Advance praise for Sales Tales: Jim Shannon's quick wit and storytelling ability enliven his collection of short stories about his sales experiences in the Midwest during the twentieth century. His chronicle of the successes and failures in the workplace reflect the timeless variety of human relationships that enrich a business career.

What do you want to be when you grow up? The question poses a considerable dilemma, when you aspire to become a superhero as a child, and the urge to fulfill this desire, only grows stronger as you become an adult. Where does one apply for work when you want to become Batman? Is there some kind of superhero academy? What do you put on the resume? Do you wear a cape and hood to the interview? These were all questions I had to deal with when I graduated college and entered the work force, hoping to become a superhero salesman. Believe it or not, there is a host of twisted and demented individuals out there, masquerading as teachers, clients, buyers, bosses, and colleagues. These are formidable foes that present a "clear and present" danger to society, and must be dealt with in a judicious and at times forceful manner. Join a delusional superhero salesman in Sales Tales: Grow Up Young Man! as he takes on a series of villains to make the workplace a safe haven for you and I, while pursuing America's purest art form: "The art of selling," and in the end, discover the true "meaning of life."

Mandi Graziano used to think "sales'' was a dirty word. Then she made a living out of it and realized, we all need sales in every aspect of our lives, not just business. Sales Tales: The Hustle, Humor, and Lessons From a Life in Sales is Graziano's passionately told, vibrantly funny account chronicling her colorful career in sales, the skills she gained and the lessons learned over the last twenty plus years. Honest, entertaining, and overflowing with practical tips and strategies, Sales Tales follows the order of a typical sale: from prospecting, networking, building relationships, making presentations, closing the deal, and running a business through a crisis, or as she calls it, "Disaster Selling". Included are deep dives into the finest nuances of the sales process, laugh-out-loud humor, and fascinating anecdotes that illuminate the importance of time management, firing clients, understanding the value of your product or service, and defining your Business Bedside Manner(TM). Woven throughout are relatable stories that bring the lessons to life and underscore the wit and wisdom in every situation-even the awkward ones. Whether you're a business owner who needs customers, an entrepreneur looking for investors, a sales person at any level of your career, or a parent desperately seeking negotiation tactics to convince your kids to go to bed, you need good sales skills. Sales Tales is sure to resonate within the business world and beyond.

Explores the enduring fascination of the best-known children's books in English.

In the war-ravaged England of 1940, Charlotte Bromley is sure of only one thing: Kitty McLaughlin is her best friend in the whole world. But when Charlotte's scientist father makes an astonishing discovery that the Germans will covet for themselves, Charlotte is faced with an impossible choice between danger and safety. Should she remain with her friend or journey to another time and place? Her split-second decision has huge consequences, and when she finds herself alone in the world, unsure of Kitty's fate, she knows that somehow, some way, she must find her way back to her friend. Written in the spirit of classic time-travel tales, this book is an imaginative and heartfelt tribute to the unbreakable ties of friendship.