Tony Brasunas

Connecting with you throughout the country on this tour has been so fulfilling and fun that it’s hard to believe it’s coming to a close. But next week at Books, Inc., in Alameda, and later this month, at Green Apple Books in San Francisco, we will approach the end of the Double Happiness Book Tour.

These final two events, both in the Bay Area, should both really be great. Please come support our local independent bookstores for my only East Bay and San Francisco readings:

Friday, January 9 (EAST BAY)
7pm : Reading & Signing
Books, Inc.
1344 Park St, Alameda
Full Event Info > 

Saturday, January 24 (SF)
4pm : Reading & Signing
Green Apple Books
506 Clement St., SF
Full Event Info >

Until then, trust yourself, have fun, take chances,
Tony

As I mentioned during the Kicksarter, the number 8 is considered “lucky” and “happy” in China, and it is connected with the character for Double Happiness. In honor of the luckiness of 8, for these eight days, December 18-25, Double Happiness will be half free!

Gifts out of gratitude for anyone who would enjoy an adventurous and redemptive journey through the Middle Kingdom:

The Audiobook

Yes! It’s my pleasure to announce that after dozens of hours in a recording studio in Berkeley, CA, and after the hardcover, paperback, and e-book have been out for many months, the final format of Double Happiness is nearly here! I will write more about this in future posts, but to answer your basic questions:

• Yes, I read the book myself and tell the story for your listening pleasure.
• Yes, I pronounce the Chinese terms and words for you.
• Yes, it’s the unabridged whole book.
• Yes, it’s a wonderfully professional production. A double gratitude to the pros at Live Oak Studio.
• Yes, it’s availabe on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. 

Update: It’s now published and available on Amazon and should be in iTunes and Audible any minute now as well!

Here it is: The Amazon Page >

January Events!
December will soon turn into January and with it, the book tour will wrap up. I’ve had so many wonderful events and so much fun connecting with you throughout the country, it’s hard to believe the book tour is coming to a close. There are a couple of final events left, and they should be great, so if you are (or will be) in the Bay Area, I will be doing my final reading events in January. Please come and support these wonderful independent bookstores. My only East Bay and San Francisco readings will take place:

Friday, January 9 (EAST BAY) 
7pm : Reading & Signing
Books, Inc. 
1344 Park St, Alameda
Full Event Info > 

Saturday, January 24 (SF) 
4pm : Reading & Signing 
Green Apple Books 
506 Clement St., SF
Full Event Info >

That’s the news from Double Happiness land for now.

Double happy holidays to all,
Tony

As I write this, the “Storm of the Decade” is apparently brewing directly over Marin County, California. Assuming the city of Corte Madera survives, I’ll be appearing at the wonderful Book Passage bookstore and cafe this Saturday afternoon at 4pm.

I would be delighted to see you there, to share storm survival stories, and to read a story to you about a wild journey through China.

Food and drink available for purchase in the cafe.

Saturday, December 13 (MARIN)
4pm : Reading & Signing
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera
Full Event Info >

After taking me to the Midwest, the East Coast, the Northwest, and down to LA (twice), the Double Happy Tour, this journey to share a journey sponsored by my generous Kickstarter backers, is now taking me home. It’s a warm and delightful feeling, as the cold winter air blows in, to be able to share Double Happiness in person with readers and friends close to home.

After an event at the truly wonderful Changing Hands Books in the Phoenix area on Nov. 30, I’ll be in Marin County, reading at the Bay Area’s famous Book Passage in Corte Madera on Dec. 13. I look forward to sharing Double Happiness with you soon if you’ll meet me in Arizona or in the Bay Area.

I’m also planning another Bay Area event after the first of the year as well. Check this space soon for further details.

Sunday, November 30 (PHOENIX)
2pm : Book Signing
Changing Hands Books
6428 S McClintock Drive, Tempe
Full Event Info >

Saturday, December 13 (MARIN)
4pm : Reading & Signing
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera
Full Event Info >

It’s a delight and an honor to report that Double Happiness has received recognition at two more book awards ceremonies.

In addition to the awards it won earlier this year, Double Happiness has been recognized with these book awards:

• The Living Now Book Awards
  Silver Winner
  (INSPIRATIONAL MEMOIR – MALE)
  “Books For Better Living.” “Celebrating the innovation and creativity of newly published books that can help us improve the quality of our lives.”

• Readers’ Favorite Award
  Honorable Mention (TRAVEL)
  “Readers’ Favorite is the fastest growing book review and award contest… receiving thousands of entries from all over the world.”

Sometimes I get stuck in a funk, feeling desperate or depressed. It can be hard to even remember why or how it was that I felt good before.

If I can just find a moment or two of conscious awareness in these times, I remember that there are many ways to shift this experience. One extreme but effective way I’ve learned is to change my perspective drastically — by imagining I’m going to die.

Here’s how to do it: Close your eyes and take a moment. Pretend you just heard that, without a doubt, for sure, due to a freak and sudden painless accident, you are going to die precisely one year from today. Now ask yourself, What would I do?

Sit back and see where your mind goes. Just watch your mind for a minute. You’ll probably hear yourself say something like, “Well, I definitely wouldn’t worry about that anymore.” And then maybe, “I’d go do that, why not?”

Consider making those changes in your life right away.

But don’t do anything yet, obviously. This is just an exercise. Write down a few of the ideas that dawn on you.

Then try changing the timeframe. If you did one year the first time, now try three months or five years. And then sit back and see where your mind goes. You can try your own timeframe: one week, six months, or ten years.

It can be useful also to try a timeframe that is longer than you expect to live (particularly if you already have a specific life expectation for medical or other reasons.)

You’ll probably find yourself grateful about things you took for granted, angry about things you’ve been wasting time on for months or years, depressed about the repetitiveness of a pattern that you haven’t broken yet, and maybe excited that it’s time to take a chance on that thing you’ve been longing to try.

That’s what happens for me. And I usually see something cool that I hadn’t seen before.

When we remember that we all have this terminal condition called life, and that no one gets out of here alive, we can touch that mysterious miracle that we do have this time, at least. And that’s a change in perspective that has snapped me out of many a funk.