Claire Lauer from CL Content Marketing

It’s another edition of What the Boss is Reading and I would like to introduce my friend Claire Lauer from CL Content Marketing, Just in case you were wondering, according to her website, content marketing “is a powerful blend of both words and marketing that we use to help clients find their voice online and crush their marketing strategy. Reach the right audience and capture their attention with the right messaging at the right time. “

Claire and I are in a networking group together and as conversations tend to go with me, she and I started talking about books. It turns out that she is also an avid reader so she and I had a lot to talk about. A lot. I was very excited when she agreed to to let me interview her for What the Boss is Reading.

Without further ado…

My name is Claire Lauer and I’m an entrepreneur at CL Content Marketing, teacher, and writer, oh, and an avid reader! In 2019, I set a challenge for myself to read 52 books. Every week I would post my book on my Instagram story. This was such a fun challenge and led me to read daily and feel inspired to work on my novel.

Do you mostly read for pleasure or do you mostly read for professional development?

BOTH! I get asked this a lot, actually. I read only 1 (maybe 2) professional or business development books a month. Personally, I can’t clog up my brain with too much information and ideas like that or I will explode. Anyway, I read a mix of genres too so I can enjoy my favorites like historical fiction and try new genres like science fiction.

What are you currently reading?  Thoughts on it?

I’m reading Rich People Problems which is Kevin Kwan’s 3rd book in his Crazy, Rich, Asians Trilogy. It’s like reading a reality TV show and I can’t get enough of it. I’m also jealous of how seamlessly Kevin Kwan is able to keep 30 different storylines and what feels like hundreds of characters straight. How do I keep them straight? These books make me grateful to not be ultra-rich. It sounds stressful!

Do you share what you read with your co-workers to encourage them to read more?

I always joke that I’m a gentle English Major. I won’t pressure you to read something and I won’t judge your grammar. It’s all good. However, reading is a major part of my life and sometimes I can’t help but share!

I was at a networking event this year and somehow ended up telling another attendee about Nathanial Philbrick’s fantastic In the Hurricane’s Eye: The Genius of George Washingon and the Victory at Yorktown. I don’t remember what came over me! I blacked out! Somehow the Revolutionary War came up in the conversation and I just went off on how great this book was at explaining the war and how precarious it all truly was. Anyway, the kind gentleman listened in earnest and said he wanted to read the book. He even looked it up on his phone to read later. It was a proud moment for me.

What is your favorite genre?

DON’T MAKE ME CHOOSE. Okay, historical fiction. I like stories that weave in real-life tales from the past. I just love it. I would love to write a historical fiction novel someday. Like I mentioned earlier, I switched up some of my genres this year to enjoy a good mix.

Have you always been a reader or did your love of reading come later in life?

Oh, I always was an avid reader. Do you know anyone who read the most books in 7th grade and her teacher gave her a novel as a prize? Now you do.

I remember sitting at the kitchen table as a kid and telling my mom about Misty of Chincoteague. I cornered her in her own kitchen to tell her the entire plot. Now I do this to my husband. We have a bar in the corner of our basement and it’s VERY easy to corner him in there and tell him about the book.

Are your friends readers, too, or are you the outlier in your group?

I’m lucky to have best friends who are avid readers, my sister is a reader, and my mom is a reader. I do have good friends who don’t read and it’s okay! They know who to call if they need a recommendation.

Do you have a favorite author?  Favorite book?

This is my Sophie’s Choice! My favorite author… of all time!? Ugh, so many. Jodi Picoult will always be on my list of favorites. I even got to meet her at a book signing! Elizabeth Gilbert is up there on my list. How can she switch from nonfiction to fiction so well?!

Notable Mentions :

• Madeline Miller
• Bryn Greenwood
• Alex Michaelides

I think I have to honor my OG favorite book which was Little House on the Prairie. I just loved those books so much growing up and have read the entire series multiple times. Those books were my first “big kid” reads and it will always be a happy place.

Is there a book that you feel has changed your life?

I feel that many books have changed my life. One in particular that helped me become a better person, achieve lofty goals and realize my full potential was The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. If you’re not familiar it’s basically the principle that every day we make choices of how we spend our time and energy and by making slight positive changes we can create big impact in our lives. I realized that some of my big goals and dreams just needed to be broken down into actionable steps to take every single day.

Is there a book you consistently recommend?

The Gods of Jade and Shadow is my favorite book of 2019. It’s so good. Read it!!!

And there you have it! Check out Claire and find out What the Boss is Reading!

Be sure to check out Claire’s business website and find her on social. She’s got a 2020 goal of another 52 books, great book recommendations, and she’s a business whiz, too!