Book: Topless Prophet: The True Story of America's Most Successful Gentlemen's Club Entrepreneur by Alan Markovitz with Thomas Stevens
Pages: 324
Price: $24.99
ISBN: 978-0-9840855-0-7
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for the purposes of reviewing to post on my blog.
Alan Markovitz wrote this book to give a glimpse of the world of gentlemen's clubs and how they operate. When I first received this book, I wasn't sure about reading and reviewing it as I thought it would be all about the sex industry. However, the book is more about the business and the trials the author went through in building his business and the people he was involved with. A few of the topics that Markovitz addresses are:
* Had to testify against the Mafia when they threatened him.
* Was shot by one of his own dancers when he fired her.
* Was accidentally shot by a drunken patron, an off-duty police officer.
* Had his father, a Holocaust survivor who became his business partner, negotiate with a menacing biker gang that threatened his first club.
* Had to work alongside a business partner who hired two hit men to kill him
* Got swindled out of a million dollars when trying to buy a club.
* Moved the strip club experience form a blue collar to white collar audience.
The book will appeal more to those that love bios and memoirs and I think the target audience is geared more towards the male population. For me, the book was mediocre, even though I am a huge bio/memoir fan, but I can see where it will do well in the male target audience group.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Book Giveaway-The Sacred Cipher by Terry Brennan
I have one signed copy of The Sacred Cipher by Terry Brennan to giveaway. Please leave a comment below with your email address. The winner will be chosen on February 10. Good Luck!!
Be sure to read the great interview with Terry Brennan here on my blog.
Be sure to read the great interview with Terry Brennan here on my blog.
Author Interview-Terry Brennan
Terry Brennan, author of The Sacred Cipher, has answered some questions for the blog about his life and the writing of this book.
About the Author:
Over the past 35 years, Terry Brennan has accumulated a broad range of experience in both the profit and non-profit business sectors.
His 22-year, award winning journalism career included:
Seven years as a sportswriter and editor with The Philadelphia Bulletin, at the time the largest-circulation afternoon newspaper in the nation;
Leading The Mercury of Pottstown (PA), as its editor, to a Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing;
Serving as Executive Editor of a multi-national newspaper firm – Ingersoll Publications – with papers in the USA, England and Ireland.
In 1996 Brennan transferred his successful journalism management career to the non-profit sector and served for 12 years as Vice President of Operations for the Christian Herald Association, Inc., the parent organization of four New York City ministries, including The Bowery Mission.
Now Vice President of the National Organization on Disability in Manhattan, Brennan also won the Valley Forge Award for editorial writing from the Freedoms Foundation. His two adult sons and their families live in Pennsylvania. Terry, his wife Andrea and their two adult children live in New York City. His first novel, The Sacred Cipher, was published by Kregel Publications and released in July of 2009.
On a more personal level:
I grew up in the Catholic Church but it wasn’t until my marriage to Andrea and our experience with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal that the God of the Bible broke through and convinced me he was real. So, for the last 30 years, the journey has been primarily in trying to accept God’s love for me. I know He loves everybody else. But me? That’s the struggle.
My kids – Michael, Patrick, Meghan and Matthew – always inspire me with their enthusiasm for life and their encouragement. But my greatest inspiration while writing The Sacred Cipher came from my wife, Andrea. Not only did she give me the gift of a year of Saturdays in which to write the book, but she kept me sane and rooted during the many long, agonizing stretches when I struggled with fear, doubt and inadequacy. Andrea is my best friend and biggest fan.
As for me, I was a journalist for 22 years and loved almost every minute of that life. Then providence intervened, picked us up out of the newspaper business and dropped us into New York City working for the organization that runs The Bowery Mission. And I spent 12 years serving in a ministry to the addicted and homeless here in New York. That move was a radical change on so many levels but resulted in so many blessings for all of our family that we wouldn’t change a moment of it.
Interview:
How did you get the idea for the book?
My wife and I lived in The Bowery Mission for many years while I worked for its parent organization, the Christian Herald Association.
I had already formed the idea for the second half of the story (which is the surprise part) and that was kicking around in my head.
Then, one day I was standing at the back of The Bowery Mission’s 120-year-old chapel, looking up at the organ pipes that rise high above the speaker’s platform. And I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if there was a room hidden behind the organ pipes?
Of course, I had been behind the organ pipes many times and knew what was there – certainly not a hidden room. But the idea was intriguing, and that’s when the two pieces started coming together and, eventually, formed The Sacred Cipher.
The Sacred Cipher is an adult thriller/suspense triggered by the discovery of a hidden room behind the organ pipes in The Bowery Mission’s chapel in New York City. In a safe in the room is found an ancient scroll with a message written in an extinct language that has never been deciphered. The first half of the book takes place in NYC as a ‘team’ of guys tries to discover the content of the message, and the second half is when the team goes off to find out if the message is, in fact, true.
Here’s the blurb from the back cover of the book:
"When New Yorker Tom Bohannon uncovers an ancient scroll containing a dead language that has been lost in the sands of time, he doesn't fully comprehend the danger that's about to unfold. Though Tom and his team of ragtag scientists and historians want to decode the ancient text, others don’t want the cipher revealed. And they are prepared to kill to keep it hidden.
"From a market in nineteenth-century Alexandria to a library in present-day New York to the tunnels beneath Jerusalem, the secret of the cipher is gradually revealing itself across the globe. And for those in its path, life is about to change - forever."
Describe your path to writing this book?
The path to this book, as I note below, started when two ideas came together in the chapel of The Bowery Mission. Other writers got excited about the story idea and encouraged me to take the time to sit down and write it. It took a year of Saturdays to write the book, a year to secure an agent, another year to secure a publisher and another year for editing.
The path to writing is pretty short.
I sit in a chair, staring at an LCD screen. I put my fingers on the keyboard in my lap. And the story tells itself through my fingers.
Really, that’s the way it is.
I do research, both online and at the huge Humanities and Social Sciences Library on Bryant Park in New York City. And I love that part of the work.
But, the writing? I don’t have a plan (sorry to all of you who labor over plot outlines and build fully-formed character personalities).
I have a story, and I try to tell the story … or let the story tell me and I tell you.
I was a journalist for 22 years – 15 years as a sportswriter. When you cover a game, any kind of game, you have a very short deadline in which to file that story. An hour if you’re lucky. Sometimes as little as 15 minutes. So you get used to telling the story through your fingers. Not too much thinking. Just try to figure out the story of the game, or the athletes, and tell the story to the best of your ability in the time allowed. Then, the next day, you get to do it all over again. And, just as an aside, don’t make any mistakes.
That is the learned skill I bring to novel writing. I have an idea what the story is going to be, some understanding of the people who are playing in that story, and then I sit down to write the story. And it usually tells me what to do and where it’s going.
Conception to revision – that’s about the way it goes.
Pretty lame, eh?
Have you always written, when did you start, etc?
I think I was born a writer … it was the way God wired me. But I didn’t become aware of it until I was a freshman in high school. I’ve written ever since. I wrote for my high school newspaper and my college humor magazine. I’ve written advertising copy, short stories and spent 22 years as a journalist – 15 as a sportswriter.
But I never considered myself a ‘writer’ until I tried my hand at my first novel in the mid-90’s. That one took four years, then sat in a drawer for six years. One day, I thought, I wonder if there is any value in that book? Eventually I went to my first writer’s conference – the Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference – in 2005. I had an idea that I pitched to anyone who would listen, got a lot of encouragement and … boom … that was it. Off on this crazy journey. It took four years for The Sacred Cipher to go from an idea at the ’05 Philly Conference to launch date 2009.
I knew from the end of the book that you had used some factual info but a day after I finished this book, I saw a news story online about the Rosetta Stone and realized that you used quite a bit of factual events and information. Have you always followed the info on the Rosetta Stone and the history relating to it or did you begin to research it just for the writing of this book?
I was a history major in college, and I truly love the thrill of research … digging into books, the Internet, any information I can find and trolling for that luscious morsel that will give the story life – and a surprising twist.
But, I can take no credit for the introduction of Demotic into the story.
I was privileged to have an archeologist in Jerusalem – Kathy Vance – as a collaborator on The Sacred Cipher. I would send her all these ideas I was working on for the book and she would email me back and say, No, don’t use that one. Use this one. That had to do with one of the historical characters and also to the use of Demotic as the extinct, indecipherable language used to write the Sacred Cipher.
The scroll that is discovered in The Bowery Mission is written in Demotic – the third language on the Rosetta Stone. Once the decision was made to use Demotic as the language, that obviously brought the Rosetta Stone into play. That’s when I went to work in the Humanities and Social Science Library here in New York City and researched as much as I could find out about the Rosetta Stone … and then tried to figure out how the Stone would fit into the unfolding of the story.
The search for the scroll’s meaning leads the team to Sir Edward Elgar, the English composer, and a cipher he wrote over 100 years ago that has yet to be deciphered. The scroll’s history reaches back to the 11th Century and at one point crossed the path of legendary English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Writers like Stephen King often say a story is organic … that it has a life of its own and will tell you where it wants to go. I was stunned to find out that is what happened with The Sacred Cipher. The Rosetta Stone, and the Demotic language, ended up being entwined into so many different aspects of the book … so much more so than I had any idea at the beginning. So I kept adding layer upon layer of factual information on top of this fanciful story about a secret message from 1,000 years ago that changes today’s history.
The Bowery Mission is real … Demotic is real … Sir Edward Elgar is real … Charles Haddon Spurgeon is real … and so are dozens of other facts and folks that are weaved into this adventure.
Most of the research was done is the massive and beautiful Humanities and Social Science Library on Bryant Park and Fifth Avenue in New York City. And on Google Earth.
As I was reading, I could see this as a movie. Any plans for one?
Many people who have read The Sacred Cipher have said the same thing … and I can only hope you are prophetic. I would love to see the book as a movie, obviously. I think it’s a very visual book. Even though it’s jammed with information and interesting facts, it’s also full of action. I hope someone out in Hollywood, or Indie-land, gets their hands on a copy and feels the same way. But no nibbles, yet.
The closest we’ve gotten is that my wife and kids and I pretend we are the casting director for the film version of the book and try to decide who would play the lead roles?
At the moment, this is as far as we’ve gotten (and it changes regularly):
For the lead, Tom Bohannon: Robert Downey, Jr. or Gerard Butler (if makeup could age him a bit) or, more of a long shot, Aiden Quinn or Liev Schrieber.
We all agree Sean Connery or Gabriel Byrne … or, perhaps, Harrison Ford … should be Dr. Richard Johnson, Jr.
Danny DeVito or Paul Giammati, or Sean Astin as Sammy Rizzo.
Charlize Theron, or Drew Barrymore, or Kate Hudson, or Rachel McAdams as Kallie Nolan.
For Joe Rodriguez, Amaury Nolasco (from Prison Break TV show).
As Tom’s wife, Annie – Jennifer Connelly, or Tea Leoni.
Can you give any info/hints on the sequel? When will it be released?
I am deep into writing the sequel, Scorpion Pass, at the present. It starts right at the end of The Sacred Cipher and continues the story into the next phase of its evolution. All I can tell you is that the same characters are involved, that there are some major surprises to be revealed in Scorpion Pass and that all is not as it seems.
In the interim, I’ve written another novel, Hunger’s Ransom, which is a contemporary suspense set in New York City. That novel – and it’s necessary rewriting and editing – has been set aside, for the moment, as I work to complete Scorpion Pass.
My publisher, Kregel Publications, has not yet set a release date for Scorpion Pass.
Fave author? Fave book?
I’ve always loved the classic American authors – Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald – particularly Steinbeck. Steinbeck is my favorite, all-time author. That guy was a wizard with words. As a kid, I read every Fu Manchu mystery. As a college student, every James Bond thriller and the required Lord of the Rings trilogy, including the prequel The Hobbit. In between, Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes … you get the drift.
Today, I enjoy Dennis Lehane’s work – particularly his latest – The Given Day. I think he’s become a lyrical writer. And my son, Matt, has hooked me into both Stephen King and (more my style) Cormack McCarthy. McCarthy’s The Road was a revelation. A wonderful story in a very unique style.
Sprinkle into that adrenalin mix some historical biographies and/or autobiographies (Mornings on Horseback By David McCoullough). And lots of contemporary thriller writers, like Joel Rosenberg.
Include any other info about the book that you would like my blog readers to know.
The Sacred Cipher is a contemporary tale of mystery, intrigue and suspense wrapped around a historical novel – based on real people, real places and real events – encapsulated by an archeological treasure hunt that threatens the lives of all those involved. All of which culminates in a revelation that could be ripped from tomorrow’s headlines and which, if true, could lead the Middle East to the cusp of nuclear war.
And the story is more than plausible.
It’s a rollicking, fast-paced adventure, a combination of Indiana Jones, The DaVinci Code and the Jason Bourne movies, filled with fascinating historical lore. Judging from the reviews, it’s a story that has captured the imagination of both male and female readers. I really enjoyed the discovery of the journey. I started with the idea of how the book would start and how it would end and … in very general terms … what the story would be.
It was such a hoot. I wrote it in a year of Saturdays and was constantly amazed at where the story would take me, what the characters would tell me and the wild stuff I would come up with in research. It was like I was on an adventure with a bunch of friends who would only give me little clues about what was going on.
As for me … learning to be a novelist …
The easiest part is coming up with basic plot. I’m a plot-driven writer, so it’s not hard for me to come up with basic plot ideas. I have several plot ideas tucked away that will be my next few books.
Flushing out the plot details is not that difficult, either. It takes time and effort, and there are many days when I’m stuck and frustrated, or I find myself written into a corner I can’t seem to escape. But my 22 years in journalism, more than half as a sportswriter often writing on deadline, effectively trained me to write when it was time to write. Sit down and get the fingers moving. I often say I think through my fingers, and it is often true. I just sit down and start at some part in the plot (never sequential) and put my fingers to work. Most of the time, the story reveals itself.
One of my greatest struggles is in character development. That takes a lot of effort. Understanding and developing motivation … building characters of complexity and depth … those are continuous challenges for me.
I struggle with confidence, and I haven’t overcome that one yet. Organization, and I haven’t overcome that one yet. But the greatest roadblock is discipline. When I have it, magic happens. When I don’t, nothing happens. Creating and sticking to a rigid schedule is one of the few ways I’ve found to establish discipline.
About the Author:
Over the past 35 years, Terry Brennan has accumulated a broad range of experience in both the profit and non-profit business sectors.
His 22-year, award winning journalism career included:
Seven years as a sportswriter and editor with The Philadelphia Bulletin, at the time the largest-circulation afternoon newspaper in the nation;
Leading The Mercury of Pottstown (PA), as its editor, to a Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing;
Serving as Executive Editor of a multi-national newspaper firm – Ingersoll Publications – with papers in the USA, England and Ireland.
In 1996 Brennan transferred his successful journalism management career to the non-profit sector and served for 12 years as Vice President of Operations for the Christian Herald Association, Inc., the parent organization of four New York City ministries, including The Bowery Mission.
Now Vice President of the National Organization on Disability in Manhattan, Brennan also won the Valley Forge Award for editorial writing from the Freedoms Foundation. His two adult sons and their families live in Pennsylvania. Terry, his wife Andrea and their two adult children live in New York City. His first novel, The Sacred Cipher, was published by Kregel Publications and released in July of 2009.
On a more personal level:
I grew up in the Catholic Church but it wasn’t until my marriage to Andrea and our experience with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal that the God of the Bible broke through and convinced me he was real. So, for the last 30 years, the journey has been primarily in trying to accept God’s love for me. I know He loves everybody else. But me? That’s the struggle.
My kids – Michael, Patrick, Meghan and Matthew – always inspire me with their enthusiasm for life and their encouragement. But my greatest inspiration while writing The Sacred Cipher came from my wife, Andrea. Not only did she give me the gift of a year of Saturdays in which to write the book, but she kept me sane and rooted during the many long, agonizing stretches when I struggled with fear, doubt and inadequacy. Andrea is my best friend and biggest fan.
As for me, I was a journalist for 22 years and loved almost every minute of that life. Then providence intervened, picked us up out of the newspaper business and dropped us into New York City working for the organization that runs The Bowery Mission. And I spent 12 years serving in a ministry to the addicted and homeless here in New York. That move was a radical change on so many levels but resulted in so many blessings for all of our family that we wouldn’t change a moment of it.
Interview:
How did you get the idea for the book?
My wife and I lived in The Bowery Mission for many years while I worked for its parent organization, the Christian Herald Association.
I had already formed the idea for the second half of the story (which is the surprise part) and that was kicking around in my head.
Then, one day I was standing at the back of The Bowery Mission’s 120-year-old chapel, looking up at the organ pipes that rise high above the speaker’s platform. And I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if there was a room hidden behind the organ pipes?
Of course, I had been behind the organ pipes many times and knew what was there – certainly not a hidden room. But the idea was intriguing, and that’s when the two pieces started coming together and, eventually, formed The Sacred Cipher.
The Sacred Cipher is an adult thriller/suspense triggered by the discovery of a hidden room behind the organ pipes in The Bowery Mission’s chapel in New York City. In a safe in the room is found an ancient scroll with a message written in an extinct language that has never been deciphered. The first half of the book takes place in NYC as a ‘team’ of guys tries to discover the content of the message, and the second half is when the team goes off to find out if the message is, in fact, true.
Here’s the blurb from the back cover of the book:
"When New Yorker Tom Bohannon uncovers an ancient scroll containing a dead language that has been lost in the sands of time, he doesn't fully comprehend the danger that's about to unfold. Though Tom and his team of ragtag scientists and historians want to decode the ancient text, others don’t want the cipher revealed. And they are prepared to kill to keep it hidden.
"From a market in nineteenth-century Alexandria to a library in present-day New York to the tunnels beneath Jerusalem, the secret of the cipher is gradually revealing itself across the globe. And for those in its path, life is about to change - forever."
Describe your path to writing this book?
The path to this book, as I note below, started when two ideas came together in the chapel of The Bowery Mission. Other writers got excited about the story idea and encouraged me to take the time to sit down and write it. It took a year of Saturdays to write the book, a year to secure an agent, another year to secure a publisher and another year for editing.
The path to writing is pretty short.
I sit in a chair, staring at an LCD screen. I put my fingers on the keyboard in my lap. And the story tells itself through my fingers.
Really, that’s the way it is.
I do research, both online and at the huge Humanities and Social Sciences Library on Bryant Park in New York City. And I love that part of the work.
But, the writing? I don’t have a plan (sorry to all of you who labor over plot outlines and build fully-formed character personalities).
I have a story, and I try to tell the story … or let the story tell me and I tell you.
I was a journalist for 22 years – 15 years as a sportswriter. When you cover a game, any kind of game, you have a very short deadline in which to file that story. An hour if you’re lucky. Sometimes as little as 15 minutes. So you get used to telling the story through your fingers. Not too much thinking. Just try to figure out the story of the game, or the athletes, and tell the story to the best of your ability in the time allowed. Then, the next day, you get to do it all over again. And, just as an aside, don’t make any mistakes.
That is the learned skill I bring to novel writing. I have an idea what the story is going to be, some understanding of the people who are playing in that story, and then I sit down to write the story. And it usually tells me what to do and where it’s going.
Conception to revision – that’s about the way it goes.
Pretty lame, eh?
Have you always written, when did you start, etc?
I think I was born a writer … it was the way God wired me. But I didn’t become aware of it until I was a freshman in high school. I’ve written ever since. I wrote for my high school newspaper and my college humor magazine. I’ve written advertising copy, short stories and spent 22 years as a journalist – 15 as a sportswriter.
But I never considered myself a ‘writer’ until I tried my hand at my first novel in the mid-90’s. That one took four years, then sat in a drawer for six years. One day, I thought, I wonder if there is any value in that book? Eventually I went to my first writer’s conference – the Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference – in 2005. I had an idea that I pitched to anyone who would listen, got a lot of encouragement and … boom … that was it. Off on this crazy journey. It took four years for The Sacred Cipher to go from an idea at the ’05 Philly Conference to launch date 2009.
I knew from the end of the book that you had used some factual info but a day after I finished this book, I saw a news story online about the Rosetta Stone and realized that you used quite a bit of factual events and information. Have you always followed the info on the Rosetta Stone and the history relating to it or did you begin to research it just for the writing of this book?
I was a history major in college, and I truly love the thrill of research … digging into books, the Internet, any information I can find and trolling for that luscious morsel that will give the story life – and a surprising twist.
But, I can take no credit for the introduction of Demotic into the story.
I was privileged to have an archeologist in Jerusalem – Kathy Vance – as a collaborator on The Sacred Cipher. I would send her all these ideas I was working on for the book and she would email me back and say, No, don’t use that one. Use this one. That had to do with one of the historical characters and also to the use of Demotic as the extinct, indecipherable language used to write the Sacred Cipher.
The scroll that is discovered in The Bowery Mission is written in Demotic – the third language on the Rosetta Stone. Once the decision was made to use Demotic as the language, that obviously brought the Rosetta Stone into play. That’s when I went to work in the Humanities and Social Science Library here in New York City and researched as much as I could find out about the Rosetta Stone … and then tried to figure out how the Stone would fit into the unfolding of the story.
The search for the scroll’s meaning leads the team to Sir Edward Elgar, the English composer, and a cipher he wrote over 100 years ago that has yet to be deciphered. The scroll’s history reaches back to the 11th Century and at one point crossed the path of legendary English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Writers like Stephen King often say a story is organic … that it has a life of its own and will tell you where it wants to go. I was stunned to find out that is what happened with The Sacred Cipher. The Rosetta Stone, and the Demotic language, ended up being entwined into so many different aspects of the book … so much more so than I had any idea at the beginning. So I kept adding layer upon layer of factual information on top of this fanciful story about a secret message from 1,000 years ago that changes today’s history.
The Bowery Mission is real … Demotic is real … Sir Edward Elgar is real … Charles Haddon Spurgeon is real … and so are dozens of other facts and folks that are weaved into this adventure.
Most of the research was done is the massive and beautiful Humanities and Social Science Library on Bryant Park and Fifth Avenue in New York City. And on Google Earth.
As I was reading, I could see this as a movie. Any plans for one?
Many people who have read The Sacred Cipher have said the same thing … and I can only hope you are prophetic. I would love to see the book as a movie, obviously. I think it’s a very visual book. Even though it’s jammed with information and interesting facts, it’s also full of action. I hope someone out in Hollywood, or Indie-land, gets their hands on a copy and feels the same way. But no nibbles, yet.
The closest we’ve gotten is that my wife and kids and I pretend we are the casting director for the film version of the book and try to decide who would play the lead roles?
At the moment, this is as far as we’ve gotten (and it changes regularly):
For the lead, Tom Bohannon: Robert Downey, Jr. or Gerard Butler (if makeup could age him a bit) or, more of a long shot, Aiden Quinn or Liev Schrieber.
We all agree Sean Connery or Gabriel Byrne … or, perhaps, Harrison Ford … should be Dr. Richard Johnson, Jr.
Danny DeVito or Paul Giammati, or Sean Astin as Sammy Rizzo.
Charlize Theron, or Drew Barrymore, or Kate Hudson, or Rachel McAdams as Kallie Nolan.
For Joe Rodriguez, Amaury Nolasco (from Prison Break TV show).
As Tom’s wife, Annie – Jennifer Connelly, or Tea Leoni.
Can you give any info/hints on the sequel? When will it be released?
I am deep into writing the sequel, Scorpion Pass, at the present. It starts right at the end of The Sacred Cipher and continues the story into the next phase of its evolution. All I can tell you is that the same characters are involved, that there are some major surprises to be revealed in Scorpion Pass and that all is not as it seems.
In the interim, I’ve written another novel, Hunger’s Ransom, which is a contemporary suspense set in New York City. That novel – and it’s necessary rewriting and editing – has been set aside, for the moment, as I work to complete Scorpion Pass.
My publisher, Kregel Publications, has not yet set a release date for Scorpion Pass.
Fave author? Fave book?
I’ve always loved the classic American authors – Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald – particularly Steinbeck. Steinbeck is my favorite, all-time author. That guy was a wizard with words. As a kid, I read every Fu Manchu mystery. As a college student, every James Bond thriller and the required Lord of the Rings trilogy, including the prequel The Hobbit. In between, Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes … you get the drift.
Today, I enjoy Dennis Lehane’s work – particularly his latest – The Given Day. I think he’s become a lyrical writer. And my son, Matt, has hooked me into both Stephen King and (more my style) Cormack McCarthy. McCarthy’s The Road was a revelation. A wonderful story in a very unique style.
Sprinkle into that adrenalin mix some historical biographies and/or autobiographies (Mornings on Horseback By David McCoullough). And lots of contemporary thriller writers, like Joel Rosenberg.
Include any other info about the book that you would like my blog readers to know.
The Sacred Cipher is a contemporary tale of mystery, intrigue and suspense wrapped around a historical novel – based on real people, real places and real events – encapsulated by an archeological treasure hunt that threatens the lives of all those involved. All of which culminates in a revelation that could be ripped from tomorrow’s headlines and which, if true, could lead the Middle East to the cusp of nuclear war.
And the story is more than plausible.
It’s a rollicking, fast-paced adventure, a combination of Indiana Jones, The DaVinci Code and the Jason Bourne movies, filled with fascinating historical lore. Judging from the reviews, it’s a story that has captured the imagination of both male and female readers. I really enjoyed the discovery of the journey. I started with the idea of how the book would start and how it would end and … in very general terms … what the story would be.
It was such a hoot. I wrote it in a year of Saturdays and was constantly amazed at where the story would take me, what the characters would tell me and the wild stuff I would come up with in research. It was like I was on an adventure with a bunch of friends who would only give me little clues about what was going on.
As for me … learning to be a novelist …
The easiest part is coming up with basic plot. I’m a plot-driven writer, so it’s not hard for me to come up with basic plot ideas. I have several plot ideas tucked away that will be my next few books.
Flushing out the plot details is not that difficult, either. It takes time and effort, and there are many days when I’m stuck and frustrated, or I find myself written into a corner I can’t seem to escape. But my 22 years in journalism, more than half as a sportswriter often writing on deadline, effectively trained me to write when it was time to write. Sit down and get the fingers moving. I often say I think through my fingers, and it is often true. I just sit down and start at some part in the plot (never sequential) and put my fingers to work. Most of the time, the story reveals itself.
One of my greatest struggles is in character development. That takes a lot of effort. Understanding and developing motivation … building characters of complexity and depth … those are continuous challenges for me.
I struggle with confidence, and I haven’t overcome that one yet. Organization, and I haven’t overcome that one yet. But the greatest roadblock is discipline. When I have it, magic happens. When I don’t, nothing happens. Creating and sticking to a rigid schedule is one of the few ways I’ve found to establish discipline.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Giveaway-At Home With Laurie Ann: A Decorator’s Guide: Turn the Place You Live Into a Home You Love by Laurie Ann McMillin Ray
I have one copy of this book to giveaway. Please leave a comment with your email below. This contest is open to US only and no PO Box addresses please. The winner will be chosen on February 24.
Summary:
These days few can afford to hire an interior decorator. No need. A copy of At Home With Laurie Ann and an open mind are the only requirements to give your home the professional, yet melt-into-a-sofa look and feel you’ve always wanted.
Starting with the basics, At Home With Laurie Ann cracks the code to creating the home of your dreams on the budget you have. The instructions are simple and straightforward, and the look is cozy and comfortable. It’s practical because Laurie starts with what you already have, moves a piece of furniture here, makes a substitution there, adds unexpected color and tops it off with inexpensive (but expensive-looking) purchases. The result is a thrifty transformation!
Written in a non-intimidating, down-home style to appeal and inspire many to redecorate, this book is ideal for everyone from the first-time buyer or third-time home owner to the perennial renter, newly married to the long-time bachelor and lively family to the single sophisticate.
About the author: Laurie Ann McMillin Ray began by decorating model homes for her father, well-known builder Corky McMillin. His philosophy was simple – everyone deserves to own a house.
Following cues from Corky, Laurie operates by a similar principle – everyone deserves to make a house his or her home, and she's dedicated her career to this goal. For more than 25 years Laurie has built a solid reputation in Southern California as an interior designer, and as the owner of several decorating stores. Visit www.laurieann.com.
Summary:
These days few can afford to hire an interior decorator. No need. A copy of At Home With Laurie Ann and an open mind are the only requirements to give your home the professional, yet melt-into-a-sofa look and feel you’ve always wanted.
Starting with the basics, At Home With Laurie Ann cracks the code to creating the home of your dreams on the budget you have. The instructions are simple and straightforward, and the look is cozy and comfortable. It’s practical because Laurie starts with what you already have, moves a piece of furniture here, makes a substitution there, adds unexpected color and tops it off with inexpensive (but expensive-looking) purchases. The result is a thrifty transformation!
Written in a non-intimidating, down-home style to appeal and inspire many to redecorate, this book is ideal for everyone from the first-time buyer or third-time home owner to the perennial renter, newly married to the long-time bachelor and lively family to the single sophisticate.
About the author: Laurie Ann McMillin Ray began by decorating model homes for her father, well-known builder Corky McMillin. His philosophy was simple – everyone deserves to own a house.
Following cues from Corky, Laurie operates by a similar principle – everyone deserves to make a house his or her home, and she's dedicated her career to this goal. For more than 25 years Laurie has built a solid reputation in Southern California as an interior designer, and as the owner of several decorating stores. Visit www.laurieann.com.
Book Giveaway-Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life's Challenges by Byron Pitts
I have one copy of this book to giveaway. Leave a comment with your email address below. This contest is open to US only and no PO Box addresses. The winner will be chosen on February 17.
Summary:
In Step Out on Nothing, Byron Pitts chronicles his astonishing story of overcoming a childhood filled with obstacles to achieve enormous success in life. Throughout Byron’s difficult youth — his parents separated when he was twelve and his mother worked two jobs to make ends meet — he suffered from a debilitating stutter. But Byron was keeping an even more embarrassing secret: He was also functionally illiterate. For a kid from inner-city Baltimore, it was a recipe for failure.
Pitts turned struggle into strength and overcame both of his impediments. Along the way, a few key people “stepped out on nothing” to make a difference for him — from his mother, who worked tirelessly to raise her kids right and delivered ample amounts of tough love, to his college roommate, who helped Byron practice his vocabulary and speech. Pitts even learns from those who didn’t believe in him, like the college professor who labeled him a failure and told him to drop out of college. Through it all, he persevered, following his steadfast passion.
After fifteen years in local television, he landed a job as a correspondent for CBS News in 1998, and went on to become an Emmy Award–winning journalist and a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes. Not bad for a kid who couldn’t read.
From a challenged youth to a reporting career that has covered 9/11 and Iraq, Pitts’s triumphant and uplifting story will resonate with anyone who has felt like giving up in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardships.
About the author: BYRON PITTS was named a contributor to 60 Minutes and chief national correspondent for CBS News in Jan. 2009. Pitts was one of CBS News' lead reporters during the 9/11 attacks and won a national Emmy award for his coverage. As an embedded reporter covering the Iraq War, he was recognized for his work under fire within minutes of the fall of the Saddam statue. Other major stories covered by Pitts include the Chicago train wreck in 1999, for which he received a national Emmy Award, Hurricane Katrina, the war in Afghanistan, the military buildup in Kuwait, the Elian Gonzalez story, the Florida Presidential recount, and the refugee crisis in Kosovo. He garnered recognition as NABJ Journalist of the Year Award in 2002 for his coverage of the 9/11 attacks. He is also the recipient of four Associated Press Awards and six regional Emmy Awards. Pitts graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a B.A. in journalism and speech communication. He lives with his wife in Montclair, N.J.
Summary:
In Step Out on Nothing, Byron Pitts chronicles his astonishing story of overcoming a childhood filled with obstacles to achieve enormous success in life. Throughout Byron’s difficult youth — his parents separated when he was twelve and his mother worked two jobs to make ends meet — he suffered from a debilitating stutter. But Byron was keeping an even more embarrassing secret: He was also functionally illiterate. For a kid from inner-city Baltimore, it was a recipe for failure.
Pitts turned struggle into strength and overcame both of his impediments. Along the way, a few key people “stepped out on nothing” to make a difference for him — from his mother, who worked tirelessly to raise her kids right and delivered ample amounts of tough love, to his college roommate, who helped Byron practice his vocabulary and speech. Pitts even learns from those who didn’t believe in him, like the college professor who labeled him a failure and told him to drop out of college. Through it all, he persevered, following his steadfast passion.
After fifteen years in local television, he landed a job as a correspondent for CBS News in 1998, and went on to become an Emmy Award–winning journalist and a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes. Not bad for a kid who couldn’t read.
From a challenged youth to a reporting career that has covered 9/11 and Iraq, Pitts’s triumphant and uplifting story will resonate with anyone who has felt like giving up in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardships.
About the author: BYRON PITTS was named a contributor to 60 Minutes and chief national correspondent for CBS News in Jan. 2009. Pitts was one of CBS News' lead reporters during the 9/11 attacks and won a national Emmy award for his coverage. As an embedded reporter covering the Iraq War, he was recognized for his work under fire within minutes of the fall of the Saddam statue. Other major stories covered by Pitts include the Chicago train wreck in 1999, for which he received a national Emmy Award, Hurricane Katrina, the war in Afghanistan, the military buildup in Kuwait, the Elian Gonzalez story, the Florida Presidential recount, and the refugee crisis in Kosovo. He garnered recognition as NABJ Journalist of the Year Award in 2002 for his coverage of the 9/11 attacks. He is also the recipient of four Associated Press Awards and six regional Emmy Awards. Pitts graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a B.A. in journalism and speech communication. He lives with his wife in Montclair, N.J.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Reading Group Guide-The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker
I gave away a copy of this book today and the winner is Sarah from California.
I wanted to post the reading group guide on the blog as this is a book all of you readers should check out.
1. Truly is the “little giant” of this book, yet her size seems to make her less, rather than more, visible to the town around her. Can you explain this phenomenon? What do you think the author is trying to say about her outsider status?
2. Serena Jane and Truly are as physically different as sisters can be, yet Truly sees that this difference is crucial, explaining “the reason the two of us were as opposite as sewage and spring water, I thought, was that pretty can’t exist without ugly.” (pp. 97-98) How would you describe Truly and Serena’s connection? How is it different from Truly’s relationship with Amelia Dyerson? Which seems the more genuine sisterhood to you?
3. As the successor to a long line of old-fashioned, small-town doctors, Robert Morgan is traditional, strict, and often cruel. I the end, however, the legacy terminates with him and he becomes Aberdeen’s last Dr. Morgan. How do he and Bobbie stray from the family paradigm? What Morgan characteristics stayed with each of them? Is the town “more modern” without a Dr. Morgan, and with Bobbie and Salvatore’s restaurant instead? Is the replacement of nurturing through nourishment rather than doctoring a symbolic replacement?
4. Death haunts Truly and all of Aberdeen, sometimes in unexpected ways. As a gardener, Marcus’s aim is to “make things live,” but, as Truly realizes, “wasn’t it also true that gardeners were always wrestling with death, whether in the form of drought, or blight, or hungry insects? In a garden, Marcus always said, death was the first, last and only fact of life.” What other parallels do you see in the ways Marcus and Truly court life and death?
5. Truly’s size marks her as an outcast, but throughout the novel, other characters have trouble “fitting in” in a more figurative way. Examine how this manifests in Bobbie, Marcus, Amelia, even Serena Jane. What larger point do you this the author might be trying to make about the importance of conforming?
6. What role does Aberdeen County play in the novel? Could the story or these characters exist elsewhere? Do the effects of the 60s and the Vietnam War seem to touch Aberdeen in the same way they touched the rest of the country? What is unique and what is not about Aberdeen as a setting?
7. When Amelia discovers how Priscilla Sparrow and Robert Morgan died, she asks Truly whether it was mercy or murder that killed them. What do you think? How do you feel about Truly’s actions? What in Truly’s character draws her to “collect souls” as she comes to call it?
8. When Marcus and Truly finally come together, Marcus says “We’re not exactly a match made in heaven, you and I, but I figure we’re good enough for here on earth” (p. 334) What does he mean by this? Do you agree?
9. Why doesn’t Robert Morgan “care” that his son runs away? What does it say about what he thinks of himself? How does this connect to Serena Jane’s leaving and his reaction to that event?
10. After Robert Morgan’s death, Truly gradually takes on some of his responsibilities as town doctor by using the knowledge she’s gained from Tabitha’s quilt. How is this a fitting purpose for Truly, and a fitting counterpoint to the legacy of Morgan doctors?
11. What about this story is larger than life or possesses elements of a tall tale or folklore? How are these details woven into the story? How is the book similar to or different from other works in this tradition?
I wanted to post the reading group guide on the blog as this is a book all of you readers should check out.
1. Truly is the “little giant” of this book, yet her size seems to make her less, rather than more, visible to the town around her. Can you explain this phenomenon? What do you think the author is trying to say about her outsider status?
2. Serena Jane and Truly are as physically different as sisters can be, yet Truly sees that this difference is crucial, explaining “the reason the two of us were as opposite as sewage and spring water, I thought, was that pretty can’t exist without ugly.” (pp. 97-98) How would you describe Truly and Serena’s connection? How is it different from Truly’s relationship with Amelia Dyerson? Which seems the more genuine sisterhood to you?
3. As the successor to a long line of old-fashioned, small-town doctors, Robert Morgan is traditional, strict, and often cruel. I the end, however, the legacy terminates with him and he becomes Aberdeen’s last Dr. Morgan. How do he and Bobbie stray from the family paradigm? What Morgan characteristics stayed with each of them? Is the town “more modern” without a Dr. Morgan, and with Bobbie and Salvatore’s restaurant instead? Is the replacement of nurturing through nourishment rather than doctoring a symbolic replacement?
4. Death haunts Truly and all of Aberdeen, sometimes in unexpected ways. As a gardener, Marcus’s aim is to “make things live,” but, as Truly realizes, “wasn’t it also true that gardeners were always wrestling with death, whether in the form of drought, or blight, or hungry insects? In a garden, Marcus always said, death was the first, last and only fact of life.” What other parallels do you see in the ways Marcus and Truly court life and death?
5. Truly’s size marks her as an outcast, but throughout the novel, other characters have trouble “fitting in” in a more figurative way. Examine how this manifests in Bobbie, Marcus, Amelia, even Serena Jane. What larger point do you this the author might be trying to make about the importance of conforming?
6. What role does Aberdeen County play in the novel? Could the story or these characters exist elsewhere? Do the effects of the 60s and the Vietnam War seem to touch Aberdeen in the same way they touched the rest of the country? What is unique and what is not about Aberdeen as a setting?
7. When Amelia discovers how Priscilla Sparrow and Robert Morgan died, she asks Truly whether it was mercy or murder that killed them. What do you think? How do you feel about Truly’s actions? What in Truly’s character draws her to “collect souls” as she comes to call it?
8. When Marcus and Truly finally come together, Marcus says “We’re not exactly a match made in heaven, you and I, but I figure we’re good enough for here on earth” (p. 334) What does he mean by this? Do you agree?
9. Why doesn’t Robert Morgan “care” that his son runs away? What does it say about what he thinks of himself? How does this connect to Serena Jane’s leaving and his reaction to that event?
10. After Robert Morgan’s death, Truly gradually takes on some of his responsibilities as town doctor by using the knowledge she’s gained from Tabitha’s quilt. How is this a fitting purpose for Truly, and a fitting counterpoint to the legacy of Morgan doctors?
11. What about this story is larger than life or possesses elements of a tall tale or folklore? How are these details woven into the story? How is the book similar to or different from other works in this tradition?
Book Giveaway-Selling In Tough Times by Tom Hopkins
I have five copies of this book to giveaway. Please leave a comment with your email address below. This contest is open to US and Canada residents but no PO Box addresses. Winners will be chosen on February 26.
Summary:
We've all heard it before: when times are tough, go back to the basics. It seems simple, but the reality is that in good times, many of us let some of the most important principles of selling go by the wayside, which leaves us scrambling when a downturn hits. That's why world-renowned sales expert Tom Hopkins is here to remind us that challenges are a constant aspect of selling and that the key to success is to keep your attitude positive and to never stop striving for excellence. What's more, Hopkins distills the four key practices to help you get your creative juices flowing and discover and exploit business opportunities that you may not even know existed, including:
Success Is In Who You Know: Effectively working with existing clients to generate new leads for business is crucial.
Retaining (and Rewarding) Customers: Excellent service and consistent follow-up ensure happy customers and ongoing success.
Reducing Sales Resistance: In tough times, people put off making buying decisions. Help them overcome their fears in order to thrive.
Converting Clients from the Competition: With fewer new business start-ups for you to pursue, you need strategies for getting clients to consider you over their current providers
Don't just survive, learn how to thrive by turning your challenges into advantages today.
Summary:
We've all heard it before: when times are tough, go back to the basics. It seems simple, but the reality is that in good times, many of us let some of the most important principles of selling go by the wayside, which leaves us scrambling when a downturn hits. That's why world-renowned sales expert Tom Hopkins is here to remind us that challenges are a constant aspect of selling and that the key to success is to keep your attitude positive and to never stop striving for excellence. What's more, Hopkins distills the four key practices to help you get your creative juices flowing and discover and exploit business opportunities that you may not even know existed, including:
Success Is In Who You Know: Effectively working with existing clients to generate new leads for business is crucial.
Retaining (and Rewarding) Customers: Excellent service and consistent follow-up ensure happy customers and ongoing success.
Reducing Sales Resistance: In tough times, people put off making buying decisions. Help them overcome their fears in order to thrive.
Converting Clients from the Competition: With fewer new business start-ups for you to pursue, you need strategies for getting clients to consider you over their current providers
Don't just survive, learn how to thrive by turning your challenges into advantages today.
Book Giveaway-On The Brink by Henry Paulson Jr.
I have five copies of this book to giveaway. Please leave a comment with your email address below. This contest is open to US and Canada but no PO Box addresses. The winner will be chosen on February 22.
Summary:
When Hank Paulson, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, was appointed in 2006 to become the nation's next Secretary of the Treasury, he knew that his move from Wall Street to Washington would be daunting and challenging.
But Paulson had no idea that a year later, he would find himself at the very epicenter of the world's most cataclysmic financial crisis since the Great Depression. Major institutions including Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, AIG, Merrill Lynch, and Citigroup, among others-all steeped in rich, longstanding tradition-literally teetered at the edge of collapse. Panic ensnared international markets. Worst of all, the credit crisis spread to all parts of the U.S. economy and grew more ominous with each passing day, destroying jobs across America and undermining the financial security millions of families had spent their lifetimes building.
This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime economic nightmare. Events no one had thought possible were happening in quick succession, and people all over the globe were terrified that the continuing downward spiral would bring unprecedented chaos. All eyes turned to the United States Treasury Secretary to avert the disaster.
This, then, is Hank Paulson's first-person account. From the man who was in the very middle of this perfect economic storm, ON THE BRINK is Paulson's fast-paced retelling of the key decisions that had to be made with lightning speed. Paulson puts the reader in the room for all the intense moments as he addressed urgent market conditions, weighed critical decisions, and debated policy and economic considerations with of all the notable players-including the CEOs of top Wall Street firms as well as Ben Bernanke, Timothy Geithner, Sheila Bair, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, and then-President George W. Bush.
More than an account about numbers and credit risks gone bad, ON THE BRINK is an extraordinary story about people and politics-all brought together during the world's impending financial Armageddon.
Summary:
When Hank Paulson, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, was appointed in 2006 to become the nation's next Secretary of the Treasury, he knew that his move from Wall Street to Washington would be daunting and challenging.
But Paulson had no idea that a year later, he would find himself at the very epicenter of the world's most cataclysmic financial crisis since the Great Depression. Major institutions including Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, AIG, Merrill Lynch, and Citigroup, among others-all steeped in rich, longstanding tradition-literally teetered at the edge of collapse. Panic ensnared international markets. Worst of all, the credit crisis spread to all parts of the U.S. economy and grew more ominous with each passing day, destroying jobs across America and undermining the financial security millions of families had spent their lifetimes building.
This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime economic nightmare. Events no one had thought possible were happening in quick succession, and people all over the globe were terrified that the continuing downward spiral would bring unprecedented chaos. All eyes turned to the United States Treasury Secretary to avert the disaster.
This, then, is Hank Paulson's first-person account. From the man who was in the very middle of this perfect economic storm, ON THE BRINK is Paulson's fast-paced retelling of the key decisions that had to be made with lightning speed. Paulson puts the reader in the room for all the intense moments as he addressed urgent market conditions, weighed critical decisions, and debated policy and economic considerations with of all the notable players-including the CEOs of top Wall Street firms as well as Ben Bernanke, Timothy Geithner, Sheila Bair, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, and then-President George W. Bush.
More than an account about numbers and credit risks gone bad, ON THE BRINK is an extraordinary story about people and politics-all brought together during the world's impending financial Armageddon.
Book Giveaway-Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee
I have five copies of this book to giveaway. Please leave a comment with your email address below to enter. The contest is open to US and Canada residents, but no PO Box addresses. Winners will be chosen on February 11. Be sure to come back to the blog on February 11 for a blog tour on the book and author.
Summary:
As children, Eliza Blacknall and William Denton ran wild over the fields of southern Ireland and swore they would be friends forever. Then fate took Will away to England, while Eliza stayed behind to become a proper Irish countess.
Years later, Will finally makes his way home-as an English soldier sent to crush the Irish uprising. When he spies the lovely Eliza, he is captivated by the passionate woman she has become. But Eliza's passions have led her to join the Irish rebel cause, and Will and Eliza now find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous conflict.
When Ireland explodes in bloody rebellion, Will's regiment is ordered to the front lines, and he is forced to choose between his duty to the English king and his love for Eliza and their Irish homeland.
Summary:
As children, Eliza Blacknall and William Denton ran wild over the fields of southern Ireland and swore they would be friends forever. Then fate took Will away to England, while Eliza stayed behind to become a proper Irish countess.
Years later, Will finally makes his way home-as an English soldier sent to crush the Irish uprising. When he spies the lovely Eliza, he is captivated by the passionate woman she has become. But Eliza's passions have led her to join the Irish rebel cause, and Will and Eliza now find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous conflict.
When Ireland explodes in bloody rebellion, Will's regiment is ordered to the front lines, and he is forced to choose between his duty to the English king and his love for Eliza and their Irish homeland.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Book Giveaway-How To Never Look Fat Again by Charla Krupp
I have three copies of this book to giveaway. Please leave a comment with your email below. This contest is open to US only and no PO Box addresses. The winners will be chosen on February 15.
Summary:
The new groundbreaking style-guide from bestseller author Charla Krupp on how to look 10 pounds lighter, 10 years younger and 10 times sexier every day, all year--in summer, winter, at the gym, even in a swimsuit!
You'll never get dressed the same way again once you discover:
*smart, easy ways to hide arm flap, a big bust, a muffin top, back fat, Buddha
belly, a big booty, wide hips, thunder thighs, and heavy calves-and
that's only half the book.
*which fabrics, colors, and styles make women look fat
*absolutely the best shades, shapes, and brilliant buys to make the pounds invisible
*clever solutions for special fashion situations--workout gear, evening wear, and even swimsuits!
*which products, fashions, and services you shouldn't waste your money on
*the top ten tips that will make you look thinner by tonight!
So, if you've ever put on a piece of clothing and asked "Does this make me
look fat?" Finally, here is the book that will answer your question.
Summary:
The new groundbreaking style-guide from bestseller author Charla Krupp on how to look 10 pounds lighter, 10 years younger and 10 times sexier every day, all year--in summer, winter, at the gym, even in a swimsuit!
You'll never get dressed the same way again once you discover:
*smart, easy ways to hide arm flap, a big bust, a muffin top, back fat, Buddha
belly, a big booty, wide hips, thunder thighs, and heavy calves-and
that's only half the book.
*which fabrics, colors, and styles make women look fat
*absolutely the best shades, shapes, and brilliant buys to make the pounds invisible
*clever solutions for special fashion situations--workout gear, evening wear, and even swimsuits!
*which products, fashions, and services you shouldn't waste your money on
*the top ten tips that will make you look thinner by tonight!
So, if you've ever put on a piece of clothing and asked "Does this make me
look fat?" Finally, here is the book that will answer your question.
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