Rothacker Reviews

I Want To Be An Author: Now What?

I Want To Be An Author: Now What? by Kimberly Llewellyn

Do you write? Maybe you're a journalist or maybe you write books or magazine articles. Maybe you even author a blog. No doubt people have asked you, "I've always wanted to write. How does one go about becoming a published author?"

All of a sudden you freeze and think to yourself, "shall I give Ms. Kabeets the sanitized version or shall I take my underwear off in public and be real?"

Consider letting Kimberly save you from, "well Ms. Kabeets, I drank alcohol in excess for twenty years while I worked two jobs, raised two kids and a husband, fought off depression, took writing classes, studied the craft, scribbled a few words each day and collected two thousand rejection slips along the way. Oh yeah, and make sure you read Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Strunk and White's The Elements of Style."

Kimberly Llewellyn's book I Want To Be An Author: Now What? is the perfect book for beginning writers. Or, and I love how Kimberly puts it, "for hobbyists and subject matter experts who want to get in print."

When I finished reading the book I asked, "quick dave, what are you thinking?"

I blurted out to myself, "succinct, useful, clear, encompassing, thorough, concise and the perfect gift!"

Kimberly takes the reader by the hand with her initial chapter titled Getting Started and eighteen chapters later shows them to the door with Making the Sale. In between chapters like Guide to the Genres, The Craft of Writing, 15 Mistakes of New Writers, Finding a Publisher and Facing the Rejection lead the reader in a to-the-point, logical sequence that leaves no rock unturned or mystery as to what it takes to become a published author.

Keep your underwear on (unless you're a romance author) and pick up a copy of Kimberly's book today. And while you're at it, pick up a dozen more for the Ms. Kabeets in your life.

If You Can't Run With The Big Dogs Don't Read Seth Godin's Book Linchpin

This is about my Web site The Technician Shop, its roots, undercover espionage personal branding and the Linchpin.

Seth describes a linchpin as a person who is indispensable - someone who cannot be replaced. In terms of technicians, a linchpin would be the technician who is so valuable to his employer, he cannot easily be replaced.

Seth contrasts the linchpin to the factory worker, and this classification includes white collar workers and those in the service industry. Factory workers show up, work hard, listen to the boss, do what their told, be a part of the system and for the most part leave their brains at the door as they punch in for work.

I've worked closely with technicians for twenty-five years. The passionate technician, who cares about his family, personal development, coworkers, education, work, tools and customers, who diagnoses and repairs technically complicated systems while calming the nerves of irate customers and educating them along the way, has always been a fascination point for me. His or her work is pure art.

I had been in a position to influence technicians and direct them toward the linchpin role. Because in my mind I could so clearly see what it took for a technician to become indispensable, I decided to write a book about it. The title was to be No Porches: If you can't run with the big dogs stay on the porch.That was in 2004. A new job and a new city quickly took the wind from my sails.

Fast forward to early 2009. After losing my job I decided to resurrect the No Porches project. I fired up a Web site to work through my thoughts and called it The Technician Shop. Tom Peter's The Brand Called You, Fast Company article and the concept of personal branding were my primary sources of influence. 

I avoid using terminology like personal branding and other corporate gobbldy-gook because to the technician it's excessive noise - hence the undercover espionage personal branding tactic. After reading Seth's book I realize that it will be mandatory reading to any technician interested in professional development. It is the very essence of what I am trying to convey.

I could recommend that technicians read Linchpin and totally shelve my effort except for one thing (person) - their manager. 99% of the managers in the profession are factory managers. Of this percentage, 10% wouldn't be except for their managers or company owners. These managers and owners are higher level factory managers.

There is a direct correlation to a manager's control. The more he tries to control his coworker, the less likely that coworker will ever become a true linchpin. The other problem is that managers are trying to go in so many different directions at the same time, they do not have the ability to recognize a true linchpin or one in the making.

Although I do not use Linchpin terminology, a primary concern in my message is for the technician to find an employer who recognizes and accepts the value of a linchpin. Because these companies are so rare, my focus is for the technician to take control of their own development, education and work and make themselves well, indispensable. 

Due to the whole fibromyalgia thing I haven't been working on The Technician Shop. I guess I was just so excited about Seth's book and how it ties so well into what I was trying to accomplish at The Technician Shop, I had to blab it out here.

Built to Sell

Built to Sell by John Warrillow.

Built to Sell is a most versatile book. Picture a good utility baseball player who can play different positions really well and hits at a batting average clip of .320. There is something in it for company owners, managers and employees.

Built to Sell is a fictional story about ad agency owner Alex Stapleton and his attempt to sell his company. His current business isn't worth a bucket of beans. Family friend Ted Gordon takes Alex under his wings and lays out an eight step process to build the company into a sellable entity. This process causes the company to increase in value and causes Alex to think, do I really want to sell this company now?

I wrote a review at The Technician Shop geared towards employees. The bottom line here is that employees would want to work for an owner who is passionate about increasing the value of his business. I also wrote a review for the Service Roundtable (not available to public) to show how John's book can help company owners. Today's note is directed toward managers.

Sarah Buckner is Alex's talented, senior designer. Primarily due to Alex's inability to run an effective company, Sarah is as disengaged as a person can be. Listen to how John describes Sarah after receiving an assignment from Alex:

"She accepted her sentence, donned her sound-canceling earphones to shut out the sorry world she found herself in..."

Sarah* goes on to quit Alex's company. The message for managers is: continue to manager poorly and your top performers will leave.

Check out Ivana Taylor's most excellent review of Built to Sell at Anita Campbell's Small Business Trends site.

The Service Roundtable is an online support engine designed to help contractors run efficient and profitable companies. If you are a contractor I highly recommend joining. All you have to do is sign up for one month and you'll be hooked. My only problem is that their price is so inexpensive, people will equate it to perceived value of less than what it is.Those people would be wrong.

*A quick note about folks like Sarah. In their most excellent book, The Art of Possibility, Roz and Ben Zander say that an employee who looks least engaged may be the most committed member of the group. Instead of speaking to their cynicism, speak to their passion.

Stolen Innocence

Stolen Innocence by Elaine Carole

Her eyes sparkle, her smile glows and her confidence beams - twenty-first century businesswoman. Devoted mom, devoted daughter and devoted teen advocate. Elaine Carole has a message for teenagers. It can save years of torment and pain. Elaine knows. She endured that torment and pain herself. If only someone could have been there for her...

 
Stolen Innocence is Elaine's personal chronicle of the sexual abuse and terror that she suffered during ten years of childhood. It was Elaine's stepfather who with each visit to her bedroom, stole the innocence of her youth. 

By nature, Elaine is a strong woman. When the abuse stops she moves on with her life. Although no doubt tortured on the inside, she goes about the business of being a daughter, a mom and a provider. No one on the planet, not even her mom, knows the evil that she endured. No one knows that is, until Sergeant Chris Long comes along and her story begins to slowly unravel.

The monster, for her stepfather could no longer be regarded as anything but, is suspected of molesting children in his neighborhood. Sergeant Long contacts Elaine's mom in regards to her now ex-husband. When Elaine hears what he is suspected of doing, her head pounds and her mind numbs. There is no way in the world that she wants to go down this road. For Heaven's sake, her mom, her best friend, still doesn't know!

The reason that Elaine eventually does come forward (you'll have to read the book), is in my opinion, partly responsible for her life's work today. Elaine has a daytime job, but I suspect if you ask her, her life's work is slightly different.

Rosemary and I had the privilege of sitting down to talk with Elaine. When our conversation ended, Rosemary walked up to Elaine, hugged her and said, "You are an incredible woman Elaine!" I'll add remarkable. Pick up a copy of Stolen Innocence today and find out why for yourself.

Elaine is donating a portion of the proceeds of her book to the Pinellas County Victim Rights Coalition.

Really cool inside bit of info that we personally got from Elaine that you might touch on as you read the book but knowing in advance you'll appreciate even that much more: Sergeant Chris Long is a very, very good policeman (and now detective) and a stand up, caring human being.

Ordinarily I don't mention Amazon.com book reviews of books that I review. But the one and only negative review of Stolen Innocence sends up a red flag. An English professor might take exception with parts of Elaine's work. Her story however, is so compelling and powerful, criticism of this nature slips into the background and fades irrelevant.

Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin

For a pretty good review and video clips of Greg, visit Brittany Walker's Web site here.

Three Cups of Tea has been reviewed 2,264 times as of today on Amazon, holding spot # 70 on their bestseller list. Googled book reviews are never ending. Why? Why is this book resonating with so many people?

Because a decent, average guy with a huge heart is helping educate impoverished children in some of the most remote and harsh climates on the planet. While Greg is not some kind of rock star Ph.D., retired millionaire or superstar consultant, he really isn't average either. Average cannot be equated to Greg's persistence and determination in building schools in Middle Asia.

Because we catch a glimpse into the Muslim culture of Pakistan and Afghanistan. And we quickly realize that all Muslim's are not terrorists.

Because we think, "I wonder if I can make a difference in the world like Greg?"

Because Greg is not some kind of rock star, time management guru. The dude is not well organized, misses appointments and appears to be in a permanent state of chaos. Like you and I.

Because we know to get things done in this world we do it through relationships.

Because we are intrigued by a sound method of banishing terrorism.

Because deep in our hearts we crave the ability and wherewithal to help kids.

Here is what ices Greg's endeavor for me: He is helping to educate girls. Greg says:

Once you educate boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in the cities. But the girls stay home, become leaders in the community, and pass on what they've learned. If you really want to change a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and health care, and fight rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls.

Once you've read Three Cups of Tea and Greg's latest book Stones into Schools, you will become powerless to fight the urge to help. You'll most likely want to take a few months off from work, go over to Middle Asia and spread your love and desire to help. Greg's Central Asia Institute is not geared to take on physical volunteers. They are quite geared however, to take donations. And American dollars can go a long way to help these kids who beg for education. Visit the Central Asia Institute and donate a couple dollars today.

I believe there is another way to help. The seeds of this idea are in the, "Once you educate..." quote above. Take a minute and read this quote again. Think girls, education and help. Think change. Think America. I'll follow this thought up with another post.

Change by Design

Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO authored a book in 2009, titled Change by Design. Today it ranks number five at Amazon under the category Organizational Change. Tim writes:

This is not a book by designers for designers; this is a blueprint for creative leaders seeking to infuse design thinking - an approach for creative problem solving - into all facets of their organizations, products or services to discover new alternatives for business and society as a whole.

The high ranking at Amazon is not because a bunch of leaders who want to be creative rushed out to buy Tim's book - even though Tim clearly communicates the strategies and business reasons behind engaging design thinking, c-o-m-m-u-n-i-c-a-t-e-s in CEO and leader language. Rather the high ranking is because those who work for these leaders are desperately in search of - as in crawling across the hot desert floor in search of a tall, cool glass of water - other leaders who get it, other companies that are doing it and other ways to operate a company better.

If you're a CEO / leader and the word change begins to constrict the little fellers in your groin's environment, relax. You don't have to embrace creative problem solving to change your entire company. Learn about it, become familiar with it and change one outdated personal business practice. Once you've gotten your arms and mind around design thinking and have effected a positive personal outcome, you will be encouraged and excited to use it once again. For design thinking to be effective in your company, it must become a mindset in which you truly believe in.

The cold reality of the situation is that if you're a CEO / leader now and are not already tuned into design thinking, you will never will. Your best bet is to step down from CEO and become a Wal-Mart greeter for your company. The only difference is you'll have the wealth and knowledge of your typical WM greeter, but you'll get to actually use it because you will remain on with your company in an advisory capacity. (Wal-Mart shuns the depth-less pool of knowledge and resources contained in their greeter's hearts and minds).

Could you possibly imagine the courage and incredible self-knowledge of a CEO who understands that he doesn't have the capacity to embrace design thinking, but cares enough about his company to turn the reigns over to someone who does and remain on to help?

The cold reality of the situation is that this person doesn't exist. And this leads back to my number one recommendation for reading Tim's work: Learn to identify CEO's and companies who embrace design thinking. Learn from them. Work for them.

Here's another reason for reading Change by Design: Use it as a compass to help navigate your own road. Read the book looking through the window of your own potential development. 

A Place of Great Significance That Needs to be Seen

Kyle Cassidy is a photographer. One day he had the opportunity to step inside author Michael Swanick's home office. Kyle thought, "this is a place of great significance and it needs to be seen. It was like I'd cracked open his skull and seen the gears of genius." Kyle's glimpse into genius spurred on his project Where I Write: Fantasy & Science Fiction Authors in their Creative Spaces.

Kyle spends a lot of time thinking about people's environments. Where I Write is a project designed to explore whether or not there is a connection between where writers work and the work itself. Wow! If you're a writer and that last sentence doesn't cause a pause for introspection.

Is your writing a product of the environment where it is written? Is there a connection?

I am including a snapshot of my lair below. At first I thought, "OMG, I better clean it up before I invite ya'll in." Then I reconsidered. It is what it is. I'm going to have to think about that connection, but there is a gravitational pull towards what flies off my fingertips and a sense of place...

One other thing that struck me in regards to Kyle's "...a place of great significance...needs to be seen" is my own reaction to stuff I see and my need to write about it.

Btw, the books you see here are the ones that I refer back to most often, pretty much my babies. The rest are scattered on shelves throughout our house and garage.

Malcolm and What the Dog Saw

Absence does make the heart grow fonder.

Due to our present financial situation, I've had to hold off on buying new books. But like a person of ill-fortune who finds scraps of food in the street, I've gone back to my bookshelf and reread old friends. While the spark of new discovery is no longer there, the pulse beats of soothing wisdom wear well in the ruts of my neural pathways. It's all good.

I recently received Malcolm Gladwell's book What the Dog Saw for a Christmas present. What an absolute wonderful spark! Normally, with a book like this, I would scorch through one reading and then go back and read it twice more. Not this time. I plan on sipping this baby like strong whiskey. I'm gonna keep adding ice cubes till the flavor's gone.

You know how when you were a kid and dreamed of being a rock star? You know, when you had hair. You'd get up on stage with your crew and lay down such powerful beats-n-chords you'd melt the girls in the first hundred rows from the heat. And then when those vocals kicked in the girls' heat turned into a dampness... Well, that and your drop-dead good looks carried on by a tight body - underneath all that hair.

It's that connection man. That Ed Sullivan-Beatles-girls-screaming-losing-their-minds-connection. That grab-the-soul-n-squeeze-till-it-hurts-so-good connection. 

In the preface to What the Dog Saw, Malcolm talks about a similar connection (minus the wetness). Malcolm talks about how "good writing succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else's head..." This glimpse into someone else's head is what the book is about.

As a writer, you dream of laying down such powerful music your readers white knuckle ride your words. It doesn't get any better than that. Right now I'm listening to Nazareth's Love Hurts and I am most certainly dreaming...

Happy New Years!

The Hottie and the Library Book

She was hot. She was so hot the sun turned her down so it wouldn't burn the egg.

He was sitting on a bench in a quiet, secluded part of the park reading a library book. He hadn't noticed her at first, lost in his own personal world of frustration and aggravation. She was wearing a wife beater cut off at midriff and short, tight jean shorts. Her large breasts thrust the wife beater from her flat hard, stomach. A diamond belly button ring dangled and sparkled in the mid-afternoon sun. A large and colorful dragon was meticulously tattooed on a muscled, yet feminine and tanned thigh. 

She approached his bench and sat down next to him.

Sweat beaded quickly on his forehead making ready to flood his beat red cheeks. He grabbed his throat and tried to push his heart back down his esophagus and then rubbed his eyes. Was she still there? As he looked toward her, her deep, blue eyes pierced his consciousness and paralyzed his brain. He couldn't breathe.

She slowly looked around and then slid close to him. She placed one arm on his shoulder and draped one leg over his leg. She moved closer yet and then pulled her head back while the wife beater touched his chest.

This was the first library book that he had checked out in ten years. He suddenly remembered why. He wanted to take it into his firm grasp and highlight sections that appealed to him. He wanted to stroke pencil marks of importance and significance. He wanted to fold the page over and...

But he was a married man and loyal to his soulmate of many years. The library book just wasn't going to work out.

Kirsten Olson: Wounded by School

Wounded by School by Kirsten Olson.

The first Foreword in Wounded by School was written by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot. Providing one wants the Foreword to entice the reader with a carefully structured point of view and summation of the book, Sara does this and so much more with one of the most well written Forewords I've ever read. The respect and importance that Sara, who is Kirsten's mentor, offers Kirsten and her work is articulated with care, concern and poetic flow.

Do you remember school? Or maybe your kids are in school? Was learning fun? Were you ever embarrassed in front of your class? Were you bored out of your mind? Did you get lumped and labeled with other students? Did you feel that your teacher cared? Did you have a low self-esteem due to something that happened at school? Did you feel as if teachers treated you like cows, herding you through the processing plant? Yes? Well there's a pretty good chance you were wounded by school.

 We've all seen how the system can unfairly treat students with learning challenges. It's easy to see how these students get wounded by school. But what is absolutely incredible are all of the so called average students who get wounded by school. With over ten years of field research behind her, Kirsten's findings are staggering.

The following are types of school wounds with an example from each category:

Creativity - Denial of what we are passionate about, or for what we have affinity, in favor of what is conventionally expected.

Compliance - Feeling that obeying the rules, especially in school, is of paramount importance for approval, for acceptance.

Rebellion - In response to being unsuccessful, or being told we are not worthy in school, fighting, acting out, becoming hostile.

Numbness - Loss of feeling around learning, numbness, being zoned out, diminishment of vitality around learning.

Underestimation - Outright denial of access to learning due to assumptions made about the learner.

Perfectionism - Sense that what we have done in school is never enough.

Of the Average - Feeling unseen, unknown, undersold in school.

Kirsten expands on these along with why schools wound in the first place. She weaves case studies throughout the book to help clarify her points.

A work like Kirsten's wouldn't be complete without showcasing a method for healing the wounds. She devotes the second half of the book to how people heal, stages of healing, parents, students and teachers who heal and wounded schools.

If you went to school, you'll no doubt be able to relate to Wounded by School. And that's what makes it so fascinating!

This book was smoked-n-signed.