About the Author

Jon Nunan is a writer for the home improvement industry and a staunch supporter of learning by doing and letting that which does not matter truly slide. When not writing, he can be found identifying wild mushrooms, picking berries, and taking on small projects in and around the wood pile he currently calls home.

Preface

If it were not for my mother’s lifelong obsession with natural living and my father’s uncanny ability to underestimate the difficulty of just about everything, I probably would not be writing this book. In the fall of 1995, my mother began casually dropping hints that she would like to build an eco-friendly cordwood house with her own hands; sometime in the early part of 1996, my father decided that this was a fine idea and began making preparations to sell our current home and begin construction of the house they live in today.

At that point, none of us had any idea what we were doing. If my father had ever picked up a hammer to do anything more than hang a picture, I was certainly not aware of it. The good sense and intricate planning that generally go into the construction of a family’s primary residence were decidedly absent from the very beginning; the “blueprint” my father sketched on college-ruled notebook paper with a blue ballpoint pen was — and remains — the punch line to many of our friends’ and family’s most-amiable inside jokes. Despite any formal knowledge of construction and with only our six hands to do the heavy work, Mom, Dad, and I (with some help from my 11-year-old sister and 6-year-old brother) began building our new home in June 1996.

Things did not go well at first. The plan was to live in tents all summer and have the house ready by the time Pennsylvania started to get too chilly to sleep outside, which is generally sometime around mid-September. The tents blew over the first week, so Mom, Dad, and the kids moved in with my grandmother in the next town over, and I moved myself into my father’s hatchback Suzuki^® Swift — which at 18 felt like my own alternative dwelling. The ten hour days we put in (when not encumbered by day-jobs or other obligations) certainly bore fruit, but by early August, it became very plain that we had seriously underestimated how long this sucker was going to take to construct.

To make a very long story short, the house was habitable after about six months, although it was far from fully finished. Our experience was not unlike the experiences of many owner-builders, and even though the job did not go exactly as planned, the finished product is something each of us is extremely proud of. The obstacles that popped up when building the house my parents now live in were numerous and so were the mistakes we made along the way, but perseverance and patience carried us through. Now, we have a heck of a house. Like many owner-builders, we skimped on the planning and ended up paying for it both financially and in terms of effort; in the end, however, everyone involved in the construction of our cordwood home is glad we took the alternative building plunge.

No one ever said it was going to be easy — except for Dad, of course. It is my sincere hope that this book will help anyone who reads it to understand the kind of undertaking building an alternative home really is and simultaneously illustrate what a fulfilling and unique process it can be when done right (or even when done half-way right). Anyone who is interested in this kind of construction already has the majority of the tools necessary to bring their dreams to life in the form of their own bodies and minds. However — and trust me on this one — understanding the other tools and techniques required to build a sustainable structure before you move out of your current residence to start building is not a bad idea, either.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there will be 19 million college students enrolled in universities across the nation beginning fall 2009. Of these students, 3.2 million are expected to receive their degrees. The first year of college living can be incredibly difficult for those who are not prepared to deal with the stress and challenges independent living presents.

The Department of Education says more than 30 percent of college freshman fail to return for their sophomore year, and it is not only because of demanding professors or dingy dorm living. Everything from managing your finances for the first time to balancing school and a social life will weigh heavily on you if you are not ready for the changes they will bring. 

The best way to succeed in your first year at college is to be prepared. The tips in Off to College: Now What? will help you transition from the rigid, scheduled life of a high school student to a college freshman who will be able to manage it all — school, finances, your health, new living situations, and your social and dating life.

This book will offer suggestions on how to stay organized, deal with your new roommate, decide whether to join a fraternity or sorority, how to handle the college party scene, and ways to avoid the dreaded Freshman 15. Off to College: Now What? is a must-have for any student who wants to make the grade while enjoying their college years.

This book is available for review as a hard copy or PDF, excerpting, resale, and per inquiry advertising. The author is available for interviews, and high-resolution images are also on hand upon request.

As the economy begins to shows signs of recovering from one of the worst recessions since the 1930s, investors are beginning to regain confidence in the market — and are starting by putting money back into bonds. “They are clearly moving out of money markets to bonds,” said Ford O’Neil, a senior portfolio manager at Fidelity Investments in a Dow Jones Newswires article published on September 17.

Of the $226.4 billion year-to-date inflow (through August), 90 percent or more has gone into taxable bond and municipal bond funds. Why? Because the demand for a secure place to invest money in an uncertain economy has led to a resurgence of interest in bonds, which have long been the stalwart of investment. This new book is an ideal guide for a beginner interested in taking advantage of this flooding market and earning massive returns from bonds.

You will learn everything the savvy investor needs to effectively turn a high risk portfolio into a constantly growing, steadily developing source of wealth. You will be guided through the operation of bonds on a basic level, from the numerous different kinds of bonds to how bond funds can be a highly lucrative option. You will learn the fundamental differences between government, municipal, and corporate bonds and how much of a return you can expect from each.

This book explains the basic methods of valuation and yield that bonds are measured by, and how you can evaluate bonds with three basic steps. You will learn how to determine the face value, coupon rate, and sale price of a bond, as well as the ratings, insurance, maturity, callability, and associated taxes. The importance of interest rates, inflation, and supply and demand in affecting the yield of your bonds are also explained to ensure you make a careful investment.

This comprehensive guide on investing in bonds includes dozens of interviews with financial gurus from around the nation that provide critical, real world advice on how to successfully invest your money into bonds. This book is for any investor who has been agonizing over how to safely invest money for a high return, guiding you through the complex but rewarding world of bond investments.

This book is available for review as a hard copy or PDF, excerpting, resale, and per inquiry advertising. The author is available for interviews, and high-resolution images are also on hand upon request.

Trillions lost. That was the bottom line of the 2008 Financial Crisis, and in 2009, while the market has been on the rise, things still have not been reversed. As The Wall Street Journal reports a drop in the Dow industrial average of 7.79 points at the end of the week on Sept. 18, market instability plays a leading role in what is possibly the greatest economic crisis the US has faced, creating angst and stress for active investors. But, there are more passive options for investors. Index funds offer a safer investment that outperforms 80 percent of managed funds, as explained in this complete guide to understanding one of the best-kept secrets of the investment world. Designed to give even the most novice investors an inside look on how to reduce the stress and anxiety that comes with beating the market, this book will help people of any age develop a solid investment plan.

This book explains the step-by-step process of how an investor can buy shares, or samples of shares, that make up an index. Learn how to achieve balance as the performance and value of different types of funds are explained. Filled with various indexing methods to optimize investments, this complete guide is filled with tips for developing a portfolio, gauging risk capacity, and portfolio management strategies.

Written by Craig Baird, this guide investigates the benefits index funds offer while comparing them to other investment vehicles. For first-time investors and stock market pros alike, this guide provides comprehensive look on a safe way to maximize a return while minimizing risk.

This book is available for review as a hard copy or PDF, excerpting, resale, and per inquiry advertising. The author is available for interviews, and high-resolution images are also on hand upon request.

Graduate school can be a great option after college, but a few things could be stopping you — however, it should not be your score on the Graduate Record Exam, more commonly known as the GRE. Every year, more than 350,000 people take this exam. Reading 101 Ways to Score Higher on Your GRE is one way to boost your score on the exam that about 60 percent of graduate programs require for admission. Use the techniques provided in this book, and you will be good to go.

In this new book, you will learn about and understand the scoring system, the computerized format, and the content. You will learn how to read questions correctly, how to control your anxiety, and how to approach each section. Also included is a handy list of resources to help you prepare for the test, along with dozens of proven strategies, mindsets, and problem-solving methods. Some of these resources include practice questions and reviews of test topics, including antonyms, analogies, sentence completion, reading comprehension, vocabulary, analytical writing, quantitative comparisons, data interpretation, and math concepts.

Instead of panicking and worrying about the GRE, pick up this book and be confident in your test-taking abilities. Whether you are fresh out of college and are still familiar with many of the test concepts or are applying to graduate school after a hiatus, you will learn valuable information and practical tips for improving your score.

This book is available for review as a hard copy or PDF, excerpting, resale, and per inquiry advertising. The author is available for interviews, and high-resolution images are also on hand upon request.

You have worked hard for many years and have a successful business; or perhaps you are a successful doctor, attorney, CPA, or other high-income producing individual. Making that money was difficult; now you have to devise a strategy for keeping it.

But, what if you are on the radar with pending law suits from other businesses, employees, business partners, past marriages, relatives, the government, or anyone else trying to reach your assets? With a little know-how and access to the Internet, anyone can discover a lot of information about you and your home, cars, boats, real estate, bank, and investment accounts — essentially everything you own. So, how do you protect what you what you worked so hard to make?

This comprehensive, new book will show you the simple steps to protect yourself now before it is too late. Asset Protection for Business Owners and High-Income Earners teaches you the ins and outs of protecting yourself and your family through legal methods. It will show you how to reposition your assets into legal entities that you control, such as corporations, family limited partnerships and trusts, family saving trusts, offshore trusts corporations, and limited liability companies (LLCs). It also provides a number of worksheets to help you decide the best plan of action for your financial position. You will learn about irrevocable living trusts, equity-stripping techniques, privacy plans, durable power of attorney, bankruptcy legislation, and estate planning for high-income individuals, as well as living, testamentary, and pour-over wills.

The trick is to own nothing directly but control everything legally. This book can you show you how.

This book is available for review as a hard copy or PDF, excerpting, resale, and per inquiry advertising. The author is available for interviews, and high-resolution images are also on hand upon request.

Small claims court is a place where many people look to equalize the playing field against individuals, businesses, or partnerships that have wronged them in the past. According to information gathered by Laywers.com, your limitations range anywhere between $2,000 and $10,000 in small claims courts and hundreds of thousands of Americans end up there each year with a case. Many people cannot afford the cost of a lawyer to ensure their case is solid and well presented before the court and are left out in the cold as a result. Small claims courts are not nearly as simple as those television judges make it seem, fixing problems in 30 minutes on daytime television. If you are not fully prepared with the right paperwork, proof, and witnesses, you may end up worse off than before.

With this comprehensive guide to winning your small claims case without a lawyer, you will get just that – a complete run through of everything you need to know before you submit your case to the court and the subsequent information you need to win that case. Starting with a checklist of everything you need before you even look to file a claim, you will learn how the courts work and all of the legal jargon that will be thrown about during the court case process.

You will learn how to state a claim in formal documents and ultimately whether your case is in fact any good before you file it. Different approaches to more than fifteen different kinds of small claims cases are provided, including breaches of contract, property damage, personal injury, defective products, breaches of warranty, nuisance claims, and many more. The limitations on monetary compensation in small claims court are outlined for you along with specific methods for how to calculate your own limits. You will learn how long you have to sue after an offense has occurred and how you can approach a settlement with the plaintiff outside of court. Different legal procedures for bringing legal action against individuals, couples, businesses, and corporations are provided and a detailed chapter about the various filing fees, court papers you need, and schedules you can look forward to is provided.

 After hours of interviews with small claims court lawyers and successful defendants, an outline of the court case process has been devised and provided, including how to get ready for court, prepare your witnesses, and what you can expect on the day you are to be in court. You will learn the difference between various judgments the judge may provide and what options you have after the judgment is reached. For anyone looking into the option of taking legal action against a person or business, this book is an absolutely necessary resource that will ensure you are both prepared and fully educated about the process.

Today Yahoo! is the top ranked, highly trafficked Web site on the Internet. Word of mouth grew into what is now a publicly traded company. A Yahoo! listing is as important as one in the phone book. Yahoo! has evolved into a multinational Internet and communications phenomenon. 88 percent of adults who purchase items online conduct some sort of online research prior to completing their purchase. If you are in business, you need a Yahoo! store front. Yahoo! bases much of its consumer brand on the fact that it is a leading portal and search engine – dedicated to connecting people and hopefully customers to online information quickly and easily and to making the vast, complex Internet into a useful resource.

Yahoo! has changed the way products and services are purchased all over the world. In 2006 Yahoo! sellers posted an estimated $18.5 billion in sales. There are businesses earning $1 million a year selling products on Yahoo! today. Yahoo! also allows you to run a business that requires no advertising costs. This expertly written new book will show you how to take advantage of this business phenomenon and arm you with the proper knowledge and insider secrets. Filled with actual examples and anecdotes from real Yahoo! entrepreneurs, this book is as engaging as it is informational.

Start making money on Yahoo! today. The book starts with a complete overview of how Yahoo! works. Then, you are guided through the whole process of creating the store front, photography, writing copy, text, formatting, managing the store front, shipping, collecting payments, registering, sources for merchandise, multiple sales, programming tricks, PayPal, accounting, creating marketing, merchandising, managing e-mail lists, advertising plans, taxes and sales tax, the best time to list items and for how long, international customers, electronic commerce, keywords,  key word marketing, and Yahoo! secrets; everything you will ever need to get started making money on Yahoo!

This complete manual will arm you with everything you need, including sample business forms, contracts, worksheets and checklists and dozens of other valuable, timesaving tools of the trade that no business should be without.

As the 8th most visited site on the Internet according to the Alexa Internet traffic ratings and with more than 30 million new words a month of content added regularly, Wikipedia has become a symbol of the web’s current incarnation – the collaborative project that has developed around the world to compile the knowledge and expertise of everyone. Wikis are a great tool that allow any topic, anywhere, to be compiled and crosschecked by just about anyone to great effect – whether it is simply to provide knowledge or to promote a business. A wiki is a tool unlike any other. 

In this book, you will learn everything you need to know to unlock the potential of the Wiki format. The top secrets, techniques, and strategies used by Wiki operators every day are showcased here in a way that makes it possible for the ordinary person to pick up a Web site and start writing right away, sharing or gathering knowledge for the entire world to read. You will learn in this book exactly why the wiki concept has been so successful but also how wikis do things wrong and how they can be done correctly. The fundamental basics of writing a wiki, including how to format your posts, what to write about, the correct means of writing impartial entries, and how to reference outside sources will be covered in full. You will learn how to edit an existing wiki entry and how to start using your wiki for other purposes. Learn the top 20 strategies for wiki marketing as well as the importance of volume in your wiki and why having a great deal of posts to index in search engines is nearly as important as the writing being high quality.

The author has spent time talking and listening to more than a hundred of the Internet’s top wiki experts, learning their tricks of the trade and how they have been so successful in presenting their information and have compiled and presented it here for you. You will learn how to start making money with your wiki, how to track changes and revisions, and how different kinds of wikis vary and work in different ways. You will learn how to start building your very own wiki from the ground up using free software and open source tools and why linking and SEO optimization is absolutely necessary to be effective. For anyone who has ever spent ten minutes on Wikipedia wondering how they could start building their very own information compendium, this book is for you – a complete guide to everything wiki.

The Small Business Owner’s Handbook to Search Engine Optimization is ideal for small business owners who want to learn an efficient and effective process for dramatically improving their Web site’s search engine rankings and doubling their site’s monthly unique visitors. Guaranteed! Stephen Woessner, of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Small Business Development Center, is a search engine optimization (SEO) expert. But more importantly, Woessner has owned four businesses and understands the significant time and cash constraints faced by business owners every day. Because of this, Woessner placed increasing efficiency and effectiveness at the core of the 15-steps allowing a business owner to maximize results in as little time as possible. 

A business owner does not need to know technical skills, like Web programming, to be successful at SEO. Instead, business owners will rely on their marketing skill and the ability to think like their customers and prospects, versus an ability to write HTML or other form of Web programming.

Business owners will learn how to select keywords that are proven performers, blend the keywords into site content, boost site popularity, and more. Woessner explains with precision how business owners can use SEO to achieve measurable results. This practical and tactical guide includes a free SEO toolkit and other valuable resources that will help business owners increase the return on investment generated by their Web sites. Business owners will also receive a detailed blueprint with specific checklists to follow throughout the 15-step process.

Lastly, this book can also serve as an excellent resource to business owners who are considering outsourcing their SEO work to a third-party. Developing a working knowledge of the 15-step process will make any business owner a more informed consumer. This book is also an ideal resource for marketing and advertising agency professionals who want to expand their services and need to develop a proficiency in SEO as efficiently and effectively as possible.