This week we interviewed Sazmick author, Alec Laidler, author of 'Granddad You Have A Message' released in December 2013. Alec agreed to answer our questions to shed some light on his personal and book publishing journey...

1) Can you describe a little about yourself and your background Alec and how that led you to where you are today?

Answer: I originate from a mining village in the North East of England, my family moved to the Midlands in the early sixties as the mining industry in the North was run down. My early working days were in engineering servicing and manufacturing mining equipment. From that I worked for a company producing End Line printing machines used in the printing of newspapers and magazines. My Life turned in a different direction when I joined the Financial Services Industry, which apart for a seven year period when I started a business selling welding consumables, which unfortunately failed miserably. All of this changed when my wife became ill and I finished work to look after her, however she passed away in the following year and this event my friends changed my life forever.

2) Tell us about your book ‘Granddad You Have A Message’ and how that came about.

Answer: After my wife Pat passed away lots of strange things happened and I became a Spiritualist, I found out that I was gifted in some ways one of which was inspirational writing and I set up a spiritual group on Facebook. I also began writing a journal of all the spiritual things that I experienced as well as writing all the messages I received from my higher self. On Facebook I became friends with Mick and Sarah of Sazmick Books and asked them if they could give me some advice about my writing. Well they looked at everything I had written and Sarah suggested that all of my inspirational writings would make a book and so the idea blossomed and it was decided that the group name was perfect for the title of the book.

3) It’s a very intriguing title! How did you arrive at it as the name for your book?

Answer: When my granddaughter was three years old her aunty Sue helped her put a message on my mobile phone which stated “Granddad you have a message”. And it just seemed so appropriate for the book.

4) What message would you most like readers to take from the information presented in the book?

Answer: I hope that anyone reading the book who is going through what has happened to me will find Hope and Peace of Mind.

5) Is there a particular part of the book or message that strikes you the most personally?

Answer: Yes I think the page ‘Creators of our own Destiny’ is very true and encourages us to be positive, caring and loving in our creative self.

6) Before you published your book with us in 2013 you were quite shy of the limelight! Has that changed since becoming a published author?

Answer: I think it is fair to say I am not the man I was, Pat’s passing changed me in many ways, the book has helped me develop further and due to the fact I believe in creating a positive life and not fearing change I fit more easily in my being.

7) What other projects are you currently working on? We know you’re working on your second book, have been offered your own radio show on the Critical Mass Radio station and are co-hosting another…

Answer: The journal I mentioned earlier has taken a bit of a back seat whilst I have worked on the social networking side of things. I have with some help from Sazmick Books moved into doing radio shows with various stations here in the UK and in America. It’s great to chat on air regarding my experience and spiritual matters. I am not as shy now as I used to be.

8) What is your favourite quote?

Answer: My favourite quote is:- “The greatest thing you can give, is your love”. Because it is not a tangible thing that you’re giving, but part of yourself, for you are love.

9) What advice would you give to others looking to get their work published?

Answer: Do your research, get in touch with Sazmick Books, Mick and Sarah are great people to help you.

10) Is there anything else you’d like to leave readers with?

Answer: I believe everyone has a book in them, we just might not know what it is going to be about.

11) And finally, if you could have dinner with any famous person living or otherwise, who would it be and why?

Answer: Mick and Sarah Feeley apart, Andre Rieu who I believe to be a fantastic musician and spiritual being.

Thank you to Alec for agreeing to this interview and for sharing the eye opening and valuable experiences of his journey. You can find out more about Alec at his website: www.granddadbooks.com

* Look out for our interview with Kira Lester, author of 'Book Of Life' and 'Life Essence', coming soon...*