My "Aha" Moment

Rarely do I let work creep into the Fun Times blog, largely because let's face it, there have been precious few fun times in book publishing in the last two decades. But what is this blog really but a journal of gratitude, and I am incredibly grateful for Oprah Winfrey, patron saint of the book industry (and enthusiastic advocate of gratitude journals). To watch a friend and author onstage last week at the greatest show on Earth (by book publicity standards) was nothing short of amazing.

Every piece of electronic equipment I own was confiscated by Oprah's security, so I have no photographs, but I have a memory that will last a lifetime, and if you read Thrive you will understand how important it is to invest in experiences vs. things. Except books, of course. Buy lots and lots of books.

And because there is just an aura, or something, around Oprah and everything she touches, I was not surprised to open my magazine at the airport and find a little bit of serendipity. It was an article about another great lady and fellow book editor Jackie Kennedy, who was an editor for longer than she was married to either of her famous husbands. The article quoted something she once said of her work: "if you produce one book, you have done something wonderful in your life."

Thanks ladies. I needed that.