On a cold evening in December 2020, author Scott Simon sat alone in a darkened yoga studio, preparing to lead one of his weekly online courage meditation sessions. As participants frantically texted him for the missing Zoom link, an email quietly arrived that would change his life – if only he hadn’t deleted it.
“I thought it was spam,” Simon told the Cleveland Jewish News. “What publisher actually reaches out to someone and asks them to write a book?”
That “spam” was from Nana K. Twumasi, vice president and publisher at Hachette Book Group in New York City, one of the world’s largest publishers, he said. Twumasi had discovered Simon’s “Scare Your Soul” movement, which encourages people to tackle small acts of courage daily, and believed his message was exactly what readers needed during the turbulent times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hardback version of his book, “Scare Your Soul:
7 Powerful Principles to Harness Fear and Lead Your Most Courageous Life,” was published in December 2022 and quickly resonated with readers seeking tools to live more courageously, Simon, a Pepper Pike resident, said.
Two years later, on a similarly cold evening in December, Simon celebrated the paperback release of “Scare Your Soul” with 96 others on Dec. 9 at the Hedge Gallery at 78th Street Studios in Cleveland.
“An Evening of Celebration & Connection” raised $2,150 for the Maltz Museum’s “Stop the Hate” program, Simon, a congregant of Jewish Family Experience in University Heights, said. Additionally, 30 copies of “Scare Your Soul” were purchased to be donated to participants in the annual essay and songwriting contest for Northeast Ohio students in grades six through 12 who are committed to creating a more accepting, inclusive society by standing up and speaking out against bias and bigotry.
The highlight of the evening was a Late Nite Art-inspired immersive experience in which participants were provided with art supplies including wax pastels, watercolor paints and colored pencils that served as “items of connection and exploration.”
Stick figures and splashes of paint and color that represent something were encouraged, Simon told the party as they were paired with random partners throughout the night to share stories and experiences of celebration, collaboration and connection.
“I just want to tell you how thankful I am that all of you are here experiencing something together that we don’t do as often today, really look at each other, connect with others, maybe relive what it feels like to be a kid again, that’s what tonight is all about,” he said during the program.
Simon is one of the first 12 people trained in Late Nite Art. The program aligned with the mission of “Scare Your Soul,” Simon’s book and organization, to tap into the universal need to overcome things that stand in the way of individuals living a beautiful, flourishing and passionate life.
The paperback version of “Scare Your Soul” is $21.99. It can be purchased at independent bookstores including Mac’s Backs-Books in Cleveland Heights and Loganberry Books in Shaker Heights, Barnes and Noble and online.
To learn more about donating copies of “Scare Your Soul” to the Stop the Hate program, email scott@scareyoursoul.com or visit scottsimon.us.
Scott Simon is a member of the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company Board of Directors.
