Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Iceland, but, through a series of extraordinary events, I became a US citizen in 2013. I started translating books from English to Icelandic in the late nineties and wrote my first nonfiction book in 2001. Since then I have written more than twenty books, mostly nonfiction.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is titled The Meditating Psychiatrist Who Tried to Kill Himself. It was inspired by actual events that happened more than fifteen years ago, when an acquaintance of mine, who had been meditating for years and been teaching meditation classes, tried to commit suicide. It didn’t compute. Meditation is supposed elicit peace of mind, not longing for death, right? When it came to writing my debut novel, it was the obvious topic to tackle.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am very organized when it comes to writing. I plan my work and work my plan. When writing nonfiction this is easier, because I am essentially writing from memory, but when writing fiction, I plan the overall chain of events, plan each scene, and then allow the characters to evolve within that environment.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been influenced by hundreds of books in my lifetime, since I always turn to books when confronted with new situations in life, but if pressed to answer, I would say Kurt Vonnegut in fiction and Ken Wilber in nonfiction. Both authors display brilliance through their writing.
What are you working on now?
I am working on a novel titled Premature Holiness, about events that occur at a yoga teacher training in Florida. It should ruffle some feathers.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I mostly use Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Quoting Stephen King: Write a lot, read a lot. There is no substitute for doing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Ready, fire, aim.
What are you reading now?
A brilliant book by Ethan Canin titled A Doubter’s Almanac.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing. I publish a new short story every Friday (#fridayshort) and plan to publish my next novel later this year or early next year.
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?
Sex, Ecology, Spirituality by Ken Wilber.
Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
Author Websites and Profiles
Gudjon Bergmann Website
Gudjon Bergmann Amazon Profile
Gudjon Bergmann’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account