NeuroPLAYsticity by Ann Zuccardy

Ann Zuccardy

Baltimore, Maryland

Ann is a two-time TEDx speaker, frequent keynote presenter, and adjunct English instructor with a B.A. and an M.A. in English/Creative Writing.

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About the author

For Ann, “laughter is the best medicine” isn’t just a slogan - it’s a healthy way of life.

When a fall in a German bathtub in 2011 and the resulting brain injury (TBI) left Ann Zuccardy unable to return to her corporate writing career, walk a straight line, or read a book, she didn’t know or care why neuroplasticity mattered. As she stumbled her way toward recovery, she discovered some basic truths about the science of how humor, laughter, and play enhance learning and brain health.

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Success! NeuroPLAYsticity has already sold 31 pre-orders , was pitched to 41 publishers , and is in discussions with publishers .

$20 Basic Brain

23 readers

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- 1 printed copy
- 1 free ebook

1 copy + ebook included

$5 shipping

$45 Better Brain

4 readers

You'll receive:

- 2 printed copies, one for you and one for a friend.
- 2 free ebooks
- Biweekly Brainbuilding Tips email with Q&A for a month with Ann Zuccardy

2 copies + ebook included

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$150 Brilliant Brain

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You'll receive:

- 5 printed copies (autographed for those located in the greater Baltimore, Maryland, Burlington, Vermont, or New York City areas)
- 5 free ebooks
- Invitation to the book launch party in Baltimore,Maryland
- Let’s laugh together! I’ll introduce you to the benefits of laughter yoga in a 30 minute webinar (up to 5 people). You will leave with lower blood pressure, a smile on your face, and reduced stress
- Free shipping!

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$250 Brainiac

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You are a Brainiac! You'll receive:

- 10 printed copies (autographed for those located in the greater Baltimore, Maryland, Burlington, Vermont, or New York City areas)
- 10 free ebooks
- Invitation to the book launch party in Baltimore, Maryland
- Let’s laugh together! I’ll introduce you to the benefits of laughter yoga in a 60 minute webinar (up to 15 people). You will leave with lower blood pressure, a smile on your face, and reduced stress.
- Your name or company name mentioned in the book’s acknowledgements
- Free shipping

10 copies + ebook included

Free shipping

$550 Brainbuilder

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Building Brains one laugh at a time! You'll receive:

- 25 printed copies (autographed for those located in the greater Baltimore, Maryland, Burlington, Vermont, or New York City areas)
- 25 free ebooks
- Invitation to the book launch party in Baltimore,Maryland
- Access to private Facebook group
- 1-hour workshop introducing you to the benefits of laughter yoga in a 60 minutes fun activity (up to 50 people)
- Your name or company name mentioned in the book’s acknowledgements
- Free shipping

25 copies + ebook included

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$1000 Bright Brains at Work

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This is a great bonus for companies who know that employees who take breaks for fun are more motivated, loyal, and productive. As well, great for practices and associations of:

· dementia caregivers
· medical professionals
· teachers and professors
· mental health professionals
· first responders

You’ll receive:
- 50 printed copies autographed
- 50 free ebooks
- Invitation to the book launch party in Baltimore, Maryland
- Access to private Facebook group
- Your company name mentioned in the book’s as a sponsor
- A half day workshop with quick reference cards of laughter yoga techniques and benefits (up to 30 people)
- Book signing table with Ann Zuccardy
- Free shipping

50 copies + ebook included

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$2500 Best Brains at Work

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A bonus focused on hospitals, professional associations, clinics, nursing homes and hospices.

You’ll receive:

- 120 printed copies autographed
- 100 free ebooks
- Invitation to the book launch party in Baltimore, Maryland
- Access to private Facebook group
- 1 hour keynote for your next company meeting or conference, quick reference cards provided (up to 200 people, and under availability for both sides)
- Access to private Facebook group
Your company name mentioned in the book’s as a sponsor at the - front page
- Book signing table with Ann Zuccardy
- Free shipping

120 copies + ebook included

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NeuroPLAYsticity

5 Fun Ways to Build a Better Brain

Can humor help your brain age gracefully? You bet! This book examines the scientifically-proven benefits of humor and laughter to improve brain health.

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	Mind & Body
	50,000 words
	25% complete
	10 publishers interested
	View publishers • Express interest

Synopsis

60 is the new 40. We tail-end baby boomers are not aging and retiring the way our parents did! We are hiking, biking, traveling and earning advanced degrees. Those of us who have watched our parents struggle with dementia and the ravages of aging are saying, “That’s NOT going to happen to me!” But what can we do to prevent it?

We know more about the brain now than we did even ten years ago. We know that neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to create new neural connections throughout a lifetime) allows us to work out the brain like a muscle and improves our chances of keeping it healthy well into our elder years. Everyone knows the old adage, “Laughter is the best medicine,” but now science backs it up. Laughter and play create physical changes in the brain and body and can profoundly impact our quality of life. The author calls this: neuroPLAYstsicity.

NeuroPLAYsticity: 5 Fun Ways to Build a Better Brain is based on Ann 2013 TEDx talk, How a Brain Injury Made Me Smarter, (which has 80K views as of August 2019). This book combines humor and playfulness with scientifically-proven strategies for building new neural pathways – without the scientific jargon.

Sales arguments

Ann Zuccardy is a two-time TEDx Speaker and frequent keynote presenter at conferences.
Ann Zuccardy is an adjunct English instructor with a B.A. and an M.A. in English/Creative Writing.
CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) interviewed Ann Zuccardy in 2016 on The Current - 'Mild' Concussion Could Triple Risk of Suicide, Study Suggests.
Award-winning Seven Days newspaper (Vermont) did a feature article about the author: Ann Zuccardy Turns a Brain Injury into a New Career, in 2016.
Ann Zuccardy is a member of the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor.

Similar titles

“Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient” by Norman Cousins, published by W. W. Norton & Company 2005 (1979). The book is still widely popular because it was the first of its kind, but our knowledge of neuroscience has grown immensely since 1979 and studies backing up Cousin’s hypotheses on humor and health are now widely available. Ann Zuccardy’s book makes these scientific studies accessible to readers, while providing practical applications for implementing knowledge gleaned from each study.
“Brain Rules for Aging Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and Sharp” by John Medina, published by Pear Publishing, 2017. John Medina is well-known in the brain health space and has written several books focused on brain health for various populations. He provides quick, easy to read principles, but does not get into humor and the brain.
“Build a Better Brain: Using Everyday Neuroscience to Train Your Brain for Motivation, Discipline, Courage, and Mental Sharpness” by Peter Hollins, Independently published, 2019. Hollins makes neuroscience easy to understand and gives practical ideas for increasing brain health, but he does not discuss therapeutic humor and how humor impacts brain health and learning.

Audience

Midlifers, particularly those at the tail end of the baby boomer generation (born 1954-1964) who want to do whatever they can to grow old gracefully and with their brains functioning at 100%.

Advance praise

"Everyone LOVED her! She was so inspiring!"
-Mary Kay Morrison, Past President, Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor

“I just watched Ann's TEDx talk and I'm speechless (no pun intended). Ann has turned her life-changing moment after suffering a traumatic brain injury into motivation to help others. I didn't know Ann before her injury but her engaging presence, charm and humor come through loud and clear in her talk.”
-Ted Prodromou, Author, The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business, California

“Ann Zuccardy is a mentor and role model. She’s the person I bounce my creative ideas off when I want insightful advice. She’s the perfectionist who catches the finest mistakes in my writing with her fine-toothed comb of a brain. I know I can trust her and her exquisite life advice.”
-Professor Frank Chindamo, Founder and CEO, LaughMD

“What has always impressed me about Ann’s work is the richness of its themes. Though brain injury is one of her topics, she also deals with universal human concerns such as the nature of intelligence, the roots of creativity, and the sources of greater productivity. In her TEDx talks, speeches, and writing, Ann combines the personal and theoretical with human stories and solid research. Her wit and charm are always entertaining and engaging. Ann is a supremely gifted communicator and facilitator.”
-Andrew Nargolwala, Psychotherapist & Podcaster, New Jersey

10 publishers interested Express interest

	Meyer & Meyer Sport 500 copies • Partial manuscript • Looking for topics that support amateur sports enthusiasts, coaches, elite athletes, PE teachers, sports scientists, and sports medics. Meyer & Meyer Sport was founded in 1984 and is widely acknowledged to be among the elite of sport publishers worldwide. Since then the company has grown to be the biggest sports publishing house worldwide while ensuring quality remained the best possible. The company's prime objective is to provide ideas and practical guidance to sport and leisure activities that will improve the reader's performance, enjoyment and will raise the quality of life. Topics are aimed at many different age groups, ranging from children and adolescents to adults and seniors. With a list of titles that now exceeds 2,000 titles in both English and German, written by some of the world's acknowledged experts in their individual fields, the company provides a wide range of products, from handbooks providing in-depth analysis of the subject to hints and tips for the more casual reader. Meyer & Meyer is also the home of some of the world's most prestigious academic journals and theses published in sports science. Traditional publisher Mind & Body, Biography & Memoir, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Crafts & Hobbies, Health, Fitness & Dieting, Journalism, Mindfulness & Happiness, Motivation & Inspiration, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Popular Science, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors Australia, United Kingdom, United States
	Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. 250 copies • Completed manuscript. Atlantic Publishing has been providing millions of readers information to jumpstart their careers, start businesses, manage employees, invest, plan for retirement, learn technologies, build relationships, and live rewarding, fulfilling lives. Our award-winning authors and publication staff strive to make our products the best and most up-to-date available. We go further than most publishers to get our customers the best products. Hybrid publisher Children Fiction, Mind & Body, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Politics & Social Sciences, Society & Culture Worldwide
	Blooming Twig 500 copies • Complete manuscript. Blooming Twig is an award-winning boutique publishing house, media company, and thought leadership marketing agency. Based in New York City and Tulsa, we have represented and re-branded hundreds of thought leaders, published more than 400 titles in all genres, and built up a like-minded following for authors, speakers, trainers, and organizations with our bleeding-edge marketing strategies. Blooming Twig is about giving the people with something to say (“thought leaders”) a platform, walking its clients up to their own influencer pulpit, and making sure there is a like-minded crowd assembled to hear the meaningful message. Hybrid publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide
	Boyle & Dalton 250 copies • Completed manuscript. Boyle & Dalton was founded in 2014 and publishes works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. The world of publishing is changing, we're changing with it. Our founder Brad Pauquette, conceptualized a hybrid model that balances the financial and rights model of self-publishing with the quality controls and production excellence of a traditional publisher. Our designers and editors produce exceptional books that are distributed in both print and digital formats to all major retailers, including Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Boyle & Dalton carefully consider all submissions for publication, based on manuscript quality. We do not accept erotica or children's books. Hybrid publisher Christian Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBT Fiction, Literary Essay, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Mythology & Folk Tales, Poetry, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Women's Fiction, YA Fiction, Art & Photography, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Children Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Coloring Books for Grown-Ups, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Communication Skills, Corporate Culture, Crafts & Hobbies, Creativity, Current Affairs, Economics, Education, Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Humor & Entertainment, Illustrated Books, Journalism, LGBT Non-Fiction, Management & Leadership, Marketing & Sales, Mindfulness & Happiness, Money & Investment, Motivation & Inspiration, Nature & Environment, Parenting, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Philosophy, Politics & Social Sciences, Popular Science, Productivity & Time Management, Psychology, Reference, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Sex & Relationships, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel, YA Non-Fiction Worldwide
	Cranthorpe Millner 250 copies • Partial manuscript. Cranthorpe Millner operates a hybrid publishing model. This means, should an author pass our editors’ strict filtering system, we can offer different kinds of agreements depending on the author and the manuscript. With some authors, we work under a ‘traditional’ model, whereby we cover the full cost of publication and the author is offered industry-standard royalties (8-10%). To some authors, we offer what we call a partnership or contributory agreement, whereby the author is asked for a financial contribution so that we may share the risk and enter into a partnership together to publish the author’s book. In this case, the author receives around 60-75% royalties. Hybrid publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Mind & Body, Mind & Body, Romantic Fiction, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Biography & Memoir, Health, Fitness & Dieting, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, History, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Science, Science, Sports & Outdoors, Sports & Outdoors, Travel, Travel United Kingdom, United States, Canada
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	Atmosphere Press 250 copies • Partial manuscript. Atmosphere Press is an independent publisher dedicated to author rights. We publish in all genres and have an exceptional editorial, design, and promotional staff. We stand for Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, and Kindness. We want our authors and their readers to be blown away when they first hold that book in their hands. It needs to look good inside and out, and feel good to the touch. And, of course, the words need to be top-notch, and our editors are devoted to making that the case. Service publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide
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Update #1 - Thank you for pre-ordering NeuroPLAYsticity Nov. 1, 2019

Thanks to all who pre-ordered my book and subscribed to my updates.

I have signed a contract with Atmosphere Press.

I’ll be stepping back from …

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Ann Zuccardy

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NeuroPLAYsticity

Synopsis

Sales arguments

Similar titles

Audience

Advance praise