Sometimes I can’t do the work I’d like to do because my family comes first — I’m the primary caregiver for my 95-year-old father. The time it takes to do what I have to do for him is affecting my productivity. I’m not alone. I’m seeing an increasing number of people in my circle of associates who are dealing with aging parents, ill spouses, unexpected custody…

Ignore the polls and vote for the candidate of your choice — The 2024 U.S. Presidential race is in high gear. Recently a few political pundits were speculating on why some big-money donors were putting money behind a candidate who was trailing in the polls. The realist (or cynic) in me understands those donors have reasons that likely go beyond the current…

Pretending you’re invisible can save your life — At least two or three times a week, I see a local news story about a pedestrian getting hit by a car while crossing a street. They’re either killed or seriously injured. Sometimes the driver stayed on the scene. Sometimes they left. But that’s not my point. I haven’t done…

What you need to know to set up and run a book launch — You’ve finally finished your book. It’s well-written, beautifully designed, has a great cover, and it’s ready to publish. So now you can sit back and relax, right? Wrong. Now is the time to organize and execute a launch plan to get your book off the shelves and into the hands of readers. After participating in nearly 300 launch teams, Tammy Karasek has written a clear, detailed guide on how to set up and run a book launch…

It’s a day of thanks, no matter who you’re with — In recent years, I’ve heard more and more people say they are celebrating Friendsgiving or having a Friendsgiving dinner on the fourth Thursday of November. I know what they mean, but it’s not what they’re actually saying–or even doing. Friendsgiving is a made-up word that means nothing. Friendsgiving has come to mean getting together with friends rather than…

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Grammar checkers make suggestions, not commands — Just because your grammar checker makes a suggestion doesn’t mean you have to follow it. The suggestion may not be correct and it may not improve your writing. I have the privilege of serving as the publication and content advisor for the U.S. Christian Chamber of Commerce. …

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Do bestseller lists really matter? — An announcement from Publishers Weekly about the Wall Street Journal dropping its bestseller lists should make authors reconsider their infatuation with claiming “bestseller” status for their books. According to the Nov. 7, 2023 online edition of Publisher’s Weekly: The Wall Street Journal has stopped running its weekly bestseller lists. The…