Livingston Communications friend and the Godfather of B2G Marketing Mark Amtower has a new book coming out this month. We asked him to drop by and tell you a little about it. After reading the three rules below you’ll know Mark Amtower was meant to be a blogger.

Why Epiphanies Never Occur to Couch Potatoes

by Mark Amtower

Late in September, my second book, Why Epiphanies Never Occur to Couch Potatoes, will be available. This book started as a lunch speech called “Amtower’s Laws of Survival and Success” at the July, 2005 Merit Direct Business Coop in Westchester, NY.

I have a reputation as an honest, candid, and occasionally acerbic, commentator on the government market, often saying things many might think but few have either the desire or venue to say publicly. I do not get paid for these commentaries, but they have earned me a large readership for my e-newsletter, Off-White Papers (at my web site), and a growing audience for “Amtower Off Center” on AM 1050, WFED in Washington, DC.

This is not to say that all who read or listen are fans, but many feel I am a “must read” just to see what is on my mind.

There are those who say I get away with saying lots of things others can’t say. While there may be some truth to this, there is also both a reason why I do this and an explanation. During my 23 year career as a solo consultant in this industry, I have made more than my fair share of mistakes. Most of the time I try to learn from my mistakes, and when I see these as recurrent, either in my life or perhaps others close to me, I try to create a rule of conduct to avoid the behavior that caused the transgression.

Over time these evolved into the core of my business and life philosophy, the rules that govern my conduct. The Merit speech was the first public utterance of these, giving people who knew my work (I have spoken at this event for twelve years) a chance to see why I am the way I am.

Ten “Laws” were presented at that speech, but the were preceded by the three rules of conduct that have been up at my web site since it first launched ten-plus years ago:

1) I don’t do things that aren’t fun, which for me means things that I am not good at;

2) I don’t do things I can?t tell my wife and children;

3) and I don’t take crap from things that breathe.

These are three simple rules that have been the basis for my conduct for two decades. If these rules have any appeal to you, you will like the book.

If, however, you are a run of the mill, follow the crowd gelding, the book holds nothing for you.

You make the call.