Contact Rodger
Contact Rodger

About Author Rodger T. Kraft

I found myself increasingly applying the principle of You Are Where You Sit as I watched our country become more and more divided. I often heard people express strong opinions on issues about which they held deeply entrenched views. I would ask whether they understood the reasoning behind the other side of the argument. Too often, the response was that they simply didn’t care.

That troubled me. I felt there was a need for a practical way to encourage people to look beyond their own perspectives. That led me to develop the seven lessons in You Are Where You Sit. The lessons are designed to help people better understand opposing viewpoints, find common ground, achieve compromise, and, when appropriate, reevaluate their own deeply held beliefs.

The book is really an extension of my doctoral thesis. After retiring, I went back to school to earn my doctorate in literature and creative writing. So, if you include the development of the thesis, the process of transforming it into a book, and the many rounds of editing and refinement, the entire journey took a little over two years.

It is in the middle! I was very careful to keep my personal views on the issues discussed out of the book. My goal was to present both sides of each argument so readers could understand why these issues are so divisive and, more importantly, recognize where opportunities for compromise might exist.

I have strong personal opinions about some of the topics discussed in the book, but I deliberately keep those views to myself. On other questions raised in the book, I am still searching for my own answers. The one thing I have come to believe is that the best answer is almost always somewhere in the middle.

I don’t have a prescribed writing methodology. I tend to write in spurts! Often, I find myself writing in my head when I wake up in the middle of the night. By morning, of course, I’ve forgotten all those beautiful words I had crafted a few hours earlier. (I have since purchased a digital recording device!)

I may go days without writing and then spend several days doing little else. I’ve also discovered that I tend to do some of my best and most productive writing when I’m under pressure to meet a deadline. Apparently, a little pressure is part of my writing process also.

Oh, there is so much I hope readers take away from this book! First, I hope they embrace the concept of You Are Where You Sit. I believe the principle is almost universal and can be applied to nearly every situation we encounter in daily life.

I also want readers to recognize the powerful influence of social and mass media and the importance of seeking out objective, reliable sources of information. I hope they learn something new from the examples in the book. or perhaps see familiar events and issues from a different perspective.

Most importantly, I hope readers use the seven lessons to recognize opportunities for compromise before disagreements become entrenched and positions become untenable. I don’t want to change readers’ opinions. I want to change the process they use to arrive at those opinions.

I have so many things going on right now! First among them is probably marketing You Are Where You Sit. Publishing is a whole new world to me, and I’m beginning to think that writing the book was the easy part! I’m also reading and reviewing books by several other authors who, in turn, are doing the same for me. I never realized just how important reader reviews on sites like Amazon are to the marketing process.

Outside of writing, I’m always interested in learning something new. I think I’ll revisit Spanish next. I also recently purchased an electric cello, which means I first need to work my way through a book on reading music—and then sign up for lessons.

And, of course, ideas for my next book are already percolating. I’m leaning toward another nonfiction work built around important lessons I’ve learned along the way. But fiction interests me as well, so I wouldn’t rule that out somewhere down the road.

There are so many that come to mind. First and foremost, I would say Ernest Hemingway, although it would probably be more accurate to say that I’m drawn to the writers of the Lost Generation in general. I admire their directness, economy of language, and ability to convey so much beneath the surface.

I’m also a great admirer of Graham Greene. And when I’m reading purely for pleasure, P. D. James is one of my favorites. I’ve always enjoyed the intelligence and complexity she brings to the mystery genre.

Yes: don’t follow in my footsteps if you can avoid it! Be disciplined about your writing. Put yourself on a schedule and devote as much time to writing as you reasonably can. Most importantly, find a way to capture your thoughts when they come to you. Write yourself notes, keep a notebook nearby, or buy a digital recording device. Whatever method works for you, capture that raw narrative before it disappears. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just get it down. You can always edit it later. And one final piece of advice: accept the fact that you’re never really done editing!

I’m currently scheduling book signings, speaking engagements, and guest appearances on podcasts. I’d love the opportunity to meet readers and talk more about You Are Where You Sit and the ideas behind the book.

Please check the News & Events page on this website for upcoming appearances and the latest updates. I hope to see you at one of them!

I’ll be launching a monthly newsletter in September. The best way to stay up to date is to join my mailing list through the Contact page on this website. That way, I can send you updates on what I’m working on, upcoming events and appearances, and some behind-the-scenes news—straight to your inbox.