Retired Army Captain Calls Out Those Who Profit From War
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Severely disabled war veteran and retired Army Captain Allen B. Clark knows all too well the consequences of being a war casualty. An enemy attack on his Green Beret camp in Vietnam in 1967 resulted in the amputation of both of his legs below his knees. After 15 months of rehabilitation, 20 surgeries and eight years of psychotherapy, he went on to live a rewarding and fulfilling life. But questions haunted him. Why and how are wars really initiated? Are there underlying motivations unknown to the general population and especially to the warriors?
“Members of the military fight to take care of each other, not for glory, and little do we know the behind-the-scenes characters who profit from our dedication to our nation,” Clark said.
In his book Soldiers’ Blood and Bloodied Money: Wars and the Ruling Elites, Clark shares the results of his extensive and concentrated research. His findings, drawn from sources published as far back as 150 years ago, point to individuals and institutions throughout history who have fostered and fomented horrendous wars, including arms merchants; religious entities and their leaders; politicians; international bankers; media titans; and lawyers.
With a special focus on the American Revolution, Civil War, Spanish-American War and the “Banana, Banker and Oil” wars in the Americas, Soldiers’ Blood and Bloodied Money aims to reveal the political, financial, business, religious, social and propaganda truths behind the initiation of wars.
“These truths illustrate that we young patriots, who have gone off to fight in wars, are merely pawns in a much larger chess game of life — a game where the captains and kings and knights and bishops are the ones who often profit immeasurably in terms of financial gain or increases in power,” Clark wrote in his book. “Meanwhile, we perish or suffer immense physical and emotional wounds from which many of us never heal.”
About the Author The Honorable Allen B. Clark is a 1963 West Point graduate and PTSD survivor who lost both legs below the knees in 1967 following an enemy mortar barrage while serving in Vietnam. He is a recipient of a Silver Star, America’s third-highest decoration for Gallantry in Action, a Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
He has served as a special assistant to the governor of Texas and as the Assistant Secretary for Veterans Liaison and Program Coordination, and Director of the National Cemetery System in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In 1993, he was recognized by the Military Chaplains Association with its National Citizenship Award. He is a frequent motivational speaker. In early 2018, Allen received the Patriot Award from the Greater Dallas Military Foundation, and later that year, he received the Sons of the Flag Legacy Award.
Be Happy Without Faking It: Put These Principles Into Practice Now
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Negative social media posts. Frightening headlines. Workplace challenges. These are all things that Pamela Gail Johnson, the founder of the Society of Happy People, would label “Happiness Zappers,” and they are a fact of life. The good news is these Happiness Zappers don’t have to put a lid on our smiles.
“We will all experience at least one or more Happiness Zapper — unhappiness, stress, fear, chaos or annoyances — each day,” Johnson said in a recent interview. “Much of our happiness is based on how we manage the Happiness Zappers.”
In her enlightening new book, Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life, Johnson paves a pathway toward authentic joy and fulfillment, with actionable strategies, transformational techniques, and real stories about real people who have put Johnson’s principles into practice.
“The Society of Happy People identified 31 types of happiness to help you identify more happy moments when they happen,” she added. “Sometimes, we’re happier than we think we are; we just don’t notice all of the happiness we experience.” In her book, she details four happiness principles for living an authentically more joyful life:
• Happiness is Personal • Happiness Zappers Can be Managed • Happiness Changes as You Change • Happiness is Bigger Than You Think
These four principles will help readers redefine personal happiness, manage their Happiness Zappers, and become more aware of the happy moments taking place all around them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pamela Gail Johnson founded the Society of Happy People in 1998, created the first three globally celebrated happiness holidays, and is the author of Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life. She started her career with Junior Achievement, then worked in the mental health and substance abuse field at the Hazelden Foundation. She was an award-winning salesperson for American Express and Staples, and now helps leaders and teams create happier workplace cultures.
A frequent media guest on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, radio and podcasts, her work has been covered by magazines, newspapers and online publications.
She divides her time between Dallas, Texas, and Washington, DC.
Gone to Dallas Offers Unbridled Entertainment Fueled by Texas History
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Join author Laurie Moore-Moore as she masterfully draws you into the world of 1850s Texas in Gone to Dallas: The Storekeeper 1856-1861, her richly entertaining tale of migration, betrayal, dreams and determination. Salted with historically accurate events and populated with real characters, the book features a plucky female protagonist with a dream and begins the way many tales of the West do—with a dead body.
At the center of the story is Sara, a young woman who arrives in the Lone Star State alone, newly widowed and faced with making a living in a man’s world. Determined to open a general store in Dallas—a tiny settlement of log cabins on the Trinity River—she must overcome her own uncertainty, loneliness, vandalism and threats.
Readers will follow Sara as she strives to create her general store while living Dallas’ true history—from the beginnings of La Réunion (the European colony across the Trinity) to a frozen river, a grand ball and the mighty fire that burns Dallas to the ground. Dallas is a challenging place, especially with the Civil War looming. Even with the friendship of a retired Texas Ranger and Dallas’ most important citizen—another woman—is Sara strong enough to meet the challenge? The stakes are high. Failure means being destitute in Dallas.
Gone to Dallas is an unforgettable journey into the exciting, yet turbulent times of a young Texas. A compelling story with a cast of characters that will capture your heart with their tenacity and spirit as they work to create new lives at the edge of the frontier. It’s a tale of decency and resourcefulness that is fundamental to the continuing identity of Texas and the American West.
Laurie Moore-Moore was dubbed the “Luxury Real Estate Diva” by the Chicago Tribune during 15 years as founder and CEO of The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. Previously, she co-founded Real Trends, Inc., a publishing, communications and consulting business. While at Real Trends, Laurie spoke to an average of 10,000 real estate agents annually across North America. She is the author of Rich Buyer, Rich Seller—the Real Estate Agents’ Guide to Marketing Luxury Homes.
Her podcast, Texas Brave and Strong, features tidbits of Texas history you never learned in school. Find it on Spotify or your favorite podcast site. And for more information about Laurie, visit https://lauriemooremoore.com/.
Gone to Dallas: The Storekeeper (1856-1861) Publisher: Goat Mountain Press ISBN-10: 1737436108 ISBN-13: 978-1737436102 Available from Amazon.com, BN.com, IngramSpark, Smashwords and Kobo
Secrets Threaten to Unravel Family Ties in The Wool Over Their Eyes
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At 18, Natalia Foster knew seven things about the biological father she’d never met: he was tall, dark, handsome and Italian. He was also married to someone other than Natalia’s mother, had three children and, clearly, no morals. Now, at age 28, Natalia knows something new: her father is dying.
The Wool Over Their Eyes, from Dione Martin, is an authentic, heartfelt story about complex family dynamics and the emotions that must be unpacked when long-buried secrets push their way to the surface.
Illegitimate and bi-racial, Natalia is the secret that her father, Joe, planned to take to his grave. His wife and family know nothing of Natalia’s existence — or that her mother is Black — but when word spreads that Joe has only months to live, Natalia feels compelled to meet him and salvage what little time with him she has left. But at what cost to Joe’s devoted wife, Rosa, and their grown children?
In the midst of Natalia’s family drama and pain is also a love story. Natalia must choose between two loves — a long-lost one and a new one. Her ex-boyfriend, Tyler Davis, who captured her heart and connected with her soul, resurfaces. But she meets a handsome doctor, David Duplessis, who’d cared for her father. Just as the relationship begins to blossom, David commits an act that severs her trust and sends her spiraling further into her dark abyss.
The Wool Over Their Eyes is loosely based on Martin’s personal experiences. She drew upon her own memories and insights of growing up without her biological father and being betrayed in her own marriage to inform her narrative and give her characters depth and authenticity.
“I wrote The Wool Over Their Eyes for fatherless girls, for women who have been betrayed, for those who have been rejected because of their race (or otherness) and for families that have been torn apart by secrets, lies and deception,” Martin reflects. “Healing is possible – through change, through empathy, through faith and through forgiveness.”
Author Dione Martin was born and raised in New Orleans, where she spent much of her childhood and teen years reading. She earned her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Minnesota-Morris and her Master’s in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently a senior communications director at Brinker International. She lives in Dallas with her two daughters and enjoys running, cooking, performing arts and attempting DIY projects. The Wool Over Their Eyes is her debut novel, and she is working on her next one.
For more information about the author, please visit www.dione-martin.com or follow her on Twitter (@DioneMartin30), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/dione-martin/) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/dionehmartin).
The Wool Over Their Eyes Publisher: Inspire on Purpose ISBN-10: 1948903539 ISBN-13: 978-1948903530 Available from Amazon.com
Trish Stevens Chelsea Smith Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Terminal Illness Causes Family Secret to Surface in Heartfelt Story of Severed Trust and Forgiveness
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Natalia Foster is the family secret that her biological father, Joe Russo, was supposed to take to his grave. But when Natalia learns that Joe, an Italian man she’s never met, is dying of a terminal illness, she’s forced to confront the truth of her parentage and make a difficult decision: Should she remain in the shadows or make herself known to Joe and his family?
The Wool Over Their Eyes, from Dione Martin, is an authentic, heartfelt story about complex family dynamics and the emotions that must be unpacked when long-buried secrets push their way to the surface.
Joe’s immediate family, including his devoted wife, Rosa, know nothing of Natalia’s existence. Her gray eyes — exactly like Joe’s — and simple math prove that Natalia is a product of Joe’s infidelity, making a mockery of Rosa’s marriage. If his family discovers the whole truth — that Natalia is not only illegitimate but also Black — family bonds will be shattered.
In the midst of Natalia’s family drama and pain, another life-changing decision emerges. Natalia must choose between two loves — a long-lost one and a new one. Her ex-boyfriend, Tyler Davis, who captured her heart and connected with her soul, resurfaces. But she meets a handsome doctor, David Duplessis, who’d cared for her father. Just as the relationship begins to blossom, David commits an act that severs her trust and sends her spiraling further into her dark abyss.
The Wool Over Their Eyes is loosely based on Martin’s personal experiences. She drew upon her own memories and insights of growing up without her biological father and being betrayed in her own marriage to inform her narrative and give her characters depth and authenticity.
“I wrote The Wool Over Their Eyes for fatherless girls, for women who have been betrayed, for those who have been rejected because of their race (or otherness) and for families that have been torn apart by secrets, lies and deception,” Martin reflects. “Healing is possible – through change, through empathy, through faith and through forgiveness.”
Author Dione Martin was born and raised in New Orleans, where she spent much of her childhood and teen years reading. She earned her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Minnesota-Morris and her Master’s in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently a senior communications director at Brinker International. She lives in Dallas with her two daughters and enjoys running, cooking, performing arts and attempting DIY projects. The Wool Over Their Eyes is her debut novel, and she is working on her next one.
For more information about the author, please visit www.dione-martin.com or follow her on Twitter (@DioneMartin30) or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/dionehmartin).
The Wool Over Their Eyes Publisher: Inspire on Purpose Release Date: March 5, 2021 ISBN-13: 978-1948903530 Available from Amazon.com
Trish Stevens Carrie Myers Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Traditional Meals Given Creative Twists in Eclectic, Kosher-Style Cookbook
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Fall is the perfect time to start turning up the heat in the kitchen. Why not try a reimagined recipe for Jambalaya “Jewish Style,” a steaming bowl of Texas Chili (you control the burn) or a French Bouillabaisse, but without shellfish? Deep Flavors: A Celebration of Recipes for Foodies in a Kosher Style puts a creative spin on traditional dishes, with an eclectic assort-ment of mouth-watering meals that can all be prepared in a kosher kitchen. The result is a diverse anthology of recipes that will appeal to broad audiences everywhere — Jewish and otherwise.
Deep Flavors is perfect for those who love cooking, whether traditional Jewish, or reinterpreted international, regional American and vegetarian favorites, including creative new recipes applying familiar flavor profiles. This unique cookbook features an abundance of tempting dishes, appetizers, main courses and desserts, drawing from many cultures, plus helpful tips ranging from how to source ingredients to proper preparation.
“Cooking is worth some effort and attention to detail,” Horwitz writes. “The positive reactions from family or guests, as well as your own enjoyment, will make it worthwhile.”
“Effort” and “attention to detail,” however, don’t have to equate with “difficult.” In fact, throughout Deep Flavors, Horwitz shares his wisdom for breaking recipes into simple steps — and how to do some of this prep work well in advance so that delicious meals can be served even with a hectic schedule.
Horwitz, an attorney and CPA by trade, explained in an interview with Today’s CPA that, “My approach to cooking is really an extension of what I do in my professional practice. I solve problems. One of the ‘problems,’ at least in my house, is that since we maintain a kosher house, but eat eclectically, is how to convert recipes so that they are kosher …”
Horwitz’s Texas State Fair Blue Ribbon-winning Spinach/Mushroom Lasagna, for instance, is a completely original vegetarian lasagna accessible to Jews and vegetarians, with a unique twist on ingredients that gives it a complex flavor profile. Even recipes for classic foods such as brisket and roast turkey contain newly imagined taste combinations and techniques to elevate them while maintaining recognizable hallmarks of each dish. Another recipe that epitomizes the standard set by Horwitz, yet remarkably simple to execute, is the Dill French Toast: savory, unique, and delicious.
Horwitz’s ultimate goal was to create recipes that are readable and easily followed by anyone with a basic knowledge of cooking. He provides detailed instructions with enhanced expla-nations and alternatives, helpful for both the novice and the more experienced cook.
A Readers’ Favorite reviewer, who gave Deep Flavors a 5-star rating, referred to the book as “… an essential addition to any cookbook fanatic’s collection and to anyone who believes in spending the time and effort to make the ‘food’ experience a real work of art …”
With 52 years in a general tax and transaction practice as a CPA and lawyer, Ken Horwitz has a creative and focused approach to finding and fixing problems — a skill that translates well to the development of and modification of recipes based on traditional family favorites but tailored to one’s personal tastes and dietary needs. His professional drive and the care given to his work have earned him multiple awards, including the Honorary Fellow for a lifetime of distinguished service and the 2017 Chairperson of the Year by the Texas Society of CPAs. Currently residing in Dallas, Texas, Horwitz enjoys sharing his passion for cooking with his wife, children and grandchildren. Horwitz believes that one of the highest compliments he has received came from a longstanding client who uses numerous lawyers. He said, “Ken, you are the only lawyer we use whose work we have not had to fix.” Horwitz’s goal is for Deep Flavors to reach that same standard.
Trish Stevens Kathleen Jenson Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
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Deep Flavors Offers Deliciously Reimagined Kosher Recipes
Lovers of kosher cuisine as well as non-Jewish foodies and vegetarians will find an abundance of tempting and unusual recipes between the covers of Deep Flavors: A Celebration of Recipes for Foodies in a Kosher Style from Kenneth M. Horwitz.
Between the covers of Deep Flavors, Horwitz combines his hunger for cooking with his passion for making international and regional favorites accessible for home cooks including those who prefer to observe some or all of the rules for kosher foods.
The Texas State Fair Blue Ribbon-winning Spinach/Mushroom Lasagna, for instance, is a completely vegetarian lasagna accessible to Jews, vegetarians and foodies, with a unique twist on ingredients that gives it a complex flavor profile. Even recipes for classic foods such as brisket and roast turkey contain newly imagined taste combinations and techniques to elevate them while maintaining recognizable hallmarks of each dish.
The Beet Borscht, a family recipe from Horwitz’s grandmother, is somewhat unusual in that it is vegetarian. “A non-Jewish friend almost refused to eat it because he does not like beets; he had a third helping that evening,” Horwitz shared.
Woven throughout this eclectic anthology of Jewish family recipes and original kosher dishes are flavorful reminiscences and insights about food, sourcing ingredients and preparing meals in a kosher style — all from the perspective of a southern Jew.
Horwitz’s goal was to create recipes that are easy to read and easily followed by anyone with a basic knowledge of cooking.
“Too many existing recipes, whether online or in print, leave out critical stages or ingredients, assuming that the reader will instinctively know what to do next,” Horwitz added.
Horwitz’s reinterpretation of traditional Jewish dishes plus other regional and international favorites delivers a diverse menu of recipes that will appeal to broad audiences everywhere — Jewish and otherwise.
Author Ken Horwitz has spent 51 years as a CPA and lawyer in a general tax and transaction practice, where he developed a creative and focused approach to finding and fixing problems — a skill that translates well to the development and modification of recipes based on traditional (and nontraditional) family favorites.
His professional drive and the care given to his work have earned him multiple awards, including the Honorary Fellow for a lifetime of distinguished service and the 2017 Chairperson of the Year by the Texas Society of CPA’s. Currently residing in Dallas, Texas, Horwitz enjoys sharing his passion for cooking with his wife and his children’s families. Horwitz believes that one of the highest compliments he has received came from a longstanding client who uses numerous lawyers. He said, “Ken, you are the only lawyer we use whose work we have not had to fix.” Horwitz’s goal is for Deep Flavors to reach that same standard.
To learn more, please visit www.deepflavorscookbook.com or follow the author on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.horwitz.73. . Deep Flavors Publisher: Inspire on Purpose Release Date: October 1, 2019 ISBN-13 978-1-941782-51-4 ISBN-10: 1-941782-51-5 Available from Amazon.com
