The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
When I worked at the bookstore, we sold this book with the pitch that it was ‘Jesuits in space’. I have read this more than once and hosted a couple of book group discussions around it. Wrenching and unforgettable, The Sparrow takes us inside a Jesuit mission to space that goes horribly wrong. Touching on themes of ethics, interspecies communication and the role religion and faith play in exploration, this is a must-read.
Summer reading time! I love reading novels and mostly read them at bed time. They help me turn off my thinking mind and slip into another world. But summer gives me the chance to kick back and chill on a blanket in the park.
As a girl, I was kinda obsessed with World War II. I just couldn’t understand how all that terrible stuff could happen, right in the heart of Germany, with people just standing by and allowing it all to transpire. Reading Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi gave me answers to that question. A heartbreaking book filled with touching characters, this novel set before, during and after WWII gives a window into the world of the everyday person living in a small German town.
The Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa Beam
This was one of the first business planning books I got that showed a multi-media, multi-faceted approach to business planning. Who says it has to be all spreadsheets and dry documents? My friend Lisa brought many parts of herself together to write this book – designer, business maven, artist and community builder all bring wisdom to the page. It’s a visual treat and packed with guidance on how to plan and execute your business dreams.
The Goddess in the Office: A Personal Energy Guide for the Spiritual Warrior at Work by Z Budapest
This book just charmed the skirt off me. I love all of it.
Each day has its own significance, and Z shares the historical meaning of the days of the week, and also their energetic qualities. She includes spells, rituals, meditations, color and scent focuses all designed to greet and treat the Wild Woman at the office. Plus, there are delightful illustrations throughout the book. I just love this book (and the Goddess in the Bedroom by the same author). It changed my world by helping me recognize and welcome my intuitive, sensuous self to the work I do.
What if our sacred, wild, wise selves ran the office? What do you imagine the world would be like if we brought the sacred to work?
The dedication page says this: This book is dedicated respectfully and gratefully to Professor Anita Hill and Dr. Francis Conley and the millions of women who tell the truth.
I’d Rather Be in the Studio: No Excuses Marketing for Artists by Alyson Stanfield
I met Alyson when she came to one of my writing workshops. She then hired me to write a book – this book. I was SO behind her mission to help artists build solid businesses around their art. This is the book’s 10-year anniversary, and Alyson has updated it and reprinted it in this gorgeous new edition. A must-have for anyone wanting to go pro as an artist.
Excerpted Introduction to The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book by Cynthia Morris
Hello! I am so happy you are reading this. It means you are taking steps to fulfill what may be a lifelong dream—to write a book. You have a message, work or story that must be shared, and you want to write the book that only you can write.
You are smart, you have something to say and you are ready to put it into form. And because you care deeply about your subject, you may be plagued with doubts and insecurities along the way. This happens to each and every one of us as we move closer to getting our ideas out of our head and onto paper.
You are also busy with your other roles. Chances are you are a mother and the head of your household. You run the ship—keeping food in the fridge, making sure everyone’s clothes are clean and presentable, ensuring that the bills get paid, the kids get to their activities, and that everything hums along seamlessly. If you aren’t doing all this yourself, you are responsible for hiring the help to make everything happen.
Perhaps you work outside the home. You are a career woman who has as many responsibilities at work as you do at home. It might seem impossible to write a book alongside all your other obligations. Yet you also know that it has to happen. Your big idea keeps pestering you like another child that needs attention.
For over two decades, I have been helping women just like you bring their books into the world. I have written eight books of my own and coached hundreds of writers to find their seat and write their words. I know the challenges you face to carve out time to write. Even though there are days when it seems your book is as far away as the summit of Mount Everest, I am certain it’s possible to write the book that’s inside you. Here’s what I know for sure:
If your idea persists beyond your objections, you must write this book. The pain of hoarding ideas and never executing them is soul crushing. It’s better to give things a try and see what happens than to always wonder if you could have written that book.
Your book doesn’t have to look like others’ books. It doesn’t have to be long and big. It just has to convey your message in your way and in your voice.
The process of writing your book has to suit you, your life and your needs. Whatever you commit to has to ultimately be connected to you and why you care. Part of the job is learning how to trust yourself and commit to your process—because if it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work.
The work we do works us. We become something more when we dedicate ourselves to completing projects. Writing your book will transform you in ways you can’t imagine now. The process of writing your book will help you develop your voice and your confidence. Your rewards will be profound and will empower your other projects.
Writing a book takes time and it takes depth. You will be called to write from your truth and your experience. You have been building up to this, and you are ready. Your efforts will be rewarded.
Believe it or not, you have plenty of wisdom and skills that you can apply to writing a book. I am here to help you structure your time, focus and energy so you can get your book done.
You don’t want to waste time, and you want to know where you are going with this.
Why do I care if you write your book or not? I have loved books for as long as I can remember. As a girl, I would bring home stacks of books from the library every week. I still do! Books have taken me places and introduced me to new ideas and people. The books I have written have changed lives, including my own.
Books have inspired my imagination and grown me into the person I am today. I believe in the power of books to change the world, and I believe your book can change the world.
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I have been in business since 1999 and it’s been such a great learning curve. I am still learning how to be a businesswoman who is successful on her own terms. Some of the books that helped me grow and learn along the way may surprise you.
When I became a coach in 1999, I did the usual things to get clients. I sent a letter – in the mail! – to everyone I knew letting them know what I was up to. I continued to teach writing and cooking classes, bravely announcing that I was a coach. I gave ‘sample’ sessions, free coaching so people could see what it was like to have this kind of support.
After a few years, I came across Get Clients Now by CJ Hayden, another CTI-certified coach. This book offered a clear plan, a 28-day actionable approach to letting people know what coaching was and how it could help them. This was a lifesaver! While it was hard to stay on task, and some of the things in the book were challenging to do, it really changed my world. It’s one of the books that helped me get out of my own way and build a thriving coaching business from the ground up. Thank you, CJ!
Creating a Life Worth Living by Carol Lloyd
Oh man, the pain of being a twenty-something with no clear direction! Couldn’t I have been one of those people who knew what they wanted to do with their lives? Oh, I was.
I always wanted to be a writer. But how to craft a life around that? Carol shares various scenarios and how each one can contribute to or diminish our creative fire.
I have recommended this book so many times over the years. Great for someone wanting to find a place for their creativity in their life.
Words Under the Words by Naomi Shihab Nye
When I got into poetry, this was one of the first books I bought. Naomi’s poetry is profound and at the same time quotidian. This is the kind of poetry I love. It was easy to connect to, easy to study and, well, not always easy to emulate. In my poetry classes, I had students memorize a poem. This was one of my favorites to memorize: Famous.
June Jordan’s Poetry for the People: A Revolutionary Blueprint
This book blew the lid off my safe little world. I was finally exposed to political poetry, poetry by people of color, and poetry as community building. I used this book to inspire my own writing and as a textbook when I taught poetry classes. The video series from this book was fantastic.
It’s National Poetry Month! Can you believe that I got my start teaching writing with a class called Poetry Unbound? I was no great poet back in 1996, but I had a youthful enthusiasm and brio that made me want to teach. I used to jump up onto the counter at Capitol Hill Books and recite poetry. I even set myself up in the window to write poems on demand, and have done this on the streets of Denver.
Armed with Mary Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook, I met with my students and encouraged them to find their poetic voice. This book goes way beyond a dry text on poetry. It’s infused with Oliver’s classic voice and deep passion for language.
If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland
This book was first published in 1938 and it’s just as fresh and relevant as it was then. “Everybody is talented, original and has something to say,” Brenda writes. This kind of generosity and straight-talking makes this book a timeless classic. Her words fuels my belief that if you want to write, you have to follow that impulse.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
As a young writer, I was always looking for advice on how to get my words out. This gem of a book is a classic for writers who need to get over themselves and get to the writing. Lamott’s voice is absolutely inviting and inspiring. She’s one of those bold, heartfelt and real writers who make you want to drop the book and get to your own writing. Bird by Bird is a must-have if you want to be emboldened to just start writing now.
Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation by Noel Riley Fitch
It was 1993, and I was working at Capitol Hill Books in Denver. The cool thing about a second-hand bookshop is that any random book can come in and change your life. One day, this book came in. I was in my twenties, clueless about what to do with my life and yearning for adventure.
This biography of Sylvia Beach enthralled me. I decided I would be just like her, living in Paris, running a bookshop and loving life with the literati.
Well, that didn’t happen, but she inspired me to write a novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach. Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation is a great read about a great American heroine.
Happy birthday, Sylvia Beach! I’m so glad you were born to be an inspiration to readers and writers across generations.
I devoted a dozen years of my life to writing a novel about Sylvia’s life. I wanted more people to know about this American heroine who founded the legendary Paris bookshop, Shakespeare and Company.
To honor Sylvia’s legacy, today, March 13th, the Kindle version of my novel is on sale for $1.99. Click here get your copy today. Enjoy this bookish Paris adventure!
