A new book, "BCZICAN" (and you can too) by Beth Griffin hitting the stores now.

 

     A mysterious photo with its "eerie quality" graces the cover of this fascinating new book by author, Beth Griffin.  A long- time resident of Waterford, Michigan, Beth has chosen to break out of her comfort zone to share her most intimate experiences in print with the hope that she can teach by example about life, love and faith.  She also reflects on the need to follow your dreams without guilt or regret.

     A break-in at her home sparked an avalanche of emotions and exposed a series of life's missteps to surface within the pages.  Each short chapter intertwines with another without the need to offer candid advice. It's a page turner and can be ordered through Borders Books, Barnes and Noble, andAmazon.com.    

   

  "...the edge of the mattress slowly began to descend, and an arm gently lay across me at the waist. What a comforting felling, such an affectionate gesture, but suddenly my eyes popped open in utter disbelief. No one had a key to my home. My eyes focused quickly on a man's hand in front of my face. I didn't move a muscle, frozen with fear ... was he going to put his hand over my mouth? Hurt me? Smother me? Kill me?"

 This is a true story based on a incidents that have taken place involving the author. Beth Griffin exposes her life in a way that leaves you searching with her for answers. 

  

  

Author Darla P. Jaros Book Signing Event

 Darla Jaros, a resident of Waterford, MI, will be available to sign copies of her Cookbook, The Kitchen Assistant: Time and Money Saving Tips in the Kitchen.

As a single mom supporting three children, Darla Jaros of Waterford learned the importance of fulfilling her children's preferential tastes with presentation as well as nutrition. 

After collecting recipes and helpful kitchen tips for over thirty years, Darla combined her knowledgeable and tried-and-true basic principles of cooking into this helpful and unique cookbook. 

Darla utilizes fresh ingredients and a handful of useful guidelines to cook quick-and-easy meals on a tight budget. 

She is well versed in providing delicious, wholesome, and inexpensive meals while saving time and cleanup in the kitchen. 

Darla will teach you which staple items to always keep handy, how to make a meal for the entire family when the cupboards seem bare, and the multiple uses of spices, as well as a weight-management plan. Her useful and unique tips will help you successfully prepare for a healthy dining experience while stretching your grocery dollars.

The Kitchen Assistant is sure to become your daily reference guide and a permanent fixture in your family kitchen.

Book signing: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Jan. 11, at the Lyon Township Public Library, 27005 S. Milford Rd., South Lyon, MI 48178

 

 

Alice Carleton, 64, and a freshman at Oakland University, is a member of the American Legion in Rochester.

 Her book, Sanctuary of the Soul, contains poems of anguish, healing, hope, comfort and celebration.  

 It is endorsed by Elie Wiesel, Wayne Dyer, Nikki Giovanni, Drs. Larry Dossey, Alice Miller, Ellen Langer, et al.

 www.soulpoetry.org is the website.
 The Midwest Book Review states:  "Sanctuary of the Soul is an anthology of brief poems - mostly only one page long--that reflect multiple facets of the human condition.  From the suffering of poverty, war and death to treasuring the hope, joy, and togetherness thta make life worth living.  Sanctuary of the Soul is a beautiful, poignant, and inspirational collection.  Highly recommended, whetehr to lingr upon and contemplate a single poem at a time, or to immerse oneself in the verses all at once, cover to cover."
"Life Lessons Turn Into Award-Winning Poetry" is an article written by the Oakland Post at Oakland University (www.oaklandpostonine.com), written on September 29th, 2010.

A little about the author: She was born and grew up in a little town in Maine, in poverty and abuse, never knowing her father (met him at 33).  She joined the army right out of high school, and married someone who she said abused her for 36 years, followed by divorce and a church that voted her out of membership. She fought the system for 18 months to try and prevent the pastor from counseling any more women, because 2 of the women he counseled were suicidal.  www.churchabusepoetrytherapy.com

Turn an awkward subject into an engaging conversation

Talking about money with family is never easy, but according to local authors and legacy expert attorneys Danielle Mayoras and Andrew Mayoras, the holidays are the perfect time to get the estate-planning conversation rolling.  It could protect your family from a great deal of heartbreak – not to mention expensive courtroom battles – to artfully broach the subject of wills and trusts as you dig into the turkey, pass the latkes or carve that ham during a holiday meal.

The Mayorases, who live in West Bloomfield and are partners at Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras, P.C., in Troy, wrote Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights! as a way to use celebrity cases to highlight the missteps and mishaps to avoid when planning for one's heirs.  The husband-and-wife team has been featured by the Washington Post, LA Times, Rachael Ray Show and Forbes.com, among others.

"Overall, the holidays are rare opportunities for family members to have face-to-face conversations. One critical conversation is talking about estate planning — what happens legally when a loved one passes away," explains Danielle Mayoras.

And, as Andrew Mayoras adds: "Open and frank conversation can be a good way to avoid a family fight before it begins." 

But how do you get that somewhat-touchy conversation started? The co-authors provide five great tips for introducing the subject seamlessly:

·        Bring the celebrities home for the holidays. If your family member (mom, dad, sister, aunt, grandma) is reluctant to talk about wills and trusts, begin by sharing some stories about celebrity estate planning.  Start with the case of Ray Charles.  He sat his entire family down (which included 12 kids from 9 different mothers!) and discussed what he planned for his estate after his passing. 

·        Find out if your loved ones have done their estate planning. You've begun the conversation with your family by describing what Ray Charles did, so the next question is:  has your loved ones prepared a will or trust yet?  Find out!  Whether you're 29 or 92 years old, no one is promised tomorrow.  Sonny Bono was just 62 years old when he unexpectedly perished in a skiing accident, without a will or a trust.  His widow endured lots of complications because of Sonny's lack of planning.

·        Confirm they have finished what they started. Maybe you've gotten through the first two hurdles, and your family members say, "Don't worry.  We've taken care of everything."  Are they positive they've done their due diligence?  Share the stories of Heath Ledger, who failed to update his will after his daughter was born, and Michael Jackson, who caused his family unnecessary trips to the courthouse because he did not properly fund his trust. If your loved ones have a will or trust, has it been updated recently?  Have they transferred their assets into their trust?  It's not enough to just do the documents, they need to be done the right way and updated with new laws and life changes.

·        Verify that the attorney is a specialist. "Yes," your loved ones respond, "we just saw our attorney and updated everything."  But does their attorney specialize in estate planning?  If not, going to the attorney to update the documents may not be enough.  Does the attorney use one-size-fits-all forms, or customize the documents to your loved one's needs?  You can find tips on how to make sure that you have a good attorney in Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights!  to give your family peace of mind.  Also, make sure that you have the name of the attorney and other professionals in the event that a loved one unexpectedly passes away.

·        Establish the location of the documents. It doesn't do the family any good if after all the ground work is completed, you cannot find the crucial documents!  Share the story of Olympian Florence Griffith Joyner (aka Flo-Jo).  Her original estate planning documents were never located, costing her family a lot of time, money, grief and uncertainty.  Make sure that your loved ones tell you where those critical documents are located and that the trustee or executor can access them.  There's no point in hiding the will or trust so well that no one can find them, or putting them in a safe deposit box that no one can get into!

To get more tips on how to start the conversation, visit www.TrialAndHeirs.com.

 

Turn an awkward subject into an engaging conversation

Talking about money with family is never easy, but according to local authors and legacy expert attorneys Danielle Mayoras and Andrew Mayoras, the holidays are the perfect time to get the estate-planning conversation rolling.  It could protect your family from a great deal of heartbreak – not to mention expensive courtroom battles – to artfully broach the subject of wills and trusts as you dig into the turkey, pass the latkes or carve that ham during a holiday meal.

The Mayorases, who live in West Bloomfield and are partners at Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras, P.C., in Troy, wrote Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights! as a way to use celebrity cases to highlight the missteps and mishaps to avoid when planning for one's heirs.  The husband-and-wife team has been featured by the Washington Post, LA Times, Rachael Ray Show and Forbes.com, among others.

"Overall, the holidays are rare opportunities for family members to have face-to-face conversations. One critical conversation is talking about estate planning — what happens legally when a loved one passes away," explains Danielle Mayoras.

And, as Andrew Mayoras adds: "Open and frank conversation can be a good way to avoid a family fight before it begins." 

But how do you get that somewhat-touchy conversation started? The co-authors provide five great tips for introducing the subject seamlessly:

·        Bring the celebrities home for the holidays. If your family member (mom, dad, sister, aunt, grandma) is reluctant to talk about wills and trusts, begin by sharing some stories about celebrity estate planning.  Start with the case of Ray Charles.  He sat his entire family down (which included 12 kids from 9 different mothers!) and discussed what he planned for his estate after his passing. 

·        Find out if your loved ones have done their estate planning. You've begun the conversation with your family by describing what Ray Charles did, so the next question is:  has your loved ones prepared a will or trust yet?  Find out!  Whether you're 29 or 92 years old, no one is promised tomorrow.  Sonny Bono was just 62 years old when he unexpectedly perished in a skiing accident, without a will or a trust.  His widow endured lots of complications because of Sonny's lack of planning.

·        Confirm they have finished what they started. Maybe you've gotten through the first two hurdles, and your family members say, "Don't worry.  We've taken care of everything."  Are they positive they've done their due diligence?  Share the stories of Heath Ledger, who failed to update his will after his daughter was born, and Michael Jackson, who caused his family unnecessary trips to the courthouse because he did not properly fund his trust. If your loved ones have a will or trust, has it been updated recently?  Have they transferred their assets into their trust?  It's not enough to just do the documents, they need to be done the right way and updated with new laws and life changes.

·        Verify that the attorney is a specialist. "Yes," your loved ones respond, "we just saw our attorney and updated everything."  But does their attorney specialize in estate planning?  If not, going to the attorney to update the documents may not be enough.  Does the attorney use one-size-fits-all forms, or customize the documents to your loved one's needs?  You can find tips on how to make sure that you have a good attorney in Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights!  to give your family peace of mind.  Also, make sure that you have the name of the attorney and other professionals in the event that a loved one unexpectedly passes away.

·        Establish the location of the documents. It doesn't do the family any good if after all the ground work is completed, you cannot find the crucial documents!  Share the story of Olympian Florence Griffith Joyner (aka Flo-Jo).  Her original estate planning documents were never located, costing her family a lot of time, money, grief and uncertainty.  Make sure that your loved ones tell you where those critical documents are located and that the trustee or executor can access them.  There's no point in hiding the will or trust so well that no one can find them, or putting them in a safe deposit box that no one can get into!

To get more tips on how to start the conversation, visit www.TrialAndHeirs.com.

 

Colleen Thompson is a new author who now lives in the Ann Arbor area. 

She came from Long Island, New York about 12 years ago, with her job. 

She just released her first children's book, and is excited about sharing it with the world. 

The book Claudine & Claudette A Bug story speaks about children living with the disease of Diabetes. 

It speaks of the trials they go through on a daily basis. 

This book can be found at any major bookstore as well as online. 

Lazar, the Good Deed Dog: Giving Love and Respect to Our Elderly

Lazar, the Good Deed Dog: Giving Love and Respect to Our Elderly was recently the best-selling book at the Jewish Community Center Metropolitan Detroit 59^th Annual Book Fair, showcasing authors premiering 65 new books. 

Lazar, a Golden Retriever rescue dog, lives at the Fleischman Residence/Blumberg Plaza retirement community. Having grown up without a family or home, he now has people to visit and fun things to do every day! In return, his presence enhances the lives of the seniors whose families and pets live elsewhere, bringing them joy and companionship. Both Lazar and his resident friends benefit from this unique relationship in Lazar, the Good Deed Dog: Giving Love and Respect to Our Elderly, a new book by Myrna Gelman Shanker.

With illustrations and rhyme, readers travel from room to room with Lazar, as he visits and celebrates the rich lives of his elderly friends. Based upon a real-life living situation, this book encourages children and their parents to visit the elderly, sharing their time, love and respect with this special generation, who have much to teach.

This book celebrates the importance of creating meaningful relationships with the elderly, eliminating the negative effects of loneliness, vulnerability and boredom. The story emphasizes the beauty within every person, which Lazar helps to bring out in "his" seniors as he lovingly interacts with them. Take a tip from Lazar: Dedicate your day to acts of kindness just for the sake of making the world a better place.

 www.myrnashanker.com" www.myrnashanker.com

About The Author and Illustrator

Myrna Gelman Shanker was born and raised in Metropolitan Detroit. She received her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Michigan, and has worked in teaching and advertising. Her own poignant relationships with family, community and animals inspired her to write Lazar, The Good Deed Dog: Giving Love and Respect to Our Elderly. This is her first children's book.

Linda Robinson, illustrator, has been creating since she won all those ribbons in 3^rd grade. After college, Linda worked in industrial publishing and advertising. She has illustrated 20 books and happily illustrated six books for children. She is also the author of the novel, Chantepleuré.

Many like to think that nothing is as pure as God's love, right? At least that's the antagonist method in creating an environment of incest in my novel, What Happens in My House: Secrecy of Incest in American Families, Journey of Forgiveness and Healing, author Patrice D. Howard. 
 

Patrice is a local Metro Detroit author and she's trying to create dialogue about this taboo subject that has so many people imprisoned to a psychological bondage. 

 

In the book, Noelle is disheartened when she learns of the pregnancy of her teenage sister. On a search for the child's paternity, Noelle discovers more than the usual teenage adolescent behavior. She unlocks a painful history of incest, sexual abuse, and much more that has been hidden for so long in the image of this perfect "God Fearing" family. In an effort to dispel the myth of pedophilia and keep her family intact, Noelle must make a choice. Should she expose an ugly truth masked in holiness or keep the family secret and let "time heal all wounds"? Follow this family on an amazing journey of revelation, forgiveness, and healing as they struggle with a generational curse that has plagued many family homes across America.

Book Signing
Saturday December 11, 2010
3 p.m.
Costick Activities Center
28600 W. 11 Mile Rd.
Farmington Hills, MI
48336

Michigan author Jaimy Gordon will be at the Redford Township District Library on Sunday, December 5th from 3-4:30pm to read from her new novel Lord of Misrule, which has been named a finalist for the 2010 National Book Award in fiction. There will be a short reading followed by a Q&A and book signing. This event is co-sponsored by the Book Beat bookstore, the Redford Township District Library (25320 West 6 Mile Road,Redford, MI 48240), and the Women's National Book Association (Detroit Chapter).  Books will be available for purchase at the event.  Please contact Book Beat at 248-968-1190 for more information. This event is free and open to the public. 

"With marvelous poetic authority, Jaimy Gordon takes us deep into the underbelly of the racetrack. There are no roses or mint juleps here. This is the down-and-dirty world of claiming races, and everything is hazed with the gritty patina of desperation. Through her considerable gifts, Gordon fully inhabits this seldom-seen world of trainers, dreamers, gamblers, and grifters. At turns comic, heartbreaking, and lyrical, Lord of Misrule is a brilliant achievement."--Don Lee, author ofWrack and Ruin

Jaimy Gordon currently resides in Kalamazoo, MI where she teaches creative writing at Western Michigan University.

Here are links to two recent articles about Lord of Misrule:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/11/AR2010111103972.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304510704575562580993084298.html