Author Interview – Hugh Simpson – The Blissful Entrepreneur

Written by JJ Barnes

www.jjbarnes.co.uk

I interviewed author and publicist Hugh Simpson about his life, his career, and what inspired him to write his new book, The Blissful Entrepreneur.

Tell me a bit about who you are.

I am a 75 years young author of over a dozen books and a serial entrepreneur. I have never been married so my businesses are my children and gradually they are finding new homes. I was an investigative reporter for the US based Post Newsweek TV Group for three years. Then on to Florida State University and after that a Masters in Advertising and Public Relations having one of my first clients as the Original Marlboro Man as his publicist for his classic You Are What You Wear that at last count had sold over 600,000 copies.

When did you take a step to start writing?

I had loved English and writing since prep school. I continued to write especially as a reporter for the specials I did on Civil Rights, the 1960s drug scene and consumerism. Then there was papers at FSU and my thesis in grad school on Bob Dylan.

How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?

About one year. I realized that possibly being the first one to write on Y2K could be my ticket to publishing.

I actually did the Coast to Coast AM show with a usual audience of one million before I finished the book. The next morning I had over 3000 emails and this was 1999! Thank goodness I had friends to help out! It led to hundreds of sales.

How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?

The Blissful Entrepreneur became an idea after my research into how I could be more blissful. I have always been OC – obsessive compulsive – and before being involved with a 42 week training involving biofeedback ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder. I learned during the training that the majority of MALE entrepreneurs are ADD. The training pretty well cured me of ADD. The OCD actually came in handy as an author!

So to answer your question it took about 2 weeks to write it as it just flowed together as I remembered my experiences with altered states of consciousness beginning as a teenager with astral projection then later with my first time meditating, and remote viewing. I remembered the natural high I got from these experiences and realized this was a state of BLISS!

Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write The Blissful Entrepreneur?

As mentioned above I wanted to obtain that state of BLISS even as I continued to be an OCD serial entrepreneur.

I then wanted to share my experiences with other entrepreneurs so they could reach the blissful state long before being 75!

What were your biggest challenges with writing The Blissful Entrepreneur?

As mentioned above there were no real challenges to writing this book. I just got into the zone or flow and in two weeks it was finished!

What was your research process for The Blissful Entrepreneur?

Besides my own experiences I began to study what happened to others who used the singing bowl I had been using. I found a National Institute of Health research where the singing bowl had been used and shared that the results of that in my book to give it more credibility. Same with the Harvard University research done with tuning forks even though I had been using the 458 hertz fork for several months.

The personal research was with the FOCI, which is a biofeedback unit that helps one to stay FOCUSED! Serial entrepreneurs especially have a hard time focusing because to us every new idea is the possibility of a new product or service. We are like a little kid in a toy store!

How did you plan the structure of The Blissful Entrepreneur?

I used Dylan Thomas flow of consciousness approach and just sat down and started writing it. This was especially true with using the FOCI as I related my experience with it.

Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did The Blissful Entrepreneur need?

Fortunately I have edited a friend’s book in the past and learned the importance of editing as a TV reporter. I had to tell a complete story that made sense on a sixth grade reading level to a TV audience in 30 seconds unless it was a TV special, where I had possibly two minutes.

Then later I had an award winning TV show on Comcast Today’s Health where I interviewed people like Dr. Oz several times, the late Glen Campbell, the husband and wife team who wrote The Carbohydrate Book, MD/PhD Michael Fossel, who is the foremost anti-aging physician and expert on telomere therapy, etc. I was both the co-host and co-producer requiring editing skills.

What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a book?

See if you write a news story that is totally comprehensive and compelling in 30 seconds like I had to learn to do as a TV reporter. Back in the late 60s one of the older reporters, Joe, gave me the best advice as he looked over my shoulder as I was preparing my first story to air. He said write for a sixth grade level reading audience (now in the USA it has moved to an eight grade level) and remember how simple the reading structure were of your earliest books you read.

I have never forgotten that advice as my books are written so a person with a eighth grade education can understand them. Also with the prevalence of ADD I write my books in less than 100 pages.

Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?

After over a dozen books I think The Blissful Entrepreneur is my last though a friend asked me if I planned to write on my Covid experience. Actually it might be an article instead of a book as my friend John, one of the editors for AARP – American Association of Retired Persons – is looking at one I have written about my discovering I had Covid and my 16 day stay in ICU.

And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?

It has been a wonderful journey since writing my first one in 1999 till The Blissful Entrepreneur in 2021. I would not change anything however I think like old NFL players you should know when to realize when enough unless God/Spirit says otherwise!

Find more from Hugh Simpson:

A Family Survival Manual for Y2K & Beyond/Hugh Simpson

Connecting The Dots: A Journey from A TV Reporter to A Serial Entrepreneur/Hugh Simpson

The Happiness Algorithm/Hugh Simpson

The Blissful Entrepreneur/Hugh Simpson

The Trillionaire & Nine Knights/Hugh Simpson

Dome Living in the 21^st Century/MR Valentine

Sea Gypsy Live-Aboards/MR Valentine

Xtreme Preparedness on Land & Sea/MR Valentine

Disappear & Reappear/MR Valentine

Barter Wealth/MR Valentine

Domes!Domes!Domes!/MR Valentine

Guaranteed Wealth Control/MR Valentine

XtremePreparedness Commandos Training Manual for 2020 Grand Solar Minimum/MR Valentine

Xtreme Preparedness: Be Prepared Not Scared

I write exclusively for Amazon.

https://www.valentine.international

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-simpson-19b38819b

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