Category Archives: Inspirations

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How New York Times Bestselling Author Chris Guillebeau Wrote His Latest Book

Several years back a colleague recommended Chris Guillebeau’s The Art of Nonconformity, which was a real eye-opener to me. The book challenges readers to think about unconventional ways of doing life and making a living, and honestly I’ve never been the same. I can draw a straight line from his book to the creation of Book Proposal Academy, […]

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A Hawk, a Deck Chair, and What They Taught Me about Calling

Recently our family was getting settled around the dinner table when our seven-year-old son halted all his usual bounciness and pointed. “What’s that?” he asked, staring out the back door. We all looked to discover a young hawk perched on one of our deck chairs. I grabbed my phone and snapped this picture: We were floored. What was […]

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What an Odd Little Man Taught Me about Reverence and Mystery

In Memory of Robin Williams As we entered his classroom, Professor Whipp grinned at us. Just as we finished settling in, placing our backpacks on the floor, our notebooks on our desks, he beckoned us to leave. “Come,” he said, “Follow me.” And out we went onto the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s wide campus one pleasant […]

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The Essential Ingredient to Your Success That You’re Probably Overlooking

I saw the film Her weeks ago, and one element of the movie still haunts me. Set in futuristic LA, it’s about a man named Theodore Twombly (played by Joachin Phoenix) who ends up dating his artificially intelligent operating system. Far-fetched, perhaps, but I enjoyed this quirky cinematic excursion. The way Theodore communicates with his […]

I was honored to be interviewed on Tammy Helfrich’s “Right Where You Are” Podcast. Click here to listen.

Date: May 30, 2014
Time: Available now
Appearance: Tammy Helfrich’s “Right Where You Are” Podcast.
Outlet: Link
Format: Podcast
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How You Can Get Closer to Your Dream Today (Not Tomorrow)

Like most, I do my art in the margins. I have a day job, one I like very much, and so my writing and product making and speaking and platform building have to happen on the side. Some have called this a “side hustle.” I’m supposed to tell you that if you work hard enough, […]

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Phyllis Tickle Turns 80!

I’ve been honored and blessed to work with Phyllis Tickle on a few books. For those of you who don’t know her, Phyllis was the founding editor of the religion department at Publishers Weekly and is the author of numerous books. She is perhaps best known for popularizing the Divine Office with her Divine Hours books and for being […]

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The Best Books Ever Written on Creativity, Writing, Platform, and Pursuing Your Dreams

Good books and the authors who write them make for some of the most helpful companions on the creative journey. Below is a categorized list of what I consider the best books out there on creativity, writing, platform, and pursuing your dreams. I commented on books I’ve read and loved. Others made the list either […]