The theme of the night was most incredible year and William chose 1995, the year he arrived in the USA from Cuba. He told of his story growing up in Cuba, being very poor, but still a happy kid. Arriving at his uncles home in the states with his step-father and siblings, he had not ever seen or eaten an apple. He said he kept eating apples all night. Looking at him now, it is truly inspiring to see how successful he has become.

I am fortunate to speak Spanish and I have been watching William for a few years now on Spanish television – Univision, but it is really fantastic to see him in this new role of dancer. He is focused on the dance and I can see that his professionalism and the discipline required of a good telenovela actor is helping him in the role. He is a joy to watch. Just check out the video. And his first two performances were also nothing to sneeze at. He has proven to be a versatile star and I am happy that he is getting great exposure on Dancing With The Stars. He will surely be a household name in the USA by the time the show runs its course for this season. For those of you who don’t know who William Levy is, here is some background on his life and career thus far:

Levy was born in Cojimar, Cuba. His maternal grandfather was Jewish. Levy emigrated to Miami, Florida, when he was fourteen. He attended high school, after which he studied business administration on a baseball scholarship at St. Thomas University. He later went to Los Angeles to study acting and continued his acting studies in Miami and Mexico City.

Levy worked as a model for the Next Models agency, and was featured in two reality shows broadcast by Telemundo: Isla de la Tentación and Protagonistas de Novela. In 2005 he performed at the Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan, Puerto Rico, starring in the play La Nena Tiene Tumbao.

His debut on the Spanish-language channel Univision was in the Venevision International production of Olvidarte Jamas. He later appeared in Mi Vida Eres Tu and Acorralada. In 2008, he appeared in his first film, Retazos de Vida, directed by Viviana Cordero.

He was invited by television producer Carla Estrada to star in Pasión, his breakthrough in Mexican soap operas. Televisa cast him as the lead in Cuidado con el Angel with actress and ex-RBD singer Maite Perroni. The show was first broadcast in Mexico in June 2008, and began airing in the United States in September 2008 on Univision. It averaged 45.7 million viewers per evening.

Levy finished filming Sortilegio with actress Jacqueline Bracamontes on October 9, 2009. Sortilegio aired on Univision, and the finale drew 6.6 million viewers, beating ABC and CBS for viewers in that time slot.

In November 2009, the actor lent his voice to the Spanish version of the animated movie Planet The movie opened on November 27 in Mexico and won an award for best animated Spanish-language film of 2009 (Premios Goya).[13] From November 2009 to February 2010, Levy toured several Mexican cities with the play Un Amante a la Medida, which toured in the United States in June 2010.

Levy participated in the Mexican telenovela Triunfo del Amor, a remake of the Venezuelan classic Cristal, again with Maite Perroni. The telenovela aired on October, 25, 2010, in El Canal de las Estrellas. Pedro Torres, executive producer of Mujeres Asesinas, confirmed Levy’s role in the third season of the popular Mexican series.

Levy stars as Jennifer Lopez’s love interest in her music video “I’m Into You”, from her album Love?. It aired on the NBC Today Show on May 2, 2011.

Levy and Maite Perroni co-hosted the 25th Hispanic Heritage Awards gala on September 15, 2011, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Levy appeared on the cover of People en Español for its special issue on the sexiest men of the year.

In January 2012, it was announced that Levy will appear in two episodes of the VH1 television series Single Ladies, with Denise Vasi. He is a participant in the 14th season of Dancing with the Stars, with two-time mirror ball champion Cheryl Burke as his dance-pro partner.

So as you can see, he has already earned a string of hits under his belt. I can only imagine what he can do for the ratings for Dancing With The Stars!

Stay tuned, I am sure it is going to get a lot hotter in the ballroom!

DID YOU KNOW?

• One stroke-related death occurs every three minutes.
• 500,000 women a year die from heart disease, that is more than any other cause including breast cancer.
• 14 million Americans are currently living with some form of cardiovascular disease.

Sadly, the first symptom is often sudden death.

In recent history, a group of doctors and scientists aligned with a Nobel Prize-winning research to address this very serious and fatal problem. In these findings, a specific natural formula including L-arginine in a very specific ratio created hopeful, heartfelt results.

Doctors were astounded at these results, which included a younger heart, enhanced sexual performance and increased energy. It even showed evidence of combating the effects of premature cardiovascular aging, and over all anti-aging benefits.

With some heart disease running in my family I have become more concerned about heart health in recent years. I am happy to say that I have discovered an incredible product from ForeverGreen called PULSE-8.

PULSE-8 is the advanced proprietary formula containing a specific blend, which includes L-arginine in very specific ratios. It is designed to provide optimum cardiovascular support.

Most of you have probably heard of L-arginine, but I would like to share more information with you.

L-arginine is known and studied to be a blood flow enhancer which addresses premature cardiovascular aging, supports healthy sexual performance, and may even aid in achieving less body fat.

L-arginine has been proven to be used by the body to produce nitric oxide, an important signaling molecule used to regulate circulation and other important metabolisms of the body.

Clinical studies on L-arginine have shown it:

• Supports cardiovascular health
• Enhances blood flow to all organs
• Combats the negative effects of premature cardiovascular aging
• Increases lean muscle and decreases body fat
• Has anti-aging effects
• Improves the function of the immune system
• Helps restore healthy sexual performance and male fertility
• Improves overall healing (especially bone)
• Protects and helps heal certain types of radiation poisoning

In 1992, Science magazine named nitric oxide molecule of the year.

Since then, tens of thousands of articles have been published on the topic. Nitric oxide was the subject of a 1998 Nobel Prize in medicine.

Here is some supporting Scientific Background Information:

Research on gaseous nitric oxide began when Furchgott and Zawadzki showed that the relaxation of blood vessels depended on an intact endothelium. (Murad et al)

Research also showed that nitroglycerine caused blood vessels to relax, and that this was caused by the release of nitric oxide gas.(Ignarro et al)

Findings demonstrated that the relaxation of blood vessels described by Furchgott was due to a substance produced in the endothelium, which his group called endotheliumderived relaxing factor (EDRF).

In 1987, Ignarro demonstrated that EDRF was, indeed, nitric oxide. In 1998, these
three individuals won the Nobel Prize for their discoveries concerning nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.

PULSE-8 with five grams of pharmaceutical grade elemental L-arginine in each scoop, works together with eight additional ingredients that combine to deliver powerful antioxidant benefits and more.

PULSE-8 With L-arginine and 8 heartfelt super ingredients:

Vitamin B Complex (B3, B6, B9, B12) – Naturally high in antioxidants, also beneficial for overall health and higher levels of energy.

Vitamin C – Antioxidants like Vitamin C help to combat free-radicals in the body, ultimately helping the body with anti-aging and in return helping the cardiovascular system.

Vitamin D – Helps regulate the calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood by promoting their absorption from food in the intestines, and by promoting re-absorption of
calcium in the kidneys.

CoQ10 – Helps support organs with the highest energy requirements, such as the heart and the liver, which have the highest CoQ10 concentrations.

Inulin – A natural sweetener which is also a good source of soluble fiber, that may help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.

Acái – Acái berries have been found to be some of the highest antioxidant foods on the planet. The antioxidants they provide have beneficial effects throughout the body
not just the heart.

Pomegranate – Pomegranates provide superior antioxidants that inhibit LDL oxidation, which supports arterial wall strength while enhancing the activity of the enzyme
responsible for converting L-arginine to nitric oxide.

Red Wine Extract – Science has proven grapes are a signature food high in antioxidants, anthocyanins and polyphenols (resveratrol) beneficial for the heart and reduces LDL oxidation.

Now with The FIRST, BEST and FINAL say in HEALTH AND WELLNESS ForeverGreen is the first to market marine phytoplankton, the first food on Earth, exclusively!

Now with The FIRST, BEST and FINAL say in HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ForeverGreen is the first to market marine phytoplankton, the first food on Earth, exclusively!

And PULSE-8 now has marine phytoplankton. Grown and harvested at the first sea farm of its kind, marine phytoplankton is the base of the plant kingdom in and out of the ocean, making it the best nutrition on the planet. NASA has declared that it is responsible for most of the Earth’s oxygen, and we now know that many whales live on marine phytoplankton for 100, even 200 years.

Plus, marine phytoplankton has 400 times the energy of any known plant! Marine phytoplankton is truly the FIRST, BEST and FINAL say in health and wellness.

If you are interested in preserving the health and wellness of your heart, or of someone you love, please take a look at what PULSE-8 can do for you.

Listen to your heart, stick around, and start loving others by loving yourself.

It starts with PULSE-8.

For more information about this incredible product or other products by ForeverGreen, please visit my product website. Choose your focus area and you will get lots of valuable information and you’ll also be able to watch some informative videos.

Now the tour comes to Puerto Rico to join the Puerto Rican Lung Association to raise awareness and educate about the harmful effects of smoking. Julián Gil is motivatedto make a difference by the death of his mother due to pulmonary emphysema and the need to alert others how devastating the consequences of smoking can be.

To motivate the participation of the public in this event, Julián Gil will give his 2012 calendar to all persons who commit themselves to stop smoking or a part of the efforts to combat this harmful practice.

The Puerto Rican Association of the Lung will have available evidence of spirometry and carbon monoxide in the blood at the hands of health professionals, along with guidelines, exhibits and graphics of lungs showing the effects of cigarettes, and lectures and advice to quit smoking, among others.

Funds for the benefit of the Puerto Rican Association of the Lung will be also collected. The Puerto Rican Association of Lung and Julián Gil await your participation because “breath is life.”

I believe Julián Gil is “paying it forward” and he is to be admired for his great work. I am a huge fan of Julián’s and I have grown to respect this man very much not only as an actor, but as a caring human being who is utilizing his celebrity status to make a difference in the world.

Julián Gil can be seen weeknights on Univision in his role as “Bruno” in the telenovela “La Que No Podia Amar.” He also currently stars as one of the judges on Nuestra Belleza Latina, which airs on Sunday nights on Univision. Tune in, you will not be disappointed!

I am so glad that I speak Spanish!

I’m looking for real-life success stories for a book that will be published this summer entitled – “Laid-Off To Launch: Going Ballistic After Being Laid-Off.”

Every entrepreneur has a story. And your story is worth writing, preserving and sharing. Writing is a wonderful way to pass on your unique and valuable life lessons.

If you were laid-off from your job and went ahead and started your own business during the extremely volatile economic times we have been passing through during the past few years and you have not only survived, but thrived then you truly have a message that should be shared!

Are you ready to be that honest? If you are, then we would love to hear your story of triumph and success.

Starting a small business is risky enough, but during these challenging economic times most people would shy away. But I’m looking for spirited entrepreneurs who realized that being laid-off was a blessing in disguise.

Your story is one of courage, faith and perseverance. You faced tremendous obstacles and overcame. You made sacrifices but it was worth it. I want to hear from you if you match these criteria:

1) You were laid-off between 2008 and 2010

2) You founded a small business instead of getting a job (or while you were looking)

3) Your business is now successful.

4) You can write your story in 2500-3500 words.

5) You can meet the 5/15/12 deadline.

Did you know that one of the most wonderful benefits of writing your story is that you learn more about yourself? This is a part of your life that when shared, could inspire others to follow in your footsteps.

If you have not written before, here are some questions to get your thoughts going. We want to know who you are, where you are from, where have you been, where you are now, and how did you get there? What was your job? We want to know how you did it. What matters most to you? What did you go through and what kept you going? What obstacles did you face, and how did you overcome them? What have your experiences taught you? What mistakes did you make? If you had it to do over again…would you?

When I look back on the last two to three years of my life since I was laid-off, I cannot believe it sometimes. I cannot believe that I have lived through some of it. But that tells me a lot about who I am and what I am made of.

Now it’s your turn. If selected for publication in the book Laid Off To Launch: Going Ballistic After Being Laid-Off, your story will be preserved for you, your family, your children and your loved ones. Tell us your entrepreneurial story in 2500 – 3500 maximum words and submit it. It’s easy to get started, and it could be the beginning of another great chapter on your incredible journey!

The deadline for stories is 5/15/2012. For all the details please visit Laid Off To Launch

Nevertheless, no matter how good your book idea is, your task remains. You have to figure out ways to make a name for yourself through branding, establish yourself as an expert in your field, and start to create some BUZZ so people will take notice and want to buy your book. I’m talking a lot of people want to buy your books. Yes, yes, you’re using social media, you have lots of friends on Facebook, you even have an established fan page, you tweet and you blog. OK, that’s a good start and a necessary part of the equation, but social media and blogging is not the entire picture. I’ve had new authors tell me they have a blog with lots of followers and when I check it out, they have 56 followers. That’s nice, but it won’t cut it. We are talking big numbers here, at least 5,000 or 10,000. That takes some real work. When I ask them about their email list, they don’t have one, or they have 100 people on it and they have not been in contact with them. Once again, this won’t cut it. We need numbers, big numbers.

If you’re writing a book, you’ll need to write a marketing plan and a book proposal. Ideally, this should be done before or during the book writing process. If it’s too much, hire an experienced writing coach or consultant to help you with that portion of the work while you continue writing your book. Even if you’re planning on self-publishing, you need to create a proposal because it is such a strong tool and will really help you plan your book and its launch. The marketing plan is part of the book proposal. But let’s stick with the marketing portion for this discussion.

A huge player in your marketing plan is who you know. Do you know or have connections to people who know important or famous people? If you do, you need to start writing these names down, contact them and write them into your plan. Here’s the thing, you may not be famous yourself—yet, but you may know some people who are.

Do you have connections to people who work in TV or radio? Even local TV news personalities can be of great help when you are starting out. I once ran into a local TV news personality at a sushi restaurant. I spotted her sitting at the counter by herself. Fearlessly, I went over to her and introduced myself. She was the health reporter so I immediately began telling her about the horse rescue facility my company was supporting and how they had an excellent program that helped handicapped children through equine activities. I gave her a scoop, I gave her my card, she gave me hers and guess what…we became friends.

Back at my office, I emailed her telling her what a pleasure it was to meet her that day. Then I mentioned my book to her. She came back at me with a hookup and asked me to send her my book. She passed my book to the woman that did the cooking segments. That association led me to do a TV segment with the cooking show host on that channel. I got to talk about my cookbook, The Rose Cookbook, and cook 3 different recipes while plugging my book. This never would have happened if I hadn’t taken it upon myself to introduce myself to that woman in the restaurant. I didn’t have that association until that day when I decided to go out and take it.

How about athletes or public figures? Do you know any? You have to start digging here. Go down to the next level. Who do you know that knows someone who has a radio or TV show? Do you know someone who has published a successful book? Start asking around. Are you friends with someone who is a top leader in an association that would be interested in your book?  Make the connections. Do you get the idea? Yes, it takes some work, but it has to be done if you’re going to succeed with your branding and book marketing campaigns.

The key for you is—how can you associate yourself with people who are more famous than you in order to become recognized and begin to build your own brand? Dan Schawbel terms it as branding by association. And just one ‘good association’ can be pivotal for your success if you leverage it. Here is Dan’s definition:

Branding by association – Creating a linkage between two brands of unequal brand equity, to build upon the brand of lesser equity through association.

This part of branding or branding by association is what you’ll need to do continuously while you are building your own brand. There is nothing wrong with this and even people that you recognize as famous now, started out using this technique. Very successful people still use it in the form of testimonials or acknowledgements. Who wouldn’t want an acknowledgement from Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins or Jacques Pepin on their website or book cover?

Until you become a brand name yourself, you’ll need to use this technique as part of your branding arsenal. As an author who wants to be successful, you’d probably like to imagine yourself on Oprah. For the run of her incredibly successful show, that was everyone’s dream. It was like gold or the ultimate association. Rachel Ray and Dr. Phil are just two people who owe a lot of their initial success to their early associations with Oprah. Yes, her network show has ended, but she’s started her own network- OWN now, and she’s still a huge star-maker. Nothing is impossible!

If you want to be a successful author you have to continue to associate yourself with people who are more successful than you are. The same thing goes for companies. Have you worked for large companies in the past? If you have, that is a good thing. Take a look at your resume. What well-known trusted company names are on there? If you have some, they can help you build trust with your new audience because people make associations. If a large company trusted you in the past, you are probably trustworthy, so people who don’t know you feel more at ease. It’s just one of the ways they can begin to know, like and trust you.

During my corporate writing career which began in 1993, I was privileged to work at some stellar companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. One day I was looking back on the list and I realized how awesome it was. I decided to gather all the logos of the companies I had worked, for either as an employee or a consultant, and create an image. I was amazed at what I created! As early as 1998, the momentum began to build as one company would hire or contract me because of my previous associations. At one point, I simply needed to fax or email my resume and the associations I had, spoke for themselves. Do not underestimate the power of association. It is very powerful! In a way, this illustrates how I began to build strong associations, and then leveraged those associations to build more. I improved my career. The benefits were my increased earnings and the ability to get more work easily.

Is there any existing press on you? How about video? Can you get an article written about you in a local newspaper, even the neighborhood kind? Those articles can often lead to articles in more regional papers, or even national ones. And those can lead to TV or radio interviews. Don’t edit yourself out of the picture. The point is to get exposure, whether its NPR or FOX News  you need to reach large audiences if you want your book to be a success. To get to that level, you have to start building to gain momentum.   How about press releases, are you utilizing that tool to build your brand? Press releases are another method of getting the word out and they are read by people in the press and media who are always looking for the latest news.

Now is not the time to be shy. If you want endorsements and recommendations, you are going to have to ask for them. That’s why you need to make a list of people you know, and people you know who know people, and start drilling down and making contact. And always remember to give back. Ask yourself, what can I give to the person who helps me? Donate some books to their next event, tell them you can speak on your topic, volunteer some time for their cause, show them what you have to offer and just get into the mix!

Many authors I coach have problems with their immediate circle of family and friends. They are not supportive and are very negative. This can be very detrimental to successful writing and can actually deter your career. Remember, your success is defined by the five people who are closest to you. When you venture out into the market place to be a successful author, it is very important to spend time with people who are more successful than you, and these people should be people you can learn from. If people in your immediate circle are not supportive, you either need to lose them, or find ways to continuously counteract their negativity. This can be a daunting task because often times the negativity stems from family members.

Start thinking of ways you can surround yourself with more like-mined people to keep your energy up. Go to seminars and workshop that are of interest. Join groups in your area. Join a chamber or any type of group where people are striving to be successful. You need to go where you get energy boosts. These higher level associations will make your branding campaign easier—you may even meet some new people who can help you! I can’t tell you how many times I have attended an event and ended up meeting exactly the person I needed to meet for my particular needs at the very time.

Trust me— good things will begin to happen when you associate yourself with strong brands. Start thinking about your list of associations and ways you can bring new associations into your life. I hope you enjoyed this article. Next time I’ll be discussing the Top 10 things you can do right now to begin building associations while you write your book. The time to start is now.

Most recently, Chef Franco’s career has led him onto a new path of writing and inspiring people to cook for the ‘healing benefits’ they can achieve. He is re-dedicating himself to ‘inspirational cooking’.  This is something he has experienced first-hand, and he’s quick to say “Cooking saved my life more than once.” His story is one of a passion that turned to an obsession and led him on a quest around the world to become the best chef he could be. Here is a brief excerpt on this topic from his upcoming book:

”After many years of cooking and trying to reach the goal of becoming a “seasoned chef” I began to slow down and I started to realize what food really is and means in the broader sense of culinary arts! I began to think that TV chef shows, culinary competitions, multi-million dollar chef branding, and celebrity chef status somehow obscured the true essence of food— the miracle behind it, and what it really means to life and our existence planet Earth. I never heard any of those TV personality chefs shed light on the spiritual side of cooking, or the true gift of food and the lack of appreciation most people have towards it.”

Chef Franco Lania - Italian Chef on Oceania Cruise Line

As we began to work putting his book together, I realized what a rich life this man had led thus far. Reading his pieces and chapters, I often found myself laughing out loud, or feeling his pain. The emotions—whatever they were, ran high and deep. His passion for his work as a chef was undeniable, and it had led him on a world-wide journey searching for culinary secrets and techniques—a journey that many people can only dream about.

I looked forward to receiving his work and reading through it. Seeing his photos and reading his stories, I watched twenty years his life evolving in front of me as I edited and pieced the story together. I felt privileged to be an insider, collaborating with him on his chef’s memoir and learning about his travels and the interesting journey that was his life.

I hadn’t thought about it before, but food is the international language and the great equalizer. Food is the fuel and the cultural link that adds the flavor, color, spice and richness to our lives. Everyone loves food, and many people are intrigued with chefs and lives they lead. They want to be chefs. This is evidenced by the astounding increase in chef’s TV shows over the past 5 years. Whether some of those shows are good or bad can be argued, but that is another discussion.

Right now, chefs are hot. But if you ask them—they have always been hot. It’s just that now, more people know about it. Chef memoirs and culinary memoirs offer us a glimpse into someone’s life that has been made interesting because of a passion for food, a devotion to the craft, a perseverance to be excellent, and very often travel and work in exotic locations. This creates a culture-rich backdrop where food is the star and it’s the medium through which the chef—the “culinary artist” defines and experiences life. The emotions may be high or low, but the food is always there acting as the great life teacher.

We learn about the chef’s upbringing and what leads them into a life devoted to food and travel. We embark on their journey with them, catching glimpses of the world through their eyes. Many times these glimpses are laser-focused views that lead to personal revelation. We witness the recklessness of their youth—filled with cockiness and bravado. Then as the memoirist matures, we witness reflection, triumph and perhaps regret. All the human emotions that we all experience are richly recollected in a deliciously detailed soufflé that expands as the memoirist proceeds on the journey and matures.

Sometimes there is a lot of struggle involved, so readers can relate to this as they too may be struggling. Chef’s memoirs can also give us hope. It’s the hope of living the dream—whatever it may be. We ask ourselves, “Where are they going next? What are they running from? What are they chasing after? Are they going to open that restaurant? Are they going to close that restaurant? Will they find what they are looking for?” And as the adventure enfolds with all its hills and valleys, we find ourselves thinking—I can’t put this book down, let me keep reading!

For people who love food or love to cook, they will enjoy the opportunity to temporarily get into the mind of someone who cooks for many, very often in exclusive places, or for dignitaries, or in their own restaurant that has been built on blood, sweat and tears. Each scenario offers a different set of circumstances, but the unifying factor is the food—always the food. This is real-life drama, set to food. And the drama is not staged as it often is on the more recent TV food shows that often pit chef against chef. Chefs are passionate people and a chef’s memoir is the real deal!

From the comfort of your seat on a subway train, your blanket on the beach, your favorite armchair, or your comfortable bed you can visit famous cities, and learn about the food and culture of another country through the eyes of someone who has devoted their life to food. Their experience is unique. And you’re catching that unique glimpse that only the chef who has “been there, and done that” can offer. Very often chefs meet or work for famous people, which can also add to the intrigue. When well-written, the experience is soul-bearing for the chef and emotionally resonating for the reader. Most often, when all the chapters are finally completed, the chef can barely believe they lived through their own life and adventures!

We get a glimpse of culture through the eyes of a chef. We get to travel with them, and we observe how each opportunity affects them. We can see them change and grow.  We experience their happiness and their pain. We read about how they mature. We witness the choices that are set in front of them. We experience the opportunities, the missed opportunities, and their disappointments with them. We watch the mistakes they make, the lessons they learn, the setbacks and tragedies they endure and the sweetness and glory of victories that ensue as they continually rise up to meet each occasion. From what I have observed so far, chefs are not quitters.

Well written culinary memoirs offer us a fully-loaded menu of emotions. With more variety than a Las Vegas buffet, we become privy to the chef’s feelings of love, hate, passion, sadness, joy, confusion, impatience, inspiration, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, fear, jealousy, insecurity, conceit, pride, contentment— you name it. It’s the smorgasbord of emotions that make us human. We also witness the moments where pivotal decisions are made, and as we read on, we understand the results of the decision and how those decisions impacted the life of the chef, and those in their inner circle in the long term.

Many memoirs begin with early childhood memories of food in the family setting. These food associations and/or the persons involved are sometimes so influential that they are one of the reasons the person chooses the culinary lifestyle. This “food memory” is fascinating and when reading about someone else’s food associations, our own food memories can be jogged, triggering deep and meaningful recollections of our own. Very often these memories can have a healing or soothing effect. Sometimes, they may bring up sadness. Whatever the result, the emotions are strong—and real. Like well written novels, good culinary and chef’s memoirs also contain rich dialogue. I have been amazed at the valuable insight these recalled conversations have added to the stories. I first became aware of this working on Chef Franco’s manuscript.

Now, I am experiencing the same thing with Chef Otto Borsich working on his culinary trilogy – Taste the Freedom. The dialogue add s to the feeling of ‘being there’ as well as understanding why the certain things happen as the story unfolds. What’s truly fascinating is the amount of detail that is captured and how it adds depth, life and insight into the other players in the story while it helps us to understand the writer and what they went through.

And similarly to Chef Franco, Chef Otto also has a cause and a purpose that goes beyond cooking in fancy restaurants or gorgeous hotels. Here we are talking about food—and the unfortunate people—too high in numbers, who don’t have enough food. He has long been involved with many hunger projects over the past several years. One notable project was on Nantucket Island, where he created the Nantucket Chefs Food Festival, a multi-course gastronomic affair featuring the islands’ best chefs. All proceeds were donated to the Nantucket Emergency Food Pantry. The event is still going strong since its inception in 1992. But Chef Otto still dreams an even bigger dream—to assemble chefs from all 50 States on the White House lawn to cook up a storm and feed the hungry for days!

Seriousness aside, these chef’s memoirs also have a fair dose of humor woven into them. As I mentioned, I have laughed out loud when reading about their adventures. Each morsel of dialogue recalled by Chef Franco held tremendous lessons that he carried with him throughout his career. You can relate to the dialogue, and even say to yourself “I remember someone saying something like that to me when I was that age, why didn’t I listen?”

Chef Otto’s story has more twists and turns than a giant roller coaster. Once completed, I know readers will feel like they just walked into the ultimate amusement park of life as they travel with him through his humble beginnings in Ohio, to a world-class chef’s career that’s jam-packed with more hilarious and outrageous adventures than even Forrest Gump could imagine!

Here’s what I’ve learned from working with these two stellar chefs: They’ve both had successful chef’s careers, traveled the world extensively and educated themselves in pursuit of their cooking art, and appeared on TV food shows such as TVFN’s Challenge and Bravo’s Top Chef, though neither one achieved ‘instant’ TV stardom. However—and this is what I’ve realized that really counts—both of them truly have something extremely valuable to say and share with the world—and they are just getting started! They have definitely paid their dues in the kitchen, but now they are utilizing their skills and the richness of their food careers in ways to help others. And they’re using writing as one of the ways to get the message out! I find that truly admirable and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Stay tuned, because both of these men have something to say and both stories are page turners!

As time went on, I realized that Celeste was extremely talented and accomplished at many things. She is a true entrepreneur in every respect—constantly moving, changing, improving, and navigating. She always knew how to leverage her talents and attributes. She remains the type of person I want to know. I continue to admire her and always look forward to see what she is up to next! This women gives new meaning to the term ‘multi-tasker’ and some of her accomplishments are surely things that other people can only dream about. The truly exciting part is that the story continues to evolve in the most beautiful ways. Here is the story to date, I am sure it will inspire you as it does me!

Celeste Yarnall, Ph.D. has lived a multi-faceted life. Like a handful of other celebrities from the entertainment world, Dr. Yarnall comes to her holistic health expertise because it is her passion. As an actress, Celeste Yarnall was “the product” that she marketed and, therefore, being fit and healthy was of paramount importance.

After being featured in Life Magazine and appearing in the Nutty Professor with Jerry Lewis, Celeste won the coveted title of Miss Rheingold 1964 in New York City, receiving 20,000,000 votes in America’s second biggest election. She made Time Magazine at 19 years of age for this achievement. She was the recipient of a very large cash prize and starred in Rheingold’s TV commercials, radio spots, print ads, and did personal appearances all over the Eastern Seaboard. Celeste even had her own pavilion with Rheingold at their Little Old New York replication of a 1904 tavern at the 1964 Worlds Fair.

Celeste returned to Los Angeles after her amazing reign as Miss Rheingold to resume her acting career, having been signed by the William Morris Agency and groomed for stardom. She became a Deb Star, Hollywood Star of Tomorrow, and was awarded her trophy in1966 on a prime time television special.  She then went on to become “The Most Photogenic Beauty” by the International Press community at the Cannes Film Festival.

If you’re a “trekkie,” you’ll  remember Celeste Yarnall as the guest-star on the classic Star Trek episode entitled “The Apple.”  Perhaps you remember her from some of her other memorable TV guest appearances on such legendary shows as “Bonanza” or “Man from U.N.C.L.E.”

You may recall Celeste as Elvis Presley’s co-star in “Live a Little, Love a Little,” to name but a few of her acting credits. You can visit her personal website for more information and photos of Celeste from various roles as an actress.

Celeste maintained her connection to the entertainment world continuing to do acting roles and television commercials as a spokeswoman but also became noteworthy as an entrepreneur as the first woman to own and operate her own commercial real estate brokerage, as Celeste Yarnall and Associates, specializing in the entertainment industry through the leasing and sale of high rise office buildings in Beverly Hills and L.A.’s prestigious Westside. The annual volume of business she and her crew of sales associates were responsible for was well over $100,000,000 annually.

In fact, she was featured on prime time TV by a popular news anchor on a program entitled, “The Young Millionaires.” Just in her early thirties at the time, Celeste was filmed showing her clients prospective properties in her cream colored Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II. She made headlines in newspapers and numerous publications for her real estate expertise and was plucked off the front page of the Real Estate section of the Los Angeles Times by the Chairman of the Board of California Federal Savings to be their spokeswoman in TV, radio, and point of purchase advertising campaigns.

At the same time, Celeste ran an artist’s management company, which specialized in representing talented new screen writers with an eye to entering production and packaging of film properties. Celeste sold several scripts to major studios, and one was made into a multi-million dollar film starring Steven Seagal. However, the stress was becoming overwhelming for her, as she was raising her daughter, still acting, running two full time businesses, and traveling extensively. A lifetime love of cats and dogs led Celeste on a completely different path, which segued to leaving these two businesses behind.

Enter yet another career for Celeste and a new paradigm. Celeste became one of the leading celebrity experts in the world of holistic health care for cats and dogs, as she realized in the early 90′s, that there was much to be challenged in the world of traditional veterinary medicine. This led her to study clinical nutrition. In I997 she was awarded a doctorate in Nutrition from Pacific Western University.

She has written four books to date and numerous articles for prestigious pet oriented publications. She was one of the first authors to take a strong stand on the importance of feeding dogs and cats a species specific raw meat and raw bone carnivore diet, the dangers of vaccination, and over use of drugs and chemicals in veterinary medicine. She is a seeker of truth, challenges the traditional route, and stands resolute in the face of controversy.

Her first book, Cat Care Naturally, was published in 1995. The updated paperback, Natural Cat Care, was published in 1998 along with the release of Natural Dog Care, endorsed by Dr. Barry Sears, PhD, of “The Zone” fame. Between 1993 and 2009, Dr. Yarnall and her breeding partners did what no one else in the veterinary community has ever done and that is to raise eleven generations of her own beloved championship Tonkinese show cats on the basic holistic principles outlined in her books, including formulating her own state-of-the-art supplementation based on her expertise in clinical nutrition, and anti-aging principles.

The incredible health results from this work were the impetus behind her newest book co-authored with renowned holistic veterinarian, Jean Hofve, DVM. The book is entitled, The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, and is the recipient of the coveted Cat Writers Association’s 2010 Muse Medallion Award and is enjoying outstanding reviews. It is the first anti-aging book ever written for pets. World reknowned anti-aging physician, C. Norman Shealy, MD, Ph.D., recommended the book in his prestigious Youthful Aging newsletter.

Dr. Yarnall stresses the importance of the inclusion of Omega-3 marine lipids and antioxidant supplementation throughout her newest book. The featured product in her practice is Moxxor. A brand new category of Omega-3 marine lipids from New Zealand. She has recently been appointed to the Moxxor Holistic Advisory Board. Moxxor has become the cornerstone of her practice for both her human and animal clients, whom she consults with in her practice.

Dr Yarnall also integrates her expertise as an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping consultant and is a member of the prestigious Tapping Insiders Club. Dr. Yarnall is a Reiki Master, medical intuitive, grief counselor, and is also expert in nonverbal communication and incorporates homeopathy, herbs, flower essences, among other protocols into her holistic repertoire. She is a highly skilled, charismatic motivational speaker sharing her journey and insights in her own warm, authentic, engaging voice adding value to the lives of all who come in contact with her.

Dr. Yarnall is married to noted British painter, Nazim Artist. Their combined holistic paradigm is embraced as the Art of Wellness Collection. Celeste and Nazim reside in Westlake Village, California with their 4 naturally raised Celestecats Tonkinese cats and are surrounded by Nazim’s magnificent art works.

Dr. Yarnall’s book, The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care is available on Amazon

So, I’d like to ask you 2 questions.You might want to write these down.

In regards to your book or cookbook:

Ask yourself…

What specific results have you achieved so far this year? AND………

What results are you committed to achieve by the end of this year?

Now, if you’ve been reading my articles you know a little bit about me and why I believe I’m qualified to teach you how to put a book or a cookbook together.

When I finally decided to finish my first cookbook in 2007, I needed help to stay focused and finish the job. One of the techniques I have used since then that is extremely helpful is visualization. I recommend this technique to all of my clients because it works.

I’d like us to take a moment to share this simple visualization technique with you right now. I promise this won’t take long, but it’s very powerful!!

So…Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in. Hold. And slowly let it out. Let’s release all the tension of the day and focus on the burning desire that is in your heart right now…the one about writing a book. And one more deep breath in. And hold it, and let it out. Excellent!

Keeping your eyes closed, I want you to imagine that you have a book in your hands. That book is your completed book or cookbook. I want you to see your name on the front cover. If you know the title, see that also. You may also see the exact cover design. The more detail you can add, the more powerful your visualization will be. Take your time and enjoy this. See it, feel it, and you many even smell it. New book smell! Feel the weight of the book as you hold it.

Open your heart and experience all the joy you feel that your completed cookbook is in your hands. And I want you to know that this book, your book, can take you on a wonderful journey, opening new doors for you.

Imagine those possibilities. And I want you to notice how this feels as you look at your book, with your name on it. Just hold that image for a few moments….Feel the excitement and happiness.

Now take another deep breath. Let it out…And open your eyes.

Great! Now that you know this visualization, you can use it anytime. I used it a lot to keep me going when I was writing my cookbook.

That’s one of the simple techniques that can make all the difference in staying focused on your book project. If you have any questions, or would like to sign up for a free consultation regarding your book project, please contact me.

Remember….Today is Where Your Book Begins!

I’m impressed, and it makes perfect sense. Good food is made at home.

He recently told PopEater that cooking is one of the things he and his partner, the beautiful Camila Alves love to do. In his words, “Cooking is one of the main things we do. One and a half hours to two hours a day. We eat out like once every two months because we cook. It’s really great family time from six to eight. Glass of wine and we start mixing up sauces and trying new things. See what we can pull off and we swap, sometimes I’m the cook, sometimes Camila is the cook.”

The pair, who have two children, son Levi, two, and 14-month-old daughter Vida – rarely go out together because they have so much fun trying out new recipes.

They enjoy getting into the kitchen and mixing things up. McConaughey said, “We’ve got a whole bunch of things to fill up a cookbook right now. We might as well put it all in a cookbook.”

My sentiments exactly!

What else does the “Lincoln Lawyer” enjoy? When he isn’t in the kitchen, 41-year-old Matthew loves going for a drive as he claims being behind the wheel of his car gives him time to relax and think.

McConaughey said: “When I’m driving, that’s my favorite place to think. Or not think. “I like to put myself in a place where the answers sort of show up and my favorite place is behind a wheel, heading somewhere.”

Sounds like the next place he’s heading may be the bookstores for some book signings!

And BTW Matthew,  if you need any help with that book….call me, the Cookbook Coach! I’d be glad to help!

Here’s what I know…

Your ability to achieve success and happiness by reaching your goals in the publishing industry as an author is more likely to occur when you partner with a coach.

Almost all writers have experienced the fear of rejection and the pain of judgment.

We each desire success in our careers and the opportunity to share our special message and gifts with the world.

We each want to be seen and acknowledged for who we are and what we do.

We each strive to be a part of the broader community of thought leaders and authors.

And here’s what you need…

A partnership with a coach who has insights into the process and, who can appreciate and develop your unique talents.

An opportunity that will allow you to leap to the next greatest level of your success, and experience the fulfillment and happiness that comes with being a published author.

Forming a partnership with me will allow you to achieve clarity about the book you want to write and…

Where and how it fits into your business, your life purpose, and your life mission.

And with my help…

You will break through your creative blocks, and move forward to your next steps on your publishing journey.

For a moment, just imagine…

Having personal access to my expertise and skills which can help you:

• Overcome the creative confusion that has held you back for far too long…
• Feel that you understand and can swiftly execute the appropriate steps to finish a book proposal
• Speak with literary agents and acquisitions editors in the major U.S. publishing companies who are eager to review and acquire the rights to your book
• Stand on the threshold of a brand-new publishing career!
• Take charge of your destiny and creating a contract—on your own terms.

WORK WITH LAURA

Writing a book can change your world and your life for the better. A book establishes you as an expert, boosts your brand, increases your bottom line and opens doors to more business-building activities such as speaking engagements, workshops and seminars, TV, radio and tele-seminar gigs.

My first book changed my life and has created endless opportunities for me that continue to come my way. I like to think of my book as “the gift that keeps on giving.”

There is nothing like having your own book to use as a marketing and promotional tool. Wherever you go, you can take your book with you. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But the problem is that most people don’t want to do the work that is required to write a book, let alone, market it. Marketing is where the real work starts. The whole process can be overwhelming, leaving many people with only a dream of writing a book. A dream that may never come true.

Did you know that these days, publishers expect authors to market their own books? Specifically, they want to know what you are going to do to make your book a success.

Publishers want to know what you’re bringing to the table. And, they want to know if you’ve done your homework. In other words, they want to know that you know who your competition is, who your target market is, and how you’re going to go about selling your book.

So… that’s why you need a coach, and that’s exactly where I come in. Writing, publishing, marketing books, and working with authors is my expertise and— it’s what I love to do.

I know what it takes to write a book, and more importantly, I know how your book will build your brand and increase your net worth by creating passive income for you! Your completed book can be a source of cash flow for years to come.

If you take action now, the passive income opportunities you create for yourself will become part of your long-term wealth-building plan and, an integral part of your personal economy. This income can last the rest of your life and become part of your legacy.

I’m committed to working with you every step of the way to ensure that your book is successful.

You just need to have a system, and be motivated to take action! Are you ready? I am!

If writing a cookbook or a book is one of the dreams on your list of things you’d like to accomplish, LET’S GO FOR IT! I want to help you do just that. I want to help you maximize your efforts, and create real benefits for yourself and your family without wasting time.

This is the right time to tap into your creative gifts and use your talent!

I’ve trained with some of the greatest coaches in the world including Anthony Robbins, Jack Canfield, T. Harv Eker, Alexandria Brown, Fabienne Frederickson, Brian Tracy, Loral Langemeier, David Neagle and Carl Logrecco. I’ve absorbed their teachings and I’ve implemented what they’ve taught me into what I’m offering you.

One message that we all agree on is this —

YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACTION!!!

ACTION is the common thread that leads to success! And that’s why I’m so excited to share what I’ve learned from both my personal experience and from these world famous experts! I want to help you take action now!

I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be easy. But, what I can tell you is that what I can offer you are strategies and solutions that will greatly cut your learning curve. You will not waste time learning “how” to do things. You will get things done quickly with my laser-targeting coaching methods.

Here are some things to consider.

1. I bring tremendous value to the table.

Paying me for what I know is an investment in your future.  When you work with me, you will enjoy the benefit of my years of experience that have led me to develop my methods and strategies. My fee will represent only a small fraction of the money I’ve spent on seminars, workshops, coaching, books and information. I’m now at a point in my career when it is time to share my knowledge with you.

Whether you hire me individually, buy one of my information products, or attend one of my seminars, you’re going to walk away with techniques, strategies, tools, inspiration and support that will save you enormous amounts of time, money, and effort in writing, marketing and branding your book and your business. The information I offer you will shorten the learning curve considerably, and you can benefit from everything I’ve learned, and even the mistakes I’ve made when I was just starting out.

2. The publishing industry is in a state of flux, but—this time offers tremendous opportunity.

It’s time to embrace new and exciting methods to be successful! There’s a new game in town when it comes to books. Traditional publishing methods take too long, and don’t always work. Yes, it’s competitive, but so am I. I will envision and craft a plan for you taking into account all opportunities. I will imagine you achieving incredible results, and work accordingly to bring that vision to reality.

I’m results oriented and I will keep you motivated to play your best game. We are talking giant leaps here, not little steps. If you are scared or uncomfortable for too long, this probably won’t work. I believe that progress requires you to step out of the comfort zone, and step into your greatness, and I will be your guide.

3. I am selective with the clients I accept.

Because I value your success as much as I value my own, I cannot accept every client that contacts me. I expect the same level of commitment from my clients, as they expect and deserve from me. So, you need to be absolutely positive you want to take the journey, and serious about your goals.

Based on my experience, I know we’ll work together well if you:

• Keep an open mind and are willing to accept and implement new strategies and ideas.
• Remain realistic. It takes time to write and market a book. It takes time to establish a brand and image. And it takes time to build your bottom line. Making unrealistic demands won’t produce the best results for either one of us.
• Are patient! I work with several clients at a time. I promise to respond to you, but be patient and wait your turn.
• Follow and respect schedules. I can’t be available 24/7 and still do my best. By establishing a schedule for meetings, phone calls, etc., we remain respectful of each others’ time and we come together prepared for each meeting.

If you think we might be a good fit, let’s continue the discussion. Contact me and we’ll set up a consultation to discuss your project and your needs. Through the consultation process, we can determine how well we can work together.

4. I don’t work for free, and I require funds up front to start work.

Here’s what you need to know. As a professional and a business woman, I can’t risk my business or my livelihood on possible future success. At this stage in my career I do not give my time and effort towards someone else’s success without compensation. You may have a fantastic idea, and that’s wonderful, but I do not work on commission or on a promise of payment from projected future profits. If you value my time, expertise and effort, we can begin work once a fee and payment schedule is established. Your initial payment is expected as proof that you value my time and expertise. Once that relationship is established, I will give you everything you hired me to do.

5. I’m the expert, and you’re the client.

My work shouldn’t have to pass the approval of your family, friends, or coworkers. It’s impossible to please everybody all of the time, and asking me to do so will hinder our results. Our expert/client relationship is between us. When you seek the feedback of others, it puts me in the position of having several bosses, which is not fair. If you trust me enough to hire me, then you must continue to trust me by knowing that the advice and guidance I am giving you will give you the best results.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s GO!

Coaching and Consultation:

To get started, schedule a Personal 1-Hour Consultation with Laura

I look forward to hearing from you and helping your realize your book!

One of my clients, Chef Franco Lania has become good at making videos for his cooking demonstrations. For me, this has really been great to watch. When I first began working with him in February of 2010, he didn’t have too much experience with video. But now he has a whole catalog of his videos on his You Tube and Vimeo channels. And…he edits them!

I couldn’t resist……Although Franco has written a few great testimonials for me during the time we have been working together, I thought it was a good time to begin collecting Video Testimonials.

So……I asked him for a video testimonial.  And for those of you who don’t know, I have been coaching him to write his first book. The only thing I requested from Chef Franco was that he tell about what things were like for him, with regards to his book writing “before” he started working with me. And…what things are like for him “now that he’s been working with me.”  That’s it!

Doing testimonials on video brings a whole new dimension to the testimonial.  I truly got more than I asked for, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. Check it out…..

With 300+ rose recipes from all over the world, The Rose Cookbook is steeped in history and anecdotes, offering cooks of all levels an opportunity to use roses in the kitchen in a fun, exciting, and new way.  Always elegant, The Rose Cookbook will inspire and entertain readers—cooks and gardeners alike.

With an expanded section devoted to tea time and entertaining, women and men of all ages will enjoy creating recipes that will surprise and impress party guests, making even the smallest gathering, a memorable occasion!  The recipes in The Rose Cookbook can be enjoyed at anytime, and will be equally pleasurable at special occasions, full-blown parties, meals with family, or with a simple cup of tea, enjoyed in peace and solitude.

Readers will learn that botanically, the rose has some health-giving family members including apples, peaches, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and almonds.  The author has taken a natural and intuitive approach to combining rose petals and rose flavorings with these fruits in many of the dessert and main course recipes.  The end results will show that these related ingredients compliment each other, bringing food and flowers to the table in a creative and beautiful way.

The Rose Cookbook will delight everyone with its wide variety of tantalizing main dishes, sumptuous desserts, elegant tea sandwiches, jams, sauces, beverages and beauty recipes, along with some interesting rose history, anecdotes and quotations.  Cooking with roses is fun, and garnishing a dish with rose petals brings joy to the cook, captivates guests, and fascinates children!

Originally self-published in 2007, The Rose Cookbook second edition will be re-released by Balanced Rock Press in the fall of 2013. The new edition will include color photos.

Chef Franco is a seasoned chef who is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, London. He also holds a certificate, CIF for Master Chef from Castigliole d’ Asti, Italy.

No stranger to Food Network, he’s appeared on a recent episode of “Challenge.”  He also auditioned for “America’s Next Great Restaurant,” where he got a chance to meet Bobby Flay.

Franco has traveled the world cooking for the past 20 years working in some of the finest restaurants  in London, Milan, Miami, Los Angeles and New York. He’s worked on cruise ships and sailed through the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, and the Caribbean.

Most recently he worked on the famed Oceania Cruise Line. There he headed their flag ship restaurant—Toscana, as the Italian Chef. Oceania is a top rated luxury cruise line with an award-winning culinary program. Oceania maintains a strong and talented culinary management team, all under the watchful eye of none other than Master chef Jacques Pepin.

I’ve been working with Chef Franco on his long-awaited first book since February. I for one am hoping to see Chef Franco on The Next Food Network Star 7, which is currently casting for the next season.

Let’s get a REAL CHEF on this upcoming season!

VOTE FOR FRANCO NOW!!

If you would like to vote for Chef Franco click here.  Find his photo on the page and click “VOTE FOR ME.” You can vote more than once, but you can only vote once a day! Let’s push Franco to the top and let TV Food Network know that they have an upcoming STAR on their hands!!

Franco knows his stuff, has a great personality, already has tons of fans, and will surely get tons more  if he is cast for the show!

To learn more about Chef Franco Lania, visit his site.

Good Luck Franco!!

Laura Denktash is an author, publisher, marketing, and branding passionista who truly enjoys working with people to create and build authentic and powerful branding that enhances their life and their business.

I wanted to make sure that there would be super high-value for the members.

I think I have succeeded.  I only wish an association like the IACBW existed when I was writing my first cookbook!

But, that is part of the reason I founded the organization!

With that said, I am taking this “March Madness” thing a step further and I have come up with what I hope  can be an irresistible offer for those of you who have been “thinking” about joining.

In addition to all the membership benefits, I am offering 6 FREE HOURS of group coaching to anyone who joins in the month of March!

The goal of our organization is to offer training and  encouragement to cookbook writers so they feel empowered and energized to develop their cookbook idea and bring it forth into the marketplace. We support their efforts with education, resources, and community.

So if you are considering writing your cookbook and completing it this year, which is completely possible with my system and support, please check out the special limited-time offer I’ve put together at  IACBW!

Let me know how I can be of service  in assisting you in achieving your goals of being a published cookbook author in 2010!

I would love to help you make your dream a reality!

But… I decided to take the “high road.” First off, I had to be honest with myself. I knew in my heart I wouldn’t be getting another job. I had way too much going on to do that.

There was too much at stake. I believe getting laid-off at the time I did was God’s way of freeing me to do my best work.

And I accepted the challenge, along with the responsibility. What was to come was truly amazing…

All I had to do was BELIEVE. Not always an easy thing to do when money suddenly becomes very tight. Not always easy, when you’re doing all the work yourself. Not always easy, when you sometimes wonder….What am I doing?

But…I now had all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted…Everyday…at exactly the time I wanted to do it. How liberating!

Being an entrepreneur is very challenging. It’s a HUGE responsibility, and not for the faint of heart. But when you truly embrace the freedom it offers, and allow yourself to create…

You can even “shock and awe” yourself. Yes…I exploded onto the scene. I’ve even exceeded my own expectations. I’ve gone from being LAID-OFF to LAUNCHING AN EMPIRE!!!!

I’m mentioning this because I’m hoping I can encourage and inspire you to believe in your dreams to a fault. To believe with so much commitment and conviction, that you begin doing things almost without thinking.

It’s as if you are on “automatic pilot.”What it’s really called is…Being GUIDED. GUIDED by the true source; the very source of creative energy. The ESSENCE.

I never would have been able to accomplish what I have over this past year had I still been employed at a JOB. And let’s not forget how much I have learned and grown. WOW!

Why? Because… never once did I say “no.” Never once did I doubt that if I had an idea…then it must be so.

I truly believed and continue to believe that if I get an idea, that I am capable of achieving it simply because I’ve been given the idea.

Because the ideas…Come from the SOURCE. It’s that simple. When you embrace this type of possibility thinking…You become unstoppable.

I have yielded to the SOURCE, and I eagerly await my next instructions!

The fair was held last weekend in conjunction with the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards.

This will be an annual event and the event will make its home in Paris.

I can’t think of a better reason to go to Paris next year!

I’ll be attending as the Founder of my new membership organization – the International Association of Cookbook Writers – IACBW, and as a publisher for my new publishing company.

I am encouraging all of my students to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity and get their cookbooks completed!

If you have been thinking about writing a cookbook, make it happen this year.

I will be taking manuscripts with me to next year’s Paris Cookbook Fair!!

From the sounds of it, there were not that many American publishers in attendance.

So let’s sharpen up our French language skills, and let’s go. How much fun would that be?

Is anyone game?

If you need help getting a cookbook started….contact me!

YouCanWriteACookbook

Starting to write a cookbook is no different from starting to write any book. That means the best way to start your cookbook project is by asking one simple question: Why? That’s right…why? Consider this—if you were submitting your manuscript for publication through a traditional publisher; you’d be required to submit a detailed proposal.

One of the important components of the proposal includes explanations about why your book should be published and, why anyone would want to read it. This can seem harsh to a newbie, but it’s important to know. When you submit a proposal, you’re actually asking for a chance to “sell” your book idea to the publisher. What they really want to know is if you can tell them why they should bother to read your proposal and your manuscript. So—you have to be really clear on why that is, or you’ll get nowhere fast.

But maybe you’re wondering how this applies to self-publishing. You need to know the “why” for yourself. So you can be sure of your project’s worth from start to finish. If you don’t know why you’re doing it from the beginning, you may wake up one morning wondering why the heck you’re putting yourself through writing a cookbook to begin with. That could cause you to give up when the going gets tough. Further, if you don’t know why you’re writing your cookbook you probably won’t be able to identify your “target market.” And that spells disaster for any cookbook project.

If you want to self-publish a cookbook and you want it to be successful, you owe it to yourself to go through the exercise of writing a book proposal. By doing so, you’ll learn everything you need to know about your cookbook. The book proposal becomes the written business plan for your cookbook. When completed, the book proposal will serve as a compass to guide you through the entire process. You’ll know where you’re going with your cookbook and, you’ll know how to get there. You’ll know everything you need to know about your customer and, you’ll know what you have to do to market your cookbook.

When you become clear on the WHY, you’ll be empowered. This will support the strong inner belief you’ll need to carry you through the duration of your writing project. You’ll also be able to speak about your cookbook confidently and intelligently when you begin marketing. And whether you’re doing that online or face-to-face, communicating effectively will come in very handy. So gather your recipes, do your research, write your stories, and type to your heart’s content, just know why you’re doing it!

If you’re an entrepreneur, you want to be able to have the freedom to work when you want, and have the freedom to choose the clients you want to work with. If you’re a business owner, you need to realize that your brand and your business are connected. Neither one can truly succeed without the other. So, the success of your brand will depend on how true it comes to the real you and, how well you manage and communicate that image to the marketplace. Either way, you’ll need to know who you are, what you stand for, and what qualities make you unique.

A personal brand is exciting because it tells the world about you, your values, and your beliefs. When properly crafted, your brand will allow your customers to know, like, and trust you. This feeling will build into a relationship between you and your customer, giving them the confidence to expect the same quality experience with you every time.

Once you’re clear on your brand, you’ll have so many choices about the ways you can communicate that out to the world. The middlemen are gone. By embracing social media as the incredible tool that it is, you’ll be able to maintain and expand your brand and reach millions of people with a few keystrokes a day!

Branding for Brilliance!
Your Book, Your Brand, Your Brilliance!

Starting to write a cookbook is no different from starting to write any book. That means the best way to start your cookbook project is by asking one simple question: Why? That’s right…why? Consider this—if you were submitting your manuscript for publication through a traditional publisher; you’d be required to submit a detailed proposal.

One of the important components of the proposal includes explanations about why your book should be published and, why anyone would want to read it. This can seem harsh to a newbie, but it’s important to know. When you submit a proposal, you’re actually asking for a chance to “sell” your book idea to the publisher. What they really want to know is if you can tell them why they should bother to read your proposal and your manuscript. So—you have to be really clear on why that is, or you’ll get nowhere fast.

But maybe you’re wondering how this applies to self-publishing. You need to know the “why” for yourself. So you can be sure of your project’s worth from start to finish. If you don’t know why you’re doing it from the beginning, you may wake up one morning wondering why the heck you’re putting yourself through writing a cookbook to begin with. That could cause you to give up when the going gets tough. Further, if you don’t know why you’re writing your cookbook you probably won’t be able to identify your “target market.” And that spells disaster for any cookbook project.

If you want to self-publish a cookbook and you want it to be successful, you owe it to yourself to go through the exercise of writing a book proposal. By doing so, you’ll learn everything you need to know about your cookbook. The book proposal becomes the written business plan for your cookbook. When completed, the book proposal will serve as a compass to guide you through the entire process. You’ll know where you’re going with your cookbook and, you’ll know how to get there. You’ll know everything you need to know about your customer and, you’ll know what you have to do to market your cookbook.

When you become clear on the WHY, you’ll be empowered. This will support the strong inner belief you’ll need to carry you through the duration of your writing project. You’ll also be able to speak about your cookbook confidently and intelligently when you begin marketing. And whether you’re doing that online or face-to-face, communicating effectively will come in very handy. So gather your recipes, do your research, write your stories, and type to your heart’s content, just know why you’re doing it!

The excerpt consists of a recipe for my Almond & Rose Pound Cake. I am really excited and  honored to have been recognized by the American Rose society. I am a member of the Riverside, CA chapter, although I live in northern California. Earlier this year I made a trip to Riverside to speak at their monthly meeting and I also attended their Rose Show that weekend.

I make several appearances during the year at chapter meetings. It is always a lot of fun. So here’s the link to the magazine below. My book is featured on page 53. For more information or to purchase The Rose Cookbook, please visit my website http://TheRoseDiva.com

At the Rose Diva you will find over 1200 items that are rose related including perfume, soaps, gourmet rose foods, books about caring for rose, rose-themed housewares and basically anything rosey under the sun! So if you have a rose-lover on your Christmas list, please visit!

Here’s the link to the American Rose Magazine

http://www.facebook.com/notes/american-rose-society/januaryfebruary-2010-american-rose/189625426707

Exiting the theater at the end of the performance they were surprised to find that it was snowing. It was now time to go to another nearby theater to meet with yet another famous Swedish actress-Sanna Ekman.

Sanna Ekman heralds from a long lineage of successful Swedish actors. Ms.Ekman’s uncle, Gösta Ekman, Jr. is the third generation in a family line of prominent Swedish actors starting with his paternal grandfather also named Gösta Ekman, Sr. and then his father Hasse Ekman, a successful film director and actor. The “Ekman theatre family” also includes his brothers Stefan Ekman, an actor, and Mikael Ekman , a stage director.

Joacim had recently contacted Ms. Ekman by email requesting her to contribute a recipe for his second cookbook project. She gladly gave him a recipe and suggested to the young writer that they meet in person.

Joacim was thrilled at this opportunity and admitted to being “a little nervous.” But once the two met, he found Sanna to be gracious and very nice. His book of Swedish recipes, which he is dedicating as a tribute to his grandmother, is set for release in January 2010. It has been written in Swedish and is in the process of being translated into English. Both versions of the cookbook will be self-published.

His second cookbook will be released later in 2010. Joacim is an avid collector of celebrity autographs, boasting a collection of almost 400. He also heads up the fan club of famous Swedish musician Caroline Af Ugglas, and he writes a blog about Lisa Marie Presley.

I really enjoy working with Joacim. Coaching him is really a lot of fun! He is the ideal client! He is motivated, determined, and energetic. He has made great strides since we have been working together!  I truly look forward to working with him on his future writing projects, developing his “personal brand” and marketing his books in the United States and beyond.

Chairman and founder of Gourmand International, Edouard Cointreau will launch the first annual Paris Cookbook Fair in February 2010. Speaking during an interview with Edward Nawotka from the Beijing Book Fair earlier this year, Mr. Cointreau stated he has decided to launch the first Cookbook Fair in conjunction with the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, an event he started in 1995. This event will be the largest cookbook and wine book trade fair in the world.

The first Cookbook Fair will take place February 11-15, 2010 in Paris at Le104, a hip new industrial exhibition/arts center which opened in October 2008. There will be a reasonably large space provided for publishers, cookbook authors, agents, chefs, journalists, and others to meet and mingle. Cointreau went on to say there would be space for cooking demonstrations, samples, and what he referred to as a “rights center” where deal making could occur. There is also a large bookstore on the site.

Even in the recession, cookbook sales have steadily increased, with sales in the US up 4% over last year. What’s truly exciting about this is that the fastest growing segment of the cookbook business is self-published cookbooks. Cointreau felt this to be one of the most important reasons to start his own fair just for cookbooks.

Referring to undiscovered talent that may not get any attention at traditional book fairs Cointreau said, “We plan to invite all of these authors, including the self-published, to Paris,”  “There’s no reason, provided their books are high quality, they shouldn’t be able to participate on equal footing with all the other publishers. There’s a real opportunity here for cookbook publishers to discover some new talent, particularly from other countries.”

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards have been presented annually in a variety of global locations, from Kuala Lumpur to London, honoring cookbooks in 58 different categories of food and drink. The Gourmand awards are open to any book from any country written  in any language. Books from 126 countries were submitted at the most recent competition.

Cointreau will be looking to capitalize on the geographically vast network he’s established. He’s chosen Paris as the permanent location for the Cookbook Fair. Cointreau elaborated, “Paris is a city that has a reputation for culinary excellence, is halfway between Asia and America, just two hours by train from London, and a place where people from the Middle East are comfortable visiting.”

For more information about this event contact:

Edouard Cointreau
edouard@gourmandbooks.com
CookbookFair.com

You can find more information about self-publishing your own cook book by visiting Cookbook Coach.com … a leading authority for self-published cookbooks .