Well, thanks to Chelsea, ALVA has successfully distributed its first truly national online newsletter announcing a ten per cent discount on the eBook edition of Jolt: a rural noir!

Meanwhile, Roberta has been reading the New York Times Bestseller The Black Swan on 'The Impact of the HIGHLY IMPROBABLE.' According to Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan's author, humans are afflicted by a kind of tunneling of our thinking that prevents us from even considering most unexpected life-changing events that are referred to in the field of probability as Black Swans.

Why Black Swans?

Well, the Black Swan, whenever one occurs, demonstrates the effect of ignorance  secondary to the narrow scope of our experience (in view of the limitless possibilities for it) and the poor scope of our knowledge (secondary to not only the expanse of all there is to know but also to our unwillingness to explore ideas which seem outlandish, unlikely, or uncomfortable). (Could the effects of nuclear meltdown--the subject matter of Jolt: a rural noir--be one?)

After centuries of belief that all swans were white were blown from view by the discovery of Australia and the sighting there of a black one, the term Black Swan eventually came into being as a name for any unexpected (or unrecognized but lurking) world-changing event.

Alva Press, Inc., however, and its titular head, Roberta M. Roy, turns out to be rather enamored of Black Swans. As a result one can expect publications here to smack of the unusual. One is not surprised therefore to learn that having read both Jolt: a rural noir and a prepublication copy of Kristen Henderson's book of heart-felt and moving poetry, Drum Machine, a reader suggested that while 'quirky,' both books 'sustain the interest of the reader.'  

However, missing from that reader's equation is the fact that Roy's Jolt grew as a result of years of reading and writing culminated by the event of 9/11 and an ensuing 100 hours of study with the military in mass event survival while Henderson's poetry represents the crystallization of learnings resultant from life events over a period of ten or twenty years or more.

That said, it is safe to note that not only may the two books be read for pleasure and entertainment, they also offer some things to be learned about survival and healing from life's challenges both real and potential.

Henderson's poetry speaks from her life experience. Roy's book informs on the effects of mass events (terrorism/nuclear meltdown) on relationships, infrastructure, and community.

Regretfully not all of those in the area surrounding Vermont Yankee (or Fukushima) had read Jolt: a rural noir when their problems began to occur- just as most of those near, but outside the thirty mile limit of all the other nuclear power plants in the USA and world have yet to read it.

But 2012 is a New Year and ALVA now has an up and running news release source. So who knows. Perhaps both Jolt and, when it is released, Drum Machine are headed for the New York Times Best Seller List, too.

To sign up for the ALVA Newsletter, go to the home page and click on the link in the upper left hand corner and be ready to keep up on ALVA's news as well as avail yourself of any discounts on books ALVA has available--like its current offer of a 10% discount on the Jolt: a rural noir in eBook mobi (Kindle) and ePub (Nook).

Your readership is most appreciated!

Roberta in Po-Town, Wishing you a very Happy New Year 2012!