New Book Compiles Jackie Robinson's Civil Rights Letters

An Elizabethtown College professor has collected and edited the letters of Jackie Robinson in a new book that reveals how the baseball legend sought to use his fame to further the civil rights cause.

Michael Long’s “First Class Citizenship: The Civil Rights Letters of Jackie Robinson” (Times Books) is a collection of previously unpublished letters from the 1950s through the 1970s. It includes Robinson’s correspondence with – and personal replies from – Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Hubert Humphrey, Nelson Rockefeller and Barry Goldwater. The book’s foreword was written by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

“Writing eloquently and with evident passion, Robinson charted his own course, offering his support to Democrats and to Republicans, questioning the tactics of the civil rights movement, and challenging the nation’s leaders when he felt they were guilty of hypocrisy – or worse,” writes publisher Times Books.

Long is an associate professor of religious studies and peace and conflict studies at Elizabethtown College and the author of several books on religion and politics in mid-century America, including “Against Us, but for Us: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the State,” “Billy Graham and the Beloved Community: America’s Evangelist and the Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” “Creative Living: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Good Life” and his latest “The Legacy of Billy Graham: Critical Reflections on America’s Great Evangelist.”

Located in southeastern Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown offers its 1900 students more than 50 academic programs in the liberal arts, sciences and professional studies. Driven by its motto to “Educate for Service,” Elizabethtown centers learning in strong relationships, links classroom instruction with experiential learning, emphasizes international and cross-cultural perspectives and nurtures the capacity for lives of purpose.

'Facing Fascism'

New Hampshire Activist Questions the Political Future of America in New Book

Sometimes to successfully look forward, you must first take a look back. Looking back at the 2004 election, including his own losing bid for a state Senate seat, author Jerry Sorlucco realized that something was fundamentally wrong in America. As he notes in his new book, "Facing Fascism: The Threat to American Democracy in the 21st Century" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), people across the country had voted against their own best interest. The Republican far right, relying in part on a Christian fundamentalist base, had "waved the bloody shirt" and used the so-called war on terror to instill fear in the electorate.

Sorlucco indicates that, with Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, President George W. Bush had the power to put in motion an agenda that rewards corporations and America's super rich while systematically undermining the nation's social safety net. The result, Sorlucco concludes, is a threat to American democracy that has all the earmarks of fascism, including class warfare, corporate collusion, erosion of civil liberties, militarism and religious nationalism. He cautions that while the Democratic Party made gains in the 2006 mid-term election, Democrats are as vulnerable as Republicans to the prerogatives of power. It is not a matter of political parties; it is about human nature, in which greed and power play an undeniable, if lamentable part.

Now, deep into the 2008 presidential election, "Facing Fascism" is perhaps more relevant than ever, as America decides what kind of government it really wants.

Against a rich historical backdrop, Sorlucco documents what he sees as the manipulation of America's worldview through ideological public policies that distort and mismanage the major issues facing the nation.

As one critic put it, "Backed by personal experience, thorough research and probing analysis, Sorlucco pulls no punches in this gloves-off challenge to the direction this country has taken."

A commercial airline captain for nearly 40 years, Sorlucco retired in 1997 at the mandatory age of 60. During his career, he served in various capacities as a representative of the Airline Pilots Association and as a check airman. A serious history student and prolific reader, he was drawn to public service after retirement. He also serves as a director on several community boards and is a leader in the northern N.H. Democratic Party.

"Facing Fascism" is Sorlucco's second book. His first, "A Good Stick," is a memoir about his life as a pilot (also published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com).

'David Lynch Decoded'

Author Analyzes, Interprets the Works of a Film Master in Comprehensive New Book


"Everybody's got that moment," writes Mark Allyn Stewart, author of the new book "David Lynch Decoded" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com).
Think back on it and you'll remember it eventually if you don't already. It's that moment when you had an epiphany: you realized what film was really capable of, what it could do, how it could reach you. And you wanted more. You wanted to see more, learn more, and that's exactly what you did. Your moment resulted in a love of film, which is probably why you're reading this.
Stewart's moment was during his senior year of high school, when he took in a late showing of David Lynch's "Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me." The movie affected Stewart as none had done before, and he was instantly hooked on film forever. Now, Stewart shares his passion for the work of David Lynch with this in-depth analysis and interpretation of Lynch's films, such as "Twin Peaks," "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Dr."

So what does it all mean? Surely all of those red curtains, strobe lights and dancing dwarfs that can continually be found in Lynch's films must mean something, right?

"Well, actually, they do," writes Stewart. "In fact, not only do they mean something, they're all interconnected. Reading these symbols is the key to understanding not just David Lynch's films individually, but his body of work as a whole."

Journey with Stewart as he travels through Lynch's world, film by film, in exploration of the many pieces of Lynch's work, as well as the larger picture created by these pieces. "David Lynch Decoded" provides a comprehensive look at Lynch's imagery, themes, symbolism and often unusual characters.

"The best way to analyze these characters, their themes and language cues is to first examine their placement in Lynch's works," writes Stewart. "By dividing up the works into sections, I will point out the important elements that we will be dealing with and, as we move along from section to section, show how they build on one another."

Mark Allyn Stewart holds a degree in film from Webster University and is the author of the critically acclaimed "Hand of God" series, which began with his first novel, "Against This Vast Army" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com). He is also the author of the short story collection "Stories Told By Flashlight" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com).

Poetry Meditates on Scripture, Urges Readers to Follow Christ

'Traveling Through the Spiritual Love Tunnel': Illustrated Collection

MISSOURI CITY, Texas, Jan. 23, 2008 -- The meaning of our existence is based on the choices we make. When Adam disobeyed God, sin was brought into the world. But each of us has a choice - the path of obedience or disobedience to Christ - and an opportunity for redemption.

In his new collection of poems, "Traveling Through the Spiritual Love Tunnel" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), Ernest Taylor shares his spiritual gift with meditations on birth, death, holidays, salvation, freedom and many other topics that are all connected by a single purpose: devotion to Christ. Taylor's poems are accompanied by colorful pictures and illustrations that illuminate the meaning of his words.

The poems in "Traveling Through the Spiritual Love Tunnel" feature an unconventional yet powerful form. In each poem, Taylor draws extended meaning out of a given passage of scripture. Consider his poem, "Bewilderness," which finds inspiration in Psalm 31:
Moses and the people wandered through the hot desert for forty years seeking for the land to be free. They were just reaching out for happiness and peace just as you and me. They were not fortune as you and I. They did not have automobiles to drive and airplanes to fly. But one thing they did have which some of us do not, they had the Lord guiding their path of travel. As I mediate on Psalm 31, I will lean toward God's fortress in adversity. [Psalm 31:2b, 3, 4, 7-8]

Be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, and have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy, You have set my feet in a wide place.

He clouded the sky so they would be cool through the day. He created a fire in the sky at night so the people could stay warm and see their way. What an awesome God I serve reaching out a helping hand for each one of us. Bewilderness is not a place you wish to be, but sometime the Lord will put us there to teach us to be appreciated to have a life of free.
Ernest Taylor is a veteran of the Vietnam War and a recipient of the Purple Heart. He also has a degree in business management. Of course, he has always had a passion for writing. Encouragement from family and friends and confirmation from the Lord led him to write "Traveling Through the Spiritual Love Tunnel," his first book.

Story of a Woman's Triumph Over Depression

'All I Have Left To Do Is Live!': Empowering Memoir Presents the Spiritual, Uplifting Story of a Woman

ATLANTA, Jan. 23, 2008 -- Doris "Dee Dee" Walker knows all about the joy and pain that come with living a complex life. For a long time life was simple, until the day she realized that others looked to the sky and saw clear blue skies. When Dee Dee looked up at the sky, she saw dark gray clouds.

In her new emotionally empowering memoir, "All I Have Left To Do Is Live!" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), Dee Dee shares the story of her battle with depression as a young woman growing up in a small town in Alabama. Spiritual, humorous, uplifting and inspiring, "All I Have Left To Do Is Live!" revisits all the loneliness, fear and anxiety that led to years of insecurity and failure until she finally broke down and sought help. One day her gray clouds turned white, and Dee Dee saw the clear blue skies. It was that day she realized how sweet and wonderful life could be.

As a teenager, Dee Dee was considered the life of the party. But those carefree days were soon a distant memory after she moved on to college. She felt fearful, hopeless, worthless and insecure. She was a constant worrier. She worried about everything - living, growing old and dying young. She graduated with a degree in social work, but this accomplishment did nothing for her self-esteem. For years every job and relationship ended in failure, and she didn't know why.

Dee Dee's message is that depression is real. It can be debilitating. "I describe it like building an automobile," she writes.
You put in the engine, the ignition, the brakes, the tires, and everything that is required, but for some reason it will not go; something is missing. It has a steering wheel but you do not know how to steer it in the direction you desire to go. That is what depression did for me. It affected every aspect of my life. It even convinced me that my family and loved ones cared very little for me.
"If you feel helpless, tired, or just feel like giving up; hopefully this book will help you to get it together by getting help," Dee Dee writes. "There are treatments that can help you to live a happier life. I pray God will send someone to show you the way. With the help of God, all things are possible."

Doris "Dee Dee" Walker was born the fifth of six children in Ozark, Ala. She is a graduate of Troy State University (now known as Troy University). Dee Dee currently lives in Atlanta. "All I Have Left To Do Is Live!" is her first book.

New Book Gets an A+ in Helping Consumers Eliminate Credit Card Debt

Laws of Managing Credit Card Debt

Laws of managing credit card debt is a new innovative and revolutionary debt relief management and personal finance guide. That gives a detailed action plan for you to follow that helps you pay-off and eliminate your credit card accounts. By mainly focusing its attention on providing you with the information you need to save money and pay-off your debt with little effort and guiding you every step of the way to bring your credit card debt down-to-zero.

A better understanding of how you can stay out of credit card debt is what you will get from this book along with basic knowledge to help you save more of your hard earned income, your most valuable asset. You will receive valuable knowledge that will cut interest cost and save you thousands of dollars that would have been paid out of your own pocket. You will find this book to be uniquely effective and valuable in helping you eliminate your credit card debt.

Included in this book are direct and informative examples of money saving options to further illustrate the importance of getting out of credit card debt. Along with a step-by-step account of the amount of time and money spent in carrying certain amounts of credit card debt. It guides you through a complete analysis of your debts to help you achieve your budgeting goals with simple and easy methods. The aim of this book is to get you out of debt in a unique concept that achieves great results and provides a permanent solution to the cause and effects of credit card debt.


What this book has to offer is a lifetime of real savings

You can save an unimaginable amount of money that would have become virtually unknown without this book being available to you. There is nothing identical in nature that teaches you the true fundamentals of managing credit card debt from an original point of view. The material in this book finally gets it right and provides you with the answers; the task of organizing and figuring out a way has been done for you, all you need to do is fill-in the numbers.

By leading you in the right direction of a life changing moment can benefit and empower you for years to come. Relieving you of credit card debt that are tied-up in finance charges and proactively preventing the reoccurrence of you going further into credit card debt are the rewards that will improve your long term financial goals. It is urgent to your need to purchase this book and follow the guidance that gives useful insight into improving your financial state of awareness and your potential to achieve a lifetime of real savings.



Receive basic knowledge for a higher level of understanding


You will receive information that is strategically and intelligently organized in a manner that is specific to your individual credit card debt, allowing you to choose the best money saving option for your financial success. In an impressive blend of indispensable strategies that has undertaken intensive study that can drastically and noticeably decrease your credit card balances, adding enormous value for your investment.

Paying off credit card debt is the most important financial task that will determine the foundation for building a balanced financial plan with income that provides the main source for your survival. Lack of financial education can take its toll by causing you to repeat the same habits of continuing to pay more than you have too on credit card debt.


With laws of managing credit card debt as your reliable source for providing a solution you are one step ahead of eliminating your outstanding debt. You will receive specific instructions that will become critical towards maintaining your goal of eliminating credit card debt. Giving you powerful knowledge and information that makes a difference in your life, and thoughtfully preparing you for tremendous savings that can impact your financial future.

'Confessions of a Corporate Slut'

Novel Follows a Woman's Struggle as She Moves from a Successful Career into a Thankless Marriage

Fueled by tenacity and pure ambition, Roberta Wendall puts herself on the fast-track in a male-dominated industry. Using a combination of brains, laughter, and legs, she sprints to the top of her profession in the new novel by Jacqueline Gum, "Confessions of a Corporate Slut" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com).

This story of struggle and empowerment takes the reader through a range of emotions both poignant and humorous. In spite of unparalleled career success, Roberta still yearns for a life that includes love, marriage, and family. But she later learns those too carry a price. And in her case the loss is astronomical - distrust, betrayal and an assault on her self-esteem.

She falls in love with John Wendall, a CEO and captain of industry. He convinces Roberta to sell her business and start a family. When the couple encounters trouble conceiving and painful fertility treatments prove futile, she accepts that the only child in her future is the one she married. This is the start of her transformation from vibrant, passionately independent career woman to corporate slut.

As with every other successful business venture, Roberta assumes her new role of ideal corporate wife with self-assurance - hosting elaborate parties, earning the confidence of employees and charming prospective clients with her home-cooked meals. Urged by John to take on a more active part in the business, he assigns her to a broad range of responsibilities - consultant, visionary, trade show ambassador and personal image advisor to John himself. In the midst of all this, Roberta must grapple with the death of her brother and the sudden reappearance of her mother, now struggling with terminal cancer. Roberta is blindsided when John demands a divorce and is reminded of a prenuptial agreement she signed in a moment of passion years before. Suddenly her 16-year marriage amounts to nothing more than an illusion.

In her debut novel, "Confessions of a Corporate Slut," Jacqueline Gum draws on the experiences of her own 16-year marriage. She is currently working on a second novel.

'A Message of Love': Special Quilt Brings Back Cherished Family Memories in Colorful New Children's Book

"It was a chilly winter day when Granny Baker moved in with her daughter," begins "A Message of Love" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), the heart-warming new children's book by April, Celeste and Ruby Robins. "She invited her relatives to go through the belongings that she could not take with her. Family members filled every room of Granny's home. They all wanted something handmade. Linda, her granddaughter, was not going to leave without a special quilt."

"A Message of Love" takes readers on a journey back in time with Linda, all the way to 1959. Linda, then 8 years old, cherishes the time she spends with her grandmother as the two of them work on a memory quilt. As Granny pulls scraps of material from a box, Linda fills a notebook with a sample of each piece. While Linda takes careful notes in the special notebook, Granny tells a family story related to the scrap. From pieces of her father's WWII fatigues, to Granny's Pink Lady apron, to the angel costume that she wore in a school play, each scrap - and story - fascinates Linda and passes on the things Granny values most in life: God, family and country.

For Linda, memories of a slower and gentler time come flooding back. She recalls singing songs and reciting nursery rhymes with Granny as they washed the selected material on scrub boards in the backyard, and the excitement of the quilting bee when the notebook was finally completed. It was a time when the small things in life were the most important; when people looked forward to their Saturday shopping and attending church on Sunday.

Linda's mind suddenly returns to the present when she remembers the stories that her grandmother told her about the quilt containing a message. Will Linda find a note? Or were her grandmother's words just symbolic for the fact that the quilt had its own story to tell? The answer will cause Linda to follow in Granny's footsteps with her own grandchild, and capture the hearts of readers young and old.

April, Celeste and Ruby Robins are a mother, daughter and daughter-in-law writing team from Texas who write for Robin Falls Children's Stories. April holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Texas A&M University. Now retired, she is pursuing her love of writing children's books. Celeste is a mother, homemaker and active school system volunteer. Ruby holds a degree in elementary education from the University of North Texas and is a former kindergarten and second grade teacher.

Illustrator Kelly Carter lives in Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree in art and design from Northern Michigan University. Her artwork has been used in many children's books, book covers, and a variety of web and print publications.

NASA Unveils Cosmic Images Book in Braille for Blind Readers

NASA, ESA, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics/Chandra X-ray Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech, National Radio Astronomy Observatory/Associated Universities, Inc., and the Space Telescope Science Institute/AURA
At a ceremony today at the National Federation of the Blind, NASA unveiled a new book that brings majestic images taken by its Great Observatories to the fingertips of the blind. "Touch the Invisible Sky" is a 60-page book with color images of nebulae, stars, galaxies and some of the telescopes that captured the original pictures. Braille and large-print descriptions accompany each of the book's 28 photographs, making the book's design accessible to readers of all visual abilities. The book contains spectacular images from the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope and powerful ground-based telescopes. The celestial objects are presented as they appear through visible-light telescopes and different spectral regions invisible to the naked eye, from radio to infrared, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray light.




National Federation of the Blind, NASA unveiled a new book that brings majestic images taken by its Great Observatories to the fingertips of the blind.

"Touch the Invisible Sky" is a 60-page book with color images of nebulae, stars, galaxies and some of the telescopes that captured the original pictures. Each image is embossed with lines, bumps, and other textures. The raised patterns translate colors, shapes, and other intricate details of the cosmic objects, allowing visually impaired people to experience them. Braille and large-print descriptions accompany each of the book's 28 photographs, making the book's design accessible to readers of all visual abilities.

The book contains spectacular images from the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope and powerful ground-based telescopes. The celestial objects are presented as they appear through visible-light telescopes and different spectral regions invisible to the naked eye, from radio to infrared, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray light.

The book introduces the concept of light and the spectrum and explains how the different observatories complement each others' findings. Readers take a cosmic journey, beginning with images of the Sun, and travel out into the galaxy to visit relics of exploding and dying stars, as well as the Whirlpool galaxy and the colliding Antennae galaxies.

"Touch the Invisible Sky" was written by astronomy educator and accessibility specialist Noreen Grice of You Can Do Astronomy LLC and the Museum of Science, Boston, with authors Simon Steel, an astronomer with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., and Doris Daou, an astronomer at NASA Headquarters, Washington.

"About 10 million visually impaired people live in the United States," said Grice. "I hope this book will be a unique resource for people who are sighted or blind to better understand the part of the universe that is invisible to all of us."

The book will be available to the public through a wide variety of sources, including the National Federation of the Blind, Library of Congress repositories, schools for the blind, libraries, museums, science centers and Ozone Publishing.

"We wanted to show that the beauty and complexity of the universe goes far beyond what we can see with our eyes!" Daou said.

"The study of the universe is a detective story, a cosmic 'CSI,' where clues to the inner workings of the universe are revealed by the amazing technology of modern telescopes," Steel said. "This book invites everyone to join in the quest to unlock the secrets of the cosmos."

"One of the greatest challenges faced by blind students who are interested in scientific study is that certain kinds of information are not available to them in a non-visual form," said Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind. "Books like this one are an invaluable resource because they allow the blind access to information that is normally presented through visual observation and media. Given access to this information, blind students can study and compete in scientific fields as well as their sighted peers."

The prototype for this book was funded by an education grant from the Chandra mission and production was a collaborative effort by the NASA space science missions, which provide the images, and other agency sources.

About Love, Even Love That Hurts

'B Trae'd': New Poetry Collection Is a Heartfelt Work About Love, Even Love That Hurts

In her new collection of poetry, "B Trae'd" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), Trae R. King opens her heart and mind to the rollercoaster of emotions that is life and, in the end, discovers love is all that any of us ever want or need.

For Trae, writing poetry is a healing and empowering act, and her poems come across as endearing stories that readers can intimately relate to.

The opening lines from "Mama's Lil Girl" express Trae's love for her daughter and only child:
Looking down at your tiny hands, you were more precious than an oyster's pearl
You were what I always dreamed you'd be, you're mama's little girl
Holding you in my arms brought me shear joy and happiness
It was then I whispered in your ear, that mommy promises to do her best
I covered you with prayer and all the love I could muster
Even when you weren't happy and were being a little fusser
Nothing has made me happier than having you in my world
You are my hopes and dreams, you're mama's little girl
"Flawless" is an inspirational message about being true to yourself and not assuming the blame if you don't live up to the expectations of others. Consider this passage:
Enveloped in the most beautiful package, yet inside, the hearts distressed
Trying to equate to what society says you should be...A man that's flawless
Got some habits need to break them, got some ways need to shake them
Just because you're not a perfect diamond, doesn't mean you're not a Gem
Internal struggles encompass you, the spirit of a man battles with the flesh
You may not be who you want to be at this moment, but then again...who's flawless
Many of Trae's poems speak to encouragement and triumph. Ultimately, "B Trae'd" is a heartfelt work about love, even if that love hurts.

Often asked why she chose the title "B Trae'd," Trae explains that it doesn't mean "betrayed" in the sense that someone hurt her. She insists that the title suggests that readers will be captivated by her poetic style, and will thus be Trae'd.

Born in Cleveland, Trae lost both parents before age 15. She has served in the Air Force for the past 22 years. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in human resource management. "B Trae'd" is her first book.

'Meth Monster: Crankin' Thru Life'

Former Meth Addict Shares Painful Past in Gripping New Autobiography

"To say I loved meth is an understatement," writes D. C. Fuller. "For several decades, my life and everything in it revolved around meth use. Under its influence, anything was probable."

In his eye-opening new book, "Meth Monster: Crankin' thru life - A look into the abyss of an American drug pandemic" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), Fuller recalls a life spent under the influence of amphetamines in vivid detail.

The child of a late '50s middle-class family, Fuller exhibited behavioral problems from a very young age:
By the age of five I was forbidden to play with the other kids or be in their yards because I was such a bad influence and continually caused one disaster after another ... [I was] shoved through a school system that simply allowed me to scrape by for the sake of getting me the hell outta their hair, resulting in an underwhelmingly non-directional, bound for failure, sworn to fun, loyal to none, party till ya puke, lunatic.
Fuller proceeded to spiral further and further downward as the years progressed. "Meth Monster" highlights the low points of a life dedicated to methamphetamine. By the time he was 39 years old, Fuller had spent over half of his natural life living outside the law and the norms society imposes on itself, under the influence of meth.

"After wasting 39 years of my life wandering aimlessly from bag to bag with only the next party as the driving force, destination unknown, I woke for the second time to emptiness, took stock of the nothingness (easy to do when your whole life fits in a rusted out van, with room to spare) and made a choice," Fuller writes.

Fuller realized that something had to give and drove away from the place he had thought he would spend the rest of his life. Two thousand miles away, in the only place he knew someone who wasn't using, Fuller stopped, "out of dope, luck and hope."

It took much more than he ever imagined, but Fuller eventually loosened the grip that meth had on his life. After overcoming his addiction, however, he had to wrestle with many years of detoxification, withdrawal and depression. Giving up meth didn't just mean quitting a drug; it meant quitting the only way of living he'd known his entire adult life.

Finally, after 12 years of being clean, Fuller is able to share his powerful story and tell the world about the all-consuming vacuum of meth addiction, and the "life and lives wasted in pursuit of that eternal buzz."

"With 40 million meth addicts in this country and thousands joining their ranks every day, meth has now invaded every town and is working on every home in not only this country, but around the world," writes Fuller.

Is God Still Blessing America

New Book Traces Prosperity of United States to Biblical Times, Warns of Consequences to Come for National Sins

God blessed America. Is this just a slogan, or did God really ordain that America would be blessed with the greatest material and spiritual blessings of any nation on earth? In his new book, "God Blessed America No More" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), Arnold B. Ingram provides insight and understanding into how great material blessings from the Bible have enabled the United States to flourish in prosperity and wealth above any other nation in the world, and warns of what evils will come if America continues to deny God.

"God Blessed America No More" traces a direct line from the time God called Abraham out of pagan Mesopotamia to become the father and progenitor of untold blessings to how those promises currently affect the United States. The author reminds and warns readers of how those blessings and warnings from over 4000 years ago have been fulfilled - especially in America, Great Britain and Israel - and why they face great peril because of national sins and a growing desire to turn away from God:
How much longer will God wait? Read from the pages of His Word, outlined here. Discover how He has blessed our nation, how these blessings came about, and how He is now removing His divine hand opening the way for a national judgment that is rapidly coming upon us.
Scripture is used to prove that these prophecies and predictions are not solely the writer's opinion. Ingram uses the principle applied in the scriptures that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses truth is established." Therefore the truths recorded within the book are often quoted by more than one prophet. It includes the promises God made to all 12 tribes of Israel and the more specific promises and warnings He made to both the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah after they were divided, as well as details to coming events as recorded in the Bible and what can be expected as the current events unfold.

Arnold B. Ingram is a man who loves God and the Bible. Serving as a deacon for 52 years, he has studied and taught Old Testament prophecies for the past 45 years in a number of churches. His love of Scripture led to a deep passion to understand biblical prophecy and its relationship to history. He and his wife Hazel have been married for 55 years. Members of Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in northern Kentucky, both have served in numerous leadership capacities. "God Blessed America No More" is his first full-length book, bringing together a number of his shorter pieces, with an eye on current events and a wealth of new insights on old truths. For more information, please visit http://www.artofthestates.com.

'The K-9 Chronicles: Book Two' - Tomi's Story

New Book Written From Perspective of a Heroic Law Enforcement K-9

Join Tomi Krugel as he shares his adventures of working as a law enforcement cadaver dog for the New York Fire Department and the Los Angeles Police Department in his new book, "The K-9 Chronicles: Book Two - the journey ... the pack heroics continue" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com).

This book is the second in a series of six fictional books inspired by real-life K-9s and events in their lives. Each book focuses on the story of a different law enforcement K-9 that is scheduled to be euthanized, but then saved by Jake, a former LAPD cop with a mysterious and troubled past.

In Book Two, Tomi and his sister Maggie, Rhodesian-German Shepherd-Akita mixes, are left on the steps of a firehouse in the South Bronx one cold, snowy night. The firefighters take both puppies in and they soon become part of the firehouse family. Tomi and a firefighter named Kate grow particularly close. When Kate takes Tomi and Maggie to Lackland AFB to be trained as Cadaver K-9s, Tomi and Kate pair off for training and Maggie is placed with another trainer. After a while, Tomi loses track of his sister and begins to make Kate the main focus of his life.

While Maggie remains at Lackland, Kate and Tomi return to the firehouse as a team. Tomi eventually moves in with Kate and her boyfriend, Mac, and the three of them enjoy running together each morning. Then, one morning, the unthinkable happens: During their run, they look up and witness a plane being flown directly into one of the World Trade Center buildings. There is chaos all around as Kate, Mac and Tomi rush to the horrific scene.

The hideousness of 9/11 seems to blanket everything around Tomi. He has lost Kate and with her his sense of purpose. He is reunited with Maggie, but she too falls victim to tragedy that day, and Tomi decides to return to the South Tower to die with Kate. On his way, a human attempts to grab him and Tomi nearly makes a fatal mistake - while escaping the human's grasp, he bites him. Tomi is captured and taken to a vet hospital where he hears some of the humans discussing his fate and learns that he is to be put down. However, one of the attendants has befriended Tomi and arranges for him to be saved and sent to Los Angeles to be rehabilitated by "The Man Who Walks with Dogs."

Although he has experienced enough adventure to last a lifetime, Los Angeles is only the beginning of Tomi's amazing journey through life. Follow Tomi as he shares his story in his own words, introducing readers to the challenges of a life dedicated to serving others at all costs and a unique perspective of 9/11 and beyond that will inspire humans to see dogs as much more than just an animal.

"Dogs mirror image us - they do think, talk, reason and have feelings just as we do," writes Alan Krugel, the human who wrote down Tomi's story. "We have become partners in life. Dogs, however, always have to walk with one paw in their own dog world and one in our human world."

Kosher Diva's New Cookbook Brings Home Elegance for Passover

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Jan. 11, 2008 -- Acclaimed kosher diva Susie Fishbein, author of the Kosher by Design cookbook series, is releasing her fifth project - Passover by Design (ArtScroll Shaar Press, February 2008; $29.99/Hardcover, 276pp; ISBN: 1578190738). With over a quarter of a million books sold, Kosher by Design has become the most popular kosher cookbook series in print today. Passover by Design follows suit with Fishbein's signature style of combining gorgeous food and decor photos together with 172 chic recipes that shimmer with simple elegance.

Asked how Passover by Design differs from her previous cookbooks, Fishbein said, "This cookbook is solely focused on Passover. It includes so many helpful suggestions for preparing dishes that are as eye-pleasing as they are delicious. Also, you'll notice a blend of both familiar and brand new recipes. I painstakingly went through the previous Kosher by Design cookbooks and completely reformulated over 130 recipes to be thoroughly kosher for Passover. I've added over 30 fresh recipes as well that are superb and even unique for Passover." Among the new additions, Fishbein collaborated with Moshe David, a rising star on the kosher catering circuit, to create over twenty more intricate and unusual Passover dishes, including Teriyaki Chicken Sates and Thai Sole Rolls.

"Kosher for Passover" is a critical designation on food packaging as traditional Jews avoid products containing any leavened ingredients during the Passover holiday. Fishbein's new cookbook provides solutions to that challenge. She notes, "It's not a matter of simply substituting one cup of potato starch for one cup of flour. I spent scores of hours getting the measurements just right for each recipe. With Passover by Design, the right ingredients and adjusted quantities are all done for you. That's a huge time saver. Also, everything you need is presented in one volume. You won't shuffle through several cookbooks, marking pages with sticky notes, to plan your meals."

Anyone gluten-intolerant will find many delicious reasons to employ Passover by Design throughout the year, as 130 of the recipes are devoid of grain-based allergens commonly associated with celiac disease.

Beside the stunning full-color photos shot by world-class food photographer John Uher, Passover by Design showcases an engaging mix of traditional and contemporary decorating concepts for the Passover table.

Publisher ArtScroll Shaar Press releases Passover by Design to the general book market on February 28th.

About the Author

An everyday cook, Susie Fishbein's enthusiasm for food and entertaining led to the creation of her best-selling cookbook, Kosher by Design, published in 2003 by ArtScroll Shaar Press. Since then, Fishbein has debuted Kosher by Design Entertains, Kosher by Design Kids in the Kitchen, Kosher by Design Short On Time and the NEW Passover by Design. Her next project - Kosher by Design Lightens Up! - is due in November 2008. Fishbein has been featured on national television and radio, including The Today Show and Martha Stewart. http://www.kosherbydesign.com

Adrift

New Novel Follows Young Man on Journey of Discovery Through Grief, Love and Sexuality

AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 11, 2008 -- When a personal tragedy ambushes his existence, Aaron Adams is forced to reexamine his life, realizing that without a major change he will be forever trapped in a cycle of boredom and depression. But embarking on a fresh start will test him emotionally at every turn - and the past is not so easily left behind - in the new romance by Robert Taylor, "Adrift: A Novel" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com).

Life in Nyack, N.Y., had become a repetitive bore for Aaron Adams since graduating from college. But the untimely death of his mother changes everything. Not knowing how to put the pieces back together, Aaron throws a dart at a globe - it hits Tuscany in Italy.

Abandoning his two best friends (one of them an unrequited love), Aaron leaves for Tuscany wanting nothing more than a fresh start. He finds himself standing on the banks of the Lima River in Bagni di Lucca, where a stranger and an unexpected connection await him. Fabrizio has also lost his mother. Together they forge a bond unlike anything Aaron has ever experienced. The close friends become lovers, sharing their grief and imagining a future with each other.

However, Aaron's ties to America remain firmly knotted, and he soon finds himself back in the States at the side of his best friend, who may or may not awake from a coma after a terrible car accident. In the midst of this tragedy, Aaron is surprised to learn that a final chapter remains to be written in his relationship with the man he loved before he left New York.

Follow Aaron's journey of discovery as he battles and embraces the griefs and loves of a tumultuous period and comes to terms with his sexuality in "Adrift," the stunning, witty and emotional debut novel by Robert Taylor.

Robert Taylor is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a degree in Journalism. He has worked for Wizard Magazine and has been a popular and well-respected online columnist and journalist for the past five years, currently hanging his hat at Comic Book Resources, writing the weekly interview column "Reflections." He also edits Artemis, a feminist magazine.

FINN Effects: Noted Author Launches National Menu Contest

Calling All Book Clubs: Noted Author Launches National Menu Contest

LUDLOW, Vt., Jan. 9, 2008 -- When book clubs get together, you're sure to find two things: lots of great discussion, and lots of great food.

One noted author has launched a contest that brings the two even closer together. Jon Clinch, author of the widely praised novel Finn, has announced the Finn Book Club Menu Contest. The challenge: develop a menu based on the food mentioned in his acclaimed novel. The prize: a visit to your book club from the author, as well as classroom copies of the book for your local school.

Named as one of 2007's top novels by the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, the Christian Science Monitor, Book Sense, and Amazon.com, Finn is by no means a merely food-focused book. Instead, it's the dark, secret history of one of American literature's most notorious characters: Huckleberry Finn's father. Certain foods, however, do receive prominent mention in the book.

"I was inspired to launch the contest by a group I visited at a literary festival," said Clinch. "They served a dinner based on the kind of food that appears in Finn. I thought it was a fantastic idea, and I'm excited about helping it happen again."

Here's how the contest works: Design a menu for your book club to enjoy when you discuss Finn. Use your imagination. Use your frying pan. Use catfish and whiskey and fatback bacon and cornbread and sunfish and baking powder biscuits and ... well, you get the idea. Be inspired. Have fun. And make sure that you don't forget the huckleberries. Entries are due February 15, 2008.

Clinch says the inspiration for the novel came from his childhood fascination with Pap Finn, Huckleberry Finn's cruel and racist father. Mark Twain left the character dead in a room crowded with oddities (a wooden leg, women's underclothing, black masks), and from those seeds Clinch has created the remarkable life story of this brutal and explosive man. The darkly complex character of Finn - violent, alcoholic, racist, goaded by his rancorous relationship with his father The Judge and his equally fractured relationship with his own son Huck - makes him one of the most arresting literary creations to appear in years. And the themes at the heart of Finn are universal: race, paternity, the stain of slavery of a nation and a family, what we take from our parents and give to our sons, and our own limitless power to self-destruct.

Runners-up to the contest will receive a phone visit from the author, and classroom copies of the book. Full contest details are posted at the author's web site, http://www.jonclinch.com, and more information on the book is at http://www.ReadFinn.com.

New Book Presents Strategies to Improve Student Writing

Description

A new book co-authored by Vanderbilt University education faculty seeks to reverse the downward trend in the quality of student writing. Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students presents a detailed program that teachers can use to help students master writing and improve their self-confidence.


A new book co-authored by Vanderbilt University education faculty seeks to reverse the downward trend in the quality of student writing. Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students presents a detailed program that teachers can use to help students master writing and improve their self-confidence.

“Writing is discouraging and frustrating for many students, which can lead to an avoidance of writing and contribute to poor overall academic achievement,” Karen Harris, one of the book’s co-authors and Currey Ingram Chair in Special Education at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, said. “This book offers teachers a guide for giving students the skills and strategies they need to learn how to write while boosting their enthusiasm and confidence in their ability to write independently and well.”

The book outlines how to implement a writing instruction approach called Self-Regulated Strategy Development, or SRSD, which was designed by Harris and co-author Steve Graham, also Currey Ingram Chair in Special Education at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College. The approach has been developed through 25 years of research and its effectiveness shown in over 40 studies, including randomized field trials.

“SRSD focuses on five areas that research has found are particularly difficult for students learning how to write: generating content; planning and outlining composition structure; creating goals and big-picture plans for compositions; quickly and effectively executing the mechanics of writing; and revising text and goals as needed,” Harris said. “While doing all of this, students need to be able to stay focused and to feel confident about their ability.”

The book lays out the SRSD approach for teachers in six stages: develop background knowledge with students about the writing genre and about powerful writing strategies; discuss the students’ current strategies and abilities; model effective writing strategies and the composing process; help students memorize strategies and self-instructions; support what students have learned through collaboration and revision; and establish independent performance.

“Teachers with whom I have worked have enthusiastically adopted SRSD because it is practical and easy to use in the classroom,” Robert Reid, professor of special education at the University of Nebraska, wrote in the book’s forward. “What do students think of SRSD? They love it because it helps them learn how to do a task. These strategies help to give students the perseverance they need to get through demanding tasks such as writing an essay.”

By many accounts, writing is one of the most neglected skills in America’s schools. The book cites recent results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress that found “three out of every four 4th, 8th and 12th grade students exhibited only partial mastery of the necessary writing skills and knowledge at the respective grade levels,” and “only one in 100 students demonstrated ‘advanced’ writing skills.”

The tools in the new book have been proven effective for a variety of writing genres—story, creative, narrative, expository and persuasive writing—as well as for general, at-risk and special education students from kindergarten through high school. The lessons are generally 20 to 60 minutes long and occur at least three times a week for several weeks. Teachers are encouraged to use the lessons that fit the students’ needs best in the order that suits them.

Harris and Graham’s co-authors are Linda Mason, assistant professor of educational and school psychology and special education at Pennsylvania State University; and Barbara Friedlander, a special education teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools, Potomac, Md. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. published the book.

Harris and Graham are investigators in the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development.(Newswise)

Cheap Car Rentals Book

Debunking the Secret World of Rental Cars: Author Reveals Easy-to-Follow Tips to Save Time, Money and Frustration on Car Rentals

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 3, 2008 -- Renting a car can be an overwhelming experience. Knowing the right questions to ask can make the process run much smoother. From nine years experience working as an agency operator for one of the largest car rental companies in the world, Bob Minelli reveals money-saving techniques and strategies for renters in his new book "How To Save Big Money on Car Rentals: Uncovering the Secrets They Don't Want You To Know" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com).

Written for the average person as well as corporations, "How To Save Big Money on Car Rentals" demonstrates that saving money is only the beginning. Readers will find themselves in control of the car rental process because they will know just what to expect every time they need to rent a car. They will learn that "If you don't ask, you don't get," along with tips on what to ask for to save from getting charged for things that should be free, and how to get money off of every rental.

Minelli exposes the truth about car rental insurance in an easy-to-understand text, explaining exactly what coverage it entails and why or why not users should consider adding this service. He shows how to take advantage of the "Gas Service Option," and reveals how to get free upgrades every rental:
This book is simple and easy to read and use. Whenever you find yourself in the need to rent a vehicle anywhere in the world, this book will save you not only money, but also save you from a lot of hassle when dealing with the car rental companies. Its appeal for you will be when you implement the information and find yourself saving money right away! 'It would make me so proud when my customers would come back from a car rental that took place in some other state, and tell me how much they appreciated my "tips" that saved them a lot of money. And I look forward to hearing soon how this book has helped you!'
"How To Save Big Money on Car Rentals" uncovers the best secrets of the industry in order to offer renters leverage and power throughout the car rental process. Minelli created a system of operating that worked for both himself and his company, and now he shares that behind-the-scenes knowledge with readers.

Throughout his experience in the car rental industry, Bob Minelli has helped thousands of people get the best out of car rentals. "How To Save Big Money on Car Rentals," his first book, showcases his expertise for renters and teaches them how to receive huge savings and a stress-free experience every time.

Nazis Invade Holland: New Memoir Recalls a Boy's View of the German Occupation of Holland in World War II

In his new memoir, "Countdown to Freedom" (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), Willem Ridder revisits a childhood dominated by the experience of the German invasion and subsequent occupation of his hometown of Rotterdam, Netherlands, during World War II. Ridder casts the eyes of a young boy on the bombings, the loss of life and property, the hiding, the killings, the starvation, the resistance movement and the countless violations of basic freedoms perpetrated by the Nazis.

"Countdown to Freedom" describes the terror experienced by the citizens of Rotterdam from the invasion on May 10, 1940, until its liberation five years later on May 8, 1945. Ridder provides a very personal account:
Although my involvement and experience was naturally restricted by my age and limited knowledge of the why, what and where, I was sufficiently aware and sometimes even involved on the periphery of events as they unfolded during those years that shook the world. There are no revelations about the major events and battles of the war but merely how these events played a role in my young life and how they affected and sometimes even directly impacted my environment.
Ridder was an eyewitness to the horrific and the surreal. He was aware of the increasing brutality of occupying forces as the war went on, and he once witnessed a reprisal killing of 20 citizens for the killing of one German. Henry, his older brother, was active in the resistance movement, and once escaped a Nazi raid by hiding between the floorboards. And of course, Ridder saw the freedoms of the Dutch people crushed, from ridiculous rules that would have been laughable had they not been so ruthlessly enforced, to an utter disregard for human life as demonstrated in the mass starvations during the winter of 1944-45. Even as a youngster, freedom was always on Ridder's mind:
Freedom was our main goal and greatest wish ... It's the story of a young Dutch boy from the big port city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands whose symbols of freedom were the contrails of thousands of Allied bombers flying over Holland on their way to Germany or the lone Spitfire that one time swooped down low, rocked its wings several times, waved at us and then sped away. But it is not just Freedom for its own sake but rather what in the end the cost of that freedom was.
Ridder, born in 1930, was 10 when the Germans invaded Rotterdam and 15 when they left. He has read many books about World War II but has yet to read one in English that describes the plight of the Dutch people. "Countdown to Freedom" is his first book.