Is the World as Dangerous as the News Makes it Seem?
Am I being naïve in ignoring the disturbances going on in parts of the island?
Tema Frank
Historical Fiction & Business Author, World Traveler & Speaker
Tema Frank
Historical Fiction & Business Author, World Traveler & Speaker
Category Books & Writing
Read MoreIs the World as Dangerous as the News Makes it Seem?
Book Review: The Confessions of Frannie Langton
A moving historical murder mystery set initially on a slave plantation in Jamaica. Highly recommended.
Book Review: The Ambassador’s Wife
The Ambassador’s Wife by Jennifer Steil My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was gripped by this book, and the moral and ethical dilemmas it raises in an engrossing, fictional way. The protagonist is such a real, flawed but loveable…
Book Review: Yellow Wife
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Sadeqa Johnson wrote the book after touring a former slave jail and trading post. On one of the walls she saw a photo of the jailer, his black wife…
A Historical Novelist’s Work is Never Done
When writing a historical novel you can get buried in research and never write the book. Sometimes, though, the research discoveries make you so happy!
Book Review: All My Puny Sorrows
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have a lousy memory, so not many books stick with me for years, other than a general “I liked it” feeling. But this one has. It…
Book Review: The Boat People
The Boat People by Sharon Bala My rating: 5 of 5 stars A powerful look at the difficult decisions faced by people in war zones and by refugee boards. Nothing is simple. Is it better to risk admitting someone who…
Book Review: The Breakout Novel Workbook
Tema's review of Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook. Worth reading if you want to write fiction.
Book Review: The Flight Portfolio
The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer My rating: 4 of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a blend of fiction and nonfiction (troublingly so for many reviewers) based on the life of Varian Fry. Fry worked tirelessly…
Tema Frank: History Detective!
Shmuel, father of Idel, who was the father of Baruch When you hear the words “genealogical research” what comes to mind? For me, it was a little old lady sitting at her computer trying to find out about her distant…
Book Review: American Kingpin
American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road by Nick Bilton My rating: 5 of 5 stars A great example of how to do narrative nonfiction well. Luckily for the author, there were written records…