June 11th, 2013 → 10:00 am @ daped
Greetings friends!
I received the “interior proof” for Tuna Breath — that’s the draft version of what the inside pages of the book will look like. I absolutely love it. The people at Balboa Press are doing an amazing job, too! The design work is done; the copyright is secured; and the ISBN number has been assigned. Most exciting of all is that after just a few minor adjustments, Tuna Breath will be ready to print … LIVE and in COLOR! I’m still planning for a print / release date at the end of the month (June 2013). Here’s a sneak peek at the inside. (more…)
June 6th, 2013 → 5:34 pm @ daped
Greetings friends!
HELP ME pick a book cover!
Tuna Breath is nearly ready for print and I need your help picking a book cover. These pics are the 3 options. If you would, please be bold in your comments and your vote. I’d value knowing what you like, don’t like, or what changes/combinations you think work.
Thanks in advance for your opinion!
…. oh, P.S. ANYONE that comments or “likes” one will be entered in a drawing to win a FREE, SIGNED COPY sent to their house once it’s printed…which should be within about 30 days from now!!! I’ve vowed to give away 30 copies — compliments of me 
Many thanks,
Doug P.
February 25th, 2013 → 10:30 am @ daped
(from my journal: 2/25/2013)
Haven’t written in my journal in ages. Looking back through it today was very interesting. My thoughts over the last few years of writing have drifted from focusing on TUNA BREATH to wondering how well it will do in the market. Now we’re here, more than 2 years later, and I’m refocused again on what I’m doing and why I’m doing it: to help people. I am completely detached from the outcome. Here’s what needs to happen now:
1. Finish the manuscript
2. Submit it to Balboa Press
3. Let the chips fall where they may
Nurys is in the pre-op with Dr. Haney now. I wonder how she is?
February 15th, 2013 → 10:59 am @ daped
Have you ever said yourself, or heard an adult that’s overweight say, things like “I’m battling with my weight” or “I have a weight problem?”
I, for one, sure have—especially when people find out that I lost 125 pounds in eight months back in 1993. But what would you say if I told you that people who are seriously overweight, perhaps even obese, in truth are “battling with their e motions” and they “have emotional problems?”
Sounds much more jarring, doesn’t it?! Did I just hear a pin drop? (more…)
January 11th, 2013 → 10:43 am @ daped
Greetings friends!
I’ve always believed that Tuna Breath has a wide appeal and therefore a wide audience base. However, everything that I’ve learned about publishing a book suggests that writers start with the reader in mind … so, writing with a narrow focus to a specific audience is recommended.
This has been tougher for me as a beginning writer (especially with the BIG vision I have for Tuna Breath and the next stage of where and how I want to take my message to help people). But I’m prepared to start somewhere so I re-wrote the Introduction to the memoir today while keeping “an audience” in mind. The first audience I imagine will be mom’s who currently have children like I was: with serious weight problems. This is the group I will “talk to” first … and then let Tuna Breath find its place from there. So, this is the Introduction that will go to print. I hope you enjoy it!
Many thanks,
Doug P. (more…)
January 10th, 2013 → 9:57 am @ daped
Greetings friends!
I finally have the final chapters outlined for Tuna Breath. The new, and final, direction for how to close the book literally came to me as I sat down to write earlier this week. I love writing; it makes my soul sing!
Here are the chapter titles (see below). Stay tuned for writing samples and quotes from each chapter. I’ll include them in later posts.
Many thanks,
(PS – Tuna Breath is becoming a reality. I can’t wait to see it in my hands…by June (2013) I’m thinking )
Doug P. (more…)
December 15th, 2012 → 10:51 am @ daped
Greetings friends!
It’s finally time to finish Tuna Breath once and for all. It’s been months since I’ve done any serious writing. Actually, it’s been longer. My time has been devoted to my other business and raising Andrew, and he just turned 1-year. YIKES!
2013 is my year to publish Tuna Breath. (more…)
May 22nd, 2011 → 11:12 am @ daped
Greetings friends!
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately you’re probably aware that obesity rates in America have increased in the last 20 years. In 2009 the CDC reported that state obesity rates were largely between 20%-30%. Only Colorado and the District of Columbia were less than 20% (they were a slim 18.6% and 19.7%, respectively).
If you’re like me and need to count on your fingers, this means that 1-2 people out of 5 in the United States are obese. Unfortunately, the trends for kids and young adults are the same. (more…)
May 21st, 2011 → 9:50 pm @ daped
Greetings friends!
Do you have PMA? …All the time? …No matter what? …Really? If you answered “No!” to any of these, please read on.
PMA simply stands for Positive Mental Attitude. Maybe you think of it as an abundant mindset or as a level of enthusiasm. One might even go deeper and credit PMA with higher levels of personal achievement. Some might not think of it at all. As for me, I personally like to think of PMA as a tool for fixing anything that sucks! (more…)
May 20th, 2011 → 10:34 am @ daped
A Conversation With ObesityBeater
Question: 23-year old obese female
” What I’m asking is, what do you do to keep yourself going, especially on the sluggish days when you don’t wanna move or can’t get outside due to the weather? I live in a very snowy/rainy region so this happens frequently. How do you make yourself go when you want to make excuses not to do it?? I need help with this BADLY. Before I was able to do it without hesitation and I actually enjoyed it. I’m not sure how to put myself back into a mindset where I can enjoy what I’m doing so that I can go longer and harder, yielding more satisfying results.” (more…)
