A Courtroom Drama
Uncivil Lies
The concept behind this book arose as a consequence of the divisive atmosphere that has been evident in many western countries in recent years. The fictitious story that follows sees representatives from both sides of the political aisle arguing their differences in a court of law. During the course of the trial, traditional perspectives clash with more progressive views. In particular, the possible inevitability of conflicting perspectives that give rise to philosophical divisions in a free society is explored through the arguments presented by the Counsel for the Defense. During the cross-examination of the Prosecution witnesses, the Defense Counsel investigates the role of the ever changing socio-cultural and philosophical dynamics in a society and whether or not those forces apply selective pressures that can alter the direction a society will take. The storyline, which is presented as a reality show, unfolds from a North American perspective since all the interviews and conversations that inspired the dialogue took place in North America, involving mainly Canadian and American citizens. The fictitious trial sees each side both defend its views and then get cross-examined on the basis of those views. A narrator who tunes in to the reality series weekly reflects back to the reader his thoughts, which act as a sounding board for the strained relationship he has with certain members of his family as a result of their differing philosophies. This book may be previewed here
Familial Love Overcomes Dysfunctional Family Dynamics
A Ray of LIght . . . A Ray of Hope
In the Twilight of the Moon is a story of familial love that follows the lives of three brothers who vie for the approval of their emotionally distant father in destructive ways. Marco lashes out and pursues a life of crime; Nicky tip–toes circuitously around everyone's moods; and Gianfranco turns his destruction inwards, tragically forfeiting his enormous potential. Their only sense of stability comes from their Uncle Frankie, a wise man who consistently reflects their family values back to them.
As the story unfolds, Marco's path takes him away from the family, essentially abandoning them. Gianfranco, instead, emotionally withdraws from his family and in time lives his life through the prism of severe depression. Nicky, in his attempt to bridge the familial gaps, pursues the role of caregiver. But fate, if not faith, intervenes and, as the patriarchs age and become infirm, the familial bond is forced to the forefront, setting off a series of events that bring about the long–awaited healing.
The plot connects with a vast array of readers: Nicky's unrequited love will register with those who have loved and lost as well as those who are incapable of loving; Gianfranco's struggle with his inner turmoil will give hope to those who see no answers forthcoming; and the brothers' return to their father provides insight into the all–too–common struggle for the approval of a loved one.
Note: Excerpts from the book can be read at Amazon Kindle.
Striving for dad's approval
Youthful Sleuths
As the Mystery Unfolds ...
The Riddled Mystery at Pirate Cove is a 'who done it' in which the principal problem solvers are a couple of high school kids whose youthful perspectives help the authorities solve a crime that they originally had written off as an accident. Belle Thommasen and Zach McCord, both sixteen, are reunited when Zach returns to his old hometown for the summer break to see the tall ship Dona Esmeralda and relive the fantasy that its great height and billowed sails used to conjure when he and Belle were children. After a day of snorkeling, scuba diving and otherwise enjoying each other's company at a local beach–front property, Belle and Zach stumble upon a torn piece of paper—an old, tattered and crumpled scrap blowing around in the evening breeze, whose contents contain a portion of a strange and mysterious verse that neither of the teens was familiar with. They pondered the verse, which began like this:
In the dark of night, he looked a fright,
With bushy–beard, bold and red.
His beady eyes could curdle the cries
Of tortured souls, long since dead.
With enormous height and eye–patch tight
And a stone–cold, ruthless heart.
Both far and near, men shook with fear
At the sight of Peg Leg Bart.
Now Bart was a terror whose hand was the bearer
Of a gladius sharp and cold.
He cut and he gashed, he gutted and slashed
Each matey who sought out his gold.
"Three clues have been laid, and a price will be paid,"
Swore the peg leg by all that's divine.
"By the man whose ill luck, or whose nose for the buck
Puts them into his hands before mine."
A devil was he, for no pirate could be
As vicious and nasty and cruel
As Bart when he lay in wait for his prey,
With the vengeance of a ghastly ghoul.
The teens' curiosity is aroused by the verse but the rest of it is missing. They are soon distracted by a noise and a flash of light from across the bay. They hop onto The Vagabond, Belle's father's motorboat, and soon stumble upon a lifeless body of a man at the base of a cliff. At first, it was assumed that this was an accident, that the man simply fell off the top of the cliff; but when the teens notice a similarity to one of the lines in the poem, they start to consider the possibility that the man may have met with foul play instead. One of the first clues they uncover turns out to be a riddle that proves difficult to solve and it soon becomes apparent to Belle and to Zach—and much to the consternation of the adults in their lives—that the person responsible for the crime may be trying to diabolically mirror the storyline laid out in the verse they had found on the beach. From that realization onward, the two teens embark on a search for the remainder of the poem and, in so doing, uncover a series of clues that test both their instincts and their intellect en route to solving the mystery.
Note: The Riddled Mystery at Pirate Cove is available for downloading at Amazon kindle
The Psychology Behind the Sale
Pathways to SOLD
This book, which is written for people in the Selling Profession, makes every attempt to get behind the sale. The analysis in this text will give a salesperson insight into the dynamics that take place during the selling process. The insights herein will allow managers and sales trainers to glean new perspectives on some of the complexities they see in their salespeople or students so that they can help them achieve greater heights. In addition, those same complexities are just as often seen in the customer; hence, that perspective, as presented to the salesperson, is analyzed as well. There are relatively few texts currently available that examine the science inherent to the art of selling. Pathways to Sold is one of them. Indeed, not many books study the role of the relevant components of the Central Nervous System as they apply to a sales situation. The insights in this text stem from a study of such factors as the fight or flight response to a selling situation, the locus of control aspect, and other psychological components. In this context, the role of stress, anxiety, and the individual reactions to those kinds of encounters, which lead to performance differentials on the sales board, are examined. In addition, categories of personality types are studied in the context of various selling scenarios. The role of dominant and subordinate personalities, as the contribute to the sales call are also examined.
By studying the science that is at play during a sales call, Pathways to Sold does not merely look at the reluctance to cold-call or to close, but at the underlying psychological and emotional causes of that reluctance. When noting that mishandled objections costs sales, for instance, this text also speaks to the personality traits that interfere with overcoming the objections of certain customers, and it also addresses the customer's underlying reasons for those objections. Moreover, this study does not merely speak to the fears and anxieties that sabotage sales (regardless of whether it is the customer or the salesperson that triggers those emotions), but attempts to address the etiology of those fears and anxieties. This book also brings into play some of the psychological underpinnings of personality traits that see some sales reps excel while others struggle for the occasional deal. Anecdotes are included to enable the reader to view the espoused theory in a selling context.
This book is particularly sensitive to salespeople on commission alone. They are reminded of the importance of making the best possible move at every given moment; their need to recognize and avoid self-defeating behavior is also reinforced; the importance of retaining control of their sales calls is emphasized as well; and the courage to make the difficult decisions that so many sales reps are afraid to make is called upon repeatedly. By giving the reader insight into the science behind the dynamics that often creep into a sales call, a whole new world of selling opportunities opens up.
This book can be previewed at Amazon kindle.
An art and a science