150 Award Genres
Children
- Children - Action
- Children - Adventure
- Children - Animals
- Children - Audiobook
- Children - Christian
- Children - Coming of Age
- Children - Concept
- Children - Educational
- Children - Fable
- Children - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Children - General
- Children - Grade 4th-6th
- Children - Grade K-3rd
- Children - Mystery
- Children - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Children - Non-Fiction
- Children - Picture Book
- Children - Preschool
- Children - Preteen
- Children - Religious Theme
- Children - Social Issues
Christian
- Christian - Amish
- Christian - Biblical Counseling
- Christian - Devotion/Study
- Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Christian - Fiction
- Christian - General
- Christian - Historical Fiction
- Christian - Living
- Christian - Non-Fiction
- Christian - Romance - Contemporary
- Christian - Romance - General
- Christian - Romance - Historical
- Christian - Thriller
Fiction
- Fiction - Action
- Fiction - Adventure
- Fiction - Animals
- Fiction - Anthology
- Fiction - Audiobook
- Fiction - Chick Lit
- Fiction - Crime
- Fiction - Cultural
- Fiction - Drama
- Fiction - Dystopia
- Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
- Fiction - Fantasy - General
- Fiction - Fantasy - Urban
- Fiction - General
- Fiction - Graphic Novel/Comic
- Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
- Fiction - Historical - Personage
- Fiction - Holiday
- Fiction - Horror
- Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Fiction - Inspirational
- Fiction - Intrigue
- Fiction - LGBTQ
- Fiction - Literary
- Fiction - Magic/Wizardry
- Fiction - Military
- Fiction - Mystery - General
- Fiction - Mystery - Historical
- Fiction - Mystery - Legal
- Fiction - Mystery - Murder
- Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
- Fiction - Mythology
- Fiction - New Adult
- Fiction - Paranormal
- Fiction - Realistic
- Fiction - Religious Theme
- Fiction - Science Fiction
- Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Fiction - Social Issues
- Fiction - Southern
- Fiction - Sports
- Fiction - Supernatural
- Fiction - Suspense
- Fiction - Tall Tale
- Fiction - Thriller - Conspiracy
- Fiction - Thriller - Environmental
- Fiction - Thriller - Espionage
- Fiction - Thriller - General
- Fiction - Thriller - Legal
- Fiction - Thriller - Medical
- Fiction - Thriller - Political
- Fiction - Thriller - Psychological
- Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
- Fiction - Time Travel
- Fiction - Urban
- Fiction - Visionary
- Fiction - Western
- Fiction - Womens
Non-Fiction
- Non-Fiction - Adventure
- Non-Fiction - Animals
- Non-Fiction - Anthology
- Non-Fiction - Art/Photography
- Non-Fiction - Audiobook
- Non-Fiction - Autobiography
- Non-Fiction - Biography
- Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
- Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
- Non-Fiction - Cultural
- Non-Fiction - Drama
- Non-Fiction - Education
- Non-Fiction - Environment
- Non-Fiction - Genealogy
- Non-Fiction - General
- Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
- Non-Fiction - Grief/Hardship
- Non-Fiction - Health - Fitness
- Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
- Non-Fiction - Historical
- Non-Fiction - Hobby
- Non-Fiction - Home/Crafts
- Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Non-Fiction - Inspirational
- Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
- Non-Fiction - Marketing
- Non-Fiction - Memoir
- Non-Fiction - Military
- Non-Fiction - Motivational
- Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
- Non-Fiction - New Age
- Non-Fiction - Occupational
- Non-Fiction - Parenting
- Non-Fiction - Relationships
- Non-Fiction - Religion/Philosophy
- Non-Fiction - Retirement
- Non-Fiction - Self Help
- Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Non-Fiction - Social Issues
- Non-Fiction - Spiritual/Supernatural
- Non-Fiction - Sports
- Non-Fiction - Travel
- Non-Fiction - True Crime
- Non-Fiction - Womens
- Non-Fiction - Writing/Publishing
Poetry
Romance
Young Adult
- Young Adult - Action
- Young Adult - Adventure
- Young Adult - Coming of Age
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Epic
- Young Adult - Fantasy - General
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Urban
- Young Adult - General
- Young Adult - Horror
- Young Adult - Mystery
- Young Adult - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Young Adult - Non-Fiction
- Young Adult - Paranormal
- Young Adult - Religious Theme
- Young Adult - Romance
- Young Adult - Sci-Fi
- Young Adult - Social Issues
- Young Adult - Thriller
Illustration Award
Recommend this book:
Hits, Heathens, and Hippos
Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer
Marty Essen
2021 Honorable Mention
276 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
Hits, Heathens, and Hippos: Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer by Marty Essen is an entertaining and enlightening ride through the author's ups and downs. Although he became a popular campus speaker and sought-after author, the road to his success came with twists and turns, from his youthful dream of working with reptiles and amphibians to his turn as a notable DJ and then influential talent manager. The result was not what he expected because his dreams took detours along the way, but that's the crux of his story: you don't have to be number one at something to be happy with yourself and what you're doing in life. This is a valuable lesson for anyone aspiring to be the best YouTuber, athlete, celebrity, musician, etc. Every life is a story, and Marty's is peppered with surprises, adventure, and even danger.
What I like about this book is the personal style Essen writes with. You really get a sense of his personality, sense of humor, and the way he thinks. It's a fun, clever way of discussing the world of work and relationships, more memoir than self-help, yet the advice is there, dramatized. He has an effective way of getting his points across through anecdotes and descriptions. He didn't become a nationally recognized one-man performer overnight, nor did he set out to be one. The journey he took that led him to this success is the fun and amazing part of the story. If you're just starting on your career path and are looking for a job change mid-stream or looking for something new after retirement, there are plenty of career-related morsels to chew on.
But the book is about more than a career guide or a travelogue; it's about relationships too, both good and bad, and how to navigate through them and get the most out of them. Perhaps more than anything, it's about having adventures in your life and that the best ones are often unplanned. His talent for storytelling gives you the feeling you're in an audience, listening to him. You'll find yourself amused, shocked, and touched. One of the best stories is about the hippo attack, but you'll have to read the book to get the details. For an entertaining read that would make a great movie or documentary, pick up your copy of Hits, Heathens, and Hippos: Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer by Marty Essen.
Recommend this book:
After Dark
Birth of the Disco Dance Party
Noel Hankin
2021 Bronze Medal
309 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
After Dark: Birth of the Disco Dance Party by Noel Hankin talks about a significant yet rarely discussed or even written about part of American history: The origins of the disco dance party scene and its contribution to society in many aspects. What makes this piece of work even more relevant is that author Noel Hankin is a living witness in its evolution and has even played a major part in it. It goes back to the beginning of the seventies when a group of friends that included Hankin formed a social club called The Best of Friends (TBOF) and built a network of discotheques, beginning with a dance club called Ginza. Hankin traces back the struggles and triumphs of doing what they love and, with passionate recall, shares stories of the high energy generated by the business that they were not expecting would redefine a nation’s dance scene culture.
As the disco era became part of a culture that defined the seventies, its passion and intensity provided an escape from the dreariness of mundane or monotonous existence. As Hankin attests, many of their guests had good-paying jobs and career possibilities, and TBOF’s ventures had given them a new venue for socializing. Whether you are old enough to have witnessed the seventies or not, its pertinence lies in the meaning of living people’s emotional and social expressions against the established rules of routine. This is relevant when considering that the '70s was a time of idealism and confusion, and when people turned to creative and artistic expressions to counter the prevailing system of the time. With that in mind, you cannot help but give credit to the passion and efforts of TBOF, particularly not just in providing an after-work social venue, but by taking steps to ensure that midtown was safe after dark for anyone who wished to paint the town red. A great reference to a relevant part of American history, After Dark: Birth of the Disco Dance Party will make you look back and perhaps want to experience the feeling of a real disco party.
Recommend this book:
Screaming for Pleasure
How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy
S.A. Bradley
2021 Silver Medal
288 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy by S.A. Bradley is an intriguing look at horror culture. This author pulls together information that we all may have felt or sensed but never analyzed: centered on the idea that horror is beneficial to us. Horror comes in many forms, from the made-up stories about mummies and werewolves to the real-life horror of a serial killer named Ted Bundy. But why do we love to be scared by horror movies and books? Why are we captivated by it as much as we are repulsed? This is what Bradley addresses in his book. He gives inside information about horror, both classic and current, from horror masters like John Carpenter, Hitchcock, and others. You'll go deep-diving into female horror directors and their work and new leaders in horror that you can follow. There's also plenty of film history, film lists, and discussion-starters.
Screaming for Pleasure goes beyond lists and synopses: it delves into the psychology of horror and how it helps us wrestle with our deepest fear, the ultimate unknown of death. As a horror writer myself, I especially appreciate the author's favorable treatment of horror and how he explains that horror can be a catharsis for other things in our psyche and our lives. Yes, according to Bradley, horror can be good for you! Gory nursery rhymes can, believe it or not, help children deal with unnamed fear and uncertainty. Horror changes with the times, and Bradley gives excellent examples. It's a fun trip down memory lane when you read familiar titles like "The Birds," "Jaws," and all the rest. Maybe you're not a horror fan, or perhaps you know it well and appreciate its place in literature, film, pop culture, and human psychology. Whatever your level of appreciation, Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy by S.A. Bradley offers a comprehensive guide to what makes horror likable and useful in our society.
Recommend this book:
Purple Bananas
How Prince Saved Me and Other Selections from the Soundtrack 2 My Life
Jason Webber
2021 Gold Medal
214 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
Purple Bananas is the raw and real memoir of Jason Webber’s life as an adopted child placed in a dysfunctional religious family. His story goes through his childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and parenthood and just how much the legendary Prince changed and saved his life on multiple occasions. His life was not an easy one as growing up in the 80s was not as easy as one may think; he tells the real side of undiagnosed illnesses while growing up in a family where therapy was not discussed. Prince is talked about as if he was a god for some and for others, a devil. This memoir is a full-blown account of how much music can help when there is no one else to lean on.
After reading Purple Bananas, I feel as if I have known Prince and Jason for years on end. Being a music enthusiast, I have had my fair share of relying on music when confronted with tough situations. I guess I never knew that it could go as far as an almost 40-year long companionship, which in the end was the thing that helped Jason continue his complicated life. It is incredibly well written, in such a way that the reader feels that Jason is directly speaking to them, sharing the best and worst moments of his life. Overall, this memoir helps readers go out of the fantasy world and come back to reality and take a second look at what music can do for humans. Purple Bananas is 100% recommended for music lovers.
Recommend this book:
Music to My Years, Life and Love Between the Notes
Artie Kane, Marian Blue, JoAnn Kane
2019 Gold Medal
369 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
Music to My Years, Life and Love Between the Notes is a nonfiction memoir as told by Artie Kane to Marian Blue and JoAnn Kane. Artie Kane was a musical prodigy who began taking piano lessons when he was three and a half years old. He was born Aaron Cohen to Nathan and Sarah, both emigrants. Sarah and her family hailed from Belarus, and retelling the story of how Aaron’s great uncle Leib Zager spearheaded the family’s drive to move to the United States was a family tradition and part of their family lore. Artie’s dad died when he was only three, but his Uncle Joe was to be a most inspirational father figure. Uncle Joe gave him music, encouraging the musical skills he had inherited from his father’s side of the family, and being a supportive presence in an often overwhelming family household comprised of five adults and him as the sole child.
Aaron’s mom had high expectations for her talented son and made those dreams the guiding practice of her life. She would sacrifice to get him the best lessons and opportunities, at one point moving with him to New York City to enable him to study with a gifted teacher, but her need to control every aspect of his social life led to some friction between the mother and son. Opportunities, such as the job he got playing at a local radio station, helped him establish some necessary distance from her and gain a modicum of independence. Aaron’s growing interest in jazz and non-classical genres was a disappointment to his diminutive powerhouse of a mother, but as his musical taste expanded, his skills would be increasingly honed and harnessed to crafting more music and living his dream. Following advice given some years earlier, Aaron Cohen legally changed his name to Artie Kane, a name which has become synonymous with the scores composed and played for dozens of Hollywood movies and television shows.
Music to My Years, Life and Love Between the Notes is a beautifully written autobiographical work that spans Kane’s fifty years working in the music and movie industry. His stories come complete with archival photographs showing him at work and play with music’s and Hollywood’s legendary figures --people like Henry Mancini, Jack Benny and Quincy Jones. Kane’s descriptions of his eight marriages, three children and the palimony suit that capped a hellish relationship are frankly and acerbically shared. Artie has realized throughout his life that his social skills were not quite on a par with his musical talents, not by a long shot, but as his story shows, his effort to improve them has made some impact.
When the reader gets to wife number eight, there’s a sense of shared jubilation and relief that one can’t help but feel; that this guy you’ve come to admire finally gets the right girl. It’s like a plot from a movie at that point; the place where everything comes together and authors and readers are on the same, marvelous page. I learned so much about Artie Kane; about the music which makes so many movies and shows work so well; and the composers and musicians behind those efforts. I loved seeing those photographs and the way the Kanes and co-author Marian Blue make Hollywood in the latter part of the twentieth century come to life, complete with the frivolity and the social climbing, but more so the dedication of the people working behind the scenes. Music to My Years, Life and Love Between the Notes is a big beautiful work of art that just happens to be a memoir as well. It’s most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Maharishi & Me
Seeking Enlightenment with the Beatles' Guru
Susan Shumsky
2019 Silver Medal
340 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
When beginning a review of an autobiography, there is a fuzzy area that must be managed. Are you reviewing the book itself, or are you judging the life of the author? Susan Shumsky’s autobiography, Maharishi and Me: Seeking Enlightenment with the Beatles' Guru, makes me ask myself this question in every chapter. This is the author’s story of her lifetime devotion to Transcendental Meditation and her guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In the 1960s and '70s, young people were feeling rebellious toward ordinary lives and a lack of spiritual guidance. They were asking themselves profound questions, and they wanted answers. The stars aligned for an Indian guru named Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who claimed to have the answers. Over time, he amassed a great following throughout the U.S. and Europe. Among them was 17-year-old Susan Shumsky, who went so far as to move to India to be near him. On the days when he smiled at her or gave her a kind word, there was triumph. On days when he frowned or said something mean, it was devastating. But Susan’s bliss was to live in Maharishi’s inner circle, being as near to him as a woman could hope to be, as opposed to the men who had easier access to the guru.
The book is well written, well organized, and has plenty of photographs. In that regard, I give high marks to Maharishi and Me. But I confess that I didn’t like the young, insecure Susan the Artist, as she was known, with her obsessive groveling and eagerness to please. I loathed the self-absorbed, narcissistic, and sometimes cruel Maharishi. But I can’t dismiss him, because some people found his simple platitudes to be mystical and profound, and stuck with him and with Transcendental Meditation throughout their lives. He had an enormous following of Westerners, his silent spirituality touching them deeply. He built a financial empire of classes, teacher training, and Transcendental Meditation centers, which he could not have accomplished without both volunteer labor and financial backing. Eventually, Susan the Artist grew to be Dr. Susan Shumsky, a confident sojourner and a truly spiritual teacher of a different kind of meditation. Divine Revelation shows people how to create a direct pipeline to Spirit. Reading the description of Divine Revelation has made me examine my own lackluster connection. I may have to start reading more of Dr. Shumsky’s books.
Recommend this book:
The Wrong Side of the Room
A Life in Music Theater
Norman Mathews
2019 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
The Wrong Side of the Room: A Life in Music Theater by Norman Mathews is an autobiography chronicling the author's life as he transitions from a confusing and often abusive childhood, born in a sleet of uncertainty (literally, as it turns out). Masked by imagination and written with a humor that most would not be able to apply to such situations, Mathews is able to harness this creativity and hitch it to his own ambitions as a rising star. When an injury threatens to derail an ascent that defies all odds, Mathews is forced to reinvent and reignite himself once more, and does so amid a whole host of personal and professional turmoil, scandal, and the kind of stories that are all the more shocking – and inspiring – because they are actually true.
Norman Mathews delivers a riveting memoir with The Wrong Side of the Room that opens with a contentious genesis and powerfully surges through to its finale. This is the ultimate tale of a man who is knocked down seven times and gets up eight, except in this case our tenacious narrator is struck to the ground far more than that. But he does continue to rise and appears to have carved out a genuine niche for himself until, “I woke up one morning with a strange pain in my back and running down my right leg. In a few days, it got much worse, and I began limping.” With the support of his partner Todd, he buys a Steinway, dives into formal education, and...well, at first that all implodes too. But Mathews is the consummate phoenix and, much like he displays in the writing of this book, skillfully maneuvers the trajectory of his life's own narrative into a story that we are fortunate enough to have shared in The Wrong Side of the Room.
Recommend this book:
Enchanted, Book 2
Things We Lost in the Night (A Memoir of Love and Music in the 60s with Stark Naked and the Car Thieves Book 2)
Larry J. Dunlap
2019 Honorable Mention
586 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
Enchanted: Things We Lost in the Night (A Memoir of Love and Music in the 60s with Stark Naked and the Car Thieves) is the second book in a breathtaking memoir by Larry Dunlap, a veritable tour de force for readers who enjoy real-life adventures and what the life of a band feels like. Larry takes readers on a ride with the band as they continue to rise in popularity, exploring intense moments of performance, relationships, and disappointments against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Larry will face a life-threatening experience and a welcome in his hometown that is not what he expected. We encounter legendary musicians like Elvis Presley, but what caught my attention most was the author's romantic journey.
Enchanted: Things We Lost in the Night is exciting, a narrative that holds a lot of surprises for readers who love exploring nightlife. The story is written in an engrossing, first-person narrative voice and the author captures very interesting dialogues and memorable moments in prose that is excellent, pulling readers into his worldview and compelling them to experience the hype surrounding a working band and the surprising thrills of an endearing romance. It is filled with historical references and places readers would like to be. From the writing to the panache of the narrative, from the interesting characters to the exciting romance, Larry Dunlap scores wonderful points in a work that both informs and inspires readers.
Recommend this book:
Halloween Horror Nights Unofficial: Around the Globe
Hollywood and Beyond!
Christopher Ripley
2019 Finalist
227 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
Halloween Horror Nights Unofficial: Around the Globe: Hollywood and Beyond! is a nonfiction art/photography book written by Christopher Ripley. Ripley is an author and blogger who’s made a study of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights for the last twenty-odd years. In this book, he escorts the reader on a journey back into the 1920s when Lon Chaney, Sr. recreated the Hunchback of Notre Dame and was the thrilling presence in The Phantom of the Opera. Traveling a bit closer to the present day, he studies the effects of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney, Jr. as they recreate zombies, vampires and werewolves to the vast delight of terrified audiences who made it clear that they enjoyed being frightened and wanted more. In 1986, the first of the Hollywood Horror Nights made its debut. It was not the first such horror event/party thrown by Universal Studios but, in many ways, it was the most ambitious and it certainly has been the most enduring. Hollywood Horror Nights are carefully scripted and prepared with the attention to detail of the most demanding theatrical production. Ripley describes each year’s players, themes and opportunities to be scared out of one’s wits in “you-are-there” detail.
Halloween Horror Nights Unofficial invites the reader to experience vicariously countless chills, thrills and outright gross buckets of blood as he lovingly shares the details of each the last three decades’ incarnations of Halloween Horror Nights. While I’ve never been to one, I will readily confess that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and the idea of spending it as an unsuspecting tourist in a nightmare spun by the likes of Barker or del Toro is intriguing indeed. I loved learning how these spectacles are put together, every detail polished and perfected before the first brave soul enters, and I was most impressed by the author’s erudition on all things horror. This well-written and enthralling romp through Hollywood Horror will have readers considering how they can make the trip west to get in on the fun next Halloween. I know it has me doing just that. Halloween Horror Nights Unofficial is highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Commercial Directing Voodoo
Filmmaking Spells & Production Potions
Mr. Jordan Brady
2018 Finalist
102 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
Commercial Directing Voodoo: Filmmaking Spells and Production Potions is written and illustrated by Jordan Brady. Brady is a commercial filmmaker and director who has written and directed full-length movies. He’s also the creator of and genius behind the Commercial Directing Bootcamp. Commercial directors are next in line after the client and the ad agency get together to discuss an advertising campaign. Who they pick, and whether they’ll be happy with what he does with their idea depends on the director and where he’s coming from. Brady’s first reaction when receiving a storyboard is to instantly fall in love with it. Each prospective job offers new creative challenges and avenues to expand his knowledge and experience. No matter how many jobs he has tackled, there are so many new focal points to explore, solutions to choose from and, best of all, opportunities to add to his reel.
While Brady loves the creative energy output that is an intrinsic part of commercial directing, he has come to rely upon his past experience and acquired knowledge in almost every aspect of the directing process. He suggests printing out a new script or storyboard before reading it, noting that he likes to settle in with scrap paper and pen and start scribbling out ideas and story-pictures based on that important first impression. He builds up the world envisioned by the script using stick figures, and runs with the story as he reads and sees where it goes. While his imagined finale may be quite different from that envisioned by the ad agency, there’s something dynamic happening as he first sees that script, something that’s magical. As I began reading Jordan Brady’s Commercial Directing Voodoo: Filmmaking Spells and Production Potions, I wondered at the impressive sorcerer’s skills that would enable this author to successfully mentor me in a field I knew literally nothing about. Granted, we’ve all seen commercials and remember ads that astounded, surprised and delighted us no matter how many times we’ve seen them. But how to get from that storyboard or script to the finished magical product?
I was most agreeably surprised to find that Brady’s technique for imparting his knowledge is painless, sensible and often quite enjoyable. His ideas make sense in a real world sort of way. As a quick example: watching how a child star behaves outside of an audition makes a whole lot of sense, considering the amount of time one might have to spend with him, and getting a kid’s part taken care of early in the day, before boredom and fatigue set in, is also brilliant. Likewise, the simple trick of setting up an upstairs bedroom in a downstairs room saves effort and time. Many of these ideas seem so logical and matter of fact, but the magic is that there are so many of them, that the lessons learned from the thousands of commercials Brady’s directed are presented in an easily digestible and entertaining format. And while I’m still fairly certain I won’t be starting a new career in commercial directing, I doubt I’ll ever look at a commercial in the same way again. Commercial Directing Voodoo: Filmmaking Spells and Production Potions is a fascinating book that should be required reading for anyone who wants to get into directing, and should be on the to-read list of anyone who’s ever wondered how they make those great commercials. It’s most highly recommended.