John R. DeSimone
A bold and innovative writer who has written thirteen nonfiction books and two novels, edited both fiction and nonfiction, and shepherded books to publication with traditional publishers, hybrid, and self-publishers. My fiction has won national awards for creativity and excellence, and my ghostwritten memoirs have become bestsellers. I’ve demonstrated a mastery over difficult topics. Among others I’ve written a biography of a physicist, a therapy book on overcoming addiction, a physician’s story of discovering and using a potent nutrient, an adventure memoir, and a memoir recreating an exciting and tense courtroom drama where the author wins a unanimous victory over a powerful corporate employer.
I make difficult and challenging subjects easy to understand and compelling to read by marrying the material to a relevant story arc.
After an exhaustive study of the art of storytelling, I applied the craft of the story arc to the art of the memoir. The memoir itself is a malleable genre fit for experimentation and adaptation to anyone’s life experiences. Contemporary story arcs have been deeply influenced by the Hero’s Journey popularly written about by Joseph Campbell in “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.” Campbell’s work has been adapted to almost every form of contemporary movies and books.
While the word “hero” may sound pretentious and irrelevant because of its ancient roots, in our democratic age modern storytellers have reinvented the hero as any person who has overcome significant obstacles to achieve unexpected life goals and satisfaction. Memoirs in the past were dominated by “great men” stories of their accomplishments. This is no longer true. Entrepreneurs fiddling in their garages with a new sole for running shoes, moms selling vintage clothing online, anyone with an idea and passion to build something, who persevere and overcome formidable obstacles to achieve remarkable success are today’s heroes. Immigrants with few resources who build productive and affluent futures for themselves and their families are celebrated in books and films. Individuals overcoming family dysfunction, abuse in any form, disabilities, race and ethnic prejudice to achieve the American Dream, are examples of popular stories. Published works are too numerous to mention, but I have a long list of excellent examples on my website, www.johndesimone.com
I’ve even adapted a corporate history, The C & D Story, to the story arc format, chronicling the rise of an energetic and ambitious entrepreneur who started with one product and a few thousand dollars and by continually reinventing the product and processes, built a billion-dollar company over thirty years. People are transformed by their experiences, and so are companies run by creative individuals who are driven to succeed.
The story arc, artfully used, in its various forms (there are different forms of the story arc: positive, negative, static, as well as personality and character types) is the key to telling your story, any story, in your voice, your way, to reach an audience waiting to participate vicariously in your success. Stories like this are the seeds of inspiration for the next generation.
Contact Information: I respond to emails daily, but feel free to call me. If I'm not available, I always return calls if you leave a message. All of my bonafides are on my website, and I have a complete list of references available upon request.
jrd@johndesimone.com
714-244-0554
www.johndesimone.com