Elvis in concert in Memphis, July 1956. A flashbulb went off in the audience just as Wertheimer took the photo. 
Photos: 2013 Alfred Wertheimer. Courtesy TASCHEN


The King of Rock'n'Roll is born 
The making of Elvis, behind the scenes
By Alfred Wertheimer • TASCHEN• Spring 2013 

“Elvis who?” was photographer Alfred Wertheimer’s response when, in early 1956, an RCA Victor publicist asked him to shoot an up-and-coming crooner from Memphis. Little did Wertheimer know that this would be the job of a lifetime.  At just 21 years old, Elvis Presley was about to become an international legend, and trailing him like a shadow, Wertheimer was given unlimited access to get up close and personal.  From the gyrating on stage to seducing young women in dark hallways, Elvis allowed the photographer to record his every move. Wertheimer took nearly 3,000 extraordinary photographs of intimacy and unparalleled in its scope, Wertheimer’s Elvis project immortalized a young man in the very process of making history. (Just a month after he shot Elvis recording the “Don’t Be Cruel”/“Hound Dog” record, it became the first ever song to top all three Billboard charts.)
This collector’s edition of 1,706 numbered and signed copies by Wertheimer, highlight his most remarkable shots from 1956, as well as a selection of his 1958 pictures of the star being shipped off to an Army base in Germany. Nearly half of the photographs in this book have never been published before. Each chapter is illustrated with an original poster created especially for this book by Hatch Show Print, one of the oldest letterpress print shops in America which helped define the imagery of country music in the 1940’s and Rock and Roll (including many early Elvis posters) in the ’50’s. Fans of photojournalism, portraiture, and, of course, the King himself will covet this collector’s volume.

The Killer Wore Leather
By Laura Antoniou • Cleis Press & Viva Editions • March 2013
Cormac “Mack” Steel, the Global Mr. Leather and Fetish, has been murdered in Manhattan’s Grand Sterling Hotel during the huge annual BDSM/fetish weekend ball. He was found on the floor of his suite wearing only a pair of frilly, yellow panties.   Detective Rebecca Feldblum, a murder specialist who worked on number of high-profile cases, had never seen a case like this one. She must track down the murderer who could be any one of the thousands in attendance.  In the world of leather and latex, masters and slaves, pups and trainers, Detective Feldblum has only until the end of the weekend to find out who killed Mack Steel. Before she knows it, she gets herself tied and bound up in the  kinky underworld, a world she never explored. With wit and insight Antoniou leads you into a deliciously tongue-in-cheek murder mystery overflowing with the intriguing, and often hilarious personalities of BDSM and kink.  
Readers will only become more engrossed in this world of roleplay as their eagerness to find out who killed Mr. Leather grows.  $16.95, trade paperback original • 416 pages • ISBN: 978-1-57344-930-4

Q&A with AARON HARTZLER, author of Rapture Practice


by Lisa Moraleda, Associate Director of Publicity at Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Growing up gay in a fundamentalist evangelical family, Aaron Hartzler was taught from an early age that at any moment the Rapture could happen...that Jesus might come down and scoop him and his family up to heaven. As a kid, Aaron was thrilled by this idea. But at fifteen, the Rapture becomes a race against the clock, as Aaron fights to experience a life that is strictly forbidden by his parents. Deciding to break their biggest rule, Aaron purchases a movie ticket, which eventually leads him down a path of rebellion. From watching television to listening to rock music, making out and drinking alcohol, Aaron’s thoughts and actions carry him further and further away from fundamentalist Christian teachings and from his own family. In RAPTURE PRACTICE Aaron Hartzler recalls his teenage journey to find the person he is without losing the family that loves him. Ultimately this story is about finding your own truth while accepting your family for who they are, RAPTURE PRACTICE will speak to anyone who has ever questioned religion, sexuality, or one’s path in life. 

PINK: What is your message for this book?
Aaron Hartzler: I think that growing up means learning to really like who you are—not try to be something somebody else wants you to be. If you’re a teenager who feels like your decisions are being made for you, or in spite of you: hang on. You do have a voice, and what you have to say matters.
PINK: Who is this book is intended for?
A: This book is first and foremost for teenagers in religious schools—especially those who might be questioning their faith, or their sexuality, or both. It’s also for teenagers who feel that their decisions are being made for them. Beyond that, I think the book will appeal to anyone who has ever had questions about religion, sexuality, or felt a conflict between the path they feel called to in life, versus the path someone else wants them to follow.
PINK: When did you start writing this book?
A: After grad school I move to L.A. to be an actor. This book grew out of my one-man shows and standup. Some of the writing I did for the stage wound up in this book, so I guess you could say I’ve been writing this off and on for thirteen years, though I didn’t start trying to write it as a book until about seven years ago.
PINK: What do your parents think about the book?
A: I don’t know. I’ve told them about it, but they haven’t asked to read it as of yet, and we haven’t discussed it. I really wanted this book to be a love note to my childhood. I am unflinchingly honest in the writing, but I love them very much. I’ve said since the day I started writing it that I want this book to be a parade, not a baseball bat.
PINK: What are you doing with your life today?
A: My boyfriend and I live in Palm Springs, about an hour and a half away from Los Angeles, and we own two rescue dogs. I mainly write books and screenplays—but I still act from time to time. I’m up for a part in a movie this summer. I have so many creative opportunities now, and all of them are a direct result of telling my story as authentic and honest as I did.  I have discovered that if I don’t like something about my life, I have the power to change it, and when I remember to do that, things get better and better.
PINK: Do you ever go back home to Kansas City?
 A: I have a tight-knit group of friends from high school that I still see every year or two in Kansas City. It’s always fun to be back and reminisce. Kansas City was a great place to grow up. It’s a beautiful city full of tree-lined boulevards and beautiful neighborhoods with fountains and plazas developed by a man named J.C. Nichols. He also helped develop Beverly Hills. There’s an excellent Equity theatre (Kansas City Rep), and lots of great support for the arts.
PINK: Do you affiliate yourself with any religion?
A: I don’t affiliate myself with any religious group. I grew up with all of the pat answers to the world’s unanswerable questions: Why are we here? Is there a God? What happens when we die? The older I’ve gotten, the less I know for sure, and the happier I’ve become. I’m just one of those people who is okay with not knowing. There are so many beautiful colors on the spectrum between black and white, and for me, the “mysteries” that organized religion claim to represent—virgin birth, atonement, resurrection—seem to pale in comparison to the true mystery of our natural universe. I love the idea of God. There’s just unfortunately a lot of baggage that comes with believing in God in the Christian fundamentalist sense.
PINK: If you could give your 15-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: Be easy on yourself. You have all of the answers inside you. It’s okay to follow your inner GPS. It will be hard, but you are stronger than you know. By finding your voice and telling your story, you’ll be able to help other people, which will make you feel better than anything else ever will.

Aaron Hartzler • Rapture Practic • To be Released April, 2013 • www.aaronhartzler.com

Gaga Feminism: Sex, Gender, and the End of Normal by J. Jack Halberstam. 

At a time when the world is changing rapidly, from economic downturns to technological advances, is it also time change our views on sex and gender? Jack Halberstam thinks so, and in Gaga Feminism he argues that that a little creative mayhem could be a very good thing for society. Using Lady Gaga the jumping off point for a new kind of feminism that rejects the old models of gender and sexuality and replaces them with something wild, visionary, and fluid; this bookcalls for feminism with fewer  constraints and more spectacle. Exploring new ways of defining gender, creating families, straying from the beaten path, Halberstam provides a new roadmap to sex and gender in the twenty-first century.

Gaga feminism does not offer hard and fast rules to live by. It is not a call to put women in positions of power, nor does it does not favor women over men. Instead it aims to recalibrate the way gender is understood. Positioning Lady Gaga as the symbol for this new way seeing the world, Halberstam discusses what the pop star signifies for those who do not wish to conform to the norms and traditions set out for men and women through politics, society, and pop culture. 

Judith "Jack" Halberstam is the author of four books including, Female Masculinity (Duke Up, 1998) and The Queer Art of Failure, (Duke Up, 2011). Currently a professor of English and Gender Studies at USC, Halberstam teaches classes in queer theory, cultural studies, film, and the arts. Halberstam also writes a blog at bullybloggers.com and has been published in outlets including The Nation and Bitch. When not writing and reading, Halberstam can be found in LA, complaining about the endless sunshine.

The World According to Wonder is the first publication from the Hollywood-based production company World of Wonder, Some of the work produced and directed by the company include fine documentaries and wired original programs, such as  Monica in Black and White, a feature documentary about Monica Lewinsky, Heidi Fleiss: Madam of Crystal and Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking, and  The Eyes of Tammy Faye. In September 2011, The Strange History of Don't Ask, Don't Tell premiered on HBO on the very day that the controversial military policy was repealed, and last the HBO documentary In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye, celebrating 120 years of Vogue, To top it all Million Dollar Listing and RuPaul's Drag Race became World of Wonder's biggest TV hit shows, and  house hold favorites.  The World According to Wonder is a book jam-packed with hundreds of photos and hilarious stories telling the history of the company and its wired productions.

The eleven chapters spread out over nearly 400 pages are filled with original shots taken by photographers Idris Rheubottom and Tony Craig of many pop culture personalities, and of many celebrity portraits that never seen before.

Written by co-founders and award-winning filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the book is not only a celebration of twenty one years of production and the people they met. It is also their life story from the time when it was the dawn of reality TV, and they track the rise of this revolutionary genre through their modest triumphs and abysmal failures, sharing their passion for telling drama stories of those on the edge of our society.

Some of those features include Pamela Anderson, Chaz Bono, Andy Cohen, Macaulay Culkin, the Duchess of York, Elvira, Linda Evangelista, Carrie Fisher, Heidi Fleiss, Larry Flynt, Perez Hilton, La Toya Jackson, Kato Kaelin, Lady Bunny, Marilyn Manson, Imelda Marcos, Kelly Osbourne, Camille Paglia, Joey Ramone, RuPaul, Chloe Sevigny, Ultra Naté, Dita von Teese, John Waters, Carnie Wilson, Holly Woodlawn, and many, other celebrities.

The World According to Wonder is the work and cutting edge product of  a twisted duo, once lovers, now old men trying to hold on to a world that has long gone called youth. This celebration of hollywood red carpet, TV personalities, Los Angeles "Want-A-Bees," and "glorious odd moments" is the ultimate in inferior psychotic creativity, dedicated to the celebration of twenty one years of their life. 

This remarkable hard cover book is available for purchase on www.Amazon.com for only $110.00.

The Raw Truth: Raw Food For Dummies® Shares Ten Reasons to Quit Cooking Your Meals
Most people don’t think of cooking their food as a bad thing. Chances are, you love baked potatoes, green bean casserole, glazed cooked carrots, and much more. Sure, you’re game for the occasional salad and veggie tray with dip, but the thought of switching to a raw foods-only diet sounds pretty radical. What would you eat, exactly? Would your diet be balanced? Would you be getting proper nutrition?

According to Cherie Soria and Dan Ladermann, authors of Raw Food For Dummies®, it might be worth your while to think outside the box (or the skillet). There are a lot more compelling reasons to go raw than you might think!

“All raw foodists have personal stories about how raw foods helped them lose weight, heal, gain more energy or mental clarity, look better, feel better, or achieve some other benefit or goal,” says Soria, co-author along with Ladermann of Raw Food For Dummies® .“This diet has even attracted celebrities including Demi Moore, Sting, Madonna, and Woody Harrelson.”

 If you’re totally unfamiliar with the raw food lifestyle, it essentially means that you eat fresh, nutrient-rich plant foods that have not been heat processed. When foods are cooked, many of their nutrients are lost.

“You can go totally raw if you’d like, or you can simply incorporate more raw foods into your existing meal plan to experience the benefits,” explains Ladermann.

Ten reasons why raw might be the way to go:
Looking and feeling better. Most people report improved health and general well-being within weeks of switching to a raw food lifestyle. The nutrient-rich raw diet is high in antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy fats (such as omega-3 fatty acids), so it maximizes health and vitality.

Reducing health risks and healing from disease. The facts are indisputable: A raw plant-based diet leads to lower risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, and obesity.

Avoiding premature aging and promoting longevity. Many raw foodists look twenty years younger than people of the same age who eat cooked foods. This youthfulness is due in part to the nutrient density of raw foods, which are rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients, and vitamins that protect the body from free radicals, which attack healthy cells.

Achieving an ideal body weight. Many people believe that the body continues to feel hungry until nutrient needs are satisfied. Therefore, even if you eat enough calories to fuel your body, you’re still hungry—for nutrients! In this situation, your metabolism slows down, you stop burning fat, and you crave more food.

Increasing energy, vitality, and stamina. When the human body is well nourished, it’s healthy and active, and has an abundance of vitality. Fats, especially heat-processed oils, slow you down because they require long periods of digestion, which steals energy from your body. Light foods, such as fruits and vegetables, digest easily and leave you with energy for activity.

Enhancing memory and mental clarity. Your brain needs nourishment, and whole, ripe, raw organic plant foods provide the power you need for strong mental acuity. The essential fats that the brain needs, such as omega-3 fatty acids, are in leafy greens, flaxseed, chia, hemp, and walnuts as well as many other raw plant foods. The human brain also needs plenty of water, magnesium, and organic sodium; whole raw foods offer an abundance of these nutrients.

Reducing colds, flus, and allergies. Most raw foodists find that their diet reduces or even eliminates their respiratory problems, colds, flus, and allergies. A raw diet is especially great for people who are intolerant of dairy, wheat, and soy because raw foods have virtually no hidden ingredients.

Forgetting about cleaning dirty pots and pans. Hallelujah! A raw diet frees you from cooking! And raw food preparation is (for the most part) quick and easy with meals that are a breeze to clean up. No greasy stoves, hot ovens, or fryers.

Demonstrating kindness to animals. Although some raw foodists do consume small amounts of meat and fish, Soria and Ladermann recommend following a raw vegan diet, which includes only plant foods. When all of your recipes are vegan, no animal suffering is involved.

Protecting the environment. A raw lifestyle supports sustainable farming, creation of healthy topsoil, protection of watersheds, and reduction of your carbon footprint. A vegan diet also protects natural resources by not contributing to the deforestation that’s inherent in the meat industry.

Published Wiley in December 2012, Raw Food For Dummies® is available at bookstores nationwide, major online booksellers, or directly from the publisher by calling (877) 762-2974. Retail $19.99

Producing flavorful and appealing desserts that are kosher has been a challenge for Jewish cooks. Without access to butter, cream, milk, cheese, yogurt, or other dairy products, creating a delicious and memorable dessert for holiday meals requires more than simple substitutions and compromises.  Paris-trained pastry chef, Paula Shoyer decided to change that.  Using all her creativity and love of dessert, she developed The Kosher Baker, the indispensable kitchen companion providing a wide range of dairy-free desserts, from family favorites and time-honored holiday classics to stylish and delicious surprises of Paula's own creation.

Line 1 large or 2 smaller cookie sheets with waxed paper and place the matzohs on top of the waxed paper. Spread the dark chocolate and nut mixture all over the matzoh slices to cover them entirely on one side with the chocolate.

Drop clumps of the melted white chocolate randomly on top of the dark chocolate. Use a toothpick to swirl the chocolates to create a marble effect. Place in the refrigerator to set for 1 hour and then break into pieces to serve.  Store in the refrigerator for six days or freeze for up to three months.

Cut the remaining strawberries in half and place in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Purée the strawberries completely, scraping down the sides of the processor bowl or blender so that all the strawberries pieces are puréed.

Place the strawberry purée in a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice and sugar and stir. Cook on medium low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts. Add the gelatin, whisk, and then remove from the heat. Strain into a medium bowl, pressing hard to get as much strawberry purée through as possible, and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, stirring twice during that time.

In bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, whip the whipping cream until stiff. Remove the strawberry purée from the refrigerator and fold in the whipped cream in four parts. Scoop the mousse evenly into the ramekins and smooth the tops with the back of a spoon. Cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

To serve, remove from the refrigerator and place a few of the rum-soaked strawberry slices on the top. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days

Recipes are From The Kosher Baker: Over 160 Dairy-Free Recipes from Tradition to Trendy by Paula Shoyer, Brandeis University Press. Paula guides home cooks through more than 160 mouth-watering recipes and expands every non-dairy baker's repertoire with simple, clear instructions and a friendly yet authoritative voice.  You don’t have to be Jewish, or even keep kosher, to love Paula’s recipes. 

If you are planning to visit Los Angeles, then  Naughty Girl’s Guide to Los Angeles is the book for you. The naughty lifestyle expert Sienna Sinclaire  covers everything saucy in her recent  travel book which offers the places you should go to, see, and do as a single naughty girl.

Sinclaire stands behind all of her naughty suggestions in her book, Naughty Girl’s Guide to Los Angeles.  With her in depth research of visiting each and every spot, Sinclaire teaches people how to live a naughty lifestyle, which just so happens to include extensive traveling.

“My passion has always been traveling and I’ve always wanted to have a job in travel, but I didn’t know exactly what,” says Sinclaire.  “So I started a travel blog where I would post all of my naughty travels around the world and people started to respond and offer suggestions.  It became so popular that I decided to write a book on Los Angeles, since this is where I live.”

In the book Sinclaire serves as a personal tour guide, leading the reader through the perfect getaway for singles, couples or just the girls. This book is intriguing and if you planning to visit Los Angeles especially if you want to discover the untypical naughty sights  of the Adult capital of the world. 

The highlights:

• Female friendly places to visit where one can feel safe and tap into your inner naughty side
• The naughty history of Hollywood and the entertainment industry
• Los Angeles – the adult capital of the world
• Where to find that motel with mirrors on the ceiling; Sexy Date spots; Best Lifestyle clubs; Best fetish spots
• New tricks to spice up your relationship
• Tour guide reference for everyone in Los Angeles, not just visitors

By Melissa Costello  

The more than 7 million vegetarians and 3 million vegans in the United States alone are proving that chowing down on planet-friendly fare not only helps them look and feel better, but it can be delicious too. In her debut cookbook, Karma Chow creator and celebrity chef, Melissa Costello shares an exciting collection of 125+ recipes that will be a welcome addition for anyone already following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle or for the growing number of people embracing more plant-based meals. As personal chef to celebrity fitness guru Tony Horton, creator of the bestselling P90X® fitness system, Melissa is constantly finding creative ways to keep Tony and her other clients happy, fit, and fueled.

With her "keep it simple" and "make it tasty" approach, she offers a smorgasbord of dairy- and animal-free appetizers and desserts, breakfasts, and dinners, as well as holiday- and company-worthy menus. Recipes include: Mac & Cheeze, Karma Burgers with Chipotle "Mayo," Thai-Style Tempeh Lettuce Wraps, Supreme-Oh Burritos, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Korean-Style Tempeh Tacos with Red Dijon Slaw, Enchilada Casserole with Ranchero Sauce, Artichoke and White Bean Dip, Cilantro Cauliflower Smash, Pad Thai in Peanut Coconut Sauce, Stuffed Mushroom Poppers, Indian Spiced Coconut Yam Soup, Chili Sweet Potato Fries, Un-Shepherd's Pie, Strawberry Crème Mousse with Pistachio Nut Topping, Banana Carob Bread Pudding, Apple/Pear Crisp, Brownie Bites, Chocolate Truffles, and Cardamom Chocolate Chippers (a Tony Horton favorite!).

About the Author:
Melissa Costello, founder of Karma Chow and creator of The Vital Life Cleanse, is the personal chef to celebrity fitness guru Tony Horton, creator of the highly popular workout system, P90X®. A Certified Nutritionist and wellness coach, Melissa is constantly finding creative ways to keep Tony and her many other clients happy, fit, and healthy through a whole foods, plant-based way of life. She works one-on-one with clients as well as leads thirty-day food-based cleanses with large groups, teaching them how to implement changes in their diet that will last a lifetime as well as offering skills on how to relate to food differently. Melissa was featured on TV Guide's Secrets of the Hollywood Body as well as CNBC's How I Made My Millions with Tony Horton.

The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook shows anyone how to reconnect with their food and honor it as Earth's source for keeping us alive—all while finding it easier to rock their workouts and sculpt a well-defined physique. It's a winning recipe for success for anyone looking to transition to a healthier way of life!

Here are two sample recipes from The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook by Melissa Costello
HCI; October 2012  • $18.95/Paperback • ISBN-13: 978-0757316333 • http://www.hcibooks.com

Euphoria Nuggets
15–20 nuggets
These energy nuggets are great to make as a snack for your kids. Actually, your kids will love to help you make them! They are loaded with protein, healthy fats, natural sugars, and flavor. They are great for marathon runners or athletes who need to restore their glycogen levels on the go. Who needs a candy bar anyway?
Karmic Health Tip: Agave nectar is a lower glycemic sweetener, but make sure you buy the raw dark blue agave to ensure the least amount of processing.

1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
⅓ cup pitted dates
½ cup almonds
⅓ cup raw dark blue agave nectar
3–5 tablespoons raw cacao powder 
Pinch of nutmeg and/or cinnamon 
Pinch of sea salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: In a food processor, process the sunflower seeds and dates into a fine meal. Add the remaining ingredients and process until sticky and blended together. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to harden and then roll into one-inch balls.

Indian-Spiced Coconut Yam Soup 
8 servings
I love Indian fare and I love yams, so I’ve combined the two together to make a dreamy, creamy, delicious soup that will light up your taste buds and transport you right to Marrakesh . . . well, maybe not, but dreaming is fun!
Karmic Health Tip: Coconut oil is loaded with medium-chain fatty acids that help you burn fat and speed up your metabolism, and it is also great to use directly on your skin. I leave a jar in the shower for an après shower smoothing.

1 tablespoon coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced 
2 celery stalks, diced 
1 medium yellow onion, diced 
2 teaspoons garam masala 
3 large carrots, diced 
3 large garnet yams, peeled and cubed 
4 cups vegetable broth or bullion (2 cubes with 4 cups water) 
1 15-ounce can coconut milk 
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste 
Cinnamon

Directions: Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and sauté the ginger, garlic, celery, and onion until translucent and soft. Add the garam masala and stir to combine to release the flavor of the spice. Add the carrots, yams, and veggie broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cover. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the yams are soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Puree using a hand blender until creamy smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with cinnamon, to taste, before serving.