Author Bio:

Stephen Kristof is a Writer/Author who has built a strong foundation of diverse insights during his extensive career. He has held various capacities related to media, management, education, professional consulting and creative arts. Along the way, he has had the privilege to guide, assist and educate people of all ages and from every walk of life.

Stephen bounces across genres of fiction and non-fiction with ease and facility. As an author of fiction, his vivid imagination comes to life with fascinating stories, richly-developed characters and captivating scenarios. Whether writing romance, adventure, fantasy, mystery, crime, passion, paranormal or feel-good nostalgia, Stephen is equally comfortable and prolific. He's also adept writing serious and relevant non-fiction works that are provocative, inspirational, hopeful and personally profound.
 
His interesting career history spans several widely-varied roles, including teaching journalism and media studies, owning and operating a local advertising and public relations firm, managing a bustling career consulting company, serving as a supervisory consultant with a Fortune 500 company, voicing a weekly column on local radio, working for a national broadcaster, operating a popular photography skills website, and more.

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His academic background includes university degrees in Media/Communications and Education, along with graduate level studies and various certifications. For leisure, he loves to wear his photographer hat to create artistic images. When he puts down his camera, he’s often up to his elbows in soil as he tends to his landscaping and many gardens. He also has an unquenchable affinity for sandy beaches and warm, salty breezes!
 
Beyond all of that busy and creative stuff, Stephen’s most important priorities in life are his family and his spirituality. He loves nothing more than being a husband, father, son, brother, uncle, nephew and brother-in-law, while celebrating the gift of life and love with his family and friends.

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Recent 

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Find out more about Stephen's thoughts on his new book and on writing in general.

(Interview excerpts previously featured on PrettyHot.com)

Tell us about yourself.
Who is Stephen Kristof? Still trying to figure-out that one. What do you want to be when you grow up? Ditto. Seriously, I’ve been blessed to have experienced so many interesting things in my career and to have the opportunity to be the quintessential “family man” at the same time. (After retiring) from the ‘formal’ part of my career, I merely pivoted to the next phase of it; being an author. Previous career stops include management, advertising, education, consulting, public relations, broadcasting, photography and more. Phew! Prior to writing  my current and previous mass-market books, I wrote professionally throughout my career. I look forward to continuing to touch readers through many more books down the road.

What is the name of (one of your previous) books and what inspired it?
Feeling Normal Again; A Post-Pandemic Guide to Emotional Health. Having lived through nearly two years of that dreadful scourge that we came to know as “Covid-19”, and after talking with people in different situations, it became clear to me that so many people were struggling to simply feel normal again. Upon doing further research, I learned that this world-wide phenomenon impacted multiple millions of people from all walks of life; people sharing the same feelings and suffering from similar emotional difficulties. I was inspired to write that book by the desire to help others understand how Covid impacted them, and to help them heal and restore hope.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to be easily distracted by errant sounds while I’m writing. While it’s probably not that unusual for authors in general, it must be annoying for my family members who may be at home while I’m writing!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Nicholas Kristof, Mitch Albom, Ebam Alexander, Thomas Merton

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s exhilarating to see your first book in print! However, be prepared for a post-writing promotion stage that is probably more involved and more challenging than you realize. Your new job is that of a full-time marketer. Get to work if you want to sell any books. Do a ton of research on successful authors’ marketing techniques and emulate what they do.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Be the best self you can be and then believe in yourself.”
“Many people search for the meaning of life. Never lose sight of why we are here. We are here to make a positive impact on other people. Period.”
“Wake up every day and thank God for the opportunity to live another day. Make the most of that day.”
There you go. Not one, but three pieces of advice I think are pretty profound. I can’t choose; can you?

What’s next for you as a writer?
I loved writing Feeling Normal Again and, although the book is all about healing and hope, I had to trudge through a lot of research and news about the pandemic and mental health, which was quite intense since we were all still living in the pandemic. The result is tremendously positive in terms of how much it offers the reader and restores a sense of normality. (However, my current "Short Stories to Enjoy with Wine" series of books is just so much FUN!! These days, more than ever before, I think we all need to escape the stressful reality that's unfolding around us, relax and smile!)

What is your favorite book of all time?
Thomas Merton – Spiritual Direction and Meditation

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​(content excerpts credited to PrettyHot.com book recommendation site)