An Interview with Elias Aractingi: Author of Five Souls in a Dream

I am an international banker. My first book, Boosting You, was about helping people become better executives. It was published in 2010. After that, I have written many articles about relationships on Thought Catalog.

Why did you want to write a book?

Through observation and experience, I believe I have an answer to many of the questions we ask ourselves in the field of romance and relationships. I felt it my duty to share these answers with others, especially that I found an original plot to do so.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

Major publishers will not consider you unless you have an agent, and most good agents are overworked and too busy to consider you unless you have been published before. I felt that self-publishing was the only way out of this catch 22.
What tools or companies did you use, and what experience did you have?

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I never have writer’s block: If I don’t already have a very strong message to convey, I don’t write. There is no pressure on me to write anything, so if I have nothing to say, I do something else.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

I wrote a fiction book that’s also a self-help book on relationships. I feel that relationships that work are essential to anyone’s happiness and that many people have preconceived notions about what a relationship should be. I needed to have my voice heard.

Who are your biggest writing inspirations and why?

The people I meet in all walks of life are my inspiration. Everyone has a point of view, a battle or an issue. I like to listen, and then try to understand and derive patterns.

What are your plans now your book is published?

I would like it to be read by as many people as possible. After that, I would love for it to become a movie.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

Other than being read and changing people’s lives, I have derived major benefits in my personal life from my writing: it has helped me understand myself and has given me inner peace, in addition to furthering my bonds with my loved ones.

What’s next for you as an author?

I believe in providence. I will follow whatever path it wants me to follow.