Paige Morrison Ascot Media Group Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 281.333.3507 Phone 832-569-5539 Fax [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tempting the Devil in the Name of God: Resetting Destiny’s Course to Conquer Addiction
Ocala, FL – More than 23.5 million Americans abuse drugs or alcohol, and the fact is that addiction destroys lives. Just ask Howard Beckman. Beckman was the son of a Philadelphia lawyer and was fortunate to have a wide array of opportunities at arm’s length. Sadly, he was an out-of-control teenager and his bad decisions led him down the path of drug addiction and international drug smuggling, which ultimately landed him in a Thai prison. With all hardships, there are lessons to be learned and Beckman is sharing his journey in his newly-released memoir, Tempting the Devil in the Name of God: The Heavy Hand of Fate.
Beckman’s travels were extensive, and with every stop around the globe there were setbacks. At times his story reads like a psychological thriller, and at others, as a mysterious journey into exotic lands and people. He bounced from one extreme to another from prison and corruption to finding spiritual peace. His journey is one of survival and anyone who has directly or indirectly experienced the horrors of drug addiction will find his memoir meaningful on a variety of levels.
“It’s my hope that by sharing how I survived my darkest days, it will somehow inspire someone who has lost their way, or even their will to go on,” says Beckman. “When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. Sometimes you have to just let go of the past to find your own path in life.”
Howard Beckman is a writer, speaker and spiritual counselor. He is an expert in the ancient sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda.
Tempting the Devil in the Name of God: The Heavy Hand of Fate By Howard Beckman Inspire on Purpose Publishing October 2015 Available at www.howardbeckman.com ISBN-13: 978-1-941782-24-8 Softcover ISBN-13: 978-1-941782-26-2 Kindle Mobi File ISBN-13: 978-1-941782-25-5 Global ePub File Book proceeds benefit Ocala Equine Rescue 501(c) 3.
Elizabeth Mooney Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] (281) 333-3507 Office (832) 569-5539 Fax www.ascotmedia.com
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Medicines That Kill: Separates Facts From Hype On The Dangers Of Medications And Offers Healthier Options
Carol Stream, IL – Medicines are a leading cause of death in North America, but we rarely hear about the deadly dangers both prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause. Cardiologist Dr. James L. Marcum wants to change all that with his new book Medicines That Kill: The Truth about the Hidden Epidemic (Tyndale House Publishers).
“l can still recall handing out my first prescription. The seriousness of the pen strokes hit me with full force,” Dr. Marcum said. “l was about to change someone’s chemistry. In doing so, I could help sustain him, or I could kill him. That responsibility weighed heavily on my mind.”
The number of prescription drugs given out has risen over the years. People want a quick fix for their symptoms rather than figuring out the problem. We accept prescriptions from our doctors without question and pop over-the-counter pills without a second thought about the risks that go along with using these medications. Not only can drugs have side-effects, but there could also be mistakes made in production, distribution, dispensing, and taking medications. Sometimes the drugs cause more harm than healing.
ln Medicines That Kill, Dr. Marcum shares stories of medications gone wrong and explains the dangers of using drugs without understanding how they might affect your body. He provides practical ways to come off medications (with the permission of your doctor) and seven ways to live a healthy lifestyle based on biblical principles found in the seven days of creation. Medicines That Kill encourages us to ask questions and to take control of our health by understanding what we put into our bodies.
About the Author:
Dr. James L. Marcum, board-certified cardiologist practicing with Chattanooga Heart Institute, has been named by USA Today as one of the most influential physicians in his field. He is the author of The Ultimate Prescription as well as an in-demand speaker for his role as the director of Heartwise Ministries. Currently, his radio program Heartwise airs on more than 400 radio stations across the nation. Dr. Marcum, speaker/director of Heartwise Ministries, hosts the health programs Heart of Health and BibleRx, which can be seen on secular and Christian television. He is married to Sonya and has two children, Kelli and Jake. He enjoys music and outdoor activities.
About Tyndale House Publishers:
Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is the world’s largest privately held Christian publisher of books, Bibles, and digital media. Tyndale has published many New York Times bestsellers. The largest portion of its profit goes to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Tyndale was founded to publish Living Letters, which later comprised part of The Living Bible, a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible that became a global publishing phenomenon. Tyndale now publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), the translation of choice for millions of people.
Medicines That Kill: The Truth about the Hidden Epidemic Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Language: English ISBN-10: 1414368852 ISBN-13: 978-1414368856
Suzanne Johnson Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 (281) 333-3507 Office (832) 569-5539 Fax [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dysfunctional One Is John Davies’ Courageous Story — From Abuse To Living The Life Of His Dreams
Washington, DC – For John Davies, becoming a failure in life wasn’t an option — regardless of the fact he was constantly called a loser by his family, and in spite of the statistics that show many abused people grow up to become abusers and repeat the destructive cycle. John escaped it and his passion for life, together with strength and determination, ensured it!
Dysfunctional One (Page Publishing) is John’s inspiring memoir that tells of a life that survived all the odds and went from “broken” to “successful.” From a very early age, his once loving family fell to deep dysfunction and situations in his life ran the gamut from lies, betrayal, and adultery to neglect and isolation, and spread to conspiracies, deceit, hatred and murder.
“It started when I was eight years-old,” says John, “and it haunts me to this day. I was branded the black sheep in the family, doomed and left to ruin, but like a plant thriving in sandy soil, I developed a strong sense of purpose, patience and perseverance, and grew stronger in defiance of all odds to become a better person.”
The skills John acquired along the way prepared him to survive three of West Africa’s bloodiest wars, navigate his way through crooked systems and corrupt bureaucracies, and on to lead his own young family through country after country, from one desperate situation to the next, multiple times, in order to get them to safety – and ultimately to begin life as a free citizen in America. Today, John is a highly respected, successful businessman, author and sought-after speaker living his dream life!
In 2000, John was living as a refugee in Dakar when his efforts were recognized by the Federation for World Peace and he was nominated to represent African refugees at the United Nations Millennium Conference in New York. Today, John is CEO of Global Alliance Solution, LLC on Capitol Hill in Washington DC — a company that manages corporate expansion and international strategies. John earned an MBA from Colorado Technical University and is currently working on a PhD. While living as a refugee in Senegal, he founded the Bi-Lingual Refugee School of Dakar and wrote an education program to transition English-speaking refugee children/students from an English curriculum to a French curriculum. Liberia’s National Chess Champion for ten years, John is also a rated Grand Master. He lives near Washington, DC, with his wife of thirty years and their ten children.
For more information, please visit: www.dysfunctionalone.net
Dysfunctional One Page Publishing Available in softcover and digital formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, eBook, Apple iTunes, Google Play and more; for an autographed copy shipped in 1-2 business days order from the author’s website at: www.dysfunctionalone.net $25.99 ISBN: 978-1634179041
Justin Stevens Ascot Media Group Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 281.333.3507 Phone 832-569-5539 Fax [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Marijuana Project: A Story Of Medicine And Morality – A Security Expert’s Journey Through The Ethical Weeds
New York, NY – The inspiration for Brian Laslow’s fiction-based-on-fact story, The Marijuana Project (SDS Publishing), came from his own turbulent experiences while working with a brand new medical marijuana production facility in the northeast, and a successful 25-year career as an expert in the field of security.
Sam Burnett, a savvy security expert, is hiding in the catwalk of a medical marijuana production facility he has been hired to protect, caught in a surveillance plan he never thought he’d face. In fact, Sam doesn’t even approve of marijuana and wonders why he’s still working there.
He is not alone with this conflict. The FDA still lists marijuana in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the DEA’s most restrictive level. They cite marijuana’s high potential for abuse, that it’s not accepted medical use for treatment, and lacks proper safety measures under medical supervision.
This position is at odds with many groups advocating for its legalization, both for medical purposes and recreational use.
Since 2900 B.C., when the Chinese referred to cannabis as a medicine possessing both yin and yang, the pros and cons of medical marijuana have stymied private citizens as well as state and federal agencies. With 23 states legalizing at least limited use of medical marijuana, the controversy continues over its status as a gateway drug, posing ethical dilemmas for doctors, government officials and security professionals who must protect it from a variety of internal and external threats.
This is how Brian Laslow entered the picture in 2001 as the owner of a security consulting firm specializing in risk assessment, system design, and project management services for electronic security and operational security management. Inspired by his findings inside the medical marijuana industry, Brian wrote The Marijuana Project, a fiction-based-on-fact account of his tempestuous experience while working with the new production facility in the northeast.
The story follows Sam Burnett, a conservative and highly principled family man who constantly travels the country as a greatly sought after security expert. While looking to spend more time at home with his children, he is approached by a consortium looking to open a medical marijuana production facility nearby. Sam accepts their offer, and over the next two years, while designing, implementing and operating their entire security program, he finds himself facing one moral conflict after another.
Does Sam favor using medical marijuana to relieve a variety of physical symptoms, easing anxiety and providing pleasure? Or does he see it as an invitation to more serious drug use, mental instability and irresponsible, even dangerous, behavior?
You could call it a security expert’s journey through the ethical weeds.
At first, Sam realizes that whether he approves of it or not, medical marijuana needs to be protected from ending up in the wrong hands and that taking the job means he can be home much more than before. But even what Sam learns about medical marijuana–that it can help people suffering from a variety of ailments–is at odds with his religious upbringing and his own conservative views about drug use, legal or otherwise.
When his son’s best friend is killed in a car accident caused by a driver under the influence of medical marijuana, Sam reaches his breaking point. He ends up taking matters into his own hands, which leads to a potentially dangerous confrontation with his employers and a group of unknown provocateurs.
In the end, he must decide if he can personally continue to participate in the protection and perpetuation of this industry.
Sam Burnett’s dilemma is indicative of the decision that millions of people in America are currently struggling to make. His story will resonate with all those struggling to make sense of this changing landscape in our society.
About the Author
Brian Laslow (a pen name for obvious reasons) has over 25 years of experience in the security field. He started his career as the owner of a security installation company serving residential and commercial clients. Since 2001, he has been an independent security consultant providing risk assessment, system design, project management, and ongoing security management services for a wide range of commercial, industrial, and government clients. This expert speaker in the field of security has extensive experience with building security programs from the ground up.
Brian wrote a successful book on security consulting and speaks frequently on topics relating to physical security, risk assessment, system design, and publishing for consultants. He holds multiple certifications from the security and consulting fields.
The Marijuana Project is fiction-based-on-fact from Laslow’s findings in the medical marijuana industry and as a highly respected security expert, both of which lend realism to an already gripping plot. For more information, please visit the website at: www.themarijuanaproject.org. The Marijuana Project By Brian Laslow Published by SDS Publishing Publication Date: November 25, 2015 Price: $19.99; 240 pages, paperback ISBN-13: 978-1518805479 ISBN-10: 1518805477
Teresa Moseley Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 133032 The Woodlands, TX 77393 Office: (281) 333-3507 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
A Restful Mind: Learning How To Stay Positive In The Face Of Chronic Pain And Mental Illness
Little Canada, MN – There’s no big secret to staying positive: all we have to do is look for the positive side in any situation. In A Restful Mind — Daily Meditations for Enhancing Mental Health (Hazelden) and Living With Chronic Pain One Day at a Time (Freedom Enterprises), Mark Zabawa helps us achieve a better outlook, even when life is difficult.
There are about 40 million or more people with a mental illness diagnosis or a problem with chemical dependency. About 118 million people have been diagnosed with chronic pain, says author Mark Zabawa. “I wanted to let people with mental illnesses and chronic pain know there is help available,” he explains. “They can live with their illnesses and be successful and follow their dreams and goals. If my books or public speaking helps prevent just one person from committing suicide, it’s all worth the effort.”
Zabawa is involved with a number of charitable organizations, including NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), S.A.V.E. Suicide Awareness and the Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs.
“Recovery from mental illness is a process,” he continues. “It means taking care of ourselves each and every day — spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It means actively working towards change. A Restful Mind is a testament to experience, strength, and hope.” Its daily meditations speak to all of us, regardless of our diagnosis.
Zabawa has found that the same is true for Living With Chronic Pain. “In my workshops I share my experiences of coping with a mental illness for the past 22 years and chronic pain for the past 31 years. My talks empower, inform, inspire, and make a positive difference to anyone who is affected directly or indirectly by mental illness and chronic pain.”
Mark Zabawa has a degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling and Human Services (A.A.S.) and he has worked at Abbott Northwestern Hospital Chronic Pain Program as a patient monitor and counselor for 10 years. He has had appearances on Knowledge for Wellness, Channel 6, and he’s been a Guest Speaker on C.H.U.M. Live Radio Show in Canada.
For more information, visit: http://www.markzabawaauthorspeaker.com.
A Restful Mind – Daily Meditations for Enhancing Mental Health Hazelden Living With Chronic Pain One Day at Time Freedom Enterprises Available from the author’s website: markzabawaauthorspeaker.com
Kim Weiss Director of Communications HCI Books, The Life Issues Publisher 3201 SW 15 Street Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 (800) 851-9100 ext. 212 [email protected] www.hcibooks.com/trade
Nationally-recognized, Award-winning Dietician Shows How Super Foods Are Transforming Lives
Whole Body Reboot: The Peruvian Super Foods Diet To Detoxify, Energize, And Supercharge Fat Loss By Manuel Villacorta
What exactly is the Super Food Incan diet, and what makes eating the Peruvian way so beneficial?
San Francisco, CA – In his third book Whole Body Reboot: The Peruvian Super Foods Diet to Detoxify, Energize, and Supercharge Fat Loss (HCI Books/Dec 2014 $18.95), Manuel Villacorta lays out the important elements that make his dieting plan a well-seasoned recipe for long-lasting health.
Super food refers to foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients.
“Superfood” is not just a buzz-word or a passing vogue; it’s the integral component to leading a healthy lifestyle, a word many of us are recognizing by the minute. As these once obscure products find broader distribution and consumers have greater access, super foods are finding their way into mainstream supermarkets, gradually becoming a staple to the American diet. The benefits of consuming Peruvian super foods are astonishing: from fighting cancer and reducing inflammation to boosting energy and enhancing memory – these foods have it all.
In his Peruvian super foods diet, Villacorta provides simple yet thorough explanations of weight-loss, anti-aging, and disease-fighting concepts by using an appealing page layout displaying beautiful color photography, easy-to-read bullet points, and sidebars summarizing each health benefit.
What makes Villacorta’s book so enticing, aside from his mouth-watering recipes, is that he offers specific meal plans geared towards both men and women looking to lose weight and lead a healthier life. He has also created custom 7-day meal plans for vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, and gluten-free diet preferences. By using the core principles from his first book, Eating Free, and referencing his second book Peruvian Power Foods, Villacorta proves to his readers that they can successfully follow a super-health weight-loss plan, easily gain the skill in cooking from scratch, dine with elegance, and reduce everyday stress.
Among the myriad of recipes offered in Whole Body Reboot, here is a sample:
Day 1: Red Reboot Red represents energy, strength, power and courage, according to color psychology. Red fruits and vegetables are rich in lycopene and anthocyanins, powerful phyto-chemicals that possess the characteristic red pigment. Lycopene and anthocyanins are linked with:
• Reduced risk of certain cancers • Heart, lung, and urinary tract health • Improved memory • Ability to ward off infection
Ingredients for 1 Serving
1 ½ cups Strawberries, fresh or frozen ½ cup Tomato ½ cup Cooked Beets 1 tablespoon Chia seeds 1 teaspoon Camu Camu powder* ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon 1 cup Coconut water 20-25g protein, Protein powder (rice, pea, or whey)
*Note: Camu Camu is a Peruvian super food that provides therapeutic levels of vitamin C in its natural form. Refer to Appendix C to find where to buy camu camu. If you choose not to purchase camu camu, skip this ingredient. Another great alternative to include a Peruvian super food with Camu Camu is to add a shot of youthH2O.
1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Add tap water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Note: if making the smoothie the night before, the chia seeds will absorb some of the water and it could thicken the smoothie. No worries; just add more tap water the next day and shake or stir the smoothie to the desired consistency.
Per Serving: Kcal 349, Protein 31g, Carb 48g, Fat 5g, Sodium 327mg, Dietary Fiber 15g Daily Value: Fiber 58%, Vit C 1429%, Vit A 18%, Vit D 0%, Calcium 20%, Iron 47%
Recipe may be reprinted with the following credit: Recipe from Whole Body Reboot by Manuel Villacorta / HCI Books/December 2014 – ISBN: 9780757318214
About Manuel Villacorta:
Health is not a diet plan, but a lifestyle. Understand your body, your strengths, and your limits and use this knowledge to make a change. Stop dieting, start living. — Manuel Villacorta
A nationally recognized, award-winning registered dietitian with more than 16 years of experience as a nutritionist, Manuel Villacorta, M.S., R.D., is a respected and trusted voice in the health and wellness industry. He is the founder of Eating Free, an international weight management and wellness program, and one of the leading weight loss and nutrition experts in the country. He is the author of Eating Free: The Carb-Friendly Way to Lose Inches, Embrace Your Hunger, and Keep the Weight off for Good (HCI, May 2012) and Peruvian Power Foods: 18 Super foods, 101 Recipes, and Anti-aging Secrets from the Amazon to the Andes (HCI, October 2013).
Manuel served as a national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2010-2013), and currently acts as a health blog contributor for The Huffington Post, an on-air contributor to the Univision television network, and a health and lifestyle contributor for Fox News Latino. Manuel is the owner of San Francisco-based private practice, MV Nutrition and the recipient of five ‘‘Best Bay Area Nutritionist’’ awards from the San Francisco Chronicle, ABC7 and Citysearch.
His warm, approachable style and his bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish have made him an in-demand health and nutrition expert on local and national television and radio channels, as well as in articles appearing in print publications and online. Manuel is a compelling, charismatic speaker.
Manuel has acted as a media representative for food companies such as Foster Farms, Eggland’s Best “California Latino 5-A-Day Program” and “Got Milk.” He is now the chief of public relations and spokesperson for the Pichuberry Company.
Kim Weiss Director of Communications HCI Books, The Life Issues Publisher 3201 SW 15 Street Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 (800) 851-9100 ext. 212 [email protected] www.hcibooks.com/trade
In Behind The Counselor’s Door, Students Learn The Consequences Of Good And Bad Choices Through Other Students’ Experiences
Warren, MI – Most adults think the issues that students deal with in a high school aren’t applicable to them. They believe the issues that you deal with in high school are trivial, based off of childish and catty impulses and have no place in the “real world.” They couldn’t be more wrong. Kevin Kuczynski does a compelling job of creating a compilation of real problems that he has encountered over his years as a counselor in a high school from the perspective of the students themselves, and outlines just how big of an impact these issues can have in later life. Behind the Counselor’s Door (HCI Books– $13.95- ISBN: 9780757318412- March 2015) is Kevin’s attempt at bridging the gap between adults and teenagers to better open the lines of communication and to jump-start conversations about these delicate but necessary subjects in homes all around the nation.
Kevin Kuczynski has spent many years behind the door of a counselor’s office, helping teens in need. The issues he covers in his book span school-related issues such as homework and attendance to much heavier subjects such as dealing with grief, drug and alcohol addiction, and pressures of dating. He writes about the experiences of his students to motivate readers to persevere and go on to accomplish their goals, no matter the hand that life dealt them. He offers support through the pages of his book to those who may be lacking it and uses them to motivate teens to take stock in their own life.
“I write about my students’ experiences to inspire you to: always strive to do the right thing even when it’s not easy; take each moment as exactly that; make choices that allow you to live with passion and purpose instead of missteps and regrets.” Kevin Kuczynski states on page 5 in the Introduction of Behind the Counselor’s Door that these are the main reasons he decided to write down his experiences and use them to help others. Kuczynski is a man that doesn’t claim to know all the answers, but one that graciously opens his door wide enough for the reader to get a glimpse of the types of problems that teenagers face today.
One of the key components of Kevin’s book is to place proper emphasis on the future. High school may seem like such an important time and it is – to a degree. The students who lend their stories to the book are representative of the types of issues that run rampant in high schools today; issues such as peer pressure, loss, divorce, and bullying. It is very easy for these students to let these problems control their lives, but Kevin urges them and the reader to not let their past define who they will be in the future. Just like many problems they will encounter in their lifetime, these too will pass. In Behind the Counselor’s Door, Kevin Kuczynski uses some of the issues he has encountered in his career as a high school counselor as an attempt to reach teenagers and parents alike so they can make smarter life decisions, keeping their futures intact and on track.
Available online and at bookstores everywhere or to order directly from the publisher, contact: www.hcibooks.com or (800) 441- 5569
About the Author:
Kevin Kuczynski is a counselor at Cousino High School in Warren, Michigan, providing responsive services including counseling, consultation, referral and peer meditation. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cedarville University and his master’s degree from Liberty University. He is a current member of the American Psychotherapy Association and serves on the advisory board for a large private counseling center in Southeast Michigan. He also helps students establish personal goals and develop future plans including college and career planning.
BEHIND THE COUNSELOR’S DOOR Teenagers’ True Confessions, Trials, and Triumphs By Kevin Kuczynski ISBN: 9780757318412 – $13.95 – March 2015
