October 11th is a proud day for me, as this makes the official date in which my book, The Golden Rules of Retirement, officially becomes available for purchase on Amazon.com.

https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Rules-Retirement

I have worked everyday in some capacity to make this book successful, including: researching, writing, revising, editing, formatting, purchasing a professional cover and advertising materials, contracting and writing copy for my LifeCanBeGolden.com website, creating profiles on various book and author platforms, enlisting the help of advance reviewers, conducting market research, and even constructing these blog posts. In all, this book is about eight months in the making and over $300 in costs, continuing in spite of a job transition and raising my one-year-old son. And, my efforts will continue as I work to publicize to potential readers and manage advertising campaigns.

All told, why put in such a monumental effort? Three reasons drive me forward.

First, there is a need. In my published research study examining the factors that contribute toward successful retirement planning, the evidence showed mixed experiences for folks transitioning into retirement. Wang (2007) found that new retirees fell into three categories: those who immediately adjusted well to retirement life, those who initially struggled to adjust then recovered, and those who continued to struggle over time. Ever since reading this article, my hope has been to help people to live fulfilling and dignified retirement lives and get on track quickly if they struggle. Considering the fact that most resources available focus on financial preparation for retirement, there remains a significant lack of support for aspects of life outside of finances, like social support, health, and finding fulfillment in free time. In writing my book, I hope to fill in this gap.

Second, I observe many people in my clinical work as a licensed psychologist who do not have financial resources to retire with. Knowing to save for retirement has not always been common knowledge, and many people do not have the means of saving due to how expensive the world is. As such, books on managing 401K withdrawals and maximizing catch-up contributions for a Roth-IRA are not so helpful for most Americans. My book is written with these realities in mind, and a great emphasis is placed on living a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. By limiting expenses and preventing costly health conditions, any retiree can enjoy their golden years with dignity. Exploring ways to structure time in an enjoyable and fulfilling way can also help to prevent a drop in mood. The book culminates in a personalized retirement plan to help any retiree, no matter their financial situation, to find success in this new life stage.

In the spirit of equity, I also have priced the book to be affordable compared to other books on the market. This was the main reason I chose to go the self-publishing route, as this could allow me to lower the cost of overhead and pass on the savings to my readers. No one should be priced out of accessing this helpful information. Once I better understand the costs involved with advertising, my hope is to lower the price even further.

Third and finally, I wrote this book because I love to write. Growing up, I connected with my father and grandfather through reading. While I didn’t always connect with them or their expectations of me, I devoured any book they passed my way. I loved the challenge of reading, and I spent most of my education years reading through the classics. I became interested in writing as an English and Psychology double major at the University of Florida and continued writing fiction throughout graduate school at the University of Maryland. I work so that I can support my writing habit, and I’ll continue writing whether I make a living from it or not. It’s also, I find, one of the most effective means for helping people. When most research is published, it barely gets noticed outside of academic settings, and so how helpful is that? And, in my job as a licensed psychologist, I can only help one individual at a time.

Publishing a book, though? Maybe I can reach more people. Maybe I can help more people. That is my hope.

I am excited to see how this goes. Please consider checking out my book. If the price is a barrier, then let me know and I’ll get you a digital copy. If you would be so kind as to leave an honest review on Amazon, then that would be amazing.

In the meantime, I will continue writing. I am currently over 28,000 words, or about 60% done, with my follow-up book: The Golden Rules of Life Satisfaction, which I hope to publish early next year. Thank you for reading–as a writer, nothing is a greater compliment or honor than to have you read what I write. I promise to live up to the responsibility.

-Lee Penn, PhD

Check out my new book: The Golden Rules of Retirement: A Psychologist’s Guide To Living Life to the Fullest, No Matter Your Financial Situation. Digital and paperback copies are available now for sale through the following link: https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Rules-Retirement

And, stay tuned for details, including release dates, launch sales, and future books in the Golden Rules series by visiting my website: lifecanbegolden.com/

Wang, M. (2007). Profiling retirees in the retirement transition and adjustment process: Examining the longitudinal change patterns of retirees’ psychological well-being. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(2), 455–474. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.2.455