TOUGH LOVE, TENDER HEART by Steven Verrier: “…a chance to escape in a good story well-told.”

Our guest blogger today is Steven Verrier, author of the novel, Tough Love, Tender Heart.

You can visit his website at http://www.stevenverrier.com/.

I’m a partner in an international marriage, though I’ll admit my spouse and I never faced many of the problems Don and Ana do in Tough Love, Tender Heart. But I’ve talked to innocent people who’ve been mistreated, or at least misread, by the immigration bureaucracy here in the United States and abroad. There’s a certain arbitrary nature to immigration matters that I think ought to be addressed, and that’s one of the reasons I set out to write this book.

Having immigrated to Canada as a child, I’ve long been interested in matters concerning immigration. Living over the years in cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and New York and seeing firsthand how large-scale immigration can affect a community only enhanced my interest in the growing pains of immigration. Living in Texas now—San Antonio, to be precise—I see daily how long-time residents and recent immigrants sometimes struggle to build and maintain a sense of community.

No doubt 9/11 soured a lot of Americans on the advisability of opening America’s gates too widely. I’ve talked to immigrants to the US who’ve been hesitant to travel outside the United States since 9/11 for fear of being harassed upon their return by American immigration officials. There’s a perception among some that immigration officials at US airports and border posts don’t always apply the law fairly or evenly when it comes to foreign nationals trying to enter the United States. I can say from experience that some such officials don’t even know the law. To cite a personal example, I recall trying to explain to one know-it-all official on the American side of a US-Canada border crossing that I wasn’t violating any laws by holding both Canadian and American nationalities. And, believe me, I could cite other personal examples where immigration officials, standing on shaky legal ground, acted as if they knew it all and had better not be challenged.

Of course, I set out to write an entertaining novel as well, one that lives up to its back-cover billing, which says: “Tough Love, Tender Heart is a stirring, fast-flowing depiction of love trying to take root in an impossible situation, and a tale of unsurpassed relevance to our cross-cultural and post-9/11 age.” In other words, the primary inspiration when it came to writing this book was a desire to provide readers two things: a chance to escape in a good story well-told, and some food for thought.

TOUGH LOVE, TENDER HEART is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and other sources. For more information about TOUGH LOVE, TENDER HEART or about Steven Verrier, visit stevenverrier.com, and drop the author a line telling him what you think about this book!

FIVE STEPS TO C.A.L.M. by Robert Patterson: “…find the job you want and the life you deserve”

Our guest blogger today is Robert Patterson, author of the business self-help book, Five Steps to C.A.L.M..

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

Hello, I am Rev. Robert Patterson Sr. and I would like to tell you alittle about myself. I am Retired military; (Marine Corps) and I have made it my business to help others get a employment/career. I am a graduate of San Diego State University: speaker and instructor on the subject of job hunting and career counseling. I have been a news reporter, host for Cable television, an Employment Counselor Specialist, and Coordinator of a Manpower Employment Agency. I also coordinated the first Sickle Cell Anemia Testing in Oceanside, Ca. while attending MiraCosta Community College. I presently reside in Vista, Ca. with my wife Linda of 33 years of marriage. Five Steps to CALM (Career and Life Management) is my first book.

In today’s economy with some 1.2 million unemployed and growing doesn’t make job hunting easy. In my recent book Five Steps to C.A.L.M., I have compiled my fifteen years of Job Search seminar experience into a book of “how-to” instructions that I collected to help jobseekers make the right choices and feel good about themselves. The book was crafted to be clear and reader-friendly. Five Steps to C.A.L.M addresses such issues as how to write an attention-getting resume, and how to get through an interview with confidence and a sense of achievement.

This is a universal manual for nearly all market sectors and all sorts of employment opportunities. Beginning with initiatives on how to set goals, declare intentions, and research potential employers, there is no stone left unearthed in helping job seekers become cool, calm and collected in their search for a great job—and a great life. With helpful checklists, I prompt résumé writers on syntax, style and how to make the most out of action verbs. With directives on nine different skill sets, readers will be able to fine-tune and properly define what will set them apart from other applicants to ensure a face-to-face interview. From here, my book is a handy guide, which packs a powerful punch on how to wow prospective employers through the interview phase and walks readers through a comprehensive and enlightening pre-interview session. With advice on how to dress, business protocols and self-promotion, your future is here in just five steps!

In conclusion, if you are looking for a new career or a different job, this detailed and comprehensive self-help guide provides professional instruction on how to best market yourself, while searching for employment. From translating what is the best in you from paper through the interview phase of job-hunting, this book proves to be a powerful compass in putting your best foot forward.

I have attempted to think of everything in preparing readers for the job search. Beginning with self-assessment and goal-setting strategies, this handy little gem provides valuable clues on how to get ahead of the pack and distinguish you as a professional. From writing cover letters and résumés in my résumé-writing clinic to how to effectively network, handle referrals, and research potential employers, this book is all you need. Begin your own career crusade—find the job you want and the life you deserve today!

WHEN LIFE STINKS by Kelly Epperson: “…there would be no book if not for the reader.”

Our guest blogger today is Kelly Epperson, author of the humor book, When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes.

You can visit her website at www.whenlifestinks.com.

When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes is a post-apocalypse intellectual vampire romance thriller. Umm… not really.

This slim paperback is a compilation of short essays – quick, easy to read, but stick with you. When Life Stinks is a collection of my weekly newspaper columns. I started my “slice of life” column in May 2001; I’m still at it and still love it.

I do all kinds of freelance writing and ghostwriting, but writing my column is my joy. It’s my opportunity to be me, to reflect on the silly and serious, and to connect with my readers. There would be no book if not for the readers. I was continually asked for a collection of columns in book form. I was flattered, but put it off.

Then I started ghostwriting books for other people. It was bizarre that the first book I ever wrote was for someone else. And I couldn’t talk about it. Because of ghostwriting confidentiality agreements, I can’t discuss (or brag about) the books I write.

For my own ego, and because I love my readers (I really do), it was time to put my book out there. The title was a random line from a column about my two sons and our leaning tower of laundry. The topics I address are universal so I‘ve been dubbed EveryWoman. (I want magic bracelets like Wonder Woman.)

When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes is a great gift book. When Life Stinks appeals to men and women, and shockingly, teenagers. And there’s nary a vampire romance in this collection. Visit me at www.whenlifestinks.com (and sign up for weekly joy letter). Thanks for reading!