Janet Morris Grimes, Author

Janet Morris Grimes – Writing for the Pursuit of Sappiness

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Vanishing Stories by Deborah Willis

Aug 30

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in review | 1 Comment

2.5 out of 5 stars

This series of short stories features memorable characters, freshly written in a way that brings their disenchanted lives to life. Each story features an absence or abandonment of someone, leaving the remaining characters, along with the reader, to figure out where to go from that point. The reader wonders as secrets are unearthed; infidelities, betrayals, death and bad decisions create a web of unspoken brokenness that surrounds each character. The endings are anticipated, but never predictable. There are few resolutions  to each story, but rather a defeated acceptance of the way it is.

Deborah Willis is a master storyteller, brave enough to tackle a few tales from the second person point of view, placing the reader as the main character. Though bouncing in and out of timelines created slight confusion, each journey ebbed and flowed with relative ease.  Her approach varies per character, per story, per outcome; raw and never redundant.

Overall, I found each chapter as depressing as the next, showing people who settle, afraid to dream enough to step out of their misery. Lives filled with alcohol and drugs, broken promises and weakness, and one damaged relationship after another. Based on the title, I expected the unhappy endings, but was ill-prepared for the unhappy beginnings and the warped existence they described. Fiction, for me, is an afternoon escape. But this book took me to a hopeless place to which I have no intention of returning.

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A Summer’s Secret by Kathleen Fuller

Jun 22

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A Summer Secret by Kathleen Fuller: The first in The Mysteries of Middlefield Series

Three and 1/2 Stars.

Thankful for the opportunity to read a Young Adult fiction book on any topic other than vampires and wizards, I appreciated the respite offered by this simple but intriguing story. It centers on thirteen year old Amish girl, Mary Beth Mullett. An easy read for those from ages 8 – 12, it provides an introduction to the culture, their slight language variance and an explanation of  common practices of the Amish. But more than this, it centers on the similarities between Mary Beth and any other girl her age.

She seeks a frequent escape from the harassment of her three brothers. She writes out her private thoughts, assuming no one would ever understand. Though she readily intends to fulfill her responsibilities and keep her parents’ trust in her, she also longs to help a mysterious teen aged boy who has no where else to turn. This struggle eventually causes her to overstep her bounds.

I recommend this book as it provides a great escape from the pressures of the high tech world. To read about those who choose do without electricity in the home, and how that affects their daily habits, it allows the reader to consider the benefits of such a simple lifestyle. I found it entertaining and enjoyed meeting these characters. The few drawbacks I saw were that there was actually no mystery to be solved, and that some teens may get bored with how long it takes for the story to fully develop. Still, I do look forward to reading other stories from this series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go by Lucille O’Neal with Allison Samuels

May 9

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in review | No Comments

Lucille O'Neal - Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go

Lucille O'Neal - Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go

Two out of Five Stars.

Eager to read this story, I found it less than what I expected. Lucille shares her memories of early childhood through her own rise to the top as she created a place for herself in the high-profile world of the NBA, currently serving as the elected president of the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players Association. Lucille uses all that she has learned from life as she travels across the country sharing her message of believing in yourself and overcoming the odds, and that is to be commended.

While I appreciated the honesty offered by Lucille O’Neal, it portrayed an air of bitterness throughout, spreading the blame for her battle with depression and alcohol to everything from her parents’ early divorce, to a strict and overtly religious upbringing by grandparents, budget cuts brought on by then-President Ronald Reagan, to the controlling nature of her military husband of twenty-eight years. My first thought was that had Shaquille not found immense success in the NBA, her husband would have been viewed as the hero of the story, rescuing her from a life of poverty and providing the stability for her own family that she so desired as a child.

I found the structure difficult to follow. The writing jumps from her generation to present day issues, and is unclear. For example, with this sentence, “When you combine low self-esteem with the lack of hope for a bright future, you have some powerful deterrents to avoiding a pregnancy.”

I admire anyone who uses the gifts they have been given for good to touch the lives of others. Lucille has overcome many demons in her life. Her true and powerful relationship with God was revealed at the end, but as an afterthought. It  was a non-factor throughout the story.

Both Lucille and Shaquille O’Neal will remain positive role models in a fickle world that desperately needs them. They will continue to make a huge difference through their various charities and opportunities for motivational speaking. Thankfully, that does not change based on whether or not I appreciated this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

Apr 5

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in review | 1 Comment

Hand of Fate Cover

Hand of Fate, the thrilling second installment in the Triple Threat Series, features three best friends who fight to stay at the top of their high profile careers in the most dangerous and heartbreaking of circumstances. As they wrestle with the unknowns in the murder of Talk Radio Host Jim Fate, they are forced to question the actions of everyone around them, even if it means exposing the hidden secrets of one another. The story opens with not only the on-air murder, but with the city-wide panic and evacuation of the downtown Portland area, caused by the crippling fear of poisonous gas in the air. From that moment, the reader shifts from scene to scene, picking up the pieces of Jim Fate’s past in the midst of the unforgiving world of live television and radio.

A story that shares tidbits of little known information without writing above the head of the reader is a treasure. A part of the action from the start, the reader must sort through the abandoned chaos with each main character, overlooking how the happenings affect them on a personal level. Nicole, Cassidy and Allison are complicated, yet believable; and so is their friendship and struggle to find God in a tough environment.

I now care about these characters, and look forward to their future adventures, but even more than this, their growth and deepening friendship. I highly recommend this book, and trust that the pages will keep you on the edge of your seat until the surprising ending.

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The King and Dr. Nick: What Really Happened to Elvis and Me by George Nichopoulos, M.D. with Rose Clayton Phillips

Feb 26

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in Essay, review | No Comments

The King and Dr. Nick

The King and Dr. Nick

Five stars.

This book highlights the story behind the death of Elvis Presley, some twenty plus years ago. Though many books came before it, none offer the viewpoint from the Doctor himself who was faced with the task of keeping one of his best friends, also the biggest megastar at that time, healthy enough to meet the demands of his adoring public. One might ask why it has taken so long to write such a book, and the answer is simple. It has taken over twenty years for Dr. George Nichopoulos to fight the legal battles, medical investigations and media attacks that followed the death of Elvis.

Though he was not present at Graceland in Memphis on August 16, 1977, he answered an emergency call for help from Joe Esposito, Elvis’s Road Manager, that simply said, “Something’s happened to Elvis.”

Dr. Nick, as he was affectionately known, responded to the scene in time to crawl in the back of the ambulance and ride with Elvis to the hospital, performing CPR the entire time.  With another team of doctors that met them in a trauma room at Baptist Hospital, Dr. Nick was the one who would pronounce him dead after their fervent attempts to revive him failed. Dr. Nick signed the Death Certificate. Dr. Nick broke the news to his friends in the nearby waiting room, who knew the truth as soon as they saw the tears rolling down his own face. It was Dr. Nick who then rode back on the ambulance to Graceland so he could tell Vernon Presley, Elvis’s father, who waited there for the news with his nine-year-old daughter, Lisa Marie.

This story is as much about the inner workings of the circle that surrounded Elvis as it is about the Doctor who attempted to keep him healthy enough to meet the demands of his adoring public. The media did not care about the role Dr. Nick played in Elvis’s life until after his death. And as news spread of the loss of Elvis, Dr. Nick was as hurt as much by the way they tarnished the image of his friend, Elvis, as he was about his own image.

Filling in the ten years they spent together, this story highlights the impossible demands of performing two shows a day that Elvis was required to do for many of his tours. To be so young, Elvis had many health issues, some brought on genetically and others caused by his extreme lifestyle. Dr. Nick and Elvis found a good balance of treatment while he was home at Graceland, but much was out of his control when Elvis was on the road. Still, even years after his death, Dr. Nick was shocked to discover that when the media needed someone to blame for his death, the search would stop with him.

After facing criminal charges, the eventual loss of his medical license, and numerous inquiries that prevented him from treating patients adequately over the past twenty years, Dr. Nick still searches for answers in his own quest to understand what happened to Elvis. He may never be able to set the record straight for the public, but feels that he owes it to his friend, even after all of this time.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Killer Online Press Releases by Janet Meiners Thaeler

Feb 25

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in review | No Comments

Janet Meiners Thaeler offers this instructional DVD that features the benefits of online press releases versus traditional press releases. By capturing many opportunities that are now available at a low cost to anyone hoping to market a small business, Janet breaks down the popular technological phrases that might freeze a newcomer in its tracks. The way people are obtaining their news coverage and seeking information changes daily, so in order to market to them, our approach must adapt as well.

A traditional press release featured a few paragraphs of information on a one page sheet of paper that was distributed to many news agencies, with the hopes that it would be picked up as a story for coverage for that particular day only. But with the online press release, the options of embedded video, images with captions, and live web links opens many ways to reach a target audience and drive them to to your website or product. Notably, the purpose of the press release may be to gain media attention, but be issuing the online press release, the story is available and continues to draw attention long after its initial release.

Today’s reality of the internet proves that people trust their peers more than they trust marketers. With millions of online blogs available to the public, it benefits those with small businesses to partner with these groups, reaching them first to establish a relationship or endorsement. Janet explains how to spot trends in the industry, improve your ability to move to the top of search engine recommendations, and better understand how the marketing game is now played.

I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who feels lost in the translation of Keyword Research, Search Engine Optimization, RSS Feeds and many other phrases that lead to confusion. These tools readily available to help you reach your clients, and this video helps to embrace them and use them to reach your goals.

See more on Janet’s products at http://onlineprbook/blog.

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How to Reach Your Full Potential for God: Never Settle for Less than His Best by Charles F. Stanley

Jan 18

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in review | 1 Comment

Full PotentialFour out of Five Stars.

Best selling author, Charles F. Stanley, has a knack for identifying areas of struggle for his readers. Through this particular book, he unleashes the power God intended for each of us, giving us permission to claim a better way of life for ourselves.

Stanley first identifies the traps that ensnare us, including low self-esteem, the fear of disappointment or failure, laziness, etc. It is important to recognize the chains that hold us back if we are to ever make changes that last forever.

Stanley goes on to reveal the steps God shared with him through a 3:00 a.m. encounter that changed his life. In order to reach their full potential, the reader must reconnect with his or her own gifts and God-given desires of the heart. He proclaims that the best is yet to come, an idea that seems foreign to many in this day and age.

I recommend this book for anyone whose dreams were long ago replaced with the expectations of others. If we are ever to accept God’s challenges, we must get past ourselves enough to recognize that we are a part of His plan, rather than God being a small part of our own plan for our lives.

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Landscape Business Book Review

Jan 9

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in review | No Comments

http://www.amazon.com/Operate-Financially-Successful-Landscaping-Business/product-reviews/1601382286/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Bond Fund Book Review

Jan 8

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http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Investing-Bonds-Funds/product-reviews/1601382936/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

IRA Investing Book Review

Jan 8

Posted by Janet Morris Grimes in review | No Comments

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-IRAs-IRA-Investing/product-reviews/1601382022/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1