📚 A Bookish Chat with 'Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality' John Beilharz #AuthorInterview
As a Ph.D. in psychology, John Beilharz has had an illustrious career in various fields. From practicing as a therapist to teaching at a junior college, he eventually founded his successful marketing and advertising firm. Yet, despite his success in these endeavors, John has always been drawn to the art of storytelling.
Through his memoirs, John shares his life experiences in a poignant and captivating way. This collection of short stories is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the enduring resilience of the human soul.
His latest book is Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality.
You can visit his website at https://jbadvertising.com or follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/John-Beilharz-Author/61573799214000/.
Welcome to The Writer's Life! Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process. How did you come up with the idea to write your book?
I’ve always loved telling stories drawn from my own life experiences. Over the years, friends and loved ones repeatedly encouraged me to write them down as a memoir. It took time and I’m grateful I kept journals, but eventually everything came together. Writing Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality was a deeply meaningful experience. It brought both closure and a flood of warm memories, allowing me to revisit and make sense of an important chapter of my life.
Can you give us a short excerpt?
Darkness started coming on quickly, and with every stitch of darkness came more anxiety. I admitted to myself that I didn't like this at all. I wished I could go to sleep and just wake up with the bright sun on my face. Well! It wasn't going that way. Sitting against a tree beside the fire, my mind wandered everywhere. I tried to calm myself down and stay in the moment in peace, but damn if I could do it.
After several hours of being wide awake, I heard noises in the forest. Animals were walking around, and I heard one snort. I heard some splashing and slurping down by the creek, and it dawned on me that I had set up a camp right on the animal path that went to the creek for watering. These nocturnal animals probably were pissed that they had to walk around me, and I didn't blame them. I heard some rather large animals moving within a couple feet of me and wondered if they were a bear or a boar.
I was so nervous I did not want to leave the fire to even take a pee. I was paralyzed. I stoked the fire as it felt like my only friend and protector. As the flames grew, they projected light onto the surrounding forest. Instantly, I heard a rather large stomp and looked up behind me, and I swear I saw a large hairy leg walk by. Now I was convinced that Big Foot was up there watching me. I could feel him penetrating my thoughts. I was so scared that I went into a dream-like trance. It was so real and in the moment.
What part of the book was the most fun to write?
The part of the book I most enjoyed writing and also found the most painful to revisit was my time in a Mexican jail. As I wrote, everything came rushing back: the sounds, the smells, the constant, unnerving tension. Yet within that darkness, I also remembered the beauty of the angels who appeared when I needed them most and helped release me from the grip of that insanity.
What’s one fact about your book that would surprise people?
One fact that would surprise many readers is just how close I came to spending years in a Mexican federal prison. It’s sobering to realize that, if not for an angel who intervened at exactly the right moment, I might still be there all these years later.
What other books are you working on and when will they be published?
I am currently completing my second book, a science fiction novel, titled,” Belief Trap, a thought-provoking exploration of a community at the intersection of mysticism, human connection, and the quest for transcendence. Set in a fictional town rooted in deep spiritual traditions, the story follows Mark and his circle of friends, known as the Seers, who have the unique ability to cross into a dimension called Omnia. Omnia is a realm of pure love and interconnected consciousness, where individual egos fade away and all souls communicate as one.
As Mark and the Seers help guide others from their world into Omnia, the narrative delves into themes of faith, betrayal, and the human yearning for a deeper sense of purpose. Conflicts arise as rival religious groups and government misunderstand Omnia’s message, and the community must find ways to convey the true essence of empathy and love. The story weaves personal struggles with a broader spiritual journey, inviting readers to reflect on their own beliefs and the possibility of a world where unity triumphs over division.
Finally, is there a message you’re trying to get across with your book?
The message of the book is simple but hard-earned: we all have dreams, but the path to them is often far more difficult than we expect. What matters most isn’t always whether the dream comes true exactly as we imagined, but who we become in the process of chasing it. The struggle, the setbacks, and the moments of doubt shape us in ways success alone never could. This book is about honoring that journey—and finding meaning even when the dream comes at a cost.
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