Books, Awards, & Magazines

As a ghostwriter and collaborator, many of the books I have co-authored don’t bear my name. The first few here do, however. Right on the cover or on title or acknowledgment pages.

Beautiful Writers: A Journey of Big Dreams & Messy Manuscripts–with Tricks of the Trade from Bestselling Authors

From the back cover…

Imagine you’re at a dinner party with some of the most successful authors of our time. “Book Mama” and Beautiful Writers Podcast cocreator Linda Sivertsen is the host. As she’s sharing her story of the many hilarious, outrageous, and practical things she did to launch her bestselling writing career, your favorite writers chime in with their own anecdotes, leaving you enlightened and newly inspired. The wisdom in these pages will nourish anyone who dreams of excelling at the art of storytelling.

To view full blurbs & the expanded list of testimonials, see the Beautiful Writers page on Amazon.

Beautiful Writers
Firebird Book Award
International Book Award

“I own every writing book ever written, and Linda Sivertsen has done the near-impossible: given writing itself a personality. There’s a reason we all say yes to coming on her literature podcast–and to being excerpted about our writing processes in this book. I feel like I’m in the very best company. And. Good God, can this woman write! I love Linda’s voice and her honesty. Her stories are cinematic, hilarious, heartfelt, and pitch-perfect—with energy and punch, so often lacking in nonfiction.”

Terry McMillan, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A page-turning beach read doubling as how-to. Magic.”

Jenny Lawson, #1 New York Times bestselling author

 

Beautiful Writers is The Artist’s Way for a new generation . . . it will move many—but to find the mystery and divine in their own creative journeys.”

Tosca Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Iscariot and The Line Between

“I stayed up all night reading Linda’s stories. The fact that her path is landscaped with celebrities, movie stars, gurus, shamans, and astrologers—well, pop some popcorn, you’re in the for an entertaining ride.”

Allison K. Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association

“This is a REALLY good book that will help a LOT of people . . . she’s masterfully interwoven her entertaining publishing stories with our interview excerpts.”

Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of The War of Art

“Linda Sivertsen is someone everyone should know.”

Martha Beck, New York Times bestselling author of The Way of Integrity, an Oprah’s Book Club selection

“Anyone wanting to stoke their creativity will find nuggets of wisdom from many of our great writers and creatives, all wrapped in Linda’s marvelous storytelling.”

Elizabeth Lesser, New York Times bestselling author of Broken Open and Cassandra Speaks

My First Born – Lives Charmed

Lives Charmed: Intimate Conversations with Extraordinary People (HCI, 1998): came to me in a dream. I was a professional dog walker in LA, where my life was a reality show before there was such a thing. I had a front-row seat to some big-time drama—i.e. watching a skyline of fires from a client’s balcony during the riots; taking care of Brandon Lee’s cats the night he was killed on the set of The Crow; getting hired to housesit while clients went to rehab, and being invited to Nicole Brown Simpson’s Gretna Green home just before her death led to the trial of the century. 

(Weird fact: Knowing my then-husband and I had lived in several celebrity homes, Kato Kaelin asked me if I thought he should take the guesthouse gig Nicole was offering. “Don’t do it,” I instinctively blurted out. “You tend to get embroiled in the dramas of whomever owns the big house.” Of course, Kato didn’t take my advice.)

Lives Charmed
Earth Island Institute

My job was blissful, too—exercising in gorgeous gardens and neighborhoods with happy dogs all day–and taking care of mansions. Hello?! With this crash course in success, I saw what worked and what didn’t. And, did I ever see people create incredible good fortune, physical and financial freedom, and spiritually fulfilling lives in this City of Angels. (Not to mention, it was just plain FUN walking the dogs of people like Kirk Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, and Paul Williams.)

PS – I cried when I got my Earth Island award in the mail.

“A life charmed, how appropriate… a story of influences and odds beaten. Jiminy Cricket couldn’t say it any better.”

Jim Huber, CNN

Lives Charmed is one of the best books I’ve ever read!”

Glenn MeehanEntertainment Tonight, NBC

“From dog walker to celebrity biographer. I’d say Linda Sivertsen has a charmed life, too!”

Kym Douglas, E!

“Linda Sivertsen’s story is truly a magical one… and her intimate conversations are truly extraordinary.”

Leeza Gibbons, The Leeza Show, NBC

“A charmed life: Ever wonder how some people manage to live such perfect lives? Well, Linda Sivertsen went looking for answers for her new book, Lives Charmed…”

ExtraNBC, in a two-part segment on the book

“My interview with Linda Sivertsen was one of the best I have ever done.”

Arnold Palmer, golf legend

“What Sivertsen’s subjects have in common, surprisingly, is a genuine desire to use their celebrity status for the good of the world at large…”

Mary AldenThe Taos News, NM

Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life

By Linda Sivertsen (me) and Tosh Sivertsen (my then 17-year-old), Simon & Schuster

GG received multiple awards and supportive press (Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Family Circle) as green issues finally became both hot and cool. Get the inside scoop on the biggest issues affecting our planet, with dozens of tips on how to shop, dress, eat, and travel the green way. Included are interviews with teens involved with fun, innovative green causes that show how being environmentally conscious can be a natural part of a teen’s life—and their generation’s contribution to turning things around. It doesn’t matter if you can’t vote or drive. Your efforts—big or small—contribute.

Generation Green was an “Honor Book” for the 2009 Green Earth Book Awards at Salisbury University.

Generation Green book awards

“Every generation thinks they want to change the world. If the latest generation is serious about it, Tosh and Linda provide the blueprint. This book is deep and yet fun and smart and filled with great tips, facts, stories, and interviews. Every school needs to have Generation Green as part of their curriculum!”

Ed Begley, Jr.
Living with Ed, for Discovery’s Planet Green

“This guide is packed with tons of tips for becoming eco-chic…”

Teen Vogue

Your Big Beautiful Book Plan

By Linda Sivertsen (me) and Danielle LaPorte 

A book is always more than just a book. Much more. Writing a book could direct the course of your career for the rest of your life. It could lead to infinitely important connections, multiple revenue streams, spin off products, international relations. It could send more business your way. It could pay for a trip to Tahiti or just pay the rent. It could change one person’s life for the better. It could start a revolution. You need a plan. Your Big Beautiful Book Plan features never-before-shared book proposal samples from top authors that landed six-figure advances, attracted top literary agents, and changed lives (both the authors’, and their readers’). This is your behind-the-scenes view into what grabs an agent’s attention, what captivates publishers, and the logic of a book plan that grows your career. And it works–lots of book babies have been birthed via the top publishing houses. Yay!

The Will to Survive: A Mental and Emotional Guide for Law Enforcement Professionals and the People who Love Them

By Dr. Bobby Smith (with Linda Sivertsen)—one of the leading law-enforcement speakers in the world. Bobby was a dedicated Louisiana State Trooper when he was shot in the face and blinded by a wanna-be cop killer.

One of the greatest blessings of my life was being Bobby’s eyes to write. He shared stories I’ll never forget… about how even the most pure-hearted cops struggle to keep their hearts open amidst so much pain. Imagine, you love a neighborhood and move into it with your wife. But on your rounds, you see things no one should, and suddenly the area is no longer a haven in this man’s mind. He comes home from work and his wife, smiling, says: “How was your day, baby?” Does he tell her the truth? If he does, how will she handle his reality? Will she lose her sense of optimism and wonder? If he silences his words and tries to handle his stress alone, it’s to his mental and emotional detriment. Cops have some of the highest suicide, substance abuse, and divorce rates. And sometimes–rarely, statistically–they snap. This book aims to prevent that, and I couldn’t be prouder.

The Will to Survive

Collaborations

The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success

By Darren Hardy, publisher of SUCCESS magazine

Published by Vanguard Press. I’m in awe of how many people this New York Times bestseller has touched. Based on the principle that decisions shape your destiny, there are no gimmicks, hyperbole, or magic bullets here. Just little, everyday decisions that either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default. This easy-to-use, step-by-step operating system allows you to multiply your success, chart your progress, and achieve your desires.

Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want

By James Ray (with Linda Sivertsen)

Published by Hyperion, this New York Times bestseller capitalized on James’ popularity in the movie The Secretand as a media darling. Broken up into the Five Pillars of Wealth: Financial, Relational, Intellectual, Physical, and Spiritual, James teaches that without these five pillars, you might be rich, but you’ll never be wealthy. The irony was that several years after we finished this book, James found himself at the lowest, most inharmonious point of his life—the details of which make up a portion of the mess in my upcoming memoir, My Midlife Mess.

Harmonic Wealth

Closer Than You Think: The Easy Guide to Connecting with Loved Ones on the Other Side

By Deborah Heneghan (with Linda Sivertsen)
Published by Hampton Roads. Deb’s sister Kathy died when they were teenagers, and yet, her angelic imprint is still EVERYWHERE. It’s so obvious at times that it’s downright comical. Kathy is Deb’s secret weapon, her staunchest ally, her heavenly eyes and ears. Their relationship is a joyous two-way connection in which Deb continues her “work” here on earth and Kathy guides Deb into some of the best situations of her life. The powerful ways in which Kathy helps Deborah and her family; sends her messages (“rock star moments” and “subtle signs”), and uplifts her life is a blueprint for others to follow. Through Deb’s path from pain to peace, your relationship with your loved one can also be one of the most fulfilling, protective, fun, natural, and beautiful things in your world—so much so that you just might believe, as Deb does now, that death is a beautiful part of life; a beginning, not an “end.”

Do I Look Fat in This? Get Over Your Body and On With Your life

By Rhonda Britten, Dutton

As an Emmy-winning Life Coach on the daytime reality show Starting Over, Rhonda Britten has helped countless women befriend their bodies—first by encouraging them to face and accept what they see in the mirror, and then by empowering them to make healthier decisions about their weight. Too many of us hide our bodies or, even worse, abuse them. We let image control our lives and make decisions for us. Yet, it’s possible to stop seeing our bodies as objects of shame and to find the freedom we need to love ourselves fully. (If you’re new to Rhonda’s work, I suggest starting with Fearless Living. We worked on the proposal for FL together, and the resulting book launched her powerful publishing/TV career, and remains Rhonda’s most popular book.)

Magazine work + more…

To see some of my magazine work (‘specially my cover stories for Balance magazine) 

 

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Happy Monday! See you in today’s Write-In, BWGers. 🥰 I’ll be Zooming in at 4 pm PT (- 7 pm), ready to connect & make magic on the page with my people. (I’ve been working on #YourBigBeautifulBookPlan2.0 all morning and loving it—so I’ll be working on that.) ✍️ Who’s with me—and what will you be writing today? PS. I`ll be taking over for Jenny tomorrow, so use my link for all 3 Write-Ins this week. 😘

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Nothing like starting the morning off with laughter. 😂🐶🐾 Happy Sunday! xo #toshsivertsen #grandpupphantom ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago

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Fun Fun! Question for you Linda as you have horses. Took my Dad to a stable yesterday and they gave us these treats to feed the horses. Do you know if these treats are specifically for horses or can other animals like squirrels, rabbits, birds eat them? We have some left over and didn't want them to go to waste. 🙂

Fun

Run run run, we love to run!

#BeautifulWritersGroup members! New Expert Interview on writing for MEDIUM is up in our member’s area. 🎉 (Different than #BeautifulWritersPodcast interviews.) In addition, you’ll notice that this week’s Member Spotlight in the newsletter is of the same gal! 😊 

Suzanna Quintana is a top MEDIUM writer who loves the platform and has loads to share as the editor-in-chief of The Virago (an imprint for Medium).

In this fabulous hour-long chat (which anyone can access by joining our writing group—see link below), Suzanna discusses how she’s built her email list, promoted her business, and had the time of her life finding her voice while heading up her Medium imprint AND getting paid to write each article. What’s Medium? An online social journalism publishing platform. Like a blog + an online magazine, used by 170 million readers & writers. ✍️✨🏆

We discuss: The difference between Medium & Substack (and why she loves them both). ✨
Watching her first online article go super viral (with millions of downloads) and what that taught her. ✨The importance of a great title & images, and tips to ensure you choose winners. ✨How to create a “call to action” in the bio of all your articles.✨The priceless value of owning your work by keeping your copyright (hence, having the creative freedom to publish your pieces in many other venues). ✨Finding the courage to tell your story when people in your life want you to remain silent. ✨The best way to keep readers on your website. ✨Why writing without the tools to properly combine sentences and share those expressions is like owning a Ferrari without the keys. ✨Using Medium’s built-in audience (a massive database with SEO) to grow your platform and help make you agent-ready. ✨Engaging with your readers in the comments section, where the real party is.✨

For all our interviews and access to 9 hours of weekly #WriteIns, monthly Q&A calls, our online community, and more, go to BeautifulWritersGroup.com 📚

See you there. Write On!
LS x

#BeautifulWritersGroup members! New Expert Interview on writing for MEDIUM is up in our member’s area. 🎉 (Different than #BeautifulWritersPodcast interviews.) In addition, you’ll notice that this week’s Member Spotlight in the newsletter is of the same gal! 😊

Suzanna Quintana is a top MEDIUM writer who loves the platform and has loads to share as the editor-in-chief of The Virago (an imprint for Medium).

In this fabulous hour-long chat (which anyone can access by joining our writing group—see link below), Suzanna discusses how she’s built her email list, promoted her business, and had the time of her life finding her voice while heading up her Medium imprint AND getting paid to write each article. What’s Medium? An online social journalism publishing platform. Like a blog + an online magazine, used by 170 million readers & writers. ✍️✨🏆

We discuss: The difference between Medium & Substack (and why she loves them both). ✨
Watching her first online article go super viral (with millions of downloads) and what that taught her. ✨The importance of a great title & images, and tips to ensure you choose winners. ✨How to create a “call to action” in the bio of all your articles.✨The priceless value of owning your work by keeping your copyright (hence, having the creative freedom to publish your pieces in many other venues). ✨Finding the courage to tell your story when people in your life want you to remain silent. ✨The best way to keep readers on your website. ✨Why writing without the tools to properly combine sentences and share those expressions is like owning a Ferrari without the keys. ✨Using Medium’s built-in audience (a massive database with SEO) to grow your platform and help make you agent-ready. ✨Engaging with your readers in the comments section, where the real party is.✨

For all our interviews and access to 9 hours of weekly #WriteIns, monthly Q&A calls, our online community, and more, go to BeautifulWritersGroup.com 📚

See you there. Write On!
LS x
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4 weeks ago

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