Category: Commentary

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‘City of Dreams’

William Martin just released his latest novel – City of Dreams – featuring recurring characters Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington searching for a box of priceless Revolutionary War bonds. After reading the comments below about how he’s utilizing social media to promote the book, return to my e-newsletter and use “Send This To A Friend” to redirect Fast:Forward to someone who would enjoy reading it – or post a link on your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or favorite social site.

Shoot me a quick e-mail with “Done” in the Subject line afterward. (Honor system in place!) I’ll randomly draw one name from all responses – and that person will receive an autographed copy of City of Dreams.

> View a short trailer on City of Dreams to experience just how much the publishing world is changing.

William Martin’s Comments:

“The traditional platforms are being dismantled. There may be half a dozen newspapers left in the country that continue to review books on a daily basis. And other platforms are being closed to writers. Just the other day I was supposed to be on a local televison show to talk about “City of Dreams.” The host was ready to do the the show. Then the higher-ups saw an interview with another writer and said, “No more writers.” So no more Martin on that TV station. The old ways of doing things are changing. Out in media land, they’re all worried. They’re all scared. They’re all cutting.

So what do you do? You can’t quit. You have to find new ways to market yourself. Instead of being swamped by the cyberwave that is sweeping everything before it, you should try to catch its crest and dive into it.

I haven’t mastered Twitter and don’t think I want to. Don’t understand all the “following” business. And I haven’t pushed too hard on  Linked-In. I have friends who are urging me in that direction, but you can only do so much. I decided to use FaceBook. I’ve figured it out. It’s easy to post things there. I refuse to tell you what I had for breakfast or what kind of beer I like. But I’m able to tell readers about my characters when I’m writing and about my events when I’m promoting.

I don’t think FB will change my life. I only have about 500 friends and about 130 on my fan page but they say that you only need about a thousand real fans to help you get the ball rolling. I’ve sold a lot of books over the years, and I’ve counted on a lot more than a thousand fans. But FB reaches people who are genuinely interested, the kind of people who can help light the lttle brushfires of interest that can burst into a best selling conflagration. That’s how viral marketing –  I’d call it brushfire marketing – works. At my book launch on May 11, we had an SRO crowd, in part thanks to FB. So friend me or join the fan page and see the pictures from that night. Help me toward the thousand fans who I hope will light matches in the brush around the country and help me onto the best seller list again.”

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Tiger Beat

As a former sports television producer, I pay close attention to the talent who provide play-by-play and commentary on the airwaves. In my opinion, the smoothest voice belongs to Jim Nantz of CBS – who in the last nine weeks hosted the Super Bowl, NCAA Basketball Championship and The Masters… all from the best seat in the house. He’s rock-solid, friendly and knows exactly when to raise his calm voice to a crescendo of excitement. My wife and I met him a couple of years ago and he was kind and engaging, with his ego solidly in check.

Which is why I am disappointed he chose to weigh in, after the fact, on Tiger Wood’s slips of the tongue at Augusta last weekend:

“If I said what he said on the air, I would be fired. I read in the USA Today and it was called ‘mild language.’ Someone on my broadcast team dismissed it as him having a camera in his face. Well, guess what? Phil Mickelson had a camera in his face all week and did you ever hear him come close to approaching that? He didn’t hit every shot the way he wanted. Have you ever heard Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus use that kind of language? What are the parameters between what’s right and wrong?”

My disappointment is Nantz went beyond the role CBS pays him millions to fulfill. He’s supposed to be Switzerland and remain neutral on and off the air so his journalistic credentials remain solid. Yes, television is entertainment; however, in my perhaps antiquated viewpoint, the role of the play-by-play person is to set the stage, call the action and ask hard questions of the commentators.

Think about the next time CBS airs a golf tournament and Nantz asks Nick Faldo about Phil Mickelson. Will you think, “You know, he’s a Phil fan; doesn’t like Tiger.” By inserting himself into the story,  Nantz lost an important piece of what makes him outstanding: objectivity.

By the way, I’m no Tiger apologist. Yes, I think he’s the greatest golfer. Off the course, Tiger messed up big time with his family. His public persona, which made him wealthy, was far from his personal actions. That said, as all business leaders know, change is a work in progress… two steps up and one step back. Hopefully, Tiger corrected his sexual misconduct. He’s clearly still struggling with salty language. Let’s see how he adapts over the next few tournaments before piling on again.

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Did You Hear The One About

I’m speaking today to a local Rotary group. They invited me back three-and-a-half years after my first presentation. Came up with new jokes, new stories and a new ‘takeaway’ angle for them – especially after the person who invited me said, “I really don’t care what you talk about just as long as you’re funny again.”

Seems I heard the same thing about this time of year in 1978. It was my senior year in high school  and the graduation committee – made up of my soon-to-be fellow alumni – asked me to deliver the speech at our baccalaureate. I remember saying, “Wow, I’m honored.  Can’t wait to share my views on life, education and making a difference in the world.” The head of the committee said, “I don’t think you understand. We just want you to tell jokes and make everyone laugh.”

I guess it’s not only actors who get typecast (see: Culkin, Macaulay).

So my message today will be about two recurring themes I’m seeing in my recent coaching work with clients. With the challenges of the past few years, leaders are struggling to: remain positive you’re making the right decisions (confidence); and, present your solutions in a way that leaves no doubt in your audience’s mind of the position you’re taking (conviction). The first is an internal emotion, the latter external.

There’s no magic bullet or secret formula for overcoming these. You just have to look in the mirror each morning and think, “I’ve got this one.” As things occur in your business, remain steadfast in your belief everything is going to work out fine. You’ll do the right things.

As the saying goes, “Never ever let ‘em see you sweat.” And when you’re having ‘one of those days,’ take a deep breath and share a funny story. Laughter heals.

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In Search of Leaders

Here in Texas yesterday was primary Election Day… as Republicans and Democrats squared off to determine who represents each Party head-to-head on November 2nd. The big race was for the Governor’s Mansion. Incumbent Rick Perry beat Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison on the Republican side, while Democrats chose former Houston mayor Bill White over Farouk Shami, who made his fortune by creating the CHI hair straightener.

Either Perry or White will probably do fine as governor; however, the bigger question in my mind – both here in the Lone Star State and in Washington, D.C. – is “Where have all the statesmen gone?” Political campaigns these days consist of one side chopping up the other… with minimal amount of time spent explaining “Here’s my platform and here’s how we’re going to do it.” Instead of hearing plans for change, the Great Unwashed electorate is served up regular courses of complaints and criticism.

Of course, the shouting displayed in elections leads to the inevitable stalemate by the chosen ones. That’s why Congress continues to point fingers and take sides rather than work to find common ground and take action. Grown men and women act like three-year-olds – unwilling to compromise or accept another viewpoint. Those of us on the outside looking in are left to observe the melee presented in the partisan proclamations of CNN and Fox.

Somewhere George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and the founders of this nation are shaking their heads. They understood that putting the needs of the people first is Job One. They gave to receive… and 223 years after signing the Constitution their insight and approach stands as the brightest of lights. Today’s politicians would do well to take a pause and read some history. That would be a better use of their time and your tax dollars than what they currently do on a daily basis.

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Momentary Pause

Thirty years.

Can it really be that long since ‘Miracle on Ice’ when the United States Olympic hockey team – a group of amateur and college athletes – beat those big bad nasty Russians who were 27-1-1 in the previous four Olympic tournaments?

Mike Eruzione. Jim Craig. Herb Brooks. Those legendary names are synonymous with the pursuit and achievement of excellence for those of us old enough to remember the original tape-delayed broadcast. A then unknown Al Michaels counted down the seconds and said, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” (The hair on the back of my neck still rises whenever I see or hear that dramatic highlight.)

Things have changed a lot since then… most notably the greatest athletes are professionals – including those who participated in yesterday’s U.S. upset of the highly favored Canadian hockey team. The Olympic credo “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (Swifter, Higher, Stronger) needs to add “Profitus” as a fourth value.

As a capitalist nation, there’s nothing wrong with that transformation. Heck, when USA basketball fell to Bronze medal status in 1988, our solution was to assemble the Dream Team to win back Gold. Take that world. It’s all about the Benjamins… which means we’ll never again see a bunch of 20-something amateurs endure a grueling seven-month training regimen like the one Brooks put his team through and create an ending only Hollywood could produce.

So we’ll just have to enjoy the memories of three decades ago and celebrate today where we watched USA 4, Russia 3.

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