Archive for the ‘inspiration’ Category

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Musings on Major and Minor Matters that May or May Not Matter

January 8, 2012

I have really fun clients. And one of the most fun is Myra McElhaney. The recent project we completed together is her book, Musings on Major and Minor Matters that May or May Not Matter by Myra McElhaney. The title makes me laugh out loud and her poetry caused me to run the gamut of emotions from laughter to tears.

Here is a description of this book:

Sometimes a poem seems to be the best way to capture the snapshot of a feeling. Whether it’s an observation of life, happiness, grief or simple silliness, author Myra McElhaney writes poetry to express her feelings. Many of the poems in this book were a result of a ‘poem du jour’ challenge with her mentor and friend Russell G. Hood. She found that writing poetry was a fun, creative outlet and later discovered that when her heart was breaking after the death of her husband Phil McElhaney, she could put the pain on the page. Myra’s hope is that you have a laugh, relate to a feeling or find an insight from these Musings By Myra.

Myra was my guest on Write Here, Write Now radio to talk about her book and how her network of contacts has helped her in gathering information and publishing her books. Myra also describes how how this book came into being.

Myra calls me her “Graphic Design Goddess Extraordinare.” Just one of many reasons I love working with her!

I’ve worked with Myra on several other projects included her book, Mama Always Says, and the McElhaney Pub t-shirt design. (The proceeds from t-shirt sales are donated in Phil’s memory to organizations for brain cancer research.)

Myra’s books are available on Amazon. Contact her to order McElhaney Pub t-shirts.

Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Or, let’s talk about your marketing and graphic needs. Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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Recipes for Life

September 26, 2011

I love collaborating and it’s fun to work with others who also embrace that idea. Cathy Horvath gathered stories and recipes from over 100 contributors to create her book.

Recipes for Life: Food for the Body and Nourishment for the Soul features stories about overcoming depression, grief and financial ruin, navigating change and returning to joy. Special recipes from many contributors are scattered through the book, along with stories of why these foods and memories are important. After reading Cathy’s book, you are likely to feel more hopeful, more thankful, more passionate, better about life and possibly a little hungry.

I interviewed Cathy on the Write Here, Write Now radio show that I guest host once a month. Our show topic was about writing and publishing after retiring. Hear what Cathy has to say about this NEW career she has embarked upon.

Recipes for Life is available on Amazon or you can purchase multi-packs of books at a reduced price on Cathy’s website. This book makes a perfect gift… I even gave one to my mom.

This is what Cathy said about working with me, “If it weren’t for Vanessa Lowry, my book would not have taken form as the beautiful presentation that it is. It was her creativity and skills that have impressed me from the first proof for a cover and interior design that she offered. She listens, she has patience, and most importantly…she cares for her clients.”

In addition to her book cover and the interior book design, I also designed Cathy’s business cards, bookmarks, a speaker one-sheet and her website.

Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Or, let’s talk about your marketing and graphic needs. Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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Mama Always Says…

September 5, 2011

This books of quotes published by Myra McElhaney are straight out of MY childhood. And that is really the point. These quotes are familiar because MY Mama, YOUR Mama and MYRA’s Mama said them… or something very similar.

I love working with Myra. She always makes collaborating fun and we laugh often. Myra has also started calling me her Gifted Graphic Design Goddess. I’m taking it a step further and adding the letters GGDG after my name. Vanessa Lowry, GGDG!

In the past year, I’ve helped Myra publish Mama Always Says as well as her newest book, Musings on Major and Minor Matters that May or May Not Matter.

This is what Myra says about working with me: “I love working with Vanessa! She’s a gifted graphic designer who delivers inspired designs with professionalism. She’s also marketing savvy and shares many ideas on how to build my brand and expand the impact of my projects. Plus she’s fun to work with! That’s why I call her the Graphic Design Goddess Extraordinaire! Vanessa not only designs my business cards, marketing materials and books; she helps me take my ideas to a higher level.”

You can purchase your own copy of Mama Always Says from Amazon.

Myra and I also created a t-shirt commemorating McElhaney’s Pub. Myra’s husband, Phil McElhaney, died a few years ago as a result of a brain tumor. Proceeds from the sale of these t-shirts go to brain cancer research. You can contact Myra through her website and find out more about purchasing the t-shirts.

Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Or, let’s talk about your marketing and graphic needs. Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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Setting God Free

September 5, 2011

Sherri Lane and I connected initially through my book, 30 Days of Gratitude. She became a fan of our Days of Gratitude Facebook page and began to regularly comment on our posts. We became friends on FB through our personal pages as well.

While she was still writing her manuscript, Sherri called me to discuss her book cover. She believes in the power of visualization and wanted to have a compelling cover to encourage her as she was writing… to help her envision the book as completed. She even had the illustration she wanted to use, so it was a quick collaboration to create the cover. Writing can be a very solitary practice and it was an honor to assist her in bringing her book to the world.

Sherri is an author who seeks to bring out the best in others by recognizing the good in the world. Through her own powerful spiritual experiences, she has felt led to share healing and glimpses of enlightenment to others, helping them walk in faith to a brighter place.

Here is what Sherri said about working with me:

“Vanessa produced the cover for my book Setting God Free: Awakening to Miracles.  It was important to me that I have that done by someone with the right energy and feel – and I sensed that immediately in her.   She grasped the vision that I had and ran with it, producing something that had just the right feel for the message of the book.  Every step of dealing with Vanessa was not only professional, but also pleasant and easy.  She brings a wonderful presence to a project and I would highly recommend her! ”

Find out more about Sherri’s book at www.SherriLane.com. If you are in the Asheville, NC area, you may see Setting God Free in many of the area shops. You can also listen to an interview on Awakening Zone where Sherri talks about her book. Sherri also hosts her own radio show every Tuesday. You can listen here.

Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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Improv to Improve Your Business

February 12, 2011

I’m fascinated by what helps entrepreneurs become successful. How they generate and implement innovative ideas, how they communicate with their teams AND customers, as well as what keeps them going in the good and bad times.

When I heard a presentation about using the principles of improvisation in business, I was immediately intrigued. After taking an improv class with other business owners, I knew the principles I learned would help me develop better relationships, generate more ideas and have more fun along the way. Rockin’ cool!

Toward the end of 2010, I approached entrepreneurs and business professionals about sharing stories of how they use the principles of improv in their business. The resulting book, Improv to Improve Your Business: Using the principles of improvisation to foster communication, creativity & innovation, was launched in January 2011.

Who would have thought a film producer, CPA, game developer, marketing consultant, sales professional, actor, business coach and serial entrepreneur would have so much in common? Listen to our 2/2/11 radio interview on Atlanta Business Radio with five of our co-authors. (Scroll down to the Feb 2, 2011 interview in the archives.)

Check out what co-authors Rob Duncan, Deborah Thomas, and Brent Brooks had to say about working with me on this book.

Read a complimentary chapter of the book to find out how I use improv in my work as a marketing consultant and graphic designer.

Vanessa speaking ABWA

at ABWA

I’m often asked to make presentations to business groups on the topic of using improv to improve your business. Here is an Improv Handout that I distribute at these presentations. Organizations that have invited me as a featured speaker on this topic include: ProWin, North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), WOMTEC, Compelling Creations (for their annual conference), and more.

at ProWin

at ProWin

Have an idea for a book? I can help you bring it from concept to creation! Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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Gracefully Written

January 9, 2011

 

Gracefully Written is a collection of heartfelt short stories, inspirational poems, and biblical narratives written to give you hope and lift your spirits.

Author Melva Walden has led an interesting life. Every time we meet for coffee, she tells me about cool friends she has made over the years. People like NBA players Clark Kellogg and Dikembe Mutombo, Olympian Teresa Edwards and Reverend Andrew Young, former United States Ambassador and former Mayor of Atlanta. She was recently invited to speak at two conferences honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I love working with fascinating people like Melva!

Here is what Melva had to say about working with me on her book.

“I had the pleasure to meet Vanessa at a business seminar where she spoke to the audience about her business.  Shortly, after meeting her I knew that I wanted to hire her to do the design, layout and graphics for my book titled, Gracefully Written.

Vanessa was always available whenever I needed to ask her a question. She would calmly listen and then give her opinion. Vanessa is an excellent motivator and facilitator. She is reliable, very professional and she cares about the work her customers entrust her to do.

Vanessa is a joy to work with. She went far and beyond my expectations and treated my manuscripts with great care and passion. Her enthusiasm for helping up and coming writers and artist, like me, is evident. The compliments I have received regarding the cover, layout and designs for Gracefully Written are astounding and are fitting for every poem or story. All you have to do is visit my website at www.GracefullyWritten.com to see for yourself.

I wish Vanessa the best and I look forward to working with her for my next book.”

You can find out more about Melva and purchase your own copy of Gracefully Written at www.GracefullyWritten.com.

Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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The RiskADay Journal:28 Days to Being You Out Loud with Courage, Creativity and Confidence

December 18, 2010

The RiskADay JournalLaura Biering practices what she teaches her coaching clients! She is an example of how taking risks can make your life more interesting and your career more fruitful. I had the pleasure of working with Laura as the graphic designer of her book, The RiskADay Journal. Not only does she describe a variety of risks she has taken (or not), she also translates the experience in a way that will help her readers identify and take their own risks to make their lives more fulfilling and fun. The processes outlined in the book are ones Laura developed and uses while coaching her clients in groups or one-on-one. It is empowering to know that following her process for 28 Days can give you the confidence to Be You Out Loud!

Here is what Laura said about working with me on this project: “I have known Vanessa Lowry for many years now, all the while wanting to find a way to work with her. I was delighted when the opportunity arose and I was able to hire her to design my first book, The RiskADay Journal: 28 Days to Being You Out Loud with Courage, Creativity and Confidence. She did an amazing job. It is truly a beautiful product. And not only that, she was a kind, calm and invaluable advisor throughout the process. I cannot recommend Vanessa highly enough!”

You can purchase Laura’s book at www.TheRiskADayJournal.com or on Amazon. Learn more about Laura’s coaching services at www.TrueVoices.com.

Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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Days of Gratitude Carolyn and Robin

October 26, 2010

Here are comments from my co-authors about working with me on our book, 30 Days of Gratitude.Days of Gratitude Download the free e-book!

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Robin Kirby, PhD, Certified Life Coach and Certified Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist

“I worked with Vanessa on our e-book 30 Days of Gratitude. The cover that she designed for our book is magnificent, as are the graphics included inside of the book. Her work gave the content of the book visual life. Vanessa moved quickly and efficiently throughout the creative process and communicate well with us from start to finish!

I HIGHLY recommend Vanessa Lowry!”

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Carolyn G Buttram, Inspirational Humorist, Writer, Comedian

“Vanessa came to me in Oct 2009 with an idea and asked me to participate in the creation of a book, 30 Days of Gratitude, that we would offer as a free download. I was immediately intrigued and interested in her idea. So, with Dr. Robin Kirby and Vanessa, we set about writing 30 easy and provocative gratitude exercises. It was Vanessa’s idea that there would be one exercise for every day in November.

Within two weeks, we three had written and chosen 30 exercises for the book. I supplied the photographs and we all worked on the editing, but Vanessa single-handedly thought up and executed the layout and the graphics design of this most impressive and beautiful offering.

I have known Vanessa for a long time and I have seen her expertise put to good use in fund raising venues and networking events and knew her to be a great contributor to her community and to her friends and business associates. But I had no idea how extremely talented she is in designing book covers and layouts. If you simply take a look at the book, which is free to download at www.DaysOfGratitude.com you will discover how very talented she really is.

Not only does Vanessa produce beautiful graphic design, she also is diligent and quick to respond to every question and suggestion. I enthusiastically recommend her for any book design, or any graphic design work you might need, and I completely attest to her great integrity and her willingness to be of service.

Simply stated, Vanessa is The Best.”

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Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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30 Days of Gratitude

October 26, 2010
30 Days of Gratitude

Download the free e-book at http://www.DaysofGratitude.com

This is an example of an idea flowing easily and quickly together. The first week of October 2009 I had the idea for a book featuring a month of gratitude exercises. I always love the synergy of working with like-minded people, so I approached my friends Robin Kirby and Carolyn Buttram to see if they would be interested in co-authoring this book with me. We wanted to set the book up as a free e-book, not only to personally benefit from ripples of gratitude, but also to have the book become a marketing tool for each of our businesses.

And, wouldn’t it be cool if we could launch it before November… the month of THANKSGIVING and gratitude. So, we each went to our corners to write exercises. When we reconvened, we easily had created 30 exercises. Just what we needed.

I designed the cover layout and interior formatting. Carolyn is our official photographer and took the cover photo based on the concept layout I had created. She also shot the photos of each of the co-authors and provided photography for the note cards we included in the appendix of the book.

In addition, Carolyn took on the role of web designer and created our Days of Gratitude website. By Oct 29, 2009, we launched! Within a day we had our first speaking opportunity scheduled which is now posted on-line. And after three days, our book had gone international. People from all over the world, including Croatia, Spain, Australia, Canada, Indonesia and more, have downloaded our book and use the exercises to increase the amount of appreciation and gratitude in their lives.

Robin manages our Days of Gratitude page on Facebook. She posts a daily inspirational quote and we recently topped 1000 fans on that page. (Come and “Like” us there!)

We also share in a gratitude blog where we write about experiences and challenges we are having and how gratitude shifts the energy.

Some results of 30 Days of Gratitude have been: we are in contact with several thousand people more than when we started this project; I’ve had a speaking opportunity nearly every month because the book; we’ve all connected with new clients. Best of all, it has reminded me on many days to focus on the good that is in my life and let that expand beyond myself.

Here is what Robin and Carolyn have to say about this experience.

Come and download your copy of our free e-book at www.DaysofGratitude.com. Soon, we’ll have 30 Days of Gratitude available on Amazon for those who want to own a hard copy of the book.

Let me know if I can help you bring your book from concept to creation! Contact me at 678-521-8820. Find out more about me by visiting my LinkedIn profile or watching my video profile.

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I Love Books

October 26, 2010

I love books. I love the ideas I get, the things I learn and the adventures upon which I embark just by reading a good book. Books

My love affair with books started very young. I remember being thrilled when I could read a book by myself. I have many fond memories of carrying an armload of books home on the days the book mobile stopped at the top of our street during summer vacation.

My husband loves to read and we often share ideas or read passages to one another from one of the several books we are each currently reading.

I’ve taken my passion for books a step further. I now help authors transfer their knowledge, expertise and imagination onto the printed page and create their own book. I have nearly 30 years of experience as a graphic designer and marketing professional. In addition to my own expertise, I’ve accumulated many contacts who assist authors every step of the way, including writing coaches, editors, print-on-demand vendors, video production companies, PR firms, web designers, virtual assistants and more.

I’ve co-written a book called 30 Days of Gratitude and was the designer for both the e-book and the printed version. Download a copy of the free e-book at www.DaysofGratitude.com.

Improv to Improve Your Business is an example of another collaborative book project from idea through completion. I assembled nine authors, interviewed and ghost wrote the chapters, designed the cover and formatted the interior of the book. Through my connections, we had our first radio interview to promote the book a week after it launched. The book is now available on Amazon.

Contact me if you want to talk about your book. You can call me at 678-521-8820. I look forward to seeing how I can help you! You can find out more about me on my LinkedIn profile or check out my video profile.

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