Media Inquiries

Clothed in beautiful rags, the Rag Man gathers cast-off items that others don’t find valuable. He walks through the streets of his little town with a cart, collecting treasures to bring home in heaps. Nothing escapes his attention. To him, nothing is junk. A little girl watches the Rag Man from a distance as he takes her old teddy bear and she wonders what will happen to her well-worn toy. Much to her surprise, the Rag Man repairs her teddy bear and brings it back to her. From the story, children learn a valuable lesson about prejudice.

This book supports the Rag Man Project – a program that brings college students and young adults into bookstores, libraries, schools and hospitals to teach children about those in society who, whether they have disabilities, are homeless or simply don’t act like everyone else, are different.

Ballad of the Rag Man, written by Cynthia Gustavson with illustrations by Kristina Tosic, is available in hardcover (ISBN 978-1933918-42-6) by Blooming Twig Books and can be purchased online at Amazon. For more information please visit the book’s Web site.

About the Author:

Cynthia Gustavson is the award-winning author of five poetry collections and several workbooks for therapists and has been published in numerous journals. She has a family therapy practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she resides with her husband of 40 years, a pediatrician who all too frequently takes care of neglected children. She was educated at Gustavus Adolphus College, Boston University, Louisiana State University, United Seminary of the Twin Cities, and Oklahoma State University, and she has taught at Northeastern State University in Tallequah, Oklahoma, and Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Visit her Web site for more information.

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Written by Dr. Kent Gustavson, this first-ever biography of the folk and bluegrass icon has quickly become an Amazon Bestseller, reaching #1 in the Country & Folk category. The book was researched over six years and provides a comprehensive look into the folk music icon’s life. Blind But Now I See also features dozens of never-before-seen photographs, as well as artist renderings from throughout Doc Watson’s childhood and career.

The book reveals never before released details about Doc Watson’s life including:

*The inside story of Doc Watson’s discovery and rise to greatness, researched from the private notes of his late discoverer Ralph Rinzler, detailing Doc’s rise from sideman to superstar and from local stages to Carnegie Hall.

*A full history of Doc’s family, his time at the Raleigh School for the Blind, his family’s deep roots in North Carolina, and his treasured first string instrument, a banjo crafted by his father from the hide of his granny’s old cat.

*The true story of Doc’s son, slide guitarist Merle Watson’s rise to the top, his tragic tractor accident, and his friends who gathered around his grave at the funeral to sing “Midnight Rider.”

Blind But Now I See is already one of the most talked about books of the year. Chockfull of new and compelling interviews, the story is told through the experiences of more than 70 notable musicians and experts on Doc Watson’s life, including: Abigail Washburn, Alan O’Bryant, Alice Gerrard, Annie Bird, B. Townes, Bela Fleck, Ben Harper, Beppe Gambetta, Clint Howard, Darol Anger, David Grisman, David Moultrup, and Don Rigsby.

“Doc Watson is not only a great-great-grandfather himself; he is the patriarch of a long line of flatpicking guitarists like Clarence White and Tony Rice, and the father of the acoustic genre, intimately influencing everyone from Bob Dylan to the Grateful Dead, and from Gillian Welch to Pete Seeger. Doc Watson is a bridge between old and new music, electric and acoustic, New York and Nashville. He is a living, breathing, Americana museum, and he’s still out on the road touring today at age 87.”

To schedule an interview with Dr. Gustavson, please contact Pamela Pelletier at email hidden; JavaScript is required. Press materials and review copies are available upon request.

About the Author:

Dr. Kent Gustavson earned his Ph.D. from Stony Brook University in New York, where he now teaches music, leadership, and language. He speaks around the world on both music and publishing, and has interviewed hundreds of award-winning musicians and authors for his radio show “Sound Authors.” Dr. Gustavson has released more than a dozen audio recordings on his small independent record label Ninety and Nine Records. He lives and works in Sound Beach, New York. Visit his Web site for more information.

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Pentagon Prayer is a journey through surviving our nation’s worst tragedy while learning the beauty of life. This book defies the status quo by claiming that real success is found by living in humility while giving gratitude.

Feeling handpicked by God, Dan’s personal mission honors those who lost their lives by speaking to and challenging audiences to understand the value of life through gratitude, respect and appreciation of others. His story of survival and faith is a phenomenal one.

Come meet Dan and hear his story of survival and triumph this Saturday, November 20th, from 2-4pm at the Borders bookstore in Nashua, NH.

Pentagon Prayer: Story of a 9/11 Survivor by Dan Holdridge will be available in trade paperback (ISBN 978-1-933918-58-7) by Blooming Twig Books and can be purchased online at Amazon. The publisher was so overrun by requests for the book that they are running their second printing of the title only a week after its release. For more information please visit the author’s Web site.

About the Author:

On September 11th, 2001, Dan’s life almost ended when he was injured in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Almost recovered physically, Dan is currently the CEO of his family business but also dedicates his time speaking to people across the country about his experience that day, what helped him heal and how he became an even stronger person than ever before. He has close ties to the USDA and the National 4-H Organization, as well as numerous universities and corporations. Although he still experiences many physical after-effects of the 9/11 attack, his approach to “appreciating” everyone around him has given him a new lease on life.

Visit the book’s Web site.

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Selling the First Oyster will help sales teams compete and win in the highly competitive tech markets by teaching them how to align their proposed transformations with the key components of business transformation. Smay brings logic and real life examples into the mix, making this book a must read for sellers of today’s transformational technologies.

Selling the First Oyster: From Selling Technology to Selling Transformation will be available in paperback (ISBN 978-1-93391-855-6) by Blooming Twig Books and can be purchased online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. For more information please visit the book’s Web site.

About the Author:

Laird Smay, founder of Augeo Sales Consulting, LLC, is an international consultant, writer and authority on selling transformational technologies. With over 30 years experience in communications, collaboration and technology solutions selling, Smay has served as an individual contributor, sales manager, vice president of sales, and president for a wide range of technology companies including two he co-founded. Visit his Web site for more information.

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Do you look at the glass as half empty or half full? Are you a positive person surrounded by negative people who you don’t understand or relate to? Are you a negative person who wants to channel your natural tendencies to be more productive? Or are you looking for a book that looks at life with a realistic point of view, a keen sense of humor and information that is actually applicable to you and your life?

Half a Glass: The Realist’s Guide delivers a realistic guide that is funny, charming, brutally honest, and incredibly useful. Price’s unique message that all thoughts have value, even the negative ones, has motivated and wowed audiences nationwide. You’ll never look at negativity in the same way again! Please visit the book’s Web site for more information.

To schedule an interview with Craig Price, contact Pamela Pelletier at email hidden; JavaScript is required. Press materials are available upon request.

About the Author:

Craig Price is a professional speaker, advisor, and entertainer. He has worked with some of the most effective and diverse corporate leaders, from multibillion-dollar manufacturers to top universities, around the country. A former professional stand-up comedian, Price won the coveted title of “Houston’s Funniest Person.” For more information visit his Web site.

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Rock the Test: Companion to the Official College Board Sat Guide by Michael Hickey and Thom Brownworth will be available in trade paperback (ISBN 978-1933918-49-5) by Blooming Twig Books and can be purchased online at Amazon. For more information please visit the book’s Web site.

About the Authors:

Michael Hickey is in his twenty-second year at The Stony Brook School, one of the most prestigious college prepatory schools in the nation. In 1980, Michael graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point with a bachelor’s degree. Presently he teaches AP Biology and Physics and is the SAT tutor for the school. Over the years he has tutored hundreds of students in preparation for the SAT. He works and lives in Stony Brook, NY. He has taught SAT Prep courses for years as well. Visit his Web site.

Thom Brownworth is the Senior Master at The Stony Brook School, where he is presently in his forty-first year. Thom received his bachelor’s degree from Houghton College and his master’s degree in Mathematics Education from Hofstra University. While at The Stony Brook School he has served as Chair of the Mathematics Department and Director of Computer Services. Visit his Web site.

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