Tag: business biographies

Categories
Interviews

The 5-minute Interview: Per Ostberg

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This week we introduce you to Swedish author, Per Ostberg.

Book Title: PERspective: Pros and Cons of Expat Life – Experiences from 25 years and 84 countries

Genre: Business Self-Help, Intercultural Management, Travel

 

What was your inspiration for writing this book?

Seeing so many fellow expats struggling with culture crash, loneliness, alcoholism, drugs and conflicting demands without asking for help or talking to other expats. I felt that if talking about one’s problems, exposed weakness rather than strength. I wanted to share my ups and downs, highlight that most expats are not alone in feeling at odds and give current and budding expats a little guidance.

What difficulties did you face when writing this book?

Combining my experiences with conveying a message that is meaningful for readers while making the book entertaining. No one wants to read “and then I did, and then I said, and and and…”.

What is your favourite part of this book?

Do I need to choose one? There has been so many hilarious happenings and some quite bad ones. Probably the part describing the evacuation from Sierra Leone during the civil war: it displays so much of the extreme situations an expat can face.

If you could give your readers one advice, what would that be and why?

Be open-minded! Working in different cultures can be stressful and sometimes frustrating. Without an open mind you will get into a negative spiral that could get out of control.

What makes your book different from other books in this genre?

It looks at the expat life from real life experiences, draws on some theoretical framework but tries to communicate my personal learnings in a humble way. It does not focus on “do this”, “don’t do that” like so many other books but tries to explain the mindset you need to have to succeed.

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Per Ostberg - Author Picture - smallPer’s business career has taken him to 84 countries in 25 years. In his debut book, PERspective, Per provides the reader with insights into his life as an expat. His account of cultural differences and life away from home positions is the perfect book for any global business person.

Per attended a writing course and it was there that the idea for this book developed.  Writing support and publishing guidance helped Per to realise his dream of becoming a published author.

We are proud to be associated with Per Ostberg and his book, PERspective.

Buy the book

Kindle / Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J7J0P00

Createspace:       https://www.createspace.com/4712968

Smashwords:      https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/422693

Barnes & Noble / NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perspective-per-ostberg/1119023732?ean=9789198168501

Book Dealers:   Morning Glen shopping centre or at Love Books, Bamboo Life Style Centre, Melville

Contact

www.PerOstberg.com

per@PerOstberg.com

Categories
Creative Writers

The Ghost on the Bookshelf

Andrew Gross: my inspiration

By Ulrike Hill

The ghost-writer provides an interesting service to the world of stories. A book is written by the ghost writer but someone else gets the credit. ‘The book just seemed to write itself,’ the author will tell the press and adoring fans. The ghost writer will sit in the wings, the Cinderella of the literary world.

What does it take to become a ghost writer?

Obviously, the ability to write is crucial, but these three things are just as important:

  1. The ghost-writer requires oodles of patience, empathy and the ability to actually listen to the author’s story and then translate it into a publishable book.
  2. The ghost-writer requires a special talent to write the story in the author’s voice. Discipline and an understanding of storytelling techniques are crucial tools for the aspiring ghost-writer.
  3. Ghost-writers need to deal with big egos but should not succumb to their own. Why? Because it is really difficult to sit back after giving birth to a story that hits the best seller list and the name on the cover gets all the credit.

Why do writers become ghost writers?

Writers need to eat and this is one way to make money. Ghost writers are paid a flat rate to write so if the book is a flop this will not affect the ghost writer’s pocket.
The ghost writer has access to different stories. The opportunity to work with celebrities and other interesting people is one of the perks of the job. Ghost writers get an open invitation to the lifestyles of the rich-and-famous.
Telling other people’s stories is exciting and creates a perspective on different styles of writing.

Seven Famous Ghost Writers and Authors

  1. Michael Robotham (Bleed for Me) was ghost-writer for ‘authors’ like Geri Halliwell and Rolf Harris.
  2. Carolyne Keen is as fictional as the teen sleuth, Nancy Drew that she was supposed to create.
  3. James Patterson credits his ghost-writers as co-authors on the covers of his books. Peter de Jongh (Shadows still Remain) and Andrew Gross (15 Seconds) were two of Patterson’s co-authors.
  4. John F Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, Profiles in Courage, was ghost-written by his speech writer, Theodore Sorenson.
  5. Ian Fleming died while writing The Man with the Golden Gunso Kinglsey Amis had to step in as writer.
  6. RL Stine, author of the Goosebumpsseries, turned to ghost-writers to help him churn out the popular chiller series faster.
  7. The Star Warsbook was credited to director George Lucas but was actually ghost-written by Alan Dean Foster.