Scott Books

Mark Scott's knowledge regarding corporate business dealings (timely & scary!) is matched by his clever word play and life-like characters. Suspense at the end of each chapter keeps readers turning pages - despite the irritation of printing errors his editors should have caught. The story will keep you guessing "who dunit" until the very end.

Finally, a mystery writer with a background in business. What Grisham does with the world of law, Scott does with the world of economics. His writing is brilliant--clever plot, memorable characters and savory details. He's definitely got an audience for this book. I can't wait to read the next one.

A great read, full of twists. His cheeky dialogue, reminds me a bit of Nelson DeMille.

How can petty men with no integrity topple worldwide conglomerates? It's all here, explained by an expert on finance, but laced with the liberties of fiction that depict the human condition in our own back yards as well.

This book really nails the Dallas corporate ambience. The murder mystery is extremely well crafted. The description of the financial shennanigans is hilarious, but at the same deadly serious.

Many people start to run because they want to get in a better shape. This book teaches your mind to get in a better shape too. You learn to focus in a new way and you are able to concentrate much better. Your mind learns not to wander so much and stay within the race. I have used the exercises in the book for my preparation of the Boston Marathon which I finished, despite running with an injury, with a new personal best by more than two minutes. I recalled the learned exercises during my preparation in the race and was even able to float up heartbreak hill without considerably more effort. I wonder how I would have raced hadn't I been hindered by a nagging hamstring injury.

New to running, and inspired by a commitment to my first triathlon (Danskin), I borrowed this book from the library. Needless to say, I quickly had to own my own copy. The inspiring words danced in my head and filled my soul with belief of dreams not yet realized. A recommendation to anyone who so much as "cares" about their health and the quality of their life. A part-time instructor of "spinning" classes I found these words of wisdom crossing over into my classes, filling me wtih motivation, which in turn motivates my students. This book raises the ceiling on your limits and reconfirms your potential is ...endless.

I started reading this book 2wks before the Chicago Marathon. The relaxation techniques and the different exercises for distraction during the race really worked. I have read dozens of books on training the body. This was the first I have read on training the mind. I plan to use these techniques with the children I coach. It really explains in basic and interesting format how important mental preparation is for competition. I highly recomend this book for anyone competing on any level.

I just completed my first marathon and don't think I would have finished had I not purchased and read this book. During training, we had "long runs". The night before each long run (in excess of 17 miles) I would read the sections of this book that addressed issues I was likely to face during the following days long run. That helped me tremendously. The book gave me a sense of calm.

There are virtually thousands of books on the market concerning running. Most of those books however don't spend nearly enough time on the most critical aspect which is mental preparedness and toughness. However, this book gives what most trainig books and groups do not..a way to deal with the mental aspects of running.

This book is wonderful because it gives the reader techniques on how to deal with stress, anxiety, pain, disappointments, setbacks injuries, fatigue etc., all from the MENTAL side. I like how the authors make the connection between mind and body. They focus on the mind first and how the mind can often control the body.

I found MANY useful mental exercises from "breathwatching", visualization, dealing with fatigue and disappointments, learning from mistakes etc., Most importantly, the book focuses on the process of running and self discovery and NOT the result. This book helps novice runners like myself enjoy the process, find our own tools that work for us and realize that it is often mind over matter. This book is a must have for those just starting out "marathoning" or for anyone who just wants to enjoy the mental benefits of running and the pleaseure it gives.

There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of books on the market about how to train smarter, better, harder, or what have you. Some of them are quite good, and some of them quite bad. However, these books often neglect one of the key aspects of running and that is its mental component. And that's where Running Within: A Guide to Mastering the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection to the Ultimate Training and Racing comes in.

This book is designed for all runners from the novice runner to the elite athlete, and I think everyone who reads it will benefit tremendously. The book is designed to enable the reader to take his or her running to the next level, not only by giving concrete tips to mentally help one race faster, but also by helping one enjoy his or her running more, by exploring running's spiritual side and understanding the reasons we do run. As the authors state in the introduction, "Running Within uniquely presents the reciprocal relationship among the physiological, mental, and spiritual aspects of running performance, and how you can use specific mental exercises and attitudinal shifts in your daily training and racing to great advantage".

Spiritual Running Although many of us run for physical reasons (i.e. to say fit, to lose wait, to get faster, to win races), those of us who truly enjoy running recognize what it does for us mentally. Not only the ability to clear our minds at the end of a tough day, but the ability to explore and learn about ourselves, as we transform preconceived notions about ourselves.

One intent of the book is to connect runners with the spiritual side of running. It wants to help them explore fully the reasons they run. The book explains that often the concrete goals we have in running (i.e. I want to run a certain time in a certain race, be All-State, finish a marathon) are not what give us joy from running. Rather, it's the steps we take along the way to reach these goals that make running so enjoyable. By better understanding our motivations for running, we can not only get more enjoyment out of running, but can learn how to run faster.

Running faster. And the book definitely can helps us run faster. Those who like to say that running is 99% physical are missing the point. Sure we can not run beyond our bodies' limits, or use mental tricks to make up for not training. But often the limits we set upon ourselves are self-imposed limits. One of the greatest things about running is the self discovery and self-confidence that comes from getting our body to do what once seemed impossible.

Running Within has excellent advice on goal setting and the type of goals we should set. It helps us set goals that push beyond our self-imposed barriers, but at the same time makes sure these goals do not end up discouraging us because they are too unreasonable.

But as all runners know, goal setting is not enough because the toughest part of running is the battle of mind versus body during a race or tough workout. No matter what kind of shape we are in physically, there comes a point in a race when our bodies start to feel that they've had enough. As the race or workout progresses, the urges to back off a bit, slow down, or quit altogether grow. If one is able to recognize these urges and overcome them one can come closer to reaching his or her physical potential.

To overcome these urges to quit, Running Within helps its readers come up with the self-confidence necessary to achieve their goals and not give in to the urges to quit. It provides a mental framework on how to approach races and workouts and has many practical strategies for dealing with fatigue, racing, race strategies, and the like.

But all of these things combined would still leave a lot of our potential untapped. For one of the keys to racing fast is a bit paradoxical, and that is to learn to relax. It seems impossible to do, to relax while the body is using all of its resources to struggle. But Running Within teaches us ways to relax while straining, and shows us the tremendous physiological benefits that come from relaxing.

Summary I recommend this book whole heartedly. Most sports psychology books are full of many tips and tricks to help us perform better, but there is often little foundation to tie the things together. Ultimately, these books fail because they are not much more than a list of things to try. This book is different for while it does list many tips that are useful, it only does so after providing a larger framework to tie them together. The overall theme is the "body-mind-spirit" connection of running. With this framework, the book helps us explore the reasons why we run and what we get from our running. Once we have a better understanding of these things or are at least are aware of them, the books builds upon them and very effectively makes us get more from our running (and become better racers if that's our goal).

On a personal note, I credit this book with as being instrumental to my improvement as a runner (my 10k time went from 29:49 to 28:27 in one year). I am intrigued by the mental side of running and knew there was a lot more I could learn. However, at the same time, I've always been very skeptical of a lot of the "pop-psychology" and sports psychology books on the market. This book pleasantly surprised me and should be on the book shelves of all runners.

There are only 2 books worth buying if you intend to spend more than a couple of days overlanding: Tom Sheppard's "Vehicle-Dependent Expedition Guide" and this one. Whether you plan to go to the Sahara or not, there is so much information packed into this thick, single-spaced, no-nonsense guide, that you could simply rename it "Overlanding: A Route And Planning Guide." Sahara-specific information is covered in less than half the book.

I am an experienced desert driver and bought Sahara Overland in the planning stage of a Gilf Kebir and Uweinat trip that I put together with a bunch of friends when I was living in Egypt. On preparation, this is the bible. It is an absolute MUST get and DEFINITE need.What cars (although a bunch of good cars are not covered, and to his credit Chris Scott acknowledges this) and how to prepare them, advice on equipment and supplies, emergency repairs, all invaluable.

Advice on how to drive .... correct in places but dubious in others. Gilf trip GPS points were all out by a long way ... we thought as much before the trip when we plugged them into Ozzy Explorer and noticed that they kinda didn't fit with the sat images and the old Brit military maps. I cannot comment on other trips, but get alternative way points for the Gilf, the ones in the book are wrong.

Still, apart from these minor foibles, this book contains a wealth of sound advice, and is one of my favourite types of armchair travel books, not only does it stir my imagination (I dream of desert trips), but Chris writes with a dry laconic and sarcastic humour that put a smile on my face whenever I picked up this book.

I bought this book out of curiosity after reading an excerpt on the internet. I was totally absorbed in the book for some time after recieveing it. If you have any notion of traveling in the Sahara on your own or in a guided tour you need to read this book. The amount of information boggles ones mind, especially when it's delivered in a format that doesn't bore one to tears.

Sahara Overland: A Route & Planning Guide is the first truly comprehensive guidebook to one of the world's most compelling and challenging environments, North Africa's Sahara Desert. Ranging from the Moroccan Atlas Mountains to the Red Sea, Sahara Overland is ideal for Saharan travelers whether for a weekend excursion, a week long vacation, or a season spanning safari. Thirty-five detailed itineraries are available, covering more than 15,000 miles through nine countries: Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Mali, Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad and Egypt. The only Saharan guidebook covering all aspects of traveling the great desert by vehicle, Sahara Overland provides tips on how not to get lost, and what to do when things go wrong. Chris Scott's informative, "traveler friendly" text is enhanced with fifty maps and more than 300 b&w and color photographs. If you are planning a trip through the Sahara, begin with acquiring and throughly reading Chris Scott's Sahara Overland.

Chris Scott's book was worth the wait. I've been exploring the deserts of the United States and Mexico for decades, and my wife and I plan to ship our vehicle to Morocco and explore the Sahara soon. This book has left no question unanswered.

Chris's approach is always engaging, but exhaustive where necessary. He isn't afraid to be honest in equipment choices. For example, since he is from the U.K. I expected the vehicle selection chapter to be a Tom Sheppard-esque sermon about the perfection of the Land Rover. Instead, while pointing out the strengths of Land Rovers, he quite bluntly states that anyone needing the utmost in reliability should buy a Toyota Land Cruiser instead. The section on vehicle preparation is full of good, practical advice.

The route descriptions are excellent (and you can visit the author's web site for updates). However, I would recommend this book strongly to anyone considering traveling by vehicle in any desert in the world--there's that much information in it.

now that scientists are plotting to put microchips in human beings, this novel is more salient and relevant than ever. i think this should be required reading for anyone who thinks of cloning, genetic engineering, and cybernetics as mere larks. the villian in the piece is a little too realistic, if you know what i mean. this is a very enjoyable book.

While reading Silicon Sunset by Scott Grusky, I was shocked and horrified by many of its plotlines. If Grusky's vision and completely logical premonitions come true, the world will be a living computer application-- complete with a KILLER APP.....

Grusky, a newcomer to the Sci-Fi book world, could quite possibly be one of the greatest writers our time. Deftly intelligent and with quick-witted humor, Grusky explores the darker side of the high-technology trends.

This book will win awards this year. ***** 5 Stars

This was a very enjoyable book about an unpleasant version of the near future. The book started off following the main characters for a few days, giving the reader a glimpse at their daily lives. Beginning with the second section, which goes back over the history that led up to this "dystopia", I found it very hard to put down. I would recommend the book highly, particularly if you have liked books like Neuromancer, by Scott Gibson.

I truly hope Scott Grusky's vision of the future does not come to pass. He gives us a little sugar with our medicine, though. The story is clever, entertaining, and often funny. It's a fascinating tale of where society might be headed (although I hope not).

Let me begin by saying that I am not normally a science fiction reader. I also don't know a tremendous amount about computers or cyberculture in general. Perhaps that is why I'm even more impressed by Grusky's Silicon Sunset. He does a truly bang-up job of exploring foreign/technical territory and making it absolutely fascinating. His mind-numbingly detailed world, which is set in the year 2077 when all humans have been implanted with networked computer chips, has a multitude of clever and compelling features. Even several days after finishing the book, I find myself still pondering various aspects of the storyline, and still reaping little insights that Grusky planted about where we are headed as a civilization. I strongly recommend this book to anyone that is tired of formulaic plots and conventional logic. Grusky is really onto something universal here, so Internet newbies should not be put off by the high-tech subject matter. I don't see Silicon Sunset as stu! ck in any genre. It is a gem of a read for anyone who loves to think and discover new truths about our world!

This book is absolutely wonderful ! I have been able to complete many outfits using this book for reference. Well-written, detailed photographs, and concise descriptions are only some of the many features of this book. I enjoyed seeing all the rare products as well. Thank you for a fantastic book !!

Finally! A book for Skipper collectors! What a great book. Very informative, fantastic color photographs, also an up to date price guide. Includes photos of lots of hard to find items including cases and licensed products. It's also wonderful to be able to see pictures of foreign issue dolls and outfits as well as rare doll and outfit variations. This informative book has made collecting so much more fun!

I have found this book to be a very valuable tool in identifying the correct and I stress correct components of Skipper, Todd and Tutti outfits. It is very informative, easy to see even the smallest items, and very well structured. I highly recommend this book.

What little material available on Skipper isn't anything close to the tons of information here. All the outfits are beautifully photographed, and there are so many rare and unusual items. I really enjoyed seeing so many outfits dressed on the incredible dolls. If you buy this book, you're going to see that lots of Skipper stuff is just as wonderful as her big sister Barbie's.

Not just strictly a "doll" book, the authors have gone out of their way to include information and pictures on foreign skippers, color/design variations of the outfits, furniture and cases, and prototypes of what *could* have been! Besides just showing a picture of each outfit and the average price value, there is also an item-by-item list so that no yo-yo or hair curler will go unaccounted for! This is a great resource for fashion collectors; a few of the outfits are even shown on the dolls so we can see how great they look in them! While this is a great book, it stops at the year 1978, so it's not aimed at contemporary Skipper collectors. :)

Scott Leysath's recipes would delight any gourmet chef. It's mind boggling to think he has done so many, all using wild game, and that each dish is downright delicious. The book's cover says they are "award winning recipes" and now, after trying several of them, I can understand why. They are real winners and I'm back in the kitchen with renewed enthusiasm and Scott's book in hand.

When the first edition of this book was put together I got a chance to sample some of the recipes prepared by Mr Leysath himself and they were fantastic. I now live in Oklahoma and a lot of my friends are avid hunters and they have his book as well and are enjoying the recipes. If you hunt or fish, get this book!

I love cooking and I love fine dining. I also have the pleasure of cooking wild game several times a year. In an effort to properly cook and present a wonderful meal made with wild game, I ran across a few of Scott Leysath's recipes on the internet [www.huntfishcook.com]. The first recipe I cooked of Scott's was for Black Pepper and Herb Goose Breast. I made this for our next door neighbor and his son, who is 12, from his first hunt. He was so proud to be presenting food for the dinner table. Everyone raved about the goose and said they had NEVER had anything so delicious before.

Since then I have tried many of the recipes on the HuntFishCook website. Impressing family, friends and neighbors with properly cook, wonderful tasting 'not gaming' wild game. I was delighted when I heard their was a cookbook. I purchased it immediately and am absolutely delighted! This book will not let you down. If you enjoy cooking, this book is a MUST HAVE in your kitchen. This book would make a wonderful gift for the avid hunter.

The recipes are not complicated and the ingredients are found in most pantries and frigerators. Never again will I resort to using a crockpot and a can of cream of mushroom soup to cover the taste of 'gamey' meat. These recipes are easy to follow and really bring out the wonderful taste of the meat. The way it is meant to be enjoyed.

This cookbook is simply brilliant!

I own the first hardbound edition of this book. This softcover edition is incredible. Much bigger with more great recipes. I can't believe it. Scott Leysath has done an incredible piece of work here. Wonderful.

The recipes in this books are creative but simple. I recently took it along on a four day fishing trip to Lake Fontana where I cooked a "Brandy-Peppercorn" venison steak that everyone said was the best venison they had ever eaten! This is a book no outdoor sportsman should be without.

The third novel by legal expert and Hollywood industry insider Peter Scott Harmyk, Stalkerazzi is a gripping novel about a haunted and psychologically tormented celebrity, and the friend who tries to help him. Pop icon and rising star Daemon Negranni has whetted his taste for the extravagant life, yet a slippery stalker is hounding him by repeatedly invading his hilltop estate and disappearing. When TV fresh-faced college graduate, news producer, and would-be Hollywood writer Christian Write meets Daemon, the two form friendship - one that turns dangerous once Christian starts to uncover the scandalous and deadly truth about Daemon and his harasser. A dark and suspenseful novel of high-stakes betrayal, money, cover-ups and corruption, sure to keep the reader's attention glued until the last page.

This story held my attention and made me want to finish it right away to find out what happened! I enjoyed following the path of Christian White and
the trap he became entangled in. Thank you for a great book!

With all the headlines of Hollywood stars being stalked and the paparazzi following stars everywhere, you will be close to the action in this truer than fiction novel Stalkerazzi.

Stalkerazzi
By Peter Scott Harmyk
Hardcover
Publisher: The Outlet Press (September 15, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0975351427
ISBN-13: 978-0975351420

Author Peter Scott Harmyk is taking on real issues in his new novel, Stalkerazzi. Follow Christian, a good hearted aspiring writer, who enters the Hollywood scene thinking about the glitz and glamour that we so often see on T.V. After meeting and becoming friends with a top Hollywood Star, Daemon Negranni, Christian soon realizes that the being famous isn't all it's made up to be. There is a dark side to this powerfully glamorous life and Christian is soon caught in the middle of the Hollywood nightmare. Who is stalking Daemon Negranni? Will Christian survive the ups and downs of the Hollywood scene? Will the experience change or break him?

The book is chock full of betrayals, lies, menace, mystery, and misfortune. How could this fabulous lifestyle be so dark and dangerous? Stalkerazzi is a wonderfully written mystery, a true page turner. Wonderful for a raining or cold day, you should take an entire afternoon to read it, because you will NOT want to put it down.

Author, Peter Scott Harmyk, has done a fabulous job in not only writing about a hot topic in today's news, but also bringing a trueness to this fictional piece. Peter Scott Harmyk is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse school at Syracuse University, and Franklin Pierce Law Center. Leaving the legal profession for the lure of Hollywood, Harmyk worked in the TV and film industry until first publishing "Say Good-bye to Johnnie Blue" in 2000. An extreme cyclist and private pilot, Harmyk's greatest thrill comes from story-telling. Stalkerazzi is his third novel. Also available from the author, his best-seller,"A Wind Through Paradise" (Outlet Press, 2004).

Growing up in the Hollywood scene always made me wonder what really lives in the shawdows...where the glitz doesn't shine. After finding my way through lies and dis-integrity, it has remained a mystery to me how any person with a heart at all could possibly survive such a long list of betrayels. Ever wonder how the facade of fame keeps having a life-force?
You'll find out as you take an emotional ride into a web of deceit and manipulation. If you want to see the TRUE ending of a man-made fairy tale ... the one that never gets reported ... then this one's for you!

It has been a long time since I have done marathon reading, but honestly I could not put this book down. it had more twists and turns than Chubby Checker. I started reding it Sunday until my husband drug me out of the house and woke up at 5 am Monday to finish it. I recommend this book to any one that wants to escape or know the real "Hollyweird". Peter Scott Harmyk is a gifted word crafter and will take you on a wild ride.

After my friend Scott Patton had finished "Learning With the Lizard" he showed me some of his artwork for his next book. To be honest I loved the artwork but I had to ask him "Just how exactly are you and Sam going to write a devotional book about plants?" The devotional book I was referring to eventually became "Stories Under the Sycamore Tree" by Samuel J. Hahn and Scott Patton. The book is divided into nine sections each featuring plants which are referenced in the Bible. Each chapter begins with a plant as the subject, a Scriptural reference is given for the basis of the lesson, then the lesson about the plant is given, along with the plants correlation in the Bible, there is a lesson summary, then a prayer which follows to close the chapter.
Our family has used this book for family devotions.
This would make a great addition to any family library!

Sam Hahn & Scott Patton have combinded to produce a valuable and inspiring book. I am making use of it in my Sunday School class and for Children's Serons.

What a great adventure awaits the reader when illustrated pages turn on the theme of the plants in the Bible! Each of the 52 lessons is prefaced by a relevant scripture; then follows an inspiring and factual message by author, Samuel J. Hahn. Lessons are drawn out as an object for living and the reader is blessed with a prayer connecting the themes each plant displays. Colorful and accurate illustrations of each flower, tree or shrub by Scott Patton compliment the text. This is more than an inspiring resource, it is a joyful discovery!

This interesting book about plants and trees mentioned in the Bible could provide
a whole unit of study for a group of young people or adults. It includes little known
facts and uses for so many fruits, flowers, and trees. It is so informational! I enjoyed the book very much.

What an enjoyable book. The delicate illustrations enhance the stories and information. I have used this book as the basis of a program for a club meeting. You can read it all in one stretch or just take a topic at a time. Soothed by the language in the tales, you are surprised by how much you have learned. I keep this book in the guest bedroom for my friends to enjoy when they visit. As a librarian, I recognize the pleasure awaiting readers who purchase these stories.

The characters in this story seem so real that I'm still thinking about them weeks after I finished reading the book. I think anyone who is married will relate to Juliet's and Michael's problems. There are lessons to be learned in this story that I didn't see until I was almost finished reading it.

While I was crying with and relating to Juliet, I was learning something important that I think will make my marriage better. I recommend this book to anyone who has had their heart broken from being in love.

[...]

"Love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails?"

A Test of Love was given to me as a birthday gift. This good (guilty shall remain nameless) friend, who knew I never read fiction and especially not romance, even had the nerve to have the actual author sign it for me--as if the author knew me herself (spelled my name correctly, too... which intrigued, but only slightly)!

I took a lot of Tums those year. I was scared I'd have to admit I still had not read past the title page every single time we saw each other. She never did mention it. I'll bet she thought I sold it on eBay in order to purchase a true crime book.

"Reading a romance novel these days was like rubbing salt into a wound."

There it was, in front of my face for a couple of years, in a pile of books I call my "if-I-have-absolutely-nothing-else-to-read" books. I mean, it's sort of Christian and I was newly married at the time (not my first marriage), I didn't need this book or the fiction. But one day, it fell from my pile and I put it in my other pile--the one that goes in the bathroom (I call that one the "okay-if-I-have-to-sit-here-anyway-I-may-as-well-read).

I am a bit embarrassed 'cause I read it in only three sittings (all in a day's work! I know, I know, please, don't bother commenting on it.

Author Kathleen Scott had me at "hello." No, really, she did.

"Juliet Nelson looked at herself in the dressing room mirror at Victoria's Secret and felt like a fool."

Juliet doesn't see the fit woman in the store mirror (she teaches dancercise), she stares at a depressed and lonely woman. Though married, she's alone. Even with kids, she's unfulfilled.

And that's how I got hooked. She was not only writing about me from the very first sentence, but I think she was standing next to me and could mind-read, as well.

Chapter one introduces Juliet, married eleven years with children, to the same man. She's on the road to destruction: she is about to learn about herself. Perhaps it's the almost-middle-age roller coaster whipping her around.

She and her husband, Michael, try surprise trips, candle-light dinners and flowers to rekindle the flame, but still, all she sees is a puff of smoke.

Soon after the stare-down with herself, we're taken back in time to the innocent first meeting and those wonderful butterfly pangs of love. It feels good, too, because Scott's writing is so... so real.

We learn through an innocent conversation with her dad, that Juliet has been brought up believing in God, but Scott refuses to let Juliet shove this in our face (and I liked that).

First comes marriage, then the carriage... yada, yada, yada, move up the financial ladder... you know the story. In the beginning, like any normal family, the routine of it all is okay. People need money, kids need their parents, and everybody stays busy. It's just a part of life.

"...days will go by and I'll realize that we haven't even kissed each other goodnight. I'll tell him that we haven't hugged or kissed for a long time, and he'll give me a nice little brotherly peck..."

I realize I--I mean, Juliet--is bored with her way of living in a marriage she believes could be one-sided and works on taking the superficiality out of their marriage. Somehow, Michael simply doesn't respond.

She drags him to counseling, but the hopelessness continues. Again, I hear myself as Juliet as she talks intimately to a friend. After all, you can't hold it in. When her friend suggests she talk to Michael open and honestly, she says she can't ever ask him such questions--she was nothing more than an intimate stranger to this man she calls her husband.

"How could he explain to his wife that his only real passion these days was making money?"

By chapter eight, we eagerly hear Michael's point of view. He knows Juliet is unhappy and in fact, has been for years. She's needy--needing to talk, needing to be reassured, needing this, needing that--but he's drained trying to stay afloat on finances, he could not afford to make her (and thus their marriage) the priority. Scott has Michael making the reader nod in understanding. He is under pressure, even if it's self-inflicted.

Lake Tahoe. A vacation to the most beautiful lake in the world, with friends, with their kids, and especially with each other--is just what they need.

But Michael can't stay for long. Juliet's depressed, but endures the rest of the vacation with the kids. Anger seeps through her as she faces her fear she's a single parent, only she isn't single.

The drive home from Lake Tahoe, alone with the kids in tow, only served to gather strength in her anger--she tries to fight it, but by the time she gets home, she convinces herself to remain civil.

Time (and chapters) pass. Through prayful meditation, it dawns on Juliet: she has to depend on herself to be happy (good advice from Susan B. Anthony, coincidently) and needs God to take care of Michael. Things are great, but they're tolerable--until...

"...grief over losing her dearest companion was matched by her fury at Michael for letting her down once again."

By the next chapter, Juliet is barely speaking to Michael for being such a selfish person in her eyes. One event changed her from needing a real kiss to turning the other cheek when the peck is even offered. Simple statements turn into defense mechanisms between the two.

Okay, so you get the story so far? Juliet and Michael could be us. The characters force you to know you are not crazy. You are normal. The more you read, the more you see the couples you envy are probably envying you. And seeing as you do get it, let's just skip to the end and then leave you dangling. Okay?

Out of town needy clients for Michael and a babysitter for the kids, make it easier for Juliet to book a convention--solo. No hubby, no kids. She meets Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. She feels like a woman again. She likes what she's hearing, since she's hearing someone talk withher about things that really matter to her.

Because I told you I would divulge most everything in the book, I won't spoil the suspense, but I'll leave you with these two last quotes:

"...how long it had been since the thought of eating dinner out with a man had made her heart race..."

"He's the one who never wants to talk. I think it'd be a waste of time for us to meet with the pastor..."

My generation (me, Teraisa)--we peaked in the eighties--grew up being in love with love. This caused confusion when it came to relationships, marriages, and divorces. We weren't taught or worried about AIDS or abstinence as much as we were about not getting pregnant. Due to this, where I once enjoyed fiction, I now rarely read any at all (save for Stephen King). I mean, it's all fake, right?

For instance, how about the one where the "knight in shining armour" rides up just in time to save the heroine and they live "happily ever after?" Why do we never read about after? What happens when you don't feel that special tingle in the pit of your stomach any longer? How do you live with someone you know as well as you knew your parents (whom you grew out of and left)?

By nature, I am a rambling fool. I proved it above, but only because I want you to leave this review knowing the most important thing you gain when you read A Test of Love: If you've ever been married and in a love rut--you WILL identify with the characters and you will learn to distinguish and make decisions made by the heart, the mind, and the soul--according to God's plans.
[...]

This book is full of valuable lessons. Even if you're a newlywed or not married yet, it shows you what can happen when couples don't communicate. The lessons learned from Juliet & Michaels experiences may help some couples to work through difficult times- other couples may learn how to PREVENT some of the problems outlined in this great novel. God has really given Mrs. Scott a gift- she is able to tell a tale that most people can relate to, and she illustrates it such a way that you truly feel the emotions the characters are feeling. I highly recommend this novel!

This is the first book I've read about how a wife feels when her husband loses interest in their love life. For any wife who feels that she is trying to keep the romance in her marriage alive on her own, this is a book you'll want to buy. One of the reasons this was such a good story is because Kathleen Scott describes this really depressing marriage that I think many couples will relate to, but then she shows how the husband and wife found ways to make things better again. It was really encouraging to me. Buy this book, you'll be glad you did!

Just because you are a Christian doesn't mean you won't have problems in life. Juliet and Michael appear to have a perfect marriage, but looks are deceiving. Their struggles are all too familiar, and how they solve them in a Christ-like fashion makes "A Test of Love" stand out in the romance-fiction crowd. Kathleen Scott's passion for family and the sanctity of marriage are certainly refreshing in today's world. I am looking forward to the next story in the Mount Hermon series.

Thank You for the Flowers is a rare book-- a single author collection without a single wasted page --- Scott's voice varies enough from tale to tale to avoid the reader being about to get a firm grasp on his world view --- no way of telling what's coming from second guessing him.

The mood of the stories shifts as well, from disquieting glimpses into aspects of human behavior to straight up fantastic with an odd not-ammoral twist . . . Scott is not precisely a moralist --- He does have opinions about right and wrong, good and evil --- while the reader may not always agree with his opinion the integrity of his fiction is such that you go along for the ride.

One of the stories in this volume is on my list of best stories I've ever read ---- several of them are worth the price of the book.

This is Scott's first book --- I suspect that collectors should grab it now ---

The only short story collection where each story shines. From touching your heart in The Vampire Shortstop, to chills and thrills, this is by far the best collection of stories I have ever read.

In this collection of 13 chilling stories by Scott Nicholson, you will not be disappointed if you have an appreciation of that tingly odd shiver that teases your spinal cord from time to time. In summary, here are the stories.

Haunted - One of my favorites, a story of who's-haunting-who?

The Vampire Shortstop - Probably my least favorite. I'm not a fan of humanized vampires or sports either. A young vampire boy just wants to play baseball.

Skin - Another favorite. Do donors haunt their parts?

Dead Air - Great story of a disc jockey's telephone relationship with a serial killer.

In The Heart Of November - A haunting relationship between two friends that crosses the border of the living.

The Three Dollar Corpse - A tale of prisoner's who sell the right to take corpses out from their camps in order to buy goods, and a revelation of who watches them.

Thirst - What, or Who, are the elements anyway?

Do You Know Me Yet? - The madness of a writer, and a bit of a dig at S. King.

Homecoming - Another of my favorites. A down to earth man is visited by the corpse of his son.

Kill Your Darlings - Not one of my favorites, another surrealistic writer's fantasy of his pages coming to life.

Metabolism - Not one of my favorites, a walk through insanity with a frail woman.

The Boy Who Saw Fire - Another story of what, or who, are the elements? Similar to Thirst.

Constitution - Another favorite. Loves crosses all boundaries, even death.

Afterwards - I listed this like it was a story, but it is not. It is Mr. Nicholson's tales of each of the 13 stories here, how he thought them up and where they were first published. Since I enjoyed his musings on his selection of tales, I included it as a story worth reading.

All in all, a fine collection of dreamy tales that are short and easily read, a worthwhile addition to your collection. Enjoy!

The one thing I came away from after reading these stories was, that Scott Nicholson is not confined to the horror genre: he can write solid pieces of fiction that I would suggest anyone read, even if they are not into horror.

Picks in this collection are the entire book; just read them all and enjoy.

Be sure to read the author 'after words' section at the end. There's some interesting info on where Nicholson got his ideas for these and what mags they were published in, for any writers out there.

5 STAR ESSENTIAL RATING. *****

Scott Nicholson, author of the very successful The Red Church, first began his career writing short stories. This short story collection assembles some of his quieter, more affecting pieces. And what a collection it is! You will not find a single story that rings false in this book.

Two of the best pieces, The Boy Who Saw Fire and Thirst, are two stories set in a strange mythology Nicholson has created. These stories explain the reasons behind rain and wind and the sunset/sunrise. They fully display Scott's great imagination and his skill with words.

There are also many ghost stories in this book. Haunted is a traditional haunted house story (every author needs to have one!) and The Three-Dollar Corpse is a strange ghost tale set in a concentration camp. Then, there is also In The Heart of November a very poignant and sad love story set around a ghost.

These are only some of the good pieces. The great ones are the ones we should talk about. First, there is Kill Your Darlings, a great little story that borders satire about writers and where they get their ideas. There is also The Vampire Shortstop, a great vampire tale about a little boy who just wants to play baseball. The ending will leave you all choked up.

The one story I enjoyed most was Dead Air, about a radio dj who receives calls from a murderer. The story is simple but the characters so likeable and the dialog so witty that I found myself grinning through the whole thing.

This is a great collection to have in your personal library. Every story has its own voice and style. Scott will surely become a great name in horror fiction, so you should grab his debut before they're all gone.