Beginning today, consumers can enjoy exclusive online video courses taught by bestselling authors, experts and inspirational figures. The new video courses, produced by Simon & Schuster and hosted at the company’s recently-launched SimonSays.com portal, will give readers and consumers greater access—from the comfort of their home, office or while on the go—to the wisdom and expertise of favorite authors, in courses that both expand upon and complement each author’s published work.
SimonSays online course offerings will be primarily in the mind-body-spirit, health and fitness, and wealth and personal finance categories. Three courses will be available for immediate purchase at launch:
- “A Short Guide to a Long Life” with David B. Agus, MD. The #1 bestselling author of THE END OF ILLNESS and A SHORT GUIDE TO A LONG LIFE, professor of medicine and engineering at USC’s Keck School of Medicine and “CBS This Morning” medical contributor empowers viewers with the critical information needed to choose the right doctor, take charge of their health and delay disease so that they can live a long, healthy life.
- “Finding Your Purpose and Living It” with Zhena Muzyka. The social entrepreneur and award-winning businesswoman, founder of Zhena’s Gypsy Tea and author of LIFE BY THE CUP provides tools and methods for revitalizing mind, body and spirit to help find purpose in life: at work, at home and in relationships.
- “Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead” with Tosha Silver. The coach, spiritual counselor and author provides practical advice and substantive steps to learn the “how” of letting go and turning our lives and our problems over to a larger force.
Other courses currently in production include “A Message of Hope from Angels” with bestselling author Lorna Byrne, and “Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism” with Barry Prizant.
“Today’s consumers have made it plain that they want and expect more from authors, and in offering these up-close, off-the-page experiences we are partnering with our authors to satisfy that demand,” said Carolyn Reidy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Simon & Schuster. “This initiative is also another way for us to expand what Simon & Schuster can provide to our authors, building audiences for their books and creating new revenue streams.”
“In today’s world it is critical for both author and publisher to think beyond the traditional book launch cycle,” said Liz Perl, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Simon & Schuster. “These online courses are another way for us to help maximize the reach of our authors: by connecting them directly with consumers, by keeping their ideas fresh during the intervals between books, as a testing ground for new ideas and concepts, and in the creation of user-friendly content that, in addition to direct to consumer sales, can be licensed to or sponsored by third-party companies and organizations.”
Each online course is designed for self-paced study, and once purchased, the consumer has lifetime access. They can begin anytime they want and finish at their leisure, and the content is mobile-optimized for viewing on smartphones and tablets. A student need not have read the author’s work in order to successfully benefit from the course. The course videos are produced in a native environment of the author’s choosing, giving the videos a personal, intimate, behind-the-scenes feel, while keeping the proceedings casual and fun. In addition, Simon & Schuster is creating supplemental course materials including downloads and workbooks and the author-instructors will be available on a monthly basis for interactive sessions with course subscribers.
Day-to-day operations and production of the SimonSays online courses are under the management of Gail Gonzales, Director of Integrated Marketing. “The authors in our course offerings have been carefully selected for both their expertise and their ability to communicate, to inspire and to motivate,” said Gonzales. “As our program grows we look forward to working with more Simon & Schuster authors as well as experts and personalities from beyond our lists.”
SIMONSAYS COURSE OFFERINGS AT LAUNCH
A SHORT GUIDE TO A LONG LIFE with Dr. David Agus
- One full-length 70-minute course
- Downloadable 21-page comprehensive course workbook that can be used year-after-year
- Access to live Q&A sessions with Dr. Agus
- $25 (the cost of an office co-pay) includes lifetime access
FINDING YOUR PURPOSE AND LIVING IT with Zhena Muzyka
- One 90-minute course comprised of 8 modules
- 7 interactive exercises that include meditation, journaling and self-care techniques
- A course workbook including all elements taught during the course and video-specific note sections
- Access to course Q&A sessions with Zhena Muzyka
- $85 includes lifetime access
OUTRAGEOUS OPENNESS with Tosha Silver
- One full-length 80 minute course
- 6-step process for letting go and releasing to the divine
- 10-minute guided meditation
- Access to live Q&A sessions with Tosha Silver
- $65 includes lifetime access
SimonSays, a division of Simon & Schuster, is dedicated to connecting authors with their fans and readers. We inspire and uplift through online video courses and live events.
Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.
