Healing Yourself

Everyone has had experiences that have hurt them. Some experiences are even bad enough to leave deep emotional wounds.

While there are many ways with which to cope with these emotional scars, such as support from family and friends and intervention from counselors, there is only one sure thing that will be able to heal these wounds - helping your own self to heal.

 Laila: A True Story by Mansoor Ali is one such tale of a man who wishes to recover from such emotional wounds. The story is intertwined with elements of the supernatural, giving a unique twist on the journey of self-healing.

Laila: A True Story is currently available in Kindle format at Amazon.com. Click on the link to preview the book or download your own copy.

For Immediate Release: Kindle™ Fire User Group Features Christian Fiction “Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs” as eBook of the week

San Francisco, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/02/2014 

San Francisco based Kindle Fire User Group, an independent organization which is open to membership to users of Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Fire tablets has featured Author Lisa Boucher’s eBook Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs as the book of the week. 

Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs is a Christian fiction hit among those seeking renewal in their faith in humanity and themselves. The eBook by Lisa follows the journey of an elderly couple, Flo and Mo, as they journey across country to see a surgeon to correct an issue with one of Flo’s eyes, which resulted from a car accident. 

“The idea for Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs came to me after I had suffered for three years with Graves Disease, and yes, I had bulging eyes,” says author Lisa Boucher. “During that time I was running back and forth to Cleveland from Dayton and I realized how not looking well affected my self esteem. I found myself avoiding people and social situations because I could not stand the way my eyes looked. I wore dark glasses a lot! However, toward the end of the three years, and once my condition began to resolve, I also realized how I had been the one to reject people and social situations. Not one person had rejected me based on my looks. It also dawned on me that trite as it may sound, a beautiful spirit covers a multitude of flaws, and what most people remember is how you treated them, not how you look. I had imposed limitations on myself that ultimately kept me from living my life to the fullest. I realized I was my own worst enemy!”

Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs is a story with two central themes. First, it is a book about faith and trust in God. Second, the book is about letting go of issues that are holding one back and remaining open to the possibilities in life that happen when least expected. When Flo purchases a winning lottery ticket, Mo knows what he wants to do with the money – find a surgeon to fix the deformed eye of the woman he loves which has caused her to be overly self-conscious and held her back from enjoying life fully for years. The couple meets a cast of characters during their cross country journey whose faith has been diminished and being the good people they are, Flo and Mo help as many as they can. In the process, Flo learns valuable lessons about her self-worth in spite of her physical deformity.

Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs has received rave reviews from readers. One review called Flo and Mo Brown the most unusual, but charming and memorable main characters that will enter and remain in the heart long after their story ends. Another reviewer noted that this story makes the reader stop and think about how often people pass others by that need help, even if only small acts of kindness?

“We are glad to feature Ms. Boucher’s eBook as the eBook of the week,” said Ms. Ann Phipps, a spokesperson for California based independent Kindle Fire User Group. “The independent Kindle Fire User Group was established to serve the needs of users of the Kindle Fire, and bringing such books to them is one way we provide value to our members.”

About Kindle Fire User Group
San Francisco Bay Area based Kindle Fire User Group is an independent organization that allows users of Kindle™ Fire and Fire™ tablets to connect with each other on an unbiased social media platform. Kindle Fire User Group is not affiliated with Amazon and does not officially represent Amazon.com, Lab126 or any other subsidiaries. Amazon, Kindle, Fire and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Contact Information:
Ann Phipps
Ann@ebookexplosion.com
650-587-5883
San Francisco, CA

Loss of Faith in Humanity and Power of Media to Lift Spirits

In today’s world it seems more and more people are losing their faith in humanity as a whole.  It is not difficult to understand why this has happened.  News channels constantly bombard with stories of crime, war, and disease.  The financial crisis that began in 2008 has touched almost every life in the United States and untold numbers of people around the world.  Many people have lost jobs, homes, and hope.  

Loss of faith in humanity is not a new phenomenon.  The great physicist Albert Einstein said in his era that “perfection of means and confusion of ends seems to characterize our age.”   One example of a loss of humanity people today are all too familiar with are those who witness an injustice and do nothing – except take a video of it with cell phone cameras to post online.  This, too, is not something limited to our age.  Einstein also commented on this issue, saying that “the world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

Fortunately, television and movies can have a positive effect on a person’s faith in humanity as well.  Television series such as Touched by an Angel and Highway to Heaven helped depressed or troubled people and showed there is still goodness in human kind.  There are few people who have not at least heard of the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, where a kind-hearted man falls into despair but has his faith renewed.

Through the years, the written word has also had a powerful influence, and often times authors can have a profound effect on the opinion of the masses.  The author of Charlotte’s Web, was a strong supporter of a writer’s duty to uplift the human spirit.  In 1973, the author received a letter that spoke of the letter writer’s loss of faith in humanity.  The author’s response is a testament to the power of the written word to uplift:

         As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate 

         woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate.  Hope is the thing 

         that has left us, in a bad time.

Now, more than ever, people need uplifting prose to remind them why humanity is not a lost cause. Lisa Boucher’s Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs is just such a manuscript.  Flo and Mo Brown, the main characters, are an elderly couple who have seen their share of adversity.  Their only son died as a teenager.  Flo has a deformed eye from a car accident.  Yet through all this, Flo has never lost her faith in Jesus or her love for Mo… and oh yeah, a love of cheese puffs.  Mo is a bit more jaded, but Flo has a way of making him see the best in most things.  When Flo wins on a scratch off lottery ticket, there are so many things they could do, but Mo has an idea.  He wants to take Flo to a TV doctor in California for plastic surgery on her eye, and the two set out from Indiana for an appointment in California.

But, as with real life, the couple is often sidetracked along the way.  In every place they stop, they find people in need – some financially, some spiritually – and Flo being who she is cannot help but help them.  Mo is wise enough to follow Flo’s lead, sometimes leading to new outlooks on life.  Every person Flo touches is uplifted and has at least a little faith in humanity restored thanks to her kindness.  In the end, Flo learns a great lesson about herself and how often the only limitations people have are those they put on themselves.  

Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs is available in Kindle edition on Amazon - click here

The Effectiveness of Mobile Digital Platforms for Marketing

One roadblock in effective marketing is the platform that is used by the marketing strategy. A good message and strategy will only be wasted if the chosen platform to deliver it fails.

Today, as the demand for them continues to increase, mobile digital platforms in the form of smartphones and tablets have become one of, if not the most, sought after marketing platforms in the business.

Why, you ask?

1.       Everyone has one. “Everyone” is of course an exaggeration, but you should understand where this point is coming from. Smartphones and tablets continue to fly off the shelves, bought to be used by everyone between toddlers and senior citizens. It’s pretty hard to miss your target market if your range is that wide. Also, for most products, the target markets are the ones that can afford at least one of these mobile devices for their families, even more so those that can afford at least one for each member.

2.       Everyone is on them all the time. Double exaggeration this time, but you should still understand what this means. For every smartphone and tablet user hooked on an internet connection that has their eyes glued to the device, that’s another potential audience for your marketing strategy. There is always an opportunity to reach your target market as they use their devices, compared to other platforms such as televisions and newspapers where sometimes the most exposure you can get is a fleeting glance.

3.       Everyone loves them. Is this an exaggeration? It’s pretty hard to argue against it. Be it for the games, the applications, the music, or whatever purpose it serves its user, they got that mobile device for some reason. And the more they love their device, the more chances that they’ll buy more devices (#1) or use the device more often (#2) – which all gives digital marketing more chances to reach its target market.

On top of all these reasons, the technology being put into the development of these devices for tech companies to keep afloat in the competition adds more opportunities and applications for digital marketing. And with the aid of these devices, digital marketing has become and, for the foreseeable future, will remain a juggernaut in the field of marketing.

“Digital Marketing (Knowledge Pills Series: UnderstandingTechnological Trends)” by Kendall Allen provides an in-depth look of digital marketing, including its history and methodologies. Mobile digital platforms isn’t the only segment of digital marketing that has developed through the years – this book is a great chronicle of the different aspects of digital marketing.

“Digital Marketing (Knowledge Pills Series:Understanding Technological Trends)” is currently available in Kindle format at Amazon.com. Click on the link to preview the book or download your own copy.

The Thrill of the Spider’s Dance

Environmental disasters have always been the worst kind of catastrophe: The environment gets destroyed, the people suffer, companies lose millions upon millions, and the government is forced to extend a lot of resources to have the disaster neutralized.

But what if an environmental disaster is actually part of a deliberate scheme? What if someone intends to gain from such a horrific tragedy?

“Spider’s Dance,” by Will Graham, is a fast-paced thriller that features the orchestration of an environmental disaster for personal gain.

Nicholas White, the protagonist and a computer security and forensics consultant, is sent by his company to investigate an oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. What is deemed to be the worst environmental disaster of the millennium becomes several shades darker when White notices patterns that suggest that the explosion of the oil rig was not unplanned.

White is then thrust into a complex web of deceit and death as he unravels a mystery that dates back to the Holocaust, back to World War II.

The story, though very suspenseful, is also filled with wit and humor that is tirelessly incorporated into every chapter. White and all the characters jump out of the page, pulling you into this masterful thriller.

The fear that you experience while reading the book feels so real, and that’s probably because you know, as with other real-world thrillers, that such a scenario could actually happen. Graham blurs the line of fact and fiction with his impeccable writing that keeps readers completely immersed and involved in the challenges White goes through and all the forbidden knowledge he uncovers.

“Spider’s Dance” makes you ask how far things can be taken in the grand scheme of the world. Amidst the complicated world of oil and in the memorable but painful history of World War II, Graham shows you how far – and how deep.

“Spider's Dance” is currently available in Kindle format at Amazon.com. Click on the link to preview the book or download your own copy.

The Beauty of Modern Conversation

Fraser Sinclair’s New York Exchange: The Parachutes in Between is an insightful look into the lives and minds of two endearing individuals as they go on with their daily lives. The book uses a familiar style - telling the story through communications between the characters - but Sinclair does it with a unique blend of humor and mystery that keeps its readers looking forward to what's next in the messages between George and Lauren.



This book illustrates how readers can still appreciate a well-crafted story that’s brought to life by well-imagined characters. New York Exchange: The Parachutes in Between is a light read that shows just how beautiful modern conversation can be.

Amazon is Buying Goodreads, "Kindle" Mentioned Almost Same Number of Times as "Books" in the Official Press Release

Goodreads CEO / co-founder Otis Chandler.   

Amazon announced that it plans to buy the San Francisco based Goodreads, the vertical social network for book lovers for an undisclosed price. Goodreads is a social network where members share reviews, ratings and reading list with their friends and participate in book and author related discussions. Goodreads also has a recommendation tool based on what the member has read in the past. 

Seattle based Amazon.com started as an online book seller in 1995. While it has has successfully diversified from selling books   into selling a diverse set of products ranging from DVDs, CDs, electronics, toys/ games  to apparel and accessories,  sporting goods  and even esoteric categories such as industrial and scientific supplies, people still strongly associate the brand with books.  The  brand affiliation of the Amazon brand with books was made stronger by cutting edge innovations such as "Search Inside the book" and the Kindle series of e-Book Reading devices. 

The Chief "Goodreader",  Otis Chandler posted an announcement in the goodreads feedback group starting with "Today is a very big day for all of us at Goodreads. As you may have seen on our blog, we are joining the Amazon family. Our blog post has the official press release and some more background on this, but I wanted to post here for two reasons" 

He then went on to say that Goodreads has always appreciate the feedback from its members  and assured the members that there were no plans to change the Goodreads experience and Goodreads will continue to be the wonderful community "we all cherish". He also referred to Amazon acquisition as "partnership" claiming that it will help Goodreads focus on making it in an even better place for readers. 

However, despite his assurances, the reaction from the members ranged from under-enthusiastic to negative.  The concerns raised by the goodread community members included questions about ownership of reviews - the member claimed that Reviews posted on Goodreads are owned by the members, whereas reviews posted at Amazon become Amazon's property. Also, there were concerns about Amazon reproducing the reviews on its website, the issues about the integrity of the book database, linking of Amazon accounts to goodread accounts, etc. A one sentence post by someone named "Nikki" summarizes  these concerns well "I have so many concerns about this I don't know where to start." 

The official press release from Amazon included a quote from  Russ Grandinetti, Vice President of Kindle Content  at Amazon that mentioned how Amazon and Goodreads have a shared passion for "reinventing reading”, elaborating that while Goodreads has helped in the way book lovers discuss discover and discuss books, Amazon Kindle has expanded reading around the world. He also mentioned how both platforms have helped independent authors reach readers and make a better living.  

Interestingly, the official press release from Amazon mentioned the word "Kindle" 10 times, almost the same number of times it mentioned the word "books" (mentioned 13 times).