All our "Dubyas"

First, I've never been a cat person. "Book," as you all know, is my chocolate Lab and office assistant. MacKenzie's new kitten is spending a lot of time in the office though... and I loved this photo of her on my "pride shelf" above my desk. These are all signed copies of our books from the authors we've published. I remember ten years ago, when we had a handful of books, I used to visualize a long bookshelf with the Wyatt-MacKenzie logo on every spine. Tadaa!

On this wall are some of the awards and media I've received. The frame with my favorite local articles are always a hoot to friends and family that stop by the office. They don't realize there are two huge bins hidden behind them of international media Wyatt-MacKenzie books and authors have received... from the NY Times to the Wall St. Journal and every magazine known to women and moms to newspapers of every author's local city, copies of awards, and most recently a bound book from the Nobel Laureate Ceremonies which our author inserted notes with each Laureate's comments on our book... utterly wonderfully fulfilling. I wish my dad could have been alive to see that one, and my bookshelf, sans cat. He despised cats. 

For the Love of Publishing

I often joke with people that the best ROI on a book we've published... ever... was when a young mom who wrote a book about single motherhood gave a reading at a bookstore... and fell in love with the bookstore owner, and vice versa. They were married not long after (in one of the most breath-taking weddings it was featured in the pages of Essence Magazine!)


This week I witnessed another magical moment in a new author's journey. The moment a writer has when someone they've written about in a memoir is the first to get an advance review copy and sends a response like this...

"Sorry, but I just couldn't wait to finish before getting back to you. It's a fascinating read to say the least. Congratulations on a job beautifully done! And not for a moment do I think that my bias has colored my judgment; I am certain that other readers will find All the Pretty Shoes equally compelling.

I hope that you can forgive me one personal indulgence: From the first week or two that we met, I was fascinated by you and the story that I thought you should tell the world. By reading your book I feel charged and invigorated knowing that my judgment about you was spot-on. For that, I am quietly grateful—more, I think, than you are ever likely to imagine.

Over the course of my life, moving about as often as I did, I have had the opportunity to meet many interesting people. Some even had a book inside them. But only you had the courage, perseverance and skill to let it out. I cannot overstate my respect and pride in you."

When Marika forwarded snippets of these emails, from her many-years-past beau, I couldn't help but bubble over with happiness, and with my love of publishing.

Be sure to check out Marika's site I finished last week AllthePrettyShoes.com and read the compelling first chapter. View the photos which made it through the Holocaust and onto my scanner... Man, I love what I do.

Review of SOUL TO SOUL PARENTING

We're so thankful to ForeWord Magazine for such a thoughtful review!

FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS

Soul To Soul Parenting: A Guide to Raising a Spiritually Conscious Family

Annie Burnside

Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing

The over-abundance of books about spirituality speaks to the need many people feel for a more authentic, connected life; the best of these books can open doors without indulging in judgment or condescension. Soul to Soul Parenting earns its place among the best with its honesty, humor, and authenticity.

Through a combination of stories about her personal journey, ideas borrowed from the teachings of other spiritual leaders, and old-fashioned common sense, mom, educator, and soul-nurturer Annie Burnside invites her readers to strive for a deeper family experience. There are lots of distractions in the day-to-day lives of families: work, school, sports, entertainment, and vacations. By approaching each element of family life with an attitude of openness and an eye for spiritual potential, parents and children can infuse daily activities with a deeper communion.

A clear structure and vibrant text make her book ultimately readable. The first third of the book focuses on what Burnside calls Parenting Vehicles, which are practical, tangible things families can do to get in touch with their spiritual nature. The second part of the book looks more deeply into what these practices teach us, what she calls Soul to Soul Parenting Spiritual Themes. After every chapter she includes book, movie, and music suggestions that reflect and deepen the lesson. Burnside has a Masters in Education and a family with which she has developed this approach to spirituality.

Her own family serves as her most frequent example. She shares her family's special rituals, their spiritual sign, and some of their Soul to Soul Reminders—quotes about spirituality that are posted around their home and car to offer gentle reminders to remain connected to their souls. Her willingness to open her own home and family to the eyes of readers speaks to her inherent strength.

Burnside's text feels honest, authentic, friendly, and nonjudgmental. “One individual may feel God kneeling in prayer on the pew of a beautiful old church. That is absolute perfection. Another individual may find God riding on his Harley through the countryside watching the sunrise. That is absolute perfection.” She makes it clear throughout her book that she is not writing from within the confines of one specific religion, that her viewpoint is inclusive as opposed to exclusive, and that her way of parenting from the spirit may not be the same path other parents will take.

With modesty, infectious excitement, and great writing, Burnside offers families an alternative to the fast-paced, materialistic grind in which they often find themselves caught. (June 2010) Andi Diehn

Review date: August 2010.