Of Bookworms and Decorative Bookends

Every bookworm would be updated of the latest releases of his or her favorite author. If you are one, then you probably have been keeping yourself on the waiting list of your local bookshop - all eager to get your hands on the hottest product of every publication house.

Probably, you are stacking up your books in your room and everyday, you are increasingly finding it hard to keep them in one place - not unless you have a palatial house, in such a case you have space for a personal library. So instead of keeping your books scattered, why don't you neatly stack them up using decorative bookends? No, not plain bookends but decorative bookends.

This pair of metal (or wood) does a very good and compact job of keeping your Stephanie Meyer masterpieces and Anne Rice's classics upright. Since they are not the boring ones made of metal, decorative bookends would add a touch of class to your already interesting books.

If you are making a collection out of novels that have been constantly making it through New York Times' Best Seller list, then all the more appealing these decorative bookends should be. These bestsellers are pretty hard to come by - because thousands of other readers are all ready to grab a copy from you - so it's but proper that you take real good care of what you have right now.

Take Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga for instance. The four books (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) have been on the best seller list for months. As such, millions of readers all over the world have to wait for weeks or even months before they can have this set and call it their own. If you are one of the lucky ones who got hold of them first, then you might already have been prancing at the thought of owning this Stephanie Meyer hit. It's but right to display them - where everyone can see them - using decorative bookends.

Other Bestsellers

There are also other best sellers worthy to be kept in between intricate decorative bookends.

It looks like the world today is completely swept away by vampires and the strong emotions associated with them. Believe it or not, Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series is also becoming a hit. This has been the basis of HBO's adaptation, True Blood. This seven-piece set revolves around the life of Sookie Stackhouse, a mortal who can read the thoughts of others.

Stephanie Meyer's new book, The Host, is also climbing up the charts. Unlike Twilight, the Host is her first adult book and its plot revolves around aliens.

Paul Young's The Shack was not eagerly received during its initial publication. As if by some miracle (just a fitting word for a book exploring a person's faith in God), during the summer of 2008, The Shack made it to New York Times' Best Seller List.

Who would forget Dan Brown and his runaway hit, The DaVinci Code? Well, the sales of its "older brother" Angels and Demons has skyrocketed since its movie adaptation is almost hitting the big screens worldwide.

After reading these oh-so-precious books, the next best thing for you to do is to take care of them. After many years, they would be hard to come by and will soon fall under the classics genre. So, while these books are still in excellent condition, stack them up through decorative bookends.

Crazy about books and bookends? Then explore the world of brass bookends, globe bookends and other decorative bookends. Visit ExecutiveGiftShoppe.com now and find great selections of these highly useful but intricate items.

Best-Selling Your Way to Success

These two writers were as different as Burgundy from Scotch. On one hand, Sir Walter Scott was a genius of a gentleman who literally invented the historical novel and wrote out of raw knowledge and rich learning in the romantic past of Scotland. Alexander Dumas on the other hand, was a brilliant newcomer who wrote with a unique style and personality. Both these men were master storytellers and both turned out such staggering amounts of work that makes the most hardworking of all modern writers seem like sluggish fools in comparison. Scott and Dumas were the first real heroes of history's earliest mass reading public - they created what you would call today: bestsellers!

Since then, the art of writing bestsellers has changed. There are scores of authors who want to write novels and most of them would love to write a bestseller. Yes, writing a bestseller can change your life for good. From financial success to being emotionally rewarding, writing a bestseller can boost your confidence, renew your self-esteem and refurbish your bank account as well! What's more, writing bestsellers can give you tremendous credibility in the eyes of strangers.

Yes, at one time or another, every single businessman or woman must have flirted with the idea of writing a book. It isn't a very bad thought - that is if you have a great deal of original content that sends forth a compelling message. If you're willing to work hard, then your dreams of creating that super selling bestseller might just come true. Now, before you start dreaming of your book being in The New York Times bestseller list, you should consider checking up on the publishing industry first.

There are two main reasons why everyone wants to create a best selling book and why a bestseller can benefit each and every one of us, which are:

o Writing a best selling book is one of the best ways to gain recognition and at the same time make money. If you're one of those people who want to share a message and make a difference in the world, then you should probably consider writing a bestseller. The way your book sells can either make or break your brand, your business and even your image. There are millionaires and even billionaires who are still writing books because they know the power of creating bestsellers. From Donald Trump to Richard Branson to even JK Rowling, bestsellers are indeed a powerful tool. What's more, having your own best-selling book will give you endless opportunities for free advertising and exposure. Since advertising costs a lot of money, this is by and large one of the greatest benefits of having a bestseller to your name.

o Another good reason for creating a bestseller is that it gives you leverage. Once you have the right kind of leverage, you will be able to make the most money and it's all because you have a bestseller to your name. There are 6 main types of advertising media, namely the Internet, TV, Radio, Magazines, Newspapers and word-of-mouth. Once your book makes it in the bestseller list, free publicity and exposure will automatically come to you.

Writing a bestseller can require immense talent if you try to do it the old-fashioned way. Luckily, now there are much faster and easier ways. I've taught people to start and finish books in as little as 9 days. So it's NOT hard when they learn my methods.

#1: I don't advise going with a publisher at all. Self-publishing is faster, gives you more control, and you get to keep more of the profits from your efforts.

#2: Using my system, a less than 'perfect' book can still become a best-seller. A book doesn't have to be a literary masterpiece to still give good value to people.

However, one thing is for certain - the publisher with the most talent will always do the best. So, how does one go about creating a bestseller? Although there isn't any magical solution to ensure creating a bestseller, there is a common denominator. It is the ability to come up with a good strategy and implement it and to orchestrate teamwork. Regardless of the budget, the strategy, the publisher or even the book, all these ingredients need to be orchestrated in order to work together. The real talent lies in the publisher's ability to make all these factors function simultaneously. It's not hard when you know the secrets.

Jason Oman is the author of #1 best-selling Conversations with Millionaires. As well as being the President of Money Systems Technologies, a marketing firm that focuses on book marketing, author publicity and writing resources. Jason is an author's strategist specializing in helping clients achieve their goals of becoming a best selling author. For more information and free book writing secrets, sign up for Jason's newsletter at http://www.bestsellingauthorsecrets.com Get information on Jason's next best seller at [http://www.conversationswithfemalemillionaires.com]

What Everyone Should Know About Inspirational Poems

What Everyone Should Know About Inspirational Poems

Inspirational poems are everywhere. They line the walls in churches and community centers. They sit neatly above the seats on city buses. They appear in magazines and on the inside flaps of countless non-fiction bestsellers. Inspirational poems are used to motivate those with illness, those who have lost someone, those who are depressed, or merely those who are on a diet. The inspirational poem is the perfect message, designed to share just the right balance of everything someone needs to hear at a hard time.

How an Inspirational Poem Inspires

Inspirational poems are so effective because they can unlock the secrets of human emotion and motivation unlike any other forms of poetry. A well written inspirational poem displays multiple levels of insight that no other art form can claim, allowing their readers to step inside the shoes of someone who understands what they are going through. To those that have been through a particularly intense or disturbing emotional trauma, an inspirational poem asserts that they are not alone and that the world is an essentially good place, one in which they will find peace.

Inspirational Poems for Different Times

There are plenty of different times in which someone might need the assistance of a truly poignant poem. These instances are often not the best moments in their lives and if you have ever been in such a position, you know how hard it can be. So, finding the right words to relieve some of that stress or worry is a great gift. These writers have all contributed to the canon of inspirational poems, helping to make those people in a hard place feel better about themselves.

Where to Turn for Truly Inspirational Poems

The list of writers who have written inspirational poems in their life is very long. Each one has something to offer in their words that few others can because they lived entirely different lives. The poets of our lifetime take much of what they learned from the inspirational words of those that came before, both in life and in the art of poetry.

William Wordsworth was considered one of the premiere English poets of the 19th century, writing prolifically in the romantic style of the time. Serving as the English Poet Laureate for seven years, his work has been cited repeatedly as a source of great inspiration. "Daffodils" is a particular popular poem written by Wordsworth that displays that very inspirational style.

Famous for his mastery of the English language and an idol to many of the Victorian poets whose work is still read in classrooms today, Percy Bysshe Shelley was another Romantic poet who wrote great inspirational works. His long piece, "The Cloud" is a classic example of elaborate allegory and detailed description designed to uplift the spirits.

While the romantic poets of the early 19th century wrote a great deal of inspirational poetry, there are hundreds more poets who freely shared their inspiration poems with the world.

Gray Ward loves to use poems to express his feelings for the right occasion, why not enjoy more articles and poems by visiting his website at http://www.poemanswers.com where you too will find the right poem for you.

The Importance of Women's Spirituality

A friend recently asked me why I felt it was so important to focus specifically on spirituality for women. Isn't the point of spirituality, she asked, to move to an understanding that transcends distinctions like gender? Does it really serve the process, she wondered, to imply there is a separate spirituality for men and for women?

As part of my response, I referred her to a recently published book called Taking Back God: American Women Rising Up for Religious Equality. The author, Leora Tanenbaum, explores the role of women within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The author interweaves religious history with interviews of contemporary women who care deeply about their religions, and derive great knowledge and sustenance from them, but are unhappy with the restricted roles of women within them. Many of these interviews are very moving, because these women have really struggled with this issue.

One of the biggest problems for these women is the restrictions placed on their access to teachings and official roles. Many of their religions restrict women's rights or abilities to read certain scriptures, or to teach or preach. Since scriptures are often considered the word of God, or a conduit to enlightenment (in the East), this sends the message that women are 'further' from God or enlightenment, and that they don't have the right to communicate directly, or to learn, teach, or preach on their own. They have to get everything secondhand. Contemporary American women don't accept this in the office, and are increasingly uncomfortable with it in their houses of worship.

While Taking Back God focuses on the official role of women in Christianity, Judaism and Islam, things aren't altogether different in the New Age or self-help communities, or in many Buddhist or Yoga centers. Although there are more women spiritual teachers, authors, and religious leaders in America than elsewhere in the world, they are still vastly outnumbered by men (just check out the Amazon bestsellers list). This despite the fact that according to book marketing surveys, women outnumber men as the purchasers of spiritual and religious books by as much as 4 to 1. In other words, women would appear to be more interested in spirituality in general, but the majority of books, teachers, organizations and resources out there are male-dominated. What is the message sent by this?

So, my answer to my friend, the reason focusing on women's spirituality is important to me, even though I am wary of over-identifying with gender issues, is that I think it really matters how many women religious leaders and spiritual teachers there are out there. And I think full access to scriptures, and leadership roles, and teaching positions - within every tradition - is imperative. Women's access to spirituality, their relationship with God/Tao/Nirvana/Brahma (or whatever you believe in), can't be secondhand. In a way, changing this is the most essential form of change that can occur, because our spiritual and religious beliefs define our organizational view of the world. If we see women as 'lower down' the totem pole, even subconsciously, we are denying ourselves our full power.

Lisa Erickson is a mom, meditation teacher, and writer. Visit her blog http://www.MommyMystic.wordpress.com for spiritual book reviews and information on meditation and spirituality.

5 Greatest Women's Fragrances For 2010

In the year 2010 we were witnesses of the presentation of many new fragrances. And just like every other year they became famous really fast. But are they worth it. From all the perfumes we use to see in the malls or in the internet stores there are just a few who use to stay on the world market for years and always be among the bestsellers. And it's not a surprise that the fragrances I used to place on the top 5 places are not presented during this year. These are perfumes who have already proved they deserve the attention they are awarded.

The first fragrance that finds place in this chart is Azzaro Now by Loris Azzaro. The scent is launched by the Azzaro design house in the year 2007. Its top notes are a perfect blend of aldehydes and amber rum. The base notes are presented from white tea and finally floral notes. This perfume is recommended mainly for daytime wear.

The second scent I would like to present to you is created by the design house of Thierry Mugler in the year 1992. Of course this is Angel. It is classified from specialists as a refreshing, oriental, woody scent. This feminine aroma possesses a mix of vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli. We shouldn't miss the fruity notes of fresh melons, citrus, peaches, and plums. It is recommended for daytime wear.

The fragrance I put on third place is the famous Armani Code by Giorgio Armani. This perfume was presented in the year 2006 by the house's lead designer Giorgio Armani. It is said to be a floral scent that opens with bitter orange notes and blend of jasmine and italian orange. Then it blends into orange blossom with the sweet finishing touch of vanilla and honey. It is said to be best for office wear.

The following fragrance, though not being as popular as the others in this chart, definitely deserves to be here. This perfume is Ce Soir Ou Jamais EDP Spray by Annick Goutal. It is launched by the design house of Annick Goutal in the year 1999. Ce Soir Ou Jamais by the designer Annick Goutal is classified as a sharp, flowery scent. This lovely feminine scent possesses a mix of sparkling flowers. It is recommended for office wear.

And last but not least, in this chart I put Blonde pure perfume by Versace. It is launched by the worldwide famous design house of Gianni Versace in the year 1995. Blonde is said to be a luxurious, flowery scent. This feminine fragrance possesses a mix of jasmine and violet notes. With its irresistible behaviour it is recommended for romantic wear.

So, these are the top 5 women's scents for the year 2010. As I said before none of them were presented during this year. Probably the newly presented perfumes still need some time to gain enough fame and positive critics to replace any of the fragrances I put in this article. They are still the bestsellers form some of the most famous design houses in the world and I think they really deserve your attention.

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Best Selling Diet Books - Which Flat Belly Diet Book is Best?

Ask 100 people what their most annoying body issue is and 97% of them will say it's all that extra fat hanging around their mid section. Not only is it unsightly, but it's really upsetting when you can't wear certain pants because you can't button them at the top, or you can't zip up your favorite pair of jeans.

Most of us had a flat belly at one time when we were younger and long for the days when we didn't have to worry about not fitting into clothes because of our bulging tummy. But those days are gone, so many of us end up online searching for a diet book that will help us end our embarrassment for good.

While there are some diet books that actually have the word "belly" in their title, this doesn't mean that they are the best choice. You see, the authors of these books know people like you and me are desperately looking for help so they add certain words to their title to make us salivate.

I've got to be honest with you, after doing some research into ways to lose belly fat, I've come to the conclusion that there is not a weight loss system that specifically targets only belly fat. You know why?

Because most fitness experts know that in order for us to lose a significant amount of weight in our stomach area, we're going to have to follow a healthy eating plan and (gasp!) actually do some exercises that will help us to lose weight all over our bodies. It's a myth that any diet or exercise regimen that targets the belly area is going to quickly reduce only that part of the body.

Yeah, I was disappointed when I found this out too. You see, I had believed all the hype about flat abs this and flat abs that going around. It was kind of exciting to think that if I ate certain foods for a period of time, my belly fat rolls would magically melt away. Now I know better. I now realize that I'm gonna have to put some real effort into reducing the fat all over my body and the rewards for doing this will be a nice, flat tummy.

Which flat belly diet book is best?

None. They're all selling you a bunch of goods.

However, what you CAN do to lose your belly fat is to pick a trustworthy diet plan that you feel you can stick to for up to six months and then follow that plan with your eye on having a great looking body. Your goal is to burn off that fat from your belly, arms, thighs and even chin area. The body doesn't pick and choose specific areas to lose fat - it melts it all, and that's a good thing to know as you pursue your quest to reclaim your flat stomach again.

There are several great diet plans available that can help you achieve this. All you've got to do is figure out which one is right for you. It's not important whether the title of the diet book has the word "belly" in it or not. The only thing that really matters is that you feel perfectly comfortable with the plan and feel like you can do everything that's required to get the results you desire.

Tired of looking at your bulging thighs, flabby stomach and out-of-shape body every morning? Tired of letting food control your life? Tired of not being able to wear your favorite clothes? Well, now's the time to do something about it. Get off the diet yo-yo merry-go-round and change your life for good.

Get started here: [http://www.StartYourDietPlan.com]

2009 Hot Christmas Toys

As you are wondering what to get your children or nieces and nephews for Christmas, you should certainly look at what is a hot Christmas toy for 2009. By understanding the trend for these toys you will guarantee the gifts you buy will meet their satisfaction. Aim for the hot selling Christmas toys that are on the best seller list.

Looking at boys aged between five and above, look at buying something to keep them active. The Huffy Green Machine is an excellent option here, as is the razor E100 electric scooter. These are really hot Christmas products so do not be surprised when they sell out. You can easily find these products by doing a quick search on Google.

You can look at the other products like PlayStation 3 and Nintendo wii, however, you should be trying to encourage your kids to be proactive. Having fun while doing something like going on scooters or taking your huffy green machine for a ride is perfect.

The barbie dream house and the holiday barbie doll are other hot Christmas toys to be on the lookout for 2009. These toys are excellent for girls and it is no surprise they are bestsellers. There are so many options to choose this Christmas and if you stick to the hot products you can not go wrong.

My favourite toy this Christmas are the Ride-on toys, like the razor electric scooter. This is hot selling for 2009 and is among the best gifts a person can receive this Christmas. Not only can they be for boys, but also for girls of any age will enjoy them too.

So this was a breakdown of the hottest selling Christmas toys for 2009. I hope you are now more aware of the items that are selling well. Lastly, Christmas is about enjoying time with family, remembering others, take the time out that you deserve.

Take a look at the hot selling toys like the Razor E100 Electric Scooter and hot Christmas toys like the Barbie dream house

Does Proactiv Solution Or Murad Acne Complex Do a Better Job of Controlling Acne?

Acne at any age is troublesome. When it happens to adults, it can definitely be socially debilitating and difficult to control. It is estimated that 85 million people between the ages of 12 - 35 suffer from chronic acne, which explains why Proactiv Solution and Murad Acne Complex have become bestsellers in just a few short years. However, as for which one is best, it depends largely on the reasons behind your acne.

If you consider cost, both acne programs are costly for long-term use. Proactiv costs $19.95 for the initial starter kit, which typically last two months and then bumps up to $39.95 per month, which is billed through an auto ship program. Murad costs $29.95 for the initial starter package and lasts the typical user about 4-6 weeks according to consumer reviews. Murad does not automatically enter you in an auto ship program and for both skin care regimes, shipping is typically free. In recent months prices have come down for both products and it is easy to find lower prices when consumers do not use the as seen on TV, or infomercial websites for the products. Since both companies require you use the product at least 90 days to get full results, customers will easily drop a $100 just to decide if the acne solutions work.

The acne solution programs are both based on herbal remedies that combine with antibacterial acidic solutions. Proactiv Complex uses benzyl peroxide as the basis for its acne fighting while Murad uses Salicylic Acid, which is a huge selling point for Murad. The manufacturers of Murad claim that the salicylic acid is gentler and safer to use on the skin and is more effective at controlling acne. One word of warning to consumers, Proactiv has recently come out with an extra strength that contains a 7% Benzyl Peroxide which has enable Proactiv to be more successful at controlling acne in many customers.

Unfortunately, the 2.5% Benzyl Peroxide based products linger on the market and many customers inadvertently buy the lesser product unwittingly. As far as salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide, dermatologists advise that both have the same cleansing and detoxification affect on the skin and the peroxide may be more effective for people who suffer from oily skin. While those who suffer with extremely dry skin may find the peroxide to abrasive to be used daily. Knowing your skin type before you choose is essential to getting the best product for you.

Both Murad and Proactiv Solution come with freebies like clarifying masks and astringent cleaners. They provide very small bottles with your regular order and they have been big upsells for both companies. Some consumers claim that the free trial products are actually better than the skin care programs.

The bottom line according to independent research and clinical studies is that both products are effective for adult acne. However, neither stop acne that comes from hormonal imbalance or sugar fluctuation meaning that as soon as you stop using the products your acne will likely return. Due to the harsh ingredients, many consumers of Proactive Solution have complained that their skin actually got worse and more inflamed. If this is the case for you, the gentler cleansing agents in Murad are worth checking into.

Perhaps the biggest complaint with both companies that offer money back guarantees is the difficult of getting out of the auto ship program with Proactive. Normally, new products are shipped and billed to your credit card long before you run out of your initial batch and there have been many BBB complaints associated with revolving charges. Murad does not force consumers to commit to an auto ship program and is more liberal with their free trial offers for new customers, which is definitely a plus.

As far as results, the statistics from consumers are mixed. Some customers find that using both products together is a good option while others felt strongly that one outperformed the other in side-by-side comparisons. Whether either will work for you depends on your skin type, diligence of use as well as the root cause of your acne. Best bet is to try the free trials and make a decision based on that. If you are worried about not being able to cancel the Proactiv Solution in a timely manner, than one way to get around that is to order the product using a prepaid credit card rather than one that comes directly from our account.

Grace McLellan edits As Seen On TV Compare, which finds the best online deals for infomercials products, including Proactiv Solution and Murad Acne Complex.

Hottest Gifts for Christmas

Festivals are usually the best time for new releases. Every year a wide range of products are launched in the festival season to provide consumers with unique gifts and gift ideas. Like the yesteryear, 2007 also intends to bring innovative gift ideas for the consumers. Here are some of the innovative gift ideas and products which are going to hit the market this Christmas 2007 for people who are fond of reading books, bestsellers like those authored by Laurel K. Hamilton, Patricia Cornwell, and Alice Sebold etc., are sure to win the hearts of many book lovers. Another remarkable gift can be video games and gaming consoles. Nowadays gaming consoles are gaining wide popularity among the old and the young alike. Some of the latest releases like the Legend Of Zelda, The Crash of the Titans are hot games which are going to get wide acclamation as Christmas gifts.

Toys are also all-time favorites of children. Toys like Lego, Scooby Doo, Star Wars, Polly Pocket, and Beanie Baby are always the first choices among the toy-lovers. The Christmas season also brings along some of the best DVDs of the season. It is assumed that the Planet Earth series, Spiderman 3, Oceans, Shrek the Third, Pirates of The Caribbean etc., would be some of the choices of the population for this festive season.

Music also plays an important part in this festive season. Josh Groban's new Christmas album, Noel, is already on the hype. Also there are some other albums by Mannheim Steamroller which would figure in the wish-list of many of the music aficionados. In rock, Jazz and other music genres, the classics or the legends are the ones which always dominates the market.

A mobile phone or a music player can also be fabulous Christmas gifts. This year some of the awesome gadgets like the Nokia N95 8GB, Apple iPhone, LG Shine , Samsung U600 are to be launched just a few weeks ahead of Christmas 2007. Also there are lot many special Christmas mobile phone deals which can be availed by the consumer. The mobile phones can be purchased at a discounted rate and also by purchasing a phone along with these deals one can get various benefits like free talk time, free minutes, merchant incentives and free gift items like iPods, laptops, gaming consoles etc.

If you would like more information on Christmas Gift 2007 and Gifts and Gadgets

Hollywood Fashion

Other than fashion, there is another art form that captures our attention and manages to obsess us with other people's stories and adventures; I am talking about the 7th art, film. In this industry, fashion plays a major role, whether in the characters who convert themselves in trendsetters, or the trendsetters that inspire a film or one of its characters. Some films marked a tendency or introduced a new accessory or style wore by an acclaimed fashion icon.

Costume design in fashion is one of the most important categories nowadays for different awards like the Academy Awards; it takes creativity and patience to work with a whole wardrobe and fashion sense for a film. It established an identification point between the actors and the public.

Casablanca is a classic film where we are still often transported to by fashion. For men it wasn't an ordinary suit but one made by Burberry which popularized the brand even more. Classic and conservative spy-like fashion will always embrace the feeling of the fashion style in this movie.

Marlon Brando also popularized the leather jacket, jeans and white t-shirt look in The Wild One, just like James Dean also did around that time. It was the representation of rebellious guys in the 50's which is still used today by millions. This outfit is still a fashion hit and has been adapted to our actual time.

The little black dress is still the favorite among fashionista film buffs today. Breakfast at Tiffany's was the whole representation of this look by Audrey Hepburn with her elegance and femininity, obviously achieved by Givenchy. Her oversized sunglasses, oversize hats, classy trench-coat, pearls and ballerina flats are still favorites in fashion worldwide.

Men's fashion in women is not an original style of the 90's; it was reborn from Wody Allen's Annie Hall in the 70's. Her look was a New York icon, as feminine as it was masculine, vests, men's pants, jackets, ties, suspenders and hats were the bestsellers in women's fashion in the late 70's.

Recently The Devil wears Prada showed us the power of the fashion industry in a place like New York City. This film inspired everyone to have their very own Cinderella makeover.

Obviously Sex and the City has been a Pop Culture fashion icon, starting out as a TV Series and now a Box Office Hit movie. These characters popularized Diane Von Furstenberg's wrap dress, Marc Jacobs' suits and Manolo Blahnik stilettos. Another type of movie that goes along this category of Pop Culture is Clueless with L.A Fashion at its best in the early 90's.

As of popular actors who are considered trendsetters, we can find Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as Jennifer Lopez whose glamour and elegance in the red carpet makes anyone want to run and buy a Valentino or a Balenciaga formal dress. These two have even gone further and understood that their styles should be available for anyone and they have their own fashion line at retail stores.

SalwarKameezIndia.com offers safe and secure online shopping [http://www.salwarkameezindia.com/pendant-822.htm]; of more than 5000 unique fashion products for men, women, teens & kids shipped to you absolutely free anywhere in the world. Check out some bestsellers like sheesh mahal toran [http://www.salwarkameezindia.com/ring-427.htm] and different types of clothing, shoes, jewelry and fashion products.

iPhone 4 Accessories - Which Ones Are Right for You?

An iPhone 4 is an awesome device, capable of replacing a lot of other gadgets that we normally use. Of course, there are still some areas it could use some help with, which is why there are a variety of iPhone accessories available in the market. These iPhone accessories vary in use. Some function just to please users aesthetically, while others target case based problems users might have to deal with on their iPhone 4.

Here are a few bestsellers of iPhone 4 Accessories:

Privacy Screen

- This is a nifty add-on if you do not want people around you having a glance at what you are doing on your iPhone 4, unless you want them to. Besides helping you secure privacy, this add-on also acts as a screen guard. It protects your screen from dust and scratches keeping it looking clean and new. Lastly, it also eliminates glare, making it easier for you to view your screen in any lighting condition.

Full Body Protector

- Unlike most protective screens that only cover the LCD, this guard also has the back of your iPhone covered. It protects the whole body from dust and scratches while also eliminating glare. This provides a perfect fit on your phone and is durable enough to withstand everyday use. The clear cover is easy to remove and does not leave any residue on your iPhone's surface.

Docking Station

- There are a variety of docking stations available with varying options available depending on what you need. There are small ones that can be brought anywhere with ease, while there are slightly bigger ones that offer more than just a connection to your computer (i.e. retractable cords, short cords, auxiliary jacks, mini speakers, etc).

Portable Speakers

- This accessory comes in handy when you do not feel like putting on earphones or if you want the whole room to hear what you are playing. It is also great for travelling. These come in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Portable Chargers

- It is highly understandable why this is in the list of bestsellers for iPhone accessories. Mostly everyone is on the go these days, and cannot afford to have their iPhone die on them while they are on the road or somewhere with no computers to use. Additionally, in case there is a power outage, this would still enable the use of your phone. There are a few types to choose from like car chargers/adapters, USB wall socket adapters, or the USB Emergency charger. The USB Emergency charger makes use of two AA batteries to charge your phone, just for that exact moment when you really have nowhere to plug your iPhone to.

iPhone 4 Cases

- Apart from serving as your iPhone's protection from scratches, dents and fingerprints, these are widely popular because of the options it provides people to match their everyday life aesthetically. These come in different colors and designs, and can even be custom-made in some places.

While there are a lot of options available for iPhone 4 accessories, it would always be good to take into account what actually applies to your lifestyle. Before you choose or purchase an accessory, make sure it is something that you would actually benefit from, not just frills to show off on your phone. That way, you make the best of your iPhone and your money.

For more iPhone 4 accessories information, please visit Gorilla Gadgets

How I Got My Book in a Celebrity Magazine's Hot Sheet!

About 6 months before my book was published, I had this dream of getting listed as "Hot Book of the Week" in a major celebrity magazine. So, I made a phone call to the editor and told her about my book. She seemed pleasant enough, as I mentioned that several A list celebrities were mentioned in the book, as well as the fact that 15% of the proceeds would be going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. Over the months, I'd let her know, via email, the progress of the book. I'd get pleasant little responses, here and there. I knew that getting in this magazine was a big deal, and rather a long shot, as most of the featured books are those by celebrities themselves, or #1 bestsellers that are put out by major publishers. My book was simply self-published via POD, and I knew that this was going to take a miracle. But I kept affirming that this was my goal - to get listed as HOT BOOK of the Week!

As my plan was to launch around Mother's Day, I persistently contacted the editor, with news of pub date, my marketing plans, etc - basically chit chatty little emails - always, always mentioning how much I loved her column and how I had actually bought a certain item she had mentioned in the previous week's issue.

Finally, the date was getting close. I decided that some guerrilla tactics were going to be needed if I was going to have any results. So, I printed out a cartoon image of a dreaming girl, with a cartoon bubble coming out of her head. I then, pasted in a collage-like manner, HOT Sheet in the bubble, with an image of my book where the HOT BOOK of the Week was going, with some copy, as if it really was in the magazine. The caption below the montage was "Just Dreamin'!" I filled a box with 4 of my music CD's along with the collage, and sent it off.

On May 10th, I got an email from the editor, telling me that although she could not fit me into the actual magazine, she was able to fit my book into the Online version of the magazine - and that it would be listed as HOT BOOK of the MONTH - for a full month! This was one of the most exciting days of my life, and I think I jumped up and down doing the happy dance for about an hour! Now, I always include "As Seen in ... " in my signature block, and I have a nice screen shot print out of my book: Hot Book of the Week - just like I had dreamed.

The results? Since the celebrity mag mention, I was recommended by Dr. Laura, was a guest on Martha Stewart Whole Living Radio, hit #1 in "Wedding Showers" on Amazon.com, the Learning Annex asked me to submit a video workshop on how I became an Amazon bestseller, and I was asked to join a panel of writers at the writer's convention in New York City this spring. I've been a guest on over 65 radio shows and listed in several print magazines and have been featured in several online sites. I've been a repeat guest on the a nationally syndicated TV show as a mother-in-law expert, and am on the brink of a corporate sponsorship. As well, I auditioned for and got the position of co-host for an exciting new online radio show.

So, stepping out on a limb and being creative can often lead to great things. Never underestimate the power of visualization, determination, and a little creativity.

Please visit Sally "The MIL Manager" Shields on the web at http://www.thedilrules.com/ for contest giveaways, free bonus gifts, The DIL Rules newsletter and more!

The Importance Of Cell Phones In Modern Society

Cell phones have become a necessity for many people throughout the world. The ability to keep in touch with family, business associates, and access to email are only a few of the reasons for the increasing importance of cell phones. Today's technically advanced cell phones are capable of not only receiving and placing phone calls, but storing data, taking pictures, and can even be used as walkie talkies, to name just a few of the available options.

When cell phones were first introduced to the public, they were bulky, expensive, and some even required a base unit that had to be transported along with the phone. Good reception was a major problem and in general, early cell phones could only be used in certain locations were the signal was particularly strong. As cell phone technology advanced, the difficult in using them became less of a problem. Today, cell phone reception has improved greatly due to the use of satellites and wireless services. As cell phones improved and became simple to use, the importance of cell phones increased accordingly.

Cell phones are the perfect way to stay connected with others and provide the user with a sense of security. In the event of emergency, having a cell phone can allow help to reach you quickly and could possibly save lives. However, the importance of cell phones goes way beyond personal safety. Modern cell phones are capable of internet access, sending and receiving photos and files, and some cell phones are equipped with GPS technology, allowing for use in most locations around the world and allowing the cell phone to be found or the user located in the event of loss or emergency.

Cell phone reception has become reliable and of high quality due to advances in wireless technology. Wireless service providers offer excellent packages and promotions for cell phone users. Finding a dependable service provider is no longer an issue for cell phone users. The expansion of the wireless service provider industry gives cell phone users a choice and the increased competition has caused a drop in prices of wireless cell phone service. The importance of cell phones goes way beyond the ability to make or receive phone calls. Cell phone users can instantly send data to the home or office, check for important email, use their cell phone as a PDA or calendar, and store photos which can be easily transferred to a PC or laptop computer.

Cell phone manufacturers have produced a wide range of cell phones, which sell for prices that range from very inexpensive to over one thousand dollars. The available options give users the choice of purchasing a basic cell phone to use simply for making calls, or choosing a complex, technologically advanced cell phone that can perform as many or even more tasks that a home computer. Over the past decade, the increasing importance of cell phones has made them almost a necessity for most people. Even remote and underdeveloped countries have some access to cell phone technology and wireless services.

The importance of cell phones has increased the competition in the wireless service provider industry, making cell phones very affordable and very easy to use. Cell phones have become almost a status symbol in addition to the convenience and security that comes from owning them.

Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher, offering information on cheap cell phones [http://www.cell-phones-4-u.com/] and Motorola cell phones [http://www.cell-phones-365.com/]

How to Write a Bestseller in 40 Days Or Less

Are you an aspiring author? Do you ever dream of writing a best selling book and getting all the notoriety and riches that come with it? Wait no more. "How to Write a Bestseller in 40 Days or Less!" by Barbara DeBolt is a complete step by step guide to writing a bestseller in 40 days or less.

Bestsellers as Formula Books

The premise behind the books is that best sellers are nothing more than formula books. A formula book is a book that fits a certain pattern - A happens before B which happens before C but at the same time as D and so on. In fact, if you read a large number of best selling novels in a particular genre - say adventure novels like Clive Cussler and the like, you will notice that they all follow a certain rhythm. You would expect the rhythm of a certain author to be fairly consistent but if you read 10 best selling authors in that genre, you will find that the rhythm/ the pattern of the books by all of them are almost identical.

The Book

"How to Write a Bestseller in 40 Days or Less!" walks you through a particular formula used in best sellers for a variety of sizes of books - from 40,000 words up to 625,000 words. It breaks down the books into the specific flows that need to be followed and what percentage of the book should be related to each of these flows. It is an appropriate guide, a recipe if you will, for writing a fictional best seller.

It states that each book should roughly have the following sections (all of which must be presented at exactly the right point in the book and for the appropriate number of pages to give maximum impact.)

• Introduction of characters and the mood of the book
  


• The main issue/theme of the book - what is going on
  


• A strong development of the main character and the theme
  


• Turning point - an event happens to the main character that wraps that character into the theme
  


• The hero begins to mold himself or herself to the events at hand
  


• The hero becomes completely committed to solving the issue
  


• All heck breaks loose - chaos
  


• The hero gets a grip on all these loose ends and begins to pull them together
  


• The wind down - loose ends are all tied together and the conclusion is reached - with perhaps hints of left over bits that can be wrapped into a sequel.

Obviously, there is a lot more to writing a best seller than just following this formula but chances are your fiction work won't become a best seller if it doesn't follow this formula pretty closely.

How to Proceed

If you are serious about writing a best seller or even just a darn good novel, I'd recommend getting this book and reading it. It is a quick read. Including all the formulas, it is only a bit over 100 pages. After you read it, pick up a best seller and find the formula that most closely matches the length of the book and start reading the book. Make notations on a piece of paper when you identify the elements that are discussed in the book and see how closely they parallel the formula.

Once you have done this exercise, you have begun to internalize the flow of a best seller.

Now do it a few more times with a few more best sellers to really get a strong grip on the formula.

Once you are very comfortable with the formula, you need to start writing. This may sound silly but the best way to get into the flow of best seller writing style is to actually take a few best sellers and write them out by hand. By doing this rather painful but quite effective exercise, you will internalize the style(s) used within the pages - the action words used, the scene transitions from chapter to chapter, the character interactions, the balance of conversation vs description, etc.

These are skills that need to be mastered to bring the formula to life. By taking this "shortcut", you will have a much higher chance of success than just sitting down and starting to write. In fact, with this formula, you can do the above exercise at the same time you are writing. Since you know how the sections of the book need to break down, you can just work with a portion of several existing best sellers and then work on your own version of that portion of the book and sort of go back and forth until that section is polished. And then, move on to the next section.

Not a quick process

In spite of the premise of the title - writing a best selling book in 40 days - expect it to take longer unless you are already a gifted writer. Writing, like anything else, is a skill that must be mastered, There is a careful balance that must be achieved in the book to bring it and the characters to life and that only comes with practice.

Do I recommend the book?

If you are truly interested in giving it your best shot, the book is a shortcut. All the information presented in the book is already in the best sellers themselves but it takes time and energy to build the roadmap yourself. I give the book a B rating because I don't believe it stands completely by itself. In other words, I don't think many people could pick it up and learn how to write a best seller - but I do think it can certainly help.

However, I personally believe you will better integrate the process by taking the longer route of building the roadmap yourself. If I were going to do it, I would choose three best sellers by three different authors in the genre I was interested in and I would handwrite each of the three books and make notations about flow, character style, etc. as I went along for each book. I also would have a long term goal of having a first book written in 12 to 24 months and tackle it as a part time effort so the process and the creative effort stays enjoyable.

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How to Sell Your Book in Book Stores

Statistically, book sales in book stores are down. As more and more people shop on the Internet, book store sales will continue to drop. There will always be people, though, who love visiting their favorite book store and browsing the shelves for a new find. These are the people you want to sell your book to!

Unless your book is being sold by a major publisher, there is a slim chance you will get your book onto the shelves of a major chain. Some major chains also ask for your marketing plan to sell your book. A marketing plan will detail how you will promote your book, stated as actions, financial commitment, and time commitment. For big chains like Borders to sell your book, you need a sales history of previous books.

Your best option as a new writer is to ask local, independent book sellers to sell your book. List down independent bookstores around your area, and pop them a visit instead of just calling. Even then, don't have high expectation that bookstores will automatically want to promote your book purely because it has been published. The initial contact is important, dress nice to impress, and always be humble as a self promoter.

Offer to sell ten or twenty copies of your book to a few local book stores, then check back in a week or two to see how many of them have been sold. Remember to set a lowest amount you are willing to take for your books, being said and done- the bookshops are there to run a profitable business. At the end of the day, if the store was able to sell your book, they might want to buy more copies. If not, you can always try another store.

Another tip is that bookstores will also respond to customer requests, if you have Print on demand on your side, and perhaps if you could rally a group of your personal readers to order your book from a bookstore, the store is more likely to take notice of your title when you give them that visit.

Once your book has a bit of sales history and you are able to develop a marketing plan, then the time has come for the next step - to approach the larger chains!

© 2010 BookPal Australia Pty Ltd - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

http://www.Bookpal.com.au/ is helping self publishers all around the world to successfully self publish and market their books with cost effective solutions to create bestsellers. The website offers a free book for budding self publishers, and many other free resources.

Terence Tam is the founder of BookPal, he previously spent 6 years as an academic and was a contributing author for several academic books. Frustrated with the level of service he was getting with traditional publishers, he set up his own self publishing company to help other authors publish and market books with cost effective yet efficient solutions

Best Perfumes For Men - Take The World By Storm

Looking for a birthday gift for your dream man? How about a crisp, clear and absolutely refreshing fragrance that'll super charge him instantly? Women always go weak kneed when they catch a whiff of those tantalizing fragrances in their vicinity. Prada, Versace or DKNY, each one these fragrances redefine masculinity. So whether it's that all-important interview, a hectic night out with friends at the disco or the bar or that dream date that's sure going to set your pulses racing, you're not done until you splash some of the best perfumes for men before stepping out.

Which one's for me?

Considering there's quite an array of perfumes going all out to grab your senses, its quite a onerous task deciding on the kind of perfume to wear for that special occasion. Without obfuscating matters any further, here's a list of the best in the fragrant world of men's perfume:

* Aqua di Gio by Armani: Something that bears the Armani label is sure to make you go wow. This is one refreshing fragrance that'll keep you cool on a sultry day. The unmistakably strong citrus notes topped with rosemary have the potential to keep your alive. Watch how the mercury rises, even after sunset.

* D&G: This woody, fruity fragrance peppered with mint and tobacco is extremely masculine. It's the perfect weapon to accentuate your moves on the dance floor in the night club.

* Cool Water by Davidoff: This classy fragrance sure lives up to its name- it's certainly very cool and tantalizingly fresh. The spicy fragrance blended perfectly with amber and lavender has the power to drive women wild. It's the only thing that you can trust for that sales presentation in the office or that dream dinner in a fancy restaurant.

* Eternity- Calvin Kline: An aromatic symphony of jasmine, basil, sage and rosewood makes this fragrance perfect for daytime wear. If you're looking for that complete perfume, your search ends here.

* Polo Sport: This sporty floral fragrance layered with amber is the best bet during a golf vacation or that much needed getaway at the ski resort.

* Le Male: This fragrance created by Jean Paul Gautier packs in quite a wallop. It's woody but also has a sweet tinge to it. Generous doses of mint, orange and lavender make this fragrance perfect for your winter time arsenal. Somebody's sure going to warm up to you on a cold and frosty morning.

There are many more such bestsellers that can help you make quite an impression. While choosing any of the best perfumes for men, make sure it blends effortlessly with your magnetic personality. It's all that you need to take the world by storm.

Axe Cologne - Is it the best men's perfume? And how much do you like Poeme perfume and Shalimar perfume?

Men's Beach Wear

The men's bathing suit, there are styles for different occasions, options for every type of body, and there are trends just like in every season. It is summer, the days are longer, and the hot days are intense, everyone is looking for any moment to visit the beach and refresh a little in the water, but you should always do this in style, wearing what best fits you and what is on everyone's mouth for this summer trends.

The classic bathing suit is the lifeguard bikini, now it is worn in the hips and it is wider at the sides for a more comfortable fit, not too tight and no too revealing. Looks are more important nowadays for men and it is important to choose where to tan, if you tan with a Bermuda, there will be a line at the knee's level that will never be attractive. Even though there are some people that will never change their longer board suit for anything, the new length for bathing suit shorts is mid-thigh; this will allow your tan line to be a little less obvious. The good thing about the classic board shorts is that they can be left worn as a regular short during the day.

This summer, it is allowed to wear fabrics that scream extravagant, like metallic and fabulous prints like tribal safari style and flower prints. Not only prints in the bathing suits but also a printed t-shirt with a solid bathing suit pant might be your look. Military influence will also be very in but camouflage is not fashionable this season, better go for pockets and army colors for a more complete proposal.

Brown will be the new black for this season; it will be our starring role this summer since it is better for unique combinations like turquoise, yellow and red. Pastels will not be around anymore since our color palette will be mainly of primary and secondary colors with their most brilliant expressions. All this color in one single piece will be the highlight of the season.

Polo shirts are also one of the best partners for your short and your stylish hat; this is a nice look for your first day in a weekend getaway. After that, change into something more comfortable like a T-shirt, after all, you will be going in the water.

You can define your style for the beach or a weekend getaway according to what you like and the style you wish to adopt with colors, graphics and forms. Never forget your accessories, a nice fedora hat and cool leather beach sandals can make you seem like you went off the runway to the beach. Don't forget your sunglasses since it may be sunny out there and your attitude can never be forgotten. If you are not ready for an extreme change, classic is always in style but never be afraid of trying something different, you never know what the tide might bring your way.

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Seth Godin on Networking

Today I am excited to share with you Networking Newbie's connection # 2, Seth Godin. Anyone who knows anything about marketing probably knows something ( or everything ) about Seth. Seth Godin has written 12 bestsellers that have been translated into 33 languages.

I got in touch with Seth via e-mail and he shared with me his views on networking. At first, I was startled as he started to explain how networking can be worthless! Despite the domain of my site, I completely agree. Let's get critical and take a look at Seth Godin's opinion on networking.

When Networking is Worthless!

Networking for the sake of networking is useless.

It is more valuable to develop lasting relationships with a few people than to have thousands of twitter or facebook followers.

"Networking is always important when it's real and it's always a useless distraction when it's fake. What the internet has allowed is an enormous amount of fake networking to take place."

Real Relationships Matter!

Seth says we need to ask ourselves "Are there people out there who I would go out of my way for, and who'd go out of their way for me?"

How to Build Real Relationships!

"The way you get there is by going out of your way for them, and by earning the privilege of one day having that connection be worthwhile."

For the best in marketing visit Seth Godin's blog at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

For more tips and advice for inspiring professional and entrepreneurs visit http://networkingnewbie.wordpress.com/

How to Become a Star at Work

The only way you will ever truly succeed in this new knowledge-based economy is to become a star at work, that is, an individual who stands far above the crowd and one who is totally unique in a world where most people are trying to be more alike. The moment you make a deep commitment to becoming a star at work and burning all your bridges to the person that you once were, your life will change in an unmistakable way.

The day you decide to start acting like the person you were destined to become is the day that you begin to tap into the wellspring of human talents that will lead you to your own form of personal greatness. These are not the simple musings of yet another professional thinker spouting hackneyed euphemisms in the hope that one day someone will take note. These are the hard, cold facts of life - and they have been so for hundreds of years. And to deny them and continue living a life of complacency is to abandon your duty to do something special with your life. As Ashley Montagu observed: "The deepest personal defeat suffered by human beings is constituted by the difference between what one was capable of becoming and what one has in fact become."

To become a star at work and to start seizing some of the matchless opportunities that are out there in what I believe to be the most exciting time in the history of humanity, you first need to make the decision to raise the standards that you will work and live by. Commit to living by a benchmark far higher than anyone would have the right to expect from you. Take a good hard look at the way you spend your days and ask yourself whether your agenda reflects your priorities. If there is an incongruity between the activities you invest your energies in and the values you hope to live by, you have a problem and need to make some immediate course corrections. For example, if your goal is to have a meaningful and rewarding work experience but you devote your days spinning your wheels on mundane tasks that never advance your professional goals, you need to do refocus yourself on the things that truly count. If a rich and happy family experience is high on your list of life priorities but you have not been to your son's soccer game in a year and you cannot remember the last time you sat down to do homework with your daughter, you need to sharpen your pencil and rework your schedule. The facts never lie and the activities of your schedule will ultimately reflect the quality of your life.

The next step in becoming a star at work is to dedicate yourself to becoming "a person of action". In life there are three types of people. First are those that make things happen. Second are those that watch things happen. And third are those people who wake up one day, at then end of their lives, and ask "What Happened?" Today, make a firm decision to join the first group - the group of human beings who have decided that life is a gift and every day is a new opportunity to learn, grow and contribute. As you go through this day, look for opportunities to bring a sense of excellence and mastery to your work. What little thing could you do over the next few hours to build relationships at work or make your clients say "Wow?" What mental attitudes could you adopt to reframe what is negative into positive and rekindle that enthusiasm that you had when you were just a kid? What simple gestures of decency could you do to show your teammates that you care and are committed to showing leadership in a world where real leaders are few and far between? As I wrote in my latest book "Who Will Cry When You Die?": "the smallest of actions is always better than the noblest intentions," and today is your chance to make a difference. "There's nothing really difficult if only you begin. Some people contemplate a task until it looms so big it seems impossible but I just begin and it gets done somehow. There would be no coral islands if the first bug sat down and began to wonder how the job was to be done," noted John Shaw Billings.

Here are 7 more things you can do over the next 10 days to become a star at work:

1. Take your hero to lunch. Find someone who has created the kind of professional and personal life that you want and have the courage to take them out to lunch. If there is an author you admire and she lives in your city, pick up the phone and ask for a meeting. If you just read an inspiring article about someone who had turned adversity into advantage and you know you can learn from him, send out an e-mail and open up the lines of communication. In this new knowledge economy, the person who learns the most wins. Learn from heroes.

2. Set "learning goals." Most wise performers on the playing field of business set career, financial and personal goals but few set specific learning goals. For this year, I have set clear objectives as to how many books I will read, how many seminars I will attend and how many personal growth retreats I will visit. I also try and set a daily learning quota of three new things every day to keep me stimulated and excited about my work as a professional speaker and leadership coach.

3. Become indispensable. While working at a major league legal firm after I had completed law school, I asked one of the senior partners what one had to do in order to become successful at this firm. His response has never left me and has been exceedingly helpful. "Robin," he said, "the real secret of success is to be so good at what you do that this firm will not be able to run without you. Be so good at what you do that you are the first person that we all think of when we need advice. Be so good at what you do that you become indispensable. Then your success will be assured." So my challenge to your is this: pick your best three talents - 3 core competencies that you have that truly make you special - and then commit to refining them over the coming twelve months until they set you apart from the crowd. Make a personal vow that you will become so good at your professional craft that you become indispensable to your team and to your organization as a whole. Then watch your career soar.

4. Make time to think. It is a strange paradox of the frenzied age that we live in that we have become so busy that we do not even have time to think about the things that we are so busy about. We spend our days on projects that need to get done and in meetings that need to be attended. We spend our evenings with people we need to meet and doing activities that need to be completed. But let me ask you? When was the last time you went for a solitary walk in the woods and deeply reflected on the way you are working and living? When was the last time you took a few hours to gain some real clarity into where you want to be professional and personally five years from now? Henry David Thoreau said: "It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is what are you so busy with?" Carve out at least one hour every week for some serious reflection, introspection and self-examination so that you will keep learning from your weeks.

5. Start a reading group at work. If you want to be a leader, you must first become a reader. Knowing how to read and not doing so puts you in precisely the same position as someone who cannot read. We live in an age where ideas - not bricks and mortar - are the currency of success. One idea, well executed, can transform your team, your culture and your entire organization. One idea, read in a single book, can reshape your thinking processes, transform your character or renew your health. Here's the thing: you just don't know which book contains that one idea that will revolutionize your life. But believe me, it is out there. And it is waiting for you. Read daily and ensure those around you to do the same. The company that learns together stays together.

6. Look like a star. Get serious about physical mastery. Commit to being in peak shape so you increase your energy levels and enhance your stamina. Rekindle that healthy glow that comes from running or swimming or going for a brisk walk at lunch. And make the time to dress and conduct yourself in a way that conveys your commitment to excellence, not only in business but in life.

7. Think contribution. We all have a deep human hunger to be a part of something larger than ourselves. We all carry within us a core craving to do something important in our work lives and know that, at the end of the day, our energies have been invested in activities that have added value to the world and made a difference in people's lives. Begin to see the higher meaning of the work that you are doing and stay focused on adding value to others. As the 13th Century philosopher Rumi said: "When you are dead, seek for your resting place not in the earth but in the hearts of men."

Robin Sharma, LL.B., LL.M., is one of the world's top experts on leadership and personal development. The author of ten major international bestsellers including The Greatness Guide Series, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, Robin is the CEO of Sharma Leadership International Inc., a global training firm with a simple mission: to help people Lead Without Title. Profiled regularly on leading international media such as CNN and MSNBC, clients include GE, Nike, FedEx, NASA, Unilever, Microsoft, BP, IBM, The Harvard School of Business and Yale University. His website http://www.robinsharma.com is one of the most popular leadership and personal development destinations on the Internet.

Book Proposal Marketing Section

What if you wrote a great book but nobody wanted to read it? That would be a catastrophe for you and your publisher. Which is precisely why a marketing section is included in every good book proposal.

THE MARKETING SECTION OF THE BOOK PROPOSAL

The marketing section in a book proposal is often the first thing that the marketing department looks at after the overview section. Once they know the title of the book and read the book hook (or what the book will be about) they want to know who will buy the book. This makes sense, doesn't it? If there's a huge market, that is, if there are millions of potential readers, then the marketing department will be eager to acquire your book. They'll call their acquiring editor and urge her to buy the book from your literary agent, and you'll get a nice advance.

THE TWO PARTS OF THE MARKETING SECTION

There are two parts to the marketing section of a book proposal.

1. The first paragraph is the biggest punch you have. Put more simply, it's the paragraph in which you tell us about your biggest market. Let's say you're writing a book entitled TEEN FASHION, then the first paragraph of your marketing section would say something like: "There are fourteen million teen boys and fifteen million teen girls in the United States alone. They will be the key buyers of TEEN FASHION. They will certainly want to know what their friends consider trendy, and TEEN FASHION will tell them, and show them with photos." These teens are your biggest market, and you hit the book proposal reader with this important fact in the first paragraph of your marketing section. Don't save the best for last -- come right out and fire your big guns right away.

2. The second part of the marketing section contains one or more paragraphs, and it lists and describes any other markets for your book. For example you could mention that dressmakers will want to own your book. Point out that teachers at fashion schools will also want to buy it. Hollywood costume designers will also be keen to have a copy. And libraries will certainly want to carry it. See how these markets are rather less persuasive than your first big market, those 29 million teens? But even though these markets are less substantial, you should mention them all because ultimately they will be potential buyers of the book.

The marketing section describes and quantifies your book's potential buyers. Don't worry if you're not sure that all these market segments will buy your book -- no one is really sure. Just assert it, and leave it at that. That's all you can do at this point, and that's all that your literary agent and editor are expecting you to do.

William Cane is the author of The Art of Kissing, translated into 19 languages. He taught English at Boston College for fourteen years and today is a widely sought-after speaker at colleges and universities nationwide. His Web site contains more insider writing advice for those wishing to get published: http://www.hiwrite.com/

Copyright © 2007 William Cane

Sell Your Book To Make It A Best Seller

A big portion about writing a best-selling book is not the writing only, it's the selling. That's why it's called "Best-Selling Book" and not "Best-Writing Book". You have to sell it really well.

Here are some of the efforts that I have taken to ensure that my books become bestsellers.

The first thing I did was arranging for a lot of book talks. Anytime I could get an opportunity to go out there to speak and sell the book I would do that.

So what I did was to approach all the major bookshops in Singapore. MPH, Times, Kinokuniya, Borders and Popular and arranged book talks every single weekend. So every single weekend I would go out there to speak and draw crowds. In fact, it is during my talks that I sold the most number of books.

Another promotion effort I did was to arrange free talks in schools. These talks were usually held during the school assemblies. So I would speak during the allocated time for the assemblies. And I conducted them over a 4 month period. That was what drove the sales of the book. That's what got people talking about my book.

The other thing which I did was to put advertisements in the papers
Some of my friends thought it was a stupid idea because it was expensive.
One small ad would cost about $3,000. They said "Adam, you are never going to make back your money!"

It did eventually, and by placing those ads, it drew the crowd into the bookshops.

Which leads me to an important thing, you have to make sure the bookshops give you good shelf space. How do you make sure you do that?

It's all about going there, building rapport with the person in charge of book placements, talking to the person and asking the person to place the books at better spaces.

I would go to the bookshop every weekend to look at where my book is and if my book is in a lousy position, I would take my book and replace it with other books which were at a good position. I know it's a dirty trick but I did that.

The other thing I did was to create artificial demand. Initially, when I first wrote my book, no one wanted to display it well. A lot of bookshops didn't want to bring it in because I was a local author and no one knew me at that time.

So what I did was I got a lot of my friends to call the bookshops up, asking about the book. They would go, "Excuse me, have you seen this book called "I Am Gifted, So Are You"?" and the bookshops would say "Oh, we don't have it yet."

And my friends would reply saying "Hey, but it's a very good book, how can you not have this book?" I also got all my friends and relatives to write in to the bookshops complaining that it was a best-selling book, they wanted to buy it but they couldn't get it. So that got the bookshops to start ordering it and it created that cycle.

You will notice that sometimes it takes a little thinking out of the box and effort to make your book a best seller. Ultimately, in order for your book to be a bestseller, you have to take the necessary measures to sell your book.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, best-selling author and a self-made millionaire by the age of 26. Discover his million dollar secrets and claim your FREE bonus CD '6 Ways To Achieve Anything In Life' at Paving The Way To The Top.

Jacqueline Wilson - For the British Children

Jacqueline Wilson, born Jacqueline Aitken is a British author of children's books. Her books have topped the bestsellers list in Britain and have won several prestigious awards. Many of her books have also been adapted for television and stage.

Born in Bath, Somerset in 1945, she initially started working in a Dundee-based publishing company, DC Thomson on a girl's magazine Jackie. According to a legend, the magazine was named after the author but this was denied outrightly by the once involved with the magazine.

About the style of her writing one can say that her books are typically realistic and take the British children and their problems as the focal point. From the death of a pet to divorce, and from homelessness to abuse, all pertinent problems faced by children in UK are picked up by her in books such as The Cat Mummy, The Suitcase Kid, The Bed and Breakfast Star and Secrets. Majority of the books written by Jacqueline Wilson are in first person narrative. Her books that have been adapted as television series include Girls in Love, Best Friends and The Story of Tracy Beaker.

This noted writer has published great bestsellers and has got many awards to her credit, including Smarties Prize and the Guardian Children's Fiction Award. Her book The Illustrated Mum won the Guardian Children's Fiction Award as well as 1999 Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards. Apart from that The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People's Choice Award. Her other noted achievements inlcude the conferring of Order of the British Empire for services to literacy in schools. Also, in 2007 her contribution to children's literature was recognised and she was awared an Honorary Doctorate by Roehampton University.

You don't have to go too far to buy books by Jacqueline Wilson. Search the World Wide Web and her bestseller collection would be delivered at your door.

Jacob Marshal, a dedicated writer of Rupizcompare.co.uk which provide Jacqueline Wilson with Buy Children's Books as Buy Books

Publishing Options for New Authors

Most of us have dreams of writing a book one day but the statistics verify that the vast majority never complete the task. There are lots of reasons for this failure but one of the most important is that would-be authors have heard that publishers accept only a tiny percentage of the book proposals they receive. People have heard how difficult it can be and they give up on the task as a result.

Technology has changed a lot of things in the publishing industry, not to mention just about every other industry you can imagine. Not only is it easier for an entrepreneur to start a book publishing company but the costs of printing a small number of books has come down dramatically, allowing authors to avoid the prohibitive minimums that used to characterize the book printing business.

With these recent developments in mind, we need to re-introduce would-be authors to the new book-publishing landscape so they can re-evaluate the possibility of finally making their dream a reality. This article will review the three primary ways of getting a book published in the modern world. Future articles will cover the opportunities and challenges of each strategy.

The first way of getting a book published is the path that has existed for years and years. There are a number of huge publishing houses including Penguin, Random House and McGraw Hill that can do the job. But these industry elephants only work with proven authors and generally require you have a literary agent before they'll even review the proposal. Of course, the upside is that these publishing giants are well respected, leaving you with better credibility and preferential shelf space within the major retailers.

The second strategy is to use a smaller independent publisher. There are more and more of these popping up everyday and they tend to specialize in one genre or another. Of course, there's a wide variety of publishers within this category - some very small and others quite well established - but they all generally have full distribution channels in place, allowing your book to reach the same shelves as the big boys. Proposals are sent directly to the Acquisitions Editor for consideration and literary agents are optional.

The last strategy is by far the most common: self-publishing. Because printing minimum order quantities have come down so much in recent years, authors can quickly and easily print a few copies of their new book and risk less money than ever before. Obviously, this virtually eliminates one of the major barriers to entry and an estimated 90% of all books being published today are self-published.

The clear upside is that nobody can reject your proposal. If you want to write it and print it, go right ahead. And in many cases, the printing houses you would use to get the book put on paper have respectable distribution channels in place as well, meaning your book could theoretically reach the same shelves as those published by larger publishing companies. The downside is a lower degree of credibility but for many, that's a small price to pay for their dream to get realized.

The important thing to remember is that regardless of the publishing method you choose, the majority of the marketing effort is left to the author. Even with the industry majors, it's the author's job to promote and sell his or her book. So if you have ambitions to publish your own book, sit down and think about how you're going to sell it. If you have an answer to that question, you have a much better chance of getting accepted by the big boys.

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Best Self Publishing Book Promotion Idea

Creativity is the key to discovering the best self publishing book promotion ideas. The truth is that good self publishing book promotion ideas will yield the best results and enable you to swiftly make a huge return from your investment.

One of the best and most effective self publishing book promotion ideas you will ever come across that of publishing parts of your book in the form of brief useful articles that can be distributed via leading high traffic article directories on the net. Done properly, this free promotional method has the potential of enabling you to sell tens of thousands of books without the help of any other promotional method. To start with good articles usually enjoy an amazingly swift viral effect where they quickly get re-posted at other sites and blogs all over the World Wide Web.

So it is possible to start off with your best self publishing book promotion articles posted at one or two sites and end up in a situation where they get re-posted in thousands of other sites. If your resource box has a link pointing back to your main book web site or blog site, then this could result in huge targeted traffic that is your potential market constantly flooding at your site.

This innocent-looking simple idea is one of the best, most effective self publishing book promotion ideas I have ever tried out.

Visit the author's self publishing book strategy blog for more amazing tips, details and valuable resources.

Dean Koontz - Breathless

I started reading Dean Koontz when I was about 14 years old and I only started reading his books because he came across as a horror writer with the odd novel of suspense thrown in for good keeping. I started out reading Tick Tock and although a small novel, I loved it. There was no waffle or long drawn out descriptions. Just plain story. So what about the latest book, Breathless?

Well, it's the story of Grady Adams, the novels primary character, who one days goes for a stroll and comes across furry animals unlike anything he has ever seen before. Already there's nothing out of the ordinary here. This isn't a storyline that will blow your mind or keep you up at night wishing the book never ended. Far from it. The story goes on with Grady trying to get closer and closer to the furry animals not realising that he is also being watched. In comes to government. The area sectioned off by Homeland Security. Army Biologists. Does it all seem a bit serious for a couple of furry animals even though they may be an alien species? I think so. I could understand it if they were a couple of carnivores but that's not the case. If the government really wanted to study these animals all they would have to do is send in a couple of nuns to gain the furry animals' confidence, capture them and turn them over. One reviewer on Amazon even noted that he couldn't understand why the book was called Breathless unless it was describing how you felt after running back to the shop for a refund. I can see exactly where he's coming from and it even pains me to say it. I loved Dean Koontz's books but his later books like The Good Guy, The Husband, The Darkest Evening of the Year etc etc are falling way short of the mark.

Does anybody else think that Koontz has lost his mojo? It seems to me that he's just knocking out book after book maybe to stay at the top of the bestsellers list but if all his future books mirror the quality of Breathless he won't be on the bestsellers list. The dialogue between characters has gone from genuine to sarcastic like he just wants to beef up the book. I'd much rather he wrote one book every two years rather than two or three a year if it meant the quality of the story soared. Right now, he's sinking.

Being a Koontz fan I hope he makes a decent comeback. If you're new to Koontz then start with something like Phantoms, Whispers or even Fear Nothing, one of my personal favourites.

I have been employed by FlamingTeeth.com to spread the word that horror, science fiction and fantasy are not dead and should be promoted as much as thriller, crime and mystery.

I'm a massive horror fan myself so it's a pleasure to finally be doing something to help. You can find the site here@ [http://www.flamingteeth.com]

Writing a Great Book Proposal - Part One

When I prepared to write a great book proposal, the first step I took was to write a book proposal that would pique a publisher's interest. My book proposal consisted of 9 parts. In order to limit this article to the requested length of 500 words, I'll focus on the first, second, and third parts:

The Proposal Proper

Annotated Chapter Outline

The Market

The Proposal Proper

In the Proposal Proper, I give a general idea of what I am going to write about:

Biographies blending with history.

Introduction to the three protagonists in the book.

Then I explain why my book will make a unique contribution to a market already flooded with books and manuscripts about China.

The three protagonists in my book actually played their parts in the central political events of their day. The historical details provided are unknown in the West, or even in China. New details shed new light on events. Therefore I write from a special vantage point and fill quite a few gaps in the history of one of the most vital periods of modern China.

Annotated Chapter Outline

The Annotated Chapter Outline offers me an opportunity to demonstrate my control over the material, my ability to organize it, and my writing style.

To begin with, each chapter title should promise a reader that I'll lead him to a place where he has never been to, and where he'll meet fascinating characters he has never known.

I cite some chapter titles as an example.

I end each chapter summary with a titillating hint about the next.

When a reader finishes reading the outline, he will have a bird's eye view of a vast mosaic of historical events and human behaviors.

The Market

A publisher wants to buy a salable manuscript and makes a profit, so it is important for me to provide the information.

This book, I believe, has a broad appeal.

Here is why.

Yuan-tsung was born in China, and immigrated to USA in 1972. Her first book, THE DRAGON'S VILLAGE, (was published by Pantheon, and) its Penguin paperback sells an average of 3,000 copies per year since 1981. Her latest book (nonfiction), RETURN TO THE MIDDLE KINGDOM, is now available through the Union Square Press of Sterling Publishing. For more information, please visit http://www.yuantsungchen.com

What Defines a Bestseller in Books?

Every author dreams of writing a bestselling book, but few new authors really understand what it takes to be a bestseller and just what defines a bestseller.

What it takes is selling a lot of books. How to do so is an entire topic of its own, but before figuring out how to reach the goal, authors first need to understand what the goal is. Just what does it mean to have a bestselling book-how many books do you have to sell?

Today, a bestseller is usually determined either by 1) Making the New York Times Bestseller list, 2) Having a high Amazon sales rank, or 3) Selling a large number of copies.

How does a book get on the New York Times Bestseller list? The truth of the matter is it's rather arbitrary. The New York Times has relationships with numerous bookstores that report their weekly sales to the New York Times. (Note that the New York Times' numbers do not include Internet sales, sales in department stores like Walmart, or sales in local gift shops). The books that sell the most each week in the targeted stores determine which ones make the list. If your fishing book is selling like hotcakes in Minnesota, but no bookstore there is reporting to the New York Times, your book isn't going to make the list, even if you sell more copies than the current Harry Potter of that week. Just as political polls have margins for error, so do the bestseller lists because it would be impossible to track each week every book sold everywhere in the country.

A book that never appears on the New York Times Bestseller list may well be a bestseller and outsell books on that list over time. Books that do not make a hit when they first come out can become popular through word-of-mouth and sell enough copies to achieve bestseller status even if they never appear on any bestseller lists. (Note that other lists exist such as Publishers Weekly, but the New York Times is the best known. Comparing a few different lists will show different books and different ranks, which shows no numbers are perfect representations of book sales. Accurate numbers are nearly impossible to acquire since publishers withhold sales numbers as privileged information, until generally books sell a million copies and then publishers simply print something like "Over a million copies sold" on paperback reprints).

Amazon has also become a key player in determining a bestseller because it provides a sales rank for each book listed. By getting a high sales ranking, for example, top 100, a book can also claim bestseller status. Like the New York Times, however, if a book on Amazon sells steadily but does not sell a large number within a short timeframe, its sales rank is not likely to go up as high as a book that sells ten thousand in a week. According to Brent Sampson's "Sell Your Book on Amazon" (2007) to acquire a ranking of 1-10, a book must sell over 500 copies in a day. Books that sell only one copy a week by comparison, end up in the 10,000-100,000 ranking. Many authors follow various strategies to manipulate and increase their book's Amazon rating by holding campaigns to sell as many books as possible within a week.

So just how many books do you need to sell to claim bestseller status? According to self-publishing guru, Dan Poynter, the number is 35,000. Since the popularity of a bestseller can be long or short, I think that's a fair number. A book might come out and make a huge hit and sell a million copies in a year, and then be forgotten. Other books, like the Bible, "A Tale of Two Cities" or "Pride and Prejudice" never appear on bestseller lists but they continue to sell steadily and have far outsold most books making the bestseller lists simply by their quality, word of mouth, and acceptance as great literature.

To sell 35,000 copies of your book is a big task. Studies show that 500,000 books a year are now being published. Of those, over 98% will sell less than 500 copies. If you're just starting out, shooting for 500 is a good start. After that, I would say you're moderately successful-and ready to strive for the thousands.

How important is it to claim "bestseller status"? At Wikipedia is an excellent list of all top ten bestsellers by year in the United States. Take a look at the list from 1951:

1. From Here to Eternity by James Jones


2. The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk


3. Moses by Sholem Asch


4. The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson


5. A Woman Called Fancy by Frank Yerby


6. The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat


7. Melville Goodwin, U.S.A. by John P. Marquand


8. Return to Paradise by James A. Michener


9. The Foundling by Cardinal Spellman


10. The Wanderer by Mika Waltari

My guess is that, with the exception of maybe the first two listed, most of us have never heard of these books. So I ask again, how important is it to have a bestseller?

Your book may never make a bestseller list, but steady wins the race. Over time, you may sell more copies of your book than those books that make the bestseller lists. Authors dream of becoming famous over night, but producing a quality book is the best investment if you're looking for longevity, and longevity, in my opinion, is the best indication of success.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Review The Book, where authors and reviewers meet. Her team provides reviews of recently published books that are posted on the site as well as at least ten other sites.

Traditional vs Self-Publishing

I love to write. In fact, I am quite a prolific writer having hundreds of articles and blog postings on the internet. I also have several websites that I author. However, when it is time for me to publish my own book, I might try self-publishing. The traditional method of publishing just seems like too much of a hassle for me.

The traditional way of getting a manuscript published is to first get a list of publishers. Then, you must contact them to find out whom to send your manuscript to at the publishing house. You must print out and send your manuscript to them. They receive your work and read it. This can take several weeks to months. During this time, you can't really do anything else with your book. This can be a very stressful time. Eventually, you will either get an acceptance letter or rejection letter from the editor who has read your book. If they accept your book, congratulations! If not, you must start all over again with another publisher!

Once accepted, the publisher takes care of everything else. They will send you a contract that states how much (or how little) money you will receive for your book and what percentage of royalties you will receive for each book sold. Your book will then go into production. First, it will be designed and given a layout. This takes several weeks. Then, once the completed book is designed, the entire thing must be proofread by several people to be sure it is free from errors. Once that is completed, it is sent to the printer for printing and binding. This can take another several weeks. After this time, you have a completed book! The publisher then will market your book and distribute it to the bookstores like Borders and Barnes and Noble and to online merchants like Amazon. At this point, several months may have passed but your book is finally available for sale.

If you pursue self-publishing, you can cut many months out of the production schedule by designing the book yourself. You are then responsible for getting your book printed and bound. However, with self-publishing, you can usually get fewer copies printed to save money. You must then market and distribute the book yourself. However, all this work can be worth it because you get to keep all the profits you make from your book and you won't be paying a publisher any of your profits.

Dean Novosat owns and operates http://www.publishmehome.com, which contains many tips and information on self publishing.