Historical Figures from “Imperator” by Philip Katz

Since “Imperator” is a historically accurate fictional recreation of the life and times of Caesar, the principle players in the story are drawn from the historical record. For the purpose of the story the biographies contained here-in are intentionally sparse and contain very little information as to what took place beyond the time in which the novel takes place. Naturally the story of Caesar is a matter of historical record so it is no secret how the story ends. For dramatic effect for those who are not well acquainted with the fall of the Roman Republic I chose to allow the story develop and unfold in a natural way without knowledge of the “future”. In addition ancillary characters are not included beyond their involvement in the text of the story.

Gaius Julius Caesar the elder, 140 BC- 85 BC, was the patrician father of Gaius Julius Caesar. He was married to Aurelia Cotta a woman of noble birth. He fathered two girls, both named Julia, or a variation there of, the traditional family name for female members of the Julii, and one son. He was a patrician nobleman and politician from the gens Julii, descendants of the goddess Venus and Anchises of Troy. His mother was named Marcia, whose father was consul and she was of the family of Ancus Marcius Rex, King of Rome.

Aurelia Cotta, 120 BC- 54 BC, was the patrician mother of Gaius Julius Caesar. Her father, grandfather and uncle were consuls. Her maternal uncle was consul as well.

Julia Caesaris, 130 BC- 69 BC, was the paternal aunt of Gaius Julius Caesar and wife of the great general and statesman Gaius Marius.

Gaius Marius, 157 BC- 86 BC, was born in the village of Cereatae in the district of Arpinum approximately 50 miles from Rome. He was a plebeian and considered a “New Man” or homo novus which is to say he was thought of as an upstart and a country bumpkin at Rome. He rose through the Cursus Honorum or path to power to the rank of consul. He instituted major reforms to the Roman army and introduced the secret ballot at Rome. As a general he defeated Spanish tribes in revolt, Jugurtha the usurper of the Numidian thrown in North Africa and he defeated an enormous invading army of German tribes that had defeated a number of Roman armies before Marius.

Cornelia Cinna (Cinnilla), B? – 69 BC was the first wife of Gaius Julius Caesar. She was the daughter of the patrician politician Lucius Cornelius Cinna a political ally of Gaius Marius.

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus or Pompey the Great, 106 BC- 52 BC was from the district of Picenum on the Adriatic side of the Apennines and the son of the homo novus, plebeian, statesman and general Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo.

Servilia Caepionis, 107 BC- ? , was the daughter of the consul Caepio and Livia Drusa, sister of the plebeian politician, Marcus Livius Drusus, advocate for the rights of the Italian allied states. Servilia’s half brother, Marcus Porcius Cato, was fathered in an extramarital affair which was exposed resulting in a great public scandal and divorce.

Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106 BC- 43 BC, was a plebeian statesman from the district of Arpinum just as Gaius Marius was. He was a homo novus and is mainly known for his oratory and skill as an advocate in the law courts.

Quintus Tullius Cicero, 102 BC- 43 BC, brother of Marcus the noted orator and statesman. He was a statesman in his own right.

Titus Pomponius (Atticus), 110 BC- 30 BC, was a Roman capitalist and Publicani (provincial tax collector). He was a friend and confidante of Cicero the orator.

Marcus Licinius Crassus, 115 BC- 53 BC, was a plebeian statesman and the the son of a consul.

Lucius Cornelius Sulla, 138 BC- 78 BC was from an impoverished patrician family and was the first of his family to attain public office in generations. He served as a legate (an officer of senatorial rank) in the armies of Gaius Marius.

Quintus Sertorius, ? BC- 73 BC was a homo novus, plebeian, statesman and military man, from Nursia in the Sabine territory. He served in Gaius Marius’ armies.

Martha, ? BC- ? BC, was a Syrian Prophetess. Her talents were discovered in Rome by Gaius Marius’ wife Julia and she was conveyed to North Africa to serve as an advisor to Gaius Marius.

Mithredates VI Eupator King of Pontus, 134 BC- 63 BC, was of Greek and Persian descent and ruled his territory in northern Anatolia on the black sea, from a Hellenized court. He took advantage of anti Roman sentiment in the eastern provinces to seize large territories from Rome for which Rome went to war to regain control of.

Ptolemy Cleopatra, 69 BC- 30 BC, Queen of Alexandria and Pharaoh Egypt was the daughter of Ptolemy XI Aluletes. The Ptolemy were descendents of Alexander the greats’ Macedonian general Ptolemy.

Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, were centurions in Caesar’s army and were singled out for bravery in Caesar’s Commentaries on the “Gallic Wars”.

Why would I write another novel about Caesar?

I set out to write Imperator because I felt I could bring a unique layman’s point of view to the subject of Caesar and the fall of the Roman Republic, free from the traditional dogmatic approach taken by the academic community. In addition I believe the tale of the fall of the Roman Republic is a timely and relevant, cautionary tale for us in 21^st century America.

It is far too simplistic to attribute Caesar’s vast accomplishments to ambition and lust for absolute power alone. While Caesar was referred to commonly as tyrant and was allegedly assassinated for the same reason, Caesar never altered the Republican form of government which he is accused of destroying. Closer examination of the facts presented in the extant sources only make sense when seen in context of an extremely complex personality capable of great compassion for individuals and what was seemingly cold disregard for the lives of millions. In the pages of Imperator a character comes into focus from the extant documents of the period taking into account just how subjective these accounts were. In fact most of the sources for the period, with the notable exception of Caesar’s own writings and those of the orator Cicero, were written many years after the time of Caesar and were written by those opposed to the factions to whom Caesar belonged. The story of Caesar must be viewed within the context of the unique time in which he lived and the unique situation into which he was born.

My interest in Roman Republican history began with the BBC’s production of Graves’ “I Claudius” and McCullough’s “Masters of Rome” series of novels and continued over ten years of avid reading on the subject finally bringing me to Italy in 2005. It was after I visited Italy and the Forum Romanum in particular, that I was inspired to write Imperator.

Any relevant work about Republican Rome must be derived from the city’s long history and complex religious practices. For the story of Imperator the principle research is from extant histories from the subject period of the story, first century BC Rome and shortly there after and is supported by the archaeological and literary records including the vast amount of modern scholarship on the subject.

The principle literary sources from the period for the historical frame work, upon which the Imperator series was constructed, are the works of Appian of Alexandria writing in the Imperial period of the second century AD and Plutarch, a Greek writing in the second half of the first century AD again in the Imperial period. They clearly wrote from a point of view prevalent centuries after the events about which they write. It must be assumed by the reader that Plutarch and Appian relied upon sources, such as the writings of the consul Sulla and Polio an officer in Caesar’s army, which no longer exist, to which they explicitly added their own interpretation of events. Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” and “Civil Wars” and Cicero’s “Letters to Atticus” and “Selected Political Speeches” are the principle extant contemporary accounts of the events of their lifetimes, from which I have drawn upon in creating the characters respectively.

For historical background for early Rome I rely heavily on the Romans Livy and Virgil writing in the time of Augustus in the first century BC. And again we have “Plutarch’s Lives” and the work of another Greek, Polybius’ “The Rise of The Roman Empire” written in the middle of the second century BC.

No book about the Roman Empire could be written without building a strong geographical context around the story. For this I relied mainly upon on Michael Grant’s “A Guide to the Ancient World” and the Encyclopedia Britannica’s World Atlas. In addition I referred to Jacquetta Hawkes’ “Atlas of Ancient Archaeology”. I must also include Google Earth as another indespensable research tool I used to write “Imperator”.

Imperator was very much the product of the massive proliferation of information that is the internet and our digital age. While the vast majority of information included in Imperator came from the pages of real books, globes and atlases I was also able to gather vast amounts of information from disparate sources with great speed and very little wasted time through the use of search engines and online libraries such as, Questia.com, a popular online subscription research site. By these means I had a powerful research tool wherever there was broad band internet available.

Happy Reading!

-Philip Katz

How did she do it? How did Gail Rebuck, the head of Random House, turn a title that languished in the Amazon pre-order list into a record-breaking sales success in its first few days in print? Tony Blair’s autobiography, A Journey, last week became the fastest-selling memoir ever, and all in spite of being moved to the crime or fiction sections of bookshops by opponents of the former prime minister, and without the usual lucrative serialisation deal with a national newspaper.

One of the most powerful women in publishing, with a network that connects politics, media and business, Rebuck credits Blair himself for the book’s largely unexpected success to date – A Journey sold 92,060 copies in its first four days on sale, the best ever opening sale for an autobiography since records began in 1998.

“He broke the mould … he wanted it be human, honest and he wanted people to engage with it in a very different way,” she says of the book that lays into Gordon Brown and talks of ”devouring” Cherie’s love. “He bypasses the criticism in the press to get to the people.”

In spite of its sales success, Blair’s message has not been universally welcomed. He was forced to call off a London book signing and launch party last week amid security fears caused by anti-war campaigners. Rebuck, the chairman and chief executive of Random House, points out that fans still queued outside the bookshop to buy pre-signed copies. “People have a right to protest. At the same time a three-times elected prime minister has a right to sign his memoirs, the proceeds of which are going to charity.”

After a long career in publishing and marriage to Blair’s favourite strategist, Phillip Gould, Rebuck, 58, still seems a little put out by some of the stuff written about last week’s chart-topper – one of six Random House titles in the top 10. Of the suggestion that Blair’s decision to donate his share of the book’s proceeds to the British Legion would help his sales and reputation, she says: “I don’t know why people don’t take it at face value. It’s an extraordinarily generous gesture.”

She dismisses reports that Blair agreed that a woman he calls a “long-time friend” should publish his autobiography over dinner a few years ago as “so silly” and the fuss over the title change from The to A Journey (which she says “just shows the idiocy of it all”). Of dropping “The”, she adds, “I can’t even remember when we did it, it could have been for design reasons.” None of this press coverage can have hurt sales, of course. [Read the full article...]

See also New Literature – A Journey: My Political Life by Tony Blair

“Almost Chimpanzee is an extraordinary journey into a world of great interest but—until now—little understanding. An astute observer and engaging writer on complex issues at the intersection of science and society, Cohen summons his prodigious talents in this examination of chimpanzee research and conservation. For too long, Cohen persuasively argues, chimpanzees have been presented and widely understood as ‘almost human,’ analogues worthy of attention and protection by virtue of their similarities to us. In this wide-ranging synthesis of genetics, epidemiology, anthropology, history, and the sociology of science, Cohen demonstrates how much we can learn about chimpanzees—and ourselves—by exploring their unique qualities.”—Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, Partners In Health, Harvard Medical School

This is the second and concluding volume of the authors’ comprehensive biography of Tony Blair, the longest serving prime minister of the Labour Party, who led his party to three consecutive general-election victories. The first volume, published in 2004, examined his youth, early political career, and his first term in office. This volume begins with the events of September 11, 2001, and chronicles his ministry to its conclusion in 2007. As the title suggests, the authors view Blair during this period as a liberated politician, free from the earlier constraints imposed by the need to restructure and redefine his party. They offer a heavily researched account filled with fascinating details based on unpublished documents and insider accounts. For example, their recounting of Blair’s reactions to the 9/11 attacks has a you-are-there feel. There are wonderful analyses of Blair’s conflicts with Gordon Brown, his relationship with President Bush, and his efforts to forge policies on issues as diverse as the Iraq War, Northern Ireland, and European integration. This is an outstanding work that strives successfully to explain the man and his administration. –Jay Freeman

Tony Blair: Prime Minister by John Rentoul

John Rentoul’s biography of Tony Blair is a must read for those who want to understand him. The book is scholarly enough to use as a text in comparative politics. It also gives enough character development to understand who Blair is, how he was developed as a man and what Britain’s youngest Prime Minister in the 20th century is like. The text certainly gives a clear view of “The Third Way” philosophy of Blair’s tenure which eschews unfettered capitalism and old labor socialism. Rentoul also illuminates Blair’s Christian moral beliefs without ignoring the character of a young rock musician. It is the best biography yet of Britain’s most dynamic leader. — Matthew Escover

New Britain: My Vision Of A Young Country by Tony Blair

New Britain presents Tony Blair on all the major debates of British public life: from nationalized health care to crime prevention, from the welfare state to monetary policy, from religion to family values, from individualism to isolationism, from taxation to trade unions, from NATO to Northern Ireland, from community rebirth to economic growth. After seventeen years of Conservative Party rule under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, a change in Great Britain’s leadership appears imminent. In Blair’s Stakeholder Nation, government works in partnership with private and voluntary sectors to harness the pawer of the market to serve the public interest. In New Britain, we read in Blair’s own articulate words how to improve the standard of living of all Britain’s families; how to base a new social order on merit, commitment, and inclusion; how to decentralize British institutions of political power; and how to expand Britain’s leadership in foreign affairs.

Blair’s Britain, 1997-2007 by Anthony Seldon

Tony Blair has dominated British political life for more than a decade. Like Margaret Thatcher before him, he has changed the terms of political debate and provoked as much condemnation as admiration. At the end of his era in power, this book presents a wide-ranging overview of the achievements and failures of the Blair governments. Bringing together Britain’s most eminent academics and commentators on British politics and society, it examines the effect of the Prime Minister and his administration on the machinery of government, economic and social policy and foreign relations. Combining serious scholarship with clarity and accessibility, this book represents the authoritative verdict on the impact of the Blair years on British politics and society.

Tony Blair: The Making of a World Leader by Philip Stephens

As author Philip Stephens notes, many Americans who saw British prime minister Tony Blair all buddy-buddy with his close friend and philosophical soulmate Bill Clinton were surprised to see Blair in apparently an equally close relationship with George W. Bush just a few months later. Other Americans may simply have wondered who this man was who became Bush’s closest ally in the run-up to war in Iraq and his guest during an address to Congress.

Either way, this biography has many of the answers those Americans may be looking for. While it is not the definitive biography of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair — and it’s obviously too early to measure his impact on UK politics, since he’s still in office — this title is nevertheless a good introduction to this major player on the world stage.

Stephens, a writer for the Financial Times newspaper, has had a great deal of access to Blair over the years, including personal interviews specifically for this book. It’s not entirely surprising, therefore, that Stephens takes a generally positive tone with his subject. While he does not downplay Blair’s weaknesses, including a number of unattractive personality traits, neither is he heavily critical of the man. He also tends to be light in his coverage of others’ criticisms of Blair, except insofar as they have shaped the man himself or had a lasting impact on his political outlook or success in office.

No question that this book is more about personality than politics … but I hasten to add that I think Stephens has done a fine job in showing how Blair’s political words and deeds proceed consistently and logically from his personality and his underlying beliefs. Unlike Clinton, Blair does seem to have a solid set of core principles that transcend mere political expedience. Stephens argues that this in part explains Blair’s ability to get along with President Bush on matters of global policy. At the same time, Blair is also a consummate and accomplished politician, who recognizes (again, as Stephens argues) that the British prime minister ultimately has little alternative *except* to do all he can to keep the UK’s relationship with the US on solid footing, regardless of who is in the White House.

In short, this title may seem a bit too glossy and superficial to Americans who already have some degree of familiarity with British politics and Tony Blair himself. However, for those who don’t, or who seek a quick refresher course, Stephens’ book has a lot to argue for it. I consider myself relatively conversant with the UK’s politics and government, but still learned a lot from reading this. I think other readers may find themselves reaching the same conclusion. — Andrew S. Rogers

Product Description

Tony Blair is a politician who defines our times. His emergence as Labour Party leader in 1994 marked a seismic shift in British politics. Within a few short years, he had transformed his party and rallied the country behind him, becoming prime minister in 1997 with the biggest victory in Labour’s history, and bringing to an end eighteen years of Conservative government. He took Labour to a historic three terms in office as Britain’s dominant political figure of the last two decades.

A Journey is Tony Blair’s firsthand account of his years in office and beyond. Here he describes for the first time his role in shaping our recent history, from the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death to the war on terror. He reveals the leadership decisions that were necessary to reinvent his party, the relationships with colleagues including Gordon Brown, the grueling negotiations for peace in Northern Ireland, the implementation of the biggest reforms to public services in Britain since 1945, and his relationships with leaders on the world stage—Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Vladimir Putin, George W. Bush. He analyzes the belief in ethical intervention that led to his decisions to go to war in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and, most controversially of all, in Iraq.

A Journey is a book about the nature and uses of political power. In frank, unflinching, often wry detail, Tony Blair charts the ups and downs of his career to provide insight into the man as well as the politician and statesman. He explores the challenges of leadership, and the ramifications of standing up, clearly and forcefully, for what one believes in. He also looks ahead, to emerging power relationships and economies, addressing the vital issues and complexities of our global world.

Few British prime ministers have shaped the nation’s course as profoundly as Tony Blair, and his achievements and his legacy will be debated for years to come. Here, uniquely, we have his own journey, in his own words.

About the Author

Tony Blair became an MP in 1983, leader of the Labour Party in 1994, and was prime minister of the United Kingdom from May 1997 to June 2007. Since leaving office, he has served as the Quartet Representative to the Middle East, representing the U.S., the UN, Russia, and the EU in working with the Palestinians to prepare for statehood as part of the international community’s effort to secure peace. In May 2008 he launched the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which promotes respect and understanding among the major religions. His Africa Governance Initiative works with leaders and their governments on policy delivery and attracting sustainable investment in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. He also works with world leaders to build consensus on an international climate-policy framework.

Tony Blair’s book offers insights on alliances

USA Today, September 4, 2010

LONDON — The alliance between George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair was extraordinarily tight, but Blair says that closeness may never have occurred without 9/11. “If Sept. 11 hadn’t happened, and we hadn’t had these major security questions that we then had to deal with together, it might have been different,” Blair said in a Wednesday interview about his memoir, A Journey: My Political Life. In the book, Blair describes Bush as having more integrity than nearly every other leader he has met. And despite their political differences, he grew to like Bush because “I found him straightforward and clear,” Blair said by phone from Washington, where he is taking part in Middle East peace talks. [Read the full article...]

Tony Blair pelted with eggs and shoes at book signing

guardian.co.uk, September 4, 2010

DUBLIN - Skirmishes broke out between protesters and police at the first public signing for Tony Blair’s memoirs, with shoes and eggs hurled at the former prime minister. Four men were arrested and charged with public order offences for their part in the protest this morning outside Eason’s bookshop on O’Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland, which involved anti-war demonstrators and the Continuity IRA-aligned Republican Sinn Féin, who oppose the Northern Ireland peace process. A Garda spokesmen said the four men – two in their late teens and two in their mid-30s – were released from custody and will appear before Dublin district court on various dates later this month. [Read the full article...]

Tony Blair’s A Journey: Andrew Rawnsley’s verdict

guardian.co.uk, September 5, 2010

It is Tony Blair’s boast that he wrote every word in longhand “on hundreds of notepads”. That I believe. He was the most brilliant communicator of his era as a platform speaker or television interviewee, but he can be a ghastly writer. Anyone thinking about taking this journey needs to be given a travel advisory: much of the prose is execrable. No cliche is avoided. Loins are girded, leashes are strained at, die are cast, lights appear at the end of tunnels and wounds are rubbed with salt. The Vatican is “an amazing place”. Princess Anne “is a chip right off the old man’s block”. Princess Diana “captured the essence of an era”. Derry Irvine is “like the proverbial dog with the bone”. Many of the chapters are as badly planned as the invasion of Iraq. There are abrupt jumps from this year to that and back again. He will launch into one subject and then suddenly lurch off in an entirely different direction. [Read the full article...]

Tony Blair’s A Journey breaks sales records

guardian.co.uk, September 8, 2010

Despite predictions that Peter Mandelson beating him into print would damage sales of Tony Blair’s autobiography, the former prime minister’s book has trounced his erstwhile spin doctor’s to become one of the fastest-selling memoirs ever – presumably pretty solid consolation for having had his publication party at Tate Modern cancelled. Blair’s A Journey sold 92,060 copies in its first four days on sale last week, according to Nielsen BookScan – the best ever opening week sale for an autobiography since the book sales monitor’s records began, in 1998, and well ahead of Mandelson’s The Third Man’s performance, which sold 14,960 copies in three days when it was published in July. [Read the full article...]

Tony Blair book launch party cancelled

guardian.co.uk, September 8, 2010

Tony Blair today cancelled a second event scheduled to mark the launch of his memoirs after anti-war campaigners prepared to mount a protest against him. Guests invited to a party at the Tate Modern art gallery in central London to celebrate the publication of the former prime minister’s autobiography, A Journey, have been told that it has been postponed, a spokeswoman for Blair’s publishers, Random House, said. Campaigners against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had planned to demonstrate outside Tate Modern, and criticised the gallery for allowing the party to be held there. [Read the full article...]

Blair Memoir a Hit, Despite a Few Hard Knocks

New York Times, September 8, 2010

Tony Blair has always been a man of contradiction, and the latest is this: Even as angry, protesting crowds are forcing him to cancel long-planned publicity events in London, his book is selling as if he were the most popular person alive. In Britain, according to Nielsen BookScan, “A Journey” has sold 92,000 copies in hardcover in less than a week — the company’s best opening week for an autobiography since it began keeping figures in 1998. In the United States, where his publisher has printed an additional 25,000 copies since its first printing of 50,000 copies, the book is to make its debut on The New York Times’s hardcover best-seller list at No. 3 on Sept. 19. On Amazon, it is already selling at No. 13 for all books. [Read the full article...]

Liberty medal awarded to Tony Blair

guardian.co.uk, September 14, 2010

Tony Blair received the Liberty medal in Philadelphia last night “in recognition of his steadfast commitment to conflict resolution”. The medal is awarded annually by the National Constitution Centre to individuals or organisations whose actions aim to bring liberty to people worldwide. ”To be free, is to be responsible for the freedom of others,” said Blair in a brief acceptance speech in the east coast American city. There were no protests at the ceremony and the former prime minister was given a standing ovation after being presented with the award by Bill Clinton, the centre’s chairman. The warm reception contrasted sharply with a book signing in Dublin when eggs and shoes were thrown at him. Blair cancelled an event for his memoirs, A Journey, at the London Tate Modern gallery, as well as a book signing in central London, when anti-Iraq war campaigners prepared to mount a protest. [Read the full article...]

This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version.

-The premiere writer of management textbooks has sifted through the research to extract the truths every manager should know. This book is an antidote for the unsupported opinions handed out in many popular management books. - Kenneth W. Thomas, Professor of Management, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, author of Intrinsic Motivation at Work

-A prolific scholar and writer, Robbins cuts through the research and theory to deliver immediately useful and essential insights for the effective management of people. - Eric G. Stephan, Professor Organizational Leadership & Strategy, Marriott School of Management, Brigham Young University

You can succeed brilliantly as a leader and overcome the -killer- problems faced by every manager!

- The truth about building winning teams and designing high-productivity jobs

-  The truth about why -happy- employees aren-t always more productive

-  The (surprising) truth about what behaviors you really want to reward

This book reveals 53 Proven Principles for handling virtually every management challenge

The Truth About Managing People offers real solutions for the make-or-break problems faced by every manager. You’ll discover: how to overcome the true obstacles to teamwork; why too much communication can be as dangerous as too little; how to improve your hiring and employee evaluations; how to heal “layoff survivor sickness”; even how to learn charisma. This isn’t someone’s opinion; it’s a definitive, evidence-based guide to effective management: a set of bedrock principles you can rely on throughout your entire management career.

Yes, it is true, you can write a non-fiction book in 30 days at 1 hour a day, and what you get is utter nonsense like Joel Orr’s book. To his credit, Joel Orr is a very clever business man, but the success of his book is based on an utterly misleading title (he never really explains the concept of 30 days at 1 hour a day). It took me an annoying 10 to 15 minutes to scan through the continuing blubbering that is nothing but mere motivational crap (I apologize for my tone, but I am trying to be as polite as I can justify to myself after reading the book.)

The actual topic of his “trademarked” method (In truth, Orr has trademarked a number of marketing-rich terms, but not the methods) can be put into a few sentences: Select the topic to write about. Find a strong title. Write for about one hour a day without wasting time for editing. That’s it. Really!

Yet, Orr has the skills to write a 112 page book and actually sell it. Well, the average number of words per page is very low, and many pages are empty. It’s in the nature of books that pages between chapters are blank, but about 10% of the pages in this book are empty.

There is also a major flaw in his method. It may be true that you can write a non-fiction book in 30 days. His method (if you can call it that; in all truth you find more information about writing a book on the Internet) may produce a number of pages that would fill a book, but that doesn’t mean the writer has actually created a book. Orr explains that you don’t need to be a good writer, so if you write like you think it should be, but it’s like not good, and like you need an editor, and like it doesn’t matter … you get the picture.

Orr also attempts to provide tips on self-publishing, self-printing, marketing, etc., topics that are totally out of the scope of his book. That information is utterly superficial, but he needed something to fill the book, yet another point that his method is flawed.

Last, but not least, let me admit that I am very jealous that Joel Orr’s book is one of his publisher’s best selling books. Yes, I do believe I have the ability to write a non-fiction book every month, as shallow as his, and make some good money. My major flaw is my honesty. I would never be able to promote such a nonsense and take money for it.

In some way I am also very disappointed by the publisher, Booklocker.com. I receive and read Angela Hoy’s (she is a co-owner and also runs WritersWeekly.com) newsletter on a regular basis, and so far I did appreciate her straight-forward and honest style. But this is now the second time I bought a book she mentions in her newsletter, and it’s the second time that I call a book a fraud. I am a publisher myself, and I know about the strength of a good title. As a business man I also look into making as much profit as possible, but I don’t publish literature as misleading as Joel Orr’s book. See also my post Book Review: New Path to Riches by Nick Usborne, a book also published by Booklocker.com.

Booklocker.com is, of course, another vanity publisher, i.e. authors pay to be published. In all consequence, Booklocker.com is not responsible for the content, but their main focus is on profit.

Now it’s time to unsubscribe from Angela Hoy’s newsletter…

P.S. Just for the record: I have written and published four non-fiction books. None of them took only 30 days to write.

Tibet’s Last Stand? The Tibetan Uprising of 2008 and China’s Response

by Warren W. Smith Jr.

This deeply knowledgeable book offers the first sustained analysis of the 2008 uprising in Tibet, which revealed much about Tibetan nationalism and even more about Chinese nationalism. Retracing the complex history between China and Tibet, noted expert Warren Smith describes the uprising itself and explores its broader significance for Chinese-Tibetan relations. He sharply critiques China’s use of heavy-handed propaganda to recast the uprising and obscure its origins and significance. The book convincingly shows that far from becoming more lenient in response to Tibetan discontent, China has determined to eradicate Tibetan opposition internally and coerce the international community to conform to China’s version of Tibetan history and reality.

Reviews

Tibet’s Last Stand? is the first book-length discussion of the 150 or so protests that took place in Tibet in 2008. Using clear, accessible language, Warren Smith offers a detailed summary of the protests that took place and especially of the responses of the security forces and politicians to unrest, together with extensive ethical and political commentaries by the author. –Robert J. Barnett, Columbia University

A lucid, comprehensive, and insightful account of the 2008 uprising in Tibet. Smith’s impressive analysis of the causes of the uprising is surpassed only by his detailed examination of the consequences of that eruption: the resurgence of Tibetan nationalism, the brutal Chinese crackdown and the collapse of the Dalai Lama’s negotiation attempts with Beijing. It is a must read for those concerned about the fate of Tibet. The book takes on special significance in the wake of the similar conflict in Xinjiang in 2009, providing useful insight into the future of China’s colonial empire. –Jamyang Norbu, author of The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes

Warren W. Smith Jr. has emerged as the preeminent writer on Tibetan history and Sino-Tibetan relations. His newest work solidifies that position by offering the most comprehensive account available of Tibet’s resistance during the buildup to the Beijing Olympics–an uprising that challenged China’s claim that it has a legitimate right to colonize and suppress the Tibetan people. Smith relates Beijing’s paranoid reaction to the uprising in fascinating detail. Anyone who is interested in the Tibetan issue or the nature of modern Chinese nationalism must read Tibet’s Last Stand?, a seminal and mesmerizing book. –Mikel Dunham, author of Buddha’s Warriors

“The most informative and fair account available of China’s occupation of Tibet and its consequences. . . . Open-minded readers of whatever opinion about China and Tibet will find much to learn from Tibet’s Last Stand, and may even change their minds. . . . This is a revealing and honest book. . . . Tibetans are unlikely ever to achieve their independence, Dr. Smith concludes, `but they retain the right to write their own history.’ This he says–and he is a great champion–must be the role of Tibetans in exile and their friends. . . . I believe that will be the judgment of many attentive readers of this invaluable book.” –Hong Kong Economic Journal

“A useful, detailed account of the 2008 demonstrations, the official response, and surrounding events. . . . Readers will gain a clear idea of the Chinese position on Tibet and of Beijing’s strategy in the region: a combination of Han immigration, economic development, assimilation, repression, and waiting for the Dalai Lama to die.” –Foreign Affairs

Buy the book through Amazon.com…

The Panchen Lama Controversy

Who will identify the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama?

by Warren W. Smith Jr.

Anyone who is a Tibet activist, a serious student of Tibetan Buddhism, or a history buff will find Smith’s book indispensable. What is truly fresh and original in China’s Tibet?–and reveals Smith at his most penetrating and disturbing– is his analysis of China’s greatest propaganda successes. The tug of war between recorded fact and historical revisionism, autonomy and assimilation, Tibetan Buddhist culture and Chinese real estate, will continue while the rest of the world looks on from the sidelines. In the meantime, we should be very grateful that Warren Smith has kept a superb scorecard for us.

Reviews

Smith has extensive living experience in the region and does his research with great care….Recommended. –Choice, November 2008

This is a landmark study of China’s efforts to fully subsume Tibet and to rewrite Tibetan history to conform to this official reality. Smith’s dispassionate, critical, and detailed account makes clear China’s goal of complete assimilation and the futility of the Dalai Lama’s policy to seek some kind of ‘meaningful autonomy’ for his country. –Jamyang Norbu, author of The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes

“In seven fluid chapters, the book covers recent Tibetan history, with an emphasis on Chinese propaganda and how Chinese leaders have viewed Tibet. . . . China’s Tibet?is essential for understanding how the Sino-Tibetan relationship became what it is today. . . . His clear-eyed analysis makes a very convincing case.” –Far Eastern Economic Review

Buy the book through Amazon.com…

The Panchen Lama Controversy

Who will identify the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama?

The author, vice president of the Poynter Institute School of Journalism, wants you to understand that a tool isn’t the same thing as a rule. A tool is something designed to help you, not constrict you. The 50 tools discussed here take writers through the process of storytelling in prose, from the basic (construct a sentence with a subject and a verb) to the advanced (make your characters archetypes, not stereotypes).

Many of Clark’s rules are technical, having to do with such matters as punctuation and tense, but some of them are more thematically oriented (for example, discussions of the proper uses of foreshadowing and suspense). Use the tools when you like, the author says, and throw them away when it suits you. Just know what it is you’re throwing away and why. This is a useful tool for writers at all levels of experience, and it’s entertainingly written, with plenty of helpful examples. David Pitt

Levine, best known for Ella Enchanted (1997), offers middle-graders ideas about making their own writing take flight. Though her concentration is primarily fiction, she notes that her suggestions can help all sorts of writing. Among the topics she covers are shaping characters, beginnings and endings, revising, and finding ideas.

But the best part of Levine’s book is her honesty as she shares with children the truth that there are no perfect books, that rejection can be as useful as success, and that you thank the creative part of you by using the ideas that it sends. She even dips into the details of getting published, which will inspire the most serious in the audience.

Each chapter concludes with writing exercises, some surprisingly inviting, all of which end with the injunctions: “Have fun” and “Save what you write.” A terrific item to have on hand for writing groups or for individual young writers who want to improve. Ilene Cooper

I started my business back in 1993, originally as Copperhill Technologies Corporation. At the time I provided software programming services for the motion control industry, and over many years I developed a servo motor sizing program called “VisualSizer.”

The transition into a publishing company started back in 2005 when I self-published my book on Controller Area Network. I never considered contacting a traditional publishing company, because, honestly, I didn’t like their slow processing and the low author royalties.

After all, I operated my own business and could do things way faster than any large publishing company and create better profit. I did some initial research on the book publishing process and found that nothing really goes without an ISBN for my book. Again, I had my own business, and it was easy to get a set of ISBNs through the Bowker service.

I had the first 250 copies printed through a local print shop and sold it through my website. After a while I learned of the Amazon Seller program, and from that time on my book was listed on Amazon.com. After all those years, it still sells very well.

Another transition came with the increasingly popular print-on-demand (POD) technology, and I had my books printed through Lulu.com. This allowed me to maintain a small inventory without going through larger investments.

I wrote three further technical books and even published a book for some friends. In 2007 I decided to make the official transition from software programming services into a publishing company (officially Copperhill Media is considered a micro-publisher). However, the intention then was to merely maintain my books and that of the before-mentioned friends.

Another important step for Copperhill Media was the release of my first novel The Bleeding Hills in September of 2009. Honestly, my intention was not to be the next Hemingway (wouldn’t have minded to make some millions through sales, though), but to get a look & feel of fiction publishing. Well, I was in for a big surprise! Publishing a novel is easy, but marketing it is most probably the toughest task in the entire business world. Consider, the author is unknown, the product (=book) is nothing new, competition is vast, and the price is higher than those of traditional publishers.

Simultaneously, while writing my novel, I engaged into some more intense and serious research of the publishing industry. I found that there is a vast number of aspiring authors out there, all looking for a publisher. The problem is that only a devastatingly small number of them will be accepted for publication, because the vast majority of those writers don’t meet the requirements set by traditional publishers. Talent is only one major requirement; the potential to sell more than 10,000 copies of your book is the main aspect. It all comes down to profitability for an oversized, excruciatingly slow, and ineffective business.

The rejected authors have only few options: 1. Hanging in until they will be accepted (that may take a lifetime, or will not happen at all), 2. Simply give up writing, or 3. Self-Publishing. All these options, with very few exceptions, will come to the same result: Giving up a writing career.

The most dangerous option is self-publishing. I have done it, but, still, I don’t sit at my swimming pool, sipping my Vodka Martini (shaken, but not stirred), and work only Wednesday’s from 10 to 12. The self-publishing industry is a shark tank. The rule of thumb is, you spend several thousand Dollars with one of the sharks in the business and you will still not see any success. Don’t even think about ROI (return of investment).

With the knowledge I gained through my research I have developed a fairly unique business model for Copperhill Media. First, as of April 2010 the business will accept new authors, and it will concentrate on a book sales potential of 500+, not the previously mentioned 10,000+. For quite a long time I had contemplated being a vanity publisher and charge for publication without consideration of author talent and salability. Believe me, that business model still has a great potential, but by the end of the day I wanted to be able to look into the mirror.

That being said, Copperhill Media will look for style, readability, and salability of the submitted work. We do not expect a new Hemingway, but at the same time we need to assure sufficient quality. We are a small print-on-demand (POD) publishing house, and we provide printing, distribution, and marketing services for our authors. Our books are listed in online stores such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, AbeBooks.com, and more. In addition we maintain our own online bookstore.

That’s the business model in a nut-shell.

In addition, I will accept submissions by young authors up to 25 years of age, regardless whether their work is complete or not or whether it has been edited or not. We will accept only two new authors per year for our “Young Author Project,” and I will personally mentor them during the writing process. In the end, i.e. when the work is finished, we will publish their book.

For further information check out our website at http://www.copperhillmedia.com.

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The Bleeding Hills

A Novel by Wilfried F. Voss

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
- 2 Timothy iv. 7

The Irish War is officially a part of history, but not for Finnean Whelan, an IRA veteran of almost 40 years. British Intelligence has produced evidence that he is the mastermind behind a conspiracy to assassinate the First Minister of Northern Ireland. For Whelan this is not only a mission of revenge, but marks the beginning of a journey into the past and the return to the one true love: Ireland. [More...]

The Bleeding Hills is available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Nobel, and any other good bookstore.