Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
As far back as I can remember, I have loved to write. Starting in high school, I earned praise from my teachers about my writing skills – which led me to focus more on my writing talents. In college, recognition of my writing abilities continued, and I earned the highest score in my Legal Research & Writing course during my first year of law school.
What inspired you to write your book?
The first book that I wrote was Inside the Insurance Industry. I wrote it after encouragement I received from my oldest son. He wanted me to share things that I had learned during my insurance career and as the owner of a risk management consulting business. As an amateur songwriter, I can share that writing songs is like writing books. Sometimes the words come easy and sometimes they do not. My first book was an easy endeavor.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
My intent in writing each of my nonfiction books has been to provide information that is not available elsewhere. Readers learn useful things about the ins and outs of the insurance industry in my insurance-related books, and learn about the life and times of Tompall Glaser in my The Great Tompall: Forgotten Country Music Outlaw biography. This book about my uncle was so interesting to write since it shares stories about an interesting life and time that were so different than mine – and different than most other people, as well.
What drew you into this particular genre?
While I have dabbled in writing fiction – and most songs I have written contain fictional situations – I have always enjoyed learning and sharing facts. While many people write nonfiction books, I try to set myself apart by writing about things that others have not written about and doing so in a way that differs from others.
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Honestly, the area of social media is something that I need to work on. For now, I rely on my website (www.rtsidecreationsllc.com), my Author’s Page on Amazon, Baker & Taylor, and several eBook sites to promote my book. Social media is something that I intend to learn more about to take advantage of its wide potential.
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
When people find out that I have written books, quite a few times they have told me either that they have always dreamed of writing a book themselves, or they will tell me that they are planning to do so. When I hear these types of comments, I chuckle to myself a little bit because most people have no idea of how difficult it is to become a successful author. While anyone can type words on a page, few finish a manuscript, and even fewer attempt to find an agent or publisher, or to otherwise try to actively promote their books themselves.
So, my first piece of advice to aspiring or new authors is not to underestimate the amount of work it will take to become a successful author. However, I realize that people have different aspirations and definitions of success. Some may want only to write a book and offer it for free on a website, which is a relatively low bar to jump over. While others want to sell thousands of book copies and to make book writing a career. If the later applies, just know it takes a lot of time, money and time spent learning about the industry.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
Since I just published Inside the Insurance Industry – Fourth Edition, I am spending a great deal of time promoting it and have not started working on anything new. But I do have some new book ideas rolling around in my head. So, there may be more books on the horizon for me…stay tuned!
About the Author
Inside the Insurance Industry – Fourth Edition: Insurance Help for Individuals and Businesses is Kevin Glaser’s most recent book. This edition expands prior topics, contains several new ideas to help readers save money, and assists with making informed decisions. Ultimately, it helps to avoid out-of-pocket payments resulting from inadequate coverage or failing to address uninsured risk exposures.
He has written other well-received books. Inside the Insurance Industry – Third Edition is a consumer-focused book that describes topics such as the inner workings of insurance companies and how insurance is sold. By better understanding the insurance process consumers can both save money and obtain broader coverages.
The Great Tompall: Forgotten Country Music Outlaw is an in-depth biography of Kevin’s uncle, Tompall Glaser, an iconic and influential country music performer and business owner during country music’s outlaw era. Tompall often stood alone in his fight for artistic freedom for Nashville musicians and he paid the price. While he became the “forgotten outlaw,” this book explains the significant roles he played in the development of country music during the 1950’s through the 1980’s.
Glaser’s primary occupation involves providing insurance and risk management consulting services, litigation support and expert witness testimony across the USA.
