Wednesday, October 26, 2011

KEN WHO?


Just who is Kenneth Weene anyway?

Life itches and torments Kenneth Weene like pesky flies. Annoyed, he picks up a pile of paper to slap at the buzzing and often whacks himself on the head. Each whack is another story. At least having half-blinded himself, he has learned to not wave the pencil about. Ken will, however, write on until the last gray cell has retreated and there are no longer these strange ideas demanding his feeble efforts. So many poems, stories, novels; and more to come.

So far Ken has two novels published by All Things That Matter Press and a third will be out soon.

The first is Widow’s Walk, the story of a woman restarting her life and her two adult children. Widow’s Walk is a tale of love, sexuality, religion, and spirit. A box of Kleenex is an essential accessory when reading this emotional and meaningful novel.

Memoirs From the Asylum is set in a state psychiatric hospital. Full of tragedy, humor, and pathos, Memoirs reminds us that there are many forms of asylums and that it is all to easy to give up the most essential human freedom, the freedom to choose who we are. More than anything, Memoirs From the Asylum is a book for people who love words; it is a book that asks to be read aloud.

Coming soon is Tales From the Dew Drop Inne: Because there’s one in every town. The folks who hang out at this neighborhood bar are struggling to know that they too belong. This is a book of intersecting stories that illustrate the humanity of us all and our search for a place in which to belong.

Trained as a psychologist and an ordained minister, Ken knows that the human heart is the most elemental place to begin any story. Having also written a good amount of poetry, he strives to make the language of his books unique. Ken also brings the clear-eyed realism of a born and bred New Englander to his writing. The overall results are books that are especially moving and well-written.

You can learn more about Ken at http://www.authorkenweene.com

A good link for more about Widow’s Walk is:

For Memoirs From the Asylum visit

Both Widow’s Walk and Memoirs From the Asylum are available in print as well as Kindle and Nook.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

JUST WHO IS XYZ, ANYWAY? TOUR

ATTMPress has started a blog tour called "Just who is xyz, anyway?" Our authors have gone 'beyond the bio' and have written some creative pieces about who they are and what they are all about as writers. You may see Tweets and FB posts with the tour title in it. If you do, take a moment and get to know our authors a little better and see what makes them tick. Oh, if you can re-Tweet and SHARE these posts, that would be wonderful.

Please support an independent publisher and their authors who really do have some great thoughts, insights and interesting takes on life.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Stealing Andrew Jackson's Head


Authored by Charles D. Rodenbough
Assisted by Ryan Ray Rodenbough

In his obituary in 1899, the New York Times called Samual Worthington Dewey "one of the most
picturesque characters in American history."
For most of his life, Dewey was referred to in public as a sea captain, but his 92 years were
much more eclectic. He collected knowledge and was attracted by persons who shared his acquisitive thirst for
experience and learning.
Based in the true-life experiences of Samuel W. Dewey, Stealing Andrew Jackson's Head is a fictionalized account of those events, as told by Dewey to eleven-year-old Jake Cooper.

About the author:
Charles D. Rodenbough, grandfather, is a writer and historian, author of four books and many articles in historical magazines and journals. This was a special project because he partnered with his grandson,
Ryan Ray Rodenbough, who added the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

WHO IS JESSICA CHAMBERS?

Soon after Jessica was old enough to walk and talk, her parents realized two things.

The first was that she had an incredibly vivid imagination. Unlike many small children, she was content to spend hours at a time amusing herself, inventing ever more dramatic games of kidnap, runaway orphans and wicked stepmothers. When she wasn’t playing, she could often be found listening to an audio book, Roald Dahl, perhaps, or her favourite Enid Blyton, becoming lost in the tales woven by others. Even as a child, Jessica cherished a dream that one day she would be a writer herself. Always a shy person, she reveled in the ability to escape into another world, something that remains true to this day.

The second thing which gradually became apparent to her parents was that there seemed to be something wrong with her sight. She was forever tripping over toys left lying around on the floor, or being chided for sitting too close to the television (“You’ll get square eyes if you don’t watch out.”) It took several years of appointments with specialists, of brain scans and visual tests, but   when Jessica was five years old, experts diagnosed her as having Retinitus Pigmentosa, a degenerative disease affecting the retina.

At school, Jessica’s teachers did everything in their power to make life as easy for her as possible, including providing her with a CC TV and computer. However, as she approached her ninth birthday, her sight had deteriorated so severely that the teaching staff no longer felt equipped to meet her needs. It was decided that she should transfer to Dorton House, a weekly boarding school for the visually impaired. For Jessica, this was a dream come true. Having devoured all the boarding school stories she could lay her hands on, from Billy Bunter to Mallory Towers, she couldn’t wait for her own adventure to begin.

Of course, her time at Dorton House wasn’t quite the round of classroom pranks and midnight feasts she had anticipated. Nevertheless, her nine years there were extremely happy. In addition to the standard subjects, she learned to read Braille and to use a computer with speech output, was introduced to talking kitchen scales and white canes, and mastered countless every day skills to help her adapt to life as a visually impaired person. Outside of lessons she tried her hand at horse riding and archery, fell in love, and had her first painful dose of heartbreak. When she left at eighteen, she did so not only with top grades in her exams, but most importantly with the encouragement of her English teacher, which gave her the confidence to pursue a career as a writer.

Perhaps as a result of going away to school, spending more time in the company of her peers than her own family, Jessica developed an intense interest in people. Everything about them fascinates her. She loves to observe the ways in which they interact, their steadfast loyalty and tendency to hurt those closest to them, their capacity for both cruelty and kindness. It’s this understanding that makes her such a skilled writer. In the words of multi-published author Molly Ringle, “Jessica has an amazing talent for creating true-to-life characters, throwing them together in a gorgeous setting and letting the sparks fly.”

This insight into the best and worst aspects of human nature comes to bear particularly strongly in her novel “Dark is the Sky”, soon to be published by All Things That Matter Press. An emotional read fraught with tension and unexpected twists, the novel follows a family’s struggle to come to terms with the past. Twelve years after tragedy tore them apart, the Camerons reunite for the first time since that terrible summer’s day. Far from being allowed to lay their ghosts to rest, however, a shocking revelation almost destroys them for a second time.

Want to know more? Keep up to date with all Jessica’s news, including the release of “Dark is the Sky”, by joining her Facebook fan page
or subscribing to her blog.
For more information about Jessica and her novels, visit her website
http://www.jessicachambers.co.uk/

Saturday, October 15, 2011

“JUST WHO IS JEFF GEPHART, ANYWAY?”


Just as my wanderlust has kept me moving from place to place and working in diverse capacities, my writing defies strict categorization, from the satirical humor blog I post on my website (jeffgephartwriting.com) to the poignant drama of my first two novels—2006’s The Second Life and Out of Dark Places, published in 2011 by All Things That Matter Press.  The settings and characters can change, but one theme that ties most of my writing together is the examination of the human spirit.  I find people fascinating, and I want to understand what motivates and inspires them, so that’s what I write about.  Most of the kids my age loved Star Wars for the space battles and memorable aliens, but what drew me in was the battle raging within Luke Skywalker’s soul and his ultimate decision to reject the Dark Side.  To me, nothing is more compelling than a story of someone finding the resources within themselves to overcome life’s staggering obstacles.  The Second Life deals with a man who rejects society’s definition of religion and struggles to find the truth within himself, while Out of Dark Places features a protagonist who learns that the connections we make with others might be enough to redeem his tattered soul. 
While my next project will be a more light-hearted, comedic look at a character finding his way through a confusing world, I’m sure you’ll notice those same themes of self-discovery and the evolution of the human spirit.  If you’re a reader that enjoys having your empathy awakened and discovering that the similarities of our life experiences is what binds us all together, I have a feeling you’ll find it as rewarding to read my books as it was for me to write them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyArqsc5QtI

Thursday, October 13, 2011

"Just who is Elizaveta Ristrova, anyway?”



With her balance of misanthropy and anthropological curiosity, author Elizaveta Ristrova travels around the world in search of interesting material. Her books consider the significance of religion, clashes between races and culture, the relationships between humans and the environment, and the creation and unravelling of human relationships. She keeps a day-job as a lawyer, focusing on environmental and international development issues.

We in Pieces, Tales from Arctic Alaska, arose from her years living 500 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. There, she interviewed community leaders regarding traditional knowledge, cut and served whale despite being vegetarian, and read every issue of the local newspaper dating back to the 1960s. Writing was a great way to fill the three months of darkness each year.

Ristrova hails from south Louisiana and currently finds herself in Makati City, the Manhattan of the Philippines. She likes singing the blues, dancing tango, making soy brownies, creating kindergarten-style art, and proselytizing about the environment. Her previous books include Taking off My Sweater, Something Short of Salvation, and Small Fish in a Small Pond.

We in Pieces is available at http://www.amazon.com/We-Pieces-Tales-Arctic-Alaska/dp/0984651756. Pictures of the nineteen characters in the book and a diagram of the relationships between them are at www.facebook.com/ristrova.


Friday, October 7, 2011

#9 GRUNDPARK RD.

NEW RELEASE!




Authored by Randy K. Wallace

Sold into slavery by his foster parents and smuggled out of Alberta, Canada, Daniel is held captive by Terrance McMaster, a greedy and sadistic farmer. While he toils in a mine, Daniel discovers an ancient geode and a forgotten civilization. Though the discovery would change the known history of the world, the world is not ready for the crystals' amazing powers. #9 Grundpark Road is an inspiring tale of perseverance and heroism. Will Daniel be able to survive a power that has destroyed
everyone who has come in contact with it? Will he discover the true meaning of family?

About the author:
Randy Wallace was born in Stayton, Oregon. A few years later, his father moved the family of seven to Vanderhoof, a tiny town in central British Columbia, Canada. There was no electricity, water, or phone service in their new home. Randy grew up helping his family turn a piece of wilderness into a farm. These meager beginnings shaped his life, his teaching career, and, later, his writing.

ZAIRE'S PLACE

NEW RELEASE




BY

T.C. GALLTIN

When thirty-four year old Charlene Wilson discovers she is dying, she makes the biggest move of her life and leaves her abusive husband. Not knowing how many days she has left, she's determined to spend them in peace. She turns to Zaire's Place to find comfort. Aisha Carter can be found at the center of every conflict at Zaire's Place. While she plots disruption, Aisha finds herself on a path that takes her on a course she'd never imagined. Rebecca Reich was raised in a prejudiced home and has issues with black people. A fish out of water at Zaire's Place, a predominantly African-American shelter for abused women, she is forced to rethink the lessons of her youth. Zaire's Place explores the relationships among these women as their lives converge, as they make decisions, large and small, that will impact the rest of their lives.

About the author:
T.C. Galltin was born and raised in Baltimore, MD, where she currently resides. She is a writer, a blogger and a mother of one. Of all the things she has created, she believes her beautiful baby girl is her magnum opus. A graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, she enjoys writing poetry, listening to music, and playing Scrabble. On any given day, you will find her tweeting away on Twitter, one of her favorite social media outlets.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Celebrating Inspirational Words & Perennial Wisdom

Rumi Poetry Club

This Month’s Feature: Six Weeks to Yehidah

A ten-year-old girl, Annalise of the Verdant Hills, falls asleep and wakes up in a wonderland (actually in the sky) where she embarks on a journey with her two sheep, Mabel and Mimi. A search party is sent to find Annalise, and Annalise, in turn, is trying to find out why she is where she is. As the novel’s central character, Annalise remains charming throughout the story: Inquisitive, fond of outdoors and adventure, and at ease to talk with animals. To know the rest of the story, it is best to read Six Weeks to Yehidah by Melissa Studdard.
This is Studdard’s first novel which happens to be in the genre of children fantasy, in the tradition of Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy in the Land of Oz. And like these books, Six Week to Yehidah will be loved and read by adults as well partly because it contains spiritual allegory. Take for instance the word Yehidah: In Hebrew it means “oneness.” Isn’t that we are all seeking in the wonderland of our own life? Therefore, Annalise is an archetype of the wonder child in all humans, although this story gives a shape and color to it.
Melissa Studdard, MFA, has taught at several colleges and currently teaches creative writing at Lone Star College in Houston; she is also a contributing editor for both Tiferet Journal and The Criterion, and a book reviewer for The National Poetry Review. She lives in Texas with her teenage daughter Rosalind to whom the book has been dedicated. (A poem in the story is actually Rosalind’s contribution.)
The idea to write Six Weeks to Yehida came during a critique-writing group when the participants were asked to write a short fairy tale. Studdard’s assignment ended up in this novel of nineteen chapters. The book offers a delightful story for all ages to read.
For more information visit:
www.melissastuddard.com
www.allthingsthatmatterpress.com

- Rumi Poetry Club
www.rumipoetryclub.com