Introducing Janet Cameron Hoult, author of Going to the Dogs and Other Critters

“Each time I have published a book with Outskirts Press, and this is my fourth, OP seems to outdo itself with providing even better guidance. Thank you for all you do for self-publishing authors.”

Janet Cameron Hoult, Professor Emerita at California State University, Los Angeles, was appointed Culver City’s Honorary Artist Laureate for Poetry in 2015. Janet has lived and traveled all over the world. Now in her 80’s, Dr. Hoult and her husband, Charley, a rocket scientist whose ashes were dispersed by his Cal State Long Beach ESRA Team at the 2017 IREC in New Mexico, have treasured their dogs – subjects of many of the poems in this book – who enjoyed going to the Culver City “Boneyard” which will receive proceeds from book sales. Mick Beyer is an aspiring artist from Magdeburg, Germany. Mick has been part of two completely different cultures throughout his life – Elementary School in Germany and Middle through High School in Southern California. He has traveled to many different places, from Greece to Italy to Tunisia! He has a lot more to see and to learn, and hopes to one day study and excel in a career in the architectural field.

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Book description…

GOING TO THE DOGS AND OTHER CRITTERS. We humans have developed relationships with all kinds of animals be they tame or wild, fierce or mild, big or small, short or tall! The poems in “Going to the Dogs and Other Critters” will let you explore your interactions with animals and give you an opportunity to revisit cherished experiences as well as think about having more! Designed for children and parents, this delightful book includes instructions for creating puppets and developing a puppet show. So enjoy reading about “Unconditional Love,” “Dorca the Orca” and “Noah and the Woodpeckers” while you heed the “Alligator Warning.”

Introducing Barbara A. Cefalu, author of Doggerel and Catterel

“I have been so fortunate to have Lisa standing by, to help in every way, expertly and cheerfully and assisting me in every possible way — and manages to stay cheerful when I am inept! She’s been wonderful.”

Barbara A. Cefalu is a musician/composer/author who has written several musicals and plays. Most recently she has published 9 illustrated children’s books, featuring the feisty felines Patty-Cat and Kittle. Barbara spends her time in Florida creating poetry and imaging what fun adventures her cats will have next.

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Book description…

Has the world lost its sense of humor? Let’s hope not for inside this little book of poetry are niggles focused on people, places and things. Of course, some things are to be considered seriously, such as the poem warning of the perils which might occur from NOT drinking coffee. But mainly the poems are to be taken with a wink and a slight elbow jab to the ribs. Please remember this is a book of fiction-and these are not shots aimed at any particular person. As that great seer, Edgar Cayce said, “It’s as much a sin to take offence as it is to give offence.” All things considered, it’s simply the author’s fevered imagination running amuck.

Introducing Calvin Doucet, author of Legacy of Wisdom through Poetry

“For a first time author, I would strongly recommend Outskirts Press. I could not find any other publishing company that offered 100% of rights, control, and royalty to the Author. The fact that the company was rated number 1 by Consumer Reports provided the trust and confidence needed to put this project in motion. Lisa, my Author Representative, reminded me of an engineering project manager at the Nuclear Power Plant where I last worked. Similarly, attention-to-details and meeting time schedules were important. Thanks!”

Calvin Doucet was born in Port Arthur, Texas, the youngest among five other siblings. After graduating from Lincoln High School, he attended Prairie View A&M University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. As a Professional Engineer, he worked in the Electric Power Industry for more than three decades. During his engineering career, he touched the lives of others by serving on city boards, coaching, mentoring, or just advocating for the right cause. Faced with adversity, the Author leaves engineering which provides an opportunity to fulfill his dream of writing a book. The Author dedicates this book to his mother, son, and six grandchildren.

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Book description…

Legacy of Wisdom through Poetry, thirty-one thought-provoking poems within five chapters: Motivation, Love, Life Experiences, Reality, and Inspiration. In this book, the author candidly shares personal experiences in his own unique way. The author utilizes his strengths such as coaching, mentoring, community service, soft skills and engineering background. All of these strengths with the exception of engineering background help the author transmit feelings regarding past experiences and events through poetry. The author’s engineering background helps provide a logical and chronological order of details and events.

From the love demonstrated by his mother, the Author is inspired to write “Mother’s Love,” the last poem in the book.

From his senior year in High School, the Author shares a valuable lesson learned from his varsity basketball coach in the poem, “Don’t Quit.”

From coaching boy’s basketball for more than a decade, the Author tells a story about how a player gives love back to the coach in the poem, “Who’s Taking Care of Coach.”

Turning a negative to positive, the Author candidly shares how his adversity provided for a better relationship with his son and grandchildren in the poem, “Adversity Can Bring Joy.”

There are twenty-seven more poems with a variety of information that can help instill values in you and your love ones. There are poems for the entire family, all within one book. This book is excellent for family readings or bedtime stories. This book will provide a legacy of wisdom to enrich your life. Legacy of Wisdom through Poetry is the perfect gift for any occasion.

Introducing James A. Hunter, author of Soft and Gentle 4 — A Remembered Prose

“It has always been a pleasure to work with Outskirts Press. They have allowed me to choose and control my interior format, which is very important to me. They are very easy to work with, and I would recommend their services to anyone.”

James A. Hunter was the youngest of eleven children and grew up on a farm near the rural, small town of Metamora, Indiana. From an early age, all of the children were expected to help with the farm chores, which consisted of raising a large garden, picking berries, putting up hay, milking cows, raising crops, and anything else that went along with living on a farm. Everything took a back seat to work, but the children always found time to play and establish memories that would stay with them forever. The family farm still survives nearly a hundred years after Jim’s grandparents settled there, and his love for the land has led to him owning part of that farm for 44 years and still counting. In addition, he has owned much of the valley surrounding it. His early passion for writing began in that same valley, and that same passion has remained undiminished since.

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Book description…

Making your life soft and gentle is a life choice, and it’s your choice alone. As we get older and increase our wisdom, we normally shift our priorities in life. Spending time with the ones that we love, and truly appreciating them, becomes more important. Becoming aware of the intricately-portrayed, yet simple, beauty around us can help us greater endure hardships and concentrate more on accentuating the positives in our life. Encountering hardships are a certainty in life, and we each must address them as best we can. On the other hand, the beauty of life is usually taken for granted. Being aware of beauty, experiencing it, and cherishing it, should always be a part of our life. Not taking advantage of a new opportunity to experience beauty is simply an opportunity wasted. This heartfelt collection of prose will mellow the heart as it explores life, love, beauty, nature, happiness, losses, dreams and nostalgic memories. Take time to enjoy these unique observations, and discover the soft and gentle aspects of life for yourself.

Introducing Simón “Paco” Lézaro, author of Amor Amor

“I received utmost professionalism, courtesy, and concern. Lisa was of tremendous assistance. I am very grateful for her input and suggestions. Kudus to OP for having such knowledge and wonderful employees in helping authors meeting their needs and goals.”

Simón “Paco” Lézaro pasó su carrera profesional como matemático, educador de matemáticas e instructor de escritura. Siempre ha tenido una pasión por escribir poesía. Él ha estado escribiendo la poesía desde sus años de la preadolescencia. La mayoría de sus poemas se centran en los temas del amor, la inspiración y el desarrollo personal. Paco, bajo diferentes nombres de pluma ha auto publicado una serie de libros de poesía, todos escritos en inglés. Entre estas obras se encuentran: The Philosopher’s Tears, Smiling Eyes Shine Brighter, The Other Color of Love, Love and Paper Rumors, Love Vibes: From the Heart to the Pen, y Love Light & Freedom Impact. Estas obras se pueden ver y obtener de Amazon.com y otros centros de distribución de libros, así como de Outskirts Press, Inc. Simón “Paco” Lézaro vive actualmente en Palm Coast, Florida.

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Book description…

El amor es amistad que habla desde el corazón. La esencia del amor es la tez del espíritu que anima e impregna toda vida. En realidad, el verdadero amor se encuentra dentro del corazón, la mente y el alma, y se irradia como alegría, felicidad, paz, armonía. El deseo de vivir la vida que estábamos destinados a vivir es lo que da sentido al amor verdadero, porque el amor es simplemente el reflejo de vivir nuestras vidas en formas estimulantes, productivas, positivas, revitalizantes, compasivas y humanitarias. A través del uso de muchas imágenes y metáforas, Amor Amor desvela una historia de amor, un viaje experimentado por el escritor; y habla poéticamente al lector en el lenguaje del corazón y del alma, ya que su mensaje irradia y aclara sobre diferentes aspectos del amor apasionado y de la amistad. Así que relájate, lee, reflexiona y aclara tu corazón y tu conciencia de amor experimentando el viaje de Amor Amor.

Introducing Debra Hanna, author of My Journey In Life

“I am not a lucky person, but when I found Outskirts Press, I became the luckiest person ever! Everyone I had contact with was unbelievably wonderful! Their knowledge is superior, and they gently but precisely guided me all the way through and the end result? The most beautiful book inside and out! I couldn’t be more pleased and happy! Thank you so much for everything! My next book that I am writing won’t go anywhere else, but with you! Feeling so blessed and ecstatic…on top of the world! Thank you again. I am 1 happy camper. I appreciate each and every one of you dearly. I do have to add that my book is very personal. I wrote for a lot of people. Outskirts Press made me get signatures and releases from all the people I wrote for, and if I had had any other publisher I could be in big trouble right now, as no other publisher cared what I wrote, they’d just publish, but Outskirts Press did care about more than just publishing me, and they made my book legal and right. I am so very thankful for them!”

Debra Hanna was born and raised in Illinois. From the time she was small, nature and adventure were kindred to her soul. Growing up, she scared her parents, quite a lot. She would disappear. At three years old, with all the neighbors looking for her, she was eventually found across a busy street, behind the bowling alley, playing in a creek, trying to catch a frog. She didn’t understand why everyone was mad, when she was so happy. They had to look for her quite a lot. By six years old, she would make it deep into the next town over before they found her. Her parents would be furious, but her smile and laughter almost always changed the atmosphere. She could have happily grown up in the fields with a sleeping bag. She daydreamed in beautiful ways; poetic in her mind, while she gently played with all the bugs. As she got older, her thoughts started coming to the forefront. Her sensitivity made by nature, captures the emotions of others with words that come alive In her mind. To this day, she is still the same way, and to her longtime boyfriend’s dismay… He still keeps catching her – feeding a group of baby ants behind the shop. Also, back there is a chain link fence, where a round flat bowl of water sits and ripped up bread. It’s for the little birds that nest around there. If a bee gets inside, she’ll catch him in a cup and return him to the outside. Back at home, a skunk, an opossum and a raccoon, get their left-over dinners. She hides the food in the corner of the back yard so that no one but them will know. The wild cat she feeds under the planted Land Rover in the driveway. This freaks him out, but he loves her just the same; and as she herself would say, I’m just me, not a delectable flower, but one of the cuter weeds in the field. Lastly, they have been together 15 years. He is used to her by now, but yes, she still freaks him out.

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Book description…

The Ruins originally were built with blood, sweat, and tears. It was cruel. It was gratifying. It was pride and happiness. It was heart and soul; So as my book goes. My poems have enriched people’s lives. I hope they do the same for you. If not, do not despise; But at least – Try me on for size.

Introducing Princess Ameenah, author of Straight from the Heart

“I am very pleased with my book. Lots of kudos, and inquiries such as, ‘Who did your book?’ Colleen is very talented and knowledgeable. She captured the art and spirit I wanted. I learned so much from this experience, beginning with the initial chats I had with my initial representatives (Wendy is truly a gem; I will never forget her patience), and Stephen is very cool (I needed that). He made sure my questions were answered. This is my first book, so I had a lot (lol). I feel like I am a part of a family. The president even answered my email in a timely fashion. Thank you for a job well done. ”

About Princess Ameenah: Certified in Restorative Practices at the graduate level, enhanced by my undergraduate profession, O. T. (occupational therapy), this book is my gift to the world because I really want to make it a better place, and to myself because I have had so much to say, written it down, then put it away. Suddenly I see the story again in some young person’s eyes. You can not buy intelligence; you can’t buy common sense. You can not buy integrity or honor, and so hence – The work you do, your goals and true reverence of the tasks you bear Certify, amplify accomplishments you dare. Princess Ameenah A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Developing Excellence. http://www.Princessameenah.com – http://www.myspace.com/iamprincessameenah –  http://www.developingexcellence.net

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Book description…

Bold, sensuous, honest, and enlightening. This is a book that flows with rhythmic insight. ‘Straight from the Heart’ is colorful, soulful, and socially informative. This book covers the dynamic phases of our experiences in a society where institutional racism exists, and poetically explores the challenges Black women are engaged in with ‘How Should I Wear My Crown?’ This is a book of spoken word worth reading. -Baba Jabali Wazuri (Educator, activist). “and Princess Ameenah dazzled the audience with her poetry and song.” -Healthy Music Matters, Ms. Toni Washington (2006), Philadelphia, PA, Versatility Entertainment & Image Awards 2006. “Sister Ameenah is truly a warrior queen. Her verve and desire to share her poetry bring the readers into a written vortex of ‘Ka Ba’ (soul, spirit) expression that is worthy of the Kentakes (Ethiopian Queens) from which she is ascended. Readers of this volume of poetry will know that they are reading within the realm of an artist whose familiarity with human expression is extraordinaire. This book is a valuable and worthy read.’ – Iya Adjua, Phd (Educator), Philadelphia, PA. ‘Straight from the Heart’ is a proud and passionate expression from a true Diva. It is a revelation of our greatness and struggles. I was truly entertained, yet the book was instructional, and taught me what dancing means. –
Donald Jackson (Educator), Philadelphia, PA