Greetings valued followers,
My Latest
It’s been a while since I’ve posted any news, largely because I’ve spent upwards of a year working full time on a new book. The Man in the Mirror–an Independent Spirit in a Regimented World is a the true story of my dad’s experiences in the US Navy in World War II. At first blush, it might seem like a departure from my previous books, which cover aspects of the communication skills I teach–that is until you learn that Dad instinctively practiced some of these very skills.
When dealing with a difficult situation, Dad looked around for resources that might help him just as we do when attempting to reach agreement with someone. In dealing with others, he thought before he spoke and kept his voice low and respectful.
A Heartwarming Story
An uncommon man with an uncommon life aboard an uncommon ship, USS Vestal, Willie (Dad) was running his own successful business when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. Though concerned about how his business would fare in his absence, Willie applied for admission to the US Navy the very next day.
He knew the regimentation of military life would run against his nature. Yet, my resilient dad persevered, creatively applying his unique skills and talents to make his life on a Navy service ship stand out. He proved to himself and to others that those peacetime talents were also valuable in war. He could call the Man he saw in the mirror every morning a friend.
A Model Parent
The tales Dad later brought home to my siblings and me did not feature many battles, but rather, unique experiences. He had a brush with death, not in war, but in boot camp. Natives serenaded him with a tune from home on every Pacific island he visited. He helped save another man’s life while on Shore Patrol duty. He stowed away on an Army plane. He made friends with a future Pulitzer Prize winner. And more.
Learn More and Please Give Feedback
You can read a large excerpt and view the pictorial Appendix on the book’s Amazon page. It’s available in both print and Kindle editions. I’d love to have your impressions after you’ve read the book.
Amazon Ratings and Reviews Are Easy
The best way to give me feedback is to write a simple Amazon review, which can be just a few sentences. From the book’s Amazon page, where you buy the book, scroll way way down until you see, “Review this product,” in the lower left.
However, I welcome your feedback no matter how you choose to deliver it.