Author: Marissa DeCuir

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York City– In Split-Level: A Novel (She Writes Press May 7th, 2019) the sexual revolution enters the Jersey suburbs and shakes up the life of a shy woman coming to terms with her own evolving identity. Sande Boritz Berger provides a breathtaking look at spousal relationships, gaslighting, emotional abuse, and the women’s movement– a #MeToo lens turned back on a past era, rife with complicated change.

For young wife and mother, Alex Pearl, the post-Nixon 1970s offers pot parties, tie-dyed fashions, and the lure of the open marriage her husband wants for the two of them. Alex is a painter, stifled but loyal, and when she realizes just how far her husband’s eye has begun to wander, she’s faced with difficult choices about what marriage and family mean, and whether an “open” lifestyle mimicking communal living might be for her. Yearning for both greater adventure and intimacy, yet fearful of losing it all, Alex must figure out the truth of love and fidelity—at a pivotal point in American marriage.

Sande Boritz Berger spent two decades as a scriptwriter and video producer for Fortune 500 companies. She holds her MFA in writing and literature from Stony Brook Southampton College, where she was awarded the Deborah Hecht Memorial prize for fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Epiphany, Tri-Quarterly, Confrontation, and The Southampton Review, as well as several anthologies. She has written for the Huffington Post, Salon, and Psychology Today. Her debut novel, The Sweetness, was a Foreword Reviews IndieFab finalist for Book of the Year and was nominated for the Sophie Brody award from the ALA. Berger and her husband live in NYC and often escape to the quiet of Bridgehampton. Visit her at www.sandeboritzberger.com.

“Split-Level” a novel
Sande Boritz Berger | May 7, 2019 | She Writes Press
Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-63152-555-1 | Price: $16.95
Ebook | ISBN: 978-1-63152-556-8 | Price: $9.95
Women’s Fiction

In an interview, Sande Boritz Berger can discuss:

• How the women’s movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s mirrors today’s #MeToo movement.
• Why “cul-de-sac living” and women’s feelings of boredom and “sameness” in the suburbs provides a rich cultural landscape for a writer to explore.
• How her writing combines humor with difficult topics to engage the reader on an even deeper level.
• How her career evolved from creating marketing videos to writing essays, stories, and books.
• Comparisons between the mid-1970s and today’s political and social climate.

An Interview with Sande Boritz Berger

What inspired you to explore the 1970’s suburbs as the setting of your newest novel?
The post- Nixon era was a time of great change, a shake up of sorts when people who took their government and maybe even lives for granted and then everything shifted, which created instability and mistrust. During the period of transition it felt as though people were walking on sand. The changes affected families, marriages, jobs and our country’s future.

What similarities and differences do you see Alex’s struggles as a woman in the 70s and the struggles of women today?
The differences are strong mostly because of the support women now feel with other women…making us more cohesive and less fearful to ask for what we want and to express what we can not accept: the unacceptable. Also women are filling the jobs once had mostly by men…today there are more female lawyers, doctors, professors and government officials than ever before. In the 70’s we were mostly dreamers I think…waiting to have our special moment of self-fulfillment. Guilt was involved, especially if we had children. Many of us had mothers who had sacrificed their own dreams…we might have asked: what gives me the right to go off and do my own thing?

Why did you choose the title Split-Level?
To me, having grown up in the suburbs of Long Island, I felt the Split-Level style home symbolized suburbia and the similar home structure that both divided and brought together family members. And the word “split” is often used when couples and relationships go through a break- up.

What inspired your career switch from scriptwriting and video producing to writing novels?
The truth is…I’d always written, even when I was a producer for 20 years, I’d take workshops hoping to improve my craft, to publish etc. As I got older the realization that I had these stories to tell began to take up a lot of space in my brain. So, I closed my company and entered an MFA program where luckily I was exposed to amazing writers who encouraged me to write.

What do you hope readers take away from your novel Split-Level?
I hope they will seen that marriage is and has always been challenging as there is so much juggling and for women especially much gets put on hold…sometimes for many years, sometimes, forever. Also, that love and marriage is not a panacea for happiness. As women we have to make our own happiness. It never comes and taps you on the shoulder.

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/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Past 1%-er outlines how to trade in wealth for a rich life in “Wise Millennial”

NEW YORK, New York – They’re supposedly the “failure to launch” generation, content living at home, “influencing” on instagram, and taking a parental handout. Millennials are compared to their Baby Boomer parents and the strong economic power of previous generations, criticized for generational immaturity and told they aren’t achieving the success of their parents because of an inability to buckle down and work hard for better personal and professional lives.

Many of the books written for or about Millennials seem to pander to these ideas about them—books instructing readers on how to learn “adulting” may amuse, but there is another side to the most criticized generation. In “Wise Millennial” (April 2019) Peter Noble Darrow asks Millennials to think deeply about their parents’ expectations for their lives and find their own paths, instead. Rather than aiming to reveal failings to grow up, or on the other hand, defensively praising his peers, Darrow chooses to speak to this audience on a deeper level—the book points millennials toward growth from the inside out. Darrow presents an even-keeled approach to helping his generation find meaning and purpose, accepting mistakes and learning from them along the way.

“Millennials are given a bad rap—lazy, entitled, generally bad at life. But my generation is so much stronger and wiser than you might think, and Wise Millennial proves that! Peter gives an inside take that’s alternatively hilarious, poignant, and inspiring for millennials and the people who love them.”— Nicole Lapin, New York Times bestselling author of Rich Bitch and Boss Bitch

In this insightful and personal debut, Peter shares much of his life story, blending anecdotes with the lessons they engender. Peter had a childhood that many would be envious of—he was born into privilege (both parents powerful business executives with tony backgrounds), attended the finest schools, and lived in luxury in the prestigious Upper East Side in New York City. Yet, in addition to the wealth of opportunity bestowed upon him, he has faced many challenges from his parent’s divorce to his father’s cancer diagnosis and eventual passing. In “Wise Millennial,” Peter shares that after “thousands of hours of therapy, introspection, and meditation, I finally began taking control of my life and creating my own opinions, most of which have evolved far beyond my family’s worldview.” This collection of honest stories of setbacks and successes will inspire the motivated millennial reader.

“The millennial generation is reminiscent of the baby boom generation: it is already wielding enormous influence over every facet of American culture, society, politics, and economics—and yet, it is poorly if at all understood by the generations that preceded it. In Wise Millennial, Peter N. Darrow offers insights based on hard-won personal experience and assiduous academic study that make the thoughts, dreams, wants, and desires of the millennial generation understandable at long last.”— Harry Hurt III, award-winning journalist and author of Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump

Peter N. Darrow is a Millennial, a native New Yorker, an entrepreneur, and an expert at learning from his mistakes. After earning an MBA in entrepreneurship from Babson College in 2014, Peter founded Darrow’s Farm Fresh restaurant in Union Square in NYC. A health and wellness entrepreneur with a passion for helping people, Peter has already seen much in the way of success and failure, and speaks to the challenges facing his generation, and dispels myths about what it’s like to supposedly “have it all.” Find out more about Peter at www.wisemillennial.com.

Wise Millennial: A Field Guide to Thriving in Modern Life
Peter Noble Darrow | Release Date April 29, 2019 |
Hardback ISBN: 978-1-7336331-1-6 | Price: $26.99
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7336331-0-9 | Price: $18.99
Memoir / Self-Help

Advance Praise for WISE MILLENNIAL

“A powerful set of ruminations that are likely to hit many millennials of privilege where they live…and help start them on journeys that are likely to be both interesting and useful. Wise Millennial gives readers lots to think about.”— Len Schlesinger, President Emeritus-Babson College, Baker Foundation Professor –Harvard Business School

“Peter Darrow has compelling advice for the millennial generation formed over his short, eventful life. Having known him from his earliest days, Peter has demonstrated resilience, inner wisdom, initiative, insight, integrity, and the drive he inherited from his father, as well as the immaturity, self-discovery, recklessness, and entitlement of his privileged Upper East Side background. Through it all, he has arrived at a place of introspection and inner peace that cries out to be shared with millennials across the spectrum. Everyone his age searches for answers to life’s challenges. Peter has something important to say about the quest.”— George W. Madison, partner at Sidley Austin LLP and former general counsel, US Department of the Treasury

“Peter Darrow has evolved through his life experiences to understand the depth and knowledge of what the millennial undertakes. His ability to adapt to new cities, lifestyles, and environments gives him the insight to help the young urban professional transition to changing times. Having started his own business and fostering its growth, Peter has undertaken new adventures that allow him to wisely advise on entrepreneurial endeavors. Building a brand and being the face of a business are two attributes that contribute to his acumen of wisdom. Peter’s emotional intelligence is in tune with the young urban professional, and his kindness gives him the ability to empathize with young both men and women. I highly recommend his book that gives an outlook and perspective on how personal growth can lead to success.”
— Amy Brody Poliakoff, former contestant, Gallery Girls, Bravo TV

“Peter and I are both native New Yorkers and know the particular culture of the Upper East Side with its pressures and expectations. As fellow millennials, we also share in our generation’s entrepreneurial spirit and desire to make a difference. What I’ve come to appreciate about Peter is his ability to articulate the millennial experience and his enthusiastic reminders, as we strive to achieve our dreams, about what really matters most in life.”— Erin Frankel, cofounder of Jetsweat fitness app

“Contrary to popular belief, millennials have it rough. They aspire to do great things and are hard on themselves, but given the constant and accelerating pace of change, millennials are also a generation without clear role models. I know Peter Darrow well, and his candid story about privilege and hardship is in many ways a tale of his generation. A funny, honest, and inspiring read.”— Ned Russell, global client leader for Publicis Groupe

“Peter has inspired me with his energy, passion, and enthusiasm for life, health, and wellness. Despite his affluent, privileged upbringing, he has grown into a down-to-earth and authentic guy who cares deeply about sharing his hard-won insights into how to live well from the inside out. — Julie Starr, nutritionist, wellness expert, owner of Starr Yoga Studios

“A book that could help Peter’s fellow millennials is surely needed. Many successful baby boomers were consumed by the demands of their work and tried to make up for their absence from home by showering privileges on their children, starving them of discipline. This upbringing has made many of their children ill equipped for the challenges of today’s marketplace. This is a valuable book; Peter shows through an accurate telling of his story how he was brought up, failed at a startup, and was then changed by his failures.” — John Tepper Marlin, PhD, president and managing member of Boissevain Books

In an interview, Peter can discuss:

• How mindfulness can help Millennials and how Peter’s own meditation practice has impacted his life
• Dating apps—the good, the bad and the ugly (and where the best dates can be found!)
• How to launch a startup frugally (top lessons learned and mistakes to avoid)
• The complexities of dating while also being a young entrepreneur dedicated to a growing business venture
• What to do when you fail (and what to do with those feelings of failure!)
• How to utilize your network and be a leader
• Whether it is possible to keep “everyone” happy
• How to choose a business partner
• How to use screen time without mental health risks
• How Millennials all over the U.S. can relate to this advice, in spite of Peter’s privilege

An Interview with Peter N. Darrow

What do you hope readers take away from The Shaman of Turtle Valley?
I hope they will see the similarities between Korean and American values, especially the importance placed on family. But I also hope they’ll think about the importance of healing wounds and the need for redemption.

How has your background in international law and teaching English in a foreign country influenced your writing?
Living and working overseas definitely expanded my horizons in terms of the subject matter I explore as well as the kinds of characters who populate my fiction. Many writers treasure the learning in the process of writing, and I think that’s what global citizens have to do.

What memories of your time in the Peace Corps in Korea served you for the creation of this novel?
Because my time in Korea was my first international experience, everything was new and made an impression. For one thing, I found Korean society both friendly and closed at the same time, suspicious of outsiders. But I also found the history and culture fascinating, particularly my first exposure to Buddhism and Korea’s indigenous shamanistic practices.

In the future, what parts of the world would you like to incorporate in your fiction?
I’m currently working on a novel set in Singapore, where I lived for many years, and I’ve given some thought to a book set in China, where I visited many times during my legal work.

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/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Staunton, VA – Library of Virginia Literary Award winning author of the short story collection What the Zhang Boys Know Clifford Garstang combines his international experience and Virginia roots in The Shaman of Turtle Valley (Braddock Avenue Books, May 14, 2019), which explores the healing of wounds —in families, nations, and landscape— and the challenges in bridging cultural gaps.

After graduating from college, Garstang spent two years in the Peace Corps teaching English in South Korea. His time abroad helped guide him into the practice of international law in the United States and overseas. Garstang has returned to Korea in his first novel, The Shaman of Turtle Valley. He explores the collision of culture and family conflict, the lasting effects of warfare, and our universal need to heal from life’s greatest tragedies.

While stationed in Seoul, Garstang’s character Aiken Alexander gets a Korean girl pregnant and tries to make things right by marrying her and bringing her back to America, though their relationship is disapproved by both families. Garstang’s characters explore the mysteries of both Appalachian and Korean traditions, the need for conciliation in light of abuse and conflict, and tolerance through the lens of a man trying to keep his family together and maintain his morality.

Clifford Garstang is a former international lawyer and prize-winning author of the story collections, In an Uncharted Country and What the Zhang Boys Know, and editor of the anthology series, Everywhere Stories: Short Fiction from a Small Planet. With degrees from Northwestern University, Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law, and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Garstang was an international lawyer in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Singapore and a legal reform consultant in Kazakhstan. Learn more at: https://cliffordgarstang.com/

The Shaman of Turtle Valley
Clifford Garstang | May 14, 2019 | Braddock Avenue Books
ISBN: 978-1-7328956-0-9
Literary Fiction

In an interview, Clifford Garstang can discuss:

• His time as a Peace Corps Volunteer and how America’s foreign relationships have changed since his time in Korea
• His years working in legal reform and international development with the World Bank
• How he views the current situation with North Korea
• What he did to prepare himself to write fiction after a twenty-year career in international law
• His writing process as he transitioned from writing short fiction to his first novel
• How he mixes fictional elements with real-life places and people in order to establish a tangible sense of reality in his writing
• His personal experiences with cultural collision as someone who has lived overseas many times
• His many-year journey to publication and advice to emerging authors

An Interview with Clifford Garstang

What do you hope readers take away from The Shaman of Turtle Valley?
I hope they will see the similarities between Korean and American values, especially the importance placed on family. But I also hope they’ll think about the importance of healing wounds and the need for redemption.

How has your background in international law and teaching English in a foreign country influenced your writing?
Living and working overseas definitely expanded my horizons in terms of the subject matter I explore as well as the kinds of characters who populate my fiction. Many writers treasure the learning in the process of writing, and I think that’s what global citizens have to do.

What memories of your time in the Peace Corps in Korea served you for the creation of this novel?
Because my time in Korea was my first international experience, everything was new and made an impression. For one thing, I found Korean society both friendly and closed at the same time, suspicious of outsiders. But I also found the history and culture fascinating, particularly my first exposure to Buddhism and Korea’s indigenous shamanistic practices.

In the future, what parts of the world would you like to incorporate in your fiction?
I’m currently working on a novel set in Singapore, where I lived for many years, and I’ve given some thought to a book set in China, where I visited many times during my legal work.

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/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Caroline Taylor’s latest crime thriller: the hot spring release everyone’s waiting for

PITTSBORO, NC– No stranger to the thriller world, veteran author Caroline Taylor is back with her latest thriller with more action, adventure, and narrow escapes. Death in Delmarva (Black Rose Writing, March 21, 2019) will keep you turning the pages until every secret is revealed.

Daphne Dunn works as a lowly stockroom clerk in her cousin’s Foggy Bottom grocery store. She’s also required to play bill collector to customers who aren’t paying for their food, including pregnant Beatriz Cabeza de Vaca, who used to keep house for Daphne’s family in better times.

When Beatriz is stabbed to death outside her apartment, Daphne learns the baby has survived and sets out to find the baby’s missing father. She gets sidetracked when a friend facing life-threatening surgery asks Daphne to locate his sister, Charlie. Except for the lip ring and a nasty drug habit, Charlie could be Daphne’s twin.

The search for both people leads Daphne to the Delmarva Peninsula and a woman so desperate to cover her crimes against undocumented workers that she will kill anyone in her way, including Charlie and quite possibly the girl’s mirror image, Daphne Dunn.

CAROLINE TAYLOR is the author of four mystery novels—What Are Friends For?, Jewelry from a Grave, Loose Ends, and The Typist—and a collection of short stories, Enough: Thirty Stories of Fielding Life’s Little Curve Balls. A longtime resident of Washington, D.C., Caroline now lives in North Carolina. Read more of her numerous short stories and essays featured on her website at www.carolinestories.com.

Death in Delmarva
Caroline Taylor | March 21, 2019 | Black Rose Writing
ISBN: 978-1-68433-225-0 | Price: $18.95
Thriller

“An irresistible read filled with plenty of action—a dead voice coach, a
missing junkie, a drive-by shooting, double murder-arson, shipments of
mysterious merchandise—and the most inventive, tender-hearted amateur detective you’d ever want to meet. I loved this book and found it nearly impossible to put down.”
—Vicki Salloum, author of Waiting for You at Midnight and Candyland

In an interview, CAROLINE TAYLOR can discuss:

• The original title— Dead Ringer—and its success as a finalist for the 2016 FREDDIE award for writing excellence
• Why the book evolved from a proposed third in the Annapolis-based P.J. Smythe series to a stand-alone thriller
• Writing a novel set in DC that is not the standard “Washington thriller” featuring corruption at the highest levels or global conspiracies
• Portraying the lives of senior citizens who are not as invisible as most people imagine

An Interview with Caroline Taylor

Death in Delmarva touches on issues of immigrant trafficking. What inspired you to use this in your story?
The demand for workers in low-level, back-breaking jobs brings people here who are willing to do whatever it takes to support their families. This book was written before the migrant caravans of people seeking asylum filled the news. The caravans were begun as a way to achieve safety in numbers and avoid the plight of immigrants traveling alone and subject to trafficking. I wanted to showcase their desperation, which touched me deeply.

Why did you choose for Daphne, the story’s protagonist, to work as a clerk in a grocery store?
I wanted her to have a job—like the immigrant workers—that sucked. She, in a different sense, is also desperate for a paycheck. So she has to do whatever she’s told, but that doesn’t mean she
has to like it.

You’re becoming quite the seasoned writer. Did the process of researching and writing this book take you, either mentally or physically, to any new places?
It would be presumptuous to imagine what it’s really like to be an immigrant worker in the poultry industry or a low-level stockroom clerk or a retired lady of the evening, so it was scary exploring these aspects of people’s lives. I can only hope I got it right.

What advice do you have for writer’s experimenting with writing in different genres or styles?
Give it a try, but it may turn out your forte is in one or two genres. You really can’t write a western very well if you haven’t lived there, but you can write a historical novel with a little help from the library and the Internet.

You seem to have mastered the cliff-hanger in Death in Delmarva. Can we expect more to come in Daphne’s story?
Based on my experience with the first two novels, I am not a believer in trying to write a series character. It was fate that made the publisher of those two mysteries decide not to publish mysteries any longer, but I had trouble finding a publisher willing to pick up the series midstream. So I’ll just stick with the stand-alone.

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/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Retrain your brain to drink less and feel better with hypnotherapist Georgia Foster

CORAL GABLES, FL – J.K. Franko’s debut thriller ‘Eye for Eye’ (June 22, Talion Publishing) explores how far normal people will go, given the right circumstances, to avenge wrongs when the legal system fails them.

The first book in the Talion series, “Eye for Eye” follows two sets of parents who seek revenge for crimes committed against their children: two families, two daughters. One killed by a driver texting at the wheel. The other date-raped by a young man the courts judge “innocent.”

In a story of vigilantism and revenge, Franko writes with sensitivity about delicate subjects like college rape culture and sexuality; with wit and cynicism about a broken legal system; and with dark humor about planning and getting away with murder. A fast pace and numerous unpredictable twists make “Eye for Eye” a guilty pleasure, a standout contribution to the thriller genre.

J.K. FRANKO holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of the Incarnate Word, a JD from St. Mary’s Law School where he served as Law Journal Editor, an MBA from UT Austin, and completed PhD work at UT Austin. As a lawyer, he was able to pursue a passion for writing, and his non-fiction work has been cited by courts and appeared on the National Law Journal’s “Worth Reading” list. True to his Cuban-American roots, Franko now lives in Florida with his wife and three children. For more information on J.K. Franko visit jkfranko.com.

Eye for Eye
J.K. Franko | April 8, 2019 | Talion Publishing
Paperback | 978-1-9993188-0-2 | Price:
Thriller

In an interview, J.K. Franko can discuss:

• His firm belief in the outline process and the form his outlines generally take
• What inspired him to write a book focused on trauma
• His background in law and business and how this informs his writings
• Authors and books that inspire him
• How he implemented specific locations in the book based on his local connections
• How he approached writing about controversial topics
• Why the legal system often fails to deliver justice
• Whether there is a place for vigilantism in modern society
• The twenty-year slog to finishing his first novel
• Why it is still possible to get away with murder
• Fake news, Orson Welles, and the UK marketing for “Eye for Eye”

An Interview with J.K. Franko

Do you have a method that you typically practice when you write?
The most critical part of writing for me is outlining. It’s also the most time consuming. When you’re weaving multiple story arcs together, putting all the pieces together in a way that makes it easy for the reader to keep up with plots and subplots is critical. It’s like assembling a puzzle.

How does your education and involvement with the justice system inform the themes you explore in this book?
Working as a trial lawyer you learn how to craft a story that is a specific version of reality based on the facts that best serve your client’s interests. But, you also learn how alternate versions of reality can be supported by the same facts. That sort of training is great for being able to present a story in a way that takes the reader down one path, but then twists in a different direction that is surprising, but consistent with the same set of facts. That’s probably why there are so many twists built into my novels.

Do you think that revenge and justice are mutually exclusive?
As far as the target or focus of the justice or revenge is concerned, there is no difference. The verbs associated with the two words tell you a lot. Justice is “meted out” while revenge is “inflicted.” Justice is an almost institutional concept in terms of how it is rendered, while revenge is much more personal. In the last decade, social media has made everything more personal – from advertising, to shopping to, to politics. One of the themes the Talion Series grapples with is the blurring between justice and revenge based simply on the addition of that personal, social component.

How did you deal with writing a story with such traumatic and violent elements?
How violence is portrayed in a story to some degree depends on the genre. The way a killing scene is written in a horror novel—for example—is very different from how it would be written in a drama or a romance novel. For purposes of this book, the violent elements are critical to the storyline, but descriptively are not something that most readers are “into.” That said—I have had readers who wanted more “detail” on some elements of the violence, and I actually had one editor that “quit” because they were uncomfortable with “the morality of the storyline.”

The production of this book was a long process — what made you keep going?
I started writing fiction in the year 2000 – and this is my first completed novel – so yeah, a very long process. That said, I wrote the first draft of Eye for Eye in a month. Revisions and editing took a bit longer. Over the course of the last almost twenty years, I have been writing fiction on and off. Started and abandoned seven or eight novels. From each, I learned something about how to write better. It all came together for this book.

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/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Retrain your brain to drink less and feel better with hypnotherapist Georgia Foster

MELBOURNE, Australia – Increased alcohol consumption in society today is rarely out of the news. Most therapies and therapists offer an all-or-nothing solution—give up completely or give in to the drink. Clinical hypnotherapist Georgia Foster offers a new middle way for drinkers to reduce their alcohol intake in her book, “Drink Less in 7 Days” (Red Door Publishing, 2/1/19).

Georgia Foster is a world-leading therapist, specializing in over-drinking behavior (as well as anxiety, self-esteem and other issues that are correlated with “problem drinking”). Foster wrote “Drink Less in 7 Days” after gathering information from her popular therapy courses in Australia––a country notorious for binge drinking––which have a 95% success rate in helping patients to reduce alcohol consumption. Questionnaires and other interactive materials in the book personalize the reading and learning experience, making it easier for anyone to rewire their brain to accept more balanced drinking habits.

GEORGIA FOSTER is a clinical hypnotherapist & voice dialogue trainer. She qualified with distinction at The London College of Clinical Hypnosis in 1996. She then went on to become one of the college’s senior lecturers before venturing out on her own to build her online products while running her busy London Clinic. Georgia now resides in Melbourne, Australia. She specializes in alcohol reduction, emotional overeating, self-esteem, anxiety, and fertility issues. Her unique and highly successful approach has helped tens of thousands of people learn how to feel better emotionally and physically. To learn more visit www.georgiafoster.com.

Drink Less in 7 Days
Georgia Foster | February 1, 2019 | Red Door Publishing
Format ISBN: 978-1-910453-57-5 | Price: $14.62
Health

In an interview, Georgia Foster can discuss:

• The importance of focusing on our thinking (instead of our drinking) in managing alcohol consumption
• What Voice Dialogue Theory is and how it pertains to the many different reasons people overdrink
• The role an “Inner Critic” plays in our drinking habits
• How some former “problem drinkers” are able to manage drinking without cutting it out completely
• Hypnotherapy and its role in her 7-day drinking program

An Interview with Georgia Foster

Tell us more about the “Inner Critic” and how it impacts our drinking habits.
The Inner Critic is the driver to someone drinking too much. It is the critical and judgmental voice within that makes us feel vulnerable. If someone has a strong Inner Critic they will typically have self esteem and anxiety issues and may use alcohol to suppress their fears about life.

What a lot of drinkers don’t know is that when we drink alcohol the Inner Critic goes away. The critical part of the brain shuts down when we drink, which stimulates relaxation, calm, confidence and a ‘Don’t care anymore’ attitude. Unbeknown to the drinker, they are not drinking for the sake of it, they are drinking to run away from self doubt and fears the Inner Critic stimulates. It’s not the alcohol itself, it’s the emotions the alcohol creates that people get addicted to.
If someone uses alcohol to run away from the Inner Critic, over a period of time this becomes an emotional habit, which is why it is hard for people to reduce their drinking.

Also, if someone has a strong Inner Critic and drinks to suppress it, in the morning when they wake feeling a little hungover, the Inner Critic comes out to play again. The vicious cycle of needing to drink to relieve it’s negativity will stir in the background all day until they drink. This is why reduction can appear to be such a problem.

The goal of my book, “Drink Less In 7 Days,” is to train the brain to reduce Inner Critic time and improve sober coping strategies without needing to drink. When drinkers don’t have that Inner Critic making them feel worried about everything, the domino effect is there isn’t that frenzy to drink quickly or as much. This is an extremely liberating experience and improves general emotional well being straight away!

What role does hypnotherapy play in your program? Can everyone be hypnotized?
Yes, everybody can. It is a natural brain wave experience that we all go into just before we go to sleep and just before we wake. It is a heightened state of around 20 minutes where your mind can create positive emotional changes very quickly — hence why the book gets great results within just 7 days.

Many people ask me what is the difference between meditation and hypnosis. Both these brain wave activities are exactly the same. However, unlike meditation there isn’t an expectation to focus or think of a mantra. This can be difficult for ‘Perfectionists’ who can’t relax enough and find it stressful to try and think of nothing. Whereas hypnosis is more relaxing because there are no expectations on the listener. The digital recordings that come with the book do all the work, so there is no pressure to focus, relax or drift deeply. Although, ironically most people do drift as it is very relaxing.

How did your own relationship with alcohol inform your seven-day plan?
I drink. I am an Australian and Aussie’s are known as big drinkers. I have the odd hangover, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. The purpose of the book is for drinkers to reduce their regular habitual drinking that they know inhibits their emotional wellbeing. I encourage people to have at least two Alcohol-Free Days per week, so they can gain sober confidence in all areas of their lives. I used to drink because I was socially shy and felt less than everyone else. I had a lot of self-esteem issues and this reflected in me not feeling confident without a glass of wine in my hand.

What is the difference between what you identify as an “emotional drinker” and an alcoholic? Can your approach be used for both issues?
It is a very common and good question to ask. The answer is slightly blurred, as hard liner AA types will probably disagree with me, so I do apologise in advance! An emotional drinker is someone who is aware their drinking interferes with their lives from time to time but it doesn’t affect their general life and wellbeing. They are very aware that alcohol can be a reflex action to challenges and stressful times but it does not destroy family life and work life. Whereas an alcoholic is someone who once they have one drink can’t stop to the detriment of family, friends and their professional life. They drink to complete oblivion each time they drink. There are many doctors who suggest there is the ‘alcoholic gene’ some people inherit. I believe it’s an emotional gene. We can without consciously knowing it, mimic our parents behaviours both positive and negative.

Do you think some people need to quit and not cut back?
There are many people who have decided to quit drinking completely. These types of drinkers I call them the “All or nothing drinker!” They can’t just have a few drinks. They abstain completely because they can’t trust themselves with alcohol. They are highly anxious drinkers and tend to be the Perfectionist drinking personality that I cover in the book. I might add, I am not suggesting people who have quit should start drinking again. This book is for those who would like to drink less and resonate with my approach.

How do you measure the success of your program? Is there a drinking-reduction percentage you aim for with your clients?
The goal of “Drink Less In 7 Days” is to reduce alcohol consumption by up to 50%. For some people that will be half a bottle of wine, for others it will be 4 beers. I don’t set rules. I want drinkers to achieve success so I don’t talk about the standard glass measurement, as this freaks a lot of people out. Most worried drinkers drink more than the recommended amount.

My suggestion is drinkers should hydrate with water while they drink alcohol, I call this DOWO, drink one, water one. This will naturally slow down drinking whilst making sure they try to eat whilst consuming alcohol, which will also help to drink slowly too. This is all part of the hypnosis training which is great, as people just notice they are calmer before they drink, so they drink more slowly and enjoy hydrating themselves with water.

What do you recommend for people who find themselves part of a “drinking culture” that seems inescapable––whether with family, friends, co-workers or geographic location?
The Pleaser personality trait can tend to drink to please others, even when they don’t want to drink. It could be a boring social situation that can stimulate the desire to drink too much or it could be family issues and drinking seems to alleviate the stress of it. I know a lot of people in the workforce sometimes feel they need to drink to keep their boss happy or feel like they belong. The truth is that people who try and encourage people drink, have their ‘own’ drink issues and will attempt to hide this by making other people feel guilty if they don’t drink with them.
Here are some top tips to help in these situations:

1. Decide before you go out how much you are going to drink over the hours you are there and stick to it.
2. Finish each drink before you have a top up so you can gauge how much you are drinking.
3. Opt out of all cocktails and punches. They can be lethal and hard to tell how much alcohol is in them.
4. Do not be coerced into drinking to please others. Tell little white lies if you need to. Such as: feign you are taking antibiotics or just a little under the weather. Even better, tell people you have a ‘cracking hangover’ and couldn’t fathom a drink!
5. DOWO Policy. Drink one, water one. Alternate between alcohol and water, to keep you hydrated, as mentioned above.
6. Drink from your non-dominant hand. It will seem a little uncomfortable, so it will make you more aware of how much you are drinking.
7. Drink a big glass of water before you start drinking, to hydrate yourself.
8. If you are shy or bored, instead of reaching for the alcohol to calm you down or entertain you, simply listen to one of the 5 minute recordings that come with the book for this exact situation to shift your thinking into a calmer and happier space.
9. Keep an emotional diary over a few weeks to understand what are the drivers to drinking in unhelpful ways are; such as boredom, loneliness, tiredness, fear and anger. Look at other ways of processing these feelings without transferring them to alcohol.
10. See wedding, birthday celebrations etc as a time when we all tend to drink more than normal and that is okay, so be kind to yourself and realise it’s just the situation!

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/