Book Review: Crowdfunding - Put the Fun Into Funding and Get the Money You Need by Zynnia Jezek

One Word Book Review: ENTHUSIASM

 Crowdfunding: Put the Fun Into Funding And Get The Money You Need: How A Little Girl Raised Over $7k In Four Days On IndieGoGo (Distinct Press Young Entrepreneurs Series)

Author: Zynnia Jezek

Publisher: Distinct Press

Publication Date: December 27, 2014

Print Length: 130 Pages

An 11-Year-Old Girl With A Big Dream
Zynnia Jezek, at the age of 11-years-old, designed a successful crowd funding campaign on IndieGoGo to provide funds for a trip from Florida to the Awesomeness Fest in Hawaii. This event is billed as the ultimate transformational experience for entrepreneurs. Zynnia believed this could be a life-changing event for she and her familly.

The problem was, they did not have the money needed to make the trip.

Zynnia and her sister created an IndieGoGo campaingn called "4 Day Awesomeness Fest Test" and made $6, 475.

This book tells exactly what Zynnia did to make her dream come true.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the enthusiasm and excitement depicted in this ebook. The young author/entrepreneur describes a real-life behind the scenes look at a successful  IndieGoGo campaign.  

This is not a primer or resource guide for designing a crowd funding campaign. It is a memoir of one girl's experience and how it changed her life.

The author provides screen shots of a series of PowerPoint slides that were used to promote and publicize this campaign. These slides were designed by Zynnia's sister and are quite creative. I think viewing these promotional slides make this book a relevant selection for anyone thinking about running a crowd funding campaign.

The editing and formatting are rough in places, but the content is informative and impressive. Kudos to Zynnia for a great effort. She proves that most anything is possible with determination and a little help from family and friends.

I predict this young lady has a very bright future!

My Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I purchased this digital book with my Kindle Unlimited membership on Amazon.Com.

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Book Review: Rime of the Ancient Underwriter by Jim Salmon

Rime of the Ancient Underwriter: How I Stowed the Day Job and Went To Sea

Author:  Jim Salmon

Publisher: Hobblebush Books

Date: June 1, 2012





About the Author 
Jim Salmon was born in 1943 in Lima, Peru where his father worked as a civil engineer for the United States government. He worked in the insurance and financial planning field for 31 years. In 2000, Jim left his insurance job to follow his dream.

Around the World on a Square-Rigged Ship
Have you ever thought, "I wish I could just get away from it all?"

Jim Salmon did much more than think these words when he left his job as an insurance underwriter and embarked on a nineteen-month trip around the world.

"Rime of the Ancient Underwriter" is the personal account of Mr. Salmon's journey on board the Picton Castle, a three-masted barque sailing ship out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

This book is a detailed journal of all the ups and downs of this monumental world journey.

My Thoughts
A three-masted barque???

I know absolutely nothing about sailing. I have never been a passenger on a sailboat and I don't even care for seafood very much.

This book was a real challenge for me because of the huge learning curve that was required for me to understand the content of the text.

That said, I did read the entire book (277 pages) and I feel like I have learned a great deal from the experience. The book is very well written and organized by date and location. Even though I did not understand the technical details of the sailing ship operations, I found the following elements of the book quite fascinating;

• The challenges overcome and sacrifices made by the crew members to travel on this ship and to be an active part of the staff/crew. The author gave up his job and paid a $35,000 "cost sharing" fee for the privilege of pursuing his lifelong dream.
• The hard work that was required of each crew member to keep the ship in good shape and take care of the nutritional and health needs of each traveler.
• The conflicts between the group of strangers who were confined in a small space for long periods of time.
• The detailed descriptions of faraway places with strange sounding names. This book was an excellent lesson in world geography and culture.
•  The love of nature that the author frequently spoke about during his trip.

I highly recommend this book for all sailing enthusiasts and all who are interested in learning more about the world around us. This book will inspire you to "dream the impossible dream and to run where the brave dare not go".

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ The author's publicist sent me a complimentary text copy of this book to read and review.

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Book Review: New Year's Resolutions, Goals, Dreams and Aspirations by Suzanne Price

New Year's Resolutions, Goals, Dreams and Aspirations

Author: Suzanne J. Price

Publisher: Suzanne J. Price

Date: October 2, 2012



About The Author
Suzanne Price is a Personal Success Coach, Relationship, Interpersonal Skills & Personal Communications Coach, Life & Lifestyle Coach, Stylist & Image Consultant, Dating Expert, NLP Master Practitioner, TFT Consultant, Author & Workshop Facilitator and Professional Speaker.

Resolutions for the New Year
Are you writing your New Year's Resolutions today?

Do you have goals that you would like to achieve in the next 12 months?

It's the time of year which gives you the opportunity to wipe the slate clean. If you are up for the challenge and are willing to commit to the process, you may discover that achieving your goals could literally change your life.

Suzanne Price advices you to set "SMART" goals for the new year. SMART stands for;

• S - Specific or Stated in the Positive.
• M - Measurable.
• A - Achievable, Attainable, Actionable.
• R - Realistic.
• T - Timely or Tangible

Ms. Price introduces a series of exercises that will help you set crystal clear goals, prioritize and rate the goals and take action to achieve the goals.

I really like the following quotation from this book about the importance of taking action;

There is only so much planning and positive thinking a person can do before there comes a point in time where we just have to take action. After all, no matter how committed we are to a goal, or how determined we are to achieve it, we still must take action in order to reap the rewards.
 

Most people forget about their New Year's Resolutions by the first week of February. This book will teach you the secret to making 2013 your best year ever!

My Thoughts
This was a very inspiring and educational book to read on the last day of the year. If you are serious about making some changes in your life, this book will guide you in the right direction.

Suzanne Price introduces many concepts that are critical to making and achieving goals. I suggest you read and study this book as you write your own goals for the new year. The time you spend reading this book will be a great investment in your future.

My Rating:  5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ This book is being offerered as a FREE digital download for the Kindle TODAY! Give yourself a great gift for the New Year and grab your copy NOW! These promotions do not last very long so please check the price before ordering.

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Book Review: My Summer Bucket List Ideas

My Summer Bucket List Ideas - Living Life To The Fullest

Author: Roger Thatt

Publisher: Roger Thatt ~ Amazon Digital Services

Date: July 31, 2012

Length: 48 Pages

About The Author
Roger Thatt is an author and adventure seeker. He has written three ebooks that are available on Amazon.

Bucket List Ideas
The term "bucket list" gained widespread popularity from the 2007 movie "The Bucket List" staring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. A bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket (die).

Roger Thatt shares his personal bucket list in an inspiring and entertaining manner. The author states his purpose for writing this ebook in the following way;

"I try not to think of this as a list of things to do before I die, but rather an ongoing process to broaden my horizons and cram as much interesting stuff into my life as humanly possible".
 

Mr. Thatt tries to keep this list as specific and tangible as possible. He has divided his list into the subjects of travel, sports, personal, sensual, arts & entertainment and winter activities.

My Thoughts 
This is a short but inspiring read about living life to the fullest. The author shares his personal bucket list and then explains why each of these activities are important to him. He writes in an informal and casual manner that encourages the reader to relate to the author and to his dreams.

I think the real value of this ebook is to inspire readers to dream big and start making a list today. Many of the activities on Mr. Thatt's list do not appeal to me, but that is OK. The important thing is that he has a plan and he is in the process of broadening his horizons each day.

If you have been thinking about making a bucket list, this is a great little book to get you started. Yes, I am going to do it. I am going to start a little list today and see where it takes me.

My Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free download. Please check the current price before purchasing.




Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. 

Book Review: Ten - How Would You Rate Your Life?

How would you rate your life on a fulfillment scale of one to ten?  "Ten; How Would You Rate Your Life"?, by Terry Smith, offers you a pathway to level-TEN living.

This book reminds us that God has a special future for each of us. Are you ready for your life to be a TEN?


About the Author
Terry A. Smith has served as a lead pastor of the Life Christian Church for twenty years. TLCC is a nondenominational faith community in West Orange, NJ, serving the New York City metro area. Terry is a co-founder of the New York City Leadership Center and an instructor in its Leadership Fellows program. A gifted communicator, Terry speaks in a variety of venues nationally and internationally. He is passionate about challenging, developing, and encouraging leaders.-

A Guidebook for the Journey
Pastor Smith has written a vibrant, inspiring book about how to find and live God's will for our lives. He believes that God has more in store for us than we realize and we must strive to create the best possible future for ourselves and others.

The book is divided into the following seven sections that instruct and guide the reader in living a TEN life;

• Awaken
• Discover
• Imagine
• Grow
• Act
• Lead
• Go

The author believes that people do not want enough. Not more stuff. More life. And not just for ourselves but also for others. Jesus Christ said that His purpose is to give us more "life - life in all its fullness" or "more and better life than [you] ever dreamed of" (John 10:10, NCV, MSG).

The author challenges and provokes the reader to go after the more and better life that God wants for you. The world needs people who would never be satisfied with anything less than a TEN.

My Thoughts
This book is written and organized in a very professional manner. The author makes a strong case for living your best life and he uses Scripture from the Bible as a foundation for his message.

There are "Reflection Questions" at the end of each of the seven sections. These questions are great for individual or group reflection and meditation. This book would be a very helpful resource for a Bible study group.

I love the enthusiasm and passion that the author communicates in this book. I can tell that this is a man who really "walks the talk" and "practices what he preaches". 

Pastor Smith believes we must have more than a dream. Our grand vision needs to be turned into an actionable plan. I recommend this book to anyone who is ready to start living a TEN life.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary hardback copy of this  book to read and review from Audra Jennings of The B & B Media Group.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

DREAM Children's Book Giveaway

Happy Friday the 13th!  This is your lucky day. I am sponsoring a SUPER book giveaway for TWO copies of Dream by Adam Montierth. I would like to thank the good people at Sortis Publishing for sending two brand new copies of this book to share with my readers.
I wrote a review of this delightful book on April 4th, 2011.  Dream encourages kids to set out and accomplish goals even when others may say it can’t be done. This book will motivate and inspire children of all ages. If you know a young reader, this book will make a perfect gift.

How To Enter
Just leave a comment on this blog and you will be entered to win this contest. Don't know what to write? Just tell me, "I want to win a copy of DREAM." That is all there is to it. On Friday, May 20th, I will draw TWO lucky names out of a hat. Please leave an email address so that I can contact you. You will have until the end of Monday, May 23rd to respond to my email and send me your name and shipping address. If I do not hear from you, I will pick another name on Tuesday morning.

Who Can Enter
This contest is open to anyone age 18 or older. I am willing to ship this book (at my expense) to any location in the United States or Canada. The books will be shipped via USPS Media Mail or 1st Class International.  I ask that you just submit one entry per person.


Deadline
You must post a comment on this blog post no later than 12:00 noon (Central Time) on May 20, 2011. I will announce the names of the winners on this blog the week after the drawing.


Follow Me!
I would love for you to push the "Follow" button and add your name to my group of loyal blog readers. If you are on Facebook, I now have a Networked Blogs widget that you can use. However, this is not a requirement to enter this contest.

Leave a comment below to win a copy of this awesome children's book ~ TWO lucky winners will be chosen on Friday, May 20th!

Dream

I recently read a children's book that teaches children to dream big dreams. Dream, by Adam Montierth, is a delightful book that will challenge children to think outside the box and to dream impossible dreams. The book encourages kids to set out and accomplish goals even when others may say it can’t be done.
 The book is written in a rhyming prose that children will love. The author uses many examples of animals and people from history who have not given up on their dreams.

In their bicycle shop, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright dreamed of flying. With imagination, hard work, and determination on December 17th of 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, their dreams came true with the first controlled human flight.

Many scientists have said that it should be impossible for the bumble bee to fly. This is based on body size and weight compared to the size and shape of their wings. But no one ever told the bees, so they continue to fly.

Adam Montierth has been a writer and filmmaker for most of his life. He was very active as a child in city theatre and also studied theatre arts in high school. After that, he moved on to film studies at the University of Utah. In 2003, he partnered up with his twin brother Donovan, to create Brothers’ Ink Productions. As a writer, producer, and director he has garnered many awards for his films, including 3 Emmy awards for his short films, “Reveille”, “Suicide Club”, and “Neighborwood”. He currently resides in Mesa, Arizona and is finishing up his first feature film, “Locker 13”. Adam has been inspired to write children’s books by his wonderful wife Monica, and two amazing sons, Chase and Logan.

I think this is a wonderful motivational book for children. The illustrations are colorful and entertaining. Children will learn that dreams can come true if you set your mind to it. Teachers and parents should encourage children to do further research on the examples given in this book. A trip to the library would provide an opportunity to read more about bumble bees, the Wright Brothers and other dreamers mentioned in this book.
 
This book will provide an opportunity to discuss goals and dreams with your child. "Just remember — a man without a dream, Is like a bird with a broken wing". May your dreams come true!
 
I want to thank Mr. Montierth for sending me a digital copy of this book to read and review. It was a real pleasure.

I love to read your comments ~ Please post them below.

Make Your Dreams Come True

"Getting an idea should be like sitting down on a tack—it should make you jump up and do something about it."   Unknown

I imagine this young boy is dreaming about what he might do when he grows up.  We have all had dreams but we don't always have the dicipline to make those dreams come true.
You have to have definite goals. You also have to get off your duff to be a success at anything. You have to start doing something about it now!

If you're going to be a great novelist, you had better practice writing at least one hour a day, starting today. If you plan to be a successful salesman, you'd better call on some prospects today. If you hope some day to own your own business, you'd better decide how much money you'll need to launch yourself, and start saving. There is only one time to take the first step toward realizing your goal. Right this minute! 

*The illustration above is "The Stars" by Johnny Gruelle.  From Rhymes for Kindly Children: Modern Mother Goose Jingles, 1916.  From Old Book Art.