Bette Midler and Vaudeville

This is one of the Keith Theatres that plays a part in my book.

Have you ever witnessed a more energetic and fantastic a performer? She gives the appearance of having so much fun at what she does, and she does everything so well. When I was writing my novel Ghost Music of Vaudeville I needed a wild card draw to help the people in that book raise enough money to save the old Keith Theatre and the apartments above it that had become homes for actors and actresses that were trying to keep the music of Vaudeville alive. I needed someone who was warm, approachable, energetic and likely to come to the aid of a good cause. Bette Midler's name just popped into my head. I can't think of a better choice. If, in real life, Charlie Wolfe was trying to save Ironwood, Michigan's bastion of history and they needed a star to help them out I'm sure if she was approached she'd be there in a heart beat. She fits the book and the lives of the characters perfectly.

If you would like to read a chapter of Ghost Music of Vaudeville, please go to my website and click on the Books link. www.billiewilliams.com/books.html

I've spent the last couple days looking for places where I might find out more about Bette and perhaps an address. I have not found an address, but I've watched video's of her, listened to her sing, listened to her play a role in movies -- I found out she was born in 1945 one place said Hawaii another said New Jersey -- it doesn't matter to me - I'm glad she was. She was a fan of Judy Garland - I can see that in her stage presence. It has been a wonderful experience to submerge myself in finding out more about her - and I wish that she could appear to help me at my booksignings of Ghost Music of Vaudeville, I have a young lady who may portray her - she is the spitting image of Drew Barrymore so I'm sure she could do a Bette Midler as well.

Entertain lavishly and let yourself burst out with song when the occassion merits it - and then preserve what you can of history for our younger generation.
Billie

Prolific Writers - Are You One?

So you think you write a lot — How many books have you written? As a reader, how many books do you read a month?

Barbara Cartland, who my college Women’s Lit Instructor disliked intensely, wrote a stunning 723 books and made the Guinness Book of World Records for her efforts. She wrote a novel in one or two weeks. The critics say she actually didn’t write them she dictated them to her secretaries and they typed them up. I beg to differ with them. It was her creative genius that dreamt them up in the first place. If she hadn’t dictated them would each of her secretaries have written a best seller and had them published?

I take issue with the big name authors who have an understudy of sorts write from their outline and create a book for the named author. I see James Patterson and a few others are finally listing those as co-authors on the covers of their books. But now does that make them author of those books or the co-author? Who gets to count coup – will Patterson have 300 books because of their efforts or will he let them count those as their own?

Isaac Asimov wrote over 200 books, by himself – he then, in my humble opinion, especially with all the special issues Sci Fi authors face, was a prolific writer.

Georges Simenon wrote 400 books each book took him eleven straight days of writing. I’m sure he took food breaks and a nap break here and there – but that’s profound. Imagine fellow NaNoWriMo authors if you could write a novel in 30 days, why not one in eleven days?
How many words a day would that be? Approximately 4,500 words a day. Hey you could do that couldn’t you? {smile}

So write like the wind, read like a Tsunami and perhaps you will earn a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for your effort. After NaNoWriMo I’m sure many of you are thinking you deserve at least that commendation. I am proud of those of you who tried, even if you didn’t finish. And I am doubly proud of those who did – included in that my own daughter who finished her novel at just under 54,000 words ahead of the deadline. GO BECKIE!

Words Once Printed - subject to change

Change is good--except or unless...

When an author re-reads something they have written long ago it’s sometimes very disconcerting, at least I thought so. I thought I was the only one who looked at my once written, even once published books and thought, oh my good gracious how could I have let that go as a publishable piece? I don’t feel so bad any more after reading this from Aldous Huxley (Brave New World 1932 among other novels) This was in the revised/republished 1946 edition of Brave New World. “…Chronic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment….”

He goes on more eloquently but it boils down to what we both feel after pouring over the short comings of a novel written at a younger more inexperienced time in an attempt to patch a faulty piece into a perfect masterpiece. That particular piece having missed that mark the first time around—should be repaired to a place where growth had taken me. To spend time trying to mend the artistic sins committed by that different person, the person I was then—is surely vain and futile. Its defect may be part of its charm.

I could rewrite the whole book as an older, perhaps wiser, other person. What might happen then though is I probably would get rid not only of some of the faults of the story, but also rid it of some of its merits as it originally possessed them.

So, resisting the temptation to wallow in artistic remorse, I leave well and ill alone and move on to ‘next’ with what I have learned and am able to create in my next novel, with much thanks to Aldous Huxley for making me feel less alone and imperfect.

Billie A Williams
Cricket Sawyer
www.billiewilliams.com
www.cricket-sawyer.com

Exercise: The Reluctant I

In the picture my Mom is in the forefront, my Aunt Lois is pointing to the cake. Mom's birthday, but they shared the same birthday two years apart.

I sat there listening to her always with the phrases for everything. A quote a song title a bible verse, pulled as if from a small box in her mind. This time it was essential that her directive be avoided (not that it was known then.)

"Brags a good bargain, but hold on is a lot better," she said.

"Then how do you propose a writer will sell his/her work? No one can promote what another has written as well as the author. It's his/her baby, birthed with no fewer labor pains than the birth of a human infant. It seems weird to internalize that phrase and know now that one size, or in this case, one phrase, does not fit all.

Years after her death her phrases pop up as rules of life. Life is not a box of little ticker tape answers to every questions, though a lot of those do strike home with a ring of truth. Following, hanging on her every word helped to raise a lemming, a self-conscious, fearful individual with a couple dozen successes that many have never had, and yet that success feels like an embarrassment. It shouldn't.

Not all her phrases affected life that same way. Expressing the way her grandfather began a story - a phrase she repeated often, began a story created for my only Young Adult Historical novel. Watch For the Raven was born from her phrase, "When Tag was a pup, and turkey's chewed tobaccy."
Her phrases in all fairness did guide and still do.

We stood, the five of us, at her coffin during her wake, the final time we were able to talk with her and reminisced those phrases and funny fax paus she emotionally rendered throughout our growing years. "I'll slap my face against the back of your hand," was meant to be an admonition to my brother for inappropriate actions and words that we no longer remembered. We did remember watching our dad try to repress the laughter lighting up his mahogany eyes, the twitch in his lips that threatened to curve in a smile. Five faces suppressed the laughter only until she caught her mis-spoken words.

Laughter, hearty and long, followed as the tension in the room dissolved in fits of laughter, as it was as we swayed, arm-in-arm, remembering--the good, the bad and the hilarious--

And now alone, I think of perhaps the only wrong phrase, at least for me, that she ever insisted was law. Perhaps, she was right, but never for her daughter, the multi-published, award-winning author who needs to promote herself to sell her books.

Perhaps there is a way to brag without boasting, is that what she meant? Be proud but not too proud? Be verbal, interesting, social, outgoing, be discovered by your talent, not what you say on your own behalf. If only it was possible to ask her for clarification, if only she had lingered as long as her phrases have. If only she had stayed until I had my first book published--then maybe it would have been different. Maybe then she would have said,"You deserve to be proud and brag," perhaps...

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Some things you may not know about Books

Books return dividends for life.
A new tie never changed anyone's life like a book has.
A book is affordable, portable, memorable, and keeps on giving forever
A book is the perfect gift for someone who has everything, and even more so for someone who has nothing, its an opportunity to escape into to dream and hope with.
Books create miracles within.
Give a book - birthday, anniversary, Thanksgiving, or even Christmas.

Still Not Convinced - You Need This Book?

Interview With Masha Malka



Enjoy an insightful conversation with Masha Malka, author of The One Minute Coach.

1. Tell us a little bit more about your journey and the most important lessons you’ve learned in the process?

I immigrated to the USA at the age of 17 with my parents, very sick grandfather and a younger brother. We were allowed to take $100.00 per person and a little suitcase of clothes per person. None of us spoke English. Also, as refugees we lost our citizenship and we could not communicate with the friends we left behind because we didn’t want to get them in trouble with the KGB.

As a result, I went from an outgoing, well-adjusted, happy teenager to a depressed and introverted one. And it took me some time to rebuild my confidence and my self-esteem.

Although I was always a good student, did well at work, and seemed quite happy on the outside, inside I felt completely lost. I lived in the darkness of not knowing what I wanted and who I was. As I mentioned, I had a low self-esteem and settled for a lot less than I deserved.

Fortunately there are people such as Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Mark Victor Hansen, Stephen Covey, just to name a few who help those in the situations like I was. Although my transformation was often painful and not easy, it was definitely worth it!! In fact, this is exactly why I do what I do now. Because I know it is possible to create the changes that we want if we really want to, if we are willing to learn what to do and then take appropriate action, of course…

Thinking about the most important lessons that I’ve learn in the process, it would be

1) That I am responsible for my own life

2) Never to let anyone, including, or should I say especially myself, make me feel guilty

3) And to value myself as the most important person in my life (different from being selfish)



2. You’ve lived and worked in 6 countries with very different cultures (Ukraine, USA, Austria, UK, Bulgaria, and Spain)... Does where we come from determine how successful we become?

Where we come from, age, socio-economic status, education level, the people that we know - none of these determine how successful we become. The only thing that does is a person’s MINDSET or their belief system – they way the respond to life’s situations and challenges.



3. What does being successful mean to you?

For me the word “success” is equivalent with the word “freedom” – freedom from my own limiting beliefs; freedom to be who I am and living the life that is meant for me to live!



4. Your new book, The One Minute Coach: change your life one minute at a time has just been published. Tell us a little bit about the book.

The One Minute Coach: change your life one minute at a time book is a compilation of inspirational one-minute messages all followed by application/action steps and engaging images.

Although this book can be read from the beginning to the end, it can also be used as a reference guide. For example, what many people say works best for them is to wake up and just open the book on any page. It takes one minute to read, get motivated and start the day in a positive way.

Some of the chapters in the book include:

ü The secrets of people who are successful

ü Freedom to be who you are

ü Why do we suffer

ü How to get what you want

ü What it takes to be a great leader

ü Time management and decision making tools

ü The best source of wealth

ü The most important job you do

ü The secret to a great life

ü And more (52 chapters all together)



5. What makes The One Minute Coach different from other self-help books out there?

Although there are many self-help books out there, what makes “The One Minute Coach” different is that it is specifically designed for busy people who understand the importance of learning and growing but just don’t seem to be able to find the time to read lengthy books.

Also, the book is written using Accelerated Learning Techniques, incorporating images, stories, short paragraphs, etc., which makes it easy to read and assimilate even when there is a very complicated topic.



6. With three young children, coaching career, a new book, family and personal demands, do you find it difficult to stay level-headed and keep a healthy balance?

If I tell you it is easy, I will be lying to you! J

First, I make sure that my needs are met. Getting enough rest.

Also, knowing how to prioritize is what helps me achieve a lot. You know the famous 80/20 rule (Paretto principle) that states that most people spend 80% of their time attending to activities that only give them 20% of the value. People who are more productive and efficient are not like that because they have more hours in the day or because they are more intelligent… they just know how to focus on the 20% of activities that give them 80% of the value.



7. You call yourself “The One Minute Coach”. What made you chose this name?

Everyone seems to be very busy these days plus people like and want quick results and immediate gratification. If people think they can change in one minute, they are more likely to invest that minute – and it does not overwhelm them.

The truth is, it takes even less than a minute to change. Change happens the moment we make a decision to change. However, often it takes many minutes to accumulate the knowledge that will help us make that decision.

As someone once said, it took me 20 years to achieve an overnight success!



8. There are many coaches out there, what makes you different?

1) Fist of all, I don’t just coach in the way most coaches do. I have created a system that I call “Foundation to Success” and I always start with teaching this system to my clients. I think a lot of issues and problems can be eliminated (and not just temporarily but forever) when we treat the cause rather than the effect of the problem. There are 6 elements to the foundation:

1. Purpose

2. Vision

3. Values

4. Goals

5. Action Plan

6. Mindset



2) Also, my background in teaching and Accelerated Learning Techniques helps me present the information in the way that is easy to understand and apply

3) My personal journey to success as well as almost 6 years of experience working with people from all walks of life

4) Finally, and probably most important, I am very good at connecting with people and making it easy for them to open up, sometimes face their fears and make the changes they want to make.



9. Do you have an advice for people who want to write a book but still didn’t do it?

First of all, ask yourself how much do I want to write this book and why? Get motivated.

Then, before you do any writing, do the research!

If you find out that your book is needed, that you have a market for it then break it down into small manageable bits. One page at a time you will get there!



10. What One Minute Tip can you leave us with today?

If there is something you want in life and still do not have it, never blame yourself for it. Because if you can dream it, you CAN have it!

If you haven’t reached your goals yet, it is not because you are not smart enough or capable enough – in fact you have everything you need to achieve your goals… you are just missing the right tools: information, skills, and mindset, to do it. And that is all learnable!

So never stop dreaming and never give up going after your dreams. Enjoy every moment of your journey, because it is YOUR journey and not necessarily the end result, that makes life exciting, worthwhile and fulfilling!



11. Thank you Masha! Please tell us how can people get in touch with you and where can they purchase The One Minute Coach: change your life one minute at a time book.

I would invite people to access a very special page for our book launch of The One Minute Coach. Order you own copy of The One Minute Coach within the next 24 hours and receive over $9,000 in bonus gifts from experts around the globe. Go to http://mashamalka.com/bookpromotion/