Award-Winning Titles from APG

As we celebrate our 250th book release, we would like to honor our past titles that have made us your No. 1 source for nonfiction books. These titles have received esteemed praise by the Eric Hoffer Awards, The National Indie Excellence Awards, USA Best Books Awards, and many, many more! We are pleased to share several of our award-winning titles with you:

Retire Rich with Your Self-Directed IRA: What Your Broker & Banker Don’t Want You to Know About Managing Your Own Retirement Investments

Why hasn’t your banker & broker ever told you about this type of IRA? It’s simple — they will no longer make any money on your retirement account. New IRS regulations and the “Self-Directed IRA” make it effortless to build up and keep hold of your IRA money. Inside this new book, you’ll find out how to benefit from the new IRS rules and how to stay away from problems.

The Self-Directed IRA lets you act as your own investment manager. We will show you how to set up your account with a custodian or IRA administrator to deal with the day-to-day activities, such as depositing contributions and executing and settling investment transactions. It’s easy, fun, and puts you back in control of your retirement account. Retire Rich with Your Self-Directed IRA combines essentials, insight, and insider secrets to secure a financial victory after retirement.

This book has received the following awards:

The National 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards Business Finalist

2007 Independent Publisher Book Awards Finance/Investments/Economics Bronze

ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards Finalist

USA Best Books Awards 2007 Business

The Secret Power of Blogging: How to Promote and Market Your Business, Organization, or Cause with Free Blogs

In this book, you will learn how to create top-notch blog marketing campaigns, how to build stronger customer relationships, generate new qualified leads and sales, and learn insider secrets to build your readership list quickly.

You will have step-by-step ways to:

• Build your business quickly using responsible, ethical blog marketing
• Get your blog into search engines
• Learn blog marketing strategies
• Step-by-step guide for increasing Web site traffic with your blog
• Leverage your current Web site
• Write effective blog copy
• Write winning subject lines
• Get high click-through rates
• Format your messages
• Increase the response rate of your offer dramatically
• Attract Advertisers
• Have measurable marketing results with instant feedback

In addition, we interviewed hundreds of successful blogging experts; this book contains their secrets and proven successful ideas, including actual case studies. If you are interested in learning hints, strategies, and secrets on how to implement a highly effective blog marketing campaigns and ultimately earn enormous profits, then this book is for you.

This book was awarded winner of the Florida Publishers Association 2009 President’s Book Award (Silver Medal – Business)

The eBay Success Chronicles: Secrets and Techniques eBay PowerSellers Use Every Day to Make Millions

There are many books on eBay — This is the only one that will provide you with insider secrets. Why? Because we asked the PowerSeller experts who make millions on eBay every day — and they shared their stories.

This book is a compilation of their secrets, and proven successful ideas. If you are interested in learning hundreds of hints, tricks, and secrets on how to make money, or more money, on eBay, this book is for you.

Instruction is great, but advice from experts is something else, and the experts chronicled in this book earn $1,000 to $150,000 per month through eBay. Inside the pages of this exhaustively researched guide you will find a jam-packed assortment of innovative ideas you can put to use today. Currently with over 430,000 sellers make a living off eBay, there is no reason you shouldn’t become financially successful. This book will arm you with the knowledge to become an eBay PowerSeller.

This book received the following awards:

The National 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards Business Finalist

2007 Independent Publisher Book Awards Computer/Internet Silver

ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards Finalist

How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Web Site — With Little or No Money – By Bruce C. Brown

This book presents a comprehensive, hands-on, step-by-step guide for increasing Web site traffic and traditional store traffic by using hundreds of proven tips, tools, and techniques. Learn how to target more customers and optimize your Web site while you use keywords and search-engine strategies. You will learn how to generate free advertising, how to build Web communities, how to co-brand, how to use auto-responders, and how to successfully advertise with Google, banner ads, and eBay storefronts. Filled with real-world examples of what strategies are succeeding and what strategies are failing, this book walks you through the basics of promoting your business on the Web, even when you don’t have money.

This book received the following awards:

The National 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards Business Finalist

2007 Independent Publisher Book Awards Computer/Internet Bronze

ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards Finalist

USA Best Books Awards 2007 Business

Library Journal: Best Business Book 2006 Marketing/Branding

The Complete Pool Manual for Homeowners and Professionals: A Step-by-Step Maintenance Guide by Dan Hardy

If you are a pool owner, you have made a major investment, and proper swimming pool maintenance is an absolute must! No one wants to swim in, or look at, a dirty, green, or yellow pool, so keeping your pool clean and maintained is top priority. Keep in mind that although the pool may look clean, it may in fact be still contaminated with enough bacteria to cause sickness. If a pool is not maintained properly it can get very expensive to clean or fix at a later date.

Dan Hardy has used every available resource in his 20-year career as a pool professional, and he knows how to make, and keep, water safe. An untiring and dedicated “Pool Doctor,” he has become the go-to man for owners of some of the world’s largest, most ornate, and expensive private swimming pools — including that of award-winning actor John Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston.

This book received the following awards:

ForeWord Magazine 2007 Book of the Year Award Winner – Bronze Award

USA Best Books Awards 2007 Business: Home Reference Winner

Eric Hoffer Awards 2008 Award Winner, Home

ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards 2008 Home & Garden Bronze

The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies and Bullying: A Complete Guide for Teachers and Parents

Whether you are a parent, student, teacher, or school administrator, The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies & Bullying will help you learn how to prevent and ultimately stop bullying going on around you. Margaret R. Kohut explains why bullying occurs, how to recognize a victim or a bully, and how to develop an anti-bullying policy. This comprehensive book clarifies specific types of bullying and includes tips on how to punish bullies.

This book received the following awards:

The National 2008 Indie Excellence Book Awards PARENTING & FAMILY Finalist:

2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards Parenting Bronze

Winner of the Florida Publishers Association 2009 President’s Book Awards Silver Medal

Renewable Energy Made Easy: Free Energy from Solar, Wind, Hydropower, and Other Alternative Energy Sources

Renewable Energy Made Easy will provide you with everything you need to know about alternative energy sources. You will learn about solar power, wind power, water power, biofuels, geothermal energy, ethanol, wave farms, photovoltaic power plants, and hydrogen fuels. You will become well versed on the availability, aesthetics, environmental and social considerations, and longevity issues of these soft energy technologies. In addition, you will learn about the current costs and the projected costs in the future, Energy Star regulations, the newest research and innovations, and the high development potential of renewable energy.

This book will serve as a guide to creating more efficient buildings and an invaluable resource for how to change our preconceived notions about power. This guide has taken the complexity and scientific terms out of this topic, making it jargon-free and easy to understand. Ultimately, you will learn how our country can improve energy efficiency, reduce oil dependency, improve energy security, and reduce the health and environmental impact of our current energy system.

This book received the 2009 GREEN BOOK FESTIVAL AWARD WINNER – RUNNER UP  (http://www.greenbookfestival.com)

Celebrate with Atlantic Publishing Group — We have 250 books for that

Wrap your fingers around topics from repairing your credit score to creating your own organic skin care line, because at Atlantic Publishing Group, we have 250 books for that.

The Cake from 250th Book Celebration!

With more than 35 book categories, APG provides readers with the knowledge they need to be successful at whatever skill fits their fancy. Thursday marked the 250^th book release from Atlantic Publishing Group Inc., your No. 1 source for nonfiction books.

The Complete Guide to Planning Your estate in Virginia: A Step-by-Step Plan for Virginia Residents to Protect Your Assets, Limit Your Taxes, and Ensure Your Wishes Are Fulfilled claimed the 250^th book title, receiving a very special spot on the APG book shelf. This title is just one of an entire series for individual states including Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Indiana, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Texas.

“I’m very pleased to pause and reflect on the tremendous success and growth of our book publishing program with the release of our 250^th book today,” President of APG Douglas Brown said. “Despite the ongoing problems of a worldwide recession and a multitude of long-term issues affecting media and publishing industries, we have continued to prosper.”

Founded by Douglas and Sherri Brown, APG is celebrating its 20^th anniversary in 2010. Now an active publishing and distribution group, the company began as a cataloguer bounding onto the publishing scene in 2001, producing 16 titles in its first year. In May 2008, APG opened a 25,000-square-foot distribution center in Starke, Fla. The company continued to grow in 2009, releasing 57 new titles. As 2010 is barely underway, more than 20 titles have been sent to press.

“I’m very proud of our tremendous staff, and how we have addressed the challenges we have, and will continue, to face,” Douglas Brown said. “I have every confidence that we will continue to employ our expertise and company culture to keep Atlantic Publishing on the path to a prosperous future in a new age of publishing.”

Web site: http://www.atlantic-pub.com

Address: Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.

1405 SW 6^th Ave

Ocala, FL 34471

Follow Us on Twitter: @AtlanticPub

Fan Us on Facebook: Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.

Get Back in Touch with the Basics: Add a Splash of Green to Your Lifestyle

Getting your hands dirty can be fun. If you are curious about growing your own vegetables or even making your own wine or cheese, we have a book for that.

In honor of our Back to Basics series we have compiled a list of conferences, conventions, and expos that celebrate a sustainable lifestyle. So, go ahead and adopt a new hobby. Showing off your green thumb has never been easier, or more fun!

“A Celebration of Green Solutions”

The 4^th annual EarthWorks Expo in Denver, CO offers a more than 150 exhibits, expert speakers, 50 workshops, and numerous special programs all related to renewable energy, green building, green transportation, resource conservation and eco-friendly products and services. This expo, May 22-23, offers participants a taste of the green life.

Brush up on some “green”  knowledge with this title from APG:

“Sustaining Our Bounty”

The California Small Farm Conference gathers farmers and their supporters together for on-farm tours, educational workshops and sessions, and peer networking opportunities. This three-day event takes place in San Diego, CA Feb. 28-March 2, 2010.

Learn how to tap into the small farm industry:

“Supporting Sustainable Agriculture”

The Organic Growers School is holding its 17^th annual spring conference March 6 & 7, 2010 at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. More than 1300 farmers, gardeners, chefs, and activists will merge together for a weekend of learning and networking.

Check out this upcoming title for growing your own vegetables:

“A Walk Through a Sustainable Community”

At Green Festival®, a joint project of Global Exchange and Green America, they are celebrating what works for all aspects of the community and what solutions can be found for healthier living. Participants can enjoy more than 125 authors, educators and leaders, how-to workshops, vegetarian cuisine, films, activities for children, and much more. This event takes place in San Francisco, CA April 10-11.

This book from APG shares tips you might find at Green Festival®:

“Back to Basics: Staying True to Our Roots!”

The 30^th annual League of Environmental Educators in Florida conference takes place in Clewiston, FL March 25-28. Participants will get to take field trips, network, experience hands-on workshops, and much more. The conference aims at exploring the natural roots of life and how to educate the community about natural practices.

APG recommends this title:

Returning veterans and their entitled benefits

By: Bruce C. Brown

Bruce C. Brown is serving his 26th year in the U.S. Coast Guard. He is currently the Deputy Chief, Resource & Performance Management Division of the Seventh Coast Guard District, Miami, Florida. Bruce has three sons and is happily married for 24 years to Vonda.

When soldiers and sailors prepare to leave the service or loved ones deal with the loss of a service member, they need something to help them wade through their rights and benefits while they’re dealing with a heavy emotional impact.

In most cases, veterans (or family of a veteran) are not aware of the many benefits they are entitled to. As a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, it has become my personal crusade to educate the millions of veterans on what they are entitled to. Entitled is the key word. After serving in our armed forces, veterans have earned and are entitled to certain benefits, many of which are obscure or not well advertised. As a member of the armed forces for nearly 26 years, nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing every serviceman or servicewoman who is preparing to depart the military or any family member whose loved ones have been wounded or killed in action receive their maximum benefits. In these cases, they are entitled to special benefits based on their loved ones service to our country, yet many do not know about these entitlements.

For example, the new Post 9/11 GI Bill can pay for a four-year college degree and a housing allowance for a veteran who served at least 36 months of active duty. This incredible benefit can even be transferred to the veteran’s wife or children. I took advantage of this incredible benefit, and my son is now attending law school at the University of Texas using my VA benefit at no cost to me. He not only gets 100% tuition payments, but a monthly housing stipend and book allowances as well. The fact is that many veterans are not familiar with this and the many other programs out there to help.

Health care is currently a raging topic across the political platform, but the TRICARE program is regionally managed health care program specific for veterans, those currently in active duty and their families and survivors. The key thing to not is that you are not automatically enrolled in TRICARE; veterans must enroll themselves in this program to get these benefits.

Specifically, the War on Terrorism has left many veterans disabled or medically retired. This is a difficult adjustment to make when returning to home soil, and there are benefits established to help these veterans adjust to a new lifestyle. For example, you may qualify for up top $3,100 in monthly benefits as well as travel reimbursement for mileage or public transportation.

In the past, military members would rely on information passed at retirement briefings, through scuttlebutt or by spending hours searching the VA Web site for benefits. That is why I wanted to write Returning From the Way on Terrorism. (Don’t let the title fool you: This is much more than a book for those returning from war.) Now, everything is captured and indexed in one place so you can find exactly what you need and it is packed with factual, practical information.

I hope that my 26 years of military service and the effort I put into writing this book will help other military veterans and their families to ensure they receive the entitlements they deserve.

Click here if you’d like more information about Returning From the War on Terrorism and military benefits.

Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. is your No. 1 source for nonfiction books. We publish nonfiction books, focusing on small business, management, online media, and real estate, as well as parenting, cooking, and traveling. Atlantic Publishing Group is the leader in providing training materials including books, videos, posters, tools, and software to the food service industry. Follow us on Twitter @AtlanticPub.

Let Atlantic help pamper your pet

On Sunday, Cupid’s arrows will be flying, and sweethearts across the world will be celebrating the day of love. But not everyone will be spending the holiday with a loved one of the two-legged variety.

Meredith, a PR intern at Atlantic Publishing Group, will be spending Valentine's Day with her four-legged friends, GiGi & Hercules.

One in five adults worldwide would rather spend Valentine’s Day with their pet than their significant other, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll of more than 24,000 adults from 23 countries were surveyed.

While France ranked last in the poll with 90 percent saying they would rather spend the holiday with a partner than pet — no surprise considering its capital, Paris, is known as the “City of Love” — the U.S. ranked fifth, with 27 percent of Americans saying they would prefer to spend the day of romance with a furry friend.

Would you rather treat Sparky than Sam on Valentine’s Day? Does Fluffy deserve to be spoiled more than Fiona this year? Forget the squeak toys and pass up the catnip. Instead, cook up a savory meal for your pet to express your love. At Atlantic Publishing, we have two books for that.

Atlantic Publishing is giving you all the information you need to deliver a delicious dish for your favorite four-legged friend with its upcoming Pampered Pet Package. These up-coming books include information on your pet’s nutritional needs as well as a variety of recipes for all occasions so you can keep your canine or feline happy and healthy all year long. The two books below will help you get started, but you can visit www.atlantic-pub.com/parenting.htm for a complete list of all our pet-related titles.

Purr-fect Recipes for a Healthy Cat: 101 Natural Cat Food & Treat Recipes to Make Your Cat Happy will provide you with more than 100 healthy recipes to help your cat live the best possible lifestyle. It explains how to recognize the nutritional needs of your cat and why its current cat food may be falling short. Feline dietary experts share their insights so you can slowly and effectively make the change without disrupting your cat’s health. With the helpful information included in this book, preparing the 101 recipes contained within will be a snap — and these treats will leave your cat purr-fectly satisfied.

Canine Cuisine: 101 Natural Dog Food & Treat Recipes to Make Your Dog Healthy and Happy explains how your dog’s diet affects both its nutrition and full-body health. You will learn everything you need to know to keep your dog healthy, its coat shiny, and its energy level peaked. Even special dietary concerns such as allergies, blood sugar concerns, and stomach issues are addressed. The 101 recipes included will guide you through making stews and casseroles, gravies and sauces, savory snacks, tasty treats, holiday and party foods, and ethnic specialties just for your dog that are nutritious and tail-wagging good.

Click for more information about these up-coming books from Atlantic Publishing Group.

Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. is your No. 1 source for nonfiction books. We publish nonfiction books, focusing on small business, management, online media, and real estate, as well as parenting, cooking, and traveling. Atlantic Publishing Group is the leader in providing training materials including books, videos, posters, tools, and software to the food service industry. Follow us on Twitter @AtlanticPub.

The Coolest Places to Go in the Sky

By Meredith Wynn

In honor of our latest book The Complete Guide to Building Tree Houses: For Parents and Adults Who are Kids at Heart, we have scoured the Internet searching for people who have developed some really cool places and activities involving nature’s largest resource. These tree top dwellings from around the world are full of unique qualities that can inspire you to create your own masterpiece in your back yard!

1. The Grand Treehouse Resort of Eureka Springs, Arkansas offers guests luxurious suites located in the trees. Some rooms even have trees growing through them! 

2. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa has incredible rooms located inside the lush forest on the shores of Lake Buena Vista. These Treehouse Villas can sleep nine people comfortably!

3. Basement Systems Tree House Team offers its 15 employees a lofty workspace — literally!

4. The Yellow Treehouse Restaurant in New Zealand is located 10 meters up in a redwood tree.

5. The Alnwick Garden in the United Kingdome features one of the world’s largest wooden tree houses.

6. The Tree House Restaurant, Bar & Café allows guests to dine inside a canopy in Costa Rica.

7. The Tree House Italian Grill in Austin, Texas invites guests to dine in an      oak tree that is more than 700 years old.

8. Tree Yoga is a form of exercise that uses slings to stretch or hoist themselves onto the tree to perform stretching exercises.

Sleep: Not in the forecast for first-time fathers

By: Dan Peterson

Sleep: It’s the most important advice I can offer to a father-to-be.

Dan Peterson is a wildlife biologist living in Ocala, Florida. He and his wife, Melissa, will celebrate their three-year anniversary this year. Their first daughter, Delaney, was born in May 2009.

Sleep now while you can. Go to bed early. Sleep in. Once the baby comes, sleep deprivation will be something you will fully understand. Unfortunately, enjoying a restful night’s sleep may become impossible even before the baby arrives. Toward the end of your partner’s pregnancy, she’s likely to be too uncomfortable to sleep well. Her back will hurt, the baby will kick her in the ribs, and she’ll have to pee — a lot. My best advice is if your partner can’t sleep, you should be supportive. Make her a snack, rub her back, and whatever you do, do not bury your head under the pillows and ignore her. She’ll make you regret it in the morning — trust me.

After the baby is born, your sleeping patterns will never be the same. Expect to be up every two to three hours for the first three to four months, and even though you will not always be awake for long periods of time, these short interruptions will really mess up your sleep. Remember to stay calm and stay positive — especially with your partner. Lack of sleep will make you very irritable, and you may say things you later regret.  Remember to count to three and breathe before you say or do anything you may not really mean. This is a stressful time for both of you, and yelling or saying unkind words will not make anything easier. It will be a frustrating first few months — and perhaps a frustrating first year — and the only way to get through it is by working together and loving each other.

Be prepared to take on more chores around the house. Adding a baby to your life will take a lot of time and work. To compensate for this, both of you will have to put in extra effort to keep your home orderly and clean. Keeping a clean house is one way to keep your sanity. Watching bills and laundry pile up will only add to the amount of stress you will undoubtedly experience. If your partner usually pays the bills, sit with her before the baby comes so you can help out if she is too tired to handle this the first month after the baby is born. If you usually only wash your own clothes, wash hers too. Remember: Don’t wash her white clothes with her red sweater. This will not turn out well.

When leaving the house — even if you are only going to be gone for a few hours — be prepared for the journey to and from the car to take as long as the journey itself. With all the additional supplies and getting your new baby in and out of the car seat, getting ready to go and packing it all up will take some time. Even though you may not think all of the supplies are necessary, if your partner does, your best bet is not to argue and go along with her. She usually knows best, anyway.

My daughter is 9 months old now, and her personality is really starting to come through. Every day, she learns something new and makes us laugh while she performs her new tricks. She is still a lot of work — but in different ways. Sleep is a little easier – although she is teething now and last night I got a total of three hours of sleep — but she is a lot harder to keep happy while awake. The longer she has been with us, the more normal this new life has become, sleep deprivation and all. Is it worth it? You would be hard pressed to find a new father who would tell you “no.” My daughter, like all children, has brought so much laughter and love into our home that I wouldn’t have it any other way; although, I do wish she would learn to sleep past 6 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Good luck, and remember to thank your partner. Not only for carrying your baby for nine months and then giving birth, but for understanding that adjusting to this new life is just as hard for you as it is for her.

Need more advice? Check out Atlantic Publishing’s new book, I’m Going to be a Dad: Now What? Everything You Need to Know About First-time Fatherhood.

Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. is your No. 1 source for nonfiction books. We publish nonfiction books, focusing on small business, management, online media, and real estate, as well as parenting, cooking, and traveling. Atlantic Publishing Group is the leader in providing training materials including books, videos, posters, tools, and software to the food service industry. Follow us on Twitter @AtlanticPub.

Author’s Corner: Craig Baird Dishes on Future Fatherhood

Writing about being a father brought forward plenty of challenges. Undeterred, I decided to learn as much about being a father as I could possibly learn. With some help from a series of books provided by Atlantic, and a lot of Internet research, I was able to begin putting together a meshwork of what it meant to be a father. There was plenty to learn.

Through my research for the book, the first thing I learned about was pregnancy. Just like everyone, I knew the general process of pregnancy but to learn about the minute details that come into play that a husband and future father needs to think about? Let’s just say I was quite surprised. There are the many trips to the doctor, the need for Lamaze, the complications that can arise and most importantly, what a future mother goes through with pregnancy. I know now that a husband has to be there for their spouse to help with their spouse’s emotions and needs. That means when the time comes for me, I will be ready for the challenge.

There has been plenty of comedy done about men on the day their child is born, worrying about the birth and panicking while the mother calmly prepares for labor. Again, through research for this book, I learned not only about the phases of labor, but what one needs to have ready 24 hours a day for when the labor begins.

Of course, pregnancy and labor was only the first third of the book, and there was plenty more for me to learn about being a father, or a future father in my case. Taking care of a puppy is nothing compared to the effort it takes to take care of a baby. For the first few months, there is very little sleep and a lot of worry about how to be a father. There is playing with the baby and finding ways to entertain the baby while helping fuel the development of their mind and personality. As the baby ages, there are the worries about illness and even knowing what I know now, I know I will be rushing to the hospital at the first sneeze from the baby. (Babies sneeze: It’s nothing to worry about.)

There is a lot to know about being a father, and that may deter some fathers but if I took one thing away from writing this book, it is this: Being a father is a joy. With every worry over a single sneeze and wonder about the growing fetus in your partner’s belly, there is the joy of playing with a new baby and helping to forge a new life into this world. There is the happiness that comes from your baby’s first steps, their first words and their smile. Like seeing my dog’s tail wag even after I have had a hard day, seeing a baby’s smile has a way of making a father smile no matter what happened during their day.

Writing this book I now know that there is much more responsibility in being a father than I ever thought possible, but much more happiness as well.

Craig Baird is a writer based out of rural Canada, where he lives on a ranch with his wife and dogs. He has published several books and short stories, as well as written for magazines and newspapers across Canada. When he is not writing, he spends his time traveling the country and hiking in the outdoors with his wife, Layla. Follow him on Twitter @CraigBaird.

Are you going to be a new dad? Check out Craig Baird’s new book, I’m Going to be a Dad: Now What? Everything You Need to Know About First-time Fatherhood.

Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. is your No. 1 source for nonfiction books. We publish nonfiction books, focusing on small business, management, online media, and real estate, as well as parenting, cooking, and traveling. Atlantic Publishing Group is the leader in providing training materials including books, videos, posters, tools, and software to the food service industry. Follow us on Twitter @AtlanticPub.

Go From an Average Order-Taker to Everyones’s Favorite Bartender

By: Amber McDonald

In an effort to contribute to the efforts in Haiti, Atlantic Publishing Group will be donating 20 percent of the sales from every single book purchased from our Web site (www.atlantic-pub.com) from now until Feb. 14.

For many people, finding an accommodating bar with an entertaining bartender, especially in crowded cities, is as important as finding the right beauty salon and hair stylist. If providing this service is your fortè, you understand that being knowledgeable and full of personality will keep customers coming back, not only for the drinks, but to see their favorite bartender, too.

According to professional bartender Valerie Mallema, a bartender who can initiate interaction and activity among bar patrons is more likely to create “regulars,” and better bar business.

“Games, tricks, and toasts provide a feel of camaraderie and fun in a bar,” Mallema wrote in her book The Professional Bartender’s Handbook: A Recipe for Every Drink Known — Including Tricks and Games to Impress Your Guests. “Keeping the guests entertained helps to sell drinks and fill up tip jars.”

Keep the cash – and the liquor – flowing with these four bartending techniques. The engaging activities will transform you from the typical “order taker” to a charismatic, personable bartender:

1. Games are a guaranteed way for getting patrons to loosen up and have a good time at your bar. Try introducing some of these entertaining activities the next time you notice a group of people struggling to make conversation:

Football Madness: This game is for two or more players and must be played during a football game on television. The game is more fun if there are individuals rooting for different teams. Before the game begins, each person must announce which team they are supporting.

To Play: Players take the corresponding number of drinks when the team they are not supporting gets a:

• First down: 1 drink

• Touchdown: 3 drinks

• Field goal: 1 drink

• Two-point conversion: 2 drinks

• Interception: Finish drink

When the team you are rooting for receives one of the following, the player must take the corresponding number of drinks:

• Fumble: 3 drinks

• Safety: 3 drinks

I Never: This game is best played with two or more players – the more the merrier.

To Play: Players take turns announcing actions that they have never done, such as “I have never smoked a cigarette.” After the player makes their statement, all of those players who have done this action must take a drink. If a player makes a statement and nobody else has done it either, that player must take a drink.

If a player makes a statement and is accused of lying, the accuser must have proof that the individual is lying and must provide an accurate description or circumstance in which the person did that action. If the player is caught lying, then the player must take five drinks.

2. There are many tricks of the bartending trade.Familiarizing yourself with a few will pique a guest’s attention, while showing off your bartending knowledge and skills. Popular tricks include:

Multi-mixing: At most bars, shots are ordered in rounds for groups of people. To make two to four shots, quadruple the recipe to save mixing time. Line up the shot glasses and pour down the line.

Be in the Know: Bartenders gain a lot of respect when they keep up with what is going on around town. Be sure to check out the entertainment section of the newspaper and get up to date on current events, parties, bars, movies, and concerts. Many out-of-towners will come to a bartender for information on the city and directions. Be prepared for these situations.

Flair: One way to get the attention of customers while working is to use working flair. Working flair consists of doing little things like flipping the shaker tins before scooping ice into them and then pouring two liquors at once. Add flair to shaking, stirring, and pouring. Flair might consist of learning to spin and flip a bottle before pouring, or tossing a shaker between hands while preparing a drink.

3. Toasting is a great way to honor someone. Toasts are often difficult to come up with, so, being a bartender, someone might ask for toasting ideas and suggestions, which could include:

“May all your troubles be little ones.”

“May the most you wish for be the least you get.”

“Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker. ” – Ogden Nash

“Here’s lookin’ at you kid.” - Humphrey Bogart

“Here’s to cold nights, fine wine, and good friends to share them with.”

4. Part of being a great bartender is having an extensive drink recipe repertoire.As a bartender, you will likely be asked to suggest drinks for customers, or to simply whip up something tasty that has a particular alcohol, like vodka. Try making these your go-to recipes:

Tasty Drink Recipes

Cosmopolitan:

2 oz. Vodka

¾ oz. Cointreau

Cranberry Juice

1 Lime Twist

Ice

Directions: Fill mixing glass with ice. Pour in ingredients and fill with cranberry juice. Shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with lime.

Creamsicle (frozen):

½ cup of Ice

1 oz. Rum

½ oz. Triple Sec

½ oz. Vanilla Liqueur

½ scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream

½ scoop of Orange Sherbet

Popsicle Stick

Directions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. If too, thick add milk. If too thin, add ice or ice cream. Garnish with Popsicle stick.

Stiletto:

1 ½ tsp. Amaretto

1 ½ oz. Blended Whiskey

Juice of ½ Lemon

Ice

Directions: Pour all ingredients into an old-fashioned glass over ice cubes, stir, and serve. Bourbon may be substituted for blended whiskey, if preferred.

Tom Collins:

2 oz. Gin

1 oz. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Superfine Sugar

3 oz. Club Soda

1 Maraschino Cherry

1 Orange Slice

Ice

Directions: In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, lemon juice, and sugar. Shake well. Strain into a Collins glass almost filled with ice cubes. Add the club soda. Stir and garnish with the cherry and the orange slice.

Tequila Mockingbird:

1 ½ oz. Tequila

½ oz. Triple Sec

½ oz. Blue Curacao

2 oz. Orange Juice

1 oz. Cranberry Juice

1 Lemon or Cherry

Garnish (optional)

Ice

Directions: Fill a tall rocks glass or tumbler with ice. Add tequila and Triple Sec, followed by the orange and cranberry juice. Add blue curacao. Do not mix. Garnish with lemon or cherry if desired.

If becoming a more effective and personable bartender is your goal, the suggestions included will certainly start you on the right path to drink making greatness.

For more great recipes and to learn how to make your bartending business boom, check out Atlantic Publishing Group’s The Professional Bartender’s Handbook: A Recipe For Every Drink Known — Including Tricks and Games to Impress Your Guests.

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