Reflections, by, Gina Meyers

Reflections….

"Life is like driving in your car. The windshield is large so you can see where you WANT to go including all the hazards, unknowns and Possibilities. The rear-view mirror is like your past. The view is MUCH smaller, you can't do much about it and it's OK to glance into it periodically for guidance, but don’t Stare or you will crash into your Future!"

You can be better than before.

Resistance and resilience are only a few letters different and yet they mean a world of difference.

Not only can you heal your life, you can overcome your fears which are your biggest setbacks. If you can be honest with yourself, you can change yourself and the world!

You are way more powerful than you think. 

Dredging upon traumatic memories from the past was not on my plate du jour. As a matter of fact, didn’t want any reminders of what I’ve been through, but that’s the problem with “accidents”, “car accidents”, they have a way of exposing the onion layers all at once.

I’m raw like an onion peel and yet I’m more happy, satisfied, and lucky than I’ve ever felt. Freedom. 

From tragedy to triumph 

When you have a traumatic event that unfolds before your very eyes,

You are forced to relive other tramas in your life regardless of if the actual trama involved the same situation.

For me the symbols and the fear all spelled vehicle or car, for the most part.

Getting involved in a motor vehicle accident, not my fault, so far, cross my fingers, knock on wood, every accident I have been involved in has been someone else's fault, that doesn’t make it any better really, it just gives me a little less guilt and more fear and worry and concern than anything. 

Here is my advice: 

You need to get over trauma as quickly as possible.

You need to regurgitate everything quickly as if you have the flu, then rest, recuperate, reflect, self-care, write, journal, paint, sculpt, bake, be quiet. As the song says. 

Billy Joel says it best  in Vienna.

Slow down you crazy child

You are so ambitious for a juvenile

Where is the fire, what’s the hurry about? 

You better cool it off before you burn it out

Truth is… you  can get what you want or you could just get old!

You are gonna kick off before you even get halfway through

When will you realize--the inner waits for you?

Certain people and personalities that you can’t fully trust when you are going through difficult times. horder, the toxic person, the bully, the competitive spirit. Personalities or character deficits that you can partially trust in difficult times, the co-dependent, the know-it-all. These people may tell you “they told you so”, but they will be dependendable in the sense that they be around puffing their chest, if you can handle the bravado, then ok. Co-dependents will blame themselves for your problem, so if you need a shoulder to cry on, they’ll be crying on yours, but you’ll at least get the attention/affection if that’s something you need. People you should steer clear of in good times and in bad, the liar, anyone physically, mentally, or emotionally abusive, difficult situations flare up their already atrocious personality/character flaws. Also, this isn’t meant to sound manipulative, it’s a fact that we are all flawed human beings having a spirit experience. Or some people believe we are spirits having a human experience. 

Gina is the author of numerous unique themed cookbooks and books of inspiration: Purchase her autographed copies here: http://www.ginameyers.com/books2.html

Book Titles that could bring home the bacon

Ever thought of an award winning title for a book? I have. Inspiration was written on my Target Teeshirt when my daughter Lauren Rose was in the third grade. I was in charge of the Monster Hands, a simple creation whereby you put popcorn in a clean, clear glove, the "fingernails" "aka candy corn." Anyways, I came up with Love at First Bite, and that title has been one of those monumental titles that gets noticed and for a cookbook, works!

Anyhow, before I throw my notes away, thought I'd share some titles that I came up with. See if you agree and for what type of book would you place them/what category?


A Date With Destiny, Destino
Financial Bondage, how to overcome the symptoms of worry and anxiety and get your financial life back on track.
The Habits of The Rich
The Habits of The Well To Do.

Yelp, I need HELP: How to improve your customer ratings, by, Gina Meyers

*Yelp, I need HELP: How to improve your customer ratings

By, Gina Meyers


If you are a business owner, you know that every review whether positive or negative counts.

As an author, I know that past reviews of my books have helped me to remember what to add next time, what to leave out, what to better explain, and that the "customer is always right", is a familiar tome that I must keep remembering.


A few months ago, I had the pleasure of taking a workshop via the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, it was all about social media and ideas, things to look for, things to avoid, and how to combat negative reviews via YELP. Here are my notes and my interpretation of what was stated.

First off, a lot of people use YELP. That is why it is critically important that you put your best face forward when it comes to Yelp, make sure you have a current phone number and pictures that are recent and exhibit what your business is all about. Don't forget your website as well.

So what if you get one of those dreaded negative reviews? Fear not, take the negative and turn it into a positive.

What is the first step to take.

1) Acknowledge the negative review and thank them for it.

This will give your business a persona. How is a business or person going to improve if we avoid. It's a big step, but one of the most important, thank the reviewer. It doesn't mean you are agreeing with what they are saying, but it is acknowledging that there may be a "perceived issue". Notice how I use the word "perceived", my late Grandma Rose used to say a lot of cool adages, one of them was, "not your cup of tea", "one man's trash, is another man's treasure", "there is a lid for every pot". Goodness, now of all times, I can't think of what she used to say about critics, maybe my mom said it, "don't respond to your critics".

You aren't responding to the critics you are responding to their "perceived issue". Maybe it was "don't shoot the messenger", that's what everyone will be saying after they try this *Yelp, I need help, lol.


JOKES aside, let's get to the rest of the meat and potatoes of the information.

Sometimes people throw those stones cause they forget there is a person behind a business, not just bricks and mortar.

Always respond to the negative and always respond to the positive.

2) Thank the folks that like your product or service, thank them too.

Your whole goal here is to try and get as many positive reviews as possible. When you engage the review, you are allowing the person who took the time to express themselves with feedback.

In a nutshell, people like doing business with people they like.

Listen to your customers
Provide Direct Customer Service
Build relationships
Improve your search engine rankings
Establish your business as a resource in your particular industry
Build your brand, show your personality.
Direct people to your website, blog.
Provide creative advantage over your competition.



Gina Meyers is the bestselling author of Love at First Bite, The Unofficial Twilight Cookbook. http://www.ginameyers.com She is also the publisher of Serendipity Press, and does marketing and promotions for Serendipity Media Group. http://www.serendipitymediagroup.com Her book, Hope for Haiti, a fundraising cookbook, won the prestigious Gourmand Cookbook Awards for Best Charity Cookbook in the World, Folies Bergere, Paris, France, March 2011.

I Publish Books. I Market Books.

Welcome Home Cookbook, new cookbook explores the joys of homeownership

Dear Realtors and Real Estate Professionals,

Are you at a loss when it comes to giving your clients a housewarming gift after the big purchase? Look no further than a customized cookbook for your client with handy tips about the after purchase of their home, wonderful recipes, your information, and a whole lot more.

Contact Gina today to inquire on how to order Welcome Home Cookbook and how you can advertise for a nominal fee in this keepsake. gmeyers@fathomrealty.com

Announcing the Best Book Award for 2019/2020

Announcing the Best Book Award for 2019/2020……

If you have written a book in 2019, please submit it for review and consideration of this year’s Best Book Award. 
Any topic and any length is acceptable. Please send your non-returnable book before 12/15/2019 to Dr. Allan G. Hedberg,
C/O Gina Meyers, Serendipity Media, 5100 N. Sixth, Suite 140, Fresno, CA, 93710 
The winner and all submissions will be acknowledged during the Seminar.

So you want to be the next JK Rowling, by, Gina Meyers

So you want to be the next JK Rowling, of Harry Potter Fame, well, you aren't the only one.

by, Gina Meyers

 I've met with two publishing, marketing, and promotions clients recently, and they both said the same sentiment, "they want to be the next JK Rowling". The truth is both have the tenacity to become the next JK Rowling. One is a science fiction writer for young adults and the other a poet.

But that familiar tome, go me thinking, does everyone want to be the next JK Rowling and why?

There is a lot to read in between the lines about JK Rowling's story. The story of rags to riches, but the truth is that story like Harry Potter is fiction. Like the game telephone, somehow the message became garbled, suddenly JK Rowling was in a bar, eating peanuts, writing her manuscript on napkins. It's the story of rags to riches, the sort of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous that get everyone saying, "I want to write a book, rise to fame, but are they really saying that?"

I think it is the perception of success-- the dream of "being discovered" that gets people excited.

Having had some level of success in the past with my Hope for Haiti Fundraising Cookbook (Winner of the Gourmand International Cooking Award, For Best Charity Cookbook In the World, Folies Bergere, Paris, France, March 2012), and I am the author of the Unofficial and Unauthorized, Love at First Bite, The Unofficial Twilight Cookbook, I can tell you--fame isn't what it is cracked up to be.

This is why I always have my prospective clients/authors fill out the Author Survival guide, it gives them a good dose of reality to what they truly want out of the publishing, promotions, and marketing of their book.

But, it also helps them to continue to dream and to believe in their dreams enough to achieve.

I am grateful I have honed in the tools and built the resources and connections to make others dreams come true.

Now, that I know what they mean about "wanting to be the next JK Rowling." If you want to learn more about how you can achieve your personal goals through publishing your book, email me at: http://www.serendipitymediagroup.com

Change Your Mood, Change Your Clothes, new book explores the power of making simple changes improve our spirits and mood, by Gina Meyers

Do you remember watching Mr. Rogers change his shoes and his sweater?

Now you too can feel different, elevate your mood, simply by changing your clothes. I am compiling a book, either e book or softcover book about the power of changing your clothes and how it can uplift your mood and spirits.

If you would like to contribute photos, stories about how your life has been changed simply by changing your clothes, please submit to: Gina Meyers, ginahillmeyers@gmail.com.