Category Archives: Book Tour

800 Sayings by Old Folks Who Raised Us Virtual Book Tour

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Nonfiction

Date Published: 07-08-2021

Publisher: Pageturner Press and Media

 

 

The parents and grandparents of William Rocky Brown, 3rd, who raised him,
had roots in the southern USA. Along with that Southern upbringing came the
ability to turn everyday activities or things of nature into wise sayings.
His mother and grandmother had old down-home sayings that took him a while
to understand. After talking to others, he realized he wasn’t alone in
this beautiful experience growing up, so he compiled the wise sayings in his
book, 800 Sayings by Old Folks Who Raised Us.

The wise sayings—to be passed down from generation to
generation—in this book are pearls of wisdom that relate to the past
generations, while the present and future generations may take time to
understand, just as Brown experienced. It creates good family fun and
memories. It can also be used in the form of an intergenerational family
game. 

 

800 Sayings by Old Folks Who Raised Us tablet

EXCERPT

P R E F A C E 

Let me begin by saying that God is the Head of my life, Jesus is my Savior and the Holy Spirit is my Comforter. 

Our parents or grandparents, who had roots in the South, raised many of us. Now, along with that Southern raising came the ability to take every day activities or things of nature and turn them into wise sayings. My mother was from Greenville, North Carolina and my grandmother who raised me was from Mobile, Alabama. They both had old sayings from ‘Down Home’ that took me a while to really understand what they were saying. After talking to others, I realized that I wasn’t the only one who had this wonderful experience growing up, so I decided to compile these 800 sayings. 

It is my hope that they will bring you fond memories and laughter and you will share them with your children and grandchildren. 

This book is dedicated to my mother Gwendolyn Regina Carraway Brown and my grandmothers: Ethel-Mae Knight Brown (Mother-dear), Halease Moore Wooten-Reid and my great-grandmothers Willie-Mae Knight and Carrie Skipper. My grand’s are the women on the cover and that’s me at 2 months old. (By the way, that’s a design on the chair and not a ribbon in my hair. lol) 

Special thanks to my friend Ellen Graham, my Bethany Baptist Church members, my Facebook friends and the contributions I found that were posted on the internet by others who also enjoy these sayings. 

Enjoy my friends! 

WRB, 3rd 

About the Author

William Lewis Rocky Brown, 3rd

The Honorable Reverend Dr. William Lewis Rocky Brown, 3rd, was born and
raised in Chester, PA. He has three daughters and three grandchildren. Dr.
Brown received his Bachelor’s from Cheyney University, his
Master’s from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate
from Jameson Christian College. He studied at the MLK Jr. Center in Atlanta
and the University of the Virgin Islands and completed The F.B.I. and D.E.A.
Citizens Academies.

Dr. Brown is an ordained 45-year Baptist Minister now serving at the
Bethany Baptist Church in Chester, creator and host of Saturday Night Live
Prayer & Praise Weekly Service, and a Master Police Chaplain. He’s
also the author of “800 Sayings By Old Folks Who Raised Us” and
The 3N1: A Trilogy Of Spiritually Filled Motivational Messages”. He
has a weekly column in Scoop USA and a daily Blog on his website:
www.yourspiritualmotivation.com. In the 80s and 90s, he traveled around the
country, motivating youngsters to stay in school and to say no to drugs and
violence, using the art of Rap. Thus, he was affectionately known as the
“Rappin Rev.” He is a former elected member of the City Council
of Chester. He was also elected twice as Chester City Controller and was
elected in 2021 as a Pennsylvania State Constable.

Dr. Brown has been involved in numerous community and civic organizations.
He is a Prince Hall 33-degree Mason, Past Master, Grand Chaplain Emeritus,
Past Grand Worthy Patron, and an Elks and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity member.
He has received over 200 awards and commendations.

 

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Opium et Moi Virtual Book Tour

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Memoir

 

 

Every perfume is a unique work of art, no different than a piece of music
or a painting in its ability to evoke feelings in its audience. In 1976,
Yves Saint Laurent fell in love with the idea of creating a new perfume that
would convey the lush, sensual mood of the name he had already chosen,
OPIUM.

Working with Yves, his personal and business partner Pierre, and so many
others in the world of high fashion and fragrance could be exhilarating,
infuriating, and often, a simmering pot-au-feu threatening to boil over.
This narrative takes you behind the scenes, providing a glimpse of that
fascinating world and the people who kept it spinning.

It is a highly personal story, and one I know well. It is my story.

Opium et Moi Virtual tablet

EXCERPT

Introduction

Every perfume is a unique work of art, not unlike a piece of music or an abstract painting. It can reach deep into the primitive recesses of our brains and touch our souls, evoking feelings and emotions that are beyond language. Our sense of smell—the olfactory process—resides in the most ancient part of our brains, and for thousands of years, it has protected animals—as well as humans—from danger, warned them not to eat spoiled food, and aroused them with sexual desire. It still does. 

The feelings evoked by a fragrance are not simply marketing ploys. An array of elements, called notes—sweet or leathery, fresh or spicy—are combined in a distinctive progression, not unlike turning musical notes into a melody that can stir the senses to despair or rapture. The powerful, heart-wrenching aria, “Un bel dì, vedremo,” can bring people to tears, even without understanding the words of Puccini’s opera, Madama Butterfly.

 In 1976, Yves Saint Laurent fell in love with the idea of creating a new perfume that would convey the lush, sensual mood of the name he had already chosen. And although I am not a perfumer, I know that the scent that Charles of the Ritz Group, Ltd. went on to develop together with the name merged into something greater than the sum of its parts; it was, and remains, a phenomenon that has lasted almost half a century. 

It’s Opium.

Perhaps you’re wondering how and why I fit into this story. Well, it’s complicated. In brief, Yves and his partner, Pierre Bergé, opened Yves Saint Laurent Couture in 1961 with financing from an American investor, Mack Robinson, in exchange for a controlling interest in this fledgling venture. The Company then registered YSL trademarks in an array of product categories, including perfumes and cosmetics. In 1965, Mack Robinson sold his controlling interest to Ritz. In 1971, Squibb Beech-Nut Corporation acquired Ritz, and after some fancy footwork, Ritz owned all YSL trademarks and Yves and Pierre owned YSL Couture.* 

The bottom line is that Yves, the enfant terrible of the high fashion world, didn’t own his own trademarks and didn’t have the final authority to make decisions about the perfumes and cosmetics bearing his name. That responsibility became mine when I was named president of Ritz’s International Division. 

Of course, in addition to YSL, I was also responsible for developing, producing, and marketing Ritz’s other cosmetics and fragrance brands outside the United States and exporting them from the US to countries around the world. It was a big job and an even bigger opportunity. I relished the challenge. 

Working with Yves, his personal and business partner, Pierre, and so many others in the world of high fashion and fragrance could be exhilarating, infuriating, and often, a simmering pot-au-feu threatening to boil over. This narrative takes you  behind the scenes and provides a glimpse of that fascinating world and the people who kept it spinning.

 It is a highly personal story and one I know well. 

It is my story.

About the Author

Robert H Miller

As a young boy, I was always absorbed in books about
history—particularly that of the United States—and geography,
yet still managed a healthy appetite of sports and a weekly outing to see
the latest cowboy or adventure movie. Later, I was exposed to the Broadway
stage and developed a great fondness for musical theater, at one point
picturing it as a future career choice. But alas, as I grew older and
realized I was not that talented, I became more serious about the
future.

Fortunately, I wound up in a creative segment of the business world, which
provided me the opportunity to travel the globe and stimulated my interest
in world history. It also opened avenues into entertainment and politics. I
found a home in the fashion industry and served as President of Charles of
the Ritz Group, Ltd., then a wholly owned subsidiary of Squibb Corporation,
where I also served on its Board of Directors. Here, I was deeply involved
with well-known fashion designers, Yves Saint Laurent and Gianni Versace;
Hollywood stars, Linda Evans and John Forsythe; and because of the success
of the perfume, Opium, wound up in Washington meeting with senators,
representatives and administration officials to obtain relief from gray
market goods flooding the United States in the early 1980’s.

After my retirement, I wrote two novels based on my many years of
experience in the fashion industry, and continually pursued my interest in
history. Following a short break to write a non-fiction book on the
relationship of taxes and jobs, I spent much of my time these past several
years studying the biblical account of the rise of Christianity from the
varying narratives of religion, history and archaeology. The results of that
research were a source of information and inspiration for my wife, Leslie
Schweitzer Miller, in writing her first novel, DISCOVERY.

Now my interest is in public policy on issues that affect the United States
such as healthcare, taxes, job creation and foreign affairs, about which I
will be commenting periodically.

 

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Anvil of God Audiobook Tour

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Historical Fiction

Date Published: 1/18/2024

Narrator: Deborah Balm

Run Time: 15h 30 min

 

 

It is 741. Only one thing stands between Charles the Hammer and the
throne—he’s dying. Despite his best efforts, the only thing to reign
after Charles’s death is chaos. Son battles son, Christianity battles
paganism, and Charles’s daughter flees his court for an enemy’s love.

Based on a true story, Anvil of God is a whirlwind of love, honor,
sacrifice, and betrayal that follows a bereaved family’s relentless quest
for power and destiny.

 

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About the Author

J. Boyce Gleason

After a 25-year career working as a press secretary on Capitol Hill,
writing a weekly column for a daily newspaper, and managing crisis and
public affairs for many of the largest American corporations and
institutions, J. Boyce Gleason began writing historical fiction to satisfy
his passion for storytelling.

His first novel ANVIL OF GOD, Book One of the Carolingian Chronicles
received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, was named Historical
Fiction Book of the Year by the Independent Publishers Awards and
Mainstream/Literary e-Book of the Year by Writers Digest Magazine.  The
sequels (Wheel of the Fates & Crown of a King) both received 4.5 ratings
or better on Amazon.

With an AB in history from Dartmouth College, Gleason brings a strong
understanding of the events that shaped history. He says he writes
historical fiction to discover “why.” He and his wife live in
Virginia.

 

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Exiles Virtual Book Tour

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Fiction/Coming-of-age

Date Published: May 2024

Publisher: Film Valor

 

 

In this final chapter, Ron’s story concludes from Reflections on the
Boulevard (2023). Michael’s wish was for Ron to exile himself in the heart
of Paris with its beautiful culture and citizens as they protest and fight
for the soul of the city. Ron’s journey is met with life-affirming
friendships and lessons along the way. The final book in the Reflections of
Michael Trilogy, which started with A Reservoir Man (2022)

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EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE

 

A cool autumn breeze, in the twilight, wrapped around our exile who sat on a bench in front of a bookstore that resembled a place we might find in a Tolkien novel. On this street, rue de la Buccheri, was the bookstore Shakespeare and Company. The store itself was famous for housing the books of many great literary artists on their shelves. They also supported any young or old artistic vagabonds by allowing them to sleep in the aisles of the bookstore on makeshift beds when finding themselves homeless.

Ron, who managed the store, sat on this bench every evening thinking of Michael. Ron thought of things he remembered and how much he learnt from Michael. He felt the emptiness in his soul, yearning to have that connection just one more time. He had lived in Paris for six years now, a brief time for an exile, yet he was free from a society drowning in untruths; his refuge was the bookstore.

Just like every night, as Ron prepared to close the store, he occasionally checked the front of the store, looking for his friend. Then, he noticed another young man still looking at books on the outside shelves.

Ron moved outside to get a closer look at the late customer under the guise of moving the outdoor book bins back inside. He suddenly noticed that the young man was putting a book down his pants.

Ron raised his voice and shouted for the thief to put the book back on the shelf. The young man, caught in the act, ran away.

The young man sprinted and tripped while running past the café. In this stumble, he decided to turn the corner and make his way rapidly toward la Seine.

Ron, weak in the legs from forgetting the spirit of his youth, had been managing bookstores more than living life. His legs pumped forward. but with the awkwardness of an old man who had forgotten how to walk. In a few seconds he was up to speed and ran faster to catch the thief.

Near the corner, Ron had missed his opportunity to slow and check for other people walking, so he slammed into a group of women. He especially blasted into an old lady whose groceries flew into the sky, and a yogurt splattered against a wall and the faces of the other women. She turned to condemn her assailant, but he was already on the next block in pursuit of the thief.

He spotted the thief at the Notre Dame Hotel, out of breath, leaning against a pillar. Surprised at the thief’s choice to stop here, he slowed down and let his feet pound the street into a halt.

Ron grabbed at him but still missed his shoulder.

“Give me the book back!” he said, very loudly.

The thief just shrugged his shoulder, a mocking smile. His smile made the act of chasing him through the streets feel silly, as if this were a game that had been played and he took it too seriously.

The thief looked at Ron and asked, sarcastically, “What language are you speaking?”

“What do mean? I am speaking French!”

Our thief laughed, turned to a random man who walked down the street, and said, “This young man thinks he is speaking French Go ahead say something to this stranger; he will tell you are speaking some other language other than French!”

“I will call the police,” Ron said firmly.

 

About the Author

Louis J. Ambrosio

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies
in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer,
running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at 7
Universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film
producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

 

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TikTok: @ljambrosioauthor

 

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The Dove That Didn’t Return Virtual Book Tour

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Poetry

Date Published: May 21, 2024

Publisher: Holy Cow! Press

 

 

A poet and female commander in the Israeli Defense Forces creates an
original perspective from the war-torn front lines of the Middle East
conflict.

The Dove That Didn’t Return tackles the canon of war poetry, an
almost exclusively male-penned body of poems. In the book, biblical stories,
verses, and fragments are rewritten through the eyes of a female lieutenant
in the Israeli Army. It is a contemporary poetics on the revelations of war
from an Israeli perspective never before told—a woman, and a soldier
at that.

This debut full-length collection follows upon the publication of her
critically acclaimed chapbook, Between Sanctity and Sand, from Finishing
Line Press.

 

The Dove That Didn't Return tablet

EXCERPT 

BETWEEN SANCTITY AND SAND

 

The first time I shot an M-16

it was the heat of summer in the Negev.

Gas-operated with a rotating bolt, five-point-fifty-

six caliber, with nineteen bullets a box. 

I could shoot like an angel.

 I could hit a running target 

at six-hundred-fifty meters. 

I hummed to myself as I shot, 

I was eighteen. 

The retama flower of my hair-bun drawn back tight 

blooming, sprouting open with every green round.

 

 

About the Author

Yael S. Hacohen

Yael S. Hacohen earned a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley. She has received
research/teaching fellowships from Tel Aviv University and Bar Ilan
University. She has an MFA in Poetry from New York University, where she was
an
NYU Veterans Workshop Fellow, International Editor at Washington Square
Literary
Review, and Editor-in-Chief at Nine Lines Literary Review. Her work has
been featured or is forthcoming in The Poetry Review, Ploughshares, The
Missouri Review, Bellevue Literary Review, LIT, Prairie Schooner, New York
Quarterly Magazine, Colorado Review, and many more.
Hacohen published her chapbook Between Sanctity and Sand with Finishing
Line Press in 2021. Hacohen served as a lieutenant in the 162nd Armored
Division of the Israeli Defense Forces. She lives with her family in Tel
Aviv, Israel.

 

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