May 1, 2019 carries the burdens and celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the 442nd Regiment heading off to fight in World War II. The 442nd was made up of the Japanese American men taken out of internment camps all over the west coast; they fought valiantly at home and in Europe to prove their loyalty to the US.
Award-winning author and retinal surgeon Andrew Lam releases Repentance (Tiny Fox Press) on that commemorative day. The novel tells of Daniel Tokunaga and the journey he goes on to discover his father’s connection to the 442nd during World War II. Answers unravel as the Department of Defense investigates a horrible mishap that happened in a battle against the Germans in France, and Daniel searches for the truth behind his family’s catastrophic past.
"Suspenseful, touching, and beautifully written." --Margaret George, New York Times best-selling author of Elizabeth I
France, October 1944. A Japanese American war hero has a secret.
A secret so awful he'd rather die than tell anyone--one so entwined with the brave act that made him a hero that he's determined never to speak of the war. Ever.
Decades later his son, Daniel Tokunaga, a world-famous cardiac surgeon, is perplexed when the U.S. government comes calling, wanting to know about his father's service with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during WWII. Something terrible happened while his father was fighting the Germans in France, and the Department of Defense won't stop its investigation until it's determined exactly who did what.
Wanting answers of his own, Daniel upends his life to find out what his father did on a small, obscure hilltop half a world away. As his quest for the truth unravels his family's catastrophic past, the only thing for certain is that nothing--his life, career, and family--can ever be the same again.
Months after the passing of her adopted father, Diane Dewey was contacted by none other than her biological father in Switzerland. Finally coming in contact with her father unravels mysteries, secrets, and lies surrounding Diane’s birth and her mother. “Fixing the Fates: An Adoptee’s Story of Truth and Lies” (She Writes Press, June 4, 2019) is a fascinating account of one woman’s emotionally vulnerable 14-year-long journey to redefine the meaning of family in her life that had been missing for so long.
“Fixing the Fates” encourages its readers to reassess what it means to have family. Diane views family as a emotional commitment that is absolutely not limited to biological relationships; she hopes to communicate to her audience that family is not simply either “blood” or “adopted”, but that they can both peacefully exist in the same space.
"Diane Dewey’s Fixing the Fates: An Adoptee's Story of Truth and Lies is a remarkable story of family secrets and the turmoil that follows when those lies are unraveled. Dewey’s writing is vivid, honest, and transportive, her search for answers is inspiring and intriguing, and the lessons learned are powerful. Life, indeed, is unpredictable." —Dinty W. Moore, author of Between Panic & Desire
In conversation, Diane discusses:
Diane’s 14 year journey of reuniting with her biological family and meeting her Swiss husband
The international element of the story and how this really was life changing for her in the sense that her now in Switzerland and would have never otherwise have been
Connecting with a biological parent specifically as an adult adoptee
The humor and spiritual dimension to her story and writing
Why she decided to get her masters in mental health counseling
Using writing as a way to make sense of a life changing occurrence
How her travels, not only with this personal experience but also her time working with the Guggenheim museum and traveling extensively for that, influence her writing
That her father conducted the search for her rather than vice versa (and that the motives of biological fathers are often treated with suspicion)
DIANE DEWEYDiane holds her BA from Villanova University, the Honors Program in Liberal Arts. She later completed a certificate program from The Art Institute of Philadelphia, working for the Solomon. R. Guggenheim Museum and the National Academy, before founding her own art appraisal firm. Diane earned a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University in 2015. She lives in St. Petersburg, Florida and near Schaffhausen, Switzerland with her husband and their rescue dog. Fixing the Fates is her first book. For more information about Diane, visit her website: http://dianedewey.com/
LISTEN to today's conversation with Leonard Kim. Use your failure, mistakes, and vulnerabilities to fund success―the proven guide to building a powerful personal brand through the fearless admission of just being human
Business professionals are finding it harder and harder to break through the noise. The problem is, most of it is just that: noise. What if you could gain more career success, respect, and a powerful digital presence by being your natural, flawed self instead of pretending to be perfect? Ditch the Act takes a strategic approach to this little-known secret to help you build an authentic, long-lasting personal brand. The authors―both marketing and communications experts―explain why exposure is important and how it cultivates more durable connections than any polished persona can, and they show how to use stories of failure and weakness in ways that build trust and loyalty from large audiences.
Inside, you’ll find an actionable, 7-step process for driving brand differentiation and growth. Actions include:
•Crafting a unique bio and creating an “exposure resume” •Writing out stories and thought leadership insights based on the exposure resume •Extracting key content pieces to turn into video scripts for posting, sharing, and embedding in existing content •Fostering camaraderie in new relationships
People are getting weary of―and, frankly, seeing right through―the oversized egos dominating the business world today. By building a personal brand that is honest and authentic and that reveals personal struggles, you can build stronger, longer-lasting relationships―and achieve greater success.
ABOUT LEONARD KIM Leonard Kim is managing partner at InfluenceTree, a brand accelerator where Kim and his team build and develop your (personal or business) brand. He also spearheads digital strategy for USC's Medical Enterprise. On the side, Kim is a keynote speaker and blogs at LeonardKim.com. He currently resides in Los Angeles and loves cupcakes.
LISTEN to today's conversation with Laura Schroff The #1 New York Times Bestseller AN INVISIBLE THREAD By Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski
PRAISE FOR THE #1 New York Times BESTSELLING MEMOIR AN INVISIBLE THREAD:
“An Invisible Thread is like The Blind Side, but instead of football, it’s food. These are two people who were brought together by one simple meal, and it literally changed the course of both of their lives. This is a must-read . . . you can read it in a day because it’s impossible to put down. If you read it and find it as moving as I did, pay it forward: buy a copy and give it to a friend.” – Rachael Ray, host of The Rachael Ray Show
“If you have a beating heart—or if you fear you’re suffering a hardening of the emotional arteries—you really ought to commit to this book at the earliest possible opportunity . . . read this book. And pass it on. And encourage the next reader to do the same.”
– Jesse Kornbluth, Huffington Post
From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski comes the young readers edition of an inspirational memoir about an unlikely friendship between a busy sales executive and a homeless eleven-year-old boy.
One Monday afternoon, on a crowded New York City street corner, eleven-year old Maurice met Laura and asked for spare change because he was hungry. Something made Laura stop and offer to take Maurice to lunch. They met for dinner on the following Monday, and the Monday after that, and wound up getting together on m0re than 100 Mondays, forging an unlikely friendship that changed both their lives forever.
Based on the true story of Laura Schroff and Maurice Mazyck, An Invisible Thread chronicles the bond between an eleven-year-old boy and a busy sales executive; a heartwarming journey of hope, kindness, adventure, and love—and the power of fate to help us find our way.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Laura Schroff is a former advertising executive who helped launch three of the most successful start-ups in Time Inc. history— In Style, Teen People, and People Style Watch. Schroff has also worked as the New York Division Manager at People magazine. Since the release of An Invisible Thread, Schroff has been a keynote speaker at over 300 schools, libraries, charities and bookstores, encouraging people to find for their own invisible thread connections and appreciate the power of small acts of kindness. Lives in Westchester, NY
Alex Tresniowski is a former human-interest writer at People and the bestselling author of several books. His other titles include An Invisible Thread, Waking Up in Heaven, and The Light Between Us.
ADDITIONAL PRAISE FOR THE #1 New York Times BESTSELLING 2011 MEMOIR
AN INVISIBLE THREAD:
“[A] complex and unswervingly honest story about a woman and a boy who saved each other. By its raw honesty and lack of excess sentimentality, it is even more inspirational. This is a book capable of restoring our faith in each other and in the very idea that maybe everything is going to be okay after all.”
– Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward and Jumpstart the World
“An Invisible Thread—a remarkable story, told so beautifully and honestly—shows us what’s possible when we are not afraid to connect with another human being and tap into our compassion. It is a story about the power each of us has to elevate someone else’s life and how our own life is enriched in the process. This special book reminds us that damaging cycles can be broken and not to neglect the humanity of the strangers we brush up against every day.”
– Chris Gardner, bestselling author of The Pursuit of Happyness
“This is one of the most touching and refreshing and inspiring stories I have read in a long time. If you had made this story up, I wouldn’t have believed it, but it’s true. We all need something to inspire us, and I promise you, this book will make you want to stand up and do something nice for people. What a wonderful and needed story for all of us.
An Invisible Thread is fantastic.”
-Mike Huckabee, Former Governor of Arkansas, Host of Fox News; Huckabee Show
“This book is a game-changer . . . each chapter touches your heart. An Invisible Thread is a gift to us all. America needs this book now more than ever.”
– Coach Ron Tunick, national radio show host, The Business of Life
LISTEN to today's show with Bill Eddy. WHY WE ELECT NARCISSISTS AND SOCIOPATHS – AND HOW WE CAN STOP! (on sale May 21) by clinical social worker and veteran mediator Bill Eddy. In this invaluable guide to identifying dangerous personalities in politics, the world’s leading authority on high-conflict personalities explains how these politicians often capture 40% of the vote while dividing the majority – and what we can do to prevent this from happening.
Arguing that it is personality - not politics - that allows high conflict individuals to obtain positions of power, Eddy addresses a previously unidentified phenomena that poses a threat to our world and offers insightful advice for anyone seeking to make better choices at the polls.
About Why We Elect Narcissists and Sociopaths—and How We Can Stop
Bestselling author, therapist, lawyer, and mediator Bill Eddy describes how dangerous, high-conflict personalities have gained power in governments worldwide–and what citizens can do to keep these people out of office.
Democracy is under siege. The reason isn’t politics but personalities: too many countries have come under the sway of high-conflict people (HCPs) who have become politicians. Most of these high-conflict politicians have traits of narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial (i.e., sociopathic) personality disorder, or both. This is the first and only guide for identifying and thwarting them.
HCPs don’t avoid conflict, they thrive on it, widening social divisions and exacerbating international tensions. Eddy, the world’s leading authority on high-conflict personalities, explains why they’re so seductive and describes the telltale traits that define HCPs–he even includes a helpful list of forty typical HCP behaviors.
Drawing on historical examples from Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Nixon to Trump, Maduro, and Putin, Eddy shows how HCPs invent enemies and manufacture phony crises so they can portray themselves as the sole heroic figure who can deal with them, despite their inability to actually solve problems. He describes the best ways to expose HCPs as the charlatans they are, reply to their empty and misleading promises, and find genuine leaders to support. Eddy brings his deep psychotherapeutic experience to bear on a previously unidentified phenomena that presents a real threat to the world.
Bill will discuss:
How narcissistic leaders seduce us into voting for them
Why high conflict politicians can’t turn off their followers
How our media promotes high conflict personalities – and what we can do about it
The basic 5-point emotional message that all High Conflict Politicians use
How voter drop-outs, moderates, and resisters can unite before the general election
About Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq.
Bill Eddy is a lawyer, therapist, mediator and the co-founder and Training Director of High Conflict Institute. He developed the High Conflict Personality theory (HCP Theory) and has become an international expert on managing disputes involving high conflict personalities and personality disorders. He provides training on this subject to lawyers, judges, mediators, managers, human resource professionals, businesspersons, healthcare administrators, college administrators, homeowners’ association managers, ombudspersons, law enforcement, therapists and others. He has been a speaker and trainer in over 30 U.S. states and 10 countries.
As an attorney, Bill was a Certified Family Law Specialist in California and the Senior Family Mediator at the National Conflict Resolution Center in San Diego. Prior to becoming an attorney in 1992, he was a Licensed Clinical Social worker with twelve years’ experience providing therapy to children, adults, couples and families in psychiatric hospitals and outpatient clinics. He has taught Negotiation and Mediation at the University of San Diego School of Law for six years and he is on the part-time faculty of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law and the National Judicial College. He is the author of numerous articles and several books.
Mission: Long Way Home is a non-profit organization which uses sustainable design and materials to construct self-sufficient schools that promote education, employment and environmental stewardship.
According to political thinker and educator John Dewey, who developed experimentalism and is a primary influence shaping LWH’s philosophy, “education must first be human”. With this in mind the organization places people and sustainable living at the center of its school community where environmentally consciousness living and green building techniques are taught as well as modeled.
LWH is a mission-driven organization that works to resist the forces of economic and environmental devastation through education. Enacting teaching and learning “as a practice of freedom”, LWH directs its initiatives and resources to break the cycle of poverty through the formulation and practice of ground-breaking solution-oriented effort.
In a time of global crisis when people and the natural world face growing challenges to livelihood and sustainability, LWH responds with thoughtful and data-driven humanitarianism; facilitated through creative problem-posing strategies, imaginative experimentation, and courageous exploration. In keeping with this guiding principle, LWH is an innovative and pioneering research institute dedicated to the gathering and analysis of data relevant to its mission.
Leeav is currently on faculty at the Colburn School in Los Angeles where he teaches classes, directs choirs, and community engagement programs. He earned a performance degree in clarinet and voice from California State University of Long Beach and has performed at venues such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Ford Amphitheatre, and the Staples Center. In addition to co-founding Los Angeles’ only current Jewish Youth Orchestra, he also leads the band Mostly Kosher, dedicated to preserving and progressing cultural folk music of the Judaic heritage for future generations.
ABOUT The Urban Voices Choir is composed of artists and performers from the Skid Row neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles. Throughout the year, they are sharing music and its healing power with many individuals and audiences inside and outside the neighborhood of Skid Row, the epicenter of Los Angeles’s homeless crisis. The choir is one of many programs presented by Urban Voices Project, a non-profit that brings the healing power of music directly to individuals disenfranchised by homelessness, mental health issues, and unemployment. Community singing and music education combine to provide practical opportunities for individuals to transcend their current circumstances and participate in a creative program of positive change.The Urban Voices Project has found recognition in the front page of the Los Angeles Times and was featured on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered in 2014 as well as The New Yorker in 2018. Leeav Sofer Urban Voices Project, Co-Founder & Artistic Director Insta: @urbanvoicesproject FB: facebook.com/urbanvoicesproject Check out Urban Voices Project on NBC’s Today Show!
DIANE DEWEY
