Wishing the Best to @carynsullivan and @prettywellness and Her Book Debut @FairfieldUBooks

Drats. I'm on a train heading to Philly and, as a result, need to miss Caryn Sullivan's book debut tonight: Happiness Through Hardship: A Guide for Cancer Patients, Their Caregivers and Friends During an Initial Cancer Diagnosis. Caryn will be reading from her work, doing autographs of the new book and sharing her at the Fairfield University Bookstore in Fairfield, Connecticut.

I am so honored to know her and love her with all my might. Why? Well, I've been a huge fan of hers ever since she enrolled in our English Education program. She came to us from a business/marketing field where she did tremendous work for ESPN. I knew from the second I first saw her present to others that she was a motivator, achiever, and tremendous personality...so much so that I had her as an opening speaker during our Digital Ubuntu: Writing Our Lives conference in 2015, part of our John Legend and NWP LRNG work.

Fast forward, new challenges arrived, and Caryn needed to slow the pace of her Masters degree. Devoted and always together, however, she took some time off and then quickly returned to finish  and, lo and behold, she took part-time work with the Connecticut Writing Project where she helped edit Power of Words, arranged Young Adult Literacy Labs, and kept teacher professional development always on the radar. Some of my favorite days at Fairfield University have been those when Caryn looked at me and I looked at her and we'd both say, "Power walk?" and headed outdoors to do loops around campus. We are both tremendous fans of the walk-n-talk and on numerous occasions we discussed the concept for writing this book. I am so proud that tonight's guests in Fairfield County have an opportunity to share in Caryn's wisdom like I have.

Last year, Caryn moved on from CWP-Fairfield to focus are her public speaking, Pretty Wellness, and her inspirational work as a mover, shaker, survivor and (well) Mombie-Zombie Mom. She's a champion of healthy eating, a sorceress of positive energy, and an all around tremendous human being. I HATE HATE HATE that I can't be with her and her family at tonight's reading. I can, however, watch videos of Caryn's work on the train.

I am beyond proud of her accomplishment and miss seeing her on a regular basis. Caryn Sullivan is the best, VIP in my world, and a motivator who is always in the back of my mind encouraging me to be a better man.

Here's to Caryn and the publication of her book!