Finding Something Friday on Penguin (the Publisher, not the Animal)

You know a company is serious about everybody pulling his or her weight when the CEO gets in on the act.

I read today that David Shanks, CEO of Penguin Groups, USA, has written a song AND performs the song on the newly created website From the Publisher's Office.

Well, I'm impressed. A. Because I didn't know David Shanks could sing (To be honest, I don't know David Shanks, period. But I do know he's a CEO, and I don't know of any other singing CEO's). And B. Because here's a guy who's willing to get down in the trenches (okay, they're writing trenches, which aren't all that hardcore, but I'm going for a principle here), with all those other Penguin people and do his part for his publishing business's new venture. And C. Because it's not a bad little song (The ditty opens the Penguin Storytime). I mean, you can't dance to it, but I snapped my fingers once.

So, what with all the singing and the trailers and the reading and the interviews and the storytime, and I don't know what all more floating around over at the Penguin Publisher's Office, you should learn a little something-something about the publishing business.

Here's what I learned: Everybody wants to be a rock star. Even CEO's.