Inner City Night Shelter

Dyslexia and Leaving the Gravesite

This short biography captures key events that shaped a decision two decades in the future.  One of those events was learning to write the word cat.  The Subject walks us through not being able to write c-a-t though she heard herself speak the letters correctly.  It is the manner in which she takes the reader through her fear, frustration, and failures that gives us a new respect for kids with dyslexia.



Click Here to Read More About Leaving the Gravesite

Hope Comes in Pieces Draws Endorsement From Celebrity Doctor

Dr. Jerry Kertzinel, MD
Co-Author, Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide

Just finished the book!
I found the book a very compelling read and enjoyed the way you overlapped your personal struggles, struggles with your relationships, struggles with Mia from the get go.  More struggles followed with her health and with the medical profession. Throughout the book, you intertwined your victories in regaining your health, your relationship with your husband, and of course major victories in Mia’s health and recovery!  I found the book very uplifting and will be a gem for other moms with similar struggles! 

Thank you very much for sharing your very personal journey with me!

Dr. J

Dr. Jerry Kartzinel:
- Appeared with both Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy on Larry King Live
- Co-wrote Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide with Jenny McCarthy, a New York Times Best-Seller
- Appeared on CBS This Morning which has 2-3 million viewers within the same target audience

Coming to Amazon in Kindle Format

First Meeting at the Autism Education Conference

A moment just to reflect on what’s coming, to understand and appreciate instead of just prepare…, it hit me this morning, right when I was making another checklist.  Helping Craig, Terra, and Mia Smith bring their family story to print has been eye-opening, encouraging, and emotionally rewarding.  But, I haven’t met any of the people I helped write about.  The upcoming book, Hope Comes in Pieces, came about by referral through someone else I have never met in person..

Left Frame: Al Hardy - Right Frame: in order from left to right: Craig, Mia, and Terra Smith 

I receive most of my business through Linkedin; only once before has a business relationship that started virtually resulted in a physical meeting and that was incidental.  In 2010, a CEO, based in Chennai, India, had permitted me to use his company’s video to introduce a technology application to hospital personnel.  In Feb 2011, I recognized the CEO from his linkedin photo as he took a front row seat during my presentation an Information Management Conference.

So what’s coming?  First, Terra Smith and her mother will be at the Autism Education Conference, September 25, 2014.  We will meet for the first time after what must be over a hundred hours of phone, text, skype, and email conversations.  This will not be a meet and greet just to say great working with you.  I will be there to support and document as Terra

• finds and talks to experts to help with Mia’s allergen-limited diet
• joins in question and answer sessions with noted and experienced physicians 
• advocates and collaborates through social media
• connects with exhibitors and publishers
• finds Entrepreneurial ways to help pay for Mia’s care

Secondly, the release of a major endorsement for Hope Comes in Pieces is forthcoming.  This is the largest potential exposure I have ever had.  It may be the largest exposure for Terra since her TV commercial for the sitcom Major Dad and pageant ranking when she was a kid.  The endorsement is most significant in the way it is written.  We didn’t tell the endorser anything about the expected feel or reader experience though we were very aware of what we sat out to do.  Honestly, despite having some very good pre-reader feedback, despite that the endorsement comes from one of Terra’s existing medical relationships,  I understood what a negative or so-so reply would mean for the project.  Either was absolutely possible.  Thankfully, when we read the endorsement, it reflected our original intent.

Lastly, observing how Terra navigates through the conference will give me valuable insights that I can’t get over the phone, no matter how well I ask questions or listen to inflections or research the subject.  I look forward to it because there are more business initiatives in the works.