Seth Material

 Every year I talk to a few dozen men about their reading habits. It’s clear that something has to be a catalyst. before most men resort to serious reading. Usually they are trying to solve a problem,  find the answer to a pressing need, or they are tired of waiting and trying to fight off  boredom.   Now that books are available in electronic and other formats. We plan to include audio and Kindle versions of books whenever possible.

  Occasionally I meet  guys around Houston  who say they really like to read. I met one such guy the other day. I couldn't  help but  noticed  the other day a guy that  normally is playing basketball while waiting for his daughter to finish her swimming lessons,  intently gleaning the pages of a book.  Before the evening was over I made it a point to accost him to find out what author had captured his attention.  I cornered him for a few photos and a  quick interview and discovered that he had been a fan of Jane Roberts.

Seth Material

Seth Material

There are some  great benefits waiting to be reaped from reading  books.  Best of all  they are the kind of benefits that don’t expire,  can’t be taken from you and  if you water them  they’ll take off and  grows like a weed.  

Sphere: Related Content

Local Literary Festival Marries Soliloquies , Singing and Sensational Art

Boost your cultural enrichment by attending the premier literary festival in Houston, the Indie Book Festival. For the first time ever HIBF is hosting an informational panel featuring exhibitors, local readers, writers, and publishers. The discussions are sure to generate serious nourishment for aspiring writers and published authors that would like to get some solid facts about getting publicity, published and paid from knowledgeable industry insiders.

The HIBF grew from an formidable small gathering of local booksellers. writers and artists. It has been transformed into to an unrivaled regional literary event. The 2012 Houston indie book festival sets up shop on the impressive grounds of Menil Park. Their visually inspiring outdoor art exhibits serve as a backdrop that beckons exploring and mingling for the exhibitors and visitors attending the festivities.

Besides the stellar discussion panel some of the entertaining highlights of the festival include:
a day-long reading series.
children’s events,
musical acts,
poetry workshop

Literary Festival in Houston

The literary festival which attract is an eclectic contingent of book readers and indie book writers is the only one of its kind in the Houston and Austin area. The gathering is a rare occasion where nationally-distributed literary journals and small-press books huddle with local booksellers, book and magazine publishers, literary organizations, and writers.

The 2012 Book Festival festival gets started on Saturday, April 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. The event is completely free and open to the public Sphere: Related Content

One Amazing Houston Author

The recent earthquake that shook fear into the small towns and big cities on the East coast is reminiscent of the geological anomaly in the novel “One Amazing Thing.” The recent works of a Houston author that is being highlighted at the book festival held the libraries in the region throughout the months of September and October.

Gulf Coast Reads is a reading initiative that is replacing a similar program “Books On the Bayou”. It’s a “one book, one community” reading event designed to establish more dialogue about regional writers and their works, amongst friends, families, and in classrooms.

The overall strategy embraced by the libraries in the region: Fort Bend County, Harris County Public Library System, Brazoria Montgomery County alongwith the Houston Public Library is to encourage their communities to make sure their literary diet includes more works written by some of the outstanding literary talent in Houston and other places around the Gulf Coast.

This year’s novel is an intriguing, timely tale entitled,”One Amazing Thing”, authored by Houston writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, who lives in Sugarland. Her book chronicles the struggle for survival of 9 people, trapped in the basement of the Indian Consulate after an earthquake.

The premise of the book unfolds as the survivors begin sharing with each other “one amazing thing” that happened in their lives. As they listen to each other tell about love and loss, betrayal, and redemption it gives the entire group some much needed encouragement during their fight for survival while trapped in the throngs of darkness.

A few other good books written by authors from the Gulf coast that you may want to consider adding to your bookshelf include:

"A Good Long Way" by Rene Saldana Jr. of Lubbock, a fast-paced young adult novel that follows the troubled lives of three teens in South Texas (Amazon, $10.95).

A handy guide to about 150 interesting and sometimes offbeat Texas museums. "Texas Museums of Discovery" by Allan C. Kimball

"The Steps of the Savior: 365 Devotionals from the Gospel of Luke" by Phil Ware. A hearty helping of scriptures to infuse spiritual awareness into your day.

"The Smart Stepdad" by Ron L. Deal of Amarillo


Sphere: Related Content

Houston Book Tours - Fail Up!

Catching Tavis Smiley's Houston book tour “Fail Up Tour” May 13th 2011, as it swings through town on its 10 city trek could pay off in more than one way. Houston authors, book club members and/or Houston book lovers in need of an inspirational jolt will have a chance to purchase a copy of what’s being called “a lesson plan to success”.


This stop in H-town a few weeks before the National Black Book Festival gets underway shows the African American author is still ahead of the rest of the pack. It’s an opportunity for local book club members and/or book lovers to pick up a signed copy of his new work that might prove to be really valuable someday.
If you haven’t read our discussion on how to buy books for fun and profit , now would be a good time to take a look at it.

Why buy just any old book that will only collect dust. It’s far more rewarding to have book collection that’s collecting dust and cash value as well.

Smiley’s book could become like the signed copies of first printings and first editions
of President Obama’s book, Dreams Of My Father. It was written before he was a State Senator or presidential candidate and sell for a premium on E-bay.




(Click image to enlarge)

Many were probably signed during his author tour promoting the book.

Tavis Smiley's New Book

After a bout with what is best described as a mid-life crisis, Smiley came to the realization that success is often born out of overcoming setbacks and failures. He then began putting his story into words.

He hopes the stories in the book taken from his life and today’s headline will help us to understand a universal truth. There is no success without failure.

We all are inevitably confronted by letdowns, fall-throughs, and setbacks in life. When you are in the midst of a struggle it’s hard to realize that success, is born out of overcoming the setbacks and failures,

Author Tour In Houston

You are more likely to lose touch, get disconnected or forget your sense of purpose. FAIL UP is a lesson plan to success that can help you get reestablished and aligned with your goals.

Whether you are an author, book club member, book lover or nine-to-fiver, FAIL UP shows us all of us how instead of settling for a step backwards we can surge forward. If we stay focused on the prize and seize each opportunity that comes our way.

Smiley will be in Houston to discuss Fail Up at the Westheimer, Barnes and Noble this Friday the 13th from 7 p,m, to 9 p.m. The stories in the book range from the private and personal to the public and professional. It’s an inspiring and challenging look at what it takes to make a new, better, more true ending when we are faced with challenging circumstances.

If you want to know about more about subjects discussed on this blog check out these resources.
Book tours in Houston
Selling and Buying used books in Houston Sphere: Related Content