Today, we feature another editorial client and her book.
Lola Brown is the author Joyful Mondays: How to Find Passion and Joy in Your Work. She says, “Learn to love your work or find work you love.” Have you ever wondered what draws a person to a particular line of work and what makes them want to stay there? Lola invites readers to, “Follow along as 37 men and women in a variety of occupations reveal how they found passion and joy in their work.” She asks each participant, “How did you get to the place where you found passion and joy in your work?” and “If you could go back and change something about your choice of career, what would it be?” She says that by reading this book, you will discover what passion means to these individuals and what adversities or pitfalls they have overcome during the course of their careers. According to the author, “Joyful Mondays is designed to inspire you and show you what is possible. It encourages you to draw upon your own experiences and leads you through the steps to finding a career that gives you passion and hope.”
Here’s my interview with Lola Brown.
Patricia: What is your background as an author/writer?
Lola: I have over 25 years’ experience teaching courses in career development and career transition. My book, Resume Writing Made Easy: A Practical Guide For Job Seekers is published by Prentice Hall and has been in print since 1982. I have also worked as a career coach and consultant for several years and currently, as a psychologist, I work with clients experiencing personal problems due to unemployment. In my practice as a psychologist, I also assist clients in making career and life transitions.
Patricia: Why did you decide to write this book?
Lola: I started out doing the research on retirement counseling until one day my husband stated “Why are you writing about retirement? You know nothing about it!” It was then that I quickly changed my focus and started interviewing people who were still working and enjoying it. I wanted to find out what kept them motivated and satisfied in their careers.
Patricia: Tell us a little about the process of writing it.
Lola: In the course of doing the research for the book, I interviewed over 50 men and women with ages ranging from 31-96. From a narrative study perspective, each interviewee was asked the same 11 questions. The interviews generally lasted from 25-45 minutes. It was indeed enjoyable and gratifying to be able to meet these fascinating people and get a glimpse into their professional lives. The laborious part was having to transcribe all the interviews verbatim and from the transcript in order to write a story about their work life. I hired a college student to do the transcription and I am very happy to say that it helped defray her college expenses. My cat, Sammy, and I spent many hours in front of the computer over a span of three years. I wrote several queries and proposals before I finally decided to self-publish with Dog Ear Publishing.
Patricia: Who is your audience for this book?
Lola: This book is about finding meaning in your life through the joy of work. Joyful Mondays addresses career-change issues that are common for workers in a wide age range. For those in the early career stage (ages 25-34) as well as for college and university students, it is about putting all your energies in the right direction. It guides you through the process of finding meaning and joy. The mid-careerists (35-50) may be asking themselves “Is this all there is?” These readers will discover that it is never too late to retread. The late careerist (over age 50) will find many examples of how others have transitioned to careers that are meaningful and satisfying. This helps the reader to identify with someone who has been there before.
Patricia: What are doing to promote this book?
Lola: I maintain a website http://www.LolaBrown.net that showcases my professional practice and activities. The website http://www.JoyfulMondays.com gives details about the book and how it can be obtained. I volunteer as a guest speaker/workshop presenter for a number of organizations including the Orange County Psychological Association. I am professor emeritus at Fullerton College and I have maintained contact with many of my colleagues. I have been an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and maintain contact with their career placement center. I recently engaged the services of Smith Publicity and am using this firm to assist in getting the book out to book exhibits such as the California Library Association. I plan to continue working with Smith Publicity.
Joyful Mondays, How to Find Passion and Joy in Your Work.
Print–$17.95
Ordering information
http://www.dogearpublishing.com
http://www.JoyfulMondays.com
http://www.amazon.com