Melissa Ann Goodwin

Melissa Ann Goodwin

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

More Good Books!


My friend Arthur Wooten has just released his latest book, DIZZY. This one is a fictional memoir, based on his all-too-real experience with bilateral vestibular disease with oscillopsia - a disorder that destroys your sense of balance. Information about Arthur's book is below, but first I want to also mention some books I read this year that I highly recommend.

Cat and the Dreamer by Annalisa Crawford. This novella hooks you from the start and doesn't let go. It's hard to tell when the hero, Julia, is fantasizing, or when things are really happening, or if Cat is a real person, or a composite of many "Cats" sharing similar frenemy tendencies -but that's a big part of what makes the story intriguing. There's a romance, but this is more of a psychological tale than a romance. It kept me guessing throughout, and rooting for our hero to break out and really live. A great read, and I'm looking forward to more from Annalisa.

A Cat's Life: Dulcy's Story and  A Cat's Legacy:Dulcy's Story by Dee Ready. Both books tell the story of the love affair between a cat, Dulcy, and her chosen human, Dee.The books will definitely appeal to cat lovers, but don't be fooled - they aren't at all "cutesy." They are beautifully written and moving. I reviewed A Cat's Legacy not long ago - here's the LINK to my review. I read A Cat's Life second, and was a little worried that it would seem redundant, but it wasn't.  Read them both - they are wonderful.

And now, here's more about DIZZY by Arthur Wooten:

From the AuthorDizzy: A Fictional Memoir is fictional in that the story is told through the voice of Angie Styles, a Broadway star. However, it reflects my own experiences in that I have been diagnosed with the same disease she suffers from, bilateral vestibular disease with oscillopsia. This traumatic brain injury destroys the body's ability to detect where it is in space. All sense of balance is wiped out. My main objective in writing this book is to reach as many people as possible, let them know they are not alone in this struggle and shed light on this serious and silent disease that affects thousands of people worldwide.

Editorial Review:

Dizzy - Angie Styles, a beloved Broadway star, is struck down at the height of her career by a mysterious disease and is forced to reexamine her life and the people in it as she fights to survive.

On December 15, 2005, Mr. Wooten’s life as he knew it changed forever. Diagnosed with bilateral vestibulopathy with oscillopsia, this is the same illness that Angie Styles,the lead character in Dizzy, develops. This is a unique and fascinating read in that it marries two genres: an exciting backstage show biz tale coupled with a frightening medical drama.

Asked why he created a fictional memoir instead of writing about his own life Wooten laughs, “My life is too boring. But there are similarities between Angie and myself. I was an actor for fifteen years before segueing into writing and all of the symptoms, causes, diagnoses, treatments, and time lines described in Dizzy, I have experienced and are true.”

This disease has robbed my body of all sense of balance. My brain never knows where I am in space. It’s ironic, since I was a dancer and gymnast. My hope with this book is not only to entertain but also educate and bring awareness to this disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. And if just one person suffering from these same symptoms reads Dizzy and realizes they are not alone, then my job is done.”

CLICK HERE TO BUY DIZZY ON AMAZON

Arthur Wooten

6 comments:

  1. Nooooooo. You are so bad. Arthur Wooten's book sounds amazing (though forgive me Arthur your life sounds plenty interesting enough for your own memoir).
    No more books. No more books. They are an obsession. Every room is full of them. My un-read pile is very large. I have promised myself that I will NOT buy more books before that pile has been reduced. And now you are putting yet more temptation in my weak-willed way...

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    1. I know :) But it's a good problem to have, isn't it!

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  2. Thanks for highlighting my novella, Melissa :-)

    Dizzy sounds like an interesting read - I suffer from vertigo, and I have low-level dizziness almost every day that I've learnt to cope with, but I can't imagine how awful these more extreme symptoms would be.

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    1. I'm looking forward to reading Dizzy - haven't started it yet, but Arthur always delivers a good read, and in this case, the added interest of the real life issue.

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  3. Anonymous12/21/2012

    Hi, Melissa! Thanks for sharing about these books.

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  4. Dear MElissa, thanks so much for writing these lovely words about "A Cat's Life" and "A Cat's Legacy." I'm so pleased that you see the books as meant for more readers
    than just cat lovers. Thank you for your great generosity in devoting time and space to telling your readers about these books. You're a gem! Peace.

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