When the Devil Whistles by Rick Acker

I had the pleasure and honor to read an advance copy of Rick's book (thank you, Rick!) and let's just say WOW! Rick Acker is definitely an author to watch, and follow. His attention to detail is not only phenomenal, it's riveting. As you read, you think the author had to have experienced all this stuff first hand. Some he did, a lot he researched...obviously well.

When the Devil Whistles is a stellar book. The story is so intriguing, I couldn't wait to get time each day to go back and read more of the story. Can't wait to read more books by this very talented author. Next on my list is his previous book, Deadman's Rule.

In fact, I think I'll go check it out right now...

Happy reading!

Tomorrow We Die by Shawn Grady

Shawn Grady's first book, Through the Fire, was a refreshing surprise to me in the Christian fiction industry. I love this guy's voice, and his stories rock. So, needless to say, I couldn't wait to get a copy of his next book, Tomorrow We Die.

Grady surpassed his first book with another intriguing and attention grabbing story. I couldn't put the book down. Well, I did, but not easily.

I love finding an author whose books I want to gobble up. So this happy reader is waiting for the next installment from this fabulous author. If you love good suspense, check him out. He's definitely an author to follow.

My New Attitude Increased My Gas Mileage

And yours can too! Okay, you know you wanted to add that on. Sounds like a cheap ad, but there's a truth to it.

If you're a taxi-mom, a commuter, a delivery person, or whatever keeps you in traffic, you know the frustration of getting from point A to point B in the least amount of time. However, did you know this "anxious" attitude does more than just spike your blood pressure?

I've discovered something very interesting of late. In the past, I've been disappointed with my cars not reaching their full potential. What does that mean?

It means they never seem to meet the estimated gas mileage. And if you live in California like I do, it's even more frustrating because of the stricter pollution regulations (which btw, I appreciated and have no desire to interfere there).

I guess you could say I had a revelation. One day I noticed I had become a really frustrated driver. Every time I went out, my irritability came out full force. What's even worse is I noticed it was rubbing off on my daughter. She started venting at other drivers as well.

Not good. From that point on I made a concerted effort to leave with plenty of time, to drive as if I had that extra time, which I did, and enjoy the ride.

Took a little time, but I noticed my irritability went away, we always seem to be on time now, and the amazing part?

My gas mileage went up. I have this little gauge on my car that tells me how I'm doing, and I'm actually getting the estimated gas mileage. Amazing how a new attitude can overlap unexpected areas.

So, I'm back on the road, relaxed and saving gas. How's the road treating you? Maybe I'll see around...

Let's Talk About Trends

Being in tune with the world of advertising, I find trends fascinating. There is a distinct pattern that seems to surface and build. I'm sure you've noticed this at times too.

One I noticed recently has to do with real estate. I don't know what it's like where you are but in California, to get a house you often wind up in bidding wars. It's crazy but true. Houses in the mid price range (500,000 to 600,000) are in high demand.

This new trend has to do with the real estate signs they put in the yard. The new trend is to put a "Coming Soon" sign on top of that traditional Realtor sign. The first time I saw this, I had to laugh, then appreciate the strategy to build buyer interest. Now this new trend is taking off and I'm seeing it across the country.

Very interesting...

The lesson here is the industry adapted. They found a way to maximize a changing market to work for them. That's not always easy but adaptability is crucial to ongoing success. Instead of trying to make a massive market conform to you, you have to find a niche to bring your product and services in to uniquely fit that crevice. Then you can grow it from there.

So, whatever your product or service, look at your market, and identify a gap you can fill. Trying to hit a market in a broad sense waters down your product and has no appeal.

That's also why it's so crucial to be clear about what your product and services are. But that's a discussion for another day.

Great Articles on Branding

Lynne over at EntrepreneurChic has a great two part article on branding at her site. She shares my belief that consistency is key and has some great insight on how to think through what your brand should be. So, take a look and glean some goodies!

Personal Branding Guide, Part 1
Personal Branding Guide, Part 2