Courage to Lead by Vicki Hannah Lein, M. S. counseling

2/26/2023

What happens when you step up, lean in, make no excuses and stay in the game.

Multi-volume, multi-talented author and musician, Vicki Lein introduces us to her transformative workbook, “Courage to Lead”:
The world needs the best from each of us now more than ever. If you agree with the above statement then you are ready to take the four steps of leadership discussed in this book: Step up, Lean In, Make No Excuses, and Learn to Stay in the Game. Leadership isn’t just for those few at the top we can blame when we are unhappy. It is the responsibility of every person to step up and take a stand for what is important: respect, dignity, personal safety, service, and citizenship. This book will anchor you in the best of you and guide you to live as Mary Oliver described so well in her poem “The Journey: “And then you strove deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do, determined to save the only life you could save.”

This is a fantastic book. It is also a roadmap for living a more authentic life. Vicki has done some remarkable work and shows us how to do our own work to reach the level of leadership we desire. This is not a cure-all, but a friendly guide to lean on during your growth process. That growth won't happen in one sitting or one week. You will get out of it what you put in. Get ready to laugh and roll up your sleeves!

You can buy this book:
https://www.lulu.com/shop/vicki-hannah-lein/courage-to-lead/paperback
It is also available as an e-book.

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/vickihannahlein
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicki-hannah-lein
https://www.facebook.com/vickihannahlein
http://www.findthefunnyfaster.com
https://radicalkindnesswarrior.com

I reviewed Vicki’s book “From Frustration to Funny in 10 Seconds Flat”: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/from-frustration-to-funny
I reviewed another book by Vicki, “Woman With a Voice”: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/woman-with-a-voice

Copyright @ 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

46 Comments

Vicki Lein link

2/26/2023 06:02:12 pm

There's nothing better for a writer than to have somebody read your book and get what you were trying to communicate. Thank you again, Mark!

Mark

2/27/2023 08:36:30 am

You are welcome, Vicki. I enjoyed your book on multiple levels. One level is daunting for me as it means a lot of work I need to do. I am glad I got the paperback version of your book.

First questions.

How do you deal with a difficult section in a WIP? Have you ever read that section out loud to sort out the difficulty?

2/27/2023 11:19:01 am

I'm legally blind, so I can't read my own writing. I have my computer read it to me, though, and I highly recommend this to all writers. You're going to hear stuff that you can't see. I also love having a real human being read it aloud to me because then I have a better idea of how close I'm getting to what I'm trying to communicate to what I'm actually communicating.

2/27/2023 11:52:51 am

Having your book read aloud is one of many tips for self-editing your own work. Although, most authors will benefit from using an editor and proofreader, fixing those obvious things will keep the cost of hiring an editor and a proofreader lower than otherwise.

New question.

Do you use music or some other stimulus to cultivate a feeling within that will help you write certain sections of a book?

2/27/2023 12:04:41 pm

I'm an auditory learner, so, having music in the background interferes with my ability to listen to myself when I'm writing. I have a question for you: I'd love to know what about my book, inspired you to start reflecting and examining your choices. This kind of feedback informs me about what is working and maybe what I need to elaborate on.

2/27/2023 01:18:58 pm

I have been on my path for authentic living for a number of years. As I get older, I see more inconsistencies between my walk and talk. There are many parts of Courage to Lead that show me I am a work in progress. I particularly enjoyed the dinosaur voice, there were many mentions in your book about the dinosaur voice. That rang true for me on many levels.

The idea of the angel committee is great! I know that I have put guardian angels into overtime on multiple occasions with stupid choices.

I cannot think of any one thing that needs more elaboration. I have no doubt that others will provide a more useful answer.

New question.

Do the reviews of your books make an impact on how you write subsequent books?

2/27/2023 02:07:31 pm

My writing mantra is: focus on what's working. That's also my life mantra. When someone responds to what I've written, it helps me align with the part of me that wrote that piece of writing. The more I can connect to that internal part of me, that is true, and wise and brave, the more my writing works the way I want it to in the world.

2/27/2023 03:52:46 pm

That is a good life objective, to focus on what works. Feedback is capable of helping you to improve that focus.

Indeed, every writer hungers for feedback and constructive criticism. It helps them to improve their writing craft and the focus of a particular book.

New question.

Is there a particular subject that is harder to write than the others?

2/27/2023 07:54:17 pm

Sometimes I have to write and write and write until I get to the core of the topic. Sometimes I think I've really told the deepest truth I have, and then I discover that I haven't. It's a lovely journey, and I always love it when I realize I never wrote about one of the most significant things that ever happened to me as a child.

2/27/2023 07:58:51 pm

I think you are right. The truth we have hidden deep within us is layered sometimes. Much time is necessary to access each deeper layer. That has been my experience.

New question.

Is there any particular time of the day that ideas usually hit you?

2/27/2023 08:53:29 pm

Mornings are good, but anytime of the day creativity can strike. I've woken up in the morning with an entire song ready to be written down. It's like taking dictation, very cool.

2/28/2023 09:56:28 am

Having a song already to be written down when you wake up is very cool! you certainly are the envy of others who are not that well connected to their muse.

New question.

Why do you think it is so easy to connect with your muse?

2/28/2023 12:03:47 pm

Practice, practice, practice. I started practicing listening to my muse instead of listening to my dinosaur voice, the voice of fear and shrinking, decades ago. Sometimes my muse will tell me things that don't make any sense. I have learned to listen to my muse, and just do what it says. I can't say that it saved my life exactly, but it sure has enhanced my life, and made it richer and more connected to myself and other people.

2/28/2023 12:13:13 pm

You make a great point there. Connecting with your muse is not a one and done proposition. That connection must be observed and cultivated on a daily basis. That is hard when you live a frenetic life. There can be so many voices clamoring for attention that creating a space for your muse can be difficult in the beginning. It does take time to create and sustain a new habit. Giving proper priority to a desired habit or activity is necessary. That means something else must shrink in your life for the new activity to grow. We all have priorities that we give time to in our life. You can learn a lot about a person by observing what is important to them.

New question.

You are legally blind with only some peripheral vision available to you. You read by listening to audio books.
What books are you reading at present for your business and for pleasure?

2/28/2023 01:08:44 pm

I am a voracious reader, and have been that way since I was about 10. I am always reading books: nonfiction, murder mysteries, novels. Everything I read contributes to helping me synthesize what I know and what I'm learning. I'm 71 years old, and I feel smarter now than I ever have.

2/28/2023 02:52:15 pm

We have the love of books and being heavy readers in common. Books are wonderful for multiple reasons. As a young boy, I developed an early love for science fiction and read so many stories and books from the golden age of sci-fi. Given a choice, I always picked up a science fiction book first.

Now, I have read so many different genres I love good writing.

New question.

Do you see any advantages to traditional publishing as opposed to self-publishing?

2/28/2023 07:04:08 pm

I would love to be picked up by a publisher. I would love a good copy editor. I would love somebody who would help promote my books. The reality is I don't wanna wait to be discovered by some publisher. That's why I have self published all my books. They are out there for people to find, and if I become a best-selling author sometime, that will be groovy!

3/1/2023 09:03:08 am

You made a wise choice. Traditional publishing has been turned on its head by Amazon. The old-style publishers are nearly all gone and those that remain struggle to stay afloat. They and freelance agents can't afford to take chances, not like they did a few decades ago.

Personally, I think traditional publishing is a major loss for most authors. The author gives so much control over their book to the publisher. The publisher then makes every decision about the book in terms of how much profit the publisher can make. They can ask that the book be written in a different way, change the cover and even decide when the best time to publish this book is. Some authors wait for a year or more to see their book in print.

Any author needs to hire a lawyer that knows a lot about publishing contracts and has experience with intellectual property law before signing a contract.

New question.

What are the three most important considerations for an independent author to be certain of when self-publishing?

3/1/2023 10:57:25 am

1. Why do you want to be published? do you think having a book will fill some hole in your confidence? It won't. Finishing a project will add a brick to your house of self-confidence. You did it. No one can ever take this accomplishment away from you. How people respond is something you cannot control.
2. Will your book add value to someone's life? Will you inspire growth or lighten the load for your reader?
3. Are you willing to risk being criticized or threatened? don't read hateful comments.

3/1/2023 12:09:24 pm

Those are all good things each author needs to determine for themselves. Especially number three.

Some authors forget all of the good reviews and they perseverate over a bad review. When a troll strikes some authors jump through all kinds of hoops to get the review removed, especially if the reviewer said they didn't read the book.

I tell authors that the bad reviews validate the good reviews, it proves that it's not just a family member and their pets leaving all the good reviews.

New question.

Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy?

3/1/2023 12:14:48 pm

I use Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn. So far, nothing has made much of a difference. I'll get speaking gigs and conference invitations from people who know me or someone who knows me recommends me to someone. It's all personal. I keep putting my stuff out on social media because I don't see any downside. If I don't put anything out on social media, I might miss that one person who really gets who I am and what I'm about and what I wanna do. I called this van going. Vincent van Gogh, painted and painted and painted and painted and sold one painting to his brother. His sister-in-law is the one who promoted his paintings, otherwise we wouldn't even know there was a Vincent van Gogh. I will write, and speak, and be humorous because it makes me feel good and also because it increases the chances that somebody who can help promote my message will see me.

3/1/2023 01:50:07 pm

I think you have a great attitude. I try to maintain that perspective myself. I tweet every day and when I am promoting a book, such as yours, I tweet around the clock because Twitter never sleeps.

I love that story about Van Gogh. He never reaped great rewards but he left a great legacy to his posterity.

New question.

How do you convince readers to write a book review?

3/1/2023 01:54:03 pm

I ask friends, I ask people who have downloaded my book for free, but I haven't had much success. Maybe you can offer me some advice. Even some of my closest friends don't take the time to make a comment or write a review. I have to work to not take this personally, and I am sometimes successful, and sometimes not. The point is to keep going and believing in what I'm doing.

3/1/2023 03:07:47 pm

Ask. That is all any author can do. Ask. Every independent author struggles with getting reviews. The number of reviews is a small percentage of sales. A lot of readers don't write reviews. Even if the author spells it out for the reader. I don't know why and I doubt if anyone knows why. You are doing the right thing. Keep on keeping on.

New question.

What marketing strategy, if any, has had an immediate impact on your daily sales?

3/1/2023 03:33:25 pm

Nothing I have done has had an effect on sales.

3/1/2023 05:25:09 pm

Most of the authors I have had the honor of speaking to have echoed a similar sentiment.

One author I interviewed tweeted that his sales doubled with my promotion of his book. He neglected to say that he sold 2 books instead of one like the previous week. I asked him to remove his tweet. I felt it was misleading. Beware of anyone who promises increased sales.

A few authors have success buying ads on Amazon, or Facebook, or other platforms. I dislike the bidding process as I feel it only really enriches the platform with no guarantee of sales for the author. Many authors have not had similar success on these platforms.

New question.

Have you thought about doing a book trailer?

3/2/2023 08:39:27 am

I just found out today, that my newest book, Radical Kindness Warrior, is ready. I will get copies from the publisher within a week. Then I have a three-month marketing campaign with them. I will let you know after that if I get any increased sales. I've had experience with that what I called the pseudo-spiritual sales machine. These are people who will promise results and have you give them tens of thousands of dollars, bankrupt you even, and if you don't get the results, it's your fault.
I respect you very much for canceling that misleading tweet. That is what these people do. They lie and lie and lie and mislead and shame you if you're not willing to give them another $10,000. I was able to be manipulated because I believe so much in my mission. They told me that I had all the contacts, which I do, but I didn't know how to market. I agreed with them. They promised that they would teach me how to market and make as much money as they were making. All they knew how to do, as it turns out, was teach me to trick people into paying me money every week to help them market. I don't know how to market. Their philosophy was to pretend you were an expert in something and then try to convince other people to give you money for this made up expertise. People who had a lot of difficult difficulty with money, for example, claim to be people who could help you manage your wealth, which they didn't have.

3/2/2023 08:51:49 am

Congratulations on Radical Kindness Warrior! That is a wonderful milestone you have reached. It will be interesting to see what the marketing campaign includes. If they have provided you a list of actions and events they have planned I would love to see it.

There are a lot of scammers out there and they promise the sky and leave you with an empty wallet. Victoria Strauss has been a great watchdog for years when it comes to scam publishers, agents and others in the publishing industry. Look for her on Twitter, here is her Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/victoriastrauss Copy-and-paste time because my webhost doesn't allow hot links in the comments. She has great articles all over the web. She is not afraid to call out the scammers by name and provides documentation of their nefarious activities.

New question.

Have you considered having a promotional trailer made to feature one or more of your books?

3/2/2023 10:34:49 am

I think promotional trailer is a terrific idea! You have given me my next step. I wanna make it fun, engaging, and have people realize that what they do matters. When people laugh along when someone is being mocked for a disability, they are saying it's OK. We all need to stand up for civility, kindness, and decency. Now more than ever!

3/2/2023 11:34:02 am

I am glad I listened to my Angel rather than my dinosaur. I don't normally repeat questions so this is definitely a divine moment.

On my Twitter pages, I have a list of people who do book trailers, sometimes they are like mini movies. I hope that helps you in your search if you don't know anyone who can do that for you.

New question.

You read audio books all the time because you are legally blind. Have you thought about doing an audio book version of any of your books?

Vicki Hannah Lein link

3/2/2023 11:50:26 am

If I ever start selling books, if Radical Kindness Warrior becomes a big hit, I most assuredly, will seek someone to narrate the book. I sure wish I could see well enough to read the book because that would be so much fun!

3/2/2023 05:49:23 pm

Many authors have tried narrating their book and come to the realization that it is not as easy as expected. I have a list of voice actors and narrators on my Twitter pages.

A few years ago, I promoted an audio book and the author invited the narrator to join the conversation. It was enlightening and I enjoyed being able to ask some questions. Here is a copy-and-paste link for the review elsewhere on my website: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/heir-to-a-prophecy-by-mercedes-rochelle-narrated-by-kevin-e-green Or you can put the title or the narrator's name Kevin Green in the search box below.

New question.

How do you relax when you're not writing?

3/2/2023 05:54:55 pm

I talked to my husband, my friends, and my dog. I listen to podcasts and books. I watch TV, the good shows. I work out. I take naps.

3/2/2023 07:45:02 pm

Good stuff. A lot of authors have some of those things on their lists. Different kinds of input, interactions and physical activity are all beneficial.

New questions.

What are your favorite podcasts?

What are your favorite TV shows?

3/3/2023 10:24:53 am

Podcasts: If Books could Kill, Rachel Maddow, Pivot, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Indoctrination.
TV Shows: Game of Thrones, Justified, The Wire, West Wing, The Sopranos, and documentaries such as Stolen Youth.

3/3/2023 12:17:47 pm

You have an interesting collection there. Some I am familiar with and some I am not. I pretty much quit watching TV about 10 years ago. I don't listen to podcasts for the same reason I don't listen to audio books. They go too slow for me.

New question.

What famous person, living or dead, would you like to meet?

3/3/2023 01:53:38 pm

There are many people I would love to meet. I just read Michael Fanone's book, "Hold The Line", and I think we would like each other. He is a no nonsense, kind of guy who speaks his mind and is someone who learns and tries to do good in this world. Can you imagine a Birkenstocks-wearing, left-coast, ex-hippie me sitting down with a retired DC cop? I think it would be great conversation.

3/3/2023 06:13:24 pm

I bet that would be an interesting conversation. I haven't read the book, though. I don't have much time for pleasure reading. Proofreading and promoting keep me pretty busy after I am done with the grandkids.

My next question was going to be about a favorite author you would like to meet. So, I will ask something else.

New question.

Now that in-person classes are resuming, have you ever thought about speaking to a college or high school writing class?

3/3/2023 06:47:06 pm

I have worked with K. through university writers all over the world. It is some of the most gratifying work I have ever done. When I get people writing better than they've ever written before, writing from their heart, and touching others in the classroom, I feel that my talents have been put to the best use possible. I would love to do more work with anyone who wants to write, whether they think they are a writer or not.

3/4/2023 01:07:08 pm

I can understand how gratifying that can be. Sharing knowledge is a wonderful and binding influence among people.

I have had a small taste of your experience, when I was a journeyman sheet metal worker in Oregon. I helped train quite a few apprentices and found it was fun to share my knowledge.

New question.

Have you ever felt like giving up or taking an extended break from writing?

What did you do?

3/4/2023 06:08:12 pm

When I lost my central vision, when I was 43, I felt like giving up a lot. I was getting a divorce, my job was getting cut up into pieces, and suddenly I could not read or drive. My mentor became Bullwinkle J. Moose. I would say "Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of a hat!" Then Rocky would say, "Bullwinkle, that never works!" Then Bullwinkle would say, "This time for sure!" I bought a Bullwinkle trackpad and a Bullwinkle stuffy to remind me to never give up.

3/5/2023 03:03:45 pm

Losing your vision like that is hard to imagine. Seeing is such a major part of existence for most of us.

As a child, I would pretend to be blind for a minute or two, and try to navigate around my room or another part of the house. I couldn't maintain the pretense for very long. I also read about Helen Keller when I was a preteen. Growing up in a very small town, fewer than 2,000 residents, I didn't know or meet a blind person until I moved to San Francisco after high school graduation.

I loved the Rocky and Bullwinkle show! I enjoyed all the cartoons. Boris and Natasha, Dudley Doright and Nell, Mr. Peabody and his boy. I might have the titles wrong I am using my memory to recall them.

New question.

What books do you think every author should read, and why?

3/6/2023 02:04:25 pm

Here are the books that I've helped me the most: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, Poemcrazy by Susan G. Woodbridge, and The Right to Write, also by Julia Cameron. These books gave me the permission, I could not give myself, to write from my heart, unafraid.

3/6/2023 04:08:09 pm

Thank you for sharing those recommendations. I want to read at least one of them.

Last question.

Why is poetry important?

3/6/2023 04:31:53 pm

When my daughter almost died April 5, 1999, I wrote poetry to help make sense of the event, and memorialize the importance of almost losing my daughter. At a recent birthday party, I asked a friend to read the poem out loud. I almost sobbed, listening to how I felt about my daughter surviving what 99% of people who experience sudden, cardiac death die. Why was I the lucky mother? Mary Oliver's poems, The Journey and Wild Geese help me understand my world better.

3/6/2023 06:01:10 pm

That is an earth-shaking event that few recover from. Almost everyone dies from sudden cardiac events like that. Damar Hamlin is one of the lucky ones also. It is amazing how many people have died from these events in the last couple of years, young healthy people.

Thank you, Vicki for being such a fabulous guest on the Word Refiner channel. One of these days the right person is going to read one or more of your books and their life will be changed. They will help catapult you to a new level of fame.

I have greatly enjoyed our chat during this last week.

Until next time, keep on writing.

Courage to Lead by Vicki Hannah Lein, M. S. counseling

What happens when you step up, lean in, make no excuses and stay in the game.

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