A HuffPost blogger with expertise in publishing suggests there are still 5 reasons to get a deal with a New York publisher: partnership; quality; legitimacy; distribution; and advances. Respectfully, there aren't five reasons to go with New York. Actually, there are zero reasons. If they can't do a good job with Hillary Clinton's new book, and that release is generally viewed as a flop, why would they do any better with a book written by a mere mortal? Let's look at each of the five … [Read more...]
Here’s Mud In Our Eyes
June 11, 2014 by
This past Sunday, I did the Mud Run with my sons Isaac and Walter at Camp Pendleton, the Marine base an hour south of where we live. You can choose a 5K or 10K distance; we probably ran about 4 miles so as to include all the mud obstacles in the race. A Mud Run, for the uninitiated, involves running and swimming through mud pits, crawling across a quarter mile-long mud path covered with material so you can’t stand up straight; crawling up and down a ropes obstacle; doing pushups in the … [Read more...]
My Son, The Novelist
April 4, 2014 by
So we were headed to camp last summer and Walter, one of my two 11-year-old sons, decides he’s going to write a novel. He worked on it for about an hour and that, I thought, was that. He came back to it in the fall and worked on it for a half an hour here, 40 minutes there. And then one day he told me it was done. I read it with trepidation. It couldn’t possibly be as good as he hoped it would be. But to my surprise, it was. I say this not just as a proud father but also … [Read more...]
Are Smartphones Hurting Our Kids?
March 25, 2014 by
Howard Gardner and Katie Davis, two Harvard educators, just published The App Generation: How Today's Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World, which details the depressing inner lives of young people who have been raised on smartphones. They coin the term "App Generation" to define young people who experience life primarily through the apps on their smartphones or tablets. Apps are terrific at solving problems, like how to find Aunt Millie's house or how to find … [Read more...]
The Perfect Valentine’s Gift Is Also A Future Family Heirloom
February 3, 2014 by
Roses fade and chocolates last only as long as your will power holds out. But a family heirloom is something that will last for generations and truly showcase your love. And one of the most personal heirlooms you can give is a custom-written memoir of a beloved family member. Whether it’s the history of your sweetheart or a cherished relative, a book about your loved one will preserve their story for many Valentine’s Days to come. What’s more, it’s something you’ll be able to pass … [Read more...]
