Guideposts Book - Press Release

A Lighthearted Look at the “Spin Cycle” of Family Life Inspires Readers to Cherish Their Priorities
and Let Go of the Rest

“After raising four wonderfully diverse children who have participated in nearly every activity possible during grade, middle and high school days, I have one thing to say: ‘Praise the Lord my fundraising days are over!’ ’’

NEW YORK, NY— Patricia Lorenz, the top contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul™ book series, takes a lighthearted look at the chaos of everyday life and shares how she learned to focus on what really matters in Life’s Too Short to Fold Your Underwear ($12.99, trade paperback, 288 pages, ISBN -13 978-0-8249-4719-4, GuidepostsBooks).

Patricia Lorenz compares life within a family to getting caught in the spin cycle of the washing machine. She should know—she raised four children as a single working mother. Patricia’s new book, Life’s Too Short to Fold Your Underwear, is filled with rollercoaster rides of pets, paper routes and parenting, and the moments when she realized she could trade away the things she didn’t like to do for those things she loved.

Running a household as a single mom with a pack of kids quickly made it clear to Patricia Lorenz that she couldn’t do it all. Folding underwear was one of the obvious things that had to go. After just five days of sharing her daughter’s 5 A.M. newspaper route, Patricia added delivering papers to her “Life’s Too Short to” list. Her husband delighted in giving her mail-order gadgets and gizmos—gifts that bugged her until he passed away. Only then did Patricia realize “Life’s Too Short to Complain About Gifts.” Some of the other lessons she’s learned along the way include “Life’s Too Short to Wear Brand Names”... “to Miss a Road Trip With Your Brother” ...“to Worry About Anything”... “to Say No To Your Heart”... and “to Give Up.”

Life’s Too Short to Fold Your Underwear is a good humored, commonsense reality-check for when we feel fragmented and overwhelmed. Says Patricia, “I hope this book will help you take a look at your own priorities. So instead of folding your underwear or being in complete control of everyone’s everything, my wish for you is that my stories calm you, inspire you to make some changes in your life and give you a sense of what living joyfully is all about.”

Patricia Lorenz is a well-known inspirational writer and speaker. She is the top contributor to the Chicken Soup™ book series—her work appears in over 30 of its volumes—and she is the only person to write an entire one: Chicken Soup for the Dieter’s Soul, Daily Inspirations will be published by HCI in January 2007. Her other books include Grab the Extinguisher, My Birthday Cake’s On Fire and A Hug a Day for Single Parents. She is also a sought-after speaker for business, church and writers groups.

"Patricia's wonderful sense of humor kept us laughing while also sharing a deep message of loving our struggles and growing from them. Her real life examples were just what we needed to remind us to take care of ourselves!"
—Holly Tunak, Leader/SOS Ministry Team, Madison, Wisconsin

GuidepostsBooks publishes faith-based, inspirational books helping people in all walks of life achieve maximum personal and spiritual potential. GuidepostsBooks is the trade book imprint of Guideposts, one of the most beloved and widely-distributed publishers of inspirational books and magazines. Although Guideposts has published books for more than 40 years, GuidepostsBooks, launched in 2006, marks the first foray for Guideposts into general trade publishing under its own name. GuidepostsBooks editorial and marketing staff is based in New York City. Sales and distribution is handled by Ideals Publications, the retail arm of Guideposts, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Guideposts, a non-profit organization headquartered in Carmel, New York, was co-founded in 1945 by Ruth Stafford Peale and her late husband Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, one of the foremost motivational speakers of the twentieth century. His landmark book, “The Power of Positive Thinking,” has sold over 20 million copies in 42 languages worldwide. Guideposts is a trusted and forward-looking force for positive change empowered by a deep and determined desire to help others by providing life-changing information, products, and services for all in need. Guideposts is America’s pre-eminent publisher of inspirational books and magazines with annual book sales of over 6 million copies and a combined paid magazine circulation of over 4.3 million. Ideals Publications, based in Nashville, Tennessee, is the retail book sales and distribution outlet of Guideposts; including Guideposts Books, Candy Cane Press, Williamson Books, and Ideals Press.