Why are online courses on the rise? Because; They’re usually affordable They don’t usually have to be completed within a set time period. The study time can be very flexible – the student can watch during a suitable time of the day. If anything gets lost in translation – the student can “rewind” and go over…
Hi there. Did you know that there are 3 beliefs that are crucial for us to achieve our goals? We have to believe that the goal is achievable. We have to believe that if we don’t have the knowledge to achieve the goal it can be learnt. We have to believe that we are good…
What does “Success” mean to you? I’m relatively short, have a shaved head, wear glasses, have to budget how I spend my money and only powerful enough to try and disagree with my girlfriend which usually results in me losing another discussion, debate or at worst an argument. Would you think me successful? The Paparazzi…
According to John C Maxwell, there are 5 reasons why dreams don’t take flight. Ever since becoming a professional photographer it was always a dream of mine to have a coffee-table book, containing my photographs, with my name on the cover. I’ve achieved that goal – twice. John C Maxwell’s reasons that our dreams don’t…
Why do I need to go see Anthony Robbins? Because even Mentors need Mentors. Through the books that I’ve written and the workshops that I’ve facilitated, I’ve always said that we do have the power to achieve what we set our minds to. I’ve also said that if we silently look inwards the answers we…
Albert Einstein’s Life-Changing Lessons. Albert Einstein is considered to be one of the greatest minds that has graced our planet. He believed in the power of the imagination – stating, “Value your imagination. The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.“ In my interactive book, The Magic that’s Our’s “Magic” says to Joel and…
Are you aware that goal-setting can change the scenery of your life? What I mean is if you take a look at your life, i.e. relationships, finances, career path, health & fitness etc, are you happy with how it currently looks? If you are that’s fantastic! If not, do you want to change the scenery…
I relate entrepreneurs to the pioneers of old. They have to be brave, deal with uncertainty, venture forth boldly into unknown territories, throwing caution to the wind, while risking all. As much as all the market research, product perfecting, and planning can be explored beforehand, at the end of the day, the entrepreneur has to…
It can be quite difficult to decide on what goals we choose to set and pursue and then work out how we’re going to achieve them. So how do we decide on the most important ones? One of the ways is by using a technique called Mental Contrasting. So how do we do Mental Contrasting?…
One of the focusses of World Read Aloud Day is to create a movement promoting literacy and the right for every child to be able to read (Huffington Post 2014). This is done by reading aloud, one to one, or to groups and sharing stories. This year millions of people in more than 100 countries will…
There is a married couple – let’s call them Mary and Tom, and they a have an 18-month-old son who is starting to learn to walk. Mary is more concerned when it comes to the safety of her son while he embarks on his journey. She packs away all the objects that her son might trip…
I recently heard somewhere that, according to a very prominent (big) business consultant, the philosophy of many companies is not “Load, aim, and shoot,” but rather to “Load, Shoot and then aim..!” Using either philosophy one should still get to the same result as either way, we still need to listen to the market and adjust accordingly…
A journalist from the Career section of the Cape Times asked me, “what do I do? and “why do I do it?” My answers ended up on the front page of the paper. What do I do? I help young people, entrepreneurs, creatives and business groups identify their goals and dreams. Together we then break the dream down…
In a world in which we live where the media is constantly spewing out all that is mostly negative, it’s very easy that the many that are doing so good can slip in-between the cracks. I was recently booked by the Winnie Mabaso Foundation. A Foundation that is doing so much good it makes one…
Teachers work in a challenging environment – having to cope with limited resources, overcrowded classrooms, learners who are often uninspired about their future, dealing with lesson plans, marking and admin – all this while trying to make a meaningful difference. In an effort to address this situation and provide teachers with additional skills and knowledge…
Calm In Storm is very happy to announce a brand partnership has been formed with StudentBrands for the upcoming goal-setting workshop to be held in Gauteng on July 1 StudentBrands is one of the main youth, entertainment platforms in South Africa – offering a wide variety of information and services. ‘We are delighted to have…
Part of Open Book’s Youth Program is the “Open Box library” As a Librarian is considered to be a specialist position in South African schools, these mini libraries are placed in classrooms allowing students and teachers access throughout the day without the need of a Librarian present. April 23rd is World Book Day in South Africa where…
What do we do when our desired goals, which we’ve actively been pursuing, don’t seem to be getting any nearer, or we’ve run out of ideas of what to do and anxiousness starts to set it? Relax! I don’t say this lightly as it’s not always an easy thing to do. But, haven’t you ever…
Many of the goals that we set for ourselves are positive, magnificent, grandiose, and in our minds eye they are majestic. Even though all of these qualities are extremely encouraging, not knowing how we are going to achieve the end result, coupled with the fact that the goals are (possibly) long term, can seed the…
Hectic 99 one of the coolest and largest South African, daily, youth entertainment, TV Programs, has always had their teenage viewers well-being at heart. Previously, Gary Hirson from Calm in Storm was invited onto the afternoon show as a Life Coach to discuss; The challenges that come with the youth informing their parents if they fail…
It’s always been said that more minds than one will reach a solution quicker. Does this apply to personal goals? According to Dr Gail Gross, in her blog post about goal-setting for children, one of the points she states is that when setting goals with children, we want to communicate a feeling of community rather…
The 8th September 2015 the world celebrates “International Literacy Day.” It’s the (one) day when we promote the importance of being literate. Being fully literate is a basic human right, as being able to read and write properly; influences our self confidence, enables us to develop our imaginations, could possibly lead us on adventures –…
Popular Children’s Book now available in IsiXhosa and IsiZulu Popular kid’s book, The Magic that’s Ours, which has already won acclaim from educators across the country, is now available in IsiXhosa and IsiZulu, helping to spread its magic message to many more South African kids. Written by local author Gary Hirson, the fun and vividly-illustrated tale…
As an author and independent publisher, I’ve just experienced the process of having my first book, The Magic that’s Ours, translated into IsiXhosa and IsiZulu, 2 of the 11 official languages in South Africa. The experience, albeit dissimilar to writing a book, was very interesting as I couldn’t speak, read, or write any of the translated languages. The…
Calm In Storm’s vision has always been to introduce tools to teenagers to empower them to set and pursue their goals.(A common trait among successful leaders) This has been by the way of talks, books and workshops. But now we want to hear from you! Your goal-driven stories – no matter how big or how small!…
“With a growing population of youth in South Africa (over 19 million), now more than ever, it is essential to nurture youth for the future of our country.” This is the opening line on the Salesians Life Choices website home page. To back up their statement,one of the programs that Salesians Life Choices offers is the…
On Saturday the 28th January Calm in Storm, facilitated a 5 hour goal-setting workshop to 17 teenagers from 4 different NGO’s. The Western Cape Network for Peace and Development arranged for the 4 NGO’s; New World Foundation, Amandla EduFootball, Beth Uriel, and Yabonga to send through 15 people to attend, but the response was so overwhelming that we ended up…
During the October school Holidays (In Cape Town) I will be facilitating a series of 1 day goal-setting workshops for teenagers. On Thursday the 9th Oct the workshop will be for Grade 8-9’s and; on Friday the 10th October it will be facilitated to Grade 10-12’s. Details for the workshops are as follows: The aim of the workshop…
From speaking to teenagers that attend my workshops and when I speak at schools, one of the questions they ask me is, “how did you know what you wanted to do with your life?” The thing is that initially I didn’t. It took me a long while of travelling and career hopping as well as the…
A response from the latest goal-setting and self development workshop for teenagers which was facilitated via the Western Cape Network For Community Peace and Development NGO, in Gugulethu Cape Town.
In The Power that’s Ours Magic asks Jina what her interpretation of a goal is. Her response is,”when a football player kicks a soccer ball into the net.” That, for some, is the obvious choice. But the other option is goals that are related to us on a more personal level. Knowingly or unknowingly we…
Over the last 2 years I have been compiling a workshop for teenagers based upon the topics about which I write and speak. I’ve now completed the test runs for the workshops to rave reviews, and am offering a one day workshop to teenagers in grade specific groups. Minimum 6 and maximum 16 participants grouped…
Goal-Setting and Development of Self Weekend Workshop. Set in the Riebeek Valley, only an hour from Cape Town, is the location for our upcoming workshop. Surrounded by tranquility and space we will interactively explore what’s needed to identify our dreams and pursue our goals with plenty of time left over each day to explore the valley…
In the past if one wanted to buy a book they would go to the nearest bookstore and make the purchase, easy! It was all so conventional; the publisher printed books, bookstores stocked them, and customers went and bought them. Well some customers anyway. It’s been mentioned that in South Africa only 1% of the…
“Goal-Setting and Development of Self” Weekend Workshop. Set in the Riebeek Valley, only an hour from Cape Town, is the location for our upcoming workshop. Surrounded by tranquility and space we will interactively explore what’s needed to identify our dreams and pursue our goals with plenty of time left over each day to explore the valley…
When my initial publisher went out of business, leaving me with the final book manuscript, I decided that I was going to try and get signed by another publisher. I trawled websites and spoke to a number of them wanting to find out exactly what they required when it came to submitting a proposal why…
This week saw the launch of my 4th title The Journey that’ Ours As you can imagine it was a massive week for me and yes I do feel very proud. But it got me thinking about the launch of my first book The Magic that’s Ours which was launched way back in 2005. I remember…
If you’ve got nothing better to do tonight (In South Africa) you can tune in and listen to me being interviewed by Masechabe Mtolo on SAFM’s Talkshop at 20h40. SAFM between 104- 109FM. The talk is all about the importance goal setting for the youth as per my book The Power that’s Ours
When sending out 1 Sheeters and requesting, exposure, reviews and interviews, the chances that the reviewer would want to see a review copy or 2 of the book is very high. As these copies will come from the original print-run, the delivery including postage/couriering must be calculated into the costings. The print run for my…
So the book has been printed, the launch come and gone, and now there are piles of book taking up space all over the house. What happens next? The book has to be made available to the public. Book stores are obviously the first outlet to consider as that’s usually the first place that book buyers…
The high of a book launch is just that… a high! As the Author all the focus is upon you. Everyone wants to talk to you, take your photo and congratulate you. It’s easy to feel like the King of the world basking in all the glory. Nothing wrong with that as an achievement has…
With limited time to see the sites, I negotiated my way through the warren of cobbled streets of this ancient city. Side-stepping tea carrying waiters, I window shopped past rows of curio displays and fended off enthusiastic carpet salesmen, before my interest was suddenly arrested by the most succulent, vivid and artistic display imaginable. I…
July 18th is Nelson Mandela’s birthday. Everyone in South Africa is asked to contribute something for 67 minutes. Metropolitan Health Group sponsored 1000 copies of The Power that’s Ours and donated it to the pupils of the Trevor Manuel Primary school in Fisantekraal. A community with an alarmingly high unemployment rate. I was asked to speak…
Talk Time: 20 minutes This talk is to promote reading and that our imagination is a gift that we all possess. This talk includes: • A card trick to compare a magic trick to the gift of our imagination. • Questions on “why is it good to read?” – builds self confidence and learning new…
Talk Time: 30 minutes This talk is to promote reading, our imagination as a gift, and that achieving our dreams is a reality. This talk includes: A card trick to compare a magic trick to the gift of our imagination. A brief visual look into the 6000-year history of reading and writing, and how this…
Talk Time: 30-40 minutes. This talk is given to promote the importance of reading and that, through the understanding of ourselves, we can reach our dreams. As an author, people tend to think that I write a lot. I do, but more importantly, I read a lot more. It is through my love of reading…
Talk Time: 30 – 40 minutes. This talk is given during, Life Orientation, Leadership Classes, and Assemblies. What if I told you, YOU had the “Secret” recipe for your success? “Set your goals and write them down. Now you’re one step closer to achieving them” Sir Richard Branson– Creator of Virgin “Step by Step, I don’t…
YOU! have the recipe for your success! A version of this talk given at The Red and Yellow Creative School of Business and can be viewed here. Ever since becoming a professional photographer my dream has been to have a coffee-table book with my name on it. I now have 2 – the only books on their subjects….
It’s one thing having a vision but that usually will come to nothing if no one is prepared to buy into that vision. Securing Corporate Sponsorship happens if either; you can by into the Corporates vision, whether it’s their mission statement, or Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative policy. The alternative is for them to buy into…
For quite a while now I haven’t posted about Corporate Sponsorship as I was busy finishing up my two latest books. The Journey that’s Ours – the follow on from The Power that’s Ours and Down The Linea photographic coffee-table book about the train line that runs between Cape Town and Simonstown, commuting over 3.5 million people…
This morning I attended the official opening of the Cape Town book Fair which will run until Sunday afternoon – 17th June. I went to the book fair for 2 specific reasons. As I’m only the independent publisher of , The Magic that’s Ours and The Power that’s Ours, 2 interactive, motivational books for children, I didn’t…
Growing up in Gauteng, the Karoo was nothing more to me than a flat wasteland to be endured while driving towards Cape Town for the summer holidays. From the still furnace of the car, dreams of lying on one of the Mother City’s beaches seemed as much an illusion as the mirages of heat rising…
I just don’t get hiking. What is it about carrying a chafing rucksack loaded with dehydrated food, being harassed by mosquitoes, and sweating profusely in the midday heat while plodding from point A to point B. I mean come on, we live in an age where we have TV to watch sport – usually just…
“What to do today?” I pondered upon opening my curtains and taking in a perefect early morning Sunday. My energy levels jumped a gear as rising in front of me and seemingly suspended from the rich blue sky, stood the most colossal sandstone sculptor overlooking and guarding the city. I would have loved to be…
When I’m depressed I need to eat! So after visiting the “Killing Fields” and Prison S21 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the two of the many places where Pol Pot interrogated, tortured and murdered anyone that he and his party, the Khmer Rouge, thought were counter revolutionary, I really needed to eat. I’d heard of a…
As the first spring days stretch out like a purring cat the more active Capetonian ready themselves in anticipation for the energetic feast that lies ahead. As the spring turns to summer and the rising sun encroaches more boldly into the very early morning night-time, the winter woollies are discarded and replaced with lighter more…
Wake up, smell and drink the coffee and only then can the day begin. That’s my philosophy on life. Filtered coffee with milk and sugar is the way I like it. Deprive me of these two pleasures and I’m not a pleasant person to be around. So while enjoying my first cup of coffee in…
If drinking filter coffee was illegal I’d be a criminal, no doubt about it. I’m addicted to the rich aroma of the brew that fogs the air, the dark thick liquid filling the cup and the fantastic kick that jolts me awake. But I have a secret… , I know nothing about coffee, I’m nothing…
Baboons for me have always been the animals that taught Tarzan to swing heroically while yodelling, through the dense jungles of Africa. As I’m ignorant about primates, I could be mistaken, and it could’ve been Monkeys, Gorillas or Apes who were Tarzan’s tutors. Baboons, according to me, are dangerous, just sit in trees and steal…
For the third time in 3 weeks I’d noticed that my recycling garbage bag had been ripped open and all the recyclables had been mixed with the non- recyclables. I’d spent the whole week separating my recyclable, consumable waste, placing it in the special plastic bags supplied by the garbage collectors. I felt I was…
In the world of creatives, whoever they may be, one has to continuously put themselves out there. And to do that one needs quite an ego. But the ego can be quite a fragile thing- flying very high and screaming from the rooftops when complimented and sinking to very murky, depressing depths when criticized. So…
After receiving all the very kindly, positive and eloquently written rejection letters, I can be forgiven for expecting a boisterous, back slapping announcement- with all the bells and whistles- when the news that my sponsorship had finally come through. But this was not to be the case…but at that point in time I didn’t really…
And back to the Corporate sponsorship. I very quickly realised that patience is the key as the decision making process within the Corporate world grinds ever so slowly- at times it seems in reverse. Another thing I quickly realised after receiving the umpteenth rejection letter is not to take it personally and to just carry…
A while ago I posted the details of Edulis the Education Library and Information Service of the Western Cape Education Department. Among other things they recommend books to be part of the school libraries in the Western Cape. I also mentioned that both The Magic that’s Ours and The Power that’s Ours was put onto…
In the previous post it was mentioned the importance of having a distributor, which helps with registering with online bookstores. Deciding on a distributor can be affected by pricing, structure, distributorship area, as well as a personal feeling of who to work with, Besides the name mentioned in the previous post here are two more…
Very recently I received an email about Red Pepper Books, which is a South African online bookstore – “South Africa’s friendliest online bookstore” they advertise. Both The Magic that’s Ours and The Power that’s Ours were registered with Kalahari. net over a year ago but I couldn’t remember what was required to register books on…
Unlike a few people I know who can write about 500 words in 15 minutes- I take time to pen my words – which isn’t by choice. My process of writing is to tap away on the computer and write everything down with no regard to spelling, grammer, vocab or structure- I just need to…
1 year and 27 000 words later the 1st draft of the third book is finished. I’m officially wordless. Now straight back to the beginning for the first edit and re writes.
A while ago I had to visit the dentist- which I hadn’t done previously in a very long time. They scare me tremendously as I can’t bear the prodding, filing, and especially the injections- the pain in my mind is unbearable. But I’ve now discovered that they’ve met their match… My proposal had been approved…
Now its easier to understand why we have one of the lowest standards of literacy worldwide. http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article705988.ece/R44bn-disappears
I suppose it’s true to say that we all love winning? But writing and publishing a book is definitely not a race to won. Saying that, it does leave one feeling a little proud when they’re told that their book is still number #1. With over 1700 chapters sold in August The Power that’s Ours…
Below is a front page story of how I was attacked and mugged this week, and 12 homeless people came to my rescue-thankfully! I wrote about my ordeal and how I was helped to a major South African newspaper who in turn ran it on their front page- as it was a feel good story….
Because I’m on the mailing list of the Society of Children’s Books Writers And Illustrators -SCWBI, late last week I received an email from them inviting me to attend a self-publishing workshop. I’ve been to quite a few similar workshops and for the first time I was completely blown away. Instead of the usual sole…
Throughout all the sponsorship tracking, hunting and cornering,I continued to write the third book of the series as I wanted it available two years after the launch of The Power that’s Ours As I begin with chapter 12 it seems that the closer the end the further away it seems. I’ve come to realise that…
The reason my publisher went out of business in 2005 -I think- is because they were slightly ahead of their time. Back then they were one of the first e book publishers that I’d heard of in South Africa, concentrating solely on on-line publishing. A few years ago I remember speaking to someone very involved…
As I’ve discovered sponsorship deals can take a while to be confirmed and as I couldn’t sit idly by, as I had bills to pay, I had to earn money from other sources. I’ve always considered myself a photographer that writes and having two means that sit so comfortably together I had to put both…
So once again with bated breath I nervously dial my hopeful sponsor, hoping to hear that my proposal has been accepted. The all too familiar voice on the other end of the line, who is potentially my new best friend, says that all is in order except that I now need to prove that I’m…
A fantastic windfall fell into my lap. I heard that one of the companies that I’d submitted my proposal to bought out a competitor. It was during one of my many follow – up calls that I heard the news finding out about the takeover as well as that the decision maker was someone I…
So back to the Corporate sponsorship. Starting in March 0f 210 I started on my drive to seek sponsorship for an initiative that I thought would be an instant hit. I thought I’d have sponsors beating down the door to become involved. Looking back now I reckon that everyone else out there seeking sponsorship has…
Word of mouth and recommendations are an amazing promoter and advertiser, and when word of mouth comes from a an influential, unquestionable source more so the better. In April of 2009 I submitted- according to the requirements- copies of The Magic that’s Ours to the Western Cape Education department. The copies were submitted for…
Most of my talks at school have been at Private schools as they have the time, facilities and foresight to accomodate speakers. The other day I had a conversation with a decision maker at the Western Cape Education department. I was suggesting that somehow we work together with me speaking at government schools to promote…
So after countless, calls, emails and rejections those decision makers are still not getting what you’re trying to sell- or worse yet have barricaded themselves against your barrage of inquiries seeking a response to your proposal. You become, despondent, frustrated, depressed and feeling like everyone and everything is against you. You think to yourself, when is…
After giving talks for over 18 months, it’s still so satisfying when the positive reviews carry on rolling in.
I’ve always said that seeking sponsorship is a numbers game. There are so many people out there looking for sponsorship that it’s crucial to: a) Contact as many companies as possible and, b) Once you have the right person don’t give up contacting them until they either accept or reject the proposal outright. So much…
In celebration of such a successfully-hosted Soccer World Cup we are offering 210 signed copies of The Power that’s Ours at a greatly reduced price. Living our dreams, with a smattering on football in a few of the chapters- The Power that’s Ours introduces readers to the idea that we are able to realise our dreams…
After weeks of finding excuses-(gotta blame the world cup)- I finally start chapter 7 of my follow on book. And now I wonder why I kept on putting it off. 1. 2. 3. ?????? (March 2011)
I always find it amazing that when things are getting really rough- with sponsorship rejections coming like Pigeon crap from above, another angle opens up or is suggested. I remember being so engrossed in the idea that contacting Corporates was the only way to go that the blinkers I had on just shut out any…
Getting to speak to the correct person with regards to sponsorship is always key. The two departments that are responsible for for sponsorship are the Marketing Department and the Corporate Social Investment/ Responsibility Department. (CSRI) Finding these people either takes many hours trawling the company websites or phoning directly and asking the receptionist-whichever works for…
I just want to digress from the corporate sponsorship for a moment. I’m sure you know what I’ve been up to over the last year or so with writing and marketing books, and as you can well imagine it’s been a pretty tough year for most. Switching on the computer knowing that you have…
Corporate sponsorship- the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Cap in hand asking for money can take quite a bit of trial and error, a marketing and strategic plan and an eye catching proposal included-so it will be the topic of this blog for the next while. The corporates seemingly have loads…
A couple of posts ago I spoke about the workshops that I was planning to give to high school students. It’s one thing declaring that workshops will be on offer but it’s another thing putting together a professional package. There is logistics involved like: Course content, trial runs, duration, times, numbers of attendees, venues, marketing,…
You’ve just got to love technology… Very recently The Power that’s Ours was loaded onto MXit which is a mobile instant messenger and social networking software application that allows you to chat anywhere on earth from your mobile or PC for free. Among other things they also have books on their site that one can…
I need your help please. Due to my involvement with schools I discovered an aspect of education that I never knew existed. Within South Africa there are approximately 20 schools that are on site in hospitals. These schools are run by teachers that not only teach according to the standard curriculum, but they’re also teaching…
I need your help please. Due to my involvement with schools I discovered an aspect of education that I never knew existed. Within South Africa there are approximately 20 schools that are on site in hospitals. These schools are run by teachers that not only teach according to the standard curriculum, but they’re also teaching…
So my talks were running along very smoothly and every six weeks or so I would fly up to Johannesburg where I’d spend a week doing talks. After a week of talking up there I realised that I could now advertise that I was speaking nationally.Funny what a difference one word “nationally” can make to…
I just spoke at a school where I heard that up to 50% of all marks are lost during exams due to the students not being able to read properly, and the situation isn’t getting any better.
My talks were the way that I wanted to go as far as promoting reading in schools as well the ideas written about in my books- our imagination, positive thinking, goal setting, visualisation and affirmation. Before I had any reviews related to my talks the only way I could convince schools to book me was…
So now to promoting the books. After many a thursday night listening to Steve Harrison’s teleseminars- which passed on some very worthwhile information I decided that one of the way to promote my books was to become a speaker. The other options didn’t seem to work for me-not that I tried too hard- but as…
In 2008 I attended a two day symposium that was organised by IBBY or SCWIBI South Africa where international literary agents and publishers were flown out to discuss market trends and meet local children book authors. A question was posed to a UK based publisher asking who dictates the market, the market or the publisher?…
This is a review (slightly edited) I received today from a Kindergarten school teacher in the USA Hey Gary, It’s been too long! It was over a year ago when we met and were able to hike up Lion’s Head! Anyway (I was part of the Vanderbilt group from Nashville), I’m well into my first…
I walked into a major bookstore in a very popular shopping centre, looking for a copy of my book. I ambled over to the children’s book section only to be confronted with a shambles of titles strewn all over the shelves. After looking for a copy of The Magic that’s Ours for a while I…
This is an email from my Spanish agent who was to attend the London Book Fair. “Dear Colleagues, The best-laid plans have no chance in the face of nature on a rampage. After 24 hours of searching for alternative routes and checking updates in the volcanic activity over Northern Europe, we have decided that the…
So I come back from the London book fair licking my chops and expecting to have an instant best seller-which in South Africa is 4000 copies sold. I’m reckoning that now I’m the author of 2 books I’m sure to rise straight to the top. Hmmm a bit of disappointed coming my way. The stats…
Back from London shortly after the launch of The Power that’s Ours I knew that I had to get the book out there, reviewed and into the public eye. As I’d already published 1 book The magic that’s Ours I already had contacts who’d reviewed The Magic that’s Ours so the initial work of finding…
I previously mentioned how devastated I was when my publisher informed me that they were going of business and couldn’t publish my first book The Magic that’s Ours. The upside to that is that I now owned 100% rights to that book as well as my second book which I published. Even though all the…
So here I was pretty broke,on a scooter and losing weight quite rapidly from all the rice aqnd only rice I was eating. It was quite bleak especially as I was writing books about setting goals, positive thinking, visualization and affirmation. I suppose the lesson was that if I wanted to preach then I had…
Here’s screwed for you. I’d had the book designed, illustrated, edited, proof-read, e-booked, printed and distributed. I should have been ecstatic but I wasn’t. I was actually left awake, again, at 3am sweating and the reason being was this… In 2001 I started a transport company that was primarily involved with the film industry in…
So now being the proud parent my second book, which I’d held lovingly in my arms I needed to organise a launch venue. I found that when I wanted to launch my first book- The Magic that’s Ours bookstores weren’t to accommodating in allowing me the use any of their stores as I was an…
If you have time and are writing a book that will be printed in full colour then India, China, Malaysia and certain Se Asian countries are an option for dong the printing. You need time because even though full colour printing is much cheaper than printing in South Africa, there is time needed for the…
With the growth of e books so substantial it’s almost suicide not to have this format as an alternative to a print copy. Sony, iphone and Kindle- just to name a few- have all come out with e-book readers. Even though you the author might have an affinity to holding a book in your hand,…
Initially I had a website for my first book going by the same name as the title www.themagicthatsours.com, but now that the second book-The Power that’s Ours was on it’s way with a possible third in the pipeline I wanted to start creating a brand under which all further books would fall. The name of…
With the negative thoughts out of the way a designer was what I needed. While I was travelling in SE Asia a friend of mine- who knew when I was returning home- emailed me details of an upcoming workshop which was about self publishing. It included topics like production, marketing and distribution. The two hour…
My Xmas presents came a bit late and I only received them near the end of January. The first gift was that an international airline magazine was the first to buy one of my stories that I’d written while I was travelling in SE Asia. It was about a cooking course that I’d done in…
Arriving back in Cape Town many Kilogrammes lighter- due to travelling through SE Asia during summer and living on water, water, water and the tiniest bit of rice I was confronted with two things. 1. Boxes of unsold books still sitting in my bedroom, and 2. My editor and friend (soon to be erased from…
Arriving in Bangkok and my whole trip through SE Asia was such a learning experience in more ways than one. I’m not going to go into details about my trip but there was a toilet experience which started me writing to friends in a whole new way that I never knew was in me.(After the…
Happy New Year to all. I sincerely hope that the hamster wheel of 2010 free wheels a lot smoother than the one of 2009. Very best to all. In May of 2008 I boarded a flight from Cape Town to Bangkok on what was to be a 4 month trip around SE Asia. The reason…
The journey about publishing my 2nd book, The Power that’s Ours, differs to that of the first book, The Magic that’s Ours. I thought that I’d post some of the reviews from my first book to end off on that chapter-even though it will be mentioned again throughout the blog. Gary Hirson, the author of…
The Magic that’s Ours was launched in June of 2007 and as mentioned previously, when I did have a publisher they requested that I write more chapters, which I did. When I decided to self-publish I cut the book back to its original length with the idea that if all went well I’d use those…
It’s funny how life throws curve balls every now and again and I was about to catch a very juicy one. I was meeting the head mistress of a local school and discussing my book when she asked me if I was keen to to give a talk to the pupils at the end of…
I remember thinking to myself, shortly after my book launch, that sooner rather than later I’d be owning the car of my dreams, women would be throwing themselves at me, Oprah would definitely be calling and I’d soon be summiting the the New York best seller list. Why not, I was now a published author?…
About two months after my first book The Magic that’s Ours had been released I walked into a mainstream bookstore and searched for a copy of my book. Try as I did I couldn’t find a copy anywhere on the shelf.(One of the things I do is to make sure that copies of my books…
To get your book reviewed you’re going to have to troll the net, phone the relevant publications and plead your case to the programme managers at all the radio and TV stations. It’s not such a drag if you just take the time out to to contact 3-4 a day. Being a published author does…
Last week I noticed a recently opened independent bookstore in the suburbs of Cape Town. Very excited by this I went in to have a look and introduce myself as a local author. On chatting to the owner you can only imagine my deflated ego 🙂 on hearing that not only did they not know…
The book is now done and you’re feeling like a proud parent with a new edition to your family-WELL DONE! From this moment onwards you have to decide on how you’re going to market your book. As an author you have to become a marketer, or if you not comfortable in selling, you going to…
Many have said that don’t be affected by what the critics say and that word of mouth are the best reviews. As much as I appreciate that, a good review always manages to put a smile on my face Below is a recent review(This week) of my second book The Power that’s Ours. Reviewed By:…
According to a report published in 2008 by PIRLS-Progress in International Literacy Studies – 14 657 Grade 5 children in South Africa were assessed on their literary levels. Grade 5 children were used as it is the year after which many schools switch to English as the language of instruction. Unfortunately the findings weren’t positive…
Impatience is my Achilles heel and I almost paid dearly for it. As I needed to recoup my costs I wanted the launch to be as soon as possible after receiving the books from the printer. But for some reason I decided to wait an extra week.. A very lucky decision as when I received…
When I initially had a publisher they requested that I add a few more chapters to the original story as they thought it was a bit “thin” Seeing that the book- The Magic that’s Ours was all about introducing children to the wonders of their imaginations, the four extra chapters that I wrote touched on…
Self publishing is going to cost you. One of the main costs is time. You’re going to be writing, re writing and at the same time looking for all the relevent people like editors, illustrators, designers, printers, PR agency who will help you get your dream out. These people unfortunately don’t work for free so…
Reading “Successful Self-Publishing in South Africa”really shed light on how much I didn’t know about this impending journey of self publishing. As it’s a very easy book to read, it was very simple to highlight the necassary areas of relevant information. Besides the obvious on what I had to do I also came to learn…
When I decided to self-publish I put my manuscript aside so that I could work out how I was going to go about it. I needed a starting point, and I needed to know where and what that starting point was going to be. A few days later I was at the Old Castle Brewery…
Now that I had a publisher every one of my friends got to hear that I was about to become a published author of a children’s book, which did come as a surprise to them as I didn’t have any kids…but they still believed me anyway. The publisher came down from JHB and after a…
Like so many other people I know, I once had a story in my head. It was a story for children and I decided that I was going to take the time out to write it. A bit odd at the time seeing that I was single and without children, but I still went ahead…
22 August 2008. Hey Guys I hope you’re all sitting down because I have some VERY big news………. I’m getting married! Can you believe it at the age of 31 there is someone out there who actually wants to marry me? But more of that later. I’m back in Laos, in the south, as I…
7 August 2008. Hey Guys I hope you’re all well. I’m in Cambodia and I know it’s been raining plenty back home, but the rainy season has seriously hit here and it’s WET!!. I think this must have been one of my brighter ideas coming here in the rainy season….very well done on my part….
17 July 2008. Heya All I hope you’re all fine and dandy, especially after the Springboks finally beat the All Blacks and South Pacific Islanders on their home soil. Schweeeet. Since my last e mail I’ve left Hanoi and I started heading south towards Saigon. My first stop was about 90 km south but took…
5 June 2008. Herroh from Vietnam…… !!!!!! I hope you’re all well I’m sitting in a coffee shop in Sa Pa (Suppa) where I’ll be for the rest of the day as I had to check out of my humble abode at 9am and have to sit around until 9pm until the overnight train back…
Howdy Bevironi Man I am so loving Louong Phabang I was here for about 5 days and now I’m back for another 4. I have just added you to my mailing list but here is a story for you. I went up to a village called Muang Ngoi which is about a 9 hour trip…
12 June 2008. Hi Guys. I hope you’re all well. I’ve crossed the border into Laos and following is the story of my trip down the Mekong. I hope you enjoy. Gary Growing up watching Vietnam movies like Apocalypse Now, Deer Hunter and Platoon had left me a deep fascination of the Mekong River, and…
I’m dropped off outside a Wat…what? A temple. If the temple hadn’t been there I would have thought I was in a scene from “Rambo 1-9″ “Hmm, maybe I’ll speak to my yet not found agent about this place. I could see a movie here.” The area is amazing. Trees all around, plenty of water,…
After wandering around Chiang Mai for a few days I picked up a flyer that advertised – Come and visit “Second home”. A place where you can come and stay for as long as you like, learn about and practice Buddhism, meditation, organic farming and authentic Thai vegetarian cooking. All meals included. Don’t pay, donations…
Sitting by myself waiting for the train that is going to take me to Chiang Mai I realise that this is where my adventure begins. For the last week or so I’ve been staying with a South African friend and her Thai partner and if any time I felt like it, or was feeling lonely,…
Hey Maja I hope you’re well. You’re going to love this After a long day walking around Kho san road, bartering with store owners and eventually buying nothing. I do think I left a lot of pissed off store owners in my wake and will never be welcome back even if I really wanted to…
Just before I left for Thailand my friend Loren, who has been living in Bangkok for the last 6 years, sent me an email saying that when I arrive at the airport there are two things that I must do. One, when I change money I must get small change and two, when taking a…