Ask the Author: Katharina Manassis
Answered Questions (10)
Katharina Manassis
I plan to revisit some old favorites…short stories of John Steinbeck, Robin Kimmerer (“Braiding Sweetgrass”), poetry of William Blake, Shakespeare’s sonnets. As part of my spring cleaning, I collected books I plan to re-read on only one shelf. Not easy…try it sometime!
Katharina Manassis
Multiple family secrets which were only gradually revealed as I grew up, starting with the secret of how the family came to be...my untimely arrival! My life has been much more straightforward and non-mysterious since becoming an adult. Most of the time, the old adage is true: the truth sets you free.
Katharina Manassis
I frantically rush to the airport and arrive in the nick of time for my flight. I discover I left my passport at home :)
Katharina Manassis
I would travel to Pandora (from Avatar) and fly on an Ikran (dragon-like creature) through the mountains. So cool!
Katharina Manassis
My most recent book, soon to be available on Kindle, is "Why Taking Your Time Saves Time". I felt compelled to write it after a very humane interaction with a security officer in Newfoundland who took a few extra seconds to allay my anxiety, which saved time overall. This prompted me to think about other situations where our interactions with others may appear to be paradoxical, but turn out to make a lot of sense. The lessons learned are quite inspiring! Follow me to hear more about this intriguing topic.
Katharina Manassis
Most people say "write about what you know" but I would say "write about what inspires you", because if you're going to spend several hours a day doing something, you need to make sure it brings out the best in you.
Katharina Manassis
In terms of the process, I like the flexibility of working when my mind is in "writing mode" and taking care of the rest of life when not. In terms of the outcome, I like hearing when my ideas have affected someone positively.
Katharina Manassis
I go for a nice long walk in the woods to clear my mind before getting back to work.
Katharina Manassis
My upcoming book looks at what we can learn from paradoxical human behaviors. Working title: Why Taking Your Time Saves Time. It was inspired by experiences traveling through different airport security systems, and realizing how efficient these became when staff were calm and humane rather than rushing people through. That's only one of 25 paradoxical situations described in the book, and their common themes are quite interesting. Hope you like it!
Katharina Manassis
Most of my book ideas are triggered by personal experiences. Often, I start by wondering if others are struggling with the same difficulties I am, and then exploring how to address those issues. For example, my book on 'launching' autistic youth began with helping my son (who is on the spectrum) with his struggles.
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