She’s found enviable fame and fortune, so Toya’s new memoir surprises readers with its unexpected message to young girls: Don’t do it my way.
Antonia Johnson Carter – best known by the mononym Toya and star of the hit TV reality series “Tiny and Toya” – has written a life story that honestly faces the tears, fears and insecurities that rode shotgun on her drive to stardom.
“Priceless Inspirations” (Farrah Gray Publishing) offers Toya’s own life choices as a backdrop for advice to young girls on sex, relationships, motherhood and growing up. Getting pregnant at 14 gave Toya valuable perspective on the perils of growing up too fast.
Rap music star Lil Wayne fathered Toya’s daughter, Reginae, and wed Toya seven years later, but the marriage lasted only two years. Another lesson learned.
“That relationship has brought me a lot of love and a lot of pain.” Toya said. “Right now, my main focus is family.”
The protective cocoon of family is something Toya spent most of her life without. Abandoned by her parents as a child, she was passed from family member to family member as her mother sank deeper into drug addiction. Feeling unloved and unwelcome, Toya fell into the arms of a 15-year-old rising musical star – Dwayne Michael Carter, now known as Lil Wayne – and soon was pregnant.
In “Priceless Inspirations,” Toya takes the reader through the pain of struggling to raise a child while still a child herself, without the benefit of guidance from her own mother. Using words she recorded in journals as a teen – and the wisdom she has gained in the years since – Toya bares her own soul for the benefit of today’s young girls.
Toya’s roller coaster saga continues: While her mom is now a recovering addict, ex-husband Lil Wayne is serving a one-year prison sentence at Riker’s Island for gun possession charges.
When not writing or performing in her TV series, Toya volunteers to help at-risk teens and teen mothers. She is also developing a children’s clothing line inspired by her daughter Reginae. The clothing line will feature fashion-forward, affordable loungewear and accessories for teens.
Farrah Gray Publishing will be publishing Antonia “Toya” Carter’s “Priceless Inspirations” in February 2011. Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Wayne is writing the Foreword.
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TIP SHEET:
Book Foreword by multi-Grammy Award-winner Lil Wayne
BET Television: “The memoir, which is dedicated to all women, is an inspirational and encouraging read. Toya’s hope is to inspire women with similar struggles and those that can somehow see themselves in her narrative.”
“Tiny and Toya:” On June 28, 2009, the reality TV series drew more than three million viewers, the highest-rated series debut in BET history. “Tiny and Toya” returns to the air in 2011 for its third season.
Ops Populi: Inception (Astute Publishing Company) by Mike Lieber is a fast-paced political thriller that ranks right up alongside Ludlum, Flynn and Coonts! It is the first of a three-part series that blends patriotic fervor with political corruption, leading to a second U.S. Constitutional Convention. Ops Populi, meaning ‘power to the people,’ is what billionaire philanthropist, Martin Lochridge, believes is the answer for the best legacy he can leave behind to build back an America that truly lives up to the ideals of the Founding Fathers.
The story begins in a small town in Maine where college professor and Army National Guard Officer, Sean May, delivers an impassioned speech to a crowd that includes Lochridge, a patriot and retired billionaire, heartsick over the rapid decline of his country at the hands of a self-serving government, who is looking for a way to leave a lasting legacy where his fortune will truly make a difference.
Ten years later, Major May is serving his third active-duty tour in war-torn Iraq and is injured by an insurgent rocket attack and evacuated to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington. Angered by the poor conditions and his inadequate treatment, he walks out of the hospital and finds himself wandering the streets of the capital with little money and still suffering the effects of a head injury that robbed him of much of his memory. The major carries a computer flash drive but what he doesn’t know is that it contains evidence of a crime ring involving ruthless government contractors and others who are holding the highest offices in the nation. He meets Virginia Burress, who helps the hungry and homeless vet, and there follows a frightening chain of events as they become prey in a desperate hunt by the ruthless group who will stop at nothing to protect their power, position and wealth.
Unknown to him, May’s lecture ten years earlier provided the inspiration for Martin Lochridge who has been busy forming a secret organization, Ops Populi, from which he plans on initiating a colossal campaign for a people’s Constitutional Convention that he hopes will restore the Founding Fathers ideals to America. Believing that government must first be reformed at its base level, he plans to start with the Constitution that created our Republic. And for this, Lochridge needs the help of Major Sean May so first he must rescue him and his companion from the grip of the corruption they have uncovered.
Mike Lieber’s first political thriller in the Ops Populi series illustrates how elites dominate our society today, aggressively guarding our nation’s public and private institutions that enforce the rules of our society, and if citizens do not respond and take back control from the elites – it will be the downfall of our Republic. This is where ‘Inception’ marks the beginning of the epic transition to the next great phase of America’s evolution. Please visit http://www.op-usa.org for more information on this incredible novel.
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TIP SHEET:
Midwest Book Review: “An absorbing novel of political intrigue and patriotism. What some people give for their country is life changing. Inception tells the success story of retired billionaire and army officer Sean May. When an injury in Iraq sends him on a spiral onto the streets, poor and destitute, his only chance for happiness may be one caring woman and a piece of evidence that could damn several corrupt individuals higher up.“
BooksandAuthors.net: “A fast paced, entertaining and craftily woven political thriller…with many subplots, the author tells the story of power and patriotism. The characters and dialogue set the stage for a first rate novel that will have every reader begging for a sequel. “
Richard L. Wight: “Inception is a real page-turner. Multiple sub-plots deftly interwoven…Lieber has obviously done this research. (Having spent time in the Army …and a career with the Federal Government dealing with military issues, I can vouch for the accuracy of many of the book’s details.) I was even motivated to re-read the Constitution after an unpatriotic lapse of many years. There is obviously a sequel coming – I’ll try to be the first in line.”
Most people agree that since the founding of American society the bounds of what is acceptable have been stretched. Victor Baltov, Jr. uses the strike zone in baseball as a metaphor for this boundary stretching in BASEBALL IS AMERICA: Origins and History, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (AuthorHouse), the second in his BASEBALL IS AMERICA trilogy. In this well-written, thought-provoking book the author challenges the American cultural current toward materialism and uses experiences from a genuine account of the life of a baseball player as described in the first book, A Child of Baseball, from the Glory Days through the Synthetic Era to address baseball, corporate America, American politics, and the culture wars.
Laced with satirical humor, this book urges readers to redefine actions they consider acceptable, or to ‘Reclaim the Strike Zone,’ based on American founding principles by electing officials who uphold the Constitution. In BASEBALL IS AMERICA, Baltov highlights the parallels between American culture and baseball. His fierce passion to restore integrity and character to baseball, as well as to the country, endows Baltov with the skills of a great speaker. This acknowledged expert in the history of the game is uniquely qualified to offer an educated opinion about many issues facing Americans today.
This self-professed baseball crusader’s goal is to use founding principles as moral guides and to judge by content of character, not celebrity. He questions the motives and actions of so-called role models and addresses the prevalence of cheating in the game as well as in American culture. There is a sense of urgency in Baltov’s writing that reflects the current American cultural crisis. He prepares readers to respond if and when disaster strikes.
To learn more about this insightful author and inspiring lecturer and his riveting book series, visit http://www.baseballisamerica.com .
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Roger Zotti of TheResident.com: “Baltov is a knowledgeable, insightful and forceful writer…who has hit a homerun…an informative, passionate, humorous and scrupulously-researched autobiography; it’s concerned with the good and bad aspects of baseball, along with the sport’s link with religion, history, politics, music, movies and his family and friends.”
Frank McKinney doesn’t attribute his phenomenal success over the past twenty-five years to ‘risk-taking,’ although when it comes to real estate there is always an element of risk. He understands that it’s not just about pricing but more about the cycles of real estate, and he has mastered this with precision! He has identified six distinct cycles over the last thirty-five years, sifting out recurring trends that highlight huge opportunities while signaling where history might repeat itself.
In Burst This! Frank McKinney’s Bubble-Proof Real Estate Strategies (Health Communications, Inc.), McKinney shows readers how he has managed to successfully ride the ups and downs of this volatile market using his own financial and investment strategies and sharing with them how to avoid getting caught up in the ‘ups and downs’ associated with boom and bust times that are really nothing more than recurring market cycles!
McKinney built a majestic waterfront masterpiece, Acqua Liana, on speculation at a time when naysayers said it couldn’t be done. He proved them wrong – again – when he recently sold this 15,000 square foot architectural vision, certified as the “greenest mansion in America,” for a cool $23 million when all the experts said ‘no way!’
Undoubtedly his flamboyant ‘rock star looks’ have opened doors for McKinney as evidenced by appearances on Oprah, 20/20, CBS Evening News and USA Today, but once an audience hears him speak, they realize he backs it up with innate business savvy and proven methods. In his latest timely best-seller, Burst This! McKinney’s advice gives readers the best possible chance of becoming their own success story by sharing his proven strategies in a simple process that allows readers to avoid all the negative assumptions of the predictors of real estate bubbles.
Rich DeVos, co-Founder of Amway and owner of the Orlando Magic: “A true real estate artist, McKinney continues to make markets where others don’t dare to tread. Now this visionary contrarian shows you how to prosper in any real estate market.”
Thomas A. Griffith: “Classic Frank McKinney. Frank tells it like it is. Real estate runs in cycles, booms and busts…relevant information for the real estate investor or anybody interested in becoming a real estate investor, or just thinking about purchasing property. Frank uses real-life experiences in real estate strategies not Ivory Tower or Television B.S. Frank is definitely a maverick but a contrarian? How about a realist with an ability to see the future by studying the past. Great book!”
John Assaraf, bestselling author of The Answer and former RE/MAX of Indiana CEO: “Dismiss what the so-called experts tell you to do and listen to Frank McKinney, who has taken more risk and has made it big regardless of market conditions for nearly 25 years. McKinney has the goods to help any real estate investor thrive anytime, anywhere. Read Burst This! now and stop the naysayers cold in their tracks.”
When a child is abducted, every second counts. Rapid and widespread distribution of information about the child is critical in working for a safe recovery, and one of the best ways to notify a community is by the use of a flyer with the child’s picture and other information. Beginning today the LRC will include a QR Code on every missing child flyer – a code that can be used to help distribute that child’s flyer.
A QR Code is a two dimensional bar code, but when combined with a smart phone the Code can direct the phone to a related web site. When the QR Code on an LRC flyer is scanned by a smart phone, the QR Code will direct the phone’s user to a web page that can be used to e-mail and fax that missing child’s flyer. Every smart phone owner can now actively participate in the battle against child predators by helping distribute information about missing children.
The use of QR Codes on LRC flyers is another way that the Laura Recovery Center is working to keep our children safe. Other resources for parents include a free on-line missing child flyer creation page at http://www.MyFlyer.org , a free on-line child ID page at http://www.MyChildID.org , and useful safety tips available by following the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/SafeKidsATE .
The Laura Recovery Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, that was founded in Laura Smither’s memory. The Center focuses on Education, Search, and Prevention in the area of missing children, has offered free abduction prevention programs to over 200,000 children throughout the greater Houston area, worked with approximately 1,450 families with missing loved ones, and has organized 95 community searches for abducted children nationwide. The Center trains law enforcement at the Houston Police Department training academy and other agencies in Texas, and distributes educational materials and child ID kits.
When Jim Lange talks about ways to make the most out of money set aside for retirement – people listen, as evidenced by the thirty times his expertise has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal. Studying IRA laws throughout his career, testing his strategies, and then having his analysis peer reviewed by the AICPA, has made him a nationally recognized expert on IRA’s, Roth IRA conversion and estate planning. In his new book, Roth Revolution: Pay Taxes Once and Never Again (Morgan James), Lange outlines top strategies so that readers may learn the benefits of Roth IRA conversions.
In Roth Revolution, Lange uses both the time-tested, well-established approach as well as new, cutting-edge strategies that actually result in enhancing the classic methods, in order to get the most out of IRA’s or retirement plans by converting a portion of IRA’s to a Roth IRA. The book provides invaluable advice on how to avoid running out of money, how to not pay too much in taxes, and how to leave as much as possible to family members with as little cost as possible to the investor. Since 2010 is the first year we can make a Roth IRA conversion regardless of income, and because tax rates will likely go up in the future, this is the perfect time to begin!
The new bill that was recently signed into law will allow employees to convert their pre-tax account balances into Roth-designated accounts, the official title for a Roth 401(k) or Roth 403(b), that will have a tremendous impact on retirement accounts. These conversions are great even if you never retire because they allow owners to create an income tax-free dynasty! Yes, you do pay taxes on the portion of the IRA or 401(k) that is converted, but then that money can grow income tax-free for the rest of your life, your spouse’s life, and even your children and grandchildren’s lives! Now that qualifying income limits for IRA owners have been abolished, all IRA and retirement plan owners should consider Roth IRA conversions. Oftentimes, even though a family stands to be better off by hundreds of thousands, possibly even millions, of dollars – the money manager may not make his clients aware of a Roth IRA conversion because he will make less money. This is why it is imperative that people become informed and get more involved in their own retirement and estate planning.
As well as being a best-selling author, Jim Lange is a nationally renowned speaker who has given Roth IRA conversion workshops to literally thousands of financial advisors at some of the country’s largest financial companies, and is well-recognized for the expertise he shares on air every other Wednesday on KQV 1410 AM at KQV.com. These are just some of the many examples Lange expands on in interviews and speaking engagements.
Kiplingers, Financial Planning, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and many others, often rely on the financial abilities of Lange to quote on new opportunities for readers. Eminent IRA experts such as Ed Slott, Natalie Choate, Bob Keebler, Gary Picker and John Bledsoe also agree with Lange in believing the worth of converting to Roth-designated accounts. Jim’s books have also been endorsed by top names that include Charles Schwab, Jane Bryant Quinn, Larry King and CPA Ed Slott, America’s IRA Expert, who also contributed the foreword in The Roth Revolution.
Clearly addressed in The Roth Revolution are topics such as: how much, whether/when to convert, the costs and benefits of a Roth IRA conversion with advice for taxpayers in each income tax bracket, the impact of future tax increases, the pros and cons of delaying Social Security, and Roth IRA conversions; every strategy is covered to maximize one’s return on investments in retirement plans.
As Jim Lange will often ask his audience/readers: “Who in their right mind would pay taxes before they have to?” His own answer is always: “Me, thousands of my readers and clients, all the top IRA experts and, I hope, after reading his book, you and your audience too. “
Diane McCurdy, CFP, best selling author of “How Much is Enough? Balancing Today’s Needs with Tomorrow’s Retirement Goals: “An amazing, comprehensive explanation of the hows and whys … with real life examples by Jim who has set a new standard in retirement tax planning.”
Jonathan Clements, author of The Little Book of Main Street Money: “It is tough to pick stock-market winners, but it’s relatively easy to lower your investment tax-bill. Looking to keep more of your portfolio’s gains? Read Jim Lange’s ‘The Roth Revolution’ – and you could make your financial life a whole lot less taxing.”
Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D., author of Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich and Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: “Jim Lange hits another homerun with The Roth Revolution. Anyone concerned about ensuring his or her nest egg is enough for retirement needs this book…”
Brian Tracy, author of The Way to Wealth: “This book shows you how to plan your finances so you don’t run out of money in retirement – perhaps the biggest single consideration of your life”.
Bill Losey, CFP, author of Retire in a Weekend! The Baby’s Boomer’s Guide to Making Work Optional: “Jim’s specific advice to taxpayers in different tax brackets…Chapter 13…makes a complicated topic easy to understand.”
Michael T. Palmero, attorney and author of AARP Crash Course in Estate Planning: “…a clear and comprehensive guide to a financial planning tool everyone should understand. I highly recommend it.”
Burton G. Malkiel, author of A Random Walk Down Wall Street: “Jim Lange has done it again… he clearly explains the remarkable advantages of Roth IRAs and their role in estate planning. Everyone considering conversions of traditional IRAs to Roths should read this book.”
Natalie Choate, Esq.: “There are few advisors as IRA-knowledgeable as Jim Lange. His book is chock full of creative Roth IRA planning ideas to help every client”.
Jon Gallo, co-author of Silver Spoon Kids and The Financially Intelligent Parent: “Jim Lange has done it again! The Roth Revolution is a worthy follow up to Retire Secure, written in a highly readable style that provides an excellent guide for all of us whose clients want to know whether they should convert to a Roth IRA. We were particularly pleased to find a thoughtful discussion of combining Roth IRAs with philanthropy.”
Steve Leimberg, CEO of Leimberg Information Services: “With charts, graphs, checklists and examples, Jim Lange, an advisor’s advisor, presents the answers to the Roth IRA puzzle in clear, concise terms… loaded with solid answers to the very questions your clients are sure to ask.”
Bob Keebler, CPA: “…an invaluable tool for any advisor assisting a client with a decision on whether to convert to a Roth IRA. With the expanded opportunity for taxpayers to take advantage of a Roth IRA regardless of their income, this …resource should be on every advisor’s desk.”
Barry C. Picker, CPA/PFS, CFP “…must-reading for anyone contemplating moving money into a Roth IRA, which in my opinion is everyone. Jim is one of the few people who has the knowledge …on IRAs and also has the ability to put this knowledge into understandable language.”
Homeboy’s Soul: Pride, Terror, and Street Justice in America (Publish America) invites readers into the bizarre and deadly lifestyle of gangbanging in the barrios of Pomona on the eastern edge of Los Angeles County during the 70’s through 90’s. Written by Don Armijo and Fred Stawitz, Homeboy’s Soul tells the story of Armijo’s rise to power within one of L.A. County’s most violent street gangs, Calle Doce Los Sharkies. Minus the usual hype and sensationalism, this provocative tale invites readers into one of the most misunderstood lifestyles in America. It delves into the private thoughts, doubts, and fears of a normal Chicano ‘kid turned killer’ with an inside look into what life in the world of gangbangers is really all about.
Inspired to write Homeboy’s Soul as a way to reveal the truth about the influences that shaped life in the barrios surrounding Los Angeles, Armijo provides answers to why Chicano youth are easily attracted to the homeboy’s lifestyle and ultimately to gang warfare. 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 shaped their lives.
Cruise the barrio with a true vato loco. Face the deadly consequences of a movida on a rival gang. Experience the love and mistrust, the terror and boredom and, ultimately, the sense of hopelessness that there will be no bright tomorrow at the end of all the violence. Homeboy’s Soul provides a chilling account of how Armijo lived as a gang member, killed as a gang member, and wound up in prison abandoned by his homeboys where he experienced a personal transformation.
This book’s frank revelations offer civic leaders whose communities are plagued with gang violence a foundation for engaging the public in a conversation about how to address the socio-economic factors that feed gang activity. It gives parents and school officials incentive for a renewed commitment to provide all children the resources, support, opportunities, and acceptance they need to develop into contributing members of society.
Honored at the 2010 Hollywood Book Festival with an “honorable mention,” Homeboy’s Soul helps readers realize that each of us can alter our situation for the better through the choices we make and by taking responsibility for the consequences of our actions. Don Armijo has made peace with his past and has dedicated himself to helping those lured to the web of gangbanging, and those already ensnared by it find their path to a brighter future.
Danny De La Paz, actor (Boulevard Nights, American Me): “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.”
Jim Bohannon (nationally-syndicated radio talk show host), The Jim Bohannon Show, Washington, D.C.: “Good luck in your efforts here. If you can turn this [gang situation] around the country will be better off because of it.”
Evangelina Vigil-Pinon, Viva Houston, KTRK-TV 13 ABC: “It’s a great book, cuts the edge in assessing gang issues and what needs to be done. Keep up your great work!”
Michael King, King TV, NBC Seattle: “Phenomenal. Really a great read. Took us ‘ inside.’”
Michael F. Shaughnessy, Professor of Psychology at Eastern New Mexico University and Senior Columnist EducationNews.org: “If you are a sociology instructor or teach classes in gangs, juvenile delinquency, probation or parole, you need to get this book for required reading. Your students will appreciate it.”
Midwest Book Review, “Don Armijo brings readers his own experiences where he saw many people close to him die violent deaths. Homeboy’s Soul is a choice pick for those wanting insight on the plight of the Los Angeles Underworld.”
Birga Alden, The Morning Show, KDAZ-AM 730 Albuquerque: “I pray that this book will continue to make a mighty difference!”
Tommy Briggs, Host of the AM Mayhem Show, YES-FM, Detroit-Toledo: “A fascinating book!”
Trent Redekop, The Morning Show, CKSW-AM 570 and CJSN-AM 1490, Canada: “Amazingly addictive!”
Richard Reyes, Pancho Claus and Gang Prevention Activist, Houston: “This book should be required reading for students, parents, school administrators, police officers and community leaders.”
