New Hope, PA, – Not since the 1985 movie Perfect, starring John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis, have fitness clubs been exposed to the degree of Memoirs of a Gym Rat: One man’s 20-year journey through the bowels of the health club industry, by Max Hawthorne. Hawthorne pulls from his real-life experiences to uncover shocking behind-the-scenes shenanigans with his humorous but eye-opening account of our nation’s health clubs.
“After 20 years in the business, I’ve seen it all,” says Hawthorne. “Walk into almost any fitness club around the nation and you’ll find it – sex, drugs, deceit, membership cons, locker robberies – you’ll be shocked to know what really goes on at these clubs, both during and after business hours. It’s all very troubling.”
Fitness clubs have adopted a radically different culture from years’ past. Oftentimes, being coined a “meat-market,” due to rampant SEXcapades among local hard-bodies, gym rat culture has taken a sharper turn for the worse. There’s the Jillian Michael’s wanna-be personal trainer, who screams out orders while getting a little ‘too much’ pleasure from your pain and inevitable post-workout vomiting. Then there is the slimy sales rep, who cuts down your self-esteem with shady tactics to convince you to sign a contract that will surely outlive you. And don’t forget the steroid-infused, Hercules types, whose obsession with sex surpasses the size of their biceps.
Hawthorne introduces us to a hilarious cast of characters with twisted wit and clever anecdotes, while guiding you through best practices to getting the fit body you want, without getting caught up in the negative side of a gym rat’s existence.
Max Hawthorne has more than twenty years in the health club industry. He’s a certified personal trainer, an avid boxer and martial artist, and has studied anatomy and kinesiology. He has seen it all, been part of it, and now plans to expose it!
Available at fine bookstores, online outlets and author’s website.
Houston, TX, – A forty-year career in technology, providing geospatial solutions using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite imagery, definitely gave Carlos Viola the ‘edge’ when writing realistic accounts of the part technology plays in the deadly and secretive world of terrorism. His debut novel, Black Lion (Harris & Johanssen Publishers, Inc.), tells the story of Mike Harris, a fearless U.S. Army major and member of the dreaded Desert Lions, an elite group within the Special Forces and feared by the enemy.
When America declares war on terrorism after the cowardly attacks of September 11, 2001, the president issues an order that makes every resource and top technology available to Mike Harris and his Desert Lions, assigning them the job of traveling the world with the purpose of eliminating all the terrorist elements of Al-Qaeda that threaten to disrupt world peace. Mike knows that his skills and expertise, and that of his band of courageous men, will be tested to the max once they are thrust into the shadowy world of covert operations.
What Mike doesn’t anticipate is falling in love at first sight with Marcie Johanssen, a rich and beautiful Danish heiress, who unwittingly gets dragged into the deadly struggle that is about to be unleashed in every corner of the globe.
In Black Lion, readers are alongside these brave heroes as they are plunged into the vivid and real world of deceit, secrecy and clandestine operations; sharing the ride with this elite group as they navigate their way through many deadly circumstances in a pulse-pounding, explosive plot that keeps readers anxiously turning pages! Please visit: www.carlosviola.com for more information on this talented new writer and his thrilling debut novel.
For over twenty years, Carlos Viola served as president and CEO of Aeroterra SA; a technology company dedicated to providing geospatial solutions using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite imagery, actively participating in all of the many projects undertaken by the company. A passionate reader and writer, Carlos began writing Black Lion, his first action novel, at age fifty-six.
Petaluma, CA, – “Ricky” is a small stuffed monkey embroidered with hotline contact numbers and given out free to shelters and to anyone alone on the streets. He was recreated in the image of Jeannie Kerrigan’s little stuffed monkey she had as a child that was lost when she was raped as a young girl. Today, Jeannie is the Founder of Ricky’s Revolution, along with Co-founder Katherine Patton. Through the use of Ricky, this non-profit (501)3 national outreach program provides information about national hotlines, safety and shelter options (including rape crisis), a runaway hotline, safe house and domestic violence hotline.
Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness and Ricky is a tangible reminder that help is available. He represents renewed hope for runaway and homeless youth, victims of domestic violence, and victims of sexual abuse, by giving them the information they need to reach places of safety as quickly as possible.
As Street Team Leaders, Jeannie and Katherine go onto the streets personally handing out thousands of Rickys and interacting with individuals involved in acute situations of violence and homelessness. Additionally, Ricky’s Revolution has volunteer-based Shelter Teams within multiple communities who deliver Rickys to shelters locally. This unique distribution process also allows volunteer community members to become a part of the process in helping bring these issues to the forefront. This remarkable non-profit works diligently to bring awareness to the general population that issues of abuse, rape, incest, runaway youth and the homeless need attention now!
Jeannie Kerrigan also wrote Layla, her deeply moving memoir that tells her shocking story of a horrific life of incest, physical abuse, rape, stripping, and prostitution in a world of drugs and insanity. It speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves, as do the Ricky monkeys being circulated on the streets of America.
Founder and Executive Director, Jeannie enjoys a successful 14-year practice in Santa Fe, NM and California. She is a healer, teacher, author, and spiritual leader whose experience has made her one of the most effective public speakers on the planet.
Co-founder and Director Katherine Patton has over 20 years of experience as professional counselor and educator, working with abused youth, emotionally disturbed children and adolescents, and their families. Katherine understands and believes in the value of human connection as a vital and integral part of the healing process.
Chicago, IL, – When we choose a mate we often think this could be ‘the one’ until our world turns upside down after the relationship turns toxic. What most of us are guilty of ignoring are the red flags that pop up; instead we plow ahead – trying to make the relationship what we want it to be rather than what it really is.
My Cat Won’t Bark! (A Relationship Epiphany) by Kevin Darné helps us to strip away illusions we may have conjured up, remove unrealistic expectations, and see things as they really are. Says Darné, “When we see things in black and white we gain insight and when we see things in gray it causes us to delay.” Filled with many humorous anecdotes, many of which we can identify with, the author recounts his own story with such wit and insightful advice that readers feel he is addressing them personally.
My Cat Won’t Bark! debunks many commonly held beliefs about communication, relationship work, and the assumption that it’s natural for long-term relationships to become unromantic. We tend to abide by the overly-used, horrible advice: Follow your heart. However, Darné suggests that we: “Never separate your mind from your heart when making relationship decisions. The purpose of the mind is to protect the heart.” This makes perfect sense yet how many of us actually practice this!
Seasoned with pearls of wisdom and experience, Darné’s book dispels myths and delivers the all-important message we tend to forget; life is a personal journey and our lives are the result of decisions and choices we have made along the way. This unique book acts as a gentle guide to encourage us to make our choice of mates with complete awareness and realistic expectations, and offers the self-empowering techniques to do it. After all, there are only two ways to experience joy and peace of mind in relationships – we either get what we want or we learn to be happy with what we have. Thankfully, Darné offers advice for both paths. In his words, “It’s your life – take the wheel!”
Kevin Darné is no stranger to the dating scene; he is president & CEO of Conation Enterprises – a company that helps people facilitate change from within. He is also a Chicago Dating Advice Examiner for Examiner.com, providing advice and guidance in the tricky world of dating. For more information on Kevin or his company, please visit: http://lovealert911.com.
Available at fine bookstores and online outlets My Cat Won’t Bark! (A Relationship Epiphany) Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing ISBN-10: 1468104721 ISBN-13: 978-1468104721
Chicago, IL, Havana Lost (The Red Herrings Press) is award-winning author Libby Fischer Hellmann’s tenth novel and third stand-alone thriller.On the eve of the Cuban Revolution, headstrong 18-year-old Francesca Pacelli flees from her ruthless Mafia-boss father in Havana to the arms of her lover, a rebel fighting with Fidel Castro. Her father, desperate to send her to safety in the US, resorts to torture and blackmail as he searches the island for her.
So begins the first part of a spellbinding saga that spans three generations of the same family. Decades later the Pacelli family is lured back to Cuba by the promise of untold riches. But pursuing those riches brings danger as well as opportunity, and ultimately, Francesca must confront the lethal consequences of her choices. From the troubled streets of Havana to the mean streets of Chicago, Havana Lost reveals the true cost of chasing power instead of love.
Havana Lost explores how strife and revolution affect the human spirit. All her books are a testament to Hellmann’s gift for authentic historical detail as well as her talent for writing compulsively readable thrillers. With ten novels and twenty short stories published, she has also written suspense mysteries, historicals, PI novels, amateur sleuth, police procedurals, and even a cozy mystery. At the core of all her stories, however, is a crime or the possibility of one.
She is a transplant from Washington, D.C., where, she says, “When you’re sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you’re talking politics.” Armed with a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University, and a BA in history from the University of Pennsylvania, she started her career in broadcast news.
Her first novel, in 2002, was An Eye For Murder, featuring Ellie Foreman, a video producer and single mother. Publishers Weekly called it a “masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense.” That was followed by three more entries in the series. Her second series features hard-boiled Chicago PI Georgia Davis; The Chicago Tribunedescribes her as “a new no-nonsense detective …. tough and smart enough to give even the legendary V.I. Warshawski a run for her money.” Her 8th novel, Set The Night On Fire, was a standalone thriller short-listed for ForeWord Magazine’s Book of 2010 in the suspense/thriller category.
Libby has also edited a highly acclaimed crime fiction anthology and in 2005-2006 she was the National President of Sisters in Crime, a 3,400-plus member organization committed to strengthening the voice of female mystery writers. This creative and tireless author blogs at her website: libbyhellmann.com/blog.
Publishers Weekly: “Smoothly written…Stephens gives us a hero [Jordan Sandor] who is easy to root for, a fellow who doesn’t fret about morality or
worry about much of anything beyond killing the bad guys.”
Greenwich, CT, – The bureaucrats in Washington should know better; trying to stop CIA Agent Jordan Sandor when he’s out for revenge is like trying to stop a tsunami with words! In Sandor’s world the usual rules just don’t apply when it comes to defending his country’s freedom. Just get out of his way…and the only ones to get hurt will be the bad guys!
Hitting the #30 spot on Amazon Kindle’s Mystery/Thriller/Suspense categories, Targets of Revenge (Gallery Books) is third in Jeffrey S. Stephens’ riveting ‘Targets’ series. Due to its popularity, Amazon is now offering a promotional price for all three in the series. Following Targets of Deception and Targets of Opportunity, the latest novel tracks Sandor into the heart of the Venezuelan jungle in hot pursuit of Adina, a cold-blooded homicidal mastermind who leaves a trail of death behind him, only now he’s added one of Sandor’s close friends to his list of victims. Big mistake; don’t ever underestimate Sandor, a human bloodhound, who once he picks up the scent won’t let go until he gets revenge – and it’s not gonna be pretty!
After discovering the latest murderous plan being hatched by the ruthless terrorist, Sandor chases clues around the globe, but his unconventional methods land him on Interpol’s radar and earn him a spot on their list of top international fugitives. When he learns that New York City is the selected target for a catastrophic attack, he once again puts his life on the line to protect his countrymen.
While the plots of all three books are vastly different, the one similarity they share from beginning to end is addictive, adrenaline-pumping action. Readers can’t get enough of their hero Sandor’s exploits, saying it’s his sheer determination and defiance of his superiors that keeps them rooting for him. While being compared to the style of Clancy and Ludlum, it is undoubtedly Stephens’ own unique writing style that takes readers racing from one heart-stopping moment to the next, unable to stop reading but dreading reaching the end.
Jeffrey S. Stephens, author of this highly popular Jordan Sandor series (Targets of Deception, Targets of Opportunity and now Targets of Revenge), is a native New Yorker who began his career as a novelist while working in private practice as a lawyer. He resides in Greenwich, CT, with wife Nancy, and they enjoy spending time with their two sons. Jeff welcomes visitors to his website at www.jeffreystephens.com.
West Palm Beach, FL – What happens when the
world’s oil reserves finally run out? Did you know that without oil we
can only produce enough food to feed 500 million people? That means 6
billion people would die, and tens of millions more would perish from
cold, heat, lack of medical care . . . and killer mobs.
New York
Times bestselling author Steve Alten’s new thriller, The Omega Project,
opens with a Die-Off that wipes out most of humanity. And that’s just
the opening act…
Imagine yourself as one of the Die-Off’s
survivors. Fusion energy is the key to humanity’s future and the
computer you programmed will oversee mining operations of a critical
element on Jupiter’s frozen moon, Europa. To prepare for the mission,
you and six men and women train in a habitat beneath the Ross Sea in
Antarctica. During the last thirty days you and the crew will be
cryogenically frozen — a trial run for the space mission. You awaken to
find the habitat sinking, the ice gone and 12 million years have
passed! Humanity went extinct, evolution has run amok, a new
intelligence is in its infancy – and the computer that you programmed to
keep an eye on things while you were asleep has developed a
god-complex.
Publishers Weekly calls The Omega Project “an
exuberant thriller.” Reviewers have called it an “epic tale” and yet the
author calls it a warning of things that could transpire in the next
fifteen years if we continue our march toward extinction.
Says
Alten, “Peak Oil is as real as gravity; just because the powers-that-be
in Washington and Wall Street prefer to deny it only increases its
eventual impact. In war there is a common enemy; in a natural
catastrophe there is a bond of humanity to aid those in need. In a
Die-Off, it’s every family for itself.
“The first sign of
trouble will be power outages which evolve into rolling blackouts.
Government officials will assure the public that oil reserves will last
another thirty years, even as prices spike and the lines at the local
gas station stretch for miles. The grocery store becomes a battlefront
as every non-perishable left on the shelf is fought over. These
scenarios will degenerate into civil disorder and mandatory curfews,
unleashing the military. The first long winter without heat will wipe
out families living in the Snowbelt. No more potable water; no more
hospital services or prescriptions. The government will shut down,
society will collapse, and now it is officially every family for itself.
Instead of enacting programs that could stop the die-off, our elected
officials are holding the hands of ‘big oil,’ effectively leading
society over the cliff.”
About the author:
Steve Alten, a
native of Philadelphia, earned a bachelor’s degree from Penn State, a
master’s degree from the University of Delaware, and a doctorate from
Temple University. Alten is the bestselling author of the MEG series.
The series is an international best seller and Hollywood has purchased
the movie rights. Alten is also the founder and director of
Adopt-An-Author, a free nationwide teen reading program.
Barnes & Noble named the book as one of its top four selections for summer 2013.
