The RV Book Fair – Author Ron Hammond

Ron Hammond was born and raised in the State of Virginia in the United States. He attended university in the Washington, DC area and began a career in Corporate Finance with organizations that support the United States Military, eventually moving into Financial Leadership roles within the Information Technology Industry. 

After experiencing a job layoff, he set out to realize his long held dream of publishing a book. He wrote his first book, Live Your Humanity, as a roadmap to experiencing a life of meaning and connection by activating the innate human values that each of us already have.

He currently lives in Denver, Colorado where he enjoys skiing, cycling and hiking in his free time.

Hello author Ron, welcome to the RV Book Fair! What’s the book that changed your life?

Wayne Dyer’s book “There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem.” That book practically fell off of the shelf in front of me while I was perusing in a bookstore one day, so I decided to read it. It changed my life by detailing new and effective ways of handling everyday life challenges that each of us face. That book was one of the factors that prompted me to offer my solutions to the lack of human connection that we see in the world today.

What inspired you to start writing?

I had a significant negative event that happened in my life, which made me pay attention to how people are interacting with one another today. I also began questioning how I show up for others, asking myself if I could do better. That single event awakened a desire that I had to write – a desire that had been buried in my soul since my teenage years, but was never pursued. I really believe that it was some kind of divine intervention.

Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?

I do occasionally. The feedback that I’ve received about Live Your Humanity is that it offers a concise roadmap to expanded human connection simply and effectively. One reader told me that it spurred her to donate her time in support of others in need and that she feels a renewed sense of satisfaction with her life from doing so. That feels pretty good to hear.

If you could tell your young writing self anything, what would it be?

Writing can be a lonely exercise and it’s easy to self-ridicule and fall into the trap of thinking that your work won’t be valued or positively received. Of course those things can happen, but writing is so much more than that. It’s about expressing yourself openly and honestly to others. That feels really good to do, regardless of what others may think of your work. I would tell my young self to push those thoughts out of your mind and to keep going until you’re satisfied with what you’ve written. The self-satisfaction of seeing your finished product is worth the effort.

What does literary success look like to you?

I think it’s seeing the finished product in your hand and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with that. When I wrote Live Your Humanity, I told myself that if only one person received some benefit from my work, that I would feel successful. As people told me that they enjoyed the book and that it helped them, I felt like that, combined with holding a physical copy of my work, is the mark of literary success.

What is your writing process like? Are you more plotter or a pantser?

I’m definitely more of a pantser. I tend to sit down in front of the computer and let get my thoughts spill out on to the screen. That can sometimes make for a messy manuscript, and this is where having an editor can help you get those thoughts organized in a cogent and meaningful manner. 

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I wanted to be a commercial airline pilot. I would frequently daydream about it and was fascinated by watching airplanes make their way across the sky. Getting licensed to do that is fairly expensive, and was more expensive than getting a college degree, so I pursued a degree in Economics. I did, however, end up getting a pilot’s license on a much smaller scale later in life. Today, I’m licensed to fly general aviation aircraft for pleasure. 

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

In my free time, I enjoy skiing, bicycling and reading. I also really love to travel. I have an exuberant Golden Retriever that I enjoy taking on walks and spending quality time with. He’s my buddy and helps me to see the world through accepting and present minded eyes. 

What are your guilty pleasures?

I’ve recently discovered the joy in scrolling through TikTok videos. You get a mix of interesting things – some are very funny and some are educational. I also enjoy binge watching TV shows, and one that comes to mind especially is Ozark. It’s a fascinating portrayal of the worst aspects of human behavior. Finally, I love Ice Cream. I purposely don’t keep it in my house because I could eat most of it in one sitting. 

Where do you dream traveling to and why?

I’ve been very fortunate to have traveled the world and to have experienced many different cultures. One place that I haven’t visited yet, and would love to see, is Fiji. I find Zen in a beach and tropical environment, and Fiji is high on my list of beautiful places to visit one day.

Find out more at https://www.ronhammond.com/