Email from October 28, 2004

Hi Joel, my name is Kent. Just wanted to let you know I quit smoking on April 23rd. There is nothing spectacular about my story just wanted to let you know your book did it for me. I had just got back from a trip to Florida and it was a Monday morning at work, and thought I do not want to smoke the rest of my life, so I got on the internet to look for......something, pills, gum, patch.............didn't know what I was looking for......typed in quit smoking for a search.....up comes your website.

I downloaded your book, printed it and took it home, with my cigs. I never thought in a million years that I was on my last pack of smokes.............I read your book and quit......cold turkey!

Everything in your book worked for me, how to think, how to approach situations, the graphic photos, the analogy on withdrawal.....everything! I have not taken even one puff in 6 months.

Thank You,

Kent

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My reply

Hello Kent:

Well there actually is one thing spectacular about your story-You quit smoking! That is very spectacular and you should never minimize that. I am glad my book was able to help you out. If you ever have any questions or problems that were not covered in the book, please don't hesitate to get in touch, or feel free to drop me a line every now and then keeping me apprised to your progress. 

Hang in there Kent and just know that this quit will last as long as you choose as long as you keep remembering to follow the directions on the cover of the book, which is simply to stay smoke free is as easy as remembering now to never take another puff!

Joel

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Email from this morning:

Hello Joel, just wanted to touch base with you again, and tell you Thank You, I still have not taken one puff. I quit cold in April of 2004. I still have your book printed and have loaned to a few people. I visit your web site from time to time, I am so glad I found it. Regards,

Kent

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Hello Kent:

Glad you touched base again. Always good to hear success stories. Kent, >I started up a new board recently called AskJoel. You can see the site at http://groups.msn.com/AskJoel/askjoel.msnw. Would it be okay with you if I shared your previous letter and this one, just using your first name? I like for people to see long-term success stories on the board. If not that is fine.

Again, if there is ever anything I can do to help please don't hesitate to get back in touch.

Joel

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Feel free to post, hopefully it will help others. I have something else to share with you. In 1998 my 34 year old wife of 15 years died of lung cancer.

Now she did not smoke but her parents did, in the house in the car, so growing up she was around second hand smoke. I am 44 years old and had started smoking at 18 I figured an all the years I have averaged 1 1/2 packs a day. I am still amazed that I haven't smoked and like I said in my previous letter Your book took me through the quitting process, it was the answer to save my life. I couldn't even quit after watching my wife die of cancer! I smoked even more! Thought it was "calming me" down and helping me cope with stress, boy was I wrong! It has been 1 year and 9 months now since I quit........I feel great. Not even one puff and planning on keeping it that way!

Thanks again,

Kent