The next step in an author's life...

It's done, the book, I mean. But, my book journey is not. Once it's written, publisher is found, cover design created, forward written, and book printed, the easy part begins....NOT!
I'm currently busy with marketing and PR for the book. Looking for people who want to talk about it, tell their friends about it, and have energy to read it. I think it's interesting and nobody has written anything like it. They couldn't, it's full of my stories and my experiences. I'm pleased with it and ready for folks to check it out and see what a woman goes through behind the scenes in sport radio/TV. I'm not finished with my career, this is just a stop along the way. Now is the time to focus on getting it out there, and sharing it with the world.
I want my book to motivate young people to follow their dreams. I want them to have dreams that they believe will come true. Mine did, the dreams are still percolating in my brain and I'm still pushing to attain them all and fulfill the goals I've set for myself and the new ones that come up in my life.
2012...Here I come! Be ready, I'm unstoppable!!!

This is the slooooooow time...

The truck showed up with the final copies. I can't believe I'm at this place in my life. I did write a book, and it got published. Oh yeah!!!
Now I will market, promote and continue to dream big.

I'll dream about little girls reading it.
I'll dream about young boys reading it.
I'll dream about aspiring sports reporters and talk show hosts reading it.
I'll dream about broadcasting students reading it.
I'll dream about current talk show hosts discussing it.
I'll dream about TV sports reporters talking about it.
I'll dream about guys I used to work with reading it and feeling good that I made it through their tough personalities.
I'll dream about the good guys in sports, the ones who supported and believed in me, even though I was different.
I'll dream about knowing I made it through to this side and still want to work in the business.
I'll dream about getting back on the radio and being passionate about sports again.

I've been a little down lately, wondering if anyone will even find the book interesting. I know the stories are different than any others, but will people care? I sure hope so!

Go to the website, buy the book, then tell me, because I want your honesty, like I have offered you. My book is not going to win a Pulitzer Prize or any literary awards, but it's interesting and entertaining!!!

Now, will people buy it?

I wrote it. I re-wrote it. I re-wrote it again and again and again. We edited it, we edited more. We read it, we read it again and again. I read it more. My publisher read it more. My mom read it more.
It goes to print...
We wait...
We wait...
We wait...

It comes off the truck in nine boxes.
The truck driver opens one box.
He holds up the book.
It's mine, my book, the book I wrote!!!

He unloads the boxes into my garage.
I stand alone in the garage and open a book.
I wrote a freakin' book!!!

I notice a couple mistakes, one on the cover and one on the title page.
I try not to freak.
I freak.
The book signing is in five days.
How do we fix that???

We fix the cover.
We re-cover all of the nine boxes of books.
We have a great turnout and an amazing book signing.
We sell out that day.

We fix the errors.
Now it's all on pre-order at www.cjsilas.net.

I wait now.
I market now.
I promote now.

Then...I hope...and wait...and hope and wait.
Now, we wait, we wait, we hope, I hope...I know.

Dreams are more than that...

Heading out this morning to speak to an assembly of over 250 5th and 6th graders at Taylor Elementary School in Santa Maria, California. This is really exciting for me. I get to share my stories with them and urge them to have dreams and search for a way to make each and every one of them come true.
My book is a collection of stories about my life in sports radio and TV. But, it's about so much more too. It's about having dreams at any age and doing everything you can to fulfill them, even when many people try to stand in your way. The stories are true and heartfelt. The experiences are honest and only from my personal perspective. I'm sure others see our encounters differently, and that's fine. I convey my life's work in my words for people to enjoy. The journey wasn't always bad or painful, there were some great times too. I met some fantastic people throughout my career, some that I couldn't have done it without. Then I also came into contact with some genuinely awful people. But, I've tried not to hold grudges or hang on to past resentments. Instead, I've learned from each adversity and even grown because of most of those struggles.
Telling these kids about the hard parts of my career will not be my focus. Yes, I was challenged and yes, it was really tough at times. But, my career took me to some amazing places, where I covered cool sports stories and exciting games. It was as much fun as it wasn't, and if someone came to me right now and offered me the chance to do it again, I'd do it. I would be careful, but I would give it another try. Because I won't stop trying, I won't give up, I will not be satisfied until I'm on the radio again talking about sports and the people who play them and the people who run them and the people who make that 'show' happen.
I think these kids today will walk away feeling strong and hopeful, even if their lives don't illustrate that today. I want each one of them to hold their heads a little higher after they've heard some of my stories. If I can give them some confidence and encouragement to follow each dream, even the crazy ones, then I've done my part and I know I made a tiny difference.

The calm...before???

In a waiting period, holding pattern, hover...cruise control...neutral...
Book was sold out on pre-orders, now waiting for the public release and the national media tour to begin. I guess I should enjoy these short calm moments, because if all goes as planned, it's going to 'blow-up' in a matter of weeks or days, who knows. My vision takes me all over the country, on radio stations, TV stations and in magazines or newspapers. In my dream, people will want to hear my stories and follow my sports career journey. The dream began so long ago, it's almost unreal, but it's here and it's happening too. Crazy!
I look forward to talking with guys I've known in the business over the years. I'm picturing myself, manifesting myself and creatively visualizing myself on stations in L.A., New York, Seattle, St. Louis, Kansas City, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, San Diego, etc. I dream of taking trips around the country to appear on TV shows and talk shows. John Stewart, Ellen, Leno, on and on. Hey, I can dream, can't I? Remember, this whole book thing was a dream, and it came true. I guess, with a little help from my friends and family, I made it come true. So now, I'll make this dream come true too. Sweet!
www.cjsilas.net

WHEW!!!!

It's taken me some time to recover from the book signing this past weekend in Shell Beach. Wow, what a surreal, enjoyable and crazy time we had at The Steaming Bean. The best part was we sold out of the pre-order copies. So cool! Now we wait until next month for the public sale online and in stores. I am thrilled to be sharing my stories, hoping people will be interested enough to finish the book and feel something.

I had this idea that I was "just a girl with stories to tell." But, that's changed over the past 10 days. I am a girl with stories to tell, but the book has a deeper and more significant message...we can be or do anything we dream to be if we are given and offered the right emotional and intellectual tools. We can dream for days at a time, for a life time and have what we want and create what we manifest. All we need is love and support from those closest to us. That is our strength, that is our fuel and that is our nourishment. It's what gets us up each day and keeps us going. It may sound cliche, but it's SO not!

I had a dream as a child to be a sportscaster. I just spent the last 22 years doing just that. You'll see the true stories of my time doing it, living it and proving we can do WHATEVER we want...if we're given the tools, the mental and spiritual tools. Love and encouragement are huge here and mean more than any college or university education!!!

www.cjsilas.net
Help me continue to get my message out and tell my stories. Buy a copy, buy more than one and give them as gifts to anyone that has a dream or a goal. Give them to anyone who wants something great in life!!!

It's sooooo close...

I guess how I'm feeling is natural...anxious, nervous, exhausted, overwhelmed and semi-ready. It's been such a long journey full and exhilarating. Now, it's here, just about 48 hours away. If I was rich I would fly every single person into town that has been there for me. Anyone that has supported me along the way. Everyone that has encouraged me or pumped me up during my radio/TV career. I dream of the day we can all get together and celebrate my 22+ years in this crazy business. There are so many people out there that have had an impact on my life. Many who don't even know how much they contributed to this project. I hope every guy and girl who's in the book sees it and gets 'it'.

I'm going to try and nap today, it's been a sleepless week full of anticipation for the weekend. When the truck showed up with my book on Wednesday afternoon, what a trip it was as the driver lowered the palate of boxes onto the ground and wheeled them into my garage on his dolly. I wept, he freaked out to have a strange woman crying over his delivery, then we laughed. As he drove away, I opened a book, stared at the title and realized that...I DID IT!