Storytelling for Grantseekers

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Edward Ugel

In his wry and funny memoir, Edward Ugel tells the story of America's addiction to the lottery from an astonishing angle.At age twenty–six, Ed found himself broke, knee–deep in gambling debt, and moving back into his parents' basement. It all changed, however, when he serendipitously landed a job as a salesman for The Firm – a company that offered up–front cash to lottery winners in exchange for their prize money, often paid in agonizingly small annual payments, some lasting up to twenty–five years. For the better part of the ensuing decade, Ed spent his time closing deals with lottery winners, making a lucrative and legitimate – if sometimes not–so–nice – living by taking advantage of their weaknesses... weaknesses he knew all too well.Ed met hundreds of lottery winners and saw up–close the often hilarious, sometime sad outcome when great wealth is dropped on ordinary people. Once lottery winners realized their "dream–come–true" multimillion jackpots were not all that they were cracked up to be, Ed would knock on their door, offering them the cash they wanted–and often desperately need. This cash sometimes came at a high price, but winners were rarely in a position to walk the other way. As Ed learned, few of them had the financial savvy to keep up with the lottery–winner lifestyle. In fact, some just wanted their old lives back.A charmingly neurotic gambler, Ed traveled deep into the heart of the country where he discovered the American Dream looks a lot like a day at the casino. And Ed knows casinos. In fact, his own taste for gambling gave him a unique insight into lottery winners: he intimately understood their mindset, making it that much easier to relate to them. And like lottery winners, Ed struggled to find balance in his own life as his increasing success earned him a bigger and bigger salary. Even as he relished his accomplishments, he grappled with the question: "If you are good at something that is bad for some people, does that make you a bad person?"Ed Ugel takes the readers inside the captivating world of lottery winners and shows us how lotteries and gambling have become deeply inscribed in every aspect of American life shaping our image of success and good fortune. Money for Nothing is a witty, wise, and often outrageously funny account of high expectations and easy money.

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Laurie Rozakis

For students who want to learn the nuts and bolts of English grammarA generation ago, the United States public school system stopped formal instruction in English grammar and consequently created a legion of students and professionals notoriously weak in writing and language skills.English Grammar for the Utterly Confused is a must-have for anyone who gets that “deer-in-the-headlights” look when asked to recognize a misplaced modifier or even find the verb in a sentence.This user-friendly, witty guide helps everyone-from students taking the GED to professionals writing business plans-learn the structures of English grammar and how to use them easily and proficiently. Demystifying grammar once and for all, this handbook will help all readers acquire the ability to speak and write competently, correctly, and confidently.Key features include:Exercises throughout to develop facility in writing skills Clear explanations of complex concepts Handy icons More than 200 solved problems and examples Test Yourself section in each chapter

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Joel Saltzman

Joel Saltzman teaches readers how to create "surprising, yet inevitable" solutions, no matter the challenge or task at hand. Easily. Consistently. And economically. Shake That Brain! is a collection of creative and inspiring tips and tools for finding solutions in a variety of areas-from sales, marketing, and product creation to ethics, innovation, and the bottom line. Backed by powerful and compelling examples from a wide variety of real-life applications, Joel Saltzman delivers energy, edge-and lots of fun-as he guides readers through a series of proven formulas for creating outstanding solutions, from harnessing the power of opposite thinking to turning your worst ideas into your best ideas ever. Filled with exercises, easy-to-apply formulas, entertaining pop-quizzes, and eye-opening teaching examples from the world of business, technology, advertising, and more, here's a solution-finding guidebook that can be used for succeeding on the job or at home. Joel Saltzman is a professional speaker, consultant, and bestselling author. He has conducted Shake That Brain! programs for Grey Advertising International, Harley Davidson, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Warner Bros. Studios. His work has been called "witty and rewarding" by People Magazine and he's the recipient of a national Audie award for "Best Educational and Training Audio." His website is www.shakethatbrain.com

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Kathy Aaronson

When Kathy Aaronson was eight years old, she set up a small roadside stand next to her family's farm and began selling vegetables that weren't up to supermarket standards (too small or too misshaped). Her entrepreneurial drive was sparked by a need to connect with people, and in the process of learning to sell successfully she learned about how to find and provide value to any type of customer. In The Golden Apple, Aaronson uses the lessons learned at her produce stand and applied later in executive sales to illustrate nine lessons that can help readers turn their careers and lives around. Using humor and practical, step-by-step guidance, this book will teach readers how to: get the attention of busy, distracted client prospects; how to do business confidently and well with anybody -- even rude, crude client prospects; how to use stories to successfully sell products, services or ideas, and how to develop business relationships that will protect their careers in any economy. With...