- From the Desk of Adam C. Mock -

Hello, dear readers,

April 1 has come and gone, and I’m happy to say I survived the entire day without getting fooled or pranked. However, I did learn a valuable lesson that day . . .

Practical jokes can go south really quickly when you tell your pastor one of his friends has been arrested for making bad choices.

Lesson learned.

Although, as I type this, I’ve gotten the entire office to convince Arturo there’s a horrible, toiletlike odor surrounding him and his desk.

Of course, the odor doesn’t exist.

But Arturo doesn’t need to know that.

Perhaps I still have some learning to do.

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You know who else had some learning to do? This guy:

Sam Nuccio, Operations Director of Special Events for Medallion Press; husband, father, and lovable oaf.

From June until February, Sam was our human guinea pig as Medallion author Staci Boyer put him through the principles of her December 2010 release Motiv8n’ U .

So after nine months, is our lovable Sam motiv8d? Did Staci Boyer succeed in showing Sam how to lead a healthy, motiv8n’ lifestyle?

Well, let’s hear from Sam about his experience:

When I was asked to do an update for Motiv8n’ U, I was worried, thinking not much had changed. To be honest, I don’t look at the goals Staci and I created that often. After I printed out and reviewed the goals, though, I could clearly see just how far I’ve come and how far removed I am from the negative lifestyle I was leading.

My ultimate goal was originally to lose 80 pounds, which was adjusted to 70. We thought losing 80 pounds was not a good goal for me due to my tremendous amount of muscle mass and because I wouldn’t want to maintain that weight. That being said, I am 17 pounds from where I’d like my weight to be permanently, and even with a major slowdown because of a kidney stone, I plan to be there by the end of May.

My financial fitness is moving along and, although I’m not even close to a comfortable place for me and my family, I am in tune. I now have life insurance (huge stress relief), I have a budget (ever changing, but at least it exists), my wife Amy and I communicate about our finances on a more regular basis, and we have an IRA set up for Amy in a bank we’re comfortable with. (Missing from this bucket is a six-month reserve in savings, but I can now work toward it.)

Functional fitness. Getting rid of excess is not an issue; we donate it all almost every month. Keeping the right foods in the house has never been an issue, and we will continue to provide whole, natural, organic food for our family as long as we can afford to. I know what is in my fridge (didn’t have a clue before; hated to be in the kitchen because I felt cramped). Staci also had this thing about the patio: she thought it was important to me and that I viewed it as my space. I didn’t and don’t; however, I feel more at ease in my home, more than I ever have, even though it is my biggest hope/dream/wish/goal to move to an area where I can finally put my roots down and feel secure.

Our family fitness is in check and growing! My mom loves her new home and is happy to get back into writing, and Amy and the boys have been and always will be my reason for living.

Focused fitness—hold on to the dream. I see it, I chase it, and I never lose sight of it! Turning a negative into a positive is most likely one of the best lessons I’ve learned through Motiv8n’ U.

Feeling your fitness also helped me practice turning weakness into strength (pretty hard to do—but when it happens, you feel the win). Tracking my emotions was pretty hard for me, and I’m currently not doing it, but I do see a direct correlation between tracking and successful weight loss.

Witness the fitness challenged me to volunteer, voice my gratitude, and find a church we are comfortable in. Although I have started to volunteer more, I still would like to make this a larger part of my life and share that time with my family as well. I always felt that it was important to be grateful and to voice it, but as Staci and I both learned, we can never say “thank you” enough! As for my spirituality, I’m comfortable with where I am. Sure, I want to grow and explore it with my family, but I feel like how we live our lives, who we are, and how we treat others is more important than where we do it.

Feeding your fitness made me take a look at shopping habits, meal preparation, food tracking, and alcohol consumption. Shopping used to be me taking the boys around while Amy filled the cart, and now I take part in it with her. (I think it helps her, and I can be sure to get the items I need.) Meal prep is second nature now, and before it was something that simply did not exist. I was tracking food fairly well; currently I’m not, but when I do, it really helps keep me in check! Alcohol consumption really didn’t seem relevant to me because I didn’t feel I drank that much, but when I looked at it from a calories-per-week perspective, I realized how one here or there can really add up. Now I keep that in mind more often.

Finally, my funny bone fitness—laughing at myself. I think I have always been able to do this, but this is what it’s done: in those moments when I do take myself too seriously, I usually pause and take it down a notch or two.

Motiv8n’ U helped me not only with my weight loss but with my overall sense of being and/or well-being. I feel like I’m in tune and on track. I may have thought I was before, but standing where I am right now, I can clearly see I was headed down a dead-end street. Thank you, Staci. Thank you, Medallion Press. Thank you, family. Thank you, friends!

I can tell you from our perspective that the Sam who started at Medallion at the beginning of 2009 is a very different man from the Sam we know today. He’s happier and healthier, and there’s much less of him!

Keep it up, Sam! Your success has proven the principles in Motiv8n’ U can change our lives for the better and help us lead healthy, motiv8n’ lives!

If you want to see more of Sam and Staci and even check out video footage of Sam’s journey, then head over to www.motiv8nu.com and see what everyone’s talking about!

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On the Medallion Movies end of things, we’re pleased to bring you the long-awaited trailer of Gregory Lamberson’s horror film masterpiece Slime City Massacre!

As I mentioned in my March 1 newsletter, I was privileged to see this highly anticipated sequel to his cult hit Slime City at the Beloit International Film Fest. If you missed it, check out the archive here

For more info on Slime City Massacre, check out Medallion Movies or www.slimeguy.com.

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In my last newsletter, I shared that The Road Through Wonderland author Dawn Schiller was honored with the Woman of Vision and Courage Award by the President’s Commission on the Status of Women at Eastern Oregon University.

We are so proud of Dawn and honored that she’s a part of the Medallion family. She’s overcome the hardship and adversity of her youth to make a huge difference in the lives of others. She has reclaimed her voice and is using it to bring hope to those affected by abuse so that they can do the same.

We think it’s about time we reward those who sacrifice their time, talents, and treasure to bring hope to others, don’t you? So help us out in recognizing these unsung heroes and heroines. Send us your story about someone you know who is serving, volunteering, and making a difference. Submissions should be sent to contest@medallionpress.com. We will reward three selfless people with a FREE signed copy of Dawn Schiller’s The Road Through Wonderland upon its release this August!

For your submission to be considered, here’s what you need to include:

• Story of how and where this person is making a difference.
• Your full name AND e-mail address.
• Their full name AND e-mail address.
• Their mailing address (so we can send them a book if they win!).
• Feel free (but not required) to send photos and links as well.

The coolest part is that Dawn Schiller herself will read through all of the submissions and choose the winners! We will announce the winners and share their stories in our May 1 newsletter.
Get to it, people! Strike while the iron is hot, and start boasting on behalf of others! We can’t wait to hear how lives are being changed.

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Remember our online poll about me rockin’ a sweet handlebar mustache? Well, below are the results so far:

58.2% — For the love of humanity . . . DON’T
41.8% — ROCK IT!

Apparently, Medallion fans love my sweet punam just as it is. However, voting is open till May 1, so get to it!

Vote as many times as you’d like. We’re not going anywhere.

“ If rockin’ a handlebar ’stache is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.”

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Authors, don’t forget we have some great news in our Editor’s Corner about Deborah LeBlanc’s Pen to Press retreat: five intense, hands-on, inspiring days that teach participants how to shape and present a saleable manuscript. You’ll learn in a variety of settings, from workshops to one-on-one mentoring sessions to seminars. To that end, you will write and revise, have portions of your manuscript critiqued, and revise some more. This is a remarkable opportunity to transform your writing!

So head on over to the Editor’s Corner and make plans to attend!

Peace and love,
Adam C. Mock
President
Medallion Media Group

Feel free to request my friendship on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. You may not learn a lot about publishing, but you will learn a lot about my chemically imbalanced life.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ADDam.mock
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AdamMock

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It’s April, and spring is kicking off the month in full swing! Wait. Spring? Really? Here in Chicagoland we normally don’t know what that is, but this year we are getting a taste of those warmer temperatures! It’s time to move all those sweaters out of the closet, break out the shorts and sandals, and enjoy the blossoming trees and flowers—unless you have allergies, and then you are probably not looking forward to spring, and for that I am sorry. Yet, I have to say, I will be enjoying all the new beauties that nature has to offer.

And as nature is making its changes, so are we!

We are proud to announce the launch of two Medallion Press imprints! The first is Christian literature, and the second is young adult fiction. Both of these imprints are just opening to submissions, starting April 1, and the first releases will soon be announced. For more information about submitting a manuscript, please visit our submission guidelines and FAQ pages.

This month we are also launching our brand-new Casting Call! Readers, it’s up to you to vote for celebrities who should play the main characters in your favorite Medallion Press books. Every month, click on the new Casting Call logo

on our home page and cast your vote. If you want to find out if your picks made the cut, then you have to sign up for our Insider newsletter. That’s right! The results are exclusive to our loyal Medallion Press Insiders. If you are not an Insider and want to sign up, click here. Voting closes in three weeks, so be sure to cast your vote now!

Looking for a way to spruce up that computer desktop of yours? Well, we have your answer! Our beautiful and eye-catching covers are now available for download directly to your computer desktop. Head on over to our download page now to get yours!

Don’t miss this month’s new Action Interview! Listen as your host, Paul Ohlson, meets up with Dalia Roddy on location of her newest horrifying release, A Catch in Time.

Wanna get more involved with Medallion Press? Then send us your feedback at feedback@medallionpress.com.

Lastly, if you are in London April 19 – 21, stop by table 16d in the IRC to see us at the London Book Fair in Earl’s Court. A Medallion Press representative will be on hand to discuss the availability of foreign rights for our titles.

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And now, on to our new releases! We have some highly anticipated releases for you this month!

The first release is an edge-of-your-seat thriller by an author who has been a consultant on such hit television shows as House, CSI: Miami, Judging Amy, Law & Order, and many more. This book is amazing, but don’t just take my word for it—take these reviewers’:

“Stress Fracture is a cunning, imaginative thriller that will keep you up reading as I did, riveted from first page to last.”
~ Michael Palmer, MD, New York Times best-selling author of The Last Surgeon (November 2009)

“D.P. Lyle writes the perfect prescription for a psychological thriller.”
~ L. Dean Murphy, author of The Art of Murder (November 2009)

"The writing is hard-edged and visually evocative, and readers of dark serial-killer thrillers will definitely want to read this one."
~ David Pitt, Booklist Magazine (December 2009)

"Lyle writes what he knows—and what he knows is terrific. Dub Walker is a keeper."
~ Lee Child, New York Times best-selling author of Bad Luck and Trouble and Nothing to Lose (December 2009)

“Cutting-edge forensics and a whip-cracking pace make Stress Fracture a one-sitting read. If you love CSI, this is the book for you.”
~ Tess Gerritsen, New York Times best-selling author of The Keepsake

“D.P. Lyle's Stress Fracture is just what I love in a book: lightning paced, brutally executed, dynamic characters, and a story that grips you by the throat. If Michael Crichton had written an episode of Law and Order, here might be the result. Simply brilliant!”
~ James Rollins, New York Times best-selling author of The Doomsday Key

“D.P. Lyle’s Stress Fracture is an intense, nail-biting adventure. The author’s knowledgeable voice adds a fear factor that can’t easily be found. A wonderful, thrilling read, an excellent work of fiction—and more!”
~ New York Times best-selling author Heather Graham (October 2009)

“Lyle creates fascinating characters and gives them a mesmerizing story. The tension builds to a startling climax that begins with the riveting opening sentence.”
~ Donna M. Brown, Romantic Times Book Reviews

So what’s all this buzz about? It’s for D.P. Lyle’s first release in the Dub Walker series, Stress Fracture. Here is a little summary:

Dub Walker, expert in evidence evaluation, crime scene analysis, and criminal psychology, has seen everything throughout his career—over a hundred cases of foul play and countless bloody remains of victims of rape, torture, and unthinkable mutilation. He’s sure he’s seen it all . . . until now.

When Dub’s close friend Sheriff Mike Savage falls victim to a brutal serial killer terrorizing the county, he is dragged into the investigation. The killer—at times calm, cold, and calculating and at others maniacal and out of control—is like no other Dub has encountered. With widely divergent personalities, the killer taunts, threatens, and outmaneuvers Dub at every turn.

While hunting this maniacal predator, Dub uncovers a deadly conspiracy—one driven by unrestrained greed and corruption. Will he be able to stop the conspirators—and the killer—in their bloody tracks?

D.P. Lyle is launching his book with a bunch of book signings. Will he be in a town near you? Check the dates when he will be signing! If you have a chance to see him, take your picture and send it to us at feedback@medallionpress.com.

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The next release is nipping at the heels of story lines like those in the movie 2012 and the television show FlashForward. Dalia Roddy takes it to the next level by “combining unsettling horror with a touch of New Age mysticism” (Carl Hays, Booklist) in her horrifying release, A Catch in Time.

In one moment, with no explanation, six billion humans fall unconscious. For three minutes, minds collide with truths hidden beyond the physical realm.

During those decisive minutes, every conceivable accident transpires. People reawaken to a world that has changed, drastically and horrifically, with decimated populations and gutted social order. And no one seems to remember the truth that has been revealed.

But Laura remembers—most of it, anyway. Yet even she doesn’t know why all post-blackout births are mutations, and what is so wrong with some of the survivors.

(This is the book accompanying the new Action Interview! Don’t forget to listen!)

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Did you ever wonder what happened to the saber-toothed tiger? Well, author Cat Lindler did and, in her newest romance, reveals the last living one on an island in Starlight and Promises.

During an 1891 voyage to an uncharted isle in the Furneaux Islands near Tasmania, Richard Colchester, sixth earl of Stanbury, finds a saber-toothed tiger believed to have been extinct for over ten thousand years. His sighting of the Smilodon will astonish the world . . . that is, if he ever makes it back home to England.

When Lady Samantha realizes her esteemed Uncle Richard has disappeared under suspicious circumstances, she enlists the help of Professor Christian Badia, a noted zoologist and animal tracker who specializes in wild cats. Not only will she organize the expedition; she herself will join in the treacherous search.

Christian is a notorious recluse, so the last scenario she anticipates is a romantic interlude, but Samantha is drawn unexpectedly into a world of physical passion. She knows this enigmatic man is her soul mate. But when Christian must embark on his own dangerous assignment, Samantha realizes she may forever lose her newfound love.

Unable to sit and wait, Samantha launches her own investigation—and finds herself in grave danger. Will Christian find her . . . before it’s too late?

Whoa! Look at the buzz already floating around for this release!

“Lindler writes in a smooth style, providing evocative descriptions and compelling historical details as well as a satisfying surprise ending.”
~ Publishers Weekly (April 2010)

“The action-packed, late Victorian era romantic adventure is fast paced from the moment the saber-toothed tiger appears and never slows down until the finish. Fans will enjoy this deep historical romantic thriller.”
~ Harriet Klausner, midwestbookreview.com (February 2010)

“Engaging characters, a well-planned story line, and a fast pace make this a delightful novel. The passionate couple and engrossing story line will stay in your heart for some time.”
~ Keitha Hart, Romantic Times Book Reviews (March 2010)

“Awesome adventures and toe-curling love scenes make Starlight and Promises exciting, exhilarating, and so sensual.”
~ Camellia, The Long and the Short of It (March 2010)

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Have you read a Medallion Press book? If so, e-mail us at feedback@medallionpress.com and give us your review! We may just post it on our Web site!

Be sure to check back next month for even more wonderful offerings from Medallion Press!

TTFN!
Heather Lewis
Vice President