Today, as the fifth stop on her 14-day virtual blog tour, Yvonne Perry welcomes Vrinda Pendred to Writers in the Sky Podcast. Yesterday Vrinda stopped by Andrew Mondia's blog and if you missed it you can go here: http://andrewmondia.com/andyinspire/
Vrinda is the founding director/editor of Conditional Publications, a new independent publisher dedicated solely to publishing the works of authors with neurological conditions. Check Mates comes out on May 11,2010.
What makes it groundbreaking is that Check Mates is a collection of short fiction and poetry either about or inspired by the struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), all written by people with this neurological disorder. It is arranged into two categories, Realism and Beyond. Whether solidly real, allegorical, or completely fictionalized, all the compelling work contained in this collection portrays the true story of this greatly misunderstood condition. It is also the first ever book of fiction written entirely by OCD authors. Be sure to sign up for the book launch reminder so you can buy Check Mates and receive over 30 free personal development gifts on May 11, 2010.
When Vrinda was seven years old, she was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. Since then, she has also learned that she has OCD, ADHD, autism and bipolar disorder. Learn how she has used these labels and disorders to create a very fulfilling life and bring together an entire community of like-minded creative individuals and given them a way to express what goes on inside their heads.
I hope you will feel inspired by the interview you are about to hear. The following will be discussed:
A brief bit on Vrinda’s background in relation to the topic
A bit about what OCD actually is
Treatment - the fact that there are meds that work for some people but for many they don't work, and alternative therapies are out there, which do work
How the book came to be
What is actually included in the book / why it's unique / what we hope it will do for people
How to get involved with Conditional Publications in general / promoting the competition to win a free copy of the book
In 2008, Vrinda established Conditional Publications (www.conditionalpublications.com) for fellow writers living with neurological conditions. To launch the company, on 11 May 2010, she will be publishing a collection of fiction, poetry, and artwork about obsessive-compulsive disorder by twenty contributors (herself included) titled Check Mates.
“There really aren’t enough books and Web sites out there preaching positivity regarding these types of conditions,” says Pendred, who lives in Hertfordshire, England with her husband and son, “nor is there enough that expresses how truly difficult it can be to live with one of them (let alone more than one, as many people do). Yet I have heard/read many times that people with neurological disorders are usually highly creative people (indeed, many psychiatrists believe certain nervous disorders might even be a prerequisite to being so creative) – and that art/music/writing can be incredibly therapeutic.”
Vrinda started this imprint to provide a creative outlet for people to hopefully change a few minds out there about what neurological disorders really are—not just the limitations, pain, or frustration, but also the more positive, beneficial “symptoms” of these mysterious conditions.
SYNOPSIS:
Check Mates is an original collection of fiction and poetry written about obsessive-compulsive disorder by the people who know best – obsessive-compulsives. Split between realism and stories of the beyond, there is a diverse range of styles and genres, and a mix of rage, frustration, tears, violence, pain, heartache, subversion,
love, strength, metaphysics, philosophy, friendship, hope, and even a bit of humor. And maybe–just maybe–it will knock away a few stereotypes.
Those who missed the instructional tour I did for my children's book last fall will get another chance to follow an author on tour May 11 through June 11 to see what this type of online book marketing is all about.
Tisha Morris is the author of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home. In her book, Tisha shows in creative, basic steps how to use the art of feng shui to create an inviting, personal atmosphere in your home that will renovate your life. You will discover how to:
• Manageably clear clutter to optimize space
• Use lighting, color, and simple objects to create good energy flow
• Space clear to promote good health
• Integrate the five elements into your home to create harmony
Here is the lineup for Tisha's virtual book tour:
May 11 has two stops to kick off the tour:
• Day one of a five-day blast on Successful Woman, http://asuccessfulwoman.com/
with an article titled "5 Steps to Clearing Clutter." Follow this blogger on Twitter: @monicadear
May 15 Day five of five-day blast on A Successful Woman shares why you may be having a sudden urge to de-clutter your home.
May 16 Equinaut blog http://www.equinaut.net/ will carry an article called "The Art of Detaching From Our Stuff." Follow blog owner Amy on Twitter.
May 18 has two stops:
• Universal Spiritual Connection hosted by Leilani Schmidt-Graham will feature Tisha as a Web radio guest from 6 to 8 p.m. Pacific Time.
AND
• Blogging Authors operated by Irene Watson will run an exclusive article "Writer's Guide to Feng Shui Your Workspace." Follow Irene on Twitter: @readerviews.
May 19 Nickolove Lovemore's blog, Skyline Coaching,will offer an article, "Why Change is Essential to Healing.
May 20 On One Writer's Journey, Penny Ehrenkranz will offer her opinion of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home in a book review. Follow Penny on Twitter at @pennyekrenkranz.
May 22 Julie Achterhoff's Blog (http://earthwalkr.wordpress.com/) shares a unique article "What does the movie Avatar have in common with Feng Shui? Follow Julie at @erthwlkr
May 23 Shelagh Jones will share her book review of 27 Things on her blog, Wheel of Life. Follow @SpiritusShelagh on Twitter.
May 24 Inside JobJail.com with Stuart Friedman will feature an interview with Tisha: "Want to Change Your Job? Change Your Energy!"
May 25 Join Southside Broadcasting with Alex Lewczuk, as the tour crosses the Atlantic with another great Tisha Morris interview. Follow Southside on Twitter @southsidebroadc
• Catheryn Taylor hosts an article about "Making a House a Home for Children" at Inner Child Healing and EFT followed by an interview with Tisha on her show Take a Soul Step over Blog Talk Radio at 5 P.M. CST.
June 8 Real life Spirituality with Akemi Gaines at http://reallifespirituality.com/ has a unique insight to offer in an article titled "What Do Ascension and Clearing Clutter Have in Common?"
Writers in the Sky welcomes Cherie Burbach to our blog today. Cherie is an author, blogger, poet, crocheter, and geek. She loves football and is obsessed with anything having to do with the Green Bay Packers or Tudor history.
A passionate diabetes advocate, Cherie has written the book, 21 Simple Things You Can Do To Help Someone With Diabetes.
Cherie used her experience with meeting her husband online to pen At the Coffee Shop, a humorous look at the world of Internet dating. Cherie went on over 60 coffee dates in just six months. She met lots of great people and one of those turned out to be the guy she would marry just one year later. Cherie's new dating book, Internet Dating is Not Like Ordering a Pizza is available now.
She has penned her first novel, For Those Who Knew Zach, told in connected short stories about of a philandering charmer's collision with fate.
She is a staff writer for b5media, and also the author of three poetry books, including A New Dish and The Difference Now. Her latest, Father's Eyes, has received the 2008 Editor's Choice Award by Allbooks Review.
Readers have resonated with Cherie's honest and inspirational "This I Believe" essay, which is the second-most popular out of over 40,000 entries on the NPR website.
On Writing 21 Simple Things You Can Do to Help Someone With Diabetes:
Sometimes books come about from an experience where you think, "I wish people knew about X." X, in my case, was diabetes. I've been a Type 1 diabetic for about twenty years, and throughout my time with this disease I've learned a few things I just wish people knew. Over and over I found myself correcting the good folks in my life who commented on the food on my plate, or told me diabetes was cured because I took insulin, or even served me sugar soda when I went over to their house. These weren't huge things, but they happened often enough (and were simple enough) where I felt a short little etiquette-type book on diabetes might help.
One thing I didn't want to do was write a big, lengthy, technical book. I couldn't do that anyways! But I could write a book that would prompt people to understand their diabetic friend or family member just a little bit better. You know how sometimes you just don't know what you don't know? This book helps you understand what you need to know, so you can do the homework to find out more.
Best of all, it isn't a heavy, boring read. It's short by design, and conversation. It's like me pulling someone aside and saying, "Hey… psst, next time you should really do this." This was one of the challenges in writing it. You know that old quote, "If I had more time I would write a shorter letter?" That spirit was definitely at the forefront of my mind when writing this book. I edited it down so it would be something that anyone could breeze through. It is my hope that diabetics and non-diabetics alike use it to understand each other a little better.
Description for 21 Simple Things You Can Do to Help Someone With Diabetes:
Why should non-diabetics get informed? Because as much as we know about diabetes treatment today, the support from our family and friends still plays a part in how healthy we are. An understanding approach from someone who cares means everything to us. Your diabetic friend or relative counts on you to be the person in their life that "gets it" when no one else does. This book will tell you what you can do to help. Things like what you should (and shouldn't) say, what you should learn to truly be supportive, and even how you can help in the fight for a cure. 21 Things You Can Do To Help Someone With Diabetes will point you in the right direction so you can truly support your diabetic friend.
One thing about writing. . . it takes time. There's no way around it. And it takes creativity and a love of what you are doing. But editing and proofreading takes even more than skill and time. It takes teamwork.
Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services works as a team on many client projects. If one team member serves as the developmental editor on a manuscript, she may turn over the finished draft to one of our copy editors before sending it to the client for review. That way, the document stays in-house, and we are able to give each client’s work a fresh pair of eyes.
When ghostwriting or working closely with an author on the development of a book, my eyes may overlook what's actually on the page and only see what I meant to write. If the same team member who developed a manuscript is going to edit it, we will let the book sit a while, and then come back to it with a fresh perspective and unbiased eyes. If the book needs to be turned quickly, we have someone else on the team do the copy edit. Having a second editor involved gives a totally different perspective; she is a new reader with a fresh set of eyes that can lend even more help in bringing a high-quality book to market.
My mother is an excellent proofreader. She proofread documents and wrote letters when she held her day job. Now that she is retired, she enjoys reading some of the books we're working on. So, if I need help with a document, I'll send it to her for the final proofread.
Mom does it the old-fashioned way rather than on the computer screen. She prints the whole thing out, then she'll call me and say, “Chapter so-and-so on page such-and-such in the third paragraph ought to have a semi-colon. There are two independent clauses.” Or she might say, “Who is so-and-so? I don't remember him being introduced earlier in the story.”
Oops! How did I miss that? It's nice to have a mom who can help me like this. After all, she is a non-biased end user—the reader who finds errors even after we think we have a perfect document.
Who proofreads your work? If you need a proofreader, WITS can help. Call us at 615-415-9861 or contact us on our Web site: http://writersinthesky.com
On Friday, April 30, Yvonne Perry will welcome Vrinda Pendred to Writers in the Sky Podcast to discuss a very sensitive topic: neurological disorders.
Ever since Vrinda Pendred was a small child, growing up in Arizona, she wanted to write. When she was seven years old, she was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. Since then, she has also learned that she has OCD, ADHD, autism and bipolar disorder. In 2008, Vrinda established Conditional Publications (www.conditionalpublications.com) for fellow writers living with neurological conditions. To launch the company, on 11 May 2010, she will be publishing a collection of fiction, poetry, and artwork about obsessive-compulsive disorder by twenty contributors (herself included) titled Check Mates.
“There really aren’t enough books and Web sites out there preaching positivity regarding these types of conditions,” says Pendred, who lives in Hertfordshire, England with her husband and son, “nor is there enough that expresses how truly difficult it can be to live with one of them (let alone more than one, as many people do). Yet I have heard/read many times that people with neurological disorders are usually highly creative people (indeed, many psychiatrists believe certain nervous disorders might even be a prerequisite to being so creative) – and that art/music/writing can be incredibly therapeutic.”
Vrinda started this imprint to provide a creative outlet for people to hopefully change a few minds out there about what neurological disorders really are—not just the limitations, pain, or frustration, but also the more positive, beneficial “symptoms” of these mysterious conditions.
The following will be discussed in the interview:
A brief bit on Vrinda’s background in relation to the topic
A bit about what OCD actually is
Treatment - the fact that there are meds that work for some people but for many they don't work, and alternative therapies are out there, which do work
How the book came to be
What is actually included in the book / why it's unique / what we hope it will do for people
How to get involved with Conditional Publications in general / promoting the competition to win a free copy of the book
SYNOPSIS:
Check Mates is an original collection of fiction and poetry written about obsessive-compulsive disorder by the people who know best – obsessive-compulsives. Split between realism and stories of the beyond, there is a diverse range of styles and genres, and a mix of rage, frustration, tears, violence, pain, heartache, subversion,
love, strength, metaphysics, philosophy, friendship, hope, and even a bit of humor. And maybe–just maybe–it will knock away a few stereotypes.
I am excited to announce the release date of WITS client Tisha Morris’ book, 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home (Turner Publishing). To celebrate the event, she is offering a 27 Things in 27 Days Giveaway!
I’ll let Tisha tell you more about it.
What am I giving away?
One (1) FREE 2-hour feng hhui consultation
AND
Three (3) FREE copies of my book
How to Win?
It’s simple. Simply Link Here and comment in 2-3 sentences what your biggest challenge is with your home OR what you would most like to change about your home. That’s it. The first three people that leave their comment will receive a free copy of my book. I will simply email you requesting your mailing address.
At the end of the 27 days, I will select the best comment and that person will win a 2-hour feng shui consultation with me. (If the winner does not reside in the Nashville area, then the consultation will be held over the phone in two 1-hour sessions.)
Contest Dates?
April 21st through May 17th (Leave your comment anytime between these dates.)
Business owner and author Christopher Franklin joins the podcast today to discuss his new book Access Now: Behind the Line: The Keys to Unlimited Possibilities. Mr. Franklin is founder and CEO of Titans Financial Services, Inc., a financial management company that specializes in athletes, celebrities, and high net-worth clients. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and the West Virginia University School of Law. His professional successes have made him a coveted speaker at schools and for organizations as well as a contributor to many high-profile newspapers and trade journals. In Access Now, Mr. Franklin shares his seven keys for reaching new levels of success. He takes timeless advice and applies the concepts to our modern culture.
During the interview, Mr. Franklin will be discussing how his upbringing, education, and professional experiences contributed to the advice he shares in Access Now. He also will be sharing how he hopes readers will use his book and why he believes a book like Access Now is needed today.
Awakened Wisdom: A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance by Patrick Ryan had its official Amazon launch yesterday, and within the first few hours the book became a bestseller in spirituality in both the US and Canada.
Most impressively, the book took the number-1 slot in Canadian spirituality sales, and the number 3 slot in self-help, sharing the very same page on Amazon with top-selling spirituality titles such as Don Miguel Ruiz’s Four Agreements, Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love. At one point, Patrick and Eckhart were dancing back and forth in the top five spots on the Canadian list, which is interesting because so many people have compared these two writers even before the book was released. In the US, it soared to the top of the Kindle spiritual self-help titles, reaching as high as Number 2. We’re waiting to see the paperback join it in these ranks.
Not too shabby for a first day, don’t you think?
The Awakened Wisdom launch continues today and tomorrow and, in celebration of its official release, Patrick Ryan and a group of his colleagues, including authors, coaches, entrepreneurs and spiritual teachers are giving away over 40 exceptional personal development and spiritual growth gifts when you purchase a copy the book during the launch.
One of these gifts is an unprecedented 2-session “Awakened Wisdom Virtual Experience”, in which author Patrick Ryan will take participants on a journey through the “8 States of an Awakened Life” via webcast in May. This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from a world-renowned spiritual teacher—and now top-selling spirituality author.
Make sure you do this as soon as possible, as the launch ends tonight, Thursday, April 22.
Thanks for your support in helping this rising new star in the spiritual author universe shine so brightly! I wish ALL of you reading this a future where YOU are shining even more brightly.
Today we welcome Marilyn L. Geary and Jacqueline Janssen, authors of the new book LeaveLight, to our writing blog. They share a discussion about their book with Sarah Moore, Author’s Assistant for Writers in the Sky.
SARAH: Please share the premise of LeaveLight so that we will know something about the genre and content of your book.
MARILYN: LeaveLight is a spiritual and practical guide to advance planning and leaving a legacy for your loved ones. It offers tools that motivate you to provide directions for your loved ones in the difficult time after your death. LeaveLight makes this easy by helping you organize your life’s planning into a Legacy Binder that contains your personal data and information on your health, your possessions and your final wishes for you and your family.
JACQUELINE: LeaveLight provides exercises and visualizations that help you focus on the qualities of forgiveness, compassion, gratitude and surrender. By reviewing your life and its relationships, you are able to move forward with fewer regrets. LeaveLight does not offer legal, financial, or therapeutic advice. It does offer motivation and resources to assist with advance planning.
SARAH: How is the book formatted? What kind of layout and content can readers expect to find inside?
MARILYN: We have divided LeaveLight into chapters that help readers complete their planning. After an introduction and a chapter on “Getting Started,” LeaveLight leads the reader through six chapters. The first chapter focuses readers on motivation and purpose. The next four chapters are based on the four natural elements, four seasons and four human qualities:
Air—Your Spring of Forgiveness, which addresses your personal data
Water—Your Summer of Compassion, which includes health topics, such as advance directives
Earth—Your Autumn of Gratitude, which concerns decisions regarding both material and intangible assets
Fire—Your Winter of Surrender, a chapter on planning final arrangements.
In the last chapter, Coming Full Circle, the reader creates a legacy letter spelling out wishes, decisions and values for loved ones left behind.
We have included forms for documenting useful information and a list of resources in the appendix.
We found that we both had experienced unnecessary trauma after family members had died. My husband died unexpectedly at age 52. Although he had been ill with emphysema for a very long time, I did not admit the severity of his illness. We continued on with life as if it would continue forever. When my husband abruptly died, I had no plans in place. I had to search for a burial plot while my husband was on life support in the hospital intensive care unit. Although I knew he had very strong feelings about the subject, I could not remember whether my husband wished to be cremated.
JACQUELINE: My parents also died without plans in place when I was young. My siblings and I had very different ideas about what our parents wanted, and even different religious beliefs about their funerals. We were each so sure we knew their wishes. It meant so much to us to treat our parents with love and respect that we argued when we could have been there to comfort each other. It took us a long, long time to heal and finally grieve and become a family again.
So both Marilyn and I realized we were not alone. So many people don’t plan, don’t let their families know what they want, and family members undergo added stress and trauma at a time when they need to grieve. Hard decisions shouldn’t have to be made when people are suffering. We realized we could help people by finding ways to motivate them to do what had been so hard for us.
SARAH: Why do you believe there is such a hesitancy to discuss some of the end-of-life issues that you cover in LeaveLight? How does this lack of conversation serve as a detriment both to the person whose death is being discussed and those who will be left behind?
MARILYN:The reluctance to plan is largely due to the tremendous fear of death in western culture. Death is the enemy, a mistake. We don’t want to talk about it. Most people are simply afraid to face it. They prefer to think that it’s not going to happen to them. Consequently, seven out of ten people in the United States have not created a will, and polls show that 90 percent of people say they want to die at home, but only 20 percent do. Fewer than 10 percent of people actually use an advanced directive that specifies their wishes for health care should they become incapable of communicating them.
JACQUELINE: In some cultures people intentionally prepare for death throughout their lives with forgiveness and compassion so that by the time death occurs they are free from guilt and feelings of incompletion. LeaveLight helps readers consider what does stop them from planning, not only for themselves but to help the ones they love. We give readers a way to look at what will motivate them to plan by focusing on reasons they do want to do it. It could be that they want to establish care for people who depend on them, or leave life without regrets. Or they may have a deep wish to forgive and be forgiven. A free list of these possible reasons is available on our website. LeaveLight offers readers a way to bring their fears to light and work through them to complete their planning, especially in small, supportive LeaveLight Circles.
SARAH: Do you both bring a writing background to LeaveLight? Are you coming from the perspective of professionals in the field? Or, are there other aspects of your personal backgrounds that contribute to the content of the book?
MARILYN: I am a media artist, writer, instructional designer and personal historian. As a personal historian, I understand the value that recording life stories can bring to families. Many of the narrators I have interviewed over the years have since died. Their stories live on for generations to come and bring comfort to their family members still living. My background in media and instructional technologies has helped form the design of LeaveLight into manageable steps that make it easy for readers to complete their planning.
JACQUELINE: I’ve been working with people throughout my career in the field of human resources. I am the Director of Transition Services at the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin, providing professional executive recruiting for nonprofits. I enjoy helping people reach their full potential, and I think this is best done through good communication and healthy families. Marilyn and Wendy Dunne and I worked with the County of Marin to create and implement a Family Partnership Policy. With LeaveLight, people not only communicate their wishes to their families, but they reflect on their own lives. By putting plans in place in advance, people lessen their stress and worry about what will happen to their families and others they love. Then they can enjoy life, each other and each day as perfect and sacred.
Marilyn and I both share a belief in the power of gratitude, forgiveness, compassion and surrender to enliven and free our lives from regret and unhappiness.
SARAH: How long did it take to write this book? Is there information you can share with us concerning your writing method or how the book developed?
JACQUELINE: We spent over three and a half years writing LeaveLight. At first we planned only a practical guide with forms, but as we progressed, we realized the importance of addressing the emotional aspects of end-of-life planning.
SARAH: How did you publish your book? Tell me about your publishing experience with LeaveLight and what you learned from it.
MARILYN: We very quickly came to the conclusion that we would independently publish LeaveLight. We were aware of the difficulties of getting an agent and a publisher and the long lead times in sending a book through the traditional publishing channels. We did not want to spend our energies in that direction when we would end up marketing LeaveLight ourselves in any case, We had the technical expertise to independently publish, and in so doing, we retained creative control over our book and over its sales.
SARAH: Where is your book available? Do you have a Web site or blog where we can learn more about you or your book?
SARAH: As far as marketing, do you do more online publicity or print/radio/TV promotion? Tell me some ways you have promoted your book.
JACQUELINE: Our marketing program is just getting started. If we could do anything differently, we would have started marketing earlier. We designed our marketing plan to include a website and blog. We write articles and make comments on other blogs about advance planning topics. Our certified facilitators reach out in their communities to sell the books and deliver the six-session circles. We enjoy being guest speakers, and we deliver short programs on LeaveLight.
SARAH: Do you have any future writing projects in the works, or any other work you will be doing associated with end-of-life issues?
JACQUELINE: We plan to add video testimonials to our LeaveLight website. Participants tell what they have experienced with their families and in their lives as a result of reading LeaveLight, participating in the Circles and completing their planning. These stories are very moving. We continue to update our blog with stories and video interviews of experts in end-of-life concerns and of ways that people relate to and celebrate their loved ones and life in general.
SARAH: Any other comments you would like to share about your book LeaveLight?
JACQUELINE: We encourage people to plan for their loved ones and live life to the fullest, every day. Please don’t miss a minute to forgive yourself and others, offer compassion, be grateful and surrender to the beauty all around us.
MARILYN: LeaveLight is not about dying—it’s about how we live and the legacy of love we leave behind for others.
SARAH: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to get to know you and learn about your book. I wish you both well in your journey with LeaveLight.
The length of a book depends upon what type of book it is and what publishing route you decide to take. If you plan to sell your work as an e-book, you can have as many or few pages as you like. You can probably do the layout yourself in Word and then convert it to a PDF. If you want to have your book printed, there are other things to consider such as the genre, weight, size, and price point of the book.
A center-stapled chapbook (quite popular with poetry, but difficult to lay out) can be printed on your home printer if you only need a few copies. If you plan to market the book, it would be more cost effective to publish it on demand with a service such as Published by Westview. In that case, you will get more bang for your buck by adding more poems and filling the book to about 100 pages.
Shipping costs are dependent upon the size and weight of the book. Weight can be cut by using thinner, uncoated paper; such is the case with mass market paperback novels. Even though they are thicker than a standard 6x9 book, six and a half by four-inch novels weigh about the same or less than their counterparts. That’s because the typical paper used for nonfiction book interiors is a 60# smooth stock, while mass-produced paperbacks are printed off-set rather than digitally. Off-set (high quantity) printing costs about 80 percent less than digital printing that produces one book at a time.
For a perfect bound (glued spine) book, you should also consider your genre. I highly recommend a strolling research through your local bookstore to see what size and page count your genre is currently averaging. A nonfiction book usually has a word count of about 82,000, which equals about 300–350 pages when printed to 6x9 standard size. This number is based on 275 words per page using 12-point type. A nonfiction book with 350 pages will have a spine width of about one-half to three-quarters of an inch.
Since novels tend to have more pages than nonfiction works, it’s not uncommon for a novel to have 500-600 pages. The font or type size in a paperback novel will be much smaller than the average self-help or how-to book. That means more words per page.
Also note the retail price of the books in your genre. You want to price your book within the genre price range in order to sell your book. If you have to mark the book up in order to make a profit, you would do well to reduce the page count and thus, the print cost. This can be achieved by using a smaller font.
Remember, books layout in blocks of four. If your book has an odd number of pages, you will undoubtedly have some blank sheets at the end. Hint: use these extra pages to market your other books or services.
Please plan to tune into our podcast this Friday when WITS team member Sarah Moore will be joined by Christopher Franklin, CEO and founder of Titan Financial Services, Inc. This Washington, D.C.-based company offers financial management to athletes, celebrities, and other high net worth clients. In his new release, Access Now: Behind the Line: The Key to Unlimited Possibilities, Christopher Franklin offers the keys to professional and personal success that he has learned along the way. Mr. Franklin was raised in the small town of Rand, West Virginia and is a graduate of West Virginia University and the College of Law at the same school. After working and learning in prestigious accounting firms, he stepped out on his own to start Titan Financial Services, Inc. Through his focus on strategic partnerships, an emphasis on strong client relationships, and a coordinated public relations effort, Christopher Franklin has developed a company that sets an example for others in the industry to follow. The success that Franklin has enjoyed in his field, as well as his natural leadership style, has made him a featured writer in multiple journals and newspapers and a sought-after speaker.
In Access Now, Christopher Franklin offers time-tested advice and places it in a contemporary context. He uses relevant examples from today's culture and includes perspectives from leaders and entrepreneurs throughout history to reinforce his points. He stresses the importance of both individual responsibility and building relationships.
Author: Christopher Franklin ISBN: 978-1-60162-175-7 Publisher: Penguin Group Inc. Genre and Target Market: self-help, leadership Publication Date: 2009 Book Length in Pages: 162
Reviewed by: Sarah Moore
Ever since I reached the age that I was given the freedom to roam by myself at the local library, I always gravitated towards biographies. I simply loved reading the life stories of others. Were there patterns that determined their successes or failures? Were there consistent keys to happiness? What actions did they take in life that I wanted to model in my own? As I matured, I came to the realization that what I craved was information about how I could translate what brought success to others into my own life. With this focus in mind, I was thrilled to discover a new publication that offers a fresh and well-crafted outlook on making the most out of life. Access Now by Christopher Franklin is a must-read for anyone who wants to reach their professional and personal goals, enjoy success on a level that previously seemed unattainable, and be a leader in every area of life.
Franklin brings to his writing a background that is filled with evidence of his hard work, intelligence, and drive to succeed. He grew up in a small West Virginia town that formed the foundation for his values and work ethic and went on to become the CEO and President of his own company, one that is respected throughout the country. Along the way, he gathered experiences that provide the lessons he shares in Access Now. Franklin is offering his advice as someone who has been in the trenches and who knows what it takes to excel.
Access Now is written with language that is clear, effective, and masterfully crafted. You may have heard some of the advice that Franklin offers before from a mentor, professor, or even your grandma, because concepts such as identifying a clear vision for your future and making a decision to learn something new every day are points of common sense passed down through the generations. But, Franklin compiles the keys to success in Access Now in a way that is fresh, exciting, and relevant to today’s society. I have not read a recent self-help book that parallels the work of Christopher Franklin in its ability to relay the path to success and goal attainment.
The way in which Access Now is formatted also makes it ideal for effective and memorable study. The chapters are laid out as outlines, much as one would expect in a classroom setting, with each one offering a new lesson for success. Franklin periodically inserts quotations from famous leaders, academics, and celebrities, which provide cultural connections and serve as points for reflection on the material. He also includes numerous, real-life examples of those who had overcome roadblocks or blazed a new path for success. And, he ends each lesson with a summary of the important concepts that readers should embrace in order to create their own success story.
Access Now by Christopher Franklin is a great book for anyone who is looking to get more out of life, both personally and professionally. Franklin reminds all of us that it is not an Ivy League degree or your family pedigree that determines success, but your personal drive to be disciplined, deliberate, and a student of your chosen craft that will affect your ultimate success. Speaking from the vantage point of someone who has enjoyed amazing and intentional success in his own life, Christopher Franklin now shows the heart of the teacher with Access Now. I have no doubt that this book is one that will remain within close reach on my bookshelf and will be used as reference time and again.
Today WITS blog welcomes Laura Lester Fournier as she discusses her new book The Caterpillar's Flight.
Laura Lester Fournier is the internationally known author of a series of spoken word CDs. She has just released her fifth project, The Caterpillar's Flight. Her book, CDs, and message are making their way around the world and spreading a transformational tone of peace, forgiveness, unconditional love and grace. Laura is the founder of The Center of Forgiveness in Rollinsford, NH, where she offers workshops, private intuitive/spiritual consultation, and children's meditation groups. She is the author of "Top of the Day - Tip for Today" a popular daily feature on her web-site. Laura has written articles for a number of publications as well as appearances on talk radio shows. She serves as an expert for the National Association of divorce for Women and Children. Having been married for almost two decades she brings her unique voice to the challenges of having a successful and lasting relationship. As an ordained minister, she has been performing spiritual ceremonies for more than fifteen years. Laura speaks publicly on a number of matters including human rights, sexual abuse, teen suicide, homelessness, depression, healing the past and learning to "thrive rather than simply survive" our lives. Calling upon her personal experiences as well as more than twenty-five years of study in metaphysics, world religion, and philosophy; she brings a fresh perspective to the practice of modern day spirituality…which she refers to as "Spirituality For Real Life." She and her daughter founded the "Soul to Soul" project, which focuses on supplying those who are homeless and suffering with blankets and inspirational books. Laura lives in New Hampshire on a small farm with her husband, their beloved daughter and many happy animals. She believes that every person comes into this lifetime with unique and wonderful gifts; "It is the sharing of those 'gifts', which make a profound and lasting difference for the future."
The Caterpillar's Flight is a journey through childhood sexual, emotional, and physical abuse to a life of forgiveness and joy. The author reflects upon her past and more than twenty-five years of study in metaphysics, world religion, and philosophy; discussing everything from sexuality to politics with an honest and appealing approach. Laura sheds light on how often we create obstacles to our happiness and how negative choices are typically based in a lack of forgiveness and self worth. We tend to create habits of accepting stress and resentment as a part of life, rather than an opportunity to transform and embrace healing. The author infused this book with humor, insightfulness, and the sensibility she terms, "Spirituality For Real Life." Powerful meditations and practices are shared which will increase your ability to live life with more enthusiasm, success, happiness, and prosperity. The future depends on how well we heal the past. Healed adults raise wise children and this is the path to a more peaceful world. This book will assist you in gaining deeper clarity about your past, live more deeply in the present, and look to the future with fresh eyes. It is a book you will reach for again and again.
Martina Vanderley sits down with WITS team member Sarah Moore to discuss her new release Crossroads at the Wilderness. In this novel, readers will meet Leslie Dawson, a woman who appears from the outside to have the perfect family but whose marriage is empty and lacking any passion. When she meets a handsome stranger while on vacation, a relationship is sparked that will shake up her world and the lives of everyone around her. What should become of this forbidden romance? The complicated and very relatable characters created by Vanderley make the answer difficult to reach.
During the interview, Martina Vanderley will be discussing how she developed the characters for her book, why she chose to address controversial issues such as interracial dating, abortion, and religion, and what she has planned next for her reading audience.
There are several different types of writing that most business people need to have a handle on. When was the last time you wrote a press release about your company, product, or service? This is a great way to keep your name in front of your current client, attract new ones, and inform the public of what you have to offer. Any occasion, celebration, new employee, new product/service you launch or host can be publicized through a media release. Notice I stated “media” release. Did you know that press releases are rarely called press releases anymore? Why? Because old-fashioned printed presses are no longer used to create them. Businesses are posting their digital “media” releases to online media outlets where not only journalists can find them, but potential customers as well. The way a media release is written has changed to accommodate this new way of reaching the world. You can always send your release to the printed newspaper in your town, but there’s no guarantee they will run it. Most online outlets will run your release and many do it free of charge! Here is a list of places you can post your media release online.
Writers in the Sky can write and post your media release online. Please contact Sarah Moore to discuss your project: http://writersinthesky.com/contact.php or phone (615) 423-2467.
Our guest on the Writers in the Sky podcast this Friday will be Martina Vanderley, author of the new release Crossroads at the Wilderness. In this novel, readers are introduced to Leslie Woman, a middle-aged married woman whose life and family appear perfect to those looking in from the outside. In reality, she is existing in a world without passion and partnership. When she meets a handsome stranger during a vacation with her husband, a romance is sparked will span years and affect generations. Through this work, Vanderley tackles issues including adoption and abortion, infidelity, interracial dating, and religion,
Martina Vanderley has published previously, with her documentation of her family's history on sale throughout the United States and Europe. In 2005, she received the honorable mention in the South Florida Writing Competition.
Please visit the Amazon website to purchase Crossroads at the Wilderness. Book Title: Crossroads at the Wilderness Author: Martina Vanderley ISBN: 978-1-4327-4557-8 Publisher: OutskirtsPress.com Genre and Target Market: fiction; romance Publication Date: 2009 Book Length in Pages: 340
Reviewed by: Sarah Moore
It is not uncommon to find novels filling the shelves of your local bookstore that tell the complicated stories of forbidden love. Sometimes the book cover features a man who just cannot seem to get the buttons of his shirt to work correctly. Other times, you will open the pages to read about two people who should not be together due to their stations in life, whether an issue of class, profession, or religion. For me, however, the story is the most compelling when I am introduced to two characters who simply are unhappy or incomplete in the circumstances of their current life and who, in one another, find energy and a connection that never existed for them before. When should such emotions be embraced for their amazing possibilities and when should they be ignored due to the potential for destruction to the worlds that they know? Such is the question presented in the new novel Crossroads at the Wilderness by Martina Vanderley.
Vanderley introduces us to Leslie Dawson, a middle-aged woman with wonderful grown children and a hard-working, attractive husband—a family worthy of envy to anyone looking in from the outside. But, Leslie’s relationship with her husband John has grown stale and devoid of passion, a sad reality that is made even more obvious when she meets a handsome married man named Tom during a vacation to Aruba. This chance encounter appears to become more a matter of destiny when Leslie and Tom run into each other a year later back in the States. Their decision not to fight the undeniable bond that exists between them results in consequences that continue to develop far into the future and change both of their families forever.
In Crossroads at the Wilderness, readers will find characters that are both flawed and endearing, making them utterly relatable to all of us. Vanderley displays her obvious lifelong passion for writing by creating personalities that make the readers want to invest their emotional energy. She tackles controversial subjects, such as finding love outside of a loveless marriage or the stigma that interracial dating still has in our society, with a compassion for everyone involved. While Tom and Leslie are shown as a sympathetic couple for whom we wish happiness, we also come to understand the sense of betrayal and disappointment felt by the spouses, parents, and children whose lives also are touched by the romantic choices of this man and woman.
In addition to strong character development, Crossroads at the Wilderness also effectively uses language to draw readers into each scene. I love when an author can make a moment come alive through word choice and careful phrasing, and Vanderley accomplishes this goal almost every time. From quiet instances of a new romance or a mother-daughter reconciliation to the jarring plot twists that change the lives of characters in one split second, both the descriptive and the conversational language proved effective in capturing the intended mood.
On one hand, Crossroads at the Wilderness is a love story between two people who seem fated to be together and readers will find moments they are swept away in the romance. On the other, the novel is a much more complicated look at family dynamics and how we all must balance our own needs and desires with our responsibilities to the best interest of loved ones. The answers to the emotional questions that Martina Vanderley offers in Crossroads at the Wilderness are not easily found, but I believe readers will enjoy the journey of exploring their own reactions through its pages.
It's time for me to start putting together the next fantastic and information-filled e-zine for May 2010. That means I need you to send me your articles, contest announcements, and brags to be included in the next issue. We have more than enough book reviews, but if I have room for them, I'll include them.
Read our guidelines for submittal here. Remember, the better your piece is written, the better attention and credibility it receives--and the less editing I have to do.
My friend and fellow writer, Carol Denbow (a.k.a., Author 101), is hosting a terrific event that I think those of you with blogs might like to participate in. Blog Jog Day greatly benefits everyone who participates and the more of us, the better.
What is Blog Jog Day? It’s a one-day event where bloggers are joining together for a "pyramid effect" promotional rally. We all post on the same day with each post leading the visitor to the next blog, and so on full circle.
That’s it! Visitors explore your blog, and then click on to the next one bringing potentially thousands of unique visitors to your site.
How Blog Jog Day Can Benefit Bloggers
*More unique visitors to your Blog
*More subscribers
*More comments
*More inbound links
*More Followers
*More exposure and sales
*Grow your daily hits
All which look great to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and the other search engines! With popularity comes a higher Page Rank and greater exposure for your blog! Bloggers can sign up at http://blogjogday.webs.com/.
TGI Friday! I have uploaded a new show to my podcast this week! Diane Wolfe will be joining us on Writers in the Sky Podcast today to discuss her latest book, Heather in The Circle of Friends Series.
When confidence turns to frustration…
A new beginning awaits Heather Jennings. The position at Clemson means she will finally realize her dream of coaching basketball. Heather is ready to focus on her duties, using sheer force if necessary to prove her independence.
Sadly, her triumph is hampered as her father and greatest advocate lies dying of cancer. Battling her grief, she must also deal with a sister who appears incapable of responsibility or achievement. And once basketball season begins, a talented but cocky player who resembles her in every manner challenges all that remains of Heather’s patience.
Heather’s life changes when she encounters a man capable of handling her bold and feisty attitude. Straightforward and smug, he entices her to date him, and despite his gruff nature shows a great capacity for compassion. However, the last thing Heather needs is a serious relationship with a man equally fixated on work and opposed to marriage…
Known as “Spunk On A Stick”, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars on promoting, leadership and goal setting. Ten years associating with a motivation training system and her experience as a foster parent gave her the in-depth knowledge of relationships, personality traits and success principles. A member of the National Speakers Association, the author offers her seminars through community colleges, organizations and clubs. Wolfe travels the East Coast extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements. She averages over one hundred appearances each year, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, manages an online writer’s group, and contribute articles for several other sites. She also does characterization sessions for schools and speaks to writer’s groups.
The author’s main work is a young adult series titled The Circle of Friends. It follows a group of sports-minded couples through relationships, college and into their early careers. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, these books have been described as “encouragement personified”. This series feature morally grounded, positive stories that appeal to both teens and concerned parents. The stories intertwine as the characters learn that with belief and encouragement, they can achieve anything. Many of today’s young adult novels are salacious and controversial and glorify frequent sexual activity, negative attitudes, and deviant behavior. Wolfe’s series focuses on wholesome and uplifting stories that are suitable for adults and teens alike.
The Circle of Friends Series are available on Amazon, B&N, and local book stores.
Spring is finally in the air. This is the time of year for new beginnings. It's the perfect time to explore new things, and to embark on a journey of personal awakening and expansion. One way I've been getting into this theme of reawakening is by reading excerpts from a brand new book by author Patrick Ryan called Awakened Wisdom - A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance.
I want to share something about that book with you, and to tell you about how I, along with dozens of others, am celebrating the release of this very special book on April 20.
Over the past three decades, Patrick, an executive coach and a former Buddhist monk, has been on a spiritual quest that eventually led him to devise a system of teachings he calls "Awakened Wisdom Experiences" (AWE). For years he taught this system worldwide at his workshops of the same name. Now, at long last, he has consolidated the teachings of Awakened Wisdom Experiences into a book, appropriately titled, Awakened Wisdom - A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance. This means his unique spiritual teachings can now reach a much wider audience around the globe.
The book, Awakened Wisdom, is written in two sections. The first is a deeply spiritual exploration on what it means to be human. The second section explores what Patrick calls "Eight States of an Awakened Life." These eight states help you tap into your divine wisdom to create more of the life you want.
Here are the eight states from Patrick's book:
1) A Good State of Understanding
2) A Good State of Intention
3) A Good State of Words
4) A Good State of Being
5) A Good State of Purpose
6) A Good State of Effort
7) A Good State of Practice
8) A Good State of Doing
Patrick explains each of these eight states in great detail, and gives you examples of how to apply them in your life, from reflective affirmations, to practical exercises, to learning how to converse with your "Divine Essence."
What is so nice about this book is that is both inspirational and practical. Most books on the market succeed in being one or the other, but rarely do you find one that is balanced in both respects.
Patrick's book comes out on Amazon on April 20, 2010. To expand the giving and receiving of this wisdom everyone who buys Patrick's wonderful book within the first 24 hours of its release will receive over 40 wonderful gifts being offered by mind-body-spirit teachers, authors, coaches and healers from around the planet. All of these gifts were selected to help you on your journey of reawakening this spring. Gifts include e-courses, e-books, audio meditations, audio books, photo-journals, videos, free telecourses, and too many other things to mention. Have a look at the gift page and you can read all about them.
AND... Patrick is giving away an EXTRA special gift of his own: An Awakened Wisdom VIRTUAL Experience! When you buy the book, you will be given free admission to this special 2-day live virtual event, taking place on May 5 and 6. In that event, Patrick will personally guide you through the Eight States of an Awakened Life. If you cannot make the live event, it will be recorded, but it will be available only to those who buy the book on April 20.
The AWAKENED WISDOM VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE is a never-before offered event. Imagine being able to learn the wisdom and teachings of a book like this directly from the author, while you follow along in your own copy of the book. If you're on the live call, you will even be given the opportunity to ask Patrick your own questions.
When you go to that page, be sure you enter your email address in the form, and Patrick will send you a launch reminder to make sure you don't miss the April 20th date. That way you can ensure you will be able to take advantage of all those great gifts AND enjoy Patrick's great new book, Awakened Wisdom - A Guide To Reclaiming Your Brilliance.
To me, it looks like a whole package that can help you reawaken your brilliant Self this spring! I hope you'll be joining me in the journey.
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. In her book, Tisha shows in creative, basic steps how to use the art of feng shui to create an inviting, personal atmosphere in your home that will renovate your life. You will discover how to:
