New winner chosen

Since the previously selected winner of the book giveaway, Reflections of a Successful Wallflower has not responded, I have once again turned to Random.org to select a new winner.  The winner is:

Margaret said...

This sounds very inspiring! Thanks for the giveaway!

Margaret

August 15, 2011 7:52 PM 

Congratulations Margaret!!  You have 48 hours to respond to the email declaring you the winner.  To receive your prize, I need your address to send to the author who will mail the book directly to you!  Enjoy!!

Winner Selected for Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels Giveaway!!!!

We have a winner!!!  Congratulations go to Dwana, 

who was selected using Random.org.  Here's her comment:

Dwana said...

I'm with Susan - this book sounds interesting 

and I'd love to enter the contest

and I'm a GFC follower -- thanks for holding the contest :)

August 11, 2011 4:54 PM

Dwana has been contacted 

and will have 48 hours to contact me.

Contest Reminders: Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer and Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels

Ending soon my two summer book giveaways featuring:

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer (ends at midnight MST tonight) No requirements.  Open to U.S. and Canada.  CONTEST NOW CLOSED.

and 

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels (ending August 21st midnight MST) Must be a follower of this blog to enter.  Open to U.S. and Canada.  Still open!!

Enter to win now! (click on the linked titles)

WWW Wednesdays - August 10, 2011

Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

I am reading three books right now:

Huber Hill and the Deadman's Treasure by B.K. Bostick

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

What did you recently finish reading?

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

What do you think you will read next?

Next up is Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer.  Review to be posted by month's end.  Check out my contest link Only Time Will Tell Giveaway.  Hurry to enter.  Contest ends August 15!!

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks

***

Have you entered for your chance to win a copy of Reflections of a Successful Wallflower?  Hurry over for your chance to win.  Contest ends August 21st!! 

Please leave a comment with a link to your WWW post so I can return the visit.  

Have a great day!

Giveaway Reminder

Celebrating the month of August

******GIVEAWAY!!******

A highly entertaining read to take on vacation or to relax on your deck with, cool drink in hand!

One lucky winner, USA or Canada, will receive a copy of Andrea's book 

"Reflections of a Successful Wallflower." 

Here's what others have been saying about Reflections of a 

Successful Wallflower:  

"When I heard Andrea had a book coming out, I thought it would be fun to read how she pulled off some of the biggest events in the World, but the book is so much more..Yes, your heart will race when you hear how she got herself in and out of some of the BIGGEST events across the planet...."~T. Seigel

"Reading Andrea Michaels' REFLECTIONS OF A SUCCESSFUL WALLFLOWER is one of those ways to spend a thoroughly relaxing evening. It is short, sweet, entertaining, and informative."~ Grady Harp

"Wow! This was such a fabulous read. Even if you are not in the Events industry, you will find Andrea's life stories/experiences inspiring. Her humor, determination, and love of life all come through so clearly in this book. Managing these corporate events is no easy task (I know first-hand) but Andrea's stories take it to a whole other level. She is a true professional and legend in the business. I highly suggest you read this book if you have any interest in learning how to navigate and be successful in this industry and in life!" ~BLove1365

"I absolutely love Andrea's conversational style and case and point structure. Each story/event experience is told with purpose, direction and clarity. While reading you never feel drowned in industry jargon or complex theories, rather, you feel comfortable in Andrea's language and at ease with her persona.  This book is real, honest and enjoyable right to the last page. A fantastic book for industry professionals and a must-read for business owners and entrepreneurs of all walks of life.  Bravo Andrea! I look forward to re-reading your book as it was a truly inspiring experience." 

~Julie Danaylov, A2D2 Inc 

"Reflections of a Successful Wallflower has invaluable advice for the event planner, the business person and the average reader alike because most of what she shares can be transferred to our daily lives.  She is inspirational, humble, smart and funny and writes an incredible memoir/guide that will have you laughing and shaking your head in disbelief."~ Shirley @ My Bookshelf

This contest will run now until the 21st of August, 

with the winner being selected by Random.org on August 22nd.  

You must be a GFC follower, new or old, of this blog to participate.  That's it.  

So, leave a comment below with your email address and your GFC name.  

Winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond. 

 The winner will be announced here on this blog. 

Good Luck everyone!!

CONTESTS!!!! WIN, WIN, WIN

Have you had a chance to check out the two contests I am currently offering?  All you have to do is be a follower of this blog and leave a comment with your email address for contact purposes should you win.  For recap purposes, here are the two books up to win.  Please proceed to the original contest pages, as linked below, to enter your name.  Open to US and Canada.

Badass Business Women:  the Manifesto by Jennifer Kizorak, et al.  Contest closed.  The winner, Reading Rendesvous, has been selected and will receive a copy of Badass Business Women:  the Manifesto.  Congratulations!

and

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by famous award winning events planner Andrea Michaels.  Contest ends August 21!!


Comments on this post will not be entered in the contests.  Please go to the original posts to enter.

Giveaway!! Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels

As a reader of this blog you will recall a book review I did of Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by event planner and business owner Andrea Michaels. You may read it here.  I was so impressed with the book that I asked Andrea if she would consider doing a book giveaway and a guest post.  

Andrea enthusiastically agreed to the giveaway 

and to prepare a post based on the future of event planning.  

Andrea sent me a link to her blog wherein she wrote of an exciting and new mini-campaign her company, Extraordinary Events, planned.  15 events, spanning 5 cities, it was mini-campaign of gastronomic delight. You must read the entire article on her blog to fully appreciate the magnitude of it all.  

Of this event and others Andrea sees as the current trend taking over the special events industry, Andrea remarked:

"We call these hybrid events and they are the wave of “now”…not the future…because the future will embrace even more changes in how we perceive events and then execute them. It’s no longer a world of for-no-reason-themed parties where a luau might take place in Des Moines or a Hollywood party in Chicago. Or a product launch with 1,000 people sitting in rapt attention for product specialists to present a power point. Now it’s about social media and experiencing events and products in an entirely new way. So, being very much in the “now” we have captured what is happening in today’s world and thus the “Wanderlust” campaign across the U.S. was born. Radical to many but intriguing, inspirational, motivational and effective."

ABOUT THE BOOK:

"Reflections of a Successful Wallflower has invaluable advice for the event planner, the business person and the average reader alike because most of what she shares can be transferred to our daily lives.  She is inspirational, humble, smart and funny and writes an incredible memoir/guide that will have you laughing and shaking your head in disbelief." (My Bookshelf book review)

"Reflections of a Successful Wallflower is an entertaining read for all; well worth your time for the lessons and the entertaining value therein."                       (My Bookshelf book review) 

******Now the giveaway!!******

One lucky winner, USA or Canada, will receive a copy of Andrea's book 

"Reflections of a Successful Wallflower." 

This contest will run now until the 21st of August, 

with the winner being selected by Random.org on August 22nd.  

You must be a GFC follower of this blog to participate.  That's it.  

So, leave a comment below with your email address and your GFC name.  

Winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond. 

EE (Extraordinary Events) is excited to announce the launch of its new blog about the special events industry. Located at http://worldofextraordinaryevents.blogspot.com, the blog will offer news, education and general event tidbits from company president Andrea Michaels and the EE team.  For information on Extraordinary Events please visit www.extraordinaryevents.net.

Upcoming Guest Post and Giveaway!

Author and manager/owner of Extraordinary Events, a special events production company, Andrea Michaels, will be my guest in the near future.  Stay tuned for her insights into the wondrous world of special events and a giveaway of a signed copy of her book, Reflections of a Successful Wallflower!  You're going to love it!

Author Interview: Andrea Michaels "Reflections of a Successful Wallflower"

Andrea Michaels, of Extraordinary Events, is the author of Reflections of a Successful Wallflower - Lessons in Business; Lessons in Life.  The following is an interview with this amazing woman:

What is the title of your book?

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower - Lessons in Business; Lessons in Life.

What is your book about?

"This book is a life lesson, a success road map and a laugh-out-loud look into Andrea Michaels, one of the great business and creative minds working today." - John Klymshyn, Author of How to Sell Without Being a JERK! and The Ultimate Sales Managers' Guide.

Andrea Michaels is literally one of the backbones of the special events industry.  She launched her event production business when there was no formalized or defined marketplace and became, and still is, a trailblazer, pioneering the way for others to follow.  This book can only be compared to reading Andrea's diaries.  This first inductee into the industry's Hall of Fame shares, candidly, not only the public wunderkind but the inner woman.  Readers will discover the workings of one of the foremost event producers in the world.  Her stories have made readers laugh, cry, and be in utter disbelief and fascinated at the same time.  Her stories and her life are great lessons for everyone.

Why did you decide to write it?

I wrote the book for personal satisfaction AND because I hope that, in addition to being a fun read, it will inspire young people and women - two distinct populations I am dedicated to educating. Young people need to understand that their own power and internal drive can lead them to thinking creatively and decisively on more levels than tapping the keys on their computers for solutions.  And women need to know that there is no "glass ceiling" if they can figure out a way to work around it.  They have to believe that they can do anything, including raise a child, enjoy a marriage, run a business (do I sound like a Helen Reddy song?) [cue "I am Woman"] and do it all successfully and happily without sacrificing any one of these relationships.

My stories are about survival - business survival, and about approaches to challenges and how to overcome them.  Business is no more than one element of life, and surviving in business is the same as surviving in life.  It's all about approach and attitude.

How did you get your book published?

I decided I wanted to self-publish.  I asked my editor to research what was available.  After she presented me with all the options and recommended Outskirts Press, I went with them.

What type of readers will be interested in your book?

The obvious ones are other professionals in the special events industry and suppliers to that industry; business leaders, particularly women; young people interested in an incredibly creative and challenging career; women who have had challenging relationships in their lives.  People who are looking for ways to laugh through the pain of working during difficult times and situations.

What is special about your book?  What differentiates it from other books in the same category?

Most books by event producers display gorgeous photos of their events and talk a little bit about the.  Others are "how to" books on the subject.  My book is different because it reveals the challenges that I had to overcome to actually get the events produced.  It intertwines my business and personal life.  Each chapter is a story about an event and its challenges and the lessons I learned both professionally and personally, and I relate everything to my personal life.  I expose my failures and my successes in an open manner.

Have you published any other books?  Do you plan to publish more?

I have never published before, and I do plan to write a sequel to this one.

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and on the Outskirts Press site.

Andrea's web page address:  www.extraordinaryevents.net

Andrea's Outskirts page:  www.outskirtspress.com/andreamichaels

Extraordinary Events office is located in Sherman Oaks, California.

To see my book review visit Reflections of a Successful Wallflower

Book Review: Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower

Author:  Andrea Michaels

Copyright:  2010

Publisher:  Outskirts Press, Inc.

Pages: 310

Genre:  Biography/Business

ISBN 978-1-4327-4909-5

Source:  A complimentary copy was provided by Andrea Michaels and Bostick Communications in return for a review.  This in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

http://www.outskirtspress.com/andreamichaels/

Extraordinary Events web page:  http://www.extraordinaryevents.com/ee_main.html

From the back cover:  Who is Andrea Michaels and What Does She Know That We Don't?

Andrea Michaels is literally one of the backbones of the special events industry.  Launching her business when there was no formalized or defined marketplace, she was and still is a trailblazer, pioneering the way for others to follow.....

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower can only be compared to reading Andrea's diaries.  This first inductee into the industry Hall of Fame shares, openly and candidly, not only the public wunderkind but the inner woman.  Discover the workings of one of the foremost event producers in the world.  You'll laugh; you'll cry; you'll be in disbelief and fascinated at the same time.  She is a storyteller, and her stories and her life are great lessons for everyone.

My thoughts:  Reflections of a Successful Wallflower:  Lessons in Business Lessons in Life by Andrea Michaels is a visit to that wonderland of the special event industry.  The events her company, Extraordinary Events, organized include none other than the grand opening ceremonies of BC Place in Vancouver, Canada; corporate merger events; NASA space shuttle three-day conference and trade show; corporate holiday events; opening of the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas; incentive trips; and even the award show gala for her industry.  Andrea Michaels conjures up images spectacular to the mind including laser shows, pyrotechnic displays, grand staging, performances and so much more that you wish you could be there in person to witness it all.  Not only does she write of these events that her company staged; but she includes challenges, solutions, side notes and lessons learned along the way.  Some lessons are professional, some personal and some both.  Andrea loves what she does and in Reflections of a Successful Wallflower she shares her tips to keeping her cool under stress, like the time their tour bus was run off the road and bandits, high on drugs, robbed the passengers at gun point.  Andrea had the forethought to remove her passport, credit cards, ID, some cash and necessary items before the gunmen boarded the bus and she calmly handed over her purse without harassment.  How many people can keep their cool in a situation like that and have the forethought of mind to make sure she maintained her necessary papers and cards?  She, incidentally, was the only one on the bus to have retained her passport and necessities.

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower has invaluable advice for the event planner, the business person and the average reader alike because most of what she shares can be transferred to our daily lives.  She is inspirational, humble, smart and funny and writes an incredible memoir/guide that will have you laughing and shaking your head in disbelief.

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower is an entertaining read for all; well worth your time for the lessons and the entertaining value therein.

Highly recommended  4/5/5 

About Andrea Michaels

Andrea Michaels, an international meeting and event producer, is the President/Founder of Extraordinary Events and winner of 33 Special Event Gala Awards. She is the first inductee into the Special Event Industry Hall of Fame and a winner of both the SITE Crystal and MPI Global Paragon Awards, among many other recognitions. All of these are for impeccable and innovative meetings and events. Prominent events include the openings of Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel and that city's Town Square, Lumiere Place in St. Louis and G.M. Place in Vancouver, and international road shows for The Hong Kong Tourist Board, as well as a variety of clients globally. Additionally her seminars on Creativity, Sustainability, The Profitability of Doing Business and Anatomy of an Event have earned her international kudos. In a few words, she sets the trends; others follow.