New Year, New You

We have the ultimate New Year, New You book this year in the recently released THE LIST: 100 WAYS TO SHAKE UP YOUR LIFE, by Gail Belsky. If you haven't checked out the blog, please do! I gave this book to my mom for Christmas. It's an awesome gift for your mothers, sisters, and close friends. The book is aimed at women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond, and it's all about shaking up your routine.

I felt inspired to write about this book today, my first day back in the office after the holidays, when I saw this great write-up about it in The Aspen Times.

Sometimes when I work on a book I forget about the inspiration that kick-started the project to begin with. And for The List, Gail was all about picking things big and small. Some of the things are going to be way beyond your comfort zone, but what's life-changing for one woman might be no big deal to another. Which is why there's something for everyone, and even space at the end to list your own shake-ups. So check out the book and consider challenging yourself in the new year to do at least one or two of them.

---Brooke

merry christmas & happy holidays

Our office is closed for the next couple days and the majority of us are heading home to family or cozying up at our homes here with friends and family.

Wishing all of our authors, readers, and supporters a very warm and happy holiday.

We love and appreciate you.


---from the women of Seal

Rest in peace, Emma

Tragic news this morning that Seal has lost one of its authors.

Emma Bee Bernstein, just 23 years old, was an amazing photographer and co-collaborator with her close friend Nona on the book Girldrive, which is scheduled for publication in fall 2009.

From the moment I saw the Girldrive blog, I admired Emma and Nona's passion for this project. They wanted to make a difference, to chronicle feminism across this country at a particularly pivotal moment in history. Their adventurousness and their pursuit of a dream is what makes this project so special. I believe their work will inspire young women to take a look at feminism, to ask themselves, Where do I fit in all of this? Nona's writing and Emma's photography capture an experience. Their goal was to write a book for and about their generation.

They wrote on their blog:

It’s about gutsy young women across the American cityscape. It’s about the past and the present, and it glimmers on the future. It’s about the promise of the open road.

Emma's passing is such a tremendous loss. Such a talented young woman. Gone way too soon. Our thoughts are with Nona and with Emma's family today. And I leave this blessing from John O'Donahue for Emma:

May there be some beautiful surprise
Waiting for you inside death
Something you never knew or felt,
Which with one simple touch
Absolves you of all loneliness and loss,
As you quicken within the embrace
For which your soul was eternally made.


---Brooke

Last Minute Shopping?

Books make great gifts and now is the time to support your local bookstore by going out and buying some last minute books! A few of our books have made it on to gift list recommendations so check out the below for ideas and suggestions!

The RH Reality Check gift guide offers gifts that allow you to contribute to women friendly-causes! They recommend Yes Means Yes edited by Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valenti as great book purchase.





Sexier Sex by Regina Lynn made it into the Sex Holiday Gift Guide on About.com.







Momaroo also listed her favorite books of 2008, one of which was Rebecca Woolf's Rockabye .





Also check out this website dedicated to why books are great gifts!