Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
When I was 17 years old, I ran away to join the circus (with my parents’ support, of course!). It’s been a wild ride ever since.
I wrote my first two books in the 1990s about my career in performing. Shortly after that, I retired from performing and ‘went legit.’ I settled down, bought a house, and began successful careers as first a real estate agent, then a financial planner.
After years of sitting in an office, I had had enough. I wanted back into a life of adventure…but I still wanted to do something important. I’ve always found purpose in helping people. How could I combine my interests in personal finance with my love of performing? I decided to write a show about math in everyday life and help children understand the importance of needs and wants, how and why to save money, where money comes from and goes, budgeting, etc. I gave my notice at my financial planning office, took six months to write and perfect the show, and then started performing school assembly shows, helping kids learn the essentials of personal finance.
Then…I turned 40. My mind started slipping. I’d walk into a room and realize I had forgotten why I was there. This led to research and experimentation to see if an ordinary guy could improve his memory. I learned some techniques, developed a few of my own, and started competing as a memory athlete. (Yes, I’m one of the nerds who has turned memorizing into a competitive sport!)
My memory improved so much that I knew I had to share what I had discovered and created, so I wrote both a show for students and a show for adults about how amazingly easy it is to remember better.
Which brings us to today. I write, I travel to give my presentations for students and adults, and I train my mind. I live in a cute fixer-upper house in upstate New York where the winters are long and the summers aren’t. BUT: we have a wood stove, slow internet, and clean, fresh, farm air. It’s a good life.
My latest book is about how to remember every password, every time, to save time, stress, and protect ourselves online (The Hack-Proof Password System).
My other memory book is for students in grade 5 to 8 (or younger with a little help from a parent or teacher). “Unlock Your Amazing Memory: The Fun Guide That Shows Grades 5 to 8 How to Remember Better and Make School Easier” is perfect for any student that wants to get better grades, dislikes or struggles with one or more school subjects, or has trouble focusing and recalling what they read, see or hear.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is about how to remember every password, every time, to save time, stress, and protect ourselves online (The Hack-Proof Password System). As a memory athlete, I have one of the top memories in the world, yet I still struggled to recall passwords! I finally got frustrated and decided to learn how to fix this for me, and devise a strategy that could help non-memory athletes recall their passwords too. Now people who have read the book tell me they can finally remember their passwords! They no longer risk using one or two variations of the same password for every website, and realize they are much more secure online now than they were before. The best feedback I continue to receive is that people are discovering that remembering doesn’t have to be difficult or feel like it did when we were in school: something to struggle with and dislike! It can be easy and even fun, when we work with our minds and use the proper techniques.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a few friends that claim writing is so hard. I just picture a person in my mind who I know is interested in the subject, then I proceed to tell them everything they want to hear about the subject. I think about what questions they might have, the order in which they’d best hear the information, and then write it down. I’m next going to see if the same technique works with me for fiction too.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve loved reading since kindergarten, so it’s hard to pick influences. I devour books, from science fiction to non-fiction.
What are you working on now?
I have two non-fiction books in the works and one fiction idea that is floating around in the back of my mind (three scenes written down – longhand! – so far).
One non-fiction book is updating a book about success I wrote 20 years ago. I’m revisiting the same people I interviewed and discussing their answers and ideas about success twenty years later.
The other non-fiction book is about making more money and handling it wisely as you earn it for the self-employed. Since I’ve been self employed for years, as well as being a former real estate agent and financial planner, I have a unique insight to how to handle money for the self-employed or very small business owners.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
1. Write great books.
2. Ask others who love the book to refer it to others.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write more, write faster, write every day. You always have time for what you do first, so get up earlier and knock it out.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
We create our own stress.
What are you reading now?
Enemy at the Gates
The Handmaid’s Tail
After Life
The Rogue Agent
The Sky Below
What’s next for you as a writer?
Continuing to write about subjects I’m an expert in to help others.
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?
I think I’d bring the equivalent in blank paper so I could write my own stories!
Author Websites and Profiles
Brad Zupp Website
Brad Zupp Amazon Profile
Brad Zupp’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account