Behind the Book Cover
531 episodes — Page 1 of 11
He's Doubling Down on AI and IP While Everyone Else Is Panicking
She Got Her Sixth Book Deal Because of Her Podcast, Not Her Books
The Book Deal Was the Goal—Until the Industry Changed
He Said the Book Would Never Lead to a Business. It Became His Entire Second Career.
The Grief Memoir That Became a TV Pitch, a Sex Podcast and the Book Everyone Gives When Someone Dies
He Sold 87 Copies—and Made $2.5M
S2 Ep 11Why Your Book Is Never “Done”—And How It Can Keep Making Money for Years
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Brian Kurtz spent decades helping build Boardroom into a billion-dollar business through direct response marketing, which means he knows more about what actually makes people buy things than almost anyone I've ever talked to.So when he finally wrote his book Overdeliver, he didn't do what most authors do (cross his fingers, pray for a bestseller list, then move on). He treated the book like a business asset that would keep working for years, and that's exactly what it's done.What I wanted to get into with Brian is his idea of the "perpetual launch"—that a book is never done launching, which sounds exhausting until you hear how he actually does it. He used bonuses, podcasts and decades of relationship capital to turn one book into a long-term client engine, and he'll tell you straight up that capturing a reader's email matters more than any Amazon ranking ever will.He also wrote for nearly a decade before publishing, which gave him something most authors skip straight past: an actual voice.And then there's the part of this conversation that puts everything else in perspective. The day before his book launch, Brian had a near-fatal stroke. We talk about what that did to how he thinks about legacy and why, after something like that, the long game stops being a strategy and starts being the only thing that makes sense.In this episode:What the "perpetual launch" means in practice (and why most authors quit too early)Why Brian says capturing an email is worth more than an Amazon rankingHow decades of relationship capital turned one book into a multi-million-dollar assetThe near-fatal stroke that happened the day before his launch — and how it changed everythingWhy writing for years before publishing is the real shortcutWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 10What 50 Years in the Business Taught Him—And Why He Finally Wrote the Book About It
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Richard Lawson has spent 50+ years in Hollywood acting, teaching and mentoring people like George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer, so writing a book could have been a victory lap—a way to package the lessons and put a bow on everything.That's not what happened. Writing The Artist's Roadmap: Navigating Your Career in SHOW Business didn't just organize what Richard already knew. It woke something up. It led to a Substack, a memoir in progress, a series of children's books and an entirely new creative chapter that he wasn't expecting at this stage of his life.What I wanted to get into with Richard is how that happened—how the process of writing the book became the thing that renewed him, not just the product of a long career. He tells me about a moment during a college musical in 1969 that set everything in motion (and why he still feels guided by that same force today). He talks about surviving an actual plane crash and what that did to his relationship with intuition. And he explains the dialogue between his two inner voices—his spiritual guide "Richard" and his creative alter ego "Tricky Dick"—which is not the kind of thing you expect from a guy who's spent five decades in the business, and that's exactly why it's interesting.In this episode:The 1969 revelation during a college musical that he says still drives him todayHow surviving a plane crash reshaped how he trusts his own instincts"Richard" vs. "Tricky Dick"—the two inner voices and what they taught him about creativityHis three-part formula for show business success: politics, personality and craftWhy the book led to a Substack, a memoir, children's books and an entire second creative wave he didn't planWhat he means by "dream whisperer" (and how he helps people find their way back to their purpose)Want to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 9He Raised His Prices 60x After Writing a Book
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Justin Breen used to charge $500 for his PR services. After writing his first book, he started charging $30,000.That's not a typo, and it's not because the book sold a million copies—it's because the book made him the person clients wanted to hire at that price.Justin's path to authorship started when his journalism salary got cut in half and he cold-contacted 5,000 people to find his first five clients. He documented that whole ride in Epic Life, and it led to The Epic F.I.T. Network, speaking engagements and media opportunities that didn't exist before the book.But what I really wanted to talk about is what happened with his second book, Epic Journey, because it got weird in the best way. Justin describes the writing process as channeling divine inspiration while literally staring at the sun on his daily runs, which I know sounds like something you'd scroll past—but the manuscript had such an impact on early readers that one of them got a tattoo inspired by it. The book led to what he calls a "complete ego death," an amicable divorce, a total life overhaul and a new AI music company called Corvia.AI. He's currently not sure where he's going to live next, which is either terrifying or the most honest thing an entrepreneur has ever admitted on a podcast.We also get into why he thinks not everyone should write their own book (which is a bold thing to say on this particular podcast) and his potential collaboration with Melissa Bernstein of Melissa & Doug Toys.In this episode:How writing a book took him from $500 to $30,000 per clientThe 5,000 cold contacts that launched his entire businessWhy Epic Journey led to an ego death, a divorce and a company he didn't planThe early reader who got a tattoo inspired by the manuscriptWhy he says not everyone should write their own book (and what to do instead)The potential Melissa Bernstein (Melissa & Doug) collaborationWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 8The Book Launch That Became a Movement (Billboards, Celebrities and Sold-Out Events)
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Christos Garkinos went from being a lonely gay Greek kid in Detroit to running marketing for Virgin Megastores, launching fashion lines on HSN and becoming Bravo's "Robin Hood of Fashion"—and then lost nearly all of it to addiction, financial collapse and grief.So he wrote a memoir called Covet the Comeback and launched it like a rock tour.What I wanted to talk to Christos about is the launch, because it's one of the most ambitious rollouts I've seen from any author, and he did it entirely on his own terms. Celebrity-filled dinners, sold-out events across the country and a billboard in LA that ran for five months—positioned directly above an ATM he used during his darkest days. That's not a marketing stunt. That's a man staring down his own story from a billboard.But the launch isn't actually the most interesting part of this conversation. Christos gets into what it felt like when people he hadn't spoken to in years started reaching out after reading the book—people who had written him off, people who barely knew him, people who suddenly understood something about him they never had before. He talks about sobriety, ego and surrender with a kind of honesty that you don't usually hear from someone whose instinct is to produce a show. And he gets into how the book didn't just change his public image. It changed his business, his relationships and the way he thinks about what he's actually building.In this episode:The five-month LA billboard placed directly above an ATM from his worst daysWhy he refused a traditional book launch and built a rollout that looked more like a concert tourWhat it felt like when people who'd written him off started reaching out after reading the bookHow sobriety reshaped his instincts, leadership and creativityThe moment his community turned his story into their ownWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 7He Lost Everything—Then Wrote the Book That Rebuilt His Authority
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Walter Clarke lost his investment management firm after a catastrophic business failure involving regulatory action and bad advice, and then did the thing most people in finance would never do: he wrote a book about it.The Big Risk told the whole story—the painful parts, the parts that could have stayed buried—and it turned what could have been a career-ending chapter into the reason people started hiring him. Writing the book transformed shame into authority because he was teaching from experience, not theory, and that distinction is the difference between a consultant people tolerate and one they actually trust.What I wanted to get into with Walter is what happened next, because he didn't stop there. He wrote a second book, 401Kid, built around an idea that sounds simple until you think about it: financial education should start at birth, not adulthood. Walter has spent 30+ years advising wealthy families, and he's watched money quietly destroy relationships, identity and mental health when people aren't prepared for it. He says you lose your kids' attention around age 11, which means every parent who's waiting until their teenager "is old enough" to talk about money has already missed the window.We also get into why he thinks sudden wealth is more dangerous than not having money at all and why avoiding the "entitlement" conversation with your kids does far more harm than just having it.In this episode:How losing his firm led to writing the book that rebuilt his authorityWhy sudden wealth is more dangerous than lack of moneyThe reason financial education has to start before age 11 (and what happens when it doesn't)How The Big Risk turned a career-ending story into a business assetWhy 401Kid clicked as a title—and as a philosophyWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 6He Spent Decades Behind the Scenes on ER and The West Wing—His Book at 78 Put Him in Front
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. When we published Right for the Role, I figured John would sell a few books, make some actors cry and call it a day. I was wrong.John is a four-time Emmy-winning casting director who spent decades casting ER, The West Wing and Shameless, and his memoir didn't just tell that story—it completely rewired his creative life at 78. The book sparked a podcast, packed acting schools, landed in the Studio City Barnes & Noble window and somehow made him Instagram-famous (his words, not mine). He's now directing plays in New York and reconnecting with collaborators he hadn't spoken to in years.What I wanted to talk to John about is what it's like to spend your entire career shaping other people's performances and then, in your late seventies, step into the spotlight yourself for the first time. He gets into what it took to drop the privacy he'd protected for decades, what it's like to relive your life with a co-writer on Zoom and why the Smoke House book signing turned into something closer to an LA industry reunion than a reading. He also swears he "discovered no one," which—if you know anything about the casts of ER or The West Wing—is one of the more generous lies I've heard on this podcast.The thing he said that stuck with me: the book didn't give him a new life. It gave him his old one back.In this episode:How Right for the Role turned into a podcast, a tour and a creative second act at 78The Smoke House signing that became an industry reunionWhy he insists he "discovered no one" (he's being modest)What it's like to publish your first book in your seventies and go viral for itWhy he says the book gave him his old life back, not a new oneWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 5How One Book Turned Into $1M (And Why Most Don’t)
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Dan Nicholson is just the founder and CEO of Nth Degree CPAs.He’s also one of my favorite Legacy Launch Pad clients.One of the reasons for this favoritism is that I had the privilege of watching him go from being just another CPA to becoming the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of Rigging the Game. As a result of the book, he now commands up to $20,000 a speaking gig and has generated over seven figures in revenue from the ripple effects of authorship.How did he do it? Well, he had a system—and you could say he rigged it.First, he pre-sold hundreds of copies to his network before the manuscript was even complete, ensuring the project would be profitable before it launched. Then he started circulating the book with a focus on speaking and watched his speaking fees skyrocket. Masterminds and conferences have even built entire events around his book!Now prospects arrive at his CPA firm already pre-sold on hiring them, referrals flow in at record levels and his close rates have jumped significantly—even as he raised his prices by 30%. And that’s not all: thanks to his book, he's also doubled his media appearances, landed more podcast interviews and attracted new clients not only to Nth Degree CPAs but for his other ventures, including Certainty U and Certainty News.Listen in to find out why Dan’s system rigging leaves me in awe.Episode Highlights:How Dan pre-sold his book and turned it into a seven-figure revenue generatorThe challenges of writing authentically and why ghostwriters didn’t work for himWhy Rigging the Game resonates with entrepreneurs tired of cookie-cutter adviceHow speaking gigs, referrals and media appearances multiplied after publicationThe real difference between relationship-based and transactional businesses and how books impact eachThe systems Dan created to get 80% of his early readers to leave Amazon reviewsWhy giving away free copies can sometimes be more valuable than selling themThe philosophy of eliminating downside risk to guarantee upsideKey Takeaways:A book is not a lottery ticket—it’s a system and success requires planningReviews not vanity bulk sales are the most powerful long-term marketingFor service-based businesses credibility from a book allows you to raise rates and close more clientsMedia exposure and speaking opportunities don’t happen by accident—you must design the outcomesWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 4The Book That Led to a TEDx Talk—and 350,000 Views
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. I had a front-row seat to Bonnie Habyan’s transformation. A seasoned CMO with over 20 years in financial services, Bonnie wrote The World According to Bess—a book about her mother's wisdom that we released on her mom's 91st birthday, just months before she passed.In our conversation, Bonnie walks me through all that the book opened up for her: she landed a TEDx talk that now has 350,000+ views, launched her podcast This Is How SHE Did It and became a keynote speaker on resilience and personal brand power. We dive into the unexpected wins—Barnes & Noble book signings, knowing her book is available at Target and having strangers sharing intimate stories about their own mothers after hearing her speak. She also reveals how the writing process helped her understand her relationship with her mom better. In the end, she explains how the book scratched an itch that no CMO title ever could—giving her something authentically hers that will outlive her while also teaching her that her superpower is tenacity.She opens up about being terrified at first—worried about her employer's reaction, about being vulnerable, about putting herself out there. But as she explains, pushing through that fear brought unquantifiable rewards: confidence, legacy and the fulfillment of bucket-list dreams she'd had since childhood.Topics Discussed:Why book sales don't matter: How the real value comes from credibility, platform, and opportunities—not revenue from copies soldFrom book to TEDx stage: How The World According to Bess became the foundation for Bonnie's TEDx talk, which garnered 350,000+ views and created deep connections with audiencesThe power of pre-launch marketing: Building a reader group to generate reviews before publication day, ensuring the book launches with social proof that stays on Amazon foreverOvercoming fear and self-doubt: Bonnie's journey from worrying about her employer's reaction and being vulnerable to embracing confidence and not caring about naysayersThe book as connection machine: How strangers approached Bonnie after her TEDx talk, sharing intimate stories about their own mothers and revealing the impact of her workUnderstanding family through writing: How the process of writing the book gave Bonnie deeper insight into her mother's love language, upbringing and their relationshipDiscovering your superpower: How the book-writing process revealed that Bonnie's superpower is tenacity and persistenceThe gift that keeps giving: Unexpected moments like seeing the book at Target, doing book club talks and receiving messages from readers on the beachFinding your tribe: The importance of surrounding yourself with supporters rather than naysayers during the creative processLegacy over career advancement: Why the book's impact on Bonnie's personal fulfillment and legacy mattered more than advancing her CMO careerVulnerability and authenticity: Putting personal stories into the world and learning to care less about criticismThe book cover moment: How seeing the final cover design was the "aha" moment that brought everything togetherBucket list achievements: Checking off childhood dreams of writing a book, creating a podcast and delivering a TED talk—all stemming from the book
S2 Ep 3The Book That Started Legacy Launch Pad—and a Foundation That's Sent 200+ People to Treatment
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Aiming High was the first book I ever published, and it's the reason Legacy Launch Pad exists. So I'm biased. But the story of what this book did is worth telling regardless.Darren Prince was one of the most successful sports and celebrity agents in the country—Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Charlie Sheen—and he was also quietly battling an addiction that nearly killed him. When we started working together, he wanted to write about his career. I told him his addiction was the real story. He didn't love hearing that, but he listened.He released the book on the anniversary of Ali and Frazier's "Thrilla in Manila" fight (because of course he did—the man is an agent to his core). Magic Johnson wrote the foreword. A CNN interview with Chris Cuomo launched a global media tour that led to Tucker Carlson, Dr. Oz, Fox & Friends and Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast. A six-figure spokesperson deal came in, and instead of keeping the money, Darren used it to start the Aiming High Foundation, which has now sent over 200 people to treatment.What I wanted to get into with Darren is all of it—the stuff that makes us laugh and the stuff that makes us a little teary. How his father's death and a conversation with Magic Johnson pushed him to finally tell the truth. How the book revitalized his agency in ways he didn't expect. And how a memoir about hitting bottom turned into a foundation, a speaking career and a life that actually looks like the one he was pretending to have before.In this episode:Why I told Darren his addiction—not his celebrity roster—was the real bookThe behind-the-scenes story of Magic Johnson writing the forewordHow a CNN interview launched a global media tourThe six-figure spokesperson deal he turned into a foundation that's sent 200+ people to treatmentWhy Aiming High was the first book I published and the reason I started Legacy Launch PadWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.
S2 Ep 2One Book → TV Show, Harvard Role and a 61-City Tour
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Matt George isn't just a Harvard Business School executive leadership coach.He's also one of my favorite Legacy Launch Pad clients. Yes, I say that a lot but I only have my favorites on this show.I've had the privilege of watching Matt go from being a longtime nonprofit CEO to becoming a three-time #1 bestselling author who leveraged his book into a multimillion-dollar portfolio of speaking, consulting, media and coaching opportunities. As a result of his books, he now works at Harvard Business School, hosted his own prime-time TV show for four years and has generated over a million dollars in revenue from the ripple effects of authorship.How did he do it? Well, he treated the book we published, Non-Profit Game Plan, like a "business card for life"—he never stopped networking with it.First, he carried copies everywhere, giving them out on flights, at conferences and to nonprofits across the country. He even packed a full suitcase with 50-60 books for a John Maxwell conference and refused to bring a single one home. Then he embarked on an epic 61-city, 67-day book tour across America, combining media appearances with grassroots nonprofit visits where he literally saw his book help save a young girl's life. (He and I also got to meet for a cup of hot chocolate when his tour took him to LA.)Today, his media appearances have multiplied 10-15x, his consulting fees have skyrocketed and his speaking invitations stretch from Ivy League alumni clubs to global conferences. And that's not all: thanks to his book, Matt was able to leave his 30-year nonprofit career, land a coveted position at Harvard Business School (coaching C-suite executives from around the world) and launch his own company.Listen in to find out why Matt's "business card for life" strategy shows why a book truly is the world’s best business card.Episode Highlights:How Matt turned his book into the catalyst for a career reinvention at Harvard Business SchoolThe intentional strategy of carrying and giving away books to build brand and revenueWhy books outperform business cards for authority and credibilityHow Business Forward and other media opportunities emerged directly from authorshipThe 61-city book tour that combined grassroots impact with national visibilityWhy reviews and relationships matter more than bulk salesHow Matt monetized his book into consulting, speaking and global coaching streamsKey Takeaways:A book is a lifelong business card when used strategicallyReviews, not sales rankings, drive long-term credibilitySpeaking, consulting, and media come from intentional design, not accidentAuthorship creates authority, self-confidence and new revenue streamsThe impact of a book goes beyond business—it can literally change lives
S2 Ep 1The Book Party That Changed Everything
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Calvin Bagley spent his childhood dodging the school bus and adulthood building business empires. The founder of multiple eight-figure Medicare companies and a self-proclaimed “big fish in a very specific pond,” Calvin went from growing up in rural isolation with nine siblings and no formal schooling to becoming one of the most respected names in his industry.His memoir Hiding from the School Bus doesn’t teach you how to scale a business—it shows you how to survive one hell of a childhood and still come out kind, successful and grateful.In this episode, Calvin and I cover everything from family feuds to Kirkus raves to what it’s like when people you barely know suddenly know all your darkest secrets. He talks about writing 1,000 pages during a bout of shingles (because of course he did), taking his co-writer back to the “scene of the crime” to really feel the trauma and throwing a Vegas book launch complete with goats, carrot cake and cocktails named after his childhood pain.It’s equal parts therapy session, comeback story and gratitude circle. Calvin somehow manages to turn abuse, neglect and educational deprivation into punchlines—and then pivots to heartfelt lessons on self-acceptance, fatherhood and what it means to finally stop running from your past.Episode HighlightsWhat happens when your mom doesn’t know you wrote a memoirHow a shingles outbreak became a literary blessing (seriously)The Vegas book party that doubled as emotional closureHow radical honesty can make your business strongerWhat happens when you tell your story and the world actually listens
S1 Ep 9Ethlie Ann Vare on Going From Gatekeepers to Algorithms
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Ethlie Ann Vare has lived through every incarnation of the media machine—from the era when editors and agents were true gatekeepers to today’s age of algorithms and the “wisdom of the crowd.” A journalist, TV writer and author, Vare built a career on talent, timing and serendipity. She went from covering rock shows in 1980s Los Angeles to penning biographies of Stevie Nicks and Ozzy Osbourne then spent 15 years writing for television shows like Renegade, Silk Stalkings, Andromeda and CSI.In this episode, Vare reflects on how the publishing world she once knew—where publicists flew authors to The Today Show and books stayed in print for decades—has vanished, replaced by a firehose of content and a marketplace where visibility often trumps talent. She laments that authors are now the product, forced to become their own marketers and brands while readers drown in choice.A savvy observer of both life and the publishing industry, Vare has proven that good work finds its way. Her New York Times–noted Mothers of Invention and later Love Addict: Sex, Romance and Other Dangerous Drugs (which began as a Tumblr called Affection Deficit Disorder) both emerged from two respective subjects she cared deeply about—women inventors and the psychology of love addiction. Now through her Substack of the same name ,she continues to write “for fun and for free,” offering hard-earned wisdom without worrying about the clicks or sales.Episode Highlights:Ethlie recounts her early days in rock journalism where being “good and lucky” opened doors to Billboard, Rock Magazine and national TV appearances.The shift from gatekeepers to algorithms: how the fall of traditional publishing replaced discernment with popularity contests.Behind the making of her hit book Mothers of Invention and why its success led to a national lecture tour and lasting influence.Her perspective on today’s “firehose of content,” author branding and the exhaustion of self-promotion.The origin of Love Addict, her dive into sex and love addiction and how it evolved from personal exploration to public service.Reflections on age, authenticity and the strange liberation of being a “digital immigrant” in a youth-driven culture.Key Takeaways:The creative industry has shifted from talent being discovered to visibility being demanded.Writing remains a calling worth pursuing—for love not for money.Democratization has come at a cost: fewer filters more noise.The real reward of authorship isn’t fame but connection and survival through reinvention.
S1 Ep 8Jamie Rose on Finding True Fulfillment After Traditional Publishing's Broken Promises
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Jamie Rose is proof that reinvention can be a superpower. After decades as a working actress, she did what most in Hollywood never dare: she pivoted.First came writing. She landed a Penguin deal for her memoir Shut Up and Dance, diving headfirst into the brutal world of publishing. Then came coaching, where she transformed her 37 years of training with psychiatrist Phil Stutz (of The Tools and Jonah Hill’s Netflix doc Stutz) into a career helping others unlock their potential.Now she’s tackling her boldest project yet: Facing Madame X: An Initiation into Feminine Power (out March 2026). Part memoir, part self-help, the book distills Stutz’s groundbreaking tools through Jamie’s uniquely female perspective, weaving hard-won lessons of resilience, humor and creativity.Jamie had to figure out the system for herself. She rode the highs (landing a book deal with a major publisher) and the lows (refreshing Amazon rankings until she nearly lost her mind). She discovered that success wasn’t about fame or money alone—it was about emotional “f-you money,” joy in the process and leaving a legacy that makes people weep (in the best way).Episode HighlightsJamie’s leap from Hollywood (Falcon Crest, The Tonight Show) to published author and coachThe rollercoaster of her first book Shut Up and Dance—Penguin deal, PR mishaps, Amazon obsessionLessons from 37 years with mentor Phil Stutz, now shaping her new book Facing Madame X (2026)Redefining “f-you money” as emotional freedom, not just financial securityWhy reinvention, resilience, and joy matter more than chasing external validationKey TakeawaysTraditional publishing offers prestige but little control—authors must drive their own successSetbacks can spark reinvention and deeper purposeMentorship and long-term practice transform both work and lifeEmotional wealth and detachment create true powerBooks are about legacy and impact, not just sales numbers
S1 Ep 7Mark Ebner on How to Survive the Death of Publishing (and Still Tell the Truth)
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Mark Ebner has lived every journalist’s dream. He’s a New York Times bestselling author, Hollywood insider and the guy behind some of the most notorious exposés in entertainment history. But behind the bylines and book deals is a story about an industry that chews up even its most fearless voices—and a writer who found a way to keep telling the truth anyway.In this conversation, Mark and I talk about everything the publishing world doesn’t want you to know—from missing royalty checks and botched releases to what happens when AI starts scraping your life’s work. He opens up about his unlikely friendship with Andrew Breitbart, the chaos of the book business and how he went from bestselling author to private investigator—while somehow staying one of the funniest, most unflinchingly honest people I’ve ever met.Episode HighlightsThe truth about what it really means to hit the New York Times list (and why it doesn’t make you rich)How HarperCollins mishandled his biggest book deal—and what it taught him about the industry’s dysfunctionThe unexpected camaraderie between a radical leftist and a far-right pundit and how it produced Hollywood, InterruptedWhy bookstores literally killed one of his bestsellers by shelving it in the wrong sectionThe burnout and betrayal that pushed him to leave journalism and launch a private investigation firmHis take on AI, intellectual theft and the future (or end) of nonfiction writingThe celebrity scandals, lawsuits and cult investigations that defined his career—and why he’s done telling other people’s storiesThe strange parallels between chasing leads as a PI and chasing truth as a reporterThe book he still wants to write—and why he might call it Dirtbag
S1 Ep 6Tom Zoellner on Letting Go of the Hustle to Find Meaning in Writing Rather than Publishing
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Tom Zoellner has no illusions about fame, sales or the myth of the “life-changing book.” A National Book Critics Circle Award winner and New York Times bestselling author, Zoellner has written nine acclaimed works of nonfiction including Island on Fire: The Revolt that Ended Slavery in the British Empire, which also became a finalist for the Bancroft Prize and the California Book Award. But despite the accolades, he’s learned to see writing not as a climb toward visibility but as a lifelong meditation on curiosity and craft.In this episode, he and I had a lively debate about such things as whether technology is the death knell of creativity or an amazing opportunity, if one should be writing to build authority or to simply to experience the satisfaction of delving deeply into a topic and even how to pronounce BISAC (not to mention his last name).We also talk about how I once said a sentence to him summarizing how I feel about book publishing that he quotes back to me all the time.Tom may be my polar opposite in terms of using a book to strategically advance but I do admire the way he writes, as he says, to add one small spark to the larger fire of human knowledge. Listen in to find where you may lie on the spectrum of creativity and commercialism (and where the two meet).Episode Highlights:Tom recounts his journey from local newspapers in Nebraska to national recognition as an award-winning author.The evolution of publishing from thoughtful gatekeeping to chaotic marketing—and why he prefers the old systems where “the rules were known.”The strange hazards of traditional publishing, from miscategorized books to tone-deaf cover designs and dismissive editors.How his first book, The Heartless Stone, grew out of a broken engagement and a trip to the Central African Republic to investigate the diamond trade.His growing frustration with publicity, branding and the myth that every author must be a marketer—and how rejecting that mindset changed his relationship to writing.His perspective on authorship as both isolation and immersion—solitary work that still requires a deep engagement with life.Key Takeaways:The best part of writing happens at the keyboard, not on the bestseller list.Traditional publishing has lost its certainty but the writer’s task remains the same: contribute something meaningful.There’s power in humility, patience and persistence in a field obsessed with visibility.A book’s true success isn’t measured in sales or awards but in the moment it adds light to the collective bonfire of ideas.
S1 Ep 5Dennis Hensley on Going from Landing a Book Deal to Working at Crate & Barrel (And Everything in Between)
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Dennis Hensley was the very first real writer I ever knew—back when getting a book published felt like spotting a unicorn in 1990s LA.His debut novel Misadventures in the (213) came out in 1998, and I thought it was the coolest thing imaginable.Years later, we'd find ourselves sweating through Ben Allen's dance classes together, proving that creative people really do wear all the hats.Dennis has written for everyone from Joan Rivers to Wondery podcasts, created party games and somehow made more money dancing in commercials than writing this year.Our conversation (recorded the day before his 61st birthday) goes deep on resilience, disappointment and figuring out how to keep creating when the scoreboard stops making sense.Topics Discussed:The 1990s writing gold rush: When Gen X believed you could actually make a living as a writer, gift bags overflowed at parties. and magazines paid $1 per wordBreaking in: How an audition rejection for Madonna's Blonde Ambition tour became Dennis's first published article, leading to gigs at Movieline, Detour and beyondWriting for free (for three years): The unglamorous hustle behind Misadventures in the (213), including interviewing Carrie Fisher in her bed and scoring a gym membership through barter The 2013 Fashion Police strike: How standing up for freelance writers' pay during the Writers Guild organizing effort traumatized Dennis, cost him his best friend/roommate and triggered a health crisis that changed everythingRehab for disappointment: Dennis's raw account of hospitalization, thinking he'd "die of disappointment" and the long road through somatic therapy, meditation and redefining successChanging how you keep score: Why tracking wins vs. losses will destroy you, and how Dennis learned to measure creative life by "who I'm being" rather than what he's gettingThe game that almost was: Pitching "You Don't Know My Life!" to Jason Bateman's production company, feeling good about the pitches, getting rejected—and being sad for only five seconds"Everything is impossible, so anything is possible": Life lessons from artist Stephanie Elizondo Griest and why trying matters more than outcomesDancing pays better than writing: How Dennis made more money this year from Vegas commercials than his writing career, and why he's okay with thatMentioned:Misadventures in the (213) and Screening Party booksRob Weisbach, Detour, Movieline, Fashion Police"You Don't Know My Life!" party gamePodcasts: Dennis, Anyone? and Dennis Hensley's Happy and GayBen Allen's Group Three dance class (RIP the Thriller flash mob)
S1 Ep 4Heather Wood Rudulph on $0 Royalty Checks and Why the Dream Isn’t the Golden Ticket
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Heather Wood Rudulph has done many things in the publishing world, including co-writing Sexy Feminism: A Girl's Guide to Love, Success and Style with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (a title that very much captured a specific moment in feminist evolution but makes Rudulph give a tiny cringe now).We met back in the New York media heyday when things like "readings and rub downs" (yes, book readings with massages) seemed totally normal.Heather's spent over a decade writing about culture and entertainment for everyone from Cosmo to Rolling Stone and now wears many hats in the words world (including as an occasional editor for my company!) This conversation digs into the realities of traditional publishing: the battles you pick, the dreams that get dashed and why understanding business matters as much as loving words.Topics Discussed:Fighting for your title: How Heather and her co-author battled their publisher five times to keep Sexy Feminism as their title and why picking your battles matters when you have so little controlThe subtitle that aged: Why A Girl's Guide to Love, Success and Style captures a specific moment in feminist history that "wasn't quite there yet"Traditional publishing reality check: Self-funded book tours, throwing yourself parties in cities where you have friends and learning that you're essentially your own PR machineThe $0 royalty statement: Getting trolled by emails showing zero earnings, letters about books being destroyed in landfills and the occasional thrill of foreign translations"You're lucky to be publishing a book": Why authors have to make compromises to get to the finish line but also when to stand firmThe proposals that break your heart: Six months developing a Madonna book pitch, not getting the deal, watching someone else write basically the same bookWriters don't get paid for proposals: The reality that you don't earn anything for pitching articles, writing proposals or preparing to teach—only for the finished productWhen the golden curtain opens: Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's revelation that publishers only hold real marketing meetings after you've proven you're successful (her Seinfeld book hitting the NYT list)The advance is not vacation money: Why even six-figure book deals aren't what people think and how writers should already be thinking about the next book before the first one comes outFrom entertainment reporter to marketing: How Heather pivoted from writing fluffy celebrity profiles and traveling to spas worldwide to understanding that storytelling lives in business tooThe entrepreneurship of writing: Why understanding business isn't selling out—it's survival and how freelancers have to become their own marketing departmentsAmazon is the list that matters: Not the New York Times bestseller list but Amazon rankings and reviews from regular people that live forever"Anybody can write a book": But it's like running a marathon—you have to train, know what you're getting into, keep going when it hurts and want it for the right reasonsMentioned:Sexy Feminism: A Girl's Guide to Love, Success and StyleJennifer Keishin Armstrong (co-author and TV show book specialist)SexyFeminist.com (their website that became the book)The era of Feministing and Jezebel"Readings and Rub Downs" events at Birch CoffeeWork at Cosmo, DAYSPA magazine, LA Daily News and various digital media companiesThe sustainability startup that paid $2/word (briefly)Launch Pad Publishing (Anna's company where Heather now occasionally freelances)
S1 Ep 3Jeanne Darst on Landing Every Author's Dream Deal (and What Happened Next)
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Jeanne Darst's story is what happens when everything goes right—and then you realize "right" is more complicated than you thought. After years of doing plays for 200 people in Vermont, she hit the publishing lottery: a bidding war sparked by a “This American Life” appearance that had publishers hunting her down by the next morning. Riverhead Books won with serious money, the New York Times loved it, Vogue excerpted it, HBO optioned it and she wrote the pilot. It was the full fantasy—except the show didn't get picked up (Girls was coming out), and she spent the next decade in the Hollywood machine. Her TV writing career was a success—she got a series of TV staff writing jobs—but her second book, Dad's Trying to Kill Me, couldn't find a publisher (despite glowing rejections). Now she's back to putting on shows while continuing to write, because sometimes the dream coming true teaches you what you actually want.Episode Highlights:How Jeanne's This American Life story triggered a massive publishing bidding war overnightThe strategic decision to write a proposal instead of submitting a completed manuscriptWhy Jeanne chose Riverhead and editor Sarah McGrath over the highest bidderThe simultaneous media blitz: book launch, Vogue excerpt, and This American Life featureHow HBO optioned the book before publication, leading to pilot writing opportunitiesThe reality of post-success hustle: why the dream is "just the beginning of heartbreak"Jeanne's second book rejection and the lesson about going to small pressesWhy she's returning to grassroots theater after a decade in HollywoodThe father-daughter dynamic when children outachieve their parents professionallyKey Takeaways:Two years of persistence can lead to overnight success Agents and gatekeepers are "smart secretaries" - you must drive your own careerWomen wait 8 months to resubmit after rejection; men wait 3 daysBig advances don't guarantee book tours or sustained marketing supportPublishers only invest real marketing dollars in books that are already succeedingHollywood packaging deals often benefit agencies more than the writers themselvesComplete projects teach more than abandoned ones - finish what you startTraditional publishing success requires constant self-advocacy and hustleFamily reactions to memoirs can be complicated, especially around professional jealousy
S1 Ep 2Hannah Sward on Whether or Not It's Worth It to Chase a Book Deal
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Hannah Sward’s publishing journey reads like a masterclass in persistence meets divine intervention.After years of writing short stories for underground literary journals, she stumbled into a free writer’s group at a library—complete with homeless people sleeping on the sidelines.That’s where she met Jill Sherry Robinson, an 80-year-old bestselling author who essentially kidnapped her and mentored her until she finished her book.Through a comedy of errors involving three different agents (one retired three months after signing her), Sward eventually sold her book for a whopping $500 advance.But here's the kicker: by the time her book Strip came out in 2022, Sward had built such authentic relationships in the recovery community that the book found its audience organically. No Instagram strategy needed—just good old-fashioned showing up. Now she's chronicling her sexual adventures after 50 on Substack, where she’s learned that—guess what?—vulnerability pays off when book deals may not.Episode Highlights:How Hannah's 14-year friendship with Anna led to confessing literary jealousy at an AA meetingThe serendipitous connection with 80-year-old mentor Jill Sherry Robinson at a free library writers groupHannah's unconventional memoir structure: 75 short chapters designed for non-readersThe grueling agent search: 100 rejections and three failed agent relationships before going soloPublishing with a small press for a $500 advance while her father was dying in hospiceHow building authentic community relationships over years created organic publicity opportunitiesThe launch of "Summer of Men" Substack about sex after 50 that had readers paying to find out what happens nextWhy Hannah refuses to repeat the traditional publishing process for her next bookKey Takeaways:Jealousy among writers is normal and can be processed healthily through honest conversationMentorship can appear unexpectedly - stay open to guidance from unlikely sourcesPersistence pays off: Hannah's father modeled being "the king of rejection" as a badge of honorCommunity building matters more than platform building for authentic book promotionThe publishing process can be an "integrated experience" when you work through disappointments internallySmall press publishing with low advances can still lead to meaningful success and readershipLeading with credentials (blurbs from Nobel Prize winners) gets manuscripts read, not just good writingWriting partnerships and accountability groups sustain creative work over yearsSuccess doesn't fill the internal "hole" - there will always be compare and despair momentsSometimes the journey to publication teaches more than the publication itself
S1 Ep 1INTRODUCING: Behind the Book Cover
if you’re a subscriber, hi! It’s been a minute. And by a minute I mean it’s been almost a year.That’s because one of the main reasons I do a podcast is so that I can educate myself and after hundreds of interviews, I felt like I’d learned everything I could about how to build authority with a book. I even used many of those interviews in the book I published in 2023, also called On Good Authority.I was surprised to discover that despite not posting any new episodes, this podcast has been kicking along—remaining in the top 1% of podcasts just because new people are finding the show, or some of you authority junkies are listening to episodes over and over?Anyway, lately, I’ve been feeling that podcast itch again: that craving for the mic. And I also started a Substack that I’ve loved writing. One day recently it occurred to me that the Substack could have an accompanying podcast and then it occurred to me, hey I already have a podcast – it’s just been lying dormant. And so I’ve renamed the show Behind the Book Cover, same name as my Substack.Now I’m going to be focusing less on how to build authority from a book and more on the past, present and future of book publishing, as I see it.The past is the traditional publishing model, which means I’m going to spend the first season talking to authors who come from that world. We’re going to dive into the things no one wants to talk about: the tough days that follow getting the book deal.Season two will focus on the present: entrepreneurs that are earning literal millions as a result of their books, and how they’re doing it.And season three will delve into where book publishing is going, with a special focus, of course on AI.So why am I passionate about this new direction now? I’m so glad you asked!The Penguin Random House trial in 2023 revealed a lot that had previously been secret—namely, that 85% of book advances never earn out and Random House got its name because, as the CEO said in the trial, they never know which books will succeed so it’s random!The reality is that most authors make less than minimum wage. And here's the kicker—the entrepreneurs who get caught up in these publishing fantasies often end up worse off than when they started. They're so focused on impressing agents and publishers that they forget their actual goal: growing their business.So I'm going to be talking to authors about why traditional publishing dreams often backfire for business owners. I'll introduce you to smart entrepreneurs who use books strategically—not as lottery tickets, but as lead generation machines and authority builders. And I'll expose what the publishing industry doesn't want you to know about how this business actually works.Think of this as the same as On Good Authority but with a sharper edge. Depending on when you’re hearing this, I’ve either already released or am weeks away from releasing the show you know and love but fine tuned for your success. Same juicy interviews, same truth-telling, just more focused on what actually moves the needle in your business instead of feeding publishing fantasies that lead to disappointment.Whether you're thinking about writing a book, struggling with your first one, or wondering if any of this makes business sense, these conversations will save you time, money and heartache.Because here's the thing: once you stop chasing publishing validation and start using books as the business tools they actually are, everything changes. And I can't wait to show you how.Welcome to Behind the Book Cover.
S1 Ep 512Remaining Behind-the-Scenes with 16-Time NYT Bestselling Author Hilary Lifton
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Hilary Lifton is not one to boast, and I write that with more understatement than you can imagine.I was introduced to her recently at a party by someone who said she was a big ghostwriter. When I asked her about her career, she mentioned working on a self-help book.It was only when I Googled her later that I learned she has written 16 New York Times bestsellers and is one of the most sought-after ghostwriters alive. (While she chooses not to name her bold-faced clients, you can find out who some of them are by going to her site.)I've never had such an interesting conversation about ghostwriting and I challenge you that you've probably not heard one. I know that's setting expectations quite high but I'm ready to meet them!
S1 Ep 511Using Beta Readers Who Disagree with Your Premise with Arlina Allen
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Arlina Allen is a force in the recovery movement. Sober for over 30 years, she's been releasing episodes of her top 1% podcast, ODAAT Chat, for over eight.She's also been working on a book for almost that long—and now it's finally here! The 12-Step Guide for Skeptics: Clearing Up Common Misconceptions of A path to Sobriety is out now and for it, she showed her book-in-progress to people who not only didn't agree with what she was writing but who actually disagreed.In this episode, we talked about her process, how she realized that her original idea for the book was more an article than a book and the way her podcast set her up for book sucess.
S1 Ep 510How a Book is the Gift That Keeps on Giving with Dr. Doug Brackmann
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Dr. Douglas Brackmann isn't like anyone else you meet. He's far more intense and brilliant—the kind of person you find yourself telling your deepest and darkest secrets to when you had just planned to ask him about the weather.The author of Driven: Understanding and Harnessing the Genetic Gifts Shared by Entrepreneurs, Navy SEALs, Pro Athletes, and Maybe YOU, Brackmann is revered among top entrepreneurs. And while he admits that he already had "disciples" before publishing Driven, the book still radically transformed his practice, career and life.\Although the tips he provides about building authority with a book are priceless, I was even more intrigued. by how much credibility he says the book has given him (even though he already has two PhDs!) Listen and get inspired. And if you relate to what he says about being a driven person...A) I feel your pain and B) there are many ways to work with Brackmann on that. Find out what they are by going here.(BTW: I was on his podcast a few months ago. You can hear that here.)
S1 Ep 509Why the Ex-CEO of a $550 Million Company Did a Book Now with Erika Badan Ayers
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Erika Ayers Badan calls herself a “token CEO”, the rare female employee in the highest rank of a bro-roar sports and new media culture—specifically, at Barstool Sports, which she took from a rough-and-tumble sports and betting brand and turned it into a $550 million juggernaut with more than 5 billion monthly video views and 225 million followers. In her book, Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure Is Good, The Great Ones Play Hurt, and Other Hard Truths, she talks about all that and more. And in this podcast episode, she discusses why she decided to do a book at this point in her career, how it serves as a “receipt” for what she’s done and how she truly doesn’t give an f what other people think.
S1 Ep 508Why People Lose Steam on Their Books with Jill Ishkanian
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. It’s truly a crime that there’s no TV series about Jill Ishkanian.The lone female tabloid reporter in a sea of men, Ishkanian has been raided by the FBI, exonerated Meghan Markle and been late to a lunch date with me because she thought she saw Kevin Costner driving. And those are just three of dozens of fascinating facts!Yet, despite the fact that she’s been technically employed as a writer for decades and knows she has a hell of a story to tell, she’s been stalled on writing her book. Why is that? And how can we—yes, the collective we—help her? It’s all in this episode.
S1 Ep 507How Book Publishing Is Evolving with Agent Mark Gottlieb
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. While Mark Gottlieb has agenting in his blood—he’s a second generation lit agent—he’s not your typical agent. He doesn’t specialize in any particular genre but bounces between fiction and nonfiction, with some children's books and graphic novels in between. And though he works with the Big Five publishers, he’s open-minded when it comes to self-publishing and the new wave of publishing. In this episode we talked about how being a writer requires audacity, how tough it is to make a living as an author without a side profession and how most people don’t even know what a lit agent is, among many other topics.
S1 Ep 506Boost Your Business by Sharing Your Story (Solo Episode)
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Here's a special release for you: the keynote I recently gave at a mastermind that encompasses so much of what I know to be true about coming up with your book idea. It's short but sweet. Enjoy!FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.
S1 Ep 505How to Use Instagram Reels to Blow Up Your Book with Erin Lee
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. You know that kindergarten teacher we all wish we'd had?That's Erin Lee. But part of what makes us all wish she'd been our teacher is the fact that in addition to being a teacher, she's an award-winning children's book author.Still, as we discuss quite a bit around here, being an amazing author doesn't always guarantee book sales.But Erin HAS sold thousands of books. So how has she done it? Well, she started dressing up as her five-year-old students to create engaging Instagram reels. These relatable and humorous videos have since fostered a thriving online community where Erin shares educational content, entertainment and promotes her books.I was actually interviewing Erin for my other podcast when I realized the information she was sharing was such book publishing GOLD that I had to switch gears and release it on this long-neglected feed.In this episode, she breaks her IG strategy down piece by piece. So good, so tactical. She actually makes Instagram sound fun AND useful. When have you last heard it described that way?
S1 Ep 504The State of Publishing Today with Kevin Anderson
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Kevin Anderson never meant to get into the publishing business after growing up in a small town in Canada before getting his PhD and graduating summa cum laude from Harvard and starting a tutoring company.Nevertheless, that tutoring company transitioned into what is now a massive publishing company that employs 30 writers and editors that have collectively worked on over 200 New York Times bestselling books and sold over 100 million copies of books by people like Brene Brown, Simon Sinek and Jen Sincero.How juicy was our conversation about the state of publishing today? Well, in case you hadn't noticed, I stopped releasing new episodes of this podcast! But when I stumbled into this chat with Kevin, I realized it was too good to keep to myself. So please enjoy!FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.
S1 Ep 471How to Get Your Book Everywhere with Annabelle Gurwitch
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Annabelle Gurwitch is an actress, activist, and the author of the New York Times bestseller and Thurber Prize finalist I See You Made an Effort. Her other books include: Wherever You Go, There They Are, and You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up (coauthored with Jeff Kahn). She was the co-host of Dinner & a Movie on TBS and has appeared on NPR, The Today Show, CBS Early Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, PBS, and numerous CNN and MSNBC programs. Her essays and satire have been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, AARP, Real Simple, Prevention, The Los Angeles Book Review, The Daily Beast, Time, Next Tribe, Lenny Letter, Hadassah and The Hollywood Reporter, among other media outlets.She's also an extremely methodical (she might say obsessive compulsive?) person—one who starts planning her launch as she comes up with the book concept. And she works it—making lists, checking them way more than twice, reaching out to people she knows and doesn't know and ultimately making it so that her books have no option but to be successful.If you want practical steps on how to prepare both emotionally and literally for a release, this episode is packed with tips, tactics and other t-words!FOR MORE ABOUT WHAT MY COMPANY, LEGACY LAUNCH PAD, DOES, GO TO WWW.LEGACYLAUNCHPADPUB.COM
S1 Ep 478Make Sure You Write the Right Book with Dave Chesson
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Dave Chesson is the creator of Kindlepreneur.com, a website devoted to teaching advanced book marketing which even Amazon KDP acknowledges as one of the best by telling users to “Gain insight from Kindlepreneur on how you can optimize marketing for your books.” Having worked with such authors as Orson Scott Card, Ted Dekker and more, his tactics help both fiction and nonfiction authors of all levels get their books discovered by the right readers. But that's the official bio stuff. The stuff that really matters, at least to me, is that he is the wisest person out there today when it comes to successful indie publishing. Basically, he does the work so that the rest of us can utilize his techniques and systems.You can read the full transcript of our conversation below but the main takeaways are this: if you want to successfully launch a book, start your launch work the day you start writing; to cut down on haters, show readers you're human; and the right keywords and categories on Amazon can make the difference between bestsellerdom and obscurity.Enjoy this episode and by all means, employ the techniques! FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.
S1 Ep 475Get Your Book in Stores with Ashlea Hearn
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Ashlea Hearn is not only a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Reserves but also the author of Genesis Mortalis, Book 1 of the Take It Trilogy.We met when she reached out to me about the upcoming release of that book. But here's what's relevant: by that point, I had noticed this lovely person named Ashlea Hearn reviewing me wherever she could—different books, this podcast, on Google...everywhere.But here's what I really noticed: she wasn't just slapping a review up there in order to "do the right thing" but crafting thoughtful, in-depth analysis that showed she really had taken in and appreciated the work. (Her review of Party Girl still comes up as "Most Relevant," which is Amazon speak for "the most thoughtful one.")Because of all this, not only was I delighted to speak to her about her book but when she declared me her "mentor," I happily took on the role. And it's been nothing but rewarding as I've watched her jump into life and authorhood with enthusiasm and gumption. Then, like the amazing mentee she is, she flew out for a book party I had for one of my clients and made so many friends that when I showed up for breakfast the next morning to meet some, she was there!So that's our back story. Here's her back story.She started writing as a little girl because it was a fascinating escape from what she considered to be a mundane life of a girl from the Midwest.At an early age, she fell in love with the suaveness of James Bond, the action of Mission: Impossible, the gore and badassery of Kill Bill: Volume 1 and the relatable female characters of Totally Spies!—all of which influenced the Take It book series.Listen in on this chat between a mentee and a thoroughly delighted mentor!FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM!
S1 Ep 492Make Sure Your Readers Can Afford You with Scott Duffy
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Scott Duffy is an entrepreneur and business strategist who's listed as a “Top 10 Speaker” by Entrepreneur and has been named one of the “Top Influential People To Follow” by Yahoo! Finance.'But that's not why I brought him on the pod. I brought him on because he's also the author of three different business books on three different topics, from three different publishers and launched in three entirely different ways. When I was at his mastermind a few weeks ago, he articulated why entrepreneurs should launch books in a way that was clearer than I'd ever heard. That's why I wanted him on the show but what I actually got out of our talk was so much more.In this episode, we got into the importance of subtitles, why authors should be featured on their book covers and how his most recent book launch was a disaster.FOR MORE ABOUT THE POD AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 491What It's Like to Be Chosen by Oprah with Greg Behrendt
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Greg Behrendt is the #1 New York Times best-selling co-author of He’s Just Not That Into You and It’s Called A Breakup Because It’s Broken. He's appeared on every TV show known to man, including Oprah, The Tonight Show and The Today Show, is a life long standup comedian and co-hosts the relationship podcast Don't Take Bullshit From Fuckers.He's also a life and writing coach, who can walk you through exactly how to write a book like his—as well as how to survive any adversity that comes your way (he's in recovery from addiction and has beaten cancer twice).In this episode, we talk about what happens when the publishing dream that wasn't even your publishing dream comes true, how to handle being categorized as "that guy" after runaway success and how becoming Oprah's obsession for a brief time doesn't mean you're set for life.FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.
S1 Ep 494Use Your Book to Build Your Brand with Katie DePaola
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Katie DePaola is an author, speaker, entrepreneur and the founder of Inner Glow Circle, a company dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs find their glow and live purpose-driven lives.But most relevantly for our show, she is the author of At Least You Look Good: How to Glow Through What You Go Through, the latest release from Launch Pad Publishing. The book is part memoir, part self-help and all love; it's Katie's story about surviving Lyme disease and her brother's death by overdose while building her multi-million dollar business. WANT MORE INFO ON THE POD AND OTHER STUFF? GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 499How to Set Up an Author Podcast Tour with Alex Sanfilippo
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Alex Sanfilippo is the host of the top-rated podcast Podcasting Made Simple, the founder of PodPros.com, a software company focused specifically on the podcasting industry and the co-creator of PodMatch, a service that matches podcast guests and hosts together for interviews. That's not all! He also co-founded PodcastSOP, a project management tool that helps podcasters keep up with their episode releases.You get it: the guy is POD OBSESSED.So who better to come on the show to talk about how authors can book podcast tours? Everything he shared was fascinating but what I found especially fascinating is what he had to say about why authors should pass on opportunities to go on certain shows and why appearing on smaller podcasts can be way more beneficial than going on the big ones.Good one! Don't miss it!FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 496Raising Money for Your Book with Craig Stanland
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Boy, does Craig Stanland have a story to tell.It starts with the FBI knocking on his door, followed by two years in prison.But that's not really what we delve into here. Instead we talk about the book he wrote on his experience—and the one major mistake he made.Now that he's at work on book number two (title TBD—we get into that in the conversation), he's approaching everything differently.Find out about that, as well as how he's planning to use videos to launch his next book, in this episode.FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE POD AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 497Getting Press for Your Book with Peter Shankman
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Peter Shankman is many things, among them a five-time best selling author, entrepreneur and corporate in-person and virtual keynote speaker who focuses on customer service. But in this episode I got him speaking about something so many of you ask me about: HARO, or Help a Reporter Out...the website he started (and sold to Cision many years ago) that helps so many authors get featured in mainstream media.In this conversation, which happened in rapid fire while he was in the throws of salmonella, Peter shared with me how he started HARO accidentally, the best way to get a journalist's attention and why someone stealing a Yoo Hoo truck ended up being the best PR Yoo Hoo could get, among many other topics.WANT MORE INFO ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER THINGS? GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 498How a Book Could Make You $5 Million with Rich Goldstein
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Rich Goldstein is a patent attorney, speaker, host of the Innovations and Breakthroughs podcast and, most relevantly for this show, the author of the bestselling book The ABA Consumer Guide to Obtaining a Patent, which was published by the American Bar Association.He's someone who understands through and through what a book can do for someone's business and in this episode, we got into all that as well as how writing a book changed Rich's career, why he sends a copy of the book to anyone who requests it and how writing a book could, theoretically, make an entrepreneur a cool five million.FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER THINGS, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 493How to Write a Book Everyone Recommends with Rob Fitzpatrick
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. This may be the most useful podcast I've ever released. That's because it's with a guy who's an expert on something EVERY author wants: getting people to recommend your book.His name is Rob Fitzpatrick and he's a former programmer who dropped out of grad school to go to YCombinator with his first startup.It's that background—along with his nearly decade and a half of experience as an entrepreneur—that helps make sense of the fact that he's the guy who's seemingly cracked the code on how to write a book that everyone will recommend.He breaks down his process in his latest book, Write Useful Books, and we also get into our decidedly unique story of how we met (in short, he quoted my interview with Chris Voss in Write Useful Books and I didn't see that he credited me and I fired off an email and anyway, listen to the episode and you'll hear what happened next).But that's far less interesting than the methods he describes in this conversation—including how to find beta readers, what to ask them and how to use them to craft a book that's DEEP (Desirable, Effective, Engaging and Polished).How sure is he that his process works? Well, the results speak for themselves. His monthly earnings from his three books are roughly $25k a month, with 1000 copies a week being sold, and, in his words, "growing pretty steadily."I am not being hyperbolic when I say I think this is the most useful interview yet. (Even more than the Chris Voss one Rob quoted!) If I were you, I would literally study the transcript below. (That's what I'm doing.)WANT MORE INFO ABOUT THE POD AND OTHER STUFF? GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 470Use Social Media to Sell Books with Zara Barrie and Dayna Troisi
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. I literally don't have the words to describe the experience of recording this episode but suffice it to say that it was the most fun interview I've ever done.Back story: Zara Barrie and I knew each other online (I find her incredibly glam and we're mutual fans of one another to the point that I recommended her book, Girl Stop Passing Out in Your Makeup, on KATU). She told me that she and her podcast co-host slash work wife Dayna Troisi were going to be in LA (they're NYC ladies, natch). We decided to do a podcast swap, they rented a studio and the rest is history. If history involved me becoming obsessed with these two hilarious and brilliant lesbians who, in addition to co-hosting their podcast GirlZ Interrupted, also, between them, regularly write articles that go viral, are university professors (one of them, anyway), produce an audio series (the other of them) and do so many other things that it would be impossible to summarize.We recorded this right after they recorded their interview with me so were already BFFs by the time this particular recording started. This means that, in addition to covering our main topic—how to turn an online audience, once you've gone viral, into an audience that buys and reads your book—we had many delightful diversions (swag, whether or not your friends support your book, if you should be on your book cover and more).Listen and you'll become as obsessed with them as I am.FOR MORE INFO, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM
S1 Ep 490The Slow Climb to Selling 100,000 Books with Paul Angone
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Paul Angone had an extremely unusual journey to success as an author.First, he tried to sell a book. For eight years. Nary a bite.Then a blog post he dashed off went viral. Very viral. From there, he was able to sell a book based on that blog post to a publisher. The problem was that he had to finish it in a month.Well that book and the next have sold over 100,000 copies and launched a massive speaking career.But that's not even why I wanted to have him on the podcast. I wanted him on the pod so I could Interview him about the process of turning his book into a course.Listen in on this mega inspiring conversation about how courses and books work symbiotically—and how your reality may end up being even bigger than your dreams...how you may even end up selling over 100,000 copies of your book.FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.
S1 Ep 489Build a Twitter Following Using Your Book Material with Jesse J. Anderson
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Jesse J. Anderson's journey to bookdom is unlike any other guest I've had on the show. For one, he's not launching a book to help build his business. Also, that book—Refocus: A Practical Guide to Adult ADHD—hasn't launched yet. In fact, he hasn't even finished writing it. Why, then, you may ask, would I have him on the show? Well, Jesse has also built up an impressive Twitter following by releasing Twitter threads of book chapters—a topic we dive into in detail. When he's not writing books in public, Jesse is a designer and developer who has made it his mission to help others better understand what ADHD really is.FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.
S1 Ep 495Turning Your Books Into Movies with Ben Mezrich
If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Ben Mezrich has sold over 10 million copies of his books.And, by the way, that’s not even the impressive part. The impressive part is that he sells EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HIS BOOKS as a movie or TV show; in fact, if Hollywood isn’t interested in the treatment, he doesn’t even write the book.Mezrich has gotten into this position because of a chance encounter with some MIT students, which led to his writing Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, which led to Kevin Spacey snapping up the film rights before the book was even out, which led to the book spending over 60 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.Then there was his book, The Accidental Billionaires, which David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin jumped on as Mezrich was writing the book and which, of course turned into the multi award-nominated movie The Social Network. (Mezrich is the only non-fiction author to have two adaptations open at #1 at the box office.)He’s written numerous other books, including Bitcoin Billionaires and The Antisocial Network and is also a consulting producer on Billions. Oh, and his most recent book, The Midnight Ride, has an NFT component that already has over 3500 owners.So how does this happen? How does a former struggling novelist become Hollywood’s go to guy pursued by designers who want to dress him for his book tours? And what is the secret to finding the sort of story that makes Hollywood salivate? It’s all in this episode.GET MORE INFO ON THE POD AND OTHER STUFF BY GOING TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM