“Pynchon provides women with what most dogs know; how to sniff out an asshole then take appropriate action, whatever action that might be. A must read for the timid girl/woman who needs to add boldness and audacity to her repertoire.”  Ellen Snortland, Author of “Beauty Bites Beast,” and “The Safety Godmother”; Pasadena Weekly columnist, Huffington Post and Ms. Magazine Blogger

“After reading Victoria Pynchon’s book– I really now understand the meaning of We’re Not Gonna Take It – this book rocks!”  Jay Jay French, Twisted Sister

“Victoria has approached this subject with a fresh eye, offering something for everyone. The result is an engaging, quintessential handbook and a must-have on the ‘hows and whys’ of conflict resolution. Best of all, she offers solutions. I highly recommend.” Cathy Scott, True Crime Author and Journalist

“If you always wanted a raw, gutsy, no-holds-barred, emotionally wrenching, profoundly inspiring, intellectually challenging account of what actually happens in conflict and a no nonsense guide to the practice of mediation, look no further. Victoria Pynchon is amazingly brilliant, deeply creative, profoundly insightful, and painfully honest. Read it. You won’t be sorry.”  Kenneth Cloke, Author of “The Crossroads of Conflict: A Journey into the Heart of Dispute Resolution”, and “Conflict Revolution: Mediating Evil, War, Injustice and Terrorism”

“The FCC might take issue with a chunk of these alphabetic words of prose, but the wisdom behind them landed me a chunk of change at the negotiating table.”  Judy Martin, Founder WorkLifeNation.com, National Public Radio Contributor

“A is for Ambitious, B is for Brilliant, C is for Creative, D is for Daring and E is for Enlightening.  Vickie Pynchon has taken the very complex styles of negotiation that mediators see and wrestle with every day and boiled them down to a fun, simple read that is as educational and strategic as it is entertaining. This book should be on every business person’s desk as a reference. And what a great client gift! Just avoid the temptation to bookmark the page that describes the recipient!

Do NOT open this book if you are faint of heart! Vickie pulls no punches. Even the illustrations are scary! We all know the people in this book. I could almost take a pen and write a name next to each one (including several names on the ‘A’ page). Vickie tells it like it is – the good, the bad and the ugly of negotiation, manipulation, persuasion styles employed by rookies and seasoned veterans alike. Want to understand how to negotiate for more? Read this book tonight!

Vickie Pynchon is one of the funniest and most brilliant people I know. As a lawyer turned-mediator, she has gone back to school – both to get her L.LM in conflict resolution, and her PhD in the school of hard knocks. Combining her keen academic perspective with her gut busting experiences with lawyers and business people at her mediation table, Vickie distills negotiation styles down into easily digestible and memorable personalities that will stay with you long after you have devoured the book.”

Lee Jay Berman, Mediator and founder of the American Institute of Mediation

“The humorous title should not mislead the reader. This book is full of deep insights and truths about destructive and constructive conflict. It’s informal and easy to read style make its profound wisdom available to the casual reader, not willing to plow through stuffy academic literature. This book offers field tested strategies for all of us as we negotiate the conflicts that make life rich, and sometimes painful.”  Peter Robinson, Co-Director, Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law

“When I first met Victoria Pynchon, she was running with the big dogs – an A-list attorney, she was a top litigator in a litigious society. She had smashed the glass ceiling, made partner, and was flying first class. So when she quit to become a mediator, I admit I was dismayed. With her knack for winning, why would she want to help people just . . . settle? Because Vickie, a true visionary, understands what we’ve been missing. Why does someone have to lose in order for someone else to win? What if everybody wins? As a top mediator, teacher, mentor, and now the author of this essential book, Vickie Pynchon provides us with those tools. No matter you are or where you’re going, you gotta get this book!”  Rita Williams, Author of “If the Creek Don’t Rise”

“A is for Asshole is a great book on dispute resolution. Ms. Pynchon uses real world examples to provide excellent insight into the psychology and deeper understanding of disputes in a way that can be used and understood by anyone, whether a lawyer, professional mediator, employer or spouse. I highly recommend the book.”  Christopher G. Hill, Esq. Member, Virginia’s Legal Elite in Construction Law and author Construction Law Musings Blog

“Combining personal anecdotes with real life situations we can all relate to, Ms. Pynchon has managed to elucidate the basic factors necessary to recognize a conflict and what skills enable us to deal with one when it arises. This book is both entertaining and thought provoking in that it encourages the reader to evaluate his/her own role in the creation, interpretation and resolution of conflict.”  Angela S. Haskins, Esq. Litigation partner at Baker, Keener & Nahra, LLP and former Director of the AAA Center for Mediation and Principal of ADR International, Inc.