We have become a nation hooked on other people’s suffering: humiliation, misfortune, forbidden desire, and inchoate longings. Reality television is a distorted reflection of our profane existence. Curious about what’s really behind the mirror, about who we really are? American Suite (Jorge Pinto Books, Inc.) by Diana E. Sheets illuminates the connection between reality and fiction. Its well-written, compelling style captures the zaniness of America today.
American Suite resonates because it’s the story of today’s American family. This novel is presented through the diary entries of a mother and her two daughters. What begins as a chick-lit novel (Bridget Jones’s Diary) is subverted and transformed into a crime-driven, celebrity-fueled absurdist comedy of manners (Bonfire of the Vanities). American Suite presents our culture war — politically correct liberal sensibilities colliding with conservative worldviews. There’s religion. There are guns. There’s crime. There’s blood. There’s memoir. There’s celebrity. America’s social mores are riotously pilloried.
Written in the style of Norman Mailer and Tom Wolfe though wrapped in “chick-lit” tinsel, American Suite is the story of a mother and her two daughters told through compelling diary entries written over a two year period. They are intelligent and sophisticated women from an affluent Protestant family whose ideas and views often clash. There is Arisa, a single woman in her thirties, who leaves Manhattan for a new life as a writer in the Flatlands (the Midwest). After she discovers the new man in her life failed to tell her he’s still married and after a trip back to New York for a family Christmas holiday, which proves equally disastrous, Arisa flees further west. She falls in love (again!) with a Hollywood director. After discovering he’s filmed their debauched S&M relationship as raw footage for his new movie, “Legs Wide Open,” she returns to the Flatlands with her ex-lover’s Doberman in tow and begins writing her memoir of that dreadful relationship. Naturally, she falls in love (again!!!) with an African-American ex-con. She sells her memoir and lands a movie deal. Then the Doberman attacks a Peeping Tom and chomps off his manhood. Arisa achieves celebrity status. The reporters, the cameras, what a spectacle!
Sophie, Arisa’s sister, has her own set of challenges. Her husband loses his job; she’s attracted to her youngest son’s tutor, and her boys begin embracing conflicting religions. The family turns to sailing in an attempt to find common ground; however, the boat is damaged during a race. Then there’s Rosalyn, the widowed, seventy-something mother who lives in New York. Rosalyn is a Christian but turns to Judaism (and Yiddish obscenities) when she falls in love with Saul only to be devastated when the love of her life later dies of cancer. Three women, all in therapy, all in conflict though deeply connected, all struggling to make their way in this multicultural morass we call America today, and all engaged in writing their memoirs.
This adventure comedy celebrates the strength and resilience of these three strong women. It gives readers a first-hand glimpse of today’s real American family – dysfunctional but thriving, nonetheless! American Suite has received rave reviews and has all the makings of a box-office smash hit. Please visit http://www.literarygulag.com for more information on Dr. Diana Sheets.
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TIP SHEET:
Bookviews by Alan Caruba, (November, 2010): “It is what used to be called a comedy of manners and it is a subtle send-up of what is now called ‘chick lit.’ Wickedly funny, it is a real treat as the author takes a look at life today.”
Midwest Book Review, “The Fiction Shelf,” December, 2010: “Being completely white is almost un-American at this point. American Suite tells the story of a white family dropped into the multi-cultural pool and how the family copes with their world suddenly shifting so drastically. With plenty of humor and a unique take on family, romance, the self, and much more, American Suite is a fine piece of ‘chick lit’ and will prove to be hard to put down, no matter who you are.”
Kathleen Kubik, author, Neither Sand Nor Sea: “Diana Sheets has written an incredibly innovative novel. She cleverly tells the story of three women, a mother and her two daughters, through compelling diary entries from each of them. . . . They are intelligent, sophisticated women, each juggling their own lives and personal relationships, as well as the often antagonistic familial one among the three of them. Ms. Sheets has skillfully kept each character in character, not always an easy task, and their stories are told in such a way that each voice is clearly defined. To simply say, ‘It’s a real page turner,’ somehow doesn’t seem to do American Suite justice, but that is exactly what this book is. I couldn’t wait to discover what wonderful writing awaited me on the next page.”
Jerry Sander, author of Unlimited Calling (Certain Restrictions Apply): “Diana Sheets is unafraid of taking on the sacred cows of ‘chick lit’ in a sweeping family saga that offers up sexy men, violent and treacherous romance, dull marriage, soulful union and resourceful women. . . . Religious and spiritual confusions vie for attention with family loyalties and geographic rootedness as a New Yorker moves to the Midwest in search of a good-enough life.”
In My Own Words … “I Was Born Gay” by Multiple Emmy-winning CNN Anchor Don Lemon
New York, NY, May 16, 2011 — Using Ascot Media and Aston Publicity Groups’ innovative announcement tool ‘In My Own Words’ (IMOW) as the vehicle in which to speak out and put an end to the speculation surrounding him, Don Lemon is making an official statement to the media that he is gay.
The statement below was written by Don Lemon and it may be copied, printed and announced but cannot be altered in any way without the express permission of Don Lemon.
“Today I chose to step out on faith and begin openly living my own truth. And let me say right up front that I hope many of you will be inspired to do the same thing in your daily lives. Some of the things I’ve chosen to reveal in my book Transparent were very difficult to share with even those closest to me.
There was a time when I was terrified of revealing these things to the person I love most in this world – my own mother. But when I finally mustered the courage to tell her that I had been molested as a child and that I was born gay, my life began to change in positive ways that I never imagined possible. Yet I still chose to keep those secrets hidden from the world. I, like most gay people, lived a life of fear. Fear that if some employers, co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members learned of my sexuality, I would be shunned, mocked and ostracized. It is a burden that millions of people carry with them every single day. And sadly, while the mockery and ostracizing are realized by millions of people every day, I truly believe it doesn’t have to happen and that’s why I feel compelled to share what I’ve written in Transparent.
As a journalist I believe that part of my mission is to shed light onto dark places. So, the disclosure of this information does not inhibit in any way my ability to be the professional, fair and objective journalist I have always been.
My book is dedicated to the memory of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his death from a bridge after his dorm mates streamed his private business over the Internet for the world to see. Tyler might still be with us today if more gay men and women had chosen to live proudly and openly. It is also dedicated to the millions of young, gay people who believe they are alone when dealing with their own sexual identities. You are not alone! There are people, like me and many others, who are thriving in their personal and professional lives and although we sometimes have a hard time with it ourselves, we are here to show you by example that you too can overcome any obstacle as long as you stay strong and, most of all, stay alive.”
New York, NY, May 23, 2011 — Using Ascot Media and Aston Publicity Groups’ innovative announcement tool ‘In My Own Words’ (IMOW) as the vehicle in which to speak out, Flavor Flav: The Icon speaks to his fans.
The statement below was written by Flavor Flav and it may be copied, printed and announced but cannot be altered in any way without the express permission of Flavor Flav (William Jonathon Drayton, Jr.).
“To all of my fams (I’ve taken the ‘n’ out of fans and replaced it with an ‘m,’ because a fan doesn’t do anything for me but cool me off when I’m hot and a ‘fam’ is one that supports me), I thank you all for making me who I am today. Without y’all, I would just be an ordinary person in the street, no different and no better than anyone else – the only thing that makes me different is my job description.
My life has taught me that nothing is really easy. Everything in life you want can come to you, but you really, really have to earn it and deserve it. You only get to live physically once in this lifetime, so while we are living this one time – we need to make the best of it. When we die, we become nothing but memories to other people and we want to leave them the best memories ever.
If I could influence and mentor today’s youth, based on my past experience, I would tell them that I made some very serious mistakes in my life. I would like for everyone in the world to read my book about the mistakes I’ve made, so hopefully they won’t make the same ones.
I have always been told I have a lot of interesting things to say and stories to tell. I’ve often thought about doing my own talk show. If I did, I would probably use the style of Arsenio Hall, but a Jerry Springer or Maury Povich style show should be a lot of fun. I have been asked if I would ever do Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice Show and my reply to that is it would be a pleasure to once again see and talk to Donald Trump. If I do come out with my own show some time, all I can say is… ‘Once again, Flavor Flav has reinvented himself.’
Anyway, I decided to write a book. My new book is called Flavor Flav: The Icon The Memoir (Farrah Gray Publishing). My book is edgy, compassionate and often hilarious! My book is a thrill ride from the heights of my stardom to the depths of my despair and Yo! I’m still here to tell it. I’ve been down some pretty dark holes – but somehow I always found the strength to climb back out of them.
I get asked about regrets but I have no regrets in my life and I would change nothing. The reason is because it took the past to bring the future, and if I was to change something in my past then today I might not be able to teach what I’ve learned.
I want to add that I think Ascot/Aston’s In My Own Words (IMOW) is a great idea for celebrities to say in their own words how they feel about their life and what’s going on in it. That’s why we, Public Enemy, made a record called Don’t Believe The Hype, which means…don’t believe everything you read or hear. The best source for the true information is ‘from the horse’s mouth!’
God bless you all with your life, your future, your goals, and your families. And once again, I thank you for making me who I am today – Flavor Flav: The Icon.
God bless and peace to all. See y’all on my book tour!
Flavor Flav Sunday, May 22, 2011
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Additional Information:
Tour Information:
New York Tour – May 23 – 30, 2011
Los Angeles Tour/The Grammy Museum – May 31 – June 7, 2011
Freaky Comedy/Book Tour – Summer
Flavor Flav: The Icon The Memoir (Farrah Gray Publishing) Available Everywhere Books Are Sold.
Ascot and Aston give celebrities the opportunity to fight back against negative or incorrect information distributed by the paparazzi by allowing them to voice their side of the story in an official statement, written in their very own words and distributed in mass to all media outlets. On the night of Sunday, May 15th, the publicists of these two teams were the first to announce to the media, CNN News Anchor Don Lemon’s Official Announcement: “I Was Born Gay.”
“Today I chose to step out on faith and begin openly living my own truth. And let me say right up front that I hope many of you will be inspired to do the same thing in your daily lives. Some of the things I’ve chosen to reveal in my book Transparent were very difficult to share with even those closest to me.
There was a time when I was terrified of revealing these things to the person I love most in this world – my own mother. But when I finally mustered the courage to tell her that I had been molested as a child and that I was born gay, my life began to change in positive ways that I never imagined possible. Yet I still chose to keep those secrets hidden from the world. I, like most gay people, lived a life of fear. Fear that if some employers, co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members learned of my sexuality, I would be shunned, mocked and ostracized. It is a burden that millions of people carry with them every single day. And sadly, while the mockery and ostracizing are realized by millions of people every day, I truly believe it doesn’t have to happen and that’s why I feel compelled to share what I’ve written in Transparent.
As a journalist I believe that part of my mission is to shed light onto dark places. So, the disclosure of this information does not inhibit in any way my ability to be the professional, fair and objective journalist I have always been.
My book is dedicated to the memory of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his death from a bridge after his dorm mates streamed his private business over the Internet for the world to see. Tyler might still be with us today if more gay men and women had chosen to live proudly and openly. It is also dedicated to the millions of young, gay people who believe they are alone when dealing with their own sexual identities. You are not alone! There are people, like me and many others, who are thriving in their personal and professional lives and although we sometimes have a hard time with it ourselves, we are here to show you by example that you too can overcome any obstacle as long as you stay strong and, most of all, stay alive.”
“We hope at some point in the future to have the opportunity of getting a direct quote from Britney Spears, who we believe has been the brunt of a great deal of negative publicity over the years, and we feel it’s time she had her chance to have the truth heard,” commented Stevens.
Ascot Media Group (Press Release) – Las Vegas, NV, May 29, 2011 – Born William Johnathan Drayton in Long Island, NY, Flavor Flav is now acknowledged as the greatest hype man ever – inventing the role as a member of the ground-breaking rap group Public Enemy. Known for his unique persona and flamboyant style, Flav has created slangs, sayings and styles that make him one of the most-sampled voices in music, as well as one of the most well-known celebrities in America. His television series have shattered records for viewers of reality television, especially Flavor of Love, a spinoff of The Bachelor. While he spent most of the 1990’s addicted to crack cocaine, he has since cleaned up his life.
Flav signed with publishing mogul Farrah Gray to promote Flavor Flav: The Icon The Memoir that takes readers on a journey into the truth behind his larger-than-life image – revealing all and sparing no one. Flav exposes the tensions within Public Enemy, his bitterness over his treatment by Def Jam Records, his struggles with addiction and the many visits to both rehab and jail, before re-inventing himself in reality television as VH1’s most eligible – and most watched – bachelor.
Flav holds back nothing in sharing his experiences with other hip hop royalty – from Jam Master J to LL Cool J to Run DMC, and lashes out at critics who lambast him as little more than a ‘clown.’
Told with the gritty, compassionate and often-hilarious style that has made him a legend, his memoir is a thrill ride from the heights of stardom to the depths of despair and back again. Fans get to share not only Flav’s unique perspective on music and reality TV, but will learn more about the man himself; an accomplished musician proficient in fifteen instruments, an experienced chef, an avid bowler, and a deeply spiritual human being. This media magnet attracts fans from around the world in every age group– from his older Public Enemy following in the late 80’s to early 90’s, to his millions of younger fans who know him from his appearances on The Surreal Life, Strange Love and Flavor of Love. In fact, the 2006 season two finale of Flavor of Love grossed 7.5 million viewers – the highest ever in the existence of the VH1 network!
This father of seven openly admits ‘I’ve been down some pretty dark holes – but somehow I always found the strength to climb back out of them.’ In his book, Flav shares not only his struggles but the lessons he learned that changed his life and set him on a new path. Adorned with his signature clock, glasses, hats, and gold-rimmed teeth, Flavor Flav is one of the most recognized faces in America today.
Ascot Media Group (Press Release) – New York, NY, May 29, 2011 – Standing 4 feet, 2 inches tall in flats (which she would never be caught dead in anyway), Lauren Ruotolo’s preferred method of transportation is her stiletto heels, and she utilizes them to do everything from hailing cabs in mid-town Manhattan to traipsing along the streets of exotic, ancient places like Greece and Turkey. But how does a girl with a rare genetic disease, McCune-Albright Syndrome, who was originally predicted to live a wheelchair-bound existence become so adventurous, self-assured, successful, and . . . unflappable?
Instead of being hovered over by enabling parents, Lauren tells us in her new book, Unstoppable in Stilettos: A Girl’s Guide to Living Tall in a Small World (HCI Books — $14.95 – October 2010), she was treated the same as her fully-able siblings and subsequently became the role model big sister to them (and landed a hot boyfriend, to boot!). Truly unstoppable, she rose to become Director of Entertainment Promotions for Hearst Magazines.
Lauren Ruotolo avoided the label of “disabled” through uniquely discovering who she really is and thus avoiding playing the label game. The little girl with the big voice, Ruotolo is a combination of roaring personality, great mind, and humble soul, with a heart bigger than any shoe closet of Carrie Bradshaw. Part of that heart fills this book, as Ruotolo offers the entertaining evolution of a little girl in a big world to living tall in a small one, with advice and encouragement for any woman of any age who is still finding her way.
About the Author:
Lauren Ruotolo is the Director of Entertainment Promotions at Hearst Magazines in New York City, where she is responsible for developing strategic key partnerships with TV & cable networks, music labels, and movie studios. She recently helped produce E!’s Style Network show about the inner workings at Marie Claire fashion magazine and is working on three one-hour specials with Scripps Networks for Esquire and The Food Network & Good Housekeeping magazine. Lauren joined Hearst Magazines from TV Guide Magazine, where she was the Director of Consumer Marketing & Promotions and created the first ever U.S. newsstand promotion with a CD on the cover featuring Elvis Presley.
Ruotolo’s first-person essay “Get Shorty,” shared her philosophies on living with the rare genetic disorder McCune-Albright syndrome, was published in Marie Claire magazine in 2009, and was one of the most-responded to articles in Marie Claire. Currently Lauren just published her first book titled “Unstoppable in Stilettos—A girls guide to living tall in a small world.” In this book Ruotolo discusses her struggles and achievements growing up as a disabled person plus offers her advice on life known as “Lauren Lesson’s” on how to achieve everything you want in life even when life throws lemons at you.
Ruotolo has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated television shows as The Nate Berkus Show & Wendy Williams and was on Oprah’s book list for the top ten titles to pick up in 2011, plus has been interviewed on many local news broadcasts promoting her message of empowerment. Besides writing and working full time Lauren is on the advisory board of Glamour Gals, Love Our Children USA, and is an active member in the NY chapter of Women in Communications and Step Up for Women. She currently lives in NYC with her long time boyfriend Nelson.
Visit Lauren on Facebook, follow her on Twitter (laurenjaenyc), or log onto www.laurenruotolo.com
Ascot Media Group (Press Release) – Cambridge, MA, May 29, 2011- Even in our modern world, ‘menopause’ still bears a stigma and people still speak about it softly for fear that it might be contagious. Truth is, every woman has to go through it; there is no way to avoid it – so why not get the best possible information to help in the transition? Doctors Lovera Wolf Miller and David C. Miller understand this and it is a primary reason they wrote Womenopause: Stop Pausing and Start Living (O-Books) – an exceptional book that acts as an informative yet compassionate guide through menopause.
Even the most self-assured woman anticipates menopause with dread; conjuring up visions of decline and even associating it with losing their looks – or worse, possibly even their husband! Womenopause was written to help the over six thousand women reaching menopause in America every single day, and Drs. David and Lovera Miller recognize that there is a real need for help on this sensitive subject that encompasses more than half of a woman’s lifetime between peri-menopause and post-menopause.
Womenopause is a breath of fresh air to many women because it offers real solutions on everything from hormones and hot flashes, brain and bone preservation, breast health, skin, fitness, food, sleep, to intimacy and more. In other words, it is packed with thirty years of proven success rather than a swing in trends that has become ‘the cure du jour!’
The superior credentials of both doctors authenticate how they have devoted their lives to helping menopausal women. Dr. Lovera is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist, a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and a 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 certified menopause practitioner.
TIP SHEET: Sharon J. Parish, M.D Professor of Medicine, Albert Einstein School of Medicine: “…it’s a fabulous book. Womenopause is a very well-rounded, comprehensive compendium on the female transition commonly termed menopause. …offer a refreshing look at a natural process that affects every aspect of the midlife woman’s health and well-being. They challenge standard social concepts of menopause as well as provide a new paradigm that focuses on vitality and wellness. The book offers a clear and understandable, yet thorough and scientifically sound explanation of the physiology of menopause and the anticipated physical, psychological and mental changes. The authors offer a well-balanced view of available remedies for symptoms including hormonal, non-hormonal-pharmaceutical, and alternative treatments. Also, they nicely discuss behavioral and lifestyle approaches. This book is a tremendous resource for any woman seeking to employ an intelligent and multifaceted approach to the Womenopause transition.”
