Man Made – A Stupid Quest for Masculinity

Man Made – Joel Stein

Author: Joel Stein
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Newman Communications and Joel Stein recently completed a successful radio book promotion campaign for the Time columnist’s new release, Man Made; A Stupid Quest for Masculinity. Newman’s radio book publicity team booked him on several top-market radio stations, inlcuding:

• KABC-AM/Los Angeles CA
• KOA-AM/Denver CO – Listen now
• WLW-AM/Cincinnati OH
• Dial Global Network/nationally syndicated
• WRIF-FM/Detroit MI
• Sirius/XM/nationally syndicated
• KRLD-AM/Dallas TX

In Man Made, Stein’s first book, he writes a hilarious and poignant adventure about the absurdities of modern masculinity as he attempts to acquire the manly skills he wants to pass on to his newborn son.

From the Book

The smudge looked suspicious. The doctor confirmed: “That’s the baby’s penis!” Joel’s reaction? Pure panic. “I pictured having to go camping and fix a car and use a hammer and throw a football and watch professionals throw footballs and figure out whether to be sad or happy about the results of said football throwing.” And so begins Joel’s quest to confront his effete nature whether he likes it or not (he doesn’t), by doing a 24-hour shift with LA firefighters, going hunting for wild turkeys, rebuilding a house, driving a Lamborghini, enduring three days of boot camp with the U.S. Army, day-trading with $100,000 and going into the ring with UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture. Seeking help from a panel of experts, including his manly father-in-law, Boy Scouts, former NFL star Warren Sapp and some celebrities, he expects to learn that masculinity is not defined by the size of his muscles but by the size of his heart. This is not at all what he learns.

Visit Joel’s website at www.thejoelstein.com

Hear Joel on WFLA at http://www.970wfla.com/player/?mid=22093230

Hear Joel on KOA here www.850koa.com/player/?station=KOA-AM&program_name=podcast&program_id=cmn.xml&mid=22093868

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

Book Promotion for Chicken Soup for the Soul and Harvard Medical School–a deliciously healthy combination!

Newman Communications is excited to once again to provide book promotion and publicity services for the global best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series. To kick things off, Newman will launch a national book promotion radio tour for the four new Chicken Soup for the Soul titles.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Health, a new imprint of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC, publisher of the series and a world leader in life improvement, and Harvard Medical School, one of the world’s most respected medical institutions, has announced a first-of–its-kind collaboration for a new health and wellness book series for readers who want to get serious about their physical and mental wellbeing.

The first four books in the series will focus on a popular health topic, combining the inspiration and support of new stories written especially for these books with accessible, life-changing medical information from top Harvard Medical School doctors.

“Doctors often use stories as a way to motivate and educate their patients and this series will allow us to combine our latest medical advice with real stories from real people to help readers live healthier lives,” said Harvard Health Publications’ Chief Editor of Books Dr. Julie Silver. “Chicken Soup for the Soul is the perfect partner for us on this project because their stories are a wonderful source of hope, inspiration, and great advice—and they complement the useful medical information that we are providing in these books.”

The initial four titles in the series include:

• Chicken Soup for the Soul: Boost Your Brain Power! by top neurologist Dr. Marie Pasinski, with Liz Neporent (May 2012 ; 978-1-935096-86-3)
• Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Goodbye to Back Pain!, by leading physical medicine expert and Harvard Health Publications Chief Editor of Books Dr. Julie Silver (May 2012; 978-1-935096-87-0)
• Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Goodbye to Stress by noted psychologist Dr. Jeff Brown, with Liz Neporent (May 2012; 978-1-935096-88-7)
• Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Hello to a Better Body! by respected internist Dr. Suzanne Koven (May 2012; 978-1-935096-89-4)

“Since 1993 Chicken Soup for the Soul has focused on improving lives by providing inspiration, wellness and hope around the world and this series is another extension of that mission,” said William J. Rouhana, Jr., Chairman & CEO of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC. “We are excited to be working with Harvard Medical School and know that our readers will benefit from their cutting-edge health advice.”

Read the New York Times article on the benefits of storytelling on health www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/health/views/10chen.html?_r=1

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

A Major League Book Promotion Tour

Out of My League - Dirk Hayhurst

When asked what comes to mind when you think about spring, book promotion usually isn’t the answer you get. Instead your likely to hear answers like, Green Grass, Flowers, and … BASEBALL! Yes, spring training is here! The grass is cut,  the teams are practicing and before you know it will be Opening Day! Get out your peanuts, cracker jacks, and your favorite baseball cap and get ready to cheer on the hometown team. While some of us are content to cheering in the stands, others have bigger dreams. Dreams of taking a major league outfield, the pitchers mound,  or running the bases after hitting a home run! That’s where Dirk Hayhurst’s story starts, when he got called up from the minors in 2008 to play for the San Diego Padres! Newman Communications had the great great opportunity to provide and coordinate Dirk’s book promotion and publicity tour packed with with a radio and print exposure!

Newman Communications was able to get interviews on such radio stations and publications as:

• WBUR in Boston, MA
• WKSU in Kent, Ohio
• MLBBLOG.com
• SportsNet Radio
• Toronto Star

About the Book

The book tells the story of how Dirk Hayhurst got his big break by playing in the major leagues.  After six years of laying it on the line in the minors, pitcher Dirk Hayhurst hopes 2008 is the year he will break into the big leagues.  But every time Dirk looks up, the bases are loaded with new challenges, on and off the field: a wedding balancing on blind hope, a family in chaos, and paychecks that beg Dirk to ask, “How long can I afford to keep doing this?”

Then it finally happens- Dirk gets called up to the Majors, to play for the San Diego Padres.  A dream comes  true when he takes the mound against the  San Francisco Giants, kicking off forty insane days and nights in the Bigs- with a big paycheck, bigger-than life personalities, and the biggest pressure he’s ever felt.

About the Bestselling Author, Dirk Hayhurst

Dirk Hayhurst is the author of the New York Times best seller THE BULLPEN GOSPELS.  Drafted from Kent State University in 2003 as a senior sign, Hayhurst has pitched professionally for nine years on more than eight minor league teams and two major league teams, including the San Diego Padres and the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2011, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays and pitched for their Triple A-Team, the Durham Bulls in Durham, NC.  Hayhurst was born in Canton, Ohio, and resides in the off-season in Hudson, Ohio, with his wife Bonnie, a music therapist.

It was great to work with Dirk Hayhurst. Check out his book,  OUT OF MY LEAGUE in stores now and good luck to your team this season!

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

Book Publicity – DON’T PUT ME IN COACH

Author: Mark Titus
Publisher: Doubleday

Mark Titus

College sports are electrifying to watch! Who can forget Doug Flutie’s Hail Mary pass or the 1985 Villanova vs.  Georgetown Championship game? But some players barely get off the bench like former Ohio State player Mark Titus.  Titus takes you on a journey from one end of the bench to the other end with a look behind the scenes of the NCAA-hoops  in DON’T PUT ME IN COACH; a hilarious memior.  Newman Communications provided book publicity for Titus and set up a radio book tour for the bench warmer, including hits with:

• KNBR in San Francisco,  CA
• FOX Sports

Titus gives readers an uncensored tour inside an elite NCAA basketball player through the eyes of the benchwarmer. From his relationships with teammates, the pressure, and the many hours he clocked cheering for his team on the sideline- Mark Titus does not miss a humorous beat.  His unique perspective materialized into wildly popular Club Trillion blog for which he quickly became a hero to all guys picked last.  He was even scouted by the Harlem Globtrotters. Certain to make you laugh-out-loud,  Mark  Titus is not your average basketball star; and this is the true story of the most unlikely career in college basketball told from the underdog himself.

In 2006, Mark Titus arrived on Ohio State’s campus as a basketball manager who aspired to be an orthopedic surgeon.  As a walk-on,  he was miraculously added to the elite Buckeye basketball team,  given a scholarship and trained alongside seven future NBA players- including Greg Oden, Evan Turner,  and Mike Conley.  During his 4 years with the Buckeye’s he set the record for the most indivual career wins in Ohio State basketball history- and scored a total of 9 points.

The book is full of  laughs and quotes from his former coach and teammates including:

“Of all the players  I’ve coached in my caree,  Mark Titus is one of them.” ~ Coach Thad Matta

“I  haven’t read the book and probally never will, but the cover looks pretty cool I guess.” ~ Mike Conely Jr (#4 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft; 2007 NCAA Tournament South Regional MVP.

About the Author

Mark Titus is the creator of Clubtrillion.blogspot.com,  and a contributer at grantland.com. He was feature several times in the New York Times, ESPN.com, and Bill Simon’s podcast, among others.  He  graduated in 2010, a hero to millions.

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

LINCOLN, INC.: Selling the Sixteenth President in Contemporary America

Lincoln Inc.

Newman Communications’ had the pleasure of providing successful publicity services to promote Jacqueline Hogan’s recent release Lincoln, Inc.  including both radio and print publicity for the book.

As the book publicity campaign unfolded, it became clear that Lincoln is still among the most popular presidents, grabing spots on radio that included

• Nationally syndicated Jim Bohannon Show/Dial Global Network
• KYW-AM/Philadelphia
• WGTD-FM/Milwaukee WI
• and Daybreak USA/USA Radio Network

The print campaign included op-eds in

• The Christian Science Monitor
• The Atlanta Journal Constitution with a focus on how Lincoln might measure up as a Republican by today’s GOP.
• and The St. Louis Dispatch

Listen in to Jacqueline’s radio interview with WSLR-FM.

About Lincoln, Inc:

Nearly a century and a half after his death, Abraham Lincoln’s legacy and cultural clout is almost unparalleled. Noted sociologist Jackie Hogan details this phenomenon in her new book, LINCOLN, INC.: Selling the Sixteenth President in Contemporary America (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; December 2011).

A professor and researcher at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, Hogan fills LINCOLN, INC. with insightful observations on the exploitation of one of America’s most beloved Presidents. From the time of his first campaign to today, Lincoln has been packaged into a brand and marketed to the general public. His image has been used to make millions for corporations and win elections for politicians.

For mor information about Lincoln Inc., visit the publishers site at https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442209565

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

Big Nate on a Roll

Author: Lincoln Pierce
Publisher: Harper Collins

Big Nate - On a Roll

For those who still enjoy the morning newspaper while enjoying your first cup of daily caffeine intake, you probably have  heard of the popular comic-strip, BIG NATE by Lincoln Pierce, which is featured in over 200 newspapers around the country (and online at gocomics.com).  The rambunctious middle schooler recently made the leap from syndicated comic strip to bestselling young-reader book series. Newman was once again called into action, providing radio and television book publicity, promoting this latest book in the Big Nate series, BIG NATE ON A ROLL.

We had the chance to go in-studio with Lincoln Pierce to produce the tour with the help from our friends at Boston Bureau Production.  It is always a thrill to see these tours in action with a behind the scenes view and in the end, Lincoln completed a number of interviews including features with some great stations and  shows including:

• WGHP
• WSLR
• The Conn Jackson Show

About the Book:

BIG  NATE  is always a blast and so is his new book BIG NATE ON A ROLL. In the hilarious third novel,  Nate faces his nemesis, the foreign exchange student,  Artur, in a scout troop showdown.  In a race to raise the most money for his troop by selling lame Warm Fuzzies (wall hangings with cheesy saying on them),  Nate gets carried away with crazy plans for outshining Artur and winning the grand-prize- a personalized skateboard! Get ready for a fun filled show down between Nate and his longtime rival. With more then 500 black-and-white  illustrations, including Nate’s own comics, doodles, and unforgettable “top 10 lists,  BIG NATE ON A ROLL is  sure to have readers rolling on the floor with laughter!

About the Author:

Cartoonist/writer Lincoln Peirce lives with his wife and two children in Portland, Maine, and frequently visits schools to talk to students about comics. Peirce is the creator of the comic strip Big Nate, that debuted in 1991 and appears in over 250 newspapers in the US and online daily at www.gocomics.com, and is featured on the website Poptropica, www.poptropica.com.

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

Devious: A Bentz and Montoya Novel

Author: Lisa Jackson
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.

New York Times Bestselling Author Lisa Jackson has returned to Newman Communications for a radio book publicity campaign in support of her new hardcover mystery, Devious: A Bentz and Montoya Novel. Working closely with Newman Communications, Lisa embarked on a radio book publicity tour that spotlighted her novel around the country. Newman Communications facilitated  appearances on radio stations across the USA, such as:

• WGTD, NPR Affiliate
  
• KKZZ AM, Los Angeles, CA
• WHFS AM, Washington, DC
• KINK FM, Portland OR
• Voice of America, National Radio

About the book:

Lisa Jackson’s Devious is a thrilling tale of murder and suspense, set in one of the least expected locations one could imagine: a cathedral. Devious: A Bentz and Montoya Novel follows the journey of Valerie Houston as she searches for the person responsible for the death of her sister Camilla, a nun whose body was found hung in a cathedral in New Orleans. Jackson’s brilliantly paced story weaves together suspense, intrigue, and action to create a heart-pumping story that keeps the reader enthralled until the very last page. Whether she is bumping up against authoritative police or trying to unlock the truth behind Camilla’s past, Jackson’s Valerie Houston is a hero for the ages.

About the Author:

Lisa Jackson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy-five novels, including Running Scared, Without Mercy, Malice, Lost Souls, and, Shiver. A novelist for over two decades, Lisa Jackson has over fifteen million copies of her books in print in nineteen languages. Lisa resides in the Pacific Northwest with her family and an eighty-pound dog. For more information on the author and her novels, please visit Lisa’s website at www.lisajackson.com.

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

INSIDE SCIENTOLOGY: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion

Author: Janet Reitman
Publisher: Houghton-Mifflin

Inside Scientology - Janet Reitman

If all you know about Scientology is that Tom Cruise and John Travolta are practitioners of the religion, then Janet Reitman has written the book for you.

Newman Communications helped educate and inform radio listeners nationwide with a radio focused book publicity tour for Janet Reitman’s controversial book INSIDE SCIENTOLOGY: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion.  Janet completed a 30-city radio book tour, which included KFI-AM/Los Angeles, Talk Radio Network,  Sirius/XM Radio America’s Radio News Network and more. Janet also recently hosted a live online Q&A about Inside Scientology with the Washington Post, discussing the  extensive research she did preparing for the book.

About the book

Inside Scientology is the defining work on the faith by the Rolling Stone journalist.  It confirms the astonishing truth about life within the controversial religion.

The book is based on confidential documents, over one hundred interviews with current and former Scientologists, and five years of research. Reitman reveals all, starting with how the singular L. Ron Hubbard transformed a self-help group into a worldwide spiritual corporation. After Hubbard’s death in 1986, a young acolyte named David Miscavige assumed control; since then, he has overseen some of the church’s greatest triumphs — among them a controversial billion-dollar IRS tax exemption and Tom Cruise’s emergence as a vocal advocate — while also creating a climate of fear and intimidation, according to ex-members whose stories of abuse Reitman shares. Reitman is the first to examine Miscavige’s twenty-five-year reign and what it might mean for the future of the church.

About Janet Reitman

Janet Reitman was a finalist for a National Magazine Award in 2007 for the Rolling Stone story “Inside Scientology,” from which this book grew. She is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone. Her work has appeared in GQ, Men’s Journal, the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, and the Washington Post, among other publications. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Additional Information

You can hear Janet’s radio interview on America’s Radio News Network here:
www.americasradionewsnetwork.com/inside-scientology-janet-reitman

Learn 7 scientology secrets in this photo essay from Janet and the Huffington Post:  www.huffingtonpost.com/janet-reitman/scientology-secrets_b_891483.html#s304129&title=6_

Washington Post talks with Janet Reitman about the research and preparation she did for Inside Scientology.

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

Author: Kathy Reichs
Publisher: Scribner, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

America’s Favorite Forensic Anthropologist Returns in Kathy Reichs’ 13^th Novel, Spider Bones

Spider Bones - Kathy Reichs

Bestselling author, Kathy Reichs – whose books have inspired the TV show, Bones – is back with her thirteenth novel featuring America’s favorite forensic anthropologist, Temperance Brennan. Book publicity firm, Newman Communications, scheduled Reichs with more than 20 national and local radio interviews, including USA Radio Network, CJAD-AM (Montreal), Northeast Public Radio, and Lifestyle Radio Network.

Book Description:

In Spider Bones, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is called to the scene of a drowning in Quebec. The victim’s fingerprints identify him as John Lowery – an American soldier who had been declared dead in Vietnam in 1968 and buried long ago in North Carolina. How could a man have died twice, and how did his body end up in Canada? As Brennan’s investigation progresses, a riveting and complex tale of murder and deceit unfolds in Spider Bones.

About the Author:

Kathy Reichs, like her character Temperance Brennan, is a forensic anthropologist, formerly for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina and currently for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Québec. She is one of only 82 forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, is past Vice President of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and serves on the National Police Services Advisory Board in Canada. Reichs’ first book, Déjà Dead, catapulted her to fame and became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Her novel, Devil Bones, was a #1 New York Times bestseller.

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Ugly Truth

It’s been quite a ride for Jeff Kinney.  In it’s first three days, the book has sold over 700,000 copies and landed at #1 on the NY Times best seller list, putting our former President, George Bush at #2.  In 2009, TIME Magazine named him one of the top 100 “Most Influential People” in the world.  He also saw an adaption of the book made into a movie and another will be on screen in 2011.  This year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature a balloon of Greg Hefley for all to enjoy.

What’s next for Kinney?  More entries in the Wimpy Kid series of course!  We are sure that millions of Greg Hefley fans just can’t wait to learn what’s in store for him the next time around.  Newman will be waiting to in hopes of working with Jeff Kinney again.

Visit our site at Newman Communications for more Book Publicity information and services.