Author: Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

Ellen Whitfield is senior publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.  Interested in what's possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.

Step into the lives of extraordinary families raising children with rare diseases in “An Ordinary Day” by photographer Karen Haberberg

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK CITY – Acclaimed portrait photographer Karen Haberberg is turning her lens on families raising children with rare genetic conditions in a stunning new book. Intimate photographs and honest voices make “An Ordinary Day: Kids With Rare Genetic Conditions” the first of its kind. With sales benefiting genetic research, the book releases Oct. 17, 2017 by powerHouse Books.

Rare genetic diseases are actually fairly common – one in 10 Americans is affected, while 95% do not have an FDA approved drug treatment. “An Ordinary Day” connects families with children who have rare disorders to one another – and to the world. Through dozens of powerful images and candid interviews, readers will fall in love with these children, sharing in their struggles and celebrating their victories. Despite the complexity of their individual circumstances, the book captures family life in all its simplicity and humanity. Haberberg finds beauty in the common threads that unite us all.

Poignant and revelatory, “An Ordinary Day” illuminates the meaning of family.

Karen Haberberg is a New York City-based portrait photographer. Her photography has been shown in numerous gallery exhibitions, magazines, and newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Daily News, Huffington Post, Time Out NY, Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan, New York Family, and Fit Pregnancy. Her work was recently featured on ABC News and NY1. In addition, Haberberg teaches photography at the 92Y and JCC of Manhattan. For nearly a decade, she served as the Director of Photography and Digital Media at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan, where she spearheaded photography related programming for children and adults. Haberberg has also curated numerous exhibitions and collaborated with well-known photographers such as Annie Leibovitz, Elliot Erwitt, Joyce Tenneson, Gillian Laub, Bruce Davidson, among others. Haberberg holds a BA from Brandeis University and earned her MA in Art and Photography from the ICP. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children Maya and Liam. For more information, visit her website at http://www.karenhaberberg.com.

 

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About the book

ordinary-cover

“An Ordinary Day: Kids With Rare Genetic Conditions”

“An Ordinary Day” displays photographs set against intimate conversations, presenting the stories of 27 courageous families living with children with rare genetic conditions. Readers will fall in love with each child while celebrating the life-affirming spirit captured in every image. Throughout the pages, a trove of treasure is revealed, a narrative of struggles failed and battles won. These brave children include Ethan, a mute child, as he learns to make his first sound; Jonathan, a 9-year-old, as he finally is able to eat with a spoon and; Maddy, a 5-year-old, as she takes his first step after years of crawling. These are all tasks that are taken for granted by families and children without these disorders, but are immense accomplishments and triumphs for children with rare genetic diseases.

The every day moments captured in “An Ordinary Day” hope to inspire awareness and empathy, while highlighting the commonalities between families with rare genetic conditions, and more deeply between us all.

“In these moving photos and narratives, Karen Haberberg locates the joy and beauty in children whose lives are too easily relegated to darkness. Her images are not only humane, but also celebratory. They proceed from a great generosity of spirit and an intuitive sense of human dignity.” – Andrew Solomon, PhD professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University, Pulitzer nominee and author of “Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity”

“An Ordinary Day: Kids With Rare Genetic Conditions” by Karen Haberberg
October 17, 2017 • powerHouse Books
ISBN: 978-1-57687-861-3 (hardcover) • $45
Photography • Health • Children

 

An Interview with Karen Haberberg

How did you decide to photograph families raising children with rare genetic conditions?
“An Ordinary Day” was a labor of love for me. My parents lost a child to Tay Sachs Disease before I was born and almost 50 years later, they still suffer from the loss of my brother, Rafi. More recently, my best friend’s son was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. Hearing her struggles and victories made me realize how little attention families who have children with rare genetic conditions receive and how common it actually is. One in 10 families in America has a child with a rare condition and 95% of those conditions do not have one single FDA approved drug treatment

In your book, you captured some incredibly intimate moments between parents and their kids. How did you gain their trust to tell their personal stories through photography? 
All the families in the book are extraordinary. I am incredibly fortunate to have been allowed into their intimate world. I am in awe of their strength, optimism and perseverance.

 I was there to tell their story as authentically as possible, and I think they felt that, which is what enabled them to open up to me. I deeply care about each family represented in the book, and find found them to be incredibly inspirational.

You ran a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $25,000 to get “An Ordinary Day” off the ground. Why do you think there was such overwhelming support for this project?
One of the goals of this project was designed to get the word out on a population that is often overlooked and sometimes even shunned from society. People recognized the need for the book as an effort to raise awareness on a variety of genetic conditions, to help fund research for treatments, and to connect families with kids who have rare genetic conditions to each other and the world at large. In addition, the profits of the book go to genetic research and the Kickstarter video explains my goals clearly.

What was the best and most difficult parts of working with the kids and families featured in your book?
It’s been an honor and privilege to work with each of the families, but given the topic, there were some difficult moments emotionally during the interviewing process. While we may have shed a few tears together, their honesty and my empathy was a beautiful thing. I only want the best for these kids, and I think the parents recognized that.

Have your own kids shown interest in photography? What did they think about the project?
My kids are at the age that they most appreciate photographs of fuzzy animals or landscapes. The most important thing I want my kids to come away with from this project is how important it is to accept all kinds of people. They know that no one is perfect and we are all working on things. It’s critical that they don’t judge, shy away from, or exclude kids who are different. I think they got that message now.

What is something you would like to communicate to people who have not spent a lot of time around kids with special health needs?
Many of the parents in the book comment that most of the people they socialize with since their child was diagnosed are from the rare genetic disease community. Their friends with typical kids no longer invite them to parties because they worry that if the kids with a rare condition attends the birthday party and the kid has an outburst or a behavioral issue, the party will be ruined. It’s a shame because the families who have kids with rare genetic conditions already feel isolated. They are already struggling with medical care, insurance companies, schools and everyday life. People who haven’t been closely exposed to families like these are often ignorant and fearful, which is what causes them to step away rather than lean in. It’s time we lean in. We need to teach tolerance to all ages.

Outside of this project, you are also an award-winning portrait and commercial photographer. Did you approach your work for “An Ordinary Day” with a different mindset?
In all of my work, I assess the situation at hand and figure out the best way to present the person or project. “An Ordinary Day” was challenging on a lot of levels, but from an aesthetic sense, I couldn’t plan too much because I wasn’t very familiar with the situation I was entering. Fortunately, it always ended up authentic, beautiful, and individual.

Deep emotion radiates through the images you captured. Were you ever emotionally overwhelmed during the project? How did you handle that?
There were definitely more than a handful of moments when parents were talking to me candidly that I choked back some tears. Watching these kids and families repeatedly work as hard as they do to learn basic skills and move forward, which could be as simple as eating, was heartbreaking at times. These families persevere because they have to, but they do it with such profound grace that it’s astonishing; I deeply respect them. 

A handful of the families have started their own organizations to raise money and awareness for their child’s condition and have really helped propel forward research in their specific areas.

What surprised you about the project?
What I did not expect was how connected I would feel to the families. Now, I am constantly following them on Facebook and I now have 27 more people to worry about!

Rare Disease Day will be observed on Feb. 28, 2018, to help spread worldwide awareness of uncommon health conditions. What are some ways people can show their support and make a difference in their own communities?
Global Genes does an amazing job at advertising different ways to spread the word about rare genetic conditions and support the cause. 

What’s next for you?
While I continue to expand my commercial work, I will be working on my next photography book on adoption, photographs and stories of people with their birth family and adopted family. I am currently looking for interested participants and sponsorship. 

In addition, I am working with an Emmy Award-winning team to raise money to create a documentary film on kids with rare genetic conditions.

Last thoughts!
When I returned home after each shoot I always gave my kids an extra strong hug and reminded myself – don’t sweat the small stuff. Be grateful, and I am.

 

www.JKSCommunications.com
2819 Vaulx Lane, Nashville, TN 37204
Angelle Barbazon
(615) 928-2462
angelle@jkscommunications.com

Jeffery Viles brings bigfoot legend to life in imaginative, genre-bending romp “The Sasquatch Murder” Trip through the woods has wide-ranging consequences after creature’s accidental shooting

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLUMBIA, MO. – They could be out there, you must know, those heretofore unknown bipedal hominids commonly called sasquatch. Owing to a complete accident, youthful widower Jake Holly shoots and kills a female sasquatch and takes her back to town only to be charged by the local prosecuting attorney with murder, because the creature is so human-like. This imaginative, hard-to-classify and tightly woven tale explains up front, in a prologue that soars from the creation of the universe to the present day, just how these creatures came to be traipsing around in the big trees surrounding Mount St. Helens. With intricate details and bursts of literary language, Jeffery Viles offers a fast-moving narrative of events that shock the Pacific Northwest town of Aurora, Washington, then reverberate around the world and into the White House, thanks to the Internet. Hee-Haw’s tavern is ground zero for local oddballs and elbow benders to posture, talk Bigfoot, and offer their peculiar yarns in colorful idiom, while Jake and Jessica O’Reilly are falling in love despite an age difference that Jessica’s powerful father, the prosecutor, cannot abide. But when Sasquatch enters the picture, a tripwire is broken and every preconceived notion is instantly upside down.

After graduating from the University of Missouri, Jeffery Viles had stints at “Die Welt,” a world-wide and highly regarded German newspaper and the Columbia Daily Tribune. When he left journalism, he bought and built up a small petroleum distribution company, then became a hotel owner and restaurateur; went on to start a construction/design company which eventually segued into ownership of commercial real estate. Throughout all of his ventures, Jeff occasionally worked on short stories and eventually began to work on a novel in earnest, which turned into “The Sasquatch Murder (A Love Story).”

 

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About the book

sasquatch-book-cover

On a quiet but rainy horse ride through the big woods, youthful widower Jake Holly is surprised into accidentally shooting a female sasquatch. The prosecuting attorney in the small town of Aurora,Washington, is startled by the creature’s human-like appearance and charges Jake with  murder. The prosecutor also happens to be the father of Jake’s 15-years-younger girlfriend, Jessica. Despite the hurdles facing them, Jake and Jessica only grow closer as the concrete discovery of a sasquatch reverberates via the internet throughout the nation and the world.

 Jeffery Viles evokes the city of Aurora with small-town charm and memorable characters that you’ll feel you’ve known forever. He’ll make you question where you stand on creatures such as sasquatch, and pull you into a tale that’s not quite mystery, not quite love story and not quite science fiction, but some fantastical combination of the three.

“The Sasquatch Murder (a love story)”
Jeffery Viles | July 25, 2017 | Beaver’s Pond Press
Hardcover | 978-1592987696 | $19.95
e-book | 978-1592986750 | $7.99
Science fiction/fantasy

 

An Interview with Jeffrey Viles

JefferyViles

What inspired you to write about sasquatch?
We humans have always been fascinated by mysterious monsters, from Grendel in “Beowulf,” one of the oldest examples of English literature, right down to “Frankenstein” and the “Wolfman.”  The notion of a novel unveiling sasquatch just wouldn’t go away.

What are your beliefs regarding the legendary creature? 
I’m truly a sasquatch agnostic.  But if it doesn’t exist, there are a lot of sightings by normal people and other credible evidence to explain away.

This book is a combination of several genres – did you plan it that way or did it just morph into that as you were writing? I didn’t give a single thought to genre while writing this novel.  I simply wanted to tell a good story that would sometimes employ literary language and make a good read.  Many people seem to think it succeeds.

Are any of the characters based on real people? Does Hee-Haw’s have a nonfictional counterpart?
Hee-Haw’s is a conglomeration of every good bar and pub I’ve enjoyed in America, Ireland, Great Britain and even Germany; the kind of place where you’ll find yourself chatting and joking with the locals within five minutes of arrival.  The characters are also composites of many colorful people I’ve known, and they often are embellished with my imagination.    

What makes the Pacific Northwest the perfect setting for this kind of story?
Many of the sasquatch sightings, oversized footprints, unexplainable tufts of hair, etc., take place in that quadrant of the country.  To quote page 87 of the novel:  “if such a thing is real, it should, it must, live among the Pacific Northwest’s impossibly grand forests.”

Do you think your background in journalism affected how you write?
Certainly.  You learn to write by writing.

If you were able to have a roundtable with three authors, who would you include and what would you ask them?
It’s very hard to boil it down to three.  I could easily name a dozen I especially admire. But to answer the question, maybe Ernest Hemingway, Gabriel García Márquez and Raymond Carver would make a good roundtable. I’d ask them everything I could think of, but especially the details of how they work day to day.

Who would play Jake, Jessica and Sasquatch if the book were turned into a movie?
Matthew McConaughey, Jeremy Renner or Edward Norton would all make a good Jake.  They are in their 40s. For the younger Jessica, I’d nominate Jennifer Lawrence. As sasquatch, you’d think of the crazy side of Jeff Bridges. But I imagine the movie folks would do a great sasquatch with CGI.

When you get in a writing funk, is there a certain book or author you read to get re-inspired? 
No. A glass or two of good Chardonnay and I’m ready to ramble.

The book’s ending is ambiguous – it could be a set up for another book, but it could just as easily let the story lie. Any chance we’ll see more from Jake and Jessica?
A couple of Amazon five-star reviewers have asked for that so I’d have to consider it.  But I’m more likely to complete something quite different.  I’m playing with that very different story right now.

 

www.JKSCommunications.com
2819 Vaulx Lane, Nashville, TN 37204
Angelle Barbazon
(615) 928-2462
angelle@jkscommunications.com

10 Cookie Things You Need to Celebrate October’s National Cookie Month

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Well dear reader, it’s National Cookie Month, and we’ve been concocting this post for you in celebration! We’ve got cookie cravings pretty bad over at JKS, and we hope to inspire some of your own baking adventures before month’s end (if we do, we welcome your cookie gifts at the office!). Join some of the JKS staff in a breakdown of our favorite cookie recipes and gizmos!

 

Mascarpone Semifreddo from The New York City Kitchen Cookbook by Tracey Ceurvels

If you’re looking to get creative with your cookie month celebration, Tracey Ceurvels’ Mascarpone Semifreddo recipe is a perfect way to shake up the dessert table!  A perfect marriage of ice cream and mousse, this recipe’s crumbled anisette cookies add a delightful touch to the diverse flavor and texture. Don’t let the complexity intimidate you, all you’ll need is a blender and a freezer. Assistant Publicist Max loves Tracey’s inventive cookie recipe!

Get the recipe and buy the cookbook here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781510721128.

 

 

 

Carol’s Beet and Acorn Cookies

If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead then you may have heard about this new cookbook, AMC The Walking Dead The Official Cookbook and Survival Guide… and you’ll definitely remember how Carol nearly scared the bejesus out of a small child as she baked these iconic cookies. Celebrate the spookiest month of all with cookies fit for the zombpocalypse!

In true apocalypse fashion, Carol Peletier takes advantage of the limited cooking resources around her to whip up a batch of unique desserts using beets and acorn flour. In spite of the unorthodox ingredients, these cookies are surprisingly sweet (and delicious to boot!)

Get the recipe and buy the cookbook here:

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781683830788

 

 

Homemade Cookie Jar

Once you’ve really gotten up and running with your at-home cookie factory, you’ll need a sweet spot to store them. We just love this charming cookie jar from Crate & Barrel that makes sure to let all your friends and family know your cookies were made at home!

Buy the jar here: https://www.crateandbarrel.com/homemade-cookie-jar/s325053

 

 

 

 

Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies 2.0

For people with allergies, gluten-related issues, and paleo diets, “Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies 2.0” is a great option. With advice on how to sub out common allergens, this recipe of gooey chocolatey deliciousness is the perfect option for anyone celebrating national cookie month, especially those with restricted diets. Publicist Sydney highly recommends these for any g-free eaters!

Get the recipe by buying the book here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781628600421

 

 

 

 

U-Taste 10 Piece Measuring Cups and Spoons Set

Let’s face it… your measuring cups and spoons set probably haven’t matched in years (ours don’t). But this set of everything is matching, cheery, and will have you a lot more excited about all your upcoming baking projects. Senior Publicist Angelle swears by these, and we know you will too.

Get the set here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L26QE14/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

 

 

Smitten Kitchen’s Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

Every once in a while you just need peanut butter in your life…and these are the best cure for that craving!

Publicist Ellen says these are her absolute go-to when the peanut butter bug bites! https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/10/salted-peanut-butter-cookies/

 

 

 

 

 

Donia Bjian’s Orange Cardamom Cookies

If you’re looking for the perfect cookie to pair with your tea service, look no further. These delicate, buttery cookies pair with the crisp fall weather we begin to see each October and are the perfect snack to have on hand while you devour Bijan’s beautiful memoir. Part cookbook and part recollection of her family’s escape from political revolution and terror in Iran in the 1970’s, Bijan reminisces about the culinary landscape of her childhood while also informing us about how the rest of her life in the U.S. has played out as a Persian-American. A truly literary journey into a cookie world we can all get behind!

Get the recipe by buying the book here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781565129573

 

 

 

Custom Cookies

When a special occasion calls for a special cookie, check out our favorite custom bakery, Lawrence Deans Bake Shop! These cookies can have anything magically printed on them! From baby pictures to book covers, there’s not a sweeter way to say “I care” than a custom cookie! Check out this awesome example from local Nashville author Peggy O’Neil Peden’s launch party at Parnassus Books!

http://www.lawrencedeans.com/

 

 

 

 

Holiday Sugar Cookies

Senior Publicist Sara swears by Joanne Chang’s sugar cookie recipe. According to her it’s THE best sugar cookie recipe of all time (even beat out her family’s time-honored recipe and had everyone raving). Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter… any time you want a traditionally decorated sugar cookie, you just can’t beat these for their mouth-watering perfection. Sara hosts cookie decorating parties and suggests you do the same (and share your pics with us on our Instagram at @jkscommunications when you do!).

Get the recipe by buying the book here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780811869447

 

 

Get a cookie cutter shaped like your FACE!

One of life’s greatest mysteries is what you and your loved ones would look like as cookies. Etsy user UniqueCookieCutter has finally come up with a way to find out! Just send in a picture, and watch your cookie-self come to life! Perfect for weddings, birthdays, or those rainy Sundays when you just want to curl up by a fire and eat a bunch of your own delicious faces.

Get your UniqueCookieCutter here

 

 

 

U.K Bestseller ‘Merlin at War’ Comes to U.S.

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mark Ellis publishes thrilling third novel in DCI Frank Merlin series
#1 Amazon Historical Thriller Bestseller
Many Global Top Ten/Top 20 Amazon Thriller Rankings
An Amazon Top 15 Hot New Historical Mystery Release

LONDON, England – Growing up in Swansea, birthplace of famous poet Dylan Thomas (‘Do not go gentle into that good night’), Ellis always had literary ambitions. He also had a fascination for the Second World War, which cast a long shadow over his family. His father served in the wartime Navy and died a young man from illness acquired on service while his mother told him of her terrible experiences of Luftwaffe bombing. She told him of fun times too like her attendance at tea dances in wartime London with all around laughing scornfully at the bombs and doodlebugs. Her stories made him realise that ordinary life of course carried on during war and Ellis became interested in this facet of the Home Front. While the nation was engaged in its heroic endeavour, crime was one of the ‘ordinary’ things which flourished during the period. Murder, robbery, theft and rape were rife and the Blitz provided scope for widespread looting and other crimes. This was an intriguing, harsh and cruel world. This is the world of DCI Frank Merlin.

Mark Ellis – Mark Ellis is a thriller writer and a former barrister and entrepreneur. He grew up in Swansea, under the shadow of his parents’ experience of the second world war. His father served in the wartime navy and his mother witnessed the bombardment of Swansea in 1941. Mark has always been fascinated by World War II and, in particular, the Home Front and the criminal activity which sprung up during wartime. He has written two previous DCI Frank Merlin novels, Princes Gate and Stalin’s Gold and is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association. He divides his time between homes in London and Oxford.  Visit him at www.markellisauthor.com or on Twitter at @MarkEllis15

 

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About the book

cover-merlinIt is early summer 1941. Hitler is looking East and secretly preparing his invasion of Russia, giving London a temporary reprieve from the Blitz. The UK continues to suffer  severe deprivations of wartime rationing and shortages. British forces have just been defeated in Crete in their first major direct confrontation with the Germans. Vichy France has just agreed to provide the Nazis with military bases in their colonies in Syria and Lebanon provoking the Allies to invade. The US remains outside the conflict and although President Roosevelt strongly favours Britain, he is hampered in his support by influential isolationists like Ford and Lindbergh.

Despite the rousing leadership of Churchill and the resilience of the people, Britain remains a dark and fraught place, with the possibility of invasion very real. Meanwhile across the Channel in France and other occupied countries, the Nazis are strengthening their tyrannical grip and beginning to round up Jews. It is against this grim background that DC Frank Merlin battles to do his duty.

Real life personalities like Churchill, De Gaulle, Petain, Ed Murrow and Laurence Olivier cameo in this wartime thriller. With France under the Nazi thumb and Britain with its back to the wall, Scotland Yard’s detective Merlin investigates a series of disturbing events – a young girl killed in a botched abortion, a French emigré shot in a seedy Notting Hill flat, and a mysterious letter written by a British officer, gunned down in Crete. Merlin and his team are plunged into a dark world of espionage, murder, love and betrayal.
“Merlin at War: A DCI Frank Merlin Novel”
Mark Ellis | October 12, 2017 | London Wall Publishing
Format ISBN-10: 0995566712 | Price: $17.99 Hard Cover
ASIN: B06ZYW8CFB | Price: $3.82 Kindle
Thriller

 

Praise for Merlin at War

“Traditional well-plotted whodunit with a protagonist you will believe in and a plot that’s fresh and satisfying. A real treat.” – Oxford Mail

“Superb entertainment” – Eurocrime

“Nostalgia, sex and intrigue all rolled into one – great!” – 50Connect

“An interesting character and era… I’d like to read more” – Shots Magazine

“A real treasure” – Yorkshire Gazette

“Masterly… compelling… one of the most attractive characters to emerge in recent detective-thriller fiction” – Andrew Roberts, bestselling historian

“Richly atmospheric… authentic… calls to mind Ken Follett, Alan Furst and PD James”
–Joseph Finder, New York Times Bestselling Thriller Writer

 

An Interview with Mark Ellis

One of the most captivating parts of the world of Frank Merlin is the historical detail; how did you decide to weave such notable events and characters into the books?
I want to create as authentic a WW2 London for Frank Merlin’s adventures as I can. Close attention to historical detail and accuracy is imperative. Before I start writing a new book I spend several weeks intensively researching the exact period in which the story is set. In the case of Merlin At War the period is May/June 1941. To help me, I have a large and growing collection of history books, biographies, diaries and novels relating to WW2, good local libraries and then of course there is the Internet, which is now a fantastic resource for a historical novelist – if I want to find out the weather on any particular wartime day, what was on the radio, which RAF squadrons were in the air and so on, I can do do so in minutes on my iPad.

I structure my books so that each chapter covers a specific day-June 5th 1941, June 6th 1941 etc. In my research I may be looking for particular details of the day but sometimes unsearched for facts jump out and demand incorporation into my story. People likewise. I do feature a number of historical figures in all of my books. Sometimes they are simply there to help set the historical background to Merlin’s investigations and sometimes they are linked to the plots. In Merlin At War, Churchill features for historical background, while the French leader De Gaulle has a part to play in the plot. In my first book, Princes Gate, Joseph Kennedy provides historical colour but also features in the story. Similarly, Stalin in my second book, Stalin’s Gold. Authenticity, of course, comes just as much from getting the smaller details of ordinary life correct as it does from accurately reflecting the historical developments in the war and the Churchills and Stalins of the world. A great variety of ordinary life features in my books. How people entertained and enjoyed themselves interests me greatly. I loved creating one scene in Merlin At War, where Merlin and his girlfriend go to see a variety show at the famous London Palladium, a theatre in which many of America’s greatest stars have appeared over the years. I was delighted to find an old theatre programme on the internet, which gave full details of a specific show on the night on which Merlin attends. The show starred the biggest English comedian of the time Max Miller, and also on the bill, as a very young woman, was Vera Lynn, later to become an icon of the war as the singer of ‘The White Cliffs of Dover.’ Vera Lynn is amazingly still with us at the age of 100, and I like to think of her reading the book and encountering her youthful self!

How much of an influence did your parents’ experience with the war have on your process for these books?
My parents were the people most responsible for generating my keen interest in WW2 and in particular wartime life on the UK Home Front. My father was a British Navy sailor during the war and was based for some time in East Africa. I listened, fascinated, as a boy to his stories of his service there and remember vividly some frightening carvings he’d brought back with him. Sadly, he died when I was only 7, from a wasting disease he’d caught while in the tropics. My mother survived him by 52 years and so I had a little more time to listen to her tales. In the early part of the war my hometown, Swansea, a major port and industrial centre, was bombed heavily by the Germans on many occasions. My mother, then a teenager, lived on a tall hill some miles outside the town and told tales of gathering with her family in the garden to watch in horror as the bombs fell and the flames rose in the sky.

She also gave me a better perspective on ordinary wartime life. A railway worker, she benefitted from free train passes. She used these regularly to travel up to London later in the war with her friends to enjoy the capital’s sights and night life. This she did despite the fact that London was under frequent attack from the deadly German flying bombs known as ‘doodlebugs’. My mother said she and her friends enjoyed themselves oblivious to the extreme danger. They went dancing at afternoon tea dances, or in the evenings at posher places and she had happy memories of encountering many handsome American officers on the dance floors. I realised, when she was talking of her memories like this, that while the nation was engaged in its epic struggle for survival, ordinary people went on trying to live normal lives as far as they could. The normal things of life, of course, include crime which in fact grew massively during the war. This makes the period a very good one in which to set a crime novel and I thank my parents for leading me to it.

What lessons from your successful business background have helped you as a writer?
After I left Cambridge University many moons ago, I practised for a while as a barrister before going into business, first working for other people and then eventually, in my late thirties, for myself. I set up a computer services company with a friend in a small office by the river in a suburb of London. Luckily we chose to be in the right business at the right time and it prospered. After ten years it was a multi-million pound operation with offices throughout Europe and a Nasdaq public listing in New York. It attracted the attention of the major US corporation NCR and we sold the company. Shortly after I began my writing career.

Some people think that a writing career is a million miles away from a career in business. However, there are aspects of my business career which serve me well in my new life. To build a large and successful business from scratch requires, among other things, tenacity, perseverance, imagination, logical thinking, and organisational and marketing skills. All of these are essential in varying degrees to the process of getting a book down on paper, seeing it published and then selling as many copies as possible. I am, in a way, still carrying on a business career but Frank Merlin is now the enterprise!

What advice do you wish you had received prior to diving into the world of writing historical fiction?
* Not to worry too much about achieving perfection on a first draft.
* To back up drafts on more than one file when editing on a computer.
* To try and exceed your target words every day. You can!

What thriller writers do you admire?
I think we are living in another ‘golden age’ of crime fiction not only in the English speaking world but in many other countries. A non-comprehensive list of writers currently writing whom I admire would include Michael Connelly, Don Winslow, Carl Hiaasen, Lee Child, Alan Furst, Nelson De Mille and in the UK, John Le Carré, William Boyd, CJ Sansom and Philip Kerr. In other countries I love Jo Nesbo, Boris Akunin and many more while of the writers no longer with us my favourites include Simenon, Greene, Buchan, Mankell and Ambler.

 

www.JKSCommunications.com
2819 Vaulx Lane, Nashville, TN 37204
Angelle Barbazon
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Corabel Shofner Presents Almost Paradise

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A big-hearted novel about trust, belonging, and the struggles and joys of loving one another, by debut author Corabel Shofner

Twelve-year-old Ruby Clyde Henderson’s life suddenly changes the day her mother’s boyfriend holds up a convenience store and her mother is wrongly jailed for assisting in the crime. Ruby Clyde and her pet pig, Bunny, hide out during the robbery, and then afterward, terrified and very much alone, they find their way to her estranged Aunt Eleanor’s home. Aunt Eleanor is an ornery, solitary nun who lives in a peach orchard on Paradise Ranch. Can Ruby Clyde and Aunt Eleanor heal old wounds, save Ruby Clyde’s mother, and bring the whole family back together again?

 

Corabel Shofner is a wife, mother, attorney, and author. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English literature and was on Law Review at Vanderbilt University School of Law. Her shorter work has appeared or is forthcoming in Willow Review, Word Riot, Habersham Review, Hawaii Review, Sou’wester, South Carolina Review, South Dakota Review, and Xavier Review. ALMOST PARADISE is her first novel. Find her on Twitter @corabel, or online at corabelshofner.com

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About the Book

AlmostParadiseBookCoverAdvance praise for ALMOST PARADISE:

“It’s not often that a book gets everything so right … Shofner has taken all the established, important elements of a good middle-grade novel, given them a brisk shake, and served them up to readers in way that both entertains and enlightens.” -Booklist, starred review

“Rich in Southern flavor, loaded with biblical references and even a scattering of Dickens quotes: a rollicking read.“-Kirkus Reviews

“May all the Ruby Clydes of this world have an Aunt Eleanor to love them, and may all the Aunt Eleanors of this world have a Ruby Clyde to heal them.”
-Lois Sepahban, author of Paper Wishes

“What a joy to meet a spirited heroine like Ruby Clyde Henderson and to linger over Corabel Shofner’s glorious words.” -Augusta Scattergood, award-winning author of Glory Be

“ALMOST PARADISE is fresh, original, and unforgettable … It’s impossible to read without a smile on your face and, at times, a tear in your eye.”
-Dan Gemeinhart, author of Some Kind of Courage and The Honest Truth

“Reading this unique and unforgettable story about the power of love, trust, and healing isn’t almost paradise ­it absolutely is!“
-Abby Cooper, author of Sticks and Stones

Financial expert shares career achievement advice

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Millennial financial upstart Sten Morgan shares his secrets to career achievement in ‘The Seven Mindsets of Success’

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The millennial generation is often painted with a broad brush, stained with a lack of ambition and a drive for success, but at just 30 years old, one of the country’s youngest elite financial advisers, Sten Morgan, wants to change that mentality.

In his upcoming book, “The Seven Mindsets of Success” (Morgan James, July 4, 2017), Morgan goes behind the scenes of his own entrepreneurial achievements and explains how other young professionals can rise to the top.

Morgan has a unique perspective as a successful millennial who went from $40 in the bank to an upper-six-figure income in just three years after starting his own business. Tested in a real-world context, the mindsets espoused in “The Seven Mindsets of Success” guided Morgan’s rapid business development and can help other businesses achieve new heights.

Perfect for young professionals or seasoned veterans looking for a new spark, “The Seven Mindsets of Success” is a quick read that can transform business outlooks and jumpstart dream careers.

STEN MORGAN graduated from Linfield in Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics. In college, he interned at Northwestern Mutual selling life insurance and quickly rose to the top 10 percent of the group. After college, Morgan applied for his dream job at an investment firm and was hired on the spot. A prodigious student of the financial industry, Morgan earned his investment licenses in record time. After a few years, he decided it was time to build his own financial practice, Legacy Investment Planning. “The Seven Mindsets of Success” is his first book. Learn more at www.stenmorgan.com.

 

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About the Book

PressKitBookCoverSeven

“The Seven Mindsets of Success” explains how to:

  • Create new daily habits that boost productivity and achieve results that lead to more money, happier clients and deeper personal fulfillment.
  • Confidently put business techniques into action to resolve conflicts, improve time management, balance work and family and practice generosity.
  • Work harder, longer and with more purpose.

 

 

 

 

An Interview with Sten Morgan

What makes “The Seven Mindsets of Success” different than other business self-help books?
“The Seven Mindsets of Success” aims to change the mindsets of individuals that will lead to lasting change versus changing habits alone.

What led you to share your experience in “The Seven Mindsets of Success?”
After achieving a high level success in my business, many would inquire about my path that I used to get there. From there, I decided to put my strategy into a book to help others achieve that same success.

Have you always been a success-driven person?
At a young age, a lot of family turmoil was about survival versus success. It wasn’t until my 20s that I saw the rapid success happening.

Have you found that these mindsets helped your personal life as well as your career?
Yes, I apply this mindsets to all areas of my life including spiritually, physically and emotionally.

What are some common mistakes that you see people making when trying to build a successful business? People tend to look for shortcuts instead of the hard work needed. Success comes from focused intentional effort.

How would you recommend recent college graduates approach their new careers in what can often be a frustrating job market?  I would tell them to get an idea of the direction that they would like to go and start studying the field they are targeting. It is key to be more equipped than the other applicants applying for that job.

 

 

#Tips for Making the Most of #BookExpo

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield | 1 Comment on #Tips for Making the Most of #BookExpo

Here we are, the annual Book Expo America has come and publishers, authors, booksellers and publishing industry professionals are abuzz with the glow of all things new-book for the week at Javitz Center in New York.

As a book publicity firm, we have many of our authors attending for the amazing networking benefits and/or to speak in panels, sign books for fans, and partake in the convention hype. For industry veterans, BEA is a productive and sometimes stressful week full of meetings with little time to connect with all the work friends cultivated over the years.

For first-time published authors, BEA can be a very intimidating experience. Several of my clients have asked me what to expect and how to take advantage of their first BEA—a memorable experience to be sure. Here are my tips for having the Best BEA as an author or industry member.

    • Smile! BEA is the largest book event of the year, so there will be thousands of industry professionals (agents, publishers, editors, etc.) and authors roaming around the floors. You never know who you may bump into, literally, so be sure to keep a smile on your face and be kind to all you meet. That guy you spilled your Starbucks on after waiting for 35 minutes might end up being the agent of a good friend who is looking for new authors, and this “bad luck” might turn into your introduction to a powerful ally for your career.
    • Network! It’s a bit like the Wild West, and unless you’re a featured author on a major panel event, it’s tough to get personal attention. So it’s really about the networking—you never know who you may meet and where the connection could lead. Be friendly to anyone on the floor, in the food area, or at panel events. Chat with people before and after events. Create personal connections, and don’t talk shop too much here…that’s for later! 😉
    • Take photos with people, ideally showing book covers when possible. Tag them on social media so you follow each other there and can help cross promote things later!
    • Figure out the badges. Different types of attendees wear different colored badges for media, industry, bloggers, authors, etc. Figuring out which color is which can help you network more easily.
    • Don’t be self-important. I’ve seen authors go to BEA and just chat endlessly about their work, their goals, and how amazing their career is. This is the wrong approach to take. If everything is so great, sounds like that person doesn’t really need help…right? Authors that talk about their own careers a lot seem to be self-validating and trying to prove they belong at BEA. Instead, try to really ask questions and present yourself authentically as an equal in all your conversations, no matter where you may be in your publishing journey. No one likes a know-it-all, but everyone loves a new friend.
    • Take Notes. While you are doing your fabulous networking, you will think you can remember each person and his or her fascinating story. Not so much. Take notes after you walk away from conversations—name, description of appearance, what you talked about, and any notes on what you want to remember about them to follow up on later. This will make it easier to reach out later via email or social media. Once you’ve made “first contact” in person, you can follow up later with any business-y asks if that makes sense for this new relationship.
    • Wear comfy shoes—you will walk for miles and miles on that enormous conference floor! Not even your end of the day martini can save tired toes if they’ve been in too-high heels or arch-less flats all day long.
    • Don’t take every free book. After my first BEA I came home laden with about 40 books… more than I could ever need. Don’t fight people for them, don’t take them before they’re officially out on the free tables, and certainly don’t take more than you can comfortably carry around all day long. It is hard to pass up free, awesome books, but you’ll thank me later for being more discerning! Going along with this…don’t wear a backpack or bring a cart to carry them in—attendees that do so look like novices there for free swag rather than serious attendees.

    Whether you’re attending BEA this year for the first time or the fifteenth time, have a wonderful week!