What do you think makes a great educational book?
Good
information (better yet information not commonly known, but needed)
presented in an entertaining or at least interesting way.
What
inspired you when writing Surviving
your Elevator Entrapment?
I
have worked in the elevator industry for over three decades and wore
many different hats while there, including as a mechanic and all the
way up to an owner. During my many years I realized that the general
public just doesn’t know about several common dangers in using
elevators and escalators. No one tells them the proper way to use the
equipment. I have seen and been around many injuries and even
fatalities. Therefore as an insider, I wanted to let the public know
the truth about their safety. I hope by improving awareness we can
make people safer and also expedite adoption of many new codes
concerning safety.
What
are your ambitions for your writing career? Full time? Part time?
I
enjoy writing and would welcome the opportunity to do it full time,
however for now my writing will remain part time. Who knows what the
future will hold and yes I have started on my third book already.
When
did you decide to become a writer?
I
have thought about it for many years, but decided last year that I
would write my first book. My first book was a travel guide for
Brazil named “Gringo in Brazil”. It was somewhat a test of
writing, editing and publishing a book and was very successful and a
lot of fun to write. I recommend anyone who wants to go to Carnival
or just visit Brazil to give it a read. It does contain some basic
Portuguese that is needed to really explore the country and have fun.
On a side note, I used a beautiful Brazilian woman as an expert to
help with my travels and the book editing.
When
writing Surviving
your Elevator Entrapment
did anything stand out as particularly challenging?
The
repeated and almost never ending process of editing was the most
challenging. The way in which I write and edit makes it difficult for
me to use someone else to assist with this. While I’m editing, I
will often rewrite an entire paragraph or even chapter.
What
do you like to do when not writing?
For
pleasure I enjoy traveling and the ocean. When possible I start off
with a walk on the beach and when I can, I go sailing. I previously
spent many free hours riding motorcycles, but have recently given it
up due to safety concerns. For work, I have started a consulting
business and as you might have guessed focus primarily on elevator
consulting.