I had been working as a Social Media Director for about a year and my professional coach was encouraging me to tell my personal story. It had to do with being genuine, open and honest. I was hesitant but finally thought, why not. If people reject me for my past so be it. I was looking for something else to do and came across a seminar on writing ebooks and simply thought, hey, I can do that. It was just a match of wanting to tell my own story of redemption and a new venture, or passion, writing.

I'd have to say honesty. There is something fundamental and sincere about putting your thoughts into words. Even if it is not a personal bio but something about ethics, spirituality or the like, it is your own words that speak back to you confirming who you are. Writing confronts my limitations, disappointments and vision of who I am. It is looking at myself, even when I am not talking about myself.

Your fans are everything for an author. Without readers the story goes nowhere. The longer I write, or maybe just the older I get, the more I want readers to not be just readers or fans, but friends. I've come a long way in the past couple of years allowing others to know who I am. Now I want people to friend me on Facebook, follow on Twitter, write comments on my blog. Writing has just opened up a whole new way of looking at strangers and turning them into friends.

I think my next work with me a fuller look at the subtleties and nuances of Zen Buddhism. There is so much written about Buddhism and Zen that is thrown together by people who don't even meditate, it's very disappointing. I'd really like to be able to write something more complete about the basics of Zen philosophy and thought. Not a discourse on what to think but a more personal take on how to incorporate such ideas into a personal life. It's a constant struggle, and as I said earlier, writing speaks to me. It is a window looking back out to my own soul. If I could write it that way it might be inspiring for others.

I'd have to say Alan Watts inspires me. His ability to speak truths and fundamental concepts and bring them home in an inspiring way is incredible. As a youth I very much liked Yukio Mishima and Jene Genet. Both are very dark writers exposing what is usually hidden, if even recognized in a life. I've done a full circle now. I still appreciate their honesty as it is a look at the human condition but my own take on the human condition is now completely different than it was.

I meditate. I have a few good friends. I'm not a really sociable person so I try to make a point of being social and keep that in the back of my mind. I'm still looking for another more artistic passion I can accomplish with my hands. I'm welcoming any suggestions - anyone?

I do a lot of browsing, looking for books that might have a different way of expressing what I'm interested in, mostly ethics or spirituality. I know a number of writers and I love reading what other people write, especially if I know them personally.

It can sometimes take me a long time to get into that place where writing starts to flow. I do a lot of thinking before hand and once I know what it is I want to say I just start saying it on paper. Then I cut back, trim, change and reread a hundred times.

The first book that had a real impact on me I think was The Temple of the Golden Pavillion by Yukio Mishima. I was amazed anyone would write with such clarity and sincerity that the images just lifted off the pages into my minds eye. It certainly wasn't the first book I read but it remains to this day one book I reflect upon as a beautiful example of imagery.

I think I really just look for something that speaks to me. It has to be related to the subject of course but if it doesn't move me in some way it is not going to even be considered. I have used professional services with great results but usually like my own cover designs more. Maybe that isn't such a good thing.

I grew up in the middle class area of Ottawa Canada. It was the 60's and 70's when I was a teenager. It was the era of LSD and communes, the Beatles and Beach Boys. I studied at the National Arts Centre as an actor and finally as a chef before I settled into my own business building sailboats. I suspect this all influenced me by showing me the vast array of personalities, or personas we can be within one short lifetime. Now, 40, 50 years later, I have no doubt those years between 13 and 21 gave me more to work with than the next 40. Always dipping back into the dark corner of my own mind trying to clean it out, be honest, open, compassionate and loving. Who you were makes you who you are - even as we are nothing more than what we are doing at this moment. - I think I just said a lot of nothing.