With young female heroines in vogue, multiple short story award-winner Jon Batson enters the realistic fiction arena with his new novel for young adult and adolescent readers: Nina Knows the Night.

Raleigh, NC June 1,2008 — Nina Knows the Night, by author Jon Batson, follows the adventures of Nina Richardson a mild-mannered law school dropout who becomes a kick-butt heroine after innocently acquiring a metal case filled with military-like weapons. Determined to knock out the growing crime in her formerly posh-turned-run-down urban neighborhood she discovers her superpowers to be her own inner-strength and purpose.

“I welcome the comments and feedback from fans and readers.” said Batson. “This is not a serious book. As a performing songwriter and author I believe people want to be entertained from time to time. Like the great American philosopher-cartoonist, Walt Kelly once said, “‘Don’t take life so serious, son, it ain’t nohow permanent.’”

Readers are invited to go online and read the weekly installments and follow our heroine’s exploits at Batson’s blogs http://midnightwhistler.blogspot.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/jonbatson_author.

Known for his witty ability to get a point across, Jon has entertained audiences with his songs in the US and Europe since the 60’s. His story-telling style migrated easily to short stories and novels. “Selfers” and “Smoking Bedpan” join “The Powder Monkey of Cape Fear”, “Gaston’s Last Run” and “Love at the Lumina Pavilion” as award-winning short stories penned by Batson.

For more information about Jon Batson go to http://www.myspace.com/jonbatson_author
About Jon Batson

In addition to writing, Jon is a member of ASCAP, on the Board of Directors of the NC Songwriter’s Co-op, conducts songwriting workshops, books talent showcases, as well as perform at a variety of venues and annual festivals. The Washington, D.C. native now resides in Raleigh, NC with his wife Eileen.
MEDIA CONTACT

Eileen Batson – Raleigh, NC 919.327.5021 BatsonGroup@yahoo.com

by Brent Robison, editor, “Prima Materia”

For those of us who prefer the uncategorizable to the predictably pigeonholed, “The High Priest of Prickly Bog” is a treat. This light-hearted genre-bender lands somewhere near “speculative fiction” but its metafictional form and philosophical content send it spinning in a literary direction.

On one level, “High Priest…” is a comic romp through the lives of two men and a woman: a struggling writer with a manuscript, a self-doubt problem, and some rather unsavory friends; a time-hopping, angel-chosen, investor-turned-prophet who suffers in the glare of religious celebrity; and the pragmatic country girl who unwillingly falls for the real man behind the media image. On another, much more grand, level, it is a treatise aimed at curing the spiritual malaise of our age.

The book opens with a free-wheeling splash of metaphysics: the story of the creation of the world by the Great God Bongo. Then it sets the stage with a jump from the distant past to the “future:” the awfully familiar land of Bongovia, where the ruling church has “literalized” the original free-thought gospel of Bongo into a state-enforced religion of conformity. We are swept away on a surprisingly convoluted journey through the conundrums of time-travel, the vicissitudes of celebrity, the travails of the writing life, the slippery nature of angels and friends, plus more. By the end, we realize we are witnessing the dawn of a revolution in Bongovia.

“What am I?” the congregation chants somewhere near the middle of the story, and the High Priest of the Intergalactic Temple of the Great God Bongo answers, “You are what you are… what you have always been… what you will always be.” Hiram Blunt, the ostensible author of “High Priest…,” clearly enjoys swimming in the deep waters of age-old esoteric thought. And for all his tongue-in-cheekiness, he has some powerful words of wisdom to impart. Perhaps that is to be expected from an author who dictated his novel from beyond the grave (an astonishing claim made on the back cover by channeler and “typist,” Mario Vickram Sen).

For the most part, however, Blunt keeps those heady spiritual currents where they belong, buried just under the surface. Plot, character, and narrative voice pull us along easily. One of the pleasures of fiction is voice: that quirky persona a talented author adopts to narrate his tale. Here, Blunt exhibits a natural flair for language that sounds like your well-read jokester buddy confidently spinning a “what-if” yarn, stirring in a little wordplay, a pinch of sly wit, some wacky action, a dash of self-consciously purple prose, a hefty helping of incisive social parody, and a bold assumption of the truth of his own liberal philosophy.

Also, this book’s narrative tricks keep good company. Like Paul Auster’s “Oracle Night” or “Leviathan,” “The High Priest of Prickly Bog” bears the same title as the novel written by one of its characters. Like Milan Kundera’s “The Book of Laughter and Forgetting,” it occasionally inserts a first-person narrative “I,” without explanation, into an omniscient third-person point of view, and straightforwardly acknowledges its story and its characters as fictional creations. Like Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi,” it’s a high-key whopper of an adventure story, constantly underpinned by the universal reach for God.

“The High Priest of Prickly Bog” is a very entertaining read, smart and funny, but more than that — the kind of entertainment that works on several levels at once, to make you both smile and think. At its final page, you’re glad to make the discovery that… hey, maybe there’ll be a sequel!

English author EJ Tett has just published the first in a series of new young adult fantasy on Lulu.com, the online marketplace for digital content.

EJ Tett first wrote ‘The Kingdom of Malinas’ when she was seventeen, the next two books in the trilogy soon followed but it is only now, at the age of twenty-five, that The Kingdom of Malinas has been made available.

Roger Dewar from the Academy of Children’s Writers comments ”The Kingdom of Malinas is an excellent and interesting piece of writing.”

About The Kingdom of Malinas: After an argument with her mother, sixteen-year-old Sorrel returns to her home in the Vale of Malinas to find the forest burned and her people taken into slavery.

She knows who has taken them. The Lamya! They are the same people who invaded the Kingdom of Malinas over a hundred years ago and turned it into a place of barren land and dark deeds.

Sorrel must leave her home in the Vale to find an army to aid her. With only her best friend Little Cloud by her side, Sorrel must face many dangers – a crazed Lamya guard, two dragons, the mysterious wraiths known as the ‘Grey Men’ and the Leader of all Lamya: Corrinus. A man who has a past connection with Sorrel.

The fate of the Kingdom of Malinas rests in her hands…

To find out more please visit www.the-kingdom-of-malinas.co.uk or www.myspace.com/kingdomofmalinas

- ends -

Lulu.com: Lulu.com is the premier marketplace for digital content on the

Internet, with over 300,000 recently published titles, and more than 4,000 new titles added each week, created by people in 80 different countries. Lulu is changing the world of publishing by enabling the creators of books, video, periodicals, multimedia and other content to publish their work themselves with complete editorial and copyright control. With Lulu offices in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe, Lulu customers can reach the globe.

EJ Tett is 25 years old and works in a hotel in Somerset, southwest England. She lives in Chard in Somerset with her two rats. Her book can be found at http://stores.lulu.com/em_j

Outskirts Press, Inc. has published West of 16W by Mark Slomiany, which is the author’s most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Literary category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $12.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/westof16w was launched simultaneously with the book’s publication.

About the Book (Excerpts & Info)

A telling story of a country caught up in the aimless materialism of a real estate bubble, WEST OF 16W follows the romance and travails of a man in his late 20’s, as he and his friends chase their unconventional aspirations in an era dominated by apathy, materialism, and self-interest. Meet Mark, the son of immigrants, whose need to fulfill familial expectations led to a life of hard study culminating in a Ph.D. by his mid-20′s. Yet underneath the disciplined scientist facade, Mark had always dreamed of traveling the country and writing great novels. And so, with diploma in hand and love life in shambles, Mark hits the road to explore his long-suppressed literary aspirations. Set amongst the fear and uncertainty of post-9/11 America and the charged summer of the 2004 Republican Convention in New York, WEST OF 16W takes us into the quarter-life crisis of a young man struggling to maintain his idealism, as told through the scrolling tableau of the American landscape. From the deep south of Charleston, to his North Jersey hometown in the shadow of Manhattan, to the west coast by bus, the novel is as much an introspective journey as cross-country adventure as Mark seeks balance between familial expectations, personal aspirations, and the affection of the woman he loves.

Deftly constructed at 412 pages, with a timely release in lieu of the coming presidential election, West of 16W is being aggressively promoted to appropriate markets with a focus on the Literary category. With U.S. wholesale distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and pervasive online availability through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and elsewhere, West of 16W meets consumer demand through both retail and library markets with a suggested retail price of $12.95 (paperback) and $4.95 (Amazon Kindle e-Book).

Additionally, West of 16W can be ordered by retailers or wholesalers for the maximum trade discount price set by the author in quantities of ten or more from the Outskirts Press wholesale online bookstore at www.outskirtspress.com/buybooks

ISBN: 9781432703110 Format: 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback SRP: $12.95

For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/westof16w

About the Author

MARK SLOMIANY was raised in Rutherford, NJ. Writing out of the first generation Polish-American experience, he was profoundly influenced from a young age by the poetry of Rutherford’s William Carlos Williams and the novels of Jack Kerouac. A graduate of Washington and Lee University and the Medical University of South Carolina, Mark continues to reside in Charleston as an assistant professor at the state’s medical university.

About Outskirts Press, Inc.

Outskirts Press, Inc. offers turn-key, full-service, custom self-publishing for authors seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining all their rights and full creative control. In 2007, the Denver Business Journal recognized Outskirts Press as the 3rd fastest-growing privately-held company in Colorado, with a growth rate of 1,560% since 2004. Available for authors globally at www.outskirtspress.com and located on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, Outskirts Press represents the future of book publishing, today.

Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd – 515, Parker, Colorado 80134

http://outskirtspress.com 1-888-OP-BOOKS

Killarney, Ireland. 19th March 2008

The author of a new book claims to have discovered a forgotten ancient goddess who was the Supreme Being in Stone Age times.

In ‘Queen of Arcadia’, Clifton Power investigates the enigma of the Willendorf Woman, a 30,000 year-old figurine of an obese woman found in Germany in 1908, exactly a century ago.

Decoding the ancient artistic symbolism that was designed into the figurine, the author presents an astounding thesis; she was the creator of the Universe and the shepherdess of Mankind in the prehistoric era that the author terms ‘Arcadia’.

“The Willendorf figurine is one of the most sacred objects ever crafted by Mankind. It is a portrait of the female supreme being of Matriarchal, prehistoric Arcadia. Her identity is fully explored and explained in my book” says Clifton Power, speaking from his home in the West of Ireland.

‘Queen of Arcadia’ describes in detail the Arcadian system of Natural Philosophy that was derived from the dedicated study of Nature. “The true identity of the Willendorf figurine is but one of the groundbreaking discoveries I have made that will open the way to a complete understanding of ancient Man and the artefacts they left behind” says Mr Power. He went on to explain that the ancient Stone Age beliefs were a philosophy rather than a religion as we know it.

‘Queen of Arcadia’ is a book that will be particularly significant to women. “Not least of the many achievements of the book”, Mr Power explains, “is that it restores Woman to her rightful place at the forefront of human intellectual, cultural and moral evolution.”

In his previous book, ‘Arcadia; The Solution to the Templar Code’, Clifton Power solved the 250 year-old mystery of the inscription ‘D.O.U.O.S.V.A.V.V.M.’ on the 18th Century ‘Shepherd’s Monument’ in England. The Monument is reputed to hold the key to the location of the Holy Grail, hidden by the Knights Templar. Mr Power uncovered a Latin phrase that described Arcadia as the perfect state of being. He terms this “a Philosophical Grail”.

In ‘Queen of Arcadia’ Clifton Power reinforces his growing reputation as a literary Indiana Jones who has contributed a great deal to our understanding of the artistic world-view of early Humanity. And yes, the Templars and the Holy Grail do make an appearance in the new book Mr Power says. “The forgotten goddess that I have uncovered was once the secret philosophical knowledge of the Templars.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Weather For Today – Featuring The Kasperians

Author Jennifer Richards and illustrator Casey Kasper bring another adventure world wide with their second interactive book, The Weather For Today -Featuring The Kasperians. These hilarious and adorable characters will take children on an exploration of the changing weather patterns and share their stories.Los Angeles, CA March 16, 2008 — Author Jennifer Richards and illustrator Casey Kasper bring learning to life in their second children’s activity book, The Weather For Today-Featuring The Kasperians. These hilarious and adorable characters will take children on an interactive adventure, exploring the different weather changes and learning weather words.

The Weather For Today is the second in a series of activity books featuring The Kasperians. Developed for pre-school, kindergarten, and first grade levels, readers will accompany The Kasperians on intergalactic and Earth-bound adventures. Creators Richards and Kasper have rendered characters who allow children access to endless learning opportunities. Children can spend hours with the activities and adventures in “The Weather For Today” and the first book titled, “Let’s Make It Fun.”

The creators of “The Weather For Today” and “Let’s Make It Fun” are also in creative development of a children’s television series based on the Kasperians.

ISBN: 978-1-4327-2173-2 Format: 8.5 x 8.5 Paperback SRP: $12.95

ISBN: 978-1-4327-1908-8 Format: 8.5 x 8.5 Paperback SRP: $11.95
Genre: Children’s Literature – Storytelling

About the author: Jennifer Richards brings her extraordinary visions toward the story lines, creating fun and adventure in each book. Let’s Make It Fun is the first in a series of activity books currently released world wide. The Weather For Today is the second in a series of activity and reading books released.

For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/thekasperians – website – http://www.thekasperians.com

Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd – 515, Parker, Colorado 80134 1-888-OP-BOOKS

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Shakeeta Winfrey

1201 Peachtree St.

400 Colony Square, Suite 200

Atlanta, GA 30361

770-323-3114(o) 40745-8846 (f)

www.theotherwinfrey.com

Press Contact:

Aaron PopePopestar Media Group404.798.1882

or Sherry Romeo

678-592-0837

Shakeeta Winfrey Joins Popestar Media Group

Noted Author Joins the Team Of Popestar Media Group (Atlanta, GA March 12, 2008)– A rose out of the concrete, an inspiration for young women, and a true voice in literature, all of this can be spoken of Shakeeta Winfrey. A familiar adage says, “As long as there is life, there is hope”. If this saying is true, then the abundance of life and vitality within Shakeeta Winfrey is an excellent indication that her future is resplendent of a beautiful horizon full of hope. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Shakeeta Winfrey now makes her home in the metropolitan Atlanta community. She is graciously utilizing her life’s journey as a testimony to women who are seeking to overcome the obstacles that may be hindering their success. As such, her journey is chronicled in her soon-to-be-released book, The Other Winfrey, wherein she candidly shares her story of what it is to live in the shadow of one of the world’s most admired celebrities, her cousin Oprah Winfrey. We are proud to announce that Ms. Winfrey has relaunched her renowned novel, and has joined the team of Popestar Media Group.

Educated from a life in the world and a proper college education Ms. Winfrey’s message is to be delivered to young women of purpose. She has had to face the trials and tribulations that come with not having a good relationship with one’s biological parents, as well as the ills of exotic dancing, alcohol and drug usage, unhealthy marriage, among others. Through it all, Shakeeta did not allow her circumstances to dictate her destiny. Upon being honorably discharged from the United States Army, she admirably managed to earn an undergraduate degree from Tennessee State University, took advanced courses at Meharry Medical College, and has currently completed her Master’s degree from Kennedy Western University.

Shakeeta’s message is a true testament of courage and tenacity. She is living proof that no goal is unobtainable, no mountain is unclimbable, and no dream is intangible. She purposely lives to breathe hope and inspiration into others. Shakeeta is the proud mother of three beautiful children: Kelando 14, Germell 11, Jada 3. Beginning in March 2008 Ms. Winfrey will begin a national tour to promote the message and the newest title “ The Other Winfrey”.

The latest title THE OTHER WINFREY is on sale at the following locations: Amazon.com, Barnesandnobel.com, Booksamillion.com, Target.com, Overstock.com, Lushenabooks.com, Echapterone.com, Booksonboard.com, Diesel-ebooks.com, Booksxyz.com, Bookch.com, Best-book-price.co.uk, Bookfinderf4u.com, Canada.Bookfizz.com, Bookdigger.com, Bookfizz.com, Bookswim.com, Samgoody.com, Borders.com and other independent and local bookstores abroad.###

Sci-Fi short story “Selfers” joins “The Powder Monkey of Cape Fear”, “Gaston’s Last Run” and “Love at the Lumina Pavilion” as award-winning short stories penned by Raleigh, NC writer Jon Batson.

Known for his witty ability to get a point across, Jon Batson has entertained audiences with his songs in the US, Europe and China since the 60’s.

A wordsmith at heart, after his return to North Carolina, Jon began writing and has over twenty short stories, an action-adventure novella, a completed sci-fi novel and the makings of two graphic novels under way.

“Considering who the judges are and the number of entries each quarter, making the cut of Honorable Mention is encouraging. I plan to enter a different story every quarter.” commented Batson.

The Writers of the Future Contest, specifically designed to help fledgling writers 25 years ago, has helped discover New York Times’ best-selling authors Kevin J. Anderson (X Files, Dune, etc.), Sean Williams (The Resurrected Man), Jo Beverly (Dark Champion), Dave Wolverton (Star Wars), Karen Joy Fowler (The Jane Austen Book Club), and Nancy Farmer (The Ear, the Eye and the Arm).

“Many noted writers and artists have judged these awards, or have won them themselves. Notable writing judges have included: Algis Budrys, Gregory Benford, Kevin J. Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Jack Williamson, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Brian Herbert, K. D. Wentworth, Tim Powers, Robert J. Sawyer, Frederik Pohl, Jerry Pournelle, Andre Norton, Larry Niven, and Anne McCaffrey.” stated contest director Joni Labaqui.

The Writers of the Future contest is known internationally and has become the largest, the most well-known and the best established discovery vehicle in the field. Since its inception in 1983, the WOTF contest has helped place more than two hundred and fifty novels and 2,500 short stories on bookshelves around the world. The Writers of the Future Award has also earned its place alongside the Hugo and Nebula awards in the triad of speculative fiction’s most prestigious acknowledgements of literary excellence.

MEDIA CONTACT

Jon Batson – Raleigh, NC 919.327.5021 jon@jonbatson.com

Joni Labaqui – Galaxy Press, Los Angeles, CA 323.466.3310