Not a Hobby But a Business

My husband simplifies what I do by saying that I rearrange letters. While that is exactly what I do, writing is much more than that. It requires a talent for describing the action in such a way that readers can see in their mind what the author sees when she writes the words.

Writing can deliver a message subliminally. It can help a reader escape life's frustrations even though, as a writer of plausible fiction, I take them into a world with lots of problems and frustrations. Maybe I make their life seem simple after reading about the horrendous things that happen to my characters.

When I write non-fiction, the teacher in me pops out as I strive to help my reader see a change needed and adopt that change into their life. Readers of the devotional series have the opportunity to view a concept, a biblical concept, from a different Point of View. It gives them something to think about, to meditate on.

So while I know that the business aspects are important, sitting in front of my computer with my characters is where I want to be. Keeping track of expenses on a spreadsheet is important. Developing a social media presence is important. Booking events to showcase your work is important. Dangling the carrot before potential readers is important. Getting your name out there is important but all any writer wants to do is write.

We could hire a business manager and if we're E.L James, who just received a $5 million movie contract for her book, we could afford to do so. However, the majority of us are far from selling enough to be able to afford that position. The business aspects have to become a portion of our daily routine, the moments when we come out of our shell and meet people, even if it is over the internet or phone lines. Think of it as joining the world.

For all you readers out there, take a moment to add a review of the books you read to the amazon pages for that book. Or wherever else you made your purchase. You may have purchased the book in a bookstore but they all have websites and will welcome your review. Even if you borrowed the book, post a review. Authors depend on that feedback.

At the end of the day, support your local author. Help them succeed and they will be most appreciative.

Watching the expressions on the faces of her readers is what drives author and speaker, Barbara Ann Derksen to write. Her favorite genre is murder mystery but each book brings forth characters who rely on God as they solve the puzzle in their life.

With 11 books to her credit, two more in the process, Barbara works hard to develop a social media presence. Her books can be found on Amazon, at Barnes and Nobles, and on her website, http://www.barbaraannderksen.com.

Canadian born, Barbara is a member of The Word Guild, Manitoba Writer's Guild, The Writer's Collective, and Christian Motorcyclists Association, USA.

Books can be purchased at Amazon.com at http://amzn.to/HdXAqQ and Amazon Kindle.

Read Holy Quran Online

It is extremely valuable for Muslims, regardless of their sects, to learn and gain an understanding of the Holy Quran. Quran is taught to many of us from the very beginning. Most of us are taught Quran in our childhood. However, there are some people who have not yet studied the Holy Quran. One of the main reasons for this issue is the unavailability of appropriate teachers to tutor such people. Parents face many problems in finding a reputable instructor near the house. This ultimately leads to them giving up searching, and the kid never comes to understand the virtuous knowledge.

There are many people among us who have been unable to read the Quran and want to do so. The development of the internet has made it probable for all such people to read the Holy Book. You can only scan and search the internet for E-Quran. Yes you read it right, E-Quran. It is an online version of the Holy Book. There are many different sites that offer this facility. They also offer qualified teachers who will help you in understanding the Quran. Unlike a school, personal attention is paid on each and every student. This enables you to learn at the pace that is most suited to you. You not only understand the Quran, but make command on it. Within no time you can get this knowledge with the benefit of appropriate guidance.

There are many advantages of learning Quran online, especially for children who should learn it as early as possible. Not only is online coaching more appropriate for parents, but it also gives the child the value of a personal instructor who can assist him in analyzing the verses of Quran. The instructor may also correct him when it comes to errors in pronunciation. Apart from children, online Quran learning is also advantageous for the grownups. With the tough and hectic schedules nowadays, it becomes tremendously difficult to find time to go to Quran learning centers. Also, because of the social restraints, you may not find a enormous number of places to tutor adults exclusively. For these reasons, it is best to study Quran through an online source.

A big advantage of online Quran learning is that apart from studying the Quran itself, you can also study different explanations given by different scholars. This enables to get diverse viewpoints. Also, you are able to get translations in various languages. You may choose the preferred language in order to get a better insight of the Quran.

The importance of Quran cannot be expressed much more than this. The Prophet (S.A.W) said, "The most superior among you (Muslims) is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it" (Sahih Bukhari, Book #61, Hadith #546). It is the Book that not only contains teachings of how to live your lives according to God's Will, but also all information that has ever been discovered by mankind. It also contains information that is yet to be or will never be found by scientific researches. Such is the power of this Holy Book. Once you get a grip on its knowledge, you will be able to change your perspective towards life. You will know that all these worldly things are just temporary. There is a much more peaceful and happier life waiting for you.

Author frequents writes about Quran learning courses.You may visit how to learn Quran online and Read quran online for more details.

Blueberry Solution

"The Blueberry Solution" is a home distilling book.

Anthony: Your current book "The Blueberry Solution" says on the front cover that it's "a better investment in hard times than gold or silver" How so?

Argyle: There is no better investment right now than a still for both survival and for return on investment (ROI). It was so in Colonial times and it is so again today. For less than $1,000 you can put away a tool that will not only assure your survival in case of a societal breakdown but will also provide up to 2600% immediate return on your investment, a much higher and more certain ROI than gold or silver.

Anthony: That is a bold statement, I know to be true. What exactly is "The Blueberry Solution"?

Argyle: It's a play on words. You can legally make blueberry brandy using store bought vodka and fresh blueberries or other fresh fruit so it is an easy way to for novices to get started making their own high quality and inexpensive alcoholic beverages at home. It is also an excellent survival strategy should the worst happen. With a good still you can purify water from any source and make fuel for your vehicles, or in a crisis you can make alcohol for medicinal purposes or booze that you can trade for any goods or services that you might want or need.

Anthony: Why is a still such a good investment?

Argyle: "The Blueberry Solution" tells the history of distilling which is also the history of money, and of course that is also the history of tyranny and taxation. Tyrants have always tried to control the production of alcohol and taxed it heavily to finance control over their subjects. Even today, the Citizens of most states are forced to purchase booze from the state and pay upwards of 2600% for the privilege. There are few if any investments that will immediately offer such a potentially high rate return on investment should Citizens choose to make their own. Washington State for instance currently charges $26.03 per gallon of spirits that cost less than a dollar to make (2600%) for instance. While we are not advocating the making of illegal moonshine we are pointing out that there is a growing trend by those that want to make a political statement andt hose that want to make their own high quality beverages themselves much like craft brewing and it is often done by the same folks.

Anthony: How did you come to write "The Blueberry Solution"?

Argyle: People who read my last book "Self Reliance" were emailing me to ask if they should be buying gold? "Self-Reliance" (now out of print) was written before the last Presidential election and was about living off the grid if Obama was elected and the Democrats gained control of both houses of Congress. Of course that happened and now the country is a mess and readers are even more concerned. My response was that if they could afford to park money in precious metals then they should, but if they were concerned about survival and are already putting away a generator, food storage, etc. that they should buy an emergency refluxing tower still, a "survival still", so that they could cheaply and easily produce a commodity that they could trade for any goods or services they might need in a financial meltdown.

Anthony: Why do you feel purchasing a still is important?

Argyle: Whiskey was money in Colonial times, and could become money again if our government continues to print paper money around the clock, spend money it doesn't have, and devalue our currency. Rising prices are the response of commodity suppliers (like oil producers) who are simply trying to maintain the value of their products in the face of rapidly declining purchasing power of the dollar. Simply put, inflation is a direct result of the devaluation of our currency and runaway inflation is a distinct possibility although it is ignored by the mass media. This pending financial crisis is examined in the book and exposed as the most important issue of our times. The upcoming election is probably the most important since the Civil War and prudent people are beginning to realize this and to do something about it.

Anthony: How does owning a still provide a survival strategy?

Argyle: An emergency still is a relatively inexpensive investment (less than a thousand dollars) that allows the owner to produce a commodity that is in high demand no matter what happens (it's also fun to use). When you can cheaply and easily produce a commodity that has such widespread appeal you assure the survival of your family and even a way to prosper in very hard times. In Colonial America a man's still had more value to him that anything else except his rifle, his knife and his horse. With it he could get anything that he couldn't make himself, he could escape the rigors of a rough existence, and he could entertain his friends, especially members of the opposite sex.

Anthony: Why do you recommend a copper reflux tower still and what are its advantages?

Argyle: A tower still can produce alcohol pure enough to use as fuel (ethanol). Other types of stills will make whiskey but not ethanol fuel. You can obtain a free permit to make up to 10,000 gallons of ethanol fuel a year to run your vehicles, cook with, light your home, etc. and in an emergency you can cut that fuel in half and have white whiskey to barter with or use yourself.

Anthony: Can you legally make alcohol?

Argyle: Yes, the making and use of ethanol fuel is actually encouraged by the government and you can also legally make other useful products like fragrances, solvents, vinegar and especially pure water from any source. A reliable source of pure drinking water is probably the most essential part of any survival plan. Alcohol is also valuable for medicinal uses and of course alcoholic beverages are an excellent barter medium and always have been.

Anthony: What all is covered in "The Blueberry Solution"?

Argyle: The book explores the history of distilling and especially the history of distilling in America, the reason that we are in our present economic predicament and what we can do about it, and it also explains the different types of stills and how they are used to produce various kinds of alcoholic beverages and other products. It is a simple step-by-step approach to distilling at home and even offers recipes. It is an entertaining and practical look at a survival strategy that is overlooked by most including survivalists, the so-called "preppers" and many others.

Anthony: I see you updated your book recently to second edition of "The Blueberry Solution" so what is in it and why did you update the book?

Argyle: The 2nd edition places more emphasis on alcohol as a fuel because the price of oil and gas are rising and will inevitably rise as our currency is devalued. There may be temporary relief until after the election as Obama and the Democrats try to hold down gas prices in order to help their reelection chances but their stated goal is to drive up the cost of fossil fuels in favor of s-called "green" energy but the reality is that we are a petroleum based economy and we have plentiful fuel resources right here at home, enough o last for hundreds of years and certainly until we have the technology to make the transition. These "green" solutions are more about control than anything else. Meanwhile we are essentially broke and our government is so corrupt that it is doing nothing about it.

Anthony Zaca: Are you working on anything else?

Argyle: Yes, my next book is called "Whiskey Farm" and is the logical next step in home distilling. Just as "The Blueberry Solution" is about having and using a survival still, "Whiskey Farm" is about using a larger still and having a small farm to produce enough ethanol to run an enterprise. As a real estate developer and builder I am using my experience to help others to locate, obtain, set up and operate a small farm to not only live off the grid but to thrive no matter what happens in the outside world. It also provides an excellent lifestyle for those that are so inclined. Even if we somehow manage to survive the mountain of debt that is crippling our economy, we need to consider going back to the farm and technological innovation now provides us the means to live easily and very well with all of the modern conveniences without the necessity of living in the city. Satellite broadband, television, and data transfer means that we can telecommute and make a good living without the problems inherent in city life, especially if there are dislocations in the economy, supply and delivery chains, critical services, etc.

Anthony: Where can people buy "The Blueberry Solution"?

Argyle: The book is available everywhere such as Amazon.

Anthony: Is there anything that you would like to add?

Argyle: Yes, the past is gone and the future will likely take care of itself so long as we seize the day and prepare. I like the Latin phrase Carpe-Diem which literally means "seize the day" and because I write books on distilling I also like to offer "Cheers".

Anthony can be reached at anthony@rainierdisillers.com

Pun In Sanskrit Literature - A New Approach

The book under review titled Pun In Sanskrit Literature - A New Approach is a fantastic book.

All Sanskrit lovers and pun lovers should read this book without fail.

The book was first published by Mysore University, India in 1982. The author Gurupad K Hegde is a great scholar and has written this book after intense study of Sanskrit literature for many years.

The book has nine chapters.

The first chapter deals with the pun as alankara in Sanskrit literature.

The origin of pun starts with the first kavya (adi kavya) of the world written by the world's first poet, sage Valmiki.

The origin of Ramayana is from a sloka of pun! The verse starts with 'ma nisada' is a curse on the hunter that he should never attain salvation for he killed the beautiful krauncha bird which was absorbed in love. And wonderfully, the verse also means that the great Lord Vishnu may attain a position for ever as he killed the demon Ravana and Valin.

The author describes in detail the root cause of the concept of fun, the nature of the words in pun and objects of the pun in the second chapter.

The author gives numerous examples to explain the figurative combinations in the great and beautiful language Sanskrit in chapter three.

Chapter four of the book deals with the role of pun in classical Sanskrit literature.The author indicates Shakespeare's lines in Othello (III-2) The word 'lies' in the conversation of Desdemona and Clown is a witty use of pun to mean 'lodging' as well as telling a lie!

The great poets Sri Harsha, Bhavaputi,Asvaghosa,Bharavi,Magha,Dandin have used Slesha or pun in their works.

And it is to be noted that the only language which has kavyas where two or more stories are narrated throughout the full length of a poem is Sanskrit. Thus we have kavyas which describes Ramayana and Mahabharata in the same verse!

Needless to say that the author has dealt the Mahabharata kuta slokas which means the slokas with knots!

While the fifth chapter deals with functional pun and the sixth chapter deals with perceptional pun and the seventh with situational pun! The eighth chapter of the book deals with the impact of pun in iconography.

The author concludes in his concluding chapter that pun is everywhere starting from vedic literature to the modern literature which gives the experiences of day to day business of life.

Over three hundred selected verses are given as examples to understand the pun in Sanskrit literature.

On completing the book we are wonderstruck with the author's deep reading as well as with the vastness of the wonderful t Sanskrit literature!

Index of subject and index of 300 verses will be useful to the readers.

Finally, we may pray that more such books should come to enlighten us!

S. Nagarajan is a vehicle body engineer by profession. He has written more than 2500 articles in 16 magazines and published 27 books. He is revealing Eastern Secret Wisdom through T.V. Programmes, magazine articles, seminars, courses. His email address is: snagarajans@gmail.com. His articles on Yoga, laughter, efficacy of mantras and sound, Hypnotism, Tele Kinesis, Power of Prayer, Vastu and Feng Shui, Auto suggestion, Success Formula, Out of Body Experience etc are regularly appearing in EzineArticles.com. So far more than ninety articles have been published in EzineArticles.com.

How to Find Great Books to Read on Kindle

Approach 1 is to go for tried-and-tested authors: this is great providing they have published Kindle editions, and providing their Kindle editions are any good! Many traditionally published books are scanned in with special reading software and converted into Kindle editions. The problem is - the reading software isn't always that good! In a book I read recently 'Penn Station' had become 'Perm Station' - great for hairdressers but not quite right. The same book was littered with errors, and very irritating to read. The great thing about Kindle, of course, is that you can get a refund for up to seven days after purchase, so this downloaded was quickly returned.

Approach 2 is to try Amazon's recommended titles, or to look at what similar books other readers have downloaded. This can be successful, as Amazon employ a complicated system of looking at your browsing and buying history and matching you p with possible titles. Not that they always get it right, of course, but it's a good way to take the guesswork out of trying something new. Oh, the joy of finding a new author...

Approach 3 is to browse other book websites, such as goodreads.com, and then find the Kindle edition if you can. GoodReads is a fab resource, if a little time-consuming, but worth a look. Many authors (myself included) have Q&As on there, which is a rare chance for fans to connect directly with their favourite authors and ask questions about books they've read. GoodReads also has discussion groups, free giveaways and lots more, so head on over if you need some inspiration.

The one approach that doesn't seem to work so well is to browse Amazon's own listings. The categories are confused and mixed up, and unless you know exactly what you are looking for, it's a pretty soul-destroying task. And their algorithm for sorting books by ranking is incredibly complex, and looks at recency of a book's sales as well as total books sold, so you could easily find a title which has sold very few books but in a short time-period sitting much higher than a book that has sold millions of copies! Still, finding a good book in any setting is difficult - imagine a bookshop with over 3 million books to browse through - so why should Kindle be different? At least a great book is worth the effort.

And don't forget to leave a review for your Kindle title. Authors rely on these to be visible to new readers just like you.

Joanne Phillips is the author of women's contemporary fiction novel 'Can't Live Without', and lives in Shropshire, UK. She blogs about self-publishing, writing and books at http://www.joannephillips.co.uk

Book Review - Bringing Up Brits

I am an Australian woman, married to a man who was born in England and now holds three passports. Given our recent decision to move to England, this book seemed like an essential read for me, as it is of paramount importance to my husband and I that our kids settle in sooner rather than later.

I loved this book from the first page and I read it in one afternoon.

There were so many places in the book that I found myself nodding my head, realising that I have had so many experiences similar to Peterson Fenn, including when I lived in England in 1999 before I met my husband.

One of the first things she mentions is the distance factor, being far away from family particularly parents not being close enough to share and participate in her life and that of her children. So thank goodness for Skype, and Facebook and other forms of communication; but as Peterson Fenn points out there is no physical contact. You can't reach through the computer to give your parents a hug, or hug your sister's newborn baby son.

I thought her comments on belonging were most interesting. Sometimes non-British parents find a sense of belonging through their children, or their British spouse, perhaps even through friends or work, or it is something that remains difficult to achieve.

On page 83 she covers the issue of changing perspective and the importance of fitting in:
'On the other hand, I have found my perspective has changed because I live here and I have definitely somewhat assimilated into the British way of life. In a way, it is imperative for me because of my children who are half British and who are growing up here. I think it's natural to want to fit in and to do so almost seamlessly'.

I really identified with her comment about accent making you stand out a lot. Having just lived in Italy, people could tell that I was not a native speaker, and now that I have moved to England, many people can tell straight away that I am not English, and some can even pinpoint what country I do originate from. However like Peterson Fenn I also cherish my accent because it is a reflection of where I originate from.

I found the section from page 94 onwards very interesting about languages other than English in the home. It made me reflect on the past six years of our lives and how English has taken a back seat to Italian. Meghan reiterates a point that I was aware of already, that children who have more than one language are at an advantage and some of the children profiled in this book have two, three or four languages.

I will not give any more away in terms of the contents of this book. I simply believe if it is relevant to you, you will find reading it to be of great assistance, or even comfort.

The True Essence of Audio Books!

Since the emergence of audio books, it could be said that listening pleasure has taken on a more noteworthy meaning. You will never have a dull moment. They are so handy they can be taken and used almost anywhere. They also make shrewd and creative gifts.

If you'd rather give your eyes a rest, then books in audio are just the thing. If book clubs can provide a way to keep friendships alive as well as an opportunity to make new ones then audio books can simply help you to find time to read more. Listening is not a hassle. You can still do it even with friends around. You can carry it with you and it can give you the opportunity to share your books with friends.

Books in audio format no longer have a negative stigma so why not take on this modern approach to storytelling and enjoy even more books. If you don't have a Smartphone or iPod ask your children or grandchildren to download a book and burn it to disk- this way you can listen to your favourite books on a CD player at home.

New devices such as the Kindle Touch boast a 'read to me' feature, which converts an eBook into an audio book. This will be particularly useful for people with visual impairments and lets you "read" while driving, for example.

Some people agree that audio books help children see the humour in writing. This is something children often miss when reading printed books. They are an excellent way to help children develop the reading habit. It has been said that reading aloud to children is beneficial to their success in reading. This can be confirmed by the fact that an enormous number of these kinds of books are used for teaching purposes today.

It has been proven that audio books allow the listener to retain their visualisation and picture-making skills. The listener's enjoyment of audio books doesn't stop with the visualisation - as they listen their understanding is also helped by the tone of voice, the accent and the emphasis and timing given to the text by the professional reader.

To add a special touch, modern audiobooks are narrated by actors or in special cases the books' authors, which is great if you happen to be reading an autobiography or memoirs because the subject could be telling you their story.

Everyone deserves the same access to books and literature regardless of disability, illness or learning difficulty. For many people, the spoken word can provide welcome relief from the pain and loneliness often experienced as a result of having a disability. For younger members with a learning difficulty such as dyslexia, audio books can be equally helpful.

Audio books are a practical and convenient way to fill your time with great literature. The only difference is you're listening rather than reading.

Shop 4 Books is an online shopping portal for everything books and magazine subscriptions. We have a diverse range of categories covering all genres, such as audio books on CD and all major formats. We can also make it easy for you to obtain calendars, diaries, stationery, music CDs and downloads, DVDs and personalised books. We are the best online bookshop so check us out and take advantage of all our frequent special offers.

Clicks Versus Bricks - Where Are We Today, Are We Merging the Two With Mobile Personal Tech?

Have you ever wondered how some start-up online businesses go from zero to 1000 in a blink of an eye, while others fall on their face? Do you ever wonder how companies that make no money can get venture capital money, have an incredible burn rate with no income, and still go public garnering 100s of millions of dollars on an IPO? How is it that after all those fake Internet companies bit the farm in the Dot Com crash that, now new companies can still use that old tactic? Well, because some of those Internet companies did turn into something big; eBay, Amazon, Google, PayPal, etc.

Now then, if you are still skeptical about up and coming companies like Facebook and others moving forward into the future, you are not alone, Wall Street mostly agrees with you on even numbered days. Still, perhaps you'd like to know the difference between real companies made of bricks, and Internet companies with nothing more than clicks. I'd like to recommend that you read the book;

"Clicks and Mortar - Passion-Driven Growth in an Internet-Driven World," by David S. Pottruck and Terry Pearce, published by Jossey-Bass, a Wiley and Sons Company, 2000, 257 pages, ISBN: 978-07879-5273-7.

The authors made some great observations back in 2000 stating that the Internet wasn't going to kill the modern day corporation, rather enable it to do more, become more efficient, and those who could harness these synergies best would be the winners. Guess what, they were correct, and here in 2012 we see that reality. Those high-flying days during the Internet bubble are not longer, only a few were able to go to the next level, and enter the real world of corporate financial strength. We all know these companies by name, they are practically household names in fact.

Those companies that stayed the course with their passionate employees increased their brand-names even during the onslaught of new Internet competitors. Although this book at times seemed more like a tribute to companies, firms, and corporations associated in some way with the authors, they still were able to garner a reality check in the case-studies they presented for their main thesis and argument. That, leadership communication and buy-in from the employees as to the mission of the brand is what allowed companies later to win with consumers, which was true both on and off-line, or with clicks or bricks.

The author's insisted that by leveraging your company's voice and your employees passion, it hardly mattered if your company was reaching out to customers on or offline, but hopefully both. The culture makes the difference. It has always been said that good company branding starts at home, with the home team advantage. One of the best ways to get your employees on board comes from promoting your biggest brand-loyalist employees up the top of the ladder.

In the new world of personal tech, the merging of bricks and clicks thanks to mobile devices is going to blur this line completely, thus, I imagine there will be more winners in the future, and less fakery getting by or passing for IPOs, instead companies will need a following, cashflow, revenue, and clicks too. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Internet Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Top 10 Motivational Books That Work

I am a firm believer that readers are leaders, but I am also a true advocate of reading to enrich the quality of your life. Every time I need answers (and I usually want them right away) I turn to my favorite website, Amazon and go on a shopping free. I buy my books in bulk and I do my research. I want to have a library of books that I will turn to time and time again, read over and over again, because I know that who I am today may shift slightly as I grow older. As we grow we are able to see something in the words on a page differently than if we read those same words in our teens, twenties, and so on. So here are my current favorite TOP 10 Motivational Books and some of them might surprise you!

1) Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill wrote this book over a lifetime of studying the ins and outs of Dale Carnegie's (one of the richest men in the world) success back in the early turn of the century. While the copyright for this book is 1960, dont' be fooled into thinking this book might be out of date. Mr. Hill was a true philosopher who studied how true wealth is achieved and boy did he succeed. Some of the principles include: how to make great decisions, have faith, and owning your sixth sense. I must admit one of the most profound lessons for me in this book was to THINK like a rich person. The next time you are making a big decision ask yourself "How would a rich person handle this?"

2) Domino: The Book of Decorating, by Deborah Needleman, Sara Ruffin Costello, & Dara Caponigro

So how can a book on home decor motivate you? The purpose of motivation is to inspire you to make changes in your life and what better place to start making changes than the comfort of your own home. I am a true advocate of feng shui and surrounding myself with beauty. This book captures beauty on a plane that is jovial, sophisticated, and artful. I never get sick of the eye candy presented in this how-to book; the pages are laid out immaculately and it makes the perfect coffee table book for your guests to enjoy in your fabulous home. You'll love the Mix & Match sections to help bring out the interior designer in you! Your home should represent who you are, invite new chi (energy) into your life, and become a place of socializing and entertaining.

3) The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

Learn the real reasons you aren't where you want to be in your life with this eye-opening, easy read on how to take the big leap! When you can see how YOU are getting in your own way, you can finally get out of the way and get going. Gay Hendricks is a brilliant writer conveying ideas like the Zone of Excellence and the Zone of Genius which are great theories in how to invest your time wisely on things that truly matter to you, instead of plugging your ears to hearing only what you want to hear-- let the truth be heard and let it guide you. Limiting beliefs and worry are two ways your life choices stunt the growing processes. To take the Big Leap is to take baby steps, just take a step! Success is sequential; it doesn't happen overnight, but it will happen. Getting started is probably the #1 thing people struggle with and with this book Gay will spit it out clear and concise that the only person holding you back is YOU.

4) The Tools by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels

Within the first few chapters, I was hooked on this book. This book gives you amazing tools in how to stay focused by turning your problems into creativity. "Pain is the universe's way of demanding that you continue to learn." That quote blew my mind! The authors of this book discuss one of my favorite concepts "the shadow" and how pertinent it is to be aware that you have one and what information it is trying to convey. If you are looking for real-life tools that you can put into practice to begin transforming your life today, this book belongs in your library. It's must cheaper than conventional cognitive therapy; it's worth the small investment! Who needs a therapist when you can have a book that gives you the real tools to change instead of an expensive ear to listen (and occasionally asks you questions that might spark motivation.)

5) The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, PHD

Similar to Think and Grow Rich, this incredible book puts the magic into everyday living. From learning to really listen instead of being a conversation hog, to getting in the habit of making goals to help you grow, you are sure to come out a leader after reading The Magic of Thinking Big. Forget excuses or worrying about things that are out of your control are excellent words of wisdom by David Schwartz. This is a book I continue to pick up year after year (I've owned the book for 10 years) and you'll always be reminded to think and dream creatively for a bright and successful future. I mean, after all, I don't believe we were brought to this planet to think small... thinking Big is truly an art form.

6) Hue by Kelly Wearstler

Did you know that color has healing properties? Chromotherapy, color therapy, is the study of color and their association with the 7 chakras (according to Ayurvedic Medicine). I don't know if Kelly knows much about this healing modality, but her book Hue pretty much blew my mind. The insightful interview with her published in the beginning of the book shows her knowledge in the power of color and what an amazing artist she truly is. Color affects people, sets the mood, and is the ultimate challenge in creativity. Flipping through this colorful and well-photographed interior design book reminded me how powerful the home can be with the presence of two hues that complement each other or those that contrast. This book will reawaken the artist in you and help you see where your true colors live.

7) How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Being a people person is easier than you think after reading Dale's memoir on how to win friends. It takes you back the basics to what it means to be personable. Things like learning how to be a good listener, how to avoid arguments, how to make a good first impression, and being authentic by talking about your mistakes first are recipes for successful relationships. I don't know if Dale Carnegie was a master in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), but he sure knows how to convince you that being liked is simple with a few easy tools. If you are looking to grow your business, network like a hero, or make better quality friends, this is the perfect read.

8) What's Stopping You by Robert Kelsey

This is probably the #1 book I recommend to my clients in that most of the people I work with are truly gifted people. The only thing standing between you and your dreams is FEAR. I picked up this book at the London airport on the way back from my Italian vacation and I must admit this was the best impulse buy. I was already on a reading frenzy to unlock what was standing in my way, but it wasn't until I read What's Stopping You that I realized I was gifted and that my problem was I was afraid to fail. You see, everyone has gifts, but only some people succeed to take their talents to the next level. Well, according to Robert Kelsey, the gifted ones have one thing in common... high FF (which stands for High Fear of Failure.) He suggests defining goals, but better yet, defining the right goal. Once we understand that depression, anger, or worry are simply fear of failure tactics, we can move on and get on with the show.

9) The Element by Ken Robinson PHD

Whether you want to call it your life purpose, dharma, or finding your passion, The Element is a must read for anyone living on this planet. Chapters about finding your tribe, getting in the Zone, and being yourself are hugely important when pursuing your dreams. I have often found myself in the Zone and it's a place I want to live--it's so magical! Time passes so quickly because you are doing what you love. I have basically based my entire business on the fact that everyone needs a mentor (I have half a dozen mentors myself) because learning from leaders who were once sitting right where you are now and found their way is inspirational and gives hope that you, too, can achieve it. Finding your element will change your life indefinitely. Start with this book.

10) Free Marketing by Jim Cockrum

And after all those terrific books, there is a wonderful book on Free Marketing. Why do I love it? When you have discovered your passion, found your tribe, opened up your space to receive abundance it's time to market the crap out of your talents. What better way to do that than with free marketing? There isn't and that's why you must own this book! Jim Cockrum is an amazing marketer and the thing I love most about his tactics is most of them are online. The ability to reach your audience online is astounding. The internet is growing every day and there are people on the world wide web who are searching for solutions to their problems this very second. Several of them are looking for answers that YOU have. Choosing to ignore social media or not having a website or blog that showcases who you are and what you do is just passe. Growing an online presence is easier than you think and with all these books you've read to get where you are now, it's time to share them with the rest of the world.

Angel Quintana, C.N.C., H.H.P., holistic lifestyle mentor. To learn more about her products/services visit http://www.houseofvitalia.com and to join her community to start living a holistic lifestyle and to receive her free CD: The Infinite Possibilities.

Basics of Book Reviews

For many, reading is a part of our everyday life. We use it to get from one place to another, to contact one another, and many others. Books, however, can be one of the most fun, educational things that we read. It allows us to take a moment to step out of ourselves and see the world in a way that we haven't before. With that, I find that it is important to write book reviews as well, especially if you have strong feelings for the book. If people didn't write book reviews, then no one would know about the new and amazing books to hit the market and these talented authors would never become known or continue their journey of writing amazing books. The idea of writing an actual book review may seem challenging to many for you don't know where to start. It is because of this that I have decided to dedicate this page as the "How To" of properly writing a book review. With this guide you can go out there and let the world know what you feel and think of that piece of literature that you cannot put down.

Step one of writing a review, is pick out that book that you have been dying to read. If you already have the desire to read a certain book, your feelings and expectations of the book will be more defined, making it all the easier to put into words and write a review. If you have no idea where to start, trying going to your favorite book section, young adult for me, and take a look around. Pick something that interests you, but if possible, isn't all that widely popular. By picking a less heard of book, you won't be as likely to let other's views influence you during the review process. Also, your review will most likely be more helpful since there won't nearly be as many out that as the top sellers.

The next part is the most simple. Now that you have your book, read it. Try not to get too caught up in the fact that you will soon be writing about this books. Read it for enjoyment. If you find yourself laughing, crying, cringing, or many of the other emotions books can bring to us, write that page down. That part of the book obviously got a reaction out of you, so you may want to mention it later on in your review.

Once you have finished the book, take a moment sit and really think about it. Think about your favorite parts, your least favorite parts, and compare what you thought of this book to what you have thought of others. Now that you have your mind working, create a pro and con list. If your pros dramatically outweigh your cons, chances are that you really enjoyed this book. On the other hand, if your cons outweigh your pros, you most likely did not care for this book at all. If both sides are about even, then this book was nothing that you felt too passionate about.

From this point, you know exactly what you thought of the book that you just read. It is at this point that many people will rate the book on some sort of scale such as one to ten. This part is completely optional. If you find that you can easily pick a number to fit the book, then I suggest you go ahead and do it. I, on the other hand, find that picking a number can be quite hard, for all books are so different that I have a hard time categorizing them under one number. Instead I choose to just write down a very short phrase that sums up my feeling for the book, such as "Loved it", "Don't Bother", "Couldn't Put it Down", and many others. By doing this, you are basically rating the book, but allowing your readers to view it in a qualitative way.

Next, you will start the actual writing process. The first step is writing down all the important information about the book so that your audience will know exactly what you are reading. During this part the more information, the better. The title of the book and the author must be included; however, you can include other information such as: price, type of book, subject matter, illustrations, and many others. You may include whatever you feel is important to your review.

During the next part, you should give a summary over what happened in the book. This part can be tricky because you want your audience to know what the book is about, but you don't want to give too much away or there will be no point for them to read it. I always start off by telling the main characters as well as the setting of the story. For example, if I was reviewing the book The Hunger Games I would say, "The book titled The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is told through the perspective of a 16-year old named Katniss Everdeen, who lives in what is thought to be a futuristic America, now called Panem." You can then go on to write about what you thought were important parts of the book, but remember not to give away too much. If for some reason you do need to give away some plot changing facts, it is always courteous to write the word "Spoilers" in the heading, so your readers will know that important information is discussed and allow them to decide whether or not they want to read it.

In the very last part of the review, you should give your opinions. Tell the readers what you thought of the book and why. Now is a very good time to list some of your pros and cons that you previously wrote down. When writing down your thoughts, remember to be courteous to the authors. You may not have cared for the book, but someone took a lot of time writing it so never insult anyone and refrain from using vulgar language. Once you are finished writing your thoughts, look over your work and check for any misspellings. If everything is in its proper place, then you are done and have written your review!

In conclusion, reviews may seem hard to write, but they are actually very easy once you have your thoughts organized. Without them, books may never see their full potential Book reviews allow you discover what you truly loved about a book and they also help others share in your love of reading.

Erica Connolly

How Short Stories For Kids Allow You To Bond Effectively With Your Children

Reading to children is a wonderful activity and past time that both parents and teachers enjoy. Seeing their rapt, excited faces when there's a mystery to be solved, a surprise twist, or a happy ending is all the reward one needs. Not only are story books a child's first experience with written words and an introduction to education, but they are also a way to stimulate imagination and dreams. Some of the best short stories for kids are the classics. These stories have been around for generations, and are still best sellers and favorites in many families. These tried and true books will be around as long as parents pass on their love for great stories and enjoyable reading. Many of these classic books have lasted because kids have such a great time reading them. They're fun and exciting, and have beautiful and interesting illustrations.

Many great stories for kids are available today in the bookstores as well as online. Few people today are aware of the fact that books written specifically for children did not exist before the 17th century. Prior to that time period it is was generally accepted that books were written exclusively for adult readers. In addition, printed works were highly expensive and were available primarily to people of means. Only minority of the adult population were literate, and even a smaller percentage of children living at that time were able to read and write. Today, we are blessed with proliferation of children's literature with a great variety of stories for kids geared to different age levels. The importance of reading to children is apparent to every parent. We can start reading stories for kids even to a baby or a toddler. Research shows that the baby in utero can hear her mother's voice and recognize it immediately after birth. Certainly even young babies love to hear the voice of their mother or father. Make sure to make the time you read with your child a pleasant time of bonding and closeness, to create positive associations with this activity in the young child's mind.

Despite that this activity is of paramount importance, never force your child to read or listen to stories. It is much more important that the child enjoys the interaction between the two of you. If he or she is not in the mood to listen to short stories for kids, let him pick a game or different activity to do together. The most important aspect of your interaction should be mutual enjoyment. It is a good idea to encourage older siblings, relatives, and friends to read out loud to the younger children. There are many types of short stories for kids available to all, therefore you must search around according to your child's like and dislikes, or whether you want to nudge them in a certain direction or not. Short stories for kids are a great way to introduce kids to a new area of life or a new situation in a fun, timely manner. You should always make it a fun enjoyable thing to do, it should be about you and your child or children bonding and them learning from it too.

This Short Stories For Kids is about an adorable Maltese called Poochie who came to Singapore when he was only six weeks old. This is a great story for anyone looking for storybooks for children and kids. short stories for kids

Re-Enter the Wonderful World of Books

Don't you remember the romance spending your time with an interesting book undisturbed in calm surroundings? For many of us, especially those over fifty, who had seen an era before the advent of PCs and TVs, reading books of our liking had been a great pastime. The thrill of holding a new book in your hand, savoring the front page and back page kindling curiosity and anticipation, and then slowly entering the new world ushered by the author, is something beyond description.

The invasion of PCs and TV into our homes has virtually banished books from most of our households. These media flood us with so much information in such a short time that virtually all of it is automatically ignored by our brains. On the other hand, reading books is an entirely different experience. The books can be read at your own pace giving time for your brain to savor and enjoy it.

Reading activates your brain and also increases your vocabulary. While reading books, the words and meanings, which you might have already forgotten, come back to you. This will eventually enhance your verbal and written communication skill. Books can also take you to the world of the writer, who may belong to a very different place, giving you an insight into new culture and people.

Books have the ability to focus your thoughts. An interesting book can keep you occupied on the same topic for a long time, which is not possible with TV or Web pages. Books also give you a better understanding about the topic than web pages or TV shows, which tend to be short and overloaded. TV and Internet can easily get you distracted from your topic by luring you into other irrelevant visuals.

Books help you improve your brain activity by inducing thoughts and exercising your memory. It has been proved that increased brain activity can keep off diseases such as Alzheimer's. Books also can widen your knowledge which will help you to converse intelligently in a gathering. Exposure to new ideas and thoughts through books can also rekindle your creativity.

Re-enter the world of books and enjoy life. It is not difficult to get great books delivered straight to your doorstep. Online bookstores sometimes offer you more discount than your neighborhood book shop. Imagine the thrill opening the package and taking out a fresh new book. Leave the TV and Computers for others, and start savoring it.

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Shattered Peace Review

The quiet community of Russell Island has suddenly captured the attention of the entire world. On this small island in Chesapeake Bay, Kiril Varga, Deputy Prime Minister of Balkania, has been found dead. After examining the body, the island's one man police department, detective Starrett Knight, discovers that the victim was executed mobster-style -- with a bullet to the back of his head; a discovery that will not only interrupt the Balkanian peace talks occurring in neighboring Oxford, Maryland, but one that will also disrupt the peace of the residents living in the region. In Joseph Keough's murder mystery Shattered Peace Russell Island becomes a point of convergence: as the press, New York City police detectives, and FBI agents all descend upon the previously tranquil hamlet to solve this international case.

Russell Island is a place of retreat for Starrett Knight. Following the death of his wife and child, the detective escaped to this idyllic island to recover from his personal loss. After several years on the island, he managed to slowly recoup from the death of his loved ones; gaining strength from close friends and the serene landscape and living conditions he found in the new location. However, in the opening pages of the novel we see that Starrett (nicknamed "Star") is still in a real sense stuck -- bound by grief and unable to move on with his life. Ironically, it takes the tragic death of a stranger to free his mind from morbid rumination upon his own tragic circumstances.

Early in the investigation a piece of information surfaces that makes this particular case very personal for Star: his friend, Ellen Mannery, an artist, resident of Russell Island, and wife of his best friend Steve Mannery, is suspected of being involved in the killing of the deceased diplomat. Several years before the murder, while she and her husband were separated, she had an affair with Kiril Varga. And although she and Varga were no longer seeing each other, the fact that his body was found on the remote island implicates her in the crime. Consequently, Star, convinced of Ellen's innocence, approaches the investigation in attack mode, vigorously working to prove that she is being framed for the murder; while desperately seeking to uncover evidence pointing to the real perpetrators of the crime.

Although ostensibly a story about solving a murder, the real plot of Shattered Peace revolves around the dynamic and grief-stricken protagonist, Star Knight. The pressing necessity of proving Ellen's innocence reinvigorates a mind that has perhaps grown slightly dull, or at best bored, due to the complete lack of crime on Russell Island. With his investigative skills resurging with a vengeance -- as Star uncovers hidden clues and makes connections that impress (and at times astonish) New York's finest and the FBI agents assigned to the case -- he also discovers that he still possesses other life instincts that had been lying dormant in his body and being since the death of his wife.

The romantic relationship that develops between Star and Stephanie Dolan, the smart and stunning Maryland newscaster covering the case, enlivens Knight's erotic impulses; and amplifies the entertainment value of the story underway. In addition, the emerging friendship between Star and the like-minded New York City detective, Frank Petracci, provides the narrative with another engaging element. The witty banter between the detectives, the titillating romance between Star and Stephanie, and the incredible way in which Star and the investigative team piece together the clues of the case, make Shattered Peace an intellectually stimulating and emotionally thrilling book. In particular, witnessing the beleaguered Star rise from his shell of suffering proves extremely edifying and cathartic.

Reading the surprising conclusion of the story, one is left craving a sequel. It is a work that is suitable for mature readers; and one that would make an excellent motion picture.

Why We Love Gatsby

The popularity of (and critical admiration for) F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has grown, shrunk, and grown again since its publication in 1925. It was modestly successful at first, then nearly forgotten, then eventually recognized by scholars as one of the great novels of the English language. The book's revival and survival at the top of American literature is certainly due to Fitzgerald's skill with words, but it's also a result of his creation of a character who is particularly compelling to Americans. The book also has a theme we instinctively understand.

As the book opens Jay Gatsby is in the process of self-reinvention. He has made a great deal of money in a criminal trade, a business never actually identified but presumed to be bootlegging. He downplays his criminal past and plays up his great wealth to win back Daisy Buchanan, a girl who had rejected him years earlier because of his poverty.

Gatsby embodies much of what we Americans admire. He has succeeded in his business, made himself extremely wealthy, yearns for a rise in social status, and hasn't forgotten an early love. He ticks all the boxes. So, even though he's a criminal who's using his ill-gotten money to steal another man's wife, we tend to like him and are saddened by his death. Victimless crime is not something we particularly hold against him. Gatsby is not just self-made, but also self-remade, and we admire him for that.

American history is filled with men (and they are usually men) who can be called "Gatsby-like" or "Gatsbyesque." They've made money in some unsavory business and they want to hide that fact in order to be accepted by respectable society. Sometimes they've gone straight, while sometimes-like Gatsby-they haven't entirely left the old life behind. But they've learned to compartmentalize and want to be acknowledged as something they're not. The Gilded Age-the decades before and just after the turn of the last century-was filled with self-made businessmen who hoped people would forget their ruthless business practices and remember their charitable work and their lavish lifestyles. Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt-the Robber Barons became the American aristocracy.

Scott Fitzgerald was probably thinking of all of them as he incubated Gatsby and its title character in 1923 and 1924. The Robber Barons weren't necessarily criminal but they were willing to stretch the bounds of ethics to make their millions, but they each hoped that their sumptuous homes and their generous gifts to worthy causes would mask the origins of their money. But Fitzgerald also had in mind a character whose scale was somewhere below baronial level, a man who could not just downplay but completely obscure the origin of his money.

When I was researching my book The Best There Ever Was: Dan Patch and the Dawn of the American Century I quickly realized that the great pacer's second owner, Manley E. Sturges, could easily be described as "Gatsbyesque." He obscured his early origins and the source of his money (illegal gambling casinos) so well that even his ownership of a celebrated racehorse resulted in entirely inaccurate biographical information about him. As I discovered more about his background, I concluded that he was not only "Gatsbyesque" but may have been a model for Fitzgerald's character. See my earlier article "The Connection Between the Real Gatsby and Dan Patch" for more information, check the book's website or read the book for the details.

Please check either of my websites for more information on the Gatsby-Sturges connection: http://www.danpatchbook.com or http://www.sharonbsmith.com.

Used Book Sales - It's Getting Harder to Find the Newest Books of Your Favorite Novelists

The digital age of eBooks is progressing and evolving quite dramatically. I am not sure if you have been following all this but there have been DOJ cases and monopoly investigations and lawsuits over companies, plus search engines scanning old books. So far, there have been nearly 100 million eBook reader type personal tech devices sold now. Hey, as an author of eBooks, I'm all in, as in; "Bring it On!" I say.

The other day, I had an old friend come by my place, and he said; "wow, you have a lot of books," and then he said "soon this place will look like a museum," because no one is going to have actual books in the future, only eBooks you see.

Indeed, that's funny, but it's also very true isn't it? But guess what, the used bookstores are starting to dwindle, and they don't have as many newer books as they used to, and I have a theory as to why. You see, many novelists, my favorite ones included still come out with several new novels per year, but most of these books are sold electronically, not as hardback or paperback books in the big box bookstores. So, if fewer actual books are sold each consecutive quarter moving forward, there will be fewer used books available, and the gap could be over 50%, as in many cases 50% of these books are now sold directly via the Internet to eBook readers.

Now then, let's say that you have all the books by a certain author. Perhaps you collect romance novels, spy novels, true crime, detective, science fiction, horror, or historical fiction and you have certain authors where you have every single book that they have written. You have them prominently displayed on your library at home. You make sure to buy books that are damaged from the used bookstore, so that they look good on the bookshelf, and it is a sense of pride and a great conversational piece with your friends that come over to your home.

Can you see how this might be much more difficult in the future, and this is something very common amongst well-read fans of the top authors. In the future, this may not be possible unless you are willing to pay full price at the bookstore, but that can run you thousands of dollars a year, considering many of these books from the top novelists are quite expensive if you buy them new in the store.

This will limit the number of books you can read, or feel that you can or should afford. Eventually, you may be forced to get an eBook reader, and get all your books electronically as is the popular trend right now, and I expect that it will continue. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks, complilations of Book Reviews. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Information Wants to Flow and Has a Life of Its Own

The information age has significantly changed our world in many ways. Those who control and can harness the power of information have a distinct advantage in many regards. Those who don't especially in business can find themselves in last place. Okay so, how do you deal with these realities in business? Well, I'd like to recommend a very good book to you to help you navigate this serious issue;

"The Social Life of Information," by John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid, HBR - Harvard Business Review, Boston, MA, 2000, 336 pages, 978-08758-4762-7.

This book is great and although their predictions were not totally perfect they were close enough and much better than those of most of the futurists whose works I've followed. The authors predicted the eventual end of newspapers, magazines, and most mass media, as well as the convergence of the Internet and TV. They predicted the paperless revolution, and the change of office work as we know it along with the potential end of the University, at least as it sits now. Finally they had considered the end of bureaucracy due to the future e-Government, or e-Republic.

The authors also discussed complete artificial intelligent information technology and enterprise software revolution of our modern-day corporations. Of course, they also explained the limits to information and the need for a semantic web, something that actually understood what you were asking for, not just feeding willy-nilly information in bulk. Why were these authors so right on? Well, one worked at Xerox Parc in the very beginning of the Internet and information technology era, I imagine that had something to do that.

Still, they explained there were challenges with such things as paperless office, and how it was slow on its uptake. In fact, the authors noted that there were more printed reports, files, and faxes still being copied, so it hasn't really decreased the use of paper. Then, we still have copy machines in offices and HP has made hay combining them into five-in-one printers in their image division. The authors describe how bots can be destructive, start price wars, and it makes me wonder if they also predicted the challenges of the flash crashes in our stock market through algorithmic trading schemes.

Indeed, I can definitely recommend this book to you, it is one that I personally own, and it is a very good book to reflect on where we've been, and where we are potentially going with information technology. In this new era of big data, it's even more important that you understand these things, and the evolution of IT technologies. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks - compilations of Book Reviews. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Surveillance Isn't Only for Law Enforcement, Government, and Military - Try Business

You hardly have to join the CIA to become tell spy. In fact, these things are going on in all aspects of our overall society where people are using human intelligence gathering to get a leg up on their competition, whether it be in foreign negotiation, military effort, law enforcement investigation, or even in the modern day corporation.

If you are in business you need to keep quite a bit of information very close to the best, meanwhile you want the information about your competitors to flow into your hand. Information as it has been said is much like water, it wants to be free, it wants to flow, and more often than not it has a life of its own. In fact, if you have a few moments I would like to discuss this with you.

You see, there is a very good book that I own on intelligence and information gathering for businesses and corporations. Regardless of the size of your business you can use these techniques to help get a leg up on the competition, and stay ahead of the game. You'll also learn how to prevent information leakage from your organization. The name of the book is;

"Confidential - Uncover Your Competitors' Top Business Secrets Legally and Quickly - and Protect Your Own," by John Nolan, Harper Business Publishers, New York, NY, 1999, 385 pages, ISBN: 978-00666-1984-2.

The author suggests "using a well-planned conversation" to suck out information from competitors. Some of the best sources of information are employees of other companies, newsletters, their marketing material, interviews they give, as well as their vendors and customers. You might also look into their factory workers, sales and marketing teams, minor government employees the do regulatory enforcement, and believe it or not the law firm or lawyers they hire who are busy bragging about their list of clients.

None of this is illegal, and if you aren't doing it, perhaps you should, because your competitors are doing it to you whether you realize it or not. No, most aren't that sophisticated, but many are. And they spend time doing this sort of information gathering. The authors also get into the tactics to keep your competition from stealing your information using social engineering strategies and leading a conversation to their benefit of information gathering.

You might be surprised at fact that the most important information about your competitors whether large or small is some of the easiest to get using simple strategies and tactics. In fact, the authors have a 12 step strategy to getting that information flow through casual conversations. They suggest provocative statements, trading information, simple flattery, and using the instinct to complain to your advantage.

In the category of manipulating conversations they explain how word phrase repetition helps very well, and quoting facts and reports, or even giving criticism allowing the other party to deny, defeat, or help you get to the truth of that criticism. Another strategy is to use incorrect information or false facts, and let them explain why they are false. Further, if you tell them you don't believe them, they might further elaborate giving even more information away as they try to clear their good name, or have you believe them.

Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it, you should own this book just like me if you are in business for yourself.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of Book Reviews. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited Our Modern World - Book Review / Summary

In this book James Carroll, an award winning author, columnist and scholar, discusses exhaustively what lies within the two histories of what the three major faiths consider as their holy city, Jerusalem... the ethological history of Jerusalem and the actual history of the physical city. Throughout the book he distinguishes among the three faiths that occupied the holy city throughout its tumultuous past and how each sanctified the City as their own both literally and spiritually. Unlike any other city... only Jerusalem can claim such inspiration.

"Only Jerusalem, not Athens, Rome, or El Dorado, or the New York of immigrants' dreams - only Jerusalem occupies such a transcendent place in the imagination."

Indeed, the city is standing on holy ground... Carroll will take you on a journey from the "rock" that the primitive sacrificed other humans, "the rock" where Abraham was stopped from sacrificing his own son Isaac on Mount Moriah, where King David built his house on Mount Zion, or where Christ was crucified at Golgotha, and the Rock that Islam's Dome of the Rock enshrines.

What makes this read more engaging is that Carroll goes beyond the history of the city and its religions and characterizes how this city has become the symbol for a universal human condition: violence, which he refers to as "Jerusalem fever". And through human machinations and constructs, this primal and universal propensity for violence infects religious groups, political parties, and economic policy for the whole middle east and beyond. Carroll goes on to explains that while it seems intuitive that violence and religion are separate in their nature, the reality is that they are, in fact, inseparable, and shows the direct correlation of violence and the sacred. He goes on to write that this reality is evident in the historical developments of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which we all can agree have their own bloody story.

Carroll also eloquates how this city stands as "the fulfillment of history". Each of the major monotheistic faiths believe that Jerusalem holds the key to their apocalyptic hope where God finally answers his own mysteries. What began, Carroll explains, as a immeasurable and internal revelation evolved into a revelation centered around a space (the actual city of Jerusalem), and finally into a revelation of time - the End Time. Carroll really does make plain how Jerusalem inspires revelation in all dimensions for all people.

"For Jews, Muslims, and Christians, this real estate - "holy land" - is a magnet that draws to itself, and thereby organizes, the shaving of a million impressions of the transcendence".

This book is beautifully and exhaustively written that exposes the good and bad in religion and personal faith (of any religion), and I don't think that I poured over, or pondered over as much as any book as this one. As one who has read hundreds of history books over the years I will have to read this particular book over and over to peal back each layer of information and understanding. Excellent book! I recommend this read to anyone interested in learning more on the city itself, the Middle East conflict, world history, and yes, maybe even learning a little more about yourself!

Lord of the Flies - When Good Kids Go Bad

Lord of the Flies tells the story of a plane of boys who flee from Britain while a war is in full swing, and crash land near a deserted island in the Pacific after being shot down. As the story progresses, leadership is developed and certain boys take on roles that prove to be intoxicating to the point that malicious behavior erupts. In situations that seem inherently dangerous, conforming to the mob mentality seems to be human nature.

At first Ralph is elected as the leader. He then appoints Jack - the antagonist - as the leader of a group of boys designated to hunt and provide food for the group. Naturally, the hunters adorn themselves with masks, which seems to lend to their anonymity, making their crazed behavior easier to engage in. While this type of misbehavior is seen frequently in the media, it seems out of place for a children's novel, especially one written nearly a half-century ago.

Lord of the Flies illustrates what can result from a leader on a power trip, but also, what kind of beliefs people will engage in when there is a fear factor involved. The younger boys of the group develop a fear of a monster lurking on the island, after one of the "littluns" disappears. After a thorough search results in nothing, they conclude that the monster lives in the sea and only emerges to commit heinous acts. Never mind the fact that the boy disappeared after a tremendous fire that spread after a signal fire burned out of control. Later, an ejected pilot's parachute that is ensnared in a tree fools a boy who comes across it at night into thinking that he actually saw the monster. One of the boys, Simon, discovers the parachute and rushes back to camp, only to be killed by the other boys who thought he was the monster.

Once Jack and his hunters absconded to a hideout, Ralph and his followers tried to reason with him. Once they met, a battle ensued, and one boy named Roger, rolled a boulder of the cliff, crushing Piggy's - one of Ralph's team members' - head. Ralph managed to dodge all the spears that were flung his way, and ran to the point of exhaustion, but an eventual rescue. Lord of the Flies illustrates how fear and power can coerce people who are of a good nature to do wicked acts.

Author writes about a variety of topics. If you would like to learn more about Lord of the Flies summary, visit http://www.shmoop.com/.

Rehab Girl

It is unusual for me to ponder a storyline once outside the bound pages of a book; however, this is what occurred after I read Rehab Girl by P. M. Grates. Although the female protagonist, Alyssa Daingerfield, is introduced as a thirteen-year-old, readers immediately sense her advanced maturity and intellect that challenges adults as well as her peers. With her subtle beauty, powerful mind, and obvious intelligence, she is unafraid to go after what she wants or impulsively run away from what she doesn't want. One time when she ran away, she was nearly raped by a stranger, but using only her words and perceptive insight, she was able to talk her way out of that dangerous situation.

Alyssa had a happy home life living with her grandparents in Monterey Park, California; she got along with them wonderfully, especially with her Grandpa Jack who seemed to understand her better than anyone else, including her mother Daisy who was young, beautiful and often appeared far less mature than her daughter. Her mother had never been without a man for long, moving Alyssa from home to home but ultimately the two would return to the only stable home Alyssa ever had-that of her grandparents. When Daisy became involved with a new man named Franken whom she planned to marry, she was determined that her daughter would live with them which would require a move to Rosemead, California. This arrangement simply couldn't work since mother and daughter did not want the same things out of life. Besides that, there was the out-of-control drinking by Daisy and Franken that the young girl had to contend with. Alyssa loved Daisy-and later on their relationship would improve-but she wanted the security and love her grandparents gave her. Then there was her friend Dylan, a neighborhood boy, whom she would often visit during the day; the two of them would play board games or watch movies together. Alyssa and Dylan would remain close friends throughout the years. Other times she would be on the street, where she felt a sense of belonging. For some reason Alyssa was drawn to the homeless, using her special energizing abilities to reach out to them. Her inner spirit connected with theirs. Alyssa wanted to help and to heal those in need. Was this to be her vocation-her purpose in life? Was being a rehab girl truly what she wanted?

As the storyline progresses with Alyssa pursuing her education and goals, she has many friends-both male and female-who play important roles in her life. They are from all walks of life. I found these characters to be fascinating because of their unique personalities and the conversations that are exchanged-some of them very philosophical. I often felt as though I, along with Alyssa, had become a participant, listening and learning from the ideas, reasoning, beliefs, and thoughts of those who crossed paths with this perceptive woman. I felt the power of her mind as she achieved monetary and personal success, regardless of the social challenges she had faced along the way. Her friends and family, including her own father whom she finally had a relationship with, all helped her with a business venture that met and probably exceeded expectations. Readers will wonder if she has lost her way as the materialistic and worldly pleasures seem to overpower her spiritual nature and healing abilities. There are men in her life, but none impact her as much as Trevor Granderson. They fall in love, passionately in love, and at first, it seemed they would be together forever; however, it has been said that there is a thin line between love and hate-and soon Trevor seemed to cross over that line, allowing greed, jealously, and selfishness affect their relationship.

Alyssa realizes at one point that she had temporarily forsaken her life's mission, and so does something totally unexpected and unselfish, though some would question the motive, wisdom, and sanity of such behavior. As far as she and Trevor, can their relationship be healed? Could there be another true love in her life? Purchase this book and discover the answers to these questions and be prepared for a mesmerizing reading experience. The book is well-written by an author with exceptional talent for bringing a storyline to life. It is without reservation that Rehab Girl carries my highest recommendation.

Author of seven books, book reviewer, former publisher and radio talk show host.

How to Become a Great Audio Book Reader

Although having a good voice and ability to pronounce words correctly may mark the beginning of a career in audio book reading, a person is required to exhibit many other features so as to make the necessary acoustic impact. Venturing into the sphere of audio book reading takes so much more than just having a good voice. In point of fact, the journey to becoming a good reader begins when the passion in you leads to the fundamental actions of reading out loud to interested parties and learning sound variation techniques. Listed below are a number of steps that a person should go through in the process of being refined into a creditable reader.

Relentless practice
If possible, read out loud to people across different age groups starting with the young to the old. Preferably, find a group of blind people and read to them as well. It's recommended that you tape every session for the sake of identifying strengths and weaknesses which may become evident after listening to the cassettes over and over again. The more people you read to, the more feedback that you will get. You will be criticized and praised in equal measure hence the reason to be prepared for any eventualities. However, you have to learn by heart that embracing criticism in a positive manner is the secret to identifying areas of weakness and the first step towards improving your skills.

Broaden your skills
The art of reading out loud to different groups of people is best managed by individuals who have experience in acting. Different content require different tone variations to sound correct and make the necessary impact. In view of that acknowledgement, a good audio reader is one who is capable of revealing character distinction by way of tonal variations and character development. Performing arts classes are very useful in facilitating character development and improving accents or dialects which the audience can use to tell between different personalities.

Listen to the works of distinguished readers
In order to gauge your standards, you have to listen to audio books that have been done by notable readers. Identify how the reader keeps his audience occupied and how different characters are brought to life. Listen to both fiction and factual audio books and work out the difference between the two varieties. Once you have gathered adequate and useful information, listen to your production and identify sections that require being improved on. Keep on doing this until you are comfortable with the standards that characterize your work.

Start recording
After you have what it takes to produce a great audio book, visiting the studio should be the next stop. Identify a studio with directors who can contribute to your success through offering advice and proper recording services. Sooner or later, you will be able to produce quality audio book recording that people will enjoy to read without getting bored. It's good to always remember that, earning reputation as a distinguishable reader takes time to achieve but once there; there is nothing to hold you back from achieving your goals.

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The Children Shall Be Blameless

If individuals have read Jack Savage's previous books, they have come to expect the unexpected. In The Children Shall Be Blameless, readers will not be disappointed since I believe this book has the best storyline thus far in the author's literary efforts. I also sense that there is much of himself entwined in the various and well-depicted characters. Some authors have problems giving their characters unique traits and personalities, but Savage is a master at this which is so crucial to this novel. Readers may not like everyone they meet; however, they will ultimately get an intimate look into their souls and know who they really are.

After his mother's death, and because his father was serving in the Korean war, Richard Smith was told by the Sisters of St. James's Orphanage that he and his two sisters had been left with them to be their caretakers. From the depiction of his character, I instantly liked this spunky and courageous boy who grows up to become exceptionally successful in real estate. But before this happens, he has to survive many difficult times while spending his childhood at the orphanage. He experiences further challenges once he is on his own.

There is the question as to Richard's buried memories in regard to his younger sister who died when an accident occurred early on at the orphanage. His other sister had apparently gone to stay with an uncle. When the war was over, readers will want to know why his father never came to get him. But it was a question that would be answered at a later time. As the story unwinds, we see the traits of his childhood carried into adulthood where he would always help those in trouble; evidence of this was vividly described during his combat in Vietnam. From childhood on, if needed, he would protectively lie to others in order to alleviate problematic situations, and somehow it seemed to me that it was totally acceptable, given the circumstances.

One of the most important people in Richard's life was Father Brown who intervened when the young boy was badly beaten on the school playground. Father Brown is not your usual priest and, indeed, becomes the father that Richard never had. They are as close, and perhaps closer, than any biological father and son, sharing much time together with intriguing conversations. He is the person who understands Richard and knows his extraordinary potential.

Richard Smith wanted what we all want-a family of his own to love. Although there were women who gave him sex and others he became romantically involved with for a time, it appeared as though he would never meet the right woman to marry. Or would he? Ultimately, he does have a family that consists of two adopted boys, a wonderful housekeeper, and Father Brown; there are others who are very important to him-from his past and present.

Because I want readers to purchase this book, I choose not to give away too much of the storyline, but there are many suspenseful and intriguing surprises along the way that will keep readers turning the pages. An accident that kindles Richard's childhood memory leads to some surprise visits and an adventurous journey that answers questions he has in regard to his past. There are truly some exciting and unforgettable moments. After reading the last two pages of The Children Shall Be Blameless, I think it would be impossible for readers not to shed some tears. As I followed his life's story, I felt Richard's hurt, pain, joy and grief.

I loved this book as well as the author's well-defined style of writing. Readers are there beside the protagonist as he lives his life, sharing his hurt, pain, hopes, dreams, tragedies, and grief. It is without hesitation that I highly recommend this book.

Author of seven books, book reviewer, former publisher and radio talk show host.

Review of Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One

The (somewhat) controversial novel Fifty Shades of Grey is the first book in a trilogy by EL James. It follows Anna, a naïve college senior and her extremely sexual relationship with young mogul Christian Grey. Anna has a chance encounter with Christian when she helps her best friend by conducting an interview for the college paper with him at the last minute. He soon makes her his submissive in an S and M lifestyle that Anna is completely unprepared for. They spend the remainder of the novel navigating this world as Anna examines whether she is really cut out for her new role.

Fifty Shades of Grey is widely known as Mommy Porn because of the explicit sex scenes, of which there are many. Hardly a page goes by without Christian and Anna having sex- in the bathroom, in the bedroom, and in The Red Room- a scary room of bondage devices where Christian brings his submissives. However, the book isn't just about sex. There is also a genuine love story between a young woman becoming an adult and the man she has deep feelings for. Christian also finds himself caring for a woman for the first time in his life and it scares him to death. The struggle to decide if they can be a normal couple makes for some entertaining reading.

Many have argued that the James' writing is terrible and difficult to get through. But this is not supposed to be a great literary work. It was originally written as a piece of fan fiction based on the Twilight trilogy. It received such a huge following that it led to a publishing contract and a brand new life for James, a housewife from. The rumor is that James will receive a 20 million dollar check this fall as her portion of the profits. Is Fifty Shades of Grey a classic? No. But does it provide an escape to a world few know about and many are curious about? Absolutely!

James is not the first writer to struggle with dialogue. If there is any question, take a look at some early works by Danielle Steel or even at Luke and Laura's conversations in the 80s. But where are people getting the idea that James takes her own writing seriously? She has admitted to being stunned by the success of the trilogy. So why does the public feel the need to attack her on a daily basis?

The cultural dialogue about the book has definitely influenced the book's attraction. And taken for what it is- a love story with a lot of sex- it is perfect for anyone looking to escape their own lives, for a brief time.

Fifty Shades Fan site dedicated to the Fifty shades of grey trilogy for fans to read the latest news on the movie casting and much more.

Secrets of the Egole's Nest Authored by Daniel B. Royer

When individuals read Secrets of the Egole's Nest by Daniel B. Royer, they will see evidence of the author's extraordinary imagination and creativity through the bound pages of this exciting book. The storyline moves at a fast pace with unique characters whose individual personality traits and unusual powers are magical, mystical, and very much needed for space travel as they intervene to help those on other planets. It is unlike any other science-fiction book that you have read; the plot and subplots are mesmerizing and unforgettable.

The main character is Aben whom we meet at the age of thirteen on Castlerock Road where he lives with his soldier father--a Colonel--and the overbearing, unpretentious and very capable caretaker, Nanny Busien. Aben looks forward to the times his father comes home for a brief visit as the two of them are very close and enjoy being together. Both of them miss Marlya Egole--their loving wife and mother who had mysteriously disappeared years earlier.

Aben excelled academically and would soon graduate from high school, but he has difficulty with friendships because of the restraints of his nanny. However when Nastera Roshen, a sprightly-eyed girl with an enchanting smile--someone his own age--moves into the house next door, the two of them soon became friends. It is a friendship that will change his life as well as that of his father in ways they could not have imagined.

Nastera offers Aben her hand and, when he takes it, she implants a heavenly micro-organism, virally activating his powerful DNA which gives him incredible abilities. Before he understands what has happened, he is standing on planet Zonda. It seems that Nastera is a recruiter going to various planets and asking selective individuals to be apprentices in a new legion of Astroknights who would be trained and sent to other worlds with the purpose of fighting off foreign invaders. The young recruiter also tells him that his mother is alive and well and gives him some surprising information regarding his grandfather.

Later, back home at his high school graduation ceremony, when Aben, the brilliant and very young high school graduate speaks, his powerful emotions and new abilities set off starbursts of dazzling and colourful explosions. All in attendance are amazed and entertained by the display but have no idea that Aben brought about this spectacular event. As the storyline evolves, the young scholar realizes that he has to learn to control his emotions--a difficult task.

To move this review forward, my readers can assume that Aben does indeed become an apprentice, and both he and his father move to Zonda where his father later becomes his commander with the new title of General Egole. But first Aben, along with others who also have unique abilities, are extensively trained before meeting the requirements necessary to be an Astroknight and to participate in dangerous space warfare.

Readers will become captivated with holography, teleporting, invisibility, vile flying creatures, giant creatures, character clouds, surgery to enhance analytical abilities, teleportation, the tyrant Warnod who has plans to rule the universe, blackhole technology to relocate 8 planets, the stopping of time, and the strategies used by Aben and his comrades while in battle. They will not be able to turn the pages fast enough to learn what happens next. Will the wife and mother who disappeared years earlier be found and reunited with General Egole and Aben? If so, where has she been and why did she leave them?

The description used to present this unfolding drama is outstanding with the environment so vividly depicted that readers will believe they are in the midst of all these happenings. I have no reservations in recommending this book as a read, especially for those who enjoy science-fiction and space travel.

Author of seven books, book reviewer, former publisher and radio talk show host.

Wilkie Collins

I've been laid up with a broken ankle for the last 8 weeks and so I've finally had recourse to the large collection of Victorian ebooks I've collected from the web over the last couple of years. In particular I've been reading the works of WC--10 of his novels so far. I've been struck by several points and, in a skeleton form, I write them below:

1. What a story-teller! He easily beats Dickens when it comes to successful, labyrinthine plotting. The two men were friends, but it's easy to see that a fundamental difference in attitude to the construction of a novel would have set up tensions between the two men. For Collins, a novel is basically as good as the plot--though his characterization can be convincing too. Dickens, in contrast, believes a novel to be largely based on characterization and emotional sympathy with the characters. Plot is secondary and, in Dickens' case, often haphazard. Both approaches can work, but in many ways it is Dickens' approach that has aged the worse: his lack of emphasis on plot gave him too much time to indulge in a fault common to most Victorian novelists: maudlin sentimentality!

2. Collins makes good use of another staple to Victorian novelists: the use of many voices to tell the narrative. Most of his novels are a series of diaries, journals and letters written by various characters within the story. If handled well, this is a good technique for telling a story. The problem comes when the character is too limited to his or her social station to fully explicate exactly what's going on. Another drawback can be the very choppy nature of the narrative, jerking to and fro between different voices.

3. Collins is by no means unique in the Victorian world for his belief in providence or destiny. However, his books have the seeming fault of mostly being constructed on a whole series of unlikely coincidences. If two people knew each other in Italy or elsewhere on the continent, they are absolutely certain to meet again, purely by chance (or is it destiny?), in the streets of London. Anyone who has a belief in destiny or karma will easily find a way to forgive this particular idiosyncracy, but there is no denying that in the context of a novel, too many coincidences piled on top of each other do begin to jar.

4. As in most Victorian novels, the need to conform to a very conventional morality does, at times, make for heavy reading. Fortunately, Collins' plots are usually so delightfully byzantine that one doesn't need to dwell on this for long periods (Collins himself kept two women and had 3 children--all out of wedlock).

5. Another source of conflict with Dickens must have been Collins' essentially upper class background. His father was a painter and fellow of the Royal Academy. What a contrast with Dickens' "bootshining" background! In terms of his writing, Collins' social position meant he was always happier describing the doings of upper class and aristocratic society than the ambience of the common man. Many of his novels have a well-to-do, country-house setting.

6. More than most Victorian writers, Collins deserves to have his reputation re-evaluated. He wrote 30 novels--and a good two-thirds of them should still be available in cheap editions (though the advent of the Internet means most of his books are now available absolutely free).

http://www.dr-john-wallen.com

Fifty Shades Freed Review - The Party's Over

We knew it was coming- the Fifty Shades trilogy is complete! Sadly, it doesn't look like there will be any further adventures with our favorite S&M couple Christian and Ana any time soon. EL James has moved on and is busy creating a new couple to steal our hearts. But we must thank her for a fantastic climax to the series.

In Fifty Shades Freed Christian becomes more than just a sex god- who knew he would turn out to be such a good guy? And so damn compassionate? O.K., we all did. I admit I'm a sucker for Christian- even when he is being utterly obnoxious. James allows us to see past the arrogant behavior to the man Christian would have been had he not suffered such a wretched past.

James knows her readers- and what they crave. I have always argued that James developed more than an S&M series in these books. There is an excellent story here, even if many people can't see past the so-called 'bad writing'. Like Edward and Bella in the Twilight series that the Fifty Shades books were based upon, Christian and Ana also get married and learn they are expecting a child. It serves to makes the couple even more human.

James ties up the loose ends from the first two books and it does sometimes feel a little rushed- like she is trying to fit it all in. We find out Jack Hyde's story. It's eye-opening to learn the details of Christian's past and watch him show his vulnerable side when he loses control over ANYTHING. Mia's kidnapping is finally wrapped up, along with the sub-plot: 'Mrs. Robinson and the Subs.'

But don't worry- there is still plenty of hot sex and- yay!- a return to the Red Room. Thankfully James doesn't disappoint- there is also plenty of romance too. Perhaps she has run out of a little steam- the cute bantering back and forth between Ana and Christian isn't the same as in the past. But James also has a lot of ground to cover and manages to do it pretty well.

What is my favorite part of Fifty Shades Freed? Definitely the epilogue. I wanted to find out if they live happily ever after! I also liked the bonus sections- "Fifty's First Christmas" and "Meet Fifty Shades." "Fifty's First Christmas" gives a first-person account of Christian's first Christmas after being adopted by the Greys. And "Meet Fifty Shades" shows us Christian's first impressions of Ana in their first two meetings.

Yes, I am sad to come to the end of the Fifty Shades trilogy. But truthfully, I can't wait to see what James has in store for us next.

Fifty Shades Freed Review dedicated to the Fifty shades of grey trilogy for fans to read the latest news on the movie casting and much more.