June 1, 2007 - I'm surrounded by books at the New York Book Expo America, with Founder and President of the Book Publicists of Southern California (BPSC), Irwin Zucker. Irwin is a dynamo of energy, inspiration and ideas... Notice we're holding "Speak with Passion, Speak with Power!" upside down...Irwin says that's because it's turning the world upside down! He's always looking for ways to support and promote members, many of whom are self-published authors like me and he suggested my byline,"More Power to You!"

The BPSC meets every other month, presenting guest speakers who educate us about various aspects of writing, publishing and marketing. A newsletter ("Know Thy Shelf!") gets mailed out to members after each meeting. To learn more, visit http://www.bookpublicists.org/.

Irwin will soon be celebrating his 80th birthday... His vitality and deep participation in life obliterate the stereotypes I have in my mind about what it means to be 80. Irwin's got it all and does it all! Plus he has so many people whose lives he has touched and who feel honored to know him.

Irwin embodies the words of George Bernard Shaw -

"I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, because the harder I work the more I live...Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

Here's to you, Irwin. Thank you and L'Chaiim!

http://www.pkelly.com/
http://www.speak-with-passion.com/