Chuck -- Step up to the Mic is a Great book by a great
VO Artist and I recommend it to all.
Mary -- Again, I feel your pain. This may be a bit off topic to some, but to me a demo is part of your Marketing strategy. One thing to note, and Bob mentioned in his response and I am sure he will respond again, everyone will have a different opinion on the work you do. To quote Rodney Saulsberry, "Beauty is in the Ear of the Beholder". Now I am no pro in the
VO business and I may not be in any position to comment on other
VO folks demos, but I can provide you with info that has been passed on to me. The best thing to do is talk with the folks that are in the position to hire
VO talent in the field of
VO that you are looking to get into or talk to a great
VO instructor such as Bob. Since you are already working with FUNimation, and if you plan to stay in that realm, then seek someone there that can help you. I'm sure Vic Mignogna or Chris Sabat would be more than happy to work with you in that respect.
As far as the Commercial demo is concerned, Bette Zoller is another tremendously talented
VO artist and instructor who is your area and on this forum. I'm sure she would be thrilled to work with you.
http://voicesvoices.com/
I hope this helps.