Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After practicing corporate and general practice law for 17 years, I returned to academia to earn M.P.H. and Ph.D. degrees in the field of health policy and administration. Before my retirement in 2017, I served as president of two regional universities and was active in national and regional academic organizations. I wrote several books, which were published back in the 1980s and 90s, including adult and children’s mysteries (the latter with my wife, Sandra). Most recently, I have written five non-fiction books, including three critiques of higher education, one book about atheism, and one play.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled UP FROM ATHEISM: ONE MAN’S JOURNEY BACK TO GOD. It was inspired by my late father and mother, who raised me to think for myself. My father was an Episcopal priest, but spent his life wrestling with troublesome passages in the Bible. I, too, wrestled with those passages, and spent over a decade as an atheist. Then, after my marriage to Sandra in 1988 and the birth of our son, Grant, in 1990, I began sensing the existence of a Life Force greater than myself. After much soul-searching and thought, I discovered that my skeptical mind could actually coexist quite nicely with a belief in God.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve found that I can’t write until all my daily chores have been done. If there are bills to be paid, a garden that needs watering, or my daily physical workout unfinished, I need to complete all that before my mind is clear enough to write. I aim at around 1,000 words per day, which I can accomplish in under an hour. I then reward myself with something fun, like a video game, movie, or TV show.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, I loved Robert Louis Stevenson and Arthur Conan Doyle. I read all the Hardy Boys mysteries and later turned to thrillers by Ludlum and Grisham. I’ve always enjoyed true, first person accounts of war, even those from civilians, like Mary Chestnut. I’ve enjoyed books about writing, like those written by Stephen King and Joanna Penn. And I’ve been heavily influenced by books on meditation, like those by Wayne Dyer, Lama Surya Das, and Eckardt Tolle.
What are you working on now?
I’m about to publish my play, PREPOSSESSION, and then move back to religious inspiration with a book tentatively titled MY EVOLVING GOD.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Pretty-Hot.com is winning me over! I’ve learned that by promoting my books for a few days via offering a free electronic edition, I can spark interest not only in that book, but in my other books as well.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t stop writing! Most writers don’t begin to gain readership or royalties until after they’ve published multiple books.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The present moment is all you have. Take full advantage of it.
What are you reading now?
I tend to read several books at a time. Right now, I’m reading biographies of Ulysses Grant and George Washington, both by Ron Chernow. I’m also reading Braving the Wilderness, by Berne Brown.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve got a list of book topics to explore, mostly in areas relating to religious inspiration, ethical living, and higher education.
What is your favorite book of all time?
I enjoyed finally reading Ulysses, by James Joyce, but only after I retired, so I could study it with a companion guide. I also like The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers.
Author Websites and Profiles
Philip Williams Website
Philip Williams Amazon Profile
Philip Williams’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile