1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am an Information Technology Project Manager for a Fortune 500 company based in the Washington DC area. I have a Master's Degree in Intelligence Studies from American Military University and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and International Studies from Trinity University. Education has always been a passion of mine, and over the last few years, I have had several friends struggle to find jobs after college graduation, and those that were able to find jobs weren’t always in their desired career field. After looking back at my own college experience, I was able to pinpoint several steps that solidified my successful starting point to my career and I decided to write a book to help other college students avoid the common pitfalls experienced by so many students.
2. Describe your book ‘Before Reality Hits: A Straightforward Guide to College Success’ in 30 words or less.
'Before Reality Hits: A Straightforward Guide to College Success' is the up-front, easy-to-use guide that provides crucial information needed to make college a successful starting point to your career.
3. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The hardest part of writing my book was ensuring that I condensed the message in less than 130 pages while still providing enough detail to the readers on each topic. Time is always of the essence, and I wanted to get the message across without adding unnecessary information for my readers.
4. What books have had the greatest influence on you?
As a new author, I have recently gone back and taken a look at all of my favorites books and authors with a completely different perspective. Writing books that allow you to connect with your audience is extremely difficult and I have a new appreciation for all authors. And now, I think it is the authors who have had the greatest influence on me versus any individual book. Many of my favorite authors struggled to publish their books but continued their efforts despite multiple rejections. These authors have had the greatest influence on me because it has shown me that dedication to your passion and persistence are crucial to success, no matter what type of book you are writing.
5. Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?
To market my book I am currently focusing my efforts online, utilizing everything from BookBuzzr, to Freado, to Facebook, and Goodreads. Marketing constantly evolves as trends in technology change, and I am therefore finding that marketing is a continuous effort. To be truly successful as an author you have to devote significant time to your marketing strategy and be willing to spend time identifying new ways to market your book and get the word out to your target audience. As this is my first book, I have a lot of research about marketing to conduct and look forward to the opportunity to learn.
6. How do you spend your time when you are not writing?
When I am not writing, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, learning to cook, and advancing my education.
7. What are you working on next?
Next I have decided to write a fiction novel and hope to launch it in early 2014.
