Ridgewood, NJ, – At some point in our lives, we’ve all wondered what it would be like to win the lottery. You Never Know (Wheatmark, Inc.) is an extraordinary novel by Lilian Duval that shows us it’s not always what it’s cracked up to be. Her story draws a parallel between two families who are friends; one has suffered great tragedy and struggles financially, while the other has enjoyed an affluent lifestyle. Little did they realize that everything in their worlds would change when one decides to buy a lottery ticket.
Having struggled through his young life with a condescending father, alcoholic mother and an artistically gifted younger brother, Tobias Hillyer’s life changes forever during a Christmas visit home when a tragic automobile accident leaves both parents dead and his younger brother Simeon seriously injured. Tobias, always the one to do the right thing, abandons his dreams of finishing college to take care of his brain-damaged sibling. He gets stuck in a low-paying job and marries a nurse he meets while visiting his brother at the hospital.
On the other hand, Martin, his college roommate, seems to have everything going his way; he finishes college, marries well and lands a high-paying job with Lehman Brothers in New York. In spite of their differences in incomes, the two couples and their children stay in touch.
When Tobias buys a lottery ticket on a whim – and wins – he believes his problems are finally over. Strangely, as the roles are reversed, Tobias and his wife now get to live out their fantasies and Martin now faces bankruptcy.
As problems surface and life gets more difficult and less predictable for Tobias, who nearly loses everything he holds most dear while trying to get his head around this staggering amount of money, it is Simeon who surfaces as the unexpected hero by realizing his own happiness and success as a result of his own efforts. As ‘Simmy’ sets out on his own personal life journey, he leaves the family with a gift that brings them full circle and grants Tobias inner peace.
You Never Know is more a story of triumph than defeat, and what stems from that winning ticket makes for an exciting and surprising read that is filled with unexpected twists and turns to the very end, proving that while chance can change lives in a split second it’s the results that can last a lifetime.
While Lilian Duval implies in her novel that her characters may be impacted by the eventual terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Towers in 2001, she and her husband are actual survivors of this attack and know first-hand how this experience forever changed their lives.
For more information on Lilian Duval and her extraordinary novel, please visit her website at: www.lilianduval.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Charles Ashbacher: “Tobias is a very talented college student in anthropology… The family goes out to dinner and Tobias is behind the wheel when another vehicle slams into them, killing his parents and giving Simeon a severe head injury. Blaming himself for the tragedy, Tobias is forced to cancel his participation in the research trip to take care of his brother…he meets a young nurse named Carmela and she helps guide him through the very difficult first years. They are married and together they take care of Simeon … they have twins and while Simeon eventually is able to work at simple tasks, his ongoing recovery remains expensive. One day…Tobias, missing a train, buys a lottery ticket. His willingness to aid others is rewarded as he is the winner of …in excess of $100 million. This is a story of struggle, major achievement and then struggle again with a completely different set of problems. Tobias demonstrates …that he is a very good person; he retains a loyalty to people, even when they are unable to repay their loans. Duval keeps the action going in a smoothly consistent manner…everything that happens to Tobias and his group is believable consequences of winning a lottery at that level. While bad things often happen to good people, this is an uplifting story of the good being triumphant over the bad and well as the good.”
Alan Caruba of The National Book Critics Circle: “You Never Know…explores what happens when extraordinary things happen to ordinary people. The author is a survivor of the 9/11 attack and lives in New Jersey where the novel’s protagonist, Tobias Hillyer, has a life filled with both tragedy and extraordinary luck…the characters intertwine in an ever-changing landscape of events, capped by Hillyer’s win of a MegaMillions lottery that, despite the millions involved, evoke a whole new set of problems. It an intriguing story filled with unexpected twists and turns.”
Emily Truman, Esq., Asst. Municipal Prosecutor, City of Newark: “Have you ever read a book you didn’t want to finish simply because it was so good that you didn’t want the experience to end? It’s a rare find, and one to be treasured. You Never Know is one of those books—it’s a book to be devoured in one night, but also a book you want to cherish and read slowly.”
Virginia Beach, VA/Houston, TX, – Whether already in business, starting a business, or wanting to enhance your life – Switched-On Networking: Balance Your Brain for Networking Success (Happiness Unlimited Publications), by Dr. Jerry V. Teplitz and Donna Fisher, gives you instructions on simple Brain Gym® processes that will immediately rewire your brain for networking ease and effectiveness.
Networking works for everyone: business owners, sales people, job seekers – whether out of work or looking for a new position to further their career, college grads, and home-based business owners who wish to create visibility for their business, as well as non-profit staff where networking is essential to generating donations, sponsors and volunteers.
Readers will learn techniques that teach how to approach people, how to make a powerful introduction and initiate conversation, how to follow-up effectively, use social media to connect in ways that work, call people to request support, and ask for referrals. Once our subconscious mind has been reprogrammed using the tips and exercises in this book, we can “switch-on” our brain for optimum success and use these skills in any area of our life – to grow a business, meet new clients, or find a perfect job!
Switched-On Networking uses the proven, leading-edge mind-body technology of the Brain Gym® system to switch readers on for every aspect of the networking process. A system that is simple yet powerful – it will immediately re-wire your default settings and balance your brain for optimum networking success. And it starts working as soon as you finish each chapter!
By using the Brain Gym® process, along with Fisher’s material, Dr. Teplitz expects readers to become more successful, regardless of whether they are new to networking or are experienced networkers who want to push their career to the next level. The tools provided in Switched-On Networking can enhance every aspect of a person’s life – whether it is personal, business, or financial success.
Dr. Jerry V. Teplitz is an attorney, author, and has a Ph.D. in Holistic Health Sciences. He has been president of his own speaking and consulting firm for nearly four decades, and is a Certified Speaking Professional who has been a guest speaker for some of the nation’s most prestigious organizations and Fortune 500 companies. Author of nine books, his Switched-On Selling: Balance Your Brain for Sales Success was a #1 Amazon bestseller. For more information on this acclaimed professional who has been interviewed on numerous TV shows, over 400 radio stations, and featured in numerous newspaper articles and top-selling magazines, please visit: www.teplitz.com.
Donna Fisher is an author, entrepreneur, business owner, and Certified Speaking Professional. Her books, Power Networking, People Power, Power Networking Nuggets and Professional Networking for Dummies, have been translated in five languages and are used as reference books in companies and universities. She has been interviewed throughout the country on numerous TV and radio shows. For more information on this talented author, speaker and businesswoman, please visit: www.DonnaFisher.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Dr. Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and one of the creators of The Secret: “I’ve found what I’ve learned from Dr. Teplitz to be a really valuable tool in many areas of my life. His programs can help you and anyone you care about live up to their full energy potential and become a peak performer in every area of their life.”
Dr. Joe Vitale, star of The Secret movie and author of Attract Money Now: “Wow! Easily switch on your ability to naturally, successfully and memorably meet people with the breakthrough secrets in Switched-On Networking. It’s terrific!”
Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series: “Everyone can benefit from Switched-On Networking. The tools that Jerry and Donna share in this book will enhance your success, prosperity and bring more fun into your life.”
Marci Shimoff, author of Happy for No Reason and Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul: “Switched-On-Networking revolutionizes the idea of reprogramming your brain for success! Using Jerry and Donna’s leading-edge program, you can get your mind lined up to optimize your existing network, as well as the new connections you make. Networking can be more fun and easy than you ever thought—and it can lead to surprising successes!”
Alpharetta, GA, – The power of persuasion is something all really successful sales people seem to have in common. Their secret? Story-telling. Look at the late Steve Jobs; he was charismatic and people will never forget the stories he told. In Unique Sales Stories: How To Persuade Others Through the Power of Stories, Mark Satterfield teaches readers how to have this same powerful sales and marketing strategy that will make them stand out from the competition.
You might be thinking: ‘It can’t be that simple.’ But Mark has proved it is. There is a definite art to story-telling and when Mark is in front of an audience sharing his simple five-step process with them, they get to see that they too can create great stories that persuade and entertain. Audiences are amazed when they see how easily they can learn the art of persuasion and how it will make their clients remember them because they made it believable.
Mark Satterfield uses Super Bowl commercials as an example of the power of a story. Those ads run around $3 million for 60 seconds and people never forget them; in fact, the commercials are now almost as popular as the game itself. Anyone can now have that power at their fingertips – minus the $3 million tab!
Very few people are natural-born storytellers. Mark admits he wasn’t – but it’s a skill he learned and he now passes that skill on to readers and audiences. The power of persuasion is strong and audiences are thoroughly entertained when he shows them how easily they can learn to do it too. He’s proven it works – after all, we know that’s the one thing all successful professionals have in common – telling great stories.
Unique Sales Stories is a practical guide for developing and delivering memorable stories. Divided into three main sections, it offers a collection of Mark’s essays on creating unique stories with step-by-step instructions on how to develop your own one-of-a-kind sales stories, and includes a variety of examples he has developed for clients to use.
Mark has a Masters Degree in Psychology and an undergraduate degree in English from Washington University. Prior to founding Gentle Rain Marketing, he held executive positions with PepsiCo and Kraft Foods in addition to having served as the Director of Career Services for the Graduate School of Business at Emory University. He has been mentioned in Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, Who’s Who in Higher Education, and is the recipient of the AMA Award for Excellence in Management Education.
Larry Hart: “As a veteran of the business arena for many years, the value of stories continues to be the best way to convey a lesson, an idea or a benefit. Stories go back in history, for hundreds of years, as the only way to provide a legacy of lessons and actions… Mark does an excellent job of building the case for the use of stories, follows it with the framework of creating your own, and finishing with many clear examples of what has been created by others. A “well-worth-it” read if you plan on taking action.”
John Frisbie: “I loved this book. There is no question that if someone implements the basic ideas outlined, they will dramatically improve their sales results. The author taps into some of the timeless principles of memory, which recognize the basic truth that people don’t remember facts as well as they do remember well-developed, carefully-planned stories. The book shows you how to develop sales stories of your own, stories which focus on your customers’ needs and will make you stand out from your competition…Anyone who sells a product or service will find this book gives them the tools they need to re-calibrate and significantly improve their current marketing effort.”
Kerrin T: “The author really delivered on his promises for this book. I learnt the value of stories for my business and how to incorporate story telling into my sales and marketing team. Lots of great examples, and well worth the read. Great job Mark!”
Greenwich, CT, – In Targets of Deception, which suspense master Robert K. Tanenbaum called “a fast-paced thriller,” we were introduced to CIA agent Jordan Sandor in a story praised by bestselling author Steve Alten as “terrific.” Now Sandor is back in Jeffrey S. Stephens’s riveting Targets of Opportunity (Gallery Books; August 30, 2011; $24.00), playing for bigger stakes and facing deadlier challenges.
Whisked from his Manhattan townhouse to a gabled CIA safe house in Virginia, Sandor faces off with a top terrorist agent from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. In exchange for protection from his own side, Ahmad Jaber is offering the CIA explosive information: word of a secret, unholy alliance forged among operatives in the Middle East, a ruthless South American, and Kim Jong-II’s North Korea. Jaber claims not to know specific details, only that the strike will target the heart of America.
The fanatics stage a stunning diversion in the Caribbean, mercilessly downing a passenger jet and unleashing an assault on a French intelligence installation. Sandor, however, has already moved in a different direction. Leveraging Jaber’s information, he assembles a small strike force to penetrate North Korea. The team knows they will not all return, but the intel they gather will be vital to American security. What they ultimately discover plunges Sandor into a frantic race against time, struggling to defeat a shadowy figure—a master terrorist with a plan of destruction so perfectly disguised that even with the new knowledge he has gathered, Sandor cannot guess where or how he will strike.
As a storm rages in the Gulf of Mexico, word comes that two submarines have penetrated U.S. waters. With the U.S. military hampered by the hurricane, Sandor turns to a few daring U.S. Navy SEALs to duel with the enemy they cannot see…for now they know only that there are two nuclear weapons aimed at a target of opportunity whose destruction would change the world order forever.
Brilliantly conceived, electrifyingly paced, Targets of Opportunity captures a terrifying twenty-first century reality: terrorists can—and will—try as many times as they need to attack the United States. For the brave men and women who defend our country, failure is not an option. Targets of Opportunity will leave every reader hanging on for Jordan Sandor’s next step, staying with him through to the end.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeffrey S. Stephens began the Jordan Sandor series with Targets of Deception, published in 2009 to rave reviews. Born in New York City, he now lives in Greenwich, Connecticut, with this wife, Nancy, not far from their sons Graham and Trevor.
TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY By Jeffrey S. Stephens Gallery Books; August 30, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4516-2432-8; $24.00
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TIP SHEET:
Vince Flynn, #1 NY Times bestselling author: “A ripping good yarn of intrigue.”
Publishers Weekly: “In Stephens’s solid second Jordan Sandor thriller…the explosive finale will leave readers more than satisfied.”
Booklist Online: “Targets of Opportunity is a plot-driven, action-heavy thriller that will appeal to fans of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor.”
Publishers Weekly: “…regular series hero Jordan Sandor goes up against Arab-inspired terrorism. Stephens also involves the North Koreans in a major way, adding a new emphasis and making [TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY] fresh and original.”
The Mystery Gazette: “The stupendous second Sandor thriller …is a great action tale…The story line is fast-paced and never slows down…Readers will relish this taut suspense thriller.”
Seduced by a Book Review: “I loved the fast pace of the book. The reader gets to see from both perspective what is happening. Just like those hired to conduct the attack, however, we don’t get the full picture only pieces until the end. The book is well written…filled with lots of action, twists, and drama this book delivers a most enjoyable read. I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses.”
Southlake, TX, – With 80,000 centenarians currently in the world and more expected in the future, scientists predict that children born today may well reach their 150th birthday. And that doesn’t mean their last fifty years will be in a nursing home; it means living life to the max – good mental faculties, physically active and also enjoying sex – the new ‘doorway to the fountain of youth!’
One of the greatest discoveries of all time for the science world was the ability to identify the genes that make up human DNA. This gave us a road map to the body that allows doctors to understand diseases and treatment on a whole new level and target drugs to groups of individuals – not a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Researchers recently found that aging is caused by the shortening of telomeres, the protective strands of DNA at the end of our chromosomes. Since we now know that heart disease, diabetes and cancer can shorten the telomeres, we have to avoid even the earliest stages of these diseases if we want to live to 100 plus!
Overall, treat your body like a temple and be aware of what you put in it. Play safe; if you can’t pronounce an ingredient – don’t eat it!
Go through life with a good attitude and thinking positive thoughts because thinking negatively releases cortisol and other hormones that can cause aging, whereas positive thoughts create serotonin that helps increase sleep quality – another essential to longevity.
It’s apparent that if people want to live happy and healthy lives and become tomorrow’s centenarians, they need to take control of their lifestyle choices now. To help them do this, doctors Walter Gaman and Mark Anderson of Executive Medicine of Texas (named ‘Best Doctors in Texas’ by Newsweek Magazine), know just what it takes and they share it all in their ground-breaking book, co-authored with Judy Gaman, Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health (George House Publishing).
While these internationally recognized leaders put their main focus on anti-aging through preventive and proactive measures, some of the tips they offer might surprise you. New studies show that having an active sex life can increase longevity and these experts will tell you why that is and how much you need.
The team of experts at Executive Medicine of Texas are currently being booked on television shows around the country with segments that include visual tools and offer real advice on staying young. They show a chromosome model and explain how shortening the telomeres causes aging; they present foods that keep you younger longer, and discuss the need for sleep and how being on the computer or phone at night can disturb sleep patterns. Everything in their live presentation is geared towards giving viewers/listeners the tools to increase longevity.
Ellaville, GA, – Jackie Carpenter lived through an experience that no parent should have to go through. It began in June of 2008 when her son apprehended thieves in the act of stealing copper from his work site. The thefts were increasing and, on the advice of a deputy, he was armed and trying to keep the men there while he called police when the gun accidentally fired, and one man died from his wounds.
The Bridge: Between Cell Block A and a Miracle is Psalm 91 (Xulon Publishing) by Jackie Carpenter tells the powerful and compelling story of her terrifying journey that began the morning she received a frantic call from her son’s wife telling her that he had been arrested for felony murder, and it did not end until the jury returned its verdict ten months later.
Jackie had been living the great life; she had a wonderful husband, good health, two married sons and four beautiful grandchildren. She had it all. But after her son was taken into custody and charged with felony murder and four other serious charges, and the deputy recanted the advice he gave her son, her world fell apart.
Jackie clung to Psalm 91, asking God for a miracle. During the trial, her son’s attorney had asked her not to bring her Bible into the courtroom for fear of offending a non-believing juror. Jackie couldn’t do that. She was asking God for a miracle – how could she take the chance of offending Him? The Bridge is the story of a ten-month journey up to that fateful day in April 2009 when Jackie got her miracle in the form of an acquittal.
While The Bridge: Between Cell Block A and a Miracle is Psalm 91 is a story of a mother’s love and her walk of faith, the sequel Georgia Justice: A Story To Faith acts as a guide for building faith in the face of tragedy and grief. Jackie had never believed that she would serve to be a resource for people facing a crisis in life – but it took the worst crisis in her life and the miracle that stemmed from it to drive her to write her heart-wrenching story. It is a powerful testimony to the spiritual strength this small-town girl found in the promises of Psalm 91 and how she built her faith up during the tormenting ten months leading up to her son’s trial.
Jackie Carpenter has been a featured guest on television, radio, and in newspaper articles. Her two powerful books will be produced into a motion picture that will be in theaters the fall of 2012. For more information on this author and her miraculous story of faith, hope and love that brought her to victory, please visit her website at: www.bridgetoamiracle.com
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TIP SHEET:
Bob Etier, Blog Critics: “The Bridge is a book for people who believe in miracles. It is also for people who need to be reminded that during troubling times, God is not the guilty party. Even devout Christians sometimes need to be reminded that their strength is in the Lord, and The Bridge serves as that reminder.”
Emory Daniels, Book Reviews: “The Bridge clearly demonstrates that God still performs miracles in the 21st century. A key point is that when bad things happen it’s better to trust God than to blame Him. The story also reveals that it is certainly possible to survive a tragedy without losing faith.”
Monique, Book Pleasures: “This is a good, inspirational story…you can absolutely see the conviction in her (Jackie’s) heart that God’s love and grace alone brought her through this difficult time…she simply wants to share her miracle with you.”
Las Vegas, NV, – Writer H. Lee Barnes lives in Las Vegas and teaches English and Creative Writing at the College of S. Nevada – a far cry from his days on the battlefield as a member of a Special Forces A-team in Vietnam. Typical of many young men in the early 60’s, Barnes was in college and drifting along as an average student when a letter from his Draft Board made the decision of what he would be doing for the next couple of years of his life. He enlisted in the Army and became, much to his own surprise, a member of the elite Green Beret.
There are the legends of the Green Berets and their clandestine, special operations that are celebrated in story and song, and then there’s the reality of one soldier’s experiences. In When We Walked Above The Clouds: A Memoir of Vietnam (University of Nebraska Press) by H. Lee Barnes, we share first-hand the day-to-day loss and drudgery that more accurately conveys the daily grind and quiet desperation behind the polished-for-public-consumption accounts of military heroics.
Barnes tells what it was like to be a Green Beret; first in the Dominican Republic during the civil war of 1965, and then at A-107, Tra Bong, Vietnam, where he eventually came to serve as the advisor to a Combat Recon Platoon which consisted chiefly of Montagnard irregulars.
While Barnes sees his months of simply doing what the mission demanded as nothing to get excited over (after all, bad coffee, heat, insects, sickness, killing rats, cleaning guns and building bunkers, make up the routine nature of war), he skillfully communicates how this predictability makes the intensity of patrols and attacks all the more menacing, and his book makes for a very sobering read.
He recalls a particular routine patrol that had gone wrong and four of his own and a large number of Vietnamese and Montagnard tribesmen were killed. As he lifted a buddy’s decomposed body off the ground, both a hatred for the enemy and the stupidity of the war emerged and he began his own patrols. He learned to do what few other Americans in his outfit could – climb the treacherous mountains and survive the unforgiving conditions as well as a native. Learning to trust the jungle and all its dangers, he felt more alive than he had before or ever has since.
Barnes’s story is one of loss – of morale lost to alcoholism, teammates lost to friendly fire, of missions that were aborted, and those that were endlessly and futilely repeated. As the story advances, so does the attrition – teammates get transferred, innocence is cast off, and confidence in leadership dwindles. But against this dark background, Barnes manages to honor these men who nonetheless carried the day.
This rare look into life as a Green Beret makes a compelling read. Nearly fifty years later, Barnes writes that “Vietnam is the only thing in my life that isn’t fiction,” and his book stands as a tribute to the contribution the men of this elite group made, both the routine and the brave.
Before Vietnam Vet H. Lee Barnes entered the field of higher education, he worked in various law enforcement positions and as a construction laborer and a casino employee. He is a hiker and biker who loves to tour the highways of the southwest and occasionally rambles down its inviting back roads…just curious to see what’s around the next corner.
For more information on this award-winning author, please visit: www.hleebarnes.net.
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Kirkus Review: “…offers a moving memoir of his time at war in Vietnam…Nearly 50 years later, Barnes writes that “Vietnam is the only thing in my life that isn’t fiction.” In the grand scheme of things, not much happened at Tra Bong; “the life of a trooper out here meant little, except to those who were out here.” But with sharp and unsentimental prose, Barnes makes it matter a great deal. A war remembrance of beauty and unadorned brutality.”
