What people are saying about Doug Osborne Does Not Quit

“Join Doug on his amazing journey to achieve mastery of his life… It will motivate and inspire you to stop saying you can’t and to believe that you can… Doug is an inspiration to all who know him or read his book.” —Philip van Heusen, Readers’ Favorite, ★★★★★

“Once in a while, we stumble upon a book whose impact is downright impactful and life-affirming. Doug Osborne Does Not Quit is certainly one of those books… a searing and sublimely written memoir with a lasting impact on one’s mind.” —Lily Andrews, Feathered Quill Book Reviews, ★★★★★

“While teeming with humor and an uplifting spirit, this memoir had me shedding tears throughout my reading journey… a remarkable and multifaceted work from a fellow neurodivergent individual, resonating deeply as a sincere and heartfelt narrative.” —Literary Titan, ★★★★★

“an inspiring memoir about the challenges and triumphs of overcoming disability, showing what can be achieved by never giving in to your negative internal voice, or anyone else who tries to stop you in the process.” —Self-Publishing Review

“Doug’s writing style is smooth, and you’ll just find yourself turning pages…  The book was entertaining and inspiring. Its editing was exceptional. Therefore, I rate it five out of five stars.” —Hager Salem, Online Book Club, ★★★★★ 

“Fabulously interesting, quirky, unique, and serious while entertaining” —Susan Read, Award-Winning English Teacher

“This is an incredible journey from a man that just does not quit! He is a brilliant “code warrior” but an even better author. Want inspiration? Read this!” —David C. Johnson, retired, former Director of Development at Harvard University

Click on the links to read the full editorial reviews from Readers’ Favorite, Feathered Quill Book Reviews, Literary Titan, Self-Publishing Review, and Online Book Club.

Author Interview with Literary Titan

Read this author interview at Literary Titan: https://literarytitan.com/2023-05-24/i-keep-fighting/

Doug Osborne Does Not Quit tells of your experiences refusing to live behind the label of disabled and your journey to finding a work-from-job and buying your first home. Why was it important to share your story?

There were two related stories I wanted to share, captured by my book’s title and subtitle.

The title is named after the words on my banner, which reminds me to keep fighting no matter how many times I get knocked down and feel like quitting. The title story is about my banner and my ongoing mission of getting a job and going off disability.

I share my banner story to inspire others to keep fighting until they achieve their goals, and to inspire myself to stay true to my banner. Prior to publishing it in a book, I shared it in various forms with everyone I know and thousands of people I don’t know. The most widespread edition is a one-minute video with the caption: “Hi, my name is on my banner, and I want the world to hear me yell NOT TODAY!”  “Not today” is what I say to my banner twice a day: quietly as my morning prayer, and at the end of the day, with authority, because I did not quit today!  

My book begins and ends with my banner. It is the most powerful version of this story yet, accentuated by what goes on in between.

The middle and bulk of my book follow the subtitle plot, The House Behind My Banner, which begins shortly after the start of my mission. This is the first time I’ve publicly shared my account of the battle to buy my first house so I could continue my mission. More importantly, this story is about the fight to overcome my disability, getting past those who blocked my path, and in the process learning that I am actually far from disabled. The House Behind My Banner teaches valuable lessons, and I particularly enjoyed recalling the seminal moments of my life described in “Revenge of the Nerd,” “Redemption,” and “Home.”

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

Disability should not be confused with inability. For some people like me, to be or not to be disabled is a choice and not a diagnosis. For others with autism or related cognitive disorders, being “neurodivergent” instead of “neurotypical” is not a bad thing. For everyone, people should treat other people with respect, regardless of their current occupation or disability status.

What is a common misconception you feel people have about living with a disability?

I honestly don’t know which misconceptions are common, so I’ll just state my opinion that any conception about living with a disability is a misconception. One of the main points of my book is that people should not judge or underestimate anyone because of that d-word.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?

Philip Van Heusen for Readers’ Favorite summed it up as well as I could: “stop saying you can’t and believe that you can.” If you simply believe that you can, you might be surprised at what you can do.

This is the theme of a short chapter of my book, “Can I Walk Through Walls?” While I didn’t really suspect that I could walk through walls, the point is you should not assume you can’t do something until you have tried to do it. So, why not give it a shot?  The worst that can happen is you fail, but even that should not discourage you.

Doug Osborne Does Not Quit is about believing in yourself, while the sequel, Not Today!, will be about trying and failing over and over and over again until you finally succeed.

There are three parts to Doug Osborne Does Not Quit, with each part separated into several short chapters.

Part 1 – The Mission and the House

The start of my mission, how it was delayed by my landlord’s plan to sell his property, and my plan to buy my first house so I could resume my mission.

• The Start of My Mission  At the start of 2021, I began my mission of getting a work-from-home job and going off disability. 
• The Dream Job  In April 2021, I nearly got the best job of my life as a result of my first job application in over 7 years. 
• Postponing My Mission  Due to Bob’s plan to sell the house I was renting, I postponed my mission to find another place to live. 
• The Dream House  In May 2021, I decided to buy my first house, and found a great place for me to continue my mission. 

Part 2 – The Eviction

The eviction lawsuit that violated CT’s eviction moratorium and jeopardized my house purchase. 

• Get Off My Property  On May 27th, I was served a Notice to Quit Possession that violated CT’s eviction moratorium and stated that I must vacate my home by June 7th. 
• Why Is This Eviction Still Happening?  On June 21st, I was served a summons to court in a summary process eviction action that violated the moratorium.  I then wrote an email to Bob’s attorney, “Jill”, and asked her why this eviction was still happening. 
• Pay Up and We’ll Talk  Jill’s response to my email.
• She Should Have Known Better  On June 25th, I spoke to an attorney, “Sam”, who told me that the eviction violated the moratorium.  When he found out that “Jill” was the attorney behind the eviction, Sam said, “She should have known better.” 
• Can I Go On Offense Now?  After I found out that Bob and Jill had violated a law, I set up a meeting with Sam to discuss the possibility of countersuing. 
• Revenge of the Nerd  My meeting with Sam was more like an interrogation than a legal consultation. 
• Can I Walk Through Walls?  On June 30th, I filed a motion to dismiss at the courthouse in Torrington, CT.  The judge dismissed the eviction because “The Notice to Quit does not comply with the current executive orders.”

Part 3 – The House and The Mission

The battle to buy my first house and the continued pursuit of my mission.

• Goddamn Underwriter! On June 29th, my loan officer, “Greg”, told me that the underwriter wouldn’t sign off on my loan because the distance between my well and septic did not meet an FHA regulation.  When I revealed that I was being evicted, Greg yelled, “Goddamn underwriter!” 
• There’s No **** In My Water My efforts to resolve the well-to-septic issue included a pristine water test which showed that there was literally no **** from the septic getting into my water. 
• MY Signature?!?! On July 2nd, I called Greg because I suspected that he was backing out of his commitment to my loan.  Greg was furious when I pointed out his signature on the loan commitment letter that I also signed on June 15th. 
• A Sinking Feeling The week after the Fourth of July, I felt my dream house slipping away as it became clear that my lender wasn’t interested in lending to me anymore. 
• Redemption On July 9th, I came up with the perfect thing to say to get my house back. 
• Home On August 6th, I closed on the purchase of my first house. 
• Bullies Even after I got his illegal eviction lawsuit dismissed and moved out of his property, Bob continued to threaten me with lawsuits. 
• Banner In May 2022, I hung my banner to ensure that I keep fighting no matter how many times I get knocked down and feel like quitting.