An Author’s Journey to Elaine’s Circle

[Publisher’s Note: I’m pleased to share here with the permission of the author, Bob Katz, this charming, serendipitous, and true account of the story-behind-the-story that led to Elaine’s Circle: A Teacher, a Student, a Classroom, and One Unforgettable Year by Bob Katz–available on Amazon. I am also honored to have the publishing company I started–the…

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Books Unread

Books Unread Charles Levin Author

A personal essay about all the books I haven’t read and some I have.. How many books have you started reading but never finished? That’s a question I asked myself recently now that I have many more unread books than ones I’ve finished. And I read a lot. I won’t even talk much here about…

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10 Life Lessons I learned from Playing Poker

Charles Levin Poker lessons

I played poker as a teenager, but I took it up more seriously twenty years ago. The intrigue and intricacies of the game found me when I needed the comfort and distraction of a high-level intellectual challenge. It feels funny writing that last phrase, as most people think of poker as a game played in…

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A Story About a Story …or The Exquisite Corpse

Nougo and the Basketball

I’ve always had it in the back of my mind to write a children’s book, but I wasn’t sure where to start. I wanted an idea that inspired me yet appealed to children from six to ten years of age—maybe because my twin grandsons are seven years old. To appeal to children, my children’s book…

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Excerpt: STILL NOT GONE

[Note: Today enjoy a free excerpt from the upcoming thriller STILL NOT GONE that gives you a flavor for the bigger journey that I hope you will take later this year.] Chapter 2—Yours How alive am I if I’m purely digital? I’ve been asking myself that question for almost ten years. I mean I don’t…

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Two Authors | Two Journeys

[ When I’m invited to speak at libraries and book-signings, the question I am asked most often is, “Where do you get your ideas?” I shared in part my personal answer to that question in my last post, Reading for the Soul. Today I’m happy to share two stories of writing and inspiration–the story behind…

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Reading for the Soul

I’ve been thinking a lot about the magical effect that reading or more broadly, storytelling, has on the soul, on our sense of self, on our peace of mind, on meaning in our lives. What is it about telling and listening to a story that calms you, engages you, drills down to your very core—even…

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Nora from UPS Delivers the Package

It’s funny how serendipitous events have played such a huge role in my life. Well, that’s probably true of everyone—how you met your spouse, how you decided on a career, how you met your best friend. Come to think of it, all the best things in life seem to happen by accident, not by plan,…

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The R Wing

[Note: Today enjoy a free excerpt from STILL NOT DEAD that both stands on its own and gives you a flavor for the bigger journey that I hope you will take.} My Mother Says… “Why don’t you send somebody from the local field office to interview Bultema?” Michelle asks. “We hop in the jet and…

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The Permission Slip

While cleaning out my crazily cluttered attic, filled with thirty-eight years of things my wife, Amy, and I don’t need, but couldn’t part with, broken chairs, boxes full of clothes, ancient computers, ‘80s vintage suitcases, and the like, I stumbled across something quite special. Fire Hazzard Let me back up. If you’re a procrastinator like…

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