Bigg Marv Prepares To Host Events At Fort Irwin In California

Bigg Marv, the co-star of the hit reality show HAMMERTIME on A&E, is working with the organization MISSION ONE VOICE and hosting events at Fort Irwin in California on Sept. 24,25th.

Known for his background in music and the entertainment industry, Bigg Marv will be hosting events and giving back to the community that he is a part of. "My dad was in the army," says Bigg Marv. "I'm excited about the work that Mission One Voice is doing to bring attention to the soldiers and their families and doing something for the community as well." (This is the second time Marv has teamed up with Mission One Voice in events like this. The first time was a concert for the troops and their families in New York featuring Ne-Yo in July 2011.)

On Saturday, September 24th Bigg Marv will be hosting the MCSC Chili Cook-Off. This will take place at the Irwin Town Center and will include performances by recording artists Hip Kitty and Tommy Stanley.

On Sunday, September 25th Bigg Marv will be one of the judges during the Cali Swag Car Show.

For more information about the events and how the public can be involved visit www.missiononevoice.org or www.fortirwinfmwr.com. To keep in touch with Bigg Marv and his upcoming events follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/biggmarv.

The September Issue Of Conversations Magazine Revealed

Shadow Play Entertainment is pleased to announce that the September issue of Conversations Magazine is now available, and for Editor-In-Chief Cyrus Webb it is one of his proudest moments for the publication. "Our team delivered something amazing with this one," says the 36 year old Mississippi native. The September issue is not just a continuation of our mission, it's a true testament to what we stand for."

One of the articles that makes the newest issue of Conversations Magazine unique is its look at President Barack Obama and his job performance thus far. This marks the first time in the publication's five year history that it has addressed the issue of politics. "It's not something that was easy for me to do," admits Webb. "I had avoided politics and covering politicians in the past because I didn't want the magazine to just be about my thoughts and opinions about elected officials." The way Webb was able to address it in the September issue was by posing a question and inviting individuals of all walks of life to reach out and share their views.

Another area where the magazine ventured into new territory was by showcasing the needs of veterans and their families once their tour of duty has ended. "With the 10 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks around the corner I wanted to do something to remind people that our freedom isn't free," says Webb. "There are some people who pay the ultimate cost for the life we are afforded, and I wanted to bring some attention to that and what they have to go through.

Here is a sneak peek INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

* From Me To You
* Mary's Motivational Message: Soul Mate Friends
* "Falling In Love With YOU" by Cyrus Webb
*"The Legacy of Reading Rainbow" by Cyrus Webb
*"Murder, Suicide or Natural Causes? The Death of Today's Music and Book Stores"
*Remembering Bestselling Author L. A. Banks
*PROFILE: Ed Wiseman, Producer/Director of Reading Rainbow
*"Reading Rainbow's Passport Around The World Through Books" by Eddie Brown
*PROFILE: Chaplains Bill and Anne Bowman
*"Remembering (and Respecting) Our Veterans" by Chaplain Bill Bowman
*PROFILE: Author Steven Janke
*Acting on Faith: Ryan Kolbe
*"Dating and Relationships in 2011" by Meg Collins
*In Remembrance: Author Nathaniel "Nati" Holmes
* Kenneth Worth: A Life Of Hard Times and Great Blessings
*POETRY: "Surrounded" by Alexander Gibson
*POETRY: "Have You Ever?" by Alexander Gibson
*Model Citizen: Tyler Townsend
*Model Citizen: Mathurin Owona
*Model Citizen: Lauren Eichhorn
*"Once Upon A Time In The Time Of The Nazis" by Jo Ann Bender
*"Ageless Journey: Not A Nightmare" by Helene Weinberger
*JACKSON JUGGERNAUTS; Reaping The Rewards of Faithfulness
*"Kim Vazquez: New From the Inside Out"
*"Appreciating The Moment: The LaShunda Lewis Jones Story"
*"PROFILE: Poet Carolyn M. Rodgers" by Tony Lindsay
*Author Michael Hicks: Tweeting His Way To Literary Success
"Change You Can Believe In: The Jason Sole Story"

To read some of the articles online, simply visit www.conversationsmag.com. To order your copy of the September issue of Conversations Magazine for only $6.99, shipping included, click here.

Interested in getting a year subscription (12 issues) for only $24.99, shipping included? Click here.

CONVERSATIONS: Feeding your love of life!

From Me To You

So much has happened since the last time I wrote to you, and unfortunately not all of it has been good.

Two authors that I not only had the pleasure of interviewing on the radio but also considered friends passed away during the month of August. One was New York Times bestselling author L. A. Banks and the other was 26 year old rising star author Nathaniel "Nati" Holmes. Both will be missed and given a tribute in this issue, but they also inspired the message of this letter to you.

All of us are building on our legacy each day that we are here on this earth. I have come to understand more and more, however, that what is really important is how much we have been able to affect others and the world after we are gone. Not all of us will be elected officials or run Fortune 500 companies. This doesn't mean that we can't still make a difference and affect people in a way that will leave them better than how we found them.

In this issue of Conversations I thought it was important to speak to you in a more personal way through issues that matter to you. In the United States much of the summer has been spent looking at the political theatre that has been going on and the inability of our elected officials to focus on that which matters the most to us.

I also wanted to discuss the importance of love in our lives and how we can begin to feel better not just about ourselves but those around us. For those who have never felt worthy of love I think you will even find something for yourself that will hopefully make you feel a little better about yourself.

As you can tell from the cover story I also wanted to address the very real problem that is affecting brick and mortar stores, specifically music and book stores. I turned to you, the reader, for your insight, and I think you will find quite a bit that will contribute to the debate and discussion.

Finally there is a fitting tribute to what I consider to be one of the best learning programs on television: Reading Rainbow. We are using this issue to give you the thoughts of other fans and even talk with one of the producers of the popular show.

In all I want the sense of urgency that I feel to be something that you are able to relate to as well. I want you to close this magazine and be ready to see how you can began to make changes today, no matter where you are int he world and where you feel like you are in life. Life is short, and I would like to believe that none of us want to waste the precious time that we have been so generously given.

As always, I welcome your feedback as well as your suggestions for future issues and interviews. Is there a topic you would like to see us cover or do you have a comment on something we have addressed in the past. Feel free to contact me directly at cawebb4@juno.com or 601.896.5616.

Until next time, happy reading!


Cyrus Webb, Editor-In-Chief

Kenneth Worth: A Life Of Hard Times and Great Blessings

by Cyrus Webb

Author Kenneth Worth and I were connected during the summer of 2008 when he began the marketing campaign for his book HARD TIMES AND GREAT BLESSINGS. I had not heard of him or his book before the email that brought us together, but once I read it in July 2008 it's message was one that I find myself going to time and again. I think we have all had those days when we feel as though nothing is going right. From the moment we get up in the morning to the time we retire to bed, one would think the world has been against us the entire time.

A little dramatic? I would say so. But it doesn't stop us from looking for reasons to feel sorry for ourselves and try and get others to do the same.

If you have been one of those who feels as though the sky is falling on top of you, then HARD TIMES AND GREAT BLESSINGS is a book you need to not only read but memorize.

This autobiography reminds me much of the biblical account concerning the man Job. He was a man who had been greatly blessed and was forced to suffer great loss, but remained true to his faith along the way. Worth has done the same. In writing this book he opened his life up to us and revealed the real life of the man behind the smiles. Here was someone who lived a relatively simply life with his brother and parents, enjoying the simple pleasures of life. One day, though, that was destroyed forever.

Imagine having to deal with the fact that your mother was found to have not only killed your father and then herself, but had been dealing with emotional difficulties for some time. Worth's story is amazing in that he can be the man living next to us that we had no idea what he has gone through because he chooses not to focus on the negative. Instead he looks to the ways he has been blessed instead of the hard times that have befallen him.

This holds true in his relationship with his wife as well. They had been together for decades and had to deal with health issues that didn't divide them but managed to bring them closer together. It is the true definition of love and what a marriage should be about. When they said "Til death do us part' they meant it with their whole being.

Through cancer scares and other ailments, Worth appreciated life enough to know that you can't sweat the small stuff, and he knew that everything except death was the small stuff. He wasn't going to live his life dwelling on the past. There was a future left for him to live.

His brother died in July 2001, yet instead of drowning himself in sorrow Worth chose to reflect on the fact that his brother had dedicated his life to God. I can't help but reflect on what Worth himself had to say about his future in his book: "My life has been full of hard times and great blessings. And though the hard times continue, God also continues to bless me. I'm trying to stick around to enjoy those blessings as much as possible. And I would like to make a difference in other people's lives. That is what this book is all about. It is my statement, my testimony, that God's grace brings blessing in the midst of difficulty. I wouldn't trade my life for anybody's. With God's help I will finish my journey with class."

I had the privilege of interviewing Worth on Conversations LIVE in 2008 and then again in August 2010. About a month later I received an email from his daughter telling me that he had passed away. He was seventy-one years old. At the end of his life Worth suffered with Parkinson's Disease, heart issues and other issues that required quite a large number of pills each day. In spite of all of that he never gave up on offering hope to others.

Now, after hearing just a snippet of what this man had to endure, doesn't it make a great deal of our problems seem quite small in comparison? HARD TIMES AND GREAT BLESSINGS is the story that movies are made of. Sure, it doesn't have the ending that you may want for your hero, but it still give you that feeling of hope in the end.