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He is the past chairman of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, the Employers' Association of Illinois, and the Central Illinois Workforce board of directors.  He currently serves on the on the board of directors for Dirksen Center for Congressional Studies, J.C. Proctor Endowment, the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service at Bradley University, Quality Quest for Health, and the Drug Prevention Network of the Americas/Red Interamericana para la Prevencion de las Drogas.

He has taught in the School of Business Administration at  Bradley University's and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
 
In addition to numerous editorials, his most recent books were with Charles Stoner, Ph.D.: The Adversity Challenge; and with Congressman Ray LaHood: The Library of Congress: An Embodiment of the American Identity.

Thank you John for answering a few questions for us!  To start, please tell us about the latest project you've worked on.

The major proposition of The Soul of America: Essays on the Fourth of July is that America consists in a set of beliefs - truths - that bind us together.  It's what makes us Americans.  And without those beliefs, no Constitution, no laws, no whatever, except the point of a sword can keep us together.
 
Truths have moral implications.  But truth in American culture has become negotiable.  And herein lies the real cultural crisis of America.  The book addresses these issues in a set of 20 essays drawing upon American history and using current cultural conflicts as examples.  Although any essay can be read independently of another, they are evenly grouped into three themes:  Birth of America, Cultural Strife, and Patriotism.  (More at: johnfgilligan.com)
 
My hope is that the readers will come away with a better understanding of our foundational history, the uniqueness of our nation, an appreciation for how much of the American vision has been achieved, and  our obligations to keep on working to complete the unfinished work of all those who have gone before us.
 
Do you also do speaking engagements, or seminars?

Yes: radio, public groups, book clubs, etc.
 
How has your education, profession or background helped you in your writing career? Or conversely, how has you writing success helped you in your  profession?

I came to writing out of my profession as a clinical psychologist and the president of one of Illinois' largest psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment centers.  In writing for the general public, specifically op-eds, I developed my writing skills over a 30 year period.  So upon retirement, I was ready to take up a new career as a writer.

What kind of other works (books, scripts, poems etc.) have you had published?

Given that I did a lot of organizational consulting over the years, my first book was with a business professor at Bradley University, Dr. Chuck Stoner.  We did a study of over 50 business leaders and the challenges they had faced during their careers to the top.  Out of that we developed a model of how leaders adjust to adversity during the course of their careers.  If it wasn't for Chuck encouraging me to work with him on doing a book together, I don't think I would have ever done one on my own.
 
The first book that I initiated was with our local congressman, Ray LaHood (now the United States Secretary of Transportation).  It was an interpretation of the art, architecture, paintings, and mosaics of the Library of Congress and how they spoke to the American identity and the vision of America.  I tested out some of my writing about the Library over a few years with members of our local Chamber of Commerce at a few seminars that Ray LaHood organized for us in Washington, DC, which were held in the Library of Congress.  I received a lot of support from them and Congressman LaHood to write a full book on the topic.  It's called:    The Library of Congress:  An Embodiment of the American Identity.  (It can be accessed on line at: dirksencongressionalcenter.org)
 
Is there any aspect to your profession that gets you in touch with your readers directly?

Given the fact that I wrote a number of op-eds for our local newspaper, the Peoria Journal Star, for over two decades and was involved in a number of community organizations, there was a natural contact and connection with local readers.  But beyond that I face the same problems of all writers in getting my work before the general public.

What will your next project be?

Actually, I have two: Rome for the American Tourist and the American Culture.
 
Having lived in Europe four years and having worked on a joint United States and Italian government project in Rome, I became fascinated with the connection between the ancient Roman Republic and its influence upon our Founding Fathers.  Knowing the ancient ruins quite well, I thought that I could write something that connects what the American tourist sees with our own American history.  It makes visiting Roman antiquities more interesting, relevant, informative, and fun.  The work is almost complete.
 
The other book:  American Culture, is more difficult and research still remains to be done.  I present American culture in terms of American habits of the heart, mind, and action from 1620 to 2009.  This is a cultural history and fits into my background as a psychologist.  What I try to show is how our culture is transformed over time as a function of technology, demography, and ideas that force people to adjust to new ways of thinking and behaving.  Ultimately, the American people determine their own culture.  The question is whether it will be one that promotes human flourishment or will it be a toxic culture that deforms our minds and bodies.  The issue is as important if not more than the environmental crises of our day.
 
Who inspires you on a personal or business level?

On a personal level, my wife, family, and friends.  They really are the source of life's contentment.  Furthermore, I am experiencing the special delight of having loving grand children.

What type of work is the most rewarding or satisfying for you?

Two kinds:  the quiet writing life and some active community involvement that makes a difference in the quality of life for our region.  I am presently involved in a state wide healthcare collaborative (Quality Quest for Health), a community school initiative in a low income neighborhood, and a regional workforce board to address the knowledge and skills needed for employment and success on the job.
 
What can you recommend for writers who are just getting started and are trying to make a name for themselves?
 
Write a lot of short articles, op-eds, commentaries for a variety of journals and magazines.

Which is your favorite book/work published? Is there a favorite?

I like the Soul of America  and The Library of Congress the best.  They get more to the core of my major interests:  the American identity, American culture, and the American vision.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Being retired provides many more degrees of freedom then when I was on full time employment.  But that's a danger too.  Self-discipline and a self-structured work program for writing, reading, research and study is critical.  Otherwise, the days can pass by and nothing gets accomplished.
 
My pattern for years, even when as president of the company, is to rise between 4 and 5 a.m. and work to noon.  I usually take a physical exercise break around mid-morning.  The afternoon is usually for the email, research, and other business activities of trying to get a book sold.
 
Have you ever had a mentor, or someone who sparked your passion for writing?

When I was a college student I did take a creative writing course and loved the professor.  But later in life a good friend of mine, James Burtchaell, C.S.C., Ph.D. who was a magnificent writer and Provost at the University of Notre Dame, used to critique and encourage my own writing.

Who is your favorite writer/author?

I read lots of novels from Hemingway to Dostoyevsky.  In fact, I read all of their works.  But Hemmingway is and continues to be my favorite.  His simplicity and clarity of style still fascinates me.
 
Finally, a most important question: what was the last song you sang out loud when you were by yourself?

"Puff the Magic Dragon" - I date myself.

Thank you John! We wish you great success with The Soul of America and your two new projects!