My book was published one year ago yesterday. Yes, my brain child; This Isn’t Working! Evolving the Way We Work to Decrease Stress, Anxiety, and Depression; was published on January 31, 2023.
And oh what a year it has been…
I started out all starry eyed and filled with excitement and possibility. Author friends and other thought leaders were incredibly supportive. My blurbs were fantastic.
If you don’t know, I dedicated my book to Carol Roth. Without her and her support, it would not have been possible.
Here is what Carol said about This Isn’t Working!
Yes, Carol said it was funny. A book with that subtitle could have been a buzzkill, but the way I approach things is generally to diffuse tense situations with humor.
If you knew how little authors get paid per copy, you would say this whole project was a giant waste of time, based on what I have made in royalties so far.
Or was it?
There are many other payoffs a book can provide. I am very grateful for the reality check Rich Gallagher gave me for how many books I would likely sell. He said, “Think hundreds, not thousands.”
He was right. But it still stings. Especially as Carol’s third book, You Will Own Nothing, was published over the summer and was an instant New York Times bestseller. And while I was thrilled for her, I sure wish that could have been me.
Still, I got some great clients and consulting work from my book, which felt great.
And I know of one person who completely changed their life as a result of reading my book. That is what every author dreams of – having someone read their book and use the information in it.
As 2024 began, I hit the wall with the marketing of my book, so I reached out to one of the wisest men I know, Rob Bell, for a pep talk.
Stay at home during 2020 sucked, but it also created some interesting opportunities. When Rob Bell sent out an email inviting people to have a Zoom session with him because he wasn’t touring, I couldn’t sign up fast enough. Our first session was me and two other people, and it completely changed my life.
His work is quoted throughout my book and I gushed in the Acknowledgements. Between our Zoom sessions (I did several) and The RobCast podcast episodes, I felt like he was with me for the whole excruciating book-writing journey.
He was so helpful and supportive during our conversation.
And hilarious.
What a beautiful soul.
If you are an author, or are thinking about becoming one, his insights on books (he’s written multiple NYT bestsellers) are so helpful, which is why I am sharing this video here.
Cupcake Photo by Angèle Kamp on Unsplash
