A Life Through Books

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: Communicating Through Change by Alicia Sedgwick #promo #selfhelp #nonfiction #giveaway #interview #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @AuthorParul
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Self-change, Self-empowerment, New Thinking, Communications Skills, Change Management, Conscious Living

Date Published: January 2021

Publisher: Growth Media AI, USA


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This life-changing book will show you how to communicate through major changes in your life and to best express yourself when you need to be heard. It is packed with real-life stories, practical exercises, insightful tips and uplifting affirmations. Addressing relevant challenges, which everyone meets at one time in their life, this book will give you hope, resilience and clarity about how to move forward. By sharing her vulnerability with authentic openness, the author helps you to find your inner strength and to speak up for yourself.


Change Challenges

The one thing we can be sure of – in this life – is that there will be change.”

This is a truth I have never wanted, or liked and yet my life has been full of it. In this collection of chapters of my personal experiences, specifically related to change, I hope you will learn from my experiences to deal with your own and to be able to also share your story. As you dip in and out of the chapters, you may feel that the experience is not relevant to you right now. However, I trust when you return to the book, a certain story will be highly pertinent for you in that moment.

A dear friend reminded me recently how I had agonised about changing my job from one legal partnership to another; spending hours deliberating on the decision; and talking and talking about it! I have always found it difficult to let anyone, or anything go. But I have had to learn to deal with change in my life and to adopt a different approach, which is what I share with you in this book. I provide you with my life learnings about managing and communicating through each change and challenge that life throws at us all, so you can benefit from the best result for you, each time.

Wherever you are in your life, this book provides you with an insight into my life; sharing with you what I have learned and showing you how you can deal with your experiences of change, coming through them with strength and courage. It provides you with practical guidance and applicable exercises to enable you to take conscious actions that will help you communicate your way through a variety of different changes. While the chapters can be read in isolation, the exercises can be applied to more than one change challenge. This book will also help you to understand that you are not alone and whenever you face these challenges, there is support from the insight shared here. Plus, the opportunity to belong to Team Alicia, a supportive group of like-minded people where you are free to be yourself without inhibition, worry, anxiety or fear. Where you will not be judged; you will be nurtured and cared for and what is said and shared in Team Alicia, stays in Team Alicia!


Interview

What was your main drive to write this book?

I knew that I help people greatly in my communication skills teaching, and training, especially through the pandemic to give coaching on how to be effective online, and on camera, but I wanted to give support and help on a global basis, and in a deeper way.

What do you hope readers will learn by reading this book?

That they can communicate through all the situations of change that I write about, and they are not alone in doing so, because they will have the support of Team Alicia, and my experiences to learn from, and be guided through.

Did you do much research when planning this book?

I drew on my own experiences, and what I have learned from them, and my knowledge and skills in communication, and being able to speak up, and express yourself with impact, and effectively.

Did you have any main people who helped you in the process of this book or influenced you to write it?

I was helped considerably by my Author Coach, and Book Editor, WENDY YORKE, who gave me the structure to be able to write the book, and understanding of me, and what I wanted to express.

How long did this book take you to write from initial thought to hitting publish?

It was written, published and launched in less than 5 months! It was so meant to be! Wendy introduced me to my publisher, PARUL AGRAWAL of SERAPIS BEY PUBLISHING  and we asked if the book could be published for early as possible January 2021, as it is so timely and relevant for now, and Parul acted really quickly to ensure the launch on January 19th 2021.

Do you have plans to write more about this topic or new topics?

I wanted to see how this book would be received, and it looks like it is having the impact of help and support that I wanted, so maybe there will be more on this topic of communicating through situations of profound change, or to help people communicate through other situations, and embrace them as I am helping them to do in this book through change with acceptance, acknowledgment, and recognition to learn and move forward stronger and with confidence.

I also hope to be able to provide training and teaching through the book, and continue to help people by my speaking and coaching for them to communicate effectively, with impact and confidence.

 


About The Author

Alicia Sedgwick began her career as a lawyer, specialising in family law. This was her first step in helping people who were experiencing difficult changes in their lives. When she moved to the South of France, she began working in radio, as well as in event management, taking care of talent and celebrities. She also created her own internet television show, Asking Alicia, to help families dealing with impactful issues and the profound changes those challenges brought with them.

Alicia began teaching at the International University of Monaco, in Public Speaking and Presentation Skills, Leadership and Managing People. Her communications courses are based on her belief that when you can communicate effectively and with impact, you will be successful in your professional and personal relationships. Soon, her training was extended to the International School of Monaco, and for businesses, individuals, associations and corporations. She is currently helping people to be brilliant online, where communications are so focused in this Covid climate.

Alicia is also a professional MC for events, such as TEDxMonteCarlo, where she brings her individual talent of making everyone feel embraced, included and involved, with humour and empathy.

Hailed as The Communications Guru by her global followers, Alicia specialises in training and coaching for all age groups and backgrounds. She develops her international student’s communications skills and builds their confidence, as well as empowering, motivating and inspiring them. She also helps people navigate their way through the challenges that life throws at us, with the backing and support of Team Alicia, which she created for her students as a place where they can go to feel cared for and nurtured.

This book is her opportunity to share more of herself and tell her story to help more people with their lives. She knows from her life experiences that when we share our story and communicate effectively through change, we can be stronger people and make a more significant contribution in the world.


Contact The Author

Please contact me via my website, as below and let me know which experiences of change you have embraced and how the chapters about those challenges have helped you the most. Please share your experiences with me and how you have used the communication exercises to support you. I am always delighted to receive your feedback and comments, and to welcome more change communicators into Team Alicia.

Also, please contact me for personal coaching and training in communications, and for your company, foundation, association and organisation.


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Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: Sins in Sunlight by Rachel Hailey #blogtour #interview #giveaway #darkparanormal #paranormalromance #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @rachelhailey @SydeFyre
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Of Courts and Desire, Book 2

Dark Paranormal Romance

Date Published: January 18, 2021

Publisher: FyreSyde Publishing



The Sunfire Queen, Sierra, has waited for her chance to rule, thinking life would be better with her mother dead. She was wrong. The Court of Light is in Shambles. Her people are terrified and despise her. She has no friends, no love, and no hope. When a new war hovers on the horizon, Sierra must find the lost beastkyn Mikhail or her court will perish, and she'll lose her shot at redemption.

Quick to grin and quicker to kill, Mikhail has made his share of mistakes–being imprisoned has given him time to ponder each poor decision. But when Sierra frees him, he earns the opportunity to make some more. She's gorgeous and despite her fiery nature, as cold as the snow-capped mountains of Russia. He can't wait to see how fast he can make her melt.




Interview

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

 

Time. There just aren't enough hours! Why do humans have to sleep? It's so unproductive. Other than that, maintaining balance. I have a tendency to get too involved in my character's heads, which can be great, but it means I have a lot more work to do in editing as I have to determine what is important information and what needs to be cut.

 

 



 

What songs are most played on your Ipod?

 

The first thing I do before I start working on a story is create a playlist. I feel like I haven't been doing anything but writing or editing the last few months, so those playlists have been constantly banging in my ears. There's lots of Icon for Hire and Post Malone. You can check out my spotify for my WIP soundtrack Spotify – Bonds of Darkness

 

 

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

 

Definitely. I couldn't do this without my team. They are so amazing and keep me grounded and the story flowing.

 

What book are you reading now?

 

I have been obsessing over Nalini Singh's Psy-Changling series. This is the first time I have ever read through the whole thing, and it's just so fun. I can't believe I never picked this one up sooner.

 

 

How did you start your writing career?

 

I grew up performing, writing monologues and plays. At some point my priorities shifted. Now, writing is a way for me to perform on paper.

 

Tell us about your next release.

 

Sins in Sunlight may not have ended on a cliff-hanger, but there's still a lot left to tell about the courts in Savannah, GA.

The next book in the series, Bonds of Darkness, centers The Court of Dreaming Hearts. The “witches” of the kyn universe.

 

Candace hates demonkyn. She goes out of her way to stay off their radar, choosing to live in poverty rather than draw their attention. But when a genetic test reveals her hidden legacy, she is thrown into their world and into The Court of Dreaming Hearts. If she wants to keep breathing she will have to learn to trust Valen, a witch with a sordid past and unbelievably beautiful blue eyes.

 

The last thing Valen wants is a novitiate, but when the Queen orders, you obey. He's the only one who can help the reluctant dreamkyn stay alive and find her place in their world. When their court is attacked and his past mistakes are exposed, his entire species is placed in jeopardy. He'll have to choose his survival or hers.

 


About The Author

Rachel Hailey was born and raised in the South. She's all about that nerd life and in between writing she's dedicated herself to raising the next generation of nerds.If she's not online or staring at a book she can usually be found at the local game store rolling dice, shuffling cards, or planning her next cosplay.

Her childhood was most prominently shaped by the works of R.L. Stine, Stephen King, Anne Rice and the Brothers Grimm.


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Twitter: @rachelhailey

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Thursday, February 4, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: 7 Minutes to Freedom by Natalya Androsova #blogtour #interview #giveaway #nonfiction #selfhelp #journalling #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @NatalyaAndroso2
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7 Minutes to Freedom: Simple Writing Meditations to Liberate Your Writing and Your Life

Self-help, creativity, personal growth, writing prompts, journalling, personal transformation

Date Published: January 28, 2021

Publisher: North Spirit Publishers



Have you always longed to express your innermost thoughts in writing but thought it impossible because you’re not a writer? Do you wish you could quiet the voice in your head, lose the self-doubt, and write to your heart’s content? What if you could let go of limiting beliefs, build a joyful daily writing practice, and discover your authentic voice and your authentic life?

Freedom is closer than you think. Freedom to write and rewrite your life. Freedom to write yourself happy, clear, and free. Seven minutes at a time.

7 Minutes to Freedom offers a roadmap for writers and nonwriters to find their voice, embrace their creativity, and radically transform their writing and their life. It is a practical guide to summoning your courage, writing through challenges to create a dream life, boosting your creativity, gaining insight, and improving your relationship with yourself and your writing,

This book is written for experienced writers, novice writers, nonwriters, those burnt out by the creative process, and those who have struggled to share their thoughts, ideas, and voice. It is meant for anyone interested in self-discovery, creativity, and deep spiritual insight.

With one hundred simple and powerful seven-minute writing meditations to use as guideposts to creative freedom, this book will help you rediscover the joy of writing, build new daily habits, and embrace the freedom that comes with knowing you can write and live without fear.


Use the powerful meditations in this book to learn exactly how to:

  • Overcome writer’s block and develop your authentic voice
  • Quiet your inner critic and build a joyful daily writing practice
  • Abandon limiting beliefs and self-judgment
  • Unlock your creative potential
  • Reconnect to parts of yourself you’ve neglected
  • Cultivate gratitude and focus, and change the course of your life
  • And so much more!


If you’re ready to make powerful discoveries about yourself and improve your writing life forever, the writing meditations in this book are the perfect tools to help you find your way to writing and living without fear. Get your copy today to discover just how far freedom, clarity, and inspiration can take you!




Interview

What was your main drive to write this book?

Since I was thirteen, writing has been my friend and teacher, my tool for self-exploration and self-honesty. I’ve used it religiously to support myself, to make sense of my world, and to shed light on my habits, thoughts, and feelings. When I spoke to other writers, I noticed that their relationship with their writing and themselves wasn’t too different from mine. We were struggling with the same unhelpful beliefs that were adding stress to the otherwise beautiful ocean of words and feelings.

I wanted to shout from the mountaintop that writing can be enjoyable, hoping others might discover the beauty and the joy of a healthy writing practice. To invite people to use writing as a form of flying, I started putting together workshops and retreats, and people responded positively to my prompts, always asking for more, and so the idea for this book was born.

What do you hope readers will learn by reading this book?

This book is an invitation to dive deep into yourself and discover what no one else can discover for you. I hope that readers might get to know themselves, their writing, thoughts and feelings, beliefs and emotions better. My wish is for them to accept their own unique way of writing and let go of the fears that separate them from freedom of creative expression. I hope this book helps every writer become more courageous, authentic, and kind to themselves.

Did you do much research when planning this book?

Yes. Sifting through thirty-three years of my writing experience allowed me to notice what was helpful and what was not. Sharing my insights in my writing groups and retreats inspired other writers to share their unique writing process with me and others. This exchange has enriched my practice and this book.

Writing is a powerful practice that can help us hone the quality of attention we bring to anything we attend to in our art and our life.

Did you have any main people who helped you in the process of this book or influenced you to write it?

Yes. All my writing sisters who sat and wrote with me for hours, my students who trusted the ideas I was sharing, and my many writing teachers who helped me liberate my own process through the challenges I faced and the most vicious of them all—self-doubt. Although we never met in person, I’m forever grateful to Julia Cameron, Bonni Goldberg, Natalie Goldberg, SARK, Peter Elbow, James Pennebaker, and Susan Zimmerman. They explored their own writing process and through their books, they invited me to do the same—playfully and with great care and focus on healing.

How long did this book take you to write from initial thought to hitting publish?

Some of the first prompts were written ten years ago. But for the past seven years, I’ve been gently gathering my drafts and notes with the intention of creating a book. It was a slow and organic process, and I tried to interfere as little as possible and instead let the book show me what it wanted to become.

Do you have plans to write more about this topic or new topics?

Yes. I just can’t help myself! 🙈 Two weeks after finishing this book, I wrote a 10-page booklet—5 Easy Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block and Start Writing Today! You can download it for free from my website.

I started working on my next three books at the same time. One is a children’s book written 20 years ago. It scares me a little bit, but I’m trying to breathe new life into it. The next one is a book of poetry. I’ve been writing poetry since I was thirteen and never published it. The final book is intended for doctoral students writing their dissertation. I’m a writing and dissertation coach, and it hurts me so much when after years of writing and researching, students give up because they choose to believe their inner critic. It’s the same critical voice that tries to steal the joy and inspiration from every writer, and I’m here to share how to deal with it once and for all.


About The Author

Natalya is an award-winning writing and dissertation coach with over two decades of experience teaching writing. She has coached professional writers and university writers of all skill levels–students, staff, and faculty. Natalya currently runs Writing and Graduate Student Support at Ryerson University in Toronto, where she also teaches Writing for Wellness to staff and faculty and acts as a dissertation coach for graduate students.

Her passion is helping writers become more courageous, authentic, and kind to themselves. Through individual coaching, writing groups, and writing retreats, she has helped hundreds of writers to break through blocks and find inspiration, a more authentic voice, and a greater freedom in their writing and their life. Her doctoral research also focused on the intricacies of the writing process, exploring the relationship among the poetic, the feminine, and the sacred.

She lives in Toronto, Canada, and when she is not writing or meditating, she loves to play tennis, practice yoga, or sit by the water and cloud watch for hours. In her own writing practice, spanning three decades, she discovered that beliefs we have about our writing are not different from the beliefs we have about ourselves, so a new way of writing often translates into a new way of living. What was impossible becomes probable and even likely when we learn to write and live without fear.


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Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: Modern Day Shaman by Sarah Ann Negus #blogtour #interview #giveaway #nonfiction #selfhelp #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @AuthorParul
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Modern Day Shaman® Find a Deeper Connection to Life

Memoir/Personal Development/Spiritual Growth/Shamanism

Date Published: 5th January 2021



This very personal and deeply engaging book details the extraordinary spiritual journey of Sarah Ann Negus, the Modern Day Shaman®. It reveals how she allowed her spiritual gifts to shine through, so she can help other people in the world to find theirs. Her first book helps you to master your energy and to ‘see in the dark’, unshackling past conditioning and believing in the realms of infinite possibilities, so you can be the best version of yourself possible, both personally and professionally.

The key messages of her timely book, revealing to the world the true essence of how we are all shaman, is beautifully depicted in the numerous standalone quotations from the author, which add depth and richness to the reader’s experience, as demonstrated below.

Lasting change and personal growth are found

when you commit to all of you; mind, body and spirit.”

"This is not the truth.

It is my truth.

Take what touches your heart and leave the rest.”

Never be afraid of the dark.

Without it there is no light.”

This book is dedicated to you.

May you find your way.”

The author tells her true story of her personal spiritual and shamanic journey warts and all, through a series of exceptionally refreshing visual and engaging stories, accounts and reflections from her lived experience. It is true life, told as it was. She says that her purpose for writing her first book for other people is to:

  • inspire them to look within themselves for answers;
  • offer them the understanding that they are not alone;
  • show them they are powerful in their own right and can change their lives; and
  • offer simple practical tools that will help anyone to explore their own inner world and energy.

Sarah is the Modern Day Shaman®. She works with highly successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives and high-flying start-ups to help them find consistent successful growth in their lives. With 22 years of experience in the field of energy, and a lifetime of entrepreneurial highs and lows, Sarah brings a unique take on business.

She invites her clients to widen their vision, to think differently and shows them how to access their dreams in real-time. What sounds impossible and implausible is not.

Sarah experienced her spiritual awakening over 22 years ago while searching for a more meaningful and impactful way to live her life. She then set out on a 12-year shamanic apprenticeship journey, travelling to Peru and studying with the Shamans of the Amazon forest.

Over the years, Sarah mastered her craft and today she brings the power of ancient shamanism to modern visionaries and leaders, helping them to fully embody their highest potential. Sarah is a Modern Day Shaman®️ Extraordinaire.

Sarah works with highly successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives and high-flying start-ups to help them create consistent success and growth in their lives. With over two decades of experience in the field of energy, and a lifetime of entrepreneurial highs and lows, Sarah brings a unique take on business.




Interview

What was your main drive to write this book?

 

My main driver in writing this book was to offer an alternative view on inner work, and to share more of my story with the hope that it resonates with people and evokes a decision to embark upon their own journey of discovery, maybe as a beginning, or as an invitation to go deeper still.

 

 

What do you hope readers will learn by reading this book?

 

How to use their energy to live a life aligned to their spirit.

How play with life and use challenge as a positive force for change.

 

 

Did you do much research when planning this book?

 

Not too much, it is my own story, and my research has been the life I’ve lived.

 

 

Did you have any main people who helped you in the process of this book or influenced you to write it?

I had an accountability coach who helped me stay focused on writing, and I had a literary agent who helped me order my words into something that would help the people reading to find the teaching in the book.

 

How long did this book take you to write from initial thought to hitting publish?

The main body of the book (i.e. the telling of my story) took 6 weeks – then another 6 months to expand on that.  It took another 18 months to finally publish, mainly because of what is happening in the world.

Do you have plans to write more about this topic or new topics?

Yes, I plan to write a number of new books on the topic of energetic mastery and spiritual development.

 


About the Author

Sarah Ann Negus is a modern-day shaman. She grew up in South London and has spent her life finding out who she really is. Her journey of discovery, in this her first book, takes you from lost to found in the most alternative of ways. Sarah’s experience was not easy, but she believes that coming home to your true self does not have to be a fight or a struggle.

As a child she learned that not everyone saw what she did, and she hid her gifts. Coming back to them as an adult, she slowly remembered her purpose and promised to share them.

Sarah runs a successful mentoring and public speaking business working with entrepreneurs and executives who understand their energy is a powerful driving force for growth, both personally and professionally. She facilitates an altered state of consciousness for her clients which allows them to observe themselves and the world differently as a result. They take actions from a new belief system, which empowers them to achieve what they previously believed was impossible. Her clients typically say; “This has been life-changing”.


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Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: The Book of Bastards by Ransom Stephens #blogtour #fantasy #interview #giveaway #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @ransomstephens
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Fantasy

Date Published: January 14, 2021

Publisher: The Intoxicating Page



Welcome to The Gold Piece Inn, where you can drink, gamble, and play!

Or hide.

Cursed on the day the king is assassinated, Dewey Nawton is compelled to protect the widowed queen, but protection means different things to different people (and different curses).

Kings have dictated every role Queen Dafina has ever played. Now, a halfling innkeeper assigns her the role of serving lass. But is The Gold Piece Inn just another tavern? Could it be an orphanage? … surely, it’s not a brothel.

Oh yes, she’s fallen from grace, but will that stop her from leading a handful of pirates and a dozen bastards to avenge her king and rescue Glandaeff’s faeries, elfs, and mermaids (and merbutlers!) from a brutal tyrant?


Dewey has a secret. Dafina has a secret. The Bastards have two secrets.

Is there even a sip of moral justice in all this bawdiness?



Early Reviews

The Book of Bastards combines a riveting, intense plot of righteous vengeance with tongue-in-cheek banter that will keep you turning the page with eager anticipation. With settings that make you wish they were real, characters you can't help but cheer for, and twists that keep you guessing, Ransom Stephens has crafted an engaging tale that makes every minute of reading, time well spent. I don't often reread a book, but I think I'll make an exception. Loads of fun. Highly recommended. – Brian D Anderson, million-selling author of The Bard and the Blade

A delightful, detailed tale about morality, being honest with yourself, and self-reflection, even when you don’t like what the glass has to show. A perfect treat for lovers of rich fantasy worldbuilding, gory battles, and the kind of thoughtful, character-driven stories that make your brain whirl, your imagination dance, and your heart surge.” -J.M. Frey, bestselling author of The Accidental Turn Series




Interview

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

 

The Book of Bastards was easy, but I had help, a covey of Tale Faeries took over my brain and cranked it out.

But for most books, the conflict of time and money is the hardest part. I write first thing every day and make it my highest priority, but more urgent things intrude, things like maintenance of shelter, food, and drink. The writing itself—plots, characters, settings—presents wonderful challenges that occupy my mind and daydreams constantly. Getting a novel just how I want it is difficult but not hard on me.

 

What songs are most played on your Ipod?

 

One of the many things that I learned while researching and writing my neuroscience book, The Left Brain Speaks the Right Brain Laughs, is that our brains are more creative when exposed to diverse experiences. Music is just such an experience.

I go out of my way to submit myself to—err, to expose myself to—a huge variety of music, from classical to reggae to heavy metal, Americana, alternative, folk, French, Irish, Indian, Mexican, blues, oldies, and on and on. Now, I don’t mean to promote Slacker Radio, or LiveXLive, but they have hundreds of stations that I rotate through and let it play until they either start repeating or I’m forced to admit that I don’t like it. I spend less time with the country and jazz stations than the others, but I everything gets a spot in the rotation! Reggae is wonderful work music, but after a few hours, I find myself writing scenes set in Babylon with this fellow, Jah, who is intent on going to Zion, mon.

 

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

 

When I started out, I attended the San Francisco Writers Workshop every Tuesday for six years and learned a ton. That’s where it all happened for me: a warm, friendly, honest, diverse, constantly changing group of writers respecting a tradition with rules for delivering and accepting criticism that have been maintained since 1947.

Since then, I’ve moved to a smaller group of beta-testers: some writers, some readers who read my manuscripts and offer amazing insights, catch inconsistencies, and mark the muddy middle. Nothing happens without them, and they’re usually a different group for each book. I find them at conferences and bars and literary events and always return the favor if they’ll let me.

 

What book are you reading now?

 

I read three or four books at a time, something broadly philosophical, something science-naturey, and one or two vastly different novels: SFF, mystery, lit-fic, whatever. Right now, I’m reading: Assassin’s Fate, the last book in Robin Hobb’s Fitz and the Fool trilogy; Tamim Ansary’s The Invention of Yesterday, my friend and mentor’s brilliant take on world history; Rick Hanson’s Neuro Dharma, kind of a meditation manual written from the perspective of neuroscience; and Nick Hornby’s latest, Just Like You. Four books that are completely different. I find great joy in rotating through them chapter-by-chapter.

 

How did you start your writing career?

 

From about the time I learned to read, I’ve thought of myself as a writer and it has always been key to my career successes—the best way to understand anything, particle physics research, technology development, even PTA meetings, is to write it up, and once you have, you might as well hand it out—so I always planned to write books, eventually.

Eventually. Right?

Always right around the corner, the next thing, and always a long time from now.

Then, on an icy autumn day in Irving Texas, my daughter was taking a bunch of academic tests and I had nowhere to wait for her but a bookstore. A big mall bookstore, and I was stuck there for six hours. It built within me. Looking at the fiction shelves—I’d be a little to the right of Steinbeck—then the Science Fiction and Fantasy shelves—a bit to the left of Neal Stephenson. Then the interior arguments came up. Bills? Debts? Maybe a wife? The arguments always but always land at death’s door: this is it, “eventually” won’t come if you don’t force it.

That day in the bookstore, I made a plan: Defined the amount of savings I’d need to survive on an undemanding part time job, my F-You money, if you will, and the career moves I’d need to make to get it. I’m not much of a consumer, prefer small, cheap cars, live in a reasonable house, and don’t like fancy stuff. I switched careers. Being a research professor would never leave time for writing fiction, at least not the time to do both well, and never pay enough to save that F-You cash. I got a job in high tech that delivered a 50% raise over night and had a much lighter workload.

A few years later, when I was about halfway to my F-You money, my daughter and I had a meeting with the financial aid office at UC Santa Barbara, one of the colleges that had accepted her. I walked out of that meeting convinced that “eventually” would never come. The money I’d saved counted against her qualifying for financial aid, of course. Duh. She couldn’t even get decent college loans. However obvious and reasonable in the grand scheme, it still felt like the world didn’t want me to write novels. (This just in, the world doesn’t want you to write novels, but if it’s something you need to do, you gotta do it.)

The next morning, we were in Santa Cruz to visit another college. I woke early, bummed, and walked down to the beach. I watched a bunch of sea lions play in the surf and, in that mood, I kept thinking, “How can they relax like that? They’re dancing in a big chafing dish at a buffet for great white sharks!”

And then it hit me: If those seals can enjoy life, knowing the risks, and they do, then it would be pathetic for me to let paying for my kid’s education hold me back. One way or another, I’d make eventually come.

Another thing I learned from writing a book on neuroscience is that our brains are pattern-recognizing-predictors. Having the intention, being on the lookout for the opportunity made it possible to see the door open when it did.

A year later, The gods dared me.

The company I worked for asked three volunteers to resign in exchange for a “package” so that they could reduce their workforce. I had to do it. With that F-You money claimed and pocketed by the University of California—and don’t get me wrong, writing checks to a university is a tremendous pleasure and privilege for a parent—here it was.

That was in August 2005, since then I’ve managed to make enough in fiction and freelance tech to pay my bills (almost) every month. Five novels and the brain book later, I’m still going, still working the balance of time-to-write and money-to-get-by.

Maybe someday one of my books will find its way into the positive feedback loop that makes books Big, maybe not. My readers love them, and I love writing them. If you’re in it for more than that, well, good luck!

 

Tell us about your next release.

 


Caption: Featured in The Book of Bastards, The Gold Piece Inn’s Truth Faery is always there and always listening. And drinking.

 

 

Bastard Knights, the second book of the trilogy (the title might change because Amazon and a few others won’t let us advertise it due of its “profane” title (don’t get me started)) is about . . . hmm, I’m struggling to come up with a description that doesn’t spoil Volume 1 so let me leave you with the last paragraph of The Book of Bastards:

“Short-lived, hopeful tales of worthy knights, wizards, and druids emerged from every festival and fair. Crazy rumors of renegade princes and princesses popped up now and then, usually following the narrative of one old myth or another. A favorite involved peasants kissing toads and being transformed into royalty, but most of the gossip followed the usual theme: orphans and bastards, in out-of-the way villages unaware of their lineage, being manipulated by unsavory halflings.”



About the Author

Ransom Stephens has searched for the Holy Grail in Cornwall and Wales but settled for a cracked coffee mug. He’s won several awards, but they’ve all been named after people he’d never heard of which made for awkward acceptance speeches. The author of four previous novels on simple, non-controversial topics like science vs religion in The God Patent, technology vs environmentalism in The Sensory Deception, oligarchy vs anarchy in The 99% Solution, and love vs money in Too Rich to Die, in his latest, The Book of Bastards, he offers readers what they really want, a story of bawdiness washed down with a sip of moral justice.

I’m a fairly accomplished scientist and technologist, all the details at https://contact.ransomstephens.com


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