Featured Author: John Doherty

The Spanish version of The Ultimate Job Guide (Guia Fundamental Para Buscar y Conseguir Trabajo) was published in 2013, the English version in 2012. VirtualBookWorm Publishing brings author John Doherty here today to talk about this educational book. John says, "Career success is a journey, not a destination."

Interview with John Doherty

John, how long have you been writing? 

Approximately 5 years, I started in 2008.

What inspired you to write The Ultimate Job Guide? 

The poor advice that the unemployed were receiving on the basis of current publications.

How long did it take you to write the book? 

Approximately 2 years to perform the research and organize the substance.

What do you hope readers will get from this book? 

A lesson of planning and inspiration for continuing to explore career opportunities.

How did you come up with the title? 

Simply put, the book is the best book of its nature ever published and within a hundred pages can be found the ultimate job for the individual—-thus The Ultimate Job Guide.

Do you have another job outside of writing? 

Yes, as a wizard of transition.

Hmmm...that sounds interesting. But you're going to keep us guessing as to what that job entails, aren't you? How would you describe your book in a tweet? 

If you're looking to find the right job, buy a business, or even buy a franchise, look no further.

Why did you decide to write this book? 

To raise the professional bar against the current published books.

How did you come up with your cover art?

The cover art was inspired by Daniel Healy and Associates, a recognized expert on Spanish publications.

Tell us about your favorite chapter.

The chapter on branding, quoting Lady Gaga.

What song would you pick to go with the book? 

"You've Got to Have Heart," from Damn Yankees.

Who are your favorite authors? 

David McCoullogh, Mark Twain and Agatha Cristie.

What were your favorite books...

as a child? 

The Bobsey Twins.

As a teenager?

The Red Badge of Courage.

As an adult?

To Kill a Mockingbird.

What book are you currently reading and in what format? 

Digital Marketing, hard cover.

Do you have routine for writing? 

Yes. 

Where would prefer to do your writing.  

In my study.

Name one thing you couldn't live without. 

Belief in God.

If you could only keep one book what would it be: 

The Bible.

Pretend you're going to leave the country for a year. What meal would you have to have before you leave? 

Chicago deep dish pizza with pepperoni.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

A book store.

If you win the lottery what's the first thing you would buy? 

I'd buy a zoo.

Now that's an answer I've never heard before! I love it. Name five people with whom you would pick to be stranded in a book store. 

Bill O'Rielly, David McCoullogh, Mark Twain, Saint John, and George Will.

A day off to do anything but write. 

Go to a Chicago Cubs game.

Where would your dream office be?

A tree house in Colorado.

Where is home for you? 

The Big Apple.

What's one of your favorite quotes? 

“Second place is rinky-dink.”

What three books read recently would you recommend? 

Rumsfeld Rules, Digital Marketing, The Brooklyn Bridge.

What would you like to do when you're not writing? 

Put people back to work.

What are you working on now? 

Publishing an effective website.

About the author: 

John Doherty brings to Doherty International his considerable talents and expertise as a counselor in the fields of entrepreneurial strategies and new business development. He also is a recognized pioneer and visionary in the field of executive transition, with more than 25 years of leadership in this highly competitive field. In fact, he first identified the need for and began providing these services to corporations and their executives many years before such services became popular and commonplace. 

Doherty is CEO of Doherty International, Inc., which he formed in 1993 to provide executive transition planning and counseling plus related services. Prior to that he served as chairman and CEO of an internationally ranked consulting firm. He also has held progressively more responsible positions, primarily in human resources, with companies including ITT and Baxter Laboratories, and in organization development with Booz, Allen, and Hamilton. Doherty also serves in a volunteer capacity as Executive Director of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Career and Business Networking Ministry. This ministry, which has assisted hundreds of individuals, was founded to relieve the pain and stress of job loss.  With an excellent established speaker's program, the ministry has drawn attention for its effectiveness. Participants receive a free copy of The Ultimate Job Guide in either English or Spanish as part of a community outreach. Doherty holds a BA in political science from Iona College and has done extensive graduate work at St. John’s University School of Law and Stern’s School of Business at New York University. He has lectured at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He currently serves on the board of advisors of Options Unlimited, a retirement counseling firm, and for a decade was on the board of advisors of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center. He is a past member of the Chicago Club and the Philadelphia Union League Club.

Connect with John:
Website |  Blog | Publisher 

Featured Author: Steve Marantz

I'm very happy to welcome Steve Marantz to A Blue Million Books today. Steve is the author of the non-fiction book Next Up At Fenway, just recently published by Inkwater Press.

About the book:

"Through the story of Marcos Baez and Fenway High, Steve Marantz shows the humanity and prospects of Latino student in our nation’s public schools. Next Up at Fenway gives us a window into how social forces and education policy decisions are playing out in real people’s lives -- for better and worse -- within America’s fastest growing demographic. This book is both Americana and a reality check for the 21st century.” - Sonia Chang-Diaz, Massachusetts state senator and former teacher.

Interview with Steve Marantz:

Steve, you've been a reporter, and now you're a researcher at ESPN. How long have you been writing, and how did you start?

For about 40 years now. I got a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and worked as a newspaper reporter. About ten years ago I switched to television, with ESPN, and continued my writing with books. Next Up at Fenway is my third.

Tell us about Next Up At Fenway.

Next Up tells the true story of Marcos Baez, whose public high school next to Fenway Park was his best hope for a college education and a better life. Baez, the son of a single mother of Puerto Rican descent, personifies the struggle and determination of America's fastest-growing demographic.

Recognized as one of two Boston high schools "where Latinos succeed" by the Mauricio Gaston Institute of the University of Massachusetts-Boston, Fenway High teaches critical thinking and community involvement in a familial environment. Through its innovative curriculum and Latino-sensitive culture, the school helps Latino students succeed academically and in personal development.

Inspired by this educational model, his teachers, and the Red Sox Foundation’s Lindos Sueños program that sent him to the Dominican Republic for training and community service, Baez works toward his goal of college.

Few adults want to go back to high school, yet you did, in a manner of speaking, for two years. What was the experience like?

Fun - to be around so much youthful energy. Encouraging - to see how hard these kids worked. Humbling - to see how far education has come since my high school days. My high school, Omaha Central, was considered top-notch in its day, but it offered little of the innovation I saw at Fenway.


What was the toughest aspect of writing Next Up At Fenway?

Focusing the story. There were so many directions I could have taken it, so many strong characters, so many themes. I had to pick, and narrow it down. I’m a firm believer that a story that tries to do too much ends up doing too little.

How did you come up with the title Next Up At Fenway?

It seemed to fit, since the story is about upward mobility. Just under 70 percent of Fenway’s students live at or below the poverty line.

For what age group is this book intended?

High school-aged readers on up.

Tell us about your "day job."

I am a researcher for the ESPN E:60 show. It is a news magazine show with long-form storytelling, human interest and investigative stories. My job is to support the producers in whatever their needs are. It enables me to work at home four days a week, which frees me up to work on books in my spare time.

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

Quick read. Fun. Provocative. Inspirational. Where America is heading - we hope.

Why did you decide to write this book?

I live in the Boston area - it was accessible to me. It was original - nobody had done it. It was relevant - education and Latino culture are on America’s front burner. It was fun - a high school next to Fenway Park. How cool is that?

Very cool. What do you hope others will get from reading Next Up At Fenway?

Pleasure. Hope and inspiration. Empathy. And maybe some ideas to apply to public schools everywhere and anywhere.

Do you outline or write by the seat of your pants?

Outline.  A narrative needs to follow a few effective principles.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I love the image of Marcos at the ‘Lindos Suenos’ camp in the Domincan Republic, indignant at the behavior of his fellow American non-Latino teenagers, and provoked enough to write the opening lines in his college application essay.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

Marc Anthony’s “Ahora Quien.”



Who are your favorite authors?

Tom Wolfe, Frank Rich, Larry McMurtry, James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Mayer, Elizabeth Kolbert, Malcolm Gladwell.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix him?

Tolkien. I would fix him whatever he wanted. And ask him what the heck he was smoking.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

We're with Nobody: Two Insiders Reveal the Dark Side of American Politics by
Alan Huffman and Michael Rejebian. Paperback.


Do you have a routine for writing? Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?

Morning. Before my brain is fried.

You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

Golf. 36 holes if possible.

Where’s home for you?

Swampscott, Ma. It’s got Vinnan Square and Red Rock Bistro. Just about everything a person needs.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens.” - Woody Allen

“Sex without love is a meaningless experience, but as far as meaningless experiences go its pretty damn good.” - Woody Allen

Okay, that's two, but they're both good, so I'll let it slide. What three books have you

read recently and would recommend?

Stieg Larsson’s the Millennium trilogy. Tremendous. Made me want to see Sweden. 

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? (Don’t worry about the money. A publisher is paying. )

Omaha would be cool. But I’m happy in Swampscott. Everything is here.

Omaha? Seriously? What are you working on now?

A vegetable and cheese omelet.

Always a wise guy. Thanks for being here, Steve!

More books by Steve Marantz:

About the author:    

Steve Marantz is a researcher/producer for the ESPN E:60 show and a former reporter in government, politics and sports for the Boston Globe and Boston Herald.  His last book, The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central: High School Basketball at the ’68 Racial Divide, won the ForeWord Reviews gold medal for non-fiction sports, and the Nebraska Center for the Book award for non-fiction history.  He also authored Sorcery at Caesars: Sugar Ray’s Marvelous Fight.  Marantz lives in Swampscott, Mass., with his wife, Alison Arnett, and their dog, Arthur.

Connect with Steve:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Publisher |

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble |