Another recommendation straight from my book journal. If you’ve ever looked at your closet, your office, or even your career path and thought, “Gee… I wish all this stuff could really reflect who I am,” then you must read this book.

Title: Style Statement
Series: N/A
Author: Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte
Genre: Non-Fiction / Psychology / Health, Mind and Body
Format: Softcover
Publisher: Little, Brown
Pub. Date: April, 2008
Page Count: 256
My Rating: A (85%)

First Sentence: In a materialistic culture obsessed with image, it can be hard to stay in touch with your real self.

Blurb: Style Statement is an inspiring take on the power of style and authenticity. Deemed “style psychotherapists,” Carrie and Danielle are the creators of the Style Statement: a two-word compass that helps you make more confident choices in life — from your wardrobe to your relationships, your living room to your career plans.

Part workbook, part inspirational narrative, Style Statement presents a series of inquiries that lead readers to the personal words that guide the spirit, look and feel of their life. The first word represents your foundation, your 80%. The second word, your 20%, is what motivates and distinguishes you.

Via Carrie and Danielle’s Lifestyle Map, readers then explore how their own unique Style Statement can generate momentum in every area of their life.

My Brief Comments: This book is a treat for the senses. It’s beautiful to look at, lovely to touch, and engaging to read. I enjoyed all the first-person accounts of individual style statements. I was surprised by the level of focus on journaling and self-discovery, but it makes sense, considering the end result is supposed to be two words that apply to every part of your life: from the shoes you wear to the career you choose and the friends you make. In the end, I was thrilled and pleasantly surprised by my style statement. Sensual Artist. Two words that describe me perfectly. In the future, I’ll be sure to draw on this style statement when making decisions, whether aesthetic or internal.

As I was telling my chat group earlier today, I’m somewhat obsessive about my books. Frankly, I don’t think anyone was surprised. I read a lot, and I buy more books than I can read… it’s a losing battle, but one that I, frankly, don’t want to win.

Anyway, since I keep a book journal, I thought I’d start sharing with you guys the books I really, truly adore. Those that have made a big impact in my life, or those I keep thinking about weeks after turning the last page.

Today, I’m starting with THE NOW HABIT, by Neil Fiore, a book that completely changed my productivity levels.

The following is taken directly out of my book journal:

Title: The Now Habit
Series: N/A
Author: Neil Fiore
Genre: Non-Fiction / Psychology / Self-Improvement
Format: Softcover
Publisher: Tarcher
Pub. Date: April, 2007
Page Count: 201
My Rating: A+ (100%)

First Sentence: Whether you are a professional, an entrepreneur, a middle manager, a writer, or a student who wants to overcome problems with procrastination – or if you simply want to be more efficient in completing complex and challenging projects – this program will help you get results.

Blurb: Originally published by Tarcher in 1988, The Now Habit has sold more than 58,000 copies, and is as relevant as ever!

Author Neil Fiore offers the first comprehensive strategy to overcome the causes of procrastination and to eliminate its deleterious effects. His techniques will help any busy person get more things done more quickly, without the anxiety and stress brought on by failure to meet the workplace’s pressing deadlines.

This revised, redesigned edition includes a new introduction and a section that provides strategies to understand and deal with the complex role technology plays in procrastination today.

My Brief Comments: This book was exactly what I needed. I was suffering from a really bad case of procrastination. I wanted to write… just not badly enough to do anything about it. And the more days that passed when not a word got written, the worst I felt about it (and about myself). Fiore takes a positive approach to curing procrastination. His theories are based on the concept that procrastination is good for you. It’s not a weakness or a flaw. After all, we wouldn’t be doing it if it didn’t feel good. So he teaches us how to get those same benefits through other methods. He also says that overcoming procrastination leads to better, more frequent “play” breaks. He’s right.

This is the point at which I would normally offer an excerpt, but I can’t seem to find one readily available.

I hope those of you who check out this book get as much out of it as I have.

The fabulous and incomparable Fiona Jayde was kind enough to interview me on my first release day. I thought I’d share that interview here. What better way to launch the new blog?

Fiona: I remember you mentioned that the story was inspired by the gorgeous cover art. How did that work? Was this a “fun” peice that Karen made that you ended up using?

Hunter: Yep! That’s exactly how it worked. Karen and a few other cover artists were playing with some of the creations they made in their off-time and they ended up sending a few to the Changeling Admin loop. As soon as I saw the image that eventually became my cover, I knew I had to have it. I had no idea who these characters were or what their story was, but I knew the image really called to me. So I asked her if I could have it, and she graciously agreed. It took about a year between asking for the image and writing the story… During that time, I passed a building every morning on my way to work that had a drawing of an elf’s head (one of those cute, Christmas-y ones) on its sign out front. I always thought, “Gee… I wonder if elves live there,” as I drove by. So when it came time to use my gorgeous cover… how could I write about anything else?