Publications Books

THE GOLDEN KEY by George MacDonald is nothing short of fascinating. It is all at the same time a fairy tale and a unique mystery. The first time I read it, (and now I honestly cannot figure out why) I didn't care for it. But I kept hearing more and more wonderful things about it. So, I read it again, and it enveloped me. Recently, I read it for a third time. And loved it still more.

To describe the plot of this story would do it no justice. Reading this little story is much more like wrapping up in a warm, thick blanket on a cold and rainy night. It is filled with wonder, suspense, beauty, and innocence.

I can't wait to read it again.

I love fairy tales, and this story is a most excellent example of the genre. It follows two children on their journeys through Fairyland and their interactions with various fantastic people and creatures. I loved the pure innocence of the story and found it very captivating. The narration was also very excellent and energetic, making this story a very good listen.

While The Golden Key may not be my all-time favorite book, it certainly has a strong connection to the book that I treasure most of all (well, second to the Bible). You see, George MacDonald, author of The Golden Key, was in fact the mentor of Lewis Carroll, who wrote my favorite non-Biblical book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. That's a very powerful and indeed shocking connection if you ask me. But you can kind of see it if you look closely. I mean, the kids in the Golden Key grow both old and young. Alice in Wonderland grows big and small. Kinda similar there.

Yet, I did not know about the relationship between the two books until AFTER I had finished The Golden Key and decided to do some research on its origin. I simply read The Golden Key like I would any other book, and developed some commentary on the work as a whole that I would now like to communicate:

First, the book is very short. I finished it in two days. And because its so short, events move incredibly fast to make room for heavy amounts of whimsical feeling and fantastical description.

But again I have to go back to the Alice thing. I noticed how SO many sentences in the story turned the reader upside down and made him say, "huh?" It was as if the Fairy World did everything it could to stay all out of whack. Whether it was to make speech that could be heard without ears, or to make the oldest people in the world look like little kids, the topsy-turvy nature of everything couldn't help but instill an amazing sense of awe. Truly, The Golden Key opens eyes to such incredible abstract possibilities of the imagination, and perhaps even life itself.

The out of whack sense of awe, while wonderful in this book, developed into full maturity in the Alice books. While The Golden Key merely mentions things that make no sense, the Alice books actually attempt to explain the senselessness of senseless things.

I hope I will always have a special place in my heart for MacDonald's prototype of Alice in Wonderland. Oh, if we only knew how much the imagination behind The Golden Key has really changed the world. I think we would all be very surprised.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my 20-year-old daughter. It was one of her favorite books as a child and she frequently checked it out of our local library until it disappeared from the shelf there, never to be seen again. She was very excited when she saw that she had her own copy and she took the book back to college with her after Christmas break. Although I haven't actually read the book myself, I can tell you that my daughter thinks it is great!

This book is like a drink of the freshest, clearest water on the brightest, bluest spring day you can imagine. It was lovely every step of the way, somehow beautifully sad and wonderful at the same time. With the aid of the creatures of fairyland, mistreated Tangle and adventuresome Mossy go on an enchanting journey which takes them straight through to a wisdom and sense of wonderment that is somehow greater than that found in adulthood (or childhood). George MacDonald truly had an eye for the worlds of fairy, and an unsurpassed talent for expressing beauty in all things. The stories are not always meant to be understood, but deep in that inner place in one's heart, they make sense.

Too often we read and hear of women with eating disorders. This book was very enlightening. I think it took a lot of courage for Ron Saxen to write this book and disclose so much of his life -- the good as well as the bad. Thank you, Ron, for taking the time to write. I hope many women and men that deal with the same issues will find answers, hope and help for themselves reading this book.

When I read a blurb in NEWSWEEK a few months ago about Binge Eating Disorder and Ron Saxen's book, I was quick to pre-order the book. Binge Eating Disorder (BED)is becoming more and more common, yet, very few books address this problem. I expected THE GOOD EATER to be the salvation that held all the keys to unlock the mysteries of BED. THE GOOD EATER was a very different book than I expected. It is really the story of Ron Saxen's life and struggles and his use of food for comfort. A very difficult childhood left him emotionally vacant and lacking in self-confidence. He turned to food and gained and lost weight for years. At one point, he lost enough weight to be signed with a modeling agency and the chance for a promising career. Despite the successful start to his career, he was still overweight and unattractive in his mind. For an emotional eater, handling success can be harder than handling failure. Ron turned to food and gained weight and left his modeling career behind him. For the next 20 years he struggles with various careers, including as a stand up comedian. He even briefly joins the Marines. In a search for love and acceptance, he enters into an unhappy marriage. 20 years after his modeling career, he finds the strength and the love to turn his life around and have a proper relationship with food. The book really is not self-help in nature but the brutally honest story of one man's struggle with food. Ron tells it like it is and rarely is the story pretty. There is hope in his dedication and determination. It's hard to let go of the past and our childhoods can haunt us forever. Only in the last few pages is the issue of binge eating addressed. If you suffer from binge eating disorder, THE GOOD EATER isn't your salvation but there is comfort in knowing you are not alone. It's easy to relate to Ron's downward slide into uncontrollable binge eating. Food was his best friend and gave him temporary relief from the emotional pain of life. His journey is heartbreaking but there is hope around the corner for all of us.

Ron Saxen's The Good Eater is one of the first, if not first, books written about binge eating from the perspective of a male. When reading the book I could vividly see the events playing out and the impact on Ron and his family.

Ron's work has inspired me to move forward in my own personal journey to confront binge eating and the emotions that drive me to binge. That alone should be the true test of the book and in my opinion it passes with an A+.

The inspirational book, The Good Eater, is a candid and absorbing memoir of author Ron Saxen's struggle with BED (binge eating disorder). The author's revealing recollections of his life are often hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking. The Good Eater is well paced and written in an entertaining conversational style. Highly recommended!

This book is about a man who grows up in a dysfuntional home and tries to make something of himself by going after all the wrong things. Number one being food and then girls, sex, jobs and even marriage. In the end though he realizes that the only thing that makes him well is realizing he will never be perfect and learning to accept himself with his flaws. I found the book very interesting. The only reason I gave it a 4 is becuase of the constant swearing. Ok, I am not a prude and I understand that at times swearing can get across the point of pain. But, the F word was used constantly and I got tired of it in the end.

This short book is an excellent source for meditation, or just general spiritual reading. Behrens uses events and common items to create a jumping off point for his short reflections on, of which, all is useful whether you are an "aspiring Monk" or not. He is very good at taking the everyday and making it uncommon.

The book was well written and came from the author's heart. It offers peace and healing to those who are stressed and in need of the calming hand of God.

GRACE IS EVERYWHERE is a collection of short essays by Trappist monk James Stephen Behrens. Trappists are Catholic monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict living most of their religious lives in one place, believing that while the mystery of God is great, very often God can be found in the simplest of places and situations. Life has a certain pattern and a regular schedule of work and prayer is the stuff of Trappist life. Behrens, who worked in parish ministry prior to joining the order, takes basic daily events of life, many rather routine, and shows ways that God can be found in a variety of situations. The essays contain insights Behrens gained from his life in parish ministry as well as his training in the traditions of the Trappists. The essays and stories are meant to help the reader find God at work in the daily events that we all experience. An added bonus of the book would be the personal touches found in Behrens' writings. Throughout the reflections he shares bits and pieces of himself, his life, musings on family and friends and the like which helps readers see that while Behrens may live a life that is cloistered, his joys and struggles, successes and failures are not unlike those of so many others and we find not so much a spiritual guru as much as a companion.

James Stephen Behrens writes with disarming simplicity and unerring poise. He sees the wonder of life in the tiniest detail; like all true artists, nothing is lost on him. And his gift is to share that with his readers in these short, sweet meditations about life in and around his monastery in Georgia. The people he meets, the wonder he encounters, the miracles he enjoys -- all are beautifully filtered through his pen.

Grace is everywhere, and so is God, and we have Behrens to thank for reminding us of that, again and again.

On my many retreats to Monastery of the Holy Spirit, I've received God's gift of grace through the community of brothers. Fr. Behren's "Grace is Everywhere" allows us to look into the cloister life, and bring monastic grace all the way home.

For another title on monastic spirituality, a book written specifically for parents and families, look at "The Family Cloister: Benedictine Wisdom for the Home", by David Robinson (New York: Crossroad, May 2000).

After reading How To Date and Marry A Wonderful Man by Bob Lott. I went out and applied the insights from this book to meet a wonderful man. At a local deli, I saw a man who I felt highly attracted too. I walked up to him, and asked him if he would like to join me for a cup of coffee. He said yes, and we've been dating ever since for the past six months. I encourage all women to read this book who want to have the ideal man of their dreams in their life.

As a woman if you see a man that your interested in. This book tells you how to approach him in breaking the ice and having him join you for a cup of coffee. Don't listen to the female experts of dating that a woman shouldn't approach a man she is interested in. You could be waiting for Mr Right for the rest of your life if you don't take the initiative to go out and meet him on your own. Many of today's men are shy and scared to death to approach today's women. Therefore you as a independant, assertive woman must take the upperhand and go for the gusto.
All women need to read this book!!

Women no longer have to rely on fate, luck, or happenstance to land a man. Now thanks to this book women have the freedom to make choices as to what kind of man is good for them. Women need to cast their fears into the wind and go for the gusto. There are great men out there who are available and this book will show you how to have them without the aid of a third party introduction. Women have arrived and deserve the very best and that includes a man. I encourage you to read this book and I guarantee you that you will be glad you did.

All women need to read this book if they want Prince Charming in their life. Life is too short to dance with ugly people. So Ladies do yourself a favor and read this book so you will know what kind of man is good for you. To be in charge in finding Mr. Right,you have to take charge. This book will show you how to accomplish that and more.

My girlfriends Michelle and Nicole have both found and landed the men of their dreams thanks to this book. Michelle is getting married June 4, 2005 and Nicole is engaged. Ladies get with the program and read this book!!

I just cannot praise this book enough. Ellman's biography of Joyce is amazing, bewildering, daunting (at least in its length) and wonderful -- not coincidently, just like James Joyce. One caveat: I imagine a reader might be quite confused if s/he read this before reading any of Joyce's major works (Ulysses or Finnegans Wake). I am kicking myself that I didn't read this biography years ago! Truly a marvelous work -- and a must for readers of Joyce.

For those of you interested in a biography of James Joyce that's as erudite as his works themselves, then Ellmann's "James Joyce" is most definitely for you. This is a product of years of interviews and correspondence with many of Joyce's friends and family members; and Ellmann's love for both the writer and the man radiate through every page. His sections on the key themes and events that inspired both "Ulysses" and "Finnegans Wake" are invaluable. Moreover, you'll find yourself chuckling a great deal of time, and even shedding a few tears, as I did. My only critique of the book, albeit fairly minor, is not so much directed at the author as it is at the publisher: there is little room in the margins for notes, as well as very sparse flyleaves; hence for those of you who like to engage a book with gushing pen in hand, then you'll find the layout of this book quite restraining, as I did. One might counter this critique, however, with the perhaps granted point that it leaves all the more canvas space on which to overlay layers and layers of brush strokes much needed when attempting to paint the life of this very complex, gifted, and charming man.

In all things about James Joyce, no one has exhibited more of an acute understanding of the man and his works than Richard Ellmann. He is the bridge by which readers who have not read Joyce or do not understand what they have read by him to the inner workings of the artist and his life.

This biography, "James Joyce" has been around for decades, virtually unchallenged. He presents to the reader all the facets of Joyce's life and personality. This is no mere star-gazing. Along with all the great things about Joyce, he also examines his weakness: his superstitions, his drinking, his occasional selfishnes, his sexual complexities, and his failure to really take care of his family. We get to see Joyce in all his dimensions and from several perspectives. That makes this book not only the best biography of James Joyce but one of the classic biographies of all time.

Richard Ellmann's biography of James Joyce is hands down among the three best or the best biography written in the 20th century. For anyone with a serious interest in Joyce or his writings, will truly enjoy getting to know Joyce and his writings through this book.

I've read maybe a few thousand reviews of other titles on this website but this is the first book I've felt I needed to comment on. I comment mainly because I noted that two reviewers gave this book "4 stars". What unmitigated gall!

Richard Ellmann's biography is the most definitive and complete examination of James Joyce that has been written. This extensive work examines Joyce's life from his birth to his death. Ellmann's narrative derives from Joyce's letters as well as accounts from Joyce's brother, Stanislaus. The book is most revealing in offering an understanding of the process it took for Joyce to come up with his most monumental works, ULYSSES AND FINNEGANS WAKE. Ellmann states that Joyce intentionally made it difficult for anyone to understand what he wrote. He wanted to keep his critics, academics and scholars, guessing of what significance his nonsensical gibberish creation represented. In addition, Ellmann intertwines events that occurred in Joyce's life that show how they closely resemble the characters in the works he produced, such as his early work, A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN.

James Joyce most likely can be considered a "starving artist." He would go without a new pair of shoes until they wore down to the soles, but looked debonair and sophisticated with non-matching suits. In the beginning, he aspired to be a work within the realms of Jesuit studies, but later opted for a writing career that would take him from Trieste, Paris, and Zurich. Joyce struggled with poverty through out his life even as his most famous works were published. Monetary problems and health conditions that affected his eyesight never hindered his creative process. If he lost his eyesight, he probably would have continued to write blind. Joyce appeared to be an eccentric and stubborn man. However, Ellmann shows a caring and supporting man who loved his wife and children, and most of all, his father, John Stanislaus Joyce.

In terms to history and literature, Ellmann constantly references Joyce's fascination with Shakespeare, ancient civilization and history. This is best displayed in ULYSSES, but one significant footnote is that he did not appear to care for American history. He makes a minute reference to Ulysses S. Grant in ULYSSES, but he did not even know who the man was; Joyce loathed the United States. Also, Ellmann offers a birds-eye view of what his cohorts thought of his work. Gertrude Stein as well as Ernest Hemingway praised and envied Joyce's contributions to Modernism.

Ellmann examines a tremendous amount of information within his narrative. When one completes JAMES JOYCE, what else do you need to know about this genuine writer who used his craft as a means of getting back home, but never quite made it there? But he preferred Zurich and its snow-capped mountains as home rather than the complexities of his former Dublin. JAMES JOYCE is the springboard one needs when beginning a study of Joyce the man and his works, which should begin with PORTRAIT and ending with WAKE.

Unbelievably inspiring. I challenge you to compare his reading with any one else's or your own in your head. He makes it alive. Not perfect, mind you. You'll find yourself suggesting to him in certain spots that he missed the meaning by putting some emphasis or other on the wrong words. Nevertheless, you know you couldn't do better overall. A real treasure.

Great for a long drive or while driving cross town in Manhattan. You can debate the issues of suffering with Milton in your head.

Sure do wish it were the whole work.

Contains extensive information in the introduction that is lends an understanding to anyone reading any of Milton's work. This particular version is very inexpensive, and contains everything one would need to understand PL. Excellent!

My review is of the library binding edition released by Buccaneer Books. It is a very plain and small volume which is wonderfully bound. It contains nothing but the poem itself (including the prose arguments) with the original spelling and punctuation. That means no notes, commentary, or introduction, so if you're looking for lots of in-text help, this isn't what you want. The Fowler, Hughes, or Norton editions are all laden with helpful material like that. But if you just want to experience Milton's masterpiece alone, this is a lovely edition. I found that the book could be purchased much more cheaply if I ordered directly from the publisher's website.

Milton in Paradise Lost unfurls a morning star banner heralding the cosmic story of the fall of angels and men in language eminently civil. I am sure that Homer and Dante were Milton's schoolmasters yet Milton almost exceeds them in the slendid language and poetry of this epic creation. Philip Pullman said "No one, not even Shakespeare, surpasses Milton in his command of the sound, the music, the weight and taste and texture of English words". This is a poem of majesty and sublime lyricism as in Milton's description of Mulciber falling:
"from Morn
To Noon he fell, from Noon to dewy Eve,
A Summer's day; and with the setting Sun
Dropt from the Zenith like a falling Star".
Each book of Paradise Lost is introduced with an argument, or summary. These arguments were written by Milton and added because early readers had requested a guide to the poem. Milton's purpose in this masterpiece is to tell about the fall of man and justify God's ways to man. When the angels battle in heaven at one point they pull up mountains and hills and throw them at each other: "So Hills amid the Air encounterd Hills Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire, That under ground, they fought in dismal shade." After their coup attempt in heaven Satan and the other rebel angels are lying stunned on a lake of fire. Satan rises from the lake and makes his way to the shore. He calls the other angels to do the same, and they assemble by and above the lake. Satan tells them that all is not lost and tries to cheer his followers. Led by Mammon and Mulciber, the fallen angels build their capital and palace Pandemonium. They decide to get at God through his new creation and Satan sets off on this mission. In reading Paradise Lost the poem reads the reader while being read. What I mean is that Milton lets his readers go awry in their affections and he corrects and instructs those misreadings as well as anticipates them. In this way the poem becomes a live text with meaning apprehended through the interplay between the peruser of the poem and the text itself. Milton allows the reader to subjectively question the justice of the current religious paradigm and then leads them back to the perspicacity of deity. Ultimately Paradise Lost is Milton's paean to a vast pattern in the universe, the disruption of that pattern by rebels, and the weaving of those rebellion threads back into an ever more beautiful tapestry.

WotF XIX is a compilation of excellent stories (with a few, notable exceptions) spanning the genre range from historical fiction through horror and fantasy to science fiction. Despite the ever-present copy-editing errors, this was a very good read.

I would put the stories in four categories of excellence (well, three of excellence and one of crap).

Group One: The best

Walking Rain - Ian Keane's tale of supernatural beings in present day America, reminiscent (but not derivative) of American Gods, is compelling. The writing is lush, the characterizations beautiful. Hands down the best of the best. I can't say enough about this story. The book is worth buying for this story alone.

Into The Gardens of Sweet Night - Algis Budrys weaves a fairy tale-like tapestry of words as a boy takes a fantastic journey into the sky looking for the fabled gardens. Sometimes the discussions on freedom get a bit thick, but still great.

Blood and Horses - Myke Cole brings us a story of military sf where rebels riding horses seek the oil that gives life, losing their own blood fighting against a technically far superior opponent.

Group Two: The very excellent (in no particular order)

From All the Work Which He Had Made - Michael Churchman's style is strikingly odd at first, but within a page he had made me a convert with this interesting tale about the development of a humanoid robot exploring the questions of his soul.

Dark Harvest - Geoffrey Girard brings us a story about what happens when you find your worst nightmare dying in a field, and it becomes a tourist attraction. Excellent writing, and a wonderful story.

Beautiful Singer - Steve Bein's story of a haunted sword is elegant in its way of presenting feudal Japanese culture and characters. Every word of this story echoes with the culture of the samurai. The only thing holding back this most savory of writing from the top slot was the way the ending rushed together (a common difficulty in short-story writing).

A Few Days North of Vienna - Brandon Butler takes us along as a band of thieves join up with a group of vampire hunters to eradicate those evil creatures. The plot is nothing new or innovative, but the writing is top notch, and that's more important anyway.

Group Three: The still excellent (still in no particular order)

A Ship That Bends - whatever Butler lacked in innovation, Luc Reid makes up for in spades with his characters who live on a flat world and must build a bending ship if they wish to sail to the other side without falling off. The ending is its great weakness, suddenly ending the story before it really reaches its climax. Fun world, great writing, but it just stops cold.

A Silky Touch to No Man - a weak ending is also the problem with Robert J. Defendi's exploration of life in the near future where virtual reality has become the only reality. For a murder mystery, it was painfully apparent "whodunit" from the very beginning. But the writing is strong and the world well conceived (almost scary, actually) which makes it fun anyway.

Gossamer - Ken Liu offers a scenario where Earth finally makes contact with an alien species, and has no idea if they can even communicate. Art seems to be the only thing the Gossamers are interested in, but what does that mean? Interesting twist on the first contact plot.

Numbers - Joel Best brings us a stark account of a world where mathematicians can do almost anything, including make animals and people. In this world one woman seeks to create the perfect mate, but learns that perfection (and creation) are about more than doing everything flawlessly.

Group Four: The stories that really don't belong

Trust Is A Child - Matthew Candelaria's overly long story of negotiations with aliens is really just a painful rehash of about a thousand other identical stories, offering no new slants or anything. That alone wouldn't make it so horrible, but the main character is painfully stupid, and the plot has a hole in it the size of a small star system (it has to do with her being stopped by Marine guards while the aliens can just cruise on by and enter her private quarters without explanation). Also, her solution to being stopped is just horrible (apparently the guard is even dumber than she is). Still, with a good edit and re-write, I think it could have been decent, so I wouldn't write off the author.

A Boy and His Bicycle - Carl Frederick offers a story about just that: a boy and his bike. They don't do anything interesting, or go anywhere fun, or give us any reason not to hope that they just crash into a bus and die. The only saving grace is that it's short and over quickly. And to think this story got first place that quarter...

Bury My Heart At the Garrick - Steve Savile takes the prize for plodding, pointlessness. This story of Houdini was confusing, but not in that good way where you want to know what's going on, more in the way where you just don't care and want to skip to the next story. I kept reading to see if it would get better (imagine a short story that took me a week to read!). It didn't.

A Boy and His Bicycle is a great story.
(I put this in so I don't continuously trip over the review by someone who apparently didn't get it. I must offer the disclaimer however, that I wrote that story. It's a subtle tale, and I'm very grateful that the judges understood it and gave it a First Place award.)

This anthology, Volume XIX, (IMO) contains richly tapestried stories, strewn with new ideas or new takes on old ones. I've no doubt that before long, many of the authors will be Hugo winners

Before he went on to invent Cybernetics, L. Ron Hubbard was a prominent author of science fiction and eventually launched annual collections of science fiction and fantasy drawn from the best and the brightest in the field. The newest addition to the L. Ron Hubbard "Writers Of The Future" series is volume 18, ably compiled and edited by long time science fiction expert Algis Budrys and highly recommended reading for any fantasy fan and science fiction enthusiast. Included in this outstanding anthology are: The Dragon Cave (Drew Morby); The Haunted Seed (Ray Roberts); Rewind (David D. Levine); Windseekers (Nnedi Okorafor); Magic Out Of A Hat (L. Ron Hubbard); Lost On The Road (Ari Goelman); Graveyard Tea (Susan Fry); Carry The God (Lee Battersby); A Few Tips On The Craft Of Illustration (H. R. Van Dongen); Memoria Technica (Leon J. West); Free Fall (Tom Brennan); All Winter Long (Jae Brim); The Art Of Creation (Carl Frederick); Advice To The New Writer (Andre Norton); The Road To Levenshir (Patrick Rothfuss); Eating, Drinking, Walking (Dylan Otto Krider); Origami Cranes (Seppo Kurki); A New Anthology (Tim Powers); Worlds Apart (Woody O. Carsky-Wilson); Prague 47 (Joel Best); and What Became Of The King (Aimee C. Amodeo). L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future, Volume XVIII concludes with "The Year In Contests" by Algis Budrys and "Contest Information".

While I do not get a chance to read much science fiction, I decided to pick up this book mainly because I enjoy short stories. And I must say that this book surprised me. There are a number of well-written, very entertaining stories in this book. There is also a good amount of variety. As more than 12 authors contribute to this book, if you are not a fan of one story, you can move onto the next. There should be four stories in this book that will captivate you. From the quality of the prose and the structure of the stories, I was at first surprised to see that these are first time authors. Now realizing that these are contest winnners from L Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest, it makes more sense. My favorites include Oragami Cranes, Eating Drinking and Walking, Windseekers, and Rewind (for it's writing style).

It's not perfect but I found this anthology very satisfying. When every single one of the stories is able to take me somewhere interesting, then the anthology is worth the money.. Favorite stories: Graveyard Tea, Windseekers, and Origami Cranes.

I am so glad I read your book. You explained things I needed to know and corrected things I thought I knew. Most important, your book helped me develop and refine the marketing plan that I am now implementing for my newest book.

I have been authoring materials and involved in media (producing and hosting radio & TV) for more than 20 years. After reading your outstanding resource for small publishers, I am changing the way I do things. Thank you for taking the time to compile your book and make these materials available to help others. My work will be more effective because of your work.

As a firm believer in truth in marketing, I had mixed feelings about this book. The information it contains is excellent and helpful for authors looking to promote a book, but at the bottom of the front cover it says: "A step-by-step guide to promoting anything from books to businesses." Sorry, that's not accurate. 75% of the book has to do with book promotion only. If you've got another kind of business, choose another book.

As an author, I recognize the importance of publicity and promotion; a high priority! Linda is the self-publisher's "Maze Maven." Have a book to promote? You must follow her lead!

If you've just published a book and want to know the ins and outs of promoting it, this 192 page brand new book (2000) can really give you the insight. Writing the work is most demanding, but promoting it properly will spell your success or failure. It's a very fast read with highlighted topics for ready reference. Topics range from: Nuts and Bolts of Publicity, Signings, Publicity and Marketing, Getting Free Publicity, Book Reviews, Television Promotion, Radio Talk Shows, Web Promotion, and much more. A wealth of information to help you get started. Its completely indexed. The emphasis of the work is successful promotion on a small budget. Provides you with the tips of the trade. Worth reading.

The book stands out as a very good guide for the first time entrepreneur or the self-publisher. Linda Radke both as author and editor presents all the know-how you will need to properly advertise your book or business.

"Promote Like A Pro" consists of two parts. The first one shows how to prepare an excellent marketing plan for your book. And in the second part of the book, contributing experts share their knowledge on marketing and publicity. Publishing experts uncovers us their tips and secrets how to market books.

"Promote Like A Pro" is a must read for anyone wishing to begin a self-publishing promotion. It is very exciting and has many good pointers. Definitely recommended as a way to help successfully promote yourself, your business or your book.

The self-promotion ideas in the Linda Radke's book look quite new and fresh for reader in Russia. I think, nobody in Moscow knows the tips how to promote a book. And I'll try this secret weapon with my next book. Thanks for sharing, Linda!

Dr Turi's book is a must read for anyone who wants the knowledge and power to control your life. I recommend this book very highly. Dr Turi's expertise and knowledge is extremely accurate and helpful to all individuals.

I highly recommend this book. You can interpret it in many ways. More than another "Doomsday report", or a mere "prediction book" (BTW- his predictions have shown astounding accuracy), it is a successful attempt to bring awareness to a higher level of human consciousness. It is a call for responsibility for one's spiritual development beyond religious, governmental or corporate dogma. Dr. Turi - in his personal, passionate and sometimes provocative way- reminds us to be able and responsible to shape the scenarios of this planet for the better. The energies of the stars give us messages and it is up to us to act. By understanding these cosmic principles, man is free to create a better world for himself and the children of the future.

Along with many other highly evolved Souls, Dr Turi brings a sense of balance at a time when the World is spinning out of control. Yes, his predictions R Gloomy. The Wise will know that he's one of the chosen earth bound mediums the heavens are sending messages thru. Why was he chosen ? Why not, He's devoted his Life to Spiritual Studies, which gives him a deeper insight into current events. He's devised a unique way of assembling info. which comes from higher forms of consciouness. Assembling the dates & the Facts of events we need to prepare for. Don't shoot the messenger, he's not the one at the controls. He just helps to co-pilot the info here on Earth. The Planet is Lucky 2 have Dr. Turi warning us 2 get our acts together, preparing for the upcoming transformation, our planet is going thru. He is a Blessing to the World. Julia Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. USA

I have been a student studying spirituality for over 30 years. He is well researched and documented and has been commended by many leading authorities and institutions. For those seeking high quality information, this book is a must!

I didn't get this book until just a few months ago when Dr. Turi placed it, as a free pdf file, on his website. I went back over my year, and the year on this earth that we all shared, and was stunned by the accuracy of Dr. Turi's information. This isn't a "hindsight" issue but one you can determine for yourself. For example, today is Saturday Oct 22, 2005. For the period between Oct 22 - 26 you will find this:

"Events: Nature's forces may compel thousands of victims to relocate and rebuild new lives. Blackouts and losses of power are on the way too. Tragedies and many volcanic eruptions have happened under this configuration and thousands of people were forced out of their homes because of nature's destructive forces. Be ready."

As I type this Hurricane Wilma is lashing the Yucatan and bearing down on Florida while Hurricane Alpha seems to be forming in the Caribbean. If you do your home work you'll find how major earth movements are predicted for the same time frame as the major earthquake in India and the mudslides in Central America.

Personally I'm paying attention! Astrology is all about sign posts of guidance so I'm using it wisely. This book was written and released LAST year. I'm ordering the 2006 edition as well as Dr. Turi's other books - I want to learn what this is all about.

"Trust used to be all about a handshake - and nothing has changed..."

So begins Appendix F in Vacca's book. The entirety of the book defines that critical handshake, which has been made so much more complex by Internet
freedom and opportunities. Layers of certification and handshaking, both online and offline, hashing, third parties, CA's.

Vacca includes costings, comparatives, definitions, implementation instructions, and white papers written by others with expertise in the area.

This book is a 'must read' for those of us working in IT security.

As usual, John writes a very timely book on contemporary IT issues. Most people are still afraid to use their credit cards on the net and businesses have huge constraints in terms of what can and can't be done through the web. As the rules of the game toughen for the every-ready hacking minds, government are also cracking down on such culprits, however, for the average user of electronic commercial transactions, there needs to be a stronger feeling that their money is safe. John's PKI book helps to educate those with this understandable concern, that it may now be getting safer to do business on the net.

This book covers the entire spectrum of PKI technology with an emphasis on the pratical aspects of design,implementation and use. As an IT security professional, I have found this book to be extremely useful in my job as we must constantly be on guard and make use of the latest technology to stay one step ahead of the multitude of security threats we face on a day-to-day basis.

To successfully transact business on the worldwide web, a secure network is essential. John Vacca's book explores public key infrastructures (PKIs)as a technology to provide that security. This book would be a good resource for anyone responsible for maintaining network security in big business or small.

"Trust used to be all about a handshake - and nothing has changed..."

So begins Appendix F in Vacca's book. The entirety of the book defines that critical handshake, which has been made so much more complex by Internet freedom and opportunities. Layers of certification and handshaking, both online and offline, hashing, third parties, CA's.

Vacca includes costings, comparatives, definitions, implementation instructions, and white papers written by others with expertise in the area.

Previously a developer and implementor, and now a user, I wish that we had had this information then when we were implementing PGP, and I can only hope that my host sites now are compliant.