Conversation Magic by Arlen Busenitz is a quick and easy read that I finished in one evening. This book is a simple guide to helping people overcome their fear and anxiety in social settings and teach practical methods for initiating conversations. As mentioned, this book is a quick read and despite being small, gives several ideas on conversation starters and topics to help people have something in the “back pocket” so they don’t ever feel at a loss for subjects to talk about. The book also mentions several principles about conversation that helps to explain the when, where, and how to use these topics. My only criticism of this book…

My Air Force Mom by Mary Lee is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that helps explain to kids about the basics of military life and the importance of our military. It can be difficult for kids to understand why some people wear uniforms and this book explains about uniforms, salutes, and other special privileges in such a way that a small child can understand. My 4 year old daughter loved this book and since she had little exposure to the military until we recently moved next to an Air Force Base, this has helped her to understand more about what the military does and answered her questions. I greatly appreciate…

Over the Moon by Diane Daniels is a fantasy story set in a small town in Utah where Tiana Dawson is set to start her junior year in high school. Tiana has just moved to the town and is wondering how she can survive starting in a new school in a totally different environment from the big city school she just left. Once there, she meets Andrew, a handsome, yet unusual boy who in her class. As she gets to know Andrew better, she begins an “over the moon” adventure that she would never have expected. Diane makes these characters come alive as she gives the details surrounding their lives,…

Lisa Suggs touches on a relevant and important topic in her book, “Choices: When divorce happens to you and your children.” Divorce is increasingly common in our society today and yet often people have the same difficulty being successfully divorced that they had trying to be successfully married.  Who pays the price for this? The children.  In Choices, Lisa speaks from the heart and the depths of her past experiences of being a child in a divorced home as well as the divorced parent of children. Her examples are real and relatable. Her advice is simple and profound. Lisa takes this difficult subject and give practical suggestions on how to…

http://www.amazon.com/How-Overcome-Public-Speaking-Fear/dp/1449992757/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1286934875&sr=8-2#_ How to Overcome Speaking Fear by Arlen Busenitz is an easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to apply guide for the reluctant public speaker. Public speaking can be a terrifying prospect to many people and Arlen tackles this fear head on. His three steps are great for the reducing the inevitable butterflies that come when standing in front of a crowd. Public speaking is an art that is improved with practice, but not all of us get much practice and this guide gives great advice for people who are new to speaking in front of others. For me, I really enjoyed the practical tips in the bonus…

I want to share with you some of the great books I have the opportunity to read and review.  I’m starting with Beyond the Dead Forest: The Bizarre Adventures of Kat and Carter by Steve Groll. http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-61566-436-8 What a fantastic adventure! In Beyond the Dead Forest: The Bizarre Adventures of Carter and Kat, Steve Groll has masterfully crafted a story together that will captivate older children, as well as adults. Kat and Carter are confronted with tough choices and decisions as they are thrown from one amazing circumstance to the next, all on their quest to find the “treasure” that Guardian has told them about. All the twists and turns as…