Putting ones life on autopilot

Today I received a notice from Plaxo, the social networking site, that I can now send out so-called e-cards to my entire birthday list and plan them up to a year in advance. While I've never been much for Plaxo, since most of my "friends" are on Facebook, it does command a sizable following.

In thinking about the whole idea of preplanning the delivery of birthday e-cards it hit me that the notion of doing it represents the epitome of laziness; something perfectly designed for our overly automated lives. Now without even having to think about it I can have my birthday list managed for me so I no longer have to give it another thought. Perish the thought that someone decides to include ones own spouse or partner on the list only to forget about it when the special day arrives.

Okay, now what does all of this have to do with publishing?

It has been my experience that many authors put their own book on autopilot once it is published. They seem to figure that after their book is listed on Amazon and carried by some stores that their work is finished.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The most successful authors I know work much harder after their book is published. Sadly, however, they are in the minority. Instead, more often than not, an author will give up on their own book once they hit an obstacle that looks overwhelming. Rather than go back to the emotion that drove them to write their book in the first place, they adopt a defeatist attitude. Almost as if they think something miraculous will happen if they walk away and leave their book to promote itself.

One of my Facebook friends is Christine Romans, the award winning CNN anchor and correspondent. Her newly published bestselling book, Smart Is the New Rich: If You Can't Afford It, Put It Down, is a terrific read that itself is hard to put down. Even though she has an international platform on CNN she continually is promoting her book. In fact Romans now hosts a new weekend show that shares the name of her book along with co-hosting the popular program Your $$$$$. Additionally she has placed her book cover alongside her photo on Facebook and each day posts new information on her page; often asking viewers for their opinions on an issue that corresponds with the content of her book.

The point I'm making is that even those with huge media exposure still take the time to tirelessly promote their own books.

As authors we write for a variety of reasons. Whether we are telling a story, informing others or sharing a passion, once our book is published it is time to share its content with others. We owe it to ourselves to make the effort of promoting our own work to those who would most benefit from it. Even the definition of the word publish is telling; to prepare and issue for public distribution, and to bring it to the public attention. The definition of publishing does not say: Once your book is published put it on autopilot.

Debunking Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley"

The line between fiction and nonfiction is often blurred. A good case in point is John Steinbeck's classic Travels With Charley. Earlier this year former Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette journalist Bill Stelgerwald hit the road to retrace Steinbeck's journey, 50 years after the iconic author made his journey. On his blog, Travels Without Charley, Stelgerwald finds much of what Steinbeck reported did not happen.

 This uncovering along with other celebrated cases, of late, including James Frey's notorious A Million Little Pieces, which was initially called nonfiction until it was uncovered that much of his book was fiction, have made publishers reassess what constitutes fiction and nonfiction. This is especially true in memoir and narrative non-fiction. As Stelgerwald alludes to, there can be good reasons for injecting fictional content into something that is supposed to be true. One reason is that finding true characters who are interesting to the reader can be a huge challenge. Another is that good writers know what elements are required to create good reading. In Steinbeck's case, he ventured out to find an America that did not really exist. Or, at least, one that was difficult to find. Since he was breezing across the country, traveling over 10,000 miles in less than 75 days, he did not have time to locate the characters he needed in the amount of time he had. So, like all good fiction authors, he made them up.

Should Steinbeck's book been identified as fiction. In my opinion, no. He did make the trip and the places he visited were also, for the most part, true. But, in order for him to tell the story as he envisioned it required him to invent certain characters and events. If there is any culprit it is the publisher. After all, they edited it and should have been checking for the need for permissions and any rights violations. We also do not know the story of what went on inside the publishing house. There may have been red flags raised by the editor that were ignored by the publisher. Or, perhaps, because it was John Steinbeck's work maybe they decided not to question him.

The important thing for our purposes is that facts need to be checked prior to publication and whoever is holding the rights (the publisher or author) should at least place a disclaimer on the copyright page. Often authors, especially those who self publish, overlook issues relating to the holder of rights and copyright as well as the need for professional copy editing whose job, in part, is to ask questions that help determine if there is culpability.

These days, where all have free access to information via the Internet, it is easy to copy and paste content from one website to another. Ultimately, however, that content is owned by someone who has the right to protect any copyrighted material where they own rights.

Had Steinbeck written his Travels With Charley in the digital age, his fictionalizing of content would have surely been discovered within days of publication.

Book Review: A Primer for Snuggling Up with the Creator

We all have times when we are wanting to talk with God but wonder how or cannot find the words. In Henry Baron's excellent book, Talking with God we are provided thoughts and reflections that bring us closer to a creator who is there to listen when we are in wonder, comfort when we are in need and a companion when we are alone. 

Years ago I read Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People (The Practices of Faith Series) by Dorothy C. Bass. It is an excellent book that engages the practicalities and practices of the Christian faith. As a lifelong sceptic traveler her book is a good resource that helped me to understand why and how Christians believe. Henry Baron's book, while similarly organized, takes the reader to a more intimate place with the Divine. Every page is loaded with pearls of wisdom and thought that help the reader get into just the right frame of mind to engage the Creator; whether our mood is melancholy or joyous. 

"Talking with God" is aptly subtitled: "prayers, meditations & conversations with God-seekers." For me I was especially drawn to the word "God-seeker." For me it defines my own life as a seeker and spiritual traveler. Henry's book does not seek to judge or preach. Rather it is that constant companion there for us during thick and thin. 

After each entry there is a single simple thought to ponder. Each helps us to think beyond the meditation or prayer to contemplate for ourselves what we have just read. For example, in the chapter titled "Comforting the Sick and Sorrowing" is a wonderful "Prayer of the Incurably ill" which is followed by the pondering question: "What do you fall back on when bad things happen?" Another chapter titled "Forgiveness, Grace and Hope" includes a story simply titled, "Grace." The pondering question that follows it simply asks: "Recall an instance of grace-receiving and giving in your life." 

In "Talking with God" author Henry J. Baron helps us each to think more deeply about our faith or lack thereof, and then comes along beside us in our own God-seeking journey. It is a book that does not judge or condemn, rather it engages our minds to think, contemplate and explore. This is the kind of book that is a great gift for anyone, whether they are a devout follower or an explorer. It would also be good for use in a study class or small group. 

In our lives we all have to decide for ourselves what we are going to believe. For those who choose to believe in the God of Christianity I can think of no better roadmap than Talking with God by Henry J. Baron. Five stars plus two for good measure. 


Available at Amazon.com and select booksellers

That Extra Turkey in the Freezer...

Last night Anne came home from work with the gift of a frozen turkey compliments of her company. When I placed it in our freezer I noticed we still had the one from last year. It haunted me all night. We have an extra turkey in our freezer. There are people who are suffering and we have an extra turkey in our freezer. It doesn't sound fair.

This morning I'm going to take both turkeys to a local agency called Love INC. Before I take it I'm going to go through my closet and grab an extra coat. While I'm at it I'm going to see if there are any games or toys around that are gathering dust.

Since Christmas is only a couple days away and I'll surely be getting more stuff, maybe today is a day for giving to those we do not know.

A week ago while traveling north or here I stopped by a Walmart. There in the parking lot stood a man holding a sign simply saying: I will do any work to buy toys for my kids. My initial reaction was that there are places that help people in need. But then I thought more about what his sign said. It didn't say he wanted a handout. Instead it said he was wanting to do work so HE could purchase toys for his kids.

We as a nation are going through a time of suffering. Way too many people are out of work. Far too many families have lost their homes. If there is any time to help those in need it is now.

Today, this minute. Please take a look in your freezer for any food you have that is not needed to feed your family. Then go through your closets and look for any clothing, toys or other extra items. Bundle them all up and put them in your car. Then drive to the closest shelter, agency or church that help those in need within your community and drop them off. It will make you feel good while helping those who are in need of a helping hand. Especially in this the most festive time of year.

Borders Books takeover bid for Barnes and Noble

Yesterday the book industry was met with the astounding news that the number two bookseller, Borders, was bidding for ownership of industry leader, Barnes and Noble. On the news B&N shares shot up nearly 20 percent as investors weighed in on the proposal.

Why would the two largest book chains merge?

First, sales of physical books sold in conventional stores have been falling. This is because online sellers like Amazon.com have been grabbing huge chunks of book sales and major retailers, such as Walmart and Target, have been selling large numbers of bestselling book titles at discounted prices. Add to this the growing number of electronic (e-book) book sales To put it mildly, this has caused a perfect storm for traditional brick n' mortar booksellers who have always prided themselves as the place to go to find books. Now, more and more, the least profitable part of their business is book sales with more profits coming from their in-store coffeehouse along with ancillary sales coming from gift items and greeting cards.

If this deal goes through it will be reminiscent of the merger of K-Mart and Sears over six years ago as orchestrated by real estate investor Edward Lambert.

Depending on whether you were a customer or investor, the results of that merger could be telling when it comes to the proposed Borders - Barnes and Noble deal. In the Sears - K-Mart merger, operations were consolidated in the Sears headquarters in suburban Chicago and the corporate offices of K-Mart in Michigan were shuttered. They then changed the name to Sears Holdings to reflect the ownership of its real estate. To Ed Lambert the Sears - K-Mart deal was all about leveraging their properties by closing underperforming stores then selling the property. This drove the stock price up and satisfied most investors.

On the other hand, the surviving physical stores operating under the Sears and K-Mart names continued to languish right up until today with their stores continuing to lose any competitive advantages. Other than hard goods lines like Craftsman and Kenmore, there are few reasons to shop one of their stores.

If a Borders - Barnes and Noble merger result in similar results, over time there will be fewer bookstores filled with fewer book titles. Some have imagined their bookstore of the future consisting of a cafe, gifts, periodicals and a small number of books. Rather than look through stacks of books customers will instead be ushered to download stations where they would be able to purchase e-books while sipping on a cup of coffee.

Stores would be half the size of today with fewer employees.

However that would be a short term situation as other big box chains such as Walmart and Target add their own download stations.

That could force the Borders - Barnes and Noble stores to downsize once more resulting in a Panera Bread style cafe with gifts and book downloads.

Whatever happens, for some time it has been speculated that the end of the conventional bookstore was on the horizon. All of which has been hastened by the technology that has led to eBooks and eBook readers.

Lessons from Willy

I want to share with you something that happened last night. 

Anyone who really knows me understands that for me, life is all about the journey. My bike has become a large part of that journey because it allows me to see life in slow motion without the frantic speed of life we all have gotten so dependent on while driving around in a car. 

Late yesterday afternoon the ice and snow had cleared enough so I could chance riding 20 miles to Holland. About eight miles from home, along a lonely stretch of backroad suddenly I heard the one sound every cyclist fears. Pop! Sure enough, I had blown a tire. And, worse yet, it was my rear tire--the one that is hardest to change. Like many cyclists I carry a spare tube and tools to change it. Unfortunately the temp was around thirty and the sun was about to set. After flipping my bike over on its handlebars I began to remove the rear tire. Down the road I noticed a young man in hunting fatigues walking a small dog. He came within 50 feet or so then turned around. Without thinking much about it, I continued to work on my bike. 

A few minutes later along came the young man, this time without his dog. He asked, "can I help? I have a garage just around the corner. It would be easier to change your tire there." Looking at my options it seemed like a good thing to do. He then proceeded to hoist my bike into his arms and carry it down the road all the way to his garage; leaving me to follow along with the spare parts. 

When we arrived at the small country house with the garage out back, he opened the overhead door revealing a neatly arranged garage with an older SUV. I asked his name. Willy. Then I asked what he did for a living. "I just like to help people." Did he attend school? No, school didn't agree with him. For the next half hour we worked at removing the old tube and replacing it with the spare. When I pulled out a small hand pump to fill the tire, he offered to use his electric generator. A time saver, for sure. But once we hooked up the generator the new tube only partially filled. Drat! The new tube was defective and had a hole in it. I made some remark about buying cheap replacement tubes at Walmart. He said his aunt just got some sour milk from there. 

He asked, "do you have anyone to call." It was time to throw the lifeline. I produced a cell phone from my pocket and called Anne to pick me up. Luckily she was at home and had not left for our pickup spot in Holland. It would be twenty minutes and she'd be here to save the day. Lucky me. 

Willy asked if I wanted to come into his house for a cup of coffee. I agreed. Inside sat his aunt. My guess is she's in her late 70s. My intent was to pay Willy for his help but I didn't have any money. Willy had mentioned he loved dogs so I used that as an excuse to ask him to write his name and address. "I want to send you a picture of my dogs." His aunt told me she'd write down his name for me. Then she said, "Willy suffers from seizures and can't work." She also said he was mentally challenged. His parents had abandoned him at age 3 and she took him in. "When I took Willy in he was not even potty trained." I mentioned he had said he likes to help people. "Yes, he's a good kid. They took his moped away because of the seizures so it is hard for him to go anywhere to work. So instead he helps neighbors with their lawns and other chores." She went on. "Willy likes going to church. It's a long trip to make but we do it because he loves the Lord so much." I found out his church is located a good 20 miles away. It's a large church located in a suburb just outside Grand Rapids. I wondered why he had left school. Probably was made fun of by the other kids, that's pretty normal for someone who is challenged and can't keep up. He had probably used what the system could offer then was left to his aunt. I imagine when she can no longer care for him he will be placed in adult foster care. In the meantime they are there for each other. Not perfect, for sure. But better than other options. He's in a loving home and can help his aging aunt.  

We continued to talk until Anne drove up. Willy helped me put my bike in her car and we were off. I looked at the house and there was the aunt, waving goodbye. 

I believe things happen for a reason. How many times over the years had I passed by that house without ever noticing it? Hundreds, I suppose. It's one of my favorite back roads to take while heading out on a bike trip. I'll send him a card with the shot of our dogs. Maybe I'll include a gift card. 

As we all rush through life we often fail to notice the little things that make life so worthwhile. Yesterday I was blessed by a young man and his elderly aunt who offered me hospitality without expecting anything in return. In these times of rough financial waters with politicians ranting and raving, and with seemingly uninterrupted bad news followed by more bad news, isn't it great to know that when all the screaming stops there are still good people out there who truly care about their fellow human? Truly, yesterday I was blessed. May you also be blessed today.