What does a self-published book about speaking in tongues have to do with Megan Fox?
In Stop The Presses! we share some of the more ridiculous press releases we receive at The A.V. Club.
It’s not easy being a publicist who must find a timely peg for whatever book or movie or album they’re promoting. Oftentimes it requires straining and creative license, as when the enterprising publicist for Virginia Saunders’ Enter The Holy Spirit, Exit Me, a half-year old, self-published memoir about a journalist’s spiritual awakening, attempted to garner interest in the book by elegantly linking it to an Esquire profile of Megan Fox that fortunately for Saunders touches upon the topic of speaking in tongues.
Here’s the publicist, desperately pandering to the media’s insatiable curiosity about the spiritual history of vaguely robotic sexpots:
“Starlet Megan Fox recently told Esquire that she’s spoken in tongues since age 8, a gift from the Holy Ghost that allows her to speak the language spoken in Heaven. Fox goes on to say that the feeling when the Holy Spirit enters her is 'electric,' and that she’s seen His healing power. What other gifts is Fox likely to receive from the Holy Ghost? What does it mean to speak in tongues? Is this a proven phenomenon? What does it mean for someone to have that ability, embrace it, and use it as a worship tool? Virginia Saunders answers these questions and more in her new book, Enter The Holy Spirit, Exit Me. Would you be interested in a free copy?”
Granted, that description says almost nothing about the actual content of Enter The Holy Spirit, Exit Me so here’s Amazon’s description of the book:
“Enter The Holy Spirit, Exit Me was the result of quickened words from the Holy Spirit on January 5, 2012, when Ms. Saunders was reading Psalm 96:3, which told her to 'Tell His glory among the nations. Among all peoples His wondrous deeds' As a successful and established writer in Asia, she has not written anything of value for twelve years, ever since her husband died in June 2000. His passing created in her a writer's block that was excruciatingly painful and fearful. But when she heeded the prompting, the Holy Spirit immediately lifted her writer's block, inspiring her to write about the supernatural actions and gifts she has been experiencing since 1993 after attending a charismatic seminar and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. These gifts included praying tongues, healing hands, prophecies and visions. Be inspired. The supernatural gifts are for everyone. Ms. Saunders tells you how to receive it.”
Uh, okay. It remains to be seen whether Fox’s revelation will kickstart sales of Enter The Holy Spirit, Exit Me, which is currently the 769,824th best-selling book on Amazon, with a bullet.