Mayra Calvani
- Birthday
- April 13
- Title
- Author/reviewer/freelance book publicist
- Bio
- Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. She’s co-author of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, a ForeWord Best Book of the Year Award Winner and a 2011 Global eBooks Award Winner. She’s had over 300 stories, articles, interviews and reviews published both online and in print, in publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Acentos Review, Bloomsbury Review, Mosaic, and Multicultural Review, among many others. A reviewer for more than a decade, she now offers numerous book reviewing workshops online. She also offers workshops on the art of picture book writing. She’s represented by Mansion Street Literary and Savvy Literary. For her children’s books, visit www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com.
Mayra is a proud member of the Working Writer’s Club.
MY RECENT POSTS
- Book Review: Cheerage Fearage,
by Kimberly Dana
May 26, 2012 01:48PM - Book Review: The Realms of
Animar, by Owen Black
May 25, 2012 03:20PM - Meet Crime Fiction Author
Conrad Johnson
May 11, 2012 10:51AM - Book Review: Don’t Cry,
Daddy’s Here by Brinda Carey
May 07, 2012 08:04AM - Book Review: Griffin’s Fire,
by Darby Karchut
April 27, 2012 02:16PM
Mayra Calvani's Links
Book Review: Cheerage Fearage, by Kimberly Dana
Kimberly Dana’s latest book will bring hours of reading pleasure to teen girls, especially those with a particular interest in cheerleading.
Years ago, a murder was committed in a cheerleading camp: a beautiful teenager with beautiful red flowing hair was drowned in the lake. Rumors say the kil… Read full post »
Book Review: The Realms of Animar, by Owen Black
The Realms of Animar is an enjoyable read, one that will appeal to teens who are fans of fantasy and science fiction.
Set in a world where people have two forms, one human and one animal, this is the story of Thane, a teenage boy whose life is suddenly turned upside… Read full post »
Meet Crime Fiction Author Conrad Johnson
John H. Byk (pen name, Conrad Johnson) was born and
raised on the gritty streets of Detroit, Michigan. After
surviving high school, he joined the Coast Guard and then went back
to school to earn his Masters of Art in English. Still aching
to see more of the world, he worked/… Read full post »
Book Review: Don’t Cry, Daddy’s Here by Brinda Carey
Don’t Cry, Daddy’s Here: One Woman’s Journey to Recovery from Incest is a deeply disturbing memoir. At the same time it is an important book, one that offers a strong message of hope and renewal to victims of this terrible crime.
"My decision to write this book ca… Read full post »
Book Review: Griffin’s Fire, by Darby Karchut
What happens when a moody teenage angel is forced to attend high-school?
The answer is Griffin's Fire.
Griffin's Fire is the second installment in Darby Karchut's Terrae Angeli young adult fantasy series, published by Twilight Times Books. I didn't read the first book in th/… Read full post »
Honest, Heartfelt Account of a Black American Family
Getting Out of Dodge City, Heading for L.A. on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe is a short novel that reads like a memoir and that will appeal to those interested in black American history and the dynamics of poor black American families from the early 1800s to the 1960s.
The story… Read full post »
Interview with Bill Swears, Author of Zook Country
Bill Swears calls himself a service brat. He was born in Great Falls, Montana. He’s lived in England, Iran, Germany, and nine states. Bill flew military helicopters for twenty-two years, seven in the Army and fifteen in the Coast Guard. He sold his first short story while he was a Coast… Read full post »
Book Review: Blueprint, by Lynnette Vaughn
Blueprint is the story of one soul's journey in planning her last incarnation on earth and what happens when friends take over.
The novel opens with Arielle and Raphael in Heaven as they
discuss Arielle's upcoming and last incarnation. Raphael, who's
been her soul mate for thousand… Read full post »
Biotechnology Entrepreneur Writes Medical Thriller
Rudy is best known as a medical device and biotechnology entrepreneur, inventor, and angel investor, with a history of starting new technology ventures throughout the U.S. and Europe. He’s been privileged to have the opportunity to see the newest innovations in healthcare and work with some of… Read full post »
Celebrate Read an Ebook Week with Twilight Times Books
Read an
Ebook Week begins today!
Twilight Times Books, publisher of critically acclaimed Literary, Mystery and SF/F books, is offering a special during ‘Read an Ebook Week,’ from March 4-10, 2012.
A FREE ebook will be given away each day.
Some of these books in… Read full post »
Book Review: A Satan Carol, by Alan Steven Kessler
A Satan Carol by spiritual horror author Alan Steven
Kessler combines elements of the macabre and parody/satire to
explore the concepts of free will and evil. Not having read in this
horror subcategory before, I was intrigued when I received a copy
of this ebook for review.
The story begins in… Read full post »
Book Review: The Eden Paradox, by Barry Kirwan
The Eden Paradox, by Barry Kirwan, is an enjoyable read
that will be relished by fans of science fiction.
Fifty years into the future, the earth has been maimed by war and is near collapse from heat exhaustion. Scientists have already found the vaccine for AIDS and robot soldiers have quelled… Read full post »
Book Review: Pretty Dolls, by Kimberly Dana
Pretty Dolls by Kimberly Dana, a finalist in
the Children’s Picture Book category at the 2011 Pacific
Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest, is a delightful
story about overcoming jealousy and the love a girl can share with
her special doll, no matter what she looks like.&n/… Read full post »
Book Review: Hitler’s Silver Box, by Allen Malnak
Hitler’s Silver
Box is a compelling, exciting thriller that will keep you
on the edge of your seat until the end.
In a two-story Georgian house in one of Chicago’s affluent suburbs, Max Bloomberg, an old bookseller, is brutally killed. Before murdering him, the killers burn hi… Read full post »
Fashion Guru Karen Moller Writes her Memoir
If you’re interested in the private lives of
people who make the fashion world, how they started and how they
got to the top, you might want to pick up a copy of Karen
Moller’s memoir,Technicolor Dreamin’: The
1960′s Rainbow and Beyond.
In her fresh and engaging voice,… Read full post »
An Interview: Hitler’s Silver Box, by Dr. Allen Malnak
A board-certified internist, Dr. Allen Malnak served as chief of medicine at Fort Sill, OK, and was medical director of a number of organizations, including the Emergency Department of Chicago’s Mount Sinai Hospital. During his long medical career in the Chicago area, he was also a cl/… Read full post »
Book Review: The Underlying Hand, by Roger P. Koch
Combining elements of drama, historical fiction and science fiction, The Underlying Hand is an original, fascinating novel that explores controversial subjects such as the origins of mankind, the Sons of God, Eden, and The Flood.
The story begins in the Nibiru Space Station 6… Read full post »
Review: A World of His Own: In the Land of the Creoles
A World of His Own is an enjoyable historical novel set in New Orleans in the early 1800′s. The novel spans a few years and centers around the life of Andre Raphael de Javon, an ambitious and handsome Frenchman who comes to America in order to become one of the richest plantation/… Read full post »
Christian YA Fantasy about Heaven and Hell
Please welcome my special guest, D.L. Reynolds. Reynolds is the author of the YA Christian fantasy, Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe, the first book in this his new series for fans of fantasy and adventure fiction. I had the pleasure of reviewing his book last week. You can read/… Read full post »
New Novel about the Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest
If you’re a fan of historical novels, are interested in the Aztecs, and would like to try something different, you’ll enjoy Five Dances with Death: Dance One, by Austin Briggs.
Written in first person from the point of view of Angry Wasp, the story begins in 1516, during… Read full post »
Book Review: The Lucky Baseball, by Suzanne Lieurance
The Lucky Baseball is a highly entertaining and educational novel about a young Japanese-American boy whose dream is to become a famous baseball player. Set during the time of the war between the US and Japan, the book teaches about that dark era of our time while providing young readers with a/… Read full post »
Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe, by D.L. Reynolds
Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe is part of an
exciting YA series for fans of fantasy, adventure and Christian
literature.
The story begins in a cemetery when 13-year old Darla Jade's soul
is 'raised from her grave' by Striker, the creature that calls the
souls at
Interview with Kai Strand, author of The Weaver
Kai Strand is a middle grade and young adult author. She
lives in Central Oregon with her husband and children. They love to
hike and geocache. She reads every story she writes to them. They
are amazingly patient and remain appropriately enthusiastic. Kai
has had several short stories publis
Interview with Nancy Stewart, author of Sea Turtle Summer
Nancy is the bestselling author of the four Bella and Britt Series books for children: One Pelican at a Time (eighteen weeks on Amazon Bestselling List), Sea Turtle Summer, Bella Saves the Beach and Mystery at Manatee Key. All are published by Guardian Angel Publis/… Read full post »
Book Review: Point Deception, by Jim Gilliam
What happens when your loyalties are in conflict and you
must betray your old mentor in order to fulfill your duty? What if
this old mentor who used to protect and help you as a kid is now a
dangerous drug-and-human trafficking overlord? This is the
predicament our protagonist,

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