Table For Two

A Collection of Short Stories

by Eliot Parker

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Short Stories

 


 In Eliot Parker’s engrossing Table for Two, human connection anchors the core. Through a collection of modern short stories, Parker deftly explores the nature of relationships: temporal and abiding.


Table For Two

A Collection of Short Stories

by Eliot Parker

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Short Stories


Conversation is more than just words being spoken, interpreted, and acted upon by others. Conversation is also the ultimate human interest activity, bringing people into direct contact with people in all of their complexity and vulnerability. The main characters in Parker’s ten multi-genre stories set in the heart of Appalachia want to be heard; to have others listen to them-really listen-and understand their needs and concerns.


 The characters in these stories do not always get listened to, and many of them find that the need for attention comes from aggression. A woman confronts her father about his dementia. Two fathers whose guilt and shame over the disappearances of their sons hide more sinister motives. A young boy frustrated with a ring appraisal learns a lesson about how people and things can be valued equally. Each of the characters in the collection is faced with a balance of talking and listening with a need for action, which often leads to manipulation and coercion.


The characters in these stories want to be heard; to have others listen to them-really listen-and understand their needs and concerns. However, when they do not get listened to, there is often an attempted persuasion by aggression. One character often finds himself/herself faced with another character who believes that conversation has no place in their lives.


The belief of the antagonists in these stories is that- who needs to talk when there is action that needs to be done? The antagonists believe that there is no need for conversation when the protagonist can be manipulated, coerced, or discredited by actions. Each story is a thrilling adventure with unexpected turns. Parker’s honest and provocative prose will captivate readers with its urgency.


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Eliot Parker is the author of the thriller novel A FINAL CALL, which was named a “Best Indie Book to Discover in 2022” by Kirkus Magazine and was a finalist in thriller novel from the London Book Festival. His short story collection SNAPSHOTS, won the 2020 PenCraft Literary Award and the 2021 Feathered Quill Book Award for Short Story Anthology. His thriller novel, A KNIFE’S EDGE, was an Amazon #1 bestseller. Eliot has received the West Virginia Literary Merit Award for his works and has also been a finalist for the Southern Book Prize in Thriller Writing in 2016 for his novel FRAGILE BRILLIANCE.

He hosts the podcast program, “Now Appalachia” on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network, which profiles authors, editors, and publishers in the Appalachian region. He also hosts a Youtube/Booktube program called “Page Break,” featuring book reviews, interviews with authors, and news about the publishing industry.

A graduate of the Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University with his M.F.A. in Creative Writing and a graduate of Murray State University with his Doctorate in English, Eliot teaches writing that the University of Mississippi. For more information, visit his website http://www.eliotparker.com



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Liddy-Jean Marketing Queen and the Matchmaking Scheme

by MARI SANGIOVANNI

 

 Fiction / LGBTQ / Romance

Publication Date: June 11, 2024

Publisher: Bywater Books





















 

Novelist and filmmaker Mari SanGiovanni introduces readers to the irrepressible Liddy-Jean Carpenter, a matchmaker with special talents who will charm readers with her wit, wisdom, and sensibilities in this warm, enchanting love-is-love office romance.

 

Liddy-Jean Carpenter has learning disabilities. But she also has a surprisingly genius plan.

While she spends her days doing minor office tasks with nobody paying attention, she sees how badly the wand-waving big boss treats the Marketing Department worker bees. So, she takes lots of notes for a business book to teach bosses to be better.

While compiling pages of bad behavior notes, she finds she likes office-mate Rose and Rose’s new friend Jenny. But she doesn’t like Rose’s creepy boyfriend. So how can she save Rose?

Liddy-Jean knows with certainty that love is love, and she concludes that Rose should be with Jenny, bosses should do better, and everybody needs the services of Liddy-Jean, Marketing Queen.


About the Author



MARI SANGIOVANNI is a novelist, filmmaker, screenplay writer, and owner of Love Is Love Productions. She is the author of the award-winning novels, Greetings From Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer, Camptown Ladies, and 80% Done With Straight Girls, and she wrote and directed the award-winning short film, The Sibling Rule. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she splits her time between Boston, MA, and Coventry, RI.

 

Contact Links

Website

LesFlicks

Goodreads

Facebook

Instagram: @SanGiovanniMari

 

Purchase Link

Amazon


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Slaying the Dragon

by Antonio Iozzo

 

 A South African Billionaire’s Battle to Conquer Opioid Addiction

 Personal Memoir

Date Published: August 29, 2024

Publisher: Elite Online Publishing































A South African Billionaire’s Battle to Conquer Opioid Addiction

 Personal Memoir

Date Published: August 29, 2024

Publisher: Elite Online Publishing

 

Ever wondered what it takes to rise from near-death to extraordinary success? This book is for anyone looking for inspiration, resilience, and powerful business insights.

 

Uncover the dual journey of Antonio Iozzo, who battled addiction while rising as a visionary leader, providing you with the strength to overcome your own challenges. Get inside the mind of a CEO managing a multibillion-rand empire while facing a crippling addiction, so you can apply these lessons to your personal and professional life. Discover the dangers of opioid addiction and the path to recovery, giving you the knowledge to protect yourself and your loved ones. The bravest book you’ll read this year! Gain access to business insights and strategies from one of Africa’s top entrepreneurs, enabling you to elevate your own business ventures. Witness an incredible story of overcoming adversity and achieving greatness, inspiring you to tackle your own life’s obstacles with renewed vigor.

 

●     Authentic, Best-selling Story: Delve into a narrative backed by guaranteed, proven insights.

●     Secure Journey: Experience a path that is tested and verified.

●     Research-backed Strategies: Gain results-driven strategies supported by thorough research.

●     Ironclad Authenticity: Enjoy a promise of genuine and authentic content.

●     Official and Recession-proof: Trust in a story that withstands economic challenges.

●     Lifetime Account: Benefit from a no-risk, no-questions-asked, money-back assurance.

●     Privacy Protected: Rest assured that your privacy is safeguarded.

 

Don’t wait—unlock the secrets to resilience, success, and unparalleled business acumen. Buy now and transform your life today!

 

Antonio Iozzo’s story is a compelling blend of memoir and business wisdom. As the first local business memoir highlighting addiction as a core theme, it sheds light on the emerging Oxy opioid crisis in South Africa and addresses Oxy and Suboxone addiction. Both inspiring and highly informative, the book offers a unique perspective on overcoming addiction while achieving business success.

 


Excerpt

 

I would like to share with you a principle that I apply every day in my personal and business life: the Japanese concept of kaizen. It’s a philosophy that emphasises making consistent, incremental changes to improve processes, procedures,  products and, perhaps most importantly, oneself.

The importance of continual improvement in business is crucial to success, as it fosters innovation, enhances efficiency and builds resilience. This boosts staff morale,  increases customer satisfaction and retention, and leads to greater profitability.

Applying the principle of continual improvement in our personal lives – by making small incremental changes by prioritising our health – enhances our overall state of well-being and long-term vitality.

When we live a life of continual improvement, we are consistently developing new skills and working on important relationships. This ultimately amplifies our sense of fulfilment and happiness.

If continual improvement were a superhero, its arch nemesis would be complacency. Complacency is the state of being self-satisfied and unconcerned with improving the status quo. Complacency’s friends would be laziness,  denial, procrastination and mediocrity.

Complacency is disastrous for a business. When a company becomes complacent, it stops innovating, fails to recognise market shifts and loses its competitive edge. Failing to continually advance technology and refine customer services often results in a business being outpaced by more agile competitors, leading to declining sales and market share.

In our personal lives, complacency leads to stagnation and missed opportunities. Without the drive to better ourselves, our relationships become strained, our health deteriorates and challenges are left unmet.

Continual improvement requires curiosity, dedication,  resilience and actively working to avoid complacency. It’s a principle that I have implemented in my own life and business endeavours.

During my gruelling battle with opioid addiction, there were many days when it felt like I was losing the fight.  Upon reflection, it was the principle of kaizen that inspired me to persevere until the day I would finally be free from this affliction.

I hope that my book inspires you to embrace the principle of continual improvement, to challenge the status quo, to set small incremental goals, and to take the first step towards achieving them. 

About the Author

Antonio Iozzo is a distinguished entrepreneur and business leader known for his exceptional journey from humble beginnings to achieving remarkable commercial success. As the CEO and founder of IUM, Über Property Developments, Body Action Gym, and The 11th Floor Rooftop Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, Antonio leads a R3 billion conglomerate, spanning insurance, construction, hospitality, and the health and wellness sectors.

Antonio’s expertise lies in his ability to transform challenges into opportunities, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to continuous growth and making a meaningful impact. His journey began when he had to leave school in Grade 11 to support his family after his father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Despite numerous setbacks, including a failed restaurant venture, Antonio’s resilience shone through as he ventured into the insurance industry, ultimately founding his own brokerage in 1999.

In 2018, Antonio had a near-death accident on his Ducati Panigale superbike at a notoriously dangerous South African racetrack. Despite sustaining significant injuries, including a shattered T7 vertebra, 14 broken ribs, and punctured lungs, medical professionals were incredulous that Antonio had not been left paralysed.

During a series of operations in South Africa and the United States, he was prescribed OxyNorm, the opioid painkiller commonly known as Oxy in the US, where it’s been linked to millions of overdose-related deaths. No one in the medical fraternity ever warned Antonio of its highly addictive nature.

Over the next five years, this highly driven businessman grappled with a dual existence. His once magnificent life, built from rags to riches, began to unravel as he consumed copious amounts of Oxy to manage his debilitating back pain, alternating with even more addictive Suboxone to withdraw.

As he expanded his multibillion-rand business empire, Antonio found it increasingly challenging to conceal his inner turmoil. Finally, in a mammoth surge of determination and willpower, Antonio went to battle with the opioid dragon and triumphed.

His incredible story is a testament to his robust spirit and refusal to ever give up. Today he is free of his addiction. As an inspiring leader who believes in leading by example, Antonio continues to motivate his team and countless others with his mantra: “Strive for continual improvement in everything that you do.” His journey serves as an inspiration, proving that with resilience and determination, any challenge can be conquered.

 

Contact Links

Website

Twitter: @antonioiozzo_official

Instagram: @antonioiozzo_official

 

Purchase Link

Amazon


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