Beyond the Threshold

“Our choices in life, and the power of forgiveness, are the themes in this absorbing bildungsroman, the follow up to A HERO DREAMS, that follows troubled hero Ricky Williamson from his childhood in the 1970s up to the dawn of the new millennium. The assault he endured as a child has left its mark on his personality, and he has had deep problems at work and eventually looks to get back at the people who have hurt him. But a mysterious boy named David suddenly appears in his life—or at least in his mind—forcing Ricky to face his past, and helps him remake his life for a better future.”
—BookLife Reviews

“Mark Ristau's BEYOND THE THRESHOLD is a provocative, enlightening read. [His] well-crafted writing takes both his characters and readers to the edge.”
—IndieReader Reviews

“Following in the footsteps of Charles Dickens, Mark Ristau takes a young man on an intense and magical journey, revealing what his life had been, what it has come to, and what it might be. In this novel we come to see the stories we tell ourselves and how to break out of them by going BEYOND THE THRESHOLD."
—Mary Logue, author of the Claire Watkins mysteries and THE STREEL

“Author Ristau deftly entwines memoir-like realism with a mysterious supernatural plotline. Vivid prose and deeply emotional scenes draw you in, and the mystical storyline sets the hook. Ultimately, a poignant and introspective journey of self-discovery.”
—Kevin A. Kuhn, award-winning author of DO YOU REALIZE?

"BEYOND THE THRESHOLD reveals the extreme pain and daunting struggles many young people face daily as they battle the invisible pain of adversity. Author Mark Ristau masterfully exposes the trauma, gnawing pain and invisible damage so many people encounter. A true challenge in writing such a story is to make it palatable to the reader. Ristau succeeds beyond expectation by using his words to masterfully paint beautiful scenes and intriguing, believable characters. BEYOND THE THRESHOLD exposes the challenge of invisible wounds for all to see.
—CAPT. JIM KOSMO

Author & Speaker

Winner of 16 national book awards

Past President, Rotary Club of St. Paul (2013-14)

Former Mayor, City of Bayport, MN

www.JimKosmo.com

“[Author Mark] Ristau plays with alternate realities that ground the story in energy’s persistent truth—and the stories we tell ourselves to grasp the transient power of being human. By challenging our perceptions of age, time and history, the story reminds us that thresholds are only as limiting as we make them.”
—Kate Towle, author of SWEET BURDEN OF CROSSING

"BEYOND THE THRESHOLD is a work of spiritual/visionary fiction that does a convincing and heart-warming job of showing that you can be successful and prosper, regardless of the scars of the past. Thirty-five-year-old Ricky Williamson is going through the motions of life, bound by his past, old beliefs, misconceptions, and fears. He feels betrayed by the world for all the wrongs he thinks have been done to him, and he seeks a chance to get even. What will it take to convince him that the moment when everything collapsed in his life wasn’t the end but signaled a new beginning?”
—Margaret Duarte, author of BETWEEN WILL AND SURRENDER

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Facebook Author Page, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, LinkedIn

MAILING LIST: Street team mailing list

PRESS KIT: RMA Publicity Press Kit, including Press Release, Author Bio, Suggested Questions, and Testimonials

MEDIA LIST: RMA Publicity's Twin Cities Media List and National Book Reviewers List; Alumni magazines for the following institutions: St. Paul Academy & Summit School, University of St. Thomas, University of Iowa College of Law, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

LAUNCH PARTY: Launch Party will be scheduled in September 2022 and take place in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

SPECIAL EVENTS: Twin Cities Book Festival (Fall 2022, pending confirmation of dates), Rosemount Writers Festival & Book Fair (March 2023, pending confirmation of dates)

PUBLIC SPEAKING / APPEARANCES: Radio and television appearances, Local Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, Libraries in the Twin Cities area

CONFERENCES: IBPA Annual Publishing University (spring 2023), ALA Annual Conference (2023)

VISITS TO SCHOOLS, ORGS, ETC: Local libraries, book signings at bookstores, and book club appearances

BOOKSTORE EVENTS: RMA Publicity will set up multiple events at local bookstores (Barnes & Noble and independents).

EVENT PROMOTION: Author website, social media, email marketing campaign, RMA Publicity

COLLATERAL: Author business cards, postcards, bookmarks, signage

STREET TEAM: Friends and family in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and Naples Florida. Over 2,000 Facebook friends, over 700 followers of my Facebook Author Page, and over 1,000 professional colleagues and connections on LinkedIn

AWARDS/ HONORS SEEKING: BookLife Prize in Fiction (Publishers Weekly), Foreward Magazine's Book of the Year Awards, IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, Eric Hoffer Book Award, IPPY Independent Publisher Book Awards, National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA), Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Best Book Awards, Midwest Book Awards (MIPA)

OTHER PROMO OPPORTUNITIES: E-mail Marketing Campaign with Lead Magnet (MailChimp)