If you are following me on social media, you may have noticed that I have posted about a new book that I have been writing. If you know anything about writers, you should know one thing. The majority of book ideas don’t come from the author alone. The most amazing ideas come from what and who is around us. More specifically, the people we spend our time with.
One day, over a cup of locally grown tea…
Sometime in early 2019, I was having a meeting with Lisa Borden. Owner of Borden Communications. A one-stop marketing company that tells its clients the true hard facts, with loads of tough love. Working with Lisa, I have learned what works and what doesn’t work, along with practical advice that makes sense. I also have a beautiful website, that she and her team designed, that I am very proud of.
As I was saying, we were sitting in her office, strategizing and suddenly, Lisa picked up her phone to type something in.
“You should meet David.” She said.
Lo and behold. The most amazing idea was buzzing around, like a mosquito.
Who’s David?
@DavidNewtonWellness works with @lisaBorden, and together, they created @TheAkiraConcept. For just a few lines, I must digress. This is not how the most amazing idea came to fruition; nevertheless, I needed to share this information. You need to know how these two wonderful people are connected and just in case you wanted to see what other type of work Lisa does besides her marketing gig. đ
Lisa is one of the biggest fans of my first book, Me and My So-Called Friends, along with her daughter @Joeystormm that has read it several times. David Newton, who has been in the fitness industry for more than 30 years has always wanted to work with middle-school-age kids. I think the tipping point of his motivation was when he kept seeing images like this around @mayfairclubs, where he taught an abundance of fitness classes before COVID.

“We’ve got to do something about this.” David shared with me one day. And it got me thinking. It got Lisa thinking. And the inevitable happened. As I said earlier, the most amazing ideas come from what and who is around us. Lisa asked this question that lit the fire in my brain.
“Sharon, the story you wrote about how a 15-year old girl survived a crazy and challenging year needs to be branched out more. Do you have any more stories to tell?”
“Heck, yeah!” I exclaimed.
“Write a few,” Lisa suggested.
And I did.
How does David fit into all this? Where there is a story about growth, there is movement (and stillness!) to go with it. The combination of storytelling and nourishing one’s body will offer readers a stronger impact than reading a story alone â we are telling a story and offering solutions, hope, and fun. Plus, reading helps us grow intellectually, so why not take our bodies along for the ride, too?
And there’s more!
It just can’t be David and Sharon – what about other people? Incredible humans who have done some pretty remarkable things. Authors, teachers, business owners, and those who have been on this earth for quite some time and have seen it all. We want to hear what they have to say. So we named this section Mentor Memos.
Then there is YOU. The reader. What are you thinking? Actually, it’s probably none of our business, but these thoughts must have a place. So we made space to jot down what’s going through your mind after each chapter because after reading, a space to ponder and process what was read is needed.
What is our collaborative book called?
The title came to me as quickly as caffeine enters my body on a Monday morning. The title is The Get Up Book. Because in our lifetimes, we all fall down, and we need to keep getting back up again â we all need âget upsâ!
When will it be available?
Just the other day, we finalized our critical path, as much as timing can be planned. When so and so needs to do this and this and that needs to be completed. You know how I love me some deadlines – I thrive on them. Hey, we all have the things that make us tick.
We are aiming to have a launch by the end of summer 2021, ready for back to school. And we can’t wait! We will keep you all in the loop!
In the meantime, I will continue to post on our progress, along with some thought-provoking and conversation-starting quotes. They are just a hint of what we dive into in The Get Up Book.
And there’s more â we need your voice!
It isnât just David and Sharon – what about other voices? Incredible humans who have powerful perspectives to share. Authors, teachers, business owners, and those who have been on this earth for quite some time and want to support the next generation â our future leaders. We are looking for mentors. If you have something to share to help âŠ. Please reach out, I would love to connect with you. Write this yourself in your voice! đ
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Until then, my lovelies.