Thank you for your interest in my project.

After surviving the rollercoaster ride of raising two kids with my very patient wife, this endeavor took shape from my desire to undertake one more challenge. The original book, The Manhood Manual – A Comic Adventure, follows the amusing tales of Jeffrey R. Crandle, a 13-year-old who believes he’s now a successful and well-adjusted young man. In the book, Jeffrey’s self-proclaimed manhood revolves around his “cool ideas” that each come with a big mistake and a corresponding lesson learned. The humorous lesson for readers is that the journey to manhood is uniquely clumsy. The message, however, is much larger.

Today, growing up is more challenging than ever. Kids are grappling with new hurdles, including mastering the digital landscape and dealing with the psychological impacts of an “always connected” lifestyle. Inadvertently, we as parents may contribute to their strain through our high aspirations and tendencies to over-schedule. For boys, an overwhelming body of research suggests that the problems they face are significantly more complex than they were just a decade ago. The fact that our own childhood experiences are increasingly divergent from those of our boys exacerbates the situation.

I wrote The Manhood Manual to honor a promise to a cherished friend of mine who left us too early. The book series has one objective – to help build well-adjusted boys in this new era. If you enjoy the message, I invite you to also sign up for The Manhood Minute, a valuable resource for parents and mentors. The e-newsletter features projects, research and products designed to guide boys on their path to manhood. While it won’t solve every problem boys encounter, The Manhood Minute strives to rejuvenate our collective efforts to build better young men.

For other opportunities, contact steve@manhoodmanual.com.