This past weekend at a shabbaton I was informed of my next book. My friends Nancy and Wendy let me know that it will be called “I Love You More Than a Suitcase” (see the podcast page for that thought) and it will be about the most powerful relationship tools I know. 

The cool part of the book is that I already have all the content. It’ll be the consolidation of all the stuff I teach in my mussar (spiritual self improvement) classes, videos, lectures and podcasts. This is not intimidating! I just have to reorganize it in a new way.

The other good thing is I already know how I need to write. I found a two-hour window each week (for now, 1-3pm each Wednesday), input it as a recurring event in my calendar, and boom.

The hard part will be pitching it. My last book was very definitely for a Jewish audience but this book has general appeal and I want to pitch it to the general public. So if anyone has leads or ideas please do speak up.

I used to feel inadequate to write such a book (imposter syndrome for sure) because I don’t have fancy degrees. But I have been teaching for 20 years and have learned so much – from others, from Torah, from reading, from life, from mistakes – I feel ready!

Just for you as a sneak peek, here’s my very rudimentary list of chapters:

1. Ilymtas (I love you more than a suitcase)

2. No judges no grudges

3. Make things happen (live inspired life)

4. Building kids

5. Intimacy over efficiency

6. That which can be heard

7. Metabolizing criticism

8. Leveraging choice points

9. The small stuff

10. I forgive you