Tell us about yourself and your books.:
I am an Author, Life Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist and life voyager. I strive to inspire conscious living and conscious dialogue. I live in the Northwest and enjoy kayaking and the ocean (okay, I'll admit it, I'm a beach bum). I have written 3 books of modern poetry, a recovery workbook ("Never Enough"), and an award-winning autobiography ("Once The Storm Is Over: From Grieving to Healing After the Suicide of My Daughter"). My next will be published in 2019 by Austin Macauley Publishers, "Messages From Metatron: A Course in Self-Transformation."
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am an eclectic author; I never know which way my curiosity will point me. I tend to express my thoughts privately. After intense editing, I transfer what once was incoherent scribbles and ramblings to my spiritual self-help blog. I can't imagine being such a precise and organized writer that I could blog directly from my thoughts and be understood. Writing is an art, and like all art my writing is messy and chaotic at first glance. It undergoes a refining process that shapes the article or book into a finished, gleaming piece.
What authors have influenced you?
I enjoy autobiographies about people who have overcome the odds and left the world a better place. My mental health hero is Dr. Elyn R. Saks who wrote the recommendation that graces the cover of my autobiography. She is my "she-ro" for several reasons: She is an Associate Dean and Professor at the University of Southern California Gould Law School and an expert in mental health law. However, Dr. Saks lives with schizophrenia and has written about her experience with the illness in her award-winning best-selling autobiography, "The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness." Saks is also a cancer survivor. Despite insurmountable odds that would stop most people, Dr. Saks has triumphed over illness by moving forward in spite of it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is that good writing is brave writing. Don't be afraid to bear your soul by detailing your tragedy and human frailty. This is what people can relate to. And, your "oddness" or special gifts may be the thing that readers find most appealing about you and will sell books. Don't hide behind your writing. Let readers see who you really are, all of you.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best writing advice I've heard is to write everyday without fail. Write something everyday that expresses your feelings, even if it's in a journal. My journal entries following my daughter's death became a published book that was read around the world. So make time to write something from your heart everyday-who knows where it will take you.
What are you reading now?
I am studying the Hindu swamis, reading an old book by Swami Vivekananda on Raja Yoga. Vivekananda was a yogi who brought meditation to America from India in the 1940's. I enjoy reading old autobiographies as well as new ones because the ancients had so much wisdom, and their words still ring true after decades or centuries. Timeless writing is good writing.
What’s your biggest weakness?
I'm a complete and total nerd. I am a bookworm, writer and a researcher. My biggest weakness is I could care less about socializing. My world is in my head!
What is your favorite book of all time?
Although I seldom read fiction, my favorite book of all-time is an enchanting fictional account of a troubled childhood, "Little Altars Everywhere," by American author Rebecca Wells (who also wrote "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood").
What has inspired you and your writing style?
I don't know if I actually have a writing style; I can't claim that. However, the comments I get most often from readers are that they can relate to the struggles I have gone through and the pain I have endured in losing my teen daughter by suicide. I suppose you could call my style "starkly honest."
What are you working on now?
I am working on the third book in a channeled series of books about Archangels. As I said, with me, you never know what's around the corner.
What is your method for promoting your work?
I enjoy being the guest on radio shows and giving magazine interviews. I've found these to be an effective way to introduce readers to my books, and to connect with them on the air.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Recently I've channeled 3 books that are New Age or metaphysical. The first will be published in 2019 by Austin Macauley Publishers, "Messages From Metatron: A Course in Self-Transformation." It will take several years to publish all three. After that-who knows? Point me in a direction I haven't explored yet.
How well do you work under pressure?
I work very well under pressure, and most efficiently when I have a deadline to meet. Pressure provides an accountability which is helpful to authors. I relish collaborating and teaming up with a publisher who is pushing me towards a book launch.
How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
It all depends on the audience. I tailor my voice and approach to the group receiving the message. Obviously, I am not going to use slang and be informal if I were giving an interview to a senior's magazine. However, if I were writing an article for teens or young adults, I want to be contemporary and colloquial. Always be mindful of who your reader is and what topics are interested in. If you don't know, research it. It pays to know who you are dealing with.
Author Websites and Profiles
Nina Bingham Website
Nina Bingham Amazon Profile
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