Just In Time with Bridgette L. Collins
Bridgette L. Collins, according to her website, is the owner of Just In Time Publishing and Just In Time Fitness. Through her literary works and structured fitness programs, she provides her clients with creative solutions for achieving healthier lifestyle habits. An author of multiple books, Bridgette invested her time with me in answering a few questions.
1. Was being an author a childhood dream?
No, being an author was not a childhood dream. In the late 1990’s, because of my struggle with weight management, I began to focus my attention on eating healthier and exercising. I was around twenty-nine at the time. My supervisor at the time planted the seed that I could become a runner. One thing led to another with the development and implementation of my healthy living plan, and I would some years later become a marathon runner. And I eventually became a certified personal trainer and certified running coach. It would be one day in the early 2000’s that my dad said to me, “Since you’re so into that fitness stuff you should write a book”. At the time, my image of an author was someone who was a celebrity figure, educator, politician, civil activist, wealthy person (all of which included people who were famous).
2. What inspired you to publish your first book?
While my fitness business, running activities, and coaching/training programs were an integral part of my life, I knew God had designed something much bigger for my life. With over sixty percent of Americans overweight or obese at that time, I was inspired to pursue a more innovative way to reach the masses. The seed my dad had planted was starting to grow and mature. While exploring options for presenting a variety of health and fitness information from a different perspective and in a unique format, I was driven to construct a book in a way that would help readers relate and understand those common struggles shared to live healthier.
3. Did you have any fears of publishing before you started?
I didn’t have any fears. I simply knew I didn’t know how to get started and I needed help with my first steps. So, in 2005, I started my search for writer’s workshops. The first event I attended was a writer’s conference held in Dallas, Texas, in 2006. I learned about writing, publishing, and distributing from the array of conference presenters. I learned about publishing consultants, editors (and the different types), publicists, typesetters, distributors, and website designers.
4. What were three things you learned about the publishing process?
I’ve learned about the importance of acquiring a professional editor and book cover designer. I’ve learned about the logistics of the printing and distribution process. And I’ve learned that you must be relentless about developing, implementing, and pursuing your marketing strategy.
5. What was the most surprising thing you learned in the process?
With the right guidance and editor, writing the book can be the easy part. But now you’ve got a product listed, now what? I’ve learned that if you want to sell books you have to be relentless about developing, implementing, and pursuing your marketing strategy.
6. What advice would your present self, give to your past self about publishing books?
Be patient and thorough with the developmental process and each phase of the editing process.
7. What is the title of your latest book?
The title of my latest book is “Yes! I Am Fed Up. Now What? 4 Self-Driven Steps to Move Your Well-Being and Work Forward”.
8. What is a brief summary/synopsis of the book?
My new book, “Yes! I Am Fed Up. Now What? 4 Self-Driven to MOVE Your Well-Being and Work Forward”, lays the groundwork for the reader to analyze the root cause, the underlying factors, of their fed-up state. The goal is to provoke consciousness and inspire the reader to ask the question, “Now What?”. And then move forward with creating an action plan to respond to their “Now What?”.
In my new book, I share 4 steps that provokes consciousness and will help the reader drive their “Now What?”. Those 4 steps — Self-Analysis, Self-Transformation, Self-Evolution, and Self-Narration — provide insight into plans and actions one can take to analyze the aspects of their life that they’re not happy with or unfulfilled in — plans and actions that can help the reader discover ways to transform their state of being so he/she can evolve and create the narrative he/she want to represent their life.
9. What inspired/encouraged you to write this book?
Through my years as a human resources (HR) professional for state and local governmental agencies, an HR business partner for a variety of small companies, a certified personal trainer, and a certified running coach, I have witnessed countless people on their respective roads settling for unhappy and unfulfilled lives. Simply because they are fed up with someone or something in their personal or professional life. They can’t dream, they can’t see a different perspective, and they can’t move or evolve because they’re stuck on thoughts, feelings, and actions related to that someone or something. The foundation of the book is that we should all want to be the best version of ourselves so we can BE better in every aspect of our life. We can better as a spouse, partner, parent, sibling, relative, friend, coworker, church member, and community servant. But we simply can’t if we’re stuck on fed up.
There comes a time in all our lives where we must address the thoughts, feelings, and actions preventing us from living a life of peace and purpose. In my book, I talk about how the self-analysis process helped me focus my attention. As arranged in my book, if the reader focus on MOVEing accordingly through each step, they will be happier and more fulfilled in their personal life, their work environment, and their community ultimately living a life of peace and purpose; and ultimately being the best version of him/herself.
10. What is a step someone can take to shift their angry feelings?
Once someone accepts the fact that he/she is angry at someone or something in their personal or professional life, before he/she can shift their angry feelings, he/she must confront the “whys” which involves analyzing the root cause(s). A passage in my new book states, “Once I properly analyzed the root causes and consequences, I said to myself, ‘Let the transformation process begin.’” My book goes into depth about what one’s self-analysis process can look like.
11. Many of your books are self-help on health and wellness. What led you to this topic?
First and foremost, my own personal experiences with health and wellness contributed to the topic. And in a society where health concerns have been never-ending through the years, the need for individuals to partake in a health and fitness program has always been in the top three of things to focus on. I know many have heard the quote, “Your health is your wealth”. Without good health one’s life can be challenging.
Most often, it’s the things people are dealing with around them that prevent them from making their health and fitness a priority. To reach and educate the masses, I wrote my health-related book in a fictional format to help people discover their personal antidote for facing and overcoming life’s three biggest challenges:
· Challenge One — Balancing obligations, ambitions, and values surrounding their past, faith, family, career, finances, relationships, etc.;
· Challenge Two — Eating the right foods, prepared the right way, in the right quantity, at the right time; and
· Challenge Three — Finding or blocking out time to exercise (time management).
My books strike a perfect balance between fact and fiction to educate and empower individuals to make their health and fitness a priority. And that includes helping them to evaluate all the things vying for their attention, how to weed out those things that add no value, and how to prioritize those things that are essential (faith, health, family, finances, relationships, etc.), and explore their options for making small, healthy changes. The reader walks away knowing that he/she has the power of choice.
12. What inspired you to write The Chip Maker?
Although I have a background in health and fitness which led me to write fictional stories about the failures and triumphs (inclusive of the whys) related to living healthier: mind, body, and soul, I’ve always wanted to write a different type of fiction inclusive of law and order and conspiracy theories. So, when I was presented with a writing opportunity that would take me outside of my comfort zone, I took on the challenge which resulted in The Chip Maker: Prophecy of the Beast.
My friend Terry McGee, because of his passion to spread a message about one’s decision to repent, choose, and follow Jesus Christ, wanted to write a screenplay based on the second coming of Jesus Christ. To make a long story short, he sought me out. Well, at the time of our conversations, neither one of us had a background in screenplay writing. So, I convinced him to consider a book in hopes it would be attractive to a film making company thereby resulting in a movie. As time passed, we continued to toil over and over on the direction of book. In late 2013 while getting ready for work one morning, I saw a news story about a lost dog. The dog’s owners were so grateful for his safe return and credited such to a microchip implanted inside of their dog. I started to think about the idea of such with regards to humans. So, I started researching microchips. It didn’t take long for me to discover numerous articles discussing an implantable chip which included many opinions and perspectives along with the citing of legislative bills associated with implantable chips in humans. As my research increased, so did my knowledge (which included current testing of the RFID chip on humans) along with negative connotations associated with government power. So, yes, I allowed my imagination to run wild. I convinced Terry on the direction we needed to take which included a story line touting the RFID chip as today’s modern-day mark of the beast.
13. Where can your future fans follow you on social media?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askcoachcollins
https://www.facebook.com/yesiamfedupbook/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgettelcollins/
https://www.instagram.com/yesiamfedup/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/askcoachcollins
https://twitter.com/yesiamfedup
14. Do you have a website?
15. Are there any book events you have scheduled for 2022?
So far, I have three in person book events scheduled. The list will be growing and is available on www.yesiamfedup.com under the “Upcoming Events” tab.
16. What lesson(s) have you learned in 2021 that you will use in 2022?
Towards the end of 2020, I received HR and mental health related inquiries/requests from individuals around the country, asking for guidance on various subject matters and areas of concerns. I routinely had to think about and conduct research to ensure I was responding in an appropriate and meaningful way to render guidance that would be beneficial and actionable. It was something I continued to do throughout 2021. Going into 2022, when I need guidance on something like creative ways to market my book, I’ll do the research, but I’ll ask for guidance from others too.
If you are looking for someone to help you start or restart your promise to yourself to get, be, and stay healthy, Bridgette is definitely someone who can help you get started or restarted and assist you through the journey.
