Had a great time at the Berkshire Property Meet last week. Francis Dolley was the speaker and I didn’t realise he is so humorous! Francis is one of first persons I met in property five years ago and he inspires me a great deal.
Also I managed to sell 50 copies of Stairs For Breakfast at the BPM. Thank you to everyone who bought my book including Sylvia & Juswant Rai, Kevin Wright, John Cox and Kev Winchester.
I now have the opportunity to speak at the Bucks Property Meet and at the Landlords Property Meet. Thank you John and Kev respectively.
Chapter 1 of Stairs For Breakfast is now available for free from my website.
I’ve started this process of getting Stairs For Breakfast into Waterstones.
Thank you to Paul Apps who’s a great motivator and coach.
Thank you to everyone who has inspired me to go to the meditation retreat in Spain – where I’m off to tomorrow morning for two months!
It’s been 3 months since my last email/blog update and I’m on a mission to sell 50 books in the next 7 days!
It’s one thing writing and self-publishing a book. It’s another thing promoting it. Over the summer I felt a bit tired and not knowing what to focus on, I took scattered action:
– Learnt more about internet marketing and added some pages to my website.
– Spoke in front of 50+ people at Tony Ogundeyi’s London Property Meet.
– Sold a handful of the 100+ books that have been in my car for a few months; wondering how I can easily sell more books.
My friend and neighbour Steve Bell advised me to contact the Latest TV (channel) in Brighton. I phoned them and emailed my press release. It was easy. Here’s the result.
As some of you know, I practice Ascension meditation and since the weekly Brighton group started about 18 months ago, I’ve increased my practice more and more. Meditating 3 times a day is just part of my life now. It’s making a real difference and people keep telling me how relaxed I am. I can Ascend for several hours at a time now and I feel so peaceful.
In May I said to my friend Virendra “I’ve worked so hard for the last 5 years, I really need a holiday.” Being an Ascension teacher and knowing me he replied “Why don’t you go to Guayrapá? (a meditation retreat in Spain that Virendra knows well).
I needed a bit of encouragement from my teachers Radha & Ananta. They say I’ll love it there (and I’m sure I will). I booked it about 3 three months – and Virendra is coming with me – we are going on 1st October. A couple of other people from our Brighton group are already in Spain – and others are likely to join us. I’m now looking forward to it!
Satta – thank you for all your help in arranging everything. Look forward to meeting you.
Not being very good at remembering names, I keep referring to Guayrapá as Ayia Napa. I’m told that that would be a different kind of experience!
On 1st September thinking ‘Spain is a month away…’ and frustrated by the number of books still sitting in my car I thought ‘I better do something…’
I’m not sure how it happened but around the same time Paul Apps (a relatively newcomer to our meditation group, who sees my potential, becoming an inspirational speaker) offered to coach me. Paul is really helping to motivate myself. In the last week I’ve sold about 50 books locally:
– Last Sunday I did a book signing in the Duke of Wellington pub.
– Tuesday, Virendra and I sold some books on Shoreham Footbridge (the bridge on the front of my book).
– Yesterday my flatmate John came with me to the book signing in the Bridge pub – before selling more on the Footbridge.
It’s easy and fun!
This Thursday evening I’m doing a book talk in The Vintners Parrot (10-12 Warwick St, Worthing). I did a talk there in November and I was so present (in the moment). If you were there, you’ll remember how captivating the evening was.
Successful people do simple things very effectively.
I’ve also been to a few book shops recently and found this process of getting Stairs For Breakfast into Waterstones.
I know I’ve got so much potential as an inspirational speaker, doing promotion on TV and radio (and internet marketing). However my focus now is selling 50 books in 7 days. I would also like to make further enhancements to my website before going to Spain.
I wrote Stairs For Breakfast to help and inspire people – and I’ve done what I set out to do (it’s got great reviews on Amazon). You can buy the book directly from me here and now.
Thank you to everyone who helps and inspires me. Inspiration works both ways.
A while ago my Ascension meditation teachers Ananta and Radha asked me if I would take part in a TV documentary. The filming took place a couple of weeks ago.
Here’s a photo of me, Ananta and Radha with the film crew.
When I arrived at Ananta and Radha’s house (thinking I was going to be filmed there), Ananta suggested “The guys want to come with you in your car and film you driving up to Devil’s Dyke [on the Sussex Downs]” I initially thought ‘You must be joking, there’s no way I’m doing that…” But when he then said “Do you want to feel the fear and do it anyway?” I couldn’t say no! I found myself in the present moment during the filming process. The cameraman was sitting in the front of the car and the director/sound guy and Ananta were in the back. It was an amazing experience. I then did a 20 minute piece to camera. I loved it and it was virtually effortless.
In the last couple of weeks I’ve been out networking on ten consecutive days/evenings. I wasn’t built to do so much walking and standing around! I knew I could do it – and now, a few days later, I have physically recovered and am fine.
I went to the Berkshire Property Meet and sold 50 books! Here I am with my ‘bookstore’.
Another place I’ve been to is Glenn Armstrong’s Mastermind Day. It’s such a good community to be part of; full of good people with a wealth of knowledge, who are happy to advise and help me.
Success is about knowing what you want (knowing what’s important to you) and taking action.
Over the last five years I’ve developed so much (as a person). Not only by publishing Stairs For Breakfast but also by practicing Ascension mediation. Inner peace is so nice. I want more of it 🙂
I’m also at the start of the next phase of my journey; public/inspirational speaking and marketing my book online.
Bring it on!
Thank you to everyone who’s helped and inspired me – and for the growing list of 5 star reviews on Amazon here.
Thank you Jayne Owen for reviewing Stairs For Breakfast and making it Book Of The Month on Property Tribes.
I feel my Cerebral Palsy is a gift for me to make a difference in the world and I knew writing Stairs For Breakfast was a good idea. I wrote the book to help and inspire people – and it’s the best thing I’ve done so far in life.
Thank you to my flatmate John and his daughter Lucy (who’s very bright and diligent for her age) helping me send out the pre-orders. Here’s John with sacks and boxes of books.
I’m delighted to say that Stairs For Breakfast is now fully published.
CPI Books are printing the pre-orders, which will take 2 to 3 weeks. When I receive the books I will send yours to you. I think CPI might stand for Cerebral Palsy Interactive!
Thank you to everyone who has helped me have my book published; from people who have pre-ordered to the guys at CPI (including Stephanie Hale and Roy Stannard).
I will be printing the address labels next week. Hence, until then, you can still pre-order copies of the book HERE for the discounted price of £15.
I’m very pleased and proud of Stairs For Breakfast. It’s going to help me inspire people and make a difference in the world.
Yes, Stairs For Breakfast has been published! I’ve ordered a proof copy of the book and will approve its publication once I’ve physically checked it over. It’s an exciting time!
I started writing Stairs For Breakfast two years ago – and have spent the last six months going through the editing and publishing processes. All in all it has been a lot of work – and well worth it! The 400 pre-orders have covered all of the publishing costs. Thank you to all of you who have pre-ordered and for helping me to have the book published. Your books will be printed in the next few weeks and I’ll send them to you as soon as they arrive.
Thank you for all of your help Stephanie Hale, you are a joy to work with.
This version of the cover needs a couple of corrections – including the term ‘life-limiting condition’, which Cerebral Palsy isn’t.
If you haven’t already, NOW is a great time to order YOUR copy of Stairs For Breakfast because the book price will be increased soon.
The final draft of my manuscript has been sent to the typesetter and I should receive the typeset (book page) version of Stairs For Breakfast by the end of this week.
Barring any changes to it (eg photos, font size, book cover), it will be uploaded onto Lulu.com for the book to be published. Once Stairs For Breakfast has been published, it will be for sale on Lulu (and after a few weeks, it will be on Amazon.com and co.uk – as well as some other websites)
Also once published, I’ll receive a galley proof of the book – and an ISBN – which will enable me to have copies of the book printed. I’ve contacted 2 book printers, however until I get the typeset version of my book I won’t know how many pages will be in the book! At which point I’ll be able to an accurate quote – and your pre-ordered books will be printed.
I’ve got an idea as to the postage and packing costs – but again, it depends on the number of pages in the book!
I’ve worked so hard to get to this point – and now am excited because Stairs For Breakfast should be out in February. I’ve raised £6,2K (so far).
There is still time to pre-order Stairs For Breakfast. I’m currently selling it at £15 (including P&P). Once the book is published the price will be increased.
I’ve updated my THANK YOU page. It humbles me to have sold close to 400 pre-orders. Thank you also to the handful of people who have invested in me, by giving me a small amount of crowdfunding money.
I would also like to thank my libel lawyer Alex Wade for his advice – and for giving me a big discount on his initial quote. He says he has never read a book like Stairs For Breakfast and would like to help me on my way to success.
Thank you to Stephanie Hale, who, like Alex, is easy and a joy to work with.
I’ll keep you posted on the publication of Stairs For Breakfast.
On Tuesday afternoon I emailed the manuscript back to Stephanie Hale and my liable lawyer. It took me 3 solid weeks to read through the book and make the required changes. I also wrote a closing chapter to the book which I’m really pleased with.
I think the process now is, the changes I’ve made need to be reviewed by the editor, before the book is published and printed.
I would like to get Stairs For Breakfast out ASAP – hopefully by the end of January. I’ll keep you posted.
As you may have noticed it’s been a few days since my last blog update!
I’ll hopefully get the manuscript back from Alex (libel lawyer) at the end of this week. I’ll then be able to read through it.
Last week I did Glenn Armstrong’s course in Milton Keynes. Needless to say it was good. I met Stephanie Hale (who did the course as well), who’s a nice lady. I also did the course to create a 12 month plan – which is good.
Ever since I got into property investment 4 years ago, I’ve wanted to find a recursive strategy of making a passive income, which suits me. I spent the first 1.5 years viewing a load of properties, trying to find a strategy that I liked – during which time I bought 2 flats.
Then Glenn came to my aid. After doing his courses in 2012 he asked me “Why are you trying to do property when you don’t enjoy it?” It’s true, I like property as a way of making passive income but I don’t enjoy viewing properties, dealing with tenants or maintenance issues!
By that point, I had already started to learn internet marketing, before writing my book.
The other reason why I’ve taken a break from blogging/emailing my list every day is because I’m not increasing my list. I was just emailing the same people, asking them to pre-order my book. Consequently the number of daily book orders I was receiving ground to a halt last week.
I still got some internet marketing learning to do on how to build a list. I am looking a lead-generating system and also at what Andrew Reynolds does.
However my primary focus at the mo is on getting enough pre-orders to publish my book.
I feel in an odd situation at the mo because, until I get the manuscript back from Alex, I’m not certain how much his bill is going to be. Also I won’t know for sure how much the printing cost for the pre-ordered books will be until the final draft is done.
Currently I have 374 pre-orders and estimate that I going to need at least 500 to cover all of the costs. You can pre-order Stairs For Breakfast at http://stairsforbreakfast.com/buy-now
People are telling me that I’m going to become well known. I would like to make a difference in the world.
