Holmes County, OH, – Daniel Petric is in prison for killing his mother and attempting to kill his father. This is a teen that had a very normal childhood and upbringing – one of three children (two sisters) and son of a pastor at a local church. Because Danny was homebound after a spinal injury, his father purchased an Xbox video game system to keep him entertained – with one rule: no violent video games. Unfortunately, Danny did become hooked on violent games, with his two favorites being Grand Theft Auto and Halo 3. After finding the games, his father locked them in his gun safe.
One day, Danny found the key to the safe and found his games and a loaded handgun. On what started as a normal Saturday afternoon as his parents were lounging in the family room, Danny walked in and asked them to close their eyes “for a surprise.” The surprise was he opened fire – shooting his father in the back of the head and shooting his mother five times. His mother died but his father survived, regained consciousness, and spoke to Danny – who gave the gun to his father, but grabbed the video game and fled. Today, Mrs. Petric is buried, Danny is serving 22 years in prison, and Mark Petric made a full recovery and forgave his son.
For the past three years Mark Petric has refused media interviews. But together with Phil Chalmers, teen murder expert, he has decided it’s time to talk to the media and tell his story and the two are now available for interviews.
Chalmers has been featured on Montel Williams and Howard Stern, has made guest appearances on E! Network’s Billionaire Crime Scenes and Too Young to Kill, as well as Spike TV’s Don’t Be a Victim.’ He is considered America’s leading authority on juvenile homicide and teen mass murder, and he doesn’t learn about them from textbooks or libraries – he speaks to the killers directly to find out what makes them tick and why.
Chalmers latest book Inside the Mind of a Teen Killer (Thomas Nelson) is made up of 15 years of research and face-to-face interviews with the young men who committed some of this country’s most heinous crimes. He has interviewed over 200 teen killers and school shooters and has been studying youth culture and teen murder for 25 years.
Phil Chalmers has interviewed numerous teen killers, school shooters, serial killers, and sexual predator killers. Included in his interview list are serial killers Charles Manson and David Berkowitz, and school shooters Luke Woodham, Michael Carneal, Barry Loukaitis, Andrew Wurst, Mitchell Johnson, Hans Kristofer and Evan Ramsey, among others. Considered America’s leading authority on juvenile homicide, Phil Chalmers’ new book and his informational seminars make him in great demand across the country. Knowing what drives today’s youth culture and how they think makes him an excellent trainer for law enforcement, school administrators and criminal justice students. He is the author of three books and regularly writes for numerous national magazines and newspapers. He has produced two documentaries, including the hit series True Lies, and is developing a television series entitled Teen Killer.
Ann Rule, America’s #1 Crime Writer: “A must read for anyone concerned about the rage and depression of so many lost youths. Fascinating!”
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer: “Phil Chalmers has interviewed the killers. He has corresponded with them extensively. He has exhaustively researched their crimes. There is no human being alive who knows more about these killers.”
Joe Schillaci, former Miami Homicide Detective and star of A&E’s ‘The First 48:’ “Phil Chalmers has found what I’ve been searching for the last 27 years of my life, my law enforcement career. To go into the minds of a teen killer, you must go into their hearts, and Phil has done that. Phil raises your awareness of where we have gone wrong and how we can make changes with simple steps.”
Idaho Springs, CO, — Marshall Ulrich went 3,063 miles on foot, running about 60 miles a day for 52 days straight, from San Francisco to New York City. He was 57 years old when he ran the equivalent of 117 back-to-back marathons in an attempt to break a world record set by a man half his age. Ultimately, he set two new records and completed the third fastest trans-American crossing in history.
At the end, he ran right into Times Square on election night, November 4, 2008. As he watched people shouting and dancing in the streets as the election returns blared on the CNN jumbo screen, Ulrich remembers, “I pretended all the hoopla was for me.”
He returns to New York this year on the anniversary of his finish. As part of the celebration, he will attend the ING New York City Marathon (Nov. 3–5) as one of the elder statesmen of running, on hand all weekend to meet and encourage this year’s racers. At the Expo held in the Javits Convention Center, he’ll be signing his book, Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner’s Story of Love, Loss, and a Record-Setting Run Across America (Avery, $26).
While the book centers on the transcontinental run, this legendary athlete has been competing in extreme endurance sports for nearly three decades:
• He began running ultra distances in his thirties, and in his forties he set records on some of the world’s most difficult courses. Known primarily for his exploits in Death Valley, Ulrich won the infamous Badwater Ultramarathon a record four times — a race dubbed by National Geographic as the toughest in the world. He still holds the record for the original 146-mile course, which starts at below sea level and concludes at almost 14,500 feet, on the peak of Mt. Whitney.
• Then he began adventure racing; competing in multi-day events with a team of hard-core athletes. He’s one of only three people to complete all nine Eco-Challenges; contests that make the TV show Survivor look like a resort vacation. At the same time, he became an innovator in the sport of ultrarunning; finishing feats of endurance no one had accomplished before. To mark his 50th birthday in 2001, he ran across Death Valley four times in a row for a total of nearly 600 miles, crossing the scorching desert and going up and down Mt. Whitney to raise money for orphans who live in some of the poorest countries in the world.
• In his 50’s, he ascended all Seven Summits on first attempts, including reaching the top of Mt. Everest in 2004. Outside magazine crowned him an “endurance king;” Trail Runner named him one of the legends of the trail, and Adventure Sports highlighted him as an athlete “Over 50 and Kicking Your Butt.”
• Four years later he completed the run across the United States, breaking the Masters and Grand Masters records and outpacing all but two of his peers – both of whom were 20 years younger than Ulrich when they ran it.
• Since then, Ulrich has continued to take on new challenges. This summer, to celebrate his 60th birthday, he ran the Badwater Ultramarathon again, and then headed directly to the Alps. There he summitted five peaks over 13,000 feet, including an ascent of Mt. Moench in near white-out conditions.
Revered by those who have heard of his exploits, but relatively unknown until publication of his book, Ulrich is frequently asked why he waited so long to write about his accomplishments. He says this book is richer and more reflective than one he might have written as a younger man. “Before, I didn’t feel qualified to speak with authority,” he admits, though many would argue the point. “Finally, I felt comfortable to write about something more than sport, to communicate some valuable lessons I’ve learned about living.”
One important element in the book is a recounting of how Ulrich met his wife, Heather, late in life and how she taught him to love again after great personal tragedy. He credits her not only with helping him to become a better man, but also with being essential to his completing this epic, record-setting transcontinental run.
So Running On Empty is both a gripping love story and an inspirational look into the life of someone who has accomplished more than most people can comprehend – and who insists that everyone is capable of much more than they may think. He continues to take on new challenges to reveal that the human body and the will to endure are miraculous indeed. Ulrich shows all of us that there are no such things as “too old,” “too far,” or “too difficult.”
Please visit www.MarshallUlrich.com for a closer look at the life of this extraordinary man.
“Searing, obsessive honesty …” – The Sydney Morning Herald
“Not really about running at all …” – The Denver Post
“Loaded with drama …” – The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Dean Karnazes, acclaimed endurance athlete and bestselling author of Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner: “Marshall is The Man. Definitively. His run across America at the age of 57 sealed that distinction forever. He’s living proof that endurance never sleeps, never gets old, never tires. Nothing can stop him, and that gives us all hope, gives us resolve to keep trying.” — Aron Ralston, author of Between a Rock and a Hard Place and subject of 127 Hours: “Usually, graceful would be applied to a runner’s form. With Marshall Ulrich, it’s even more apt a descriptor of his spirit, his soul, which he generously shares with us in Running on Empty. Tempting as it might also be to describe him as superhuman, Marshall has fallen and struggled and risen and struggled some more. His story, therefore, is ours, and whatever one might admire in him is also, therefore, in each of us.”
Mark Burnett, Emmy-award winning producer of Survivor, Eco-Challenge, The Apprentice, and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? “Marshall and I go way back to the first Eco-Challenge in 1995. An athlete of astonishing grit both then and now, he never fails to push the limits of his sport, no matter what extreme endurance event he’s chosen. Running on Empty tells the story of Marshall’s greatest test: reading it, you get a sense of how tough this man is, but there’s also a bit of Everyman in Marsh. He’s an inspiration to all of us.” —
Midway, GA, –The latest news from The White House that all troops will be pulled out of Iraq by the end of December 2011 makes understanding the history of events occurring in Iraq that brought us to this point seem more relevant than ever. Awakening Victory: How Iraqi Tribes and American Troops Reclaimed al Anbar Province and Defeated al Qaeda in Iraq (Casemate Publishing) by Lt. Col. Michael E. Silverman (ret), provides exactly that.
This book, that debuts next week, is a true account of how the partnership between Iraqi tribes and American troops reclaimed al Anbar and defeated al Qaeda in Iraq. Michael Silverman was Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment and he was right in the middle of the fight. His battalion contributed a great deal to the war in Iraq and was the only one to participate in the campaign to reclaim al Anbar Province from start to finish. Silverman offers an expert perspective on the surge in Iraq and the role of Iraqis in securing their country.
Awakening Victory reveals actions and incidents that were not released to the public before now and tells of this battalion’s actions in taking the war from one of bombs and bullets to one of partnership and ideas. Silverman’s book shows the contrast between why we were so successful in Iraq versus the failed campaign in Afghanistan, where this Administration’s heavy-handed approach to the Taliban ruined our relationship with Pakistan.
Silverman explains how many senior U.S. officials thought we had lost the war in Iraq back in 2006 after being told by Marine Corps Intelligence that al Anbar Province, the seat of the raging Sunni insurgency, was lost to insurgents. Things looked very grim – with over 100 attacks a day against U.S. military and Iraqi forces in al Anbar that led to al Qaeda planting their flag in the provincial capital of Ramadi and declaring it the new ‘Islamic State of Iraq.’
Silverman’s battalion played a huge part in the ‘surge’ in Ramadi in early 2007 in a campaign that is hailed as the D-Day of the global war on terror, and was hugely successful in clearing out al Qaeda and replacing them with locally raised and trained Iraqi police. This reduced the attacks within Ramadi from twenty a day to one or two a week within just a couple of months, and a 90 percent reduction from the previous year in attacks in the entire province.
Michael Silverman was involved throughout the entire Iraqi insurgency. His book shows a deep insight not found in most Americans’ perceptions of the war, and offers a fresh perspective of the ‘surge’ and the role of Iraqis in securing their country. Being on the front lines, his book expertly describes the exact turning point where the U.S. turned a supposedly failed war into a possibly enduring success.
Lt. Col. Michael E. Silverman, a 25 year veteran with the United States Army, is the recipient of numerous awards, medals and commendations. Retired in 2008, he spends his time writing about the war on terror and serving as a consultant to the U.S. Army on counterinsurgency. He is well-versed in international affairs and world religions and writes with the authority of someone who has both been blown-up by an IED and assisted in shaping U.S. strategic policy for the global war on terror.
Michigan City, IN, – Menopause is recognized around the world in October with World Menopause Day. Menopause affects women from all around the globe – it may be different for each one but it will definitely have some kind of an effect on them. The key is to minimize the negative effects so that this will be a time of celebration rather than a time of dread.
Doctors Lovera Wolf Miller and David C. Miller are the authors of Womenopause: Stop Pausing and Start Living (O-Books) and they wrote it for just this reason. Their book is filled with the latest scientific information and solutions to help women feel their best during this vital time – more like a makeover geared to feeling fit, feminine and fabulous in four weeks!
Unfortunately, our culture has become obsessed with maintaining the appearance of youth – which does nothing to help the anxiety level of the 6,000 women a day reaching menopause right now! Their list of concerns just keeps growing: Will I lose my looks? Can I keep this weight off? Is my health going to deteriorate? Am I still sexy? Can I still be smart? Can I continue to be me?
Womenopause provides readers with a guide to help them create their own ‘designer’ treatment plan that is tailored to their individual needs, and it covers everything from bone preservation, hormones, hot flashes, breast health, brain power, skin, fitness, sleep, sex – a multitude of things that women deal with while going through menopause. This book doesn’t profess to be a ‘cure’ but it certainly is an invaluable tool. It cuts through all the hype and ill-informed opinions that have plagued women for years, keeping them on a roller coaster ride of ‘trends of the day’ – and instead offers real solutions that work!
The credentials of these professionals speak for themselves. Dr. Lovera Wolf Miller is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist, a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and a NAMS certified menopause practitioner. Dr. David Miller is boarded in pain and anesthesiology, taught neuroanatomy at UCLA, was an instructor of courses in physiology and neurophysiology, and is also a NAMS certified menopause practitioner. Please visit their informative websites at: www.womenopausebook.com and www.womenopauseinteractive.com
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TIP SHEET:
This following review will be published in the November issue of Climacteric (the official scientific journal of The International Menopause Society):
Anna Fenton, M.D. “Womenopause…is an entertaining and informative romp through menopause and beyond…an invitation to action for women. From the basic physiology of reproduction and menopause through to chapters on symptom management, diet, exercise, sex and long-term health concerns, this is a clear and understandable account. It provides clarity for women about choices they may make as they reach menopause and demystifies the results of the Women’s Health Initiative. There is a strong emphasis on core health messages and each chapter finishes with a ‘challenge’ to reinforce those messages. The authors have a playful turn of phrase, coining expressions such as ‘meno-fog’, ‘hot dreads’ and ‘vagina sahara’. Sprinkled through the text are points that clarify many a misunderstanding among perimenopausal women such as the lack of utility of measuring FSH to gauge the stage of menopause, the normal age range of menopause, and the lack of validity of salivary hormone levels. The reference material at the end of the book is comprehensive and guides women to reputable websites and books…There is extensive use of case reports to illustrate points, along with the authors’ own charts and scoring systems to assess symptoms before and after treatment…The book is well written and entertaining and the enthusiasm of the authors for women’s health is infectious…I would recommend it for all women who wish to be well informed of their choices at and beyond menopause.”
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]
Potomac, MD, – The Good, The Bad, and The Crazy: No One’s Ever Called Me Boring (Duke, M.D. Literary Enterprises, L.L.C.) by Mary Ann Duke, M.D., is the true story of a modern-day Joan of Arc who survived being burned at the stake by the male-dominated medical and judicial systems, and now dares to tell the unrevealed truth.
Mary Ann Duke was the epitome of a success story. She graduated from medical school at age twenty-three and became a board-certified ophthalmologist by age thirty. Her private practice in the prestigious suburb of Potomac, Maryland had a patient list that read like a Who’s Who of the Washington Metropolitan Social Register. Dr. Duke was granted privileges at the renowned John Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute. Happily married, she lived in a gorgeous home with her husband and their three beautiful children.
That is, until the day she found her husband and best friend together and her perfect world exploded, sinking her into a pit of despair. This was the beginning of the end for Mary Ann Duke; the God-fearing, small town girl from upstate New York. She began drinking to ease her pain, and the alcohol, along with an untreated bipolar disorder, soon cost her everything…
The Good, The Bad, and The Crazy is packed with life lessons that come together in a mixture of spirit and guts, new-found wisdom and touching sorrow. This writer’s sharp wit and glorious sense of humor (especially when she describes being in jail with an alleged killer) makes her book a page-turner that is impossible to put down!
The Good, The Bad, and The Crazy not only chronicles the myriad challenges and prejudices a brilliant, young female doctor faces from both the medical and legal systems, but it also tells the very personal and moving story of her downward spiral into alcoholism; her private war with bipolar disorder; her fight for custody of her children, and the pain of incarceration. Yet the sheer determination and perseverance of this writer incites readers to cheer for her tenacious spirit that has proven no matter what the odds – she will never give up.
Dr. Mary Ann Duke’s electrifying book challenges the status quo and shamelessly avenges her honor. It is a story of social protest that will be read and revered for generations to come. The final pages of The Good, The Bad, and The Crazy are scanned medical and legal documents that prove the truth of her writing.
Samuel R. Shumaker, III, Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col., published author: “A genuine page turner. The most insightful and wise book of our generation about the medical and legal systems of America gone cancerous. The harsh realities are deftly balanced by the devastatingly perceptive humor of the author, an accomplished eye surgeon. This book is impossible to put down.”
Amazon Five-Star Reviews:
“I literally could not put this book down when I first started reading. Then I didn’t want it to end. How anyone could survive all this and still be in one piece is beyond all comprehension. You find yourself rooting for the author, despite all the trials and tribulations she has experienced during the past 30 years. Outstanding!!! A “must read”
“This is quite a story. Interesting, tragic, funny and compelling. Read this book and you will know why no one ever called the author boring. Hollywood needs to latch onto this one. It is the stuff great movies are made of!”
“This book gives a fascinating look into the mind of one of America’s top medical minds. Parts of it are gut-bustingly hilarious, but …a grim reminder of the weaknesses of the American penal system, and the Machiavellian organization commonly known as the AMA. Would most certainly recommend it to anyone.”
“I usually only read a few books each year, but I read this one incredibly FAST – because I could not put it down… Well written and juicy to the end… You feel the struggle as you read it. Highly recommend.”
New York, NY, – Dr. Mark Robert Banschick designed The Intelligent Divorce book series and The Online Family Stabilization Course as a way to help divorcing parents avoid the common mistakes that end up hurting children during a divorce. The mission of the project is to teach parents how to raise well-adjusted children despite the pressures that divorce puts on everyone.
A blueprint that every adult should use as they go through a divorce, The Intelligent Divorce advocates on behalf of kids through books, an online course, seminars and a media campaign. Based on hundreds of case studies, current research and decades of experience, Dr. Banschick teaches parents how to handle divorce with dignity, strength and intelligence.
The first book in the series, Taking Care of Your Children (2010), focuses on the well being of kids by teaching parents effective communication strategies that help them gauge how their children are doing with the divorce. And, if their child is in trouble, Dr. Banschick’s pragmatic approach teaches parents how to make a positive difference.
The second book, Taking Care of Yourself (2011), helps parents take control of their lives by handling anger, pain and anxiety more productively; learning about finances and healthier living and dealing realistically with the world of attorneys, therapists and difficult ex-spouses. On this note, the third book, scheduled to come out in 2012, centers around Dealing with a Difficult Ex.
Mark R. Banschick, M.D. is a child and adolescent psychiatrist. The Intelligent Divorce project evolved from his work as an expert witness in custody disputes. Dr. Banschick has appeared on the CBS Early Show, The Ricki Lake Show, WCBS TV Morning News, and has been quoted in The New York Times, Divorcemagazine.com, and firstwivesworld.com. A regular contributor to the Huffington Post, please see his relevant article on the new movie, Crazy, Stupid, Love at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-banschick-md/sensible-smart-love_b_925889.html. Dr. Banschick is currently working with a production company on a sample pilot television show designed to educate the public about divorcing with your children in mind, despite the difficult feelings and power struggles that come with the territory. For the two million people divorcing each year in this country and the one and a half million children who are affected, The Intelligent Divorce is a project worth pursuing. As part of a public outreach effort, Dr. Banschick is open to media contact and interviews on topics of divorce and parenting. For more information please visit Dr. Banschick’s website, www.TheIntelligentDivorce.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Dan Couvrette, Divorce Magazine: “This can really help parents and most especially, their children.”
Jill Brooke, Contributor, Huffington Post: “Dr. Banschick is a rare talent, as practical as Dr. Phil, as soulful as Rabbi Kushner and as savvy about men and women as John Gray. He can guide rebuilding families so that they not only survive, but thrive.”
Richard Francis, M.D., Founding President, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry: “Dr. Banschick’s unique and credible voice is pragmatic and optimistic. The anecdotal evidence throughout the book rings true, and this makes The Intelligent Divorce an important read.”
Cathy Meyer, Founder, DivorcedWomenOnLine.com: “It isn’t merely a book; it’s a tool that anyone going through a divorce should be required to implement. It belongs on the desk of all divorce lawyers, judges, child psychologists, and every divorced or divorcing parent.” Video: “It’s Working Out” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ytJMyMmK8U
