Las Vegas, NV – Two Kinds of Color (Createspace) by Deborah Kennedy may be fiction but its characters and events reflect the author’s real life story: growing up black in a racially divided family who were mostly conceived through prostitution when her mother was pimped out by her father. Kennedy proves herself to be a compelling writer with a deep sense of compassion and an intensity that adds raw emotion to her amazing story.
It’s not a memoir, but a character-driven mystery thriller with an intriguing plot that deals with the lives of a dysfunctional family made up of a prostitute white mother, a vain and greedy black man, and four children, two white and two black. Two Kinds of Color is both compelling and poignant in its portrayal of a mother’s love and heroic sacrifice for her children.
In this story, paralleling much of Kennedy’s own life, Freddie Walker is a very beautiful and sensuous woman who begins working as a prostitute at age sixteen for a vain and greedy pimp/businessman. Jimmy Tate is her pimp and his notorious reputation and illegal gaming practices allow him to make all the money he can. Raising children in the brutal world of hustlers of Chicago’s South Side is tough, but she does her best.
The mesmerizing power of the story keeps readers turning the page. A murder, a prison sentence, foster care and a fortune made on Wall Street are plot twists so incredible they must have come from real life. The reader learns what Freddie Walker didn’t tell her children, and how those children ultimately redeemed their legacy of heartbreak, terror and joy.
Two Kinds of Color is a powerful story with characters that leap off the page, vital and real; the kind of story that creates smash hits at the box office. It sheds light on the underworld of prostitution and focuses on the truth of the pimps that abuse the children caught up in this world. It is a story of best friends, of having faith and belief in God, and of trust and love.
Kennedy’s goal in writing this extraordinary story was to bring hope to women and their children trying to get out of this lifestyle, and to offer encouragement to children of racially divided siblings that no matter what one experiences in life, nothing is more important than family – even if they are two kinds of color…
San Antonio, TX – People often wonder: What is evil? What is death? What is hell? We Do Not Wrestle with Flesh and Blood: The True Story of a Man’s Death and Resurrection is the incredibly true story of Benjamin Smith – a young man who experienced all three firsthand and lives to unlock the source of evil in the depths of human souls.
This factual story relates the inner personal battles of a young man seeking truth and freedom in central London in the early 2000s. When Benjamin Smith left his small hometown in Texas to attend college in London, he was seeking only one kind of salvation: freedom from the crushing boredom of a safe life lived and its predictable nine-to-five future.
Daring to ask if there was more to existence than a report card and a resume, he sets out to join Alex, the son of a Russian oligarch, at a prestigious English business school. The plan seems simple and foolproof: make powerful friends and make a ton of money! Believing that from effortless power and money, freedom and peace would surely follow. Isn’t that how it goes…?
Set against a fast-paced dialogue between wildly diverse cultures, the story relates how the subtle deceptions of evil can eventually destroy a life. Masterfully written, this story is a witty but profound spiritual testimony of Benjamin’s experience when he encounters evil incarnate in the form of a sycophantic, Rasputin-like Russian, a friend of Alex, whose mysterious powers and dark intent cause Smith’s ambitions to deteriorate into a haze of drugs, deception, and danger.
As Benjamin takes readers on a wild, “stranger than fiction” exploration into the subtle deceptions of evil that lead him to a traumatic death experience—these deceptions nearly cost him his life and will have eternal consequences!
Through Benjamin’s intense death experience and subsequent spiritual awakening, he cracks the code to unmask the nearly irresistible core of evil.
Receiving five-star reviews on Amazon.com, Smith’s book is described as “raw and brutally honest” and “a very deep and true story of one man’s life and fight with the sins and evil of this world.”
Chicago, IL – We all do it; we know we need to get off the couch but can’t muster the motivation to move. Well, Shea Vaughn just made it easy for us. A mind-body expert, master trainer and presenter, author and wellness coach (who happens to be Vince Vaughn’s mother), Shea is a recognized spokesperson for helping others create a life of well-being.
Shea introduces us to SheaNetics®, her doctor-endorsed, revolutionary wellness and exercise lifestyle practice that blends Eastern and Western values and movements for a powerful mind-body experience. SheaNetics® reshapes and enhances the overall quality of your life and gives you the mental strength and physical ability to make positive lifestyle changes. As the founder and CEO, Shea’s goal is to make sure anyone who wants to make a change has the mental and physical tools necessary to help them live the life they deserve. It is a first-of-its-kind combination of both physical and philosophical concepts working together to power your pathway to well-being.
The exercises are an energizing blend of effective, proven-to-work formats and include the special performance-enhancing qualities of Tri-Core Power Training – an exclusive with SheaNetics®. The 5 Living Principles of Well-Being are at the heart of SheaNetics® – Commitment, Perseverance, Self-Control, Integrity and Love. Together, these principles unite the mind and body toward a common goal of living life on your terms and living it well.
Shea’s mantra is “Embrace It, Own It, Live It,” and she describes it perfectly when she says, “SheaNetics® is like a best friend. Your journey to well-being begins as you Embrace It with the same spirit of commitment you would give anything you hold dear. Own It means accepting responsibility, persevering through the hard times and asking yourself: “Am I giving it my best?” Live It by being in the moment, making better choices, setting better examples and enjoying the benefits of your efforts.”
Shea recently released “Breakthrough,” an inspirational guidebook to finding total well-being. She also offers “The 30-Day Breakthrough Program,” her answer to losing weight and keeping it off. Her collection of SheaNetics® workout DVD/CD’s can be purchased at her website, as well as distinctive jewelry that she has added to her line of products. Shea is presently positioning to add SheaNetics® group exercise in fitness clubs nationwide, along with plans later this year to introduce her innovative all-body-building, core-busting exercise machine to the fitness and medical industries.
Shea Vaughn is a national mind-body expert, corporate wellness speaker, noted fitness professional, gifted choreographer and media personality whose charm makes her instantly likable in person and on camera. She has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Marilyn Denis Show, and is a regularly featured health and fitness expert on Chicago’s Windy City LIVE and The Best Ever You Network, and a frequent wellness commentator for other TV, radio and print media.
SheaNetics® is an exciting mind and body experience that is a pathway to lifelong well-being. For more information please visit: www.sheanetics.com.
Chicago, IL – If you don’t wake up every morning eager to see what gifts the day has to offer, Shea Vaughn has a few words for you. She is the founder of the SheaNetics® concept, a fresh and thorough approach to wellness, exercise and mind-body health. “SheaNetics takes the benefits of fitness one step further,” she says. “It’s about uniting the mind and body to reach your goals.”
In her new book Breakthrough – The Five Living Principles to Defeat Stress, Look Great and Find Total Well Being (HCI), she tells the story of the mental and emotional sides of SheaNetics® and the inspiration and answers to living life on your terms and living it well. This doctor-endorsed practice reflects Vaughn’s east-meets-west life philosophy and has found universal appeal and application; placing her on the leading edge of the expanding interest in holistic lifestyle thinking and the positive effects it creates for individuals and corporations alike.
In her book, Shea shares how The 5 Living Principles of Well-Being lie at the heart of SheaNetics® and are powerful tools used in individual coaching and corporate lectures on how to create meaningful and productive results. She also explains how the exercise portion of SheaNetics® is an inspiring and time-saving blend of many respected formats for a creative and effective total body experience – strength, flexibility, body-sculpting and stress relief in one.
Breakthrough provides great life lessons and simple recipes for well-being including Shea’s 5-Day Breakthrough Boost. “All together it’s an easy and effective way to jumpstart your journey to a healthy lifestyle, defeat stress, look great and find total well-being,” Vaughn explains.
Shea Vaughn is a national mind-body expert, master trainer and presenter, author, wellness coach and a recognized spokeswoman for helping others create individual and business well-being. Vaughn is also the founder and CEO of SheaNetics®, the revolutionary wellness and exercise lifestyle practice that delivers a powerful mind-body experience and ignites your potential to look and feel your best on the inside and out. Shea has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and the Marilyn Denis Show; is a regularly featured health and fitness expert on Chicago’s Windy City LIVE and The Best Ever You Network and is a frequent wellness commentator for other TV, radio, and print media and corporate events. Her SheaNetics® DVD/CD Mind-Body Collection offers dynamic, one-of-a-kind full body workouts and along with her new book Breakthrough, invites everyone to break through to a new beginning and the life you deserve.
Alameda, CA – Sixty-six percent of all caregivers in this country are women, a number that is increasing as the population ages. Many of these women are so caught up — even trapped — in this role they seriously neglect their own needs, which can lead to physical, emotional and financial burnout. In The Caregiving Wife’s Handbook: Caring for Your Seriously Ill Husband, Caring for Yourself (Hunter House Publishers) by Diana B. Denholm, PhD, women will find the support and tools they need to get through this stressful time with compassion while keeping themselves emotionally whole.
Since caring for an ill husband has traditionally been seen as a “wifely duty,” the caregiving role becomes especially complex when the husband is dying of a long-term illness. Every day brings a new set of challenges, demands, adjustments, and often unwelcome changes. It is a time when support and clear thinking are desperately needed — and this book can help!
As the primary caregiver for her husband for over ten years, Dr. Denholm learned firsthand how little help is available to women caring for dying husbands. Over time, she combined this experience with her training as a practicing therapist and communication expert to develop the tools and strategies she shares in this book.
Dr. Denholm’s twin goals are to help wives communicate with reluctant spouses about important issues and to take care of their own physical, emotional and practical wellbeing. She includes real-life examples from six case histories, stories that help readers discover they are not alone and that many of their emotional responses, including negative ones, are common and normal.
Receiving five-star reviews on Amazon.com, Dr. Denholm and her timely book were also recently featured in a lengthy article in the New York Times; drawing much-needed attention to a critical issue that affects millions of women yet is hardly ever discussed or explored in social discussion or in the media.
The Caregiving Wife’s Handbook addresses sensitive issues with insight and directness and offers clear-headed solutions. The helpful list of 50 Do’s and Don’ts and information on how to manage emotions, how to approach awkward subjects, and how to negotiate hot-button issues are practical and empower women to bring more balance, free time and even fun into their lives.
Diana Denholm, PhD, LMHC, holds a doctorate in psychology, is a board-certified medical psychotherapist, and has been in private practice for over thirty years. She has pioneered many of the communication and self-care tools she shares in this book and she has used these methods successfully with her many clients.
Houston, TX – Three American women put their faith into action in a remote village in West Africa and proved that we can change our world for the better – one person at a time. Author and Episcopal Priest, Elizabeth Geitz, was one of these women who made the pilgrimage to an orphanage in Cameroon, West Africa, and in her latest book, I Am That Child: Changing Hearts & Changing the World (Morehouse), she shares with readers how it changed her own life forever.
Masterfully written, her incredible journey of faith is told with humor and passion as she relates the story of Sister Jane Mankaa, considered by many to be the Mother Teresa of Africa, and what this remarkable woman has managed to do for the 130 children in the orphanage who call her mother.
Always focusing on justice issues, the writings of Elizabeth Geitz speak to people with the passion to make a positive difference in the world. The author makes the political personal in this hard-to-put-down narrative about global poverty, AIDS, sexism and race relations, illustrating that cross-cultural relationships among people of faith can change our world…one person at a time. By taking an in-depth look at race and cultural privilege, the author finds hope for reconciliation back home.
I Am That Child would be a great tool for church study groups and social justice/outreach campaigns and includes study and resource guides to help readers engage global poverty efforts and build community – whether it be across the street or across continents.
The compelling frankness of I Am That Child goes right to the heart of any questions we might have and makes us want to put our faith into action – even if it means reaching beyond our wallets or outside of a comfortable lifestyle.
The Reverend Canon Elizabeth Geitz is an Episcopal priest, author of numerous books, and is co-editor of Women’s Uncommon Prayers. The former Canon for Ministry Development and Deployment in the Diocese of New Jersey, she is an award-winning writer and popular speaker who works closely with Sister Jane Mankaa and the Good Shepherd Home Board in Cameroon.
I Am That Child can be ordered through any religious or secular bookstore; through online booksellers or direct from Cokesbury Christian stores at www.Cokesbury.com, or by calling 1-800-672-1789. It is available in print and digital editions including Nook, Kindle and Google e-Book.
Elizabeth Geitz’s books have been hailed by people as diverse as Desmond Tutu, Phyllis Tickle, and John Berendt. For more information, please visit: www.elizabethgeitz.com
Roberts, WI – Home safety accidents disable more than twelve million people each year and are the fifth leading cause of death. Obviously there is a statistical gap between what we think we know and what we actually know about home safety. Since a staggering 45% of all unintentional deaths occur in and around the home, this makes the home environment one of the most hazardous settings we inhabit!
Dan Hannan, CSP, has been an educator and trainer on safety issues for more than twenty years. As an expert, he knows there are immediate things people can do to increase safety for themselves and their families, but how can we do this if we aren’t even aware there is a problem?
In his one-of-a-kind book, Preventing Home Accidents: A Quick & Easy Guide (Hunter House), Hannan identifies the hazards that exist in every home and recommends safety practices that will help homeowners reduce lethal accidents by providing information adapted from proven techniques used by safety professionals.
Prevention is the key and, with that in mind, Hannan’s book is filled with anecdotal descriptions and examples that offer way more than “safety tips” because it educates the homeowner in how to control risk through hazard identification. Topics include everything from fall hazards to electrical safety, fire prevention, safe chemical use, hand and power tool safety, and many others. Each chapter identifies problems and illustrates safety practices, providing action items for proactive prevention. There are “cheat sheets” at the end of each chapter to enable readers to be able to do a home safety audit themselves, giving references to links and other resources.
Since statistics show that 75% of all unintentional injuries and deaths in the home hinge on our behavior and on the decisions we make, it’s evident that the first and most important home safety decision we should make is to improve our hazard recognition skills and become more safety conscious.
Homeowners cannot rely on product recalls or state and federal agencies to gauge the safety of their home or their loved ones – they must do it themselves. With the simple techniques offered in this unique book, readers will be given the tools necessary to take charge of this important issue and hopefully prevent accidents from ever happening.
Dan Hannan, CSP, is an educator and trainer on safety issues, and an authorized OSHA instructor and Hazardous Material Manager who routinely trains construction and general industry workforces. He has been a safety, health and environmental professional for over twenty years and has written several articles for national trade publications.
