Vitamin Q : The Essential Quotations Companion by Neill Farkhondeh @vitamin21870233 #AuthorInterview

About the Author

Neill Farkhondeh is the author of Vitamin Q, published in 2020. Neill is based in London, believes in sharing his ideas with the community, and has committed to a charitable donation from his book sales. He left school at the age of sixteen to pursue a successful career in the hospitality sector and to educate himself and experience cultures of the world, as of 2020 he has traveled to over forty countries, having spent extended periods of time in the Middle East, North Africa and India. Since leaving school he has consistently engaged in his passion for writing and amateur photography, publishing his first book, Vitamin Q in 2020.

In his first book, Vitamin Q (2020), he outlines his efficient quotation study method as an alternative for reading entire books, useful to those who in these busy modern times have had to put reading to one side and for those who struggle with reading. Vitamin Q also features a thoughtful and carefully selected set of quotations, one for every day of the year, for the reader to reflect on and apply the study method to in order to gain wisdom and knowledge. The quotations selected from the book go as far back as three thousand years and stem from religious figures, philosophers, authors, intellectuals, and speakers. During the covid-19 pandemic of 2020, having been forced to stay at home during lockdown, Neill put pen to paper to create and publish his first book.

Neill is an everyday practicing stoic, he lives his life according to the guidance of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and other stoic philosophers while maintaining an open mind in order to consistently challenge his ideas and practices around living a fulfilled and meaningful life.

Qn 1: Can you tell us more about your book What is it about?

Essentially Vitamin Q is a quotations book, but really it is much more, its a life companion. The book features deep and thought-provoking quotes, one for every day of the year, as the year progresses, so will the reader. The quotes come from a wide array of sources and span history, one day you might read and dwell on the words of an ancient Greek philosopher, another day you could be mesmerized by a Roman Emperor such as Marcus Aurelius and you’ll also read quotes from more contemporary figures such as Malcolm X and Kurt Cobain. Each quote has been carefully selected from thousands to provide wisdom and insight to life. Vitamin Q is also a study method for how to get the most out of each and every quote so that as you work your way through the daily quotes over the course of a year, you remember them and gain the all the wisdom and knowledge that can be gained from each and every quote. The Vitamin Q study method takes a few minutes of your day and about ten minutes at the end of every week to recap, think on and start to apply your newly acquired knowledge and wisdom.

Qn 2: Who do you think would be interested in this book, is it directed at any particular market?

Personally, I’ve always had an issue with concentration but am deeply interested in so many topics, so reading quotes has always been a good way for me to learn, when I started writing about quotes and taking time to think about them, I felt like I was learning loads and it was a method that was useful due to my concentration issues. So, ideally this book is for anyone who enjoys a solid quote, but also for anyone who may struggle with reading and attention yet has a huge appetite for knowledge. The use of quotes is so mainstream now, we use them when we are down, to stay up, to help us in times of needs, my hope is that with a daily dose of Vitamin Q, we can better prepare for the times when we are in need of a quote, struggle less in life and begin to live in a fulfilling and meaningful manner.

Qn 3: Out of all the books in the world, and all the authors, which are your favourite and why?

I always have about ten books on the go, I read a bit of one and then a bit of another and go back and forth. My go to book right now is Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, this two thousand year old book just picks me up and motivates me every day, it really is the best self-help book I’ve ever owned, even if that’s not what it was intended for. I also enjoy reading Ryan Holiday who writes about Stoicism. I don’t read much fiction but if I do it would be something with an espionage theme like a Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum.

Qn 4: What guidance would you offer to someone new, or trying to enhance their writing?

I’m not at all qualified to offer guidance, even though I’ve just published my first book, I don’t consider it at all polished or professional but I think I’ve written it in my style of writing and speaking. I am still learning. I think I’ve had to learn to trust myself and put a limit on how many times I proof read my work, even after publishing I still think ” oh I’d really like to change that or fix that”, but this is just an attempt at perfection and what I really try to focus on is progress. So my advice would be to believe in yourself and believe that the idea you are conveying or the story you want to write will be useful and enjoyed by others.

Qn 5: Where can our readers find out more about you, do you have a website, or a way to be contacted?

I would encourage anyone who reads Vitamin Q to share their feedback and leave honest reviews so that I can make the 2022 edition better.
I’m active on Instagram mostly and have two accounts:
@neill_farkhondeh – this is my personal and public profile where I share my amateur photography and travel photos
@_vitaminq_ – This is a new account I recently set up for readers of the book and anyone who loves quotes, I’ll be sharing some of the quotes from the book, other great quotes that are not from the book and also profiles of philosophers and other figures.
Anyone with feedback is more than welcome to email me on neillalif@aol.com