Author Pam Muñoz Ryan will discuss and sign her award-winning book “The Dreamer,” illustrated by Peter Sis (Scholastic, 2010), at the Library of Congress on Friday, Sept. 16, at noon in the West Dining Room, located on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event, co-sponsored by the Center for the Book and the Hispanic Division, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Story Summary

After Sarah Bradley loses her family in a tragic car accident she finds it impossible to go on day after day. Her loneliness and grief quickly consumes her, until in a final act of desperation she decides to take her own life.

But what she finds in death is not what she expected. Instead of spending eternity with her family, she finds herself lost, somewhere between Heaven and Hell, with other souls just like her. Their only goal is to earn their way into the gates of Heaven, and ultimately to their lost loved ones.

There is a catch. In order to earn their way into Heaven they must return to earth and save souls that are in despair. But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in these lost and desperate people. Satan unleashes his own army of demons to inflict as much chaos and despair as possible within their power.Sarah finds herself in a timeless battle between good and evil over the souls of mankind, and the Redeemers will do whatever it takes to defeat the minions of Hell.

Written by: Alethea J. Salazar

Text copyright © 2009 by Alethea J. Salazar

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Alethea J. Salazar is the author of Angels of Redemption, a single mother of four boys and owns a consulting business for builders and developers in the amazing city of Las Vegas, NV.

Alethea always had a love affair with literature.  She dreamed of becoming a published author and to fulfill her lifelong passion to become a writer---

“Talk about a very humbling experience,” said Alethea.  “Unable to find a job to save my life...even Wal-Mart wouldn’t hire me.  My family convinced me to start my own business. We found ourselves quickly losing ground financially. I was in quicksand…and sinking fast.” 

Fear, despair and persistence quickly took over---

That is when the idea for her book, Angels of Redemption, took hold. The story is about a woman struggling with her own loss and despair as she is faced with the ultimate decision that will change the fate of her life and soul forever.

Now---Alethea has been inspired to write another book…

Alethea speaks to all of us, through her personal story of triumph and those of her characters and is available for talk shows, interviews and appreciates reviews on her book. 

For more information…
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Angels-of-Redemption/252740841024
http://theangelsofredemption.com/

New Picture  Book by Bestselling Author

Check out the new children’s picture book, My Name Is Not Alexander, the follow-up to the New York Times Bestseller and Indie Bookseller 2010 Favorite My Name Is Not Isabella.

Jennifer Fosberry’s new book follows a young boy on an imaginary trip through history as he pretends to be some of the innovative men who influenced and shaped our world.

Just how big can a little kid dream?

Yolanda Owens has written for I Am Modern (http://www.iammodern.com/finding-a-job-can-feel-like-running-a-marathon.html). The following is an excerpt from her new book which has been chosen by Barnes & Noble as a Rising Star Special Collection.  


There are a lot of similarities between looking for a job and dating, as you put yourself out there for someone to notice you, accept you, and ultimately date/interview/hire you. There’s a getting-to-know-you stage, a stage of evaluating whether you want a second date, and a stage of deciding whether you want a long-term relationship. And like dating, there are some rules of engagement. So before you’re released into the world of job seeking, I’m going to exercise my parental obligation to walk you through the birds and bees of employer dating.

Patience is a virtue. Good relationships take time to develop, so enjoy the dating process. You may experience long-distance relationships, employers who take their time in calling you back or in making decisions on where they want the relationship to go. A relationship with an employer may fizzle after months of dating, or you may find yourself involved with an all-talk and no-action player. In the midst of it all, build your network, learn from your mistakes, and use the stories for small talk at your next function. The right opportunity will come, and your patience will be virtuously rewarded.

"Who were you before someone else told you who to be?"

I was 45 when a writing instructor asked this question in a class. Even though I was sitting still in a chair, I felt like Wylie Coyote, tied to the end of the boulder that he pushes over the cliff edge, hoping it will land on the roadrunner. As Wylie pushes the boulder over and realizes that he will be going in the same direction, his feet push as hard as they can against the ground, hoping that magically, he will not end up where the boulder ends up. Yet, that’s exactly where Wylie ended up.

That is where I ended up, figuratively, dragged into a buried memory that surfaced only at that very moment.

El Paso, Texas, 1968; the southwestern desert. I am five years old. I am playing outside with my across the street neighbor and best friend, Christy, riding my bike up and down our street, venturing to 7-Eleven for a 10-cent Hershey chocolate bar. Getting there is uphill a bit; I have to pedal hard.