It's unlikely that the publication of the new Dan Brown Novel Inferno will have escaped your notice recently. The best selling author's latest book is based upon Dante's Inferno, which is the first of the seven stages of hell in his Divine Comedy, which he says inspired him to write the story. As ever, it is another roller coaster of a ride which his millions of readers love and critics seem to despise. Dan Brown appeared on BBC Breakfast to promote the novel and had some interesting things to say about his writing process.

He gets up at 4am every morning (just like I did when I did my early morning radio show, so I have some understanding of the time!). He explained that at this time in the morning it is just like the time between waking and sleeping and dreaming, and his imagination is working on overdrive, and this means that he is really able to utilise the subconscious. It was very interesting hearing him explain things this way because it has a great comparison to the way that hypnosis works. He even said that he tries to give himself lucid dreams by thinking about what he needs to change in the story before he goes to bed. With hypnotherapy we use hypnosis to access that creative subconscious and whilst Dan Brown isn't talking directly about hypnosis it is clear that he is really practicing self hypnosis to help him in the creative process.

In the same way that children have wonderful imaginations (before we tell them at school to 'stop daydreaming!') Dan Brown is using his imagination to create stories that have an appeal to millions of people across the world.

Just take a second to think how successful he has been by using his mind and his imagination and I think it will tell you all you need to know about how we can utilise the power of our minds!

Find out more about the new Dan Brown novel Inferno here.....