For information about speaking engagements, other books, audiotapes, workshops and training programs, please contact any of the authors directly.
Supporting Women of the World
In the spirit of supporting women everywhere, we have selected the following organizations as our charities of choice. We are donating a portion of the proceeds from Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul to these charities:
The American Association of University Women Educational Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes education and equity for women and girls. The Foundation’s funds further professional careers, sponsor ground breaking research, provide mentors for young women and girls, and foster broad-scale social change here and abroad.
You may contact this organization at:
AAUW Educational Foundation
1111 16th Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 800-821-4364
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding leading-edge clinical research into the causes and treatment of breast cancer at 10 outstanding medical institutions throughout the United States.
You may contact this organization at:
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
767 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4600
New York, NY 10153
Tel: 212-572-4249
Who Is Jack Canfield?
Jack Canfield is one of America’s leading experts in the development of human potential and personal effectiveness. He is both a dynamic, entertaining speaker and a highly sought-after trainer. Jack has a wonderful ability to inform and inspire audiences toward increased levels of self-esteem and peak performance.
He is the author and narrator of several bestselling audio-and videocassette programs, including Self-Esteem and Peak Performance, How to Build High Self-Esteem, Self-Esteem in the Classroom and Chicken Soup for the Soul—Live. He is regularly seen on television shows such as Good Morning America,20/20 and NBC Nightly News. Jack has coauthored numerous books, including the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Dare to Win and The Aladdin Factor (all with Mark Victor Hansen), 100 Ways to Build Self-Concept in the Classroom (with Harold C. Wells) and Heart at Work (with Jacqueline Miller).
Jack is a regularly featured speaker for professional associations, school districts, government agencies, churches, hospitals, sales organizations and corporations. His clients have included the American Dental Association, the American Management Association, AT&T, Campbell Soup, Clairol, Domino’s Pizza, GE, ITT, Hartford Insurance, Johnson & Johnson, the Million Dollar Roundtable, NCR, New England Telephone, Re/Max, Scott Paper, TRW and Virgin Records. Jack is also on the faculty of Income Builders International, a school for entrepreneurs.
Jack conducts an annual eight-day Training of Trainers program in the areas of self-esteem and peak performance. It attracts educators, counselors, parenting trainers, corporate trainers, professional speakers, ministers and others interested in developing their speaking and seminar-leading skills.
For further information about Jack’s books, tapes and training programs, or to schedule him for a presentation, please contact:
The Canfield Training Group
P.O. Box 30880 • Santa Barbara, CA 93130
phone: 805-563-2935 • fax: 805-563-2945
To e-mail or visit our Web site: http://www.chicke nsoup.com
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?
Mark Victor Hansen is a professional speaker who, in the last 20 years, has made over 4,000 presentations to more than 2 million people in 32 countries. His presentations cover sales excellence and strategies; personal empowerment and development; and how to triple your income and double your time off.
Mark has spent a lifetime dedicated to his mission of making a profound and positive difference in people’s lives. Throughout his career, he has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to create a more powerful and purposeful future for themselves while stimulating the sale of billions of dollars worth of goods and services.
Mark is a prolific writer and has authored Future Diary, How to Achieve Total Prosperity and The Miracle of Tithing. He is coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Dare to Win and The Aladdin Factor (all with Jack Canfield) and The Master Motivator (with Joe Batten).
Mark has also produced a complete library of personal empowerment audio-and videocassette programs that have enabled his listeners to recognize and use their innate abilities in their business and personal lives. His message has made him a popular television and radio personality, with appearances on ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, PBS and CNN. He has also appeared on the cover of numerous magazines, including Success, Entrepreneur and Changes.
Mark is a big man with a heart and spirit to match—an inspiration to all who seek to better themselves.
For further information about Mark write:
P.O. Box 7665
Newport Beach, CA 92658
phone: 949-759-9304 or 800-433-2314
fax: 949-722-6912
Web site: http://www.chickensoup.com
Who Is Jennifer Read Hawthorne?
Jennifer Read Hawthorne is co-founder of The Esteem Group, a company specializing in self-esteem and inspirational programs for women. A professional speaker since 1975, she has spoken to thousands of women around the world about personal growth, self-development and professional success.
She is also owner of Hawthorne Training Services, Inc., a company that develops and delivers business writing and technical writing courses to business, government and educational organizations. Her clients have included AT&T, Delta Air Lines, Hallmark Cards, The American Legion, NutraSweet, Union Pacific, The Norand Corporation, the State of Iowa, Cargill and Clemson University.
Jennifer’s involvement with ChickenSoup for the Soul began several years ago, when she started working with Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, giving keynote addresses and seminars based on the Chicken Soup for the Soul message. Already specializing in women’s programs, she felt it was a natural next step to team up with Jack, Mark and business partner Marci Shimoff to coauthor Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul.
Jennifer is known as a dynamic and insightful speaker, with a great sense of humor and a gift for telling stories. From an early age she developed a deep appreciation for and love of language, cultured by her parents. In fact, she attributes her love of storytelling to the legacy of her late father, Brooks Read, a renowned Master Storyteller whose original Brer Rabbit stories filled her childhood with magic and a sense of the power of words.
She later expanded her awareness of the power of storytelling while traveling extensively throughout the world. As a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English as a foreign language in West Africa, she discovered the universality of stories to teach, move, uplift and connect people. She says she has never felt this connection more deeply than while working on Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul.
Jennifer is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she graduated from Louisiana State University in journalism. She lives in Fairfield, Iowa with her husband, Dan, and two stepchildren, Amy and William.
For further information about Jennifer’s availability for speaking and training, contact her at:
Jennifer Hawthorne, Inc. (JHI)
1105 South D Street
Fairfield, Iowa 52556
Tel: 515-472-7136 • Fax: 515-469-6908
Who Is Marci Shimoff?
Marci Shimoff is a professional speaker and trainer who has inspired thousands of people around the world with her message of personal and professional growth. Over the last 16 years she has delivered seminars and keynote addresses on self-esteem, stress management, communication skills and peak performance.
As a top-rated trainer for Fortune 500 companies, Marci has worked with such clients as AT&T, General Motors, Sears, Amoco, Western Union and Bristol-Myers Squibb. She has also been a featured speaker for numerous professional organizations, universities and women’s associations, where she is known for her l
ively humor and dynamic delivery.
Marci combines her energetic style with a strong knowledge base. She earned her M.B.A. from UCLA; she also studied for one year in the United States and Europe to earn an advanced certificate as a stress management consultant.
In 1983, Marci coauthored a highly acclaimed study of the 50 top businesswomen in America. Since that time, she has specialized in addressing women’s audiences, focusing on helping women discover the extraordinary within themselves. Along with her business partner, Jennifer Hawthorne, she is co-founder of The Esteem Group, a company that specializes in self-esteem and inspirational programs for women.
Since 1989, Marci has studied self-esteem with Jack Canfield and has assisted in his annual Training of Trainers program for professionals. In the last few years, she has been delivering keynote addresses based on the Chicken Soup for the Soul message, in association with Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.
Because of her extensive experience in addressing women’s audiences and her background with Chicken Soup, Marci has teamed up with Jennifer, Jack and Mark to coauthor Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul.
Of all the projects Marci has worked on in her career, none have been as fulfilling as creating Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul. She is thrilled at the opportunity to help touch the hearts and rekindle the spirits of millions of women throughout the world through the stories in this book.
For further information about Marci’s speaking schedule or consulting work, you can reach her at:
The Esteem Group
191 Bay view Drive
San Rafael, CA 94901
phone: 415-789-1300 • fax: 415-789-1309
Contributors
Melody Arnett sees everyone as her teacher. Her two daughters and many friends are among her greatest blessings. She works with homeless and second-language students in a classroom that radiates life and learning. As an advocate to victims of domestic violence, she believes in helping them empower themselves. Melody enjoys practicing the arts of storytelling and writing; this is her first national publication. You can contact Melody at PO Box 692, Grass Valley, CA 95945.
Marsha Arons is a freelance writer and speaker. Her areas of interest include women’s issues, child-parent relationships, Christian-Jewish relations, and focusing on the positive aspects of life. She is delighted to contribute to the Chicken Soup books including Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul. In addition, Marsha’s stories, essays and articles have appeared in Good Housekeeping, Red book, Woman’s Day, Woman’s World and Reader’s Digest. She is currently working on a collection of stories about parenting and a novel for young adults. She can be reached for writing and speaking assignments at her e-mail address:
[email protected]. or by calling 847-329-0280.
Sue Augustine is recognized internationally as a speaker people remember. She presents over 100 high-energy keynotes and seminars annually, focusing on change management, stress survival and time effectiveness for professionals, as well as positive risk-taking and confidence building for women. Sue has produced programs on tape and is the author of With Wings, There Are No Barriers, the book that tells the rest of her story. She can be reached at Sue Augustine Seminars, P.O. Box 2194, Niagara Falls, NY 14302 or to order products, call 1-888-WINGS-35.
Beverly M. Bartlett, a native of San Francisco, now resides in Cleveland with her husband, after living in Germany for several years. Though she had traveled to and even studied in Europe before living in its hub, her time in Germany was an eye-opening experience. Meeting others, including refugees, and learning their languages and cultures will long be treasured. She owns a customized trading card business. Beverly can be reached at 2215 Overlook Road, Apt. 8, Cleveland, OH 44106, or call 216-791-3726.
Barbara K. Bassett is a freelance writer who is working on several children’s books. Her poem, “Angela’s Word,” is based on a personal experience. She can be reached at 573-443-4343.
Joan Beck writes an opinion page column for The Chicago Tribune, which is distributed nationally by the Knight Ridder Tribune News Service. At the Tribune, she has been a feature writer, creator and editor of the Tempo section and a member of the editorial board. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She is the author of four books about mental development in early childhood and has won numerous awards for journalism and for service to children. She and her late husband have two children and two grandchildren.
K. Bernard has recently added a master’s degree in professional writing to her extensive background in theater and religious studies. She has published a number of articles in local and regional publications, and has written and designed web pages for the Internet. She likes all kinds of writing, but her heart belongs to poetry.
Edgar Bledsoe was born on a farm in northeastern Missouri. He was one of the “Okies” who went to California in the 1930s, when the Depression interrupted his studies at Texas Tech. He had a successful sales career with Kaiser Aluminum Company and is now retired and living with his wife, Marian, in Green Valley, Arizona.
Jean Bole, R.N., B.A., is Restorative/Rehabilitation certified and a CNA Instructor. She is currently adjunct faculty at several colleges, instructing nursing assistants and patient care associates, as well as a Restraint Alternative and Restraint Reduction consultant to long-term care facilities. She is a published freelance writer/poet. You can reach her by writing to PO Box 11, Crete, IL 60417.
Melissa Masters Bowers is a minister, writer and speaker. After seven years in a West Coast ministry, she relocated with her family to the Midwest to pursue her favorite career—being a mom! A columnist for New Perspectives magazine, a freelance writer and a guest lecturer, Melissa specializes in topics that promote wholeness and compassion. She can be reached at 511 N. Main St., Lee’s Summit, MO 64063, or call 816-246-5799.
Rita Bresnahan has been an educator for the past 40 years, a psychotherapist for over 25 years and a writer for almost 12 months. Her story, “Walking One Another Home” (written while she spent the summer of ‘95 back in Illinois country in order to enjoy unrushed time with her mother), will be the lead story/title of her upcoming book. Rita offers workshops and presentations on topics dear to her heart: conscious aging, community and the spirituality of the human journey. Rita can be reached at 500 Wall St. #319, Seattle, WA 98121, or call 206-728-5819.
William Canty’s cartoons have appeared in many national magazines, including Saturday Evening Post, Better Homes and Gardens, Woman’s World, National Review and Medical Economics. His syndicated feature All About Town runs in 40 newspapers.
Fran Capo is a stand-up comic, lecturer and author and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest-talking female. She has appeared on over 76 television shows and 248 radio shows. Fran both entertains and educates her audiences with her high energy and rapidly paced delivery in her lectures, “How to Get Publicity Without a Publicist” and “Humor and Business Speaking.” She can be reached at PO Box 580272, Flushing, NY 11358, or call 718-657-8055, or e-mail
[email protected].
Dave Carpenter has been a full-time cartoonist and humorous illustrator since 1981. His cartoons have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s World, First, The Saturday Evening Post and numerous other publications. Dave can be reached at P.O. Box 520, Emmetsburg, IA 50536 or by calling 712-852-3725.
Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R., began collecting quotations, anecdotes and stories as a form of journal-writing therapy. Over the years he has compiled more than 40 handwritten journals. Drawing upon this collection, he writes Apple Seeds, a monthly quote letter of motivation and inspiration. These journals have also resulted in four books published by Paulist Press: The Sower’s Seeds: One Hundred Inspiring Stories for Preaching, Teaching and Public Speaking; More Sower’s Seeds: Second Planting; Fresh Packet of Sower’s Seeds: Third Planting and Sower’s Seeds Aplenty:Fourth Planting. Fr. Brian is a storytelling motivational/inspirational lecturer. H
e can be contacted at Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH 43952. Philip Sutton Chard is a psychotherapist, business trainer and award-winning newspaper columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He is the author of The Healing Earth: Nature’s Medicine for the Troubled Soul (NorthWord Press, 1994), a groundbreaking work in eco-psychology. Philip’s storytelling mastery won him two excellence-in-teaching awards at Michigan State University. He can be reached at NEAS, Inc., 20700 Swenson Dr., #200, Waukesha, WI 53186 or by calling 414-547-3986.
Rebecca Christian is a playwright, travel writer, speaker and columnist raised in Dubuque, Iowa. Her work has appeared in over 100 magazines and newspapers. She can be reached at 641 Alta Vista St., Dubuque, IA 52001, or call 319-582-9193. Dan Clark is the international ambassador of “the art of being alive.” He has spoken to over 2 million people in all 50 states, Canada, Europe, Asia and Russia. Dan is an actor, songwriter, recording artist, video producer and award-winning athlete. He is the well-known author of six books, including Getting High—How to Really Do It, One Minute Messages and The Art of Being Alive. He can be reached at PO Box 8689, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, or call 801-485-5755.
Sharon Nicola Cramer is part grunt soldier, navigator, medic and commanding officer, and she believes that motherhood, not the Army, is the hardest job you’ll ever love. She is addressing Mother Love, a quarterly newsletter of humor and inspiration, to other mothers on the “senior tour.” Her witty presentations to children, adults and those in recovery combine her storytellling talents and life experiences “in the trenches.” You can contact her at 221 West Main Street, Cary, IL 60013, or call 847-516-3691.
Lillian K. Darr worked briefly for the author Ben Hecht and for the editor of the Saturday Review of Literature, Norman Cousins. She has two girls and two boys and has lived in New York, California, Hawaii and Fairfield, Iowa, where she now resides. She is a faithful practitioner of the Transcendental Meditation program, with incalculable benefits. Five-and-a-half years ago she met the love of her life, Bill Darr.