Author Interview: Joanna Charnas



Author: Joanna Charnas

Books: 

 100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chronic Illness

 Living Well with Chronic Illness

Date of Interview: August 20, 2018












Joanna Charnas has authored two books published by MSI Press.



Meet the author!


Who are you? What do you want readers to know about you?

I've been a social worker for thirty years, and I have clinical licenses to practice psychotherapy in two states. My books are based on my professional experience with patients and my personal experience managing my own chronic illness.

Why are you qualified to write this book?

I've been ill since I was nineteen years old, and I've learned over the years how to have a happy life while struggling with illness. I've also listened to my patients and understand what they find helpful.

What is the message of your book? What should be the take-away by readers?

The message of my books is that it is possible to have a good life while chronically ill, but that it requires vigilance and commitment.

What are you hoping the book will do for your readers?

I hope that the books will provide hope, skills, and a mindset that gets readers through tough times.

What details (including book structure) do you hope that readers notice? How/why did you choose these details/incidents/structure?

My books are designed for sick people, so while they are not dumbed down they are easy to read. The books are structured so that they can be read in small increments if needed. However, the books can also be read in one sitting.

In your opinion, what is the most memorable detail (saddest, most surprising, most emotional, happiest…) in the book?

Readers have responded to the acceptance and hope that they feel while reading my books.

Why did you write the book?

I wrote these books to improve the daily lives of people living with chronic illness and to empower them.

What was the most difficult part of the book to write? Why?

Writing about the limitations of helping people who are not receptive to assistance, using my mother as an example, was painful.

Have you written other books?

Not yet!

Do you have plans for writing more books?

I have no firm plans, but I'm mulling over different ideas.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In Memoriam: Carl Don Leaver

Image
  1948-2021 It is with great sadness that MSI Press notes the death of Carl Leaver, CEO of the Press and typesetter and graphic designer par excellence . Many authors have expressed not only condolences but also a sense of legacy from covers he designed that they love.  Here is his obituary: On August 16, 2021, Carl Don Leaver of San Juan Bautista passed into eternal rest. A forester with the US Forest Service in Idaho and Montana, he turned to nature photography while working in the Bitterroot National Forest. His photographs graced national magazine covers and on a weekly basis the local paper of Hamilton, MT, the Ravalli Republican. He later worked on photography projects for the US Army (AFEES) and taught photography at the New York Institute of Technology in Amman, Jordan. His final career change led him to computer graphics and publishing as co-owner of MSI Press LLC; his many typeset books and book covers have helped MSI Press authors win a large number of awards over the years,
Read more

A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: Book Marketing vs Book Promotion

Image
It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.  Today's post looks at the difference between book marketing and book promotion, two terms that are frequently confused. Leading to the confusion is that some of the same activities are needed for both. In fact, good marketing is dependent upon good promotion. Perhaps the essential difference is that marketing focuses on sales, and promotion focuses on awareness --  noting that without awareness, sales generally do not happen. Book Marketing Book marketing includes promotion, sales, and increasing awareness of the availability of the book. It generally starts with a marketing plan that identifies the target audiences and selects marketing t
Read more