Archives for November 2013

Congratulations to Cappy Hall Rearick Winner of October 2013 My Gutsy Story®

November 14, 2013 by Sonia Marsh Leave a Comment

I am thrilled to announce Cappy Hall Rearick as the winner of the October 2013, “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology series.

You certainly had many fans commenting. Well done. Her story, told with such honesty, is about abandoning her children and how her lifeboat was filled with guilt. The ending is heart-warming.

In second place we have Mayu Molina Lehmann

Mayu wrote a story about how English, as a second language, enabled her to write more freely.

In third place we have Don Westenhaver, who wrote a truthful story about his experience at a team-building boot camp.

I also want to thank Joe Weddington, for his amazing “My Gutsy Story®” about staying positive after all his injuries during war, including PTSD, nerve damage and more. A truly inspiring story.

Do you have a “My Gutsy Story®” you’d like to share?

Would you like to submit your “My Gutsy Story®” and get published in our 2nd anthology?

Please see guidelines below and contact Sonia Marsh at: sonia@soniamarsh.com for details.

You can find all the information, and our new sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story®” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here

Our November 2013 stories have started with Lola De Maci and Ed Robinson sharing their “My Gutsy Story®.” Next Monday, Boyd Lemon will share his “My Gutsy Story®.”

How We Took a Leap of Faith and Found Paradise

November 11, 2013 by Sonia Marsh 15 Comments

A Leap Of Faith

My wife and I found ourselves discontented. We had good jobs, a strong marriage and an all around decent, middle class, American life. Somehow it wasn’t enough. We decided to make a change, a really big change.

We decided to quit our jobs and run away to paradise to live on a boat. At first it was a crazy dream. Later, as we planned and took actual real steps to make it happen, it became a true possibility. Eventually we made our dreams come true.

How did we do it? What steps did we take? First we tackled our debt. We continued working hard and made it our life’s goal to eliminate all of our debt. It took several years of dedication, but we finally managed to rid ourselves of every single debt we had. What a feeling!

Next we saved money. Without a car payment or credit card bills this was not so hard. We simply kept on living at the same comfort level we previous enjoyed, but put all the now freed up cash into savings. We maxed out our 401k plan contributions. We put every spare cent in the bank.

Along the way we learned to stop buying things we didn’t need. We simply quit buying anything new unless we could eat it, drink it, or wipe our butts with it. We started donating clothing to Goodwill. As our load was lightened, we started to feel unburdened. It was then that we made the decision to get rid of EVERYTHING. That’s right, we sold or gave away everything we owned, except some clothing, laptop, and a few momentos we couldn’t part with.

One day we decided we had taken enough of the ‘work till you die world’ and we quit the rat race. We loaded our meager remaining belongings into our pickup truck and headed south on I-95 for Florida. Did we have enough money saved to carry us for the rest of our lives? Nope. Did we have enough to hold us over until we reached Social Security age? Probably not. What did we have? We had enough to buy a decent boat and enough to live on for several years. We called it our Leap Of Faith. We were going to live for today. Tomorrow? Who knows?

Oh what a feeling of freedom we enjoyed driving south. We had no job to report to. We had no bills to pay. Of course, we had no home either, but that didn’t matter to us. We were only looking ahead. We landed in Punta Gorda, Florida on January 3, 2010. We rented a condo for a month while we boat shopped. Soon we settled on a gorgeous classic trawler, laid our money down and moved aboard. We named our new home Leap Of Faith.

After a getting acquainted period, we threw the lines, left the marina and set off to explore the west coast of Florida. We lived at anchor, mostly off uninhabited islands. We became one with nature. We made friends with the dolphins and manatees. We staked claim to our own personal beach. Every night we celebrated the sunset. Every night we slept the sleep of the contented.

Once we got our sea legs we began to travel. We cruised to the Keys, hopping from island to island until we landed in Key West.

We cruised north, falling in love with Longboat key and the Manatee River. The place we called home was Pelican Bay, a pristine cove tucked between the islands of Cayo Costa and Punta Blanca. We would spend months isolated from society, returning only to re-provision occasionally. Our love for each other deepened dramatically. We learned so much about each other. We also learned to appreciate the silence sometimes. We slowed down our pace and took in the beauty of nature. We discovered our Eden in Pelican Bay.

Our blood pressure lowered. Our heart rates slowed. Time itself slowed down for us. We lost weight. We felt healthier. We felt happier. We were so damn happy, sometimes we would just sit and laugh at our good fortune. We still feel that way today.

Money? Yes we still had to spend some. Food, fuel, boat maintenance and repairs all added up. Two major boat repairs took a big chunk of what was left of our savings. We lasted three years before we started to get nervous about how little money we had left. I constantly reassured my wife, “It will work out.” Soon enough we returned to civilization. I wrote a book that is selling moderately well at Amazon. I also picked up a part-time job at the marina. My wife is waiting tables in town. I’m well into writing a second book and we are starting to rebuild our bank account.

We have absolutely no regrets. We’ve got egrets, but no regrets. What will we do when the bank account gets big enough? Take off again of course!

ED ROBINSON was a reporter and editor of a weekly newspaper, The Smyrna Times. He was also a contributing writer for The Mariner Magazine, a Maryland based publication covering all things boating and fishing. After twenty years working for a major utility, he quit his job and moved onto a boat. He and his wife Kim are somewhere on the west coast of Florida.

His book Leap Of Faith / Quit Your Job And Live On A Boat is currently a best seller at Amazon.com.

Ed Robinson bookLeapoffaith_EdRobinson.jpg — Click on cover to go to Amazon

Ed’s book is available on Amazon. Please join Ed’s Facebook page.

SONIA MARSH SAYS: So nice to read about a couple who chucked it all to live a simple life. I hope we get a chance to meet you in Florida. Thanks for explaining how you were able to do this, in your memoir.

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PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE OCTOBER “My Gutsy Story®” ON THE SIDEBAR

You have until November 13th to vote, and the winner will be announced on November 15th. You can read all 4 stories by clicking this link, and then vote.

Do you have a “My Gutsy Story®” you’d like to share?

NOW is the time to submit your “My Gutsy Story®” which may be included in our 2nd ANTHOLOGY.

Please view our 1st Published Anthology here.

You can find all the information, and our new sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story®” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here

How to Create a Successful Book Launch à la “Academy Awards”

November 7, 2013 by Sonia Marsh 3 Comments

You want a successful book launch right?

So how do you do it?

Well, sitting behind a desk in a bookstore and keeping your fingers crossed that people will show up is not the way.

Just like any successful party, it takes planning. And I don’t mean a few e-mails asking your family and friends to show up; no, I’m talking “ACADEMY AWARDS” style planning.

Now before you say, “Sonia, that’s ridiculous, I can’t afford that, or that takes too much effort, I’m going to stop you right now. It’s all up to you.

Do you want it to be successful or not?

If so, just like anything you want in life, it takes effort, and that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun at the same time.

So back to the “ACADEMY AWARDS” of book launches.

Here’s what I did to launch our first My Gutsy Story® Anthology: True Stories of Love, Courage and Adventure From Around the World, on September 26th, 2013.

I’m not an event planner, nor did I hire one. I’m just an ordinary indie author.

Pick a venue 3-9 months before the event. At first I planned to have it at a beautiful library where many well-known authors have spoken. When I got turned down, I found a movie theater.

Ask your contacts to help you. It’s surprising how many people are willing to help you if you just ask. Relationships are reciprocal, and if they see you’re willing to help others, they are more inclined to help you.

Decide on a theme and use it as a promotional tool for the media. They’re not really interested in a book launch from an unknown author. “Bring Out the Gutsy in You” is what I selected to generate interest.

Get a keynote speaker you admire to make a short 15-minute speech. You might be surprised how much easier this is than you think. I asked Marybeth Bond, “The Gutsy Traveler” to speak at my event, and she said she would love to help me.

Invite a Panel of authors to add a lively discussion around the theme of your event. It’s easier to do when you launch an Anthology, however, there’s no reason why you can’t do the same with a traditional book launch. The more authors unite, the better for everyone, including your audience.

Sonia with Panelists on stage — Sonia Marsh standing, Linda Joy Myers, Jason Matthews, Marybeth Bond and Marla Miller

Get sponsors to donate door prizes and create a large poster with their logos to display during the event. When you have a keynote speaker, as well as a panel, it’s easier to get a media buzz started.

Sponsors Poster Anthology Event — 8 Sponsors with Fabulous Door Prizes

Donate a % of book sales to a non-profit related to your book/event. This will also help you get media coverage. We donated a % to WomanSage, a non-profit that helps women in transition. Many of the stories in the My Gutsy Story® Anthology are written by women who have overcome obstacles in their lives. WomanSage helps women in transition, so it was the perfect match.
Get a team of friends to volunteers (4-5) and decide on which jobs suit their personality. For example, outgoing volunteers can greet your guests.

Arlene Deans a volunteer with the door prize tickets.

Supersize it, and turn it into an Academy Awards Party.

Extras:

Hire a local publicist to get you on local radio, “Real People OC”, local PBS-SoCal TV and in the papers. (I hired Barbara Kimler, a wonderful local publicist who did just that for me. Click on the links.)
Hire a Professional Film Crew to film the event (See the film excerpt above.) Copies of the DVD 90-minutes with Marybeth Bond and the panel are available for sale for $10.00 + shipping.) E-mail sonia@soniamarsh .com if you’re interested.
Hire a Professional photographer
Have some food and wine

The main reason this launch was a success is thanks to the people who helped me, and the kindness of those who participated. As Jeff Goins mentions in his article, “One Incredibly Overlooked Key to a Successful Book Launch,”

“The Secret Behind Launching (or Growing) Any Business is People”

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Thanks to popular demand, we plan on doing another event for the launch of our 2nd My Gutsy Story® Anthology: True Stories of Love, Courage and Adventure From Around the World.

We encourage all of you to keep submitting your stories if you wish to be considered for publication in the Anthology.

Do you have a “My Gutsy Story®” you’d like to share?

NOW is the time to submit your “My Gutsy Story®” which may be included in our 2nd ANTHOLOGY.

Please view our 1st Published Anthology here.

You can find all the information, and our new sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story®” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here

How I Finally Got My Degree After 30 Years.

November 4, 2013 by Sonia Marsh 24 Comments

“My Gutsy Story®” by Lola Di Giulio De Maci

The Beginning of Tomorrow

I had always wanted to go back to school. And one day, thirty years later, I did. I don’t know what gave me the guts to do it other than a real burning desire to finish something I had started years ago. When the day came to register, I was terrified and got “cold feet.”

“I decided that I’m not going back to school,” I told my family. “I don’t really want this after all. I’m going to forget about it.”

My daughter, who was a freshman in college at the time, sensed my apprehension. “Mom,” she said pleadingly, “you’ve wanted to do this all your life. I’ll go with you to register; I’ll even stand in line for you.” And that she did.

I had dropped out of college in my senior year, and now it was like starting all over again. I didn’t know where to start. As chance would have it, in one of the first textbooks I opened as “an older returning student,” I came across a quote by Lewis Carroll from Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass: “Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end; then stop.” My sentiments exactly, Mr. Carroll. Thank you.

But it had been a long time since I had “cracked a book.” I studied sometimes eight hours a day, forgetting to eat lunch or feed the goldfish. My husband and I would have to make dates in order to see one another, and at times I felt guilty for choosing to spend an hour in the library and then having to make dinner from a box.

When my graduation day finally arrived, I was ecstatic. Not only was I fulfilling a lifelong dream, but my daughter was also graduating – on the same day. We had a mother-daughter celebration with family and friends, proudly displaying our newly-acquired Bachelor of Arts degrees. I have never been so proud of my daughter. And when my daughter stood next to me at picture-taking time, our black robes blending into one, I could tell that she was very proud of her mother.

Shortly after graduation, I attained a teaching credential. And because I loved to learn and found teaching to be one of the best avenues to learning, I decided to continue my studies and go for a Master of Arts degree in education and creative writing. It was an excellent choice. I loved teaching, and I loved writing. And with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, I could combine the two.

Graduate school was exhausting and overwhelming at times. I cut my hair short and got the first permanent of my life so that I wouldn’t have to bother with setting my hair… and I found out that I could live without my nightly rendezvous with Ted Danson from “Cheers.”

The next two years flew by, but it wasn’t easy. At one point, I came home from school, threw my books on the kitchen counter, and announced to my family: “I’m quitting! I’ve had it!” After crying for a couple of hours and talking it over with my family, I realized that I had come too far to quit now. I had run the race well, and I was tired. I decided I would take one day at a time, resting along the sidelines.

I was in my final quarter of graduate school with only one class left to take when I found out I had cancer. Cancer. Was I going to die? Would I have to leave my children so soon? Would I be able to finish school?

A couple days later, shaken and apprehensive, I appeared at my professor’s door, leaving a puddle of tears and broken dreams on his shoulders. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “We can work something out.”

“But I have to go to Los Angeles for seven weeks of radiation therapy and won’t be able to come to class.” He suggested that I do my work in Los Angeles and send it to him through the mail. We could keep in touch by telephone.

“And don’t give up,” he said adamantly. “I have never met a student with so much determination. You are the kind of student teachers come to school for. And you have to use that same determination to fight this thing.”

I promised him I would finish my school work, and I would fight for my life. The kitchen table in my apartment in Los Angeles became my desk for the next seven weeks. I would go for my treatment and return to my apartment to study and write my papers. I mailed my completed assignments from a post office nearby.

Right before Christmas, I graduated with honors with a Master of Arts degree in education and English. My graduation day was special for a lot of reasons. I had finished my radiation treatments and had finished my school work. My husband and my children, along with my mother, sister, and brother, were in the audience of the auditorium when they called my name and handed me my diploma. My eyes met their eyes and I wanted to shout, “Hey! Look at me! I did it!” And after I passed my tassel to the left side of my cap from the right, I waved to them like I was royalty. Queen Elizabeth had nothing on me!

Lola De Maci Graduation Cake - Master's degree — Lola’s Graduation Cake – Master’s degree

As I write this piece, I am eighteen years free of breast cancer. I take each day and live it, celebrating the miracle of each brand-new morning.

Over the years I have had the privilege of teaching many children and have lived to see them doing great things with their lives. And best of all, I have lived to see my daughter become a teacher and my son, a psychologist. Talk about pride!

And in my quiet times, I write – something I’ve loved to do since I was a child.

Life doesn’t get much better than this.

LOLA Di GIULIO De MACI lives in southern California where she gathers inspiration for her stories, some appearing in The Ultimate Series, Tending Your Inner Garden, the Kids’ Reading Room of the Los Angeles Times, and in several editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Lola realized her dream when she graduated with her bachelor’s degree at age 51, and a master’s degree at 55. A retired teacher, she continues writing from her loft overlooking the San Bernardino Mountains. Contact her at: LDeMaci@aol.com.

SONIA MARSH SAYS: Your story Lola, is the perfect example of someone “gutsy,” who never gave up. I love what your teacher said, “You are the kind of student teachers come to school for.” Your family must be as proud of you as you are of them.

Remember to VOTE for your favorite October 2013 here.

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