Nara Schuler’s “Secrets of My Vegan Kitchen”

iUniverse presents Nara Schuler, whose new book, Secrets of My Vegan Kitchen, combines her passions for nutrition and self-help.

Please briefly describe your book . . .

Secrets of My Vegan Kitchen: A Journey into Reversing My Diabetes without Medication is about the steps I took to reverse a chronic disease even though it was against the status quo. More than a cooking book, this is a book of self-help.  I was desperate and could not see any future ahead of me without piles of medication and medical procedures becoming the central part of my life. I decided to take charge of my life and I describe how and what I did with the hopes to inspire other people to do the same and free themselves of suffering.

Do you have any particular literary influences?

I see myself as an eclectic reader. I learned to read in Portuguese and for many years had more access to Brazilian authors, even though one of my favorite books as a child was Alice in the Wonderland from Lewis Carroll.  It was only later in my teenager years that I started exploring Spanish, French and English literature, and this has obviously influenced my wide and open writing style., English is not my first language and this was an additional challenge when writing this book. My interests and readings nowadays are quite limited to nutrition science and self-help.

What inspired you to write your book, and how long did it take you to finish it?

The first four years of my disease recovery were very evident to people that knew me. They were all curious about what and how I had done to achieve such progress without the use of medication. Their questions were the sparkle I needed to think about recounting it in a book. I wanted to write something simple that would make it easy for people to relate to. I started writing in Jan 2014 and finished in April 2016, but during this period I felt the need to go back to school to learn more about the scientific part of the reversal of chronic diseases. I wanted to make my book a credible source of information even though it is a common individual story that regular people can relate to.

What is the one message you would like to convey to your readers?

For many years, we have been bombarded with this idea that when we age, we will get sick, and once we get sick the only avenue is to take medication and follow standard medical procedures offered by the mainstream medical advice. My message is: Don’t buy into this idea — look for other alternatives. Change the way you see your life. There are many other avenues you can take. Eating is very pleasurable even when we change completely the way we are used to doing it. Do not feel sorry for yourself. If you have been eating bad food for so many years, now is the time to explore nutritious whole foods and see the benefits they will bring into your health. Your life is not over; it is a new beginning.

Are you working on a sequel to your book?

I am not working on it yet but I do think of exploring other supporting activities I use in my life to keep myself in good health. I may start a sequel on how to become free of depression and emotional eating without the use of medication.

Are there any events, marketing ideas or promotions planned for your book?

I will be having a book launch event where I will be speaking and serving foods from my book recipes. I am speaking at a couple of online congresses about nutrition and diabetes and I have been invited to launch a series of videos on the subject on my personal Youtube channel. Anyone can follow my daily food choices on Instagram @secretsofmyvegankitchen, or interact with me and ask questions about my journey by accessing my web page www.secretsofmyvegankitchen.com I am in discussions of starting a TV show that will explore the content of the book. Other than that, I have bought some of the iUniverse marketing packages and hope their services will widen my audience in the USA and Canada.

What was your favorite part of your publishing experience, overall and with iUniverse?

My experience with iUniverse was overall very good. I especially liked the editorial services, because with English not being my first language, I had quite a few limitations and the iUniverse staff were very supportive without being judgmental. Production has also been above my expectations.

Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Get your ideas on paper, no matter how long it takes — there is an enormous sense of accomplishment when you see your book. iUniverse is a good avenue to start a writing adventure.

Congratulations to Nara on such an inspired (and inspiring) book! Make sure to check out the iUniverse site for more advice and blogs, as well as iUniverse Facebook and iUniverse Twitter. For a FREE Publishing Guide, click here!