Brandon,
The best book on checkering is the classic; CHECKERING AND CARVING OF GUNSTOCKS by Monte Kennedy.
I would recommend that you start out practicing with the 16 or 18 LPI tools before trying the finer ones. It will be less frustating, as the finer the pattern the chances of "messing up" rise expotentially! <img src="graemlins/r.gif" border="0" alt="[king]" />