If I had a million dollars: I’d pay for ads for my books to appear on the side of every bus in five major cities. I’d hire a really good publicist at the going rate of $3,000 per month and have them promote the heck out of my books, blog, and speaking. I’d pay for...
Tag: books
Dying for Something Original
The other day, I was scrolling through On Demand looking for a movie to watch. I skimmed past the ones I’d already seen, plus the ones my husband wants to watch someday, which left me with fewer choices. I scrolled and scrolled, but nothing caught my attention. It was just more of the same. It...
A Little Class, Please
My daughter wants to be an actor. The other night, we were watching an interview with a movie star on one of those late-night TV shows. Out walks this girl, dressed to the nines, who proceeds to tell a story about throwing up. I turned to my daughter and said, “Promise me that if you...
Pie in the Sky Hopes
When I was a kid, I used to sit on the back porch step and sing at the top of my lungs the lyrics to Frank Sinatra’s song, “High Hopes.” Just what did make that ant think he could move that rubber tree plant? I had no idea what inspired his crazy dream, but I...
You Can’t Take it With You
“You can’t take it with you.” This is a motto I’ve lived by my whole life, especially when I’m debating with my husband about how much I can spend on our vacation. He’d rather stuff that money into savings for a rainy day, and I want to blow it on a sunny day, preferably in...
Art and the Butterfly Effect
The other day I was reading a book set in World War II America. Prominently shown in the “Recommended Reading” section at the back was my own book, Dancing in Combat Boots. What an unexpected thrill. I showed it to my usually low-key husband, and even he was impressed. A few days later, we were...
Do You Think Too Much?
Do you remember how, whenever he needed to figure something out, Winnie-the-Pooh would tap his temple and say, “Think, think. Think, think.” Even as a child, I found it interesting that he had to encourage his mind to think. Mine won’t stop thinking. I wish I could tap my temple and say, “Shut up. Shut...
Outside The Box? What Box?
I was one of those kids who listened carefully when the adults were talking. I took in as much as I could, trying to understand the world around me. Every now and then I’d hear someone refer to “thinking outside the box.” And, in the literal way a child sometimes thinks, I would picture boxes...
How to Banish Envy
I was reading one of my friend’s Facebook posts, and I said to myself again, “She is leading my writer dream life.” If you’re in the arts or entrepreneurship, you have at least one friend like this. Someone whose work you admire and whose talent you would never dispute. Someone who you genuinely like ....
Should I Take a Nap or Change the World?
For the first part of last year, I was working way too much. My friends told me to slow down, take more naps, spend more time outdoors, etc. So I did. I dropped some projects, stepped back from some roles, said no to some opportunities. And for the first few weeks, it felt great. I...