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The latest from George R.R. Martin

dangerous_women This first volume features an original 35,000 word novella by George R.R. Martin.'The Princess and the Queen' reveals the origins of the civil war in Westeros (before the events in A Game of Thrones), which is known as the Dance of the Dragons, pitting Targaryen against Targaryen and dragon against dragon. Other authors in this volume of warriors, bad girls and dragonriders include worldwide bestselling authors Brandon Sanderson, Lawrence Block and Nancy Kress. Read more here >>> http://bit.ly/1v2v027









More from George R.R. Martin ...

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Presenting with Power … powerful public speaking tips

I had the pleasure of contributing to this compilation. And I have to say I love the format which makes it so easy for you to pick up tips on speaking... particularly now that I have remembered to click on full screen rather than squinting at it!!

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A multidimensional hero in this multi-layered mystery thriller

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Refuse Generation
By David Palmer

This book is a mystery thriller – on two levels - gripping thriller on the surface, intellectual challenge underneath.

New Zealand garbage collector, Farrari Auva’a, is drawn by a letter uncovered in rubbish, into a mystery full of suspense and intrigue. There are murderers and manipulators, professors and businessmen, and it takes him across the world through plane rides and peaceful countryside, car chases and awe-inspiring historical sites. On the surface.

Underneath, though, is the mystery of personal identity in a time of change. This is highlighted in several of the characters but particularly Ferrari, as they search themselves and their family relationships, their cultural ties, career paths and spirituality.

Author, David Palmer, has used his other interests - in war and history - to tie all of these together with the thriller narrative, and maintain the thread of refuse.

The combination of Stranger in a Strange Land and Hero’s journey works well, though I occasionally felt the need for an easier transition from high drama to contemplation. While I’m sure the details of the ancient codex were vital to the narrative, I have to admit to skipping a few pages in my urge to see what the thrilling outcome would be. It’s as if Palmer invited his readers onto the journey with him and stands beside them as reader and writer. Some of his descriptions are incredibly evocative …”A scalloping of wastewater stain rosettes on the carpet pile failed to conceal a floral design evoking a more gracious age”, for example…but this one went a bit beyond that “They followed a haze-abraded plain chitinous with industrial pullulations.” I must say it got my attention!

This sort of language, though, becomes part of the mysterious undercurrent -which in turn highlights the intuitive problem-solving amid rationality in the upper level of mystery.

I just hope there is a sequel where we see more of the mystery that is the multidimensional Ferrari, and of the beautiful culture and countryside that is his New Zealand.

Bronwyn Ritchie
Your Story Matters at PivotalBookClub.com

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Ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living from Brene Brown

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I love Brene Brown - her presentation style, her meticulous research, and her constant reassurance.

I featured this, her book, as the Pivotal Thought for the Day >>>> here

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For when you really have to get your point across…

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Thank You for Arguing is your master class in the art of persuasion, taught by professors ranging from Bart Simpson to Winston Churchill.

The time-tested secrets this book discloses include Cicero’s three-step strategy for moving an audience to action—as well as Honest Abe’s Shameless Trick of lowering an audience’s expectations by pretending to be unpolished. But it’s also replete with contemporary techniques such as politicians’ use of “code” language to appeal to specific groups and an eye-opening assortment of popular-culture dodges—including The Yoda Technique, The Belushi Paradigm, and The Eddie Haskell Ploy.

Whether you’re an inveterate lover of language books or just want to win a lot more anger-free arguments on the page, at the podium, or over a beer, Thank You for Arguing is for you. Written by one of today’s most popular language mavens, it’s warm, witty, erudite, and truly enlightening. It not only teaches you how to recognize a paralipsis and a chiasmus when you hear them, but also how to wield such handy and persuasive weapons the next time you really, really want to get your own way.

JAY HEINRICHS spent 25 years as a journalist and publishing executive before becoming a fulltime advocate for the lost art of rhetoric. Since then he's taught persuasion to Fortune 500 companies, Ivy League universities, NASA, and the Pentagon. He is also the author of "Word Hero: A Fiendishly Clever Guide to Crafting the Lines that Get Laughs, Go Viral, and Live Forever."

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The Gifts of Imperfection – your guide to a wholehearted life

The Gifts of Imperfection

Each day we face a barrage of images and ideas from society and the media telling us who we should be. We are led to believe that if we look perfect, live perfect, and do everything perfectly, we'd no longer struggle with feelings of inadequacy. Ironically, it's the pursuit of perfection that fuels the message 'never good enough.'

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown, a leading expert on shame, authenticity, and belonging, shares ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living—a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.
Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we'd no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please, and perfect, all the while thinking, "What if I can't keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn't everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if I fail or give up? When can I stop proving myself?"
 In "The Gifts of Imperfection," Brene Brown shares what she's learned from a decade of research on the power of "Wholehearted Living". In her ten guideposts, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, "No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough," and to go to bed at night thinking, "Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. And, yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable, but that doesn't change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging."
ISBN:  978-1592858491
Format:  paperback, 160 pp
Publisher:  Hazleton

Buy the book from Book Depository (currently best price for Australians), fishpond.com.au, The Nile, or Amazon

The Paperback revolution

paperback_revolution

As we look at the changes in format occurring now, with electronic readers taking their space alongside paper books, it seems hard to imagine why there would be such a furore over paperbacks. It was an interesting time ...

‘‘Whether this revolution in the reading habits of the American public means that we are being inundated by a flood of trash which will debase farther the popular taste, or that we shall now have available cheap editions of an ever-increasing list of classics, is a question of basic importance to our social and cultural development.’’—Harvey Swados, 1951

Experience the Revolution

Between 1935 and 1960, the paperback revolution created a new industry overnight, permanently changed our understanding of "the book," helped to democratize reading by increasing readership and eroding the lines between "high" and "low" literature, and created its own, unique genres and forms of expression. This animated timeline traces some of the companies and personalities which shaped the birth and growth of the paperback industry. >> http://bit.ly/1AJdtvw

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Presentation Secrets for Entrepreneurs Ready to Tell, Sell, and Compel

Speak up for your Business
Speak Up for Your Business: Presentation Secrets for Entrepreneurs Ready to Tell, Sell, and Compel

Dr. Michelle Mazur

ISBN 9781936984459
Format Paperback
Publisher Difference Press
Published 25th April 2014

Do you love your business but don't know how to talk about it with others?

Is the fear of public speaking keeping you from taking your business to the next level?

You know public speaking is a great way to establish your credibility, create buzz about your business, and attract your perfect client, but you have no idea what to talk about or why anyone should listen to you.

Or are there a million ideas swirling in your head but you don't know the presentation secrets of crafting a message that resonates? Do you fear that people won't like you or want to do business with you because of something you said-or didn't say?

Fear public speaking no more.

Professional public speaking expert Michelle Mazur is here to help.

With a Ph.D. in Communication and hundreds of speeches under her belt, Michelle knows exactly the presentations skills you need to engage your audience, persuade people to believe in your message, and ultimately, get the sale or business relationship you desire.

In Speak Up for Your Business, Michelle reveals how you can:

Develop your presentation skills so that you persuade and motivate your audience

Stop feeling sleazy about selling with this one presentation secret

Create a strategy to cope with your fear of public speaking

Embrace your Inner F-Bomb (it's not what you think)

Organize your presentation in a sexy way

Give your audience real value

Create an experience through story with four essential ingredients

Begin your presentation with a win & close with a bang

Adapt your presentation on the fly

Handle those wing-nut questions that threaten to derail your speech

Land more speaking gigs

michelle_mazurAbout the Author: As a Speech Designer and Idea Architect, Dr. Michelle Mazur guides introverted business professionals and entrepreneurs to ignite the smoldering fires within them so they can speak up, speak out, and make their impact-one compelling presentation at a time. Her passion is helping super smart people get their ideas communicated to the people who need to hear it most. Michelle earned a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Oklahoma, and as a professor, she inspired university students to find their voices and share their messages for more than ten years. She is the author of Speak Up for Your Business and contributing author to the Amazon Best Seller Ted: ology: Presentation Secrets of TED Talks and Master Presenter: Lessons from the World's Top Experts on Becoming a More Influential Speaker. Her writing has appeared on 12 Most, PR Daily, Ragan.com, SOLD Magazine, PR Europe, and Business2Community. Her blog, Relationally Speaking, was listed at #11 of the 101 best online resources for public speaking. She resides in Seattle, Washington with her loving fiance, two obsessive felines, and a huge collection of Duran Duran memorabilia."

Buy the book

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Essential reading for anyone whose life had hit a road block

Fat, Forty, and Fired: One Man's Frank, Funny, and Inspiring Account of Losing His Job and Finding His Life

 
by Nigel Marsh
 

"Homer Simpson meets Anthony Robbins. Marsh's honesty and humanity make Fat, Forty, and Fired essential reading for anyone whose life has ever hit a roadblock. Hilarious and inspiring." --Bob Rosner, best-selling author and internationally syndicated Working Wounded columnist

"An extremely funny and touching account of how someone can use humor and optimism to put adversity into perspective. Marsh's warm and distinctive view of life lights up every page and makes this a thoroughly enjoyable read." --Paul Wilson, author of The Little Book of Calm

"I can pinpoint the precise moment when I realized my transformation from 'executive dad' to 'guy who doesn't work' was complete." --Nigel Marsh

Take Dave Barry, Jack Welch, Homer Simpson, and Ray Romano, mix in a family, a little weight gain, failure, introspection, and redemption, and you have Nigel Marsh's international best-selling autobiography.

As a stressed husband and father of four small children under the age of eight, Nigel Marsh was enslaved to his mortgage, recuperating from an embarrassing surgery, and suddenly fired from his corporate career. Deciding to venture "off the treadmill" in search of a more meaningful and balanced existence, Marsh tackled the art of hands-on parenting while simultaneously training for an ocean swimming race and coming to terms with his alcoholism. Touching on topics ranging from marital sex (or lack thereof), dieting, and parenthood to work, love, football, religion, self-help books, and sharks, Marsh makes his U.S. debut after enjoying best-seller status in Australia and the U.K. with this provocative and funny book.

 
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Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact

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Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact

Nick Morgan

ISBN 978-1422193501
Format Hardcover
Publisher Harvard Business Review Press
Published 2014-05-13

Take control of your communications — before someone else does

What if someone told you that your behavior was controlled by a powerful, invisible force? Most of us would be skeptical of such a claim—but it’s largely true. Our brains are constantly transmitting and receiving signals of which we are unaware. Studies show that these constant inputs drive the great majority of our decisions about what to do next—and we become conscious of the decisions only after we start acting on them. Many may find that disturbing. But the implications for leadership are profound.

In this provocative yet practical book, renowned speaking coach and communication expert Nick Morgan highlights recent research that shows how humans are programmed to respond to the nonverbal cues of others—subtle gestures, sounds, and signals—that elicit emotion. He then provides a clear, useful framework of seven “power cues” that will be essential for any leader in business, the public sector, or almost any context. You’ll learn crucial skills, from measuring nonverbal signs of confidence, to the art and practice of gestures and vocal tones, to figuring out what your gut is really telling you.

This concise and engaging guide will help leaders and aspiring leaders of all stripes to connect powerfully, communicate more effectively, and command influence.

nick_morganAbout the Author: Nick Morgan, founder of Public Words Inc., is one of America's top communication and speech coaches. He is a former Fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, where he was affiliated with the school's Center for Public Leadership. From 1998 to 2003, he served as editor of the Harvard Management Communication Letter. He is the author of the acclaimed book, Working the Room, reprinted in paperback as Give Your Speech, Change the World.

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