Review of Confessions of an Internet Don Juan (Paperback)

Confessions of an Internet Don Juan is a tour de force.Chambers doesn't just push the envelope, he gives it a swift kick.He may just well be one of the most inventive writers on the planet.His story has a worthy place in a society that perks up at the opportunity to pruriently observe or divulge all things private.

Product Description
Confessions of an Internet Don Juan tells the story of Cast Hughes, a handsome, well-to-do, middle-aged failure. A former bit player on the bicycling pro circuit, nothing in Cast's life goes as planned. The tricky item that has proved a success is his seduction of women and Cast's modus operandi involves the Internet. He meets exotic beauties from around the globe. Although Cast wants to settle down, he is thrust deeper into a world of treachery and deception by his innumerable affairs. The novel will shock and outrage as it relates an inelegant excursion into the private life of a reprobate who adores women and will go to any length to pursue them. Pathos and humor underscore Cast's provocative confession, concerning Internet dating, sex, and relationships.

Confessions of an Internet Don Juan is an adventure and dark comedy, and a paradoxical celebration of life and love.

About the Author
Cameron H. Chambers was educated at Grinnell College, the University of North Florida, and Nova Southeastern University. He holds a BA in Communication and an MS in English. He has traveled extensively and especially enjoys traveling to Latin America. One particular point of interest is San Miguel de Allende in the mountainous central region of Mexico. Mr. Chambers would like to drive the Pan Am Highway into South America. His novels include For the Love of a Madman and The Stone Cabin. He resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

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Review of The Messy Gourmet Cookbook: Fun, Adventurous Cooking (Paperback)

I have a large collection of cookbooks, but this book has rapidly become my favorite.Instead of being the usual dry collection of precise receipes, this book attempts to make cooking fun.It encourages the reader to experiment with the receipes, to make substitutions, to play with the measurements.In keeping with the spirit of the book, I found myself looking for ways to inject a little of my personality into the dishes I was making.

This is the most fun I've had with pots and pans, since the days when I was first learning how to cook.

Product Description
Introducing The Messy Gourmet Cookbook, from the creators of the award winning Web site Messygourmet.com. Created to promote fun, adventurous cooking--and removal of the inevitable stains that result--Messy Gourmet has garnered accolades from the venerable (Encyclopedia Britannica) to the irreverent (Yahoo! Top 50 website).

Now you can experience the thrills, chills and spills of cooking with The Messy Gourmet Cookbook!From Cream of Dracula soup to pine nuts, this book is chock-full of scrumptious, messy creations, and stain removal tips.Cast off your cooking fears, experiment, and experience the joy of accidental cuisine.

This unique messy outlook is shared by the seven Messy Gourmets--Bloody, Sexy, Smelly, Smokin', Tacky, Tipsy, and Trendy.And don't forget Pot Luck--recipes and tips that are just too good to leave out.

So whether you've got a dinner party to cater or just want an entertaining read, you're bound to find a lot to love--The Messy Gourmet Cookbook is a smorgasbord in book form!

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Review of Dinosaur Wars (Paperback)

If you like disaster and alien-attack novels, dinosaur resurrection novels, survival novels, crazy-wild sc-fi\fantasy that reads fast and fun, with a cliff-hanger feel from chapter to chapter, Thomas P. Hopp's DinoWars story is a great night's escapist feast. It is a first novel, so there are issues of polish that I anticipate will disappear in subsequent offerings by the author.

The unexpected plot builds well around believable characters. And there are great lines throughout that makes you feel like you are somewhere between a Flash Gordon or Edgar Rice Burroughs episode and an "Aliens" movie. For example (from page 56):

Chase was dumbstruck. Seeing his confusion, the man spat some tobacco juice. "You been up in the hills or something? That's some sort of alien death ray up there." The man cast a worried glance at the moon. "The whole world's under attack. That's what's wrong with the radio.Moon ray took out the radio station. Good country music. I'm gonna miss it."

With T-Rex's "blood-curdling roar" in the front yard, a real "death ray from space," and a friendly family of hay-eating parasaurolophuses waiting for their next meal to be dropped to them from the hayloft, Thomas Hopp pulls off a great addition to the growing sci-fi/fantasy dinosaur subgenre. The second book in the series is available, "Dinosaur Wars: Counterattack," and a third is in the works. I look forward to reading more. Visit his website at: http://thomas-hopp.com/

Product Description
A 65 million year old civilization, buried under a mountain in Montana. A space invasion of intelligent human-sized dinosaurs returning to claim their home world. M1A2 Abrams tanks and Apache attack helicopters in desperate counterattacks. And young lovers caught at the epicenter of a battle for the Earth. Dinosaur Wars is a military science fiction novel with an overload of stories: Chase Armstrong, the Yellowstone wolf biologist who finds himself dead-center in the greatest wildlife restoration project ever, as dinosaurs return to the high plains of Montana; Kit Daniels, a cattle rancher's daughter who is swept up with Chase at the center of the conflict; Captain Vic Suarez, Abrams tank commander and leader of America's last best hope, Fox Troop; and Gar, the Kra, dinosaurian second-in-command of the invasion force, with a soft heart for the creatures he has vowed to exterminate -- humanity. Dinosaur Wars brims with action, adventure and romance.

From the Publisher
The time is tomorrow morning. The place is Earth. You wake up to the sonic booms of an invasion fleet from space, and the stage is set for Dinosaur Wars. Science fiction novelist Thomas P. Hopp has created a gripping, fast-paced chiller of the ultimate in wildlife re-introduction programs, when creatures who fled the asteroid impact that ended the Age of Dinosaurs return to claim their home world -- our world! Not an alternative history, not a time-warp story, Dinosaur Wars takes off plausibly with Jet Propulsion Laboratory space scientists discovering 65 million year old ruins in a crater at the south pole of the moon. From there, mankind's fortunes go downhill as astronaut explorers of the moon base trigger an automated program to invade the Earth and repopulate it with creatures from the Cretaceous Era, including a species of human-sized, intelligent carnivorous dinosaur. Faced with a massive invasion, America's aircraft and tanks are suddenly hard-pressed to save humanity from extinction.

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Review of Chief Executive Officer (Paperback)

Mark Hanson's Chief Executive Officer is an unorthodox novel about two men who, disillusioned with the roles they have played so far, switch identities in hope of improving things for the better. An urbane, business-savvy CEO dares to run a miners' union with numerous thugs and knuckle-breakers, while a labor leader who once fought in the Vietnam War struggles to do something about a rapidly failing 16-billion dollar insurance corporation. Unprepared and caught in totally unfamiliar environments, each leader must adapt to change not only to survive, but to succeed where the other has failed, until ultimately their paths cross once again - as business antagonists at the negotiation table. Chief Executive Officer is a highly intriguing, unforgettable read about being caught in the Fast World and struggling to run just as fast as you can to keep up.

Product Description
Having a bad day at the office? How would you like to be CEO of a rapidly failing, 16 billion- dollar insurance corporation and you haven't a clue about what to do? Why? Because you are there by mistake. Your real life has been that of an angry, over-the-edge labor leader with a history of battling copper mine owners with unconventional skills learned in Vietnam. What about the urbane, Madison Avenue business fellow who is supposed to be CEO of the corporation? He is up in Montana trying to do your job running a large miners' union filled with thugs, torpedoes, and other assorted knuckle-breakers.

Chif Executive Officer is the story of these two men, disillusioned with their own lives, making a stealthy switch and trying to run organizations for which they have neither training nor experience. In alien environments they battle to hold their jobs and keep their secret while facing hostile challenges ranging from computer crime to investigative reporters. Finally, an unexpected series of explosive events pit the two men against each other across the bargaining table in a struggle that can have only one victor.

About the Author
Mark Hanson is a Fulbright Scholar and Professor of Management at the University of California, Riverside. As an international consultant, he has worked on projects for the World Bank, the United States Information Agency, UNESCO, the United Nations Development Program, and the Harvard Institute for International Development.

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Review of Cafe Respect: a mystery novel (Paperback)

Had Ms. Anna Beth Roper, the proprietess of Cafe Respect, suspected complications with the baggage of the homeless drifter, drop dead gorgeous Laura Bellows who dressed like a New England debutant, she'd have headed for the San Jacinto mountains faster than an Olympian gold medalist. Instead, she gave the young woman a job as waitress to replace another who'd quit simply by vanishing. Still, Ms. Roper would surely have thought twice about adding Laura to her menagerie had she known that her previous waitress lay under the drifting sand not two miles away with a dagger lodged in her pretty neck.

Indeed, the peculiar magnet she had that attracted unusual humans had populated her diner with a singular collection of strays, customers as well as employees. Manny Ortiz, the Hispanic cook, offered up indescribably half-Spanish/half-American concoctions, not the least of which was his daily fare of Chili Cinnamon breakfast rolls so piquante they'd bring tears to a grown man's eyes. Not to be outdone for queerness, Honey, the Cafe Respect cashier, warbled a bizarre mixture of song and bird calls as she added up the meal check for each diner. Curly Bill Smuin, as bald as a billiard cue, sported an endless repertoire of fedoras to top off his shiny pate while another patron, Ramon Patencio, a native of the Cohuilla Indiana Band, owners of the town's largest gambling casino, had never been seen without sartorial splendor from the town's most exclusive haberdashers. Although he'd been a regular breakfast client from the cafe's earliest days, no one knew just what role he played in tribal affairs or for that matter what he did at the Casino where he spent his time seven nights a week.

As the story unfolds, we learn that Laura has a past as checkered as linoleum tile. It seems theyoung woman had left university studies in botany for a job as a high priced courier for an unnamed company. While her job description did not seem to include prostitution, Laura allowed herself to dally between the sheets when a gentleman contact had that certain energy that has brought men and women together since the beginning of time. We also come to know that her appearance in Palm Springs was not just a random choice of vacation retreats: in fact, Laura has been sent to Palm Springs and the Cafe Respect on a mission.

As the bodies begin to pile up, unrelated to one another save for the knife/throat handiwork, the Cafe Respect is caught up in a maelstrom of its habitues, Roper and company, and a tangle of local police with the added confusion of the FBI and a shoot out rivaling the Okay Coral.

Two features most distinguish Steve Scott's writing, his "writerly" style and his way of bringing together some of the most improbable characters you'll ever meet in the same plot. No one ever brought the desert to life more vividly than Mr. Scott and no one else could make me believe in a Native American shaman in a business suit and an honest-to-God seance wielding spritualist with a daughter who sings out poety about a restaurant bill. Scott does it and you'll "suspend incredulity" in the pages of his novel, Cafe Respect.

Product Description
When Anna Beth Roper hires the beautiful Laura Bellows to replace Jane Evans, a waitress who failed to come to work one morning, Roper soon realizes there's more to Laura than just a pretty face. After Jane and a slick gambler turn up murdered, Palm Springs detectives begin to show up at the Cafe Respect on a regular basis.

Roper is the ringmaster at the cafe, but it's her customers who perform-Ramon Patencio, the handsome Indian big shot from the Spa Casino; Virginia, his dart-throwing secretary whose projectiles might include more than just four-letter words; Roxanna, Roper's fortune telling mother; the bald-headed Curly Bill Smuin, proprietor of the Glad Hand Saloon up the street; a Puerto Rican cook whose chili-soaked specials once caused a law suit; the FBI-and does Palm Springs Detective Logan Kind only have one hand?

The Palm Springs in Cafe Respect isn't about golf courses and movie stars-it's full of suspect friendships, slow mystery, poignant love, Indian Casinos that sprout up in the desert faster than the yearly crops, and a knife-wielding killer whose shrewd disguises blend in with longtime losers.

About the Author
Steve Scott was born in Vernal, Utah, and moved to Los Angeles at eighteen. After a career in real estate, he moved to Palm Springs, California, in 1992. He is the author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller, Echo Park.

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Review of Our Father: Recollections of a Small Town Boy (Paperback)

What a wonderful book. I have never felt that wonderful feeling of going back to my childhood to explore all the pranks and laughs all over again.I think of the Wonder Years, Dennis the Menace and That 70's show when I flip through these great pages.It is important not to go into this book looking for a begining, middle and end but to just read it as a type of journal documenting the best parts of a someones life. Joe Brucato is a well kept secret in the author business.Be looking for his latest book A Rose in Feilding....gonna be a good one im sure!!

Product Description
For a third generation Italian-American boy life takes on a number of twists and turns as he matures from a child into a teenager. He must cope with the pressures imposed by a strict dad and a younger brother whose antics are intolerable. In his journey into adulthood Nicholas D'Napoli encounters a number of bizzarre people and episodes that will leave you laughing or crying. The characters are hilarious. In this walk down memory lane you'll witness the escapades and pranks of people that defy normalcy, like the transvestite who dresses like Greta Garbo, or the voyeur who plays peek-a-boo while hiding in the neighbor's bushes. Through Nick we're reminded of our first kiss or the embarrassment of blowing that special moment with the love of our dreams. D'Napoli guides us through our own youths; old friends, the bully in the schoolyard, first loves and broken hearts.

About the Author
Joseph Brucato holds a B.A. degree in History from the College of the Holy Cross and a M.Ed. from Worcester State College. He is presently a Social Studies teacher and its department chairman at Milford High School where he has worked for the past twenty-two years.

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Review of Lost Souls (Paperback)

This book roped me in from the first couple pages, and I didn't set it down until I was finished.The characters are fascinating and the story is unpredictable and exciting.No fluff in this text either.I kept waiting for that lull that comes in the middle of so many books I've read, but it never came.Just an explosive climax that brought the whole thing together.Very dark and intense, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, horror, short stories, or really any other type of fiction.It's intelligent and thought provoking, but still a quick and easy read.Can't wait for more from Dan Krajewski, this is a truly incredible book!

Product Description
Meet the Lost Souls. Clive would be just a normal guy, if he weren't constantly assaulted telepathically by the thoughts and feelings of everyone around him. Catherine is a lot like someone you might know, until she abandons her successful career as a businesswoman and takes to the road with practically nothing but the clothes on her back. Razer is the cutest little girl you'll ever see, even when she's drinking your blood and hiding from the sunlight. Ander is a typical teenager who ran away from home with his girlfriend, except for his constant terror of fading away and being haunted by nightmares from another dimension.

They don't know each other, and they don't know their lives are all connected, but they're in for the ride of their lives in this intriguing story of psychological horror, sorrow, and seeking redemption. A look underneath the surface of everyday life reveals the secret, dark spiderweb of influence we all weave around each other.

About the Author
Dan Krajewski has been reading since the age of four and writing since the age of five. He is a passionate fan of words and music. He lives in Phoenix, AZ with his partner. They have both found their way home.

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Review of The Pack (Paperback)

I wish my high school years were half as exciting as this book.As a parent, high school teacher and coach, I hope they still aren't.

The dynamics between the characters were fascinating.The jealousies and loyalties are all too real.The main character, Erin, could be one of the many girls sitting in my class.Unfortunately, many of my real students face the same struggles, especially in choosing boys.

While I was hoping for Erin to make the right choice to stay away from that Dwane Begay...I think the real villains in this story are the PARENTS.

Speaking of parents, mine could rarely get me to read anything.I compared this book to 'The Outsiders' because I could not put it down. I ended up reading the entire series from SE Hinton.This book was the same in that regard.My wife finally made me put it down around 2AM.You might want to read it yourself to view the content as it contains mature material.It states that it was written at an age level of 9-12 years old...however if you allow your 9-12 year old to read it, you might be just as bad as the parents in the book.I would recommend it for high school and possibly middle school students.They will love it!



Product Description
Fifteen-year-old Erin Angelica Delessandri is a typical high school cheerleader except for one thing: in addition to the normal pressures of being a teenager, she is a child living in an alcoholic family.

At home, she's the target of her father's alcoholic rage and is always on edge, never knowing when the yelling will start. Her father's harsh treatment also leads Erin to harbor the vague notion that she's 'irresponsible' and 'worthless'. At school Erin gets caught up in the party scene with a crew called 'The Pack'. She becomes romantically involved with an older Pack member named Dwane. After Dwane is accused of a gang-related murder, Erin's brother Joey, who is also a member of The Pack, forbids Erin from seeing Dwane. But the evidence suggests that it's Joey, not Dwane, who pulled the trigger.

While the drama unfolds at school, Erin's family disintegrates before her eyes. Her mom, upset at the prospect of a failed marriage, becomes depressed and withdrawn. And Erin's little sisters share a secret-a killer secret that must be exposed and dealt with before someone dies.

About the Author
Nikki O'Neill has a BS in English education and a master's degree in social work, and has been an English teacher for fifteen years. She currently lives in Phoenix and works at an inner city school. O'Neill's other works include Poetry Made Easy (Didax R.I.C., 2000).

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Review of Queer Chronicles: The Flaming of Atlanta (Paperback)

This book was a great, fun read!Fast paced and as funny or funnier than Bridgett Jones (sorry Helen).

At the start of "The Flame" I was feeling kind of like "Oh blah, blah, blah another book about an angry, pushy, flamed out gay man. Another diary format too. ACK! Why did I buy this?" But I very quickly got hooked on Blocker's quips and Kenneth's almost daily adventures. So much so that I found myself saying... "What the heck was he doing the last (insert number of days here) days???!!? Doesn't he know I need that information???!!??" whenever there was a break in days.

What I liked best was how I felt about Kenneth by the end of the book. While I started out not too flattering ("angry, pushy, flamed out gay man") by the last page I could see Kenneth's growth and transition from one dimension into three. It's really nice that Blocker doesn't rest on the typical stereotypes. At least not for long!!!


Product Description
A great coffee table book. But I prefer to keep it on my nightstand.-Dr. John Moore, Atlanta, one of the most beautiful people in the world"From seeing Jesus in a picture of spaghetti to suffering through dates where he'd be better off blind, Kenneth's notes on the REAL underground Atlanta will make you laugh till your nose runs. THIS is the Real Thing."-Karrie Beebe, Attorney-Wife-Mother, Florida, honorary fag hag "I picked up this book and couldn't put it down."-Ian Rafael Titus, Library Manager, NYC, gay writer of speculative fiction"Enjoying Kenneth's life through the pages of his book. Now that's what I call safe sex."-Rochelle Burdine, Writer-Actress-Artist, Atlanta, trashy French girl"Smart and Sexy. Queer Chronicles bears one gay man's soul and other less spiritual 'body parts' in a highly interesting, creative, imaginative, and very real manner-sometimes a little too real for some readers."-Jerry Payne, Atlanta, Consultant, the "X".

About the Author
Webmaster/author of semi-biopic QueerChronicles.com, honored as ?A Site Worth Seeing? by Atlanta radio station 99X in its first two months of web presence. Winner Turner South Short Story Competition, published Whosoever.org, ?vented? in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and his poetry appeared in the AFA National Finals.

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Review of Moon In Gemini (Paperback)

This is a great book. I am not a book worm. I usually put books down after a while, but not this one. With its crazy character and very graphic nature, it was hard not to finish this book because you want to see what happens to Jefferson. I ask that you please don't stereotype this book as a hip-hop book because it is not. I probably wouldn't have read it if it was. It is reality.

Product Description
There's something wrong with Shawn Jefferson. Life couldn't be any better for the charming, handsome, and talented NBA guard. He's got money, he's got clout, and he's got plenty of women. But when an injury cuts his career short, Shawn finds out just how hard starting over really is. He sinks into depression...and something even more terrifying, altering the lives of those around him forever. Complicating matters is the fact that he's falling in love with his physical therapist, Karen Bradshaw, who's dealing with the demons of her past in her own quietly destructive way. Despite repeated warnings from her brother, Alan, Karen is determined to find happiness with Shawn-but at what cost?

Moon in Gemini. If it's too good to be true, scream.

About the Author
Brandon Bennett lives, loves, and drinks in Baltimore City. He has worked as a waiter, a bartender, a librarian's assistant, and a pre-school teacher. His first novel, easy 'cause you're beautiful, was published in 2000.

He can be contacted at bb_da_twin@yahoo.com

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Review of Valley of the Geeks: High-Tech Hijinks from Silicon Valley (Paperback)

When a book makes you laugh out loud, not once, but every chapter, you know you've found a comedic gem. Valley of the Geeks' biting satire on the state of high-tech companies in Silicon Valley is one of those books you want to read time and time again. I found myself actually quoting it so my colleagues would think I'm as witty as Zack Urlocker. It has been years since I've read a book that combined such incredible insight with intelligent humor.

The essays that roast such high-tech icons as Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, and Carly Fiorina first make you nod, then smile, and then laugh out loud.

And, the interspersed chapters of "Banner Ads We'd Like to See" are among the funniest things I've ever seen.They, alone, make Valley of the Geeks a must-have.

Product Description
Valley of the Geeks skewers Silicon Valley with high-tech hijinks that keep you laughing out loud. This new collection of essays includes the best original humor from the award-winning web site valleyofthegeeks.com. UrlockerÂ's unique blend of wit and wisdom cover everything from Larry EllisonÂ's ego to Bill GatesÂ' secret plan to take over the government.

Â- Cellular Hell
Â- Entrepreneurosis
Â- Akamai Sues Self
Â- Land of the Geeks
Â- Towards Simplexity
Â- Recession Cancelled
Â- Lonely at the Middle
Â- Dot Com Survivor.com
Â- Dear Miss Management
Â- Oracle Teams With Mafia
Â- A New Spin on Marketing
Â- Fast Track to the Ground Floor
Â- Microsoft Apologizes for Nukes
Â- What Not To Say To A Recruiter
Â- More Banner Ads WeÂ'd Like to See
Â- RTFM: The New High Tech Dictionary 2.0
Â- Telecom Depressed Â- Still CanÂ't Get Out Of Bed


About the Author
Zack Urlocker is a pseudonym for a Silicon Valley executive rapidly approaching his mid-life crisis.In his spare time, Mr. Urlocker is a marathon runner and digital piano tuner. He is married and has five computers.

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Review of Still Hanging In There: Confessions of a Totaled Woman [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

I read this book last month and I am still laughing. Jan handles so many subjects including doctors, exercising, not exercising, football reruns, makeup for men, politics, advertising, television, sex and all family matters including dogs and gophers with great humor and philosophy. While I yell at my kids for not doing their homework, she contemplates an excuse note, since she's run out of excuses, claiming that since her little Boris is an alternate astronaut he needs to be alert and not start his homework if there is a chance he would not be on earth to complete it. Of course she does not really let him get away with it. She believes everyone must be responsible for their own lives including the kid who wet his diapers and claimed his daddy did it. She knows he couldn't have since dad works downtown. She declares that while she became a liberated lady and let everyone do "their own thing" her family and the nation started to fall apart. Now that she is back doing what she does best, "Nagging", everything is back on track, She has advice for the lovesick in a chapter called, "HOW TO TELL WHEN IT'S OVER". Here are a few subtle signs there may be trouble brewing, according to Jan: When he joins Parents WITHOUT Partners, If he introduces you as his "former wife"When he advertises on a giant billboard, "I love you Myrna" and your name is not Myrna, If you return home to find him napping with an army buddy and the towels read HIS and HIS, it may be time for a little chat at Starbucks. Good advice. She handles it all with such fun and insight. The problems that usually annoy me, she sees totally differently in an amusing way. It has taught me to approach my life in a lighter manner. How could I not like someone who claims as I do that "Pasta is her life." Among her fantasies: Diving into an Olympic size pool filled with spagetti and eating her way out. She also reveals how she turned flab into dollars. Jan Marshall is a very funny lady. I would absolutely recommend buying this book.

Product Description
A lighthearted manual for getting through each day with humor and giddiness. It is a delightful look at some of our minor, daily irritants that includes marriage, motherhood, football reruns of highlights of last year's game and the men we love who watch them... again and again.

The book is filled with astounding anti-diet/anti-exercise advice in the chapter "How I turned flab into dollars." While Jan was jogging she thought she heard applause. Regretfully it was simply her thighs hitting together. She was paid extremely well to leave the neighborhood. Franchise anyone?

There are time management tips "If you do not polish silver for six years it begins to look like pewter. Pewter is nice!" This joyful philosopher notices most human absurdities, ponders, reflects and then answers such questions as "Can we really leave nagging to strangers? Why is it that for every light on Broadway there is a runny nose? She agrees with Hemingway that though the sun also rises, it also fades the drapes.

This witty book will have you shaking with glee (67 calories expended) as you realize the stuff that really annoys you can be thought about in a more amusing, tolerable and weight losing manner.

About the Author
Jan claims her overbite is from hanging in there by the skin of her teeth. Founder of the International Humor/Healing Institute she is a Certified Master Clinical Hypnotherapist, humorist and speaker. A frequent guest on radio and television she actually believes not a shred of evidence exists that life is serious.

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Review of I'm Their Dad! Not Their Babysitter!: Essays, Anecdotes and War Stories Celebrating Fatherhood (Paperback)

This is a must read for parents, young and old.The author has a great flair for humor mixed with serious thoughts on parenting, fatherhood in particular.The stories are drawn from his experiences raising his ownchildren, but the reader soon realizes the universal application to allparents.Take this book to the beach, on an airplane, etc.You will beglad you did.Bruce & Marge Rice

Product Description

I'm Their Dad! Not Their Babysitter is a humorous collection of essays and anecdotes about family life as seen through a loving father's eyes. Author Tim Herrera strikes a common chord with all parents by offering a charming and totally real look at the joys and frustrations of parenthood.

About the Author
Tim Herrera is a writer, columnist, television news reporter and Little League and soccer coach in Sacramento, California. Tim has written articles for national publications including: The New York Times, Modern Dad, News Photographer Magazine and Catholic Forester. His work has also appeared in the on-line magazine My Village. Tim and his wife are the parents of four children.

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Review of Go Fast, Go Crazy (Paperback)

Appealing and quirky characters, a real sense of place, and genuine suspense are all present in Smith's sophomore novel. Smith makes you laugh, both with and at his finely developed characters, as they make their way along a journey of discovery. You can see and almost smell the desert landscape that Smith describes -- a lonely place where kids, and adults, don't have a lot of obvious options. And the ending will have you guessing.Will decisions made and secrets revealed lead to disaster or redemption? A great read!

Product Description
Set in 1995, in the southwestern desert, known as the Four Corners, Go Fast, Go Crazy is the suspenseful cross-generational story of one family's secrets and the redemptive value of discovering painful truths. The novel follows the trail of Cliff and Jimmy, two inseparable twenty year olds with uncertain futures. Feeling persecuted by the local sheriff, they steal their '68 Camaro from the police impound lot and cruise into the desert where they meet the beautiful Monique, a French tourist with a camera and car problems. After joining forces, the trio play a dangerous cat and mouse game with the police as they go on a small time crime spree, until they take refuge at crazy Uncle Milo's ranch, where they discover all is not as it seems. In the final showdown with the police, everyone must make decisions that will affect them all forever. If the truth does set you free, the road to the truth can exact a heavy toll. This explosive second novel deals with some of the uncomfortable legacies of the 1960's on today's youth, from a fresh and contemporary perspective. It is a rite of passage from which there is ultimately no escape.

About the Author
Lory Smith is a writer, artist and filmmaker. He was one of the founders of the Sundance Film Festival, author of his twenty year memoir of the event, Party In A Box. (1999) His first novel was the comedic Something For Nothing, about the last town to get television. (2005) His 1995 short film comedy Three Things I've Learned was in 13 international film festivals and was considered one of the most successful short films of the year. His artwork is in over 75 collections and can be seen at www.lorysmith.com. He lives in New York City and in Cold Spring, NY with his wife Andrea Torrens and their two cats.

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Review of JUNK (Paperback)

While I usually try to avoid self-published books, I accepted the opportunity to read Michael Goodwin's "Junk." We all know that print on demand publishing potentially hides a host of horrors. Occasionally you do find a gem in the rough, but more often a trip through the pages of one of these books reveals shoddy editing, mismatched typeface, and just plain bad writing. If you can't get a book published through traditional channels, is the book really worth putting out in the public sphere? Hundreds of would be authors answer that question with an enthusiastic yes. Heck, I would probably do it too just to see my name on the cover of a glossy, professional looking tome. Besides, who knows what could happen if your book garners enough attention. You just might end up with a real publishing deal. From what I read in "Junk," Goodwin isn't ready for the big leagues just yet. He is, however, batting solid numbers in the minors. One or two more good games and he may get a wink and a nod from the higher ups soon.

Goodwin's book focuses on Martin Stallworth, a young black bond salesman with a good education, a job on Wall Street, and a salary in the six figures. As the story opens, Goodwin introduces us to a typical day at the firm of Worman Skeller & Company. He also wins points for dropping a reference to the song "I Don't Like Mondays" from the Boomtown Rats on the first page. Anyway, the protagonist feels the pressures of his job as soon as he walks through the door on a Monday morning. We meet several of Stallworth's co-workers, almost all of them hard charging personalities in desperate need of a straight jacket and a three-month stay at the funny farm. We also learn that Martin and his cronies need to sell a half billion dollars of Lodestar satellite bonds or they'll all be out of a job. Stallworth scores a coup when he unloads twenty five million in Lodestar to a decidedly unfriendly chap in New Jersey not known as a big spender. The book then follows Martin's co-workers as they lie, cheat, and steal in an effort to get anyone they know to buy the bonds. These early chapters essentially develop the characters and describe the setting of the story.

The book veers off on a tangent when one of Stallworth's fellow salesmen, Hap, decides to approach the Chinese consulate in the hopes that they will buy some bonds. Is this an unintelligent thing to do? You bet, but Hap's desperate to sell anything so he can keep his job. Besides, his immediate boss just got the axe in a scene illustrating how humiliating a firing at the company can be. Hap gamely gives the hard sell to the Chinese government and is delighted when the officials there put him in touch with a high roller named Jo Hu. Hu offers to buy the outstanding number of bonds, roughly three hundred million dollars worth, which turns Hap into the hero at Worman Skeller & Company. As often happens when something to good to be true occurs, Hap finds himself in hot water when Hu threatens to back out of the deal. Why? You'll have to read the book to find out, but it is safe to say that the unfolding tragedies soon ensnare Martin Stallworth, who must reconnect with his alienated brother to come up with a plan to save his life. The book concludes with a series of situations so far from how the story starts that it's amazing to think it all happened in a mere 180 pages.

While I liked certain segments of "Junk," I found many of the situations difficult to swallow. What's good is worth mentioning. The characters, for instance, are largely likeable in a strange sort of way. Even the head honcho at Worman Skeller, a scoundrel named Moore, is fun to follow because he reminded me of the guy Alec Baldwin played in "Glengarry Glen Ross." Martin Stallworth is an intriguing character as well, and Goodwin adequately expresses the dual personality of his protagonist as he struggles to reconcile his feelings about being the only black man at his firm with his love for literature and his brother's links to gang life. Martin, in the midst of serious troubles, soon learns that his skills as a big shot salesman do translate into fulfilling other goals and desires.

What doesn't work as well is worth mentioning, too. Despite the extensive character development of the early chapters, important figures remain elusive. Mihra, for example, is a Pakistani woman who catches Martin's eye early in the story. She plays an important part later on but receives only superficial attention. Moreover, the story veers too wildly into strange worlds. I kept thinking as I read the book that Goodwin should have fleshed the story out a bit more. While I was amazed at how far the story went in the short number of pages, I thought the book would have been better with a few more chapters. Finally, "Junk" really, really needed a good proofreading. Errors abound on nearly every page of the story. I'm not comfortable criticizing someone for this problem since I am a lazy editor myself, but you need to either do it yourself or find someone to do it for you if you're going to publish a book. Lots of mistakes tend to distract a reader, drawing his or her attention away from the story by disrupting the flow of the narrative. Despite these issues, I'm still happy to have read the book. "Junk" is an unusual story that entertains, amuses, and makes you think all at the same time.

Product Description
Martin Stallworth is a black man trying to make it on Wall Street. As a junk bond salesman with the investment bank Whorman Skeller & Co., he has a chance to prove his worth when the firm plans to launch a major high yield bond deal for a satellite communications company called Lodestar. Because Lodestar has important connections to the US Department of Defense, Martin and the other junk bond salespersons know their jobs are on the line if they donÂ't sell the deal. Their desperation to do so leads to an act of espionage and murder. Martin somehow finds himself as the accused perpetrator of both. Both the cops and a gang of Chinese thugs under the command of a rogue hedge fund trader are hot on his trail.

Junk combines a satirical send-up of a typical investment bank with elements of a fast-paced thriller. While the narrative action is riveting, GoodwinÂ's characterizations and descriptive writing attain the level of serious literary fiction.

About the Author
Michael Goodwin has worked for several years on Wall Steet in the high yield ?junk? bond business. He presently resides in Connecticut with his wife and three children. Junk is his second novel.

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Review of What are the Odds? (Paperback)

Good, light reading. Jake was actually my counsilor at camp, so I read his book. I thought it was pretty interesting and it held my attention. I would definately suggest it.

Product Description
What are the Odds? follows William Larkin, a high school junior, through six months of his life.The book takes a fresh look at the high school experience, seeing the world through the eyes of a 17 year old.We see Will experience eye-opening revelations, as well as some of the stupidest things he has ever done in his life.Sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, this work brings about a refreshingly honest take on chasing girls, writing term papers, waiting tables, and going into adulthood kicking and screaming.

About the Author
Born in 1984, Jacob Vos is a graduate of the Milaca High School Class of 2002.As an author and a poet he has had a number of pieces published in anthologies and literary journals, but this is his first full-length novel.

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Review of The Bogeyman: Stalking and Its Aftermath (Paperback)

This book is divided into two parts, chapter by chapter. The first section that of the author's narrative on her own personal stalking experience, and then well researched information on how to recognize and deal with stalkers. The second part contains important information purveyed in a semi-academic fashion. The author's personal narrative, however horrifying - is written in a 'cutesy' tone, with explanation points throughout and comments to herself such as 'I'll get you my pretty and your little dog too'. In addition throughout the narrative, the author finds it necessary to put in brackets what SONG the reader should be humming to any particular part of her tale i.e. ('hum along with Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole's 'When I Fall in Love''). The writing is in effect terrible and cliche ridden with bad attempts at humour. A clever writer might have been able to pull off some dark humour in even so grim a tale, but Dr. Meinberg is not that writer. This is not a good book.

Product Description
The Bogeyman represents the author's personal history as it pertains to stalking experiences and related information. This encapsulated version condenses forty years of stalking experiences into a mere ten chapters. Dr. Sherry L. Meinberg honed her survival skills long before any research, facts, and figures were considered, and before the word stalking was coined. She learned everything the hard way--without books, advice, or professionals, to guide her--through firsthand experience alone. Alongside her personal saga, the book presents added material, listing expert opinions, information, and resources, serving as supportive and reinforcing background for her experiences. Research now tells us that one in twelve women in the USA, and a growing number of men, will be stalked at sometime in their lives. Over one and a half million adults are stalked annually, with the vast majority of victims being the average, normal, everyday citizen. Could one of your family members or friends become a victim? Could you? Find out what to expect, and how to protect yourself and loved ones. Take action!

About the Author
Considered to be the longest stalked person in the nation, Dr. Sherry L. Meinberg doesn't let such negative experiences stand in her way or slow her down. As an educator, author, and speaker, she has been the subject of numerous articles, and interviewed on cable, national and international television shows, along with hundreds of radio programs.

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Review of In the Blood (Paperback)

The back of this book says it's a roller coaster ride and they aren't kidding. I never read such a wild story -- very romantic, very funny, but also really sad, really scary, and REALLY erotic!!Also, there's some pretty gory stuff. But somehow this guy pulls it altogether and makes it work. I loved this book. I hated when I got to the end because I was so into these characters and this story. I totally reccommend this book if you don't mind the explicit sexual stuff and the gory stuff. It's a great vampire story but it's also a wonderful romance story.

Product Description
An unlikely romance between a hematologist and a vampire in the early years of the AIDS pandemic is the focus of Scott Miller's genre-defying riff on vampire legends, American pop culture, and horror fiction. Part romance, part gothic horror, part comedy, part steamy eroticism, it crosses all boundaries and ends up an entertaining roller coaster ride you won't soon forget.

About the Author
Scott Miller is the artistic director of New Line Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri, and he has written three non-fiction books on musical theatre, From Assassins to West Side Story, Deconstructing Harold Hill, and Rebels with Applause: Broadway's Ground-Breaking Musicals (all published by Heinemann Publishing). He has also contributed to other books on theatre. He has written eight musicals and two plays for the stage and regularly writes for national theatre magazines and arts websites. His erotic fiction has been published in several magazines and his commentary on political issues has appeared in many national news publications, as well as eighty-five newspapers in thirty-two states. In the Blood is based on his stage musical of the same title, which was premiered by New Line Theatre at the St. Marcus Theatre in St. Louis in 1995. He holds a degree in music and musical theatre from Harvard University and currently lives in St. Louis, where he was born and raised, w!ith his black cat Joey. It is true that he keeps vampire's hours but he does not feed on human blood.

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Review of Unsafe Harbor (Paperback)

Heard about this book from some friends on Long Island.
I have read all the books from the so called well known authors and I was looking for something fresh. This hit the spot. Great story and an easy read.
Well done

Product Description
At an exclusive Long Island yacht club, a police lieutenant and his investigatorare trapped in a web of disappearances and deaths that link club members toWashington, the Coast Guard, and the underworld.

An excerpt from Unsafe Harbor-

Cautious, he headed for shore and shallow water dragging the line. Themagnet and object moved without encountering rock. Having no desire to sharehis treasure, Luke searched the shore, the bluffs and tree line to assure no onewatched. This will be a secret for now. Seeing no one, he smiled from greed andscolded himself.

At 6-feet depth, he saw the magnet attached to a long, dark object. Whatwas it? The object did not look like a treasure chest. Images distortedunderwater. Was it British cannon from the Revolutionary War? A British basewas in Huntington Harbor. The cannon had to be valuable to a collector. Historymade it treasure.

Wild with curiosity, Luke stared at the catch seeking identification as itmoved towards shallow water until the depth was 3-feet.

Then Luke's eyes widened and his breath stuck.

The magnet attached to a chain wrapped around a man with his hands tiedbehind his back.

About the Author
Gus Leodas. Unsafe Harbor is his second mystery suspense to takeplace on Long Island. Author of The Forgotten Mission, he is nowworking on his third novel. He is a member of Mystery Writers ofAmerica and the Directors Guild of America. He lives on Long Island.

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Review of Osama Bin Laden's Personal Diary: 2003-2004 (Paperback)

If the man himself ever gets to read this book, it's going to upset him far more than any of the comments about him from the likes of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice. Because no one likes to be laughed at, and this book laughs at him long and loud. Fact is, if you want revenge on all the terrorists around the world, especially bin Laden and his overworked 'palm tree', then buy this book. It makes the whole lot of them look ridiculous - and that's no bad thing!

Product Description
Skulking in the caves along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the world's most wanted terrorist passes his days playing Monopoly, watching The Simpsons and Sex in the City, safeguarding his tub of yoghurt from a thieving comrade, phoning Mummy in Saudi Arabia, planning his Memorial Library, and fantasizing about having a passionate affair with either Laura Bush (with whom he is totally besotted), Cherie Blair or, should all else fail, the wife of his best friend.

Bin Laden also has to cope with the stress of being hunted by US Special Forces, preventing his deputy from taking over as leader of al-Qaeda, fearing that he looks Jewish, and filming new video releases for his enemies. When he's not popping Valium, he spends time wondering if his arch enemy in the White House is as stupid as he seems-and deciding that he is.

This book-a fascinating mix of fact and fiction-shows bin Laden obsessing about internet pornography (using such sites to send encrypted messages), watching the Athens Olympics (which he doesn't bomb because he's desperate to see Ian Thorpe and the synchronized swimming), and even dreaming of one day eating at the Carnegie Deli and shopping at Neiman-Marcus.

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