Knowing Your Limits

Hi Reader!

One aspect of wisdom that some acquire with age is knowing your limits.  So many people today tell us that warm, fuzzy platitude:  You can do anything you want.  Not to rain on your parade, but that's not really true.  I'm all for shooting for the stars, but you also have to be realistic.  When I was growing up, I wanted to be the first female NHL player--even though I couldn't skate.  I eventually realized my limitations, that I would never be a hockey star, but I resigned myself that I could still be a fan.

Aristotle said: Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. One person who could have used a little of that wisdom is the woman in Spain who was recently in the news.  Perhaps you have heard about her?  She was the elderly woman who attempted to "restore" the century-old painting of Christ.  She had no training, and as far as I know, she hadn't even slept at a Holiday Inn. But take a look at her handiwork:

Courtesy of the AP

She must have trained at the Mr. Bean School of Art Restoration. 

There are reports that she was quite elderly so I won't be too hard on her, but this illustrates my point--it's great to dream, but know your limits. --

We can't all be good at everything.  There is no shame in backing off from a task that you are not equipped to carry out.  For instance, writers, unless you are a grammar guru, you may want to hire an editor.  Unless you are familiar with word processing programs, it might be wise to hire a formatter.  Unless you are a graphic designer or are willing to invest the time to learn the craft, you may want to consider hiring someone to do your cover. S

If you are looking for someone to do a cover for you, I hear tell there's a very talented Spanish woman who works very cheaply.

Books--Sharing is Caring!

Hi Readers:

There is a little phrase I heard from a preschooler a while back that was so pithy, simple and wise, I just couldn't forget it.  Sharing is Caring.   What do you share with others?  A smile? A joke? Your bad attitude--I hope not!  I like to share books. Sharing books is one of life's little pleasures.  I've shared books with many people during my lifetime.  At present, I regularly share recommendations and swap books with my mother, sister, daughter, sister-in-law, neighbors, and co-worker.  Sharing books is a great way to strengthen a relationship.  I can still remember being in my grade school library and perusing the shelves of Nancy Drew books with my best friend and recommending my favorites to her.

Studies show that most people find their books from recommendations made by others.  Sharing books has undergone great changes over the last ten years with the rise of the Internet.  Sites like Goodreads, Shelfari, and LibraryThing allow readers to recommend and review books with thousands of people.  If you are a reader, you should really check out one of those sites and join in the sharing fun.

 BookCrossing is another fun way to share books. I've never done this but a fitness instructor told me about it.    You register on the BookCrossing site where you print out and place an ID label in your book.  Then you release that book it into the wild.  (I'm singing Born Free now!)  You can then check into the BookCrossing site and track where your book is.  More than 1.2 million book lovers around the world participate in this book sharing community.  Perhaps I will release a copy of St. Anne's Day into the wild and track it like it is a migratory bird!

The sharing of St. Anne's Day has already begun, and I thank all of you who have read the book, recommended it to others, or have posted a review about it. 

To date, I know that people in the following states are now reading it:

Washington
Oregon
Florida
California
Georgia
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Kansas
New York
Ohio

I know of one person who has read it in Canada, and yesterday I shipped my first copy to Spain! I hope it goes viral.  If you are reading St. Anne's Day in a place other than those mentioned above, please send me a message.

Thanks again for getting the word out and for posting reviews.  I hope to put up photos from the launch party in the next few days so be sure to check back.

Remember, sharing is caring!