The Lack of A Memory

I'm currently hard a work editing a collection of short stories, working on 3 big cookbooks, and writing new materials.  Below is one of my newer short stories, The Lack of A Memory I would love it if you could give me some feedback.  Tell me what you think!

The Lack of A Memory
by BD Manus

I was seated in the restaurant, I saw the police officer walk in, a big black burly man.  I peered around the corner, he saw me and called me over then motioned me to go behind the curtain on stage, I follow him.

He made sure no one followed us as we slipped behind another set of thick red velvet curtains to the back of the stage where the sofa was.  I sat down he remained standing.

“Are you sure this happened?” He asked me.

“Yes, I saw him with my own two eyes.  Why won’t any of you believe me?”  I asked him.

“Your case is costing us a considerable amount of time and money, that we really can’t afford.” He stated.

I walked away from him through the other end of the stage and out to the front of the restaurant.

A woman asked who that man was and what he wanted.

I replied, “He wants to drop my case.” as I walked out of the door.


The next day, back at the restaurant, the same police officer came back, again. Just as before, he ushered me to the back of the stage, but this time, we both sat down.

“I bet you don’t realize how much time and money we are spending on your case.”  He stated.

I replied, “If you can’t pay for the case, I’ll pay, how much do you need, one-thousand, two---.” 

“My, my, you are quick to put out a number.  Why?  What you are offering doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.”  The officer said angrily.

“I want you to find the man, the man who----.” I stopped, remembering.

“We will continue with your case for a few days longer, but if no evidence is found, we will have to drop it!  He shouted.

A few days past, I heard nothing, so I decided to walk over to the police station.  I made my way down the darkened alley, but when I arrived, the doors were locked, no one was in.

As I walked back to the restaurant, a situation was going down on the main street.  Two children were lying face down in the left turn lane, what I presumed to be their mother standing over them, screaming.  I looked up on the rooftop, a man holding a riffle, pointing directly at them.  The woman screamed a shot rang out.

I hurriedly took the back streets to the restaurant.

“Quick, quick, turn on the news, there is a hostage situation on the main street.”  I told the staff in the now emptied restaurant.

Later in the day, two police officers showed up, this time.  Again, I peered around the corner, as he motioned me back behind the stage.  This time, the women and I sat down, and he remained standing.

She placed a pad down on the sofa, and began writing.  Shortly there after, she removed three hospital bands from her pocket and held them up.

She spoke softly,” do you know why the buckles on these bands are at different places?”

“Yes, I think I know.  Each buckle represents how people perceive things.   People perceive thing at different times and different understandings.  My understanding of a situation will very greatly from someone elses.”  I told her.

“That is correct!”  She stated, and continued, “at this time, we are unable to continue with your case.  We have not found any evidence that a crime was ever committed.  We are not judging you, and what you perceived to be true.  It was nice of you to offer us compensation, but we cannot accept it.  As this moment, consider your case closed.”  She firmly stated.

She continued writing for a few seconds, then had me sign the sheet of paper.  They soon left the restaurant, never to return.

The whole ordeal was overwhelming for me.  For the life of me, after that day, I could not even remember what or why I filed charges.  I racked my brain for days and nothing ever came to me. 

I have to say that was the oddest experience I’ve ever been through.
 




The Lack of A Memory, Copyright (c) Manus Publishing.

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Mi plan de envío de la gota requiere ni dinero, ni productos, ni espacio de almacenamiento, pero no los viajes a la oficina de correos, de hecho, usted ni siquiera necesita un ordenador personal y una conexión a Internet, porque usted puede dirigir su negocio desde su biblioteca local!

Yo personalmente le enseñará:

Lo envío de la gota es, y cómo puede cambiar su vida para mejor

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A dónde ir en busca de los productos

Cómo seleccionar los mejores productos

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Amazon was built on a foundation of Drop Shipping, and you to can follow in Jeff Bezos’ footsteps.  If he can do it, so can you.  Drop Shipping is one of the easiest businesses to start, especially from home.  Your whole family can get into the act, and you can become self-supporting for the rest of your life.

My Drop Shipping plan requires No Cash, No Product, No Storage Space, No Trips to the Post Office, in fact, you don’t even need a home computer and internet connection, because you can run your business from your local library!

I will personally teach you:

• What Drop Shipping is, and how it can change your life for the better
• How to get the funding you need, with out using your own cash
• Where to go to look for products
• How to Select the Best Products
• How to Create Your Selling Price, and get the most Profits
• How to Write Winning Ad Copy
• What to Do After You’ve Made the Sale, and More!

This is the only work at home book you’ll ever need!  To create a life time of wealth.

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Is Drop Shipping a Viable Way to Make Money?

Drop shipping is when you purchase an item from a middleman who has to order your item from his supplier.  The middleman makes a profit from you by selling the item at a higher cost than the supplier sells it for.

Anyone can be a drop shipper especially with auction sites like Ebay.  I briefly thought about becoming a drop shipper a few weeks ago.  I found some great drop shippers that don’t even charge a membership fee.  I crunched the numbers, and found that a sizable profit is obtainable, the only problem I face is fitting this into my already busy day.

That’s the purpose of this blog, to show you how to make money, without purchasing and storing products ahead of time.  The owner of a million dollar a year window treatment (blinds) business uses this business model.  He and two other business partners have cleared hundreds of thousands of dollars every month, by selling a product that they don’t own, and product that they don’t have to store, a product that brings great revenue to their bottom line.


How to Get Started!

Finding Your Suppliers

First, you have to find some suppliers, but don’t worry, I’ve already found them for you.

1. Mini In the Box, Hong Kong – (www.miniinthebox.com) Offers cell phone, electronics, and other zany products at reasonable prices.  Shipping can take up to one month.

2. Alpha Imports, New York, NY - (www.alphaimports.com/help/drop-shipping.html) Offers quality men’s and women’s jewelry; from gold, silver, diamonds, and other semi-precious stones.  No membership or drop shipping fees.  Paypal Accepted.
After you chosen one or all of the suppliers, you have to search the website(s) and find items that you would like to sell.  Print the item(s) with the prices and shipping costs, this will help you in the next step.


How To Set the Price and Still Make A Profit?

You will find on Ebay and other auction style sites that sellers are often underbidding or under selling an item(s), just to get them to sell.  Trust me, this is on way to increase your bottom line.

You want to make between $4.00 and $25.00 profit, per sale depending on the item(s). If an item is under $5.00 (your cost), don’t even bother with it, it is not worth your time.

Below is an example of an actual product that I have calculated for resale on July 25, 2013:

Six-ounce Hip Flask & Cigarette Case (gift box)
engraved
I want to sell it for $39.99 (complete)
Similar product is selling on Ebay for $32.50

Costs:

Product costs----$  8.96
Gift Box----------- $  6.50 (box, 2 shot glasses, funnel)
Engraving---------$  4.00
My Costs----------$19.46

Fees:

Ebay---------------$  4.83 (http://www.fees.ebay.com/feeweb/feecalculator)
Paypal-------------$  2.15 (2.9% + .99)
My Fees-----------$  6.98

Total Costs--------$26.44
Retail Price (-) ---$39.99
My Profit----------$13.55 (per item)

-or- My Profit-----$5.25 (with shipping added to my costs)
 

Shipping: They will pay $8.30 for (USPS Priority).  If your profit is large enough, you can including the shipping in your fees and offer Free Shipping on the item(s). 

Shipping Included – My Profit would be $5.25 (which is still well within the profiting range)

Use the example above for setting your own prices for your products.  Don’t forget to consult with Ebay and Amazon by looking on-line for the exact products that you intend to sell.  Compare prices, and see if it’s viable for you to sell an item at the price that you’ve set.



The Sellers Platform
 
Whether you sell on Ebay or Amazon, you normally have to pay some sort of fees.

Ebay

Ebay is currently offering a ‘No Fees’ special if you sell 100 items or $5,000 in products per month, they won’t charge you any listing fees, but they will still charge you a ‘your product sold’ fee.

This fee can be found using their interactive online calculator
www.fees.ebay.com/feeweb/feecalculator

They will add up all of your fees and charge you one price at the end of the month.  If your Ebay account is connected to Paypal, they will just deduct the fees from there.

For most sellers, you will find that this is the way to go.

Paypal

Paypal is used by millions of people each and everyday, Paypal also charges a fee of 2.9% on (your sales price) plus 0.99 cents.

Amazon

Offers two unique sellers platforms, at two costly monthly prices and other fees.  They also require that you accept returns, something that Ebay doesn’t, and you can’t offer free shipping options.  I feel that Amazon would work best for items that you can get the most profit off of.

The Ad Copy

With perfect and flawless ad copy, you can sell a flat tire to anyone.  Ad copy is the description that you will use to advertise and sell your product.  If you sell on Ebay, your ad copy can be more flexible than on Amazon.

Example of Ad Copy using the Six-ounce flask:

Bad example:
6 oz Hip Flask & Cigarette Case Gift Set $39.99
Steel flask wrapped in leather.  Perfect for the drunk or party goers in your life.

Includes:
Free engraving
2 shot glasses
Funnel
Gift box

(what’s wrong with this ad copy?  It does not present the buyer with enough information to make and informed decision on why your Flask is better quality and price than Jon Doe’s Flask.  More than likely, Jon Doe’s and Your Flask both come from the same supplier.)

Good Example:
Six-ounce (6 oz) Leather wrapped Stainless Steel Flask with built in Cigarette Case & Free Engraving.  Gift Box Set only $39.99

Beautifully crafted flask features a built in cigarette case and is delicately wrapped in 100% genuine leather.

Makes the perfect quality gift for those who are important in your life.  Make a statement with this gift!

Gift Box Set Includes:
6 oz. Leather Flask
2 – Shot Glasses
1 – Filing Funnel
Gift Box
Free Personalized Engraving
Free Shipping

(what’s right with this ad copy?  Can you picture the product in your mind?  Can you visualize the quality?)

Whatever you plan to sell, make sure that your ad copy correctly explains all of the details that are included in both the packaging and the price.  When I post items on Ebay, I include a ‘Legal’ section just below the ad copy.

The Legal(s) should include:

- Whether or not you accept exchanges, returns, or refunds
- How long it will take for you to prepare an item for shipping
- If you will provide tracking information or not
- Other details not included in the ad copy
- Where the item ships from, and/or delays in the shipping process

Note: if you do not state everything about the product your are selling, you may be required to pay Ebay back, if your product sells and the buyer has an issue between the ad placed and the product received.

Example of ‘the Legal(s)’

All sales final, sorry, no exchanges, refunds, or returns.  Product will ship in one business day after payment clears Paypal.  Your item will ship by USPS first class mail.  The tracking number will be provided when available.  Please allow up to 10 days to receive your product.


The Wrap-up

Is Drop Shipping a Viable way to make money today?  Yes!  If you approach the items correctly and choose items that can obtain a higher mark-up value, thus increasing your overall profits.

If you have time on your hands to:

- Find the product(s)
- Create the final selling price
- Create refreshing ad copy
- Place the ad(s)
- Wait for an item to sell
- Order the item from your supplier
- Wait for the customer review
- Wait to receive your funds (depending on your status on Ebay it can be up to 21 day, even longer on Amazon)

If you can do and wait on all of the items listed above, plus keep orders straight, then you will have a bright career as a drop shipper.  Much success!

Free Health Care Screenings in September!

Everyone, no matter your income or age deserves an excellent quality of life.  With the new Affordable Health Care act looming, it is yet to be seen if everyone will receive health care, or will it bog down the system even further.  Below is a list of free health care screening programs for the month of September 2013.

Contact the Organizations below for events in your area:

1 - 30

Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 310
White Plains, NY 10605
(800) 955-4572
http://www.lls.org/
 
1 - 30
National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
American Foundation for Women's Health
P. O. Box 541
Greenwood, TX 76246-0541
(940) 466-9898
mhills@stopafib.org
http://www.stopafib.org/

1 - 30

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
American College of Sports Medicine
P.O. Box 1440
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1440
(317) 637-9200
coam@acsm.org
http://www.healthierkidsbrighterfutures.org/home/

1 - 30

National Sickle Cell Month
Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.
231 East Baltimore Street, Suite 800
Baltimore, MD 21202
(800) 421-8453
scdaa@sicklecelldisease.org
http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/

1 - 30

National Yoga Awareness Month
Yoga Health Foundation
P. O. Box 725
Fairhope, AL 36533
(251) 990-9552
info@yogamonth.org
http://www.yogamonth.org/

Materials available

Contact: Meredith Montgomery

1 - 30

Newborn Screening Awareness Month
Save Babies Through Screening Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 42197
Cincinnati, OH 45242
(888) 454-3383
http://www.savebabies.org/

1 - 30

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
2501 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 435
Dallas, TX 75219
(888) OVARIAN (682-7426)
(214) 273-4200
nocc@ovarian.org
http://www.ovarian.org/

1 - 30

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
ZERO - The Project to End Prostate Cancer
10 G Street NE, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20002
(888) 245-9455
(202) 463-9455
melissa@zerocancer.org
http://www.zerocancer.org/
 
13
National Celiac Disease Awareness Day

Celiac Sprue Association

P.O. Box 31700

Omaha, NE 68131-0700

(877) 272-4272

(402) 643-4108 Fax

celiacs@csaceliacs.org

This is only a hand full of health care screenings for the month of September, to learn of the Health Care Screenings available year round, purchase:  ASISTENCIA MÉDICA PARA LA SALUD ¡Eso EXISTE! Free HealthCare, It Exists! by BD Manus / $3.99 USD / e-book / English & Spanish /

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/246048

5 Exciting Free Advertising Choices!

Whether you are a writer, an artist, or a small business owner, more than likely selling your products is what allows you to have the income to survive.  We all know that you have to advertise in order to get customers and sales, but if you can’t afford to advertise because you have no budget.  What is your next option?

The internet is filled with plenty of ‘free’ advertisers, but many of these place your ad(s) at the bottom of the page, make you place your ad(s) in the incorrect category, and/ or bury your ad(s) if you don’t purchase a plan first.

There are a lot of free advertisers that are really good and can help you bring customers to your products.  Here are the top 5:

1. Twitter – This may or may not surprise you!  The simple 140 character ‘Tweet’ is just small enough for you to get your point across in the fewest number of words possible.  It also makes you think about what to write, without going off topic.

2. Backpages.com – Is a great online classified site that doesn’t charge to place an ad!  In fact, you can place multiple ads in different areas of a city.  They can be finicky about where you place the ad, but they also allow you to upload photographs for free.  And they allow you to renew the ad by email.

3. Mail Order – You may find this idea weird, but for a number of years, I had a small print and mail order business.  There are still a lot of great folks who are still making a living in the print and mail order realm.  There are some that will place your ad for free.  Just ‘Google’ Print and Mail Order.

4. Blogging – Offers you an exciting platform for introducing your products or services to others, especially if they are unusual.  

5. You tube – offers you a free platform where you can personally connect to potential customers, while telling a story, and trying to get your video to go viral.  Seeing a product ‘in person’ allows the potential customer visually see what a product or service does.  Your commercial can also generate you leads, and offer you a way to raise funds.  If you are doing a fund raising campaign, you may also want it to tie into your crowd funding site.

Whatever you do to advertise, please make sure you have a website, blog, or other online site that you can direct your customers to.  Nothing is more disappointing than getting to the bottom of an ad and there is just a telephone number, that when dialed, send you to an answering machine or nothing.  If you do have an online presence, click on the link in your ad to make sure it is not a dead link.

There are may other ways to advertise for free than just these, but my ideas above will allow you to reach thousands of new, exciting, potential customers.  Give at least one idea a try!  The idea is to get new customers without spending money to get them.

Other good sources for finding new and innovative advertising choices is Target Marketing Magazine which you can get a free subscription for when you visit Trade Publications.