Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Is it time to dust off those past dreams? Andrew James, co-founder of local youth arts-based charity Streams Community Hub, is helping readers take the leap of faith in exploring their aspirations through the release of his second book, Presumptuous: Living Beyond Limits, Labels & Logic.

Described as part memoir and staunchly not self-help, James dubs Presumptuous: Living Beyond Limits, Labels & Logic as mostly a “permission slip” to encourage others to dust off their old dreams and begin pursuing them with purpose.

“A lot of times life happens. We get older, we get married, we have a house with a mortgage and bill, we get into a job, and we get comfortable. But deep inside there are dreams that maybe we've put to the side and forgotten we wanted to pursue in life,” said James.

James said he was  rst inspired to write the book after being asked to be a guest speaker at a Parent Career Day to discuss his various entrepreneurial ventures. In sharing those achievements, James realized that oftentimes when exploring new ventures, he'd trust or presume that they would succeed.

“I've done so many things I had no business doing, but they turned out to be successful.

I thought this was a good proof of concept, that if you try and you believe you're called to do something; you should do it,” said James.

Some of the accomplishments James claims he had “no business” pursuing include the launching of a magazine in 2007 that received national distribution before its first issue, as well as creating a drum competition in the early 2000s, which was nationally recognized and supported by major drum companies.

In titling the book Presumptuous, James aims to twist the word from a negative into a positive and reassure the reader that they're supposed to be seeking their goals.

“Usually, you call someone who's overstepping and doing something they shouldn't be doing, presumptuous, but a lot of times, when you have an idea in your heart and a passion you believe you're called to do, nobody else can see it or feel it.”

While James shares many of his own anecdotal experiences throughout Presumptuous: Living Beyond Limits, Labels & Logic, the book also features interactive components to encourage the readers to start the steps to pursuing their own passions.

In addition to being an author, James is also the co-founder of Streams Community Hub, an arts-focused youth charity based in Shelburne. He is also the creator of Town Tees, a social enterprise that empowers young people through hands-on entrepreneurial experience. James published his first book in 2013, called Bird Words: Inspirational Thoughts for Everyday Life in 140 Characters or Less.

Presumptuous: Living Beyond Limits, Labels & Logic is available for purchase instore at Booklore and Indigo as well as online through Amazon. The audio version of the book is also available on most platforms.