Synopsis

Halfway There: Lessons at Midlife is one woman’s journey through the human condition and the wisdom she gained along the way. Each short essay includes personal stories to help make sense of such subjects as self-esteem, life purpose, aging, relationships, career struggles, death, discontentment and self-acceptance. The book hopes to bring more understanding about the world and one’s place in it, because we all have a reason for existing. It weaves in themes of kindness, love, awareness and gratefulness to help readers better understand the rhythm of life and find the courage to become unabashedly themselves.

Sales arguments

• The subject matter is widely relatable to women ages 20 to 50+, but men have shown an interest as well.
• The author has a strong following on LinkedIn (her most popular post hit 4.8 million, and she gains hundreds of new followers each week).
• Many followers have expressed interest in purchasing an upcoming book.
• The short essay format covers a wide variety of topics so the reader can pick and choose depending on mood or day; a heavy time investment per sitting is not required.
• The book builds on the same themes as the blog posts, which have been well-received, and is written in the same sort of style. Those who have followed my other content would be interested in this book.

Similar titles

• Hidden Blessings: Midlife Crisis as a Spiritual Awakening, Jett Psaris; 2017, Sacred River Press. My book does not present itself as a book focused on spirituality; it is in there but not obnoxiously so. I wanted the book to be accessible to everyone, and to capture the things that all humans struggle with regardless of spiritual belief.
• The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better after 50, Jonathan Rauch; 2018, Thomas Dunne Books. My book purposely uses a generic "midlife" descriptor rather than a specific age. Midlife to one person might mean 38 (as it does to me, since I have a chronic illness and feel older) or it might mean 55 (as it does to a friend of mine, who is healthy and active). Focusing on lessons learned rather than age opens it to a broader audience - including younger ones looking for guidance.
• On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old, Parker J. Palmer; 2018, Berrett-Koehler Publishers. My book offers lessons as one ages but does not specifically market to those growing old. Everyone is on a journey no matter their age, and this book is presenting lessons to anyone who might be interested in reading - young, middle-aged or old.

Audience

This book is primarily written for women ages 20 to 50 to help make sense of the common struggles of the human experience, which are often felt most heavily from the early twenties up to middle age.

Advance praise

Feedback from Ryan Hietpas, a middle-aged businessman, regarding The Lazy River (an essay in the book):

“What a wonderful read! I could feel exactly what you were feeling through your words. Most importantly, the story is completely relatable. It made me think about what I've felt in the past and has made me think about how I kinda feel now...but never had the true words to describe it. I read it twice now...it really struck a chord with me. Thank you sooo much for sharing this piece with me, I really appreciate it and I'm honored I get to read some of your more personal work.”