AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Susan Gregg, Author of THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO SHORT MEDITATIONS
We have a special guest author today by the name of Susan Gregg, author of THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO SHORT MEDITATIONS! Susan was born in New York City (one of my favorite places in the whole wide world) and moved to Vermont when she was a teenager. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 1972 with a degree in mathematics and in the 1980s, she moved to California and began spiritual healing and apprentice to the Toltec master. Her first book, DANCE OF POWER, which is the story of her apprenticeship with bestselling author Don Miguel Ruiz, was published in 1992. 
Susan's seventh book is called THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO SHORT MEDITATIONS (http://www.shortmeditations.com/). There are audio meditations and visual meditations on her website that are just wonderful. She also hosts a website at http://www.susangregg.com/ which is filled with lots of wonderful information on letting go of the past and creating a life full of joy.
Susan also has a podcast called Food for the Soul and the blog all Toltec Insights, as well as running an e-group where she sends out daily meditations to people and a discussion group called Toltec mastery on Yahoo.com. Busy lady! She invites everyone to visit her website and fill out the form where you, too, can receive daily meditations.
The Writer's Life: Welcome to The Writer's Life, Susan! Tell us, when did your passion for writing begin?
Susan: It's funny when people ask me about writing I often tell him I never thought I'd be a writer. As a matter of fact I used to flunk English in school time, but I remember in third grade writing a short story. I am sure it was probably only a page long.
When I got my paperback the teacher had circled the word quaint and in big red letters said great word. I think that's when my passion to write began.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us what your typical 'writing' day is like?
Susan: A typical writing day depends on what I'm writing. When I'm writing a book I generally start writing early in the morning, write for several hours, have lunch and then take a break for a few hours. If I have an imminent deadline I'll write again in the evening.
Most days I write in the morning. I love sitting at my desk and watching the dawn. If I'm traveling I can spend hours in the airport writing. I seldom go anywhere without my journal. To me words are pure magic.
The Writer's Life: Do you write full time?
Susan: I write all the time but my primary income comes from doing workshops and seminars. My royalties don't really allow me to quit my day job. Yet most of the people in my seminars to come from reading my books.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us a little bit about your book?
Susan: My latest book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Short Meditations is, as the title implies, about meditation. It's also about changing the way you think and really improving the quality of your life.
The Writer's Life: Who published your book and how has your experience with them been?
Susan: The publisher's name is Alpha which is a member of the Penguin Group. The complete idiot series is very successful so they have a wonderful distribution system, my editor has been wonderfully supportive and I've generally enjoy the experience. This is the second book I've written for them.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us the inspiration behind your book?
Susan: About a year ago my agent suggested I write a book on short meditations for women. We both thought it would be a great idea and she shopped around to various publishing houses.
I've been teaching people how to meditate for almost 20 years so the book seemed like a natural. Fast forward a few months and the complete idiot's guide asked her for an author for a book on short meditations. She asked me if I'd like to do it and I said yes.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us ways you are promoting your book? Have they been successful?
Susan: I love writing books but I don't really enjoy promoting books. I've been promoting the books online through my webpages, my podcast and with online chats.I love talking with people about the concepts, enjoy doing radio interviews, and online interviews like this one so I guess I do enjoy promoting the books. I did an online promotion with Amazon.com and it was fairly successful.
The Writer's Life: Do you have a mentor?
Susan: I have many mentors both spiritual and other authors.
The Writer's Life: What future projects do you have in the works?
Susan: I'm currently working on a new book and its working title was 'Everything is Perfect Until We Think Otherwise.'
The Writer's Life: Can you give aspiring authors words of advice towards getting published?
Susan: If you really want to get published find a good agent. It may take some time to find an agent will represent you but it's well worth the effort.
The Writer's Life: What’s one thing about your life that you think is important, but nobody asks?
Susan: I think the most important thing about life is loving - our ability to love is the most important attribute anybody can have.
Susan's seventh book is called THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO SHORT MEDITATIONS (http://www.shortmeditations.com/). There are audio meditations and visual meditations on her website that are just wonderful. She also hosts a website at http://www.susangregg.com/ which is filled with lots of wonderful information on letting go of the past and creating a life full of joy.
Susan also has a podcast called Food for the Soul and the blog all Toltec Insights, as well as running an e-group where she sends out daily meditations to people and a discussion group called Toltec mastery on Yahoo.com. Busy lady! She invites everyone to visit her website and fill out the form where you, too, can receive daily meditations.
The Writer's Life: Welcome to The Writer's Life, Susan! Tell us, when did your passion for writing begin?
Susan: It's funny when people ask me about writing I often tell him I never thought I'd be a writer. As a matter of fact I used to flunk English in school time, but I remember in third grade writing a short story. I am sure it was probably only a page long.
When I got my paperback the teacher had circled the word quaint and in big red letters said great word. I think that's when my passion to write began.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us what your typical 'writing' day is like?
Susan: A typical writing day depends on what I'm writing. When I'm writing a book I generally start writing early in the morning, write for several hours, have lunch and then take a break for a few hours. If I have an imminent deadline I'll write again in the evening.
Most days I write in the morning. I love sitting at my desk and watching the dawn. If I'm traveling I can spend hours in the airport writing. I seldom go anywhere without my journal. To me words are pure magic.
The Writer's Life: Do you write full time?
Susan: I write all the time but my primary income comes from doing workshops and seminars. My royalties don't really allow me to quit my day job. Yet most of the people in my seminars to come from reading my books.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us a little bit about your book?
Susan: My latest book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Short Meditations is, as the title implies, about meditation. It's also about changing the way you think and really improving the quality of your life.
The Writer's Life: Who published your book and how has your experience with them been?
Susan: The publisher's name is Alpha which is a member of the Penguin Group. The complete idiot series is very successful so they have a wonderful distribution system, my editor has been wonderfully supportive and I've generally enjoy the experience. This is the second book I've written for them.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us the inspiration behind your book?
Susan: About a year ago my agent suggested I write a book on short meditations for women. We both thought it would be a great idea and she shopped around to various publishing houses.
I've been teaching people how to meditate for almost 20 years so the book seemed like a natural. Fast forward a few months and the complete idiot's guide asked her for an author for a book on short meditations. She asked me if I'd like to do it and I said yes.
The Writer's Life: Can you tell us ways you are promoting your book? Have they been successful?
Susan: I love writing books but I don't really enjoy promoting books. I've been promoting the books online through my webpages, my podcast and with online chats.I love talking with people about the concepts, enjoy doing radio interviews, and online interviews like this one so I guess I do enjoy promoting the books. I did an online promotion with Amazon.com and it was fairly successful.
The Writer's Life: Do you have a mentor?
Susan: I have many mentors both spiritual and other authors.
The Writer's Life: What future projects do you have in the works?
Susan: I'm currently working on a new book and its working title was 'Everything is Perfect Until We Think Otherwise.'
The Writer's Life: Can you give aspiring authors words of advice towards getting published?
Susan: If you really want to get published find a good agent. It may take some time to find an agent will represent you but it's well worth the effort.
The Writer's Life: What’s one thing about your life that you think is important, but nobody asks?
Susan: I think the most important thing about life is loving - our ability to love is the most important attribute anybody can have.
You can visit Susan's website at www.susangregg.com or her virtual tour page at http://virtualbooktoursforauthors.blogspot.com/2007/06/complete-idiots-guide-to-short.html!
Susan's virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours.
Tags: the writer's life, book promotion, book publicity, author interviews, blogging authors, guest blog, guest bloggers, book blog, virtual book tour, online book promotion, Susan Gregg
Tags: the writer's life, book promotion, book publicity, author interviews, blogging authors, guest blog, guest bloggers, book blog, virtual book tour, online book promotion, Susan Gregg
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