The Hot Author Report

Interview with Dr. Jonny Bowden – Author of The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer

Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, a board-certified nutrition specialist with a master’s degree in psychology, is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition, and health. A popular speaker and a former personal trainer with six national certifications in exercise, he was the acclaimed “Weight Loss Coach” on iVillage for twelve years, and is now a regular contributor to AOL, a columnist for Better Nutrition and Clean Eating magazines and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Men’s Health. He’s also the nutritionist for the popular website, www.eatdrinkordie.com, where his entertaining videos on food and nutrition can be seen daily.

His DVD “The Truth About Weight Loss” as well as his popular motivational CDs, programs and free newsletter can be found at www.jonnybowden.com.

Q: It’s rare today to find an author who does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a ‘real’ job other than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you’ve had in your life? Have they influenced/inspired your writing?

Well, I consider my overarching “job” that of an educator and popularizer- so I’ll use whatever medium is given to me! I’m definitely a professional writer and that takes up the bulk of my time- I’ve published 8 books and write four monthly columns, plus I’m nutrition editor for Pilates Style and on the advisory board for Men’s Health. But I spend a lot of time teaching and speaking as well, plus we run the website which is a pretty big job and requires a lot of newsletter writing as well!

Q: What compelled you to write your first book?

The first book I did- which no one read- was based on my pretty successful “SHAPE UP” program that I created for i-Village. It was everything I knew at the time about getting in shape and transforming your life. The most recent book, “The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer” is also everything I know about living well and longer and healthier, but I know a lot more now than I did when I wrote my first book!

Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always BEEN a writer. I was in special writing classes since second grade. They put me in them because I was having trouble behaving in class. Turns out I was better at writing than I was at behaving!

Q: Tell us briefly about your book.

It’s about how to take care of your body so it lasts 100 years and let’s you do all the things you always wanted to do!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

Preparing for my next course in becoming a certified weight loss coach (I teach it every year), working on the cookbook follow-up to “The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer”, and expanding and working on my website, www.jonnybowden.com

Q: Do you have a favourite character? Why is s/he your favourite?

My favorite fiction character is Alvie Singer from the Woody Allen movie Annie Hall.

Q: How did you feel the day you held the copy of your first book in your hands?

Interesting question. I thought the world was going to change the day it came out. The first time I saw it in Barnes and nobel I figured I’d be mobbed on the streets. Didn’t exactly work out that way. The world continued just as it had before. So much for narcissism.

Q: What type of music, if any, do you listen to while you write? Do you need the noise or the silence?

I was a professional musician before I became a nutritionist, so music engages me too much for me to have it as background. I find myself listening actively which distracts me from writing.

Q: If you could live in one of your books, which one would you live in? (If you’re promoting your first publication, feel free to talk about an unpublished piece.)

I think the current one- ‘The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer”—is the one that sums up best what I’m about right now. I think I live by that book as much as I possibly can- at least most of the time.

Q: How do you balance out the writer’s life and the rest of life? Do you get up early? Stay up late? Ignore friends and family for certain periods of time?

I don’t find it very difficult. Writing is just something I do every day, like playing with my tennis and playing with my dogs!

Q: Is there an established writer you admire and emulate in your own writing? Do you have a writing mentor?

My favorite writer is William Goldman. He’s incapable of writing a boring sentence- I try to do the same.

Q: When growing up, did you have a favorite author, book series, or book?

My first writing hero was Tennessee Williams. I liked his oddball characters and the tone of his plays.

Q: What about now: who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?

I read a ton of non-fiction – health, politics, nutrition, you name it. But for beach reads, my absolute favorite authors are Lee Child and Jess Walter. I also love Nick Hornsby and T. Corraghlesen Boyle.

Q: When they write your obituary, what do you hope they will say about your book/s and writing? What do you hope they will say about you?

He made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.

Q: Is there anyone who has inspired, motivated, encouraged or supported your writing?

My mother was a great support system, and my partner- Anja Christy- who serves as in-house muse, editor and inspiration- is the person to whom all my books have been dedicated.

Q: Is there any particular book that, when you read it, you thought, “I wish I had written that!”?

Absolutely anything by William Goldman.

Q: Is there anything you’d go back and do differently now that you have been published, in regards to your writing career?

Not really. I would probably have been more aggressive about getting a publicist on board early on for each book.

Q: It’s one thing to write a book and another to edit it. How do you feel about the editing process? What was it like to edit your book?

Editing me is not an easy task. Most of my work gets delivered 90 percent ready for publication. I don’t suffer fools gladly, and I’m very- very- confident in my own writing. Every period, every punctuation mark-= or lack thereof- is there for a reason. So I need an editor to really “get” my style, and be a better editor than I am. Luckily I’ve had the same wonderful editor- Cara Connors- on my last six books,and we have a good working relationship.

Q: Now that you are a published author, does it feel differently than you had imagined?

It definitely feels good to go into Barnes and Noble and see my books there. I always get a kick out of that.

Q: Is there anything you would like to add?

My books are all available at Costco, also Barnes and Noble and my favorite- Amazon.
I have a blog just for the new book- called www.mosteffectivewaystolivelonger.com, and of course my website tells everything about me, what I’m doing, my books, DVDs, CDs and other products… it’s www.jonnybowden.com. I hope everyone will visit me there!