News for March 2010
Author's Note
Come visit us on Saturday and/or Sunday, March 13 and 14, at the Tucson Festival of Books. The Festival is held on the University of Arizona grounds. We are in booth #52. Several of our authors will be available for book signings throughout the weekend including Jon Boyd, Aurora Leighton-Holmes, James A. Martin, Martin and Susan Tyner, and me!
I am very, very sad to report that Dawn Stanford, wife of author Frank Stanford (My Garden Tribute: A Collection of World War II Stories), passed away in February. As you may remember we visited Frank and Dawn at their home in England in November. Dawn loved cats. She cared for and rehabilitated cats until a proper home could be found for them -- a tradition her son, Andrew, is now prepared to carry on. Dawn (pictured with Frank) will be missed.
Until next month......Lin
New Book Release!!
Gremlin on My Shoulder: A Compilation of Flying Stories (Confessions of an Old Bold Pilot) by Jon Boyd
Gremlins are everywhere. When things go wrong, you can bet one is somewhere nearby -- maybe even on your shoulder -- whispering in your ear to make you doubt yourself or make a mistake, cackling to himself all the while. Jon Boyd, a twenty-four year military and civilian aviator, recounts some of his most memorable stories where the outcome of the mission or even his survival was in doubt. The worst-case scenario is always only a few feet or milliseconds away: a smoking hole or a spinning ruin of aluminum and aircraft parts.
Author Jon Boyd's matter-of-fact story telling, typical of those who live on the edge most of their lives puts you in the cockpit with him and the gremlin; feeling the g's, the exhilaration and the cold sweat caused by the struggle to complete the mission and get back safely to terra firma.
Sale price is $12.00 (Regularly $14.95)
The Power of Our Words
There are many variables when it comes to communication. A few of these are the way we speak, the words we use, what we believe, and what the listener believes. The manner in which we say something can have a tremendous impact on the receiver or listener. Words spoken with sarcasm will be heard differently than those said sweetly. The same words said in a loud manner will likely not be perceived the same as they would if spoken softly. However, a whisper can have more power that shouting -- such as when used seductively -- and sweetness more power than sarcasm. Positive words portray a completely different sense than negative words. Profanity can give the impression that we are uneducated or don't care. And to make it even more complicated, the words we choose to use are based on our definition of their meaning, but the listener may have a completely different interpretation of the same words. However, the most powerful influence over our communication is our beliefs.
Our thoughts are formed in line with our beliefs, which means they reflect our dreams and aspirations as well as our doubts and concerns. When we express ourselves and are not conscious of the words we use, we give away our true feelings without stating them directly, and we tell others what we believe about what we are saying -- sometimes without even knowing that we are doing so. Add to that the way we talk -- loud, disinterested, perky, condescending, jovial, etc -- and the true meaning behind our words can be more obvious than we intend. Confidence is interpreted in words or phrases like "I am" or "can". Doubts are easily reflected in words like "can't", "hope", and "maybe". (More about this in a future newsletter.)
Because most of us relate to others through the spoken or written word, it is important to remain mindful of the power our words wield. As the dependence on the written word is becoming more prevalent -- texting, email, social websites (MySpace, Facebook, etc) -- the choice of words becomes even more important and the chance for misinterpretation increases. When we speak we may not think about the impact we are having on the person or people we are talking to. It is easy to get focused on what we are trying to convey and forget to pick up clues from those we are addressing -- clues that indicate we have hurt someone's feelings, lost their interest or that we have been misunderstood. It is even more difficult when the conversations are conducted through an electronic medium.
We all want to be heard and understood. To help make this happen we need to remember that there is significant power in our words and that the responsibility for being understood rests with the speaker, not the listener.
ONE CHOICE CAN CHANGE A LIFE TM
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