Author Diane K. Lavett has taught at the college level (mostly genetics) for decades, had a private practice as a genetics counselor, and was an expert witness in the DNA analysis of crime scene materials in over ninety criminal cases—ranging from simple rape to serial rape-murders. Her legal work was discussed by Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man Walking,” in “The Death of Innocents.”

Throughout her academic career, Diane performed professional service in a number of ways. She was a reviewer for a number of scientific journals and presses, such as Journal of Cell Biology, NSF Grants in Developmental Biology, and AAAS Science Books and Film. Currently, she is on the adjunct faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the Department of Biology. She is also a scientific writer for Strategic Solutions Inc.

“‘Ultimate Concerns’ is a collection of twenty-seven short stories that focus on those states and events of life that are universal and of immense importance,” shares Lavett. “Love, the growth of a child, relationships within and between the generations, relationships with God, the humanness of God, finding one’s place in the world, the role of pain in the world, illness, and death are all addressed by these stories. These stories all take a strong stance. Meaning flows from the importance of what is discussed and from the underlying assumption that there is purpose to all aspects of life. Thus, God has tears in his eyes with the realization that he has made a world in which death occurs yet says ‘L’Chayim.’ A man, pushed to the wall by the circumstances of his life, still insists that there are rules to be followed in life that work. A woman who yearns to be free of the burden of her adult children learns that the burden cannot be discarded.

“Many of the stories are modeled on the Hasidic tale, which tends to be short and humorous while making an important point. Most of the stories make the abstract concrete. ‘Why?’ sits on the desk of a rabbi, musical notes bounce off a person’s nose, pain leaps onto a child and crushes her, chaos originally made by God through error bounces off God’s limitless limits and destroys the universe while he watches helplessly.”

Published by Audiobook Network, author Diane Lavett’s new audiobook will take listeners on a literary journey that ranges from fantasy to “first-person-painful” and is sure to remain with them long after its thought-provoking conclusion.

Listeners can purchase the audiobook edition of “Ultimate Concerns” by Diane Lavett through Audible, the Apple iTunes store, or Amazon.

Audiobooks are the fastest growing segment in the digital publishing industry. According to The Infinite Dial 2019, 50% of Americans age 12 and older have listened to an audiobook. This huge growth can be partly attributed to increased listening in cars, which surpassed the home as the #1 audiobook listening location in the 2019 survey. Smart speaker proliferation also bodes well for future listening growth and more mainstream listening.

Audiobook Network, Inc. (ABN) is a full-service audiobook publishing company that transforms authors’ books or eBooks to life through audio narration. ABN handles, narration, production, audio editing, digital formatting, distribution, promotion, and royalty collections all under one roof. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Audiobook Network at 866-296-7774.