Curious about online dating but worried that it might not be safe? Not even sure where to start and which site to try first? Now there is a one-stop reference guide to teach you everything you need to know to enter the world of online dating — safely. The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Online Dating will help you acquire the skills to attract a future mate based on personality, values and interests using e-mail, chat and the Web. From a site-by-site comparison of features and costs to exercises that will help you assess what kind of person you are looking for, you will learn how to begin dating online. You will also learn how to: Build an online profile - Establish a personal connection through exchanging chat messages - Fill out forms that inform and attract potential dates - Conduct background checks on people you are interested in meeting There are even chapters dedicated to specific groups such as over-50, gays and people who only need a date for a special event. Complete with stories of successful relationships that originated online and tales of negative experiences to learn from, this book will help you feel reassured that online dating is not only safe and private, but, in many ways, better than traditional methods. Greg Holden is the owner of Stylus Media, which creates Web pages for other small businesses. Greg has written extensively about the Internet and the social implications of technology. He has personal experience with online dating sites, and his strength lies in knowing people who have married as a result of meeting online, and friends and colleagues who run Web sites and write columns on related topics. Greg is a former newspaper reporter and University of Chicago publications manager, who writes his own fiction and poetry, as well as contributing articles to publications such as the Chicago Tribute Magazine , Wired Magazine and C-Net . He has authored over a dozen books about the Web. Used Book in Good Condition