Cynical adults may sneer when they say, "Youth is wasted on the young." But young world-traveler Ryan Pearson sees a more positive message in George Bernard Shaw's often repeated quote.

"I see it as meaning that youth is an opportunity to seize direction, enlightenment, significance and to expand one's powers," says Pearson, author of "Green Hope" from "The Element Series," (www.theelementsseries.com), about a teenager blessed with wealth and fame who discovers he has the added responsibility of super powers.

"It's sad that so many teens get sidetracked by trying to fit in with a crowd, or worrying that they don't measure up somehow. At a time when they should be enjoying a new sense of independence and capabilities, they're often paralyzed by self-doubt."

Pearson says all teens have super powers - they just need to recognize them:

• Your inner "mutant": Many teens like to make a big deal out of not caring what others think about them, precisely because they care about what everyone thinks of them. This can make them sensitive and anxious about how they express themselves and what they enjoy, from what they wear to the music they like to the grades they earn. Embrace what sets you apart! No one else in the world is quite like you. Explore your interests and find what you love - whether or not it's what other teens love. You'll get a head start on developing valuable skills.

• "Punisher" fitness training: You don't have to be built like the renowned vigilante from the Marvel universe, but you'll look your best - and feel your best - if you establish a good exercise routine now. Not only will working out give you a nice physique, it's a good way to reduce stress and it even gives you a natural high thanks to the release of endorphins, chemicals that make your brain happy.

• Batman's first rule in fighting: Despite the fact that it would make his crime fighting much, much easier, the Caped Crusader absolutely refuses to use guns. That's because a deranged criminal with a gun shot and killed Bruce Wayne's parents when he was a child. The result is that his fighting methods are more moral and creative, and he always knows what to do when a quick decision is needed. Getting into the habit of making your own decisions based on your values and your understanding of right or wrong, instead of following the crowd, will help make even the hardest choices easier.

• Cultivate your "spidey" senses: Teens are naturally impatient, impulsive and impetuous. Slow down! Take your time on the road, in relationships, during confrontations and when contemplating big decisions. Part of why Spider-Man is so fast is that time slows for him during tense situations. Likewise, teens who can slow down emotionally-driven decisions and better understand their consequences, much like a "spidey" sense, will make wiser ones.

• Know your kryptonite: Some kids just seem to have it all: academic excellence, athletic accomplishments, popularity, and a clear complexion to boot. But everyone has their limits, like Superman's kryptonite. Knowing your limits and learning how to worked around them, or strengthen them, is a lifelong challenge for everyone.

About Ryan Pearson

After completing a Bachelor of Laws degree at age 21, Ryan Pearson took a leap of faith by leaving the beautiful beaches of Australia to travel the world. Eventually, he landed in Montreal for several years before returning home to write about his adventures. He overcame many challenging personal experiences and now embraces an audacious new lifestyle. Pearson writes about his own character arc - involving a supernatural and overzealous way of life - via character Reagan Jameson.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo., January 11, 2013 - Earning a spot on Drury University's Dean's List is a significant accomplishment; it means a student earned a grade point average of 3.6 or greater on a 4-point scale) while carrying a full-time course load of 12 or more semester hours at Drury, a top 10 Midwestern university, according to U.S. News & World Report.

In the fall 2012 semester, Olivia Thompson from Moline, Illinois made the Dean's list.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that TOMORROW, Wednesday, January 16th at 2:00pm CST he will host a conference call with local law enforcement officers from across Iowa's Second District to discuss how our state and nation should move forward in addressing how to ensure our children and communities stay safe.  Media are invited to listen in and must RSVP to joe.hand@mail.house.gov to receive call-in details.  After a short introduction by Congressman Loebsack and remarks by the law enforcement officials, there will be time for Q&A during the call.

Loebsack Call with Local Law Enforcement Officials

WHO Congressman Dave Loebsack

Iowa law enforcement officials from across the Second District

DATE Wednesday, January 16^th

TIME 2:00pm CST (3:00pm EST)

RSVP Email joe.hand@mail.house.gov for call-in details

Writing a how-to business book or CEO memoir has become a recognized tool for business professionals marketing and branding themselves and their companies. It helps them establish their expertise while sharing useful information appreciated by readers. Plus, it can introduce them to a vast new audience of potential customers.

It's a phenomenon public relations professional Marsha Friedman first noticed years ago.

"Everything else being equal, I saw that it was much easier to get clients invited on TV and radio talk shows if they'd written a book," says Friedman, CEO of EMSI Public Relations, (www.emsincorporated.com), in Tampa, Fla.

"After exploring the reasons, I realized just about anyone with the right message can use a book to boost their visibility," she says. "Professionals can do it; people interested in securing public speaking engagements; philanthropists; homemakers who turn their books themselves into a business."    

So Friedman wrote her own book, "Celebritize Yourself," explaining her three-step process for developing and using a book to get publicity.

Today, more than 11,000 business books alone are published each year - and that doesn't include self-published e-books, according to the authors of "The 100 Best Business Books of All Time."

"Whether you're using your book to generate media, speaking opportunities or new customers, it is the most powerful marketing tool in your arsenal," says Adam Witty, CEO of Advantage Media Group, an international publisher.

"When you consider that the average book sells less than 2,000 copies, getting rich off of book sales becomes a far away fantasy. But if you use your book to get a feature in your industry trade journal, what is that worth? If your typical customer is worth $5,000, and you use your book to attract and generate new leads into your business, how much more valuable does your book become?"

You don't have to be a great writer to produce a great book. But, as New York Times best-selling author Michael Levin, CEO of Business Ghost, Inc., explains, you do need to make sure the end product is clean and professional.

"You wouldn't walk into a sales call with a stain on your shirt, and it's the same with a book," he says. "The last thing you want to do is publish a book full of typos that gives people the impression you're sloppy."

If you don't have the time or skill to tackle a book on your own, you can hire someone to put your ideas into words.

Levin offers these tips for selecting a ghostwriter:

• Make sure ghostwriting is their primary business. Many writers list ghostwriting as one of the services they provide, but if you dig deep, you may find that they have never written a book or have only written a few. Don't let them learn how on your dime!

• Read the blurbs on the ghostwriter's website. Are they from famous people, top business leaders, celebrities, and the like? Or is there a run-of-the-mill feeling to the testimonials? Or worse, are there no testimonials at all?

• Contact at least three prior book clients of the ghostwriter. If the ghostwriter can't give you three names of satisfied customers, game over.

The next step is publishing. While e-books are an inexpensive self-publishing option, Friedman says printed copies are best for marketing.

"As an author, you simply need to determine which publishing model best helps you reach your goals," says Witty of Advantage Media Group.

He offers these thoughts to consider:

• Ownership of rights and intellectual property: If you plan to re-purpose the content of your book into articles, blog posts or other products like home study kits, ensure your contract gives you that freedom. Typically, traditional publishing contracts don't; self publishing or working with co-publishers (where the publisher and author or investor share expenses) oftentimes do.

• Speed-to-market: How quickly do you want your book to be published? With self publishing, it is really a matter of how fast you work! The traditional publishing process can take the better part of two years. Co-publishing options often turn a book around in three to six months.

Friedman concedes that the idea of writing and publishing a book can be daunting, but it's worth the effort for its marketing value, she says.

And there are even greater rewards.

"Having written and published my own, I can tell you it was one of my proudest accomplishments and worth every bit of my time and hard work," she says. "The greatest feeling - one I never anticipated - was hearing from readers who said that my book had made a difference in their lives.

"That's priceless."

About Penny Carnathan

Penny Carnathan is the Creative Director/Lead Writer at EMSI Public Relations. She is a journalist with more than 30 years experience; a former national award-winning editor, reporter and columnist at The Tampa Tribune in Tampa, Fla., and currently a bimonthly columnist for the Tampa Bay Times in St. Petersburg, Fla.  You can find her on Twitter, @DigginPenny.