Seth Adam Smith

Writing the Way Forward

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"It's like in the great stories..." || Sean Astin and the Story Behind The Two Towers Speech

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A Series of GOOD Ghost Stories || Jonathan Stroud, Author of Lockwood & Co.

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What Causes Depression?

It’s no secret that depression causes feelings of guilt, worthlessness, lethargy, and hopelessness, but what causes depression? If we understand the causes of depression then we are more likely to be able to find a solution to defeat it. What Causes Depression? It is difficult to boil depression down to one root cause, but there are numerous factors, or stressors, that could lead a person to…

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9 Ways to Fight Depression (and Win!)

9 Ways to Fight Depression (and Win!)

Want to know how to fight depression? As someone who regularly struggles with chronic depression, I’ve learned how very difficult it can be to move forward. Over the years, I’ve developed a number of ways that help me actively fight my own depression. Listed below are nine of those techniques. If you are struggling with depression, I hope that these techniques can help you move forward in life. 9…

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We Become What We Worship

It is an interesting truth: We Become What We Admire #worship

It is an interesting truth: we become what we worship. That is to say, we emulate—or become like—the people (and things) we most admire.

To understand this concept, we have to understand the origins of the word worship. The word worship comes from the Old English worðscip or wurðscip —or worthship—meaning “condition of being worthy, dignity, glory, distinction, honor, renown.”

To worship…

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"You Came From the Stars."

"You came from the stars..."

Every year, on the day before my birthday, my mother inevitably calls me and tells: “You know, such-and-such years ago, I was going into labor—and twelve hours later, I gave birth to a baby boy with a really big head!” (It’s true. I’m told that the size of my head was record-breaking in Anchorage.)

During our conversation, my mom will invariably remind me about the spaceship Challenger. “I had…

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The Beauty of Your Brokenness

SURPRISE! If you are feeling tired and broken inside then you are probably in a very good place...

This may surprise you, but if you are feeling tired and broken inside then you are probably in a very good place.

Don’t get me wrong, a prolonged feeling of brokenness can be unhealthy and damaging—but periodic feelings of brokenness are actually quite necessary for overall growth. We become stronger people when we are forced to reevaluate and rebuild our lives. J.K. Rowling once said that after…

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Hope Changes Everything

"Hope changes everything."

My new novel, Rip Van Winkle and the Pumpkin Lantern, opens with what I can only describe as a dark, gloomy, and near-hopeless situation. It begins with a newborn baby boy being abandoned in a cemetery—left to die on a cold, October night.

But he doesn’t die, and I’ll tell you why.

When I started writing this book, in July of 2014, my original intent was for the main character (Rip) to be an…

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When A Loved One Commits Suicide

Finding #hope after a loved one commits #suicide | #depression

When Ganel-Lyn learned about her sister’s suicide, she said it felt “like a bowling ball smashed into my heart, then fell with a thud to my stomach.” She says that the grief caused by suicide is “a different kind of grief,” one that lingers, tears at the heart, and creates questions that lead to a very dark place.

And yet, in the time since her sister’s suicide, Ganel-Lyn has learned some…

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I'm Giving You My New Novel for FREE

I'm Giving YOU My New Novel for FREE! (Yup, you heard me!)

Now Available!

After years of working on several different versions of my novel, and after six months of GRUELING work (seriously, this was the most challenging creative endeavor of my life) it’s published!

And I’m giving the Kindle Edition away for FREEon December 15 and 16 (today and tomorrow). I’m doing this for two reasons: #1 It’s a great way to generate interest and #2 It’s my way of…

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How Losing Your Self-Esteem Is A Good Thing

How losing your self-esteem is a good thing...

It’s not every day that one of your favorite teachers gives a TEDx talk—but lo and behold—one of my favorite teachers just did! And it’s phenomenal!! Sorry for the excessive use of exclamation marks. I’m just so excited to share this talk with you. (!!!)

Professor Matthew Whoolery, PhD, is not only one of my favorite teachers, but he’s also a good friend and one of the first people to review my…

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A Sneak Peak at My New Book!

Last week, I announced that I am finally publishing my first fiction novel on October 7th of this year. Today, I’m going to give you a sneak peak at some of the cover art (created by the exceptionally talented Howard Lyon), followed by some additional information about the book.

A raven illustrated by Howard Lyon.

Now, given the expression on this raven’s face, you might be tempted to think that…

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Did J.K. Rowling Just Prevent a Suicide?

Did #jkrowling just prevent a #suicide?

J.K. Rowling, author of the phenomenal Harry Potter series, may have just prevented a suicide. Remarkably, she didn’t do it through the use of magic, but through the use of words. This shouldn’t surprise us because words are, as Dumbledore stated, “our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”

In May of 2015, a fan by the name of @BrocaesarTV sent…

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The Best Advice For Parents of Troubled Teens

The best #advice for parents of troubled teens. #love #family #therapy

Early in 2015, I had the opportunity to interview Nathan Mitchell, the Clinical Director of the ANASAZI Foundation. The ANASAZI Foundation is a family focused intervention program that helps troubled youth. (And by “troubled” I mean someone who is struggling with the challenges of life. So by that definition we’re all, at one point or another, troubled.)

During the interview, I asked Nathan what…

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Making Time Count

Watch my interview with Lindsay Hadley, co-founder of #timemachine and learn how to make time count! #nonprofit #socialimpact

You’ve probably heard it said that “time is money,” meaning that your time could be used to make money. But a team of philanthropists have recently developed an app that actually turns your time into a powerful force for good.

The app is called Time Machineand it works a little something like this: you download the app, choose one of the available projects (sponsored by an organization you…

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BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - October 7!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - October 7! #books #WritersLife #writing #novel #fiction

You may have noticed that I haven’t blogged much the past couple of months. I’ve put a lot of things on hold to chase a dream I’ve had for twenty years. Only now I’m done chasing it—it’s on the brink of coming true!

On October 7th, I will publish my first fiction novel.I’ve been working on this book since 2006 and even produced a few piddling manuscripts around 2012. But when my blog went viral…

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Don't Give Up. The Cannons Are Coming...

Feeling Discouraged? Don't Give Up. The Cannons Are Coming... #georgewashington #america #revolutionarywar

The British Evacuate Boston

Whenever I’m feeling discouraged, I’m reminded of a true story from the American Revolutionary War. To me, this story is a testament of the power of persistence in the most difficult of circumstances.

In January of 1776, the American cause was on the brink of ruin. In fact, things were so bad that General Washington (who rarely ever allowed himself to show signs of…

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