Traveling & Living Life

Random Acts of Kindness?

I am very lucky to have lived in Denmark, Spain, Norway, Japan, Australia, and Greece, and have visited more than thirty other counties. For me international travel has been a great education.

It started in my sophomore year in college. While playing goalie for the Oneonta State Red Dragons soccer team I sustained a compound fracture in my right hand. After surgery I was informed that I had to skip the next season. I was one of only two Americans on the close-knit team. There were players from England, France, Poland, Cameroon, Haiti, Israel, Portugal and other countries. They encouraged me to attend the next semester at a university overseas. After all they came to the United States more for the experience than to play soccer. Known as football throughout the rest of the world, the sport of soccer is much bigger abroad than here in the USA. Football is the national sport of many countries.

Video: Hal Levin, Rick Frishman and David Hancock

Hal Levin, Rick Frishman and David Hancock talk about Hal’s new book, A History of Horses Told by Horses, being published by Morgan James Publishing…

My Experience at the Book Expo America

“A true friend doesn’t sympathize with your weakness; instead they help summon your strength.”

- Anonymous, excerpt from Quotations for Successful Living

In the past two weeks I attended the Book Expo America (BEA) and appeared at the Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky. Both events were filled with surprises.

The annual BEA is the biggest book show in North America. In 2008 the traveling event took place with much fanfare in Los Angeles. In an attempt to save the industry’s largest players some money, the BEA is growing roots at the Javits Center in New York City for the next four years. For publishers NYC is the literary publishing capital of America.

Due to the recession this year’s BEA was smaller and toned down. There were fewer exhibitors’ and aisles didn’t seem to be as crowded. The first day, Friday, was the busiest. While it is always fun to peruse the aisles looking for new and interesting titles there seemed to be less actual selling going on. Although within five minutes of my new book, A History of Horses Told by Horses, being displayed on my publisher’s shelf (Morgan James Publishing) I had direct requests from interested parties.

Good Friends Are Rewarding to Have

“A true friend doesn’t sympathize with your weakness; instead they help summon your strength.” – Anonymous, excerpt from Quotations for Successful Living

I want to thank everyone, friends included, for coming out and supporting me and the horses at the Epilogue Book Company and Off the Beaten Path Booksellers & Cafe in Steamboat Springs this past weekend. You all inspire me to spread the horses’ message of peace and love and express their hope to companion with compassionate people, especially women, in order to save the world. These were the first two stops on a national tour to publicize the horses’ book.

The first power-point presentation for A History of Horses Told by Horses was mired by a computer glitch when my laptop froze up delaying the start by fifteen minutes. Being technologically challenged I was flustered and at a loss for what to do. Fortunately, a friend came forward from the crowd and saved the day, thank you Richard.