A cross country bicycle trip mired, bolstered by life reflections

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. - The autobiography of Thomas A. Reis, "Headwinds: The Dead Reckoning of the Heart" (published by AuthorHouse) is a story of perseverance and overcoming, a journey into meaning and hope.

In 1981, at 22 years old, Reis embarked on a solo, 58-day bicycle trip from Florence, Ore. to Chesapeake Bay, Va covering almost 4,000 miles. The journey within proved much greater than his trip on the bike - it became a journey of the heart and soul. Events along the way triggered flashbacks from earlier times in Reis' life, starting with his birth, when the doctor encouraged his parents to pull the plug, to overcoming his disabilities, to surviving the heart-wrenching loss of his twin boys in a unique way.

Other events occur on the trip that are flash forwards into Tom's current life as a professor and therapist as he leads students into discovering the meaning of life, love and relationships.

"People want to know about how to make relationships work, understand love better as so many are so confused by love and want to know the meaning of life," Reis writes. "This book has all of that as well and more."

The story encompasses his experiences as Reis pedals through unexpected snow storms, climbs over 11,000 foot passes, and crosses the Continental Divide. Along the way he has a near death experience as he struggles to complete his trip, hampered and emboldened by his life reflections.

This is a story of redemption and transformation. In it are lessons of inspiration, sorrow, courage, tragedy, hope and joy. It's a book that has it all: Adventure, Pain, Meaning and Love. "You can't help but become a better person by the time you get to the end of the book," Reis reflects.

 

"Headwinds: The Dead Reckoning of the Heart"

By Thomas A. Reis

Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 212 pages | ISBN 9781491819531

Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 212 pages | ISBN 9781491819524

E-Book | 212 pages | ISBN 9781491819548

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

 

About the Author

Thomas Reis was born in Chicago, Ill. He has graduate degrees in social work and marriage and family therapy. He also worked as a licensed therapist for 12 years. He currently resides in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. He has taught over 5,000 students as a professor in the past 22 years. In 1981, Reis rode his bicycle across the United States, almost 4,000 miles.

Mid Term Elections Are  Coming

The year 2014 is coming and the political pundits, power brokers and junkies are deciding who will run in the Mid Term and who you can choose from in the next Presidential Election.

Corporations, Political Extremist and Super PACS are more than willing to take control without a second thought.   If this concerns you, than Life In "Corporate America: 2041" is the book you need to read.

The reader will find that Life in "Corporate America: 2041" is more than just about politics.  It allows the reader to follow Michael DeMerit as he travels from city to city looking for work.

Life in Corporate America: 2041 takes place after 25 years of Conservative government.  The Corporations have become Owners/Operators of Counties/Cities/States and the Federal Government "For Profit".

You will also be able to view the story through various other eyes through newspaper excerpts and reports.

Hines writes "Perhaps we should have realized what was happening behind the scenes.  Perhaps we should have realized special interest and corporations were becoming more powerful than any of our political parties"

In addition, you can view "the history "that took us from 2016 to 2038 and also read excerpts of Articles Michael collected along the way. Life in "Corporate America: 2041" allows the reader to see this "Corporate America" through the eyes of more than just Michael DeMerit.

They are available to the General public by ordering on line at www.publishAmerica.com, www.amazon.com and www.Barnesandnoble.com.   You can also request additional information at BooksbyJeff2013@Outlook.com

Experience Life in "Corporate America: 2041" and Ninety Miles: A Book of Poetry for FREE. You can view/request Free Power Points or mini-review copies.  Check out the Face Book pages by the same name to find more information and quotes.

Chronicling the rise and fall of Tomas Zurbriggen, Cliff LeCleir's "The Making of a Man" has a compellingly complex vitality and strong moral center

LaCROSSE, Wis. - (Release Date TBD) - The rise and fall of Tomas Zurbriggen is an allegory of change, morality and redemption foretold. Author Cliff LeCleir, concerned about the devaluation of moral fiber in American leaders, molds his flawed protagonist into a person who represents all that is crass, corrupt and wrong in these leaders. The Making of a Man is one of those necessary fictions that seek to alleviate the state of society by embodying it in a sympathetic but flawed hero who struggles to find his moral balance.

Subtitled What Are Little Boys Made Of?, LeCleir's book gives rise to more urgent questions for its readers to mull over: Does the boy make the man? Was Tomas Zurbriggen's upbringing the basis for his lying, cheating and manipulating his way into the presidency of a company? And, is Zurbriggen's case true for the majority of men? By trickery and deceit, Zurbriggen sought to find fulfillment, to find his portion of the American Dream. Yet, as LeCleir pointedly shows, the American Dream is made up of the glorious virtues that made America the first and greatest of modern democracies.  "Tomas did everything, both right and wrong, with great zeal," LeCleir informs his readers in the introduction. LeCleir's allegory ties in with worldly realities; and its moral depth and complex vitality will compel readers' interest in Zurbriggen's story from the start.

Born from morally solid Swiss stock, Tomas' life is carefully observed, as is his more recent family history. It is a background that is moral and Christian to the core. The virtues are observed in this society - virtues that Tomas, in growing up, slowly lets go of. The world comes in and takes hold of his imagination, one that has been tempted by "intelligent temptations" - logically, Tomas sees how he can twist the law, forget about morality in improving his lot and get away with it. It begins his path down into the parable of the prodigal son.

Zurbriggen rises high up in society, but his fall becomes a thrilling pageant of a human being dissected layer by layer, stripped of his material supports to reveal his core, the moral fiber LeCleir sets out to logically prove innate in Tomas Zurbriggen. It is a difficult, if not harsh task, a battle with evil zeitgeist, but Cliff LeCleir comes up with the correct equations and the philosopher's stone that guides Zurbriggen back into the moral fold that his misguided heart has longed for all along. Thus readers will cheer Tomas Zurbriggen on as he finally becomes a real man.

For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to www.Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Cliff LeCleir's life began in the simplest of ways: on a Wisconsin farm without electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing. As a youngster, he was constantly involved in creating new ventures in hope of enhancing his savings account. He sold pony rides, raised chickens, using his savings to purchase a cow in order to sell her milk for a steadier income. From the sixth grade, his parents expected him to manage his money in order to provide his own clothes, school supplies, and spending money. After graduating from high school, he spent three years in the Army, half of that time as a topographer in Ethiopia. Returning to Wisconsin and civilian life, he married, began college, had three children, and began his first business, all in five years. At the age of 63, he began the fifth business of his career, calling it "his retirement project." Recuperation from hip surgery provided him time to contemplate another venture - writing! His writing is plain, down to earth, and from the heart. His first book, "From the Outhouse to the Moon," has stories surrounding the early days of his life. The second book, "Escape from Tyranny," is an emotional account of a young couple's escape from Germany in the 1790s. His third book, "The Making of a Man," is a rewrite of a character from ancient Jewish history, placing that character in a contemporary format. LeCleir resides in the rural township of Barre near La Crosse, Wisconsin. His hobbies include using his "toys" (a backhoe, bulldozer and dump truck) to create ponds and waterfalls on his land, cutting wood, teaching adult Bible Classes, and playing racquetball. Now in his 70s he quips, "I have a plan. When I'm 80, I'm going to slow down-I don't care what anyone says!"

The Making of a Man * by Cliff LeCleir

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

Publication Date: 8/14/2013

Trade Paperback; $15.99; 160  pages; 978-1-4836-7393-6

Trade Hardback; $22.99; 160 pages; 978-1-4836-7394-3

eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4836-7395-0

SAAMBAA'S PLATFORM PROVEN TO ADD REVENUE IN FIRST MONTH

San Diego, CA. (October 11th) - saambaa recently launched their new mobile entertainment app platform for publishers with five AAN member publications: Pittsburgh City Paper, Tucson Weekly, Style Weekly, Folio Weekly and Jackson Free Press.  The platform allows any publisher to add revenue by creating a powerful mobile app, which showcases local event and entertainment content.  Saambaa's first publisher to launch, Little Village in Iowa City, saw mobile ad sales approaching $5k in their first month; they expect to double that by year-end.

"This product really helps augment the revenue models for these businesses.  We can help them increase mobile revenue by 10X."  Said saambaa CEO and co-founder, Matt Voigt.  "Over 1.5 billion smartphones are used every day and the average user spends over two hours per day on them.  Mobile websites are not enough - Nielsen reports that people prefer using apps over mobile browsers 5-to-1.  This massive structural change in behavior has opened the door for new revenue possibilities for publishers.  Our product helps publishers take advantage of this by providing technical and strategic resources they wouldn't otherwise have access to."

Saambaa does not charge fees for its platform.  Publishers get their own unique, custom-branded iPhone and Android entertainment app as part of a revenue sharing partnership with the Company.   And because it's a revenue-sharing relationship, saambaa acts as an extension of the publisher's team to ensure they're not left alone to navigate the complexities of mobile.

About saambaa:

Saambaa's apps leverage proprietary technology that gives readers the power to share listings with friends using text messages, emails and push notifications - sent by readers to their friends.  Saambaa has deep mobile experience, with technology chosen by Apple from over 500,000 apps and featured in the App Store.  This allows saambaa to be uniquely positioned to help the publishing industry transition into mobile with a best-in-class platform.

 

The name saambaa is inspired by the Brazilian tradition of music, dance, energy and people coming together - in-person - to have fun.  Download some example publisher apps and discover more about saambaa at www.saambaa.com.