Best Selling Books by Judy Allen

Event planning never stops. This industry goes 24/7, 365 days a year. Planners work evenings, weekends, and holidays, often far away from their home base, organizing and running events that simply must go on, and go smoothly. Missing a critical deadline is not an option in the event planning field. Time management errors can cost a company a potential sale, lose them an existing customer, and damage their professional reputation. Burnout and chaos are real risks in this hectic world of deadlines and multiple projects. Planners often find themselves working down to the wire against crushing deadlines and a mountain of obstacles that impede their progress. Too frequently, there is not enough time to get the job done properly, let alone to spend on personal or professional pursuits. And for many involved in the event planning field, there is the extra dimension of travel to factor in, juggling multiple projects on a daily basis across a multitude of time zones. For smooth event implementation, and for business success, it is essential that planners know how to manage their own time as well as they manage an event. Time Management for Event Planners teaches readers how to successfully manage their workload, and do what matters most, when it matters most: Analyze and prioritize tasks. Structure your workload and your day for maximum performance. Identify red-flag activities that hinder productivity. Reduce stress-producing time crunches. Identify when extra help is needed, as well as how to delegate, outsource, and even partner with suppliers in crunch periods. Work with rather than against deadlines. Save time using technology. Manage multiple projects, even in multiple time zones. Balance your personal and professional life. Whether you are an event planner, a hospitality professional, in public relations or other related fields, Time Management for Event Planners offers time-saving tips, techniques, examples, and expert insight that will help you get time on your side.

In 1968, Arthur Ashe climbed his way to the top of the tennis world in a time filled with racial tension and segregation. But his success didn''t happen without help. Arthur''s close relationship with his younger brother, Johnnie, was key to Arthur becoming the first Black man to break the color barrier in men''s tennis. A layered story full of love, sibling rivalry, and unconditional support, The Ashe Brothers tells the little-known story behind Arthur''s Grand Slam win.

By day, graveyards are often peaceful places. When night falls, though, things change. The moonlight casts an eerie glow on the headstones. Trees make creepy shapes and shadows. What looks like a human shape drifts among the sea of cold, gray stones. Could it be a restless spirit? Among the 11 ghostly graveyards in this book, children will discover a tree that’s filled with blood, a mysterious lady in white who floats among headstones, a poltergeist that attacks people, a vanishing house, a funeral party formed entirely of phantoms, and many other terrifying hauntings. The creepy photographs and chilling nonfiction text will keep children turning the pages to discover more spooky stories.

For anyone planning events—student, novice, or experienced professional—Confessions of an Event Planner is an "apprenticeship in a book." This insider’s guide takes you on a narrative journey, following a fictional event planning company that stages various types of events around the world for many different clients. While other books, college courses, and training programs give you the theory and how-to of the profession, Confessions of an Event Planner reveals the real world of event planning and what can happen—usually the unexpected—on an event program when actual participants are added to the event planning design and execution mix. In a climate of media scrutiny and corporate scandals, event planners must be masters of discretion, knowing how to avoid and deal with everything from sexual romps to financial shenanigans, to chainsaw wielding salesmen dead set on “re-landscaping” the grounds of the resort they’re staying at. From an event planner who’s seen it all and knows how to deal with it all, comes practical first-hand advice delivered in an entertaining and accessible format. Each chapter is set in a unique location, with a cast of characters, and a host of challenges and problems to overcome—from the boardroom to the resort guest bedrooms. Readers learn what they can come up against, how to problem solve creatively on the fly, get ideas for staging spectacular events, and see the principles of event planning in action. The scenario in each chapter is introduced by an outline of what will be covered in the chapter, and each chapter concludes with a series of review questions to explore key issues and stimulate reflection or discussion for individuals or groups. Ideal as a companion to Judy Allen’s six other event planning books, as a textbook in event planning courses, or as a professional training tool Confessions of an Event Planner prepares planners for what they can expect once they start working in the world of corporate and social event planning, and will help decision-makers set company policies, procedures and protocol and promote discussion about codes of conduct in the office and offsite.

Practical, prescriptive advice on successfully marketing your event planning business Recent years have been tough on the event planning industry. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, economic downturns, wars, and SARS have all negatively impacted the business. There are fewer corporate dollars dedicated to travel budgets and special events, creating even more pressure on businesses in an already highly competitive industry. This book tells you all you need to know to market your business and build your client base in good times and bad. Marketing Your Event Planning Business shows you how to gain a competitive advantage by setting yourself apart from the competition, pursuing new markets, and soliciting sales. It covers all the vital topics in event planning marketing, including how to diversify your client base, develop niche markets, improve your customer service, establish emergency business plans, and much more. Ideal for event planners, marketing managers in the industry, and professionals in the hospitality, culinary, or travel industries Includes actionable advice on successfully marketing an event planning business Features illustrative examples, practical tips, and useful checklists and other resources Marketing Your Event Planning Business is packed with practical tips and examples, giving you creative new ways to showcase your talents, build your business, and bring added value to your clients.

Practical tools and expert advice for professional event planners Before planning an event, there is much that must be done behind the scenes to make the event successful. Before any thought is even given to timing or location of the event, before the menus are selected and the decor designed, there are proposals to be written, fees and contracts to be negotiated, and safety issues to be considered. This book takes you behind the scenes of event planning and explains every aspect of organizing and strategic planning. This book will be of value to both the professional event planner and to clients who are dealing with planners. Its comprehensive coverage includes: how to prepare winning proposals, and how to understand them if you are the client; how to determine management fees; negotiating contracts; safety issues; designing events in multicultural settings; and new technology that makes operations more efficient (such as online registration and response management, database project management tools). The book also includes practical tools such as sample letters of agreement, sample layouts for client proposals, forms, and checklists. Professional event planner Judy Allen offers first-time or professional event planners all the top-class advice they need to make their special events come off without a hitch.

Publisher Description

The world of event planning can be alluring and dangerous at once-exotic locales, wining and dining, and people traveling without their spouses. In such situations the line between business and pleasure blurs and the nature of relationships gets cloudy. With a thoughtless act or a less-than-tactful word, long-lasting business relationships can be ruined forever. Beyond that, budgets are on the chopping block and competition for business is tight. In that environment, people often cut not just financial corners, but the ethical ones, too. There''s a fine line between innocent perks and inappropriate gifts or kickbacks. Event planners today must navigate a minefield of potentially sticky situations that can easily blow up in their face. Without a professional code, lines of acceptable behavior are easily crossed. And what you do personally can hurt you professionally. Event Planning Ethics and Etiquette provides event planners with the companion they need to stay out of trouble, keep professional relationships healthy and profitable, avoid the riskier temptations of the lifestyle, and win business in a highly competitive market using ethical business practices. Explains how to establish policies and codes of behavior, in the office and onsite at events. Offers guidelines on when it is acceptable to accept a gift, what is acceptable, and what is inappropriate. Shows how to prepare yourself, as well as your staff, for what to expect, and how to handle the unexpected with business finesse. Covers business etiquette in event planning crisis management situations. Helps you to avoid putting yourself and your company at personal and professional risk. Features real-life examples and situations, and advice on how to handle them with poise and professionalism. Includes a list of "Event Planning Do''s and Don''ts." Event Planning Ethics and Etiquette will be of value to the professional event planner; to event planning suppliers and clients working with industry professionals; as well as to those in related fields, such as public relations, administrative professionals, communications; and anyone in the hospitality, culinary, and travel industry.

An industry expert shows readers how to get the best return on investment from corporate events Corporate events and business entertaining are a major part of a company''s communication, marketing and public relations strategy. They are used by businesses of all sizes to solicit new business, create a corporate or brand image, and retain and build loyalty with existing suppliers and customers. They can also be used effectively to elicit peak performance from employees and produce camaraderie and teamwork among co-workers. The corporate event bar has been raised dramatically and the competition to craft something original that will help a business create public awareness as well as industry and media buzz is fierce. Staged effectively, business functions can contribute to a company''s success, standing, profitability and business development. But corporate events and business entertaining can also seriously damage a company''s image and put the company and its management in potentially high-risk situations if not handled carefully, professionally, and appropriately. Corporate boards and chief executives are now seeing how company scandals played out in the headlines can estrange customers, sink stock prices, and end careers in a matter of minutes. And many of the transgressions that have been made public have been linked to corporate events and business entertaining. The Executive''s Guide to Corporate Events and Business Entertaining provides executives with all the information they need before they plan, host, sponsor, or attend corporate events. It gives rising and established executives the tools they need to move ahead with confidence in planning their next company function.

Fantasy Encyclopedia is a superb guide to the creatures and people of folklore and fantasy. Meet the mischievous and sometimes helpful Little People, such as goblins and fairies, horrific monsters, from dragons to Dracula, and beautiful fantastical creatures, such as mermaids and unicorns. Discover how the magic of stories throughout the centuries have kept these creatures alive in traditions and cultures around the world, and how mystery and superstition still surround many of them. Detailed illustrations, contemporary and from renowned fantasy artists such as Arthur Rackham, bring these fantastic creatures to life.

Presents a guide that explores the human obsession with the unexplainable, from hauntings and the power of the mind to physical mysteries such as lost civilizations, ancient superstitions and symbols, and life on other planets.

"A satisfying read." --School Library Journal Hurricane Katrina was one of the most destructive storms in American history. In this fictional tale, daring twins Jo Jo and Sophie battle the raging floodwaters in a fight for their lives. For twins Jo Jo and Sophie Dupre, Hurricane Katrina isn''t the most important thing on their minds-not compared their mother''s cancer treatments, Sophie''s swim meet, and Jo Jo''s upcoming coding competition. But when the storm intensifies and there''s only one seat their aunt''s car, Mom has to be the one to evacuate. The twins and their father are stuck at home in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. The winds rise-and with them, the waves. The levees break and floodwater rages through the city. During the chaos, Jo Jo and Sophie are swept away. Together, they must find their way to the Superdome, where their father should be waiting-but can they escape the wrath of one of the deadliest storms in history?

Full of facts and feelings about the real world, the picture books in this series encourages children to think, feel, imagine and wonder as they learn.

When Hannah finds an ivory necklace that belonged to her great-grandmother, it gives her dreams; and she knows she must make restitution to the elephants for their suffering caused by the ivory trade.

It is mid-July, the time of year governed by Cancer - the moon''s sign. David''s archaeologist father is excavating a Roman mosaic found in Yorkshire. David becomes fascinated by an ancient stone circle on a nearby hillside, but his interest turns to a pervading fear when he touches the stones and gets a powerful electric shock. He befriends Westwood, who has a theory that the stones were used in ancient times to call forth water by chanting ''til the vibrations hit a powerful resonating note. Hence the name ''weeping stones''. And after centuries asleep, something has re-activated them. David''s father dismisses Westwood as an eccentric dabbler, and the townspeople throw him out as suspicious and untrustworthy. But Westwood''s theory predicts a catastrophic flood - unless David can convince everyone of the stones'' extraordinary force, find out what has woken them and turn the power back ...

For some months, Katie''s mother has woken screaming from a recurring nightmare. Katie becomes convinced the dream is a buried childhood memory, and that her mother needs to remember to overcome it. She finds out where her mother grew up and persuades her to go back, ostensibly for a holiday, in reality for Katie to track down her estranged grandfather. The seaside town is out-of-season, bleak, beset by storms and high spring tides, and the subject of a legend that the beach and waters are haunted by the crying of a child and the howling of a grief-stricken man. What emerges are the events of a terrible accident fifty years before, when a cliff fell into the sea, taking cottages and their inhabitants with it. The failure to rescue a small child has haunted Katie''s family ever since - an incident depicted in photographs in the museum - the child and a lifeboatman vainly reaching out as a wave sweeps her away. As real and supernatural events build to a stormy climax, Katie uncovers that her mother was the small child used in a filmed re-enactment of the tragedy, terrified at being forced by her father to play the part of the drowning child again and again and again. An uncompromising story of a young child''s abuse through the greed and insensitivity of adults, and of the destructive power of guilt.

Peter, Michael and Emma are strangers, each despatched by their parents for a week''s holiday with the Myers in their cottage at the foot of a Welsh mountain. Coincidence? Or has the strange neighbour, Mrs White, somehow lured them to enact an awesome quest? They are an uneasy trio, uncomfortable in their forced alliance, and they face their circumstances in very different ways - Mrs Myers anxious ''mothering'', the enigmatic Mrs White, and the swirling sense of fear that seems trapped in the lane running past her house, her stories of Arthur''s Way, the old straight track shrouded in legend that leads straight to the peak of the mountain, and her obsession with diverting the spring at the top. There are peculiar visitors and strange warnings, yet the children feel compelled to set off up Arthur''s Way at the most dangerous time of year. What they discover, about unseen forces on earth, about the price of disturbing nature, about themselves, leads to a gripping climax in a spell-binding tale. First published in 1973 by Jonathan Cape Ltd.