Tag: Gifted

Get Rich Quick? Steven Bernstein’s Sharp Satire on Financial Illusions

‘GRQ’ is the exciting new novel by Steven Bernstein. Photo: Partners in Crime Book Tours, used with permission.

Part of the Partners in Crime Tours Virtual Book Tours

Book Review: GRQ (Get Rich Quick) by Steven Bernstein

Motto:

Never trust someone who tells you he’s not a thief or a con artist.

Overview

GRQ (Get Rich Quick) follows Marlon, a man scrambling to save his family from financial collapse. Reeling from personal tragedy and facing eviction, he’s enticed by a mysterious financial advisor who promises a guaranteed path to wealth. As Marlon’s high-stakes gambles intensify, the line between salvation and destruction begins to blur. The story unfolds over a single, tension-filled day as Marlon confronts not only his financial ruin but also the dark secrets haunting his family.

Photo: PICT, used with permission

Review

Bernstein opens the novel with an unnamed narrator, a swaggering crypto investor who claims, “You should give me a call if you want to get rich.” Though he insists he merely tells Marlon’s story, he also claims he changed Marlon’s life. His unreliability seeps through immediately.

When Marlon nears eviction, this slick “advisor” offers him a surefire financial escape. With nowhere to turn, Marlon takes the bait, though every shortcut in Bernstein’s world carries a hidden cost.

The brief chapters alternate between Marlon’s unraveling day and the narrator’s self-aggrandizing commentary. Through this structure, Bernstein builds claustrophobia, tension, and a constant sense of impending doom. Marlon’s excuses to the mortgage company and his lies to his wife, Viola, grow increasingly frantic. A fractured Los Angeles mirrors the fractures within his family, amplifying the emotional stakes.

This short but tense novel centers around Marlon, a man pushed to the edge by financial desperation and personal grief. As his high-risk gambles escalate, the reader is pulled into his frantic attempts to outrun debt collectors and the ghosts of his past. He is deeply flawed yet painfully sympathetic and the novel’s emotional stakes feel as real as its financial ones.

Gritty, morally ambiguous, and uncomfortably plausible, GRQ by Steven Bernstein is a sharp cautionary tale about the seductive danger of easy money and the personal reckonings it can never truly erase. Fans of satire, dark humor, and psychological tension will find much to savor.

“Me, the maker of dreams. But some things I am not. I am not a charity. I am not a mental health professional. I am not a marriage counselor. I am not a lender of money.”

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Steven Bernstein, ASC, DGA, WGA, is an award-winning feature film director and screenwriter known for visually striking films spanning four decades. His work on the Academy Award–winning Monster and Like Water for Chocolate has earned him global acclaim, along with honors such as the American Film Institute Award, the Sloan Award, and the Cannes Golden Lion. He has contributed to over 50 feature films and worked with major talents including John Malkovich, Samantha Morton, and Helen Hunt. His podcast, Filmmakerandfans, explores the creative process in filmmaking and reaches millions of listeners.

Photo: PICT, used with permission

Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours is hosting a giveaway for a $25 Amazon card. Enter for a chance to win. Void where prohibited.

Photo: PICT, used with permission

*Thank you to Partners in Crime Tours and the author for my gifted copy for review as part of the tour. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Rediscovering Respect: How One Small Virtue Can Change Everything

‘Respect’ is Robert L. Dilenschneider’s forthcoming new book. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Book Review: Respect – How to Change the World One Interaction at a Time

By Robert L. Dilenschneider
Release Date: October 28 — Available now for pre-order

🕊️ Why Respect Still Matters

In a world where online outrage spreads faster than kindness and conversations often turn into confrontations, the idea of respect can feel almost old-fashioned. Yet, what if rediscovering this simple value could be the key to improving how we live, work, and connect?

That’s the premise behind Robert L. Dilenschneider’s new book, Respect: How to Change the World One Interaction at a Time. A veteran public relations expert and thoughtful observer of human behavior, Dilenschneider explores how showing respect in our tone, actions, and choices can reshape not just our relationships, but the culture around us.

📘 What’s Inside

Chapter 1: A Call for Respectfulness
Chapter 2: Is Respectfulness Truly Possible in the Age of Retribution?
Chapter 3: What’s In It For Me?
Chapter 4: Start with Self-Respect
Chapter 5: The Top Five Qualities of Respectfulness
Chapter 6: Respectfulness at Work
Chapter 7: Respectfulness in Family and Personal Relationships
Chapter 8: Respectfulness in Civic Institutions
Chapter 9: Transforming Society

🌟 Highlights

  • Chapter 3: Offers tips on what to do when disrespect turns into bullying, and explores how respectfulness can lead to improved relationships, stronger professional connections, and a less stressful daily life.
  • Chapter 5: Explains that respect is more than politeness or manners, it’s about recognizing people as individuals with their own unique identities.

💬 Why It Matters

The tone throughout the book is conversational and grounded, yet deeply reflective. Dilenschneider urges readers to see respect not as a surface-level courtesy but as a transformative social force. Each chapter ends with a “Think About It” section inviting readers to pause, reflect, and apply the ideas to their own lives.

By combining practical wisdom and moral clarity, the book moves beyond abstract principles to offer real-world ways to practice respect daily. Whether in the office, at home, or within our communities, Dilenschneider shows how small gestures of empathy can ripple outward to build trust, cooperation, and understanding.

Ultimately, Respect is an essential guide for anyone seeking to improve communication, leadership, and human connection. In an age of division and incivility, this book serves as both a call to action and a blueprint for a more compassionate world.

Perfect for managers, executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, this book reminds us:

“Far from outdated, respectfulness is a vital part of the foundation of a well-functioning society and a fulfilling life. We would do well to cultivate it, and this book will show you how—and why.”

Rating: 4 out of 5.

👤 About the Author

Robert L. Dilenschneider founded The Dilenschneider Group in 1991 after serving as President and CEO of Hill and Knowlton, Inc. He has counseled major corporations, trade associations, and educational institutions, helping clients navigate complex communications challenges.

He is the author of numerous books, including Power and Influence, A Briefing for Leaders, On Power, The Critical 14 Years of Your Professional Life, and 50 Plus! Critical Career Decisions for the Rest of Your Life. His most recent work before Respect was Character and Respect.

💭 Let’s Talk

Do you think respect is becoming a lost art — or are we just redefining what it means?
How do you practice respect in your everyday interactions, especially in challenging situations?

Share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear how you’re keeping respect alive in your corner of the world.

*Thank you to Fauzia Burke/FSB Associates for my gifted Advanced Reader Copy for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.