Archive for the ‘News Release’ Category

Children’s Book Combines Entertainment and Learning Tools

posted on by Susie

Author Teaches Kids the Meaning of the Word, Literal

Literal LilyFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Remember what it was like to be a child? To be excited about the first day of school? Not always understanding the things grown-ups say? Author Kate Hanscom does in her new children’s book Literal Lily (Ambassador International; December 2012; $14.99, hardcover) as she explores the use of language in a creative and imaginative way.

The charming story follows curly-haired Lily throughout the day as she shops for her first ever day of school. Lily’s learning experience begins when her mother exclaims, “Rise and Shine” which Lily proceeds to take literally as she adorns herself in sparkles and jewelry.  As the story continues, she learns that phrases are not always taken word for word and that language can be a fun tool used to express how one feels.

Hanscom, a new mom, says the idea for the book came to her in the middle of the night while she was pregnant with her daughter Allie. “My niece served as the model for Lily and my mother-in-law illustrated the book,” Hanscom says. “So it’s truly been a family affair.” The book teaches children not only about the use of language, but also manners and daily routines through everyday scenarios and lively characters.

About the Author: Kate Hanscom resides in central Massachusetts with her husband and daughter. With the love and support of her family, Kate decided to fulfill her dream of publishing a children’s book. Self described as loving “bright colors, fancy paper, fresh-smelling candles, writing, music, swimming, making lists, flip-flops, a really good pen, and french vanilla coffee”, Hanscom allows her own personality to shine through Lily in her first children’s book.

About the Illustrator:  Lynda Hansocm earned a BFA from St. John’s University and an MAT from the Rhode Island School of Design. Working as an art teacher for years, Lynda taught young children and teenagers alike how to express themselves through artistic forms. She continues expressing her passion and talent through book illustrations such as Literal Lily and previous book Tough Tommy. She lives in Northern Connecticut with her husband and credits her daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grand-daughter as inspiration.

To learn more about the author and her book Literal Lily, visit www.katehanscom.com or www.facebook.com/KateHanscomAuthor.  For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

New Book Shares Fictional Account of Devastating 1913 Ohio Flood

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Catching RaindropsAuthor Shares Story Through the Eyes of 12-year-old Maggie

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Heavy rains in March of 1913 created what is still known as the greatest natural disaster in Ohio history. Dayton flood levies broke putting downtown under 20 feet of water, gas lines ruptured sparking a series of fires and in the end at least 428 people were killed. A century after this devastating natural disaster author Crystal Hoblit is transporting readers back in time through the pages of her new book, Catching Raindrops (Ambassador International; November 2012; $ 9.99, paperback).

The book shares the disaster through the eyes of 12-year-old Maggie, visiting family in Dayton when the flood strikes. Maggie endures heart-wrenching tragedy and harrowing danger as she attempts to escape the devastation. “I’ve lived in Ohio my whole life,” explains author Crystal Hoblit. “I’ve always been intrigued by this event in Ohio history and I wanted to teach a new generation about what happened through this piece of historical fiction.” Catching Raindrops also includes important life lessons about living each day to the fullest. “We should cherish every moment and always believe that God is there around us,” says Hoblit.

Crystal Hoblit lives in the flat, but lovely area of southwest Ohio. Catching Raindrops is her first novel, a project she has been working on for five years.

To learn more about the author Crystal Hoblit and Catching Raindrops, visit Facebook.com/CrystalHoblit. For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

 

Novel Explores the Power of Writing Upon One’s Inner Journey

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Young Author Addresses Relatable Topics of Grief, Faith, and Hope

Finding TomFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Although set in 1950’s America, author Simeon Harrar’s first novel Finding Tom (Ambassador International; November 2012; $13.99, paperback) addresses issues that are still relevant today for people of all ages. Harrar explores the question of where one is most likely to find and be closest to God while simultaneously demonstrating the cathartic power of writing.

Protagonist Tom Weston grows up in rural America until his world is turned upside down by the death of his mother. Floundering Tom has no goals for the future until an unexpected writing contest leads him to an equally unexpected mentor. His path takes him to the prestigious Locklear University where he finds himself a stranger in a new world in which all of his peers come from a very different background. Encouraged by his mentor, Dr. Emory, Tom turns to writing as a means of expression. While addressing issues from loss and change to peer pressure and finding your first love, Harrar attempts to demonstrate the power of writing in discovering God and thus oneself.

Harrar’s passion for writing and desire to inspire young Christians led him to publish his first novel. “I hope that Finding Tom will be a breath of fresh air for those of you who are like me and love stories but also want depth and literary merit,” he states.

Born to missionary parents, Simeon Harrar lived his early years in Senegal, North Africa and Papua New Guinea before attending Erskine College. He worked as a missionary in Thailand with families affected by human trafficking before getting married. He now lives in Pittsburgh where he is earning his Master’s degree with the hopes of becoming a bi-vocational church planter.

To learn more about the author Simeon Harrar and Finding Tom, visit simeonharrar.com.  For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

Single Author Hopes to Encourage Other Unmarrieds

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single-and-contentAuthor Jenny Hershberger releases Single & Content to reach new generation of singles

For immediate release:  Ever since she was a little girl, Jenny Hershberger wanted nothing more than to be a wife and mother, but as she entered her 30s she found herself without children or a husband. “It has been painfully difficult to watch the years of my life come and go with these longings not yet satisfied,” she writes. “But now God has drawn me away from that desperate valley of malcontent.” Now she’s hoping to encourage others facing a similar walk with her new book Single and Content: A Journey from Despair to Delight (Ambassador international; September 2012; $9.99, eBook).

Single and Content addresses all of the challenges of the single life– including abstinence. According to a recent study from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 80 percent of single Christians say they’ve had sex. Jenny writes about her own struggles with “hormone-induced mania” and admits that sometimes it is really miserable to do what is right, but she knows God has perfect timing. “Single, divorced, married, or widowed, His plan for your life is for His glory,” explains Jenny. “God holds the key to your contentment and once I found that out I was able to fully embrace my singlehood.” Jenny hopes by sharing her story of restoration through her new book Single and Content, she’ll help others in similar circumstances.

Jenny Hershberger was born and raised in Troy Township located in northeastern Ohio. Since graduating from Marietta College she has worked as a freelance photographer and graphic designer. Jenny has traveled extensively throughout the US and to several foreign countries. Traveling, photography and journaling are solely symptoms of her passions.

To learn more about Jenny Hershberger and Single and Content, visit singleandcontent.com. For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

New Novel Address Race Issues in the American South

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the color of my heartAuthor Believes Heart Matters More Than Skin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Do you see the color of someone’s skin or the color of their heart? That’s the question author Sarah Martin Byrd hopes readers ponder as they enjoy her new novel The Color of My Heart (Ambassador International; October 2012; $14.99; Paperback). The book follows Laura Carter, whose perfect life is rocked by a shocking letter from her great-grandmother revealing secrets about her birth family. A stack of diaries traces Laura’s ancestors’ heartbreaking voyage from Africa to Georgia on a slave ship. “Laura is thrown face-to-face with prejudices that exist in her community and in her own family,” says Byrd. “Ultimately she understands that we all have one maker. No matter what color we are on the outside, it’s the inside that truly matters.”

Byrd quotes scripture to highlight the theme of the novel The Color of My Heart. “28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:28-29, NIV). “God does not judge us based on our race, skin, beauty or lack of,” says Byrd, “He judges us by the condition of our hearts. Not our wealth, color, or position in life. So the color of one’s heart matters more than the color of skin.”

Sarah Martin Byrd is a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature. She is a published novelist, newspaper columnist and blogger. Sarah loves sharing her life story with children of all ages. The Color of My Heart is Sarah’s second published novel.

To learn more about the author Sarah Martin Byrd and The Color of My Heart, visit www.sarahmartinbyrd.com. For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

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Life in the Special Needs World the Central Focus of New Novel

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dancing from the shadowsAuthor Draws From Personal Experience with Autistic Son

For immediate release: Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, impacting 1 in 88 children. Author D’Ann Renner intimately knows the struggles associated with this disorder. Renner pulls from her own personal experiences as well as those of others to write about the love, fear, stress and joy that accompanies life with a special needs child in her new novel Dancing From the Shadows (Ambassador International; October 2012; $14.99, paperback). Early reviews from professionals and parents praise the book as accurate, painful, funny and encouraging.

Renner left a successful career in marketing to follow God’s call to adopt a sibling pair of third-world orphans. A year later her son Luke was diagnosed with autism.  “For a long time I was angry at God for putting this burden on me and my family,” explains Renner. “But eventually I discovered that from adversity comes remarkable growth. That, plus acceptance of special needs as a gift are themes I carried through Dancing From the Shadows.”

Dancing From the Shadows follows successful businesswoman Tori St. John who adopts two children from a third-world orphanage. When Tori’s son Gabe is diagnosed with autism, she becomes obsessed with finding a cure, a fixation that threatens to unravel her family. Tori must learn how to balance a life she can’t control and embrace a different concept of normal.

Renner lives in John’s Creek, Georgia, with her husband Bruce, and teenagers Sophia and Luke. When not busy as a Home Front Manager, Renner delivers humor-dipped truth to groups across the country as a public speaker. She also facilitates her church’s Guatemala Child Sponsorship Program. For more information visit the author’s website at dannrenner.com. To connect with the author please contact Ambassador International publicist Alison Storm via email at [email protected].

 

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Business Parable Offers Leadership Insight Through Captivating Story

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Secret of NexusAuthor and Family Business Operator Jeff Miller Combines Passions for Writing and Leadership in Debut Novel, The Secret of Nexus

For immediate release:  If you want to succeed in business, read more novels. That’s according to research that found reading fiction can improve sensitivity in decision making and relationship building. But The Secret of Nexus (Ambassador International; October 2012; $12.99, paperback) does both: entertains readers with a fascinating story and enlightens them with inspirational leadership lessons. “This leadership parable is unique because of the analogy connected to the story,” says author and entrepreneur Jeff Miller. “Through a suspenseful story I try to renew the reader’s passion to lead, and also reveal the five attributes that help make leaders influential.”

The Secret of Nexus follows Garrett Thompson, a doctor-turned-entrepreneur, as he launches his company Nexus, Inc. Garrett develops a secret product that could change the world, but running a successful business and developing a potentially life-changing product puts his personal strength and leadership abilities to the test. “This book is for leaders who sometimes feel like they have tough circumstances to lead under,” explains Jeff. “In the book, Garrett models what it means to truly make sacrifices for his employees, family and community.”

Author Jeff Miller’s family business has grown from a small business started by his parents in the late 1960s into a successful chain of restaurants, hotels, gift shops and wholesale food distribution. Essenhaus, Inc and Dutchman Hospitality Group, Inc have locations in Indiana, Florida and Ohio. Jeff lives in Indiana with his wife and children. The Secret of Nexus is his debut novel.

To learn more about the author and The Secret of Nexus, visit http://jeffjmiller.com. For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

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The Last Remaining Christians Fight to Survive in New Political Thriller

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the-unreconciledAfter the Christian Holocaust, Islam Rules

For immediate release: In the time it takes to read these paragraphs, another Christian will be killed because of his or her faith in Jesus Christ– 160,000 believers around the world will be slaughtered this year alone. Over the last 20 centuries 70 million Christians have been murdered for their belief in Christ. It’s happening now in countries like Iran, Libya and Egypt, but The Unreconciled (Ambassador International; September 2012; $16.99/paperback) a new suspense-filled political thriller from Eric Young explores the idea of a Christian holocaust on American soil. “The Unreconciled articulates the fears of many. Religious wars are unimaginable to the American mind because we enjoy a safe harbor from religious persecution. But from the Iranian hostage crisis in ‘79 to 9-11 to the assassination of our ambassador in Libya just weeks ago, radical Islamists have been at war with us for four decades. Our attackers do not want our money, our industry, or our land. They want to rob us of our most fundamental liberty—our faith,” says Young. “Can you imagine how dark and pitiless the world without a Christian America would be? I have.”

Set in 2084, The Unreconciled follows Denisa Graceon, an archeologist, as she searches for relics of the extinct Christian faith. While searching in the Appalachian wilderness, she is shocked to discover a few forgotten Christians still exist, “the Unreconciled.” Enamored by them and immersed in their faith, Denisa becomes a believer and falls in love with the sworn guardian of the very relic she was commissioned to steal. When she discovers the all powerful Caliph plans to massacre these last Christ-followers, she launches a desperate gambit to save them.

Author Eric Young graduated Summa Cum Laude from Emory & Henry College, majoring in Political Science with a focus on International Studies and Politics of the Contemporary Middle East. Eric earned his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, the setting for much of The Unreconciled. Young lives in rural Virginia with his wife and children.

For more information or to connect with Eric Young please contact Ambassador International publicist Alison Storm via email at [email protected]. You can also learn more at Facebook.com/TheUnreconciled or Twitter.com/TheUnreconciled.  

 

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Christian School Movement Must Face Realities, Needs Transformation According to New Book

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A Scent of WaterAuthors Deliver Message of Hope for Christian School Ministry

For immediate release: The Christian school movement currently lacks vision, struggles with enrollment declines and battles budget limitations, according to the authors of a new book that aims to restore hope and vision to the ministry. A Scent of Water: Bringing Life Back to the Christian School Movement (Ambassador International; September 2012; $15.99, paperback) combines scriptural truth with empirical research to provide a roadmap for the Christian school movement for the 21st century.

Authors Edward Earwood and Phil Suiter have combined experience in Christian education of nearly 75 years. “A Scent of Water is designed to take a look at the realities of where we are in the Christian school movement,” says Earwood, Executive Director for the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools. “We address some of the realities and lay out a protocol to infuse hope into our movement.”

Named for Job 14:9, “through the scent of water it will bud” and sprout anew, the authors explain what is needed for growth and improvement. This includes active leadership, vibrant teachers and strong vision that will revitalize and transform the movement. “We believe the Christian school movement is helping the church fulfill the task of taking the gospel to the world,” says Suiter, a pastor, educator and former West Virginia Assistant State Superintendent of Schools. “But we also see room for improvement.”

Author Edward Earwood has served 34 years in Christian education with positions ranging from teacher and athletic director to principal and pastor. After more than two decades in Alabama, he now serves as the executive director of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools.

Author Phil Suiter taught in the School of Education at Marshall University. After leaving public education in 1980, Suiter has served in a variety of leadership roles within the Christian school movement both at state and national levels.

To learn more about authors Edward Earwood and Phil Suiter visit Facebook.com/AScentofWater. To receive a review copy of A Scent of Water or to connect with the authors please contact publicist Alison Storm by email at [email protected].