Torrance, CA – What we have is not ours forever – that sounds like simple and obvious wisdom during economic times when so many have lost so much. But Buddhist teacher Kentetsu Takamori wants everyone to know the message is far more important when it comes to human nature.
In his new book, Something You Forgot…Along the Way, Takamori relates 65 short stories that bring his philosophy to life. He cautions us that nothing is permanent.
“Once this reality sinks in,” Takamori says, “we cannot help treasuring each moment of our association.”
The stories focus on such basics as the importance of perseverance, the real meaning of honor, and how success is not gained by chance, but by the fruit of our efforts. The stories aim to give guidance and help the reader see deeper into life.
As the world struggles to emerge from a prolonged recession that has affected jobs, housing, businesses and entire governments, a stark and personal toll has been taken. Individuals looking for answers may find them in Something You Forgot…Along the Way. Those who accept the inevitability of change may have taken their first steps toward a brighter future.
Takamori has lectured worldwide and serves as chair of the Buddhist organization Jodo Shinshu Shinrankai in Japan. The depth of his thought is belied by the simplicity of his prose. He writes with a clarity that is accessible to children but profound enough to stir adults.
The lesson of each story is honest, the frankness unforgettable. Opened at any page, Something You Forgot…Along the Way: Stories of Wisdom and Learning will draw the reader in with its direct and unapologetic message. Takamori guides the reader like a beacon toward doing better and becoming better. A sense of goodwill and sincerity radiates from the pages.
Released by Ichimannendo Publishing, Inc., Something You Forgot…Along the Way follows on the heels Takamori’s previous self-help bestseller in his native Japan, You Were Born for a Reason. Translations by Juliet Winters Carpenter have brought the author’s wisdom to English-speaking readers.
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TIP SHEET:
Your Were Born for a Reason, Kentetsu Takamori’s 2006 bestseller, has sold more than 650,000 copies in Japan alone. Co-authored by Daiji Akehashi, and Kentaro Ito, the book considers the many ills that plague modern society – suicide, murder, angst, a constant sense of futility – and guides us to the enduring truths that can renew our hearts and provide real happiness.
Long Beach, CA – Jennifer Banash’s young-adult novel Simply Irresistible has suddenly found itself in the middle of a cultural “perfect storm.” Consider the key elements of Banash’s story:
The main characters become stars of a new TV reality series
One of them is combination teen icon/diva bitch
It’s the third book in a critically acclaimed YA series
Now consider the recent cultural developments that have come together to thrust Simply Irresistible into this perfect storm:
TV reality series, once declared an endangered species, have surged back to the top of the broadcast TV ratings
Hannah Montana the Movie ranked No. 1 on U.S. box office charts its opening weekend, and the plot centered around a teen icon/diva bitch who found redemption
The final installment of Stephanie Meyer’s YA saga, Breaking Dawn, sold a record-breaking 1.3 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release
Combine that with the glowing reviews for Banash’s third book in The Elite series – the kind of reviews that even Stephanie Meyer didn’t enjoy for Breaking Dawn – and you have a recipe for success.
Seventeen Magazine praised Banash’s work for delivering “all the drama, scandal, and high-end fashion of Gossip Girl,” and Alexa Young, author of Frenemies and Faketastic, described Simply Irresistible as “an awesome tale of friendship and betrayal with just the right amount of humor and heart. Seriously irresistible, and impossible to put down.”
Banash attended high school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and found it fertile ground for the insights and imagination that led to her characters and events in the Elite series.
Simply Irresistible brings us more adventures from the spoiled, rich teens in Manhattan who nearly ate Casey McCloy alive when she first arrived from her small town of Normal, Illinois. Now Casey has had a big-city-haute makeover, courtesy of classmate and neighbor Madison McCallister, the teen icon/diva-bitch. Wearing the right clothes, saying the right things and meeting the right people have given Casey the look and the attitude.
But to Madison’s dismay, her rival climbs the social ladder in a big way and could end up just as popular as Madison when the two star in their own TV reality show, “De-Luxe.” Fame comes at a price, and Madison is one chick who is willing to do anything to become the next reality “it’ girl.
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TIP SHEET:
“The Elite is Pretty in Pink for the millennium generation.”–Romance Reviews Today
“If you love all the drama, scandal, and high-end fashion of Gossip Girl…you’ll want to check out…The Elite!”–Seventeen.com
“An awesome tale of friendship and betrayal with just the right amount of humor and heart. Seriously irresistible, and impossible to put down.”-Alexa Young, author of Frenemies and Faketastic
Whittier, CA – God is a Symbol of Something True by Jack Call (O-Books) is a fresh and insightful look at what constitutes true religion for people who were raised as Christians but who no longer believe; people who still maintain a soft spot for Christianity and care about meaningfulness and morality and want to make sense of religious concepts.
Jack Call has been teaching introductory philosophy to students in southern California for many years. He has been recognized as an outstanding educator in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and his essays have been published numerous times. A clergyman in a psychedelic church in his earlier years, which provided the theme of his two previous books, here is a man who has ‘walked the talk’ – one of many reasons why people want to hear what Jack Call has to say.
The central claim of Call’s book is that ‘everything is fundamentally all right,’ in spite (or because) of the fact that there are important things that one cares about deeply over which one has no control. This is a way of understanding religion that rejects the false predicament of having to choose between believing in a literal creator God or a blind, indifferent universe. This amazingly heartfelt book allows the reader to objectively think through many controversial claims, such as, how the Biblical account of God’s personality is a symbol of the personal significance, for each of us, of the ways in which we are helpless and yet safe; how we should hope that life is just as fresh and astonishing at the end as at the beginning; that we should not hope to be resurrected on Judgment Day, and how the meaningfulness of life depends on how we control some important issues and accept we have no control of others. Probably the most important controversial claim is that while we are in control of whether or not we act morally, we are not in control of our own salvation. Salvation being the realization that everything really is fundamentally all right!
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TIP SHEET:
Dale Salwak, Ph.D., author of Teaching Life:Letters from a Life in Literature (2008), Wonders of Solitude, Anne Tyler as Novelist, Living with a Writer, Faith in the Family: “With its firmness of thought and modesty of tone, God is a Symbol of Something True is a captivating meditation on some of the dilemmas of the modern mind and spirit. If this is any indication of how the author seeks to nourish and stimulate the thoughts of his students in the classroom, then they are fortunate indeed. I came away from it both comforted and enlightened.”
Janice Daurio, Ph.D., author of Is It Good To Be Bad? Immoralism in Narnia in The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy: “Others have tried and failed to do what Jack Call succeeds in doing in this book…to suggest thought-provoking answers to the most important of life’s questions, in a way accessible and appealing to those who describe themselves as nonreligious, as well as those who consider themselves religious. Because of the compelling objections he gives to the standard version of Christianity, this book is just as … valuable to thoughtful committed Christians as it is to the nonreligious. I don’t think there has been a better stimulus to my own thinking recently than this book. Reading it provides meaningful joy.”
Kurt Smith, Ph.D., author of Matter Matters: “In God is a Symbol of Something True, Jack Call takes the proverbial baton from Alan Watts and argues…how religion, or “true religion” as he calls it, must be understood as that which underwrites the very possibility of meaning…True religion, Call argues, arises from something akin to reverence, the insight that there are incomprehensible forces at work beyond one’s control…Call looks carefully at several important philosophical problems-for example, the mind-body problem, free will and determinism, and personal identity – showing how true religion has dealt with each. Although perfect for the general reader (which is why I make the connection to the great Alan Watts), Call’s book is a scholarly work…No doubt, whether novice or expert, readers will enjoy this insightful and clearly written book!”
Delray Beach, FL – Frank McKinney is a rare find in a businessman. Not to say there aren’t a number of generous philanthropists out there – but just not in the style of a “McKinney.” His behavior draws an instant parallel with the tales of Robin Hood but with one huge difference – he doesn’t steal from the rich to give to the poor, he earns his wealth by creating then selling sui generis mansions to the ultra-wealthy and then generously donates significant sums to the non-profit Caring House Project Foundation (CHPF) – an organization that provides a self-sustaining existence for desperately poor and homeless families around the world.
McKinney credits his astronomical success to his deep faith and accompanying spiritual principles. He believes that God ‘taps’ each and every one of us many times in life, answering prayers and presenting life-changing opportunities. McKinney teaches how to sensitize ourselves to life’s great ‘tap moments’ and how to appropriately handle accomplishment. When applied responsibly, sustained success in life is then revealed.
Inspired by the biblical passage, ‘from those to whom much is entrusted, much will be expected,’ McKinney applied his own philosophy of entrusted fame and fortune into his life-changing book The Tap (Health Communications, Inc.). He is not a preacher – he is a businessman who believes heart and soul that we are judged not on what we accumulate or achieve through life but more on our spirit of generosity towards others.
His book promises readers that if they attune themselves to this enduring truth, they will be open to God’s ‘tap moments’ and receive enrichment beyond belief.
Referencing scripture and using examples from daily living, The Tap is an inspiring yet practical guide for all who wish to succeed at the most important business of all – the business of life! McKinney knows and understands that there is something far greater than wealth and success – it is the sense of pure goodness that comes from the happiness and fulfillment of sharing one’s blessings with those in need.
Already a NY Times best-selling author, what better mentor to guide us through life’s ‘tap opportunities’ than a man who has successfully walked the talk for over twenty-five years. Visit this charismatic author’s interactive website at www.the-tap.com where readers are encouraged to post their own ‘tap moments’ on a special blog, and read the rave reviews on www.amazon.com.
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TIP SHEET:
Anthony Robbins, best-selling author of Awaken the Giant Within and Unlimited Power: “Powerfully proves that true fulfillment lies not through accumulating wealth, but through contribution.”
Richard DeVos: “I believe a good portion of Frank’s success can be attributed to what he does for the poor around the world. The gaining of material wealth means little without responsible stewardship for those blessings. ‘The Tap’ shows you how to increase your wealth, both in terms of riches and, more important, enrichment. McKinney reveals how responsible stewardship guarantees success in the business of life.”
Eric D. Miller, Founder, Rush-Miller Foundation: “ I Read ‘The Tap’ while sitting on a roof in Gonaives, Haiti, overlooking the village Frank’s Caring House Project Foundation built using the funds from the book I was reading. McKinney is one whose success would allow him to travel the world in luxury, but he has chosen another route…gives the reader a unique look behind the magical curtain McKinney has built around his life creating the world’s most opulent real estate masterpieces. The Tap reminds us to pay closer attention to the subtle quiet nudges of our souls. After completing this book I reflected on the many times I had been tapped and missed opportunities and rejoiced in the times I have acted…my problems seem to disappear when I follow a ‘tap’ and look for opportunities to intervene in other people’s lives.”
Palm Beach, FL, July 1, 2009 – Where is the risk in listening to a man whose success is proven time and time again? There is none. Instead of listening to the so-called ‘experts’ who have a negative effect on real estate markets with their ‘bubble-bursting’ predictions, listen to a man who goes against all the rules, does things his way despite the odds, and comes out on top each and every time! After all, isn’t this the kind of success we all dream about?
This man is Frank McKinney, NY Times best-selling author, with a proven twenty-five year history of success – never content with just surviving all economic conditions but actually making millions by doing things his way – and obviously his way works! He has been dubbed ‘real estate rock czar’ by the Wall Street Journal, and has appeared on 20/20, CBS Evening News, USA Today and Oprah.
The media keep trying but they cannot quite figure him out because what he does (in their experience) should not work – and yet Frank just keeps proving them wrong each and every time. He has all the answers to what he does (differently) versus what everyone else does (the same) in his latest book, Burst This! Frank McKinney’s Bubble-Proof Real Estate Strategies (Health Communications, Inc.).
“The book cover shows me holding a sphere, not a bubble,” explains McKinney. “In Burst This! I show how to shake that impulse to run for the exits when the market dips. By recognizing cycles, you replace the fear and greed-driven bubble mentality with a crystal ball to predict coming market trends, and you turn that bubble mentality inside out to create a force field that surrounds and protects your investments.”
This famous entrepreneur knows no fear when it comes to following his own financial strategies because he has proven himself time and time again by doing what everyone thinks is impossible – creating multimillion-dollar oceanfront estate homes on speculation and shattering price records with every sale! His latest venture is no exception – a stunning $29 million, 15,000 square-foot mansion called Acqua Liana (water flower) in Manalapan Beach, Florida (http://www.frank-mckinney.com/acqua_liana.aspx). It is the largest and most luxurious certified “green” home in the world, meeting the rigorous standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council, the Florida Green Building Coalition, and the EPA’S Energy Star for Homes.
This market is not just about pricing, it is about understanding the ‘cycles’ of real estate and Frank McKinney has done 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 shares with readers how he has successfully ridden the ups and downs of this volatile market using his own financial and investment strategies, and explains how to avoid being caught up in the positive and negative excitement associated with boom and bust times that are nothing more than recurring market cycles.
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.”
Miami Beach, FL – In this modern, scientific world we live in we deal with facts and theories that are often in conflict with spiritual and religious notions. That was before Jennifer Valoppi wrote Certain Cure (Murray Hill Press) – an outstanding medical/religious thriller that combines science and ancient prophecies, and was voted the #1 best-selling Techno-thriller on Amazon and the National Best Books 2008 Award-Winning Finalist in New Age Fiction. This debut novel from the prolific imagination of this multi-talented journalist and award-winning author leaves the reader begging for a sequel.
Certain Cure bridges the gap between modern physics and ancient prophecies in a strong, character-driven story of a woman dying of cancer who allows a mysterious Chinese doctor to inject a nanochip into her spinal fluid that will direct her body to destroy the cancer. This is done against the wishes of her daughter, a struggling TV talk show host, who later recants when she selfishly realizes this cure might possibly save her ailing career. The woman’s doting grandson is concerned when a strange mark forms on her hand that he believes to be the ‘mark of the beast,’ at the same time as he experiences troubling visions – clues that involve a medical necklace, the only thing found at the brutal murder of a Park Avenue physician. It becomes evident that the mysterious Chinese doctor may have discovered immortality – the eternal fountain of youth. Will the search for God now become irrelevant? Visit the author’s intriguing website at www.certaincure.com.
Adding another level of excitement and authenticity to the non-stop action in this novel is that scientists at Weizmann Institute have recently developed nano-technology for detecting cancer, and earlier this year the Financial Times ran an article about futurist Ray Kurzwell’s prediction that technology could enable this generation to live forever!
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TIP SHEET:
Gotham Magazine: “Valoppi tackles the conflict between science and religion in a riveting read that recalls The Da Vinci Code. Merging nanotechnology with ancient Judeo-Christian prophesies, Valoppi sends readers on a fictional chase through our beloved-and ever mysterious-Manhattan.”
Comments from Amazon readers include:
“Loved this book… such a great read and fast, a real page turner. If you like Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, Patricia Cornwell, John Grisham – jump on the band wagon. Let’s get Ms. Valoppi to write another book ASAP….can’t wait for the movie!!”
“Ordered, opened and finished, from the first page to the end could not find a place to take a break. I strongly recommend this book to all. Hopefully, Ms. Valoppi has another book in the works.”
“About fifty pages into this book, I thought, this is going to make a great movie…fast moving thriller that is tough to put down….read the whole thing in a weekend. Characters are likeable and well-developed…plot was Da Vinci Code like but little more fun…had me thinking how much we rely on various technological and medical breakthroughs to make our lives better, but what happens if they go too far? Where does the line between progress and ethics begin to blur? An impressive book…would recommend it to anyone!”
“Adventurous, engaging and enjoyable – didn’t want to put it down!”
“It is an exciting, edge of seat, page turner. Amount of background work done on this topic must have been immense. Jennifer’s experience in the world of investigative reporting and her news media suave comes through in the book…found it similar to Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code – primarily for the style, not necessarily the topic…comes together like a Guy Richie movie. The underlying plot draws you in and the short chapters make it a fun and easy read. Look forward to her next book.”
Imagine you’re out in a fishing boat a few miles off shore, when a seven-foot dorsal fin cuts the surface of the ocean like a sail! The creature, a 70-foot, 50-ton Great White Shark, is so big its current actually drags your boat as it passes by. And God help you if it’s hungry.
Meet Carcharodon megalodon, or MEG for short, the most fearsome creature ever to live. The shark dominated our oceans over the last 35 million years, and only disappeared recently…or maybe it’s still out there!
Best-selling author Steve Alten has written four books about these real-life monstrous sharks and he believes the creatures may still exist in the deepest, most unexplored realms of the ocean. “Over 70% of the planet is covered by water,” says Alten, who earned his doctorate degree from Temple University. “Man has only explored 3% of our oceans and less than 1% of the abyss, so we have no idea what is really out there, waiting to be discovered. Megalodon was the apex predator of all time. It hunted whales. It could live in tropical seas or cold water. To assume it simply died off because we haven’t documented a sighting is simply not good science.
Alten’s new release, MEG: Hell’s Aquarium, introduces man to the most nightmarish prehistoric sea monsters ever to have existed, but Megalodon remains the ultimate alpha monster. “We’re talking about a massive shark with senses that could detect the vibrations of a beating heart a mile away, smell a drop of blood or urine in the water, or track the electrical impulses generated by a swimmer’s moving muscles. Meg could easily swallow six people whole, and it may still be out there.”
Cue the JAWS music: Summer 2009 is here – just stay out of the water!
