Chandra Clarke

Offering Light and Laughter Wherever I Can

  • Home
  • About
  • Books & Shorts
  • Press & Awards
  • Citizen Science
  • Contact Me

A Book for Entrepreneurs

March 3, 2021 By Chandra Clarke 2 Comments

Combining careers and parenthood is challenging; combining running a business and parenthood is downright nuts. Guess which I did? Yeah, the nutty option.

For those of you who don’t know the backstory: My business and life partner Terry and I managed to take a company — Scribendi.com — from basement startup to successful acquisition, while raising four kids. We’re now battle-scarred and a lot wiser, and we’ve written this book to pass on what we’ve learned to other entrepreneurial parents.

The book busts the myths surrounding entrepreneurship and work/life balance, walks you through the five phases of business life, and teaches you strategies to help you deal with your biggest issues: guilt, stress, and lack of time.

If this title isn’t for you (and it might not be, if you found me through this blog, my sci-fi book Echoes of Another, or my humorous fantasy Pundragon), that’s cool. Keep it in mind for any entrepreneurial friends and family!

If it is for you, you can find out more here. The ebook is available now, and the paperback will be available before the end of March.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

What’s in Your TBR Pile?

January 21, 2020 By Chandra Clarke 2 Comments

My TBR piles on any given day. Image credit: Pixabay

I have one on an end table in my living room. Another on the night table in the bedroom.

And thanks to the digital age, there’s the virtual pile on my Kindle app. And oops, there’s also a library wish list and an Amazon wish list.

I’m talking, of course, about my To Be Read (TBR) pile. Er, piles.

Like many of you, I read for a number of reasons. To escape for a while. To occupy my mind when I’m waiting for something (like for the kids to finish their karate classes). To help me stay sane. So, what have I been reading?

How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia: A Novel, by Mohsin Hamid. A short, bittersweet slice of life piece about contemporary Asia, written as though it were a self-help book. It’s an unflinching look at the rural/urban divide, the sacrifices required to get ahead, corruption, environmental degradation, opportunities, and change.

The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, by Dan Buettner. An eminently readable tour of several so called ‘blue zones,’ where people have long, healthy lifespans. Although fairly old now (published in 2010), it has some interesting implications for how we think about health care. Spoiler: There’s more to it than superfoods!

Astrofuturism: Science, Race, and Visions of Utopia in Space, by De Witt Douglas Kilgore. A series of essays discussing the American tradition of technological utopianism in art, as a response to the sociological upheavals in the 20th century. Or, in other words, what all that gee whiz sci fi stuff was about. A good read for a sci fi/space race nerd like myself.

Becoming Superman: My Journey From Poverty to Hollywood, by J. Michael Straczynski. Best known for Babylon 5 and Sens8, this is Straczynski’s astonishing autobiography. Straczynski is a consummate storyteller, so it’s a compelling read, but not an easy one by a long shot. That he was able to survive his childhood and go on to make so many cool things is something of a miracle. I’m even more of a fan now than I was before.

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. This one had been in my TBR forever, as it was one of those books that is high on people’s recommended books list, but I never seemed to be in the right mood to pick it up. It’s an exploration of Hindu and Buddhist philosophies as told by one man’s journey through life. [As I’m writing this, it occurs to me that Hamid’s book (above) could be considered an updated version of Siddhartha.] I read an article in The Atlantic recently that suggested that a lot of Americans were exploring Buddhist practices like mediation as a coping mechanism. If that’s you, this might be a good starting point to learn the philosophies behind the practice.

The Longevity Economy: Unlocking the World’s Fastest-Growing, Most Misunderstood Market by Joseph F. Coughlin. This one wasn’t even in my TBR, as it was an impulse pickup at the library. An eye-opening read about how much media and marketing shapes our perceptions on aging, and how much potential those perceptions waste. Read this one now, even if you’re a long way from retirement, as it will help you consciously shape how you get older.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. This one is a slower read at times, so don’t expect high adventure and derring-do. It’s an excellent meditation on leadership, however. Recommended for anyone who wants an example of how to lead by, well, example, even when you’re surrounded by the proverbial vipers.

What about you? What are you reading right now? Answer in the comments below.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Psst – Wanna Be On My Review Team?

January 23, 2019 By Chandra Clarke Leave a Comment

I’m looking for a few good reviewers. Are you one of them?

Here’s the deal:

When I release a book or a short story, I’d like to send out a limited number of digital copies to reviewers. In return for a free copy of the book or short story, the reviewer should post his or her honest opinion of the work up at Amazon, or sometimes Kobo.

That’s it. Simple, eh?

If you have time to spare, you like receiving free books and short stories, and you have a Kindle (or can use Kindle for PC or Mac), sign up below. This email list is ONLY going to be used to alert you to review opportunities.

The sign up link: I want to be a reviewer for Chandra’s work.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Mine

August 21, 2018 By Chandra Clarke 1 Comment

I’ve always been fascinated by how other people and other creatures perceive things. Thomas Nagel once famously asked “What is it like to be a bat?” We can’t know for sure, obviously, but it is fun to speculate. I’ve done just that in this short story.

Mine is tale of fierce canine love and loyalty, as told… by the dog. If you love stories about dogs, you’ll love this one.

Available now at:

Incoming search terms: stories about dogs, dog story, amazing dog stories

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
Next Page »

On Sale Now:

Recent Posts

  • Five Interesting Things – August 2022
  • Full Steam Ahead
  • Dispatch From The Gnome Front
  • Five Interesting Things – June 2022
  • Regional Government

Recent Comments

  • Marlee on Full Steam Ahead
  • Marlee on Regional Government
  • Regional Government - Chandra Clarke on Local Government
  • Hank roberts on Freedom Convoys?
  • Chandra Clarke on Freedom Convoys?

Your Host:


Offering Whatever Light I Can

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Copyright © 2022 Chandra Clarke. All Rights Reserved.