Self-Published “Business Cook Book” to be Stocked at Waterstones

Self-published book ‘Business Cookery: Tried and tested recipes for business success’ is to be stocked at Waterstones.

Hot on the heels of best-selling Kindle authors John Locke, Louise Voss and Mark Edwards two UK authors are using their business experience to self-publish and promote their own paperback and e-book.

The quirky novel/business book hybrid is selling well on Amazon (both in paperback and on Kindle) and now Waterstones have agreed to stock the title in their high street stores. It’s also available online from Blackwells, WHSmith and Foyles.

Entrepreneurs Hannah McNamara and Patrick White decided to go down the route of self-publishing, even though McNamara had worked with a publisher on her first book, ‘Niche Marketing for Coaches’.

McNamara says, “Many authors don’t realise the amount of marketing publishers expect you to do for your own book. They assume that their job is just to write a good book and the publishers will take care of making it sell.

“My experience first time around taught me that there were so many aspects of publishing a book we could easily handle ourselves and be in complete control of. Most self-published authors focus on e-books but it was important for us to be published in print as well and be stocked in book stores. As business people we’re always focused on the profit margin, so doing it ourselves means that we could make publishing a book very profitable. It’s also been a lot of fun!”

This emphasis on making a profit is very apt given the topic of their book. Business Cookery uses cookery analogies to teach business principles and it’s already receiving acclaim from entrepreneurs and foodies alike.

‘Secret Millionaire’ property investor Caroline Marsh says, “I heartily endorse Business Cookery, Clear, easy-to-read. I like the stories that guide you through the fundamentals on how to start, run and manage a successful business. Follow the recipe and make a great pie!”

Sejal Sukhadwala of LoveFood.com describes the book as “a modern classic, this unique tome gives business and personal development advice via cookery-themed storytelling, recipes and food analogies.”

For a limited time, the authors are making the first 2 chapters available free from www.businesscookerybook.com.

Represent yourself in court . New books tells you how

The cuts in legal aid announced by the Government in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill will force more and more people to represent themselves, often reluctantly, in complex, serious and potentially life-changing court proceedings, says the author of new book on the subject. Those now falling outside the legal aid scheme could include someone accused of domestic violence in the midst of a family dispute, perhaps over contact with children, claims Lucy Reed.

Lucy Reed, a practising family law barrister and author of a recently published book aimed at helping litigants in person in family proceedings, claims: “The exclusion of many family cases from the scope of legal aid will force more people to have to represent themselves in court. This will include people trying to respond to serious allegations of physical violence or sexual abuse against a former partner or child, and where the decisions being taken could have a lifelong impact on their relationship with their children.”

Even more worryingly, Lucy adds that “A parent making an allegation of abuse will be able to obtain legal aid, but the parent on the receiving end will not, even though the allegations may not be true.

“This could lead to “inequality of arms” where one party is forced to fall back on doing it themselves while the other side in the dispute has access to the knowledge, resources and experience of a qualified legal representative.

The changes were announced in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill published yesterday.

Lucy Reed has written a book called: Family Courts without a Lawyer: A Handbook for Litigants in Person which is published by Bath Publishing. An associated website,  www.nofamilylawyer.co.uk is now on line. The site contains working documents and resources referred to in the book

FACTFILE:

- A litigant in person is the term used for those representing their case in court without the assistance of a qualified legal representative.

- The author, Lucy Reed, is a barrister at St John's Chambers in Bristol. She is also the author of the well known family law blog, www.pinktape.co.uk.

- Bath Publishing are legal publishers, in print and online, who have been providing information to family lawyers and others working in family justice since 2005. They founded, developed, managed and subsequently sold (in 2010) a leading online resource for the industry, www.familylawweek.co.uk

Details about the book:
Family Courts without a Lawyer: A Handbook for Litigants in Person
Price: £29.00
336 pages
Website: Readers also have access to updates, useful documents and other resources on the accompanying website, www.nofamilylawyer.co.uk

A long and healthy life? A new book might challenge what you know

We have been told that the key to longevity involves obsessing over what we eat, how much we stress, and how fast we run. Based on the most extensive study of longevity ever conducted, The Longevity Project exposes what really impacts our lifespan - including friends, family, personality and work.

This is the first time the general public has shown the findings of this incredible, decade-spanning study that began in the early 1920s

THE LONGEVITY PROJECT
Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight Decade Study

By Howard S. Friedman, PhD and Leslie R. Martin, PhD

Published by Hay House, 4th July 2011, £10.99 pb

Gathering new information and using modern statistics to study participants across eight decades, Dr Howard Friedman and Dr Leslie Martin bust myths about achieving health and long life. For example:
- People do not die from working long hours at a challenging job – many who worked the hardest lived the longest
- Getting and staying married is not the magic ticket to long life, especially if you're a woman
- It's not the happy-go-lucky ones who thrive – it's the prudent and persistent who flourish through the years.

With questionnaires that help you determine where you are heading on the longevity spectrum and advice about how to stay healthy, this book changes the conversation about living a long, healthy life.

Howard S. Friedman is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California in Riverside, California. For three decades, Professor Friedman has studied personality predictors of longevity, developing a scientific understanding of the 'disease-prone personality' and the 'self-healing personality.' Leslie R. Martin is Professor of Psychology at La Sierra University in California.

LONGEVITY MYTHS:

The Longevity Project proves that most of the truisms about health and longevity are inaccurate; and even when they are true, it’s not for the reasons we expect!

Here are just a few of the longevity myths busted in this book:

• ‘You’ll worry yourself sick’: In reality worriers live longer; a healthy dose of concern about the future makes people more likely to be diligent about their health, which translates into years.

• ‘Look on the bright side’ It turns out that overly-optimistic people tend to put themselves in harm’s way—they just don’t see risks as clearly as people who are prone to caution/pessimism.

• Do you resolve every year to exercise more? Vigorous exercise can be detrimental to longevity. If you’re not a gym bunny, don’t sweat it—partaking in physical activities that you enjoy like gardening or walking actually are more beneficial to your health than high-impact exercise.

• ‘You’ll work yourself to death’: Hard workers actually live longer, even those with stressful jobs; being engaged and motivated keeps you alive.

• Married people live longer: Those in happy marriages do often live longer, but those whose marriages end in divorce actually have shorter life spans.

• Early education ensures higher level of achievement: Many children who are pushed into schooling before they’re prepared actually do not excel academically. In fact, drop-out levels are often higher in children who are put into school too early.

What do the experts say about this book?

‘The Longevity Project uses one of the most famous studies in psychology to answer the question of who lives longest - and why. The answers will surprise you. This is an important and deeply fascinating book.’
Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point

‘The content of this book will prove fascinating, not only to social, behavioral, and clinical scientists and practitioners and their students, but to the general reading public as well. The writing is crystal clear as it compels us to go on reading because we know that there will be an illuminating vignette as an example, or another fascinating finding, just around the corner, on the next page.’
Robert Rosenthal, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California, Riverside and Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, Harvard University

‘Incredibly, no one until now has chronicled and interpreted the findings from the monumental almost century-long longevity project for the general public. Is living a long life associated with being married, daily jogs, having a pet, or faith in God? At last, with lucid prose and rigorous yet crystal clear analysis, Professor Friedman and Professor Martin have succeeded beautifully.’
Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph. D., professor of psychology at the University of California/Riverside, and author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want

‘Want to live longer? You’ve probably heard the common advice (don’t work so hard, think positive thoughts, eat your broccoli, etc.) As the fascinating analysis in The Longevity Project shows, much of this advice is wrong. Based on one of the longest-running longitudinal studies ever conducted, The Longevity Project describes, in its lively and accessible pages, the personality traits most common to those who lived long lives – and how to shape them in yourself. It’s a great read for anyone interested in the burgeoning research on psychology and health.’
Jean M. Twenge, author of Generation Me

‘A compelling and objective assessment of character traits associated with longevity. Only a handful of studies in this field last long enough to give meaningful results, and even fewer remain significant after their primary investigators have passed away. Friedman and Martin have resurrected a remarkable achievement with surprising conclusions. I learned a lot from this book.’
Andrew Weil, M.D.

(EDITOR: So a lot of what we think we know might not be wrong, but actually be detrimental to our well-being? This is fascinating stuff.)

To find out more about this book visit 

http://www.hayhouse.co.uk/books/1848504314/the-longevity-project

That's Books: New book reveals a startling new truth about Stone...

That's Books: New book reveals a startling new truth about Stone...: "At 4:52 on June 21st 2011 the sun will creep over the horizon, then the revered Heel stone of Stonehenge, watched in ore by 10,000 common sp..."

New book reveals a startling new truth about Stonehenge

At 4:52 on June 21st 2011 the sun will creep over the horizon, then the revered Heel stone of Stonehenge, watched in ore by 10,000 common spectators and Druids alike. Little do they know they have turned up prematurely at Britain's most ancient prehistoric historical event.

For Stonehenge was ORIGINALLY built NOT to observe the midsummer solstice sunrise as commonly believed, but more significantly the midsummer SUNSET and MOON SET occurring some 17 hours later in the opposite direction!

In a new book ‘The Stonehenge Enigma’ launched this month, Archaeologist Robert John Langdon, states in great detail that the true purpose of Stonehenge was to pay homage to the dead and departing spirits leaving to the next world and NOT to worship the sun and rebirth as currently thought.

This revolutionary book proves that archaeologists have only scratched the surface of the historic significance of this world heritage site and have also grossly miscalculated and underestimated the age of the structure, which accepted carbon dating evidence found in the visitor's Car Park has shown it is 5,000 years older than the experts currently claim and was therefore built around 8,000 BC, making it the oldest prehistoric monument in the world.

In this ancient landscape, Stonehenge was constructed not on the grassy plain that we see today, but on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the river Avon, which had swelled out of proportion, directly after the last Ice Age. This excess of water was created when the two miles of ice that covered our land for over 15,000 years finally melted, flooding the entire landscape, leaving not the Britain we know today but a series of smaller islands and gigantic waterways.

'The Stonehenge Enigma' is dubbed by some as the most controversial archaeological book ever written. It contains over forty pieces of scientific evidence, like carbon dating, to support Langdon's hypothesis that over 10,000 years ago there was a great 'lost' civilisation that lived and traded on this network of rivers and flood plains.

This 'advanced' civilisation, did not roam the land as the hunter-gatherers history erroneously portrays, but in fact lived on reed boats that could not only navigate the internal waterways of ancient Britain, but also travel the 'known world' to trade.

These boats were the method used to transport the huge Bluestones from the Preseli mountains in Wales to the site at Stonehenge, negating the need to 'drag' them across Salisbury plain. The most compelling evidence for the existence of this 'lost civilisation' is found at the end of the book where written evidence from one of the worlds most famous ancient philosophers, identifies this civilisation.

'The Stonehenge Enigma' not only rewrites British history and the understanding of the development of our society, but moreover, rewrites the history of the world as Langdon proves this civilisation was the 'birth place' of our civilisation which has yet to be recognised by historians or archaeologists.

The full article can be found on Robert Langdon's blog site www.the-stonehenge-enigma.info.

Book extracts and pictures can be found at: www.prehistoric-britain.co.uk

www.abc-publishing-group.co.uk

(EDITOR: PLEASE NOTE: You may order this book -and many other books reviewed at That's Books- via the Amazon search box toward the top right of this site. Thank you.)

Do YOU struggle with staff, colleagues? There might be a reason! And there's a solution, too

Managers who are technically and functionally competent might not be getting the best results out of their staff. So says a top business consultant.

Many managers who lack important communication skills are struggling to build rapport with staff, which in turn is impacting on business results. Recent internal research by Google looking at the top eight management skills in the eyes of employees, saw 'technical skills' languishing at number eight.

Managers who demonstrated a genuine interest in their employees, who communicate well, and conveyed a clear vision and goals were held in higher regard by employees and produced superior results than those with purely technical skills.

Experienced executive coach and consultant Gill Graves of Iridium HRD Consulting Limited based in Northamptonshire, believes the recent research by Google confirms management communication skills and the ability to build rapport with staff leads to significant improvements in organisational performance through better employee engagement.

Gill points out: "This research highlights the need for highly professional technical and functional managers to hone their communication skills.

"Managers require a range of skills - providing feedback, coaching, listening, building rapport, setting goals, handling meetings and asking questions.

"At a time when many organisations are trying to do more with less, a low cost solution for enhancing productivity is to equip managers with the so-called 'soft skills' they need to become highly effective."

Gill's book, 'Presenting Yourself With IMPACT at work' provides a toolbox of techniques, hints and tips for people who are looking to kick start or further their careers through better communication and presentation.

Andrew Brodie, Head of HR at Faccenda Group says the book provides "an excellent framework for any business leader or manager interested in improving their ability to deliver key messages and engage people effectively".

Gill Graves is an experienced executive coach and consultant in leadership and team development and a recognised leader in the field of business communications. She works with professionals in organisations both large and small including Vodafone, the Open University, BAE Systems and the NHS. Visit www.iridiumconsulting.co.uk for more details.

'Presenting Yourself with Impact at Work' by Gill Graves is available for £12 at www.amazon.co.uk.

Make this Father's Day one he will remember and treasure

Father’s Day is 19th June and why not make it an extra special one this year with a personalised gift journal created by you for your Father at the from you to me website?

The award-winning gift journal publisher, fromyoutome has introduced some clever intuitive on line software at their on line shop, which will let you personalise your gift journal in four simple steps.

You can make your gift journal unique to your Dad by selecting the title of your book and them choosing images of your Father, and all the things that remind you of him.

Once this is completed, the journal is passed back to you, to be read, shared and treasured.

You'll also be able to tailor questions for you and your Dad with the aim of receiving back some real insights into his life, and his hopes for the future.

“With many people looking for ways to tell their life story and pass on personal experiences to their loved ones, from you to me gift journals can actually make it happen – so this Father’s Day can be the day you finally start that trip down memory lane with him,” explained a spokesman.

It costs £19.99 plus delivery. To start to create yours visit www.fromyoutome.com.