Confessions of a Self-Help Writer
by Benjamin
W. DeHaven
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
A
ghost, a philanthropist, a con man, a devout Catholic, a gigolo, a savior, an
heir, a common man, and an addict are just some of the words used to describe
Michael Enzo, who some sources credit with ghost-writing more than 108
self-help books on behalf of celebrities, politicians and business leaders.
After failing to make what he considered to be a positive impact on society he
began to destroy those closest to him including Benjamin DeHaven, the author of
this book, and former collaborator. Defrauding an industry for almost 20 years
by exploiting people's insecurities and profiting from them, more than likely
these friends contributed more to the field of self-help, while profiting from
it, than they will ever know. Believing they could only understand people's
problems by suffering along with them, they lived on the razor's edge. If
you've ever picked up a tell-all biography of a celebrity or a title from the
self-help section at the bookstore, certainly you would question the
source.This is an inside look at the mind of Michael Enzo and it is the
author's hope that people will start helping themselves again after reading it.
Discover what turns someone from preaching salvation towards seeking its
destruction. You won't believe this could be true.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
A Graduate of
Columbia College in Chicago, Benjamin DeHaven keeps his heart in Chicago and
his soul in New Orleans. He holds a MBA from Tulane and a film degree from
Columbia. Once ejected from a community college for arguing Frost cried out for
acceptance in Birches, he has since written screenplays, traded futures in
Madrid, and was Editor in Chief of the Nola Shopper Newspaper, a free art
newspaper and the 2nd largest monthly paper in the New Orleans, MSA. . He also
has a "shout out" in a Jay "Z" Song.
DeHaven, who
currently resides in Las Vegas began his writing career with Stone United, a
Chicago based Film Company, which works primarily in independent film. As an
unknown fiction writer, he feels the best description of himself, is a
sarcastic one and is as follows:
Benjamin W.
DeHaven was born on a pool table after a Waylon Jennings' concert in 1977. His
personal success is outweighed only by his stunning good looks and adherence to
unwritten moral guidelines. He has been described as a thinking man's Tucker
Max as well as an idiot's Hunter S. Thompson. His goal is to die from an
unwavering commitment to be more like Hemingway.
He and
Michael Enzo were friends.
Interview:
1. Do you ever wish
you were someone else? Who?
I think Brad Pitt has had a pretty good run. I thought it
might be fun to be a prince, but I actually like me. A healthy, skinner version
with lots of wealth would be nice.
2. What did you do on your last birthday?
I don’t recall exactly. It falls on Jan 3rd, so I
was probably either trying to power drink through the Christmas depression or
recovering from a long New Years Eve. More than likely I was trying to fool a
room full of bar patrons that I’m a decade younger than I am.
3. Do you have any tattoos? Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?
I’m not in the Circus. Just kidding, actually one of my best
friends is a tattoo artist in New Orleans and he and I like to go out together
and when someone approaches him and says “I think you did my tattoo.” (And it’s
a particularly terrible one in his opinion) he always says. “No my friend Ben
here probably did it.” Then as the fraternity starts to assemble the victim
always states, “But you don’t have any tattoos.” My reply, “No I only put them
on idiots.” My tattoo artist friend loves that bit. I am too much of a
commitment freak-if I got one, I would probably cover my whole back like a
Yakuza.
4. What are you working on right now?
I’m working on studio movie re-write as a favor, but I am
also trying to desperately get the non-fiction version of Confessions of a
Self-Help Writer published. And Finally, we have a really fun travel blog-beer
cookbook project my publisher is trying to get together. We are looking for
writers—
5. What do you think you’re really good at?
I hope I am good at making people forget about their
problems and laugh. I also hope I am really great at listening and helping
people.
6. What do you think you’re really bad at?
Patience.
TWITTER http://twitter.com/ben_dehaven
Facebook http://facebook.com/bendehavenws
I enjoyed the interview.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read! First purchase with the gift card win would be this book.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fun interview!
ReplyDeleteTrix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
Love love the cover so cool!! And the excerpt is great!! Thank you for the great giveaway
ReplyDeleteA great interview.
ReplyDeleteWith a blurb like that, I am intrigued! Also, these are some of the best interview answers I have seen in awhile!
ReplyDeleteI liked the interview! My daughter's birthday is on January 3rd too! :)
ReplyDelete