I first purchased this book at the request of my grief counselor, after the sudden death of my Brother, D.J.
Since then, I have purchsed 4 additional copies as gifts for friends and relative who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
I found it very helpful. The pages start you off with questions or statements that allow your feelings to flow. Some feelings that even if you are a "writer" you would not think of or even may feel uncomfortable about bringing up yourself like anger.
I find that most people will only talk or write about the good things about the person they've lost which of course is good and natural but "Angel Catcher" alows you to write about all feelings and situations. I find that it allowed (and guided) me to express all of my feelings and in return I felt peaceful and had a better understanding of my own feelings.
As stated I purchased several as gifts. In stead of sending flowers, I gave this book. I also found it much easier to order it from Amazon.com, have it gift wrapped and sent with a personal note from me - especially when it was being given to someone out of town. I must say that instead of the usual "Thank you" note, I have received very personal cards of gratitude stating that it has helped others gather their thoughts.
I thank the Authors Kathy and Amy Eldon for using their personal loss to help others deal with theirs.

My mother died from pancreatic cancer a year ago. We knew that it was inevitable. I found this book while I was looking for literature on how to deal with a terminally ill loved one. When I opened it up and started to read it, I cried. I had not yet lost my mother but as I read I was able to face what was coming - knowing that I had been able to share in her life and that our relationship was special.

I didn't buy the book that day. I came back to it many times, especially during the rough times. After a hard day I was able to go to the book store and flip through its pages and remember all the wonderful times. The day after my mother passed away I bought the book and have written in it everyday since. My memories are alive within it. It has helped me through the times when I couldn't tell anyone else how I felt.

This book allows you to put your feelings into words. It prompts you to consider things about your loss that you may have never explored on your own. It is wonderful.

My mother was killed in an auto/pedestrian accident about four months ago. I stumbled onto this book about two weeks after her death. It truly is a gift. I carry it everywhere. What a wonderful journal -- I love how you can jump from section to section as your emotions change. The questions that the journal prompts you to answer are incredible--things you would never think of but WANT to remember about the person. It is very HARD to journal the feelings, but feels good after you do. This book is a priceless treasure -- I refer back to what I have written on previous dates. I cry. I laugh. I miss my Mom so much it hurts terribly -- but am glad that I will have a memorialization of her. There is a place for pictures and an envelope in the back for special mementos. I only wish I had this book five years ago when my father died.

If self-sacrifice is the mark of true heroism, then Brother Andrew is in a class with the most valient. This book tells his story from birth and youth in WWII poverty, to the agnosticysm of a young man to the realization that God is REAL and part of his life. It will challenge your faith to rely on God as if he were a king leading his troops into battle. He is. Brother Andrew's story is one of the most involving STORIES I have read. But it isn't just a story, it is the life of a real man who has given everything for the mission to spread light to a dark land. Just because the Iron Curtin has fallen, dosen't mean that this book is any less relevant today. It will change your faith. Gaurenteed.

In 1968 I received this book as a bonus from the Farm Family Book Club. I started to read it in the evening and read until I was finished at 4:00 a.m. The next day I said, "If Brother Andrew can trust God for 365 days a year, I can trust Him for one day, no matter how foolish it makes me look." I did, and I did look foolish. But I found out that He is faithful. My life has never been the same.

This book has truly inspired me. To read about the sacrifices Brother Andrew made has made me know I can do so much more for God. This is a must read for anyone who is working for God. This is a thrilling, edge of your seat, page turner. You will not be able to put it down.

This is the best book I've read by Adler and I hope she can continue the good work. The stroylines are unexpectable and this book is definitely a page turner. Adler's research into different culture and language was very thorough and accurate.

This book was wonderful. I couldn't put it down and have given it to about ten people. Of course one of the 10 didn't bother returning it so I bought another copy which I am putting away. I even had my Grand-daughters read it while they were visiting and the both really enjoyed it also.

A wonderful story of three amazing people. A must read!!It will keep you guessing! buy this book if u want to laugh, cry and be genuinly touched forever!

I've loved The Saturdays since I was about 8, when I read it for the first time. It wasn't until I was older that I realized: these children had to figure out things for fun, because they didn't have TELEVISION! What a concept! Just look what awesome things they find to do. I'm delighted to share this book, and that added idea, with my son.

When I was in third grade, a classroom aide gave us the option of listening to her read out loud, or playing on the playground. Her book of choice? The Saturdays. Within the week, every child was choosing to stay in during recess and breathlessly awaiting the further exploits of Mona, Rush, Randy and Oliver. At 40 years of age, it continues to be an all-time favorite book of mine, as well as the other books about the Melendys. I consider it a treasure to pass on to my eight-year-old daughter; something we will share and laugh together about for years.

I first found this book at a resale shop when I was eleven or so. I bought it for 10 cents. It was one of the best investments of my life. It quickly became (and still is) my favorite children's novel. I enjoyed the stories of the ISAAC club. I really found so many afternoons of enjoyment reading about Miranda's petit fours, Oliver's adventure at the circus, the near death of Mona and of course finding out that "the elephant" was such a great lady. I re-read it as an adult and enjoyed it thouroughly. I reccommend this book to anyone looking for a happy, carefree story of family and adventure.

'Dark Secrets: Don't Tell' centres around Lauren Brandt, a senator's daughter who returns to the holiday town of Wisteria seven years after her mother drowned there. Despite still coming to terms with her mother's sudden and enigmatic death, Lauren is delighted to be back at her godmother's house where she spent her childhood summers. But things have changed for her godmother Jules and her two children: Nora is disturbed and unstable, Holly moves between friendliness and jealously, and Jule seems to think the best course of action is to ignore them both. As well as this there's Nick, a friend from Lauren's youth who's grown into a charming handsome young man. Lauren falls for him instantly, but Holly informs her that the two of them are dating. Then strange things begin to happen - Lauren finds mysterious knots in necklaces, plants, ropes, cords and clothing that appear as if by magic, and Nora claims that Lauren's mother is in the boathouse - hiding there by day and swimming in the ocean by night to search for her little girl. When Lauren is thrown into several dangerous situations - small at first, but gradually more and more deadly - she begins to fear that someone is out to claim her life. No one will believe her accusations against Nora, and the only thing Lauren does know is that the series of events are linked somehow to her mother's death, and her own re-appearance in Wisteria.

Overall, this is an enjoyable book - it's pacing is quick and fluid and though it takes it's time with details of the prom and the beach party, it never moves too faraway from the mystery surrounding Lauren and her deceased mother. The writing is clear and solid, the plot coherent and the characters interesting. Lauren is overall a likeable heroine that one can relate to, though she has some strange reactions to events - I would have freaked out had I gone into my room to find everything tied in knots - however, Lauren is quite calm even after it happens *twice*. It is also difficult to understand Lauren's affection for Jules, Holly and Nora when they are written as being not very nice people. However, the romance is unique and therefore refreshing - Nick is a bit of a womaniser while Lauren is more naieve, and their first kiss takes place in the pouring rain with a shower curtain draped over their heads for shelter!The wind-up was a little rushed, with two rather life-changing truths being revealed in quick succession, with no time for reactions to either one, let alone adjustments to them.

I'm puzzled as to why this book is in a series, as the only similarities to 'Dark Secrets: A Legacy of Lies' is the location - Wisteria - and a few passing comments to the Scarboroughs and Mrs Lydia. Other than that the two don't link at all, and I don't see why they aren't isolated novels.

Though this is not a memorable book, it is enjoyable, with an intriging plot, realistic characters, funny moments and a big twist. This would be a good book to take on a trip - an entertaining way to pass the time without straining too many brain cells.

Lauren has come back to her home town of Wisteria, Maryland finally. It's been 7 years since that tragic night when her mother died. While on her way to her Aunt Jule's(her godmother) she meets up with Nick, her childhood best friend who is no longer the troublesome chubby-cheeked boy she remembers. She also sees Nora and Holly again, Jule's children. Nora is deranged and angry and she wants Lauren gone. While Holly is accepting and her and Lauren become closer. Meanwhile Nick who had been acting as if he'd like to be more than just Lauren's friend turns on her and becomes glued to Holly. Now Lauren doesn't know who she can trust, but she'd better figure it out soon cuz someone wants her dead. And this time there's no place to hide.

GOD, this was an awesome book. I love Elizabeth Chandler. Make sure you read all the Dark Secret books! They are the best. And the guy on the cover who is supposed to be Nick is HOTT!!!

Don't tell is the Second book in the Dark Secrets series. ANd just like legacy of Lies it combines the supernatural with a thrilling mystery. In this book Lauren has come home years after her mother died in the town she grew up in. Since then she has lived a priveleged life but never quite gotton over her mothers death. When she comes home she meets some famillar faces. Her godmother whose mood swings are puzzleing. Her old pal Nick who she's becomming attracted to. Her cousin Holly who welcomes her home with open arms, and Nora, whose damaged mind is convinced that Lauren's mother, Sondra is haunting the boat house. But when Lauren stays at her old home for a while she notices that someone dosen't want her home. She finds her life being threatened on a daily basis and all of her electrical cords have been tied into a mysterious knot, just like what happened before her mother died. SHe suspects that Nora has something to do with it because she seems far from sane. But w!hen she digs deeper she discovers a dark secret that expalins why her mother's death wasn't an accident and that the killer is still out there.

I found this book to be just as good as Legacy of lies. Reading about Lauren's stuggle proving that she's sane and her mothers death wasn't an accident is entertaining. THe book is thillign suspenseful and filled with twists and turns. If you liked Legacy of lies and suspence stories, read this.

WOW! 'Charmed: Soul Of The Bride' is a great book. You see Prue gets a chance to do a big cover photo. She says she will and takes the offer. She decides to do a picture for her magazine 415 with Greek mythology. And at school Pheobe meets a guy named Nikos. After Prue gets all of her models hired, she sets them up and takes the photo. After that she notices all of her models have coolapsed to the floor including her sisters. They are all unconscious. So buy the book and read it!!! It is an awesome book. If you like the show, you'll like the book.

This is a must for any charmed fan not only like the show but with a twist of greek mythology.It starts with Prue gettting the chance to get the photograph cover for 415 the magizine she works for.At the same time Pheobe meets a gorgous guy named Nikos at her art class.But then Prue gets the idea for a photo getting a greek gods/goddesses photo to shoot in the Halliwell mansion,Nikos even got an old camers from his dad to capture the style.But when Prue snaps the shutter all the models apart from Pheobe and Piper fall into a deep sleep.To rescue the models the three sisters go to the Greek Underworld to rescue the models but a surprise awaits them there and the evil gods son has made Pheobe his bride and she may not be able to return to her sisters.Prue and Piper must rescue pheobe and the models but how with only two?Another mystery for tha charmed ones to solve.
This is a great book and its not to be missed.
I give this 5 stars.

I've read almost all the Charmed books and am an avid fan of the show. Where the other novels fall short, this book is completely on target. The basic premise is this: Prue is offered the chance to shoot a cover for 415 magazine, and a handsome stranger gives her the idea to emulate old Victorian photos which posed the subjects in fanciful outfits depicting myth and legend. Using her sisters and some of Phoebe's college classmates, she sets up a shot of the group as Greek gods and goddesses in the Manor conservatory. However, with a click of the ancient camera Phoebe's token love interest Nikos loans her, the 'models' collapse. The rest of the novel has the sisters traveling to the Underworld to save the models, until Phoebe is trapped by Hades' youngest son to be his bride. But which of the models is behind this scheme? And is he or she the only one? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Now, here's what makes this book so great: the author manages to write the sisters most realistically out of all the books I've read. I found that I could easily see this book becoming an actual episode of the show; the characters remain true to character, and the banter between the sisters is excellent. All in all, this book is a great read for a Charmed fan because the author has managed to capture the true spirit of the Halliwells and bring this across, making it as close to the show any of the books has come. Pick it up as soon as you can - you'll have a great time reading it.

If you are interested in receiving an advance or contract before you write your nonfiction book, then Elizabeth Lyon's Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write is a bookshelf-must you will treasure! Lyon has demystified the process of writing proposals in simple How-Why-What steps. An editor, writing instructor, and "book doctor" she wrote this best-seller after observing her students and clients struggle to understand the basic steps of proposals. Her book is organized in order of reader need, packed with practical and easy-to-use information and interwoven with examples of proposals. Peppered with chapter goals, it will keep you in writer's mode until your book is assembled, polished and ready to market. The recipe in this book gives you the tools to be taken seriously by the publishing world. "Elizabeth Lyon knows proposals the way a surgeon knows anatomy" best-selling author Gary Provost. "You helped me create a tightly written, well-organized, and great-looking book proposal from concept statement to appendix" Bill Buzenborg V.P. of National Public Radio's Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

As a literary agent, I endorse this book and recommend it to my clients who are working on nonfiction book proposals because, in my view, it is the most thorough and clear book on the subject. A number of the titles listed on E. Lyon's website are books I represented and sold. They were developed following these guidelines. It is one thing to tell a writer to develop "a great hook" or "write a strong concept statement" and quite another to actually explain what these things are and why they are needed. It is important for the writer to understand the purpose of each piece of a proposal and how it will be used by the agent and editor to grasp why the approaches explained in this book are so valuable. Beyond having a strong salable subject and good writing skills (or a good co-author or ghostwriter), in today's publishing world even smaller publishers want to see a solid marketing plan and publicity ideas. Elizabeth provides guidance to develop one. There are quite a few books on this subject offering a broad range of expertise, but this one is the best. As someone else pointed out, the errors in the previous edition were the responsibility of the original small press-- a reminder that many things like title and cover design and certainly page layouts are not left up to the author! Natasha Kern

Of the several books available on how to write nonfiction book proposals, this one is the most comprehensive. Some of the areas it covers particularly well are the importance of credentials and presentation. However, it provides solid information in all the important areas. It takes more time to read this book than the others on the topic but the time is well spent. Editors and agents are always impressed by book proposals that are informative, succinct, and well prepared and following the guidelines in this book will help you prepare an impressive proposal. Prospective writers often ask me to recommend books on writing book proposals and there are several that I recommend depending on the writer's temperament. I am always encouraged when writers select this one because the level of commitment usually reflects a quality proposal.

Note: Beginning in December 2002, the book is published by a new publisher. The proofing issues that inadvertently slipped through the cracks with the second edition have been corrected( e.g., chapter 14 is now included in the table of contents).

This novel is one of a series, and makes the presumption that you have read the earlier novels in the series, with references to previous action. It is written in a narative style. The main character is not fully identified by name until page 74 (part of the assumption that you have read the previous novels). Tony Whats-his-name from book one in the series reappears, along with other characters from previous books. There are numerous digressions, and a tendency to use foreign language terms.

The plot is a whodunit as various characters search for the lost Trojan gold that disappeared from Germany during the final days of World War II. In the chaos at the end of the war, many valuable items disappeared, apparently looted. Now a story has emerged that the Trojan gold (artifacts that had been in a German museum) was carried to safety and hidden. Many people have an interest, either for museums or for their own profit.

With two people murdered, and an assortment of people just happening to be on the scene, there are questions about some people's motives (other than the fact that several men are trying to seduce Vicky). Vicky finds her life in danger, as various people follow clues in attempts to track down the gold. There are indications that it had been hidden in a schrank (a type of wooden cabinet). The good guys prevail over the bad guys, but the story leaves things unfinished and the schrank disassembled.

This book was so funny....I hadn't read a Vicky Bliss novel before, so I was surprised by the cast of characters that showed up. They were all so funny because it seemed as if they had nothing in common. I like Vicky much better than Ms. Peabody that I too am hoping that Ms. Peters will return to Vicky and give us more great adventures to laugh about. The one thing I was not very clear on at the ending was weather somone actually found the treasure or not? Did John have something to do with its disappearance?

This book was such a satisfaction to read and reread. I've grown so attached to Peabody and Vicky Bliss, not to mention their fellow characters, that waiting for Barbera Mertz to write more books about them is torture. I hope Ms. Mertz lives to an active old age for the selfish reason that I want her to keep pumping these books out as long as possible.

In Trojan Gold she really delivers the good stuff. John and Shmidt's personalities get a good filling out, reading it is like eating Godiva chocolates, only better. Words can't say enough. In her previous Bliss mystery, Sihloette in Scarlet, the plot seemed weak, but the follow up made up for it. Apologies for misspellings.

The Battle for the Castle is about a young boy who go to a different world to save a castle from billions of rats, who hate light.

This is an exciting book that leaves you breathless at the end of the book!!! READ IT!

I am in third grade. My teacher read my class this book and the one before it to. Every time when my teacher would stop reading the whole class would beg her to read more. the author does a great job of stoping the chapter right at the really exciting parts.I LOVED it!!!!!!!!! Normally I don't like books about castles but this one I really liked!

I read this book when I was in 5th grade and I would suggest this book and the first one called The Castle in the Attic.

I'm a psychologist working in a college counseling center, and this is one of the top self-help books which I recommend to my clients. It's appropriate for anyone looking to find ways to reduce the amount of anxiety and stress they feel. Strategies address all areas of anxiety, including physical tension, worry, and interpersonal issues. Each chapter details a specific anxiety reduction strategy--eg, diaphragmatic breathing, self-hypnosis, thought stopping--and at the start of the book, there is a self quiz to help determine which chapters would best meet your individual needs. This is one of the best, simpliest books avaiable for reducing anxiety and stress; it's also useful for a wide variety of related problems such as depression and difficulties sleeping. Highly recommended!

This is one of, if not the best books on stress management and relaxation. It is a must have for health care providers working in this area, and an incredible resource for laymen seeking personal help or self growth.

I've recommended this book to probably 1000 psychologists, and as a specialty dealer of products for stress management, relaxation training and biofeedback, I know that at least 600-800 actually bought copies. Many of the ones I suggested it to already owned the book and I was always happy they did, because then, they knew I made credible recommendations.

The book offers a wealth of beautifully, simply explained exercises and techniques you can use immediately to learn to relax and cope with stress more effectively.

This book is a wonderful source companion for anyone seeking to find effective ways of dealing with stress and the mental and/or physical pain that it can cause. By offering a variety of proven methods and approaches, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook has helped me to discover and focus on those techniques that are the most helpful and effective for me. Clearly written and easy to read, I recommend it highly.