Author: Marissa DeCuir

Inspire kids to protect the planet with “climate-fighters” superhero series  

Ontario, Canada – After working in the climate-tech industry for the past fifteen years, debut author Aaron Arsenault is excited to inspire readers ages 9-12 to combat climate change. His climate fiction novel, “The Climate Diaries, Book One: The Academy” (FriesenPress, April 22, 2024) takes readers on an eco-adventure with troublemaker Jax Wilkinson, who is recruited by a top secret organization dedicated to preparing the next generation of climate-fighters. 

As global temperatures skyrocket, a two-degree rise becomes unavoidable. Is the next generation up to the challenge? The Climate Action Taskforce (CAT) is dedicated to solving the climate crisis, and about more than just predicting the next superstorm- they are safeguarding the future of humanity. When the CAT Founder mysteriously disappears, it is a race against time to recruit ‘future Elon’s’ – now!

For 11-year-old genius Jax, fighting back against bullies has cost him big time. Having pulled his last prank, he’s given an impossible choice when the authorities get involved. With no screens, no contact with the outside world–and no second chances, can Jax make the cut? Joining forces with teammates Grace, August, and Kylie, Team 19 must learn to work together to hack it at the Academy–and to survive a climate disaster beyond their wildest fears.

“The Climate Diaries: Book One: The Academy”

 Aaron Arsenault | April 22, 2024 | Borrowed Planet Press | Middle Grade

Aaron Arsenault is a citizen of Mother Earth, a climate-tech industry veteran, and a concerned dad. His passion for the environment coupled with a lack of inspirational material for young readers on the topic influenced him to become a writer of middle grade climate fiction. When he’s not writing, Aaron enjoys the outdoors, playing guitar, painting, and planning his next adventure. Aaron studied children’s writing and illustration as a postgraduate at the University of Toronto. He lives with his family and a goofy goldendoodle in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Find out more about him at his website: www.aaronarsenault.com.

Follow Aaron Arsenault on social media:

Instagram: @aaron_arsenault_

In an interview, Aaron Arsenault can discuss:

• His 15 years in climate technologies, including working for some of the leading organizations in the industry
• The reality of climate change and how it affects us daily, and the importance of climate fiction as a genre
• His passion for preparing future generations for the climate crisis, including his own children
• Why he wrote for middle grade, and how he made the topic inspiring and entertaining 
• Specific steps young people can take right now to influence the climate crisis

An Interview with

Aaron Arsenault

1. How has your previous career in climate-tech inspired your writing?

After spending 15 years in climate-tech working with several leading organizations I learned the movement toward sustainable technologies isn’t just to influence emissions, carbon footprints and bottom lines- it’s to influence values, beliefs and ultimately, human behavior. 

We’re now at a time when we can choose- choose to continue doing things the way they’ve always been, or, choose to embrace a little discomfort, and do them a bit differently, knowing that the end that new habits will form and that results will make it all worthwhile. 

That’s essentially what we’re selling with the sustainability movement- but experience has taught me- for many adults without muscle memory, it can be a tough sell… For kids however, not so much!  

In our information-centric world, I think kids today are looking for meaning and answers more than ever before. So it’s vital that those of us who are in a position to do so do all we can to inspire kids. The next generation must be convinced that life will only continue to get better, not worse. If we fail at that, I think we fail as parents.

Even ten years ago, ‘eco-anxiety’ or ‘climate-doom’ were not household terms like they are today. Our kids are more distracted and disconnected from nature than ever before. They’re desperately seeking positive messages to anchor them and provide a sense of purpose as they embark on their journeys. My hope is that this series, in whatever way possible, will help instill the courage they need to take those first steps.

2. How do you hope this inspires the future generation to act, including your own children?

Current and future generations will be presented with choices that my generation never was. Learning to be ‘good citizens’ when I was a kid meant not being a litterbug. Today, it’s about so much more than that- far more than recycling or buying an electric family car. 

I really think the best thing we can do is teach our kids about the big picture. Too much happens ‘somewhere else’.  In the west, many municipalities ship waste products to the far side of the world. We buy things that were not made in sustainable ways, because they’re inexpensive and convenient. Other countries bear the brunt of those choices and are locked in a cycle of poverty in service of the west.  When that happens our blinders stay on.  

The beauty of the internet and social media is that they are insanely powerful tools for creating awareness… and kids are aware! They see the man behind the curtain- and they want answers.  

The aim of the Climate Diaries series is to dig into big picture thinking so kids gain an appreciation of the impacts of human behavior outside of their town, city or national borders. Our Climate Diaries crew will be quite well traveled by the end of this series- I can assure readers of that! 

I think once Kids fully understand the broader perspective and how it shapes society, government and business that they will ask more meaningful questions and eventually apply that knowledge to make more thoughtful and inclusive decisions as the future leaders of our world. 

Every choice counts, in one way or another. We’ll either pivot forward, or stay stuck. One day our kids will inherit the Earth, until its time to turn it over to their kids. 

3. How did you work to make this middle grade book not only educational, but also entertaining and inspiring to kids?

As a kid with ADHD who struggled as a young reader, I gravitated to books with pictures. My all time favorites were (and still are!) Roald Dahl books. Not just because the stories were so entertaining, but especially because of Quentin Blake’s incredible illustrations! The hilarity of Roald Dahl’s writing and the absurd situations he constructed kept me reading and laughing until I got to the next illustration. Before I knew it I was reading whole books. It set me on a journey as a young reader that I never forgot. I swore that if I ever wrote a novel for kids that it would be super approachable- especially to those  young readers who might be struggling to keep up. 

That said, I also set out to educate kids- not just to give them some perspective on the climate crisis, but as you’ll see in the book to provide many teachable ‘vignettes’ that teachers can expand on, should they choose, related to climate science, agriculture, technology, sustainable energy, and just about any other relevant bits I could cram in! The teacher’s guide on my website should help tease those out even more. 

While the book and the series will definitely have its fair share of humor and even an absurd scene now and then, I strongly believe that it’s time to start putting more meaningful content in front of our kids. We have an entire generation now growing up on fantasy and fart books. I set out to weave in a bit more substance. Hopefully it works for young readers.

4. What are some specific steps that young people can take right now to influence the climate crisis?

As I say in the Author’s Note at the back of the book, I think we need kids to start asking a lot more questions of their world. It starts with the way we buy stuff. Understanding the basics of a carbon footprint. Considering what we buy at the grocery store and how it got there. Digging deeper and using the internet as a tool – to look up people, companies and governments and hold them to account on their promises. I also think kids have forgotten how to dream because their imaginations are being overridden by social media reels, gaming and chat platforms. Unplugging and spending time brainstorming to engage their imaginations is probably the most important thing a kid can do these days. We are losing touch with some basic human competencies that are troubling. Dreaming big dreams is what makes a kid a kid! 

Of course, there are plenty of things kids can do to get their hands dirty. They can start their own ‘Climate Action Task Forces’ – in their homes, their schools and their communities. Community clean ups, upcycling drives, walk-a-thons to and from school, are just a few ideas on ways kids can get involved for little to no cost. 

5. What are your future plans for this climate fiction series? Can we expect more from Jax and friends?

Absolutely! Since I am currently an indie author my hope is that we sell enough books to at least cover the publishing costs. Like most authors, it’s my dream to leave the 9-5 world and do this full-time. To the extent I can do that, I’ll write more books, faster.  Ideally, I hope to publish a new volume at least every 12-18 months- maybe a bit quicker if a few stars align! 

Since there is an arc emerging that will require some degree of specificity on the number of books, I’ll have to figure that part out sooner than later- but as of right now, I’m not sure yet exactly how many volumes there will be in total, but definitely quite a few more!  

One thing is for certain- there will DEFINITELY be Book Two; I’ve already written the first draft- I can’t wait to deliver the conclusion to Book One! 🙂

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Dream-induced sci-fi twist spins the classic story of second chances

SAN FRANCISCO, CA– Dream a little dream of better days gone by in this speculative contemporary reimagining of Jane Austen’s classic Persuasion. The States (self-published, Apr 30, 2024) by Norah Woodsey introduces young Tildy Sullivan, who enters a sleep-study allowing her to lucidly dream of summers in Ireland and the boy she was forced to leave behind.

From the acclaimed author of The Control Problem and Lifeless, Norah Woodsey offers a fresh twist on the beloved classic. Four years in the making, this novel was first drafted during NaNoWriMo 2020. Focusing on her love for Jane Austen and inspired by Galway, Ireland. Woodsey reinterprets Anne as a young contemporary woman faced with the harsh realities of her family’s situation and the desire to escape into a dream world.

Tildy Sullivan is the middle child in an elite yet fading Manhattan family. Her quiet practicality hides her deep, profound longing for childhood summers in western Ireland. She also carries a secret regret. After her mother’s death, she’s persuaded to abandon Ireland and the love of the local boy, Aiden.

When Tildy volunteers for a lucid dreaming experiment, it gives her all she wants – a life lived for her family during the day and a secret, perfect Ireland of her own at night. Will she face reality, or succumb to the ease of her dreams? 

THE STATES is a modern reimagining of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, a story of love, obligation, and second chances. 

“The States”

Norah Woodsey | April 30, 2024 | Speculative Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Ebook | 9798988445708 | $9.99

Paperback | 9798988445708 | $15

NORAH WOODSEY is the author of The States, The Control Problem, Lifeless, and the novella When the Wave Collapses. After short careers in finance and tech, she has dedicated herself to creating fiction. Her subjects of intense interest but not quite expertise include history, physics, genetics, sociology and gender studies. The product of four generations of Brooklynites,“she now lives in California with her husband, children and their dog Saoirse. Find out more about her at norahwoodsey.com.

Follow Norah Woodsey on social media:

Instagram: @nwoodsey | BlueSky: @norahwoodsey.bsky.social

In an interview, Norah Woodsey can discuss:

• Her process for reimagining the classic story Persuasion and making it her own
• How Jane Austen inspired her writing and how she modernizes her story for a fresh audience
• Her journey writing this novel–from its original NaNoWriMo draft in 2020 to a published version in 2024
• The similarities she has with Tildy’s struggle to connect with her Irish heritage as an American and its themes throughout the story
• How finding happiness through nostalgia keeps Tildy moving forward despite reality
• Why she chose to self-publish all of her books
• How she transitioned from writing hard science fiction to a softer romance story

Advanced Praise for The States

“…the novel casts a definite spell over the reader, who can’t help but be drawn into Tildy’s fantasies. It’s a triple escape, after all: into a dream, over the sea, to the arms of a lost love.”

-Kirkus Reviews

“A contemporary reimagining of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, this lovely novel from Woodsey (author of When the Wave Collapses) is rich in romance, fantasy, and a tender yearning to make the best of a do-over.”

-PW’s BookLife Reviews

”The novel is clever in its explorations of escapism and wish fulfillment. Despite the allure of dreaming, Tildy’s knowledge that real longings demand real actions also results in pain.” 

-Foreword Clarion Reviews

“Any Janeite will recognize Norah Woodsey’s THE STATES by the first chapter as a modern retelling of Miss Austen’s Persuasion…while the foundation of the story is indeed based on that great novel, this author has really thought about the necessary changes a modern context implies for her heroine’s life.”

-IndieReader Review

An Interview with

Norah Woodsey

1. Did The States originate as a reimagining of Persuasion or did that happen later in your writing process? 

Initially, the story began as a NaNoWriMo in the depths of lockdown. Years later, I took a look at what I had written and realized there was hardly any conflict, and what little there was looked a lot like Persuasion, my favorite Jane Austen novel. I think we all felt the longing Anne Elliot feels in that story during 2020 – a world was lost to us and connections were left incomplete. 

2. Why Persuasion? What drew you to that story and its characters?

For me, Jane Austen’s last completed novel is her most accessible. We all have paths untaken, that we look back on with complicated emotions. While Elizabeth Bennett is a heroine in the truest sense, Emma is wealthy and beautiful and admired, the Dashwoods are delightful women in complicated circumstances, etc, Anne Elliot must evolve to achieve her happiness. She has to escape a prison of her obligations, ones that no one evidently feels towards her. I also wanted to explore her mother, the absent heart of Persuasion who is often the unspoken center of Anne’s choices, though she herself is never really described in any detail. 

3. You have discussed that some of the dialogue you wrote was inspired by conversations between your grandmother and her cousin, Caitlín Maude. Can you tell us more about this?

Growing up, my grandmother told me about her visits to family in Ros Moc, a village in Connemara where my grandmother’s family came from. She specifically told me about one cousin, a fierce intellectual whose anger gave her comfort in the aftermath of my uncle’s death, a young man drafted in the Vietnam War. I knew of Caitlín’s accomplishments and how she reportedly resented speaking in English to my ignorant family members, but like a lot of grandchildren I didn’t really look her up until after my grandmother had passed away. Caitlín Maude was a poet, sean-nós singer, anti-war activist who died far too young. Her poetry and interviews are really stunning. My grandmother mourned her, the loss of what she had to teach those around her, as different as they were. 

4. The States began as a draft during NaNoWriMo. What was your journey of taking your book all the way to publication like?

The first thing I did was buy another copy of Persuasion, not a sacrifice in the least! I read the novel as a writer, noting how each character’s motivations were revealed, what moments would pose a challenge in a modernization. I also listened to the audiobook several times, which helped give me a feel for the flow of the overall story structure. Then, I rewrote the original NaNoWriMo. Many scenes that I adored were cut, others changed beyond recognition, the order shuffled. The original had very little conflict, few obstacles, and hardly any tension, unlike Persuasion. That said, I feel as though the heart of the original and The States are the same. Longing and regret can tempt you into accepting misery, but overcoming that impulse is a great hero’s journey. 

5. How has your experience of feeling like an “outsider” to the Irish language influenced your writing?

One of my earliest memories is going to a family reunion in Brooklyn and hearing older relatives sitting around a beat up circular table, leaning back in metal folding chairs and speaking to one another in Irish. I don’t know what they were saying. There was a wall between the generations built of this language that no one had bothered to teach us. It’s weird to have Irish citizenship without knowing the language, particularly when family not far removed from me have dedicated their lives to saving the language from oblivion. So I knew if I ever wrote a book set in Ireland, there would have to be Irish in it. I hired an amazing translator, Andrea Brown, to get the passages correct. I made sure to include some words I remember the most vividly, such as ‘sutach’ – a hearty baby boy, something I heard a lot when my brothers were around, and amadán, a fool or idiot. That one I heard a lot, too!

I tried to use the language in the story as close to my own experience with it, but also in a way that is likely more familiar to first generation Americans whose parents came from a non-English speaking country. Tildy rarely uses the language when she speaks, but she understands it, most of the time. I felt like that could best represent her own relationship with the country and the past she wishes to return to – a sense of partial belonging that is frustratingly incomplete. 

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

San Francisco, CA – When I have wandered long enough what am I still beholden to? 

Ifá. Nature. Illness. Love. Loss. Misogyny. Aging. Africa. Our wounded planet. In this sweeping yet intensely personal collection, Lauren Martin tells the untold stories of the marginalized, the abused, the ill, the disabled—the different. Inspired by her life’s experiences, including the isolation she has suffered as a result both of living with chronic illness and having devoted herself to a religion outside of the mainstream, these poems explore with raw vulnerability and unflinching honesty what it is to live apart—even as one yearns for connection.

But Night of the Hawk is no lament; it is powerful, reverential, sometimes humorous, often defiant—“Oh heat me and fill me / I rise above lines”—and full of wisdom. Visceral and stirring, the poems in this collection touch on vastly disparate subjects but are ultimately unified in a singular quest: to inspire those who read them toward kindness, compassion, and questioning.

“Intimate and political…contemplative and strong” –Kirkus Reviews

“Night of the Hawk”

Lauren Martin | May 14, 2024 | She Writes Press | Poetry

Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-64742-658-3 | $17.95

“The poems gathered here address themes of survival, chronic illness, shamanism, and feminism against the backdrop of daily life. . . . The diversity of experience examined makes for a collection that is both full and human. A whole life in one volume.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Night of the Hawk is a luminous and numinous collection about women and men, about betrayal and forbearance, about endurance, death, and art, and, most essentially, about the search for a sacred path through life. There is so much love in these poems”

–Michael Laurence, award-winning playwright

“Lauren’s poems drop into your psyche and ripple outward, echoing in the moments of life. Their beauty haunts.” 

–Sallie Ann Glassman, Head Manbo Asogwe of La Source Ancienne Ounfo

LAUREN MARTIN is a psychotherapist, poet, and a devoted Ìyânífá of Tunisian heritage and of Sephardic/Mizrahi descent. She lives in Oakland, California. Lauren studied poetry at Sarah Lawrence College. She spent years writing without submitting her work due to a long shamanic journey, which led her to both Ifá, and to the writing of this collection of poems. Learn more at: www.laurenmartin.net 

In an interview, Lauren Martin can discuss:

• Her perspective as a woman aging in contemporary culture
• The importance of nature in Ifá and in her poems
• Writing about disability and chronic illness
• How her poems, which often reflect on the inhospitable world around us, ultimately call readers to compassion and questioning

An Interview with

Lauren Martin

1. What was your shamanic journey like?

That’s a tough question and one that is incredibly difficult to distill into a few sentences. Like most truly shamanic journeys, it was arduous and unpredictable. My journey meant that I was constantly negotiating my relationship to the dead.

2. What would you like others to know about Yoruba culture and the Ifá religion?

Ifá is considered the root of all religions and there are seeds of Ifá in many organized religions. Ifá has the pitfalls of other religions but the spirits of nature exist outside of human control and are available to all of us. 

3. How does Ifá influence your poetry?

Ifá is the prism through which I understand the world. The Òrìsà are my deepest relationships with whom I feel profound resonance. Those concepts of reverence towards the natural world as representations of God, manifest organically in my work.

4. What is your writing process like?

I am a medium and more often than not, I dream my poems. I wake and they are with me. I don’t do many rewrites and perceive them as gifts.

5. What do you hope readers will take away from this collection?

An openness to difference and kindness in the face of the disabled, the strange and the unfamiliar. Reverence towards nature and eldership.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

NEW YORK – If you’ve ever known and loved a dog, it’s not hard to understand why they’re dubbed “[human’s] best friend.” But they’re often so much more – our confidants, our teachers and even our healers. In her new book, “Mattie, Milo, and Me” (She Writes Press, April 23, 2024), author Anne Abel shares the central role her dogs played in her healing journey.

Anne grew up in an abusive home, leading to severe depression and a determination to do better as a mother. One of her sons wants a dog from the time he is a baby; Anne very much does not. For years she appeases him with creatures who live in cages and tanks, but on his tenth birthday she can no longer say no — and she proceeds to fall in love with their new four-legged family member, Mattie. When Mattie dies a sudden and tragic death, Anne begins to sink back into depression. 

Trying to cope, she immediately adopts Milo, a dog who, unbeknownst to her, has already been returned to the rescue by several families due to his aggressive behavior. But even after Anne realizes Milo is dangerous, she’s committed to trying to give him a chance at a good life.

Anne’s journey takes the reader from dog school into the deep woods as she perseveres with Milo’s lifelong rehabilitation and her unwavering efforts to be a good mother to her sons. Working with Milo strengthens Anne and expands her ability to love. Ten years later, when Milo dies, Anne faces another choice: close the door to that part of her heart, or risk loving another dog after two tragic losses?

“Mattie, Milo, and Me”

Anne Abel | April 23, 2024 | She Writes Press | Memoir 

Paperback | ISBN 978-1-64742-622-4 | $17.95 

Ebook | ISBN 978-1-64742-623-1 | $8.99

Anne Abel is the author of “Mattie, Milo, and Me” (She Writes Press, April 23, 2024). Her story about unwittingly rescuing an aggressive dog, Milo, won a Moth StorySLAM in New York City. She has won two additional Moth StorySLAMs in Chicago. Her credentials include an MFA from The New School for Social Research, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a BS in chemical engineering from Tufts University. She has freelanced for Lilith; Philadelphia Daily News; The Jewish Exponent; Philadelphia Weekly, Main Line Life and Main Line Today, and formerly wrote a weekly column, “The Homefront,” for Main Line Welcomat. She also taught English and creative writing at the Community College of Philadelphia. Anne lives in New York City with her husband, Andy, and their three rescue dogs, Ryan, Megan, and Chase. She grew up outside Boston, MA. Find out more about her at anneabelauthor.com.

Follow Anne Abel on social media:

Facebook: @anne.abel4 | Twitter: @annesimaabel 

Instagram: @annesimaabel  

TikTok: @annesimaabel  | Threads: @annesimaabel

Praise for “Mattie, Milo, and Me” by Anne Abel

“… a certain kind of pet lover, looking for a comforting reminder of the powerful bond that can occur between animals and humans, may finish this book teary-eyed.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“Mattie, Milo and Me is a warm memoir about a woman’s connection to—and transformation because of—her dog.”

— Foreword Reviews

“Abel debuts with a heart-warming memoir spotlighting the intense bond between dogs and their owners. . . . Animal lovers will relish the central role that Abel’s pets play in her wellbeing throughout the narrative.”

— BookLife

“A moving and fearless exploration of resilience, atonement, and the healing power of the link between people and their furry companions. Abel’s writing is both introspective and heart-wrenchingly honest.”

– The Book Revue

“Mattie, Milo, and Me began as the winning story at a Moth StorySLAM in NYC. The story of Anne and her dog Milo captured the hearts of the audience. She wrote this memoir to answer the many questions posed by people who wanted to know more. This is one of those books you won’t want to put down, but also one you won’t want to finish.”

— Inga Glodowski, The Moth

“I love Mattie, Milo, and Me. It had me laughing out loud—yet it’s so touching that it had me in tears, too. This book is brilliant. Anne’s joys and struggles are relatable. I learned a lot. I highly recommend Mattie, Milo, and Me.”

— Natalie Aronow, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

“Mattie, Milo, and Me is a beautifully written book. This memoir takes you on an emotional ride. You’ll laugh, cry, and want to hug a dog by the end. A must-read.”

                             — Gary and Allie Vider, Metro Pets NYC

In an interview, Anne Abel can discuss:

• How pets can become essential companions in healing journeys, offering unconditional love and support
• The intimate and emotional stories of Mattie and Milo, and how these two special dogs helped her navigate grief and depression
• The complexities of adopting pets with undisclosed behavioral issues, highlighting the compassion and commitment required to nurture their well-being
• The profound influence of her challenging childhood on her storytelling, exploring how parental dynamics shaped her voice and narrative style
• Life lessons of love, loss, resilience and personal growth
• The transformative power of storytelling in connecting with others, finding laughter and creating a sense of community. Plus, the pivotal role that storytelling played in her life upon moving to Chicago and later to New York City 

An Interview with

Anne Abel

Tell us about your life before Mattie and Milo entered the picture.

My life before Mattie and Milo involved distracting my son from his lifelong quest to obtain a dog. Although his first word was “dog.” His first sentence was, “I want a dog.” But, I did not. Until he was 10, I was able to keep him content with caged and tanked creatures. 

I was determined to be a different kind of parent than the parents I had. My mother and father each attempted to eliminate any individuality that I had. They wanted to shape me in a certain direction that suited their needs but had nothing to do with my interests or inclinations. My mother was harsh, dismissive and sarcastic with me. My father forbade me to speak at the dinner table and told me he had no interest in what I had to say. “I don’t want to talk to you,” he would say to me on the rare occasions that I tried to speak to him. So, I was determined to show interest in what my children had to say and to encourage them to develop and follow their interests. 

My father worked next to an animal experimentation lab. One day when I was 7 he  brought home a beagle puppy. “She Wore An Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” was a song playing on radios everywhere that summer. I named the dog Teeny. I loved Teeny. I loved cuddling him and loving him. Teeny slept in the kitchen, a gate separating him from the green carpeted dining room. One morning I came downstairs to say good morning to Teeny and found him in the dining room, and a big wet yellow spot on the rug. When my father came down and saw it, he hit Teeny on the nose several times and then took him into the kitchen, saying, “Bad dog, bad dog.” Then I heard him open the door to the basement and say “bad dog” again, before throwing Teeny down the basement stairs. I heard Teeny yelp. Next thing I knew my father was walking out the door with Teeny. “Your father is taking Teeny to the vet,” my mother said. That was the last time I heard the name “Teeny” spoken in my house by either my mother or my father. I never saw Teeny again. I was too afraid to ask what happened. I don’t remember when I realized Teeny had died. But all summer when I heard the “Yellow Polka Dot” song on the radio, I cried.

In childhood I did not feel liked, loved or welcomed by my parents. I was determined to let each of my sons experience those feelings that I had longed for. And, when I got Mattie and then Milo I was determined to let each of them be who they wanted and needed to be, to appreciate them for their traits, and to love them for who they were.

And then you became a pet parent to Mattie. Can you tell us about her?
Even though I dreaded getting a dog, I wanted to do it for my son. The day we went to meet Mattie, we were sent into the kitchen to wait for her. I was comatose, I so much did not want a dog. Then, a white ball of fluff came bounding up the stairs and into the middle of the room where we were standing. I fell to the floor, my arms wrapped around this bundle of energy. I was in love. For the seven years until she was accidently killed, Mattie was a living, breathing, love-giving, love-taking stuffed animal. She required nothing but love.

In your book, you describe the aftermath of Mattie’s unexpected death. Was it difficult for you to relive that time following this heartbreaking loss while writing your book?

I had processed the grief long before I wrote the book.

How did Milo find his way into your life?

When Mattie was killed, I knew I needed to replace her immediately to keep myself from falling into the abyss of depression. The next day I was with my family at the rescue meeting Milo. He was magnificently beautiful, had soulful eyes and was very mellow. He seemed like a good choice.

Your initial relationship with Milo turned out to be very difficult. What was it about him that didn’t make you throw your hands up in defeat and bring him back to the rescue? 

I soon learned that he had been returned by several other families in his 18-month life. I could not bear to think of him sleeping on the bed of rags in his cage at the rescue. I could not bear the thought of driving him back there and seeing his reaction when he realized he was being returned, again. Milo did not ask to be born. It was not Milo’s fault that no one had taken the time to socialize him. 

What life lessons did you learn from Milo?

One lesson that I learned  was how important it is for every living being to be who he was meant to be and who he wants to be. Before Milo, I learned how to help each of my sons find their individual paths. Milo’s individual path was outside the realm of what I knew. I learned that sometimes it is important to consult an expert who can help figure out someone’s individual needs. I also learned that Milo needed to express himself by running wild in the woods every day.

At what point did you realize the pivotal role pet parenting played in your life and healing? Why did you want to share this story?

I wanted to share this story because I believe that Milo and Mattie deserve to be remembered for what they brought to my family and me. I hope that by sharing this story I could encourage other people to understand a little bit more about what different kinds of dogs can contribute to a meaningful life. An easy dog like Mattie brings comfort and joy and love. A difficult dog like Milo brings a different kind of satisfaction and love. 

Do you currently have any pets?

I have two 14-year old bichons rescues, Chase and Megan, and a 19.5 year-old chihuahua rescue named Ryan. I got Ryan at the same rescue Milo came from, the day after Milo died. And, on December 29, 2023, Ryan married a 14-year-old 3.5 pound blind chihuahua from Russia. The caterers said it was the best event they had been to all year. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Photos and videos available upon request.  

The original reason I had the wedding is that my daughter-in-law informed me in June that my 6-year-old granddaughter is no longer allowed to get a dress except for a wedding. And there are no more weddings in the family. And my granddaughter loves dresses. That got me thinking.

When Ryan’s health and my mobility began to deteriorate last winter, early spring while my husband, Andy, was still living in NYC and going to Philadelphia three nights a week to teach at the University of Pennsylvania, it became difficult if not impossible for me to take care of Ryan. We asked our dog-walker, Anna, if she could help out, and help out she did! The morning after she moved into her new apartment, we drove over with all of Ryan’s belongings. His bed, his bag of medicines, his food and his treats. There in the apartment to greet us was Anna’s 3.5 pound, blind, chihuahua, Africa. I had never seen such a tiny, energetic dog. (We now call her our little ballerina.) I don’t know if it was love at first meet for Africa and Ryan. Maybe it was that when Ryan stays over, Africa got treats because Ryan gets treats all the time at home, not something Anna ever did with Africa. But, personal growth is a good thing and I am happy to report that Anna says that she now gives Africa treats even when Ryan isn’t visiting. Whether it was instant love or not, it soon was true love. Anna told me that before Ryan, Africa had been afraid to go to the dog park at the top of their building because the air blower scared her. To be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine Africa afraid of anything. But, when Africa and Ryan went to the rooftop dog park together, Africa was so focused on listening to the jingle of Ryan’s tags so she could follow him and be with him, that she forgot about being afraid of the loud blower. If that isn’t love, what is? And, whenever Ryan returns from his visits with Anna and Africa, he is frisky, alert and very happy. Again, if that isn’t love what is?

So, I decided a wedding for Ryan and Africa on December 29, 2023, would be the perfect event for my granddaughter to get a dress. And as we got closer, the wedding took on a life of its own. I hired a caterer. Anna has friends who are a photographer and a balloonist. We had two 6-year-old two-legged bridesmaids. My 14-year-old bichon, Megan, was also a bridesmaid in a matching dress. My 9-year-old grandson was the ring bearer. At the end of the afternoon one of the caterers said, “This was the best event I have been to all year. You made my day!” I don’t remember having so much fun in a very long time. And the day after the wedding my granddaughter said, “Nana, this is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.” So the wedding was a success all around. 

What would you say to someone who generally isn’t a dog person? What can they take away from your book?

It would be hard to meet anyone who was less of a dog person than I was during the first 10 years of my son, Joseph’s, life. Not only was I not a dog person, I was emphatically anti-dog. Not only did I not have any interest in a dog, I imagined that all they did was ruin rugs, eat slippers, and require long walks on cold mornings. When I was driving in my warm car, I often felt very sorry for people I saw walking their dogs out in the cold. I just did not care about dogs. At friends’ houses I ignored their dogs, not wanting to pat them or be near their wet mouths and shedding fur. 

One thing non-pet people can take from this book is that they may think they are not pet people because they are focusing on a negative aspect of pets, but when they get an animal they could find there are many characteristics to love.

Another thing non-pet people can take from his book is that all living beings – two and four-leggeds – are unique individuals and deserve to be known for who they are. It’s no more reasonable to say “I don’t like dogs” than it is to say “I don’t like people.”  I loved Mattie for being the sweet lovable dog that she was. I loved Milo for being the adventurous, athletic, strong-willed dog that he was. 

Can you discuss your beginnings in storytelling? What made you start? 

When I moved to Chicago in 2016 due to my husband’s work, I realized it was 8 degrees, and I would be alone all week. I needed something to do in order not to fall into the abyss of depression. I tried improv and got kicked out of class after not too long. My dog walker told me about this thing called “storytelling,” something I had never heard of. I went to my first open mic and was surprised that the audience laughed and cheered. I was hooked. I began going to open mics telling stories that I had worked on. Soon people with curated shows were asking me to tell stories at their shows. Then an acquaintance said, “You’ve got to go to The Moth.” Believe it or not I had never heard of The Moth. I said I would go. Then the acquaintance said I had to tell a story there. I prepared a story, but thankfully my name was not picked from the basket. I went a couple more times and was called. It was amazing being on the stage. The lights were so bright I could not see the audience. I didn’t win the first couple of times, but I did pretty well. Then, in February 2018 I was chosen for the Love Hurts show. I told a story about my family of origin. And, I won. The following month, I went to another show, alone, on the spur of the moment. There were no more tickets, but they said if I got there early, I might be able to get one. So I got there at 4:30 p.m. for a 7 p.m. show and got in. My name was called last. I stumbled on my way up the stairs to the stage but didn’t fall. I told about my solo trip to Australia at the age of 60, to follow a Bruce Sprngsteen’s tour, when I had quit my job teaching at the Community College of Philadelphia after having one desk too many thrown at me. And, I won!

A few months later I moved to NYC. My goal was to win one Moth StorySLAM in NYC. So, in April, 2019, for the theme of Bamboozled, I told the story of Milo. And I won.

Do you ever encounter writer’s block?

All the time. In my childhood and in my upbringing, my father told me not to say anything. He said I had nothing interesting to say. When I sent him my first published piece he said, “I’ll read something you write when you win a Pulitizer.” My mother wouldn’t even acknowledge that I had sent her something I’d published. I have come to understand that these are some of the reasons I have found it difficult to write. When I know that there is someone who truly wants to know what I have to say about a certain topic, I often have more to say than I have room or time for. 

What’s next for you?

In Fall 2025 my second memoir is being published by She Writes Press. After having one desk too many thrown at me at the Community College of Philadelphia where I had taught for five years, I walked out the door and thought, “I am never coming back.” But as soon as I was making a u-turn to go home I was panicking. I suffer from severe depression, and I was terrified of falling into the abyss once again. I needed a plan. I needed a project. As I was merging onto the expressway home, I thought, “I know, I’ll go to Australia and see Bruce Springsteen’s tour.” So, at the age of 60, even though I hate to travel and I hate to be alone, and a year earlier I had not even known what a Bruce Spingsteen was, I WENT!

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Entrepreneur helped students win $100 million in scholarships– and now he’s helping them win $1 billion more 

LAS VEGAS, Nevada– Since appearing on ‘Shark Tank’ and striking an investment deal with businessman and TV personality, Mark Cuban, #1 bestselling author Dr. Shaan Patel, MD, MBA has turned Prep Expert into the industry leader of SAT and ACT preparation. In anticipation of the SAT going digital for the first time in March 2024, Dr. Patel is helping students raise their SAT scores and win huge scholarships with his new guide, “Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook: Winning Strategies to Achieve Your Dream Score” (Prep Expert, March 3, 2024).

“If you want to get scholarships, if you want to get financial aid, if you want to reduce your cost of college, Prep Expert is the only way to go!” 

–Mark Cuban, businessman & ‘Shark Tank’ TV Star

• March 9th, 2024: the SAT is going digital, the biggest change to it in almost 100 years
• Two million students take the SAT every year
• The transition from a paper-based to digital format marks a huge change to the college entrance exam
• In high school Patel raised his own SAT score 640 points from average to perfect, and received more than $500,000 in college scholarships
• Prep Expert has helped over 100,000 students improve test scores, get into top colleges, and win $100 million in scholarships
• Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook focuses all of Patel’s results-driven expertise into the definitive guide for helping students ace the new Digital SAT and win scholarships 

• $1 Billion Scholarship Mission: Over the past decade, Prep Expert has helped students win over $100 million in scholarships. Over the next decade, Prep Expert has an even bigger mission: help students win over $1,000,000,0000 in scholarships!

“Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook: 

Winning Strategies to Achieve Your Dream Score”

Shaan Patel | March 3, 2024 | Prep Expert | Test Prep

Hardcover, 978-1-5445-4528-8, $47.99 | Paperback, 978-1-5445-4527-1, $37.99

Audiobook, 978-1-5445-4525-7, $19.99 | Ebook, 978-1-5445-4526-4, $9.99

DR. SHAAN PATEL, MD, MBA: In high school, Shaan Patel was like many of the students reading “Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook.” He was a good student who got As and Bs. However, he was a poor standardized test-taker. Shaan had a lot of test anxiety, had no idea how to prepare for standardized exams, and received only an average score on his first SAT. 

After spending hundreds of hours studying for the SAT in high school, Patel raised his SAT score 640 points from average to perfect. Only 0.02% of all high school students achieve a perfect SAT score. Patel’s perfect SAT score completely changed his life. He received admission to top universities and received over $500,000 in scholarships and awards.

Now, Patel has created Prep Expert to help high school students achieve their own dreams. The education company has helped more than 100,000 students improve their SAT and ACT scores, get into top colleges, and win over $100 million in scholarships. Prep Expert offers online SAT and ACT courses, academic tutoring, and college admissions consulting.

Patel completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at the University of Southern California, Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Yale University, Medical Degree (MD) at the University of Southern California, and dermatology residency at Temple University Hospital. He is a board-certified dermatologist who practices teledermatology, and as the Founder and CEO of Prep Expert, Patel closed a deal with Mark Cuban on ABC’s Shark Tank for an investment in the company.

Follow Dr. Shaan Patel & Prep Expert on social media:

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | TikTok

Testimonials for Prep Expert: 

“After taking Prep Expert, my SAT score improved 300 points and I got a full tuition scholarship offer to the University of San Diego worth over $100,000! I highly recommend Prep Expert!” 

–Alexis Hilts, Miss Nevada 2018

“I improved my SAT score 390 points, much higher than I expected; raising my SAT score through your program made a world of difference. I was accepted to Stanford!”

–Julia Espero, Accepted to Stanford

“After both my son and daughter took Prep Expert SAT courses, my son improved 260 points and my daughter 340 points, and both got full ride scholarships worth $500,000!”

–Ami Vaughn, Parent of 2 High School Students

In an interview, Dr. Shaan Patel can discuss:

• What inspired him to create a company and resources to support students obtain their dreams of higher education
• How Dr. Patel spearheaded Prep Expert with just $900 of extra scholarship money out of his college dorm room 
• How Prep Expert has helped over 100,000 students improve test scores, get into top colleges, and win $100 million in scholarships
• His success and tenacity as a 34 year old who has authored 15+ books on test prep, entrepreneurship, and self help
• Why he’s invested in aiding students in winning scholarships and his upcoming mission to help students win $1 billion in scholarships
• His journey to publication after overcoming over 100 rejections from literary agents and publishers on his first SAT prep book proposal

An Interview with

Dr. Shaan Patel, MD, MBA

1. What inspired you to create Prep Expert? How did you turn $900 into the leading industry standard for SAT courses and preparation? 

I never planned to start a test prep company. Instead, I just wanted to write an SAT prep book to help students change their scores to change their lives. But after my first book proposal in 2010 was rejected by 100+ literary agents and publishers, I decided to use the material I had worked so hard to write to instead create Prep Expert. In the first SAT course I ever taught, my students had an average SAT score improvement of 376 points, which is equivalent to going from the 50th percentile to the 90th percentile. Now, over the past 13 years, Prep Expert has helped over 100,000+ students improve their SAT or ACT scores, get into top colleges, and win over $100 million in college scholarships. In addition, I have also sold over 100,000 test prep books. Moral of the story: when you initially face rejections, don’t give up – keep working to produce value and the marketplace will reward you for it! 

2. How is “Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook” different from other SAT guides? 

Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook reveals the step-by-step blueprint to maximize your SAT score. Dr. Shaan Patel has helped over 100,000 students improve their own SAT scores using the methods in this book. Unlock perfect-score strategies for every section of the SAT. Learn secrets to solve the toughest questions. Discover how to read passages faster and identify phrases that are always incorrect. Master how to solve algebra problems without doing any algebra. Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook delivers powerful techniques to ensure the academic success of every student!

3. Why does the SAT’s shift to a digital platform matter to students, families, and educators? 

The SAT may be the most important test of your life. Your SAT performance impacts your college acceptances. It affects your scholarship opportunities. Your SAT score even influences consideration from “test-optional” universities. High school doesn’t prepare you for the SAT. Many who perform well in high school score poorly on standardized tests. That’s about to change. The SAT has been a paper-based exam for 100+ years. The new shift to a digital platform presents many new challenges that students and educators must prepare for. Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook will help students, parents, families, and educators become fully prepared for test day!  

4. Tell us more about your initiative to win $1 billion dollars in scholarships for students, why are you so personally passionate about this mission? 

College tuition costs continue to skyrocket. The average cost of attendance for a public in-state university is over $100,000 and a private out-of-state university is over $200,000. Student loan debt is also at an all-time high, nearing $2 trillion in the United States. But there is good news! You can reduce or even eliminate your college costs with scholarships. There are over 1.7 million private scholarships awarded each year worth over $7.4 billion. Achieving good grades and a high SAT score will help you get a share of those scholarships. Prep Expert’s motto is Change Your Score, Change Your Life. Over the past decade, Prep Expert has helped students win over $100 million in scholarships. Over the next decade, Prep Expert has an even bigger mission: help students win over $1,000,000,0000 in scholarships! 

5. What have you learned working alongside businessman and Shark Tank TV personality, Mark Cuban? 

Mark Cuban has been an amazing investor, partner, and advocate for Prep Expert over the past 8 years. He has provided strategic direction, negotiated business partnerships, and made key introductions. Even though Mark Cuban is one of the most famous businessmen in the world, he always makes time to help his Shark Tank entrepreneurs like myself. I can email Mark at any time of the day, and expect a response within minutes! It’s actually incredible. From Mark, I have learned how to manage my time more effectively, the power of saying “no”, and always making sure I am doing right by our customers and employees as a business owner. I have been lucky  to have had Mark Cuban as a business advisor and mentor over the years and it’s been an amazing partnership. I have  even had the opportunity to co-author books together, co-invest in investment deals together, and co-host entrepreneurship panels together. Mark Cuban also vouched for me for INC Magazine’s 30 Under 30 and told TMZ that he sees me as the “next Mark Cuban”. You can see the clip from TMZ here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pvr98moBw-cwwy2EFcSBTAgczUb6dZvt/view 

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

“Tracy Mayo breaks ranks with the institutionalized secrecy, shame, and silencing that shattered countless pregnant girls and young women prior to legalized abortion and open adoption.” – Kate Moses, author of “Wintering, Cakewalk: A Memoir, and Mothers Who Think”

BOULDER, Colorado – Debut author Tracy Mayo had a successful career, but one choice from her past continued to haunt her: forcibly giving up her baby at the age of fifteen. Now she’s sharing the inspiring story of her impossible journey to find him during the pre-Internet era  in her memoir, “Childless Mother: A Search for Son and Self” (Vanguard Press, Mar 28, 2024).

Before Roe v. Wade, Tracy Mayo found herself pregnant at the age of fourteen and exiled to a maternity home. There, she bore not only a child but also the weight of the culture’s shame. She was required to surrender her newborn baby boy – the only child she would ever have – and expected. “You’ll forget it ever happened,” she was told.

Twenty-two years later,  her longing undiminished, with no internet, DNA testing, and not even knowing his adoptive name, Tracy set out to find him – and in her search she finds more than just her son, but herself. In a world drifting back to where women have no agency, Tracy’s story of one frightened, grief-stricken young mother who was ordered to forget may be even more important to remember. 

“Childless Mother: A Search for Son and Self”

Tracy Mayo | March 28, 2024 | Vanguard Press | Memoir 

Paperback | 9781837940240 | $19.99 USD

TRACY MAYO has two degrees from Duke University. After a homesteading experiment, she embarked on a thirty-year career in commercial construction management, as a trailblazing woman in a man’s world. She is a 2020/2021 artist-in-residence at Craigardan and an alumnus of the Bookgardan writing program.  Her writing has appeared at Aspen Summer Words’ juried workshops, in Heimat Review, and in The Ocotillo Review. Tracy lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband and Flat-Coated Retriever.

Follow Tracy Mayo on social media:

Instagram: @TracyMayoAuthor | LinkedIn: @TracyMayo | Facebook: @TracyMayoAuthor

In an interview, Tracy Mayo can discuss:

• How she navigated through a young pregnancy before Roe v. Wade
• How she went about searching for her son without any information
• The time she spent within a maternity home and its effects on her mental health
• Her journey with meditation and LSD as forms of therapy to deal with grief
• How she managed her relationship with her own parents, her son, and her son’s adoptive parents
• Why her story plays as a cautionary tale in the current overturning of Roe v. Wade
• The arduous task of keeping her son’s birth a secret and how its destructive power impacted her

Advanced praise for Childless Mother

“Mayo creates a compelling nonfiction narrative that effectively conveys her feelings as a child and as an adult dealing with the fallout of choices her parents made…examines the complexities of reuniting with children given up for adoption—including birth parents’ acceptance of, and by, the families that raised their children—in a nuanced and insightful manner.”

-Kirkus Reviews

“Tracy Mayo breaks ranks with the institutionalized secrecy, shame, and silencing that shattered countless pregnant girls and young women prior to legalized abortion and open adoption.” 

– Kate Moses, author of “Wintering, Cakewalk: A Memoir, and Mothers Who Think”

An Interview with

Tracy Mayo

1. In your writing, you discuss the military culture that you grew up in? How did this experience affect your life as you became pregnant? 

I think in part, the experience helps explain why I became pregnant. The constant moves, the ever-changing landscape (eight moves in my thirteen short years) made me long to have friends, to feel rooted. When I met Ken Locke, a kindred navy spirit, I found someone who understood what it feels like to pack up and start one’s life over every year or two. Additionally, the military culture – in which we were expected to appreciate protocol, conformance, obedience, and discipline – was a prime target for adolescent rebellion, especially for an only child like myself, long the focus of my parents’ intense aspirations.

2. During your search for David, what aspects did you find the most challenging?

The simple answer to this question is a question itself: How do you find someone when you don’t know who you are looking for? All I had to go on was his place of birth and his birth date. His real birth certificate (with his given name at birth) was in a sealed file  in the state capitol and an “amended” one issued with his new name and his adoptive parents’ names. Birth parents have no rights to information in Virginia, other than the very rudimentary “non-identifying information” I was provided at relinquishment. Because I had been told that he was adopted by a military family, I assumed he had moved around like I had. Where might he be and who might he be? It was a daunting challenge.

3. When you and David first met, you discovered that the two of you had many similarities despite being raised very differently. Did this surprise you?

Upon exchanging photos, we realized we looked very much alike. But I think both of us were surprised to discover our many common interests: bird-watching, in-line skating, tastes in music, and an abiding interest in wildlife and the natural world. I learned that my university would have been his first choice if money had been no object. And when younger he was interested in becoming a naval aviator, like the birth grandfather he hadn’t yet met. The synchronicities kept crashing down. Does this mean there is a genetic component to personal preferences?

4. You discuss a lot of heavy topics when recalling your past experiences. What effect did writing this story have on you? 

I did a lot of healthy grieving while unearthing long-buried painful memories. And in taking charge of my own search, I felt empowered for the first time in decades. On a few occasions during my search when I came across written documentation of what had happened, I had this flush of feeling that I hadn’t imagined my son, hadn’t dreamed him up. After being instructed “To Forget,” and not allowed to speak of his birth around my own parents, I finally was receiving validation – which for so long, in almost every context, I had not. Recounting this process in writing has proved to be healing.

5. In terms of your son, his adoptive parents, as well as your own parents, did you find yourself taking risks while recounting your story?

It’s difficult to write about people who are still alive. I waited to start this memoir until my parents had died, as I knew I would struggle to speak my raw truth if they were here to read it. But observing the close relationship that David had developed with them, I felt a great measure of forgiveness and compassion. I took a risk re my son – would he view his upbringing differently from my perception of it? How would he view my take on our relationship? And on behalf of his adoptive parents, who passed away before this memoir was published, did I properly reveal the depth of my gratitude to them, for loving him as they so fully did?

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

LOS ANGELES, CA and SEATTLE, WA – In “Closet of Dreams” (March 2024), the debut title in “The Adventures of Child and Gamma” chapter book series, brother and sister co-authors Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon tell young readers, “When your fears disappear, your dreams appear!”

An aspiring pitcher with a mean fastball, nine-year-old Child wants nothing more than to be on his local little league team. But the team is dwindling and to make matters worse, Child has a gang of bullies targeting him. He confides in his grandmother, Gamma, and she sends him to the Closet of Dreams, a place she invented for Child so that he’d have a safe place to go when he gets scared.

A star-pitcher back in her day, Gamma now works at the Kids Park where retired circus animals spend their days. When Child sees his animal friends have hidden talents, he turns to them for help. Can Child put his fears aside and save his team?

In this charming chapter book, readers will delight in a magical story of friendship and talking animals. The authors were inspired by their own childhood’s “closet of dreams,” where the make-believe world of Child and Gamma originally came to life.

“Closet of Dreams”

Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon | March 2024 | BookLogix | Children’s Fiction 

Hardcover | ISBN: 978-1-6653-0166-4 | $22.99 

Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-6653-0165-7 | $12.99

Praise for “Closet of Dreams”…

“A charming mix of both the everyday and fantastical … Quirky, fun, and thoughtful” —Kirkus Reviews 

“As the father of 8 children, I can tell you this is one fantastic-fun book. The characters speak loud!” —Woody Fraser, creator of “Good Morning America”

“Ukra and MacMahon’s imaginative and inviting book .… will feel unique and exciting to young readers.” —BookLife Reviews

“Libraries and adults looking for gentle stories of adventure, courage, and magic will find all these elements and more in ‘Closet of Dreams’” —Midwest Book Review 

“A timeless tale reminiscent of a day when love could heal all wounds and hope abounded” —Kim Beyer-Johnson, Writer for Disney and Hallmark

About the Authors…

Co-authors Mark Ukra (Child) and Tara Mesalik MacMahon (Gamma) are brother and sister and lifelong best friends. Mark is the author of The Ultimate Tea Diet (HarperCollins), and Tara is a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and award-winning author of Barefoot Up the Mountain (Open Country Press). Her poems appear widely in literary journals and anthologies, including those from Red Hen Press, Nimrod International Journal, Poet Lore, Jabberwock Review, among many others. 

Mark and Tara based Closet of Dreams upon their own childhood Closet of Dreams, where the make-believe world of Child and Gamma came to life. Mark was “Child”; Tara was “Gamma.” Book II is already in the works, where Child and his friends race to rescue Starr, a magical baby elephant in Botswana. Learn more at: www.childandgamma.com 

In an interview, Mark and Tara can discuss:

• The inspiration for Child and Gamma, and their very own childhood closet of dreams
• The importance of animal adoption and the special bond rescue animals have with humans in the book  
• How baseball is portrayed as more than a “boy’s sport,” and the way it connects Gamma, Child, Randi (“the girl Child kinda likes”), and the animals
• How to cultivate kids’ imaginations, and why it’s important to dream
• What they hope readers will take away from the book regarding bullying

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

LOS ANGELES – Vegetable dishes just got tastier. In a world where the health-conscious and flavor-seekers can unite, each page of Yecenia Currie’s new cookbook is a testament to her unwavering commitment to creating recipes that are filled with nutrition while simultaneously exploding with flavor. Currie’s goal in “Sweet & Savory Life” March 1, 2024, Trilogy Publishing) is to “amplify plant-based deliciousness” by focusing on recipes that are packed with both nutrition and flavor.

But this cookbook goes beyond just nourishing the body. Currie emphasizes the holistic aspect of nourishment by highlighting how food can also feed the mind and spirit. She has successfully completed a holistic nutrition and culinary training course to further her knowledge of conscious cooking and to incorporate the healing benefits into her recipes. And it’s with this mindfulness of our overall well-being that sets “Sweet & Savory Life” apart from many traditional cookbooks.

From extreme foodies to casual, at-home chefs, readers can shake things up in their kitchens and breathe new life into their daily meals. Whether you’re a seasoned plant-based enthusiast or just beginning to explore the culinary realm, “Sweet & Savory Life” will inspire readers to infuse their cooking with love and intention — and a dash of culinary alchemy.

“Sweet & Savory Life: Simple Flavor-Filled

Plant-Based Recipes to Nourish Mind, Body, & Spirit”

Yecenia Currie | March 1, 2024 | Trilogy Publishing Company  | Cookbook 

Hardcover, 9798-890412225

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yecenia Currie has followed a plant-based diet for over 13 years. Her heart for healthy living is modeled by her commitment to honoring her temple and treating it with the utmost care and reverence in order to live a full, vibrant, “Sweet & Savory Life”! Yecenia successfully completed a holistic nutrition and culinary training to further her knowledge and incorporate the healing benefits of conscious cooking. In 2014, she became a certified yoga instructor to deepen her daily practice and help support others on their mind-body wellness journey. She and her husband, Roger, have traveled to over 45 countries to date, and those travels have inspired many of her creations in the kitchen. Yecenia is from Upstate New York and currently resides in Los Angeles. “Sweet & Savory Life” is her first cookbook.

Follow Yecenia Currie on social media:

Threads and Instagram: @sweetandsavorylife

In an interview, Yecenia Currie can discuss:

• Why she decided to start living a vegan lifestyle and how that change has affected her
• Creating a legacy of healthy living for her children, so they can eventually pass it on to their future families
• The struggles of living a well-balanced lifestyle and how plant-based eating can provide comfort, healing and joy
• How the book differs from other cookbooks by taking a holistic approach to nutrition
• Her Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Training and how she implemented it within the book
• How her travels to over 45 countries have influenced the book’s recipes and flavors
• How these recipes are accessible for everyone, from expert at-home chefs to cooks just picking up a knife for the first time
• Transforming the approach to mealtime and fostering a positive relationship with food
• How the book’s recipes appeal to picky eaters and how parents can sneak essential nutrients into every meal

An interview with Yecenia Currie

1. How long have you been a vegan and why did you decide to make the lifestyle change??

I’ve been a plant-based vegan for almost 14 years now. I decided to go vegan to improve my overall health and as an effort to prevent many of the generational ailments and preventable diseases that were continuing to show up in my family. I also wanted to model and pass on a legacy of healthy living to my children.

2. How has changing your nutrition affected you in other areas of your life?

Changing my diet was the spark that ignited change in every other area of my life. It naturally made me level up everything, like incorporating more interesting forms of exercise/movement into my daily routine (switching from my boring gym routine to doing hot yoga and pilates). I found I had more (mental and physical) energy, slept better, and had less and less bouts of indigestion. Each subtle change and “upgrade” in my day to day habits shined light on new areas of opportunity and allowed for more space to grow and evolve.

3. How does “Sweet & Savory Life” differ from other cookbooks? Even from other plant-based cookbooks?     

It’s a cookbook but it’s much more than just a book of recipes. Eating a vegan diet can be healthy, but not all “vegan” food is healthy. I wanted to share recipes I make and enjoy with the fusion of nutrition and flavor. I talk about “plant-based deliciousness” and “making veggies cool again” to highlight that healthy food can also be incredibly delicious. It was also important to me to emphasize and share the importance of a holistic approach to living and eating with the whole self — mind, body and spirit — in mind. I also share some personal stories, practical tips and what I refer to as “holistic food for thought” that hopefully will encourage an internal/personal dialogue and external conversation among close friends about how we can improve the quality of our lives.

4. As a parent, you’ve talked about wanting to cultivate a legacy of healthy living with your own children — can you expound on that?

I held fast to the popular proverb “More is caught than taught.” I could talk about (over and over) and try to teach the benefits of prioritizing their health, but I knew I had to be the example. My children had to see their parents living and embodying this thing in order for it to really stick. And the legacy aspect of it is a reminder that it’s bigger than us. It shows that it shouldn’t stop with them. Each generation will (hopefully) pass the baton on to the next, so the seeds of healthy living we’re planting today will outlive us all! 

5. Did your husband or children help you craft any of your kitchen creations?

No, but they were all very instrumental in the process of taste testing recipes! 

6. What are some good recipes in the book for people who are just starting out cooking? What about for people who aren’t big fans of vegetables in general?

There are so many! In the book, I talk about “Keeping It Simple” to make it easy and practical to eat well. So it was important for me to include recipes that are easy to make. The Glorious Greens recipe is a great place to start. It’s an easy, super delicious salad that even looks a little gourmet. The Chai Vanilla-Rose Bliss Bites is also a super simple dessert anyone can throw together in no time. For people who aren’t fans of veggies: First off, I’m pretty confident I can change their minds (and palates!). For a savory pick, they might be inclined to start with my Loaded Nachos recipe. For a sweet choice, they might try the Cherry Berry Bliss Smoothie with its surprising (and completely undetectable) veggie inclusion for a delicious nutritional boost!

7. Can you talk a bit about your Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Training and what that entails? How did you apply your training to the book?

The training really highlighted the beauty and benefits of “conscious cooking” for me and opened up the many ways I could incorporate that into how I cook, how I eat and even how I live. It was a course that I felt did an excellent job at merging both “technical” and “intuitive” knowledge. The course influenced many of the concepts I talk about in the book like “Cooking with Love & Intention,” “Creating a Sacred Space in the Kitchen” and “You are what you digest!”

8. You have traveled A LOT — over 45 countries and counting? How has that influenced the book’s recipes and flavors?

My travels have certainly had an influence on my cooking and recipes but maybe not in the traditional way you might think. The recipes in my book aren’t heavily region or culturally specific (with the exception of my amazing Puerto Rican Arroz Con Dulce recipe). I pay attention to flavor combinations, aromas, textures and the colors on my plate, and those are what most influence what I make. For example, If I’m enjoying a great meal at a restaurant, I might think about how I can “re-interpret” that dish as opposed to attempting to recreate an identical version. It’s more inspiration than duplication. It’s an example of what I mention in the book about “Culinary Alchemy.” I allow my palate to be my guide and give myself the creative liberty to turn something “ordinary into something extraordinary!”

9. Any favorite chefs or restaurants you’re a big fan of that you’d recommend to foodies?

Absolutely! I’ve come across some amazing places and people throughout my travels, so depending on what part of the world you’re located: Margo’s Bakery in Amsterdam, Netherlands; Zina’s Eatery in Vienna, Austria; Aum Vegetarian Restaurant in Chiang Mai, Thailand; and LOVE Organic in Los Angeles.

10. What are you working on next?

As I continue to develop my brand, I’m launching a company to help new authors like myself with the start-to-finish process of getting their books published. I’m also launching a wellness retreat that ties into many of the concepts I talk about in my book, to further amplify and encourage nourishment for the whole (mind-body-spirit) self. 

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

San Diego, California – For anyone who has ever felt “dead-ended” in life, work, and love, Courtney Deane has penned a delightfully funny debut rom-com that proves all tragedies can be rewritten, and happiness can bloom where you least expect it: “When Happily Ever After Fails” (SparkPress, April 9, 2024). 

About the novel: Abigail Gardner’s life is circling the drain. Her parents are dead, her “like a brother” BFF is in love with her, and her career as an art teacher has been squashed by an unfortunate viral incident involving sophomores and Spanx. But just as that whirlpool feels poised to suck her under, she’s granted a second chance: she lands a teaching job at Excelsior Primm, one of Philadelphia’s oldest and most prestigious preparatory academies. Only problem is, instead of teaching art she’ll be stuck teaching her least favorite subject — literature — and her least favorite theme: tragedy.

Tired of being stuck in her own tragic tale, Abigail starts rewriting every sad ending she can get her hands on, in and out of the classroom. To her surprise, her life soon begins to resemble the fairy tales she adores—great job, hot guy, a career gaining recognition. But when an unexpected plot twist threatens to derail her happy ending, Abigail starts to realize why these outcomes are so hard to come by. 

“When Happily Ever After Fails”

Courtney Deane | April 9, 2024 | SparkPress | Rom-Com, Chicklit 

Paperback | ISBN: 978-1684632404 | $17.95 

Ebook | $9.95 

COURTNEY DEANE has been a writer and pursuer of happily-ever-afters since she can remember. As a full-time freelance writer, her days are spent working for print, digital, and broadcast entities, as well as for a variety of PR and marketing clients. 

She continues her craft by dedicating some space each day to work on her fiction books. After both of her parents died, Deane worked to turn those tragedies into something beautiful—an effort that inspired her debut novel, When Happily Ever After Fails. 

She holds bachelor’s degrees in English and sociology from UC Irvine and a master’s in journalism from USC. Deane lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, daughter, and rescue dog—her very own happily-ever-after. Learn more on her website at http://www.courtneydeane.com/.

Follow Courtney Deane on social media: 

Facebook: Courtney Deane | Instagram: @AuthorCourtneyDeane

TikTok: @CourtneyDeane | YouTube: @CourtneyDeane

“An entertaining read that will keep you turning pages. The reader is taken on a ride with Abigail as she grows into herself and finds her voice. Deane makes it easy to root for Abigail along with the other quirky characters who have distinct and interesting personalities. When Happily Ever After Fails is a fun debut.” 

— Leslie A. Rasmussen, award-winning author of “After Happily Ever After” and “The Stories We Cannot Tell”

In an interview, Courtney Deane can discuss:

• Why (as her characters learn) it’s important to embrace your “mess” (and what that really looks like)
• Like her heroine in “When Happily Ever After Fails,” Courtney Deane is the only child of two deceased parents, and can speak on grief, the importance of perseverance, and how to cope when it feels like the world continues to go after you (and you alone)
• How to avoid “same character syndrome” in writing, plus her tips for crafting distinct personalities, quirks, and voices
• How writing “When Happily Ever After Fails” started as a grief recovery process for the author, and evolved in creative ways she didn’t anticipate
• How she’s putting a fresh twist on the rom-com genre with an “equal parts messy and loveable” heroine, while also balancing the genre’s most fun tropes
• Strategies for taking control of your life when it all seems to be falling apart

An Interview with

Courtney Deane

First, can you briefly introduce us to the characters we meet in “When Happily Ever After Fails?”

Of course! We’ve got Abigail, the lovable, fallible protagonist who is dead set on righting (and writing) wrongs and ensuring everyone gets a positive outcome. You’ve got to love her for it. She tries!

Then there’s Quinn, the not-as-lovable, but-we-love-him-because-he-loves-her BFF who is Abigail’s No. 1 fan. Yes, he’s head over heels for her and just waiting for the day when she realizes it, too.

And no one could forget about Mathilda. She’s our “tell it like it is” North Star, who doesn’t mince words. She’s got advice for everyone but herself! Abigail’s second BFF is funny and factual with the right amount of spunk.

Lastly, we have Nate. Abigail can’t figure out if this fellow teacher is initially a friend or foe, but his presence and advice is solid enough for her to keep him around and find out.

Why did you choose your title? What happens “when happily ever after fails?”

Honestly, I took the inspiration from a Don Henley song I’ve always loved, “The End of the Innocence.” This song always reminded me of my family’s situation, particularly the line “let me take a long last look before we say goodbye.” Part of the song’s chorus is “But happily ever after fails.” I don’t love the “but,” because HEA doesn’t always fail permanently; it just changes. It morphs – as do our expectations of life – as we collect different experiences and encounter various situations. So, our notion of happily ever after will likely fail and falter at some point  (thus, the “when”), but we can recover, pick ourselves back up and continue working toward a modified version of whatever “happily ever after” is for us. 

Fun sidenote: There’s a few Easter egg references to this inspo in the book!

You started writing this book after your mom passed away. How did the writing process impact your grief process, and vice versa? And how did both evolve as time went on?

I would love to slap an Abigail-style happy ending on this and say writing the book allowed me to work through the grief process and – wow – I’m GREAT now! It wouldn’t be true. I think it was a nice thought and an admirable effort to try to get some resolution on these two pivotal deaths through writing. 

While I didn’t necessarily get the “resolution” I was looking for, writing this novel DID help me express some of my thoughts and feelings on the grief process, my parents’ loss and how many well-meaning individuals can actually make the situation worse. I very much hope that comes through in the book. 

This might not be the answer anyone’s looking for, but what truly helped me move on from these deaths and this situation was having a family of my own. I don’t say that in an advice-driven, “go out and find you a man and have a baby” way, but chasing my dream and my happily ever after of starting my own family did make a huge impact. Suddenly, phrases like “mom” and “dad” weren’t dirty words anymore. And they were words that were back in my vocabulary. You have no idea how foreign those phrases seemed for a very long time!

Now, having a child certainly brings up my parents in different ways, especially where grandparents are concerned, so this issue isn’t entirely put to bed, but THAT is what has truly brought me closure.

What did you enjoy most about writing “When Happily Ever After Fails”? What did you find the most challenging?

I loved most everything about it! This was so much fun. I loved developing the characters and losing myself in their world. As I wrote, I would find that I wasn’t sitting on my mom’s former bed with my laptop, but was IN Abigail’s apartment as her and Quinn blasted the Beatles, etc. 

This being my first foray into fiction, I found the opening to be the most challenging. I wrote and rewrote and consulted, then rewrote again and again. I’m very happy with the final result, but, man, did we go through a lot of changes! I learned a ton about the book-writing process, and have made sure this next book has the opening it deserves from the get go!

Rom-coms have always been wildly popular. What are you bringing to this genre as a writer?

I’d like to think I’m bringing a fresh spin – though I’m sure every author would like to think that! I appreciate that tropes and formulas exist for a reason, but I’m not a fan of predictability or sticking to “what works.” Yes, this is a rom-com and some of the expected elements are there, but I believe this book has a modern, unique take on these traditions. Because, as we know, happily ever after IS possible…but it may look different than you pictured! 😉

Do you see yourself in any of the characters?

It would be weird if I didn’t say Abigail, right? LOL. There are certainly elements of myself in Abigail, though we are two VERY different people. Like Abigail, my father died of ALS and my mother kind of didn’t recover after his death and failed to take care of herself, which was ultimately her demise. Many (okay, all) of Abigail’s thoughts and perspectives on the subjects of death and parents are from my own experience, but the way she processes them is different from my own. 

In thinking about this, though, I guess I kind of did what Abigail did in that I went out and wrote a book hoping that would give this situation a “happily ever after.” That’s not all that different from Abigail changing a play’s ending in the hopes of dodging tragedy for herself and her class. Interesting…

What is your favorite romance movie of all time, and why?

I’m kind of an irreverent person (if we’re not laughing, what’s the point?), so I lean toward the love stories that have some heart AND humor. On that note, you can’t beat “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Always Be My Maybe,” and “Chasing Amy.”

Stories that tug at you and make you feel the longing really resonate with me as well. With that in mind, I love “The Notebook” and the “Before” trilogy (Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight). 

Finally, you have to hand it to “Love Actually” for capturing so many different types of loves – and bonus points that not every plot has a happy ending! 

What do you hope readers take away from “When Happily Ever After Fails?” 

Two things. 

One, I hope it gives them a glimpse into what grief and survival can look like for someone who has seemingly “lost it all” (or, at least, a BIG part of who they were and how we identify – our families). 

Two, I really wrote this book for anyone who’s ever felt alone in a crowded room. Your grief, feelings, and circumstances don’t have to reflect mine to understand what it’s like to feel marooned on an island where no one else is around and help doesn’t seem like it can be found. Please, please know that THESE are the people I wrote this book for. 

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. – In her upcoming novel, “The Deepfake” (She Writes Press, April 2, 2024), lauded author Joan Cohen “succeeds in building tantalizing tension that keeps the pages turning,” according to BookLife. The book has also received high praise from Kirkus with a coveted starred review saying that “readers will easily relate to and root for a woman breaking free of the good-girl mold to find new and genuine purpose.”

Sylvie considers herself a team player at her artificial intelligence (AI) company, but when she uncovers her colleagues’ illegal activities, pleasing everyone becomes impossible. Torn about what to do, she confides in her personal trainer, who’s dismayed not only by the choices she faces but also by her advocacy of AI, a technology he considers dangerous. Despite the barbs the two trade at the gym, they are drawn to each other. If only Sylvie weren’t continually summoned to the Miami estate of her mother and stepfather, where illness, death, a disputed will, and the rekindled ashes of an old flame swirl into a disaster that follows Sylvie back to Boston, bringing harm to her and those she cares about. 

“The Deepfake”

Joan Cohen | April 2, 2024 | She Writes Press | Fiction 

Paperback | ISBN: 978-1647426064 | $17.95 

Ebook | ASIN: B0C9HKFW5C | $9.95 

About the Author

Originally from Mount Vernon, New York, Joan Cohen is the author of “The Deepfake” (She Writes Press, April 2, 2024). She received her BA from Cornell University and her MBA from New York University. Her career in sales and marketing at technology companies led to executive management, and after retirement she returned to school for an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of the novel “Land of Last Chances,” published in 2019. She now resides in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires, with her husband and latest canine addition. Find out more about her at http://joancohenauthor.com/. 

Follow Joan Cohen on social media:

Facebook: @JoanCohenAuthor

Early Praise for “The Deepfake”

“An indecisive woman finds inner strength—and romance—in this wise and witty tale.” 

– Starred Kirkus Review

“Bold novel of AI, corporate scandal, and a woman’s self-discovery.”

– BookLife

In an interview, Joan Cohen can discuss:

• The ethical, legal, religious, philosophical, political and cultural issues impacted by AI.
• The benefits of AI in helping solve previously unsolvable problems.
• The relatable but unadvisable tendency to people-please and how it can hold women back professionally.
• The ways in which AI is already part of our lives, in ways we see and don’t see.
• The potential impact AI has on relationships, professional life, religion and political positions.
• The dangers of AI-created disinformation.
• The rapidly growing artificial intelligence market, expected to reach about $2.5 billion by 2032 and permeate every industry, e.g., banking, transportation, medicine.
• How books about AI have been primarily nonfiction or speculative fiction – “The Deepfake” is a fictional account of how AI can affect relationships, beliefs, and reality itself.
• ·How she thoughtfully and sensitively addresses sexual assault in her novel – There are over 20,000 books about rape listed on Amazon. A rape or other form of sexual assault happens every 68 seconds in the U.S. In “The Deepfake,” a rape leads to family conflict and dangerous consequences.
• How TV programs like “Succession,” news stories about the cryptocurrency scandals and the race to bring AI software to market have increased public interest in corporate malfeasance.
• Her debut novel, “Land of Last Chances,” a 2019 finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards.

An Interview with

Joan Cohen

Sylvie is so relatable — trying to balance ethics, people-pleasing and being professionally successful in an industry dominated by men. How did you craft this character? Did you borrow from any of your life experiences or the life experiences of people you know?

Someone I once worked with told me I was “too nice to be successful in sales,” but one of the advantages of growing older is that you learn, as some of my characters do, how to take advantage of your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Although I draw on the events of my life for background, my stories are in no way autobiographical, and characters are composites from my experience. As for ethics, I don’t think we typically think about them until we’re confronted with an important choice. In my opinion, rigid ethics and flexible ethics both create problems. That’s one of the reasons “Les Miserables” is such a fascinating story.  

Why was it important for you to address the problem of people-pleasing in your novel?

I’ve known men who are people-pleasers, but very few. I think it’s a symptom of limited self-confidence, which seems to afflict women more than men. Why else would there be so many books for women on overcoming it? I’d like to think people-pleasing is a cultural artifact, and that girls are raised the same way as boys, but by adolescence, many girls change. Our culture tells girls they’re not okay the way they are, but need to improve their looks, clothes and demeanor, even in the workplace. 

What got you interested in AI, and what role does it play in “The Deepfake?”

I spent my career working for technology companies, first as a programmer, and later in sales and marketing. Even though I didn’t stay with software development, my interest in the field stuck with me. My technical knowledge became obsolete quickly, and it certainly never included AI, but it’s the applicability of AI that fascinates me.

AI is becoming more and more prominent in our daily lives. What is the most surprising misunderstanding people may have about AI? 

In my opinion, the most surprising misconception people have about AI is that we don’t have to worry about it yet.

Can you discuss the impact of AI? Specifically, can you discuss its benefits and its potential interference with our relationships, professional lives and political positions?

If we think we have a problem now with disinformation in politics, it’s going to get much worse. With people’s images and speech reproduced and manipulated, the audience for that fakery could become persuaded of anything. On social media, we already have trolling. Fake photos and online posts can damage personal and professional relationships. That assumes we still have professional relationships after all the job displacement AI will bring. Joblessness stresses marriages, and AI will stress parenting as well. Will there ever become a point when creativity becomes superfluous, when AI can be more creative than we are? 

What kinds of AI-related discussions and debates do you think we will be having in the near future? 

I think we’ll be debating regulating AI and slowing down its development vs. pushing forward with research and product creation. Even if we all agreed to slow it down, that wouldn’t mean other countries, including adversaries, would slow down too. We might lose our preeminent position in the field of AI. Our military could be at a disadvantage. As long as there is significant money to be made with AI products, I don’t believe AI’s development can be slowed, as intuitively appealing as that might be.

How and why should we protect ourselves against AI’s influence on our lives? 

We can protect ourselves against disinformation and deepfakes by seeking alternate sources of information. I don’t know how we protect ourselves from AI in other forms because not everyone would agree we need protection. People make individual cost/benefit analyses even if they don’t call it that. Some will feel the risks are worth it and some won’t. An elderly, homebound person may love the robot that brings her food and medication. Another person may hate the self-driving car his neighbor uses because it parks in front of his house.

How does “The Deepfake” explore business ethics?

In “The Deepfake,” there are two characters who take the position that in business, you do what you have to do, right or wrong, to succeed. The two are the protagonist’s ex-husband and the head of development in her company. The highest priority is return on investment to the stockholders. On the other side is the protagonist’s boyfriend who argues that unethical behavior leads to the proverbial slippery slope.

What effect will AI have on religion? Have you already seen it impact religions? In what way?

One of my concerns is whose moral values AI reflects. Once you get past loving thy neighbor as thyself, different religions have different teachings. Does AI favor an eye for an eye or turn the other cheek? It’s humans who feed huge amounts of data to AI, which then draws conclusions, teaches itself, makes predictions, etc. If humans can’t agree on values, how will we program AI to make decisions about morality? Will there be different AI versions for the Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, etc.? I hope I don’t see people claiming to know what God would want.

Can you discuss the dangers of AI-created disinformation? What does it look like, how can we spot the dangers and avoid / prevent them?

Pursue information from multiple sources with different perspectives. I’d like to say trusted sources, but that, of course, may be difficult depending on the breadth of disinformation. The White House wants AI-produced information to be “watermarked” in some way, but will that be impervious to hacking? The dangers of AI-created disinformation include false political information, fake calls for violent action by supposedly respected individuals, slanderous posts, fake resumes for people taking sensitive positions (e.g., in the military), etc. Early deepfakes were inexpert and had recognizable flaws. Now, supposedly, anyone can acquire and use that software.

How does “The Deepfake” underscore the importance of embracing truth and staying true to your values?

I think the main characters in “The Deepfake” learn the importance of embracing truth and staying true to their values the same way most of us do: by making mistakes. Failure is painful, but it’s a great teacher.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/