Pay w/a Tweet (or FB) & Get FREE prologue to Love101 by @sylviahubbard1 at #SyllLit

Pay w/a Tweet (or FB) & Get FREE prologue to Love101 by @sylviahubbard1 #SyllLit Now that the sequel to the Love 101 | Mistaken Identity sequel is out, I've now made the initial book Love 101 free! Love 101 Fiction » Romance » General By Sylvia Hubbard Rating:  (4.67 based on 3 reviews) Published: Jan. 27, 2011 Words: 6053 (approximate) Language: English Short description A teacher mistaken as a student decides to push the envelope and explore her lustful instincts with a stranger. Read more: http://sylviahubbard.com/2012/07/21/love101tweet

NEW eRELEASE: Love101-Mistaken Identity Part Deux: Learning to Love #ebook #pdf #mobi #epub

And this makes 30 books! Wow! And Wow! How did this happen? I really don't know. When a story hits me, It really hits me and lays me out. Unfortunately, I'm unable to literally do anything else until I finish. So I got back in Cheyenne and Evan's head and pumped this baby out in less than a couple of weeks. I will warn you…. DON'T BE MAD AT ME. Author's note: You don't have to read the prequels to these novels in order to enjoy Love 101: Mistaken Identity. I have set the stage for you to understand things and the original Love 101 appears in this novel. But there's more. The continuing story of The Lotts (from Mistaken Identity 1) is also in this book as well. I hope to make this book available on all venues, except Amazon, but the book will be available as a Kindle download as well. Enjoy! As always enjoy!! Love 101: Mistaken Identity Part Deux By Sylvia Hubbard Rating: Not yet rated. Published: July 17, 2012 Words: 47416 (approximate) Language: American English Short description Learning To Love… again… After teacher is mistaken as a student and decides to push the envelope with a stranger her whole world is turned upside down. Sequel to Love 101 and the continuing saga of Mistaken Identity series. READ MORE AT: http://sylviahubbard.com/2012/07/18/announcing-new-erelease-love101-mistaken-identity-part-deux-learning-to-love-ebook-pdf-mobi-epub LEAVE YOUR EMAIL AND GET A FREE STORY! Click here to Leave Your Email for Sylvia Hubbard's Literary World delivered to your Inbox and get a free story!

Author Spotlite w/excerpt: The Road To Redemption by Lucinda Cross @lucindaspeaks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 22, 2012

New York, New York

THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION hit the Amazon Top 100 Best Sellers List In Two Categories

A Road Map of Overcoming and Finding Your Essence by Lucinda Cross

For every success story there is a story of overcoming and a high level of endurance. For author Lucinda Cross, her path to success is about facing life’s adversity with faith and courage.

As of May 22, 2012 The Road to Redemption is climbing the charts since  on the Top 100 Amazon Best Sellers List #14 in two categories.  New York bound Author and nationally known speaker Lucinda Cross plans to keep using her voice as a vessel to uplift, encourage, educate and empower women and young teens to become the best version of themselves.  In a world where chaos and confusion is the norm, Lucinda Cross reaches out and touches her audience in the most vulnerable places- their hearts, souls and minds.

"Lucinda Cross is truly an authentic soul. She not only allows us to visualize her ups, down, challenges, gifts, beauty, goals, business and talents - she shares her soul and ministry for all to learn what getting up and never giving up means. 'Road to Redemption' is a blueprint to unlocking the ones true talent through listening to the whispers of the soul and spirit and acting upon the solutions provided. Thank you, Lucinda for empowering me to strive for the ultimate --- superstar authenticity!!! ~Karen Taylor Bass, PR Expert and Chief Mom, The Brand New Mommy"

The Road to Redemption is an honest examination of how Lucinda Cross does it- how she relates so effectively to her community and her network. In such a simplistic but insightful and meaningful way Lucinda Cross compares her past struggles to the challenges we face every day. Her past has been felt or experienced by all of us. The lessons she learned during her intense hardships are lessons we all can benefit from. At the age of 19yrs in college being sent away for 5 years to Federal Prison; struggles of being a single mother with a dream, leaving corporate America to start her business.  But through it all, Lucinda Cross has moved forward encouraging in every setback, mentoring, connecting, and teaching. Her book is an inspirational story and guide of hard-won triumph and optimism over episodes of tragedy and hardships.

Publisher website: www.lucindacross.com/thebook

ISBN-13: 978-0615566061

About the Author: Lucinda Cross is a dynamic speaker with an inspiring story and an incredible ability to touch people’s hearts and souls. She is a master at turning her past into a purpose driven life and teaching others to do the same in their own lives. Lucinda Cross has transformed and transitioned her life, and has dedicated her life to teaching others how to do the same for personal and professional success.

For media inquires, bookings, or other publicity- please contact: Jenny Murillo-assistant@lucindacross.com 347-634-5564 

 PURCHASE | MORE INFORMATION

http://www.amazon.com/The-Road-Redemption-Lucinda-Cross/dp/0615566065/motowritnetw-20

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lucinda Cross is an award-winning business leader and one of today’s most dynamic voices on the subject of personal and business success. She’s a popular speaker and the founder of several successful and interesting businesses. She also counsels and coaches growing entrepreneurs to flourish.

Lucinda started her career in Risk Management and Performance Improvement with a degree in Organizational Management and Business. Her journey into entrepreneurship began when she became a mother and she has been building businesses ever since. She has defied the odds in life and in business and has mastered the ability to turn adversities into advantages. She travels the world sharing her message and inspiring women to Be…Create…Connect and Collaborate.

She is the author of two book projects, author of Corporate Mom Drop Outs, and the Amazon Best Seller, The Road to Redemption.

Today Lucinda runs Activate Academy offering products and services in personal development and professional leadership.

Lucinda writes and lectures extensively and her clients include many prestigious organizations. She’s been featured on ABC, NBC NY1, Daily News, LA Times, Working Mother, Babble Top 100, the Al Sharpton show and recently on the Tom Joyner morning show.

She is a mother of three and a wife and currently resides in New York City.

 

Lucinda Cross, Activate! Dynamic Transitions and Powerful Transformations Tel: 347-634-5564 www.lucindacross.com

Contact me: virtuallucinda asklucindacross

 PURCHASE | MORE INFORMATION
http://www.amazon.com/The-Road-Redemption-Lucinda-Cross/dp/0615566065/motowritnetw-20
 

EXCERPT

 

We’ve all been there at that make it or break it moment in our lives.  That moment where it seems as if time stops and the world is spinning, but you are not moving.  You have a decision to make. You have an obstacle in front of you that you did not expect or did not suspect it to be.

Maybe you haven’t attained the success you feel your hard work should have brought you by now or maybe you feel you have the talent to be all that you can be, be the expert in your field, but you just can’t seem to put that talent or those skills into position to be useful when it really counts.

Maybe just maybe you feel your potential or this gift you have just isn’t being tapped and you have no clue what’s missing or what’s holding you back.

You are keen on not wasting any more time wallowing in the self- pity party. You’re not interested in looking back into your childhood; you simply want to move forward. You don’t want to be sabotaged by self-doubt any longer. You don’t want to be paralyzed by panic or fear. You want a goal that will tap your full potential and you want courage and determination to go after that vision, no matter how unrealistic, out of your mind it may seem to others, no matter how much heat you have to endure, no matter how many setbacks you have 

to fight to overcome.

You are in full pursuit of success and happiness.

We are all fighting this fight on a daily basis.

This book can help. This book will help. It encapsulates a program that transformed people in all walks of life. I have been on a mission to bring out peoples best, no matter what they did in the past or what they do for a living.

I learned that my market, my audience lacked self-confidence, feared the unknown, terrified of failure, couldn’t focus or concentrate, they were fear paralyzed and mistakes from their past hindered them.

In writing this book and crafting the program that is the next step after reading is designed to help each reader to overcome these obstacles in 5 major areas.

• Focus
• Determination
• Action
• Perspective
• Mindset

The information provided in this book is about creating the future, not trying to erase the past; about uplifting, inspiring and empowering you to make lasting changes, not excuses for what has already happened.

Whatever success you envision, whatever you are called to do, whatever goal you set for yourself, I want you to see it as your choice and chance to make a difference in your life and the lives of others.  My job in these pages is to empower you to make the decisions you deem necessary to achieve your goals and live your best life, the best way you know how.

To be empowered and activated, one must also be inspired. To that end I’ve included my story of change on my personal Road To Redemption.

No journey can begin, no route can be plotted, and no mission can be accomplished without you taking the first step to make a decision.

What are your intentions in reading this book?

What do you hope to gain?

Where do you stand in your life right now?

You can clearly add your own journey and road map on your Road To Redemption. You can do this; you 

can change your portion of the people in the world. I will support you to get you through it. I will talk you through it, but you must be ready to meet me at the start line.

The Road to Redemption

Paperback: 160 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0615566061

 

 PURCHASE | MORE INFORMATION
http://www.amazon.com/The-Road-Redemption-Lucinda-Cross/dp/0615566065/motowritnetw-20
 

Lucinda Cross, Activate! Dynamic Transitions and Powerful Transformations Tel: 347-634-5564 www.lucindacross.com

Contact me: virtuallucinda asklucindacross

Literary Spotlite: G.P.A. @gr8estpoetalive via @aambookclub

Synopsis:
The Mind of a Poetic Unsub is a cornucopia of Poetry. It begins with hard hitting  autobiographical tales, continues with poetic flexing of muscles in the form of various poetry forms, followed by Romantic Age love poems, and finishing with a sensual surprise at the end. The Mind of a Poetic Unsub is not only speaking from the mind of its author but also speaks for the mind of others.

 GET YOUR COPY ON AMAZON

Excerpt:
Within These Walls
tad more warm than cold outside
theft of things infinitely moving everything going on
within these walls
the television blares on, perhaps questions of paternity
there are no questions, just declarations, exclamations
within these walls
room temperature is accelerated to resemble desert’s humidity
thunderous waves rage, roar, run rampant throughout and against the barriers
within these walls
within these walls
sound is not contained
the manly grunts, feminine moans, wild beasts growls
friction tempts the barrier of sound and brings about the merger of things soft and hard
the result not ending is all becomes drenched
before, during, and after have no separation
no difference can be determined
within these walls
fingers intertwine as toes curls
sensual synchronicity
thrusts given and retorted
placesn,then other places, and ignored places all touch, kissed, kissed, and touched
oh my
perhaps on a Tuesday ,there is no need for existence
outside of here
so i will stay inside here and her
within these walls

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Who is the debonair, award winning, eclectic and inspiring yet motivational man who calls himself G.P.A. which means greatest poet alive? This is not an arrogant statement either, but more so a true revelation of how talented this man truly is. If you have never heard this talented one speak a spoken word, you have truly been deprived an opportunity to get swept away in this poet’s sheer talent. G.P.A. is from the south side of Chicago. He has been writing poetry since 2007 and published his first book of poetry, “The Confessional Heart of a Man” recently he has also written and self-published the scintillating book of sensual poetry, “The Book of 24 Orgasms”.
Besides his own works, G.P.A. was the main poetic contributor to both “Chocolate Rose” and “Chocolate Rose 2″ also man who support causes that don’t get enough exposure, During Domestic Violence month, he contributed poems to the anthology, Voices Behind the Tears. G.P.A .is the founding member of The League of Extraordinary Poets an organization of poets who take the art of storytelling to another level, G.P.A. is also a member of the Waiting for the Bus collective.
A man who takes pride in his work, definitely a voice that one could not easily forget he recently received the 2011 Black Essence Award for Poetry and Charity. G.P.A .has been twice nominated for Poet of the Year in 2011 and “The Book of 24 Orgasms” was nominated for Book of the Year. This poet is one who is not afraid to step outside the box from taboo topics to social awareness, G.P.A is indeed a name poetry and spoken lovers should get familiar with as he prepares to release his first cd of poetry, “The G.P.A. Experience” and the follow-up to his first book, “The Mind of A Poetic Unsub” keep your eyes and ears open because this artist is destined for greatness.

GET YOUR COPY ON AMAZON
 
Get to Know G.P.A:

1. What makes The Mind of a Poetic Unsub so special?
The Mind of a Poetic Unsub is unlike other published books of Poetry that usually have one theme or style throughout the book.  The Mind of a Poetic Unsub not only touches different themes, but it delves into various forms of Poetry (haiku, sestina, villanelle, etc).

2. In your byline, you use words like “controversial” and “most electrifying man in Poetry”. Care to clarify those? 
I have been a huge fan of professional wrestling for a long time, and there are certain wrestlers that speak with flair (The Rock, John Cena, Hulk Hogan,etc). I try to emulate that when I am interviewed and perform. Controversial is applicable because there is a certain amount of controversy that comes with attaching a moniker like “Greatest Poet Alive” to yourself, and if anyone has ever heard me begin or in the midst of an interview, read any of my writing, or seen me perform, there is a certain electricity that I give off.

3. Since you are clarifying adjectives,would you please tell everyone what the word “Unsub” means and how it applies to you?
Certainly, the word “unsub” comes from one of my favorite television shows,”Criminal Minds”. It means unknown subject or suspect, usually the antagonist in a respective episode. I use unsub along with “poetic” to state that G.P.A. is always up to some poetic scheme, whether it be a new poem, new expression, another performance, etc. And even though I’m search engine friendly and have “some” acclaim, I am still unknown to some.

4. What are some people or things that influence your Poetry?
I am influenced by everything in this journey called Life. all of the ups, downs, days, nights, the weather, various locales I’ve visited or would like to visit, and beautiful women.

5. Is your moniker “Greatest Poet Alive” something just to garner attention or what you believe yourself to be?
That is a great question. Greatest Poet Alive or G.P.A. is my moniker, an attention grabber, and what I believe every time  my fingers grasp a pen or my voice comes through a microphone that is what I am.

6. What literary goal do you have that you have not accomplished yet?
I plan to write a best selling,critically acclaimed book of Fiction. It will be in the form of a romantic comedy, but just with an urban feel to it.

7. What is next for the Greatest Poet Alive?
I will be performing works from all three of my books and other poems that are not in any of them. Besides working on my book of Fiction, I will release the final chapter of The Lust Series, Revenge of the Orgasm, following that, there will be Remembrances of a Black Boy, a book of Poetry geared towards adolescents. Along with my tag team partner, Kottyn Campbell, we will continue our “Love Tour”.

GET YOUR COPY ON AMAZON
 
 Web Links:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/GPA-Greatest-Poet-Alive-Livingston/171281820040?ref=tn_tnmn, http://www.iblowyourmind.com/, https://twitter.com/#!/gr8estpoetalive
Email contact: gpaloep@yahoo.com
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Y-mGrZLRM

Last Day to get The Future, Imperfect by @Ruth_Nestvold FREE @amazonkindle #free #kindle #amreading

The Future, Imperfect: Six Dystopian Short Stories

www.amazon.com

"The Future, Imperfect" is a collection of near future, dystopian short stories by Ruth Nestvold. Environmental changes -- slow in some regions, catastrophic in others -- have had a major effect on our world, not for the better. click here to get yr copy for free.

Please support my new social connection author, Ruth Nestvold on her free day  by downloading her book. I started it last night and trust me, you'll enjoy it!! Don't forget to leave a review on Amazon, like her author's page and then make sure you get over to my books on Amazon and leave reviews over there too.

Thanks in advance for your support to our literary endeavors!!

Reading Spotlite: Every Twenty-Four Hours by CJ via @aambc

Synopsis:
Eileen knows she is a ticking time bomb. Breast cancer runs in her family: Her mother and grandmother both died of the disease. And yet, when Eileen herself falls ill and must undergo a double mastectomy, she’s unprepared for the shock of confronting her own mortality. For help, she leans hard on her family: her eccentric and outspoken aunt, a kind friend who embodies the word “sisterhood,” her red-headed cousin whose free-spirited nature results in a revolving door of men as diverse as the United Nations, but who gives Eileen an unselfish gift that leaves the entire family speechless, and her two spirited young sons, who bring out her momma lioness.
Eileen’s certain she can teach her cancer a lesson; but cancer has some lessons in store for her. As she battles her disease, she must confront the true nature of her relationship with her less-than-loving boyfriend, she must reconcile her own cancer experiences with memories of her mother and grandmother, she must turn to God and faith more than ever before, and when an old flame reappears in her life, she might finally get her happily ever after—but only if she can find the strength to seize it for herself.

Excerpt:

Scene 1

Overwhelmed, she let her head fall toward the table, and she buried her tear-soaked eyes in the bend of her arm. Why is this happening to me? Her chest felt heavy. Her mind was singed like blades of grass during a summer drought. Deep within there was still life, but the diagnosis made her exterior crumble. Seconds later a nauseous feeling overcame her, and she rushed to the bathroom, fell to her knees, and emptied the contents of her stomach in the toilet. She tucked her dangling hair behind her ears and rested her hands on the white porcelain throne as clear liquid continued to come up. When the flow had finally stopped, she slowly lifted herself up. Her knees cracked as her legs straightened. Standing, she made her way across the linoleum to the small wooden vanity. A toothbrush and a washcloth freshened her up instantly, but neither removed the excruciating pain of reality tearing through her head.

Scene 2

The corners of his mouth turned up. Eileen’s cheeks warmed. Within milliseconds, her insides felt mushy as a Popsicle on a hot summer’s afternoon. He was tall, handsome, clean-cut, and somewhere in his early twenties. His broad chest sculpted his tailored blue suit, and the scent of his cologne, geraniums with a woody musk base was a delight to her nose. Her mouth filled with saliva. Now she understood the hype in psych class about Pavlov’s dog. She swallowed several times.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes.” She stood before him, mesmerized. Was jet fuel pumping through her veins instead of plasma? All she knew was that her head was definitely in the clouds.

Scene 3

“Okay, but did you make sure the gun is still here?” Sammy asked.

“No, but he wouldn’t take the gun. We only have it in case someone breaks in.”

“I don’t think he’d take it either, but I’d feel a whole lot better if you checked. You remember no one thought Tony would try to commit suicide either.”

“That’s ridiculous!” There he goes again comparing James’s emotional state to his father’s. “If it’ll make you shut up, I’ll show you,” she shouted. Eileen stormed to her bedroom. The sea-blue walls looked red through her enraged lenses. She grabbed hold of the doorknob and slung opened the closet door. It crashed into the plaster. But she didn’t care. Sammy had hit a nerve—severed the damn thing with his ice-pick tongue. Eileen pulled out the footstool that James had made her in shop class from beneath the rack of clothes. She saw Sammy watching her tensely. With her feet planted firmly against the wood grain, she reached high on top of the shelf where she kept the gun beneath an old blanket. Sammy offered to help, but she ignored him. Hadn’t he done enough? She ran her hand along the wooden shelf and could feel a metal handle graze her fingertips. With her fingers locked around the metal, she pulled her hand back for Sammy to see. The proof was in her grasp. He was going to eat his words. All of them—choke on them like a big fat side of beef.

Get to Know CJ:

1. Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

I get my inspiration from my environment.  I write about things that I’ve been affected by in some way or that I’ve heard about or seen in my environment.  I select a topic and a message I want to communicate about that topic.  Then, I build a story around it.

2. What other books have you written? 

My first novel was Stop the Music, a story about domestic violence.  My second novel was Straw Dreams, a story about one girl’s dream to escape a dysfunctional family environment for a better life.  This May, I released my third novel, Every Twenty-Four Hours, which is a story about breast cancer.

3. Who are some of your favorite authors?

I don’t read as much as I’d like because I work full time, volunteer for Hospice, and am always trying to write something.  However, some of the authors I enjoy are Lisa Dale, Terry McMillan, and Toni Morrison.

 4. What’s the hardest part of writing a novel?

The hardest part of writing a novel for me is editing.  It’s difficult to become unemotionally involved with the characters to make the tough choices about cutting or rewriting scenes.  However, the goal is to make the manuscript flow nicely for readers so making those choices are necessary.

5. What advice would you give others who dream about seeing their manuscripts in print?

I’d tell them to self-publish. They should never let someone else define their destiny.  Some of the rejection letters are brutal, but you can’t let that stop you from accomplishing something you believe in. I don’t ever want to look back at life and know that I didn’t accomplish something I wanted because I let someone else discourage me.

6. How do you react to reviews about your novels?

Everyone wants a good review, but we’re people and we aren’t all the same and don’t enjoy the same types of books.  I believe there is a market for the inspirational stories that I write, so I don’t mind it if someone doesn’t like my novels.  I just hope everyone doesn’t feel that way.

 7. What do you hope to have accomplished with your writing in ten years?

 I hope that the amount of people that I touch with my novels grows by leaps and bounds, and I’d love to someday see something I’ve written be translated to the big screen. But mostly, I hope readers feel empowered by my heroines’ journeys.

Cynthia Johnson (CJ) is a Christian, wife, mother, college graduate and a career woman.  She is also a breast cancer survivor and Caring Angel volunteer for Hospice of Dayton.  CJ has been jotting down storylines and poetry since grade school.  She has self-published two previous novels, Stop the Music and Straw Dreams, which are both inspirational novels that deal with her love of and dependence on God. She loves animals and long walks on the beach with her husband of twenty-five years.  She someday hopes to retire from her day job and lead a national cancer initiative to provide family support services for cancer patients.




Web-links:
www.cjbooksandtreasures.com

EVENT: (OKEMOS) Talk &signing with, NYTimes Bestseller, Steve Hamilton VIA @schulerbooks July 7th today 7pm

Saturday, July 7th at 7:00pm  Talk and Signing with best-selling author Steve Hamilton  Two-time Edgar award-winner and New York Times bestselling author Steve Hamilton returns with the outstanding Die a Stranger-- perhaps his boldest book yet.  About Die a Stranger: Late one night, a plane lands on a deserted airstrip. Five dead bodies are found there the next morning. And now Vinnie LeBlanc is missing. Vinnie is an Ojibwa tribal member, a blackjack dealer at the Bay Mills Casino, and he just might be Alex McKnight's best friend. He's come through for Alex more than once in the past, and he never ever misses a day of work. So Alex can't help but be worried. There's a deadly crime war creeping into Michigan's Upper Peninsula, leaving bodies in its wake, and Alex never would think for a minute that his friend could be involved. But when an unexpected and unwelcome stranger arrives in town, Alex will soon find out that the stakes are higher than he ever could have imagined.  Steve Hamilton was born and raised in Detroit, and graduated from the University of Michigan where he won the prestigious Hopwood Award for fiction. His first novel, A Cold Day In Paradise, won the PWA/SMP Best First Private Eye Novel Contest. It went on to win the Edgar and Shamus Awards for Best First Novel. In 2006, Steve won the Michigan Author Award for his outstanding body of work. His book The Lock Artist is the winner of the 2011 Edgar Award for Best Novel.     1982 Grand River Ave  .  Okemos, MI 48864  .  517.349.8840 www.SchulerBooks.com September marks 30 years of Schuler Books. Celebrate with us!   author events  --  live music  --  anniversary sale Schuler Books & Music | 2660 28th st. | Grand Rapids | MI | 49512

FREE KINDLE E-BOOK ALERT: Soul Sisters by Janiera Eldridge @lazenbeauty

FREE KINDLE E-BOOK ALERT: Soul Sisters by Janiera Eldridge Soul Sisters by Janiera Eldridge http://amzn.to/Soul-Sisters   Soul Sisters is an urban fantasy novel about African-American twin sisters Ani and Dana who have a rather unique secret: one sister is human while the other is a vampire. While the sisters have lived peacefully with each other for many years one fateful night will change both their lives forever. When a drunken man tries to attack Dana (the human sister) Ani (the vampire sister) protects her sister with all of her ferocious power. However, when the vampire's leader Donovan finds out about the public display he calls for the sisters to be assassinated for disobedience. Ani and Dana now are in for the fight of their lives to protect each other as well as the lives of their dedicated friends who have joined them on their mission for survival. If Dana and Ani can make it through this time of uncertainty, Ani can take her new place as vampire queen. Soul Sisters is expected to be a trilogy; The book also features a multicultural cast of characters that brings a new edge of chic to the vampire world.  ***REMEMBER: FREE E-BOOKS DO NOT REMAIN FREE FOREVER, AND BY THE TIME YOU GET TO CLICK THE LINK, IT MAY ALREADY BE BACK TO THE REGULAR PURCHASE PRICE!***

Author Spotlite: Chris Lee @lifepathllc From Frustration to Fulfillment #FF2F #michlit #blogtour #mwn

Title: From Frustration to Fulfillment 

Author: Chris Lee

Subtitle: How A Traumatic Brain Injury Changed My Life

ISBN: 978-0-9835509-4-5

Publisher: Literary Loft

Date published: June 23, 2012

ABOUT THE BOOK:

On a sunny July morning a freak accident changed Chris Lee’s life forever.  In addition to physical injuries, Chris was diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury. Years of alcohol abuse, poor eating habits and a newfound addiction to prescription pain-killers thwarted his recovery efforts. His days became filled with group therapy, prescription drugs and the red-tape hassle of an inefficient and inept healthcare system.    He felt hopelessly trapped until he discovered a positive approach to life that would shape and mold him into a better father, husband and person.

Chris gives the reader a brutally honest, soul bearing glimpse into the day-to-day recovery efforts of a brain injury survivor. Follow the author on his gripping journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance and ultimately self-love.  Learn how alternative health and energy therapy changed Chris Lee’s life and how he empowered himself to change his reality for the better.

ORDER YOUR COPY NOW! 

Blurbs, testimonal, reviews:

“I was riveted by Chris's story, he had me reading as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next. Anyone who feels they have something more to give will benefit by hearing Chris's story. If we choose not to hear our inner guidance when it's a whisper, it may take a whack upon the head to get our attention!”

   -Sherri Richards, Business Designer, Money Therapist, Rise Atelier LLC,www.MyMoneyExperience.com, Cleveland, Ohio

“Chris’ story and book not only moved me but also inspired me to continue evolving and expanding.  I feel very fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with him in person.  He is a gifted and talented human being that the world is blessed to have.”

-Priya Ali, Author, Coach, Consultant, Radio Hostwww.PriyaAli.com, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Chapter One

Are You Sure It’s Monday?

It was a free and easy Monday in July 2007. One of those days where you wake up and the house is still cool from the night air. My wife Angela and my daughter Alexis were sleeping soundly. My son Jameeko was away, staying with friends for the summer. I moved about the house quietly because it was 5:30 a.m.

I hit the gym for a good cardio workout and some lightweight lifting. After my workout, I showered, got dressed and sipped on a protein shake as I cruised to work in my weather-beaten 1994 Ford Ranger.

I was feeling good, so good in fact that I could’ve sworn that it was Friday instead of Monday. As I got closer to downtown Detroit, I decided to take the side streets because the freeway was backing up. I knew those old streets like the back of my hand and could shave 15-20 minutes off of my commute by taking the shortcuts.

 As I drove down the tiny side streets, I reflected on my childhood. My grandparents once lived in this same neighborhood I was now driving through. I had fond memories of corner bakeries, five & dime stores, and gas stations or “filling stations” as the old timers called them.

The old neighborhood was now reduced to a burned out and boarded up war-zone. Feeling optimistic nonetheless, I came upon an intersection where an elementary school used to stand. My uncles Derrick and Al once played my cousin Derrick Jr. and I in a game of two-hand touch football on the front courtyard of the school. 

Now there was nothing but an empty field, an inhospitable barren wasteland…as if there was a sign posted: NO WEEDS OR GRASS ALLOWED. I smelled smoke faintly in the distance as I approached another intersection with a flashing yellow light. 

 

Chapter Two

The Begetting of a Disconcerting Vexation

As I reached the intersection, I began to hear the faint sound of a siren. I looked left and had one of those “Oh Snap” moments because I knew that the source of the siren was emanating from the blind spot behind the building to my right. 

Within a millisecond, there was a fire engine barreling toward me. I was so certain that my death was inescapable I did not even tense up. As the inevitable was about to occur, my final thought was “So this is how it all ends?” 

When I came to, I saw several firefighters jogging back to my vehicle from about a block away. I was facing oncoming traffic, partially on the sidewalk. 

My truck was smoking very badly. My instincts told me to get out of the vehicle as soon as possible. I immediately unbuckled my seatbelt and pushed on the door, but it wouldn’t budge. 

The impact from the crash bent my Ford Ranger so badly that even though the passenger side was struck by the fire engine; the driver’s side door was jammed nearly shut. I was weak and dazed although the physical pain of the accident had not set in yet. I mustered every bit of strength I had, my body gave me a rush of adrenaline, and I was able to force the driver’s side door open enough to slide out of the nearly folded in half, mangled heap.

Once the adrenaline rush wore off, the physical pain of the accident hit me 

hard. The pain was gripping as if my body was possessed by the most evil and vile of spirits. Surely death would have felt better than this agonizing pain. I collapsed into the arms of the firefighter closest to me and he helped lay me on the ground.  I glanced up at the street signs of the intersection, saying to myself, “My life will never again be the same.”

The firefighters looked at me with embarrassment and awe. They comforted me as best they could. I could hear one firefighter on the radio, “We got into an accident, someone else is gonna have to respond to the alarm, and uhh we need an ambulance…fast…as soon as possible.” What did they know that I didn’t know? Was something broken? Was I bleeding? Why did the firefighter sound so afraid on the radio?

We made awkward small talk while we waited for the ambulance. I was trying to keep my mind of off my injuries. We talked about our families and sports. 

The Tigers were having a decent season coming off a trip to the World Series in 2006.

Soon paramedics arrived on the scene. “What were you guys doing?” the driver of the ambulance screamed as he slammed his door. He was a portly darker-skinned white man with dark hair and a thick, dark moustache. His arms looked big enough to pull tree stumps out of the ground with his bare hands. 

The man’s pants were too small and his belt buckle disappeared beneath his big belly. Now grabbing his gear off the rig, he said, “You idiots are going to kill somebody one day!” 

From my vantage point, lying on the ground, I could see the two paramedics grab a neck brace and a plastic stretcher. The cross-chatter and conversations stopped. Actually everything stopped. There were no cars driving past and no one walking the street.

A nervous hush continued for a few moments. The previously angry paramedic broke the deafening silence. In a calm and apologetic pitch, he said, “Okay boys, I have to turn on the recording. Tuck your shirts in and watch your language.”

The two paramedics walked over and laid the plastic stretcher on the ground next to me. “We’re going to roll you over, sir,” they said.  I was about to ask if they could just slide the stretcher under me when I felt my body being rolled to one side. I let out a mighty yelp and squeezed my eyes shut. I began cursing aloud. The pain shot up from my hips, up my spine into one of 

my shoulders. 

I opened my eyes in time to see the slender paramedic, who had not yet uttered a single word, place a brace over my neck. When he secured the neck brace, I felt as if I were being choked. I began to panic. Desperately trying to free myself, I reached for the neck brace.

Grabbing my hand, the slender paramedic leaned in and growled, “I don’t want to have to place you in restraints sir…don’t touch the brace. This is standard procedure. We don’t know the extent of your injuries, so we have to secure you.”

“MOVE,” the portly paramedic bellowed. The slender paramedic stood up and backed away. The other paramedic knelt down and loosened the foam and plastic neck brace. “Take a deep breath and relax,” he told me, looking back at the slender paramedic with contempt. In a firm yet assuring tone, he continued, “Take another deep breath and when you breathe out, I’m gonna fasten the brace and this time you’re gonna be more relaxed.”

I exhaled and he fastened the neck brace.  A smaller rush of panic hit me then I began to relax.

They got me stabilized and began asking me questions:

Paramedic:  What’s your name, sir?

Me: Chris Lee.

Paramedic: Address? 

Me: (It was on the tip of my tongue) I know I live in Belleville…

Paramedic: Why don’t I just get it off of your license, is that ok?

Me: Okay, sure…

Paramedic: What’s your social security number?

Me: (I had no idea) Uhhhhhh…

Paramedic: We’ll come back to that, who should we call to tell you’ve been in 

an accident?

Me: My wife.

Paramedic:  Well…what’s her number?

Me: Oh...uhhhhhh…let’s see…

Paramedic: Don’t you have a cell phone or something?

Me: I think I left it at home today.

Paramedic: Well we better get you to the hospital, just ask someone there to help you get in touch with your wife, it looks like you got your clock cleaned pretty good.

The panic began to rise again as the two paramedics along with two firefighters approached the stretcher. The eerie silence returned. “Okay guys, on three…one…two…three.”  With a hearty grunt, they lifted me onto another 

stretcher with wheels. 

I imagined how the very same silence would feel at my own funeral when the pallbearers lift the casket and carry me out to a waiting hearse.

Once inside of the ambulance, the portly paramedic said to the slender paramedic, “You drive, I’ll ride with the accident victim.” Now turning to me with a frown on his face, he added, “We have to put these restraints on you while we’re in transport to the hospital.”

He put a belt-like restraint on my shoulders, mid-section and feet. Trying to comfort me, he said, “The wheel locks are broken on this stretcher, but I’ll do my best to hold you still.”

As the emergency rig began moving and the driver hit the siren, tears began streaming down my face. I was strapped down and was suffocating from the neck brace.

The stretcher would slide around the inside of the rig each time the driver turned a corner, the mighty arms of the portly paramedic unable to steady the ragged stretcher.  It was like being in a fight and not being able to defend yourself. 

I begged the paramedic to just loosen one of my feet so that I could brace myself. “I’m sorry…” he said, momentarily looking at the ground then resolvedly fixing his eyes ahead.

I still didn’t know the extent of my injuries. My neck could barely move and my back and legs felt like they were on fire. I also had an insidious disconcerting vexation; I couldn’t remember my wife’s cell phone number, my address or my social security number.  Worst of all, I still was not 100% sure whether I was going to live or die at this point.  One thing that I was sure of was that this was the worst pain that I had ever felt in my life. 

One of the firefighters that was slightly injured rode to the hospital with us. He was on his cell phone yucking it up with his relatives…at least someone was able to find some humor in the situation. I made small talk with the paramedic to try and take the focus off of my pain.

Upon arrival at Henry Ford Hospital, they took the firefighter right away. It was like a celebrity had arrived. “Captain Prevost!? What are YOU doing here?” an older nurse hollered in a disingenuous yet flattering voice.

Another disproportionately shaped, middle-aged nurse with weather-beaten skin stopped to perk her hair before going over to give the firefighter a hug. “What happened?” she asked. More than happy to tell his version of the story the fireman began gloating, “Ahh some nut job hit the engine while we were on our way to a fire. I came in to make sure that I was ok, I feel fine though.” 

They whisked him away with several nurses and doctors in tow.

Meanwhile, I was checked for weapons and left alone for about an hour on a gurney in a hallway. In some strange kind of way, I figured that if I was going to die I would’ve died already. I was getting angrier by the moment. At this point I just wanted to pee, get something to eat, and go home. 

Finally a slim redhead pushed me into a makeshift ER room and started an IV. She was a bit frosty toward me as she asked questions about my medical history and the accident. 

I got a pretty good feel for what it must be like to get injured as a prisoner of war and receive treatment from the enemy. I had asked several times for someone to help me get in touch with my wife, but they told me that they couldn’t help me if I couldn’t remember any numbers.

They carted me off to get a CT scan and some X-rays, then parked me back in my ER room. About 30 minutes later, a friendly, soft-spoken doctor appeared through the curtain. He didn’t even look old enough to be a doctor in my skewed, unscientific estimation. 

“Good news, Mr. Lee, no broken bones and no internal bleeding!” I was only mildly relieved.  Actually because of the way the staff had treated me, I was a little apprehensive about totally believing him. 

“Thank you, doctor, will I be needing to stay overnight?” I asked with anxious pessimism.

“That won’t be necessary, you’ll be discharged soon…oh and sorry about your Tigers shirt, good luck on your recovery,” the doctor whispered as he faded back through the curtain. 

I glanced down and noticed my favorite Detroit Tigers t-shirt in shreds. I didn’t realize it, but at some point they had cut my shirt open. I thought to myself, What gives, they ruined my shirt too!

Before the curtains stopped moving, a generously proportioned woman with a clipboard barged in. She barked out, “You ’bout to get up outta here, we need these beds, who is out there waiting for you?” 

I remembered her face, she was one of the women that refused to help me get in touch with my wife five hours ago and now she was trying to make me leave. Infuriated, I yelled at her “There is no one out there waiting because none of you people would help me call my wife.” 

Just then the slim red headed nurse came into the room and dismissed the plump woman. The nurse pulled out her personal cell phone. She asked me where my wife worked.  I told her the name of my wife’s employer.  She called information and was connected to my wife’s job. 

After a brief conversation she assured me that my wife would be arriving as soon as she could. Sure enough, my wife and my mother arrived about an hour later. A member of the hospital staff brought them to me. I went off one last time before we left.  Yelling out to no one in particular, I expressed my anger about how I had been treated during my stay. The bustling ER fell silent momentarily.

We left and went to Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn for a second opinion on all of my injuries. Everything turned out to be about the same except with much better customer service.

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About Chris Lee

Chris Lee, the author of “From Frustration to Fulfillment”, has a passion for helping people to identify and successfully manage the self-imposed limitations that hold us back from pursuing and achieving our dreams, goals and ambitions.
Chris wrote “From Frustration to Fulfillment” to help anyone that has ever faced a seemingly hopeless situation. The book started as a diary to help him cope with his brain injury. He found the writings to be a vital part of the healing process and thus decided to share his story with the world.
Using warmth and humor to help people to ‘open the doors of change’, Chris is a dynamic speaker and energetic workshop facilitator.  Chris has put his unique skill set to use helping numerous people throughout the United States and Canada. He combines the Law of Attraction and the philosophy of energy medicine to offer a very unique and powerful experience for those that attend his various workshop and coaching sessions.
Chris is a Specs Howard School of Media Arts graduate that currently holds certifications as a 365-Degree Manifestation Consultant, Certified Law of Attraction Facilitator, Certified Natural Health Professional and Body Talk™ Access technician.
Chris loves spending time with family including his son, daughter and granddaughter.  He loves fine food, baseball and is a music enthusiast. He can occasionally be spotted around town enjoying live jazz.

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For your enjoyment, here's a youtube from Chris Lee's Channel about about his mission. 

 

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