Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Julie Wise Interview



Name: Julie Wise
Title of book: Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease



Bio: Julie Wise is a professional life and relationship coach who works with people to take their dreams from wishing into reality. She knows from personal experience the challenge of starting over when your dream has fallen apart. Instead of giving up, she learned how to reinvent herself and discovered that there is always a bigger (and better) dream waiting to happen. In her new book, Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease, she offers a fresh, practical and hands-on approach to inspire readers to overcome their challenges and achieve their heartfelt desires.

1. What is the most productive time of day for you to write?

I write most easily mid-morning, starting around 10 a.m. I can’t seem to get into it any earlier. I find it works best when I have a slow relaxed start to the day and ease my way into writing.  I also write in the afternoons, but I prefer the morning when the light is soft and gentle.

2. Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

I write primarily on the computer, although I do sometimes make scribbled notes by hand at the beginning when I’m trying to work out the outline.  With Dream BIGGER, it was written almost exclusively on the computer, even when I was designing the structure for the book. The format was clear to me right from the beginning so it was just a question of getting the ideas down and I was ready to write.

3. What do you draw inspiration from?

I’m inspired by real life and the people around me. We all have a story and I love to draw the stories out and then share them with others. Everyone has been through a challenging time and found ways to move forward. If we share our wisdom and experience with each other, we’ll all be richer for it.

4. Do you set yourself goals when you sit down to write such as word count?

Yes. My goal is to write at least 2000 words per day. I can usually do that in about four hours, sometimes less. If I don’t make that goal, that’s fine, but it’s what I aim for. Usually while I’m writing I’m so immersed in it that I don’t notice how much I’ve written.  I check at the end of two hours, and I’m always amazed at how far I’ve come.

5. Being a self-published author, how do you come up with your cover art?

The cover for Dream BIGGER is one of a number of stock images suggested by my publisher, iUniverse. We discussed a few images before deciding on this one. For the publisher, it needed to be marketable and professional. For me, it needed to convey the essence of the book. I think we succeeded on both counts.

6. What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

Writing chose me.  I tried to resist for years, but it kept surfacing in myriad ways. As a child, I created my own books, writing the stories in pencil and decorating the cover in crayons. As an adult, even though I pursued other careers, writing was still a common thread in everything I did. I also wrote poetry, short stories, a novella and a fictional memoir over the years, had a newspaper column and was a newspaper editor.  So clearly, the dream was always alive and well even if I didn’t take it seriously as a career.
Now that I’ve published my first book, and I have another in the works, I have to admit to the world that I am a writer. Oh, such a confession to make!

7. Do you own an ebook reading device?
No.

8. Who are some of your favourite authors and what are you reading now?

I love Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love. When I read it, I connected so deeply with her writing style and stories that I felt like I was her.  I also love reading inspiring books by Sonia Choquette, enjoyed Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen, and often read books by Paolo Coelho. I’m not reading anything at the moment because I’m busy with marketing my own book Dream BIGGER.

9. What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I think they’re an interesting way to promote and market a book.  I think they may lend themselves best to certain types of books.  I’m not sure if I’ll have one.

10. What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I’m currently writing a book on my 3-month journey through Ireland in 2008 to connect with the land, the people and my ancestral heritage. It’s the book I’d started writing last December when the idea for Dream BIGGER came to me and wouldn’t let go.  And it’s definitely an example of me dreaming bigger – heading to Ireland at a time when I didn’t have work or income, and choosing to travel alone by foot, bus and train.  It’s fun to be back writing again and delving into the memories and experiences of fiddle music, wild northern coasts, misty rain and rainbows!

Julie Wise Model


Title:  Dream Bigger:  Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease
Publisher:  iUniverse

Bio:
I believe life is meant to be enjoyed. I love to work with people, listen to their stories, and learn from their experiences.
My training is in Organizational and Relationship Systems Coaching through the Centre for Right Relationship. I am currently completing a Certificate in Conflict Management and Mediation from Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Ontario, and I have also completed a one-year healership mentoring program in Advanced Energy Healing and Awareness. I am a Celtic Reiki Master as well.
In addition to managing my practice as a life consultant and relationship coach, I volunteer as a mediator at Community Justice Initiatives.
When I'm not busy with clients, you might find me dancing flamenco… or wandering a beach somewhere in the world, with the wind in my face and the sun on my back!


Synopsis: When life's challenges get you down, and you feel like giving up on your heartfelt desires, it's not time to quit. It's time to dream even bigger! This book is filled with inspiring true stories, simple tools and exercises, and plenty of motivation. Learn how to re-chart your course and bring more joy and ease into your life as you pursue your dreams.

Blurb:
Most people have a dream. For some, it’s something they’ve wanted since childhood but have
never told a soul. For others, it may be something they tried once, and it didn’t work out so they gave up on it. Perhaps you have a dream that you keep dismissing because it seems risky or impractical. Our dreams make difficult times more bearable. They also bring joy into our lives, and inspire those around us. However, it takes more than a good imagination to make those dreams come true. It’s also about taking action and staying motivated. First, you need a clear idea of what you want. If you’re not sure, spend some time remembering your childhood and what you imagined you’d do with your life. The seeds to your dream are often found there. Once you know what your dream is, get to know it in detail. What does it feel like to be there? Who are you with, how are you dressed, what’s happening around you? Get familiar with it so that it’s easy to connect to that feeling whenever you need motivation. What’s stopping you from having that in your life right now? Make a list of any challenges or obstacles. The list is intended to give you ideas for actions, not to discourage you from moving forward, so don’t get too bogged down by it. Now take a look at the items on your list. What skills and resources do you have to meet those challenges? Who else can you call on for additional assistance? Talk to supportive friends and family members about your dream and see what ideas they have to help you move forward.
Take all of these ideas and resources and put them together into an action plan. This is a list of the steps you can take to make your dream a reality. Every day, check your list and pick one action you can take. Each time you take a step, celebrate, knowing that you’re that much closer to the life of your dreams.

Five Steps to Your Dream

1. Identify your dream
2. Make a list of your challenges
3. Develop a list of skills and resources
to meet those challenges
4. Create an action plan
5. Take one action each day toward
the life of your dreams

Wise's goal is to help 100,000 people dream bigger. To do this, and to celebrate the release of Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease, she invites the public to share their life dream in an online challenge. The 60-day "Dream BIGGER Reinvention Challenge" runs from October 1 to November 29, 2010 and offers contestants the chance to post a video about their dream, get votes and become eligible for an amazing grand prize. "By sharing our dreams, we'll inspire each other to ever greater heights," she explains. Go to http://www.dreambiggercontest.com and enter today!



Websites: http://www.juliewiseconsulting.com
(Book Blog) http://www.wise1coaching.wordpress.com







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