The Next Step isn't your first published book. What sets it apart from Suddenly Single and The Marriage Go-Round: Yours, Mine and Ours?
The subject matter and the audience for this book are entirely different. The first two pertain to losing a spouse through death or divorce and re-marriage.The Next Step is directed entirely toward people who have been in 12-step programs or addiction therapy and are looking for more individualized support to help them maintain sobriety.
What do you think makes this a good workbook?
It makes readers take an introspective look at themselves. It addresses subjects they may have previously avoided or were either unable or unwilling to examine. Topics covered include emotional issues that are a built-in problem for addicts, including poor self-image, low self-esteem, guilt, shame, anger and more. There are questions asked that might be difficult to vocalize, but the written exercises provide a safe place to vent and express true feelings. The book also provides extensive information and practical advice for making better choices.
What inspired you when writing The Next Step?What inspired me was the fact that this book might help so many people. I kept thinking of a family friend who committed suicide several years before I began the work I do now. I have always regretted the fact that I was too late to help him. When his emotional turmoil became too great to bear, he ultimately couldn't face it without alcohol and ended his life. When his body was found, there was a glass and a half-empty bottle beside his chair. I had him in my mind as I wrote this book, thinking that if only he had had the help I could give him now, things might have turned out differently. Maybe not, but perhaps the book can help prevent someone else from doing the same.
What are your ambitions for your writing career? Full time? Part time?
My writing has always been part time. I am an educator at heart and have always used my writing as a means of informing others. I intend to keep writing part time as an integral part of my stress management work.
When did you decide to become a writer?
I have been a writer since I was a child and was probably one of the few people on the planet who actually liked writing school papers. I loved doing research and writing in college and whatever needed to be written was the best part of every job I ever had.
When writing The Next Step did anything stand out as particularly challenging?
What was most challenging was having to write down all the detailed instructions and information I would normally give to someone in person if we were in a private session.
How did you come up with the material of The Next Step?
For more than 11 years, I’ve had a private stress management practice. During that time, I’ve worked with people from all walks of life and with different kinds of issues, including people who have tried unsuccessfully to address their emotional turmoil with drugs or alcohol. This book is based on my direct experiences and it addresses the particular emotional issues and self-destructive behavior that are problematic for people coping with addiction.
What do you like to do when not writing?
I like working with my clients, singing in the community choir I have been a member of for 17 years, enjoying social occasions with friends and family, making jewelry, reading and watching movies and British TV series on Netflix.
How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Please visit me online at Stress Free Living:http://www.stressfreewitheft.com for more information.