Book Review: Small Talk by Diane Weston

Sometimes the hardest part about developing a relationship with someone is getting started. In Small Talk, author Diane Weston shares tips and examples on how to start a conversation, connect with others, and make a great first impression.

No matter where we are in life, no matter what our occupation, we need to learn how to best interact with other people. Life is about developing relationships. Some may be more meaningful than others, but all require us to understand the basics of communication.

Weston opens with why we need small talk and what the reader can learn from Small Talk. Then she covers the important basics of human interaction and communication. She discusses forms of non-verbal communication, like facial expressions and posture. The book discusses positive thinking and general rules for small talk. Finally, Weston shares tips and techniques to master small talk, using several examples to help the reader fully understand how to master each technique.

Small Talk by Diane Weston should be in business and personal libraries everywhere. No matter the size of your group or what relationships you're looking to develop and nurture, you'll find tons of help in this great resource.


Paperback: 140 pages
Publisher: Independently published (April 21, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1095426907
ISBN-13: 978-1095426906

I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Mailbox Monday - May 20

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Will someone please tell me how to freeze time--kind of like Mel does on Charmed. Honestly, I can't keep up. Right after I am done with this post, I need to finalize a listing presentation for tomorrow morning. The girls are getting close to the end of the school year, so there are a lot of activities going on. All our eyes are focusing on visiting the Outer Banks again this summer.

In my writing and reading world, I've increased my blogging a bit--not sure how long that will last--and worked to catch up on the reviews I have coming down the line this month and next. This year, I want to bring some books to read "just because I want to" when we travel. Nothing much going on with my middle grade novel. It is sitting around Chapter 21. Need to write one more chapter before the next writing group meeting. I also really want to nail down a couple of agents to submit Clever Tom to before we go away.

Only one new book this week, but it is a good one that was recommended by a trainer.

What was in your mailbox this week? Anything exciting you would like to share?

Book Reviews: Outrageous Authenticity and The Seven Deadly Sins of Sales

I met this author when she was speaking at a real estate convention. There is a reason she is called the No Bullshit Realtor®. Leigh Brown always tells it like it is--whether you like it or not. She does, however, tell you with humor and Southern charm.

In Outrageous Authenticity, Leigh shows you the importance of being true to yourself, and how being that authentic person will, ultimately, result in growing your business.

Leigh learned during the housing crisis that sitting down and telling people the way it was and helping people come up with a plan--even if it wasn't what they wanted to hear--earned her a lot of respect and repeat business. She is proof you don't have to use some script or tactic to grow your business. With Outrageous Authenticity, she inspires you to be the best you possible, so that your honesty and integrity become front and center.

Highly recommended!

In her second book, Leigh Brown shoots as straight from the hip as she did in Outrageous Authenticity. She goes through the "Seven Deadly Sins of Sales," some of which she herself has committed, and shares ways to solve these issues that are easy and make sense.

In true Leigh Brown style, her honesty will help transform your business with easy techniques. First she identifies your sins, and then dissects them one at a time, ending with key takeaways from each section. Leigh shows you how to go from sinner to saint and develop the good habits that will keep you happily selling and growing your business for years to come.

A notes section is included in the back. Maybe I'll use it to write down more about my own sins and how I'll use Leigh's tips to fix them.

If you're in sales, Leigh Brown should be on your list of authors to read.

I purchased both of these books at a real estate conference.   These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Mailbox Monday - Nov 5

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Wow! Where did October go? It has been such a hectic one around here. My beautiful niece got married.

Looking at this peaceful face you would have no idea her outside wedding was rearranged last minute thanks to a Nor'easter and lack of power until the middle of the reception.

Lots of sports, planning the WriteAngles Conference that takes place on November 17, and tons of real estate transactions keeping me busy. Today is the Lil' Princess' birthday. How is she already 15?

In my book world, the mailbox had been full for one reason or another. Here are my most recent mailbox finds:

What have you found in your mailbox lately? Anything fun and geared toward the holidays?

On a side note, the girls have been bugging me since November 1 to put up the Christmas tree. Have any of you started decorating yet? 

Mailbox Monday - May 12

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Thankfully it was a slow book week. I haven't had as much reading time as I would like. Between meetings and running the kids back and forth to events, I've been pretty tired lately, so no late night reading sessions in the tub.

This first one came to me directly from the publisher. I think the Lil Diva might enjoy it. She's currently devouring the Percy Jackson Series, but I'll see what she thinks about tackling this one soon.

Maddy, an orphan, is sick of her Irish town, and sick of her cousin Danny, one of the nastiest people you could meet. Mad as hell one evening, she crawls inside the grounds of the castle, the one place she has always been forbidden to go. Once inside, she is chased by a strange feral boy, who she suspects is one of the faerie: cruel, fantastical people who live among humans and exchange local children for their own.

When the boy returns to steal her neighbor Stephen into his world, Maddy and her cousins set off on a terrifying journey into a magical wilderness, determined to bring him back home. To do so, they must face an evil as old as the earth itself.

Che Golden has created a gripping adventure that interweaves Maddy’s modern Irish experience with the vivid fantasy of the region’s ancient folklore. Readers will enjoy the frank and bold heroine of Maddy, and will be dazzled by The Feral Child’s evocative rendering of Irish folklore and richly imagined alternate worlds.

Take your real estate career to the highest level

"Whether you are just getting started or a veteran in the business, "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent" is the step-by-step handbook for seeking excellence in your profession and in your life."
--Mark Victor Hansen, cocreator, #1" New York Times" bestselling series "Chicken Soup for the Soul"

"This book presents a new paradigm for real estate and should be required reading for real estate professionals everywhere."
--Robert T. Kiyosaki, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad"

"The Millionaire Real Estate Agent "explains: Three concepts that drive production Economic, organizational, and lead generation models that are the foundations of any high-achiever's business How to "Earn a Million," "Net a Million," and "Receive a Million" in annual income.

I received a free copy of this one from a business associate.

What did you find in your mailbox?

Guest Blogger: Rudy Mazzocchi, Author of Storytelling

The value of any new venture or sound new idea needs to be developed out of the nothingness of silence, ignorance and darkness. It ignites and illuminates the world only when the great storytelling entrepreneur lights the flame. “STORYTELLING: The Indispensable Art of the Entrepreneur” shows, with startling clarity and practical know-how, the process by which wealth and other things of exceptional value can emerge into the world literally out of nothing—nothing, that is, but the Art of Storytelling.

STORYTELLING takes you on a journey which reveals how the development, progressive modification and adaptation of your story is the golden thread and foundational core management practice which ties together all the others: building, focusing and motivating your management team, navigating through troubled times or excessive growth, maintaining positive momentum with investors and Boards of Directors and positioning the venture for a potential exit.

Award-winning author and entrepreneur, Rudy Mazzocchi, exposes his greatest secret of success and provides an enormous amount of “experienced-based” illustrations and nuts-and-bolts practical advice. He reveals how to create and evolve the story of your new venture in a way that energizes and breathes life into what may have started out as just an idea.

Everyone can benefit greatly from reading this book—whether or not you envision yourself as an entrepreneur. STORYTELLING: The Indispensable Art of the Entrepreneur applies universally to ventures of all types and is an essential element in the fulfillment of any dream—dreams which depend upon capturing the interest and sustaining the highly-motivated commitment of others.

PURCHASE HERE!

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

 Who Cares?

By Rudy A. Mazzocchi

It’s not my nature to be cynical, but does it really matter that I published two novels and a non-fiction business book? I mean… really? Does the world need a couple more thrillers and yet another book about being an entrepreneur? Am I any better off having spent the last three years of my life researching, writing, editing, pushing and promoting these three books? Is the world a better place now that I’ve told my stories to the couple of thousand readers who picked up these books? I don’t think so. So why do we do it?

It’s actually amazing how the human brain continually needs to consume data. Data for the sake of knowledge, for entertainment, and even for self-gratification. The overweight husband sitting on the couch might feed that need by watching Monday Night Football… fascinated by not only the action, but by the flurry of statistics flashed on the screen that helps supplement the story of the game. Meanwhile, his wife might be off on an adjacent lounge chair, absorbing the massive amount of insignificant data provided by her People Magazine. We all have that innate need for mental stimulation.

Now let’s apply this to writers and readers. As a published author, I satisfy my needs by obtaining and processing new data and constructing it such a way as to create a unique set of characters and stories that may be appealing to someone seeking data to stimulate their own mind. It’s a way for us both (the writer and the reader) to detach from the reality of our daily lives. It’s not only a biological need, but one that applies the basic elements of economics. I produce a product, and someone buys it. This has been the essence of our human society since the beginning of time.

However, am I really making an impact in anyone’s life by writing a book? I suppose some folks out there might take away something of value from my stories, but let’s face it… once they’re finished, they’ll simply find another compelling book to read… one that may have a different impact on them that eradicates any morsel of data that may have been temporarily attained from my writings. So… who really cares?

Oh sure, once in a while a book comes along that everyone believes they need to read. Books ranging from Harry Potter to Fifty Shades of Grey will always somehow be picked up by the press and marketed aggressively, regardless of the quality of their content, while other spectacular literary works go undetected by the masses. So who cares how much heart, sweat and anguish might go into getting your novel published? Is it really worth it?

Well, for this author, it is worth every single stroke of the key board. Yes, it not only satisfies my needs to obtain, process and construct, but it provides great gratification of accomplishing a task. That couch-potato may obtain short-term gratification of watching his team play on Monday night, but what did he accomplish? Burning up another lost evening? The consumption of another thousand calories he really didn’t need? How about the reader who just finished another reading the trilogy of Fifty Shades of Grey? Well, as much as I hate to admit it, those readers have also accomplished a task. Completing the journey that any book or story provides is a true accomplishment.

Although my novels have won a few literary awards, and several readers have sent me their copies for signature, the only one who truly cares about this published accomplishment is me! Writers need to write for themselves, just as readers need to read a particular genre of personal interest. I can only hope that promotional efforts result in a greater awareness, and some sort of brand recognition, sufficiently to reach as many readers as possible so this writer, and you as the reader, can accomplish a shared journey together. 

Rudy Mazzocchi is best known as a medical device and biotechnology entrepreneur, inventor, and angel investor, with a history of starting new technology ventures throughout the U.S. and Europe. He's been privileged to have the opportunity to see the newest innovations in healthcare and work with some of the most brilliant researchers, scientists and physicians in the industry.

Authoring more than 50 patents, he has helped pioneer new companies involved in cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, neurosurgery and even embryonic stem-cell development. Through these efforts, he has become the recipient of many technology and business awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Healthcare (2004), Businessman of the Year Award (2005), and Global Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2013).

Combining these experiences and opportunities, with thousands of hours of travel and long evenings in hotel rooms, he found the initiative to start writing a collection of award-winning business/medical thrillers based on true events, known as The EQUITY Series. STORYTELLING was his debut non-fiction business book released in November 2013.

Visit his website at www.RudyMazzocchi.com.

Connect & Socialize with Rudy!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

You can read my review of Storytelling by clicking here.

Book Blast: The Next America by Don A. Holbrook - Win $25 Amazon Gift Card (Ends Today)

The economic chaos of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis that has created so much destruction of wealth for regular Americans is far from over. This book examines problems and possible solutions within national, international, and local realms that will help us navigate these times and set a course toward calmer waters. While some clamor for more taxes to cover our government's programs, The Next America shows how we can restructure our tax code so it positively affects all aspects of our communities: education, businesses, innovation, political transparency, environmental issues, investments, and more. Concerned citizens and economic players alike will be inspired and motivated to act to reestablish the American Dream during this transitional time. The Next America believes an informed citizenry can create a solution to hold our elected officials accountable for real change that will be robust and beneficial to all American’s not just the elite few at the top, without moving away from our free market and capitalism based economy.

Excerpt:

From reading the newspaper, watching television, or listening to the radio, it should be clear that the unsettling situation America finds itself in today has presented us with several conundrums. We are concerned about where our nation is headed, how to make a living, how to prepare for retirement, how to create a better life for our families today, and how to leave our posterity with an inheritance of economic opportunities.

The global economy has created more chaos and hardships than most of us have previously experienced. Not since the Great Depression have folks been so beleaguered by so many tumultuous problems. Even more devastating is the degradation of our main pillar of humanity, our core: the family unit. With the massive amount of unemployment and underemployment that has arisen in this perfect economic storm, many of us have burned through our benefit claims, extensions, and options. We face loss of income and also hope and self-dignity. These immense problems have made many of us rethink our values and dreams. In the worst of cases, we have given up the ideal of aspiring for a better life—not only for ourselves, but also for our children. The economic pressures are not the only problems in this perfect storm. We face burgeoning pressure from religious zealots who are not tolerant of religious differences. We face environmental calamities,

both natural and man-made. In addition, the resources that we depend on to fuel our global economy, such as energy, are peaking in costs and diminishing in availability.
To further frustrate and annoy our already overloaded psyches, we have a complete lack of trust in our governmental systems. People are weary of the either/or partisan politics and government’s failure to look out for our best interests.

WATCH DON DISCUSS MOVING BEYOND A FRAGILE ECONOMY:

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

Don Holbrook is a private economist consultant involved in economic development public policy, site

location decisions for private sector investments of new facilities, strategic destination tourism development feasibility and public-private partnership conceptualization, including public sector incentives to entice business investment into local economies. His non-fiction books on local economic development efforts to rebuild, renew and sustainably balance economic development public policy to create world-class communities have been groundbreaking successes within economic development. His first book, the “Little Black Book of Economic Development” has spawned a series of follow-up books on how communities, companies, individuals and families can navigate these treacherous economic times.

Holbrook is one of the worlds foremost thought leaders and public speakers on the subject of how communities can build smart and sustainable local grassroots driven economic development strategies to achieve maximum success in what he refers to as “The Art of the Deal Today.”

Holbrook was formally indoctrinated as a Fellow Member of the International Economic Development Council, for his lifetime achievements by his peers in 2008.

He lives with wife and two sons in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2010, Holbrook was formally Knighted at West Point USMA as a member of the modern day Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, a modern day Knights Templar Order.

Connect & Socialize with Don!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Pump Up Your Book and Don Holbrook are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms and Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Certificate or Paypal Cash.
• This giveaway begins December 2 and ends December 27.
• Winners will be contacted via email on Monday, December 30, 2013.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Three Mistakes People Make When Dealing with the Media (And How to Avoid Them) by Jonathan Bernstein

Every media interview, whether on-camera, by phone or even by email, is a unique opportunity to communicate your key messages to your stakeholders. Such important occasions should not be taken lightly, and yet completely preventable mistakes are often made by spokespersons. Here are three of the biggest mistakes – and how to avoid them.

1. Failure to Prepare

Even the most naturally skilled interview subject has a dramatically higher chance of being unhappy with the results of media contact if he/she fails to prepare for that possibility. Preparation includes:

 Media training using realistic scenarios ranging from the mundane to crisis-level situations.

 Crafting and memorizing key messages for topics on which you’re likely to be quizzed in advance of any interview.

 Doing some research on any media interviewer before an interview is given so as to understand the type of reporting that journalist typically does (e.g., friendly or hostile, pro-business or anti-business, balanced reporting or clearly slanted).

 Practicing to refine skills in between actual media interviews. Long periods of time can pass between interviews for many spokespersons. One or two days media training does not turn someone into an expert spokesperson – practice and experience can do that, if the spokesperson has the necessary basic talent.

2. Underestimating Non-Traditional Media

Today, ‘media’ doesn’t just mean traditional media (newspapers, radio, TV), but also “social media” that takes many different forms, including blogs, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and FriendFeed. All of them featuring information – sometimes about you and/or your organization – on a 24/7 news cycle.

Additionally, the lines between print and broadcast media have completely blurred. First, all of them have websites, but on the LA Times website, for example, you’ll find video. On Fox News’ website, you’ll find print. All media sites archive their stories, sometimes for many years, so a single piece of bad news can haunt you for a long, long time. The ‘blogosphere’ can act as a repeater, and distorter, of traditional media coverage, and there’s been more than one traditional media outlet that used a blog as a source.

It’s a mistake to underestimate the impact of someone whose blog is popular, who has hundreds or thousands of friends in their Facebook or Twitter network, and/or who regularly expresses their opinions via YouTube or other social media sites. They can hurt – or help – you just as much as any newspaper or broadcast outlet.

It is critical that all organizations have someone on staff, or on contract, who understands how to both monitor non-traditional media and use it for communicating both routine and crisis-level messages.

3. Treating the Media Like the Enemy

If you want to make a major mistake, tell a reporter that you think he/she has done such a bad job of reporting on you that you'll never talk to him/her again. Or badmouth him/her in a public forum. Send nasty emails. Then sit back and have a good time while:

 The reporter gets angry and directs that energy into REALLY going after your organization.

 The reporter laughs at what he/she sees as validation that you're really up to no good in some way.

Most reporters are not out to get you and, even for those who are, its rarely personal; they are ego-driven and their goal is the same as any employee’s – professional advancement.



Jonathan Bernstein is author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training and president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy based in Southern California.

To learn more about the Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training by Jonathan Bernstein Tour, please click here.

The Pursuit of Something Better Virtual Book Tour July ‘09

Join colleagues and authors Dave Esler and Myra Kruger as they travel the blogosphere in July 2009 with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations on their first virtual book tour to discuss their new business book, The Pursuit of Something Better (Esler Kruger Associates, Inc.).

The Pursuit of Something Better tells the story of the transformation of U.S. Cellular from a thoroughly ordinary company—ranked eighth in its industry and in danger of extinction—into an organization that is loved by employees and customers alike, and a proven winner by every measure.

Even more impressive is how this transformation took place. U.S. Cellular focused on the “soft stuff” so often discredited by conventional business wisdom; values and heart; inspirational and empowering leadership; motivation by values, not fear; ethics and integrity and an insistence on always doing the right thing. Most of all, U.S. Cellular thrived by obsessively putting the customer, and the quality of the customer experience, first.

The Pursuit of Something Better is also the story of Jack Rooney, the unconventional CEO who had the vision to see the limitations of the traditional business model a decade before it imploded, and the courage to replace it with something much, much better.

PRAISE FOR The Pursuit of Something Better:

“This book teaches, inspires and entertains, and it should be required reading in every business school, boardroom, and consultancy seminar.” - Jim Kouzes, Award-winning author of the bestselling The Leadership Challenge and Dean’s Executive Professor of Leadership, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University

Dave Esler and Myra Kruger combined their 30 years of corporate communications, human resources, and consulting experience as Esler Kruger Associates in 1987. Their consulting firm focuses on culture change, organizational surveys, and executive counsel on effective leadership. They are based in Highland Park, Illinois and can be reached at www.eslerkruger.com.

If you would like to follow Dave Esler and Myra Kruger on their virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Dave Esler and Myra Kruger’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com.

HOW TO WIN A PITCH VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '09

How to Win a Pitch will help you learn how to: Develop presentations that win contracts. Create connections to secure business relationships. Identify, discuss and fulfill client needs effectively. Veteran business coach Joey Asher has helped his clients win over five billion dollars in new business contracts. He uses his former experience as an attorney and journalist to help readers and clients rise above their competition. He has authored two previous books, Selling & Communication Skills for Lawyers and Even a Geek Can Speak: Low-Tech Presentation Skills For High-Tech People.



AUTHOR'S BIO:

JOEY ASHER is one of the country’s preeminent experts on selling skills and communication.


As President of Speechworks, an Atlanta-based communication and selling skills coaching firm that has been helping business people deliver presentations that win business for over 20 years, Asher combines his skills as an attorney and journalist to help sellers communicate a clear, simple message that connects with prospects and wins business.

As a professional communication and selling skills coach, Asher has worked with executives, managers, and salespeople at such firms and organizations as The Home Depot, Skanska, Hardin Construction, Georgia Pacific, Global Payments, The Weather Channel, UPS, Kimberly-Clark, Alston & Bird, PricewaterhouseCoopers, AMVESCAP, Verizon, Cisco, and Kurt Salmon Associates.

Asher is author of Even a Geek Can Speak: Low-Tech Presentation Skills For High-Tech People, which was originally published by Longstreet Press in 2001 and is now in its third printing by Persuasive Speaker Press, and Selling and Communication Skills for Lawyers, which was published in 2005 by American Lawyer Media. How to Win a Pitch: The Five Fundamentals that Will Distinguish You from the Competition is his latest book.

A graduate of Cornell University, Asher earned his JD from Emory University Law School. Prior to attending law school, Asher worked as a newspaper reporter for the Gannett newspaper chain in Georgia and New York. Asher practiced law with Troutman Sanders L.L.P. in Atlanta, and worked as an adjunct professor of law at Emory University School of Law.

Joey Asher lives in the Atlanta, Georgia area with his wife and family.

You can visit Joey online at www.speechworks.net.

TO SEE WHERE JOEY STOPS NEXT, VISIT www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com.

Two-Minute Book-Signing Pitch for The Flow of Time and Money by Lloyd Watts

Joining us today is businessman and author, Lloyd Watts. LLoyd's personal/business finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to create a full and prosperous life, is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment.

You can find out more about Lloyd and The Flow of Time and Money by visiting www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

I posed this question to Lloyd: I meet you at a book-signing and I give you maximum 2 minutes to sell me his book. What do you say?

Lloyd's Turn:

If you look at the problems in most people’s lives, you will see that they center around money, or more specifically, a lack of money. People work at jobs they don’t enjoy, making less money than they feel they are worth, without feeling fulfilled or creating a great future for themselves. And these financial problems often have direct effects in other parts of their lives – lack of confidence, staying in bad relationships because they can’t afford to split up, etc. For many people, these financial problems have been magnified with the current downturn in the economy.

The Flow of Time and Money shows you how to solve these problems, and create a life of wealth and fulfillment. It shows you how Time and Money really work – how we use them, spend them, waste them, and invest them. It shows you how to stop wasting your time and money, and how to invest your time and your money into things that grow and create real value. It gives you a roadmap to financial independence, with four stages (Youth/Education, Accumulating Capital, Small Deals, and Big Deals) so you know where you are on the path and what you can be doing now to advance safely to the next stage. And it shows you how to avoid the most common traps (Save and Spend, and Borrow and Spend) that can lead anyone into trouble.

The Flow of Time and Money is a quick read, with helpful diagrams to make it easy to understand how time and money really work, and how to build the life of your dreams. Buy this book, and put it into practice – and create the life of wealth and fulfillment you always wanted.


* * *

Lloyd Watts is the Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Audience, Inc., an award-winning technology business that he founded in 2000. Lloyd’s book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to create a full and prosperous life, is available at Amazon.com and at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com .

Why T.E. Scott Believes Wall Street is The Losing Game

We start off the month of April with a thought-provoking book by T.E. Scott. In The Losing Game: Why You Can't Beat Wall Street, Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what he believes they really are --- brilliantly marketed rip-offs. He says, "Wall Street is fleecing millions of Americans every day with brokerage houses, Congress and the media as willing accomplices. With their help, the American public is fooled into thinking that investing is safe and convinced that, if they’re smart and listen to the right people, they can accumulate wealth quickly. And when we fail, our tax money bails them out."

For today's guest article, I asked the author the follwing question: I am an investor who has seen both profits and losses while investing in Wall Street, but who still believes in the system. What will I find in your book that will change my mind?

Here is what Scott had to say:

What you will find in The Losing Game is that you are looking at Wall Street with what we refer to as an “Eagle’s Eye” view of the markets. You are focused on your specific outcome in the market, and that prevents you (and others) from looking at the system as a whole. This is part of the overall marketing plan of Wall Street, to distract you from the real functions of their business plan.

The Losing Game makes a strong correlation between investing in Wall Street and gambling. If you look at Wall Street as a casino, and your friend won money at a slot machine, would you logically pour all of your money in that same machine expecting the same results? Ultimately, when you are involved in the market, you are trying to predict an unpredictable. If you think you can predict a non-predictable, our advice is to go to Vegas, you’ll have more fun.

The Losing Game points out that the negative cash flow of investors’ money is far greater than the positive cash flow of investors’ money. Investors as a whole are losing billions of dollars a day, and this was before the financial crisis started. No matter how you look at it, the losers in the market support the winners on Wall Street. If you make any money, it comes from one or more investors, which makes it a zero-sum game. And when you add in expenses and fees, it becomes a minus-sum game.

Our question to readers of The Losing Game is this: How can you trust a system that has no real accountability or transparency? The book lays out the argument that the regulatory agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission are not designed to protect the investor from Wall Street, they are designed to protect Wall Street from the investors. That’s why Bernie Madoff was investigated eight times in 16 years by the SEC with no action taken. As long as Madoff was paying his investors, there was no reason for the SEC to intervene, even if they had reports that Madoff was running a ponzi scheme.

You have to have blind-faith to believe in the system, because Congress or the SEC does not require financial reports tracking investor money. Seriously. If you were to ask your broker or financial advisor for a report detailing how many of his clients have made money, and how many have lost money, and how much, he would tell you that this information is not kept, and not required to report.

That’s why you have to be extremely skeptical about any statistics. Experts will tell you that the market has grown 10% a year over the past 50 years, but what they don't tell you is that those are "listed" companies on the NYSE. If you were to factor the companies that have gone out of business and have been delisted, that number would be lower, and possibly a negative number. It's all part of the marketing plan.

Remember this, Wall Street does not care whether you make money or lose money in the market, only that you keep your money in circulation in the market. That way, the brokers and exchanges make their cut with every transaction.

Visit http://thelosinggame.com/ for more information about The Losing Game and to read an excerpt.

WIN PRIZES!!!

THE LOSING GAME VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on April 1 and end on April 30. You can visit the authors' blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in April to find out more about these talented authora!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.

T.E. Scott Uncovers Why Wall Street is The Losing Game

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Join author T.E. Scott as he travels the blogosphere in April 2009 with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations on his first virtual book tour to discuss his business/personal finance book, The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street.

T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are --- brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not.

Wall Street is fleecing millions of Americans every day with brokerage houses, Congress and the media as willing accomplices. With their help, the American public is fooled into thinking that investing is safe and convinced that, if they’re smart and listen to the right people, they can accumulate wealth quickly. And when we fail, our tax money bails them out.

Praise for The Losing Game…

Easy, yet informative read, and combines a little bit of humor with some eye opening data and ideas. I would recommend this book for those with any bit of interest in the stock market. — The Wild Investor.com

T.E. Scott founded and spent twenty-five years as CEO of Scott Pet Products,(scottpet.com) building the enterprise into a multimillion-dollar company in Rockville, Indiana. Before starting that business, Scott spent thirty-two years working as a baggage handler for Eastern Airlines. When he lost most of his pension after the company went bankrupt in the 1980s, Scott started on the road to exposing the true nature of Wall Street. Scott is retired and resides in Veedersburg, Indiana.

You can visit the author online at www.thelosinggame.com

“T.E. Scott has written a timely and thought-provoking book,” says Cheryl Malandrinos, Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations. “I can see many water cooler discussions over The Losing Game.”

If you would like to follow T.E. Scott on his virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

T.E. Scott’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com.

THE LOSING GAME VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '09

T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are --- brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not.

Wall Street is fleecing millions of Americans every day with brokerage houses, Congress and the media as willing accomplices. With their help, the American public is fooled into thinking that investing is safe and convinced that, if they’re smart and listen to the right people, they can accumulate wealth quickly. And when we fail, our tax money bails them out.

AUTHORS' BIOS:

T.E. Scott founded and spent twenty-five years as CEO of Scott Pet Products,(scottpet.com) building the enterprise into a multimillion-dollar company in Rockville, Indiana. Before starting that business, Scott spent thirty-two years working as a baggage handler for Eastern Airlines. When he lost most of his pension when the company went bankrupt in the 1980s, Scott started on the road to exposing the true nature of Wall Street. Scott is retired and resides in Veedersburg, Indiana.

Stephen Edds is a native of Owensboro, Kentucky and is a graduate of Hanover (Indiana) College. Edds spent fifteen years in corporate marketing communications before striking out on his own as a freelance writer and joining Scott as consumer watchdogs with a focus on exposing Wall Street. Edds moved to Indianapolis in 1996, where he still resides with his wife, Erin, and son Levi.

You can visit the authors online at http://thelosinggame.com.

TO SEE WHERE T.E. SCOTT AND STEPHEN EDDS ARE STOPPING NEXT, VISIT http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Five Steps to C.A.L.M. Virtual Book Tour '08 & '09

A father once told his young son, who was going out into the world on his own, “Son, whatever you want to become, be The Best.” This course teaches you how to be “The Best.”

It begins with instructions on how to put “The Best” of you on paper  Writing Your Resume. Then, later presenting “The Best” of you in person  Preparing for an Interview.

You’ll begin with the basic Resume Content, noting what should and should not be included in your Resume. After mastering the content, then begins the formatting of the Resume.

The author has thoughtfully provided you with a Resume checklist. Some of the questions are as follows:

Is the Resume two pages or less?
(Do you realize the importance of this question?)
Are the dates consistent on the left (or right) side, and limited to years?
Does the language “flow” (neither stiff nor stilted)?
Are Action Verbs used to your full advantage?

I would like to make a comment here; this is one of the many sections that you will utilize not only in your job search but also in your everyday associations.

C.A.L.M. gives you access to nine different categories for Action Verbs. They are listed under the headings of:

Communication Skills
Creative Skills
Detailed Skills
Financial Skills
Helping Skills
Management Skills
Manual Skills
Research Skills
Teaching Skills

You’ll be surprised how many Action Verbs from this section you will be able to include in your Resume, which will help make it more impressive to your employer.

Didn’t I tell you that employers would be impressed with your Resume? Now, you have been called for an interview! The next section of the book takes you into “Interviewing Techniques.” What other book walks you through an all-inclusive “Pre-Interview” session? Well, C.A.L.M. does, and once you have completed this lesson, you will indeed be CALM during your interview, no matter how many people may be on the panel of interviewers.

Included in the “Interviewing Techniques” section are Fashion Recommendations, which takes you step by step through the protocol for the business interview dress code, how both men and women should dress when going to an interview. Remember, your Resume may have “opened” the door, now your personal appearance may get a “foot” in that door. Here is where you put the lessons you have learned from C.A.L.M. into practice. Here’s where you sell The Product – Yourself! Don’t worry. C.A.L.M. has fully prepared you for any of the possible questions that you may be asked during the interview. You are ready for them, and you will remain CALM.

C.A.L.M. guides you step-by-step through the entire interview: from the Beginning of the Interview, during the Interview, and through the Closure of the Interview. After completing this course of study, you will glide through your interview with confidence and a sense of achievement. You will have left a favorable impression with the employer, and all because you put into practice your C.A.L.M. course of study.

While the employer is checking you out, C.A.L.M. also instructs you on how to compile a checklist of pertinent company information. Information that is important to you in helping you decide whether or not you would want to work for this firm or company.

The author has thought of everything in preparing you for the job search. He has included a web-site listing for those of you who want to do your job-hunting via the Internet.

C.A.L.M. answers all the questions you may have ever had in your previous job search. The “Who,” the “What,” the “Where,” and the “How.”

If you are willing to strike a Faustian Bargain, that is, willing to sacrifice anything to satisfy a limitless desire for knowledge, then C.A.L.M. is, without a doubt, the course of study for you.



AUTHOR'S BIO:

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio Reverend Robert Patterson, Sr. is the father of six children (5 sons one daughter) and the loving husband of Mrs. Linda Patterson. He is a grandfather as well as a great grandfather.

As a member of Walker Chapel AME Church (The Fifth District), he has served in various capacities, from the Usher Board to the Steward and Trustee Boards. He has taught both Sunday School and Bible Study and has served in each department to the best of his abilities

His life reads like a road map, he is a Vietnam ERA Veteran (U.S.M.C 1961-1970), A Graduate of San Diego State University (Class of 1975). He has served as a Cable Television News Reporter, (Oceanside, CA.) Host of “Behind the Truth”, Employment Counselor Specialist, (Operation SER), Counselor-Testing Specialist, Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee (MAAC). Coordinator of Manpower, CETA Area Training Center (at Palomar Community College), Transitional Assistance Program Instructor (TAP) and was Director of Personal Affairs (Camp Pendleton, CA) and Coordinated the first ever Sickle Cell Anemia Testing in Oceanside, just to name a few of his many accomplishments.

Reverend Patterson is a strong advocate of education and cultural awareness. He likes teaching and having the interaction and discussion of both Bible Study and Sunday School with the congregation in order to get down to the nitty gritty and still be brief, be specific, and be seated.” As he is fond of saying, “The day that you stop seeking knowledge, is the day that you most surely are dead.”

You can visit his website at www.rpatters.com.

TO SEE WHERE ROBERT IS STOPPING OF NEXT, VISIT http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/