Final tour stop for my book Five Years to Live. Thank you to all the people who took the time to read and comment on this book. The reviews were wonderful. I want to give special thanks to all those who have suffered a life altering event and had the courage and determination to not let their circumstances dictate their life.
(http://www.celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/five-years-to-live-by-frank-zaccari.html)
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Life Altering Events - Les Miserables
Life Altering Events
Speaking of Life Altering Events, I broken down and saw Les Miserables (the movie). Great story. Many of the characters went through life altering events. Some give up. Some did the best they could but the circumstances were too great. Some received help and were able to move forward.
The key point is NO ONE can shoulder the burden of a Life Altering Event alone. It shows the power of forgiveness and mercy. The priest who showed mercy altered the life of Jean Valjean, who in turn changed his life. Jean Valjean's mercy to Corsette altered her life, which became better than she had hoped.
Pay it forward can work. Forgiveness and mercy are powerful acts.
Tapping into the readers emotions – Book #2 “From the Ashes: The Rise of the University of Washington Volleyball Program.”
One of the most difficult things to change is a perception or a belief system or an established way of doing things. In the business world we call this the corporate culture. Once a culture is established, for good or bad, it is very difficult to change. This is particularly true when a culture has accepted mediocrity or no longer believes it can excel. People become creatures of their environment. They lose hope. A change at the top of the organization is often needed. This change is not usually welcomed by the people in the organization.
In my hi tech life, I had success in turning around companies that were facing serious challenges. I began to wonder of the 10 principles I followed in business could be used for a nonprofit or athletic organization. I had the opportunity to try out my theory when Jim McLaughlin became the head volleyball coach at the University of Washington (UW). When Jim arrived, the volleyball program was struggling. In my second book “From the Ashes: The Rise of the University of Washington Volleyball Program,” we chronicled how using the 10 business principles where applied with a major university athletic program. The principles worked. UW has been to three Final Fours, won the National Championship in 2005 and have made the Sweet 16, seven times in the last ten years.
The 10 principles are:
- Everything starts with having the right leader.
- The leader must clearly articulate his/her vision.
- The leader must inspire people to believe.
- The leader must clearly define what he/she wants to do and what pieces he/she needs to get there.
- The leader must select the right people and put them in the best position to succeed.
- The leader must focus on the details and training. Make sure everyone knows not only what to do but how and why to do it.
- The leader must insist that everything is documented. The organization must be able to operate without key people present.
- The leader must constantly review all aspects of the operation and make adjustments as needed to stay on course.
- The leader must continue to bring in people that are better than the ones already in place.
- The leader cannot lose sight of the goal.
Try them in your organization.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Emotions
Tapping into Reader’s Emotions
Emotions! We all have them. Some
of us try to suppress our emotions, but they are always there lurking just
below the surface. If we are lucky we may be able to control them. The bottom
line is the vast majority of our decisions and actions are based upon emotions.
The results of these decisions and actions are determined by how well or poorly
we handle our emotions.
As a writer of family and relationship
books that address life altering events, based on true stories, I try to transfer
the emotions of each character to the reader. If done correctly, the reader
relates so closely with the character that they are living the experience. They
laugh and cry with the character. They feel the sorrow or joy, hopelessness or
determination. I try to do this by telling the story as if I was speaking
one-on-one to the reader.
For example, my first book When the Wife Cheats, deals with
infidelity, betrayal, and abandonment. These
are very difficult emotions. Since fifty percent of marriages end in divorce,
these emotions have to be addressed if one is going to survive. Very little is
written about how the husband and children deal with the lies, deceit, betrayal
and abandonment when the wife violates the marital vows. I try to follow one
man’s journey as he and his two young daughters cope with the devastation that
occurs When the Wife Cheats.
My third book Inside the Spaghetti Bowl, deals with
the emotions associated with the death of a parent. This is a story that every
person will have to face. With the first sentence, I try to draw the reader
into the hospital room to meet and hopefully fall in love with this family. It is a story about family and unconditional
love. My goal is that the reader will see their own family and the memories
make them smile.
My latest book Five Years to Live, addresses the powerful
and overwhelming emotions of a loved one beset by a catastrophic injury. It starts
with the phone call everyone prays they will never receive. The story exposes
the trauma and the horror that ensues and the love and courage it takes to
initially go on living and then ultimately triumph. I try to make the reader ask
the questions, “Would I have the courage and fortitude to pick up the pieces
after my life, my goals, my hopes and my dreams were instantly shattered or
would I succumb to despair and not even try?”
Emotions shape who we are and how
we act or react to circumstances. Alexandre
Dumas wrote, "Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the
sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man
is what you do when that storm comes."
I hope my books help my readers understand what they will do when that
storm comes.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
What is on your bucket list
After the wonderful movie The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, most of us actually wrote down our own bucket list. Here is mine. What's on yours?
1.
To see my
daughters live long, healthy, happy and prosperous lives.
2.
To see my brother
Steve step out of his wheelchair and walk.
3.
To see my future
grandchildren and be a positive influence in their lives.
4.
To live my life
with integrity which is the greatest honor I can give my parents.
5.
To earn the love
of and share the rest of my life with a good woman.
6.
To have one of my
books become a best seller so I can buy a villa at the Amalfi Coast.
7.
To see the
University of Washington volleyball program win another national title.
8.
To see the 4th
of July fireworks at Lake Tahoe from an airplane.
9.
To spend one year
visiting Italy and Sicily with my family.
10. To see the Buffalo Bills win a Super Bowl.
Inspiration for "Five Years to Live"
Inspiration for Five Years to Live
This
book is very personal to me and my family. My youngest brother Steve was
paralyzed in car accident when he was 24 years old. This is an experience I hope
and pray no other family endures. Shortly after the accident, my mother gave
Steve a cassette recorder and told him to record his thoughts and emotions.
Steve’s goal was to write a book from the patient’s perspective. He did record
several hours of thoughts, but could never bring himself to write the book. He said
reliving those terrible days would be too painful.
After
I wrote my third book, Inside the
Spaghetti Bowl, Steve said “Let’s give this a try. If it can help one
person deal with this tragedy it will be worthwhile.” My parents, brothers and
sisters all had our memories and experiences to draw upon, but to make this
book as realistic as possible, Steve would have to revisit some very dark
times. He listened to his tapes and the horror
he thought he had left behind engulfed him. He went back to the moment his car
flipped on the New Jersey turnpike. His emotions poured out as he recalled
those critical moments where he teetered on the breaking point. Very few people have the courage to live
through this experience and then go back and relive it in order to help others.
Steve
said had it not been for the love and support of his family, he would not have
survived. As difficult as it is for the injured person, the family is also
changed forever. A mother whose son suffered a serious spinal cord injury told
me: “This story needs to be told. This tragedy can happen to everyone without
warning. It needs to expresses what a spinal cord injury does to the life of
not only the person involved, but to their entire family as well. For those
strong enough to face this overwhelming obstacle, it is a journey of love,
endurance, and absolute triumph of the spirit. It will bring so much hope to so
many people that find themselves in a nightmare from which they cannot awake.
You will speak for all of us.”
After
my going through this ordeal with my brother and my family and hearing the
heart wrenching story from this mother, I had to write Five Years to Live.
Press Release for "Five Years to Live"
Young man aims to make lasting
impact on others, despite facing his final years
Based on a true story, Frank
Zaccari’s “Five Years to Live” is a heartwarming read about making the most out
of a difficult situation
SACRAMENTO, Calif.
– In “Five Years to Live” (ISBN 1478196904), Frank Zaccari presents the
troubling question of what you would do if you knew you only had a short period
of time left in your life. Based on a real-life story, this novel follows a
young couple as they begin to plan their life together before a devastating
accident threatens to take it all away.
Recently engaged, Michael and Donna are a successful couple who are in love and having the time of their lives getting ready for their future together. But when Michael is in a tragic car accident, their plans have to be put on hold. Michael becomes a quadriplegic, and due to constant infections and multiple serious surgeries, doctors give him the prognosis that he has, at best, five years to live.
Despite the heartbreaking news, Michael battles through his injuries and puts his last five years to good use. Not letting his circumstances dictate his lifestyle or outlook on life, the young man does everything he can to make a positive, lasting impact on everyone he meets.
“This is a love story wrapped around the devastation and overwhelming therapies associated with severe spinal cord injury,” says Zaccari says. “The scary thing is that it can happen to anyone. It is the phone call everyone prays they will never receive.”
Zaccari believes “Five
Years to Live” will resonate with readers who enjoy a powerful and moving true story. He also hopes that it will give readers a better
view of what paralyzed individuals have to endure daily as they struggle to
live independently.
“Five Years to Live” is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.
About
the Author:
Frank Zaccari
earned his bachelor’s in finance from California State University at Sacramento
after several years as a military medic in the U.S. Air Force. After earning his
degree, he spent 20 years in the technology industry in various positions from
account representative to CEO. He also has experience in turn-around management
of companies under $100 million, but he left the business in order to be the
primary caregiver of his children. He currently owns an insurance agency, and
he continues to publish books. Zaccari’s previous works include “When the Wife
Cheats,” “From the Ashes: The Rise of the University of Washington Volleyball
Program” and “Inside the Spaghetti Bowl.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Frank Zaccari
Phone: (916)
718-5517
REVIEW COPIES AND
INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE
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