book review

Strength for Life (Review of a Great Book!)

September 3, 2019 by Joi Leave a Comment

“Eventually, there comes a point in every life where you can no longer ignore the enormous and expanding gap between the life you could be living and the life you’ve settled for…. Every day of your life that you’re not actively engaged in staying fit, eating well, and strengthening your body the gap grows.” – Strength for Life, by Shawn Phillips, page 10

I recently finished reading Strength for Life and, quite frankly, I’m filled with two emotions:

I’m angry at myself. Why didn’t I start, in my 20’s, eating right and exercising every day. By now I could be Wonder Blogger! I’d never have to worry the trauma room (for my male readers, this would be the dressing room), I’d have all the energy I need for anything life throws me or for anything I want to throw it, and I’d be setting a golden opportunity for my three daughters.
I’m excited! It’s never to late to do what you should have done. There aren’t any NO U TURNS signs along life’s highway, so I can start today (actually the day I opened the book) getting my butt in shape – as well as the rest of me.

I knew the author, Shawn Phillips, and I would hit it off right from the start. You see, while I’m a typical girly girl, I’m also a huge sports fan. My favorite teams are the UK Wildcats, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Denver Broncos. At the end of chapter 1, Shawn quoted my all-time favorite QB, John Elway, and referred to him as “a friend.”

So, I settled back with the book to see what an author with impeccable taste had to say.

A Wake-Up Call

Do you realize how out of control obesity is in America? According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 and older are obese and 65 percent are either overweight or obese. 65 percent!

Even more disturbing, to me, is the following statistic: In the kid’s group, one out of five ages 12 to 19 is now considered obese. That absolutely breaks my heart.

Not only does being overweight keep you from living the life you should be living, it’ll end your life much sooner than it should end. It’s not just about being able to keep up on the playground or tennis court, it’s not just about how those Levi’s look, and it’s not just about leaving the trauma room with your head high as opposed to buried in your hands – it’s about being around for your loved ones as long as you possibly can!

What Strength for Life Can Mean for You

I’m certain I’ve pointed out before how difficult it can be to write a book review. Especially when it’s for a book that you’re dying for your readers to read. On one hand, I want to tell you all that I learned from the book. For someone with the gift for gab like me, it’s particularly hard NOT to give everything away. The problem with that, of course, is that you’d have no reason to buy the book. Not a very fair thing to do to an author who put their heart and soul into the publication.

Let me try to Bullet Point the reasons you should read Strength For Life as soon as you possibly can (bullet points usually keep my gift… that would be the gift of gab… within reason):

The author, Shawn Phillips, is a fitness expert in every sense of the word. He’s been in the business for over 20 years and has helped not just thousands, but tens of thousands of people live better, healthier, and stronger lives.
Strength for Life includes an eating plan that gives you more energy than you’ll remember ever having. The nutrition tips are golden (I laughed out loud at his description of pop and will never look at one the same again!) He points out how berries will protect you from the damages of free radicals, why water is more important to drink than we even realize, why apples are the perfect fruit, and a lot more. You feel better AND look better when you eat the way you should – Strength for Life lays it all out for you and even gives sample daily meal plans. There are over 25 pages devoted entirely to educating the reader about nutrition. As a web publisher who spends 50 percent of her day reading about health, food, and nutrition, I was amazed at just how much I learned.
Illustrated, simple exercises make it easy to follow along. They’re accompanied by step by step instructions that are (Thank you, Shawn!) clear and precise. I hate it when an exercise book just shows a picture and tells you something like, Do 3 sets. 3 sets of what?! The exercises in Strength for Life are fun, highly doable, and effective. The entire workout plan can be done a little over 30 minutes. Personally, I like to do them while Andy Griffith’s on. I get started a little before the whistling starts, and I’m usually through by the time Andy has gotten Barney out of his recent scrape. Mayberry makes a perfect soundtrack and I know the shows by heart, so I don’t have to look up from my book or “focal point” to know what’s going on.
Get this – there’s a boot camp in this book! The book refers to it as Base Camp, but my body’s convinced it’s boot camp. And I love it. Section 2 is called “Base Camp: 12 Days That Will Recharge Your Body and Mind.” I’m certain that recharging your body and mind appeal to you as much as they do to me!
Goal setting and achieving exercises provide the motivation you need to make all of your fitness dreams come true.

What’s So Great About Shawn Phillips?!

Shawn Phillips is one of the most motivating and inspiring authors I’ve ever read (and you know me, I read – therefore I am). Even when the book is CLOSED and you’re making your food choices in the store or the kitchen, you feel like Shawn is there with you – saying, “I think there’s a better solution…here, let’s try this instead,” “Look at the ingredients – corn syrup, you know what that means..,” or “Are you completely out of your mind?! Put that back.”

You also feel like he’s there when you’re walking or exercising – coaching you and WILLING for you to make it. He’d actually make a wonderful trainer on a show like The Biggest Loser because, while he’s filled with information, he has an even more important trait: He honestly cares about the health, fitness, well-being, and happiness of his readers. You can tell it in his words. I read so much that authors can’t even begin to fool me – I know sincerity when I see it.

Now It’s Up to You

I strongly urge you to buy this book as soon as possible – the sooner, the better, because the minute you start reading is the minute you turn your life around. As a bonus, if you’re a parent like me, you begin setting a golden example to your children. They’ll even get on board with you! A few days ago, I asked my oldest daughter what sounded good for lunch. Instead of the typical Fries and a Burger answer, she said “a grilled chicken salad.” I couldn’t make it for her fast enough!

I hope that TODAY you’ll think about “the gap” that began this post. I hope you’ll get a good, clear picture of the life you could be living – the one you’d spell out for a genie. Then I hope you’ll realize that the first step you should take (to make your wishes come true) is to get a copy of Strength for Life as soon as you possibly can.

Nah, sooner.

As the greatest quarterback to ever play (I believe his name was John Elway) once said, “If you’re going to set a goal, aim high!”

Make each moment count double,

~ Joi

Creative Book of Writing Prompts and Exercises: “Kicking in the Wall” by Barbara Abercrombie

November 9, 2018 by Joi Leave a Comment

Kicking in the Wall by Barbara AbercrombieMy husband, daughters, and I once attended a major league baseball game. Being a baseball-loving family, it was a day we’ll never forget. Enjoying all delicious nine innings was easy, standing and clapping were easy… heck, even over-paying for Cokes and snacks was easy. The only difficult part of the process was finding our way into the stadium! Each door seemed to recommend another door and we found ourselves in a maze with thousands of other baseball fans.

Once we were in the door, we became one with the flow of other fans and we all found our seats. After that, it was all good. In fact, very good.

I often think about that day when I’m staring at a blank screen or sheet of paper. When it comes to writing, finding the way IN is half the battle. Once you’re in the door, you get in the flow and… with any luck.. it’s a win.

Writing prompts can be one of a writer’s best friends – right up there with coffee in fact. Kicking in the Wall is my new favorite writing prompts book and if you are a writer, author (any genre), and/or blogger (we can use prompts as much as anyone), you’ll definitely want to add this book to your library.

“I would go as far as I could and hit a wall,” said musician and memoirist Patti Smith. In response, playwright Sam Shepard advised, “When you hit a wall, just kick it in.” Writing teacher Barbara Abercrombie’s powerful writing prompts give us just the push we need to do it. Like a workout with a top trainer, her exercises warm up, stretch, and build creative muscle.

Kicking In the Wall includes quotes from famous writers to accompany the exercises, as well as real-world examples of completed exercises by the author’s students in the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program. Though Abercrombie says readers need only commit to five minutes per exercise, she writes, “I’ve seen novels, memoirs, and many essays get started in those five minutes, and a lot ended up being published.” Her playful method is essential fuel for writers trying to get off the starting block, persevere through challenges, and cross their personal creativity finish lines.

Author Barbara Abercrombie wrote another one of my favorite books for writers, A Year of Writing Dangerously, so I absolutely couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. Spending time with one of her books is like spending time with your own personal writing instructor as she gives you one-on-one advice, tips, and even “hacks.”

I not at all surprised she has this effect on her readers. Not only is she an author, she teaches at the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program. Is it any wonder her books have such a profound effect on her readers?

See Kicking in the Wall for more information.

Keep writing!

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Book Review: Defeating Dementia by Richard Furman MD

May 9, 2018 by Joi Leave a Comment

Defeating Dementia

As of today (May 9, 2018), if you Google How to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, you’ll be given About 25,400,000 results. That means there are A LOT of people talking about Alzheimer’s (and Dementia) prevention and even more people looking for the information.

From the Inside Cover of Defeating Dementia:

Dementia. It’s one of the most dreaded conditions we face as we age. Many people claim they would rather be diagnosed with cancer than dementia or Alzheimer’s. What many don’t realize is that dementia is not a forgone conclusion as we get older. Our own lifestyle choices and habits can have a significant impact–for good or ill–on our chances of developing the disease. And that means there’s hope.

Drawing from the latest medical research, Dr. Richard Furman helps readers understand dementia and Alzheimer’s and shows them how to make three powerful lifestyle changes that can help decrease the probability of developing this disease. He explains how eating the right foods, exercising, and sustaining an ideal weight can dramatically reduce the likelihood of developing dementia in the first place, and even how it can slow the progression of the disease in someone who has already received a diagnosis.

When you’re talking about one of the most unkind and relentless diseases of our time, “hope” is a beautiful word, indeed.

When reviewing a book on the self help blog (or any other blog, for that matter), I think it’s always important to give a little information about the author. After all, if we’re going to invest in reading what they say… we should know why we should! Richard Furman, MD, FACS spent more than 30 years as a vascular surgeon. He is the past president of the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Past president of the North Carolina Surgical Society, and two-term governor of the American College of Surgeons. He co-founded the World Medical Mission (the medical arm of the wonderful “Samaritan’s Purse“) and is a member of the board of Samaritan’s Purse. He is also the author of Prescription for Life and Your Cholesterol Matters.

About Samaritan’s Purse: Samaritan’s Purse is a non-denominational evangelical Christian International Relief organization. The author’s proceeds from Defeating Dementia will be donated to Samaritan’s Purse for World Medical Mission to assist doctors serving at mission hospitals abroad.

Defeating Dementia gives a clear and concise overview of Dementia (including Alzheimer’s Disease) – broken down in terms we can all understand… and, as you’ll see when you read the book.. understanding the disease is pivotal in preventing the disease. There are, in fact, quite a few things we can do to tilt the odds in our favor – That is where hope comes in.

There are four distinct parts of Defeating Dementia.

Understanding Dementia, The Stages of Alzheimer’s, & The Brain, Imagery, and Testing
The Aging Process and the Health of Your Arteries
The Risk Factors for Developing Alzheimer’s Disease (such as high cholesterol, being overweight, having high blood pressure….)
Lifestyle Choices for Defeating Dementia (covers diet, physical activity, and other areas you probably haven’t even considered)

Each of the four sections are packed with valuable information and advice which is, again, presented in a very clear and concise manner. The book is very enjoyable and “reads” very fast – in fact, you should make yourself slow down every now and again to make sure you don’t miss anything. Mental fitness is one of my biggest passions in life, so I actually took notes along the way.

From the Back Cover:

In the fight against dementia, the most powerful player is you.

“While many books have been written about individuals with Alzheimer’s, none has so seamlessly connected the disease biology, the patient experience, and the preventative science as Dr. Furman does so skillfully. Dr. Furman’s work will serve as the definitive guide on preventative measures to decrease one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s dementia.”–Senator Bill Frist, nationally recognized heart and lung transplant surgeon, former US Senate majority leader, and chairman of the executive council of Cressey and Company, from the foreword

“I had always thought that there was little one could do to prevent or slow the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. However, in this amazing book, Defeating Dementia, Dr. Richard Furman explains in an easy to understand and detailed way that there are actually things you can be doing right now to decrease your odds of developing Alzheimer’s dementia. This book can change the way you live. It can give you a new hope and practical steps to deal with–and even help prevent–Alzheimer’s.”–Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and founder of Samaritan’s Purse, from the foreword

“Dr. Furman has created a unique book for the public–one that synthesizes decades of research on the prevention and early treatment of dementia into understandable chunks and practical advice. Pairing the science with personal story provides immediacy, underscoring that this advice is not just a good idea, it’s crucial and matters now.”–Dr. Richard Ackermann, director, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Mercer University School of Medicine

Defeating Dementia is available on Amazon and I highly, highly recommend you click through and take a closer look.

Overwhelmed Writer Rescue: Boost Productivity, Improve Time Management, and Replenish the Creator Within by Colleen M. Story

September 14, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

I was recently invited to participate in a Review/Giveaway/Book Tour for the wonderful book you see pictured above, Overwhelmed Writer Rescue by Colleen M. Story. I jumped at the chance because…

I want to add more books about writing to Self Help Daily.
As a web publisher and blogger (with 8 blogs… count ’em, 8), I was pretty interested in the information, myself.
My oldest daughter, Emily, is a writer and I knew this book could help her.

As you’d expect from a mother, the third one was the most appealing to me. Sorry not sorry.

But here’s the thing…. I absolutely loved this book cover to cover! Unlike some non-fiction books, this book read at a really fast pace. As writers and bloggers, we always appreciate that, right? The author has a captivating personality and it comes through each of her words.

While you can tell how much research she has put into her craft, it isn’t what sets this book apart from other writing books.

So, what does set it apart?

Author Colleen M. Story is, perhaps without even trying, incredibly encouraging. Yes, she is presenting a wealth of information (and wonderful tips!) and, yes, she gives her own experience from her side of the pen – but to me the most compelling effect of reading this book is the feeling you’re left with….. I can do this!

Seriously, could you ask for any more from a book?!

{Continued Below}

Advice, Most Excellent from Overwhelmed Writer Rescue

Who Needs this Overwhelmed Writer Rescue?

Published Authors. If you are an author who has seen their work (book, e-book, article, poem) published, congratulations! That is an incredible accomplishment and I am sincerely proud for you. You know more than most how overwhelming the whole process is. This book is still for you, however. In fact, I whole-heartedly believe it could make the process easier the next time around.

You’ll pull out a lot less hair this time.

Future Authors. Okay, confession time. My own family doesn’t even realize this but I’ve had not just one but TWO books in limbo for a few years. Somewhere along the way, life got the upper hand and the books just sort of sat there. I still believe in them with all my heart, I simply set them on the back burner because there was always something on the front burner demanding my attention. Like 8 blogs.

After reading the inspiring words of Colleen M. Story and taking killer notes as I read her book, I have figured out that this whole “back burner” scenario is a crock. When cooking, I use my front burners and back burners simultaneously. There is no either this or that. I don’t say, “Well, the fried catfish and okra are on the front burners, the potatoes and corn won’t make it to the table – after all, they’re on the back burners.”

Why does everything always go back to food with me?

Armed with outstanding advice and much-needed encouragement, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and tackle my neglected books in limbo. Both of them – one at a time.

Bloggers. I have been a web-publisher and blogger for far too many years to count. One thing that has always frustrated me is the fact that, even though most of us writer literally every day of the week, we aren’t often looked at as writers. That’s like looking at a carrot and saying it isn’t a vegetable because it isn’t as expensive as yams.

Again with food.

We are writers. We write. Therefore we are writers.

If you are a blog publisher, you will love this book to Starbucks and back. The information and inspiration are as much for carrots as they are yams. Trust me on this, Overwhelmed Writer Rescue is as much for you as any other writer.

{Continued Below}

Book Description:

FIND THE TIME, ENERGY, AND CONFIDENCE TO MAKE YOUR CREATIVE DREAMS COME TRUE.

Do you feel like you’re always behind? Do less important tasks frequently flood your schedule and sink your creative motivation? Are you frustrated and out of touch with your inner artist?

After 20 years experience in the writing industry, author Colleen M. Story extends a lifeline to pull you out of the sinking swamp of “busyness” and back into the flourishing creative life you deserve.

Today’s demands on writers and other creative artists are overwhelming. Not only must you produce the work you love, but build and maintain a platform and market your finished products to the world—all while holding down a day job and/or caring for a family.

You teeter on the edge. What waits on the other side are burnout, exhaustion, and a complete loss of creative motivation.

“Overwhelmed Writer Rescue” provides practical, personalized solutions to help beginning and experienced writers and other creative artists escape the tyranny of the to-do list to nurture the genius within. You’ll find ways to boost productivity, improve time management, and restore your sanity while gaining insight into your unique creative nature and what it needs to thrive.

Ultimately, you’ll discover what may be holding you back from experiencing the true joy that a creative life can bring.

{Closing thoughts and a Book Giveaway are below!}

About the Author:

Colleen M. Story has worked in the creative writing industry for over twenty years. Her novels include “Loreena’s Gift,” an Idaho Author Awards first place winner, New Apple Solo Medalist winner, Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, Reader Views award finalist, and Best Book Awards finalist; and “Rise of the Sidenah,” a North American Book Awards winner and New Apple Book Awards Official Selection.

As a health writer, she’s authored thousands of articles for publications like “Healthline” and “Women’s Health;” worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg’s; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. She finds most rewarding her work as a motivational speaker and workshop leader, where she helps writers remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers.

Colleen is the founder of Writing and Wellness (writingandwellness.com), a motivational site helping writers and other creative artists maintain their physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being throughout their careers. Sign up for your free weekly email containing tips for living your best creative life at: www.writingandwellness/newsletter.

To find more information on Colleen and her work, please see her website or follow her on Twitter. She loves to hear from readers—feel free to use the “contact” form on either her website or Writing and Wellness to get in touch with her.

In Closing… What Makes This Book Extra Special

I’ve put my finger on what it is that makes Overwhelmed Writer Rescue by Colleen M. Story EXTRA special and it’s simple. She doesn’t give tell you how to manage your time, awaken your creativity, and get things accomplished based upon what works for others – she guides you as you discover how to manage your time, awaken your creativity, and get things accomplished based upon what works for you.

That, as they say, is where the magic happens. We don’t improve in any area of our lives by mimicking what others do. We have to do what works for us, or it won’t stick. Through fascinating information and interactivity (which I love by the way), the author allows the reader to find what works for them, individually.

I recommend this book 110 percent. – Joi

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Hundred Voices: An Anthology (Review)

February 14, 2017 by Joi 1 Comment

Earlier I wrote an article on How to Relax and, immediately after publishing it, I thought, “I think I’ll relax and read a few short stories.”

You just have to love irony, don’t you?!

I have always had a special place in my heart for short stories – whether they’re collected in a beautiful anthology like One Hundred Voices (pictured here) or they’re a collection of short stories from one specific author (Agatha Christie, for example), they rock my literary world.

If you’ve read many of my book reviews on Self Help Daily, you probably know that I very seldom write fiction book reviews. I generally concentrate on inspirational, motivational, health-related, self help…. – genres that resonate with the self help blog.

However, a few things occur to me:

Reading is one of the most relaxing things you can do. It’s a beautiful little mini vacation where you sort of walk away from all the troubles of the world for a while – just long enough to recompose yourself and come back to reality refreshed and ready to grab it by the… well, by whatever you want to grab the world by.
Reading is as beneficial to your brain as it is to your psyche. Somehow, reading fiction is a joyful little workout for your brain cells. As you follow the author’s story, the creative side of your mind becomes FULLY engaged. It begins to say things like, “Will the story go this way?,” “What if this character says this?,” “I can imagine what his neighborhood looks like….” The creative side of our brain, unfortunately, operates on cruise control most of the time. As we go about our daily grind, our creativity simply isn’t frequently called upon. Maybe that’s why reading is so stimulating – we wake up one of the funnest part of our mind – the party animal!

When you take these things into consideration, you realize that reading (whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, or somewhere in between) is phenomenally good for you. If that’s not self help-y, I don’t know what is.

While I spend, probably, 75 percent of my reading time with historical biographies and other works of non-fiction, I absolutely love fiction.

Beware as the self help diva approaches deep waters..

The fascinating thing is there’s a lot of each fictional author in his or her stories. Whether in short stories or novels, authors pour themselves into the story – their loves, hates, fears, victories, losses, dreams…. Anyone who is (like me) terribly fascinated by humans and the things that make them tick will find this truth to be not just delicious but Strawberry Sundae delicious.

One of the authors in One Hundred Voices is my oldest daughter, Emily Dill. This young author isn’t just talented, she is ridiculously talented – and, trust me on this if you ever trusted me on anything – I’m not just saying that because I’m her mother. She is truly a gifted author and everything she writes leaves me speechless.

Not. An. Easy. Task.

I know, firsthand, that Emily pours herself into her fictional stories. Whether it’s her great love for animals (she has two black cats that hung the moon and stars in her and her husband’s world), her love of God, her fascination with graphic novels (favoring heroines and villains – but, seriously, who likes villains??!!), her fanaticism for the Green Bay Packers, her love of children and everything they say or do, or her unrivaled passion for green tea, EACH of her attributes and quirks (I’m looking at you Joker) show up in her stories and I’d wager to say it’s true of all fictional writers.

They may not all be on the surface, but make no mistake about it, they’re there. Why? Because authors pour their heart and soul into their craft. When an author finishes writing a story, there’s often a feeling of BOTH completion and exhaustion.

After pouring themselves body, mind, heart, and soul into creating a fantasy world, they leave nothing on the table – and those of us who read their stories benefit from the whole beautiful process.

Why Short Stories are Extra Special

Like any avid reader, I love a great novel. Getting lost in an Agatha Christie book is a special kind of joy. However, I would be utterly lost without short stories and keep as many around me as possible.

They’re bite-sized tales that stimulate, entertain, and often amaze… all without taking up much of your day. I love that! Sometimes I have time for a couple at one setting and other times, I “break off” one story, then keep on going about my day.

As someone who works from home, I have the luxury of enjoying a short story anytime I feel the need for a mini vacation. I’ll often do just that between online projects, writing articles, cooking, or (ugh) doing household chores.

I may not always have time for a whole chapter of a novel, but I always have time for a short story.

Many anthologies, such as One Hundred Voices aren’t just great to have around the house, they’re great to pop into a bag and take with you, wherever your day takes you.

This particular collection of short stories is absolutely wonderful and is filled with fresh new voices from all walks of life. I am SO grateful that a little bio is included for each author because I love learning more about the person behind the story.

Finally, I love collections like One Hundred Voices so much because of one word: VARIETY. While we each have our favorite fictional genres (mysteries, historical, science fiction, horror, romance….), there’s a lot to be said for branching out. In fact, my own personal genre now is mystery – however, when I first fell in love with reading, I only read historical fiction. That was IT. One fateful day, my mom had an Agatha Christie book setting on the coffee table and I began reading. Before the end of the first chapter, Agatha Christie, mysteries, and Hercule Poirot had me hooked.

It’s nothing short of exciting to branch out and read different genres. Reading the same one would be kind of like going to a carnival and riding only ONE ride. No, thank you, there are far too many to enjoy!

Short Story collections allow you to ride all the rides – now that’s living.

Find One Hundred Voices on Amazon today. – Joi (“Joy”)

One Hundred Voices