Books
Iranian born photographer and filmmaker Afshin Shahidi first met Prince in 1993. After working as his cinematographer on numerous video projects he was invited to document his 2002 One Night Alone Tour, and would become Prince’s personal photographer for a decade. This unexpected journey led to a close friendship, sleepless nights, frantic last-minute flights, and the distinction of being the only photographer granted access to Prince’s private 3121 parties.
Prince: A Private View takes you behind the lens on an intimate trip through the extraordinary life of the legendary musician through never-before-seen photos and personal recollections.
Self-publishing allows independent authors to tell stories their way and in their own time. It has opened the door for many writers who may have never had the chance to get their work read otherwise. The publishing industry has always been notoriously hard to break into. Self-publishing allows for topics that are unique, original, controversial and different from the mainstream. To be a self-published author means commitment to creating a masterpiece and building a loyal readership. It means constantly believing in yourself, your work and the process.
In Steven D. Lavine — Failure is What It’s All About, award-winning German author and journalist Jörn Jacob Rohwer explores the story of the California Institute of the Arts and its legendary twenty-nine year president Dr. Steven D. Lavine.
“From 1988 until 2017, I served as President of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). During this time, CalArts distinguished itself as a progressive and internationally influential leader in each of the arts taught at the college—art, dance, theater, music, film/video, and writing—and became a pace-setter in domestic diversity, community engagement, international linkage, and in the production and presentation of cutting edge professional work.”
We all have moments where we are faced with challenges. How we face those challenges and move past them is an important process in growing as an individual. This is hard enough as adults, but children may not have the maturity or tools to move beyond their struggles. So, what can they do? This is where Dee Bryant comes in.
Dee Bryant is retired military leader, a motivational speaker, and a two-time published author, with one goal in mind—helping to inspire children towards positive change. Dee is determined to help kids tackle the issues before them, while getting them to understand, that they can move past their fear consisting of self-doubt, fear of failure, or fear of making mistakes.
Paul Lamar Hunter grew up in a two-bedroom house with twenty-one siblings, often without enough food, clothes or space to sleep to go around. Despite this, he’s overcome the perils of poverty, neglect, abuse and family dysfunction to become the first in his family to earn a college degree. His story is proof that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. The proud father of four shows that neither limits nor lineage determines the quality of one’s life. Though adversity changed the trajectory of his life, his touching story about personal triumph and beating the odds will inspire you to persevere.
With an enormous career in helping those touched by war and pain, Saber Azam has dedicated his life to making a difference. In his first novel, Soraya: The Other Princess, he pens a compelling story recounting what transpired in Afghanistan over the past seven decades. This historical fiction is inspired by the life of an exceptional woman, Soraya Ludin, who was the only woman of her country to study at and graduate from the University of London in the 1960s. It attempts to portray how women were and are perceived and treated by their still tribal societies.
Gabriella Eva Nagy is a Hungarian-born American who is an illustrator and storyteller known for creating colorful children’s books. Her whimsical illustrations of nature use bright and vibrant colors that are an invitation to the sweet surroundings of the natural wonders and serenity. Her books are both visually stimulating and educational, reflecting values that are eternal. Gabriella has published over a dozen children’s books during the past six years including her first work in 2014, Lady, Lady, Ladybug. She is the director of a non-profit organization, Reflection, that was founded to reflect Christian values through art, literature and multimedia on a multicultural platform.
There are a lot of untold stories out there, and if we stop and listen to people, you’ll find even those around us have struggled in unique ways. Anne Hutcheson writes stories that focus on human depth, dysfunction and the complexities of relationships whether it is about abuse, surviving tragic circumstances or coping with disease. She writes stories that she hopes open pathways to communication between one another. Tackling the personal demons so many face, told in story, is a great way to surface issues that are often swept beneath the carpet.
Neil Sedaka may have said it best, “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.” Dr. Kim Chronister is a licensed clinical psychologist with a newly released book that you’ll want to read if you’ve just gone through a break-up, haven’t gotten over one, or need some extra relationship pointers. Kim gets it. Break-ups hurt, and sometimes it’s hard to move on. Sometimes, you want your ex-back because you are certain things can be worked out. She tackles these topics and more in her new book, Break Up Recovery: Get Your Ex Back or Get Over Them for Good.