Opening the Door to Authors around the World to Publish in Paperback, Hardcover, Electronic, or Elegant Leather Bound Format and Cementing Their Reputation as the Global Leader in Self-Publishing.
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Xlibris Publishing, the global leader in self-publishing announced their expansion into the UK, Australian and New Zealand markets today with new, digital friendly publishing services.

Xlibris has nurtured relationships with worldwide leaders in the industry and has initiated the launch of alliances with industry-leading digital content portals giving its titles worldwide availability in both print and digital format. The addition of publishing in the ePub format to its entire line of Black & White Publishing Services will enable the independent publishing giant to dominate the online digital publishing market by producing digital versions of all new titles it publishes – and converting tens of thousands from its list of already published titles.

By utilizing its established relationships, these titles will be available worldwide through several popular e-readers and e-channels as well as the traditional book printers and distributors. With the help of the Sony e-Book Store, Amazon’s Kindle eBook Store, and the possibility of distribution through the Apple iStore, thousands of Xlibris titles will be available in a myriad of formats to reach every reader around the world. 

“Xlibris leads the world in new titles brought to market. We will convert every new title and tens of thousands from our backlist into digital formats and make them available through the leading digital content portals. We believe as our self-publishing business continues to accelerate, we will become the world’s largest publisher of original digital content,” said Kevin Weiss, president and chief executive officer.

By being at the forefront of digital publishing, and combined with their expansion into the UK, Australian and New Zealand publishing markets, Xlibris has truly cemented their place as the global leader in the rapidly growing self-publishing industry.

Authors can also promote their work and introduce their books with the Xlibris Podcast Marketing Service. This new and exciting marketing tool gives authors the opportunity to reach more readers through recorded interviews made accessible on podcast portals like iTunes.

For more information about Xlibris Publishing; log onto its US Website at www.xlibris.com, UK Website at www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk, Australia Website www.xlibris.com.au, New Zealand Website www.xlibris.co.nz or call  1-888-795-4274 (US);  0800-644-6988 (UK); 1-800-618-969(Au); 800-891-366 (NZ).

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Get more information on how to get a book published.

Christmas Comes Early with Xlibris’ 50% Off Services Sale
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As early as November, Xlibris, the leader in the self-publishing industry, gets into the spirit of giving with a 50% off all book publishing, marketing and add-on services. Xlibris offers a wide variety of publishing packages starting at $299. Each package offers various combinations of publishing, editorial and marketing services for a customized self-publishing experience. 

With the November Sale Xlibris’ line-up now starts at $199 for both full-color and black and white services. Looking for an affordable gift idea for people that are hard to buy for? Xlibris’ publishing services are fully transferable and would make a truly unique gift that will last a lifetime.

Xlibris boasts the widest range of marketing and add-on services available on the market today covering multiple media formats including videos, podcasts and eBooks. Whether the desired target audience is regional, national or international Xlibris’ extensive range of services work together to deliver a complete customized book marketing solution. For the month of November, Xlibris is offering all services at half price.

Xlibris 50% off sales runs for a limited time only and will expire November 25th. It does not apply to book orders or book galleries.

For more information about Xlibris services; log on to www.xlibris.com, or call 1-888-795-4274.

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A free publishing guide will give you more idea of how to get your book published.

If sharing stories with children is your dream as an author, the Xlibris Children's Publishing Packages can help you make your dream come true.

Whether your book is intended to make a child laugh, share a valuable life lesson, or take children on a magical journey into their imagination, your book deserves the attention and assistance it needs.

You can choose from three packages that suit your publishing requirements: Children's Ballad, Children's Dreamtime, and Children's Fairytale. These packages have been created with features that cater to your creativity as an author and meet the genre specifications of your children's book.

On top of that, you can bring your story to vivid life with the Xlibris Art Studio, who can provide the illustrations, customize the layout, and truly make your story a work of art.

Learn more about publishing your stories with the Xlibris Children's Publishing Packages.

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We have always had a penchant for anything time saving and life changing, but when it comes to our wardrobe, we always take them for granted. The only time we actually sit down and notice they exist is when our closet becomes an adversary in our daily lives. How many of us have experienced scampering to our closets and ending up getting mismatched clothes because of time constraints?

Self-published author M. Patty Klochko introduces a system that will allow us to keep track of our ensembles from our shoes and jewelry to our accessories. Such procedures are so simple that she decided to share her technique to the world with the Xlibris release, Dressed & Out the Door in 5 Minutes or Less!

Klochko's disclaimer started out by saying that you need not to empty your closet to become an expert in dressing up efficiently. A realtor and broker, Klochko also discussed the nuances of sorting out your closet and tossing whatever you do not need like how she is in the sales and field business. Such an advice sounds so basic yet always self-evident. This self-published book has totally taken closet organization to a new level.

The key is quickly and confidently getting Dressed & Out the Door in 5 Minutes and Klochko reminds her readers that everything all starts in your closet.

Xlibris, the global leader in the self-publishing industry, takes its book publishing and marketing services to another level of excellence. As the print-on-demand company expands its business worldwide, Xlibris rolls out an improved line of service packages to better serve its clientele.

The retooled publishing and marketing packages do not only come with the trademark quality authors have come to know and expect from Xlibris, but also with additional features to enhance each service level.

Authors looking forward to the publication of their books can take advantage of these improved black-and-white and full-color publishing packages, as well as the upgraded print, media and online marketing services to get the most of their Xlibris experience.

The new features in the Xlibris service packages are designed to give authors more choices in their publishing journey and help them achieve the full potential of their book.

Visit www.xlibris.com to learn more about the improved Xlibris publishing and marketing service packages.

Be interviewed. Be recorded. Be heard on iTunes. The leader in the self-publishing industry introduces its Podcast Marketing Packages.


Podcasts have become a major tool used by musicians in promoting their music online, movie critics for airing their film reviews, technology enthusiasts for sharing instructional videos on the latest tech gadgets and, more recently, as a way for authors to talk about their books.

Xlibris, the leader in the independent publishing industry, introduces their Podcast Marketing Packages. Specifically created for Xlibris published authors, this marketing tool enables them to promote their books while sharing their vision as a writer and the purpose of their work.

With the Xlibris Podcast Marketing Packages, a recorded interview with the author will be spliced into five episodes. These interviews will be saved as MP3 files, which can easily be share with friends, family and the rest of their network.

These podcasts will also be published one episode at a time on a weekly basis on the Xlibris Podcast website at www.xlibrispodcasts.com and distributed to leading podcast sites like iTunes, Zune, Podcast Alley, Odeo and Podcast.com.

The Xlibris Podcast Marketing Packages start at $4,999 and authors can choose from three optimized packages that suit their particular book marketing and promotional needs. For more information visit the Xlibris Podcasts website or email marketing.consultants@xlibris.com.


About Xlibris
Xlibris was founded in 1997 and, as the leading publishing services provider for authors, has helped to publish more than 20,000 titles. Xlibris is based in Bloomington, IN and provides authors with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound, and full-color formats.

For more information, please visit the book publisher's website, e-mail pressrelease@xlibris.com or call at 1-888-795-4247, to receive a free publishing guide.

Women working in a male-dominated industry can be a very daunting challenge. Some women, in a bid to fit in and move up, make the mistake of hiding their real selves, trying to be like men. But for self-published author Renee Weisman, women can survive and succeed in a man’s world without having to change who they are as women. She shares this in her book, Winning In a Man’s World.

This book is an account of her experience working in a male-dominated industry, of which she spent nearly 40 years in the engineering profession. Renee did it her way – demonstrating leadership traits without necessarily losing her feminine qualities. She relates that the encouragement she had been receiving from many of her fellow engineers, male and female alike, has given her the drive to inspire other people, thus the birth of the book Winning In a Man’s World.

A distinguished engineer, Renee was one of the first women engineers in a top-level position, having been Director of Engineering at IBM prior to retiring in 2007. Renee also owns Winning at Work, a leadership consulting firm. She specializes in conducting live and virtual seminars to help boost employee morale and build better, more harmonious working relationships between men and women. Renee capitalized on gender differences as a catalyst to achieve individual and organizational profitability. She is also a proud mother of two beautiful daughters whom she successfully raised despite her hectic work demands and the absence of a nanny.

Renee writes this book the ‘scientific way’, so much so that these are presented in a factual approach. Personnel and relationship issues are devoid of emotional arguments, which can be perceived as barriers to achieving real and positive results. The book also contains special sections and exercises that allow readers to apply what they have learned.

Winning In a Man’s World has so far been embraced favorably from the reading public. In fact, her book has opened many more opportunities for her in regards to consulting and she has become a featured writer for Womenco.com.

Others have also used the book to gain encouragement as well. Renee only has good words to say about her publishing experience with Xlibris. She is extremely satisfied with the efficiency of the people behind the publishing process, especially the copy editors, for their brilliant suggestions in enhancing the clarity of her book. She is also confident of its marketing services that she has just signed up for the bookstore returnability program, an option that can boost a book’s marketability.

Renee first learned of Xlibris through a friend, who had also availed of its publishing services, and was pleased with the results. She believes that company integrity and the depth of services are the topmost things to consider when selecting a self-publishing company.

After working with Xlibris on her book, she knew she had made the right choice. Aside from currently promoting her book, she is also actively writing for Womenco and conducting speaking engagements on various topics. Renee believes that by deciding in advance your target market and choosing the right means to get your book “out there”, that any aspiring author can be successful with self-publishing.

Being a woman in a man’s world should not be intimidating – it should be a fulfilling and rewarding experience instead. Renee believes that women can create a more comfortable environment and increase their chances for success. She also feels strongly about going after the things that truly matter when deterred by fear or doubt. These she hopes to show through her book, Winning In a Man’s World.

Xlibris, the leading print-on-demand company, has announced that it will be raising prices significantly effective October 1, 2009. Any orders placed before October 1 will be honored at the lower prices.

Noel Flowers, Xlibris' Marketing Manager said, "Xlibris has not had a price increase for more than 2 years. During this time all of our competitors have raised their prices, as have most of our vendors that we use. Prices in general have risen throughout the book, publishing, & marketing world, thereby raising our own costs. To maintain our own competitiveness in the industry, we are retooling all our publishing packages and their prices."

Xlibris Publishing's entire publishing services and marketing products will help offset increases in areas of the company's input costs, including raw materials, and others.

The self-publishing company has continued to help writers become published authors since 1997 and has proven to be the leading self-publishing company in the book publishing industry.

Xlibris Publishing expresses its gratitude to its authors and clients for their valued patronage.

I had lunch at the office cafeteria one day when I overheard some co-workers talk about religion. They were discussing how some religions have become a "business", with men of the cloth duping laymen and using the name of God for unscrupulous purposes.

Listening to their conversation made me think about the truths of their argument (yes, there are certain religious sects that have made faith a cash cow for personal gain) and the fallacies of their thesis (there are true believers of Christ and servants of the One True God that serve Him wholeheartedly for the benefit of others).

I was also saddened by how many ungodly wolves in sheep's clothing have tarnished the image of Christianity -- or any religion for that matter -- and as a result, have led astray many people genuinely seeking God. It is a sad situation but not a new one. Apparently this is an age old condition and it is addressed in the Xlibris book "Is Organized Religion a Sham?" by Ed Sepernik.

This self-published book takes a look at the historical, theological and sociological aspects of the origins of various religions. Sepernik also delves into primitive man's conception of gods, and how the religious righteous have manipulated theology to control the masses.

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Find out how you can get your book published.

One of the more difficult aspects of being a cell group leader based on my experience is in the area of correcting and rebuking the young men under me. The frequent questions that come to my mind whenever I sense that one of the guys need 'a talk' are: "Lord, is this you wanting to correct them?", "how do I rebuke in love?", and "how far does the spiritual spanking go?"

I'm still somewhat getting used to the truth that discipline is a part of loving someone, and being a single guy with no biological children pretty much lends itself to the challenge of learning how to dispense rebuke with a father's heart. But as a leader and a maturing Christian who continues to learn daily, I want to immerse myself in all the ways that I can grow. This area of rebuking the ones I love is definitely one I need to learn more of.

Being submitted to a cell group leader myself has taught me that receiving rebuke is part of the discipleship process. As I have several times been corrected by my leaders, I have not only become better in the areas where wrongs were set straight but I have also become wiser and more equipped to administer admonitions.

I have had the privilege of talking to some of the guys in the cell group to point out certain behaviors and attitudes that are not in alignment with God's word. Most of the time I approach this situation with fear and trembling. But whenever I ask the Holy Spirit to check the motives of my heart before taking time to rebuke someone, I get reminded that the Bible tells us to teach a child what is right so that he will not deviate from it later on (Proverbs 22:6), and that even God the Father disciplines us when we go wrong because He loves us (Proverbs 3:11-12).

When these words come alive in my heart, I begin to get the assurance that, like my Father in heaven, I am correcting one of my guys out of love, out of the desire to see them become better than they are now and become the men God made them to be. I believe that when I admonish them in accordance to God's word, I am doing what I see my Father do - showing love in every possible way, even if it means meting out reproof.

I'm also learning a lot from the book I'm currently reading. Derek Prince's instructional book, Husbands & Fathers has given me a lot of insight into the fatherhood aspects of leadership. The author reveals what he has learned first hand about being a husband and being a father raising up children who are mostly not biologically his. Good reads like this teach me so many things as a leader of these young men under me.

There is still a lot for me to learn about the whole "discipline-the-ones-you-love" aspect of leadership, but I find encouragement in Proverbs 27:5, which says, "Open rebuke is better than secret love." I hope you do too.

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Have people read between the lines of your work. Get your book published now.

Poetry has always been enjoyable to me. I've always loved how words are put together and played around with and rhymed into strings of thoughts. I love the way poets capture certain images, create certain moods and call to mind certain feelings with their words.

There is so much to love about poetry. I personally delight in the way writers tie thoughts together with rhymes and homonyms. The types and variations of poems written in books also make reading poems exciting. Most notably, poems present the thoughts, the expressions and the personality of the writer. In that sense, a poem gives us a peek at the writers life.

Poetry can become very diverse when it comes from different writers with varying backgrounds and experiences. This is what I've notice while going through some books of poetry online.

One book of poems says it covers a broad spectrum of topics that capture the essence of purpose in life and finding courage through change. Whispered Poems, by Jonalynn Varga, offers a glimpse into the depths of the poet's stirring passion for peace, love and laughter, in the hopes that people will awaken to spiritual enlightenment.

Another, based on its title, goes off in another direction and gets more playful than others. 13 Horrible Poems Times 2 is a book poetry by Michael Emmett Scannell that takes the ordinary and turns it into the quirky and whimsical.

Taka Rothernberg, on the other hand, takes the nostalgic and romantic route with her poetry. A Bent Toward Marriage is dedicated to the author's first love, fraulein Dinkelocker, the German nurse from whom he was rudely taken at the impressionable age of four. Through out this book of poems, Rotherberg pours out his poetic expression of  lost loves and recollections of the past.

These self-published books of poetry says a lot about poetry: that it can paint a colorful picture of emotions; that it can amuse everyday people by amplifying everyday situations; that it can remind us of a memorable past and reassure us of a hopeful future. Such is the beauty of poetry.

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Want to have your own poems in a book? Find out how to publish your own book of poetry now.

When I'm at work I usually prefer to be left alone with the stuff that I need to do. I require minimal supervision that way. This how I work best and how my best work comes out. This also leaves me focused and very quiet and somehow isolates me from the rest of my co-workers.

There's no problem for me working quietly on my own but the dynamics in the office seem to require that one be loud and noisy like everyone else in order for one to fit in. Therein lies the problem: I am not loud and noisy and I like to concentrate on what I do rather than use my physical energies for something I deem unnecessary for work.

This is not to say that the rest of my colleagues aren't doing their jobs. It's just that their way of carrying on their duties at work is different than mine, and for me different is not always bad. Just different.

Having painted the scenario at my workplace, I think you can understand how politics plays into the picture. It's not so much politics in the sense that we're all at each other's throats, jockeying for higher positions on the corporate ladder, but it's politics in the sense that if you don't conform to what the norm in the workplace, you're the odd man out.

One thing is for sure, though: self-published author Bruce Grossman understands what I am trying to say. After all he wrote the book Workplace Politics: a Practical Guide for Making Your Experience at Work More Positive, Productive and Pleasant. The only regret I have is not having read this book before I entered the corporate world.

Still, this self-published book comes in handy when dealing with the existence of office politics in my workplace. Any working professional will find this book an indispensable office mate.

Customer service is a very important aspect when running a business. Your customers are the lifeblood of your enterprise and how you deal with them can speak for you and your company. It is impossible for an establishment to succeed if it fails to meet customer expectations. You have to keep them satisfied in order to earn their trust and attract new ones as well.

With cutthroat competition and ever-changing demands in the service industry, businesses and organizations should strive for and consistently uphold customer service excellence in order to ensure their success and survival.

Author Sophia Brooks presents fresh, new and surefire ways to achieving customer satisfaction in the self-published book, Customer Service New Rules. This book provides step-by-step ways for businesses, organizations and individuals to earn customer loyalty and attract new ones as well.

Customer Service New Rules also puts emphasis on employees, as they play a huge role in defining the quality of your business’s customer service. This Xlibris release gives employers the heads-up on how to hire the right people; how your people should deal with customers; how to deal with your people and how to motivate into becoming efficient and effective people at work.

Earning a reputation for service excellence is never easy, and achieving business success is never a walk in the park either. Customer Service New Rules hopes to help you achieve your business and organizational goals. How you keep up and commit to it depends on you, of course.

Technology is an amazing thing. It has managed to bring innovation after innovation to the methods and tools that human beings have used in solving practical problems.

In a previous entry on this blog, we looked at how digital technology has impacted the way books are presented and marketed. Digital reading devices and electronic books have given readers more convenience in accessing and reading books. This has eliminated the carrying around of paperback or hardbound books and, at the same time, made reading much easier. Technology has that capability.

Convenience is one of technology's main goals. Every innovation strives to make life and its peripheral tasks more expedient and more efficient. This concept has exponentially advanced in recent years and has invaded every facet of human life while redefining the book publishing industry along the way.

Anyone who has sent queries to traditional publishing houses knows that it takes time to shop one's manuscript around before finally getting that much-coveted book deal. Moreover, even when their written work is within the publication process, it takes just as long or even longer – sometimes years – to get the book printed, promoted and into book shelves.

Creative control is one of the author's greatest desires though often with traditional publishing that control is lost soon after the manuscript is submitted. From design, edits, layout to printing the author retains ownership in the creative process with self-publishing.

Enter the independent and self-publishing companies, which capitalize on the concept of convenience and creative control in the book publishing industry. Though that's not to say that self-publishers and independent publishers only focus on expediting the publishing process; it's mainly providing a better, faster and more convenient option for aspiring authors to choose from. More importantly, it allows authors to take control of the publishing process, something a traditional publisher rarely cedes.

This trend of technology and innovation making things more expedient and more efficient has already made significant changes in the book publishing industry. Further advancements in print-on-demand and publishing applications and processes can only mean one thing – technology, creative control and convenience will continue to redefine the face of book publishing as we know it.

A few weeks ago my friend, Kevin, received his first Fathers' Day card. He was so encouraged with what was written on that card. This was something that really made his day and he cherished being the recipient of that greeting card primarily because he was not yet a father -- it was unexpected and yet very welcome for him.

Kevin is a youth worker who disciples teenage men in his local church. He is involved in teaching them life skills and character development on a weekly basis. This takes up most of his energies as he has put his heart and soul into this endeavor knowing one day what he invested in the lives of these young men will benefit many people.

The Fathers' Day card that Kevin received came from Pete, one of the young men from his mentoring class. Pete was one of Kev's first few students when he started mentoring young people over a year ago and they have since developed a bond that goes beyond mere friendship. Kev has often told me that he feels like a father to his students and that even though they were not his sons biologically, he sees them as his sons emotionally and spiritually. Pete is one of his 'sons'.

Kevin didn't see the gesture coming but he appreciated the act of gratitude from Pete. When Kev read the words written on the card, he realized that his heart for these young men has been understood and felt. He said that Pete's words were a representation of what he believed was a consensus from his sons in the mentoring class. He told me that while gratefulness was expressed in Pete words, it was the thought implied between the lines that moved him the most.

The message Kevin was able glean from his student's words was that his efforts were appreciated, his concern welcomed, his love received and his lessons remembered. Both the written words on that piece of paper and what was implied in the card lifted up Kev's spirits and made him more eager to continue to train up these young men because he knew that there is so much more to bring out in the potential of the next generation. Not an easy job but with words of encouragement from the likes of Pete, Kev said it will be worth his while, something he "would probably write and publish a book about!"

He's looking forward to more mentoring time with Pete (and with the rest of his students), more words of encouragement, more Fathers' Day cards, and more reading between the lines.

In the last few years of my life I have learned to appreciate challenges that come in my way. I realized that the trials that show up on my path improve my character and personality if I respond to them the right way.

Life's challenges also stretch me to reach my potential when otherwise I would have shrunk back and called it quits.

The month of June presented a new challenge for me in my involvement with the choir I sing with. I am now urged to learn to read musical notes -- something that I have not really taken seriously for years.

It is a challenge because there are so many tiny details to take note of (pun intended) when reading the bass cleft. I'm re-acquainting myself with the notes, the rests, the measures, the bars, the sharps, the flats, and everything else in between.

It felt a bit overwhelming when I tried to read all these little things on the music sheet, but I knew that if I stayed the course and face the challenge of learning to read music, I would get it down pat.

My situation now is reminiscent of events in Richard J. Faber's self-published book, You Can Sing in a Choir or Chorus. Faber encourages wannabe choir or chorus singers to get past any perceived hindrances and embrace the challenges that learning music will bring. The author emphasizes that singing in a chorus or a choir can be learned. And that's how I feel about music now.

So, I'm back to being a student again, which I actually like a lot. I think I'm getting the hang of reading music. My choir director gave me a little bit of testing the other day and I think I did a good job identifying those quirky little details on the bass cleft.

Learning through life's challenges is fun and I've always thought of myself as perpetual student. This notes reading thing is my current challenge. I will overcome it and I will master it. I will be able to read music effortlessly one day!

Xlibris, the leading company in the independent publishing industry has announced the top ten best-selling books in its library of self-published titles for April 2009.

1. Nothing is Strange with You: the Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott by James Jeffrey Paul; (True Crime). Tells the whole story of the Gordon Stewart Northcott case.

2. Removing Doubt in an Interview: a Better Approach to Getting the Job You Want by  Eric C. Hoss; (Business & Economics). Introduces a unique and successful approach to job interviewing.

3. Operator’s Guide to Centrifugal Pumps: What Every Reliability-Minded Operator Needs to Know by Robert X. Perez; (Reference, Technology). A detailed guide for process operators who regularly deal with centrifugal pumps.

4. Wherever I Am, I’m Fine: Letters About Living While Dying by Catherine Royce; (Inspiration & Personal Growth). A journal of a woman's life after being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

5. The Ides of June by Stan Trybulski; (Fiction). Doherty, a former New York prosecutor is now in a dead-end legal job with the city’s Department of Education. His life suddenly changes when a school principal asks him to look into the 30-year-old murder of her twin sister.

6. Tooth Trouble by Steven Zuckerman; (Juvenile fiction). Depicts a funny story about a young girl, her dentist, and the tooth fairy.

7. Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins: Curing the Incurable by Thomas E. Levy, M.D., J.D.; (Medical). Details the multiple health and healing benefits of vitamin C.

8. A Brain-Based Approach to Closing the Achievement Gap by Horacio Sanchez; (Education). Describes learning techniques that maximizes the human brain.

9. A Happy Pocket Full of Money: Your Quantum Leap into the Understanding, Having, and Enjoying of Immense Wealth and Happiness by David Cameron Gikandi; (Reference). Elaborates how recent discoveries in theoretical physics are actually relevant in the creation of personal wealth.

10. Leave Yesterday Behind by Leo Mark Bonaventura; (Fiction). Leo Adam Alba III awakens from a dream where he sees Karen Carpenter asking God to send her someone to love her for herself.

These self-published releases are available at the online bookstore of the Xlibris website at https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/index.asp. Find out more about how to get your book published.


About Xlibris
Xlibris was founded in 1997 and, as the leading publishing services provider for authors, has helped to publish more than 20,000 titles. Xlibris is based in Bloomington, IN and provides authors with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound, and full-color formats.

For more information, please visit the book publisher's website, e-mail pressrelease@xlibris.com or call at 1-888-795-4247, to receive a free publishing guide.