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Weekly Self-Published Book Review: “That Pet Finder Kid Catnapped”

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review, courtesy of the Midwest Book Review:

That Pet Finder Kid Catnapped

That Pet Finder Kid Catnapped

Scott Clements

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781460068513

Synopsis:

Have you ever felt your pets are your only true friends? That’s exactly how thirteen-year-old Chet Parker felt every day of his life. After failing at sports, music, and almost everything imaginable, he gave up on ever finding his place in the world. But thanks to an accidental dose of modified dog DNA, things were about to change for Chet. With a new found connection to his six month old dog Zoe, Chet learns that Mr. Fluffy Pants, the cat of the most popular girl in school, has gone missing. Will Chet’s off-the-wall investigative methods drive him further down the social ladder? Or will they lift him up to claim his spot as That Pet Finder Kid?

A delightful detective story, sure to melt the heart of every pet lover.

Critique:

From sports to music, 13 year old Chet Parker fails at anything he ever attempts to do. He also does not fit in with other kids at school. That’s why he is more into animals because they love you no matter what you do, he thinks. When he takes his dog to the vet something happens and he gets the shot meant for his dog. A short time later he is aware that he can sense what animals around him are thinking and his sense of smell is increased. He learns that Heather, a fellow student, lets him know her cat Mr. Fluff Fluff is gone, and she thinks he has run away. Chet aids her and realizes that for some reason someone has stolen her cat. Later there is a ransom note and now Chet has a purpose, that being who took her cat. Chet also becomes friends with a new neighbor and a severely overweight kid named “Ton” who has the reputation of eating kids he does not like. Scott Clements who works on the hit USA network series “Burn Notice” is also a very talented writer of YA novels this being one of them. Chet and all the characters in the novel are well defined in a story that rapidly moves along to the revealing ending where readers find out who stole the cat. That Pet Finder Kid Catnapped is a first class YA mystery novel that would make a great series of adventures for amateur detective Chet Parker.

[ reviewed by Gary Roen ]

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

I’m an adult reading a young adult novel, but an adult who has some pretty fond memories of YA reading and some books I continually revisit. Having said that, I really enjoyed this journey through a YA mystery with Scott’s characters in “That Pet Finder Kid: Catnapped.” I like the characters, story, and the world these kids inhabit, especially the attention to pets. I think kids reading the book or listening to it will enjoy it, too. It’s a world they know, with the attendant adolescent miseries. But it’s also got some fun mysteries going on that will keep them intrigued. What’s more, they can find their own heroes solving the mysteries and gaining some self-esteem in the process. Worthy lessons for us all.

The pacing is great for readers of every age to enjoy the ride. Middle school kids will enjoy reading it themselves. It’s good bedtime read-aloud stuff for the younger kids: The book can be done in serial selections with enough cliffhangers to have them begging for more. As for me, I’m looking forward to more stories of Chet and his friends, animal and human.

– Amazon Reviewer Karen Leckey

Another great children’s book by Scott Clements! Scott has an amazing ability to create fully formed characters that spring to life right from the very first page. I really like the kids in Scott’s books–they’re bright, inquisitive and full of life and personality. The side kick friend in this book was hilarious–I laughed out loud at his jokes and shenanigans all the way through the book.

I recommend this book highly for young teens and younger children. It has a little mystery, a little magic in the way Chet can communicate with his pets, and a nice fast-paced story. And lots of really loving and fun interaction with pets for those of us who love the furry creatures. Can’t wait for the next book from Scott. If you haven’t already read it, I also highly recommend Gasparilla’s Treasure.

– Amazon Reviewer P. Wells

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space every Saturday!

Self Publishing Advisor

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Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 10/02/2015

THE NOAH WEBSTER LEGACY

It was a gift from a friend—the 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster.  Somewhere in my memory I recalled that Mr. Webster’s name appeared in a list of our nation’s Founding Fathers, however, I remembered nothing about the details of his life or legacy. The dictionary that has always resided on my shelf is the Merriam-Webster version and any association of the hyphenated name to Noah Webster had escaped me.

american dictionary of the english language

Yet, over the last decade of my writing endeavors (after receiving this gift), my appreciation of Mr. Webster continues to grow. Without his push toward education and his extensive work in defining words my abilities to develop such pieces as this blog would be sorely strained.  Here are a few facts to chew on…

  • Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Noah Webster, Jr. was raised in a very active environment, being homeschooled by his mother in spelling, math and music and observing his father’s activities beyond farming as Noah, Sr. was always intellectually curious and a supporter of education for everyone. He even mortgaged their farm so that Noah Jr. could attend higher education classes.
  • By the age of six, Noah joined neighborhood children in a dilapidated one-room primary school which could have dissuaded him from seeking further education because of teachers he later referred to as “the dregs of humanity.” (Are children today faced with that, too?) However, this experience only fortified his later desires to improve the educational experiences of future generations.
  • At the age of fourteen he was tutored in the languages of Latin and Greek preparing him for enrollment in Yale just before his sixteenth birthday.
  • This timeframe was also the season of our country’s revolution. Food shortages and the threat of the British invasion of mass military forces caused the president of Yale to scatter teachers to various towns where classes could safely be held.
  • Attempting to keep up with his classes, Noah still joined the Connecticut Militia. He believed that American nationalism was superior to Europe because American values were superior. Thus began his pamphlet writing career publishing them under the pen name “A Citizen of America.”

My hope in sharing this information with you today is to encourage you to KEEP WRITING even in the midst of life’s challenges.  The living (survival) conditions for folks in the late 1700s early 1800s left little time for “learning letters” let alone studies at “higher education” levels.  However, Webster (and many of his compatriots) knew that unless people were given the opportunity communicate with words (spoken or written) that carried a specific definition—a distinctly American definition—many more battles would be fought and lives needlessly lost.

Yes, word lists were being produced 2300 years ago in regions of Samaria. Yet many believe that it wasn’t until approximately 400 BC that a “vocabulary list…with meanings of rare Homer-style words and other words from local dialects” was produced. You and I live in an AGE OF WORDS with access to online dictionaries from around the world—times past and times present. How marvelous to enjoy such finger-tip definitions giving us the ability to creatively exercise our writing skills and produce the books that will inform and bring enjoyment to future generations. ⚓︎

RoyaleneABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.
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The Current State of E-Readers | An Author’s Guide (Part I)

We’ve crossed the Rubicon, dear readers.  There’s no going back, when it comes to the print vs. digital divide, at least if we’re speaking on the commercial level.  There are quite substantial numbers of readers who are introduced to books via their smartphones and computer screens and then move into the musty world of mahogany bookshelves and neighborhood used-book stores … but these numbers represent not so much a desertion of one form for another, but rather the natural progression of addicts who will simply, and always, want more–more good words strung together, more stories in their hands, more eyes to peer through and lives to live in the way that only literature makes possible.

I’m here to speak about e-books and e-readers this week and in the weeks to come.  We’ve just finished a tour-de-force marathon of social media platforms spanning several months, so it’s time for a bit of a change of pace … but without sacrificing our desire to examine trends and patterns and possibilities with the fine eye of a book connoisseur.

ereaders

The data is in, and readers have spoken.  As this infographic (courtesy of Publishing Technology and Nielson BookScan) shows, e-book sales dropped slightly from an all-time high in early 2014, but they’re not going anywhere fast.  (I should also note that the initial speculations for this year seem to indicate continued stability.)  The digital market has matured, and readers are simply spreading their pocket change around, and being more selective as they do so.  Essentially, it’s not just “still” useful to publish your books in digital form, but it’s actually more useful than ever–readers now know how to find what they like, as the information infrastructure–including indexing search engines like Google and Bing, and social media platforms with a literary bent like Goodreads–has matured alongside the market itself.

ebooks vs print

But how does an author, especially an indie, hybrid, or self-published author, go about figuring out how to navigate both the debate and the process?  Well, first, you have to know a little bit about e-books and e-readers themselves.

And so we dive off into the deep end of a new series.  This time I’m going to walk you through the process by examining each big player in the e-reading market (past and present and future, at least so far as I can see it), from Kindles to Nooks to iPads to chips implanted into your brain.  Okay, okay, I’m kidding about that last one … for now.  In all seriousness, I hope that this series will be of use to you as you take next steps into the oft-hazy world of digital publication!

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.
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From the Archives: “Self-published Book Review of the Week: The Science of Life”

Welcome back to our new Tuesday segment, where we’ll be revisiting some of our most popular posts from the last few years.  What’s stayed the same?  And what’s changed?  We’ll be updating you on the facts, and taking a new (and hopefully refreshing) angle on a few timeless classics of Self Publishing Advisor.

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[ Originally posted: November 7th, 2010 ]

The Science of Life
Ronnie Lee
9781432758639 $34.95

Some things in life can’t be quantified by numbers. “The Science of Life: Philosophical Equations of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Religion” is a discussion that seeks to blend science with philosophy and religion, with a unique format from Ronnie Lee, a Chinese poet and philosopher. Giving readers a lot to ponder and think about and discussing major scientific breakthroughs and discoveries, done in a poetic style, “The Science of Life” is a unique experience that will be hard to match.

Susan Bethany
Reviewer

This Book Of Science is a unique volume of poetry full of scientific equations to understand fundamental scientific values of today such as quantum entanglement, gravity, relativity, string theory, genetics and even the origin of life. From Newton to Einstein to Bohr to Schrodinger, this book covers a history of physics, to uncover, inspire and unravel new laws of science to allow the past generation to be understood by the new and future generations to come. The information age has allowed a Golden Age of Science to begin and this book is a fundamental research log for the start of the new era of quantum mechanics, nanotechnology and space exploration. It attempts to align everything in science towards an orderly, easy and efficient method of deduction for a grand unfied theory and a practical logic to make science a success for society to reach its goals and ambitions for wealth, profit and worth. It attempts to unite the laws of life in the simplest way possible; through the heart and mind of a philosopher.

If you’re up on your space-related news, you’ll probably already be aware that two days ago, on the night of September 27th, North America was in a prime location to watch a beautiful three-and-a-half hour total lunar eclipse of a supermoon (that is, a moon that appears larger than normal because it is at its closest approach to earth), and it was also the last blood moon and harvest moon of the year.  Night-sky lovers began celebrating early, on the 19th, by coining a new “day”–that is, International Observe the Moon Day.  (Next year, in 2016, IOtMD will be on October 6th.  Mark your calendars!)

Why do I bring this up?  Well, first and foremost, because I’m a bit of what my family calls a “space enthusiast.”  I love looking at the night sky, and I sometimes find inspiration there–but I also love reading about the night sky, and about the science that makes such stellar displays, well, stellar.  So as my paltry little contribution to this week of astronomical wonder, I thought we might revisit one of our early book reviews, for Ronnie Lee’s The Science of Life.

Since we first posted a review of Lee’s poetry back in 2010, he has released a book trailer through his publisher, Outskirts Press.  (See below.)

And the reviews have certainly come in!  Ronnie Lee himself has posted a comment to his Amazon book page to say:

This is my eighth book and it holds insights into advanced yet simple, new and fundamental laws of classical and quantum physics including entanglement, quantum dots, gravity and relativity. These hold practical inventions that can be created like teleportation, engines and other tools like better cameras and scanners etc. With different approaches in equations and logics, this book shows new perspectives and theories to underline the mechanisms of the physics of the universe. It also hold clues, theories and logics to the origin of life and to some equations to understand AIDS, Cancer and Schizophrenia. By adapting standard rules, equations and logics, the procedure to analyzing complex systems from isolated systems on chemistry, physics and biology to the universe itself can be understood, used and measured to find practicality for human success in science to reach our technological capacity as creators. With a chapter on religion and the importance of moral balance that must be stabilized with the technological reality, we must gain faith and advice from God, allowing truth from the Holy Spirit to guide us for survival, health and worth with Jesus being the path where unjust dangers on Earth must unite with the just peace of Heaven and only through the narrow door can evil gain the wealth of the good through Jesus Christ. The religious story of life has long been told and so has their prophecies. This book may fulfill some prophecies and start some new ones too. It is a book of science for the success of life.

That’s some heady stuff, folks, and I don’t know about you, but I can certainly always appreciate some uplifting commentary on the intersection between science, faith, politics, and art.

lunar eclipse

Whether you pick up a new book this week, or sit on your front porch to watch the waning moon rise and set, I hope you find something new to fall in love with, and new stories to immerse yourself in.  That is what, to me, my “space enthusiast” tendencies do: they help me fall in love, or back in love, with the minutiae of daily life.  ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.
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News From the Self-Publishing World: 9/28/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

In this September 24 article for Southlake Style, self-published authors Paige Weaver and Leslie Fear sit down for an in-depth interview.  The interview—and the article as a whole—addresses many of the issues at the heart of the self-publishing experience today, from what led these two (successful, I might add) authors to choose a self- or an indie publishing experience over the traditional publishing route, to what the process looked and felt like, to what draws readers to their books, to how they themselves have found a sense of community in the network made possible only by self-publishing. All around, we just love hearing from authors who unapologetically love what they do and are willing to walk us through why they do it.  Follow the link for more!

Good news sometimes comes in waves, as you’ll discover courtesy of Allison Flood’s September 24 piece for the eminent British news engine, The Guardian.  Cornelia Funke, a German author perhaps best known for her Mirrorworld series, has elected to pursue self-publishing for her next book, citing creative differences with her American publishers.  “I’m a careful business woman,” says Funke, and Flood goes to great lengths to place Funke within a greater framework of self-publishing that further proves that her choice to veer away from the path set by Little, Brown and Company is not a hasty or ill-informed one.  Here’s the good news for all of us: self-publishing is no longer the elephant in the room, when literary and commercial heavyweights opt to self-publish as an alternative to the Big Five.  An author like Funke can go toe-to-toe with a major publishing house and still sell books!  More at the link.

In her September 24 article for New Zealand-based website Booksellers.co.nz—the official website for the Association of New Zealand Booksellers—Jillian Ewart takes a quick look at a whole slew of recent publications by indie, hybrid, and self-publishing authors in her home country, a nation long celebrated for its rich publishing market.  To see that self-publishing has gained such a foothold in the international arena is encouraging indeed, whether you are looking to take the first step down the road to self-publishing, or already secure in chosen mode of publication, or even if you are unsure if your work “fits” better here or there. (Hint: there is ALWAYS room for your book in the world of indie and self-publishing!)

Earlier this week, in a September 23 press release to Business Wire, Author Solutions (the digital self-publishing arm of the Big Five publishing company Random House) announced its partnership with Alliant International University. Together they are launching Alliant Press, “the first-ever university press to utilize the supported self-publishing model.” The press presents significant opportunities to authors, but may also present some significant challenges; that being said, the best news may be for universities looking to launch new imprints … and to the students whose pocketbooks are emptied by necessary excursions to prohibitively expensive university bookstores.  Who knows?  Maybe self-publishing has the answer to their problems too!

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.