R.I.P. Robert B. Parker

Today I learned that one of my favorite authors, Robert B. Parker, passed away.

He is probably best know for his “Spenser” books.  These fast-paced crime stories are based in Boston (my hometown) and were the  inspiration for the ’80s TV show, “Spenser: For Hire.”  I read every book and loved them all.

He is also the author of the Jesse Stone books which were made into several made-for-TV movies starring Tom Selleck.  And he wrote Appaloosa which was turned into a major motion picture featuring Ed Harris.

You can read a tribute to him in the Wall Street Journal.

Bob, you will be missed!

The picture is of me with Robert Parker at his home in 2008.  He and his wife Joan hosted a lovely dinner party there for me and 20 of my friends.  It will be a night I always remember.

TEDx NASA

I am now in Newport News, Virginia preparing for my speech tomorrow at TEDx NASA.  There will be 1700 aerospace engineers and scientists in the audience. My topics is titled “Innovation is in the Space.”

I have only 6 minutes for my presentation.  This may prove to be my most challenging speech yet!  Blaise Pascal (not Mark Twain) once wrote (originally in French), “I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had time to make it shorter.”

45 minute speeches are easy.  I can do them in my sleep.

Other speakers at this event have as much as 18 minutes. I know, from a conversation with one of them that 18 minutes is proving to be a challenge.  Imagine what it is like to prepare for a 6 minute speech.

They asked me if I could deliver anything meaningful in 6 minutes!  I responded that my TV interviews are usually 3 minutes long – and the interviewer is talking half of the time.  So 6 minutes is plenty.  Hey, Toastmasters champions are able to deliver a powerful speech with 7 minutes.

If you want to see me and everyone else (including Mitch Albom) live through your computer, join us at 10AM EST at livestream.com/tedxnasa2009

My speech is from 2:20PM – 2:26PM EST.

I will post a transcript of my speech next week.  And I believe that the video will be available sometime in the near future.  Enjoy!

Complete Idiots’s Guide to Target Marketing

My good friend Susan Friedmann just released her next book today, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Target Marketing.”

Do you want to get the word out to buyers about all the great things your business has to offer, but a big-bucks marketing campaign just isn’t in your budget? Now you can get the expert information you need about how to get the word out.

Susan’s book is full of clever, practical, and easy-to-use strategies to help you get your message out to the right people, at the right time, and in the right place. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get:

• Savvy ways to identify your most lucrative niche markets.
• Viral marketing, blogging, webinars, and other web marketing ideas to reach your buyers.
• Creative public relations strategies that can help you reach your goals inexpensively.
• Powerful buzz-building methods to reach and impress your target market.
• The most effective ways to build and maintain strong customer relationships.

And much more…

If you order a copy today, you’ll receive a bonus pack of downloadable e-books, audio, and video programs, special reports, and articles – hundreds of dollars worth of free materials from some of the country’s most successful business strategists.

One of the free items is my Personality Poker® self-assessment and a 30 minute video. This simple quiz allows you and your team to determine your innovation style – and what it means to your organization.  Think of it as a Personality Poker® simulator.

I’m told that today is the only day that this offer will be available — so act now!

For more details about this offer and to buy your copy of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Target Marketing” go to www.targetmarketingbook.com

Win a Trip to our Gala Casino Book Launch Party

As you know by now, I just signed a 2 book deal with Portfolio Penguin. The first book to be published is Personality Poker.

When the book hits the stores in Fall 2010, we are going to party in style!  Given the poker theme, we are holding the book launch party in either Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Foxwoods Resort Casino, or Mohegan Sun.

Would you like to join us at the book launch party?  All you need to do is spend 10 minutes completing a brief survey in order to have a chance at winning.

Everyone who completes the survey will get entered into a raffle where you can win:

• Gala Casino Book Launch Party Grand Prize: Airfare for one, 2 nights hotel accommodations, and two passes to attend the Personality Poker Book Launch Party to be held  in one of four exciting destinations in the Fall of 2010: Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Foxwoods Resort Casino (CT) or Mohegan Sun (CT).
• See your name in print: 15 total survey participants will be drawn at random and personally recognized for his/her contributions in the acknowledgments section of the Personality Poker® book to be published by Portfolio Penguin.
• Win Personality Poker System: 10 names will be randomly drawn to win one of 10 sets of Personality Poker® Starter-Kit valued at $200.00 each.
• Discounts: All participants will receive “20% off” any of the following products ordered by March 1st 2010: Personality Poker® Starter Kit, Goal-Free Living, Little Book of Big Innovation Ideas and 24/7 Innovation. Quantities are limited. Offer good while supplies last.

The results of this survey will be used to further validate the content of Personality Poker®, a personality indicator tool specifically designed for business and innovation. Nearly 10 years of research has been done to date making Personality Poker® the valuable instrument that it is today. And we are not going to stop here. We want to make it even better – and you can help!

To participate, simply click on the link provided below and answer the series of questions provided. Your responses are 100% confidential and your completed survey will automatically enter you into the raffle for a chance to win the Gala Casino Book Launch Party Trip and other fantastic prizes. See complete rules for more details.

I thank you in advance for your contribution to this exciting endeavor.

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE

Two Book Deal with Penguin’s Portfolio Books

Today I signed a two book deal with Penguin’s Portfolio imprint.  They are the publishers of excellent books including all of Seth Godin’s books and “The Back of the Napkin.”

The first book, “Personality Poker,” is scheduled to be in book stores September 2010. The book will be packaged with a deck of cards. The commercially published book will be completely different than the instruction manual you currently get when you buy the Personality Poker System.

The second book is a completely re-written version of “The Little Book of BIG Innovation Ideas” and is expected to be published March 2011.

I will keep you updated on some of the exciting research we are doing in conjunction with the book writing.  Stay tuned!

P.S.  Thanks to my literary agent, Bonnie Solow.  I feel honored and blessed to be working with her…

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