A MORMON MASSACRE

Mormonism: legitimate church or dangerous cult? A MORMON MASSACRE (a novel). For your free copy, rinald47@hotmail.com.

A MORMON MASSACRE - Amazon Reviewers LOVE It!

Here's the latest awesome review (by Dixie Miller Goode) of my new novel release, A Mormon Massacre, now available on Amazon in Kindle or paperback format!

Spying on the Temple By Pandorasecho "Dixie"

"Because I had previously read and reviewed one of Joseph Rinaldo's novels, "Hazardous Choices," he offered me a kindle copy of this one to read. I was hesitant, not because I didn't think I would enjoy the book, but because I have a lot of friends who are Mormon and I knew that any favorable review of a book called "A Mormon Massacre" would possibly offend my friends. Still, I loved Mr. Rinaldo's writing and I agreed to read it, but did not promise a review.

This book starts with a well researched, historical massacre of everyone but the very youngest children in a large wagon train, at Mountain Meadows, Utah. This happened as the country was entering the turmoil of the civil war era and ended up not being investigated as completely as it might have at another time in history. The fictional novel itself deals with a young man entering a Mormon group as an inserted "spy" in the modern world. There is a connection to the massacre, but the real story is what is happening deep within the highest, most secret groups in the inner temples of modern Salt Lake City and in an empty barn where a secret army demands blood atonement from heretics and unfaithful women.

I loved the intensity of this novel, and the well written story carried me along so that I avoided a few other books I already had started in favor of finding out what would happen next here. I know my Mormon friends would not love this book, but in all honesty, Mr. Rinaldo creates modern Mormons who are realistic and multi-dimensional. He clearly shows the kindness and concern and humanity of most of the members, while also showing the manipulation and insanity in his villain. Of course his villain, a fictional person, happens to be the head of the Mormon Church. His insanity is complete but it progresses along such a natural path that he pulls his followers along that road much farther than they would have ever expected to go.

What I love most about this novel is the characters within it. Each is so complete and well crafted that it becomes hard to believe they are fictional characters. I had to care about them, and love them or hate them. There was no way to put down this book and stop reading once I had entered its pages."

I am so proud of my new book, and I would like to offer my blog readers the opportunity to read and review it. Just post a comment here, and I will be in touch!

THANKS, Dixie!

A MORMON MASSACRE - ANOTHER 5-STAR REVIEW!

A MORMON MASSACRE - ANOTHER 5-STAR REVIEW!


I am so very proud to announce another five-star review for A Mormon Massacre, my newest and most controversial novel! Elliot Malach says, "...high intensity...it would make a great movie." Linda Baumann calls it "Riveting and Shocking!", and Steve Lionel says "Entrancing characters, thought-provoking plot, skillfully told." Don't miss this great read at http://www.amazon.com/A-Mormon-Massacre-Joseph-Rinaldo/dp/1477505911/  

COURTING CONTROVERSY!

The release of my new novel, A Mormon Massacre, has created quite a controversy. Some believe I am trying to destroy the Mormon Church, some believe I am trying to take advantage of the upcoming election by releasing it now (DUH!), and some think I am just a crackpot who likes to rant. What do you think? Read A Mormon Massacre, now available on Amazon, and make up your own mind! http://www.amazon.com/A-MORMON-MASSACRE-ebook/dp/B008R26S18/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344944610&sr=8-2&keywords=a+mormon+massacre

Seeking Reviews for A MORMON MASSACRE!

A MORMON MASSACRE has just been released on Amazon, and I am seeking reviewers who would like to receive a free review copy (digital). If interested, please comment here, and I will contact you immediately! Thanks, friends. Here is a blurb about the novel:

A Mormon militia slaughtered a wagon train of 150 Arkansas emigrants in Utah Territory in 1857. This ranked as the largest mass killing of Americans by Americans until the Oklahoma City bombing, excluding the Civil War. When the bodies were accidentally uncovered in 1999, Mike Leavitt, the Governor of Utah and allegedly a direct descendant of an 1857 militiaman, ordered them re-buried. Jeremiah, in present-day Nashville, decides to go undercover and see what else the Mormons are hiding in my new novel, A Mormon Massacre, available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/A-MORMON-MASSACRE-ebook/dp/B008R26S18.

A MORMON MASSACRE available on Amazon!

A Mormon militia slaughtered a wagon train of 150 Arkansas emigrants in Utah Territory in 1857. This ranked as the largest mass killing of Americans by Americans until the Oklahoma City bombing, excluding the Civil War. When the bodies were accidentally uncovered in 1999, Mike Leavitt, the Governor of Utah and allegedly a direct descendant of an 1857 militiaman, ordered them re-buried. Jeremiah, in present-day Nashville, decides to go undercover and see what else the Mormons are hiding in my new novel, A Mormon Massacre, available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/A-MORMON-MASSACRE-ebook/dp/B008R26S18.

Great Review for HAZARDOUS CHOICES!

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION

Enjoy the absolutely wonderful review by Norma Budden for my book Hazardous Choices at http://bookreviews.normabudden.com/2012/07/18/joseph-rinaldo/. Thank you, Norma!

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION

A SPY AT HOME is now available in paperback on Amazon! Check it out at http://www.amazon.com/Spy-At-Home-Joseph-Rinaldo/dp/1475122594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339084663&sr=8-1, and while you're browsing, watch the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9Fw74llNA.


I would love any comments you may have on the YT video; there's been some discussion that it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long for a promotion. Apparently, some people think that Americans have the attention span of a gnat. What do you think?

EBOOKS VS. PRINT BOOKS: PART II

Well, folks, here I am again, talking about the controversy between ebooks and print books. I know this is ground we've covered before, but bear with me. I have two ebooks, A SPY AT HOME and HAZARDOUS CHOICES, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and Goodreads. (For those of you who have bought, read, reviewed, tweeted about, or "liked" these novels, I thank you most sincerely.) The monetary rewards (in the form of royalties, of course) have been less than huge, even though I have worked as hard as I know how to promote both books, and even though I have given away many, discounted more, and priced them inexpensively to sell! So now what? I asked myself what would come next.

I was challenged to offer my novels in print form by someone who does not have a Kindle or a Nook. (Can you imagine?) I decided, after much soul-searching, to do so. Working with CreateSpace and learning (by much trial and error - mostly error) how to edit, format, and upload my novel A Spy At Home, I have finally been able to offer this novel in print on Amazon. The experience was exhausting; CS has many good points, and their tech support is fine, but there just isn't enough information on their website to make this process easy. I sought advice from FB friends, and I was pleased with the support and encouragement they offered.

Take a look and see what you think, friends. I'm hoping that an opportunity to attend and participate in a book-signing in my hometown on June 14th will help me promote the print version of the book, and I am very much looking forward to my first "public appearance". More to follow...

Routines - My Way or the Wrong Way?

There is an old episode of "All In The Family" that illustrates brilliantly how rigidly we all adhere to our routines and patterns of behavior. In this episode, Archie and his son-in-law Mike ("affectionately" known as Meathead) are getting ready to go fishing, and Archie discovers Mike putting on his socks and shoes; first Mike puts on his right sock and his right shoe, then begins to put on his left sock and left shoe. Archie, baffled by this behavior, insists that the "proper" way to put on socks and shoes is sock, sock, shoe, shoe. This begins an argument about the correct way to clad the feet. Archie insists that if you put on both socks first, and you have to run out of the house in an emergency, you have two warm feet. Mike counters that, doing it his way, if you have to flee the house in hurry, and it's raining outside, you at least have one warm, dry foot. The disagreement escalates into an all-out battle over the simple act of putting on shoes and socks.

Over the twelve years of my marriage, there have been many occasions on which my wife and I have disagreed about the "correct" way to do such things as load the dishwasher, fold the laundry, drive the car, and other things that seem minor on their surface, but which could potentially escalate to an argument and someone getting his/her feelings hurt. We have finally come to the conclusion that just because someone does something differently than you would do it, does not make it wrong, just different. This was not an easy compromise. It's funny how seriously we all take our own eccentricities and how tenaciously we cling to the behaviors we've learned and practiced all our lives.

So, let me ask you this: Do you put on both socks and then both shoes, or do you prefer the one sock-one shoe method? Do you load the dishwasher from the back to the front or from the front to the back? Do you fold your socks by turning down the tops over the pair, or do you tie matching socks together to be sure they stay together? Do you squeeze the toothpaste tube from the middle or from the end?

Are any of these things worth arguing about? Is it possible to re-train your brain to accept new ways of doing things or will you hold on to "this is the way I've always done it"? Consider Archie and Meathead - they never did reach agreement about the sock/shoe issue, and the fishing trip was called off.