Shun Jie Yong | PhotographerA December issue of the University Chronicle featured Thierry Amisi, a political science major at SCSU who began writing “Cognitive Science and H. Rationalism: The Human Mind” after an encounter with a professor sparked his curiosity about the way the human mind allows us to recognize people.
This idea, combined with research, grew into a 170-page book filled with Amisi’s own theories and concepts about the human mind.
Now, the book that has been a year and a half in the making is published and available for readers everywhere. Amisi shares his hopes for the book, what he’s learned from the publishing process and his future plans as a published author.
How does it feel to finally be published after all of that work?
I felt relief, the amount of pain or sacrifice or whatever with what I did … I felt happy too because I’ve been telling people, giving speeches and many things about the book and now they can have it and read it for themselves, so I’m happy.
What are your hopes for the book now that it’s published?
I hope it will sell a lot as it is now. It should continue, because it’s been published internationally. Barnes and Noble and Amazon are the leading sellers so far, so I’m hoping that it will sell a lot. The idea isn’t to make money, but just to spread the knowledge of the research. This idea I have, I want people to have, to get to know the content of the book.
You mentioned a couple places the book is available, where else can people buy it?
I believe in bookstores they should be able to get it and if they don’t have it they can easily order them from the publisher, which would be Outskirts Press.
What are you doing to promote the book?
I have a Facebook page and a Twitter page. Besides that there have been more sellers that work with Outskirts Press, and they are doing their own work too. I would say so far most of the books have been bought by people I personally don’t know… mostly in the U.S. and the education field, so I am guessing maybe schools will.
How was the process? Are you happy with the way everything turned out?
Yeah, I am. It should be interesting to see what happens one year from now because I would like the book to have a second edition. So far I’m really happy with the process of how things are going. I have a coach from Outskirts Press. I’m getting a lot of advice from Outskirts Press, a lot of advice from friends and many people who are supportive.
You mentioned a second edition, so that means you’re planning to continue writing?
Yes, this book will have a second edition and I’m hoping to continue adding editions as long as they focus on mostly education. So I guess that as long as I do more research and get more findings on reflections and everything that was talked about in the book, it can always be updated, so this is definitely the first edition. I’m hoping in the future I will have maybe a team to work with so that it makes it easier, but, personally, I have been writing something else that’s not related to this at all. I don’t know when I will get it published, but I’m still writing so I’ll continue publishing.
Now that you’ve been through the publishing process, would you do anything differently?
Yes, I think it will make things much easier. Well, not necessarily easier. I understand that it’s a long process. I’ve learned so far that it takes patience and lots of work because you get assignments from your other consultants to try to get everything in order and legally done according to the policies of the publishing companies and the law of the United States… so I think I’ll be more knowledgeable and understand the process. You go slowly, but you can always get there as long as you’re getting everything that they ask you to correctly, so I am positive.
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to write a book or get something published?
It takes a lot of persistence, courage, and passion. I submitted the book to many companies… only one responded, which means if one didn’t respond I wouldn’t be where I am today. So it takes courage, persistence, and lots of patience to wait until they finish publishing the book. Sometimes it gets very tiresome because people ask questions such as “so when is your book coming out?” and maybe it’s been a month since you told them, and that’s because you believe that by then it will be published but it’s not. So it can get a little discouraging, thinking that people might tend not to believe in you anymore but it takes a lot of patience. If you know what you’re doing just go for it, as long as you try and believe in it.
Follow the links to purchase “Cognitive Science and H. Rationalism: The Human Mind” by Thierry Amisi online at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.
