Help with script - if possible

Hi All Thanks for everyones help in trying to get my script to work - I'm learning fast. But have the following problem: I am using the following select command for searching a table with regards to booked villas according to id number: $sql = "SELECT COUNT(*) as count FROM bookings WHERE '$book_start_date' BETWEEN booking_start AND booking_end OR '$book_end_date' BETWEEN booking_start AND booking_end AND villa_id = '$place'"; This counts as far as I believe an displays a "0" if available and "number of times it occurs" if unavailable. The problem I have is that still counts the number of entries regardless of the villa_id number it is given. In other words if I have a villa that is booked between 2002-04-10 and 2002-004-20 for villa_id 1 and I search using the same dates (via a FORM) but on villa_id 3 it still comes back and says that the villas is unavailable. Which of course it is wrong for villa_id 3 (it is villa_id 1 that is booked). I have tried to find a command (something like IF villa_id =3 THEN count) but to no avail that would only count if the villa_id matches as well. Can anyone help Thanks for your time. Ray