Well there was a bit of fit of a start last year, but 2010 looks like it will truly be the year for An Extra Year to re-surface. That's because after dedicating virtually all of 2008 to it, virtually all of 2009 went to other projects. So it's exciting that, at the moment, there are three book signings scheduled - in Redondo Beach, Encinitas, and Los Angeles (all southern California) - not to mention a five-part workshop in LA in February and other events in the cooker.
In the interim, I have run a few different Living Through Loss classes and had the opportunity to work with some people privately - all around grief and loss. Needless to say, the work revolves around my own experience and it has been tremendously gratifying to work with others and see this paradigm-shifting approach work for them as well.
So thank you for your continued interest in this work and for your generous support. And please watch for updates to the web site and more.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Monday, April 27, 2009
Back in the Saddle - And Then Some
After a few months of attending to other projects, it was really great to be in the energy of An Extra Year again this past Saturday evening. First, my gratitude to Coco Cabuquit who hosted the event at her EastVillageCompany salon in downtown San Diego. It was an intimate setting with great energy, beautiful art, and a wonderful gathering of people - some of whom I know, a few of whom surprised me, and many of whom I didn't meet until that night. Thanks to each and every one of you who were there.
I have to say, it was a trip to see some people come in with copies of the book they'd already read and it was equally fun to hear people say they'd heard about it. What a difference a few months can make! Elizabeth (my clairvoyant friend from the book) accepted my invitation to join me for the event and after I read a few passages, she joined me for the Q&A. Which is to say, of course, that she and Steve/Duder joined me for the Q&A. From my perspective, people were engaged and the questions kept coming. Having Elizabeth there being able to answer questions that I couldn't was quite special and having Duder there made it, if I may quote from my own book, "exponentially exceptional." It has been almost a year since I've had contact with him through Elizabeth (though we've definitely had some on our own) and I still have to catch up with her to find out about one or two "personal" messages he had for me.
I have no idea what it was like for anyone else who was there (though I certainly welcome your comments below), but it ended with a message from Duder for all of us. He used the metaphor of making bread, saying that after we knead and pound and work the dough, the process requires that we cover it with a towel, walk away, and let it rise, let it do its thing, before we go back and work it some more. He was suggesting that we do the same thing in our pursuits, that there are times to really crank it out and other times to let it rise. That's pretty much what I've been doing with the book these last few months...letting it rise after having worked it for all of 2008! As for what it's like to see my late partner take on the role of spiritual teacher for the masses? Well it's as awesome and cool as it is freaky and funny. What began to happen during our "extra year" is continuing, really. From there, he is definitely engaged with the leap in consciousness that humanity is making, which coincides perfectly with my work here. Go figure. As I have gotten more into it so has he; and we are continuing to work together from our different vantage points on the same intentions. Way cool.
Of, I think, equal importance, Elizabeth made it clear that he is the same happy, jovial, mischievous guy he always was. She said that while I was reading, he was jumping around in front of me, trying to make her laugh. No, I didn't perceive any of it.
Thanks to everyone in San Diego - Rick Prickett, in particular - for helping to spread the word and making the event so wonderful.
I have to say, it was a trip to see some people come in with copies of the book they'd already read and it was equally fun to hear people say they'd heard about it. What a difference a few months can make! Elizabeth (my clairvoyant friend from the book) accepted my invitation to join me for the event and after I read a few passages, she joined me for the Q&A. Which is to say, of course, that she and Steve/Duder joined me for the Q&A. From my perspective, people were engaged and the questions kept coming. Having Elizabeth there being able to answer questions that I couldn't was quite special and having Duder there made it, if I may quote from my own book, "exponentially exceptional." It has been almost a year since I've had contact with him through Elizabeth (though we've definitely had some on our own) and I still have to catch up with her to find out about one or two "personal" messages he had for me.
I have no idea what it was like for anyone else who was there (though I certainly welcome your comments below), but it ended with a message from Duder for all of us. He used the metaphor of making bread, saying that after we knead and pound and work the dough, the process requires that we cover it with a towel, walk away, and let it rise, let it do its thing, before we go back and work it some more. He was suggesting that we do the same thing in our pursuits, that there are times to really crank it out and other times to let it rise. That's pretty much what I've been doing with the book these last few months...letting it rise after having worked it for all of 2008! As for what it's like to see my late partner take on the role of spiritual teacher for the masses? Well it's as awesome and cool as it is freaky and funny. What began to happen during our "extra year" is continuing, really. From there, he is definitely engaged with the leap in consciousness that humanity is making, which coincides perfectly with my work here. Go figure. As I have gotten more into it so has he; and we are continuing to work together from our different vantage points on the same intentions. Way cool.
Of, I think, equal importance, Elizabeth made it clear that he is the same happy, jovial, mischievous guy he always was. She said that while I was reading, he was jumping around in front of me, trying to make her laugh. No, I didn't perceive any of it.
Thanks to everyone in San Diego - Rick Prickett, in particular - for helping to spread the word and making the event so wonderful.
Monday, November 17, 2008
A Magical Day
Saturday was launch day - online and here in Idyllwild where I live - and the only word that seems to sum it up is magical.
I started the day by connecting with Steve/Duder/my late partner - the impetus for this book - in such a deep and powerful way that it flooded me with joy and gratitude and propelled me into the day such that I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep my feet on the ground. Excitement built as I did this and that and a friend kept texting me with updates about how the online effort was going. The whole idea was to punch through the system and punch through we - you - did. Ultimately, after starting the day ranked 14,669 on all of amazon books, our hour of power got us up to the four thousand range, and we peaked at #201! If you searched "grief and loss," you would have seen that there were more than 25,000 books and at one point, we were #85 on that list! Now amazon updates every hour so the rankings will fluctuate, but thanks to all of you who generously chose to buy books on launch day. Mission accomplished!
Before long I made it over to the venue for the local launch party where, of course, we had no idea how many people to expect. Wendi Strebe did a fantastic job with appetizers and Scott Douglas and Doug Yagaloff provided the coffee and tea. Kate Sirkin and Kristin Ethier manned the sales table and then Trine Bietz got the ball rolling with an introduction of me and this project that really brought the crowd in and set the tone. She was incredible. I started with a thank you to Idyllwild - the place and the people - and then we did a quick little heart-opening exercise and invoked our loved ones from the other side. The energy in the room was so full and vibrant by the time I sat down to read - for the first time. Wow. I looked up and the large room was fairly full and getting fuller. At one point I noticed people reading along from their own copies and it was a trip to see people actually holding this thing that I've been talking about for so long.
After reading and answering a few questions, Wendi popped the champagne, we turned on some music, and I made my way to the sales table to sign books. I guess people were enjoying the food and the wine and champagne, but I hardly knew what was happening. What I did know, was that I got to visit one-on-one with people who gushed with love and appreciation and their own stories about those they love who have crossed over. I was so full of joy and felt honored that they would share so much of themselves with me. Vic Sirkin took pictures like crazy and made sure everyone knew what was happening - to the degree that he knew!
Later that night my friends Rhonda and Rick hosted an incredible celebration dinner for about 20 people that was so warm and welcoming. I invited several of my friends who had come up for the launch and some of my friends from here. More magic. And, yes, Duder was there for every single moment.
So I'm blissfully exhausted and grateful and humbled and ready for more and more.
Thank you so very much.
I started the day by connecting with Steve/Duder/my late partner - the impetus for this book - in such a deep and powerful way that it flooded me with joy and gratitude and propelled me into the day such that I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep my feet on the ground. Excitement built as I did this and that and a friend kept texting me with updates about how the online effort was going. The whole idea was to punch through the system and punch through we - you - did. Ultimately, after starting the day ranked 14,669 on all of amazon books, our hour of power got us up to the four thousand range, and we peaked at #201! If you searched "grief and loss," you would have seen that there were more than 25,000 books and at one point, we were #85 on that list! Now amazon updates every hour so the rankings will fluctuate, but thanks to all of you who generously chose to buy books on launch day. Mission accomplished!
Before long I made it over to the venue for the local launch party where, of course, we had no idea how many people to expect. Wendi Strebe did a fantastic job with appetizers and Scott Douglas and Doug Yagaloff provided the coffee and tea. Kate Sirkin and Kristin Ethier manned the sales table and then Trine Bietz got the ball rolling with an introduction of me and this project that really brought the crowd in and set the tone. She was incredible. I started with a thank you to Idyllwild - the place and the people - and then we did a quick little heart-opening exercise and invoked our loved ones from the other side. The energy in the room was so full and vibrant by the time I sat down to read - for the first time. Wow. I looked up and the large room was fairly full and getting fuller. At one point I noticed people reading along from their own copies and it was a trip to see people actually holding this thing that I've been talking about for so long.
After reading and answering a few questions, Wendi popped the champagne, we turned on some music, and I made my way to the sales table to sign books. I guess people were enjoying the food and the wine and champagne, but I hardly knew what was happening. What I did know, was that I got to visit one-on-one with people who gushed with love and appreciation and their own stories about those they love who have crossed over. I was so full of joy and felt honored that they would share so much of themselves with me. Vic Sirkin took pictures like crazy and made sure everyone knew what was happening - to the degree that he knew!
Later that night my friends Rhonda and Rick hosted an incredible celebration dinner for about 20 people that was so warm and welcoming. I invited several of my friends who had come up for the launch and some of my friends from here. More magic. And, yes, Duder was there for every single moment.
So I'm blissfully exhausted and grateful and humbled and ready for more and more.
Thank you so very much.
Friday, November 14, 2008
T-Minus...
Haven't posted for several days as it has been a bit busy. All good, all very exciting, including having taped an interview for InspireMeToday.com (I will be featured on that site on 11/16) and booked another interview on a spirituality radio program sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. More importantly, I continue to be humbled and energized by the love and support of so, so many people for me and this project.
Personally, I am very much looking forward to tomorrow's launch - online and in person - and moving into the next phase however it is that it unfolds.
If you're not in Idyllwild and want to see what's happening, there will be a live stream of the whole thing starting at 2:00pm Pacific Standard Time. The reading should be underway sometime before 2:30. Here's the link:
http://208.87.18.37/broadcast/467
Thanks everybody.
Personally, I am very much looking forward to tomorrow's launch - online and in person - and moving into the next phase however it is that it unfolds.
If you're not in Idyllwild and want to see what's happening, there will be a live stream of the whole thing starting at 2:00pm Pacific Standard Time. The reading should be underway sometime before 2:30. Here's the link:
http://208.87.18.37/broadcast/467
Thanks everybody.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
One More Week
With a week to go before launch day, I want to thank each and every one of you who has read the book or part of the book and given me such generous feedback; every one of you who has expressed excitement and enthusiasm and has encouraged me to do this; every one of you who have told others about this project and gotten them on board with the "Purchase Party" next week; every one of you who has offered help and assistance and support and encouragement in all the ways you have done so.
I know it is not so easy to do all this for something that, for all intents and purposes, is just an idea - something that doesn't quite exist yet and can't be touched and held. That's what makes all of your efforts that much more impressive and humbling. But soon that will all change. Actual books are on their way and next week anyone and everyone will be able to order them.
Progress is also being made on the PR front with some interviews in the works. Of course, I will keep you posted as soon as I have more information.
Thanks and thanks.
I know it is not so easy to do all this for something that, for all intents and purposes, is just an idea - something that doesn't quite exist yet and can't be touched and held. That's what makes all of your efforts that much more impressive and humbling. But soon that will all change. Actual books are on their way and next week anyone and everyone will be able to order them.
Progress is also being made on the PR front with some interviews in the works. Of course, I will keep you posted as soon as I have more information.
Thanks and thanks.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Suspending My Campaign
In light of the fact that our country is, to borrow a phrase, cratering, I have decided to suspend my campaign to sell books so that I may devote the full force of my energies to making sure we right the ship that is the United States of America. So until further notice or tomorrow morning - whichever comes first - you will find me in the voting booth, pacing the floors, sharing time with like-minded friends, monitoring news of the day from a variety of Internet and broadcast media, and altogether holding the space for an election outcome I know will go a long way toward stemming our multiple crises.
Until then,
P E A C E
to you and yours.
Until then,
P E A C E
to you and yours.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Fun
Yesterday afternoon here in Idyllwild, half a dozen people who previously honored me with reading this book - in some cases months ago - honored me again by giving of their time and generous critiques in a discussion of the book for public consumption. We taped it all and will edit it down for the "Blurbs" section on the site so people who know nothing about the book will not only be able to read what others have had to say about it, but will now also be able to see and hear about it from even more people. So thanks to Lou, Rhonda, Rick, Trine, Cris, and Maureen and to Moses for the tehnological wizardry. As it happens, at least about 50 people watched the session live - on the web - so thanks to all of you, too. I'll announce it when the edited version is completed.
I am also having great fun these days as more and more people I've never met or heard of are pledging to buy books on the November 15th. That means the message is reaching beyond my immediate circle but only because my immediate circle has been willing to take the time to help spread the word to their own circles. So thanks everyone, it's working, and keep it up!
I am also having great fun these days as more and more people I've never met or heard of are pledging to buy books on the November 15th. That means the message is reaching beyond my immediate circle but only because my immediate circle has been willing to take the time to help spread the word to their own circles. So thanks everyone, it's working, and keep it up!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
