LOS ANGELES, Calif. (CitizenWire) — For the first quarter of 2011, Publishers Newswire (PNW), an online resource established in 2004 for small publishers, as well as lesser known and first-time book authors, has today announced its latest semi-annual "Books to Bookmark" list. This is a round-up of 11 new and recent books which may have been missed due to not originating from major New York book publishing houses, reality television "stars," or other "big name" authors.
"It's undeniable that the U.S. economy has started to improve this year, finally," said PNW editor Christopher Simmons. "Strong sales of tablet PCs like the iPad and iPad 2, dedicated e-book readers like the Kindle, Nook and other portable media devices, even phones for reading books, have proven to be the blessing for the beginning of a new explosion in e-publishing. Additionally, with the Amazon Kindle e-reader starting under $115, you need only purchase about 15 books to make it pay for itself, based on the lower cost of Kindle editions to the print version." Simmons has been a working journalist for over 25 years, and has written widely on the topic of publishing, marketing, and e-books.
The following list of 11 books are provided as "worth a look" for media and booksellers, as well as avid readers of new and unique literary content. To learn more about these and other books (and e-books) in detail, visit: http://www.publishersnewswire.com .
* No Longer Silent
"No Longer Silent" (ISBN: 978-0578068954, self-published, paperback, 148 pages) by Tammy Gagnon is an autobiography that depicts years of emotional and sexual abuse, culminating in forgiveness and rebuilding. "The first step was to love me," says Gagnon. "And, through this self-discovery came this autobiography which serves to provide awareness for other victims of sexual abuse and demonstrates that there is a way to overcome adverse circumstances and to rebuild a meaningful life." The book encourages victims to seek professional treatment and blends personal narrative with educational advice. The author includes a discussion of essential goals that need to be met to begin the healing process. Gagnon details personal sexual abuse accounts by her grandfather at the early age of nine. These experiences quickly led to an adolescent life of drug abuse and rebellion, ending in leaving home at 14 and living on the street. It answers questions about how one woman battles back from the edge and thrives in a new life. It addresses how to stop self-blame and how to learn to forgive and rebuild. She shares her journey from a life of horror to one that she is now grateful to have.
* Lost In Between Dimensions – Saga II
A new science fiction novel, "Lost In Between Dimensions – Saga II" (ISBN: 978-1589097315, Bookstand Publishing, paperback, 372 pages; Kindle edition and hardcover editions also available) by Jorge Scerba, continues the adventure begun in book one. In Saga I of "Lost In Between Dimensions," the young computer experts from the Herman Company have been lured to another dimension with promises of wild success, wealth, women and more by the Emperor of the Great Vaporich Empire who wants to use the men to establish his own networked computer system to expand and empower his empire. Now in Saga II, Al, Ed, George, Jim. John, Raul and Rich desperately want to find a way home to Earth, but find they are compelled to work for the Emperor whose empire is teetering on the brink of civil war.
* Sextopia
A new science fiction novel, "Sextopia" (ISBN: 978-0983289203, Out in Left Publishing, paperback, 342 pages; Kindle edition available), authored by Daniel Printz, focuses on a future world, devastated by bloodshed that is transformed by two prominent and influential men who take the small, remaining population and devise a system where everyone is governed by the original sin. While "Sextopia" is categorized as science fiction, there is an offbeat, edgy humor that complements the story. There are also disturbing and frightening scenes. Daniel Printz is a festival award-winning filmmaker. His 2006 feature "Pinko's Place" played in film festivals across the country. "Sextopia" is his debut novel.
* The MultiThread Marketer: How To Hire (Or Better Yet) Become One
In "The MultiThread Marketer: How To Hire (Or Better Yet) Become One" (ISBN: 978-1607460541, FastPencil, Inc., paperback, 152 pages; Kindle edition available) author Douglas E. Mitchell provides business leaders a template for making the best marketing hire, provides recent graduates and mid-career professionals a road map to dramatically increase their value in the marketplace, and entertains the reader with real life anecdotes and case studies that drive the message home. The concept of multithreading is borrowed from computer processing where millions of calculations are conducted in parallel to speed results. The same theory can be applied to conducting marketing activities in any agile business. By leveraging the expertise of numerous "threads," a business can often make a quantum leap in marketing output.
* Human Capital Analytics: Measuring and Improving Talent Development
"Human Capital Analytics: Measuring and Improving Talent Development – 2nd Edition" (ISBN: 978-1595716446, Word Assn Pub, hardcover, 256 pages) by Kent Barnett and Jeffrey Berk, serves as a follow up to Berk and Barnett's first edition, published in 2007, where the surface of measuring human capital was scratched. This book is meant to further thoughts on human capital analytics by taking into account significant emerging issues, ranging from informal learning to scrap learning, that have taken place in recent years. They carefully explain the relevant measurement concepts and then share practical suggestions on how to implement the concepts with step-by-step instructions and plenty of diagrams. The reader will find numerous examples and case studies from KnowledgeAdvisors' work with clients. In addition to the basics, the book covers concepts such as linking learning to results, the Six Sigma approach, measurement maturity, and manager engagement.
* ICEWINE
"ICEWINE" (ISBN: 978-1589097995, Bookstand Publishing, paperback, 202 pages; Kindle edition available), a new novel by R.R. Bruno, is a fast-paced action adventure that takes the reader from the last days of Hitler's Germany to a modern day treasure hunt involving world travel, exotic cuisine, and wine. The "ICEWINE" adventure begins when Alex James and his friends place the winning bid on a rare 1939 icewine which was once owned by Herman Goring, second in command to Adolph Hitler. By luck, the group uncovers a microfilm on the underside of the label that was hidden by Goring. The microfilm contains a clue to a fortune he hid during the waning months of the war; a fortune that would be used to begin a new Reich. The group is able to crack the code, setting off a cross-country search for hidden treasure in Europe. What Alex and friends do not know is that there is a group of Nazi-killers who are after the icewine – and they will not rest until they have it.
* Pebbles
"Pebbles" (ISBN: 978-1589098176, Bookstand Publishing, paperback, 220 pages; Kindle edition available), a new book by author Davis K. Thanjan, is a fascinating chronicle of prehistoric times with special reference to heritage sites around the world that survived more than two millennia. "Pebbles deals with human history before the birth of Christ," says Thanjan, a scientific researcher and author of "Kerala, The Legacy of Apostle Thomas in India," and "Historic Kerala." The book covers historical sites from the earliest humanoid fossil sites in Africa that are more than one million years old to the great Roman and Chinese architectural buildings and monuments in the century before Christ. Each of the 15 chapters in the book contains a short summary of the time period, and the major archeological and historic sites that remain. "The ancient archaeological and historic sites mentioned in the book are testaments to the human accomplishments that survived more than 2,000 years, like pebbles in the sands of time," he adds.
* My Email to God Bounced
"My Email to God Bounced" (ISBN: 978-1456056278, PublishAmerica, paperback, 34 pages) is the second book authored by Timothy A. Sawyer. "This second book was driven by my first book ('A Patzer's Story')," says Sawyer. "I was asked about the role of God and religion in battling my depression, and after self-reflection, 'My Email to God Bounced,' answers this question. While the book is short, it's intended to spark self-reflection in others." Here is an excerpt: What this book is, in a nutshell, is a viewpoint from MY experience that God plays second fiddle, if any fiddle at all, in a church setting or the veneer of a church, giving way to people with their agendas, vendettas and personal goals. This forces people who are seeking true solace through a church, religion or faith to give pause and think that there is nobody or nothing there to help them when they most need it. To add to this, it is also my opinion that there exists a disparity between the Christian faith and what is actually practiced.
* Kabul in Flames
"Kabul in Flames" (ISBN: 978-8799295227, Danish International Edition, paperback, 292 pages) was such a success in Denmark that Danish International Edition announced its release in the U.S., in English. The author, Masood Baluch, is an Afghanistan refugee who has been living in Denmark since the age of 15. At the center of "Kabul in Flames" is Bashir, an Afghan man who lives a seemingly peaceful life with his family in the small middle-class community of Kabul. Then one day, in 1978, a communist coup takes down the elected government. The coup and subsequent Soviet invasion have dramatic consequences on Bashir's family. Sixty percent of the book’s proceeds are being donated to KOCHAH, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance and educational opportunities for deprived children as well as creating an awareness of children protection and their rights.
* Cold Blooded: The New Year's Day Massacre
"Cold Blooded" (ISBN: 978-1589097896, Bookstand Publishing, paperback, 91 pages; Kindle edition available) is a chilling and shocking new book by "The Ghost," which tells the true story of the Richmond Virginia family that unwittingly harbored the infamous Harvey family murderers for six days in 2006. "This is the version of the murders that never made the news," says author Larry Johnson, who writes under the pseudonym The Ghost. "This is the story of Lilly Ann Pauley, the woman who made the 911 call that would later put an end to Ricky Gray and Ray Dandridge's vicious murder spree. This story will bring readers face to face with pure evil."
* The Loving Heart: Navigating the Journey from Conflict to Peace
Dr. Laurie Pappas announced the release of her new book, "The Loving Heart: Navigating the Journey from Conflict to Peace" (ISBN: 978-0578060545, paperback, 304 pages). It's also accompanied by an interactive journal – "The Loving Heart Companion." The book's underlying premise is that people can reeducate themselves in a way that opens inner channels of tenderness, understanding, compassion, motivation and purpose. Out of these channels emerge energies for mending conflict, healing wounds, establishing harmony and creating inner peace. "The Loving Heart" is packed with easy-to-relate-to personal stories, more than 30 years of observations and study, a myriad of self-help tools and spiritually-rich material. It contains ancient truths that can be applied anywhere, anytime to anyone. These truths connect human beings to each other, leading directly to peaceful, harmonious and joyous living.
For more information on these and other books and entertainment publishing you likely have never heard of, visit: http://publishersnewswire.com/news/publishing-news/book-news .
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