AUTHOR  ~ SPEAKER ~ AD GUY

Okay, how would one introduce oneself? How about this: Born in Alabama, Philip Shirley (me) lives near Madison, Mississippi, on the Barnett Reservoir with his wife, the painter Virginia Shirley and a black lab named Miles (To Go Before I Sleep). In addition to publishing fiction and non-fiction, I'm CEO of GodwinGroup, the South’s oldest ad agency.

I'm a weekly guest on The David Magee Show, a nationally syndicated radio and TV show where I discuss marketing and business topics, such as digital marketing and small business growth strategies. I often speak nationally and internationally on college campuses and at writing, marketing and business conferences. My s fiction, speech and feature writing has received numerous awards, which along with $1.76 will get a medium sized cup of Italian Roast coffee near my office. I'm presently completing a new novel and toying with a seafood cookbook. Also shopping around a finished novel.

If you want, Friend me on Facebook (philip.shirley) for current news and follow on Twitter (philipshirley) for random stuff from football to marketing.

I'm also an official blogger for al.com on University of Alabama football. Check out my blogs under "Tide Corner" on al.com, usually under the heading "From Behind Enemy Lines."

Book Philip for a speech

Contact me direct if you'd like to book a presentation for a literary group, corporate meeting, association event, writers' conference or conference. Presently, I'm on the business speaker circuit presenting "How to Endure: Five Business Lessons Learned from Louisville Slugger." Contact me at pshirley@godwin.com if you'd like to discuss a presentation on a range of topics which include writing, small business marketing, business ethics, digital and search engine marketing, and reputation management during and after a crisis.

Free Video of Short Story Reading

Here is the link to the video file itself. If you like it forward the link.

My latest book is on baseball and Louisville Slugger

Sweet Spot: 125 Years of Baseball and the Louisville Slugger, co-authored with business writer David Magee and with foreword by Ken Griffey Jr., was released by Triumph Books, an imprint of Random House Publishing Group, in May 2009. The book has been featured on Fox Business News, Louisville public radio's "Studio 619," the L.A. Times and Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf.

Order online now.

Sweet Spot: 125 Years of Baseball and the Louisville Slugger, with many never-before-seen photos, tells us how a family-owned woodshop near the falls of the Ohio River became one of the most recognizable brand names in all of sports. Learn the cultural history of the events, personalities and social background that created the opportunity for baseball to emerge as America's greatest pastime.

My Fiction Writing

My collection of short stories, Oh Don't You Cry For Me, was released in 2008 from Jefferson Press with (modest?) critical acclaim.   One story was anthologized in Stories from the Blue Moon Café IV and others have appeared in numerous magazines and literary journals.

Order online now.

SIGNED FIRST EDITIONS For signed first editions of ODYCFM personally inscribed by the author, email me at pshirley@godwin.com for details. I purchased a stack of books from the publisher for personal use to  so I can get them to you cheaper. Free shipping for anyone. And libraries can get 25% discounts if you just tell me its for a library. Same for book clubs. If anyone else wants to donate to a library, just say so and I'll throw in a second copy for half price.