Authors Interview with Joanne Reed.

Let's start the Author's Interview with an introduction.

1. Could you please introduce yourself to us? 
My name is Joanne Reed I am a contract lawyer by profession, a published author and blogger. I am a wife, the mother of two teenage daughters and I currently live in Seoul South Korea. 
2. Congratulations on your book. So, what inspired you to write this book? 
Being an author is a fairly new experience for me. James Baldwin famously said: “I didn’t decide to be an author I discovered I was one.” I relate very much with this, as this is exactly how I feel. 

My journey as an author started when I decided to follow the advice of Toni Morrison who said: “If there is a book that you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” 

I couldn’t find anywhere a book that deal with all the subjects I was interested in, a book that inspired me but challenged me all the same, a book that could act as a compass when I was feeling lost, a book that could educate, heal and illuminate the mind. So, I decided that I should write such a book myself. 
3. What is the book all about? 
‘This Is Your Quest’ is a self-help book, the book itself is a journey, it guides and coaches the reader to adopt an explorer mindset in their own Quest towards happiness through the trifecta of money, love and health. The book provides valuable lessons from history, philosophy and economics. 

Wherever you are in the world, people want the same thing. People want to be happy. So, I made it my personal Quest to try to understand this concept of Happiness using different vantage points, using the wisdom & knowledge from my favorite philosophers & authors and learning valuable lessons from history. 

The concept of Happiness is a very fluid concept, and everyone has their own definition of happiness. What makes you happy is different from what makes me happy. Having said that I really wanted to capture this concept of happiness into something that everyone could relate with. 

When you look at the etymology of the word “Happiness” it means “living well”. So, if you live well you will find happiness. And the reason why most people believe they will be happy if they are wealthy, in love and in good health is because those 3 things i.e. wealth, love & good health promote well-being. I explore all those subjects in my book. 

My own definition of Happiness is the journey to fulfilled yourself through Money, Love and health. Happiness is living a life that is meaningful; filling fulfilled in whatever you do. 
4. Why did you choose this genre for your book? 
I believe that people should live the story they want to tell. It was not my desire to write a piece of fiction. My objective was to write a book that will change people’s live, not by giving them advice as to how they should live, but by exposing them to concepts, philosophies and ways of thinking that have perhaps not been so obvious to them before. I want my book to be a story that could be understood by anyon , a book that will resonate with people from all walks of life; a book where all the little stories will come together to form the Big Picture; a book that can be a road map for people who find themselves disorientated and lost , and if they are, to read it and find their way again. 
5. How much time did it take to complete this book? 
It took me 9 months, the same amount of time to make a baby. “This Is Your Quest” is my third baby.
6. What makes your Book Special? 
My book is very different from the self-help book that you normally find out there. Most self-help book is written from the perspective of the author who wrote the book using their own knowledge, their own expertise and personal experience in a particular area. The author then proceeds by setting-up a set of rules which the reader should follow in order to achieve whichever objective they set themselves 

My approach is different. I am not telling people what to do and how they should lead their lives. I am not setting any rules. I am giving my readers enough food for thoughts to go on their own Quest so that they can find the right path for them. And as we know each one of us have a different path to take – different aspirations – different objectives – Different mission in life. I think people should read my book because it could potentially change their lives. It is challenging but also inspiring. 
7. When is your second book coming? 
I don’t have a second book out yet, but I have been working on various versions of my first book. The first edition of my book was released on April 2018 ; I received very good reviews and some of the feedback I received from my readers made me want to refine some points and add some recent events into the book, so I made some revisions and additions to the 1st edition of the book and released the 2nd edition in May 2019. I also translated the English version of the book myself and launched the French version in May 2019. I am currently working with two professional voice actresses to record the audio version of “This Is Your Quest” the English version will be narrated by an American voice cctress and the French version of the book will be narrated by a French voice actress. 
8. While writing did you get any writers block? What is the Tip that you will give 
I never experienced writers block. I started writing because I had a lot of things to say, there is so much wisdom and knowledge out there some have been forgotten and some have been hidden away; I just wanted to bring those stories back to life and share them with all the curious souls out there. 
9. Apart from being a talented author, what are your other hobbies? 
I practice martial art Muay Thai and Krav Maga. I also love horse riding and walking in nature. 
10. Last but not the least, How did you feel, while giving this interview? 
I feel grateful for the opportunity to share a little be of me and what I do with your followers.
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