Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about all three of you.
A1. The three authors knew one another socially, but live in different communities. They first met in early 2017 to share concerns over the many factors influencing the nation’s alarmingly declining health. They realized that the choices made in communication, often reflexively and habitually, make a difference whether the results are healthy or unhealthy. They decided it was time to create a book that identities detrimental communication practices associated with unhealthy outcomes and suggests healthy communication alternatives.
The authors come from diverse backgrounds. Their ages span three generations; their academic resumes differ, and their life experiences both professionally and personally are varied. Bobby R. Patton (Ph.D., University of Kansas, 1966) has been a communication scholar, a professor and an administrator at four major public universities, including serving as President at the University of Central Missouri. He has co-authored sixteen highly regarded college textbooks in the area of interpersonal communication and decision making. In 2021 he received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Rusalyn H. Andrews (Ph.D., Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 1989) is a professor emeritus of Cottey College, a private women’s liberal arts institution. She has taught courses in communication, theatre, and women, gender and sexuality studies. She has rich international educational experiences, including a Fulbright Award to do research in Russia, and specialized training in Deaf Culture. Jennifer Page Daily, (M.D., University of Nevada, 2007), the youngest member of the team, is a Board-Certified Family Practice Physician with a Certificate of Added Qualification in Primary Care Sports Medicine. She is a Professor at the University of Louisville in the Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine. She serves as director for the Introduction to Clinical Medicine, a pre-clinical course for all university medical students. In 2018, Dr. Daily was the recipient of the Department’s Excellence in Teaching Award and Outstanding Faculty Award. She also was named a 2018Inspirational Physician by the American Medical Association Women Physicians Section. In 2020 she received the Exemplary Teaching Award from the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians, and in 2021 she was named a member of Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Keys to Healthy Communication”?
A2. The key challenge consisted of accurately reporting the daily events involving the COVID pandemic and reconciling the contradictions.
The five years spent preparing this book obviously included the COVID-19 pandemic as it spread across the globe. The authors began their project with the intent to avoid politics, but the crisis became political from the outset. While the authors did not know each other’s political beliefs at the beginning of the project, they were united in their belief in truth and science based on verifiable evidence. They utilized consensus to maintain a shared view of reality. Sadly, by the end of 2021, over 800,000 Americans had died from the COVID-19 virus.
Q3. What books or authors have most influence your own writing?
A3. The following scholars greatly influenced our data base and writing: Carl Rogers for providing the theoretical grounding for this work and, additionally, Kim Giffin (trust). Sidney M. Jourard (humanistic psychology), Daniel Goleman (neuroscience; multiple intelligence), Steven Pinker (cognitive psychology and human nature), Michael Marmot (health determinants), Jonathan Page (neuroscience and cognitive control), Dr. Harriet Lerner, an expert on relationships, and a staff psychologist at the Menninger’s Clinic; as well as numerous others who are noted in the endnotes to each chapter.
Q4. What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
A4. As stated in the book, the authors followed closely what was happening as the COVID-19 virus spread around the world, and they attempted to avoid politics. When our political leaders made what appeared to be major important decisions, they had difficulty remaining non-partisan. The authors did their best to rely upon truth and science, as they maintained a shared view of reality. They had difficulty remaining impartial while over 800,000 died for the COVID-19 virus by the end of 2021, some needlessly. Hopefully we can avoid the choices in the future.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Keys to Healthy Communication’?
A5. The authors were moved to write the book by their questioning why the U.S. health treatment is declining (compared to other economically leading countries) while spending the most of any other country in medical costs (National Center for Health Control and Prevention, July 2, 2021 – Report was the latest we saw.) A key for the authors was the median age of the deceased population reported on an annual basis. Until 2016, the U.S. population had the oldest median age at death. Since then, the U.S. average age of death has decreased annually, while other countries have been rising. During this same period of time, the U.S. expenditures for healthcare continued to rise in comparison to other leading countries.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Keys to Healthy Communication’?
A6. We began our research in 2017 with writing beginning in 2018. Chapters started to be exchanged in early 2019. By the end of that year, the COVID virus made in-person meetings difficult, forcing the authors to rely on electronic communication. They worked out the responsibilities and a project schedule. A full draft was completed in late 2021 and the submission of the complete manuscript, approved by all three authors, was submitted for a February 22, 2022 release (2-22-2022!)
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy it?
Our distributors platforms were Ingram Spark and Amazon for worldwide distribution. We elected a print-on-demand availability to permit sales without forcing dealers to order stocks in advance. We have promoted sales on an international basis. Among our purchase links are all major bookstores (internationally), including:
Nook on B&N and Barnes & Noble
Waterstones
Booktopia
Kobo
Booksamillion
Walmart
Indigo
AbeBooks
Bookshop by Indiebound
eCampus
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Keys to Healthy Communication’?
A8. Three artists were selected to prepare first drafts of the cover. We all liked the one selected for its reflection of our book’s content and attractiveness. With minor suggestions, the first cover was selected and approved. The title for the book was determined by reactions of early readers to describe the contents.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. We had no trouble “keeping things fresh” due to the rapid occurrence of new facts virtually daily. We are pleased that the facts as we reported have been verified by time and long-term results. We, at this time, see no depictions that need to be changed.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. We repeatedly told one another to keep writing and rely on our co-authors to question and offer suggestions. We believe we had a good team and truly practiced “healthy communication!”
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