The Creative Spark

Michael Shapiro is the author of A Sense of Place, which was reviewed or excerpted by the New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic Traveler, San Francisco Chronicle and many other publications. He was interviewed by PBS, CNN and many local outlets and will follow up with all of these. Shapiro is well-connected in the media and will be able to create press coverage through his contacts. Strong social media presence, especially Facebook Dedicated Facebook page Numerous author events in the San Francisco Bay Area and other regions Special events at the Exploratorium and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) Build podcast, blog, and YouTube channel called Fanning the Creative Spark to support the book Create alliances and leverage organizations with memberships that care about the creative process, e.g., writing groups, writing courses, book clubs, partner advocacy groups Seek endorsements from influential people and thought leaders across the spectrum, such as Seth Godin, Michael Krasny, Chip and Dan Heath, Elizabeth Gilbert, David Kelley TV and radio interviews Dedicated book website, author website, publisher's website

The creative spark resides in all of us, but some activate that spark more than others. In 50-plus interviews, musicians, authors, explorers and chefs speak about what drives them, how they see in fresh ways, and what inspires them to turn their visions into art.“Knowledgeable, probing, and thoughtful.” —Foreword Reviews Smokey Robinson • Barbara Kingsolver • Francis Ford Coppola • David Sedaris • Jane Goodall and other luminaries reveal the secrets to their creative success. Amy Tan talks about how she finds truth by writing fiction. Melissa Etheridge tells us how she channels her fire into her music. Pico Iyer shares how seeking stillness enhances his creativity. And Coppola discusses how he found the courage to make groundbreaking films. In The Creative Spark, a collection of interviews prefaced by brief biographies, these luminaries join dozens of other voices to create a symphony of inspiration. Lucinda Williams talks about honesty and making every word count; Jane Goodall cites the value of persistence and believing in yourself; and Smokey Robinson heralds the timeless power of love songs. For more than a decade, award-winning author Michael Shapiro (A Sense of Place) has interviewed many of our brightest creators. In The Creative Spark, musicians, authors, explorers, and chefs speak about what drives them, what helps them see the world in fresh ways, and what inspires them to turn their visions into art. Shapiro’s work as a music journalist has led to interviews with legends including Graham Nash, Lyle Lovett, Melissa Etheridge, Jake Shimabukuro, Merle Haggard, and Jethro Tull bandleader Ian Anderson. And he’s spoken with creative masters in other fields, such as comedian Joan Rivers and author Frances Mayes. Yet it’s not simply that Shapiro has had access to so many supremely talented people—it’s that he gets them to go deep. Moments into his penetrating conversation with Lucinda (her fans call her by her first name), she tells Shapiro about how decisions made about her mother’s funeral led to fissures in her family. From this achingly personal conversation, readers can glean fresh insights into why Lucinda has such a devoted following and why her songs open listeners’ hearts. Unexpected revelations pop up in every chapter of The Creative Spark. Iowa folksinger Greg Brown isn’t a household name, but his...