The No Meat Athlete Book is Out Today (Saying Thanks)
Today, the first day my book is officially available in stores and online (serendipitously, World Vegetarian Day), is a surreal one indeed.
I’m typing this post from the passenger seat of a car, driving to Boston for the second stop on my book tour, in just a few hours. Even that phrase — “my book tour” — feels very odd to actually say or write.
But it’s underway, and the faces, names, and stories of the people I met last night in the small town of Media, PA made it feel very real, reminding me why I decided to take on this tour in the first place.
The book is at the top of several categories on Amazon. All morning I’ve been doing phone interviews and email interviews and scheduling new ones, amidst excitedly reading early reviews of the book on blogs — some of my favorite blogs, no less. It’s like a dream, and one that I’m doing everything I can to appreciate while it lasts.
It is beyond incredible that all this has happened. And while I’m feeling lots of different emotions right now — giddiness, nervousness, excitement, fatigue, missing my wife and kids — the one keeping me centered and integrated is gratitude.
Gratitude that so many of the blogs, podcasts, magazines, and people I’ve reached out to have been so eager to help the book reach new readers. Gratitude that the message — one that is so meaningful to me — is being spread in a new way. And gratitude, of course, that my book and the scary, crazy, who-do-you-think-you-are idea to do a self-supported, self-organized tour across the country, is being so enthusiastically embraced by No Meat Athlete readers.
It’s convenient and easy to call it “my” book. But just as I don’t want to be called “the” No Meat Athlete (I’m only one of many), it doesn’t feel like the book is “mine.” On the front cover alone, there are three names! Open it up, and gracing the inside covers you’ll find pictures of the 40 or so others, kicking ass in their own way in their No Meat Athlete shirts. And in the book, there’s of course plenty from me and co-author Matt Ruscigno, but there are also contributions from 23 experts, chefs, and readers. The book is not mine, but ours.
I used to skip the acknowledgements page at the beginning or end of a book. I still don’t really read it, but I force myself to at least skim it, because more often than not it leads me to someone else, someone who influenced the author and whom I can learn from.
Which is why I’m posting the acknowledgements page from the No Meat Athlete book here — in hopes that you might discover a new source of information and inspiration in someone who has inspired me.
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Thank you to my mentors and inspirations, in writing, entrepreneurship, and (in several cases) veganism:
Seth Godin, Tony Robbins, Leo Babauta, and Tim Ferriss. What I’ve learned from you — not just what you teach, but the way you teach it — is the foundation for everything I do.
Sonia Simone, Brian Clark, Tony Clark, Jon Morrow, and everyone at Copyblogger Media. It’s easy to look at No Meat Athlete’s history and pinpoint the exact moment when I started learning from you all, and to this day I continue to do so.
Caitlin Boyle, whose support in the early days of No Meat Athlete made all the difference.
Karol Gajda, Gena Hamshaw, and Robert Cheeke, without whose examples I might never have found the inspiration to become vegan. Brendan Brazier, Rich Roll, and Scott Jurek, the pinnacles of what’s possible that I always like to point to, all three of you generous supporters of No Meat Athlete from early on. And Douglas Hofstadter and Richard Dawkins, the first to (very likely inadvertently) plant the seed in this one reader’s head that maybe I didn’t want to eat other thinking, feeling beings not all that different from me.
The No Meat Athlete team, who somehow make this operation seem halfway legit: Susan Lacke, Doug Hay, and Erin Frazier. We can get back to normal now.
Charlie Pabst, Bren Dendy, Jenny Leonard, Christine Hein, and Kevin McCarthy, all of whom have helped to make No Meat Athlete look sharp. Alright, cute.
The experts who contributed their collective wealth of knowledge to this book: Matt Ruscigno, Brendan Brazier, Jason Sellers, Christine Hein, Mo Ferris, Jason Fitzgerald, Robert Cheeke, Meredith Murphy, Ed Bauer, Erika Mitchener, Sara Beth Russert, Hillary Biscay, Adam Chase, Leo Babauta, Gena Hamshaw, Mike Zigomanis, and Susan Lacke.
The readers who were kind enough to share their stories to inspire others: Tina Žigon, Pete DeCapite, Greg Watkins, Tom Giammalvo, Janet Oberholtzer, Tori Brook. Hearing stories like yours is the best part of this gig, bar none.
Recipe testers for this book: Tim Frazier, Vickie Craven, Christine Hein, Bren and Joe Dendy, Pete and Kristin DeCapite.
My family: Mom, Dad, Christine, Erin, Holden, and Ellarie. You’re the reason for all of this.
Supporters of No Meat Athlete from day one: Colleen and Joel Baldwin and Pete and Kristin DeCapite.
Jamie Halberg, who helped me keep my head on straight throughout the daunting task of writing a “real” book.
Marcus Leaver, Cara Connors, Winnie Prentiss, Kevin Mulroy, and everyone at Fair Winds Press, for your help in making this project a reality and reaching far more people with this message than I could ever do on my own.
Last and most important, the No Meat Athlete audience, including but extending far beyond those who contributed photos for the inside covers of this book. Without you to support, share, interact with, and care about our work, No Meat Athlete would be a long-ago abandoned blog with a few recipes and a clever name — and I would still be a guy searching for something meaningful to do.
Thank you all. So much.
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We are grateful to you for sharing 🙂
I am SO looking forward to reading your book.
I have pre ordered for Amazon months ago and checking the mailbox just about everyday in anticipation to see this package.
The best on your book tour!
Karl
Congratulations! I just downloaded it to my Kindle and look forward to reading it! Best wishes on your book tour!
Congratulations Matt!! This is so exciting and I can’t wait to have your book in my hands.
And a huge THANK YOU for spreading your message this way & giving so many of us a great vehicle to forward your posts to friends and family and also get to know others in the veg athletic community. Great to see you last night in Media – I left feeling inspired and in good company of the choices I make and the pursuits I take on. Safe travels and many happy miles for the rest of your tour!!
So excited for your book… I pre-ordered but the new ETA from Amazon isn’t until November/December. I hope it’s because it’s so successful they are fast and furiously printing more (even though I’m sad I have to wait longer). Hoping my flight lands in Philadelphia early enough for me to stop by the tour stop Thursday on my way home!
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Hi Nikki,
Thanks for pre-ordering! A lot of people have asked me about that date issue with Amazon … apparently it’s not accurate; it’s just that Amazon is waiting to get the next shipment of books in and as soon as they do they’ll send them (which should be any day, not a month). That’s the information I have, anyway, from the publisher. And yes (I think), it partly is because of the volume of orders!
Hope to see you in Philly!-
Thanks, Matt! Didn’t make it to the Philly stop… my plane landed late, but hope you all enjoyed Vge and had a great time!!
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I love this! What a great idea. Thanks for doing it. Now I can click the links on names and learn more about your circle.
Also – Caitlin from Healthy Tipping Point was the reason I started reading your blog. I am so glad I did, about a year ago! I have been “no meat” for a very long time but the “athlete” part is only a few years in the making. Now I’ve pre-ordered your book, followed you on your journeys, and proud to be part of the NMA community! Cheers to a successful release and I hope to see you in Portland.
Is there any info on why Amazon hasn’t shipped the book yet? I hope its because its so popular.
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Drake, see my response to Nikki asking the same question!
The thanks goes right back to you for getting many of us started on our own journeys. Really enjoyed the book. Wishing you much success on your book tour!
I preordered but it looks like I won’t have it in time for Sunday’s signing, maybe I’ll buy the e-book and have you Sharpie my Kindle (or one of my NMA shirts). I’m guessing there will be books available at the signings for purchase?
Matt, so awesome to meet you tonight in NYC, and listen to your talk!! The book is awesome!!, can’t wait to finish it.
Looking forward to my first 50!!!
Hey Matt,
Was great to see you here in NYC tonight! I wish you ALL the best on this big adventure and so much success. I love the message you’re sending, and the inspiration you provide. I am fairly new to running, but I walked away with some new thoughts about where I’m headed and why I run. Thank you SO much.
Oh – and a side note. A good friend of mine from Vancouver asked me to get you to come to Canada! She and her boyfriend LOVE YOU and it was by her poking me, that I made it out tonight! Thanks again and congratulations!
Thanks for the quick info!
Matt
I am so thrilled for you! Congrats.
Cannot wait to see inMinneapolis . Let me know if we can help in any way!
Hey Matt, decided to support by pre-ordering your book.
I actually do eat meat, but there is so much useful information on your site. I am sure there is a lot in the book too, and I don’t believe that the fact I might eat meat should keep me from supporting.
Congratulations on the new book and the new even busier schedule.
And when your done in the US, get yer butt over to Europe!
I don’t know if your book will encourage me to run a marathon but I’m sure it can help me sustain the many miles I run each week after work, when I’m starved and feeling a little tired. I have been putting off revamping my diet for a while now and I hope the information in the book helps.
I second what Claes wrote about Europe – I hope you’ll make it to London! Congratulations on the book launch and tour, have fun! 🙂
Congrats Matt!
Congratulations! I get so excited seeing folks doing what they are passionate about. Enjoy every second of your amazing journey! I’m soaking up the inspiration.
Hey Matt,
I got an emal that says delivery a couple weeks but we shall. Anything good is worth waiting for. We Live like we run, with gratitude in our hearts. Just rememer, you are loved in Belgium AND Sweden (from the movie SINGLES).
Stay excellent.
Matt,
Can’t wait to read the book! Listening to your interview with Rich Roll right now. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Missed my BQ in 2013 by 11 minutes. Hopefully, plant power will help me reach the goal in 2014!
I read about your book on ohsheglows.com and went and bought it today. I have been vegan for 3 years and love to workout but have fallen out of my running routine and my body feels it. I’ve read a lot of your book already and I love it! Congratulations and thanks for taking the time to write it!
I pre-ordered on Amazon, but got the same message as everyone else. So, I decided to just buy a copy from Barnes & Nobles and then when I get my Amazon copy, I will just give that one to a friend! 🙂
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Thanks Darin, I really appreciate that. 🙂 Hopefully your friend will too.
Hey Matt,
I just discovered the release of your new book today through a totally accidental Amazon search. Just wanted to say congrats on the publication and wish you the best of luck with launch.
Cheers,
John
Congrats – are you planning an Audible version?
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I’m not sure about that — do training plans and recipes work well in Audible form? Have you seen how other authors deal with those sorts of things?
Excited for you man. Can’t wait to host the book stop at Bearded Brothers HQ!
This is so wonderful that you have done this. I made the Buffalo Hummus the other morning at 5am before work because I just happen to have all of the ingredients (posted with permission on someone else’s site). I think I’m suppose to tell you why I would become vegan or why I am for a chance to win your book. I am vegan for accidental reason (ex, who happens not to be vegan anymore). I continue to “be” so, because I feel better, and I’m helping the world out in so many ways from the environment to the animals. Cheers. You should come to Brattleboro, VT. for a signing at our independent bookstore, Everyone’s Books.
HI Matt,
Thanks for writing the book. I am happy to hear that your book tour is going great! Wish I could make it up to Minneapolis to see you.
Question: I did do the pre-order and was wondering when to expect the bonus goodies?
Thank you for all that you have done for us!
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Roygbiv, thanks for pre-ordering! You should have either gotten an email yesterday or will today (we had well over 1,000 to send out and didn’t think ahead enough to have everyone sign up for a bulk mail list), so it’s taking a while. The first three bonuses are set up and ready, three more are still in the works.
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Thanks Matt! I will continue to be patient. Still have not seen it yet. Wow that is a lot of people!
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I am going to order this book for my daughter who is a competitive swimmer and has been a vegetarian since age 10. She’s doing very well with the swimming but can always use some more ideas for keeping fueled up and healthy. Thanks for putting this together and look forward to getting a copy for myself as well.
I pre-ordered your book weeks ago from Amazon. I can’t wait to get it in the mail and start to read it. Hopefully it ships soon as I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival. Best of luck with the tour!