Minneapolis, MN – Phil Hansen, a multimedia artist known for his experimental approach and offbeat techniques, is jumpstarting your creativity in his first book, Tattoo A Banana And Other Ways To Turn Anything and Everything Into Art (Penguin), bringing his outrageous creativity to a wider audience.
Tattoo A Banana is a simple, step-by-step guide to creating art with anything at hand – like a piece of toast, your own fingerprints, or a stack of marshmallows. Part handbook and part manifesto, this engaging, inspiring, and downright entertaining book takes us inside the mind of a groundbreaking artist — and encourages us to create, reimagine, and make something out of (almost) nothing.
With the same intention as his new book, Hansen is delighting audiences of all ages with his new interactive website, PhilInTheWhaaat.com (PITW). “I recently started a Creativity Series, showing simple everyday creativity that anyone can do using familiar objects around the home, paired with a twist of unconventional techniques,” he says. “I want to help people build their creative muscles by experimenting with a variety of nontraditional creative processes. We’re all naturally creative and the more creative processes we experience, the more connected dots we have to form new ideas,” he continues. “This helps us build the foundation to be more creative.”
Hansen’s PITW projects are demonstrated through fun, fast-paced instructional videos that are as entertaining as the projects themselves, including how to paint with Coca-Cola, constructing a cardboard beard, and printing images on toilet paper.
Phil Hansen is an internationally recognized multimedia artist who works at the intersection of traditional visual art, pointillism, and offbeat techniques, using media that connect to the subject matter, such as karate chops, tricycle wheel imprints, burger grease, and worms. His work has been featured on the Discovery Channel, Oops TV England, Japanese TBS, Clips Mania Germany, CNN, CBS, Good Morning America, the Rachael Ray Show, Dr. Phil, and many other media venues. As a commercial artist, he has worked with clients that include Grammy’s, Skype, Diesel, Arby’s, Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum, The Cherry Arts Festival, and dozens of other large and small companies.
Available June 5th at bookstores; pre-order online at Amazon.com, Powell’s Books, Barnes & Noble.com and Books-A-Million.com Tattoo A Banana And Other Ways To Turn Anything and Everything Into Art (Penguin) ISBN13: 978-0399537479 $15.00
Los Angeles, CA – Perfect for anyone planning a summer wedding, Eat Drink and Be Married (iUniverse) by Rebecca Bloom will resonate with every woman who has ever attended a destination wedding of a friend, only to realize that when best friends come together they bring waaaaay more than ugly bridesmaid dresses in their baggage!
Funny, fast-paced and realistic, Eat, Drink and Be Married puts readers in the middle of college girlfriends who are attending their former roommate’s wedding in Lake Tahoe. While these best friends rehash old times, they discover they are each hiding a piece of themselves from one another.
As the flaws in their own relationships surface, it takes a bottle of booze, a mountain of laughs, a bucket of tears, and three days in the company of those who know and love them the most to force each one to step out of their normally-organized lives to come to terms with their past before walking down the aisle. Hilarious, candid and tender, Bloom’s rich dialogue grabs the reader’s attention from the very first page and holds them to the unforgettable end.
A book that seems destined to become a part of new wedding traditions and memories, Eat, Drink and Be Married should be on hand for anyone planning a wedding. With its diverse, easy-to-relate-to characters, readers will laugh and cry as they are reminded of the innermost workings of their closest relationships – but they will never be bored!
Receiving great reviews on Amazon.com, Eat, Drink and Be Married is an engaging read that shows what happens when women get together with best friends at a destination wedding, yet realistic enough to make readers not a little envious and wishing they were a part of the entertaining world that surrounds Bloom’s endearing characters.
Rebecca Bloom is proving herself to be a writer to contend with. Her previous novels, Girl Anatomy and Tangled Up in Daydreams were featured in numerous national and regional publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, In Style and many others, as well as various electronic outlets including EXTRA, Good Day Live and Dallas Morning News.
For more information on this engaging page-turner that every modern woman can enjoy – please visit: www.rebeccabloom.com.
Ellaville, GA – Jackie Carpenter always believed she was a ‘woman of faith’ – but when tragedy struck her family, she faced the stunning realization that her faith did not even begin to measure up. Scheduled for release this fall, A Cry for Justice by Triple Horse Studios is an emotionally-charged movie that tells the true story of the worst time in Jackie Carpenter’s life – when her son was fighting for his freedom after being charged with felony murder.
Jackie Carpenter was an ordinary businesswoman and mother when her phone rang that fateful day in 2008. Believing she had been blessed with an almost-perfect life and family, Jackie’s idyllic world changed the instant she received her daughter-in-law’s frantic call telling her that her son had been arrested after he accidentally shot and killed a would-be thief while protecting his property. Little did she know the long, hard fight that was ahead, trying to prove his innocence.
After her son was arrested, Jackie had trouble dealing with that inner voice that asks: What happens when a good person who serves God as a Bible teacher and church organist is struck by a tragedy and assaulted daily by Satan? What happens when you turn to God but cannot hear Him speak? What happens when you pray for a miracle and nothing happens? What happens when a person of faith discovers she lacks the faith to overcome tragedy?
A Cry for Justice is based on Jackie’s two books that tell her story. The Bridge: Between Cell Block A and a Miracle is Psalm 91 came first and told the story of how Jackie brought her family through the initial crisis. Georgia Justice: A Journey to Faith (Xulon Publishing) followed and relates the author’s journey that began with her belief she had enough faith to lean on God during a crisis but then, after her son’s arrest, she came to the stunning realization that the faith she had did not even begin to measure up to where it needed to be when tragedy struck. For information on Jackie’s books, please visit: www.bridgetoamiracle.com.
A Cry for Justice is both electrifying and poignant in its portrayal of this courageous woman’s battle against mind-numbing fear, while never losing sight of her faith in God. It is a guide for believers and non-believers alike, helping them take the first steps to escape the tightening grips of doubt and depression and begin the journey to renewed and strengthened faith, hope, and ultimate victory. A Cry for Justice will linger in the hearts of moviegoers long after the movie ends, and its moving account of tragedy, trial and triumph is sure to help those currently facing a crisis and those who have no idea a tragedy might be a part of their tomorrows.
Jackie Carpenter has been a featured guest on television, radio and numerous newspaper articles. For more information on this author and her extraordinary story of faith, hope and love, please visit her website at: www.georgiajusticemovie.com.
Chicago, IL – We all do it; we know we need to get off the couch but can’t muster the motivation to move. Well, Shea Vaughn just made it easy for us. A mind-body expert, master trainer and presenter, author and wellness coach (who happens to be Vince Vaughn’s mother), Shea is a recognized spokesperson for helping others create a life of well-being.
Shea introduces us to SheaNetics®, her doctor-endorsed, revolutionary wellness and exercise lifestyle practice that blends Eastern and Western values and movements for a powerful mind-body experience. SheaNetics® reshapes and enhances the overall quality of your life and gives you the mental strength and physical ability to make positive lifestyle changes. As the founder and CEO, Shea’s goal is to make sure anyone who wants to make a change has the mental and physical tools necessary to help them live the life they deserve. It is a first-of-its-kind combination of both physical and philosophical concepts working together to power your pathway to well-being.
The exercises are an energizing blend of effective, proven-to-work formats and include the special performance-enhancing qualities of Tri-Core Power Training – an exclusive with SheaNetics®. The 5 Living Principles of Well-Being are at the heart of SheaNetics® – Commitment, Perseverance, Self-Control, Integrity and Love. Together, these principles unite the mind and body toward a common goal of living life on your terms and living it well.
Shea’s mantra is “Embrace It, Own It, Live It,” and she describes it perfectly when she says, “SheaNetics® is like a best friend. Your journey to well-being begins as you Embrace It with the same spirit of commitment you would give anything you hold dear. Own It means accepting responsibility, persevering through the hard times and asking yourself: “Am I giving it my best?” Live It by being in the moment, making better choices, setting better examples and enjoying the benefits of your efforts.”
Shea recently released “Breakthrough,” an inspirational guidebook to finding total well-being. She also offers “The 30-Day Breakthrough Program,” her answer to losing weight and keeping it off. Her collection of SheaNetics® workout DVD/CD’s can be purchased at her website, as well as distinctive jewelry that she has added to her line of products. Shea is presently positioning to add SheaNetics® group exercise in fitness clubs nationwide, along with plans later this year to introduce her innovative all-body-building, core-busting exercise machine to the fitness and medical industries.
Shea Vaughn is a national mind-body expert, corporate wellness speaker, noted fitness professional, gifted choreographer and media personality whose charm makes her instantly likable in person and on camera. She has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Marilyn Denis Show, and is a regularly featured health and fitness expert on Chicago’s Windy City LIVE and The Best Ever You Network, and a frequent wellness commentator for other TV, radio and print media.
SheaNetics® is an exciting mind and body experience that is a pathway to lifelong well-being. For more information please visit: www.sheanetics.com.
Chicago, IL – If you don’t wake up every morning eager to see what gifts the day has to offer, Shea Vaughn has a few words for you. She is the founder of the SheaNetics® concept, a fresh and thorough approach to wellness, exercise and mind-body health. “SheaNetics takes the benefits of fitness one step further,” she says. “It’s about uniting the mind and body to reach your goals.”
In her new book Breakthrough – The Five Living Principles to Defeat Stress, Look Great and Find Total Well Being (HCI), she tells the story of the mental and emotional sides of SheaNetics® and the inspiration and answers to living life on your terms and living it well. This doctor-endorsed practice reflects Vaughn’s east-meets-west life philosophy and has found universal appeal and application; placing her on the leading edge of the expanding interest in holistic lifestyle thinking and the positive effects it creates for individuals and corporations alike.
In her book, Shea shares how The 5 Living Principles of Well-Being lie at the heart of SheaNetics® and are powerful tools used in individual coaching and corporate lectures on how to create meaningful and productive results. She also explains how the exercise portion of SheaNetics® is an inspiring and time-saving blend of many respected formats for a creative and effective total body experience – strength, flexibility, body-sculpting and stress relief in one.
Breakthrough provides great life lessons and simple recipes for well-being including Shea’s 5-Day Breakthrough Boost. “All together it’s an easy and effective way to jumpstart your journey to a healthy lifestyle, defeat stress, look great and find total well-being,” Vaughn explains.
Shea Vaughn is a national mind-body expert, master trainer and presenter, author, wellness coach and a recognized spokeswoman for helping others create individual and business well-being. Vaughn is also the founder and CEO of SheaNetics®, the revolutionary wellness and exercise lifestyle practice that delivers a powerful mind-body experience and ignites your potential to look and feel your best on the inside and out. Shea has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and the Marilyn Denis Show; is a regularly featured health and fitness expert on Chicago’s Windy City LIVE and The Best Ever You Network and is a frequent wellness commentator for other TV, radio, and print media and corporate events. Her SheaNetics® DVD/CD Mind-Body Collection offers dynamic, one-of-a-kind full body workouts and along with her new book Breakthrough, invites everyone to break through to a new beginning and the life you deserve.
“…Dr. McGuckin sounds the alarm on deadly, costly infections and how to prevent them. Before you or a loved one heads to the hospital, reach for this guidebook. It could save a life.”—Ceci Connolly, former national health correspondent, The Washington Post
Ardmore, PA – We all assume that going to the hospital will help us recover from an illness or injury. Going to any facility where a lot of other sick people are treated, however, can result in patients actually getting worse before they get better, simply because they “catch” someone else’s infections. Spread by healthcare workers as they move from sick patient to sick patient, or by visitors who may have touched unclean surfaces in the hospital before going into a patient’s room, these healthcare-acquired infections are difficult and costly to treat.
What most people don’t know is that healthcare acquired infections are preventable. Written by Dr. Maryanne McGuckin, an expert in infection prevention with 35 years of experience, The Patient Survival Guide (Demos Publishing), will lead us from being a patient at risk, to one knowledgeable about the simple precautions one must take to avoid easily preventable healthcare-acquired infections.
Dr. Maryanne McGuckin’s career spans several faculty and staff positions at the University of Pennsylvania. She most recently was a member of the Senior Scholars / Senior Fellows program with the Health Policy Department at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Toni L. Goldfarb is president of TLG Publications, a medical communications firm.
Available at all major bookstores and online outlets The Patient Survival Guide: 8 Simple Solutions to Prevent Hospital and Healthcare-Associated Infections by Dr. Maryanne McGuckin Published by Demos Health and distributed by Publishers Group West ISBN: 9781936303311 Paperback: $16.95
Greenwich, CT – For readers who are seeking a book that will deliver the thrill of a James Bond movie, the suspense of a Jack Ryan scene, and the action of a Jason Bourne flick, look no more—Jordan Sandor returns in Jeffrey Stephens new novel Targets of Opportunity (Pocket Star Books)! Book reviewers have embraced Jordan Sandor, comparing him to all three top action heroes, while comparing Stephens to Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, and Tom Clancy.
In the first book in the series–Targets of Deception, which suspense master Robert K. Tanenbaum called “a fast-paced thriller”—Jeffrey Stephens introduced CIA agent Jordan Sandor, whom bestselling author Steve Alten praised as “terrific.” Sandor is back in Targets of Opportunity, playing for bigger stakes and facing deadlier challenges.
Whisked from his Manhattan town house to a gabled CIA safe house in Virginia, Sandor faces off with a top terrorist agent from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. In exchange for protection from his own side, Ahmad Jaber is offering the CIA explosive information on a secret, unholy alliance forged among operatives in the Middle East, a ruthless South American, and Kim Jong-II’s North Korea. Jaber does not have specifics – only that the strike will target the heart of America.
Sandor leverages Jaber’s information and assembles a small strike force to penetrate North Korea. The team knows they will not all return, but the intel they gather will be vital to American security. As their discoveries plunge Sandor into a frantic race against time, the fanatics callously bring down a passenger jet as a diversion and unleash an assault on a French intelligence installation. With the stakes being ratcheted up with every move, Sandor struggles to defeat a master terrorist whose perfectly disguised plan of destruction leaves Sandor wondering where or how he will strike next.
As a storm rages in the Gulf of Mexico, word comes that two enemy submarines have penetrated U.S. waters. With the U.S. military hampered by the hurricane, Sandor turns to a few daring Navy SEALs to duel with the enemy they cannot see… knowing only that the subs are carrying nuclear weapons aimed at a target of opportunity whose destruction would change the world order forever.
Brilliantly conceived, electrifyingly paced, Targets of Opportunity captures a terrifying twenty-first-century reality: terrorists can—and will—try as many times as it takes to attack the U.S. For the brave men and women who defend our country, failure is not an option. Targets of Opportunity leaves readers hanging on for Sandor’s next step, accompanying him until the very end.
