Dr. Edward Shorter and Dr. Max Fink

Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/10/2018 -- Catatonia is a fairly common brain disorder, but few people understand what it means. Approximately 10 percent of patients in psychiatric intensive care facilities and in many medical units have catatonia. The condition is both treatable and reversible. Within 2 - 4 days of a diagnosis and proper treatment, three-quarters of patients have a full remission.

Dr. Edward Shorter and Dr. Max Fink, coauthors of "The Madness of Fear: A History of Catatonia" (Oxford University Press, 2018), point out that catatonia is a behavior syndrome of movement and mood, classically marked by stupor, mutism, posturing, rigidity, and repetitive speech and acts. The attacks often come suddenly.

For almost a century, catatonia was buried in the poorly designated psychiatric concept of schizophrenia. Its symptoms, which can include accelerating temperatures and refusal to drink, have led to death.

Yet, when recognized, patients are successfully treated and are returned to their community. Most of the time, they do not have residual symptoms and do not relapse. "It is a kind of miracle," say Shorter and Fink. "Even patients who have been in long-term catatonic stupors can go on to have new lives."

Clinicians can make these patients better on a reliable basis. There are few other diseases in psychiatry of which this is true.

So why has there been so little psychiatric interest in catatonia? In The Madness of Fear, Drs. Shorter and Fink seek to understand why this "vast field of ignorance" exists. In the history of catatonia, they see a remarkable story about how medicine flounders, and then seems to find its way. And it will help doctors, and the public recognize and successfully treat this core illness in psychiatry.

The Madness of Fear:
A History of Catatonia
By Edward Shorter and Max Fink
Oxford University Press
2018
ISBN: 978-0-19-088119-1

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Boston, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/27/2018 -- There are only two ways to respond to hate speech in the workplace, according to Dr. Dennis Becker, Senior Coaching Partner at the Framingham, Massachusetts-based Speech Improvement Company. You can ignore it or engage it. Both responses require self awareness and professionalism.

Dr. Becker penned a paper titled "Hate Speech in the Workplace: How Managers Can Recognize and Address Troublesome Situations." He provides specific techniques that will help prepare managers at all levels to address harmful, but legal, hate speech in a planned, proper, and effective manner.

He asks, "What would you do if one of your employees complained that s/he heard hateful talk in the workplace, or saw hateful material posted in the break room, or worse? Would you be able to respond effectively if you heard such comments?"

In the heat of the moment, business managers and leaders may not know the best way to respond. Their instincts may be overruled by passion, and that can take them in the wrong direction.

Dr. Becker presents a specific blueprint for those who play a managerial role in organizations. "It's critical that managers and leaders have this information before they need it," he asserts. "Once you have a problem with hate speech in the workplace, it's too late to formulate a strategy for effectively dealing with it." Because of the paper's importance, Dr. Becker has made it available as a free download at the Speech Improvement Company's web site: https://speechimprovement.com/hate-speech/.

"There will be a range of political positions in the workplace. As a manager, you need to understand and respect this diversity of opinion, even when it goes against the grain of your own set of values, beliefs, and attitudes," Dr. Becker continues.

Discussion, according to Dr. Becker, can be a good thing. However, in some cases, heated disputes can escalate into conflicts that require your intervention.

"It's important to be tolerant," Dr. Becker concludes. "But, as a manager, you need to act when comments in the workplace are hurtful to others, violate company policy, or might have crossed the line into legally defined harassment. How you manage these situations can have an enormous impact on your employees' well-being and company productivity. Beyond that, your words and actions will shape people's perception of you, your organization, and your company. Being prepared will ensure an effective and proper response."

About The Speech Improvement Company
The Speech Improvement Company is the first speech and communication firm established in the U.S. Since 1964, its coaches have dedicated their careers to helping men and women in the art and science of communication. They have helped leaders, executives, managers, politicians, celebrities, and individuals all over the world. They focus in areas such as management and leadership communication, formal public speaking, mechanics of speech, fear of speaking, sales communication, customer service, communication strategy, and more.

The Speech Improvement Company
50 Speen St. Suite 201
Framingham, MA 01701
Email:info@speechimprovement.com
Phone: 800-538-7727
http://www.speechimprovement.com

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Performing Arts Center in Branson, Missouri is proud to announce its 2018 season lineup of instantly recognizable musical stars

Branson, MO -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/21/2018 -- "I feel so honored to say that our Performing Arts Center shows keep getting better and better. We have an exciting array of performers this season at the Andy Williams Performing Arts Center. There's something for every member of the family," says Jimmy Osmond, the youngest member of the renowned Osmond Family and owner of the theatre. "Along with our main shows that are familiar and loved by our regular Branson visitors, we've added a range of tribute shows and celebrated classic talent for the Celebrity Weekends."

Osmond is proud to announce that the Celebrity Weekends lineup of instantly recognizable musical stars includes:

- Ronnie Milsap on September 15. One of the most successful country "crossover" singers and six-time Grammy award winner, Milsap's hit songs include "It Was Almost Like a Song," "Smoky Mountain Rain," "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me," "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World," and "Stranger in My House."

- Tanya Tucker on September 22. She's been a household name since her first hit song, "Delta Dawn," was released when she was only 13 years old. Tucker's other memorable tunes include "What's Your Mama's Name?" "Lizzie and the Rainman," and "Strong Enough to Bend."

- Michael Bolton on September 23. Bolton has won six American Music Awards and two Grammy Awards. He is best known for his pop rock ballads including "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," "Time Love and Tenderness," and "When I'm Back on My Feet Again."

- Pam Tillis/Lorrie Morgan (Grits and Glamour Concert) on October 20. Veteran recording artists and performers, these two women have recorded 28 top 10 hits, more than 18 million records sold, and 12 number one songs. There have been Grammys, CMA Awards, movie credits, television appearances, and Broadway performances.

- Jeanne Robertson on October 27. Robertson captivates her audiences with funny, original stories. Nowhere will you find a speaker so adept at turning personal experiences into humorous presentations that do more than elicit laughter.

- Wynonna and The Big Noise on November 4. With her mother, Naomi, Wynonna formed half of the country music duo, The Judds. The group released 7 albums that included 14 number one hits. As a solo artist, Wynonna's hits have included "She Is His Only Need," "I Saw the Light," "No One Else on Earth, "Only Love," and "To Be Loved."

- B. J. Thomas on November 18. A pop, country, and Christian singer, B. J. Thomas is known for the hits "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," "Hooked on a Feelings," "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song," "I Just Can't Help Believing," and more.

- Frankie Avalon on November 25. Actor, singer, and former teen idol, Avalon had 31 charted U.S. Billboard singles including "Just Ask Your Heart," "I'll Wait for You," "Bobby Sox to Stockings," and "A Boy Without a Girl."

- Jim Brickman on December 9. A songwriter and pianist, Brickman has earned six gold and platinum albums. He has earned two Grammy nominations, and he is the host of a radio program called "The Jim Brickman Show."

In addition, the Andy Williams Performing Arts Center will host these tributes to some of the most beloved singers of all time:

- Who's Bad: Michael Jackson on July 8. Who's Bad is proud to be known as the Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience. As the world's longest running tribute to Michael Jackson and the only one to predate his passing, Who's Bad has stood the test of time for the last 14 years.

- Bruce in the USA (Bruce Springstein) on July 15. This high-energy musical experience is a note-perfect and visually accurate recreation of a Bruce Springsteen & The E St. Band show.

- Satisfaction: Rolling Stones Tribute on July 22. Internationally acclaimed as the most authentic cast and production show available honoring the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band.

- Stayin' Alive (BeeGees) on September 8. STAYIN' ALIVE offers to their audiences the songs and sights of a full Bee Gees play list, singing blockbusters such as "Night Fever," "Jive Talkin'," "How Deep Is Your Love," "You Should Be Dancing," "Nights on Broadway," and "Stayin' Alive."

Besides the Celebrity Weekends and tribute shows, the theatre features its regular shows including:

- Illusionist Rick Thomas from March through December 2018. One of the greatest and most successful illusionists in the world today, Rick Thomas has completed five world tours covering over 50 countries.

- AYO - Voices of Glory from March through October 2018. Voices of Glory is a group of siblings who are on a mission to change the world through their unique style of singing, tight harmonies, and inspirational message.

- The Texas Tenors on select dates in June, October, and November 2018. Emmy Award winners and Billboard #1 recording artists, The Texas Tenors, return to Branson exclusively at the Andy Williams Performing Arts Center!.

- The ALL HANDS ON DECK! Show from September through December 2018. Branson's "2017 MORNING SHOW OF THE YEAR!" -- AMERICA'S #1 PATRIOTIC SHOW.

- Jimmy Osmond's American Jukebox with The 5th Dimension from September through October 2018. The American Jukebox Show comes home to Branson and will star the legendary vocal group, The 5th Dimension.

- The Andy Williams Ozark Mountain Christmas Show from November 1 through December 15, 2018. The legacy continues for the 26th season, starring The Lennon Sisters, and hosted by Jimmy Osmond on select dates.

"There are always surprises at the Andy Williams Performing Arts Center," Jimmy Osmond concludes. "No two seasons are the same, and I hope you'll join us for our exciting 2018. These are events that your whole family will enjoy."

You can buy tickets at the Andy Williams Performing Arts Center Box Office in Branson. Call 417-334-4500, or visit http://www.andywilliamspac.com.

To schedule an interview with Jimmy Osmond, contact Icy Wyatt at 417-334-4626 or email icy@andywilliamspac.com.

From: Stacey J. Miller, Publicist
S. J. Miller Communications
781-986-0732

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Via Cooking Therapy

Montclair, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/20/2018 -- For years, Debra Borden paid little attention to the fact that she'd been using cooking as a way to organize, manage, and either emotionally excavate or soothe her experiences. Assembling foods to work through her emotions had always come naturally to her. Eventually, though, she realized that food preparation might have a place in her clinical practice, especially with clients who had a hard time with a one-on-one, direct conversation. So, she became a pioneer in another legitimate modality: cooking therapy.

She found that it worked in a way similar to art, music, or equine therapy, except that it was more accessible. When she shared it with clients, there were some misses, such as the time she brought shellfish into an Orthodox Jewish home or the time it took her client with ADHD so long to thicken the pudding that he escaped from the kitchen to the more immediate gratification of his Xbox. But these failures provided Borden with opportunities to learn from her mistakes and refine her techniques. Over time, she discovered that cooking therapy was overwhelmingly successful.

In her new book, "Cook Your Marriage Happy" (CYH Press, 2018), Borden explains that cooking therapy helps diffuse negative emotions and makes it easier to discuss such issues as fairness, perspective, responsibility, and gratitude. It's less about the recipe, and more about engaging in an activity that requires focus, tuning in, and mastery.

Additionally, cooking therapy is also ripe with metaphor. "For example," Borden suggests, "why not have a side of self-esteem with that salmon? And 'draining' can be super powerful! As the excess liquid goes out of the dish, remind yourself that you're willing to lose what dilutes your marriage, and reserve the best of everything."

A self-described "Sous Therapist," Borden created her book to share with readers how they can work through their marital discord in the privacy of their own kitchens. She organized Cook Your Marriage Happy into therapy sessions for specific relationship goals, including Cook Your Stale Marriage Happy, Cook Your Maybe-I-Made-a-Mistake Marriage Happy, Cook Your Financially Frustrated Marriage Happy, and more. Each therapy session offers three recipes with emotionally resonant names such as Miss You Mucho Mini Muffins, Life Is Sweet and Sour Meatballs, From Boiling to Bliss Cake, and Tune-In and Talk to Me Tacos.

Borden has found that the things you do in the kitchen or with a recipe are remarkably indicative of how you address the challenges or obstacles in your relationships. "With guided prompts and process," she says, "you can uncover your strengths and barriers in a strong, tangible way."

She emphasizes that everyone can benefit from therapy sessions in the kitchen, and master chef skills are not required. "Even if there is a fiasco, you can reframe the 'disaster' as an opportunity to discuss embarrassment, mistakes, and perspective," she promises. "Solution-focused therapy with attainable goals," Borden concludes, begins with a single dish."

Cook Your Marriage Happy
By Debra Borden, LCSW (The Sous Therapist)
CYH Press
ISBN: 978-0-9998718-0-5
February 2018
http://www.cookyourselfhappy.com

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By Andrew Harvey

Los Angeles, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/18/2017 -- Andrew Harvey doesn't straddle two worlds. He lives fully in both, and he has for the past 50 years. As a child, growing up in the 1960s, Harvey was a product of two vastly different cultures.

His childhood memoir, Tucker & Me: Growing Up a Part-Time Southern Boy, is filled with humor, sadness, and harrowing incidents. It reflects all the emotions one experiences growing up.

Harvey lived primarily with a single mom who lived in Los Angeles and, summers, he lived with his father in a small-town suburb of Atlanta, Georgia known as Tucker. Traveling in the summers to the alternate universe in Tucker, the author experienced a roller coaster ride of two completely different lifestyles.

As an adult, Harvey is grateful for his unique upbringing. He believes his childhood experiences provide him with a broader perspective than many people enjoy, "I find myself to be equally at home at a Hollywood event or a Southern backyard barbeque. We all like to assign labels to ourselves and to others such as conservative/liberal, rich/poor, or white collar/working class. The truth is that all of us have far more in common than we know."

He cites his friendship with someone called "Dale" in his memoir as an example of how we all have more commonalities than differences. "It is interesting to note that 'Dale' and I have wildly different life philosophies and outlooks. We don't vote the same way, and our lifestyles are vastly different. But he was the first person I called when I returned to my old hometown recently to promote my book. We value our friendship, because we share so much. We can see the world through each other's eyes, because we make the effort to understand one another."

Geography aside, Harvey has found, we all want the same basic things: love, security, and hope. He's believes his memoir illustrates that all human beings have flaws. Yet we can forgive one another, as difficult as that may be. "It takes so much energy to be angry at each other, whether we're talking about family members or our fellow American citizens. We can't afford to keep that up, and there's no need for it. We can come together. We can transcend our differences. My childhood is proof of that."

"Readers can feel and taste the magical moments. You feel like you're sitting by the fireplace with Uncle Andy, sipping coffee and listening to his fanciful yarns." - J. Bennett Easterling, author of award-winning "Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra"

About Dr. Andrew Harvey
Dr. Andrew Harvey is an award-winning college educator with experience, ranging from community college to university doctoral level. He holds an educational doctorate in the field of organizational leadership from Pepperdine University and bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice from California State University at Los Angeles. He served in law enforcement for 25 years, retiring as a captain.

Tucker & Me: Growing Up a Part-Time Southern Boy by Andrew J. Harvey.

MSI Press
ISBN 978-1942891857
$19.95
www.thecalltolead.com

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With Wisdom, Humor, and Advice for Your Embryonic Self

Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/18/2017 -- "Do you know what I've discovered about being born? It is not for the faint of heart." So says Eleanor L. Tomczyk in Monsters' Throwdown, the first book of a three-part memoir. Tomczyk, a popular humorist blogger, writes, "Even if you're born in the best of families with all your emotional and material needs set in place, it is pretty obvious from the beginning of every human's life that you're entering into a world of hurt."

Tomczyk wasn't, in fact, born into the best of family circumstances. She was born to a Black mother who lived in an East Cleveland ghetto, denied her pregnancy, and told people that she had a tumor in her abdomen. Then she gave birth in a toilet -- all before the Civil Rights movement began.

With a troubled mother and an inadequate childcare system, Tomczyk traipsed from one foster home to another, and found herself in and out of Cleveland's one "Colored" orphanage before the age of twelve. She felt branded and stigmatized for many years.

However, Tomczyk not only survived her childhood, but she thrived as a teacher, actress, singer, award-winning voiceover artist, blogger, and a memoirist. She also became a wife in a loving marriage and raised two daughters who are now prospering in their thirties. During her "journey of emancipation," as Tomczyk puts it in her second book, Feeling Oz, she discovered that "God is not a Republican (as some Christians would have us think), and he actually loves liberals and atheists, too."

While she started out as a "… Black-conservative oxymoron, Bible literalist, evolution-denying, right-wing Christian…who proudly boasted of my membership in mostly all-White churches as a beacon of racial harmony and understanding," she eventually found redemption. "I'm no longer one of 'those kinds of Christians,' and I have found my voice as a 'born again' human," Tomczyk notes.

In part three of her journey, the latest installment of her memoirs, The Fetus Chronicles, Tomczyk shares words of encouragement and wisdom with the unborn child she once was via a series of imagined podcasts. She tells her embryonic self all of the things she wishes she'd come into the world knowing.

For example, she confides, "You're not the only one, Embryo-self. Through the years, you'll meet or read about tons of people all over the world of different faiths, who refused to accept the caste of bad blood and its history they have been splattered in...Others like you will encouragingly tell you what you already know: I refused to stay in the place I was born, accept the lot I'd been given, or acquiesce to the limits that others put upon me because I knew I was different -- that I didn't belong there -- no matter what anybody said. That, Little Blueberry, will make all the difference to you in the world."

She tells her prenatal self, "The good news is you will someday find where you belong, and you won't have to sell your soul to get it. It will start with discovering who you are (better late than never), what it is you want out of life, and not being afraid to go after it. You'll find the man -- your true love -- and true friends who love you for who you are, and you won't have to put yourself on the auction block to be accepted."

She finishes that podcast with the message, "By the time you're in your 60s, you won't give the time of day to people who don't 'fit' with you or your sense of well-being. Trust me in this, Fetus-self. You'll be so secure in your concept of who you are and where you fit in the scheme of things that you'll be tempted to cross-stitch a door plaque for your home that reads: 'The only people welcome across this threshold are people I love and adore, who love me just as I am, and in whose presence I belong. To all others -- I don't care one rat's ass whether you like me or not because you are not invited to my party!"

The Fetus Chronicles: Podcasts from My Miseducated Self (a mostly true memoir)
By Eleanor L. Tomczyk
Howthehelldidienduphere Publications
ISBN: 978-1544749792
2017
www.eleanortomczyk.com

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How Paying Attention to Your Pet Can Transform Your Life

Boston, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/28/2017 -- Why is your dog behaving aggressively in the park? How can you get raccoons to stop eating your trash? What will it take to prevent your outdoor cat from mauling the wildlife?

Many people feel extreme love and admiration for their pets, and for the other animals in their lives. They may also admit that the furry or feathered critters around them are experts at pushing their emotional buttons. Are these people tapping into something that others are not aware of?

Danielle MacKinnon, who has worked as a professional animal communicator for more than 17 years, believes they are. "All around us, animals are working to get your attention through their behaviors, and the feelings they evoke in you. They're willing to act as therapists, trainers, mentors, and gurus, and to guide you toward the next step in your personal evolution," advises MacKinnon. "Begin to pay attention to what pets, farm animals, and wild animals are telling you. If you listen to what they say, these animals can help you change your life for the better."

Through her work with thousands of people, and their pets and wild animals, MacKinnon has come to understand that there is a lot more to the human-animal relationship than even the most ardent animal lovers realize. In her book, Animal Lessons: Discovering Your Spiritual Connection with Animals (Llewellyn Publications, May 2017), MacKinnon shares that animals have been secretly helping people evolve for thousands of years.

"Animals can continue to educate us about loving ourselves, if we stop to listen," MacKinnon says. "There are important messages coming from the mouths of the animal kingdom – whether psychically, physically, or in some other way. Accepting and understanding these messages can be one of the keys to true, personal happiness." In her book, MacKinnon reveals:

- How your own pet is helping you grow and evolve

- What life lesson your pet is assisting you in mastering

- How to "fix" that behavior problem in a beloved animal

- What your life can look like once you've mastered what your animal is teaching you

- How your animal is helping you be more confident, feel better about yourself, and feel comfortable being seen

- How your animal can shift your life so you can create more abundance

- Specific, easy-to-follow steps for mastering the lesson from your pet so you can evolve and grow

- And more

MacKinnon concludes that, while many people have deep relationships with their pets, other areas of their life may be in turmoil. "Tapping into our pets' hidden daily messages can help us to grow in ways that we would not have been able to otherwise. Animals want to bring us abundance, fulfillment, and happiness. They can help us achieve transformation, personal growth, and change. We simply have to tune into what our animals are trying to teach us."

Animal Lessons: Discovering Your Spiritual Connection with Animals
By Danielle MacKinnon
Llewellyn Publications, May 2017
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-0738751351
E-book ISBN: 978-0738752938
http://www.daniellemackinnon.com

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A Chef's Story by Chef Todd Hall

Tampa, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/05/2017 -- Being a celebrity chef is like being a rock star. The fame, the money, the drugs, and the wild lifestyle can lift a man higher than he'd ever dreamed—or devour him. It's a trap not everyone is able to escape, but for Todd Hall, award-winning chef and restaurateur, escape came at a heavy price. Now in his autobiography, two-time James Beard honoree and former child prodigy Todd Hall opens up about his past, the childhood that forged him, the addictions that almost broke him and the career that saved him. An addictive read about an extraordinary life and the man who survived it, "Appetite for Excess: A Chef's Story" is as large and compelling as the man who lived it and survived.

"Much has been written about me. As one of the top chefs in the country, I have been profiled in the media a lot. But there are things in the book that nobody knows, and I believe it's necessary to talk about them now. I'm on a mission to find solutions to the problem of addiction."

So says Todd Hall, who began his formal training at the age of 15 under the direction of Roget Cortello, CEC AAC, becoming the youngest graduated apprentice to earn certification from the American Culinary Federation. By 19, Hall was the chef de cuisine at Le Parisienne, a fine French restaurant in Salt Lake City. Over a 30-year career, Hall has been the Executive Chef of La Posada de Santa Fe, Chateau du Sureau, L'Auberge de Sedona, Paradise Valley Resort, and Los Abrigados Resort & Spa. He also has served as a consultant to numerous other hotels and resorts.

Hall earned acclaim and fame at a young age, but he also paid the price. "I started getting all these awards," Hall recalls, "and I felt like a big shot. My head got ahead of me," said Hall. "I used drugs recreationally. In the 1980's, that's just what people did, especially in the food and beverage industry. Everyone did drugs: weed and coke. It was a lifestyle. In the restaurant industry, you need something to keep you going. Even my bosses looked the other way. As long as I was making money for them, they looked the other way. They helped me keep my secret and enabled me to feed my addiction."

But, after awhile, Hall found himself using cocaine every day. At that point, according to Hall, "You become a jerk. You lose your job. That stops the cocaine use quickly, because you can't afford it. So you get another job. You stop using for awhile. Then, a few months later, you begin again. You become entangled in a downward spiral. If you're fortunate, you find a way out. I did, but that happened only after I was shot in a drug deal gone wrong and was nearly killed. And after I'd denied the truth about the incident for years."

While Hall finally got his drug use under control, his son wasn't as lucky. "He started to use Oxy, and then he began to smoke heroin. I tried to help him, but ultimately, I failed him. You can't take away someone else's demons. We all have to do that on our own. At age 29, my son overdosed on heroin, and it hurt me more than anything on Earth. He died with a needle in his arm at two o'clock in the morning. His girlfriend found him. Before that, he had been clean for a year. There's no explaining why he decided to use heroin again after all that time."

As Hall points out, his son's story isn't an isolated incident. "Every day, you turn on the TV set, and you see parent after parent after parent who has suffered the same loss. This addiction epidemic is real. It happens to people from all walks of life, from coast to coast, all the time."

Hall calls the process of writing his book a recovery tool. "My pain, and my denial, had been going on too long. I needed to write it all down: the good and the bad. I did the best job I possibly could. Your past and reality have a way of catching up to you. I'm sharing my story now in the hopes that I can bring awareness to the problem of addiction. Cooking may have saved my life, but spreading the message about addiction and the hope of recovery is my purpose now in living."

"Appetite For Excess: A Chef's Story"
By Chef Todd Hall
ClearSky Publishing
Paperback U.S. $19.95 / 6 x 9 / 304 pages / ISBN: 978-0-9965453-6-5
Hardcover U.S. $34.95 / 6 x 9 / 304 pages /ISBN: 978-0-9985373-2-0
April 2017
http://www.clearskypublishing.com

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Author of Rumorang Creates Characters Who Teach Children the Hazards of Rumors

Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/10/2017 -- Can you keep a secret? Neither can Roger, Renaldo, Rico, and the other characters created by Janice Brown, author of the children's book, Rumorang (Blue Forest Press, 2016). But that's okay, because according to Brown, learning about sharing secrets can be great teaching opportunities for parents, educators, and others caregivers of children.

For her book, Rumorang, Brown created a culturally diverse group of children who learn the hazards of spreading secrets about their friends. The story begins when Sam tells his friend, Roger, that he likes their classmate, Petunia, and he wants to have lunch with her. Roger shares the news with a few friends, who end up twisting the messages as they pass them to more and more friends, until they finally reach Petunia. Rumors continue to spread as Petunia's angry words are sent through the playground in the opposite direction.

So goes the "rumorang," which is a play on the words "rumor" and "boomerang." In the playground that Brown writes about, rumors lead to misunderstandings; misunderstandings lead to hurt feelings; and hurt feelings may lead to lost friendships.

About Janice Brown
Brown, who is the mother of two sons, works as an anti-bias trainer for teachers and students, believes in teaching children the importance of words. "Our words matter. When we make the mistake of talking about others and perpetuating rumors, it can be damaging to the person the rumors are about, the community, and even ourselves," Brown points out. "When we use words to stand up for ourselves and others, to say no when something is not okay and to speak the truth, our words can be powerful and not only change our lives but our world as well."

Rumorang
By Janice Brown
Illustrated by Lane Raichert
Blue Forest Press, LLC
ISBN: 978-0-692-77737-4
$17.95
www.rumorangbook.com

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According to Arthur M. Lauretano, MD, MS, FACS

Boston, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/21/2016 -- "Given the fact the editors of an online dictionary chose 'xenophobia' as their 2016 Word of the Year, I think we can agree that these are challenging times. The presidential election was emotionally charged, and in its wake, the country seems divided. This election has raised the specter of a country divided along many lines – political party, race, religion, ancestry and ethnicity, gender and gender identification, and sexual preference – and the list goes on. Some families didn't even celebrate Thanksgiving together because emotions were too heated. We need to remember what's important, and that is to do the right thing. " So says Arthur M. Lauretano, MD, MS, FACS who is an otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon in the Boston area. He is presently the Medical Director of the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Center and the Medical Director of Inpatient Specialty Services at Lowell General Hospital, where he specializes in thyroid, parathyroid, robotic, and head and neck surgery.

Dr. Lauretano is the author of a book called Do the Right Thing: A Surgeon's Approach to Life. In his book, he explains what doing the right thing means to him. "When I was an intern, I asked a senior resident for advice regarding a particular patient who was having some postoperative complications. I gave the resident the relevant information regarding the patient, my assessment, and potential plans of action. I asked him for his recommendations, and his answer was simple: 'Do the right thing.' These words have always stayed with me. Those four words convey so much. There is a 'right thing' that we can do in any given situation. There is a moral compass that can direct us to do the right thing. There is a positive impact we can have on--continued--others and on society when we choose to do the right thing. There is so much self-satisfaction and fulfillment we can obtain by doing the right thing. After years of learning from my patients and from recognizing how my experiences in medicine can be extrapolated to life in general, I believe we are all capable of, perhaps even obligated to, and most importantly benefitted by doing the right thing."

During the holiday season, and every day of the year, Dr. Lauretano hopes that people will focus on the good they see in others and the respect we should have for one another. Also, he wants everyone to focus on their own life and find something for which to be grateful. "Step away from the negativity we have seen, and focus on a positive element. Perhaps it is as simple as having family members come together for the holiday, or surviving an illness and having the health care you need to address that illness. Maybe it is being able to endure a difficult time, or having the friends and family to support you.

"Considering the sense of division our country has felt during this election season, isn't this holiday season a wonderful opportunity to bridge gaps, to resolve those differences, and to give each other something to be thankful about?" Dr. Lauretano asks. "I don't think there's ever been a more important time to focus on doing the right thing, and to commit to feeling grateful for the contribution everyone can make to the world."

Do the Right Thing: A Surgeon's Approach to Life
Arthur M. Lauretano
ENTShred Media, LLC
$14.95
ISBN: 978-0997636000
www.drarthurlauretano.com

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"Clash of the Generations"

New Orleans, LA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/18/2016 -- "Managing employees is a challenging endeavor under any circumstances—and it's even more difficult in the midst of generational culture clash." So says Valerie M. Grubb, management expert and author of the new book "Clash of the Generations: Managing the New Workplace Reality" (Wiley, 2016), which draws on her experiences over more than two decades of overseeing thousands of employees and on interviews with representatives of several companies with age-diverse workforces. The target audiences of this book are seasoned professionals as well as new managers.

"Millennials have been in the workforce for over 10 years, yet organizations and individual managers still struggle to crack the code for motivating and engaging the largest generation currently in the workforce," Grubb emphasizes. "Adding to this challenge is the fact that Baby Boomers are not retiring in the droves originally expected. Instead, the average retirement age has steadily been creeping up—and recent stats indicate that this number will continue to rise. Because Boomers are prolonging their time in the workplace, the old business model of 'the mature retire to make way for the new' no longer applies. Companies now find themselves with employees from a wider range of ages than ever before."

Senior leaders, managers, and HR professionals must now manage a blended workforce spanning four generations that vary wildly in their work ethics, ideas about work/life balance, and long-term career goals, among other concerns. "In order to manage people, you need to understand them," Grubb explains. "And because generation-based experiences and attitudes greatly influence not only how employees do their own jobs but also how they relate to other employees, anyone who manages a multigenerational workforce should prioritize understanding those experiences and attitudes." Managers who want to understand their employees' values, motivations, strengths (and shortcomings), and career goals will value this book's well-researched presentation of each generation's history, major influences, and interests.

Such information is indispensable to managers facing generational differences in the workplace, which, if unaddressed, can be disruptive and lead to serious misunderstandings. As the workplace becomes more age-diverse, managers must work harder to make sure that everyone gets along. In "Clash of the Generations," Grubb details proven strategies that managers and senior leaders can use immediately to incorporate the contributions of youth and the wisdom of age to give organizations a competitive edge in reaching more customers.

Because every generation adds its unique strengths to the workplace, embracing age diversity (and, in fact, celebrating inclusion and all types of diversity) has a positive impact on employee engagement and innovation efforts. "Many company leaders talk about welcoming diversity, but they're talking about ethnicity and gender rather than generational differences," Grubb points out. "It's so important that age diversity, along with diversity of any kind, become priorities. That can happen only if senior leaders make those goals company-wide business initiatives." She concludes, "Smart company executives will focus on engaging employees of all generations to put their best and brightest ideas to work for the company."

"Sometimes, it requires a lot of 'kicks at the can' to get the right formula for each individual employee," Grubb admits. Through her own decades of experience, she has developed practices that work in the real world, where employee and management expectations and understandings are fluid. Short on theory and long on tactics, "Clash of the Generations" provides proven strategies that managers and senior leaders can implement now to motivate and engage even their most challenging direct reports and get the best performance from employees of all ages.

"Clash of the Generations" is not an ordinary management book written by someone who merely theorizes about what it's like to lead employees. This is a book written by someone who has lived in the management trenches for more than twenty years and has managed thousands of employees across several major organizations (including NBC Universal, Oxygen Media, IAC, and Rolls-Royce). As companies continue to cut training dollars, leaving only years of "on the job" training as the main venue for the development of management skills, this book presents a much-needed alternative for anyone wanting to increase his or her management acumen. With "Clash of the Generations," managers now have the knowledge and tools they need to reduce conflict in the workplace, achieve their own professional goals, and help everyone in the corporate sandbox reach his or her highest potential.

About Valerie M. Grubb
Valerie M. Grubb is the principal of Val Grubb & Associates Ltd., which she founded after holding a succession of leadership roles within major corporations (including NBC Universal, Oxygen Media, InterActiveCorp, and Rolls-Royce). She is an innovative and visionary operations leader with an exceptional ability to zero in on the systems, processes, and human capital issues that can hamper a company's growth.

Grubb graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Kettering University and obtained her MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. She remains highly involved with the Kelley School as a member of the Dean's Advisory Council. She also serves as president of the New York Chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications and is a board member of the New Orleans Film Society.

Grubb has published a book about her experiences traveling around the world with her mom, "Planes, Canes, and Automobiles: Connecting with Your Aging Parents through Travel" (Greenleaf Book Group, 2015). Her latest book is "Clash of the Generations: Managing the New Workplace Reality" (Wiley, 2016).

"Clash of the Generations: Managing the New Workplace Reality"
By Valerie M. Grubb
Wiley, October 2016
Hardcover, 224 pp., $21.67
ISBN-13: 978-1119212348

Connect with Val on GoodReads.com, Facebook.com, LinkedIn.com, and Twitter.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Salt Lake City, UT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/15/2016 -- Webster Media, LLC is pleased to announce that The Painful Truth: What Chronic Pain Is Really Like and Why It Matters to Each of Us, written by Lynn R. Webster, M.D., has been recognized as a finalist in the 18th annual Foreword Reviews' INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards. Here is the complete list of finalists:

https://indiefab.forewordreviews.com/finalists/2015/

Each year, Foreword Reviews shines a light on a select group of indie publishers, university presses, and self-published authors whose work stands out from the crowd. In the next three months, a panel of more than 100 volunteer librarians and booksellers will determine the winners in 63 categories based on their experience with readers and patrons.

"The 2015 INDIEFAB finalist selection process is as inspiring as it is rigorous," said Victoria Sutherland, publisher of Foreword Reviews. "The strength of this list of finalists is further proof that small, independent publishers are taking their rightful place as the new driving force of the entire publishing industry."

Dr. Webster wants to improve the future for pain suffers. "The science of pain medicine is still in its infancy, if indeed it's that far along," he says. "Although 100 million Americans live with chronic pain, and literally no one can escape pain's effects, physicians, lawmakers, and even family and friends haven't been as understanding about pain as they could be. I want to change societal attitudes toward those in pain, and I want to ensure they do not ignore chronic pain sufferers."

Foreword Reviews will celebrate the winners during a program at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida in June. We will also name the Editor's Choice Prize 2015 for Fiction, Nonfiction and Foreword Reviews' 2015 INDIEFAB Publisher of the Year Award during the presentation.

About Lynn R. Webster, M.D.
Dr. Webster has dedicated more than three decades to becoming an expert in the field of pain management. He is the vice president of Scientific Affairs of PRA Health Sciences and past president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. A leading voice in trying to help physicians safely treat pain patients, Dr. Webster actively works within the industry to develop safer and more effective therapies for chronic pain and addiction. He is board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine, and is also certified in addiction medicine. Dr. Webster lectures extensively on the subject of preventing opioid abuse and criminal diversion in chronic pain patients and has authored more than 300 scientific abstracts, manuscripts, journal articles and a book entitled Avoiding Opioid Abuse While Managing Pain: A Guide for Practitioners, many of which are the basis for training physicians who are studying pain.

Dr. Webster has played an instrumental role in his industry as a strong advocate for safe and effective pain resolution methods. The Opioid Risk Tool (ORT), which he developed, is currently used and is the standard in multiple countries and thousands of clinics worldwide. He spends most of his time now developing safer and more effective therapies for chronic pain and campaigning for safer use of medications.

He received his doctorate of medicine from the University of Nebraska and later completed his residency at the University of Utah Medical Center's Department of Anesthesiology. Dr. Webster has been quoted by multiple media sources, including in the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal, and has given over 250 presentations across the United States and internationally. He is the author of The Painful Truth: What Chronic Pain Is Really Like and Why It Matters to Each of Us (Webster Media LLC). In addition, he has produced a documentary also titled "The Painful Truth" that describes the challenges of people in pain accessing humane care for their pain. It will air on public television Sept 2016 during Pain Awareness Month. Watch for announcements.

About Foreword
Foreword Magazine, Inc. is a media company featuring a Folio:-award-winning quarterly print magazine, Foreword Reviews, and a website devoted to independently published books. In the magazine, they feature reviews of the best 170 new titles from independent publishers, university presses, and noteworthy self-published authors. Their website features daily updates: reviews along with in-depth coverage and analysis of independent publishing from a team of more than 100 reviewers, journalists, and bloggers. The print magazine is available at most Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million newsstands or by subscription. They are headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, USA.

"The Painful Truth
What Chronic Pain Is Really Like and Why It Matters to Each of Us"
By: Lynn R. Webster, M.D.
Webster Media, LLC
http://www.thepainfultruthbook.com

Contact: Stacey J. Miller, Book Publicist
Telephone: 781/986-0732
Email: sjmiller@bookpr.com

Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-9861407-0-9
Retail Price: $27.00 USA; $33.00 CAN
Publication Date: September 2015
Length: 246 pages

Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-9861407-1-6
Retail Price: $16.99; USA $19.99 CAN
Publication Date: March 2016
Length: 246 pages

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Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/13/2015 -- Angelica Schirrick could be your mother, your aunt, your sister, your best friend, or anyone.

She's the main character in "In the Context of Love," a novel by Linda K. Sienkiewicz that is a story about how oppressive it is for women, or anyone, really, to be silenced by shame.

We've seen people like Angelica in the news. Each time a woman comes forward to share her story of being drugged and raped by a beloved television personality, we see someone who was silenced by shame for decades. Angelica is real in that sense that, not so long ago, any children born of rape would have lived with an unimaginable stigma. "No one can do that to you unless you let them" would have been the message all women absorbed.

But, at the same time, there's hope for all of the Angelicas. Perhaps it's never too late to find your path in life--to leave your past and the secrets that haunt you behind. Maybe a first love, once lost, then found again, can become true and lasting.

"The heart is imprisoned not by being broken, but by being silenced" (Martha Beck). By telling our stories, we embrace who we are. We do not have to be defined by the tragedies that have happened to us. Life is good for the simple reason that it's our life. This is the message in "In the Context of Love."

In the Context of Love
By Linda K. Sienkiewicz
Buddhapuss Ink LLC
ASIN: B00ZRYEYN8

Advance Praise for "In the Context of Love":

"With tenderness, but without blinking, Linda K. Sienkiewicz turns her eye on the predator-prey savannah of the young and still somehow hopeful." ~ Jacqueline Mitchard, author of the #1 NY Times Bestseller, "Deep End of the Ocean"

"Absorbing, heartbreaking, compulsively-readable and insightful, Linda Sienkiewicz's In the Context of Love casts a hypnotic spell. This is storytelling at its best." ~ Lewis Robinson, author of the critically acclaimed, "Officer Friendly: and Other Stories" and "Water Dogs"

"In her dynamic first novel, Linda K. Sienkiewicz takes you on a wild roller coaster ride through love's lowest lows and highest highs, from dark acts of sexual violence to kisses that taste like freedom. In her boldly compelling narrative, Sienkiewicz captures her heroine's harrowing journey with both compassion and passion. Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a wise, vivid and vital new voice in fiction." ~ Elizabeth Searle, author of the Boston Globe Bestseller, "A Four-Sided Bed"

"In the Context of Love is a lovely book. Linda Sienkiewicz has written a love letter to the wonder and imperfection of everyday life." ~ Marcy Dermansky, author of the critically acclaimed novels, "Twins" and "Bad Marie"

About Linda K. Sienkiewicz
Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a published poet and fiction writer, cynical optimist, fan of corgis, tea drinker, and wine lover from Michigan. She's a former Ohioan who grew up in Independence, and worked and went to school in Cleveland. The story is set in a fictitious suburb near Cleveland, as well as Sandusky and Toledo.

Her poetry, short stories, and art have been published in more than fifty literary journals, including Prairie Schooner, Clackamas Literary Review, Spoon River, and Permafrost. She received a poetry chapbook award from Bottom Dog Press, and an MFA from the University of Southern Maine. Linda lives with her husband in southeast Michigan, where they spoil their grandchildren and then send them back home. "In the Context of Love" is her debut novel.

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A Psychologist's Journey and Discoveries from Wretched Beginnings to a Thriving Life

Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/28/2015 -- "There is growing evidence that love-connections are right up there after air, water, food, and physical safety as an essential human need. Children become wrecks without them. Adults feel starved without them and try to substitute all sorts of things in hopes of feeling it." So says psychotherapist and somatic-relational teacher Don St John, Ph.D.

In his new book, "Healing the Wounds of Childhood," Dr. St John shares his personal story of serious emotional and physical abuse. "I wouldn't wish my beginnings on anyone. There was only one possible way for me to survive the brutality and toxic stress I endured, and that was to shut myself down. Essentially, I was incapable of feeling anything, even love, if it had been offered to me. I was numb." Yes, his story is extreme, but it required Dr. St John to leave no stone unturned to discovery how to restore his humanity.

He wanted to be able to experience a long-term intimate relationship with one person, to be able to tune into another's emotional experience and empathize, to feel good and free in his body and spirit, to speak in front of groups without fear, to age with vitality and grace, and to look forward to all of life's adventures. "As a young man embarking upon adulthood, I would have received an F in all those subjects," he admits. "But now, I'd earn at least a B+ -- and so can everyone else who heals from his or her life's wounds." With a twinkle in his eye he adds, "Healthy aging should also include erotic aging. It follows from healing our early wounds."

Trauma has become a buzzword in recent years with so many soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan during the past dozen years. "The cost to society and the suffering of these individuals is enormous," Dr. St John emphasizes, "making understanding trauma vitally important work." But he believes that the discussion about trauma should be widened to include most of us.

He asks whether any of the following apply to you:

-Did you have a mother who was depressed for a long time after your birth?

-Did you suffer a traumatic birth?

-Did your parents divorce before you were seven years old, which suggests they were miserable for several years prior to that?

-Did you have an alcoholic parent or a parent with a serious anger problem?

-Were you in a serious accident in childhood?

-Did you have one parent who, regardless of how caring he or she might have been, had no clue what it meant to be emotionally present?

-Did you have a parent who was heavy handed in expecting you to adhere to standards well above your age?

If so, then you may not have received what you really needed: a good dose of someone being present with you, someone who could truly see you and touch your heart with theirs. When you don't receive what you need, there are emotional, health, and relationship consequences. Just as there are consequences if you don't receive the vitamins and minerals you require in your diet.

The wounds of life don't just affect your psychology or your emotions. Dr. St John goes on to say, "They affect the very cells, tissues, and structure of your body, your brain, your nervous system, and your beliefs about who you are and your relationship capabilities. Therefore, to come close to your full potential, you must address all parts of you. It is imperative we stop thinking of the body and mind as separate structures. Mindbody or bodymind is a whole."

Dr. St John understands how our physical health, our mental health, and our relationship health are all related and how, through coherence -- a concept that brings all three components together -- we can heal and enrich our lives. "You can grow continually, regardless of your age and regardless of the hand you were dealt," he assures readers. "You can increase your capacity to let love in. You can become more coherent human beings. By that I mean we can continue to unfold our sensual, sexual, spiritual and relational capacities throughout our lifetime. This is what I mean by erotic aging."

Dr. St John concludes, "Now in my seventies and defying the odds, I would say that my life has been an adventure for the past forty years, and I have been thriving for the last twenty or more. This is a story of hope, and the message I want to share is this: If I can do it, so can just about anyone else."

Healing the Wounds of Childhood
By Don St John, Ph.D.
CreateSpace
ISBN: 978-1508925200
http://www.healingthewoundsofchildhood.com

About Don St John, Ph.D.
Don St John, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, somatic-relational teacher, coach, public speaker, and author. He is an Authorized Continuum Movement Teacher and a Hellerwork Structural Integration Practitioner and Trainer. He has taught classes and given presentations in several states in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Brazil.

For the past 47 years, he has been immersed in both the psychotherapeutic and somatic therapy worlds. His roots were in traditional clinical psychology, but early on, he realized from his own experience that the body must be included. Thus began his journey in both the psychotherapeutic and somatic realms.

Don's doctoral dissertation, written at the Western Institute for Social Research, focused on the consequences of, and recovery from, relational maltreatment in early childhood. He lives in Salt Lake City with his wife of 30 years, Diane, the co-founder of Paths of Connection. They have been teaching together for 25 years.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/23/2015 -- For the first 40 years of her life, Nicola Jane Chase was a heterosexual man. Now she is a heterosexual woman. "This change didn't occur overnight, nor did I flip a switch to make it happen. In fact, I didn't see it coming at all," says Chase in her just-published memoir, "Tea and Transition: A story of love, the human spirit, and how one man became one woman" (Telemachus Press, 2015).

Over the course of several years, the jet-setting club DJ and radio broadcaster recognized feelings that couldn't be ignored. Why was he feeling like she? Born in England, Chase lived in the Middle East and Asia, but only in New York City did the journey really begin. "The outlines of yin and yang were shifting, with gender and then with my sexuality," Chase recalls. "The city was my backdrop for renaissance." A tipping point was reached; she was in the ascendancy, he was a growing hindrance. That shifting balance imbued a creative surge. "I began writing a journal that later became a book. Usually, when I wrote, I had a cup of tea by my side--as I do now. Tea has been my muse and often my comfort when the conversations were awkward."

In fact, the biggest announcement during her transition came over a cup of Earl Grey: the excruciating moment of disclosure with her 80-year-old mother. The devolution and rebuilding of that amazing relationship is one of the most emotional threads of her story.

However, Chase also recalls laugh-out-loud moments as she tussled with the deeper question of how gender is perceived--for herself and for those around her. She was thrown out of a strip club as a perceived threat to business, initiated her first bikini moment, and went through puberty redux. She was a 16-year-old girl in her 40s who experienced the rollercoaster of youth all over again—but in a new gender.

Dating as a woman raised new complications as men changed their tune once she revealed her past. Her professional life shifted, because the male voice she prized as a DJ became a liability to her femininity. Via martinis on top of the world, the pyramids at dawn, and high-speed motorbike rides around Asian back streets, she confronted her past life and explored the direction of her new one. In a journey that traversed three continents, an end point to her transition became clear. It also made her ponder something deeper: When did she know that she was transgendered?

"Perhaps it sounds strange," she shares, "but I really don't know. There wasn't one supreme moment of sublime enlightenment, nor even a time when my gender status was beyond cogent doubt. Yet it was an inescapable direction in which I was led. Choice? No, there was no choice involved, only emotions to ignore."

Although Chase has never met Bruce Jenner, she relates to the journey that Jenner and countless other individuals are embarking upon. "You are not alone," she points out. "Questioning your gender identity can be daunting, acting on it even more intimidating. Yet, through my own transition, I have developed stronger friendships, greater well-being, and renewed family relationships that I never dreamed possible when I first addressed my gender flux. The future was in the tea leaves."

"Tea and Transition: A story of love, the human spirit, and how one man became one woman"
By Nicola Jane Chase
Telemachus Press
http://www.teaandtransition.com
hardcover: 978-1-942899-01-3
trade paperback: 978-1-942899-00-6

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Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/20/2015 -- American singer, actor, businessman and humanitarian Jimmy Osmond will have one more accolade to add to his resume: an Honorary Doctorate of Arts and Humanities from Iowa Wesleyan College.

"My mother came from a long line of educators," says James (Jimmy) A. Osmond, the youngest member of the celebrated musical Osmond Family. "If anyone ever deserved an honorary doctorate, she would have. She raised eight boys and one girl, and it's an honor to follow in her legacy of education and service. She would have loved to see me get a traditional college degree, but my profession led me in different directions. So I'm especially pleased that Iowa Wesleyan College approached me with this honor. I hope this will encourage my children to pursue higher education since getting a degree is crucial in today's workplace. In fact, getting a degree is critical because it proves a person has the work ethic to be successful."

Yet, as Osmond has found, there's far more to education than getting a diploma. "My father was a man of integrity and hard work. He had amazing 'people skills' as well, and I believe the application of his example led to my success in the entertainment industry and beyond."

When Iowa Wesleyan awards him the Doctor of Arts and Humanities, honorus causa, on May 9 2015, it's an acknowledgment that Osmond's world encompasses so much more than just performing. "Jimmy made his singing debut on 'The Andy Williams Show' when he was only three years old," recounts Steve Titus, president of Iowa Wesleyan College. "It's worth noting, too, that Jimmy earned two gold records in two languages by the time he was nine years old. He was honored by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans in 1999. His entrepreneurship has continued on three continents, and he's currently the president of Osmond Entertainment. We chose Jimmy to receive this honorary doctorate because in addition to being a lifelong innovator and entrepreneur, Jimmy has leveraged his fame and success to help create a kinder and more humane world. He is a servant of deep faith, a faith committed to human welfare and social justice."

Osmond's commitment to public service includes his work with an organization that his mother started as the Osmond Foundation in the early eighties. "That foundation evolved into what's known today as the Children's Miracle Network, and I've had the privilege of serving on the Board of Trustees for many years now. But I never caught the passion for the work until my own children were treated at Children's Miracle Network hospitals. It's wonderful to be involved with something that's bigger than you, and nothing is more valuable than helping kids and their families live healthy lives."

The degree will be conferred during Iowa Wesleyan's commencement ceremony on May 9, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. The ceremony is open to the public.

About Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College, located in Mount Pleasant, Iowa is a fully accredited, coeducational liberal arts college. Founded in 1842, it has a rich history of innovation in education, pioneering in the sciences, educational opportunities for women and service-learning. The academic program at Iowa Wesleyan combines a liberal arts foundation with education in specific career fields, including art, business, English, music, nursing, psychology, teacher education, among others. Service-learning is integrated into the curriculum, ensuring that all students connect classroom learning with service to others. Internships and other field experience opportunities are part of every major, giving students hands-on professional experience before graduation. In addition to the on-campus academic program offering degrees in a variety of majors, Iowa Wesleyan offers evening classes at area community colleges in West Burlington and Muscatine. A growing online program gives students additional opportunities to earn a degree.

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Randolph, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/06/2015 -- Imagine this. You die heroically, and you meet the Angel Gabriel. He tells you that, as a reward for your good deed, you can go back to Earth and relive any five days of your life that you choose.

How would you select five days from your whole life? Would you pick days so perfect that you wouldn't change a thing about them? Or would you choose days that required you to make pivotal decisions -- and, with the benefit of hindsight, would you now make different decisions during those days that would change the course of your life and the lives of your loved ones?

That's the dilemma that greets high school Algebra teacher Mike Postman during a particularly draining day in Matt Micros's novel, Five Days: Which Days Would You Choose. The protagonist, Mike, is a 40-year-old who walks along the Connecticut shoreline on an Autumn day, and he hears the faint shout of a little boy as he comes around the bend. "Mister! Mister! My friend just fell off the pier...please help!"

Mike doesn't hesitate. He throws his jacket onto the ground, kicks off his shoes, and dives off the pier headfirst. He manages to get the drowning boy over to his friend who lifts him onto the pier so that he's safe, but then he finds it's so much easier to just close his eyes, let go, and float away peacefully rather than to swim to the pier himself and save his own life, too.

So Mike dies a hero with one hitch: he may have committed suicide, and suicides are not encouraged by the management team of the afterlife. While it's not condemned outright, suicides certainly don't get treated in the same way as heroes ... except in cases, such as Mike's, when it's tough to differentiate between heroes and those who took their own lives.

As readers watch Angel Gabriel give Mike the gift of choosing five days that he could go back home and relive, we're challenged to think about which days we would select, if we could. Would we choose to have one last day with the person we loved the most so that we could say everything we'd always wanted to say? Would we elect to try to reverse a mistake that we once made? Or would we opt to simply have the experience of the most blissful day imaginable to enjoy one more time?

About Five Days: Which Would You Choose
The character takes us on a journey through events of modern history both heroic and tragic. And on the question of ending one's life prematurely, readers are left to ponder whether suicide is always a mistake that overshadows everything good you've done for others, or whether it's just ... a choice, perhaps one that's made on the spur of the moment and wouldn't ever be a choice you could defend or would repeat. Could it be that suicide isn't enough to prevent you from entering heaven ... but that the important thing to remember is that things are seldom as dire as they may appear?

Five Days: Which Would You Choose?
By Matt Micros
Micropulous Press
ISBN: 978-0692206843
http://www.mattmicros.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm