June is Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month

Fruits and vegetables are important for good health and contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that can protect you from chronic diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a fun, healthy way to have a fresh supply of the fruits and vegetables you love.

Next week (June 1-4) we will celebrate Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month by recognizing some of our books on growing fruits and vegetables:

1. The Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Fruits and Berries
2. The Complete Guide to Growing and Using Sprouts
3. How to Grow Fruits, Vegetables & Houseplants Without Soil
4. The Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes

The complete list of books can be found on the Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. Web site.

Check out Twitter for fun facts on fruits and vegetables all week long.

It’s good to be Indie

Indie is in, especially when it comes with a prize.

Independent book publisher Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc., recently received two awards in The Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The company, based out of Ocala, FL, also had three category finalists in the competition. “I’m thrilled that Atlantic has won so many Indie Book Awards this year,” said Douglas Brown, president of Atlantic Publishing. “In reality, the awards belong to, and are a great tribute to, the great support staff here at Atlantic: the editors; peer review editors; proofing editors; authors; graphic designers; and editorial, design and PR assistants.”

The awards program honors remarkable independently published books and judges books on content. “We like to think of our awards program as the Sundance of the book publishing world,” Catherine Goulet, a chair of the Indie Book Awards Program, said.

“The Indie Book Awards are especially vital in contemporary publishing; they bridge a gap and provide a means of greater recognition by authors whose writing warrants it. I’m quite honored to have my work recognized,” said Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. author Cynthia Reeser.

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group, which promotes professional standards in independent publishing. The awards program recognizes independent publishers and authors in 60 different book categories. The winner of each category receives a cash prize, an award, and exposure. The winning titles are also reviewed by a New York literary agent.

Below are the Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. book winners and finalists.

Winner: Finance

Title: The Complete Guide to Spotting Accounting Fraud & Cover-Ups: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply

Author: Martha Maeda

The Complete Guide to Spotting Accounting Fraud & Cover-Ups delves into the dangers of the business world and offers readers clear explanations of accounting terms that are easily understood. This book provides a comprehensive glance at fraud in large and small corporations, showing the different types of frauds, the people committing them, and how they are accomplished. Author Martha Maeda unleashes the basic steps of detecting fraud in the workplace after it has happened and tells readers how to prevent it from occurring again. This comprehensive guide will help you spot accounting fraud and will provide you with the resources to protect yourself and your investments. Learn what to look for and how to outsmart the office crook so that you and your investments stay safe and sound.

Winner: Young Adult Non-Fiction

Title: The Complete Guide to Personal Finance: For Teenagers and College Students

Author: Tamsen Butler

The Complete Guide to Personal Finance: For Teenagers and College Students is your tool to getting control of your finances early. You will learn how to make and stick to a budget, open a bank account, write a check and balance a checkbook, pay for a car, get and manage credit, determine your needs versus your wants, and avoid financial mistakes. You will also learn about investment options, taxes, debit and credit cards, and basic budgeting tips.

Finalist: Writing and Publishing

Title: How to Write and Publish a Successful Children’s Book: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply

Author: Cynthia Reeser

How to Write and Publish a Successful Children’s Book: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply begins with a history of children’s publishing and details the different types of books and publishers in the industry. Author Cynthia Reeser provides insight on what children enjoy reading, as well as key information about effective story creation, illustration, and self-publication. Reeser even provides information regarding work submissions, networking, and publishing in other markets. Long-term career building and development is also discussed in this complete guide to becoming a successful children’s book author.

Finalist: Coffee Table Book/Photography

Title: Light, Shadow & Skin Tone: The Complete Guide to Shooting Black & White Glamour Photography Both Digitally and on Film

Author: Bill Lemon

Featuring both studio and outdoor settings, Light, Shadow & Skin Tone explains how each photo was created — image by image — and focuses on how to manipulate light on different sets that will accent the body’s beauty. In addition to Lemon’s style of “show by example,” he explains the post-production process for digital photography. Complete with dozens of examples and hints on posing and working with models, Light, Shadow & Skin Tone is for intermediate to advanced glamour photographers eager in refining their skills. Lemon discusses the equipment used, the type of light, fill flash, exposures, and the time of day, that produce the best images, as well as how to use the light to your advantage.

Finalist: Career

Title: How to Use the Internet to Get Your Next Job

Author: Janet Nagle

How to Use the Internet to Get Your Next Job explores the world of online job searching, allowing readers to consider career alternatives that were previously not available in the days of newspaper searches. Even the most technologically savvy will learn how to conduct an effective job search, as this book guides readers through every step of the online application process from creating résumés, managing time spent online to developing job site profiles. Filled with tips and lists of helpful Web sites, Janet Nagle’s book includes information about major online job boards, such as CareerBuilder and Monster, as well as niche sites for every industry, from health care to education.

All books are available for review as a hard copy or PDF, excerpting, resale, and per inquiry advertising. High-resolution images are also on hand upon request. For more information on these books, visit Atlantic Publishing Group (http://www.atlantic-pub.com).

I’m Going to be a Dad: Now What?

Father’s Day Giveaway – Susan Heim, parenting author and “Chicken Soup for the Soul” editor, reviewed I’m Going to be a Dad: Now What? by Craig Baird on her blog “Susan Heim on Parenting.” Read the review below, and check out her blog for a chance to win a free copy of the book: #mce_temp_url#

Most pregnancy and early childhood books are targeted to moms. After all, she’s the one who’s physically carrying the child, going through labor, giving birth, breastfeeding and more. But today’s dads are much more involved in the whole process, from attending childbirth classes and being in the delivery room to getting up for night feedings and changing diapers. Of course, dads don’t really need to know how to get rid of stretch marks or cracked nipples. However, they want to be able to understand better why their wife is so tired, how to know if she’s in labor, and what supplies they’ll need for the baby. So, how can they get that information without wading through the “mom stuff”?

The answer: I’m Going to Be a Dad: Now What? This book is tailor-made for expectant and new dads. It walks them through each trimester of pregnancy, childbirth, and baby’s first two years, but from their perspective. It also explains baby illnesses, dangers, and games, and the emotional issues that new dads often deal with, such as, “Will I Be Able to Afford a Baby?” “Will I Have Independence?” and “Can I Handle the Labor?” This book gives dads the basics to increase their confidence as future fathers without overwhelming them with details that aren’t that relevant to them.

How to Build Your Own Website With Little or No Money

Web sites are an essential tool that every business must have in today’s economy. Only 15 years ago, you could count the number of Web sites in the world with five or six digits; today there are between 15 and 30 billion active Web sites and millions more being added every day. Creating a Web site can be a great way to market a new product, promote your business plan, promote yourself, or simply share a few details about your life with the world.  The cost of creating a Web site has risen right alongside the number of Web sites created though and many people are nervous about being able to utilize this revolutionary medium without breaking the bank. This book has been created for just such people, outlining for you in perfect detail everything you need to know to create a traffic attracting Web site, while spending little or no money at all. There are countless resources available, and when you put them all together, they provide a complete toolkit that can make anyone a top notch Web site in no time flat.  You will learn how to buy a domain name and host your Web site for less than $15, with no additional fees charged to your account. You will learn how to use open source software like WordPress, Joomla, and Mambo to create a platform on which you can build anything you want. You will learn how blogging has made Web site creation easier than ever and how sites like Squidoo, Facebook, and MySpace allow you more freedom to build traffic and draw more attention to what you are advertising at any given time.  You will learn how to use common software to edit and tweak your Web sites and how to read the basic code that all Web sites are created in. In addition, an entire chapter is devoted to teaching you how to promote your Web site and draw traffic to it, without spending a dime in the process. You will learn why information is the most valuable asset on the market and how you can become an expert in a niche of your choosing, making money to cover any fees associated with your Web site.  With the added resource of hours of interviews with web professionals you will learn which free resources not to use and which ones to outright avoid, as well as how to find and install open source modules and tools to enhance the look and feel of your site. You will learn where you can find copyright-free images to use on your Web sites and how to get free copy that will draw traffic and entertain your visitors. You will learn how to keep a free Web site from falling into the traps the major search engines set to stop spam and ultimately how to leverage new friends, business contacts, and interactions out of your Web site. If you are now, or have ever, considered starting your own Web site before, this book will map the way for you.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with these Cheesy Hits

You can shred it, melt it, or it by the block — a staple of good Mexican food, cheese is sure to be on your menu in some form this Cinco de Mayo. Try these recipes from our book 101 Recipes for Making Cheese: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply — coming soon!

Queso blanco

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Draining time: 6 to 7 hours

Queso blanco, or “white cheese” in Spanish, is a creamy, fresh cheese that is designed to be made and eaten quickly. Because it contains no rennet or other starter cultures, it has a very mild, milky flavor and a creamy texture. It does not ‘hold” well; you need to eat it no more than a week after it is made. Queso blanco is often stir-fried with vegetables or used in salads.

It is popular in many areas of Latin America.

Ingredients/Equipment:

4 quarts whole cow’s milk

¼ cup white vinegar

Non-reactive cooking pot

Cheesecloth

Colander

Thermometer

Stainless steel cooking spoon or whisk

Directions:

1. Start with sterilized equipment. Pour milk into cooking pot over medium heat. Warm milk to 180º Fahrenheit, stirring gently to prevent scorching. Reduce heat to low and hold at this temperature for five to six minutes. The temperature may go a bit higher, but make sure it does not go above 185º Fahrenheit. Remove from heat.
2. Add vinegar. Stir milk continuously for ten minutes or until milk curdles and solids rise to the top. If milk does not curdle, add another tablespoon of vinegar and continue stirring.
3. Pour contents of pot into a cloth-lined colander. Let curds drain for 15-30 minutes. Gather the corners of the cloth together and tie to form a bag. Hang the bag over the sink and let drain for six to seven hours.
4. Unwrap cheese and place in small bowl. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Kickin’ Jack fondue with Tequila

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

The use of pepper Jack cheese and Tequila gives this fondue real Tex-Mex    appeal. Cooking the cheese mixture burns off some of the alcohol, but this    particular fondue may still be considered more of an adult indulgence due to the  “spirited” flavor. It is perfect for a Super Bowl party or as part of a  Tex-Mex buffet. You can adjust the heat by adding crushed red pepper or extra  cayenne to the mixture. Instead of serving with bread cubes, try tortilla or corn  chips.

Ingredients/Equipment:

2 lbs pepper Jack cheese, shredded

2 tbsps cornstarch

2 12-oz bottle of beer, preferably Mexican

1 large clove of garlic, minced

¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper

1/3 cup Tequila

1/3 cup diced fresh jalapeños (optional)

Large mixing bowl

Saucepan

Fondue pot or slow cooker

Long forks

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss cheese with cornstarch until coated.
2. In a large saucepan, combine beer, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat until the beer is heated thoroughly and the mixture begins to bubble around the edges. Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in the cheese mixture, letting each addition melt before adding more. Stir in the tequila and let cook for approximately one minute. Add jalapeños if desired.
3. Transfer to fondue or crockpot set on low heat.