Today is WorldBookDay 2017. It’s a day to celebrate books, encourage literacy, share the books that have informed, inspired, empowered, entertained and enlightened us. It’s a day to encourage children and adults alike to read. It’s a day for readers and authors alike to celebrate.

They day has invited me to stop and reflect on my journey as an author. I’m author of three books: A Zest for Business, Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business and The Gift of Inner Success. Each book has it’s own journey and tells it’s own story. I’ve written widely about Soul Trader and it is my best known and most widely read book so I won’t say anything more about that. I’ll do so in more depth around October when it celebrates its 5th Birthday. A Zest for Business – a realised this lunchtime – was published 10 years ago. Co-written with four wonderful colleagues: Suzanne Whitby, Heather Darnell, Nicole Cohen and Helen Parkins it was a powerful collaboration. We were collaborating fellow small-business specialists and the book was a handbook to help small business owners on that journey to start and grow their business.  It covered rules and regulations, motivation, administration and operations, getting a web presence and marking and promotion. It was a really handy handbook  at that. What’s fascinating is how the world and the wold of business has changed so much since – especially in terms of social media which then was in its real infancy.

The Gift of Inner Success

“Success is meaningless without fulfilment; both begin within” – Rasheed Ogunlaru.

So that being said, the book I want to write about today and home in on is The Gift of Inner Success.

 The Gift of inner Success, started my journey as a life coach, motivational speaker and as an author in earnest. The above is the quote is the opening quote I put at the front of the book. The version of this book that people read and listen to now was recorded as a stream of consciousness. The audiobook – which you’ll find in the store on this website – is that recording. I then had it transcribed later and Helen Parkins (who I co-wrote A Zest for Business with) did a gentle edit. That is the book.

I approached the book the way I approach music and songwriting; being open to it and letting it flow in. I always find the results are more profound, strong and potent than ‘me’ trying to write it. I prefer to let life write it. My job is to trust the process and fortunately it has served me as a coach, author and songwriter.

Creating authentically and success are two separately things occasionally they may cross paths but as a creative your job is to create not expect riches, fame or praise. These things may bring riches but also often have their own price tags, side effects and costs. Write because you love, because you care, to express and to share. Write to help and to heal. Then riches beyond money and materialism you will discover. That has been my experience.

Happy #worldbookday