A Novel Idea: Eight Motiv8d Fantasy Authors Unite to Book West Coast Tour

"West coast or bust!" is the rallying cry of eight Christian fantasy fiction authors on a fun-filled, grass roots mission to spread the good news about their fast-growing genre--now blazing hot with the ongoing releases of the Narnia movies. This fall, the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour has set its course due west to visit thousands of fans at scheduled book-signings, school and church programs, humanitarian outreaches, and a book fair, October 4-11. For information, visit http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com.

More Authors, More Heart in 2008
The popular adage "the more, the merrier" best explains the fantasy fiction tour's decision to double its membership to eight authors in 2008. Two women and six men wearing medieval cloaks and armed with swords of steel--and truth--comprise the eclectic band of faith-based storytellers. Though representing eight separate publishers and coming from different parts of the U.S, the authors are bound by their love for God and the fictional worlds, characters, and themes they have created in 37 ground-breaking novels.

Also new is the sojourners' partnership with Character 4 Kids, a charitable outreach to place books with moral character and values into the hands of needy children in hospitals and after-school programs.

The History
On a shoe-string budget and a prayer, in 2007 the first-ever Christian fantasy fiction tour, known as the Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour, successfully launched with four authors caravanning to events in 15 cities throughout the eastern U.S. The unprecedented initiative drew the attention of fans, industry peers, and mainstream media who conjectured, "Could the next Harry Potter be a devout Christian?"

While interest in other literary genres has declined over the last several years, Christian book sales have steadily grown at a rate of about 30 percent with annual revenues reaching $2.4 billion.

Meet the Authors
The Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour will feature the following authors:

Founders:

• Sharon Hinck is a wife and mother of four from Minnesota. Sharon was named 2007 "Writer of the Year" at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. In March, she released The Restorer's Journey, the third book in her popular Sword of Lyric (NavPress) fantasy series for women. She is also author of the non-fantasy, award-winning The Secret Life of Becky Miller and the upcoming release of Stepping into Sunlight.
• Bryan Davis, a former computer professional living in Western Tennessee, is the author of two best-selling series for youth, titled Dragons in our Midst and Oracles of Fire. In May, Bryan debuted Beyond the Reflection's Edge (Zondervan), the first book in his new fantasy series Echoes from the Edge, and the second book of the series Eternity's Edge will release in October.
• Christopher Hopper is an international speaker, recording artist and ordained minister who lives with his wife and two chi Tips: Find Street Fashion Online(may be you can find what you want on the oasap.com) ldren in northern New York. Christopher's first book was the popular Rise of The Dibor, The White Lion Chronicles, and his latest book The Lion Vrie (Tsaba House) released last June.
• Wayne Thomas Batson is a public middle school teacher from Eldersburg, MD and author of two best-selling young adult fantasy series The Door Within trilogy and Isle of Swords (Thomas Nelson). His latest The Isle of Fire, the second in the Isle of Sword series, will release in September.

Reinforcements:

• Donita K. Paul is a retired school teacher from Colorado, whose passion for literacy compels her to speak in schools and libraries about the importance of story. Dragon Keeper Chronicles (Waterbrook Press), her five-book series, has won acclaim.
• LB Graham is a teacher at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, MO. LB is the author of The Binding of the Blade (P&R Publishing), an epic five-volume series for fantasy readers of all ages. The much anticipated final installment in the series All My Holy Mountain will release in June.
• Jonathan Rogers grew up in Georgia near the swamps and riverbottoms where his The Wilderking (B&H Publishing) fantasy series is based. He holds a PH.D. in seventeenth-century English literature from Vanderbilt University and currently lives in Nashville, TN.
• Eric Reinhold is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, who lives with his wife and three children in Longwood, Florida. Eric writes for numerous financial magazines as a certified financial planner and serves as President of Academy Wealth Management. Ryann Watters and the King's Sword (Creation House), the first book in his The Annals of Aeliana series, was released in May.

The 2007 Fantasy 4Fiction Tour was covered in the Washington Post, Fox News, Christian Retailing magazine, Beliefnet.com, Publisher's Weekly magazine, and The Associated Press' Everything Sacred broadcast, among other media outlets, and fantasy websites and blogs. For the second consecutive year, RealArmorofGod.com has signed on as a sponsor to outfit the authors with medieval swords and clothing.

For more information about the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour authors, scheduled events, book titles and blogs, please visit http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com.

Media interested in Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour interviews, book review copies, videos, photos and other information should contact Gregg Wooding, I AM PR Services, 972-567-7660 mobile or gwooding @ texasprototypes.com via email.

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Women Go Gaga for Zaggora Hotpants Launch

Anticipating the launch of Zaggora's 'Hotpants' in 2 weeks, women all over the world are going gaga to lose 2 jean sizes and look good naked this summer.

Specially designed with Celu‐Lite? technology, Hotpants work hard to reduce body fat and the visible appearance of cellulite by using natural body heat to increase your perspiration by up to 80%.

Using just twitter marketing since launching their website 2 weeks ago, the company has had 2,600 visits, over 2,500 facebook 'likes' and over 1,000 women who have signed up to be brand Ambassadors. On their Facebook fanpage, some women have even threatened t Tips: Find Street Fashion Online(may be you can find what you want on the oasap.com) o assault the postman to get them and they have received tweets like 'I'm so excited, I could peeeee'. A presentation they uploaded to Slideshare has had over 6,500 unique 'views'.

Hotpants were specially designed by Dessi Bell in London after finding that there wasn't anything in the market to really help her attack celulite and look good naked before her wedding. So, she decided to make her own. She researched materials and fabrics after realising that comfortable clothing that targeted the areas women care about such as bum, thighs and tums, was the way forward.

However, after 12 months of development she found that during Hotpants trials women lost weight as well, an average of 2 jean sizes in 2 weeks in fact. No crazy diet, no nutty regime, just by wearing them 3 times a week for 30 minute gym sessions.

Zaggora has a focused social media strategy and has so far just been marketing on twitter. The company has a rewarding Ambassador programme whereby every Ambassador is given their own unique voucher code to share and when its used, they are rewarded with $7 and the person using it receives a 10% discount.

Speaking about the craze so far Dessi says 'It's been such a fantastic response, we're quite overwhelmed. On some days, the team don't have time to do anything but respond to emails and tweets - women just seem to love the idea - we haven't even delivered any yet'

The company is looking to build the business on a solid foundation of social proof which is why they are giving away pairs to women to try if they write about their experience on their Facebook fanpage in the first 2 weeks.

Pairs are also available for media outlets to review on a first come, first served basis.

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New York Wholesale Dress Warehouse, CloseoutExplosion.com, Offers a New Free Fashion Consulting to Nigerian Boutiques

New York wholesale dress warehouse, CloseoutExplosion.com, offers free fashion consulting to Nigerian boutiques. Donny Lowy, the CEO of CloseoutExplosion.com, is offering his fashion consulting services at no charge to Nigerian wholesale buyers. As a NY export wholesale company with many dress buyers from Nigeria, he is sharing his experience, strategies, tips, and ideas with wholesale and retail businesses from Nigeria.

"I have many repeat Nigerian wholesale customers who shop at my closeout warehouse, or place orders online through my overstock and liquidation website. As a result of having worked with many wholesale buyers from Nigeria, I have gained a great deal of experience which I am happy to share with my current and future Nigerian customers. I can make recommendations based on their clientele, and offer products such as women suits by Tahari, designer shoes by BCBG, social dresses by Jones New York, and authentic brand name handbags by Guess," said Donny Lowy, who has published many articles related to the Nigerian fashion market, including having reviewed the Lagos Fashion Week.

Donny is familiar with Nigerian brand preferences, style requirements, price points, and freight forwarders that will ship door to door on a freight collect basis, such as Express Air Freight, Impex,

CloseoutExplosion.com also exports brand name overstock apparel, wholesale footwear, and closeout fashion accessories to retailers in many African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, and other countries. Africa is enjoying an economic resurgence accompanied by an expanding middle class, which is fueling a strong demand for American designer l Tips: Find Street Fashion Online(may be you can find what you want on the oasap.com) abels such as Kenneth Cole, Polo Ralph Lauren, Steve Madden, Nine West, and other popular names.

In addition to the free fashion advice which Donny Lowy offers, Closeout Explosion reviews fashion business opportunities available in Nigeria as well as in other countries in Africa. There are also opportunities for Nigerians, and Africans, living abroad, to purchase closeout merchandise from his warehouse and then sell it to resellers in the wholesale African market.

His warehouse offers below wholesale deals on popular designer merchandise which is primarily department store overstock, high end store returns, liquidations, and shelf pulls. There are no minimums in his warehouse so a retailer can start out by testing out her market and determining which items sell best before placing a larger order. At the same time, volume discounts are offered so that a retailer can maximize his profits once he knows which items he can make money with. Another advantage is that it is primarily a closeout business, so the actual merchandise changes frequently, giving resellers a wide selection from which they can stock their clothing and shoe stores with.

The warehouse is located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, which is a short subway or taxi ride from the New York Garment Center, Times Square, JFK Airport, Laguardia Airport, and relatively close to New Jersey as well. Open every day of the week except for Sunday, wholesale shoppers are welcome to visit and meet Donny Lowy in person, who is glad to offer guidance to beginners, and more advanced consulting to experienced resellers. He supplies merchandise to boutiques, flea market vendors, eBay sellers, wholesalers, and importers.

GottaGoGolf Interprets Golf Health and Fitness Research to Benefit Women Golfers

When GottaGoGolf, the online women's golf magazine and website, looked at the research on golf health and fitness, it found plenty that spoke to men. Its March issue, online today behind the cover at http://www.GottaGoGolf.com, endeavors to merge golf industry studies on men with what is known about women's health and fitness to dispense a strong dose of advice tailored to its readers.

"One good example where men and women may diverge when it comes to the golf swing is flexibility," said Publisher and Editorial Director Susan Fornoff. "Men are urged to work on improving their flexibility, but what women really seem to need is more strength, more stability and better balance. That's why the five yoga poses Katherine Roberts recommends for our readers aren't about performing contortions but are about creating a strong, stable base and about building balance.

"Another area where women golfers might not want to follow the same advice as their male companions is nutrition," Fornoff said. "Carbs, protein and fat seem to be the way for most men to optimize their games; women don't need as many calories, and need more calcium, and so the five 'snacks to pack' recommended by 19th Hole Editor Cheryl Stotler for women golfers reflect that."

The 52-page March issue of the free online magazine also features articles on clothes that move with the golf swing, an activity-filled getaway to The Ritz Carlton at Dove Mountain (site of the just-completed Match Play Championships), and golf with the woman who would like to be the PGA's first female president.

Themes for upcoming issues include a 2011 Pro Tour Preview, a travel focus in May, and, in June, rules, etiquette and manners.

About GottaGoGolf: Susan Fornoff, former sportswriter, newspaper editor and author of "Lady in the Locker Room," launched the media company in 2010 with assists from other former newspaper journalists and freelancers to fill the void left by the demise of Golf For Women magazine in 2008. GottaGoGolf Magazine, with the tagline "for women who love the game," operates on the premise that women play golf for fun and exercise and so it focuses on issues and trends rather than tips and lessons. It premiered Oct. 1, 2010, and now publishes digitally every month from February through November within the website gottagogolf.com. The site also houses back issues and resources for advertisers. For more information on Gotta women's jackets GoGolf or its Women Welcome golf course evaluation program, email Publisher and Editorial Director Susan Fornoff at editor(at)gottagogolf(dot)com.

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SierraTradingPost.com Now Offers 60 Currency Conversions

SierraTradingPost.com, known around the globe for offering the best deals on the most respected brands, now shows savings and prices for 60 currencies and 84 countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, China and more.

"Our international presence has been steadily increasing, and offering a robust tool for currency conversion is one more way we can make the shopping experience convenient for our growing base of international customers," says Minden Fox, global online marketing specialist for Sierra Trading Post.

Fox has been with Sierra Trading Post for nearly a year, and is part of a company-wide task force whose focus is to engage international customers. Last spring, Sierra Trading Post expanded its shipping to 92 international countries including China, Japan, and Central and South America. The expansion nearly doubled the list of countries to which the savings-focused retailer ships.

SierraTradingPost.com's currency conversion tool shows the currency exactly as the international customer would see it if they were shopping in their own country, making it a more user-friendly tool than many other currency converters being utilized by online retailers. In addition, SierraTradingPost.com recognizes the IP address of the incoming customer, and automatically adjusts the currency to match the country of origin. If the customer wishes to see the currency in any other format, they can simply click on the currency conversion tool and select the currency of their choice. The final checkout total appears in US dollars as well as the preferred currency, so the customer can see the final charges to their credit card or other method of payment.

"By bringing great deals to our international market, we are spreading the best brands worldwide," says Dakota Waide, web merchandising supervisor for Sierra Trading Post." Some of those top brands include Columbia Sportswear, Carhartt, Keen and Lowe Alpine.

Sierra Trading Post plans to extend the fashion jackets online currency conversion tool to its new eCommerce sites soon, including Mobile and Facebook Shop.

About Sierra Trading Post
Headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyo., Sierra Trading Post is a multichannel retailer known nationwide for offering "Great Deals. Great Brands." Sierra Trading Post purchases brand name overstocks, closeouts and 2nds, and offers customers 35-70% savings every day. Founded in 1986, Sierra Trading Post is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Throughout its history, the family-owned company has saved customers more than $3 billion on outdoor gear, shoes, men's clothing, women's clothing, accessories and home furnishings. A top 100 Internet retailer in sales per Internet Retailer Magazine, Sierra Trading Post operates four outlet stores in Boise, Idaho; Reno, Nev.; Cheyenne and Cody, Wyo.; with customer service call centers in Cheyenne and Cody.

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Sierra Trading Post Celebrates 25th Anniversary Launches Biggest Giveaway in its History: $25,000+ Worth of Prizes & Trips

Multichannel retailer Sierra Trading Post is celebrating its silver anniversary and marking the milestone by launching the biggest giveaway in its history – more than $25,000 worth of prizes & trips.

"We have come a long way since our early days in Reno, Nev.," says Keith Richardson, founder, CEO and chairman of Sierra Trading Post. "We're thankful for every customer we've earned the right to serve in our 25-year history."

In honor of 25 years in business, Sierra Trading Post is giving away daily prizes through July 25. The combined value of these daily prizes is more than $25,000 and includes: $25-$1,000 shopping sprees, product packages for watersports, camping, footwear and hiking, iPad 2's, one United Airlines gift card and one year's worth of free ground shipping. Sierra Trading Post will name 270+ winners.

Although most prize packages are yet to be awarded, Sierra Trading Post has already selected two sets of winners to fly out to the Rocky Mountain region for all-expenses' paid vacations. Those trips include rodeos, rafting, horseb women's jackets ack riding, concerts, a tour of Yellowstone National Park and regional festivals such as Cheyenne Frontier Days. Later this year, the 25-year-old company is giving one lucky winner and up to three guests a ski vacation to Jackson Hole, Wyo. to wrap up the anniversary celebration.

"Our customers know we offer great deals on great brands, and that hasn't changed in 25 years of doing business," says Gary Imig, president of Sierra Trading Post. "We're going all out this year because we are proud of our heritage, and we recognize it is the loyalty of our customers that has kept us going strong for 25 great years."

To enter to win the daily contest, visit STP.me/25th. Daily giveaways will also be announced on Twitter, Facebook and the Sierra SocialHub.

About Sierra Trading Post: Headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyo., Sierra Trading Post is a multichannel retailer known nationwide for offering "Great Deals. Great Brands." Sierra Trading Post purchases brand name overstocks, closeouts and 2nds, and offers customers 35-70% savings every day. Founded in 1986, Sierra Trading Post is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and has saved customers more than $3 billion on outdoor gear, shoes, men's clothing, women's clothing, accessories and home furnishings. A top 100 Internet retailer in sales per Internet Retailer Magazine, Sierra Trading Post operates four outlet stores in Boise, Idaho; Reno, Nev.; Cheyenne and Cody, Wyo.; with customer service call centers in Cheyenne and Cody.

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How To Wear A Pashmina - Very Pashmina Launches Free Video Guide Showing Different Ways To Wear A Pashmina

Customers at VeryPashmina.com frequently ask how to wear a pashmina? Many simply end up tying their pashmina like an over-sized scarf, and whilst the sheer size of a pashmina adds a scale and drama to many classic scarf looks, there are also a wide variety of other beautiful styles to explore.

Often the most beautiful looks don't involve complicated knots, but are instead simple folds that highlight the drape and weave of the fabric. That's why Very Pashmina stylist Yanira Garza has produced a video guide showing her 10 favorite ways to wear a pashmina.

The guide covers styles for every occasion from basic knots that can be worn with jeans and a t-shirt and tied in seconds, to more elaborate drapes that are perfect with a little black dress for a more formal evening affair.

"With a pashmina you can create eye-catching looks in an instant. Very Pashmina stylist Yanira Garza's easy-to-follow video guide will show you how!" stated Very Pashmina Founder, Matthew Oldham

About Yanira Garza
Yanira Garza began her career in fashion working both as a model and a make-up artist, whilst studying for a degree in Design and Merchandise Management in Chicago. She has worked as a make-up artist for the likes of Chanel, Maven, Shiseido, YSL and Smashbox. With experience in both the fashion and beauty industry, Yanira has developed a keen eye for style. She specializes in wardrobe styling, fashion consulting, and fashion show production. Yanira has worked with top models from Elite, Ford and BMG. Her resume includes, actor Freddie Rodriguez, Chicago Magazine, The Palmer House Hilton, Ulta, InStyle, Latino Fashion Week and many more.

About Black Label Fashion Consultancy
Black Label is a full-service Chicago-based fashion consultancy catering for both private and business clients. Founded by Style Artist, Yanira Garza, Black Label marries her passions for fashion styling, make up artistry and luxury retail, in a very unique way. Unlike most stylists that focus simply on the wardrobe, Black Label provides the full package. Your style doesn't stop at your clothes, it begins there. Black Label gives its customers lessons on make up application, as well as personal shopping and wardrobe services.

For more information about Black Label Fashion Consultancy contact:

Telephone: 312.970.1879
Email: yanira(at)shopblacklabel(dot)com
Web: shopblacklabel.com

About Very Pashmina, LLC
Very Pashmina, LLC is a pure play e-commerce company founded in 20 women's jackets 10 and based in Chicago Illinois focusing on providing cashmere scarves, pashminas, shawls and wraps to women the world over. Very Pashmina is run by Matthew Oldham, a graduate of the Kellogg Northwestern School of Management with over 15 years experience in analytical marketing in major blue chip organizations.

For more information about Very Pashmina contact:

Matthew Oldham
Telephone: 847.668.1403
Email: matthewoldham(at)verypashmina(dot)com
Web: verypashmina.com

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