CTA Foundation Executive Director Steve Ewell has been on the move this month, meeting with leaders across the aging and accessibility tech landscape. From national conferences to local events, these conversations are key to strengthening our partnerships and deepening our involvement.

Just last week, Steve joined Verizon’s ADA anniversary event at Civic Hall in New York City, celebrating 35 years of progress at the intersection of people and technology.

The post CTA Foundation News: Connecting Communities in Aging & Accessibility appeared first on Good News!.

Listen to “Author Celia Ryker new book Augusta” on Spreaker.

Celia Ryker website https://celiaryker.com/

Historical Fiction Author Pens Stunning Novel Based On Her Grandmother’s Challenging Life Of Abject Poverty, Marriage At 13, And Having To Make A Haunting Choice

Celia, a silver and gold winner for Human Relations Indie Book Award, writes a human interest novel based on the real-life struggles of her grandmother. Celia Ryker brings to life Augusta, highlighting the struggles of a young girl forced to grow up too fast. Celia writes based on the lessons her grandmother taught her about life and the beauty of it.

Let me know if you would like to have Celia on your show.

Mayte W.

“In this novel inspired by the challenging life of the author’s grandmother, a woman is left to raise her four children alone during the 1920s… Smooth-flowing prose carries the tale forward at a steady pace.. farm and city vignettes create vivid images of time, place, and economic class, and Augusta emerges as a formidable woman in the face of daunting odds. A historically evocative period drama that’s poignant and disquieting.”
–Kirkus Reviews

“Augusta is an insight to another era and a testimony to a woman who became more resilient as she was challenged. Engaging writing propels the story through the decades of Augusta’s life, and what a life it was.”
–Jennifer Belton, Former White House Library Director

The early 20th century was unforgiving on many women. Writer Celia Ryker’s grandmother was one such woman who had more than her fair share of a hard life. Ryker has written a powerful, insightful novel (Augusta) based on the exploits and overwhelming challenges her grandmother faced during the Depression.
Raised on a hard-knock farm in Arkansas and married off to the father of one of her classmates at the age of 13, lead-character Augusta was not set up for a life of bliss. Then, abandoned by her second husband in 1920s Detroit, with four children to provide for and only an eighth-grade education, she is forced into a decision that will haunt her forever.
From the author of Walking Home: Trail Stories, Ryker’s Augusta is gripping historical fiction based on the true, against-the-odds story of her grandmother, a woman who fled the hardships of the Ozarks at the turn of the 20th century for a new city, and a chance at a better life. She had to confront the kind of poverty that you can almost smell, the kind that is in the background of the Neapolitan novels by Elena Ferrante and The Grapes of Wrath. All three novels tell us that poverty has to do with a lot more than money. Self-worth is measured differently by the poor, so are luxury, duty, comfort, and success. The poor are snared by forces outside their control.

Some readers might find this a heroic story, but there were millions of farm folk like Augusta at the beginning of the 20th century. They did what they needed to do to survive. Men were sheared of their dignity when they lost the farm or lost a job, and couldn’t support their families. Like Augusta’s two husbands, they often turned to alcohol in their shame. The women made do, taking responsibility for the children.

Her particular struggle was common in the early 1900s: Marriage at 13, children born as they came, a move from the farm to the grinding, dirty, dangerous city, and meeting new immigrants who had fled similar hardships.

Details carry the story and are constantly surprising. The reader learns how the first washing machines worked, how unwelcome a hospital birth was after knowing the intimacy and convenience of having your baby at home, and what tenements were like.

Ryker shares with us in an interview the following:

Why Ryker’s grandmother inspired the writing of Augusta.

Who her grandmother was and why she is Ryker’s heroine.

The struggles women faced during the early part of 20th century America.

How Augusta survives two bad marriages: one at age 13, and one who abandons her.

The challenges of raising four children on her own during the Great Depression

Why Augusta is haunted by a decision she has to make due to poverty.

Historical novels require strong characters with heart — and Augusta’s heart shines through a life filled with adversity. Augusta puts her head down and does what must be done to provide for her children. Her unshrinking strength is an inspiration.

Ryker’s previous book, Walking Home: Trail Stories, is about more than mud, sweat, and blisters while distance hiking the Long Trail. Reminiscent of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, Ryker’s mind wanders as her legs carry her forward, beyond a woodland path, to places and people she thought she had forgotten. Her grandmother’s spirit appears on Mount Baker. A lost cousin waits for her at the bottom of every ladder. Her late father’s words reverberate among the calls of barred owls. There were days when she didn’t see another hiker, but she was never alone. Ryker began writing about a difficult hike and ended up writing about the people who inspired her throughout her life. These are her “trail stories.”

“Augusta shows women everywhere that no matter how hard one’s journey is, the key is to keep moving, and to not let one’s past or rough start dictate their life’s outcome,” concludes Ryker.

#historicalfiction #author #novel #augusta #grandmotherschallenginglife #abject #poverty #marriage #hauntingchoice #celiaryker #dictatingoutcome

The post Historical Fiction Author Pens Stunning Novel {Augusta} Based On Her Grandmother’s Challenging Life Of Abject Poverty, Marriage At 13, And Having To Make A Haunting Choice appeared first on Good News!.

Forensic accountant Larry G. Goldsmith, author of the historical fiction novel BASHERT, a courtroom drama, surrounding a Jewish love story. His professional experiences are woven into believable and authentic storylines. He applies his real life occupation of courtroom dramas and negotiating with the IRS into many of his novels. For more information on Larry, visit: https://larrygoldsmithauthor.com/.
To receive a review copy, or to schedule an interview, please contact: Heather Huzovic, 646.972.0033 or heather.huzovic@gmail.com.
Thank you! — Heather Huzovic

In an interview, Larry G. Goldsmith can answer the following questions:
•    What is the meaning of the word Bashert?
•    What was the inspiration for this story?
•    On whom did you model your characters?
•    You chose to make Shira’s family ultra-religious. Why?
•    Michael and Shira came from two different worlds. How could that not have destroyed the relationship?
•    Are the stories told by the witnesses in the novel true?
•    Where did you come up with the idea of the corrupt prosecutor?

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the late sixties, the world is experiencing a counter revolution, rebelling against the devastating war in Vietnam and cultural norms. During these days of rage, the Soviets and U.S. seek to end the nuclear arms race. As a bargaining chip, the Nixon administration promises to support a free trade agreement while ignoring Soviet human and religious abuses.

In New York City, a young criminal attorney enters the fray after his shotgun wedding to the Rebbe’s daughter. His father-in-law is a world renowned clandestine leader seeking religious freedom for millions of Soviet citizens. The White House prosecutes the Rebbe as their scapegoat so the U.S. Soviet trade agreement passes Congress. The Nixon administration will use every legal tool orchestrated by an unscrupulous U.S. prosecuting attorney to imprison the Rebbe and destroy the credibility of his movement. Millions of lives rest on the outcome of the trial. The world watches, waiting for a courtroom verdict, as two young lovers and an old Rebbe battle two world superpowers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Larry G. Goldsmith is an author, financial sleuth (forensic CPA) and an attorney. His professional experiences are woven into believable and authentic storylines. He applies his real life occupation of courtroom dramas and negotiating with the IRS into many of his novels. Goldsmith has published two novels, Bashert and Marc Marci.
He is happily married, living with his wife in the Second City (Chicago). Being a baseball fan, every novel contains a baseball tidbit woven into each story. When not working or writing, he is riding his bicycle or recalling younger days when he kayaked down dangerous whitewater rivers and played volleyball. For more information on Larry, visit: https://larrygoldsmithauthor.com/.
Connect with Larry on social media:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-goldsmith-cpa-jd-maff-08a54a4/overlay/photo/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/123641786-larry-goldsmith

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“Kleckt TAG introduces an innovative technology as a tool which combats fraud by forever memorializing title by associating ownership to the asset using blockchain technology. TAG enhances the value of any item, resulting in an appreciation of value in ‘Goodwill Intangibles’ of any asset, both digital and physical, at inception. By creating an immutable record of title to a collectible, TAG legitimizes this emotional asset class, whether through legacy, title and by telling the underlying story in-between,” said Scott Einiger, Founder of Kleckt.

Today is an important date in collectible history as the first superhero was created by visionary Lee Falk on February 17, 1936. According to historian Kevin Patrick author of The Phantom Unmasked America’s First Superhero, the Phantom captivated an international audience of one hundred million readers worldwide and is the true “grandaddy” and “template” of today’s modern day costumed superhero.

Kleckt TAG technology begins testing today on this important day in collecting history with the first of its kind owner imbued provenance technology for the collectible market. Our company origin story is tied to the first superhero ever as it inspired our corporate mission and there can be only one first enhanced NFT and ultimately a “smart security”.

We selected the visionary artist, a legend who modernized the first superhero character to TAG first. “The Phantom has been part of my artistic legacy, so it was natural for my first NFT to not merely create a collectible. I am excited to explore TAGs ability to capture provenance and the story surrounding collecting” said Sy Barry, artist of The Phantom. www.Kleckthlx.com

We are excited to begin testing TAG using BCHLX irrevocable blockchain. Once our testing is complete you can own a part of history and be a part of the story with the world’s first tagged NFT with superpowers. Turning physical and digital artwork into enhanced NFTS using TAG, powered by BCHLX. “We are pleased to be selected as the blockchain testing this novel technology,” said Co-Founder Dan Schwartz.

(Scan QR CODE or link on the top of the Press Release for more information).
Contact Kleckt for more information:
Preview our first commercial: https://youtu.be/WBbrPsn1vG8
Connect to our visionary staff: www.Kleckthlx.com
Investor relations: Peter Signorelli: pete@kleckt.com
Media relations: Eugene Rosenthal: scott@kleckt.com
Production: Paul Sladkus, Dave Chislett: scott@kleckt.com
Counsel: Mark Zafrin of Offit Kurman: mark.zafrin@offitkurman.com
To learn more about Kleckt testing and strategic partners: Contact BCHLX Co-Founder Dan Schwartz: dan@bchlx.com
Contact: Divvy technology; Dean Stamos Founder: dean@divvytech.com
Sy Barry, artist of the Phantom: https://sybarry.com
Contact: Kevin Patrick, author, and historian: kevin.patrick@outlook.com.au

“The Phantom Unmasked; America’s First Superhero” is available online at Amazon

#kleckthlx #bchlx #technology #novel #pete #scott #mark #zafrin #dan #dean #kevin #patrick #phantom #unmasked #america #superhero #sybarry #nft #author #historian

The post February 17, 2022, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – TAG – Forever Provenance and Protection in Collecting appeared first on Good News!.

I love this line, which comes from a quote by Melodie Beattie, which reads in its entirety:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”

And I would add this thought — that without gratitude, you can turn any paradise into hell.

Without gratitude, you will always walk away from the table still starving — no matter what measure of abundance has been laid before you.

Without gratitude, every job is the worst job on earth, every spouse is deficient, every friend lets you down, every home is on the wrong street, every gift is the wrong size, every novel is full of typos, every mattress is uncomfortable, every cup of coffee is too weak.

Without gratitude, every choice you ever made will always feel like the wrong choice.

Without gratitude, summers will always be too hot; winters will always be too cold. The music will always be too loud, the movie will always suck, the teenagers will always be too rude.

Without gratitude, people who vote or worship differently from you will always be monsters in your eyes. Without gratitude, you will always feel you were born into the wrong family. Without gratitude, the waitress will always be too slow, and you will always get the worst seat on the bus. Without gratitude, every driver on the road except you is an idiot.

Without gratitude, life is The Misery.

These three things are so true…

1) There is no happiness without gratitude
2) There is no transformation without self-accountability
3) There is no peace without forgiveness

But first among those — the alchemy of all alchemies — is gratitude.

If we learn nothing else while we’re here, then, we must learn how to say THANK YOU.

#quote #Melodie #Beattie #Gratitude #life #denial #acceptance #confusion #clarity #meal #feast #stranger #friend #paradise #hell #starving #job #worst #deficient #friend #home #street #gift #novel #typos #mattress #comfortable #summers #hot #winters #cold #music #loud #movie #teenagers #rude

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About The Author: Over the course of his career as a historian, he published 11 history texts, one of which (Perfect Cities) was named a New York Times notable book of the year in 1986. Throughout his career, he has often succumbed to a love of travel made possible by teaching at the University of Paris and Warwick University in England, and with Fulbright Awards, at the University of Sydney, the University of Amsterdam, Erfurt and Tubingen Universities in Germany, and Uppsala University in Sweden, where he was given an honorary Doctoral Degree. Until 2020, he was the Faculty Fulbright Adviser at the University of Maryland. Born in Chicago, Gilbert attended Carleton College and then the University of Wisconsin, earning a doctoral degree in American Intellectual and Cultural History. In 1966, he was hired by the University of Maryland. He was appointed Distinguished University Professor in 1999. While American history has been his profession, literature has been his passion, and since retirement, he has written three novels and a book of short stories. He is also a (very) amateur cellist. For more information, please consult: www.JamesBGilbertAuthor.com

#distinguished #historian #reveals #truths #forgotten #america #novel #james #gilbert #author #winesburg #ohio #tale #egypt #little #civil #war #plague #childhood #summer

The post Distinguished Historian Reveals Truths About A Forgotten America In New Critically-Acclaimed Novel appeared first on Good News!.

His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screen craft and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, Cagibi, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New PlainsReview, Underwood Press, Monologing and others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com

#lee #matthew #goldberg #author #novels #novel #desire #card #mentor #slow #down #published #multiple #languages #nominated #2018 #prix #du #polar #alaskan #gold #rush #ancestor #forthcoming #2020 #editor-in-chief #editor #in #chief #founder #fringe #dedicated #publishing #fiction #outside #of #the #box #outside-of-the-box #pilots #screenplays #finalists #script #pipeline #stage #32 #screenplay #contests #graduating #mfa #new #school #writing #anthology #dirty #boulevard #millions #cagibi #montreal #review #adirondack #plainsreview #underwood #press #monologing #curator #guerrilla #lit #reading #series #lives #nyc #york #city #leematthewgoldberg

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Listen to “Bernie Siegel MD,NY Times Bestselling Author's Novel on Past Lives and the Enduring Power of Love!” on Spreaker.

Bernie Siegel MD’s 19th book underscores there are no coincidences and as Jung said, “The future is unconsciously created long in advance.” 

Dr. Bernie Siegel broke new ground with his monumental book Love, Medicine and Miracles. Today Bernie continues to impart wisdom about the true nature of life and love through his 19th book, an entertaining and enlightening debut fiction novel Three Men, Six Lives.

A grand adventure born of Bernie’s experience of his current and past lives and his deep knowledge of the power of enduring love awaits you!

Dr. Brian Weiss, NY Times bestselling author of the preeminent book on reincarnation Many Lives, Many Masters says this about Bernie and Three Men, Six Lives:

“I have known Dr. Bernie Siegel since the 1960’s, when I was a medical student at Yale, and he was a mentor of mine on the surgical faculty. He was then and has constantly remained a boundless source of kindness, empathy, and wisdom. Three Men, Six Lives is his latest contribution to the evolution of medicine and psychiatry and to the transformative power of love as the ultimate healer.

Timeless wisdom flows from the mouths of Bernie’s characters in this important and entertaining book. Concepts of spiritual psychotherapy, past lives, and the fearless courage born of unconditional love and awakened consciousness are carefully explored. I highly recommend Three Men, Six Lives to you.”

Bernie says “I wrote this book to help us all understand that we are more than our bodies and that life is truly a mystical event. Once we leave our bodies, time no longer exists for our consciousness. Thus consciousness can retain the experience of a past lifetime but have no effect upon any lives until it becomes a part of a living person’s consciousness. Then it can play a role in their life and the lives of the people they interact with.

I have lived this truth and so have many others and when we accept the truth and let it educate us it becomes an asset and therapeutic for us all versus confusing and self destructive.”

As a physician caring for people with life threatening illnesses Bernie has learned the power of the mind, faith, and enduring love. This book and the six engaging characters are a culmination of (they are!) Bernie and his life and past life experiences and a beautiful and engaging guide of the eternal nature of the soul.

The post Bernie Siegel MD, NY Times Bestselling Author’s Novel on Past Lives and the Enduring Power of Love! appeared first on Good News!.

In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France–a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

Biography
Kristin Hannah is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including Winter Garden, True Colors, and the blockbuster Firefly Lane.

Her novel Home Front has been optioned for film by 1492 Films (produced the Oscar-nominated The Help) with Chris Columbus attached direct.

Kristin’s next release is the highly anticipated The Nightingale, which is available in book stores now.

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