A wonderful and healing book in itself, Nance Guilmartin's Healing Conversations gently guides the reader to the appropriate and caring thing to say when you don't know what to say. One of the most important things that it teaches is knowing when to keep your mouth shut and just listen. Sometimes just listening is the most critical part of a healing conversation. Sometimes we struggle so hard to find the right thing to say that we don't listen to what they are saying. Often if we had just listened to what they were saying we would have known the appropriate thing to say.

Excellent advice that anyone can use, it is divided into sections entitled "When you need a friend", "Health matters", "Healing conversations at work", "Transitions" and "Lost loves". While these are fairly broad categories, they are subdivided into detailed sections that cover just about every situation you might come across. From putting a pet to sleep to helping children understand illness to being fired or retiring the book is complete and reveals a dept of understanding and empathy not easily found in such books. A highly recommended read.

When you least expect it, you will be faced with a personal situation in your life or in the life of someone close to you, that will leave you speechless. You will get ready to say one of those cliches that we all say, like "it was for the best because bla, bla, bla". Reading this book, in short spurts or at one time, will help get you ready for these moments and better appreciate the healing power of your words.

What a wonderful book! Nance Guilmartin's Healing Conversations gives us the opportunity to find the appropriate and caring thing to say, when we are at a loss for words. It also teaches us that listening is the most important thing in a healing conversation. We humans often work so hard to find the right thing to say while someone is telling their story that if we had simply listened, the message we could have delivered to them, might have been very apparent. I have personally had people risk sharing their stories with me when I was sick with cancer. I knew what I wanted to hear and when I did not want to hear anything at all. Just a listening ear and an open heart. Ms. Guilmartin' book is perceptive in its wisdom and reminds us that we are part of a large family called humankind. Her words teach us to be both human and kind. I plan to buy it for all of my doctors and nurses. I keep it on my nightstand - there are times when I may not need to have a healing conversation with someone other than myself - I find solace and comfort in her words.

A practical information book on the basics needed to start home schooling your children. With Christian references & historical information this personal & personable text covers every aspect from preparing your home to starting a business.

What are your qualifications to be a home school teacher? Very simple: you need to love your children; have time for them each & every day; have strong beliefs that are not being taught in public schools; have doubts about the quality of public education; you must be able to read & write & you must be committed to completing the study courses.

I enjoyed the stories of her movable classrooms; how combining subjects opened up a whole new world & how heirlooms & elders can teach more about history than any pages in a book.

Easy Homeschooling Techniques is a thorough resource for parents wishing to teach their own children with a complete Course of Study; chapter by chapter Endnotes & a solid Resources section.

Do give it a go, I think you will find it eminently useful in your home schooling efforts. Do check out my eInterview with this forthright author, business woman & teacher!

Lorraine Curry's Easy Homeschooling Techniques: Your Guide To The Low Cost, Time Saving, High Quality Method is the ideal "how to" introduction and manual for parents who aspire to teach their children at home. Curry shows how to make sense of education methods, lay a good informational foundation, start up the easy way, plan for success, make order in the home, set achievable goals, provide a high school level quality curriculum, provide homeschooling even when employed. All pertinent issues for homeschooling are carefully addressed including phonics, drawing, organizing and cleaning, choosing literature, school planning, state studies, teaching the Bible, keeping high school credits, teaching homemaking, even career planning. Easy Homeschooling Techniques is highly recommended for its accessibility and is designed specifically for the non-specialist general reader wanting to educate their child at home and is enhanced with a course of study, excerpts from vintage books, a resource section, and invaluable "Authors and Poets" booklists.

I have had the priveledge of being in communication with the author of this book off and on for over a year. I have determined that she lives what she has written in her book. She has written this book in such an "easy" to follow, "easy" to understand fashion. It is literally a step by step "how-to" manual. She has even included symbols throughout the book which makes finding topics easier to find when you want to refer back to them. For example, anything she suggests you put in your personal notebook has a fountain pen symbol by it throughout the book. This was great for me because it takes me too long to find things again when I refer back to them. It is a time saver. So if you don't need another time consuming book to read, this one "reads fast" and has helps to make referring back to it easy and time saving. The book it aptly titled...Easy Homeschooling. I wish I had read it years ago before I began schooling. I'm excited about the results I'm seeing in my own homeschool as a result of following Lorraine Curry's methods recommended in her book.

I have read, highlighted, pondered and researched her ideas scripturally. It is the most balanced, and inexpensive approach to schooling I've read about yet. If you're frustrated, burned out, broke and generally feeling out of control and loaded down with too much stuff, this book will teach you how to clean out what you don't need, keep what you do, and streamline your homeschool so you have time to "have a life" beyond school.

John J. Nance is mostly known for his aviation thrillers, but this non-fiction work, his first book, is a great read. At the over 400 pages, the sad collapse of Braniff International is thoroughly looked at, from the airline's spectacular rise after 1965 to become a major world player to the shutdown on May 13, 1982. The problems which led to its downfall are all covered, the over extension after deregulation, the ineffective middle management, the poorly trained and many times hostile ground employees, the dirty tricks campaign by American Airlines and the incompetence of the later executives. Very well done. One minor complaint I have is that there are far too many footnotes. It seems to me most of them could have worked into the text, but it's not really a big deal. The bottom line is that this is a book that should be read by anyone who's in the airline industry. There's a lot to learn from Braniff's mistakes. (Note: This book is out of print, so you're in for search to get a copy, but I think you'll find it worth it.)

I am a former Braniff customer service agent. "Splash of Colors" is the most comprehensive, accurate portrayal of Braniff International. I worked for nine long months for this company. I was given no training whatsoever. I was assigned to work the weight and balance forms in operations, and flight crews continually warned management that my lack of training could cause their Boeing 727 to be misloaded and could cause an accident. Despite this, management gave me no training, instead, telling me to "try harder". Several of the managers I worked for were intoxicated most of the time.

As a former airline employee myself, I have read most of the books out there about airlines. Most of them seem to think that the only employees who matter are upper management. Not so. Nance understands that it is the pilots, flight attendants, ticket agents, and reservations agents -- the ones who have front line contact with passengers -- who ultimately matter the most in the public perception of the airline, and sometimes in its success or failure. However, this book correctly places the blame on the failure of the first Braniff where it belongs, on upper managment and take-over gurus who cheerfully ran the airline into the ground, and apparently never even paid the final paychecks of the employees left stranded and jobless back in 1982. This is the best airline book I've ever read. John Nance is a wonderful writer. I'm sorry he's turned to fiction, as his non fiction is better. His "On Shaky Ground" is the best earthquake book I've ever read.

This is a really great read, and an excellent fantasy romance. Although it helps to have read the other books (you'll recognize some of the minor characters in this and know some djinn information) this is really a stand alone book. If you've never read anything in the series before, don't worry, all the important information is explained to you. If you like romance books with nicely done fantasy, and if you like your romance heros to be alpha, but not super alpha, then you should really pick up this book, or at least one of the earlier ones in the series. In this book, the focus is Zayne and Madeline. Zayne is a djinni (a genie, only he doesn't live in a lamp, and he only grants wishes if he's been enslaved), and he's very important to his world, Kaf. His music keeps Kaf in balance, and, unfortunately, something's wrong with his music and his magic. In order to restore the balance to his magic, he has to find his soulmate. Madeline, a dancer suffering from crippling stage fright, is the woman he's looking for, but finding her only leads to more complications. After the glimpse of Zayne the author gave us in Enchantment, I was hoping he'd get his own book. Zayne's book was just as good as I had hoped it would be, and I can't wait for the next book. Kathleen Nance is my new favorite romance author.

I have read all of Kathleen Nance's books and this was the best one yet. I love her genies and the very well-thought-out stories. May she write many more!!! I;ve read hundreds, maybe thousands of books and this is one of my very rare "keepers" to read again.

As the Minstrel of Kaf, the land of the Djinn, Zayne has a critical responsibility to sing harmonious music. However, lately even the beautiful voices of birds irritate Zayne, whose darker moods impact his people and their land. To lighten his mood and learn how to use new magic, he needs his zaniya to blend harmonies, but has not met her though he is older than most of his predecessors when they found their beloved. He learns her name is Madeline Fairbanks and she resides in New Orleans on Terra. Like a warrior on the hunt, he seeks the enchantment of singing with his soul mate.

When Madeline, who just lost her job due to her fear of public speaking, sees Zayne she thinks he is quite a hunk. However, when he burns toilet paper to forge a protective spell, she believes he is a certifiable hunk. Still the attraction between them is too strong to resist and soon they make love even as they fall in love. However, before they can share a harmonious lifetime together, they must confront her evil stepfather, the warlock who placed the public speaking phobia curse on Madeline.

The fantasy elements make for a good time as readers will believe in magic in the music of this lovin' duo. The romance happens faster than the top sprinters can complete the hundred-yard dash while the characters are a delightful charming group except for the vile cartoonish villain. The romantic fantasy chorus will sing praise to Kathleen Nance for her imaginative tale.

Harriet Klausner

Well I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it painted a very realistic picture of the mainstream people of the South, that they were good honest, God fearing people, and had more common sense than the people up North. Also, that they weren't cruel slave-beaters like most history books depict them to be. The man put 14 years of research into this book, and so the accuracy of it is unquestionable. I highly recommend anyone to read it, it is only 135 pages long, short enough for anyone.

This is the story of David Carey Nance, a young Texas farmer caught up in the Civil War as soldier in William H. Parsons' Texas cavalry. This not only the story of a Confederate soldier but it also sheds new light on one of the most famous mounted units in the service of the Confederacy.

Alternative Link is amazing. I have known about them for 8 years and watched them grow. They have taken the complexity of insurance coding and simplified it. And the best part is that they have developed codes for complementary and alternative medical practices. This hadn't been done.

The CAM and Nursing Coding Manual is an example of this work. It is simple, concise straight forward because it is based on the ABC codes. It is easy to read and not hard to follow. It is a must for healthcare providers particularly those who need an overview of the process. It is the future of CAM.

Survivors of the 60's will be surprised and delighted by Curtain Creek Farm, a new book by Nance Van Winkle that reads more like a novel than a collection of stories. There's just nothing used or hackneyed in it; every place, every character, every event seems fresh and new. I came to love both the characters that formed the original commune, and the young, contemporary characters who find a refuge there. The stories are original, funny, and touching. These stories will stay with me a long time, not only because they are original, but because they are beautifully written. They offer sharp, immediate description, and an insight into the larger metaphors time, of life and death, of the search we all have made for a sense of place, a way to feel we might belong on this earth after all.

All of the reviews are correct. This is an awesome book, as is Armor Bearers II. Our entire church participated in bible studies on these two books. All Christians are called to be Armor Bearers, not just the leaders. Our leaders need our support. We need to be a help, not a drain. Read the building of the wall in Nehemiah. We are all called to build our part of the wall with a sword in one hand and a tool in the other. And while we build, we need to stand firm with our leaders.

This book was, and continues to be a very important part of my ministry, it helped me discover who I am in Christ with relation to the Man Of God that I've been called along side to serve under. We all need to realize that God is building His church, and that He has given the church all it needs to be powerful, and accomplish all that He desires. Pastors/Leaders are a gift from God, and must be treated as such. This book is very dynamic, honest, and very well written. It is very easy to understand and does an excellent job in portraying the truths of God's Word.

This book is a MUST READ for anyone called to the ministry. You must first learn how to be a servant before you can become a leader. Terry Nance tells us from his own personal experiences, how and why we should serve the leaders and shepherds that God has called us to serve under. Ministry Leaders cannot do every single thing in the church, that is why it is your job to step up to the plate and get off from warming the bench and stop watching everyone else play the game. We as servants must help fulfill the God given vision given to our Apostle or Pastor and God will ensure that our own visions and dreams come to pass. We must bloom where we are planted and be willing to submit not only to God, but also to the leaders He has set over us.

1 Peter 4:10 sums it up plainly: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10 NIV

I had already read several books in the category of body language, reading people, word analysis, et al, when I got this one. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to find material here that had not been presented in the other books. Further, it was very insightful, realistic, and highly useable information that I've used since in a variety of conversation settings. I've read the 48 Laws book, which advocates deceipt, and found this one parallels some of the same points, but takes them in quite different directions. It equips the reader to recognize deception rather than practice it, which I've found renders much more power in either a business or a personal situation. I've given this book to several friends to read, and they all come back with the same feedback: Fantastic!

If you want to hear what is really being said by others, read this book!

Jef Nance has done a great job showing the importance of good communication. He illustrates effective techniques through his own experiences as a criminal investigator that make them easy to undertand and apply. His book is not only interesting but entertaining as well. As a police officer, I've had more effective interviews as a result. If you deal with people you'll benefit from this book. Great job, Jef!

Wow! You cannot go wrong with this book. It stands waaaay out from the dozens of similar books I've read, primarily due to the clarity of the authors writing and explanations. Not all, or even most, of the information is new (students of NLP will recognize the eye-accessing cues), but this author succeeds in making everything down-to-earth practical and understandable. Of course, in the best NLP tradition he illustrates all of his points with concrete stories of how he came be aware of each technique and then how he was able to use it from then on. And because he is a former cop instead of an academician, the stories involve real people and real situations that everyone can recognize, if not from their own lives, then from TV cop shows. This book couldn't be any better, and if he comes out with any other books I'd buy it in a second. Go for it!

Kathleen has created one of freshest concepts in romance: the Immortals. These are children of the Auld Gods set in modern day. Zeus, Hera and gang are from another planet, but were rebel-rousers, so were banished ages ago to Earth. Zeus, now Zeke, owner of a fireworks firm, is aging (Sean Connery - lol) and he is looking back on life with many regrets. All the children of alliances with him, are troubled, unable to find true love unless they mate with a child descended from another Auld God. He is also sorry for all these problems the many romances caused between Hera and him. So he has decided to play matchmakers for the children of his line, determined to see them happy, and maybe at the same time, mend the troubles between Hera and himself.

In the last book, The Warrior, we met Dia Trelawny - a magician and Hugh Pendragon, a Soul Seeker. Hugh uses his soul seeking powers to be a manhunter for the police - only since meeting Dia his powers are blocked. He needs two cuff bracelets to use the power - though he is not aware of it - one ruby and one opal. Blackmailed by the Goddess Demeter, Dia unknowlingly helped switch the opal in one cuff. Now Hugh is troubled with nightmares and unable to call upon the sight to help him in his work. And somehow, he knows Dia holds to key. He comes to realise that he can access the visions when he is in contact with her.

Hera and Zeus arrive on the scene knowing Hugh is the man for Dia, but Demeter has other plans, so it is up to the duo to put things right. Add in Hugh's bulter, Ronald, his jewellery stealing down, Cerberus, Dia's twin nephews and twin neices, a missing sister and it all spells super fun!!

It is excellently writing, with well painted characters, full of depth and emotion. It is vital, sensual and it will capture you from the very start and keep you hooked the whole time, unable to put it down.

I cannot wait for the next one in the Immortal Series, but it just does not get any better than this. Kathleen's voice and craft just grows with each novel showing she is a fresh talent and a guaranteed super read.

WISE WRITERS AND READERS book of the Month for July 2002

Zeke Jupiter (a.k.a. Zeus), owner of Jupiter Fireworks, and Harriet Juneau (a.k.a. Hera), CEO of Peacock Cosmetics, are still working on their "project". This time it is Dia Trelawny, of Leda's line, and Hugh Pendragon, of Hades's line.

Dia is a magician about to go on tour as her sister, Liza, drops her two sets of twins into Dia's life and promptly disappears. Dia is frantic to locate Liza before her tour begins. With Demetria's blackmailing going on the last thing Dia needs is two nieces and two nephews in the line of fire.

Hugh is a detective with the reputation of finding people lost, kidnaped, disappeared, etc. He already knows of Dia and is extremely attracted to her. However, as of six months ago he began losing his psychic talent. The "Soul Seeker" considers himself retired, but Dia is able to put him back into action!

***** An incredible piece of work! Kathleen Nance has taken Greek mythology and turned it into a gold mine! This story is jam packed with action, romance, and suspense. Don't miss out on this awesome tale! I highly recommend it! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

I thought this book had an interesting premise. The Greek gods are still roaming around, causing mischief and mayhem in the human world.

Hugh is a descendent of Hades and Dia is a descendent of Zeus. The back story for "The Seeker" starts 6 months prior to the start of the book. Three seemingly unrelated things occur.

Hugh and Dia meet at a wedding 6 months ago. There was chemistry between them, but neither pursued it.

Also six months ago, Hugh lent some of the famed Pendragon Jewels to museam.

Dia performed a magic show at the same museam.

And Hugh lost his ability to "seek".

Jump ahead six months and you find Dia frantic to locate her sister while trying to avoid being blackmailed by the Greek goddess Demeter.

Hugh is suffering from depression over his lost gift while discovering that one of the jewels he had leant out is now a fake.

Now, Hugh has to figure out the pattern of the jigsaw puzzle. How did the several different events cause him to lose his ability to seek and have him fall in love?

The romance in this one is fun with lots of backstory - at times, i thought some of this backstory was a bit contrived, but all in all, I think it worked well together.

Hugh is all that a romance hero should be. He's strong, powerful, and vulnerable. And although I wasn't that crazy about Dia in the beginning of the book, her character becomes fleshed out enough that I began liking her towards the middle of the book.

This was my first Kathleen Nance book, but it certainly won't be my last.

Enjoy!