Portfolio Category: NON-FICTION

Pain Is Not What It Seems by Anita Hickey MD
Pain Is Not What It Seems by Anita Hickey MD, Morgan James Publishing, In Production
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/559611468″]
With a better understanding of healing, we can change the paradigm of treating and preventing chronic pain and disease.

While conventional Western medicine tends to treat the body and mind as separate entities, scientific evidence proves that physical, spiritual, and psychological aspects of self affect one another on a profound level. This book explains the science that tells us that only when these deeper spiritual and emotional issues are addressed can true healing from suffering and pain begin.
After thirty years treating military and civilian patients with chronic and acute pain and associated disorders, Dr. Anita Hunt Hickey shares profound wisdom and insights of the “secrets” behind how to heal from intractable complex pain, which although published in scientific journals and books are not taught to most doctors nor found in standard wellness curriculums. Her astonishingly simple and transformative program provides an easy-to-follow path to healing from suffering and pain.

Dr. Anita Hunt Hickey trained in Pain Medicine at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston Children’s Hospital. She is a speaker with 30+ years’ experience treating military and civilian patients with chronic and acute pain with a focus on the use of Integrative and Holistic Pain Medicine. Her work includes participating in numerous working groups on pain management and integrative medicine for the Department of Defense and the VA and she was selected as US Navy Integrative Medicine and Pain Medicine representative for the Army Surgeon General’s task force on pain management. Dr. Hickey lives and works in Chula Vista, CA.
January 8, 2019
Be Awesome by Stacey Lee Ritz

Be Awesome by Stacey Lee Ritz, Non-Fiction, Motivation & Inspiration / Self-Help, Rockville Publishing, Narrated by Lesley Ann Fogle, Audiobook Release Date: May 29 2017

“You know how every once in a while you do something and a little voice inside says, “There. That’s it. That’s why you’re here.”…and you get a warm glow in your heart because you know it’s true? Do more of that.” -Jacob Nordby

I’ve worked a lot of jobs. I’ve worked outside. In cubicles. In offices. At home. From my car. On a river. At a university. In schools. In kennels. In medicine. In food. In the woods. Behind a camera. With children. With senior citizens. In academia. And for world class jerks. I’ve been bored beyond belief. I’ve been exhausted from extremely long commutes. I’ve watched the excruciatingly slow minutes tick on the clock, knowing I had to put in my time and keep my derriere in my seat until the end of the scheduled day (even though there wasn’t a lick of work in sight). I’ve cleaned urinals. I’ve picked through trash. I’ve scrubbed gates and floors on my hands and knees using a toothbrush.

On the flip side, I’ve found what I love. It was with me all along. The difference was, I finally opened my eyes and took notice. I didn’t change anything about who I was, or am. I just let myself (finally) be that person, and that’s when everything began to take shape. I’m here to help you find what you love to do and to encourage you to begin (or continue) your journey to your best life. Whether you’re 19 or 85, it’s never too late to start living a life you love. You’re awesome, so be awesome. Small tweaks and everyday attitudes and actions make a big difference. Discover how to live your best life by utilizing the gifts already inside of you.

About the author:

Stacey Ritz is a bestsellingauthor and award winning writer. An empathetic and compassionatestoryteller, Ritz wrote for a plethora of local and national newsoutlets, magazines, blogs, and websites (copywriter), prior to becoming a novelist. Her book, Covered in Pet Fur has gained attention from RIVA Media and Animal Planet. She is the Executive Director and co-founder of Advocates 4 Animals, Inc. – a 501(c)3 non-profit animal welfare organization that has saved more than 11,000 lives (and counting). She currently resides in Ohio. Ritz is published through RockvillePublishing. You can interact with Stacey online via her blog at staceyritzbooks.com, on Pinterest, and Instagram.

REVIEWS
“One-of-a-kind! A book that feels like a good friend. Motivating. Inspiring. Encouraging and filled with insightful, helpful stories.” -Julie, Youth Write Now Mentor
“The perfect book for anyone who has a goal. A great gift for graduates, athletes–anyone who has a dream.” -Runners Musings
“A fantastic book for every age!” -Amy Beatty, Author of Treadmill Workouts: 90 Treadmill Workouts for Every Runner

“Everyone needs a copy of this book. When I finished reading the book, I read it again. I bought copies for co-workers, friends and family. And I started thinking about my own life – my goals, my dreams. The book restored my enthusiasm toward everything I want my life to be. Get a copy of this book. You won’t be disappointed!” -Patricia Lynn, RP Editor

“Whatever it is you want to do in this life, you can do it. Be Awesome is a must read and a book you will surely pick up again and again for years to come. Filled with motivation, stories and practical steps to reach your goals.” -Advocates 4 Animals, Inc.

“Need motivation? Want to feel inspired? Want a dose of happiness? Want a reminder that you are AWESOME? Look no further- you’ll find it all in Stacey Ritz’s book, Be Awesome: How to Live Your Best Life. If you want to live your best life, this is a must read. I loved picking up the book each time to read and I never wanted to put it down- but each time I did, I felt happy. I felt motivated. I felt read to go after all of my goals.” -OSN

June 8, 2017
Understanding Susan Sontag by Carl Rollyson

Understanding Susan Sontag by Carl Rollyson, The University of South Carolina Press, Nonfiction, American History, Audiobook Release Date: April 10, 2017

A comprehensive account of the author’s entire career through the lens of her recently published diaries.

With the publication of Susan Sontag’s diaries, the development of her career can now be evaluated in a more genetic sense so that the origins of her ideas and plans for publication are made plain in the context of her role as a public intellectual who was increasingly aware of her impact on her culture. In Understanding Susan Sontag, Carl Rollyson not only provides an introduction to her essays, novels, plays, films, diaries, and uncollected work published in various periodicals; he now has a lens through which to reevaluate classic texts such as Against Interpretation and On Photography, providing both students and advanced scholars a renewed sense of her importance and impact.

Rollyson devotes separate chapters to Sontag’s biography; her early novels; her landmark essay collections Against Interpretation and Styles of Radical Will; her films; her major mid-career books, On Photography and its sequel, Regarding the Pain of Others; and Illness as Metaphor and its sequel, AIDS and Its Metaphors, together with her groundbreaking short story, “The Way We Live Now.” Sontag’s later essay collections and biographical profiles, collected in Under the Sign of Saturn, Where the Stress Falls, and At the Same Time: Essays and Speeches, also receive a fresh assessment, as does her later work in short fiction, the novel, and drama, with a chapter discussing I, etcetera; two historical novels, The Volcano Lover and In America; and her plays, A Parsifal, Alice in Bed, and her adaptation of Ibsen’s The Lady from the Sea. Chapters on her diaries and uncollected prose, along with a primary and secondary bibliography, complete this comprehensive study.

Carl Rollyson, professor of journalism at Baruch College, the City University of New York, is the author of A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan, A Private Life of Michael Foot, Amy Lowell Anew: A Biography, American Isis: The Life and Art of Sylvia Plath, Hollywood Enigma: Dana Andrews, Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress, Lillian Hellman: Her Life and Legend, Beautiful Exile: The Life of Martha Gellhorn, Norman Mailer: The Last Romantic, and three studies of biography.

Review:

“In Understanding Susan Sontag, Carl Rollyson lucidly and critically engages Sontag’s career as a writer, filmmaker, tastemaker, and theater director. This book will introduce Sontag to students at the same time that it brings new knowledge to more advanced readers. Of particular value to the specialist are the chapter on Sontag’s posthumously published journals and an appendix that surveys Sontag’s uncollected work. Rollyson’s book makes an outstanding contribution to the Understanding Contemporary American Literature series by appealing to an audience of students, serious readers, and academics.”―Barbara Ching, Iowa State University

About The Author:

Carl Rollyson, Professor of Journalism at Baruch College, The City University of New York, has published more than forty books ranging in subject matter from biographies of Marilyn Monroe, Lillian Hellman, Martha Gellhorn, Norman Mailer, Rebecca West, Susan Sontag, and Jill Craigie to studies of American culture, genealogy, children’s biography, film, and literary criticism. He has authored more than 500 articles on American and European literature and history. His work has been reviewed in newspapers such as The New York Times and the London Sunday Telegraph and in journals such as American Literature and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. For four years (2003-2007) he wrote a weekly column, “On Biography,” for The New York Sun and was President of the Rebecca West Society (2003-2007). His play, THAT WOMAN: REBECCA WEST REMEMBERS, has been produced at Theatresource in New York City. Amy Lowell Anew: A Biography (awarded a “We the People” NEH grant) will be published in August 2013. . “Hollywood Enigma: Dana Andrews, a biography of Dana Andrews was published in September 2012 by University Press of Mississippi. His biography, “American Isis: The Life and Death of Sylvia Plath” was published in February 2013, the fiftieth anniversary of her death. In 2013, he also published Amy Lowell Anew: A Biography, and in 2014 Marilyn Monroe Day by Day. His biography/memoir A Private Life of Michael Foot will be published in August 2015. He is currently at work on two books, Memoirs of a Serial Biographer and a biography of William Faulkner. His reviews of biography appear regularly in The Wall Street Journal, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Raleigh News & Observer, The Kansas City Star, and The New Criterion. He is currently advisory editor for the Hollywood Legends series published by the University Press of Mississippi. He welcomes queries from those interested in contributing to the series. Read his column, “Biographology,” and his blog on http://carlrollyson.com.

June 2, 2017
Meditations Guided by Hear No Evil Sound

Meditations Guided by Hear No Evil Sound

A series of Mindfulness Meditations (Breathing, Relaxing The Senses, Body Scan) and Visualization practices. These meditations are centered around sound and range from 3 to 17 minutes in length.

Available on Bandcamp. Coming soon to iTunes and Amazon.

Vocal Guidance and Design by Lesley Ann Fogle
Musical Composition by Lisa Bella Donna
Cover Photograph by Moyan Brenn
Produced by Hear No Evil Sound, LLC

1. Just the breath (5:05)
A short mindfulness meditation that focuses on letting the body taking direct control of the breath, connecting with that breath, and staying out of your own way. This is a fundamental to all of the other meditations and can be applied anywhere for a short and calming break from stress.

2. Relaxing the senses (10:00)
A short but effective mindfulness meditation that focuses on relaxing the senses. Throughout the day our senses filter a lot of information and the buildup can lead to sensory overload furthering to an unsettled mindset. Relax the sensory pathways and reset your day.

3. Body Scan and Wake (17:05)
A longer guided body scan ending with a short awakening guide to get back to the day.

4. Body Scan and Sleep (17:05)
The same guided body scan as the the previous track followed by music that fades out instead of the awakening guide. A practice suitable for maintaining self-visualization or letting go into naptime or bedtime.

5. Candle Gazing (3:28)
A quieter initial visualization that concentrates on building a strong visual picture in the mindscape, independent of the eyes, and connects the breath with that visualization.   6. The Woods (4:09) – A nature environment visualization that establishes a visual picture and brings in sound, and the other senses lightly while easily connecting the breath.

6. The Woods (4:11)
A nature environment visualization that establishes a visual picture and brings in sound, and the other senses lightly while easily connecting the breath.

7. The Night Sky (3:17)
A nature environment visualization involving the senses and breath connection. This visualization best follows The Woods visualization and introduces the concept of seamlessly transitioning into different environments.

8. The Beach (5:33)
Strengthen the sensations of your luxurious getaway to the beach. An active visualization that uses all of the senses to create a connected and immersive environment of peaceful tranquility. Master this meditation for a strong but calm mind and being.

Meditations are best started in a comfortable position in a peaceful environment and will require a relaxed and focused commitment to bringing the body to a deeply relaxed state.

Lesley Ann Fogle has been a practicing yogi since 1994 after learning Alexander Technique through her college vocal studies. Around 2000, she started introducing yoga concepts through vocal coaching which branched into workshops which branched into classes. For the last eight years, Lesley has concentrated her yoga teachings in the corporate environment to reach people in the work force.

The music for this track by Lisa Bella Donna will also be available soon on Bandcamp for non-guided meditations. Info will be updated on this page and on Bandcamp.

February 14, 2017
Reiki Meditation by Faye Bridges

Reiki Meditation by Faye Bridges

Reiki is a very spiritual healing method and like many spiritual methods there are a lot of misconceptions about the practice. It probably doesn’t help that Reiki itself is shrouded in mystery. The author of this book provides insight into some of the common myths that surround the practice of Reiki to help clear up some of the mystery surrounding this spiritual approach. Even though Reiki is spiritual in nature don’t let that scare you off. It is simply an alternative medicinal approach to healing the body.

In the first chapter of this book you are going to discover what Reiki is, as well as how it can help you. The author keeps the basics short and sweet. Then the author discusses the five basic principles of Reiki which form together to create The Reiki Creed, which is the foundation that all Reiki practitioners follow.

In the course of the second chapter the author goes on to discusses the importance of Reiki attunements. Attunements are a necessary part of Reiki as they help to prepare the body for treatments. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare your body for an attunement takes a lot of the guesswork out of Reiki and ensures a successful treatment.

In this book you will learn the basics of a Reiki treatment, how each of the five symbols are used, as well as the hand placements used by Reiki practitioners on their recipients.

Reiki as a holistic healing method can be practiced on others, but practitioners can also use this practice to heal themselves.

Reiki treatments are often delivered via a single practitioner, but in rare cases recipients take part in something called a Reiki Circle. You will learn all about Reiki Circles and when they are useful for recipients….

February 14, 2017
Virtual Afterlives: Grieving the Dead in the Twenty-First Century

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/280592394″] Virtual Afterlives: Grieving the Dead in the Twenty-First Century by Candi K. Cann, Sociology & Death, University of Kentucky Press, Redwood Audiobooks, Narrated by Lesley Ann Fogle, Release Date: September 13, 2016

For millennia, the rituals of death and remembrance have been fixed by time and location, but in the twenty-first century, grieving has become a virtual phenomenon. Today, the dead live on through social media profiles, memorial websites, and saved voicemails that can be accessed at any time. This dramatic cultural shift has made the physical presence of death secondary to the psychological experience of mourning.

Virtual Afterlives investigates emerging popular bereavement traditions. Author Candi K. Cann examines new forms of grieving and evaluates how religion and the funeral industry have both contributed to mourning rituals despite their limited ability to remedy grief. As grieving traditions and locations shift, people are discovering new ways to memorialize their loved ones. Bodiless and spontaneous memorials like those at the sites of the shootings in Aurora and Newtown and the Boston Marathon bombing, as well as roadside memorials, car decals, and tattoos are contributing to a new bereavement language that crosses national boundaries and culture-specific perceptions of death.

Examining mourning practices in the United States in comparison to the broader background of practices in Asia and Latin America, Virtual Afterlives seeks to resituate death as a part of life and mourning as a unifying process that helps to create identities and narratives for communities. As technology changes the ways in which we experience death, this engaging study explores the culture of bereavement and the ways in which it, too, is being significantly transformed.

The author examines four primary categories of popular memorialization, in an order that reflects the gradually disappearing body: (1) Bodiless memorials (2) Tattoo memorials, (3) Car-decal and T-shirt memorials, and (4) Internet and social network memorials.
__________________________________________________________________

Candi K. Cann received her Ph.D. from Harvard University in the Study of Religion and is interested in the way in which the dead are remembered and memorialized by the living. She studies religious memorialization (martyrs) and popular forms of contemporary memorialization such as tattoo memorials and car decal memorials. She is an avid reader, traveler, and lover of poetry, but her passions are spending time with her family, friends and living well.
__________________________________________________________________

“With sensitivity and insight, Cann deftly charts a change in American mourning practices related to changing Western views of death as a privatized, bodiless experience. She brilliantly explains the rise of roadside memorials, car decals, and body tattoos as recent manifestations of first, a public seeking to mourn in a society that emphasizes life and hides death, and second, the removal of the body from the experience of death.”

―Simon Bronner, Distinguished University Professor of American Studies and Folklore and director of the American Studies doctoral program at Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg

“Cann argues that the way we grieve and memorialize the dead has shifted in recent years. She carefully takes the reader on a journey that reveals the metamorphosis of memorialization and ways of grieving that are more private today, yet at the same time are brought out into the public sphere in creative ways via cyberspace, tattoos, t-shirts, bodiless memorials, and automobile decals.”

―George Dickinson, professor of sociology at the College of Charleston and author of Understanding Dying, Death and Bereavement

August 11, 2016
Savory Suppers and Fashionable Feasts: Dining in Victorian American

Savory Suppers and Fashionable Feasts: Dining in Victorian American by Susan Williams, Nonfiction History, Redwood Audiobooks, Narrated by Lesley Ann Fogle, Release Date: July 2016

Savory Suppers and Fashionable Feasts offers a delightfully flavorful tour of dining in America during the second half of the 19th century.

Historian Susan Williams investigates the manners and morals of that era by looking at its eating customs and cooking methods. As she reveals, genteel dining became an increasingly important means of achieving social stability during a period when Americans were facing significant changes on a variety of fronts – social, cultural, intellectual, technological, and demographic.

Focusing on the rapidly expanding middle class, Williams not only examines mealtime rituals, but she looks at the material culture of Victorian dining: the furniture, the furnishings, and the growing array of accouterments – from asparagus tongs to sardine servers and lace doilies – that supported genteel expectations for tableside behavior. She also explores changing ideas about meals – how they fit into the daily schedule and what kinds of food and drink came to characterize specific meals and menus. The result is at once an informative look at life in Victorian America, and a sumptuous celebration of a key moment in the country’s culinary experience.

“This lively and informative volume gives a good general picture of the eating patterns of the middle and upper classes in late 19th-century America. With its many choice quotations and entertaining anecdotes, this well-written book should appeal to a wide audience. Highly recommended.” (Library Journal)

August 11, 2016
Introductory self-help books by Jane Aniston

Introductory self-help books by Jane Aniston

Short, overview books laid out clearly and simply. These are introductory books recommended for people who want more information on these topics but are unlikely to listen to an eight-hour book. These books are between forty-five minutes and one hour.

“Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Practical Guide to CBT for Overcoming Anxiety, Depression, Addictions & Other Psychological Conditions” by Jane Aniston, Nonfiction Motivation, Eddington Publishing, Narrated by Lesley Ann Fogle, Release Date: May 18 2016

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empowering form of psychotherapy where patients identify negative thoughts and harmful behavioral patterns, and then learn how to respond positively to their problems, ultimately breaking free from the vicious cycle that is causing their suffering without the need for medication or other drugs.
These techniques are applicable to a whole host of psychological disorders, including but not limited to anxiety, clinical depression, sleep disorders, sexual disorders, phobias, alcoholism, eating disorders, substance abuse and dependency, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia.

“Positive Thinking: Overcome Negativity & Become a Happier, More Positive Person” by Jane Aniston, Nonfiction Motivation,Eddington Publishing, Narrated by Lesley Ann Fogle, Release Date:July 9 2016

Research shows that our outlook on life has a massive impact on not only our happiness, but also our personal and professional success, our health, our relationships, and even our life expectancy! Negativity, on the other hand, is toxic and is the cause of so much pain, worry, wasted time, and missed opportunity in so many people’s lives.

“Narcissist: How to Beat the Narcissist!: Understanding Narcissism & Narcissistic Personality Disorder” by Jane Aniston, Nonfiction Motivation, Eddington Publishing, Narrated by Lesley Ann Fogle, Release Date: June 29 2016

• The origins and causes of narcissism
• The 9 traits of a narcissist
• Narcissism vs. Narcissistic personality disorder
• The differences between covert and overt narcissism
• The narcissist’s drug and their greatest fear
• How to spot the narcissist
• Dealing with or getting away from the narcissist

August 11, 2016
Mass Influence – The Habits of the Highly Influential by Teresa de Grosbois

Mass Influence – the habits of the highly influential by Teresa de Grosbois with Karen Rowe, Business and Money, Narrated by Lesley Ann Fogle, Audiobook Release May 2016

Mass Influence – the habits of the highly influential by Teresa de Grosbois
With Karen Rowe, Writer & International Speaker
Featuring insights shared by Randy Gage, Dr. John Demartini and Shawne Duperon

The rule book has changed. You attend a business networking event and meet Jack. You buy him coffee to foster a relationship. Point scored. Jack has the potential to be your new customer and even leads you to new business. Feeling pretty good, you go to another function. You’re impressed with the influential speaker at the event. She walks off stage to a lineup of people who want to meet her. You figure, what the heck? I’ll invite her for a coffee, too. Wrong. Quite honestly, you could be pushing away an influential connection without knowing it. Influence is a skill. Growing your business while creating influential connections is a game. It has its own set of rules, habits and etiquette that, when followed, will change the landscape of how you do business, deeply increasing your bottom-line. The challenge is most in business are unfamiliar with the game of growing influence. You’re in the right place. Influence expert Teresa de Grosbois takes you on a journey that unveils the key habits for success that are encompassed by the most influential people across the globe. She shows you the top mistakes to avoid when connecting with the influential and how to ultimately join their ranks. Pick up a copy of Mass Influence and learn the new rules of the game.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Review
If you want to be influential, if you want to make a real difference lean into this book. It s an insider’s guide on what creates influence and how you can deeply influence those you lead. – –Randy Gage, Author of the New York Times bestseller, Risky Is the New Safe

A profoundly insightful book that will transform the level of the playing field and game you are presently living. If you desire to make a massive difference and become highly influential in the world, this is certainly the book to read. – –Dr John Demartini, International best-selling author of The Values Factor

What Covey is to highly effective people, Teresa de Grosbois is to highly influential people. As one who intuitively understands what makes truly influential people tick, de Grosbois offers practical insights and authentic strategies for anyone to become more influential in their niche and beyond. A moden-day How to Win Friends and Influence People, this book is not to be missed! – –Joel Comm, New York Times Best-Selling Author, Twitter Power
_________________________________________________________________________
About the Author

Teresa de Grosbois is an international speaker and 4X Bestselling author hailing from Calgary, Canada. As an expert on influence, Teresa teaches courses around the globe on how to become an authority in your field and how to create word of mouth epidemics around your work. Teresa is the founder and chair of the Evolutionary Business Council, an international community of emerging thought leaders who focus on teaching the principles of success and prosperity. Karen Rowe is an author and writing coach and book expert from Tampa Florida. Karen has ghostwritten books for some of the most fascinating people in the world including a gold-medal Olympian, entrepreneurs with online empires and some of the top self-help leaders in the industry.

April 21, 2016