New Blog: Third-Chance Book Reviews

Why third-chance book reviews? Well, why not? Authors work hard to create their books -- sometimes one, two, three, or even more years. Then their books are published, put on display in bookstores, only to be unceremoniously yanked from the shelves a few weeks later to make way for newer books.

Meanwhile, newspapers and magazines are eliminating book reviews or tightening up on the number of reviews they publish, on paper or online, to try to cut costs as they struggle to survive. Thus, it is getting tougher and tougher for authors to get their books reviewed anywhere.

If your book doesn't get reviewed right away, it rarely gets a second chance. And after it has been on the market for a year or two, it has almost zero chance of getting reviewed, except on a book-review blog. These days, the shelf life of a book is much shorter than the time it takes to create it.

Hence, Third-Chance Book Reviews. It offers one more opportunity for a few books to get reviewed.

To be honest, I am an old-fashioned book reviewer who is now in mortal danger of becoming unemployed in the dwindling world of print media. After many years of reviewing books in newspapers, magazines and literary journals, I have started this book review blog as a means of self-defense. It also reflects my longtime desire to help keep books -- words printed on actual paper -- in front of readers.

Much of my bias, initially, will be on books about the American West and Southwest or written by authors who live in the American West or Southwest. These types of books have been my speciality for about 25 years.

But I intend to expand my coverage to any and all types of books that interest me and entertain me.

I will not review books that I dislike. I will only post brief reviews of books that I have found interesting and entertaining and think others might like, too.

Likewise, I won't post "paid" reviews. If a particular book grabs your interest, I hope you will click on the link posted in the blog. It will take you to Amazon.com. If you buy the book via that link, I will make a few cents from the transaction. If you don't like that arrangement, just go to Amazon.com, search for the title and make your best deal.

Thank you in advance for visiting Third-Chance Book Reviews, and thank you for considering some of the books I have chosen to review.

Si Dunn
Third-Chance Book Reviews
Sagecreek Productions LLC

'Dark Signals' Wins Award at Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference

By Si Dunn

My latest book project, Dark Signals: A Navy Radio Operator in the Tonkin Gulf, 1964-65, won the 1st runner-up award in the manuscript competition at the 2008 Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference, July 19.

There is ongoing publisher interest, but no deals have been signed yet.

While I continue researching and completing this book, I would like to hear from former enlisted sailors and officers who were in the Seventh Fleet in the Tonkin Gulf and South China Sea at some time between July, 1964, and May, 1965. I especially would like to hear from former shipboard and shore station radio operators. I am still gathering material and conducting interviews for final drafts of the book.

For more information, please contact Si Dunn, sidunn@hotmail.com.

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