This Is Not the Life I Ordered

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This Is Not the Life I Ordered

Book cover
Author Deborah Collins Stephens, Michealene Cristini Risley, Jackie Speier, Jan Yanehiro
Illustrator John Grimes
Cover artist Jessica Dacher
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Subject(s) Self-help
Genre(s) Non-fiction
Publisher Conari Press
Publication date March 2007
Media type Hardcover
Pages 220
ISBN ISBN 1573243051

This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down is a collaborative non-fiction inspirational self-help book written by Deborah Collins Stephens, Michealene Cristini Risley, Jackie Speier, and Jan Yanehiro. The book was first published in a hardcover format in 2007, by Conari Press.[1] The first printing of the work was for thirty-five thousand copies, and a second printing is planned.[2]

Contents

[edit] About the authors

The four authors were all friends prior to writing the book.[3] Jackie Speier is a former State Senator from California, and was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California in 2006.[4] Speier survived five gunshot wounds when she was shot by members of Peoples Temple in 1978 when she traveled to Jonestown with Congressman Leo J. Ryan.[5] Jan Yanehiro is a broadcast journalist, and co-hosted Evening Magazine which aired on San Francisco's KPIX.[6] Yanehiro is a co-executive producer of "Pacific Fusion", a television magazine program featuring Asian American lifestyle, which airs on KRON.[7]

Michealene Cristini Risley was Vice-President, group director of licensing and character development, at Sega Corporation.[8] She is also the founder and president of Fresh Water Spigot, a creative content company based in Portola Valley, California.[9] Deborah Collins Stephens is the cofounder and managing partner of the Center for Innovative Leadership.[10] She is also the author of One Size Fits One and co-authored The Maslow Business Reader, with Abraham H. Maslow.[11][12]

[edit] Contents

In the book, the authors share advice gained from personal experiences on topics including family life, work, and love - and the difficulties of balancing these issues.[13] As the title suggests, the book offers fifty ways in which the reader can stay focused and upbeat when misfortune strikes.[14] The book is structured topically, with each chapter dealing with different types of issues such as dealing with misfortune, managing mistakes, understanding money and how to network with other women.[15] Each chapter concludes with a "WIT (Women in Transition) Kit," which contains action plans and exercises related to the previous section.[16][17] The chapter "Understanding Money and a Women’s Worth" provides "straightforward directives" on topics such as net worth, tax returns and how to create a financial plan.[17]

[edit] Reception

This Is Not the Life I Ordered reached the best seller list of the San Francisco Chronicle for the second time in June 2007.[18][19] The book also appeared on the NCIBA bestseller list,[2] and was featured on the "Sacramento 07 Books" list, by the Professional BusinessWomen of California organization.[20] This Is Not the Life I Ordered received a positive review in ForeWord Magazine, where the reviewer noted that the work: "is more about 'turning ‘woe is me’ into action' than coddling."[17]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Stoeltje, Melissa Fletcher. "Many Mothers Say Part-Time Work Is the Ideal", San Antonio Express-News, The Ledger, October 15, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-23. 
  2. ^ a b Rosen, Judith. "Indie Surprises for Fall", Publishers Weekly, Reed Business Information, July 30, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-23. 
  3. ^ Fisher, Patty. "Fisher: Adversity won't keep Speier down", San Jose Mercury News, June 14, 2006. 
  4. ^ Katayama, Lisa. "Reforming California's Prisons: An Interview With Jackie Speier", Mother Jones, The Foundation for National Progress, July 7, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-10-23. 
  5. ^ Haddock, Vicki. "Jackie Speier -- moving on, moving up: Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor", San Francisco Chronicle, November 16, 2003. Retrieved on 2007-10-23. 
  6. ^ Staff. "A Survivor Celebrates 'Evening Magazine'", San Jose Mercury News, September 8, 1986. 
  7. ^ Nakao, Annie. "Spotlight on Bay Area's Asian Americans: 'Pacific Fusion' profiles life and lifestyles in weekly 30-minute show on KRON", San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Communications Inc., November 7, 2004. 
  8. ^ Staff. "Cyberspace, it turns out, isn't much of an Eden after all", Newsweek, May 16, 2004. 
  9. ^ Staff. "Get girls into the software game", Playthings, May 1, 1999. 
  10. ^ Staff. Deborah Collins Stephens, Seminar Speaker. pbwc, Professional BusinessWomen of California. PBWC. Retrieved on 2001-10-23.
  11. ^ Stephens, Deborah C.; Gary Heil, Tom Parker (April 26, 1999). One Size Fits One: Building Relationships One Customer and One Employee at a Time. Wiley. ISBN 0471331678. 
  12. ^ Maslow, Abraham H. (April 14, 2000). The Maslow Business Reader. Wiley. ISBN 0471360082. 
  13. ^ Donahue, Dick; Lauren Joyce. "Springing Forward: Women's Studies", Publishers Weekly, Reed Business Information, January 22, 2007. 
  14. ^ Staff. "Jackie leaves on her terms", San Mateo County Times, November 23, 2006. 
  15. ^ Speier, Jackie; Deborah Collins Stephens, Michealene Cristini Risley, Jan Yanehiro (March 2007). This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down. Conari Press. ISBN ISBN 1573243051. 
  16. ^ Staff. The Book: Synopsis. This Is Not The Life I Ordered, official site. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
  17. ^ a b c Bonter, Pam. "Book Review: This Is Not The Life I Ordered", ForeWord Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-10-23. 
  18. ^ Staff. "This Is Not the Life I Ordered Remains on The SF Chronicle Bestseller List!", Conari Press News, June 21, 2007. 
  19. ^ Staff. "Best-Sellers", San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Communications Inc., Jun 17, 2007. 
  20. ^ Staff (October 16, 2007). Sacramento O7 Books. Professional BusinessWomen of California. PBWC. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.

[edit] External links