“I Believe That Everyone Has A Book In Them” With Author David P. Perlmutter, and MarcoDerhy

“Don’t do what I do and edit as you write, particularly if you are dyslexic like me. My editor keeps telling me, “David, just write, I’ll do the editing.” And if you do suffer from dyslexia, do not let that stand in your way, just find a decent editor. I’m lucky my girlfriend is my editor.”

I had the pleasure of interviewing David P Perlmutter who is the author of three true stories, which are based on his visits to Spain and America. One of them, the #1 worldwide BESTSELLER, ‘Wrong Place Wrong Time’ is now a book to movie project with Golden Mile Productions. The others are ‘Five Weeks’ which is based on events in Pennsylvania and ’24 Hours In New York’, no explanation required! David is currently writing his fourth true story. David has also written a series of marketing books, called MY WAY, and has also promoted authors from around the world on his many social media platforms. Outside of writing and marketing David is a cancer campaigns ambassador for Cancer Research UK. David has been interviewed a number times around the world, about his writing, book marketing and his current movie project.

Marco: Thank you so much for joining us. What is your “backstory”?

I grew up in a large and very close Jewish family in North West London, all featured in my books. I have 4 brothers and one sister, and I’m a twin. From an early age, around 17, I was in real estate, which features heavily in ‘Wrong Place Wrong Time’ and ‘Five Weeks.’ I’ve worked in that industry for over 20 years in both the UK and Portugal, where I lived for seven years. I have also worked in sales and advertising in the UK, Portugal, and America.

Before becoming a real estate agent, I wanted to be a professional footballer, every schoolboy’s dream. I had trials as a goalkeeper for Leyton Orient, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea. But apart from not making the grade, as I was nowhere good enough, unfortunately, at around 15 years of age, I fractured my right knee cap playing, and that ended any dream I had. However, I did manage to play football for a round another 20 years for several local teams at the weekend.

Before I moved to Portugal around 2008, where my journey as an author began, I owned a successful property management company in the southwest of England. I am also the very proud father to four beautiful children and 1 very handsome grandson.

So, as you can see, my career path has been in sales and marketing, and I’ve also written several book marketing books in a series called MY WAY, which focuses on social media marketing tips for self-published authors.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career?

I’ve had many moments of interesting and funny stories to tell in my professional and personal life, some that I have written about, but one in my real estate career always stands out. While I was working in North London, I had the pleasure, and sometimes not such a pleasure, of showing properties to many celebrities from the world of music and movies. One moment that will always stick in my mind was when I arranged to meet a couple in the office to show them a one-bedroom apartment. As the time ticked by to the pre-arranged meeting with clients for whom I had only the female’s name, I walked a 19-year-old Jude Law with his girlfriend. At that time, he wasn’t a Hollywood star at all as he was starring in a UK daytime show called ‘Families’. I drove them to the apartment, which was situated above a bakery shop on a busy road. He didn’t move in, and that was the only property he viewed through me.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

Apart from writing book number 12, called ‘Thirteen,’ the most exciting project I am working on and involved with is the book-to-movie project of my first book, ‘Wrong Place Wrong Time.’ As I have mentioned, this is the true story of my visit to Marbella in Spain when I was younger. The book has been and is currently a #1 BESTSELLER across the Amazon, and the screenplay is being written by not one but two top UK scriptwriters. Of course, for any author to have their book turned into a movie is a dream come true, and sometimes, well, most days, I have to pinch myself, literally.

Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?

I enjoy reading about how people breaking the boundaries and then become successful in their careers and also from “Rags to Riches” stories, as you will read below about J.K Rowling.

I have the utmost respect for people like, for instance, Steven Spielberg. He was such a young age when he started his move in the movie business and was only 21 when he began his directing career, especially directing the Hollywood legend Joan Crawford. Also, at 26, directing the break-through summer blockbuster Jaws, he is now the most successful director globally for highest-grossing films.

Which literature do you draw inspiration from? Why?

Honestly, I’m not much of a reader, which I know sounds awful, but I never seem to have the time. I write non-fiction. I am the main character in my stories and as the plots, so to speak, are real, I know the story from the start, middle, and end. Authors, whether they are Patterson, Rowling, Grisham to unknown self-published authors who write fiction, they are my inspiration. Frankly, anyone who manages to put pen to paper and write a book is an inspiration to me, whichever genre they write.

How do you think your writing makes an impact in the world?

Readers from all over the world have reviewed or contacted me to say that whilst reading ‘Wrong Place Wrong Time,’ they have personally felt they were on the journey with me, feeling my emotion and pain. To hear and read their reactions to my writing makes it all worthwhile. Only today, I received a message from a reader in France, saying, “Even though English is my second language, I could not only understand easily, but I was able to visualize the life of your words in the book.” So, I guess that I had made an impact without knowing I would or had when I first started to write the book.

Also, judging by the reviews from authors, I feel that my marketing books have impacted them to help them gain major worldwide exposure on their social media platforms and sales in paperbacks and kindles.

What advice would you give to someone considering becoming an author like you?

• Do it, as I do believe that everyone has a book but doesn't. Don’t do what I do and edit as you write, particularly if you are dyslexic like me. My editor keeps telling me, “David, write. I’ll do the editing.” And if you do have dyslexia, do not let that stand in your way. Just find a decent editor. I’m lucky my girlfriend is my editor.
• Also, it’s essential that you enjoy writing. I feel that if you get bored writing your book, what will the reader feel? Also, when you’re writing, you need to be focused. This is hard as I am a social media addict, and my phone is a major distraction. So turn your phone off, and concentrate on your writing.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I was very inspired recently by Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet and the awareness this has raised for the plight of our oceans and sea life. In addition, my editor/girlfriend (for her day job) just arranged a charity trip for two employees to work on a reef conservation project in Belize, so I got to hear all about their first-hand experience. The ocean is the beating heart of our planet. Its destruction represents our downfall. We have a duty to future generations to do all that we can to preserve this precious resource and everything. If I were in a position of influence, I would wish to endorse and further the work of Sir David and any organizations whose aim is to save our oceans.

Can you share your “5 Best Tips”? I wish someone told me when I first became an author?

• It wasn’t my intention to become an author when I started to write my first book ‘Wrong Place Wrong Time.’ I started to write the story for a bit of therapy, to be honest, that's all, and as a blog, but my friend and then editor read the first two blog posts and said, “David, this is too good for a blog, you must write a book.” And so, I did. Since then, I have written eleven books, and I’m currently writing number twelve, and now a few years the line, there are a few things I wish someone had told me.
• Don’t edit as you write—a terrible habit of mine. You are an author, not an editor. Just write!
• If you have writer's block, we all get, take a break, don’t struggle on as it will show in the book, and create more work for your editor!
• Stay away from all social media while you write. It is distracting. Believe me.
• Your book will not be to everyone’s liking, so don’t be put off by any negative reviews which you will inevitably get.
• Finish that book! The end!

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world or the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might see this:-)

It would have to be JK Rowling, the novelist, philanthropist, film and television producer, and screenwriter. Mind you, that she doesn’t need any introduction. From when she started to write the fantasy series Harry Potter to how it became a worldwide phenomenon, her own story is a book in itself, having sold more than 500 million copies and therefore becoming the best-selling series in history. Apart from being an author and not putting myself in her league, no one will ever surpass her on that achievement. We do have a few common connections. We’re both Leos, our birthdays are 2 days apart, with one year difference. She also went to the same college as two of my children in Exeter, Devon, where I lived, and we both lived in Portugal. Not at the same time, I may add. So apart from writing books, we do have something small in common.

Rowling has lived the “rags to riches” life, in which she progressed from living on state benefits to being the world’s first billionaire author, and for that and other achievements, is an enormous inspiration to me and should be a huge encouragement to the many budding authors all over the world. Her journey all began on a train, which was held up for 4 hours, but that long delay wasn’t wasted as that is when JK came up with the idea of Harry Potter. From that moment, even though it still took 7 years from her first thought about Harry Potter to write the first book, and after being rejected by many publishers, 12 in fact, she was eventually published with an advance of £1,500. I do not doubt at all that the publishers who rejected her manuscript kick themselves every day.

So JK, if you’re free for breakfast or lunch one day, you know to chat, it’s on me.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

David P. Perlmutter and Facebook

Marco: Thank you so much for joining us. This was indeed inspirational!