Hamilton was reshaping the image of the vampire with her own take on the vampire mythos in her Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter fantasy novel series. While Hamilton's work draws on traditional vampire and fairy lore, her interpretation of these subjects brought new dimensions to the genres, influencing the direction of urban fantasy over the past two decades.Reading Laurell K. Hamilton focuses upon Hamilton's two bestselling series, the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series and the Merry Gentry series. The volume is intended as a resource for leaders of book clubs or discussion groups, containing chapters that examine Hamilton's role in the current vampire literature craze, the themes and characters in her work, and responses to Hamilton on the Internet. The book also provides a brief overview of Hamilton's life.

    With the officiating trend on the rise, novice officiants need a resource to guide them. In The Wedding Officiant's Guide, interfaith minister Lisa Francesca breaks down the entire officiating process, from becoming an ordained officiant and interviewing the couple to drafting and performing a moving ceremony. Written in an engaging and friendly tone, and featuring empowering advice, suggested readings, stories and lessons learned from new officiants, and practical tips from wedding planners, this inviting handbook will help new officiants write and deliver a wedding ceremony that fulfills marriage laws, delights guests, and honors the marrying couple.

    This is not true. In fact, chess is accessible and can be played by anyone with a brain, a pair of eyes, and imagination. The ultimate guide for beginnersIf you've never played the game of chess or are still discovering it, this book is for you. It is a basic and comprehensive guide that will introduce you to the game and teach you everything you need to know, from the setup of a chess board to the delivery of checkmate. It is filled with advice for beginners, basic tactics, strategies, and diagrams to help you visualize every step of your progress. The start of a lifelong King's huntThe objective of this book is not to make you a chess master. That is an accomplishment that takes decades of research, regular practice, and an insane amount of talent. The goal here is for you to become a decent chess player. After reading this book, you will be able to play games with anyone, practice regularly, and sharpen your chess muscles until you reach a decent level of play. The more you'll play, the better you'll get. But it all starts with the basics which you will acquire in this book. So don't hesitate. If you've always wanted to learn to play chess, now is the time. Just scroll up and grab your copy now!

    * A beautifully designed resource chronicling one of gaming's most massive, dynamic universes! * MMORPG.com's Game of the Year 2009–2011! * 2014 marks the entry of EVE Online into its second decade!

    "BEFORE You Get Your Puppy" covers the first three developmental deadlines covering the period of puppy selection until your puppy's first week at home. 1st Developmental Deadline: Your Education About Puppy Education - Before you search for a puppy you need to complete your education about puppy education. You need to know how to select a good puppy and how puppies work. Selecting a puppy is similar to selecting a car: Do lots of research beforehand and "test drive" a wide variety. But first, you need to learn how to drive. 2nd Developmental Deadline: Evaluating Your Prospective Puppy's Progress - Before you choose your puppy, you need to know how to assess your prospective puppy's current socialization and educational status. Regardless of breed or breeding, if socialization, housetraining, and basic manners are not well underway by eight weeks of age, the puppy is already developmentally retarded. 3rd Developmental Deadline: Errorless Housetraining & Chewtoy-Training Make certain that an errorless housetraining and chewtoy-training program is instituted from the very first day your puppy comes home.

    A huge collection of incredible cautionary tales about the undignified ways you can kick the bucket - and they're all true! .the mechanic who blew himself up while trying to open a rocket-propelled grenade with a sledgehammer .A woman felled by a fatal flying lettuce .the octogenarian who caught a shopping trolley to a permanent vacation .the convicted murderer who electrocuted himself on the toilet as he repaired a tV these are all true reports which reveal the silliest ways you can bite the big one. Death may seem like a serious business, but this is a seriously funny book.

    One of the best ways to get around the problem is to surround yourself with ideas. "1,000 Creative Writing Prompts for Seasons: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More" gives you exactly one thousand idea-generating prompts that focus on the coldest, warmest, toughest and funniest days of the four seasons. This book covers many different aspects of spring, summer, fall and winter including weather, nature, holidays, festivals, the five senses, science, literature, entertainment and more! These 1,000 prompts work for blogs, scripts, stories, poems, essays, songs and anything else that requires you to stare down writer's block and put pen to paper anyway. Originally geared for the classroom, these prompts can be used by any writer from 5 to 105 to get the ideas they need when they need them. Author Bryan Cohen has written over a dozen books of writing prompts including "1,000 Character Writing Prompts: Villains, Heroes and Hams for Scripts, Stories and More," "500 Writing Prompts for Kids: First Grade through Fifth Grade" and "The Writing Prompts Workbook Series." His books have sold over 15,000 copies. He lives in Chicago.

    The reading itself plunges the reader in to an ocean of crystalline light. Read and awaken.

    Starting with their roots in the Australian pub circuit, this book takes a thorough look at where the band came from, where they've been, and where they're going. Bon Scott and the Young brothers' earlier bands are discussed, as well as the trio's first collaboration, supplemented by rare photographs and interviews with more than 50 of the band's friends and colleagues. Previously unpublished details on Bon Scott's untimely death in 1980 and the strange circumstances around it are revealed, along with information on AC/DC's upcoming album, their first in five years.

    Each word in Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Aramaic is numbered, presented in Hebrew script and in transliteration and is accompanied by a pronunciation guide. Each word is defined, and the translation(s) of that word in the Authorized English Version are presented. Strong's work was originally published in 1890 under the title A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Bible; with their Renderings in the Authorized English Version. It was bound together with Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

    Over 450 photographs, drawings, and diagrams reveal in exquisite detail the hows, whys, and how-to's of the traditional craft of guitarmaking, all accompanied by fascinating historical and technical notes. A comprehensive bibliography; a list of tools, materials, and supply sources; and a full index complete this uniquely authoritative reference -- and essential acquisition -- for guitar and craft enthusiasts, woodworkers, and students of instrument making everywhere.

    And Harry J.Friedman is very good at it. Someone once said, "Harry is the kind of guy who would sell someone a kickstand and then a $3,000 bicycle to go on top of it. "What makes him and his bookon retail selling so unique is his uncanny ability to turn shoppers into buyers, and teach others how to do the same. "No Thanks, I'm Just Looking" will give you the inside scoop on how to skyrocket your career with a system of practical money-making steps that are easy to learn and fun to use. No theoretical mumbojumbo oroutdated 1940s methodologies.Unlike most sales trainers who are obsessed with handling objections and tricky closing techniques, Harryconcentrates more on "front-end selling." He'll show you how to get past customer resistance - that "I don't like you and I don't trust you" defensive shield thatcustomers are seemingly born with. And he'll show you how to probe more effectively so you can find outexactly what your customers want so that all you have to do is deliver it. The essence of front-end selling is having your customers say "I'11 take it" before you everhave to ask "Will you buy it?"The fun really begins, however, when you learn his unique version of the trial close - how to routinely add on additional merchandise, while you're closing thesale on the main item. This will put you in control of the sale and set you up for the final step which will reduce returns, build referrals and increase your repeat business.This book will save you countless hours of trial and error experience and allow you to focus on the things that really work. It will become your retail bible as you read it over and over. And each time you do,you'll turn up another batch of gems that just keep making you money.

    

    My list goes: The Velvet Underground, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, The Doors, and then I stall on the fifth. Creedence? The Band - although they're mostly Canadian. Simon and Garfunkel? Jefferson Airplane? The Lovin' Spoonful? But I plump for The Monkees."-Robert Forster In The 10 Rules of Rock and Roll, Robert Forster takes readers on an exhilarating trip through the past and present of popular music - from Bob Dylan, AC/DC and Nana Mouskouri through to Cat Power, Franz Ferdinand and ... Delta Goodrem. To accompany Forster's acclaimed writing for The Monthly, there are some stunning new pieces - 'The 10 Rules' and 'The 10 Bands I Wish I'd Been In' and an appreciation of Guy Clark - as well as a reflection on The Velvet Underground, a short story about Normie Rowe and a moving tribute to fellow Go-Between Grant McLennan. Funny and illuminating, The 10 Rules of Rock and Roll shows a great critic at work.

    This book is a feast for the eyes and the imagination that will never leave you stuck for an idea. Get your creative juices flowing and see how bakers and decorators around the world have creatively used fondant, buttercream, gum paste, sugar paste, royal icing, and piping and molded designs to create cookies, cupcakes, and cakes that are true works of art. See elegant cupcakes decorated with pearls and piping, colorful hand-painted cookies, tiered cakes with dimensional flowers, and much more. Discover unique cupcake decorations that use royal icing, edible markers, and fondant; wedding cakes adorned with gum paste accents and debossed designs; vibrant Christmas cookies; whimsical children’s birthday cakes; specialty Easter cakes, and much more. Get great year-round ideas for dessert presentations and gift giving. Recipes for several types of frosting are included in the book, and an image directory identifies key materials and techniques for each photo. Among the amazing featured creations are:Cupcakes topped with sweet fondant flowersFanciful characters and animals made from fondant and gum pasteCookies decorated with imaginative royal icing designsLush buttercream roses atop cakes and cupcakesHand-painted fondant accentsDelicate chocolate motifsCakes enrobed in decadent ganacheSimple buttercream designs that dazzleThis is the one book you’ll turn to again and again for the best cupcake, cookie, and cake design ideas. Start exploring this delicious world today!   These visual catalogs are both a practical, inspirational handbook and a coffee-table conversation piece. Like all of the books in our 1,000 series, these are not instructional books; rather, they are a visual showcase designed to provide endless inspiration.