Remarkable Life of a Cockney Kid Revealed in New Book

Author Veronica Pinckard recounts the story of her life through cheerful writing

As a promise to her inquisitive children and friends, Veronica Pinckard relives the earlier years of her life and writes it in a way with the richness of the ever-cheery Cockney. Her book, A Damn Fine Growth: Autobiography of a Cockney Kid, makes readers reflect that “Life is never as bad as we think.”

Born in London opposite the Houses of Parliament, Pinckard was the last of 16 children. She was educated at a prestigious school founded in 1666, and became an evacuee in WWII while in High School. While her seven brothers and her father served their King and Country, she worked as a wartime secretary for the inventor of in-flight refuelling and where the first British jet planes were tested; she was also a medical and legal secretary and Court Reporter.

Pinckard left England in 1954, emigrating to Canada and New Zealand. She emigrated to California in 1960, finally settling in the Santa Clarita Valley. She was married first for 26 years and now happily married for 35 years and counting. She has been a docent for 22 years at the Los Angeles Zoo touring school children, visiting schools to show slides on the plight of endangered animals, and reading to children at a local school.

Despite challenges along her walk through life, Pinckard continues to maintain a happy attitude up until today, as can be seen through her writing. With illuminating detail, A Damn Fine Growth: Autobiography of a Cockney Kid will bring smiles, tears, and rich memories to its readers. 

For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.

Married with 4 children, 6 grandchildren and a great grandson, Veronica Pinckard has travelled extensively with her husband and at 85 remains active in Tai Chi Chu’an, handiwork and learning to play the piano.

She has written and published many short stories, including an award-winning one.

A Damn Fine Growth * by Veronica Pinckard

Autobiography of a Cockney Kid
Publication Date: June 22, 2012
Trade Paperback; $23.99; 406 pages; 978-1-4771-2411-6
Trade Hardback; $34.99; 406 pages; 978-1-4771-2412-3
eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4771-2413-0

UKs Love of Reading Sparks the Great Book Migration

UK’s Love of Reading Sparks the Great Book Migration
Jonathan Edwards jumps on board to launch national reading campaign
 The UK is a nation of Bonds, Bennetts and bookworms
Hermione beats Harry in the top fictional character polls

A list of the UK’s favourite fictional folk has been revealed, placing James Bond and Elizabeth Bennett as the characters we’d would most like to be.

According to the poll of over 2,000 people, the average UK resident spends 7 hours and 54 minutes immersed in a good book each week. Over half of the nation (53%) will read on a daily basis for at least an hour and seven out of ten people still prefer the feeling of a real book over an e-reader.

The findings, conducted by vision correction specialist Ultralase, also revealed that the average UK bookworm will get through two and three quarter books each month. The most popular reasons for reading are escaping everyday stresses and broadening knowledge. However, for some people, books provide the perfect retreat for a different reason! Over a third of people have hidden behind a book to check on someone they admire, avoid a conversation or simply sit back and indulge in a spot of people watching.

This national joy of reading has prompted Ultralase to launch The Great Book Migration with the support of former Olympic athlete, and patient, Jonathan Edwards. The campaign will track 100 books, and their travels, across the UK. Varying from classic horrors such as Dracula to modern romances such as One Day, the titles will be found in a range of public places with ‘Read Me’ labels attached to their covers.

Those who find one of the marked books will then be invited to join the migration and log where they found it using QR codes, twitter handles, Facebook or email. Readers wanting to find out more about The Great Book Migration should visit http://on.fb.me/JX5CR4 for more details.

Tony Veverka, Chief Executive at Ultralase, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching our book migration and we can’t wait to see how far and wide the titles travel. As we can see from the research, reading may be one of our oldest past times but it’s certainly still a favourite - with so many people devoting their spare time to this hobby.

“It was, however, disturbing to see that so many people still let their sight compromise their joy of reading. In fact, 15% of people in the UK struggle with their sight whilst reading and one in ten (12%) also said they’ve felt intimidated or embarrassed by not being able to see when they’re reading in front of others.

“One of the most common causes of poor vision when reading is Presbyopia. It will affect everyone one of us as some stage in our life and can set in as early as 40-50 years old in some cases. Unfortunately, it’s not something you can avoid but there are treatments available, such as Supracor to combat the condition and we urge people to explore those options before sacrificing the enjoyment they deserve when reading.”

One in ten people feel that reading glasses are a symbol of getting old and a further 10% would rather opt for treatments such as laser eye surgery than wear glasses.

The top 10 fictional characters include:
1. James Bond
2. Elizabeth Bennett (Pride & Prejudice)
3. Jane Eyre
4. Hermione Grainger (Harry Potter series)
5. Miss Marple (Agatha Christie)
6. Harry Potter
7. Gandalf
8. Bella (Twilight)
9. Poirot
10. Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy)

New Book Offers Readers an Inspirational Guide to Mastering Life

Author William L. Di Carlo reveals how readers can learn to control their thoughts and actions to live a more fulfilling life.

Most of mankind fear change. Recent studies show that people will not undertake a new activity because if there is a chance of difficulties, they will not start it. “Mankind needs to face their fear, and do it anyway. If you wish to achieve something and it appears threatening, investigate it, find out the facts, and get started on it!” William L. Di Carlo declares in his book, Mastering Life.

Over the last 30 plus years, the author has taught people to achieve their goals, mainly through the art of Kenpo Karate. His teaching goes beyond martial arts as he helps them to change outlook on themselves, on everyone they interact with, to how they walk and talk, look people in the eye, in other words, create a new individual. Mastering Life expounds more on this process as it reveals how to control one’s thoughts and actions for a more fulfilling life. Through these enlightening pages, readers can see the great men that Di Carlo has called upon to assist him with his understanding of goal reaching.

In this book, the author explains cognitive reconstruction, a process of learning to alter their faulty thinking with those that are correct, positive reinforcing and enable them to achieve their goals in self-protection as well as in life. He reiterates the importance of taking the next step despite the risk of failure, emphasizing that when man falls down, he gets up and learns from it. He encourages readers to take advantage of this book and apply it to their daily life as they take the next step to fully Mastering Life.

This book will be featured at the New York Library Association Book Exhibit in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. on November 7-10, 2012.

For more information, visit www.Xlibris.com.

William Di Carlo has published this book after a life time of study and experience. “I have always wanted to help others become empowered and this book will help them do it,” Di Carlo said. Di Carlo has spent his life helping people face their fears and achieve their goals in the martial arts for over 30 years since achieving his 8th Degree Black Belt. Having trained and promoted national champions and many black belts he has also owned diversified businesses and tested his principles on living the life he has dreamed of, repeatedly having ‘started over’ many times. Di Carlo also said, “I’ve always did what I dreamed of, others would say to me, ‘How can you do that?’ and I’d say, ‘Watch.’ ”

Mastering Life  by William L. Di Carlo
Publication Date: April 25, 2012
Trade Paperback; $15.99; 99 pages; 978-1-4568-7501-5
Trade Hardback; $24.99; 99 pages; 978-1-4568-7502-2
eBook; $9.99; 978-1-4568-7503-9

To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.

For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.

Are we all mad? In his book Back to Sanity, psychologist Steve Taylor claims we are

In Back to Sanity Steve Taylor (Leeds Metropolitan University) suggests that the human race is suffering from a psychological disorder, which he has coined ‘humania’. The book provides a fascinating exploration of the madness of human beings – both as individuals and collectively - and explains how we can begin to heal this madness, and create a saner world.

Taylor argues that this madness is so intrinsic to us, we aren’t even aware of it, but that when you start to examine our behaviour it isn’t hard to see evidence of insanity. Why for example are so many of us driven to accumulate more and more wealth, status and success without any evidence that they provide us with contentment and fulfillment? Why are we restless or uneasy when not occupied, and constantly looking for distraction, as if we are incapable of just ‘being’? And on a collective level, why is human history an endless, depressing saga of warfare, conflict and oppression? We now live in an age where the world’s three richest people are wealthier than the 48 poorest countries combined, and where almost 800 million people are malnourished while millions of others are obese – as Taylor says, ‘what could be more insane than this?’

Taylor argues that humania is the root cause of all our dysfunctional behaviour, both as individuals and as a species. The first part of the book explores the madness of human beings, looking at the symptoms of humania:

- Living outside of ourselves: our inability to just ‘be’ and our need to immerse our attention in something external – TV, radio, the internet or anything else that will distract us from that sense of ‘lack’ we feel when unoccupied.
- ‘Thought Chatter’: the constant stream of thoughts that whizz around our head, taking us away from the moment and often leaving us feeling unsettled and uneasy – that feeling that ‘something’ is amiss.
- Elsewhereness: our inability to give our full attention to the present and really live each experience (is the bride who spends hours getting ready and several more hours being photographed actually at her wedding, or is she already in the future, looking at the photographs in years to come?)
- Looking forward: we spend our lives ‘looking forward’ to things, not to enjoy them more but as a strategy for escaping from the present.
- The madness of constant wanting: our pursuit of increased status and wealth and the idea that we can buy our way into happiness.
- The collective madness of warfare, colonialism, inequality and social oppression (including the oppression of the female half of the human race): this collective pathological behavior can be seen as the result of the desire for wealth and status together with a lack of ability to empathize with other groups.
- The collective madness of environmental destruction: would a sane species see the natural world as nothing more than a supply of resources to exploit, and be destroying the life-support systems of our planet with such abandon?
- Group identity: because of a deep-rooted sense of insecurity, human beings have a strong need for identity and belonging, which manifests itself in ethnicism, nationalism, religious fundamentalism and other types of group identity, which lead to rivalry and conflict with other groups.

In the second part of the book Taylor explains how to overcome this psychosocial discord. Taylor suggests practices and ways of living – including practical exercises – to help create a more harmonious inner state, so that we can begin to live inside ourselves, in the present and attain a real state of sanity.

‘Taylor is right: humans are mad as cheese. Back to Sanity shows us how to make a sandwich out of our madness and enjoy the meal.’ Oliver James, author of Affluenza

Steve Taylor is a lecturer in psychology at Leeds Metropolitan University and the bestselling author of several books on spirituality and psychology, including The Fall, Waking from Sleep and Out of the Darkness, which was recently featured on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour. He lives in Manchester with his wife and three young children.

Back to Sanity: Healing the Madness of Our Minds by Steve Taylor is published on 25th June 2012, £10.99 paperback, also available as an e-Book.

New Short Story Collection Paints Historic and Personal Portraits

Authors Clark Hawkins and Geraldine “Gerri” Bianchi Wolfe co-write unique book of short stories

Clark Hawkins and Geraldine “Gerri” Bianchi Wolfe offer “Through the Window: A Diverse Collection of the Past and Present” (published by Trafford Publishing) a new book of short stories drawing from the history and their own life experiences.

In “Through the Window” Hawkins and Bianchi Wolfe share stories touching on a broad range of subjects, settings, characters and themes. They introduce readers to a young lieutenant in the 1950s, a sister who recounts her brother’s experiences in Vietnam, and a soldier who returns home after going to war.
Hawkins and Bianchi Wolfe use the short stories to explore human nature, writing with humor and irony about humanity’s faults, foibles and innocence. The book also takes a somewhat unexpected turn, casting its explorative eye on books and literature.

“We are all products of our past whether it be a positive or negative influence,” says Bianchi Wolfe. She and Hawkins hope readers find inspiration in the characters’ ability to meet their obligations and struggles with honor and dignity.

FACTFILE:
Clark Hawkins grew up in the small Penn. towns of Dagus Mines, Toby and Kersey. In later years, he divided his time between Toby Valley and Gilbert, Ariz. Hawkins received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Penn State University and his Ph.D. in economics from Purdue University.

He taught at the University of Arizona, New Mexico State University, University of Arkansas and Florida State University. While at Florida State, Hawkins, along with Charles L. Hubberd, coauthored the book “Theory of Valuation” in 1969. Hawkins was invited to present his extensive financial and investment background expertise to universities and institutions of higher learning throughout the country and the world. Throughout his career, Hawkins conducted continuous, extensive research in the area of utility regulations, specifically gas price regulation.

Geraldine “Gerri” Bianchi Wolfe grew up in Dagus Mines, Penn., and she presently resides in the nearby town of St. Marys. Bianchi Wolfe received her bachelor’s degree in the field of secondary English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and completed her graduate work at Clarion and Penn State Universities. Bianchi Wolfe, a retired educator from the St. Marys Area School District, is an active member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association-Retirees, Seneca Highlands, serves on the governing board of the Office of Human Services, is president of the Fox Township Senior Center, and is actively involved in various other community and church organisations.

Trafford Publishing, an Author Solutions, Inc. author services imprint, was the first publisher in the world to offer an “on-demand publishing service,” and has led the independent publishing revolution since its establishment in 1995. Trafford was also one of the earliest publishers to utilise the Internet for selling books. Over 10,000 authors from over 120 countries have utilised Trafford’s experience for self publishing their books. For more information about Trafford Publishing, or to publish your book today, call 1-888-232-4444 or visit www.trafford.com.

New Memoir Explores Author’s Life of Struggles

Author Jean Alexander shares his dark memories and triumphant victories.

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. – In Jean Alexander’s new memoir “Fear My Surrounding” (published by iUniverse), he shares his journey as a Haitian-born boy who overcame difficult circumstances, immigrated to the United States and started his life anew.

Alexander shares memories of horrendous acts from his time growing up in Haiti. As he explains, he witnessed the mass murder of women and children whose lives were cut short because of political beliefs or opinions. These horrendous experiences were never able to stifle his determination to overcome his circumstances and strive to find his true purpose in life.

An excerpt from “Fear My Surrounding”:
“I’m in disarray, angry at society’s treatment of humankind. I believe society is the main culprit to the destructive path the world is on. Things will only get worse unless each and every one of us, individually, takes responsibility for our actions and capitalizes on past mistakes. Looking forward, we need to be optimistic toward the future and make our environment a better place. Otherwise, we will drive our world to the brink of extinction.”

According to Alexander, some of his darkest moments were manifestations of the fear and anxiety his environment caused him to feel – emotions amplified by his struggles with social anxiety disorder. In Haiti and later in his life in the United States after reuniting with his mother, Alexander learned to rely on his inner strength to survive.

“Fear My Surrounding” shares the inspirational story of how one man faced countless ordeals, yet somehow managed to reach his full potential by believing in himself, dreaming big, and never underestimating the power of the human will.

About the Author
Jean Alexander was born in Haiti in the midst of political turmoil. He settled in the United States in 1997. He lives in New Jersey with his family. “Fear My Surrounding” is his first book.

iUniverse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing provider. iUniverse has a strategic alliance with Indigo Books & Music, Inc. in Canada, and titles accepted into the iUniverse Rising Star program are featured in a special collection on BarnesandNoble.com. iUniverse recognizes excellence in book publishing through the Star, Reader’s Choice, Rising Star and Editor’s Choice designations—self-publishing’s only such awards program. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, iUniverse also operates offices in Indianapolis. For more information or to publish a book, please visit iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS. For the latest, follow @iuniversebooks on Twitter.

New Children’s Book Finds Value in the Little Things

Author Delores Allan pens “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni”

In her new children’s storybook “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni: Come on Let’s Go” (published by AuthorHouse), Delores Allan shares a delightful story teaching young readers to be grateful for the little things in life around them.

Set on a Midwestern farm in the late ′40s to early ′50s, “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni” tells the story of an older couple – Roy and Toni – who love spending time with children. They always remain playful, fun and have a great sense of humor, helping children to appreciate the simple pleasures in life and to take in the beauty of nature and the wonderful things in day-to-day life.

“People today are looking for ways to bring some of the values back into our society and children’s lives,” says Allan. “These books have subtle lessons in them that encourage those values that have somehow gotten lost in our hustle and bustle world.”

Allan hopes the book shows young readers that the best things in life are free and that magical moments are everywhere. The simple story and colorful illustrations will grab young readers’ attention, and the lessons will stay with them each time they take a moment to appreciate their surroundings.

FACTFILEL
Author Delores Allan has a country home in the Midwest. She is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Allan enjoys reading, writing, gardening and spending time with family and friends. She loves telling stories to the small children in her life – a love which inspired her to pick up a pen and put her stories down on paper.

Allan is a Golden Quill award winner, having won the honour for a short story she wrote in college. She plans on continuing to follow her passion to write children’s book and touch the hearts of children everywhere. “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni: Come on Let’s Go” is a five part series of books from Allan.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industry’s only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services.

Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrated 15 years of service to authors in Sept. 2011.

For more information or to publish a book visit www.authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121. For the latest, follow @authorhouse on Twitter.