Greyson Masters's Blog, page 6

Best Uppercut Ever

As Mike Tyson once said, "Everyone has a plan until they're punched in the mouth."

I had a plan. Like a restaurant has a soft opening before it has its official grand opening - my plan was to get my feet wet with a soft launch of the book followed by a more traditional and grandiose book launch at a later date. 

Then I got punched in the mouth - a beautiful, wonderful, awesome punch in the mouth!

Before I had anything lined up (book launch, book signings, readings, etc.), I was contacted by Alison Laurio at The Winchester Star. The newspaper had heard about the book and wanted to write an article. I hadn't even sent out a press release yet. What an great uppercut to my plans!

So the soft launch plans got knocked out, but in turn Alison wrote a wonderful, wonderful article that has already received the "laminate treatment" at my house. Hope you enjoy!  While you're here, please check out our Home Page.

Never Too Late

Sanitation Engineer At age 16, the very first job I ever had was Dishwasher at Westminster Canterbury, a retirement home located in Winchester, VA.
When I turned 17, I upgraded to Bus Boy at Jimmy’s Restaurant in Winchester.
In college, I spent my summers cutting grass for a landscaping company. 
After college, I got my first professional job with First Union Bank. I was a loan officer. I also became a licensed branch employee and sold mutual funds, annuities, and one – just one! – Life Insurance policy.
After a few years in banking, I became an account manager for Master Media Group, a marketing firm located in Winchester.
In 2001, Master Media Group was sold. So I started my own company, Master Research Solutions, a survey research firm that I’m still happily running today. 
Colonel Sanders is not young Then I turned 40 in April.

And while I don’t feel old, I do feel professionally constrained. Realistically, becoming, say, an anesthesiologist is out of the question. The words, “You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up” no longer apply to me.

Then I came across the following in James Altucher’s fantastic (and self-published) book Choose Yourself …

Colonel Sanders sold his very first KFC franchise at age 65.
Ray Kroc, a milkshake salesman into his early 50s, bought his first McDonalds at age 52.
Julia Child was in her early 50s when she wrote her first cookbook.
Stan Lee started Marvel and invented Spiderman, Fantastic Four, etc., all after the age of 44.
Jack Cover invented the Taser at 50. He didn’t sell his first one until he was 60.
Tim Zagat wrote his first book of reviews at age 51.
Rodney Dangerfield was an aluminum siding salesman and had to start his own comedy club so he could perform – in his 40s.
Peter Roget was fascinated with words that have similar meaning. He wrote Roget Thesaurus at age 73.
By some of these standards, I’m still a whippersnapper! So with a little selective editing, I like this better...
For me, that's a children's book author. What is it for you?