The same year I gave birth to my bright, energetic Kung Fu Panda, I birthed another “baby”: my book of essays and columns, The Art of Life. The collection features the best of more than a decade’s worth of newspaper columns and online writings. In it, I examine pop culture, ponder the inner thoughts of dogs, and share insights into the beauty and humor of life.

When the book was fresh and new — in its figurative crib — I was making my bleary-eyed way through Baby Boot Camp. A few half-hearted attempts to promote the book among friends and through a handful of readings assured me that people who did read it liked it. The problem was, I lacked the time and energy to bring the book to a wider audience. Since I’d opted to self-publish the eclectic collection, I was the only one out there promoting it. As a result, I guess you could say my literary baby suffered from the condition doctors call “failure to thrive.” If it were human, they would have prescribed protein supplements and frequent follow-up doctor’s visits.

But now that KFP is in preschool — and now that I’m finally back to at least my normal amount of limited sleep — I’m going to give it another shot. For this weekend (today through Tuesday, November 12), I’m holding a free promotion of the Kindle version of The Art of Life. Stop by, pick up a copy, and tell your friends. (And if you don’t have a Kindle device, download the free app for use on PCs or smart phones.)

In these digital days, you probably won’t bother to print out any of these pieces to hang on your refrigerator, but I guarantee you’ll find something that will make you smile, ponder and even want to share it.

(And if you do, please write a quick review on Amazon, Goodreads and any other book review site, as a thank you for the free read!)