San Antonio, TX, – San Antonio evangelical preacher Matthew Hagee’s new release Response Able: What my father taught me about life and making a difference (Charisma Media) offers the insights of a lifetime on parenting, self-reliance and affecting societal change. The key to any significant transformation, according to Hagee, is a refusal of the sense of entitlement often associated with Gen-Y and Millennials. Instead, Hagee argues that readers should embrace self-reliance and acknowledge the individual’s God-given ability to respond in a positive manner, regardless of the circumstances.
“One of the most valuable lessons my father taught me was to focus on what I can do, rather than what I cannot,” says Hagee. “If your life is on a course that you would indeed like to change, you can change it. No matter what.”
Matthew Hagee, the son of global evangelist John Hagee, serves as Executive Pastor of the 20-thousand member Cornerstone Church founded by his father in San Antonio, Texas. The elder Hagee launched the church more than three decades ago, growing it into one of the most influential and charismatic Christian communities in the country. The companion TV ministry now reaches almost 100 million homes in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa and New Zealand. Matthew Hagee, the heir-apparent to the church and TV ministry, uses many lessons taught by his father as the framework of Response Able.
With some parents working two jobs or both parents working more than 40 hours a week, Hagee wants to help parents break the cycle of shrinking family time in America. To do this, he has issued a provocative challenge to the parents in his flock. He calls it the 707 Challenge and he wants parents to sign up for this ongoing campaign that requires moms and dads to commit to spending at least seventy minutes per day with their children, seven days a week, for seventy days.
“The time has come for this generation to take responsibility for tomorrow,” says Hagee, “and the response begins with you.”
Hagee’s book offers faith-based insight and guidance on initiating powerful change in personal, social, financial, educational and political arenas. Hagee bases his premise on a conviction that principle should be the compass by which to guide one’s life, and not passion.
“Principles are powerful,” says Hagee. “They will make men out of boys and instill a foundation in future generations that cannot be shaken.”
Other foundational concepts offered in the book include:
Responsible people submit to authority, namely God Declare war on the status quo Invest in others, primarily children Patience rewarded Gratitude The joy of giving
And many more concepts chiseled into his character by his father’s loving guidance. For more information on this remarkable man and his new book, visit: www.response-ablethebook.org.
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For more information, or to schedule an interview, contact Jeff Brady at Brady Media Group. 214.265.5670. [email protected]
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.”
Las Vegas, NV, – Acclaimed author, syndicated columnist, and entrepreneur Farrah Gray offers readers Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out (HCI) as a tool to help them get ahead – even in our current poor economy. Raised in the projects on the south side of Chicago, Gray defied the odds and became a self-made millionaire by the age of 14.
Gray began his entrepreneurial, personal and civic development as a stellar young citizen at six years old, selling homemade body lotion and his own hand-painted rocks as bookends door-to-door. At age seven, he was carrying business cards reading “21st Century CEO.” He went on to foster companies as diverse as a venture capital fund to food manufacturing.
His rise from poverty to international renown as an entrepreneurial icon and preeminent power speaker has inspired millions around the world and his story is now available to readers in Reallionaire; Get Real, Get Rich; and The Truth Shall Make You Rich. Gray’s books have been translated into Russian, German, Polish, French, Korean, Indonesian, and Vietnamese, with book sales in Africa, Australia and Europe, and in Central and South American countries. Gray’s books have also become required reading in university classrooms at Harvard and Princeton, among others.
Gray has extensive experience advising readers about personal and professional matters. He is a syndicated columnist with the National Newspaper Publishers Association of 200 weekly newspapers reaching more than 15 million readers. As an AOL Money Coach, Gray gives daily leadership, personal and professional development, diversity, strategic planning, creativity, and financial management advice to millions of AOL subscribers.
His sense of social responsibility motivated him to create the non-profit organization The Farrah Gray Foundation, which focuses on inner city community-based entrepreneurship education and provides financial assistance for students from at-risk backgrounds to attend historically black colleges and universities. He donates his speaking engagement honorariums, which can be upwards of $15,000, and the proceeds of his book to his foundation.
At the age of 21, in recognition of his ingenious, economic mind and distinguished commitment to values such as leadership, integrity, and scholarship, Gray received an Honorary Doctorate degree of Humane Letters from Allen University. He holds a Key to the City from Dallas, Shreveport, and Cincinnati. He has also received Proclamations from the governors of Illinois and Nevada, the mayors of Louisville, Kentucky, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Wilmington, Delaware, and St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Dr. Gray’s Awards include The National Urban League Whitney M. Young Jr. Entrepreneurship Award, The Alabama A & M Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Award, The Davidson College Love of Learning Lifetime Educational Achievement Award, Central State University Award of Appreciation for contributions made in the area of entrepreneurship, NV Magazine Vision Award, and the American Red Cross Award of Appreciation.
Reallionaire is available online and in bookstores everywhere. Learn more about this inspiring figure at: www.Farrahgray.com
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TIP SHEET:
Bill Clinton, (Former) President of the United States of America: “I know Farrah Gray and we have discussed his future. His motivation determines what he will do. His attitude determines how well he will succeed at making a difference.”
O: The Oprah Magazine dubbed Farrah Gray an “all-star” with “priceless advice.”
Suze Orman, New York Times Bestselling Author: “You are just the best and the real thing.”
Good Morning America: “Farrah Gray is the ultimate American success story.”
ABC 20/20: “America’s Reallionaire.”
CNN: “Farrah Gray, the youngest African American of his generation to make his mark on Wall Street and to become a millionaire.”
MSN.com placed Farrah Gray on its 2010 Young Tycoons List along with Mark Zuckerberg.
Santa Ynez, CA, – When Renewable Energy – Facts and Fantasies (Clean Energy Press) was published, it skyrocketed to the top of Amazon.com’s charts in both the energy and engineering categories – a clear hit as a #1 best-seller. Now, just a few months later, author Craig Shields is offering an electronic copy of the book at no charge to anyone who wants it because, “(Writing the book) was a great project. I had fun doing it, readers loved it, and a whole bunch of people bought it within the first week or so,” he said. “Now it’s time to move along – but before I do that, why not put it in as many people’s hands as possible?”
For an author to offer his published work for free is an admirable quality; obviously to him educating the public is more important than making money. His book is based on interviews with 25 of the world’s top researchers, authors, analysts and energy experts in a wide range of disciplines – yet it’s an easy read that is set in a question and answer type format with the author posing the questions.
There is no doubt that the migration to clean energy is among the most pressing issues of our time. Whether our worries are global warming, peak oil, national security, America’s competitiveness in world markets, or our siphoning off another $1 billion in our wealth to foreign entities every day – there is definitely room for concern. In fact, it would be difficult to find anyone who thinks that our addiction to oil and coal is a good thing. But, looking at the problem in practical, realistic terms – how can we “get there from here?”
We live in a civilization with an ever-increasing hunger for energy and its fixation on fossil fuels to provide that energy is in the process of imploding on itself as our population grows and its demographics change. Yet we live in a world of tough realities – where an elegant solution simply does not exist. We are constantly told that renewable energy is too expensive but, all things considered, it is actually cheaper than traditional energy sources!
Craig acknowledges that there are people who don’t believe in global warming. But are there people who doubt that gas and diesel emissions cause cancer? That enriching certain governments in the Middle East endangers every one of us? That the scarcity brought about by a declining supply of oil causes wars? That the damage to fragile ocean ecosystems, which are becoming more acidified each year, is devastating the larger biosphere?
Craig Shields is the founder of 2GreenEnergy – a company that is focused on providing breakthroughs in renewable energy science and technology – and he recognizes that renewable energy will soon become the third largest industry on Earth, after healthcare and technology, and a lot of folks are going to want to be a part of this multi-trillion dollar revenue stream. For more information, please visit: www.2greenenergy.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Paul Scott, Plug-In America: “It would be hard to find more stimulating ideas — and more compelling reasons to move to clean energy, all stuffed into one small place. Readers will walk away with a greatly expanded understanding of the subject.”
Mike Austin, Reporter/Producer for Blue Planet Almanac: “Shields renders the landscape of renewables with brush strokes that only a master can deliver. Craig’s uncommon gift is powering past political obfuscations while leaving the truth intact.”
David Schwartz: “If you are wondering what some of the brightest minds in the Renewable Energy field are thinking, you need this on your bookshelf. Craig Shields does a wonderful job.”
Ascot Media Group (Press Release) – Houston, TX, May 28, 2011 — Everyone on the island of Isla Mujeres knows Alison Sawyer Current – she is the woman who has dedicated her life to rescuing and caring for abused and discarded animals whose future would be extremely bleak without her intervention. She has helped to decrease the pet population through ongoing spay and neuter programs, education, vaccinations and adoption. Perhaps the following true story and its outcome best describes what Alison deals with on a daily basis and what keeps her going in spite of such adversity:
This story is about Roco, a callously abused dog, who was brought to Alison as a last resort after tourists gave the owner money to take Roco to the vet and then realized that the owner’s only goal was spending the money at the closest bar to drink to Roco’s health! Out of all the sad cases she had seen over the years, Roco was one of the saddest. The owner had kept him on the roof of his house and regularly forgot to feed or water him, or provide any kind of shelter from the unrelenting sun – even leaving him there while the roof was being re-tarred! Needless to say, Roco had tar matted into 70% of the fur covering his body, and in the moist, warm place that was between his skin and the tar there thrived every kind of parasite imaginable. Using a sharp blade, Alison had to slowly cut the fur under the tar until it could be peeled off like cloth!
Roco’s feet and his ears were completely full of tics and infection and even after Alison removed as many tics as she could and bathed him – he was still anything but a pretty sight! But what made this sad sight even sadder, was that Roco eyes were rimmed with infection and he was found to have a serious eye condition that almost cost him his sight. The condition was so severe that under more normal circumstances it might have required more than one operation – in Roco’s case, the vets at the spay and neuter clinic had to operate no less than five times!
That was six years ago and, thanks to Alison and her volunteers, Roco is now a healthy, happy dog with a shiny black coat who thinks he is king of the castle at Isla Animals – a title he so rightly earned and deserves!
Isla Animals has proudly saved the lives of over 4,450 dogs in the past decade and Alison Sawyer Current, also a writer who selflessly donates her book’s proceeds to saving more animals, is the operator of this unofficial humane society. To see more of this organization and their amazing work, please visit their website at: www.islaanimals.org.
A famous quote of Mahatma Gandhi says it all: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Isla Mujeres, The life of cats and dogs on this idyllic island is bleak. The local government has a despicable solution–population control by electrocution! Her organization has become one of hope; dedicating itself to rescuing and caring for these abused and discarded animals through spay and neuter clinics, fostering, and adopting.
Alison Sawyer Current has spent ten years working with and supporting other rescue groups in the Yucatan. While continually addressing the big picture she has re-housed over four thousand animals, placing them with individuals and rescue groups in the US and Canada. In 2005 she received the Doris Day Animal Kindred Spirit Award and was invited to the first ‘Forum on Small Animal Over-population’ in Mexico City.
Isla Animal’s programs are run totally on donations. It’s Alison’s goal to educate pet owners and provide them with free services and basic supplies, such as food, flea and tick medication, shampoo, collars, leashes and medical supplies. On a typical day she has thirty to forty dogs at her house; most of them are sick and scared from a life on the streets – and these are the strong ones! Islanders drop the dogs off or tie them to her gate, or tourists find them by the side of the road. It takes time and love to get these animals ready for a good home but Alison is prepared to take care of each and every one until she can send them to a better place. Isla Mujeres is a tourist destination so the animals are considered unsightly and are eliminated in an effort to create a more pristine vacation destination. Alison is sure that if tourists knew what was truly going on they would want to do something about it.
Isla Animals desperately needs additional funding so that they may continue their wonderful work. Please visit their website at www.islaanimals.org for more information on this incredible organization and how to alleviate the plight of these desperately mistreated animals.
Alison Sawyer Current is also the author of an intriguing novel, No Urn For The Ashes (Bayfire Press Publishing), and generously donates the proceeds from her book sales to further the care of her extended feline and canine family.
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TIP SHEET
Ascot Media Group is providing public relations services to this humane organization at no charge in their attempt to help these animals in Mexico.
With a heart as big as Texas, Dr. Pomerance has never turned away an animal in need. Providing necessary care and rehabilitation for these animals to improve their chance at adoption has become a way of life for her and her husband and, in spite of the hard work and heartache that often accompanies these dogs, they wouldn’t have it any other way! Putting aside the sadness and suffering that is often attached to them when they first come into her life, Dr. Pomerance looks as each one as a gift and never fails to be amazed by the transformation that takes place as they recover from abuse, neglect or abandonment – and she never tires of being a part of their journey as they leave behind pain and despair and replace it with joy and contentment.
Our Rescue Dog Family Album (Polaire Entertainment Group, Inc.) by Diane Pomerance, Ph.D., is a collection of endearing stories that covers the lives of forty rescued dogs, lucky enough to become members of her seemingly ever-expanding family, and the obstacles they overcame in their recovery. Their gratitude is evident every day, and their innate wisdom and ability to love unconditionally have brought the doctor and her husband profound joy and an increased awareness of the inter-connectedness of all living creatures.
Dr. Pomerance has a Ph.D. in Communications and is a certified Grief Recovery Specialist who counsels those grieving from any loss, but especially those mourning the loss of a beloved pet. She created, established and serves as director of the Pet Grief Counseling Program for the SPCA of Texas, and understands how the loss of a pet can be just as devastating to adults as it is to children. She has dedicated Our Rescue Dog Family Album to all the four-legged friends who have shared their lives with the Pomerances’ over the years and who will always be remembered with love, appreciation and deep respect.
Dr. Pomerance has been interviewed by countless newspapers and magazines, and has been a featured guest on CNN Headline News, Fox News, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime TV, Fox & Friends, Montel Williams, The Daily Buzz, and more. Her latest poignant book and her many other highly acclaimed books can be viewed at: www.animalcompanionsandtheirpeople.com .
Dr. Pomerance lives in North Texas with her husband and too-numerous-to-name canine “kids.”
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TIP SHEET:
Seattlepi books: “If ever a book was appropriately named, Our Rescue Dog Family Album is the book. Details of over forty dogs that were rescued … are shared, along with scores of pictures of these lucky canines. What Pomerance – and anyone who has ever rescued a dog — knows is that once you rescue an animal, you have a devoted friend, ‘til death do you part. Pomerance has written a number of books for dog owners and prospective owners, covering topics that include the death of a pet, adopting the right companion, older animals, and the roles companion animals play in the lives of the humans with whom they live.
People who read Our Rescue Dog Family Album will be charmed by the histories of these dogs that no one wanted. Some came from puppy mills (boo! hiss!), others were abused and abandoned, and still others share unknown backgrounds…Whether Pomerance is writing about a dog’s health and behavior, or sharing tidbits about their holiday celebrations, she draws the reader in with her obvious respect for her furry family. Filled with irresistible photos and enchanting stories of improved lives… Our Rescue Dog Family Album makes a lovely gift for any dog lover or wannabe-dog-owner, and should be found in the waiting rooms of veterinarians across the world. Maybe it will inspire others to adopt a shelter dog…or two…or three…”
DogTipper.com: “Our family has included a number of rescue dogs over the years…all but one came to us from shelters or by being dumped near our country home. We are always interested in other individuals who adopt and care for unwanted pets, so were immediately impressed by Dr. Pomerance’s Our Rescue Dog Family Album…being a nationally-recognized pet expert who works with several organizations including the SPCA of Texas, K-9 Friends Visiting Therapy Dogs of GTDOG, and Alaskan Malamute Assistance League. Our Rescue Dog Family Album is a handsomely printed hardback which documents some of the many dogs who have been adopted into her loving home…is an entertaining book, enhanced with color photos of her pets and details of…day-by-day efforts to save as many distressed dogs as possible. Their gradual introduction and integration into the lives of abandoned and mistreated pets is an inspiring journey. The Pomerances’ inspiring story is a quick read but will long linger in the hearts of all dog lovers.”
