16 October 2009

Review and Giveaway: Only Milo by Barry Smith

The luckiest thing in wannabe novelist Milo's life is that he's finally old enough to get Social Security. Then he meets Margaret, wannabe publisher who needs someone to translate a potentially brilliant book written by a guy from Mexico City. Milo's life is about to change, but in what direction?

All Milo wants is a piece of the publishing pie, but he's not going to be served if he can't get over his fear of the rejection letter. When he finally decides to take matters into his own hands and create the breaks he needs, things don't go exactly as planned. Unfortunately, for every step forward, Milo finds himself five steps behind. Will he ever see his name in print?

Barry Smith's dark and funny look at the cutthroat world of publishing will grab your attention. This is not a novel of deep character development or elaborate scene setting, but it is entertaining to see how Milo's choices are shaped by improbable situations and crazy coincidences. Even though Milo is a bit too twisted and self-serving to root for, you do want to know his ultimate fate.

If you like a bit of dark humor and if you've ever wondered how far you'd go to make it in your field, then you would like Only Milo. The book isn't prize-winning literature, and the novel could have used a more aggressive copyeditor, but these flaws do not distract the reader from enjoying the warped world that Milo made.

Barrry Smith and Milo have their own website where you can learn a bit more about the author.

Thanks to Nicole Krueger of Inkwater Press, I have a signed copy of Only Milo to giveaway to one of my readers. This giveaway is open internationally. To enter:

  1. Leave a comment telling me if you have ever wanted to be a published author and include your email address. If these two items aren't in your comment you will not be entered.
  2. For a second entry tweet this giveaway and let me know that you did so.
A winner will be picked by random.org when I turn on my computer on November 2.

Only Milo at Powell's
Only Milo at Amazon
These 3 links lead to an affiliate program; if you buy, I get a small percent.

Published by Inkwater Press, 2009
ISBN-13: 9781592994236
Challenges: 100+
YTD: 76
Source: Review copy (see my review policy)
Rating: B−

37 comments:

Elena 10/16/09, 9:07 AM  

When my family moved from Melbourne to Brisbane, my 6-year-old self told my mother I was going to find myself a publisher and become an author.

It's yet to happen.

Also, I have tweeted :) (username is @withextrapulp) and my email address is elenamaria.gomez@gmail.com

xo

jpetroroy 10/16/09, 9:29 AM  

I definitely have! I'm working on a book now.

jpetroroy (at) gmail (dot)com

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks 10/16/09, 9:34 AM  

No need to enter my name in the drawing (I'm afraid it might be like looking behind the Wizard's curtain!), but I wanted to comment about the clever cover - a dart board (or office voodoo doll?) made of Post-Its ... I wonder if that's Milo or his publisher in the bullseye!?

Serena 10/16/09, 11:35 AM  

I'm a published poet, does that count?! Ok, not a full collection yet, but I'm working on the manuscript.

This sounds like an interesting read. I like the new layout of the blog, but for some reason, I can't see your header...at least on my mac computer through firefox at home. Maybe I can at my work PC on firefox...lol

love to be entered....

savvyverseandwit AT gmail DOT com

Beth F 10/16/09, 11:56 AM  

Serena: I hope that the problem is only temporary -- you're the first to have mentioned it. I'll let it sit a day or so before I investigate. Thanks for letting me know.

Dorte H 10/16/09, 12:57 PM  

I have! I have! I have even posted about it earlier today :D

I probably shouldn´t enter your competition again as I have just received my September prizes (thank you), but this one sounds fun, especially for a wanna-be writer.

do.hu.ja(at)mail.tele.dk

Anonymous,  10/16/09, 1:50 PM  

Yes, I've wanted to be a published author. Unfortunately it seems like a lot of work getting there.

Thanks for the entry.

carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com

Just Mom 10/16/09, 3:55 PM  

I'll try for this one, please count me in the giveaway. No, I have never had any real aspirations to be published.

Sandy Nawrot 10/16/09, 4:07 PM  

OK, I will admit. Yes, I have always had this little niggle of a dream to write a book. However, I have no time and no self-confidence. I have an accounting degree, for Pete's sake. Still. I keep saying "when my kids go to college and I have all this time on my hands...". Ha! This book might totally scare me off, but I figure why not throw my name in the hat anyway! rnawrot at cfl dot rr dot com

Jenners 10/16/09, 10:21 PM  

I really like that cover. And dark humor is always welcome in my world.

Llehn 10/16/09, 10:55 PM  

I'm still working on being a published author right now so it'll be interesting to read about Milo's journey.

lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com

kohsamui14 10/17/09, 9:17 AM  

http://twitter.com/kohsamuirosie/status/4941553980
tweeted @kohsamuirosie
published author.. not quite but a couple of my English students are now sucessful authors...
Beams with pride!!!

Robin M 10/17/09, 11:59 AM  

You bet. I would love to be a published author. But going to enjoy the writing process first. Only Milo sounds interesting. Please enter me.

rlmccormack59 at gmail dot com

Alexia561 10/17/09, 7:19 PM  

Would love to be a published author, but simply don't have the patience to stick with it.

Sounds like a great book, so please count me in!

Alexia561@yahoo.com

Joy Renee 10/17/09, 11:16 PM  

first began wanting to see my own stories on the library shelf along with everything else at age 8 or 9. Only Milo sounds like it will either reinforce or alleviate my fear of the publishing world's workings which isn't so much a fear of rejection as fear of the faceless judge and the looooooooong waits. but i hear laughing at what you fear is a good thing...

joystory @ gmail dot com

Reading 10/18/09, 9:52 PM  

I would love to be a published author. I just don't know if I actually have what it takes.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Unknown 10/18/09, 11:25 PM  

i have never been published.
i've written several journals and stories but
a) i'm not really a famous person whose biography could be published yet;
b) i don't have a tale to tell yet and;
c) there's really no publishing house that contacted me yet

rubs.escalona@gmail.com

tweeted about your giveaway:
http://twitter.com/rubyreads/status/4982243531

Anonymous,  10/19/09, 12:01 PM  

I'm not a published author yet, but I will be :)
stacybooks at yahoo

Unknown 10/19/09, 12:18 PM  

Sorry to say that I have never published a book. Those are my plans during or around retirement time.

Thanks for the chance to win.

baragalibrary [at] gmail.com

Alice 10/20/09, 2:47 AM  

I want! I want! A lot of people have asked me to write and I did give it some serious thought, so yes, I might look for a publisher one day!

teh(dot)alice(at)gmail(dot)com

Jonnie (JB) 10/21/09, 2:29 AM  

I have always wanted to be a published author and as a teenager a psychic told me I would be an author late in my life.
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

Rebecca 10/25/09, 5:13 PM  

When I was really young I wanted to be an author and so I wrote stories all the time. Now I still want to be an author one day and may start working on something over the summer.

Anita Yancey 10/25/09, 7:31 PM  

Yes, I have always wanted to be a published author. The problem is the stories are in my head, but I just can't write. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

IceJewel 10/26/09, 8:57 AM  

I have never wanted to be a published author.Actually, never thought of it until now.But, U never know.If I think over and over on this, then maybe , I would want to be one :)

Please enter me, icejew at gmail dot com

I have posted the contest on my sidebar
http://icejewel.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the contest.

Anonymous,  10/28/09, 7:35 AM  

I always wanted to be an author.. I even started writing the first page of my book which i named Jaded :) but sadly never got around to finishing it or continuing to the second page. Thanks for the competition. Germaine.perera@gmail.com

Milka 10/28/09, 3:19 PM  

I have dreamed about being a published author, I have even written something, a start of a novel... But I feel like I am never going to be one so I just concentrate of other things.

milkavainamo(at)lyseo(dot)edu(dot)ouka(dot)fi

Strangelove,  10/29/09, 7:45 PM  

I dream of being a good writer.
When I feel that happened, I will dream of being published!

carlos_durao AT hotmail DOT com

Edu Chico,  10/31/09, 6:53 PM  

Oh, I haven't thought about being published yet.
I only did some short stories, experimental.
I have to get better!

educhico AT gmail DOT com

Jafantunes,  10/31/09, 6:55 PM  

Nope, I only write poems and they are for my wife's eyes only.
:)


jafantunes AT sapo DOT pt

Cavalier,  10/31/09, 6:56 PM  

I still dream and still am trying to be published!
I am always reviewing and improving my text.

o_rei_de_havana AT hotmail DOT com

MariaD,  10/31/09, 7:01 PM  

I'm a reader, not a writer!

dr.strangelove.vs.citizen.kane
@
gmail.com

Caty,  11/1/09, 9:04 AM  

I'm waiting for a glimpse of inspiration and one flawless idea to write my own book!

catarina DOT magoito AT gmail DOT com

Susy,  11/1/09, 9:14 AM  

I took the matter into my own hands.
I did an Author's Edition and after selling it all a publishing house came to me..
:)

39{.}5susy@gmail{.}com

Mil,  11/1/09, 10:04 AM  

I published some short stories on magazines.
And I am proud of that.

goncalo[.]mil[@]gmail[.]com

J Dias,  11/1/09, 10:15 AM  

Oh, great, an internacional giveaway!
It's great that you do it like this!
joanapatriciadias [at] gmail [dot] com

I have written a book and I am now in the review phase with a good friend of mine.
I will sent it to publishers during next year.

Tanita,  11/1/09, 10:31 AM  

I don't have much talent for writing.
I just read and I'm ok with that.
We can't all be writers!

tanita AT sapo DOT pt

Tanita,  11/1/09, 10:34 AM  

Sorry!
Got my email wrong!
Don't know what's wrong with me today!
tanitalves AT sapo DOT pt

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