I’m gonna brag

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The power of our collective is working. Slowly but surely I'm getting emails from people that are terribly encouraging. Yes the web has a great power to connect like minds, but I'm talking about the spirit of the artist that knows there's a better way to deal with the biz and not really having a place to plug in. The spirit of the theatre that binds us like no other group in the world. My book seems to be finding itself in the hands of people who need it and it's being put there by fellow actors. It's all happening through the power of us. The Less Bitter revolutionists. Like this;

I received the book on Friday, graduated from SMU's MFA graduate acting program on Saturday, and completed reading the book on Sunday. My former voice teacher, Virginia Ness-Ray strongly recommended this book and I am so glad that I ordered. So many things are much clearer for me and I have a new way of looking at and approaching the business. I finally feel that I am enough. I don't have to be or pretend to be someone else or what I think "they" may want me to be.

I don't know Virgina Ness-Ray. But she's "strongly recommending" my book. How about that!? And this;

I purchased the book after an audition I went on for a pilot with Janet Murphy of ABC. I was told to read the book by a friend that has been in the business longer than I have and who has more audition experience, after I told him what had happened he told me to go get your book it would help explain or should I say help understand what happened.

Again, I don't know who the friend was but the book seems to uniting us in a new way of thinking about our purpose and place in this endeavor.

 I am an actor from New York. This book was recomended as a must read by my acting coach Jimmy Palumbo, I loved reading every second of it. It was so on about everything. I wanted to personally thank you for putting out a great book that you can actually use.


So, yes, I'm bragging but the point is the same. I don't know Jimmie Palumbo. I know who he is because he's been around so long,  but he's not handing my book off as a personal favor. I did email him with thanks for the endorsement, this was his response;


Hey Markus,

Great to hear from you.  I came from a blue collar family with NO background in acting or the arts.  I have read MOST of the books since 1990.  I read yours and it was SOOOOOO dead on that I have been telling ALL actors I meet to read the book.  Rookies may not get it all but for a 17 year guy like me, it was PERFECT. Your book should be in every acting section in the country.
peace,
Jimmy Palumbo
PS…please call me when u come east…cup of joe sounds great.

That's who we are folks. That's us. That's our community helping itself out. That's us taking care of us. There is plenty of fame, money, roles to go around, there is no need to keep all your best advice and help to yourself. Whether it's my book or just a tip that'll save a fellow artist from kicking themselves all day, share the wealth and feel connected to a power bigger than any one of us. The power of the artists' collective. The power of being able to whole heartedly cheer for a friend who's up on stage acting their guts out because you really know what it took to get there. You know it because you helped him/her along the way. The help will always comeback to you.

We're artists and our job is enormous, yet simple. We educate the planet on how people who care about each other, treat one another. We communicate better, deeper and clearer. We are not limited to just words like most of society, we have the grace of using hips and sounds and brushes and stares and notes and humor. We have to be better and bigger for no other reason than we can. We're gifted.

Don't hoard the gift. Pass it on, especially to those fellow artists among us who too are trying to get into a position to stand up and risk telling their truth. Am I a genius for writing this book? Of course! But I had much help along the way and I keep getting more.

Damn it's good to be us.

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