Kitty Fantastic in Manroe’s Art Adventure - Book Review

Kitty Fantastic in Manroe’s Art Adventure is a 40-page children’s book written by the accomplished and award-winning illustrator Pamela Key. Her intent in writing this book is clear in this passage from the book:

"If a kid does any kind of art at least three hours a day, three days a week, for a year he or she is four times more likely to win an award for writing or be recognized for academic achievement and three times more likely to be elected to class office or win an award for school attendance."

There is no doubt that this is an excellent book and could easily be one of the best I have seen. The art is amazing - especially the backgrounds, which are full of colorful textures and blends. Another noticeable feature was the bright, almost realistic eyes of Pamela’s characters.

Monroe, a curious little boy filled with questions, has a conversation with his artistically inclined mother about the many various forms of art. Everything from writing, music, pottery and painting are covered in their discussion. A lovable egomaniac cat is Monroe’s best friend and he appears on each scene with cunning comments. Fun activity sheets (four in total) mentally stimulate children and help develop the ability to focus on details.

The way the book is illustrated and written allows for plenty of dialogue between the reader and children. They can seek out images together and discuss what is happening. Also every-other page has a small box with extra historical facts. Such as: science-fiction author Jules Verne writing about air and water travel 100 years before it was possible; and the adventure of Dolly Madison who risked her life to safe important national treasures.

Kitty Fantastic in Manroe’s Art is a fun and stimulating book for learning historical lessons and as an introduction to art – and as such, the book would be ideal for groups of children at schools, libraries and even daycare centers. Children are not the only people that can be enlightened by this book - my husband and myself were both educated about "surrealism" and more. I was also particularly partial to the author making sure it is understood that each person has their own art and express thoughts and emotions through it in their own unique way.

I heartily recommend this book!

ISBN#: 0-9771971-1-5
Authored and Illustrated by: Pamela Key
Publisher: A Better Be Write Publisher

Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy - Book Review

Dorinne Davis has written many books that concentrate on the subjects of hearing and sound. In the well-researched textbook, Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy, she looks at the concept of sound being a nutrient for our bodies.

There are 11 detailed and well-planned chapters, each of which opens with a quote and closes with a useful chapter synopsis. This book is not so technical that an individual or patient would find it daunting, yet it is quite thorough and incorporates both the independent and scientific findings that a therapist would need to know.

The historical use of music in healing was quite interesting. Because of our drum business, it was particularly interesting to read that regular steady rhythms can restore a normal, healthy pulse, sedating the left brain and allowing the right brain to be more creative. I was also amazed that the US Army used music therapy to accelerate healing in their wounded and ailing during WWII.

Dorinne explains that each living molecule has a vibration that causes frequency and this is the driving theory behind using sound as a healing therapy. The author describes the physics of how sound affects various mediums and why sound could be used to eradicate cancer and tumors. According to Dorinne, sound therapy could also be applied to many medical situations - stroke, autism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, learning and listening difficulties and even physical injuries.

It was very surprising to learn that ‘everyday’ environmental toxins can have such a dramatic effect on brain functions and hearing. The ear affects so much more than we may realize, including balance and emotions.

ISBN#: 096223637
Author: Dorinne S. Davis
Publisher: Kalco Publishing, LLC

Putting it on Paper: Book Review

Dawn Josephson, author of 14 books, has written a fantastic author resource with her latest book Putting it on Paper – The ground rules for creating promotional pieces that sell books. This book discusses the development and use of contents within a media kit, and other marketing materials. From cover letters, press releases, book reviews, bios, sell and catalog sheets to articles – Dawn covers it all.

Each chapter concludes with two brief, but very helpful sections. ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ is an essential ingredient to this well-rounded book because it touches on creativity and exceptions to the rule. Her section ‘Key Points’ acts as a summery to the main ideas within the chapter.

There are many excellent samples of actual promotional pieces, which give authors a variety of choices and ideas to use in creating the content for their own marketing materials. The samples are also precluded with notes on the construction of the piece so that the reader can fully understand the purpose of each opening, paragraph or by-line. Dawn shows many ways to tweak text for each piece and then closes with how to present promotional materials to various markets.

I really enjoyed the thought provoking quotes she used throughout the book and felt Putting it on Paper was quite inspirational. As an author who has spent a year of intensive marketing research and hands on application, I can say that several of Dawn’s tips are unique and I cannot wait to try them. The information on multiple press releases, mock book reviews and catalog sheets were particularly helpful for my own applications.

I highly recommend this useful book to any author who is facing book promotion. Putting it on Paper will certainly help authors get noticed.

ISBN#: 0974496618
Publisher: Ground Rules Press
Author: Dawn Josephson

115 Ways to Reduce Anxiety – Book Review

Mike Marcoe writes from first hand experience in his book 115 Ways to Reduce Anxiety, providing advice from the view of one who has traveled the road of anxiety for a long time, undergoing therapies and combing through mountains of research. His experience has resulted in this self-help guide to people looking for ways to manage their condition in a proactive and healthy manor.

Mike has a passion for non-fiction educational and self-help genres. He has attained a BA in English and has been in the writing industry for a number of years performing as an author, copy editor, proof-reader, a database guardian and has also worked for a newspaper.

115 Ways to Prevent Anxiety will provide readers with wise nutritional advice, herbal remedies that may ease anxiety symptoms and plenty of positive, proactive attitude enhancement skills. The author provides excellent tools for getting peace from anxiety disorders.

News to me was how dehydration plays a part in nervous disorders – something I will be much more aware of in the future. I am completely curious about how philosophy can play a part and I intend to investigate this possibility when I have more time. Also, I am encouraged by having it confirmed that taking up a variety of activities - drumming, living an active life, regularly doing meditative and breath enhancing yoga, walking the dog and gardening – has been a good step in the right direction for me. I truly feel like I am on the right track to taking the power into my own hands to live a life free of anxiety.

There are no wasted words here. At only 88 pages, the text can be considered short and sweet. The author’s intent for his book is to entice readers to delve deep inside and discover what triggers their anxiety, why this happens and learn how to prevent reoccurrence.

Individuals can reap rewards from this self-help, non-fiction guide – however, educators would certainly benefit in using this as a workbook in anxiety support groups. This book is also available in print and electronic formats to fit a variety of needs.


ISBN#: 1-59113-872-8
Author: Mike Marcoe
Publisher:

Why we Need to Take Risks

It does not matter if you are a Doctor, a Lawyer or an infantry soldier in the Army if you want to be the best and get ahead, you will need to take risks.

A doctor may have to take risks when working with a patient. The Doctor may have to experiment with different forms of medications or new surgical procedures when all else has failed in an attempt to help the patient.

A lawyer may have to argue a case in an unorthodox manner to win the case, but if the lawyer wants to become the top lawyer and make millions of dollars fighting high profile cases lots of risks have to be taken.

A soldier may have to take a risk and run thru gunfire to save another injured soldier, to complete their mission, or just to secure an area from being overrun by enemy troops, after going days with little to no sleep, but if a soldier wants to get promotions and eventually lead men into battle they also need to take risks.

These risks are not unlike someone looking to get rich in a casino, they have to be willing to risk everything they have to get that million dollar payoff. If you play it safe in a casino you may get lucky and win a big jackpot on the slot machines, but if you want to make millions you are going to have to play games such as Poker, Blackjack, Roulette and Craps . These are the games that with some skill, some luck and a lot of risk taking you can retire off your winnings.

The same can be said about life in general. No one gets ahead in life from playing it safe. You will not meet your special someone if you are too afraid to risk getting rejected by someone, you will never get that big promotion unless you take risks at your job.

It is very important to continue to take risks in life. To stop taking risks means to stand still in life. Standing still in life is one of the main causes of depression. These are usually the people afraid to confront the boss and tell him that they demand a raise; they are the ones that allow life to pass them by out of fear. The entire purpose of fear is to stop you from taking a risk.

Fear is nothing more then the unknown. If you have always wanted to quit your job and open a shop but you are too afraid to do it, this is because you are afraid of failing and risking what you already have.

It is important to learn to take risks in life if you want to be happy, you may not always get the things you risked for, but you will know that you tried, and in the end it does not matter in my opinion if you succeed or not it is how many risks you try to make that is the real test of how successful you are.

Just remember if no one took risks we would be a world without flight and probably no automotive vehicles at all, maybe we would have no electricity. So risk truly is needed to improve the world.

Online is the American Dream

Every generation has dreamed of a better life for their children, and many decided to pack up the family and move to America and that is how most Americans came to be Americans.

For 200 years people suffering from poverty, hunger or oppressive governments have dreamed of a better life for themselves and their families, and came to United States of America in search of the American Dream.

Many people around the world have to work 18 hours a day just to make enough money to survive; to these people the American dream is nothing more then a less hard life and a better education for them and their children, and to some it is getting rich without working hard to do it.

This is not much different from the mentality from an American who maybe builds houses, or works in a factory or some other type of physically demanding job that they hate, and at the end of the day they dream of winning that jackpot in an online casino.

Winning the grand prize and making enough money to put a nice roof over their kids heads, put the kids in a good school, money for college. This is exactly what the American dream is about.

Many Americans work 2 or more jobs a day to support their families, and have no way to get to a casino, they just do not have the time to get there. Does that mean that they should not be allowed to follow their dreams because they have to do it from home?

This is like telling a new immigrant that the American Dream has been outlawed because you may squander you money trying to achieve it.

What if a hard working man saved up some money and decided he wanted to open a restaurant and the government told him no, because the restaurant business is dangerous and most new restaurants fail within the first 6 months.

The law making online gambling illegal is a direct blow to why most of our grandparents moved to the United States.

The entire idea of the American dream is to be able to do better in life then the cards you have been dealt, just like in poker you are dealt your cards then after looking at them you have the chance to exchange your bad cards for better ones. The ability for a child from poor family to be able to get a good education and to make more of himself then the generation before him did.

Many people around the world are dealt a bad hand in life, but the American dream helps them rise above it to make what before may have seemed impossible become an every day occurrence.

Pure and simple the American dream gives hope to people who never expected to have hope again, and online casinos give people the same thing. The hope to improve their lives, and to deny people that chance is like putting a sign up for new immigrants to the USA saying Sorry The Dream is Over Please go home.