If you had the chance to give a motivational talk to a worldwide audience of women who were approaching retirement, what would you say? Especially, if you are a woman who is already retired, what helpful advice would you offer? Would you recommend that they follow in your footsteps – and then provide the step by step of that path? Or would you advise, “Don’t, whatever you do, do what I did! …”?

Well, now is your chance to be heard.

This week I was approached by the co-author of an exciting book-in-the-works, whose working title is Voices from the Other Side…of Retirement. She, Leslie Inman, and her co-author, Roxanne Jones, both recently retired from high-powered corporate positions in the U.S., are now reaching out — all over the world — for the candid voices of retired women from all walks of life to help make their book a valuable and timely reality.

“Unlike most retirement resources that focus on financial planning,” Leslie says, “Voices will speak to the human side of this transition—the emotional, health, spiritual, relationship, and everyday joys and challenges that this stage of life can pose.”

So far, Leslie reported to me, they’ve heard from women in twenty-five states in the U.S., plus Canada, France, Portugal, the UK, Australia, as well as one woman on a sailboat off Central America. Now they’re seeking more respondents.

That’s where you, WOW readers, come in.

Every day that I check the site stats, I’m astounded to see that The WOW Factor is read not only near – in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — but also far from here, by hundreds of people, mostly older women. I confess I’ve been shockingly slow to join the techno bandwagon, but I must say I’m growing quite fond of the worldwideweb: I get a thrill when I see that WOWs are being read in places where I not only don’t know anyone, I’m not even sure where to pinpoint them on a map (such as: Rwanda, Malta, Guatemala, Cambodia…).

So, getting back to how YOU can be heard:

Before April 30^th, which is their deadline for submissions, go to the website www.retirementvoices.com  and follow the simple steps for responding to Leslie and Roxanne’s questionnaire. (I’ve done it, and it’s fun!) Pretend you’re being interviewed face-to-face over coffee for this important book. The authors’ questions are probing, requiring some thought and insight, but nothing that would induce a stress headache or heart palpitations.

We’re retired now, right? Our time is your own. And one of our “jobs,” I believe, as wise older women, is to share our life experiences and be good role models. Our reward for participating? Those whose submissions are included in the book will receive a free copy of Voices when it is published.

As Leslie further explained to me:

“We baby boomers are the first generation of women to have staked a claim in the workplace in such great numbers. Just as we broke ground—and glass ceilings—professionally, thousands of us are now entering the ranks of the retired every day. It’s uncharted territory and we are hearing that there is a need for a guide book.

“We believe that women helping other women, through sharing their personal retirement journeys, is a powerful way to educate, engage and empower, and we’re excited about the promise this book holds.”

So, if you are retired, please take a few moments to participate in this worthwhile project by completing and submitting the questionnaire you’ll find at the website www.retirementvoices.com . And if you’re not yet retired, please share this post with your women friends, family members, or neighbors who are, and urge them to participate. Keep in mind that — as with most things in life — there’s an expiration date. In this case, the deadline for submission is April 30^th.

As Leslie says, “It’s this kind of generosity of spirit that will help us make this book a reality.”