Latest Review of Born To Return The Gift

 Turning The Tide?, September 30, 2013

By 

John R. Dizon

This review is from: Born To Return The Gift (Paperback)

Born To Return The Gift by Catherine Johnson is a compelling, incisive novel focusing on a series of episodes in the life of a middle-aged mulatto woman facing the crossroads of her journey. The strains of Irish blood in her veins prove as difficult to redeem as her college education as she seems trapped in the ghetto existence she struggles desperately to transcend. The temptation of substance abuse lurks on every corner, threatening to engulf her at any given time, but the power of her spirit resonates with the message of Scripture as the author takes us along this rocky road of redemption.

Nyima Robbins finds herself trying to free herself from the mire represented by the Oasis Hotel in California, her place of refuge from the chaos of the Oakland suburbs. She is enrolled at City College where she finds difficulty in relating to students half her age, fighting battles over which she long prevailed. Her spirit is exhausted by watching the next generation wading through issues of race and class, though it seems that she is being forced to walk that road over and again. She ends up taking a job at Platinum Financial, a check-cashing company that caters to the type of clientele that she needs desperately to avoid. Johnson provides us with a vivid account of how someone with the maturity, education and best intentions can still be trapped beneath the glass ceiling in a clinging, suppressive environment.

The author's work is reminiscent of Toni Morrison in bringing us into the black experience of ghetto life with an authentic narrative. Nyima's relations with Steffon, a philandering manipulator, demonstrate a need for companionship and to establish a social network. Yet she realizes that it is her dark side that is attracting the kind of people who dragged her into this very quagmire. The storyline eventually brings us into a segue towards the ontological discussion as Nyima experiences an epiphany during a nightmare sequence. A demonic figure appears to her, using the very `hunh hunh' idiosyncracy of speech that we find throughout Steffon's dialogues with Nyima. The demon tells her there is no way out, that the negative energy of her life serves to enhance the ontology of the ghetto experience. She is suddenly able to see the `lines formulating between the dots of her life', and how the events of her life have led her to this time of reckoning with the dark forces absorbing her very spirit.

Johnson's work is an essential piece of black literature that may well act as a guidepost for the next generation of African-Americans struggling with racial and economic issues in finding their own place in today's society. This glimpse into a visceral environment and the story of one woman's battle to transcend it is both uplifting and inspirational. Born To Return The Gift by Catherine Johnson is a modern-day parable you won't soon forget.

My Review of 'Destroyer' (Abadden) by John R. Dizon

Onyz Productions' mission is to intrigue the mind, prick the heart, and incite the spirit.  Because caring is sharing, I am compelled to share my review of this novel by John R. Dizon, which I was blessed to receive by electronic copy after it's release September 24th. ¡
Dios trabaja de modos misteriosos!

5 out of 5 Stars - ALLEGIANCE vs. REDEMPTION

DESTROYER  futuristically takes place after the crippling effect of a second attack by extremist suicide bombers. The Organized Religion Act and The Hate Crime Act are enacted to make all religious organizations illegal. It is the dawning of repeating the ancient history of persecution and violence. A micro chip inserted under the skin is the Federal ID system, and high tech surveillance systems with metallic voices secure blocks of New York City. A Great Depression has resulted in a housing crisis and hundreds of thousands of homeless people are driven underground to live in subway tunnels and sewer systems; while rich yuppies, wealthy politicians, and gold plated drug dealers rule life above ground - Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Richard McCain has served twenty years in the military's Special Forces unit where he earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart. Upon his release, he finds solace in alcohol for the atrocities he's witnessed, and finds renewed purpose as a soldier in God's army. Like Job, this act costs him everything that makes life meaningful, and he has a deep scar between the muscle of his thumb and his wrist from popping his chip out. After a bombing in the subway system destroys thousands of innocent lives, he is thrust into spiritual turmoil.

His estranged wife, Agnes, contacts him after the border is opened to immigrants following a Mexico City bombing. Her young sister, who fled Columbia after the cartel made her a widow, is believed to be in the area. Even though it could possibly be a set-up because his wife's current lover is entrenched in Capital Hill, he agrees to take a hiatus from his ministry. Unbeknownst to them, Sandra Flores, who is a rising star over Homeland Securities' ICE department, secretly discovers her mother has made contact with the man she despises - her stepfather. She uses Machiavellian skills she has learned from her mother, to meet department objectives to destroy the resistance, and him with it. During a recruitment interview with Richard's nephew, she alludes that his employment is contingent on his willingness to expunge him.

Damien (Day) Blakely, who has been raised to believe religion only serves people lacking direction and is an opiate that renders its believers worthless to society, is thrilled by her cunning. The millionaire's personal agenda for a position within H.S. is to introduce DNA sampling for use with satellite tracking systems in specific areas to eradicate religion once and for all. Hatred for the man disowned by his grandparents sunk to treacherous depths following numerous crack houses being taken out of commission. Richard's execution would serve two purposes because his criminal conspirators suspect him of being the people's vigilante for Divine Justice - aka Abadden (Hebrew), the Destroyer.

John R. Dizon has created an explosive page turning Christian novel with plenty of action and history which will provoke thoughts about the illusion of freedom in contrast to parallel realities of free will that according to prophecy: as the end time draws near...many shall be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  This book is Highly Recommended for everyone - adventure seekers, truth slayers, and believers.

Born To Return The Gift & End All To Be All

Amazon Review For 'End All To Be All'

5 out of 5 stars - Path to Salvation? by John R. Dizon (The Standard)

Format: Paperback 

End All To Be All by Catherine E. Johnson is an insightful work of Christian fiction providing a revealing look into the world of substance abuse and the rehabilitation process. Unlike most of works within the genre, Johnson takes a realistic approach in ripping away the insulation that often compromises the validity of such novels. We are left with an unblinking look at the lives of patients in the Antoine Reed Alcohol and Drug Foundation, and their personal conflicts in navigating along that crossroad in their lives. 

Michael, the major protagonist, is a college-educated upwardly mobile black man whose life is turned upside down after a car accident that results in a car wreck that costs the life of his girlfriend. He is sent to the facility at the behest of Turk, a close associate realizing that Michael is in need of help. It is discovered that Michael has developed an addiction to Demerol over the years after an old neck injury grew aggravated over time. Michael, like a significant percentage of the population, is in denial but soon realizes there is a problem that must be resolved.

The author's insertion of Scripture at the beginning of chapters is a clever reminder that the answers to our problem is often in plain sight. It would be very interesting to conduct an exit poll to see how many readers in her audience are skipping over the passages, just like the characters in the novel. Most Scripture is based on common sense and Divine logic, and we often circumvent the argument to rationalize our actions and justify our mistakes. Michael meets Antoine and Jerry, two fellow shooters who personify the internal conflict facing him. Antoine is reassessing the value of the connections being brought in off the street, while Jerry remains dedicated to slamming the front door on them. Michael eventually turns to Jerry in rejecting his past, and Jerry becomes a beacon of hope in helping Michael find a way out of the abyss.

Johnson's story winds along a rocky road of hard knocks as Michael eventually begins a relationship with Nyima, a borderline alcoholic. She realizes that the success of their friendship will depend largely on their ability to slay the dragons in their life. When she learns of the circumstances surrounding the death of Michael's fiancee in the fatal car crash, it helps forge a bond of trust that helps them find resolution over a three-year struggle. 

The themes of perseverance and redemption resonate throughout the novel, and End All To Be All reminds us that God is always there to pick up those who are willing to get back on their feet.

Limited Time - 90% Discount of Ebooks at Smashwords

 Born To Return The Gift and End All To Be All  for $0.99 each.

Available in the following formats

Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others);  Kindle (.mobi for Kindle devices and Kindle apps);   PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing)RTF (readable on most word processors); LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub); Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices); Plain Text (download) (flexible, but lacks much formatting)

The following coupon  codes must be entered 

prior to completing checkout.

Born To Return The Gift - Coupon Code: AA62X

End All To Be All - Coupon Code: QW93A

Offer available until October 13, 2013

Remembering The Attack of 9/11/2001 - God Shed His Grace

  “Mourning is not forgetting... It is an undoing. Every minute tie has to be untied and something permanent and valuable recovered and assimilated from the dust.” 

― Margery Allingham

America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)

Commonly referred to as America

by Rev. Samuel F. Smith - 1832

My country, 'tis of Thee,

Sweet Land of Liberty

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the pilgrims' pride,

From every mountain side

Let Freedom ring.

My native country, thee,

Land of the noble free,

Thy name I love;

I love thy rocks and rills,

Thy woods and templed hills,

My heart with rapture thrills

Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,

And ring from all the trees

Sweet Freedom's song;

Let mortal tongues awake;

Let all that breathe partake;

Let rocks their silence break,

The sound prolong.

Our fathers' God to Thee,

Author of Liberty,

To thee we sing,

Long may our land be bright

With Freedom's holy light,

Protect us by thy might

Great God, our King.

Our glorious Land to-day,

'Neath Education's sway,

Soars upward still.

Its hills of learning fair,

Whose bounties all may share,

Behold them everywhere

On vale and hill!

Thy safeguard, Liberty,

The school shall ever be,

Our Nation's pride!

No tyrant hand shall smite,

While with encircling might

All here are taught the Right

With Truth allied.

Beneath Heaven's gracious will

The stars of progress still

Our course do sway;

In unity sublime

To broader heights we climb,

Triumphant over Time,

God speeds our way!

Grand birthright of our sires,

Our altars and our fires

Keep we still pure!

Our starry flag unfurled,

The hope of all the world,

In peace and light impearled,

God hold secure!

Smashwords Bio - Catherine E. Johnson

As a young child I loved to read, but never dreamed of being a writer. . .but here I am.

As an adult I read mostly nonfiction, but one day it dawned on me how elements of nonfiction could merge with fiction in a way to shed light on the darkness of reality.

A story that shares familiar pains, but from an unfamiliar point of view could possibly empower and inspire; or at least provoke readers to think about how they themselves are living. Young adults who think they know everything there is to know about life already, could benefit from a different perspective without personal blemish, and be inspired to focus on making the right choices to make the world a better place for themselves and everyone around them.

Being an author is a brand new experience for me. I did not make the decision to become one in search of fame or fortune. Of course it would be nice to have a best seller; earn an achievement award, or even just supplement my income; but that is not the reason I write. I write because I wish to inspire and empower others . God is real and regardless of a person's name, upbringing, or personal mistakes, everyone is entitled to His blessings.

I realize not everyone believes in God and those that do may not share the same beliefs; but we ARE all united by faith. I only hope that 'Born To Return The Gift' and its sequel, 'End All To Be All' provokes the reader who does not feel worthy of God's promise, or doesn't believe in a God, to open their heart and consider an alternative reality and the possibilities involved. Most importantly l hope readers cease judging people like books by their cover alone.

Smashwords Interview

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in Connecticut during the fifties and sixties. The first time I was called the 'N' word was a memory I haven't forgotten to this day. I I was only about eight or nine years old. Although I didn't understand the implication, I felt it was something bad because it hurt my feelings and made me feel less than the person who spit that derogatory name out at me. As I grew older I consciously learned about what was happening across the country, particularly in the South; and always felt that people should just let people be people without categorizing them on the basis of the color of their skin and what side of the tracks they lived on. My characters lived in my mind for a long time before I started writing about them, but eventually I felt compelled to tell a story with the hope that something good, empowering, and provoking could be gleaned from it. The book became cumbersome so I split it into two separate books. That's how 'Born To Return The Gift' and 'End All To Be All' evolved.

What do your fans mean to you?

LOL - The few I think I may have are mostly silent, outside of a few posted reviews; but they mean everything to my growth and improvement as a writer.

Who are your favorite authors?

I've never considered that question because the spectrum is numerous - (i.e., From Toni Morrison to John Grisham.)

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

The fact that when God's Will opens my eyes I have the mobility of my limbs to get out of bed.. I'm very grateful to be a two year cancer survivor.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?

Yes, It was for a college creative writing class. It was a twelve page long paper about a young man who was gunned down by a rival gang member. The professor chose my paper to be read in class and encouraged me to expand on it for a novel. I haven't gotten to that yet.

How do you approach cover design?

I envision it according to the content and subject matter of the book.

What are your five favorite books, and why?

HOLY BIBLE ; SEAT OF THE SOUL - GARY ZUKAV; THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS - ISABEL WILKERSON; WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES - CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTES ;  and HOPE ON A TIGHT ROPE - CORNEL WEST
These books are chosen because of the inspiration, affirmation, hope and empowerment they all inspire within me.

Describe your desk

Contemporary metal and glass 'L' design. Although it is well organized it gets pretty cluttered at times because I'm always writing notes on my thoughts about different things I see, read, or hear about and the paper sometimes piles up in a mess.

When did you first start writing?

I use to write song lyrics now and then back in the seventies. During that time I also had to write a paper for a final grade for a humanities class, Later when I recognized my work with my teacher's name attached to it, seeing it in print was a temporary affirmation that I might have talent; but I never felt the desire or inclination to really write anything other than to take care of business. Although here and there some people have suggested that I write a book somehow I always thought the underlying message was that maybe I talked too much. LOL - Anyway, in 2007 I had a lot of time on my hands due to health reasons, and I felt compelled to write. My effort resulted in 'Born To Return The Gift' and 'End All To Be All'.