First Word

Royal Dragon Fly Awards: Winner USA Best Book Awards: Finalist Now I enjoy every single book in the 3L Publishing catalog. But this year I've decided to call-out those books that somehow touched my life in 2014. Josh Mathe's In the Footsteps of Greatness , now a twice-award winner (and expect those awards to pile up) stands out for literally inspiring me to trek over to REI to look at backpacking supplies. Am I an endurance sports athlete? No. Am I even much of a backpacker? No. BUT that is not why I was inspired by Josh's eloquence. I love the back-country, yes. But it was Josh's tenacity, spirit and commitment to hike the 212-mile John Muir Trail in one week that just moved me -- period. His reflection and ability to honestly describe his challenges (personal) made the book a must-read. Anyone who has always wanted to do something and felt daunted should read this motivational and inspiring book. Support the author and buy it off the 3L website ( click here ). A...

Already impressed by Josh Mathe's new book In the Footsteps of Greatness , I sat down to my own writers' group ( Writers Who Mean Business ) last night to listen to his presentation on the subject. Kudos to Josh for a dramatic home run. As his publisher and publicist I want to point to why Josh's presentation was well done. Organized and thoughtful . He had created a PowerPoint he kept on his iPad so as he went through the slides he had it there to prompt him, but he didn't rely on it per se. He referenced it. Targeted and on message . He knew what he was talking about and (more importantly) WHO he was talking to. He was discussing "how he wrote his memoir" to give other writers fresh perspective and ideas. Natural and easygoing . He was "authentic" (as he described it) and relaxed. He wasn't try to sell anyone on his book. He was naturally and effortlessly leading the audience along through his message. In other words, Josh acted like ... ...

As is the case in life, we have things we like and we don't like ... I have a very balanced list designed to either make you nod or write me a protest letter. Here it goes ... Arrogance + Ignorance = :( --I don't like arrogance not in the least. Arrogant people think they know everything, and it almost seems they don't know anything. Arrogant people try to tell me things that my educated mind refutes, but also they stand on it like it's a solid platform. I especially dislike arrogant people whose opinion about something like my profession that I do know backward and forward turns into absolute truth (for them) and they seem to know so much they will take it upon themselves to argue and argue and argue. Well, truth is ... I won't engage so that's a waste of time anyway. Humble, Open Willing --I DO like humble people. Humility goes a long way toward success and an open willingness to learn and understand that by God's grace, "No, you don't know ev...

I love this cover image! One of the latest titles coming off press this month is a personal favorite titled In the Footsteps of Greatness . Since I am the publisher my critique of the book wouldn't seem credible, but I will say I really enjoyed working on this project and felt inspired by Josh's word on a daily basis.  I think you will really love this inward and outward journey. Here is information: “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” – Marianne Williamson Those words have always resonated with the softly strumming chords of my soul. It is so much easier for me to be not quite good enough and to remain wrapped in the snug cloak of angst. My life was littered with the wreckage of self-imposed roadblocks. But I didn’t want to be that man anymore, and I could see my light shining up ahead, just waiting for me to step into it. I realized that I had just arrived at the moment this trip was des...

Yesterday was a WHOPPER! My valuable operations manager changed jobs. My new operations manager really hasn't assumed her post yet. The last two weeks I've been juggling essentially two jobs. Yesterday I had to print up the Amazon orders and what happens? The printer breaks! Ugh! So now I have to go pick up books and stop at Kinko's to print up orders. I get to Kinko's and pull up the orders (this after picking up books) and darn it! They added a NEW order just that day. And I can't find the first order in the system. Now I don't have the right books to fill orders. Ugh! Thoroughly frazzled I do what I can and fill the second order since I can't find the first order. Oh, and my 2013 taxes have not come back in and no word from the accountant. To owe or not to owe is the question. I meet with my life coach who says I seem very "fragile" and I only laugh. Fragile because of so many personal and professional changes (some good some not so much). I...

Recent life chats with friends have brought up the roller coaster theme. One of my friends asked me, "Are you ever going to get off the ride, because at some point you might want to do that." Another friend who is less skeptical of roller coaster rides talked about it differently. I liked her reflections on life's roller coaster ride. She said, "Would you rather take the ride with your hands in the air and a smile on your face? Or would you rather scream all the way through it?" Love that question. I told her once about roller coasters, "I used to be afraid of them. And then one day I thought, "Well, hell nobody really ever dies on the ride so go with it." Life is full of ups and downs as I'm sure you've now picked up on the metaphor. I'm exploring my feelings about a long-time relationship I've had where there have been many extraordinary highs and some definite lows. I'll be honest, I've spent most of the ride screa...

Rating: ***1/2 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is about one simple theme: don't day dream about living life, live life. The movie is about a "negative review" guy named Walter Mitty who works in the photo archives of Life . The magazine is about to close and go strictly online, and Walter is charged with the keepsake of the final cover image. Walter, who has forged a bond with the photographer, is upended when he realizes that negative 25 has gone AWOL. With the threat of losing his job, Walter finally comes to that all-important fork in the road: are you going to do it or day dream about doing it? Realizing that he hasn't truly lived his life and wanting to impress his love interest, Walter embarks on an adventure across the globe to retrieve the photo. Since I never give away spoilers, all I will say is the movie takes a few interesting and unexpected twists. I saw the movie on Christmas Eve, and it was inspiring and a nice way to invite the new year. Walter...

I have a confession: I periodically get depressed. My cycle influences that depression, too. I am normally an upbeat, positive person, but I definitely get struck by sadness and uncertainty. I'm one of those people who likes to know where the road is going in life and when things start to as I put it yesterday "drift" along, I find hard to let go and just see where life is going to take me. So for all of you "control freaks" out there, here is what I've learned and let's see if it helps. Control is an illusion : you all know that don't you? As humans we think we're mighty and in control. Reality is control works like this: I can control my thoughts, actions and behavior. The rest ... strictly up to God or the other person. You can't make anybody do anything. The ideal is for that person to want to do things. You can set up conditions where the other person will want to do something, but that is all. Thinking that you can control everything ...

I am working on a new self-help book titled In the Footsteps of Greatness by Josh Mathe. In the book talks about the power of visualization. It reminded me how important it is to visualize your dreams and goals.  He remarked that when he did it and then actually experienced the results and they were the same as his vision it often even spooked him (my words no his). It got me thinking. I have not been using visualization as often I used to do. So today I decided to visualize a few things I want to draw into my life. He also mentioned doing a morning ritual of gratitude, which I believe is important, too. So for those of you who would like some assistance on how to visualize and draw in what you want vs. what you don't want, here are my tips to how I do it. When I first wake up I like lay in bed a little longer. I'm relaxed and warm, and this time of day is a great opportunity to visualize. I often also meditate upon waking too. I think the morning is the ideal time to do ...