www.thebutterflygift.com Jean Krueger, Ph.D. was living a nightmare. A former college teacher, she was seriously overweight, in poor health and often too exhausted and depressed to get out of bed. Then she made the decision to change. By combining her body, mind and Spirit, she envisioned outrageous results. She didn't realize it at the time, but she was using Self Hypnosis. As the pounds dropped, her medical problems vanished. Her energy and enthusiasm skyrocketed. Jean's awesome 60-pound weight-loss success story was featured in Reinventing Yourself With The Duchess of York, a bestseller by Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York. When she realized what really happened, Jean decided to put aside teaching and become a Hypnotherapist. For her doctoral dissertation, she was prompted to write the book, Why the Weight? Dare to Be Great! because of her passion to tell others—what I did—they can do, too. Her book separates itself from all other weight loss books on the market. It incorporates your entire person—body, mind and Spirit. You will find parts of the book integrated into the video by the same name, available on this website. Now Jean motivates others to change their lives, as well. She runs Above All Hypnosis with her husband, Dave, in Huntington Beach, California. Through their private sessions, seminars and workshops, they inspire groups, churches and companies to lead healthy, happy and prosperous lives. Dr. Jean was featured in the Science of Mind Magazine, on ...
2010/11/30
Books By Presidential Losers
In 2004 - John Kerry lost to George W. Bush
The New Soldier was written in 1971 by John Kerry and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. It contains excerpts of testimony about war crimes committed during the war. Only 5000 copies of the book were originally printed driving the value of the book up to $1250 for a signed first edition.
In 2000 - Al Gore lost to George W. Bush, although Gore did win the popular vote losing by the Electoral Collages
Gore as authored a number of books including Earth in the Balance which was written in 1992 and became the basis for his much acclaimed An Inconvenient Truth which became a bestseller and was turned into an Academy Award winning Documentary, prices for signed copies of the former top out at $595 while the Inconvenient Truth is offered for up to $449 when signed.
In 1996 - Bob Dole lost to Bill Clinton
After losing the 1996 election Bob Dole wrote a book about his run at the presidency in an effort to show that just because he lost the election it didn't mean he lost his sense of humour. A signed copy of Great Political Wit is offered for up to $436
In 1988 - Michael Dukakis lost to George H. W. Bush
Though not at all collectible Dukakis helped write How to Get Into Politics and Why in 2006, you can buy it for under $20
In 1984 - Walter Mondale lost to Ronald Regan
Mondale's most collectable work would be his first book The Accountability of Power: Toward a Responsible Presidency, written in 1976 as an essay against the excesses of the Nixon administration. You can pick up a signed copy for only $50.
In 1976 - Gerald Ford lost to Jimmy Carter
Gerald Ford is the wildcard in this list since he did serve as president; however he did so having never won an election. Rather then win his way in he was given the Vice Presidency after Spiro Agnew's resignation and then catapulted to the position of President the following year after Nixon resigned during the Watergate scandal. He attempted a second term in office but was beaten by Jimmy Carter in 1976. Following these events Ford wrote his Autobiography A Time to Heal in 1979, a title which remains his most collectible book, as well as the most collectible book written by a presidential candidate who never won an election. A signed copy will cost you up to $2800.
In 1972 - George McGovern lost to Richard Nixon
McGovern has written a number of books: The Great Coalfield War which depicts the struggle for unionisation among early Colorado Coal Miners , A biography titled Grassroots which was published in 1977, and in 1997 he wrote Terry; the story of his daughters struggle with Alcoholism - All of which hover around the $150 range.
In 1968 - Hubert Humphrey lost to Richard Nixon
Written in 1976, The Education of a Public Man documents Humphrey's long political career, the book has undergone re-printings and signed early editions are offered for up to $100.
In 1964 - Barry Goldwater lost to Lyndon B. Johnson
Apart from being known as Mr. Conservative Goldwater was also highly interested in photography. Three books with his photography are People and Places, Delightful Journey and Barry Goldwater and the Southwest which contains a forward written by Ansel Adams, a signed copy of the latter can be found for up to $450.
In 1956 and 1952 - Adlai Stevenson lost two consecutive elections to Dwight D. Eisenhower
Titled after part of his speech that won him the democratic nomination at the 1952 convention The Stark Reality of Responsibility is Adlai's most collectable work with only 1000 copies in its initial printing the book is offered for up to $200.
In 1948 and 1944 - Thomas E. Dewey Lost consecutive elections to Harry S. Truman and Franklin D. Roosevelt
After losing the Republican nomination in 1940 on an isolationist policy Dewey put up a good fight against the incredibly popular Roosevelt only to lose again the following election to Harry Truman by frittering away a mammoth lead in the polls with quotes like his famous `You know that your future is still ahead of you.` Dewey was so favoured to win the Chicago Tribune even hedged their bets declaring him the winner in their headline only to have to change it after 150,000 papers had been shipped out. Dewey's most collectable book is a signed copy of Journey to the Far Pacific which contains writings about his trip though east Asia visiting revolutionary and war ravaged countries of Korea, Indo-China, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia which is offered for up to $468.
In 1940 - Wendell Willkie lost to Franklin D. Roosevelt
Willkie ran against FDR despite having never held a prior elected political office, he lost the Electoral College's by a landslide but his book One World became a New York Times bestseller, not only did it predict China's eventual rise to the status of superpower but also touted the importance of international peacekeeping after the second world war. Signed copies of the first edition are offered for up to $389.
2010/11/29
Kim Brooks Interview, author, He's Fine, But is He Saved?
Interview with Kim Brooks, author of Black Expressions Bestseller, "He's Fine...But is He Saved?" its sequel, "He's Saved...But is He For Real?" and, "The Little Black Survival Book for Single Saints." Learn about her projects and hear encouraging word for single believers. www.Kimontheweb.com
Marketing Your Book
While you don't need to have every detail of your marketing strategies mapped out when you begin writing your book, the earlier you get started on crafting this part of your platform, the better.
Speaking Events
When you appear at events, you can spread the gospel about your book. If you're physically in contact with audiences, you can sell copies of your book. When people see and meet you, they frequently buy your book. If you give speeches, you're almost guaranteed to sell your books because at most events, your books will be available for sale. However, when you try to publicize your book through the media, selling books is iffier.
Learn to become an accomplished speaker because speaking is a major platform for selling books. Plan ahead, early in the book-writing process. Begin speaking at least six months to a year before your book is published, to drum up interest in it and to build your speaking ability and reputation.
If you're not an established speaker, take public-speaking classes or media training. Join speakers' organizations. Then speak for free for local organizations where you can polish your craft. Start small and work your way up; build a following and a reputation for being a dynamic, entertaining, and enlightening speaker. Chamber of commerce events routinely feature business authors. Arrange with bookstore owners who are chamber members to sell your books at the events.
Also speak to local branches of industry or professional groups. If you've written a sales or networking book, you could speak at meetings of Sales and Marketing Executives International or the American Marketing Association. Try to build your base where you live and work because members of the community where you started will become your staunchest supporters.
When you become an accomplished speaker, assemble videotapes of your presentations, testimonials, a speech description, and your biography in a professional manner. Then, sign up with as many speaker bureaus as possible to get bookings. The top bureaus include the International Speakers Bureau, Leading Authorities, Inc., the Leigh Bureau, and Washington Speaker Bureau.
Author 101 Advice
A powerful strategy for launching your book is to reduce your fee on the condition that the host organization make up the difference by purchasing copies of your book. For example, if you normally command $5,000 for a keynote speech, cut your fee in half and take $2,500 if the host organization agrees to spend the other half buying $2,500 worth of your book.
The benefits you receive are that you're guaranteed $2,500 worth of book sales that won't be returned and more of your books get into circulation. Having books circulate builds word-of-mouth publicity, which should be your main objective because every book in a reader's hands is an ambassador and a publicist for you and your book. If you are an established speaker, you can afford to take less cash in order to move more copies of your book. When you employ this strategy over a number of personal appearances, it can provide substantial book sales and excellent publicity.
Hook up with 800-CEO-READ, an online business-book retailer that sells books to the corporate market. It will feature your book in its newsletter and on its website and will solicit bulk orders for your book from corporations. 800-CEO-READ will arrange for copies of your books to be available at your public appearances, events, and speaking engagements. All sales made by 800-CEO-READ are reported to many of the leading bestseller lists. Either go through or clear it with your publisher.
E-Mail Blasts
E-mail blasts are campaigns intended to make books bestsellers with online booksellers. E-mail blasts work well with certain business books, especially motivational books. Incentives that can be a part of the package include free or discounted audiotapes, videos, books or chapters of books, resource lists, courses, newsletter subscriptions, or seminars.
A variation of the e-mail blast that works well for business books is what we call an awareness blast. This blast is intended to provide information and awareness, not free gifts. For example, if your marketing book is targeted to C-level executives (chief executive officers, chief information officers, and chief financial officers), you probably don't want to conduct giveaways, because they're too gimmicky for your audience. So, instead, you buy a list of C-level executives from Business Week and then send a general sales e-mail or letter to inform them about your new book. You can include high-level endorsements, favorable reviews, and even excerpts. The cost of buying sharply targeted lists can be expensive, but it can enable you to reach a precise audience.
As we mentioned in our discussion of authors' Web sites, capturing names and e-mail addresses is a major objective of such sites. If you acquire enough names and addresses, you can hold your own e-mail blast and send other promotions to people who you know have some interest in you and your book.
Contests
Some business books lend themselves to creative campaigns. One that was highly successful was the Best Boss/Worst Boss contest that Planned Television Arts developed to promote The Corporate Coach: How to Build a Team of Loyal Customers and Happy Employees by James B. Miller, the CEO of Miller Business Systems (HarperBusiness, 1994).
The contest, which was promoted during Miller's twenty-city tour, invited employees to submit essays describing their best and worst bosses. The grand-prize winner in each category received a trip to Hawaii. The contest generated many additional interviews for Miller during his tour as well as national placements, including three with the Associated Press. Both the Today Show and The Osgood File featured the contest winners and Miller's book. Interestingly, the worst boss winner appeared in disguise.
Miller's contest was so popular that he ran similar contests for another two years. He also used material obtained from the contests to write another book, Best Boss, Worst Boss: Lessons and Laughs from the International "Best Boss/Worst Boss" Contests (Summit Publishing Group, 1997).
Any entrepreneurial author should strongly consider running a contest. With the Internet, it's not difficult.
Top BestSeller Lists
New York Times (monthly)
Business Week (monthly)
Wall Street Journal Business
USA Today
To make weekly bestseller lists, you usually need to sell at least 3,000 copies a week, and for monthly lists, 10,000 copies a month.
Making the business bestseller list is a matter of velocity; it's a matter of how many books you sell in a particular week or month, not your cumulative sales. It's a sprint, not a marathon. So, create your book campaign strategy to sell as many books in the smallest period of time possible in order to generate the maximum number of reported sales during that time. To create the most impact, orchestrate all your publicity efforts to come together during that window of time: your speaking engagements, op-ed piece, your e-mail blast, and your corporate orders. If your promotional efforts and your book sales are spread over a period of months, you will be less likely to make the bestseller lists.
The only sales figures used for bestseller lists are those that come from retail chains, online booksellers, and independent bookstores. So, if you make a bulk sale to a corporation or sell tons of books from the back of the room when you speak, those won't be counted unless they're made by one of the groups mentioned above.
Special Opportunities
Business news is always breaking. In areas such as parenting, lifestyles, entertainment, food, and even sports, the news can be slow. However, the business news never stops; it rarely slows down. So, business authors must position themselves to seize upon developments as soon as they occur in their areas of expertise.
Bill George's book, Authentic Leadership (Jossey-Bass, 2004), featured his expertise on good corporate governance and CEO pay. His publicity campaign focused on his high ethical standards and visionary ideas. When former New York Stock Exchange chief Richard Grasso came under fire, the media turned to George as an expert on ethical CEO behavior. George gave interviews that spawned more interviews, and he received great publicity, which boosted the sales of his book.
Business authors must also anticipate future news in order to time their books and publicity efforts around upcoming cycles that the media will cover. If you have a book on job searching or career advice, make sure that your book is released during April or May to tie it into the annual graduation cycle that follows. Every year, prior to graduation, the media churns out stories on finding jobs and establishing careers. By anticipating the media's patterns, authors of books on these subjects can make themselves available to the media as experts. They can get great publicity for themselves and their books by giving the media explanations, insights, and quotations on careers. The assistance they provide to the media can pay off at other times of the year when the media needs experts to help it with news items on jobs and careers.
Hometowns
All authors should capitalize on the special attention that they can get from the media in their hometowns. For business authors, that means developing strong ties to the business editors and reporters for their local newspapers and business journals. It pays for authors to build strong hometown bases because locals take pride in the success of other locals and help promote them.
When it comes to hometown coverage, business authors have the advantage of having more outlets where they can speak than other authors. They can speak at chambers of Commerce; at service clubs such as Rotary, Kiwanis, and Elks Clubs; and to local business groups. Business authors should take advantage of these opportunities to build a strong local speaking base and solid grassroots support.
Extra Credit
Write biographies and promotional materials that build your credibility. In bios, stress the accomplishments that relate most to your book. Readers and the media want to know that you have outstanding credentials. It will make the information and advice in your book more authoritative.
The press materials for Bill George's Authentic Leadership noted that George was a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). However, it stressed that he had been named the Corporate Director of the Year by NACD. The media picked up on this point and frequently referred to George as the former NACD Corporate Director of the year.
Tweak bios to emphasize the author's expertise in areas in which individual media contacts are most interested. Conform news releases and other promotional materials so they also highlight authors' expertise in the same areas.
Business authors should also utilize their media contacts. Over the years, most business authors, especially those who are business leaders, make extensive media contacts. To promote their books, they should contact their media contacts. When members of the media cover stories, they have the power to determine the direction and tenor of the piece. So using your personal connections can get you favorable coverage.
It's a good idea to cultivate media contacts well before your book comes out. As we've suggested, become a media resource: feed the media stories, information, and sources; write byline articles; and volunteer your expertise. Then, when you need the help of those contacts, your relationship will have been established and you won't have to start from scratch.
2010/11/28
Great Literary Hoaxes
Margaret B. Jones published "Love and Consequences" in 2008 as a memoir of her life as an abused half black, half native child foster child when in fact she is a white woman from a middle class neighborhood.
"Misha: A Memoire of the Holocaust Years" was written by Misha Defonseca in 1997. The book was a Bestseller and was translated into 18 languages, and made into a feature film in France. However, the author admitted in February 2008 that her story of trekking across Europe with a pack of wolves during the Holocaust wasn't true. Apparently she's not even Jewish.
James Frey wrote his 2003 memoir, A Million Little Pieces, about a 23-year-old alcoholic drug abuser who manages to get his life back together with the help of a Twelve Steps-oriented treatment center. Frey eventually admitted to fabricating large portions of the book and left a swindled Oprah apologizing to the world for defending him. Even though the books publisher was forced to offer money back to dissatisfied customers, the book continues to sell as a work of fiction.
JT LeRoy, aka Laura Albert... not only picked a pseudonym but made up a fake background and even sent a friend to impersonate LeRoy on book tours. Albert kept up the HIV-positive former drug addicted hustler double life for several years and managed to squeeze out a few bestsellers("Sarah" and "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things") before the hammer dropped.
Timothy Patrick Barrus wrote three 'memoirs' under the pseudonym Nasdijj: "The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams" (2000), "The Boy and the Dog Are Sleeping" (2003) and "Geronimo's Bones: A Memoir of My Brother and Me" (2004). Within them he claimed to be of Navajo heritage with abusive parents until LA Weekly blew the story open.
In 1999 Michael Pelligrino fooled US publisher Simon & Schuster into thinking that he was Michael Gambino, grandson of Mafioso Carlo Gambino, and went on to write `The Honored Society` a book that was supposedly based on his own experiences as a gangster. The pack of lies was exposed when a legitimate Gambino family member heard about the book and had his lawyers blow the whistle.
Binjamin Wilkomirski (aka Bruno Grosjean) wrote "Fragments", a supposed Holocaust memoir, in 1996. The book recalled the horrors of two Nazi death camps in Poland and the book won the National Jewish Book Award for an autobiography. In 1999 a historian investigated accusations against the author it was discovered that Wilkomirski was actually Swiss a man named Bruno Grosjean who had never been in a camp.
Anthony Godby Johnson was credited for writing "A Rock and a Hard Place" in 1993. The story involves a 14-year-old HIV-positive boy describing the sexual abuse he suffers. A group of journalists eventually uncovered that Anthony didn't exist and the story was totally fictional. The novel had been written by Vicki Fraginals, who claimed to be Anthony's foster mother and impersonated the fictional child in telephone interviews.
Marlo Morgan, caused a stir among Australian Aboriginal groups when she published "Mutant Message Down Under" in 1994. The book claimed to be a memoir of her time spent with Aboriginals. After a number of protests by Aboriginal groups, claims that Morgan invented large portions of the book, and insights suggesting that she may have never stepped foot on the continent, the book is now published as fiction.
Forbidden Love (also called Honor Lost in the United States) was written by Norma Khouri (pen name of Norma Bagain Toliopoulos). It is the story the writers Jordanian friend who's love for a Christian soldier had been kept secret from her Muslim father due to conflict in religion. When the father eventually finds out and consequently stabs his daughter to death in a so-called honor killing. In 2004 Sydney Morning Herald journalist Malcolm Knox discovered that book was a hoax leaving us with another work of fiction.
Asa Cater, a white Ku Klux Klan member published "The Education of Little Tree" in 1977 under the pen name Forrest Carter. The book is described as a memoir of Carter, who as a Cherokee orphan who battled racism and struggled to find his heritage. By the 1990s Asa was discovered to be the actual writer of the book and publishers re-classified it as fiction. It was around this time that Oprah removed the book from her list of picks.
Clifford Irving forged letters and signatures and created false names for Swiss bank accounts in an attempt to earn $750,000 for writing a fake biography of the reclusive Howard Hughes.
"Go Ask Alice," by Anonymous, is the diary of a teenage girl who'd died of a drug overdose which was published as a cautionary tale to deter foolhardy teens from following in her footsteps. However it was eventually revealed that the book's "editor," Beatrice Sparks, was also the books author and the anonymous girl was in fact fictitious. The controversy didn't deter Sparks, who went on to produce many other similar "diaries" about troubled adolescents.
Historical Hoaxes
Maria Monk's book "Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, or, The Hidden Secrets of a
Nun's Life in a Convent Exposed" was published in January 1836. The book is about the seven years that Monk spent at the convent of the Hôtel-Dieu where was forced to have sex with priests who killed the illegitimate babies and made uncooperative nuns disappear. After several investigations it was discovered that building descriptions in the book did not match the actual building and that the claims of the book were false. Moreover, Monk herself was found to have suffered brain damage as a child and had trouble distinguishing fact and fantasy and it is believed she may have been manipulated into the role by publishers.
In the 1840s Reverend Johann Wilhelm Meinhold claimed to have discovered a manuscript written by Abraham Schweidler, a former minister of the old Coserow Church. Meinhold then published the story of Mary Schweidler: The Amber Witch in German as a fact based instructional document for the avoidance of witchcraft. Critics believed it to be authentic and it was only in later editions that the author admitted to it being a work of fiction. This book contains a hoax within the hoax as the English translator Lady Duff-Gordon gave herself credit as author in 1861 denying the original German edition until she was later found out.
In the late 1700s, Thomas Chatterton claimed to have found poems written by a 15th century monk named Thomas Rowley. When it was discovered that Chatterton had written them himself and the young poet panicked killing himself with arsenic. His work was eventually published after his death, and he became a beacon of inspiration to Romantic poets everywhere.
Also in the 1700s James Macpherson claimed a translation of the 3rd century epic Gaelic poet Ossian, it took nearly a century to prove that Macpherson had written them himself.
Hoaxes designed to expose
In an effort to show how literature in America had become mindlessly vulgar a group of writers at Newsday wrote "Naked Came the Stranger" in 1969, going into explicit detail about the sexual adventures of a suburban housewife. When it was found out that the author Penelope Ashe was in fact 25 Newsday writers, sales of the book were left unchanged.
A group of Science Fiction writers got together in 2005 to write book so bad it would be deemed un-publishable by any proper publisher. Each chapter of Atlanta Nights was written by a different author, including both chapter 12s and chapter 34 which was written by a computer program. The only chapter not written by a different author was the non existent chapter 21. The project was to test PublishAmerica s claim that they were a traditional publisher of high quality work, the manuscript was accepted but once the hoax was reveled they re-evaluated their decision and eventually rejected the book. The author group then self published the book on a lark under the pseudonym Travis Tea.
Ern Malley wasn't an Australian mechanic turned poet, but the creation of James McAuley and Harold Stewart. The pair of poets wrote a set of poems and created an elaborate, albeit fake, back story for Erm Malley. As they hoped the poems were published in an effort to discredit the Australian poetry magazine Angry Penguins. The events all played out as planned and Erm Malley remains one of Australia's greatest literary hoaxes.
In the mid 1950s, New York radio personality Jean Shepherd was outraged by the way bestseller lists were created. At the time the lists were composed of books sold as well as requests for books at a bookstore. Shepherd urged listeners to go to their local bookstores to demand "I, Libertine," by Frederick C. Ewing when neither the book nor the author existed. The gag created a sensation and convinced, bestseller list creators that their methods were outdated and also got Sheppard a book deal to actually write the fake book.
Soul Prints Lecture 2005 Hebrew II
www.marcgafni.com Marc Gafnihas written seven books, including the national bestseller Soul Prints, which won the prestigious NAPRA award for Best Spirituality Book of 2001, and was a main selection of the One Spirit Book Club and the Amazon.com Best Book in the Jewish Thought category in 2001. This book was also made into a National PBS special and an audio series by Sounds True recordings. Soul Prints is published by Simon & Schuster.
2010/11/27
YourNetBiz Mentor Kevin John Reviews Think And Grow Rich
www.SixFigureIncome.me.uk http Tel: 0044 7894 953257 The book Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill has had such a major impact on my life that it has indeed changed my life totally. Before I read this book I was a tired and stressed out lawyer doing the daily 9 to 5 work grind but this book opened my mind to a completely different way of thinking! To find out more about how you can take charge of your financial destiny then visit: www.SixFigureIncome.me.uk Think and Grow Rich - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Think and Grow Rich! is a motivational book written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion by American billionaire Andrew Carnegie. ... Amazon.com Think and Grow Rich: Napoleon Hill: Books Think and Grow Rich: The Landmark Bestseller--Now Revised and Updated for the .... "Think and Grow Rich" is based on Napolean Hill's famed "Law of Success" ... Amazon.com: Think and Grow Rich!: The Original Version, Restored ... Think and Grow Rich for Health and Wealth by Larry Weldon .... The lessons I have learned in Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich have changed my life ... To find out more about how you can take charge of your financial destiny then visit: www.SixFigureIncome.me.uk Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - 2005 - 259 pages The Napoleon Hill Foundation Think Good Health Consciousness. 16. Budgeting Time and Money. Budgeting. Time and Money. Budgeting. Time and Money. Time is money. Budgeting ... Think and Grow Rich - Google Books Result by Napoleon Hill ...
Bonfire of the Vanities - Book Review
The author of this book: Thomas Wolfe
Summary of the book: It's the 1980s - a time when Wall Street ruled, Park Avenue was the place to be, and the Bronx was seen as the 'darkest' section of the city. The Bonfire of the Vanities, manages to combine these two vastly different sections of New York with a tale of infidelity, racial and social/class divide, and a justice system that leaves the reader with more questions than answers about the final verdict.
This type of book is good for: Lovers of thrillers, drama (crime), and Thomas Wolfe
I especially liked: The characters. Their stories and lives. One thing about Wolfe is his ability to paint each character in ways that make you either identify with them, or make you 'see' them before you. You are right there in their situations, wanting to see what happens next and how things go from there. The dialogue seems to jump out at you, every injection, accent and emotion is definitely felt.
I did not like: The ending. It almost felt rushed and I was a bit confused as to what really happened to the main character - Sherman McCoy. We see his 'demotion' from Park Avenue/Wall Street son or rather 'Master of the Universe' - to a struggling man trying to escape the clutches of incarceration.
This book made me feel: Enlightened. The setting might have been in the 80s, but some of the issues talked about are still prevalent today. Racial tensions between black and white, the unfairness of the justice system, and the unscrupulous way the press will go for a story...no matter what it takes.
Final comments: As mentioned above, it will show you just how society operates on not just a macro scale, but in your very living room. It takes one into the mindset of the rich and famous, how superficial their lives are - of the black community, run by a man who seems to put his political agenda first than his own people...anything to be popular. Or a district attorney, who only cares about his image and less about his clients - all these elements bring about an explosive story that makes one see how this book could have been a national best seller.
2010/11/26
Abraham: APPRECIATION VS. GRATITUDE - Esther & Jerry Hicks
Abraham, speaking through Esther Hicks explains why appreciation is so powerful in transforming our experience, as well as how we can cultivate appreciation, how we can use it, and why an emphasis on gratitude is less effective. Recorded at the November 11, 2007 Art of Allowing Workshop in Orlando, Florida. Esther & Jerry Hicks are the authors of numerous books based on the Teachings of Abraham and their latest book, "Money and The Law of Attraction", reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. For over 20 years, Esther has translated blocks of thought from "Non-Physical Source Energy" - which she also identifies as her "Inner Being" or "Soul" - and who refer to themselves in the plural as "Abraham" (no relation to the Biblical figure). Esther doesn't use the word "channeling" to describe her process, but understands if others do. For more information, please view our YouTube video entitled "Abraham Explains Who They Are", or go to www.abraham-hicks.com and listen to the audio entitled "Introduction To Abraham". NOTE To turn off and on video subtitles, click on UP arrow at the lower right hand corner of the video player then click on CC. To translate subtitles, mouse over the arrow to the left of the CC, select Translate Captions, and then scroll down to the language you prefer. YouTube currently offers more than 50 language options with more being added regularly. Also, to watch this video in high quality and stereo, simply add "&fmt=18" to the end of the URL and ...
Sale Bagless Vacuum Cleaner Lower Prices Dog House Online Shop
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire: Why Do Children Fib?
Complete video at: fora.tv Authors Po Bronson and Ayelet Waldman discuss the intricacies of childhood lying. Bronson offers the developmental cycle of lying in young children, while Waldman illustrates with a humorous story. ----- Although your kids may make you want to rip out your hair and scream bloody murder, must parents remain calm, forgiving and extremely patient? Not anymore. Blogs and web sites like True Mom Confessions are revealing intimate truths about parenting and forcing us to reconsider what it means to be a "good parent." Waldman, branded a "bad mother" after stating she loves her husband more than her children, and Bronson, science writer turned parenting investigator, share their experiences, discuss their perspectives on current distorted parenting habits and explore a new way of thinking about kids. - Commonwealth Club of California Po Bronson has built a career both as a successful novelist and as a prominent writer of narrative nonfiction. He has published five books, and he has written for television, magazines, and newspapers, including Time, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and for National Public Radio's Morning Edition. Currently he is writing regularly for New York magazine in the United States and for The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom. Po Bronson's book of social documentary, What Should I Do With My Life?, was a #1 New York Times bestseller and remained in the Top 10 for nine months. Ayelet Waldman is the author of ...
2010/11/25
The Kazakhstan Beatles allotment 1
Please visit www.simonreeve.co.uk for more information.Simon Reeve meets The Kazakh Beatles in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, while making his TV series Meet the Stans. The Meet the Stans series took Simon from the far north-west of Kazakhstan, by the Russian border, east to the Chinese border, south through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the edge of Afghanistan, and west to Uzbekistan and the legendary Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara. The Guardian said it was a thrilling postcard from the edge The Times said Simon Reeves journey through Kazakhstan is a first-class Boys Own adventure on film and illuminating too. I cant imagine anyone switching off who stays for the first five minutes. Simon Reeve is a bestselling author and broadcaster. In recent years hes travelled to scores of countries around the world for a series of BBC television documentaries. The 2008 BBC TV series Tropic of Capricorn took Simon around the line marking the southern border of the tropics. His accompanying book, also called Tropic of Capricorn, is published by BBC Books. In the BBC series Equator, Simon followed the equator through troubled areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America, including Colombia and the Congo. In Places That Dont Exist, Simon travelled through a group of unrecognised nations countries so obscure they dont officially exist. And in Meet the Stans, Simon visited the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Simons book The New Jackals: Ramzi ...
Peter McLaren - Critical Pedagogy, Social Justice and the Struggle for Peace - 3/6
Peter McLaren is internationally recognized as one of the leading architects of critical pedagogy worldwide. McLaren is currently Professor of Education, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Waterloo University in 1973, attended Toronto Teachers College and went on to earn a Bachelor of Education at the University of Torontos Faculty of Education, a Masters of Education at Brock Universitys College of Education, and a Ph.D. at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Professor McLaren is the author, co-author, editor and co-editor of approximately forty books and monographs. Several hundred of his articles, chapters, interviews, reviews, commentaries and columns have appeared in dozens of scholarly journals and professional magazines since the publication of his first book, Cries From The Corridor, which made the Canadian bestseller list and was one of top ten bestselling books in Canada in 1980 (MacLean's Magazine), initiating a country-wide debate on the status of inner-city schools. Peter McLarens papers are housed and on permanent exhibit at the Paulo and Nita Freire Center for International Critical Pedagogy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. The Soka Gakkai International (SGI-USA) Culture of Peace Resource Centers in New York, Santa Monica, Chicago Washington DC, and Honolulu have launched the Culture of Peace ...
Vinyl Tablecloth ladies watches online High definition DJ Headphones
2010/11/24
Interview With Michele Andrea Bowen, Author of Church Folk
A native of St. Louis, Michele Andrea Bowen began writing stories as a child, and her experiences growing up gave her insight concerning all of the possibilities for telling great stories about regular folk who go to church and love the Lord.
Michele was educated in the St. Louis Public School system in segregated schools. She then went on to earn her Bachelor and two Master's degrees from Washington University in St. Louis. And she also furthered her education by earning graduate degrees in United States History and Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has worked as a social worker in mental health and child abuse, a program coordinator in health care, and instructor at the undergraduate level. She also worked at Barnes and Noble Books, a job that offered considerable experience with the retail side of the book world.
Michele currently lives in Durham, North Carolina with her daughters. They are members of St. Joseph's AME Church.
I was on my way to becoming a history professor when the writing bug really hit me and I started writing what was the rough draft of my first novel, Church Folk. I originally titled this book "The Missionary Ladies" but quickly came up with Church Folk after my good friend, Dr. Valerie Kaalund, a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, took one look at that title, frowned and said, "NO. NO!"
I became a writer and subsequently an "author," when Church Folk became the third book in an African American Christian Fiction line of books under a new Warner Books Imprint called Walk Worthy Press in June 2001. I was blessed beyond belief with the response to this outrageously funny book about black "peepes" who went to "chutch." And since that time, I have published two other books with Warner, Second Sunday (June 2003) and Holy Ghost Corner (September 2006).
I am currently writing a fourth book that continues with my tales of African American religious life and culture. Writing is a ministry for me. I love the Lord and I love writing about God and church life. It has been a tremendous blessing to reach so many people with my stories. I praise God for this. I can't imagine writing in any other way.
From her website: "She writes black Christian Fiction because that is what the Lord called her to write. And each novel is a venture into black church life and culture that she hopes will entertain, make you laugh out loud, inform, inspire, and hopefully encourage each reader to seriously think about what a wondrous thing it is to serve the Lord."
The following is an interview with Michele by Eric Brasley of Books of Soul conducted in November 2008.
- With each of your novels appearing on the Essence bestseller list, do you have any expectations for your next novel, Up At The College? Do you expect any "controversy" that came with your first, Church Folk?
My prayer partners and I prayed over Up at the College. I asked God to bless this book, as I have for each of my books. My expectation is that the Lord was listening and answered our prayers.
As for any controversy...haven't thought about it at all.
- Like most genres, Christian fiction can't be lumped into a simple bag. Are you stretching those boundaries? Or, are you writing something secular with a church setting? How would you classify your work?
I write Christian Fiction. I don't write something secular with a church setting. I write as a ministry and I'm thankful that my stories crosses the lines, so that folks who read secular fiction will reach out and pick up a copy of one of my books. And I write what is placed in my heart, what appears to be a good project to pursue, and something that makes me crack up with laughter whenever I think about it.
- How have readers reacted to your success?
The readers have been a blessing and very encouraging and supportive. I am thankful for them. Many of them keep me lifted in prayer, some have prayed for me when I meet them, some have met me and just started laughing and said that I was funny and those books were something else.
When I was in Dallas, Texas at Cedar Valley Community College, a reader came up to me, hugged me and blessed me while we hugged. She prayed over me. That is not the first time this has happened. On another occasion, back in 2004, I was at the AME General Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. A woman who worked in the maintenance department came over to us on her break and asked about my books, she was very interested but didn't have the money at the time. We gave her a copy because there was something kind, honest, and warm about this lady. She thanked me, and then turned back and gave a blessing that floored us. I will never forget that experience. I could feel what she shared.
These are just two examples but this happens on a regular basis. And I get the laughter from readers all the time. They give testimonials about the people at their church. They also will tell folks that they need to read one of my books because they are very funny.
- From where do you find the inspiration for your stories? For your characters?
I find inspiration in events happening around me. I find inspiration in what folks share. I find inspiration in my own experiences...and I am inspired when I read the bible (lot of good stuff in the bible). As for the characters...I see so much in everyday life and find a lot of inspiration in some of the most unlikely places like the mall, grocery store, a church event.
If I see something that tickles me to no end, I use it to create a character. Also, if someone has come through a serious storm and is still standing, I use that story or experience to create a character. The person who inspired me to create Baby Doll Henderson was actually a man, who used to be homeless. He lived under a bridge, has battled with crack/cocaine for years, and got saved, joined our church, and walks a hard road each and every day.
- Do you have a favorite character?
I have a few favorite characters. Precious Powers and Rev. James (Church Folk); Sheba Cochran Wilson, George Wilson, and Mr. Louis Loomis (Second Sunday); Baby Doll Henderson Lacy (Holy Ghost Corner).
These characters are my favorites because they are funny, sweet at times, very different with regard to their outlook on life, bold, unconventional, and have good hearts. My characters are true-to-life, only because they represent something that needs 'reppin' well. And I haven't created anybody who I personally thought was too outlandish, even if some of them are very colorful at times
- How do you write? Do you work in developing dialogue, characters, or scenes? Are there any special challenges to writing your novels?
I write on the computer or laptop... I like to type. Also, I prepare a synopsis and now, write a very detailed outline that provides comprehensive overview of entire book from start to finish, including characters.
- African American fiction and Christian fiction have experienced booming sales over the last few years. Publishers have certainly responded. Do you have to do anything different than other authors to promote your novels because of the content?
Yes, I have to be aggressive about where to go and how to market the book. I look for those hidden markets that publishers may overlook because it's outside of the main stream. I use the model of gospel artists. They go to the churches and places where they know their audience is in abundance, and trust that they will support them and their work--which they do. There is a very vibrant market of readers out there...you just have to know where to look, and have your heart right when you go to those places and to those potential readers because they don't like mess and foolishness.
- Do you have any tips for your fellow writers? Anything that has worked for you in writing, finding a publisher & agent, in promoting your book?
I think I'll have to tailor this answer for budding writers of Christian Fiction. Be right with the Lord. Study God's Word. Pray without ceasing. Be in church and fellowship with other Christians. Read, read, read, and write your story as you are led by the Lord to write it. Trust God in every phase of this endeavor, strive for excellence in your actual craft of writing, pray for direction, and ask questions of those who have come before you.
2010/11/23
Book Writing Secrets and Selling Profits
Books Writing Selling and marketing secrets with Jini Pinto. How to create an award winning book in days and weeks, not months and years. How to get over writers block. How to create your bestseller now.
Lower Prices Dog House Online Shop Best Buy Samsung Hdtv LCD
The Girls from Ames, Jeffrey Zaslow - 9781592405329
The instant New York Times bestseller, now in paperback: a moving tribute to female friendships, with the inspiring story of eleven girls and the ten women they became, from the coauthor of the million-copy bestseller The Last Lecture As children, they formed a special bond, growing up in the small town of Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eighth different states, yet they managed to maintain an extraordinary friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, the death of a child, and the mysterious death of the eleventh member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the enduring, deep bonds of women as they experience life's challenges, and the power of friendship to overcome even the most daunting odds. View more: us.penguingroup.com
Lower Prices Dog House Online Shop Sale Slimfast Online High definition DJ Headphones
2010/11/22
Thoughts on the New iPad
It's always interesting when a new product niche is developed. Suddenly something exists we consumers never though of before. For many of us, once using the new device/technology/service, we quickly grow accustomed to it being in our lives and soon wonder what we did without it.
Apple's new iPad is no exception. Though Apple would like us to think so, the iPad didn't exactly create its own niche. There were other versions of tablets and oversized portables available before. However, the iPad does such a good job of filling this unusual niche that it makes all earlier comers seem like rugged pioneers; the kind that were brave but unrefined, tough but uncultured, and hearty but unsophisticated. Somehow, the iPad manages to be sophisticated and innovative while also being easy to use and quite intuitive.
I will admit, I am a recent convert to the Apple world. I always had thought that Apple computers were some obscure, strange, isolated technological toys that thrilled only a certain narrow band of geeks. I could not have been more wrong. What I discovered is that Apple computers are largely for people like me who hate computers and don't want to have to learn anything about them in order to use them productively. With that said, I have been thrilled not to have to learn any acronyms, three-letter identifiers, code terminology, or technology terms in order to run my computer.
And that brings me to what thrills me about the iPad. I don't have to know anything to have fun on it AND be productive with it. The full screen touch pad is intuitive, easy, and actually fun. Getting around the menus and APP store is a breeze. Reading emails, surfing the Internet, organizing and viewing photos, listening to music, and reading eBooks are my favorite activities, for which life before the iPad seems distant for sure. Far distant.
However, there are some things the iPad frustratingly doesn't do: namely, play Flash video. For a complicated explanation as to why, one can read found Steve Job's very technical comments on the Apple website. I, for one, remain unconvinced. If there are solid technical reasons not to play Flash based videos, then please offer us an alternative instead of those annoying question mark icons. Also, it is a little difficult to get the iPad to text. There are Apps for it, but they are not smooth. Finally, the PDF readers are limited, and it is not as functional as a Kindle or Sony reader when it comes to printing noted items or highlighted sections. It is also difficult to grab many of the free books out there and make them readable in anything other than a PDF format. And one more finally: you can't print from the iPad. I know, one can email themselves and then print from their computer later, but this is an unnecessary pain.
I predict that competition from the marketplace will advance this "Pad" technology over the next five years to the point where someone will provide all these annoyingly missing features. That will be a sweet time, indeed. But until then, the iPad is still one of the most fun toys you could get, and in many cases will allow you to travel without your laptop.
If you've got the money, I'd recommend anteing up and getting one. You will thoroughly enjoy it. Just don't expect it to replace any piece of technology you already own. It will simply become a new niche you can't live without!
The Bestseller Author Interview: Keywords Key
You've written the book, you've landed the publisher, your launch date is fast approaching. Now it's time for the all important flurry of promotion.
Being a new author, one of the cornerstones of promotion is the interview. Readers want to know all about this bold, brash newcomer, who you are, how you started on your writing journey, where you're headed, what you ate for breakfast.
You're nervous so being a professional, you prepare mock questions and answers in advance of the interviews. Your answers are good, you know that much, but are they great? Could they be better?
One way to turn a base hit interview into a home run is to be conscious of keywords and their importance in on-line searches.
But wait, what are keywords? Keywords are the terms typed into search engines (like Google or Yahoo). Say you are searching for Frodo's last name. You may type in Frodo or The Lord Of The Rings or Tolkien. All of these would be keywords.
When you search, articles with these keywords will be listed.
Why does this matter?
It matters because depending on your interview answers, one of these articles could be about you and your new book. The more keywords used, the higher the frequency of your article appearing.
To clarify, this isn't about lying. This is about not being ashamed of any beneficial associations you may have. You've written the next big Sci/fi thriller and are a Star Trek fan? Be proud of your Trekkieness (note: made up words are usually not keywords)! Readers searching on Star Trek are more likely than the average person to be interested in your book. They are already Sci/fi lovers.
Great interviewers will assist you by asking such wide opened questions that you'll have more than enough chances to sneak in these keywords. Common questions will involve your influences, your favorite authors, your hobbies and the jackpot wrap up question "Do you have anything else to add?"
Note: You ALWAYS have something else to add.
2010/11/21
The Top 5 Self-Help Gurus of All Time - Motivational Speakers Who Changed the World and Our Lives
There's little that self-help guru Napoleon Hill doesn't promise us. If we can conceive it, he was famous for saying, we can achieve it. And if anyone's a poster child for achieving incredible success, Hill himself is. Arguably, he's the sole founder of the entire modern self-help industry - a staggeringly powerful $10 billion industry that's growing by more than 10% a year according to Marketdata Enterprises.
In honor of Hill and his predecessors, I've put together a list of the Top 5 Self-Help gurus of all time. Miners of soul - people who have changed not only the outer world, but our more personal, inner landscapes as well. When we need it most, it seems, we hear their voices in our heads, urging us to work a little bit harder for our goals.
1)Napoleon Hill.
Napoleon Hill was an impoverished newspaper reporter when he was assigned to write a story on one of the most famous men in America: Andrew Carnegie. During his interview with the steel magnate, Hill learned that Carnegie had a very interesting philosophy. Namely, that success wasn't a matter of luck, breeding or family ties, but rather that it was a formulaic process that anyone could learn. Carnegie then offered to provide Hill with a letter of recommendation if he would attempt to interview 500 other successful people to figure out precisely what the formula was. Hill agreed. Hundreds of interviews and 20 years later, Hill would publish his first book in the form of a study guide called "The Law of Success."
Nearly 10 years after that, Hill would tinker with and perfect his ideas in a new book called, "Think and Grow Rich!" Published in the midst of the Great Depression, it would prove an instant bestseller, and it's still regularly reprinted - testament to its power to inspire and motivate. In it, Hill lays the foundation for almost all modern-day books one finds in the self-help aisle at their local bookstores. He does it with 17 principles of success. The first of these, he says, is a "definiteness of purpose." "If you will decide definitely what you want most in your entire lifetime, and write it down on paper so that I can read it, I will give you the master key with which you may open the door to the attainment of your desires, whatever they may be," he says.
2)Dale Carnegie.
Born a poor farming family in Missouri, Dale Carnegie would eventually become one of the most famous authors in self-help history. Unlike Napoleon Hill who was given a mandate to lean about success, Carnegie almost inadvertently stumbling into motivational speaking. Strapped for cash in New York City, he thought he might be able to make some money teaching a course on public speaking. He secured a classroom at a local YMCA, found several students, and then, promptly ran out of material with which to teach them. Floundering in front of the class, he thought he'd best give the students something to talk about. So, he asked them each to give a speech on something that made them angry. The results were astounding. The students took on new, more powerful personas, speaking in front of a group without fear and without self-consciousness.
It was enough for Carnegie to realize that there had to be very specific techniques (not just luck or natural-born skills) that people could use to change their fears, attain their desires and get what they wanted out of life. In 1937, Carnegie published his most famous book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." The advice he offers reads like a manual for success in almost any endeavor that involves other people, from management jobs to family and friendships. One of his most famous pieces of advice? Get others to talk about themselves if you want them to like you. "I" is, after all, the most common word in almost any conversation.
3)Tony Robbins.
Tony Robbins first started generating attention in one of the least likely places a self-help guru might be born: infomercials. Promoting seminars for public speaker Jim Rohn, Robbins eventually carved out enough credence for his own series of seminars. How exactly is that possibly? By the sheer force and infectiousness of his personality.
His seminars, with names like "Date with Destiny" and "Unleash the Power Within," drum up the sort of excitement usually reserved for rock concerts. The seminars focus, too, on immediate action - the No. 1 hurdle to accomplishment, Robbins argues. To illustrate the power of action, Robbins designed his "Unleash the Power Within" seminar around the "firewalk," a ritualistic march that his seminar-goers take over a bed of hot coals. The purpose? To prove that we can accomplish things most people never try simply by taking action.
Robbins has also written some heavyweight books to back his ideas - of which the two most famous are "Awaken the Giant Within" and "Unlimited Power." Both ended up on bestseller lists and both focus on similar things: 1) keeping our energy and excitement levels high so that we can accomplish difficult tasks, and 2) changing not only our thoughts, but our "neurological" links with negative thoughts and habits. Once we've done that, we're free to reach our full potentials.
4)Deepak Chopra.
Dubbed the "poet-prophet of alternative medicine" by Time Magazine, Deepak Chopra has written more than 50 self-help books -- a staggering sum for any author in any field. He's, perhaps most famous, though, for his arguments on the power of the mind-body connection. Without a healthy body, he says, our minds can't function optimally. In fact, he even argues that our minds have the power to heal or harm themselves on a quantum level.
Trained as a medical doctor, Chopra's also well-versed in alternative Eastern medicine and thought, including Ayrveda ("the science of life") and Vedanta (a philosophical system rooted in the Upanishads). The goal of Vendanta is to free oneself from his or her own self-imposed limitations. In that sense, we're our own worst enemies. And that is, indeed, one of Chopra's central teachings: we must align ourselves with principles deeper than day-to-day trifles. When we're unaffected by inconveniences, we reserve energy for life's more important things.
5)Stephen Covey.
If you haven't heard of Stephen Covey's self-help books, you've probably seen his Franklin-Covey products at your local Office Max. Day planners and schedule books, Covey sells products to increase your effectively - the same thing he argues for in his books. The author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey's self-help book was an international phenomenon that continues to sell copies to this day (more than 15 million copies in all). In "7 Habits," Covey argues that effectiveness isn't a skill, it's simply a habit or a decision to take serious, dedicated action.
A Harvard MBA student, Covey spent decades teaching organizational behavior and business management at Brigham Young University. Drawing on that experience, he produced a book that crystallizes effective action. The seven habits he laid out have become blueprints for modern-day managers. Among the most powerful? Seek first to understand, then to be understood. After it's all said and done, Covey writes, you've got to take a break and renew yourself.
George Foreman Grill Panasonic Bluray Disc Player Push Lawn Mower Online
Book bivouac for Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
ON SALE NOW! www.penguin.com/extraordinary Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe - but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Pheobe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?
Panasonic VIERA Hdtv Push Lawn Mower Online Sale Slimfast Online
2010/11/20
Spelling Means Cash on EBay Auctions
On eBay, Misspelling in titles and descriptions often means "opportunity".
When Steve Marconi wanted to sell his ex-wife's diamond ring, he listed them on eBay - but his item didn't sell. So, he put the item up for sale again...still no sale.
Could it be that he used a reserve? Perhaps the description wasn't very good. Maybe the pictures didn't do the item justice - because, in fact, it was a beautiful diamond ring. Is it possible that the title was well written: Dimond Ring Size 6.5 1.0 Carat Emerald Cut Low Reserve
The answer seemed obvious - to everyone but Steve. On eBay, some sellers are clueless, while others are just careless. You'll find items for sale on eBay such as labtop computers, throwing knifes, Art Deko vases, camras, comferters and saphires...even dimond rings.
Now, you might be thinking...there is no way that people really misspell the key word wrong for the specific item for sale. Well, not only does it happen, but it happens frequently.
These item will occasionally get bidders - bur rarely very many. Often these items are scooped up by "Power Buyers", or people who troll eBay for spelling slip-ups, buying items on the cheap and selling them all over again on eBay, but with the right spelling and for the right price. Michael B., a jeweler in West Palm Beach Florida, is one of them.
Mr. B once bought a box of gers for $2. They were gears for pocket watches, which he cleaned up and put back on the auction block with the right spelling. They sold for $200. "I've bought and sold stuff on eBay and Yahoo that I bought for next to nothing" because of poor spelling or vague descriptions, he said.
David Scroggins, who lives in Milwaukee, also searches for misspellings. His company provides entertainment for weddings and corporate events, and microphone systems for shows at Wisconsin's casinos. He has bought Hubbell electrical cords for a 10th of their usual cost by searching for Hubell and Hubbel. And he now operates his entire business by laptop computers, having bought three Compaqs for a pittance simply by asking for Compacts instead.
No one knows how much misspelling is out there in eBay land, where more than $28 billion worth of goods was sold last year. The company does flag common misspellings, but wrong spellings can also turn up similar misspellings, so that buyers and sellers frequently read past the Web site's slightly bashful line asking, by any chance, "Did you mean . . . chandelier?"
Just the other day I searched on eBay and in less than an hour turned up dozens of items, including bycicles, telefones, dimonds, mother of perl, cuttlery, bedroom suits and loads of antiks.
This creates a great buying opportunity. Often times people ask where they can find product to sell on eBay. Sometimes the answer can be as simple as "On eBay".
Ms. Marshall, who lives in Dallas, said she knew she was on shaky ground when she set out to spell chandelier. But instead of flipping through a dictionary, she did an Internet search for chandaleer and came up with 85 or so listings.
She never guessed, she said, that results like that meant she was groping in the spelling wilderness. Chandelier, spelled right, turns up 715,000 times.
Some experts say there is no evidence that people are spelling worse than they ever did. But with the growth of e-mail correspondence and instant messaging, language has grown more informal. And much as calculators did for arithmetic, spell checkers have made good spelling seem to quite a number of people like an obsolete virtue.
Not that spell checkers are used by nearly everyone. Indeed, experts say the Internet -- with its discussion boards, blogs and self-published articles -- is a treasure trove of bad spelling.
"Before the Internet came along, poor spelling by the public was by and large not exposed," said Paige P. Kimble, the director of the National Spelling Bee. Now, though, "we are becoming acutely aware of what a challenge spelling is for us."
Sandra Wilde, author of the 1992 book "You Kan Red This!: Spelling and Punctuation for Whole Language Classrooms K-6," said language served a variety of purposes, so that in some settings it might make sense to skip punctuation or to speak in slang. She likens instant messaging, for example, to notes passed at the back of the classroom when the teacher's back is turned: there is no premium on proper spelling.
"On something like eBay though," she said, "it matters.'
Smart sellers will actually keep in mind that misspelling doesn't just come from a seller listing an item for sale - but from a buyer as well who will actually search on eBay using a common misspelling of the item. Warren Lieu of Houston, who was selling hunting and fishing knives on eBay recently, covered all the bases: his listing advertised every sort of alphabetic butchery, including knifes and knive.
Mr. Lieu, a computer programmer, keeps a list of common misspellings, including labtop for laptop and Cusinart for Cuisinart.
His strategy of listing multiple spellings, he said, is based on his experience as a buyer. "I'm a bad speller myself," he said. So his mistakes in searching for items led him to realize that he could buy up bargains.
"I'd go ahead and deliberately misspell it when I searched for items," he said.
Even some who have made money off misspellings have felt their bite.
When Mr. Scroggins, who has been helping his parents sell off the contents of his father's jewelry and watch repair store, recently listed "a huge lot of earings," it attracted only three bids, and sold for just $5.50.
And then there was the time he sold the family's flatwear.
The MisspellGenerator.com eBay Search Program is a great resource for both buyers and sellers. This easy to use program and search results appear in as little as three seconds. Simply enter your keyword and with the click of the mouse you will be whisked off to ebay to find the hidden gems.
eBay generates over a billion page views a DAY. Of the tens of millions of items for sale on eBay at any given time, how many misspelled item titles prevent the auction from showing up in a search?
MisspellGenerator.com lets you search for items that are misspelled right from your desktop. Enter in your item name, hit the Search button, the program will search eBay for dozens of variations of your search term. A built in browser will whisk you away to eBay and provide you with all the current active auctions for those items that are misspelled by the sellers.
You should be able to pick up some real bargains with no one else bidding against you. Just remember thousands of items on eBay are listed with misspelled titles, from a single word to multiple words. These items often expire with no bids on them as no-one can find them. Use MisspellGenerator.com to uncover those hidden gems.
See what the experts are saying about eBay misspellings:
"Look for misspellings! Many famous designers have hard-to-spell names. By searching eBay for a misspelling, you may get a great deal!" Dummies.com
"There are many items listed on the auction site that sell for much less than they are really worth because the sellers don't check their listing's spelling before they post." NY Times
"Did you know that on eBay you can probably pick up a labtop pretty cheap? How about getting some dimonds for a great price? These and many other items can be yours if you have a list of commonly misspelled." Geek.com
If they can misspell it, MisspellGenerator.com will find it on eBay.
Two ways to profit with MisspellGenerator.com on eBay:
1) The first being as an eBay seller . . .
Many sellers misspell words either by accident or because the seller doesn't know the true spelling. This can result in low traffic and or no sale.
Simply use MisspellGenerator.com to search eBay and find listings that no one else (or very few) will find, and place your bid for pennies on the dollar of what that item is actually worth.
Then, once you receive the item, re-list it using the correct title and an updated description. You might want to take new pictures. You already have all the packaging material (since the item arrived to you packaged).
MisspellGenerator.com makes this process simple, efficient and highly profitable. There are sellers on eBay who make $200+ every week using this "Product Flipping" strategy.
2) A buyer can benefit as well . . .
There are real bargains to be found on eBay - you just have to know how to find them. If you make a habit of searching for misspelled auctions you will be surprised at how many deals you will be able to pick up. Labtop comuters (Laptop Computers) for under $200,
Corldess (Cordless) drills for under $9 (I am talking Dewalt, Makita, Craftsman etc. ). Dimond (Diamond) rings for under $20. Pyaystaiton (Playstation) Systems under $50. The list goes on and on.
eBay has a feature to check your spelling but like almost anything, most people don't use it. Many Powersellers will list items on eBay with third party auction software providers that don't offer a spell checker.
Commonly misspelled words on eBay can include popular name brands such as:
Tommy, Eddie Bauer, Liz Claiborne, Gap, Dockers, Apple, Vaio, Dell, or HP Abercrombie, aeropostale, Cordless, Laptop, iPod, motherboard, silver plate and much more.
Learn more about MisspellGenerator.com Today!
Stephen Fry - The Fry Chronicles (Clip 3)
Thirteen years ago, "Moab is my Washpot", Stephen Fry's autobiography of his early years, was published to rave reviews and was a huge bestseller. In those thirteen years since, Stephen Fry has moved into a completely new stratosphere, both as a public figure, and a private man. Now he is not just a multi-award-winning comedian and actor, but also an author, director and presenter. In January 2010, he was awarded the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards. Much loved by the public and his peers, Stephen Fry is one of the most influential cultural forces in the country. This dazzling memoir promises to be a courageously frank, honest and poignant read. It will detail some of the most turbulent and least well known years of his life with writing that will excite you, make you laugh uproariously, move you, inform you and, above all, surprise you. Buy the book from Waterstone's - bit.ly
2010/11/19
John Elder Robison on Greater Boston
Author John Elder Robison talks with Emily Rooney about his new book Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's. Like this? Go to www.greaterboston.org and see more great interviews.
2010/11/18
Story Ideas For Fiction Writers
Fiction is a story that a writer cooks up based on his imagination. You can see fictional work all around you when it comes to books, movies, plays and opera. Fictional stories have characters, plots, sub-plots, setting for each plot and sub-plot, along with the writer's own style of writing. This form of writing is considered to be creative writing where a writer creates a story using his or her creativity and imagination.
However, where do the writers get their ideas? Whether it is a professional writer or a first time writer, trying to get an idea for a story can be quite a task. But even a small idea is enough for a writer to weave a web of fiction.
The most important quality that a fiction writer should possess is an inquisitive mind. He or she should be always asking question about what they see, hear or experience. This helps the writer to get ideas from his or her own environment and surroundings.
However, first time fiction writers may need some help. So, here are tips on how to get brilliant story ideas to write a bestseller.
o Personal life of a writer is the best source for getting an idea for a story. Most of our lives are dull and boring. However, a fiction writer has to remember that he use his imagination. Therefore, even a humorous incident or an emotional one can be used as a basis for writing a story. Of course, it is not necessary that the story has to follow what happened in the writer's life. Instead the writer should concentrate on taking the basic idea from his life and then using his creativity and imagination to write an entire story. You can even base the characters of your story on real life characters.
o Newspapers are also good source of getting ideas as they contain so many incidents and events that can be used. You can use the incidents of reported murders, marital discord, or anything else you read about. Once you have the basic idea, you can then spend some time delving deeper to come up with a more cohesive plot.
o Dreams are part of everyone's life. Our dreams can be outrageous and too far-fetched, but they can make outstanding stories when crafted properly. Make sure you always keep a notepad next to your bed so that you can make a note of your dreams. Sometimes, your scribbling will seem a big mess, but you should keep them. You never know when you can use anything you jot down for a story.
o Books can also be used to get ideas. One fictional work can give birth to another fictional work. Why not? For example, you read a book on World War II, and then get an idea to write about a soldier who is reminiscing about the war while lying fatally wounded on the battlefield.
George Foreman Grill Push Lawn Mower Online Sale Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
Murder Mystery Books That I Have Read and Loved
Since I was a young girl I have been interested in reading murder mystery books. I like to see if I can figure out the plot and find out who the culprit is while reading the story. Sometimes I figure it out and sometimes I don't but I always enjoy the journey. Some authors are very good at giving clues that could send you in the wrong direction, and that makes the ending a real surprise.
I have read many different authors and have read multiple books of some of these authors and maybe only one of some of the others. I need to be caught up immediately in the story and some authors are very good at doing that for their readers.
My curiosity in the murder mystery book stories has really extended to other parts of my life as well. TV programs that feature law enforcement stories or legal cases seem to be my choice when scanning the TV guide. As an adult when I was first married and raising my children I am sure I watched every episode there was of "Murder She Wrote" as well as all of the "Matlock" wins that took place in the courtroom. I am now much older and still like to watch Matlock at work in the courtroom, if I get the chance. My TV interests these days have turned to Law and Order and CSI programs.
What makes a writer want to write murder mystery books? Maybe the same interest that we have wanting to read about murder and mystery. It makes ones imagination work and takes us out of the real world for awhile. We can lose ourselves for a time in a story well written and just sit and relax. How do they come up with the ideas? How much research do they have to do? Just think of all the hours of work that go into writing a book that I can enjoy and read in a couple of days. Wonderful people, those authors, who can put their thoughts down on paper, form them into a story and entertain thousands of readers around the world.
Everyone has their favorite author or authors and of course I am no different. I tend to read books written by 3 or 4 authors but I am always willing to try new ones that other readers suggest. I do prefer to read books that are not filled with profanity.
2010/11/17
How to use Social Media to bazaar your business and your brand
www.WesWisdom.com The right way to use Social Media like Facebook and Twitter to promote your small business. As more and more mainstreet businesses come to the internet, I get more questions on the right way to interact with people online A great source of information for branding yourself is Gary Vaynerchuks' book Crush it - In his book Crush It, Gary Vaynerchuk explains how Social Media has removed the gate keepers that control what gets exposed in traditional media and therefore how anyone can use Social Media Tools and their own time to create a personal brand that they can then market GAry Vaynerchuk propelled his parent's wine and liquor store into a multi-million dollar business while using http to create a brand so powerful that he was interviewed on Late night with Conan O'brien. One of the things Gary suggests in his book "Crush It" is to take advantage of the new social media sights, like Facebook twitter and more and get yourself a video camera like the Flip Ultra HD or the Kodak z18 and start using video To expand and promote your brand . More about Wes and branding yourself online at www.weswisdom.com "In March 2009, Vaynerchuk signed a 10-book deal with HarperStudio for over $1000000 and released the first book, "Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash in on your Passion," in October 2009. The deal is groundbreaking in the publishing world as one of the first attempts to successfully use a low-advance royalty business model.[19] In the first weeks of its ...
You Know When the Men are Gone, Siobhan Fallon - 9780399157202
There is an army of women waiting for their men to return in Fort Hood, Texas. Through a series of loosely interconnected stories, Siobhan Fallon takes readers onto the base, inside the homes, into the marriages and families-intimate places not seen in newspaper articles or politicians' speeches. View more: bit.ly
2010/11/16
Talks on Love and Betrayal by Rabbi Marc Gafni: Part 3
www.marcgafni.com Marc Gafni is a cutting edge spiritual teacher, author, television personality, mediator, corporate consultant, iconoclast, and gentle provocateur. He has written seven books, including the national bestseller Soul Prints, which won the prestigious NAPRA award for Best Spirituality Book of 2001, and was a main selection of the One Spirit Book Club and the Amazon.com Best Book in the Jewish Thought category in 2001. This book was also made into a National PBS special and an audio series by Sounds True recordings. Soul Prints is published by Simon & Schuster. Marc Gafnis second major English language book, also published by Simon & Schuster, is The Mystery of Love. It unpacks an esoteric Kabbalistic tradition about the profound relationship between the sexual, the erotic, and the sacred. The Mystery of Love was critically acclaimed and made into an audio series called The Erotic and the Holy, published by Sounds True.
Kenneth Oppel at Indigo Books & Music
Author Kenneth Oppel visited an Indigo store in Toronto to share how he used his fascination with bats to create his bestseller Darkwing. He also does a short reading. www.chapters.indigo.ca
2010/11/15
The Journey 14~Blog Summary~Kim C. Lenard
Kim C. Lenard the author of 'Kiss of Madagascar'. Follow her journey to the NY Times Bestseller list on kimclenard.wordpress.com or http
Lower Prices Dog House Online Shop http://peg-perego-stroller-online.blogspot.com/ Batik Sarong Women
Stephen Colbert on I Am America (And So Can You!) - Book Expo (6/8) (2007)
June 2, 2007 www.amazon.com Watch the full program: thefilmarchived.blogspot.com I Am America (And So Can You!) is a 2007 satirical bestseller book by American comedian Stephen Colbert and the writers of The Colbert Report. It was released on October 9, 2007, with the audiobook edition released several days earlier. The book is loosely structured around the fictional life story of Stephen Colbert as he appears on The Colbert Report. As of the April 6, 2008 publishing, the book had been on the New York Times Bestseller List in the Hardcover Nonfiction category for twenty-four weeks, ranking number one for fourteen of them. I Am America (And So Can You!) is described as being a "pure extension" of The Colbert Report, delving into the views of Colbert's "well-intentioned, poorly informed high status idiot" character on what he considers to be the most pressing issues facing America. The book draws some influence from the literary endeavors of the character's pundit models, such as Bill O'Reilly's book, The O'Reilly Factor (2000) and Sean Hannity's Deliver Us From Evil (2004), which Colbert says he forced himself to read as a reference. Red margin notes appear throughout the book, providing humorous reactions and counterpoints to Colbert's arguments in a style comparable to the Report's Wørd segment. The cover features a sticker depicting a burning book, declaring I Am America to be a winner of "The Stephen T. Colbert Award for the Literary Excellence." A sheet of twelve ...
2010/11/14
Pt 3: Donna Williams reads Nobody Nowhere; Autobiography of an Autistic Girl
The third of several readings by author, Donna Williams, of her autobiography, Nobody Nowhere; Autobiography of an Autistic Girl. Nobody Nowhere was an international number one bestseller, with 15 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List and published in 20 languages throughout the world. It has been read by millions of people. Published in 1991, and although preceded by Temple Grandin's pioneering book, 'Emergence' ten years earlier, Nobody Nowhere was the first autobiography of a person with autism to become an international bestseller and paved the way for many exciting autistic authors to become published. Film rights to the book Nobody Nowhere were sold to Hollywood producer, Beverly Nero. Later, producers Norman Stephens and Su Armstrong came on board along with talented and award winning Australian director, Garth Davis. Intended for cinema release, the film is currently in pre production. Praise for the book Nobody Nowhere New York Times "She allows us to understand our own perceptions as never before". Los Angeles Times "As brave a book as you'll ever read". People Magazine "By turns fascinating and harrowing". The Globe and Mail "Deserves every superlative a reviewer can muster". Mode "Powerful enough to make one reassess what it means to be human". Nobody Nowhere has 3 sequels: Somebody Somewhere Like Colour To The Blind Everyday Heaven and is the first of Donna's 9 published books with Jessica Kingsley Publishing More information can be found at www ...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)