SOME THOUGHTS ON THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING A BUSINESS...

A company is nothing without a visionary to run it and people to sustain it.

Customers may come, and customers may go, but a company IS its people. What is a company that does not value its own people?

A company's identity depends in part on the people that make it work. That identity may change from time to time...

...and a company may even try to recreate itself. But any company that does not recognize two important things will always fail...

...a company needs people to sustain it and must provide something people want or need.

A company's relationship with its new customers is like an introduction; if things are mutually thought to go well, a friendship can begin.

The success and endurance of that friendship depends on maintenance of the relationship: regular contact, mutual benefit, and good will.

Robert Wetherall's book LAST FLIGHT HOME is a lesson in the corporate world of commercial aeronautics and the love of flying.

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Flight-Home-Robert-Wetherall/dp/1935563289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295301584&sr=1-1

Tidbits About Werewolf Folklore

Author and guest blogger C. Fern Cook (The 'Wild' werewolf series) has this to say:

When I first developed the story for the first novel in the Wild series, Wild Evolution, I wanted a rancher that shared his land with all creatures including the dreaded wolf pack. I wanted the rancher to interact with the wolf pack. Naturally, this fell into the werewolf genre.

In researching werewolf lore for the novel "Wild Evolution”, I came across some interesting tidbits of information:

* Lycanthrope is derived from the Greek language meaning wolf and man.
* It seems that there is werewolf folklore in all cultures.
* Only in the American movie culture does the werewolf curse cause an involuntarily transform to the werewolf state because of a full moon.
* The Norseman believed that a man would possess the characteristics of the animal if they wore the hide of that animal, such as a bear or a wolf.
* In American Indian culture, it is called the skin walker. The belief is similar to the Norseman; if you wore the skin of the animal, you would possess their attributes. In many Native American tribes, it is considered taboo to don the pelt of a wolf.

To spot a werewolf, look for these characteristics:
* born on December 24th
* has red hair
* the index and middle finger are the same length
* and has a craving of raw meat

I had an uncle that possessed many of these characteristics but I personally don't believe he was a werewolf. The most unusual tidbit of information about werewolf myths from around the world came from Argentina. They believed that the seventh son would become a werewolf. Many parents killed the seventh son or gave them up for adoption.

In order to stop the practice they finally made it a law in the 1920's that the seventh son would become the president's godson at baptism and receive a gold medal. This law is still enforced today. This just scratches the surface of werewolf folklore from around the world, but many of the myths have similar characteristics, I found that to be very interesting. I also found it very interesting that almost every culture has legends or myths about the werewolf.

I picked the skin walker folklore because of the Native American connection. My grandfather came from the Blackfeet tribe but would have nothing to do with the reservation or the U.S. government's Indian government programs. He said they were disgraceful. In his time they were.

I had an uncle who was from the Kickapoo tribe; between him and my grandfather, we spent a lot time out in nature. I have had an attraction to the Native American folklore because of my grandfather and uncle; so, the Native American skin walker legend is the one I chose to go with.

In Wild Legacy, I have chosen to continue on with this and expand the story to include the skin walker legend from the Norseman region. The continuation of the series will expand on this aspect of the legend, reaching back to the old country folklore in the next book.

C. Fern Cook
Wild Evolution
Wild Justice
Wild Legacy

(books available in print through www.penumbrapublishing.com and ebook and print from online retailers including www.amazon.com)

New Book info ... One-liner tidbits

Book coming soon ... paranormal "Stepping out of my Grave" by Dave Berardelli. He has three previous books published. More info soon ...

Book available on Amazon in print and Kindle: Heart of Steele by Kessa Stranberg (a corporate lawyer returns home to stop his brother's quickie wedding) ... http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Steele-Kessa-Stranberg/dp/1935563157/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263938728&sr=1-8

Book available now in print and Kindle on Amazon: America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 1: Feeling Lucky by Walter Knight, a military sci-fi satire ... http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=america%27s+galactic+foreign+legion

Bitten by Books Author Chat and Book Giveaway

Hey all you readers looking for fun and free books, visit Bitten by Books before NOON on Friday Nov. 6 to register for the all-day blog/chat and book giveaway featuring authors and books from Penumbra Publishing.

Here's the RSVP link for this event...

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=12603

All you have to do is RSVP for the event and make a comment during the event to be registered for 15 - count 'em - 15 book giveaways. Five print books will be mailed to lucky winners with US/Canada addresses, and 10 ebooks will be emailed to lucky winners worldwide. Winners get the book of their choice from any available direct from Penumbra Publishing's web site at www.penumbrapublishing.com

chats and blogs

I have three blogs schedule this coming week. The first is a multi-author event scheduled this Friday on Bitten By Books website. There will be something for every type of reader at this chat. Come see what some of our authors from Penumbra Publishing have to say about Secrets, Lies, and Cover-ups.

On the following Monday I have a blog scheduled for the Manic Reader website and Author Island website. The topic for Monday will be how my experience in Law Enforcement, especially my crime scene investigation classes, shows in my writing style.

I hope you can stop by for at least one of them.

C. Fern Cook
Wild Evolution

Author-signed book giveaways TODAY at Bitten by Books

Go to this link:

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=11986

and follow the directions at Bitten By Books month-long Halloween online bash to enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of books by Willa Kaye Danes, Dana Warryck, and Dallas White!

The books have been sent to the contest promoter, and will be distributed by the contest promoter.

Thanks for your interest, and spread the word!

Free Ebooks from Penumbra Publishing - Bitten by Books

Penumbra Publishing is a sponsor/participant in BITTEN BY BOOKS' second annual HALLOWEEN BASH!

Visit http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=11197 for lots of daily fun and contests to win free stuff, including FREE EBOOKS from Penumbra Publishing. This party lasts through the whole month of October, and we'll be giving away an ebook every Friday in October in our "FREAKY FRIDAYS" promo. Check out the site to see which of our current titles will be given away, and enter for your chance to win. Our first FREAKY FRIDAY ebook giveaway will start at 9:00 am EST on Oct. 2, 2009.