“The Chair” grabs the top seat again! — Sunbury Press bestsellers for November 2014

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for November, 2014. Jim Campbell’s memoir of his career as a pastor The Chair was #1.

About The Chair
Sometimes, one needs a special mentor to find life and its wonder. Sometimes, that mentor is a chair.

“The Chair is Pastor James Campbell’s spiritual odyssey that leads us through the night of emptiness and then emerges into the light of compassion, intervention, and redemption.  Through his renovation of a simple chair, reverence for worn out sewing needles in the Japanese celebration of Hari-Kuyo, and reflection upon how stress to the Diamond Willows of Alaska produces works of art, this parable describes Campbell’s own epiphanies during the course of his life travels ministering to the forgotten and broken.

“For members of the helping profession, caregivers, or those looking for meaning in meaningless times, Campbell is a valuable read.   He will guide you, literally and figuratively, out of the ruins of the great dust bowl to a peaceful Colorado valley.  And he will show you how all these things remain part of your soul.”

Steve Schoenmakers, M.S., Superintendent, Retired, Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for November, 2014 (by Revenue)
Rank	Last Month	Title	Author	Category
1	1	The Chair	James Campbell	Spiritual Memoir
2	NEW	Solomon Screech Owl Goes to the Galapagos	Beth Lancione	Childrens Fiction
3	NEW	Keystone Tombstones Sports	Joe Farrell & Joe Farley	Sports History
4	11	Born Fire Dragon	Susan Kiskis	Spiritual Memoir
5	NEW	As the Paint Dries	Carrie Wissler-Thomas	Art History
6	NEW	Silver Moon	Joanne L. S. Risso	Childrens Fiction
7	NEW	Solomon Screech Owl’s First Flight	Beth Lancione	Childrens Fiction
8	3	Poor Will’s Almanack 2015	Bill Felker	Almanac
9	9	Visions of Teaoga	Jim Remsen	YA Fiction
10	14	Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last	Mike Campbell	History
11	7	Head Over Wheels	Ken Mercurio	Sports Memoir
12	—	Call Sign Dracula	Joe Fair	War Memoir
13	20	Pit Bulls	Anthony Julian	History
14	—	My Mom Is an Alien	Joanne L. S. Risso	Childrens Fiction
15	—	A Brother’s Cold Case	Dennis Herrick	Thriller Fiction
16	—	Keystone Tombstones Civil War	Farrell, Farley, & Knorr	War Biography
17	—	The Power of Uncertainty	John Loase	Philosophy
18	19	The Bronze Dagger	Marie Sontag	YA Fiction
19	4	Dead of Autumn	Sherry Knowlton	Thriller Fiction
20	17	The Closer	Alan Mindell	Sports Fiction

Sunbury Press had its best November ever. For the month, sales were up 44% as compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date, sales are up over 18% overall. The company remains on track to have its best year ever. Trade paperback sales in 2014 have already exceeded sales of all of 2013. Hardcover sales since June have rocketed past eBook sales, which were down over 15% for the year.

Jim Campbell’s The Chair led the way thanks to the chair’s (accompanied by Jim) tour of the Midwest. Beth Lancione’s Solomon Screech Owl series, lavishly illustrated by Kathleen Haney, debuted at #2 (Solomon Screech Owl Goes to the Galapagos) and #7 (Solomon Screech Owl’s First Flight)  thanks to author activities. Joe Farrell and Joe Farley returned to the rankings at #3 with their new biographical compilation Keystone Tombstones Sports. Their Civil War volume, co-authored with Lawrence Knorr, grabbed the 16th spot, all thanks to author appearances and collaboration with a real estate agent offering books as housewarming gifts.Susan Kiskis’s Born Fire Dragon soared to #4 thanks to her author event at Sunbury Press and her appearance schedule. As the Paint Dries, Carrie Wissler-Thomas’s history of the Art Association of Harrisburg, co-authored by Michael Barton, opened at #5 due to advance sales to the gallery for the December 5th book signing event (which was well attended!). Joanne L. S. Risso’s Chinese fairytale Silver Moon, illustrated by German artist Christiane Künzel, debuted at #6 thanks to sales in the US and Germany. Joanne’s My Mom Is an Alien also joined the rankings at #14 thanks to author activities. Bill Felker’s Poor Will’s Almanack 2015 held strong at #8 thanks to sales from the author’s annual buyers.  Jim Remsen’s Visions of Teaga held at #9 as a result of ongoing author promotions. Mike Campbell’s Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last held at #10 due to national media attention for the search for the aviatrix’s plane. Head Over Wheels, Ken Mercurio’s cycling memoir slipped to #11, It continues to receive strong interest from cycling enthusiasts. Joe Fair’s Vietnam memoir Call Sign Dracula returned to the rankings at #12 thanks to author appearances. Anthony Julian’s Pit Bulls I continued to draw interest among dog enthusiasts, ranking lucky 13th. Dennis Herrick;s latest, A Brother’s Cold Case, debuted at #15 in its new Sunbury Press edition. Professor John Loase’s polemic about the need for higher education, The Power of Uncertainty, ranked 17th thanks to author activities. The Bronze Dagger by Marie Sontag held on the list thanks to signing events at schools. Sherry Knowlton’s Dead of Autumn slipped to #19 the month after her author event at the Sunbury Press store. Alan Mindell’s The Closer stayed on the chart thanks to sales in the San Diego area.

The company released eight new titles during the month of November:

SUNBURY PRESS – New Releases for November, 2014
Traders, Travelers, and Tomahawks	John L. Moore	History
Solomon Screech Owl Goes to the Galapagos	Beth Lancione	Childrens Fiction
Solomon Screech Owl’s First Flight	Beth Lancione	Childrens Fiction
Silver Moon	Joanne L. S. Risso	Childrens Fiction
Keystone Tombstones Sports	Joe Farrell & Joe Farley	Sports History
As the Paint Dries	Carrie Wissler-Thomas	Art History
A Guide to Finer Dining	J. R. Hipsky	Etiquette
Patsy (reissue)	Doug Brode	Historical Fiction

For a list of Sunbury’s best-sellers, please see the Sunbury Press web site:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/BESTSELLERS_c3.htm
For a complete list of recent and upcoming releases, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/COMING-SOON_c47.htm

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Yoga instructor’s memoir is a “cup of New Age angst”

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released Susan Kiskis’ visionary memoir Born Fire Dragon.

About the Book:
Susan always knew her family was different. Whether it stemmed from an unusual and often complicated childhood, or from her experiences with the “other side,” Susan lived on the outskirts of a normal life. As a young mother, she naively navigated the dating world, while stretching the boundaries of her ability to find her calling. Through trial and error, she found love in all the wrong places until, one day, she discovered where true love originated from.

You’d think that being a child of a conservative family living in New York, with a Yugoslavian immigrant mother and World War II veteran father would make Susan’s life interesting enough. However, add a dash of coffee cup readings, a tablespoon of past life memories, and stir in a grown intuitive woman who survived the dating world, and you have a cup of New Age angst.

Born on a full moon, under the Chinese year of the Fire Dragon,Born Fire Dragon follows Susan on the marvelous ride of life.

Excerpt:
It’s Nathan Lane. He’s looking at me. I mean I know it’s really not Nathan Lane, but my brain can’t interpret infinite power and knowledge, so it’s giving me Nathan Lane.

I’m in a dream of sorts and here is the Tony award-winning actor from The Bird Cage, and Carrie’s good friend from Sex in the Citywho was gay, but decided to marry a straight woman. Nathan Lane, dressed up in a white suit that shimmers in the light surrounding him, is what my brain has decided God looks like. He stands there patiently waiting for me, flashing that bright Broadway smile. Where are we? Standing on clouds that don’t really look all together like puffs of condensed air and water? Instead, I realize we are in the place between heaven and earth—the place where sometimes, during deep meditations, I meet those from the other side. It’s like a popular coffee house where there is no limit to slices of zen and good company. He’s waiting for me.

Nathan Lane (aka God) asks, “So, do you want to stay or do you want to go?”

I knew this moment was coming for about a year now. I could feel it in my bones. I had hoped to be awake for this moment, to make a conscious choice, but here I was, my soul standing before him while my body was nestled under an abundance of covers and pushed up against my husband Charlie.

“I need time to think,” I said. Stupid. Stupid. This is what happens when you allow your soul to do the talking. Time. Time for what?

I used to be painfully afraid of death. Even though I had these experiences that all added up to me knowing there was more aside from this so-called-life on Earth, I had no need to go. Been there, done that, many times I was sure. However, in the past year I started to make peace with the concept of death. I allowed it to creep up on me like a good story, wiggle its way into my mind and settle comfortably there. Now I was deciding whether I was fine with death, right here in this moment. Was I ready to go?

I read somewhere once, perhaps in a Sylvia Brown book, that we have a certain number of “outs” in our lives. “Outs” are choices as to whether we wanted to stay or go. I guess here was another “out” option for me. I didn’t want to take this option. I want to grow old well into my nineties and squeeze the nectar out of life. Left up to my soul now, would I make the same decision my mind would make?

I know death well. I’ve seen its face three times in my personal life and many times with others. Death and I, we’re old buddies.

About the Author:
Susan Kiskis is a yoga instructor, energy worker, and intuitive guide. While Susan’s path started as a child in New York City, her quest for the answers to life’s biggest questions took a turn when she was twenty. She studied Buddhism, Hinduism, and other religions before starting on a path to learning the healing arts and yoga. She has been certified in over fifteen areas of holistic healing and has taught at conferences, classes, and workshops on the East Coast. Susan’s community activism has led to the creation of events celebrating Earth Day and International Women’s Day. A freelance writer and former politician, Susan owns a yoga studio in Mechanicsburg, PA, where she lives with her husband, daughter and lots of pups and kitties.

Kiskis is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews, and/or book signings, contact hello@barefootwellnessstudio.com.

Born Fire Dragon
Authored by Susan Kiskis
List Price: $14.95
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on White paper
190 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620065051
ISBN-10: 1620065053
BISAC: Body, Mind & Spirit / Inspiration & Personal Growth

Also available on Kindle
For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Born-Fire-Dragon-9781620…

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