Category Archives: Business and commerce

Special Interest Bookstore

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“Heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and discover the treasure of their true selves.” ~ Carol Lynn Pearson

The expanding heart1Some places you just have to return to. The Expanding Heart, a bookstore in historic downtown Park City, Utah is one of those kinds of places. I encountered this gem of a gift shop and bookstore on my visit to Park City two years ago and have never forgotten it.

It’s evident from what’s inside the store that great thought is put into their offerings. Those taking journeys into their hearts seeking self-realization can learn more about life’s natural energy forces through this bookstore’s publications and gift items. The focus of the store is all things that help fulfill one’s spiritual growth, emotional awareness and rejuvenation of the spirit. The sychronicity of the themes of the inventory is what makes browsing the store so interesting.

I came across a book that I couldn’t pass up because books in this genre are not a dime a dozen. At first glance I thought it was an unexpected find. But as I pondered the publication further, it indeed belonged among the other publications. It is all about self-expression and learning about oneself through art.

What was it you might ask? An historical art fiction book called With Violets: A Novel of the Dawn of Impressionism by Elizabeth Robards. It takes place in Paris in the 1860s when art had reached a new dawn, and creatives were freely exploring new styles of painting. Based on artist Edouard Manet and his relationship with one of his models, she comes to terms with the fact that she does not want to follow what Society expects for her but rather she will create her own future. I can’t wait to dig into it.

I enjoyed my second visit to The Expanding Heart and Svetlana, the store attendant, could not have been more enjoyable to talk with. Park City was a welcome get-away after having just completed a memoir. Sue’s memoir Come back on Monday I will let you in on a few of my favorite art galleries I visited in historic Park City, Utah.

downtown park city

Historic Main Street, Park City, Utah

Fool Notions and Fun

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Anywhere is paradise; it’s up to you. ~Author Unknown

Can you hear me clapping? It’s Friday and I am happy! I came along for the ride with my husband to one of my favorite places to visit in the West – Park City, Utah. He’s here for some ski business meetings. It gives me a chance to explore and have a much needed change of scenery for a few days away from Steamboat Springs. This is another beautiful mountain resort town where Olympians reign supreme.

On Wednesday, I scoped out the area to see what I missed my first visit here two years ago. I visited Redstone – an up-and-coming upscale shopping area just down the road from the ski jumps in Olympic Park.

All things fulfilling is what I found at Paisley Pomegranate. http://paisleypomegranate.com.  The store was filled to the brim with whimsy, fun, creativity, art and design in this gift shop that has been voted #1 People’s Choice. It’s the kind of retail fantasy land I like to browse so I can think about fool notions and nothing at all, all at once. Pure escapism at it’s best. Here are some photos:

Paisley Pomegranite 1

Paisley Pomegranite #5

Paisley Pomegranite 2

Paisley Pomegranite 3

Next week I’ll post more of what I’ve mined from this training ground for Olympians and the home of the Sundance Film Festival. During the film festival the town is chock-a-block full of celebrity gatherings and independent filmmakers. They arrive on the scene to showcase their art and put their hopes in dreams of going home with an award-winning film destined for cinemas across the country.

It’s a gorgeous spring day here day here in Park City, Utah. The trees are just beginning to leaf out and turn green. There’s still white-capped peaks on the upper elevations of the Wasatch Mountains. Happy Friday, everyone! Do return to All Things Fulfilling on Monday.Sue’s memoir

 

Upcoming: An Artful Gathering

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“Your supposed to be using your gifts and fulfilling your dreams at every age.” ~Victoria Moran

image for blog about Kneading Hands event On May 23rd from 5-7 pm I will be one of three people who will be featured at an art reception at Kneading Hands Therapy. Kneading Hands has the distinction of being “Best of the Boat” as a leader in massage therapy. They also have a growing apothecary and retail gift shop.  http://www.kneadinghandstherapy.com/ Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected can now be purchased at Kneading Hands Therapy, so stop in anytime during their business hours or come the evening of May 23rd. I will be there and will personalize a copy of my newly released memoir just for you, if buy it. Kali Waldman, a multi-media artist whose love of art began at a young age will be present. Some of her art is abstract with unintentional messages that appear in many of her pieces which helps her to name them. Kali also enjoys photography and handbuilding with clay. For more information on her art, here is a link https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kaliart/263624433681489?ref=hl. Lori Aigner will be present to talk about the Tower Garden, an aeroponic growing system. Her information will be timely, as planting gardens here in mountain country is just around the corner. Kneading Hands Therapy will have sale items, giveaways and refreshments. Stop in! I’m excited to be included in this event because the reception involves gals who are growing their passions through business and life – so an evening of  all things fulfilling! Thank you, Ali Boehm.  I’m looking forward to the event. This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir

Paper Flowers Redux

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“My dear girl, you must cultivate a taste for the finer things. Civilized pleasures give meaning to life.” 

― Barbara Taylor Bradford,  Being Elizabeth

Did you read yesterday’s blog about my childhood fiasco of trying to take my little brother on a road trip? If not, check it out.

Speaking of road trips – A few weeks ago, a friend and I took a journey from Steamboat Springs, Colorado to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. We gallery hopped, window shopped and had a tasty lunch. It was a wonderful and a much needed day away for both of us just before Easter.

Not only did my friend get to return to something familiar from her past, so did I. My book, Sue’s memoirGift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected had only been published shortly before and as I entered into a fanciful women’s  clothing shop, called Confetti Design http://www.confettidesign.net. I was nearly blown away when I saw their window dressing!

glenwood springs paper flowers dressThere she stood a shapely women, a manikin, dressed in a fitting Easter outfit all made from tissue paper flowers. I couldn’t believe my eyes! My memoir has a chapter entitled Paper Roses. which recounts my fulfilling experience of learning to make and sell paper flowers as a project in  junior Girl Scouts.

I had never seen an entire frock made out of tissue paper flowers. As you can see from this image, it was gorgeous and so was the women’s clothing shop. The store had a real vibrancy to it, every color in the spectrum was represented in their high quality and creatively decorated shop. The sales clerks in it could not have been more hospitable either.

I could have shopped til I dropped, but instead I behaved myself. I’m trying to be fiscally conservative so I can properly get the word out about my publication through a diverse marketing plan and that takes some bucks.

Some day soon, I will take Barbara Taylor Bradford’s advice and will return to Confetti Designs with cash in my pocket to splurge on something deserved and special just for ME – perhaps an accoutrement to an outfit for a book talk! From all appearances, the ladies in Confetti have an outstanding eye for style and design.  Maybe they will help me find just the right thing. I will be back!

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I want to remind everyone to shop around by visiting different blogs – it’s a great way to discover fascinating sites and topics through the world-wide-web. You never know what you might run into that may peak your interest. Looking for a fun fashion blog? Visit http://invisiblecrowne.blogspot.com/. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. 

 

Easter: An Awakening of Spirit

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In my opinion, for many people – 

The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. 

Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. 

But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline, and make the sacrifice. 

~Henry Knox Sherrill

Easter spirit

 

easter bunny cake

 

have a happy easter for peeps sake

Looking for other meaningful Easter quotes to pass along to your loved ones this holy season? Here are some you might enjoy from http://www.findmeagift.co.uk/topics/easter-quotes.

Have a great Easter Weekend filled with All Things Fulfilling. If you missed  Monday’s post, a sample audio chapter called  “Easter Traditions” from  Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, by Sue Batton Leonard is on the About the Book page on this site.  Listen in as many times as you’d like!

 

Save the Stories

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I’ve got an industrious week ahead! Here’s what it looks like:

Monday, March 31, 2014   Get my audio book posted on the audio book site, so it is ready for selling. Details of how to order the audio book will be forthcoming soon right here on All Things Fulfilling.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014   “Sue Leonard will be speaking with the Young Professionals Network of Steamboat Springs, Colorado about the independent publishing industry, her group We Write Steamboat and the upcoming World Book Night (4/23/14).”

Friday, April 4, 2014 – Yampa Valley University Women, 11:30 am – 1 pm. Selbe Apts, Rollingstone Road, Steamboat Springs. Colorado. Open to the public. Soup, salad and bread luncheon is available for $3. “Sue Leonard will be presenting her book Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.”

Your never too youngIt will be interesting to speak to these two groups of people this week because the age demographics are very different. The young professionals are just beginning to embark on careers and trying to figure out what they want to do in life. I want to encourage them to save stories from their life journeys because at some point they may be interested in inspiring, entertaining, informing or educating others through independent publishing.  This group of young people, who spend a lot of time volunteering out in our community, will be part of World Book Night on April 23rd, which I will also be discussing.

The Yampa Valley University Women , a group that I am a member of, has been following my endeavors in the publishing industry and the progress of the memoir. I look forward to finally bringing a perfect bound book to show them and having the opportunity to relate my experiences with with them. This event will be open to the public. The women who belong to the group are well-educated, well-traveled and most are retired. They have a wealth of life experiences, and I wish to convey to them the value of writing to preserve history and culture. Many of them have interesting stories to tell and with the ability to independently publish e-books and print-on-demand, many people are investing their time in writing in their retirement.

Have a great week ahead, everyone.  See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. We will be talking about the origination of a game show that had many women waiting by the telephone, in hopes of having their dreams fulfilled, in the 1940s- 1970s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Author to Watch

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“You write in order to change the world … if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it.” ~ James Baldwin 

I’ve been so busy I haven’t picked up a book other than my own to proofread it for the zillionth time in several weeks. Not having time to read drives me crazy – walking and reading are my most treasured personal freedoms. It’s how I relax and escape.

library hospital for themind. jpgOn Friday I decided I REALLY needed an outlet aside from what I am doing. I caved and went to the library. I found a real honey of a story by debut novelist Natalie Baszile called “Queen Sugar.”http://bit.ly/1nAv4B9. Oh my, how I have enjoyed it. It has not disappointed. Author Tayari Jones describes the book as “a page turning, heart breaking novel of the new South, where the past is never truly past, but the future is a hot, bright promise.” Put this book, published by Penguin, on your To Read List. In my opinion, the author has interwoven important societal messages and cultural values into a well-crafted story.  Natalie Baszile, I’m keeping my eye on you. You are a great writer!

Now it’s back to work. There is so much a head of me to look forward to.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

Mentoring Women in Business

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To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone. ~Reba McEntire

Have you ever wondered why people chose the professions they do? Sometimes there is little choice as to how people support themselves and others make very deliberate career choices, according to what fits their passions and personality.

cookie lockhartCookie Lockhart, a member of our We Write Steamboat networking group for independent publishers, couldn’t have chosen a career path more suitable to her temperament. Her “pioneering spirit” led her to become the only female student  among 126 men in the Class of 1963 to pursue a career in an industry that was dominated by males. As a woman auctioneer she was featured on the TV show To Tell the Truth back in 1966. To see a video clip of the show, please follow this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bRI-H9g5zw.

Lockhart followed in the footsteps of her father and grandfather, and has been a real driving force in the auction business. She has served as an outstanding mentor for many women in business because of her leadership qualities including her love of people and her fortitude. If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Cookie, you’d never forget her. Her personality is larger than life and she has a winning spirit.

It’s been a fulfilling career for Lockhart. She is the only woman who has ever been inducted into the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame, and she’s also a member of the Colorado Auctioneers Hall of Fame.

On Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 pm Mountain Time,  Cookie and her business, Lockhart Auction and Realty will be featured on American Pickers, a popular TV show on History Channel. To read more about the casting of the show when it came to Steamboat, here is a link to an article that appeared in the Steamboat Pilot newspaper. http://bit.ly/1hLjMtW.  

Tune in on January 29th. It is bound to be a lively show because Cookie is like a character you read about in a book. She portrays the epitome of “Western spirit.”  Here is a quick preview of the show. http://on.fb.me/1fikAUd.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

 

 

Important First Steps to Publishing

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“It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in happiness of pursuit.” ~ Denis Waitley

The e-Book Extravaganza on Saturday sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) was well-worth attending. During one of the breaks, the President of CIPA, Dr. Patricia Ross came over to me and said “Sue, I’d like you to meet one of our new members.” Of course, the usual niceties followed.

I asked the new member if she was enjoying the morning, and she said “Yes, but I feel so uninformed! There is so little I know about independent publishing.” Dr. Ross told her not to be discouraged, and off the President went doing her job of hob-knobbing about the room.

CIPA 9 13 #1As the new member and I stood talking, I said to her, “You know, each and every person in this room started where you began today, knowing nothing. That is the reason you have joined this group -to get help, to learn, to network and become informed about your options.” There is a lot to learn and you have taken a very important first step. You have joined this group!”

“Yes,” the new member replied. “There seems to be plenty of knowledge to learn from in this group.”

Before the break was over and we went to sit in our respective seats, across the room from one another, I had one more thing I had to say. “In your free time, read anything you can get your hands on about the industry, and keep coming to this group. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself.”

To learn more about the Colorado Independent Publishers Association, please visit this link. http://www.cipacatalog.com/join-cipa/. Please note the organization also offers downloadable webinars if you are too far to travel to their meetings.

http://www.cipacatalog.com/categories/CIPA-College-Downloads/

As I drove home, I began to ponder how many first steps I have taken since 1998, when the independent industry was in its infancy. They’ve all been in a quest to learn all I could about the industry and it led to becoming a business.  And the wonders and development of the independent publishing universe never cease to amaze me. I find it fascinating.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. The space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

e-Book Extravaganza

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Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. ~ Kofi Annan

cipa logoOn Saturday I made the very worthwhile three hour trek into Denver from Steamboat Springs, Colorado to attend Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) monthly meeting. The September agenda was an e-Book Extravaganza. Here are just a few things that were discussed throughout the day:

  • The e-book industry now represents 33% of book sales. How about that?
  • People like having a choice of formats, so offering books in print, as well as an e-book version is wise marketing.
  • There is still a viable market for books-in-print but there is a certain part of the reading population who are clamoring for e-books due to their convenience.
  • Surprisingly, people who are 55 years of age and over ARE BUYING e-books, contrary to what was expected. It is not just the young generation that are interested in the digital format.
  • We discussed pricing of e-books and how you can leverage your intellectual property.
  • E-books make it easy to offer samples, providing potential book buyers the  opportunity to see if they like an author they’ve never read before.
  • A big advantage to e-books – there is no printing involved, thus it removes the need for physical space of inventory.

If you are a writer who wants to get on The Fast Track to Independent Publishing, here is a short webinar that will introduce you to the basics. http://bit.ly/10cCp1Y. 

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, we will be discussing the next best step if you are a person who is considering independent publishing and you are in need of knowledge. I will tell you a quick but valuable story from this weekend.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com .