Last night we chatted with Tommy Newberry, bestselling author of THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE. Thank you to those who made it out, and for those who didn't (re: because they were watching LOST *wink*) -- click here for the chat transcript. And a special thanks to Tommy for doing such a great job!
Also, please note that Melissa Mayhue will be chatting with us next month on Thursday, February 19th @ 9pm ET. Mark your calendars! Melissa is the author of the acclaimed DAUGHTERS OF THE GLEN series. Visit her website www.MelissaMayhue.com to learn more about this darling of the romance world! Here's the 411 on her latest release, A HIGHLANDER OF HER OWN (January 2009, Pocket Books):
TEXAS, PRESENT DAY. Ellie Denton’s world has spiraled out of control. A strange new birthmark, animals talking to her, and her mother’s ex-husband laying claim to the family ranch have her thinking life can’t get more complicated. But Ellie doesn’t know the birthmark’s connection to her Faerie ancestors. Complicated takes on a whole new meaning with her innocent wish to find her true love. SCOTLAND, 1304. Caden MacAlister has more trouble than he can handle. With his brother held for ransom and the laird missing, the last thing he needs is another problem. But the Fae have other plans. A mysterious woman shows up in his stables, sent by Faerie Magic to find her true love. Fighting his attraction, Caden insists she’s meant for one of his brothers. With his history, he has no desire for a woman in his life—especially a woman sent by the Fae. Only the magic of the Fae can determine whether Ellie will find a Highlander of her own...
Remember The Knight Agency has a monthly newsletter chock full of interviews with talented authors, articles written by our agents, info on our current releases and notices about upcoming chats. Stay in the TKA loop and sign up now! Click here!
Win a Copy of THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE & Chat with Tommy Newberry
According to NYT and WSJ bestselling author Tommy Newberry, life is always going to be a mixture of good and bad. It's up to us to focus on the positive, so that we can keep the momentum of our lives moving forward. Tommy's latest release, THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE, has inspired thousands to find their purpose and experience a joy-filled life. A recent mega-marketing campaign pushed it to Amazon’s Religion and Spirituality List at #2 and #1 in the “Success” category.
Don't miss out on the chance to talk with this amazing author tomorrow night at 9pm ET. You'll also have a chance to win a copy of THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE!
What: Chat with Tommy Newberry, Bestselling Author of THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE When: TOMORROW NIGHT! Wednesday, January 28th @ 9pm ET How to Chat: Follow this link to the TKA Chat Room -- http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545
Login by entering a username and password (you can enter any username password combo to enter the chat). Your computer must be Java enabled.
NYT & WSJ Bestselling Author Tommy Newberry Chatting with TKA Wednesday, Jan. 28th @ 9pm ET!
Oftentimes, the key to personal success seems as elusive as the fabled fountain of youth. However, to New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tommy Newberry (not to mention the thousands of readers who have been inspired by his book, THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE) success has been made entirely attainable and maintainable. How? Tommy clearly outlines how to craft a plan that focuses on your specific goals and teaches you to confidently roll over the unavoidable bumps in the road to reach your ultimate success. This dynamic author will be talking about his writing career, future projects and how to get the most out of his books during a chat with TKA on Wednesday, January 28th. This is an opportunity like no other. Make sure to join us for this exciting event!
WHO: Tommy Newberry WHEN: Wednesday, January 28th @ 9pm ET WHERE: Click here to visit the TKA CHAT ROOM HOW TO CHAT: Simply enter a username and password.* Login.
*The username and password do not need to be predefined. You can use any username/password combination to enter. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.
Nielsen Bookscan's list of 2008's top selling books included 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, authored by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey. The Energizer Bunny of the publishing world, 90 MINUTES recently entered its 115th week on The New York Times bestseller list. The inspirational story garnered the #44 spot on Bookscan, selling a reported 418,000 copies. Considering Bookscan only reports sales from a select list of retail outlets, it's certain that the numbers were far greater. Bookscan's top earner for 2008 was Stephanie Meyer, whose TWILIGHT series sold more than 15 million books total.
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Gena Showalter's re-released novel, HEART OF THE DRAGON, has entered The New York Times bestseller list at #31 and the USA Today list at #94. Her revived ATLANTIS series will re-release its second title, JEWEL OF ATLANTIS in February. A totally new addition to the series, THE VAMPIRE'S BRIDE will debut in March. On her blog, Gena commented, "It's especially thrilling since the original did not hit a single list." Way to go Gena!
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Mark your calendars! New York Times bestselling author Tommy Newberry will chat with TKA on Wednesday, January 28th @ 9pm ET. His recent release THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE topped Amazon's "Success" category at #1 and the "Religion & Spirituality" category at #2. People across the country have embraced this highly energized and motivational book, which has sold approximately 65,000 copies since it's debut in September 2007. Tommy is also the author of SUCCESS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. Click here to bookmark the link for TKA's chat room.
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Are you a Kindle owner? If so, make sure to check on Amazon's free book downloads, compliments of Random House. The titles include PRAGUE by Arthur Phillips, MURDER LIST by Julie Garwood and A DANGEROUS MAN by Charlie Huston. This offer ends February 28th.
Winter Wonderland Week: Guest Blogger Tommy Newberry Finds Inspiration on Christmas Morning
What are your Christmas mornings like? As far back as I can remember, there’s been a crowd. Rewinding a good bit, I can’t remember a Christmas that didn’t involve at least nine family members. The list included my parents, a couple of grandmothers, four sisters, and myself. As the years passed the group size has multiplied more than three times. Funny how that works. Even with the loss of grandparents, the Christmas celebration at my parent’s home will reach an all-time high with 30 family members only about ten days from now. From my perspective, this includes my wife and three sons, my parents, my four sisters, their husbands and my combined 14 nieces and nephews. My first niece will be accompanied by her fiancé, putting the gathering at a record 30. We have been blessed indeed. It will be loud and a lot of fun.
With such a big crowd, we’ve learned a few tricks over the years to make the get together run more smoothly. One practice in particular came in very handy, especially when all the grandchildren were very small. Imagine 20 plus in a room all opening gifts at the same time… In an attempt to minimize the mess, we started passing out large green, plastic trash bags before we opened gifts. Each family had a bag or two or three and were encouraged to clean up as they opened up, stuffing the wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and boxes into the trash bags to avoid a massive cleanup at the end. At least that was the plan. Inevitably, though, the efficiency didn’t always translate into effectiveness. On several occasions, an over eager family member or two (names withheld) inadvertently disposed of something essential. Instead of just getting rid of the mess, they got rid of the gift itself. And the more tiny the present, the greater the chance that it might get scooped up and trapped in one of the garbage bags soon to be hauled around the house, back near the garage and out of sight. Fast forward a few hours...
"Has anyone seen an earring laying around?” “Did anybody see an envelope with a check inside?” “Where are the batteries to my fire truck?” “I can’t find the charger for my new phone.” “I’m missing a…"
Of course, nobody had seen anything. There were no witnesses. And everyone knew what this meant, and it was not good news. If no one had seen it and it didn’t walk away, it had to be in one of those 10 or so trash bags back behind the house. And by this time in the afternoon, those bags weren’t just filled with discarded wrapping paper, they now contained the collateral damage of a holiday feast. So if you were serious about finding what you lost, you would have to pick a bag and start digging. The remnants of Christmas dinner, a not so fresh diaper, signs that someone may have a bad cold and who knows what else were the obstacles that stood between you and your objective. If you wanted to recover the gift, you would have to pay the price and dig through the muck. So we held our nose, and with make-shift gloves, searched the trash like CSI detectives hunting for evidence. And, if we were determined, we usually found what we were looking for. You could hear the celebratory, “I found it!” scream from around the house.
As a life coach, I have developed a conviction over the years, and it reminds me of the family Christmas I just described. I believe that God made each of us for a particular purpose and until we discover this purpose, things will never seem quite right. Too often, we get so busy dealing with lots of stuff (the wrappings and trappings) in our busy lives that it becomes easy to lose what really matters. But until the noise and chatter dies down a bit, we may not even notice it is missing. Sometimes it was the day after Christmas before someone realized a gift was gone.
And when you realize that you’ve lost something meaningful, you naturally want to go find it. And you should be willing to do whatever it takes to make the recovery. You have a calling, a divinely infused mission that will serve others and bring great fulfillment to you at the same time. If you’ve lost this sense of direction, go look for it. Now more than ever, the world needs people like you to use their God-given talents to make a positive difference.
You may have to sift through some clutter and other junk to find what you’ve lost, but you will find it if you start looking. And when you find this purpose, you can surely celebrate because God will be cheering for you!
Difficult, trying times reveal just how positive you really are. Think about it. What’s the virtue in being positive when you’re on a roll, when everything is clicking for you and falling your way?
In this second of my two-part blog (scroll down to see part one) I am sharing some proven, practical methods for staying up when most are down…
9. Schedule Four-Minute Positive Injections Every Two Hours -- Think of these as Positive Pit Stops. Review your goals or mission. Practice affirmation or visualization. Pray. Read the Bible. Relive a positive memory. Write a thank-you card or send an e-mail of appreciation to someone important. Ask 4:8 Questions. (See page 33 in that smiley face book)
10. Simplify and Declutter to stay U.P. -- Complexity is negative. Simplicity is positive. Room by room, drawer by drawer, try tossing one tiny item of clutter every day for thirty consecutive days. My 1% clients love this one and so will you, because doing even a small task will help you to feel more positive. Break your jumbo-sized goals into sub-goals and milestones, and then splinter them into even smaller pieces if necessary to spur you into action. Renegotiate or downsize existing commitments to lighten your load a bit for the next thirty days.
11. Get to Bed Sixty Minutes Earlier for Ten Straight Days -- Fatigue, especially chronic fatigue, invites negativity and cowardly thinking. During periods of intense or prolonged stress, extra sleep will help your brain remain an ally in the war against mediocrity. Cut something out of the evening schedule (maybe the bad news) and drift to sleep with visions of victories dancing in your head. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you.
12. Take a Twenty-Four-Hour Mental Fast -- Become Ultra-Positive one day at a time. You can rid your attitude of toxic thoughts through the practice of mental fasting. Read and reread The 4:8 Principle if you want to master this simple, relevant, powerful and biblically-based mental technique. During your fast, abstain from all complaining, fear-mongering, criticizing, excuse-making, gossiping, and worrying whatsoever! Start with a twenty-four minute fast and gradually discipline your mind to repel all negativity for a whole day. Focus on progress. Rinse and repeat as necessary.
13. Stay U.P. and Watch Your Favorite Funny Movies -- Laughter is fabulously positive. Research indicates that people who laugh more actually have more fun. Isn’t that surprising? Consider building your own comedy library on DVD. Save funny movies on TIVO. Watch often. You’ll stay healthier, more creative, and less stressed–and that’s a great alternative to the medicine cabinet.
14. Have a Counter-Attack Plan U.P. and Ready -- Become hypersensitive to your thought life. Since you can be negative only when you’re thinking “8:4 thoughts,” you can quickly become positive by thinking “4:8 thoughts.” This is called the Principle of Substitution. The split-second you notice any negative thought running through your mind, replace it emphatically with something like, “I am responsible” or “I trust God” “God is with me” “This is temporary” or “I can do it.” Repeat, repeat, repeat! Be ready with your comeback before the heat of the moment. Make negative, limiting thoughts unwelcome in your mind.
15. Re-Engage an Old Hobby to Stay U.P. -- Involve yourself in a positive activity that used to be important to you but may have gotten squeezed out of your life due to other priorities. This will be both therapeutic and rejuvenating. Consider it a gift to yourself.
16. Intentionally Cultivate Ultra-Positive Company -- This one is mandatory. It’s next to impossible to become or stay U.P. when the people you live and work with are petty, “8:4 thinkers.” Nothing equals the influence of your habitual associations. Especially now, be purposeful about which people are close to you on a regular basis. The people you hang out with influence your outlook on life. As you become more optimistic, you will attract more optimistic people in your life, and that’s good.
17. Help Someone Else U.P. -- Donate your money. Donate your time. Volunteer. Simply serve someone less fortunate (and there are a billion or so to choose from) or contribute your talents and gifts to a worthy organization. Helping those who need help reduces self-centeredness and puts your own challenges into a much more positive perspective.
The key to staying U.P. is to remember that every situation can indeed be positive when you view it through the lens of Philippians 4:8, as an opportunity for spiritual growth, character refinement and the redistribution of joy.
Instead of adding to the gloom and doom hype, join the magnificent minority who spread joy…simply because it’s the right thing to do.
Bestselling Author Tommy Newberry on How to Stay Up When Most Are Down - Part One
Tommy Newberry, bestselling author of THE 4:8 PRINCIPLE and the highly acclaimed SUCCESS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT, is guest blogging on TKA for two days. A well-known motivational speaker, Newberry is the founder and head coach of The 1% Club, an organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and their families maximize their full potential. As a pioneer in the life-coaching field since 1991, Tommy has equipped business leaders in more than thirty industries to work less, earn more and enjoy greater satisfaction with the right accomplishments.
Difficult, trying times reveal just how positive you really are. Think about it. What’s the virtue in being positive when you’re on a roll, when everything is clicking for you and falling your way?
Your potential for business excellence, excellence in your marriage, and excellence in your family life demands that you master the skill of staying U.P. (Ultra-Positive) even when–and especially when–everyone else isn’t. There is a tendency in tough times to zero in on the things that are “out of whack” and forget about all that is working in our lives and in our country. This is easy to do, especially if we are not strategically insulated from the continuous downpour of gloom and doom reports of “breaking bad news.”
When you’re Ultra-Positive, you’ll be more creative, productive, energetic, attractive, and most importantly, receptive to God’s will. Here are eight practical options to build your momentum. Nine more are coming in a day or two. Pick your favorites and get started today. Then spread the joy to others.
1. Make the Decision to Stay U.P.-- Nothing of consequence happens until you promise yourself that you’ll become the most positive person you know, even in light of challenging circumstances. Raise your standards! Become an inspiration to others. Everything else flows from this key decision to separate yourself from the herd mentality, from the vast majority who blame, whine, gossip, and predict the sky is falling. Life is short. Refuse to buy into this mass hypnotism…Take a stand, starting now.
2. Start U.P. then end U.P. every day.-- One of the simplest ways to reduce stress and anxiety is to begin and end each day with what I call Positive Mental Nutrition™. Feed your mind with inspirational ideas, spiritual truth, or motivational nuggets for ten to fifteen minutes immediately upon awakening each morning and right before drifting to sleep each evening. During these two time periods, your mind is extremely susceptible to programming, so make sure your inputs are positive, healthy, and goal-directed. Read, visualize, affirm, pray, and rewrite your goals…and practice feeling thankful for what you do have!
3. Summarize Each Day’s Victories, Large or Small, in Writing. -- This one practice alone can zap fear and generate quantum leaps in self-confidence. Start logging your accomplishments each evening in a notebook, hardbound journal, or on your computer. What a great, 4:8 habit!
4. U.P. your Physical Exercise-- Another pillar of Ultra-Positive living is consistent, moderate exercise. This includes aerobic work to burn fat and improve heart health; weight work to tone and strengthen your muscles and elevate metabolism; and flexibility work to stay loose and limber. Exercise more. Exercise a lot more! Face the facts. When you’re in terrific shape and feel better about yourself, you feel better about your life and more optimistic about your future. You’re positioned to live U.P. to your full potential.
5. Break U.P. the Big Four -- Negative thinking leads to negative emotions, which in turn trigger more negative thinking. The vicious cycle becomes engaged. The top four negative emotions include fear, worry, blame, and guilt. These terrorize your potential and immobilize your efforts toward becoming Ultra-Positive. When you begin experiencing results you didn’t want or expect, it’s easy to get scared and start thinking more about potential losses than potential gains. This mind-set triggers worry or what I call reverse goal setting, where you vividly imagine what you don’t want. To transfer the burden of worry, you will often blame someone or something outside of yourself. Alternatively, you may exaggerate your role in the negative events and experience guilt. Consider negative emotions to be lies from the enemy. Deal with them directly by refusing to entertain the thoughts that fuel them. This is a point very much worth reinforcing: Invest your time thinking about what you want instead of what you don’t want.
6. Forgive Someone, Including Yourself, Daily -- Harboring grudges and hostility against anyone, including yourself, tends to attract more circumstances to be upset about. Practice forgiving somebody every day for real or imagined transgressions. The better you become at forgiveness, the more positive you can become as a human being. If you skip this one, I’ll even forgive you.
7. Quarantine Negativity if You Can’t Dissolve It-- Carve out a particular time and place to worry (worry time) and to complain (issue time) each week. This is extremely effective because then the rest of your week isn’t diluted with the minority of negative circumstances that can infect otherwise healthy days. When you cut the spontaneity out of negativity, you severely weaken it.
8. Focus on God. He’s U.P. -- Remind yourself of everything you know to be true about God. God is all-powerful. God is love. God is sovereign. God is always with us. God is absolute truth. God never changes. And so on. Thinking about God is good, really good! And the bigger you make God, the smaller your problems become.
