Bennett Books

There are few types of writing that are as personal as writing about one's beliefs or spiritual experiences. Unlike fiction where a writer can hide behind imagination and creativity or technical non-fiction where the author can remain emotionally unavailable, the author of spiritual material must share him or herself fully with their readers in order to give them insight into the literature or an understanding of how this material pertains their life.

Writing Spiritual Books emphasizes a strong author-reader connection. Such a bond is built through the writer being genuine, describing life events that are appropriate to the topic, and writing about what they really know and have experienced fro themselves. Beyond these important aspects, the author of spiritual works, like any other writer, must tailor his or her organized, well written text to suit his or her audience's needs, wants, and desires.

I found the information provided in this book to suit my needs and address my concerns while making me feel like I was having a good conversation with a beloved mentor and friend.

This book was laid out in a wonderful way. I could read from the beginning or look for something in other chapters that was of interest to me. The fun part was the mind mapping. I found that an interesting and useful way to figure out what kind of focus, types of chapters and topics of my potential book. I bought it for the reason I would like to write and publish my own book. This book provided clear and easy ideas for layout, what to write to capture the attention of my potential reader and the joys and pitfalls of writing a book of any kind. My book at the end may or may not be a spiritual one but that doesn't matter- Writing Spiritual Books: A Bestselling Writer's Guide to Successful Publication, provided solid information for any genre a person might consider writing.

This book practices what it preaches, giving you examples and lots of clarity about how to write a good spiritual book. I particularly like the resources section in the back - gives you lots of orientation about how to get agents, publishers, etc.

"Perhaps the greatest lesson any of us has to teach as an author is to touch our readers in such a way that they can remember their spiritual identity, and we do that as much by the relationship we establish with them as by anything we say about a particular subject. Put simply, the quality of the relationship we establish with our readers may well be our greatest message." - From the book

Have you survived unusual life circumstances and thought, "Boy, I could write a book!" Or perhaps you've written some articles and reviews, and your readers have told you "You need to write a book!" Maybe you've experienced the creative stirrings deep within your soul, feeling "I've got a book in me...*somewhere*."

If any of these scenarios sound familiar, writing coach and author Hal Zina Bennett gives you the tools to make successful publication a reachable goal in his book Writing Spiritual Books. From knowing your mission to finding models to follow, mapping out your book to creating a solid proposal, Bennett inspires potential authors with insider tips, friendly advice, and helpful resources.

Writing Spiritual Books boosts confidence, largely by affirming that there are many approaches--and many formats--for writing New Age, self-help, self-improvement, or "spiritual" book. From biography to memoir, visionary fiction to channeled material, the author gives examples from published books from well-known authors to show readers exactly how--and why--they work.

Bennett emphasizes that "writing a book can never be a waste of time, whether it is ever published or not", and maintains that tenacity and the act of writing itself can be a rich reward.

From identifying your target audience to empathizing with your readers, providing relevant anecdotes to imbuing prose with sensual imagery, the author not only shows writers how to connect with their audience, but also provides practical guidelines for organizing ideas, themes, and chapters. He also encourages would-be authors to value the power of personal experiences. In fact, he points out that journaling, reflection, and "clustering" can help you mine the jewels from your life for inclusion in your book.

As a bibliophile and reviewer, I tend to aggravated with books that tell you "what" you're supposed to be doing--but never provide the tools for HOW to do it. I was thrilled that Bennett pointed out this truth to potential writers by saying, "...we must not only point readers to the mother lode but also supply them with the tools and the light to uncover the treasure."

Some of the other things you will learn from Writing Spiritual Books include:

* How to overcome resistance to writing a spiritual book
* Step-by-step brainstorming exercises
* How to be a storyteller
* Using memorable quotes to articulate difficult concepts
* Writing authentically and responsibly
* Creating experiential exercises that grab the readers' attention
* Anticipating what the reader is thinking and feeling
* Determining how--and why--your book is different from others
* Getting published and what comes afterwards

Bennett also provides a listing of spirit-friendly agents, as well as publishers that seek spiritual books, online writer's resources, books to take your further in your writing journey, and author-friendly bookstores across the U.S. for book signings, promotion, and talks.

I find myself consulting Writing Spiritual Books on a frequent basis these days, and Bennett's engaging tone and hard-won wisdom excites me with possibility.
Even my reviews and articles have benefited from his sage advice. I enjoy conveying information, but this bit of insight on communication has aided me tremendously:

"Communication always includes caring about what's going on for the person you're communicating with...Information focuses, instead, on facts, with little or no concern for human factors that may be involved."

He pairs this great advice with a story about a cross-country trip he took as a college student. A breakdown left him stranded in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles from home and with very little money. He shares how the kind, caring voice of the wife of the tow-truck driver on the other end of the payphone made all the difference in the world to him that night as he stood on a busy, noisy highway.

If you're considering writing a book or perhaps creating articles with spiritual themes, Writing Spiritual Books is a must have guide! Bennett serves as a writing coach, cheerleader, and tour guide through the often arduous and daunting terrain of book publication--providing us with a clear map, gentle encouragement, and realistic expectations throughout the writing journey.

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

As a subscriber to the online Year To Success course, I can only offer the positive advice of my experience which is to suggest that all business owners and individuals read this book! It's good for the soul and spirit and it will serve as a guide for making the right decisions while focusing on what it takes to succeed.

It is not often that someone can make their own dreams come true let alone truly show others how to achieve their own goals. When you couple Bo's enthusiasm, step by step thinking processes and apparrent wisdom with his soft humor and obvious sincerity you have a powerful presentation that will change your life. This book is a must for those who want true balance in their life!

I have read "Year to Success" and I found it to be an infomative book with real world examples, delivered in a logical manner with a sense of humour. The book combined with the online support system at year2success.com makes a great learning experience.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Year To Success. It's a unique and refreshing approach to an overworked topic. Bo doesn't just tell you about success, he tells you very practically how to achieve it... and he covers all areas of life, not just how to become a millionaire. He is a husband and father... that really comes through in his advice. He's also very successful in business (and not just from selling books :)) so he's earned the right to give advice.

As a busy, homeschooling mom of four managing an internet business, I love the daily format... small chunks I can mull over between readings, and really allow the ideas to sink in. The quizes help too. As a Christian, I appreciate the threads of giving, developing good personal relationships and helping others that run through this book. It is not your traditional book on how to get rich. It's much more!

My boys (ages 7 and 8) are also enjoying it... they think Mr. Bennett is funny and they understand most everything he says. It gives us lots of fuel for interesting conversation. They are both very ambitious and I know this will help shape the kind of future they will have... not just to find a career or a "good job" but to be successful in a positive way that is helpful to others as well as themselves.

I have found useful advice that I have applied to both business and personal issues, and I highly recommend this book. Can't wait for Volume II!

I will always keep this book even though my son is older now. Would be something to read to my grandchildren.

I bought this book when my son was 2 months old, now he's 2 years old and he STILL loves it. I love the illustrations of the baby. This is a time when my son can appreciate what the words mean and not just how well they sound together. I'm going to find other books from this group to add to his collection. I'm looking now to purchase one for a friend who's having her first child.

This book is a delight! My child loves to look at the bright illustrations of other baby faces, and loves it when I get to the part that says "You are my perfect baby!" The message of this books is unconditional, affecionate love. Great text! He quiets down whenever I open the pages!

This little book is our favorite. Our son is 3 months old now and we have been reading this book to him since he was just one week old. He loves to focus on the baby's face and wiggles all over. It's wonderful to have multi-cultural books to offer children. Our baby looks like the baby in the book :) We can't wait to collect the others in this series!

At last a book that tells it like it is in the world of academe, a world described by John Bennett as characterized by "persistent and possessive individualism in which self-promotion and protection become central values." Quite the opposite, in fact of the values suggested by the word "collegium," values such as connectedness, reciprocity, mutual purpose,and community. But, says Bennett, there is an alternative scenario what woul result in enhanced teaching and learning and in greater personal satisfaction for students, faculty, and administrators alike.

For Bennett the better path is grounded in the practice of hospitality. Ub the broadest sense, hospitality connotes welcoming, civility, sensitivity, and communication. Deemed an esssentail virtue, hospitality demands the cultivation of reciprocal relationships between groups and between individuals. We learn in this fine book how institutions and their constituents can become more hopsitable through, for example, altruism, philosophic inquiry into the self and into our professional calling, and establishing a balance among "...rights, responsibilities, and prvileges." Conversation, we learn, promotes listening and sharing and leadss to connectedness, empathy, and participation. Conversation and debate with students and colleagues foster mutual inquiry and break down the barrierss that exclude, thereby reducing "persistent individualism" and building community founded upon a covenant of mutual purpose and responsibility.

Bennett, it must be stressed, is neither an idealist nor a dreamer. He acknowledges the campus realities that make change so difficult - finances, reward structures, institutional size and complexity, protectionism. Nevertheless, under strong leadership, change can occur and a better path adopted, leading to the esstablishment if a true collegium This is a beautifully written, thoughtful, and important book. It should be read by all who care about the future of higher education in the United States.

Janice S. Green
Independent consultant to higher education

This book has rekindled my faith in the humanizing potential of academic life. Bennett seeks to move beyond the "insistent individualism" that so permeates faculty and administrative life in colleges and universities, with its competitive, performance oriented, and self-protective focus. He offers instead a vision of hospitality. Grounded in covenantal relationships of mutuality, respect, open conversation, and genuine support, hospitality is a virtue that can foster communities of trust rather than fear. At first, this kind of vision might seem "soft" and ineffective, but the research Bennett marshals suggests otherwise--teaching can be enriched, scholarship empowered, curriculums enhanced, leadership energized.

The use of the word "spirituality" in the title, however, might be misleading to some readers. While religiously affiliated colleges and universities will find much in Bennett's argument that resonates with their own mission statements, the basic argument of the book does not rest on "faith claims" of one sort or another. The discussion of spirituality mainly stresses personal life-philosophy, a way of seeing one's self in meaningful relation to others and the cosmos. This is a strength that makes the book relevant to all readers, "religious" or not.

Perhaps more might have been said about problems of gender and racial equity, freedom of expression, and power structures in academia. For, as the author knows, hospitality is not merely an easy cover to "leave things as they are." It can and should be a vehicle for critique and resistance, for transforming distorted systems of communication (pp. 101, 110-12). And yet there are real socio-economic pressures that run counter to this ideal.

Overall, I highly recommend the book. The writing is clear and the argument balanced. It will provoke many fruitful discussion in the academy.

Academic Life: Hospitality, Ethics, and Spirituality is a page-turner, a description I most often reserve for fast-moving books of fiction. However, even before I turned the first page, I knew this was a book I was not going to be able to put down. Bennett's conceptual framework of academic life is as captivating as it is sound.

While reading Academic Life, I remembered how excited I was during my early career as a professor, actually believing that I - along with other scholars - could help solve some of the pressing needs of humankind. My enthusiasm was short lived. I quickly discovered the obstacles that Bennett describes, particularly the "significant proclivities toward individualism." And I soon saw how "healthy academic ethics and spiritualities struggle for breath." As Bennett writes, "Insistent individualism promotes the isolated self - it advances disconnection among faculty and staff as well as between faculty, staff, students, and institutions. It works against internal integration and separates personal from professional lives. It encourages exclusiveness rather than relationality, self-protection rather than openness to the other. It celebrates instrumental rather than relational knowledge. Insistent individualism encourages disciplinary and specialty boundaries, isolated departments, and fragmented institutions."

Bennett is a gifted writer and a profound thinker who engages and challenges all of us who care about higher education. He makes a strong case for relational individualism where leaders "model the importance of conversation by practicing hospitality and honoring covenant." Bennett explains: "Being a hospitable leader means recognizing that colleagues and students have different contributions to make to each other and to the classes and groups of which they are members. Practicing this kind of leadership means modeling and enabling contributions that are thoughtful and sensitive to the humanity of the other - that are respectful of individual dignity, even though that respect may not be initially returned."

"Only when education leaders and all who participate in higher education allow themselves to be truly formed as well as informed by conversation and hospitable teaching, scholarship, and service, can the academy remain true to itself. Only when we see ourselves as members of a covenantal collegium can higher education stand against the elements of anti-intellectualism that threaten our work as educators - reducing education to the transmission of information and credentialing. When pursued with genuine openness, learning makes a difference in who we are," Bennett advises.

If I were to recommend only one book on higher education this year, it would be Bennett's thoughtful and profound book, which examines hospitality, ethics, and spirituality as a part of academic life. It is indeed a page-turner.

This Book Rocks! This is for anyone whos a fan of Adventures from the Book of Virtues.

My children enjoy listening to a story, poem or two during lunch and on car rides. We especially like "The Selfish Giant" by Oscar Wilde and the selection from "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens. I am definatly going to invest in the first volume! These stories are entertainng and educational in a way no lecture on virtue can ever be.

My children enjoy listening to a story, poem or two during lunch and on car rides. We especially like "The Selfish Giant" by Oscar Wilde and the selection from "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens. I am definatly going to invest in the first volume! These stories are entertainng and educational in a way no lecture on virtue can ever be.

A collection of poetry, folklore, short stories, biographies, and other non-fiction. Includes a history and discussion of children's literature with suggestions for using this literature.

Part one includes over 500 poems about people, animals, traveling, play, humor, magic and make believe, wind and water, days and seasons, wisdom and beauty.

Part two is Time for Magic and is a collection of folk tales, myths, epics, hero tales, and modern fantasy.
Some of stories are:
Story of the Three Bears;
Story of the Three Little Pigs;
Henny Penny;
The Bride Who Out Talked the Water Kelpie;
Connla and the Fairy Maiden;
Hansel and Gretel;
Clever Elsie;
Snow White and Seven Dwarfs;
The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood;
Cinderella;
Beauty and the Beast;
The Pancake;
The Husband Who Was to Mind the House;
Little Freddy with His Fiddle;
Mida;
The Golden Touch;
Gilgamesh;
Charlotte's Web;
The Real Princess;
The Borrowers (Danger!);
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe;
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland;
The Hobbit;
The Pushcart War (The Pea Shooter Campaign..Phase I);
The Twenty One Balloons;
Farmer in the Sky;
A Wrinkle in Time (Aunt Beast);
And many, many more!!!!

Part Three covers Time for Realism: Facts and Fiction
Some stories are:
Did You Carry the Flag Today, Charley? from The Thing by Rebecca Caudill;
Ellen Tebbits,
Justin Morgan had a Horse,
The Midnight Fox,
The Family Under the Bridge,
Capricorn Bracelet,
Calico Bush,
Johnny Tremaine,
And many more...


Biographies:
The Seven Queens of England,
Penn: The Trial,
Benjamin Franklin,
George Washington,
Paul Revere,
Helen Keller,
Shirley Chisholm,
Etc.

Part four covers children's literature published, awards, etc.

1089 pages.

This anthology, with it's many selections from classic to modern children's literature, was a gateway to many different works for me. I learned my love of diverse literature from this book when I was a child. Any child who received this book would be receiving a gift beyond value.

I read this book when I was little, I read this book when I was big, and if I get the chance, all my children will do the same. I first picked up a copy for 25 cents at a boyscout garage sale and it has remained my all time favorite. It has stories, poems and many other styles of literature that have lead to my being an admitted book worm. I hope that there will always be books like these.

The chaos resulting from mass immigration presents fertile terrain for fiction writers. Curiously, few have cultivated this field. The Aught-Sixers by Robert Bennett breaks into the field with a gripping drama. Bennett draws upon the corruption and greed behind illegal immigration in this fast-paced production. The converging lives of a retired heavy equipment operator, an accountant, and a carpenter dwell upon the loss of meaningful employment opportunities for their children. Upon identifying illegal immigration as the culprit, the trio embarks upon a complex journey with twists of fate and moral ambiguities. When overwhelmed by forces beyond their control, an allegiance to principle delivers them to the edge of the law, and beyond. The three confront a money-laundering drug lord, a corrupt contractor, an opportunistic politician, human smugglers, and illegal foot traffic on the border. A bitter path fortuitously leads the unwary to an attractive, like-minded, and collegial female boxer. Nuff said. Read it if you care to follow their trail. Bennett weaves a page turning experience inspired by compassion.

While Robert Bennett's latest fictional account of a team of 'good old boys' who, in their heart of hearts, truly believe they are out to save America, "The Aught-Sixers" contain many aspects of truth being stranger than fiction.
Given the recent issues surrounding the giving of a ranch to San Salvador illegals by the 2nd District Court in Arizona, the fictionalized account in "The Aught-Sixers" provides the reader with a myriad of ironies to the growing situation of illegal immigration, false ID mills, and hard-core ideology. Now that Colorado State Legislators (October 2005) are heading for the Arizona/Mexico border, "The Aught-Sixers" may land a slot in the current affairs category; an enchanting, entertaining, quick read with depth and compassion waiting to be a movie!

Mr. Bennett takes this book in a much different direction from his previous books, His characters are once again believable, interesting, charming and entertaining. His attention to detail makes the book believable and rivoting. The twists and turns will keep you guessing and you will find yourself rooting for the ''bad'' guys!!! If you have never read one of Robert Bennetts books before, this is a great one to start with! If you have read his other books as I have, believe me, you will NOT be dissappointed!! I hope he writes a sequal to this one! IT'S THAT GOOD!
Laura C.

A delightful, well-written tale of a nine-year-old boy dealing with his parents' separation. Daniel expects to spend a boring summer with his grandmother in Corpus Christi. Hot air balloons, a hurricane, and an adventuresome cat turn the summer into a special time with his grandmother. The author cleverly weaves interesting information into a highly entertaining plot.

The Backpack Cat, by Marcia Allen Bennett, is a lovely and timely story of a lonely boy and his eccentric grandmother. It has a strong South Texas flavor, but its appeal will be universal to any child. Ms Bennett shows her affection and understanding of children in this book filled with adventure and laughs. From bank robbers, to a hurricane, to a silly (and quite ugly!) cat, this book's fast pace and believable characters make it one a child (and parent) will want to read again and again. Highly recommended, this book is something very special.

"A true delight! Marcia Bennett has written a joy to read and a story to share. I laughed out loud. Young Daniel, the protagonist, finds what he really needs - love. He finds the love in unexpected places and people, and even in an ugly old cat. What promised to be the most boring summer of his life turns out to be the most cherished of times. Join Daniel, Gram and Feogato on a journey of love, hope and lasting memories. This book will lift your spirit as it reminds you of the tender love that can only come from Grandmothers, the bond between boy and animal, and the answered prayers of God."

After reading BASEBALL STRATEGIES and knowing it's available as a valuable reference, I'm looking forward to referring to it during the playoffs and World Series. BASEBALL STRATEGIES provides insight into the finer points of the game. It provides the rationale for the strategies used, and the decisions made regarding all of the individual match-ups in countless offensive situations that make baseball such a "complex simple game".

Besides baseball fans, the book is obviously written for coaches and players who want to develop their understanding of the game and improve their ability to react and anticipate in any given situation. Contributors to the book are successful college coaches who, as life-long students of the game, have brought their own experiences and perspectives to this well-written, informative book of offensive and defensive strategies and tactics. Pitching is also explained, from fielding the position to developing mental toughness to developing a plan for getting the batter out.

This book contains a wealth of information for "students of the game". If you play, coach, or just enjoy watching, BASEBALL STRATEGIES can provide valuable information for many seasons to come. There are so many pearls of wisdom, it should be guaranteed to improve the quality of play and understanding of everyone who reads it.

Tim Smith

Bought for my husband. Reports this is an excellent book for the strategy of the game.

I highly recommend this book to any coaches that want to take their game to the next level. The one thing that this book does is break down every aspect of the game and gives you many, many ideas on how to implement the strategies explained.

I have been coaching baseball for 7 years at the high school level and have attended many baseball coaches clinics throughout the United States. I have learned many things at these clinics.

The beauty of this book is that it something that you can continue to reference back to again and again. This book has definitely aided to my players development. From defensive strategies to times to use the run game, this game covers it all.

I have also loaned this book out to other coaches and they have enjoyed it also.

If you are looking to take your coaching to the next level, I highly recommend this book.

More than just Black American History, but a huge chunk of American history in general. So many contributions and historic figures rarely mentioned in the average classroom. Not even during "Black History Month". An amazing collection of forgotten events that greatly impacted this nation. Should be drawn upon for reference by every author of any U.S. history textbook. Vital information to our nation's past.

I bought this book for a black history class. best histoy class Ive have ever takin. Every person in the U.S should take the class or at least read the book. Have you ever wondered why the prisons are filled with blacks..? read the book. Ever wondered why blacks live poor in the innercitys. read the book. Have you ever wonder why blacks have a chip on there shoulder..? read this book. Every Kid should have to read this book in high school. READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!

While reading the February 1999 edition of American Legacy magazine, I came across an article titled "Essential Black Books: A Top-100 List". Of course, Before The Mayflower was on that list. I remembered ,as a child, that my father had this book in his collection and the effect it had on me as I merely skimmed the pages at that time. Now that I am grown, I cannot wait to experience this book again and to share it with my daughter.