Out of the Transylvania Night Official Book Release at Barnes & Noble & Review
October 26, 2010 by Esteban Escobar
Filed under Entertainment, Events, Featured
On Saturday, October 23, 2010 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Bettie Youngs Books Publishing Company held “Out of the Transylvania Night: A Story of Tyranny, Freedom, Love and Identity”, This was the Official Book Signing at the famous Barnes and Noble in the Miracle Mile area in Los Angeles, CA.
“I think that people create stories with their well-crafted words, but also stories create people. I felt that my plight, my struggles, and my achievements have created emotional bridges with so many of my fans and friends and with new people I never met before. The book signing at Barnes and Noble, at The Grove, on Oct 23, 2010 was a success due to my amazing core of good souls who have been following me and treasuring me for who I am in reality. Thanks to William Brown and Bettie B. Youngs, the orchestrators of my book signing and to my audience, the message was spread and hearts were touched. I was humbled by the number of guests who showed up, and I was more than honored to have had so many fans to deliver my message to.” Said Aura Imbarus, Author, PhD and Educator.
“Out of the Transylvania Night”, the book written by Author, PhD and Educator Aura Imbarus, shows lots of courage, independence, will, dreams and freedom. Living in a communist country is not easy because you feel scared of your own birth soil. It is hard to believe that in Romania, a country in eastern Europe, people lost their freedom and dreams. I can relate to the author because my country also was run during a time where gun shots, protests and people were forced to join the communist party. So like in Romania and my country, citizens needed to think of ways to escape from the nightmare and run away to a better life in another country, This wasn’t easy, because in a new country you have other issues, like how to adjust to the lifestyle, the new language, culture, laws, and everything else a foreigner has to learn.
“Sometimes things are better untold, but in that case nobody is going to know what happened, why, and what for. My life story gives people and inside peak into the world of communism, so-called equality, while opening up the eyes of the ones who have never lived under dictatorship. It is never too late to call a spade a spade. We all have a past, and our present lies on it: good or bad it is what it is and hopefully we learned from it, and we will not repeat the same mistakes. People need to be exposed to the ups and downs of the American Dream, to its sacrifices, to the world of immigration, to stringent women empowerment issues, to the cruel world of cancer and a passive world that is not doing much to cure so much suffering. My book is an eye opener for the ones who want to see, for the ones who want to listen to the voice of an immigrant, who started with two pieces of luggage and a huge dream.” Ms. Imbarus concluded.
It is very good to see that author Aura Imbarus did have lots of courage to accomplish her goals in her country and move on to a unknown country where she was thinking that the American Dream would be easily accomplished. But when she dreamed about the USA and the beautiful life, she was in for a big disappointment. Lots of people in foreign countries think that by moving to the USA, life will be so glamorous and magical. However, the real truth and reality is that it is not easy. Like author Aura Imbarus, foreigners with high education have to start from the bottom and take about 3 to 4 jobs to be able to pay their rent, medical insurance, transportation, car payment, car insurance, food, bills and other daily necessities in the USA. So, she did not have time to enjoy her life because she had to work hard for long hours to pay for her living expenses. Sadly, that is the life here in the USA. If you’re thinking that you will have a great life in the USA, think twice because the only way you can have the great, magical and glamorous life is to come with money or have a good paying job. The cost of living here in the USA, particularly areas like Los Angeles, New York, and Miami is sky high. Many people need to have more than two jobs just to make end meet.
Thanks to technology and the internet, now people can see the dark side of the other countries and the difficulties of starting over in new countries like the USA. Author Aura Imbarus is contributing to our society by letting you open your eyes and sharing her true story in her book “Out of the Transylvania Night”, from leaving her nightmare country to the big disappointments since arriving on American soil.
Reading “Out of the Transylvania Night” is something that you need to do. Many immigrants here in the USA have come to this country for many reasons. Some came because when they were in their country they would see their neighbors receiving goods and money from their USA relatives. They did have any idea of how hard those people were working here in the USA and how difficult it was to learn the system.
Some book authors out there really share the truth like Aura Imbarus of “Out of the Transylvania Night”. Others don’t and they have their reasons. Some are creative and they are making a living by writing books, but every author is different. The one that is really getting a big slice of the cake is the book publisher because the author/writer gets a percentage and has to wait for about a year before they see some earnings of so many hours of hard work in promoting and making appearances to get the word out about their art.
“Out of the Transylvania Night” event was hosted and held at Barnes & Noble, at The Grove by the Farmers Market located at 189 Grove Drive Suite K 30 in Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Per event organizers around 128 people showed up on a capricious weather, beating the raindrops and the LA traffic. Many thanks to all the ones who showed their support for the Pulitzer Prize entry memoir “Out of the Transylvania Night.” The book is available at B&N, at The Grove, and on line on Amazon.com, right in time for the holidays.
About Author Aura Imbarus:
Aura Imbarus, PhD, is an educator, professional speaker, a former popular journalist in Europe and the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Out of the Transylvania Night: A Story of Tyranny, Freedom, Love and Identity. Aura was born in Sibiu,Romania and was educated at the famed Octavian Goga High School. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Modern Languages. Aura earned a MA in English Professional Consulting Literature at Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu, Transylvania, and Romania. She also earned a PhD in Romance Languages-Philology under the tutelage of Professor Dumitru Ciocoi-Pop, PhD, who wrote the foreword for her book. For more information visit http://www.auraimbarus.com
About Out of the Transylvania Night:
Explores tyranny and freedom, love, success, and the price paid for misaligned dreams in an epic tale of identity and the human spirit. It is a deftly woven narrative about finding greater meaning and fulfillment in a free world, and an exploration of how social issues affect the human spirit. An incredibly powerful memoir.
Story published first on Examiner.com
Editor’s Note: Story was proofread by Linda Krongold, our New York, NY Special Correspondent For Diversity News. For more information you can contact her at andmeljar@aol.com
Photos Courtesy of Jeff Knight from Jeff Knight Photography, Diversity News Publications and Author Aura Imbarus for Diversity News Publications & Hollywood Events Examiner. (C) 2010 By Diversity News Publications, Aura Imbarus and Jeff Knight Photography. All Rights Are Reserved.
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Author, Educator and Celebrity Aura Imbarus Featured on The Eerie Digest Magazine For the Month of October 2010
We knew about this special feature edition and we were so excited to wait for it. So Now here is again with permission of the publisher from The Eerie Digest Magazine we republish the following feature. Please leave a comment or anything and we will deliver to your idol. Thanks
Interview with Aura Imbarus
ED- The Eerie Digest is happy to present author Aura Imbarus to all our readers. Aura, you originally hail from Romania and moved to Los Angeles. Your book ‘Out of the Transylvania Night’ is about your epic journey from that land to ours. Tell us about your beginnings in Eastern Europe and the impact it has had on your life.
AI- I was born and raised in Transylvania, in Sibiu, a city that was named Cultural Capital of Europe in 2007, and was considered by Forbes the 8th most idyllic place to live in Europe. The architecture and the history of my homeland is more than intriguing, not necessarily due to Dracula or Vlad Dracul under his real name, but because of the Bran, Hunedoara, Peles, Rasnov, Fagaras castles and Sighisoara, Biertan, Sibiu, Brasov, medieval towns and citadels. The region of Transylvania has a rich historic heritage, from ancient fortresses and temples to medieval towns, churches and castles to renaissance and baroque palaces. Some of the castles and fortresses perished, many lie in ruins, and some have endured throughout the passing of time, witnesses of a glorious as well as turbulent history. Transylvania, which means the land beyond the forest, was first referred to in a Medieval Latin document in 1075 as ultra silvam. Surrounded by nature, legends and folktales, I grew up in a Romanian family of Greek roots, whose named was mentioned by prime ministers and famous historian in the annals of history. The Imbarus family was stripped of its properties, acres of arable land, green pastures and orchids, houses and money, their carriage transportation businesses, and order to join the Communist Party, like many other families. My Dad never yield while my uncles crossed the borders illegally, being caught and sent to Gherla, the most notorious prisons for political detainees. Our family was blacklisted for having ties with the west, Western Germany where my uncles, after a successful escape, settled down and talked against the regime on Free Europe Radio Station. Even if life during the Communist regime was harsh with rationed food, electricity and gas being monitored while the quota per family was cut down to the bare minimum, with the vision of long lines of people waiting as early as 3am to buy a litter of milk and a loaf of bread for their whole family, I was given an early education and care by my amazing grandparents and my parents. They taught me to be myself, no matter what, to believe in a brighter tomorrow and to educate myself to become “somebody.” I had their wholeheartedly support in being a rebel in the way I dressed myself, using my own creations, I dyed my hair in pink and green, and I thought and acted accordingly.
ED- Life was extremely hard there, but your dreams for a better life had a great influence on your decision to come to America. Tell us how you prepared yourself for this move, and your own future.
AI- My parents have given me the wings to fly high, and the hopes that one day my life will change. Since I was five years old, I was tutored in foreign languages, even if that was forbidden by the regime, for Romania didn’t have any ties with the western world. I was sent to ballet, volleyball, and track-and-field. I was taught how to paint and draw, and how to use my creativity in each and every small thing I did. They have given me the reason to be, to love, and to live life to the fullest. Since I was fourteen, I have been constantly telling my parents that I will end up in the country with big palm trees and never-ending blue waters and clear skies. I knew that my life will not unfold in Romania, and, one way or another, I will end up in the US. It has been my vision and my dream to live in LA. I applied for the Green Card Lottery in 1996, a targeted immigration program, and I was one of the 55,000 winners, out of a pool of 8 million applicants. My vision became reality; in 1997, on May 7, I landed in LA, the City of Angeles with two pieces of luggage and a huge American Dream ready to tackle.
ED- Tell us about your education overseas and your continuing education once you arrived here.
AI- My Romanian education was given in the most possible Spartan ways. I had fifteen subjects in high school, a tough high school entrance exam, a seven-subject test as a high school exit exam. My life depended on all of these tests in order to move on to the next level. As a student you were held back until you would pass all the tests and prove that you mastered all the grade related subjects. When I was admitted to college, it was based on a strenuous entrance exam made out of three subjects. During each winter and summer exam sessions, I would loose fifteen pounds in the all nighters, pulled one after the other. My summer reading list consisted of minimum twenty books that I would have to devour without Cliffnotes, Sparknotes, and Internet. It was brutal, but it was the best type of education I have ever encountered in my life. My BA, MA and my PhD found their equivalency in the American educational system; on top of that, I went to UCLA to receive TESOL, TEFL and CLAD credentials.
ED- You then endeavored to teach others upon graduation. Tell us about this part of your life.
AI- Teaching is the best way of learning new things or refresh your mind when is coming down to old ones. I have always loved people, and the ability to inspire others has been one of the primal focuses of my life. Teaching relies on psychology, and I had had numerous hours in this subject and in teaching methodology. The human mind is the most intricate thing that was ever created, and to be able to mold it into the final product you want to achieve is a challenging journey. I loved and love humans and their happiness is my happiness, and from there comes the desire to share by teaching and spreading knowledge, while absorbing positive energy in return. In Transylvania, I used to teach for my alma mater in Sibiu, Lucian Blaga University, while embracing journalism. Here in the US, I have been teaching for the public educational system, and I can say that it has been a remarkable journey that has given me many satisfactions.
ED- Tell us about your life style here and how it affected you and your writing.
AI- My life style was altered when I first came to the US, for I started with 400 dollars in a bank account. I worked for the hotel industry for a year, adding American experience under my belt. It was not easy to leave a house, a nice car, a great assistant professor position, a certain status that I had in Transylvania, and come here to start from square one. My rollercoaster journey has given me the facts, the tearful stories all gathered in my memoir “Out of the Transylvania Night,” which has three parts dealing with my life in Romania during the communist regime, after the fall of Ceausescu, and my life in the US, chasing the American Dream and the house with the white picket fences. Each experience was the headstone for another path, another tunnel that I really didn’t know where and how is going to end. Being away from my family has not been easy, even if our phone conversations happened daily. My emotions transpire in my rapidly-paced writing, giving away my desires, my inabilities, my internal struggles, my mistakes and regrets, my love and admiration for people I came in contact with.
ED- Your book is inspirational. Please share this, and the story in the book, with all of us.
AI- “Out of the Transylvania Night” has many layers, starting with cultural, social, mystical, and economical and, of course, last but not least, a love story. It represents the pursue of happiness and the achievement of the American Dream, the ups and downs of a fast-paced life in the city that never sleeps – Los Angeles. It deploys the coming together and the falling apart scenes of a family of immigrants who lost the vision, love, and care in the process of blending in and keeping up with the Joneses. A story of a Transylvanian Cinderella, it is also a portrayal of life’s dreams and resolutions in the New World, premonitions and déjà-vu, Transylvania’s existence and categorical life imperatives. As love furtively sneaks out when you least expect it, it also creeps in at the right time on the wings of hope. The memoir summarizes human’s desires in an ever-changing world, more demanding and strenuously competitive, where money and material possessions would, for a while, dominate my existence, only to dissipate as dreams vanish at the crack of dawn, into a more rooted and logically supported existence plagued by ethics, intelligence, charisma and sensibility. It has something for everybody and it pertains to any culture and religion, any background and financial status.
ED- Where can we find it and who is the publisher?
AI- The book’s official release date is Sept 27, but readers can already find it in Barnes and Noble and Borders stores, on line, on Amazon.com, and on my website: www.auraimbarus.com My publisher is an accomplisher writer, former university professor and administrator, Dr Bettie. B Youngs. She is the critically acclaimed author of thirty-six books translated into twenty-four languages. Dr. Youngs is a former Teacher-of-the-Year, and University Professor of Educational Administration and Management, Graduate Division. Though Bettie’s earlier work focused on education and developmental issues for youth, family and educators, in recent years she is best known for her series of poignantly written short-story books that clearly and warmly elucidate the human spirit, captivating the American psyche and winning her wide-range appeal with audiences young and old alike. Bettie is the recipient of numerous publishing awards, including having an Imprint bearing her name. She is Founder and CEO of Bettie Youngs Books Publishing Co. www.BettieYoungsBooks.com
and Founder and co-publisher of Teen Town Press, an imprint for teens.
ED- Please reveal some of the accolades that have been bestowed on this work by some of the most renowned critics in America.
AI – The main endorser of my book is Nadia Comaneci, the Olympic gold medalist who said that, “Aura’s courage shows the degree to which we are all willing to live lives centered on freedom, hope, and an authentic sense of self. Truly a love story!”
What People Are Saying about This Book . . .
Unforgettable! This book gives the pioneer spirit courage and the brave heart bravado.
—Adrian Maher, filmmaker, Discovery Channel
If you grew up hearing names like Tito, Mao, and Ceausescu but really didn’t understand their significance, read this book!
—Mark Skidmore, Paramount Pictures
A remarkable account erasing a past, but not an identity. Thought-provoking, inspirational—and comforting.
—Todd Greenfield, 20th Century Fox Studios
This book is sure to find its place in memorial literature of the world.
—Beatrice Ungar, editor-in-chief, Hermannstädter Zeitung
Out of the Transylvania Night is a compelling and spelling-binding story of a fiercely independent young woman growing up at the height of worldwide Communist power and then the rapid fall of the Iron Curtain. We must never forget what her story ultimately teaches . . .
—Sharrie Williams, author, The Maybelline Story—and the Spirited Family Dynasty behind It
Under Communism, Aura’s family lost its fortune but kept their jewels. Under capitalism, she made a fortune and lost the jewels. And then lost the fortune as well. Such is the paradox found within the pages of this amazing and unforgettable story.
—Lindy Hudis, producer, Impact Motion Pictures
We all have much to learn about freedom; certainly anyone born without it will search until they find it. This is an incredible story about pain, strength, courage, defiance, and healing.
—David Haspel, producer
Out of the Transylvania Night presents an emotional journey through both free and closed societies, revealing how freedom is also found in the self and not only the destination.
—Ilie T. Ardelean, founding chairman and president, Romanian-American Professional Network (RAPN)
Out of the Transylvania Night is an exciting and truly memorable search for personal freedom.
—Alexander R. Marmureanu, MD, president and CEO, California Heart and Lung Surgery Center, UCLA Medical Center
To remember is a tedious, hurtful process, especially if you lived what us Romanians did. Many of us prefer to forget and to erase, once for all, those humiliating memories. But, can you really annul your childhood? Aura’s capacity to remember and to dream makes this a book for all who, at one point or another, need to restart or reboot their lives—and in her case, to find a new country to call “home.”
—Daniela Crasnaru, famous Romanian poet
There are many beautiful places in the world, and I’m sure this book will put Romania on your list of “must see” countries. Aura’s story is an eye-opener about the beauty and richness of the culture and people of Romania, and I applaud her for sharing these experiences with us.
—Mike Costache, president, Miss Universe Romania Organization
Out of the Transylvania Night reveals, beyond all doubt, the power and range of an individual’s voice to be heard above the noise of dissent and the struggle to reign over oppression.
—Prof. Rajen Vurdien, PhD, Saddleback College, and former diplomat, United Nations Development Program language coordinator in China
Out of the Transylvania Night is a testament to the majesty of the human spirit to see how far we will go to triumph over oppression and adversity. We are better for the journey through this book.
—Catalina Popescu, Romanian celebrity, founder of the famous Catalina Bar and Grill Jazz Club
ED- Is there a possibility of a film for your book?
AI- Yes, the book had been presented to the entertainment industry, and the negotiations are in full speed; we hope to reach a deal by the end of this year.
ED- You also have another book out for younger people. Please tell us about it.
AI- My second book, “101 Great Ways to Make the World a Totally Awesome Place – By Teens For Teens.” Today’s teens have a lot to say about how our world can be a safer, kinder, better place to be. In this book, I compiled as a high school educator extraordinaire, stories about the most stringent issue teens from around the country deal with; they share their vision for creating a better world and ideas on how we can go about it.
ED- Aura, your book is certainly inspirational and many people today should find it in their interest to read it. We wish you much luck and hope the best for you in the future. I thank you for sharing your time with us and hope that we can hear from you again in the near future.
Source and story printed with permission of Diversity News Publisher Affiliate: The Eerie Digest Magazine at http://www.eeriedigest.com/wordpress/2010/10/interview-with-aura-imbarus/
Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Aura Imbarus and yes we agree with many of her fans the her book soon will become a motion picture movie. Congratulations!
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