Guest Author Interview – Dr. Anne Brown

Title: Backbone Power: The Science of Saying No

Genre: Co-dependency/Stress Management

Synopsis: A No Nonsense approach to Making Decisions. A Self Help Guide to having Backbone and Integrity in all your choices, short term and long term.

Is this decision going to be good for Me? To help Me be successful? How do I make the right choices? What are the effects and the outcomes. Ask yourself, Who am I really making these choices for?

Backbone Power was written to help everyone from mothers, to college grads, to people who have to make hard choices between family and work. Anne Brown’s professional experience and her no-nonsense approach can enable you to make decisions for yourself that will help you be successful— Regardless of Co-Dependency, Family Issues, Addictions, Emotional Stress, anxiety, or other issues. Find out how and why making choices for yourself can make you happy. Take this opportunity to read about real life experiences with Anne to help you devote your choices to yourself. SAY NO to choices that aren’t in your best interest and become more Successful.

CH: Today’s Guest Author is Dr. Anne Brown. She firmly believes that we all should take necessary action and stand up to those who are masters at sabotaging your own growth. Welcome to my blog, Dr. Brown.

CH: Can you sum up this self-help book and tell us why we should read it?

AB: We are living in a time when the very dark side of humanity is being revealed to us. Fear is being used by many to ignite hatred, racism, homophobia, misogyny, religious intolerance, greed, dishonesty, etc. We can no longer put our head in the sand and pretend everything is fine. We need a backbone to stand up for love, tolerance, inclusion, empathy, compassion, integrity, etc. My book teaches 3 simple tools, which enable us to stop people pleasing and start advocating for ourselves.

CH: How did you decide to write this book?

AB: Originally I wrote the book for the families of people with substance use disorders and those in recovery from substance use disorders.

CH: There are a lot of self-help books on the market. Why should people read your book?

AB: In my research, I found a lot of books on people pleasing were wordy. I wanted my book to be crisp, to the point, and able to help people right away. So, there are exercises that someone can start doing immediately.

CH: Can you give us 3 simple tips on making decisions and saying no?

AB: Tip #1: When someone makes a request of you, pause and ask yourself, if this is something you can do, want to do, and benefits you, or are you saying yes because you want the person to like you? Say No, if you are saying yes to have the person like you.

Tip #2: No is a complete sentence. Just say No, I can’t do that. Thank you for asking.

Tip #3: If you say yes, will you be resentful? Resentment is the clue that you are probably people-pleasing.

CH: What type of people should read this book?

AB: People pleasers, enablers, people who are coming out of abusive relationships, people who have substance disorder issues in their families, and people who feel they are codependent, are some of the people who will benefit from this book.

CH: What are you hoping people will gain from reading your book?

AB: The greatest benefit is when people feel they are putting their own oxygen mask on first, before helping others.

CH: What benefits does your book offer readers?

AB: People can stand up to abuse, walk away and advocate for themselves.

CH: What do you have to offer readers as far as your background in education and knowledge? How do you qualify as an expert to write this book?

AB: My formal education is as a Psychiatric Nurse Clinical Specialist with a PhD in addictions. More important, I have over 35 years of experience working in the field of addictions and with abusive personality disorders; and the people damaged by their actions.

CH: This book has been around for several years. So, what kind of feedback are you getting from readers of this book?

AB: I published the paperback with a workbook in 2013. In April 2019, I released an updated-abridged audiobook of my original paperback.
CH: Does this book also have a workbook for readers?

AB: The paperback with its workbook is available on Amazon and other sources. The audiobook, which is available on my website doesn’t have a workbook, but does have recommended exercises.

CH: Can you tell us a little about your feedback?

AB: Yes, some of the reviews are:

“Backbone Power is eminently quotable, full of common sense, and packs a more powerful punch than you might expect. It’s deeply honest, sometimes brutally so, but also had the ability to amuse me. It’s a wonderful resource.” ~ From Marvellous, Mad Madam Mim Reviews

“At the core of this audiobook conce
s happiness and how about we find and understand our happiness by understanding how we make choices. It’s also about learning how to recognise your own boundaries, in order to know when you can honestly tell yourself when that line has been crossed and to give yourself some time out. Dr. Brown provides indelible advice that is grounded in the practical. I find it frustrating when self-help books tell you all the things you should be doing but don’t actually tell you how to actually make it a reality in your every-day life. This audiobook is the opposite.

I would highly recommend this audiobook, as well as the physical original version, to readers who would want to really begin a journey of reflection, recognition and practice of emotional self-awareness as well as the limits of ourselves in order to find balance and happiness. Dr. Brown’s words are emphatic and moving, and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience listening to it.” ~ Allie Reads

Read the full interview at https://www.cherylholloway.net/blog/2019/06/17/guest-author-interview-dr-anne-brown/