He’s been called Charlotte’s “champion of creativity” and he serves up a jolt of inspiration as the organizer of monthly must-do Creative Mornings. Matt Olin tells us what’s on his bookshelf:

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, by Susan Jeffers
This book came into my life at a crucial moment, and it made a huge difference for me.

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
Frankl’s ideas of meaning in life, and his theory of logotherapy, made a huge impact on me as I turned the corner into my 40s.

One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One, by Lauren Sandler
I appreciated this candid, measured exploration of only-childhood, as my wife and I determine the size of our own family.

From Diapers to Dating: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Children, by Debra Haffner
Kids are inundated with so many messages about sexuality; we are hoping to head some of that toxicity off at the pass.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
This has been my favorite novel since childhood. It still holds the top spot.

Naked, by David Sedaris
This was quite possibly the first time I laughed out loud while reading, and it opened my eyes to the power of well-crafted narrative and language. Sedaris is a genius.

The Day the Crayons Came Home,written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
I’m in the midst of collaborating on a children’s book with Charlotte-based illustrator Monica Rief, and the wonderful Daywalt/Jeffers “crayon series” has been a great source of inspiration for us.