Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:
Please state your name and location. (City and State or Province, Country)
Michele Doucette, Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
A Travel in Time to Grand Pré
St. Clair Publications
Tell us about yourself:
A Special Education teacher of 25 years, I am as equally passionate about the written word; I love to orchestrate and manipulate words. I spend countless hours working on genealogy; sourcing and validating relationships. I am a firm believer in the healing energies of crystals, stones and positive thinking.
When was the book released?
The first edition of the book was available on July 3, 2009. The revised edition became available on March 16, 2010.
Give us an overview of your book.
A Travel in Time to Grand Pré is a historically informative adventure, tying the history of the descendants of Yeshua (Jesus) to modern day Nova Scotia, Canada. Madeleine Sinclair feels disconnected with the era of her birth, yet intuitively aware of herself in another time period in history. Transported back to 1754, she comes to learn, live and experience firsthand the lives of the French Acadian people, meeting Michel (dit Sophie) LeBlanc, her love of that time.
Through the warm, loving and helpful guidance of fellow time traveler, Madame Pêche, she comes to understand the predetermined course of her Sinclair bloodline, beginning with Rollo the Viking, father of William Longsword, a line that is shown to be linked to the Merovingians, the Cathars and the Knights Templar (protectors of the Holy Grail).
Before long, the reader is led to the very apex of this time travel adventure. Madeleine has been decreed the one who is to introduce the words of Yeshua, spoken in Aramaic at the height of his ministry, to the modern world. Herein, Yeshua explains how individuals can find their way, their truth(s), so as to live their lives to the fullest.
What inspired you to write this book?
In a plot that came to me in 1996, I knew how I wanted the story to begin and I knew how I wanted the story to end. While I was sure about certain elements for inclusion in the story, I was very surprised at how the story unfolded.
I was inspired by my French Acadian heritage, my fascination with genealogy and current DNA findings, my attraction to quantum physics (courtesy of the spiritual and metaphysical realms) and my enthrallment with the plausibility of a holy bloodline as discussed in The Holy Blood, The Holy Grail.
In addition, it seems that I had been duly positioned, beforehand, to conduct extensive research: authors, books, websites, email communication (regarding genealogy) with countless individuals.
When the time came for me to begin writing, the entire process took less than six months.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Having researched my own genealogy for close to 20 years, this book incorporates linkages to several ancestors of historical import.
Where can people buy your book?
Amazon US, Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble
Direct from the publisher at http://stan.stclair.net
Direct from the author via email at michele.doucette@nf.sympatico.ca
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Since A Travel in Time to Grand Pré was released, I have gone on to release several spiritual / metaphysical books, both published through St. Clair Publications. The next few months shall see the publication of two additional spiritual / metaphysical tomes followed by several in reference to the wisdom of crystals and stones.
Currently, I am busy reading and researching for Back Home With Evangeline, the sequel to A Travel in Time to Grand Pré. In keeping, I am aiming for a Summer 2011 publication date. I shall also be releasing Germain Doucet (Sieur de LaVerdure): Ancestry of Michele Doucette, based on my paternal lineage, in the not too distant future.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
Take the time to conduct thorough research into POD (Print On Demand) publication services before making a final decision. I also heartily endorse Stanley J. St. Clair of St. Clair Publications as a possible publisher.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
A good friend of mine, an author by the name of Jean-Claude Koven, was also reviewed by Allbooks Reviews, winning the Editor’s Choice Award for Best Metaphysical Book. It was this that led me to you.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
I was pleasantly surprised by both the low cost as well as all that was contained within that price. To be featured for one month with the review thereafter being posted in the Review Showcase for the period of one year is sensational. In addition, the initial review is posted in a wide variety of publications, both printed as well as online. Interviews are also posted on the website. To know that your website is denoted as being one of the best websites for authors speaks volumes. Just knowing that each book is automatically considered for the Editor’s Choice Award at each year end is quite the opportunity.
While I am unsure as to anything else that Allbooks Reviews might be able to offer, especially after citing the previous information, I am sure that they will be able to come up with something fantastic.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you
Shirley A. Roe
Managing Editor,Allbooks Review
www.allbookreviews.com
Monday, August 23, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Gatekeeper
Genre: Fiction
Author: C. Alease
“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” Flora Whitmore
At 54 years of age, the main character has what she considers a mundane life. In limbo, so to speak, not happy but not sad, suicidal thoughts but no attempt at action, only to return on the cycle, to become bubbly again. She examines her life with questions about why she always attracted the wrong man; why two failed marriages and another on the way out?
She has three grown children, one who is showing the same anger outbursts that she has herself. She has learned to live with it, he has not. Keeping up appearances is of vital importance, but she has always felt inside herself, that something is not quite right, never feeling quite ‘together.’
After listening to a co-worker, she decides to take her son to a therapist for anger management, opening the door to her own obscure past. Repressed memories, flashbacks of repulsively shocking events are revealed, which explain why her mind fragmented. Survival at any cost!
The steady stream of new personalities coming forward compels you to read on. Being intrigued by this complex personality disorder, each personality struggling with their own crisis, propels you to the intense climax. Who is real? Will a convergence happen? Which personality will survive the convergence ultimately existing as only one whole person?
C. Alease has made her author’s debut with a very thought provoking, insightful story. Her natural, flowing descriptive style leaves nothing to the imagination as you become part of the scenes, and her words carry you to the end.
Although born in New York City, NY, she was raised in Philadelphia, PA. She is married with three adult children with confidence toward her own goal, to become a full-time author.
Highly Recommended: Reviewer: Cheryl Heinrichs-Ellis, Allbooks Review www.allbookreviews.com
Available through Amazon.com, local book seller or the author herself calease@cadsmith.net
Title: The Gatekeeper
Author: C. Alease
Publisher: Bumblebee
ISBN-13: 978-1449552640
Pages: 207
Price: $19.99 USD
April 2010
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
C. Alease Smith, Philadelphia, PA USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
The Gatekeeper, a Novel by C. Alease, published by Createspace
Tell us about yourself:
My “Don’t quit your day job” is as an Information Technology Manager. I hold a BS in Information Technology and have been in the business of computing for over 27 years. I am married with three adult children, one of whom is an outstanding actress named Amina Robinson, who just finished three years on Broadway in Mama Mia as Aly and played “Jermaine Hicks” in the movie, “Precious,” which won two Academy awards. I am looking forward to being a fulltime novelist.
When was the book released?
The Gatekeeper was released in paperback in November 2009. It was released in Kindle electronic format in October, 2009.
Give us an overview of your book.
The Gatekeeper is a novel about a woman who discovers that her life isn’t her own, but that it belongs to a number of different, distinct personalities wrapped inside her mind. She searches for and ultimately finds herself and her purpose, but it is definitely not what she expected.
What inspired you to write this book?
There were many life experiences of my own that I can say inspired me. What I decided to do was imagine a woman with similar experiences and fold into those experiences a unique character whose purpose was to have just those experiences. I wound up with about 8 distinct characters, one dimensional, each with a purpose. Then I imagined what it would be like none of the 8 characters “knew” who was supposed to be in charge.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
I believe this book is different because of the way I describe the experiences throughout the story. I take the reader through each experience in such a way that they can feel the air in the sky, and they can see and touch the flowers in the vase on the round wooden table in the center of the room. They can smell the fragrance of lilacs in bloom by the window of the therapist’s office. The reader feels the torment of the protagonist as she is reminded of trauma in her past, as well as the humor and wit of the all the characters in the story. It’s that descriptive quality of the book that involves and holds the reader through to the end of the story.
Where can people buy your book?
The Gatekeeper is distributed worldwide through the Ingram Group. Because it is a “Print-on-Demand” (POD) technology novel, it can be ordered from bookstores that purchase through the Ingram Group, which include Barnes and Noble, Borders and others. The ISBN number is: 1449552641. It is presently available at Classics Books, 117 South Warren Street, Trenton, New Jersey, book_cellar@mindspring.com, 609-394-8400; Barnes and Noble.com; Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle; and iFOGO.com. Copies are also available through my website, http://thegatekeeper.cadsmith.net. Signed copies are also available by emailing orderbooks@cadsmith.net and providing name, postal address and email address. For Facebook users, signed copies of the novel are available on the C. Alease Fan page, Storefront tab at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/C-Alease/90340399803?ref=ts
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
I am working on another book, and I expect it to be published in about a year or a year and a half.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
Yes, I did self-publish through Createspace, the self-publishing arm of Amazon.com. My advice is, “read, research, read some more, and research some more. Find out what is acceptable formatting and page requirements for novels. Surround yourself with people who are similarly situated, through social networking services. Covet your contacts. Register your work with the Copyright office. Learn about literary predators; the agents and publishing houses to stay away from. Get your work professionally edited. Finally, you represent your work. Know that anything worth reading has been polished to a high gloss!
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
I recently began what I call “The Salon Tour.” Women in salons love to read good page turners while under the dryer, so my hairstylist and dear friend, Charlie Trendi gave me my first book signing at her salon. I wrote an article about it that you can read on my website: http://thegatekeeper.cadsmith.net/News_pics.html
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I discovered Allbooks Review through my association with iFOGO Village, a networking website for serious writers and authors. My first desire was to get an honest, unbiased review of my novel. When I checked out the website, I discovered that Allbooks Reviews is a reputable site for authors to showcase their work. I am hoping to get readers of Allbooks Reviews to read my novel and to pass the word about it to others.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
The low cost was a pleasant surprise. I must point out that reviews by Allbooks Reviews are not fee-based, which drew me first. To me that ensures an unbiased, honest review of my work. The promotional fee is extremely reasonable. I would be very interested in the opportunity to talk about my novel on the radio with Allbooks Reviews. I’m not sure if that is offered at this time, but it is something I would like to do.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Author: C. Alease
“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” Flora Whitmore
At 54 years of age, the main character has what she considers a mundane life. In limbo, so to speak, not happy but not sad, suicidal thoughts but no attempt at action, only to return on the cycle, to become bubbly again. She examines her life with questions about why she always attracted the wrong man; why two failed marriages and another on the way out?
She has three grown children, one who is showing the same anger outbursts that she has herself. She has learned to live with it, he has not. Keeping up appearances is of vital importance, but she has always felt inside herself, that something is not quite right, never feeling quite ‘together.’
After listening to a co-worker, she decides to take her son to a therapist for anger management, opening the door to her own obscure past. Repressed memories, flashbacks of repulsively shocking events are revealed, which explain why her mind fragmented. Survival at any cost!
The steady stream of new personalities coming forward compels you to read on. Being intrigued by this complex personality disorder, each personality struggling with their own crisis, propels you to the intense climax. Who is real? Will a convergence happen? Which personality will survive the convergence ultimately existing as only one whole person?
C. Alease has made her author’s debut with a very thought provoking, insightful story. Her natural, flowing descriptive style leaves nothing to the imagination as you become part of the scenes, and her words carry you to the end.
Although born in New York City, NY, she was raised in Philadelphia, PA. She is married with three adult children with confidence toward her own goal, to become a full-time author.
Highly Recommended: Reviewer: Cheryl Heinrichs-Ellis, Allbooks Review www.allbookreviews.com
Available through Amazon.com, local book seller or the author herself calease@cadsmith.net
Title: The Gatekeeper
Author: C. Alease
Publisher: Bumblebee
ISBN-13: 978-1449552640
Pages: 207
Price: $19.99 USD
April 2010
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
C. Alease Smith, Philadelphia, PA USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
The Gatekeeper, a Novel by C. Alease, published by Createspace
Tell us about yourself:
My “Don’t quit your day job” is as an Information Technology Manager. I hold a BS in Information Technology and have been in the business of computing for over 27 years. I am married with three adult children, one of whom is an outstanding actress named Amina Robinson, who just finished three years on Broadway in Mama Mia as Aly and played “Jermaine Hicks” in the movie, “Precious,” which won two Academy awards. I am looking forward to being a fulltime novelist.
When was the book released?
The Gatekeeper was released in paperback in November 2009. It was released in Kindle electronic format in October, 2009.
Give us an overview of your book.
The Gatekeeper is a novel about a woman who discovers that her life isn’t her own, but that it belongs to a number of different, distinct personalities wrapped inside her mind. She searches for and ultimately finds herself and her purpose, but it is definitely not what she expected.
What inspired you to write this book?
There were many life experiences of my own that I can say inspired me. What I decided to do was imagine a woman with similar experiences and fold into those experiences a unique character whose purpose was to have just those experiences. I wound up with about 8 distinct characters, one dimensional, each with a purpose. Then I imagined what it would be like none of the 8 characters “knew” who was supposed to be in charge.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
I believe this book is different because of the way I describe the experiences throughout the story. I take the reader through each experience in such a way that they can feel the air in the sky, and they can see and touch the flowers in the vase on the round wooden table in the center of the room. They can smell the fragrance of lilacs in bloom by the window of the therapist’s office. The reader feels the torment of the protagonist as she is reminded of trauma in her past, as well as the humor and wit of the all the characters in the story. It’s that descriptive quality of the book that involves and holds the reader through to the end of the story.
Where can people buy your book?
The Gatekeeper is distributed worldwide through the Ingram Group. Because it is a “Print-on-Demand” (POD) technology novel, it can be ordered from bookstores that purchase through the Ingram Group, which include Barnes and Noble, Borders and others. The ISBN number is: 1449552641. It is presently available at Classics Books, 117 South Warren Street, Trenton, New Jersey, book_cellar@mindspring.com, 609-394-8400; Barnes and Noble.com; Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle; and iFOGO.com. Copies are also available through my website, http://thegatekeeper.cadsmith.net. Signed copies are also available by emailing orderbooks@cadsmith.net and providing name, postal address and email address. For Facebook users, signed copies of the novel are available on the C. Alease Fan page, Storefront tab at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/C-Alease/90340399803?ref=ts
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
I am working on another book, and I expect it to be published in about a year or a year and a half.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
Yes, I did self-publish through Createspace, the self-publishing arm of Amazon.com. My advice is, “read, research, read some more, and research some more. Find out what is acceptable formatting and page requirements for novels. Surround yourself with people who are similarly situated, through social networking services. Covet your contacts. Register your work with the Copyright office. Learn about literary predators; the agents and publishing houses to stay away from. Get your work professionally edited. Finally, you represent your work. Know that anything worth reading has been polished to a high gloss!
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
I recently began what I call “The Salon Tour.” Women in salons love to read good page turners while under the dryer, so my hairstylist and dear friend, Charlie Trendi gave me my first book signing at her salon. I wrote an article about it that you can read on my website: http://thegatekeeper.cadsmith.net/News_pics.html
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I discovered Allbooks Review through my association with iFOGO Village, a networking website for serious writers and authors. My first desire was to get an honest, unbiased review of my novel. When I checked out the website, I discovered that Allbooks Reviews is a reputable site for authors to showcase their work. I am hoping to get readers of Allbooks Reviews to read my novel and to pass the word about it to others.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
The low cost was a pleasant surprise. I must point out that reviews by Allbooks Reviews are not fee-based, which drew me first. To me that ensures an unbiased, honest review of my work. The promotional fee is extremely reasonable. I would be very interested in the opportunity to talk about my novel on the radio with Allbooks Reviews. I’m not sure if that is offered at this time, but it is something I would like to do.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Book of Eli
Genre: Fiction/Humor
Author: Sam Moffie
The Book of Eli arrived in my office on a very busy day. After the first chapter, I thought, ‘Just another self centered, sex crazed hero- this is going to be a long, difficult read.’ Well let me tell you that I was pleasantly surprised.
Our hero, Eli Canaan, who is indeed a sex maniac, is basically a “Good man,” or so he thinks. When Eli wakes up in Heaven, things begin to change. This author’s flamboyant imagination takes readers on an interesting journey. Eli’s guide in Heaven is none other than Groucho Marx. The guide introduces Eli to many distinguished characters: Freud, atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair, Ayn Rand, Buddha and, of course, Jesus. God has a mission for Eli, a very important mission.
You will laugh out loud at the antics of angel guide, Julius Henry Marx (Groucho). The characters are lively, bold and entertaining. The book’s message of salvation is subtle but inspiring.
Author Sam Moffie’s previous books are award winners. He resides with his family in Youngstown, Ohio where he owns a bar.
The Book of Eli is an eye opener. Readers will laugh, but more important they will question. Hopefully by questioning one’s own existence and making positive changes, improvements that will eventually affect all of humankind will take place. Bravo Sam Moffie!
Highly Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Review. www.allbookreviews.com
Available: www.samsstories.com and Amazon.com
Publisher:Mill City Publishing
ISBN: 978-1936107353
No. of Pages: 147
Price: $14.95
March 2010
Author: Sam Moffie
The Book of Eli arrived in my office on a very busy day. After the first chapter, I thought, ‘Just another self centered, sex crazed hero- this is going to be a long, difficult read.’ Well let me tell you that I was pleasantly surprised.
Our hero, Eli Canaan, who is indeed a sex maniac, is basically a “Good man,” or so he thinks. When Eli wakes up in Heaven, things begin to change. This author’s flamboyant imagination takes readers on an interesting journey. Eli’s guide in Heaven is none other than Groucho Marx. The guide introduces Eli to many distinguished characters: Freud, atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair, Ayn Rand, Buddha and, of course, Jesus. God has a mission for Eli, a very important mission.
You will laugh out loud at the antics of angel guide, Julius Henry Marx (Groucho). The characters are lively, bold and entertaining. The book’s message of salvation is subtle but inspiring.
Author Sam Moffie’s previous books are award winners. He resides with his family in Youngstown, Ohio where he owns a bar.
The Book of Eli is an eye opener. Readers will laugh, but more important they will question. Hopefully by questioning one’s own existence and making positive changes, improvements that will eventually affect all of humankind will take place. Bravo Sam Moffie!
Highly Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Review. www.allbookreviews.com
Available: www.samsstories.com and Amazon.com
Publisher:Mill City Publishing
ISBN: 978-1936107353
No. of Pages: 147
Price: $14.95
March 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts
Author: Deb Hosey White
In the world of fiction, many tales have been written about the famous business icon at the top of the pyramid whose name and life will always be remembered. However, when do we ever hear the story of the little guys at the bottom of the pyramid – the foundation blocks of the structure itself, without whose strength and stamina the whole building would collapse? Even if you have never worked in the corporate business world or been part of a merger or acquisition, you will find Deb Hosey White’s Pink Slips and Parting Gifts a clear and insightful journey into the world of corporate America. White defines and describes in great detail, but in simple terms, the lives of the “foundation” employees of The Easton Company through the merger process, opening the reader’s eyes to the stark reality of how their lives are thrown into upheaval by the selfishness of those great icons at the top.
If you have lived through the experience of a merger or acquisition, you may very well find yourself relating to the events and people within the storyline. The story is told through the eyes of employees at every level, from the maintenance man in the basement, to the accountant, to the human resources specialist, and it touches on all aspects of their shock, pain, heartbreak, confusion, and loss as their lives are turned upside down.
On the one hand, this is a very refreshing read as it falls outside of the standard, repetitive subject matter in the world of fiction today, but on the other hand it is a very disturbing and rude awakening to what the world of business has become. Gone is the much loved and admired company founder dedicated to the common good, the community, and the company’s employees, who built the company from the ground up to be known for its solid reputation, positive profile, and profitable business sheet. Enter the power and money hungry CEO’s and executives of the Fortune 500 generation who forget about the original goals and whose only concern now is the size of their parachute (the job insurance for top executives in case of a merger or acquisition) which allows them to leave with millions in their pockets to secure their futures, while the low men and women on the totem pole watch their futures crumble before their eyes.
Although the chapters were so short that I found the storyline a bit disjointed, making it difficult to get to know the characters, I was intrigued by the plot of this novel right from page one, and I could feel the tension building throughout as the employees of The Easton Company, comfortable in their stable lives, were thrown into chaos with no warning. It makes one yearn for the early days in business when no one was making huge amounts of money, but everyone loved their work and lived comfortably. No one, not even the CEO, was wealthy!
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts was certainly an eye opener for me, and I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to see the truth behind big business today and the power of the privileged few.
Deb Hosey White is an executive management consultant and retirement coach who lives and writes in North Carolina with her husband, David. Reviewer: Cindy Taylor, Allbooks Review.
Title: Pink Slips and Parting Gifts
Author: Deb Hosey White
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-4401-5804-9
Price: U.S. $20.95
No. of Pages: 345
March, 2010
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:(Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location.(city and State or Province, Country)
Deb Hosey White
Greensboro, North Carolina USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts
iUniverse
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
ISBN 9781440158049, $20.95, www.iuniverse.com
Tell us about yourself:
Thirty years of corporate life never really "cured" me of being an English major, a creative writer and a poet.And while up to my eyeballs in 401(k) plan administration, ERISA, COBRA, andother stress-inducing arcanity, I never stopped collecting and writing stories. Anyone who has ever worked for a large organization knows that the best workplace stories end up in human resources. Now retired from corporate life, I'm free to share some of those stories--without naming names, of course!
When was the book released?
September 2009
Give us an overview of your book.
When is the first time a CEO dares to say out loud, “It’s time to sell the company”? Does he practice first in front of a mirror? Does he quietly float the idea to his most trusted colleague over dinner? Does he seek legal counsel? SEC guidance? Financial advice? If the CEO is gutsy enough, “selling the company” might quietly pass his lips for the first time during a clandestine meeting with a potential buyer in Las Vegas—setting the bait for a bid that will electrify the decision-makers back home.
Mergers and acquisitions are messy business and they change the lives of everyday people.Pink Slips and Parting Gifts is the fictional account of the sale of a U.S. development company, revealing absurd events mixed with employee anguish as another corporation changes hands and disappears from the big board on Wall Street.
By the time Easton Company CEO Jeffrey Elkins entices a major competitor to buy his Fortune 500 Company, the corporate jet is waiting and his parachute is platinum. In 14 weeks the deal of a lifetime transforms a handful of quirky executives into undeserving multi-millionaires, propels a workforce into unemployment and dispatches unsuspecting retirees into poverty. In the background, security guards dance naked in mall fountains, the corporate jet is sold on eBay, and a CEO utters his final words before relinquishing his title: Make sure the employees get their pumpkin pies.
The memorable cast of corporate characters includes a germophobic CEO, a marketing VP turned Elvis impersonator, the Sundance Kid of Everyman Compensation, and a purchasing director nicknamed the eBay Wizard.
What inspired you to write this book?
I spent more than 30 years in corporate America as a manager and a consultant. During that period I collected hundreds of stories about companies and the people who work for them.I also experienced firsthand the merger that inspired Pink Slips and Parting Gifts.As a corporate human resources director I was required to help "turn out the lights" at my company as it was sold to a competitor.I dealt with retirees whose health insurance and pensions were ripped from their aging hands; with long-term employees whose jobs were abruptly eliminated; and with a community that lost it's premier hometown corporate citizen.
Reading the news coverage of that merger and many others, I was struck with the realization that the stories being covered were heavily weighted to the top of the corporate heap—the CEOs, big stockholders,and top-level management who benefited most from the merger-mania. I wanted to get behind the headlines and tell the realities ofthose stories—the incredible perks, corporate jets, and multi-million dollar goodbye packages—but I also wanted to tell the stories of the maintenance workers, secretaries, and others whose lives were upturned by the merger.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts is business fiction.That's not a genre that fits neatly onto library shelves or bookseller databases.But fiction set in the workplace is still a strong sub-category of modern literature. As such, Pink Slips and Parting Gifts shares a lineage with Up in the Air, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and The Devil Wears Prada. What is unique about Pink Slips and Parting Gifts is that it tells the story of a corporate merger not just from the perspective of the news-makers—the CEOs, board members, and power brokers—but from the mailroom clerks, secretaries, retirees, mid-level managers and even the homeless man living on the company's loading dock.
Also, Pink Slips and Parting Gifts employs flash fiction storytelling -- a unique format for a novel. Each chapter tells its own small story within the context of the larger novel. Many of the chapters could stand alone as stories within a story. The best example is the embedded "Tales of the Sofa." Many readers have commented on their enjoyment of the "sofa story" within Pink Slips.
Where can people buy your book?
The book is available online from:
· Amazon.com
· BarnesandNoble.com
· iUniverse.com
· Amazon.ca
· Booksamillion.com
· Amazon.co.uk
· Waterstones
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Yes.I am in the initial stages of a new workplace novel—publication date unknown.Also working on a screenplay for Pink Slips and Parting Gifts, and a poetry collection.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
The publishing industry has been in a state of upheaval in recent years and self-publishing is a reality for many writers.In this reality, the author must take on tasks traditionally performed by professional agents, editors, copy-proofers, designers, and publicists.Print-on-demand publishers offer a Chinese menu of add-on (read that "extra cost") services, but the quality of those services may vary greatly.I experienced issues throughout the process–from layout and production concerns, to accounting issues, to unprofessional publicity services.
I would advise writers to first attempt to find a professional agent and/or publisher.If that is not possible–and the odds are stacked against new writers–then enter the self publishing world with eye wide open:
Solicit a team of literate readers who will critique your manuscript (I used volunteers from a literary book group).
· Find a capable person to assist with editing, proofreading, and other production-related tasks.
· Budget more time than you think might be necessary to the critiquing, editing, proofing, and production process.
· Explore third-party publicity services rather than add-on services offered by the publisher. Be prepared to do much of the promotional process yourself.
· Submit your finished book for review by services such as AllBooks Review.
· Do not expect bookstores to stock your self-published book, but be aware of the multitude of online book selling services that predominate today's market.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
Because my book is topical/newsworthy, I was able to arrange an interview from a regional newspaper in a city that has been affected by corporate mergers similar to the story in Pink Slips and Parting Gifts.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
Allbooks Reviews was included on a list of reputable reviewers on the Midwest Book Review website. My hope is that the insightful Allbooks review of Pink Slips and Parting Gifts will receive broad international circulation and that it will be quoted and noted in numerous sources.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
Allbooks Reviews offers timely and personal service to their authors--something not to be undervalued in the 21st century literary marketplace!
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
In the world of fiction, many tales have been written about the famous business icon at the top of the pyramid whose name and life will always be remembered. However, when do we ever hear the story of the little guys at the bottom of the pyramid – the foundation blocks of the structure itself, without whose strength and stamina the whole building would collapse? Even if you have never worked in the corporate business world or been part of a merger or acquisition, you will find Deb Hosey White’s Pink Slips and Parting Gifts a clear and insightful journey into the world of corporate America. White defines and describes in great detail, but in simple terms, the lives of the “foundation” employees of The Easton Company through the merger process, opening the reader’s eyes to the stark reality of how their lives are thrown into upheaval by the selfishness of those great icons at the top.
If you have lived through the experience of a merger or acquisition, you may very well find yourself relating to the events and people within the storyline. The story is told through the eyes of employees at every level, from the maintenance man in the basement, to the accountant, to the human resources specialist, and it touches on all aspects of their shock, pain, heartbreak, confusion, and loss as their lives are turned upside down.
On the one hand, this is a very refreshing read as it falls outside of the standard, repetitive subject matter in the world of fiction today, but on the other hand it is a very disturbing and rude awakening to what the world of business has become. Gone is the much loved and admired company founder dedicated to the common good, the community, and the company’s employees, who built the company from the ground up to be known for its solid reputation, positive profile, and profitable business sheet. Enter the power and money hungry CEO’s and executives of the Fortune 500 generation who forget about the original goals and whose only concern now is the size of their parachute (the job insurance for top executives in case of a merger or acquisition) which allows them to leave with millions in their pockets to secure their futures, while the low men and women on the totem pole watch their futures crumble before their eyes.
Although the chapters were so short that I found the storyline a bit disjointed, making it difficult to get to know the characters, I was intrigued by the plot of this novel right from page one, and I could feel the tension building throughout as the employees of The Easton Company, comfortable in their stable lives, were thrown into chaos with no warning. It makes one yearn for the early days in business when no one was making huge amounts of money, but everyone loved their work and lived comfortably. No one, not even the CEO, was wealthy!
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts was certainly an eye opener for me, and I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to see the truth behind big business today and the power of the privileged few.
Deb Hosey White is an executive management consultant and retirement coach who lives and writes in North Carolina with her husband, David. Reviewer: Cindy Taylor, Allbooks Review.
Title: Pink Slips and Parting Gifts
Author: Deb Hosey White
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-4401-5804-9
Price: U.S. $20.95
No. of Pages: 345
March, 2010
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:(Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location.(city and State or Province, Country)
Deb Hosey White
Greensboro, North Carolina USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts
iUniverse
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
ISBN 9781440158049, $20.95, www.iuniverse.com
Tell us about yourself:
Thirty years of corporate life never really "cured" me of being an English major, a creative writer and a poet.And while up to my eyeballs in 401(k) plan administration, ERISA, COBRA, andother stress-inducing arcanity, I never stopped collecting and writing stories. Anyone who has ever worked for a large organization knows that the best workplace stories end up in human resources. Now retired from corporate life, I'm free to share some of those stories--without naming names, of course!
When was the book released?
September 2009
Give us an overview of your book.
When is the first time a CEO dares to say out loud, “It’s time to sell the company”? Does he practice first in front of a mirror? Does he quietly float the idea to his most trusted colleague over dinner? Does he seek legal counsel? SEC guidance? Financial advice? If the CEO is gutsy enough, “selling the company” might quietly pass his lips for the first time during a clandestine meeting with a potential buyer in Las Vegas—setting the bait for a bid that will electrify the decision-makers back home.
Mergers and acquisitions are messy business and they change the lives of everyday people.Pink Slips and Parting Gifts is the fictional account of the sale of a U.S. development company, revealing absurd events mixed with employee anguish as another corporation changes hands and disappears from the big board on Wall Street.
By the time Easton Company CEO Jeffrey Elkins entices a major competitor to buy his Fortune 500 Company, the corporate jet is waiting and his parachute is platinum. In 14 weeks the deal of a lifetime transforms a handful of quirky executives into undeserving multi-millionaires, propels a workforce into unemployment and dispatches unsuspecting retirees into poverty. In the background, security guards dance naked in mall fountains, the corporate jet is sold on eBay, and a CEO utters his final words before relinquishing his title: Make sure the employees get their pumpkin pies.
The memorable cast of corporate characters includes a germophobic CEO, a marketing VP turned Elvis impersonator, the Sundance Kid of Everyman Compensation, and a purchasing director nicknamed the eBay Wizard.
What inspired you to write this book?
I spent more than 30 years in corporate America as a manager and a consultant. During that period I collected hundreds of stories about companies and the people who work for them.I also experienced firsthand the merger that inspired Pink Slips and Parting Gifts.As a corporate human resources director I was required to help "turn out the lights" at my company as it was sold to a competitor.I dealt with retirees whose health insurance and pensions were ripped from their aging hands; with long-term employees whose jobs were abruptly eliminated; and with a community that lost it's premier hometown corporate citizen.
Reading the news coverage of that merger and many others, I was struck with the realization that the stories being covered were heavily weighted to the top of the corporate heap—the CEOs, big stockholders,and top-level management who benefited most from the merger-mania. I wanted to get behind the headlines and tell the realities ofthose stories—the incredible perks, corporate jets, and multi-million dollar goodbye packages—but I also wanted to tell the stories of the maintenance workers, secretaries, and others whose lives were upturned by the merger.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Pink Slips and Parting Gifts is business fiction.That's not a genre that fits neatly onto library shelves or bookseller databases.But fiction set in the workplace is still a strong sub-category of modern literature. As such, Pink Slips and Parting Gifts shares a lineage with Up in the Air, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and The Devil Wears Prada. What is unique about Pink Slips and Parting Gifts is that it tells the story of a corporate merger not just from the perspective of the news-makers—the CEOs, board members, and power brokers—but from the mailroom clerks, secretaries, retirees, mid-level managers and even the homeless man living on the company's loading dock.
Also, Pink Slips and Parting Gifts employs flash fiction storytelling -- a unique format for a novel. Each chapter tells its own small story within the context of the larger novel. Many of the chapters could stand alone as stories within a story. The best example is the embedded "Tales of the Sofa." Many readers have commented on their enjoyment of the "sofa story" within Pink Slips.
Where can people buy your book?
The book is available online from:
· Amazon.com
· BarnesandNoble.com
· iUniverse.com
· Amazon.ca
· Booksamillion.com
· Amazon.co.uk
· Waterstones
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Yes.I am in the initial stages of a new workplace novel—publication date unknown.Also working on a screenplay for Pink Slips and Parting Gifts, and a poetry collection.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
The publishing industry has been in a state of upheaval in recent years and self-publishing is a reality for many writers.In this reality, the author must take on tasks traditionally performed by professional agents, editors, copy-proofers, designers, and publicists.Print-on-demand publishers offer a Chinese menu of add-on (read that "extra cost") services, but the quality of those services may vary greatly.I experienced issues throughout the process–from layout and production concerns, to accounting issues, to unprofessional publicity services.
I would advise writers to first attempt to find a professional agent and/or publisher.If that is not possible–and the odds are stacked against new writers–then enter the self publishing world with eye wide open:
Solicit a team of literate readers who will critique your manuscript (I used volunteers from a literary book group).
· Find a capable person to assist with editing, proofreading, and other production-related tasks.
· Budget more time than you think might be necessary to the critiquing, editing, proofing, and production process.
· Explore third-party publicity services rather than add-on services offered by the publisher. Be prepared to do much of the promotional process yourself.
· Submit your finished book for review by services such as AllBooks Review.
· Do not expect bookstores to stock your self-published book, but be aware of the multitude of online book selling services that predominate today's market.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
Because my book is topical/newsworthy, I was able to arrange an interview from a regional newspaper in a city that has been affected by corporate mergers similar to the story in Pink Slips and Parting Gifts.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
Allbooks Reviews was included on a list of reputable reviewers on the Midwest Book Review website. My hope is that the insightful Allbooks review of Pink Slips and Parting Gifts will receive broad international circulation and that it will be quoted and noted in numerous sources.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
Allbooks Reviews offers timely and personal service to their authors--something not to be undervalued in the 21st century literary marketplace!
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Short Circus
Genre: Young Adult
Author: Stephen V Masse
Everyone from twelve to one hundred and twelve can remember their favourite summer as a child. Equally as memorable are the essays usually entitled “What I did over the Summer.” that were a standard task in the Autumn Term of school.
“Short Circus” is, in basic terms, that essay, told by twelve year old Jem Lockwood, but expanded to novel length.
Central to Jem’s story is Jesse Standish, a Big Brother who leads him into the kind of adventures every teenage boy dreams of having. The Big Brother Association puts adults or older teens, with younger ones as a programme to teach the children about life, to keep them out of trouble, and above all else, to act as a role model. Jesse certainly ticks the boxes, but more than that he also can communicate with children in a way that someone of authority couldn’t get away with.
That said, Jem knows nothing about Jesse before he meeting him for the first time, and he conjures up images of someone more akin to a strict headmaster than the cool, trendy character that Jesse turns out to be. Together Jem, Jesse and Jem’s friends get involved in bike jumping, visiting the circus, fighting and waterfall bathing – all in all the perfect summer for a young adult.
Throw in a mystery surrounding the local swimming pond and a boys own adventure to discover the culprit, and you have a story that wouldn’t be out of place in a teenage magazine for boys.
Running parallel to this is Jesse’s story, told from Jem’s point of view. Despite being the perfect Big Brother on the outside, Jesse has problems to deal with such as being forced to sell his house due to lack of money and his relationship with his girlfriend. It is Jesse’s story that takes over in a contrast to the fun and frivolity of the earl part of the novel. Considering Jem’s mother approached the Big Brother solution as a way of giving Jem a role model in the absence of his father, it is somewhat ironic that Jesse is struggling to deal with loss of his own father, and it seems that losing himself in the younger boy’s antics is one way of helping him get through.
Aimed at early teens, the book is a prime example of playing to its target audience. The plot is probably not complex enough to stand out to adults who are looking for anything more than a quick-flick, but Jem and Jesse are characters that will appeal to the age range of 9-14 year olds, and the tale of children learning to grow up and adults who learn life’s lessons from children has just enough mischief and fun to hold their attention to the end. The writing is not too taxing, but similarly it does not patronise with primary school wording, and is actually a book that is written with a certain type of reader in mind and sticks to it. Short Circus is not the type of novel that can easily cross over into the adult reading market due to it’s subject matter as much as anything else, but I could see it translating well to a late summer family movie someday.
Highly recommended by Anthony Lund, Allbooks Review www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher – Good Harbor Press
ISBN : 978-0-615-32057-1
Price - $20.00
Page Count – 184
March 2010
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Stephen V. Masse
Medford, Massachusetts, USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Short Circus
Good Harbor Press
Tell us about yourself:
Stephen V. Masse was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, he studied creative writing, and was author of a weekly newspaper column, "Out of Control." His first novel for children, Shadow Stealer, was published by Dillon Press in 1988. Short Circus is his second novel for children.
In addition to children’s books, Masse has written A Jolly Good Fellow, winner of the Silver Medal in the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards, as well as
honorable mention in the 2008 New England Book Festival for best books
of the holiday season.
When was the book released?
March, 2010
Give us an overview of your book.
Twelve-year-old Jem Lockwood has been fatherless for four years and finally gets a Big Brother, but just as the best summer of his life is about to begin, he discovers that Jesse Standish's rented house is about to be sold. Jem does all in his daring imagination to make Jesse's house unmarketable, and the neighborhood unfit for prospective buyers. This three-ring circus romps with Jem's boyhood friends and older brother Chris, all recognizable kids who share in the rough-and-tumble delight of living in a northern Massachusetts city whose newspaper is delivered by kids on bikes, where kids play in the streets, and the local convenience store is owned by the family of Jesse’s girlfriend, Andrea.
Sadly the city’s swimming pond has been sabotaged, and the city has to close it to all recreation after two boys are injured. Jem is sure he knows who did it, and helps carry out a plan to punish the evildoer. But Alpha qualities are not always perfectly aimed, and Jem learns about the consequences of jumping into action without sufficient knowledge or understanding.
What inspired you to write this book?
Memories of childhood as well as being a Big Brother.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Packed with everyday people bending their lives into the fringes of sideshow lunacy, Short Circus is in a genre of its own – reality fiction from a twelve-year-old kid’s point of view.
Where can people buy your book?
Barnesandnoble.com; amazon.com; jacketflap.com; flamingnet.com
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Yes, but not ready for publication.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I’ve worked with Allbooks Reviews before, and would like to keep a continually growing web presence for marketing my books.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Author: Stephen V Masse
Everyone from twelve to one hundred and twelve can remember their favourite summer as a child. Equally as memorable are the essays usually entitled “What I did over the Summer.” that were a standard task in the Autumn Term of school.
“Short Circus” is, in basic terms, that essay, told by twelve year old Jem Lockwood, but expanded to novel length.
Central to Jem’s story is Jesse Standish, a Big Brother who leads him into the kind of adventures every teenage boy dreams of having. The Big Brother Association puts adults or older teens, with younger ones as a programme to teach the children about life, to keep them out of trouble, and above all else, to act as a role model. Jesse certainly ticks the boxes, but more than that he also can communicate with children in a way that someone of authority couldn’t get away with.
That said, Jem knows nothing about Jesse before he meeting him for the first time, and he conjures up images of someone more akin to a strict headmaster than the cool, trendy character that Jesse turns out to be. Together Jem, Jesse and Jem’s friends get involved in bike jumping, visiting the circus, fighting and waterfall bathing – all in all the perfect summer for a young adult.
Throw in a mystery surrounding the local swimming pond and a boys own adventure to discover the culprit, and you have a story that wouldn’t be out of place in a teenage magazine for boys.
Running parallel to this is Jesse’s story, told from Jem’s point of view. Despite being the perfect Big Brother on the outside, Jesse has problems to deal with such as being forced to sell his house due to lack of money and his relationship with his girlfriend. It is Jesse’s story that takes over in a contrast to the fun and frivolity of the earl part of the novel. Considering Jem’s mother approached the Big Brother solution as a way of giving Jem a role model in the absence of his father, it is somewhat ironic that Jesse is struggling to deal with loss of his own father, and it seems that losing himself in the younger boy’s antics is one way of helping him get through.
Aimed at early teens, the book is a prime example of playing to its target audience. The plot is probably not complex enough to stand out to adults who are looking for anything more than a quick-flick, but Jem and Jesse are characters that will appeal to the age range of 9-14 year olds, and the tale of children learning to grow up and adults who learn life’s lessons from children has just enough mischief and fun to hold their attention to the end. The writing is not too taxing, but similarly it does not patronise with primary school wording, and is actually a book that is written with a certain type of reader in mind and sticks to it. Short Circus is not the type of novel that can easily cross over into the adult reading market due to it’s subject matter as much as anything else, but I could see it translating well to a late summer family movie someday.
Highly recommended by Anthony Lund, Allbooks Review www.allbookreviews.com
Publisher – Good Harbor Press
ISBN : 978-0-615-32057-1
Price - $20.00
Page Count – 184
March 2010
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Stephen V. Masse
Medford, Massachusetts, USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Short Circus
Good Harbor Press
Tell us about yourself:
Stephen V. Masse was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, he studied creative writing, and was author of a weekly newspaper column, "Out of Control." His first novel for children, Shadow Stealer, was published by Dillon Press in 1988. Short Circus is his second novel for children.
In addition to children’s books, Masse has written A Jolly Good Fellow, winner of the Silver Medal in the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards, as well as
honorable mention in the 2008 New England Book Festival for best books
of the holiday season.
When was the book released?
March, 2010
Give us an overview of your book.
Twelve-year-old Jem Lockwood has been fatherless for four years and finally gets a Big Brother, but just as the best summer of his life is about to begin, he discovers that Jesse Standish's rented house is about to be sold. Jem does all in his daring imagination to make Jesse's house unmarketable, and the neighborhood unfit for prospective buyers. This three-ring circus romps with Jem's boyhood friends and older brother Chris, all recognizable kids who share in the rough-and-tumble delight of living in a northern Massachusetts city whose newspaper is delivered by kids on bikes, where kids play in the streets, and the local convenience store is owned by the family of Jesse’s girlfriend, Andrea.
Sadly the city’s swimming pond has been sabotaged, and the city has to close it to all recreation after two boys are injured. Jem is sure he knows who did it, and helps carry out a plan to punish the evildoer. But Alpha qualities are not always perfectly aimed, and Jem learns about the consequences of jumping into action without sufficient knowledge or understanding.
What inspired you to write this book?
Memories of childhood as well as being a Big Brother.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Packed with everyday people bending their lives into the fringes of sideshow lunacy, Short Circus is in a genre of its own – reality fiction from a twelve-year-old kid’s point of view.
Where can people buy your book?
Barnesandnoble.com; amazon.com; jacketflap.com; flamingnet.com
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Yes, but not ready for publication.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I’ve worked with Allbooks Reviews before, and would like to keep a continually growing web presence for marketing my books.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
In Pursuit of Love, Spirituality and Happiness
Genre: Fiction
Author: Gita Audhya
When you feel trapped in your own life, a journey is often the only way to see things clearly.
Jonathan has led a comfortable existence. His family's wealth has kept him provided for, but with that status come certain expectations. In a rare moment of rebellion, he flies to Hawaii to take in the sights, and runs headlong into destiny.
In Pursuit is a love letter to Hawaii, both as a place and a state of mind. However, that does not necessarily translate well into fiction. Audhya's prose is rich, breathing life into her setting, but her characters are lacking in depth, and their dialogue is not as natural as it could be. The characters are there to explain things, to make points on behalf of the author. This is a common technique in fiction, but in this case the reader is constantly being reminded of it. Audhya clearly has talent, and passion for her subject, but might be better suited to non-fiction , specifically personal travel writing.
Gita Audhya has traveled from India to the UK, and then to the United States in pursuit of her dreams. She still travels frequently with her husband.
In Pursuit of Love, Spirituality and Happiness is a meditation on the wonder of life and the present moment, but its author might be more at home in a different genre. Audyha's debut is an Average read.
Reviewer: J. Blackmore, Allbooks Reviews. www.allbookreviews.com
Available at: iUniverse.com, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
Title: In Pursuit of Love, Spirituality and Happiness
Author: Gita Audhya
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1-4401-3989-5
Pages: 191
Price: $14.95 USD
Date: March 2010
Author: Gita Audhya
When you feel trapped in your own life, a journey is often the only way to see things clearly.
Jonathan has led a comfortable existence. His family's wealth has kept him provided for, but with that status come certain expectations. In a rare moment of rebellion, he flies to Hawaii to take in the sights, and runs headlong into destiny.
In Pursuit is a love letter to Hawaii, both as a place and a state of mind. However, that does not necessarily translate well into fiction. Audhya's prose is rich, breathing life into her setting, but her characters are lacking in depth, and their dialogue is not as natural as it could be. The characters are there to explain things, to make points on behalf of the author. This is a common technique in fiction, but in this case the reader is constantly being reminded of it. Audhya clearly has talent, and passion for her subject, but might be better suited to non-fiction , specifically personal travel writing.
Gita Audhya has traveled from India to the UK, and then to the United States in pursuit of her dreams. She still travels frequently with her husband.
In Pursuit of Love, Spirituality and Happiness is a meditation on the wonder of life and the present moment, but its author might be more at home in a different genre. Audyha's debut is an Average read.
Reviewer: J. Blackmore, Allbooks Reviews. www.allbookreviews.com
Available at: iUniverse.com, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
Title: In Pursuit of Love, Spirituality and Happiness
Author: Gita Audhya
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1-4401-3989-5
Pages: 191
Price: $14.95 USD
Date: March 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Allbooks Review August 2010
Allbooks Review August 2010 Newsletter
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of The Year. Please send your nomination, along with our web
name Allbooks Review and our URL www.allbookreviews.com
to: writersdig@fwpubs.com Subject "101 Sites".
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Submissions Wanted:
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Dream Quest One Writing Contest! Write a poem,
30 lines or fewer on any subject or write a short story, 5 pages
maximum length, on any theme, for a chance to win cash awards!
Prizes: Writing - $500, $250, $100. Poetry - $250, $125, $50.
Entry fees: $5 per poem, $10 per story. Postmark deadline: July 31.
Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com for details and to enter!
Military History Articles Wanted
--------------------------------
Military History Quarterly welcomes feature articles. All eras are
of interest, particularly ancient times, if the writer bases an
article on up-to-date historical research. Rates for feature
articles start at $800 (more if special expenses incurred) for
1500-6000 words. Pays $400 for departments. View website for
details: http://tinyurl.com/28q8auo
Science Articles Wanted
------------------------
Cosmos, the Australian science magazine, is open to submissions.
Cosmos is largely interested in ideas, particularly those that
involve, or are driven by, science and technology. Payment for
features ranges from A$900 to a maximum of A$3,000. View PDF for
full guidelines.
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/pdf/Cosmos_writers_guidelines.pdf
FEATURE
How to Get the Media Interested in You
You May Be Newsworthy Without Even Knowing It
Do you know what the media would consider newsworthy about you or your company?
Many new clients come to us with a strong opinion about what their "pitch" should be, but often miss the mark, in terms of knowing what will get the media to sit up and pay attention to their message. But it's very understandable that this could occur, if you're not working with the media the way we do, day in and day out, developing story angles intended to grab their interest.
For those who are new to PR, my message is this - think outside of the box! As normal as it is to be focused on your own company and industry or field of interest, there is a lot going on in the world, and your expertise might be news in ways that you've not previously envisioned.
I always recommend to my clients that they try to view their companies from the outside looking in, particularly, from the perspective of the media. The best way for you to garner the media's interest is to understand what it is about you and your company that might be interesting to them. The process is actually quite simple.
Read the News - If you want to be featured in the news, you should read the news. Be general in your approach. Read the top headlines in all the categories, even if your company is in a niche industry, because you never know what is going to happen. For instance, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has focused a spotlight on oil rigs and the people who work on them. Journalists are looking at the companies who own oil rigs, drilling rights, and other oil company service firms. Analysts in that small business niche are being quoted in top tier media outlets, after existing for decades completely outside the reach of the media's radar. So, go broad with the topics that you track, and don't be afraid to become a little bit of a news geek. Being better informed about the world around you isn't a bad thing, and the by-product is that you'll be far more media savvy.
Track it Back - Now, as you absorb the headlines and the stories of the day, think about how one or more of them could track back to you, your company and your key messages. A good example comes from one of our clients, a maker of natural health supplements. Their primary product line uses a natural ingredient called Resveratrol. Clinical research has uncovered that Resveratrol can be helpful in reducing fatigue, restoring energy and safeguarding your immune system. Now, earlier this month, Reuters reported that doctors who performed an 11-year study of British civil servants discovered a direct link between heart disease and working 11 hours or more each day. Another story quoted U.S. Department of Labor statistics that more than 7 million Americans work at least two jobs. We combined those two pieces to demonstrate that millions of Americans are working way more than 11 hours, and are at risk for everything from chronic fatigue to heart disease. From there, it wasn't too difficult to beat a path back to the client's physician spokesperson who recommended a series of tips to prevent those outcomes, including a short tip about how some natural supplements can be helpful. At first blush, you wouldn't imagine that labor stats and a medical study in Great Britain would have any relationship with a natural health supplement, but by thinking creatively, we were able to make the connection and develop a strong radio pitch for that client.
Be Opportunistic - The news happens fast, so be prepared to think just as fast. Recently we took on a client named Jane Heimlich, who has a dual claim to fame. She is the daughter of dance hall king Arthur Murray, who established the largest chain of dance instruction centers in the country. She is also the wife of chest surgeon Dr. Hank Heimlich, the creator of the life-saving, anti-choking first aid technique called the Heimlich Maneuver. She had just written her memoir, and was looking to promote it via media interviews. When we brought her on board, the new season for the network TV show Dancing with the Stars was about to begin. In reading her book, we discovered that her father's TV show, The Arthur Murray Party, was the first network TV dance contest - and it involved the big stars of the day. So, we put together a radio pitch with the headline "Remembering the Original Dancing with the Stars." We booked 15 radio interviews and a full print campaign with that angle, and we just refreshed the angle with the CBS announcement that they are giving Paula Abdul her own TV dance competition.
At the end of the day, recognize that your expertise can be stretched beyond what you have in your marketing plan, and you'll be able to make you and your company more relevant to the press in a lot of creative ways.
Marsha Friedman
CEO EMSI Public Relations
SUCCESS STORIES
We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.
Congratulations to:
Conversations with Jerry and Other People I Thought Were Dead won the silver medal in the 2010 IP Death and Dying Category, and was a Finalist in the 2010 Indie Excellence Awards.
Irene
GREAT AUTHOR SERVICES
I highly recommend this cover designer. Trisha FitzGerald
COVER DESIGN www.myspace.com/bookdesign
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Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Kerin Bellak Adams Englewood NJ
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
AD/HD Success! Solutions to Boosting Self-Esteem: The Diary Method Ages 7-17
ISBN 978-1-61599-024-5
Tell us about yourself:
Kerin Bellak-Adams is accredited through ICF with an ACC certification and has years of experience as a highly respected coach, speaker, and expert on AD/HD. She has taught elementary school children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and comes from an unusual background being the daughter of world-renowned psychiatrist Dr. Leopold Bellak, a pioneer in ADD, back in the 1960s. From her teaching experience, Kerin not only developed this book, but specializes in coaching parents on such issues as: how to find your child or teenager’s gifts, how to ask questions that help with focus and get the actions you most desire, and much more. She also coaches kids ages ten and older with ADD symptoms and helps them define small steps that will help them feel more in control of themselves and happier.
When was the book released?
Feb. 2010
Give us an overview of your book.
The book boosts self-esteem by developing a child or teenagers awareness of what comes naturally to them. The book also directs the reader to focusing on the areas that are challenging each day at school, helping them to emphasize their focus which is based on time-management, organization, and other areas, while gently encouraging and strengthening behavioral skills. Chapters are broken out to handle problems and situations common to children in specific age brackets within the overall range of 7-17 years old.
What inspired you to write this book?
My father who was a pioneer in the psychiatric study of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and being influenced by Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
There is no other type book on the market that inspires the reader to grow, while boosting and maintaining their newly developed self-esteem. This book also is one of a kind as it directs and encourages the student to focus on challenging areas through prompts and questions while encouraging social skills. This book is both educational and for the home. Focus. There is a specific home/school accountability form designed for teachers and parents to use to communicate regularly on the students strengths and weaknesses, as they develop throughout their school life. There is also a parent evaluation and self-esteem logs and graphs.
Where can people buy your book?
Most people are buying it through online stores such as Amazon.com but you can call or visit your neighborhood bookstore and have them order it for you from Ingram with no shipping charges to pay.
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published? Yes I am it will be published in 2 years.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
Don’t give up 5 minutes before the miracle!
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
It creates some marketing ability, and cuts down on some costs.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
My website has been the most successful marketing tool. Through a professional designer, I've been able to add book reviews, videos, promote events, and even add a special "Members Only" area where people who've purchased the books can download printable worksheets and extra content for free. I have to admit, a website is an author's best friend!
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
Through my publisher Loving Healing Press Inc. Victor Volkman tells me that he is starting to use Allbooks Reviews both to promote brand-new self-help and personal growth titles AND to revive interest in backlist titles. He says an Allbooks Review is always fresh and generates new buzz.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
I'd like to see a Content Management System (CMS) based website so that Allbooks Reviews could take better advantage of social networking tools. Imagine what using Drupal or Joomla could do to make visitors stays more interesting on the site!
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you, I really appreciate it.
In the News
Italian Writers Fight for More Rights
-------------------------------------
Four young Italian writers have set up a protest group, Writers in
Litigation, to protest what they see as unfair practices on the
part of the Italian publishing industry. It appears that authors
in Italy do not always receive their fair share of royalties.
For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/36qvj67
Publishing Industry Unlikely to Return to Pre-Recession Heights
---------------------------------------------------------------
After eight out of ten publishers reported a fall in sales in 2010,
the Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins, Victoria Barnsley,
has warned that sales are not likely to return to pre-recession
figures. HarperCollins saw sales fall by over 13% in 2010 and as a
result have reduced the number of books they will publish by 20%.
For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/33bgx5s
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Military History Quarterly welcomes feature articles. All eras are
of interest, particularly ancient times, if the writer bases an
article on up-to-date historical research. Rates for feature
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Cosmos is largely interested in ideas, particularly those that
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FEATURE
How to Get the Media Interested in You
You May Be Newsworthy Without Even Knowing It
Do you know what the media would consider newsworthy about you or your company?
Many new clients come to us with a strong opinion about what their "pitch" should be, but often miss the mark, in terms of knowing what will get the media to sit up and pay attention to their message. But it's very understandable that this could occur, if you're not working with the media the way we do, day in and day out, developing story angles intended to grab their interest.
For those who are new to PR, my message is this - think outside of the box! As normal as it is to be focused on your own company and industry or field of interest, there is a lot going on in the world, and your expertise might be news in ways that you've not previously envisioned.
I always recommend to my clients that they try to view their companies from the outside looking in, particularly, from the perspective of the media. The best way for you to garner the media's interest is to understand what it is about you and your company that might be interesting to them. The process is actually quite simple.
Read the News - If you want to be featured in the news, you should read the news. Be general in your approach. Read the top headlines in all the categories, even if your company is in a niche industry, because you never know what is going to happen. For instance, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has focused a spotlight on oil rigs and the people who work on them. Journalists are looking at the companies who own oil rigs, drilling rights, and other oil company service firms. Analysts in that small business niche are being quoted in top tier media outlets, after existing for decades completely outside the reach of the media's radar. So, go broad with the topics that you track, and don't be afraid to become a little bit of a news geek. Being better informed about the world around you isn't a bad thing, and the by-product is that you'll be far more media savvy.
Track it Back - Now, as you absorb the headlines and the stories of the day, think about how one or more of them could track back to you, your company and your key messages. A good example comes from one of our clients, a maker of natural health supplements. Their primary product line uses a natural ingredient called Resveratrol. Clinical research has uncovered that Resveratrol can be helpful in reducing fatigue, restoring energy and safeguarding your immune system. Now, earlier this month, Reuters reported that doctors who performed an 11-year study of British civil servants discovered a direct link between heart disease and working 11 hours or more each day. Another story quoted U.S. Department of Labor statistics that more than 7 million Americans work at least two jobs. We combined those two pieces to demonstrate that millions of Americans are working way more than 11 hours, and are at risk for everything from chronic fatigue to heart disease. From there, it wasn't too difficult to beat a path back to the client's physician spokesperson who recommended a series of tips to prevent those outcomes, including a short tip about how some natural supplements can be helpful. At first blush, you wouldn't imagine that labor stats and a medical study in Great Britain would have any relationship with a natural health supplement, but by thinking creatively, we were able to make the connection and develop a strong radio pitch for that client.
Be Opportunistic - The news happens fast, so be prepared to think just as fast. Recently we took on a client named Jane Heimlich, who has a dual claim to fame. She is the daughter of dance hall king Arthur Murray, who established the largest chain of dance instruction centers in the country. She is also the wife of chest surgeon Dr. Hank Heimlich, the creator of the life-saving, anti-choking first aid technique called the Heimlich Maneuver. She had just written her memoir, and was looking to promote it via media interviews. When we brought her on board, the new season for the network TV show Dancing with the Stars was about to begin. In reading her book, we discovered that her father's TV show, The Arthur Murray Party, was the first network TV dance contest - and it involved the big stars of the day. So, we put together a radio pitch with the headline "Remembering the Original Dancing with the Stars." We booked 15 radio interviews and a full print campaign with that angle, and we just refreshed the angle with the CBS announcement that they are giving Paula Abdul her own TV dance competition.
At the end of the day, recognize that your expertise can be stretched beyond what you have in your marketing plan, and you'll be able to make you and your company more relevant to the press in a lot of creative ways.
Marsha Friedman
CEO EMSI Public Relations
SUCCESS STORIES
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Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Kerin Bellak Adams Englewood NJ
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
AD/HD Success! Solutions to Boosting Self-Esteem: The Diary Method Ages 7-17
ISBN 978-1-61599-024-5
Tell us about yourself:
Kerin Bellak-Adams is accredited through ICF with an ACC certification and has years of experience as a highly respected coach, speaker, and expert on AD/HD. She has taught elementary school children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and comes from an unusual background being the daughter of world-renowned psychiatrist Dr. Leopold Bellak, a pioneer in ADD, back in the 1960s. From her teaching experience, Kerin not only developed this book, but specializes in coaching parents on such issues as: how to find your child or teenager’s gifts, how to ask questions that help with focus and get the actions you most desire, and much more. She also coaches kids ages ten and older with ADD symptoms and helps them define small steps that will help them feel more in control of themselves and happier.
When was the book released?
Feb. 2010
Give us an overview of your book.
The book boosts self-esteem by developing a child or teenagers awareness of what comes naturally to them. The book also directs the reader to focusing on the areas that are challenging each day at school, helping them to emphasize their focus which is based on time-management, organization, and other areas, while gently encouraging and strengthening behavioral skills. Chapters are broken out to handle problems and situations common to children in specific age brackets within the overall range of 7-17 years old.
What inspired you to write this book?
My father who was a pioneer in the psychiatric study of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and being influenced by Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
There is no other type book on the market that inspires the reader to grow, while boosting and maintaining their newly developed self-esteem. This book also is one of a kind as it directs and encourages the student to focus on challenging areas through prompts and questions while encouraging social skills. This book is both educational and for the home. Focus. There is a specific home/school accountability form designed for teachers and parents to use to communicate regularly on the students strengths and weaknesses, as they develop throughout their school life. There is also a parent evaluation and self-esteem logs and graphs.
Where can people buy your book?
Most people are buying it through online stores such as Amazon.com but you can call or visit your neighborhood bookstore and have them order it for you from Ingram with no shipping charges to pay.
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published? Yes I am it will be published in 2 years.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
Don’t give up 5 minutes before the miracle!
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
It creates some marketing ability, and cuts down on some costs.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
My website has been the most successful marketing tool. Through a professional designer, I've been able to add book reviews, videos, promote events, and even add a special "Members Only" area where people who've purchased the books can download printable worksheets and extra content for free. I have to admit, a website is an author's best friend!
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
Through my publisher Loving Healing Press Inc. Victor Volkman tells me that he is starting to use Allbooks Reviews both to promote brand-new self-help and personal growth titles AND to revive interest in backlist titles. He says an Allbooks Review is always fresh and generates new buzz.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
I'd like to see a Content Management System (CMS) based website so that Allbooks Reviews could take better advantage of social networking tools. Imagine what using Drupal or Joomla could do to make visitors stays more interesting on the site!
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you, I really appreciate it.
In the News
Italian Writers Fight for More Rights
-------------------------------------
Four young Italian writers have set up a protest group, Writers in
Litigation, to protest what they see as unfair practices on the
part of the Italian publishing industry. It appears that authors
in Italy do not always receive their fair share of royalties.
For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/36qvj67
Publishing Industry Unlikely to Return to Pre-Recession Heights
---------------------------------------------------------------
After eight out of ten publishers reported a fall in sales in 2010,
the Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins, Victoria Barnsley,
has warned that sales are not likely to return to pre-recession
figures. HarperCollins saw sales fall by over 13% in 2010 and as a
result have reduced the number of books they will publish by 20%.
For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/33bgx5s
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