Kenneth Atchity's Blog, page 231
July 20, 2012
QUIT YOUR DAY JOB AND LIVE OUT YOUR DREAMS Available on Barnes and Noble!
"An American hero hits a literary home run" Washington Life Magazine
Pollywood: ‘Mrs. Kennedy and Me’
An American hero hits a literary home run.
By Janet Donovan
Co-authors Lisa McCubbin and Clint Hill with Patricia de Stacy Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (Photo by Cecilie Olaussen)
He called her “Mrs. Kennedy.” She called him “Mr. Hill.” The Secret Service agent responsible for first lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s protection was with her in good times and bad. He is credited with saving her life.
In his new book “Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir” (co-authored with Lisa McCubbin), Clint Hill
describes his protective service responsibilities guarding the
intensely private Mrs. Kennedy from the election of John Fitzgerald
Kennedy, in November 1960 until after the election of Lyndon Johnson in
1964.
“It was with great trepidation that I approached 3307 N Street in
Georgetown on November 11, 1960,” Hill writes about his first meeting
with the wife of the newly elected president of the United States that
he had just been assigned to protect. “I wasn’t looking forward to it at
all.” Looking back, he feels quite sure that the first lady was filled
with even more anxiety about their meeting than he.
“Neither of us had much choice in the matter,” he reflects, but eventually they would share a “tragic bond” together.
Cafe Milano Proprietor Franco Nuschese held an intimate dinner for Hill on behalf of the National Law Enforcement Museum (Photo by Cecilie Olaussen)
He was with her when her son John was born, when her second son
Patrick was born and also unfortunately when Patrick died; he was right
there, too, when her husband President Kennedy was assassinated.
You can’t help but wonder how his life is now and whether some of
those experiences still haunt him. Does a national tragedy like the
murder of a president ever recede into the distance?
“I have great memories, but I have bad memories as well and they
never leave,” he said during a recent interview in Washington. “They
will go with me to my grave but the fact that I’ve written this book has
been a great catharsis. I’ve been able to reveal various things that I
have kept secret for over 50 years and it’s been very beneficial
emotionally.”
Mrs. Kennedy was an immensely private person and he wondered how she
handled being with someone night and day. “It was discretion and my
ability to allow her to do those things she wanted to do so that she was
both safe and in a private manner,” Hill remembers. “She loved her
privacy and that’s the one thing I tried to give her — absolute privacy
as much as possible.” It seemed to work for both of them.
On hearing of Mrs. Kennedy’s illness, Hill relates in his book the
thoughts that ran through his mind. “For the briefest of moments, I had
thought about calling her.” But when he rehearsed in his mind what I
might say, he couldn’t seem to find the right words.
“We had been to hell and back, Mrs. Kennedy and me, and while we had
both gone on with our lives — if you could call it that — I knew that
the mere sound of my voice would take her back to that one day that
change everything, and the sound of her voice would do the same to me.
It was just too damn painful. I couldn’t bring myself to dial the
number.”
Great memories nonetheless remain. Despite that they came from very
different walks of life, Hill, who grew up in a small town of just 912
people in North Dakota, says they had a “wonderful relationship.”
“She was very gracious, very classy, extremely intelligent, very
athletic and was just a lot of fun to be around,” he adds with profound
fondness. “She had a great sense of humor and I enjoyed each and every
day with her.”
After rising through the ranks of the Secret Service, Hill retired in
1975 as assistant director responsible for all protective forces. He
remains in contact with the current U.S. Secret Service and is actively
involved in training activities.
See more in the Summer 2012 Issue of Washington Life Magazine.
An American hero hits a literary home run.
By Janet Donovan
Co-authors Lisa McCubbin and Clint Hill with Patricia de Stacy Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (Photo by Cecilie Olaussen)
He called her “Mrs. Kennedy.” She called him “Mr. Hill.” The Secret Service agent responsible for first lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s protection was with her in good times and bad. He is credited with saving her life.
In his new book “Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir” (co-authored with Lisa McCubbin), Clint Hill
describes his protective service responsibilities guarding the
intensely private Mrs. Kennedy from the election of John Fitzgerald
Kennedy, in November 1960 until after the election of Lyndon Johnson in
1964.
“It was with great trepidation that I approached 3307 N Street in
Georgetown on November 11, 1960,” Hill writes about his first meeting
with the wife of the newly elected president of the United States that
he had just been assigned to protect. “I wasn’t looking forward to it at
all.” Looking back, he feels quite sure that the first lady was filled
with even more anxiety about their meeting than he.
“Neither of us had much choice in the matter,” he reflects, but eventually they would share a “tragic bond” together.
Cafe Milano Proprietor Franco Nuschese held an intimate dinner for Hill on behalf of the National Law Enforcement Museum (Photo by Cecilie Olaussen)
He was with her when her son John was born, when her second son
Patrick was born and also unfortunately when Patrick died; he was right
there, too, when her husband President Kennedy was assassinated.
You can’t help but wonder how his life is now and whether some of
those experiences still haunt him. Does a national tragedy like the
murder of a president ever recede into the distance?
“I have great memories, but I have bad memories as well and they
never leave,” he said during a recent interview in Washington. “They
will go with me to my grave but the fact that I’ve written this book has
been a great catharsis. I’ve been able to reveal various things that I
have kept secret for over 50 years and it’s been very beneficial
emotionally.”
Mrs. Kennedy was an immensely private person and he wondered how she
handled being with someone night and day. “It was discretion and my
ability to allow her to do those things she wanted to do so that she was
both safe and in a private manner,” Hill remembers. “She loved her
privacy and that’s the one thing I tried to give her — absolute privacy
as much as possible.” It seemed to work for both of them.
On hearing of Mrs. Kennedy’s illness, Hill relates in his book the
thoughts that ran through his mind. “For the briefest of moments, I had
thought about calling her.” But when he rehearsed in his mind what I
might say, he couldn’t seem to find the right words.
“We had been to hell and back, Mrs. Kennedy and me, and while we had
both gone on with our lives — if you could call it that — I knew that
the mere sound of my voice would take her back to that one day that
change everything, and the sound of her voice would do the same to me.
It was just too damn painful. I couldn’t bring myself to dial the
number.”
Great memories nonetheless remain. Despite that they came from very
different walks of life, Hill, who grew up in a small town of just 912
people in North Dakota, says they had a “wonderful relationship.”
“She was very gracious, very classy, extremely intelligent, very
athletic and was just a lot of fun to be around,” he adds with profound
fondness. “She had a great sense of humor and I enjoyed each and every
day with her.”
After rising through the ranks of the Secret Service, Hill retired in
1975 as assistant director responsible for all protective forces. He
remains in contact with the current U.S. Secret Service and is actively
involved in training activities.
See more in the Summer 2012 Issue of Washington Life Magazine.
July 19, 2012
Wicked Local: Cape Cod Reviews Mrs. Kennedy And Me
[image error]
All of those qualities come through in “Mrs. Kennedy and Me,” the memoir Hill co-wrote with journalist and television reporter Lisa McCubbin about the four years he spent by Jackie’s side, from the time her husband was elected president until the election of President Johnson in 1964.
“Mrs. Kennedy and Me” is a candid, but respectful memoir written by a man who considered Jackie a dear friend, even though he always called her Mrs. Kennedy and she always called him Mr. Hill, usually with a twinkle in her eye. He traveled to foreign countries with her that he never thought he’d see and she made sure he learned how to water-ski. He paced outside the hospital room as John Junior and Patrick were born and he spent more time with the Kennedy children than his own during those years.
Jackie was a deeply private person who was surprised and dismayed at the crowds that would gather every time she left the house. Hill prided himself on finding ways for her to just enjoy her privacy, and even did her personal shopping for her at times when the scrutiny was intense and the kids needed Christmas presents.
In what became the worst hour of his life, he also was part of the motorcade in Dallas and was the Secret Service agent closest to the limousine when the President was assassinated. He managed to jump onto the back of the limo before the third shot was fired but it was just too late for him to do anything but get Jackie back in her seat as the car accelerated.
“They came to me for assistance because I had been in Dallas and the other agent had not,” Hill says. “I had information that nobody else had and Lisa convinced me that the information I had was historical and should be documented. It’s been 50 years since most of that happened, so it’s time.”
Hill and McCubbin traveled to all the most important sites in the book so McCubbin could see them in person. They started in Hyannis, but then visited Palm Beach, New York City, Dallas and Middleburg, Virginia, where Jackie was trying to build a private retreat from the prying eyes.
During their research, they also reached out to other Secret Service agents and Hill relived those glory days and swapped stories. McCubbin says she was like “a fly on the wall,” and those stories enhanced the book immensely because they brought up other memories.
Then they set up an office in D.C. with two computers and worked side by side for nine months, doing research to make sure Hill’s memory matched news archives and the other agents’ notes and recollections.
“It was really a collaboration where we’d both do some writing and research and then we’d say, you read this and I’ll read that and add things, change things,” McCubbin says. “It was wonderful.”
All of those qualities come through in “Mrs. Kennedy and Me,” the memoir Hill co-wrote with journalist and television reporter Lisa McCubbin about the four years he spent by Jackie’s side, from the time her husband was elected president until the election of President Johnson in 1964.
“Mrs. Kennedy and Me” is a candid, but respectful memoir written by a man who considered Jackie a dear friend, even though he always called her Mrs. Kennedy and she always called him Mr. Hill, usually with a twinkle in her eye. He traveled to foreign countries with her that he never thought he’d see and she made sure he learned how to water-ski. He paced outside the hospital room as John Junior and Patrick were born and he spent more time with the Kennedy children than his own during those years.
Jackie was a deeply private person who was surprised and dismayed at the crowds that would gather every time she left the house. Hill prided himself on finding ways for her to just enjoy her privacy, and even did her personal shopping for her at times when the scrutiny was intense and the kids needed Christmas presents.
In what became the worst hour of his life, he also was part of the motorcade in Dallas and was the Secret Service agent closest to the limousine when the President was assassinated. He managed to jump onto the back of the limo before the third shot was fired but it was just too late for him to do anything but get Jackie back in her seat as the car accelerated.
“They came to me for assistance because I had been in Dallas and the other agent had not,” Hill says. “I had information that nobody else had and Lisa convinced me that the information I had was historical and should be documented. It’s been 50 years since most of that happened, so it’s time.”
Hill and McCubbin traveled to all the most important sites in the book so McCubbin could see them in person. They started in Hyannis, but then visited Palm Beach, New York City, Dallas and Middleburg, Virginia, where Jackie was trying to build a private retreat from the prying eyes.
During their research, they also reached out to other Secret Service agents and Hill relived those glory days and swapped stories. McCubbin says she was like “a fly on the wall,” and those stories enhanced the book immensely because they brought up other memories.
Then they set up an office in D.C. with two computers and worked side by side for nine months, doing research to make sure Hill’s memory matched news archives and the other agents’ notes and recollections.
“It was really a collaboration where we’d both do some writing and research and then we’d say, you read this and I’ll read that and add things, change things,” McCubbin says. “It was wonderful.”
July 18, 2012
Top Notch Review for The Messiah Matrix On Books Bones and Buffy
THE MESSIAH MATRIX by Kenneth John Atchity – Review
Although I knew from the book blurb more or less what The Messiah Matrix
was about, I wasn’t quite prepared for the unique combination of
carefully researched material and breathless adventure story. The
subject matter of The Messiah Matrix is
controversial, even for someone like me who has no religious leanings,
and I expect it will cause a stir in the religious community, and with
those of the Catholic faith in particular.
Father Ryan McKeown goes about his daily
duties as a Jesuit priest in Rome, not realizing that his life is about
to change forever. One fateful day, he hears the confession of a man
who claims to have just killed a priest, and then witnesses the murder
of the same man on the streets of Rome. Before he takes his final
breath, the murderer whispers the message he came to deliver to Father
Ryan, a message that will send Ryan on a dangerous search for the truth
about the origins of Jesus Christ.
Emily Scelba is an archeologist working
on an undersea excavation in the Mediterranean Sea when she discovers a
Roman coin called the Augustan aureus, whose existence may throw into a
tailspin everything the world has come to believe about religion. Emily
takes the coin to a trusted friend to have it cleaned and examined, but
her “friend” turns out to be a dishonest opportunist and steals the coin
and tries to sell it.
Ryan and Emily are thrown together as
they search for the coin and try to unearth the connection between the
aureus and the murdered priest, a man named Oscar Isaac that both of
them knew and respected, and who was also searching for the aureus.
Their discoveries lead them on a hunt through the streets of Rome and
into hidden crypts and catacombs, and put them face to face with the men
who not only ordered Isaac killed, but who want to keep hidden the
dangerous secrets of the Catholic Church that could lead to religious
chaos if discovered.
Although filled with exhaustively
researched details about how the story of Christ came to be, I was
surprised by what an exciting and page-turning read this was. Atchity
does a great job of interspersing the historical facts with nail-biting
action sequences that propel the story along. One particularly
terrifying scene has Emily and Ryan trying to escape a secret catacomb
by diving into a boiling, underground river and swimming to safety. The
characters of Ryan and Emily are fascinating and well drawn. Ryan is a
man who takes his vows of priesthood very seriously, but who has also
been on a personal mission his whole life to validate his beliefs. While
his days as a priest should be worry-free and filled with the joy of
the duties he performs, he comes across as a tortured soul who has a
deep need to know the truth. When his belief system begins to crack, he
realizes he may need to adjust his thinking in order to cope with the
new information he and Emily have discovered.
Emily too is an interesting character.
She’s a smart and beautiful woman, also driven to seek the truth, but
her pursuits are more scholarly than Ryan’s. When they get together the
sparks fly in more ways than one. Infusing romance between lead
characters is nothing new, in fact most readers come to expect it. But
Atchity throws a wrench into the romance by making his male character a
priest, and this gives Father Ryan something else to worry about: he is
attracted to a woman, but according to his vow of celibacy he can’t do
anything about it.
The author imparts much of his researched
information through flashbacks to the days of Caesar Augustus, the
first emperor of Rome. These chapters not only immerse the reader in the
rich history of Rome, but give great insight into the main premise of The Messiah Matrix :
that the “myths” of Jesus Christ and his birth that we are familiar
with from the Bible came from a combination of many sources over time,
originating with Augustus. Atchity smartly imparts this controversial
information without too much emotion, leaving each individual reader
free to decide for himself what may or may not be true. The only flaw in
the story, in my opinion, is the ending, where his secular and
scholarly observations turned a bit preachy. But I was riveted by the
tales of religious iconic imagery, like the cross and Jesus’ crown of
thorns, and the actual origins of these images (at least according to
Atchity). The author also includes a table of events at the back of the
book that gives the reader an easy-to-understand comparison between his
researched facts and the events of Jesus’ life highlighted in the Bible.
For anyone who loves thrillers, romance, and a story that may forever challenge the way you look at religion, The Messiah Matrix is highly recommended.
Many thanks to Mr. Atchity for supplying a review copy.
You can purchase The Messiah Matrix here and learn more about the book here.
July 17, 2012
Protecting Mrs. Kennedy: Cape Cod News
By Heather Wysocki
hwysocki@capecodonline.com
Cape Cod Times/Zhenru Zhang
HYANNIS — In 1961, President John F. Kennedy famously proclaimed he was "the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."
But another man was there every step of the way as well, to protect her in happier moments and comfort her in tragic ones.
"She was an elegant, classy, very intelligent lady who eventually became a good friend," Clint Hill, one of two Secret Service agents assigned to protect the first lady, said.
On Sunday, Hill and Lisa McCubbin, who co-wrote the new book "Mrs. Kennedy and Me," spoke to a packed Fellowship Hall at the Federated Church of Hyannis about those days. The talk was sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation.
Hill's image was burned into the country's collective memory on Nov. 22, 1963, when the photo of him diving across a car to protect the Kennedys from additional gunfire was published across the world.
Hill had joined the Secret Service at age 27 after a stint in the Army, and he was assigned to protect President Dwight Eisenhower.
Upon Kennedy's election, though, his assignment switched, to his chagrin.
"Before, the wives' protectors went to tea parties and fashion shows. ... She didn't want me there and I didn't want to be there but we had to find a way to get along," he said of Jackie Kennedy.
Hill was there, he said, for the happier moments of the first lady's life, from travels around the world to trips to the Cape.
"If 100,000 people showed up when Mr. Kennedy was there, double that showed up to see her," Hill said.
He traveled with her to India, Greece, Pakistan and Italy, and on Sunday chronicled the more amusing times.
"I was thinking, 'How am I gonna get that damn horse back? We were just given two tiger cubs," Hill said of two memorable gifts Kennedy was given from Pakistan and India, respectively.
The moments that stressed out Hill were the ones that delighted his charge the most.
"She was spontaneous. She just wanted to have fun," McCubbin said.
Hill's favorite moments were the quiet ones spent with the Kennedy family and children in Hyannisport, he said in an interview after the talk.
"That's when they really had the opportunity to be themselves," Hill said. "She wanted her children to grow up as normal as possible."
He was also in attendance for many of the family's tragic moments — including infant Patrick's death and the president's assassination, which Hill watched from just feet away.
"I reacted as quickly as I could," he said of his choice to dive onto the car. "You're trained to cover and evacuate."
Reliving those moments for the book, which he and McCubbin began discussing during her work on another book about the Secret Service, "was tough," Hill said. "But it was necessary, I think, for people to understand."
Hill retired from the Secret Service in 1974.
Copyright © 2012. Dow Jones Local Media Group, Inc
hwysocki@capecodonline.com
Cape Cod Times/Zhenru Zhang
HYANNIS — In 1961, President John F. Kennedy famously proclaimed he was "the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."
But another man was there every step of the way as well, to protect her in happier moments and comfort her in tragic ones.
"She was an elegant, classy, very intelligent lady who eventually became a good friend," Clint Hill, one of two Secret Service agents assigned to protect the first lady, said.
On Sunday, Hill and Lisa McCubbin, who co-wrote the new book "Mrs. Kennedy and Me," spoke to a packed Fellowship Hall at the Federated Church of Hyannis about those days. The talk was sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation.
Hill's image was burned into the country's collective memory on Nov. 22, 1963, when the photo of him diving across a car to protect the Kennedys from additional gunfire was published across the world.
Hill had joined the Secret Service at age 27 after a stint in the Army, and he was assigned to protect President Dwight Eisenhower.
Upon Kennedy's election, though, his assignment switched, to his chagrin.
"Before, the wives' protectors went to tea parties and fashion shows. ... She didn't want me there and I didn't want to be there but we had to find a way to get along," he said of Jackie Kennedy.
Hill was there, he said, for the happier moments of the first lady's life, from travels around the world to trips to the Cape.
"If 100,000 people showed up when Mr. Kennedy was there, double that showed up to see her," Hill said.
He traveled with her to India, Greece, Pakistan and Italy, and on Sunday chronicled the more amusing times.
"I was thinking, 'How am I gonna get that damn horse back? We were just given two tiger cubs," Hill said of two memorable gifts Kennedy was given from Pakistan and India, respectively.
The moments that stressed out Hill were the ones that delighted his charge the most.
"She was spontaneous. She just wanted to have fun," McCubbin said.
Hill's favorite moments were the quiet ones spent with the Kennedy family and children in Hyannisport, he said in an interview after the talk.
"That's when they really had the opportunity to be themselves," Hill said. "She wanted her children to grow up as normal as possible."
He was also in attendance for many of the family's tragic moments — including infant Patrick's death and the president's assassination, which Hill watched from just feet away.
"I reacted as quickly as I could," he said of his choice to dive onto the car. "You're trained to cover and evacuate."
Reliving those moments for the book, which he and McCubbin began discussing during her work on another book about the Secret Service, "was tough," Hill said. "But it was necessary, I think, for people to understand."
Hill retired from the Secret Service in 1974.
Copyright © 2012. Dow Jones Local Media Group, Inc
July 16, 2012
Guest Post: The War Between Faith and Doubt by Dennis Palumbo
Hollywood on the Couch
The inside scoop on Tinseltown, USA.
by Dennis Palumbo
It's not a war, it's a balancing act.A misspent childhood watching Saturday morning cartoons has left an image indelibly imprinted on my memory: a character is in conflict between doing right or wrong, prodded to do good by a tiny angel whispering in one ear, while an equally tiny devil argues the opposite position in the other.
Of course, since these stories were aimed at kids, the ethical dilemmas were usually pretty clear-cut: i.e., whether or not to tie an over-sized napkin around your neck and eat your co-star. However, there was still an almost theological aspect to the sight of funny talking animals — rabbits, ducks, and “puddy cats” — with competing imps sitting on their shoulders, caught in some Warner Bros. version of moral angst.
This image occurred to me again recently, when I came upon something written by Lillian Smith. “Faith and doubt, both are needed, not as antagonists but working side by side, to take us around the unknown curve.”
Often, working with my actor, writer and director patients, it sometimes seems as though little twin entities — one named Faith, the other Doubt — sit on their shoulders, whispering their respective messages, like those winged imps in the cartoons.
Which can be a real problem. Because what gives these cartoon scenarios their curious power, what makes them so compelling, is the illusion of moral clarity they provide. The animated image of these imps is of two competing forces, of which one must inevitably win out. And, of course, one is represented as unequivocally better than the other.
With anyone struggling to grow and maintain a Hollywood career, it’s frequently the same. We all want Faith to win out over Doubt. We want Faith whispering constantly in our ear — inspiring us, encouraging us, instilling hope. And make no mistake, these are blandishments every creative artist needs. It’s too daunting a task otherwise.
The mistake, I think, is to strive to banish Doubt, to see it as the enemy. Because, just as courage has no meaning without fear, faith has no meaning without doubt. They’re the yin and yang of all aspiration.
As creative types, we naturally long to sequester our doubts and fears, to disavow pain and worry. Unfortunately, to vanquish doubt is to leave the domain of the human being. Conversely, to embrace both one’s doubt and faith, one’s fear and courage, is to relate to the totality of the human experience.
The paradox of struggling with doubt — as with all so-called “negative” feelings — is that only by inviting it in, exploring and illuminating its meanings, can we be enriched as creative artists. This is especially true for those writers and actors among you, whose work involves creating life-like characters. The plain fact is, the more willing you are to mine the landscape of your own doubts, the truer and more recognizably human your characters will be. (And the more impact your characters’ faith, if such is their destination, will have.)
Keeping the tension between Faith and Doubt alive within you, without either falling prey to blind optimism or succumbing to despair, is not easy. We veer so often in one direction or the other that, in their exaggerated forms, Faith and Doubt can look like two sides of the same coin.
“But how can that be?” you might be asking. Faith and Doubt are so different, such opposites. Not necessarily, not when taken to extremes.
Let me give you an example. Picture two recent therapy patients of mine, both struggling screenwriters. One is full of confidence, with the faith of a saint in the ultimate success of his career goals. He “feels great” about everything he writes. All he has to do is wait for show business to discover him.
The second patient is full of doubt. He took an evening screenwriting class at his local college, but left after two meetings. He won’t show his work to others because “they’ll probably hate it.” He’s just wasting his time even trying to write, because the odds against success are so huge.
Faith and Doubt, two sides of the same coin. Whether an artist subscribes to one or the other, he’s engaged in a kind of “magical thinking” that leaves him out of the equation. In any creative endeavor, as in all aspects of life, an unquestioning faith is the same as unwavering doubt — both are belief systems employed to try to protect a person from the complicated, sometimes contradictory, always unpredictable ebb and flow of actual experience.
“Faith and doubt, both are needed...”
Which brings us back to those Saturday morning cartoons. Because the truth is, if we each had winged imps named Faith and Doubt parked on our shoulders, competing for air-time, the ideal situation would be for their voices to stay at more or less equal volume. For our attention to shift from one to the other, and back again.
And, ultimately, for us to integrate what each has to say, and to struggle to create and thrive from that place within us where all feelings, including faith and doubt, reside.
July 13, 2012
DVD Review – The Kennedy Detail
Home › Blogs › Like Mike's blog
Contributor:
Like Mike
Often
when I review TV shows they have to be really good for me to hold onto
the DVD afterwards, instead of selling it. So when I picked this DVD to
watch, I pretty much knew it would be a solid one to review, but was
going to hit my ‘To Sell’ pile pretty quickly. Because really, what new
information could this tell me?
“JFK’S Secret Service Agents Reveal the Inside Story of an American
Tragedy Secret Service Agent Clint Hill was just ten feet from President
John F. Kennedy, desperately trying to hurl his body in front of the
gunfire, when the president’s head exploded before his eyes. Covered
with blood and pieces of the president’s brain, Agent Hill pushed Jackie
Kennedy into the back seat and, clinging to the trunk of the open top
limousine as it sped away from Dealey Plaza to Parkland Hospital, all he
could do was slam his fist in anger, and give the thumbs down sign to
the agents in the follow-up car behind him. For nearly fifty years, the
close-knit group of men who protected JFK have refused to talk about
that tragic day. Until now.”
Despite my own feelings about the assassination of JFK, this
Discovery special, 'The Kennedy Detail', was a heartbreaking watch.
Seeing grown men of the secret service, nearly 50 years after the fact,
crying and sobbing as they recount their stories was hard to watch. The
show was both insightful and thought provoking, but really it just
reaffirms in me that we lost one of the great people of the world that
day. And yeah, I happily put this DVD into my collection.
A From Me!!!
July 11, 2012
July 9, 2012
Hysteria - Promotion With Heart! - Thank You Mr. Woodruff!!
Story Merchant Client Dr. Warren Woodruff's Dad bought three
billboards for the town in which he works to get some hype built up for
HYSTERIA.
Literally thousands of cars per day pass this sign in the tiny
town of Spencer, Indiana, which is the crossroads from Indianapolis to
Bloomington and Evansville. No way to get to these cities except passing
through Spencer!
He took four women he works with to the IU theatre in Bloomington,
IN—the only place around showing the film. They all
loved it! Te theater normally would have 28 -30 people go to see this kind
of Indie films, but the place had over 100 people per night.
Not such a fancy “billboard” but his heart was in the right place
and it filled the theatre three nights in a row!
You gotta love the advertising copy here!
Guest Post: The Secrets to Getting More Book Reviews (Even if Your Book Is Already Out) by Penny C. Sansevieri
We hear it all the time: "the window for reviews is shrinking." And yet we still see reviews appearing everywhere. So how can you capture a share of this market? It's true that often reviews from big-name bloggers go to equally big-name authors. Well, can you blame the blogger? If someone had a choice between reviewing Shades of Grey and one of my recent books, I'm sure Shades would win and I totally get that, but it's hard when you're starting out. You often get reviews when you get reviews, so the old adage of "media draws media" is very true. Then where do you start?
Year ago, when I was first in the industry, it was pretty simple. You could find a reviewer, send him or her a copy and that was that. Now, it's a lot different. Bloggers get hundreds of books mailed to them by publishers on a monthly basis, while book review departments in newspapers have either shrunk or been removed entirely. It's a whole new world. The good news is that there are still great opportunities to get reviewed, but you need to understand the new rules of exposure.
Blogger reviews: Blogger reviews are still great (even though bloggers are busier than ever) but in order to get your fair share, I recommend networking with the bloggers. How do you do that? By following their blogs and posting authentic and helpful comments on their posts -- or by retweeting a review of a book that you particularly loved. Get to know the bloggers you'll be pitching to. They will also appreciate that you took the time to read their blog, instead of just pitching them. It's true with any kind of networking. You tend to go to the front of the line when you know someone, right? So get to know the bloggers.
If you have a series of bloggers you are following who are influential but don't necessarily review books, you could ask them if they might let you guest blog or perhaps run an excerpt of your book on their website or you might coordinate a book giveaway with them. As a blogger myself, I love it when someone writes me for an interview and has actually read our blog. How do I know they've done this? Often they'll weave that into their pitch. For example, "Dear Penny, I saw that you wrote about mobile marketing in January and interviewed Gillian Muessig in May, I think my topic would be a nice addition to your blog because..." See? Now that's much better than: "Dear Penny, I have an idea for your blog I think you might like..." there's a chance I will love it, but a far greater chance I won't because the person pitching just spotted our website and thought: "They might like this." It takes a bit more work to do it the other way, but your returns will be greater and you're also building relationships as you go, making the tradeoff worth it.
Review other books: In order to get reviews, you might need to become a reviewer. I know this might sound crazy. Who has time to review books? Well, that's how we got here in the first place, remember? Reviewing other people's books (who write about similar topics to you) is not only a great thing to do for your industry but a great way to network. I review every book that's appropriate to my market (on Amazon). People love peer reviews, trust me. Imagine if the person you're reviewing reviewed you? See how that works? Make sure to send them the review when you're done. It's a boatload of great karma that could help you get some reviews, too.
Media connections: With newspapers eliminating review departments, how on earth can you get some traction for your book? How about articles and write ups? And even when newspapers do reviews, it can still be a hard road to get them. Especially if your book is self-published, POD or eBook. With 1,500 books published each day, it's tough to weave through the maze of authors out there trying to get attention for their book, too. Here's what I recommend. Get to know the media in your market. Pick a series of newspapers in your immediate area or state. You can find a pretty good listing here: www.newslink.org. You can also select other areas, depending on your book, the reach of your topic or your business. Often smaller regions of the US will still have active review departments so be sure to check all appropriate papers for both reporters who write about your topic, and review department criteria (where they want you to send the book, etc.). By getting to know the reporters who write about your topic, you can network with them early (pre-release) by commenting on articles they've written, or offering them ideas or statistics for future pieces. Remember the networking piece for bloggers? That works here, too and it's a great way to gain attention for your book and get a mention or review in a local or national paper.
Media Leads: I wrote an article on media leads, how to get them and how to respond to them. You can see it here and suffice it to say that the sooner you start with this (yes long before the book is out), the better. It's another great way to network with a reporter.
Amazon Reviews: We've all heard of the big, top ten Amazon reviewers, but like any big-name reviewers they get inundated, too. Amazon is a great portal to expand upon and you should do whatever you can to populate your page with reviews because rarely do readers buy books "naked" (this refers to the book page, not the state of dress). I highly encourage you to review the Amazon list of top reviewers (folks who do post reviews on Amazon) and then pitch the ones that are right for your market. The lure of the top reviewers is that they possess a certain clout, but because of that, the other folks who are solid, faithful reviewers tend to get overlooked. Consider your options with Amazon, and definitely do your research and find some reviewers.
Social sites: Websites like Library Thing and Goodreads offer another great opportunity. First, these communities have millions of very active members and a great place to garner reader reviews. Both sites have a great Reader Giveaway program that we love and use often; in exchange for handing over a free copy members (winners) are encouraged to post a review of the book. Very win-win if you're looking to get the word out there about your book.
While the world has changed a lot in regards to reviews, there are still a lot of opportunities out there for getting to the right people and getting those people to talk about your book. Not only that, but building a strong community of media and blogger contacts will help you not just for your current book, but for future titles as well.
This Blogger's Books from
Year ago, when I was first in the industry, it was pretty simple. You could find a reviewer, send him or her a copy and that was that. Now, it's a lot different. Bloggers get hundreds of books mailed to them by publishers on a monthly basis, while book review departments in newspapers have either shrunk or been removed entirely. It's a whole new world. The good news is that there are still great opportunities to get reviewed, but you need to understand the new rules of exposure.
Blogger reviews: Blogger reviews are still great (even though bloggers are busier than ever) but in order to get your fair share, I recommend networking with the bloggers. How do you do that? By following their blogs and posting authentic and helpful comments on their posts -- or by retweeting a review of a book that you particularly loved. Get to know the bloggers you'll be pitching to. They will also appreciate that you took the time to read their blog, instead of just pitching them. It's true with any kind of networking. You tend to go to the front of the line when you know someone, right? So get to know the bloggers.
If you have a series of bloggers you are following who are influential but don't necessarily review books, you could ask them if they might let you guest blog or perhaps run an excerpt of your book on their website or you might coordinate a book giveaway with them. As a blogger myself, I love it when someone writes me for an interview and has actually read our blog. How do I know they've done this? Often they'll weave that into their pitch. For example, "Dear Penny, I saw that you wrote about mobile marketing in January and interviewed Gillian Muessig in May, I think my topic would be a nice addition to your blog because..." See? Now that's much better than: "Dear Penny, I have an idea for your blog I think you might like..." there's a chance I will love it, but a far greater chance I won't because the person pitching just spotted our website and thought: "They might like this." It takes a bit more work to do it the other way, but your returns will be greater and you're also building relationships as you go, making the tradeoff worth it.
Review other books: In order to get reviews, you might need to become a reviewer. I know this might sound crazy. Who has time to review books? Well, that's how we got here in the first place, remember? Reviewing other people's books (who write about similar topics to you) is not only a great thing to do for your industry but a great way to network. I review every book that's appropriate to my market (on Amazon). People love peer reviews, trust me. Imagine if the person you're reviewing reviewed you? See how that works? Make sure to send them the review when you're done. It's a boatload of great karma that could help you get some reviews, too.
Media connections: With newspapers eliminating review departments, how on earth can you get some traction for your book? How about articles and write ups? And even when newspapers do reviews, it can still be a hard road to get them. Especially if your book is self-published, POD or eBook. With 1,500 books published each day, it's tough to weave through the maze of authors out there trying to get attention for their book, too. Here's what I recommend. Get to know the media in your market. Pick a series of newspapers in your immediate area or state. You can find a pretty good listing here: www.newslink.org. You can also select other areas, depending on your book, the reach of your topic or your business. Often smaller regions of the US will still have active review departments so be sure to check all appropriate papers for both reporters who write about your topic, and review department criteria (where they want you to send the book, etc.). By getting to know the reporters who write about your topic, you can network with them early (pre-release) by commenting on articles they've written, or offering them ideas or statistics for future pieces. Remember the networking piece for bloggers? That works here, too and it's a great way to gain attention for your book and get a mention or review in a local or national paper.
Media Leads: I wrote an article on media leads, how to get them and how to respond to them. You can see it here and suffice it to say that the sooner you start with this (yes long before the book is out), the better. It's another great way to network with a reporter.
Amazon Reviews: We've all heard of the big, top ten Amazon reviewers, but like any big-name reviewers they get inundated, too. Amazon is a great portal to expand upon and you should do whatever you can to populate your page with reviews because rarely do readers buy books "naked" (this refers to the book page, not the state of dress). I highly encourage you to review the Amazon list of top reviewers (folks who do post reviews on Amazon) and then pitch the ones that are right for your market. The lure of the top reviewers is that they possess a certain clout, but because of that, the other folks who are solid, faithful reviewers tend to get overlooked. Consider your options with Amazon, and definitely do your research and find some reviewers.
Social sites: Websites like Library Thing and Goodreads offer another great opportunity. First, these communities have millions of very active members and a great place to garner reader reviews. Both sites have a great Reader Giveaway program that we love and use often; in exchange for handing over a free copy members (winners) are encouraged to post a review of the book. Very win-win if you're looking to get the word out there about your book.
While the world has changed a lot in regards to reviews, there are still a lot of opportunities out there for getting to the right people and getting those people to talk about your book. Not only that, but building a strong community of media and blogger contacts will help you not just for your current book, but for future titles as well.
This Blogger's Books from
