Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written my very first kindle book. I am a trained scientist and medical writer, and work as a scientific director leading a medical writing team that interprets and writes cancer clinical trial data for publication in publications such as the New England Journal of Medicine. Writing (and reading) is my passion as it is for many. The use of words to teach, uplift, illuminate, encourage, or entertain to me is a noble calling and is a personal mission of mine.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first book is a nonfiction work called Then Came the Dawn under a pen name. I wrote the book to help out in this scourge of bullying/suicide affecting so many young people. I’d love to see this book get some traction in order to lend a voice of hope to either those hurting or those wanting to help. I have personal experience with this issue when I was a student. By the time I reached middle school, occasional bullying incidents had exploded into relentless daily humiliation at the hands of at least twenty-five bullies or “tormentors” who made my life miserable. During this period, I was targeted almost every day and night. My future seemed to be nothing but endless misery. Suffering from an intense self-hatred, soul-crushing despair drained my strength to go on. The idea of suicide seemed to be an “easy” and quick escape. In my experience the toxic effects of so many accumulated lies about who we truly are masks our real worth and value. We get worn down and become vulnerable to want to do anything to escape. We need to challenge and stop believing the poisonous labels others have given us. This book is the battle plan I developed to attack every suicidal thought, and conquer my freedom from toxic labels and despair. The self-taught training program I developed helped me overcome the severe limitations of negativity and self-sabotage. I chose to fight back hard with the truth that gave me the freedom to live. Knowing the truth can set you free, and you can find rest for your soul, but you must decide to fight the negativity. You don’t need to be suicidal to benefit from this training. You just need to want to overcome your limitations. My most important decisions have been to live, overcome my inner strongholds of negativity, and give my life to help others. Hope my journey can enhance the journey of many others!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I try to use multiple angles to make a similar point. I look to provide as many “Aha” or epiphany moments as I can. I also write in a combined style of teaching and encouragement/inspirational. I wrote this book as if I was meeting regularly with the readers. As such, it is written directly to the readers as if I was speaking to them during a get together.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read quite a bit of biographical material. I glean so very much from the lives of others who have overcome adversity to proactively use their lives, mission and purpose to help others.
What are you working on now?
I am just starting now to sketch out ideas for a book series on encouragement. We all go through so much in the way of life trials. I am so inspired by those who find a way to overcome and they become an inspiration and blessing to so many others.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I am just starting out on this promotion pathway so perhaps Awesome Gang is the way to go.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be tenacious. Don’t give up your dream. Be persistent. Know what you want to say and who you are trying to reach. Get rid of any self-imposed timeline. Do all that it takes to get your writing the best it can be no matter how long it takes. I rewrote so much of the book and scoured it repeatedly before I felt it was even ready to be tested by a select few I trusted would be honest with me. Then I invested in a professional editor to clean it up.
Learn the business end of self-publishing as you are writing. Getting the book uploaded to Amazon does not mean it sells itself. Get the training you need to promote your book. Don’t ever give up!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn from those who have gone through tough times and don’t up. We need to let hope empower us through everything we may have to endure. When we make it, we can then be there for others who are going through trials. We will enter their lives as those who have overcome and lend them a hand, a heart, and a hope.
What are you reading now?
The Power of Positive Energy
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m learning how to get the word out so to speak. I want to be more involved in helping those who are enduring the effects of bullying and the damage it does. It’s quite a challenge to rebuild a shattered sense of your worth and value when you go through something like that- especially when young. I would love to give what I learned coming out of all that to lend a hand.
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?
The Bible, A Tale of Two Cities, The Count of Monte Cristo
Author Websites and Profiles
George Rogan Website