Eric Maisel will be a guest on this blog tomorrow, talking about his new book, Ten Zen Seconds. I participated in an online group that Eric worked with while developing the ideas in this book, so I've been experimenting with the practice for a while.
Eric’s background
Eric Maisel is the author of more than thirty published books: fiction, creative guidance, meditation, practical psychology, and inspirational journals. The basic list below, in reverse chronological order, is not complete but it’s a good start.
Connections
I first picked up A Life in the Arts about the time my daughter was finding school impossible. I didn’t have time to read the book then, but it lived on my shelf as a reminder that the life I envisioned would, perhaps, be possible some day.
Over the following years, I bought and added to the shelf several more of Eric’s books.
Finally, I had (or stole) the time to begin reading these books, instead of just browsing from time to time and wishing I could do more. I plastered my copies with sticky notes. I wrote out the exercises and felt reassured and supported.
In the past three years, I’ve participated in several of Eric’s online courses, been a contributor to some of his idea-development groups, and worked with him as an individual long-distance coaching client. We have met face-to-face once, for a few seconds, at BookExpo America during a book signing.
I’ve already bought copies of Ten Zen Seconds to give to a couple of friends and my daughter is waiting for me to finish the interview so she can read my copy, because she perceives (correctly, I believe) that it’s exactly the bit of wisdom that she needs to connect with right now.
Eric's books (most but probably not all)
The titles with asterisks are those I currently own. My copies are festooned with sticky notes. If you need a place to start exploring Eric’s work, check out the books with that are in bold. (Some of my favorites, like The Art of the Book Proposal and A Writer’s Paris, aren't in bold because they are not the first books I recommend.) If you want just one, go for Ten Zen Seconds or Coaching the Artist Within.
2007 * Ten Zen Seconds: Twelve Incantations for Purpose, Power, and Calm (Sourcebooks)
2007 * Creativity for Life: Practical Advice on the Artist’s Personality and Career from America’s Foremost Creativity Coach (New World Library)—I haven't read this one yet; it's too new!
2007 Everyday You: Create Your Day with Joy and Mindfulness (Conari)
2006 * A Writer’s San Francisco: A Guided Journey for the Creative Soul (New World Library)
2006 What Would Your Character Do? Personality Quizzes for Analyzing Your Characters (with Ann Maisel; Writer’s Digest)
2006 Toxic Criticism: Break the Cycle with Friends, Family, Coworkers, and Yourself (McGraw-Hill)
2005 * A Writer’s Paris: A Guided Journey for the Creative Soul (Writer’s Digest)
2005 * Coaching the Artist Within: Advice for Writers, Actors, Visual Artists and Musicians from America’s Foremost Creativity Coach (New World Library)
2004 * The Art of the Book Proposal: From Focused Idea to Finished Proposal (JP Tarcher/Penguin)
2004 Everyday Creative: 30 Ways to Wake Up Your Inner Artist (Red Wheel)
2004 Everyday Smart: 30 Ways to Spark Your Inner Genius (Red Wheel)
2002 * The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person’s Path through Depression (Rodale)
2002 Write Mind: 299 Things Writers Should Never Say to Themselves (and What They Should Say Instead) (JP Tarcher)
2001 20 Communication Tips @ Work: A Quick and Easy Guide to Better Business Relationships (New World Library)
2001 * Sleep Thinking: The Revolutionary Program That Helps You Solve Problems, Reduce Stress, and Increase Creativity While You Sleep (with Natalya Maisel; Adams Media)
2000 20 Communication Tips for Families: A 30-Minute Guide to a Better Family Relationship (New World Library)
2000 * The Creativity Book: A Year’s Worth of Inspiration and Guidance (JP Tarcher/Putnam)--great stuff in here
1999 * Deep Writing: 7 Principles That Bring Ideas to Life (JP Tarcher/Putnam)
1999 * Living the Writer’s Life (Watson-Guptill)
1997 Fearless Presenting: A Self-Help Workbook for Anyone Who Speaks, Sells, or Performs in Public (Back Stage Books)
1996 Affirmations for Artists (Putnam)
1995 * Fearless Creating: A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting and Completing Your Work of Art (Putnam)
1994 * A Life in the Arts: Practical Guidance and Inspiration for Creative and Performing Artists (Putnam)
1992 Staying Sane in the Arts: A Guide for Creative and Performing Artists (Putnam)
1986 Fretful Dancer (Aegina Press)
1984 Blackbirds of Mulhouse (Maya Press)
1982 Dismay (Maya Press)
Journals/sketchbook:
Writers and Artists on Love (New World Library, 2004)
Writers and Artists on Devotion (New World Library, 2004)
Artists Speak: A Sketchbook (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)
Tomorrow: Eric responds to some of my questions about the creative life, large and small.
I look forward to tomorrow's post. I own Fearless Creating, and my copy is also full of sticky notes. It's one of my favorite books on creativity and being an artist. I had no idea he had so many other books... now which should I choose next? Hmmm...
Posted by: LynnH | April 18, 2007 at 10:26 PM