1. When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
For me, writing was a way to relate my personal healing journey I experienced with my son which enabled him to become healthy and have a full, happy life. It was never about becoming a writer in the classical approach. Writing and publishing a book was a means by which to reach many people in order to encourage them that they too could also live a full life regardless of their circumstances. Becoming a writer was the best thing I could do to reach people all over the world that could use our book as a starting point to move forward in their own life.
- How long have you been writing? How many books have you written?
I have written all my life. As a student in New York City, I wrote frequent long letters to my grandparents living in Israel. Back then, international phone calls were very expensive, and there was no email, or internet calls like today. Writing was the best way for me to stay in touch with them. The letters were very descriptive, as I wanted my grandparents to truly understand the experience of living and studying in New York City.
My first book was short and written to change the law in Israel, petitioning for the inherent right for a child to live. It was intended for policy makers to grow their awareness. However, my first full book was published with Gatekeeper Press: Life Is How You Tell Your Story: A Mother’s Quest to Heal Her Son.
- What made you want to self-publish?
I wanted to reach a wide range of people and a broad audience. From my own experience as a reader, I felt that the media of books remained that with the broadest reach. Even though fewer people read books these days, I still feel that books hold power. This would be a very good starting point to refer people to, then hopefully they would be interested to better understand our path and story in life. They could see how we began to change our life according to how we understood and told our story.
- Would you recommend new authors self-publish, and would you recommend Gatekeeper Press?
To both your questions, my answer is YES! This is the best way to get your ideas out there. Don’t wait for someone to “find you,” instead do your part and others will come for what you offer. Gatekeeper Press is a solid decision to make when choosing a publisher. They are professional, hard-working, dedicated individuals with an inherent love for what they do, and they do their jobs well.
- What do you do marketing-wise to help announce and sell your books?
I am still working to understand how to best accomplish this. My best recommendation is to find a good marketing agency and work closely with them to promote your book over an extended period of time. This is where I am at now, and I will see additional results in the upcoming year.
- What advice do you have for a new or fledgling author?
Work with one of the dedicated Author Mangers at Gatekeeper Press, like I did with Jessica. They will shepherd you through the book-publishing process. Keep your dream alive. And most importantly, push yourself to write every day, no matter what even if only for half an hour. This will guarantee you complete your book.
- What social media platforms are you on?
I am not currently on any social media platforms, but this will soon change. I plan to use Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, which is my favorite because videos convey what you do and give spoken advice to reach others in a personal way.
- What is the one piece of advice you wish you had known when you first started out?
Write every idea down as a first draft, then edit that draft. Next, give it to someone else good at editing, and then go back and rewrite the parts you feel still need work. Then have it professionally edited a second time. So, in total, the book would be reviewed at least five times. This will ensure high quality writing and storytelling.
- What do you feel is the biggest challenge authors are facing going into 2022 (and beyond)?
The decreased interest people have in books, and in reading something longer than a one paragraph Facebook message. People are growing used to having everything expressed quickly, and they are not necessarily used to the long experience of reading a book from beginning to end.
- Have you won any awards or contests that you would like to mention?
My biggest award is living the life with my son that I always told myself was possible. That is accompanied by connecting with the universal energy that is breathes within us all and empowered me to do all that was in my heart. This is my biggest award.
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