Here Is Your Awesomegang Authors Newsletter
Published: Sat, 02/11/23
Please check out the authors below and share them if you like on social media and help them out.
Good karma goes a long way. If you belong to an Author group help spread the word about our free author interview series. We have started a new Facebook author group that focuses on author interviews and podcast interviews. Come Join us!
Jane Rubino
Interview With Author Jane Rubino
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My twitter bio (@janetility) pretty much says it all: I’m an author, reader, devotee of both Jane Austen and the Sherlockian Canon, serious dog lover.
I’ve written books in three categories: the contemporary mysteries were set at the Jersey shore (Death of a DJ, Fruitcake, Cheat the Devil, Plot Twist, Cake Job, Raise the Dead); the Jane Austen pastiches were co-authored with my daughter: Lady Vernon and Her Daughter and the short story What Would Austen Do? in the Jane Austen Made Me Do It anthology.
The Sherlockian works are Knight Errant: The Singular Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (3 novellas in one volume); The Rucastles’ Pawn (a Kindle novella); Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure. I’ve also written a number of short stories for MX Publishing’s anthology series.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure
In The Sign of Four, Holmes tells Watson that the most winning woman he ever met was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance money. It’s a rather shocking comment, but provocative. I decided to craft a Sherlockian/Victorian thriller that would justify the remark.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always enjoyed classics: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Conan Doyle, Edith Wharton, but I also get a kick out of Elmore Leonard. I think the common thread is that they all craft memorable characters, down to the minor players. And because I think dialogue is one of the key components to character, I appreciate authors who have a knack for it.What are you working on now?
Beyond saying that it’s a historical, I don’t usually discuss my WsIP.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know. I do have limited social media and have someone who is doing content management for my recent book, mostly Instagram, but I don’t maintain a website. At one point, I did have a web site and found that keeping it current was taking time away from writing. I’ve seen many author sites where the most recent post is three or more years old, so I imagine they feel the same. For authors, I think guest posts are a better way to go, and offer content that may help promote the host site.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. Over the years, I’ve met many authors from all walks of life and the one thing they had in common was that they were all readers. I firmly believe that if you don’t read, you can’t write.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Again; Read. Reading makes writers.What are you reading now?
I’ve gotten into a lot of latter 19th century, Golden Age fiction lately. Right now, it’s The Witness on the Roof, by a little known mystery author, Annie Haynes.What’s next for you as a writer?
If any writer says with conviction that he or she knows what’s next, they’re not being realistic. You never know what’s next.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 Bible
The Sherlockian Canon
The Complete Jane Austen
Escaping From A Desert Island for Dummies.
Bonnie Nedrow
Interview With Author Bonnie Nedrow
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been practicing naturopathic medicine for the past 22 years and have published 2 self-help health books and a cookbook. I am passionate about helping people heal their metabolism and achieve optimal wellness.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, Metabolic Flexibility, How to Heal Your Metabolism with a Ketogenic Diet was inspired by a personal health decline that my general medical approach did not correct. I had been noting the same type of challenge in many of my clients – slow but steady weight gain, insomnia, increased anxiety and worsening lab results linked to chronic disease. Eating keto helped me reverse my symptoms and create metabolic flexibility, something I did not know I was even missing. I knew I was onto something – a health transformation that could help people like me recover their metabolism and enjoy healthy aging.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a morning bird, the best time for me to write – actually to create anything – is 4 or 5 AM. I love getting so much done before other people are even awake.What authors, or books have influenced you?
Berne Brown (all her books!), You2 by Price Prichett, Trust by Iyanla Vanzant AND any and all hiking books by William L. Sullivan.What are you working on now?
Implementing the programs that my books describe.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I generally take a boots on the ground approach by promoting my books at speaking engagements and to my followers.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write about what you do, you love and/or the stories floating in your head.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write it down from the heart – free-flow, no pause or corrections. Then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.What are you reading now?
Working with the Law by Raymond HolliwellWhat’s next for you as a writer?
I have had a book about preconception optimization rolling around in my head for awhile.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?
Backyard Medicine by Julie Bruton-Seal & Matthew Seal
Poetry as Spiritual Practice by Robert McDowell
Consolations by David WhyteAuthor Websites and Profiles
Bonnie Nedrow’s Social Media Links
Sara Reynolds
Interview With Author Sara Reynolds
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Sara. I’m 26 years old and have currently only written and published one book, but that’s going to change real soon.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called “Silencing The Siren”, and it was actually inspired by a dream that I had when I was really sick.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I know a lot of authors think this is weird, but I like to sit and write on my bed. I’d rather be comfortable when I’m working.What authors, or books have influenced you?
Honestly, there’s a lot, but I think Tolkien is big on that list. And probably the House of Night series.What are you working on now?
Right now, I am working on a sequel book, which will be called, “The Siren’s Storm”.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter. Always Twitter.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yeah, just don’t give up.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Oh gosh, I’ve gotten so much, but encouragement keeps me going more than anything.What are you reading now?
Currently, I am reading Leviathan Wakes. It is the first book in its series, and it inspired the Amazon series, The Expanse.What’s next for you as a writer?
Just more writingIf 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?
Don’t make me choose, lol. That’s meanAuthor Websites and Profiles
Sara Reynolds’s Social Media Links
William Gallion
Interview With Author William Gallion
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Chicago in poverty, I was abandoned by both of my parents and raised by my aunts and uncle. Through that experience I was victim to and witnessed a lot of violence in my life and I found myself wanting to focus on love and healing instead of repeating the cycles I was used to after struggling with depression and anxiety for years. I have only written one book at the moment but, I’ve been writing for 8 years nowWhat is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Thoughts and Feelings of a Madman. This title was inspired by the actions I took before writing the book. I quit my job, cut off all of the people around me, and went into total self-isolation. I felt like a Mad Man for giving up a well paying job and a bunch of friends and family and being alone in my apartment for 100+ days with no savings, no back up plan, no one to call, with only my thoughts feelings.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing is very free flowing and doesn’t follow a structure. I write this way because I think this way. I clean it up a bit after but I love when what I write reflects my thought process. It’s like taking the reader on the journey with me.What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love this question. Edgar Allen poe, Maya Angelou, Rupi Kaur, Rudy Francisco, and more.What are you working on now?
It will be an auto biography of my life. It will focus on how watching my parents and other adults in my life abuse drugs and battle mental illness, as well as living in gang war zones for most of my life, as well as living with a neurological disorder has shaped and molded the way I see the world and how it created a lot of codependency, insecurity, and struggles with addiction myselfWhat is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I am working on building a brand website but you can follow me on tiktok at shands795Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it. Don’t worry about the reception, it doesn’t have to be perfect, just get your art out there.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn to Love yourself now as you continue to grow and become better. No one is perfect and no one should stride to be. The be the best person you can be for you and that make look different everyday but don’t give up.What are you reading now?
I am reconnecting with my inner child so I have been rereading the Percy Jackson series.What’s next for you as a writer?
I will just continue to produce, support, and embrace what I love and focus on sharing that with the worldIf 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 Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe, The King Within by Robert Moore and David Gillette, The Titans Curse by Rick Riordan, The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald
Dan Albaum
Interview With Author Dan Albaum
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an accomplished global marketing leader with more than three decades of experience who recently published my first book on exceptional business leadership.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Impact Makers” is the title and was inspired by my own experiences building high performing teams and interviews with more than 75 exceptional leaders around the world who are committed to a servant leader mindset in empowering their teams to be all they can be.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I apply positive energy into every interaction I have, and have come to appreciate the value of doing more listening than talking.What authors, or books have influenced you?
A few books that have inspired me are Lead with No Fear by Steve Gutzler and Mike Acker, The Five Disfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni and Good To Great by Jim Collins.What are you working on now?
My focus is on sharing key insights from the The Impact Makers at author events, webinars and podcasts.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and NobleDo you have any advice for new authors?
Structure your book writing project into smaller increment goals. Rather than marathon writing sessions, organize your time into smaller daily writing sessions whenever possible. This will keep you fresher and less likely to burnout by trying to take on too much at once. Also, find someone who has been through the writing and publishing process to serve as a sounding board and source of advice, saving you valuable time!What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be true to yourself and your values.What are you reading now?
Fear No Man by Mike GastineauWhat’s next for you as a writer?
A collaboration with a fellow writer to explore the essence of creativity and the creative process to create more meaningful connections with your audience.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 Bible, The Impact Makers, Start With WhyAuthor Websites and Profiles
Dan Albaum’s Social Media Links
Katlyn S. Coen
Interview With Author Katlyn S. Coen
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
The age of the Vikings (late 800s) has always been a magnet for me. Accompanied by my husband and our three children, I traveled extensively through northwestern Europe, learning about the local history. There, I explored the footsteps of my characters and of my Norwegian grandfather, whom I never knew. In 2015, I published her my medieval romance novel in Germany. Since then, I have published thirteen romance novels, including time travel novels and contemporary novels under the pen name Katlyn S. Coen. I was born in Heidelberg, Germany, the world’s capital of romance. With my family and five exceptionally perfect Norwegian forest cats, I live in a small town nearby. In the summertime, you can catch me writing at the seaside in the Netherlands.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, TATTOOED SWEETNESS, was inspired when I was grocery shopping at the local discount store and spotted a couple who were a perfect match: she the incarnation of a young successful businesswoman – he a full-body tattooed hunk of a man.
While still putting away the groceries at the checkout, my mental cinema jumped into action, formulating the scene of these two meeting in my bookDo you have any unusual writing habits?
I usually dream the scenes before I write them down. And, as mentioned above, in summer I prefer to write on the shore of the Dutch IJsselmeer.What authors, or books have influenced you?
Unfortunately, you will not know most of the authors and books because they are German or European:
Erich Kästner, Astrid Lindgren, Rita Falk, Henning Mankell.
The roots of my ambition to write historical novels that combine authenticity and a love story are rooted in the fact that when I was 13 I read first Frans G. Bengtsson’s Röde Orm and then Kathleen E. Woodiwiss’ Shanna.
My current favorite authors are Sandra DelPopolo, Sandra Pulletz, and Cleo Lavalle. (all German/Austrian)What are you working on now?
Something completely new for me: a dystopiaWhat is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
If only I knew that!Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read as much as you can. Live! Observe people.
When you start writing, find other novice writers and proofread your writing for reciprocity.
You learn so much when you edit other people’s texts.Write the same chapter from different perspectives, Write the same chapter in different PoVs (first person, third person, omniscient narrator), in different tenses, through the eyes of different characters, sometimes closer, sometimes farther from the narrating protagonist.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you want to make money, get a job as a grocery store cashier – don’t write.What are you reading now?
Unfortunately, a lot of (bad) news in our newspapers.What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows?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’d bring my laptop and solar charging. *smile*Author Websites and Profiles
Katlyn S. Coen’s Social Media Links
Bianca D’Orazio
Interview With Author Bianca D’Orazio
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am author of 37 published titles, but only one of them is under my identity as Bianca D’Orazio (my real name is Lee Ann B. Marino). I identify Bianca as my “alter ego” by which I explore the depths of fiction and fictional themes as opposed to my nonfiction writing. As Bianca, I have written one novel, which was recently released.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is titled The Morning After the Night Before. One morning almost two years ago I was getting ready to go out and I had an idea for a complex novel about modern-day dating with a social and political conspiracy twist that would make things worthwhile. (Let’s just say historical events that coincided around the same time also provided great inspiration!) While writing it, I drew on inspiration from my experience as a widow exploring the world of dating again after fifteen years off the scene, from the varied interesting people I met in the process, and research into different social conspiracies and ideas present – and scarily popular – at the time.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say my writing habits are any more unusual than any other writer. True writers are their own breed of people: we see and process the world very differently from those who do not write. Inspiration is found everywhere, anywhere we are willing to look. That drives writers to write at strange hours and unusual times with the most passionate drive to express our necessary words. We write, and we cannot stop writing; it is a compulsion as well as a lifeline, all in one.What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was in my late teens I developed a deep love for philosophy. This prompted me to major in philosophy, religion, and theology when in college. I’d say the combination of the three have definitely influenced my literary inspiration, even if I am not writing books on those topics. Some of the greatest fictional prose was written by philosophers or religious figures, but it isn’t given such regard, simply because its content was absorbed by “philosophy.” Albert Camus’s The Stranger, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground, Voltaire’s Candide, and Søren Kierkegaard’s Diary of a Seducer all stand out as profound fictional inspirations that speak my philosophical language.What are you working on now?
I am currently working on two fictional works: One taps into dystopian fiction and the other taps into autobiographical fiction. Even though fiction writing is definitely a hobby, I find it a strangely cathartic release. I say there’s a little bit of me in at least one of the characters in all my fictional books, thus prompting me to explore more of fiction – and more of myself.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon Authors is definitely a wonderful way to promote books. Beyond that, social media gives us many different ways to share our work with the general public. Whether it’s promotions on Facebook, short videos on TikTok, blogging, or just talking about the book with others – there’s no way to go wrong by using internet resources for book promotions.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing for the first time is always a challenge. Finding your voice, especially through writing, can be shocking at first. Writers write not to “author a book,” but because they have to write. There is a drive, a force beyond any one of us that pushes out the thoughts and compels us to share, even if sometimes what we write challenges us. Follow that drive, even if what you write doesn’t make sense to you initially. Follow that drive, even if your books require a lot of editing. Get your voice out there. Let writing be your primary love affair: warm and inviting at times, cold and heartbreaking at others, and engaging, nonetheless, as you come back time and time again for the thrill it offers.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’m not the biggest on advice, but I definitely like – and appreciate – sound thoughts. Most of the time what I see resonates with me, not because it’s advice, but because it hits something within me. Perhaps the deepest words I have heard were seen on a meme: “I don’t pay attention tot he world ending. It has ended for me many times and began again in the morning.” This just makes sense to me as I have felt it – lived it – seen it – been it – too many times before. Every day, the sun comes up again. Everything has the power to begin again.What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Believing in God: Readings on Faith and Reason (Ed. L. Miller) and Samaritan Exegesis: A Compilation of Writings from the Samaritans (Amram, Son of Isaac and Jacob, Son of Aaron).What’s next for you as a writer?
I do hope to finish the other fictional books I have started. As a writer, I never know for certain what is next. Inspiration can take us in any different number of directions. I know in all things, though, that whatever comes, I will keep writing. There will always be more to say.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’d bring a huge volume of philosophical essays by the great existentialist writers, the Bible (because I keep coming back to that time and time again) and a compilation volume of classic novels. Enough to keep me entertained, keep me thinking, and inspire me to write, even if I am in the middle of nowhere.Author Websites and Profiles
Bianca D’Orazio Amazon Profile
Bianca D’Orazio’s Social Media Links
Tibby Armstrong
Interview With Author Tibby Armstrong
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an LGBTQ+ Romance Author who has penned ~30 books over 5 series. My most recent is the gay polyamorous series, The Asylum Fight Club, with Bianca Sommerland.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It Had to Be You is the 19th book in The Asylum Fight Club series. The novel focuses on a rift between two beloved characters in this episodic series. Deep point of view and difficult moments deepen the story and bring all of the characters in this series to the next level in preparation for some adventures in books to come.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My co-author and I write in the same Google doc at the same time, alternating paragraphs. We each have a set of characters we write, making the process sometimes feel more like an improvisational live theatre performance than a novel. It is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life!What authors, or books have influenced you?
I was a big Romance reader from a young age and cut my teeth on Johanna Lindsey, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Jude Devereaux, and Julia Quinn. I began reading Paranormal Romance in the early 2000s, and love anything with vampires!What are you working on now?
Bianca Sommerland and I are preparing to release the 20th novel, Past Justice, in The Asylum Fight Club series.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
We love Bookbub, our own Facebook group with a hugely active community, and our Discord server where fans even write their own Fan Fiction! Our deeply devoted fan base is full of fun people who enjoy deep characterization and have a voracious appetite. We can’t write fast enough for them!Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what speaks to you, not what you think the market wants. Your authenticity and original voice will allow you to shine through and make lasting reader connections.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t write unless it’s something you can’t live without. If you’re doing something for fame or money, you will be miserable and will ultimately lack follow-through. Follow your passion!What are you reading now?
A graphic novel titled Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. I’ve recently discovered the graphic novel Romance sub-genre and I am gobbling up so many. Also on the list is Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.What’s next for you as a writer?
Bianca Sommerland and I will be working on the next two books in a three book arc for The Asylum Fight Club. We are also hard at work on a spin-off series with more stand-alone storylines that will allow readers an entry point to The Asylum 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?
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall, The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian, and my Complete Works of Jane AustenAuthor Websites and Profiles
Tibby Armstrong Amazon Profile
Fred Felton
Interview With Author Fred Felton
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Durban, South Africa. My education took me around South Africa and I also studied for a Diploma in Drama. My interest in writing started at an early age and I loved reading comics and then the books of Stephen King.I have written over 5 books and edited one book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled ‘Nightmare Destinations’ and it was inspired by the writings of Stephen King and the writings of many short story writers. It features 6 short stories that are a collection of mystery, horror, crime and even science fiction. Each story was inspired by moments in my life and I have shaped these stories into interesting pieces for readers.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I sometimes keep a pen and paper near my bed as I might be inspired at any time of the day or night. So I might go running to the pen and paper to jot down my latest idea for my next book or story.What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, W.Somerset Maugham and the writings of Shakespeare have influenced me greatly.Books that have influenced me include ‘The Stand’ ‘It’ and ‘The Dark Tower Series’ by Stephen King.
What are you working on now?
At present I am working on a new collection of short stories which should be out next year sometime.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have learnt a great deal from the Awesome Gang site and I must also commend the Kindlepreneur website which is filled with useful tools to promote books. Social Media is also a powerful tool for writers so I use sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram a great deal to market my books.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Many authors approach me all the time saying they want to write a book. My only advice is to start it. Talking about it will not get the book done. You have to write it.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stephen King advises writers to read a lot and to write a lot. I have to say that is some of the best advice I have heard.What are you reading now?
At present I am reading Stephen King’s book ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’.What’s next for you as a writer?
Up next for me is to help promote my new book ‘Nightmare Destinations’ and I am also developing a series which should hopefully be going into production soon.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 following books with:1. The Stand by Stephen King
2. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
3. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent PealeAuthor Websites and Profiles
Fred Felton’s Social Media Links
Joshua Taylor
Interview With Author Joshua Taylor
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book, A Face of the Master’s Cube. A Science Fiction book. I’m an IT Project Manager by day and Sci Fi enthusiast by night. I never realized I like writing so much until I took up a challenge from my fiancé to write my own sci fi after complaining one evening about a movie with overly reiterated themes that I could not find true enjoyment in because of its predictability. Anyway, here I am now and I hope to continue writing. I have several cool as hell stories stuffed in my head I’ll eventually have to let out into the world but for now it will have to come slowly. I have to work during the day and I’m old.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Well, I gave that one away in the above answer. My book is a collection of Sci Fi short stories. Each one is unique. You might think you can figure out the ending. Think again. The way I choose to write makes every reader from teen and up think about the science and the characters all at the same time. Sometimes I write just for fantasy but most stories are filled with some sort of hard science and theory and challenges those norms. At the same time, it is just a great all-around story will well built characters and excellent plot archs.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in spurts. I’ll do as little as 100 to 150 words in a day when I just can’t get going up to 3500 words in day on a rainy Saturday working almost non-stop 6am to 11 pm. I’ve done that a couple times. Sometimes it just flows like that and other times you can’t even buy a vowel.What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m not going to name names because in the Sci Fi community you can catch yourself a whirlwind of people asking you, why not this modern author, or why not that classical author. People are very, very touchy about who they like, love, and promote as the greatest of all time in this genre. I will say this though, I’ve found when answering this question in other forums that many younger people just cannot put the classic author’s in the right perspective. In fact, they tend to have very little genuinely insightful perspective about many of the classical Sci Fi authors. But when you really think about them and the times they lived in and then take into consideration what they wrote, you see how great they really were. They all wrote for their generation with incredible creativity. We have so much science nowadays, we have to either directly challenge the science that exists, as I do when confronting hard science in my stories, or step way out into unbelievable levels of scientific fantasy for which there is little or no science to build upon. It just is what it is in the story. That’s cool with me but I like a little more of a challenge sometimes. Other times I’m like everyone else and just want to be whisked away into a great story. So to answer this question completely, I’m greatly influenced by the classical Sci Fi authors but I’m also influenced by several modern writers as well, including some modern female authors who are really quite excellent. I won’t name names, but the ladies have made up ground in a big way in modern Sci Fi.What are you working on now?
I have several stories outlined in separate documents now. Sometime during the holidays coming up, I’ll start a true Sci Fi novel I’ve been mulling for a month or two now. I’ve also outlined 11 other sci fi short stories which will eventually work their way into follow on books to, “A Face of the Master’s Cube” short stories. The Master’s Cube is my construct for a collection of short stories (small cubes on small cubes) making a larger cube.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Do you have any advice for new authors?
You don’t know what you’re getting into. If you think you are going to make money from anything you write, you are sadly mistaken. Everyone involved in helping you get your book out the door and promoted wants more from you than you’ll ever make from their efforts. What you make off each sale is a pittance and you will be pressured to give away hundreds if not thousands of copies of your book for free, and that will be your reader base. People who read free books. You have to want to write for the love of writing itself. You will get no other reward and you will shell out a lot of your own money to end up with little to no sales in the end and a thousand hours in your own labor. What are you worth per hour? Start a YouTube channel instead.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just get up and keep going. Eventually the universe fades us all into oblivion.What are you reading now?
Taking a break from any reading before I engage in my next writing effort. Need a clear mind.What’s next for you as a writer?
A Sci Fi 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?
Lord of the Flies, How to Make Friends and Influence People, Sun Tsu’s Art of War.Author Websites and Profiles
Joan Havelange
Interview With Author Joan Havelange
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Joan Havelange, the author of 5 mystery novels. Murder Exit Stage Right is my 5th mystery, published in October 2022. And I’m working on my 6th.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Murder Exit Stage Right takes place at a drama festival. I directed little theatre for many years and have a lot of ammunition. but I did love directing. I find writing a lot like directing, except all my characters show up on time and know their lines. although they sometimes go off in a direction that I didn’t anticipate.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do have a lazy boy chair that I curl up in to write. It is a very ugly chair, but it works for me. I also get more writing done in the winter. It’s cold outside.What authors, or books have influenced you?
Agatha Christie, Rhys Bowen, Lynwood Barclay and many more.What are you working on now?
Moving is Murder is my work in progress. Mabel, my protagonist, is trusting the wrong person; it doesn’t look good for her. It might lead to her demise. She’s been lucky so far in her other adventures. This might be her last. I haven’t decided. The publication date is October 2023.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The Awesome Gang, of course. Facebook, Twitter. I’m not sure if Instagram is beneficial. And book clubs are great.Do you have any advice for new authors?
edit, edit, edit. readers deserve a well-written book. But never give up, you have a story to tell. And it won’t get told sitting in a drawer.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The first draft is a story your telling yourself. Then edit.What are you reading now?
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. I highly recommend his book.What’s next for you as a writer?
My publisher has asked me to write a historical mystery. I have picked the 1900s set in the new capital city of Saskatchewan. This is great fun researching what was happening at that time. The mystery is scheduled to be published in March 2024.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?
Anything by Richard Osman, Lynwood Barclay and Rhys Bowen.Author Websites and Profiles
Joan Havelange Author Profile on Smashwords
Joan Havelange’s Social Media Links
DAVID WOLF
Interview With Author DAVID WOLF
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing a variety of novels for several decades now. My first published novel is Mindclone, about the consequences of uploading a mind to a computer. Those consequences are both hilarious and serious, especially when the newly-created Mindclone is in love with his “donor’s” new girlfriend. I’ve decided to self-publish all my other novels, including four crime novels, plus a romantic comedy about a guy in advertising who falls in love with a starlet–set back in the MadMen Era. They’re all available on Amazon, and can be seen at my Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/David-T-Wolf/e/B00BWI5I1A/What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is a ripped-from-the-headlines murder trial in which the woman accused of murdering her husband just wrote a book called How to Murder your Husband. I’m still trying to get an agent for this one, so it’s not yet available. The title: Who Shot Harry Krishna? Obviously, what inspired it is the real case in which a woman was actually convicted of murdering her husband after writing a blog entitled, How to Murder your Husband. This woman left many clues beyond her blog, and the law brought her down. In discussing this case with my daughter, I got a bright idea of how she could have mounted a defense. My book is told from the point of view of her hapless attorney, whose girlfriend points out that with a million TikTok followers, if he won this case, he’d be famous.What authors, or books have influenced you?
So, so many! Donald E. Westlake, for his hilarious Dortmunder books; Nelson DeMille for his wryly-comic John Corey novels; Ray Kurzweil for his brilliant predictions of the ways Artificial Intelligence will affect our future; the great Golden Age science fiction authors including, Clarke, Asimov, Sturgeon et alia. Richard Powers for his depth and beauty. I could go on and on!What are you working on now?
Just in the process of self-pubbing my novels, so going through them once more, formatting them, arranging for covers and so on–plus pitching my comic crime novel, Who Shot Harry Krishna? to agents in hopes of gaining a traditionally published novel at long last!What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t see a lot of success this way, but I use Twitter and Facebook mostly. I have a new site on Allauthor.com that features my four crime novels, so I’ve been putting that out on Facebook, Twitter and via email to my friends and acquaintances.Do you have any advice for new authors?
I can tell you that for me, being in a critique group has been essential because I find it’s too easy to fall in love with my own writing and be blind to its flaws. Having fresh eyes on the text has been a major help for me. Others may differ, suggesting you go deep into your own vision and let that rule.What are you reading now?
The Dictionary of Lost Word, by Pip Williams. Also, American gods, by Neil Gaiman.What’s next for you as a writer?
Scrounging for reviews! You can’t get people (strangers) to consider buying your book if they don’t see that at least a half dozen readers liked it. My sci-fi novel Mindclone has managed to garner some 60 reviews, which is wonderful, especially since the star rating is in the very high fours! So if any of you like intricate crime novels leavened with spots of wry humor, please head on over to my allauthor site and pick one or two to read and post reviews! Here’s the link: https://allauthor.com/author/wolfman141/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?
Fat ones! Definitely one of Richard Power’s, like The Time of our Singing. The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson. The Hummingbird’s Daughter, by Luis Alberto Urrea. The Passage of Power, by Robert Caro–a masterful, almost novelistic partial biography of LBJ!Author Websites and Profiles
DAVID WOLF’s Social Media Links
Anna Emm
Interview With Author Anna Emm
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a South African author, living in Cape Town with my husband and two daughters. I grew up in a house surrounded by art, theater and literature, and have been writing stories all my life. I have a diploma in primary school education, and taught 8-years olds for four years. This was where I really discovered the value of stories, as I witnessed first-hand how books and stories transformed children’s minds, emotions and self-confidence.In 2006 I founded my own production company through which I wrote and produced more than 3000 original children’s stories, most of which were recorded and distributed in audio format. In 2015, my company won the AfriGrowth Award for Small Business of the Year. By the time I closed the business in 2020, my children’s stories had become quite a household name in South Africa.
Although the children’s story thing progressed naturally from my teaching years, I don’t see myself as a children’s story author. My big passion is writing cross-genre novels for adults = something I take very seriously – and I hope to find international representation for my books.
Up to date I have self-published 5 children’s books, 17 young adult books, 2 collections of short stories, 21 romance novels, 4 suspense novels, and 38 novellas. I also wrote and produced 4 plays and 12 children’s theater plays.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is a thriller called, “Bartholomew’s in love” (100k words). It is about a man’s quest to escape a cult community set on an isolated island, guarded by a vengeful siren.The story was inspired by two real-life events: (1) the 1677 mutiny on a Dutch slave ship, Meermin, and it’s subsequantial stranding on the South African coast, and (2) the death of my mother earlier this year. I was thinking a lot about freedom, the people who inspire us to take on such a pricey journey, and the fears that stand in our way.
I wrote the first draft (100k words) of “Bartholomew’s in love” in 20 days locked away in a small hotel room overlooking a canal.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My routine with every book is different. Some stories require a dark room and a candle. Some wants to be written at night, some in the early morning. Some stories demand total isolation, and some craves the noise of busy coffee shops. Some stories flow pretty much everywhere – in the car, or sitting in bed, or even on some rock by the sea. The only constant is that I always consume gallons of coffee while writing!What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a teenager I was greatly influenced by South African author, André Letoit, (aka Koos Kombuis), who was part of the anti-apartheid Voëlvry-movement. Crime writer, Agatha Christie, has also been a big influence because of her free, informal writing style, her maze-like plots, and her quirky characters and sharp dialogue. I read across genres and enjoy original voices that tell inspirational stories – no matter the style or setting.As a young child my father took me to many theater plays and art exhibitions, and I think, maybe even more than the books I’ve read, these experiences have greatly influenced the way I tell stories.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a rewrite of my fantasy thriller, “Road To Un”, and also on a new novel called “Family Ghosts”. The latter is a whodunit with a paranormal twist.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook works for me. I have always had a loyal following there. I sell a lot of books locally through my website, and also recently got myself hooked on Goodreads…Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot. Read across genres and styles. It will help you discover what stories you like and what stories you don’t like, and it will help develop your unique style. You can not become an authentic voice when you’ve only been influenced by one kind of voice. Then you will become a copy of that one voice.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Sometimes it takes more courage to admit you are on the wrong path (to stop, and change direction to the right path), than it takes to keep on trying to make it work on the wrong path.What are you reading now?
I am currently listening to “Daisy Darker” by Alice Feeney on audiobook, and I am about to start reading “The Central Line” by Saskia Sarginson. I finished “The house on Fripp Island” by Rebecca Kauffman yesterday.What’s next for you as a writer?
I would love to find international representation for my books.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?
“Night Watch” by Terry Pratchett,
“The Ten Thousand Doors of January” by Alix E. Harrow,
“A Bright Ray of Darkness” by Ethan HawkeAuthor Websites and Profiles
Anna Emm’s Social Media Links
Kevin W Cousins
Interview With Author Kevin W Cousins
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
To me, writing about myself has never come across as a natural process. I feel disconnected from the events of the past, even the exciting parts. Conversely, when I sit down to write a story, I draw from these experiences in a way that I find interesting.
As far as my work goes, I don’t see myself as an author. I’ll never be a Tolkien, Wells, or King. You won’t find a Ph.D. in my biography nor word formation as concise and eloquent as Orwell or Lewis. No, I see myself as more of a literary storyteller. If I can create a picture in your mind then, as far as I’m concerned, I’ve done my job.
When I’m not making my own worlds, I live an average existence in a small town by the river. Our home, these days, consists of myself, a loving wife, my stepdaughter, her fiancé, and their two adorable children. I was married, a tale worse than any of my horror stories, and have an estranged son somewhere in the world.
As of this interview, I’ve written, drawn, and published twenty-one books. Here’s the list so far: ex-hi-bi-tion (also available in Audible), ex-hi-bi-tion More Shorts, Larry and the Creeping Horde, Bride of Larry, Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Larry, Larry the Spider Addition (2nd Edition), Larry (an illustrated adaptation to the short story), Second Chance Gate, Crossing, Crossing 2, Bignose (illustrated), Grazer’s Edge, Grazer Claws, Grazer Wire, Grazer Disc, Grazer Sharp, Trail Grazer, Hairgrazer, Grazer Burn, Grazer Consequences, and Hanlon’s Grazer.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Hanlon’s Grazer is the tenth book in the Hugo Grazer Chronicles. Although it’s my intention to write more about the Grazer family, this book was written as an ending to the time period discussed throughout the book series. I hope to go back and fill in some dates with new stories but these books make up the framework. As for inspiration, the series takes place in the 1980s into the early 90s. I used my experiences from that period, from growing up in a lower income single parent family, my failings as a young adult, and spun it on its head. What remains are mysterious creatures, a secret government organization, and Hugo Grazer’s family.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I get the sense that most writers come up with their own system and that’s what propels their stories. For me, my pattern has changed over time.
The old-school method of writing included multiple drafts. I type, two-fingered, until I get the basic idea on the screen then go back several times, moving sentences, ideas, and characters until I’m satisfied with the result. I keep a progress journal but don’t always put every single idea inside.
My first few books were a struggle to get into print. As I’ve progressed, it’s become more about how much information to tell the reader.
Is that unusual?What authors, or books have influenced you?
There have been a number of authors that have got me thinking about writing, Stoker, Levin, Robert E Howard, etc. Many of the books today, however, are examples of what I don’t want my writing to reflect. These concepts are fine for their fan base but I don’t want them to influence my story creation. The simplest answer to this question is that I’m influenced by internet searches, the news, old radio programs, my outdated comic collection, and classic authors (Poe, Lewis, Orczy, and so on).What are you working on now?
When Hanlon’s Grazer went to print, I pondered what I’d do next. I had a lot of ideas but, the way the process typically works is that I’ll fool around with a few concepts and then put them away. By then, I’d set my heart on a specific project. In this case, I started working on two children’s books but decided to work on an Addition to the Hugo Grazer Chronicles. I’ve been drawing, writing, and organizing this illustrated book since the end of March. It’s been a lot of work and I hope, when completed, it’ll be well received.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To date, the method that has worked best for me is to step out my front door and tell anyone that’ll listen.
“Hey, buddy. I have this wonderful book of short stories I want to tell you about. There’s an alien spider that terrorizes a family, an autistic man that becomes a superhero, and even a zombie story. It’s called ex-hi-bi-tion. You should check it out.”Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. If you don’t want to lose money upfront, avoid any service that charges hundreds of dollars. There are plenty of ways you’ll lose money as a self-publisher. Your first goal, however, is to get published! Find a company that charges a small sum and get your work out there.
Warning! If you haven’t already noticed, the online competition is INSANE!What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I believe it was in Barbara Abercrombie’s A Year of Writing Dangerously. She used a castle analogy for writing. The idea was to ‘pull up the drawbridge and get to work.’What are you reading now?
I just finished Norm MacDonald’s Based on a True Story. There are funny parts but, overall, I’d have used fresh standup material.What’s next for you as a writer?
That’s always a dilemma. After the Hugo Grazer Chronicles Addition, I was considering a murder mystery. Time will tell.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, any of Ian Fleming’s 007 novels, Where the Wild Things Are (I love Sendak’s work), and maybe the Bible (there are a million stories inside).Author Websites and Profiles
Kevin W Cousins Amazon Profile
Kevin W Cousins’s Social Media Links
Holly Marlow
Interview With Author Holly Marlow
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! I have a 6 year old biological daughter, Zoe, and a 3 year old adopted son, “J,” who joined our family a couple of years ago. My children ask a lot of questions, which have inspired me to write books about adoption, kinship care and foster care. So far I have published 5 stories, some of which have been translated into different languages.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book “Room in the Nest” was inspired by my son asking why his foster brothers weren’t also adopted. I wanted to explain the various different possible outcomes of foster care, as well as showing that the initial goal is reunification, and when that’s not possible, kinship care is considered as a possibility, before adoption or long term foster care. I also wanted to show him that in some cases foster families end up adopting the children in their care, and that these decisions are all made by a judge.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write a lot of my first drafts on my phone, while cuddling my children. Most of my stories have been created while one of my children was sick or overtired. My children are always my first reviewers, and they give very helpful, honest feedback!What authors, or books have influenced you?
My parenting style has been influenced by “The Gentle Discipline Book” by Sarah Ockwell-Smith and “Playful Parenting” by Lawrence J. Cohen.What are you working on now?
I’m working on a few different projects. One is a “choose your own path” story, which will help care-experienced children to explore some of the decisions that adults make, and how these can affect their lives. Another is a story about attachment disorder, and I also dip in and out of a biographical account of what it is like to adopt after having biological children. I find it helps to have several projects on the go at once, so that I can jump between them, and keep coming back to them with fresh eyes.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think most of my customers buy my books after someone recommends them on social media. I usually see a boost after being tagged in an appreciative post! My books are also on the recommended reading lists for a lot of foster and adoption agencies.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be bold! There were a few times when I thought “this might not make any money, so I shouldn’t spend money on…” (a better computer screen, illustration software, a website, etc) but my husband encouraged me to invest in myself, and it was worth it.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Aside from my husband’s advice to “be bold,” the best advice I’ve ever heard is “remember, even walls fall down sometimes.” A friend said this to me once when I was afraid of failure, and I often remind myself of this. Even the people who seem strongest need help, and it’s OK to need help, even if you feel like you should be strong.What are you reading now?
I’m reading “Custom Justice” by Amanda Blackwood. I’m about 20% of the way through and struggling to put it down!What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve started doing talks in schools, to help children to understand adoption, foster care and kinship care. I think it’s really important that children learn about these concepts from a young age.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?
“Madagascar: The Eighth Continent: Life, Death and Discovery in a Lost World” by Peter Tyson.
“Jurassic Park” by Michael Crichton
“Die Wolke” (original German version of “The Cloud”) by Gudrun PausewangAuthor Websites and Profiles
Holly Marlow’s Social Media Links
Dhanush S
Interview With Author Dhanush S
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi Everyone, This Is Dhanush.S From India. I Am A Teenager Currently Pursuing My 12th Class. Well I Had No Interest In Writing In My Early Days But When I Learnt About The Power Of Books And Knowledge, I Decided To Share A Beautiful Journey Of My Friend With You All.Proudly I Am Presenting You, My First Ever Novel, “The School Journey”. It Is Not Just A Book, It Is An Emotion, An Emotion Which Everyone Will Feel And Make Them Refreshed With Their Childhood Days.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My Latest Book Is “The School Journey: Refresh Your Childhood”. What Inspired Me To Write This Book Is That, During Covid Pandemic We Had Lockdown And Also We Had Online Classes. At That Time, I Missed My School And Friends A Lot. So To Celebrate That School Days, I Have Written This BookDo you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I Don’t Have Any Unusual Writing HabitsWhat authors, or books have influenced you?
“Rich Dad Poor Dad” Has Influenced Me A LotWhat are you working on now?
Currently, I Am Not Working On Any Books. But Part 2 Of “The School Journey” Will Surely Come.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I Adopt “Twitter” As My Main Marketing Tool. The Second Option Is Facebook And InstagramDo you have any advice for new authors?
Be Real And Express Your Thoughts In Your Own WayWhat is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never Be Afraid Of Losing.What are you reading now?
Currently I Am Reading My BookWhat’s next for you as a writer?
For Me As A Writer, My Next Move Is To Scale Up The Story Of Part 2 BookIf 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?
It Ends With Us, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Steve Jobs By Walter Issacson, The Subtle ArtAuthor Websites and Profiles
Dhanush S’s Social Media Links
Vinny O'Hare Awesomegang.com, P.O. Box 940711 Rockaway Park NY 11694