Excerpt of MindBody FX Lifestyle by Melonie Dodaro

The Mind Body FX Lifestyle

Instead of giving myself reasons why I can’t, I give myself reasons why I can.   – Unknown Author
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson
I.     I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost...I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
II.     I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place. But it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

III.     I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it there. I still fall in...it’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

IV.    I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
V.    I walk down another street.

Imagine this street. It’s a picturesque street, lined with gorgeous flowering trees whose canopies surround you like a warm sweater. Their scent wafts down around you. The sun is streaming down, warming the pavement under your feet. The breeze is light and soothing. Homes along this street are welcoming. Children are playing and laughing. People you see are smiling and happy. They wave to you. You’re standing at one end of the street. At the other end is yourideal weight. You know it’s there; you can see it and it seems like an easy stroll down the street toward it, so you start walking. One foot in front of the other…how difficult can it be, you wonder, to reach the end of the street and your ideal weight?

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Excerpt - Built to Sell by John Warrillow

Turn Your Business into One You Can Sell

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Kings Rapids

Writing about auto racing is the most exciting part of my books.  In real life, auto racing can be rather mundane.  In my novels I can enhance and glamorize the experience (since it’s my fictive world), as I follow the life of a stockcar race driver, who lives an intriguing life and uses his unique experience and logic to solve mysteries.

 I chose this topic because I raced cars as a young man, and I’ve been an avid auto racing fan for over 50 years.

How long did the book take you from start to finish?

The first book in the series, Masonville, took over 20 years because my career intervened.

 Kings Rapids is the second book in the series and took approximately 14 months from start to publication.  As I get the rhythm down, it looks like I can write a Kurt Maxxon book every year.

 What aspect of writing the book did you find particularly challenging?

Keeping track of events, actions and the thoughts of characters through the entire manuscript to avoid duplication and repetition.

 If I wrote lineally—started writing at page 1 and went straight through to page 500—keeping track of everything would be difficult.  However, since I write non-lineally, keeping track of it all is impossible.  That said, I have to spend a lot of time administratively managing the project using forms, flowcharts, notes, and anything I can think of to keep it all straight. 

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