Technology

New Book Spotlight: Into the Desert by Xue Mo Redefines Healing Literature

Published

6 hours ago

November 25, 2024

CHICAGO, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, “Into the Desert,” a poignant novel that delves into themes of healing, the landscapes of western China, and women’s experiences, has been awarded the 2024 New York City Big Book Award in the women’s fiction category. Additionally, esteemed author Xue Mo presented this award-winning work at both the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival and the 2024 Frankfurt Book Fair. These events concluded successfully, attracting significant attention and appreciation from professionals within both the publishing and film industries.

“The protagonists in Xue Mo’s works are often as unyielding as Sisyphus. They accept life’s injustices without resignation, refusing to bow to fate. They strive to be masters of their destiny, tirelessly forging ahead, falling, and rising again to tackle challenges,” observed one critic.

Unlike traditional healing literature, Xue Mo’s Into the Desert confronts the harsh realities of life and the impermanence of existence head-on. Through its life-and-death stakes, the novel reveals extraordinary human resilience and courage in the face of adversity. While it physically traverses the vast Gobi Desert, the story ultimately journeys into the deepest recesses of the human soul.

From Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore to Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go and Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold, healing literature often employs gentle narratives to intertwine loneliness, trauma, and hope, creating a dreamlike refuge for readers. Japanese and Korean healing fiction frequently leans on “fate-driven healing” or “magical healing,” and offers the readers comforting escapes from reality.

Conversely, “Into The Desert” charts an entirely different course. It does not shy away from suffering nor does it provide magical reprieves; instead it confronts unavoidable realities head-on while steadfastly resisting despair even amidst trauma. In this world where progress is incremental: “Every step forward brings you closer to your goal.”

The story follows Lanlan and Ying’er, two women with little hope, as they embark on a perilous journey across the Gobi Desert in search of a better life. Along the way, they lose their camels, food, and water, facing obstacles such as snakes, jackals, quicksand, hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. This adventure tests the limits of their physical endurance while repeatedly challenging their inner strength.

The desert becomes a crucible for self-discovery. Lanlan, guided by her faith in Vajravārāhī, learns to let go of distractions and focus on the present. Ying’er, initially timid and unsure, gradually uncovers her courage and resilience. Her transformation becomes profoundly moving as she finds the resolve to confront the dangers they face.

When asked, “Why must Lanlan and Ying’er endure so much suffering? If the strength of women lies in love and wisdom, why does the story include so much darkness?”

Xue Mo responded:

“Suffering is the essence of human existence. It is something we must face. The value of art lies in its ability to create beauty amidst suffering, love amidst hatred, light amidst darkness, and hope amidst despair.”

This, precisely, is what sets Into the Desert apart from traditional healing literature. It does not rely on “magic” to erase wounds but instead uses realist storytelling to reveal the essence of healing. Xue Mo reminds us that true healing comes from the courage to confront trauma, the tenacity to persist, and the wisdom to know that “the world is but a dream, and emotions are but illusions.” Once awakened, one lives fully in the present, with poetry and purpose as the twin oars propelling the boat of life forward.

The book is now available for purchase on Amazon,
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=into+the+desert&crid=3GBF0TQVS36RW&sprefix=into+the+desert%2Caps%2C1074&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Media Contact:
Ida Liu
+17735620064
386846@email4pr.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-book-spotlight-into-the-desert-by-xue-mo-redefines-healing-literature-302315381.html

SOURCE Xue Mo

Technology

Cineverse Podcast Network Expands with Midnight Pulp and RetroCrush Audio Series, and New True Crime Show Creepy Places

Published

54 minutes ago

November 25, 2024

New Shows Join Top-10 Podcast Network as it Celebrates Record Growth Driven by Popular Horror Lineup Under the BloodyFM Sub-brand

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cineverse Podcast Network, the audio division of next-gen entertainment studio Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS), has today announced a major expansion that goes well beyond its horror roots. Now home to popular entertainment, true crime and horror podcasts, the Cineverse Podcast Network is well-positioned to build upon its recent success.

In fact, Cineverse has grown its podcast revenue 98% during the fiscal quarter that ended Sept. 30 year over year and 60% from the previous quarter. The Cineverse Podcast Network also recorded 15 million downloads and listens in October, setting a new monthly record.

Among the drivers of this growth is Creepy Places: A True Crime Podcast, which recently launched via a partnership between Cineverse’s fan-first horror brand Bloody Disgusting and host Jon Grilz. The popular show at the intersection of true crime and historical hauntings has attracted 1.3 million monthly downloads since premiering in September and joins other additions to Cineverse’s growing podcast portfolio:

The iconic horror brand Dead Meat brings its dedicated fan base and over 200 episodes to Cineverse with the recently signed Dead Meat Podcast, hosted by Chelsea Rebecca and James A. Janisse, creators of the Dead Meat YouTube channel with over 6.6 million subscribers.Extending Cineverse’s popular action/cult movie streaming brand of the same name, Midnight Pulp will premiere in 2025. Hosted by Diana Prince, who plays “Darcy the Mail Girl” on Shudder’s top series The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs, each episode of the podcast will explore an entry from the streaming video channel, with Prince taking questions from listeners on everything from relationship advice to movie recommendations.Following a soft launch earlier this year, RetroCrush is Cineverse’s first official podcast created for anime fans. Hosts Malcolm Crawford, C2 and “it’s Eman” – three well-known anime fans – explore the hidden gems and popular shows featured on Cineverse’s RetroCrush streaming channel in weekly episodes.

“From partnering with talent and IP that come with pre-existing fan bases, to leveraging our owned-and-operated brands like Bloody Disgusting, Midnight Pulp and RetroCrush – all part of the company through strategic acquisitions from the past few years – we have quietly built one of the industry’s top podcast networks,” said Cineverse President and Chief Strategy Officer Erick Opeka. “Creators and partners – including advertisers, platforms and studios – are seeing this success and now coming to us to explore opportunities to work together in audio, and we are well-positioned to grow even further in the new year.”

These new podcasts follow other recently released shows on the Cineverse Podcast Network:

Mayfair Watchers Society: The chart-topping fiction podcast returned in May with Season 2, featuring 24 episodes every other week. Created in partnership with Trevor Henderson, the author of Scarewaves and prominent horror artist, the series brings Henderson’s creatures to life and features a full cast, original music and immersive sound design.Nightmare Soup: The horror fiction anthology podcast also premiered earlier this year, taking listeners back to their favorite horror stories from childhood. Inspired by iconic books like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Goosebumps, the 10-episode series airs every other Sunday.

Now home to more than 50 shows and ranking among the top 10 podcast networks by audience, the Cineverse Podcast Network has set the stage for significant ad sales growth over the next few quarters.

ABOUT CINEVERSE

On a mission to uplift storytellers and entertain fans with the power of technology, Cineverse (NASDAQ: CNVS) distributes over 71,000 premium films, series, and podcasts. Engaging over 150 million unique monthly users, Cineverse delivers more than one billion minutes of curated content each month – connecting fans with stories that resonate.

With properties like the box office sensation Terrifier 3, iconic horror destination Bloody Disgusting, the Bob Ross Channel, women’s entertainment channel Dove, and a leading podcast network, Cineverse is the first stop for audiences seeking authentic and experiential content. From a vibrant range of content and fandom channels, to next-gen advertising offerings and streaming solutions, Cineverse is setting the stage for a new era of entertainment.

Press Contacts:

For Media
The Lippin Group for Cineverse, cineverse@lippingroup.com

For Investors
Julie Milstead, investorrelations@cineverse.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cineverse-podcast-network-expands-with-midnight-pulp-and-retrocrush-audio-series-and-new-true-crime-show-creepy-places-302315624.html

SOURCE Cineverse Corp.

Technology

Neighborly Appoints Stacy Lynn Bourgeois as Chief Marketing Officer

Published

54 minutes ago

November 25, 2024

WACO, Texas, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Neighborly ®, the world’s largest home services company, today announced the appointment of Stacy Lynn Bourgeois as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), effective December 2. She will serve as a member of Neighborly’s corporate leadership team and report directly to CEO Mike Davis.

“Stacy Lynn brings a wide array of experience in business and brand strategy, organizational leadership, customer insight, data analytics, and marketing technology,” said Davis. “Her expertise and innovative approach to marketing will be instrumental in helping us better connect with our customers, differentiating our brands, making Neighborly and our service brands ridiculously easy to do business with while navigating an increasingly competitive landscape.”

The fanatical focus on the end consumer also serves Neighborly’s core mission of driving same-store sales growth with its franchise business owners. Bourgeois’ mixed background in both franchising and non-franchised business makes her uniquely qualified to deliver for both our customers, end-consumers, and franchise business owners.

Bourgeois is a strategic marketer who has driven double-digit growth while compiling a breadth of experiences. Throughout her career, she has launched new physical and digital products as well as a new restaurant concept at Yum! brands, stood up several new teams such as performance marketing and data science, implemented a new marketing technology stack, and led Pizza Hut through an agency review and countless creative campaigns.

She joins Neighborly from Amazon, where she broadened her scope from marketing to business more holistically in roles such as Global Head of Product, Quality & Operations for Amazon Renewed or U.S. Head of Musical Instruments. In her time with Amazon, she’s enhanced the discoverability of preowned products, increased conversion rates, simplified customer experience, improved operations, and owned a multibillion-dollar P&L. Even in general management-focused roles, she’s anchored on driving growth through the customer – such as offering free lessons with an instrument purchase on Amazon.

I am thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Neighborly and support our franchise owners,” said Bourgeois. “Customers invite Neighborly and our brands into their homes, which is deeply personal and requires tremendous trust. My goal is to earn this trust by listening to and innovating for customers in a way that builds lasting relationships with our amazing brands.”

Bourgeois will be based in Irving, Texas.

About Neighborly®

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,500 franchises collectively serving 14 million+ customers by repairing, maintaining, and enhancing their homes and businesses. Through Neighborly.com and the Neighborly mobile app, we connect consumers to local service providers that meet rigorous franchisor standards across 19 service categories. More information about Neighborly, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly, click here.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neighborly-appoints-stacy-lynn-bourgeois-as-chief-marketing-officer-302315116.html

SOURCE Neighborly

Technology

EHA Highlights Commitment to Innovation and Collaboration at ASH Annual Meeting

Published

54 minutes ago

November 25, 2024

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The European Hematology Association (EHA) will showcase its dedication to advancing research and fostering collaboration at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition from December 7-10, 2024, in San Diego, California, USA.

The partnership between EHA and ASH is testament to both organizations’ commitment to progress and improving patient care. The EHA-ASH Joint Symposium, scheduled for Sunday, December 8 from 12:30-13:30 (PDT), will focus on myelodysplastic syndromes, showcasing expert insights from Amy DeZern of Johns Hopkins University and Matteo Della Porta of Humanitas Cancer Center. EHA President Antonio Almeida remarked, “The collaboration between EHA and ASH holds immense significance for the global medical community. Both organizations serve as pivotal platforms for advancing the understanding, research, education, and treatment of blood disorders. […] By combining our strengths, together, we can enhance research, education, advocacy, and patient care, generating significant benefits that resonate across nations and communities.” This joint session is another milestone in a fruitful collaboration that continues to shape the future of hematology.

In 2024, EHA reached unprecedented levels of engagement, connecting more professionals than ever. Membership surged by 25%, bringing EHA’s community to over 8,300 members, and the EHA2024 Congress attracted a record-breaking 17,900 delegates. This growth reflects EHA’s commitment to a member-focused approach, empowering professionals to exchange knowledge, collaborate on research, and share best practices on a global scale.

HemaSphere, EHA’s peer-reviewed journal, has recently achieved a significant milestone with a 2023 Impact Factor of 11.9, ranking it seventh among hematology journals globally. This development is a testament to the high-quality, cutting-edge research that HemaSphere publishes and its value to the hematology community.

With a vision for “Borderless Hematology,” EHA will continue to drive global connectivity, innovation, and excellence.

ASH delegates are invited to learn about EHA at booth #300.

About EHA

The European Hematology Association (EHA) is a membership organization serving a community of over 8,000 medical professionals, researchers, and scientists with an active interest in hematology. EHA is the largest Europe-based organization connecting hematologists worldwide and supports career development and research, harmonizes hematology education, and advocates for hematologists and hematology.

Website: www.ehaweb.org

“Towards prevention, cure, and quality of life for all patients with blood disorders”.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2461261/4811631/European_Hematology_Association_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eha-highlights-commitment-to-innovation-and-collaboration-at-ash-annual-meeting-302313636.html

SOURCE European Hematology Association (EHA)