Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Z. R. Moore is a life and relationship coach, freelance writer, and author. The purpose of my books is to lo help as many people the problems that hold them back in life. I really enjoys writing articles and books that teach people new skills that they can use to make things better for themselves.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Best Damn Advice Ever: 10 Real Signs that He’s Cheating on You

What inspired this book is the number of women that I know who are in long term relationships where this is happening to them. I was inspired to find effective information that can help a person who may be going through this painful experience.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, not really

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors like Iyanla Vanzant and Gary Zukov really have influenced me. Their works really can make a difference in someone’s life. I know that they have helped me a lot.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on book right now that will help people to get raises and promotions on their jobs.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promoting on facebook and article marketing

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep trying and never give up

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It is what it is and that’s all it will ever be. Nothing you do or say will change it. This is the reality of the situation. Start dealing with it.

What are you reading now?
I’m not reading any books right now. Currently, I am focused on getting my third book finished.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just to keep writing more books and hopefully I will be able to be a bestseller one day.

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 Secret by Joey Vitale

In the Meantime by Iyanla Vanzant

The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukov

Author Websites and Profiles
Zandra Moore Amazon Profile

Zandra Moore’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Zandra Moore is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written my first foray into fiction Charles and Edward. I am a new author who has just released my debut novel into the big wide world. I am originally form London England but have now moved to Monaco where I have made a home. I am an extreme bibliophile who always has a book wherever I go. I think the world would be such a boring place without all the wonderful books we have available to read.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is called Charles and Edward. It is inspired my experiences in my life and the people I have come across.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to write first thing in the morning after I have eating a health breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. I find my brain is clear and uncluttered from the day to day goings on of the world at this time. Like an empty vessel ready to be filled with fresh inspiration.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There have been so many it seems a tragedy to name just a few but I will try.

J,K Rowling has influenced me by her sheer guts and determination. It is quite extraordinary to think that a few years ago she was a single mother on benefits sitting in a cafe writing her debut novel of Harry Potter. She is quoted as saying she sent the manuscript to hundreds of publishers and got rejected so many times that she nearly gave up.

Imagine of she did give up and didn’t carry on trying to break through, we would have the wonderful series that is Harry Potter. She has inspired me and I owe a lot to her for giving me the faith in myself that I needed not to give up at the first hurdle.

What are you working on now?
I am currently in the process of polishing up a sequel to Charles and Edward that I hope to be ready for the end of 2014. I hate rushing things as it takes time to get it just the way I want it to be. It is like having a baby when you write a novel. I feel that you put so much of yourself into it that it is hard to let go and release it into the world.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So many of my friends have recommended Awesome gang that I thought I’d better check it out. I like how it has so many features to help first time authors promote their work and increase their visibility on the online market place.

Also Digital Book Today and Kboards are good.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write that book! Everyone has a book inside them it’s just some don’t sit down and take the time to actually write it.

Don’t delay p, get writing that book today, as who knows, your book could be the one that changes everything.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up on your dreams and go for it. Just when I felt that there was no way forward, a friend would always come along and give me the push I need to carry on again and keep writing and doing what I love to do.

If you have days where you think that you haven’t for the strength to keep approaching publishers with your manuscript just remember that for bestseller selling millions of copy’s there are thousands of writers who gave up just before they signed a deal that could change their fate for ever.

What are you reading now?
Currently reading a great D Koontz book. It is his new one called Innocence. I love his style of writing. He has such a vivid imagination and his books are always so easy to get lost it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Got a couple of projects in the pipeline for 2014. A magazine has approached my agent. with an interest in making a serialisation of Charles and Edward. This will be good for the book as it would help it to reach a wider 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 Stand by Stephen King, it’s such a epic novel that really draws you into the imaginary world that King creates. He is a true master story teller.

Dean Koontz Odd series of books, they are so much fun and a good light hearted read for anytime.

Beau Garcon De La Nuit is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Rita Chapman, writing as Rita Lee Chapman because there was someone writing vampire books under Rita Chapman.

I live in Australia and started to write when I retired to Queensland. I have a wonderful lifestyle here, swimming, playing tennis and socialising. On rainy days I write and my first book was a romantic travel mystery, Missing in Egypt and my second is one for horse lovers from teenagers upwards, Winston – A Horse’s Tale.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Winston – A Horse’s Tale was inspired by a lifelong love of horses. It was much easier to write than my first book and I am now in the process of promoting it – the hardest part!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I wouldn’t say I have been influenced by anyone but I do love Bryce Courtney and Kate Morton, both Australian authors. If only I could write like them!

What are you working on now?
I’ve started a crime thriller but I haven’t been working on it for the last couple of months as I edited and formatted Winston – A Horse’s Tale.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have my own website www.ritaleechapman.com and I really enjoy Goodreads. I opened a Facebook page but I’m struggling with it. I’m also on Savvy Authors, Library Thing, Booktalk.org plus a few others. My local bookshops have been very supportive too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
With Amazon everyone can now publish their work and their CreateSpace division means you can hold a copy of your book in your hand s0- an amazing feeling. My advice is always edit, edit, edit then edit some more (and you will probably still find errors!).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Treat other people as you would like to be treated yourself – not book related but still a great piece of advice for life.

What are you reading now?
The Lost Dog by Michelle de Kretser

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to publish my next book by the end of the year and continue hosting other authors on my website.

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?
Kate Morton’s Shifting Fog, Bryce Courtney’s The Persimmon Tree, Fiona Walker’s Tongue in Cheek.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rita Chapman Website
Rita Chapman Amazon Profile
Rita Chapman Author Profile on Smashwords

Rita Chapman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Rita Chapman is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi All!

I’m Janette Harjo and I am a debut author with a trilogy as my first release/s. CONNECTIONS is a love story which continues for the length of the entire trilogy. The first novella in the series, FATED, is already out to RAVE reviews on Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/Fated-Connections-Janette-Harjo-ebook/dp/B00EXB39TG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1387914960&sr=1-1&keywords=janette+harjo

The second in the series, CONNED, is expected to be released in January 2014.

INFORMED, the story’s conclusion, does not have an expected release date, as of yet. But I’m hoping for February 2014!

I have amy other stories on my cyber shelves soon to be released for your reading enjoyment!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve already told you about CONNECTIONS, but I don’t know what inspired it. it just appeared on the doorstep of my brain.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I suppose the only unusual writing habit I have is that I stand while I’m working, whilst most writers sit in front of their keyboard.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible, The Hobbit, all things of love and fantasy…

What are you working on now?
I’ve been working on a Vampire Romance which I plan to release next Halloween.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I utilize a lot of social networks: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, my blogspot at http://www.authorjanetteharjo.blogspot.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
PERSEVERE! NEVER GIVE UP!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Hang in There”

What are you reading now?
I just finished “The Lady of Luxembourg” which I LOVED!,

and am currently reading “The Riddle” which though is not of a genre I read, I am finidng most interesting and is a real page turner!

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing. What else!

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 and romance.

Author Websites and Profiles
Janette Harjo Website
Janette Harjo Amazon Profile
Janette Harjo Author Profile on Smashwords

Janette Harjo’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Janette Harjo is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I work as a construction professional, writing in my spare time. I enjoy keeping fit, reading and writing.

Originally, after leaving school, I wanted to become a journalist, but things happen, focus changes . . . But I never lost sight of my dream of writing a novel. I worked my way through several hundred thousand words of idea development and over the years, although several projects began taking shape; they never got off the ground. I had working titles such as ‘The Road to Redemption’, the tale of a crusader knight in the twelfth century who stayed behind in The Holy Land long after the first crusade was over, serving a self-imposed penance for his part in the massacre that followed the siege of Jerusalem. At the same time, I was working on another project I called, ‘Finding Her’.

To date, those novels, while substantially developed, remain incomplete, casualties of writing in one’s spare time and the emergence of a more ambitious idea, which is covered in the answer to the next question.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Just before Easter in 2009, I had a conversation with a friend on the subject of writing, and it led me to summarise for her each of the stories I’d written so far. As I was recounting them, I was struck by a blizzard of new ideas that streamed from my mouth so spontaneously, I worried I wouldn’t be able to recall them afterwards.

Over the next few days, I wrote like a mad thing, just to record all the ideas. The Sister was born. The inspiration, looking back was the culmination of a series of ‘what if’ scenarios – What if I told you about a guy who was so successful at murdering young women, so devious and cunning, he’d remained undetected for over forty years? What if I told you a cold case reconstruction in late 2006, brought him onto the radar for the first time with the emergence of a new witness to the disappearance of a young nurse, in 1983? What if the detective assigned to the case had dark secrets of his own? Without giving away too much, I also wanted to explore the role that chance plays in all of our lives, and how fate governs us, and perhaps ultimately, the possibility that there is a life after death.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I often sit writing with a set of headphones on, but not listening to anything. Although I can edit whilst playing music, I can’t actually write. As for anything else, I’m not sure if any of these things really qualify as unusual. I keep an iPhone by my bed and use it to make notes, typically at around three o’clock in the morning. I’ll wake up with a strong idea of how to resolve a scene that’s been bothering me, or sometimes a completely new section will take shape. After an hour or two, I generally manage to go back to sleep and get up for work in the morning.

I’m sure others use calendars and charts, but in the middle of 2011, I blew up the months of a 2006/2007 calendar into several table cloth sized charts and began organising the scenes I’d written to ensure they were in some kind of order.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I count authors like Harold Robbins and Stephen King among early influences, but really, too many to mention here and books by either of them from their earlier years, up to The Betsy in Robbins’ case. I drifted away from King for a while. I guess you can read too much by the same author sometimes. Influential books? Black Elk Speaks, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, The Adventurers, Mountain Interval, but again, too many to cover here.

What are you working on now?
The Sister is an epic length novel that stands alone, but some of my beta readers convinced me to write a spin-off book following the lives of some of the characters from the story and I am half a dozen chapters into this latest venture. This second novel is expected to be complete by March 2014, and I’m very excited at the prospect of delivering a third novel, another spin-off, by the end of 2014. Once I have those out of my system, I will return to the original ideas I mentioned in the first question.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It’s a little bit early for me to know for sure, but I have found personal networking and face to face meetings with various people very effective in achieving a few sales, and then those people recommend to others. I use facebook and twitter, plus I’ve started registering with a number of sites such as goodreads, wattpad and librarything. All these things take time to gestate. My next book is tentatively booked to feature in a London magazine publication on the strength of The Sister.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
In hindsight, I’d have created a buzz before I published. I think it’s important to hit the ground running.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you always do what you always done, then you always get what you always got. Someone said it to me in a pub once. I know its a cannibalisation of an Anthony Robbins quote, but that’s how I’ll always remember it now.

What are you reading now?
Atrament Speaks by C. McDonald an author I much admire.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a developing and ambitious theme for a future novel, it will be of an epic length, just like The Sister. For now, it must wait while everything else comes 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?
The Sphalerite of Almandine, the next part of the trilogy by C McDonald. The Stand by Stephen King, I always intended to re read it at some point, what else? Choices, desert island eh? Perhaps Robinson Crusoe . . . although seriously, while I’m fond of the classics i think I’d try The Hunger Games.

Author Websites and Profiles
Max China Website
Max China Amazon Profile

Max China’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Max China is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Unlike most authors, I don’t have some campy story about how I started writing at a young age. As a kid, I thought writing was stupid.

Last February I had a change of heart. I was watching the Super Bowl with my wife. The power went out in the stadium and I was left sitting around with nothing to do. That was when I got the idea to write my first novel, Farmers and Cannibals. Since February I’ve written three books.

Writing isn’t my day job. I teach grades 9-12 at a rural high school.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In writing my latest novel, But the Angels Never Came, I was influenced by several classic texts. The plot of the story follows the chapters of Genesis that pertain to the figure of Abraham. In my version, however, there is no God. In this atheist retelling, the characters are influenced by the philosophies of Any Rand, Nietzsche, and Alexi de Tocqueville. When I first began writing this novel, I was reading The Antichrist, Atlas Shrugged, and Democracy in America. I’ve also been told that it is similar to The Road.

Technically, But the Angels Never Came is a prequel to my first novel Farmers and Cannibals. However, each book stands on its own.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m sure I’d be a lot cooler if I did. But, no, unfortunately my writing habits are fairly normal. I use a laptop and I write on my couch. Every so often, when I’m writing, I’ll get up to use the bathroom. I’ve been told that that is normal.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dr. Seuss.

What are you working on now?
I just finished my third novel, Just After the Fall. I’m releasing it in April. For the next few months I plan on writing a series of short stories. Each will be published individually on Amazon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang…duh.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Only take advice from those that are more successful than you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t put metal in the microwave… think about it.

What are you reading now?
As an English teacher I try to keep up with the novels I assign for my students to read. Right now I’m reading The Catcher in the Rye, In Cold Blood, Crime and Punishment, The Great Gatsby, and Animal Farm. For pleasure I’m reading World War Z.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll be publishing a short story every month on Amazon through July. Then I’ll be working on my fourth novel, Whom Cain Slew.

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 easy. I’d like to be stranded with the following: Moby Dick, The Brothers Karamazov, Paradise Lost, and a complete guide on how to survive on a desert island.

Eric James-Olson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Eric James-Olson is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Indie Author in New York who spends his time writing and wrangling his 4-year-old son. I spent over a decade planning my fantasy series while working office and retail jobs. I decided that 2013 would be the year I take a risk and push for a career as an author. So far, I have published the first three volumes of my fantasy adventure series and I’m writing the sixth volume as we speak. I kept writing the series even when I wasn’t getting anywhere with query letters, so my writing progress is pretty far ahead of my publishing progress.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Legends of Windemere: Allure of the Gypsies. The entire series is based on a Dungeons & Dragons game that I was a part of in college. It’s been heavily changed to work with the writing medium. My books have been influenced by my love of comic books, fantasy novels, video games, and cartoons.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My most unusual writing habit is that I write in present tense third person. I’m not really sure when it started, but some of my high school friends remember that I did it back then. It was the style I used in college and nobody ever pointed it out to me. So, I was really surprised when I published my first book in February and people told me it was an uncommon writing style. The only other odd habit I have is that I need loud music while I’m writing. It helps me zone out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Like many fantasy authors, I’m influenced by Tolkien. I feel obligated to say that because I’ve noticed people demand I say it if I don’t mention him. The biggest influence was Fred Saberhagen whose Books of Lost Swords series inspired me to become an author. To this day, I’m not sure why this series sparked my love of writing and the desire to share my stories. I remember the deep and realistic characters within the detailed world that never felt over the top.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on Legends of Windemere: Curse of the Dark Wind. This is the sixth book of my series. Books 4 and 5 are with my friend who does editing. We’re aiming to release the 4th book, Legends of Windemere: Family of the Tri-Rune, in later February/early March.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I couldn’t pick just one website because I use so many. I find new advertising websites every month, so I don’t think a single one is the best. It’s all of them combined. As an Indie Author, I need to gain as much exposure as I can. Using multiple websites at once creates a wider net of influence.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1. Stay true to your style. People will give advice and you should listen, but never alter the core of your style to please other people.

2. Use blogging to promote your book and yourself. Reveal yourself to be a human being instead of the name on the bottom of your book’s cover.

3. Connect with other Indie Authors because it’s a tighter community than you realize. You will find an amazing level of support from people who are in the same boat you’re trying to get into.

4. Keep writing what you love.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“The success of one Indie Author is a success for all of us.”

A fellow author told me this when I had started and it rings very true. I try very hard to succeed and pass my experience on to other Indie Authors. There is a stigma on Indie Authors that we’re all of low quality and don’t take the trade seriously. When one of us succeeds, we break down that belief and open the door for those who are still trying to get into the business.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Ranger’s Apprentice: The Kings of Clonmel. I hate to admit that I’ve been reading this book for the last few months. I keep getting distracted by my own books and helping other Indie Authors with end of the year releases.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to keep on writing and stay the course. My plan is to make 2014 bigger than 2013 and prove that I can make a living as an Indie Author.

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, Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, Ender’s Game, and How to Build a Canoe from a Palm Tree.

Author Websites and Profiles
Charles E Yallowitz Website
Charles E Yallowitz Amazon Profile

Charles E Yallowitz’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Charles E Yallowitz is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
At my most basic level, I’m a big ole nerd. I love comic books, particularly Batman and Spider-Man, I’m a huge fan of urban fantasy and sci-fi movies and television shows, I have a soft spot for Greek and Roman mythology, I love all kinds of anime/manga, and I generally love the craft of writing. I’m most likely found buried under my Dashboard on Tumblr geeking out about silly things or engaging in heated discussions about the role of women in George Lucas films.

I’ve self-published one novel, The Black Parade, but I’ve written the sequel and am in the process of finishing the final installment as it will be a trilogy. I’m also working on an epic high fantasy novel that I’ve been describing to people as “Avatar: The Last Airbender meets the X-Men with a dash of Firefly.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Black Parade. It was actually inspired by two different things–Paradise Lost by John Milton and the 2005 ‘Constantine’, which was a loose adaptation of the Hellblazer series featuring John Constantine.

Paradise Lost is a magnificent story that is revered academically and critically, but so far has not ever had much attention drawn to it in modern times. For instance, there isn’t a recent film adaptation of the story and I really wanted to take its mythology, blend it with some of my own ideas, and give it new life. It’s an epic tale with all kinds of vibrant beauty and horror and wonder and I knew as soon as I read it again in college that I wanted to take a run at the subject matter.

Constantine, while not the best urban fantasy film of all time, ignited a spark in my head. I loved the idea of angels and demons having to blend in to the 21st century and beyond. I wanted to see the famous characters from the Bible and from Paradise Lost interacting in our world nowadays and having to adapt to what humanity is and has evolved from since the early days. I also wanted to write it from a sadly rarely seen perspective–that of a female minority. There are plenty of black female protagonists out there in the literary world, but so few of them are seen in mass media. There is a demographic for this particular type of character and The Black Parade became my opportunity to expose it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t outline until at least halfway through the first draft of a manuscript. It’s not because I don’t see the value in it–my brain just doesn’t work with bullet points when it comes to fiction. I have to have the momentum already there on the page before I can map things out. Even then, I usually write a synopsis style outline instead of the traditional kind for some reason.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My brother suggested the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher to me early this year and now that I’ve found them, I am completely addicted. His work has influenced the way that I focus on character development and having my protagonists/antagonists make difficult choices. It has also influenced the way that I handle my supporting characters. They don’t exist just to protect or advance the lives of the main characters. They have their own goals and desires that just happen to intersect with the main hero and heroine.

The late great Brian Jacques, author of the Redwall series, was a huge hero of mine growing up. He mastered the art of writing multiple characters, multiple story arcs, and intertwining them across a timeline that only a genius could keep track of at once. I love that he never once talked down to his audience. The Redwall series is remarkably mature and grounded in the kinds of struggles that adults would certainly find intriguing, but the way it’s written makes it perfectly accessible to children as well. I could never hope to reach that achievement level, but I always meditate on the idea that world building is more than a setting, and there is never a reason to assume your readers are idiots.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing the third and final installment of the Black Parade series. So far, the working title is The Holy Dark. I plan to have it finished by Dec. 30th. The second novel in the series, She Who Fights Monsters, is already finished and will debut in summer 2014 after it has been professionally edited.

After The Holy Dark is finished, though, I’ve got two more projects lined up. The first is finishing my epic high fantasy novel that I mentioned above. It is two-thirds of the way done, and has now reached the length of an early George R. R. Martin novel. I have no idea how it ended up becoming so long and involved, but I’m ecstatic about it anyhow. It’s a completely new genre to me that I’ve had brief dealings with before (such as the Redwall series and the Symphony of the Ages novels by Elizabeth Haydon) and it’s my own world to run wild in. While I’ve massively enjoyed writing The Black Parade, this project has a larger cast of characters and a much wider scope. I can’t wait to finish it and see where it leads me.

The other project is another urban fantasy novel about a widower and his daughter who hunt dragons. It’s still just in storyboard mode in my head, but I have tons of notes about the two main characters and some of the supporting cast. I think it’s going to be a blast to write as well, so I’m eager to finish the Black Parade series in order to explore that avenue.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Thus far, I’ve had the most success with my Facebook page. I try and try to breakthrough on Twitter, but it’s a lot like that Chappelle’s Show sketch with the old janitor yelling, “HOLLA HOLLA HOLLA!” So many people advertise on Twitter that it sometimes feels pointless to even try. People scroll right past, even though my book might be something they’d enjoy if they gave it a chance. Facebook has helped me create a ground level for people who enjoy reading my blog posts or who have enjoyed reading my book.

I’d also like to mention that I did a two week virtual blog tour with Bewitching Book Tours that went rather well. They got my book in front of plenty of new sets of eyes and it was a fun experience to meet bloggers of all types.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Plenty. First, read this blog post if you want a shortcut into the world of self-publishing: http://shewhowritesmonsters.com/the-top-8-self-publishing-myths/

Second, don’t give up. It’s so easy to give up when you’re a new author. No one listens to you. Everyone just nods their heads when you tell them you write books and breeze right past the thing that is supposed to someday make you money. It’s horrendously depressing and upsetting and if you don’t have your own publisher or following before you launch your book, life is going to suck. And suck hard. But you still can’t give in no matter what. Hang in there. Find awesome people and learn what made them awesome and absorb it into your body like some crazy Voltron thing.

Third, don’t fall into the Suck Zone. 50 Shades of Grey became the fastest selling book of all time recently. Crap sells. But that doesn’t mean it should. Write a good book. You owe it to yourself to do that. Integrity isn’t always profitable, but it’s how you become more than just a byline on a past generation’s summary. Longevity exists in quality writing. You should want that, not to make a quick buck by clenching out some terrible fiction.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Knock on the door until your knuckles bleed. Eventually, someone will open it.” -Michael Uslan, producer of nearly every single Batman film (live action and animated) to date.

To give you some backstory, I went to UGA in my college days and he gave a magnificent lecture on the history behind getting Batman to the big screen. If I recall the facts properly, it took him over ten years, nearly twenty, to get someone to back him up and make Tim Burton’s Batman film. The only reason it happened was because he refused to give up, even after every single movie studio told him that no one would ever watch a movie about the World’s Greatest Detective. He kept pounding on that door. He kept bleeding for what he loved, and eventually, it happened. I’ve been self published for almost half a year now and my knuckles are already bruised, but I’m still knocking away.

What are you reading now?
Hellboy: On Earth as It Is in Hell by Brian Hodge. I loved the Hellboy films to pieces and so my brother lent me one of the novels. I’m already a third of the way through it and I’m enthralled. Hellboy is one of the best paranormal/supernatural franchises out there, and I know it has tons to teach me about religious and otherworldly cultures. I’m soaking it all in and loving every minute. (And I keep secretly hoping Guillermo del Toro will do like he promised and finish the movie franchise off with a third film. Fingers crossed.)

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned above, I have two sets of stories I want to tackle after I finish the Black Parade series. However, I do have some ideas that go beyond 2015. I have another idea for a story that involves a world where there are self-aware fictional characters who go to school to be taught how to become awesome characters worthy of their own franchises, be it films, books, anime, or any other kind of fiction media. Once they become good enough characters, they “ascend” into a writer’s mind. The main character is a young, awkward boy who is the son of the most famous action hero of all time. It’s very complicated and hard to explain, but I think it would be a lot of fun to write.

I also sheepishly admit that I intend to turn The Black Parade into a screenplay and someday shop around Hollywood to see if it could ever become a movie. The current trend in Hollywood is turning YA fiction into film series (and we have both Twilight and The Hunger Games to thank for that) so if my books sell, I might have a shot someday. It’s a pipe dream at best, but that’s the future I want for myself. I adore films, and filmmaking in general, and I hope to someday be able to see Jordan Amador kicking ass on the silver screen.

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 Darkest Hours by Jim Butcher, Mr. Maybe by Jane Green, Inheritance by Devin Grayson, and at least one Harry Dresden novel (I love all of them so much I can’t choose.) I think each of those books I’ve read over two dozen times so I could keep myself entertained for quite some time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kyoko M Website
Kyoko M Amazon Profile
Kyoko M Author Profile on Smashwords

Kyoko M’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Kyoko M is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi everyone! I was born in Belgrade, Serbia. I have obtained a degree in Psychology in 2005. My life companions are my husband and my cat.

My first piece of writing was a silly poem about a walking cherry (I was seven years old). I’ve been writing in one way or another for more than twenty years. I have recently published my first novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book, ‘Just Like a Musical’, is a contemporary young adult novel about an offbeat teenage girl. It was inspired by everything that makes adolescence – beauty, pain, search for identity, finding one’s place in the world. It’s such a fruitful period of life. It’s not easy and it hurts like hell sometimes, but it’s also the time that makes us who we are more than any other time of life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure whether this is unusual, but I find it hard to write if I don’t have a cup of coffee, tea, orange juice, or just anything else by my side. It doesn’t really matter what’s inside the cup as long as it’s drinkable. Other than that, I would say I’m pretty uninteresting while I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author who influenced me the most is Vladimir Nabokov. His words helped me develop both as a person and a writer. Some others are Milan Kundera, Stefan Zweig, Andreï Makine, Lorca, Prévert…

What are you working on now?
I am currently trying to promote the hell out of my first book. It takes up most of my time these days. I’m also thinking about my next novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I can’t really answer this question right now. It’s been only ten days since I published my book, so I am yet to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a new author myself, so I don’t think I’m in a position to give advice. I would like, however, to remind all authors to stay true to themselves and be honest and genuine in their writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Self published authors can be impatient when it comes to publishing their books. Fortunately, I’m very curious, so I’ve done a lot of research before I decided it was time to hit the ‘publish’ button. I’ve read hundreds of great blog posts on self publishing, and almost all of them stressed the importance of hiring a proofreader. No matter how good you are at grammar or punctuation, you need a professional proofreader to look over your manuscript.

What are you reading now?
‘The Language of Sparrows’ by Rachel Phifer.

It’s a heartfelt story about an unconventional relationship between a fifteen-year-old girl who’s trying to cope with her father’s death and a reclusive old man who had spent time in Romanian gulag when he was young.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to write and publish my second novel by the end of 2014. I haven’t started to write yet, but the characters are slowly forming in my head, and that’s a good sign. They even talk sometimes.

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?
‘Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle’ by Vladimir Nabokov

‘How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird’ by Jacques Prévert

‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Brontë

Author Websites and Profiles
Milena Veen Website
Milena Veen Amazon Profile

Milena Veen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Milena Veen is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Ashley Sauls and I have a passion for writing. At an early age, I found joy at my grandparent’s house on their typewriter. I would sit in the den typing away at short stories, poems, songs or anything else that came to mind. I’ve always loved getting to inspire people through my writing and it wasn’t until recently that I pursued this passion further. Morning Motivation is the first in a series of devotionals and my first official project. However, I have served as an editor for over 20 projects for other writers and professionals.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of the first devotional book is “Morning Motivation.” The name was derived from Psalm 30:5(a), which says that “Weeping may endure for a season, but joy comes in the morning.” The devotional was written at a time where I was asking, “Where is the good that you promised me Lord.” From internal challenges to facing challenging people and situations, my writing was a therapeutic way to shift my thinking from what was going wrong to what was going right. Through writing this project, I wanted to inspire those who needed to refocus their thinking also . I wanted this audience to know that the Word of God provides the answers to each of life’s challenges and that through application, they can see a brighter day ahead. I shared the project prior to publishing with my parents and according to them “mission accomplished.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When most people are trying to get sleep, I love to write in the early morning hours. My peak time is 3 AM! All is quiet and I can really focus on the message I am trying to convey to my readers. To make for the best writing, I find my favorite music that varies from gospel, to classical or instrumental music. I also have my favorite writing gear that I must have to work, such as my writing blanket, writing pen, and dedicated writing journal. When these items are in place, I’m good to go.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite devotional is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. Every time I read the devotional it feels like the Lord is speaking directly to my experience for the day. In writing Morning Motivation, I wanted to give readers this same experience through a 31 day devotional.

I also find inspiration from authors, such as Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteen. People need to know that there is hope and how to access this hope through the Word of God. I love that their approach is very down to earth and is not overly complicated.

Other authors that inspire me are Dr. Myles Munroe, Dr. Cindy Trimm, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Bishop Tudor Bismark. I am an avid reader, so I have gleaned wisdom from many different avenues.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a new project that will be released between March/April 2014. This book will begin my training series for ministries. Once the project is available, I will be releasing more details about what can be expected from this project.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have found the best way to engage readers is by using my personal and business Facebook page. I find it important as an author to nurture relationships, so this is where many of my readers are. For this project, I shared brief quotes I wanted to expound upon further in the book. Based on the reception, I knew what had been presented would resonate with my readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My best advice for new authors is not to stop mid-stream, because you feel that your project is not “good enough.” Especially when God leads you to write a book, He has a specific purpose in mind. There is someone who needs to hear the wisdom and insight you have been given. However, they cannot receive it if you do not make the wisdom available. Be precise, be through in your review, make sure you put forth the best project you can, but make sure to leave the results to God.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I heard might come as a surprise to some, but that “there is no perfect book.” I am prone to perfectionism and have a difficult time releasing something until it is “perfect.” I finally found peace from this elusive concept by realizing that if I waited until “I” felt it was perfect, it would never be released. I believe “Morning Motivation” is the best first edition release. God will continue to perfect the project as I go along and I am receptive to this part of the process.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Approval Addiction by Joyce Meyer. It is freeing to know that you will never please everyone and that your focus should be on pleasing God. I am also finishing Don’t Miss Your Moment by Judy Jacobs. I am known for reading more than one book at once, but I love reading.

What’s next for you as a writer?
For 2014, I will unveil the Morning Motivation platinum package. It is my desire to go beyond writing a book to help people to understand “how” to apply the wisdom in this devotional. The Morning Motivation package will be available as a web based program, which will include personalized teleconferences, inspirational podcasts, an exclusive newsletter and much more. I am also in the process of finishing another publishing project, where I get to utilize my strategist cap. You will be hearing more about this project when it is released in March/April 2014.

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?
If I were stranded on a desert island, I would have to have my Bible with me. It reveals truth that is fresh every morning. I would also have to bring The Principles and Power of Vision by Dr. Myles Munroe, Commanding Your Morning by Dr. Cindy Trimm, and Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ashley Sauls Website
Ashley Sauls Amazon Profile

Ashley Sauls’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Ashley Sauls is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada so of course I wanted to go into a field that kept me near the ocean. I went into biology, and moved to Hawaii for college where I studied dolphins. Talk about being near the ocean, right? But after graduation I ended up back in Vegas where I took care of sharks and snakes at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. From there, I moved to Germany with my family and then took myself off to Ireland for my Ph.D. in animal behavior. I studied deer in Ireland, which was fun but the fieldwork was cold and exhausting. I lived in a house with a bunch of other people, including the man that eventually became my husband.

After graduation, I stayed in Ireland working and concentrating on writing. Then my husband decided he wanted to live in the US for awhile and we moved to New York. We’re a little settled in here now, with two boys and a dog, but we figure we’ll eventually go back to Ireland. (And no, I don’t have an accent. Though when I first moved back to the States, I kept getting asked by Americans where I was from because I had adopted so many Irish-isms). I am currently a stay-at-home mom and a full time writer. I’ve written a number of science fiction and fantasy romance books under a different pseudonym, but this is my first paranormal romance series. And also my first foray into self-publishing my own work!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
ONCE UPON A TIGER is the first book in my Tiger Shifter series–technically. I actually wrote a short story about the tiger world that was published in an anthology a few years ago. The short story was supposed to be a once off but as soon as I started thinking about the world I’d created, I knew there were a lot more stories to be told. So I wrote a novel set in the world, utilizing an aspect of the tigers’ background that didn’t come up in the short story. Then I set the novel aside and did some other things. When I decided to self publish the tiger series, I realized I wanted to go back in history a few years and start the series with another couple. And that’s how Once Upon a Tiger got started.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if they’re unusual. I do a lot of thinking about my books in the shower–I get some of my best ideas there, solve plot problems, figure out whole scenes! I even came up with the tiger short story in the shower. I think it’s the peaceful time when I don’t have to do anything else but wash my hair. Given the chaos of my normal life, I’m not terribly surprised the shower is such a good thinking space for me. I write pretty fast now and almost always have to do my first drafting (which I do quickly) on a computer because I can’t keep up with my imagination otherwise. Also, I write by the seat of my pants. At least the first draft. But I do tend to spend a lot of time mulling stories over before I ever sit down to the computer to start typing, so I start with an opening scene and a pretty good idea of the direction I’m heading. Then I let the story tell itself.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh so many! I think at the moment some of my biggest influences are Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook, Patricia Briggs, and Linnea Sinclair. Historically speaking, my biggest influences have been fantasy authors–Mercedes Lackey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, David Eddings, Ann McCaffery, Raymond Feist, Barbara Hambley… There are really too many to list. I try to take inspiration from every author I read.

What are you working on now?
The second Tiger book I’m in the mulling stage as there’s a few details in the opening I’m working out. But I will be fast drafting the first draft in the next week. (I’m also in the middle of edits for two other books under my other name, so my schedule is a little crazy). I’m looking forward to this Tiger story. As a tease…well there’s a killer in the background and some stuff is set up here that will play out in later books. Is that too vague and mean teasing?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well the best method of promotion is to try and write a good book! I do make an effort to do that (sometimes more successfully than other times but I do try). Then I make an effort to at least get my cover art shown at as many Romance focused places as I can. Here, Goodreads, Facebook, (my other name uses Twitter), Night Owl Reviews, The Romance Reviews, etc…. Promotion is still a progressive learning curve on my part so I’m constantly reworking my marketing plan.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
A few bits I’ve learned over the years–that old yarn about perseverance is true. If you’re in this for the long haul, you will have ups and downs, good years and bad, successful books and ones that don’t quite find their audience. It’s a tough business because we love all our books, but sticking to it is the only way to move forward. You can always quit (I actually quit about once a year–then go back to writing an hour later), but if it’s in your blood to tell stories, don’t give up. Your readers are out there waiting for just the book you have to offer. The other bit of advice I’d give is to give yourself a break. Bad reviews happen. Rejections happen. Snark and scams and bad business all happen. Let it roll off you. Take a breather and some time to play with your writing and ignore the business occasionally. You’ll forget why you wanted to be a writer if you don’t occasionally remind yourself the process of producing a book can be fun.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’ve heard a lot of great advice over the years. The best depends entirely on the particular period of time in my career. But most recently, I was reminded to make the writing the thing I do most. All the other stuff–marketing, social media, conferences, the business–should come second to actually sitting down to write and edit my books. The books are what sell, create a readership, and feed your fans. Without those, you might as well get a job at a marketing firm and make a steady salary. It’s all about the books, so that needs to be the primary focus. I forget that sometimes, in the scramble to keep up with the changing business of publishing, so I need to be reminded every so often of this truth.

Also, a piece of advice that should be self-evident but apparently isn’t: Writers Read. A Lot. If you’re a writer, you should also be a reader. Reading is part of the job too. Read everything too, not just the genre you write in. Read as much as you can. It will only make you better at what you do.

What are you reading now?
Fiction is a Meljean Brook book: Demon Angel. It’s the first in her Guardian Series which she’s just wrapped up and I wanted to go back and read the first book. I somehow managed to miss reading it before in my zeal to read the rest of the series. On the non-fiction side, I’m about to start a book called The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin. My oldest son is on the spectrum, so books on Autism tend to catch my interest. My mom recommended this one after she read it as it focuses on the science and my scientist brain likes that.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, I’m concentrating on the Tiger Shifter series for 2014 and 2015, to see how it goes. And under my other name I’m concentrating on a fantasy romance series going forward. A lot of what I do next will depend on how the next year goes. This ever changing industry means I find it difficult to plan more than two years out. Who knows what will happen in those years! So while I’m working on my current plan, I am also staying flexible to the changes.

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 I hate this kind of question because I want to take ALL THE BOOKS! Especially since I rarely re-read books, so finding ones I want to keep reading over and over is tough. I’d have to say Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie would be on the list. I actually liked that one so much I did re-read it a couple of times. Then maybe Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters. Hmmmm….. Oh Meljean Broook’s The Iron Duke. I could definitely re-read that a few times! Finally, maybe a historical romance to round out the library. Probably Julia Quinn’s The Duke and I. Tough choice though!

Author Websites and Profiles
Kat Simons Website
Kat Simons Amazon Profile

Kat Simons’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Kat Simons is a post from Awesome Gang