Local Author Writes to Help the Homeless

October 2016

For Immediate Release . . .

Contact: D. Helene

dhelene42@yahoo.com

LOCAL AUTHOR WRITES TO HELP THE HOMELESS

Irvine, CA: Local author D. Helene was almost homeless several times in 2014. This experience, coupled with knowing several other people in the middle class who have experienced homelessness recently, inspired her second novel, The (In)Elegant Struggle of Breaking Paradigms (Or Back in OC: Almost Homeless).

She is now using this novel as a platform to help OC organizations that help the homeless. Through speaking engagements and book signings, D. Helene is contributing a percentage of the profits of the books she sells to various organizations that help the homeless.

While Orange County, like the rest of the country, has made a significant recovery since the recession, many in the middle class on down are still just a paycheck or two away from homelessness. D. Helene understands that homelessness is typically a chronic problem, catalyzed by unemployment/underemployment and debt.

This novel explores this paradigm through the lens of the main character, Toni Kelly, as she struggles with all these things, to find stable housing in OC, and in the process, endures a litany of challenging living situations – rife with strife and dysfunction. Through it all, she maintains a spiritual practice and a sense of humor that helps her cope.

Helene knows that homelessness can affect anyone, especially in OC where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1750/month, the cost of living is 46% higher than the national average and the poverty rate is 24.3%.

The (In)Elegant Struggle of Breaking Paradigms (Or Back in OC: Almost Homeless) is the sequel to Diary of a 99%-er: The Struggle Between Survival and Creative Expression. This novel introduced the character of Toni Kelly and her struggle to stay afloat financially while expressing herself creatively. It addressed the themes of poverty consciousness, income inequality and live-work balance. The “99%” are the majority of Americans, who have to work for a living and often struggle to keep a roof over their heads. They are mentioned as a demographic, in contrast to the “1%”, the top 1% of the population, financially speaking, where the wealth is concentrated.

AUTHOR BIO:

D. Helene is a journalist, author and yoga teacher. Her two novels shine a light on the middle class and the homeless in Orange County – demographics that typically do not get a lot of attention in comparison to the media attention showered on the gorgeous beaches, tourist attractions, upscale shopping and lifestyle, and TV shows like the Real Housewives of Orange County.

Helene is also a member of the Mont Order, an affiliation of dissident writers and groups, who share similar views on transnationalism and transhumanism.

Review from Midwest Book Review:

Impressively well written from beginning to end, "Diary of a 99%-er: The Struggle Between Survival and Creative Expression" is a compelling read that is as thoughtful and thought provoking as it is insightful and entertaining. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library literary fiction collections.”

Review from The BookLife Prize in Fiction:

The (In)Elegant Struggle of Breaking Paradigms is “colorful and fast-paced.”

Both books can be ordered as paperbacks or e-books through Amazon.com:

Diary of a 99%-er: https://www.amazon.com/DIARY-99-er-Struggle-Survival-Expression/dp/1501009303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477247856&sr=8-1&keywords=diary+of+a+99%25-er

The (In)Elegant Struggle of Breaking Paradigms: https://www.amazon.com/Elegant-Struggle-Breaking-Paradigms-Homeless/dp/1537740431/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477247901&sr=8-1&keywords=the+in+elegant+struggle+of+breaking+paradigms