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Camille Cabrera 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Camille Cabrera recently published her third book. Currently, she has two more novels in the works. She often writes stories and revisits the concepts at a later date. One of her books is set for release later in 2022.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE MYSTERY OF MISTLETOE MOTEL is Camille’s most recently published novel. She had wanted to create a cozy mystery novel that centered around Christmas. Camille loves writing stories that include an often familiar holiday.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Absolutely! Camille has several odd writing habits. Mainly, Camille insists on writing her books by hand before typing them out. She finds that her writing has a more cohesive flow when she writes the words by hand.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Camille believes that Agatha Christie has most inspired her work in the cozy mystery genre. Of course, Camille also believes in stretching her wings and intends to spread out over the much larger mystery genre.

What are you working on now?
Currently, Camille is working on CHRONOMETER. The novel is a crime mystery that is set in 2019 within the bustling city of San Francisco. The novel is set for release during September 2022.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Camille believes in offering copious interviews and investing in quality writing. She finds that books often speak for themselves when given the proper platform.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. The ability to convey a story is an art, but also a craft. Practice helps to hone your skills and improve your writing. It’s not about how you start the draft, but how you finish that final revision.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t let fear keep you away from what you love. It’s reasonable to be afraid of failure or rejection, but that’s no way to live this one and only life.

What are you reading now?
Camille is currently rereading the dictionary. No, seriously.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Ideally, Camille intends to continue writing and growing as an author. Chronometer is currently her most challenging project as she is eager to see it come together.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
In the event of being stranded, Camille would opt for blank pieces of paper. She would finally have enough time to write away from the distractions of home and ironically create a project within a reasonable timeline.

Author Websites and Profiles
Camille Cabrera Website
Camille Cabrera Amazon Profile

Gordon Byron 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in California but I’ve traveled the world and my background is in geological sciences. I’ve been writing since I was in 6th grade. I loved to write poems and adventure stories at a young age. I moved around a lot when I was a child so I was forever fascinated by different environments and people. The variety of places, situations and social circles gave me an intense interest in the incredible variety of life. The endless variety and differences in people and places. This has inspired me to travel the world seeking the find all the little exotic novelties and secrets life has to offer. I’m a romantic or a spiritual explorer forever seeking the greatest profound depth of life experience, interesting little surprises and/ or way of living (or seeing the world) that surpasses anything I’ve ever seen or known. These things you can learn by putting yourself in different environments.

I’ve written two fictional series: The Superspecies and The Paul and Sandy series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve written two series: one is called The Superspecies and it’s a three part series in the sci-fi/ technothriller/ genetics engineering genre. The other series I’ve written is called The Paul and Sandy Series and the first book in the series is Young Love, Old Lore. So, basically, I’m working on two novel series at the moment with the first book in each series completed and the others still in the editing/ writing process.

The Superspecies is about a giant grizzly that kidnaps a little girl after forcing her family off the road in the forest, leading a group of rangers on a harrowing journey to find her. This spurs a chain of events which ultimately reveals a top-secret genetics engineering program government researchers must try to suppress before the “modified” animals kill any more people. The researchers are also stuck in the position of needing to rescue the animals from destruction by the agency they work for which seeks to rid the forests of every last one of them. At the same time, the researchers become targets of the animals’ wrath themselves because their increased intelligence allows them to recognize humans as destructive and dangerous creatures with too much power over them.

Young Love, Old Lore is about a young and irresponsible young man who is prone to making nothing but bad decisions in life. One morning while rushing to school, he crashes into the elderly Mrs. Halston and nearly kills her after not paying attention to his driving. All because he’s late for class. As a result, he faces a lengthy jail term if she either dies or becomes crippled for life. His relationship with his girlfriend Sandy is also on the rocks and everything in his life seems to be spiraling out of control when Mrs. Halston suddenly recovers and appears in court on his behalf, rescuing him from a lengthy jail term and a doomed perspective on life.

Many things inspire me to write but mostly exploring the human condition and the many problems/ challenges of life that must be dealt with in high-stress situations. I try to challenge my characters and readers with difficult situations that must be confronted with the correct application of personal ethics and wise principles in order to reduce life and survival to their essentials and, in so doing, get closer to the meaning and purpose of life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing style is neo-stream of consciousness/ impressionistic. I try to be a much more readable version of William Faulker or Henry James, who was certainly brilliant, but I think would have been more accessible if he brought his unconscious impressions down to earth a bit.

I walk the line between overly abstract and overly literal and concrete in my writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Henry James, Joseph Conrad, Sinclair Lewis, William Faulkner, Robert Ludlum and James Rollins.

What are you working on now?
I’m continuing to work on my two novel series and I’m not exactly sure how many books will be included in either one. I will continue to tell the stories until they get dull or uninteresting to me.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find the best methods for promoting books are Amazon ad campaigns, Facebook ad campaigns and author interviews/ blog posts to get your name out to more people.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is to write as much as you can as often as you can. There is no substitute for experience. Also, read books about character development and story telling whenever you have time. This will benefit you many times over when you fully understand the process and how to make it your own.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be yourself and live every day like it’s your last because it might be. This puts a fire under me to keep pushing myself everyday to improve and work harder and harder.

What are you reading now?
Lately I haven’t been reading very much because I’ve been so busy but when time permits I’ll start rereading some of the classics along with technothrillers and modern literary fiction books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to reach people on a personal level and change their mental attitudes and perspectives on themselves and the world they live in. I want my characters and stories to bolster them and give them a sense of strength and purpose when faced with difficult challenges similar or even not-so-similar (other than in terms of intensity) to the scenarios presented in my novels, to set them free from limiting emotions like fear, causing them to act differently and without doubt.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s a very good question: probably Conrad’s Victory, Lord of the Flies and Henry James’ The Ambassadors and Washington Square.

Author Websites and Profiles
Gordon Byron Amazon Profile
Gordon Byron Author Profile on Smashwords

Gordon Byron’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Dr. Ben Pennington 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Atlanta-based award-winning Christian Education Ministry Director, Bible-teaching broadcaster, podcaster. I have served as the Christian Education Ministry Director at two metropolitan Atlanta area churches. Finding Jesus in Genesis: A Biblical Commentary on the Preincarnate Presence of Jesus Christ is the first book that I have written. My wife, Yvonne, and I have been married for over 41 years. We have three children and five grandchildren.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Finding Jesus in Genesis: A Biblical Commentary on the Preincarnate Presence of Jesus Christ is my first book. I was a member of my church’s missions ministry team. Our team would gather at a local shopping mall and witness Jesus Christ to the shoppers who passed by. A Jehovah’s Witness shopper quoted John 1:1 from his New World Translation Bible and told me that Jesus Christ was “a god” and was not divine. His translation of John 1:1 completely contradicted every bible I had read. That encounter started me on a journey to defend the gospel and deity of Jesus Christ.
I was the Christian Education Director at my metropolitan church. I developed the curriculum, taught a class on Christian Apologetics, and equipped our congregation with scriptures that defended the deity of Jesus Christ. Years later, I founded the Foundation Biblical Teaching Ministry and created a podcast and broadcast series titled Jesus in Genesis. In addition, I have used my podcast and broadcast series research to make my first book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a morning person. My creativity is highest before noon each day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Holy Bible has had a significant influence on my life. I am studying the writing of Moses in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

What are you working on now?
As a new author, I am studying effective methods and strategies for book promotion.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My ministry website and my author profile on Amazon have helped promote my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Trust God and believe in yourself and your God-given abilities.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.

What are you reading now?
I am reading the book of Exodus in the Holy Bible.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to master the art and science of book promotion.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring The Holy Bible, The Works of Josephus, and The Autobiography of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Author Websites and Profiles
Dr. Ben Pennington Website
Dr. Ben Pennington Amazon Profile

Kristin Davis 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Educator and a Language/Story Work Coach. I have been working in the Education field since 2005. I have been a teacher, and tutor, and a director. I founded Language Ninjas to empower parents and children by empowering their language. I now guides parents in upgrading their communication with their kids. One of the ways I am empowering kids and parents is through writing books. This is my first book of many more to come.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Abracadabra I Know What to Do! I was inspired to write this story while I was teaching Jr. Kindergarten. I had moments where I would get frustrated with myself and my students. As I began to realize the impact of the words I was choosing to use affected how I felt, I began teaching my students as well. We took situations that felt overwhelming and turned them around into empowering moments by taking breaths and changing our words. As a teacher, I wanted a book I could read to my class to help reinforce what we were learning, so I decided to write a book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to chew on the cap of my pen when writing and thinking.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I was largely inspired by Peter H. Reynolds and Susan Verde who wrote books like I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, The Word Collector. I loved the simple, clear messages of their books.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the second book in the series of my Language Ninjas children’s books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When promoting my book, currently Facebook and Instagram are my best sites. I am learning about new and different ways to promote.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is to trust yourself. Write that book. And reach out to people to help support you and give you advice along the way.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is to focus on my breath. Breath low and slow. The person that controls their breath controls the room.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading several books. I am currently re-reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I also am reading through How To Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera and Finally Thriving by Allison Pelot.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me as a writer is to work on my next children’s book and build my children’s brand Language Ninjas.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The books I would take with me to a desert island are:
It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn
The Surrender Experiment by Michael A. Singer
The Book Theif by Markus Zusak

Author Websites and Profiles
Kristin Davis Website
Kristin Davis Amazon Profile

Kristin Davis’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Kalenga Mulenga 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Kalenga Augustine Mulenga aka K.A. Mulenga. My passion is writing. I started writing when I was 10 years old and my passion was reignited by my 11 year old son. Writing runs in my blood as my late father was a journalist and the first black editor of the Zambia Daily Mail and my late brother was a poet. To date, I have published 12 children’s books . They are available on Amazon and also from my website. I love writing children’s books with a positive message and also to make them laugh and entertained. I am a prolific writer and currently have 9 edited and completed manuscripts.
I am busy with a memoir and have started writing short stories.
My short story , Striving To Be Number One won a Creative Writing Contest in April.
Three of my books, Donk and the Stubborn Donkeys , Chuck the Cheetah and Will and His Best Friend Whale have been # 1 Amazon Bestsellers in different categories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Max the Gorilla. I was inspired to write this book to share the amazing true story about Max , a gorilla who lived at the Johannesburg Zoo.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really

What authors, or books have influenced you?
JK Rowling, Roald Dahl

What are you working on now?
A middle grade novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon Ads, twitter and various promo sites like yours!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s a tough and competitive industry but as long as you persevere it will be worth it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
No sweet without sweat!

What are you reading now?
Nelson Mandela’s biography

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books and more book readings!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Papillon, The Godfather, the Jason Bourne series

Author Websites and Profiles
Kalenga Mulenga Website
Kalenga Mulenga Amazon Profile

Kalenga Mulenga’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Nicole Danbom 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
About me, well, I’ve always been curious about a multitude of things and places, which is probably how I ended up spending my twenties moving every six months (that might be a BIT of an exaggeration). My first love was always the environment and sustainability, starting out when I was just a little kid and I would lead other neighborhood kids on “Earth Walks” through the neighborhood where we picked up litter. I was also intensely curious about space and archeology, things that still fascinate me today. I earned two degrees in environmental sciences/sustainable development, worked in positions ranging from academic research to eco-tourism, and have operated my own side-business making products from wasted materials for several years. In 2017, I became obsessed with the film industry. I earned my acting certificate and started acting in and making short films, some of which have appeared at film festivals.

I have written three books and two more are in the stages of completion.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Another Fucking Dollar is not my latest book, but I want to showcase the amazing audio book that has recently been completed, with a really great narrator. Another Fucking Dollar a memoir of sorts, which sprang out of a blog that I had where I would just rant about work and tell funny stories about work. I was surprised to find so many people reading and reacting to my blog, and several people said I should turn it into a book – so I did, and I took it a level deeper by making it a book that really tells my story, through work. I wanted to showcase the funny and bizarre stories, and also use this book to share some of the real truths about working, particularly in America (I’ve worked in four different countries). Having grown up without a lot of money with a crackhead dad, and having gone off to earn a master’s degree and become a professional, I definitely have some intimate experience to share about what “pulling yourself up from your boot straps” really entails, and why it’s not easy or always possible for everyone.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think anything is unusual when it comes to writing habits. Everyone is so different, which is part of why I don’t think you should read too much into what other people tell you you should do if you want to write. Some people write every day, some people don’t. Some people write late at night with coffee, some people don’t. I have fazes of creative energy, seasons if you will. Almost everything I have written – or created for that matter – has been a combination of intense bursts of “doing” energy and periods of rest from the project where my subconscious mind is doing magical work that I don’t always understand. I sometimes start a project and then leave it for a year and come back to it. This wouldn’t work for everyone, but it works for me – I follow my interest in the moment and over time a lot of things get done, they just don’t always get done in a sequential, practical order.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In terms of my writing style and my personal ambitions as a writer, I love Bill Bryson, Samantha Irby, Joan Didion, David Sedaris …

In terms of how I think about the world, I have been very moved by Carl Sagan, Alan Weisman (The World Without Us), David Suzuki, Naomi Klein (I read the Shock Doctrine and Confessions of an Economic Hitman in the same month and I was a little messed up after that but better off in the long run), and also anything that explores the connection between the spiritual and the scientific. Michael Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind, Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert. Also, there is a really amazing sci-fi book that I cannot remember the name of, but the main character was a monkey who was living on a space ship in the future and I loved the commentary about humanity that the book made.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on bringing my sustainability background and my filmmaking capacity together to create a documentary, which will get into intersections between spirituality and sustainability, an exploration of what is sacred.

I am also working on completing two more books that should be finished in 2022.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is hard, because I have had different luck with different sites. I don’t think I want to answer this question. What I am working on right now is learning more about how to connect with people who have established social media platforms, as I think the best advertising may come from having people review and talk about a book on Instagram or TikTok, but I haven’t had as much success connecting into this form of marketing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1. Work at it. You don’t have to write in any certain way or certain time, but you do have to actually sit down and write. What’s stopping you? It’s probably more important to answer that question than anything else. A lot of people with a lot of good ideas stop themselves from either starting or finishing because they are afraid it’s not going to be good enough, or maybe they are afraid that it IS going to be good enough. Or they think that they have to be emotionally imbalanced to write amazing things. Or they only want to write a book once they know it’s going to be perfect. Or they are embarrassed about what they want to write about. Try to write something with the intention that it is not going to be your best work, because the truth is it probably won’t be. Just make something. You will learn from that thing and be better when you make the next thing. You have to make some things that aren’t that good in order to get better.
2. Don’t worry about rejections. Learn from them if you can, but don’t think much more about it. I have been rejected so many times it’s unbelievable, and I have learned that I don’t care – I write because I want to, I put stories out there because I want to. It’s important to think about what rejection can teach you – did someone offer critique about your style or grammar? Can this make your writing better. But sometimes your thing was rejected because someone just didn’t like it, and someone else might. Sometimes your thing was just not ready for the world to see, because there’s a better time and place in the future. Sometimes, you just haven’t found the right audience.
3. GET YOUR SHIT COPY-EDITED. PAY SOMEONE FOR THIS SERVICE. If you can’t afford to pay someone, make a trade.
4. If you are going to query agents and publishers, have a clear plan and thought-through strategy, including getting some professional feedback on your query letter and doing real research on the agencies/publishers you submit to.
5. Learn what you are good and doing and not doing and what you want to learn and don’t want to learn, and outsource accordingly. If you self-publish especially, you can’t do it all by yourself, and your book will be a lot better if you hire people to do things that you aren’t good at. If you want to learn how to create an audio book, then make your own. If you want to learn how to do graphic design and you’re good at it, then design your own cover. Otherwise, don’t, focus on what you want to do and what you are good at.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A couple of years ago, I said something to a coworker about wanting to have a month off of work so that I could finish writing my book and she said “If you can write a book in a month off work, you should quit your job and go do that.” I didn’t listen to her exactly, but I think something about what she said stuck in my head. I also think a lot about something that the author of the book Last Child in the Woods said at a book talk I attended. He said “Martin Luther King didn’t say ‘I have a nightmare.'” I think about that a lot, what’s your dream? Better to to focus on that, knowing that there are issues out there.

What are you reading now?
I always have several books at varying stages of completion. Right now I am working on Left Hand of Darkness, The Path of the Dreamweaver, The Invention of Nature, and a wonderful book called Cantoras.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am finishing two books right now. One is a collection of short sci-fi stories, all containing lesbians are the main characters. The other is a more spiritual book, and it will be more of an imagery-based book.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s hard. I actually think the Bible would be one of them, because I have always been curious about reading it since it has so much impact on our culture (I wasn’t raised religiously at all). I might choose some other religious texts as well. More practically speaking, I’d probably like one of the books to be a non-fiction guide to some of the things i may want to know to stay alive on this island…

Author Websites and Profiles
Nicole Danbom Website
Nicole Danbom Amazon Profile

Nicole Danbom’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Simon Rose 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m the author of The Alchemist’s Portrait, The Sorcerer’s Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy, The Emerald Curse, The Heretic’s Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera, The Sphere of Septimus, Flashback, Future Imperfect, Twisted Fate, Parallel Destiny, the Shadowzone series, and the Stone of the Seer series. I’m also the author of The Children’s Writer’s Guide, The Time Traveler’s Guide, The Working Writer’s Guide, The Social Media Writer’s Guide, a contributor to The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction and have written many non-fiction books with Crabtree Publishing, Beech Street Books, Weigl Publishers, and Capstone.

I offer a number of services for writers, including editing, coaching, mentoring, consulting, manuscript evaluation, and writing workshops. I’ve provided substantive and copy editing services for many other writers over the years. This has been for novels, short stories, fiction, nonfiction, biographies, inspirational books, and many other genres. I also offer copywriting services for business, including website and social media content. Full details can be found on my website at simon-rose.com. I’m the founder of Children’s Authors and Illustrators on Facebook, served as the Writer-in Residence with the Canadian Authors Association, am a member of the Calgary Association of Freelance Editors, and served as the Assistant Regional Advisor for SCBWI Western Canada.

I offer a wide variety of presentations, workshops, and author in residence programs for schools, along with virtual author visits. I’m an instructor for adults with the University of Calgary and offer a variety of workshops and writing courses for both children and adults.

You may follow me on Twitter or Instagram, or connect on Facebook and elsewhere on social media.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Stone of the Seer is an exciting historical fantasy series of adventure novels for young adults, primarily set in the turbulent period of the English Civil War.

The Stone of the Seer, book one in the series, features the Vikings, Leonardo da Vinci, and the political turmoil of the 1640s. At Habingdon House, Lady Elizabeth Usborne, Kate, and Tom encounter a magical black stone, mysterious ancient manuscripts, and the incredible time viewing device known as the tempus inpectoris, all while under constant threat from the murderous witchfinder, Daniel Tombes.

The other novels in the series are Royal Blood and Revenge of the Witchfinder, which will be published in the coming months.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if I’d call it unusual, but I do sometimes spend time in my local coffee shops with a pen and paper, usually working out any issues with a story, finalizing a specific chapter, working on a novel outline, and so on. Sometimes it’s just good to get away from the computer and get out, plus it usually helps me to make progress with a project.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
It’s probably easier to tell a story of how I first became interested in being an author. When my children were small, I started reading children’s books again for the first time in many years. Some of the books were wonderful and I wished that I could write something similar. However, some of the books were very poor and I was surprised that they’d ever been published. This made me wonder if I could write stories of my own. I started thinking that I should write fairy tales and picture books for younger children, but after reading the first three Harry Potter novels, I realized that I wanted to write for the age group that those books are aimed at. I wasn’t interested in writing about the same things, such as magic, wizards, and imaginary creatures, and instead focused on themes that I was interested in, such as science fiction, fantasy, time travel, history, comic books, ancient mysteries and civilizations, superheroes, other dimensions, and the paranormal. The novels that have been subsequently published have mostly been in these genres.

What are you working on now?
I always have a current project or two and right now I’m writing another historical fantasy novel series set in World War II. I’m also working on sequels to the Flashback series of paranormal novels, which includes Flashback, Twisted Fate, and Parallel Destiny, which you can learn more about on my website at simon-rose.com. In addition, I’m working on screenplay adaptations of the Shadowzone series and have also completed a number of picture books for younger readers, which I hope will be published soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Presentations and author-in-residence programs at schools used to be a great way to promote books, as did some of the writing conferences and trade shows at which I used to appear. The pandemic had a considerable impact on in-person promotion, but hopefully we’ll be able to get back to that at some point.

I’ve used a variety of online methods for marketing and promotion over the years and have found Awesome Gang and its affiliated sites to be very effective, especially when a book is first published. I use social media as well, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but the effectiveness of these sites varies.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Some new authors prefer not to listen to advice regarding their story, such as suggestions about possible improvements or how to fix both major and minor issues with the plot. This might happen even when something isn’t clear or perhaps doesn’t make sense. Of course, they don’t have to make changes they don’t agree with, but should at least consider them. Some new authors, particularly if they self-publish, also often don’t do enough editing and checking of their work before they make their book available to readers. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but it’s also one of the most important aspects of the writing process. I’d also advise authors to always keep their ideas, even the little ones, since you never know when they might turn into something later. Some of my most recent novels were based on ideas I had when I first became an author. They just took longer to develop, so be sure to hang on to those ideas.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t think I could pinpoint one piece of advice specifically. There have been numerous examples over the years, many of which I only realized later in life represented truly excellent advice.

What are you reading now?
Nothing specific right now, since I’ve been very busy on my own projects or working with other authors for quite a while now. Hopefully, I’ll have time to read some science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, or history books in the near future.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned, I’m currently working on a historical fantasy novel series set in the early years of World War II. I’m also working on further adventures of the characters in my Flashback series of paranormal novels. I also hope to continue working with other authors in all genres on a wide range of projects, as a coach, mentor, and editor.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I guess it would depend on how long I was going to be stranded there, but they’d probably be books in the historical, fantasy, or science fiction genres. However, I think some books featuring tips and advice on the best ways to survive on a desert island until being rescued might be the ideal choice.

Author Websites and Profiles
Simon Rose Website
Simon Rose Amazon Profile
Simon Rose Author Profile on Smashwords

Simon Rose’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Okorie Kenna 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m currently twenty years old. I’m still a student and I have written just one book

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
SHIN SEKAI: A RAIDEN’S RACING HEART.
I can’t credit the inspiration to just one thing

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I sometimes drop rhymes in my novel

What are you working on now?
SHIN SEKAI: EXODUS. a prequel to my first novel. I’m almost done writing it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I need that question answered for me

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a new author

What’s next for you as a writer?
Not sure

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Empty books so I can write with them

Author Websites and Profiles
Okorie Kenna Amazon Profile

Teece Reeder 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in a small town in North Carolina. I was born and raised here. It’s a small community who truly loves and cares for each other, almost like our own personal “Mayberry”.
I began writing as a little girl, and I couldn’t get enough. I was constantly encouraged by my Mama who also served as my toughest critic. I have written seven books. I decided about a year ago to change horses midstream and write under the name I use now to pay homage to my family. Under this name I have written one book and two others that will be released soon.
When I am not writing I can be found digging around with plants, to me nothing is quite as satisfying as dirt under my nails. Watching, guiding and cultivating seeds and plants is where I am most at home.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “A Million Thoughts of Grace ”. It was born from an actual person and events that took place and I was fortunate enough to watch it transpire. I had the idea for this book several years ago after a phone call from a lifelong friend who had known the woman who would become my inspiration and he patiently and lovingly told me tales of “Grace” that I had not known.
Grace is someone we all can relate to and we find ourselves cheering for her to overcome the many obstacles she had to face. In this book there are a few bold and outspoken voices, who stand true to the Southern female heritage. They work hard, love their family fiercely and will wage war on anyone and anything that dares to disrupt the lives of Grace, B.B. and a truly special someone named Jake.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh! Yes, I do! I must be wearing shoes to write, not flip flops ( my normal footwear) but honest to goodness shoes. I can’t form a legible sentence unless I have my sneakers on. I suppose those are my workboots in a way. Also I must have crafted a well planned out playlist for whatever time period I am writing in. For example, I have been working on a book from the 1930’s for a long time and I will only listen to music from that period as I write. As I transitioned from writing on paper to a laptop I found I must at all times have a pen and notebook on my desk, in sight. because my hand written notes are much more useful than those I have attempted to jot down via a word document.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I began a love affair with the classics as a child. Poe, Hemingway, Kate Chopin, Sara Teasdale, to name a few. The books that have had the biggest influence in my life and writing would be “To Kill A Mockingbird”, “The Scarlet Letter”. My deep connection with every written word Hemmingway penned began with “The Old Man and the Sea” as a school assignment.
Also I have been wildly obsessed with the “Foxfire” book series since I was around ten years old. I have read every book and continue to do so now, learning something new each time.

What are you working on now?
As mentioned before I have been writing a novel set in the 1930’s. I had the notion to write a prequel and I am working on that now. It is nonfiction and the main character is my beloved, maternal Grandma.
I am also assisting a new writer as he ventures down the path of becoming an author.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am old fashioned I suppose but I reply heavily on word of mouth. I really need to get with the times and learn the ropes of self promotion online. I am not completely in the dark, I have facebook and use it most often.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every single day. No excuses. I don’t care if it is complete garble, write anyway. You never know what brilliance could come from it.
Also, change locations, go outside, go the kitchen table, sit on the grass, many times when I feel stale, a simple change of location will bring about such beautiful imagery and fresh thoughts. Put some sneakers on, that does it for me!
Don’t overthink, let it flow! Don’t get caught up in looking over what you just wrote and rewrites, let that river guide you as you ride it. There is always time to go back. Don’t lose your momentum to overanalyzing, that comes much later. Write with passion, simple but true.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Mark Twain said, “Write what you know.” That quote speaks to every ounce of my being. When I begin to write I find that when I work on something I know, I feel, I have experienced, it is far more intense because I have been there and can convey it much easier. Also, don’t write for an audience, write what you see. I am unsure who to attribute that to, but it has helped guide me along the way.

What are you reading now?
I read a few books at a time, I read certain books yearly just to keep them in my memory. I have been reading Farewell to Arms for over a year and in between those sessions I am reading Prose and Poetry, a collection of classics that was released in 1943, it has a tattered spine and that old book smell. I am unsure where I rescued it from, but it is wonderful. I also read the Bible daily.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Oh my goodness, let me put some shoes on for this one! I am going to attempt to pen the nonfiction story of my grandmother who I affectionately referred to as “Mimi”. Her life was incredible and her strength was something that built my own foundation. I want the world to know her, and thankfully I have many people in my little community to help me learn more with good old fashioned storytelling about her early years. I am also prepping “Route Two Box 505” the sequel to “A Million Thoughts of Grace” for publication.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Just three or four? Alright! In no certain order,
The Bible
The Awakening -Kate Chopin
The collective works of Sara Teasdale
The Old Man and the Sea ( seems fitting since I am stranded!)

Author Websites and Profiles
Teece Reeder Amazon Profile

Teece Reeder’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Rob Phayre 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Rob delivered his first ransom to Somali pirates about twelve years ago. Since then he has helped resolve nearly 40 hostage incidents both onshore and offshore across Africa.

Rob started his career as a military helicopter pilot. After that, he moved to Africa and worked as a security and crisis manager.

Rob has led projects all around the world. From the ice and snow above the arctic circle to the deserts in the Sahara. From the jungles in Africa to the rippling waves of the Indian Ocean.

Robs experience in so many places with so many fascinating characters doing such daring deeds makes him the ideal author of The Response Files.

Rob still lives in Africa and is lucky to do so with his wife and daughters.

The Response Files can be read as individual books, but are best enjoyed by reading in the following order;

1. The Ransom Drop

2. Jungle Heist

3. The Insurgency

Awards In 2021

Rob won the Best Author Award for 2021 for his debut novel – The Ransom Drop – www.audiobookreview.com

The Ransom Drop also won The Reviewers Choice Award – www.audiobook review.com

Jungle Heist won International Runner Up for the Best Thriller award from Indies Today. – www.indiestoday.com

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Jungle Heist – I spent months in the Jungle in West Africa, where I was in command of a flight of helicopters. We lived, breathed and sweated in the bugs and humidity. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write at the same time, for one hour every day, and only for one hour.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tom Clancy, Wilbur Smith, James Patterson.

What are you working on now?
The Insurgency. Its book three in The Response Files. When insurgents attack a refinery in Northern Mozambique, everyone thinks its ‘just’ terrorism. The Associate is at it again. He doesn’t do it for the money, He doesn’t do it for the power, he just does it for…

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My social networks, and those of my friends, with sprinkling of professional posts and reviews.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Publish it. Its never perfect. Better to get your craft out there and learn!

What are you reading now?
Hail Mary by Andy Weir

What’s next for you as a writer?
Book 4, 5 6….. of the Response Files!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rob Phayre Website
Rob Phayre Amazon Profile

Rob Phayre’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Michael Schultheiss 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Michael, and I’ve spent my life pursuing knowledge and adventure in other worlds.

Growing up in rural Northern California, I spent my childhood looking for bugs and lizards and snakes. Discovering fantasy and science fiction gave me portals to other worlds, and I’ve never looked back.

Now I live in Oregon with my beautiful fiancée and our lovable rascal of a dog. In addition to writing, my hobbies include fitness, folk metal music, cooking, and game nights with friends.

How many books have I written? Four, and two of them are published (The Altar of My Fate and The Spiral of My Destiny).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is The Spiral of My Destiny, book 2 of the Rosteval Saga. At the end of book 1, The Altar of My Fate, I said: “What am I going to do with these characters now?”

I set out to answer that question by asking myself what could go wrong for them. There was quite a lot to work with.

Without giving any spoilers, I will say that one of the ideas I had early on was that it would be interesting to find a different take on a fantasy dark lord kind of figure.

What if I had a supernatural being with an unconventional reason for wanting to take over the world?

The other thing I tried to engage with was the maturation of my two central characters and their relationship. What does it mean to take responsibility and learn how to trust someone at the same time?

All of that said, it is for the reader to judge the quality of my answers to these questions. I will close by saying that I certainly had a great deal of fun writing the book!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
For one thing, I *cannot* write unless I have completed my daily workout and had breakfast. I run three days a week, and on days that I don’t run, I have to take a walk before my mind is at all fit for writing.

The other thing is the music. Despite being a folk metal music fanatic, I listen to progressive house and drum and bass while I write. It keeps me cognitively engaged without distracting me too much.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a tremendous fan of Brandon Sanderson, Jim Butcher, and R. Scott Bakker (The Prince of Nothing series is one of the finest things in print).

Recently I added two more amazing authors to my list of holy canon: Jeff Long, author of “The Descent,” and Scott Hawkins, author of “The Library at Mount Char.” I really can’t believe my luck: I read those last two books back-to-back, and they’re both absolutely god-tier.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on book 3 of the Rosteval Saga. I expect to be able to release it no later than May of 2022.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I will say that I’m a firm believer in promotional sites like this one.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Embrace writing as a routine, something that you do whether you feel like it or not.

I always use exercise as an analogy: I work out six days a week, rain or shine, whether I “want to” or not.

You’ll go through periods when you doubt yourself, periods when you don’t feel creative or inspired, periods where you don’t want to write.

If you keep at it, if you keep persevering, if you keep writing no matter what… then I think you will find that the magic always comes back.

The other big thing is to study the craft of writing. Check out Write. Publish. Repeat. by Sean M. Platt and Johnny Truant, not to mention Fiction Unboxed by the same authors.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In the writing context, the best advice I have ever heard is to write a series of story beats—bullet points, basically—and then improvise as you write the scenes. My experience is that it really does make for faster and better writing.

What are you reading now?
Malice, by John Gwynne

What’s next for you as a writer?
My plan is to complete book 3 of the Rosteval Saga, commission the cover art, and publish it—probably no later than May 2022.

After that, I have a number of series planned to various degrees. I believe the next one I’ll be working on is my space opera fantasy mythos.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Okay, 3 or 4 books? I’d choose a survival book, one of those books that teaches time travelers how to rebuild civilization from scratch. As for the other two-three titles, I’d say The Descent by Jeff Long, The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker, and Twelve Against the Gods: The Story of Adventure by William Bolitho.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Schultheiss Website
Michael Schultheiss Amazon Profile

Michael Schultheiss’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Liam Bonner 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 24 years old and from Peterborough, Canada. I’ve lived here my whole life save for when I was completing my Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics in Ireland. I have been a fan of the fantasy genre for a long time now and I’ve always had a tendency to write and be creative though it was much more recently that I came up with the idea for my book Shadow’s Awakening. It is my only book so far but there are plans for more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Shadow’s Awakening was inspired by the writing that I did with a friend of mine. It was a sort of cooperative writing exercise where we took turns writing what the characters would do or say and letting the story build from there. The characters I created and the character that they brought to the story ended up meshing so well that I just had to expand on what we had written. Shadow’s Awakening now tells the full story of those three characters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I work full time so I end up squeezing my writing in when and where I can. That being said, once I sort of get into the zone of writing, I churn out words very quickly. I managed to write, edit, and publish Shadow’s Awakening in less than a year.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is the first series that I can remember finishing in its entirety. Those books helped stoke the fire of my love of fantasy. Furthermore, I saw the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy at what may have been too young of an age, but it nevertheless became an obsession and hooked me much deeper into fantasy.

What are you working on now?
Currently I am working on a prequel novella for Shadow’s Awakening which will expand upon the world and the events that led to the start of the novel. I am also planning out two other novellas which will expand on some of my favorite parts of the book as well as a full sequel novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads has been an invaluable tool. As a self published author, a lot of my promotion ends up being done over social media or simply by word of mouth. Goodreads has been an incredible way to bring my novel directly to the audiences that are interested in it. Having a captive audience who are only there to talk about books and their authors is more than I could have hoped for.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My single biggest piece of advice is to practice. A lot of people don’t see writing as a skill like cooking or woodworking but it is. I cannot guarantee that anything you write in the beginning will be any good. Looking back at my early stuff I can’t help but cringe, but only by starting to write will you one day discover the story that will turn into your first novel. Beyond that, just write whatever makes you happy, not everyone will create numerous outlines, versions, and character profiles. Sometimes you’ll find that you can just let the story flow.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It was that if I really struggle to write a section of my story then more than likely the reader will struggle to read it. Forcing yourself through writer’s block can make for very bad writing. Sometimes it’s better to simply take a step back and try writing the scene in a different way.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas after finally bowing to the peer pressure of some of the people in a book group I am a part of, and I don’t regret it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Honestly, I’d just like to get the rest of these novellas and novels on paper. It feels like they have been living in my head for so long that I can’t even fathom what may come after. I do have an idea for a completely separate novel that’s a little less spell and sword, and a little more monsters in the real world, but that’s not for a little while.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling, The Martian by Andy Weir, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, and The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman.
All books that I could, and in some cases have, read hundreds of times and never get bored with them.

Author Websites and Profiles
Liam Bonner Website
Liam Bonner Amazon Profile

Liam Bonner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Ava Paris 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written four books. Three sci-fi romance and one contemporary romance set in my hometown of Melbourne, Australia. The latter is my most recent release.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Second Chances was inspired by my own friendships – it’s the first in a four-book series following the lives and loves of four best friends – it is also inspired by a favorite television show of mine. Can you guess which one?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, but I would love to develop some. Just to give people something to talk about when I become famous!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Right now I am being heavily influenced by everything girl best friend, which is great for my writing! I just got finished reading a series about two best friends who solve crimes together and no, they don’t have a true crime pod cast!

What are you working on now?
From Monday I will be working on the next in the besties series, the series that Second Chances is the first book for. Wish me luck!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I am the worst marketer. My books tend to find their audience though and we have a nice little community through email!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love, and someone else will love it too!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That I am not a gold coin to be loved by everyone. It takes the pressure off that I am not here to be everything to everyone and to just focus on me.

What are you reading now?
I am between books. Any suggestions?

What’s next for you as a writer?
More best friends falling in love!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Alchemist to remind me that the answers are always within; Slutever to remind me that I am the baddest bitch who needs to keep working on realising that (I wish I could be more Samantha from Sex & the City and less Charlotte) and my tattered copy of the complete works George Orwell because his work fed me for a very long time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ava Paris Amazon Profile

Lena Merriweather 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I haven’t written much, only short stories. I prefer to get to the point.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Star Rose Heroes was inspired by the classic Stan Lee, Jack Kirby run of comic books from the golden age.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If I don’t have the right playlist to blast at high volume, I’m near worthless at the keyboard.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stan ‘the man’ Lee and his personality was awesome. Todd McFarlane and his boldness in flying solo without Marvel or DC. Grant Morrison is great too, because.

What are you working on now?
The ‘Star Rose Heroes’ heroines and their continuing adventures at https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B09SFLK7T5

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have one yet, but I’m hoping Awesome Gang can be a helpful place.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. It’s cliché but entirely true. You have a passion for writing, then please keep going.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Work and inspiration will find you.

What are you reading now?
Nothing at present, been focused on my stories. But mostly I enjoy reading comic books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Nothing. I plan to continue writing these heroine characters till death comes knocking.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Daredevil: Yellow, Truth: Red, White, & Black, and All-Star Superman.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lena Merriweather Website
Lena Merriweather Amazon Profile