Tag Archives: Thomas Nelson
Rules of the New Renaissance in Jeff Goins’ Best-Seller
On Friday, August 4, I will present a synopsis of the best-seller by Jeff Goins, Real Artists Don’t 
Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age (Thomas Nelson, 2017). If you have not yet registered for the First Friday Book Synopsis this week, you can still do so at a discounted price at www.15minutebusinessbooks.com.
Goins’ premise is very simple:
“Making a living off your creative talent has never been easier….the idea of the Starving Artist is a useless myth that holds us back more than it helps us” (p. xvi).
Here is a teaser from Friday’s presentation. If you cannot attend, you can access this within a few days at our 15MinuteBusinessBooks.com site.
In the introduction of the book, he discusses the myths of the starving artist, by presenting twelve rules of the new Renaiassance (p. xvii-xviii).
With those rules, he contrasts starving and thriving artists.
Here are those myths:
|
Starving Artist |
Thriving Artist |
| Believes you must be born an artist | Knows you must become one |
| Strives to be original | Steals from his influences |
| Believes he has enough talent | Apprentices under a master |
| Acts stubborn about everything | Acts stubborn about the right things |
| Waits to be noticed | Cultivates patrons |
| Believes he can be creative anywhere | Goes where creative work is already happening |
| Always works alone | Collaborates with others |
| Does his work in private | Practices in public |
| Works for free | Always works for something |
| Sells out too soon | Owns his work |
| Masters one craft | Masters many |
| Despises the need for money | Makes money to make art |
Young’s Newest Effort Keeps on Climbing
One of the most popular and best-selling devotional books of all time is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.
Her newest book, Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in His Presence (Thomas Nelson, 2016), has climbed as high as # 4 on the Wall Street Journal non-fiction best-seller list, and has also made appearances on the New York Times best-seller list. At this writing, the book is still in the top 200 selling books on the Amazon.com list.
Like its predecessor, this is also a 365-day devotional book.
Here is how the book is described on Amazon.com:
“Life today is full of difficulties—loss, sadness, fear. In the midst of these challenges, joy often feels impossible or out of reach. But Jesus has more for His followers than a life of striving, pain, and discontent. He offers life abundant, life to the fullest, life brimming with joy! Jesus Always, the new 365-day devotional from bestselling author Sarah Young, was written as part of Sarah Young’s exploration of the promises of joy in scripture. Written as if Jesus Himself is speaking directly to the reader, Jesus Always invites you into a new way of living—a life of joy.
Reaching out with joy-filled reminders from the Word of God, these devotions will intimately and gently connect you with Jesus—the One who meets you where you are. Draw near to Him in Jesus Always.”
Do you know about Sarah Young? First, do not confuse her with an pornographic
movie star of the same name. Far from it. According to the cbn.com site, “she was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and grew up in the South. After graduating from college she made four trips to Europe in less than five years. During her fourth trip, she became a Christian at L’Abri Fellowship in a tiny Alphine village in France. With a degree in philosophy from Wellesley College, Sarah also holds graduate degrees in psychology/counseling from Tufts University, Covenant Theological Seminary, and Georgia State University.
She met her husband Steve at Covenant Seminary. They are employed by Mission to the World and have worked in various sites in Japan and Australia, planting Japanese churches and counseling. Steve and Sarah currently minister to Japanese people living in Perth, Western Australia.“
I have not yet bought this book of devotionals, although I have owned and given away copies of her first one. That will likely change this week.
