iUniverse Author Honored as Selection for Indiana's 2004 One Book/One Community Program

Lincoln, Neb. - May 11, 2004 - Southwestern Indiana's public library system recently chose Invitation to Valhalla as the featured title for the 2004 One Book/One Community Program. In this historical fiction thriller, iUniverse Star author Mike Whicker embarks upon the story of a legendary female German spy and an American Jewish family. One Book/One Community is a national, grassroots reading program that brings together communities, and is built around the shared experience of people reading the same book.

"It is a privilege to have my novel honored as a One Book/One Community selection," says Whicker. "I wrote Invitation to Valhalla in honor of my father, Floyd D. Whicker, an Army Ranger of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, who earned a purple heart after being wounded by a German machine gun at Omaha Beach on D-Day in1944."

"We congratulate Mr. Whicker on his many successes," says iUniverse President and CEO Susan Driscoll. "In fact, Invitation to Valhalla recently rose to the #20 spot on B. Dalton's national bestseller list for paperback fiction. His achievements as a Star author validate our commitment to breaking down the barriers new authors face, as well as our commitment to serving booksellers and traditional publishers by fostering new talent."

The Star Program is part of the "iUniverse Roadmap to Publishing Success," a step-by-step process designed to help authors succeed by progressing through a series of clearly defined achievements, or "milestones." The Roadmap includes an Editorial Review process to enhance the book's quality and salability; a Readers Choice program for authors whose books meet quality standards and preliminary sales goals; and the Star Program for authors whose books meet higher sales goals and demonstrate exceptional market potential. The most successful Star authors qualify for assistance to attain even greater levels of success, such as submission to the Barnes & Noble in-store book placement program and introductions to traditional publishers.

About the Author

A native of Denver, Colorado, Mike Whicker now resides in Evansville, Indiana, where he teaches high school English. He also wrote Proper Suda with his students of creative writing. Mr. Whicker is visiting the FBI offices in Washington this summer to search their archives for information about a German spy investigation that may result in a sequel to Invitation to Valhalla. Whicker is widely regarded as an authority on the Third Reich and lectures on this topic at universities.

About iUniverse, Inc.

iUniverse helps individuals publish, market, and sell fiction and non-fiction books. The company is one of the largest publishers in the United States and publishes more than 5,000 new titles per year. iUniverse partners with industry leading author organizations, including the Authors Guild, ASJA, and the Mystery Writers of America, to bring innovative publishing programs to their members. The company's major investors include Warburg Pincus and Barnes & Noble.

About One Book/One Community

Drawing on a tradition started in Seattle and repeated in cities and states across the country, everyone in the Southwestern Indiana region is invited to read, form groups and discuss the community-wide reading selection. 2004 will be the third year for the Evansville Public Library's local program. For more information, visit http://www.evpl.org/onebook/.