Homeboy’s Soul: Pride, Terror, and Street Justice in America (Publish America) invites readers into the vicious, unforgiving heart of street gangs to reveal the truth about life as a gangbanger. In this amazing book, which has garnered two national literary awards, Don Armijo, former shotcaller for one of LA County’s most vicious street gangs, puts the true story of his turbulent rise to power, downfall, and resurrection on display with the hope that young people will learn from his mistakes.
Despite more than 30 years of attempts to wipe out street gangs, they still thrive in nearly every community in America and have become increasingly violent. Why? Homeboy’s Soul frank revelations provide young people, parents, school officials, civic leaders, and anyone interested in the future of America’s youth answers to why so many young people are easily attracted to the homeboy’s lifestyle and ultimately to gang warfare.
Moved by the positive response to Homeboy’s Soul, co-author Fred Stawitz is organizing a national initiative to eliminate the impact that street gangs have on school-age children. “Education is the key,” reports Stawitz. “Keep children on a path to success in school and chances are good that they will not join a gang.” “Young people need developmental resources, support structures, opportunities and acceptance to develop successfully into contributing members of society,” says Stawitz, who has extensive experience working with at-risk children. “High dropout rates are an indicator that society has failed children in these areas leaving an opportunity for gangs to attract young recruits with the illusion of acceptance, power, respect, and ready access to wealth from drug sales.”
Homeboy’s Soul neither blames nor defends barrio youth for their decisions, but rather provides a basis for understanding the culture and influences that lead them to the choices that have devastated so many lives. “Increased policing and counseling alone will not solve the gang problem that plagues communities throughout America. Any long term solution,” Stawitz emphasizes, “must address the conditions in the community that impact the ability of children to complete a secondary education.”
Danny De La Paz, actor (Boulevard Nights): “Homeboy’s Soul deserves to take its place among the best literature available today on the complex and fascinating subject of what draws a promising young life to such self-destruction.”
Richard Reyes, Pancho Claus and Gang Prevention Activist: “This book should be required reading for students, parents, school administrators, police officers and community leaders.”
Joel Valenzuela, Former Teacher: “It gives ammunition to parents waging a painful war for the souls of children caught in the deadly culture of street gangs.”
Elizabeth Rhone, First Lady, Mount Sinai Church of God in Christ: “You won’t want to put this book down!”
Barbara Tako is the author of Clutter Clearing Choices (O-Books), an exceptionally motivating and witty book that is filled with great advice on how to get organized. At this time of the year it is especially helpful as many of us get ready to switch out summer clothes for autumn and winter, but no matter what time of the year – Tako has it seasonally organized to make our lives easier; clearing out at the end of the year for goal setting in January, organizing papers at tax time, and so on. Realizing that we are all unique, she offers many choices for readers to pick from.
Barbara Tako is no stranger to audiences and is well-recognized by corporate giants, such as 3M, Medtronic, Target and Securian, who use her expert speaking skills and her humorous, common sense advice to help their employees take control of their lives – knowing that a cluttered worker is rarely as productive as an organized one. She reinforces that ‘feel good factor’ that comes from donating cast-off’s and helping someone else out. It seems we can all relate to how clutter seems to develop a life of its own and Tako’s entertaining writing style offers readers motivating ways to ‘take their life back’ and pick which mode of de-cluttering works best for them.
Not nearly so organized in her earlier years, Tako believes she could have been related to Oscar in ‘The Odd Couple.’ She kept everything forever, believing that ‘you never know when you might need it!’ She credits her ‘so clean you could eat off the floor’ mother-in-law with her metamorphosis. Witnessing time and time again the boundless energy this amazing woman always had for family and friends was an inspiration for Tako to get organized in order to have time left over for what she really wanted to do. Clutter Clearing Choices is a humorous, authentic, entertaining, and informative book on clutter clearing, home organizing, and simple living.
A former columnist, television and radio guest, and writer, Tako has definitely ‘done her part’ to give us the tools to simplify and reclaim our lives – and it’s all wrapped up in a hilarious and amazing little package called Clutter Clearing Choices! This entertaining writer has a hidden agenda where her readers are concerned; she hopes that by making them more organized they will take more time for themselves and their health. Tako is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer and has taken on the role of advocate, never missing an opportunity to encourage women to get regular mammograms. In fact, she is donating a portion of the proceeds from book sales to cancer awareness and research. Please visit this inspiring woman on her website at www.clutterclearingchoices.com.
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TIP SHEET: Victoria Moran, author of Creating a Charmed Life: “Funny, thorough, and not the least bit intimidating, this book is a godsend for the organizationally-challenged. It makes keeping the clutter manageable seem manageable after all.”
Barbara Hemphill, author of Taming the Paper Tiger at Home: “When I began my organizing business 30 years ago, it was based on four simple words: Clutter is Postponed Decisions®. Few of us…ever reach the point of being satisfied with their ability to get rid of clutter. Tako has done a wonderful job of giving her readers practical suggestions for getting rid of the clutter in their lives. Less is more!”
Barb Szyszkiewicz of Family Corner.com Magazine, Inc: “A step-by-step, concrete solution to overcoming household clutter, this book is full of helpful hints and resources…easy-to-follow program is designed to take readers through a whole year of clutter control…Tako’s book is loaded with common sense, humor, and good advice.”
Toi Duckworth, www.WAHM.com The Online Magazine for Work-At-Home Moms: “Tako’s common sense approach to de-cluttering your life is simple and easy to follow….simple, easy-to-adopt advice such as letting go of items that you no longer use yet keep for sentimental value. Tako’s book gives real, practical advice to help streamline your life.”
The Reverend Michael Mortvedt, Co-Director of Alternatives of Simple Living: “Tako has a warm and personal style of writing which helps the reader identify with her and with her struggles and successes at organizing and clearing clutter…a series of conversations with a friend about things that matter – about clearing away what weighs you down, taking care of the people you love, and living what you believe. A book I will come back to many times as the seasons change, as the cleaning bug strikes, and as a reminder about what is truly important in life.”
There is no telling the chaos that would result from an announcement that someone discovered a formula that would enable us to replace fossil fuels. Every nation would want to get their hands on it – there would be no end to the lengths they would go to in order to get control of the secret that would make them the most powerful nation on earth!
No Urn for the Ashes (Bayfire Press Publishing) is an outstanding novel by Alison Sawyer Current. It is the perfect blend of adventure, thrills, compassion and grief, and the author’s choice of her dynamic characters reflects an incredible insight into human nature.
Tennyson Garland is the genius behind the discovery of this formula and he knew he must keep it a secret. After this brilliant scientist and his young daughter tragically die in a fire at their isolated mountain cabin, his widow realizes there are evil forces at work that will stop at nothing to control the world with this discovery. Eight years pass and Taylor is in the midst of a failing marriage, still suffering the loss of her first husband and child, and finds herself having to deal with the past once again. She gets caught up in the treachery of Kevin Levine, the former colleague of her first husband who was always left behind in the wake of Tennyson’s brilliance. The drama that follows leads her to believe that her daughter may actually be alive!
In this suspense-filled, page-turning story readers get transported to Nicaragua and on to Mexico when a new struggle arises – with the prize being the greatest discovery of modern times. We follow Taylor in her search for her long-lost child as she deals not only with the past, but with the return of her absent father who is tortured by his own demons, and the mysterious stranger who was hired by him but who may represent an even greater threat than even Levine’s insatiable ambition for control! Readers share Taylor’s warm relationship with Ruby, her dearest friend and most intimate confidant, and the uneasy and emotion-packed truce with Patricia, the mother by adoption of a girl named Emma – who may well turn out to be Taylor’s long-lost child, Rebecca.
No Urn for the Ashes is action-packed to the very end. For more information on either the book or its creative author, please visit www.bayfirepress.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Midwest Book Review: “Unlocking the key to a discovery, which could potentially change the world, has its downside. Taylor loses her husband … and her daughter in a bizarre fire. Now eight years later as her second marriage is dissolving, Kevin, who was Taylor’s former colleague …surfaces and sparks the almost unimaginable: Taylor’s daughter may not be dead after all and her husband did not accidentally die, he was murdered. As all the plots unfold readers bear witness to Taylor’s emotional journey as she attempts to make sense of her past and how to deal with the dilemmas of the present. In this brilliant novel, author Alison Sawyer Current will delight mystery readers and those who enjoy moving character studies.”
Anita Finley, Boomer Magazine: “This is a compassionate, heart-rending tale of loss, grief, and hope set against the backdrop of a struggle to control the fate of the world’s future. No Urn for the Ashes offers a unique blend of adventure and psychological insight.”
What woman didn’t laugh in amazement when Lorena Bobbit hacked off her husband’s schlong as he slept or watch in disbelief as dentist Clara Harris drove her Mercedes over her philandering husband until she knew he was dead! Author Diana Sheets knows that real women want more! They are done with the lying memoirs and celebrity tales that mainly occupy the best-sellers list and crave something honest, something that captures the zaniness of real life in American today. American Suite is just such a book.
Sheets’s novel comprises the diaries of three women from an affluent, Protestant family; Arisa, Sophie and Rosalyn, whose perspectives often clash and whose diary entries frequently contradict one another. Arisa’s story is the central plot of American Suite. Single, in her mid-thirties and excited about a new life as a writer in the Flatlands, she has ditched her career in Manhattan along with her longtime partner, Ben, and severed ties to her widowed mother and married sister on the East Coast.
At the mercy of her romantic passions, she falls in love with the first male Flatlander she meets just days after arriving in the Midwest, only to find he has a wife and two children. Following a brief but disastrous visit from Ben, Arisa seeks therapy. Life gets worse when she visits New York over Christmas; family problems, finding that Ben has a new love, and an anxiety attack after visiting Ground Zero all force Arisa back to the Flatlands before fleeing to Schlectenberg where she falls in love with a screenwriter and Hollywood director. This lasts until she finds out he has filmed their debauched relationship as material for his new movie, Legs Wide Open! After absconding with the director’s Doberman and a short retreat in a monastery, she returns to the Flatlands determined to tell her version of the affair in her memoir, Shrill Quills & Broken Lenses: This Muse Bares All. From this point on, as Arisa’s life gets nuttier, the story just gets more hilarious as she falls in love with an ex-con and sicks the Doberman on a stalking Peeping Tom who loses his “family jewels” to the Doberman’s iron jaws and has them reattached later by a surgeon.
Rosalyn and Sophie’s stories are interwoven all the while with Arisa’s, and the reader catches up with Sophie’s life as her husband loses his job and Sophie lusts after her son’s tutor. When Sophie’s sons embrace conflicting religions, sailing becomes the family hobby as a means of creating some kind of unity until the boat gets damaged during a race. The sisters decide to celebrate a multicultural December holiday in New York along with Arisa’s ex-con lover, Roy. It turns out to be a huge disaster, but one that glitters nevertheless. Sophie’s diary ends as she embarks on her own ‘memoir,’ Sophie’s Seven Simple Steps to the Perfect Life.
Last, but definitely not least, is Rosalyn’s story. From her diary, readers learn she is a Jewish mother whom God has challenged by making her Christian. We share in her pain as she loses her husband of forty-four years and her joy when she finds Saul, her new partner and love of her life; her anger when she is discarded by her children and her devastation when Saul dies. Inconsolable in her grief, she decides to convert to Judaism and writes her memoir, The Hadassah Chronicles.
The novel concludes with the Peeping Tom seeking revenge for the loss of his virility. He breaks into Arisa’s house where he sees newspaper articles about their scandalous altercation. Arisa returns. Shots are fired. Television viewers are urged to stay tuned for the latest breaking news. Thus, we get a glimpse of today’s American family. Not perfect, but thriving despite its dysfunction. American Suite is a zany, poignant saga that rejoices in the strength and resilience of these three strong women and revels in the complexity of life’s journey.
This exceptional, character-driven novel has received rave reviews and has the makings of becoming a box-office smash hit. For more information on Dr. Diana E. Sheets, please visit her website at: http://www.literarygulag.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Kathleen Kubik, author, Neither Sand Nor Sea: “… edgy comedy of manners. What happens when a WASP family becomes multicultural…a “chick lit” novel that upends our notions about romance, celebrity, family, identity, and our seemingly insatiable hunger for memoir to ask, “Who are we really, and what are we becoming? Diana Sheets has written an incredibly innovative novel…cleverly tells the story of three women, a mother and her two daughters, through compelling diary entries …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…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. My congratulations to Ms. Sheets on an exceptional story.”
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.”
After collecting literally hundreds of vintage tales of Hollywood legends over the years, Stephen Schochet not only wrote a book that everyone could enjoy on the glamorous, and not so glamorous, stories of Hollywood icons, but also created audiobooks. As explained in an interview with Reuters, this entrepreneur told two kinds of stories on his tour bus; origin stories – telling how things we take for granted came to be, and funny anecdotes. He not only read a lot of books to find his material, but also tried to meet people who were connected to the famous – like housekeepers – that he could garner some tidbits from! His book is a special blend of biography, history and legends and covers scandalous yarns on some of Hollywood’s greatest characters – from Shirley Temple and Lucille Ball to Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney and Michael Jackson.
Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! (Hollywood Publishing) is packed with wild and wonderful short tales on many famous stars, movies and directors – anyone who has been a part of the world’s most fascinating and unpredictable industry!
Schochet is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks. The first is Tales of Hollywood which started as a way to highlight the origins of how famous things in Hollywood began, combined with humorous tales about the stars – for which he masterfully provided background music and sound effects to add realism. The second project, Fascinating Walt Disney, was a huge hit – telling stories of how Walt created Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, Snow White and all his endearing characters, causing the host of one radio show to dub Schochet ‘The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard.’
The author covers the gamut when it comes to situational stories; from the one about a bus full of tourists at Universal Studies who were viewing the famous motel from the movie Psycho and who screamed in terror as a tall man, dressed in drag, carrying a large knife and looking remarkably like Norman Bates, charged the tram with a convincing maniacal expression– only to find out it was actor Jim Carrey having some fun – to the story of how Walt Disney overprotected his two daughters from the limelight in fear of their being kidnapped, to the point that when one daughter found out from a classmate that her father was THE Walt Disney, she went home and asked for his autograph!
Hollywood Stories truly has something for everyone. It is a thoroughly entertaining book that features a remarkable cast of Hollywood’s legendary characters and icons and is jam-packed with surprising and funny tales with often unpredictable endings. No matter which page the book is opened on, there will be some fascinating part of Hollywood history to be savored! Check out this author’s website at: www.hollywoodstories.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Stephen Schochet is willing to do in-studio interviews as well as on location at famous Hollywood sights, such as Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Chateau Marmont Hotel, etc.; places that will serve as the perfect backdrop to some of his best stories.
Jan Wahl, KRON TV San Francisco: “A wild, fun ride through Tinsel Town, past and present!”
The Midwest Book Review: “Hollywood Stories is packed from cover to cover with fascinating tales.”
Tim Sika, Host of the radio show Celluloid dreams on KSJS in San Jose: “The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard.”
Joe Mazza, King of Late Night Radio, Genesis Radio Network: “Probably one of the most entertaining and knowledgeable guests in regards to the movies.”
Jordan Rich, WBZ in Boston: “Stephen is a remarkable guest with instant recall of Hollywood Stories that keep audiences glued to the radio. He makes regular appearances on my show and never fails to entertain.”
Jim Bohannon, Host of the Nationally Syndicated Jim Bohannon Show and America in the Morning: “Stephen really knows Hollywood! In all the times I’ve had him on my night time Jim Bohannon Show, he ALWAYS surprised me with at least one amazing tidbit of information I’d never have suspected. Usually, it’s half a dozen or more.”
Receiving rave reviews and being featured in magazines is Leonard Szymczak’s latest book, The Roadmap Home (Booksurge – Division of Amazon.com). This insightful book masterfully blends the author’s thirty-five years as a therapist with his own personal challenges faced in life, and results in an inspiring guide that will steer readers through their own spiritual awakening.
In his amazing book, the author has covered the gamut from personal growth and spirituality to guidance for those needing help in their quest for inner peace. Szymczak shows how we can use our ever-present GPS (‘Guiding Power of Spirit’) to light up our road to love and contentment.
The Roadmap Home has been featured in the September issue of Black Tie magazine and reviewed in the November issue of Julien’s Journal, as well as the subject of a personal appearance by the author on Via Times television show in Chicago, and numerous radio interviews extending from California, Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana, Minnesota and Arizona, where the feedback from listeners has been extremely positive.
Szymczak uses personal stories and experiences, examples, exercises, and self-mastery tools to transform pain and problems into opportunities for personal growth by answering questions of who we are and where we are heading; showing how we get there with the help of our ever-present GPS! All aspects of these things guide readers to what we each consider ‘home,’ that includes improved health, relationships, finances, forgiveness and love. Its powerfully compelling messages of hope will help them learn how to feel true joy, exercise free will, delight in the senses, and recognize their talents – all in order to fulfill their dreams and take them to that ‘place’ that feels safe and secure.
A childhood filled with constant turmoil due to his father’s mental illness, domestic violence and parents who constantly pointed the finger of blame, taught Leonard Szymczak that sometimes the greatest gifts come out of our deepest wounds. He believes the gift he received as a young boy was a quest to find ‘home’ – and his journey showed him that ‘home’ is within each of us – we just have to learn how to get there! Anyone reading his book will have the opportunity to learn how to use his guide to help them find their own way home.
Leonard Szymczak is a licensed clinical social worker who conducts successful seminars and workshops, as well as maintaining a therapy practice in southern California. For more information on this inspiring and compassionate individual, please visit his interactive website at: www.theroadmaphome.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Midwest Book Review: “Home is a place where you are comfortable and can be very much yourself. “The Roadmap Home: Your GPS to Inner Peace” is an inspirational read from Leonard Szymczak as he encourages readers to find their way home, something many have lost and have failed to find in recent times in their lives. Using GPS, or the Guiding Power of Spirit, he hopes people will find their own personal home where they can love and experience inner peace. “The Roadmap Home” is a thoughtful and solidly recommended read that shouldn’t be missed.”
Arielle Ford, author of The Soulmate Secret: “The Roadmap Home: Your GPS to Inner Peace is an intelligent and highly accessible book that blends practical psychology with heart-opening spirituality. If you are ready to heal on all levels, read this book.”
Karen Casey, best-selling author of Each Day A New Beginning: “I heartily endorse The Roadmap Home to the seeker of ‘a better way.’ ”
Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., author of Love is Letting Go of Fear: “The Roadmap Home offers us hope. Leonard Szymczak provides an honest portrayal of his personal life and demonstrates that hardships can offer blessings in disguise. He provides a map to help us connect with the Guiding Power of Spirit so we can find our way Home.”
The Rev. Edwene Gaines, author of The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: “Read this book! It will lift your heart and give hope and help for all on the spiritual pathway. Leonard Szymczak shares a treasure trove of ideas to bring a loving lasting peace to our hearts as we find our way home to wholeness.”
Harry Tucker, strategy advisor and author of 97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know: Collective Wisdom from The Experts: “I have been forever impacted by the beautiful stories, exercises and experiences that Leonard so wonderfully presents in his newest book. It is a powerful extension of the man himself. He answers the questions of who we are, where we come from, where we are going, and how we get there. By sharing his own personal story, Leonard immediately resonates with the reader, assuring them that we are all on a journey together.”
Home for the Holidays doesn’t always pull up visions of sweet, sugar candy classics like I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas. For most people it’s probably more like a blend of National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation or maybe even The Nightmare Before Christmas! Add a little more tension with the fact that many people have lost their jobs and homes this year, and it definitely spells trouble. The Dysfunctional Family Funbook: Games and Activities to Keep You Sane Your Whole Visit Home (Running Press) by Catheryn J. Brockett is part activity book-part survival kit for the Holidays and this witty parody offers the perfect outlet to prevent you from hitting the family or the bottle (or both)!
Designed along the lines of a children’s activity book, The Dysfunctional Family Funbook comes with paper doll cut-outs, word searches, mazes, connect-the-dots, and many other activities, making it the perfect antidote to Holiday stress. Brockett provides everything in her ‘adult’ book from puzzles and games to exploring a number of attractive escape options when all that company gets to be too much, reminding readers that her games and activities are not to share with the family – but more a book you use to stay sane while around them!
Hatched during a time that the author was estranged from her own family, Brockett found that humor has a capacity to unite as well as uplift, and as a result she found herself doing stand-up comedy on a subject near and dear to her heart – her own dysfunctional family!
Catheryn Brockett is a writer, actor and comedian and has performed improv and sketch comedy in New York, Washington and Los Angeles. She has appeared in numerous television shows and commercials. Originally from the suburbs of Maryland, she spent a few years in theatre in New York then on to settle ‘happily ever after’ in Los Angeles. She is currently busy writing more fun books and survival guides and creating mini-kits for life’s hard times and is intent on making the world a better place one chuckle at a time!
James Hollis, PhD, best-selling author of What Matters Most & Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: “In The Dysfunctional Family Funbook, Catheryn Brockett uses humor to turn pain into pure gold, and for those cast by fate into a familial web, whether their tears come from sorrow or laughter, she recovers a vital measure of autonomy.”
Britt Nielsen, Psy.D: “The Dysfunctional Family Funbook hooks you with humor and games. Things may even hit home…Then somewhere after the drink recipes – you are learning coping strategies and communication skills and don’t even know it! Talk about covert therapy.”
Burnside Writer’s Collective: “…Well there is hope! Catheryn J. Brockett an actress and comedienne, has written a terrific book that’s part-fun, part-therapy, and completely entertaining. The Dysfunctional Family Handbook Games and Activities to keep you sane your whole trip home.”
The Undercurrent, Buena Vista University: “Sick of going home from college and feeling like you don’t fit in anymore? Do you feel as if you do not share much of the same interests or do not know how to have fun with your family? Maybe The Dysfunctional Family Funbook is what you need…”
