An Interview with Robert Hammond – author of “The Light”

Robert, you’ve written a book entitled “The Light – A Novel.” Tell my readers a bit about your book. 

“The Light” is a mystical odyssey about a brilliant, but troubled young misfit seeking love and enlightenment while struggling with addiction, strange relationships, and variety of religious experiences. The main character is named Abel Adams, the son of an affluent African American couple living in a small, predominately white, suburban town amid the post 1960’s counterculture. As a result of Abel trying to fit in, he falls in with the wrong crowd and experiments with drugs, the occult, and other things that lead him on a perilous spiritual adventure.

The title draws the reader in and I sense there is a story behind it.  Please share.

The title comes from the Light that is within and all around each of us at every moment. The Light is truth and love and grace. But most of us are usually busy looking outside of ourselves to various substances like money or food or alcohol or drugs, relationships, man-made organizations, self-appointed leaders, and other experiences to satisfy us and give us answers. That is why so many people are unsatisfied, confused, addicted and deluded; because they fail to discover the inner Light that has always been in the one place where they were afraid to look.

What was your motivation in writing this book?

The Light is based on many of my own personal experiences, so writing the book was a process of self-revelation and catharsis. I wanted to share a message of hope and inspiration with the millions of people who are struggling with addiction or lost to some kind of deception or self-destructive lifestyle. I also wanted to shine a light on the relationship between drugs and the occult as well as to explore the process of spiritual recovery and enlightenment.

Your background is film…yet this book seems to move to the arena of self-help or metaphysical.  Where did this book come from? 

I actually began writing self-help books over twenty years ago in the area of personal finance with such titles as “Credit Secrets,” “Life After Debt,” and “Identity Theft.” I later moved into screenwriting and filmmaking and wrote the novel, “C.B. DeMille: The Man Who Invented Hollywood” which is the basis for the forthcoming biopic. But “The Light” is the most personal of all my books. I love exploring controversial topics such as religion, philosophy, and spirituality, but I also have personal experience with drug addiction, crime, and incarceration that most people don’t know about. “The Light” is my way of telling some deep truths through fiction. The metaphysical aspect of the book is the way that the story looks at the nature of reality and some of the ultimate questions of life.

The book is well written and evidences that you’ve done your homework. What drew you to “The Light”?

My so-called “homework” was my personal experience. Most of the stories and adventures in “The Light” are based around situations that I personally witnessed or lived through. The original version of the book actually began as a memoir. But after years of revision and rewriting, I decided to totally fictionalize the characters, put it in third person, and add in some dramatic twists to allow more freedom in telling certain aspects of what was otherwise a true story. Having recently retired from my day job with the government and receiving a governor’s pardon for my previous misadventures, I’m no longer worried about what other people may think about my past. So I am ready to release “The Light” and hope it will be well-received.

What do you hope the reader will gain from your book?

From what readers are telling me so far, they really relate to the main character, Abel Adams, even though his life and adventures are so bizarre and unlike anything most people have experienced. So I hope that by relating to this sympathetic, multi-layered character, they can follow his spiritual journey and learn along the way without having to make some of the same mistakes. Most of all, I hope that readers will come away inspired with the hope and belief that everyone is capable of changing their lives for the better. If someone like Abel Adams can turn his life around, maybe there is hope for that loved one you know who is still struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or other self-destructive behavior. There are many kinds of prisons that people can be trapped in. “The Light” offers a way out.

How, by the way, did you go about selecting the ideas included in your book?

When telling a story, especially a coming-of-age story like this one, it is important to find dramatic or cinematic moments that have an emotional impact on the character’s life decisions and tie together in a unifying theme. In this story, everything ultimately connects to the main character’s unconscious pursuit of the Light, which is a metaphor for love and truth and, ultimately, the grace of God. As we all know, life is complicated. Therefore, the story portrayed in “The Light,” has numerous layers and complications and surprise twists and turns. You never really know what is going to happen next, even after the story comes to an apparent end.

A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book? 

The Light is a literary adventure novel that combines true crime, inspirational fiction, and mystical fantasy to offer a unique message of hope and recovery without resorting to overused platitudes or simplistic solutions. The story contains some surprise twists which will definitely have people talking and asking questions long after they finish the book. I’m currently in talks with a production company about the possibility of adapting “The Light” into a film or possible television series, so look for more about “The Light” to come.

The Secrets of Heavenly – An Outstanding book by Teresa Robinson

GALLAGHER BUSINESS BLOG INTERVIEW

The Secrets of Heavenly

•  Teresa, you’ve written a book entitled “The Secrets of Heavenly” tell my readers a bit about your book. 

My historical novel is set in the time period just prior to the American Civil War on a rice plantation in South Carolina. It’s a dramatic story of the relationships between three of the Plantation Master’s children and a young house slave named Willa. Of the three relationships, one blossoms into a sisterhood, another a forbidden interracial affair, and the third a dangerous and dark obsession.  The book deals dramatically with the complications of family allegiance, the loss of childhood innocence, and the theme of betrayal and deception.

• The title is catchy and I sense there is a story behind it.  Please share.

“Heavenly” is the name of the rice plantation in the book, but rather than being a place of peace and solace as the name implies, the plantation is shrouded in secrets that threaten to tear apart the lives of its inhabitants.

• What was your motivation in writing this book?

I have always been interested in American history.  A few years ago I happened to be reading a book containing several vignettes from the lives of antebellum slaves.  One story involving innocent young slave women and their babies was particularly disturbing to me. I decided then that I needed to write about slavery and include that scene, describing it in a way that would truly touch others as it did me.

• You say in your bio on Amazon “Now she hopes her voice will be heard.” Tell me about that statement.  What does it mean to you? 

Well, as a child I was pretty shy and insecure. Rather than express my own feelings and ideas, I kept quiet.  Now, although I’ve outgrown that shyness, I still fear the judgment of others. Writing this book and putting it out there to public has been scary for me. But it’s also liberating, as if I’ve finally released the voice of the person I once was.

• The book is well written and evidences that you’ve done your homework. What drew you to write on enslavement?

Thank you, Chuck.  I’ve always been drawn to the plight of people who are slighted by others and society. There are so many stories to be told about people who manage to persevere.  In the case of American slavery, an entire race of people overcame and forged ahead.  Although it is fiction, I feel that my book gives voice to those who came from that.  Any of the incidents I’ve written about could well have happened to multiple slave and plantation families.

• What do you hope the reader will gain from your book?

It’s important that my readers experience this book in a personal way.  I want them to be absolutely appalled by the emotional misery caused by slavery. I’d like them to be involved in the story, to let go and fall in love with some of the characters, rejoicing with them, hurting or crying for them.  As for the villains in my book, I hope I’ve painted an ugly enough picture of their participation in mistreating slaves that my readers despise them as much as I do!

• How, by the way, did you go about selecting the ideas included in your book?

Some of the ideas and scenes in my book were inspired by accounts from surviving slaves who were interviewed during the Federal Writer’s Project in the 1930’s.  I also read a variety of books about the time period, absorbing what I could about the way of life on plantations them.  .

• A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book? 

There are many non-fiction accounts that document the physical horrors of slavery-the degradation, the beatings, the murders.  “The Secrets of Heavenly” deals with some of this, but focuses more on the substantial emotional toll of slavery.

Slavery is an ugly scar that our nation will always wear. Scars, being evidence of something painful, serve to remind us about some activity we should never repeat.  Anyone who might think that the subject of slavery has been sufficiently covered in literature hasn’t met the characters of “Heavenly” who put fresh, memorable faces on the inglorious subject.

An Interview with Jason Lohman and His New Book: My True Life Stories of Spiritual Warefare and the Paranormal…

• Jason, you’ve written a book entitled My True Life Stories of Spiritual Warfare and the Paranormal – Empowering You to Banish The Unwanted; tell my readers a bit about your book.

Answer:

Throughout my childhood, I encountered many spiritual entities that caused me and my family a great deal of fear.  Because my parental influences were not Christian or Bible-believing, these entities continued to take control over our family and continue the fear that we lived through described in my book.  As I reached adulthood, I became a born again Christian and self-studied spiritual warfare.  It was from this accumulated knowledge that I understood and found the answers to send spiritual entities away.

• What was your motivation in writing this book?

Answer:

For someone that has lived through the situations and intense fear that I lived through, I wanted to ensure others did not have to experience this same trauma, especially children.  The study that I conducted brought me to the realization that we have authority over demonic influences (or the paranormal).

• You state “This subject of the paranormal is a touchy subject with many individuals and with many Christians.”  What kind of reception have you found toward your book from folks in the Christian community?

Answer:

At first I did not think Christians would warmly receive this subject (spiritual warfare or the paranormal) as many churches do not touch on these subjects.  However, much to my surprise, most of my readers to date, have described this as a must read book for all Christians.

• You speak about the trauma you received as a child – please share with my readers some of those childhood traumas and how they impact you today.

Answer:

The most outstanding example would be the ‘shadow man’ that visited my bedside on one night and then physically held me against my will in my bed.  These two incidents struck me with the most compelling fear that I have ever experienced.  To this day, the ‘shadow man’ figure is still clearly imprinted on my mind.  Its impact was the basis for the birthing of this book.

• You refer to “unwelcomed guests” – what/who are they and where do they come from?

Answer:

When I say “unwelcomed guests”, I am referring to any spiritual entities that are not wanted in your home or your life.  In my own words I describe how I believe most of these “unwelcomed guests” are of demonic influences, also known as demons.  I, for one, do not have all the evidence that human spirits are able to linger behind.  However, many of my experiences would have you believing that they do, in fact, linger behind.  This is the reason why I included a chapter generously contributed by author and pastor, Dr. Richard Ing.  The chapter is entitled “Ghosts”.  Dr. Ing is the author of the book, ‘Waging Spiritual Warfare’.

•  Your book provides tools and knowledge to fight the paranormal.  What are two tools that readers might identify with to fight paranormal activity?

Answer:

I believe paranormal activity is mostly produced by demons.  The tools that I mention in my book are the possession of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.  Some of my readers initially may not understand, or believe, that these two tools offer the power to banish these unwelcomed guests.  I, however, believe that after reading the due diligence that I have conducted over the years, one will then understand the threat these two tools have on unwelcomed guests.

• A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book?

Answer:

First, I believe my book offers a helpful instructional guide that breaks down exactly what needs to be done to banish these unwelcomed guests.  There are various books and television programs which simply highlight the problem of paranormal events or evil spirits, but fail to outline the necessary tools needed to rid of these entities.

Secondly, individuals unknowingly bring unwanted visitors into their homes and lives not only by lack of the Holy Spirit but also by items, practices, beliefs and many other less obvious invitations for these foreign invaders.  Most readers are surprised by the simplest everyday invaders that I have outlined and defined in my book.

Paris Style Designs – An Interview

Paris Styles Designs

1. Paris Styles Designs is a web-based business specializing in art and home decor.  Tell my readers a bit about this new venture. 

Paris Styles Designs is my dream. For most of my life I concentrated all my energy on modeling and fashion.  I have other interests though and art and design are at the top of that list.  My dream was to someday create my own art and own my own business. So, Paris Styles Designs was launched in the last quarter of 2012 and at present it is entirely web based but we do have expansion plans. For now, we have an online shop at our homepage (www.parisstylesdesigns.com) and we also do a portion of our sales on Etsy (www.etsy.com/shop/parisstylesdesigns). We specialize in handmade pieces of art that are affordable for all budgets.

2. How did Paris Styles Designs get started and who are the principals behind this business enterprise?

Last year, 2012, was a year of transition for me personally and professionally. The idea of Paris Styles Designs had been in my head for some time. I never doubted my ability or creativity but I wasn’t sure how to launch a business. My fiancé was very supportive though and after putting in a lot of time and effort we were able to pull it all together and launch the business. It started out very small but we are growing every day.

3. Paris Styles Designs is associated with Etsy.  What has your experience been with Etsy? 

Working with Etsy has been a good experience overall. The website is popular and listing with them is simple.  Their fees are very reasonable and there is a sense of community that is beneficial for a startup business. My only concern is that Etsy has become so large that it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. It can be hard to standout and get noticed.

4. What will your customers gain from purchasing from you?

First and most importantly, they receive a superior product. I, personally, design and create each piece that we sell. I hand select all the materials and a piece doesn’t leave my hands until I’m 110% satisfied. Secondly, we provide a personal experience. I love doing custom pieces of art. We work hard to make sure our customers are happy and that our customer service is superb. Our customers are able to get in touch with us easily and their opinions are highly valued. Finally, I believe that my art is not just a purchase but an investment. I have big ideas for my art and my business. This is just the beginning.

5. Look forward one year and share with my readers what you see as the future for Paris Styles Designs?

As I mentioned before, we have ideas for expanding the business.  This coming year I hope to see Paris Styles Designs and my art on display at a couple galleries in South Florida. We are already working on this venture. We also plan to increase our viability by participating in local art shows. And, our product line is going to be expanding. We will soon be launching a jewelry line. I love the idea of creating pieces of art that can be worn.

6. What makes your business the business of choice? 

I can simply answer that by saying that we provide pieces of art that have been described as museum quality and we provide them at a price that is affordable by almost anyone. Combine that with our excellent customer service and it’s easy to understand why Paris Styles Designs is the business of choice.

7. A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview, what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your business and art.

I would want them to know that I’m passionate about my art and my business and the products we provide are unique, exceptional and very affordable. If you love quality art you’re going to love Paris Styles Designs.

Emotional Abuse – Silent Killer of Marriage: An Interview with Austin James

Emotional Abuse

• Austin, you’ve written a book entitled Emotional Abuse: Silent Killer of Marriage – A 30-Year Abuser Speaks Out; tell my readers a bit about your book.

The book chronicles my journey out of the abusive lifestyle I led for 30 years and what I learned along the way.  I hope by sharing my mindset and experiences as a former abuser, other people will see glimpses of their own dysfunctional relationship or marriage and perhaps find a path that leads them to freedom. The book will benefit the abuser as well as the victim of abuse.

The second half of the book details what steps I took to break free from abuse and delves more deeply into the psychology of emotional abuse that I discovered during the past 5 years of my recovery.  I bring the reader into my damaged mind to get answers to the manipulation, control, and angry behavioral questions they may have, including the question most victims of domestic violence want to know – Why?

• What was your motivation in writing this book?

When I woke up 5 years ago to discover the truth about who and what I was – an abuser – I was a mess. It felt like I woke up from a 30 year nightmare and discovered my ‘real’ world was crumbling all around – my wife planned to divorce me, my relationships with my children were broken, and I had NO idea where to turn to get help for my sickness.  I was alone and I was scared!

As a form of stress relief I began to journal on a blog I created to capture what I was going through. Just as in the book, I was pretty transparent about myself and my journey. Amazingly, I started getting emails from readers, both abusers and the abused, who said my ramblings helped them. It was great therapy for me because even though my world was a mess, my mess was helping others cope with their mess.  After my divorce I tanked emotionally and stopped writing, yet people still kept contacting me, even four years after I stopped updating the blog!

A while ago, with a much healthier mind,  I pondered how I might update people as to all of the things I experienced and learned during the previous 5 years. I thought a blog is okay, but hey, a book is better!  So I wrote one. So far, the response has been very positive for my intended audience.

• You present yourself as a recovering abuser.  Do you still feel that you have natural tendencies toward abuse?

Oh, sure.  Abuse is a deep, dark quagmire that envelops the soul Chuck. Some tendencies left me instantly the moment I became aware I was abusive  – that’s the key by the way, an abuser becoming aware of who they are. Yet, some tendencies still remain.

In the book I talk about how I had to learn to literally rewire my damaged mind. We (people in general), act and react to circumstances based on information stored in our subconscious mind. Every time we act/react the same way to the same circumstance, we reinforce that particular behavior (circuit) wired into our brain. Learning to break those automated reactions and associated behaviors takes a lot of work and a lot of overcoming failure along the way, but it is doable!

I have my ‘buttons’ that trigger responses just like everyone else, but I’ve learned to break the old, abusive patterns of behavior and replace them with positive ones. Ninety-five percent of my old, destructive patterns are gone.  The remaining five percent nag me from time to time, but I look at them as a reminder.  I can’t get too complacent and deem myself “completely healed”, not yet anyway.

• You speak about how your abuse manifested – please share with my readers some ways emotional abuse manifest and how to recognize it.

Good question, I need about 1,000 words to give a summary answer – hehe.  To help your readers understand abuse a little better, I’ll answer in general terms first and specifically answer your question second.

We abuse because something traumatic happened to us during our past (normally under the age of 13), that froze our ability to develop emotionally. Our childhood trauma can prevent chemicals from being released into our brain that enables us to think abstractly as we mature; so we walk around as an adult on the outside yet a child on the inside.

Emotionally I thought, reasoned and acted as a child.  I was scared to death in my ‘world’ as I progressed through life as an ‘adult’ and took on adult responsibilities. Think how a small child reacts when something doesn’t go according to their expectations, they get angry and throw a temper tantrum, right? That’s exactly what I did when my expectations weren’t met, I threw an adult-sized temper tantrum.

I used anger and manipulation to control my surroundings because I didn’t know how to operate in them as a normal adult would. I scrambled to control whatever portion of my world I could, just to feel safe. I was in a constant survival mode to try to cope with my world and surroundings.

Yet, at the same time, I put on a mask to appear as if I had it all together.  After all, I was in an adult body.  I had to keep everyone at a distance from me emotionally, out of fear they would peer beneath my mask and expose my inner-child. Anger was the tool I used to keep people at a distance from me.

There are a few more important components at work, but your readers will have to buy the book to find out what they are. [shameless book plug complete] Book can be purchased here:  http://bit.ly/UT1myn

How did my abuse manifest? I couldn’t accept responsibility for my actions; I always had an excuse for my behavior and my decisions; I blamed those around me (mostly my wife) for my circumstances.  I had zero conflict resolution skills since I wasn’t capable of thinking abstractly, so I’d either blow up in a rage or shut down and sulk during an argument.

I used anger to control because it was the only tool I learned how to master and yet, it ended up mastering ME after a few years; I was a 5-star ‘Ninja-master’ at the art of manipulation. I was angry about something nearly every day of my life and I had a Jekyll / Hyde personality; I could be the most delightful, charming man you’d ever want to meet one minute (kind of the way I am now), and a raging manic the next if something didn’t go EXACTLY the way I thought it should. And, I walked around with this “Me Tarzan, you Jane” attitude 24/7.

Whew! Well okay, that about covers a single day in my life as an abuser. Seriously, this is just a fraction of the abusive traits I exhibited over a 30 year time frame.  All these behaviors caused my wife and children to walk on eggshells around me.  They never knew when I might become angry and explode. I was a train wreck waiting to happen Chuck and because of it, I psychologically damaged my wife and children.  All the while, I was completely blinded to my affliction. I thought I was a ‘great guy’ and a master communicator.

• With relationships destroyed…is there a way once you find healing that you can heal the damage done by earlier abuse?

Another excellent question. The short answer is “Yes,” over time wounds can slowly heal and the trust restored. Our mate lost all ability to trust and have confidence in us long ago.  I suppose the answer lies within the humility and repentance level of the former abuser, along with the willingness of the victim to forgive. Keep in mind, the victim’s heart has been mercilessly stomped on and shoved back into their chest without a glimpse of remorse for many years. It takes a tremendous amount of courage, faith and time to heal the wounds.

Speaking about my own situation, following my divorce, I gave everything to the Lord to heal and repair Chuck. I became aware of my abuse and transformed into a new man for the last 7 months of our marriage, but my wife lost trust in the changes she saw in me – she didn’t think they were real.  However, I saw a great capacity in my wife to forgive me during our 24 year marriage.

Only time will tell, but I’m an old-fashioned sort of fella – I hold out great hope in that magical, mystical thing called love.  I do believe it conquers all… we’ll see.

• You talk about codependency – share how you see codependency manifest and what can someone in a codependent relationship do to awaken to that relationship challenge?

It’s important for your readers to understand as I answer this, I do not buy into the notion that a victim of abuse somehow ‘enables’ the abuse by their behavior. An abuser abuses because they are broken – nothing a victim did “turned on” the abuse and nothing they do will stop it.

In general terms, a codependent is relying on someone else for his or her happiness. Their thinking and focus centers around the other person and they begin to react to that person’s external cues rather than their own internal cues. Normally, a codependent has a hard time with setting personal boundaries. Emotional abuse starts subtly and progresses to full-blown control and manipulation over time. It’s these subtle progressions that a codependent has a hard time recognizing as their boundaries become more and more transparent.

If someone reading this interview or my book notices in their mate any of the patterns of abuse on a consistent basis, an alarm needs to go off. More than likely, they are in or are headed for an abusive relationship.  The mere fact they were unaware of the situation until an external cue (this interview) was presented to them is hopefully a wakeup call to what is going on in their own life.

Here’s a fact – the abuse will NOT go away on its own.  If one mate thinks they need to ‘try harder’, or ‘do more things right’, or ‘love a little more’, they run the risk of slowly being suffocated in the quicksand of abuse at the hands of their soul-sucking mate.

I would suggest this person immediately get professional help if they have the option, or at least get some good books on codependency and setting boundaries. Chances are, something happened in their own childhood that caused codependency roots to grow.  The only way for them to heal is to get at those childhood roots and remove them.

As weird as it sounds Chuck, as time goes on, manipulation, control, and abuse all become ‘normal’ to the abused. That’s the goal of the abuser and they are very good at what they do.

• You mention soaring to new heights.  What was the catalyst for your “Second Chance” and how is that working for you today?

As a motivational speaker Chuck, I’m sure you’re familiar with the pain-pleasure principle; people will normally do more to avoid pain then they will to gain pleasure. Pain is a great motivator. When I heard my wife say, “I want a divorce,” that was my ‘pain’.  I knew I failed at the one thing I wanted most in life – a great marriage, and it broke me completely as a man, husband, and father. If my wife had not had the courage to say she wanted a divorce 6 years ago, I may still be trapped in abuse today.

Soon after hearing those words, I woke up one day and became aware of my abusive lifestyle.  That was the day I began the rest of my life!

I had many trials during my time in the valley as walked through my healing experience, but I’m sure glad I made the trip. Through the pain of losing my marriage and family relationships, I slowly began to emerge as a new man.  I found out we can’t get to that mountaintop view unless we’re willing to trudge through the valley first. The valley contains the fertile soil needed for growth.

For the first time in my life, at the age of 49 (5 years ago), I was able to say I liked myself as well as the man I was becoming! It’s difficult to express in a few sentences what it was like to live for 33 years under constant fear, while having to manipulate and use anger to control my world. I never had peace nor contentment – it was all a façade.

Today, I live a quiet, abuse-free life. I strive to help other men and women understand emotional abuse as well as ways to overcome it. I am blessed beyond measure because I am FREE!

This truly is my “Second Chance”; I intend to live it to the full!

• A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book?

First, my book is written from the perspective of an abuser – that’s unique in the marketplace. Second, my raw and transparent look into my experiences and damaged mind is helpful to the abused, trying to find answers and hope, as well as the abuser trying to break free from their tormented life.

I am here to say there is hope! Hang in there!

The Consulting Pros – Business Services that Ensure Your Success – an Interivew.

The Consulting Pros

• Consulting Pros touts “Business Services that Ensure Your Success”.  What business services do you offer? 

We offer business consulting services that we feel every business needs. We specialize in eight key areas below.

• Marketing

• Design

• Information Technology

• Search Engine Optimization

• Human Resources

• Financial Services

• Legal Services

• Professional Speakers

• How did The Consulting Pros get started and who are the principals behind this business enterprise?

The Consulting Pros was founded to help small businesses grow. Each one of our independent consultants has started and grown their own business. With over 50 years of combined business experience, The Consulting Pros works with you and your staff to implement the right solutions for your business, ensuring you have continued long term success.

Travis Hartley is the CEO & Founder of The Consulting Pros and leads a team of professional companies and independent consultants who bring you years of expertise in growing businesses.

Before launching The Consulting Pros, Mr. Hartley has spent 20 years establishing himself as an expert in marketing, strategic planning, client and sponsor relations, event management and planning. Mr. Hartley’s diverse background and ability to connect with groups and individuals allows him to create transformational partnerships with a wide range of clients. Prior to the founding of The Consulting Pros, Mr. Hartley held senior positions with Club Med Resorts, Intrawest’s Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort and Disney Cruise Line. Mr. Hartley has turned his passion for events into a business and founded Meet Market Adventures in 2000. Meet Market Adventures has grown to become the largest event and adventure company for singles in North America with over 200,000 active members. Mr. Hartley was awarded Profit Magazines Hottest 50 Companies with a growth of 426% in the first two years of business.

Through his extensive market experience, Mr. Hartley has gained extensive knowledge in sales, marketing, website architecture, visitor flow and design, search engine optimization, analytics and tracking, social media strategies and  project management.

• What are the three big areas for you in your consulting work?

The 3 big areas for us are Online Marketing, SEO, IT Infrastructure. This is where are we are the strongest as we have built many online businesses and have helped them grow rapidly. Our goal is to increase businesses marketing efficiency through strategic digital solutions.

• What will your clients gain through working with you in this arena?

Experience. Our consultants have each started, grown and sold businesses. This allows us an unique perspective when working with clients as we have all been in their shoes at one point or another.

• Look forward one year and share with my readers what you see as the future for The Consulting Pros in this business niche.

We want to be the leader in the business consulting space. We want to be a resource for small businesses to turn to if they need advice. We believe that advice should be free and that if an entrepreneur hits a road block that they should be able to contact us without the worry of being charged for it.

• As a professional speaker, you have a niche in marketing speakers, tell my readers a bit about this as it is different than most consulting firms.

We chose to market keynote speakers as we have had great success empowering and motivating our employees through this medium. There have been studies that prove people will go through great lengths to get things accomplished if they feel inspired. We feel people can learn a lot from other peoples experiences.

• What makes your firm the firm of choice?

Businesses get over 50 years of experience for a fraction of the cost of most firms. We are a one-stop shop for all your business needs, so businesses do not have to deal with multiple companies to help them grow.

• A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your organization or product/service?

We are accessible and offer free advice to business owners. We love helping businesses flourish. We guarantee that one of our consultants will get back to you in 1 day.

For more information check out The Consulting Pros – http://www.theconsultingpros.com/

Bloggerdise – A New Online Site Connecting Bloggers with Business

A New Online Site Invites Bloggers to “Bloggerdise”:

Bloggerdise.com Connects Businesses with Bloggers To Expand Their Brands

New York, New York. 2/18/2013. You may not realize it now but pretty soon, “Bloggerdising” will be a part of the public lexicon. Before you over think it, remember the first time you heard someone say facebooking or texting?” Bloggerdise.com is an exciting new online site that matches businesses with bloggers. Bloggerdising, then, is the act of advertising products and services that bloggers choose to write about.  The site is a proverbial matching site where bloggers can go to find potential topics to write about and they benefit from specials and offers from the businesses they select.

Bloggerdise.com has taken off quickly with over 6,500 member boxes. Members include artists, celebrities, bands, authors and all sorts of business owners. Big brand companies, such as Amazon.com and Etsy, are also promoted on the site through links to member offerinngs. And the connection does not end when a blogger finds a good match. Members enjoy cross promoting in the message posting areas all throughout the site. On any given day a new author may post a sweet deal that is only available for a short time or another business may offer free products to those who “click now.”

The site is the brainchild of a pretty savvy team that includes Jesse Cohen, Omar Padron, Jin Park and Eric Rogow. Jesse Cohen, talked about how he and the other co-founders figured out there was a need and filled it. “In this cash-strapped economy we just wanted to be able to help an artist, charity, or small business be heard through the unique voices of our bloggers,” he said.

Using the site is simple. Log onto the site and register for free. Then create a box by clicking on the “Post an Offer” option. And that is all that is needed to go live on the site. When bloggers are ready to find offers and giveaways for their blogs, all they need to do is click on the business or bloggers tab and search. Everything from Art to Authors to Health and Relationships and more is available to select from. Several charities and animal shelters have flocked there as well to find help expanding their reach. Click on the boxes of interest, get the contact info and reach out to the respective contacts listed.

The site offers several tools for members to easily engage and interact with each other. Members can also engage social media directly. They can Facebook “like” and use Facebook to comment on the Bloggerdise boxes and posts; or they can reach out via their personal Twitter and YouTube accounts.

In a challenging economic environment, now small businesses and artists have a place to promote themselves for next to nothing. It is a win win for all. For more information or to become a member, visit: www.Bloggerdise.com

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles – An Interivew with Greg Ferrett

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles – An Interview!

• Greg, you’ve written a book entitled “Because Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles” tell my readers a bit about your book.

This book is a fun and practical guide to the use of Emotional Intelligence.

No matter who you do business with they are an emotional human being first and are subject to all the rules of being human. When you press their ‘red button’ a chemical reaction starts in their brain forcing a negative reaction – we have all seen the extremes of this where someone goes into a rage and cannot stop themselves, only to regret their actions later. It is much better to push their ‘green button’ and force the brain to produce the chemicals that drive positive emotional responses.

In this book I introduce the seven emotional drivers, the green and red buttons for each, and a tool to help you understand the emotional styles you are dealing with.

More importantly I introduce ways to work with each emotional styles and tools to help influence each style. While the concepts are universal, I address the situation where you are trying to sell something.

• The title is catchy and I sense there is a story behind it.  Please share.

Yes – the seven emotional styles are based on the original work done by Aaron Rosanoff in his work on personality needs and later developed further by Humm and Wadsworth. The names for the styles were coined in the early 1990’s by my business partner Michael Tregonning for the ground breaking experiential learning game “The Gatekeepers” [YouTube video link ] I then added the outstanding scientific research by Jonah Lehrer detailed in his book “How We Decide” and distilled these materials for use in a sales environment along with simple tools to allow a sales person to apply the work in the field.

• What was your motivation in writing this book?

Demand really. There are a lot of books dealing with emotional intelligence, personality profiling and influence. In each of them you need to sit someone down and do a test; them get a result and finally get a strategy to deal with that person.

What we discovered was there is a demand for a simple tool to allow you to determine someone’s emotional makeup in 90 seconds, and provide you with the tools to deal with them. There is no need for a test – just simple observation.

• You write about Seven Emotional Buying Styles.  Share some insight into two of them.

I will share the two opposite emotional styles.

The Hustler is an outgoing, polished and slick individual notorious for ‘name dropping’. Their primary emotional desire is for material success and all the trappings which go with this. They will go out of their way to tell / show you how successful they are.

• You push their green button by showing a personal win or advantage; complimenting them on their achievements and getting to ‘the money’ and creating a deal.
• You push their red button by having a sloppy appearance or unprofessional attitude; ignoring or not acknowledging their achievements and not getting to the point.

The Normal emotional style is the opposite. While they will be conservatively dressed, their attire will not be ‘slick. Their primary emotional driver is social acceptance They look for evidence many others are doing the same thing and in a sales situation will respond well to testimonials. The mere suggestion of anything out of the ordinary, such as a discount, will make them nervous.

• You push their green button by offering examples of success; guarantees and pointing out how your service is an established and recognized process.
• You push their red button when you criticize or challenge their integrity; offer special discounts or a deal outside normal terms or seem to be secretive or avoiding an issue.

•  What personal buying style and what makes that so?

Every person has a portion of all seven emotional styles (emotional intelligence). Like DNA, it is the amount of each style which makes up your buying style. Each person will have one dominate style and one or two minor styles. Here are the seven emotional styles;

The Normal The Hustler The Mover The Double Checker The Artist The Politician The Engineer

•  What do you hope the reader will gain from your book?

The reader will gain a new found appreciation of how & why people make a decision in the way they do. They will be equipped with a working knowledge of how to recognize each of the seven emotional buying styles in the first ninety seconds of any future encounter along with a practical way to quickly adopt and communicate with decision makers at a deeper level.

• How, by the way, did you go about selecting the ideas included in your book?

This book is a result of running “The Gatekeepers” program for many years. We developed a ‘debrief’ book we use use during the program and this book is an expansion of this.

• A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book? 

• The concepts in this book are not unique, just the way we use them. The Humm-Wadsworth, developed in about 1935, has been used by Chandler-McLeod as a personality assessment for decades with millions of people being assessed for career guidance using it. Our uniqueness is the way we use the model in communication. Most people rely on DISC and other profiling tools. In this book we provide the practical tools and guides for everyday understanding of emotional intelligence in a way no other system does.
• The programs we run are based on the concepts in this book. They are totally unique with thousands of people being introduced to these concepts through “The Gatekeepers” programs.
• “The Gatekeepers” has yet to be run in North America – we are looking for a partner.

You can buy the book here:  http://www.amazon.com/Selling-Seven-Emotional-Buying-Styles/dp/0987372904/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361115140&sr=8-1&keywords=Selling+to+the+Seven+Emotional+Buying+Styles

My Awfully Wedded Life – An Interview with author Jimmy Hyten

• You’ve written a book entitled “My Awfully Wedded Life” tell my readers a bit about your book.  Sure has an intriguing title!

Thanks! Oddly enough, my current wife came up with that title. My book is the story of my previous marriage. My goal was to tell a relationship story from the male perspective. There are all kinds of stories out there from women about their marriages and failed relationships but rarely do you hear about those same stories from a man. That was my intent.

The book can be purchased here:  http://sakura-publishing.com/?product=my-awfully-wedded-life

• What was your motivation in writing this book?

I had just left from another frequent argument with my ex-wife and I caught myself wondering how many other people deal with this frustration all too often. Using writing as a creative outlet, a story about what had just happened turned from one page to fifteen. I wanted to share my story to see if men and women could relate.

• You mention that most men are “very stupid and immature in every sense of these words.”  Care to share a few examples from your book?

I, of course, say that with the best of intentions. What I mean by that is when in a relationship, so many men are naïve. I openly admit that I can be very immature, especially when I am upset. One example is grocery shopping – I turn into a small child when grocery shopping because I don’t want to be there, I whine, I complain, and if I am asked to help pick out food, I play games. Instead of getting chicken, I will pick up pig feet just to be a pain. Another example is when I would argue with my ex-wife, I would deliberately press her buttons driving her to such frustration she felt the only logical response was to throw a steak at me. I don’t think I am the only man to do things like this. That is what I mean, very stupid.

• You start your book with some harsh words toward women.  Who do you think is your book’s audience – stupid men or emotional women?

Ha, that is a little bit of a loaded question; both genders can be stupid and emotional. It wasn’t so much harsh words toward women as much as it is preparing the reader for what is to come. My point was to tell women reading it that men are men. Don’t try and change us, it will just end in failure and annoyance.

• What do you hope the reader will gain from your book?

I really hope the reader will not only understand where I am coming from but also be able to relate to my situation. I think so many couples go through what I went through and their relationships end the way mine did and a lot of times no one talks about it. I didn’t filter anything.

• How, by the way, did you go about selecting the stories and ideas included in your book?

I wrote the stories as they occurred. If something stood out as being abnormal or just plain crazy and I caught myself wondering what the hell I was doing being married, that was normally the indicator that it would make a good story.

• A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book?  What is unique about your book that would cause the media to consider a story about “My Awfully Wedded Life”?

I would have to say that it isn’t your typical, run of the mill self-help book. I am not trying to teach people how to have successful relationships. It was a creative outlet for me during situations in my marriage that had me thinking, “what the hell was I thinking.” I want people to read it and laugh because it’s funny but also because they can relate. I wanted to write exactly what happens in almost every marriage or relationship but no one ever talks about. I guess if I had to pick two things they would be that this book offers a glimpse into my life as a married/divorced man but from a perspective that isn’t normally seen, a guy’s perspective. The second thing would be that this book isn’t for one particular audience; it’s for every single person, whether they are single, married, divorced, young, old, it doesn’t matter.

Jimmy’s website is here: www.myawfullyweddedlife.com

An Interview with Gina London on her new book – “Because I’m Small Now and You Love Me”

1. Gina, you’ve written a book entitled “Because I’m Small Now and You Love Me” tell my readers a bit about your book.

With pleasure! Set in Paris, Tuscany and even the good old U-S of A, Because I’m Small Now and You Love Me, chronicles the hilarious adventures in parenting and life overseas between me and my young daughter, Lulu.

It’s for anyone who’s raising a child now, has raised one already, or was just once a child themselves.  If you ever believed you could conquer the world with a cardboard sword, this book is for you.

The book can be purchased here:  http://sakura-publishing.com/?product=because-im-small-now-and-you-love-me

2. The title is charming and I sense there is a story behind it. Please share.

The book grew around a collection of Lulu quotes that I began compiling when she was just three. Almost all kids say silly things, but as a former journalist, I think I was compulsive about maintaining a journal of my own daughter’s quips!

The book showcases and builds stories around some of the best.

Like, when Lulu earnestly asked me one morning, “Can I wear all your jewelry when I’m bigger and you’re dead?”

Or like her funny, but more than accurate, observations about the country we currently call home including:

“Italy is the place where everyone smokes and parks on the sidewalk.”

And when Lulu announced that she no longer wanted to grow up and become a big girl, my husband and I were perplexed.  We asked her why and she uttered the book’s title words, “Because I’m Small Now and You Love Me.”  In that phrase, I think, she perfectly expressed the innocence, sweetness and too-fleeting nature of this time in every person’s life.

3. What was your motivation in writing this book?

As a journalist, I wrote thousands of stories for CNN and the other news outlets I had worked for.   From hurricanes, to politics, to the tragedy of 9/11.  They all had one thing in common: they were other people’s stories.

My husband and I moved to Paris when Lulu was just an infant and to Tuscany when she was three.  Our lives were filled with all the normal misadventures of taking care of a child – compounded by the extra nuttiness that comes from doing it internationally with different languages and cultures as the backdrop.

And then when Lulu became a chatty preschooler, adding her non-stop commentary to all the things she saw and experienced in these exotic settings, I realized I had an amazing story unfolding before my very eyes and ears that was closer to me than all the others.

4. You write stories from “that time in her life.” When did you first think of capturing such a precious time?

It’s cliché, but I know now it’s also very true: Kids grow up so fast!

I realized as my daughter began to express herself in such unique, funny and sometimes brutally honest ways, that “that time in her life” was the most innocent and yet also the most fleeting.  These moments slip through our hands unless we do something to help us remember them, hold on to them.

I’ve captured those charming moments now forever in this book.

5. What are your three favorite chapters and what makes them so?

Hmmm. Of course, I love every chapter as each captures a unique moment in parenting by highlighting Lulu’s eccentric behaviors, a cultural tradition new to us as Americans living abroad, or by vividly detailing an event.  But I especially enjoy these three:

Chapter Six, “Showdown at Storytime” is the play-by-play of the daily match-up of wits between my four-year-old and me, otherwise known as bedtime.  Read how Lulu transforms into a tiny Turkish carpet-dealer and gets the best of me every night.

Chapter Nine, “In Pursuit of Pumpkin Perfection” takes you on a winding tour, first through the bustling streets of Paris and then to our bucolic country home in Tucany – searching for what you might think would be an easy find: a pumpkin ready to be carved into a proper Halloween Jack-o’-lantern.  It wasn’t easy to find at all, and neither was negotiating France and Italy’s takes on a largely-American candy-grabbing holiday – and our Italian experience  was extremely surprising but, in the end, gratifying!

Chapter Nineteen, “Mark Twain Said it Best”  is chock-full of… let’s call them “choice words” from both Lulu and me.  The Twain quote I reference in the chapter title alludes to what those words may be by saying, “Let us swear while we may, for in heaven it is not allowed.” Yes, this chapter explores every less-than-saintly parents’ nightmare when their precious angels begin repeating some of the more colorful words they realize they have been saying in front of their children. And now, my daughter Lulu is learning naughty words in Italian as well as English! Whoops!

6. What do you hope the reader will gain from your book?

I truly believe that everyone who reads this book will do so with a smile on their face. Not only do you get to meet one little girl who personifies what joy in life is all about, but the book will inspire you to really listen to the children in your life and remember and reflect about your own experiences during “that time in life.”

7. How, by the way, did you go about selecting the stories and ideas included in your book?

I selected a handful of funny moments and conversations, like picking out favorite colorful pictures from a beloved family vacation photo album to France and Italy.

Our best stories are usually those that begin as simply unfolding moments over time.  When you look back  upon them, you can better see the patina and warmth surrounding them.  Because I’m Small Now and You Love Me is a collection of the small humorous moments with a child that make life so rich in sum.

Cherished memories are what are made while you’re busy just living life.

8. A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview – what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book?

Because I’m Small Now and You Love Me is much more than a humorous memoir.  It’s also part travel guide, with vibrant descriptions of Paris and Tuscany.  And finally, the book is also largely inspirational – encouraging us all to see the world delightfully fresh through a child’s eyes.  Again!

For information about Gina London and her book visit here – www.ginalondon.com