Jessica Yinka Thomas

Press Release

 

Nonprofit fundraiser is unlikely action figure in adventure novel about “how not to save the world”


ARLINGTON, VA November 21, 2011 – The challenges of traditional nonprofit fundraising turn into a hair-raising action adventure in the novel, "How Not to Save the World," Jessica Yinka Thomas.


Remi is a fundraiser for the African Peace Collaborative (APC), a conflict resolution nonprofit founded by her late mother. Frustrated by her inability to raise funds and faced with the imminent closure of the APC, Remi turns to a life of crime to keep her nonprofit afloat. From Sydney, to Tokyo, Geneva and Cape Town, Remi transforms from a fundraiser too shy to speak during staff meetings into a daring international art thief.  With the help of her best friend, a designer and inventor who creates gadget-packed gowns, Remi eludes a dashing insurance agent and a terrifying stalker, all while redistributing the wealth of the world, one work of art at a time.  


John L. Jackson Jr., author of “Racial Paranoia,” calls Remi “one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan action figures in contemporary American fiction. Joyce Clark Allen, author of “Hannah’s House,” describes the book as a futuristic, fast-paced thriller with lots of action and some truly James Bondian technology."


“How Not to Save the World” is the first novel by Thomas. Her inspiration for the novel stemmed from a decade long career working with nonprofit organizations committed to social and environmental change. Her 12-year journey of writing and publishing her first novel is only slightly less adventurous than her fictional tale, and includes traveling around the world, publishing with a small press that went bankrupt, working with a literary agent who secured dozens of glowing rejections letters, and self-publishing, twice.


"How Not to Save the World" (ISBN 978-1-105-05022-0) is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.


About the Author:

J. Yinka Thomas is a first-time novelist with a background in toy design and social entrepreneurship. As managing director of the Center for Sustainable Enterprise at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, she has authored several award-winning academic articles. Her writing highlights her twin passions for technological innovation and  creating significant social change through entrepreneurial ventures. Growing up in West Africa and traveling around the world has provided her with a rich background from which to draw in her writing. She holds a BS in engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.


For more information, contact Jessica Yinka Thomas at jyinkathomas@gmail.com.