A “big zero” in writing credentials and a C in English. That’s how Doug Berry describes his qualifications, and he’s now a children’s book author, a sci-fi novelist, and a Josie Music Award nominee headed to the Grand Ole Opry.
Doug is a recently retired Air Force veteran from South Carolina who asks the question most of us are afraid to answer: why am I not working on my dream? For Doug, it started when he watched his Air Force buddy study to become a pilot. It led him to send about 5,000 emails and letters until one NASCAR team finally said yes. None of his success happened overnight. It’s been about 26 years since the NASCAR days to the Opry stage, with hot spots and cold spots along the way. The one thing about Doug is that he never stopped.
In this episode:
• Why Doug’s advice for retirement is “keep busy and enjoy it”
• How a baby rabbit named Jasper, caught in the backyard by his nine-year-old son, became the Jasper and Friends children’s books
• The part of publishing nobody warns you about: choosing the illustrator’s scenes, getting an ISBN, and why Doug took photos from “rabbit height” around his yard
• Hybrid publishing vs. Amazon KDP, and why he did one for his children’s books and the other for his sci-fi novels, Guardians of the Unknown and Guardians of the Unknown: Convergence
• How rejection toughened his shell, including about five hybrid publishers saying no before one said yes
• The “make a decision and fix it if it’s wrong” mindset he learned in the Air Force
• The advice from game-show creator Dave Knoll to “think huge” that sent Doug from books to a jingle and songwriting
• The story behind “We Don’t All Come Home the Same,” nominated for Social Impact Song of the Year at the Josie Music Awards
• Why Doug calls himself “years into a 10-year overnight success”
Connect with Doug: You can find him on LinkedIn. His Jasper and Friends books are on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart online.
00:00 Think Huge Mindset
02:00 Retirement Transition Tips
03:21 No Credentials Needed
06:23 Air Force Grit
07:31 NASCAR Dream Pursuit
13:03 Handling Rejection
14:56 Jasper Book Origin
16:59 Publishing Reality Check
20:40 Sci Fi On KDP
22:26 Writing Process Flowcharts
25:05 Songwriting and Branding
28:38 Song Meaning and Message
29:26 Josie Awards Nomination
31:24 Long Game of Success
33:40 Make the Decision
37:29 Handling Rejection and Ghosting
39:09 Outside Perspective and Networking
44:27 Dream Bigger Than Big
47:36 Where to Find Doug
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