T's Stuff

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Power of One by Devpal Gupta

Motivation Book/Self Help

Date Published: July 1st 2020

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Author Devpal Gupta believes in living life according to those core values
to which we we all have access: respect, positivity, and passion. In his
debut inspirational book, Power of One, Devpal extracts lessons from his
life's journey which began in Tanzania and London and transplanted him to a
successful life as an Arizona-based commercial real estate executive and
applies them to real-life principles. With no holds barred, Devpal tells it
like it is -- he offers no excuse and takes no excuses when it comes to
living a purposeful life. With eight hard-hitting, short-and-sweet chapters
like "Get Over It" and "Why is the Brown Guy Better Than Us", Devpal
straight shoots advice on how to remain genuine, honest and real.
Devpal also introduces his own theory, the Power of One. He imparts upon
readers that in order to be truly prosperous, the only one you can rely on,
is yourself.

The Power of One is a fantastically quick read and a dynamic demonstration
of what it takes to be resourceful and resilient in a world that rewards
people for gratuitous likes rather than the efforts and principles behind
hard work.

About the Author

Devpal Gupta is an Executive Director at one of the top commercial real
estate firms in the greater Phoenix area. Specializing exclusively in Tenant
Representation, he is responsible for servicing local clients and national
accounts. Dev started in the industry in 1997 and has always worked
exclusively as a Tenant advocate. Since that time, he has completed over 200
transactions ranging in size and scope from 5,000 square feet to 500,000
square feet and involving services from conventional lease analysis,
strategic planning, unique build-to-suit projects, building acquisitions and
dispositions. Dev’s specialties include office and industrial leasing,
relocations, renewals and acquisitions.

Dev possesses extensive experience with managing and implementing
transactions for diverse national portfolios, or large one-off deals.
In addition he has numerous companies with large sale-leaseback
transactions. His particular knowledge of real estate financial issues
enables him to proactively manage all types of transactions, minimizing
risk, increasing flexibility, and reducing overall occupancy costs. Dev won
Costar’s Power Broker of the year award in 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018.

His dedication to his career and his craft carries over into how he lives
his life: with passion, honesty and attention to detail. Dev works hard,
plays hard and finds time to motivate people to living a meaningful life by
reminding them to return to their core values. The Power of One is his first
book.

Dev lives in Arizona with his wife and life partner, Suprit and their two
lovely children. He has recently persuaded his parents to move from Tanzania
and into his home; Dev considers this some of his best work yet.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

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Escape To Mountain Shadows by Audrey Flynn blitz

Escape To Mountain Shadows
Audrey Flynn
(Inkspell Publishing)
Publication date: July 7th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Chicago schoolteacher Lucy Shepherd has the world at her feet. Due to marry the ambitious politician Jason Palmer, in what promises to be the society wedding of the year, she is mere weeks away from joining the wealthy and powerful Palmer clan. But when she discovers that her fiancée has been sleeping with countless other women, Lucy exposes him online in a fit of anger. The repercussions are far, far worse then she could have imagined, and she is forced to flee for her safety.
On the other side of the world, she finds work at a small farm school on the centuries’ old Mountain Shadows wine estate in South Africa. Lucy and the estate’s owner Josh de Lange are fiercely drawn to one another. But the long shadow of Lucy’s past threatens their love. For there are powerful enemies on the other side of the world, the kind that refuse to let sleeping dogs lie.
Can the love between Josh and Lucy withstand the vengeance of the Palmers? When everything she holds dear is threatened, Lucy has a bitter choice to make…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

“So, have you heard anything?” Victoria tried to sound casual as she speared some salad onto her fork.

“The less I hear, the better, Mom.”

“I can’t believe she didn’t even give back the ring.” Victoria’s voice was thick with indignation.

“Knowing her, she probably gave it to some bleeding-heart charity.” Jason held up his glass, signaling the waiter that he wanted another Scotch.

“Well, it just goes to show there’s no making up for a lack of breeding. God, what were you thinking, the daughter of a mechanic from Canaryville?” She swirled the wooded chardonnay in her glass. “And to think how kind I was to her, treating her like a daughter, trying to bring her up to our level.”

“Excuse me, Mother, but you were the one who took a big shine to her.”

Victoria Palmer wasn’t a woman given to self-reflection. Either make the right decision or make the decision right was what her father had always said. Well, she had every intention of making this situation right.

“I thought a teacher from a modest background could be good for your career. We could have played up the East Side connection and it would have gone down well with the working-class demographic,” Victoria said bitterly. “Now, thanks to her, we have every feminist, housewife, and PTA mom thinking you’re the devil incarnate. God, as if their husbands are any better!”

“Calm down, Mother,” Jason said.

The couple at the next table were openly staring now, so Victoria shot them a thunderous glare.

“If we are going to rehabilitate your political career then we have a lot of work to do.”

“Sorry, Mother, but I think that ship has sailed. I am now, what did that twerp on the radio say, unelectable.”

Jason’s father had been a successful senator and served three terms. Several years earlier, he had embarked on a run for his party’s nomination in the presidential election. An ill-timed heart attack had destroyed those plans and sank Victoria’s aspirations to First Ladyship. Since then, she had channeled her ambitions into her favorite son. She wasn’t about to relinquish that dream just yet.

“Now you listen to me. I know how this reputation thing works. You’re young and handsome, and people forgive. In a few years’ time, the public will be able to move past this thing. Jackson and Riley are the best PR company I know. They’re brilliant at managing high-profile reputations. They are very discreet, and,” Victoria said softly as she leaned forward, “they’re not squeamish to, how shall I say, twist the rules a bit.”

Jason rattled the ice in his whisky glass. Dressed like he was today in the conservative preppy style that his mother favored, he looked every bit the wholesome, all-American boy. One who could easily be forgiven for an immature lapse of judgment. Victoria knew full well that despite the agony of the last nine months, he was still drawn to the political sphere—he loved the thought of the power and its perks. He was a Palmer after all. It was in his DNA.

“At the moment, no one in Washington will touch me with a barge pole. How do we get around that?”

“Give it time,” Victoria purred. This meeting was going much better than she had anticipated. At least the boy seemed open to her point of view.

“We’ll have to wait for the appropriate moment to reacquaint you with the right people. Until then, through certain channels, we can create our own alternative version of events. It’s so easy these days. Call it fake news, whatever. It will be a tough fight, but as your father always says, when you see a good fight, get in it.”

Jason leaned back in his chair. Two double whiskies had mellowed him somewhat. “So, tell me what’s to stop her from carrying on her vendetta? Anyone with internet access can hit back and let’s face it, she did make quite a name for herself.”

“Aah,” said Victoria. Her eyes narrowed. She was a woman who liked being in charge and she could sense she was back in the driver’s seat. She signaled to the waiter for another glass of Chardonnay. “There are measures,” she said smoothly. “Measures that can be taken.”

Jason nodded in conspiratorial understanding. “I see,” he said. “But she seems to have just disappeared off the face of the earth.”

“Anyone can be found, son. Trust me. These days there truly is nowhere to hide.” A faint smile flickered at her lips.

“And these measures?” Jason cocked an eyebrow. “Do you plan to tell me about that?”

“How long have you got?” Victoria asked. It wasn’t really a question.

Author Bio:
Audrey Flynn is a Johannesburg based romance writer. She uses the magnificent settings of Southern Africa and the blend of cultures as the backdrop for spicy romances. She believes that all romances need a good dollop of suspense, and as for the leading men? Well only drop-dead gorgeous heroes need apply!
Audrey loves being on safari , reading a classic whodunnit and appreciates a well made G&T.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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New Beginnings by Janet Olson blitz

New Beginnings
Janet Olson
Publication date: February 8th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Ida and Engen’s 13-year-old friendship is altered when the death of their friend comes between them. Engen, guilt-ridden over Janelle’s passing, has become violent. Ida, in her grief, attempts to fill the loss with a one-night stand, which leaves her pregnant. As punishment, their parents force them to join a program called Youth of America Help a Nation, and they are sent to Africa on work assignments. Enter Lev Rosen, Ida’s irresistible boss at the orphanage where she’s been appointed. Lev has his own connection with Ida, although she doesn’t know it yet. Engen hoped the time away would give him the courage to finally tell Ida his true feelings for her, but how can he do that now that she is getting closer to Lev?

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

The Program

It wasn’t always this way. The program was only a few years old, after all. I don’t think the government designed the program, Youth of America Help a Nation, to be a punishment, but punishment it was for some of us.

I guess you could say it all started in fourth grade when Swahili was introduced into our school’s curriculum. Swahili class was where I met Daniel Morelli. We bonded over our mutual love of cars and we also shared a good friend, Engen Malone. Dan asked me out in middle school, but I wasn’t interested in dating him. Thankfully, we were still able to hang out without any awkwardness. The middle of junior year, I asked Dan to come over to study for an upcoming Swahili test. We were the only two in the house. That night sent me down a different path than the one I’d planned to travel. My parents could have been knocked over by a feather at my actions.

Several years back, Gramps had worked for the United Nations. In fact, it was Gramps who encouraged my parents to enroll me in YAHN. He said it would be an awakening. The application went in a few days before the deadline, and I was accepted.

I knew my parents were going to miss me the six months I was away. Were they disappointed in me? Sure. Did they think I would burn in hell as a sinner? No, they were beyond cool parents; they just put too much stock in Gramps’ opinion. They must have really wanted to teach me a lesson because the program wasn’t free. In exchange for my suffering, YAHN would be $25,000 richer.

Sixteen kids from Minnesota were selected to go to Africa, but only four of us were placed in Mukono District. We had met each other two weeks earlier at the YAHN orientation in Minneapolis. I happened to already know one of the other applicants, Engen Malone. Engen would be working closely with a child who was autistic. Krista was placed in the Village Teaching program. Dorian (Dee) was placed in the Community Outreach program, and I would be in Orphan Outreach.

Since it was a three-day orientation, Engen and I got to know our roommates, and our prospective jobs, pretty well. The orientation took place in Minneapolis not too far away from our houses. We spent most of the time together as a group, watching videos and getting lectured on African culture, history, and politics.

We were educated on the type of plants to stay away from and what insects were dangerous.

It was strongly suggested that we only eat food from the Volunteer Center or a restaurant, nothing from the open markets.

After the informative and very terrifying orientation, I could safely say there was only one thing I wanted less than to go to Africa. The program was six months long, so that meant I would be having my baby there.

Maybe this is a good time to introduce myself. My name is Ida Denmark. I’m seventeen-years old. Up until three and a half months ago when I was cursed with this pregnancy, I considered myself a well-adjusted girl with a decent head on my shoulders. Some considered my apathy and overall sense of aimlessness to be lazy, but I was fine with it. Dan’s nickname for me, “Idle”, pretty much sums me up. I met Janelle and Engen in preschool. We each shared the same interest – nap time. Janelle had the uncanny ability to fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Engen couldn’t fall asleep without sucking his thumb. Me, I liked observing them both too much to sleep. Back then, the things we learned about each other, we learned together. Engen discovered at the same time I did that Janelle was precious.

Janelle and I learned together that Engen was kindhearted, and they both knew that I was lost.

Author Bio:
Janet lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her artist husband, charismatic son, and three neurotic cats. Janet is a lifelong fan of reading and writing stories. New Beginnings may be her debut novel, but she has several projects in the works. Unlike some of her characters, she has never been to Africa, although she does dream of going one day.
Goodreads / Instagram

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Soul’s Day Boxset blitz

Soul’s Day Boxset: Horror and Paranormal Halloween Theme
Published by: Fire Quill Publishing
Publication date: October 20th 2020
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Old Hallows Eve, when things go bump in the night,

Children come to play, and the witches provide the fright.

For 21 authors, USA Today and international bestselling,

The Halloween tales become more than this foretelling.

In the Soul’s Day Boxset, a mansion feeds on souls,

A gargoyle captures them, and a demon dungeon master makes the calls,

Campers gets picked off one by one,

The Karnaval’s corn dogs are less than fun,

Ghosts lurking around every bend,

‘I do’ at the wedding is the very end.

A boxset of chills and thrills to keep you up at night,

One-click pre-order to snap your copy filled with fright.

On old Hallow’s eve when creatures come to play,

With this spine chilling pages, it’s where you’ll want to stay.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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With every pre order, the reader can claim their free reading bundle and digital gifts!

Click here for more info!

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Kaps by Christina Bauer blitz

Kaps
Christina Bauer
(Angelbound Offspring #5)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: June 30th 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Sometimes, you just have to punch a shape-shifting vampire Nazi. Like tonight, for instance.
Meet Princess Kaps: renegade, dragon shifter, and general pain in her royal parent’s backsides. Although Kaps pretends to love rock and roll, she’s actually obsessed with fighting the Audax, a group of shape-shifting vampire Nazis. And to slay herself some vampires, Kaps collects magical dragon relics.
Enter the L’Griffe–AKA the shifter mafia–who also hunt down supernatural artifacts. Kaps gets in their way and ends up with a price on her head. And things get tricky.
A bounty hunter named Mack comes to collect. Although he’s human, Mack knows all about shifter ways. And what he lacks in shifting power, Mack more than makes up for with a lethal combination of looks, strength, and smarts. After luring the princess away with an epic kiss, Mack slaps some supernatural handcuffs on Kaps, tosses her in a van, and heads off to L’Griffe headquarters with his quarry.
The fact that Kaps is really dragon royalty doesn’t bother Mack in the slightest. And the Audax don’t frighten him, either.
But that kiss with Kaps? It might be a problem.
“I am super intrigued by Kaps! She is independent, snarky and adventurous, and just a hint jaded. I can’t wait to see what terrible mischief she finds herself in during her own book!” – Smada’s Book Smack
Angelbound Offspring

1. Maxon

2. Portia

3. Zinnia

4. Rhodes

5. Kaps

6. Huntress

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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EXCERPT:

Sometimes, you simply must punch a shape-shifting vampire Nazi.

Like tonight, for instance.

I stroll through New York’s Central Park. Ahead of me, there strides a guy in a chicken costume. I’m talking yellow feathers, plumed tail, the whole smash. A sash extends from his shoulder to his hip that reads Eat At Cluck Town. This fellow is anything but normal, and not for the obvious wardrobe reasons.

He’s actually a vampire.

Even worse, he’s an audax, which is a shape-shifting vampire Nazi. All audax started off as German soldiers in World War II. During a raid, they entered the magical city of El Dorado, got changed into vampires, and have been causing trouble ever since.

All of which is why I can’t wait to punch this particular blood sucker.

With a stake.

Right through his heart.

Because I’m more than just a teenager who’s dressed up for a night of dancing. I’m a dragon-shifter princess with a secret obsession.

Slaying audax.

I know. My life is strange. It runs in the family.

Squinting, I focus on the guy’s birdy outfit. Dragon shifters like me are immune to supernatural glamours, so I can easily detect the decaying body that’s magically hidden under all those feathers.

Hello, vampire.

The real costume-wearing human got attacked by an audax. After drinking the victim’s blood, this particular vampire magically took on the man’s appearance, bird outfit and all.

And the original chicken guy? Way dead.

Cold sorrow moves through me. Most likely, I’m the first to know about this lost life. I’m certainly the only one around here who detects the audax.

Ah, to be a clueless human. They’ve no idea how many evils surround them.

For his part, Vampire Chicken Guy (VCG for short) keeps sauntering along the stone path, his plumed tail bobbing with each step. He pulls off his fake chicken head to reveal someone my age—that would be seventeen—with round cheeks, short red hair and tons of freckles. A stolen face.

My grief melts into lava-hot rage. How dare this audax kill a human? I twist the clunky golden bracelet around my right wrist. If I take this off and flip the segments about, it transforms into a small spike. That’s the only way to fully kill an audax…

A golden stake through the heart.

Meanwhile VCG smiles innocently at passersby. New Yorkers actually grin and wave in return, which is rare. Must be a chicken thing. I hoist up my bandeau top and keep following. The dance club can wait.

VCG is going down.

Author Bio:
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates
Blog / Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / LinkedIn

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Tiger’s Last Chance by Christina Lynn Lambert

Tiger’s Last Chance by Christina Lynn Lambert

Blurb:

While working a case, Sean Whitman is tortured for information, drugged, and bitten against his will by a shape shifter. The fallout leaves him jobless, friendless, and dumped by his girlfriend. Needing a fresh start, he leaves town and opens a private investigation business. Learning to live life sober isn’t easy, but he makes it to the two year mark.

When Detective Nikki Jackson with the Great Oaks, Virginia Police Department calls him, accusing him of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house, Sean can’t help but like the sound of her voice, despite her ridiculous accusations. He’s shocked when she ca

lls him back with an apology then asks for his help as a consultant on a case. On the phone, her sweet, slightly Southern voice captivates him. In person, she's unlike any other woman he's encountered, and nearly impossible to resist. But could the sexy detective ever want a man like him?

After Nikki’s last dating disaster, the mountain lion shifter has sworn off men. Then she meets Sean, and with every second she spends around the tall, dark-eyed man, her resolve crumbles. And the fact the guy’s kiss leaves her breathless? Yeah, that no-men idea sounds more and more like a bad idea. But for some reason, despite the undeniable attraction between them, Sean seems determined to push her away.

An investigation into missing refugees leaves Nikki with more questions than answers. Her refusal to let the matter drop leads her to the discovery of a radical political group’s horrifying plot for dominance. Traitors are embedded within the very organizations meant to keep shifters safe. As the list of people she can trust dwindles, Nikki calls on Sean to help her unravel a web of deceit.

Sean realizes pushing Nikki away was a stupid move. So when the sexy, amazing detective contacts him, he jumps at the second chance, dropping everything to fly across the country to help her. And he hates flying. But with her life in danger, he’ll do whatever it takes.

Can Sean and Nikki stop a hate group from carrying out their deadly plans? And if so, will he get one last chance to prove his love for her?

Buy Links -

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/b088p6mydb

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tigers-last-chance-christina-lynn-lambert/1137033221

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/tigers-last-chance/id1513644203

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1022227

Where to find Christina -

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinalynnlambert

Wordpress: https://christinalynnlambertwordpress.com

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chris4lamb

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15900423.Christina_Lynn_Lambert

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinalynnlambert

#ChristinaLynnLambert #oneclick #newrelease #yourstrulybookservices #writingcommunity #readingcommunity #TigersLastChance #PNR #ShifterRomance @yourstrulybookservices @ChristinaLynnLambert

Tokyo Traffic by Michael Pronko

Detective Hiroshi Tokyo Series, Book 3

Mystery, Thriller

Released: June 20, 2020

Publisher: Raked Gravel Press

Running from a life she didn’t choose, in a city she doesn’t know, Sukanya,
a young Thai girl, loses herself in Tokyo. With her Bangkok street smarts,
and some stolen money, she stays ahead of her former captors willing to do
anything to recover the computer she took. After befriending Chiho, a
Japanese girl living in an internet café, Sukanya makes plans to rid herself
of her pursuers, and her past, forever.

Meanwhile, Detective Hiroshi Shimizu leaves the safe confines of his office
to investigate a porn studio where a brutal triple murder took place. The
studio’s accounts point him in multiple directions at once. Together with
ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi and old-school Takamatsu, Hiroshi tracks the
killers through Tokyo’s teen hangouts, bayside docks and crowded squares,
straight into the underbelly of the global economy.

As bodies wash up from Tokyo Bay, Hiroshi tries to find the Thai girl at
the center of it all, whose name he doesn’t even know. He uncovers a human
trafficking ring and cryptocurrency scammers whose connections extend to the
highest levels of Tokyo’s power elite.

Other Books in the Detective Hiroshi Tokyo Series:

The Last Train

Detective Hiroshi Tokyo Series, Book One

Published: May 2017

Publisher: Raked Gravel Press

In Tokyo, murder's easy to hide.

Detective Hiroshi Shimizu investigates white collar crime in Tokyo. When an
American businessman turns up dead, his mentor Takamatsu calls him out to
the site of a grisly murder. A glimpse from a security camera video suggests
the killer might be a woman. Hiroshi quickly learns how close homicide and
suicide can appear in a city full of high-speed trains just a step--or a
push--away.

How do you find one woman in the biggest city in the world?

Takamatsu drags Hiroshi out to the hostess clubs and skyscraper offices of
Tokyo in search of the killer. Hiroshi goes deeper and deeper into Tokyo's
intricate, perilous market for buying and selling the most expensive land in
the world. He teams up with ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi to scour Tokyo's
sacred temples, corporate offices and industrial wastelands to find out why
one woman was driven to murder.

Available on Amazon

The Moving Blade

Detective Hiroshi Tokyo Series, Book Two

Published: September 2018

Publisher: Raked Gravel Press

In Tokyo, the past is present. And deadly.

When the top American diplomat in Tokyo, Bernard Mattson, is killed, he
leaves more than a lifetime of successful Japan-American negotiations. He
leaves a missing manuscript, boxes of research, a lost keynote speech and a
tangled web of relations.

When his alluring daughter, Jamie, returns from America wanting answers,
finding only threats, Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is dragged from the safe
confines of his office into the street-level realities of Pacific Rim
politics.

A moving blade is hidden in the blur of motion, felt but not
perceived.

With help from ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi, Hiroshi searches for the killer
from Tokyo's back alley bars to government offices, through anti-nuke
protests to the gates of an American naval base. When two more bodies turn
up, Hiroshi must choose between desire and duty, violence or procedure,
before the killer silences his next victim.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Michael Pronko is a Tokyo-based writer of murder, memoir and music. His
writing about Tokyo life and his character-driven mysteries have won awards
and five-star reviews. Kirkus Reviews selected his second novel, The Moving
Blade for their Best Books of 2018. The Last Train won the Shelf Unbound
Competition for Best Independently Published Book.

Michael also runs the website, Jazz in Japan, which covers the vibrant jazz
scene in Tokyo and Yokohama. During his 20 years in Japan, he has written
about Japanese culture, art, society and politics for Newsweek Japan, The
Japan Times, and Artscape Japan. He has read his essays on NHK TV and done
programs for Nippon Television based on his writings.

A philosophy major, Michael traveled for years, ducking in and out of
graduate schools, before finishing his PhD on Charles Dickens and film. He
finally settled in Tokyo as a professor of American Literature at Meiji
Gakuin University. His seminars focus on contemporary novels, short stories
and film adaptations.

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