I get a lot of emails asking for tips how to get published, get a book deal, make a living at being a blogger, or a recipe maker, or something like Happy Herbivore.
My advice, above all else, is that, it has to be about passion. You have to do what you do because you'd do it even if you never made a single penny (and in the book business, you make pennies).
I'm not in it for fame or fortune. I just want to help people live better, eat healthier, save the planet, save the animals...knowing I help even one person make a positive change is all the payback I need... I've always say that if I do hit it big, I'll give it all back -- to charity programs and nonprofits that will help educate people, promote eating plant-based diets, help the sick heal with food...
One of my "heroes" (Derek Sivers) made millions developing a CD store online (before itunes)...and gave ALL his money back to music/musician funds... I aspire to be that awesome.
With my necklace project (that wrapped this morning! woohoo!) I'm not taking anything -- it's all going to the elephants. I saw an opportunity to use my voice to make a difference, to help you make a difference, and a difference we are making.Over $8.000 was raised for the elephants!!
This week has been an exciting week all around: Over the weekend my book hit #1 on the Low Fat list on Amazon and it held steady there. It even went down to #312 in *all* books at it's peak thanks to the CNN episode...
and whileyes, my book selling like hot cakes and selling out (again) is absolutely amazing -- it really does give me a sense of accomplishment, a pat on the back for all my hard work, but the real reason I'm excited is knowing that, potentially, all these people who bought my book, their lives are going to change. The change might be small, but all change matters. All efforts matter. Positive change is positive change.
If I sold 500 books, that's potentially 500 lives that might change for the better. If each one of them tells a friend, and that friend also makes a positive change, thats 1,000 lives that might change.
That's what excites me. That the message is getting out there. That people will see that eating a healthy, plant-based diet all of the time, or even some of the time, is easy, affordable, practical and delicious.
My success-- I attribute it to all of you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for helping me and above all -- thank you for making a positive change! You are all perfect, just as you are.
Thank you.
