Sigma Nu Authors
Bookshelf
The Golden Gift (The Adventures of Baxter Heavytread)
Dan Curran (UC Davis)
ASIN: B00F0WXJI8
Publisher: Dan-Yves CurranGolden Gift
Five hundred years ago, primitive humans crossed the then frozen southern ocean for their first encounter with the old races in this new land. Elves, dwarves, giants, and trolls joined together to drive out the invaders. A savage war was fought to a standstill, and an uneasy peace has endured ever since, but trouble is brewing. In the vast goblin swamps to the south, a powerful banished wizard has secretly amassed a great army. The other races must ally if they want to stop this menace. Thrust into the middle of this conflict are a young forest troll, a human wizard-warrior, a female green elf warrior, and a gray elf prince. And as opposing forces maneuver for domination, only these four hold the key to the fate of all, victory or defeat, liberty or enslavement.
Reprinted from Amazon.com
Mosby’s Raider’s Return
Gerry A. Zimmerman (Virginia)
ASIN: B00D63QYD0
Publisher: La Casa Z Publishing Group
Mosby’s Raiders Return is the sequel to that author’s award winning book, Legacy of the Gray Ghost, which was named the Best Mosby's Raiders Return CoverHistorical Fiction book of 2011 and also the Gold Medalist as the Best southern Fiction Novel of the year. This book picks up where Legacy left off as it details the events in the next season at Mosby University, located in the beautiful northern Virginia horse country. The school was named after the legendary John Mosby, who led a band of Confederate raiders deep behind Union lines and his uncanny ability to escape and disappear led him to acquire the nickname of the Gray Ghost. There are many challenges facing the school’s football coach due to graduation losses and injuries as he tries to duplicate the success the team enjoyed during the schools, 50th anniversary year in 1958. Although school integration had been mandated by the US Supreme Court in 1954, many politicians and influential people in Virginia were resisting and preferred to keep things the way they always were. When the president of Mosby University decides to offer young men of color the opportunity to attend this formerly all-white prestigious school, he faces a lot of criticism from some of the alumni. Many of these same critics had already disagreed with the previous year’s decision to employ a black coaching staff, but when a few black players join the team in 1959, the critics were outraged. While the story is fiction, many of the feelings and attitudes described were reflective of that era. Readers who like football and like to cheer for the underdog should enjoy MOSBY’S RAIDERS RETURN. Also, the antics of the various groups of students at the university should guarantee the reader plenty of laughs to go along with the cheers and the football action. It’s also a picture of college life in the South in the late 50’s that will bring back memories to anyone who lived in that era.
Reprinted from Amazon.com
Customer Service: The Cornerstone of Success
Rene A. Henry (William and Mary)
ISBN-10: 0967453550
Publisher: Gollywobbler Productions
Customer service may soon be a thing of the past except for a few companies and organizations that pride themselves on providing their customers with extraordinary service. The U.S. is becoming a rude society. Fewer people care about or expect good customer service. Too many companies are living on past reputations. A new generation of senior executives has no idea what customer service is all about. The author attributes this to a society of people all thumbs about their pods, pads and berries and oblivious to the world around them. This book should be a must read by CEOs, senior managers and heads of PR and customer Customer Serviceservice at all companies, organizations and institutions as well as local, state and federal governments. The book cites how poor customer service or lack of it has caused and exacerbates crises. There are separate chapters on basics, listening, responding, telephone etiquette, and the problem of gate guardians as well as separate chapters for a more comprehensive look at the success of several companies including Amica Mutual Insurance Co., Marriott and Crystal Cruise Lines. The author, Rene A. Henry, draws from the successful practices of CEOs who know extraordinary customer service to provide the reader with a menu of proven ideas that can be adapted for any type of business, product or service. The book looks at how the Nordstrom family empowers its employees with ownership and entrepreneurialism. Why Amica Insurance has been honored time and again for 100 years for the way it treats its customers. How Carl Sewell became one of the nation’s largest luxury car dealers by turning one-time buyers into a lifetime customers. The way Amazon has profited from Jeff Bezos customer-centric philosophy. The importance Bill Marriott, Jr. places on management by walking around has made it the leader in the hotel business. Ukrops Supermarkets became a major regional chain with a contrarian strategy. Brad Tilden attributes the success of Alaska Airlines to the company s culture and passion for customer service. Crystal Cruise Lines is consistently ranked #1 in its category because Gregg L. Michel and his team listen and respond. Jim Cabela of Cabela s spends time every week to personally read and answer mail in order to exceed customers’ expectations.
Reprinted from Amazon.com
Bread Crumbs
Slats Slaton (Alabama)
ISBN-10: 0989178919
Publisher: Hillford House Publishing
Neil Talson began writing to his daughter the very week she was born. Little did he know his words would one day be read by BREAD CRUMBS_covermillions. Mattie Talson’s birth brought her parents much joy. For her father, however, this jubilation was accompanied by an awareness of what loomed ahead: adolescence. So he began compiling a comprehensive volume of fatherly wisdom just for her. For the next fifteen years, he secretly wrote and rewrote a project he titled Bread Crumbs: Morsels of Guidance for My Teenage Daughter in This 21st Century. And now it was finished. Before handing it over to Mattie, however, Neil mails it to a trusted friend to proof and review. Yet, before the package arrives, something unexpected happens and his work is soon rerouted. From there, it takes on a life of its own. Bread Crumbs is the story of an unlikely bestseller. It’s about a father’s forthright presentation of truth and common sense – and about how this private correspondence eventually found its way to his daughter and into the hands of future generations.