Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been an observer of human behavior for over 40 years, especially audiences who attend my concerts, and I’ve found that music has powerful, replicable effects on human beings. That’s the core of what I teach, and my second book is about self care using music: music care. This first book is about how to activate the human spirit and use it to enliven personal, family, and professional/business engagement.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
More Than Human – The Value of Cultivating the Human Spirit in Your Organization, was inspired by volunteer work I did with the San Diego Veterans Coalition Spiritual Affinity Group. Our group’s mission was to explore and document the connections that exist between the human spirit and success, and to come up with actionable ways this knowledge can be applied within organizations. The group was disbanded before any actual writing got done; this book fulfills the promise of the assignment and delivers solid how-to for engaging the human spirit in best practices that work.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I’m willing to admit to
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Joseph Campbell got me started on the journey of self discovery that continues with this book. I’ve been influenced more recently by the writings of John O’Donohue, David Whyte, Mark Nepo, Mickey Singer, and Robert A Johnson, all of whom have taken a deep dive into what David calls “the well of grief” to bring back for us the “…coins…thrown by someone else.”
What are you working on now?
Working title is “More Than Music,” which will be a condensed version of the music care courses I have taught for at-risk Veterans, homeless people, and others over the last seven years.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Because so much of what I do is one-to-one, I feel that the best promotional method is individual connection. That may have to change, but it can’t lose authenticity or — for me — it may not work.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop writing
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
JP Sears says it best: be weird
What are you reading now?
More Robert A Johnson, and a really intriguing and difficult read called Spiritual Cannibalism by Rudi. I’ve also enjoyed listening to the Department Q and Jack Reacher novels on Audible, as well as industry non-fiction: Switched On by John Elder Robison; The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk; Good to Great by Jim Collins; a smattering of Seth Godin and Malcom Gladwell, and of course Four Hour Work Week by the indomitable Tim Ferriss.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Promote promote promote!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Anything by James Joyce
Author Websites and Profiles
Bill Protzmann Website
Bill Protzmann’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account