Interview With Author Robert Barzelay
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Dutch-Israeli, was born on the date the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, and the day Nobel Peace Prizes are awarded. Graduate in Political Science, History and Marketing. Semi-retired, with four kids and six grandkids. I speak six languages, visited over 100 countries, lived in 11. I have been employed by emerging companies and multinationals, in positions from salesman to CMO and CEO. I have established business partnerships and my own startups. I am a passionate writer of short stories and am nowadays in demand to evaluate business plans, create marketing materials and organize workshops. My favorite sports are judo, sailing, rowing, water and snow skiing, flying and skydiving.
I have written hundreds of business plans and content for training workshops and websites. Besides that I have written articles for magazines and have doine interviews of politicians. As for books, I have published a book called “Klompen en Kamelen” (“Clogs and Camels”) with 48 short stories in Dutch about experiences, anecdotes and adventures in Israel, written by 30 immigrants from the Netherlands and Belgium of all generations, beliefs and backgrounds. The book included four of my own stories. My latest book is “Blood, Sweat and Dreams”.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Blood, Sweat and Dreams” is my recent book with ten short stories, ranging from fiction, half-fiction and personal events, covering travel, food, culture, an emergency landing, imagination, terrorism and counterterrorism. My past real-life experiences and present circumstances inspired me.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write when I have a thought, experience something special which can be a meal, or think back about a place, a meal, a scenery, a person, an incident (I had some nasty ones), an encounter, whatever happens in real-life or in my mind, something that pops up from the past.
In fact I am writing my autobiography right now which is based on reality and actuality. I am going through my life chronologically. Working on this for three years already. All from memory, aided with a diary in which I noted all my flights (to check on frequent flyer miles). When I see Brisbane, I know what I did there, why I was there, where I slept and ate, but often cannot remember names. I wrote “Blood, Sweat and Dreams” as a distraction from my autobiography. I started on a sequel already. Sometimes I throw in obscure poems.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The writers who inspired me most were Frederick Forsyth, Steve Jobs, Baruch Spinoza, Bernard Lewis and Erich Fromm.
As for specific books: 1984; O Jerusalem; Uhuru; Exodus; The Kite Runner; Portnoy’s Complaint; The Ginger Man; The Art of War; Ethica; The Spy Who Came in from the Cold; Atlas Shrugged; In Cold Blood; L’Histoire d’O; Tropic of Cancer; Animal Farm; Don Quixote; The Da Vinci Code.
What are you working on now?
My autobiography “A Chaotic Mix of Experiences”. The good and bad, pleasant and nasty, wild and calm, crazy and sane, successes and failures, survival and near death, dangerous and dreary, obscure and candid. My life story consists of family, relationships, jobs, relocations, food, and travels. Here, there, and everywhere. I lived, saw, heard, breathed, smelled, touched and felt my surroundings, wherever I was.
My autobiography does not only start at my birth, but also describes the history of my ancestors, of course my parents, and theirs, and theirs, and so on, going back to whatever I could find out.
I do have to redact my writing as I already reached 800 pages, and I am not done yet.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My previous Dutch book “Clogs and Camels” was targeted at a very specific audience, but still managed to sell 920 of the 1000 printed. I promoted via a dedicated website, social media, interviews in magazines and papers, handing out flyers in public transport and at sport events, and walking around in a T-shirt with the book title on the back. All proceeds went to two charities.
“Blood, Sweat and Dreams” and eventually my autobiography I want to promote more professionally. Thus far I got friends, school, university and sport buddies, business acquaintances, in fact a small circle interested and buying, but I want to expand my audience.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop writing about whatever you see, hear and feel. Then build one or more stories from it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Listen to the world around you.
What are you reading now?
Politics, by Aristotle (a reread).
The Boys from Brazil, by Ira Levis (also a reread)
What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned: finishing my autobiography and work at the same time on a sequel of “Blood, Seat and Dreams”.
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?
Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
The Source, by James Michener
Jerusalem: The Biography, by Simon Sebag Montefiore
Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Barzelay Amazon Profile
Robert Barzelay’s Social Media Links
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