Cover Reveal "My Father's Prostitute" by Steven Whitacre

Welcome back to Vision and Verse this morning, Steven.  What's new,? 
I have the cover ready for my book, My Father's Prostitute – A Journey to Borderline Personality Disorder and Back, which is the true story of growing up with a secret and how it affected my life and relationships, but also how I managed to overcome it all and find love again.                                                                                                     

Great cover, love it.  Refresh our memory a little. about what you like to write.
I did some adventure writing as a teen, but have pretty much just stuck to this one narrative non-fiction book.  I do have a creative streak in me, but I tend to focus more on my music than writing (although I haven’t done anything professionally with that in over 20 years).

Where would you like to visit? 
 When I was in the US Navy, I visited Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Turkey, along with the islands of Mallorca, Crete and Sicily.  Of all the places I’ve been, I would love to return to the island of Crete.  As for places I have never been, I would love to visit Belgium and Germany. 

Favorite musical artist.  Do you listen to music when you write?  What?
This is a difficult one because music has had such a huge influence on my life.  If I had to pick just one band that had the most influence, it would have to be Black Sabbath.  If I had to pick one artist, it would be Ozzy Osbourne.  I didn’t listen to music while I wrote though – I needed complete silence so that I could get my true thoughts and feelings down on paper without being influenced by outside sources.

What makes you laugh?
 My wife ☺  Seriously though, this question somewhat saddens me.  I don’t laugh enough.  I think laughter is important for our mental wellbeing.  If we can’t have fun and laugh, we aren’t living.

How old were you when you started writing?
I started mulling the idea of telling my story when I was about 42.  But I didn’t actually put pen to paper until I was 45.  It took 3 years of deep introspection before I was comfortable with telling my story, and 3 years of planning and imagining how it would go – none of which looked anything like the final product.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from the people around me, from nature, and mostly from my wife and daughters. 

What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I wait it out.  I wrote my book in about 8 weekend mornings – there wasn’t much time for writers block, although I did have a little.  Most of my writing was done first thing in the morning before the family got out of bed.

Who is your favorite author?
Stephen King and Clive Barker were a couple of my favorites growing up. 

Best book you ever read. 
Different books have impacted me in different ways - I don’t think I could ever pick a “best”.  To be perfectly honest, I’m not a big reader.  When I do read, it’s typically non-fiction how-to’s or something along those lines.  My wife is a big reader and has tried to foster that same love in me but it hasn’t stuck (yet).

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
Ozzy Osbourne hands down.  It was his influence that got me into the heavy drug use that defined a good chunk of my life.  But it was also Ozzy that influenced my visit to rehab and the sobriety that followed.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why? 
Bob Marley.  He seemed like a happy soul who believed in love and unity.  Two things which aren’t always easy to find in life, but which make a huge difference in its quality.

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
 Just do it!

Do you have a Facebook link for us, Steven?
The Facebook page for my book can be found at https://www.facebook.com/journeytobpd

The book itself will have a publication date of April, 2014 to coincide with National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  Also, a portion of the proceeds (haven’t decided how much yet.. 10%? 20%?) will be donated to organizations dedicated to helping children with trauma histories.

We look forward to updates on your book next April.  It has been a pleasure having you here this morning and we at Vision and Verse wish you continued success in all your endeavors.