BLURB:
Meet Robby Aihn, the newest star in the
self-help universe and author of the runaway bestseller, Realizing You, now
struggling with his first taste of fame. Though his five principles for good
living are changing other people’s lives, his own life is starting to fall
apart. When Robby stages a lavish self-help conference in Dallas, he attracts
others with their own secrets: his estranged wife and unhappy teenage daughter;
the businessman pursuing his own agenda; the all-star pitcher facing the end of
his career; and the shy co-author Robby never acknowledged, who is searching
for meaning in her own life. Join Robby and the others on their journey toward
understanding and fulfillment, in this truly novel approach to changing YOUR
life.
Excerpt 1
Liz liked him like this—listening to other people’s problems, thinking about
how to help them. This was the Robby whose principles in coaching and teaching
had been the basis of his bestselling book. They were solid principles, and
he’d taught them for years, and Liz knew herself that they
did change
people’s lives.
The Robby she had trouble admiring had emerged as the book shot up the
bestseller lists. Always neat and well groomed, he’d now become fanatically
clothes-conscious. He’d recently begun to order custom-made suits and add
monograms to his expensive English shirts. While she decided how many new
computers they needed for the office, he flew to New York for fittings with the
city’s most exclusive tailor. She hired and trained new staff, and he consulted
a professional colorist and lightened his hair.
When Robby solicited her opinion afterward, Liz asked, “What about the
people who were fans before, some of our biggest customers? Won’t these flashy
changes bother them?”
“You’re not looking at the big picture,” he said patiently. “These people
are coming to me for answers. They expect to see someone who has them.”
Liz chose her words carefully. “And someone who has the answers
is—attractive? Youthful? Using a facelift?”
“Stop it.” He glared at her. “The spa people I talked to said weekly facials
were a good idea. They said it would make my skin softer and make me seem more
approachable.”
Liz couldn’t think of any polite answer to that.
The current Robby had shown up after Marie moved out. It didn’t help that
Liz knew why. But what did his wife expect him to do, now that he was
finally creating
a national impression?
It’s difficult seeing him humbled, Liz thought. Robby had worked a long time
for success and done whatever was necessary, cheerfully and willingly, to
achieve it. Yeah, he’d gone overboard with the glitzy success guy. It was still
hard watching him hurt—not because he’d failed, but because he’d
succeeded,
after years of striving. And seeing him hurt over his family’s defection
upset Liz. It wasn’t right, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Liz thought all these things while she watched Robby stare out the window.
Sad that things hadn’t been good for him personally since the publication
of
Realizing You.
Professionally, things were fantastic. The book was a runaway bestseller,
the website hits had gone crazy, Robby’s online presence had gone viral. One
month after the book shot to number one, Liz arranged joint ventures, after
five years of trying, with three of the top personal-development people in the
country, all who eagerly endorsed Robby’s work and sought
his endorsement
as well.
They’d taken a huge step forward. Robby’s plan, scrawled on a piece of paper
torn from a dime-store notebook, was starting to come true, in a big way. He’d
been aiming at this success for a decade, and he’d brought in Liz five years
ago to set up the structure and foundation while he set about becoming the persona
in whom people could put their faith.
Both of them had succeeded, but now Robby was failing in all the important
areas of his life.
AUTHOR
INFORMATION:
RON DOADES is president of Ronald Doades & Company, a
consulting firm that, since 1977, has helped the people of large and mid-size
energy companies improve their individual and corporate performance results by
learning from the best-practice experiences of others. A popular speaker on the
topic of managing change for optimal results, he holds an MBA from Columbia
University and an MS in Psychology from The New School in New York City. Visit
him at www.realizingyoubook.com
Author of STEALING FIRE (#2 Amazon bestseller and
Quarter-Finalist in 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest), co-author of
FORWARD TO CAMELOT: 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION and REALIZING YOU. 2003 edition of
FORWARD TO CAMELOT, a time-travel thriller, was a finalist in 3 book
competitions: 2004 IPPY Awards, 2004 Arizona Authors Assn. Literary Competition
and 2008 Beach Read Competition. It was also a #6 Amazon bestseller in
Sci-Fi/Fantasy, optioned in 2005 by Fast Carrier Pictures for film. Also author
of 17 published young-adult books (fiction and non-fiction, sports, biography,
romance, etc), which includes Silver Medal/2007 Children's Moonbeam Awards, for
RAY CHARLES: FIND ANOTHER WAY! from Bearport Publishing. MYSTERIES UNWRAPPED:
THE SECRETS OF ALCATRAZ (2008, Sterling Publisher) led to author appearance on
MYSTERY QUEST: ALCATRAZ, a special for The History Channel, summer 2009.
Playwright of two produced plays, screenwriter (2 screen properties optioned),
sportswriter (major-league baseball and power volleyball). Founded and chaired
the East Cooper Authors Festival in May 2007, a program that brought together
published authors with students from primary schools through high school
outside Charleston, South Carolina in programs designed to excite students
about reading. Inaugural program reached more than 8,000 students in one day.
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very interesting excerpt. Not what I expected after reading the blurb.