Happy Birthday Mr. Sidney
MY FICTION NOVEL
Latest reviews and updates.......
January/2014
So much soul, January 1, 2014
Amazon Verified Purchase
Reading this now and I'm loving the depth that's been developing in the story, this book is definitely a find I can't put down.
September/2013
Great Read - It will make you think!, September 30, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: Happy Birthday Mr Sidney (Kindle Edition)
I had a hard time putting this book down! Definitely a book for all to read...makes you think about your life....if you looked back on it....what do you think YOU would learn?
July/2013
Wonderful and touching reflection of life, July 12, 2013 By cpcjr -Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: Happy Birthday Mr. Sidney (Paperback)
I have read this book twice. I enjoyed it the first time, but the second time really hit me hard. Maybe because I have had some of the same experiences as Mr. Sidney, loss of grandparents and parents and separation of family. As I get older, I reflect on the past and what I should have done or done differently. Maybe my life would have been different if I had made different choices. This is a wonderful, touching tale of a man who reflects on parts of his life that have made him the man he was at the time of his death. He is guided through these past experiences to make him understand why he ended up the way he had. The experiences are happy, sad, and very touching. I found the tale very emotional and inspirational. I just hope that when it is my time to move on I end up with my loved ones as Mr. Sidney did.
July/2013
Great book , great message, July 10, 2013
Happy Birthday Mr. Sidney is a very enjoyable read that has a great story centered around a great message. It leaves the reader with the encouragement and the desire to try to make every day matter and count toward whatever goal in life it is that we are striving for. I found myself reminded that our actions in life generally have a strong influence on where we are in life. It's funny how such a simple concept sometimes gets lost. Paul Maddams does an excellent job in delivering such a powerful storyline in such an entertaining style.
June/2013
Live Life to the Fullest, June 10, 2013
This review is from: Happy Birthday Mr Sidney (Kindle Edition)
Dying alone is something none of us want to do. In this poignant "lost and found" tale by Paul Maddams, Mr. Stuart Sidney finds himself doing just that: dying alone in the bathtub and no one is the wiser. This, because he has let go of all the important people in his life since his beloved wife Claire passed away.
But things are never as they seem, and Stuart finds himself "stuck" in the afterlife as well. He cannot move forward there either because he has not dealt with the choices he made after his wife died. He must relive it all and realize his folly before he
can truly find peace.
Paul Maddams invites us to strive to make the right choices in life - to chose love-to chose to live fully - so we don't end up like Mr. Sidney, wishing we had.
June/2013
Wonderful and Moving, June 8, 2013
By MIss Barbara "Miss Barbara"Amazon Verified PurchaseThis review is from: Happy Birthday Mr Sidney (Kindle Edition)
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was one of those that you want to keep reading after you've turned the last page.
May/2013 Yes its from the wife, but we met through the book so it counts.
Thought provoking, May 29, 2013
By
Patti Maddams -
This review is from: Happy Birthday Mr Sidney (Kindle Edition) The story is compelling and thought provoking. It is an easy read and can be read with your older student or young adult. This story could change how you live your life and how you relate to others. Don't wait too long to make a positive change. I will read this one again.
August /2012
Clever Concept and a Quick Moving Story August 5, 2012
From previously posted reviews I was expecting something completely different from what I found: "Happy Birthday Mr. Sidney" is a "ghost story" with a strong dose of humor provided by some of the eccentric characters. The pacing is quick, the style is light and almost breezy, and the characters are engaging. I downloaded the Kindle edition, and text is well-adapted to the eBook format.
December/2009
I was told by my sister-in-law, Ruth Witte that her book club in New York would be using "Happy Birthday Mr. Sidney" for their January 2010 "book of the month". I am anxious to hear the outcome.
October/15/2009
I was interviewed on a local radio station www.KTSTFM.com. The radio station is located in Orange County near Disneyland and the particular show I was on is hosted by Denise Sussin / Simply Denise. Her show airs from 2pm to 4pm and i was permitted to stay the entire 2 hours, it was a lot of fun. Denise is the main host and Carole Bruns is her co-host. We discussed "Happy Birthday Mr. Sidney" in length for about 1/2 hour which was a lot of fun. The ladies had many questions for me along with constant plugging of my book the entire show. It was a good lesson and very enjoyable in a radio station setting.
August/2009
Book Group Recommendation, August 19, 2009
I read this book because it was written by my brother-in-law. Initially I was struck by the minimalist approach to the writing, and I wasn't sure I would like this author's style. Once I got into the book I couldn't put it down! While waiting for his fate to be discovered, a grandfather's spirit helps Mr Sidney to become aware of how his family has been impacted by his response to life altering events. The story's lack of descriptive clutter emphasizes the pivotal moments that have shaped who this man has become . I highly recommend this book for reading groups, as the potential for personal exploration and self disclosure could allow for extremely thought provoking discussion.
June/12/2009
My book was selected by a local ladies book club as "the book of the month". The club has around 15 to 20 members and I was asked to come and be a guest author so they could ask questions about "Happy Birthday Mr.Sidney". It was a very fun event with a lot of good questions the main one being, "what was your influence behind this story?". I had a great time answering questions, and even though a little nervous of what to answer if there was any criticism, it all was very positive and the book well received.
November/2008 One of my favorite reviews
Unique!, November 1, 2008
I was listening to Mark and Brian on the radio and heard about this self-published book. I went to Amazon.com and ordered it. I was in the middle of reading one of my usual big-name-author novels when Happy Birthday MR. Sidney (HBMS) arrived in the mail. I ended up abandoning the other book until I finished reading HBMS. I'm a combat veteran, this book helped me see parts of myself that I probably need to work on. And I think many, perhaps most, people who are fortunate enough to read this book will see themselves in one or more of the charactors. I've already begun to make changes in my behavior as a result of reading this well written book.
October/2008
I managed to get on the Mark & Brian morning radio show on 95.5 fm KLOS Radio here in Los Angeles. The idea was to "guess my job". I used to be a navigation technician for onboard systems in cars. It was a fun job that gave me the opportunity to travel all over North America. The idea of the contest with Mark & Brian, if they can not guess my job I win free tickets to a concert. Since they could not guess my job I had a chance for the tickets but I asked if I could plug my book instead which they allowed me to do and I did. What I did not know was the same show played again early the next morning. I actually sold a few books and got a great response back from a listener which is posted on Amazon.com, if you get a chance please read it.
