Five Authors and Retirement Experts to Gather in Portland, Maine for Panel Discussion On Creative Retirement

Online, July 27, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Retirement has come a long way since the Golden Years concept of checking out of life and playing endless rounds of cards and shuffleboard in Florida. In the midst of what is being called the longevity revolution, seventy-eight million Baby Boomers and many more on the older fringe are pioneering a new life stage characterized by living and working longer, developing encore careers, and taking advantage of endless opportunities for growth in the second half of life.

Anyone who feels overwhelmed with options for contemporary retirement will want to attend Creative Retirement, a panel discussion comprised of five experts in the art of successful personal and professional reinvention at mid-life and beyond. Attendees will find illuminating and inspiring answers to the question "What do I want to do with the rest of my life?" and learn how to customize a rewarding and rejuvenating retirement approach.
Panelists include:

Deborah Knox, author of Put Your Spirit to Work: Making a Living by Being Yourself , is a career and mid-life transitions coach based in Tucson, Arizona. Knox's book helps readers to navigate the ever-changing world of work toward a new career goal or passion. Her emphasis is on finding greater meaning by tapping into inherent strengths, talents and passions. Learn more about Knox at www.lifeworktransitions.com.

Helen Rivas-Rose, author of Brave: A Memoir of Overcoming Shyness, is a workshop leader who divides her time between Mexico and Maine. Her book recounts her journey from suffocating shyness to liberated assertiveness, and her primary message is that personality change and other major life transformations are possible for anyone at any age. Learn more about Rivas-Rose at www.shynessbook.com.

Roberta K. Taylor, co-author of The Couples Retirement Puzzle: 10 Must-Have Conversations for Transitioning to the Second Half of Life, is a Boston-based retirement coach, consultant, and speaker. Her book offers couples guidelines for building a shared retirement vision that encourages meaning, purpose, security, and growth. Learn more about Taylor at www.pathmaking.com and www.couplesretirementpuzzle.com.

Gail McMeekin, MSW, author of The 12 Secrets of Highly Successful Women and The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women, is the founder and president of Creative Success, LLC in Boston, where she helps creative professionals and entrepreneurs turn their passions and unique ideas into prosperous businesses. Through her work and books, McMeekin shows people how to boost their creativity and take positive, calculated risks to create fulfilling lives. Learn more about McMeekin at www.creativesuccess.com.

Amy Wood, Psy.D., author of Life Your Way: Refresh Your Approach to Success and Breathe Easier in a Fast-paced World, is a Maine-based psychologist specializing in helping adults articulate and accomplish their own versions of success. Her book covers a ten-step program for adapting to our perpetually hectic age, and she is the self-help columnist for The Boomer Brief. Learn more about Wood at www.amywoodpsyd.com.

Creative Retirement will be held at Longfellow Books at 1 Monument Square in Portland, Maine on Thursday, August 2nd, 2012 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Books written by participating authors will be available for purchase.