MEET OUR AUTHORS

Photo of Melanie Houston

  • Award-Winning Publisher and Author

    President and publisher of Alabaster Box Media Group, Melanie Houston has served as an executive editor for a national publishing house, an international magazine, and several independent publishers for more than 20 years. Previously, she was tapped as a ghostwriter for Supreme Court justices, CEOs, and community leaders across the United States. In addition to publishing, Melanie has more than 30 years of management and business consulting experience across several disciplines with profit and nonprofit organizations. She fuses her writing and management consulting expertise to collaboratively write grants and proposals that have garnered more than $12 million to date.

    A native of Columbus, Ohio, Melanie earned a Master of Arts degree from The Ohio State University, with a major in labor and human resource management. She graduated from Capital University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art therapy. Previously, she volunteered with Future Possibilities, Inc. as a KidsCoach™, and served as a member and officer of the Women’s Service Board of the King Arts Complex, and the Columbus Works board of directors. Currently, she serves as an advisory board member for Pinky Swear North Carolina (Charlotte), and LKN Connect.

    Melanie and her husband, Dan, travel and work with clients across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, and spend time with their daughter, Alexis (Marlon), and three grandchildren, Aries, Mason, and Morgan. In their spare time she designs jewelry, and he sails.

 


  • Mining Diamonds

    Lessons of Love, Faith, and Triumph

    Dr. Augustus Garland Parker III was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He has served the Central Ohio community and now Charlotte, North Carolina, in the field of women’s healthcare. As an obstetrician, Parker delivered more than 8,000 babies. An early adopter of robotic surgery, Parker served as the director of robotic surgery and physician director of diversity and health equity for Mount Carmel Health Systems in Columbus, and as a medical director for Women’s Urgent Care for Novant Healthcare in Charlotte. Parker has served in numerous other leadership positions including, president of the Columbus Board of Health, department chairman for several hospital systems, senior medical director for managed care institution, and president of the local National Medical Association. A few of Parker’s past honors and accomplishments include, Columbus Man of Excellence, Black Leaders and Legends, Teacher and Physician of the Year, and the March of Dimes Community Health Leadership Award.

    Parker lectures on several topics related to health disparities and has been featured as a motivational speaker for youth groups. He holds a patent on a medical device used in practice today and has made a film debut in a comedy playing a doctor. A member of Beta Delta Boulé, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., he is also a member of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. His lasting legacy includes his lovely and accomplished spouse, Cheryl, and their three physician children, Dr. Augustus Parker IV, Dr. Jason Parker, and Dr. Krista Parker, and five grandchildren, Aviana, Naveia,

 

  • “DR. I”, One of the Founders of Glory Foods, Inc.

    When the Devil is Beating His Wife: A Christian Perspective on Domestic Violence & Recovery

    Dr. Iris Cooper hails from Evansville, Indiana. From her career in business, she has developed an expertise in the management of a variety of projects for businesses, nonprofits, and government. Her principles are education, economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, and equality for all people. The owner of JustAskIris!, an entrepreneurial consulting firm, Iris is one of the founders (and only woman) of Glory Foods, Inc., a national food marketing company. She has also operated a mortgage business and retail gift shop. Her column and radio show Just Ask Iris provided business information to the Columbus market for many years. Currently, she speaks nationally on business and economic development matters.

    Iris is the former chair of the Economic Empowerment Committee for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. She was featured in the October 2008 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine and chosen as a 2008 Woman of Economic and Leadership Development. Additionally, she was honored in 2006 as a YWCA Woman of Achievement. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she is also a member of the Academy of Management, and the Central Ohio Chapter of the Coalition of 100 Black Women.

    Iris obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and a Master of Business Administration degree in marketing from Indiana University, and a Doctor of Business Administration degree from Walden University, majoring in entrepreneurship. She teaches business courses at Franklin University and Columbus State Community College. Her family includes her children Mica and Malik, and grandchildren Malachi and Ava.

 
 

Our publishing niche is working with emerging authors. We understand how hard it is to get started with your book project, or how to focus and walk it through to completion. Our niche is to work with emerging authors who need assistance beginning or finishing their work. Our ideal clients possess high editorial and artistic standards.