The Better Angels Publishing Company announces that the "Stop Making Yourself Miserable" podcast will now begin its annual summer hiatus. We'll resume our normal schedule again in the fall.

At this point, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for your continued, enthusiastic support. As you know, the purpose of these podcasts is to present intriguing information that is specifically designed to stimulate personal growth, and I'm happy to report that so far, it has been a terrific success.

Let's take a look at some robust statistics that highlight how valuable your support has been.

To date, we have completed a total of 74 episodes, which are sent out by email to our growing subscriber base. We also have readers and listeners who access the podcasts entirely on their own. So far, we've had close to 15,000 views of the written episodes and about 4,500 downloads of the recordings. Now, this has all happened with no marketing whatsoever – simply by word of mouth, which makes these statistics all the more impressive.

Also, our podcast emails continue to enjoy a tremendous open rate. According to industry standards, the average open rate for this kind of content is about 7-10%. Since we began, our open rate has steadily maintained an incredible 57.3%, which is more than five times the industry standard! So once again, I want to offer our sincere thanks to you for your loyal support.

Now, besides this hiatus announcement and podcast update, I am happy to report a few other significant upcoming developments as well.

As you may know, this August marks the fifth anniversary of the publishing of my memoir, "Wilt, Ike & Me" and it continues to be extremely well-received. Readership has been growing steadily, and we recently passed seventy-five unsolicited five-star reviews on Amazon. For your interest, I'll add a couple of samples at the end of this email.

But now for some exciting 5th anniversary news about the book. At the end of August, we will be publishing a commemorative, limited edition hardback version and we are going to prepare a special release for podcast subscribers. I'll keep you posted as things develop, so keep an eye on your inbox.

And also, in a completely different genre, at the end of 2023 we are planning to release a new book called, "The Higher Mind Training – How Your Innate Genius Can Transform Your Life."

By way of background, there was a famous NASA study that found that 98% of humans begin life as a creative genius, and even though we've mainly lost touch with it, we still have this incredible resource within our intelligence.

Resulting from over fifty years of research and experience in the field of Inner Growth, I've drawn on sources as diverse as Ancient Wisdom through to modern neuroscience, to design this program to help the average, everyday person fulfill their highest potential. Of course, I'll keep you posted on the progress of this groundbreaking project as it continues to evolve and grow.

As you can see, we have a number of innovative projects in the works, and there are a few more in development that I will mention to you a little more down the road. So even though the podcasts will cease for now, keep on the lookout for email updates from me that will be arriving in your inbox on a regular basis.

In closing, I wish you a terrific summer and I urge you to keep on growing your awareness to the higher levels of understanding. Remember, there's no end to this inner evolution and we're all changing every single day. It's how our intelligence naturally grows, so we don't have to resist it and we don't have to be afraid of it. The great master of words, Ben Franklin, once put a great spin on it when he summed it up this way: "When you're finished changing, you're finished."

As I mentioned, here are a few Amazon review samples about "Wilt, Ike & Me":

"David Richman, eloquently delves deeply into the underlying meaning behind unanticipated losses. He shares a valuable perspective on the inevitable challenges that we will all face in life. I couldn't put this book down!"

"A poignant and evocatively written tale of a great Black American and his cultural immersion in a 60's Jewish family. This is a unique and unlikely story that could only happen in the USA amid the cultural ferment that was 1960s America."

"Richman has brought us a rare and wonderful treat, rich with details that ring with joy, pain and meaning. He opens a doorway to a depth of meaning that we rarely stumble on ourselves. Richman is a master storyteller, but far more important are the stories he has to tell. Quite an extraordinary feat and quite an extraordinary book."

I hope you can relax and enjoy your inner journey. And I wish you all the best. Have a great summer! – DR By the way, if you haven't gotten a copy of the book yet, here is a link to order:

Wilt, Ike & Me Available Now

And if you would like to write a review, you can post it to this link:

Review Wilt, Ike & Me