3. The Shared Traits in "The Self-Empowed Woman"

Dear Followers,

So far I've been quizzing you about American women who are high achievers and today I'll answer the first two questions.

Do you know what writer Maya Angelou, comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, singer Gloria Estefan and actress Demi Moore have in common? They all fall under the category of accomplished women who learned - at an early age - that they couldn't depend on Dad. There are countless reasons why a father might be unreliable - death, illness, divorce, distance, you name it. But a lot of admirable women learn that losing a father's support usually brings with it hidden benefits.

(Photo by WNYC)

Do you know what author Judy Blume, actress Geena Davis, TV newswoman Andrea Mitchell, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have in common?

These women (who have each succeeded in areas that seem to have nothing in common) share a love of and involvement with music. I found it amazing that close to the surface of many Self-Empowered Women is an enduring relationship with music, and in my book I explain this connection.

Intrigued? Today I'm going to go abroad and ask you about women from foreign locales. Do you know what Czechoslovakian tennis player Martina Hingis, Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector, Canadian singer Anne Murray, and Italian film director Lina Wertmuller have in common?

The idea here is to convey the idea that when it comes to women of achievement it doesn't really matter where they come from or what they set out to accomplish because they all share certain traits.

One trait I wish I had a better grasp of is the new, high-tech world of e-publishing. This week's main activity has been re-re-re-reading the manuscript for The Self-Empowered Woman so that it can go on sale in September. Meanwhile, poor Tony types my blog at the end of each day and I try not to be like Julie Powell (Julie & Julia) as she wonders if any readers are really out there in cyberspace...

1. An Introduction to "The Self-Empowered Woman"

What do writer Maya Angelou, comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, singer Gloria Estefan and actress Demi Moore have in common?

If you are interested in or intrigued by the life stories of accomplished women, then you've landed on the right blog. My name is Marilyn Murray Willison, and my new book (The Self-Empowered Woman) addresses the question: What circumstances and characteristics help create a high-achieving woman?

Together we can use this space to examine the lives of accomplished women around the world, and at the same time I can share with you the lessons I've learned about publishing my own book for the first time (my four earlier books were published the conventional - old fashioned - way).

Please visit my website http://www.marilynwillison.com/ to learn more about my background, and I look forward to hearing your answers to the question that will appear at the start of each blog entry.

If you've ever found yourself fascinated by a high-achieving woman's remarkable life - think Coco Chanel, Golda Meir or even Cher - then you're really enjoy our time together.