Interview With Author Helen Blazer
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book. I was a teacher, but circumstances meant I needed to change my career.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It is called ‘Change to a Life You Love’. I had a difficult personal journey for a few years, experiencing post-natal depression and burnout, and I have found my way out of it. I wanted to share some of my experience and learning with others in the hope that they would be able to use the information if they found themselves in a similar position.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is difficult as there are so many and I have wanted to write since I was a child, so there’s a lot of books there that have all contributed!
I love fantasy writers such as Brandon Sanderson, Terry Goodkind and Robert Jordan. For non-fiction I would say ‘The Productivity Revolution’ by Marc Reklau and ‘The Four Hour Work Week’ by Timothy Ferriss.
What are you working on now?
I am working on publishing some workbooks to support my book, so people can begin using the techniques I suggest in ‘Change to a Life You Love’.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think reaching out to communities through groups such as Awesome Gang is brilliant because you can promote and receive promotions and so it is a real sharing process
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be resilient. It’s a big learning process, but don’t let it daunt you. You can do it and be successful.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Proceed as if success is inevitable.
What are you reading now?
‘Rhythm of War’ by Brandon Sanderson and ‘The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting’ by Sarah Naish.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to continue to support people and have some training in mental health and coaching, so I will probably continue with another self help project. I do want to write a novel in the next few years though. I’ve wanted to since I was 10 years old and now it is a very real possibility, I can’t let the chance go by!
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?
That’s a really difficult question for a woman who’s hand luggage on planes was literally just full of books as a teenager! I think:
‘Guards! Guards!’ by Terry Pratchett – I love Vimes.
‘Elantris’ by Brandon Sanderson, unless you’d let me take the whole Stormlight series?
‘The Art of Letting Go’ by Damon Zahariades.
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