A Wealth of Family: A Book by Thomas Brooks

Free Sample Excerpt — Get Chapter 1 of My New Book

2006-06-02T13:57:00.000-05:00

I know. You want to try it before you buy it. So, I am giving away a PDF of Chapter 1 of my new book to give you something to read today.

Download Chapter 1 (five intriguing pages) of A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion and Enrichment: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Chapter-1-AWOF.pdf

Front and Back Covers (7MB): www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Covers/Cover-AWOF-Entire-Hi-Res.pdf

Book Review: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Review-AWOF.pdf

Press Release: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Press-Release-AWOF.pdf

You can also get a free eBook download by November 30th (NOT a free hardcopy) of the whole book simply by signing up for our free e-Newsletters by the end of October: http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/contact.asp?id=78264

But, why wait until then for the e-Book when you can buy the paperback now?

Thomas Brooks — Author, A Wealth of Family [ISBN 0977462935]
Get Autographed Copies: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Family.htm

Worldwide Book Signing & Speaking Appearance Schedule

2006-06-02T13:52:00.000-05:00

Here's the updated Appearance Schedule for Thomas Brooks, author of A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion and Enrichment. Don't forget to call Thomas at 281-217-1960 to set up book signings, book club Q&A sessions, or speaking engagements at conferences. Thomas provides not just book signings, but Topical Discussions on adoption, multicultural families, and overcoming racism/poverty. What can you expect? View the FAQ.

A Sampling of Past Events

Washington, DC: BookExpo America (BEA) on May 19, 2006 at the Washington Convention Center.

New Orleans, LA: America Library Association (ALA) conference on June 25, 2006 in the Morial Convention Center.

Washington, DC: Alpha Phi Alpha Convention on July 29, 2006 with "The Divine Literary Tour"

Houston, TX: Official Launch Party - August 3, 2006 at Plaza 59 Nightclub.

Chicago, IL: Tuesday, August 8, 2006 at African American Images Bookstore

Dallas, TX: Saturday, August 26, 2006 at the Tulisoma Book Fair

Dallas, TX: Friday, September 15, 2006 with the Eyes of the Soul Book Club

Sugar Land, TX: Sunday, September 17, 2006 at the Barnes and Noble

Atlanta, GA: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 -- Lecture at Morehouse College

Atlanta, GA: Friday, September 29, 2006 -- Signing at NBMBAA Convention in the Georgia World Congress Center

Santa Maria, CA: Thomas Brooks discusses his book A Wealth of Family on California's KUHL 1440 AM. Click below to listen now (run time 11:21) or "right-click" to download and save to your hard drive so you can play it anytime: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/audio/Thomas-Brooks-KUHL-Radio-Interview.wav

Pittsburgh, PA: Sunday, October 22, 2006 - Thomas Brooks was the Featured Speaker at the University of Pittsburgh African-American Alumni Council Fellowship Brunch.

WGN-TV Superstation: National Adoption Awareness Month gets nationwide TV coverage as WGN News Anchor Micah Materre interviews Thomas Brooks, author of A Wealth of Family.
Windows Media: www.alphamultimedia.com//Video/Thomas-Brooks-On-WGN-TV.wmv
Quicktime: www.alphamultimedia.com//Video/Thomas-Brooks-On-WGN-TV.mov
MP4: www.alphamultimedia.com//Video/Thomas-Brooks-On-WGN-TV.mp4

Chicago, IL: November 16, 2006 — As part of National Adoption Awareness Month a charitable fundraising event was held to benefit the North America Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) and the over 114,000 foster care children who need safe, permanent, loving homes. Go to http://leapsofthought.com/charityevent.php for more.

San Antonio, TX: December 2, 2006 — KSJL 810 AM "Community Round Table" Radio Interview

Dallas, TX: Here is a link to my radio interview on KNON 89.3 FM on December 18, 2006: www.KNON.org/index.php?id=1718

What's Next:

Chicago, IL: Saturday, February 17, 2007 at 8:00am — TV Morning News appearance on CBS Channel 2 WBBM-TV.

Chicago, IL: Saturday, February 17, 2007 at 3pm — The Book Cellar, 4736 North Lincoln Avenue (in Lincoln Square), Chicago, IL 60625, 773-293-2665.

Steamboat, CO: February 24 - March 3, 2007 — NBS Black Ski Summit

Dallas, TX: Friday, March 9, 2007 at 5pm to 7pm — Jokae's African American Books, 3223 Camp Wisdom Road, Dallas, TX 75237, 214-331-8100.

Denver, CO: Friday, March 16, 2007 at 630pm — Barnes & Noble, Thorncreek Shopping Center, 701 E. 120th Avenue, Denver, CO 80233, 720-872-2619.

San Diego, CA: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 8am to 12 Noon — La Jolla Country Day School

Torrance, CA: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 7pm — Barnes & Noble, Del Amo Fashion Center, 21400 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503, 310-370-5552.

Houston, TX: March 23-24, 2007 — Alpha Phi Alpha regional convention

Huntsville, AL: March 30-31, 2007 — Alpha Phi Alpha regional convention

Birmingham, AL: April 1, 2007

Pittsburgh, PA: April 6, 2007 at 12 Noon — University of Pittsburgh, Benedum Hall - Room 1175.

San Antonio, TX: April 11-13, 2007 — TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (part of ALA) convention.

Phoenix, AZ: April 13-14, 2007

Chicago, IL: May 5, 2007 — National Foster Care Month event

Philadelphia, PA: May 2007 — National Foster Care Month event, specific May date TBD

Washington, DC: May 26-27, 2007 — National Foster Parent Association's 37th Annual Education Conference.

New York City, NY: June 1-3, 2007 — BookExpo America

Pittsburgh, PA / New Brighton, PA: Wednesday, June 6, 2007 — Commencement Speech at New Brighton High School

Chicago, IL: June 21-22, 2007 — Loving v Virginia Decision (40th Anniversary) Conference at the Mansfield Institute for Social Justice on the campus of Roosevelt University

Washington, DC: June 23-24, 2007 — American Library Association conference in the Washington Convention Center, located at 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW

Atlanta, GA: June 28 - June 30, 2007 — Panelist at the George Fraser / FraserNet Power Networking Conference

New Orleans, LA: July 5-7, 2007 — Essence Festival
Detroit, MI: July 7-8, 2007 — NAACP National Convention

Indianapolis, IN: July 13-15, 2007 — Indianapolis Black Expo

St. Louis, MO: July 27-29, 2007 — National Urban League National Convention

Fort Worth, TX: August 3-5, 2007 — 6th National Conference of African American Librarians

Dallas, TX: August 25, 2007 — Tulisoma Book Fair in Dallas

San Francisco, CA (Bay Area) — August 31, 2007

Atlanta, GA: September 7-9, 2007 — Event with Rawsistaz Literary Group and The Divine Literary Tour

Orlando, FL: September 13-15, 2007 — National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Conference

Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD: September 27-29, 2007 — Congressional Black Caucus Weekend plus Baltimore Book Festival

Chicago, IL: October 6, 2007

College Park, MD: University of Maryland Homecoming, specific October date TBD

Detroit / Dearborn, MI: October 16-21, 2007 — National Pan-Hellenic Council Convention, Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, MI

Nashville, TN: October 19-20, 2007 — Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority regional convention

Austin, TX: November 2-3, 2007 — Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority regional convention

Houston, TX: Adoption Agency Charity Event, specific November date TBD

Miami, FL: November 16-18, 2007 — Miami Book Festival

November 29 - December 1, 2007 — People of Color Conference (PoCC)

Thomas Brooks — Author, A Wealth of Family [ISBN 0977462935]
Get Autographed Copies: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Family.htm

BookExpo America was "Off the Hook": Hanging with U.S. Senator Barack Obama

2006-05-22T00:27:00.000-05:00

I just got back from BookExpo America in Washington, DC and it was "off the hook". I did a book signing (photo at right) on Friday, May 19th for A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion and Enrichment.

There was Blogosphere Coverage of two of the greatest Kenyan-American authors: U.S. Senator Barack Obama (below in photo, on left) and Thomas Brooks (on right). Senator Obama is launching a new book in October 2006 called The Audacity of Hope. It was great to meet him this past weekend. My friends joked that we looked so much alike, the security detail followed me after I parted company with Senator Obama. In truth, he looked "Presidential" while I looked like a "neophyte author".

Among the big news items at the show was that the Amazon Upgrade program (announced in 2005) has gone live. For details: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664&p=irol-newsArticle&amp;amp;amp;amp;ID=778248&highlight

Thomas Brooks — Author, A Wealth of Family [ISBN 0977462935]
Get Autographed Copies: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Family.htm

Bestseller Status, Awards, Media Hype & Glowing Reviews

2006-04-18T12:14:00.000-05:00

It has been a fun period of increasing exposure for the book, A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion and Enrichment. To access the book's complete Online Media Kit go to: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/PressRoom.htm

The book has recently reached the following milestones:
- #1 Amazon Bestseller for Adoption
- #1 Amazon Bestseller for African-American Studies
- #2 Amazon Bestseller for African-American Biographies

- Award Winner in the African-American Studies category of the USA Book News "Best Books 2006" Book Awards

The book was covered on MixedMediaWatch.com, an excellent blog edited by Jen Chau and Carmen Van Kerckhove that monitors representations of mixed people, couples, families and transracial adoptees in film, television, radio and print media.

The book was also highlighted by Jungmiwha "Jummy" Bullock in the newsletter of the Association of MultiEthnic Americans (AMEA). AMEA is dedicated to the advocacy of multiethnic and multiracial individuals and families. Go to this link and check out page 9 in particular: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Coverage/AMEA-Newsletter-May-2006.pdf

Intermix.org.uk is a website for the benefit of mixed-race families. Review excerpt from Sharron Hall of Intermix: "A Wealth Of Family leaves you...with a sense of happiness and hope."

Here is an excerpt from the prestigious Midwest Book Review: "Compelling... candid... remarkable... A Wealth of Family is very highly recommended as the inspiring autobiography of one man and his determination to discover his own biological roots."

"A Wealth of Family has something to be enjoyed or learned by people from all walks of life, no matter what your gender, socio-economic background or culture," according to the glowing review on ReaderViews.com. Also, check out the interview with the author.

GenealogyMagazine.com wrote that A Wealth of Family is "touching" and "a success story".

"This is a moving story that demonstrates how with courage and determination an individual can bring together the separate strands of his heritage and weave them together into a loving whole," according to the review on Fearless Reviews.

The New Pittsburgh Courier writes: "A candid memoir...the story is multicultural as well as multifaceted as Brooks relays his 'poor boy works hard and succeeds' angle."

Listen to Thomas Brooks discuss his book A Wealth of Family on California's KUHL 1440 AM. Click below to listen now (run time 11:21) or "right-click" to download and save to your hard drive so you can play it anytime: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/audio/Thomas-Brooks-KUHL-Radio-Interview.wav

Thomas Brooks — Author, A Wealth of Family [ISBN 0977462935]
Get Autographed Copies: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Family.htm

How Do You Create Your Own History?

2006-03-29T23:22:00.000-06:00

The book A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion and Enrichment was recently featured in an exciting new literary publication called Written magazine. Publisher Michelle Gipson and the Written team are based in Atlanta, and their magazine is being syndicated nationally. The theme of the magazine is "Celebrating the word. Celebrating the reader."

Black History Month is now in our rear view mirror for 2006. Regardless of our race or ethnic origin, we have the opportunity to ask ourselves the following question: How can we create and celebrate our own history?

Not everyone can write and publish a complete book. But almost everyone can write down their life story or family history, even if it is only 10 typed pages or less. You may not think your life is very exciting, but you have to think 50 or 100 years ahead. Your great-grandchildren will be thrilled to read about you, and they will also be grateful if you can tell them anything about your own ancestors.

It is not necessary that you or your family must have significant accomplishments to be a part of history. Just start writing. You can also complete an audio recording that can be burned onto a CD; video recordings can be burned on to a DVD. Here are a couple of good books to help you get going:

To Our Children's Children by Bob Greene
Record & Remember: Tracing Your Roots Through Oral History by Ellen Epstein

Thomas Brooks — Author, A Wealth of Family [ISBN 0977462935]
Get Autographed Copies: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Family.htm

Synopsis and Ordering Info: New Book A Wealth of Family

2006-03-04T12:45:00.000-06:00

Alpha Multimedia, Inc. has produced a compelling new book that shows how to cross cultural barriers. A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion and Enrichment was written by me, Thomas Brooks. Order entry is open at www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Order.htm. Here is a synopsis:

This inspiring account of adoption, reunion, and heritage from Thomas Brooks provides a timely and provocative perspective on multicultural families and powerful insights on overcoming racism and poverty.
Brooks grew up as the only child of a struggling single mother in inner-city Pittsburgh. He was battling racial stereotypes at school and searching for a place among his peers. Then he was told at age eleven that he was adopted. He did not know it at the time, but Brooks had actually been born to a white biological mother who descended from Lithuanian Jews and a black Kenyan foreign student father.
Years after that stunning revelation, Brooks escaped the ghetto and traveled to search for his heritage. He found his biological mother in London with his previously unknown British siblings. He then located his biological father and extended family in Nairobi. His international search and the resulting reunions have profoundly affected three families in the United States, England, and Kenya.

I hope you find the book to be inspirational, educational and entertaining.

TThomas Brooks — Author, A Wealth of Family [ISBN 0977462935]
Get Autographed Copies: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Family.htm

Endorsement Quotes for the book A Wealth of Family

2006-02-02T01:22:00.000-06:00

I have been fortunate to receive a number of outstanding endorsement quotes for the new book A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion and Enrichment. Here is a sampling:

"This story shows that with love and support, adopted kids can overcome big challenges."
Dan O'Brien, Multiracial Adoptee and Olympic Decathlon Gold Medalist

"The author’s international journey across cultures, races and continents will uplift and edify any reader, regardless of background."
Honorable Andrew Young, Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and Former Mayor of Atlanta

"This book will help build bridges between people of different races and cultures."
Dr. Henry Ponder, Former President of Fisk University and Benedict College

"The uplifting journey of Thomas Brooks in his search for self is inspiring. His story reinforces for us all the spirit of the great Dr. Martin Luther King's teachings — there is just one race, the human race."
Tim Green, New York Times Best-Selling Author, Commentator for Fox Sports and National Public Radio

"A superb and deeply emotional book. Brooks is at once determined, compassionate and incisive. This book through its honesty and strength will be a rewarding experience for all who read it."
Richard Fischer, Editor of Adoption TODAY Magazine and an Adoptive Parent

"The search by Thomas Brooks for his biological parents is a fine example of how effective networking can transform lives."
George Fraser, Best-Selling Author of Success Runs in Our Race: The Complete Guide to Effective Networking in the African-American Community

"The author tells a story of triumph over difficult circumstances, highlighting the unlimited possibilities for those who demonstrate discipline and perseverance."
John Woodruff, Olympic Gold Medalist, 800 Meter Run

For the complete list of endorsements: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Endorsements-AWOF.pdf

Thomas Brooks — Author, A Wealth of Family [ISBN 0977462935]
Get Autographed Copies: www.AlphaMultimedia.com/Family.htm