Posts Tagged ‘entrepreneur’

I’ve had the delightful opportunity to interview Guy Kawasaki on the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show, where we discussed his book, Enchantment.  I enjoyed the book as well as Guy and so I happily agreed to take a look at his new book, APE (Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur): How to Publish a Book.

APE begins with Kawasaki’s odyssey of trying to sell copies of e-books through his traditional publisher and describing the #epicfail that occurred, when he had an organization wanting to purchase 500 e-copies of the book and his publisher and their distributors couldn’t make it happen. This experience prompted Kawasaki to strike out on his own and enter the world of self-publishing in order to gain more control.

Kawasaki’s journey is our gain, as his new book, APE, breaks down how to self-publish step by step.  He explains that an author is no longer just a writer, but rather an entrepreneur running a business. In today’s competitive market, no longer can the author just write the book, they must also learn to create a sophisticated platform in order to promote their book. Authors know that this is the case even if they are with a traditional publisher, as publishers expect authors to do the majority of the promotional work with each book.  Kawasaki also explains the second facet of APE, where the author takes on the role of becoming the publisher and describes what is entailed with this process.  He and co-writer Shawn Welch go the distance in the book, explaining the pros and cons of self-publishing, giving advice and links to everything needed to get the process started. Kawasaki also describes royalties and payments in great detail and is open in sharing how it has worked for him and what he has learned along the way.

If you are a published author considering whether the world of self-publishing is right for you, or a first time writer wondering how it all really works, this book is invaluable and a must read.  APE provides a very realistic look at the world of self-publishing, revealing the work involved for authors. Kawasaki redefines self-publishing and refers to it as “artisanal publishing”, heralding a new evolution in the publishing industry where the writer and the reader are brought together in a more intimate fashion. In his definition of artisanal publishing, he explains how the author has a more hands on experience and heightened sense of satisfaction in every aspect of their creation in order to be competitive in a market where millions of titles are being released each year.

Welcome to Kala’s Bohemian Blog, dedicated to the Bohemian Ideals of Truth * Beauty * Freedom & Love, and packed with inspirations, ramblings, magical moments and musings, all intended to serve as a traveling companion along your journey. I invite you to join me here as I delve into the Mysteries of the Universe, Rediscover the Magic in the World Around Us, Embrace the Divine, Release the Inner Goddess, and Reawaken Your Spirituality!

Here today on the blog, we’re exploring the inspiration and delight of art. Those who know me well, know my love of reading and hardly a day goes by where I’m not found with a book in hand. When a book captures my attention, I enjoy reaching out to the author to discuss their work with them.  Today is one of these moments, as I reach out to chat with artist, psychic medium, and author Melissa Harris. Melissa Harris shares her art and her life as a feast of creative exploration. She expands portrait painting to open doorways into souls and sojourns in New York and Paris to learn to paint only what she loves.

In her autobiographical book, Painting Outside the Lines: The Life of Psychic Arts Melissa Harris,  Melissa reveals her beliefs about the truths of some general traits of the artist and the common ingredients of an artist’s life. She proclaims, “For me, there is no other choice but to paint.”

Painting Outside the Lines is a visual feast, vibrant, sensuous and soulful. As we enter the world of the artist as seer and adventurer, Melissa’s expressive work captures the universal stories of our own human experiences. If these oils, watercolors and collages are her medicine, this healing spreads across the pages, inspiring us to express our inner world and ignite our visionary nature, a reminder that even erratic and ever-evolving lives can lead to graceful changes and that, truly, “anything is possible!”

Let’s explore the world of Melissa Harris, as she joins us here on Kala’s Bohemian Blog…

Kala:  Melissa, wonderful to speak with you again. I truly enjoyed your book and the behind the scenes dialogue that describes your art.  What painting of yours do you feel most accurately describes you as a person?

Melissa: Ha Ha!  I had to laugh at this one because in the end they are ALL self portraits.  I would give you a different answer at a different time on any given day!  I am thinking about “Isabel’s Desire” on page 56 of the book.  We see here a woman getting dressed to go out looking in the mirror in a quirky outfit, reflective, with an open drawer and a man’s tie on the drawer handle.  There are two shells on the dresser.  The painting is chock full of symbolism for me.  I created a romantic pink ambiance with a lamp from another time period.  Even though I did this painting around 1983 or so I still relate to a reflective woman having to get herself dressed to go out in the world (I am by nature a bit of a hermit).  My ongoing explorations of myself in relationship could be represented by the tie.  I have and maybe always was a mermaid so the shells…..I prefer anything antique to modern, hence the atmosphere, and I love to dress creatively in ways that express my mood.  The painting “Reflecting” on the double spread on page 179 is also very much a self portrait with a bit of distortion in the perspective (representing how I feel “different” than much of the time as well as the suggestion of Spirit behind me, knowing that my guides and friends in Spirit are always with me.

Kala:  As an empath, psychic and artist, you mentioned the challenges of living in a large city with these gifts, versus living in rural areas in touch with nature. What advice would you give to others who have these types of abilities and struggle to stay grounded in metropolitan areas?

Melissa: I call upon several means of protection if I feel I need it.  I often wear a necklace of blue tourmaline with a chunk of blue kyanite,  which rests just at my throat chakra.  Kyanite supposedly keeps energy moving so I feel that if I freeze up in fear that I will be able to release that quickly.  And because it keeps energy moving I imagine it moving any disturbing energy that may be directed at or moving toward me continuing to move right along.  If I am feeling jittery I also sometimes visualize a cocoon of white light around me with mirrors on the outside that deflect any negative energy  in my field.  I stay very aware and am proactive in terms of avoiding uncomfortable situations.  I was mugged with serious harm to my face, especially my mouth so I am very cautious.

Kala:  In the Creatrix series, there is a work by you of woman walking with butterflies titled, Anything is Possible, which is one of your most successful commercial pieces. What do you think it is about this piece in particular that reaches out to so many people and inspires its worldwide appeal?

Melissa: I always tell people that in truth, it was not one of my more profound painting experiences in that I don’t have a magical story behind it.  I think, according to feedback from people that its’ appeal is mostly due to a feeling of hope that it conveys.  The colors are light yet strong which give it an uplifting feeling.  The subject matter itself is positive in that we see a sunrise, a woman in a posture of receptivity and grace, and butterflies which, although they represent transition are simply beautiful in and of themselves.  I’ve had people tell me that they have used it for moving through illness or as comfort after a loved one has passed away.

Kala: I noticed in your book that many of your pieces have windows or doorways as part of the scene. What do these openings represent for you?

Melissa: I think I once read someplace that women in particular tend to choose doorways and windows as subject matter.  That must be because they have often been very restricted in their lives.  I haven’t been able to put my finger on why I myself have chosen them.  Maybe it’s the idea of opportunities ahead, a way of looking to the future. It’s also the unknown and I love surprises and the fact that we, at least in this country in this time have a large degree of control over our circumstances and can create our own realities in many ways.  Oops, that was quite a run on sentence but I like doing things off the cuff.

Kala: In your book, you mention working through your emotions in your art. If you couldn’t paint to release and reflect who you are, what other avenue would you choose?

Melissa: Maybe writing,.  I’ve only recently discovered this.  Although I don’t think three dimensionally I also enjoy clay and metalsmithing, but we have to make choices- and there is only so much time- so I tend to stick to 2-D.  I also make sure to keep moving to help keep my outlook bright.  It’s true I’m an emotional woman and I tend to do something physical each day, even if I am not attached to emotion.  My top choices for this are Zumba, because it’s a form of dancing, and swimming.

Kala: Throughout history, many artists, writers and creatives describe being caught in the passion and engagement of the art they are working on and that the creation of the project produces an energy that is very satisfying and all-encompassing. Your book is candid and engaging, as you share the life of an artist and how this line of work affected your relationships and lifestyle choices. Is the work itself, the art, a deeper relationship of its own, that perhaps consumes the artist and becomes in a sense, the mistress?

Melissa: Absolutely, which is why many of my partners have not been able to deal with a relationship with me.  There is always “another lover” calling me, either out in the studio or in the landscape we are driving by.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made them stop the car and wait while I paint something we are passing by, or at the very least photographing it.  If I am engaged in a piece it’s always with me and I dream about it and choose colors in my dreams and wake up in a hurry to get back to it.  It consumes me for the time I am dancing with it.

Melissa Harris’ book Painting Outside the Lines can be found on her website along with information about her art and her Spirit Essence portraits. Visit her website http://melissaharris.com/

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About Kala Ambrose: Noted wisdom teacher, author, intuitive, inspirational speaker, and host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Radio and TV Show, Kala Ambrose’s teachings are described as discerning, empowering and inspiring. Whether she’s speaking with world-renowned experts on the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show, writing about empowering lifestyle choices, reporting on new discoveries in the scientific and spiritual arenas or teaching to groups around the country, fans around the world tune in daily for her inspirational musings and lively thought-provoking conversations.

Kala is the author of four books including the award-winning 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled, Ghosthunting North Carolina,  The Awakened Aura: Experiencing the Evolution of Your Energy Body and now, Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and Cities of the Dead.

A highly interactive teacher on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire, Kala writes for the Huffington Post, the Examiner, AOL, Yahoo and Fate Magazine and presents workshops nationally on the Mind/Body/Spirit connection including Auras and Energy Fields, Developing Business Intuition, Haunted History and Wisdom Teachings at the Omega Institute, John Edward Presents Infinite Quest, the Learning Annex, LilyDale Assembly, and Daily Om.

Kala Ambrose - Author, Entrepreneur and Business Intuitive

In my work as a psychic who teaches Business Intuition, I share with my clients how to use intuition to discern what is not working within your company or career and how to tap into future trends and see what is coming three to five years ahead.

Last year my work caught the attention of the Learning Annex and they asked me to write a report of Business Intuition Trends for 2012 and the Decade Beyond.  I happily agreed to write and make these predictions and wrote 11 pages of predictions for business trends including real estate, financial markets, retail trends, and even what will change in the educational system in order for the system to progress and move forward.

I’ve just come across an article in Forbes magazine, titled: Creating Innovators: Why American’s Education System is Obsolete where Harvard researcher Tony Wagner describes the need for revision in schools.

In my predictions for the coming decade, I highlight how schools need to change and offer solutions on where the money to make these changes will be coming from, including through corporate sponsorships.

Want to know more about future Business Trends and what’s coming in the next

Kala Ambrose's Eleven Page Report on Business Trends for 2012 and the Decade Beyond

decade for you and your company?

Read my Eleven Page Business Trends Report that I wrote for the Learning Annex for FREE.  While on my website, read through the rest of the page to see how I can speak to your group via Skype or in person and teach about upcoming Business Trends and how to tap into your Business Intuition or how you can consult with me personally to to tap into the future trends for your personal career or business.

In the 21st century, we are shifting from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius and with this energetic shift, we are moving from a “tribe consciousness” into a “global consciousness”. This means that we begin to see our connection as a greater part of the whole, rather than just to the family in which we were born or the city where we were raised.

We are now being led to grow in our individual direction as leaders, rather than relying on someone else to be in charge.  We see this as people begin to describe themselves as “spiritual, not religious” and leaving corporate jobs to start their own small businesses.

Developing Your Business Intuition

If you’d like a consultation of your own or to have me speak to your group in person or via Skye, contact me via the contact form on Explore Your Spirit with Kala.

Read Kala’s Business Intuition Forecast of Trends and Predictions for 2012 and beyond for free!

While we are all working so diligently every day as entrepreneurs and with our career aspirations, it’s easy to forget to take a few moments for ourselves to regain our balance and perspective. Taking a few minutes for a mental break can recharge us on every level and open the mind to greater ideas when we return to tackle the next item of business.

With this in mind, I’ve written an article on how to take empowering Ten Minute Bliss Breaks to restore your energy. Studies are showing that taking a few minutes to rest, relax and visualize how to solve the problems around you, actually benefit the body, mind and spirit.

This concept has worked for a few visionaries that you may have heard of, including Einstein and Edison. Try it for yourself! I offer step by step instructions in my article on the Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kala-ambrose/meditation-tips_b_869454…

Wishing you all the best,
*~Kala~*

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About Kala Ambrose…

Noted wisdom teacher, author, intuitive, inspirational speaker, and host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show, Kala Ambrose’s teachings are described as discerning, empowering and inspiring. Whether she’s speaking with world-renowned experts on the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show, writing about empowering lifestyle choices, reporting on new discoveries in the scientific and spiritual arenas or teaching to groups around the country, fans around the world tune in daily for her inspirational musings and lively thought-provoking conversations.

Kala is the author of three books including the award-winning 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled (Reality Press 2007), Ghosthunting North Carolina (Clerisy Press 2011) and The Awakened Aura: Experiencing the Evolution of Your Energy Body (Llewellyn Worldwide 2011). A highly interactive teacher on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire, Kala presents workshops nationally on the Mind/Body/Spirit connection including Auras and Energy Fields, Developing Business Intuition, and Wisdom Teachings at the Omega Institute, the Learning Annex, LilyDale Assembly, and online in Webinar presentations including John Edward’s InfiniteQuest. More info at ExploreYourSpirit.com