Interview With Author W. Bruce Bregenzer

  

1. What inspired you to write this book? The animals provided information as well as inspiration. They have much to teach those willing to learn from them. Their resilience and responsiveness are incredible. And working with them provides satisfaction in things like seeing a so-shy puppy give her first tentative kiss, or watching a cat jump using the leg he had been holding up in pain.   

2. What exactly is it about   and   who is it written for? This work is a Reader's Digest version of the classes I taught for several years at human massage schools. It is intended to pass along practical information that I would have liked to have had when I first started working with animals. As the subtitle indicates, the primary target audiences figure to be those considering working with animals and those already doing so. Secondary target audiences would be those who work with animals in other capacities or volunteer at shelters.  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? Ideally, some readers will find their purpose in bodywork for animals. For the majority, I hope they come away with a greater appreciation for both the individuality and intelligence of their pets. I would also hope they take note of the range of non-veterinary modalities available.  

4. How did you decide on your book's title and cover design? I chose the title because while animals don't understand sympathy, they do resonate with empathy and energy, which is why approaches based in them work so well. Dexter, the dog on the front cover, was my last new client. We met as he was transitioning from senior to elderly. I saw him through the revival and relapse that happens when older animals first receive bodywork, through his geriatric indicators and hospice time. He passed quietly. The picture on the back cover is from one of my class visits to a shelter. I think it captures the essence, the spirit of Empathetic Energetics.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? Pick something to write about that interests you. Stick with it. Then run!  

6. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? Absolutely! The material in the book is drawn from the classes I taught, my work with private clients, my own pack and pride, and especially animals in shelters.  

7. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? I can't answer these questions because I don't know what to call my writing style. The closest thing I can describe it to is accretion: putting lines and parts of lines together in differing combinations until they stick thoughts together. I'm not aware of anyone with a similar style.  

8. How do you feel your book compares to others in your genre? The majority of texts regarding the subject of animal bodywork focus on techniques and their application: the what and the how. My book touches on these important facets, but is primarily concerned with intention, observation, and cooperation: the why.  

9.  What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? The most serious challenge came in the form of writer's block following the deaths of my two main canine co-instructors. I was able to work with animals in person, but froze at the keyboard. The problem lasted from 2012 until I met Dexter in 2023.  

10.If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Along with the practitioner-specific information, this book contains practical suggestions for generally improving relationships between people and their pets, presented with a touch of humor.

Author Bio: Two words can change a life's trajectory. For much of the author's adulthood he thought producing poetry was his reason for being, and he built aboutn400 poems. He had a variety of occupations to support the poet style of life. Some jobs paid better than others, but none were personally gratifying. There were clues that things might be otherwise in the form of issues encountered by his animals and their responses to them, but it wasn't until someone uttered the phrase "animal massage" that the proverbial light went on and his true purpose was revealed to be animal massage and bodywork. These days the author considers himself to be semi-retired. He doesn't see new clients, but having become a foster home and hospice center for aged, debilitated, or otherwise unadoptable animals, he regularly uses Empathetic Energetics as well as writing about it. This book is the culmination of 20+ years of observation and hands-on experience. It is offered on behalf of the animals and those who interact with them.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 4.4 million pageviews. With 5,300+ posts over the past 14 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs  by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum