Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Mirror at the Heart of Time
WORK NOTES: “Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek” series
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: New York
STATE: NY
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/press/reviews/item/7783-mirror-at-the-heart-of-time-book-review
RESEARCHER NOTES:
SKTCHWRITER NOTE: Upgraded from B to A
PERSONAL
Married; children: a son.
EDUCATION:Attended Baruch College of the City University of New York; Pennsylvania State University, B.F.A.; State University of New York at Binghamton, M.M.; Cornell University, D.M.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Freelance copywriter, 1993-96; BMG Direct, copywriter, 1996; Draft Worldwide, senior copywriter, 1996-2001; Tangent Direct, senior copywriter, 2001-03; TBWA/Chiat/Day (advertising agency), New York City, senior copywriter, 2003-04; freelance senior copywriter, 2004-06; G2 Direct & Digital, senior copywriter, 2005-07; Edelman Digital, vice president and associate creative director, 2007-09; freelance senior copywriter, copy supervisor, and consultant, 2009–. Pro bono consultant to CancerSchmancer.org, 2009-10 and Taproot Foundation, 2010-13.
AVOCATIONS:Composing music, art, dance, film, theater.
WRITINGS
Contributor of articles and reviews to music magazines.
SIDELIGHTS
Mark Laporta is described in his author profiles as a dreamer and visionary, a quiet man in a disorderly world, a man who would rather live in a colony on Mars than an apartment in New York City. Until that opportunity arrives, he lives in the city and works as an advertising copywriter. Laporta began his career as a freelance copywriter in 1993 with work for the music industry. His client base expanded greatly to include airlines, digital media giants, credit card companies, and more. By 2000 he was creating copy for major pharmaceutical manufacturers, health and wellness entities, and the occasional nonprofit organization.
In his free time, Laporta indulges his fondness for the creative and performing arts. He composes music and writes articles and reviews for music magazines. He also imagines worlds in which sentient life–on earth or elsewhere–can triumph over evil. For Laporta, these worlds exist in the realm of science fiction.
Heart of Earth
Heart of Earth is the first installment of the trilogy “The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek,” a coming-of-age story with a twist. Ixdahan is a teenager in trouble. The arrogant youth lives a life of luxury on the planet Snaldrialoor until his wealthy father slashes his allowance. Ixdahan’s rash response is to steal classified security information from the government and sell it to the rival Vrukaari. It is a serious crime that warrants the most extreme sentence. Ixdahan is exiled to Earth in the body of a human teenager named Derek Dixon. With two arms instead of eight tentacles, the loss of his telepathic ability, and no training in human idiom or social conventions, his adjustment to life on this primitive planet is rocky at best.
Ixdahan’s robotic “parents” are of little use, but teenager Lena Gabrilowicz takes him under her wing and guides him through the angst of high school and friendship and teenage crushes. When alarming incidents sicken his new friend and compromise his robot guardians, it dawns on Ixdahan that Earth is in danger from the Vrukaari menace, and it is likely his fault. For the first time in his life, he experiences the sensation of empathy. Despite their differences, Ixdahan and his Earth friends unite against a common enemy and avert disaster–for now.
Reviewers expressed pleasure with Laporta’s debut: the world-building, the authentic characters and dialogue, the steady pace, and Ixdahan’s consistent character growth. Critics also enjoyed the light touch. Paige Van de Winkle reported at Foreword Reviews: “Heart of Earth will delight readers of every age with its well-rounded characters, interesting premise, and lighthearted dialogue.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor called it “an irresistible blend of wonky science and heartfelt storytelling.”
Heart of Mystery
In Heart of Mystery, rumors are spreading across Snaldrialoor that the Vrukaari have acquired an utterly invincible weapon. The federal security agency recalls Ixdahan/Derek from exile and sends him to infiltrate Vrukaar Prime as a secret agent in disguise. He learns that the Vrukaari have been collaborating with other aliens who may have discovered how to control the laws of physics. The collaborators resemble the ancient Onkendren, who may have salted the universe with artifacts that could have a bearing on the current threat.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Lena is working with humpback whales off the Alaskan coast. The whale songs permeate her brain, undulating around mysterious images of ancient cooking vessels that mysteriously remind her of her dear friend Derek. Lena’s friends discover a link between the original Onkendren and the eel-like ancestors of the Vrukaari, who had the power to deliver an electric shock. In the wrong hands, the augmented power of that electromagnetic field could destroy the entire fabric of the universe. Only Ixdahan can stop the Vrukaari now–if he is willing to risk his blossoming romance with Lena, and perhaps life as he knows it, for the victory.
Tay LaRoi noted at her self-titled blog that “Heart of Mystery is just as funny, creative, zany, endearing, and memorable as Heart of Earth.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor described it as “an expanding soap opera, which proves to be a feast of intriguing concepts.” The author of the J.B. Markes–Fantasy Author website observed that “the author took special care in creating the different alien biologies, … and it’s nice to see the change from everyone speaking English and breathing the same oxygen.” LaRoi emphasized that “Laporta knows how to tap into the most universal aspects of being a teenager and bring them to life in the most outlandish situations.”
Mirror at the Heart of Time
Mirror at the Heart of Time completes the trilogy. Ixdahan has indeed traded life as he knew it–his tangible body–to save the universe. He is weary and alone, but a greater challenge lies ahead. The Zoktylese are hungry, and they have the power to turn the universe into their personal breadbasket. They need land to grow their only food–the noxious but nutrient-rich Zoktyla root. The inventor, Ardelt Zoktyla, can manipulate the space-time continuum to accelerate crop growth, and she will displace entire galactic populations to acquire arable farmland. Earth is in the crosshairs of the fanatic Zoktylese, and Ixdahan has come to love Earth and that special human who touched his heart back when he had one. If he can marshal his vast new powers for one last defense of the Seven Galaxies that he calls home, Ixdahan will have to confront the mysterious Multisense, whose “aspects” have recently arrived from beyond the pale. Together he and Lena accomplished miracles, but can she reconnect with an alien who has sacrificed his physical form for the greater good?
Critics emphasized that this sprawling space opera is best approached in sequence, and some readers mentioned difficulty with technical language and shifting narrators. Otherwise, readers found much to appreciate in Mirror at the Heart of Time. Jonathan Ryder observed in Voice of Youth Advocates: “The writing shows a subtle sense of humor” while directing an important message to a young adult readership. “None of the stories are just about space opera,” explained a reviewer at Fanbase Press; they show “how a selfish, self-centered youngster learns how to care about others and grow into a functional adult.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2017, review of Mirror at the Heart of Time.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 2017, Jonathan Ryder and Lucero Rios, review of Mirror at the Heart of Time, p. 80.
ONLINE
Fanbase Press Website, http://fanbasepress.com/ (May 30, 2017), review of Mirror at the Heart of Time.
Foreword Reviews, https://www.forewordreviews.com/ (August 13, 2014), Paige Van de Winkle, review of Heart of Earth.
J.B. Garner Website, https://jbgarner58.wordpress.com/ (August 28, 2015), author interview.
J.B. Markes–Fantasy Author, http://www.jbmarkes.com/ (December 5, 2015), review of Heart of Mystery.
Kirkus Reviews Online, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/ (October 27, 2014), review of Heart of Earth; (December 6th, 2016), review of Heart of Mystery.
National Writers Union Website, https://nwu.org/ (April 27, 2018), author profile.
Tay LaRoi Website, https://taylaroi.wordpress.com/ (February 3, 2017), review of Heart of Mystery.
From preface to Volume I of trilogy: MARK LAPORTA is a dreamer, a humanist and science enthusiast, who sees the light in the dark, the noise in the silence and the humor in just about everything. Aside from almost speaking French, he's also a composer, with an ear to the ground for a slightly saner future. He lives in New York City with his wife and son.
From preface to Volume II: Mark Laporta ... looks forward to a time when the values of friendship and social responsibility are the first things that come to mind when we say "success." With his feet in the stars and his head on the ground, he has learned to see an upside-down world as normal. A fan of the creative and performing arts, language, sicnece and utterly stupic puns, he knows all roads lead to roam.
From preface to Volume 3: Mark Laporta ... enjoys long, imaginary walks on distant star ships, preferably the kind with state-of-the-art of holodecks and enormous mess halls. Once the first Martian colonies are established, he plans to get really excited about it, especially if this happens during his lifetime. Until then, he continues to live in a New York City apartment, orbiting a mediocre star near the Orion-Cygnus arm of a lonely spiral galaxy.
From cover and preface of Probability Shadow:
Probability Shadow (Against the Glare of Darkness) Paperback – October 1, 2018 - Chickadee Prince
A single voice in the darkness stands alone against the fall of civilization, as a great new science fiction saga begins.
Mark Laporta's most recent trilogy, The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek has been acclaimed both in the mainstream press --- Kirkus Reviews called the first outing a "fabulous read"and "an irresistible blend of wonky science and heartfelt storytelling,"and nationally syndicated radio host Patzi Gil proclaimed it "a wonderful, wonderful read ... very, very beautifully written" -- as well as the SF internet, where Jodi Scaife of Fanbase Press wrote, "I absolutely adored the depth of Laporta's world building ... the characters within the pages will stay with you after the last pages are turned"and Tay LaRoi of Cheap Reads named Ixdahan to the Top 10 List for 2016, raving, "In case you haven't noticed, I adore these books. The wonderful characters, the outlandish conflicts, the strange worlds and aliens, all of it."
Now Laporta branches out with his first space opera for adults, destined to win him new fans and acclaim. Probability Shadow leads you into a new universe, where a critical mineral shortage pits imperious humans against every major political power. As their battles rage, the Quishiks re-emerge, an ancient evil with unprecedented control over time and space --- which foretells the end of all sentient life.
To stop this onslaught, Ambassador Ungent Draaf of Grashard must forge an unlikely alliance of misfits from across the galaxy's entire political spectrum --- a force of humans, symbiotes, mutants, androids and the ghostly remnants of a vanished civilization --- and unite them in one seemingly impossible goal: to drive the conquering Quishiks back to their multidimensional prison and restore order to the galaxy.
In a universe dominated by great powers on the verge of collapse, and as the mistakes of the past become the legacy of the future, one question remains: will sentient life ever rise above the specter of evil?
=====
MARK LAPORTA, author of The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek, an acclaimed trilogy, is a contemplative soul, living a quiet life in a noisy world. Whether imagining a fictional future or witnessing real-world events that, a century from now, no one will believe actually happened, he stands in solidarity with objective truth.
Mark Laporta
Mark Laporta (m.laporta@verizon.net) is a New York-based science fiction writer. His Young Adult trilogy, “The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek,” is a mix of sci-fi action, humor, social satire and a quiet love story. The trilogy consists of:
Heart of Earth
Heart of Mystery
Mirror at the Heart of Time
The series traces the journey of a teenage alien, Ixdahan Daherek, from arrogance to compassion. In Book 1, he sells state secrets to a dangerous enemy and receives the worst punishment in the universe: Live on Earth as a Human Teenager.
Series Summary
From the moment the arrogant son of a Snaldrialooran aristocrat is exiled to Earth, he begins a journey that takes him to the boundaries of the settled universe and the limits of consciousness.
Having seen the consequences of his crime visited on innocent humans, Ixdahan’s heart swells with empathy for the first time. With the help of an unlikely band of friends, he stops the brutal invasion of Earth by Vrukaari warlords. Yet his only reward is a new life sentence that sends him deeper into the heart of danger.
Months later, on Vrukaar Prime, Ixdahan uncovers a plan to dominate the universe with an unspeakable weapon. Rallying old friends and new allies, he still only defeats the Vrukaari with a startling act of bravery, appearing to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Rescued at the last minute by an unseen force, Ixdahan resolves to wander the universe alone, until an old friend persuades him to join the fight against a society dominated by dangerous fanatics. Weakened by temptation and guilt, Ixdahan nearly fails — until the power of love pulls him back from the brink of despair. With the latest evil routed, Ixdahan departs on a spirit quest, seeking to balance the conflicting sides of his nature with the wisdom of the ages.
Throughout his struggles, Ixdahan’s heart turns on Lena Gabrilowicz, the Earth girl who befriended him during his exile — and the only person in eight galaxies who’s ever known what planet he’s on.
Available now at Amazon or your local bookstore.
Reviews
Visit http://tinyurl.com/mark-laporta2 and http://tinyurl.com/mark-laporta3 to find out what the critics are saying about the series (scroll down for Editorial Reviews)
Critical Highlights:
Heart of Earth
“An alien criminal exiled to Earth with dire – and hilarious – consequences. An irresistible blend of wonky science and heartfelt storytelling. Holding it all together is Laporta’s spot-on portrayal of life as a teen. [A] fabulous read!” — Kirkus Reviews
“This fun YA sci-fi novel – with well-rounded characters, interesting premise, and lighthearted dialogue – will delight readers of every age. The sci-fi aspects are entertaining and fun, and the character growth will keep the attention of those who don’t typically read the genre.” — Paige Van De Winkle, Foreword Reviews
Heart of Mystery
“The second volume in Laporta’s YA series about a young alien defending Earth from galactic conquerors…. [A]n expanding space opera, which proves to be a feast of intriguing concepts. Newcomers to the genre and adult fans of classic sci-fi novels, such as David Brin’s Startide Rising (1984), will love hearing whales talk and adventuring in a galaxy where humanoids are rare. Once again, Laporta opts for a dire, high-stakes finale, maximizing the emotional thrust of his narrative. An engrossing YA sci-fi sequel, in which ideas share the stage with the cast.” — Kirkus Reviews
Mirror at the Heart of Time
“It contains teen drama, political intrigue, and neat sci-fi stuff with space-time and the multiverse. It’s light-hearted and sweet, and contains an optimism that many SF writers forget about or are not interested in. … This collection contains all three of the books in the series, which is great for readers who misplace books easily. You don’t have to keep track of all three, they’re right here! So convenient.”
— Joe Crowe, Revolution Science Fiction
The Trilogy
“[A]n excellent read … if you enjoy world building and inventive science fiction that shows the wonders of the universe[.] … Elements will appeal to adults and younger readers alike, and the characters within the pages will stay with you after the last pages are turned.”
— Jodi Scaife, Fanbase Press
“Both the writing, the narrative part, and [the] dialogue are really perfectly done … It is really a wonderful, wonderful read …very, very beautifully written. Readers must be sorry that it’s a trilogy because it’s really, really good … not just for teenagers. Everyone can relate to this story.”
— Patzi Gil, host of the syndicated radio program “Joy on Paper”
Hear the entire interview at http://tinyurl.com/joy-on-paper
Visit http://tinyurl.com/heartofearth2 for videos and short fiction.
STARVING INTERVIEW: MARK LAPORTA, AUTHOR OF HEART OF EARTH
Friday means Starving Review, which also means it’s time to step into the kitchen with the chef of today’s main course, Heart of Earth, which so happens to be Mark Laporta. Let’s find out what makes our latest author tick by going over our usual menu of questions!
Please introduce yourself to my literary foodies!
I’m a writer, composer and science-enthusiast, with a love of languages, art, dance, film and theater.
Do you do any work outside of the writing kitchen? Any non-work interests?
When I’m not lightly toasting a page of prose I work in advertising and spend time with my family. In the margins, I write music.
What is your latest dish to be served up? Are there any past pieces of literary cuisine you think we should take a bite out of?
I’ve recently rounded off my trilogy The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek. Book 1, Heart of Earth came out last year. Book 2, Heart of Mystery will launch in September, and I expect to bring out Book 3, Heart of Time in the first quarter of 2016.
What made you want to put on the chef’s hat and whip up your own books?
No whipping! Not in my kitchen. Books are to be coaxed. You have to win them over to being written. I write because I have things to say that can’t be expressed any other way. And I must say them!
Do you have a genre of specialty or do you dabble? Why?
I specialize in Young Adult sci-fi. But my books are about characters and what drives them to new realms of self-awareness.
Style! Every literary chef aspires to have their own unique one! What do you think sets yours apart and why?
I won’t go so far as to say I think the word “style” is meaningless, but don’t tempt me. I do have goals, however. I write character-driven stories that share my observations about society and the crisis of sentience with a light dusting of humor.
Even the best of us find inspiration is the dishes of others. Do you have any literary inspirations, heroes, and influences?
Isaac Asimov’s fiction is a major influence. His stories are always great fun and full of insight about the rocky relationship between scientific theory and human culture. I’m also a big fan of Alastair Reynolds, Kim Stanley Robinson and Douglas Adams. Outside of sci-fi, there are, of course, Shakespeare, Anton Chekov, Gustav Flaubert, and Balzac among many others, including the humor of David Sedaris and the popular neuroscience of Oliver Sachs.
Let’s get into the meat and potatoes: the art and craft of writing itself! Do you have a preference of points-of-view when you write?
My personal preference is for third-person narrative. I find first-person too confining, but I do like to experiment with second person short stories. My third-person is a mix, however, of exterior and interior views of what my characters experience. I’m as interested in what they feel and think as I am in what they do, and seek stories that are a direct outgrowth of their feelings, personalities, strengths and flaws.
Sparse or wordy, how do you like your descriptions served up? Are you a Hemmingway man or do you like some saucy adjectives with your nouns?
I don’t think this is something you can have a policy about. As I see it, the best description is the one that moves the story forward. If I need sparse, I go sparse. If I need details and atmosphere I go there. To me, “writing like Hemingway” or like anyone other than myself is a waste of time. I believe that if various authors move you, their influence will be felt on your work. But if you “write like” someone else, you’re spinning out words like a machine. Why be a Hemingway knock-off when you can be the real you?
Picking off the menu of base literary conflicts, what’s your favorite and why?
I have no interest in literary cat fights. There’s no way to “win” literature, as if it were a game show. “Poignant metaphors for 2000, Alex” ? I don’t think so.
What do you think is more important to your recipes, plot or characterization? Why?
I don’t know of a definition of plot that isn’t intimately bound up with characterization. I work to make the storyline and characters interact dynamically. For me, what happens in a story is the end state of a fluid process that grows out of the characters’ desires.
We all know that the first taste means the most! What do you do to get that first bite hook with your readers?
There’s no one thing that “grabs readers.” But I pay attention to the way screen writers tend to start each scene as far into its storyline as possible. They leave out set-ups and frames and tiny details wherever possible to be more immersive. What I look for is the defining moment that sets the story in motion. If I can knock over the first domino, the rest will follow.
The most important of questions: Cake or pie?
Pie. Ever and eternally pie.
Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to aspiring literary chefs out there, what would it be?
Don’t waste any more time aspiring. Just write. Write until you have the confidence of your own voice and the facility to bring it out on paper. Write until the words disappear and you can feel the wind rustling through your character’s hair, taste their food, drink their wine and kiss their lovers. When you’ve written that, you’ll know—and know you’ve written well.
Mark Laporta WRITER, CREATIVE CONSULTANT
My job is to build structures, channels through which a branded message can reach its target.
Words? Merely the outward manifestation of a train of thought: a messaging strategy to deliver real value.
Anything less is just patter, palaver—the dreary drone of marketing speak that everyone with a mute button is itching to silence.
My experience is:
• Conceptual
• Strategic
• Client-facing
• Practical
• Collaborative
…and you can view my samples at the links included on this page. Whether your clients need copy for individual projects or a comprehensive messaging strategy for a multifaceted campaign, contact me anytime.
RESUME
ADVERTISING, DIGITAL & DIRECT MARKETING
Consultant, Cline Davis Mann, 2017
Web, Print, E-mail: Radius Pharmaceuticals (Osteoporosis)?Tymlos
Consultant, Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, 2015-2017
Web, Print, E-mail: Pfizer (ADHD)—Quillivant/QuilliChew
Print, E-mail: Pfizer (Transthyretin Familial Polyneuropathy)—Vyndaqel
Print, E-mail, DM, Web (Gaucher disease)—Elelyso
Print (Surgical Devices)—SurgiSeal
Copy Supervisor (Freelance), Valtech, 2015
Bayer Crop Science—Positioning, Brand Guide, Brand Launch Video, more
OCD—Voice Over for Digital Sales Kit
Westcon—Positioning
Consultant, Havas Lynx, 2014
For a breakthrough blood cancer product
KOL Discussion Guide
Journal Ad, HCP Web Presence, Conference Materials
Product launch and maintenance of 3 diabetes products (Web sites / e-mail)
Consultant, Concentric Health Experience, 2014
VisAid: Antares Pharma (Otrexup)—Severe Psoriasis
Consumer Site: Novartis (LDK)—Non-Small Cell Carcinoma
Copy Supervisor (Freelance), Saatchi & Saatchi Health, 2013-2014
HCP E-detail: Pfizer (Xalatan)?Glaucoma
HCP E-mail, DM, iPad, Leave Behind: Pfizer (Relpax)—Migraine
Copy Supervisor (Freelance), Sudler & Hennessey, 2013
HCP Print, Collateral, Digital: Pharmacyclics/Janssen (Ibrutinib)—Oncology: CLL, MCL, WM
Copy Supervisor (Freelance). Saatchi & Saatchi Health, 2013-2014
HCP E-detail: Pfizer (Xalatan)?Glaucoma
HCP E-mail, DM, iPad, Leave Behind: Pfizer (Relpax)—Migraine
Copy Supervisor (Freelance), The CDM Group, 2012-13
Cline Davis Mann
HCP iPad, Print, Collateral: Bayer (Xarelto)—Anticoagulant for Non-valvular Atrial
Fibrillation
HCP Mailers, Collateral: Pfizer (Sutent)—RCC, pNET and GIST oncology
Consumer Site Rebuild: Amgen (Anaresp)—Anemia
Agency Rx
HCP E-mail Marketing, Conference Panels: Celgene (Pomalidomide)—Multiple Myeloma
HCP iDetail, Case Study Flashcards: Genentech (Erivedge)—Basal Cell Carcinoma
HCP/Consumer Web Sites: Celgene (Pomalyst and Revlimid)—Multiple Myeloma, MCL
Senior Copywriter (Freelance), Evoke Health. 2011–2012
Concept Development: Forest Labs (Daliresp)—COPD
Rich Media Banners: Forest Labs (Daliresp)—COPD
Site Rebuild: Biogen Idec (Avonex)—Multiple sclerosis
Relationship Marketing: Novogyne (Vivelle Dot)—Hormone Therapy
Mobile Marketing: Daiichi Sankyo (Welchol)—A1C / LDL-C
HCP RM: Daiichi Sankyo (Welchol)—A1C / LDL-C
Senior Copywriter (Freelance), Sudler Digital. 2010–2011
Site Rebuild: Cubist (Cubicin)—Antibiotic for MRSA
Site Rebuild: Johnson & Johnson (Remicade)—7 Auto-immune diseases
Copy Development: Boehringer Ingelheim (Combivent)—COPD
Tablet PC Update: Boehringer Ingelheim (Mirapex)—Parkinson’s
Senior Copywriter (Freelance), Tribal DDB. 2009
Site Refresh: Johnson & Johnson (Ethicon)—Hernia repair
Vice President, Associate Creative Director, Edelman Digital, 2007–2009
Managed creative development of branded sites, hosted content and social
platforms; Developed, wrote and pitched messaging strategies; Developed and
wrote content outlines; Wrote and edited site content; Led branding initiatives;
Hired, trained and managed copy staff; Participated in budgeting and scheduling;
Principal clients: American Heart Association, McNeil, Unilever, Novartis, King
Pharmaceuticals, Dairy Management, Inc.
Senior Copywriter, G2 Direct & Digital, 2005–2007
Digital, Print, SEM, CRM: Xerox, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Products included Aromasin, Wellbutrin, Imitrex, Flonase, Flomax
Senior Copywriter (Freelance), 2004–2006
Digital Pulp.
Microsites: Bausch & Lomb; Web Banners, Continental Airlines;
Digital Campaign: Partnership for a Drug Free America;
Digital Campaign: The Atkins Nutritional Approach
BTL Design.
Internal Marketing Flash Tutorial: Merck Manufacturing Division
IconNicholson.
Interactive Campaign: Forest Laboratories/Lexapro;
Marketing Report: MasterCard Automatic Bill Paying
RAPP.
Digital. E-mail marketing campaign: Novartis/Elidel
Senior Copywriter, TBWA\Chiat\Day, 2003–2004
Nextel. General and retail print; Print, stadium signage, LCDs for sports
sponsorships; E-mail marketing/promotion; Outdoor, in-store signage; Sales
collateral and sales training materials; Direct mail.
Senior Copywriter, Tangent Direct, 2001–2003
Clients included The American Red Cross and The Nation
Wrote direct mail and collateral.
Senior Copywriter, Draft Worldwide, 1996–2001
Clients included American Express Avis, CIT, EAB, AOL, Netscape, HBO, Verizon
Wrote consumer and trade print, direct response radio, direct mail, bill inserts,
newsletters, welcome kits, collateral, e-mail marketing, web banners.
Copywriter, BMG Direct, 1996
Wrote magazine inserts, catalog copy, feature articles, merchandising
Copywriter, Columbia House(Freelance), 1993–1996
Wrote fulfillment/resell letters for the Classical and Jazz clubs
PRO BONO
Taproot Foundation — 2010-2013
Messaging Strategy / Copy for non-profit organizations
Creative Consultant CancerSchmancer.org, 2009–2010
Developed messaging strategy for online communications.
CREATIVE WRITING & JOURNALISM
Speaking in Clicks
Blog featuring analysis, opinion and speculation on the topics of copywriting,
messaging strategy and digital marketing; www.speakinginclicks.com
Screenwriting [skechwriter can't locate any of this elsewhere]
Carter Halsey, in progress
Changing Back, 2009
Sea Change, 2005
Knowing Jack, 2004
Smashing Glasses, 2002
Fiction
The Search for Intelligent Love, 2010 [can't locate]
YA Sci-fi Trilogy: The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek 2012-2015
• Heart of Earth
• Heart of Mystery
• Mirror at the Heart of Time
Freelance Music Journalist
Wrote reviews, criticism and interviews for major music magazines
Music Reviewer, The Ithaca Journal
Reviewed concerts at Cornell University and Ithaca College
EDUCATION
D.M.A., Cornell University
M.M., Binghamton University
B.F.A., Pennsylvania State University
No BS Advertising, School of Visual Arts
Marketing, Principals & Practices, Baruch College
Laporta, Mark: MIRROR AT THE HEART OF TIME
Kirkus Reviews. (Mar. 15, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Laporta, Mark MIRROR AT THE HEART OF TIME Chickadee Prince Books (Children's Fiction) $12.99 6, 1 ISBN: 978-0-9913274-8-5
Lena Gabrilowicz is hoping to start her freshman year at the University of Oregon alien-free, after accidentally falling for Ixdahan Daharek, an exile from the planet Snaldrialoor. In trilogy opener Heart of Earth (2013), Ixdahan had been banished to Earth and forced into a human body, leading to his and Lena's first adventure. After abandoning their romance to save the Earth in Heart of Mystery (2015), Ixdahan is now incorporeal, a setback to his reconnecting with Lena. While Lena meets a relative who suddenly appears from the year 2457, Ixdahan finds himself again at the center of a galactic threat as he is recruited to prevent a permanent rift in space-time. Zealot scientist Ardelt Zoktyla has created the Zoktyla root, a genetically modified superfood that contains every single nutrient--and she's determined to hide its mysterious, not-so-pleasant side effect in order to sell it across the galaxy, even if it means the manipulation of time to boost crop yields and, worse, forcing the relocation of entire populations of planets. Even as Ixdahan comes up with a plan to expose the Zoktylese, readers are lulled into the angst of the ongoing human-alien romance that may be rekindled--if not thwarted by Ixdahan's jealous alien admirer. The jarring shifts among multiple narrative perspectives and condensed intergalactic politics makes this sci-fi tale a bit heady at times, and readers may find themselves wanting to bypass what feels like filler to get to the humorous banter among characters. Given the complexities of worldbuilding and back story, for established fans only. (Science fiction. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Laporta, Mark: MIRROR AT THE HEART OF TIME." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A485105210/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a0e69535. Accessed 19 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A485105210
Laporta, Mark. Mirror at the Heart of Time: The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek, Book 3
Jonathan Ryder and Lucero Rios
Voice of Youth Advocates. 40.2 (June 2017): p80.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 4P * S
Laporta, Mark. Mirror at the Heart of Time: The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek, Book 3. Chickadee Press, 2017. 21 Op. $12.99 Trade pb. 978-0-9913274-8-5.
In this concluding volume in the series, Ixdahan Daharek has gone from a spoiled son of a Snaidrialooran aristocrat to the inadvertent defender of his exiled home of Earth to an equally inadvertent savior of the Seven Galaxies to an incorporeal being with powers beyond imagination. Throughout this time, he has found himself increasingly devoted to Lena Grabrilowicz, an Earth teenager who first helped him adjust to that most horrifying experience: high school. Now, Ixdahan and Lena must face their greatest challenge yet: a race of fanatical Zoktylese, dedicated to manipulating time and space in order to bring their miracle diet to the Universe. Will Ixdahan and Lena save the galaxy yet again? Will they be able to resolve their feelings towards each other? Will they discover the secrets behind the "Multisense," a mysterious, multiversal being whose aspects have come into this universe?
This is the third book in a series, and while the author provides a basic background at the beginning of the story, it is best read by those familiar with the previous installments. The book is told from several alternating perspectives, ranging from Ixdahan and Lena to various Zoktylese to the aspects of the Multisense. While this provides for a broad scope of the action, it could be confusing to some readers. The characters are well created and as plausible as possible given the setting. <
Mirror at the Heart of Time is a bit difficult to understand at times due to heavy science-fiction lingo that had already been established in the earlier volumes. It does catapult the reader into their world of intergalactic space war and crime, however, while maintaining a light-hearted, simple story and tone. Ixdahan is relatable to teens for his internal conflicts, particularly those pertaining to Lena, his forbidden human love. Overall, this book is good, and it contains mildly suggestive themes and some difficult language. 3Q, 4P. --Lucero Rios, Teen Reviewer.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Ryder, Jonathan, and Lucero Rios. "Laporta, Mark. Mirror at the Heart of Time: The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek, Book 3." Voice of Youth Advocates, June 2017, p. 80. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497860393/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=652a1c4e. Accessed 19 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497860393
TUESDAY, 30 MAY 2017 19:18 READ 618 TIMES
‘MIRROR AT THE HEART OF TIME:’ BOOK REVIEW
‘Mirror at the Heart of Time:’ Book Review
Disaffected and spoiled Snaldrialooran teen Ixdahan Daherek became an unexpected hero during his exile to Earth in Heart of Earth and found himself drawn back towards greatness when he stumbled across a plot for universal conquest in his second adventure, Heart of Mystery; however, nothing could prepare him for the sheer megalomaniacal wackiness of the Zoktylese plan to subjugate “non-sentient” worlds to cultivate more fields of the root that form the basis of their diet. Add in the fact that Ixdahan has become a little less, well, corporeal due to events at the end of the previous book, and the youngster is struggling to come to terms with his new situation while he transitions from youth to man.
To me the focus of The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek trilogy is <
The basic story in Mirror at the Heart of Time is that Ixdahan has gotten embroiled in yet another interstellar plot that threatens the planet he loves, Earth. The Zoktylese (a not-too-subtle jab at crazy diet fads) are rapidly running out of space to grow Zoktyla root fields, the sole food in their diet, and they’re looking further afield for new societies to subjugate (i.e., eliminate). Earth is on the radar, and Ixdahan along with the Onkendren, some new friends from Book 2, prepare to prevent the strike. Throw in an Earth girl Ixdahan can’t forget: Lena Gabrilowicz; a beautiful and sexually confident Onkendren; Vendera; and not having a fleshly body, and the teenage protagonist faces a lot of complications. Mark Laporta’s other additions to the plot serve to open a universe far larger than humans have ever imagined, and while this book ends Ixdahan’s trilogy, I suspect there may be more stories to be told in the rich creation.
I absolutely adored the depth of Laporta’s world building in Mirror at the Heart of Time, although it helped that I knew some of the various races from the first two books. Each race or species felt unique and not just a humanoid with odd hair or appendages stuck to the face. In my opinion, any focus on Earth felt unnecessary, because I was intrigued by the new planets and societies, not how a relatively backward Earth had to be protected from the knowledge of sentient life forms in the universe.
Mirror at the Heart of Time is a young adult novel, so I wasn’t surprised at the hint of romance included along with the adventure and heroics. Most teenagers grapple with the pain of first love or love in general, so it’s relatable to the target audience; however, it felt shoehorned into the story, even the bits with multiversal beings readying themselves for mating/courtship season. The references took me out of the rich science fiction story, and sometimes I found the characters’ behavior a little irritating. (I haven’t been a teenager in a long time you see…) I know that some readers probably would find it charming; it just didn’t work entirely for me. The only major plus is that Laporta avoided one of my least favorite young adult tropes: your first love or high school love being The One ™. The romance exists, but it’s definitely not perfect.
Overall, if you enjoy world building and inventive science fiction that shows the wonders of the universe, Mirror at the Heart of Time, is an excellent read (however, please read all three books in the series, because they’re just better that way). Elements will appeal to adults and younger readers alike, and the characters within the pages will stay with you after the last pages are turned.
4 Unexpected Dietary Side Effects out of 5
HEART OF EARTH
by Mark Laporta
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KIRKUS REVIEW
This YA sci-fi debut sees an alien criminal exiled to Earth with dire—and hilarious—consequences.
Ixdahan Daherek (also spelled Daharek), an eight-tentacled Snaldrialooran, has illegally downloaded information from the Ministry of Defense and sold it to the Vrukaari, a rival species. He only did so because his father cut his allowance in half. As punishment, Ixdahan is placed in a transmog chamber, turned into the 17-year-old human Derek Dixon, and sent to live on Earth. There, robot parents will help him pass for a normal teenager. Derek’s arrival by spaceship, however, is witnessed by Lena Gabrilowicz. She’s on her dad’s boat in Felicity Bay when she loses consciousness, only to wake with empty beer cans in hand and a note nearby saying, “No one will believe you.” But she eventually meets the socially inept Derek and, at Skudderton High School, bonds with him despite his stilted speech and crush on her best friend, Callie Ann. Things don’t get truly weird until Lena is hospitalized for a fungal infection on her hands and extra “mutant” mailboxes begin appearing all over Skudderton and the world. Once Derek’s robot parents start malfunctioning, he suspects that the belligerent Vrukaari plan to invade—and it’s all his fault. Author Laporta sets up his snarky epic quickly, establishing Earth as a backwater “Level 2 civilization,” full of “ape-descended, gas-breathing bipeds.” Derek’s robot parents are equally amusing, often speaking with exaggerated cheer: “Finally made it up, Sleepy Head?” But the real joy of this narrative is watching Derek grow to care for the supposedly inferior earthlings, especially Lena, who’s a “sentient creature like himself, curious about the texture of the universe and the meaning of life.” And, holding it all together is Laporta’s spot-on portrayal of life as a teen; while Lena looks forward to a career in either oceanography or metal sculpting, high school is a “snarling beast that devoured her time, slurped down her energy and roared for more.” A bittersweet ending rounds off this fabulous read.
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Pub Date: June 11th, 2013
Page count: 191pp
Publisher: Chickadee Prince Books
Program: Kirkus Indie
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27th, 2014
HEART OF MYSTERY
From the "Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek" series, volume 2
by Mark Laporta
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The second volume in Laporta’s (Heart of Earth, 2014) YA series about a young alien defending Earth from galactic conquerors.
The summer before her senior year of high school begins, Lena Gabrilowicz is off the southeastern coast of Alaska, studying humpback whales. Professor Cray and his grad student daughter, Jocelyn, help Lena as she indulges her love of marine biology and tries to forget that, last year, an alien race called the Vrukaari invaded Earth (in the series’ previous installment). Luckily, an eight-tentacled Snaldrialooran named Ixdahan Daherek had been posing as her classmate, Derek, and helped thwart the attack. It turned out that he’d downloaded and sold classified files on his home planet and had been sentenced to Earth (and transmogrified into a human body) as punishment. In this book, he’s back on his home world, working for the Snaldrialooran Security Agency, disguised as a Vrukaari on Vrukaar Prime. The aliens there are suspected of possessing armor that could make its fleet invincible. Ixdahan also finds that other aliens resembling the Onkendren are trading with the Vrukaari. The Onkendren allegedly developed “a link to the laws of physics, enabling them to manipulate space, time, energy and matter”; they vanished, but not before burying a series of artifacts on various worlds. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Lena finds that the whales’ singing is invading her mind, as are images of an ancient amphora; can thoughts of her alien friend Derek be far behind? Laporta’s second foray into YA sci-fi is trimmed of the teenage shenanigans that made its predecessor so charming. Lena’s friends Callie Ann and Vance return, but are instead a part of <
An engrossing YA sci-fi sequel, in which ideas share the stage with the cast.
Pub Date: Sept. 15th, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-692-37246-3
Page count: 272pp
Publisher: Chickadee Prince Books
Program: Kirkus Indie
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6th, 2016
HEART OF EARTH
Mark Laporta
Chickadee Prince Books (Nov 1, 2014)
eBook $2.99 (191pp)
978-0-692-23984-1
Clarion Rating: 3 out of 5
This fun YA sci-fi novel—with well-rounded characters, interesting premise, and lighthearted dialogue—will delight readers of every age.
Heart of Earth, by Mark Laporta, is a sci-fi novel centered on a group of teenagers doing their best to save Earth from invading aliens, and learning about themselves along the way. While the generally lighthearted narrative of teenagers saving the world gets somewhat bogged down in confusing jargon, the character growth and fish-out-of-water concept keep the story amusing.
Leading the group is teenage extraterrestrial Ixdahan, who has been exiled from his privileged home in another universe for selling confidential information to the evil Vrukaari. Forced to “transmog” from an emotionless, tentacled alien into an awkward human boy named Derek, Ixdahan scrambles to comprehend the foreign culture of Midwestern teenagers without his usual telepathic abilities. Ixdahan’s new friends, the talented Lena, her best friend Callie Ann, and goofy Vance, help Ixdahan adjust to the town, but they notice something a little off about the new kid. Ixdahan’s betrayal of his homeland soon comes back to haunt him when he discovers the Vrukaari plot to invade Earth, a plan that involves the earthling friends he’s grown attached to.
While characters develop slowly, the changes each goes through are, for the most part, organic and allow for a satisfying ending. Lena, in particular, is an incredibly relatable and multidimensional character. She makes sage observations, such as her lamentation that teenagers have “to make important decisions before you even had time to sort out reality from fantasy,” that give the novel heart and make it more than just a fun read for sci-fi lovers. Derek, too, shines in his dialogue with Lena. Their simultaneous annoyance with, and latent attraction to, each other makes their banter entertaining.
The narrative could benefit from more clarity regarding the parameters of the world. At times, the summaries of the alien aspects are convoluted, and slow the progression of the plot. This is evident in moments such as Derek’s regaining of his telepathic abilities. Derek decides to “use the metadigital transponder to forge an active link to the deepest layers of the Galactic Array. With the transponder, he might be able to examine these stray mentallic traces more closely.” Soon, Derek’s “mind burned hotter, brighter than before and…got it!” Moments like this, which should be tense and significant, are softened by such distracting language, and the pace, as well as the characterization of the protagonist, suffers.
Since the third-person narrative shifts focus to characters beyond Derek, including dimwitted Blade Northrop, the plot moves at a steady pace. The perspective of Blade is colored by his arrogant swagger, perpetual cigarette dangling from his lips, and favorite cowboy boots, a present from his washed-up, country singer dad. The poor fool barely comprehends what he is getting himself into when he signs up to work for the Vrukaari leader, Yarrow. The threat of the Vrukaari is never more menacing than when Blade interacts with Yarrow. Clad in a tasteful dark blue, crushed velvet track suit, Yarrow still manages to be intimidating. When Yarrow commands Blade to “‘Sit. Listen,’ … his mouth drawn into a taut red line” and his “intense black eyes … overwhelming,” he makes the kid shake in his boots. The villain is a dangerous cocktail of vanity, blind ambition, and tackiness.
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Reviewed by Paige Van De Winkle
August 13, 2014
HEART OF MYSTERY–MARK LAPORTA
Posted on February 3, 2017 by Tay.Laroi
Plot: 5/5 Characters: 5/5 Writing: 3/5 Entertainment: 5/5 World Building: 5/5
51wgxgwbihl-_sx331_bo1204203200_ When an unlikely intergalactic alliance comes to light, Ixdahan Daharek (AKA Derek) and his human best friend, Lena Gabrilowicz, must save not only the Earth this time, but the very fabric of space itself. Between their search for alien cookware, stopping a clone army, and calming down a moody robot, Ixdahan and Lena must also figure out their feelings for one another once and for all. But no pressure, right?
Guys. I love these books so much. Mark Laporta officially has a spot on my “Favorite Indie Authors of All Times” list and I haven’t even been reviewing for a full year yet. <<“Heart of Mystery” is just as funny, creative, zany, endearing, and memorable as “Heart of Earth,>>” if not more-so since it builds on such a great foundation.
Just like the first installment, the sci-fi elements are funny, colorful, and an absolute joy to read. Between the new, strange aliens and the action there’s never a dull moment, no matter what species Derek is around and, yet again Derek and his friends are some of the best teenagers I’ve ever read.
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I don’t want to give too much away, but I just want to give an example. There’s a scene where Derek is talking with another character about the gravity of his situation and what the adults are asking of him. The conversation turns to Derek himself and how important it is for him to stick to his morals, especially in a situation with such dire consequences.
That kind of message is so important for young people, especially in times like these. Not only that, but Laporta makes the world around Derek and his friends so much fun and exciting that the message is bound to stick. I know the scene itself will stick with me for a long time and I’m 24.
So, if you like bizarre worlds, even more bizarre conflicts, and wonderful characters, go read “Heart of Earth,” if you haven’t already, and read “Heart of Mystery” intermediately after, regardless of your age. Your inner kid will thank you. And don’t forget to look for the conclusion to Derek’s adventures in “Mirror at the Heart of Time,” set to be released this summer!
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#18. Heart of Mystery by Mark Laporta
12/5/2015 0 Comments
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Follow Ixdahan Daherek, a species-confused galactic secret agent with an apparent knack for saving the universe, in the second book of the Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek series.
If you have ever wanted to learn more about Snaldrialoorans, Hegraahlensiens, Ybitrians, or Vrukaari, now is your chance!
Get Heart of Mystery on Amazon Here!
Ok, first off, this is a solid read. It is clean both in copyedit and content (it is targeted toward a younger audience) and has everything you would expect from a middle-grade story. The writing style is clear and the author’s voice is authoritative and rather likeable. That being said, it’s not my cup of tea, but probably not for reasons you’d expect.
Perhaps one of the selling points of the work is the often humorous alien idiomatic phrases and metaphors that are peppered throughout the text. You don’t have to look far to find some gharnixwahn who doesn’t know a Klegherian rock sloth from a carton of quinzhaaliahr juice. And I get it…that’s the genre and people enjoy it, but it puts me off. Aliens with names twelve letters long, with languages that revolve around the letters Q and X, really slow down my already comfortable reading pace. But then again, most of the aliens have evolved to use telepathic communication, which I suppose eliminates the need for efficiency we take for granted in our own daily interactions.
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The characters, while generally likeable and having very clear cut personalities, are slightly too old for their behaviors. They speak and act like people half their age, and I believe they would have been more believable if they had just been written as younger. For instance, I’ve never heard a college student refer to herself as a “kid”—or even a teenager, for that matter, though I suppose a 19-year-old would technically be one. Also, the opposite sex isn’t usually “gross” when you’re 19. Just saying.
Quibbles aside, the book is fast-paced with an imaginative, if a bit over-the-top, plot. Some of the technology that comes with advanced sentience is quite interesting. I particularly like the evolution of mentallic communication capable of crossing light-years of space, and the tech barriers that have been put into place to regulate its use and abuse.
Also, <
If you’re looking for a light-hearted space opera for younger readers, this series fits that niche perfectly.