Interview With Magnetic Authors: Barb Greenberg

My friend Barb Greenberg has written two wonderful books that you will want to read.  Here is a recent interview that I did with Barb about her books and about being an author.

Here first book:

After the Ball: A Woman’s Tale of Reclaiming Happily Ever After

Barb, can you describe your book so that people get a good idea about what it is about?

“Once upon a time there were two enchanting women named Cinderella and Snow White.  Though life had dealt harshly with them, they remained tendered hearted.  And by sweet happenstance, each fell in love and married a handsome prince.”

What  happens next in After the Ball is a story that resonates in the hearts of women, for whether you find yourself with a prince, without hope, or without direction, it reveals the universal truth about the power of women to transform their lives.

What is the inspiration behind the book or what compelled you to write it?

When I divorced after thirty-three years of marriage, I became very angry about the concept of ‘happily ever after,’ and I wondered what really happened to Cinderella and Snow White…later!!!

How long did it take you to write it?  Did you hit obstacles along the way?

It took a few years.  The first versions were rather angry, and then I realized that the story was not about the pain of losing your prince, but of the hope and joy of a new future and the ability to create your own unique ‘happily ever after.”

 Who is your audience?

Our main audience is women in transition, especially women dealing with divorce.  What is interesting is that middle school and high school girls love this book!

Tell my readers a little about yourself

I’m the founder and president of Rediscovering U (U as in University).  We offer eduction, resources and support for women approaching, experiencing or moving forward from divorce.

I love horses and breakfast at the Good Day Cafe!!

Where can people purchase your book?

After the Ball is available exclusively at www.Rediscoveringu.com

Here is a little bit about Barb’s second book:

Hope Grew Round Me

Barb, can you tell my readers about this book so that they can get a good idea about what it is about.  

Hope Grew Round Me is the memoir of how a daughter’s life-threatening accident planted the seeds for a mother’s self-discover, and a heartwarming journey from crisis to transformation.

What is the inspiration behind the book or what compelled you to write it?

As my daughter was healing form her life-threatening accident, and as I began to heal myself, a friend suggested I write this story because she said, “There are so many things you can share that can help others.”

How long did it take you to write it?  Did you hit obstacles along the way?

It took a few years. I put the manuscript away many times, as I was going through a divorce, moved twice, and my older daughter got married.  I feel that books know when they are meant to be “born” and come into the world.

That is so true, from my own experience, Barb!!

Who is your audience?

 People looking for hope, who want to be reminded of their strength, and the possibilities of new beginnings.  The feedback from both men and women has been overwhelming.

You can find Hope Grew Round me on Barb’s website as well.

Thank you for taking the time to share a bit about yourself and your books barb.  I know my readers will love them both.

Interviews with Magnetic Authors-Lynette Crane

Today I am talking with Lynette Crane about her new book, “The Confident Introvert”

Lynette, can you tell my readers what your book is about?
The subtitle to my book is “Gain the skills to overcome shyness and low self-esteem.”  In the book, I cover such issues as the difference between  extroversion, introversion and shyness, the physiological differences, an operational definition of self-esteem and how to attain high self-esteem,  and a number of chapters on such topics as how to hold a conversation (“What do I say when…”), how to get rid of self-criticism, learn to use feedback and instead of criticism, and a blueprint for stress-free risk-taking.

I also talk about typologies – clusters of individual differences – so readers can get a broader view of different types of people, how they function and why they function that way.   So often shy people feel threatened by a)others, without realizing that a)other people are necessarily being threatening, and b) shy people can threaten and intimidate others without realizing it.

On all of these topics, I pride myself on avoiding the obvious, instead delving into the actual steps and conversations important to increasing confidence.

What is the inspiration behind the book or what compelled you to write it?

My book is the result of my personal journey as a shy introvert, during which I not only suffered from being socially “invisible” but also noted that the greatest recognition and success don’t necessarily go to the most talented or to the smartest, but to those who are able to make themselves “visible” – and valuable – to others.

The greatest trigger was my divorce , during which I realized I had settled for a toxic relationship on the grounds that I wasn’t capable of attracting anything better. In fact, I realized that quiet people are often the brunt of bullying.

In 1983, I developed a program for myself to become socially visible and successful and then started a class on “The Psychology of Shyness and Self-esteem” at City College of San Francisco. I was one to two steps ahead of the students as we went through that first class!

The Confident Introvert,  is essentially the written version of that class.

Of course, having written it, I have a ton of new ideas which will have to wait for volume 2, or perhaps another title.

How long did it take you to write it?  Did you hit obstacles along the way?

I worked on it over 12 years.  Obstacles included a cross-country move, caretaking of two disabled adults and a health crisis of my own.  The final obstacle was convincing myself  that what I knew was valuable to a lot of other people.  I’m now astonished and gratified to find how many people, of all ages, descriptions, and career types, are helped by my book.

I am finding with more an more authors, that it takes them years to write.  My book took me nine and 5-10 years is not uncommon.

Who is your audience?
I’m still learning who is my audience!

I wrote it for college students, but I’m getting rave reviews from people such as a friend, a retired Air Force colonel in Special Services who has read it three times, and sold or given copies to everyone he meets, including his therapist at the VA and a friend who is a retired Supreme Court Justice. The therapist at the VA has ordered copies for members of a support group she conducts!

I have also given a talk, “The Invisible Student”,  for teachers attending Education Minnesota 2014

At this time, I am doing training based on this book for lawyers, who are often quietly brilliant but unskilled at making the social connections that will move their careers and their businesses forward.

Negotiations are under way with several law schools to provide training for their soon-to-graduate students.

Extroverts tell me that they feel very enlightened about people with whom they deal.  These extroverts have included an expert in job transitions and the leader of a support group for people with cancer.

Tell my readers a little about yourself
Whew!  I’ve already said a lot, and the preface and introduction to my book tell more.

However, here goes:

I was a ballet dancer for 20 years, doing leading roles in such ballets as Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.  That’s how I know that many performers are shy and introverted: we do well in a structured situation where we are in charge and cannot be interrupted.  It is the spontaneity of daily social interaction that is difficult for us.

I went to college at age 27 and got a B.A. (Stanford) and M.A. (University of California at Riverside)  in psychology, then taught at City College of San Francisco for 27 years.

I was a very popular teacher; my classes filled and there were waiting lists.  I even created two new classes (very new at that time): The Psychology of Stress and  finally The Psychology of Shyness & Self-Esteem. What I didn’t recognize was that teaching was just another case of performing, and that I was still ill-at-ease when meeting people outside those structured situations.

It all came to a head with my divorce, when I realized to my horror that I was afraid to leave a life-suffocating relationship because I was convinced  I could never get another one.  I also came to realize how lack of confidence can lead to the selection of the wrong partner.  In my case, I chose an outgoing, strong, protective male who was only protective so long as I was weak.  When I spread my wings a little, he was threatened and became an attacker (psychologically).

So one of my goals is to help people gain the social confidence to be alone and to seek and draw to them only those people who are loving and supportive.

I have that now, so I must have learned quite a lot over the years.

Where can people purchase your book?

The print book and e-book are available at Amazon
The print book and e-book is also available at Barnes & Noble

Thank you Lynette for sharing about your book and your process in writing it.  I know it will be helpful to a lot of people!! 

It’s Official!

My book, Empowered Health and Wellness, awakening the inner physician was officially launched on Oct 25, 2014!

It was birthed into the world with a wonderful party with family and friends there for the send off.  For me it was a magical night, where I got to see the fruits of my labor become a reality.  This experience is really amazing when you put your heart and soul into a project off and on for 9 years, transforming yourself in the process and having it be so well received.

Here is a bit about the book for those who don’t know:

Do you ever feel like you know your body more than anyone else but you haven’t learned how to access that knowing?  Do you know that you have an innate ability to heal yourself and want to learn how to tap into that?  Katelyn’s book will help you do that through personal stories of her experience, through information about alternative techniques and through exercises to put them into action in your life.

Empowered Health and Wellness will give you hope and get you excited about the idea of being healthy again!  Even though the book is about Katelyn’s personal physical healing journey there is so much more that will add value to anyone’s life.  Discover how to change how you think and become the master of your own reality whether you are struggling with physical illness or just wanting to take things to another level, this powerful book with effectively shift your consciousness. Learn how to transform yourself using your illness as a guide.  You don’t want to wait until you are sick to learn how to engage your inner physician.  You can learn from reading this book how to use your inner physician.  

Katelyn invites you into her personal world of self healing in an open and vulnerable way that exudes passion and encourages you to start dreaming again.  In the book she takes you on her personal wellness journey as she shares her stories and alternative techniques used to heal herself from issues she was told would not heal.  It is her hope that her success will inspire you to look at your own healing journey in a new way. Katelyn is tenacious in her search for balance and well-being.  She introduces the concept of the Inner Physician, that part of your consciousness that knows what you body needs in order to come back into balance.  Just reading the book will activate the Inner Physician and you will notice you are being informed in a new way and you will gain an understand on how to engage your inner healing wisdom.  Through the book you will learn how to awaken and interact with your Inner Physician and discover your personal ally in healing.

Here is what one reader said after reading Empowered Health and Wellness:

“Powerful, insightful and amazing book. The guidance and vulnerability of the author is so appreciated and relevant. If I could, I would buy one for all of my friends and family. This is a must-read and definitely a must-gift for loved ones. Thank you Katelyn Mariah for sharing your wisdom. It’s an emotional read, bringing up so many moments for my own self healing journey.”

If you would like to purchase a copy you can find it on Amazon or at Awaken The Inner Physician

Visit my website Empowered Health and Wellness for other resources.