Speaker and author Darlene Ellison’s existence was turned upside down five years ago by a “kick in the gut” when her ex-husband was arrested in an FBI pedophile sting operation years in the making. Today she has turned her life around and her book The Predator Next Door: Detect, Protect and Recover from Betrayal is winning accolades and awards from critics, readers and audiences across the country.

Her book will be recognized at the Book Expo of America (BEA) May 25-27 for taking first prize with a 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Award in the Autobiography category. The Predator Next Door will be listed in the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards catalog that will be given to thousands of attendees at the Book Expo of America including book buyers, library representatives, media, industry professionals and others. Winners will also be honored at a special reception at the Plaza Hotel on May 25.

This is the second industry award earned for her book. Last May Ellison and her publishing house HTA Books were also recognized at BEA for winning a Gold 2009 National Independent Publisher Book Award for The Predator Next Door in the True Crime category.

“Winning this award from among the numerous entries submitted by other independent publishers is an honor and a testament to the careful attention HTA Books takes with each of its authors,” said Ellison who is also the owner of HTA (High Touch Alliance) Books.

“We are currently working with several female authors whose books represent the 'high touch' approach that is our mission in publishing. HTA Books are by women for women and are designed to help motivate women to be their best selves.”

The publishing house was born when Ellison was inspired by her own experience to help other women give voice to their moving and life-changing stories. The Predator Next Door, published in 2009, was the first book with several more due out in 2010 and 2011.

“The Predator Next Door is a book that crosses categories and touches readers on different levels,” says Ellison. “Often after speaking, someone will approach me and tell me they couldn’t put the book down because of the drama of the personal story. It happened to me and sometimes I still can’t believe it. The exciting message is not what happened to me; but that it is possible to rebound back from huge betrayals and disappointments.”

Ellison speaks nationally on a range of professional growth and protection topics from becoming a high touch leader, overcoming obstacles, and success for professional women, to betrayal recovery, child abuse prevention and protection from predators. She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC News’ “20/20”, Dateline NBC’s “To Catch a Predator,” and many more national and local TV and radio shows as well as newspapers and magazines about her story and her book. More information on her speaking topics is available at: www.darleneellison.com.

The Predator Next Door is available for a list price of $14.95 at www.predatornextdoor.com and www.amazon.com. To request a review copy or to arrange an interview, please contact Lesley Hensell at 817-797-0910 or lesley@promotesuccesspr.com.

To arrange for Darlene Ellison to speak to your group, contact darlene@darleneellison.com. Photos and media materials are available at www.tinyurl.com/predatorbook.

About the Indie Book Awards

The Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in 60 different categories, for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (www.IBPPG.com) in cooperation with Marilyn Allen of Allen O'Shea Literary Agency. The awards program is open to fiction and nonfiction books from independent authors and publishers worldwide released in 2009 or 2010 or with a copyright date of 2009 or 2010. More information at: www.indiebookawards.com.

Paperback: Self-Help, Autobiography

ISBN#: 978-0-9822864-0-1