Silicon Valley veteran Romina Wilcox (www.RominaWilcox.com) has published her third novel set in the cyber-corporate world, this time telling a tale that will make readers both laugh and sympathize.

"The P.I.G. Mantras" is the story of Maite Burns, a 20-year-old who needs to get a job to support her husband. (She doesn't mind; he's the love of her life, and she will do anything to protect her marriage.) She sets her sights on Silicon Valley. Determined to prove that she can become a respected career woman without traditional qualifications, she drops out of junior college and jumps head-first into the highly educated, highly motivated workplace of Silicon Valley.

Maite is hired as a temporary administrative assistant and works her way up through the ranks as she tackles a series of challenges - anxiety, self-doubt and the persistent fear of failure.

"She draws her inspiration from the women she admires - powerful, successful women, from Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan to Oprah Winfrey and Vera Wang," Wilcox says. "Specifically, she looks to their words for strength as she deals with the vagaries of five quirky, demanding bosses and their staffs.

"The P.I.G. Mantras" is Wilcox's first foray into "chick" literature - a departure from her previous cyber thrillers.

But -- "it speaks to anyone - man or woman - trying to reinvent themselves in this difficult job market," writes Amazon reviewer Dana Micheli. "Who among us has not been tortured by a nasty, narcissistic or neurotic boss (or all of the above)? The best part is that we get to laugh as we learn the lessons."

Adds reviewer Carole Cox:

"(The book) gave me the chance to come to terms with my own insecurities and maturation as an employee. We are not alone in our fear of failure, our need to provide for our family and our hope to become a valuable employee."

About Romina Wilcox

Romina Wilcox has worked for giant semiconductor companies supporting top Silicon Valley executives for 15 years. She has a liberal arts degree, a certificate in computer programming and has had computer forensic training from Southeast CyberCrime Institute. Her first cyber-thriller, "Cold Eyes" - an intrigue of murder, cybertheft and love - received honorable mention at the 2007 New York Book Festival. Wilcox lives in the heart of Silicon Valley with her husband and their three children.

The 27th season of the Quad City Wind Ensemble kicks off Sunday, October 21st at 3:00pm. The theme of the concert is "Reflections," music that features nature and the seasons, and will feature principal saxophonist Dane Marolf.

Mr. Marolf will perform "Fantasia for Alto Saxophone" by Claude T. Smith accompanied by the wind ensemble. Conducted by Brian L. Hughes, the QCWE will also perform a variety of pieces from the concert band and wind ensemble repertoire, including works by Brian Balmages, Nancy Galbraith, Andrew Boysen, and Alfred Reed. The concert will immediately be followed by a reception with free refreshments and homemade treats.

Admission in $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and FREE for all students through 12th grade. Season tickets will also be available at the door for $32. See attached poster for details. We hope you can join us at the Galvin Fine Arts Center on the campus of St. Ambrose
for this special event!

For additional information, please visit www.qcwindensemble.org, or http://www.facebook.com/qcwindensemble

If Sydney Rose, 20, could talk to the young contestants wowing audiences on "The Voice" and "The X-Factor," she'd tell them: Even if you don't make it to the end, if you have a vision and a talent, don't ignore it.

The singer/songwriter whose debut pop single, "Breaking Rules," hit No. 21 on the national radio Top 40 chart in October, says she tried to put her dream on hold - and couldn't.

"I've been in love with music all my life," says Rose (www.sydneyrosemusic.com). "I've learned it's an important part of who I am and you can't ignore that, no matter what your age."

Rose grew up honing her singing skills, then learning guitar ("My first chord was D") and dancing. She overcame any lingering shyness about performing before audiences by joining two other girls in a pop/dance group called Rosemadayne.

But when it came time to attend college, she decided it was best to put her dream on a back burner.

"I was afraid," she says. "I wanted to experience college without the pressure of a music career, but I actually felt more pressure without my dream and I knew I had to nurture that passion that is so a part of me."

That's when she wrote her newest album, "Rise," an up-tempo celebration of life. It's getting airplay on radio stations across the country, a development that never ceases to amaze and delight the rising star.

"Listening to myself on the planet 96.7 right at this moment!!!" she posted recently on Twitter (@itssydneyrose). "This is surreal!!!! #bestdayeverever."

Rose offers tips for other young people who are determined to follow their dreams:

• Get your support team together: Whether it's parents, other family members, friends or teachers, you'll need people who encourage and help guide you. Coaches, mentors or instructors can help you improve - because no matter what your talent and how much of it you've got, you can always expand your abilities with help. Depending on your age, that may require financial and transportation support. "I started voice lessons when I was a tween, and to this day I get intensive voice training," Rose says. "But the more skills you have, the better, so I also started working on dance when I was 13 years old. No matter what type of creative talent you have - singing, acting, writing or painting - if you want to become a professional, you need training." Anyone who is supportive in your life, including friends, other family members and teachers, are reminders of why dreams matter to you.

• Set realistic goals: You may dream of being in the movies or on TV, but don't expect to start there! "I happily performed at bar and bat mitzvahs (bonus! - I met my manager through those), book stores, Best Buy stores, and at my vocal school," Sydney says. "These were great opportunities to get used to being in front of live audiences and learning how to interact with the audience." The smaller goals are there for you to reach the bigger ones - Rome was not built overnight, she says. Those who are supportive will remind you of the big picture.

• Remember, it's OK to be scared: Doing something for the first time can be really scary, and it's perfectly normal to be nervous. But don't let that stop you from getting out there and trying! "From experience, I know that almost anything that seems scary the first time gets much easier, and less scary, every time you do it," Sydney says. "Don't let fear keep you from ever taking the next step."

• Have fun! "With 'Rise,' I wrote songs that are fun and upbeat. I thought, 'If I'm going to do this for the rest of my life, I have to have an amazing time. Right?' she says. Part of what has helped the album's success is that she was genuinely happy and having a good time when she recorded it. No matter what you're doing, your true emotions tend to color your work - they're hard to hide, so work with them.

About Sydney Rose

Sydney Rose is a 20-year-old recording artist who has worked toward her success the old-fashioned way - through training, practice and dedication. She credits great coaches for helping her develop her talent for singing, dancing and songwriting, and she has become a rising star on the pop music circuit. Her new album, "Rise," is now available on iTunes.