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T C Trojan 

Interview With Author T C Trojan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am T C Trojan I am a writer and poet, I have been writing since I was a child but this is my first book. lMy stories are science fiction and Fantasy based stories. My first book series is The Salvation Unit, book one entitled ‘The Orphans’ is currently on Amazon in both paperback and eBook/kindle. I will be writing both poetry and stories on a regular basis, as well as articles of interest on both health and current affairs. I am a member of Amnesty International.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Orphans – Salvation Unit Book 1 is based in a fantasy world and follows the lives of brother and sister Baron & Locke as they venture into uncharted territory. After the deaths of their parents in a mysterious car crash they’re thrown into a world of mayhem and fantasy a world unseen by normal people.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No unusual habits

What authors, or books have influenced you?
many authors have inspired me over the years but especially books like 1984.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on book 3 of Salvation Unit and waiting for book 2 to be edited.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It takes a lot of hard work I am currently using free promotion sites but plan on paying for marketing in the next few weeks.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As I am a new author no I think the only advice I can give is never give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up

What are you reading now?
The Taking of Annie Thorne

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a series of 12 books planned out for the first series and three series in total planned all based with in the Salvation Unit Universe.

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?
A copy of 1984
Of Mice and Men
Lord of the rings
Lord of the flies

Author Websites and Profiles

T C Trojan Website

T C Trojan Amazon Profile

T C Trojan’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Pinterest Account

Alex Fragniere 

Interview With Author Alex Fragniere

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have just finished my debut novel which is now published. It’s called In The Meantime. I’m working on two further books now. One set in the world of power and diplomacy set in the Balkans and the other, a lighter, scandalous romp set in India. I write depending on my mood!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In the Meantime. It was inspired by my friends Kelly and Dani who both passed away from cancer during the pandemic. They were strong, fun, smart ladies who always brought a smile to my face. They always said I could do it. I wanted to write about ordinary people in a pandemic. The small things that kept us going. The feeling of family. The sadness of being separated from loved ones. It’s tied in with the concept of the butterfly effect that suggests are lives pivot on the tiniest of details and motions.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know what is a usual writing habit! I write when I have ideas. If I am struggling on a particular day I don’t push through it. I want my writing to feel raw and spontaneous. I borrow a lot from my and my friends experiences , particularly the funny ones. Laughter through tears is the most wonderful emotion.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Kate Atkinson, Khaled Hosseini, Rohinton Mistry, Naguib Mahfouz, Sarah Winman and Terry McMillan amongst many others

What are you working on now?
Two! Provisional titles – The Eagle with Two Faces and Deliberate Diplobrats.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to all this so I am still learning

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take advice but don’t lose your own voice amongst all the others.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To thine own self be true

What are you reading now?
Richard Osman! Genius

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to raise money for an amazing cancer charity that offers free gym membership to those with a recent cancer diagnosis. I am giving 10 percent of any profits made from my books to this charity. Otherwise I’m working on being a kinder, more honest person. And being a good pug papa!

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 take the Naguib Mahfouz Cairo trilogy. I have read all of them numerous times but I always find something new and alluring each time

 

Jayne Booth 

Interview With Author Jayne Booth

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have enjoyed writing since I was a child, but it is only since retiring that I have dedicated time to actually publishing my writing. For years I taught vegan cooking/ healthy living classes as a certified Health Minister. I love seeing people make simple lifestyle choices that improve their health. My first book, SMASHING IDOLS: Transform Your Body Mind and Spirit with a Plant-Based Lifestyle (published in 2021 and available on Amazon) was born out of that passion. You can learn more about that topic and Smashing Idols on my blog: www.vegtutor.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, in a completely different genre, is Peeling Potatoes: Katie’s Story. It is the first book in the Rocked in the Cradle of Coal series. Written for children grades 3 – 8, it is historical fiction set in an early 20th Century North American coal mine town. Katie’s Story interweaves cultural and historical information as seen through the eye of a child trying to come to terms with her place in a world where childhood is short, poverty is real, and never having enough is normal. Despite the obstacles, Katie learns to be brave and do everything she can to help her family survive. The lessons she learns are still relevant today. I hope you will fall in love with little Katie.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think my writing habits are very unusual. I need total silence to write, but once I get in the zone I can write for hours.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have four children, and I read to them every day when they were small. My favorite children’s writers then and now are Laura Ingalls Wilder and Beverly Cleary. I think that little Katie in Peeling Potatoes is a lot like Ramona Quimby.

What are you working on now?
I am working on Book 2 in the Rocked in the Cradle of Coal series. The main character in Book 2 will be Wasyl, Katie’s older brother.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote in any way I can. I love AllAuthor.com for the many promotion options they provide. I use several different promo sites, advertise on Amazon, Facebook, and my websites.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Write what you know and what you are passionate about. Make connections with other writers and learn from each other. Don’t quit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Winners never quit, and quitters never win. The surest way to not reach your goal is to give up and quit.

What are you reading now?
I am reading an anthology, Feathers of Hope.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books about children in and around the early 1900s American coal mines. That is my heritage, so I have a lot of stories.

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?
My Bible (that contains 66 books), “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson (teaches bravery), and I think that’s it. I would also like to have an endless supply of paper and pencils so I could continue writing many more books.

Author Websites and Profiles

Jayne Booth Website

Jayne Booth Amazon Profile

 

Jennifer Greenhut Tollin 

Interview With Author Jennifer Greenhut Tollin

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am proud to say that I have written one book! In the past, I was more focused on poetry, and songwriting, and I always kept a journal…but my stage IV cancer diagnosis turned everything upside down and I was called to write the book, sharing everything I learned about the power of love, gratitude, and mindset.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title is, Everyone Needs a Larry. The inspiration behind the book was stage IV cancer, and sharing a personal survival story, with my husband, Larry, about how we survived not only cancer, but also growing as a married couple. The movie, When Harry Met Sally, was very much like how our relationship started, we were friends before the romance, and we had a similar banter. So we describe the book as, When Harry Met Sally…then Sally gets cancer!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am not sure how unusual they are, but sometimes I can have random thoughts while driving, or walking, so I am always carrying a phone to record the thoughts whenever they come. I like writing in the early morning, I start with writing down any dreams I remember, and then I write about what I am grateful for. I sometimes write as if I am living from the future, so I might write about what I have before I actually have it…maybe that is the most unusual habit?!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a huge self-help/healing/wellness reader. I love reading Michael Singer, from the Untethered Soul, Kate Bowler who write about her journey with cancer, Marianne Williamson, Gary Zukov, and Mitch Albom. I was a big fan of J.D. Salinger as a kid, and Judy Blume, yes I know, very different! Sue Monk Kidd is also one of my favorites, along with Paulo Coelho. I can read The Alchemist over and over and over again. I also am a hug fan of the playwright, August Wilson.

What are you working on now?
Well, first I am working on making an audible book, and also getting the book out there as best as I can. In addition, I’m working on developing Everyone Needs a Larry into a series, for Netflix, Hulu, or any platform that might have me. I believe our survival story will help millions, so it is very important to me to be able to get it “out there” in a big way.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still learning! If you have any advice for me, please share

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write from your heart, and… Someone told me this before, don’t expect to make any money

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Your thoughts will make or break your world. So embrace every challenge with love and gratitude… we GET to experience whatever you are experiencing. Even cancer!

What are you reading now?
Robin Roberts, Everybody’s Got Something… yes, I love other people’s memoirs, especially when they have inspiring stories and happy endings.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, I think the next book might be called, Everyone Still Needs a Larry, Even When We Don’t. The first book was about the first five years of marriage and stage IV cancer, the second book will be about the next five years, AFTER cancer, living the life with all the lessons we learned … and of course, sharing all the mishaps too…

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?
Oh boy I hate these questions. However… tuesdays with Morrie would be one, The Catcher in the Rye, The Complete Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch, and maybe something like Moby Dick since I never got around to reading that

Author Websites and Profiles

Jennifer Greenhut Tollin Website

Jennifer Greenhut Tollin Amazon Profile

Jennifer Greenhut Tollin’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

 

Kate Shanahan 

Interview With Author Kate Shanahan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Massachusetts, but spent 4th, 8th, and 11th grades living in England, and so I speak both languages (British and American) fluently. After graduating from University of Michigan with a BA in Political Science (East Asia Concentration), I taught English in Sapporo, Japan for two years. I enjoyed the experience so much, I returned to U of M for an MA in Asian Studies (Japan Specialization), and while there, worked part-time for the Center for Japanese Studies. Fortunately for me, Honda was expanding operations in Ohio around then, and they needed Americans who could speak Japanese. I spent an entire career at Honda in project, business, and people management, thrilled to be able to travel to Japan and actually getting paid to speak Japanese at work. But I kept thinking about writing a novel with Sei Shonagon (see next question) as a character, so when I retired from Honda, I started the research and writing for this novel, which became Tangled Spirits, my first – and so far only – book.

After all those years in northern latitudes, my husband and I moved to Florida’s Gulf Coast where the sunshine makes it difficult to focus on writing. But I’m determined to do it anyway.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tangled Spirits: A Novel is a time-slip historical fiction set in medieval Japan, before shogun, samurai, and sushi were a thing. My inspiration came from The Pillow Book, a journal written by Sei Shonagon, a lady-in-waiting at the imperial court of Japan in the late 10th century. Sei invented a new form of literature called zuihitsu or “miscellany.” In today’s terms, it’s more like the world’s first blog or Twitter feed (lots of lists and short anecdotes.) When I read it, I thought to myself, “I understand Sei Shonagon. I know how she feels” and then I thought, “how can that be? How can I have anything in common with a 10th century Japanese noblewoman?” So I decided to write a novel to explore that. And once I started writing, I realized I needed a way to explain Heian culture and practices without constant exposition, so I added a time-slip factor, a “foreigner” if you will, so that the reader can see and understand the era through a familiar cultural perspective. When I researched the Heian belief in spirit possession, I knew that had to be a component of the story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Fast-writing, the practice of setting a timer and then writing without any editing. It results in a bit of a mess that takes a long time to edit, but it keeps me from just sitting there thinking and re-thinking what I want to say.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy for the way it presents something outlandish as if it was completely normal. And for being hilarious no matter how many times I re-read it. Also anything by P. G. Wodehouse for the same reasons.

What are you working on now?
The next book in the trilogy (yes, I hope to write three books set in the same time period as Tangled Spirits.)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m just getting started. So far I’ve had some benefit to running an Amazon ad, although it’s a learning curve. My first “promotion” is starting next week with a BookBub ad and a Bargain Booksy ad for a Kindle Countdown Deal. I’m very interested to see what impact those will have.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t rush into KDP Select enrollment without understanding all of the restrictions placed on what you can do with your own ebook.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Another writer advised me to understand what it is I wanted from publishing my book. Did I want to make a career of it? Did I want to see it on a physical bookstore shelf? Did I want it to be widely read? That advice helped me decide not only whether to independently publish or pursue trad, but also how to set my goals for my marketing budget, where to advertise, the price of my book, and so on.

What are you reading now?
I just started Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh. The description reminded me a bit of Tangled Spirits, although the tone and plot are very different.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To be able to write faster – it took 3 years to research and write Tangled Spirits, and then a year to get feedback and edit it. Now I’ve done quite a bit of research already, I hope that helps speed it up!

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?
Dune; by Frank Herbert; if there’s a volume of the complete works of P.G. Wodehouse I’d take that; Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

Author Websites and Profiles

Kate Shanahan Website

Kate Shanahan Amazon Profile

Kate Shanahan’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Twitter Account

 

Chaitali Nath 

Interview With Author Chaitali Nath

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a young lady of 19, the daughter of two brilliant doctors, Dr. Paras Nath and Dr. Anupam Nath Gupta, the elder sister of an intelligent brother, Shubham Nath. Educationally, I’m currently a medical student at College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata. Before this, I did my schooling from Delhi Public School, Siliguri.
In my own words, I’m a passionate paradox.

I’ve written two books till date. The first one is named Soul Spoken, it released in 2018 when I was still in school. The second one is named To You, which released on the 22nd of June, 2022.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is To You. It’s a very simple yet deep title, which holds in its entirety a lot of weight.
What brought me to this was that it is dedicated to Sushant Singh Rajput. What made me stay was that it could be any ‘you’, for the book is in such a way that anyone and everyone can relate to it, and feel like it’s been written for them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I usually write at night

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve said this before, too, every book I’ve read, every author I’ve seen and read, everything that I observe, it all inspires me.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a lot of things right now. I’d like to keep that under wraps. *winks*

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just three words, “Believe in yourself”. It might look imposible, but it isn’t.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That if even one person could do it, why not me?

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Physics of the Soul by Amit Goswami. I barely get time to read recently, though.

What’s next for you as a writer?
There’s a lot of work I’ve got to do, is what I feel right now. So yes, that.

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?
Any books that help me survive? *Laughs*

Author Websites and Profiles

Chaitali Nath Amazon Profile

Chaitali Nath’s Social Media Links

Twitter Account

 

Alice McVeigh 

Interview With Author Alice McVeigh

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve had two contemporary novels published by “big-five” Orion Publishing, one thriller published by Unbound Publishing and two Jane Austenesque novels published by Warleigh Hall Press (so far).

I’m a Londoner, by way of Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore and McLean, Virginia, and married with one daughter. Before my daughter was born I toured the world as a professional cellist with lots of London orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic. My only degree is is cello performance.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation is my very personal “take” on Austen’s EMMA. Basically, I imagined that Harriet Smith, rather than being Emma’s pawn, was instead using Emma, in order to advance her own career in local society. She only pretended to be dim in order to flatter Emma’s sense of superiority, in my version.

As for what inspired it… I was inspired by thinking how few chances there were for women in the Regency period. They basically needed to marry ‘high’. They couldn’t just decide to move, as a rule – and their career choices were either manual (seamstress etc.) or becoming a governess. Not an easy life!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen (of course) in historical fiction.
In speculative thrillers and contemporary fiction… hard to say.
Writers I love: Hilary Mantel, Philip Roth, John le Carre, P.G. Wodehouse, Alice Walker, Dorothy Sayers, Graham Greene, Tolkien, Tolstoy…

I know it’s a strange list! I grew up in Asia when there was TV but not much TV in English. This is prob. why.

What are you working on now?
The third in my prizewinning Austenesque series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For reviews: Goodreads giveaways.
For promotions… no single site in particular. Depends on genre.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Maybe. I think it was a mistake to use a pen name for my speculative thriller. It’s so annoying dealing with different websites etc. Which leads into my second piece of advice: pick a genre and stick to it!!! People are impressed if you can write lots of different kinds of fiction but… the author “brand” matters. It’s easier to maintain a single author brand.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t think that one book is enough. One book that works is a good beginning; however, in order to be successful you need a minimum of three. And most of my most successful friends have more than fifteen. The authors who make the most – if money is your thing – are all in romance. I can’t write it (I won’t even READ it!) but – my hat is off – they often publish nine books a year!

What are you reading now?
I have two book clubs. One is reading Salt Lick, longlisted for the Women’s Prize for fiction, by Lulu Allison, Very gifted writer!! The other is reading Madame Bovary, which I don’t need to read, because I love it so much.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Still working on my third Austenesque book. BUT also editing my professor husband’s book (Concert life in London 1900-1914). That’s the priority, just now, because his publisher’s deadline looms…

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?
Complete Jane Austen.
Complete P.G. Wodehouse.
Completely Chekhov.
I could cope, with those…

Author Websites and Profiles

Alice McVeigh Website

Alice McVeigh Amazon Profile

Alice McVeigh’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Pinterest Account

Beth Freely 

Interview With Author Beth Freely

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Born and raised in upstate New York, with a brief and very influential stint living in Great Britain, I now calls Texas her home.

With more than 14 years of writing experience as a copywriter, I hold a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Media Communication with a minor in Marketing and a master’s degree in English and Creative Writing.

In 2003, I published some of my fanfiction online and won awards for my stories. Two years later, I was the first-place winner of the 2005 Arche Books Publishing Novel Writing Contest, Women’s Fiction with her novel “Behind the Eyes of Dorian Gray.”

“The Legend of Captain St. Pierre,” my second novel, was written with my best friend, Mariam, and is the first book in a planned trilogy.

“The Loch” is my third novel.

“Beyond The Steps of Stone” is my fourth novel and won the 2022 SPRING BOOKFEST AWARDS – 1st Place Romance/Science-Fiction and 2nd Place Science-Fiction/Aliens & Alien Invasion.

I love horseback riding, swimming, reading, and helping other authors hone their craft.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Beyond The Steps Of Stone.” It was actually inspired by a friend of mine who came to me with this idea for a book and what I thought of it. The idea went off the premise that Earth was seeded by aliens. It sparked something in me and I went home that night and wrote out the prologue and most of the first chapter.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I still like to handwrite my stories. I can have the book halfway finished in a Word document but if an idea for a chapter hits me the right way and I’m not near my computer, I’ll whip out a notebook and start writing. I write a lot of my creative blogs that way as well. There is something about handwriting a story that helps me reconnect with my craft.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oscar Wilde, J.R.R. Tolkein, and Frank Herbert are three of my favorite writers and I have consumed just about everything they wrote. I get my love of descriptive phrasing from them. Because I’m primarily a romance author, I would have to say, Christine Feehan, Johanna Lindsey, and J.R. Ward have influenced my romance writing.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on two short stories for two different anthologies. I’m trying to branch out a bit and get some short stories out to the world. I have actually been enjoying the process of the short story. I have to be more plotter than pantster when writing them to keep from rambling.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use a combination of social media posting, answering interviews such as this one, sending out a newsletter with my blogs and other announcements and in-person events. My favorite is the in-person events and while I would love to attend all of them, they can be a bit cost-prohibitive. I chose one “big event” for the year where travel is involved and then stick close to home (within a 6-hour drive) for the rest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get your story on paper. Focus on that before you even worry about its publishable, if people will like it, who it is aimed at, etc. Nothing else matters unless the story is there to be read.

Editing and formatting all come later—the story you need to tell matters most.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stick to your guns when an editor or publisher asks you to change your story. It’s YOUR story. If they cannot give you a good reason for the change, or if they are looking for some cookie-cutter format, dig your heels in.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading the dungeon master’s guide to the new Dune RPG game. My husband and I still tabletop game and I want to run a game on Arrakis!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a contemporary love story I’m working on that goes with one of the short stories I mentioned. I am also getting set to start work on the second book of the Prophecies of Fate trilogy (“Beyond The Steps Of Stone” is book 1). And I’m trying to finalize the edits on the second St. Pierre novel.

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 Hobbit
Dune
The complete works of Shakespeare

Author Websites and Profiles

Beth Freely Website

Beth Freely Amazon Profile

Beth Freely’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Pinterest Account

Ray Evenson 

Interview With Author Ray Evenson

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Toledo, Ohio. Grew up in a conservative family. I’ve written three books so far, the fourth one is in the works. I’ll definitely keep you informed about its progress.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Living With Codependency No More: 8 Quick and Easy Steps to Overcoming Codependency and Healing From Codependency and Emotional Abuse

The inspiration behind this book is the difficulty a lot of us have with getting out of abusive relationships; I mean, we know we should get up and leave, but; we just can’t… It’s hard…

That was the inspiration behind this book; I know it’s not easy to just leave, but how can we ease into the process and develop the courage to say… you know what? I’ve had enough of this..

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Don’t we all?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I used to be a huge fan (still am) of Tom Clancy. Another author whose writing has influenced me is James Altucher.

Worthy mentions are: Steven Covey, Steven Pressfield and

What are you working on now?
It’s a book on relationship conflict resolution for couples.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When it comes to promoting my books, I leave nothing to chance. We create a list of book promotion websites and blogs where my books can be featured.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing is a marathon, not a sprint. So, it’s okay to have brief stops here and there. Don’t get stuck, rest and plod on.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do all you can with what you have, where you are.

What are you reading now?
Start Late, Finish Rich by David Bach.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Explore the world, and gain newer experiences.

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?
1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

2. Executive Order by Tom CLancy

3. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

 

Bruce Scivally 

Interview With Author Bruce Scivally

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in rural north Alabama, and read lots of pulp fiction (Doc Savage novels), mysteries (Sherlock Holmes), and adventure (Tarzan) books when I was a kid. Once I was out of college, I worked in the film industry for years, including writing scripts for DVD “making of” documentaries on subjects as diverse as 007 films and Doris Day movies. I’ve written books on film history/pop culture (James Bond: The Legacy, Superman in Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, Billion Dollar Batman, Dracula FAQ), but am now beginning to write fiction.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Last Stage” is my first novel. It grew out of a love of the Western genre and having visited various sites associated with Wyatt Earp. When I then researched Earp and read that his last words were “Suppose…suppose,” I was suddenly struck with the idea of writing a novel that would primarily be his dying dream. It also allowed me to explore themes that – with so many people losing loved ones during the pandemic – are relevant to our own time: How do you come to terms with the end of your life, and how do you let go of life partners facing their final days?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I find writing to be like a roller coaster. In the beginning, as the story is forming and the structure is being mapped out, it’s like the slow beginning of a roller coaster ride, just slowly lurching forward. But once I’ve got a few chapters under my belt, it all starts to fall into place, and then it’s like moving steadily over the rises and falls until I arrive at the ending, which whips by suddenly like the final downhill plunge. More practically, my writing habits are to put on some appropriate music to stay in the mood (in the case of “The Last Stage,” I listened to lots of Western movie themes, particularly those of Ennio Morricone) and just sit with my laptop and let the ideas flow.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
To be honest, I read more non-fiction than fiction, but I still enjoy the classics (Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ray Bradbury, Louis L’Amour, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming). I’ve always appreciated the artistry of Fitzgerald, who was a master of crafting a beautifully-written sentence, and the ability of Steven King and Harlan Ellison to write in a conversational style that makes you feel that they’re sitting across the table from you just telling a story.

What are you working on now?
My next novel will be a modern take on a cozy mystery, and then I have a thriller that’s still in the early plotting stages. I generally have 3 books going at once – the one I’ve just written and am publicizing, the one I’m writing now, and the one I’m planning to do afterwards. And I keep a running file for new ideas as they crop up.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Currently, I’m pushing the book out through my own website, Facebook page, and my email contacts list. I’m also trying targeted marketing – with a Western novel, I’ve posted links to the book on Facebook pages for Western aficionados. And I’m just now learning about sites like Awesome Gang, so this old dog is learning new tricks.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Before writing, ask yourself which audience you’re writing for. Publishers – and readers – appreciate it if your book falls within an easily identifiable genre and sits comfortably within the expectations of that genre. And then do your damnedest to write the best example of that genre that’s ever been written. The key to attracting readers is simple – write a book they can’t put down.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Once you start writing, just get to the end. Don’t get stuck in the endless rewriting of passages, which can bog you down and frustrate you and keep you from finishing. Your brain has two sides – the creative side and the analytical side. Stay in the creative side until you reach the end, then turn on the analytical side for the inevitable revisions.

What are you reading now?
Book marketing websites. I recently finished “The Crazy Game” by Clint Malarchuk, the true story of a pro hockey player who struggled with mental health issues, am just starting Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera,” and I’ve just ordered Brian Woolland’s “The Invisible Exchange.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully, many more novels. “The Last Stage” was my first fiction book, and I expect it will not be my last. Next for me, hopefully, is improving as a writer and finding a loyal readership base.

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 Great Gatsby,” “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” and a book of the Top 10 strategies for being rescued from a desert island.

Author Websites and Profiles

Bruce Scivally Website

Bruce Scivally Amazon Profile

Bruce Scivally’s Social Media Links

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