On June 19, Center Stage artists will launch their month-long international exchange at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Millennium Stage, which brings the performing arts from around the world to Main Street America. This concert is free and open to the public.

The first wave of performing artists will include two music groups from Pakistan. Singer-songwriter Arieb Azhar and the rock band noori will travel to the United States and participate in a range of activities, such as performances, workshops, discussions, artist-to-artist exchanges, and community gatherings. For a full list of artists and performance dates, click here: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/touring_activities_schedule .

Center StageSM builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power,” which embraces the use of a full range of diplomatic tools, in this case the performing arts, to bring people together and foster greater understanding.

Center StageSM is a public diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, and with support from the Asian Cultural Council, the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, and the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation. General management is provided by Lisa Booth Management, Inc.

Brice Marden, internationally recognized minimalist painter, will inaugurate the lecture series on May 14, 2012. Marden received his MFA from the Yale School of Art and Architecture in 1963. He has been the subject of numerous one-man shows and retrospectives at such venues as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Marden is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a longtime contributor to AIE.

The Tate Modern, with 45 million visitors since it was established in 2000 as part of the Tate Britain, is a catalyst for the transformation of public attitudes toward the visual arts in the U.K.

The AIE program was established by the Museum of Modern Art in 1953, and formalized as part of the Department of State by the Kennedy Administration in 1963. It is one of the United States’ premier public-private partnership arts organizations, with over 20,000 individual and institutional participants, and a presence in some 200 venues in 189 countries worldwide. AIE furthers U.S. diplomacy through the power of the visual arts by expansive, international cultural exchange initiatives.

MORE: http://art.state.gov .

The American Film Showcase builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power diplomacy,” which embraces the use of a full range of diplomatic tools – in this case film – to bring people together and foster greater understanding.

As part of this new partnership, the Department of State and the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts will collaborate to select films that, in concert with U.S. Embassies worldwide, will open dialogues and encourage insights into American life and culture while exploring issues affecting communities worldwide. The selected films represent high artistic quality, illustrate diverse viewpoints, and reflect contemporary American society and culture. In addition to presenting the films to overseas audiences, approximately 40 Showcase filmmakers and film experts will conduct lectures and master classes on filmmaking, animation, digital technology and emergent media.

The American Film Showcase follows the past successes of the American Documentary Showcase and reinforces the Department’s use of film as a diplomatic tool and means to bring people together. This season, the Showcase will expand to include feature films that provide fictional interpretations of contemporary issues.

The University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts is one of the leading film schools in the world. Founded in collaboration with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1929 over 80 years ago, the USC School of Cinematic Arts has fueled and mirrored the growth of entertainment as an industry and an art form. The school offers comprehensive programs in directing, producing, writing, critical studies, animation and digital arts, production, and interactive media, all backed by a broad liberal arts education and taught by leading practitioners in each field. Its more than 10,500 alumni are among the world’s most distinguished animators, scholars, teachers, writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, sound experts and industry executives. Since 1973 not a year has passed without an alumnus or alumna being nominated for an Academy Award.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs promotes mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through a wide range of academic, cultural, private sector, professional, and sports exchange programs. The Bureau’s s cultural exchanges support U.S. foreign policy, foster America’s artistic excellence, and demonstrate America’s respect and appreciation for other cultures and traditions. For more information, visit www.exchanges.state.gov.

“Even with the slower economy, ardent authors and small publishers continue to give voice to their muse in print,” said PNW editor Christopher Laird Simmons. “And, thanks to breakout products like Amazon’s Kindle, e-book versions – which were a gimmick a few years ago – are swiftly becoming ubiquitous.” Simmons has been a working journalist for 25 years, and has written widely on the topic of publishing, marketing, and e-books.

The following list of books are provided as “worth a look” for media and booksellers, as well as avid readers of new and unique literary content.

* New Book Exonerates Thomas Jefferson in DNA Controversy over Slaves and Sally Hemings

In this startling and revelatory new book, William G. Hyland Jr. shows not only that the evidence against Jefferson is lacking, but that in fact he is entirely innocent of the charge of having sexual relations with Hemings. “In Defense Of Thomas Jefferson: The Sally Hemings Sex Scandal” (ISBN-13: 978-0312561000, Thomas Dunne Books, 320 pp., hardcover; also in Kindle edition – ASIN: B002UL3392), has just been published by St. Martins Press and concerns the major historical controversy surrounding Mr. Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. “In Defense” claims to definitively destroy the cultural myth that Jefferson had any relationship with Ms. Hemings.

* Rock Star’s Rainbow – They Threw Him Out A Plane, But They Couldn’t Throw Out His Story

“Rock Star’s Rainbow,” by author Kevin Glavin (ISBN-13: 978-0982546604, Kevin Glavin Publishing, 500 pp., paperback), is a new novel chronicling a recent and mysterious scandal involving one of the nation’s most cherished “icons.” The far-fetched story begins in August 2009, when a renowned entertainment reporter is thrown out of a plane over Los Angeles. At the time of his unfortunate death, he was completing a manuscript detailing the strange personal life of the most secretive mega star of our time – “Rook.” The quixotic adventure journeys from L.A. to Amsterdam, to India, and back. Along the way, Rook struggles with celebrity excess, re-ignites with his old flame, gets mixed up with the mafia, and must rescue the daughter he never knew he had. From the heights of hedonism to the depths of despair, this topical parody explores the “beast of fame.”

* New Book: Murder Mystery Solved on Montana Forest after 175 Years

In his latest book titled, “Saving Eden” (ISBN-13: 978-0979129391, EnDeavours Publishing, 386 pp., paperback; editor: Nathan Condron), set in the Tobacco Valley, Montana author David C. Deavours shares a message of environmental awareness through a fictional story full of mystery, adventure, romance and tragedy. Deavours relocates his main character, Nate Stone, from his Southern Appalachian home and plunges him into the wilds of Montana’s Kootenai National Forest, where Nate suddenly finds himself enveloped in an unsolved murder mystery dating in the early 1800s.

* Falling Apart: Newly Released Book Depicts ‘Anti’ Bernie Madoff Character

The media is saturated with real-life accounts of financial scoundrels such as Madoff, Sanford, and Rothstein making people sadly aware of men who strive to cheat their clients through alleged criminal schemes and outright theft. Such is the story line of husband and wife co-authors Ken and Tammy Brown’s “Falling Apart” (ISBN-13: 978-1605943954, Llumina Press, 224 pp., paperback; also available in hardcover). However, the man in this book is innocent. Set in today’s world of financial disintegration, “Falling Apart” is a timely book that depicts the horrors one man faces as his life crumbles to dust and ashes.

* New Book Helps Women Find Peace and Happiness after Abusive Male Relationship

A Step Beyond Publishing announces its first non-fiction, and potentially controversial book: “I Apologize to All Women in the World – From Man” (ISBN-13: 978-0979972409). The author, Billy Prowell, inspires women to accept their roles as dignified creations of God and to reject the assumed role, imposed by men, of indentured servant. This new book provides readers with a process to heal and inspires the wounded to rebuild their lives without harboring hatred in their hearts. Through thought-provoking letters and 11 different relationship examples, readers will gain insight into the egotistic behaviors of men and the gullibility of women.

* ‘Party Line’ May Touch the Very Dreams of its Readers

Sageous Press has announced the release of “Party Line” (ISBN-13: 978-0578035932, Sageous Press, 328 pp., paperback). a new novel by Peter A. Luber. This, Luber’s second foray into the realm of dreams, establishes a unique vision which serves not only to entertain but to enlighten the reader as to the depths of his or her own consciousness. His first work, “Oneironauticus,” was published in 2008 by Sageous. The narrative of “Party Line” consists of the dreams of seven troubled, doomed, or inspired individuals. Each dreamer’s personality and experience form both the content and style of their respective chapters. This creates a reading environment that truly portrays, rather than simply describes, the nocturnes and relationships of the major characters.

* The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch – New Novel Exposes Hollywood Hyper-reality in Intimate Private Investigation

No one is innocent … not in this town. In this town, the apocalypse has come and gone, lifting the veil of innocence like a great velvet curtain in an old movie house, where the only victims that don’t return for the sequel are the gods themselves, struck out long ago by the big blue pencil. In this town, every man, woman, and child takes the limits of his or her own field of vision to be the limits of the world. In his latest novel, “The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch” (ISBN-13: 978-1440158261, iUniverse, 160pp., hardcover; also available in paperback), Konrad Ventana explodes the myths behind the so-called Star Machine with a whole new level of intimate private investigation.

* Unique Booklet Helps Readers to Discover in Thirty Minutes or Less How to Accomplish Everything One Desires

A new booklet by author, motivational speaker, and business expert Marty Niedelman, “Rx For Success” (no ISBN), is a clear concise manuscript to help anyone achieve their goals and aspirations. Many people work hard and struggle to survive. Others do things in a certain way and have all the wealth and fame. Marty has combined the knowledge of many motivational books, tapes, courses, and lectures. He feels in essence, everyone is saying the same thing in different ways. By reading his booklet in thirty minutes or less, people will reap the benefit of reading many books which could amount to thousands of pages. Available in eBook and print editions.

* Authoritative Guide to Long Term Care Insurance Now Available in Electronic Editions

Almost for sure, you or a family member will need expensive long term care someday. How will you pay for it? What public or private insurance options are available to you? Now you can get those through the print or Kindle edition of “Dignity for Life: Five Things You Should Know Before Considering Long Term Care Insurance” (ISBN-13: 978-0615142531; also Kindle Edition – ASIN: B0030GFC4K) by Cameron Truesdell, CEO of LTC Financial Partners, LLC (LTCFP), one of America’s most experienced long term care insurance agencies. The latest edition is also available for iPhone, using the Kindle for iPhone App.

For more information on these and other books and entertainment publishing you likely have never heard of, visit: http://publishersnewswire.com/news/publishing-news/book-news .

To read a timely article on “The Present and Future of e-Books,” originally published in Nov. 2004, featuring a round-table of authors and publishers, visit:
http://publishersnewswire.com/2004/11/20/PNW988_090234.php .

Publishers Newswire is an online publication, part of the Neotrope News Network. Books to Bookmark(TM), Books2Bookmark(TM), Publishers Newswire(TM), and Neotrope, are service marks and trademarks of Neotrope(R), Redondo Beach / Torrance, Calif., USA. All rights reserved. All other trademarks acknowledged.

“I am excited to be designing a T-shirt on behalf of Starlight and Forever 21,” said Corbin. “As a Starlight ambassador I have been inspired by the children and families I have had the privilege of meeting along the way, and by the strength they’ve shown in the hardest of times. I encourage everyone to get involved with Starlight and help lift the spirits of these brave children.”

To see pictures, quotes and to learn more about Corbin Bleu, Colbie Caillat, Demi Lovato, Audrina Patridge, and Paris, Nicky and Kathy Hilton’s involvement, please go to www.starlight.org/forever21press.

“This campaign is something very special for us,” said Forever 21′s Senior Marketing Manager Linda Chang. “We are so thrilled to use fashion towards a good cause, helping hundreds, if not thousands of Starlight’s seriously ill children and their families.”

The special line of T-shirts will be available for purchase in select Forever 21 stores and online at Forever21.com. The T-shirts will retail for $12.80. Additionally, each celebrity’s original artwork will be up for auction at Starlight’s eBay store ( www.ebay.com/starlight ), starting Dec. 21.

About Starlight Children’s Foundation:
When a child or teenager has a serious medical condition, everyone in the family is affected. For 25 years, Starlight Children’s Foundation(TM) has been dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. Starlight’s programs have been proven to distract children from their pain, help them better understand and manage their illnesses, and connect families facing similar challenges so that no one feels alone.

Through a network of offices, Starlight provides ongoing support to children, parents and siblings in all U.S. states and Canadian provinces with an array of outpatient, hospital-based and Web offerings. Programs are also delivered internationally through affiliates in Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom. To learn more visit www.starlight.org.

About Forever 21, Inc.:
Forever 21, Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, is a specialty retailer of women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, known for offering the hottest and most current fashion trends at a great value to consumers. Forever 21′s model of fast fashion works by keeping the store exciting with fresh merchandise offerings brought in daily. The retailer operates over 450 stores in the United States, with international operations in Canada and Japan.

“Brangelina Forever,” a life-size casting of Brad and Angelina in bed, making love Harlequin Romance-style, with a cooing dove perched on Brad’s finger, is installed in the ceiling of the master bedroom to inspire a ‘sexual healing’ for the room’s occupants.

The statues are embedded with crushed glass containing Brad and Angie’s DNA obtained from wine glasses from which they drank while reportedly celebrating the anniversary of their first meeting on the set of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”

“The ‘Brangelina’ sculpture is destined to exist forever, the way Brad and Angie’s relationship will persist in people’s memories. Theirs is the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton romance of our time,” said publicist Cory Allen.

Inspired by Brad Pitt’s mission to help rebuild houses in New Orleans’s Lower Ninth Ward after hurricane Katrina, the artist Xvala built “The Brangelina,” a house which requests its future owners agree to extend ‘Honorary Ownership’ of their home to Pitt and Jolie, and to accommodate them every time they come to town to visit Pitt’s grandmother.

“I believe every home in America should become an ‘honorary home’ to our superstars, in order to connect celebrities and regular people in spirit,” said Xvala.

The statue and the house are part of the documentary “Domestic Bliss: The Daniel Edwards/XVALA Project” by Oklahoma filmmaker Dave Smith and produced by Vacant Era Films, scheduled to premiere at The New York Academy of Art. A segment of the film has been posted on YouTube.

The Brangelina will be on public view starting Wednesday December 16th at 11 a.m. in the Thornbrooke neighborhood of Edmond. For more info, contact Cory Allen at 405-201-3910 or visit http://www.phantom-financial.com .

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl9FCWyRD3A&hl&autoplay=0 400 326]

NEWS SOURCE: Phantom-Financial

Send2Press(R) is the originating wire service for this story, issued on behalf of the news source. Copr. 2009.

Tickets are on sale now for $59 and up by visiting the official event Web site at www.SeattleBash.com and following the links to the ticket page. You can also purchase tickets in person by visiting any www.brownpapertickets.com outlet throughout Seattle and the Eastside.

This year, party in the cool surroundings of the EMP with 5 unique experiences located throughout the museum featuring music acts, comedy acts and DJ’s.

* 3,000 Swanky Party Guests.
* 5 Amazing Experiences.
* 4 LIVE Stages.
* 3 dance floors.
* 2 exclusive VIP areas.
* Disco Fever Stage: National High-Energy party band “Dance Factory.”
* You Spin Me Right Round The 80′s Stage: Ultimate Dance Band “80′s Invasion.”
* Level 3 Stage: Movin’ 92.5 DJ’s spinning all night in Level 3 Room and broadcasting LIVE.
* JBL Theater Stage: “New Year’s Eve Laugh-Off” with top comedian performances all night long.
* Full access to EMP Museum included.
* Full access to the Science Fiction Museum included.
* Party in the amazing surroundings of the EMP spanning 140,000 sq. ft.
* Right underneath the Space Needle fireworks!
* Festive Party Favors for EVERY GUEST.
* 25+ bars throughout.
* Easy access coat check.
* Special Rates on Hotel Rooms at Hotel Max.
* Food service at the Revolution Bar and Grill.
* This party SELLS OUT EVERY YEAR. Get your tickets early.

This is the biggest New Year’s Eve Party in Seattle. It is the place to be to ring in 2010 in style.

What: “The INDULGENCE New Year’s Eve Bash” Seattle’s largest New Year’s Eve Party.
When: Thursday, December 31st, 2009. Doors open at 8 p.m.
Where: The EMP.

Entertainment:
Disco Fever Stage: National high-energy party band “Dance Factory.”
You Spin Me Right Round The 80′s Stage: Ultimate Dance Band “80′s Invasion.”
Level 3 Stage: Movin’ 92.5 DJ’s spinning all night in Level 3 Room and broadcasting LIVE.
JBL Theater Stage: “New Year’s Eve Laugh-Off” with top comedian performances all night long.
Free EMP Museum admission included.
Free Science Fiction Museum admission included.
Cover: $59.00 and up. VIP tickets available. 21+ only.

More information: www.SeattleBash.com .

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to see Kaufman’s colorful paintings of Julia, Bode Miller, Billy Kidd, Marilyn and many more American Icons come alive on canvas.

Where: Aspen Grove Fine Art, 525 East Cooper, Aspen, CO 81611. More information: 970-925-5151 or www.aspengroveart.com .

About the Artist Steve Kaufman:
Assistant to Andy Warhol, still going strong. Currently has art in Museums and major art galleries, both in the USA and internationally. Redefined the POP ART movement.

Steve Kaufman has painted paintings of Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, President Obama, Elvis, Beatles, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, U2, Janet Jackson, Al Pacino, Muhammad Ali, Oscar De La Hoya, Cuban Cigars, Andy Warhol, Picasso, Dali, Van Gogh, Campbell soup, Red Bull, Coca Cola, Liz Taylor, Brad Pitt, Superman, Spiderman, John Gotti Godfather, Scarface, Sopranos, Las Vegas sign, Playboy girl next door, Donald Trump, Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Madonna, and John Travolta.

Kaufman will also be appearing at other select galleries in Colorado during Nov./Dec. 2009.

Coming Up Taller is a national initiative that recognizes and supports outstanding out-of-school and after-school arts and humanities programs for children, especially those with great potential, but limited outlets for creative expression. A project of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Coming Up Taller Awards honor programs that offer exceptional learning experiences in the arts and the humanities and that have a tangible effect on the lives of young people as evidenced through improved academic scores, enhanced life skills, and positive relationships with peers and adults.

Since 1998, Girls Write Now (www.girlswritenow.org) has helped at-risk high-school girls build critical literacy skills and find their voices through one-to-one mentoring relationships with professional women writers. Girls Write Now is the first and only East Coast organization to combine mentoring and writing training within the context of all-girl programming, which includes a full complement of workshops, public readings, anthology publications, and college-preparation assistance. While the New York State Education Department reports that 43.6 percent of New York City’s youth fail to complete high school on time, 100 percent of Girls Write Now seniors graduate and go on to colleges like Barnard College, Hunter College, The New School, New York University, Smith College, Swarthmore College, and more, bringing with them writing awards, scholarships, and a newfound confidence. More than 90 percent of their students are girls of color, and more than 40 percent are recent immigrants.

“For 12 years, Girls Write Now has honed our method and model, delivering high quality, rigorous, and constantly evolving curriculum to girls throughout New York City,” said Maya Nussbaum, founder and executive director of Girls Write Now. “Students emerge from our program armed with a body of work that confidently secures their place among our next generation of women writers.”

“This year’s Coming Up Taller Awardees exemplify how arts and humanities programs outside of the school setting can impact on the lives of our young people,” says Margo Lion, co-chairman, President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. “By exciting imaginations and providing opportunities for self-expression through the disciplines of theater, dance, music and literature these exceptional projects offer their participants windows on possibility and a belief in a more positive future.”

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities bridges the interests of federal agencies and the private sector, supports special projects that increase participation, and helps incorporate the humanities and the arts into White House objectives. The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education. Because democracy demands wisdom, the National Endowment for the Humanities serves and strengthens our Republic by promoting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent federal grant making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners.

For more information please visit the following Web sites:
Girls Write Now: www.girlswritenow.org .
Coming Up Taller: http://www.pcah.gov/cut.htm ,
President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities: www.pcah.gov ,
National Endowment for the Arts: www.arts.gov ,
National Endowment for the Humanities: www.neh.gov .
Institute of Museum and Library Services: www.imls.gov .

Mary Gould, founder, is a self-proclaimed audio book junkie and owns more than seven dozen audio books. Not a fan of flying, she first became addicted to audio books while driving. Listening to these audio books kept her alert and made the drives fun and interesting.

Sources for stories are unpublished manuscripts written by contemporary authors with histories of published works and/or exceptional talent. Audio story categories are not limited, but criteria for acceptance are. All stories must be captivating, compelling and consuming.

“Our short story audio singles keep pace with the fast-moving lifestyle of today and provide a new publishing market for the longer story,” says Gould.

“Our intent is to introduce our short story audios to a new group of listeners; individuals who have smaller windows of time for listening or who just want to enjoy a short story in audio format.”

Popular CDs currently include: “Darktown Strutters” by L.A. Wilson, Jr., a tale where the main character is in love with his boss’s girlfriend, and he plays one adversary against the other in a scheme to save his life and to keep the woman he loves; and “Rumors” – a suspense/thriller – by E. Jean Beres, where a small-town lawyer is fed up with a local businessman; he envies the power he wields and has a plan to get the position he wants.

About Mind Wings Audio:

Founded in January 2008, Mind Wings Audio produces and publishes innovative audio entertainment products for story lovers everywhere. Stories are performed by professional voice actors – some are recipients of the audio industry’s prestigious awards.

CDs are $5.49; MP3 downloads are $3.99. Electronic copies are available as Kindle Editions including: iPhone and iPod touch at Amazon Kindle Books (Kindle Store, Search: Mind Wings Audio). Package deals and holiday specials are also offered.

For more information, visit: www.mindwingsaudio.com.