The Impossible Texan by Muriel DeBuque

About the Book

On the estate, Sarah Sommers lay in wait for her to come home after invading her dreams night after night. When Sara did go home, the ghost showed Sara where some of the treasure and a journal could be found. Trouble hit Sara right after moving to Austin. Finding herself pregnant, she didn’t know what to do. Jackie’s parents came to Sara’s rescue then and all though her life in Austin. There was mystery and murder in Sara’s life. Would she ever find out about the attempts on her life? After her quadruplets were born, she found herself bringing them up by herself only to have them turn against her. Did Sara ever find out that Steven was keeping up two households. She thought he gone so much because of all of those overseas flights. Little by little, her daughter Crystal was turning against her. The kids’ grandmother was behind all the misery Sara had, and finally her other children left to go to England, where Marcie and her children were. Whatever happened to her husband and children? Sara finds herself back on the estate without them.

About the Author

The golden age can be a great second start for a writer’s life, Muriel DeBuque thought as she sat at her computer one quiet afternoon. Her first book, The Estate in the Woods, has a five-star rating on Amazon.com and has been distributed worldwide. She closed her manuscript The Impossible Texan in hopes that it will be on the market shortly. Muriel has been married to her husband, Loren, for the past fifty-seven years. They have lived in the same house in the same town all this time, and they have four children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. As their children grew, their home filled with children from the town. They always knew there would be a pot of soup on the stove, a large pan of popcorn, and six-packs of Pepsi if they stopped in during the day or evening. And as her children grew up and left, so did all the children who had stopped in. Now her home is quiet but for the barking of their rat terrier, named Killer. She has written three novels and many short stories and poems. She put them into a box in the back of her closet. One quiet day, she pulled them out and read them. She thought about publishing them, and she sent the first one in. Muriel knew that of all that she has done over the years, it is her love of reading and writing poems, a family history book, short stories, and writing novels that she likes the most.

Cowboy on the Wrong Train by Jeanne Ann Off

About the Book

Protagonist Ty Grenshaw has lived on the Cal Grayson cattle ranch all of his 18 years. He works there as a ranch cowboy. His girlfriend, Patti Dileo, works for the Gully Real Estate Co. She hopes to sell a ranch to antagonist Skeet whom she met when returning to the small town of Gully after visiting her parents. The story takes them to a restaurant when Sonny Calhoun is murdered there. As the story progresses, Ty suspects cattle rustlers, finds a late calf, chases the trailer that might contain the bull that sired the calf, out of curiosity gets on the “wrong train” and from there becomes a kidnapped hostage. The story continues with escape, anger from his boss, the cattle auction where the antagonist buys cattle, a young girl living in the forest who is discovered by Ty and Patti, a court case where Ty is a witness and a tragedy.

About the Author

Jeanne Ann Off has a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University and a Bible College degree from Faith Bible Institute. She also took a writing course from Institute of Children’s Literature. She’s married to her wonderful husband Don Off, and they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in 2014. Both of them grew up on Western Colorado cattle ranches.

Road to Eternal Life by Dr. Quinton B. Richmond

About the Book

This book was written to help all born-again Christians to believe that Eternal Life begins in our present life on earth and continue on into the World of Eternity. It is designed to impress on the minds of all humankind that those who are considered their enemies, will respond and repay them in kindness as a friend.

Accordingly, the chosen subject, The Road to Eternal Life, was selected in order to broaden my knowledge and understanding of Christian believer’s concepts as to why Eternal Life can be lived in our present day journey on earth, and it is a viable truth in God’s plan of salvation. Also, this research is devoted to find out what concepts theories, and beliefs already exist in this area. In addition, my goal was to read and understand the history why Jesus Christ’s teachings’ are the Way, the Truth, and Everlasting Life for all who repent of sins and believe His Gospel. In addition, my purpose is with the intent to gain a new perspective and pursue efforts to add new thoughts and ideas and to strengthen prior ones in relation to the Kingdom of God which concerns the future and the End of Time. Furthermore, to pursue efforts in detailed reviews of other book data that contain ideas, concepts, and key theories of biblical opinions of God’s Eternal Life Plan... Then analyze and evaluate these sources information and evidence used in their conclusion.

Likewise, consider the values of other source ideas, theories, concepts, practices that are useful in today’s religious culture. Similarly, there is the desire to pursue creative innovations efforts which set forth new theories never before revealed on the subject of Eternal Life. In addition, my efforts are directed to provide accepted meaning, and strength, and theories that already exist. Likewise, the primary design of this research is: (1). to determine what claims are made by major sources in traditional work, (2). to determine if these prior sources actually report viable data, and evaluate and assess the validity of their arguments given for rejection/acceptance of Eternal Life, (3). to determine what ideas, theories, and practices are based on inductive and deductive practices.

Minoan Signs: An African Decipherment by GJK Campbell-Dunn

About the Book

Author Campbell-Dunn offers a great reference book for the university’s classics, history, and linguistics departments, school libraries, and language research centers with Minoan Signs – An African Decipherment. It centers on the idea that the Linear Scripts are the key to identifying the Linear A Minoan language, asserting that only Niger-Congo identifies the signs and that only Atlantic identifies the words of Linear A.

The book deciphers the Minoan Linear A Script, identifying the Linear A and B signs as objects familiar in the Bronze Age. It then shows that the Linear B phonetics gives the names of these objects in Niger-Congo, Atlantic Branch, represented by Fula and Gola. It explores the sounds, forms and grammar of Linear A in terms of Niger-Congo, using the script as a basis, and starting from what is known.

Here, commodity signs, the Cypriot signs, and Phaistos Disk are used as partial evidence. Then, a fuller comparative treatment and a list of Minoan words follow. Also added are suggestions about determinatives and Greek language, including particles and metre.

This book is the authentic Linear A decipherment, which uses the comparative method to identify the language group of Linear A and pinpoints actual closely related languages.

About the Author

GJK Campbell-Dunn graduated MA with 1st Class Honours in Classics at the University of New Zealand in 1962 and was awarded a postgraduate scholarship, gaining his MA at Cambridge in 1968. He was appointed to a lectureship in Classics, University of Canterbury, then to a senior lectureship in Classics, Victoria University, Wellington, in 1970. The author completed his PhD at Canterbury in 1982, and retired in 1990. At present he is researching African substrate.

Maturation: The Adult Paradigm (The Map) by Skipi Lundquist Smoot, PhD

Maturation: The Adult Paradigm (The Map) clarifies the vague Boundary between Adolescent and Adult Development

In the pages of this enlightening new book, Author Skipi Lundquist Smoot, PhD, reveals significant scientific evidence concerning the Adult stage of Psychological Development

“The guide provides a fresh perspective on its subject, framing a majority of Adult Emotional Distress and Anxiety to fall on the continuum of Ego & Cognitive Immaturity/Maturity vs Neurosis/Wellness. In this way, Dr. Smoot breaks from many of her contemporaries, offering a holistic approach that advocates personal exploration instead of pharmacology or fad therapies. Dr. Smoot is no stranger to mental anguish herself; this book was greatly informed by the tragic deaths of three of her sons, and she effectively weaves her own grief and confusion into the book while managing to make her advice seem personal and applicable to everyone. Dr. Smoot also skillfully and engagingly blends the spiritual and the scientific, highlighting spirituality’s therapeutic benefits in conjunction with conventional therapies.

A comprehensive, helpful guide to the troubled mind.”

-Kirkus

We are Born with a Mission– to explore our own path. Most of us begin our Journey “dancing” with abandon to intense emotional rhythms. Only later…often in great pain, do some of us recognize the outstretched hand of Objective Reality and learn to Dance to the Music of the Universe (Laws of Cause & Effect.}.

Irvine, CA – From author Skipi Lundquist Smoot, PhD, comes a revealing definition of the Adult Developmental Stage of Psychological Maturation, which serves as the necessary “Missing Link” for development of Unique Personal Potential, comfort with emotional and personal separation, and ability to live in harmony with the Essence of both one’s “Real” self and that of significant others.

This book targets different audiences and aims to help these groups in their respective self-development needs. For Adult Readers who are searching for a resolution of psychological and relationship problems, this acts as a Self-Help book that teaches a clear, logical method for resolving conflicts, coping with stress, and making successful decisions in both personal and relationships with important others. For Mental Health Professionals, this serves as a guide to treatment of Adult Symbiotic Attachment, a model for use in Marriage And Family Psychotherapy, and a help to parents dealing with problematic older adolescents. For Colleges and Universities, this book acts as educational resources for both teaching and learning up-to-date information concerning the science of Psychology. For psychological Organizations, this reading is an insightful guide for presentations at professional meetings.

The author hopes that readers will follow The “MAP” and learn to dance to the Music of Reality, to enable them discover and to be comfortable with their “Real” self.

This book is available online and can be purchased at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

About the Author

Skipi Lundquist Smoot, PhD is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Business Consultant with Offices at 10 McLaren, Suite–D - Irvine, Ca. 92618. Dr. Smoot is the former owner-operator of 3 successful McDonald's Restaurants in California and Virginia. Dr. Smoot is shown here with Ronald McDonald and Uncle, Ray Kroc (McDonald's Founder) at the opening of her McDonald's Restaurant on Richmond Road in Williamsburg, VA (1976).

Dr. Smoot's education includes a PhD in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego, California, a MA in Marriage, Family, Child Clinical Services from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California and a BA in Psychology from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA (Christopher Newport Campus). In Private Practice for over 25years, Dr. Smoot has a weekly caseload of private clients in Addition to supervising Masters and Doctoral Level interns in the areas of Psychotherapy and administration and interpretation of a specialized battery of Psychological Clinical and Vocational tests. She is listed in Who's Who in American Women and Who's Who in America.

Author Skipi Lundquist Smoot, PhD, has also released The “MAP” Workbook for use with Maturation: The Adult Paradigm to help readers examine their path closely for clues. Her upcoming books: The Murder of Blake – Will the “Real” Bad Guys please stand up, and On the Couch – A collection of Vignettes and Visualization concerning Psychotherapy.

Wild Child and Good Son: A Parable for Fathers and Their Sons by Dr. Owen Fleming Jr.

We all know how the loving Father accepted the Prodigal Son back into his home. But do you ever wonder what happened to the two sons after? Find out as author Billy Owen Fleming continues with the story in this sequel to the parable of the prodigal son.

Follow the generations of the family for two generations in Wild Child and Good Son: A Parable for Fathers and Their Sons.

About the Book

“My son, I love you…” And so the loving Father welcomes back his prodigal son to his home with love and a party. But does this story end here?

Looks like it doesn’t… This sequel continues Jesus’ greatest parable of the Prodigal Son.

Accompany the two sons as they grow to manhood. Each one tries and fails to be the perfect father. But out of their failure emerges hope and redemption. Together, they will learn the heartbreak and wonder of parenthood. Be inspired and learn from them…

About the Author

Dr. Billy Owen Fleming Jr. is a pastor, teacher, writer, and storyteller living in Waxhaw, North Carolina. He has published a book of poetry, Echoes of the Inner Mountains (D/N Publications, 2008), and a book on the Psalms, Mapping the Christian Life (RevPress, 2009). He has three children and two grandchildren, who were sometimes good, often wild, and always wonderful.

IMPRESSIONS AND REFLECTIONS and HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE by Peter Chapel

An nonagenarian shares his life through literature…

His Impressions and Reflections captures his life journey through song lyrics and short stories.

Having the Time of My Life is his engaging memoir that showcases photos, letters, personal vignettes, and life lessons.


ABOUT THE BOOK

IMPRESSIONS AND REFLECTIONS
Evoking emotions from deep within himself, author Peter Chapel pens down his life journey in poetic verses in Impressions and Reflections. This collection of elegant song lyrics and short stories will take you on an intimate journey of the author’s personal life. He writes with a stunning depth of emotion and candor, unafraid to lay bare his feelings. He combines his poetic eye and ear for a tune to offer a rhapsodic collection in this book. His lyrics are highly rhythmic and evocative, yet exude a subtle simplicity of language and style. The poetry and stories are so very personal and nice – and at times humorously recalled.

His song lyrics were a consequence of being a captive in his automobile twice a month from 1978 to 1981 while driving eight hours at a stretch, mostly at night. As the words formed phrases and sentences, they fell into a rhythm and evolved into melodies that became his form of self-expression for about two years.

Writing in the first person singular seemed the easiest way to go… and so he did. Because he had no musical training, he depended on a friend to transcribe the songs from tape to lead sheet form and piano accompaniment.

HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE
From a man who has seen so much of life and has felt so deeply through the decades, comes a truly remarkable autobiography, Having the Time of My Life. Filled with raw and real emotions, many readers can easily relate to some conversations, situations, mishaps, adventures, and sentiments in this memoir. Author Peter Chapel opens himself through the pages of this book. In a conversational and personable tone, readers will find themselves brought in to the interesting times and memorable moments of the author’s past. He also tells stories and reveals about people, places, and events of America’s past. His vignettes of both his and America’s past create a history that most Americans his age can remember and understand – and which young Americans can learn from. His memoir is packed with letters, photos, and original song lyrics that exude love of family, lifelong friends, young people, adults, country and life. These mementos of the author’s past share a story about American culture after World War II, representing important lessons and lasting wisdom.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Chapel was born in Manitoba, Canada, and moved to New York City at age 18. He served 4 years in the U.S. Army during World War II, with two years overseas in the Persian Gulf Transport Command. He attended UCLA under the GI bill of Rights, and since 1951 has been a resident of Santa Monica, California. Home improvement and landscaping have been his main hobbies, primarily, of necessity. He has been happily married for 40 years. He continued to drive to his Santa Cruz mountain work retreat for a weekend, and later a week, each month for 45 years. All the work in planning and labor in construction and landscaping on the seven acres of redwood jungle and a rickety little cabin was his own until the earthquake of 1989.

At this stage in his life, in the second half of his nonagenarian decade – he’s now 94 years old. He has embarked on reliving the highlights and the lows of his long life in tranquility by writing his “memoirs of an average man in our blessed land of the free, encountered and recorded, in brief, with documentation.”

R & R: Relationship and Religion by Ricky Sanderson

Why do relationships fall apart?
Why do couples break each other’s hearts?
How can one have lasting, healthy, and fulfilling relationships?

Learn from these short stories of individuals and their good and not-so-good life events and struggles.
Restore your relationships with a little R&R.

About the Book

Author Ricky Sanderson is tired of seeing couples destroyed because of relationships that went south. So, in his book, R&R Relationship and Religion, he centers into an important basic theme: restoration of relationships.

This book is more than just a collection of short stories; the individuals have shared their life events – both the good and bad – and have demonstrated how God can effect change in a relationship when couples place Him first in their lives. It gives a sad but truthful look on the effect of slavery, family torn apart, and no family values.

For far too long, these things have been ignored, that’s why this book examines them and gives suggestion toward healing. God has to play a part… especially if it’s to be a successful relationship.

About the Author

I was born in a little town called Holly Springs, in Mississippi. At the age of two I was abandon by my Biological parents and adopted by Wilson and Olivia Sanderson, who were my Aunt and Uncle. This book is dedicate to them. They showed me what relationships are all about through good and bad times. I wish they were here to enjoy this time. My mom was a Nurse, Hairdresser, mid-wife, and caregiver; She was the best mother any child could have. I never understood many of the things she tried to teach me. Until I left home to joined the NAVY, and later started my own family. She was a strong individual that didn’t mind helping anyone in need. She once told me that in everyone life there will be a time that they could use a helping hand, and if you refuse to lend a hand; than what is your worth? She was an incredible lady. I LOVE YOU MOMMY!

My dad was a rock, he believed in family, I watched him interact with his dad and wanted the same relationship between us. He was close to all the member of the family, he always spent time communicating with them. He told me family relationship has to be strong, because it’s family that you can count on during a crisis. One Memorial Day weekend I was home at his request, to help him around the house. He had gotten up in aged and couldn’t do much. One evening as we sat talking, he leaned over and said, “How do you see me?” I said, “You are my dad, you’re the only father I’ve ever known and I’m proud to be called your son. I love you.” He looked at me and said, I love you too Then he said, if you ever tell anyone I said that I’ll deny it. That was the only time he ever said he loved me, that fall he passed away. I’m glad I got the chance to have him as my father, and if I can be just a bit of the man he was than he did a great job with me, Thank you Daddy.

I’m the father of three wonderful kids Ricky, who is married and has a family of his own. He’s also a musician and song writer, I hope to see his name in lights one day. My Daughter Rachel has a daughter as well, she a great mother. Then there’s my baby boy Ryan, doing his thing very hard working. I have 5 grand kids I am very proud of my kids and I thank God for them. I live in Cape Cod Ma. my life has gone through some changes but I am happy, living in Cape Cod has been an interesting one. I know it was God’s plan that I move here to learn and understand him better. I am an associate minister at one of the local churches, I also teach Sunday school, as well work as a youth advisor for the Greater Fellowship Association of RI and Affiliates. God is truly doing a great work within me so I will be equipped to help someone. I don’t call myself a relationship expert, but I do know what the Bible says about relationships. So I want to share that with others through these short stories. I pray that someone relationship is strengthen by this book. So many negative book on relationships are out and have destroyed marriages and ruin relationships. I hope this book will help restore broken relationships…

Psalm 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it:

The Carver Literary Arts Society 2010 Anthology

If you’re looking for something comforting but honest… truthful but healing… thought-provoking but adventurous… funny but soulful… then this book is for you.

Author Antoinette V. Franklin shares an anthology of literary arts with these stories of women dealing with abuse, teen abortion, racial pride, internet dating, culture, change, and more.

In this first African American Anthology written in the city of San Antonio, Texas, the author features 16 African-American writers and one Mexican-American writer, who share words that will fill your heart with joy laced with some sorrow.


About the Book
Immerse yourself in poetry, short stories and essays with The Carver Literary Arts Society Anthology 2010.

What began in April 2009 as an appreciation group of African American Literature has transformed the Literature scene in San Antonio into a new cultural experience. This anthology celebrates seasoned writers as well as the novices that are expressing their talent.

Many areas reflect their muse’s special touch and how they have captured her charm. There’s a young poet who spoke bravely about losing a loved one; there’s a poem about fun in the Jamaican sun and witnessing the transformation yet to come. One poet wrote a stirring poem about the Watts Riot; others penned down spiritually uplifting messages that tell the story without preaching.

Experience freedom of expression with the love of words and hope for tomorrow in this collection that celebrates writing of various cultures and backgrounds with the inner voices’ musings that tell the stories passed down and many stories that were lived through.

Find yourself enwrapped with joy, laughter and so many life lessons in these pages.


About the Author
Antoinete V. Franklin is a sixth generation Texan and began writing at the age of six. She is an educator and creative writng teacher in San Antonio, Texas.

frustrating GOD: How Open Theism Gets God All Wrong By Luis Scott

Discover how to mend your relationship with God and learn the paradox of God’s foreknowledge and human free will…

God sees and knows all things, including every individual’s future. But how does His knowledge of the future impact your free will to live your life any way you want to? Pastor Luis Scott offers a challenge to the assumptions of open theism and provides answers that are both refreshing and new in his book, Frustrating God:How Open Theism Gets God All Wrong.

Theologians and laypeople alike have struggled with the extent God's knowledge, the limitations of human free will, and the practical implications these ideas have for everyday life. They ask these important and honest questions:

• Why doesn't God do something about all the evil in the world? 
• How can God answer prayers if He does not know and may not be able to anticipate the future consequences of those answers? 
• How can the apparent conflict between human freedom and God's overwhelming power be resolved? 

These and so many more questions will be answered in this book.

In this challenge to the theological view of open theism, Pastor Scott offers a radically new alternative to the seemingly tense relationship between God's foreknowledge and human free will.

This is the beginning of a journey to a deeper knowledge of the mysterious God of the Bible, the God who baffles everyone but still loves them enough to lay the penalty of sin upon His beloved Son.

The Names of My Mothers by Dianne Sanders Riordan

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1942, Elizabeth Bynum Sanders was a young woman who left home under false pretenses and traveled to Our Lady of Victory, a home for unwed mothers in upstate New York. Shortly after surrendering her daughter for adoption, she returned to her life in Johnston County, North Carolina. She never married and never had another child of her own.

Through writing that is both evocative and straight-forward, nuanced and poetic the author carries us into a world of reunion that is both celebration and challenge. Through story, it brings us into the complexity of the adoption world.

The Names of My Mothers is a moving and powerful memoir that tells of the profound need for connection. It is a story about identity, the hunger one feels for a sense of belonging, and the ineffable significance of blood.



REVIEWS

Carol Schaefer, author, The Other Mother

“Just finished reading Dianne’s beautifully written and inspiring book and I highly recommend it. I hope that it especially reaches adoptees who connect with a mother resistant to reunion, for fear of people discovering her “shameful” secret.”

Ann Attayek Carr, George Mason University

“I could not put this book down. It is not only a beautiful story, it is a work of art – an elegantly written heart song. Having grown up nearby, I know the sleepy southern culture of the period. Dianne brings the members of her birth family alive on the page – I can hear their soft voices and see their faces and feel their grace. Her thoughtful description of the small-town rural culture gave me a new appreciation for my own Southern roots as I could see it and appreciate it through her eves. Her loving, intimate portrayal of her experience is better than a prayer. Get ready to fall in love with this family and this author.”

Keith Elkins, actor

“Last night I sat down to read for a few minutes. But I picked the wrong book. I ended up reading Dianne Riordan’s The Names of My Mothers straight through. Knowing a bit about separation from experience, I was deeply moved by the grace and respect with which the author reached out to find, and then establish a caring relationship with, the biological mother who’d given her up for adoption at birth – as well as by the courage with which her mother responded.”

Mary Herbst, co-author, Have Mercy

“From the beginning of this beautifully crafted book, I felt I was a witness to the compelling experience of the author as she searches for and finds her birth mother. With emotional depth and vivid description, Dianne Sanders Riordan allows the reader to be a part of her journey.”



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dianne Sanders Riordan and her husband Frank reside in Buffalo, NY where they resettled after twenty years serving as a Navy family. They have seven children and thirteen grandchildren.

Dianne received a B.A. in English from Rosary Hill College (now Daemen College). She recently retired from the Mental Health Association of Erie County where she worked as a Family Advocate.

As a member of TRIA (Truth and Reconciliation in Adoption), Dianne’s energies now focus on advocating for open records for all adult adoptees, especially for access to their original birth certificates!

For fun, you can find her strolling the beach (any beach will do!), reading or relaxing with her family. She meets weekly with fellow poets, sharing words and wisdom over coffee or tea. A yearly writing retreat at Martha’s Vineyard helps her keep balanced.

Dianne’s poems can be found in “Women of the Vineyard”, Volumes 1 & 2.

Introducing MIddle School By Virginia B Steves, M.ED.

For those children who have special needs, it may be hard to face middle school. Thankfully, we have this transition guide that will help parents and guardians as they assist their children with special needs when they take their first step into middle school.

Friendly to use and highly informative, Introducing Middle School: A Transition Guide for Parents of Children with Special Needs, is a definitive guide for parents with special needs students, to aid in the transition from elementary to middle school life.

With great tips on fitting in socially and gaining better organizational skills to adjust to a demanding new workload, parents and kids alike will be comforted by the accessible text and positive tone of this extraordinary guide.

Virginia B. Stevens, M.Ed., works with autistic children at Loudoun County Public School, a middle school in Virginia. Mrs. Stevens has a master’s degree in special education (K-12) from West Virginia University. She has taught children in West Virginia and Virginia with special needs in the fields of specific learning disabilities, emotional disabilities, and Autism for nearly twenty-five years. Her current special interest is in the field of Autism spectrum disorders. The author recently completed an Autism certificate from George Mason University. She is also an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children. This is her first book.

If You Only Knew By Shirley A. Morgan

Meet a woman – a single parent – who is working and trying to raise two boys. Being a preacher’s daughter, she resides in a middle class community.

Listen as Carolyn talks about being a single parent and shares about the struggles she has to face when it comes to men. Follow her as one of her bosses takes her to dinner and, during the meal, gets intoxicated that she has to catch a cab home from the restaurant. Carolyn believes that we are often shaped by our parents and she feels she gets her morals from her father Henry.

Find out if you have the same beliefs and thoughts as Carolyn’s… and if you also think and feel that we are living in a society where people don’t know who and what to believe.



I am a poetess, author and songwriter. I recently retired from a government job after 28 years of service.

I have always liked to write and empower people. In June 2013, I published a book called If You Only Knew? Bought the Shoes Bought the Hat. It can be purchased at Xlibris, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Wal Mart.

Where is Home? By Anneros Valensi

Many of us travel far and wide, but in the end, we still look for warmth and welcoming comfort of home.

For Anneros Valensi, she answers the question of WHERE is HOME in the pages of this compelling memoir.

She shares her story of how her family survived the miseries of WWII in East Germany during 1944. The family, mother with 5 young children aged 1 1/2 – 11, was evicted from their homeland by the Russians and settled in West Germany in 1946.Her father was drafted into the army; and her mother and four siblings had no food and shelter; life dealt them some difficult cards.

Immerse yourself in the raw and honest emotions of this experience as seen through the eyes of a six-year-old child, who was forced to accept the reality that she had to do what needed to be done to stay alive during those challenging times.

Difficult and hard, life seemed then; it looked like fate had in store quite an adventure just for her… an interesting journey that would lead her to experience life in London and in America.

Her book takes you on a journey of her life to find ‘Home’ to forget the hardship and find peace of mind.

About the Author



How would you face war – and deal with its after effects? For a very young girl who doesn’t have a choice but to face it, she didn’t falter. She met it head-on and dealt with it with pride and grace.
That’s Anneros Valensi – and that is her story.

Follow her as she recalls the stories of war, beginning with the cruel Russian occupation of her homeland, the trauma of an unsettled life, and her family’s move to West Germany in 1946.
So, who is Anneros Valensi, the author?

She was born in East Germany in 1938. She was 6 years old when the war and its fallout struck her and her family. She loved to study and learn about the world. In 1956 after graduation from high school, she studied to be a nurse.

Her curiosity about life and to forget the war compelled her to take chances. She moved to London, England in 1961 searching to find peace of mind. She was offered the opportunity to accompany CEOs on a company’s private plane.

Five years later, she became restless again and was hired by Trans World Airlines for training as flight attendant. She arrived in America in 1966.

Her stories provide stark first-hand insight into the realities of war. And WHERE is HOME tells her family’s story, the challenges they encountered, and the long-term effects in their psyches.

Essential Book Marketing Tips

Are you an aspiring author, hoping to see your book jumping off the shelves? Or are you aiming to be the chart topping author of all-time?
You certainly can with a lot of hard work and determination that what you actually thought. In case you don’t know, publishing is not always in triumph and it is not a piece of cake. You’ve got to move with the help self-publishing services for you to see results. You might cross a rough road at first, but once you get things in order, it will later work on your advantage.
Here are some of the book marketing tips that author can utilize to become successful in publishing industry.

Identify your audience

Not all books appeal to all readers. Most likely, not all people are your potential readers. Characterize your audience. Think like your one of them, because if you know your audience’s interests then you know the right pitches to do.

Start Early

When writing your book, plan in your marketing strategies in advance. Keep on researching about the latest trends in the book market and equip yourself with bunch of ideas.

Be Techie

Create a website or blog -Your website serves as the house of all the stuff about your book.
Be updated with social networking sites – Generate a buzz using Facebook. Sign up for Twitter. Share photos, sites or links about your book in Pinterest. Build relationship with professionals in Linkedn.

Market book locally then expand

Usually, readers from national or international media will have no interest about your book. So, start shaping up your future by getting the attention of local readers. Make use of local media outlets like radio, television or newspapers. Then, start to expand the coverage of the advertisement to reach worldwide readers.

Catch attention with the use of captivating promotional content

Create advertisements like flyers about the information of your book. Make use of “book blurb” and keep it fresh to tease your potential readers. Make the description short so condense all the important information to get the reader’s attention. But leave them the eagerness to read the whole book.

Encourage reader’s reviews

One of the best ways of marketing is word-of-mouth. Build relationship with your potential readers. Encourage them to leave reviews in a friendly manner since you don’t want to be an annoying author making hard sell.

Learn from the people in the street

Be keyed up with every potential reader who is walking by. Don’t let them pass you but rather engage them with your conversation. Give them something about your book since people love freebies!
Always wear a smile! And never forget that every person you come in contact with is a potential reader.
These book marketing tips may or may not work for others. But this is how it works; marketing is not an easy task. Oftentimes, the fruits of your labor take time before it will be out in the open.
Don’t give up when rejection comes in your way. Never allow failures to ruin you. As what Og Mandino said, “Never quit and your turn will come.”

Benefits that Self-Published Authors Acquire from Book Marketing

Writing a book can be a very challenging to do. Yet there are already hundreds and thousands of people doing it. Some even consider quitting their professions just to focus on writing. And, though a lot of people have started writing, there are only a few of them who have done reasonable efforts to finish their books and make them on the top-selling list of books in the world especially in the evolution of self-publishing. It makes me think that to become an author is definitely a tough stage for most people given the fact that there are a lot of things to consider before accomplishing it: budget, investment on book marketing, the people to work with, the companies to be dealing with and more.
Nevertheless, getting into the peak of writing and publishing industry is an awe-inspiring accomplishment for anyone. This is the greatest deal as to why there is what we call best-selling authors or top-selling books. These are the products of the genuine minds and creative pens which try to excel in the writing and publishing journey despite failures and rejections encountered. To that, I highly commend these successful authors who have been able to surpass all the humps on their roads which make them reach the finish line of the journey. Above all, I consider these individuals to have great minds in their decision-making when it comes to choosing the best book marketing services for their books, platforms, and strategies.
Along with the evolution of self-publishing, book marketing services from different independent publishing companies multiply their numbers. This happens because the needs of self-published authors have also increase.

Online marketing

Most self-publishing companies offer book marketing services which involve online advertising such as the E-mail advertisement. Most authors opt for this service for its easy access advantage. Other than being simple and easy to use, e-mail marketing is cheaper compared to other book marketing services. It is quicker and involves wider reach of audience. Using this service also means direct advertising and very effective to authors who believe in the “word of mouth” advertising.
Other than e-mail advertisement campaign, here’s Online Directory Listing which involves posting a short blurb about a book to be sent to different websites that have a high rate of visitors. It is also considered as the most cost-efficient marketing program while it taps specific online audience for a book.
Creating a personal website for a book can also make a difference. A customized website can be your own online store for your books. It serves as a perfect place for your readers and avid fans to visit and follow your blogs or any updates regarding you and your upcoming books. It’s more convenient way of informing your readers what’s the latest book you’ve got and even if it is still in progress, your readers will already have an idea about it.

Strategies via media

It can be with the use of social media, print media, or broadcast. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google Plus are considered top 5 among the most popular social networking sites. Due to millions of followers and subscribers to these sites, they are considered one of the most effective spots to advertise your book. Book marketing via social media gets your book the chance to be viewed by these sites users, subscribers, and followers, who can be converted into book buyers.
While social media is more on online book marketing, most of the self-publishing companies have launched services which involve the power of print and broadcast media. Examples of these are Newswire service and Media Release campaigns. Media Release campaigns aim to generate a press release of your book and target to reach your preferred media outlets and organizations. Newswire service, on the other hand, aims to widen your book’s publicity coverage through direct consumer exposure. This happens when a press release of your book is subscribed by journalists who are receiving articles through news subscription.

Book reviews

Getting your book some reviews definitely make a huge difference. People read and listen to some pieces of advice from the others who were done reading your book. Their ability to buy your books is mostly influenced by the kind of reviews your book acquire from its readers and from some credible companies who provide professional reviews for your book.
Self-publishing companies are now busy satisfying their every customer’s need in book marketing. Every day, a new book marketing campaign is launched by each company trying to compete with the other. BookWhirl.com services started with just a few but as company’s clients drastically increase their numbers; more book advertisement campaigns have also been launched to respond to their needs.
At the end of the day, it is still your decision that matters. You might decide creating campaigns by your own and advertise your books on your social media site. You might be in need of some help from professional book marketing companies in order to make sure you are taking the right actions, step-by-step towards gaining some profits out of your hard work. You’ve always got the choice. Nevertheless, writing and getting your book published doesn’t justify your goal to be a known author, to profit, and to get your book a voice out in the market. You need to promote it by any means in order for other people to recognize your book’s worth and the significance of what you want to share.

5 Characteristics of a Shareable Writing Content

Every single day, huge number of content from across the globe are being filtered and sorted by major search engines such as Google and yahoo ensuring its quality and safety for people to read. With as much content and information people create, there are those which receives significant amount of social media sharing from Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr to Google +. What makes a content worth sharing online? Below are some of the common characteristics of a shareable content mostly in the form of blogs, photos or videos.

*Appeals to the emotion

SEO Moz reported that a content garners huge amount of attention and shares when it appeals to the emotion may it be joy, sadness, anger, fear or anxiety. Notice in the graphics provided by SEO Moz where it shows content creating high-energy emotions such as anger, anxiety and awe are more likely to be shared than those which inspire low-energy emotions such as sadness.

*Useful Content

There’s no question that great appreciation are given to useful content which either let the readers take action or teach them something new. The types of content readers often regard as useful are those providing tips, how-to’s, tutorials and such which are automatically and largely shared across social media.

*Fresh and Original Topics

With more and more people writing and discussing almost the same thing online, readers are hungry for fresh topics that capture their attention and knock the socks off them. Offering readers fresh, original, engaging and well-researched content sure can garner a lot of social shares and could be the talk of the town.

*Contains captivating, interesting, funny Images

2013 is the Year of the Meme! Who hasn’t come acrossed with one? Even major online newspaper sites with the likes of Huffington post, Dailymail UK incorporated memes’ in some of their published posts often involving celebrities and even politicians.

*With Enticing Titles

Failure in creating enticing title results to failure of the content to be clicked and shared. An enticing title is absolutely needed for a shareable content. Since it is the first thing a reader sees, the content title must be concise, relevant, clear, actionable, intriguing and authoritative. Titles which trigger emotional responses can sure be highly effective and widely shared as well.
There are a lot more characteristics of a shareable content to consider aside from the things written above. But keen observation and strict adherence of these characteristics in the content being written will surely get readers to love to spend time reading, bookmarking and sharing it to social media and the world.

How to carry out book marketing effectively to get a good result?

If you want a wide range of people to buy and read your books, the details of your books should be available to those people. The readers, at the outset, have to know that a particular book is available. This is what book marketing means. It is important for every author to know how to market his books effectively.

Printed materials like postcards, bookmarks, posters and business cards are good enough to start marketing activities with. Just leaving a number of these materials at the cash register counter will increase the sale of your books significantly. These printed materials may also be used as hand outs; they can even be distributed to your friends, family and colleagues. This will increase your readership.

Printing out press releases and circulating them among the educated classes of society is, perhaps, the most constructive way to increase the target readership. Press releases are the write ups which are usually dense with information. They are sent to the media persons in order to give the latest news on an event, product or service. If it reaches a news editor or a TV newscast producer it will reach thousands of people in no time.

Once you let out a press release and the local media takes note of that, things will, obviously, turn better. As and when more people read your book, there will be higher chances of getting your work reviewed by some readers. Being a reviewed author has a visible level of prestige in the society. You will get more book reviews in the subsequent days and positive review is sure to make you a renowned figure. In other words, review is the best form of publicity.

You can also send a broadcast email to people. Since almost everyone has access to the internet these days, several people will see what you have sent within a couple of hours. Then they will quickly browse and reach your website or other book marketing sites. This increases the awareness of your book and also the traffic for your website to a remarkable extent. Another method to carry out book marketing online is to advertise your book on a personal website. By  this anyone anywhere in the world will be able to see the details about your book. This draws a huge traffic in less span of time. This is, in fact, the cheapest and most efficient way of attracting a huge audience. Do include your web address on all promotional materials and have the ordering information handy as well.

Book marketing online requires your increased web presence. In order to achieve this, a writer should have a testimonial page on his website. It is extremely useful to have a face book page too wherein your fans can post their reviews. They can post reviews on Amazon and Good reads as well. Signing up for Twitter and Google Authorship also helps an author immensely in the marketing perspective. Create an author FB page which can be used in place of your personal profile. Do give out advanced reading copies for bloggers and encourage more reading. An online book tour can be made to update the readers and yourself. An author should be quite abreast with the contemporary modes of writing and the books which are in demand. Then only he can go a long way while marketing his books.

It is highly essential for writers to develop a wide fan club. This can also be done using a FB campaign. Just as a Google campaign increases the traffic of your site, FB campaign increases your fans. You can link up with other authors and start a controversial web series. Such a move will bring energetic people together and consequently, there will be more reviews, comments and healthy discussions on the recently launched books. An online discussion forum will take shape within no time. The all pervasive impact of information and communication technology has made book marketing easier and more efficient in the present day context.

For any further assistance on your academic work related issues, you can contact the experts from online USA writing companies which are recognized to provide academic writing help, and their valuable instructions will guide you to the right place…

Freshen up to Maximize Book Marketing Strategies

In the world of self-publishing, you write, publish, and promote your book. If you are fully equipped with the right tools, doing all bits and pieces at the right time, and targeting your right audience, you get lucky and can earn millions from your work.

Some successful self-published authors including Amanda Hocking and EL James have sold millions of copies of their books through maximizing their strategies in promoting their books around the world. They have their own ways and techniques in pursuing the kind of success they achieved. And for sure, they have become your inspiration. You start imagining yourself reaching that same kind of fame and acquiring that same amount of profit.

While it is great to know that these authors have served as your inspiration, you don’t need to imitate their styles. You have written a book and come up with a unique theme that makes you a distinctive writer. For sure you can do the same distinctiveness to come up with new ideas on how you can work on your promotion without necessarily chasing the same legacy of those who have already succeeded. In order to reach the peak in your self-publishing journey, you need to take the risks, invest, and above all, work beyond your comfort zone.

All these factors, when summed up, will result to great profits in the end. In order for them to be working well, old ideas should be eliminated. Sometimes, you feel that your mind is full of different ideas, ramblings, and problems on how you start responding to them all together. Over thinking about any causes and possibilities of your actions can result to being sluggish. And so, like the overused line goes: DON’T RUSH THINGS OUT. Set your self-publishing goals one after the other in order to avoid stress.

Know that you are in charge of your every decision and move in self-publishing. So, when you feel like your head is about to burst due to so much over thinking; perhaps, it’s time for you to clean up your mind from all these. You can try these tips to begin: stop at what you are doing, listen to calming or soothing music to de-clog your mind, watch a wonderful view of green grasses outside your house, or take a walk outside to keep you away from all the bombarding thoughts in your mind.
Go back to the basics about self-publishing. Focus on one book marketing strategy, make time to think without distractions, set your goal based on that focus, maximize all print and digital materials that are only related to that strategy, and take actions that are only related to your set goal, and achieve it slowly but surely.

Always be positive.  Starting your day positively on what you do will make you gain upbeat results of your strategies in the end. And when you are slowly achieving your goals, it is safe to say that you are now on your comfort stage of taking more actions for the benefit of your journey.

Take higher steps when you feel accomplished. While working on your own comfort zone can provide positive results in your book marketing strategies, it is not enough to stay on that stage. Move further and hop on to taking advantage of the other book marketing strategies you have in your mind. Moving forward is now maximizing the other available sources anywhere in the world such as the social media, the print media, the World Wide Web, online forums for your fans, community exhibits, and more means that can help your book promotion strategies work even better.

Stress- free environment is simply among the many factors for your successful self-publishing journey. Without it, it will be too hard for you to even know where to begin. Like any other episodes in life, self-publishing needs your time, effort, and actions; and in the end you get the consequences—bad or good. You might need some help from the others in the process; yet so long as you know your focus, you will never be lost.

How to carry out book marketing effectively to get a good result?

If you want a wide range of people to buy and read your books, the details of your books should be available to those people. The readers, at the outset, have to know that a particular book is available. This is what book marketing means. It is important for every author to know how to market his books effectively.
Printed materials like postcards, bookmarks, posters and business cards are good enough to start marketing activities with. Just leaving a number of these materials at the cash register counter will increase the sale of your books significantly. These printed materials may also be used as hand outs; they can even be distributed to your friends, family and colleagues. This will increase your readership.

Printing out press releases and circulating them among the educated classes of society is, perhaps, the most constructive way to increase the target readership. Press releases are the write ups which are usually dense with information. They are sent to the media persons in order to give the latest news on an event, product or service. If it reaches a news editor or a TV newscast producer it will reach thousands of people in no time.
Once you let out a press release and the local media takes note of that, things will, obviously, turn better. As and when more people read your book, there will be higher chances of getting your work reviewed by some readers. Being a reviewed author has a visible level of prestige in the society. You will get more book reviews in the subsequent days and positive review is sure to make you a renowned figure. In other words, review is the best form of publicity.

You can also send a broadcast email to people. Since almost everyone has access to the internet these days, several people will see what you have sent within a couple of hours. Then they will quickly browse and reach your website or other book marketing sites. This increases the awareness of your book and also the traffic for your website to a remarkable extent. Another method to carry out book marketing online is to advertise your book on a personal website. By  this anyone anywhere in the world will be able to see the details about your book. This draws a huge traffic in less span of time. This is, in fact, the cheapest and most efficient way of attracting a huge audience. Do include your web address on all promotional materials and have the ordering information handy as well.

Book marketing online requires your increased web presence. In order to achieve this, a writer should have a testimonial page on his website. It is extremely useful to have a face book page too wherein your fans can post their reviews. They can post reviews on Amazon and Good reads as well. Signing up for Twitter and Google Authorship also helps an author immensely in the marketing perspective. Create an author FB page which can be used in place of your personal profile. Do give out advanced reading copies for bloggers and encourage more reading. An online book tour can be made to update the readers and yourself. An author should be quite abreast with the contemporary modes of writing and the books which are in demand. Then only he can go a long way while marketing his books.

It is highly essential for writers to develop a wide fan club. This can also be done using a FB campaign. Just as a Google campaign increases the traffic of your site, FB campaign increases your fans. You can link up with other authors and start a controversial web series. Such a move will bring energetic people together and consequently, there will be more reviews, comments and healthy discussions on the recently launched books. An online discussion forum will take shape within no time. The all pervasive impact of information and communication technology has made book marketing easier and more efficient in the present day context.
For any further assistance on your academic work related issues, you can contact the experts from online USA writing companies which are recognized to provide academic writing help, and their valuable instructions will guide you to the right place…

American Indian Studies Program Guide By Dr. Byron Lee Blackwell

True to its mission statement, the American Indian Studies Program Guide presents a conceptual framework for students to gain knowledge of a spiritual, ecological and holistic way of life that has existed for thousands of years in Native North America. Through this book, Dr. Byron Lee Blackwell provides an outline for college educators and administrators to develop degree programs focusing on American Indian Studies, with an eye toward creating leaders for Indian communities.

In this increasingly homogeneous society, the American Indian Studies Program Guide may just be what the schools need to promote history, culture, diversity, and unity. Through this guide, the author offers six courses that make up an interdisciplinary curriculum: The North American Indian, American Indian History, American Indian Law and Federal Policy, American Indian Religion and Philosophy, American Indian Literature, and the History of American Indian Education.

The American Indian Studies Program Guide covers a wide topic range that include the tribal life ways of Native peoples from pre-contact times through the contemporary area, allowing students to experience tribal histories, ancient religions, various art forms, musical styles and media.

About the Author

BYRON LEE BLACKWELL graduated from New College School of Law and earned a Master's degree in Ethnic Studies from San Francisco State University, as well as a Doctoral degree in American Indian Higher Education from Nova Southeastern University. He wrote three textbooks for his Doctorate in Higher Education. An American Indian he recently lived in Tucson, Arizona.

The ART of Following God

Building a life-giving faith is an A.R.T., and you are the artist. You have been given three tools to hone your craft:

• Actions (the body)
• Relationships (the spirit)
• Thoughts (the soul)

Each of us can exercise and test our faith, because we all have these three amazing tools. They are woven into the fabric of our daily lives, and with them we can learn the life-changing “ART of following God.”
Your faith belongs to you alone, and to nobody else. It is yours only, to use as you wish. But as is true with most anything, it does tend to flourish under certain conditions, and wither under others. The beautiful truth is that faith is alive— it will tell us how it is doing, if we practice listening and responding to it.

Help your body, spirit and soul to thrive. Learn how the ART is found in what Jesus calls the most important commandment in the Bible, and how this theme is as relevant today as it was in the ancient Scriptures where it was born.

Overview

Following God is an art. Sometimes, though, what we’d hoped would be a masterpiece looks more like a child’s scribbles-lines of crazy, clashing colors without structure or design. We wrestle to make sense of our questions, hurts, and fears. We know we have more potential than we have discovered, yet living up to it can seem so unattainable. Life just doesn’t work out the way we’d planned. When we pattern our ART-our actions, relationships, and thoughts-after God’s design, however, we begin to experience our potential. He has created us to know and follow him with all three parts of our lives. When we do so, ‘we are actually living for God’s good. We desire to please him and do what we can to help accomplish what we believe is his plan during the course of our lives, for his sake.’ Truly following God is the most challenging life to live; but it is the best life, because it is the life God has designed for us.

Are You Reading Books by Other Self-Pub Authors?

As self-published authors, it is easy to become engrossed in the marketing and promotion of your own book. You want people to read it, you want critics to review it, you want other self-published authors to recommend it, but… are you doing the same for fellow self-published authors?

The world of self-published authorship can quickly feel like a community to those who are involved in ongoing and frequent reading and reviewing of other self-pub authors. Whether it is a self-pub author who writes in the same genre, one who comes from your local area, or authors you’ve met via forums and social media, it is not merely a good idea to keep up with reading other self-published books. It can also benefit you as well, by helping you continuously build your network, and thereby providing more and more opportunities for your own book to be read, shared, reviewed and talked about.

So, where should you go self-pub book hunting? Are you supposed to just start pulling books off their (virtual) shelves in the library because you like their cover art or because they have an awesome title that makes you think “Damn, I wish I’d thought of that” … or just make some wild guesses? Do you trust the captions and comments? Do you stick to just one or two genres you really enjoy?

Finding Great Books

I’ve mentioned the tiny but very tightly woven community of GoodReads in my previous posts. While you should not use the actual social media site itself to trap people so you can push your book onto members, there are chat forums where you can politely provide your book title and ask for a read and/or review.
But the real point here is that there is probably no better place for finding good — maybe even occasionally great — self-pub books and regularly published books too. But the valuable part is your own recommendations and reviews of self-pub books you’ve enjoyed. GoodReads’ bulletin board revolves around all self-publishing topics, but one thread in particular is just for self-pub authors to recommend, share and review books by other self-pub authors.

Such things create community, establish harmony and solidarity for self-published authors, but also create free-of-charge avenues for authors to be read, reviewed and shared. So, if you are not out there recommending and reviewing other self-published authors, how can you expect them to do the same for you?

Giving Useful Responses

If you follow the link to the actual bulletin board thread pictured here, you’ll see tons of responses by authors who gave multiple recommendations of book titles and self-pub authors across many genres. Occasionally someone politely presents their own book title and mentions they’d appreciate a read and/or review, but the vast majority are sincere recommendations from readers.

Follow these authors’ example. If you aren’t already, start participating in the discourse of self-pub authors. Become a part of the self-pub community, whether on GoodReads or some other social media channel or discussion forum. If you have yet to read a single self-published book, and especially if you are additionally having trouble marketing and selling your own book, you really need to jump in already.

Do Unto Others

I’m not telling you to start chatting up other self-pub authors in order to better market your own book. I’m saying, if you aren’t reading and reviewing other self-pub authors, if you aren’t making an effort to develop relationships with readers, reviewers and other self-pub authors, it’s no wonder you are having trouble getting anyone to read yours. Self-publishing is not simply the act of putting your manuscript into print and selling it.

The bottom line should be obvious: Do unto others. If you want authors and book reviewers to read your book, do the same for them.

100 of the Most Influential Gay Entertainers, Volume II (Volume 2)

100 of the Most Influential Gay Entertainers are creative nonfiction books featuring some of the most revered, local entertainers in the GLBTQI (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer) communities from all across the United States and abroad to include Bermuda, Italy, Mexico and the Philippines. While many of us in mainstream society enjoy hearing about the who’s who in America and on television, the GLBTQI entertainment culture has their own stars and celebrities. After many years of attending the most prestigious gay pageants and shows in the land, in 2005 I decided to write about the stars in My World in an effort to put them on the same pedestal in which mainstream celebrities reign. I wanted to shine the light on the community which I love and adore by showcasing the entertainers in my community who are just as fabulously entertaining to me as any other entertainer I may ever encounter or get to see up close and personal in my lifetime.
​
After many years of being a member of the GLBTQI community, I have witnessed some of the best pageants and shows ever! Every week thousands of fans attend shows to get a glimpse of their favorite transgender entertainer, drag queen, male lead, female-to-male illusionist/king, or comedian.  Often enough, several major pageants take place around the same time every year, so eager fans make their reservations in advance in order to spend an entire weekend watching their favorite contestants vie for the title. The art of female impersonation,  pageantry and shows are a phenomenon in the GLBTQI. And for those who dare, many heterosexuals have had the good pleasure of seeing a show. What most people don’t know is that the first pageantry system, Miss Gay America, has been in existence for nearly 34 years while many other pageantry systems have been crowning kings and queens for over 25 years. This is profound and should be recorded. The entertainers who are featured in 100 MIGE are dedicated to providing the best in lip sync entertainment and live performances and deserve recognition.

​

The legendary entertainers who have been performing for over 25 years provide the richest information about a culture still fighting for equal rights. They remind us of the past when the gay culture was less appealing than it is now; when it was illegal to be seen on the streets in drag and when permits and licenses were required to be a performer. In an effort to discourage, stomp out and erase a culture of people, the legal system played it part in allowing those in authority to use illegal tactics in their effort to disband gay establishments by way of illegal arrests, scare tactics, gay bashing, and other dehumanizing acts such as strip searches on the sidewalks outside of the gay clubs. The entertainers give all of themselves as they tell their stories of accomplishments, defeat, love, hate, family turmoil, long and loving relationships, out of control lives, maturity, alcohol and drug use, rape, prostitution, death of loved ones, manslaughter, life changing events, alienation from parents and siblings, fear, and much more.
​
The first release of 100 of the Most Influential Gay Entertainers was reviewed by the GLBT Roundtable of the American Library Association and recommended for ages 16 and up.  It also features my autobiography and the things I have accomplished and the struggles I face. The second release of 100 MIGE, Volume II, is amped up and made into the perfect coffee table book. It is an 8.5X11 book filled with beautiful, professional, oversized photos and 493 pages that you will keep you occupied. Also featured throughout the book are loving Tributes recognizing and paying homage to some of the entertainers we have lost over time to include Arabia Knight Addams, Erica Andrews, Tandi Andrews, Donna Day, Naomi Sims, Amber Richards, Bianca Paige, Savion Simpson Black, Mishon Black, Michelle Scott, Latoya St. James, Sasha Valentino, Kim Ross, Paris Dupree, and Bertha Butt. It is my hope that these books save the lives of young teens who are struggling with his/her sexual identity and also that these books bridge the gap between the heterosexual and gay communities. I want people to realize that the GLBTQI community of individuals is no different than the next person.
​
If you haven’t already, order your copy now. I promise you won’t regret it. It’s a great read and the perfect gift for any occasion. For the mother or father who may be struggling with their child’s sexual identity/preference; for the young adult who may be struggling with their own sexual identity/preference; for the family member who just don’t understand, or for the person you just don’t know how to tell your own secret to. Order a copy for them and it may make life a whole lot easier!

Abouth the Author


Jenettha was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida and is the second oldest of five. After graduating from Paxon Senior High School in 1981, she entered into the U.S. Army and completed basic training at Fort Jackson, SC. After completing advanced individual training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana as a personnel management specialist, she was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC during her entire Army career. She attained the rank of sergeant/E-5. In 1985 she changed her military occupational skill and attended the executive administrative assistant’s course at Fort Benjamin Harrison.
​
​
In 1987 Jenettha pursued her dream of becoming a police woman. Three months before her expiration termination of service, she applied for the DeKalb County Police Department and was hired in April 1987. During her employment with the police department, she attained the rank of Master Patrol Officer and spent many years as a patrol officer and two consecutive 3-month periods as an undercover officer making low-level drug buys with the infamous Blackcats Unit. Her last duty assignment was with the Center Precinct’s Community Oriented Policing Unit/COPS as a bike officer before resigning in 1997.
Shortly after resigning with plans of relocating to Virginia Beach to work as a beach patrol officer, Jenettha’s dreams were shattered after being diagnosed with Lupus. Unable to return to work, she began writing and has completed a total of three books. Her first book, The Autobiography of a Gay Black Female is currently unpublished while 100 of the Most Influential Gay Entertainers, 2nd Edition and Volume II are currently available. The first release has been reviewed by the GLBT Roundtable of the American Library Association and recommended for ages 16 and up. It has also been featured in several online magazines to include the Bermuda Sun, the Bermuda Multimedia News and Culture Magazine, The Luckey Star, and OMG Magazine. An article was also featured in Atlanta’s most popular gay magazine, David Atlanta.
She currently resides with her partner of 5 years, Kelli, and their Miniature Doberman Pincher, Noah, and their Yorkie, Pedro.