drive readers to my books. Below are two I created this week for my book “Fierce” and “How Will You Create Positive Change”.

What does girl power mean to you? Define it yourself. You can read this and more books at Bookemon.com

How Will You Create positive Change by Leah Oviedo, agents of change, community leaders, interviews with activists

You are invited to read (and maybe purchase) my books at Bookemon.com.  PLEASE by all means feel free to share these pictures on your blog, Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and anywhere else you want.  The love is most appreciated.

What creative no-budget or low budget marketing ideas have you tried for your business?

🙂

Book Reviews

Book Review: Freedom Writers Diary

Impower You

I roll my eyes every time I hear the phrase “Teenagers these days are useless”.  It’s been said for many generations and like all stereotypes is the product of someones underactive imagination. Anyone who thinks that should read “The Freedom Writers Diary” by Erin Gruwell. It is a collection of journal entries by High School students in the late 90’s attending school in Long Beach, CA.

The students in her class were “unteachable”. Mostly it seems because they were living in neighborhoods with gang wars and violence keeping them from studying or aspiring for very little and struggling for a lot. Yet their thinking began to change when they learned about the Holocaust in Germany and the atrocities of the genocide in Sarajevo.  Every kid in that class kept a journal and they did not sugar coat their entries. They wrote about death, sexual assault, being homeless, overcoming peer pressure and other hardships. They became friends despite racial prejudices, cliques, and upbringing. Thanks to their teacher Erin, these students were shown a different world via field trips, meeting new people, and books. They met Miep Gies, the courageous women who sheltered Ann Frank.  They became friends with Zlata Filopivic, who was the same age as them and survived a war.  Some parts are sad and scary to read, but overall this book is amazing. It shows you that YES, real change is possible if you try, if you have support, and if you reach out to others.

The Freedom Writers Diary book, teens who change the world

It doesn’t stop there. The Freedom Writers lives on as an organization that empowers educators and students to reach for their full potential and not let violence, drugs, prejudice, or apathy decide their future.  Please read this book, buy it for a friend and check out www.FreedomwritersFoundation.org for more information.

How has changing your thinking changed your life?

Book Reviews, Writing

What is Your Story?

Impower You

My friend Al Bagocius asked a great question on his blog today. He was kind enough to share with his audience, my recent accomplishment of publishing two new books. And he asked a great question.

What would be your message to the world if you were to write a book?

http://albagocius.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/changing-the-world-one-book-at-a-time/

 There are so many amazing stories just waiting to be told. With the ease of self publishing any of us can share ours. Think of the people you can inspire, help or educate. Writing my first book, “I Am More Than Just a Girl” filled me with such a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that I didn’t know writing another book could feel even more amazing.

That is exactly what happened when I published my book “You Can Fight Back, Emotional and Physical Self Defense”. There are of course other books on physical or emotional self-defense, but hardly any that conjoin the two subjects.  Telling about my own personal experiences with violence and how I overcame that was liberating. I have often wanted to help others feel like they could survive violence and stand up to bullies. Becoming a certified self-defense instructor was a start and writing this book was the next step.

It doesn’t end there. Writing also gives me chances to connect with new people, to help those that cannot take a class from me because of their location, and to do something positive in this world. Publishing on Bookemon is an added bonus because my books can be read for free by anyone with an internet connection who understands English. Even though I would love for one of my books to be a best seller,  I don’t write with the intention of selling 10,000 copies. I write with the intention of encouraging independence and sharing resources with others.

 If you have a story to tell than I encourage you to pick up a pen or start typing. You won’t know where it will take you until you take that first step.

A giant THANK YOU to Al and everyone who has been so encouraging. I know that without your support my books would reach fewer people.

🙂

These are my two newest books that can be read free online at http://www.bookemon.com/member-home/leahoviedo/151519.

You Can Fight Back: Emotional and Physical Self Defense, is a guide for women and teen girls to learn the skills they need to combat emotional and physical abuse. Bullying has become a terrifying part of many lives because many of us are not taught how to prevent violent behavior and stand up for ourselves. In this book you will learn how to use your intuition and become aware of warning signs set the foundation for fighting back.

Fierce: A New Generation of Female Empowerment, encourages young women to ask questions about important issues, learn critical thinking, solve problems, and create positive change in their lives and their communities. The resources provide the tools to make choices that resonate with individual beliefs so as to take control of our own lives.

 What would be your message to the world if you were to write a book?

Book Reviews

Book Review: Wise Women Don’t Worry

Impower You

Dr. Jane Claypool, best book list, Wise Women Don't Worry, Wise Women Don't Sing The BluesWise Women Don’t Worry, Wise Women Don’t Sign the Blues, by Jane Claypool. Sometimes a title is the best part of a book and sometimes it is just the tip of awesomeness. I LOVED this book. I read it awhile ago right after a sad break up. I was bummed about that, a job I didn’t like, and relative lack of direction with life. This book was therapeutic and a wake up call as the author shares her own un-sugarcoated experiences with life. This part of her story ends well for her, but not after learning many lessons the hard way. As if there is another way!

The author delves into her personal alcoholism, weight struggles, divorce, being a single mom, struggling to pursue a writing career and all this decades ago when women were just gaining rights to be treated as equal citizens. She succeeds and she does so with lots of falling down and a little bit of grace. Because the topics and the age of the author I recommend this book for women over the age of 25. I wouldn’t have liked it when I was 21 because I could not have related to how life is as much a journey of learning who we are, as the adventures that shape who we become.

Though the book is written with a metaphysical theme, it didn’t get preachy, and didn’t contain mystical secrets or new age fluff. It was a book I could not put down. I felt happy reading this book and it made going through that breakup so much easier. I was able to look past my current unhappiness and think about what life would hold for me. The book also includes some great affirmations that have been really useful for me. I have had the joy of meeting Jane in real life and she really is a wise woman. The book is available at NewThoughtWorks.net

Book Reviews

We Are All The Same – Book Review

Impower You

I read many books as often as possible. I have been a devout bibliophile since I was a child.  My mother read to me and my siblings often and as a shy person growing up books were always a safe place for me. Some books were good, some really great, and some I could barely put down.  “We Are All the Same” by Jim Wooten is one that had me in it’s grips from the first few pages. It is the true story of how one little boy and his “adopted” mom were one of the main forces that caused the world to stand up and notice the epidemic of AIDS in Africa. The boy Xolani Nkosi, later given the name Nkosi Johnson, was born in South Africa of Zulu descent. He was born the second child of a strong, hard working, loving mother, Daphne, and he was born with the AIDS virus and into rural poverty. The story is told by Jim Wooten, a journalist. Nkosi died just after his 12th birthday.

More than just telling his story it includes a great background on the AIDS virus and how it transformed a whole continent. This was a period of rampant racism and violence between white and black. Apartheid was still the terrorizing government in charge, Nelson Mandela was still in prison and AIDS was just a “gay” disease. Nkosi’s story is unusual because Daphne had the gumption to take him to an AIDS hospice for white men.   Luckily he was allowed to stay and given treatment. Unsatisfied with her own life, Gail, took Nkosi to her home when the hospice closed down for lack of funding. There was a shared unofficial custody between his mother and her family and his new white family. Doctors predicted he would not live more than a  few years, but he amazingly lived long enough to make a real impact and to understand how much good he was giving the world.

In closing all I can say is READ THIS BOOK and then pass it on.

What books have made an impact in your life?

If you read this book, what was your favorite part?

Art, Book Reviews, Writing

Look What’s New

Impower You

Thank you for reading Impower You.  My hope is that you find the information here useful and that it inspires you to make change in your life or community. I have added new pages to the site with information for everyone.  There is now a page for Critical Thinking, a page of Activism Art to encourage dissenters, a curriculum on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, and a how-to for effective Problem Solving.

There is also a writing program that pays for stories of social action. Whether you overcame abuse or improved your community, you are invited to share a blueprint of your success so others can improve themselves and their communities.  The Survivor-Writer Program is open to anyone with a story to share and hope to give.

Our Indie Artists and Indie Authors pages are a great way to promote your art and books to a broader audience.

I started a fundraising campaign to both pay for the first stories I want to publish AND to further market Impower You to a larger segment of the population. Please join my campaign and consider contributing a $1 at IndieGoGo.co

****************

Leave a comment about one empowering thing that our Impower You community needs?

Book Reviews

Book Recomendation: Outcasts United by Warren St. John

Impower You

“Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman’s Quest to Make a Difference” by Warren St. John. This book is not just a story of how one woman created and coached three soccer teams of refugee boys.  It is also a book about the importance and capability we all have to not just embrace other cultures, but to become one giant mixed culture that actually thrives.

The author begins with an introduction to Luma Mufleh, herself a recent immigrant from Jordan to the USA. She was not a refugee nor did she flee her native country out of fear.  After attending college in the states, she decided that there were more opportunities for herself than there were back home.  Luma is a woman who works hard and plays hard.  Among many of her talents, she is a champion volleyball player, a business owner, and now a soccer coach. The story follows her and the boys soccer teams she coaches. All of the boys are refugees who were granted a new life in the USA because of war and threat of violence.  They are from many different countries such as Sudan, Liberia and Afghanistan.  As we all know, it can be hard to get along with someone from a different culture. Yet Luma and these boys chose to work together as a team and overcome these differences. Luma created a program that involves supporting the families of each boy on her teams and academic tutoring.  Players must be good students and since the program started in 2004, many of the older boys are now in college.

41zs2ynvzrl-_sx324_bo1204203200_

Creating a team, finding funding and having a simple place to practice are all hurdles that were magnified by both  Luma’s lack of knowledge of the soccer system, families from different cultures, survivors of violence, and the slow willingness of a small town to change and assimilate.  Very slowly and sometimes terribly aggravating,  views and lifes changed and the soccer teams were successful.

There are some wonderful side stories of assimilation success. My favorite was about the owner of  a local independently owned grocery store. As older residents moved away and new residents with different food habits moved in , the store was going bankrupt. A clerk at the store suggested that the owner sell a more varied selection of different cultural foods. Following her advice, things turned around.  Like the acceptance of the soccer team, change did not happen overnight, but this grocer is now a thriving store serving a menagerie of ethnic groups.

There is a great discussion area in the book that I recommend using as a lesson plan about both immigration and community improvement.

“What is a great book or curriculum about assimilation or immigration?”

Book Reviews

Italian Rebel Girl

Impower You

A few weeks ago I posted about an author, Lachrista Greco, attempting to raise enough money to publish her book about Italians American Women.  Her campaign has ended and while she did not raise the full amount intended, she did raise a large sum and was offered a free design and layout from a branding agency. Thanks to everyone who shared her campaign and donated funds.  That was really awesome of you.  You can read about her success at the following link. http://lachristagreco.com/2012/08/06/thank-you/ You can also see her finished campaign on IndieGoGo. http://www.indiegogo.com/olivegrrrls?c=home

Book Reviews

Supporting Other Authors Makes Me Smile

Impower You

Supporting other authors makes my day. I am proud to be a small dollar philanthropist.

Lachrista Greco is an author and recent grad student in Chicago and is publishing an anthology of Italian American Women writers.  I know how hard it is to self publish a book, so I donated $5 to her campaign. Please check it out and consider supporting her with $1 or donate services.

http://lachristagreco.com/2012/06/25/please-donate/

“My IndieGoGo campaign went live today! As you may know, I am trying to finish and publish an anthology of Italian American women writers on feminism, activism, body image, culture/ethnicity, sex and sexuality.

If this project speaks to you in any way (or if you think it will to someone else), please contribute what you can!

http://www.indiegogo.com/olivegrrrls?c=home&a=701934“

Book Reviews

Book Review: Up; A Mother and Daughter’s Peakbagging Adventure

Impower You

I could barely put down”Up;  A Mother and Daughters Peakbagging Adventure” By Patricia Ellis Herr.  Fresh mountain air filled my lungs,  morning sun warmed my skin, leaves of trees brushed against my skin and gave me shade when it was hot. I could smell the flowers, dirt, sweat, and rain.  Birds chirped and lizards scurried away as the thrill of this oh so enjoyable exercise that only hiking out in nature gives me. Vicariously of course.

Peakbagging is the term for climbing a group of peaks/mountains. This wonderful story is of a mother and daughter who climbed all 48 of New Hampshire’s highest mountains. The kicker is the young girl was only 5 when they started.  Her mother noticed the seemingly endless amount of energy her daughter possessed. So they went hiking, the young girl loved it and they continued. It’s a short book, but interesting enough to hold my attention so that I could barely put it down. I was a bit sad when it ended, not due to some tragic plot twist, but because I was enjoying the hikes with them so much. Since birth, my life has been a back and forth between tiny mountain towns and bustling cities so that I always want both worlds simultaneously.  For the past several years I have lived in a large city and often wish to be out in the wilderness more than I find myself there.   I give this book 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who loves the stories of other adventure seekers.

Up; A Mother and Daughters Peakbagging Adventure. By Patricia Ellis Herr

Find UP online or at your local library. What is a favorite books of yours?