ONCE UPON WISCONSIN

Please check out our newest release, ONCE UPON WISCONSIN, from author Dennis McKay.

After the death of a wife who never loved him and son who meant everything, Bill Ennis travels to Wisconsin in pursuit of a vague yet stirring memory of his long dead father somewhere near the Dells. He forms ties with a small community of people while falling in love with the beautiful Trudy Pas’cal and bonding with her son. The arrival of Trudy’s rogue ex-lover and father of her only child shatters this new beginning. The ensuing turmoil and tragedy leads to a poignant and profound discovery from the past that determines a new course in Bill’s life journey.

"A beautifully written story about the power of memory to take us back to understanding."

Barbara Esstman
Author of THE OTHER ANNA and NIGHT RIDE HOME

“The dying art of scenic description is on shining display here. It's an adventure that kept me scooting forward to see where the road was going.”

Peter Brown, Author of Ruthie Black and Gone With the Gin.

- Dennis McKay resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland and has been a member of The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland since 1998

http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Wisconsin-Dennis-McKay/dp/0984259449/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262184179&sr=1-1

A great debut position on Amazon: Amazon.com Sales Rank: #63,399 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Ten Ways to Sell Books on Amazon

From SharingwithWriters, Patricia Dischler and Mindy Lawrence Sharing, 10 Ways to Sell Books on Amazon, http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/SharingwithWriters_Dec_28_2009.pdf




You can use Amazon to improve your ratings and your ratings don't get
better until you sell books.

So, telling you how to get better ratings on Amazon is tantamount to
telling you how to sell books. Many of you know that I rarely talk sales
when I can talk more important things like cross promotion and branding.
You may know that I believe if you network well, you won't have to sell
anything, ever. Not in the traditional sense.

That is my disclaimer. I'm going to tell you how to let Amazon help you
sell more books anyway!

A promotional drop in the bucket can move Amazon ratings drastically!
Especially if you keep dripping promotion into the pail. Use the perks
that Amazon provides for you (see the list below), and you'll find your
book selling. Especially if you don't give up. Just keep dribbling little
bits of information into these Amazon tools. It's about frequency and
longevity. Here they are. Pick one (or more) and keep at it:

1. Use Listmanias on Amazon and, along with your own book, sprinkle in the
titles of your author - friends. Let these authors know you did it. That's
a way to make a new promotion friend. There is a chapter in The Frugal
Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't that tells you how to
use this free promotional perk along with tips for making Listmanias more
effective. It also includes information on other free tools on Amazon.

2. When you read a book by an author you know (or even one you don't) do
yourself and them a favor by adding a review to Amazon. It takes but a
minute and YOU and your book get exposed too, if you use a promotion -
savvy signature. Simply type in a couple of dashes and then add "Reviewed
by xxxxx and your book title." Don't link to your own sales page on
Amazon, though. Amazon cops don't like that!

3. Tell other people about what you're doing, how your book relates to
current events and more by posting on your Amazon plog. Another name for
it is AuthorConnect ™, and it's really a blog provided by Amazon. You do
have one don't you? Spread the word about your fellow authors' books, too,
and then ask them to pass on the word about your plog, complete with URL.
This is viral marketing and it works.

4. Flesh out your book's page on Amazon by using Wiki (or Amapedia) to add
information on your awards or other publishing you've done.

5. Add to the tags, too. Use keywords from you book. As an example, for
This Is the Place, I use Big Love, Mormons, polygamy, Utah, western
history, women's fiction, coming - of - age story, New York, Latter Day
Saint, and a whole lots more.

6. Ask your friends and professional associates to review your book on
Amazon. See that word "ask?" They will be happy to do it. They just need a
nudge!

7. If you have a book suited to it, you add pictures to your book's page.
Check out my "Promote or Perish" picture on The Frugal Book Promoter page.
Here's the URL: http://www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo .

8. Don't avoid Amazon because you're mad at them. Getting caught up in the
idea of trying to sell your book only on your own Web site is
counterproductive. You may make more per book, but you'll make less over
all and your overall promotion will suffer. Read that word "promotion" as
"readership." Read it as "exposure." Read it as "credibility." You and
your book need to be seen more than you need a couple of extra dollars
profit on any given book.

9. Look into the So You'd Like To's . . . on Amazon. They will allow you to
rant or write essays to your hearts content and gather readers as you do
it. They work similarly to Listmanias but they're lots more work.

10. Make friends. When someone adds a review to your page, invite them to
be an Amazon Friend. Include a thank you in the message. Nose around a
bit. You'll find all kinds of ways to let Amazon Friends know about your
next book . . . and your next. And keep in mind that when someone is your
friend, your book or picture may show up on their profile page. Their
friends buy books, too!
CHJ

MARKETING TIPS FROM AUTHOR JOHN GORMAN

At ATTMPress we have a Yahoo group just for our authors. The group has become a family of sorts where they share marketing ideas, book reviews and connections. Not too long ago, we posted an article about 'author platforms.' John Gorman, author of SHADES OF LUZ, posted an excellent response that we feel can be shared with all authors. Here is what john said:

"I think I keep reevaluating the concept “Author Platform” in my head. To me, it’s much like the process of revision. I might get off to some good starts with my prose, but after while, after I have really looked it over, I realize boy does it need work. Only after the blood sweat and toil (the polishing) does the story take shape.


Building a platform takes a lot of work, but there’s a smart way to approach it. I have a much better idea of how to put one together now. But, I can guarantee the launch of my second book will not be nearly as good as the launching of my third book. Okay, so I think I am parroting a bit of what Phil says when he mentioned in the first post that building a readerships takes time. Indeed. I think I hit my wall a month ago. I went on a bloodless campaign to enlist all my former classmates, co-workers, I even reached out to family which showed my desperation or exuberance. It paid off, but it was a one-trick pony. The moment you lighten up everything comes to halt. But you can’t keep at it 24/7. Actually, it’s more like you need to be at it 35/8. In order to do that you need leverage. People who can spread the word for you.


Without a doubt, I was late to the blogosphere, book club circuit, and lit communities. Honestly, I thought it would be much easier to line up readings. It turns out venues I had read at before, places I was counting on reading at again couldn’t find spots for me even after I had given them head’s up. The readings I lined up came from new areas. Important lesson learned. Get used to cold calling and exploring new places. Also, expect setbacks.


I learned that one can list readings for free in Poets and Writers Magazine http://www.pw.org/calendar. A pretty awesome thing with a large national readership. Also, that you can get grants to fund your readings but this needs to be done in advance. http://www.pw.org/content/funding_readingsworkshops


Another thing I regret not doing sooner was approaching bookshops. When I had a little pushback from a few indie shops I decided to focus online. Good. But, if I stuck with it I would have bound the St. Mark’s and Bluestockings that were pieces of cake and very receptive. A lesson in it’s all a numbers game.

Once I had my blog, Facebook, and Twitter a-going I focused there. I rode a short wave of interest from Pacific University, where I studied for my MFA, and then was lucky enough to get some old elementary classmates into the John Gorman the author movement.


Big Publishers spend budgets and have a lot of lead time to get their book into the market. Small Fries need to think critically and leverage whatever resources they have. Here’s something I still haven’t done because I am a lousy procrastinator, but I am making it a top priority for the New Year. I am going to podcast readings and author Q and A's. You’ll notice whether it’s the New Yorker, Poets and Writers, A Public Space, or the myriad of journals and writers out there, and especially the established ones, they are all keying into the wired world.


Kindle is going to be a priority for me too. Also, I intend to release a single short story through Amazon. That’ll be another title under my name. This is all small potatoes but it builds a cumulative effect. I also want to get better acquainted with my local libraries. That seems like a no-brainer. I think there’s a lot of great stuff out there, but one needs to put together a master checklist of the things that ought to get done daily, weekly, monthly. You need to keep putting yourself back on track."



Check out the modern day Don Quixote
http://www.shadesofluz.com

Paper Cut: Blog that covers lit, pop culture, and all the cracks in between
http://jgpapercut.blogspot.com

Follow me on Twitter
http://twitter.com/Wonderboy33


Thanks for sharing these insights, John. The world of books and marketing is changing dramatically. Our authors are exploring and sharing some great insights and ideas that will bring them into 21st century marketing.

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN WOMEN

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN WOMEN:our defining passages

http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com

This unique collection includes over fifty articles by more than thirty-five diverse American women who revisit, celebrate, and share defining moments in their lives. Readers will see the universal in milestones of body, mind, family, career, and personal empowerment—whether joyous or difficult, chosen or unexpected, common or rare. These are poignant passages of women, told by talented and award winning writers: intimate glimpses into the lives of our sisters, friends, aunts, mentors, wives, grandmothers, partners, mothers, daughters—ourselves.


Praise for Contemporary American Women: our defining passages

Even though this collection is about contemporary 'American' women,
the stories are universal. As I read each one, I can see myself in them.
—Supriya Bhatnagar, Director of Publications, Association of Writers & Writing Programs;editor of The Writer's Chronicle

These experiences exemplify the range of passages that existing anthologies
have yet to address in a single volume. The authentic, often lyrical prose
speaks to a broad audience within and beyond academics.
—Diane LeBlanc, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies
and Director of College Writing, St. Olaf College; Bechtel Prize winner.

This collection reveals those intimate moments that change women's lives:
the way we tough it out, break down, and become whole again.
—Arlene L. Mandell, Pushcart Prize nominee;

American Association of University Women's short story contest winner, 2008.
ISBN 978-0-9842594-3-4 • December 2009 • All Things That Matter Press • Trade Paperback • 268 pages • $18.99

Wholesale/Retail/Library: contact AllThingsThatMatterPress@gmail.com

The Temples of Light

The Temples of Light: An Initiatory Journey into the Heart Teachings of the Egyptian Mystery Schools (Book & CD) (Paperback)

Danielle Rama Hoffman
Danielle Rama Hoffman has been a healer and teacher of metaphysics and the healing arts since 1994. She studied with Nicki Scully for 12 years and is a member of the lineage of Thoth. She specializes in Egyptian Temple Mysteries and leads spiritual tours to Egypt's sacred sites. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

http://www.amazon.com/Temples-Light-Initiatory-Teachings-Egyptian/dp/1591430992
A guide to the open-heart wisdom and secret rites of passage of thirteen sacred temples in Egypt

• Provides information on how to thrive as we move from the Piscean to the Aquarian age

• Offers guided meditations and rituals that connect to the ancient power of the Flower of Life, the Djed Pillar, the Ka, the energy body, and more

• Includes a 50-minute CD of a guided journey of the Sphinx

The Temples of Light guides the reader, as the initiate, on a spiritual journey through thirteen of Egypt’s sacred temples--a journey into the sanctuary of the open heart. Each sacred site is a portal to ancient wisdom that can assist the modern-day pilgrim with everyday life issues and struggles--love, purpose, money, and health--and the deeper questions of enlightenment and our divine origin.

Danielle Rama Hoffman opens up sacred rites of passage that historically have been kept secret to forge a relationship with the temples of Egypt as allies and spirit guides. For example, the temple of Sakkara is associated with abundance; the temple of Abydos with remembering. The initiations in this book awaken intuition and the Sahu--the fully realized self--allowing connections to the power, magic, and wisdom of such sacred symbols as the Flower of Life, the Djed Pillar (the backbone of Osiris), the Ka, and the energy body. Hoffman’s guided meditations, rituals, and exercises also raise the reader’s vibration level, as we move from the Piscean to the Aquarian age. Embodying the wisdom of the open heart of these temples imparts a shift in consciousness from fear to bliss, from powerlessness to empowerment, opening the body, mind, and spirit to the infinite possibilities within. The book also includes a 50-minute CD of a guided journey of the Sphinx.

Reviews

“The Temples of Light opens the Egyptian temple portals for anyone on our planet, and you don’t even have to travel to Egypt! By taking these journeys, you can align your heart with the wisdom keys of the temples, and then the wisdom of the temples awakens within.”
(Barbara Hand Clow, author of The Mayan Code: Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman’s The Temples of Light reveals the great spiritual sanctuaries of Egypt were built to honor and embody the transpersonal forces of the Universe. A great read from a modern mystic!”
(Hank Wesselman, Ph.D., anthropologist and author of The Spiritwalker Trilogy, The Journey to the Sacred Garden, Spirit Medicine (with Jill Kuykendall), and Awakening to the Spirit World (with Sandra Ingerman) )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman has brilliantly brought forth a beautiful initiatory process that assists humanity in reconnecting to a sacred forgotten truth. These powerful processes of healing open the doors to the Temples of Light within and move the energies of love and wisdom into our hearts as we connect to our divine selves and remember who we really are.”
(Linda Star Wolf, author of Shamanic Breathwork, coauthor of Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt and The Anubis Oracle, and founder of Venus Rising Institute )

“The Temples of Light is a good read; inspiring, and thoughtfully written. Danielle Rama Hoffman makes you want to climb the ladders of light.”
(Lynn Andrews, author of the internationally bestselling Medicine Woman series )

“The Temples of Light is one of the most profound books of experiential integration that I’ve ever encountered. Embrace it, live it, and The Temples of Light will shift your life. A journey with this book is about embracing living energy.”
(Rev. Marj Britt, senior minister, Unity of Tustin, California )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman brings us a new way to connect with the power of the ancient mysteries of Egypt. Her initiations are rites of passage into the inner workings of the Egyptian temple teachings and will bring you healing and transformation.”
(Nicki Scully, author of Alchemical Healing and coauthor of Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt and The Anubis Oracle )

“The Temples of Light activates the Sekhem (life force) of the ancient Egyptian rites of passage. Feel it--you’re going to love it!”
(Emil Shaker, Egyptologist, Luxor, Egypt )

“Whether or not you have had the opportunity to travel to Egypt, this book provides an opportunity for everyone to experience the personal transformation and initiation available within the temples of the Nile. Danielle takes us on a journey through time and provides clear, easy-to-follow explanations of Egyptian symbols, bringing them to life so that we can awaken our own master within.”
(Ani Williams, harpist, sound therapist, recording artist, and composer of Homage to Hathor )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman provides us with the keys to our sacred becoming. She enables the traveler in body and in spirit to move beautifully and loving deep within to see with our own spiritual eye the powerful unfurling of the lotus that is the open heart of the Divine.”
(Normandi Ellis, author of Awakening Osiris and Dreams of Isis )

Danielle Rama Hoffman
Remember to Breathe Inc.
www.remembertobreathe.com
www.egyptiscalling.com
danielle@remembertobreathe.com
(206) 323-2762, (866) 903-MIND

PLEASE CONSIDER OUR BOOKS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Yes, this is the time of year when consumers are bombarded by sales pitches, specials, discounts and more. Given the current economic conditions, it is expected that consumer sales will be down and, you know, I we don't have have a real problem with that. We have all spent way too much money on things that quickly clog the landfills; cheap things with no lasting value. As a matter of fact, we are urging our customers not to use credit cards for purchases but advocating the use of debit cards. Banks do not have our best interests at heart.

The nice thing about a good book is that it truly is a gift that lasts. Sorry for the cliche, but a book does keep on giving. It can be shared and re-read for many years. All Things That Matter Press is a small company. We look for new and gifted writers that have something they want to say to the world. We do not try to churn out mass market books-that's just not our thing. Our book list is growing-but not too fast as we want to be sure that what we publish is done to the best of our ability. As our authors know, we focus on sales over the internet and not bookstores. Why? Because every layer of distribution takes royalties away from the author, and admittedly, us. We also feel that the future of book marketing is on-line, not in stores.

So what do we have to offer? In the area of poetry, we have some award winning authors and books like Ramblings Through the Attic of Thought, Where The Fenceline Runs, and Haiku Strings. In the spiritual, self-growth category, there is The Power of StillPoint, Opus Dei: Letters to Mark, Jesus taught It, Too: The Early Roots of the Law of Attraction, Transcendence, No More Losers and Collected Messages: Guides for Personal Transformation.

Our novels have all gotten great reviews. They include: The Punjabi's Wife, Journey Into the Past, Quantum Earth, The Last Loose End, The Profile, Gemini's Blood, Human Trial, They Plotted Revenge Against America, Widow's Walk, Where You Are, Ora and The Gem Star, Motherless Soul, The Grace Note, Shooting Angels, and Shades of Luz. Some of these are thrillers, science fiction, love stories, action and adventure. There is a highly rated memoir, Musical Chairs, and some short story anthologies that will will make you think, laugh and even cringe: Revoir, The Heroes and Other Stories and A Hitch in Twilight: 20 Tales of Warped Imagination. We even have essayists in, Between The Storm and The Rainbow and What's Wrong With Us Anyway?

New titles are on the way soon as our list of quality books continues to grow. Give us look. For more information on these titles you can go to http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com or see our list on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1259336182/ref=sr_pg_1?ie=UTF8&rs=&keywords=all%20things%20that%20matter%20press&rh=n%3A!1000%2Ci%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Aall%20things%20that%20matter%20press&page=1

So, please consider our books and read great new stories from great new authors. Happy Holidays!

THANKSGIVING

We are Thankful for:

Sunrises and sunsets...
Wind...
Rain...
Grandchildren...
The children who made the grandchildren...
Warm crackling fires...
Home-cooked meals...
Sunshine...
Warm, cozy blankets...
Cat purrs and kisses...
Dog kisses...
Horse kisses...
Bird songs...
Hugs...
People kisses...
Sisters...
Friends...
Nieces...
Loved ones...
Aunts...
Authors...
Cousins...
Strangers...
Roses...
Trees...
Acorns...
Lichen...
Knowing I'm loved...
Our jobs and the people in it...
Our life...
Your life...
Time to spend...
Time to share...
Time to squander...
Love...

YOU

Count your blessings; We bet they far outweigh your troubles.

May you walk in joy all of your days.

Happy Thanksgiving.

GREAT POETRY

THE FUTURE THAT BROUGHT HER HERE

There are many new voices crying out in the wilderness that are beginning to be heard. Deborah Denicola is one of those voices. She writes about ALL THINGS THAT MATTER and that is why her book appears here as part of her blog tour. For more details on the book, go to http://www.thefuturethatbroughtherhere.com/

A PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH DEBORAH APPEARS ON SEVERAL OF MY OTHER BLOGS, http://philipharris.blogspot.com
AND
http://wakinggod1.blogspot.com

In a poetic memoir both personal and transpersonal, in our fearful post-911 era, Deborah DeNicola, among others, has predicted the world crisis we are now facing will initiate the global population into a new awareness of spiritual evolution.

In The Future That Brought Her Here, DeNicola undergoes three journeys which distill her private quest into esoteric knowledge. With references to String Theory and quantum physics, medieval history, the crusading Templar Knights, the Black Madonnas, The Church of Mary Magdalen and revelations from the Gnostic Gospels, DeNicola finds the common denominator of diverse mystery traditions, relating how dreams and creative process heal by expressing both individual and archetypal truths.

In this epoch of economic disaster, when three crucial cycles are simultaneously ending, The Future That Brought Her Here should reach a new audience, one not previously aligned with "New Age" ideas.

Buy the book at Amazon.com and receive up to 20 bonus gifts!

Deborah DeNicola is the author of five poetry collections. She edited the anthology Orpheus & Company; Contemporary Poems on Greek Mythology. A new full collection of her poetry, Original Human, is forthcoming in 2010 from Word Press.

Among other awards DeNicola received a Poetry Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and her work appears in The Best of the Web Anthology 2008. Her poems are published widely in literary journals in print and online. DeNicola has taught at Massachusetts College of Art and Lesley University. Currently she teaches dream image work and mentors off her web site: www.intuitivegateways.com.

Praise for
The Future That Brought Her Here

"...the book is filled with Denicola's magnifique poetry, her dreams, her intuitions, her own personal life, her distrust of men, so that what you have here is a profound theological study of the influence of the Power Goddess in the ancient and beginning-Christian world plus a personal confessional account that turns it all into something able to be related to.One of the few-few books I've seen in the last twenty years that I couldn't, couldn't put down." (full review)

—Doug Holder, Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene Blog

"A magical and mysterious memoir, The Future that Brought Her Here explores the emerging archetype of Mary Magdalene as an image of the desperation and hope for spiritual regeneration we all feel in politically and spiritually uncertain times. In an era of academic dryness and almost illiterate new age enthusiasm, DeNicola is that rarest of writers, a true visionary, whose lucid prose both startles and informs, frequently bursting into the lyrical intensity of finely crafted poems. Her words are as sensuous and soothing to the inner eye and ear as the ideas she presents are titillating to the spirit."

—Kurt Leland, author of Otherwhere, The Unanswered Question and The Multidimensional Human: Astral Projection as a Spiritual Practice (forthcoming)

"The sensual-mystic poet Deborah DeNicola has given us a lovely, thoughtful memoir of her long extraordinary, painful and enlightening journey. She begins in Jung and ends in a deeper understanding of herself and of life, along the way floating us downstream through the ages of esoteric understanding, to arrive finally in the vast ocean of collective realization. Her story is a page-turner, ushering us into new awarenesses. This is an important book for our time, embodying in one brave woman's course in life, our culture's story of the past thirty years, as we, like DeNicola, stand on the verge of the New Paradigm.

—Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield, author of Memoirs of a Shape Shifter

OVERCOMERS, INC

IT IS ALWAYS A JOY TO WORK WITH NIKKI LEIGH AND KATHLEEN GAGE ON BOOK TOUR! They have shown the power of the internet and social networking in bringing top quality books to the forefront of reader's attention. What is great is that this is all done without the BIG BOOKSTORES who have dominated authors and their works. The following information about a wonderful new book is timely with regard the issues that face us all. Help this book reach #1 on Amazon and, while you are at it, claim some great prizes!

Overcomers, Inc: True stories of hope, courage, and inspiration will give readers the knowledge and emotional resilience to face the most difficult times of life by sharing inspiring stories of triumph.
You will find this a book of diversity. There are many authors, from many walks of life. However, they all share a common bond. They triumphed over tragedy and gleaned wisdom in this process. While this is not a religious book, there are stories full of faith, of many kinds and flavors. It is funny how in your darkest times, faith often becomes your brightest light.
All of the contributors to this book want to encourage you to hold tight to your belief that a better day will come. It is their sincere desire to pass along what they’ve learned through their own trials, to make your journey easier.
To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch
BOOK EXCERPTS

Believe in miracles and be willing to receive the gifts that are offered.
Martha-Lee Bohn
When a volunteer asked me one Sunday night, “What should I do with the hundred pair of shoes I have in the car?” I didn’t know what to say. Overwhelmed with a long list of things to do, I said nothing, hoping he was pulling my leg. When he repeated it, saying that they were brand new children’s shoes, I knew he was serious.
I called a church member who is an elementary school teacher and told her about the shoes. She responded, “Oh my God, Martha-Lee. You are an answer to prayers. I’ve been sitting here praying for shoes!”
Working at a low-income elementary school, she manages the “clothing closet” donations for the kids. On Friday, a barefoot boy had come to her asking for shoes. She had no shoes, but she promised him she’d have a pair for him on Monday. It was Sunday night, and she had no shoes for him. I told her to please stop praying!
Consider when something feels like an unexpected burden, it may just be that God is using you to answer someone’s prayers! Choose to believe that coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.

Second Chances
Kathleen Gage
I don’t remember when things began to change, but I do remember many a night when my parents would tell me how worried they were for my safety and plead with me to change my ways. I turned my gentle spirit to that of a harsh teenager who grew more distant and angry with each passing day.
I seemed to look for the roughest people I could find to hang out with and call my friends. It wasn’t long before I was getting in trouble at virtually every turn and watching my life quickly spin out of control. What began as a fun way to live soon became a self made prison. And yet, like with any prison, I didn’t know where to find the key to release me.
There were countless times I prayed to a nonexistent God asking for help. “I promise I will change my ways.” For years the promises were empty pleas until one day I got a glimpse of where my life was and where it could be if I were willing to make much needed changes.
I wake up with gratitude on a daily basis because I was given a second chance to turn my life around. I realize I may not always be given another opportunity to change anything in my life and how important it is to be in resolve each and every day.
I feel truly blessed that with my mom and dad, I was given a second chance - one I am not willing to take for granted. I love you mom and dad. Always have, always will.

From Overcomers, Inc.; True Stories of Hope, Courage and Inspiration. To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

Over 90 top authors, industry experts, coaches and visionaries are supporting 38 contributing authors by donating nearly $6000 in life changing bonus gifts., including e-books, audio and video downloads, reports, special event offers and more. http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch
Among these supporters are Dr. Wayne Dyer, leader in the field of personal transformation, Best-selling author of Excuses Begone!, Chris and Janet Attwood, renowned authors of the recent bestseller, The Passion Test: The Effortless Path To Discovering Your Destiny, visionaries, leaders and authors including Dr. Joe Rubino, David Mathison, Alexis Martin Neely, Erin Blaskie and over 85 others.
On October 22, 2009 anyone who buys the book through Amazon.com through this special link http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch will received dozens of bonus gifts.

HAIKU STRINGS-NEW RELEASE

Poetic Melodies
By Nancy Lee Shrader

"Poetic Melodies" takes the familiar Haiku to a new level. Each seventeen syllable haiku is able to stand alone, but when joined with other haikus, they tell a story, a truth, a rant or a tribute. You will find 101 First Place HAIKU STRINGS and six
of these have placed FIRST a second time. Five of the Haiku Strings have been featured in "All Things Girl Magazine" and eight others have received Titled Awards. Other Japanese forms added to this collection are Senryu, Inversed Haiku, and Hay (na) ku.

About the author:

Nancy Lee Shrader resides in southern West Virginia. A recent widow, Nancy Lee devotes her time to her three grandchildren and four step grandchildren. She is the author of four books including her first book of poetry, "Haiku Smiles." Nancy Lee also writes for Amazon.com and she has twenty-one Shorts on the Amazon website. She is a member of the West Virginia Writer's Union, Appalachian Writer's Guild and belongs to a writers' group at the Raleigh County library.

REVOIR GETTING STRONG REVIEWS!

REVOIR, BY HUGH FOX GARNERING GREAT REVIEWS. If you like fine literature, read the following reviews and then, read the book!


That most books written today are whittled down to a single theme or idea is not uncommon, and this includes many books of serious literature. REVOIR falls into the category of serious literature. Yet rather than reducing, it’s a book so filled with heart that it seems to expand, page after page. Each of the 25 stories Fox presents is about family, extended family, displaced family, the longing for family. What is, and what is gone. And behind the humor and hubris is a heart reaching to take in everything: be it people, food, drink, nature, the unknown. Fox gives us the great big candy store in the sky. Between comic turns the stories are tender, and the author is saying that in order to survive this world, and for the world to survive us, everything has got to meld. And sooner rather than later. He spreads this through the book like smooth butter, encouraging us to lick the pages, taste the fatty sweetness before the bindings dry up. In the title story Revoir, Poet Joey and his current wife have a reunion in Phoenix with a former wife Joey now sees as being “too chocolatey-trufflish-pecan cheese cake-ish…” yet he can’t help but love and lust after her, as in the old days. The old days hang shroud-like over the book but never bury it. There is too much to love about the present to let the past take over; and linear time swims and swirls. In Das Heldenleben / The Hero’s Life an elderly man phones a woman he once loved but had ditched fifty years earlier, and talks her into meeting him for coffee. They’d planned on marrying, once, those two young devout Catholics, until she spilled her guts about having sex with another guy, during a summer work stint at the Cape. Remembering the terrible night she confessed, he now regrets his reaction, and that he left her, thinking of himself as “Idiotic him, Mr. Daily Communion, the body and blood of Christ… sex only for one thing, procreation, if you had fun that was only incidental… it was the deepest, darkest sin…” His gorgeous lost love who has become an old woman with piled up white hair, glasses and a cane. In a breathless effort to charge backward, he imagines kidnapping her, taking her to remote romantic places. And like the Catholicism that once kept him chained, he’s chained again, but of his own doing. So he lets her go a second time. REVOIR never figures anything out because it doesn’t set itself to that task. Fox knows this from the first page. The way he knows the mystery will forever remain the mystery. He rails a bit, here and there, then he acquiesces.


—Susan Tepper (The review by Susan Tepper has been accepted by Len Fulton for SMALL PRESS REVIEW!!!)

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

James Cox. MIDWEST REVIEW

“Stories need inspiration and Hugh Fox has a lot of inspiration to draw from. “Revoir” is a collection of short stories from this man as he discusses many subjects and gives readers a fine glimpse into his mind through fiction. The stories wide and varies, he discusses many subjects while entertaining the reader, making “Revoir” a read to be considered.”

HERE'S WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT HUGH FOX

Bill Ryan in The Unborn Book: “Hugh Fox is the Paul Bunyan of American Letters, part myth, part monster, and, myself-as-subject, a magnificent non-stop storyteller.”

“’Buddha revolving between Inner Calm and an opening Spiritual Retina on the impossible Now is the wisdom from Hugh Fox, poet-visionary extrordinaire....” Rambunctious Review, Vol. XVIII, 2001-2002.

“Fox...is a poet, scholar and critic who has ambitions as a playwright as well. The plays in this collection aren’t your standard Arthur Miller or Thornton Wilder fare. They are more like Samuel Beckett on acid. Fox writes the way he talks: a rapid fire stream-of-consciousness, full of anecdotes....and arcane esoteric references from his seventy-five eclectic years,” Review by Doug Holder of Ommmmmm: A Collection of Plays and Monologues, on Ibbeson Update. 1/28/07.

“...Barriers don’t last long around Hugh Fox. He is the ultimate explorer of the self....Whitman, in Song of Myself, only grazes the

surfaces that Fox penetrates. Henry Miller is demure compared to Hugh Fox...” from the introduction by Eric Greinke to Time published by Presa:S:Press in 2005.

“ [Fox’s] poetry resounds with a wisdom both primal and spiritual. His mind and spirit wander the world, hopeful and despairing, looking back on ghosts of the past and forward in search of proof that our existence will not end.” Review of Defiance (Higganum Hill Books, 2007), on Galatea Resurrects #10, on-line, Summer, 2008.

“Hugh Fox is a Professor Emeritus, archeologist, editor, writer, and iconic poet of international fame.His poetic styles range from super academic to Dadaistic to surrealistic to avant garde to post-Bukowski realism. For decades, whatever his creative style at the time, fans have celebrated the earthy and erudite poetry experience that is Hugh Fox.” Review of The Collected Poetry of Hugh Fox (WorldAudience, 2008) by Laurel Johnson.

Literary Novel Finds Publisher and High Approval

The following was posted on http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/

It is nice to see that ATTMP books are getting positive reviews. Thank Carolyn foe the serive and writing blogs you provide to authors!

Shades of Luz
John Gorman
Genre: Fiction: Literary
ISBN 098409847X

Reviewed by Nannette Croce for A Book Review Blog

John Gorman's first novel Shades of Luz is a fun read, though I must admit I'm a little surprised it found a publisher. That's not criticism. It's just that the book is hard to classify, and classification末or genre末seems to carry far too much weight with agents and publishers these day. Happily All Things That Matter Press must be somewhat more flexible.

Shades of Luz is part coming-of-age novel and part love story and even a bit surreal at times. Benny Fluke is a 29-year-old still living at home and working on his Master's thesis, the subject of which he keeps changing. He meets the elusive Luz while selling stuffed animals for a fake charity, and from then on she threads through the story, popping in and out of his life, encouraging him to move out of his parents' house, eventually sharing his apartment, but always hovering between friend and lover. The story is enlivened still more by some oddball and humorous minor characters and Benny's unusual workplace where he goes from overseeing the monkeys who pick stocks on a dartboard to championship thumb wrestling within the same company. And then there's that strange secret about Benny's Mom.

As a Baby Boomer I'm used to thinking of coming-of-age novels dealing with teens, but 29 is probably on target for the current coming-of-age generation. One thing that did confuse me a bit about the novel was the time period in which it was set. While much of it seemed current, Benny's workplace seemed a little futuristic, though maybe it was just meant to be fantastic. Whatever, it added interest and humor.

I "met" John Gorman when I accepted and edited Boba Fett Blues, my last official job with The Rose & Thorn. So I wasn't surprised that Gorman is at his best in those scenes that reminisce on childhood and adolescence.

Here's wishing John Gorman success with Luz and all future endeavors.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

ORA AND THE GEM STAR

ATTMPress announces the release of ORA AND THE GEM STAR by Jack Cowardin.

On the high plans north of Mexico City lies the ruins of one of the greatest architectural achievements of Pre-Columbian culture, Teotihuacan. No one knows who, or what, destroyed the City of the Gods. Ora, the daughter of a local chief, finds the Gem Star, a gift from the gods. This story is an adventure of magical realism in an age of primitive cultures, where women were submissive and subservient. Ora breaks the chain of this reality and brings the reader the timeless lessons of love and appreciation of all creatures that share the planet.

About the author:
Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Jack earned his BA at Oklahoma University then studied philosophy at VCU. He has designed and built 24 homes and was a marble and tile contractor for three large hotels. He started collecting rare books in the '90s. Ora and the Gem star is is first novel, with the sequel well under way. Jack currently lives in Florida. His web site is JackCowardinBooks.com

This book would make an excellent Disney movie! It is fast paced, filled with adventure, appeals to bot young adult and families and is just all around fun!

HOW TO WRITE A MEDIA RELEASE

How to Write Foolproof Media Releases
By Matt Bacak
Free publicity resulting from a media release sounds good, but how do you go about getting it? The first step is to write foolproof media releases.
Are you looking for inexpensive ways to promote yourself or your business? Well, read on about media releases, one of the most cost effective promotion vehicles available. Free publicity resulting from a media release sounds good, but how do you go about getting it? The first step is to write foolproof media releases.
Many people 'gasp' at the thought of committing the written word to the page. Don't be scared, just apply these quick and easy steps to write foolproof media releases! Let's get started!
Always remember when writing your media release that editors will likely give you a '10 second' glance to see if the topic is newsworthy. Make sure you cover all the media release basic essentials to ensure your media release isn't 'tossed' before it gets even the 10-second once-over.
Before You Start Writing Your Media Release
Before you even begin typing, take a moment and determine 'what is your story' or 'what is your angle'. What do you want to communicate and why? Some media release ideas are the launch of new product, change in your company that affects your customers, or an event that affects your industry.
Remember that a media release is not an advertisement; your story needs to be a newsworthy account about you or your company.
Essentials for Media Releases
You are ready to start writing, take the time to familiarize yourself with the essentials required in all media releases.
• “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” on the top left of the page
• Contact name, title, address, phone number, fax number, email address
• Headline, bold and centered on the page (more on writing effective headlines later)
• Location and date
• No more than one page in length
• Be concise and grammatically correct (no spelling errors!)
• At the bottom, provide a bio on the company, person etc. Provide brief details and remember to include a website address where readers can get more information.
O.k. the essentials are the easy part, let's delve into the guts of your media release and the tools for writing effective content.
Effective Media Release Content
1. Headline - Some PR people say that you need to spend as much time writing the headline as you do on writing the entire content of the media release. The headline needs to capture attention, while at the same time convey the content of the media release. The headline may be the only thing an editor reads of your media release so ensure it's a good one!
2. Paragraph structure - Make sure you make your most important statements in the first paragraph, waiting too long could mean your media release is never read! The headline along with your opening paragraph should tell a gripping story. Answer the five critical questions, who, what, where, when and why. The last paragraph is your call to action - make it clear and compelling.
3. Writing Style - Keep your audience for the media release in mind and ensure all information is factual and relevant to that audience. Provide statistics and/or relevant quotes that substantiate the information you are providing. Limit jargon and slang.
4. Distribute - Spend the time researching and creating a distribution list. Effective media releases do work; you just need to ensure that you send your media release to the right places. Check out industry associations, relevant publications (both print and online), newswire services, PRWeb, the opportunities are endless!
Writing a foolproof media release will take a little time and effort. The rewards of free publicity, resulting in even more customers and revenue are worth the investment! Why not try writing and distributing a media release today!
Matt Bacak became "#1 Best Selling Author" in just a few short hours. Recent Entrepreneur Magazine’s e-Biz radio show host is turning Authors, Speakers, and Experts into Overnight Success Stories. Discover The Secrets To Unleash The Powerful Promoter In You! Sign up for Matt Bacak's Promoting Tips Ezine ($100 value) just visit his website at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com or http://promotingtips.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Bacak

AUTHOR PRESS KIT

Jerry D. Simmons -
Author, Publisher, Speaker
INDI Publishing Group
Creating Opportunities for Writers
Author of What Every Writer Needs to Know About Publishing
Also available as an eBook
www.WritersReaders.com
Preparing Writers for Success
www.NothingBinding.com
Introducing Emerging Writers to a Global Audience

The Author's Press Kit - What is it? Do I need one? -
By Carole Barnes

An author's press kit (also known as a media kit or a promo kit) is a package of information about you.... the author. Often authors are asked to provide details about themselves and their work to members of the press, their publishers, or potential clients. A press kit is a simple tool for handling this request quickly and efficiently. A press kit is a great, cost-effective way to generate exposure for you and your business. If you don't already have one then it may be time to consider one.

A well prepared press kit is an all-in-one package that summarizes you as an author and all of your professional information. It allows you to have pertinent information about your books, biographical information, activities, achievements and press coverage at your fingertips whenever needed. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, with its main purpose being to pull together all your information and make a good solid first impression.

The most important element of your press kit is its professional appearance and packaging. A press kit is used to promote you, your products and your business, as well as providing your contact and ordering information.

So, what's actually in the Press Kit?

The contents can vary, depending on the intended purpose and/or audience, but in general, a press kit contains the following:
1. A brief biography - a one page summary about you, what you do and what makes you unique. This is a good place to insert your contact information and a photo of you.
2. If you are promoting your current book, your press kit will include a summary, title, publisher, publication date, synopsis, and a picture of the book's cover. This is a great place to add reviews about the book, as well as an order form.
3. If you wish to promote your general writing services, a list of what you've done for others in the past and some testimonial comments from satisfied clients can be added.
4. Reprints of newspaper and magazine articles, printouts from websites and references to TV and radio shows where you have been mentioned. Articles and media exposure lend tremendous credibility.
5. All awards and citations you have received.
6. A list of all your works, including where and when they were published.
7. Previous book signing photos as well as mention of any upcoming signings.
8. Of course you'll need something to put it in so it all stays together - a professional folder with your photo or logo on the cover.

With all of your information put together in an attractive, professional kit, you'll have a cohesive, convenient, and centralized marketing package. This packet will clearly communicate all the key facts about you, your work and achievements. The best part is that it will be ready to distribute at any time, with the goal, of course, of attracting future business and interest.

In these hard economic times, if an agent/publisher requests a summary of your information, it makes sense to have a showcase of your work ready to send out or take with you. A press kit can be handed to anyone... TV executives, agents, publishers, reviewers, etc., and can also be used to introduce yourself to prospective bookstores.

Press kits can be as simple as a one page summary of you and your work, or as detailed as you like. The best part is you can customize your kit for any occasion. Your can get online examples and do your own press kit, or have it done professionally, whichever is your preference.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like help developing a professional press kit specifically for you and your needs!

www.CaroleBarnes.com
CaroleBarnes@cox.net
Ph 480.330.3918

MUSICAL CHAIRS

NEW RELEASE BY AUTHOR JEN KNOX, MUSICAL CHAIRS.

Musical Chairs explores one family's history of mental health diagnoses and searches to define the cusp between a '90s working-class childhood and the trouble of adapting to a comfortable life in the suburbs. In order to understand her restlessness, Jennifer reflects on years of strip-dancing, alcoholism, and estrangement. Inspired by the least likely source, the family she left behind, Jennifer struggles towards reconciliation. This story is about identity, class, family ties, and the elusive nature of mental illness.

About the author:
Jen Knox is a Fiction Editor at Our Stories Literary Journal, and works as a freelance writer, editor, and writing tutor. She grew up in Ohio, and lives in Texas, where she is currently working on a novel entitled "Absurd Hunger."

http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com

SHOOTING ANGELS

JUST RELEASED FROM AUTHOR NICOLAS SANSONE, SHOOTING ANGELS!

A NASA Space Shuttle plummets to Earth. A team of eight rescue workers plunges into a treacherous Texan wilderness to recover the wreckage, and become entwined in a cosmic conspiracy. An uncouth disembodied head enslaves an elderly rancher and uses his cellar as the war room of its campaign against God, a noir-style slickster with a buxom blonde wife and a taste for margaritas, rockets down from the suburbs of Heaven on a comet to do battle with metaphysical evils. "Shooting Angels" races from the jungles of Texas, to the dark corners of undiscovered space, to the innermost reaches of the human mind, to the smoggy streets of Central Heaven, where people are free to give in to their most detestable urges. The novel asks its characters to confront their ordering theories of the universe, and raises questions of how we are to envision divinity in a technological age.

About the author:
Nick Sansone is a current student in the MFA Program for Poets and Writers at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He grew up in Champaign, IL, and attended Sarah Lawrence College as a student of economics and Russian language. His short fiction has appeared in several small journals, including Pear Noir!, Pank, and Ignavia. Nick has two years' professional experience as a wildland firefighter and trail services employee through the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. In 2003, he served on a NASA search and rescue team after the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com

"MOTHERLESS SOUL"

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF "MOTHERLESS SOUL" BY STEVE LINDAHL!

Emily Vinson's entire life was impacted by the loss of her mother when she was 2years old. At 82 Emily contacts a hypnotist hoping to draw out hidden memories and discover as much as possible about the short time she spent with the woman who gave her life. Glen Wiley, the hypnotist, teaches her more about herself than she had expected. He helps her bring out memories of many past lives, including an experience that took place on a smoke filled battlefield. All of Emily's lives have had the same tragic outcome, the loss of her mother at a young age. Her soul is caught in what Glen calls circularity, meaning that the tragedy will occur again and again unless she can break the pattern. She and Glen must revisit her past lives and use what they learn to find the other souls who are part of the circle. They must use the past to change the future. Emily's stubborn desire to know her mother is realized in intricate and unsettling ways no one could have imagined possible.

About the author:
Steve Lindahl has published short fiction in Space and Time, The Alaska Quarterly, The Wisconsin Review, Eclipse, Ellipsis and Red Wheelbarrow. He served for five years as an associate editor on the staff of The Crescent Review, a literary magazine he co-founded. His Theater Arts background has helped nurture a love for intricate characters in complex situations that is evident in his writing. Steve and his wife Toni live and work together outside of Greensboro, North Carolina. They have two adult children: Nicole and Erik. Motherless Soul is Steve Lindahl's debut novel.

You can purchase this great new book at, http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com

GEMINI'S BLOOD

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE SECOND BOOK BY MICHAEL BURNS!
NOW AT http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com

Gemini's Blood
By Michael Burns

Jack Scanlon, at the threshold of his sixtieth year, finds himself in an uncomfortable recliner in the corridor of Day Surgery at a local hospital, hooked up to an IV tube. He is receiving three units of blood, a process that will take the better part of eight hours. He has all but convinced himself that he is a terminal case, a victim of colon cancer. If a drowning man is capable of witnessing the sum of his entire life before his eyes at the instant before he goes under for the last time, Jack Scanlon has the luxury of witnessing his at his leisure, and in chronological order. His meditations focus largely on his early childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, which covers roughly the years 1944 through 1961, with a few brief detours into more recent history, a history that involves the deaths of his younger half-brother Keith, and his mother, as well as a short description of his own recent medical struggles.

About the author:
Michael Burns was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. His family moved to New Hampshire in 1950 where he attended high school, graduating in 1957. He deferred entrance to college to serve in the U.S. Navy for four years, seeing duty in Southeast Asia in the early days of the Vietnam War. After mustering out of the Navy, Burns returned to New Hampshire where he met and married his wife, and matriculated at the University of New Hampshire.

Encouraged by his freshman English teacher, Burns first became interested in writing fiction in 1963. He continued writing after being inspired by the late Thomas Williams, National Book Award-winning author and mentor to many young writers, among them John Irving.

In 1971, Burns joined the faculty of St. Paul's School, a college preparatory boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire. He retired from that school in 2004 after 33 years of teaching chemistry, life science, and creative writing. At present, Burns is living with his wife in rural New Hampshire where he is at work on his fourth novel. Gemini, his first novel, was published by Poncha Press in 2001, and will be republished by All Things That Matter Press in 2009. Where You Are, Burns' second novel, was published by All Things That Matter Press in 2009.

Gemini's Blood

SHADES OF LUZ

JUST RELEASED, "SHADES OF LUZ" BY JOHN GORMAN.

Shades of Luz is a modern day Don Quixote, a picaresque rich in characters searching for love and meaning in an otherwise manic-paced world. Grad School dropout Benny Fluke goes from stuffed animal peddler to thumb-wrestling champ.He is a monkey trainer, philosopher, wine snob, and a strip club connoisseur. Above and beyond all that he is a romantic at heart and is desperate to win the love of Luz the hot-blooded, ambitious beauty who keeps boomeranging into his life. Something from Luz's past inextricably bonds them together and Benny will not stop until she is his. Their delightful repartee is crisp, witty, and sumptuously engaging.


John Gorman's stories have been published in Mississippi Review, The Shore, Nexus, Quarterly Literary Review of Singapore, The Rose and Thorn, Word Riot, Monkey Bicycle, and elsewhere. He won the 2003 NYInt'l Indie Film and Video Festival screenplay competition with For the Love of Auntie. He lives in New York City.

Widow's Walk Blog Tour

Widow's Walk Blog Tour

with Author Kenneth Weene Widow's Walk Blog Tour

September 1-30

Join author, Kenneth Weene, on his blog book tour September 1-30 and learn more about him and his novel Widow’s Walk, a story of good people's struggle – sometimes successfully and often not – to deal with the challenges in their lives. The novel reflects how family, friendship, love, faith, and character affect that struggle. Take the time to leave comments along the way and you'll be entered in a drawing with a chance to win two different prizes.


* The first giveaway is Kenneth Weene's poetry book which will go to a few different commenters.
* The second giveaway is a copy of his book Widow's Walk to one lucky commenter


About Widow's Walk

Widow’s Walk is a story of faith and its effects on already flawed characters. Set in Boston in the 1980s, it is the story of Mary Flanagan and her children, Sean and Kathleen. Mary’s husband, Sean, Sr., died at the wheel of his M.T.A. bus. Her son, Sean, Jr. is a quadriplegic, injured on his way to a brothel in Vietnam; Kathleen, divorced and unable to have children, works and lives at a hospice that primarily serves AIDS patients; there she lives a mechanistically faithful life, but one devoid of belief. This unhappy family structure is erected on the bedrock stoicism of Mary’s Irish Catholicism. It is that faith which is tested, changed, and strangely reaffirmed over the course of the tale.

Two events upend Mary’s world. The first is her friend, Lois’s, move to Florida. The second is Sean’s decision to seek rehabilitation in a center in Minnesota – a decision initiated by Jem, a home health aide whose own life reflects a faith of care and service.

Mary finds herself looking for new meaning and direction in her life. In the process she meets two unexpected people, Arnie Berger, a college professor, an agnostic or perhaps deistic Jew, and love interest, and Pat Michaels, a minister, whose view of a joyous faith is much at odds with Mary’s rigid theology. She also moves into a housing share and becomes friends with Amelia Callaghan, the misanthropic house owner.

Sean’s life, too, is dramatically changed because he falls in love with and marries one of the aides at the rehab center. He returns to Boston married, employed and expecting their first child.

Given the remarkable changes in her mother’s and brother’s lives and influenced by Max, one of her dying patients and a man whose story and faith are powerful and unique, Kathleen also seeks love. She meets Danny, a young man tied to his overprotective mother and unable to deal with his own feelings of inadequacy.

Sadly, Kathleen and Danny’s relationship ends in disaster, rape, and abuse. Danny flees. In her own way, Kathleen does too; she becomes catatonic and dependent.

Mary unable to come to terms with her sense of guilt and responsibility towards her daughter – is powerless to keep those feelings from coming between her and Arnie.

In the end, Mary can not live with her unhappiness and dies of “the pain of her soul,” a diagnosis provided by the caregiver, Jem, who had originally encouraged Sean to make his momentous move. Mary’s death creates a strange psychological space in which Kathleen takes on her mother’s place in the world.

If you haven't already read Widow's Walk, be sure to pick your copy up at Kenneth Weene’s Author Website - http://widows-walk.webs.com/.



Widow's Walk Blog Tour

with Author Kenneth Weene Widow's Walk Blog Tour

September 1-30

We are currently booking tour stops. If you are interested in taking part int this tour email us at virturalblogtours@yahoo.com


September 2 - Writers in the Sky http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2009/09/widows-walk-by-kenneth-weene.html – Interview

September 4 – Ascroft, eh? http://dianneascroft.wordpress.com/ - Guest Post and Excerpt

September 7 – New Book Review http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/ - Review

September 9 – Künati http://www.kunati.com/ - Review

September 11 – Katie Hines – Walking on Water - http://katiehines.blogspot.com - Interview

September 14 - Xanga blog http://cce613.xanga.com/ – Interview

September 16 – Marilyn's Musings http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/ - Review

September 18 – The Nurse Mommy - www.thenursemommy.com - Guest Post
September 21 – The Book Connection http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/ - Guest Post

September 23 – Books and Authors http://joyce-anthony.blogspot.com/

September 24 -- Books and Authors http://joyce-anthony.blogspot.com/

September 25 -- Books and Authors http://joyce-anthony.blogspot.com/

September 26 – Books and Authors http://joyce-anthony.blogspot.com/

September 28 – Stories that Read You http://stevenbradley.blogspot.com/

September 29 – Across the Pond Blog Talk Radio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Across-the-Pond - 6:30 pm - Interview – The call in number is (347) 237-5398

September 30 -- Pending

Book Trailer: TRANSCENDENCE by Gabriel Horn and Amy-Krout-Horn

A great new Trailer by E. Joyce Moore for the book "Transcendence." This is a truly inspiring book that is being used by St. Petersberg College in Florida for a course this Fall.

INCREASE YOUR PRESENCE ON AMAZON

Please review the following information as it can be beneficial to your Amazon sales. At the bottom of this page there is a link to AuthorCentral. I would advise that you sign up-it is free!

If you go to http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JOVPOG you will see my personal page at Amazon. Click any book, and if you scroll down-you will see my photo and a link to my bio. All of these things are picked up by Google and increases your internet presence and this is what this tool is all about-increased presence and sales!

Subject: Amazon.com Author Central Update - August 18, 2009
Hello,

We are excited to let you to know about a simple but important change that will help many more Amazon customers find Author Pages and Author Blogs and learn more about you and your work.

In short: We now link to Author Pages from book detail pages on Amazon. A new feature called “More About the Author” can be found right under the Product Details section on book detail pages. Examples below:

http://www.amazon.com/Skeletons-at-Feast-Chris-Bohjalian/dp/0307394964/

http://www.amazon.com/Family-Man-Elinor-Lipman/dp/0618644660

http://www.amazon.com/Goth-Girl-Rising-Barry-Lyga/dp/0547076649

This is a simple and perhaps obvious feature. But it’s also one that many authors asked us about, so we wanted to tell you the good news as we rolled it out. We thought it also might be a good opportunity to share a bit about what we’ve been doing with Author Central and what to expect from us in the coming weeks and months.

At Amazon, we’ve made our goal to give authors a more prominent “customer-facing” role within our store. This will not only be helpful and fun for Amazon customers, but we love the idea of enabling authors to better promote themselves and their work and to reach both fans and new readers. In pursuit of this goal, we think Author Pages is a great new feature. They are further improved by the data you contribute via Author Central. So why wait to launch “More About the Author”? And what about features like Author Blogs?

When we build something new at Amazon, we often introduce it in a “soft” way at first, allowing us time to work out some kinks before we increase its prominence within our store. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the chance to find and fix any number of bugs, many of which you told us about (We’re not done, of course, so please keep the feedback coming!)

As we’ve improved Author Pages, we’ve steadily made it easier to find them. For example, a few weeks ago we made them easier to find in search. We also added a link from author names on detail pages (take a look right under the book title on a detail page – hovering over a hyperlinked author name will yield a link to the relevant Author Page). “More About the Author” is another step forward as we methodically increase the prominence of author information across our store.

Of course, there’s still so much to do – we have many new features in the works, including improvements to what you see already. For example, we want to allow customers to navigate from Kindle detail pages to Author Pages the same way they do from detail pages for physical books. Also, the current “More About the Author” feature is extremely simple -- it doesn’t yet do “smart” things like link directly to fresh Author Blog content. We expect to add both of these features in the coming weeks. (If you’re wondering about the change from the “old” Author Blog feature, the simple explanation is that the previous implementation proved a relatively inefficient use of detail page space. We want those pages to be as tuned as possible to selling your books –we think our new implementation will not detract from that goal while still exposing your Author Blog content for interested customers.)

So stay tuned and thanks for your patience and support while we keep improving the beta version of Author Central. Contact us any time at: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us.


Best regards,

The Amazon Author Central Team
http://authorcentral.amazon.com

THE HEROES AND OTHER STORIES

JUST RELEASED BY ATTMPRESS, THE HEROES AND OTHER STORIES BY KAT HAUSLER

Set against the colorful, yet sometimes strangely cold, backdrop of Manhattan, the stories in this collection are peopled with a very particular breed of heroes, not quite what they're fighting for. Here you will find characters in progress, people still getting to who they are: a self-conscious student who feels incomplete without a partner, a talented artist blind to the beauty of his own work, a couple who can't bring their love of an idealized past into the present, and an unstable woman whose breakdown causes those around her to realize their own frailty. These everyday heroes all have their own flaws and failings, all fall short time and time again, but struggle on, after worthy but elusive ideals: a sense of self, and a connection to the world around them.

About the author:
Kat Hausler is the youngest of four siblings, and grew up in Northern Virginia. She spent several years in and around Greenwich Village while studying German and Creative Writing at New York University, but since 2008 resides in Berlin, where she writes, teaches English, and is studying to become a certified translator.

WIDOW'S WALK RELEASE

JUST RELEASED BY ATTMPRESS, WIDOW'S WALK BY KENNETH WEENE!

About Widow's Walk

Widow’s Walk is a story of faith and its effects on already flawed characters. Set in Boston in the 1980s, it is the story of Mary Flanagan and her children, Sean and Kathleen. Mary’s husband, Sean, Sr., died at the wheel of his M.T.A. bus. Her son, Sean, Jr. is a quadriplegic, injured on his way to a brothel in Vietnam; Kathleen, divorced and unable to have children, works and lives at a hospice that primarily serves AIDS patients; there she lives a mechanistically faithful life, but one devoid of belief. This unhappy family structure is erected on the bedrock stoicism of Mary’s Irish Catholicism. It is that faith which is tested, changed, and strangely reaffirmed over the course of the tale.



Two events upend Mary’s world. The first is her friend, Lois’s, move to Florida . The second is Sean’s decision to seek rehabilitation in a center in Minnesota – a decision initiated by Jem, a home health aide whose own life reflects a faith of care and service.



Mary finds herself looking for new meaning and direction in her life. In the process she meets two unexpected people, Arnie Berger, a college professor, an agnostic or perhaps deistic Jew, and love interest, and Pat Michaels, a minister, whose view of a joyous faith is much at odds with Mary’s rigid theology. She also moves into a housing share and becomes friends with Amelia Callaghan, the misanthropic house owner.



Sean’s life, too, is dramatically changed because he falls in love with and marries one of the aides at the rehab center. He returns to Boston married, employed and expecting their first child.



Given the remarkable changes in her mother’s and brother’s lives and influenced by Max, one of her dying patients and a man whose story and faith are powerful and unique, Kathleen also seeks love. She meets Danny, a young man tied to his overprotective mother and unable to deal with his own feelings of inadequacy.



Sadly, Kathleen and Danny’s relationship ends in disaster, rape, and abuse. Danny flees. In her own way, Kathleen does too; she becomes catatonic and dependant.



Mary unable to come to terms with her sense of guilt and responsibility towards her daughter – is powerless to keep those feelings from coming between her and Arnie.

In the end, Mary can not live with her unhappiness and dies of “the pain of her soul,” a diagnosis provided by the caregiver, Jem, who had originally encouraged Sean to make his momentous move. Mary’s death creates a strange psychological space in which Kathleen takes on her mother’s place in the world.



About the Author:

Kenneth married his wife Roz in 1968 and went to U. of Iowa for a year, from which Roz graduated. He transferred to the Institute of Advance Psychological Studies at Adelphi University , Long Island , NY . He completed a PhD in psychology and worked as a psychologist from 1970 until 2001. During part of that time he worked for The Counseling Service of The Long Island Council of Churches. Despite his great interest in religion, he did not seek ordination until 2002. Why? Because he had been raised Jewish and only started really thinking about his own faith as an adult. He saw no advantage in upsetting his parents by seeking ministerial ordination.



He started writing, primarily poetry, in the 1980s. Regarding Widow's Walk, Weene says, "Stepping away from full-time work was the best decision I ever made. Writing this story has given me tremendous personal satisfaction, and it has shown me an avenue for expression I will always treasure."

KEN WILL SOON BE ON A BLOG TOUR.


Themes, Topics and Perspective Audience for Widow's Walk

There are a number of the themes and topics included in Widow's Walk. These include:

* Role of faith in life
* Possibility of love
* Meaning of life and of love



If you would be interested in interviewing Kenneth during his tour, or highlight him or his book in some other way including a review, feel free to contact – virtualblogtours@yahoo.com.

Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life

A GOOD BOOK, IS A GOOD BOOK. At ATTMPress, we believe that when we come across something that will improve lives, you should know about it. The new release by Dr. Judith Orloff comes at a time when people can use all of the help they can get!

Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life by Dr. Judith Orloff

A Guide to Staying Brave and Positive During Stressful Times

Picture yourself in a traffic jam but feeling utterly calm. Or not letting your supervisor’s bad mood frustrate you. Imagine being peaceful instead of worrying. Or enjoying nurturing relationships and a warm sense of belonging in the place of loneliness. This is what it feels like when you’ve achieved emotional freedom.

National bestselling author Judith Orloff MD presents new solutions for dealing with emotions in our hyper-tense world. She invites you to take a remarkable journey, one that leads to happiness, serenity, and a mastery over negativity that pervades daily life. You possess the ability to liberate yourself from worry, anger, and fear. True emotional freedom is closer than you think.

Synthesizing neuroscience, intuitive medicine, psychological and subtle energy techniques, Dr. Orloff maps the elegant relationships between our minds, bodies, spirits, and our environments. With humor and compassion, she shows you how to identify the most powerful negative emotions and how to transform them into hope, kindness, and courage. Compelling patient case-studies, stories from her on-line community and workshop participants, and from her own private life illustrate the simple, easy-to-follow action steps that you can take to cope with emotional vampires, disappointments, and rejection.

Emotional Freedom is a road map for those who are stressed out, discouraged, or overwhelmed as well as for those who are in a good emotional place but want to feel even better. As Dr. Orloff shows, each day presents opportunities for us to be heroes in our own lives: to turn away from negativity, react constructively, and seize command of any situation. Complete emotional freedom is within your grasp.

“A must read for anyone who's tired of feeling frustrated, lonely, jealous, or emotionally tense. Dr. Orloff shows you how to achieve a lightness of being and feel more positive and peaceful. Highly recommended.”
Deepak Chopra



To purchase “Emotional Freedom” with 100 free gifts from noted transformational leaders such as Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Michael Beckwith, Dr. Bruce Lipton, Shirley Maclaine and more go to: http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-promotion. For more information about the tour, please visit: http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/07/emotional-freedom-by-ju...

BOOK SIGNING FOR TRANSCENDENCE BIG HIT!

Amy Krout-Horn, co-author with Gabriel Horn, had a very successful book signing in Iowa at the Blue Moon Cafe and Hill Avenue Bookstore. At the Blue Moon cafe, lines for her book, TRANSCENDENCE, were already out the door when she arrived. She sold out of her books! Amy also gave a talk to the fans which is a great way to create a buzz about your book. Congratulations to both Amy and Gabe whose sales have been great and who know how to 'get out there' and market their message.

KATHLEEN GAGE TELESEMINAR-BECOMING A BESTSELLER!

Add Kathleen Gage to the mix with Nikki Leigh and Carolyn Howard-Johnson and authors should have all of the tools they need to help sell their books. I just got this email and felt authors would be smart to have a listen.

One of the greatest mistakes an author (or soon to be author) can make is to believe their book will fly off the shelf into the reader's hands with no marketing effort at all. Somehow, someway people will hear about their book, everyone and their brother and sister will buy it because of some magic dust and they can live happily ever after. STOP! This is not the way it is.

The truth is, most authors experience so much frustration because their book never sells more than a few copies; they lose money on the book and their dream of countless numbers of people reading their book remains just that...a dream!

There are other authors who make money on each and every book they write, sell thousands of copies and have the satisfaction of knowing lots of people are enjoying their writings.

The distinction of the author selling lots of books is they have taken full responsibility around the marketing of their book(s).

Which best describes you? The magic dust author or the realistic author who knows you don't have to be a starving artist to be a great writer?

If you want to be an author who not only sells your books, but sells lots of them, join me on August 20, 2009 for my bonus teleseminar How to Become an Online Bestseller.

To have your spot reserved all you need do is get my report by the same name.

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/bestsellerreport.htm

This is going to be an informative, fun and lively teleseminar. You will learn more in one hour about using the Internet to market your book than most authors learn in years of research.

You will learn the exact formula of how I sold over $23,000 worth of my book, The Law of Achievement, in a 24 hour period. And how the book became an online bestseller. And...how doors opened that otherwise would not have because of the visibility I got from the sales of the book.

If you're among those who want to take full responsibility for your destiny as an author this session is for you.

Go to
http://kathleengage.com/
For more info from Kathleen!