“People believe they have to wait to be chosen to do something.
Authors wait for a publisher. Entrepreneurs wait for an investor,
employees wait for a boss. Reject the tyranny of being picked.
Pick yourself.”
Seth Godin

Pick yourself. What a refreshing idea! Our sage Seth is a marketing whiz and innovative entrepreneur who wholeheartedly believes in networking, connecting, creating “tribes” as support teams, and in being proactive rather than playing the “waiting game.” His “pick yourself” strategy sprang to mind when I read about a father and son who have launched their own publishing company, Lima Bear® Press.

The Press has a praiseworthy mission: “to publish children’s stories that are, engaging, imaginative, and humorous while each carries an important life message such as tolerance, honesty, courage ….”

As the start-up story goes, Thomas Weck loved telling his four kids stories — and the kids loved hearing them. They wanted to hear them over and over again — and with every detail painstakingly recalled — no variations allowed! Thirty or so years later, one of the kids, Peter, who’s now the father of three girls, asked his dad (now 69) to write the stories down. Together, father and son reconstructed them. Today, The Megasaurus, How Back-Back Got His Name, and The Cave Monster are up and running — the first offerings in a 10-picture book series.

Not surprisingly, Thomas Weck is a big fan of storytelling as a form of education: “These minds are such sponges, they just pull everything in and it all sticks.” Of his own talent for tall tales, he observes: “Sometimes I didn’t know where these stories were coming from. They just appeared.” Of his son, Peter, the engine behind their enterprise: He also is a child at heart as I am.”

How wonderful that a brand new press for kids has been born — one that combines fun, humor, happy endings, and messages about sharing and caring. And how great that Thomas and Peter took a do-it-yourself approach. Let’s all take this story to heart and be more proactive about managing our own lives as authors. Bravo, boys!