When His Dream Hangs On Winning The Championship, A Player Discovers The Truth of Stealing First
Asheville, NC – The year is 1957; it’s a typically scorching hot July in southern Louisiana and American Legion Baseball is the only game in town. Or is it?
Fiction based on fact, Stealing First (Legacy Publishing) by Drew Golden tells the tale of a racially-segregated small town in Louisiana during the 1950’s. While it is a story set in poverty, corruption and bias, its powerful messages of honor and camaraderie are awe-inspiring.
The Nina Redbirds battle Breaux Bridge’s Bayou Braves for the regional American Legion Baseball Championship and Ronnie LeBlanc, the Redbirds’ talented pitcher, believes that winning the regional title is his ticket out of a dead-end job at the local sugar mill.
Saddled by race bias, shabby equipment, and Ronnie’s win-at-all-cost attitude, the Redbirds suffer a series of losses – and Ronnie sees his chance at the big leagues evaporating. When the team’s coach quits, the only one willing to take the job is a former Negro League pitcher who faces being the only African-American in a still-segregated game.
Beaten twice in the week prior to the championship by the ham-fisted Bayou Braves, Ronnie begins to suspect external forces are the cause of his team’s unlucky streak. As he digs for answers, he stumbles upon a secret: Bo Brasseux, the town’s bigoted banker, is scheming to kill the Redbirds’ new coach, throw the championship game, and ruin Ronnie’s family financially.
A scout for the Chicago Cubs, impressed by Ronnie’s talent, could be the answer, but will being tapped by the Cubs be enough to thwart Brasseux’s despicable plans against the coach and Ronnie’s family?
Ronnie’s dream has two strikes against it; his own win-at-all-costs attitude and the biased town fathers who want his team to lose. And when bad luck and bad sportsmanship join forces in the championship game, Ronnie sees his dream ending in a shutout, unless…
Adapted into an award-winning screenplay, Stealing First is Drew Golden’s first novel. The author’s many articles and short stories have appeared in numerous magazines nationwide. This talented writer holds a degree in broadcast journalism, and teaches writing at the Reuter Center on University of North Carolina’s Asheville campus.
Valuable Tips From An Expert Who Simplified College and Financial Aid Planning
Lanham, MD – College and the financial aid planning process should start as early in a child’s life as possible. It can be a frustrating and complicated puzzle, and parents often have no idea where to begin or how to help their children get through it.
If I Knew Then What I Know Now! College & Financial Aid Planning From A Parent’s Perspective (Pendium Publishing) by Cynthia Hammond Davis, is the true story of her struggle to find help putting all of the pieces of the college search, financial aid, scholarships, athletics and extracurricular activities together.
After experiencing first-hand how complex this journey can be, Davis decided to combine her findings and include them in a book to help other parents and students with early college awareness. This book acts as a priceless guide to help parents understand their role as well as offering basic tips on how they can assist their children through the process as efficiently as possible.
Want to know where a lot of scholarship money can be found? Want to find out how your child may be able to attend an out-of-state college while paying in-state tuition costs? Want advice that will save time during the college admission process? Answers to these questions and more can be found in this book – outlined in a short, simple, and to the point approach.
Davis believes that there is nothing to prepare parents on how and where to begin and they struggle through trying to help their children, just as she did, and it was through trial and error she learned how to get to the right information. In her instructive book, she is very candid about mistakes she made along the way in hopes of helping other parents avoid making those same mistakes.
Cynthia Hammond Davis is a College and Career Advisor, Founder/Executive Director of The Light of the City, Inc., a nonprofit organization, and President of CollegeAndCareerAdvice.Com. She is the radio talk show host of her own Saturday morning talk show, “The College and Career Information Hour,” and an in-demand public and motivational speaker.
As a college and financial aid advisor since 2001, she has helped many parents and students get through the process, resulting in their receiving scholarship offers that total over $1 million collectively each year. What Cynthia Hammond Davis does, she does with the passion of someone who truly cares about her work and about helping students to become tomorrow’s professionals.
College is one of the most expensive things parents can plan for their children and now they don’t have to waste countless hours doing their own research – Davis has done it for them. All they need to do is read the book!
New York, NY – Security expert and Berkeley Varitronics Systems (BVS) CEO Scott Schober wants kids to do well in school – and that means not taking the easy way out and cheating to make good grades. Mounting technological breakthroughs and the ease with which young people adapt to its use were part of the inspiration that led to the PocketHound, an unobtrusive hand-held device for detecting unauthorized cell phone use in the classroom.
“Students are tempted during exam time to do a quick search on Google for the answer that slipped their mind,” Schober says. “There is also a temptation to text their buddy sitting across the room asking for some assistance. Many students are so proficient at texting they don’t need to look at the keyboard for more than a millisecond. They hide their mobile phone under their desk, between their legs, or in their pocket, making it all the more challenging to catch the culprit.” Cheating on everything from government exams to high school quizzes is becoming prevalent around the world as cell phone subscriptions soar.
The PocketHound slips easily into a pocket or lies concealed in the palm, vibrating when unauthorized cell phone use is detected. It also has a row of blue LED lights that flash at the same time. An integrated multiband antenna is hidden under the label; the internal rechargeable Li-ION battery has a run time of up to 2 hours. The receiver continually scans all cell phone bands and utilizes a sophisticated algorithm constantly sampling the Radio Frequency (RF) noise floor to distinguish real cellular activity vs. ambient RF noise.
Scott N. Schober is President and CEO of Berkeley Varitronics Systems (BVS), a 39-year-old New Jersey-based company and leading provider of advanced wireless solutions and products for multi-national telecommunications and security markets.
As an experienced software engineer, Schober has developed cellular test instruments used for measuring, optimizing and plotting signal coverage, primarily for the initial cellular build-out throughout the United States. Schober’s recent focus has been development of BVS’ cell phone detection tools, used to enforce a ‘no cell phone policy’ in various venues. These tools are effectively used around the globe to find contraband cell phones smuggled into correctional facilities as well as secure federal facilities and schools.
Schober is a highly sought after security expert for media appearances and commentary. Recent media appearances include Fox Business Channel, Fox News Live and News 12 New Jersey, as well as several radio programs including XM/Sirius radio. He has presented as a subject expert on the topic of cyber security and corporate espionage, as well as cell phone detection and location, at numerous conferences and trade shows around the world.
New satellite technology maps undersea floor and charts GPS locations of lost and sunken treasure ships
Marco Island, FL — Can the new discovery of five ancient shipwrecks deep off the Italian coast and the mysterious metal ingots found onboard be linked to a recently discovered satellite technology? Have all the lost and sunken shipwrecks untouched for centuries been found by an orbiting satellite? Can the find of the SS Mantola shipwreck near the coast of Ireland with $18 million of Silver be linked to a new and highly secret underwater discovery system? Have all the other lost treasure ships around the world already been found and the ultimate treasure map created?
Radio telescope technology has been used for years to determine specific elements on the periodic table by recognizing individual wavelength returns. This ground-based technology launched into space in a satellite and focused upon the world’s oceans could possibly reveal all the lost maritime mysteries missing for centuries, especially the shipwrecks with a highly conductible metal such as gold onboard.
“Lost and Found” is an exciting book by Captain Tom Williams that has been receiving many incredible reviews and national acclaim, but has someone really hacked into a geological survey satellite and found all the lost shipwrecks that still contain gold? Does the ultimate treasure map now exist? Are all the lost treasure fleets undiscovered for centuries now identified and located with specific GPS coordinates?
Two British scientists pioneer a means of exploring for hidden oil reserves using a geological survey satellite; however, they find a treasure worth much more than black gold—real gold in every lost and sunken treasure ship in the world’s oceans.
Together with a beautiful dive master and salvage expert the treasures of antiquity are all there for the taking—if the adventuresome trio can just stay alive long enough, fleeing a madman from the exotic tropical waters of South Florida to the depths of the Black Sea in Europe
Fit Body + Fit Mind = Complete Fulfillment East-meets-West health expert and celebrity mom customizes BREAKTHROUGH lifestyle program for women
Chicago, IL – Shea Vaughn, mother of actor Vince Vaughn, is a 25-year veteran of the fitness industry. As a fitness expert, professional trainer and wellness coach, Vaughn has become a spokeswoman for creating well-being at any age with her recently released book, Breakthrough: The 5 Living Principles to Defeat Stress, Look Great, and Find Total Well-Being (HCI Books).
What Vaughn discovered, from both fitness training and personal experience, is that women over 45 often feel like they are spinning their wheels and failing to live up to their own expectations. She says the problem is a lack of a mind-body connection, which can lead to depression, discouragement, disconnect, and deflation in body, mind, and heart.
In Breakthrough, Vaughn offers women her Five Living Principles within a self-styled East-meets-West lifestyle, wellness and exercise practice developed from her own life lessons, decades of training in many disciplines and influenced by eastern philosophy that is tailored to address specific issues facing women over 45.
“The Five Living Principles of Well-Being: Commitment, Perseverance, Self-Control, Integrity, and Love, are an inspirational force in helping me create a positive lifestyle with a healthy body and the supportive mental and emotional paradigm to deal with changing and demanding times,” says Vaughn. “One encourages the other and together they help you find balance, self-confidence and a personal state of well-being.”
Vaughn herself is no stranger to this phenomenon: a mother and entrepreneur, she has had similar personal challenges which led her to find a new way of living, including reconnecting her emotional health with her physical health and founding SheaNetics®, a revolutionary blend of ancient and contemporary values and movements that deliver a powerful mind-body experience. Followers of this practice get in shape, feel great and naturally make life-healthy choices
From recipes for well-being to creating your safe space to “meditation in motion and thought”, Breakthrough offers a jumpstart for women looking to redefine their way of life in a sustainable way.
SHEA VAUGHN (www.sheanetics.com) is a certified personal trainer whose clients include professional athletes and prominent executives. Trained in ballet, Tai-Chi, martial arts, ZUMBA, yoga, pilates and more, Vaughn is well-versed in Eastern practices, including meditation for growth and stress reduction. Her DVD workouts have been featured on QVC and she has appeared on national and local television, radio, and in print media. She is also a featured expert on “The Best Ever You Network”, lives in Chicago, and lectures nationally.
Two-Time Grammy Nominee Sarah Kelly Releases Midnight Sun And Donates A Portion Of Each Song’s Royalties To Various Charities
MIDNIGHT SUN Tells Story of Healing, Restoration, Empowerment
The Woodlands, TX – Midnight Sun, the latest project from Christian music favorite Sarah Kelly, has released through all major digital outlets, and in select retail outlets.
Midnight Sun became collaboration among friends for the two-time Grammy nominee. Kelly enlisted several trusted friends to co-write some of the songs, including her worship leader husband Jonas Ekman, Jeremy Hunter (Taylor Swift, Jonny Lang), and Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay). Justin Knox (Colbie Caillat), Hunter and Dane came in to share the production credits, and Steve Mason from Jars of Clay even signed on to play on four of the album’s more rock-based songs.
A combination of rock riffs, love letters and straight ahead worship songs color the project, making Midnight Sun a bit tricky to truly classify in one single genre. Kelly was able to have complete freedom recording Midnight Sun, and wanted to create a true statement that life is a combination of emotions, struggles and hopes. The album’s first single, Day and Night, is Kelly’s personal testimony set to music. The single is currently going for adds at Christian radio.
“I think Midnight Sun is a good representation of the real me,” Kelly says. “I’m a woman who wants to talk about life, and for me that’s rock and relationships and that love for God that I just can’t contain.”
Over the past few years, Kelly has been transformed from a broken and bruised writer who felt that her voice was no longer worthy of her calling. She admits that much of this feeling was self-induced, and she had to regain her own ability to believe in the gifts that God has given her.
After spending time in Sweden, her second home, Kelly found her voice again. There, Kelly was able to renew her spirit, her calling, and return to the States happy, healthy and healed. Newly married, Kelly now leads worship regularly at Woodlands Church in Woodlands, TX, and spends much of her time training up a new generation of musicians and songwriters.
A percentage from each song from Midnight Sun goes to support a different charity, a concept unique to most album projects. Each charity is a favorite of Kelly’s and spans a variety of projects from cancer research to human trafficking. The list of charities can be found on Kelly’s website.
“The reason I wanted to do an independent album was so I could give the publishing money to these causes,” explains Kelly. “It seems that the fruit of ‘Christian music’ should go to things that Jesus cares about, not to my big house fund, or the label’s next big artist’s promotion fund. If God wants to bless this album, more kids get fed, more girls get out of the brothels, more cancer research happens. Music is for honoring God and bettering life. My prayer is that this album accomplishes this both musically and practically.”
Midnight Sun is the story of Sarah Kelly’s journey from hurt to hope; grasping to not only the knowledge, but the deep belief of God’s unique plan and passion for each of us.
Midnight Sun is available through digital outlets, as well as through www.sarahkelly.com.
Track Listing: Live Every Love Song Standing On My Knees Midnight Sun Stolen My Heart Good Day Lift You Up Day and Night Always Undeniable Surely Goodness How Much You Love
Resurgence Of The American Spirit Captured In Historical Western Romance
Douglas, Wyoming – Though there is a plethora of non-fiction writings on various aspects of America’s surging rediscovery of patriotism and appreciation for core American ideals, there are few if any, current fiction works which embody the foundational essence of the resurgence. The #1 best-seller, national award-winning Threads West, An American Saga series, a sixteen book series, does just that! It is our story. It is Reid Lance Rosenthal’s tale of America and her spirit. It is the ongoing story of us. Book One – Threads West melted down Amazon at 9:07am the day of its release and likewise sold out Barnes and Noble the very morning of that release! Book Two of the series, Maps of Fate, releases nationally April 17, 2012. 20,000 copies are already reserved. The series has been called “the Gone With the Wind of the American West” and compared to Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove and James Michener’s Centennial.
This makes the month of March the perfect time to introduce you to Reid. A cowboy at heart, a rancher by trade, and a writer by nature, his Historical Western Romance series glows with American spirit and sizzles with the quick and humorous intrigue and passion we all want to curl up with on blustery spring evenings. A veteran of more than one hundred radio and TV appearances of up to three hours (many repeats) and subject of scores of articles in newspapers, magazines, Match.com, IVillage ezines and others, Reid is handsome, charming, and outspoken. His very unique personal style will spark your audience and provide them with a guest to remember.
Maps of Fate is a novel unique to Reid’s cowboy heart and poet’s pen. Fueled by the powerful magnetic pull of the energy of the vast lands of the American West, the characters of these adventures have neither country nor culture in common—each comes from a different background, but the lives of their textured and conflicted experiences become part of the fabric of America and the West. Their interwoven destinies, ambitions, courage, treachery and love flow through four generations; creating an American epic that binds the historical characters to the predestined struggles, torrid passions and duplicities of their descendants. The intrigue and unrelenting conflict of their lives are destined to converge with startling twists and turns as they build a great nation. Reid’s gifted writing interweaves the destinies, ambitions, courage and treachery of these men and women with an emerging America in an exhilarating read, evoking every imaginable emotion.
“Many have asked what inspires me to write the Threads West series,” Reid says. “I am fascinated with the interrelated energies of all things. The more primal the current, the greater my interest. In the wide range of tugs to the human soul, nothing compares to the power of the land which underlies all we are and do, and the pull on our heart strings of passion-filled romance.
“These magnets to our spirits, coupled with the rich texture of the mid eighteen fifties–a time when America and the world drew their collective breaths, and then exhaled with a rush towards the American West–is our story. It is a memory we need to recall, courage we need to again touch and a reminder of the foundations of our uniquely American spirit: A touchstone to the past and a guide post to the future in these uncertain times.”
A fourth generation land-and-cattleman, Reid bought his first property at eighteen, and has succumbed to the pull of the land ever since. In addition to his success in historical fiction, he is working on a nonfiction book created especially for the descendants of the passionate Americans he writes about in his novels. Land: For Love and Money and the associated workbook Green for Green is a humorous, informative and helpful guide packed with anecdotes from Reid’s forty-year, $1 billion career in land management. His experiences in ranches, farms and rural property acquisition, to planning, improving, conservation easement grants, and disposition in numerous states, three countries and two continents, will provide his readers with a wealth of tips and advice on buying and managing that most precious American right and resource.
Maps of Fate, the second book in the Threads West, An American Saga series, is scheduled for release on April 17, 2012. Volume one of Land for Love and Money will be released on June 5, 2012. Both will be available from Barnes & Noble (in store and online) Amazon and Hastings, in addition to other retail outlets.
