Blog - Thomas Hauck, Professional Book Editor and Ghostwriter

“The Overton Window” by Glenn Beck

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Thomas Hauck

Totalitarianism is bad. Freedom is good. You can’t argue with the message that FOX television personality Glenn Beck expertly delivers in “The Overton Window.” Modern industrialized democratic societies are capable of embracing dictatorships, as Germany and Italy did in the in 1930s. Can it happen in America? Never say “never.”

The central and most useful idea put forth in “The Overton Window” is one of political relativism. That is, when presented with a given set of choices, when one possible solution is extreme, a less extreme outcome will seem more acceptable. This idea is not Beck’s; according to Wikipedia, “The Overton window, in political theory, describes a ‘window’ in the range of public reactions to ideas in public discourse, in a spectrum of all possible options on a particular issue. It is named after its originator, Joseph P. Overton, former vice president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.”

For example, if the government threatens to ban all firearms in private hands, a less extreme ban on automatic weapons seems more reasonable. To a libertarian, which Beck sounds like, this type of compromise moves the Overton window along the sliding scale toward totalitarianism. A government ban on automatic weapons, which should be unthinkable, is accepted by the masses only because the other choice, a total ban on all weapons, is a possibility. This is how Big Brother conditions citizens to meekly accept government control over the lives of its citizens.

Unfortunately, you don’t need four hundred pages to figure this out. “The Overton Window” is not so much a thriller as a political science lesson. The characters, which are expertly drawn, deliver endless lectures to each other. The evil public relations genius Arthur Isaiah Gardner pontificates about how the United States is a failed experiment in democracy that needs totalitarianism. The good guys lecture each other about how the government plans to institute totalitarianism. As it turns out, the paranoia of the good guys is based on reality. Terrorists will detonate a nuclear bomb in Las Vegas, and the blame will be put on the Founders Keepers, a group that resembles the Tea Party. The scheme echoes the Reichstag fire of 1933, which Chancellor Hitler was quick to blame on communists and which he used as an excuse to suspend civil liberties.

The protagonist and bad-guy-who-becomes-good is Noah Gardner, son of the evil Arthur Gardner. Noah is paired with Molly Ross, an activist with the Founders Keepers. (Presumably other Founders Keepers gals might be named Betsy Madison or Dolly Washington. Beck makes it easy for the reader to get the point.) Beck takes pains to avoid bashing Democrats; in his world, no matter who is in charge the government literally does nothing good or moral. Nothing. At one point Noah, in a lengthy political discussion with Molly, asserts, “I care about the environment more than most, I want clean energy -and Saddam Hussein was a legitimate monster.” But after this tiny window of rational discussion is cracked open, it is slammed shut again and Beck takes us back to paranoia. The problem is that “they” (the promoters of totalitarianism) are undefined. Presumably it is everyone in government (although Beck expressly excuses local law enforcement and those engaged in “public safety” – no sense in making the local cops and firefighters mad) and every corporate type. And there are no solutions offered, only a bleak and horrifying future ushered in by a guy who evokes Lionel Barrymore?s portrayal of the evil Henry Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Even the GM bailout, which in retrospect seems like a fantastic deal for the U.S. taxpayer and for our standing in the increasingly competitive global marketplace, is seen as evidence of the nanny state meddling in our “freedom.”

The challenge for anyone who might be critical of this book is that people who love the book can retort, “So! You are in favor of dictatorship! You hate freedom!” Sorry -no. I’m not paranoid and I am not afraid of complexity. As communication and mobility improve, the trend towards increased federalism is inevitable. It’s something that we have to manage, not run away from.

Posted in Book Reviews, Essays | Tagged book review, Founders Keepers, Glenn Beck, hauck, literary criticism, Molly Ross, Noah Gardner, Overton Window, Suspense novel, thomas hauck, Thriller | Leave a comment

Quotes, Italics, Boldface, and Capitals – Advice from Thomas Hauck, Book Editor and Ghostwriter

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Thomas Hauck

Every writer wants his or her words to leap off the page. We all experience the anxiety that the reader will lose interest or will fail to grasp a particularly important point or word. And so many writers resort to four popular devices to draw the reader’s attention: quotes, italics, capitals, and bolded type. Use of these literary spices must be judicious, or else the recipe will taste like a jumble of accents and no substance. At worst they can be an irritating turnoff.

Quotes

Aside from indicating direct quotations of speech, quotes should only be used to either indicate that it is the word itself that is under consideration, or to indicate the unusual or non-standard usage of a word. Here are two examples.

1. When you see the word “elephant,” you should say it out loud.

2. The gangster’s “defense” consisted of the ridiculous assertion that the bloody knife got stuck into the victim?s back by accident.

In the second sentence, you might have said, “The gangster’s so-called defense consisted…” You are indicating to the reader that the word is being used sarcastically. Don’t use quotes around a word unless you are really and truly using the word in some unusual way. Overuse of quotes around single words quickly becomes tiresome.

Italics

Italics are good way to add emphasis to any word. Italicized words are easy to read and you can use them liberally.

1. You need to differentiate between good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.

2. The aircraft hit turbulence. Really rough turbulence.

Capitals

Putting ordinary words in caps for emphasis is never a good idea. It is tiresome and confusing. Take a look at this paragraph:

1. In the USA, President Ronald Reagan established the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDIO), which was later changed to the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO). In 2002, BMDO’s name was changed to its current title, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The MDA is a POWERFUL deterrent to Russian or North Korean missile attack.

When you get to the word “POWERFUL,” the effect is bewildering. The use of caps should be reserved only for acronyms.

Bolded type

Bolded type is useful in a non-fiction document when you are introducing a word or phrase for the first time, and you want to make sure the reader sees it. It’s also used for live links to website pages. Here is an example:

1. For a non-profit organization, a successful capital campaign is the result of many constituencies working together for a common goal, including the board, staff, volunteers, donors, and community representatives. As the project grows from an idea to a proposal to reality, a campaign plan is key to success. A comprehensive campaign plan provides a framework for action and a template that is transparent and universally accepted

We’ve introduced the term “campaign plan,” which we intend to discuss in the document. Subsequent occurrences are not bolded.

A word about ellipses

Ellipses (…) should only be used when a part of the sentence or dialogue is truly missing, not simply to indicate a pause. To indicate a pause, use a dash.

1. But wait – there’s more! I want you to see – to hear – and to truly believe!

2. Everyone knows how the Gettysburg Address begins: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth the proposition that all men are created equal….”

Thomas Hauck – ghostwriter, editor, proofreader. From my office in Gloucester, MA, which is an hour north of Boston, I provide professional book editing, ghostwriting, and proofreading services for authors in the Boston area, New England, the United States, and worldwide. For unsurpassed personal service, contact Thomas Hauck book editor today.

Posted in Essays, Grammar and Writing Skills, Uncategorized | Tagged book edit, Boston book editor, business writing, capitalization, copy editing, editing, editor, ghostwriting, gloucester editor, grammar, hauck, proofreader, proofreading, thomas hauck, thomas hauck author, thomas hauck book editor, Writing style | Leave a comment

“Life” by Keith Richards – Review by Thomas Hauck

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Thomas Hauck

There are many reasons why I would want to read “Life,” the new memoir by Keith Richards. I’ve been Rolling Stones fan since I was a kid back in Cincinnati and I first heard “Satisfaction” and “Last Time” on WSAI-AM, our local top-forty station. As a guitar player and songwriter, Keith is probably my number one musical inspiration. And of course the news reports and Stones press releases about his drug-fueled exploits have always been fascinating.

I actually made it through to the end of this 547-page tome. This is unusual because with the exception of the great Russian novelists, classics, and a few others, I have no patience to wade through 547 pages of anything. Most often I get a novel and read the first fifty pages to get a feeling for how the author writes, and then I’m bored. So the first thing I can say about “Life” is that it is surprisingly well written. It’s hard to say how much of this is attributable to James Fox, who does not receive credit on the cover, only on the title page. My guess is that the writing is Keith’s. He deftly moves back and forth in time, throws in asides, adds colorful commentary, and glides through his story with a combination of detail and big strokes that reflects how he approaches his music.

The guitar and songwriting info is useful for any musician. The drug advice and escapades become tedious, and I have to admit that after 1980 or so I started to scan paragraphs and skip the redundant drug discussions.

But for me the most interesting theme of “Life” is that it is about a creative and business partnership: Keith and Mick Jagger, the Glimmer Twins. This is the theme that anyone can relate to. Most everyone has a job with co-workers, or is married, or is involved in some type of long-term partnership. Keith and Mick (and of course Charlie) have hung together for nearly fifty years, which is an extraordinary record. According to Keith, the relationship between himself and Mick was solid until the beginning of the 1980s, when Mick became “unbearable.” Memoirs tend to be self-serving, and from “Life” one should not expect anything different, but I had hoped for more insight from Keith. For their estrangement he basically lays the blame on Mick, whom he accuses of Lead Vocalist Syndrome (LVS) and of wanting to jump on every passing musical trend, such as disco. Mick is shallow; Mick is endlessly calculating.

Keith could have seen Mick’s side. As the 1980s approached the Stones were a multimillion-dollar global enterprise and Mick was at his performing peak. Yet Mick’s songwriting and musical partner was mired in drug addiction and endless bouts with the law. It is reasonable to think that Mick would not know from one day to the next whether wild & crazy Keef would get busted and be incarcerated, or simply drop dead. And for years Keith had had trouble getting visas for tours. Would it not be unreasonable for Mick to hedge his bets and develop his solo career, even if it seemed to be nothing more than a reproduction Stones? Keith bitterly accuses Mick of disloyalty, but an argument could be made that Mick was as loyal as any human could be expected to be.

Mick is not the only one who can be calculating. I was interested to see that in the endless revelations of nearly every aspect of Keith’s private life, he did not discuss his famous teeth. There are photos from the seventies showing Keith and his rotten teeth, and then suddenly he?s got brand-new, white, shiny choppers. I guess that being a heroin addict is cool; wearing dentures at the age of forty is not so cool.

As for music, there was a time in the early 1960s when the Stones were at the very cutting edge of pop music. They bridged black and white musical universes. They pushed the envelope and blazed new trails, both culturally and musically. With the advent of the hated disco musical form in the mid-1970s (which also helped launch punk rock), the Stones began to lose their spot on at the edge. They slowly became traditionalists. To Keith this was fine. Mick saw it differently. He wanted the Stones to remain identified with the avant-garde. Mick was responsible for “Miss You,” the disco-influenced song from “Some Girls” that was a huge hit and helped maintain the Stones’ position as cultural nomads. The restless Mick is always shopping around for new sounds and new styles. To Keith this is evidence of a shallow artistic ethic, but perhaps it’s a continuation of what the Stones were always about.

“Life” is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a man who has against all odds remained a towering musical talent. Luckily, most readers won’t be able to directly relate to the chaotic lifestyle and drug culture (sometimes it seems as though Keef and his entourage are living on Mars), but his journey both as a creative individual and as a collaborator with his partners speaks to us all.

“Life” by Keith Richards

Posted in Book Reviews, Essays | Tagged "Miss You", autobiography, book review, disco, hauck, James Fox, Keith Richards, LIfe, literary criticism, memoir, Mick Jagger, rock novel, Rolling Stones, thomas hauck | Leave a comment

Mayflower Creationism

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Thomas Hauck

In the modern era, the discussion of how we humans have come to exist on earth has assumed a familiar form: creationism versus evolution. Creationists argue that at a particular time in history a divine entity, God, created human beings and all other creatures. Evolutionists argue that over the course of millions of years all life forms emerged and, even today, continue to evolve.

In the past several years we have seen the creationist argument applied by political conservatives to the birth of our nation. On blogs and on the editorial pages of newspapers there appear impassioned letters from Tea Party types and other individuals who put forward the following assertions:

1. The United States of America was founded, more or less single-handedly, by a group of white males whose names are familiar (Washington, Adams, Hancock, and others) and who are collectively referred to as ?the founding fathers.?

2. The founding fathers were practicing Christians.

3. The founding fathers intended that the United States be forever identified as a Christian nation.

The arguments of these ?Mayflower creationists? parallel those of Biblical creationists. They say that the world as we know it was conjured from nothing by an all-powerful deity (or in the case of the Mayflower creationists, deities) whose beliefs and commandments are set down in scripture and represent an enduring template from which deviation is dangerous and immoral.

If you accept this deeply flawed argument as an axiom, then to decide the important questions facing us today you need only examine and parse every word spoken by, and every sentence written by, the creator(s), whether biblical or constitutional. As a result we see creationists digging through the recorded statements and writings of the founding fathers, seeking proof that these men were Christian and that they intended the United States to be a Christian nation.

To recall that the founding fathers owned slaves and that they lived in era of brutal inequality will make no difference to the Mayflower creationists, and so I?ll forgo that exercise. The deeper point is that while it is good to remember and respect the wisdom of earlier ages, it is foolish to seek advice from men who have been dead for hundreds of years. We cannot ask them directly; we can only sift through historical records and try to interpret what they might say to us today. But when confronted with difficult choices, it makes no sense to point to some long-dead deity and say, ?This is how the deity said it had to be done hundreds of years ago, and therefore I am not required to think for myself.?

The founding fathers deserve our admiration and respect. They dared to think for themselves. But in the centuries since they lived, the world has changed. And if you believe in evolution, you know that any species that remains the same is doomed to perish. We live in a world where only the fittest survive. To refuse to adapt is dangerous, and to claim that the ghosts of the past speak to us is folly.

Posted in Essays, News, Uncategorized | Tagged Biblical creationism, constitution, Creationism, founding fathers, hauck, Mayflower creationism, Mayflower creationists, scripture, Tea Party, thomas hauck | Leave a comment

Letter to the Gloucester Daily Times 12/9/10

Posted on December 11, 2010 by Thomas Hauck

The First R Foundation, a Gloucester charitable organization, buys books to give to first graders in Rockport and Gloucester. In early December, First R chose “It’s a Book” by Lane Smith. The book has been favorably reviewed in the “New York Times” and features three characters — a monkey, a mouse, and a jackass (not a donkey – a jackass) — who discuss the merits of old-fashioned paper books. It’s a good idea but the final words “It’s a book, Jackass!” caused the Rockport schools to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Here is my slightly abridged letter to the “Gloucester Daily Times.”

To the editor:

As a Gloucester resident who is both an author and a parent, I’d like to offer my viewpoint on the controversy surrounding the choice of “It’s a Book” by the First R Foundation.

The foundation’s mission and activities are to be applauded. But in deciding to decline “It’s a Book” as a gift given to all Rockport first graders, Dr. Susan M. King made the correct decision. The quality of the book is not the issue. The issue is whether it is age appropriate. The world is full of wonderful books that, because of language or content, are simply not meant for first graders. Just because the author or the publisher says the book is appropriate doesn’t necessarily make it so.

It may be tempting to blow this decision out of proportion. One of the foundation?s board members is quoted as saying that “the greatest books in history usually caused some sort of disquiet.” This has nothing to do with the issue at hand and to claim that “It’s a Book” has literary significance is at best premature and at worst, laughable. Meanwhile, the foundation’s chairperson claims that the word “jackass” is a “rather out-of-date minor insult.” As the parent of two children who were once in first grade, I can tell the chairperson that nothing would drive a parent crazier than a child running around the house yelling, “It’s a book, Jackass!” Believe me, this is precisely the kind of thrillingly naughty phrase that kids repeat endlessly. My guess is that the book’s author, Lane Smith, knows this and included the phrase as a punchline that would excite young readers.

It was suggested, apparently by the foundation, that the final word “jackass” be obscured in each copy given away. As an author, I find this idea to be repellent. Either read the book or don’t read it. Crossing out offensive words is silly. Just give the kids a different book.

“It’s a Book” is not a literary masterpiece that first graders must read. There are thousands of wonderful age-appropriate books available for kids of all ages. What’s the big problem? I see no reason why the First R Foundation can’t simply choose a different book and let everyone get on with their lives.

It’s a Book

Posted in Essays, News, Uncategorized | Tagged book review, Lane Smith, thomas hauck | Leave a comment

“Strategic Default” by A.A. Diji – Edited by Thomas Hauck

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Thomas Hauck

Congratulations to my client Augustine Diji on the release of his book “STRATEGIC DEFAULT: How to Create a Brighter Financial Future For You, Your Family, or Your Business,” which I had the pleasure of editing. If you thought that strategic default was an option reserved exclusively for banks and big corporations, think again–with homeowners across America underwater or in mortgage default, it is becoming an increasingly acceptable alternative. The book is now available on Amazon.com.

“Strategic Default” by A.A. Diji

– Looking for a book editor? From his office in Gloucester, MA, USA, which is an hour north of Boston, editor Thomas Hauck provides professional book editing, ghostwriting, and proofreading services for authors in the Boston area, New England, the United States, and worldwide. For unsurpassed personal editing services, contact Thomas Hauck today.

Posted in Book Reviews, News, Uncategorized | Tagged A.A. Diji, book edit, Boston book editor, business writing, copy editing, editing, editor, proofreader, proofreading, Strategic Default, thomas hauck, thomas hauck book editor, Tom Hauck | Leave a comment

“Perfect Day” – From Lou Reed to Susan Boyle

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Thomas Hauck

As a longtime fan of Lou Reed, I was amazed and astonished to turn on the TV this morning to see Susan Boyle standing majestically on the Today Show plaza with a white-robed children’s choir behind her, singing Reed’s 1972 song “Perfect Day.” The song sounded airless, pristine, and wholly artificial, as if it were made of shiny plastic like a Jeff Koons sculpture.

When I first heard this song I was a sophomore at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. It was the immediate post-Woodstock era: the cool artsy kids (which I saw myself as trying to be) had disavowed hippies and were looking for something darker and tougher. My suitemate and pal Howard Rutkowski, who hailed from Cabot, Vermont, had much more advanced knowledge than I did of all things musical and cultural. He turned me on to the Velvet Underground, the MC5, Iggy Pop, and the New York Dolls. Now this was rock and roll as it was meant to be – loud and fast and brazen, but with an edgy pop-art sensibility.

“Perfect Day” appeared on Lou Reed’s great album “Transformer.” The themes of the songs included transsexuality and drug addiction. If there was a “hit” on the album it was “Walk on the Wild Side,” which reached #16 on the Billboard charts. The album reached #29.

Generally, while in cities like Boston Lou Reed found an audience, his brand of cutting-edge art was anathema to radio. In Cincinnati, my home town, he was regarded as a dangerous freak. “Progressive” FM stations that had embraced the lovey-dovey hippie culture recoiled against what came next as being too aggressive, too unschooled, and not adult enough when compared to respectable, grownup bands like Yes and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.

“Perfect Day” was one of the reasons we liked Lou Reed. The song has real musical credibility and a great melody that is as good as any mainstream product. But there is a subversive element to the lyrics. Is it about drug addiction? Why does it seem so oddly dreamlike? And why the sinister Biblical reference in the coda – “You’re gonna reap just what you sow”? We thought it was a delicious poke at traditional pop songwriting, a subversive little poison pill that said, “You want craft? I can beat you at your own game.”

But now the song, like so many works of art, has a life of its own. What was subversive and commercially unsuitable in 1972 is now mainstream. Not just mainstream – it has been embraced by the very class that Reed was presumably rebelling against back in 1972. The prodigal song has returned and has been welcomed with open arms.

It’s happened before. Back in 1976 the Ramones were radio poison. Even in progressive Boston, you had to tune into Oedipus’s show on WMBR to hear them. As late as 1979, when the Atlantics were briefly signed to MCA Records, MCA exec Russ Mottla held up the Ramones to us as an example of a band that was doomed. Their cartoon-like songs would never survive against “quality” rock acts like the Eagles or Steely Dan. Twenty years later, “Blitzkreig Bop” was used on TV commercials for Budweiser and AT&T. The Ramones have achieved iconic status. It just goes to show that what is revolutionary today may be mainstream tomorrow.

Posted in Essays, Uncategorized | Tagged Atlantics, Blitzkreig Bop, hauck, literary criticism, Lou Reed, Oedipus, Perfect Day, Radio, Ramones, Susan Boyle, thomas hauck, Today Show, Velvet Underground, WMBR | Leave a comment

“The Millionaire Fastlane” by MJ DeMarco – Edited by Thomas Hauck

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Thomas Hauck

Congratulations to my client MJ DeMarco on the release of his new book “The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime,” now available on Amazon.com. Editing the book was a great experience and MJ tells the inspiring story of how he made his first millions and how you can, too.

MJ says that the traditional route to wealth is this: “Graduate from college, get a good job, save 10% of your paycheck, buy a used car, cancel the movie channels, quit drinking expensive Starbucks mocha lattes, save and penny-pinch your life away, trust your life savings to the stock market, and one day, when you are oh, say, 65 years old, you can retire rich.” This method (the “slow lane”) is much too tedious and unpredictable; he shows you how to stop dreaming about pie-in-the-sky-bye-and-bye (as Reverend Ike used to say) and have your pie today.

The Millionaire Fastlane

– Professional Book Editing: From his office in Gloucester, MA, USA, which is an hour north of Boston, ghostwriter and book editor Thomas Hauck provides professional book editing, ghostwriting, and proofreading services for authors in the Boston area, New England, the United States, and worldwide. For unmatched personal service and a free quote, contact Thomas Hauck book editor today,

Posted in Book Reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged book edit, book review, Boston book editor, business writing, copy editing, editing, editor, ghostwriting, hauck, Millionaire Fastlane, MJ DeMarco, self-help book, thomas hauck, thomas hauck book editor | Leave a comment

“The Ghost Writer” – Review by Thomas Hauck

Posted on October 2, 2010 by Thomas Hauck

I found “The Ghost Writer” by Robert Harris in the mass-market paperback book rack at Shaw’s supermarket in Gloucester. My overall report is that it’s a good, brisk read that gets the job done. I actually finished the book, cover to cover. I mention this because most of the thrillers that I pick up bore me after the first few chapters; they are crammed full of useless detail, or they are pretentious, or they start out with an action scene and the poor writer must struggle to keep up the absurdly high level of testosterone as the pages slog past. Robert Harris starts small and gradually expands his universe so that we learn something new at a regular rate. He keeps the story on a short leash, and it’s narrated in an easy conversational style with more than a few winks to the reader to let you know that the goal here is entertainment, not Masterpiece Theatre. It’s a healthy approach.

It’s also a good example of the craft of storytelling. In the book’s opening line the MacGuffin is expertly delivered: “The moment I heard how McAra died, I should have walked away.” This one sentence tells us a lot: there is a murder mystery; the narrator is, or becomes, involved in same; and the narrator lives to tell the tale. (As it turns out, we never learn precisely how McAra died, which is slightly irritating.) The principle setting is a rambling house on Martha’s Vineyard in January, and like any good cozy mystery the skies are gloomy, the rain is unrelenting, and the big gray waves crash upon the shore. Inside the house, the servants keep the fireplace roaring and various characters inhabit the many second-floor bedrooms. All the while, the reluctant hero learns more about Adam Lang, Lang’s tough but sexy wife Ruth, and Lang’s presumed mistress Amelia Bly. (We never get much explicit information about this mistress business; it is understood to be true by everyone, but we never catch them in the act and in the end it’s not relevant to the plot.)

The narrator is no James Bond. He doesn’t even have a name, at least not one that is revealed to the reader. Really – we never know his name. He’s just “the ghost.” Harris accomplished this neat trick by having Adam Lang address him by the sobriquet “man,” on the grounds that Lang forgets everyone?s name.

As the pages fly by, the mystery deepens to include the CIA and all sorts off international skullduggery involving shadowy university professors. There’s an evil company that evokes Halliburton and the suggestion that the British Prime Minister, Adam Lang / Tony Blair, was an American puppet. As the ghostwriter digs up more dirt, the tensions come to a boil – and then suddenly the story is slammed shut by a violent episode at the Martha’s Vineyard airport. It?s a little too convenient and frankly I wish that the author had had the fortitude to force his characters to end the story themselves rather than relying on a random device to wrap things up. Setting up character conflicts is difficult work, especially in high-stakes thrillers, and the reader looks forward to the characters resolving the plot themselves. It’s less satisfying when the gods on Mt. Olympus provide the denouement.

Despite this minor quibble, “The Ghost Writer” is a darned good yarn, combining elements of a cozy mystery with a political thriller. The tale is briskly told with a minimum of fuss, and Harris spices his prose with just enough literary inventiveness to make reading it fun.

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged book review, Cozy mystery, Fiction review, hauck, Martha's Vineyard, Robert Harris, Suspense novel, The Ghost Writer, thomas hauck, Thriller | Leave a comment

“VmusicBook” edited by Thomas Hauck

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Thomas Hauck

Recently released on Amazon.com is the “VmusicBook,” which I had the privilege to edit earlier this summer for an Elance client.

“VmusicBook” has been specifically created for urban musical talent and aspiring entrepreneurs. The music industry today is very different from what it was five or ten years ago. Thanks to the emergence of the Internet and other technical advances, not only have business models changed but ways of recording music, distributing music, and marketing music have evolved. We are now experiencing a digital music revolution, which has opened the doors for almost everyone with a dream to succeed in the music industry.

“VmusicBook” demonstrates how to protect your intellectual property and retain 100% copyright ownership of your musical works, ensuring that you will earn full value for your creative products. You’ll learn how to use your skills, abilities, knowledge, and understanding, and even other people?s resources, to establish a viable music-based business.

Whether you’re a singer, a songwriter, a rapper, a Grime MC, a musician, a music/beat producer, a manager, a promoter, or a marketer, “VmusicBook” will guide you through the entrepreneurial process for setting up your own business venture. The book also includes a comprehensive list of industry contacts revealing the contact names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, emails, and websites of music industry professionals.

VmusicBook

– From his office in Gloucester, MA, an hour north of Boston, editor Thomas Hauck provides professional proofreading, ghostwriting, and book editing services for authors in the Boston area, New England, the United States, and worldwide. For unmatched personal service, contact Thomas Hauck book editor today.

Posted in Book Reviews, Essays, Uncategorized | Tagged book edit, book review, business writing, copy editing, editing, editor, ghostwriting, hauck, proofreader, proofreading, thomas hauck, VmusicBook | Leave a comment