Guides Books

I've been a fan of Doreen Virture's work for a long time now. I love her meditation CDs, books and oracle cards. Her messages are very loving, peaceful, beautiful, relaxing, and help me connect with the Divine Source. She uses positive archetypes such as angels, saints, fairies, etc. Her Chakra Clearing Meditation CD is my all-time favorite meditation CD.

I've tried one of her oracle cards and several by other authors, but Doreen's Goddess Guidance cards are by far the most beautiful, accurate and inspiring I've ever come across. And I've also found this deck at the right time when I'm getting into Goddess spirituality more. Goddesses seem to resonate with me probably because I'm a woman and also because they're more human, less intimidating and less mythical than other archetypes. I am in the process of reclaiming my feminine power, which is not the same as power in the masculine sense or in the negative connotation of the word.

These cards I found have been the most accurate and useful oracle cards I've ever tried for myself. They seem to speak to me directly and are in tune with who I am and where I am in my life. I find that I get very helpful guidance and insight about myself and about other people that is just so right on. I really do feel like I'm getting clear and correct messages from the Universe when I use these cards.

I also like that Goddesses from different cultures around the world are represented. There are, of course, more of the more well-known Western Goddesses and there are lots of Celtic goddesses in the deck. But it's nice to see Pele and some other Polynesian as well as Egyptian and Asian Goddesses. I'm surprised not to see that many Graeco-Roman Goddesses, though. I would have like to see more of those. I'm also a little surprised to see Guinevere and Isolt as Goddesses, I don't think I would have ever thought of them as such until I saw them included in this deck. It's great to see Mother Mary and Mary Magdelene as well. Being a New Age Catholic, I like being able to integrate my religion of origin with my current, more eclectic and wider-ranging beliefs.

All in all, I am very happy with The Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards. The artwork by different artists is just amazingly beautiful, and there are so many messages that you can find in each one. The cover artwork of the Goddess Dana is what originally drew me to this deck. It really captures the essence of a strong, grand, beautiful, powerful and serene Goddess. The gilt edges on the card make the deck feel very sacred, which they are. The words on the cards and in the guidebook are very positive and nurturing as well. I intend on using these oracle cards for years to come.

These cards are not only extremely beautiful, but inspring and entertaining as well, with interesting information about the various deities depicted on the cards. Definitely recommendable.

I bought this deck primarily to use for learning about various Goddesses and having a form for calling in their energy in ritual (I am pagan BTW) rather than as an oracle. I have several Tarot decks I use for divination and am quite happy using them for that.

I have found images on the cards lovely and quite worthy of ritual use. However, the guidebook is written purely as an oracle deck. For each card it has a message and possible interpretations, but only a few sentences per card about the Goddess herself.

As an oracle is useful, but as a healing type oracle rather than a descriptive one. The interpretations are largely suggestions to improve a particular energy flow, rather than a description of current or future situations. For example, some interpretations are "slow, steady progress is best right now", "make time to rest", and "release guilt about receiving". I'm not saying this is good or bad, just pointing out that it is quite different from a tarot type oracle.

Love the cards. I read regular Tarot - and now after i read for someone, i pull these cards out and have the client pick a card. So far - what they pick totally relates to the reading i just gave them. Awesome! Beautiful colors, feel very spiritual to me.

I am new to reading cards, and I thought I could connect with these cards. It's difficult not to! The pictures are beautiful, each goddess card show a goddess with intricate detail and soulful eyes. I felt a connection right away with these cards and so far I am really happy with them. hopefully they continue to give me positive vibes!

If you are looking for an easy set to connect with, these should jump out at you. Literally. I did a quick reading on my husband and with little skill all three cards represented a life change and forward movement, and this is exactly what is happening with him!

I am happy with these cards and look forward to using them more.

I purchased this book because a phrase was mentioned in my daily meditation. I was so moved to further my inquizative, hungry mind & soul. I was very excited to receive the book and begin it imediately, as i did. I was not dissapointed as it kept me at my edge. I wanted to read more as i digested all the wonderful, hearty visions and fueling words and messages. This book lead me to my next and then to another and i realized i was on a journey of no return. Thank you both the author for providing me with the resources to feel whole and motivated and complete. :) Penny

A few things that were elusive to me such as supreme confidence, knowing how to stick to my truth despite what others asked of me, and fretting about what is going to happen in the future, were all explained in such a manner in Know Yourself that for the first time I get it.

Learning about what has caused upset within myself by soaking in this exceptional book has gleaned rare insight that I have not experienced before until now.
I highly suggest this book for learning how to feel self worth.

Make no mistake about it, Know Yourself is one of the best I've ever read because it covers it all. Each stage of life, what's been missing inside ourselves, how to regain what we feel we've somehow lost inside, and the chapter on abuse is right on target. That would only apply if you've been abused and the nagging effects of it can make you feel that you're not worth much at all until you discover you are.

One of my favorite passages comes from page 46 during the written exercise part of the book. It says in quotes:
"The choice of what to put on your list is all yours. No one on this earth can create your life. No one other than you knows exactly what you love, what brings you joy, and what fills your entire being with passion. What you are about to write is the real you that lays beneath should's, societal expectations, cultural attitudes, and what you have been taught that opposes what you feel is true for you. Now, it's writing time to bring the real you to up to the surface on the following pages."

Know Yourself taught me how to turn my attitude about myself around. It did its job and then some. It has been a gift to me that I'm sharing with friends.

In "Know Yourself" Barbara Rose did an outstanding job of bringing insight where I previously had confusion or uncertainty. There is a chapter covering abuse that helped me un-do more hurt from the past than I thought it would, and for that I am grateful.

I wanted to quote directly from the book from page 98 because I feel this can help anyone, which is the purpose of this great book.

"Letting Go of Criticism
Another part of cherishing others is to, with loving compassion, let go of any criticisms made of you; blame the criticisms on illusions the people had at the time; for had they had healthy and pure minds, they would not have taken anything out on you. Instead of blaming them, cherish them for being your teachers--and for teaching you how to feel self-value despite anything they may have said or done.

Do not ever take to heart hurtful comments others make. Do not make them a part of your being. Know yourself and you will know truth.

Know who you are. What you believe in. What feels right and true for you.
If you dream of changing your career because of the passion you feel for a new field, enjoy the process; never let anyone stop you with their illusions of so-called failure or impossibilities.
Nothing is impossible.

I learned this saying: "Whether you believe you can or you believe you can't, you're right!"

If your heart is pulling you in a certain direction, then this is a part of your truth, and you must honor it.

This is where a solid sense of self comes from. It comes from knowing your truth. You can be sixty-five years old and decide you want to go back to school to become a doctor because you have always really wanted to help people. Go back to school!

Don't ever let chronological age hold you back. Many people, both men and women, have uplifted countless lives and have achieved their greatest self-actualization later in life.

Wisdom is the hallmark of a life lived from the heart, without judgment, and with compassion for all others.

No matter what it is you want to do, do it because it is a true expression of who you are. The joy you will experience by honoring what your heart and soul came into this life for will far outweigh the pain and disappointment you will feel if you don't honor your truth."

There is much more that I can quote from, much more that has helped me.

While doing the written exercises, simply and clearly spelled out in the beginning of the book, I experienced what many people call "A-Ha" moments. Each one brought more about what was holding my back into my awareness, and then following the guidance in the book I was able to un-do the old, and replace it with truth that feels much better!

I read this book twice so far, and am now re-reading it again. It's an excellent book for anyone male or female!

I'm sorry but I found this book extremely unhelpful. It was very disjointed. It wasn't even clear what you were supposed to be writing in the workbook pages. It just seemed like a stream of consciousness of trite phrases like "everything happens for a reason". Maybe it's helpful to people who have never thought beyond their nose for their entire life. I don't know. I couldn't find anything redeeming in the entire thing. I ended up just skimming the second half so maybe there was something redeeming in there.

This is the first Omartian book I have read, and I love it. The breakdown is short easy chapters, so I can read a few minutes and still cover a topic. Great advise and insights are on every page. I also plan to use it as a reference/refresher when I need advice.

Don't order from Caesureus I hear the book is very good. Still have not recieved shipment though ordered over a mont ago!

This is an excellent book. It was recommended to me by a friend and worth every penny. Extremely motivating. I have two other books in the series that I enjoy just as much.

I am pleased at how fast that I have received this book. I have been using this book with my weekly Bible study. It is a wonderful book and a great resource for women who want to become better prayers.

If you're looking for more of a closeness and intimacy with the Lord, this is a good book to read. I also recommend the power of a praying wife.

I originally got this book from a local library along with 5 or 6 others on international adoption. I am set on adopting from Russia as I am actually from there (lived there until I was 20), and am fully bi-lingual. I read the other books first and returned them to the library quickly. And then I started reading this book. I realized right away that I would have to get my own copy of it.
I am actually going through the process independently, without an agency, and I don't think I would be able to do it without this book. I cannot believe how familiar the author is with regional offices, hotels, embassies. It's like he's worked as a facilitator in several regions before writing this.
There are some misspellings and typos in the book, and please don't learn Russian from it (just common sense, really - I didn't learn my English from a Russian :)) ), but if you want to understand exactly how your adoption process is going, buy this book. It is a reference to be used and consulted again and again throughout the process.
The book also has chapters on some former USSR republics, so if you're adopting from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and such, this is also very helpful.

This book is chock full of specific and useful information, everything from shopping for agencies to how to evaluate a child before you adopt for potential medical/developmental issues (including a list of pediatricians who specialize in international adoption) to what to put on line 12 of form I-600A. He describes the regions and gives web addresses for online information. The most recent edition is from 2004 and as international adoption rules seem to change frequently, it would be great if the author did another more current edition. It seems the changes are more 'in word' than 'deed' however, and the gist of things is much the same. As someone just beginning the journey, this book has already helped me make major and solid decisions. Maclean is honest and doesn't talk down to you. This is for parents who want to be active, engaged advocates for their children even before you've met them and has good info. about countries other than Russia as well.

This is the everything you need to know about Russian adoption in one book guide. It is a little dated right now with re-accreditation issues starting in 2005, but it is still a very relevant and important guide to adopting from Russia. I suggest purchasing this book before you choose an agency as it gives lists of very important questions to ask a potential agency. This book breaks down the Russian adoption process and walks PAPs through the paperwork they will be filing. There are chapters on everything from what to pack to how to find a good pediatrician. We pulled chapters about our region and questions to ask doctors trip one out of the book and traveled with them. This is one book about adopting from Russia all PAPs need to read.
Written by Christina Stinsa

I just adopted my son from Russia and this book made everything so much easier! It should be a must have for all prospective adoptive families!!!

There is a lot of general information contained in one easy to navigate location. I do recommend it highly, especially for one who is just beginning the adoption process. The only problem is that things are changing so fast, that even though the book was recently updated, it is already somewhat out of date.

Recieved item on time, right when we were told it would arrive. Book in very good condition.

Simon Wiesenthal is best known as the man who had been indefatigable and single-minded in trying to bring Nazi criminals to justice as long as there was a single one of them left. For him this was an absolute moral imperative and something that he felt he owed to the memory of the murdered millions of Jews, of whom Wiesenthal could so easily have been one: he was the survivor of a succession of concentration camps: the Janowska camp outside Lvov, Plaszow (the camp of Schindler's List), Auschwitz, Gross-Rosen, and finally Mauthausen. It may come as a surprise to some readers that Wiesenthal was sensitive to the moral problems raised by the issue of forgiveness - yet this book is a moving meditation on that theme. According to his biographer, Hella Pick, Wiesenthal had `always considered it his most important book'.

Cruelty and casual murder were everyday occurrences in the Janowska camp, and are described in gut-wrenching detail in the first half of this episode from Wiesenthal's life. While doing slave labour at a military hospital near the camp, he was secretly brought to the death-bed of Karl, a gravely wounded 21-year old SS officer whose conscience was wracked - not just at death's door, but apparently immediately after the event - by his participation in a horrific massacre of Jews in Dnepropetrovsk. The officer got a nurse to find `a Jew', who happened to be Wiesenthal, to whom he could make his confession and from whom he could seek forgiveness. Wiesenthal wanted to get away; but something - apart from the dying man's grip - made him stay to hear him out. A Catholic priest later told him that that alone should have helped the man to die in peace, since confession and genuine repentance are more important than any absolution. But at the end Wiesenthal left the room without saying anything. Quite apart from the sufferings he was himself undergoing at the hands of the SS just then and from his expectation of death at their hands at any moment, it was not for him to offer forgiveness on behalf of the victims of Dnepropetrovsk. But the issue haunted him - had he done the right thing? After the war he sought out the SS man's mother. The young man had come from a devout and Social Democrat family who were distressed when their son had joined the Hitler Youth and even more when he had volunteered to join the SS. But the mother was convinced that her son had been a good man. Wiesenthal said nothing to her about what her son had done... The short but haunting book charges the reader to put himself in Wiesenthal's shoes and to ask himself `What would I have done?'

Before publishing his book in 1969, Wiesenthal sent his manuscript to a number of distinguished thinkers for their response, and the comments of ten of them were included in the first edition. Further contributions were made by others to the 1997 and 1998 editions: there are now 53 altogether, and they make up nearly two-thirds of the book. They include - to name only the most famous - those of the Dalai Lama, Cardinal König, Primo Levi, Deborah Lipstadt, Herbert Marcuse, and Desmond Tutu.

Some of the respondents seem to me to veer away from the question Wiesenthal had posed, and draw a distinction between forgetting and forgiving; others discuss the question of collective guilt (some reject it; others blame all the bystanders) - interesting, but irrelevant in the context of this story. Almost all agree that whilst individuals can forgive offences committed against themselves, no human can forgive in the name of other victims. In such cases, if the victims cannot be asked because they are dead, perhaps only God can be asked for forgiveness - though one respondent says that God was hardly fit to forgive something which He had after all allowed to happen. And the Jewish tradition has it that even God will not forgive the unpardonable sin of murder. It is unpardonable, because it is the one sin for which reparation is impossible. The Christian tradition, basing itself on Jesus asking God to forgive them, `for they know not what they do', and on the idea that you must hate the sin, but not the sinner, shaped the answer of some Christian respondents. Some say that forgiveness is not only a boon to the penitent, but also for the victim, freeing him from the burden and poison of hate. Two Asian contributors, one a survivor from the Khmer Rouge and the other a victim of the Cultural Revolution in China, blame only the top leadership, and have some understanding for those who were brainwashed.

One respondent hopes that Karl will rot in hell; others also refuse to accept the genuineness of his repentance, indeed stress the offensiveness of him putting a Jew - chosen not as an individual but picked at random - under the moral burden of hearing the confession and being asked to forgive. Wiesenthal at least saw Karl as an individual and is capable of some compassion towards the dying man and later towards his mother (but one respondent thinks that Wiesenthal did wrong to shield her from the knowledge of what her son had done).

These are just some of the responses to Wiesenthal's question. It is a question addressed to all of us, and it is not surprising that this book has been used as a text in many courses on the Holocaust.

Multiple issues arrived ahead of schedule and are in new condition.The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness (Newly Expanded Paperback Edition)

I've used Wiesenthal's The Sunflower as a text in college courses several times. On each occasion my original high estimation of Wiesenthal's narrative grows, while my dissatisfaction with the chorus of responses that takes up nearly two-thirds of the latest edition deepens.

Wiesenthal asks exactly the right questions that all of us need to confront about forgiveness. Is forgiveness always ours to bestow? Is it permissible or even possible to forgive on behalf of others? Should forgiveness be tied to repentance on the part of the transgressor? Should the transgressor try to atone for his/her wrongdoing? What if, as in the case of the dying SS-man Wiesenthal meets, the performance of overt acts of atonement are impossible? Are there certain actions that are unforgiveable, or is the philosopher Jacques Derrida correct when he insists (On Cosmopolitanism and Forgiveness) that the only kind of forgiving that makes any sense is the kind that forgives the unforgiveable? And in a godless world--a world where, as several characters in The Sunflower say, wickedness is so rampant that God seems to have gone on leave--is forgiveness necessarily a different kind of phenomenon than it would be in a Godded world?

Weisenthal doesn't pretend to answer any of these questions, but he and the other characters in his memoir discuss them, presenting different perspectives and coming to different conclusions. The very real value of The Sunflower is that it encourages readers to think about the questions.

Which brings me to the responses. Most are impressionistic, unanalytical, platitudinous, and hence totally out of step with the brutal authenticity of Weisenthal's text. A few stand out from the others: Robert Coles', Rebecca Goldstein's, Abraham Joshua Heschel's, Primo Levi's. But most can be given a pass. My suggestion would be to focus first and foremost on Weisenthal's text and forget about the responses. A nice cinematic complement to the book is the documentary "Forgiving Dr. Mengele."

Summoned to the bedside of a dying Nazi who had willingly participated in the systematic annihilation of Europe's Jews, concentration camp inmate Simon Wiesenthal found himself the captive, solitary witness to this 21-year-old SS man's confession of responsibility for committing acts of unspeakable cruelty.

Kurt had asked a nurse to bring him a Jew (any Jew would do); quite by chance the nurse selected Wiesenthal from the work detail assigned to the hospital that day. Against his will, he listened to this man recount his experience of packing a house full of Jewish men, women, and children and then setting the house on fire while lobbing grenades into the inferno and shooting at anyone who had attempted to escape this hell. Kurt watched a father, mother, and small boy leap from a window to their certain death. Before the leap, the father had shielded the child's eyes.

The image haunted Kurt, who was unable to fight again. Instead, he froze on the battlefield and suffered and injury that first cost him his sight and then took his life. Before he died, though, he wanted to confess his sins to a Jew that he might be forgiven and die in peace.

Wiesenthal, who was about the same age as this soldier, heard him out but refused to forgive. Instead, he offered silence in response to the story and returned to the concentration camp.

The experience haunted Wiesenthal; soon after it happened, he discussed it with his friends back at the camp, with a Polish Catholic seminarian. Much later, he presented the story to theologians, political leaders, Holocaust survivors, and victims of other attempted genocides and asked each of these persons what he or she would have done in the same situation.

The story itself is first book of The Sunflower; the responses to the question, "The Symposium," are the text of the second book in this volume. Broadly grouped, the respondents are Jews and Christians, primarily. There are two Buddhist respondents and one Chinese respondent who makes no reference to religion though his response is in keeping with Buddhist thinking. Within these broad categories respondents reflect on different facets of the experience Wiesenthal describes and facets of their faith and life experiences and knowledge to make a response.

The Jewish respondents point to the fact that only the person against whom a sin has been committed has the right to forgive the sinner. Therefore, Kurt cannot be forgiven; his victims are dead. The Christian respondents point out, first, that they feel they have no right to address the question because they have never been on the receiving end of genocide. Then they point out that God alone can forgive and that it is incumbent on each of us sinners to find forgiveness in our hearts for others. The Buddhists respond, as Buddhists do, in the present tense and with an eye on enlightenment--a release from suffering. Each perspective reflects a different concept of individuality and therefore of the nature of accountability.

For this reader, The Sunflower accomplishes the important task of bringing the reader into the concentration camp alongside one of its victims, into the hospital room of the dying SS man, and into the heart of the questions the Holocaust raises about responsibility, accountability, forgiveness, restitution, and grace. These are questions that refuse pat answers and therefore remain alive and active in our minds. Wiesenthal's book challenges our ability to empathize with those who suffer and our ability to think about how and why we believe what we do about ourselves and each other. It is a humble and beautiful tribute to those who suffered and died in the Holocaust. We too can honor their memory by participating in the conversation this book presents.

An overview of the places, people and technology in the Dune universe. This explains a lot of the detail of things that Herbert just mentions in passing, such as the scientists that invented shields, or space travel, or things like that.

It is very useful to gain a better understanding of all those finer points.

My copy of the Dune Encyclopedia is from 1985 and I remember seeing it on the shelf at the bookstore and purchasing it without even looking at it first!

It gives excellent detail about the technology written about in the series and insight that really adds to the Dune experience.

If you can find a copy of this book it is well worth the read. I am just amazed it is selling for $50.00+ (I paid $10 for mine in 1985) It would be nice to see this come back into print so more people can enjoy an in depth exploration into this wonderful series.

The first time I ran into the Dune Encyclopedia was purely by accident. I was on Morpheus (a P2P downloading site) and I typed down "DUNE" on the search bar, on the generated list was "The Dune Encyclopedia".

It took days for it to download because only one person was sharing it... meaning that not many people knew it existed and not many people have a digital ebook copy of this book.

Once it was finally on my computer I read as much as I could -- sadly my computer was experiencing many problems and crashed.

Sinse then, I've never been able to find another digital copy. I've resorted to purchasing a $30 one here on good ol' Amazon, however, sinse it's out of print and no publishing house is making any money off of it anymore, I say we as fans should force it back into print as an ebook.

Just recently I found a good condition copy of The Dune Encyclopedia at a local used book dealer. I was completely shocked to have found it on the "recent arrivals" shelf in the Sci-Fi section. I grabbed it up and leafed through it to verify its existence. It was real alright. The fact that I bought it for only $4.50 is more extraordinary. Yes, $4.50 !!! They must not have realized what a treasure they had.
So keep looking everyone, there are still hidden treasures out there to be found.

The Dune encyclopedia should be read by all Dune fans as it provides some answers to the questions raised in the first four books of the series. The book is quite exhaustive in its scope totalling over 500+pages with illustrations. Almost every subtlety here is discussed in depth from Alia's degeneration to the elemental makeup of prehistoric Arrakis.
However, Frank Herbert himself in the forward admitted that while he endorsed the encyclopedia it was by no means a definitive source being that it was a collection of-highly intelligent well thought out- fan conjecture.
And the fan bias/expectations show in some cases.
A few to list are:
*The behaviour of the Duke leto in buying a BG concubine when everyone in the Imperium trusted the Bene Gesserit only in respects to how far they could throw one.
-The fate of Scytale the Tleilaxu face dancer.
-Piter De Vries was the first to create and employ residual poisons, however all of a sudden everyone and their wetnurse in the entire Imperium seems to know about it and utilizes it.
-The only instances of homosexuality(in the whole of the Imperium mind you) showing up in Harkonnen ancestry and descent even with contrary evidence in regards to certain characters. *rolls eyes*
- Modified Duncan Gholas when Leto specified that he only accepted the unchanged, original.
-The involvement of the Bene Gesserit in the Wanna Marcus/Harkonnen/Yueh incident, which only serves to make them look like veritable idiots.
Other points of contention are less the fault of bias but rather assumptions being made about the series before it had concluded with Dune Heretics and Chapterhouse Dune.
The illustrations are also quite helpful in giving one a visual of the characters and some of the technology used in the Dune series.
All in all this compendium of fan enthusiasm should be enjoyed with a grain of salt. It is certainly a better alternative than Brian Herbert's mauling of the mythos. I would suggest purchasing a copy if at all possible only because a reissue of the encyclopedia will be one edited to fit the inconsistencies in the prequals and thus not true to the vision of Frank Herbert and the scholars who created this work in his honor.

This was quite helpful and informative for a book aimed at preteens, yet highly accessible and understandful. It offers great tips and advice, especially on dealing with feelings and seeing them in a healthy, real perspective. I even used this for an essay I had to write!

J'adore! ^_^

(p.s. everyone should real Twilight.)

Don't get misled by the cover. This book is for girls at any age. . . Really.. As we grow older, people assume we know things that we are not supposed to know. For instance, how to keep and take good care of our emotions and feelings.. This is the book that will get you started..

I got this book along with the "What would you do??" book for my 12 years old step daughter and she loved it...I noticed its hard for her to communicate with us and being that our marriage is new to her and the possibility of having a little brother and sister someday is making her worried that she will no longer be the only child, a book about expressing feelings seemed perfect...She sat down with us to read through the books...THANKS AMERICAN GIRL this book is great!!!

I got this book along with the "What would you do??" book for my 12 years old step daughter and she loved it...I noticed its hard for her to communicate with us and being that our marriage is new to her and the possibility of having a little brother and sister someday is making her worried that she will no longer be the only child, a book about expressing feelings seemed perfect...She sat down with us to read through the books...THANKS AMERICAN GIRL this book is great!!!

Gave this book to my Tween daughter. I think this book will help with a lot of the problems they will come in contact with.

I highly recommend this book. It has helped write the Different Flags screenplay. Eugenia RenskoffDifferent Flags

So far the best and complete guide for screenplay that I've read. Very useful for those who wants to start writing a screenplay. I recommend it.

This books is very well written and has loads of information for the beginning screen writer such as myself. The author takes a chronological step by step approach as to how to get started and the proper format for a screenplay. The only thing I'm sort of ad odds with is that the author doesn't say much as to how in the world you get an agent to just read your script, let alone representing you. He sort of glosses over that problem and a real problem it is. I personally have been sending out query letters since February of this year and have received only "polite" rejection form letters or no responses at all. I've even sent out "follow up" queries and still no responses. I assume that agents need postage stamps, they've obviously kept the ones that I've included for return postage, or that in order to get ANYTHING read and actually produced, you have to know someone personally in the business. Don't quit your day jobs and think that you're going to sell a story. It's next impossible, as I've unfortunately realized. You would assume that it's not really that difficult given all the "schlock" that IS produced. Case in point: an independent film maker made a film this last year about zombies attacking a small town and it cost him about $30,000 to make. He released it and it made over $35,000,000 in one weekend! Out grossing the three main stream releases put together! Go figure. Never the less, this book is a good fundamental but just don't depend on it too much as gospel. Keep writing, keep looking for an agent but also keep/find a regular job in the meantime.

Unless you enjoy battering your head against the wall, read Keane's book before embarking on your project. Soup to nuts and three desserts - he gives the reader everything.

As Chance the Gardener says in BEING THERE, "I like to watch." As one who also likes to watch, this 'blockbuster release' time of year always makes me wonder....Could I do 'that'? Just how hard is it to do 'that.? 'That' being writing a screenplay and whatever comes after. A mystery to most of us watchers. This time I decided to seek answers to these questions. I naturally sought a book, which, for this quest, is Christopher Keane's HOW TO WRITE A SELLING SCREENPLAY.
CASABLANCA screenwriter Julius Epstein's foreword to this book closes with, 'Good luck and welcome to the terrible, wonderful world of screenwriting.' Why terrible/wonderful? By the time I finished this book, that was crystal clear. I learned that this pursuit isn't for the faint of heart or the thin-skinned. Screenwriting is demanding. It's daunting. It requires utter focus. It's frustrating. It's exciting. It's lonely. It's rewarding. There are lots of rules....There are no rules...
In this informative, engaging primer one can learn these rules and gain valuable insights into the wild and crazy film business itself. You might learn from this book that your idea is better suited for a play. Or a novel. Or a TV series. It's just as important to know what isn't a good screenplay idea as what is. Saves time! Throughout, I found that this book teaches about writing in the larger sense as well as screenwriting in particular. Chris Keane walks us through the many facets of this discipline that comprise the whole; the all-important story, character, plot, structure, dialogue, format, collaboration and re-write among them. He illuminates all of these aspects with references to specific films. And the book is peppered with personal anecdotes from the author's career. I found these to be invaluable insights. And one learns that once the screenplay is finished, the real work begins. This book will be helpful in the vital hunt for an agent, a key piece of the process puzzle.
I particularly like that this isn't an 'Ivory Tower Theory' book. Though Mr. Keane teaches this art, he also does it. And he has written novels and written for TV. As it's said today, he's been there-done that. I trust and respect this experience above all.
Whether you want to be a Chance the Gardener and 'just watch,' or you want to try actually writing a screenplay, I suggest you have Christopher Keane's book by your side. It's a helpful tool, seems to me. The more we know about the film process the better the 'watching' or 'doing' will be. This book will enhance the watching experience and make the 'doing' more manageable.
I've been trying to come up with a logline for this book....So far? 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the make believe.' Logline? Very important. See HOW TO WRITE A SELLING SCREENPLAY, Chapter 5.....

We love the upbeat original songs and my 2 1/2 year old requests this cd to be played when we're getting bored in the house. I came home one day to find the kids dancing with our nanny. Needless to say, whether for signing or pure enjoyment it is a great product everyone can enjoy together. Parents will find that the songs are easy enough to remember to sing along and practice signs when changing diaper, feeding time, bath time, etc... which are perfect routine activities to introduce signs to your baby and toddler. As an instructor who has seen participants enjoy the activity book and cd I highly recommend the item. www.sign4baby.com

I use this in my sign language classes I teach to babies, toddlers, children, adults, and special needs. It is a BIG hit, everyone loves it, everyone gets involved, and after class my clients want to purchase one. I have received e-mails after classes letting me know that they just love it and find it very helpful in learning the signs. Parents love the detailed information and illustrations in the book it is very easy to understand and shows what signs to use for babies. Well worth your investment.
www.signsforlife.biz

The pick me up cd is a central component of my early literacy sing and sign program that I offer to preschools and kindergartens in the central and seacoast regions of NH. Sign language combined with music gives students the opportunity to use mulitple processes to internalize vocabulary information. As I subcontract with schools, I have become the students' favorite specialist and have watched them blossom and grow in their signing vocabulary. Students learn by doing and when complimented with music they internalize the information with greater speed and efficiency. If you aren't having fun with this product you need to to rethink what you are doing because this is all about a large dose of fun with learning.

I use this product every week I teach my Baby Sign Language Classes in Houston, Texas and love it. The songs are a little silly, but the kids love them. Unfortunately, I find myself singing them all the time and get annoyed, but they are a great way to practice and get yourself comfortable with signing during daily activities. I highly recommend it!

I love the way the book is set up. A baby in the corner of a picture tells moms what to sign first when starting the songs with their young child. As the child starts to sign back, the basic signs for each song can be signed. They also have additional signs in the corner on the right. So when the child has mastered the basic signs and is ready for more, there is more to teach.
Signing helps children become better readers. This song book is a good start in the process. For more information on how signing helps children become better readers, check out the book Hands on LiteracyHands On Literacy

A beautifully written book. This book is simple and highly informative. It is a must read for everybody who is interested in organic gardening. Once you have read the book you will have a deep appreciation and understanding of soil.

I love this book! I raise red wiggler worms and lecture on worms and composting. This book has added to my interest and fascination with worms and now with worm/compost tea. I will use it as part of my lectures and recommend it in my classes and lectures.

This is a detailed description of organisms in the soil, what kind you need for different types of plants, and how to get and keep them. It explains why organic gardening is more efficient, and eventually an easier way to grow. It is well written and informative.

Finally, a REAL organic gardening book. Wish I had written it. It's an easy read; I feared that it might be an academic study. Great pictures. I only skipped chapter 13 on doing a soil census. I wished the author had addressed the roles of irrigation, mineral supplements, and organic fertilizers in increasing crop/fruit productivity. I'm not nitpicking about the author's chemistry. Excellent Book!

Despite the short length of this book, it was packed with lots of good information and was easy to read. It brought to my attention aspects of fungi versus microbial activity that I was never aware of and how these affect soil quality for gardens versus shrubs. The book has had an immediate payback for me, as I am a novice composter and now know how to do that better. It also described compost teas which I was only vaguely familiar with. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gardening in an earth-friendly way or to those who have relied solely on inorganic fertilizers and need to learn their true effects.