For years we have used books to tell our philosophical story. If investors want to know what the academic evidence says about investing, we have more than a dozen different options in stock.

Larry Swedroe, who sat down to discuss his latest book with Matt recently (view the video here), has written 14 books over the past 16 years. Our collection ranges from simplistic to highly technical, but one thing is missing: a book we’ve penned ourselves.

That’s about to change!

I’m excited to tell you that I’ve been working on a book for the last five months. We can’t say much more at this point, but have no fear: it won’t be long, it won’t be boring, and it won’t be something that’s been done before. Most importantly, it will help others Take the long view!

Watch this blog and our social media channels for details as we share more over the coming months.

How’s your billion dollar bracket doing?

You’ve likely heard about Warren Buffett’s recent NCAA basketball tournament challenge: build the perfect NCAA bracket and you could win $1 billion. Some may think Warren is crazy, but he knows that the odds of picking the perfect bracket are similar to that of picking the next great stock or fund manger—not good.

While it might be fun to wager $20 and watch the games, managing your money is far from a game. Just as Warren used the evidence to make this safe bet (there are 9.2 quintillion different potential bracket combinations), we also use the evidence to keep the odds on your side when investing.

What’s the latest on the challenge? It was over after the second day of play. Read more about the results here.

I often find inspiration in charities that demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit and make a real difference early on in their lifespan; imagine my pride when I witnessed that first-hand in a charity started by my own nephew, Newell Hill.

I was fortunate to participate in a local event last month hosted by his charity: Keys 4/4 Kids. They are founded on the principle that music inspires kids to believe in themselves, so they set out to promote arts education and mentorship through various efforts that connect kids with music. Newell founded the charity in 2000, working out of his parents’ basement. They’ve since grown to four retail locations where they sell donated pianos to fund their work with kids. In the picture above, you see me with Newell at St. Louis’ renowned Ranken Jordan Pediatric Hospital where children painted a Keys 4/4 Kids piano as part of The Ellen Project.