Nilsa's Book Blog: Author Interview: Ron Wyn

Today I'm pleased to welcome Ron Wyn, author of Irregular Therapy. What inspired you to write Irregular Therapy?

Irregular therapy came to fruition in the aftermath of a storm—a storm I call the first four decades of my life. From wounded child to rebellious teenager and troubled adult, I eventually reached a point where I felt completely lost. I certainly knew what was best for me, but try as I might, I couldn’t overcome the old, repetitive patterns that ran my existence. Finally, I came to see I had to do something about my precarious situation. I had to do something to make things better. I decided to take quality time and really dig deep into my troubles and face my fears. Well, it so happens that I took notes as I went along. Hence comes irregular therapy: a subjective storytelling event, an emotional release.

How long did it take you to write Irregular Therapy?
From initial meltdown to final catharsis, I’d say about two years.

While writing how many times do you go back and rewrite a plot?
This book was a very intuitive thing. I left the plot as it initially came out. But since I’m a perfectionist, I must have re-read it and reviewed it fifteen to twenty times.

When you go into a bookstore, where do you go first?
The spiritual/self-help/esoteric section.

How many books in a month do you tend to read?
When I have the time, I’d say 4 or 5 books a month.

In all the books you've read. Who is your most favorite character and why?
I would have to say that my favorite character of all time is Ron Wyn in Irregular Therapy because of his honesty, sense of humor, and courage to expose himself to such a degree.

State 5 random facts about yourself.

-I play the guitar and sing.
-I have two college degrees: Psychology and…Math!
-I live in the here and now.
-I love cold weather.
-A smile a day keeps me on my way.

What are you currently reading?
Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz and The Bliss of Inner Fire by Lama Yeshe.

What particular place do you write in?
I write at home in utter and complete silence.

Your favorite Genre?
I call it awareness – and its authors are people whose objective is to color the world with meaningful and inspirational words while effectively bringing out a wealth of down-to-earth knowledge in simple and understandable terms to promote practical solutions, and to demystify spirituality while guiding and supporting fellow humans on their journey to reconnect and realign with their true nature—awareness.

Paperback, Hardcover, eBook? Why?
As long as the message comes through, makes no difference to me.

What is the best book you’ve read?
There are many great books out there. Hard to pinpoint one. I’d say a great book is one that completely captivates the reader; a great book is an unforgettable and life-changing experience; I’ve had a few of those…

Here’s your chance to market your book. Describe it and why readers should pick it up?
Irregular therapy is a story about how my despair over broken affairs and damaging repetitive behaviors led me to look within and realize that by clearing my inner patterns, my relationships with other people improved as if by magic. Although it was written from a man’s point of view, I feel the book is beneficial to either gender—men will find structures and stories they can certainly relate to, and women will be able to better understand men and their issues, especially regarding relationships. irregular therapy is funny at times, sad at times, thought-provoking at times, even scary at times, but always amusing; always entertaining. It will move you in unforeseeable ways. It is an archetypal tale, after all.

Any new projects coming up?
Irregular Therapy is actually a series. I’m currently writing the second book in the series, which should be out by the end of 2012. The second book in the irregular therapy series reflects the results of my note-taking process. It is an attempt to organize the knowledge I have acquired throughout the years—translated not only into techniques, but also into first-hand knowledge of human behavior and functioning. And, as a teacher at heart, I do my best to convey this knowledge in simple, understandable, and practical terms.

Another part of the irregular therapy project involves speaking engagements, life coaching, workshops, as well as other practical and effective things such as teaching people how to write their own personal vision statements for a more focused and fulfilling life path. That’s all coming in 2013.

I have also been developing a website, www.irregulartherapy.com, and blog, blog.irregulartherapy.com, where I have placed much of my writing and intend to develop other areas of interest such as music, guided visualizations, and subliminal messaging, among other things. I have been exposed to many teachings and techniques on my journey, and now it is time to show others the tools that have assisted me. I’m positive they will help many people as they have helped me.

Who does your cover art? Did you design it yourself?
I designed the interior of the book myself, but felt the cover was much too important to be left to my somewhat limited book design expertise, so I had it created by a professional—Kathi Dunn.

What advice can you give someone who is thinking on writing a novel?
My advice is simple. Just do it. Don’t let your mind get in the way and sabotage you by saying your work is not good enough, the market is saturated, things of that sort. Other people will also say these things to you, you know. Don’t pay attention to them. But be realistic. Gather your energy and persevere. Make an inner resolve and go for it. Set aside some time every day for your most important work and stick to your schedule. Self-publishing requires a lot of planning, but it need not be daunting. You can publish your own work, but that does not mean you’ll have to do it alone. Establish your budget; be smart and honest about the stages you can complete yourself. For example, you might be enthusiastic about design, but unless you are a professional designer, I suggest you outsource your cover. You don’t want to look amateurish. In my case, I wrote and edited the book, then sent it out to an expert for his opinion (I was not going to commit my time and effort to something that was not good, or something that reflected some delirium of grandeur). I had a couple of people copyedit it. Then I invested most of my money in the cover design and text. The rest was technicalities. Setting up a website, finding a distributor, joining associations, submitting articles, marketing. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. If you’re committed, you can do it. Or maybe your budget allows you to hire a book shepherd, who will do it all for you. I know I didn’t have the money for that. But the book is out, nevertheless.

Where you can find author Ron Wyn:

Facebook: Twitter: @irreglartherapy Goodreads: Website: Blog

Other:

irregular therapy: one man’s struggle to find meaning, money and a soul mate can be purchased on my website www.irregulartherapy.com in several formats: paperback, ePub, Kindle, or PDF. It can also be found at major online outlets worldwide such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, smashwords, and the iTunes Bookstore.