Connect with us

Books

Ex-XM Executive’s Memoir Recalls Satellite Radio Launch Delayed by 9/11

H Johal

Published

on

Ex-XM Executive’s Memoir Recalls Satellite Radio Launch Delayed by 9/11

Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks postponed its debut, a founding XM executive has released a memoir about the satellite radio company’s launch. "They Pay for Water: Building XM Satellite Radio from a Paper Concept to Millions of Subscribers," by Dan Murphy, went on sale August 17 in ebook, paperback and hardcover, according to the announcement.

The company was set to launch its inaugural U.S. satellite radio service on September 12, 2001, in the Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego markets. Murphy and the executive team flew out of Washington, D.C. in the early morning hours of September 11, per the announcement. The launch was pushed back, going live September 25 and expanding nationally by that November.

After joining Sony as a 24-year-old with minimal prior experience, Murphy spent 15 years helping to capitalize, build, and launch XM’s satellite infrastructure, create its receivers, and establish distribution channels in retail and automotive sectors., the announcement states. "After Walkman, Discman, I was looking to join the next big audio innovation when a recruiter called," Murphy said. "It sounded perfect. It was going to be radio the way it should be."

The volume addresses the company’s funding rounds, satellite deployment, distribution challenges across retail and automotive channels, programming strategy, customer economics, multiple Chapter 11 threats, and its ultimate acquisition by Sirius., according to the announcement. "We had spent years getting ready for the biggest launch of our careers, and then the country stopped," Murphy said. "For weeks afterward, I did not know whether anyone would still care about satellite radio."

Positioned as both corporate history and personal narrative, the book targets audiences seeking insight into the construction of major consumer-facing ventures requiring substantial capital investment. — a framing the announcement ties to ongoing debates in the audio industry over subscription economics. It is Murphy’s first book and is available now on Amazon.

Read more People’s Choice stories on Studio CarryOnHarry. Reporting via Live News Vault.

Press Releases at Studio CarryOnHarry

279 Views
Powered by SgAiSolution
279 Views
Powered by SgAiSolution

Books

New Children’s Book ‘Mocha, the Ground Fairy’ Follows a Guinea Pig Determined to Fly

H Johal

Published

on

By

New Children’s Book ‘Mocha, the Ground Fairy’ Follows a Guinea Pig Determined to Fly

Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk

Dr. Leslie Merida-Gonzalez has published a new children’s book, "Mocha, the Ground Fairy," through Fulton Books. The story follows Mocha, a brown, fluffy guinea pig who attempts to fly using wings built from leaves and twigs, only to land, each time, skidding on her bottom, which earns her the teasing nickname from her fellow guinea pigs.

Merida-Gonzalez is a music teacher in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where she works with children with varying needs. She holds a doctorate in education with a focus on exceptional student education, a background she says shapes how she thinks about reaching different kinds of young readers. According to the announcement, the guinea pig characters in the book are drawn from pets her own children had growing up.

The book centers on Mocha’s refusal to quit despite ridicule from her peers, drawing courage, in the story, from her grandmother’s fairy tales. "Through Mocha’s journey, I wanted to remind children that falling doesn’t mean failing," Merida-Gonzalez said in the announcement. "Every stumble is simply another step toward finding the magic that’s been inside them all along." The publisher describes the book as aimed at encouraging children to keep trying after setbacks and to embrace what makes them different.

"Mocha, the Ground Fairy" is available in bookstores and through major online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and the Apple iTunes Store, as well as directly through Fulton Books’ website.

Studio CarryOnHarry sees stories like Mocha’s as part of a steady stream of small-press children’s books built around a simple, repeatable idea: a animal protagonist, a visible flaw, and a lesson about persistence. The appeal isn’t novelty, it’s execution, and that’s worth watching for in any read-aloud picture book pitched this way.

Read more People’s Choice stories on Studio CarryOnHarry. Reporting via Live News Vault.

Are you an author with a new release? We’re always looking for books to cover and authors to interview — tell us about yours here.

Press Releases at Studio CarryOnHarry

44 Views
Powered by SgAiSolution
44 Views
Powered by SgAiSolution
Continue Reading

Books

Fulton Books Author Abagail Lynn Releases Fantasy Adventure “The Rebel”

H Johal

Published

on

By

Fulton Books Author Abagail Lynn Releases Fantasy Adventure “The Rebel”

Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk

Abagail Lynn has released a new novel, "The Rebel," a fantasy adventure centered on an unsuspecting character drawn into a clash between two worlds where the kingdom’s fate hangs in the balance. The book is published through Fulton Books.

According to the announcement, the story follows an unsuspecting hero thrust into extraordinary circumstances as tensions between the two realms escalate. The publisher describes the novel as blending adventure, romance, and themes of hope, with the protagonist discovering hidden strength while confronting questions about sacrifice, belonging, and what it means to stand against long odds.

The paperback edition runs 846 pages and was published in April 2026, according to retail listings for the title. Lynn’s narrative approach, per the announcement, pairs action sequences with emotional character work, aiming for a story that moves between danger and quieter, more personal moments.

"The Rebel" is available in bookstores and through major online retailers, including Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble.

For Studio CarryOnHarry, the appeal of this one will come down to execution: epic-fantasy premises built on a "two worlds collide" setup are common, and the 846-page length suggests Lynn is aiming for a fuller immersion in her world rather than a quick read.

Read more People’s Choice stories on Studio CarryOnHarry. Reporting via Live News Vault.

Are you an author with a new release? We’re always looking for books to cover and authors to interview — tell us about yours here.

Press Releases at Studio CarryOnHarry

52 Views
Powered by SgAiSolution
52 Views
Powered by SgAiSolution
Continue Reading

Promotions

Trending Now

Advertiment

Recent

trending