Today we’d like to introduce you to J. W. Zarek.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
I help catch naughty folk for the Government. I’ve taught English Conversation in Japan and can analyze anyone’s handwriting. I’ve sailed through the Suez Canal twice and hunted pirates in the Persian Gulf. I’ve climbed to the top of Mount Fuji, been kicked off Mount Rainier, and successfully run in the Walt Disney World Marathon as a woman.
When I worked at the FBI, my thesis on Red Flag Behaviors Found in Relationships, earned an invitation to present a paper at the First Annual Forensics Congress in China, which led to write the award-winning book Naughty or Nice – Whose List Are You On? which is available as a handout during lectures.
I co-authored the bestselling book, The Happiness Code with Ray Brehm, and other authors, who all share personal happiness hacks you can use too.
And in my latest book, The Devil Pulls the Strings as seen on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Tickler News Live, and the NY Post, received the Firebird Award, the Literary Titan Award, the International Review of Books Badge of Achievement, made Chanticleer’s Mystery and Mayhem Shortlist, and Chanticleer’s Fantasy Long List. This book received Five-Star reviews from Book Viral, Clarion, Chanticleer, Literary Titan, readers on Goodreads.com, Amazon.com, Onlinebookclub.com, ReadersFavorite.com, and listeners on Audible.com. And the book’s cinematic trailer selected to move forward in the American Golden Picture International Film Festival competition.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
I came into this world with a set of challenges. I was born with flat feet, ADHD, athlete’s asthma, a heart murmur, Spina Bifida, and an abusive alcoholic father. By eight, I was almost legally blind. I had to overcome these challenges to do gymnastics in high school, race in downhill ski competitions, run in a marathon, and serve in the U.S. Navy, FBI, DHS, and other agencies. And after I retire in the next ten months I intend to train and be the first person born with Spina Bifida to scale the world’s fourteen tallest peaks.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
My primary job is to help catch naughty folk for the Government, but I’m also an award-winning, bestselling author, and after I retire, I intend to write full-time, and do volunteer work around the globe, helping to beautify shelters for women and children, senior citizen centers and orphanages, and the plan is to partner with individuals and organizations able to help in this pursuit.
In my personal and professional life, I’m driven by preparation, research and results, and believe in the value and benefit to overdeliver on service, and this is what I bring and deliver when I work with you.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
No matter how challenging life is, beats you up, or knocks you down, you make the choice to stay down or get back up. And when you choose to get back up, you are better, stronger, and improved, and able to overcome and power through your adversity, your circumstance, your challenge, and find and achieve success.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Success has multiple meanings for me. Individual success can be simple – I reach, achieve and exceed a goal. However, when I work with individual clients or groups, helping them reach, achieve and exceed their goals are my focus, objective and outcome.
What’s next for you?
As an author, I intend to write the second book in the Archivist Series, and a book about the Domovoi, their nine clans, culture, and conflicts. Bestselling author Adam Hogue invited me to co-author his next book, by authors for authors, filled with stories, cautionary tales, step-by-step instructions, and more. And bestselling author Brian Wright invited me to co-author his next book, The Best Lessons I learned from My Dad. And the best lesson I learned from my dad involves a pair of earmuffs and a football helmet.
When I served in the military, on deployments around the globe, I had the opportunity to volunteer, clean up and beautify shelters for women and children, senior centers, and orphanages, and I’d see firsthand, the immediate difference made in another person’s life who lived there and the smiles splash across their faces. Done through a little, paint, empowering messages on the wall such as Why am I Happy and I am enough, some elbow grease, and love.
So I plan to partner and with individuals and organizations who want to help improve and better the world, because it’s a fantastic start in this pursuit, and does make a difference to every person living in the shelters, centers, and orphanages we clean up, paint and beautify. Wanna help?
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
You can find me online through my website, https://www.jwzarek.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
